#I may just find out how long it'll take me to get to certain places and spend my fall break there

[ambersky0319]

don't you just love dysfunctional families?

[ivesambrose]

August 2024 Mini Messages 💛

1. 2. 3.

Like that Taylor Swift song right?

I intend that everyone has a good month regardless of the astrological weather.

To book a personal reading with me DM or email me at ivesambrose@gmail.com

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Picture 1

You'll be diving in deep into your subconscious this month even if it means wanting to isolate from people and places for a while. Suddenly everything seems So over the top', right? And nothing and no one is phasing you anymore. This month is the first page of a big journey you're about to take so if you don't have a journal already I'd highly recommend you start logging down certain things for the purpose of accountability, gratitude, planning, manifestion, learning as well as progress. I'm letting you know, whatever you're about to do for yourself will make you stand out and you might feel a certain responsibility upon yourself as you end up inspiring others as well. You may be a person with more independent way of thinking and doing things so it'll feel strange when you end up becoming someone who leads by example. You might find yourself breaking out from a restricted environment, mindset or lifestyle. It is likely your financial situation improves as well. You might feel a bit eccentric this month with your ideas and thrist for knowledge and experiences that shape you as a person.

You might just block out the things that don't serve you and fixate on what you want deliberately. You're too engrossed in your own world and your own untouched potential to consider anything else that is eating up too much of your valuable focus. You have decided to become a version of yourself that you have chained up for long and you will become it.

Picture 2

Your entire focus and drive has shifted to your career and public image. You've decided that even if you have to go at it alone, you will gO at it alone. But this month you'l likely learn that you aren't as by yourself as you thought you have been. Be mindful of doing anything impulsive or taking on more than you can chew or over exerting your body. Some of you may also find a healthy outlet for the emotions you have been putting a lid on. You might make new friends or deepen your relationship with existing ones. There will be moments of joy and celebration too when you least expect it. Deep down you have this inner knowing that things will go smoothly or will work out if you simply have just a teeny tiny bit more faith in yourself. You might be making travel plans too that will likely take off in September. You will also be building up your confidence this month and might also be learning a new skill, taking up a hobby or language. Thing is, you will be forced to take a pause in between or simply slow down and when that happens you might wonder okay how long is this going to take? Or you might assume your progress has halted which is far from the truth, you're in for a sweet victory consider it a reward for your persistence and your mindset.

Picture 3

There's a need to go off the radar and keep certain things private to the public eye. You might feel uncomfortable and untrusting towards a lot of people maybe you're right too, some of them aren't as reliable and don't really have your best wishes at hand. You might also consider investing in something privately for yourself for future use or you might get a return on an investment you had made. A lot of you may have been dealing with resentment, grief or some kind of fear, maybe past actions of someone towards you or how you had been with them. However. you'll find clarity and make peace in regards to what you're going through. You'll overcome something that has been hovering over you like a dark cloud for months. Some of you might also be manifesting love or end up manifesting a connection that earlier felt impossible to have in your life. You may also consider making business plans this month that you will likely launch by the end of the year. You may also consider cutting chords and might feel a sense of guilt doing so, but you'll feel much lighter and you'll find love and wealth and overall mental peace flowing into your life much easier. All the weight you've been carrying is itself begging you to let go of it, it no longer has anything to serve in your life.

[invisible-lint]

Fixing Spring: Chapter 1

Tamlin x Reader

Summary: You had left Spring when it fell. Now you're back to kick a certain High Lord's butt into doing something about it

Warnings: none

Word Count: 1k

You walk through the Spring orchard, looking for Tamlin. You had left when Spring fell, managing to find your brother Lucien in Velaris and taking refuge there. But Velaris was never going to be your home. Perhaps because after so many years spent in eternal spring, winter was miserable. Or perhaps you had grown tired of listening to the way they spoke about your friend, despite having the same flaws they criticized.  So you left to head home, or the closest thing you have to one at the very least.

You see him up ahead, in beast form and roll your eyes. You had noticed him before he noticed you, either he’s given up, or he’s gotten sloppy. You pick up a fallen apple, chucking it at Tamlin, ignoring his growl. "Do you intend to roam as a beast feeling sorry for yourself forever, or do you intend to do something about it? So Feyre left you, all but set Spring on fire. Wallowing isn't going to do anything to fix it." 

"Is this supposed to make me feel better?" 

You chuck another apple at him, this time he dodges it and you grin. "No, I'm telling you you need to get your shit together and stop being a baby. You're High Lord. Fucking act like it." 

"But Feyre-"

"Oh cut the shit. Feyre may have done some damage, but you gave up and that's why things are the way they are now." He just stares at you, not used to anyone talking to him that way, not even you. But you had bitten your tongue for years and you were done holding back. 

"So are you going to do something about it?"

"I'm not sure where to start..."

"Well I think shifting back to a form with two legs would be a good start. And a bath. You smell like a wild animal." He shifts, still giving you an incredulous look.

"Good. What condition is the manor in?" You start walking in that direction. He grimaces, but follows. "That bad? Well then, I suppose that's the next step, after a bath. We'll need a room for each of us, the study, kitchen and dining room. The rest of it can wait until later."

"We'll?" 

You roll your eyes at him. "Clearly you can't be left to your own devices. So yes, I'm staying and helping."

"Why?" 

"No clue. It's completely against my better judgment, believe me. Maybe it's because the Night Court is pissing me off and I know this is the one place they wouldn't look for me. Maybe it's because Spring is the only thing standing between the humans and the rest of Prythian and you refuse to get your shit together. Or because I feel drawn back here for some reason." You shrug. 

"The Night Court is pissing you off?" 

"I don't want to talk about it. If I did, I would have stayed in Night and dealt with it." He raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t press. 

Not long after, the manor comes into sight. "Cauldron boil me, Tamlin. You sure did a number on this place. We have our work cut out for us." 

You get to work, and between the magic you both posses, you manage to get two bedrooms and the kitchen clean enough by the evening time. 

"Luckily, I had the foresight to bring food with me when I left. It'll be enough for a few days, but we shouldn't rely on it for that long."

"I can go hunting tomorrow." 

"Good. I can forage. Until this place is able to house a staff, we take turns cooking." He nods, uncertain why he keeps letting you tell him what to do. For some reason, he doesn't mind it, almost enjoys it, actually. You hand him a plate of bread, cheese and dried meat for dinner. "We'll have to chop wood too. There isn't any to build a fire with." 

"You'll want extra blankets tonight then." 

"I think I'll be fine. Can't be worse than the Illyrian Mountains." You wrinkle your nose at the memory of how cold that had been.

"No, I suppose it can't." 

The two of you eat in silence for a few minutes until you notice him staring at you.

"What?"

"You have cobwebs in your hair." 

"Seems like I'll need a bath too then. Please tell me the hot water comes from magic and not fire." He laughs, and you're surprised at how much you had missed the sound. 

"You're in luck, it comes from magic."

"Thank the Mother. Cold baths might have been the thing that made me leave." Tamlin laughs again, but something in his gut twists at the thought of you leaving. He brushes it off as not wanting to be alone again. 

"We should get some rest. We have some long days ahead of us."

“That we do. I’m going to teach you how to properly apologize.”

“I know how to apologize.”

“Really? Do you think there’s anything you might need to say to me then?”

“I’m sorry?”

You close your eyes for a moment, begging the Mother to grant you the patience you need. “Are you asking or telling me?”

He clenches his fists, clearly annoyed. “Telling. I’m sorry.”

“Mhm. And what are you sorry for?”

“Being a prick?”

 You snort out a laugh. “This is why I’m teaching you how to apologize properly.”

He grumbles, but doesn’t argue, too busy trying not to smile at your laughter. He hadn’t realized how much he had missed that sound, missed you. Something stirs in his chest at the realization, but he ignores it. You had already left him once. Eventually he’d do something or say something and you’d leave him again. He was destined to be alone, hells, after all he’d done, he probably deserved it.

You watch him think, wonder where his mind is going. If you were going to fix Spring, you would have to fix Tamlin. You certainly have your work cut out for you.

A/N: Requests are open so feel free to send them in!

divider by @tsunami-of-tears

[bird-inacage]

Love Sea the Series: Intro (First Impressions & Predictions)

Because I'm a huge over-analyser whose known for my lengthy BL essays - here are my takeaways from the very brief glimpse we got to Mahasamut and Tongrak. They gave us literally a 1 minute teaser, so as you can imagine, I'm filling in a lot of blanks at this stage.

TONGRAK

Tongrak looks like he's going to be an unapologetic menace. A very sexy and sassy menace. He has an air of blasé indifference which screams 'yeah and so what?' you're not the boss of me'. Someone whose clearly a bit prickly, petulant and headstrong. Writers are often independent or even loners, as it's a very solitary field. They have a very strong vision of what they want, which can mean a reluctance to compromise.

I mentioned that he gives 'I know I'm hot shit' energy. He exudes a confident sexuality which is shown in how assertive he is when flirting and the smugness in how he retorts. He knows he's hot commodity and isn't afraid to flaunt it. Probably is used to having people wrapped around his little finger. 'We play by my rules, I decide if I want you or not'. At worst he may even see people around him as playthings.

Based on the general premise of the series, Tongrak comes to the seaside for inspiration. Uppity cosmopolitan city boy thrown in to the bohemian outdoors. He looks very noticeably out of place in this setting. But he may use that to his advantage, knowing others are looking at him, dazzled by a prince in the middle of literal nowhere.

MAHASAMUT

Now what comes across most strongly about Mahasamut is that he's clearly very possessive. This is signposted multiple times in this brief introduction alone. He steals Tongrak away when he's flirting with someone else. He drags him by the wrist across the beach. I assume at this point they've not known each other long and he's being very handsy and grabby. He asserts that Tongrak 'will have to love him.' (Which could mean: I'll make you fall in love with me whether you like it or not, OR you falling in love with me is inevitable because I'm just too goddamn charming). Pretty presumptuous all the same.

This tells us that Mahasamut is equally self-assured. He has bags of confidence in his ability to keep Tongrak interested. Though he's being turned down, he doesn't appear dissuaded or phased in the slightest. Whether this is due to being generally a bit thick-headed, or putting on a front in order not to let Tongrak feel like he's won, is too early to say.

It's also worth noting that people who have such confidence in their conviction often haven't failed before. And there's a certain naivete in that. It's the whole 'through hard work and determination I can conquer all' mentality, which is not always the case.

RELATIONSHIP DYNAMIC

Now what really fascinates me about this collision of personalities is that these two are going to butt heads. A lot. Whether that's in a good-humoured tug of war, or a stubborn battle of wills. Tongrak is resistant in a 'I refuse to compromise' type of way. Mahasamut is persistent in a 'I refuse to let it go' type of way (like a dog with a bone). Neither wants to give in. Both are declaring, 'you're going to want me'.

So Tongrak and Mahasamut are not your typical match on paper. There will be fireworks (most likely good and bad). It'll probably take them much longer to find equal footing that goes beyond just sexual attraction or lust. This is why I've got a hunch the love scenes are going to pop off. We're going to get angry sex, I'm calling it now.

You could argue that Tongrak and Mahasamut do share some similarities with Sky and Prapai - particularly with the bickering and chasing - just dialled up to 100.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

ATMOSPHERE: The setting by the sea should prove to be a really interesting way of playing on tone. Watching those two interact whilst the wind blew around them, with the crashing of the waves in the distance was a whole mood.

CONTEXT: This feels leaps and bounds removed from the more grounded setting of Love in the Air. It almost feels like a summer fling. We're getting what appears to be a more adult backdrop, which I always greatly appreciate within the BL genre.

STYLING: Tongrak's outfits are going to murder me. The silky, drapey, billowy, low cut shirts with ample collarbone on show? CHRIST. Paired with the dainty jewellery. Kill me now.

Also, love the fact they were referring to each other as 'MISTER' and 'SIR'. Like SIR, DO YOU MIND? SIR, I'VE GOT A BONE TO PICK WITH YOU. SOMETHING GOT YOU HOT AND BOTHERED, SIR?

[gotham-daydreams]

Since you mentioned that Damian is the easiest to get along with in terms of yandereness, is it possible to convince him to aid you in being hidden as long as you spend time with him, like you manipulate him by dangling your company and place in your heart in exchange for keeping your location hidden and maybe planting red herrings?

Honestly? Yes and no.

In theory you could, and it could work for a while, it does depend on how you'd go about manipulating him and how good you are at it as well. If you manage to keep up your end of the deal, it could work for even longer, but it's far from a permanent solution.

If Bruce or Dick want to know where you are, depending on what they do and say, Damian could give up your location either intentionally or unintentionally. After all he is still a kid- and if you're trying to pull away to finally sever your one last connection to the family, and he catches on (and he will), then he's definitely telling.

Alfred may even be able to find out where you are through him as well, because he's Alfred- but besides him, Dick could as well.

Again, it could technically work for a while, but it's far from a permanent solution. While Damian loves all of your attention on him, if he feels like your getting too far away, or being too 'distant', he's spilling the beans. Or just taking matters into his own hands.

Either way, if you're looking for some space to breathe and just... be, for a while. It'll be fine, but if you want a more permanent/concrete solution? I can't see it happening.

Even if there was a way to constantly reasure Damian and give him what he wants, as he grows up he might become more demanding and expectant of certain things. Making things harder, and he may even become more threatening himself as he dangles him knowing your location and everything, over your head as well, saying how he'll tell everyone should you now meet his expectations or give him what he want. Which does make me think that Damian is only the 'easiest'/'best' yandere of the Batfam while he is young. It becomes a game, essentially, but who's more stuck in the situation is debatable.

So it's possible! But it'll only work for a short while.

[desultory-novice]

Noir's Field Trip - "Starting Out"

"...Thanks, you two."

-

Ahem! Following in the footsteps of several other Kirby OC contest peeps, you may send in asks for [Noir]!!

(...But I'm SUPER busy so it may take until May to respond! ^^;;)

[Notes/Rules About Asks:]

-I'm iffy on back-and-forth style dialogue-based RP, due to the complex interplay of pseudo-linearity in an amorphous situation plus my autistic-self often being unable to figure out what my RP partner is actually trying to say tone-wise or what they are thinking and then-I-answer-them-wrong-and-embarrass-myself...!!

NVMD SEND WHATEVER YOU WOULD LIKE XD

That and long post-chains make me a little nervous. ^^; Asks in the form of questions Noir can answer in-character are preferred.

(You may also ask me generic "What does your OC think/do when...?" style questions, such as those from THIS detailed OC ask meme!)

-You can also send an ask for Noir from your OC, if you'd like to find out how the troubled teenage boy would react to meeting them! (These may or may NOT(!!) come with art, depending on mood, time, and a variety of circumstances. Tourney OCs will generally get preference. If I AM inspired to draw said meeting, I may request additional information/clarification before going through with it.)

Again, I'm pretty autistic, so if you are going to go this route, it'll help if I have something more than "Hiya, Noir!" to work off of - else he'll just react to you the same way he does to Marx.

(Not that you can't go places from there! XD)

-You can also prod Noir about his traumas if you like! XD Note that asking for details about certain things (the "murders" on Shiver Star or his hatred of physical contact) may result in responses with TRIGGER WARNINGS, if I decide to answer them.

-Tournament!Noir is currently in his own similar but separate timeline from Mainline Apologies Noir. However, events during this contest MAY influence his fate and the fates of those he holds dearest!

-Noir's latent cross-dimension sight means that you can ask him about his various other timelines or Kirby games he was not alive for and probably get some pretty unique/funny/strange answers.

-I almost assuredly won't be able to get to every ask/comment. Some I may avoid answering due to complexity, uncomfortableness, them not fitting tournament!Noir's narrative, or me just not having any good ideas. Please don't take this personally.

-Lastly, please leave space between sending multiple asks. ^^

omg I'm so nervous about this. I want to draw lots, for me and for others (!) too if I can but I want to follow the flow of the tournament and not JUST go off on my own crazy thing, except that I'm not even completely familiar with what the rounds will be like?!

[Non-Ask Notes:]

-The flowers in the BG are the forget-me-nots that Adeleine drew for him on his birthday and that he received in this post. That post was also the inspiration for Tournament!Noir. (Although he retains the corruption + the collar here.)

PS: In addition the song that post is, you know, named for, Noir + the forget-me-nots also makes me think of the lyrics: "Since the day I met you, there's never ceased to be music in this hell of mine" from the opening to Sousei no Aquarion.

-This, and the tag name, was inspired by @Graycoin's comment "Noir gets to go on a field trip. I hope he has a good time : D " (then I saw Starflung had the same idea to send her OC off with a backpack! Haha! XD)

-The fish bone is a gift from Gooey. He's doing his best. Adeleine is also doing HER best. ("...A comb? Really?" "It's unbreakable!")

-As to the bento box, I'm not sure if I mentioned this before (?) but the Fontaine children are French-Japanese...on their mother's side.

-Why yes, that IS a cellphone in his backpack! I wonder who might call him...?

[motherloads]

After the Storm

Just finished watching OPLA, and I have been inspired. Watching it whilst doing my readings for class got me hyped. Now, I'm watching The Little Mermaid and a little something piqued my interest.

I'm a sucker for crossovers that people never create, but do be warned all of my fics are literally the same. I realized this while typing this out. Oops lol.

Couldn't decide between Sanji and Zoro, both very lovely beings. I eventually did figure out who but I love tough decision-making.

Summary: Reader silently grieves her loss of her family. Fortunately, she focuses on her new found feelings for a certain Pirate Hunter. Not one to return feelings, she feels herself begin to spiral over his ignorance.

A jump that creates worry and a short confession ensues.

-> Pairing: Roronoa Zoro x Reader

-> One Piece/Percy Jackson Crossover

-> Warnings: None!

⋆｡°✩

So if you need a hero Just look in the mirror No one’s gonna save you now So you better save yourself

"I like you," She broadly proclaims to the green-haired man in front of her. Tapping her foot patiently, she awaits his answer. His look gave no indication that he felt anything about her broad claim. Still, she smiles up at him, waiting.

"I know," He answers instead, "You tell me every week since we met. My answer won't change." She pouts at his answer, shaking her head in denial.

"People's hearts always change, Zoro! You may never know when you will fall in love with me," She teases, poking his arm in a teasing manner. Instead of waiting for his response, she hums a goodbye, skipping away from the man who made no move to leave the spot he was rooted to.

Once she was gone, he felt his shoulders sag, feeling the stress of her new proclamation take a toll on him. It wasn't as if he didn't have any interest in her because he absolutely did.

But, in order to become the greatest Swordsman, he couldn't afford any distractions. Whether it would make him feel things he silently longed for.

"Luffy," She speaks up, finding the captain in the kitchen and eating the leftovers of Sanji's meal. The boy perks up at his name, smiling at the woman with a mouth filled with food, "I need to speak with you."

Taking a big gulp of his milk, Luffy pats the seat next to him, "What do you need? How has your stay been since you joined the crew!" When she sits, he slings an arm around her, "Had any luck with that goal of yours?"

Luffy, ever so oblivious of her onslaught to Zoro had assumed she had another goal in motion. He was not wrong per se, but she had put off that goal when she realized it may not be feasible.

"Don't think it's worth pursuing anymore," She fiddles with her thumbs, ignoring the pain she felt from the memories resurfacing of her family. "It'll never happen anyways. It's an impossible goal that I don't think anyone could ever get."

She missed them.

"Why not? No pirate should ever have to give up their dream!" He stands up abruptly, slamming his hands on the table, "You can't give up! I believe in you, whatever your goal may be!"

She laughs at Luffy's free spirit, the way he held himself as if there were no current problems in this world. As if the bounty now over his head wasn't a looming future of what his life would be like as a pirate.

"You are really like him," She muses, pushing Luffy's shoulder playfully, "Every time I speak to you, it feels like I'm speaking to an old friend."

"Boyfriend, perhaps?" Sanji speaks up, entering the kitchen to prepare for the dinner, "What a shame, thought I could have you all to myself!"

Luffy snickers at his comment as she rolls her eyes at his words, "Just an old friend. Someone I miss dearly." She stands up, waving at the two who waved back, "I'm going to take a quick nap. Tell me when the food is ready." She leaves after hearing both the men confirm.

Her shoes hit the floor as she leisurely walks towards the place where she can rest with the rest of the crew. She sees the men's quarters open ajar. Looking inside, she sees Zoro sound asleep. His singular katana is beside him, resting.

She provided minimal information to the crew about who she was. She had a preference for swords, but she neglected to inform them that she had the capability to wield any weapons. She enjoyed swimming, but she avoided informing them that she could enter the depths of the ocean and be able to breathe. That the moment she stepped out, she could be as dry as the desert.

If her emotions grew haywire, she had the capability to do unimaginable things that a simple human cannot do.

It was just the perks of being Posideon's daughter, she mused in her head.

She sits on the floor near Zoro's head, analyzing his relaxed facial structures quietly. A whisper of her fingers outlined his nose structure. To his lips, she lets her hand slip away back into her lap.

Her first meeting with Zoro sticks to her mind.

The amount of alcohol she had consumed today had caused her to be slightly tipsy, but she ignored how her eyes fluttered. For once, she felt free from her thoughts.

She quickly follows behind Zoro who stops in his path. He turns his head to her figure as she pauses in her own path. "Do you need something?" He questions her, already bored by their interaction.

"I think you're really cool," She announces, taking out her hand as she introduces herself. Zoro has turned his full attention to her, crossing his arms, refusing to shake her hand. She shakes her own hand in response.

"I don't know you." He feels his lip twitch at her friendly personality peaking through with her manners. The way she played with the hem of her sweater that was already falling apart. Then, with the way her eyes glowed brightly--he felt almost entranced with how she stared at him, unafraid. He noticed that she was shoeless but somehow, her socks stayed perfectly white.

"We can get to know each other!" She smiles, stepping closer, "I'm really interested in traveling with others. I've heard several stories of Monkey D. Luffy and he is your captain, right?"

"What's it to you?" Zoro steps closer to her as well, narrowing his eyes at how her smile didn't waver.

"I'd like to join the crew! If he'd let me, of course. I have many talents, so I think I could be beneficial to you all."

"And why would I let that happen?"

She pokes his arm, a sly grin replacing her smile, "I'm too trusting and serve for the people who help me in return. You and your captain help me with my travels, and I'll help you all as well."

Zoro stays silent for a moment until he tilts his head and beckons her to follow. Following quickly, she began to walk side by side with Zoro who avoided looking at the woman who continued to eye him. He started to grow nervous with her stare until he found where he knew Luffy was.

Hopefully.

He opens the door, letting the woman step inside as she looks around the empty kitchen. Apart from the boy in the straw hat who hummed while scavenging for food. Zoro clears his throat as Luffy turns around, a grin replacing his humming.

"Zoro! Hey!" Luffy exclaims, taking his hands out from the jar of cookies as he goes to hug Zoro. Zoro ignores the look he receives from the woman as Luffy brings him in with excitement.

"I have someone who wants to speak with you." Zoro tilts his head towards the woman who smiles at Luffy. Luffy smiles back as she takes out her hand. He lets go of Zoro and shakes her hand frantically. They both opted to ignore the crumb-filled hands he gave her.

She introduces herself, as Luffy does as well. Zoro watches the interaction silently, leaning on the counter.

"It'd be an honor to join your crew. Like I told Zoro, I think I'd be beneficial to you all." Luffy, as the boy he is, immediately agreed.

Zoro shouldn't have been taken aback, but somehow he still was.

"Luffy, I understand how easygoing you were when Usopp joined, but seriously, you didn't think twice." Zoro shakes his head as the duo turns to look at him.

"I trust her! Plus, it'd be nice for Nami to have a girl friend in the crew!" Luffy exclaims, not understanding the gravity of his actions. "It'll be fine! She wouldn't betray us!"

She grins at Zoro, nudging his side with her elbow, "It'd be nice. We already have so much in common." Zoro immediately disagrees, not seeing anything that he has in common with the woman.

"I don't think--" He gets cut off, lost for words as in a blink of an eye, two swords appeared in her hands. She easily moved the weapons with ease, preventing the two men from being nicked. In a light manner, she pointed the tip of her swords at each of the men's throats.

'WOAH!" Luffy shouts, "Where did they come from?! That's sooo cool!"

Zoro is lost for words at her weapons, staring at how the swords glint because of the lights, "The material...what is it?"

"Something a friend of mine created. He's outstanding with making weapons that work on mor--that works for me." She tilts her wrist, watching the swords disappear from sight.

"How did they just disappear! That's amazing! Do you think you can teach me that?!" Luffy shakes her, his laughter makes her laugh with him.

"Unfortunately I can't. That's my little secret." She winks at Zoro. He stares at her quietly with nothing to tell her. To say that she has already made an impression on him, he felt...good.

Unknowingly to her, His heart skipped a beat at this realization.

⋆｡°✩

Without thinking, she begins to speak, "I don't think I've ever met anyone like you. You're unique, in your own way and it's cute, the way you won't give up." She paused, looking back at his singular sword, "The amount of times Usopp retold the story of your defeat is uncanny, and I applaud your effort." She traces her finger along the dents on the floor.

"Luffy and Usopp remind me of Leo. He's energetic, and he loves building otherworldly things. Not only was he a big goof, he was a fireball, literally." She smiles at the memory, "Nami is like Annabeth. They're both intelligent and do not need anyone to get out of tough situations."

"Sanji protects his friends no matter what. I heard what he did for that Chef who took him in...he really is like my brother. Although Percy doesn't flirt with every woman, they both would do anything for their loved ones."

She runs her hands softly through Zoro's hair. He didn't move an inch, "I don't belong here. I'm an outcast compared to the rest of the crew. I already have my own." She stands up, looking down at Zoro sadly, he made no indication that he was listening.

"This is my goodbye Zoro, Maybe I'll see you around?" She leaves the room, leaving the man alone.

Awake the whole time, he opens his eyes and stares at the open door. She couldn't possibly leave, she had no way to leave. They were in the middle of the ocean with no land anywhere near their vicinity. Where is she going?

Standing up, he leaves the room, looking for the woman who had taken his breath away when he fought with her. When she easily maneuvered out of his traps and created her own. At some points, he felt like she was going easy on him as if he wasn't doing the same.

He bumps into Sanji, who informs him that dinner is ready. He ignored the blonde man who took great offense to it. Sanji follows behind him when he realizes that Zoro is off.

They find Nami, who looks at them in confusion, and why Sanji gestured for her to follow. With no hesitance, she followed.

Luffy, who had begun eating and talking animatedly with Usopp paid no mind to the trio. He continued to slurp his food until he felt Nami pulling his ear and taking him with him. He grabs onto Usopp, who is dragged away to whatever they are following.

She steps on top of the head of the ship, looking down at the raging water awaiting her. The familiar hum of the ocean lulls her closer. She steps closer to the edge, taking a look behind her. There was nobody there. Now was her chance.

She already removed her shoes, finding it better to swim with only her socks. She knew her shoes wouldn't get wet if she did not allow it, but her mind screamed to leave them behind.

She spreads her arms wide, letting her body lean forward into the water. The splash she had created felt soothing against her body, as she felt her body sink lower and lower into the ocean. She feels another presence in the water. When she opens her eyes, she is face to face with Zoro.

His wound hadn't quite healed, and he struggled to swim closer to the woman who looked shocked at his appearance. His shoes were still on, he didn't stop to take them off. None of that mattered. He needed to save her.

He reaches out for her, holding her body close to his. He was slowly losing his ability to hold his breath as he kicked upwards to hit the surface of the water. When the water began to grow restless, he felt himself lose grip of the woman who made no effort to swim up with him.

In a split second, Zoro was able to breathe again. He greedily took breaths of the air he was lacking as he coughed out the water choking him. He hears a soothing voice urge him to breathe. When he sees water begin to float out of his mouth and into nothing, he allows himself to breathe.

He finds himself in a bubble in the water they were traveling in. In front of him was her. She was safe. And somehow, she was dry. That was when he realized he was dry too. Zoro pinches himself, making sure that he wasn't dreaming.

The sea creatures swim around the bubble, creating their own smaller bubbles of excitement from seeing the woman. To see the Princess back in the waters in which she belonged.

She pushes Zoro's bangs to the side, holding his face in between the palms of her hands as a soft smile blooms from her lips.

"I wasn't doing anything bad if you thought I needed saving," She whispers, "I had to go for my own good. I couldn't do this anymore."

“What—“ Zoro’s breathing finally begin to stabilize, “What is this?” He pokes at the barrier keeping them from the rest of the ocean, keeping them from sinking and losing sight of the ship. If he squinted, he could see the blurred body of the crew.

“A bubble I created.” Was her only response. She wasn’t planning on revealing anything to him. She was still convinced she was going to leave. It’s not like they could swim fast enough to catch her.

Zoro notices how the conversation about the bubble had immediately ended. Deciding to figure that answer out in later time, he answers back to the beginning of the conversation.

"I know." He tells her, "I heard everything. You have another crew. But..." He hesitates, trying to find his words, "We're friends too, right? Please, stay. "

"I don't see you as a friend, Zoro."

"I-" Zoro pauses, "I don't either."

"You don't have to tell me just because Zoro. I've asked you countless times."

"I didn't want to admit it to myself." He reveals, holding her hands in place on his face to stop her from removing herself from him, "I have to focus on my goal. I can't be distracted. Next time I see Mihawk, I need to defeat him."

'Stop being prideful, Zoro. Ignoring how you feel and assuming such things are not it."

"What about you? Leaving us because you think you're an outcast." He glares, "We need you. I need you. You can't go. We're a crew, whether you already have one or not."

“They aren’t a crew to me. They’re my family,” She reveals, looking behind Zoro as a sea creature swims past them, “I don’t think I can go back anyways. It’s not a possibility I foresee.”

“Then why did you leave?”

“I’m tired, Zoro.”

“We can be tired together.”

“A tired duo?” She laughs pathetically, “You’re really good at convincing me to stay.”

“I’d do anything to have you stay.” He informs her, bringing her hands towards his chest. She feels his heartbeat for a moment as she gazes at the previous wound he received from Mihawk. For a long moment she stared, brushing her fingers on the gauze that began to bleed through. In a careful motion, she untangled the gauze. It stuck for a moment before falling in Zoro’s lap.

She traces the outline of the harsh lines, feeling the difference in skin compared to the rest of his body. It was another minute before she collected the water surrounding them and directed it towards the wound.

The blood mixed in with the water for a moment and Zoro expected the wound begin to sting because of the salty water. Instead, he felt a soothing sensation from the wound that began to scar over. As if it had been healed for a long time.

“What are you?” He sets his eyes on her face. She avoids looking at him, staring intently at the scar on his chest, “Anything you tell me, It’ll stay with me.”

“The others—“ She looks up at the blurry figures who still looked over the edge, “I’ve told Nami snippets of who I am. I think she’s keeping them from jumping overboard.”

“Tell me.” He urges, leaning in closer to the woman, “Please.”

“Only if you don’t reject me again.”

“You’re persistent,” He replies instead, “Okay.”

She leans in response, gazing at his eyes for any more confirmation. That he would change his mind and pop the bubble and escape from her reach. She waits for the moment he calls her a monster. He was a hunter after all. When he made no other sound, she leans her forehead against his. Closing her eyes, she felt his calloused hands rest on her neck. Feeling the ghost of his lips on the corner of her own made her shiver.

She does the same to him, following a path closer to his ear. She is near his earlobe as he feels her soft breath against his ear. He shivers in return, closing his eyes and relishing the moment.

She kisses him there when she finally whispers.

“I’m the daughter of Poseidon. God of the Sea. A demigod.”

[i-still-mask-because]

in the wake of all this new information during COVID, do you feel that maybe we should all just be masking all the time, COVID of no COVID? I mean it can't be the only airborne disease out there and immunocompromised ppl have always and will always exist so like. Following that thinking even if we don't have COVID we could still be risking other people's health (and lives) with other diseases we may have right? Idk I'm stressing a lot about this do I just need to wear a mask outside forever cos. Masks mess with my breathing and sensory issues and stuff but. I don't wanna?? Kill people by accident??? Aaaaa

Hello, thanks for reaching out about this.

I saw this ask about a month ago, and I needed time to think about how I'd respond to it (so I want to thank you for the patience!).

I'll try to answer all of this to the best of my ability, and I thought I'd answer this by going backwards (responding to the last things you said and then moving up with responding to the first things you said).

Everything is below the cut because this is very long!

First I'll try to summarize what I think you're asking here:

"Vulnerable people exist in this world all around me, therefore does this mean I'm constantly posing a threat to those vulnerable people's safety when I don't mask? The thought of this brings me feelings of stress, fear, and anxiety."

I find this is hard to answer candidly without risking stressing out you or anyone else who's aware of the consequences of their choice not to mask. Nonetheless, my honest answer is: yes, choosing not to mask means risking the lives and safety of vulnerable people, i.e. the disabled, immunocompromised, elderly, children & babies, and those that intersect those groups. That risk can take place directly (such as interacting with an immunocompromised elder) or indirectly (such as interacting with the parent of a disabled child).

I also want to add that it's not only those groups that need protecting. I firmly believe that regardless of your age and/or whether or not you self-identify as disabled or immunocompromised that everyone is at risk of the long-term consequences of this rapidly mutating, vascular, and immunosuppressive virus. No one is invincible to this, and I'll add: not even if you're vaccinated (still get vaccinated if you can, but know that you can still catch covid & develop long covid regardless of your vaccination status).

1. "Masks mess with my breathing and sensory issues."

I understand how that can be difficult to deal with, trust me. There are specific masks (such as most standard KN95s) that irritate the hell out of my face after a certain point. The way those specific masks brush against the hairs of my cheeks just make me want to rip the mask off my face completely. Finding alternatives has been a lifesaver, and they've allowed me to get through the day without wanting to maul someone lol. I don't know what masks you have tried out already, so I'll just recommend the one's I like as well as the one's I've heard good reviews on from people that also have sensory issues:

NIOSH 3m Aura N95 Respirators

Flo Mask

GATA Mask (Haven't tried this one yet, but I've heard a LOT of people say this has been a game changer for them because of how comfortable it is & how it doesn't trigger much sensory issues at all due to its silicone material. Probably the only con I've heard is the chance of the build up of moisture in the mask after a long period of use & water possibly dripping on your face— this happens to me sometimes with my Flo Mask. Edit on Sept. 26, 2023: I tried GATA Mask, and I personally have a tough time getting a comfortable fit & seal with it, even when getting the small/medium size for adults to see if it'll make a difference, and the nose bridge shape not fitting well for me is a huge con. Customer service is just suggesting I spend more, so I'll just give this one a break, for now at least. A lot of other people seem to like it though.)

Halyard FLUIDSHIELD [ASTM Level 3] Mask (My mom works in a hospital, and these are masks she brings home from work. They're VERY comfortable for me, especially when I'm masking at home. I recommend finding a way to tighten the loops that go around your ears to prevent as much gaps around the mask as possible. If tight loops hurt your ears easily, I recommend a mask brace.)

O2 Nose Filters (I haven't tried these out yet as well, but I've seen videos demonstrating how effective these are at filtering out SOOO many unseen particles. I don't recommend using these alone of course, because there's still a risk of inhaling harmful aerosols through your mouth. I would recommend using this as a reinforcement of the protective measures you take. For example: adding on a comfortable surgical mask— ideally one with a high filtration efficiency like the previous suggestion— with the nose filters. I think these nose filters would be great if you're removing your mask real quick to take a sip of water or if you're outdoors with enough distance from crowded areas & groups.)

In the ideal world, more people would mask during this on-going pandemic so those that deal with sensory issues and/or those that straight-up can't wear a mask due to medical reasons wouldn't have to worry so much about choosing between existing & risking their health. For now, we just have to find alternatives.

2. "Do I need to wear a mask outside forever?"

My answer to this is: yes until further notice. There's no foreseeable end to this pandemic right now, but it would be worth the patience to wait for adequate tech, treatment, and cures for covid-19 to be released before even thinking about getting loose with masking.

Societal mandates have been dropped way too soon, and public health in regards to covid-19 is being forced on us as an individual responsibility. As a consequence, this gives this rapidly mutating virus a lot of wiggle room to spread and do whatever it wants. This means doctors and experts don't have much answers yet for adequate treatment because there's a MAJOR lack of containment (such as masking & quarantining) and documentation (such as testing & reporting). This isn't to say there hasn't been any advancements whatsoever: for example, Washington University just developed a breath test for covid that gives results in just 1 minute! This is great news! And this is just one reason why it's very necessary for those who can mask to mask, so scientists are given more time to roll out helpful solutions & tools sooner.

Another thing I'll add is if you're symptomatic and/or are positive for covid, you should 100% be wearing a mask no matter what, point blank period. I say "and/or" because it is VERY much possible to have covid and not experience any symptoms at all; this is a major reason why it's necessary to mask up in public consistently, because you can't always know who you bump into that may have covid or not.

3. "Even if we don't have covid, we could still be risking other people's health (and lives) with other diseases we may have right?"

Yes, there is a possibility of spreading airborne diseases to vulnerable people unknowingly— without the protective & preventative tools that is.

I can only speak for America because that's the cultural zeitgeist I grew up in, but: I feel like many of us can agree that, unless you worked in a healthcare setting, what was "normal" (in America) before 2020 when it came to airborne illness prevention was definitely not the regular use of a mask. American health education mainly taught us if we're coughing & sneezing to try to do so in a tissue or into your elbow, as well as frequently wash our hands. That doesn't account for the way air actually works though. For instance, if someone with the common cold coughed into the inside of their elbow, the particles they coughed out are still able to linger in the air because their elbow isn't creating a tight seal around their mouth (their elbow may have caught the droplets from their cough— which are bigger & heavier— but the smaller, lighter aerosols would just spread around similar to how smoke does); it's the difference between 😪 vs 😶‍🌫️. The only sure way for the germs they've coughed out to be blocked from spreading to other people is if they wear a well-fitted, quality mask/respirator.

I feel like health education from a young age should include the benefits of masking; that way it would be easier to adapt to the need to put on a mask to protect ourselves & others as a collective. It would be phenomenal & wonderful if we as a collective were used to masking the same way we're used to putting on socks before putting on our shoes.

4. "Immunocompromised people have always and will always exist"

Yes, that is true. And that means necessary measures taken to protect them, as well as other vulnerable people, should be the standard.

5. "[Covid] can't be the only airborne disease out there"

Of course not. There's plenty of them. However, not all airborne diseases are the same, nor should they be treated as such. What's been observed in regards to the long-term effects of covid is not at all the same with other airborne diseases. Covid is a highly contagious virus that is more than just a respiratory disease. Its goal is to attack your immune system, nervous system, heart, brain, and/or other vital organs. That's what viruses do. They act smart and sneaky, and they have the capability to trigger illnesses in your body that you may not have had pre-infection:

Chickenpox is known to lead to shingles

Epstein-Barr is known to lead to mono

HPV is known to lead to cancer

Covid-19 has been found to lead to:

POTS

ME/CFS

Stroke & Heart attack

Alzheimer's

Dementia

"Brain Fog"; Memory & Concentration Problems

The list goes on, and these are only what we know of. Covid may not be the only airborne disease, but it definitely is a dangerous one with serious, long-term negative effects.

6. "Do you feel that we should all be masking all the time, whether or not covid-19 exists?"

In regards to masking with the existence of covid:

Yes. Masking is a vital method in the prevention of catching & spreading covid-19, because it is primarily spread through the air.

In regards to masking without the existence of covid:

See my answer for number 3, and also: given the fact wearing a mask can only do more good than harm for most folks, I don't see why not. Imagine a world where we don't have to worry about flu season or allergy season anymore because those aerosols are filtered out from consistent mask wearing. Sounds like the dream to me lol.

-

I hope this made sense! If anyone has anything they'd like to add to answer anon's questions, please feel free to share!

Thank you for reading 😷

[stupidfuckingwindow]

Richard Haywood // NSFW Alphabet

Word count: 2k

Notes: Had to edit this on here TWICE because of a glitch. Big thank you to @uncleclam and the Goosecord for giving me some inspo and ideas on what to do with Richard. I love you guys.

Tw: mentions of blood, getting caught, injuries/injuring, and weaponplay.

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

Aftercare? Richard Haywood? If anything, you'll be taking care of him. He might clean you up a little, but there's not much else in the cards regarding Richard and caring for you after. Like I said, you're the one probably taking care of him; cleaning his wounds and checking up on him. (IF he even lets you.) Half the time, though, the two of you are having a Quickie and don't have enough time to clean up. Richard often leaves right after.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Richard likes his face. He knows he's pretty, knows how to use his emotions (even if fake) to get what he wants. He's extremely expressive as a person, and he's rarely quiet about how he's feeling or thinking.

It's not a body part, but any scars he gets are also a good contender for his favorite things about himself. He thinks they make him look badass- more interesting that he really is and stronger as a person. He has a story for each one (of which, some may or may not even be true in the first place. It's very dramatic either way,) and he likes to brag.

He doesn't have a favorite part about you. Everything has his attention. Your voice, your hands. Eyes and arms and hair. He notices everything.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Richard likes getting it on you just to piss you off- He's a little bitch, and his favorite places to cum on are your face and chest. There's just something about making a mess out of you that does it for him, like it's another one of his ways of marking you and saying you're just his.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

As much of a bitchy little manipulator Richard tends to be with you, he's honest about what he wants. You'll know what he's craving for as soon as he wants it, and Richard'll go into plenty of detail about how he wants it. If he has anything to say about it, Richard's going to get what he wants eventually.

That being said, it's as of late that Richard's been thinking a little too much about watching another guy/woman fuck you. That, or a threesome is in order. He's just worried you'll say no, and is keeping it under wraps (for now, at least,) until he can find the right person for that.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

Experienced at getting fucked, has no idea what the fuck he'd doing. He's, how I see it, terrible at sex. Much too focused on himself and the pleasure he's getting. If you want satisfaction back, you'll have to take things into your own hands. There's no real way of getting him to listen, so make him.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

He likes bending/being bent over. It doesn't matter how it's done, so long as it's rough, fast, and gets the job done. He likes it against the wall, or pressing you face first into a surface.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? Are they humorous? etc.)

Richard can NOT take anything seriously. He gets bored easily, and suddenly having to be all serious does not capture his constant mind. Nothing about his obnoxious personality changes. Not for you, not for fucking, and certainly not for anyone else.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? Does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Pretty well groomed. He pays a ton of attention to his appearance (so much so that it's excessive after a certain point.) If it looks good and gives him a reaction, he'll do it. If you recommend something to Richard, he might pass it off at the time. But it'll stay at the back of his mind until he looks it up. Richard likes making subtle little changes to see if you'll notice or point them out.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Rarely intimate, and never romantic with Richard. For him, sex is just an act to relieve stress, or just something fun for him to experiment with and learn more about. Any kisses with Richard are ones of passion. He'll bite at your lips and suck on your tongue like he's trying to devour you, one hand roughly tugging at your hair to control the pace. He is, by no means, sappy. All Richard wants is to be stupid, get dicked down, and have fun.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Pretty often. And, while it's usually him dragging you off to deal with his arousal, it's not every time. There's not a spot that's off the table for him, either. In a public bathroom, your room, after breaking in. As soon as he's hard, Richard is off sneaking away to go deal with it.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Knifeplay and gunplay are the big ones. He loves the thrill of either having a gun to his head, or a gun to yours while the two of you are fucking. With knifeplay, he likes nicking or cutting you. Richard expects the same done to him, and he loves feeling up the scars later or showing them off to friends.

With the minor cutting and injuring of each other, there's bound to be blood. Richard's a sucker for the color red. He's nasty, and ranges anywhere from licking the blood and sweat off your body, to spreading it along your skin. If you're afab and on your period, there's nothing he likes more than eating you out and getting to taste your blood on his tongue.

Richard wants to be tied up. Make his restraints hurt, blindfold him, and use him.

Please degrade Richard. Not only does he like it, he demands it of you and degrades you right back. Mocking or teasing you to get what he wants is a common occurrence, and you're going to see it often. Don't give him anything to work with. He's a brat and should be treated as such.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Anything that has the risk of getting him caught? Yeah. Richard Haywood is a whore. If he's hard, he's GOING to make it your problem. On another note, he doesn't have a favorite spot because he's constantly trying out new places.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Doesn't take much. He naturally just gets hard often. He could be thinking about you, pleasure in a general way, or simply nothing at all. But you getting dominant or aggressive is a sure-fire way to excite him. Especially if said frustrations or anger is directed his way. Any arguments with him usually end up with angry sex.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

He hates anything vanilla. Haywood needs his sex rough, and the idea of getting domestic isn't one he's into. While he's willing to experiment, Richard won't start getting soft for you. That being said, he knows when to lay off the teasing after a point.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Richard is a receiver in all things. He's pretty terrible when it comes to giving anything back, and Oral is one of said things. There's too much teeth, not enough attention to the parts that matter, and it feels rushed- Like he's impatiently stalling and expects to be paid back. Does he even know where the clit is?

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Fast and rough; I doubt he has the patience for anything slow, and there's not a sensual bone in that man's body. But teasing him by refusing to go at his pace is something he's a sucker for every once in a while. It's torture for Haywood to not get what he wants, and the reward is so much greater once he finally does.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

Quickies between you and Richard become regular, and he personally prefers them over actual sex. He's easily turned on by the thought of new ideas or acts, and someone's gotta help him deal with it, right? Potentially getting caught in public is another factor for him. It's just more attention to fuel his ego because, obviously, they're watching for a reason, right? Besides, quickies are just easier and faster than anything- They're a means to an end, and that's the point.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? Do they take risks? etc.)

Anything is game for Richard. Risk is what he likes, and thrill is something he finds great enjoyment in. He's impulsive and reactionary, with a constant need to feel wanted and applauded. A thrill or risk gives his life substance; Just about anything you can ask is something he's willing to try at least once.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Richard can easily pump out a bunch of quick rounds and still have the energy to live his life as (ab)normally as he possibly can. Wearing his dumbass out takes hours of time. Even then, he goes right back to normal after a little while.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

He loves to experiment- Anything he can try, he will. There's a list he's crossed things off of, and toys just bring so much more fun into the mix. They're a common occurrence in the bedroom, and both of you use them. Sometimes he'll use them out of bed, too. His favorite is using a vibrator in public- One that either you or him can control while watching the other squirm. He's such a bastard with the remote, taking the time to wait until you're doing something important or talking to turn up the settings. And even then he's refusing to let you cum, turning off the vibrator before you have the chance.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Oh, all the time. Out of bed, in it. He's such a brat- Constantly teasing you and bullying you around just to see your reaction. He loves the attention, how you interact with him. Every time it's something different- Usually joking just to get on your nerves. He wants you to yell or hurt him, react in the way that gives him the most pleasure. Just getting an answer from you is good enough for him- It doesn't always have to be sexual.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Pretty damn vocal. He doesn't shut up, constantly trying to fuck with you so you'll snap at him. You have to shut his dumbass up by force, so gag him. Either with your clothes or his, Richard isn't picky. You've gotten caught at least once because of the noise he can't stop making.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

I feel as though he bites people. Would jokingly bark or growl at someone. Constantly fake-lunges at you in an attempt to spook you.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Uncleclam has recently placed Richard at 11 cm (4.3 inches) in a post. And I'm in complete agreement with Richard being on the smaller side. I'd put him at a little under the average size as well.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Very, very high. If he thinks about blood too hard, he's sporting an erection. If Richard thinks about you too hard, he's hard too. He's constantly having to get himself off, and Richard isn't above dragging you out of class to help him.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

When he actually has the chance, it's about 50/50. Sometimes, it's a couple minutes. Other times, he just can't sleep and has too much energy. Richard Haywood is a honk shoo kind of snorer.

[slavic-roots-western-mind]

The right mindset for an exchange year abroad

There's no singular correct mindset or way of thinking when it comes to planning and preparing for a year abroad. However, there are some aspects that can make life a little easier so here's what you should consider doing.

Accepting being an obvious foreigner If you're doing a year in a country such as China, then be prepared to be the odd person. Yes, chances are you will get stared at. You may hear "waiguoren"!, especially if you got travelling outside of the more international areas. Yes, you will sometimes feel like an outsider, like you'll never fully integrate. And that's ok. A reality that I had to accept is that whilst I may be welcome to stay here, I will remain an obvious visitor here.

Trying new things An obvious one, but don't just stay in your dorm watching tv-shows all the time. Get out and explore the city. Even if you decide to talk a stroll in the local park, that also counts. Obviously there wil be days when you need to recharge and spend some time by yourself, but going out and leaving your bubble can be the greatest kindness that you show yourself.

Break out of your shell Similar to point #2, but this one can be tricky. Trying new things e.g. trying a new dish at your school canteen vs going to a local restaurant by yourself are a tad different. This one takes time, and even the most outgoing person can struggle with this in a foreign place. Baby steps are the way to go here. If you feel anxious about going to the restaurant, try a cafe in a student/university area first. You can order your drink and if you feel comfortable enough, you can find a spot there and do some reading/studying. In time, you'll feel confident enough to try other places that you may have previously found intimidating. Breaking out of your shell takes time, so don't push yourself too much.

The local customs will endure long after you have left My professors back at my home uni always said "the local way trumps your way", and they were proven right time after time. Certain things are done a certain way, and whether you like it or not they will continue. The best thing to do, is to research in advance and try to adapt to them. Who knows, maybe in time they'll grow on you (aka me almost forgetting how to use a fork after using chopsticks for so long).

It's usually curiosity, not malice Sometimes you will get stared at, or you may be asked odd questions that in your culture would seem bizzare or perhaps a tad offensive e.g. how much do you/your parents earn? are you married? do you have children? Usually it's asked out of curiosity, rather than to cause offense or malice so try to keep that in mind.

Overcome the feeling of temporariness This is an odd one, but the fact that I'm here in China only for a while sometimes gets to me. Like why bother decorating my dorm room if I'll leave in the end? Why buy an extra blanket if I'll have to donate it if it doesn't fit into my suitcase? Forget this mentality. Yes, you're here for only a year, or maybe even half a year. But. This doesn't mean that you should neglect yourself and your living space. If its affordable and if it'll make your life much more easier and comfortable, then get that thing! If you don't have space in your suitcase, then either ship it back home, sell it, give it to a friend or donate it.

Don't forget about your life back home Keep in touch with your friends and family. You don't necessarily need to call them everyday, but do sent a message every once in a while. A simple "good morning!" text can be enough to reassure your parent(s) that everything's ok. Make sure to keep in touch with your home uni academic advisors, and to make sure that you're meeting all the necessary requirements. Mark the application deadline for those summer internships in your calendar, and don't forget to send your auntie that happy birthday message. You have your current life, but please don't neglect your relationships with your loved ones back at home.

[thelureking]

LILIUM'S 2023 GAME LIST:

Hey! Better late than never! I actually have been editing this list since november, but I lost some of the things I said about the last games and it took me this long to remember what I had written. The risks I run because my mind flows better when I write with pen and paper. So, seeing how well the last list did on my memory, and because I got bored of talking to myself, I shall torture the unlucky ones who have found this post with both my video game taste and my rambles about them. I am so sorry in advance.

It's the same as before: they are ordered chronologically, from first played/finished to last, not ranked in how much I liked them. If I dont say a lot its not because I didn't like it, or that it was bad. At times I didn't want to give too much away. This time I tried to write each segment right after finishing them, or the following days, so that's why I talk way more or in more detail about each game and my own opinions. And who knows, maybe this will be a yearly thing. I like it, I'm Having fun. And hopefully some of these games get the love they deserve by whoever reads this.

So, once again, and now with more words:

1) Mothmen 1966

Mothmen being in the title was enough for me to give it a go, so it's good to say that the game is also good. It is divided by chapters, each one from the perspective of one of our three protagonists, showing the perspective of these vastly different people even if they are connected in some way. The game goes from a visual novel style to changing the gameplay to be interactive while also maintaining its format, something that I found entertaining. Its visuals are a treat, and I believe they enhance the horror presented in the story. All of the parts in this game work in its favor. I cannot believe I am actually saying this, but to get an achievement you need to take an L. I am not joking. It is part of a puzzle and me being good at it made me miss an achievement. No hard feelings, I had a good laugh about it as I was going back to the save file and doing it again. Sometimes, sucking is the way to go. I may have spent way too much time trying to win the Impossible Solitaire. But I will, one day, you'll see.

2) Roadwarden

You know a game is good when I play it for hours uninterrupted and is the main reason I turn on the computer.

Roadwarden is, as the title image says, an illustrated text based RPG, in which you take the role of a Roadwarden who is tasked to explore an unknown peninsula to expand a merchant's guild's influence, establish its safety, and find out what happened to the missing previous roadwarden.

Let me tell you, this game is amazing from both a mechanical and storytelling level. Mechanically because the game keeps track of so many things, it will remember even an answer you gave at the very beginning, and it'll become an integral part of your character. Even little thoughts as you are about to sleep will shape who you are playing as. On the story telling level, so many of the quests and towns are interlinked that holding back on finishing certain quests is the way to go, although in some cases having as many done as possible will no doubt help. The characters and towns are all unique and memorable, each with history that shapes them and how they interact with each other and you, the outsider. Both gameplay and story service each other to present an experience unlike any other, enhancing each other at every opportunity. The art and soundtrack set the perfect atmosphere for each moment. And the world building. Man, the world building, it's just. So well done, you actually believe this is a real place that existed before you arrived, and that it will continue to do so after you leave. It wasn't waiting for you, it did not kick into gear just because you showed up. It has its own issues, its own history, its own people, nature, culture, and you can feel that with each written word, each piece of information. I can't even explain properly just how good the world building is.

I just really fell in love with being a guy on the road taking care of these settlements' problems, getting to know their inhabitants and gaining their trust, all while falling in love with the game. There is one quest that I do not want to spoil, but the ending was so. Fitting, in a way, that I was surprised I didn't see it coming. Even as I saw the achievement name once I completed it, I looked back and just. I just smiled like damn, good job.

If you want to really take in this entire world and its people, I would personally recommend playing in Casual, since any other difficulty setting will put a limit to the days you'll be allowed to stay, and I must stress that this experience must not be rushed. Unless you dont mind a time challenge, in which case you do you. Also don't know about your memory, but I needed to take notes, and some highlights are: "Efren marry me", "We should have all stabbed Thais full Julius Caesar style", "Eudica and Efren my beloveds" and "Thyrsus is my Warlock Uncle". With that being said, the Journal mechanic is a god sent, and I can't be more grateful that it exists. Finally, a journal that doesn't get stuck in the first sentences of a quest from when you first got it.

Oh boy, those are a lot of words. Can you tell I really liked this game? I can't wait to see more from this developer.

EDIT: THE GAME HAS RECEIVED A HUGE UPDATE THAT I HAVE YET TO PLAY, BUT OH BOY IT'S MAKING ME WANT TO REPLAY THE ENTIRE GAME AGAIN.

3) Exhibit of Sorrows

A short game set in a clown exhibit, with a point - click and drag gameplay. I'll keep this one short, since this game can be played for free in both browser and for download in Itchio, and it is a neat little thing that you can beat as fast or as slow as you want. You interact with each exhibit, clicking and dragging the mouse depending on what you need to do, each with a little buddy that you need to help or have fun with to get the key, and proceed to the next screen. Its length and artstyle make for a fun and interesting experience, pacing itself beautifully. It is effective in every way. And come on, they are clowns, they are so cute and look like plushies. I love them all.

4) The Firebrand

A game about a detective interrogating a woman with different word prompts that he writes down in his notebook, all which branch into more questions and answers. You'll uncover the story and the truth of this conversation as you play along, finding out stuff about the woman, the detective, and even the world they live in. It is an interrogation against a clock that keeps on ticking, and luckily the developers give us the chance to check out a dialogue tree and how to get both the Normal and True Ending. With that in mind, the questions that don't lead to either of these are worth reading, as they serve to paint a bigger picture. And hey, you can also get the Bad Ending while you do it.

5) Royal Alchemist

Royal Alchemist is a visual novel in which you, the protagonist, are tasked with tutoring the three princes of a nation. You will fight for your life against the challenges this new position presents and also the stat checks you will have to pass at different points of the story, both of your character and the princes. Speaking of, each one of them represents a different route, with their recommended order (which I highly request following as stated by the creators: Aurelius, then Serin, and finally Nazir. Trust me, they were made to be experienced like this, you wont regret it). You will experience the constant back and forth, the battle of swords and wits with Aurelius, the emotional build up with Serin, and to describe the main appeal of Nazir's route before playing it would be a spoiler. The romance in this VN is some of the best I've experienced. I have never read about two characters holding hands in such an intimate way, it made the pure build up of a route worth every second. And the Princes aren't the only interesting characters, this visual novel is full of fun and complex characters, all with their own personalities and roles. From Raphael, the butler who might as well be the patron saint of patience, to Viola, the infamous head merchant. It has a mechanic of stat raising and, as stated before, there will be points in the story where you will need to reach a certain level of a skill to be able to pass. But don't worry, there is an official guide made by the developers which is a life saver, which not only has each stat requirement for each route, but also with neat additions like character profiles and more. The only criticism I'll give it is that some scenes are cut short when they could have been expanded on and it would have had a better effect, not only in terms of an emotional connection, but also to further enforce the bond between the player and the relationship developed in the route. But besides that small complaint, this visual novel is one I would gladly recommend.

6) Fear & Hunger

God, this game. This game hates you on a mechanical level. This game will put the fear of god in you every time you get further away from a save point, every time you think "yeah I can take this enemy no problem" and next thing you know you are eating dinner with your creator; every time you think "oh neat, a new area" and proceed to eat shit and die for the next hour because you just lost a fucking arm and a leg and can't outrun your enemies anymore. And you refuse to start another run because you are just that stubborn, and you will suffer through the consequences of your early game actions. No this is not my personal experience what are you talking about. It is a bleak and grotesque horror rpg game, made with RPG Maker. You will accompany whichever poor soul you choose as your playable character in their trip to the dungeon of Fear and Hunger, for whichever the reason their story presents. Should you play this game? Be mindful of the triggering content, first and foremost. This is a dark game, and it does not shy away from depicting it. From enemy designs, gameplay mechanics, to the way of worshiping gods, to specific game overs, and so on. Its hard and you will feel it unfair. This game will not hold your hand, and when you think it does it will put its teeth around your wrist and tear it off your body, its saliva infecting your wound with poison and leaving you to rot. I love this game.

7) Clash: Robot Detective

Fun fact: I never look into games that much before playing them, which in this case led to the asssumption that I was going to play a robot. So I named my character Flesh, because I thought a robot named Flesh was funny and also cool. Turns out, I ended up playing a human named Flesh. Which was somehow even funnier, and ended up becoming a pattern when I played the extras, which have a different protagonist, and I decided to commit to the bit and named them Blood. Flesh and Blood, my favourite human beings.

You play as the extremely new assistant to our titular detective Clash, who asks for your help in solving a mystery taking place in the cruise ship you are vacationing on. Depending on the different dialogue options, you can play as the good or the bad cop, and Clash will balance you out in this act, which leads to different and interesting outcomes.

I have to say, the artstyle drew me in. I am a sucker for these types of illustrations, and I'm glad that the writing and story were as good. I was invested not only in the case, but also on Clash as a character, who I will longingly stare at from a distance because I respect his boundaries and preferences.

Keep on going, you majestic robot detective, I can't wait to see what kind of trouble you get into in the future.

8) EXCUSE ME SIR (Demo)

Long awaited (at least for me) DEMO from Airdoft (creator of FAITH) and , and it all came about because of her videos and a single tweet.

The demo is short, but it shows the great potential of what a game like this could grow into, and I cant wait to see it become a finished project.

EDIT: Sadly, the game has been canceled, so we won't be able to see this concept grow into a finished game. Hopefully it'll inspire others with its style and presentation.

9) (Don't) Open Your Eyes

In this room, you know how everything looks. Does that include your midnight intruder?

This entire VN is a one sided conversation between you and something that may or may not be there, shaped in the darkness of your closed eyelids. Both of you are gripped by the same question, the intrigue eats away at you. Your imagination runs wild trying to give shape to this anomaly, and it is so desperate for you to find out.

There is only one way to do so:

Don't open your eyes.

10) Fortress

Man, short and effective is the way to describe this one. It has such a fantastic grip on atmosphere and tension that I admire. It truly captures the feeling of returning to a place where an impactful childhood memory took place.

Using the same location and making you play through it at different times of the story was done so well. I was ready for things to happen just because they did in the past, the first half of the game, and expected them to happen again.

In the past, I was ready to shoot on sight. As an adult, I couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger, not even to see if I could. I don't know why, months after playing it, this little thing has stuck with me the most.

11) The Shadows That Run Alongside Our Car

You leave the gas station with a stranger, either on the wheel or sitting next to you. The silence hangs heavy between you two, the road is empty, the sun is setting, and the end of the world is now. Time to break the silence, you get to choose who. In this visual novel you get to decide how this conversation at the end of the world unfolds, a game of perspective between our two characters, who may hide certain details about themselves or reveal them, if they give you the choice. After all, what would you gain by hiding a secret in this car ride? It could be your last.

12) Attack of the Murder Hornets

Hornets are evil, evil things of nature. They are coming for your bees.

They are coming for you.

BE READY

13) Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition (+ Siege of Dragon Spear)

There has to be a saying that goes: If you can't play the game everyone is talking about, go play every single game in it's series that came before it. Because that's what I did, even if I already wanted to play the Baldur's Gate games before the third one came around. But it was definitely a good push. The game's story has a much smaller scope than I expected, or maybe that's just how I feel now that I am currently playing the second game, but I think it works in its favor.

I think the reason I don't have much to say, besides the fact that I had lots of fun, is because my head is still processing Siege of Dragon Spear (with its much bigger scope) and what I am currently seeing in the second game. What all I'll say about that one now is man, what a way to start a sequel.

My suffering came mostly from the ruleset used (which I was unfamiliar with) and the fucking paralysis spell. Fuck it. ALL MY HOMIES HATE THE PARALYSIS SPELL.

In terms of characters, I didn't end up using most of the available NPCs in my party, even if I made the effort of recruiting them all, mostly because the ones I had I liked a lot. I liked Rasaad and I was pleasantly surprised he had a romance in the expansion AND the second game, which I am enjoying a lot. Jaheira and Khalid never left my party, same with Imoen who I kept treating like a sister because come on, the setup of being raised in the same city since birth and being childhood friends was perfect. I love Baeloth an unhealthy amount, he is so perfect in the expansion I made an effort to keep him in the party even if I had high reputation. In the expansion my party was insane looking. Like Oh yes, the Hero of Baldur's Gate, her monk companion Rasaad, Jaheira and... a gnome nobody knows why he is around, Baeloth the entertainer I guess, and a GOBLIN? At one point I did switch Jaheira for Viconia, only because Baeloth was one point of reputation away from leaving the party. I swear, the grip that man has on me. The story from Viconia's POV must be so funny: She gets recruited and instantly tells me she is fucking off, gets recruited again only because I dont want an idiot entertainer to leave; and then when she is about to be killed, who comes to her rescue? THIS DUMBASS. She must be like: GOD, DAMN IT, I CAN'T ESCAPE THIS BITCH. I am her surface curse.

My closing thought for this game is: Whoever made the TOSC maze... Who the fuck hurt you? Same goes for whoever made that final boss. WHY?!

[befuddled-calico-whump]

Hand in Hand (part five)

@whumptober No. 12 "I haven't slept in days, but who's counting?"

cw: sleep deprivation, manhandling, death mention

prev ///// au masterlist ///// next

~ ~ ~

It's been a few weeks, and Dan is doing everything he can to convince Swift. He attends meetings, voices hollow support for her conquest, defers any questions to her. Around the base, he's either by her side or confined to a locked room. He's been given a bed, but he hardly sleeps. How can he? He hasn't seen Wes since the card game, and all he has are the comments from Swift that may well be lies.

"Very good, I suppose your friend will eat today."

"I went through all the trouble of unchaining him, but now you've gone and upset me."

"Count yourself lucky I'm not punishing him for this."

She won't let him see him. She's hesitant to even give him an update if he asks after his condition, asks for proof of life.

"You'll just have to take my word for it. Or don't your trust me?"

He's behaving as best as he can, but in his head, the one safe place he has left, he's plotting.

An escape will be difficult, but in the long run, he has no choice. Swift will never fully trust him, and it's only a matter of time before she has no more use for him. He knows when that day comes, she'll have no trouble killing them both.

So he plans. He tries to memorize the halls, the doors. There are three exits he knows of; seven ships he's seen in the yard; two small enough for him to pilot on his own.

He hates the meetings, hates sitting in silence as Swift and her new allies plan bloody attacks against a power that won't go down so easily. He's as much against the Fleet as anyone, but can't they see this won't beat them? Can't they see this will only end in countless deaths?

But he never says that aloud. He can't, not when Wes is what's at stake. Once they get out, once he's safe, Dan can worry about the rest of the world.

He practices picking the lock on his door when he can't sleep, which is fairly often. He knows there must be some kind of surveillance in the room, so he makes sure to only work at it when the lights have gone dark. Getting material to create makeshift lockpicks was easy enough. Pens slipped up his sleeve during a meeting, wire and pins scavenged from the garbage when Swift turned her back on him.

It took several tries for him to get his own lock, and from there he did it again and again and again until he was certain he wouldn't fail. The lock on the cell where Wes was kept was different, made for a larger key, but he knew he wouldn't have much opportunity to practice on that one. He'd just have to hope--pray--he succeeded when he made it to that step.

From there, he had to find an opportune time. The shipyard was probably a minute's walk from his room, double that from the cell. Double again, if he's carrying Wes. Adding a minute for possible obstacles brings him to five.

Dan closes his eyes, walks himself through the route. Ten seconds to pick his own lock. A minute to get to the cell---No, he should prep the ship first. If he can't get a craft working , they're dead anyway.

Okay, a minute to get to the yard. Estimated five minutes to check for keys or hotwire a ship. Two minutes to the cell. One minute to pick the cell lock if he's lucky, closer to five if he isn't. Probably another two if Wes is chained. Five minutes to reach the waiting ship.

Twenty minutes. It's no time at all, but it might as well be an eternity. In the moment, it'll all come down to luck, and he hates that. Even if he picks the best possible day, even if he executes the plan in the dead of the night when only the patrols are awake, there's still the possibility that everything could go wrong.

But it's a risk he needs to take.

|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|°|

It's a few days later when Dan decides it's time. He's tried to get more sleep in preparation, even though that mostly just results in him lying on his back, staring at the ceiling for hours on end. He's tried to make himself eat more of the rations Swift sends his way, though he hasn't had much of an appetite. He'll need every advantage he can get.

As the hour draws near, Dan lays on the bed and waits. His hands are shaking again. His whole body feels fragile, like a building that's had its foundation destroyed and is on the verge of collapse, compounded by a bone-deep exhaustion that doesn't quite reach his overaware mind.

As soon as they're out, he can sleep. As soon as he knows Wes is okay, he can sleep.

The time comes, and he slips out of bed, moving to the lock. When it gives way with a telltale click, Dan gently pushes the door open, peering out into the dark hallway. He holds his breath, listening for doors, steps, voices. When he hears nothing but silence, he steps out, closing the door behind him. Ten seconds.

He keeps a decent pace on the way to the shipyard, only slowing down at doorways or corners, and makes it inside without any trouble. One minute.

The smallest ship is the furthest from the door. Good and bad; less chance of being seen, but a longer journey to make. Dan sprints to it, does a quick scan for the keys, sprints back when he finds nothing. His head spins from the exertion, but he needs to keep going. If the escape is ruined by the failure of his own body, he'll never forgive himself.

There's a small office attached to the yard; his next best bet before he has to risk hotwiring the ship. If he fails, will he still have time to sneak back to the room? To reassess and try again?

The door to the office is locked, but that's a good sign. Why would they lock up an empty room? When he sees no light on the other side, hears no voices, Dan begins to pick the lock. It's similar enough to the one in his room that he's done in seconds.

Inside are drawers and desks and filing cabinets; some kind of storage area. He tests drawer after drawer, trying to stay quiet but growing more frantic as each pull turns up nothing until--

One doesn't open.

Another lock.

Dan tries to keep his hands steady as he reaches for his picks, letting out shallow, shaky breaths as he kneels to work on it, not daring to hope when he hears a quiet click.

Relief floods through him when he sees the glint of metal inside, the smooth, colored glass that makes each ship's key distinct. He takes them all. He can worry about which one wakes the small ship once he has Wes.

Dan closes the office door, locking it from the inside, if only to buy himself more time. Five minutes.

Now he just needs to get to Wes. Dan has no idea what condition the other man will be in. Will he be able to walk? Will he even be conscious? Dan is willing to carry him, more than willing, but the thought of what he might see when he pushes open the cell door makes his gut twist.

What if he's dead?

It's that thought that does him in; buzzes in his mind, stealing his focus from the path ahead.

What if I'm too late?

With this new, horrible idea ringing in his ears, he doesn't hear the echo of footsteps until they're too close to hide from.

"What the fuck--?"

"Grab him!"

Even as sleep-deprived as he is, Dan's reaction time is quick, but not quick enough. He's slammed against the wall, an arm on his throat, making him choke.

"How did you get out?" the Riot King--Viktor--growls.

"Doesn't matter!" his partner snaps. Warner. Being able to put a name to every face is far worse than being set upon by strangers.

"Get him back to the cell before she finds out---"

"Great plan, until he escapes again," Viktor snaps, increasing the pressure on Dan's throat. "How?"

"Y' left the door unlocked," he manages to choke out. The lockpicks are in his pocket. Fuck, the ships' keys are in his pocket. If they search him, it's over, and how could they be so stupid as to not?

But Viktor looks like he might believe him. "Who did? Was it Erin? That idiot--"

"Shut up," Warner says, and when he reaches out to pat Dan's thigh, his stomach drops. His hands are shaking again. All of him is shaking.

Warner seizes the contents of his pocket and draws them out, holding the ships' keys in his palm for his partner to see.

As soon as Viktor's gaze lands on them, Dan is thrown to the ground, a heel pressed between his shoulder blades to keep him there.

"Trying to rob us, huh? I knew Swift shouldn't have trusted you, you're a fucking---"

Dan doesn't hear the rest of the man's rant, his mind racing, trying to find a way out, and failing that, he tries to find the outcome that hurts the least. Will Swift be angrier if she thinks he was trying to disable the fleet? Or will she be more insulted by the truth? Should he pretend he was trying to escape without Wes, or would that only serve to put his friend's head on the chopping block?

Outcomes and ideas fill his head like a swarm of wasps, but none of them matter, none of them really matter.

He failed. He's failed Wes. Wes is the one who's going to pay for this.

He makes no move to resist as the men take him by the wrists and drag him down the hall, his chest hitching with barely-suppressed sobs.

It's been two minutes. If he'd been more careful, he'd be at the cell, he'd be unlocking it, he'd be able to see Wes. If he hadn't fucked it up, they'd be out of here, they'd be safe.

But they aren't. They won't be.

He failed.

~ ~ ~

@kira-the-whump-enthusiast @kixngiggles @shywhumpauthor

[candythepuppy]

Insanely basic tips for writing fights:

So... You wanna throw some characters at other characters and tell them to kill each other, huh? Well, in order to make all that interesting, ya gotta consider these tips first.

1. I've been in martial arts for over six years and animation for just as long. So of course I'm going to suggest you plebs do a little research first. Wanna know how it feels to punch someone? Punch someone. Wanna know how it feels to get punched? Come over to my place.

Even learning simple stuff like rolls, stretches, differing exercises, and the most basic of techniques can help out a ton. At the very least, it'll keep people from making this face at you: ಠ⁠_⁠ಠ

You don't have to go all out like me, but at least learning the fundamentals of physics and how certain injuries will affect the fight can help. Take these fun little tip for example: there's a vein on the neck that, when hit properly, will make you instantly pass out. It only takes eight seconds to choke someone out to the point of fainting as long as you're holding them right..and if you keep it up, then just wait five minutes and they'll be dead. Anywhere in-between can give them serious head injuries they'll likely never recover from. There are a thousand more, but I'll stop there. Trust me. I've learned more about biology from karate than from actual Biology class.

2. I feel like this is also a given, but at the very least, know what your surroundings are. Find ways to implement the setting into the fight creatively.

Example: two people are fighting in the desert and one tosses sand into the other's eyes. Or, two people are fighting in that same desert, but the one currently losing is being shoved into the sand, choked alive by all the granules.

Also please remember that when your characters are in extreme heat or freezing settings, they will fight differently. Maybe it's even the setting itself that is slowly killing the fighters, and the battle is really all about who can last the longest.

At the very least, I'd suggest you do two things in case you have a hard time with this one. (1) gather images of the setting, or at least settings like it. Then, take note of all the elements, obstacles, and even ambiance involved. (2) pick out objects to scatter about the setting that your characters can later pick up and use in the fight. Just make sure they have to do with the setting.

3. The destination of the fight can greatly impact the "vibe."

In the sky: superman level fights, typically very grandiose, larger than life, and impressive (even if written realistically). These are great locations for if/when you're trying to make your character look cool in some way.

On top of buildings/canyons: similarly grand but with more emphasis on stakes. You typically want that sense of uneasiness every time the main character sways or is knocked a little too far away. These scenes are often used around a climax thanks to the perfect level of grandiose tension and realism. It's a great way to get your character on edge and reveal their true feelings, mainly fear.

On the ground, outside: these fights are often much more grounded than most. Often deals with a lot of running/trying out other options beyond fighting. Typically, you're trying to establish what kind of a fighter your character is in these fights + what their morals may be.

On the ground, inside: oddly enough, this is where it gets personal. Mostly because I usually think of someone's home or a grocery store where every action means something. This is typically where the most drama takes place. I'd definitely suggest you lean into the importance of the setting they are fighting in much more than the setting of other fights. (This is also where every word counts.)

Underground: by far one of my personal favorites. The claustrophobia one can draw from these settings is truly something else. The most grounded of any other fight setting. This is where I like to strip the flashy powers and magic from my characters and let them brawl the old fashioned way, getting dirty and going all out. Down here, every punch matters.

There are of course more, but these are the basics!

4. Similar to the first step, please know how the weapons your characters are using work!

5. And of course no fight is complete without (A) build up, (B) understandable reasons for the characters to fight, and (C) clear stakes/what would be lost or gained if either were to lose. Remember, a fight is just an argument acted out. Keeping that in mind will make the whole process so much easier.

Anyways, that's just about it. I could ramble some more, but these are supposed to be the basics!

Anyways, I hope to see you guys again. Thanks for your time. And, seeya!

[tvsoftboi]

Alrighty, time to suck it up and share some headcanons for Cultist Sim and (to a lesser degree) Book of Hours! Warning, this might be kinda on the long side, heh, even if I don't have much to share...

For context, these aren't like, interpretations of the Cultist/Legacies or the Librarian as how they're shown in game. I've seen much better readings on the quality of the character of the, well, player character, heh. I wouldn't really consider this all "AU" stuff either? It's more just, the stories or interpretations I came up with during my own playthroughs! (With that in mind, there are a few Legacies I haven't finished, and I've barely begun scraping the surface of BoH, but I promise to try and get around to things when/where I can!)

Feel free to ask questions either here or through Asks, I'd love to hear other people's thoughts on things, give me a chance to expand on my own stories/whatever!

Base Legacies:

I don't really have too much for the base game's legacies, it's mostly because I haven't played them in so long, I might need a refresher to actually come up with anything more than how I Ascended them and a bare-bones "why?" Sorry they don't have much in the ways of solid stories...

- The Aspirant: I decided he would Ascend through Forge, as one of the only Legacies that doesn't stumble his way into occultism, instead purposefully searching it out, it feels like this little wretch would be perfectly comfortable with a "might makes right" approach, and a justification for any sacrifices that might need to be made.

- Bright Young Thing: For me, the BYT's rich/lavish lifestyle felt right at home for falling prey to Grail. She already indulges her impulses, living life on a whim, so why not take it to an extreme? If life's already practically been handed to her on a silver platter, it felt only right that she'd eventually find comfort engaging in the stranger vices.

- The Physician: This one felt like they'd fit in pursuing a Lantern path. Someone scholarly, (I'd imagine) often involved the endings and beginnings of life, who couldn't help but record the ramblings of one of their final patients. Driven by curiosity's sake, and the tug of the call of "invisible lights," he'd explore and study and learn as much about this invisible new world as they could, taking it as far as they can.

- The Detective: My headcanon for the Detective isn't too exciting, but I think it's a little sweet. Personally, I'd like to believe it and its mundane/minor victory (Ambition's Tide) follow the actions of our (or at least my) boy Douglas (aka the Weary Detective). We're going to absolutely ignore that he is the first/default Hunter, one that you can technically even get as the Detective, if you produce any reputation cards. I like to place this after the first three Legacies and their corresponding Apostle runs. Imagining that the cults probably disbanded with their leader(s) in the Mansus and the Apostle(s) also having gone off and done their things (depending on the actions of the Cultist, the number of followers may have dwindled a bit too, due to sacrifices or "necessary casualties." So, because of all that, Douglas is essentially just finally able to nab a ne'er-do-well, and get the promotion/retirement he deserves. Maybe he finally has a chance to spend time with the spouse and kids (if he has any) ^-^

- The Apostles: I'm grouping these three together, because I haven't actually played them yet, so I don't know their stories, and because of that, I don't have anything to really expand on…

DLC Legacies:

- The Priest: Like the Apostles, I haven't played them either... All I've really got is that scars are associated with certain Aspects (Edge, Knock, and Winter) so... Transmasc Priest with two of his/their Lock-Scars being top surgery scars? Idk, it's really not much...

- The Exile: We'll get back to him once I finish playing the Exile Legacy and Book of Hours as the Executioner. It'll make sense, I promise! ;)

Now, these next two get special attention because I love them so much, for no good reason lmao. Firstly, I've decided these two are siblings (maybe twins? I like it thematically but also I think it'd maybe make more sense for the Dancer to be the older sibling? I'm not sure!) who were separated at a young age.

- The Dancer: She (Lyra, in my game, heh) is absolutely trans, in my mind! The themes of change and shedding your old form really has trans undertones to me, heh. In my mind, the Dancer has been running from her old self and life for years now. A trans youth, rejected by their parents, forced to eke out an existence as best they can, I could see it making sense that she finds her way towards dancing for clubs. Stuck in an unpleasant/unfulfilling life, she'd be intrigued by Sulochana's tempting offer of change. Follow along down the balance ending, falling into service of the Meniscate by being too balanced between change and eternity. (I still need to work on why she specifically goes down balance, rather than pure Moth or Heart...)

- The Medium: The Dancer's sister on the other hand, is Elise, the Painter, the Medium, and the Ghoul. Now, I know that "painter," isn't technically one of her titles, but with how the route ends, and the personal challenge I set for myself, I think it's fitting! (context: I went to the trouble of painting every masterpiece, and only ever summoned spirits by using paintings, since I thought it was cool if she painted these otherworldly beings into the world.) Now, Elise's motivation for falling into occult trappings is two fold: she wants to find her sibling and she's a disaster lesbian. Starting with the queerness first, I think the Medium is an absolutely silly, pathetic, wet cat lesbian. Her interactions with Miss Naenia, especially when sharing a joyful memory, just feels so very gay lol. And I think this does lead into her other reason, whether there's any truth to it when she says it, Miss Naenia promises she can, in a way, help the siblings reunite. The Medium remembers her sibling, but not well. She remembers their parents anger, driving her sibling to run away, but not why. She can barely remember their face, they were so young and the details blur... She wants to remember. To find them. It's an itch at the back of her mind, a want to not be herself alone. Unrelated to her motivation, but I think my Medium specifically was very prone to illness as a child. Sickly, and pale in the way of one who has not or chooses not to see the Sun, she was probably kept confined to her room for most of her childhood, meaning she wouldn't have known exactly what her parents were angry about, or why she can't remember whether she had a brother or sister. For occult stuffs, the Tower of Doves cult felt fitting, being dedicated to "what is lost and may yet return." Maybe the Medium hopes to paint her sibling back to her? I'd also like to imagine she avoids sending her strange and creepy women "who are silent" to murder anybody, (because I had that as another challenge, and) Elise/my Medium didn't feel like a malicious soul. She doesn't want to have to eat the dead unless she absolutely has to, and there are graveyards and ruin scraps for that. (I've got nothing for eating a Decrepitude or King Crucible though, vore I guess lol) By the end of the run she will wander the Mansus, remembering the forgotten Hours, and she will not end before her time. And perhaps, one day, she will find her sibling.

Now, I realize there's maybe some unintentional parallels to the Witch-and-the-Sister and the Sister-and-the-Witch. I didn't intend for the siblings to be one soul as two/two who are one, or anything like that, but I don't hate the idea either? (Also, very sorry if these aren't actually all that interesting, or if this clutters/takes away from actual posts more relevant to the game...)

[crazybutgood]

Jan and Feb ao3 reads

Combining these for the first two months as y'all helped me decide through the poll :) Here's the list, sorted by ships/character(s):

Parvati by @sleepstxtic (Parvati) (G, 634)

“Like you and appa?” you ask, propping yourself up on the kitchen counter and crossing your legs in anticipation. Your mother’s stories are always the best.

Found family by @tracingpatternswrites (Harry & Sirius, Sirius/Remus) (G, 3817)

Harry wants to get Sirius a Christmas gift, but what do you give a godfather that you don't even know? He asks Remus for help./Set during Order of the Phoenix, Christmas at Grimmauld Place.

Needs Must by @rockingrobin69 (Draco/Harry) (E, 2023)

Draco can't - bring himself to - hard and aching, on the floor by himself, dying with it. Luckily, Potter is inevitable.

Visions Of A Life by @corvuscrowned (Draco/Harry) (M, 3959, WIP)

Seven years after the war, Harry discovers a secret at the bottom of an old leather bag that once belonged to his godfather. As he pieces together a long-hidden history, he slowly unravels an elemental truth about both Sirius and himself.

and a spoonful of sugar by @corvuscrowned @amorsindolor @secretartlair (Draco/Harry) (G, 7675, Art)

Harry and Teddie's gender potions may be life-saving, but they taste absolutely terrible. And if finding a solution to this means that Harry can spend more time with a certain blond-haired potioneer… Well, that's nothing but a coincidence.

Wake Up by @kittycargo (Draco/Harry) (G, 695)

Draco won't let Harry sleep.

Like You a Latte by @peachpety @hogwartsfirebolt (Draco/Harry) (M, 1627, Instagram edits)

Harry Potter has mastered the skill of creating latte art. Or so he thinks until his muse and crush—Instagram influencer Draco Malfoy—shows up at the Weasley’s café./Or: the one where a cock brings them together.

(got my love to keep me) warm by @beyondtheclose (Draco/Harry) (T, 1160)

"Draco?" Harry whispers, padding quietly on socked feet into the living room. "Is that you?/Harry can just make out the outline of Draco turn towards them in the dark. He has his knees pulled up to his chest, arms wrapped tightly around them and is lit only by the faint glow of the dying fire./"Yeah,” Draco says just as softly. "It's me."/Draco braids Harry's hair.

Washes and Wishes by @danpuff-ao3 (Severus/Harry) (M, 300)

Harry and Severus take a bath.

I WANNA SEE SOME ARSE by @the-francakes (Theo/Harry) (E, 10577)

Harry Potter has a beautiful arse./Round and plump. Made of pure muscle and just enough fat that it'll probably give a lovely jiggle if you spank it. It’s like a peach that bounces with each step; a bruise would be both a shame and delight./Theo is sure he’s about to drown in the amount of drool in his mouth that he can’t swallow down fast enough. And he’s a good swallower. He’s been told that multiple times.“You and Potter will be rooming together,” Draco says, slapping the hotel key into Theo’s chest./Theo chokes on his spit. “What…fuck? Why!?”

This Could Be A Disaster by @the-francakes (Ron/Harry) (E, 8391)

The idea hit Harry like the Hogwarts Express: Quidditch Summer Camp. Hogwarts would open for one month during the Summer to students wishing to practice flying and Quidditch. It could either be the best idea he’d ever had or a complete disaster./Something Harry reminded himself as he leaned into Ron and caught the scent of his woodsy aftershave. He tried to ignore how Ron’s warmth lit his entire body on fire./“This is going to be the best Summer. Better than when you blew up your Aunt,” Ron grinned, hardly noticing a thing. Ron’s obliviousness was probably Harry’s only saving grace at this point./Harry’s heart flipped; this would most definitely be a disaster.

I like your skirt by @the-francakes (Ron/Harry) (E, 22443)

Harry looks up, shocked at first, then flushing and bashful. “Thanks.”/Ron nods and swallows. “Should I, um, would you like me to use different pronouns? Or a name?”/“No. Just Harry, still he and him.” he says with a smile, “ I just found this skirt in Sirius’ wardrobe and thought, well, I liked it.”/“I like it, too.”/“You said that already.” Harry smiles wryly, making Ron blush up to the tips of his ears. Yes, he did say that, but, well, he’s figuring out he might have always been a little attracted to Harry, he supposes, and this skirt is just proving it's more than just a little.

An Empathetic Response by @quietlemonhush (James/Regulus) (E, 2795)

There were more than two hundred of Britain’s wizarding elite gathered here, which meant it was a formal event, which meant Regulus was wearing dress robes, which meant of course James was horny. It was pathological.

stiletto knife by @broomsticks (fem!Lucius/James) (M, 200)

A little lamb is caught in a trap. frankenfests feb day 4: kinkuary's genderbend, shipuary's james/lucius, femslash fuckery's humiliation/degradation, febuwhump's knife to throat.

HP Kinkuary 2023 Collection: genderbend by @schmem14 (fem!Severus/Gilderoy) (E)

Severine Snape hates her face, her job, and her hideous body. Most of all, she hates the way bimbo dream boat Professor Lockhart makes her weak at the knees.

HP Kinkuary 2023 Collection: medical play by @schmem14 (Minerva/Poppy) (E)

As captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Minerva has many excuses to visit the hospital wing…

HP Kinkuary 2023 Collection: fabric play by @schmem14 (Pansy/Hermione) (E)

Princess Pansy decides to pamper her lady’s maid Hermione for the day… (Royalty AU)

Smile by @sunlightdaydream @a-loveunlaced (Fleur/Angelina) (M, 2986, Art)

The world can be a cruel place, even for those who once were truly confident and happy, but none of us is really lost, we just sometimes need a nudge in the right direction to love ourselves again.

Just Out Of Reach by daisymondays (Pansy/Ginny) (T, 2449)

Pansy Parkinson had always longed for the sky, but it is years before she is brave enough to take it.

Moonlight by @acnelli (Parvati/Lavender) (G 761)

It was a random morning after a nightshift, but the moonlight revealed something beautiful to Parvati.

the difference between (being fucked and being taken) by LumosLyra (Pansy/Percy) (E, 1692)

“You’re staring, Miss Parkinson,” he says, hand curling around the frame of the door that opens into the loo./She’s too tired and hot to deny it, no matter how she’ll have to see him Monday in the Wizengamot chambers. “What if I am, Councillor Weasley?”

Knot in the Job Description by @theresthesnitch (Kingsley/Percy, Sirius/Kingsley, Sirius/Kingsley/Percy) (E, 4121)

Minister of Magic Kingsley simply has to go to this meeting, even if he's going into a rut. Luckily his assistant Percy can multitask: taking his knot and attending the meeting.

HP Kinkuary 2023 Collection: size kink by @schmem14 (E) (Draco/Harry/Dennis, Draco/Harry)

Harry and Draco are on the hunt for the perfect tiny snack…

[beauzos]

Potentially odd question but seeing as you're back in your SOBR era and I've enjoyed what I've read of your works in the past, figured I'd ask;

How do you plan out a longer story? When I do get past executive disfunction and find the energy to write, I often find myself intimidated by the sheer scale that something like a novel would require, so I mostly stick to short stories and the like. What did your first steps look like when you started working on SOBR (or any other projects of similar length)?

Not an odd question at all! I appreciate being asked and I'm going to try really hard to be helpful.

I was, for a very long time, deeply intimidated by writing long-form fiction as well. I just genuinely believed I was not capable of committing to writing anything longer than a 10-15,000 word one-shot or short story. Up until 2022, the longest complete piece of fiction I ever wrote was about 20,000 words. I also hated it, but that's beside the point. The longest unfinished work I left behind was 42,000 words, and I'd never come close to repeating that length again since I wrote it back when I was 14.

I think part of working on longer form fiction is accepting it might not get finished, and then doing it anyway. Basically, hope for the best, expect the worst, because if you never try, it'll never get done in the first place. I didn't really set out to write a novel when I came up with Beau's story. Like, I wasn't thinking about length or what it'd be, I just tried to conceive of what story I could do with him and how it might take shape. I don't know if I even planned on writing it, I just wanted to know his story.

With SOBR, I consider myself incredibly lucky, because I simply had a start-to-finish storyline within a couple days of working on it. Sure, a lot of details weren't set and many things could change, but I had an idea for the beginning, middle, and end to some extent. But you don't need to immediately have all your ideas for it to work, to be clear. I do think that having some idea of the full story is pretty essential to success. A lot of details can change, but if you have the overarching ideas, I think that helps a lot. I know there's a lot of jokes and memes about writers having no idea what to do in the middle or being stuck on the ending, but those really can be story-killers to be honest.

I'm speaking very broadly, I'll try to get into what I think my process was in a second, but a couple last minute things: you don't need to have a start to finish idea immediately, like I said. Something I think is important about the process of developing story ideas aside from like. Just thinking about it a lot is talking about it with other people. I don't know if you're the same way, but I feel like talking to friends / others about ideas makes it easier for me to clarify these ideas and develop them. Whether that's because people can give you ideas, or ask questions, or think about things in a different way than you or just being able to sharpen your idea by having to explain it to somebody, I find this super helpful.

It's also helpful because, like, okay. I've said many times you really do have to write for yourself first because that's true. All of my writing is written with myself as the audience, weird or specific or whatever it may end up being. But that doesn't mean that positive feedback isn't valuable or important to me. It's a motivator to know there could be a few people out there who enjoy what I've done. It makes it easier for me to think about my work and to work on it. So part of it is having to get over the fear of sharing, or feeling awkward talking about new characters with people, because my experience overwhelmingly is that people want to hear about this stuff.

When it comes to working on developing the ideas and outlining, I will say the very obvious advice: WRITE EVERY SINGLE IDEA DOWN. Even if it's obvious, or you're 100% certain you'll remember. Still write it down. I have a private server on Discord where I save links and pictures and snippets of writing, and I throw every idea that comes my way in the SOBR channel for me to either implement into the chapter I'm writing or into the outline. I think making these ideas concrete by writing them down-- not necessarily as a commitment but as keeping it filed away to return to.

The ideas become much fuller when you take every idea you have seriously to some extent. I struggled to make an outline for SOBR 2 but because I was taking note of every idea, I was able to piece together at least a semi-presentable idea for the story flow? It makes things easier and gives you a jumping off point. The outline is the other important part, of course. I used to never outline things, but for long-form works, you have to. You just do. Because you'll forget, or you won't see the full picture, or whatever. Figure out how all these pieces will fit together, how that scene you pictured way down the line can be reached in a natural manner. I had to connect a bunch of scenes from late game SOBR to the beginning, and although the details of how, exactly, I got there changed, I knew generally what path to take.

Insofar as beginning a project of any kind, I think just doing it without feeling compelled to finish but wanting to helps. I wrote the first chapter of SOBR to test out the characters and get a feel for the world and how I wanted to approach the story and its conflict. But although I wanted to see the story through to its natural end, I just wanted to get something done first. A little step leads to a big step. It doesn't have to perfect, it just has to be done. And once you get started, I find it easy to keep going.

But you also have to accept the possibility you may fall out of interest or the rhythm for a while. I wrote the first 4 chapters, or 30,000 words, of SOBR over the course of February to May last year. And then I didn't touch the fucking thing for four months. I felt awful. I was so discouraged that I would leave my first solid original idea behind and not work on it, even though the next chapter I had to write was supposed to be "easy" to write. I just never did it because I didn't feel the vibe anymore. But I still liked Beau and the characters.

Circling back to what I said before, what motivated me to try again was talking to others about the idea. Namely, when I started talking to some of my new friends, like Clark / @/twothpaste for example, who became interested after I started discussing some of the late game details of the story, I felt motivated because I knew there were people who wanted to read the story or wanted to see how things could get so far. It's motivating when you hear other people care. It's why I've been so motivated to work on reader feedback and publishing this year; because my coworkers cared about reading it!

Similarly, I had friends reading along as I worked on it. Clark, my friend Maggie are the main two, but I had other friends test out the early chapters. It was nice seeing how people responded and if my writing was working as intended.

In conjunction with this, although I very rarely ever write out of order, I decided to approach SOBR from a new perspective; I still skipped writing the "easy" chapter when I got back to it in September. Instead, I started from act 3 with some chapters I knew I could write and explore. Although eventually I had to change many small details, I knew what I expected from this part of the story, and got back into the world from an interesting part. I kept going for a few chapters, and once I knew it was going to get too complicated, I moved back to finishing the story in chronological order.

You have to approach your work from outside the box sometimes to maintain momentum. It's easy to get discouraged when you get stuck, but you have to find another way to make it work. Take months long breaks. Try from another scene, another act. I hate to do it, but it got me to actually start writing the fucking thing again, so I know it works.

I know I'm going beyond the scope of your question, but I do feel like the process of the middle parts is also kind of important.

To get back towards what I was actually fucking asked, I guess I can boil down the process as thus:

Discuss the ideas with others / brainstorm / write everything down

Try to arrange ideas into outline / overarching plot

Test out writing initial chapters; potentially spirals into fully writing the piece

Accept you may fall in and out of motivation; accept you may not finish it at all, but do it anyways

Keep sharing with people!!!! Don't be embarrassed or afraid, people want to hear about it!!!

I don't know if this helps much. I fear a lot of what I said is obvious advice, but unfortunately, it's tried and true. It's just putting yourself out there, being willing to try even if you might fail to finish it. And just keep thinking. Not every idea will make it in, but every idea can make the story stronger.

Also, like, I'm not going to lie. Having autism actually really helped because I became so obsessed with SOBR in September I could do nothing but finish it, but I tried to give advice that people can actually follow, y'know KRKFN I'm motivated by whatever my special interest is, but it's possible to write without that! SOBR started well before it became my special interest. It just takes more energy and devotion. Anyone can do it, with or without obsession.

After all, it's such a fleeting thing too. My interests can change rapidly, which is also why I was scared of starting projects. What if I got bored halfway through and dropped the project? In fact, here's an example: when I got really into Ace Attorney this year, I plotted out a long-form fic that I began work on. I did my outline, wrote a few chapters, got around 12,000 words in, and then I got out of Ace Attorney and back into SOBR and that was that. I dropped the project, and yes, I think that's a shame, but I also accept that that's a possibility for any project.

But it won't stop me from working on the stories I want to write. I can't worry about if it'll get done. It doesn't get done if I don't try at all. I try to remind myself of that quite often. I won't always succeed, but I never will if I don't give it a shot. And hey, maybe some day I'll come back to it. But for now, no, I won't, and that's that. I have other things to work on anyway.

So... I hope this helps! Thank you for asking me, I appreciate you want my perspective on it!