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[peachsukii]

Imagining being a pro hero that's caught by the paparazzi one day after a rescue, demanding to know your relationship status cause sex sells and shit. Of course nothing pertaining to the main perk of your job as a hero - saving people.

"Y/H/N! Fans are dying to know if you're on the market or not!"

You roll your eyes while wiping your gloves off on your thighs, dirt and grime smearing on the material.

"I save lives and am on the clock 24/7. Do you think I have time for someone else right now?" You don't mean to come off snippy, but you're exhausted and sick of the media focusing on this bullshit and not the important part of your work.

The reporter keeps pressing until a few more approach you, barking similar questions and absurd suggestions about dating a hero instead of a citizen. You're trying to wave them off to catch up with the police and give them your report, struggling to get them off your tail when Bakugo sees your distress. He only knows you by proxy, working with you a handful of times and only exchanging words related to whatever rescue or fight you were tasked with.

He shouldn't intervene, but fuck it.

He walks up to you and casually drapes his arm over your shoulders. The close proximity to you makes his skin crawl, but not in a disgusting way, more of a...nervous way.

"What's the problem?" Bakugo shouts, glaring at all the reporters one at a time. "We got shit to handle."

"Are you two an item?!" a few of the reporters chirp, cameras rapidly flashing at the two of you.

Bakugo's not thinking when he responds nonchalantly. "Sure, whatever, now fuck off and let us do our jobs ya extras!"

He turns you around and shoves his middle finger in the air at the crowd behind him, shuffling the two of you out of their sight. He lets his arm fall from your shoulders.

"Uhh...thank you?" you say hesitantly, confused by his actions. "I appreciate it."

"S'nothin', those pricks are never satisfied. Good work today, Y/H/N. Saved my ass with your quick reaction to the buildin' collapsing."

"Of course, we gotta have each other's backs out there."

And that's it - your conversation is over and you two go your separate ways.

It's the next day that the press starts rolling out the headline, "Y/H/N and Dynamight revealed to have secret romance!" that is going to force the two of you to talk again. Bakugo's kicking himself in the ass over what he said to them, and his actual girlfriend is pissed as hell, too. Aside from the thousands of notifications from social media, emails and messages, one stands out to you while trying to sort this whole thing out.

(Unknown): Hey, it's Dynamight. Got your number from your agency. (Unknown): This shit is getting out of hand and we need to do damage control. (Unknown): Call me whenever you can, thanks.

What a pain in the ass, but at least he's willing to own up to the mistake and talk with you about it.

Little did you know it wasn't to correct the rumor's validity, but to perpetuate it.

[wileys-russo]

can you write smt for kyra with that photo of her with flowers as inspo?

airport flowers II k.cooney-cross

the plan was simple.

you'd told your girlfriend there was a last minute work emergency and you'd need to fly out to melbourne for the few days she was back in australia for national duty in perth.

but really you'd be landing the same day as kyras first match back in australia and would be going from the airport right to the game to surprise her. then you'd also not yet told her with some other tillies help you'd be taking the same flight home back to england with her, when she thought you'd need to be based back in australia for another month.

you'd not seen her in person for almost five weeks now due to your job and with the footballer normally the one to create surprises for you and organise cute little gestures, you decided it was your turn.

to kyras credit when you told her initially you'd be unable to make it to her games or see her while she was here she put on a brave face and as per usual was as supportive as could be.

you worked as the sole social media and marketing manager for a clothing brand started and ran by one of your childhood best friends, having been there on board to watch and help the brand grow since it was just a seemingly silly little idea floated on a drunken night out when you were teenagers.

with kyra starting her pro career off in australia in the a-leagues the two of you had met during her time playing for victory. you'd reached out to her agency about a potential sponsorship deal with the brand and met up with kyra and her team a few days later.

the young midfielder was quite smitten with you and nothing but charming as she'd asked you out for a coffee with the request you show her where the best could be found.

a few coffees and kisses later and you were very happily coupled up, much to your best friends teasings that you were using his company as a means of picking up girls.

then fast forward a little with kyras move over to sweden you split your time between there and back home, able to do the majority of your obligations and meetings remotely not having a 'base' you needed to be stationed at.

now with her setting down roots in england you split your time between there and australia. you now had a small team underneath you and it meant it was rare you were really needed in australia all too often.

like you said the plan was simple, but it seemed the universe had other ideas.

it started when your flight was delayed three and a half hours, leaving you with a very narrow gap to get from the airport to the game before kick off, not for warm ups like you'd planned.

sending kyras sister a message informing her of the above she assured kyra was still in the dark about everything and seemingly in good spirits for the game.

the next hurdle came when your bag never appeared on the luggage carousel, and after following it up with management it became apparent it was left on the tarmac back in sydney where you'd flown in from.

doing your very best to keep a cool head you were informed it would be sent with the next available flight and asked to wait around for that to land...in another four and a half hours.

your patience wafer thin at that point you'd organised for the airport to hold it overnight and you'd come collect it tomorrow morning, a quick check of the time confirming you'd be lucky to make it by the second half.

the third barrier came in the realization that you'd been logged out of your uber account and unable to remember the password you were tearing your hair out as with one wrong attempt too many your account was locked.

so with time fading fast and your mental stability unraveling even faster you hurried to the nearest atm and grabbed out a wad of cash, darting into the small gift shop and grabbing the very last bunch of flowers they had.

these were of course all unopened bar two or three flowers and looked more like weeds, but in your case beggars couldn't be choosers and hailing down a taxi you could finally breath knowing you'd finally left the prison that the airport was beginning to feel like.

watching the game on your phone as the taxi sped toward the stadium, the price growing higher and higher with every minute, you couldn't help but allow your chest to swell with pride seeing just how good your girlfriend was playing.

you hadn't even realised you'd arrived until the driver cleared his throat and you glanced up, the second half having just kicked off you could hear the cheers of the crowd as you opened your door, dropping a wad of notes into the drivers hand and sprinting toward the entrance.

you breathed a sigh of relief seeing kyras mum waiting for you with one of the security guards clearly explaining the situation as the man nodded, scanning your ticket as you were given a lanyard and ushered inside.

there was a cheer from kyras friends and family all of whom you'd met before as you finally arrived, all of you in the matildas family section right above the subs bench.

you gave a wave to charli who stood on the sideline as her eyes widened and a grin grew on her face and she eagerly waved back before turning her focus to the game.

her number called she was subbed in for ellie who tapped her hand as charli raced onto the pitch to screams and cheers. settling back in your seat you fended off the teasing remarks made your way for your very poorly timed arrival and the measly bunch of flowers in hand.

you wiggled into your cooney-cross jersey you'd had in your carry on, finally breathing properly and allowing yourself to wind down and enjoy the game going on.

the matildas were up 2-0 and with sam scoring a screamer from well outside the box and steph delivering a beautiful corner right to alanas head it ended 4-0 to australia with a thunderous roar from the crowd.

you waited patiently as kyra did her lap of the pitch, shaking your head furiously at her teammates who made gestures clearly asking if you wanted them to grab her for you, not wanting to ruin the surprise that the universe had done everything to try and spoil for you.

finally she started to head back towards the family and friends section with charli and remy hanging off either of her sides you waited by the barrier with a smile, both blondes seeing you well before kyra did.

"hey space cadet, can i get your autograph?" you called out, her head whipping around and jaw almost hitting the floor as she tripped over her own feet in her haste to get to you, making the girls around her roar with laughter as her cheeks flushed pink.

"what the fuck! i thought you were in..." kyra shook her head in disbelief as she reached you, your hands moving to cup her face as you shook your head. "surprise?" you grinned, a beaming smile of her own curling onto her lips as she tugged you into a hug.

"i love you." you mumbled into her shoulder, rubbing her back, the midfielder pressing a kiss to your cheek as she pulled away. "you played alright i guess." you sighed sarcastically, grabbing the flowers from your feet and handing them to her.

"yeah thanks!" the girl shoved your head as a small blush coated her cheeks and she spun around to pose for charli with her flowers. "but i didn't see you at half time?" your girlfriend asked, free hand interlocking with yours as she sweetly kissed your knuckles now causing you to blush.

"its a very long story babe."

[writingwithfolklore]

5 Ways to Set Yourself Up For Success as an Aspiring Author

While these things don’t guarantee your manuscript will be picked up or that you’ll sell more books (and aren’t necessary to achieve that!) here are five things that publishing houses look for in authors to help make the book as successful as it can be, and you can start working on now.

1. Get an agent

I can’t say this is true across every publishing house, but in my small publishing house that accepts submissions from both agented and non-agented writers, we move the agented writers to the top of the manuscript pile. This is because they already have a professional in the industry who has vouched for the work.

However!! Important to note that a bad agent can tank your chances as much as a good one can raise them. I had a coworker say about a particular agent, “if I was on the fence about a manuscript and saw (the agent) was representing it, I would move it to the pass pile.” The agent was in general difficult to work with and didn’t actually listen to what her writer wanted, demanding for the house to make poor marketing decisions for the book based on her own personal opinion on what looked good. Oh, and she had also worked in publishing for Penguin Random House for over a decade, so what previous experience they have in the publishing world isn’t all you should consider when reaching out to agents. You want people with lots of experience actually—y’know—agenting.

Check out their previous clients and how many they have! Yes, small agents with only a few years of experience can still be amazing—but make sure you do your research no matter how experienced they seem and see if you can’t do a background check. (The agent mentioned above ended up firing her author! I’m sure the author has tales to tell about her).

2. Come up with marketing ideas

Your publicist is going to do so, so much work for you. Seriously, we have some really awesome publicists who are kicking ass submitting to contests and putting on events and sending authors on tour—but they’re also managing several titles at once, so authors who can pull their own weight a bit when it comes to coming up with marketing ideas for their book are highly appreciated.

If you ever have any ideas on how to reach your specific audience, write them down and try to fill them out with as many details as possible (who is involved, where will it happen, how will it happen, how much funding it requires etc.) and share them with your publicist, the marketing team will thank you for it!

3. Form relationships with the industry!

This one is huge! One thing we actually ask of authors right off the bat is if they know any industry contacts such as booksellers, media contacts, or other professionals/authors. If you can, intern/volunteer/or work for a newspaper, magazine, book store, agency, or anything similar. Having a list of people who know and like you to reach out to for writing articles or otherwise supporting your release is going to help a lot with the promotion and selling of the book! People are much more likely to help out or feature the book of someone they know, rather than a stranger, so start collecting your contacts now.

4. Grow some sort of social media following

Definitely not essential, but seen as a boon for sure if writers already have a community that are likely to support their new release. If you can point to a group of people that already like you or are interested in your work, we’re going to see that as an asset! Especially for book launches—there’s no greater publisher’s fear than a tanking book launch, and it’s so much more likely to go well if you have a community of people you know will show up.

5. Trust your publishing house

You’d be surprised how many authors drag their heels and kick and scream when it comes to the marketing decisions our team makes. While yes, a cover you aren’t necessarily thrilled about, or author bio that sounds a little too self-aggrandizing can suck a bit, know that these decisions are coming from people who have decades of experience in the industry and know how to get your book into the hands of readers. If they think a certain cover, title, subtitle, bio, photo, layout, etc. etc. would be best for your book, trust them. They’re the pros.

I’m happy to answer any other questions you have about the publishing world!

[confessions-of-a-monster-freak]

To the root of the problem - Hanta Sero

Prompt: “You are one insult away from starting a war” WC: 5647

Synopsis: You have a weather manipulation quirk (Can control cloud formations and weather-related phenomena) and own a flower and plant shop. 

This is set after the end of the manga, Sero is 24 in this. 

This is the first of (probably) many prompt challenges of mine. This took me about three days of writing, so we'll see how long it takes for me to get through my little jar of prompts.

As always, notes and reblogs are appreciated <3 (I know people here don't like the like system cause it doesn't get it out there on people's feeds, but I don't care! I like knowing someone enjoyed or "bookmarked" My stuff!)

Warnings: Snarky jerks.

This was the third time this week that the plant display in the front of the shop had been vandalized, destroyed, or even knocked around. This was driving me nuts, I didn’t have the money for cameras, but I was contemplating it if I needed it for sure. At this point I was just contemplating sitting outside my shop for hours waiting to see who did it.

I was trying so hard to make the front of the shop look enticing to people, to get more business. Or even just have people come in and look around and remember that my shop existed. But this happening was really dampening my hopes. Several thoughts that competitors might be doing it to try and drive me out of the market had crossed my mind. I tried to keep those thoughts away. There had to be some good florists out there that weren’t cruel.

“I have no idea who's doing it,” I lamented to one of my workers, or better yet my only worker. This florist and plant shop was a dream come true, but now it was starting to turn into a nightmare. I originally wanted to be a hero, to help people. But the turbulence that came with my quirk made me rethink, to the point that I just wanted to see people smile. Leading me to open this shop. To see people smile when presented with a customized bouquet, or even a new plant of their own.

“I mean you could just call an agency and see if they’d help,” He suggested. Reaching up and putting a plant away.  We were taking the damaged plants from outside and trying to keep them out of reach. I held a poor aloe that had been shaken out of its pot. I'd just tried to salvage it but I had a feeling it wasn’t going to make it. If it did it was going to become the shop's “Luckiest Plant”, replacing the snake plant that had been set on fire due to a cigarette butt being thrown into it.

I thought about what he said, my sign had also been shattered. That was going to come out of my own pocket instead of the shop's budget. It was too much to weigh it against the shop as is. Even the orders for more flowers were going to cut it close. I thumbed over one of the aloe leaves. Feeling the cold smoothness of the exterior before my fingers traced over the spines.

“What pro would sit outside a floristry shop to see who's kicking my plants over?” I expressed eventually, rolling my eyes, setting the plant up on a shelf, and hoping it didn’t die. I sometimes hated that I didn’t have a plant-based quirk, especially since my grandpa had one. But what could I say? I got lucky with weather manipulation. If you could call having to think every emotion through luck.

“An extremely bored one” He countered and went into the back. Leading me to sigh as I took my place behind the counter. I didn’t have any orders today, if I were to have one I could maybe relax. They always seemed to help me calm down. I was hoping that my sour mood wouldn’t result in me drenching the back of the counter again. I’d once gotten so upset that I’d caused a storm inside the shop. That was a nightmare to manage. It caused the only other employee I had to quit and refuse to come back.

I sat behind the counter, writing down some potential arrangements for the next seasons of florals. I needed to get on top of these as well as get ahead of the game. It was difficult. Especially since the people I was competing with were people with plant-related quirks. Not weather manipulation. It made caring for the plants easier, that was definite. But it didn’t mean I could grow the amount of flowers or plants I needed instantly. I had to order from gardeners, and whilst they appreciated the old way of business, my pockets did not.

I heard the door open and waited. My face still looking at my notebook as I scribbled out one of the flowers. Poinsettias were so hard to style, but I wanted to try one that didn’t involve Christmas. I was thinking that something in late autumn would look good with a poinsettia in it, I just had to figure out the other flowers before I could test. Those fake florals really did come in handy.

Normally people would look around for a bit before approaching the counter. We rarely got new customers. I would regularly get doubted for my abilities, especially since I didn’t have plant manipulation or something similar. I still very much appreciated the regulars I had, they constantly praised me for my work and tried to keep it as regular as their salaries would allow. 

“Uh…Hey” I looked up at the voice, spotting a man awkwardly standing in front of me. He looked about my age and seemed strangely familiar. Like I had seen him somewhere before, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on where I knew him from.

“Can I help you?” I asked, waiting for a response but he seemed hesitant to say anything. I paused and shot a quick glance up, figuring my quirk had manifested again.  “Sorry,” I said as I noticed the cloud that was swirling. A subconscious habit was my quirk would tell my mood. Such as now the turbulent thunderstorm cloud was voicing my displeasure. “Subconscious habit” I added as an afterthought. He then seemed more comfortable speaking. I forced the cloud to change to a fluffy one to try and keep him from seeming discouraged about talking.

“I wanted to come in and apologize, I’ve been the one knocking over your display” He started and then stopped himself. Apparently, the cloud was back. I could now feel my hair moving. I was certain a small funnel had started to form. I tried to keep my face calm and even out my breathing. I did not need this to turn into a repeat of flooding the store. I felt it start to slow down and shrink and listened as he continued.

“For some reason every time I patrol here villains come the same way. I try to steer them away and they won’t budge. They run into it, I run into it. They’ve thrown some plants at me too” He explained, trying to speed up his explanation probably due to fear of the suddenness of my quirk. 

I felt it suddenly stop, “You’re a pro hero?” I inquired, feeling it start to disperse. Leave it to me to assume that it was someone just being spiteful, and hateful. I felt awful that I had made such a harsh assumption straight off the bat. As well as not hearing him out fully before my emotions got the better of me.

“Yes, Cellophane” He answered and stuck out his hand. “I came to apologize and offer to pay for the damages” He added, I shook his hand and then turned around to the shelf of plants that needed extra attention. The only ones I was concerned about were the Moth Orchids and the Aloe. I let out a hum, trying to remember if any other plants had been damaged. 

I paused, thinking about it. Before sitting back down and clicking on the prices for the damaged plants. “I thought about staying up late to see who was wrecking my front” I started with a laugh. “Rory back there said I should ask a pro to check it out” I continued, finishing the prices before showing him the total. Cellophane laughed, paying for the plants and setting his card back into his wallet. Cellophane was one of the few heroes I didn’t hear much about. I knew he was around, I’d seen him on the news a few times. But I had no idea that he was regularly in my area.

“I thought it was one of my competitors honestly” I voiced, standing up to move the damaged plants around so they wouldn’t be sold and could be monitored. If anything I was going to take them home to watch them. I stretched to grab the aloe before turning around and setting it on the counter.

“What makes you think your competitors would trash your store?” He inquired, tilting his head as I moved pots around. Setting them on the counter so I could move them to the back and have Rory take over front duty for a bit. I needed to set them under some UV light and monitor them whilst I was at the store today.

“I’m the only florist shop in this town that isn’t owned by someone with a plant-based quirk” I answered, looking up before snapping my fingers and the plants around the shop now getting their own personal rain cloud to be watered. I was going to do it manually since it’d be a slow day. But I decided to showcase my quirk for a bit.

“The other shops are owned and managed by people with plant-based quirks. They also don’t seem to like me that much” I added as an afterthought. I’d only ever met one of my competitors and that was by chance. They were very rude and judgmental. I never went back, even to that part of the city.

“Awesome” He commented, walking up to one of the plants and poking the cloud. Making me laugh a bit. Some people were fascinated with my quirk, others were wary. It could be difficult to control, especially for a young kid who would throw temper tantrums and cause a catastrophic thunderstorm as a result.

“Comes in handy, I can’t grow the plants without time, but I can care for them better than others” I admitted, stopping some of the clouds and flicking the light to give some UV to them. I knocked on the door to the back to catch Rory’s attention. Hearing shuffling as he opened the door and I shoved the plants into his arms. “Put these on my desk please,” I asked and he grumbled but relented. 

“Thank you for saying it was you. If you need flowers you know where to go” I said to Cellophane as he was observing some of the plants. He turned and offered me a smile, I then ducked into the back room to have Rory take point whilst I could take inventory of the plants we had and others I’d have to order.

As I sat down at the desk I reached over to the aloe, gently thumbing over its leaves. Letting out a heavy breath I settled into the desk. I’d yet to get a massive order for arrangements. Most of the orders I had that I got to do were from the elderly who wanted flowers for their significant others, or families who wanted gravesite flowers. I needed to change that. 

I started looking into up and coming festivals where I could potentially get out there. There were a few, but I’d need some more money to get a booth. I’d have to dig through my parent’s place for the tables and how to set it up. But it was possible. I was just hoping the regulars would come soon.

Days later I was outside of the shop, taking a small break to bask in the sun for a moment. The back room could get quite dark, with only the UV lamps and the small light bars I used for arrangements back there. The sun was welcome as I took in a breath and felt the weather shift around me. The clouds that had started to block the sun totally shifted away. I smiled, to think I’m capable of causing a hurricane, and yet can hardly control the subconscious effects of my quirk.

I walked back into the store and started to tend to the plants hanging off the walls of the shop. Some needed to be pruned, others needed watering. I was going to take my time today, slow it down, and keep my thoughts straight. Rory had called out due to a family emergency so it was just me. As much of a help as he was, Rory could be behind on things.

I started to snip at one of the snake plants, removing dead leaves, or ones that would compromise its growth. I heard the bell jingle signaling I had a customer. I turned over my shoulder with a “Hello!” shooting a quick look before going back to my pruning. Then I did a double take and turned around. Cellophane was back, I wasn’t expecting to see him back this soon, or even at all for that matter.

“Hey, I need some help making a bouquet” He started, approaching me again. “I am…Clueless as to what they like and figured you might be able to help” He said, tilting his head at what I was doing. “What are you doing to the plant?” He asked, picking up one of the pruned leaves.

“Pruning” I answered, “When a plant creates more leaves than it can handle, or uses too much energy, parts of it start to die. I’m getting rid of both dying leaves or leaves that shouldn't be growing yet because they are still too young” I answered, “And absolutely. I don’t have many flowers in stock at the moment, but I do have some” I tacked on at the end. Walking to the counter where I stored the shears in the drawer before pulling out my floral catalog. One of the few things I enjoyed doing other than arranging flowers, was making binders filled with things. I had one of the mock arrangements, one with seasonal arrangements, and of course, the catalog of flowers I had access to and could buy.

“First date?” I inquired, flipping through to the back where I had an in-stock index. It took more time to do a weekly index, but it was worth it. And now I could properly see how many flowers I actually had. I was correct in assuming I had a small supply, but it was still enough for a bouquet. If maybe just by a smidge.

“Not exactly, more as a gesture of wanting a date,” He said leaning over the counter as I flipped back to the actual catalog. “Any suggestions?” He asked, looking as I marked pages.

“Most florists would tell you roses, but I say they are just trying to scam you as those are the most expensive flowers” I started, “Personally I love gardenias and camellias. But for you, since it's a gesture,” I continued, ducking down again and pulling out an almanac I’d written out. There were many different flower symbols and I had to comb through them. I decided a hard copy would come in handy. I quickly flipped through to my romantic cheat sheet.

“Gardenias, calla lilies, hibiscus, and some ferns and aster” I stated and then looked up to find that in the book. Once I did I flipped through them and snuck a quick glance at my index. I had them in stock. I typically used them in some of my regular bouquets, so in my mind they were worth keeping on hand.

“I’ll trust your word, you are the florist after all” He laughed making me smile, I normally didn’t get much freedom with these things. I was excited to get to do this. Especially since it was a pro and I didn’t get much business at all. 

“Let me ring you up and I can go get that all fixed up if you don’t mind waiting?” I offered, sliding the binders away and grabbing a pen to write everything down on my hand. I barely kept paper around the store. It always ended up getting lost or even damp by some stray rain droplets from my clouds.

He nodded and I scribbled the flowers away onto my palm before I typed it into the register. “It might be a bit if someone else comes in. It’s just me today” I added as he paid and it went through. I put the binders away and tucked the pen into one of my pockets.

“I’ll make sure no one steals anything” He jested, laughing at the face I made. Quickly I ducked into the back of the shop to pull the flowers out. As I pulled the tubs out, I balanced them as best I could before setting them on my workstation. Then I flailed for a minute to find the bouquet paper and ties.  Once that happened I took a deep breath to focus on my quirk. If I tried hard enough I could adjust the temperature. It was hard, but I could do it if I focused enough.

I felt the back room heat up just slightly and pushed harder until it was more comfortable for me to work. It was really cold in the back of the store, especially due to the fridges that we had to keep the flowers fresh. It also was too expensive to run a heater back here for long periods. I wasn’t good with manipulating temperature all that much, but I could if I pushed myself hard enough.

I quickly pulled out flowers and gently woke them up with some stimulation. Laying them into the prepared paper and arranging them in the way I had in my head. Once I was sure they were set, I folded the paper over, grabbed some ribbon, and tied it the best I could into a bow. I wasn’t the best with fancy big bows, Rory was better than me at that, but it still looked pretty to me.

I grabbed the tubs of flowers and felt the temperature start to drop again as I lessened my focus on the temperature and more on not dropping my flowers. Once they were settled in the fridge again, I walked over to the table. Gently picking up the bouquet and walking out of the back to where I left Cellophane waiting.

“Here it is” I said and gently handed it over, watching his face morph into surprise at seeing it. He then properly grabbed it and tried to keep it from falling over. Or falling apart, but I made sure I tied it tight enough that it wouldn’t. At least I hoped it wouldn’t, but I knew I tied tightly, and had a good deal of trust in my skills.

“It looks…Amazing, holy cow,” He expressed, he had an awestruck look all over his face as he looked at the bouquet.  I smiled slightly at the expression. I still had a lot of growth to do with my arrangements. However, I had limited access to actual practice. Maybe I should advertise a course.

“I’m sure they’ll like it.” I insisted, “If this bouquet doesn’t get you two to start talking about a date, then I’ll try again” I jested, grinning as I picked my pruning shears up again. Once he left I’d start to prune again. Especially since it would be slow after this.

“Well then, I need to introduce myself properly if I’m going to be coming back here” He started, and again presented his hand to me. “Hanta Sero,” He said as I took his hand and shook it. I gave him my name, feeling that it was right to do so. As I pulled back my hand he took a look at the clock behind the counter before bidding me farewell.

After he left I got back to pruning, snipping away slowly through the shop’s plants. I kept running through if I should do that festival, and if any of the competitors would be there. I decided I’d ask for Rory’s opinion once he got back. Even if it was just a small booth I could still get myself out there. It wasn’t that large of a festival, but I was hopeful that I could maybe sell some of the propagated plants or even some small arrangements. 

The rest of the day went rather fast, I spent most of the day tending to the plants. Then the back half of it was creating an index of what I could bring to the festival. As well as how much I could make by getting myself out there. I’d need tables, tablecloths, and a sign for my shop. I was sure I could call upon some sort of crafting and creative energy to make one in a hurry if I needed to.

I did one last sweep of the shop as I stood at the door. Checking things off as I did. The UV lamps were set on their timer, and the back door was locked. The lights were off. All I needed to do now was lock the door and I’d be set for home. I opened the door and walked out, closing it behind me and locking up my store for the day.

I turned back around only to jump at the appearance of someone behind me. I took a step back but then realized it was Cellophane. In costume no less, he was clearly on patrol, or at least should be. Instead of being about keeping an eye on the streets in the early evening, he was standing outside of my store in full gear no less.

“Hi,” I laughed slightly, “Coming to make sure there are no plants to be thrown at you?” I teased lightly, earning a laugh from him. I didn’t realize how detailed his suit actually was, being this close made me question how flexible the material actually was. I wondered if it was sturdy enough to handle repeated ware if that was the case, that type of material would be good for my arranging table.

“Yes, and to do this” He jested slightly, then turned his tone more serious. Making me blink out of my thoughts as he brought out the bouquet he’d bought from me earlier. It was still in perfect condition. “I figured this would be a good bridge to friendship, and maybe a date” He grinned under his mask. He seemed a bit bashful at the notion but seemed pretty confident in his decision.

I took the bouquet from him and laughed softly, “Of course you’d go to the florist who you’re trying to impress” I laughed, holding onto the bouquet with a smile. Gently tucking it close to my body to keep it safe. “Well, you certainly have that bridge now. Drinks?” I offered, tilting my head. “Of course when you aren’t on patrol and when I’m not working” I added quickly considering he should be patrolling.

“Sounds good, number to contact you?” He inquired, I fumbled around for a second, trying to find a piece of paper and a pen before finding a pen and being presented with some tape. I raised a brow at that but wrote my number down and playfully stuck it on the side of his helmet. 

“That way you won’t lose it. See you around” I waved as I started to walk away, smiling as I now seemed to have a new friend. As well as probably a new customer.

The festival was finally here, I was buzzing with excitement as I set up with the help of Rory and Sero. Sero was insistent on helping me set up and at least be there to start the festival. Over the past week, we’d grown quite good friends. Sometimes meeting up for lunch, or drinks and dinner if he wasn’t working nights. It was nice to have him help too. His quirk helped greatly with hanging the sign and keeping my tablecloths on my tables.

“Is it wrong to not be nervous?” I asked aloud as I sat down on my chair. Grabbing my water bottle and taking a few sips. For once I didn’t feel anxious. I felt comfortable being out here in the booth, it could be that I was outside and not in a little shop.

“Yes,” Rory answered, dragging a cooler over. “But the good thing is you won’t accidentally zap me with lightning” He teased, glancing up at me as he dragged the cooler around. “I said I was sorry Nao!” I whined, using his actual name for once. I’d given him the nickname Rory because of his quirk. It was a pun really, he had a big cat quirk. One that gave him ears and a tail. But most importantly he could roar like one of those big cats. Hence the nickname “Rory”.

“That’s happened?” Sero asked with a slight laugh, he’d heard some of the horror stories that were associated with my quirk. He sat down next to me in Rory’s chair. Smiling at me before turning his attention to my employee. Setting his hand on top of mine. There hadn’t been an official title put to us. But I knew he had an intention of dating eventually. So for now, really good friends is what we call it.

“Yes, they’ve gotten so anxious that a thundercloud appeared and zapped me whilst I was walking near them. I didn’t even do anything!” He explained, leading to more laughter from Sero and me sighing. I knew he understood that it was an accident, but it was still slightly embarrassing that I didn’t have full conscious control of my quirk.

“Hey there aren't any clouds now, so you can’t say anything” I countered and he scoffed. His ears twitch as he settles the cooler around the back of the booth.  Standing back up straight as his tail flicked behind him. He crossed his arms and looked at me pointedly.

“Only because you’re making it to where there are no clouds” He argued back, taking a step back from the tent I rented. He was right on that part, it was supposed to be cloudy with little sun and a fair chance of rain today. However, I was determined to make this festival work today.

I gave up the fight and relaxed into my chair, we still had some time before the festival actually began. As well as the fact that Sero had some meetings to go to. He did promise he’d be back with lunch though. Resulting in some interesting conversation between all of us. Quirk-related or not, even some random stories from back in school before the people started to flood in, and Sero left.

Lunch was now upon us, and I was fixing my display. I’d actually been doing really well, people were interested in my arrangements, as well as my small aloe and snake plants that I’d been selling. I’d sold about half of my stock that I’d brought so far, and given out more business cards than I thought I would.

“I have to say, you were right, this was a good idea” Rory admitted, pulling out the crates of potted plants from under the table to help me restock. He’d been pessimistic about this turning out good, but so far we’d covered the rentals as well as the fee to be here in the first place, and we still had more money on top of that. I could actually buy more flowers now, or even some ads around town.

“I knew this would be good for us” I agreed, happily fixing my display and brushing some stray dirt off of the table. We hadn’t had any plants fall, or any pots break and I was now starting to be optimistic about selling out of my stock before the end of the festival, or getting close to it.

“So you sell plants” A voice called out from behind me, I turned to see a man in nice clothes. They weren’t out of place per se, but they were of a high quality. He looked to have some money, or at least appeared to have some money. Regardless he was still a potential customer.

“And floral items too. Though I don’t have many of those at the moment as those sold really fast” I answered with a smile, greeting the man. However, I did start to suspect something when I heard a low rumble of a growl from Rory. It was quiet, but there. Even if only I could hear it.

“Is there anything in particular you’d like?” I questioned, keeping in mind Rory’s growl. He normally didn’t have a reaction like that. But when he did it was his feline instincts telling him something was wrong. He’d yet to be wrong so far.

“I wanted to see what my competition was, apparently not much if you can’t grow your stock immediately,” He said, a small smirk on his face. So he was one of my competitors, he didn’t have to be snarky about it. I was starting to dislike this guy, I didn’t even know his name yet and I already had some disliking. What a way to introduce yourself.

“I can at least take care of my plants with individual attention” I retorted, trying to keep my temper even. The last thing I needed was to cause a scene. Especially since I was outdoors. I continued to add my stock to the table, Rory had his eyes locked on the guy behind me. His ears were perked backward and his tail was starting to lash.

“That’s because you don’t have a flowing business. If you had a good business you wouldn’t have just one employee” He continued, and I was starting to grow annoyed. He had insulted my quirk first, then my business, and now my employee who I considered a friend. He was really pushing my buttons here.

“You are one insult away from starting a war” I warned, I was doing my best to focus on my plants. The succulents needed to be over here, closer to the setting sun. I could put the ivy and the snake plants on the other side. Focus on the plants, ignore him, and keep your emotions calm.

“A war you’d lose” I turned on my heel at that, gripping an aloe plant pot tightly in my hand. I walked up to the guy. My hand started to shake from the force I held the pot. I was surprised I didn’t crack or shatter it immediately.

“You are patronizing” A step forward, he took a step back. He furrowed his brow at my sudden approach, but there was no way I was stopping until I had said my piece, or gotten him to back the hell off.

“Snarky” Another step forward, and he took another step back. At this point, he started to look genuinely afraid. I didn’t consider myself scary in any regard, but maybe it was the fact I didn’t stop approaching him that did it.

“Narcissist who can’t see anything other than his own ego” By this point we were outside of my tent. “Who thinks he is better than everyone because he has a quirk that can make him good money. Well, I actually like being a florist, I’m not in it for the money like you, you selfish jerk!” I continued on my rant before I felt a hand on my shoulder, pulling me back.

“Calm down” It was Sero, he’d come back with his lunch. “You’re forming funnel clouds” He added, gently squeezing my shoulder. I could see out of my peripheral vision that he had his attention locked on the guy in front of me. Almost protectively in a sense. I looked up, seeing that I had in fact started to form a thunderstorm. Lightning was crackling in the clouds above me, as well as it had started to rotate ever so slightly.  I took in a deep breath, before exhaling out slowly. The clouds turned from deep grey to white slowly, and the rotation stopped as well. Before finally the cloud had dissipated completely and the blue sky was left behind.

“The next time you insult my business or my employee. I won’t stop it” I warned, glaring at the man who had pissed me off in the first place. He stood shell-shocked outside of my tent, seemingly stunned at my quirk, or the fact I did it subconsciously. I walked away from Sero and back into my tent where I took in some more calming breaths. Trying to keep my emotions stable so I didn’t cause a meteorological anomaly.

Sero came back in and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “That was impressive” He expressed with a smile, making me shake my head before grabbing the bag he’d set on the table to get my lunch. “Seriously. You have a really amazing quirk” He complimented and rubbed my arm. “And that guy was just a jerk from the back half of what I heard” Rory scoffed at that, grabbing his own to-go box of food. “I have a much stronger word for him, but there are children present” He griped, opening the box and digging in. “I wish they would’ve let it form fully. I’d loved to have seen him running from a tornado, or even some lightning strikes” He added, making me laugh.

My business had increased almost tenfold after that incident, and I could finally see the man’s booth. Way further down than me, but now with limited customers compared to me. I was running out of stock even faster than I thought. Sero being there and handing out Cellophane autographs did help. But I felt pride in seeing the scowl on the man's face. I was finally on par with my competitors, and possibly. Just possibly, becoming a worthy competition to the other shops in the area.

[drewharrisonwriter]

Lifeline - Ch. 5: Out of the Frying Pan

Pairings: Dieter Bravo x Female Reader, referred to as “Honey” 

Series Summary: After basically being dropped and rejected by every PR agency in Hollywood for being such a huge liability, Dieter Bravo must work on resetting his public image in the most unexpected ways.

Author's Notes: I have been working on this fic on and off for the past year, and this story is a little personal to me. Yes, I am trauma dumping in some scenes lol but I also want to say that there will be so many unrealistic things about Hollywood, actors, and PR/Marketing agencies here, to which I apologize.

Warnings: Angst, a little drama, lots of flashbacks. More warnings to come as the story progresses.

Read this on AO3 | Series Masterlist | Main Masterlist

Dieter spent the rest of the weekend drifting through his spacious Sherman Oaks home, a place that now felt more like a cage than a sanctuary. The house was filled with the echoes of a life he was trying—and failing—to put back together. He wandered from room to room, aimlessly flipping through scripts he couldn’t focus on and scrolling through social media feeds that only deepened his sense of isolation. The events and appearances were starting to feel like a routine, but the moments in between were unbearable. Dieter’s thoughts kept circling back to the gala, replaying every second of Honey’s smile and Phil’s hand on her back.

He tried distracting himself with old habits, but every familiar vice felt hollow. By Saturday afternoon, Dieter was staring at his phone, debating whether to call someone—anyone—to break the monotony. But he knew Mitch would hear about it, and he wasn’t in the mood for another lecture. So he settled on the one thing that still gave him some sense of purpose: art.

Dieter had always been drawn to art, sketching, and painting whenever he needed an outlet. It was something he rarely showed others, the way he kept his love of music so close to himself, it’s a space within his own space where he could express all the things he couldn’t say or sing out loud. 

When he saw a post about the weekend art class at the community center where he spent creating Mother’s Day cards with the kids a few weeks ago, he grabbed his keys without a second thought, convincing himself it was just boredom. It wasn’t like he had anywhere else to go, and teaching kids art sounded like a better use of his time than staring at his empty walls, waiting for the hallucinogens to kick in and change him. 

When he arrived, the room was already set up with easels, watercolor palettes, and brushes laid out neatly on the tables. The instructor, a kind-faced woman named Maria, welcomed him with a smile, thrilled to have an extra set of hands. The kids were buzzing with excitement, chattering about the different techniques they wanted to try. Dieter slipped into the familiar rhythm easily, helping mix colors and showing a few kids how to blend their washes for soft, dreamy skies.

“You’re really good at this,” Maria remarked, watching as Dieter demonstrated a simple wet-on-wet technique to a group of wide-eyed kids.

Dieter shrugged, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Thanks. I used to do this a lot… it’s been a while.”

He found himself losing track of time, immersed in the act of creating something beautiful out of nothing. The kids painted flowers, sunsets, and abstract swirls, each one pouring their imagination onto the paper. Dieter worked alongside them, his brush moving instinctively as he let the watercolor flow. Without really thinking, he began to paint a silhouette—a figure standing alone, surrounded by warm, soft colors that bled into each other like a hazy memory.

As he painted, the figure began to take shape: a woman, standing at the edge of a field, her back turned as if she were walking away. The scene was familiar, almost painfully so. Dieter’s brush moved more deliberately now, adding delicate touches of light and shadow. He painted her hair catching the sunlight, the faint outline of a red dress that bled into the sky. It was Honey, captured in the soft, dreamlike hues of his memory.

When he finished, Dieter stepped back, staring at the painting in silence. It was both the best thing he’d ever made and the most bittersweet to look at. The image of Honey standing alone, forever just out of reach, hit him like a punch to the gut. He hadn’t meant to paint her, but there she was—etched in every stroke, every wash of color, every suppressed feeling he couldn’t let go of.

He took the painting home, propping it up against the wall in his living room. Dieter stared at it for hours, unable to tear his eyes away. It felt like he was staring at all the things he’d lost, every mistake he’d made, and every moment he wished he could take back. He wanted to call Honey, to tell her what he’d made, but what was the point? She had her life, and he was stuck in the wreckage of his own.

As the hours passed, Dieter’s resolve crumbled. He ordered a few lines of coke, the old familiar sting of rebellion luring him in. He told himself it was fine—he wasn’t allowed to go anywhere anyway. He was on house arrest, in a sense, and no one would know. He washed it down with whiskey, drinking until the edges of his memories blurred and the painting became just another part of the wall.

By Sunday night, Dieter was sprawled on his couch, staring blankly at the ceiling, his mind a fog of regret and numbness. He didn’t want to think about Honey, about Phil, or about the mess he’d made of his life. He just wanted to forget, even if it was just for a little while.

–

Dieter woke to the sound of frantic whispers, a dull, persistent buzzing that cut through the fog of his hangover. He blinked against the harsh light streaming through the windows, his head pounding with the familiar aftermath of too much booze and bad decisions. Slowly, the room came into focus—the mess of empty bottles, the painting of Honey still leaning against the wall, and, standing right above him, Mitch and Honey, their faces tight with a mix of anger, fear, and something Dieter couldn’t quite place.

“What the hell, Dieter?” Mitch’s voice was sharp, laced with panic in a way Dieter hadn’t heard before. “What were you thinking?”

Dieter struggled to sit up, his vision swimming. He ran a hand over his face, trying to piece together the night before. “What are you doing here?” he mumbled, his words slurred.

Mitch’s expression darkened, his eyes flashing with a combination of anger and concern. “Your assistant called me. He found you like this, passed out with bottles everywhere. He thought you’d overdosed, Dieter! He thought you were dead!”

The words hit like a slap, jolting Dieter into a clearer awareness of the mess around him. He looked to Honey, hoping for some sign of understanding, but her face was pale, her eyes glassy with restrained emotion. She stood a step back from Mitch, her arms crossed tightly, as if trying to hold herself together. There was no judgment in her gaze, only a deep, haunting sadness.

Dieter’s stomach churned as he tried to stand, the reality of their presence sinking in. “I wasn’t—Jesus, I wasn’t trying to do anything. I just… I just had a couple of drinks.”

Mitch’s voice rose, a mix of frustration and desperation. “A couple of drinks? Look around, Dieter! It looks like you went on a bender. Do you even realize what this looks like? Do you understand how close we were to calling the damn paramedics?”

Dieter’s temper flared, his defenses kicking in. “It’s my house, Mitch. My fucking house! What do you expect me to do? I’m not allowed to go anywhere, can’t see anyone, can’t do anything. I’m stuck here like a damn prisoner, and now you’re pissed because I had a drink in my own home?”

Honey finally stepped forward, her voice soft but trembling with urgency. “Dieter, this isn’t just about the drinking. It’s about what happens when you let yourself spiral. We’ve seen this before—we’ve seen you push yourself to the edge, and every time, it gets harder to pull you back.”

Dieter looked at her, his chest tightening. The last time he’d overdosed, it had been on the set of Cliff Beasts 6, and it was Anika who’d brought him back. The memory of waking up in a haze, surrounded by horrified faces, was a wound that never fully healed. But this—this was different. This was just a weekend alone, a moment of weakness, not a full-on catastrophe. At least, that’s what he told himself.

“And how would you know about pulling me back?” he challenged, his voice dripping with bitterness. “You weren’t there!”

Her voice wavered, the vulnerability breaking through her professional facade. Honey’s eyes were wet, but she blinked back the tears, refusing to let them fall in front of him. She had watched Dieter unravel from afar, powerless to intervene, haunted by every glimpse of the man she once knew losing himself in the public eye. It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion, knowing you couldn't stop it, feeling every impact from a distance.

Mitch stood there, absorbing the tension between them, and something clicked in the back of his mind. He had known Honey was deeply invested in restarting Dieter’s public image—it was why she was the best at what she did—but the way she spoke, the emotion in her voice, suggested something more. 

There was a history between them, buried beneath years of separation and, what seemingly, to him, sounds like, regrets. Mitch had always assumed Honey’s dedication was purely professional, that she does the same for each client she handles which is why came highly recommended, and maybe she does– but now, watching the two of them, he couldn’t ignore the sense that he was missing a crucial piece of their story.

He cleared his throat, his voice softer but edged with curiosity. “I didn’t know you two... I didn’t realize you’d known each other that long.” Mitch hesitated, his instincts telling him there was more to this than either of them had let on. 

Honey shot him a brief, guarded glance, her professional mask slipping back into place, but it was too late. The crack was there, and Mitch had seen it. She opened her mouth as if to say something, then closed it again, unwilling to expose the depth of her past with Dieter. It wasn’t something she could explain in a room full of raw nerves and simmering resentments. It was years of connection, of love, of hurt, and everything they never resolved.

Dieter noticed Mitch’s confusion, his own expression hardening as he pushed back. “It doesn’t matter how long we’ve known each other,” Dieter said, his voice strained. “None of that matters anymore.” But the crack in his voice told another story, one of a man who couldn’t quite let go of what once was.

Dieter stared at her, anger and shame roiling inside him. He wanted to push back, to scream that he was fine, that they were overreacting, but the truth was lodged in his throat like a jagged stone. They weren’t just mad; they were terrified. Honey’s eyes were glistening with unshed tears, and Dieter could see the pain in every line of her face.

Mitch pressed his palms to his forehead, his voice breaking. “Do you think I want to get a call that you’re dead, Dieter? Do you think I want to be the one to have to tell the world that you’re gone because you couldn’t keep yourself together for one weekend? We’re not just fighting for your career; we’re fighting for you. And you keep throwing it in our faces.”

Dieter clenched his fists, feeling cornered, ganged up on, the walls closing in around him. “I didn’t ask for any of this! You think I’m happy here? Alone in this big-ass house with nothing but ghosts? What do you expect me to do, huh? I’m not allowed to fuck up because everyone’s waiting for me to fail. I’m just a goddamn headline waiting to happen.”

Honey stepped back, her composure finally cracking. She wiped at her eyes, her voice trembling. “Dieter, we’re not your enemies. We’re not here to control you. We just… we just don’t want to lose you. Not like this.”

Dieter’s anger peaked, his voice ragged as he lashed out. “Well, maybe you should stop trying to save someone who doesn’t want to be saved. I didn’t ask for this intervention. I didn’t ask for any of you to play babysitter. I’m not a fucking child, and I don’t need you hovering over me, waiting for me to mess up. I can handle my own damn life.”

The room fell into a strained silence, the air thick with tension and hurt. Mitch shook his head, his frustration palpable but tempered by a deep, unspoken worry. He grabbed his jacket, his voice low but firm. “You’re right, Dieter. You are handling your life. But if you keep this up, there won’t be much left to handle.”

Honey lingered for a moment longer, her eyes locked on Dieter’s, filled with a sorrow that went beyond professional disappointment. She wanted to reach out, to pull him back from the edge he was so determined to stand on, but she knew she couldn’t be the one to save him. Not anymore.

“Just… please, Dieter,” Honey said softly, her voice breaking. “Take care of yourself. If not for you, then for the people who still care.”

Dieter watched them go, his heart heavy with the weight of their words. As the door closed behind Mitch and Honey, the silence returned, cold and suffocating. Dieter stared at the painting of Honey on the wall, its colors vivid and haunting, a reminder of the life he kept pushing away. He sank back onto the couch, burying his face in his hands, the reality of his choices crashing down on him.

He was alone again, trapped in a cycle of his own making, and for the first time, Dieter wasn’t sure how to break free.

Next Chapter | Series Masterlist | Main Masterlist

[thenightfolknetwork]

I am in an awkward position. It had started when my parents had arranged my marriage as part of a contract. I learnt of this about six months ago when on the morning of my thirtieth birthday, I opened the front door to head to my parent’s for a family lunch, only to run into the wedding parties.

Now, I understand arranged marriages still happen, and it can be ‘healthy’ when those involve have agency. Though in my case there are some factors. For starters, no one had told me, which I think would have been needed when I had first gotten married five years back (widowed now). Two, it seemed my parents had arranged this as they had gotten certain… payments, which did explain certain things. And thirdly, they had arranged more than one marriage for me.

So it was a bit awkward going to my parents place with my son and my nine (9) new partners, especially with even them having not been informed that I had been ‘promised’ to others. And to add insult to injury, the ‘contracts’ don’t exclude multiple marriages which I was told my parents had suggested on some guise or other, when really just so they get more ‘dowry’. Which ironically had to then go into buying a new residence as my then current flat couldn’t accommodate *Deep breath* Highlands Minotaur, Mediterranean Sharkmer, Siberian Orc Chief, Oni warrior, American Wereboar, Vampiric Lord, Djinn Librarian, Cerberi Guard (though they have three heads and different personalities, they say are one), The Prince of the Arslani Giants, Bringer of the Sun and Vanquisher of the Old One nonamehere (He insisted I include his full title), and two sapios (me and my son).

My partners(?) were at least understanding helping send the marriage documents to a family solicitor. Unfortunately, the marriages can’t be annulled for some time due to a variety of intrinsic rituals, oaths to unknowable entities, and vague languages making them legally air tight. Because it seemed despite not being aware of the other, each contract effectively patches potential loopholes in another. And I doubt anyone here wants me to try and kick off the apocalypse since that is one of the few methods which can null all contracts. Still have to sort out guardianship for my son, as I’m sure you can guess my parents are no longer an option.

Now, this isn’t the thing I need advice with, though if you have any suggestions for a good gift I wouldn’t say no, as I’m sure this paradoxical Gordian Knot will haunt my lawyer’s nightmare for the remainder of her days.

Nor did I send this simply to vent, I have been doing that with my friends and cousins. Although, I assume you wouldn’t try to joke saying ‘At least you don’t have to worry about the dating market”, or offer me a book for my toddler called “Daddy, Papa, Pops, Pater, Dada, Baba, Papi, Bo, Chichi, Missieri, and Me”.

I am more asking for advice on… well, is it appropriate that I really like them.

I mean, sure the move and circumstances weren’t ideal. And it’s not easy for ten adults and one kid in the same home with everyone having different sleep schedules, dietary restrictions, physical requirements and cultural clashes. I still have mornings where I wake up and think there’s an earthquake happening before my sleep deprived brain remembers the size of certain partners who decide to go for morning jogs. Or that I have to triple check food in the fridges as blood sausages safe for me to eat are different to those that others eat and vice versa. Or how most electronics are sequestered to an office room due to their thaumaturgically reactions.

But these minor annoyances don’t really stay on mind when having long talks at night, discussing things like who’ll be doing pick up from daycare tomorrow. How we’ll be complaining to each other about rubbish coworkers and the council changing trash pick up days whilst preparing dinner. The headed debates on origins of certain feasts and whose pack fought whose coven. Even the relaxed silence when not commenting on the sudden disappearance of a Neo-Nazi who showed up in town a few days ago and how there seemed to be suddenly more blood and offal based foods in the fridges.

We have gotten to… i guess dating, a bit weird since we are married, and even gotten rather intimate (I will not elaborate). But still, I worry if I am leading them on considering the circumstances and how we had been looking to get the marriages annulled, or that most had basically upended their own lives to move here so I’m not sure if right to just kick them out. Not to mention my son, since they have been good with him over the past months and I worry about the loss of a support system.

It’s just… I worry a bit that I am just overthinking this all. Am I?

(Sorry so long, just realised

Goodness me, reader. You certainly have a lot on your plate! I'm very glad to hear that you're sharing your feelings with friends and venting to them as necessary. Everyone involved seems to be handling the situation about as well as can be expected. Apart from your parents, of course, who sound, if you don't mind my saying, like a pair of quite astonishingly inconsiderate grifters.

I don't think you're overthinking things, either. This would be a tricky enough situation even if there were not a child at the centre of it. As it is, I think it only right that you should want to consider your options before embarking on a course of action that could disrupt your son's happiness and well-being.

That said, I am struggling to see the real downsides here. You say you've already started dating your partners, and shared some intimate time with them. They sound a kind and caring bunch, who respect you and your son. And you all seem to be enjoying life together.

If I am reading your letter correctly, it sounds as if the biggest problem here is overcoming societal norms and expectations around what a family “should” look like. Yes, you are all already married. Yes, you are trying to annul those marriages. But that is only a matter of paperwork and technicality.

The relationships you have with each of your partners, and which they have with each other and with your son, are not binary states to be decided based on whether or not a contract somewhere says you are bound to one another. They are living, growing, organic connections between real, complicated people, and need to be treated as such.

The circumstances that brought you all together are certainly… unusual. But what does that signify, as long as you are enjoying the relationships you're developing together? Similarly, there's no reason you can't at once want to get your marriages annulled, and want to keep living together and exploring what life together might look like.

Ultimately, this isn't an issue that can be solved by worrying about it. You need to talk to your partners and hear their feelings on the issue. But please, don't be constrained by old-fashioned, ill-fitting ideas of how you “ought” to behave. There is no reason you can't have your cake (annulment) and eat it (sleep with all 9 of your heroic demi-god partners at once)

[For more creaturely advice, check out Monstrous Agonies on your podcast platform of choice, or visit monstrousproductions.org for more info]

[jamietarttsnorthernattitude]

for the sprint challenge, trying to pick some fun random words! how about any of peanut, saxophone, kitty cat, or doorknob.

Oh these are creative ones! Thank you!

I didn't have peanut so I did a sprint with false confidence and added 232 words with it:

“Should’ve never shown the team that video,” Roy said.

“You're right. But that’s my fault too.”

Roy raised an eyebrow at him, “how the fuck do you see that?”

“I was stuck in my head that week. More stuck than that time my hand got stuck in the peanut butter jar. You ever got your hand stuck in one of those? It’s all sticky so you think you’d get unstuck but then you’re just stuck stuck. Shoot, I’ve said stuck too much now, you ever done that? Said a word too much now it lost all its meaning? Stuuuuuuuuuck. Stu-”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Ted. Get it together before I stick my head through a fucking wall.”

saxophone I also did not have, so I sprinted with Dear Leslie and added it (and wrote 378 new words):

“Okay, well let me use a different example then. Did you know before I played the bass I played saxophone?” Higgins asked.  “No, I wish I could play a saxophone. Or bass. Or anything really,” Keeley said.  “Turns out I could not play saxophone either. I was bad. Tremendously bad. But I played until my saxophone was run over by a car.” “Shit, Higgins, did you leave it in the drive, or it fell off a bus or something?” “No, my father threw it into the street and repeatedly ran it over with his car.”

(kitty) cat from that star in the sky who watches over you:

“You’re a 20-year-old professional footballer, so why do you look like someone kicked your cat?” “I don’t,” Jamie tries to defend, looking away from her.  Georgie gently grabs his face and forces him to look at her. She’s struck by how old he looks suddenly. Twenty years old and carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. She stares into his eyes, and that’s when she notices. Georgie can’t believe she didn’t notice it before, see it clearly, but she’d been caught up in the day.  “Jamie, why are you wearing concealer?” “What?” he says, pulling his face from her hand and taking a step back. “I’m not. That’s for fucking women.” “Women and people who are trying to hide bruises,” Georgie said, and she reached for her son again.

This fic is one I need to dive into edit mode with so it's not really sprintable. But I did sprint an AU I’m working on and added 148 words, here is a small snippet from the chapter I added to.

“Another problem,” Higgins said, grimacing. “We can cover these new additions for now but–”

“But we’re going to run out of money for next season.”

“Exactly. We haven’t been selling out even half of the tickets. Half the marketing department left with Rupert or should have never been hired to begin with.”

“So we need a new marketing agency,” Rebecca smiled. “Let me take care of that.”

I did have doorknob in old habits die screaming:

“Jamie, open the door,” Willis tried again.

He started picking up various rocks and potted plants, searching for a hidden key but couldn’t find one, even tried the doorknob in case Jamie hadn’t locked the door.

“Just go, Coach, please.”

The pleading tone made it clear how desperate he was for Beard to leave, but it only increased Beard’s need to get inside, or to at least lay eyes on Jamie and see for himself he was okay.

“Jamie, I’m not leaving until you open the door.”

And I added 355 words via sprint!

Beard sighed to himself. It was interesting now being in London, coaching without Ted. He had been an extension of Ted for so long, he hadn’t bothered making his own relationships with the team. Maybe he should have. Maybe he wouldn’t be sitting at Jamie’s bedside right now.

Ted always said be curious not judgemental. That was them, Ted was curious, Beard was judgemental. Ted had his own tragedy in his life, but Beard hadn’t had the luxury of being curious, so he was judgemental. It helped save his life in prison.

You can’t be curious in prison.

But he wasn’t in prison any longer.

[thebardisabird]

I have had this stuck in my head ever since you sent it, Anonym.  Honestly I think Osomatsu might be perfect for this, so I hope you’re okay with me using him for  this scenario. Osomatsu x A VERY stressed out GN!Reader, under the cut!

To say you felt like you were on top of the world was an understatement. Sitting in your new position as Director of Digital Marketing for the Akatsuka PR firm, you would never worry about your finances again. Your agency handled names as big as Shoei and even Nyaa Hashimoto, amongst countless other idols, influencers, and musical groups. Everything was seamless - with the new job came a new house, a new car, everything new and expensive with you ever having to worry about the price tag. Your fiancé of several years, Osomatsu, constantly exclaimed how proud he was - thought you laughed at how he too was enjoying the many perks that came with your extraordinary jump in wealth. There were parties thrown in your honor; innumerable gifts given to in celebration of your status, you honestly don’t think you’d partied the way you had that week than you ever have in your life. Unfortunately for you, that was just the thing. The business that you had worked your way up in over the years became exactly that when you were at the top - constant partying. The dinners, the late night receptions that would turn into 8 am meetings, the ridiculous amount of PR cleanups that you oversaw caused by the newer, younger generation of talent. It was a continuous effort that gave you no peace. There was no off switch for you, as you were in a ceaseless loop of making sure every line was correctly in its places, and then being dressed up and schmoozing amongst the other high-on-the-totem-pole staff when things were correct. Osomatsu was by your side through all of it, but he sensed something was wrong. He confirmed it when he had gone to the bar inside the CEO’s yacht to grab you both glasses of wine, only to come back and watch you looking over the edge of the deck, your expression reading utter exhaustion. This week in particular had been hell. The news had leaked of Nyaa Hashimoto’s retirement and a surprise pregnancy - none of which you had been informed of until after the alarmed phone calls started coming in. It took a personal call from you to clear the air with her and find out what the truth was. While you understood her plight, and obliged with her wishes to retire and lead her life as a normal woman, you knew the CEO would be furious. Nyaa Hashimoto was one of your biggest clients; the responsibility of handling the press, picking up the pieces of her fanbase that the leaked information had caused, and dealing with sponsor backlash all fell on you and your team. After your final call for the day had been made, you slammed the phone down and put your head in your hands. “I’m home!” called Osomatsu from the front door. He set down the keys to the Huracán, kicking his shoes off in the process, “The guys wanted me to meet them at the race track, hope it was okay that I put us in the skybox”. He grinned at that, knowing you wouldn’t really care, but it tickled him to know that such a luxury was within his reach these days. When you didn’t answer him, his fingers curled into a fist. Something was definitely wrong. Without hesitance, he ran to your office. The door swung open, flittering a few loose pieces of paper forward. The eldest brother took in the scene of your office with horror: awards shattered to the ground, old photos torn to shreds, there were shards of glass and metals sprinkled throughout the entirety of the room. At the center of it all was you, your head in your arms, sobbing silently to yourself. In careful steps, Osomatsu approached you, “Babe…are…are you okay? Baby, what happened?” At the sound of his voice, your tear stained face lifted. Bloodshot eyes with your hair strewn about as if you had laid that way for hours was what met his eyes. Immediately you fell into the arms of your fiancé, wailing about how this had simply become too much - because it had. You poured from an incessantly empty cup, never feeling truly fulfilled with any of the work you were doing because it did not serve you. The monetary gain was fleeting - you had everything you could want or need except the thing you required most: peace. “I don’t want to do this anymore, Oso,” your choked, teary voice sounded against his chest, “I want to go back to everything being simple…I want to live in a one story house and have neighbors who have like three dogs and I want to have a backyard with a tree where I can raise beeeeeeees” and you began another round of sobbing once more. You heard Osomatsu sigh. It made you cry harder initially because you knew that leaving this lap of luxury meant taking away all of his fun. He’d supported you when you were nobody in the company, it felt so wrong to strip him of the things you both never had for your selfish reasons. To your surprise however, he would pull from you gently, raising your chin up to look at him. His thumbs brushed underneath your eyes, swiping away the fresh tears there. “I dunno anything about bees…but if that’s what you wanna do, then let’s do it.” he said, a sympathetic smile at the forefront. Your trembling hand laid on top of his own, “But..b-but what about all of this? This is everything you’ve ever wanted in life, Osomatsu…” He leaned forward, his lips pressing ever so gently to your own. Time stood still in that moment, and your tears would start to shift in their meaning from here, “This life means nothing to me if you’re not happy. I love money, don’t get me wrong,” you didn’t miss the teasing lilt in his tone, but it quickly faded, “But I don’t think I have to tell you that I love you more than that, do I?” He took the next round of bawling as a sign that you completely understood. The next few weeks he would spend with you planning your leaving the company, choosing instead to take on a role as a consultant for lower-end talent managers, a job that allowed you your freedom at home since the time was made for you and not the other way around. Your penthouse was packed up, swapped out for a one-level home with a sizable backyard and a few friendly neighbors next door. When you finally finished sliding in the last panel, you wiped your forehead. Just behind you came the sound of feet crunching on grass. “How does it look?” your fiancé asked. You turned to see Osomatsu donning a full bee suit, beaming from beneath the veil. It brought the same smile to your own face, “Now we match!”

[andmaybegayer]

Last Monday of the Week 2023-11-27

Snow

Listening: Someone on IRC linked me to 3Blue1Brown's Hallelujah Parody about the vicissitudes of apparent patterns in sequences.

Reading: You Want My Password or a Dead Patient:, a paper about information security and the lack thereof in medical contexts. Paper linked here, but I first heard about it in this Choast.

A very good deep dive into the extremes of classic reasons why information security is bypassed: it's just much more important that you have access to resources Right Now in a hospital context than it is that they are secure against hacker, most of the time.

Hospitals process a lot of private information, so they are often beholden to the security standards imposed by regulations agencies. If you've engaged with mandatory security regulations you'll know a lot of them are, uh, bad?

(Famously if you want to meet US FIPS Government Standards you cannot use the Good Elliptic Curve ed25519 and instead you have to use a different, less well secured curve.)

Anyway what this means is that you have a significant conflict between the very high stakes and fast paced world of hospital medicine, and a system that wants you to log back in every time you step away from the x-ray machine.

Watching: Nothing.

Playing: As you may know if you're following me, I started Dark Souls this week. I am having a great time in Dark Souls! It's a lot of fun. I am still where I was yesterday, having just beaten the Belltower Gargoyles.

There are definitely notes that I have. It is for sure a 12 year old game. Some of the opacity is definitely intentional difficulty, like requiring you to just feel out the parry timing, but I it probably wouldn't make the game any easier if it had reliable indicators of when you're in position to backstab or riposte someone and it would make parrying much more fun. I like parrying but so often you parry someone and then just hit them normally instead of going for the cool finisher riposte.

Making: Like ten minutes ago I reopened Cinnabar and Calcite and did a little hardware swap, moving a new network card into Calcite and Calcite's old network card into Cinnabar. Everyone is settled back in. Wifi card upgrades are not really essential but it is nice to have wifi on a desktop even if you don't use it because a) someday you will and b) it's free bluetooth.

Also: Wrote some very bad bash to use my motherboard RGB as a tally light for recording these Dark Souls clips, since I've lost a few clips to hitting the wrong record button a few times.

Tools and Equipment: Original Tuesdayposter @girlfriendsofthegalaxy had a video on marinara sauce this last Tuesday and I was inspired to try some tomato pasta bakes. I usually make Mornay sauce based pasta bakes because it's what my parents usually made, but you gotta try a really spicy tomato pasta bake.

I got some habaneros and jalapenos from the farmers market and made a big pot of spicy tomato tuna bake and especially with the weather being How It Is that was great, I'm making a mushroom one sometime soon it kicked ass. That recipe was loosely based on this one, although I put in a bunch of extra vegetables.

[mrzeecon]

Breaking Ad: A Marketing World Inspired by Breaking Bad

Ever since I first heard Walter White's iconic line, "Say my name," I’ve been captivated by the idea of a series that brings the same intensity and drama to the world of marketing. Breaking Bad is a show about power, deception, and the thin line between good and evil—elements that aren’t too far removed from the competitive, high-stakes world of a marketing agency. This contemplation sparked the concept for Breaking Ad, a spin-off series that reimagines the characters and conflicts of Breaking Bad within the cutthroat landscape of modern advertising.

The Characters

Walt "The Strategist" White A brilliant, once-overlooked strategist at a small-time marketing agency, Walt White realizes his untapped potential when he starts developing groundbreaking marketing campaigns that take the agency to new heights. His descent into the darker side of marketing begins when he decides to use underhanded tactics to outmaneuver competitors, secure high-profile clients, and climb the corporate ladder.

Jesse "The Creative" Pinkman Jesse is a young, talented but troubled creative director. Initially, he's just a freelance designer with no formal training, but his raw talent catches Walt's eye. Walt sees potential in Jesse and takes him under his wing, teaching him the ins and outs of strategic thinking while exploiting his creativity to produce groundbreaking ads. Their partnership is as volatile as it is successful, with Jesse constantly torn between following Walt's morally questionable path and staying true to his creative integrity.

Skyler "The Finance Manager" White Skyler is Walt’s wife and the agency’s finance manager. Initially unaware of Walt’s increasingly dubious tactics, she eventually gets pulled into the financial machinations behind his schemes. As the agency grows, so does her involvement, shifting from a simple bookkeeper to an accomplice, cooking the books to hide the more illicit side of Walt's strategies.

Hank "The Brand Protector" Schrader Hank, Skyler's brother-in-law, is the agency’s head of brand protection and compliance. He’s dedicated to maintaining the firm’s reputation and sniffing out any unethical behavior. Unaware that his biggest adversary is his own brother-in-law, Hank’s pursuit of a mole in the agency leads to tension and high-stakes drama. His relentless dedication to integrity sets him on a collision course with Walt’s ambition.

Saul "The PR Guru" Goodman Saul is the agency’s charismatic PR consultant, known for his colorful personality and his “whatever it takes” attitude. He’s the go-to guy for crisis management and knows how to spin any story to the agency’s advantage. His willingness to bend the truth and his knack for finding loopholes make him an invaluable asset to Walt’s increasingly risky endeavors.

Gus "The Competition" Fring Gus Fring runs a rival marketing agency with a reputation for ruthless efficiency and a keen eye for detail. Behind his polished, calm exterior lies a cutthroat competitor who will stop at nothing to dominate the market. He recognizes Walt’s potential early on and attempts to recruit him, but when Walt refuses, Gus becomes a formidable adversary. Their rivalry escalates into a full-blown war, with each trying to outmaneuver the other through ingenious campaigns and corporate espionage.

Mike "The Fixer" Ehrmantraut Mike is the agency’s fixer and head of security, a former private investigator with a knack for solving problems discreetly. He’s the one who cleans up the messes, whether it’s dealing with disgruntled clients or making evidence disappear. His loyalty to Gus puts him at odds with Walt, and he finds himself caught between two powerful forces, trying to maintain his own code of ethics in a world that’s losing its moral compass.

The Plot

Season 1: The Rise of Walt White The series kicks off with Walt White as a frustrated strategist who feels undervalued at a mediocre agency. After a health scare that makes him rethink his career and financial situation, Walt decides to take bold risks, using unorthodox methods to land a major client. His tactics work, and the agency starts to thrive, but Walt's success comes at a price. As he pulls Jesse into his schemes and begins pushing ethical boundaries, tensions within the agency rise.

Season 2: Power Plays and Deception With the agency's reputation growing, Walt becomes more ambitious and starts targeting Gus Fring’s firm, using every trick in the book to outdo his rival. Skyler becomes more involved in hiding the agency's unethical practices, while Hank grows suspicious of internal leaks and starts investigating. Jesse, caught between loyalty to Walt and his moral dilemmas, begins to crack under the pressure.

Season 3: The Breaking Point The power struggle between Walt and Gus reaches a fever pitch, resulting in sabotage, espionage, and a corporate takeover bid that threatens to destroy both firms. Saul’s PR skills are put to the ultimate test as scandals emerge, and Mike finds himself caught in the middle, trying to protect the agency’s secrets while staying true to his own principles. The season culminates in a dramatic face-off, with alliances shattered and the agency’s future hanging in the balance.

Themes and Appeal

Breaking Ad explores themes of ambition, morality, and the cost of success, much like its predecessor. It’s a thrilling drama that highlights the cutthroat nature of the marketing world, where creativity meets corruption, and ethical lines are blurred. The show is a commentary on the lengths people will go to achieve power and success, and the personal and professional costs of living on the edge.

With its dynamic characters, intense drama, and a unique setting that blends creativity with corporate strategy, Breaking Ad promises to be a gripping series that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, questioning the ethics of modern marketing and the true cost of ambition.

[penandswords]

Headcanon / Endeavor Agency

(These are just Generic Headcanons I have, witH no specific endeavors / canon muses in mind)

(I am trying to create SOME flexibility with these, so that creative freedom between me and muses it may affect can exist.)

Rima started at Endeavors agency at 16 AS A student intern. - How or WHY she got there ad adjustable. (I want to open the door for other dynamics with her and other muses who work there) - By the TIME canon Storyline kicks off she's already been there for 4 YEARS. - She was switched to Marketing and Design when she graduated from UA

In ALL instances, Rima will give that agency 110% - Gives it her all, Will learn and pick up what skills she can in order to be more efficient. - She has a LOT of appreciation for Endeavor and the Sidekicks / Heroes / Co-workers who WORK there. And GIVING it her ALL is how she shows it.

She is LIVING on her own in all verses. (NO parents cus she told on her family) - HOw involved other muses get in her life is adjustable. (because I dont' want to limit people and want creative freedom to build our own thing ;) ) - IN most VERSES she has her own apartment. -In most verses it's very CLOSE to Endeavors agency.

She has told Endeavor about her family. (To Some degree) - The amount of details he knows is flexible. - She is to worried about said family causing problems later and isn't the type to let him be blind sided by them.

She is attending college Part Time. - Her major is Business AND Minor is Phycology. - She will also take on classes that help her with Agency work. Especially if SOMEONE asks her to learn a specific skill / subject.

She arrived at His Agency ON her BIRTHDAY (July 31st ;) )

SHE keeps TRACK of major events / life changes happening in the office. - She even has a bulletin board with a calendar that marks birthdays / graduations / any possible life event a co-worker could have is ON that board. (She's not gonna let these people forget to be humans. NO Sir.) (She makes banners too. or orders them lunch on said BIRTHDAY / EVENT. - AND no ENDEAVOR isn't excluded from this.

[leejeann]

I finally started watching Bungo Stray Dogs (after attempting to start like 4 times by watching the first ep then not going back lol) and 7 episodes I still can NOT get a read on the vibe of this show lmao

Off the top of my head: *inhale* Orphan kid was kicked out of the orphanage and told to die in a ditch. He's also running from a tiger? No wait, he IS the tiger?? and also shares a VA with Ryuji from Persona 5 (idk the voice just fits so well I had to mention it lol). This other dude wants to kill himself. He's silly as hell about it. They all have super powers! No wait one of them only thinks he has powers and everyone just rolls with it. This other dude's power makes a digital landscape around him which is kind of neat. He also has a sister and I will not elaborate. They're all really skilled and clever. A very capable detective agency! They're also all so dumb (affectionate). A bomb is going to explode and kill people if they can't find it. The outro music starts playing over that reveal and hilariously dilutes the tension. They save a woman from drowning in a warehouse but a bunch of guys die in a gas chamber. Some of the detectives tease one of the others for having a crush on the woman. She commits suicide by cop. There's a mafia that wants to kidnap and sell one of the main characters on the black market. One of the detectives used to work for the mafia. He is relentlessly shipped with one of the other mafia members (I assume), who I've seen SO much fan content of I could recognize him instantly despite not even getting to his introduction yet. I swear I've seen people talk about how heavy or complex some of the characters are. The second popular tag when I typed "bungo-" in the tags on this post was "bungo gay dogs."

I'm just here for the ride at this point. I've seen clips from later seasons and yet somehow feel like I still no nothing of where the plot goes. So far this show seems so silly and so dark all at once lol

[remastered-feedback]

A Little Less Conversation, A Little More Action: Don't Delay Player Agency

(You can also read this post on my blog/personal site!)

Recently I've been picking games I play not just because they seem like they'll be fun, but also as something to mine for ideas and inspiration. I've been teaching myself Godot, and while I'm a ways off from making any game that's ready for a market release, I'm approaching them more from the perspective I've always approached music with as a musician; not just a work in a medium that I enjoy, but as something to analyze for ideas and inspiration for my own work.

Consequently, I've been playing a lot of older, retro games, as well as a lot of handheld GBA games and indie games. Part of this is for their charm, but part of it is also because those are much closer to what I can accomplish singlehandedly; where modern AAA hits like Baldur's Gate 3 and Elden Ring notch thousands of dev team credits, older NES/SNES games, as well as GBA games and indie titles, rarely have staffs above 50, and typically cap out just past 100 at their absolute largest. Those AAA hits are great games, but if I want something I can use as a reasonable estimation of the targets I can hit solo, they're not where to look.

Two of the games that I've been playing on this old-school kick are two highly touted JRPGs: Golden Sun for the GBA, and Chrono Trigger for the SNES. While both are very good and I'm enjoying both, there's a contrast that's hard not to notice, and it's one where Chrono Trigger is a clear winner. (Yes, I know comparing any JRPG to Chrono Trigger is totally unfair. I'm not using this to take shots at Golden Sun, I'm just using it to explain my point. Again, I'm enjoying both, please do not be unfair to Golden Sun and read "Chrono Trigger did it better" as "This is a bad game" because "Chrono Trigger did it better" applies to 90% of the genre!)

In Chrono Trigger, you almost immediately gain control of Crono. You are somewhat on-rails, the game is clearly directing you to the fairgrounds, but you have the control to decide where you go. Want to run off to the forest before you even know the game's mechanics? You can do that! Even once you go to the fairgrounds, you have control over what you do, where, and when. That's good! Giving the player immediate control is a good thing! Letting them immediately be in control of the player character, and immediately having a say over what happens, gives the player instant agency and engagement. You're not sitting and waiting for the game to start, the game has begun the moment you hit "New game."

Golden Sun, on the other hand, is extremely on-rails for the start of the game. Your home town is flooding, and every time you try to head in a different direction, your previously open pathway is immediately blocked by a falling rock. There's one way for you to go, and all other options are walled off. Even once the flood is over, you're still going down a linear path with no real say in what happens, because there are multiple conversations you need to have, multiple encounters and confrontations you're required to engage with no matter what, and while this is understandable for the very start, it's this way for well over 45 minutes. You're approaching an hour into the game before you can make any kind of meaningful decision, and that kills so much of the draw of RPGs. Story is a staple of the genre, but if I feel like I'm not actually getting any say in the story, I don't feel like I'm playing an RPG. I feel like I'm watching a TV show. And while I like TV shows, that's not what I play a video game to experience.

This isn't to say you can't have a tutorial or an opening cutscene to draw players in, but the sooner the player is making the decisions, the better. People play video games to experience something interactive, whether it's something story-heavy like a visual novel or something gameplay-intensive like a puzzle game. If you're giving the player a full 30-60 minute saga they have to sit and watch before they can make any choices, you've done it wrong. It doesn't need to be any big choice either; "Do you want to fight the combat cat bot or try to hit the bell at the faire?" is enough. "Do you want to go recover Harry's shoes or not?" is enough. "Do you want to check the Mind Flayer nursery for any clues or press onward?" is enough. It's not about immediately being in a position to change the world, it's about having agency and control as soon as possible. Being the active participant driving the events, not just a passive passenger.

You don't have to send the player into immediately engaging with life-or-death without any preparation or preamble. That would be almost as dangerous as giving them a feature film before they get to make any decisions. But as soon as you've established the basic fundamentals, get them engaged and making decisions. The sooner the player has agency and is able to make decisions, no matter how small they may be, the better for both your game and their experience.

[gemininc]

⋆  ﹏     🪐 ,      WELCOME BACK, GEMINI    ...    LOADING PROFILE …

    ꜛ 𓂃       ❛      ★ ˖ ﹙  GEMINI INCORPORATED  ﹚  𝄒      ...        is a fictional talent conglomerate, and home of two of the most successful idol companies in the industry; APRICUS CULTURE and SOLARIA GARDENS. the gemini empire began with JEONG KARIN & KANG SEONHEE, two former members of the first gen girl group, INOIR. karin and seonhee saw massive success as part of inoir until fans of the group speculated that karin would be releasing a solo project. the noise eventually drew the attention of their agency, 777 ENTERTAINMENT, who released a statement almost immediately stating, "although our artists are very talented, we, as well as miss jeong, do not see a solo career in the near future as inoir 's success is our top priority." the statement caused a rift between karin and the other members who soon began to distance themselves from the group's leader. a year later, the youngest of the group, seonhee announced she would be making her acting debut. much like the group's first solo scandal, the fans and members divided into sides.

eventually, 777 entertainment decided to kick seonhee from the group for what they alleged to be a "breach of contract". out of loyalty, karin announced her departure from inoir, criticizing her agency for the length of their "unethical and evil" contract. although both karin and seonhee carried on with successful solo careers after their departure, it was no secret that the two continued to be as close as they were marketed to be within the group. their closeness fueled rumors of a collaboration in 1999 only further stoked when both women were spotted with WILLIAM KIM, the head of HKC CONGLOMERATE's pr and entertainment teams. in 2000, both artists made a public announcement confirming the creation of their own media label, GEMINI INC. with the mission of "creating an ethical and safe environment for talent development". for two years, gemini remained focused on its talent scouting and training programs, however, this soon begged the question: where will these trainees go once they've completed training?

in early 2003, jeong karin announced the opening of her own subsidiary of gemini, APRICUS CULTURE. the initial success of apricus was only cemented by the label’s association with gemini's spreading reputation of being a company focused on developing quality talent rather than squeaky-clean "boringly talentless" celebrities. the company is known for its transparent, often uncensored idols and its emphasis on star power. as of the writing of this bio, apricus is the larger of the two sister companies with five sub-labels, eight active soloists, seventeen active groups, and several models, actors, and television personalities being represented by their management firm.

the success of apricus put the industry on its head with many netizens left wondering where kang seonhee fit into this narrative, especially as rumors of a romance grew between herself and william kim. in 2007 however, after the second gen girl group, psyche, was kicked from their company due to a scandal, the five members were spotted with william and seonhee. speculations swirled concerning a possible gemini expansion were confirmed by seonhee herself a few months later with the start of her own talent agency, SOLARIA GARDENS. operating as a subsidiary company, much like apricus, solaria is known for its storytelling focus and close-knit group of idols. solaria is the smaller of the two sister companies with five sub-labels, three active soloists, and nine active groups.

in 2014, gemini created their japanese label UKIYO SOUNDS, headed by ROWENA MUIRA. it has since become more of an international label, having a hand in managing tours and global reception.

✶ ۫    ACCOUNT  SETTINGS ,     the statistics ❪ changes unsaved ❫

## TYPE — private

## FOUNDED — june 01, 2000 ; 22 years ago

## FOUNDERS — jeong karin & kang seonhee

## HEADQUARTERS — hannam-dong, yongsan-gu, seoul, south korea

## AREAS SERVED — international

✶ ۫    CLOSE FRIENDS  LIST ,      the subsidiaries ❪ changes unsaved ❫

## APRICUS CULTURE — established in 2003, apricus is gemini inc.'s largest subsidiary focused on idol development and representation within south korea and the united states. the company is headed by jeong karin.

## SOLARIA GARDENS — established in 2007, solaria is gemini inc.'s second largest subsidiary focused on intricate storytelling development and representation within south korea. the company is headed by kang seonhee.

## UKIYO SOUNDS — established in 2014, ukiyo is gemini inc.'s smallest subsidiary focused on international touring and reception while also debuting and managing the company's japanese ventures. the company is headed by rowena muira.

✶ ۫    FOLLOWERS  LIST ,      the staff roster ❪ changes unsaved ❫

## JEONG KARIN — co-founder, ceo, head of apricus culture

## KANG SEONHEE — co-founder, ceo, head of solaria gardens

## ORA VELASCO — chief operating officer

## MASON WINTERS — chief financial officer

## JOHANNA YEUN KIM — chairwoman

## WILLIAM KIM — head of pr, head of entviss

## ROWENA MUIRA — head of ukiyo sounds

## TRENTON WON — head of music production

## CLÁUDIA VALENTE — creative director

## SCARLETT MONROE — head of social media operations

## YEO JOOEUN — apricus training manager

## JEONG DABIN — solaria training manager

[puckgoss]

not tea but tbh i don’t want the yotes to go to SLC. i don’t follow them but i think they just need help in az and moving them to another stadium not ready for hockey won’t help. also i wonder about the cultural impacts of that….marketing hockey to mormons? no hate to mormons but i don’t think that would make hockey more welcoming 🫠

yeaaahhh i mean i think hockey belongs in the desert and i'd love the yotes to stay there but... the NHLPA has been kicking up a huge fuss about the state of the arena, the locker rooms, the lack of professionalism the players have to deal with... if they get another arena built it's not going to be for 5+ years, and that was just too long for the NHL & NHLPA to wait. i can't say i disagree with that.

however, alex meruelo is an idiot and a con artist and is one of a long line of incompetent coyotes owners... like he wasn't even paying their hotel bills this szn until all the hotels banded together and forced him to pay w a check up front... he's been spending as little money on this franchise as possible, lying to his staff and players and the fans, and is now getting a huge pay day out if it... it's sick (derogatory)

it's rly sad bc hockey has clearly been successful there at a grassroots level - one of the best active players is from there (matthews), and the fans are clearly passionate as they've stuck with the team through decades of incompetence and bullshit. the nhl and the owners they trusted to take care of this franchise really fucked up and it's really sad to watch this go down.

in terms of SLC - i'm skeptical but i think it can work. yes there's a lot of mormons there ofc but it is genuinely a growing tech hub. i know of more than a few people in my circles who have moved there recently bc they can work for a local tech company/work remote/have access to big city amenities/have access to nature - skiing, mountain biking, hiking, etc.

this ryan smith dude seems like a bit of a weirdo. in general i don't trust wealthy culty tech bros (elon musk, anyone?) but he has a track record of purchasing and investing in a pro sports franchise (although purportedly the team hasn't been good underneath him - their STH base is strong). they are going to start off playing in an arena built for basketball, but they have a proper NHL-worthy arena on the way - with full local & state backing from both public and private sectors. they are already 10 steps ahead of arizona with regards to that, and that was one of the most important pieces to the NHLPA.

i do wonder how this is gonna work considering the strict alcohol and gambling laws in utah. sports betting is literally illegal there lol. i think one of the reasons vegas has done so well (besides the team just winning right off the bat, etc) is bc vegas has a party/entertainment culture... and when done right, the NHL is perfect for that. genuinely one of my fave things to do is go watch my local team, drink some beers, and soak in the atmosphere in the crowd. it's so fun. will require some major buy in from the growing corporate/tech crowd in SLC but as i said lots of younger people are moving there from other places so. we'll see how it goes.

they are getting a team with a ton of great young players and prospects (i do think some of the older players will request trades) and the owner seems willing to spend money and make a splash in free agency. if they get it right i think it can go really well.

i feel so, so bad for yotes fans who have lived through this long rebuild and are now having to watch their young players & prospects they were so excited for, grow and develop for a different city. it really sucks.