#But its like on the 9th of february

[mak1lol]

Bro i re-record this like a million times now-

BUT SCREW IT IM DOIN A FACE A REVEAL :D

[robotpussy]

why has it been February 9th for like 3 days

[thekingofchungus]

caught some kind of illness. currently calling it “what the fuck”.

[cerastes]

Drimo you are famous please divulge the fact that twitter is about to drop any game accounts bind like arknights where you can log through twitter accounts.

Noone is gonna be able to use twitter to access to arknights very soon.

I’m not famous but I will stress that this is a very serious issue.

Here’s a short article on it, but basically, Twitter is ending free access to its API, thus, games would have to pay for a package to access this, which includes features such as binding syncs for accounts.

Starting on February 9th, free access will no longer be supported, meaning, there’s a very real chance that your Twitter-bound account for your favorite mobile game, like Arknights, won’t be accessible through that particular venue any longer, possibly locking you out of your account. There’s no telling which developers will be purchasing this new access package, so better be safe than sorry: Go to your accounts and make sure they have another bind so you don’t get locked out of them.

Please let as many people know about this, so no one gets locked out of their accounts. Twitter gave a single week’s notice, which might catch some people unaware, and this is sudden on game developers as well, so, again, better be safe than sorry, bind your accounts in other ways if you use Twitter binding.

[scarrletmoon]

okay i know the Discourse™️ has been going on for way too long at this point, but

i think some people outside of the OFMD fandom don’t actually get why we’re particularly annoying about this show

OFMD is not the first queer show to ever exist. if anything, it's a late entry in decades of queer media. over a year and a half since the first few episodes aired, everyone knows that OFMD is queer. that doesn't make it particularly special

but back in March? this is the trailer that dropped in February of 2022, 2 weeks before the premier. if you're used to seeing queer chemistry in shows that aren't intended to be queer, you might see the hints between Ed and Stede here. but to most people? it's just a silly little pirate comedy. just guys being dudes. the trailer doesn't even hint at the other 2 canonical queer relationships in the show -- the closest it gets suggesting romance is the music and the pink in the poster

so when people watched this show in March 2022, they went into it expecting subtext and nothing else. to them, it was like watching Sherlock or Supernatural or Merlin in the 2010s. if you were in any of those fandoms -- especially Sherlock and Supernatural -- you know what it was like; constant jokes at our expense, being mocked for creating explicit fanwork, made fun of by the creators and within the show itself. if we saw queer subtext, that was our problem. this was a time when you pretended NOT to be in fandom, for fear of ridicule. we kept our fanwork to ourselves, we DID NOT share it with the cast, and we accepted that our favourite ships would probably never be canon. maybe one day, if we were lucky, we'd have a show where the subtext wasn't mockery as much as deliberate foreshadowing -- but that had to be YEARS away

right?

OFMD was never billed as a queer show, not in the beginning. there was no LGBTQ+ tag on (HBO) Max, it wasn't on anyone's list of upcoming queer shows in 2022, it flew under the radar through most of its first season. this was a show about pirates, and sure, some of them were queer. but not the LEADS. if you think they're romantically involved, that's must be fandom brain poisoning

except the 9th episode aired, and they kissed. and the show said "you're not crazy for thinking they have chemistry because they really do. it's been a romance this whole time". and in the 10th episode, Stede realizes that he's in love

(not mandating you watch this clip if you don't care for the show, but there's something that feels particularly earth shattering about no one saying the word gay but knowing that Stede's realizing he is, that it's completely unambiguous and explicit in a way that only straight romances are usually allowed to be)

this is why people freaked out about this show. no one knew. even the creator, David Jenkins, was surprised when WE were surprised that it was gay for real -- he set out to write a love story, using all the tried and true beats of a rom com. he'd never even heard of the term queerbaiting. he looked at historical Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet and thought "oh, there's something here" and just...wrote that, with very little fanfare, like it was inevitable. like it was obvious. of course Jim and Pam end up together. of course Buttercup and Westley end up together. what kind of disappointing ending would it be if You've Got Mail ended with the main characters just going their separate ways?

so of course Ed and Stede are in love

look, i get it. we're annoying and won't shut the fuck up about this show that seems mediocre at best. i watched the whole thing back in march, thought "huh, that was cool" and was sure that i'd forget about it in a few days

an hour after looking at fanart on twitter, i was lost in the fucking sauce

there's just so much to unpack from a mere 10 episodes. it covers racism, toxic masculinity, gender expression, sexuality, trauma and abuse. and i don't think we should overlook the fact that the non-white characters in this show get to be fully human in a way i haven't seen in my favourite shows in recent memory

additionally, most OFMD are 25 or older. we're not people who've been spoiled by queer rep, who don't get how hard it used to be, how you'd have to grovel for scraps, how shipping and fanfiction was a way to find queer rep where we thought there never would be. we've been here. we're annoying about this show because for a lot of us, it's the first time we've been treated like our queerness isn't an anomaly that needs to be relegated to its own section, that needs to be praised for the bare minimum of acknowledging that we exist. it's not pulling punches to avoid scaring away a straight audience. it just is.

OFMD for me is like when i watched Black Panther for the first time and realized that this is what white people felt all the time. have there been other black superhero movies? of course! does Disney fucking suck? BOY does it. but that was the first time i got to sit in a movie theater and watch a mainstream film that looked at Africa and said "look at how beautiful you are, exactly as you are"

and idk. i think that's really cool

[taetr4ck]

from home, to home

yang jeongin x reader, 1.2k words, no warnings — fluff, yearning

a/n : happy jeongin day !! sorry for not posting it on his birthday (it’s already february 9th in my country) :( happy iyen birth aaaaa i almost banged my head against the wall writing this one RAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

“for the passengers of flight A0251, please proceed to gate 6,”

upon hearing the announcement, you grasp the handle of your luggage tighter — trying to calm the anticipation from the surprise you prepared for Jeongin. it’s past dinnertime, and by the time you arrive at your destination, it’ll be past midnight.

being countries away from your lover is no easy feat. the relentless longing to catch a glimpse of their face, to feel their touch, and to bask in their presence and embrace burdens your heart, magnifying the pain of being apart.

before the plane takes off, you message him. it is a casual text, not wanting to spoil the surprise.

“baby, i’m going out tonight. i’ll call you after a few hours, okay?”

“yup, be safe and have fun :)” he replies.

you suddenly laugh at yourself. going out, huh? more like going out of the country.

upon arriving at your destination, it is already 2 in the morning. the streets bathed in the soft glow of the convenience stores' lights, casting long shadows across the pavement. the stillness of the night envelopes the surroundings, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze. despite the late hour, there is a sense of tranquility in the air, as if the world slows down to a peaceful rhythm.

you suddenly realize that pastry shops are already closed at this hour. with a sigh, you make your way towards the cold glow of the nearest convenience store, hoping to find something similar to a cake.

the aisle of pastries beckons with its tantalizing display of sweets wrapped in cute packaging, making your stomach rumble with anticipation. your gaze lingers on the last piece of cheesecake sitting on the middle shelf. its creamy, off-white hue melds with the color of the soft, overhead fluorescent lights.

as you’re about to grab the pastry, a hand swiftly joins – both of you holding the same piece together. there is a second of momentary silence — after that, you step back.

“sorry, you can have that piece,” you say to the man beside you, still looking at the cheesecake.

you’re greeted with a long silence. “...y/n? is that you?” the man looks at you in shock and hesitance.

the familiar voice seems to jolt you from your fatigue — you look at him in surprise. 

“what… Felix?”

“what are you doing here? did you go here all by yourself?” Felix asks, still holding the cheesecake.

“oh, and never mind this… you can have it.” he hands you the pastry.

“thank you,” you take the cake from his hands.

“i came here to surprise Jeongin. and please, don’t tell him,” you utter in a quiet tone.

you explain the details, and he nods in agreement.

“do you know where he is? i can take you there,”

“oh and before that, let’s pay for these items first. it’s on me today.” Felix offers, leaving no room for refusal.

after leaving the convenience store, the clock ticks past 3 in the morning as you navigate the peaceful streets to Jeongin’s condo. finally arriving at the building, the cold breeze greets you, softly washing over your skin.

“here’s a spare key to his unit. i always bring it with me just in case.” he hands the key to you.

“he should be asleep by now, the practice drained him a lot,” he added.

“thank you lix. i’ll treat you to a meal sometime,” you say as he helps you unload your luggage in his trunk. he smiles at you softly and wishes you the best.

the sound of the elevator heightens your anticipation even further, each ding echoing through the hallway like a drumbeat of excitement.

as you leave the enclosed space, the hallway is dimly lit with soft, cozy lights – emitting a warm glow. the sound of the luggage echoes softly in the quiet hallway, their gentle rolling adding a subtle rhythm to the anticipation-filled atmosphere.

the gentle twist of the key upon unlocking resonates through your lover’s living space. you ease the door open, not wanting to disturb his slumber.

you untie the shoes he gave you on your birthday, setting them aside beside his own — your heart swelling with fondness and nostalgia.

you set your things aside carefully, only turning the dim light on to avoid disturbing his sleep.

the drumming sound of your heart intensifies as you take a step, echoing through the quiet space as you make your way towards his bedroom.

you find his figure sprawled all over the bed, his arms snuggling against the pillow — wishing it was you. as you observe his serene expression, the feeling of vulnerability intertwines with the warmth of yearning and intimacy gently embracing your heart. the sight before you fills your heart with tenderness and adoration — the rush of overwhelming emotions that makes your heart feel as though it might burst out from your chest.

you sit beside his sleeping figure, your fingers running gently through his hair — each strand soft and delicate, just like the man he is.

Jeongin slowly opens his eyes, stirring from his sleep. his eyes try to adjust to the light illuminated by the lamp on his nightstand, seemingly confused by his surroundings.

“hi baby,” you can’t hide your excitement anymore. a soft smile escapes from your lips, not wanting to disrupt the peacefulness of the moment.

“hello baby,” he replied. you don’t think he’s fully awake at the moment, so you only smile until the realization hits him.

“...wait, y/n?” his eyes are wider now, realization washing over his features.

“oh my god y/n, you’re here? this isn’t a dream, right?” he sits up and slaps both of his cheeks lightly, seemingly in disbelief as he struggles to comprehend the reality of your presence before him.

you wrap your arms around him, an unspoken answer to his question – sharing the familiar warmth that only your embrace can provide.

“i’m here, i’m home,” you say in a whisper while playing with his hair soothingly.

“y/n, y/n, you’re here. oh my god… this better be not a dream,” Jeongin presses a soft kiss on the crown of your head, his voice filled with mixture of astonishment and delight.

you rub his back with gentle strokes to calm him down. “happy birthday, my love. the cake is in the fridge. kind of a bummer ‘cause it got deformed on the way here.” you say with a chuckle. 

“the cake can wait,” he murmurs softly, his focus entirely on you. your beauty catches him in a daze – his eyes all focused on you. your presence fills Jeongin’s heart with warmth that surpasses any dessert. “i can’t believe you’re here. i missed you so much.”

“it feels good to be home,” you added. you looked at him with such adoration. after being countries away from your lover because of personal ordeals, it feels good to be here – the once almost unfamiliar space instantly turns into a sanctuary in his presence.

Jeongin presses a sweet kiss on your lips, tears almost welling up in his eyes. “don’t leave me again,” he pleaded, making your heart sink.

“mhm, i don’t have the heart to.” you hummed, giving assurance. you won’t leave him again, and the thought of doing so breaks your heart.

Jeongin wraps you in his arms all night — not wanting you to leave any second. the warmth of your embrace lulls him into a peaceful sleep, the comfort of your presence soothing his restless body.

the way back home feels much better – knowing you're waiting for me.

⋆ taetr4ck, est may 2023. / requests open

[whocaresstillthelouvre]

Elks Version 2.0

My fanfiction writing journey began in February of this year. Prior to that, I had never written anything akin to fanfic or fiction for my own enjoyment. On March 19 I was finally able to shush the anxiety and second-guessing of stepping into the world of sharing my words. Thanks to @ohheypedrito’s steadfast enthusiasm along with @justagalwhowrites’ kind words and guidance I hit post on Golden Walkway. Since then I've shared over 100,000 words and had the support of countless kind souls. Some of those kind souls have looked through my writing and marked it up making me better at the craft. With all of this newly acquired knowledge, I look back on some of my earlier works and really see the holes that needed to be filled by more practice. If I'm being honest, that's why it's been so hard for me to continue on my first multi-chapter fic; the ugly voice inside my head wants me to just call it quits and give up because the writing doesn't match the caliber I hold myself to. I can't allow that to happen. So, with all of that being said, I have made the decision to go back and re-edit my first multi-chapter fic Elks. Soft Jackson Joel meets a shy, artsy girl who loves music and has somewhat of a smart mouth and wooow they fall for each other? Shocking, I know. This story means a lot to me, and is definitely me coping with what just might rear its ugly head during season two. That's what I love about fanfic, we can choose any new adventure for our blorbo.

My plan is starting next week, on the 9th, I will repost the edited *first* chapter of Elks, along with a small ficlet from Joel's perspective, moodboard, and playlist for each selected chapter. Each week you can expect the same thing, until I catch up to the unpublished chapters my Google Docs hold. I've never done anything like this before and I'd really love to have y'all participate if you'd like. One of the best parts of this whole journey has been meeting so many new friends and sharing in the fun of the PPCU. I hope you'll join me. Comment, reblog, send me a DM, stick a post-it note to my back, and I'll add you to the taglist. You can participate as little or as much as you'd like, so much of this is just me thanking scared-to-post past Mallory for stepping foot on this new journey that has turned into a fun and fulfilling hobby. As always, thanks for reading. 💕

[estherax]

Disco Elysium creative team VS Studio ZA/UM: the complete(?) timeline (updated on March 24th)

Recent news confused a lot of people, including me, so I made a timeline of events to understand the situation better! If you have any corrections, more info and sources feel free to reach out to me or add to this post!

Important parts are highlighted in orange, names and organizations to keep in mind are in italics, the newest corrections and updates are highlighted in green, other information elaborating on the situation is in (brackets).

October 1st, 2022. Martin Luiga puts out a Medium post announcing the dissolution of ZA/UM cultural association and confirming that Kurvitz, Hindpere, Rostov no longer work at ZA/UM studio "since the end of last year and their leaving the company was involuntary."

October 3rd 2022. Kotaku published an article, claiming "the studio hasn’t been transparent about what exactly happened with staff either." According to "two sources familiar with the situation, the studio’s internal announcement of Kurvitz’s departure late last year [2021] also contained a threat of possible legal action against him. Any split would have been made messier by Kurvitz and Rostov being shareholders in the studio, the sources said. It’s also clear ZA/UM has gone out of its way to try and keep the situation quiet. Kotaku reached out for an interview with Kurvitz in February [2022]. The studio declined on his behalf, but provided no indication the developer had already left the company." Kotaku also mentions a tweet from Martin Luiga announcing the dissolution of ZA/UM cultural association. One of Martin's tweets (further elaborating on the dissolution) was quote tweeted by user nob69691 with caption "the suits have killed disco", to which he responded with pictures of the game’s executive producers, Tõnis Haavel and Kaur Kender.

October 25th, 2022. Kotaku Australia reports Kurvitz’s company, Telomer, has filed an application against Studio ZA/UM to "obtain information and review documents." Court date is listed as November 28th, 2022.

Kotaku also reached out to Martin Luiga for a comment; when asked if the case’s purpose was to regain control of the Elysium IP, he responded, “What else could it possibly be?”

November 9th, 2022. Studio ZA/UM puts out a statement detailing the dismissed employees (unnamed) "had limited to no engagement in their responsibilities and work, created a toxic work environment, demonstrated misconduct towards other employees including verbal abuse and gender discrimination, and attempted to illegally sell ZA/UM's intellectual property".

In an Estonian newspaper, Estonian Ekspress, ZA/UM CEO Ilmar Kompus has further accused Kurvitz and shareholder Saandar Taal (Rostov's alias) of "humiliating colleagues and intending to steal IP" as well as "belittling women and co-workers."

Kompus added that their dismissal was demanded and carried out by Kaur Kender, executive producer on Disco Elysium and their direct manager at the time. Kender was placed on a leave of absence on medical grounds in late August according to Kompus.

Speaking to the Estonian Ekspress, Martin Luiga said he was "driven to drink by the unnatural work arrangement" at the studio. "The work was organised in such a way that the goal did not seem to be to make games, but rather to make people quarrel with each other."

(I am also adding anonymous claims, take them with a grain of salt)

One source that spoke to GamesIndustry.biz, who asked to remain anonymous, described the situation as "not black and white," and said that long-term staff were reluctant to speak out about Kurvitz’ behaviour because they respected him, and felt like they owed him for their positions. Sources that spoke to the Estonian Ekspress described a clash of two visions between the business team of ZA/UM led by Kompus, and the creative team formerly headed by Robert Kurvitz, which considered profit "secondary." This was corroborated by our sources, one of which described the situation as "CEO corporate scheming on one side, a toxic auteur on the other."

On the same day, Kurvitz and Rostov shared a Medium post explaining their side. Kurvitz and Rostov are minority shareholders in Studio ZA/UM, while "the majority of this company’s shares were initially held by Margus Linnamäe, who provided the initial capital. In 2021, Linnamäe was bought out by another minority shareholder," a company called Tütreke. They say this company "is a vehicle for two Estonian businessmen — Ilmar Kompus and Tõnis Haavel." Kurvitz and Rostov described Linnamäe as a trusted majority shareholder, but didn't share the same sentiment regarding Kompus and Haavel. "As soon as they became majority shareholders, we were quickly excluded from daily operations, our employment was terminated and our access to the company’s information was shut off. Our firing came weeks after we started asking for documents and financial data, which is still being kept from us. We have now learned that Tütreke OÜ must have obtained control over Zaum Studio OÜ by fraud. We believe the money used by Tütreke OÜ to buy the majority stake was taken illegally from Zaum Studio OÜ itself".

Studio ZA/UM denied any claims of fraud and insisted that dismissal of wokers "was a decision that had to be taken for the wellbeing of the collective."

Correction: Ilmar Kompus's statement came out first on Estonian Ekspress on November 8th 2022 21:06. His statement and Studio ZA/UM's statement given to GameIndustry.biz were reproduced and published in a GameIndustry.biz report on November 9th. Rostov and Kurvitz's Medium statement came out later on November 9th. GameIndustry.biz report added an excerpt from Medium on November 10th. (i used Wayback Machine to check this, the report was updated between 11:08 and 11:53)

November 9th 2022. Kotaku puts out an article, summarizing the above statments from Studio ZA/UM, Kompus, Kurvitz and Rostov. "When asked by Kotaku, a spokesperson for ZA/UM declined to elaborate beyond its original statement [about dismissal of employees over misconduct], including whether the allegations also applied to Rostov as well as Helen Hindpere."

23rd of November, 2022. PC Gamer reports a hearing was held in Harju County Court in October, where Kurvitz and Rostov argued that Kompus had allegedly sold four concept sketches (for Disco Elysium sequel), to Tütreke for just over €1 and then immediately bought them back for €4.8 million using Studio ZA/UM's money. This amount is what was apparently used to buy Linnamäe's large stake, and put it in the hands of Kompus. "Kompus allegedly hoped that ZA/UM and Disco Elysium could be resold quickly. [...] But there remained a problem: Robert Kurvitz is the creator of Disco Elysium, still owns a piece of it, and has the right to block any acquisition."

The latest legal battle was lodged by Kaur Kender, executive producer and marketing manager of the game, "who claimed in court that Kompus cheated him out of just under €1,000,000." At Kender's request, the court seized Kompus' stake in Studio ZA/UM to prevent a sale or transfer of holdings during the proceedings.

Haavel is also accused in the lawsuit of following Kompus' actions. The filing pointed out that the holder of the IP rights to Disco Elysium is a subsidiary called YESSIRNOSIR LTD, which is owned by ZA/UM UK. The director of ZA/UM UK is Anu Reiman, who is also reportedly a partner of Haavel's. Kender claims that Haavel's involvement is being "kept secret" because he's €11.2 million in debt as a result of his 2015 conviction.

Speaking to the Estonian Ekspress, Kompus denied the existence of a lawsuit against him, and Haavel called the allegations "completely absurd." Both were shown legal documents by the outlet and did not respond.

December 8th, 2022. According to GamesIndustry.biz article, Kaur Kender has withdrawn a lawsuit against Tütreke.

Studio ZA/UM provided a statement from Kompus, but could not provide a reason for Kender's withdrawal. Kompus says: "We are pleased that Kender and his attorneys have chosen to withdraw their lawsuit – one that should never have been filed in the first place. Their decision affirms there was no basis for their accusations and that I have acted appropriately and responsibly, as underscored by the corporate records I provided."

The article also mentions Studio ZA/UM was unable to provide an update on the suit's progression against Kurvitz's company, Telomer.

PC Gamer reached for comment, Kender stated that his lawsuit against the owner of Studio ZA/UM proved to be successful and provided a timeline of the lawsuit:

Kaur Kender's lawsuit against the owner of ZA/UM was successful.

Kaur Kender's (his company, Chromed Investing OÜ) lawsuit against the owner of Zaum Studio OÜ proved to be successful.

On October 25, 2022, Kaur Kender's company filed a lawsuit against OÜ Tütreke (Ilmar Kompus company), in which was demanded the seizure of Zaum Studio OÜ's share belonging to OÜ Tütreke.

On October 29, 2022, the Estonian court secured the action and shares belonging to OÜ Tütreke were seized.

On October 31, 2022, the order securing the action was forwarded to Nasdaq and the Estonian Business Register.

On November 1, 2022, Kaur Kender sent a letter in English to contacts, including Ilmar Kompus and Tõnis Haavel, stating that the minority shareholders demand the convening of a general meeting.

On November 4, 2022, Ilmar Kompus' company OÜ Tütreke paid a total of 4 million euros to Zaum Studios OÜ in two payments.

On November 11, 2022, Ilmar Kompus' company OÜ Tütreke paid 800,000 euros to ZA/UM Studios OÜ.

Ilmar Kompus referred in the corresponding payment orders: "Return of the amounts received on the basis of the contract on 12.2021-01.2022 due to the nullity of the contract".

To the extent that Ilmar Kompus returned the illegally taken 4,800,000 euros, Kaur Kender achieved the goal of the lawsuit filed, and the court proceedings in this case will be terminated.

PC Gamer also provided commentary and an excerpt from Estonian Ekspress: "Eesti Ekspress reports that Kompus "paid back" €4.8 million to Studio ZA/UM in November. The outlet says that the reason provided for the transaction was that the €4.8 million "was received on the basis of a void transaction." Eesti Ekspress points out that Kompus "controls both sides" of that void transaction. [...] By now transferring €4.8 million to the company to repay it for a "void transaction," the intended message seems to be that he didn't use company money to buy his shares. But why did he have the €4.8 million in the first place?"

Robert Kurvitz told PC Gamer that his party is aware of "Kompus’s view that the money taken from ZA/UM Studio was 'repaid'." Kurvitz says he's seen a "partial bank statement allegedly confirming such repayment," but remains unclear on the "source and legal nature of this repayment, and the further use of the allegedly repaid funds."

"Further, any 'repayment' of the company’s money which was used to illegally acquire a majority stake does not erase the main consequence of the initial injustice⁠—which is that Kompus remains the majority owner, a position that he was only able to attain by using the company’s money as his own," said Kurvitz. "In light of this, there has been no material change in our situation, and we continue to consider our legal options. We cannot comment on the decisions taken by Kaur Kender with regard to his claim, to which we were never a party."

March 14, 2023. GamesIndustry.biz reports legal dispute between Studio ZA/UM and the game's producer Kaur Kender has been resolved.

"ZA/UM has announced that ex-staffer Kender has repaid all debts owed to it. Also, per a court order, Kender has repaid CEO Ilmar Kompus for legal fees from a lawsuit that was eventually withdrawn back in December. Additionally, he's divested all his shares in the games company.

Studio ZA/UM says both Kurvitz and Rostov have dropped their "unfair dismissal" claims due to lack of evidence. However, the company says it continues to face a "series of baseless allegations from former employees" and expects more claims to "fall apart under legal and factual scrutiny."

March 16, 2023. In a statement sent to GamesIndustry.biz, Kurvitz and Taal (alias for Aleksander Rostov) said the press release is false in multiple areas. The pair maintain they are the remaining minority shareholders of the studio. The developers explained, "The press release implies that our employment claims against the studio were withdrawn for lack of evidence. They were not. We see our dismissal as part of a larger campaign against us and will pursue legal options accordingly." The statement adds that they disagreed with Kender admitting the lawsuit he withdrew in December 2022 was misguided.

"Kender's lawsuit was based on the misuse of ZA/UM's funds (€4.8 million) by the majority shareholders [Ilmar Kompus and Tõnis Haavel] to increase their own stake in the company. In the press release, Kompus and Haavel admit to this misuse, arguing only that the money has been 'paid back to ZA/UM,' " the duo explained.

"Paying back stolen money, however, does not undo the crime; here, it does not undo the majority that Kompus and Haavel have illegally gained in ZA/UM."

Additionally, they described that, unlike Kender, they will not be silenced in this ongoing legal dispute. "Unlike Kender, we have not participated in the looting of ZA/UM, and Kompus and Haavel have no power over us."

March 23rd 2023. GamesIndustry.biz updates initial post with a reply statment from ZA/UM. The studio reiterated that Kender admitted that the lawsuit was misguided on his part. It said, "In addition, as part of a court order, he also paid the legal fees for CEO Ilmar Kompus, who had to respond to that now-withdrawn claim." ZA/UM adds, "Using details like 'looting,' 'stolen money,' and 'crime' make for riveting reading but are far from reality. The actual harm to the studio is not from some fictional 'looting,' but rather from Mr. Kurvitz and Mr. Taal, while employed by the studio, refusing to do their jobs, creating a toxic workplace, demeaning colleagues, and attempting to misappropriate Studio IP."

Additionally, the studio explained that Kurvitz and Taal are welcome to challenge these facts in court.

(The next court hearing is scheduled for September 11th.)

[skitskatdacat63]

2009 Reference Guide to Seb's Hair(Long post w lots of pics):

I would rate these but I love every version of him too much so I cannot pick 🤭, I'll add some commentary though. This took a horrible amount of time but it was also a great excuse to download and show off a truly terrible amnt of Seb pics(I was in tears half the time bcs of cuteness agression)

0. Testing(Jerez)(February 10th-12th):

Honestly such perfect Seb hair, I find this soooo cute!!! His hair is honestly always so perfect at Jerez testing every season. I love the length and style, he looks so incredibly pretty <3

1. Australia(March 26th-29th):

And now he is...bald. I actually kinda love this hair, he's my little kiwi fruit!! But I also can't help but mourn the Jerez hair. I'm just like: why did you feel the need to go bald, Seb??? It makes him look so young!

2. Malaysia(April 2nd-5th):

3. China(April 16th-19th):

I think the highlight of his bald era is how much he embodies the nickname "sunshine." Like the way his hair and eylashes glow in the sun??? Literally sunshine. Also it's cute to see his hair grow more fluffy

4. Bahrain(April 23rd-26th):

The texture differences are so interesting, I think this length looks its best when it's more fluffy like in the top right pic.

5. Spain(May 7th-10th):

It's funny how his hairline does that point in the middle, again: looks better when he looks unkempt

6. Monaco(May 21st-24th):

Weirdly shocked at how much his hair grew in-between Spain and Monaco??? Also I forgot that those fashion pics were from this weekend, and I was jumpscared by his mohawk look. I think he should keep away from hair product hahaha

7. Turkey(June 4th-7th):

Lego hair looking ass. Kidding kidding, just think his hair looks best all natural

8. Silverstone(June 18th-21st):

Lowkey kinda baffling to me how different his hair looks at different stages of the weekend. The podium hair especially is just soooo different, its very cute but yeah idk

9. Germany(July 9th-12th):

I did not realize he cut his hair again during this season?? Seeing these was very surprising to me, I had thought he grew it out for the entire season but I guess not! But I guess if he hadn't gotten a haircut the entire season, he'd probably have his angelic curls of 2010 by the end

10. Hungary(July 23rd-26th):

Kinda love the looks he was serving this weekend, it's just very spikey and cute(also the cunty sunglasses!!

11. Valencia(August 20th-23rd):

12. Belgium(August 27th-30th):

That garage lighting makes his hair look soooo much more yellow rather than his fair blond in the sunlight

13. Italy(September 10th-13th):

This transitional growing period is not my fav, just the way his hair sweeps in is funny

14. Singapore(September 24th-27th):

Looking particularly blond this weekend!! His hair is just very light and pretty

15. Japan(October 1st-4th):

I think most of these are from post-quali and for good reason; I love the way it looks like he has highlights in all the bottom pics

16. Brazil(October 15th-18th):

I love his scruffiness from this weekend!!! The scruffy stubble is sooooooo!!!

17. Abu Dhabi(October 29th-November 1st):

Pretty cute I think but yeah like nothing can really compete with his hair length in 2010 for me so I look at these and I'm like, ooooo growing longer!!

Conclusion: I think it's fun to get to see the process of someone's hair growing out. I've noticed that a lot of men with short hair get very consistent haircuts to keep their hair generally the same length, and I think that's so boring!! I think it's great to grow out your hair for a few months time because you get to see yourself at all the different stages and experiment with all kinds of different looks! So yeah, props to Seb for serving all kinds of looks this season!!

Also it's always interesting to me how much hair length/style and facial hair can change a person's look, but particularly how old/young they look. Like when he shaved his his head, it made him look so young. But in Brazil for example, with the longer hair and scruffy facial hair, he def looks older!

And of course, let me know which you like the best :D My favorite is Jerez <3

[celticcrossanon]

BRF Reading - 9th of February, 2023

This is speculation only

Cards drawn on the 9th of February, 2023

Question: What will Prince William's next three months be like?

Interpretation: Joy at having his wife back mixed with dissatisfaction about the choices available to him and something happening to Harry.

Card One: The Two of Cups.

This is a card about relationships, especially romantic relationships, and it is the soulmate card. This card tells me that Prince William will have his soulmate back with him in the next three months. Princess Catherine will be well and happy and able to join him for events. This will be a great relief to him - a huge burden is going to lift from his shoulders when this happens.

The clarifier for this card is The Devil. This is normally not a good card, but in this case it is presenting in its astrological aspect. The Devil card represents the sign Capricorn, and it is Capricorn energy that I am getting from this card. Princess Catherine is a Capricorn, so this is verification that the Two of Cups is about her and she will be restored to her soulmate in full health and able to join him in activities again.

When I look at this card, I hear the voice of one of my friends who also reads tarot, saying that she always loves seeing the Devil card turn up when she reads for herself as for her it means wealth and worldly riches. I think Prince William is going to feel like he has all the riches in the world given to him when is soulmate is well and back by his side at events.

Card Two: The Nine of Cups in reverse

When the Nine of Cups is upright, it indicates emotional satisfaction, contentment, and wishes coming true. When it is in the reverse you are dissatisfied, not content, and your wishes have not come true.

The energy from this card is of dissatisfaction. Something is not going to go the way Prince William wants it to go, his wishes will not be fulfilled, and he will be left feeling unhappy about the result of something. The card shows the reunion of Eros and Psyche, so this could be something about himself and Catherine - for example, he may not be able to be with her as much as he wants over the next three months.

The clarifier is the Seven of Cups. The Seven of Cups is a card about choices, but some of those choices might be illusions, and some may be bad for you. It can also be a card of illusion and wishful thinking.

The card shows Psyche begging the goddess Aphrodite for a chance to be reunited with her husband, Eros. Aphrodite sets her three difficult tasks to fulfil before the reunion can occur.

The energy from the clarifier is of someone having to make difficult choices. They have to take the hard path, not the easy path. I'm feeling an energy of duty as well - doing your duty even though you would rather be somewhere else.

Both these cards are cups, so this is all about emotions.

I think that Prince William is rather unhappy about not being able to spend as much time with his wife (and his family) as he would like. He has to leave Catherine to perform some official duties while the King is out of commission. He knows this is part of his duties as the Prince of Wales, and he will do them to the best of his ability. but at the same time he would rather be home with Catherine, making sure she is well and recovering and has everything she needs.

I hope that makes sense. It's not resentment or anything like that which is coming through, but rather a sense of dissatisfaction about having to leave his family, a sense of 'this is not what we planned and I would rather be able to do what we planned', but instead he is willingly doing his duty because that is what he expects of himself (instead of, for example, pushing the duties onto Princess Anne and saying that he can't leave his wife).

Card Three: The Ten of Pentacles in reverse.

The Ten of Pentacles is a card of family, legacy, financial security, inheritance and tradition. In the reverse, it indicates family disputes or a broken family, turning away from your roots, debt, breaking traditions, and instability. The card can also represent the BRF as an institution.

In this reading, the energy from the Ten of Pentacles in reverse is that of a broken family. Something is going to happen that takes away the stability and/or the status of one of more members of the BRF, and Prince William will be involved in this is some way. The card is giving me a feeling of a small amount of hurt at what he has to do, but he will do it anyway as a way to restore stability to the BRF, even if it means breaking traditions.

The clarifier for this card is the Page of Pentacles in reverse. Pages can be messages, especially messages about money and/or status, and they can be children, in this case an earth sign child, or they can be the beginning of something (a bit like an Ace). This is also my card for the UK as a country. In the reverse, the Page of Pentacles signifies bad news about money/status or about an earth sign child, immaturity, unreliability, missed chances, and laziness.

The energy from this card is that of Prince Harry, the earth sign child of King Charles, who is currently embodying the values of immaturity, unreliability, laziness etc. The card speaks of a message going to Prince Harry that contains bad news about his wealth and/or status, Combined with the Ten of Pentacles in reverse, the two cards together give an energy of Harry being removed from the family in some way. The image I get is of the family as a group, and suddenly the group splits open and Harry is booted out, and then the group reforms.

I think that Harry is going to have something done to him that makes it very clear that he is no longer regarded as a member of the family, and I think that Prince William will be involved in this in a major way.

Both these cards are Pentacles, so this is definitely about material goods (e.g. money, status) in some way.

Underlying Energies (Three Cards)

Underlying Energy One: The Moon in reverse

The Moon in reverse is about things being illuminated, seeing clearly, and secrets coming to light. The energy of this card is very strongly that of secrets being revealed. Sometime in the next three months, some secrets are going to come to light, and as this is a major arcana card, I would say that they are going to be publicly revealed. The distorted shapes that you see in the dark will be gone and the light of truth will be shone upon these secrets.

Underlying Energy Two: The Six of Wands

The Six of Wands is a card of success, of coming home triumphant, of receiving rewards and public acclaim. This card gives me the energy of triumph. The reveal of the secrets in the Moon card will be a moment of triumph for the BRF and for Prince William in particular.

Underlying Energy Three: The King of Wands in reverse

The King of Wands is the card for Leo, and in reverse it means that a Leo is overshadowed or undone in some way. The card is giving me the energy of Meghan for the Leo person. Combined with the other two cards it says that the revelation of secrets and the triumph of the BRF will be over Meghan. She is going to be cast down, overshadowed, have her reputation ruined by whatever secrets are revealed.

The energy here is of relief - this revealing of secrets will be a huge relief to the BRF and will take a burden of stress from their shoulders. They are going to feel a great deal of relief when this happens, in a 'thank goodness it is over' kind of way, and they will be much more relaxed afterwards. This applies to Prince William as well, but also to the BRF in general.

Note: I think that this is the big reveal that Lady C has been talking about. It has the same sort of energy about it.

Conclusion

I have three energies for the next three months for Prince William. Firstly, his wife will recover and will be back at his side, which will take a burden of worry from him. There is a lot of joy around these cards.

Secondly, Prince William will be dissatisfied about the choices he has to make. I'm not getting acute unhappiness, but rather an 'I have to do this but I don't really want to do it' emotional discontent.

This could be about Prince William having to take time away from his wife to perform royal duties while she is recovering. He will do his duty, and he will do it to the best of his ability, but he would rather the extra duties had happened when Princess Catherine was well and not during her recovery period. It could also be about other choices that he has to make during the next three months.

Thirdly, something will happen about Harry - he will be removed from the family in some way, lose status and/or wealth in some way, and Prince William will be a part of this action, even though it does hurt him a tiny bit to do this to his brother, but it is necessary for the stability of the monarchy.

Underlying all this is the revelation of a secret or some secrets, most likely publicly, than will be a triumph for the BRF and very damaging to Meghan Markle. It is quite likely that her reputation will be ruined when this secret/these secrets are revealed.

[7grandmel]

Todays rip: 10/01/2024

Kill & Learn (Recut Ver​.​)

Season 4 Episode 1 Featured on: SiIvaGunner's Highest Quality Rips: Volume L [Side B] Also on: STUDIO TRIGGER QUALITY MUSIC WORKS

Ripped by Smoky

High Quality Never Dies.

The end of Season 3 was quite a tumultuous time for SiIva. Being a music channel on YouTube, the SiIvaGunner channel always teeters over the gaping maw of copyright strikes from music production companies, made worse by YouTube's lack of protection from these false strikes. All of SiIvaGunner's content obviously falls under the umbrella of fair use by the nature of the channel: its core goal and aim is to REMIX music, not reupload it. Yet, in December 2018, eight videos were targeted by Sony Music Entertainment of Japan, which eventually spiralled into the channel's deletion at the beginning of 2019. Five years and one day ago, on January 9th, SiIvaGunner celebrated its third anniversary - with its main channel dead in the water due to YouTube's incompetency.

It's a damn shame that shit like this can happen to just about any aspiring creator on YouTube, and the team was immensely fortunate to have an audience large enough to catch YouTube's attention this time. By February of that same year, the channel was back, Season 3 was over, and Season 4 Episode 1 was officially online. And those copystruck rips were not going to be forgotten.

Kill & Learn (Recut Ver.) is not the same rip as the one that was initially part of that eight-video striking spree from 2018. Yet its an absolutely terrific remastering effort, uploaded during the long-awaited STUDIO TRIGGER event later in the Season. Much like the Planet Wisp Mashup Medley, its a direct tribute to the legendary ripper Triple-Q and one of his many in-jokes, of drawing comparison between the stories of Sonic Adventure 2 and STUDIO TRIGGER's Kill La Kill. Kill & Learn (Recut Ver.) is technically the third spin on this idea, with Triple-Q's own mashup Kill la Kill OST: Final Boss Theme first, followed by the original Kill & Learn (Uncut Ver.), and finally with Kill & Learn (Recut Ver.). All three follow the same premise, mashing up Kill La Kill's second OP Ambiguous with the main theme of Sonic Adventure 2, Live & Learn, yet all feel very different from one another. Live & Learn (Recut Ver.) is, to me, the ultimate endpoint of this concept, and the best of the three - it screams hype from every point of the song, with Live & Learn's vocals fitting the instrumental of Ambiguous like a glove - it's a mashup that felt destined to happen, and is here executed with five years worth of refining.

It warms my heart to see Kill & Learn (Recut Ver.) sitting at such a high view count (over 700K views as of writing) despite the troubled circumstances of its production, of how the original Kill & Learn (Uncut Ver.) is likely never going to be back up on YouTube. Yet, through the hype of the STUDIO TRIGGER takeover and sheer love of the original rip, we found a way to push this rip far past the original's view count. No matter what, high quality finds a way to live on!

[livingforstars]

The Eye of an Hourglass Nebula - February 9th, 1996.

"What's happening in the eye-like center of this planetary nebula? The geometry revealed in this Hubble Space Telescope view of the central part of an "etched hourglass nebula," known as MyCn18, presents a puzzle. First, the axis of this central region does not line up well with the outer hourglass structure. Next, the hot star (the white spot to the left of center), which ejected this gaseous nebula as it evolved towards its white dwarf phase, is not exactly at the center of the "eye". These unexpected results leave astronomers looking for the missing pieces of the ejection process that created this unusual and beautiful structure."

[gunsatthaphan]

~ Monthly BL Breakdown: January 2024 ~ 

✨ Happy February!!! 🎭

Disclaimer: ALL shows can be streamed here or here, as well as on Youtube and other platforms. For more info on where to watch what, check out this post! 

New breakdowns are coming at the end of every month - feel free to add stuff! -> previous breakdowns

What came out this month? (green = seen/currently watching)

🌟 BL Drama no Shuen ni Narimashita: Crank In Hen - January 2nd (Japan) 

🌟 Ossan's Love Returns - January 5th (Japan) 

🌟 Refund Love - January 7th (Thailand) 

🌟 Time The Series - January 9th (Thailand) 

🌟 Intern in My Heart (BL side couple) - January 10th (Thailand) 

🌟 Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka (Although I Love You, and You) - January 11th (Japan) 

🌟 Beside You (mini series) - January 11th (Thailand) 

🌟 I Wish You Love - January 21st (Thailand) 

🌟 Happy Ending - January 23rd (South Korea)

🌟 Love for Love's Sake - January 24th (South Korea)

Monthly likes/dislikes

👎🏻 I've been catching up on some KBLs from last year this month and sadly most of them were very disappointing. I put a few on my watchlist that generally had good reviews but yeah let's just say I'm glad I didn't miss anything in the last 2 years lol. The only one I liked was Love Mate, the rest was pretty much pointless. Hopefully the upcoming ones will be better 🤞🏻

New series & movie announcements

🎥 Beating Again (dance-themed, starring Kaownah K., Earth K. and others) - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 Unknown - Date TBA (Taiwan)

🎥 The Book Store - Date TBA (South Korea)

🎥 Term Begins - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 Mafia Prince and the Bookworm - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 Black Forest - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 Go Alone With Me - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 Can I Love You? - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 The Shining Star - Date TBA (Vietnam)

🎥 At My Fingertips (Unintentional Love Story spinoff) - Coming May 2024 (South Korea)

🎥 Connecting To You - Date TBA (Taiwan)

🎥 The Star (movie) - Coming March 2024 (Thailand)

🎥 What's the Nong? - Date TBA (Thailand)

Other news from the BL world

❗️ Actors Mike Chinnarat, Fluke Pusit, White Nawat, Pluem Purim and Lee Thanat have left GMMTV.

❗️ After Korean actor Choo Youngwoo won an award for "Best Rookie Actor" at the recent KBS Drama Awards, he came under fire for not mentioning his participation in the BL You Make Me Dance which launched his career and earned him the award.

❗️ Actors Jin Hoeun (All Of Us are Dead), Kwon Hyuk (The New Employee), Byun Junseo (Perfect Marriage Revenge) and Nam Yoonsu (Extracurricular) have been confirmed to star in the upcoming BL Love In The Big City, which portrays the life and love of an HIV-positive gay writer.

❗️ ZeeNunew and GeminiFourth won an award respectively for "Best Thai Artists" at this year's Seoul Music Awards.

❗️ The Chinese BL Stay with Me is getting an audiobook. The series furthermore recently confirmed its second season, further details are unknown.

❗️ Over a year after its initial premiere, the Thai BL To Sir, With Love won "Popular Foreign Drama” at this years's Vietnam Face Of The Year Awards.

❗️ The Thai BL Playboyy will no longer air on youtube after the suspension of the channel due to explicit sexual content. The show will continue to exclusively air on Gagaoolala, as well as RakutenTV.

❗️ Actors EarthMix had a cameo appearance in Ossan's Love Returns; they will star in the Thai adaption of the same name later this year. Details about the production are still unknown.

❗️ MileApo (KinnPorsche) were announced to star in the upcoming series Shine. The show is an extension/spinoff of Man Suang and focuses on Khem and Chatra's story in more detail.

Upcoming series & movies for February

👉🏻 Anti Reset - February 2nd (Taiwan)

👉🏻 Perfect Proposal - February 2nd (Japan)

👉🏻 City of Stars - February 2nd (Thailand)

👉🏻 Love Syndrome: The Beginning - February 8th (Thailand)

👉🏻 Baka Pwede pa? - February 9th (Philippines)

👉🏻 1000 Years Old - February 14th (Thailand)

👉🏻 My Strawberry Film - February 16th (Japan)

👉🏻 A Secret Love - February 17th (Thailand)

👉🏻 Unknown - February 24th (Taiwan)

👉🏻 Wedding Impossible - February 26th (South Korea)

👉🏻 Kiseki Chapter 1 & Chapter 2 - February TBA (Thailand)

[sparklecareforrealjustice]

The fact that people arent allowed to have any criticisms with sparklecare lest they be blocked by KC and the main community, just shows how toxic it is.

Like KC is selling merch, she has a patreon.

She cant be serious when she is saying its a "personal comic"

If its all personal and you dont want a huge fandom. Why do you have a patreon, sell merch, and want to publish the comic??? /nay

At this point it feels like KC is taking advantage of her followers. Like bun can grab that bag, but dont say its entirely personal when its clearly not. When people work with you to make the comic, when you have people to design characters for you, when you want it to be published.

When you involve other people in your work, it is no longer just about you.

And if you can't handle critique, you can not handle your comic being published.

-Hadron, from the Sly system

hadron, i have always felt this, and this is incredibly well said. kittycorn brushes off anything negative about her comic by saying it's personal, and made to comfort her and for her to vent, and that's all. but... kit has a team. kit has the zcp, who, like you said, have made characters for and work on the comic alongside kit.

i am not denying that there are personal elements in the story - there very clearly are, and if it wasn't obvious enough, there's a good handful of self insert characters kit has too. but kit cannot use the "i have trauma, it's my trauma comic" excuse to brush off everything people have to say about it when it isn't just her comic anymore. there are legitimate issues with the writing and some of the messages (especially in v4), and any talk about it is being swept under the "you're just hating on a disabled queer creator!!!" umbrella when it shouldn't be.

on january 1st, 2024, the website used to say this about the comic: "Sparklecare is a webcomic that is meant to be social commentary on various things, including the healthcare industry, ableism and attitudes about mental health, and trauma and the experience of being a victim of trauma. Though it has bright colors and relatively silly characters (being cartoon animals and with punny names) the message of the story is actually rather dark in nature."

but as of february 9th, 2024, it was changed to this: "Sparklecare is a webcomic about trauma and the cycle of trauma. It's based on a real-life experience I had in a real-life hospital, and I created the story as a venting way to heal from the trauma I experienced. It also doubles as criticism of the American healthcare system and the way its hurt me and others like me. This comic is created with the intent to heal from my trauma and hopefully help others feel less alone in their experiences and maybe give them a space to heal as well."

again, i am not denying that the comic is personal to kittycorn. but people are allowed to be upset that the thing they like changed. people are allowed to think something could be done better than it is.

-mod polly 🧊

[orchidyoonkook]

To What We Were Before, And All The Things After | JJK | Ch. 2

Title: Unknown Numbers and Sharp Tongues

Pairing: Prince!College Student!JK x Fine Arts Major!(F)!Reader

Series Rating//Genre: (M) | College AU, Mild Royalty AU, Smut, Angst, Fluff, S2F2L, Indiffernce to lovers, sloooowwww ass burn

Summary: You get a text from an unknown number and it flips your day upside down.

Warnings: PG13, mild swearing, arguments

Word Count: 3065

Release Date: February 2, 2023, 1:40PM

A/N 1: She’s shorter but just as important

Series: Chapter One

It’s 12:07pm the Wednesday after the assembly. You're sitting on your bed sketching when a text vibration sounds from somewhere within the blankets crumpled beneath you. 

A pencil lead stained hand carefully snakes its way through the sheets to find your phone, and after locating it by your feet, you see a message from an unknown number waiting to be read.

Unknown Sender [12:07pm]: Hey, is this YN?

You raise a brow at the semi-suspicious text.

Normally when this happens, you just delete the message. You have everyone you're willing to speak with in your contacts already, so you know that it’s most likely spam. But the difference with this one?

They know your name. 

That being said, your guy friends back home have been known to, on occasion, pull shit because they know you can’t do anything about it. 

Though, that has never once stopped you from waiting to see them again in person and retaliating. Patience is a virtue and all that, but you think they’d of learned by now…

So you fire back, just in case.

You [12:08pm]: Hobi I s2g if this is you again I’m sending Nayeon that picture of you from 9th grade with shutter shades on and your ass stuck in a tuba 

Unknown Sender [12:08pm]: Oh wow, uhm…no, its not Unknown Sender [12:09pm]: But remind me never to get on your bad side.  Unknown Sender [12:10pm]: It’s Jungkook actually... I may have grabbed your number from Yuri’s phone. I hope it’s okay I messaged you 

Jungkook?

As in The Prince of the Western Shores, Jungkook?

Well...

This certainly isn’t how you thought your afternoon was going to go. 

You figured you'd never hear from him again after Monday’s assembly, like everyone else he’d greeted—Yuri aside apparently. Yet here you were, on your bed, in your university dorm room, having a midday text conversation with Prince Jeon Jungkook of all people.

You laugh to yourself and quickly change his name in your contacts, keeping it subtle. You don’t want someone to see his name pop on your screen and then suddenly have a legion of people harassing you about how you got the prince's number, and if they could get it from you. 

You [12:11pm]: yeah, it’s fine

And why wouldn't it be? You don’t dislike him, though he seemed to have thought so. Sure, you don’t particularly like the guy yet, but you're confident he feels the same about you—if he even thinks of you, that is.  

He probably just wants recommendations for things to do this weekend or to know where the cleanest washrooms on campus are. God forbid his royal bottom touch a less than sanitary toilet seat.

PJK [12:13pm]: Im afraid she had to explain to me who ‘blueballzbitch’ was when I accidentally saw your text to her the other day. Apparently my reaction after reading it was very funny

You [12:13pm]: I cant believe she still hasnt changed my name in her phone! That bitch!! she promised :( You [12:14pm]: Thats only my name because i told her she couldnt bring guys back to our dorm after 1 AM anymore! 

PJK [12:14pm]: can I ask why?

You [12:15pm]: there may have been an incident of a very drunk half naked man climbing into my bed at 4 am instead of hers….  You [12:15pm]: And needless to say, not the nicest way to wake up

PJK [12:16pm]: no I would think not. Though that explains her reaction a bit better

You didn’t even want to know. 

She did kick that guy out the second she heard your scream though, drunk as she was. But it didn’t stop her from moping for a week at your new rule.

Tough, you’d had a test the next day, so your decision was final. 

Your academics wouldn’t pay the price for someone else’s actions. On that you were and always have been, firm. You’ve even lost a few friends because of it.

But now your starting to wonder why he wanted to message you in the first place.

You [12:17pm]: i dont mean to be rude, but why did you save my number? To be honest i didnt think I’d hear from you again after monday

PJK [12:18pm]: well if we’re being honest…

There are a million different ways he could follow that sentence, and your mind is simultaneously running through all of them.

It takes him a few minutes, and a couple disappearance and reappearances of the texting in progress bubble, before a reply comes. Your pencil may or may not be a bit chewed on the end as a result.

PJK [12:21pm]: I was hoping that we could be friends, or acquaintances at least. I dont mean to come on too strong, its just that…. well you’re the only one whos really treated me like a regular guy, and i’d like to have at least one person to speak to who wont ‘glaze over the truth with pretty white lies’ just because of who I am. Its a surprisingly hard attribute to come by in people when you have words like “prince” and “your highness” attached to your name PJK [12:22pm]: Everyone either wants something from me or something I can do for them, and when we met? I could see you just…didn’t. It’s like you didnt even care I was there and that was incredibly refreshing for me PJK [12:23pm]: so um, yeah… that’s why

Oh… 

Oh. 

You were expecting anything else. Like literally anything else. He could’ve messaged you saying he wanted to give up being prince to join a traveling circus and was wondering if you knew the quickest train route into town and you would’ve been less surprised than you are right now.

But…Friends? He just wanted to be friends?

You guess you played your part a little too well on Monday. A part you didn't even realize you were performing. 

Was it really so difficult for people to treat him normally that the only person who had done so in three days, was you? And it was so noticeable that he sought you out because of it? His professors, at least, would have treated him like any other student…right?

You sit up, sketch long discarded on your bedside table. 

What would Yuri think about this? What would Nel think? Jungkook isn't just some guy from your Advanced Colour Theory class, he's the prince of your kingdom. 

You know your boyfriend wouldn't care if Jungkook kissed your hand in a passing greeting, that’s the standard greeting for every woman. 

But friends? 

Regular contact? 

Potentially being seen in public with him? 

Even a high ranking societal man would feel threatened, let alone Nel; the highschool boy you fell in love with from your tiny hometown.

Biting your lip, you think. 

You’re not an idiot. You know if people see you—a girl—hanging out with Jungkook—the prince, but more importantly, a boy—publicly, they will start talking. You know how the media make grand stories from two anonymously sourced, out of context quotes and a grainy picture from 100 feet away. 

What you don’t know is if you would or even could handle the public speculation that came with that. 

You don't want the media to come between you and your education. You don’t want to be at the center of attention. You worked way too hard to get where you are to have it washed away with a shitty ‘Prince Jungkook's college fling’ article that holds headlines for less than a week before the news cycle changes. 

Your credibility would be gone in an instant. And you’d only ever be remembered as ‘that girl the prince probably slept with in college.’

You should say no.

You’re going to say no.

—Wait.

Are you even allowed to say no?

Your phone pings again.

PJK [12:24pm]: i really just want my university experience to be as normal as possible before having to trade it all in for a crown and kingdom. It’s my last shot to experience life as a person before becoming a symbol and im hoping youll be kind enough to help me with that  PJK [12:24pm]: but i understand if you dont want to. Like i said in my speech, im not unaware of the repercussions of my celebrity, and its effects on others, both positive and negative. So please by all means, whatever answer you give, i’ll understand

Shit.

Shit!

Now you’ll feel like an ass if you say no, and you know that wasn’t his intention with the message, but you can't help it. He just wants to be as ordinary as he can be for a while. That isn’t a lot to ask—of anybody. 

After re-reading his messages about a dozen more times, you find your entire view of Jungkook shifting in an instant. 

Maybe he was the spoiled, rich, and plate delivered opportunities prince you expected him to be, but funnily enough, somewhere along the way it was you who forgot that he was an regular person. Just like you had told Yuri such a short time ago, and just like you now had to remind yourself. 

Jungkook’s really not much different than someone without all the special features his title brings him.

And with that in mind, you know your reply.

You [12:30pm]: can i think about it?

And not seconds later.

PJK [12:30pm]: absolutely.

A breath you didn’t know you were holding releases.

PJK [12:31pm]: that’s already further than i thought i’d get—if we’re still being honest. 

You [12:33pm]: im always honest, you dont have to worry about that. And same goes for you, dont worry about being truthful with me. Lies only create problems, and i dont have the time for them

PJK [12:35]: glad to hear it. I look forward to your answer, whenever and whatever you decide

Gently tossing your phone back onto your bed, you leave the conversation at that. You know you wouldn’t be able to make your mind up without going through all possible outcomes in your head first. And Yuri is usually a good enough listener to pipe in with decent advice now and then. 

So, for now, you pick up your pencil and sketch pad, and wait for Yuri to return from her afternoon class. 

A few hours later, and a decent way through your third life study, Yuri bursts through the front entryway. Your bedroom door’s open, and you’ve got a clear view of her shucking off her shoes and outer layers after casting her books onto the dining room table. 

So much for your focus. 

But you're glad she’s back, your conversation with Jungkook from earlier is still wracking your brain.

“YN, Sweets! You are NEVER going to believe the day I’ve had!” Yuri makes her way over to your bed, inhaling deeply enough you know a monologue is about to follow.

“Me too! But you first,” you slip in before the floodgates burst, knowing all her focus will be solely centered on you the second you mention Jungkook reaching out. 

“Jungkook invited me to lunch!” 

Or maybe not.

“Well sort of, that’s why I’m late getting back. He asked if there was a more secluded place to eat on campus,” she says the word like it’s a secret. Like she thinks he asked for seclusion to have it be a more intimate setting with her, versus a more private space for him. 

“So I showed him that little cafe behind the greenhouse that no one ever goes to cuz it’s too far away from central campus—you know the one that might as well just be a part of the greenhouse cuz of how close it is?” 

You nod. You were very familiar with that cafe, frequently going there to paint the flowers in the windows, and also, to think. But she doesn’t know that. It was sort of a safe haven for you, because like she said, it wasn’t a very popular place on campus, so it was quiet. 

You didn’t know Yuri even knew about it. 

Now sitting criss-crossed on the end of your bed, she continues, “Yeah, so I brought him there and we both got coffee, then I got a croissant and he got a sandwich. But YN, get this: we take. our coffee. the. same. way. Try and tell me we’re not made for one another now! Same major, same coffee, next thing you know we’ll be finding out we’d picked out the same baby names.” 

She stops to take a breath and you take your cue. “Woah there, Yurls, slow down a bit on that last one,” she makes a face at you. You ignore it. “But I think it’s great you're making a new friend that you have common interests with and are excited about,” you say, putting extra emphasis on ‘friend,’ thinking back to your conversation with Jungkook about people only ever wanting things he could give them. Surely you could subtly help your friend this way. “Just try to remember you have to be friends first before anything else happens.”

She doesn’t miss a beat. “Friends? YN please! We’re practically already dating, that’s three times in as many days he’s asked to hang out,” she closes her eyes, hugging herself. “I can almost hear the wedding bells.”

You look at her plainly and try your best not to sigh. 

She must know that this is just Jungkook taking her up on her offer, right? The one she made after seeing him off to the cafe by the biz-admin building the other day?

Before they parted ways, Yuri’d mentioned to him that if he wanted more inside knowledge or help getting around the campus he could ask her. And it made sense, having all their classes in the same area, when he said, ‘I’ll take you up on that.’

You know, because not unlike this conversation, she’d rushed home right after to tell you. 

Jungkook’s just trying to get his bearings in what is clearly still a very new experience for him and Yuri’s reading into it all wrong. 

You look at your friend who’s staring dreamily at nothing, more than likely caught up in whatever wedding scenarios of herself and Jungkook her brain is creating. 

Waving a fruitless hand in front of her face before snapping your fingers, you break her trance. “Helloooo? Earth to Yuri, come back down here please so I can talk some sense into youuuuu.” 

“I’m here,” she says, smacking your hand away playfully, gaze snapping to your less than amused one. Her smile falters at the sight. “What’s that look for?”

“Oh nothing, just that you sound like a delusional teenager instead of a functional adult at university pursuing a degree. You just met the guy three days ago and you’re already picturing your wedding together? Because you hung out over coffee twice and showed him where his classes are? He’s still a stranger, Yuri. Can’t you hear yourself?”

Her expression quickly changes to one of offense, and maybe even hurt. 

Perhaps you’d been a little too honest, but it’s not like this was new for you two. Sometimes she needed a swift blow to knock her down and she knows this, she knows you’d never intend to hurt her feelings. You always wanted what was best for her, and you know she feels the exact same way for you. 

So you’re shocked when she says, “You know you don’t have to be such a bitch about it if you’re going to be jealous,” crossing her arms defensively.

Jealous? You are anything but jealous, and you wonder why that’s where her mind jumps to first, brows scrunching in confusion.

“I’m not jealous. Have you forgotten about Nel? Boyfriend of five years, highschool sweetheart, ringing a bell?”

“Nel’s not a prince YN,” she counters in a tone so even, it’s unsettling. “And it wouldn’t be so unheard of for a woman in a relationship to be jealous of her friend who’s in one with a prince she wants for herself.” 

Oh, so that’s where she wants to go with this. She thinks that Jungkook will somehow make you forget about the five wonderful years with Nel. Like half a decade measures up to nothing if it means getting someone with a better name and a bigger paycheck. 

Fine.

If she wants to get bitchy about it, so will you. 

“Yeah, well it’s a good thing you’re not dating one then, isn’t it? Don’t get so defensive when all I’m doing is trying to help you see that.”

Yuri stands dramatically from the bed, clearly pissed, and storms out of your room, grabbing her things from the dining room table.

“I’m going to my macroeconomics class. By the time I get back, either have your door closed, or don’t be here.”

She leaves as rushed as she came, and you try not to flinch at the front door slamming shut, but do anyway. 

You shove your work off to the side, bringing your knees up to rest your elbows on while the palms of your hands cover your eyes, giving yourself a moment to breathe and process. 

This isn’t the first time this has happened and it certainly won't be the last. It was a downside between your personalities. You were the anchor who kept her from soaring too high in the clouds, just like she was the helium that kept you from drowning. 

But sometimes she wanted to see the stars, and sometimes you were scared of the surface. 

Releasing a deep breath, you decide to head out, having finished school for the day anyway. You only had morning classes on Wednesdays—an intentional scheduling on your behalf to have somewhat of a break midweek. You work hard but also know that burnout can kill.

Switching out your pencils for watercolour paint trays, and your sketchpad for your watercolour paper, you decide that the greenhouse sounded great right about now, especially now that you knew Yuri wouldn’t be there. 

There isn’t a better place for you to go and blow off some steam. 

Tossing your brushes, materials, travel water and wallet in a tote, you slide on your shoes and leave the dorm. The door closes much quieter this time. 

Chapter Three: Greenhouse Muses and Surprise Guests

A/N 2: I’m pretty sure this is the shortest chapter in the series (so far) but as you’ve read it’s an important step so I hope that’s okay!

<- Back

[beezlebuth]

no one on my tumblr knows this rlly but i lost most of my belongings in a house fire in april. its been extremely hard moving forwards after that very traumatic experience. i may never be as healthy as i was both mentally and physically before the fire and i will never stop grieving the loss of my pets and sentimental keepsakes that i have collected all my life. nonetheless, thats not what i wanted to talk about. through sheer luck, i was able to recover my collection of comic books.

those who know me knew i had an extensive and well kept collection of johnny the homicidal maniac, squee, i feel sick, and filler bunny. after the fire, it was hard being at loss of one of my favorite collections i owned. so i decided to splurge a bit and buy some more comics to make up for the ones i lost. but! like i said!!! i was able to recover my past comics! this has left me with two sets of collections pretty much and i just wanted to come on here and document what i own thus far.

i owe a lot of thanks to the comic book store that i work at. my boss at the comic book store found all those jthm individual issues in other people’s collections that were sold to him and he gave them to me for free, that jumpstarted my collection. and when they were thought to me lost forever, someone returned my old collection of all my comics to the comic book store i work at and my boss recognized them to be mine and was able to retrieve them for me. it was such an amazing coincidence and im very lucky and thankful.

my past collection consists of:

-jthm the director’s cut 24th printing (may 2007)

-jthm issue #1 ~a general sense of contempt~ 14th printing (march 2002)

-jthm issue #2 ~human relations~ 10th printing (february 2002)

-jthm issue #3 ~a transient smile~ 8th printing (february 2002)

-jthm issue #4 ~another tiresome decent~ 9th printing (december 2001)

-jthm issue #7 ~in control of a broken machine~ 9th printing (may 2002)

-squee! issue #1 ~when i was little~ 1st printing (april 1997)

-squee! issue #2 ~remember~ 1st printing (september 1997)

-squee! issue #3 ~villains~ 1st printing (november 1997)

-squee! issue #4 ~the super amazing final issue~ 1st printing (may 1998)

-i feel sick issue #1 ??th printing (november 2011)

-i feel sick issue #2 ??th printing (??? 2011)

-filler bunny #1 1st printing (january 2000)

-filler bunny #2 1st printing (february 2001)

-filler bunny #3 ???2005

my newest collection consists of:

-jthm the director’s cut 1st printing (july 1997)

-jthm issue #2 ~human relations~ 1st printing (november 1995)

-jthm issue #3 ~a transient smile~ 1st printing (february 1996)

-jthm issue #4 ~another tiresome decent~ 1st printing (may 1996)

-jthm issue #5 ~an ascent in hell~ 1st printing (august 1996)

-jthm issue #6 ~a brief failure at living~ 1st printing (november 1996)

-jthm issue #7 ~in control of a broken machine~ 1st printing (january 1997)

-squee! issue #1 ~when i was little~ 1st printing (april 1997)

-squee! issue #2 ~remember~ 1st printing (september 1997)

-squee! issue #3 ~villains~ 1st printing (november 1997)

-squee! issue #4 ~the super amazing final issue~ 1st printing (may 1998)

-filler bunny #1 11th printing (june 2007)

-filler bunny #2 1st printing (february 2001)

-filler bunny #3 ???2005

-1997 jthm tshirt that was only sold through the carpe noctem magazine

things that haven’t been recovered:

-my issue of 1997 1st issue of carpe noctem that has a jthm snippet

-original squee! shirt sold from the back of the jthm issues

-my anne qwish shirt that i made

-my jthm cosplay including nail bunny clay necklace

also i posted previously on my instagram my jthm original artwork signed by jhonen vasquez, that was returned to me also! yahoo!!!