#Features of Windows media player

[junaidjee]

Advantages and Disadvantages of Windows Media Player

Windows Media Player (WMP) is a type of player that comes pre-installed with the Windows operating system. It can play audio and video files. The Windows Media Player is coming since the launch of Windows 95. The user interface of the Windows Media Player was last time updated with Windows 7. Some pros and cons of Windows Media Player are described below:- Advantages of Windows Media Player…

[tarraxahum]

remember when youtube was technically a social media with customization and dms

because I frequently forget

I'll open one of those nostalgic "old youtube" front ends that are designed to look like 2013 or some such and be completely blindsided like WOW do not remember it looking like that. despite spending a lot of time on it back then. huh.

[kkai-zen]

ᯓ★ oh damn, i feel like a HOTSHOT

──── featuring ITOSHI SAE.

summary: what happens when your famous pro-soccer player boyfriend ITOSHI SAE finds your Tumblr fan account for him?

contents: 18+ nsfw! MDNI. fem!sub!reader, dom!sae, p in v, porn w plot, established relationship, reader nicknames (sweetheart, pretty thing, dirty girl, slut, love), degradation, exhibitionism, mile high club!, fingering, dirty talk, unprotected sex, overstim, creampie

a/n: second work for this series! it's kinda similar to the previous work i did for itoshi rin, but i hope you enjoy nonetheless!

wc: 1.6k

✰ .ᐟ your pro-athlete boyfriend ITOSHI SAE . . .

finds out about your Tumblr fan blog, "sae-dreams", on the private jet he booked to Spain when he gets curious about the nonstop notifications you're receiving.

your phone is constantly buzzing with all the interactions on your latest post—a smutty fanfic featuring sae himself, of course!

he scrolls through your blog when you leave your phone unattended for a moment.

he immediately gets cocky when he reads through your endless posts, everything from "fluffy bf!itoshi sae hcs" to "18+ NSFW possessive sae smut".

feels proud that he's got you that down bad for him. (aka, Sae loves how obsessed you are with him.)

drops subtle hints that he knows about your blog when you come back, but doesn't outright say it until after he's fucked you senseless.

Bzzt. Bzzt. Bz-bzzt. Bzz-

Sae narrows his eyes at your phone. 

You’re too preoccupied admiring the stunning view outside the window of the private jet to notice, though. Humming to yourself, you tap out some rhythm on the armrest of your very comfortable seat, daydreaming about Spain.

“Aren’t you excited for Spain, Sae?”

“I’ve lived there for so long, so it doesn’t feel too special."

“Really?”

“Mm…yeah, I guess so,”

Sae murmurs, teal eyes still glaring at your vibrating phone. 

You pout. “Aw, c’mon, at least you’ll be able to relax in Spain instead of just training!” Standing up, you stretch your back and his gaze flits to you. “M’ gonna go use the bathroom,” you yawn, slipping through the spacious aisle and out of Sae’s view.

He watches your back vanish from sight before returning his gaze to your phone—which is still buzzing away. Who’s texting you so much?

Curiosity gets the better of him, and he slides your phone across the in-flight desk towards him before picking it up. Turning on your phone and flicking through the numerous notifications, he’s surprised to see that it's not texts, but rather:

sae-luvr-032, churchofitoshi, and 48 others liked your post.

stan-itoshi reblogged your post.

sae-sunshine started following you.

holywaterneeded, re-al-fan, and 50 others liked your post.

saeswetsock reblogged your post.

Eyebrow arching, Sae quickly swipes your phone open (because of course he knows your password), and taps open Tumblr. His eyes widen the slightest bit. What's all this?

Some time later, you crash back into your seat next to Sae (after exploring the way too luxurious bathroom). Your phone is placed exactly where you’d left it, but it’s not like you would’ve noticed otherwise—your attention is only drawn to it when you finally notice the incessant bzzt-bzzt-bzzt! of the notifications.

Picking it up, you blush the faintest pink at the reminder of your most recent blog post— [NSFW 18+] joining the mile high club with itoshi sae!

You quickly turn on 'do not disturb', deciding to check on your blog after you land in Spain; but naturally, Sae notices. 

“Who’s texting you?” He asks, a small smirk playing on his face.

You freeze. “N-nothin’, just a group chat,” you stammer unconvincingly.

“M’kay,” he hums, but there’s something suspicious simmering under his voice. 

“Y’know, I’ve really been into my fans’ social media accounts recently,” Sae muses. “They actually write a bunch of real interesting stuff,” he continues, leaning his head on his hand.

“Oh, yeah?” You force out a small laugh. “Mhm. Especially on Tumblr.” He forces down a chuckle at your barely-masked expression of panic. “Tumblr? Really?”

You can’t hide the disbelief in your voice. Itoshi Sae? The genius midfielder? On Tumblr?? There’s a thousand thoughts swirling in your head right now, and you don’t even notice the devilish smirk spreading on his face as he responds: “Yup. Tumblr.”

What if he finds my account? No, no way, right? Besides, it’s anonymous! He wouldn’t- he couldn’t possibly know it’s me, right?? You toy with your phone nervously as Sae watches, debating on what to say. But before you can open your mouth, Sae grabs your waist and lifts you onto his lap, facing him.

“Sae? What are you- hey!” You gasp as Sae dips his hand under your shirt, sliding his cool palm up your torso before pulling your bra up to expose your breasts. He doesn’t respond, only tilting his head up to admire your expression as he teases your nipples, already stiff from his ministrations and sticking out from your shirt. 

“A-ah, Sae, wai- mm!” Biting back a moan, you can’t help but grind against his erection as he squeezes at your nipples. He grunts at the friction, eyes closing for a brief second before he tears your shirt off and turns you around on his lap. 

Back pressed flush against his muscular chest, you whimper when a hand comes up to grab one of your tits, groping the soft flesh. The other hand other pops open the button of your pants and slips them off with ease before diving into your panties, already soaked with arousal. 

Sae bullies two fingers into your sopping hole, the pads of his fingers brushing and prodding at your most sensitive spots. In an attempt to muffle your whines, you slap a hand over your mouth—only for Sae to grab your wrist and pin it behind your back. 

“Ah-ah, sweetheart,” he purrs. “Wanna hear you make all those pretty sounds for me.” 

“B-but Sae- ah!” You cry out. “We-we shouldn’t do this- ah- on the plane- ngh!” Your cunt throbs as Sae starts massaging your clit in quick circles. He chuckles, breath tickling your ear. “Hm? You’ve really never thought about this before?” 

You moan, bucking your hips into his fingers, and when he promptly pulls out of you, you whine. “That’s what I thought,” he breathes, placing a soft kiss behind your ear. A pathetic croak slips out of your mouth as your dripping hole clenches around nothing, desperate for stimulation. 

You twist around, slamming your lips onto his with a bruising force, teething clacking together as your tongues clash. Your hands find the waistband of his pants, slipping them down to reveal his twitching cock standing straight and erect against his abs, drooling precum from the angry red mushroom tip. You’re panting for breath when you drag yourself away from his lips, but seeing your boyfriend’s flushed, uncharacteristically disheveled face makes it worth it. 

You almost smirk at him—but when he hooks his toned arms under your knees to pull your thighs to your shoulders, your eyes widen.

Oh-

Oh. 

Now, Sae’s the one smirking at you. “What’s wrong, my love?” He asks, and you can hear the amusement in his voice. “T-this position- I- mmm- fuck, Sae!” you damn near scream when he slams his rock-hard length into you, bottoming out in your wet heat. 

“Shhh, pretty thing,” Sae murmurs, lips brushing the shell of your ear, and you think it’s absolutely criminal how he sounds perfectly relaxed. “Can’t be screaming and crying yourself stupid on my dick right now…not here.” 

You clench around his cock at his words. “But you like this, don’t you?” Sae teases, rolling his hips into you, andthe sound of your slick rubbing and sticking to his cock is so lewd that it has your head spinning. “We could be caught any second, with you moaning like that. Dirty, dirty girl.” He tsks, before driving the rest of his shaft into you. 

“Mmpf- Sae, s-slow do-o-o-own!” You’re sobbing, moans slipping out in choppy rhythms as Sae drives himself into you at a punishing pace.

You want to tell him to stop, afraid that some unsuspecting flight attendant could walk by any second, but he feels so delicious inside of you, the stretch of his cock stirring your insides up in a way that has you seeing stars.

The thrill of it makes your pussy flutter around him, dripping even more beads of slick down onto his length. “You really are a slut for my cock,” Sae groans, and with one more vicious thrust, you can’t help but cry out his name as you hit your climax with a violent shudder, squirting over his bare thighs.

Waves of euphoria crash into you, puffy hole trembling as Sae’s cock spurts hot, thick ropes of cum into you, distending your stomach. Your head is thrown back, drool leaking out of the corners of your mouth as you writhe in pleasure.

Gasping for air, chests heaving with exertion, and a fine sheen of sweat sticking the two of you together, you both slowly come down from the high of your orgasms.

You bask in the afterglow, still shivering as Sae pulls his softening length out of you. Cum drips out of your cunt, threatening to spill out onto the expensive seats, but Sae takes two fingers and presses the cum back into your overstimulated hole.

Moaning softly, your head falls back onto Sae’s shoulder as you try to catch your breath. “U-ugh, Sae,” you gasp. “You- coulda warned me, y’know…”

He lets out a breathless laugh, fingers still buried in your twitching hole. “Mm, but that’s not how you wrote it in your blog, right?”

You whip around, jaw dropping open. “So you did know!” You accuse, poking a finger into Sae’s chest. A smile curves at the edges of his mouth, and he brings a hand up to ruffle your hair.

“Let me read the rest of your posts, love.”

“No way!”

“…”

“…fine.”

[shaisuki]

Hi! Hope you're doing great! Is it possible if we got a glimpse of the wedding day between Yan Reo and chubby reader?

You don't have to answer, just remember to take care of yourself!

❝ TO LOVE AND TO CHERISH.❞

$ FEATURING. YANDERE! HUSBAND MIKAGE REO

NOTES. i apologize for it took so long. i'm combining it with a another request similar to this and i didn't forgot all of your requests. they're all sitting in my inbox catching mold.

CONTENT WARNINGS. implied noncon

SYNOPSIS. such wedding vows are not meant to be spoken when you didn't agree to be wed.

it is said that the wedding of ceo mikage reo to his fiancee eclipses what was considered the most expensive wedding of the century. although a speculation of the media who had followed every step of the life of mikage reo, once a professional player for soccer and now ceo of one of the largest corporations in the world.

the wedding was a private affair. exclusive to only who had received invitations and the media wasn't clearly allowed to get a glimpse of what the wedding had become. it was considered top secret and no one had uttered a word of it after the wedding.

there were only speculations about it and the media can only have it base on their assumptions.

the wedding itself was grand that never in your life you would stand behind the large doors of the church in a wedding gown. there isn't any means that this wedding was consensual and two parties had agreed with it but the moment he put the engagement ring in your finger — it was decided. it wasn't a rags to riches story nor a cinderella one where the prince charming swoop his princess to save her from a life of impoverishment and the cruelty of her stepmother and stepsisters. this wasn't your story and you wouldn't wish a prince to save you from your life when you're decent and contented from the way of your life.

you didn't dream of a fairytale but reo did. reo was like the prince from a fairytale book. handsome and dashing he is. charming also and he's not a prince if he doesn't have a castle and reo did have one. mikage corporation. the one where you worked for and unfortunately is where he stole you to be his. you were his since the moment you entered the glass doors of the company.

at the moment you're clutching a bouquet of flowers. an assortment of flowers that you can only name a few. baby's breath and lilies of the valley surrounds the ranunculus and escimo roses. the bouquet cascades from your hold to your knees. a shaky breath escapes your lips. you can't run away from this wedding when reo had locked in all of the things he can use to you. including your family. upon the engagement he paid all of the expenses of your siblings education and just not that, your parents were included. they were brought off with reo's wealth.

the music began and then the large doors opened. it was now or never. you're sealing your future with reo and you're taking the first step.

the crowd fell into silence as you walked down the aisle. the sunlight of the afternoon filters through the windows casting a soft glow to your figure and then white petals of cherry blossoms cascades down the aisle. the guests were entranced at the spectacle of a bride walking down the aisle looking so ethereal and if it weren't for reo's affluence — you were considered to be a low born marrying to a royal in which you are but they were tight lip about it and doesn't seem to care. they only care that they were invited of one of the biggest weddings of the century.

the air feels constricting and the wedding gown feels like glue to your skin despite the multiple fittings and adjustments to make you look perfect in your wedding day.

wedding day.

the concept was strange to you. between working and taking care of your family — you never considered yourself to be lucky in the romance department and whatever wish for union didn't occur to you until this very day. such event was wasted to you when you can't even appreciate this. a bride should be happy and any girl were willing to die just to experience this.

they will have this gown teared from your body just them to wear it. what a waste.

the wedding gown was designed exclusively for you. reo had flown three designers and force one of them out of retirement just for his bride. they all took a look out of you and with their collaboration produced a wedding gown that not even royalty or a well-known celebrity would have the luxury to have. it took a year for the gown to be completed. a team consisting of fifteen members had worked every day for the smallest of details in the gown. the embroideries, sewing pearls on your dress and the veil. a ten meter train of a veil with lace trimming delicately sewn with their expertise and after arduous efforts it was complete. two months before the wedding.

in the naked eyes, they would only see what the wedding gown looked like. a off the shoulder bodice. showing your decolletage. the smooth expanse of your chest with your nonexistent collarbones. the top was enough to cover and gave you modesty. a bride appropriate for reo. the skirt designed with a ball gown and the train of a veil made you look a princess fitting for a prince like reo. a simple tiara encrusted with diamonds sat atop on your head.

everyone was enchanted to you and the dress. a wisp of a bride. walking — floating in her small steps to be with her prince charming.

reo waits for you. looking so dashing in white suit that was also exclusively tailored for him. his purple hair is put in a tie. his handsome features were highlighted and the dark purples of his eyes is glazed with happiness that he was about to marry you with a thousand eyes looking at the both of you. witnessing the union of two souls.

reo composes himself cause if he won't — he cannot stop from smiling at the sight of his bride walking towards him. a ethereal bride of his. oblivious to the tight smile and confusion of her eyes cause all reo can see is her. about to be his.

there's a slight tremor of your voice when the exchanging of vows was spoken. it feels a lie. you were speaking a lie. lying to the man in front of you and the vows you spoke was nothing to be with him. you can't love a man who has taken you everything.

reo spoke of the vows with reverence. staring deeply at your eyes with his that you wish he can take a hint and read your thoughts that you don't want nothing from him. “to love and to cherish.” it was like molten sugar and butter when he spoke with a touch of honey. it was the truth and nothing else and with the line “until death do us apart.” you realize it that reo was dead on set promising that part to you.

he takes your hand. the chubby finger adorned with a engagement ring that reo had blown off two million dollars for a piece of jewelry. crafted by jeweler with history of making jewelries for royalties. he was once known being commissioned by a prince and his current masterpiece is wrapped around your finger.

a oval cut diamond in the middle along with a vines motif for the band encrusted with smaller diamonds for the leaves. it was regal and something out of a fairytale. it was being paired with a simple platinum ring matching with reo's that you had put and after that — you were bestowed with a sweetest kiss from reo and then the bells started ringing. signifying that you were now married to each other.

the reception was no difference. the crystal chandelier glinting in the light of the huge ball room. a five tier cake in the side. the grandeur was everything and it was like what reo had planned. down to the smallest detail. a orchestra been hired too and despite the number of the members they still have the space for the performance and hasn't engulfed to the while reception for it was the biggest to accommodate all the guest and the newlyweds that will be the center of attention for the next hours. it was a celebration and such celebration is with festivities that will last for a week.

the fireworks were like sprinkles of light swirling on your eyes while you gaze at the pyro display. it was too mark such conspicuous event. the breeze was cool and the scent of the sea welcomes you with its waves of embrace.

reo held you tightly while you both watched and the guests too. he presses a kiss to your forehead. “wife.” you see him smile and he calls you again with that endearment and now, your title as mrs. mikage. wife to billionaire mikage reo of mikage corporation. he repeated it again as if the word foreign to his and wanting to get used to it.

he leans closer to you and the words he whispered left you blinking the tears away for what he spoke is your reality that you can never escape. bound to him forever.

“you're finally mine, mrs. mikage.”

[prettygirl-gabi]

Chapter 2: Caught on Camera

Rating: General Audiences

Warning: none

Fandom: Women's basketball

Paring: Paige Bueckers x ! Photographer fem reader

Summary: is this thing still on?... I hope not....

Welcome to chapter 2 of Through The Lens. I hope you all enjoy and there is more to come...stay tuned my loveies!! 🏀💕📸... if you wanna be added to the tag list let me know!

Avoidance was becoming a bad habit of mine. After the incident with Paige and my shattered camera turned into an internet meme, I couldn’t bring myself to face her—or the team, for that matter. Every social media platform I opened featured the clip: Paige’s epic block, the ball ricocheting, and the destruction of my beloved camera. People had even started adding exaggerated sound effects and captions like, "When life hits you hard…literally."

To make matters worse, Paige addressed the incident during a post-game interview, her sheepish smile making me squirm every time I replayed it in my mind.

“It was an accident,” she had said, laughing softly. “I feel really bad about it. Y/N’s an amazing photographer, and I hope I haven’t scared her off for good.”

Her words made my chest ache, but I still avoided the team practices. I stuck to photographing games with my new camera, keeping my distance from the players—especially Paige.

That’s where KK came in.

“Y/N, you can’t avoid us forever,” KK said, sliding into the seat beside me in class one afternoon. Her tone was light, but there was a hint of mischief in her eyes that I didn’t trust.

“I’m not avoiding anyone,” I replied defensively, keeping my gaze on my notes.

“Right,” KK said with a smirk. “That’s why you haven’t shown up to practice all week.”

I sighed, slumping in my chair. “It’s just… easier this way.”

KK rolled her eyes. “You know Paige feels terrible, right? She keeps asking about you.”

My stomach flipped, but I quickly pushed the thought aside. “I’m fine. She doesn’t have to worry about me.”

KK didn’t say anything for a moment, and I thought I’d won the argument—until she spoke again, her voice casual.

“Hey, can you stop by the gym tonight? Coach wants to see some of the practice shots you’ve taken for the project.”

I frowned, suspicious. “Coach? Why would he need to see them now?”

KK shrugged, her expression unreadable. “I don’t make the rules. Just swing by, okay?”

That’s how I found myself at the gym later that evening, camera in hand. The space was eerily quiet, the faint hum of the overhead lights the only sound as I stepped inside.

“Coach?” I called out, my voice echoing.

Instead of Coach, Paige emerged from the shadows, her expression a mix of surprise and apprehension.

“Y/N,” she said, her voice soft.

I froze, my grip tightening on my camera. “Paige? What are you doing here?”

Before she could answer, the gym doors slammed shut behind me, and I turned to see KK waving through the glass window with a wide grin.

“You two need to talk,” KK shouted, her voice muffled by the door. “I’ll let you out in the morning!”

“KK!” I yelled, rushing to the door, but it was locked tight.

Paige let out a small laugh, drawing my attention back to her. “Well, I guess we’re stuck together.”

After a few minutes of awkward silence, I excused myself to the bathroom, needing a moment to collect my thoughts. When I returned, Paige was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the court, my camera in her hands.

“What are you doing?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.

Paige glanced up at me, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I figured I’d record something for you. An apology, I guess.”

Before I could respond, she pressed a button, and the red recording light blinked off—at least, I thought it did.

“Can we talk?” Paige asked, setting the camera aside.

I hesitated before nodding, taking a seat across from her.

“I’m sorry,” she began, her voice sincere. “About your camera, about everything. I never meant for any of this to happen.”

“I know,” I said quietly, my fingers fidgeting with the hem of my shirt. “It’s just… hard. That camera meant a lot to me, and now everyone’s laughing about it like it’s some big joke.”

Paige’s expression softened, and she scooted closer, her knee brushing against mine. “I get it. I’d hate being the center of a meme, too. But you’re more than that clip, Y/N. Your work is incredible, and I’ve seen the way you capture the game—like you see things the rest of us miss.”

Her words made my chest tighten, and I looked away, feeling vulnerable under her gaze.

“Thanks,” I murmured, my voice barely audible.

Paige reached out, her hand resting lightly on mine. “I mean it. You’re amazing.”

I glanced up, meeting her eyes, and for a moment, the world seemed

to fade away. Her gaze was steady and warm, filled with an honesty that made my heart stutter.

“Paige…” I started, but my voice faltered.

She gave me a small, lopsided smile, her fingers brushing over mine. “I know I messed up, but I want to make it right. Not just with the camera—but with you. Can we… start over?”

I hesitated, the weight of everything between us making it hard to breathe. But then I saw the earnestness in her expression, the vulnerability she rarely let show.

“Okay,” I said softly, nodding. “We can start over.”

A small laugh escaped her, almost a sigh of relief. “Good. Because I really don’t want you avoiding me anymore.”

“I wasn’t avoiding you,” I lied, though we both knew the truth.

She smirked, leaning back slightly. “Right. You just conveniently disappeared every time I was around?”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at my lips. “Fine, maybe I was avoiding you. But only because I didn’t know how to face you after everything.”

“Well,” Paige said, tilting her head, “now you’re stuck with me until KK decides to let us out. So, no more avoiding.”

I chuckled, the tension between us easing slightly. “Guess I don’t have a choice.”

We spent the next few hours talking—about basketball, photography, school, and everything in between. Paige was easy to talk to, her laugh infectious and her stories captivating. For the first time in weeks, I felt at ease.

At some point, exhaustion caught up to us, and we ended up lying on the court, our heads close together as we stared up at the ceiling.

“Do you ever think about what’s next?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Paige turned her head to look at me, her expression thoughtful. “All the time. The WNBA feels so close, but at the same time, I’m scared of what it means to leave everything here behind.”

I nodded, understanding her fear. “Change is scary. But you’ll do amazing—you always do.”

Her gaze lingered on me, a soft smile playing on her lips. “You really think so?”

“I know so,” I replied, my words steady.

We fell into a comfortable silence, and before I knew it, I drifted off, the warmth of Paige’s presence lulling me to sleep.

The next morning, I woke to the sound of muffled laughter. Blinking against the light, I realized Paige and I were still lying on the court, her arm draped over me in a way that felt impossibly natural.

“What do we have here?” KK’s voice rang out, teasing and triumphant.

I sat up quickly, my face burning as I saw KK and Azzi standing near the gym doors, their grins wide and mischievous.

“Did you two have a good night?” Azzi asked, raising an eyebrow.

Paige groaned, rubbing her eyes as she sat up. “Seriously, KK? Was this really necessary?”

KK shrugged, clearly unbothered. “Hey, you two needed to work things out. Mission accomplished, right?”

I glanced at Paige, my embarrassment fading slightly as she gave me a small, knowing smile.

“Yeah,” she said, her tone light but sincere. “Mission accomplished.”

As we stood to leave, I grabbed my camera from where it had been resting on the sidelines. A sinking feeling hit me when I noticed the recording light still blinking.

“Oh my God,” I muttered, quickly stopping the recording.

Paige looked over, her eyes widening as realization dawned. “Wait… was that on the whole time?”

I nodded, mortified.

KK burst out laughing. “Guess we’re gonna have some very interesting footage to review!”

Paige and I exchanged a look, equal parts embarrassed and amused. Maybe this wasn’t the worst way to start over after all.

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

-Thank You For Reading!🩵🩶

-prettygirl-gabi🎀✨️

Tag list: @sayurireidotcom , @astroeliza .... (more to be added)

[0omillo0]

Keep it secret | Jeongin x Reader

Even tho your relationship is secret, Jeongin asks you to come with him at the milano fashion week. You have to try your best to perfectly fake being a manager.

a/n: you can tell I LOVE fashion shows!

⋆ ˚｡♡𝜗𝜚˚

The chaos of fashion week was palpable from the moment you touched down in Milan. The air buzzed with anticipation, a hum of energy that clung to the cobbled streets, and the world’s finest designers and most iconic models seemed to glide over it effortlessly. You had to remind yourself to keep your cool, though it was easier said than done when you were walking into one of the biggest events of the year — the Bottega Veneta fashion show. Not as an ordinary attendee, though. No, this time, you were walking into it as the secret girlfriend of Yang Jeongin.

Jeongin, with his signature charm and confident smile, was as much a part of the event as the models, yet your heart still fluttered when you saw him, even after months of keeping your relationship under wraps. Every stolen glance, every subtle touch shared away from the limelight, had built an intimacy that you treasured, but hiding it was becoming increasingly difficult. Especially now.

You could still hear his soft voice from this morning in your head. He had smiled at you over the breakfast table, his eyes dancing with mischief, as he casually dropped the bomb.

“I want you to come with me,” he had said, his lips quirking into a smile.

“To Milan?” you had asked, nearly choking on your coffee.

“To the Bottega Veneta show at fashion week. I’ll get you in as a manager, and no one will suspect a thing.” His eyes twinkled with excitement, but you knew better. The man could have been a professional poker player with how well he masked his emotions in public, but you could tell by the way his fingers had tapped the table lightly that he was nervous.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want you there — quite the opposite. He wanted nothing more than to walk arm in arm with you, to show the world that you were his. But, as one of the rising stars in the K-pop scene, there were pressures and expectations, fans and media that scrutinized every single move.

You had agreed, of course, but as you sat in the limousine that was slowly crawling toward the venue, the gravity of the situation weighed down on you. You could feel your heart thudding against your chest. Jeongin sat across from you, dressed impeccably in a tailored suit, his hair styled to perfection, his features sharp and striking. It wasn’t fair how effortlessly he looked like he belonged at these events, while you, draped in an elegant dress that he’d handpicked for you, felt like an imposter.

“You look stunning,” he said softly, as though reading your mind.

You blushed, glancing out the window to avoid his gaze. “Don’t say that. You’ll make it harder for me to act like your manager.”

His chuckle was low, barely audible, but it warmed you nonetheless. He leaned in, his fingers brushing yours ever so slightly. The gesture was small, but it was enough to send a shiver down your spine.

“You’ll do great,” he whispered. “Just… don’t let them catch us.”

---

The fashion show was a dazzling blur of lights, music, and beautifully crafted designs. The moment you stepped onto the plush carpet leading into the venue, cameras flashed in every direction, capturing every movement of the celebrities and fashion icons in attendance. You kept your distance from Jeongin, trailing behind as any good manager would, though your heart tugged with every step that separated you.

Every now and then, you felt his eyes on you — a fleeting glance here, a brief brush of hands there — all while pretending you were nothing more than a member of his team. He greeted the designers, smiled for the cameras, and even posed with a few celebrities, his face lighting up in that way only he could manage.

You tried to focus on your role, to blend into the background as you observed the crowd. But every time your fingers accidentally brushed against his, or your shoulders bumped as you navigated the tight spaces, a spark ignited. It was intoxicating, the way the most innocent of touches held so much weight. The world may not have known, but between the two of you, every glance, every whisper was charged with a secret.

At one point during the show, when the lights dimmed for a brief intermission, Jeongin leaned over. His voice was barely a murmur, his lips just inches from your ear. “You’re handling this better than I thought.”

You smiled, trying to suppress the warmth that spread across your cheeks. “You’re not making it easy.”

He chuckled softly. “I know. But I can’t help it.”

The fabric of his hand brushed against yours once again, but before either of you could react, a photographer’s flash went off close by, reminding you both of where you were. Jeongin quickly pulled back, his expression shifting into one of professionalism as if the moment had never happened.

But it had, and you felt the lingering effect long after.

---

The after-party was another test in patience. The music was loud, the champagne flowing freely as models and designers mingled with guests in an opulent ballroom that overlooked the city. Jeongin had kept his distance for most of the evening, busy making the rounds and schmoozing with industry insiders. Every now and then, he would send you a discreet smile or a playful wink, but it was never more than that.

You couldn’t wait for the night to be over. The tension between you two was almost unbearable, a tight string that threatened to snap at any moment. And when it finally did, it wasn’t in the way you expected.

As the party began to wind down and people started to trickle out, Jeongin found his way back to you. His hand grazed yours briefly before pulling back, a reminder that you still had to be careful. "Ready to leave?" he asked quietly, his eyes scanning the room.

"More than ready," you replied, your voice barely audible over the music.

Together, you slipped out of the venue, avoiding the main exit where paparazzi were camped out, waiting for a glimpse of any celebrity they could get. Instead, you followed Jeongin through a quieter side exit, where a limousine was waiting. The driver opened the door for you both, and as soon as it shut behind you, the pretense of professionalism dissolved.

The moment you were out of sight, Jeongin’s hand found yours again, but this time he didn’t pull away. His fingers intertwined with yours, and he let out a sigh, his body relaxing into the seat.

“That was torture,” he admitted, turning to face you.

You laughed, leaning your head against the back of the seat. “You’re telling me. I think I nearly forgot how to breathe back there.”

He smiled, his eyes softening as they roamed your face. “But you did amazing.”

“You weren’t so bad yourself,” you teased, though your voice was softer now, more intimate.

Jeongin shifted closer, his knee brushing against yours, his hand now resting fully on your thigh. “I hated every second of pretending you weren’t mine,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

Your heart fluttered at his words, and before you knew it, you were leaning in, closing the distance between you. The kiss was soft at first, slow, like the two of you were still testing the waters even though you had kissed a hundred times before. But it didn’t stay that way for long.

The tension that had built up throughout the night — the stolen glances, the brief touches, the whispered words — all came crashing down as your lips met his. The kiss deepened, your hands sliding up his chest and into his hair, pulling him closer. Jeongin groaned softly against your lips, his hands slipping to your waist as he tugged you into him.

The limousine felt smaller by the second as you struggled to get as close to him as possible, the weight of the evening melting away with every kiss, every touch. His hand slid up the back of your neck, his fingers threading through your hair as he pulled you impossibly closer, his lips never leaving yours.

“I missed this,” he murmured between kisses, his voice breathless. “Missed you.”

You smiled against his lips. “We were together all night.”

“Not like this,” he whispered, his thumb brushing against your jaw as he pulled back just enough to meet your gaze. His eyes were dark, filled with an intensity that made your breath hitch.

“No,” you agreed softly, your fingers tracing the line of his jaw. “Not like this.”

For a few moments, neither of you said anything, just held each other close, basking in the warmth of the moment. The city lights outside flickered by, casting fleeting shadows across the inside of the limo, but in this space — in this quiet, stolen moment — it felt like you were the only two people in the world.

As the car rolled on through the streets of Milan, Jeongin’s arms wrapped tighter around you, pulling you close to his chest as he kissed your forehead. "One day," he murmured against your skin, his voice barely a whisper. "One day, we won’t have to hide anymore."

You smiled, closing your eyes and sinking into his embrace, content with the secret world you had carved out for yourselves, even if just for tonight.

"One day…" you whispered back.

[wildtooru]

Behind the Mask

Kenji Sato x reader

Summary: Kenji Sato, the star baseball player and the new Ultraman, struggles with the burden of his dual identity. One evening, he decides to share his secret with you, hoping for understanding and support.

The warm lights of the city reflected off the windows of the cozy Tokyo apartment as you prepared dinner. The soft hum of the refrigerator and the clinking of utensils were the only sounds in the room. You glanced at the clock, noting that Kenji was running late again. It wasn’t unusual—between his baseball career and the mysterious "other job" he never spoke much about, his schedule was always unpredictable.

You sighed, stirring the pot of miso soup, when you heard the front door creak open. Kenji stepped in, looking exhausted but smiling warmly at you.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, kicking off his shoes and making his way to the kitchen.

"It's okay," you replied, offering him a reassuring smile. "Dinner’s almost ready. Tough day at practice?"

Kenji chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, something like that."

There was something in his tone that made you pause. It wasn’t just fatigue; it was deeper, a weariness you hadn’t heard before. You turned off the stove and faced him, concern etched on your features.

"Kenji, are you okay? You seem... different tonight."

He took a deep breath, his eyes meeting yours. There was a flicker of uncertainty, but also determination. "Actually, there's something I need to tell you. Something important."

Your heart skipped a beat. You nodded, gesturing for him to sit at the table. "Of course, you can tell me anything."

Kenji sat down, his hands clasped together on the table. He seemed to be gathering his thoughts, struggling to find the right words. Finally, he spoke, his voice steady but tinged with vulnerability.

"Do you remember when we first met? You asked me why I never stayed in the spotlight, why I kept my distance from the media and even my teammates."

You nodded, recalling those early days of your relationship. Kenji had always been a bit of an enigma, a star player who shunned the limelight.

"The truth is," he continued, "it wasn't just because I preferred my privacy. It was because I have another responsibility, one that I haven't been able to share with anyone... until now."

You leaned forward, your curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?"

Kenji opened his mouth to speak but hesitated, his gaze dropping to the table. He took a deep breath, his fingers tapping nervously against the wood. "It's... complicated. And I don't want you to think differently of me."

You reached out, placing your hand over his. "Kenji, whatever it is, we'll face it together."

He looked up, a mixture of fear and resolve in his eyes. "I hope you mean that," he murmured, almost to himself. He took another deep breath, his shoulders tense. "I'm Ultraman."

For a moment, the words hung in the air, almost surreal. You blinked, trying to process what he had just said. "Ultraman? Like, the Ultraman? The one who fights Kaiju?"

He nodded, watching your reaction carefully. "Yes. My father was Ultraman before me, and when he got injured, I had to take over. That's why I moved back to Japan and I’m always disappearing without much explanation."

You stared at him, a mixture of disbelief and awe washing over you. "But... how? When?"

Kenji sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's a long story. My father always wanted me to follow in his footsteps, but I resisted. I wanted to make a name for myself in baseball, away from all the danger and responsibility. But when he got hurt, I had no choice but to step up."

You pulled your hand back, struggling to wrap your mind around his revelation. "This is... a lot to take in, Kenji. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

He looked down, his expression filled with regret. "I didn't want to burden you with it. I thought... maybe you'd be safer not knowing. But lately, it's been getting harder to keep it from you. I hate lying to you, and I need you to understand what I'm dealing with."

You stood up, pacing the small kitchen. "This is... I mean, I understand why you kept it a secret, but... Ultraman? That's huge, Kenji. It’s not just some little thing you can drop on someone."

Kenji stood as well, a look of desperation in his eyes. "I know. And I'm sorry. I just couldn't keep it from you any longer. I need you to know the real me."

You stopped pacing and turned to face him. "I need some time to process this. It’s not that I don’t support you, but... this changes everything."

He nodded, a pained expression on his face. "I understand. Take all the time you need. Just know that I’m here and I want us to face this together."

You took a deep breath, nodding slowly. "Okay. We’ll figure this out. But it’s going to take some time."

Kenji gave you a small, relieved smile. "Thank you. That’s all I can ask for."

As you both sat back down, the weight of his revelation settled between you. It would be a long journey, but together, you knew you could face the challenges ahead.

[g-hughes]

Cover Art - L. Hughes

main masterlist || l. hughes masterlist || taglist

synopsis: Luke finds out that he's on the cover of his favorite childhood video game. inspired by seeing the pictures of the Hughes for the cover of NHL 25

word count: 1.3k

warnings: this was written in like half an hour so probably spelling mistakes.

The summer was slowly winding down. The fun and excitement of the lake house, started to turn into the dreadful packing and cleaning that came at the end of a not long enough summer. Most of the hockey players that had been inhabiting the house had left, heading back to their respective cities for the upcoming pre-season training. The Hughes brothers were doing everything they can to soak up the last couple of weeks before they were back living across North America. 

You were sitting on the dock, your book carelessly left half open across your lap as you scrolled through social media. The calming sound of the water playing as background noise as you soaked up the morning sun. Jack and Quinn went to the rink for an early morning skating session, leaving their younger brother asleep in his bed. You didn’t blame the elder Hughes brothers, it was like waking a bear when it came to getting Luke up. 

The quiet pad of feet on the wooden dock, pulled you out of your tik tok trance. A smile graced your features as you watched Luke, his hair disheveled peeking under the hood of the red Devils sweatshirt he put on, paired with black Devils gym shorts walk towards you. He plopped down unceremoniously in the chair next to you, squinting out at the water. 

“Did they leave me again?” His voice was thick with sleep still. You nodded your head, “Assholes.” 

You chuckled, putting your phone down next to you, “I think they would have an easier time waking the dead than you.” 

“Rude,” He grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. You shook your head and stood up, knowing that your boyfriend needed to have a meal in his belly before he fully woke up. 

“C’mon, I’ll make you breakfast.” You held your hand out to him, which he took. Luke sat down on one of the barstools as you moved around the kitchen to find what you needed to make breakfast. First thing you did was pull out a bowl of fruit, placing it in front of him.

“I think you should leave your suitcase and stuff here,” Luke said, picking out some grapes. He could never tire of you fitting into the lake house like you owned it. It was your second summer here, and it already felt like you had been here from the beginning. After last year, you had left some of your things here, so it would be easier to travel back once the season had ended. 

“I already did leave some stuff here,” You responded, grabbing the carton of eggs out of the fridge. 

“No I mean, like all your suitcases. Just leave them here like we do. We can get you new clothes and stuff back in Jersey.” 

You turned and looked at him, “We do not need to buy me a whole new wardrobe when we get back to Jersey. I can take stuff back and forth.” 

“Yeah,” He shrugged, “But you’d be like. . . moved in here. . . like the rest of us.” 

“Luke Warren Hughes, is this you asking me to move into the lake house?” 

“Well, if you-” Luke’s words were cut off by his phone ringing, his agent’s contact displayed across the screen, “Hold that thought, I gotta answer this.” 

You nodded, watching Luke as he walked quickly out the backdoor, answering his phone. You couldn’t help but watch him as he paced around on the back deck. Even though Luke was locked into his contract for another couple of years with the Devils, you knew that nothing was for certain. It had been a difficult summer, watching as some of Luke’s closest teammates were traded away and shuffled around the country. He was never one to get over emotional about things, but you knew that some of these trades had him feeling sad. 

When he came back inside, you did your best to pretend that you weren’t staring out the window at him, continuing to cut fresh veggies for an omelet. 

“What was that about?” You asked calmly, your heart beating erratically in your chest.

“Chris, he uh. . . he said that EA sports contacted him,” Luke shoved his hands in his pockets. You looked up at him, “They’re working on the new edition of NHL 25, and they want me and my brothers to be on the cover.” 

“What?” You asked in surprise. 

Luke shrugged as he said again, “They want me on the cover.” 

“Baby, you’re going to be on the cover,” You watched as the excitement slowly started to fill his eyes. A pink blush arising on his cheeks as the weight of the phone call and your words resonated in his brain. The video game that he had been playing since he was a child. The video game that he spent hours playing with his brothers, his best friends, and teammates, wanted him on the cover. 

“I'm gonna be on the cover,” Luke smiled. 

“You’re going to be on the cover!” You rounded the kitchen island, and all but jumped into his arms, wrapping your own tightly around his neck. Luke buried his face into the crook of your neck, “I am so, so proud of you.” You lifted his head and looked into those hazel eyes you loved so much, “You deserve this. You worked your ass off all season to prove yourself.” 

“Yeah but there’s better-“ 

“No,” You shook your head, “There’s no one better for the cover. You proved that you aren’t in the league just because your last name is “Hughes”. You proved that you’re in the league because you are worthy of it. And you did it all on your own.” 

“Not all on my own,” Luke shook his head, “I couldn’t have gotten through the rookie season without you. Especially when Jack got hurt.” 

You remembered those weeks where Luke let the outside noise seep into his head. He hardly ever scrolled through social media comments but you had caught him scrolling through twitter, searching himself up and seeing what random people were saying about him. You watched as all the doubt filled his mind and it didn’t help that the Devils weren’t having a great season. But slowly, you pushed away those feelings, reminding Luke every day as he went to the arena that he deserved to be there. That he worked just as hard as anyone on the team, and he was just as good as anyone on the team. 

“Well baby,” You smiled, running your hands through his curls, “You made it and you’re on the fucking cover of NHL 25!” 

“I’m on the fucking cover,” Luke smiled, grabbing you by the thighs and lifting you up, your legs wrapping around his torso, “Forget breakfast, I wanna celebrate.”

note: do you think Luke knows how proud the whole hockey community is of him? Like he's not just Jack and Quinn Hughes' little brother. He is Luke Hughes, Calder Trophy nominee, and cover player for NHL 25. I am so excited to see what this season has in store.

[2headedb0y]

Small demonstration of cooking in 2-Headed Boy. Before you can unlock cooking, you have to get the recipe books for the things you want to cook. You can't just buy them; you'll have to find them playing through the story.

Moreover, produce ingredients are seasonal so some ingredients will only be available for certain times of the year. Ingredients don't expire/decay/"go bad" though, so you can stock up on whatever produce is in season for cooking later!

Recipes are greyed out in the menu if you don't have enough of all the ingredients to cook that thing. If you haven't cooked the recipe before, it will have a weird vague name. After cooking it for the first time it will display the real recipe name.

There are 25 recipes, as shown in the top right of the cooking menu. The top number (here showing 25/25, or 100%) is how many recipes you've collected (in my demo here, I have all of them). The bottom number (starting here at 0/25 or 0%) shows how many unique recipes you have cooked.

I've also entered the favorite and least favorite foods for each of the love interests into the social media menu. These are hidden from the player until you learn what they are while playing the game (you can learn these from various methods, it might be during a conversation, by giving a gift, by cooking something for a love interest, or maybe some other way).

I don't want to limit crafting to just cooking though, I would maybe like to add some other crafty category, something else the player could make for the guys that would be cute, but I'm not sure what yet?

And as I'm looking at this video I'm realizing I need to adjust the lighting for late afternoon/early evening as well. Still a bit too red...

Also added an option to the options menu for changing message speed in the game, in case you want the dialogue/on-screen text to display faster (or slower??) or even instantly (rather than it "scrolling" across the message window). A very basic feature, so basic it should be a given, but it didn't occur to me to add it until now. So...yep

[vintage-tech]

useful information: How to get a USB Blu-Ray player to work on your computer

Not a post about vintage technology, just an explanation of what you think might be simple to do but isn't: There are Blu-Ray players that plug into your computer by USB, and you discover that just plugging it in doesn't make it work* in the same manner that CD-RWs or DVD-RWs are automatically recognised and function. You will see "BR Drive" in My Computer and the name of whatever movie you have inserted, but that's as far as you're able to go.

*There is software you can buy to make a Blu-Ray (internal or external) function, sure, and if an internal came with your computer it's likely already installed -- but if you're like me you don't have that software, you're cheap and won't pay for software, and you want to use what you have installed already or find free solutions.

Looking in the Blu-Ray drive's package, there's not a lot of info about what you're supposed to do. The above no-name Blu-Ray player cost $40 from a popular website; name-brand ones can set you back $120 or so. Looking around online for those instructions, I never saw the whole set of directions in one place, I had to cobble them together from 2 or 3 sites. And so here I share that list. To keep out of trouble, I'm not linking any files -- Google will help you.

Get VLC, the free video player available for pretty much any operating system. Thing is, it doesn't come with the internals to make it work with Blu-Ray even if when you go to the Play Media menu there is a radio button for selecting Blu-Ray.

Get MakeMKV, a decoder for reading Blu-Ray disks. This had been totally free during the beta testing period but it's come out and has a month or two trial period you can work in.

Get Java if you don't already have it. Reason for this is, the menu systems on Blu-Ray disks uses this... technically it's not required, however it does mean you don't have options such as special features, language and sound changes, or scene selection if you don't have Java installed; insert a disk, it can only play the movie.

Get the file libaacs.dll online so you have AACS decoding. I am told it hasn't been updated in awhile so there may be disks produced after 2013 that won't work right, but you won't know until you try.

There's a set of keys you will also want to have so that the player knows how to work with specific disks, and so do a search online for the "FindVUK Online Database". There will be a regularly-updated keydb.cfg archive file on that page to pick up.

Got those three programs installed and the other two files obtained? Okay, here are your instructions for assembly...

In VLC: go to Tools, Prefs, click "show all"… under the Input/Codecs heading is Access Modules then Blu-Ray: Select your region, A through C. You can change this if you need to for foreign disks. Next related action: go to My Computer and C:, click into Program Files and VLC, and this is where you copy the libaacs.dll file to.

In MakeMKV: click View, then Preferences, and under Integration - add VLC.

Confirm that Java is set up to work with VLC by going to the computer's Control Panel, going to System Properties, and into Environment Variables. Click System Variables, and click New to create this key if it doesn't already exist: … Name: Java … Value: [the location of the Java 'jre#.##' folder... use Browse to find it in C:\Program Files\Java]

Let's go back into My Computer and C:, this time go to Program Data, and then do a right-click in the window and select New and Folder. Rename this folder "aacs" (without the quotes), and then you click into it and copy the keydb.cfg file here.

REBOOT.

And now you should be able to recognise Blu-Ray disks in your player and play them. Three troubleshooting notes to offer in VLC:

"Disk corrupt" -- this means MakeMKV has not decoded and parsed the disk yet, or that you don't have the libaacs.dll in place so that it can decode the disk. ...After checking the VLC folder for the DLL to make sure, launch MakeMKV, then go to File, Play Disk, and select the Blu-Ray drive. Now it will grind a bit and figure out the disk's contents.

A note appears when a movie starts saying there will be no menus, but the movie plays fine -- Java isn't running. ...Invoke Java by going to the Java Settings in Start: Programs. You don't have to change anything here, so Exit, then eject the disk and put it back in to see if the movie's menu now appears.

Buffering between chapters, making the movie pause for a few seconds? There is a setting for this but I need to find that info page again for where that is. (If you find it, tell me where it is!)

I don't claim to know a lot but if you have any questions I might have some answers or suggestions. So far I've watched "Office Space" and Disney's "Coco" without any issues beside occasional buffering.

[wintersangelic]

how to turn your spotify playlists into cds! (tutorial under cut)

hey dolls! shout out to @lolita-cain for recommending i drop this tutorial! here's how to turn your spotify playlist into a cd!

what you'll need

a BLANK cd-r

an external cd drive that can burn cds (if your computer doesn't already come with one!)

windows media player (this tut's going to use windows media player legacy bc i find it more aesthetically pleasing)

Avery CD labels (optional, for decorating)

an inkjet printer (optional, for decorating)

a spotify playlist

let's start!

Part One: Making The Playlist

Find your spotify playlist for inspo. You're gonna need to do this the old fashioned way, and download songs as MP3s onto your computer. I recommend doing this by using a youtube to mp3 converter site! there's a bunch out there, find one that works for you!

When you have your mp3 files downloaded, open up windows media legacy player (as I call it, WMLP). Drag and drop your files (one at a time!) into WMLP! Each file will come up with a blank album cover + "unknown album", "unknown artist," "unknown genre," "unknown year." You can right click to edit all of that information! In order to replace the blank album cover, copy the desired image by right-clicking and hitting "copy image" (ctrl-c doesn't work for this). Right-click on the blank album cover, and hit "replace album art." You may get a notice saying something along the lines of "this art can't be replaced while the song's in use", despite the song not currently playing. You'll be fine, the album art will automatically change as soon as you click out of editing that track's information.

Create a playlist by hitting the "Create playlist" button at the top of the WMLP screen! Come up with a name for your playlist.

Add songs to the playlist by right-clicking their names, hovering over "Add to", and clicking the name of the playlist! If you can't find your playlist name, check the "Additional playlists" tab!

Part Two: Burning the Playlist

After your playlist is ready, hit the "Burn" tab in the upper-right corner of the WMLP screen. Click and drag your playlist into the space below the "Burn" tab, creating your burn list. This is what will play on your CD-R! Note: CD-Rs have limited space. Know how many minutes your CD-R can play before burning!

Plug your CD-R drive in, and load your blank CD-R in the drive. Click the button that says "Start burn" in the top-right corner.

Wait for your CD-R to finish burning! WMLP will tell you when it's finished. You can also set up WMLP so that after a CD-R is finished burning, it automatically ejects from the CD-R drive!

Part Three: Decorating!

You can decorate your CD-R however you want, just make sure to only decorate the top side, and use products meant for decorating CD-Rs! This tutorial is going to use Avery CD labels for decorating!

Avery CD label sheets will tell you to visit the Avery website's templates page, and what digital templates are compatible with the physical sheet.

Play around with the digital template! Get to know its features!

When you're done with your design, hit "preview & print" in the lower-right corner.

Click "get pdf to print."

Click "open pdf."

Before you hit the print button, load the label sheet into the printer face-down. When in doubt, print a test page on regular paper!

If done correctly, your CD design will print on the right side of the label sheet! Peel it off, and place it onto the top of your blank CD-R!

Part Four: You're done, happy listening!! Good luck, I'll do my best to answer any questions!

[cerulity]

Physical media seems to be making a resurgence. While I won't use full-on CDs, I'm finding it much more fruitful to use localised content instead of streaming services. I have an entire folder of BPM-sorted music that I will just go through. Today I learnt Bash to make a really simple shuffler.

This is all that's needed to shuffle a playlist. A playlist is a file that just has a list of file names.

I think Linux's environment is perfect for this. For one, Bash supports wildcards, so you can do "directory/*" to add all files in that directory to the playlist. The cat command also allows you to pass multiple files, so you can merge multiple playlists together just by passing them as arguments. Symbolic (or even hard) links mean you can have a directory of files for a collection without taking up any extra space because of duplicates. Lastly, a more cosmetic feature, unlike Windows, which discerns file types based on extension, Linux (and Linux programs) discern file types based on content, so you don't even need an extension on your files for this to work.

Other than that, I think this solution is also good all-around because you control everything. You aren't limited to what the streaming service provides. You can support the artists on Bandcamp to get .flac files, which are generally the highest quality kinds of files you can get, it doesn't need any internet, and it's completely free (barring audio acquisition). I might work on a local audio player for mobile. One probably already exists, but I'd like to take a stab at it.

[follow-freeman]

Half Life 2 skin for the Windows Media 9 Series (2003)

"Inside it holds your average media player essentials such as a folder to fetch your media, a playlist feature, seeking and volume functions, tuning and of course pausing and skipping. Surprisingly as a bonus this media player contains a section where you can access beta screenshots from Half-Life 2 from early level designs to concept renders. Here you can also find a link which brings you to the Half-Life website (here) and the Windows XP website as well (now defunct) (here). With videos you can change the brightness, hue, contrast and etc." - 9 Hour Work Day on Steam.

[DOWNLOAD LINK!]

Note: I'm unsure if this works on Windows 11! I've read that it does, but I'm yet to try it myself.

[open-hearth-rpg]

“Why Do Your Actual Play Videos Look Like Ass?”

ROUGH BUT FAIR

I got asked this, albeit indirectly, back in January. At the New Year’s Open Hearth Community meeting someone relayed they’d heard this comment about our Actual Play videos. This referred to not just my channel, but our community collection of actual plays built up over eight+ years. 

It’s a lot of sessions. A lot of games. My stuff alone is over 1000 sessions over dozens of systems. 

And it’s a fair question. They might stumbled on to one of our video roundups or seen a session shared. I can understand their reaction, especially if they’ve watched heavily produced and edited videos like those from Critical Role or Dimension20. Or even if they’ve followed one of the many talented teams who stream on Twitch or elsewhere with seasons, transitions, and nice visual templates. They’re all great watches– especially streams featuring indie games and diverse casts.

So what’s up with us?

Answering that question takes a little bit of set up and explanation. 

The short answer: You know that reliable YouTube repair video recorded on a phone by someone in their garage? That’s us. 

The long answer…

WHAT THE WHAT IS OPEN HEARTH?

We’re an online tabletop rpg community. We’ve been around in some form since 2016. Game facilitators post series and sessions on our calendar and people can sign up there. Every game’s run under our code of conduct and has to use a layered set of safety tools. Our GMs teach any rules and while we lean into indie and storygames, we also have folks who love OSR and more trad-leaning games (like my runs of 2d20, GUMSHOE, Imperium Maledictum, 13th Age, and the like). 

We have a patreon which gives backers a 48 hour window to sign up for sessions before they’re open generally. But we also have folks running games specifically for new players which set that aside. We’re always looking for ways to get new folks into sessions– like the open gaming events we do a couple of times each year. After folks have played with us a couple of times, they’re welcome to post their own sessions and series. We also do irregular “Game Facilitator Camps” to help people learn and polish their online GMing skills. 

Since the beginning some of our GMs have videos of our sessions and collecting those on our YouTube channel. Game facilitators mention in their event description if they plan to record. Not all sessions are recorded and posted. It’s not a requirement. In most cases, players can say they’d rather not be recorded– and in all cases a GM needs to confirm before posting any session publicly. For example a couple of times I’ve had folks ask for me to trim out personal info or emotionally fraught moments from a session. 

All of these recordings are rough. They’re the raw play of the session: unedited and wysiwyg. I’m recording from Zoom, some folks use Streamyard, and a small group of the more technically savvy use OBS+. On occasion I remember to pause the recording over breaks or during character creation when everyone’s tooling away on their sheets. But generally it’s like sitting in the room while someone’s running a home game. They’re messy, mostly on topic, trying to get to grips with the rules, figuring things out together. 

And I love it for that. They’re not polished. A comment made in connection with that “why do your APs look terrible?” question suggested we were some kind of ‘elite gaming association.’ I fear that impression might come from my posting a lot of game thinking, history, and analysis in our social media feeds. 

The truth is that I post those things in a desperate bid to have content. In our community we mostly talk about what games we’re playing and what games we want to play.

Bottom line: we’re a bunch of folks getting together to play our elf-games, make silly voices, and try to tell fun stories together. We’re trying to do that in a way that’s inclusive, takes safety seriously, and evolves over time. 

So why post actual play videos in such a state? I have some answers, in order from most important or probably least important…

FIVE REASONS

First, these videos shows how a particular game actually works at the table. Our community plays a lot of different games– I’d argue one of the largest collections of different systems. It serves as a great resource if you’re curious about a game, setting, or system. Most of us who record include our session zero as well as play sessions. So you get to see what’s involved with that, how to manage set up, and the kinds of collaboration which happens. You also see, warts and all, the rough patches and stumbling blocks. 

For example, I love Hearts of Wulin, but building Entanglements takes a lot of work during character creation. Don’t get me wrong: it's also the most important. Entanglements up the conflicts and plots you’re going to explore. But it requires you to both do some heavy creative work and listen to the other players at the same time. Sometimes I manage that phase really well– sometimes I forget that it has a higher cognitive load. Then I have to lean in and help folks navigate creating those. 

In a similar way, our AP illustrate the flow of play. What does resolution involve? How long does combat take? Where do folks get bogged down? That’s useful and can tell you if this is a game you’d be comfortable playing or running. Beyond that you get to see how much people seem to be enjoying and engaging with it. We present the naked truth of the game. All the rough edges remain and I think that’s great. It’s not for everyone— especially if you like a more polished presentation.

Second, you get to see safety tools in action. If you want to know how GMs carefully present a layered set of safety tools, watch a couple of session zeros. Different game facilitators will approach this in different ways, but we stress that GMs explain and actually implement a couple of tools. In my case I use Lines & Veils as a baseline, the X-Card as a reactive tool for resetting & calibration, and Open Door so folks know they aren’t trapped in a game. You can see how these tools don’t present a burden, don’t get in the way, and do enhance play. It reduces some of the worry people may have about joining a group of strangers online. It isn’t perfect, but these tools offer a baseline. I’m a white dude with all the privilege that brings, but I wouldn’t join in a random online game unless I knew tools like those were in place. 

Third, like other online streaming games: curated, edited, or otherwise, you get to see good GMs and players in action. It’s a great way to learn and pick things up. Not necessarily the full-on art of theater and improvisational acting, but what good play looks like. How you move the spotlight around. How you work to bring others into your scenes. How you collaborate to build a setting and vibe. How you handle end of session debriefs and feedback. That’s useful and, I think, confidence building. 

Fourth, and more selfishly, these videos are a decent advertisement for our community. It’s a decent and cheap way for us to keep our name out there. Beyond the videos, as I mentioned above, people can listen to these sessions as podcasts now. It’s also a way for us to boost the work of designers. It’s not a review, comment, or five stars but it does show how much we’ve enjoyed a particular game. I always dig it when I see designers resharing sessions, I hope it helps them increase their audience. 

Fifth, I like having those videos out there because they celebrate our GMs. They’re the engine of our community: folks who enjoy running games and put in the effort to entertain and engage a group of folks. We have amazing game facilitators and what strikes me is how different their approaches can be. I learn something new whenever I play with another GM here.

But on a related note, I will admit that I like having cover for my vanity. By placing my sessions alongside others, I manage to conceal how much my posting these sessions is an act of ego. I’m more than a little vain about my GMing.  

STARS AND WISHES

Overall we hope to be a useful and accessible resource for folks playing ttrpgs online. We hope folks will find their place in this hobby. If someone comes and plays with us, that’s great, but we’re more interested in just getting people to play anywhere. 

If you want to check out our collection of Actual Play Sessions, like and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

If you’re interested in just listening to sessions, you can subscribe to our podcast.

If you want to see the Playabl calendar app we use for organizing

If you want to find out more about our community, see here. 

We have Discord we’re working to do more with.

[moralesmilesanhour]

Hey!! I love the way you characterize, do you think you could write something where the reader is just having a particularly bad week and Miles tries to cheer they up??

Sure! Tysm for requesting :)

a/n: lmao pretend that the DVDs at the end are whatever obscure lost media show you've always wanted to own but could never find

You tugged at the sweaty collar of your work uniform, still reeling from being yelled at through a drive-thru window during the last fifteen minutes of your shift. Again. You fumbled for the key to your mom's apartment before slotting it into the lock and pushing the door open with a grunt.

The television could be heard quietly playing in the living room, even though your mom wasn't home from her own job yet. She must have left it on, you assume. The soft blue light it cast over the dark apartment was enough to be able to see where you were going and set your bag down near the couch. It was not bright enough, apparently, for you to notice Miles stirring awake from a long nap.

"Y/N?" he croaked out, causing you to yelp and nearly jump out of your sneakers.

"Oh shit, you scared me!" You took a quick pause. "How did you get in here?"

Miles sat up, adjusting the purple durag that draped over his neck.

"What happened to 'hello'? 'How are you'?"

"If you answer my question, then you get a greeting."

Despite the dim light, you could still make out a pout forming on the boy's features.

"Your momma let me in."

"That's the story you're going with?" you interrogated with a hand on your hip.

"She did, really! No windows, I promise."

"Hmph. Alright, I'll believe you for now."

"So hostile," Miles teased, scooting over to make room for you. "¿Qué tal tu día?"

After a beat of silence, you replied, "It was whatever."

He didn't press further, only nodding his head.

"I actually did come visit for a reason," he said before suddenly rising from his spot. "Your DVD player still work, right?"

Suspicion crept onto your features as Miles rummaged through his backpack, which was sitting not far from the TV. "Yes..?"

Your apprehension quickly turned into a gasp of delight when you saw the blue packaging of three different DVDs in his hand.

"How did you even get these?" You took one and turned it in the light.

He gave you a lopsided grin. "I have my methods."

"Do I wanna know what those 'methods' are?"

"You don't," Miles said as he sunk back into his seat. "Pick a season, we got all night."

[daemonhxckergrrl]

chat, am I futureshock ?

occasionally I get people say stuff like this, and I'm glad they like my blog, I'm glad they enjoy the surface-level vibes. nonbinary matrix header, soft retro-vibe colourscheme, posts appearing as shell commands, etc.

but I'm not an aesthetic blog

I'm what happens when an autistic tranny who is A Bit Too Much Computer witnesses the realtime enshittification of everything.

first up, i wanna be clear that i'm not trying to shit on the person who sent me this or discourage people who enjoy these aesthetics (or what they perceive as my personal brand) for enjoying them, or from diving deeper. in fact, i would encourage it - please !! go look into things !! discover !! fuck things up !! fix them !!!

now i wanna talk about aesthetics. i love the design language of a lotta late 80s hardware, vehicles, physical interfaces. i love the design language of a lot that in the 90s, as well as software, early GUI stuff etc. and tbh a lot of that right up until the mid 00s. if we wanna play deeply unserious but whimsical visual signifiers for fun and silly reasons, sure then i'm webcore, i'm hackercore, i'm retrofuture and cyber, i'm cassette futurist, i'm cyberpunk or whatever. i'm cute glittery gifs of windows 95 slate dialog boxes and big standing racks full of das blinkenlights. i'm the cave shadow of a CD Walkman i'm that big chonky 80s red 7-segment alarm clock.

but i'm not just aesthetics. i'm not doing all this purely for the bit. up until a couple years ago i was sacrificing a ton of convenience for my principles. now i'm sacrificing certain specific conveniences and a buncha anti-consumer nonsense for my principles and a shit ton of other, better, conveniences.

this wasn't meant to be a long post, and may well end up influencing some of my cyberpriestess posting when i get my website going, as there's a lotta good jumping-off points here.

let me show y'all how i live. at least some of it.

daily driver ? 11-year-old gaming pc w/ some recent era-appropriate upgrades (well, the gpu is pushing it but like is reasonable someone would've done that upgrade).

this is what i mean. this is pluug2, my daily driver. and she still runs games. and yes i'm using arch rn bc i did a reinstall and for whatever reason the version of the void installer i had was corrupted and arch was the only other diy distro i had laying around. she'll end up running something infinitely more cursed in the future once i get s6 stuff figured out.

i spent like half an hour configuring fastfetch (the backend i'm using for hyfetch) bc the default kinda sucked. that's how this works.

i do dumb shit, i have fun, i live by my principles as much as possible...fuck idk

oh right, my thinkpad is a t61 from 2008. her graphics suck enough she literally can't load games. not anything made past idk DX9 ?? however her discord experience is about on part w/ my envy 360 from over 10 years later. she's kinda sick tho. idk. will probably turn her into a media pc or some kinda server since she's got a 2600U w/ 8 threads.

i don't get youtube ads. i don't get tempted by the comments section, i don't have my watch history profiled. i have a local database of playlists (the video tab on a channel counts as a playlist btw) that i can sync and fuzzy search in the terminal and it'll play via the video player on my system. however, i don't get stuff recommended which makes finding stuff entirely active.

i gotta test and tweak games i wanna play bc old hardware and also usually running via compatibility layer (proton my beloved) on account of..well no linux-native version. or the native version has issues.

discord and screenshare don't pay niceys all the time. this is partly a discord enshittification issue but also the discord devs don't care about linux as a platform. they "support" it bc hey electron works there. because it's the fuckign chrome browser. audio support in screenshare is an unofficial feature added by volunteer devs and that's a breach of TOS bc that's the world we live in now.

my brain is full of init system trivia, audio services and routing frameworks, a ton of incomprehensible nonsense that marks the difference between nostalgia-bait and Actually Being Like This.

come on in, by all means ! let's learn the semantics behind vim's actions/keybinds, let's discover old parts of the net, build up an environment from its component pieces. let's suffer together as the separation of accounts forces the use of several different email addresses, a TOTP app, and renewed access tokens to play one (1) game online w/ friends.

i'm not futureshock cybercore cassette retropunk, i'm stubborn and refuse to engage in as much of the bullshit forced on us these days as i physically can.