#since it’s a physics-based puzzle game

[bread-art]

I love designing UI

[bueckets]

Going UP?

Pairing: Paige Bueckers x Reader

Description: From missed alarms to broken elevators, your Tuesday couldn't get worse, well, until it gets better. When a late-running grad student's desperate dash to save her thesis turns into an unexpected elevator encounter with UConn basketball sensation Paige Bueckers, she learns that sometimes the best assists come from broken machinery.

Armed with nothing but coffee-fueled anxiety and an encyclopedic knowledge of basketball analytics, you find yourself trading quips with college basketball's golden girl in a stalled elevator. What starts as a disaster turns into something else entirely when basketball theory meets practice, terrible jokes meet dangerous grins, and hot chocolate meets, well, everywhere except the mug.

They say love is a game of chances. But when you're trapped between floors with a girl who can bend physics on the court and make your heart run suicides off it, maybe it's worth taking the shot. Sometimes cupid doesn't use arrows. Sometimes he just breaks the elevator.

Featuring: One (1) very broken elevator Several questionably colored cocktails A security guard who's seen it all Basketball plays drawn in spilled Shirley Temples Analytics-based flirting And a whipped cream fight that definitely isn't regulation play

Coming soon to wherever meet-cutes happen in college sports. (Rated R for excessive basketball puns and gay panic)

WC: 8.1k (roughly)

Genre/Notes: uh, i tried to be funny, floofy, rom-com-ish? (i tried), smut at the end, someone gets their kitty ATE, proof read like 50%

Your sneakers pound against the cracked, patchy sidewalk of North Campus, dodging the construction zone that's been "two weeks from completion" since freshman year. The November air bites at your cheeks, sharp as broken glass, and your laptop bag repeatedly slams into your hip with each stride, probably turning your thesis notes into digital confetti. A gust of wind lashes at you, tugging at your jacket, your hair, your sanity, and sending a rogue candy wrapper tumbling like a lonely tumbleweed across the quad like some 50’s Old West showdown. 

You'd woken up to three missed calls from your advisor and an email that made your soul leave your body.

Meeting moved to 9:15 AM. Please bring updated analytics models.

It's 9:12.

The universe is really testing you today. First, your roommate's cat knocked your phone off the nightstand, somehow managing to turn off all five of your alarms. Then, the dining hall’s card reader had the audacity to look at your student ID like it was written in crayon, leaving you to scavenge through your bag for exact change like a Victorian orphan. And now this.

You weave through the crowd of freshmen congregating outside the Student Union like they've never seen stairs before, your thermos of room-temperature coffee sloshing dangerously close to the lid. The wind whips a forgotten syllabus past your feet as you cut across the grass (sorry, campus maintenance), taking the "shortcut" that everyone pretends they don't use. You can practically hear the landscaping team groaning somewhere, shaking their heads at the worn-down dirt trail you and a thousand other students have carved into their perfect lawn.

Gampel Pavilion looms ahead, all glass and steel and architectural hubris. The morning sun hits it at an angle that makes it look like it's on fire, which feels appropriate given your current state of mild panic. You've spent so many hours in this building that the security guard, Mike, doesn't even look up from his crossword puzzle anymore when you scan your ID.

"Running late?" he calls out as you blast past his desk.

"What gave it away?" you shout back, already halfway to the elevators. Your sneakers squeak against the polished floors, leaving behind a faint trail of panic and shame— but most importantly, dirt. 

The ancient LED display above the elevator shows it's on the third floor. You slam the up button approximately forty-seven times, as if that's ever made an elevator move faster in the history of vertical transportation.

"Come on, come on," you mutter, shifting your weight between feet like you're doing some demented speed-skating warm-up. Your laptop bag keeps sliding off your shoulder, and you're pretty sure your hair looks like you styled it in a wind tunnel.  A strand falls into your eyes, and you blow it away with a frustrated huff. Everything about you screams disaster, and yet the elevator couldn’t care less.

The elevator dings. The doors slide open with all the urgency of a DMV employee on a Friday afternoon.

And there she is.

Paige Bueckers is leaning against the back wall of the elevator, one foot propped up behind her, looking like she just stepped out of a Nike ad. Her practice uniform is pristine, her blonde hair pulled back in a perfect ponytail that somehow hasn't gotten the memo about today's wind situation. She's got AirPods in, absently spinning a basketball between her hands like it's an extension of her body.

Your brain short-circuits. 

Time seems to slow down as you stand there, probably looking like a deer caught in very attractive headlights. The elevator dings again, threatening to close its doors on your moment of crisis.

Fuck it.

You lunge forward just as the doors start to close, practically diving into the elevator like you're trying to save a ball going out of bounds. Your coffee sloshes, your bag swings, and you nearly face-plant into the corner.

Paige pulls out one AirPod, her eyebrows raised so high they might achieve orbit. "Nice entrance."

You straighten up, trying to salvage whatever dignity might be hiding in the corners of this elevator. "Thanks, I've been practicing."

The elevator starts its ascent with a concerning rattle that definitely wasn't part of the original design. You adjust your bag for the hundredth time, very aware that you probably look like you just lost a fight with a leaf blower. Meanwhile, Paige keeps spinning that damn basketball, the soft thump-thump of it between her hands matching rhythm with your still-racing heart.

Nine floors to go. Eight if your advisor hasn't moved offices again after the Great Coffee Incident of last semester.

You can handle this. You're an adult. A slightly disheveled, possibly caffeine-deprived adult, but still. Just because you're sharing an elevator with the university's basketball goddess doesn't mean you need to—

The lights flicker once. Twice.

The elevator shudders like it's having an existential crisis.

Then everything stops.

The emergency lights kick in, bathing everything in a red glow that makes Paige look like she's starring in a very stylish apocalypse movie. The basketball stops spinning.

"Well," she says, tucking the ball under her arm and giving you a smile that definitely doesn't make your stomach flip. "Looks like the universe has other plans for us this morning."

You look at your phone: 9:14 AM.

Your advisor is going to kill you.

"Oh fuck, fuck, fuck," you mutter, jabbing at the emergency call button like it personally offended you. "This isn't happening. This can't be happening."

The little red light blinks back at you, mocking your entire existence, as if to say, yeah, good luck with that, idiot. You hit the button again, harder this time, because maybe the elevator just needs some aggressive encouragement.

"I don't think that's helping," Paige says, watching you with a mix of amusement and concern. She's still spinning that goddamn basketball, the rhythmic thump-thump now feeling less like a heartbeat and more like a countdown to your academic doom.

"Yeah? Well, neither are you," you snap, immediately regretting it. Great. Now you're trapped in an elevator AND you've just been rude to Paige fucking Bueckers. "Shit, sorry, I just—" You run both hands through your already catastrophic hair. "My advisor is going to crucify me. Like, actually crucify me. She's probably got a cross picked out and everything."

Paige catches the ball mid-spin. "Dr. Martinez?"

"How did you—"

"The only professor I know who actually might own a cross for student crucifixions." She tucks the ball under her arm. "She made one of our freshmen cry last week just by looking at her."

"That tracks." You slide down the wall opposite her, your legs finally giving up on the whole standing thing. "God, I can't believe this. I've got my entire thesis presentation on this laptop, three months of analytics data that I haven't backed up because I'm an idiot, and now I'm going to die in an elevator with—" You wave vaguely in her direction.

"With?" She raises an eyebrow, and you swear there's a smirk playing at the corner of her mouth.

"With UConn's basketball savior who's probably missing practice right now because the universe decided today was a great day for some cosmic practical joke." You let your head thunk back against the wall. "Coach Auriemma's probably already got a hit out on me."

Paige laughs, and the sound does something weird to your chest. "Nah, Coach is more of a 'make you run suicides until you puke' kind of guy. Much less paperwork than murder."

"Fantastic. So I'll die from academic execution AND athletic retribution. Perfect way to start a Tuesday."

"You always this dramatic before 9:30?" She's definitely smirking now.

"Only when I'm trapped in elevators with pretty girls who should be at practice."

The words are out before your brain can catch up with your mouth. Your eyes go wide, and you seriously consider trying to pry open the doors and jump down the shaft.

But Paige just grins, wide and dangerous. "Oh, so you think I'm pretty?"

"I think you're deflecting from the fact that we're stuck in a metal box that's older than both of us combined," you say, proud of how steady your voice comes out despite the internal screaming.

"And I think you're deflecting from the fact that you just called me pretty."

You pull out your phone again, desperate for a distraction. "No signal. Perfect. This is fine. Everything is fine."

"Could be worse," Paige says, stretching her legs out in front of her. Her feet almost reach where you're sitting, and you absolutely do not notice how long her legs are. "Could be stuck in here with Dr. Martinez."

That startles a laugh out of you. "Jesus, don't even joke about that. She'd probably make me defend my thesis right here."

"Yeah? What's it about?"

You look up from your phone to find her watching you with what appears to be genuine interest. "You really want to know?"

"Well," she gestures around the elevator, "it's not like I've got anywhere else to be."

You narrow your eyes. "If this is some kind of pity conversation—"

"It's not." She cuts you off, her voice surprisingly firm. "I'm actually curious. Plus, you look like you might spontaneously combust if you don't talk about something other than being stuck in here."

She's not wrong. Your leg has been bouncing non-stop since you sat down, and you're pretty sure you're about to wear a hole in your bottom lip from biting it.

"Fine," you say, setting your phone aside. "But remember, you asked for this. And if you fall asleep, I'm using that basketball as a pillow."

Paige's eyes light up with something that makes your stomach flip. "Deal."

"Okay, so you know how current basketball analytics are basically just glorified box scores?" You shift to face her properly, your earlier panic morphing into the kind of enthusiasm that usually makes people's eyes glaze over. "Like, sure, we can track points and assists and whatever, but that's just the obvious stuff."

"And there's more than the obvious stuff?" Paige asks, settling in like she's actually planning to follow your inevitably chaotic explanation.

"So much more." You pull your laptop out, balancing it on your crossed legs. "Like, imagine being able to track not just who made the shot, but all the little things that made that shot possible. The way players move without the ball, how defensive shifts create spaces that don't show up in any stat sheet.”

Your hands start moving as you talk, painting invisible patterns in the air. Paige has stopped spinning her basketball, her eyes following your gestures with an intensity that makes you warm all over.

"It's like..." You pause, trying to find the right words. "You know how in chess, sometimes the most important move isn't the one that takes the piece, but the three moves before that made it possible?"

She nods, leaning forward slightly. "Like a setup play."

"Exactly!" You're fully animated now, previous elevator crisis temporarily forgotten. "But current systems don't track that. They don't see how Player A moving left makes Player B's defender shift just enough that Player C can—"

The emergency speaker crackles to life, making you both jump.

"Hello? Anyone in there?" The voice sounds bored, like stuck elevators are just another Tuesday morning inconvenience.

Paige reaches over and hits the call button. "Yeah, we're here. Two people."

"Alright, we've got maintenance heading up. Should have you out in about fifteen minutes. Sit tight."

The speaker clicks off, leaving you both in that red-tinted silence again.

"Fifteen minutes," you groan, letting your head fall back against the wall. "Dr. Martinez is definitely going to have that cross ready."

"Hey," Paige says, and something in her voice makes you look at her. "Tell me more about your system. How do you track all those micro-movements?"

You blink at her. "You actually want to hear more?"

"Would I ask if I didn't?" She's got this soft half-smile that does dangerous things to your ability to think straight. "Plus, you get all..." she waves her hand vaguely, "sparkly when you talk about it."

"Sparkly?"

"Yeah, like you're lit up from the inside." She says it so casually, like she hasn't just made your heart do a full court press against your ribs.

You clear your throat, trying to remember how words work. "Right. Well, um, I've been working with the computer vision lab to develop these tracking algorithms..."

The next fifteen minutes dissolve into a blur of technical explanations and basketball theory. Paige asks surprisingly specific questions, and you try not to look too pleased every time she leans in closer to see something on your laptop screen.

When maintenance finally gets the elevator moving again, it feels too soon.

The doors open on the fourth floor – your floor – and you scramble to pack up your laptop, suddenly aware that you've spent the last twenty minutes word-vomiting about analytics to one of the best basketball players in the country.

"Thanks for, uh, keeping me from completely losing it," you say, standing awkwardly in the doorway. "And sorry about the whole..." you gesture vaguely at yourself, "chaos."

Paige stands too, and even in the normal lighting, she's unfairly pretty. "Chaos looks good on you."

Your brain short-circuits. "Can I get your number?"

The words tumble out before you can stop them, and you immediately want to crawl into the nearest trash can. But Paige just grins, that dangerous one that makes her look like she knows exactly what she's doing to you.

"Tell you what," she says, spinning the basketball on one finger because apparently she's physically incapable of not showing off. "Come to Friday's game. If you can spot one of those micro-interactions you were talking about..." She lets the ball roll down her arm and catches it smoothly. "Maybe you'll find out if I give my number to random girls I meet in elevators."

She backs into the elevator, maintaining eye contact until the doors close between you.

You stand there for a solid thirty seconds, staring at the brushed metal doors like they might reveal the secrets of the universe. Or at least explain how you went from having a mental breakdown about your advisor to what definitely felt like flirting with Paige Bueckers.

Your phone buzzes: another email from Dr. Martinez.

Meeting rescheduled to 2PM. Bring coffee. The good kind.

You look back at the elevator doors, then at your phone, then at the ceiling.

Looks like you're going to a basketball game on Friday.

The security guard at Gampel's student entrance looks at your ticket, then at you, then back at the ticket with the kind of suspicion usually reserved for people trying to use expired coupons at Target.

"This is— courtside," he says slowly, like maybe you don't understand what those words mean.

"Yeah, I, uh,” You shift your weight between feet, very aware of the growing line behind you. "I got it in an email?"

It comes out like a question because honestly, you're still not entirely sure this isn't some elaborate fever dream. The past three days have felt surreal, starting with Dr. Martinez actually smiling during your rescheduled meeting (turns out that fancy coffee shop downtown does make a difference) and ending with an email from pbueckers@uconn.edu that made you choke on your morning cereal.

The security guard squints at his scanner like it's personally offending him. "These are usually reserved for—"

"Is there a problem?" A familiar voice cuts through the growing awkwardness, and you turn to find Mike, your elevator-lobby guardian angel, approaching with his signature "I've seen too much student nonsense" expression.

"Got a courtside ticket here, but—"

"Oh, yeah," Mike says, shooting you a look that's somewhere between amused and knowing. "This one's good. Let 'em through."

You mouth a 'thank you' as you pass, and he just shakes his head, muttering something that sounds suspiciously like "kids these days" under his breath.

The student section is already packed, a sea of navy and white that ripples with pre-game energy. But your ticket directs you past all that, down, down, down the steps until you're so close to the court you can smell the fresh polish on the hardwood.

"This isn't happening," you mutter to yourself, dropping into your assigned seat—which is literally close enough to high-five players coming off the court. "This is fine. Everything is fine. You're just casually sitting courtside at a sold-out game because you got trapped in an elevator and word-vomited about basketball analytics for twenty minutes. Totally normal Friday night."

The woman next to you, wearing what looks like several hundred dollars worth of UConn gear, gives you a concerned side-eye.

"Sorry," you say, slinking lower in your seat. "I talk to myself when I'm having an existential crisis."

She just nods and shifts slightly away, which, fair.

The arena fills up quickly, the ambient noise growing from a buzz to a roar. You try to look casual, like you totally belong here and didn't spend forty-five minutes earlier having a breakdown about what to wear to a basketball game when you're sitting close enough to be on TV. (You'd finally settled on jeans and a UConn hoodie, figuring if you're going to have a gay panic on national television, you might as well be comfortable.)

The teams come out for warm-ups, and your heart definitely doesn't skip when you spot number 5 leading the layup line. Paige moves like she's got some sort of cheat code for gravity, each motion fluid and precise. She's got her game face on, all focused intensity and practiced routine, but then—

She catches your eye as she circles back to the line, and her serious expression cracks just enough to let through a hint of that dangerous grin from the elevator.

"Oh, I am so screwed," you breathe, and the woman next to you shifts another inch away.

The game itself is a blur of motion and noise. You try to focus on analyzing plays like you promised, looking for those micro-interactions you'd rambled about, but it's hard to think strategically when Paige keeps making passes that shouldn't be physically possible. Your laptop's probably having a stroke trying to track all these movements.

By halftime, UConn's up by twelve, and you've filled three pages of your Notes app with what started as technical observations but has devolved into increasingly incoherent capslock about various impressive plays. The latest note just says "HOW DID SHE EVEN SEE THAT CUTTING GUARD??? PHYSICS???? HELP????"

"Nice analysis."

You nearly drop your phone. Paige is right there, pretending to adjust her shoes by the bench but clearly smirking in your direction.

"I'm being professionally thorough," you whisper-hiss back, trying to ignore how your pulse is doing full-court sprints.

"Uh huh." She stands up, heading back to the huddle, but not before adding, "You look good in UConn blue, by the way."

You spend the entire third quarter trying to remember how to breathe normally.

The fourth quarter is when you see it—one of those perfect setup plays you'd theorized about. Paige moves left, drawing her defender, while simultaneously nodding almost imperceptibly to her teammate. The slight movement causes a chain reaction: the defense shifts, creating a gap that shouldn't exist, and suddenly there's a perfect passing lane that materializes out of seemingly nowhere. The ball flows through it like water finding the path of least resistance, resulting in an easy layup that looks simple but was actually three moves in the making.

You're on your feet before you realize it, pointing and probably looking deranged. "That! That's exactly what I was talking about! The head fake was the trigger but it wasn't even about the—" You cut yourself off, becoming aware that several people are staring at you, including the woman next to you who's now practically in the next seat over.

As the final buzzer sounds (UConn by 18), your phone buzzes with a new email.

From: pbueckers@uconn.edu

Subject: Nice catch

Body: 617-555-0147

PS - Your "professional analysis" face is reaaaaallly cute. Even from ten feet away.

You stare at your phone long enough that the arena starts to empty around you, afraid that if you look away the numbers might disappear like some basketball Cinderella story. The woman next to you finally gets up, edging past with the kind of caution usually reserved for wild animals.

"Sorry about all the,” you gesture vaguely at yourself.

She just pats your shoulder with grandmotherly sympathy. "Honey, I've been watching basketball for forty years, and I've never seen someone have a gay awakening quite that enthusiastically. Good luck with number five."

You're still sputtering when she disappears up the stairs, leaving you alone with a phone number and the distinct feeling that the universe is either laughing at you or playing matchmaker.

Possibly both.

Nah— Definitely both.

After what feels like an eternity of staring at your phone like it holds the secrets of the universe, your bladder kindly reminds you that you stress-drank an entire large iced coffee before the game. Fucking wonderful. You glance at the concourse—and immediately regret every life choice that led to this moment.

The bathroom line snakes around the corner like some kind of hydra-headed monster, full of people who clearly had the same brilliant beverage ideas you did. You briefly consider just holding it and dealing with the consequences later, but your body has other plans.

"This is karma," you mutter, taking your place at the end of the line. "This is definitely karma for all those times I made fun of people waiting in long bathroom lines."

The girl in front of you snorts. "If it helps, I'm pretty sure we're all suffering from the same coffee-based poor judgment."

Twenty minutes. Twenty. Entire. Minutes.

You've gone through every social media app twice, responded to three emails you've been avoiding, and played enough Candy Crush to rot your remaining brain cells by the time you finally emerge from the bathroom. The arena is practically empty now, just cleaning crew and a few lingering fans.

Your phone feels heavy in your pocket, that number burning a hole in your mind. You pull it out, staring at the digits like they might rearrange themselves into instructions on how to text your elevator-meet-cute crush without sounding like a complete disaster.

To: 617-555-0147

Hey, this is your favorite elevator analytics nerd. Great game tonight. That fourth-quarter setup play was chef's kiss

You hit send before you can overthink it, then immediately regret every word choice. Chef's kiss? Really? Maybe if you run fast enough, you can catch up to your dignity before it leaves the building entirely.

Your phone buzzes before you can fully commit to your shame spiral.

From: Paige 🏀

some of us are heading to murphy's for dirty shirleys if you want to continue your "professional analysis" in person? promise there won't be any elevators involved

You nearly trip over your own feet.

Will there be a formal presentation required? Should I prepare slides?

just your sparkling personality and maybe an explanation of how you knew that play was coming before I did 😉

Bold of you to assume I wasn't just gesturing wildly at a mosquito 

we both know you're too much of a basketball nerd for that. meet you there in 20?

You pause at the arena exit, looking down at your very casual, very not-prepared-to-go-out outfit. But then again, when has anything about this situation been normal? 

Your eyes shoot back to your phone and your frantic typing begins once again.

Only if you promise to explain how that behind-the-back pass in the third quarter didn't break several laws of physics

deal. and hey?

Yeah?

the hoodie really does look good on you

Your stomach shoots to your ass and you stand there grinning at your phone like an idiot until Mike, doing his final security rounds, walks by and shakes his head.

"Don't stay out too late, kid," he calls over his shoulder. "These love stories always get complicated when they start in elevators."

"That was literally ONE MOVIE," you shout after him, but he just waves without turning around.

You look down at your phone one more time, then up at the now-empty arena, and can't help but laugh. Somehow, a broken elevator, an understanding security guard, and a basketball player with a dangerous grin have turned your disaster of a week into whatever this is.

Time to find out if Dirty Shirleys taste better when you're sharing them with a girl who can bend physics on a basketball court.

Murphy's is exactly what would happen if a sports bar had a baby with a college town dive and raised it on a strict diet of neon signs and questionable decor choices. The walls are plastered with enough UConn memorabilia to fill a museum, if museums were into collecting signed napkins and mysteriously stained jerseys.

Your stomach is doing Olympic-level gymnastics as you push open the door, immediately hit by the smell of mozzarella sticks and what you really hope is just decades of spilled beer. The place is packed with post-game energy, and you're pretty sure your heart stops completely when you spot Paige at a corner booth, still in her game-day warmups because apparently she just casually walks around looking like a Nike ad.

"Analytics nerd!" she calls out, waving you over with that stupid grin that makes your brain cells commit mass suicide. "We saved you a seat!"

The 'we' turns out to be a collection of players who could probably stack on top of each other and touch the moon. You slide into the only open spot—right next to Paige, because the universe is clearly not done testing your ability to form coherent sentences today.

"Everyone, this is the elevator girl who knows more about our plays than we do," Paige announces, and your face goes hot enough to fry an egg. "Elevator girl, this is everyone."

"I have a name, you know," you manage, trying to ignore how her shoulder is pressed against yours in the crowded booth.

"Yeah, but 'elevator girl' has a better ring to it," she says, sliding a violently pink drink your way. "Plus, it's technically accurate."

"So is 'basketball menace' but you don't see me—" Your mouth snaps shut as her teammates start cackling.

"Oh, I like this one," says a girl you recognize as KK Arnold, grinning like she just got early Christmas. "She's got bite."

"She's got analytics," Paige corrects, but she's looking at you with something that makes your stomach relocate to somewhere in the general vicinity of Jupiter. "Speaking of which, you never did tell me how you caught that play coming."

You take a long sip of your Dirty Shirley to buy time, immediately regretting it when the sugar content threatens to give you instant cavities. "Holy shit, what's in this? Pure pixie stick powder?"

"Don't deflect," Paige says, poking your side. "We've got a whole team of analysts and none of them caught it. So spill."

"Fine, but only because you bought me diabetes in a glass." You shift to face her, accidentally-on-purpose letting your knee rest against hers under the table. "It was your head."

Her eyebrows shoot up. "My head?"

"You've got this tell," you say, getting into it now because apparently basketball analysis is your ideal flirting language. "This tiny little head tilt you do when you're setting up something sneaky. Like a cat about to knock something off a table, but make it basketball."

The entire table goes quiet, then erupts in laughter.

"She's got you there, P," Ice wheezes. "You do look like a menacing cat sometimes!"

Paige is staring at you with a mix of indignation and something else that makes your chest feel too small for your heart. "I do not have a cat tell."

"You absolutely do," you say, emboldened by sugar and the way her eyes keep dropping to your lips. "It's actually kind of cu—"

"SHOTS!" someone yells, and suddenly there's a tray of something alarmingly blue being passed around.

"Oh god," you mutter, watching the liquid slosh ominously. "Is this what happens when a Smurf dies?"

Paige nearly chokes on her drink. "That's terrible!"

"Just like these shots are about to be?"

She leans in close—too close, definitely too close for your remaining brain cells to function—and whispers, "Good thing I like terrible jokes."

Your stomach shoots to your ass (and possibly into another dimension) as she pulls back with a wink that should be illegal in at least forty-eight states.

"I hate you," you inform her, grabbing one of the Smurf funeral shots because if you're going to have a gay crisis in a college bar, you might as well commit fully.

"No you don't," she says with absolute certainty, and the worst part is she's right.

You really, really don't.

The night dissolves into a blur of increasingly ridiculous drinks (who knew they made something called a "Husky Howl"?), basketball stories that get more elaborate with each round, and Paige's thigh pressed warm against yours under the table. You learn that she stress-bakes before big games, that she once tried to teach her dog to play basketball, and that when she really laughs—like, really laughs—she snorts a little and it's possibly the cutest thing you've ever seen.

At some point, Azzi starts drawing up plays on napkins with increasingly chaotic drink-fueled creativity. Aaliyah Edwards keeps stealing her pen to "fix" the defensive rotations, while Nika Mühl throws wadded-up straw wrappers at both of them, critiquing their "absolutely trash spacing."

"No, no, look," KK follows imaginary lines with her finger across the napkin, accidentally dragging it through a puddle of spilled Shirley Temple. "If we run this here, and then—" she grabs your arm— "you're the defense, okay? Stand up."

"I absolutely am not," you protest, but Paige is already pulling you up with that stupid grin that makes your knees forget how joints work.

"Come on, elevator girl," she teases, positioning you near the booth. "Show us those analytics skills in action."

"I hate all of you," you mutter, but you're laughing as KK tries to demonstrate some elaborate defensive scheme that mostly involves her spinning in circles while Aaliyah provides unhelpful commentary.

"Your footwork is trash, bestie," Aaliyah calls out, now using maraschino cherries to build what appears to be a scale model of the paint.

"YOUR footwork is trash," KK shoots back, then promptly trips over nothing.

"Ladies, ladies," Paige steps in, all faux seriousness undermined by the way she can't stop grinning. "Let a professional show you how it's done."

She moves behind you, hands settling lightly on your hips, and your brain immediately flatlines. "See, proper defensive stance is all about—"

"Get a fuckin' room!" Nika yells, launching another straw wrapper that hits Paige square in the forehead.

"Actually," Paige says close to your ear, and your stomach does approximately seventeen backflips, "I've got that new analytics setup at my apartment if you want to see it. You know, for research purposes."

You turn to face her, very aware that her hands haven't moved from your hips. "Research purposes?"

"Mhmm." That dangerous grin is back. "Purely academic, of course."

"Of course," you manage, trying to ignore the way your pulse is doing a full drumline routine.

"Oh my god," KK groans from the booth. "This is worse than when Aaliyah tried to flirt with that barista using coffee puns."

"Hey!" Aaliyah protests. "That was smooth!"

"You asked if she wanted to 'espresso' her feelings!"

"And now we're dating, so who's the real winner here?"

Paige rolls her eyes at their antics, but her thumbs are drawing small circles on your hips that are making it very hard to focus on anything else. "So? Want to help me with some late-night analysis?"

Your stomach shoots to your ass as you meet her eyes, finding them sparkling with something that definitely isn't just about basketball statistics. "I mean, it would be unprofessional to turn down a research opportunity..."

"GET OUT OF HERE," Azzi throws a cherry that sails completely wide of both of you. "Your gay panic is ruining my plays."

"Your plays were already ruined," Nika points out, helpfully redrawing the vodka-smudged X's and O's with what appears to be lip gloss.

Paige grabs her jacket with one hand and your hand with the other, tugging you toward the door. "Don't wait up, nerds!"

"USE PROTECTION!" Aubrey shouts after you, causing several nearby tables to choke on their drinks.

"I mean, analytics can be very dangerous," you say with mock seriousness as you step into the cool night air, very aware that Paige hasn't let go of your hand. "All those numbers flying around."

"Absolutely hazardous," she agrees, pulling you closer as you walk. "Better stick together. For safety."

"For safety," you repeat, hoping she can't feel your pulse racing where your fingers are intertwined. "And research."

"And research," she echoes, giving you that sidelong grin that makes your heart forget how to beat properly. "Though I should warn you..."

"Yeah?"

She stops under a streetlight, turning to face you with eyes that sparkle with mischief. "My elevator works perfectly fine."

Your laugh echoes off the empty street. "Damn. There goes my backup plan."

"I'm sure we can find other ways to get stuck together," she says, and your stomach relocates somewhere in the general vicinity of Mars.

As you follow her down the quiet streets of Storrs, your joined hands swinging between you, you make a mental note to buy Mike the biggest coffee gift card you can afford.

Broken elevators might just be your new favorite thing.

Paige's apartment is exactly what you'd expect from someone who's somehow both a basketball prodigy and a complete dork—there's a literal trophy shelf right next to a collection of Star Wars Funko Pops, and her UConn jersey hangs framed above what appears to be a very elaborate gaming setup.

"Nice lightsaber," you say, nodding to the collector's edition propped in the corner.

"Nice deflection from how your hands are shaking," she shoots back, shrugging off her jacket.

"It's cold outside!"

"Uh huh." She disappears into the kitchen, and you hear cabinets opening. "Want some hot chocolate? I promise it's better than those nuclear waste shots Aubrey kept ordering."

Your stomach does a weird flip at how domestic this feels. "Only if you have—"

"Mini marshmallows and whipped cream? What kind of monster do you think I am?"

You follow her voice to find her already pulling out mugs, one of which has "Ball is Life" written in what appears to be glitter pen. "The kind that owns a bedazzled basketball mug?"

"First of all, Nika made this for my birthday and it's a masterpiece," she says, grabbing milk from the fridge. "Second of all, you're just jealous of my sophisticated taste."

"Oh, absolutely. Nothing says sophistication like..." you pick up a container from the counter, "unicorn hot chocolate mix?"

She snatches it back, fighting a grin. "It's limited edition!"

"Of course, my mistake. Clearly I'm in the presence of a fine dining connoisseur."

The kitchen fills with the smell of chocolate as she heats the milk, and you try not to stare at how she's rolled up her sleeves, forearms on full display as she stirs. You fail miserably.

"See something you like?" she asks without turning around, because apparently she has eyes in the back of her head.

"Just admiring your hot chocolate technique."

"My technique is excellent, thank you very much." She turns, holding up a can of whipped cream with a dangerous glint in her eye. "Want to see?"

Your throat goes dry. "I feel like this is a trap."

"Maybe." She takes a step closer, and your back hits the counter. "But you've been analyzing my moves all night. Shouldn't I get a turn?"

You're about to say something witty—really, you are—but then she's shaking the whipped cream can and all your brain cells collectively abandon ship.

"Don't you dare—" 

The words are barely out before she's spraying whipped cream directly at your face. You squeal (not your proudest moment) and grab for the can, resulting in a brief wrestling match that ends with cream basically everywhere except in the actual mugs.

"You're such a menace!" you gasp, trying to wipe cream off your nose while she cackles.

"Says the girl who called me out on my head tilt in front of my whole team!"

"That's different! That was professional analysis!"

"Oh yeah?" She steps closer, effectively pinning you against the counter. "Analyze this."

Your heart stops as she reaches up, thumb gently wiping whipped cream from the corner of your mouth. Time seems to freeze, your entire world narrowing to that point of contact and the way her eyes drop to your lips.

"Your technique could use some work," you manage to whisper, and she laughs—that real laugh, with the little snort that makes your chest feel too small for your heart.

"Maybe you should show me how it's done then."

Your stomach shoots through the floor as you reach up, threading your fingers through her hair (definitely getting whipped cream in it but whatever), and pull her down to meet you.

She tastes like chocolate and whipped cream and something uniquely her, and you can feel her smile against your lips as she wraps her arms around your waist, pulling you impossibly closer. 

"How's that for technique?" you murmur when you finally break apart, both breathing a bit harder.

"Hmm." She pretends to consider it, but her eyes are sparkling and her hands are still firmly on your waist. "Might need more data to make a proper analysis."

"Oh my god, you're actually worse than me with the nerd references."

"You like it," she says with absolute certainty, leaning in again.

"Maybe," you concede against her lips. "But only because you're cute when you're being smug."

She pulls back just enough to give you that dangerous grin that started this whole thing. "Just cute?"

"And modest, clearly."

"I'll show you modest," she growls, and then she's kissing you again, deeper this time, backing you further against the counter until you're pretty sure your soul leaves your body entirely.

The hot chocolate goes cold on the counter, 

The hot chocolate goes cold on the counter, forgotten in the haze of warm laughter and sticky fingers. At some point, her lips found their way back to yours, sweet and a little messy, and now you’re on her couch, knees bumping against hers as you both settle into an almost tentative rhythm. She pulls back just slightly, her forehead resting against yours, and her breath fans across your lips in short, uneven bursts.

“You’re trouble,” she whispers, her voice low and a little breathless, her hands sliding up your arms to rest on your shoulders, thumbs brushing the curve of your collarbone.

“You like trouble,” you fire back, and there’s just enough of a spark in your tone to make her grin.

“I really do,” she admits, and before you can respond, her lips are on yours again, slower this time, deliberate. It’s not the playful teasing from before—it’s something heavier, something that makes your heart stutter in your chest and your hands curl into the soft fabric of her sweatshirt.

Her fingers tangle in your hair as she shifts, nudging you gently until your back hits the cushions. She hovers above you, her knees bracketing your thighs, her ponytail spilling over one shoulder as she leans down to kiss you again. This time, it’s a little rougher, her teeth catching on your bottom lip just enough to make you gasp, and the sound seems to light something in her eyes.

“You’re killing me,” you murmur against her mouth, and she pulls back just enough to look at you, her grin sharper now.

“Good,” she says simply, and her hands are on the hem of your hoodie, tugging it up. “This okay?”

You nod, swallowing hard, and she doesn’t wait for a second invitation. The hoodie’s off in a flash, tossed somewhere behind the couch, and her eyes sweep over you like she’s committing every inch to memory. Her hands are warm as they skim over your sides, fingertips brushing against bare skin and leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake.

“You’re gorgeous,” she says softly, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world, and the way she says it makes you believe her, even with your heart trying to beat its way out of your chest.

“You’re not so bad yourself,” you manage, trying to sound casual even as she leans back down, her lips finding the curve of your jaw and then lower, pressing slow, open-mouthed kisses to your neck. Your hands find her waist, and you can feel the strength of her beneath the soft cotton of her sweatshirt, her muscles flexing slightly as she shifts against you.

“Should we,” she starts, her voice trailing off as she pulls back just enough to meet your eyes. There’s a question there, unspoken but clear, and you answer it by pulling her back down, your lips crashing into hers with more urgency than before.

“Definitely,” you say between kisses, and that’s all the encouragement she needs.

Her sweatshirt joins your hoodie somewhere on the floor, and her hands are everywhere—your waist, your thighs, the curve of your hip. It’s all a blur of heat and soft laughter and the kind of clumsy, sweet desperation that only comes with two people trying to figure out how they fit together.

The couch is too small, the angles all wrong, and at some point, she pulls back just enough to breathe, “Bed?”

You nod, and then she’s pulling you to your feet, her hand sliding down to lace her fingers with yours as she leads you toward her room. There’s something about the way she looks back at you, her grin soft and a little nervous, that makes your heart ache in the best way.

The moment you’re through the door, she’s on you again, her hands sliding up your back as she kisses you like she’s trying to memorize every curve, every shiver. The bed is soft beneath you, and her weight is solid and warm as she follows you down, her knee nudging between yours as she leans over you.

“You’re really good at this whole ‘research’ thing,” you tease, and she laughs against your collarbone, the sound low and husky and so incredibly her.

“Don’t distract me,” she murmurs, and her hands are on you again, her touch firm and sure and just a little shaky in a way that makes your chest swell with affection.

And when she kisses you again, slow and deep, you think, for the first time all week, that maybe the universe actually got something right.

The mattress dips under her weight as Paige pulls back just enough to take you in, her hair falling loose from her ponytail, framing her face in a way that feels criminally unfair. There’s a glint in her eye now, something teasing but focused, like she’s about to run the most calculated play of her life.

“You look nervous,” she says, her lips curling into that sharp grin that’s been undoing you all night.

“I’m not nervous,” you lie, though your voice cracks on the last syllable like your body’s calling you out.

She chuckles, low and throaty, and leans down, her lips brushing the shell of your ear. “Good. Because I’m about to ruin you, and I don’t need you overthinking it.”

Before you can process what she said, she’s sliding down your body with deliberate slowness, her hands dragging over your sides, down your hips, and hooking around the waistband of your leggings. She raises an eyebrow, silently asking permission, and the second you nod, she pulls them down in one fluid motion, leaving you feeling bare and achingly vulnerable.

“Holy shit,” Paige mutters under her breath, her eyes locked on you like she’s just stumbled on a masterpiece at an art museum. Her hands settle on your thighs, thumbs tracing small circles that send shivers racing up your spine. “You’re so—” She stops, shakes her head, and looks up at you with that cocky grin. “Nah, I’m gonna show you instead of telling you.”

Her lips press to the inside of your knee, soft at first, but as she moves higher, her kisses grow hungrier, her teeth grazing your skin just enough to leave you squirming.

“Paige,” you breathe, your voice barely more than a whisper, but she just hums against your thigh like she’s savoring her favorite meal.

“Patience,” she murmurs, her breath hot against your skin as she shifts lower. “You’re not going anywhere, are you?”

Your response gets caught in your throat as her mouth finally finds you, and every coherent thought you’ve ever had promptly evaporates. Her tongue moves with the same precision she has on the court, all calculated angles and devastating accuracy, and it’s like she’s figured out exactly how to dismantle you.

“Fuck—Paige—” Your hips jerk involuntarily, but her hands hold you steady, her grip firm enough to keep you grounded while her mouth does the opposite.

She pulls back just enough to look up at you, her lips glistening, and there’s a wicked glint in her eye that makes your stomach drop in the best way. “Hang tight,” she says, reaching toward the nightstand.

“What are you—oh my God,” you gasp as she pulls out a vibrator, the sleek little device gleaming like it was made for moments like this.

Paige winks, all confidence and mischief, as she turns it on, the low hum filling the room. “You trust me, right?”

You nod, because at this point, you’d probably trust her to lead you into a cult if it meant feeling like this.

“Good.” She leans back down, her mouth finding you again just as the vibrator presses against you, and the combination is so overwhelming it almost knocks the breath out of you.

Your hands fly to her hair, tugging as the vibrations send shocks of pleasure racing through your body, and her tongue works in tandem, teasing and relentless. It’s too much and not enough all at once, and you can feel yourself unraveling, piece by piece, with every calculated movement.

“Paige, I—” Your words dissolve into a moan that would make your ancestors weep, your thighs trembling as she doubles down, her grip on you tightening.

“That’s it,” she murmurs against you, her voice low and full of something that sounds dangerously like pride. “Let go, baby. I’ve got you.”

And just like that, you do. The orgasm rips through you like a tidal wave, leaving you gasping and clutching at the sheets as your vision whites out. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you swear you hear yourself speaking in tongues.

Paige doesn’t stop until your legs are twitching, and even then, she presses one last kiss to your inner thigh before sitting back with the most self-satisfied grin you’ve ever seen.

“Did I just—” You pause, catching your breath, your voice hoarse. “Did I just have an exorcism?”

Paige laughs, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “If you did, I think I’m gonna need to start charging for holy services.”

“Fuck you,” you say weakly, though the way you’re still grinning probably ruins the effect.

She crawls back up to you, her body warm and solid as she settles next to you, her arm slinging over your waist. “Oh, you’re definitely going to want to do that next,” she teases, pressing a kiss to your temple.

And just like that, you’re laughing, still breathless and a little wrecked, but somehow more at ease than you’ve felt in ages. Paige grins down at you, smug but soft, and you think, maybe, that this is exactly where you’re supposed to be.

Sometimes the best love stories start with a malfunction.

Just don't tell Mike. He's smug enough already.

The End

[microwavesaferat]

What videogames the Batfam play, I will take absolutely zero criticism.

Bruce

- Mortal Combat

- Explicitly the old arcade cabinet version.

- He sometimes copies moves from the games.

- Claims it's good for improving instincts.

Dick

- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater

- Played all of the Pro Skater games as they came out.

- The sort of person to try and launch themselves halfway across the map.

- Tried to get Tim to show him how to skate, didn't go well (he broke his nose trying to do a trick).

- Despite being an accomplished acrobat, it hasn't transferred well to doing skateboard tricks.

Jason

- The sort of guy to play Doom Eternal and Animal Crossing religiously.

- He will be sitting on the sofa, with unbridled rage on his face while he stares at a switch. Everyone thinks he's struggling with a stage in Doom (it was Animal Crossing, Tom Nook can go fuck himself).

- Has dipped from patrol before cause he realises it was a Sunday and had to sell his turnips before midnight (he will not change the time, that's cheating).

Tim

- Portal 1 and 2

- The puzzles aren't exactly difficult for him, especially after he's completed the game so many times, so now he speedruns the game, seeing what he can exploit.

- Constantly switching between no. 1 and 2 on the leaderboards (the other person he's switching with is actually the Riddler, he was allowed 1 video game in Arkham).

- Managed to rig up controls so he can play multiplayer by himself.

Damian

- Has no such time for childish wastes of time!

- How dare you assume he would sully his mind with such trivial acts!

- I mean really, he spends his time pursuing actually meaningful stimulation such as reading or research.

- It's Pokémon.

- He wanted to play Doom after seeing Jason play it, but he's like 12.

- He has played every single Pokémon game and knows all the meta.

- He has qualms with the idea of animal fighting, but Dick told him that Pokémon like to fight, like how dogs and cats will play fight.

Barbara

- Any of those CCTV horror games.

- Since her work as Oracle, these games are a piece of cake, so she plays them while doing other stuff, just in the background.

- She has completed Fnaf UCN 50/20 mode multiple times now, sometimes while monitoring the Bats in patrol.

Stephanie

- Sims

- She has made all the family and the rogues in the Sims.

- She has made Bruce and Clark 'woohoo' multiple times.

- When someone pisses her off, she will torture them in the Sims and send footage to the group chat.

- Tim has been locked in a 1x1 room for 3 weeks now (he still doesn't know what he did) (he didn't bring her anything from Batburger when he went).

Cassandra

- Story-based games like What Remains of Edith Finch and Life is Strange.

- Any competitive game is out of the questions as it's too easy to read her component. She has beaten Bruce at MK soooo many times.

- Like these games cause she finds it half way between reading a book and watching a soap-opera at times.

- Doesn't need to "be the best" as there isn't a goal, so she can just relax and enjoy herself.

- Also likes playing DDR with Duke.

Duke

- Beatsaber

- In training for We Are Robin, he used several rhythm games to improve his reaction time as it's a good way to practice without actually getting into danger.

- Absolutely dominates at DDR with the Batfam, like him and Cass will be at an arcade and it'll be like one of those scenes from a movie where they switch sides, do tricks, and are so in sync, it's insane.

- Beatsaber is fun cause he will project it in front of him as well to physically hit the blocks. He needs VR when he can just make it exist.

- The others swear he uses his powers to cheat at it cause he's so much better than the rest of them (he does on occasion when one of them annoys him).

Alfred

- Master Bruce, I do not have time to play video games and have no such interest. These things are for the younger generation anyway.

- Bloodborne.

[cyberclouddream]

What Recharges or Motivates Us

What to do if you feel unmotivated or drained. Based primarily on Sun placements, but can also apply to Venus, Mars, or Jupiter if strong, along with Chart Ruler. Also look for the houses where you have Aries [ inspiration ], Taurus [ comfort ], Scorpio [ rebirth ], and Sagittarius [ adventure ].

Through the Signs

Aries

- engage in a competitive activity, like sports or games that gets your blood pumping

- tackle a quick, challenging task, like a workout, difficult puzzle, hiking, cycling, or running

- spend more time in the sun and other natural light, like candles or bonfires

- leading others, like leading a group project or initiative

- take a spontaneous trip or adventure, exploring nearby towns or new places

- do a hands-on activity, like a DIY or home improvement project

- take a class or workshop you always wanted to try, like pottery, cooking, or dancing

- engaging in activities that remind you of your childhood

More Ideas: try extreme sports like rock climbing or bungee jumping; pack a bag and take a road trip with a specific destination; set up a friendly competition like a race or game; create a playlist that represents your personal anthem; join a public speaking/Toastmakers club or open-mic events; try a martial arts class, parkour, or fire dancing

Taurus

- spend time outdoors in nature, through hiking, gardening, or simply relaxing

- indulge in sensory experiences, through cooking your favorite meal, taking a bath, or lighting aromatic candles

- treat yourself to a self-care day, like a massage, facial, or luxurious bath to reconnect with the body

- rearranging or redecorating your safe space, like adding plants or artwork

- listen to music, like uplifting or calming tunes that boost your mood or energy

- engage in creative hobbies, like painting, pottery, or crafting

- cooking or baking, since the process of preparing food can be therapeutic or satisfying to them

- gentle forms of physical movement, like yoga, dancing, or tai chi

- mindfulness practices, like meditation or deep breathing

- spending quality time with loved ones, like close friends, family, or animal companions

More Ideas: visit a local farmer’s market, experiment with cooking a new cuisine; take a worship in pottery or candle-making; host a wine and cheese testing; visit local artisan shops or craft markets; explore local flora or take up a nature identification project; host a themed dinner party; use more vibrant colors, fragrant herbs, or unique textures when cooking

Gemini

- organize a gathering with friends or participate in a social event

- explore new ideas, through trying a new book, podcast, or documentary

- plan a short trip or spontaneous outing to a new location

- participate in group activities, like joining a club, workshop, or class, like a writing group, art class, or dance lesson

- trying different hobbies, like crafting or playing a musical instrument

- take a short social media break, to calm mental chatter and focus on more fulfilling tasks

- host a themed movie or game night, like inviting friends over for a movie marathon or game night to combine entertainment with socializing

- try guided meditations

More Ideas: take a quick-paced online course on a random subject that interests them; join an improv class; go on a themed trip, like visiting a historical landmark or art installations; write a short story or poem based on a random word generator; host an online discussion group on an eclectic topic; try VR experiences that offer adventure or learning opportunities; host a trivia night; create a collaborative story where others contribute paragraphs; participate in a flash mob; join a local debate club

Cancer

- spend time at home or in a cozy and comforting environment, and even declutter or redecorate

- engage in nurturing activities, like cooking a favorite meal or baking something comforting

- spend quality time with family or close friends

- practice self-care routines, like taking a long bath, practicing skincare, or enjoying a good book

- artistic outlets, like painting, crafting, or writing

- nature walks, especially near water, like lakes, rivers, or the ocean

- journal, to write down thoughts or feelings to help bring clarity to process emotions

- volunteer or help others, since acts of kindness are fulfilling

More Ideas: curate a playlist that represents current feelings and listen to it while journaling; setup a home sanctuary with blankets, pillows, or favorite items; try art therapy as a form of emotional expression; create a scrapbook or photo album full of cherished memories; cook a dish from childhood; host a memory sharing night with friends or family; create a comfort box with things like favorite books, scented candles, photos, or treats; plant a healing garden

Leo

- expressing through art, like painting, dancing, or acting

- host a social gathering, like organizing a party or get-together with friends, since they like being the center of attention and sharing their energy

- engage in a physical activity, like a fun workout, dance class, or group fitness session

- pamper yourself, like having a spa day, try a new hairstyle, or going shopping to make your feel great

- leading a project at work or a group setting

- surrounding themselves with positivity, like curating a playlist or watching uplifting movies

- trying a new hobby that challenges them, like photography, writing, or playing an instrument

- connecting with nature, like a botanical garden or beach

- practicing gratitude, like writing down things they appreciate

More Ideas: dress up as a favorite character or icon for the day; write a personal manifesto of their goals, dreams, and values; host a talent show with friends and family; volunteer to mentor others and share skills; have a solo dance party at home or wherever they feel free, like nature; enroll in local acting or improv class; create a personal website; plan a photoshoot; attend a live performance; establish a celebration ritual for achievements big or small

Virgo

- spend time tidying up, like cleaning and organizing their environment

- going for a nature walk or hike, to ground and reconnect with surroundings

- create a to-do list, like writing down tasks and goals to have a clear plan

- try a craft or DIY project, like gardening, artisan crafts, or home improvement

- cook a healthy and nourishing me that focuses on healthy ingredients

- taking a break from screens and social media to reduce mental chatter and focus on priorities and passions

- read for pleasure, like a book or audiobook, listening to a story that can provide an escape and stimulate the mind

- volunteer or help others, like community service or lending a hand to someone in need

- practice self-care, like a bath, yoga, or quiet evening with a favorite movie to recharge emotional and physical energy

More Ideas: create a personal wellness day with yoga, healthy cooking, and meditation; go outside and journal about the sights, sounds, and feelings they experience in nature; organize a workshop where everyone teaches each other something they’re good at; craft a detailed vision board outlining goals and aspirations; organize or join a nature clean-up event; join a book club; attend a cooking class

Libra

- cultivate aesthetic spaces, like redecorate or rearrange a living space to create a more visually pleasing environment

- spend time with friends or loved ones

- visit art galleries or museums to immerse in art or culture

- practice self-care like a spa treatment or skincare ritual

- try yoga or pilates

- listen to uplifting music, like creating a playlist of favorite songs or explore new genres

- try hands-on creative activities, like painting, crafting, or fashion design

- ensuring they have a balance of social time and solitude to recharge effectively

- seek out beauty and inspiration, like botanical gardens, floral shops, or scenic views

More Ideas: curate a playlist that evokes peace and balance while engaging in calming activities; host a themed potluck dinner where everyone brings dishes from different cultures; explore Feng Shui and rearrange living space based on the principles; color mandala designs or use adult coloring books; participate in a dance class like salsa or ballroom; join or create a group where people discuss philosophical ideas, art, and ethics; spend a week experimenting with different fashion styles

Scorpio

- engage in intense workouts, like martial arts, kickboxing, or dance

- try self-reflection through journaling or meditation

- connect with nature, especially near water

- transforming their space to reflect their current emotional state or desires

- engage in creative outlets like painting, writing poetry, or playing music

- incorporate mindfulness practices, like deep breathing or yoga to center themselves

- delve into mystical practices, line astrology, tarot, numerology, divination, or the craft

- plan a personal retreat, like a weekend getaway or a day of solitude at home

- volunteer for causes they care about, like community service or activism that aligns with values

More Ideas: try shadow work journaling about fears, desires, and emotions to explore depths of psyche; stimulate senses through aromatherapy, candle-making, or visiting a sensory deprivation tank; create a mystery box full of random things and challenge themselves to craft a story or project around items; take a weekend away to a secluded location for introspection and reconnecting with themselves; explore darker-themed artists or galleries; create a personal tarot deck; try intuitive cooking, as in without strict recipes

Sagittarius

- plan a spontaneous trip, like a weekend getaway or a trip to a nearby city or nature spot

- engage in outdoor activities, like hiking, biking, or camping

- attend workshops or classes, such as cooking, art, or philosophy

- connect with different cultures, like cultural events, festivals, or cuisine

- read inspirational books, like travel, philosophy, or personal growth

- join a social group or club that focus on their interests, such as travel clubs or book clubs

- practice gratitude to reflect on things they appreciate to reignite enthusiasm

- engage in physical activities, like yoga, dance, or team sports

- attend lectures, seminars, or discussions on topics that interest them

- take a digital detox to unplug and reconnect with themselves

More Ideas: start a travel journal documenting last adventures and future dreams; choose a random topic or skill to learn, like a new language or dance style; visit a cultural museum, theater, or festival to immerse in new perspectives and experiences; create a bucket list; create an accountability group; start a nature journal that documents observations about nature, seasons, and personal reflections during walks or hikes; join an outdoor adventure group; start a travel blog or vlog; participate in a poetry or storytelling night

Capricorn

- set new goals, like reassessing personal or professional goals and create a clear plan to achieve them

- engage in physical exercise, participate in strength training, running, or hiking

- tidy up living or workspaces, since they appreciate order

- connect with nature, like taking a walk in the park or hike in the mountains

- establish a routine that includes time for work, self-care, and leisure

- network and build connections, like attending professional network events or social gatherings, to open new doors and inspire ambition

- prioritize self-care activities, like massages, spa days, or quiet evenings at home

- learn a new skill or hobby, through cooking, a new language, or musical instrument

More Ideas: set up a structured personal challenge, like a month-long fitness routine; take an unconventional course in a field of interest outside career path; create a detailed vision board of long-term goals; create a personal development podcast about self-improvement, productivity, or career tips; delve into ancient philosophies [ like stoicism ] or classic literature that resonates with values; try minimalist living for a week

Aquarius

- try innovative projects, through art, writing, or technology

- explore new ideas, through reading books or articles on unconventional topics, science, or philosophy

- participate in social activism or community service

- connect with like-minded individuals, like joining groups or forums that align with interests

- take time alone to reflect and recharge to renew motivation

- try new experiences, like new acting, foods, or adventures, which can invigorate curiosity

- experiment with technology, like new gadgets or apps

- spend time in nature, like hiking, bike riding, or a picnic in a park

- practice mindfulness techniques or meditation to calm busy mind

- create a vision board with goals and aspirations to visual dreams

More Ideas: brainstorm creative solutions to social issues or personal projects; explore workshops on unusual topics, like improv, urban foraging, or alternative therapies; conduct a social experiment, like “random acts of kindness” challenges to explore human connection in a unique way; join hackathons or creative meetups that focus in technology or social change; use VR technology to explore new worlds or experiences

Pisces

- try artistic pursuits, like painting, drawing, writing, or playing music

- practice mindfulness meditation to center themselves

- spend time near water, whether it’s the ocean, a lake, or a river

- volunteer for a cause, like community service or supporting a cause they care about

- create a dream or aspirations journal to process emotions and thoughts

- immerse in music that resonates with their mood or inspires them

- explore spiritual practices, like yoga, tarot reading, rituals, or belief systems

- surround themselves with beauty, like creating a peaceful or aesthetically pleasing environment; add plants, soft lighting, or artwork

- spend time with loved ones, and share thoughts or feelings to provide emotional support

- take a break from routine and allow for spontaneity, whether it’s a day trip, new hobby, or an adventure

More Ideas: write a short story or poem based on their dreams or fantasies; partner with other artists or creatives to collaborate in a project to blend imagination with others; join a meditation or spiritual group to share experiences; try underwater exploration, like snorkeling or scuba diving; attend a sound bath session; volunteer at an animal shelter or sanctuary; create a collaborative playlist where friends can contribute; start a book swap; participate in a poetry slam

Through the Houses

First House

- focus in self-care and personal expression; engage in activities that boost self-esteem; exploring their identity; setting personal goals, establish limits that honor personal needs; explore personal interests and passions; find authentic ways to express themselves

Second House

- explore what they value most in life; educate and reassess financial priorities; find creative ways to utilize resources; ensure life choices align with core values; declutter material possessions; explore new income sources; cultivate gratitude for resources; work towards greater financial autonomy

Third House

- enhance communication skills like increasing active listening skills; build local connections; expand knowledge and explore new ideas; engage in stimulating conversations like knowledge exchange; embrace curiosity more; engage in puzzles, games, or brain-training exercises; blog or write to communicate thoughts, feelings, and ideas

Fourth House

- nurture family relationships; create a supportive home environment like understanding and improving family relationships; reflect on emotional foundations; connect with heritage and traditions; find comfort in solitude; design a space that promotes peace and comfort

Fifth House

- embrace creativity and self-expression; build or deepen romantic connections; explore leisure activities; try hobbies that excite them; focus on seeking joy and playfulness; explore various forms of artistic expression; reconnect with their inner child and joyful nostalgic experiences

Sixth House

- address stress and well-being; find satisfaction at work; engage in acts of service that contributes to well-being; find efficient ways to manage daily tasks; more regular exercise and nutritious meals; focus on quality good and being present while you’re eating food; create boundaries to avoid burnout; incorporate more self-care routines; gratitude journaling; integrate more therapies like acupuncture, massages, or aromatherapy

Seventh House

- foster open communication; strengthen personal relationships; navigate conflicts more constructively; build new partnerships; set shared objectives for growth in partnerships; engage in projects that require teamwork; engage in community more like clubs or community activities; practice gratitude for relationships; balance give and take in all types of relationships

Eighth House

- address fears and desires; explore intimacy and vulnerability; embrace personal transformation; let go of old patterns; delve into unknown aspects of life like psychology and spirituality; understand the importance of collaboration with shared resources

Ninth House

- explore different cultures, philosophies, or spiritual practices; question beliefs and values; pursue higher education or spiritual growth; plan traveling; define long-term goals; join discussion groups

Tenth House

- define career aspirations; reflect achievements and legacy; explore networking opportunities; enhance public image; seek leadership opportunities; cultivate leadership skills and confidence; consider what they can contribute to society;

Eleventh House

- nurture friendships and social connections; purse collective goals; connect with others with shared ideals and visions; engage in community involvement; work with friends on common goals; strengthen ties with friends and like-minded individuals; visualize future aspirations and dreams

Twelfth House

- explore spirituality; reflect on subconscious influences; address emotional healing; engage in solitude for introspection; focus on cultivating creativity and imagination; incorporate rituals or meditative practices into routine; address past traumas and emotional baggage; explore dreams through recording them; cultivate a compassionate mindset that acknowledges shared struggles and fosters a sense of community; find healthy outlets for emotional release, like through movement, art, or conversation

[omnisentient]

✦¸.•°”˜✦ 𝔖𝔱𝔢𝔩𝔩𝔞𝔯 𝔈𝔪𝔟𝔯𝔞𝔠𝔢 ✦˜”°•.¸✦

Healing your weary soul ✦

Pairings: Xavier x mc.

Tags: fluff, slow evenings, comfort

Warnings: None. Enjoy ♡☆

"Hello honey."

"Hello, my love."

Xavier responds cheerfully, seated on the sofa with a book in hand. You kick off your shoes, flopping down next to him, completely worn out.

"Tired?"

"Yeah.." you sigh.

"Come here." He beckons you closer, setting his book down on the table.

You whine as you scoot towards him, letting him pull you onto his lap.

This is nice, you think, sighing softly as you sink into his arms. He caresses your hair softly, his other arm rubbing your back slowly to soothe you. You sink further into his embrace, face tucked into the crook of his neck.

"Bad day?" He asks. You mutter something unintelligible into his neck, and he surmises that you'd rather not talk about it. That's fine.

You feel his lips press against your temple, and your heart swells, gripping onto the front of his shirt, clinging to him. You stay like that for what feels like ages, the gentle sunset breeze fluttering in from the balcony, and you think, the bad days might just be worth it.

If it means coming home to his warm embrace.

To be comforted by him.

"Is there anything you want, my love?" He asks, his voice so soft, you think you might cry.

What more could you possibly want, with the world at your fingertips.

"Radio.." you mutter.

"A radio..?"

You can feel him look down at you in his arms, his puzzled face clear as day even with your eyes closed.

"You want.. a radio..?" He echoes, lost.

"Do we have, a radio?"

You chuckle, practically seeing his mind spinning in real time.

"When was the last time i even saw a physical radio.." He ponders out loud.

You chuckle again, enjoying his confusion.

"No honey. I want Xavier fm.."

He looks down at you again, absorbing your words.

"Any particular station?" He asks when he finally gets it, a smile on his face.

"No, I just wanna hear you talk."

He laughs, and you can feel the vibration through his chest, making you smile too.

"Well, fatso visited me again today. He had a little friend with him this time."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. They were on a lunch date. He showed her how to use the bird feeder and everything."

You smile, imagining the scene in your head.

"A new barbecue restaurant opened up nearby. We should check it out when you're not busy."

"Mmhm." You nod, already looking forward to it.

"The Egyptians believed the most significant thing you could do in your life was die." You laugh, not even trying for a response.

"Pigs naturally can't see the sky. How sad. They've never seen stars before."

"I'd kill anyone that hurts you." Your breath hitches, your heart squeezing in your chest.

"It's been scientifically proven that observing things changes their behaviour."

"In the the double slit experiment, when photons pass through a slit, they behave like a wave, spreading out instead of beaming straight ahead. But when scientists try to confirm this phenomenon with equipment and measurements, they behave like particles again, beaming straight ahead."

"So observation acts as interference. Which has interesting implications on all experiments held across time."

"Would scientists in future consider performing tests where one subject is observed from time to time, while the other is isolated? And how far would they go? Would it become a spectrum, based on the number of times observed? And would results differ based on the person observing.. That would... "

...

You don't know when exactly you fell asleep, but the echo of his voice against your ear and the comfortable rambling gently soothe your wearing soul, sweeping you away to dreamland.

...

Xavier may or may not have carried you in his arms to grab water, snacks and his controller as you slept, refusing to put you down. You woke up many hours later, the sun having since departed, to him playing video games with you still laying in his arms.

He smiled down warmly at you, once you began to stir, making no move to let you go.

"Hungry?"

"I ordered hot oil noodles and orange chicken while you were asleep. Let's eat, love."

And as you fully came to, warm, stomach rumbling and eyes crusty from sleep, you thought, this just might be, your very own slice of heaven.

˜”°•.¸✦¸.•°”˜

[starryeyedstray]

my thoughts on dbh as someone entering the fandom in 2024

so just got into the dbh fandom like in aug 2024. i have watched too much gameplay, read the wiki extensively, read an obscene amount of fanfics on ao3, and am in the process of writing my own. here are some of my thoughts (that no one has asked for):

every fanfic writer who started in 2018 and is still updating their works in 2024 are literal saints and some of the best damn writers i ever did saw and the dedication is fucking unreal. one fic had almost 2 million words??????? like BRUH. some are still ongoing and updated this year?? the dbh fandom in ao3 is not thriving as much as it was in 2018 (i say this purely as someone who's looking at the hits/kudos/comment ratios on older v. new works) but they are still alive!!!!

i am puzzled with the obsession with gavin reed. there are like a million fics that feature him and rk900. i am confused bc he did not seem like a redeeming character at all in my opinion and idk, i think he's just an asshole. i like the redemption arcs some ppl write for him but i just can't with him. i mean you ship who you wanna ship but i am not a reed fan and i am confused how he became so popular when all he did was bully our poor boi connor.

i personally don't ship hank x connor bc they give strong father-son vibes in the canon. however, i am obsessed with how jolli_bean writes the pairing on ao3 since its usually a canon divergence or an AU so the pair meet later in life. there are some fics that follow the canon and do a pretty good job with the pairing, but i just tend to keep it familial between them in my head. (but like i said, ship who you want to ship)

i am glad there's a vague consensus that we all wished alice stayed a human bc i feel like that lends itself to a more interesting narrative post-game. tho i guess her being an android is fine bc now kara, luthor, and alice can live as one happy family in canada forvever lol

i am literally obsessed with bryan dechart's acting as connor. like if you haven't seen him play connor in real life for the interactive #detroit2038 premiere event, then you gotta watch some of the live stream. like he doesn't break character the whole time and his physicality just screams connor and i just really appreciate how much effort he put in as an actor to really embody the character. just so impressive and i wish there was more bts of him acting as connor bc its just so nuanced and ugh *chef's kiss* if they ever made a live action dbh it would be impossible for anyone else to play connor

i love the 28 stab wounds meme. when i watched that scene for the first time it was so jarring lmao

i also love how everyone is like yes, we all know connor likes dogs but he also likes fish bc of that one fish you can save in the very first minute of gameplay hahahah. (his name is dewey and it is vitally important you save him). i also appreciate how the "i like dogs" line will undoubtedly find it's way into every fic possible lol

i think the love for simon is very good and well and amazing but i think josh deserves more love in fics too

it bothers me that when north tells markus "i love you" at the church, MARKUS DOESN'T SAY IT BACK??? LIKE BITCH SAY YOU LOVE HER BACK DAMMIT DON'T JUST WALK AWAY

i love how the fandom just latched onto rk900 and rk800-60 and fleshed out their personalities and i love reading ppl's interpretation of these characters and how they incorporate them into their stories. it's funny they only show up like one time and ppl just ran with it and it's so fun and creative and i love it.

i love the hc that chloe deviated when connor chose not to shoot her. that's the best hc. like it's canon in my heart idc

bless all the fic writers who have mastered the art of explaining how androids mind and bodies work bc there are so many gaps and possibilities left open in the lore and it's incredible to see what ppl come up with or interpret based off the canon. (i still feel 50/50 about when they make deviants feel pain cause like androids not feeling pain is such a big part of the canon and yeah i'll give it a pass if the fic does it for the whumps and the angst but i prefer when a fic finds a canon-compliant reason for deviants to feel pain, even if its just like they got a chip or software installed that makes them feel pain or something)

every pairing that i find in this fandom, i tend to be like... "yeah i can see that." (with the exception of hank x connor for reasons i stated in #3). i'm still like ehhh on reed900 or even gavin x connor bc i just don't think it makes sense in the canon but if it's written well i just shrug and say yeah i guess i could see that. some rarepairs i ended up absolutely adoring were chloe x north and rk900 x north (i realize they're both north but she has such good potential for character dynamics)

idk if it's just me bc i specifically look for fics centered around connor, but i feel like there's not a lot of love for kara at least fic-wise. ig it's cause she kinda just leaves so it's easy to not include her. tbh, i am quite well-versed in markus' and connor's stories but i haven't really explored a lot of kara's. i plan on playing dbh with my partner when i see them again in a couple months and i wanted us to take turn playing different characters and i wanted to play kara's storyline so i've been avoiding it for the most part so i can be surprised with my options. plus, in my wip fic, kara is in canada so she's not really relevant to my story which is why i have in depth knowledge about markus and connor and less on kara.

the music in this game fucking SLAPS. 10/10 kara's theme makes me wanna cry.

okay, there is a common trope in the dbh fanfics where connor loses his memory and that shit gets me everytime. i'm always bawling and anxiously waiting for him to fucking REMEMBER and i hate and love it and eat it up every. single. time. usually, the memory loss happens early in the fic and it's pretty expected but sometimes i get blindsided and i'm like FUCK not this shit again but i can't stop reading it and the angst is so palpable.

i think it's so interesting how ra9 is just like this mystery in the lore that never gets entirely explained in the game. it's like something you can totally kinda ignore but it does have interesting lore implications if you decide to really think about it.

i adore all the characters in dbh equally except for connor who is the certified best boi and my absolute favorite (no one is shocked by this declaration). and the characters on my shit list are zlatko, todd, and sometimes reed.

this is an obnoxiously long post and i apologies. i haven't been on tumblr in years and i just had so many thoughts about dbh and i have no friends to talk to so i decided to dump it all here. i still have more thoughts but those are the ones that come to the forefront of my mind.

tldr: i love dbh and its fandom and i have many specific thoughts about it and you should just really read my post if you care about any of it

[tsams-and-co-memes]

TEAPS Eclipse Canon Info

Updated - 6/24/25

Eclipse's likes:

Cyberpunk (the aesthetic, I’m assuming)

Scaring children (<- possibly a past iteration of him enjoyed scaring kids, but it's unknown if he still feels that way)

Anything SCP related

Glowing (according to a statement he made once. He could've been lying though, so I'm not sure)

Kids (<- this was mumbled, and it's possible that it was sarcasm)

Papers, Please (it's one of his favorite games)

Theoretical physics

Puzzles (he likes things that help keep the mind sharp)

Eclipse's dislikes:

Being ignored

Tattletail

Bloodmoon

Humans (he thinks they're disgusting)

The Mimic

Vincent

Puppetmaster

Miscellaneous:

Eclipse’s birthday is June 1st

He watches anime. At the very least, we know he’s watched Re: Zero

It was Eclipse's happy thoughts that spawned Lunar (according to Lunar himself)

He may possibly have an interest in the backrooms/the backrooms lore, since he teleported Sun and Moon to places similar or identical to the backrooms

He can be picky about thematic character names (ex: Potion Permit NPCs having names based on their jobs, like Mayor Myer)

He finds a decent amount of attraction appeal in military-esque attire

He's the tiniest bit vain, even seeing art of himself in military attire and saying, "I will say, it is rather pleasant to see me in such a... Uniform. Very much.”

Before dying, Eclipse had made attempts to study the astral bodies

Eclipse's body is made from parts of fazcade arcade machines

He doesn't care about fashion or media

Eclipse's rays don't move

Eclipse knows how to drive

Eclipse implied that he's dealt with vampires before (the implication was either vampires or Bloodmoon)

Eclipse is/has been studying theoretical physics. Not for a specific reason, aside from the fact that it interests him

Eclipse doesn't watch any shows

He has a tendency to push away anyone that he starts getting close with

Eclipse has done Just Dance with Ballora

Eclipse knows how to sew

He creates backups of himself frequently and even has multiple backup bodies made that are in storage

Eclipse can draw

He can speak Spanish

Eclipse snores, and potentially has sleep apnea

Eclipse labeled his dimension "C1-3"

According to Wolf Sun and Wolf Moon (and Solar Flare), Eclipse smells like car air freshener. And also a tiny bit like a cat

[tilly-tilly-2827]

Benedict Bridgerton and the Multiverse of Madness

What always puzzled me (and adored) about the characterization of show! Benedict is his emotional maturity. Quoting the amazing Times article, he is a “loyal friend, a sympathetic listener with an open mind, a game and giving lover, and the emotional bedrock of his family”. (Lang, 2024) He’s very emotionally intelligent and sympathetic; the ability to sense his siblings and friend’s discomfort, and soothe them in his own way, the open-mindedness to Granville’s sexuality, the list is endless. I love him.

Now look at Book! Benedict. Although we have his character development/arc throughout the story, when readers first see him in 1817, he’s a complete dick. Arrogant, slightly abusive, manipulative, completely ignorant of Sophie’s insecurities, doesn’t accept Sophie’s rejection. His emotional immaturity toward Sophie is completely different from what show! Benedict is.

However, now that I’ve seen the first half of season 3, I could see how show!Benedict is changing into the Book! Benedict. As @the-other-art-blog (read her great review from here!!) has pointed out, his unnecessary hostility towards the debutants is slightly disturbing. He is bored and exhausted from the society, yet he doesn’t have a purpose in life, giving up on his artistic pursuits. In his season, He meets his love of his life at the masquerade, but she completely disappears from his world. His younger brother is happily married. His elder brother has two sons, so he’s no longer the spare. My guy is in absolute shambles and descending into madness at this point.

So as dickhead book! Benedict could be, he might not be relatable, but he is at least understandable. Benedict is at his lowest point when he reunites with Sophie in 1817; that is why he is so possessive and patronizing towards Sophie. He has to threaten and blackmail Sophie to London because he doesn’t want to let go the only light (Sophie) he found in his miserable life, and he’s already lost the love of his life, he doesn’t want to risk losing it again.

One of the most dickheaded moments in AOFAG?

The lake scene. Love that scene. Very Romantic. However, if you think objectively, seeing Sophie spy on him, Benedict proceeds to kiss her and asks her to be his mistress and tries to take her down on the ground? Knowing that she is a virgin? Absolute chaotic behavior and nothing like the soft, considerate respectful-to-women Benedict we saw in the past seasons. Why is he acting like this? Because at this point of his life, He is absolutely LOSING HIS MIND AND SANITY.

The aggressive “YES!!!” From season 3 Benedict? Oh we are slowly stepping in to the worst side of Benedict Bridgerton. Not the charming, respectful Benedict we have fallen in love with since the past seasons.

This is completely different from the topic that I rambled on, but I’m can’t wait to see the reaction when Sophie rejects Benedict during the pond scene. “I don’t see why not.” “But you wanted to just few second ago.” Imagine the look of confusion and frustration on Benedict’s expression. (In the past, viewers see that Benedict can bring girls to bed with one smirk and a flirty banter,) And as we all well know, Luke Thompson is the mastery of micro-expressions. Would love to see him deliver these lines.

Also, Benedict sleeping around with Lady Tilley, and also with the past ladies really heightens the tension between Sophie and Benedict, especially on the point of physical intimacy. For Benedict, he just likes to have fun, having sex is just light and breezy. So of course he would have no problem fucking an innocent girl who seems to like him back. In outdoors. On the FUCKING GROUND. However for Sophie, physical intimacy is almost like a sin; She can’t repeat the tragedy of her mother and make another human being suffer from the baseness of their birth. Ben and Sophie are perfect for each other, but Their polar opposite perception towards physical intimacy creates so much conflict and tension between the two. This point is also what differentiates Benophie from other couples, especially compared to Polin.

Benedict and Sophie are soulmates, two lost drifting souls finding solace, comfort and love in one another, but there is a deep rift between them that they have to overcome.

The angst in AOFAG is just pure drama.

Any thoughts? Love to hear your ideas too🥰🥰

I’m further rambling on in the comment section 🥶

References

Lang, Cady. Why Benedict is the Best Character in Netflix's Bridgerton | TIME, 2024

[werebutch]

Making other stuff besides drawings/writing/pinterest boards for your ocs is very fun guys.. i think a lot of people are long term obsessed with their ocs like me and may have run out of ideas, so we need to make this common practice.. :>! some things ive done:

ZINES: ive made 3 collage zines about the same character including imagery and poetry from the perspective of 3 other characters, including his partner, best friend/situationship, and mother. it can also be informational, comics, etc, but i like poetry the best since my ocs are imagery/lore heavy, and i do cutout poetry which can feel like a puzzle.. its fun to go hunting through magazines and books. challenge urself to find words/images naturally and not print anything out. ITS FUN. i use "legal" type paper, which is slightly longer than A4, because we bought it on accident AND it makes the zine pages slightly, but noticeably, bigger, which is nice.

WEBSITES: i made a carrd to store in-depth character information that i can easily share with people. i also made toyhouse profiles. the customization is extremely fun, and a website seems more "official" than a regular google doc! with toyhouse, its been a while but i believe you can also set up character relationships and things like that.

PROFILES: spacehey.com is a myspace lookalike. i made a fitting email for one of my ocs and an account :D he uses it as a diary / place for rambling which is very fun to do in character, idc if its cringe. you can also customize the profile a lot to reflect the character, which is my fave part. You can do this with other social media of course, but i chose spacehey because of the customization and because my story is set in the late 2000s.

PHYSICAL OBJECTS: this costs money, but i also sometimes (very rarely because i like to reduce clutter..) collect things that reflect my ocs, or things that my ocs would own. i have a very special lamb plush and a black dog plush to remind me of my ocs, and sitting them together makes me feel so silly, but it is very cute.

PAPER STUFF: adding onto this, ive also seen people make paper dolls + paper belongings like wallets (think of a library card, Polaroids, receipts, their ID, etc..) .. VERY CUTE. you can also make paper dolls digitally of course. i havent done this but may in the future!

JOURNALS: i made a journal for my oc by writing in their POV. i made the mistake of getting a normal-sized one, i recommend getting a tiny journal so that you can actually fill it. an entire journal usually has way too much space to fill unless you're more insane than me. doesn't have to only be writing, you can include receipts / pictures / stickers / polaroids based on what your oc would put. obviously. AND, you can pick out a journal or make a journal cover that fits your oc's aesthetic. yay.

ALBUM COVERS: since my ocs are in a band, i created their album cover by collaging (you can also do it digitally, draw, photos, etc) which was SO fun. i cut it to size and put it in a CD case! the other album cover i made was digital, and i made the back with all the songs, fake publisher/record label, etc! eventually i plan to burn a cd with songs that sound similar to their band!

CDS: if your ocs dont make music, you can still burn CDs with either songs they would listen to, songs that they would sing to/sound like their voice, or songs that fit their character arc / personality. you can also make one that a character would make FOR another character, very cute.

SOUNDTRACK: make a soundtrack for your ocs' game/show/movie, and if you want, do it based on time period and location. genres are extremely fun to play with, and finding background tracks is surprisingly rewarding (i include a lot of NIN). ITS VERY FUN!!

BAG TOURS: similar to this post. i havent done this yet, but it seems like a really good way to develop your characters' personalities, day to day lives, and interests/needs :) ive even thought about collecting the real objects instead of just drawing or collaging bahahah. maybe one day !

CAST / VOICE CLAIMS: if an actor were to play your oc, who would it be? if someone was to voice act your oc, who would it be/what would it sound like? you can write this down or make clips of audio to show off ^__^ it takes a lot of digging sometimes and i love doing this for both my human ocs and my ponies.

MEMES: making memes of your ocs is smth i used to do constantly, it was very fun ! self explanatory mostly !

...TAGGING: this is very fun, but ive never heard anyone besides me do it BAHAH. i came up with tags for 2 of my ocs to write with paint markers. don't do this with expensive markers, they will get torn up depending on the surfaces you're writing on OBVIOUSLY. they can be as simple or complex as u want. come on. get into character. what is your character writing on that wall over there? .... i know this might be silly but its genuinely so fun and a way to integrate your ocs irl. BAHAHAHAH.

AND, most problematically, you can method act which i do not recommend doing for years on end because it has fundamentally changed me as a person. have fun ! that's all i can think of right now

[bepoucorp]

hello bepou of corp !

i am bored so !!!! thoughts on riddlebat and twiddler ,,, do you have any hcs ,,,

ALSO!!!! how did you get into riddlejokes ?? :333 i have been pondering abt them as of late

- michael from the realm of twitter dot com !

HAII MICHAEL1! confettiii is tired?! this is a long one oughh,, enjoy my brain working overtime! Riddlebat:

obsessive, (Eddie seeing Batman as a genuine challenge to it's intellect // one-upping each other rivalry type of stuff)

Edward doesn't wanna kill Batman, just humiliate the guy LOL

Riddler is in strong denial towards its attraction to Batman ("I'm not like the rest of em rogues....")

Incel/gamer/pathetic man/needy x stoic

yapper x (unwillingly (sometimes)) listener

"You brute!" "Bats for brains!" "Idiot!"

Batman feels some affection for Riddler, just not a crazy amount?? He takes advantage of it and uses it to confuse the hell out of Eddie at least... 60% of the time (sometimes Batman doesn't even have to try)

Not to make this "tragic" or anything, but my Batman mostly likes Riddler since.... it reminds him of Joker.... BUT who...? who said that ahaha...? (Batman has a type)

It's a very confusing "relationship"/rivalry!

they don't get together because all laws of Bepouverse say Batman must die alone LOL

Twiddler:

incel/gamer/pathetic man/needy x unforgiving mobster/mafia man

yapper x listener

Edward is kinda like??? high maintenance and Harvs is too, but like they somehow work out

they team up often, Eddie brings the plans/intellect and Harvey brings the muscle to the operation!

Riddler is SO touchy with her, doesn't give Two-Face any personal space. (He pretends to hate it)

Harvey is more in love with Riddler than Riddler is with him.

Most likely to be canon in my universe tbh (I love twiddler)

I LIKE POLY ROGUES?? (multi-shipping) But Harvey is def more monogamous and Riddler is poly.

Harvey doesn't like to share?? but she also doesn't hold it against Eddie's loser boy charm EXTENDED:

I thinks Riddler's love language is physical touch and quality time (puzzles, crimes, whatever) But he likes to be on the receiving end of gift-giving, quality time, and words of affirmation!

Two-Face is more acts of service and words of affirmation! But she likes to receive physical touch.

Batman is physical touch and acts of service. He likes receiving words of affirmation, physical touch, and acts of service.

My Twiddler is based off Batman Forever

and my Riddlebat is based off Batman 2022 and Arkhamverse

OH and i got into Riddlejokes because they're both my favs and like?? They have teamed up before(?) and in the Arkham games (i cant remember BUT) I feel like they're always beefing for some reason! OR i just drew/saw them stand next to each other and my brain activated LOL I love the idea of "silly x silly" where both of them are completely different ends! "chaos x intelligence" ? Theyre both so annoying to each other they hate each other so bad! Anyways, thanks for asking! all this info be in my head fr...

[whirligig-girl]

Train Puzzle Devlog 2025-03-08

Since the last update, work has slowly been proceeding to bring to perfection the crudely conceived idea of a transmission that would not only supply--ok enough turbo-encabulator bs. Let's get to the changes.

This video shows a few new features. Watch with headphones.

@msasterisk re-did car physics. Previously cars rode on single points, and so they tended to ride fairly roughly. On the very curved tracks in some levels, or in places where the tracks didn't line up exactly, cars would jerk around and sometimes even break their couplers. Now the motion is significantly smoother.

Fun fact: According to MsAsterisk, implementing it this way was actually easier than using a single point.

This change also brings with it two other improvements.

Switch stands will no longer throw if a car is on top of it. Currently only the end of the points (where the lever is) is tracked, but this will eventually be made less forgiving, which will make it harder to perform 'Flying Switch'/'Dutch Drop' and car kicking maneuvers. Not impossible, but enough that it should be able to be constrained in level design. This does mean we have to go through and alter some siding capacities to account for the less forgiving switches.

Sounds! Since each car now has two trucks, and each truck can have multiple axles, cars will make clickity-clack sounds as they run over switches. We considered making them clack regularly (with the rail joints), but since we are hearing the entire screen and not just a single point of view, the constant clacking got confusing. This way the clacking is restricted to when the cars actually cross a border that is meaningful to gameplay, which makes it an auditory aid.

In addition, the game's sound effects are now spatial! The effect is fairly subtle, but it's there. If you didn't already notice it, go rewatch the video above. Sound effects on the left side of the screen will sound like they're to the viewer's left, etc.

Cars and locomotives now also make a low rumbling and clanking noise when in motion.

These changes make the game sound more dynamic and real.

In the video above, you can see the camera moving. The behavior shown in the video didn't really work that great since the camera would move when the mouse was near the screen border... but there's u.i. elements there, and it would even do so when tabbed away.

However, while I sit here writing this post, MsAsterisk remains hard at work, and now there's already a fix for this--the camera now moves with the arrow keys and with right click dragging. To-Do: add borders to the camera's motion, and zooming in and out.

Here, i've reduced the screen width (more than you'd ever do in normal play) to demonstrate the extreme case. The camera can move, and the sound effects also change their position relative to the camera as you do so (which is why I move the camera back and forth several times).

In the second video you can also see the new "Turnout Hell" level I put together, based on a layout I found online called the "Short Long Way Around," a dense 'shelf switcher'. Can you find the runaround loop in that mess?

We also have a new menu, freeing up some screen space. Included is the settings menu (TBD), the level reset button, and the level select button.

We have pretty big goals for the next stable main version, and they'll take a while to complete, and it'll be even longer before the actual game can be released.

Also, at some point I'm gonna need to start pulling my weight around here and work on more art assets, including changes to existing cars and new scenery structures. I've been using a lot of 'we' in this post, but I can't stress enough that nearly all of the work showcased here, from the sound design to the programming, was done by the excellent MsAsterisk.

[ipsl0re]

2024 in 52 games

I maintain a list of every game I complete- get to the point where I see the end credits roll.

Partway through this year, I realised I’d surpassed my previous record for how many i can complete in one year (26), and decided, with the uncomfortable amounts of time I’ve had to fill this year, to go for an all-time max. That number reached 40 near the end of November, and a subsequent sprint brought me here: to a game a week, 52 completed.

Here’s the list, and below that, my top ten.

Bold- I recommend it.

Italics- I enjoyed it.

(honourable mention to all games in italics that didn’t make the top ten. It was close!)

Monster Roadtrip

Book Of Hours

Misericorde: Volume 1

Settlemoon

Cult of the Lamb

Fight Knight

Cureocity

Venba

Roboquest

Buckshot Roulette

Slay the Princess

Akin

The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood

Minami Lane

Bad End Theatre

Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley

Sheepy: A Short Adventure

Portal

Essays on Empathy

Kinitopet

Spiritfarer

Cobalt Core

In Stars And Time

Dicey Dungeons

Sifu

Pepper grinder

Mediterranea Inferno

Ender Lilies: quietus of the knights

Cassette Beasts

Borderlands: The Pre-sequel

Live A Live

Bloodless

Clickolding

Sunshine Heavy Industries

Artic Eggs

Bad North

Horizon Chase 2

I Am Your Beast

Midnight Ramen

Lookouts

Project Wingman

A Year Of Springs

Gravity Circuit

Disco Elysium

Gris

Children of the Sun

Awaria

Neo: The World Ends With You

Resonance of the Ocean

Ib

Serre

Detective Beebo: Night at the Mansion

Top 10:

These are not ranked- though I do have a favourite, as you’ll see.

1. Book of Hours

Only finally finished it at the start of the year after playing for four months- it can’t be accused of lacking in content! Hush House is vast and full of fascinating mysteries, both physical and historical. (It’s also very Cornish, which is fun.)

The gameplay cycle of reading, learning, classifying, and using the knowledge to read ever more complex tomes really immerses you into the life of an occult librarian. Once you’ve heard the secret histories: “well, there just doesn’t seem to be anything else worth hearing.”

2. Bloodless

There is little here that wasn’t meticulously designed. Genius combat that always keeps you on the back foot and insanely good art direction that works in tandem with the hyper-defensive combat to help tell a great story on the dynamics of violence. That makes it sound very grim and serious- and I can’t pretend that it’s not when it needs to be- but Tomoe is one of my favourite characters, the warrior idols plentiful side content, and the geography of Bakugawa just a delight to explore. There is so much here to love and it breaks my heart that so few people have played this.

Please give it a look.

3. Fight Knight

I didn’t think a game like this would be made- technologically (a 3D game in gamemaker? Are they mad?) or from a design perspective. It’s a collection of old school Zelda style puzzle dungeons, with grid based movement, a save system about pushing your luck, and combat that puts you into some kind of corridor fighting game? Also you punch people to talk. And… to do everything else, too.

Despite, or perhaps in some places because of all that, I’d also consider it the most epic game I played this year, with some really touching writing. Huh.

You won’t find anything else like it. On that note…

4. Artic Eggs

I thought a game like this would exist even less- a… Post? Pre? Apocalyptic setting where you fry eggs and all sorts of other things, for all sorts of people. And a dolphin. But I can’t say I’ve stopped thinking about it since frying my first egg: I mean, could you fry an egg on mount Everest?

5. Misericorde: volume 1

A visual novel, in monochrome, without a single decision, isn’t a great sales pitch. But when it’s a 10-hour tour de force of characterisation in a murder mystery set in a medieval yorkshire abbey- and with such stunning monochrome art & 104 tracks of incredible trip-hop… well, there are few games I can recommend more heartily.

6. Disco Elysium

Look, this game will (and has already begun to) shape the entire art of games. And for good reason! The twenty-seven voices in a certain double-yefreitor’s head (if i’m counting the ancient reptilian, limbic, and necktie right) have such incredible interplay, and would make interacting with the dullest characters and situations engaging. Not that such a crutch is ever used- every storyline and three-dimensional character involved in it is often painfully human.

Few games will get you thinking about so much in its world and ours.

Also, heads up: don’t pay for the game. The actual devs don’t get a penny from the sales any more.

7. Live A Live

If Disco Elysium is what happens when RPGs are focused into telling a very specific kind of story, Live A Live is what happens when one RPG somehow manages to tell multiple totally different ones. Every story brings something new, (except prehistory. Prehistory contributes nothing.) and by spreading its efforts across all these different narrative and gameplay conventions, Live A Live stands out as almost ten times the game of many of its contemporaries.

8. Ib

Ib doesn’t alternate between being cute and being a horror game. Somehow, it pulls off both at the same time. I don’t know how but I do know it makes for a very effective experience. Ib, Garry, and Mary have such wonderful interplay, and as you explore the galleries, solve the puzzles, and lay eyes upon the sheer variety of Guertena’s works, they all bring a lot of character that helps ground the frights and bring the humanity to the quiet moments.

I’ve already got four of the endings in this game, and no doubt i’ll be going back for the rest.

9. Slay the Princess

On the subject of many endings and paths (in the woods, at the end of that path…), a game that takes that to the extreme: in the form of another horror game, with just as much heart. With intricately branching paths, there’s so much to see and hear (Nichole Goodnight is stellar with everything from angry beasts to ascendant gods, and Jon Sims, well, he needs no introduction). It’s beautiful, it’s horrifying, it’s probably made me laugh the hardest of any game this year. It is a love story.

10. Detective Beebo: Night at the Mansion.

If you play anything from this year, let it be this. The best time loop game this year- and that’s even when stacked against Cobalt Core and fellow love story Slay The Princess. Private detective Oliver Beebo is a delight to see in action, whether he’s solving puzzles, reliving traumas, or being flirted with by a hot guy. It twists the established conventions of everything it touches in ways that are touching and new- a relationship that can be seen as five or as one, brief horror used to carefully set stakes, foreshadowing aplenty merged with a unique take on player and character knowledge, and utterly incredible characters that are allowed to unfold with unparalleled care- some more than once each!

Maybe it’s recency bias making me go this far- but gods, this is a high note to end the year on.

Try it! Give it one more chance.

[phoebepheebsphibs]

Double-Mutated Mikey

Chapter 12: Make A Plan

Continued from the short story written by @boots-with-the-fur-club

Prev || Next

Mikey is becoming more and more comfortable around April.

At first, he barely lets her touch his head. Only when his eyes are closed. He treats Casey Jr. the same way, growling softly if he gets too close to him.

But by lunch, he lets April rub his shell, stroke his tail, and even hug him. He lets Casey hold his hand and walk beside him and give him little snacks and treats that he knows he will love.

At one point, while the group are sitting around and conversing, Mikey crawls over to April and sits in her lap. He eventually curls up and falls asleep, his tail wrapping around the back of her..

"Awww," she coos. "This is so adorable! He's just like Mayhem!!"

April softly pets Mikey's head, stroking the back of it and tracing down his neck to the edges of his shell. She can't rub the fractured carapace as well as Dee, Leo, or Raph. Their hands are rougher and don't get caught on the sharp edges of the scutes.

"So... what are the plans now? How are we going to fix this?"

Leo clears his throat.

"While Don-Tron is working on a cure for the double mutation, I've been doing some Googling on how to handle Miguel's memory issues..."

Raph and April snicker softly.

"...And I came up with this," Leo says proudly, as he produces printed sheets with a bullet list of points and instructions. "Tips to help improve memory!"

Leo clears his throat and straightens the papers as he begins to read them off.

"Tip one: Exercise. Physical activity will help blood flow through the body and into the brain. Most doctors recommend around 150 minutes weekly of physical activity."

"So... how many minutes is that daily?" Raph asks, his brain trying to understand the maths.

"150 minutes is 2.5 hours, Raphala," Donnie grumbles. His eyes are starting to droop, and he leans against Leo to rest.

"Two and a half hours isn't so bad, I'm sure he could knock that out in a day!" Raph exclaims cheerfully.

"Continuing," Leo says, going down the list. "Tip two: Stay Mentally Active. Keeping his mind exercised is just as important as the physical exercise."

"How do we exercise his brain?" Raph asks, tilting his head.

"With things like games, puzzles, hobbies, reading, etc."

"Can Mikey read?" Casey wonders aloud.

Leo furrows his brow.

"We haven't tried that yet... But we can teach him how to read again, if needed. Besides, he can read ASL!" Leo says with a snap of his fingers. "I'm sure he'll be fine. Now, on to the next one... Tip number three: Socialization. Mikey needs to spend time with us to help with things like mental depression and stress. In addition, our being around him will likely jog some of his memories! And we definitely want him to be comfortable around those he doesn't recall as well, so let's keep that up..."

April and Casey Jr. nod in unison.

"Tip número cuatro: Staying Organized. This is more for things like short term memory loss, but still useful, since we don't yet know the full extent of Mikey's mental trauma. So far he's doing well, but it never hurts to cover every base. The less Mikey has to worry over, the better. That means no more messy leftover dishes in the living room, Dad."

Leo sends a jesting glare over at his father, who is sitting in his couch munching on the tiramisu. Splinter grumbles back at him, but nods all the same.

"And on to tip five: Getting Proper Sleep. Poor sleep schedules have been linked to memory loss, which is no real surprise, let's be honest. And it doesn't even mean just staying up late, restless sleep is the same. Mikey needs rest, along with activity. Seven to nine hours of undisturbed slumber is best. But because of... what happened to him, it's possible that Mikey might have nightmares or trouble resting peacefully. So, we'll need to take some shifts and schedule sleepovers and turtle piles."

"Raph's fine with that," the snapping turtle says with a smile.

Dee raises his hand and grunts out a soft "ditto".

"Great. Next up on the list is: A Healthy Diet. Mikey's eating needs have changed somewhat, but it's nothing we can't handle. Three meals a day, meat with each one, and of course fruits, vegetables and whole grains."

"Good thing I just went shopping," April says with a grin, stroking Mikey's head again.

He purrs in his sleep and nuzzles his beak into the underside of her knee. His soft breath tickles her skin, but she doesn’t dare move.

"Tip number seven: Manage Chronic Health problems. We gotta stay on top of any issues Mikey has. Which, he probably will. The site I checked didn't have anything on turtle mutations, but it mentioned things like high blood pressure, obesity, and depression."

"Uhhh.... I dunno if obesity is one we need to worry about with Mikey," April says, looking him over. "Kid's thin as a rail... didn't they feed him in the labs?"

Leo, Raph, and Casey exchange glances. Well, that explains breakfast, they realize...

"He might not have obesity or high blood pressure, but the trauma he endured could have resulted in depression," Splinter interjects. "And most likely anxiety."

His sons know that he is talking from experience.

"We'll be on the lookout for that. But he does have some interesting new physical things we need to be careful about," Raph chimes in. "For instance, his aversion to cold."

"Right," Leo says, pointing at Raph. "We need to keep the lair warm for him, or else he goes into shock. We kinda found that out the hard way last night..."

"Also, his eyes -- the lair needs to be properly lit up during the day. Which means, we need a few extra lamps, because the mood lighting around here ain't gonna cut it," Raph says, looking around the room at all the dark corners they haven't gotten to decorating with neon signs and lights yet.

"I think we also need to be careful about his shell," April notes.

"Why? What about it?" Leo asks, leaning forward, much to Donnie's irritation. He is still slumped against him for support.

"Look here, these bits that are raised up? Kinda look like a armadillo armor?" April says, pointing it out. "If you look underneath, you'll see he has a kind of... softer shell. It almost looks like Donnie's soft shell, but different. Almost of like reptile skin, y'know? But it looks sensitive..."

"Okay, so be careful about Mikey's undershell," Leo says with a nod. "Got it. This shouldn't be too hard!"

"In the meantime, let's come up with some stuff we can do with him to keep him occupied," Raph says with a smile.

"Right! He's pretty energetic, so the exercise won't be an issue."

"Could we risk taking him to a park?" Casey asks. "I mean, when it's in the evenings or empty?"

"I doubt it," Leo exhales. "He might run off or get lost. And it isn't like before, when we could just wear hoodies and pretend we were normal. People might recognize us now. And we can't risk the TCRI scientists or the EPF finding him again."

"I can build sumfin' for him," Donnie mumbles sleepily. "Monkey bars or whatever... cat tower to climb on. Sumfin'. Angelo would like that..."

"Do you think he can still draw?" April asks.

"He could barely hold a fork, so maybe not..."

The room falls quiet and somber.

"...But, we can still try, right?" April offers.

"Yeah... yeah! Of course!" Raph proclaims. "Mikey loves to make art, no matter what! He can still play around with it if he wants... maybe not with his more expensive stuff, like the fancy markers and junk; we'll work our way up to those. Better start small..."

"I can buy him some crayons and coloured pencils!" April offers. "And my college has this huuuuge roll of paper that they use for the drawing club! I bet they wouldn't notice if one or two rolls went missing..."

Leo rubs his hands together mischievously.

"Oh, I'm all in for that."

"We can schedule movie nights more regularly," Splinter offers, taking another bite of tiramisu -- and then promptly choking on it, after the chocolate dust does down his windpipe because he talked with his mouth full.

"Sure, but not too late in the evenings. Okay, Pops?"

Splinter raises a thumbs up as he hacks and chokes on the cake.

"Cassandra has some puzzles and friendship bracelet kits for the girl scout meetings," Raph interjects. "I'm sure she'd let us borrow a few for Mikey."

"And Donnie can find some easy-to-read books down at the mystic library!" Leo adds. "Right, Donnie? ... Donnie?"

Leo turns around to see that Donatello has fallen asleep against his back.

The group collectively roll their eyes.

Raph helps Leo to lift him up. Donnie murmurs in his sleep, even opens an eye just a wink, but promptly falls back into his rest.

Leo starts to carry his twin back to his room where he can sleep properly. Raph goes to April and picks up Mikey as well, getting an idea...

The group follow Leo into Dee's traincar and watch as the brothers take his battleshell off and tuck him into bed for a good long nap. Leo is sure to get one of Donnie's more comfortable and oversized sweatshirts and wrap it over him. Once he's situated, Raph gently lays Mikey on top of the softshell. The mutated box turtle wiggles into place on his brother's chest, where he can absorb his heat and feel his breathing. A blanket is thrown over the two as the final touch.

"There," Raph says with a soft smile. "Now Donnie won't be getting up for a while."

April and Leo chuckle softly. Splinter smiles sweetly at his sons, and they leave the two to their well-deserved rest.

Prev || Next

[okayto]

Mini-Reviews: Recent Mystery Demos

Celebrated the end of finals by playing through a bunch of demos in my Steam library, so let's see how they were!

Escape Tales: The Awakening

A haunting narrative puzzle game that plunges you into a world shrouded in darkness and mystery. Immerse yourself in a gripping tale of loss, redemption, and the echoes of a forgotten past based on the well-received escape room card game.

I'm not familiar with the physical game this is based on—until this moment copy-pasting the description, I didn't even know it existed. I saw a demo for a game described or tagged as "narrative," "mystery," and "story rich" and downloaded it immediately.

The demo takes you through the story set-up, and the first setting (which can include a couple puzzles), and I expect it gives a good taste of what gameplay is like. It's heavy on the narrative; you're doing a lot of reading, and clicking on some static things to complete puzzles, not navigating a 3D character. It was definitely enough time for me to get invested, and I was jolted when the game revealed the demo section had ended. Definitely going to be looking into the full game.

Demo Playtime: Took me 20 minutes

Release Date: October 2024 (demo still available as of post date)

Find It: Steam

Kill the Clock

A narrative time-loop mystery adventure where you relive the same week to solve a murder that keeps changing. Customize your character, roll dice to influence story outcomes, and uncover the truth—before time resets again.

The time-loop aspect intrigued me, but it didn't even come up in the playable demo, which I'm hoping means the game will have quite a lot to do! Not that that's a criticism of the demo; I was enjoying myself so much I completely forgot about the concept that induced me to download it in the first place.

This is a visual novel-style game, with character dialogue and choices. There's limited customization (witness the two base character options above, though shortly after the game begins you're given a chance to make changes to hair and some other accessories), and you also choose a profession that gives you stats in different concepts like combat, persuasion, and bribery—stats that affect your success during the game, as you may need to roll dice to use skills, and higher stats obviously make winning more likely.

I am, frankly, now very invested in finding out what happened re: the murder; I enjoyed all the demos here, but this is the one I keep thinking about most. The art is pretty, and the writing seems fine— the devs appear to be a small team in Korea, and their updates on Steam have mentioned smoothing out the English translation a few times, which must've worked since nothing stood out to me as awkwardly-phrased.

Demo Playtime: Took me about an hour

Release Date: Expected early June 2025 for early access

Find It: Steam

Mysteries of Perception

A detective game where you will see the same scene through the eyes of different characters. Uncover their secrets by analyzing all the clues. Switch perspectives and learn everything about the artifacts of the Distant and the deaths in their wake. Glory to the Stars!

A solid point-and-click title whose strength lies in the intriguing setting we find ourselves in. It quickly becomes clear that this isn't our world; we're looking at archaeology and discussions of history of not just places renamed from our world, but somewhere with a completely different history (of alien visitors? perhaps?).

Gameplay itself is easy to figured out—click on certain things to investigate, and if you can't figure out what, you can cause all clickable things to sparkle if they haven't been investigated yet (but since that's an action, you can avoid it if you prefer hunting everything yourself). You can switch between two characters, getting different perspectives and in some cases different investigation options. The mechanism for solving the scene and moving on requires both investigating, and then using clues in a some of fill-in-the-blank.

I enjoyed this and do plan on getting the full game, but I sense that it may be somewhat short. When the demo finishes, it appears to show that the demo portion is the first chapter of three; I would guess that the second and third chapters may take longer (the things you have to solve definitely got longer from what I could see), but I suspect it's still a fairly short game.

Demo Playtime: About 15 minutes

Release Date: January 2025 (demo still available as of post date)

Find It: Steam

Chrono Crimes

Investigate crimes and solve them... before they happen. Scour future crime scenes, corroborate suspects' alibis, search for incriminating evidence and uncover the truth before the culprit can get away with it.

The most interesting gameplay of the demos so far, It begins looking like a standard visual novel-style game, clicking through dialogue, but then it shifts: you're a new investigator involving time crimes. Your first day, you need to sleuth around an elite high school to solve (or prevent) murders—but the caveat is, not only do you have a limited amount of time on each trip, but if the other characters see you, you're immediately flung out of the past, requiring you to make yet another trip.

This is done in a stylized but 3D environment, and the other characters move around in real time. This means if you make multiple trips (and you will have to make multiple trips), you can start figuring out who goes where when, making it easier to avoid getting caught on subsequent trips. When you finally gather all the clues and safety transport those back to the office, you can begin a preliminary interrogation with your coworkers that's like a visual novel again.

I love the concept. Having to sneak around, observe and avoid characters in real time was really fun, and I can't wait to play more. It does, however, still need some work. The same thing that makes this interesting (real-time character discussions and scenes) means that when you make multiple trips, you'll watch some of the same things over and over. You're kicked back to the present the moment a character sees you, which can be really hard to gauge if you're hiding (or if they came up behind you and you're kicked back to the office for seemingly no reason). You can only retrieve "clues" if you don't get caught AND use the time machine (situated in a closet); if you head back to the office by getting caught or running out of time, the clue doesn't come with you (despite clue being...just information, no physical objects). The dev team is Spanish, and while the English translation is 100% understandable, it definitely uses phrasing and words that sound clunky and unnatural.

Since the game is still in development and doesn't have a release date yet, there's still time to hope the final version will smooth out the issues.

Demo Playtime: Took me just under an hour, but will vary widely depending on how much you can avoid being caught

Release Date: Unknown/TBD

Find It: Steam

Until Then

A fateful meeting sets off a chain reaction, upending Mark's life. People disappear and memories prove unreliable. Uncover a hidden truth with Mark and his friends in this narrative adventure and race to unravel the mystery before it's too late.

A late addition to this post (i.e. I played the demo after the original post was written and queued, but added this because I really liked it), this was a fascinating and beautiful game. The pixel graphics convey way more emotion than I would've expected going in, and I loved navigating through the setting (Philippines) as the main character goes about his day.

The story so far is enticing—teenagers, friendship, crushes, navigating schoolwork, all with the backdrop of a worldwide series of disasters the previous year, and the distinct sense that something is wrong (in a "was that a glitch in the Matrix"-sort-of-way), but the demo portion ends without a reveal.

Gameplay was fun. There are large amounts of narrative conversations, many of which require choosing from 2 or 3 reply options and which presumably can affect the game and your relationships. It's not a traditional visual novel, though, and you navigate from place to place via side-scrolling walking, and I enjoyed a mini-game to grab fried snacks from a pot.

The thing that stands out, however, is how smartphones are used in the game (which takes place in 2015): at times you are carrying on individual or group messaging conversations, and you can actually scroll up and down in the chats, as well as switch between them. The game smartphone is also used at times to scroll a Facebook-like social media—which also allows you to click and see post comments, open news articles, and see user profiles. It was super cool, and really lets you understand more of the worldbuilding without hitting you over the head. Immediately added the full game to my wishlist.

Demo Playtime: 60-90 minutes

Release Date: January 2024 (demo still available as of post date)

Find It: Steam, PS5

If you’re interested in a game described above, it may also be available in other formats or platforms than what I played. If you liked this post, click my “reviews” or “video games” tags below or search on my blog to find more.

[crimsondestroyer]

Ryu Number: The M.C. from The Under Presents

Alright. I've done a few Ryu numbers in the past, but none as elaborate as this one, so for once, I figured I'd make my own post explaining the... elaborate, to say the least, path I took to get here. Several dead ends and a couple weeks of research later, here we are.

So. To those of you who don't know anything about the Under, hi. I'm crimsonDestroyer. One of my many hobbies is playing VR games, and one such game is The Under Presents, by Tender Claws, a game I play somewhat often and speedrun periodically. A while back, I wondered in passing if I could figure out a way to connect any of the Under's characters to Ryu, like, say, The M.C. This seemed like a simple question at the time, but, well, let's see.

To start off with, there's a fairly simple Limited route. One aspect of The Under Presents in the past was its live actors, in-game characters played by real people who would interact with mute player characters in the game's multiplayer areas. Unfortunately, the actor run has since ended, and though there's been brief returns of actors here and there, it seems to be mostly over. However, one such actor-played character was a skeleton going by the name of Amelia. As Amelia's lore would later highlight, she is, in fact, the one and only Amelia Earhart, prior to her death and entrance into the Under. There are many hints around the game's world that Amelia Earhart was in the Under in the past, but she herself is nowhere to be found - except for this live actor. Given this was, by its nature, a time-limited occurrence, this would give the M.C. a nice, clean Limited Ryu Number of 3.

However, Limited Ryu Numbers are lame. Can we do better?

One of the many locations you can visit in the Under is the Crob Pit. There, by solving a puzzle with some fellow players, you can summon a massive crab monster who will eat you, sending you to the Den, inside him. There, you can find an assortment of crab bones and other gruesome things, in addition to one peculiar fixture.

This is the only intact human skeleton in the entire game, within the stomach of an enormous crab. Now, given the fact that Amelia Earhart is mentioned excessively by props around the setting of the game, with items such as her plane and a banner for a show featuring her scattered all over the place, her physical absence within the Under is quite suspicious. Additionally, the actor-played character was created after the game released, and it's implied that the actor characters have some degree of the supernatural to them, meaning the existence of the actor in no way means that the character's physical body cannot remain elsewhere in the Under. Given the popular theory that Amelia Earhart's body was never found in real life because it was eaten by coconut crabs, this seems... intentional. If you consider this to be Amelia Earhart's body, the M.C. has a Ryu number of 3.

However, given the complete lack of any verbal confirmation or hints to this skeleton's identity, and this being solely based on context clues, I'm not confident calling it for certain, so let's keep digging.

One feature of the Under is the scripted stage shows, which play on loop on the main stage in the game's theater area. One such show features a man by the name of Sal Sisyphus. Sal's act consists of him rolling a boulder up a hill while giving a motivational speech that inevitably descends into nonsense after he slips and drops the boulder back down. That sounds quite a bit like traditional Sisyphus - endless torture, endless repetition, endless suffering, pushing a rock up and down a hill forever. Plus, as far as I can tell, the mythological Sisyphus has no second name given, so who's to say Sal isn't his first name? If you buy into that, the M.C. also has a Ryu number of 3.

But this one DEFINITELY felt pretty sketchy to me, so I went back to the drawing board once more.

Finding a way out of Tender Claws is... hard. See, Tender Claws has made three big commercially-released VR titles: The Under Presents, Virtual Virtual Reality, and Virtual Virtual Reality 2, all of which can be linked without much issue. A sentient skeleton named Tina works in both a stage act in the Under, and her namesake bar, Tinas', in VVR2's setting, Scottsdale. And, as a sequel, VVR2 features numerous returning characters from the original VVR. All you need is to find one character, just one, across those three games, and you have an out. There HAS to be something.

It was at this point that a friend mentioned that Elon Musk is in Virtual Virtual Reality 2, and I had to do a double-take.

Meet Elon. He's a talking onion. More accurately, he's an AI upload of a human consciousness who takes the form of a talking onion in the digital world. Between his name, his personality, his mannerisms, the fact that he was the second human to ever upload himself (after an extremely important character from the first game), and the fact that VVR2's virtual worlds are referred to as "metaverses", the implication as to who he is seems to be pretty obvious. I didn't know he existed, because I never finished VVR2 due to some technical issues. Regardless, here he is!

With a proper pop-culture figure in our hands, we can finally find our way out of Tender Claws. Elon Musk is still a relatively modern person, so there aren't many games with him in them yet, but with some clever googling and the help of TV Tropes, I tracked down an obscure little game called Good Pizza, Great Pizza, released for mobile and later ported to PC and Switch. In this game, you make pizza for an assortment of customers, real and fictional, which just so happens to include one Mr. Musk. From there, it was just a matter of tracing the rest of the way to Ryu from one of the other noteworthy characters who appear in the game. There was a tempting Dracula connection, but unfortunately, he's exclusive to a time-limited Halloween event. How ironic, that the first and last dead ends would both be time-limited characters. In any case, Albert Einstein will do the job of giving us our final two jumps nicely, passing through Mario's Time Machine, and finally bringing us home.

The M.C. has a Ryu number of 3/5, and a Limited Ryu Number of 3.

[spacemanxephos]

kinda crack-pot jaffa factory 2 headcanon here:

so! (postflux) lalna, after watching xephos' health (mental and physical) continue to decay, commits what he basically considers to be the ultimate sin - delete massive swaths of Xeph's memory the next time he's cloned, using the executive control of his respawning he'd rested from the board for 'security concerns - can't have the chief scientist so vulnerable. let him think that yoglabs had been a thing he'd run for a while before passing along the torch. let him be free of it all.

lalna is rotting with guilt but its been years since he's seen xephos have fun, goofing off with him and brry and its just. xephos was going to die, forever, and lalna has fixed it and it should be ok? to save him?

meanwhile, because lingering magic from 1000s of respawns xeph should have had but controlled himself rather than trust in an unknowable force, plus the taint of divinity he picked up during the red matter incident, xephos has been halfway to godhood for a while. it's only been his clone-based respawns stopping him from dying and being reborn in a body more suited for that kind of power.

- and then he doesn't respawn quite right, and the godhood dwelling quiescent in his soul is freed. The Storyteller is born and gosh, Lalna was so sweet to try to keep him safe and happy! He'll have to remember to take time out of his busy schedule to have loads of fun with his dear friend <3

Xephos is lighter now, Lalna notices. He’s cheerful, excitable, in a way he hasn’t been in a long, long time.

“Lalna! Did you see what Harry made? It’s brilliant!” Xephos eyes are alight with excitement as he tugs at Lalna’s sleeve. The blonde man giggles and allows him to be tugged away towards whatever Xephos is babbling about. Lalna’s not exactly paying attention, and has found himself more focused on the delightful fullness of Xephos’ cheeks; the slight baby fat that’s finally returned to his face after years of malnutrition. Lalna smiles.

He still feels guilty, sometimes. About what he’s done. About how he meticulously poured over Xephos’ memory files to weed out every instance of YogLabs past a certain point.

But, when Xephos smiles like that. When he laughs and shows an actual interest in things, that guilt feels further and further away.

-@-

Lalna helps him design the holodeck, in fact. He has no idea where Xephos collects the materials, Xephos just sort of shrugs and says he found them lying around. Lalna can’t sense him lying, so he lets it be.

In all honesty, Lalna was hesitant at first to build a holodeck. They’re reminiscent of the ones at YogLabs, and he worries that it could somehow unravel the facade he’s been able to build. But, those memories are completely gone now, he reassures himself. It wasn’t a matter of amnesia, it was a matter of completely removing and deleting. Those memories couldn’t be triggered back into place.

And Xephos always used to love to make puzzles for his friends in the past, so Lalna takes it as a good sign and encourages it. Even if the games are fuzzy to his mind when he plays them, he stills feels like he’s having fun.

And that’s all that matters, right?