#No... He wouldn't say that... Please stick to the script

[mud-fm]

*swiping right*

but it's me on character.ai

[darlingbabyboo]

I've been thinking for a while about a particular one shot request and I read it last night on another fandom, so now I kinda wanna see it with TR.

So here it is : How would some of the guys react to us doodling on their hand during some boring class? (Mikey, Draken, Takemichi, Mitsuya, Haitani brothers and the Kawata twins)

Sorry if it's too much! It doesn't have to be anything big, just a small reaction would be more than perfect, since I love your writing so much. 🥹

Baby, What Are You Doing...

Summary: the guys react to you doodling on their arms

Notes: some small blurbs about the guys. These vary in length and I was lowkey running out of ideas while I was writing but I tried my best to stay original! Also, not edited bcs I don't got time for that, you see a mistake, no you didn't <333

Mikey is kinda out there so he probably wouldn't even notice you were writing on his hand, but when he does he eats that shit up. He's lazy so he doesn't like going to get tats but he loves some ink. He will praise you and start requesting things like you're a professional artist. 'Please babe, I want a dorayaki on my forearm.' You bite your lip to hide your blossoming smile, 'you know I'm not a professional artist, right?' Your boyfriend shrugs and smacks a kiss to your cheek, 'you are to me babe!'

Draken notices right away what you're doing and is probably a bit confused at first. Like, do you want him to get another tattoo??? He'll do it hun, just ask. You two are relaxing in his bed, just enjoying each other's presence. He's surprised when you pull out a Sharpie and start doodling your name on his arm. 'Honey, what're you doing?' You give a sheepish grin, 'sorry, is it a problem.' He looks at the doodle, and you start to relax when you spot no disgust in his eyes. 'No problem hun,' he turns to you, 'think I should get this my next visit?' You squeal and wrap your arms around his neck as he looks at the doodle in wonder, more love sprouting in his heart.

Takemichi is a loser (affectionate) and he would never get a tattoo because he can't stand that pain, so he will take take that doodle and he will hold it with pride. 'Sweetie, I love it so much!' He wraps his arms around your waist and you can feel his smile against your stomach. You giggle at his wonder at some shitty stick figures along his arms. 'It's really no big deal' You say, running your hands through his hair, 'you don't need to be so happy.' He shakes his head, 'it is a big deal,' He insists, 'I've never seen anything better!'

Mitsuya my love, my heart, my will to live. He will be gassing up so much that you'll probably start believing that you're the best artist in the world. He's just such a supportive cutie pie <3 'Darling, this is one of the greatest things I've ever seen,' You laugh at the amazement in his eyes as you scribble your name in mock script on his arms. It's barley legible, but Takashi doesn't seem to care, 'you sure about that?' The smile doesn't drop from his face as he looks at you with hearts in his eyes, 'I think it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.'

I'm sorry but Smiley is probably the biggest asshole when he catches you doing this. He loves it, I promise, but he's a jerk 100% of the time, it's hard for him to turn it off. He raises an eyebrow when he sees you uncap your sharpie and start to draw something on his hand. 'What the fuck is that supposed to be?' He mutters. You laugh awkwardly at his harsh tone and drop your Sharpie, 'sorry, I just saw some cute videos about people putting their initials on their boyfriends wrists and I thought-it's stupid sorry-I don't know why I did that.' You duck your head down, burying your face into his chest, feeling that your body's on fire. Smiley looks at the half-finished doodle on his wrist. 'Don't stop baby, shit's pretty cute.' He presses a kiss to the crown of your head, 'I might get it tatted up.'

Angry is so flustered when he sees you doing this and he loves it so much okay. He feels like wearing it is a testament of how strong your love is. He will ask you (nervously) to do it every day because he doesn't want it to fade. 'Oh my gosh! Souya, you scared me, what're you doing there?' He stands awkwardly in the corner of your room, playing with the ends of his sleeves. 'Sorry... I didn't want to scare you... I just...' He pulls up his sleeve and he sees the fading bunny on his arm. 'I don't wanna bother you, I just-' 'Don't worry baby, I get it.' You cut him off, cupping his cheek and placing a kiss on his cheek. You pull him towards the bed and tell him to wait, 'I just need to get my Sharpies!'

Ran won't notice I'm sorry. He sleeps most of the day and he already has so much ink that some doodles won't pop out to him too much. It's only until he notices you doodling on a piece of paper one day and compares it to what's all over his arms that he starts tweakin'. 'Angel have you been inkin' me up?' He raises an eyebrow at you, confused. You hide your smile, 'of course not, I have no idea what you're talking about.' He narrows his eyes, '...okay.' Not completely believing you, but too sleepy to question things. 'Wanna take a nap?' You feel the Sharpie in your pocket and bite the inside of your cheeks, 'I'd love to!'

Rindou will eat that shit up, oh my gosh he loves it so much. He's like the extreme version of Angry and Mikey. He wants it obvious, and he wants it bold. 'C'mon princess, your name on my collarbone, I need it.' You raise an eyebrow as you straddle him, 'in red though, that's a bit... much.' He shakes his head, 'no, no, it'll be perfect.' You shake your head in exasperation, your boyfriend is a big dummy, but he loves you with every part of himself.

[hannie-dul-set]

the breakup soup [preview].

SYNOPSIS. you and jeonghan get into an argument in the middle of the meeting. the rest of your organization’s officers slowly start to realize that this isn’t just about whether the mountains or the sea would be the better venue for your event.

PAIRING. yoon jeonghan x female! reader. GENRE. lovers to exes to lovers, humor, romance, mild angst, orgmate! jeonghan, college! au, a whole lot of forced proximity, there is only one bed trope will be sprinkled in there somewhere. WARNINGS. written breakup (obviously), so much swearing, sex jokes, will add more as i move forward. WORD COUNT. preview: 2.8k | full fic: est. 15k.

RELEASE DATE. november to december. TAGLST. send an ask/dm/reply to be added.

NOTE. had a bathroom thought. wondered "wouldn't it be funny if a couple breaks up during an org meeting" and it has led me to this dumpster fire. i think it's funny. i hope you think it's funny. i understand that there might be some unfamiliar org jargon here and there, so please feel free to ask me for clarifications if some things are unclear so i can fix them in the final fic!

preview under the cut.

“TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 7, 20XX. THE MEETING WILL NOW PLEASE COME TO ORDER. Mr. Secretary, please call the roll.”

The words robotically fall out of Seungcheol’s mouth as he turns over the pages of his clipboard, marking a precise, red dot next to the word ‘agenda’ on the page. Another day, another meeting. He can’t wait for the moment he can finally retire from this god damned position. Every single time he repeats his presiding officer script, it feels like a digit gets added to his age.

“Yes, Mr. Chair. Please say ‘present and voting’ once your name is called to be acknowledged.” 

Wonwoo starts the roll call, and Seungcheol is desperately trying to cover his yawn with the clipboard, else Seungkwan is gonna grate at him again for dozing off in his own meeting— the aforementioned straightening himself in his seat when his position is called.

“Public Information Officer 1?”

“Present and voting.”

“PIO 2?

“Present—” says Joshua, flicking a paper clip across the table and into Vernon’s nth latte of the day. “—and voting.”

“Next. Assistant Business Manager.”

“Prese—”

“Okay, got it.” Chan brandishes a look of offense when Wonwoo cuts him off. “Business Manager?”

“Present and voting. Do we really have to keep doing this one by one?” 

Mingyu has a point, Seungcheol mentally agrees. But his god damned seniors wrote in the damned constitution and bylaws that every meeting of SVT (Society of Virtuous Timetravellers. He’s in the process of renaming it because your organization that’s supposed to be for history and culture is attracting weirdos instead— and two of them are Soonyoung and Seokmin) must abide by strict parliamentary procedures, so he has no choice but to suck it up and listen as Wonwoo continues to read out the succeeding positions on the attendance list, and it’s starting to sound a lot like a lullaby.

“Secretary, yours truly, present and voting.” The scratch from Wonwoo’s throat signals Seungcheol that it’s to zone back in. “Vice Chairperson-External?”

“Present and voting.”

Your voice draws Seungcheol's attention. He turns his head towards you and he notices the sheets of binded up papers you have in your hands, straightened with a few taps on the table surface before you settle them back down, a swell of pride when he sees what’s printed on the topmost page. 

It’s impeccably organized, the task he assigned to you only three days prior. Hell, you even have page tabs sticking out of the sides of every page. Your work ethic never fails to impress him. On top of that, you’re always so professional— able to separate your personal and org life with strict barriers in between because even though you and Junhui have been friends for ten years, your sharp glare holds no reservations when you catch him folding paper turtles with sticky notes right next to you when inside the meeting room.

“Sorry,” Jun breathes out. You retract your leg from under the table after giving him a discreet kick.

Anyway, Seungcheol has high hopes for you, and he’s eyeing you to replace him as SVT’s Chairperson next year (he’s already in the process of manipulating you into taking the job: the compliments he gives away aren’t for free). You’re perfect. You’re flawless. There’s no one else fit for the position but you. 

Which is why the next course of events comes as nothing less than a shock to him.

“Vice Chairperson-Internal?” Wonwoo calls out but is met with silence. He looks around. “VCI?”

No answer. You scoff.

“Alright, moving on. Mr. Chair?” 

Seungcheol stiffens, second-guessing what he’d just heard, but the near-invisible crooked twitch of the corner of your mouth proves that no, that wasn’t just his imagination. You just scoffed. A sharp noise laced with derision and contempt. That should’ve been the first sign that something is off.

“Present,” he coughs out, resigning his attention back to the meeting he has to preside over. It must be nothing. Even you can get annoyed sometimes. Maybe Jun is fucking around again and you’ve just had about enough.

“There are thirteen out of fourteen officers present, Mr. Chair. We are in quorum.”

“Thank you. Seeing that we are in quorum, it is now legal for us to conduct business. Mr. Secretary, will you please read to us the agenda for today’s—”

The office door swings open. 

“Sorry, I’m late!”

And Mr. VCI rushes in with his white coat still hanging off his shoulders. The meeting is put to an abrupt pause as Jeonghan hastily walks up to his assigned seat, trying to explain the reason for his tardiness. “Our lab session took longer than expected,” Jeonghan huffs out, dragging out the chair next to him. “Dr. Han wouldn’t let us—”

“It’s common decency to enter the room and sit down quietly when you’re late so as to not disturb the ongoing meeting. Especially when you haven’t informed the body beforehand.”

Seungcheol flinches when he hears the interruption of your sharp tone. His head quickly snaps to your direction before gleaning Jeonghan’s reaction. His friend’s jaw tightens but he says nothing. That should’ve been the second sign.

“Mr. Chair, may we proceed with the reading of today’s agenda?”

He eyes you carefully and, with a hesitant drawl anchoring his tongue, proceeds with the meeting while Jeonghan quietly settles into his seat. “Mr. VCI, you may send your excuse letter later for record keeping. Anyhow, Mr. Secretary, please read to us the agenda for today’s meeting.” Wonwoo does as instructed. The problem is, Seungcheol can’t hear anything that he’s saying. Not when his seat is exceedingly uncomfortable at the moment.

It’s not his seat. It’s the two people cornering his seat that’s the problem.

Cold sweat breaks out from his forehead. The air is stuffy. You and Jeonghan lock eyes for zero-point-five seconds and there’s a chill in the atmosphere that only Seungcheol can feel. What the fuck is going on?

“Thank you Mr. Secretary. We’ll begin with the first agenda— SVT’s Orientation and Membership Training. Alright. As you all may know, this will be our organization’s first event for the academic year, thus I am expecting everyone’s undivided cooperation in making sure that this event will be a success. We have already discussed the initial details of the event during the previous meeting, and we also distributed the tasks to the officers and committees.” He flips through a page and clears his throat. “I believe our Vice Chair External was tasked to scout for the venue. Ms. VCE, have you prepared your presentation?”

You nod, rising from your seat. “Yes, Mr. Chair. I’ve prepared a comprehensive list of all our options.” Okay, Seungcheol breathes in through nose. You seem normal now. Maybe he was just overthinking things. “I ask for everyone’s assistance in distributing the copies.”

Seungcheol looks at the text written in bold when you pass a copy to him— SVT ORYE & MT 20XX: VENUE PROPOSAL. While everyone is passing the paperclip-bound photocopies to each other, you take the liberty start speaking. “If you look at the second page, you can see the overview of the entire document. I’ve listed five possible venues and compiled their respective addresses, rates, inclusions, menus, and of course, pictures for your reference. We’ll look at each of them one by one, starting with—”

You pause. Jeonghan is raising his hand. Your eyebrow twitches. Seungcheol gets a bad feeling. “Yes, Mr. VCI?”

“Thank you for the acknowledgement,” he says. “I’d like to ask why exactly are all of these venues located in the mountains? Don’t we have other options? It would be fine if it were just us officers, but I believe holding the event in such terrains would be far too inconvenient for more or less a hundred people.”

A very bad feeling.

“I appreciate your insight,” you respond. Uh oh. Your smile is strained and Seungcheol knows it. That’s the smile you wear when you’re about to pulverize a representative for a disadvantageous partnership to the ground. “However, I’d like to bring to your recollection that the theme of this year’s Orye is traditional South Korean folklore. That considered, I came up with the judgment that the mountainous and forested areas would be the most appropriate and immersive venue if we wish to bring this concept to life. I hope that is clear, Mr. VCI. Anyway—”

“It’s still impractical, Ms. VCE.” 

Your face stiffens.

Jeonghan just cut you off. 

Shit, he just cut you off. 

He stands up, leveling you from across the table. “What about our members with asthma? Heart problems? What if it rains on the day of the event? Do you expect everyone to climb up a mountain trail in all these conditions?”

“If you read through my document before inadvertently interrupting me, Mr. VCI, you’d know that three out of the five venues offer uphill transportation in order to get to the accommodations. And although I understand your reservations about the possibility of inclement weather, may I remind you that it’s also the driest season of the year. You’re being unreasonable.”

Fuck. Seungcheol thinks he needs to butt in but he can’t find the timing when there’s literally an invisible fucking electric fence deterring him from reaching the both you. He catches a glimpse of Joshua’s concerned eyebrows. ‘Do something,’ his friend’s eyes say. He’s about to until you drop a sentence that shoots the tension off the roof.

“Furthermore, I’ve surveyed all of the officers through text if they agree with my venue proposal and I was met with no objections. You’d know if you opened any of my messages last night, Jeonghan.”

Holy fuck.

Holy fuck, you called him by his first name. 

You never call anyone by their first name. At least not during meetings and it’s very clear that this is a reason for alarm because everyone else’s eyes fly wide open. Except Jeonghan’s. He just looks pissed— mirroring your very own expression. Something is wrong. Something is very wrong and Seungcheol is slowly starting to realize that this argument isn’t just about the venue conflict.

“Ahem.” He clears his throat for the nth time, a wound might break open. “We will take our VCI’s concern into consideration. If you believe holding our Orye in the mountains is impractical, where do you suggest we should hold it instead?”

Jeonghan’s shoulders relax. He gives you a momentary look before settling back into his seat. “Thank you, Mr. Chair.” You do the same. Seungcheol breathes out a sigh of relief. “I’d like to suggest that we hold it by the beach and sea. Not only would it be more accessible, it would also be considerably cheaper considering there’d be no extra expenses for transportation up the hiking trail. There are also more options if we hold it on the beach. I already have contacts from last year’s set of events. We don’t have to worry about negotiations.”

Seungcheol nods in response. He’s about to say something but once again, he hears an unmistakable scoff from your direction. “Of course, you’d go for the low effort option.”

Oh no. Oh god, no.

Jeonghan’s eyes dart towards you. “What was that?”

Seungcheol doesn’t get paid enough for this shit.

“I’m just saying that it’s so like you to go for the easy way out.”

He doesn’t get paid for this at all.

“What are you trying to tell me here, Ms. VCE?” Jeonghan’s tone is getting more pointed, and the rest of the table are starting to pick up on what’s going on. Mingyu is slowly inching off of his seat and finding the right time to book it. Chan and Seokmin are nervously flitting their eyes back and forth between Jeonghan and you. Minghao hao stopped paying attention. He’s got his airpods on and scrolling through his phone. 

“The sea is not theme-appropriate for our event, Mr. VCI,” you firmly press on. “There are myths and folklore that reference the sea and ocean, however as an introductory event for our organization we should defer from making far too uncommon references since most of our members are beginners to our advocacy.”

Vernon is about to be swallowed by his chair. Seungkwan has his face in his hands. Seungcheol’s phone vibrates and it’s a message from Wonwoo. Should I include all of this in the minutes? he asks. Seungcheol isn’t even sure if this argument is still about the venue.

“May I also add that beach events are overused. Everyone holds acquaintance parties, Christmas parties, sensitivity trainings at beaches and beach resorts. Should we follow that template, I doubt our event would be memorable enough for our members to remember.”

“Then it’d be the obligation of the program committee to make it memorable.” The said committee flinches upon hearing Jeonghan’s words. Joshua and Junhui don’t look like they agree with the additional burden. Jihoon’s forehead is wrinkling from secondhand stress. “We don’t need to sacrifice the affordability and accessibility of our location in order to hold a note-worthy event. And, may I also reiterate that we should consider our members with health problems, Ms. VCE.”

This is enough. This is probably enough. Maybe it’s time for Seungcheol to intervene.

“However, I understand,” Jeonghan continues. “I understand that it’s not easy for you to be considerate.”

But how the fuck is he supposed to do that when you two fucks won’t stop provoking each other?

“Oh, for god’s sake!” It’s hopeless. It’s gone out of control. Your voice has bordered on yelling ang Seungcheol himself is afraid of being caught in between. “Are you still mad about the cat thing?!”

What is the cat thing? What in the hell is actually going on?

“This is not about the cat thing and you know that.” There’s a ruffle in Jeonghan’s voice. He lets out a groan and throws his head back with his fingers digging into his hair. “Fuck. Let’s talk later.”

Yes. Yes, please just talk later so we can move on with the meeting.

“Did you just swear at me?”

Nevermind.

There’s a second silence. One second— until the corner of Jeonghan’s mouth twitches and he expels a huff of incredulity. It’s ominous. It’s a harbinger of uncomfortable destruction. “So swearing is crossing the line, but refusing to let me meet your parents and forcing us to keep this relationship a secret is completely justifiable?”

Well shit.

This meeting is done for.

Silence washes over the office once again. Wide eyes are being exchanged and not even Wonwoo is filling the tension with his incessant typing on the laptop. Chair, I don’t think I should include this part in the minutes, Seungcheol receives another message from him. Of course he shouldn’t. A relationship reveal isn’t part of the agenda. Neither is a breakup but he fears it’s teetering to that outcome.

It’s uncomfortable. It’s suffocatingly uncomfortable and Seokmin looks like he’s about to cry at any moment.

“Well,” you simmer. “I guess it’s not much of a secret anymore, isn’t it?”

“Damn.” Soonyoung receives an elbow from Jihoon. He gets hushed down very quickly to make room for another agonizing exchange between you and Jeonghan. 

“Is that literally all you have to say? You’re so insensitive, it drives me fucking nuts. This is why it’s so hard to keep seeing you—”

“Oh, so you think I’m not having a hard time? If you can’t understand why I had to do that, then let’s just stop seeing each other!”

“Fine, I’m glad we’re on the same page this time.”

“Great!”

“Great.”

“Your clothes better be out of my closet by tomorrow.”

“Throw them away, I don’t need them.”

“I will! Thanks for the suggestion!”

Things have now gone beyond the point of salvation and he can’t even interject to formally end this disaster of a meeting.

“Mr. Chair, I apologize, but I’m afraid I will be leaving early today.” Oh, so now you remember his existence. You’re fuming, slinging over your shoulder bag and haphazardly collecting your things from the table, and Seungcheol simply massages his temples and nods in acknowledgement to your sudden leave. “Please go through the document at your discretion and I’ll be respecting whatever decision the body makes. Thank you and have a good day.”

Just like that, you’re gone. Jeonghan also starts collecting his things. “My phone lines are open in case you need anything. Goodbye.” With that, he also disappears with the harsh swing and slam of the door, leaving behind another blanket of uncomfortable silence for everyone else to drown in.

Seungcheol sighs. He feels a headache kicking in. 

“So...are we having the event in the mountains or by the sea?”

He groans.

Is it too late to file a resignation?

THE BREAKUP SOUP. © hannie-dul-set, 2023.

[crookedkryptonitebeliever]

Yves ask<3

At like 2am I was listening to a playlist that had the song It's Over Isn't It from Steven Universe and I couldn't help but think a little bit about Yves. Idk if you see it but some of the lines in the song were giving me a bit of angsty Yves vibes. Like Yves not understanding why he "lost" to some random love interest like in that one Montgomery post.

Idk could be just me but I got a bit of Yves brain going on rn..

Well i mean, Yves was partially inspired by Pearl from Steven universe too, and it definitely comes with the angst fr theres some parallels between Greg and Monty; Yves FUCKING hates Montgomery's guts for stealing you away but he has no choice but to act like he actually "loves" him deep down, past Yves's monster-in-law exterior. Because Montgomery makes you happy and he knows if Yves were to express how he really feels, you would be devastated.

In his mind, the ultimate goal isn't to please himself, but to please you in life. He can't kill Montgomery or else you will feel hollow and unhappy. He cant give you an ultimatum, because even if you chose him, you would still yearn for Montgomery. Yves can't just bend reality this time, because somehow your attraction and love towards Montgomery is so strong, to break that bond is to break you too.

So he just smiles and digs his fingernails into his palm until it breaks the skin, only letting out the most blood-curling, ear-obliterating Yves-rage scream in the privacy of his home. Maybe even sticking some pins and needles into his heavily abused Montgomery voodoo doll, casting spells with obscure ingredients and ancient scripts since he would turn spiritual when facing things that he couldn't accept.

Under all that calm and collected mask is a hurricane of emotions; especially unimaginable anguish and anger. Desperately wishing that you would have preferred what Yves had. Desperately wishing you had chosen him instead.

But you nor Montgomery would know the depth of his hatred for the man who robbed Yves of his rightful position as your husband. You wouldn't know the excruciating pain he felt when you rejected him and went for someone he perceived as a lesser being. He hates him.

Yves hates, hates, hates Montgomery so much and he would torture him so gorily and cruelly, that even the devil would retch in disgust. Alas, you love that... Pathetic excuse of a man. He cannot do anything further than a couple of petty exchanges and stare at you longingly.

You wouldn't know just how much your best friend despised and loathed him, especially when he's so kind to Montgomery and claims to care about him too.

Perhaps you should listen to your husband when he says he's not at all comfortable being alone in a room with Yves. Maybe you should believe Montgomery when he says there is something very, very off about your beloved best friend.

Then again, Yves doesn't take his mask slipping off his true, ugly form lightly. Best to just pretend that nothing is happening and ignore the fact that his house increasingly smells like incense.

[writingquestionsanswered]

I have trouble with writing in general. Can you help me? English isn't my first language, but I really want to write a story in English someday. However, both I and my English teacher have noticed a problem. He says he can tell I haven't cheated on my assignments because I write like I speak. That comment broke my heart a bit and made me feel pressured because there's a recurring joke in fanfiction that all stories starting with "English is not my mother tongue / I'm not fluent in English" are masterpieces, haha. I'm very disappointed in myself because I don't feel as good as other non-native speakers. Do you have any tips for improving my writing?

Improving Writing as Non-Native Speaker

First, I'm so sorry that your English teacher or anyone else has ever made you (or anyone) feel bad about your speaking or writing. Anyone who tries to learn a language other than their native language should be commended, no matter the skill level they reach. Many people who have the ability and access to learn another language never even bother, so kudos to you for learning. If it helps, I wouldn't have known you were a non-native speaker if you hadn't told me.

Any time you want to learn to write stories in a non-native language, there are four things you can do to improve your skills:

1 - Watch movies, TV shows, videos, and listen to audiobooks and podcasts in that language. Not dubbed or with captions in that language... movies, TV shows, and videos where the people are actually speaking the language you want to learn. This type of immersion can really help you get a feel for how native speakers actually sound, which can help you with writing and with creating authentic dialogue.

2 - Read stories, books, magazines, blogs, poems, and posts in that language. Again, nothing that has been translated into that language, but things that were originally written in the language you want to learn. This helps to reinforce the visual of the language in your mind's eye as you write, and quite often, seeing things in text can stick out more to you than they do when only hearing them. Also, some people just learn better one way over the other, so both hearing and seeing the language makes sure you're covering both bases.

3 - Practice speaking in that language. Even if speaking isn't your issue, it's still helpful to practice speaking the language, because it helps to reinforce it in your mind. Try reading news articles, stories, chapters of books, and social media posts out loud. It can also be helpful to look up movie and play scripts and speak the lines out loud.

4 - Practice writing in that language. If you wanted to learn a concerto for a piano recital, you might practice by watching other people play it, listening to it, reading the sheet music over and over, and practicing the tune with your voice, but nothing would help you improve more than actually playing the song over and over again yourself. You would get better with each performance, and writing works the same way. The number one thing you can do to improve your writing in another language is to write a lot of stories in that language. It's okay if you're not perfect. Even native speakers don't write perfect stories without practice. ♥

Happy writing!

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I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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[anextravagantliar]

(the letter, though never intentionally sent, may have ended up on his desk. the writing is sloppy, almost frenzied, as though it was written under great distress. drops of water have fallen on the ink and stained it in several places.)

Varric,

I don't know what the last thing I said to you was. I'm worried it was something angry. I've been angry with you—you believed those things about my Creators that I couldn't believe, and it hurt, it hurt so much that you would believe them when I told you not to. It's not the first time, you know. Of course you know. All my life it's been hard to get people to listen to me, but you were always willing, and I guess that's why it hurt. Why would you believe his words over mine?

But we were both wrong, weren't we? I thought he was lying so that we'd trust him. You thought he was lying so that we wouldn't. But he was telling the truth both ways. We were both wrong, and now you're

Varric, why did you walk through that mirror?

No, I'm confusing things. You know what I'm like sometimes. It's hard to keep track when I'm thinking too much about something, and I've been thinking so much—that's why I'm writing this, because everything has been so confused since I heard. Is that something you said I should do? Write it down to get it out of your head. I can hear you say it in my head, but I can hear you say a lot of things you've never said, I can hear a lot of things in my head, so maybe that means nothing. I hear a lot of things in my head—she is in my head, I can hear here in my blood. I need this out. It hurts too much in there.

And I needed to tell you that I'm not angry. And I need to tell Lace, but you can't do that, so I'll talk to her. It was she who told me that you were about you, and I wasn't kind to her. I need to tell her I didn't mean it. I'm sorry. I never was angry.

Varric, you can't leave in the middle of the story. You have to stick with us if you want to see how it ends.

Healer Merrill,

I received your letter.

I'm sorry that there is not much more that we can offer. I have intermittently been in contact with the Inquisitor, and I can see that this letter makes it to his estate. Would you like me to?

I am not the person you want to hear from, nor do I have the berth for words the former Viscount did, nor can I say that I understand his mind, or rather - understood his mind. I worked with the man from the early forties until he left. I will not say that I agreed with all of the things that the former Viscount did or said, Healer Merrill, but I do know that you are allowed to be angry with someone regardless of where they are, especially if they hurt you. Simply because someone is...

( ink blotches as if there is a pause in words. )

Even if things change and people are no longer with us or are very far away, it does not mean we give up on our feelings towards them. It may be more important to feel those things, as sometimes it keeps the memory of them sharp and with us.

Loss is not an easy thing to overcome, I have seen it many times in my own life, and I know you are not a stranger to it; I remember you years ago - all of you bleeding with hope. If you somehow still have a thread of hope that pulled some of Kirkwall out of the dark, please hold onto it. Tightly and do not let go; hold on to whatever you may still have, as that is what Varric would want. The thing you can let go of is regret. Keep strong, keep looking up, Healer Merrill; the things we need and the people we wish to see the most are nearly never far away, even with something like this, as memories keep them here long after they are gone.

So, I hope that my words impart comfort; I hope that I can pass your words on so his estate and Miss Harding may hear them. They are in Minrathous, and I will pass this along.

Please don't hesitate to write; replies may be delayed as Kirkwall remains the same as she always is. A mess.

With friendship, Bran Cavin Seneschal to the Viscountcy of Kirkwall

( there is a post script in cramped and familiar handwriting; it is unsigned )

if you come north, look for blooming flowers, daisy.

[jpitha]

Between The Black and Grey 39

First / Previous / Next

Northern seemed to know where she was going, so Fen and Zhe just trailed behind, following.

"Northern?" Zhe said, her smaller legs moving quickly to keep up and trying not to pant. "How do you know where to go?"

"I have my ways" Northern's eyes twinkled, and then she chuckled. "That way being, 'I've been here before'."

"So you don't have some kind of secret AI network that you can tap into to learn things about everywhere you go?" Fen smiles as she ribs Northern gently.

"Oh we do. Here we are." Northern stops in front of a cafe. Small metal tables and chairs are set up peeking into the main walkway of the promenade and they spill back into the shop. It looks old and comfortable. The interior is done up in wood colors (Fen can't tell if it's real or artificial), warm yellow light, and it a few degrees warmer than the promenade. Northern steps up to the bar, and reaches into a pocket. She takes out a small coin and taps it onto the bar.

"One moment please!" The barista is a K'laxi, with reddish brown fur, a tangle of earrings on both ears, and - Fen cranes her neck slightly - a piercing on her tail. A ring that goes through the end and jangles slightly as she moves about. She finishes pulling the espresso shot, pours it into a tiny porcelain cup and slides it over to a human standing at the other end in a uniform. "Here you go Will."

"Thanks Olen, I wouldn't have been able to make it through my shift otherwise!" He downs the coffee in one shot and places it back on the bar with a Star note under it. Olen scoops up the money, places the cup in the sink and turns to face Northern. "Now then, what can-"

Before she can finish, Northern slides the coin over to the K'laxi. Fen finally gets a good look at the coin. It's silver, with a bit of bronze or brass in the middle. Written all over it is a script Fen has never seen, and...a map? It looks like a map of a continent, but Fen doesn't recognize the location. The barista places her hand over the coin and slides it out of sight quickly. Her eyes flick up to the other patrons. The shop isn't very busy now, just two or three people sitting, lost in their pads.

"You know, you don't have to use a token anymore. I haven't ever seen one. I only knew to accept it because Yaren told me." She takes out a key - a real, notched, metal key on the end of a long piece of wood with the word 'toilet' written in marker on it. She hands the wood and key to Northern. "People just use the passcode these days."

Northern takes the key and nods. "Yeah, well, maybe I like to do things the old fashioned way. Keeps the old ways alive." Without saying anything she looks at Fen and Zhe and jerks her head towards the back.

In the back of the shop are three doors. Two of them are toilets - multi species of course - and the third, between them just says "maintenance." Northern takes the key and sticks it into a lock on the middle door. It twists and the door unlocks with a satisfying clack. Northern opens the door and the three of them step through.

They enter what for all appearances looks like a maintenance room. It's filled with boxes of coffee supplies, cleaning supplies, mops, brooms and a bag of laundered towels. Northern closes and locks the door behind them, and then walks to the other end. She stares at the wall a moment and slides a pile of boxes out of the way, revealing another door. This one has the word 'basement' scrawled on it in indelible marker, above another word faded with time, and in another script that Fen can't read. Northern uses the key again and this door unlocks, like the first. Nodding to herself, she places the key on a shelf near the door and steps through.

Now, they're in a hallway. Dimly lit and without decoration, it's all plating and metal. When Northern closes the door behind them, the clack of the latch is loud and brash.

They head down the hall, their boots thumping on the deck. They walk quite a ways, with no other doors in sight, the lighting dim and dingy.

After entirely too long in Fen's opinion they come across another door. This one, circular, and much older than the first. Northern touches the pad next to it and is irises open silently.

Now, they're in a hall. Fen looks around. This looks awfully like the halls on Spyglass. "Northern? Why does this hall look like a Starjumper?"

Northern grins. "Because it is, Fen. Good eye. Picaresque was built of a K'laxi research station and a human Starjumper. They needed more living space right away and used the Starjumper to expand. I heard that the wormhole generators are still in here, somewhere, but I'd be surprised to learn that was true. Imagine a space station linking around!"

A little further down the hall, and there is another door. This one is decorated in hand drawn flowers and vines, and written on it is the word 'basement' Northern touches the pad, and as they door opens, Fen and Zhe are assaulted by noise.

Fen didn't know what to expect, but she didn't expect this. It was crowded, it was noisy, it was full of people. Where the promenade was quiet and sleepy, the basement was loud and full. Northern pushed ahead through the crowd, her height giving her an advantage. Zhe grabbed Fen's shoulder, and Fen took off after her, threading her way.

This basement was far larger than the one where she met Northern, yet it had a similar feel. There were stands set up with people offering all kinds of things for sale, food vendors selling all manner of treats - the smell was nearly overwhelming - and people of all different kinds. Fen saw more different people in the basement than anywhere else. There was a Gren selling drinks, a K'laxi who was making jewelry while another stood watch over the wares for sale, and an Innari selling... weapons? Fen stopped.

"Ah! My friend! See anything that catches your eye? I carry firearms for all body plans and can modify to suit." His iridescent feathers flashed in the spotlights he had set up overhead, shining down on the weapons chained to a large metal bar. Fen's eye was drawn to a pistol. It was of human make, so large and imposing and grey.

"What's this pistol?"

"You have quite a practiced eye. It's quite rare. It's a human sidearm from pre contact. When this weapon was new, humanity knew of no other species. And yet! It still operates with common ammunition and as you can see is in excellent condition." The Innari picked up the weapon with two hands, and handed it - butt first - to Fen. She toggled the eject, and the magazine slid out. It was empty of course, but Fen placed it down on the counter anyway. She cycled the action and peered inside. The barrell was immaculate, the rifling clear and clean. The switches and toggles were all smooth and the weapon smelled of oil. If it really was more than a thousand years old, it didn't show it.

Fen placed it back on the counter. "I like it. How much?"

"Seven thousand Stars." The Innari didn't even have the decency to hesitate when he spoke the price.

Fen scoffed. "It's worth two, maybe. If you can provide the provenance of its age. It could be a replica."

"You wound me, human!" The Innari's feathers all puffed out, and they clacked their beak in irritation. "To imply that I would sell a replica here. Do you know what would happen to my reputation if I did? I cannot believe you would even imply that this... this piece of art was a replica. Still, I must move merchandise. I would be willing to let this particular piece go for five thousand Stars."

"Thirty three hundred, and you'll include a box of ammunition." Fen's eyes locked with the Innari.

It felt like the noise of the basement faded away for just a moment as they stared. The Innari tried to match Fen's stare, but nobody stares like a human. Those close, binocular eyes are built for it. "Fine."

Fen took out her Pad and transferred the money. After a moment the Innari verified the transaction, unlocked the gun and handed it to her. Reaching under the table between them, he also placed a heavy box that rattled as he set it down. "If anyone asks where I got it from, I don't remember"

The gun seller nodded. "Now go, I need to make some sales to recover from this loss I have been subjected to."

Fen slid the pistol into the band of her pants and held onto the box of shells as she wandered around, looking for Northern and Fen. She finally found them in a back corner, near a K'laxi selling fried treats. Zhe was munching on one while Northern was arguing with a human.

"You are telling me that there isn't a single person on Picaresque that is willing to pilot?"

"I'm telling you there are no AIs on Picaresque." She crossed her arms and held fast.

Northern pleaded. "Come on, we're in the basement. We're outside of Imperial jurisdiction."

"And I don't care if we're on a Gren Warfinder. There are no AIs here."

Zhe finished her treat and tossed the stick into a cup that was on the fried food vendor's counter for the purpose. "Where were you Fen?"

Fen took out her prize. "Check it out, I bought a pistol. Supposedly it's pre-contact which makes it nearly a thousand years old." She handed it to Zhe.

Zhe took it, and her arms drooped as Fen let go. "This is heavy!" She turned it over and stared at it. "It smells... oily too."

Fen nodded. "That's the gun oil. It keeps it from corroding."

Northern's attention was caught by their conversation. She looked at the gun. "That's a replica."

Fen swore. "Of course it is. I'm glad I got a deal then. How do you know?"

Northern pointed at a lever by the trigger. "The safety lever is all wrong. I hope you didn't pay more than a couple thousand Stars for that."

Fen said nothing, but scowled. Zhe handed the pistol back. "It's a very nice replica at least."

The person behind the counter that was arguing with Northern noticed. "How did you know about that pistol?" She was around the same height as Northern, with closely cropped black hair. She was curvy and strongly built and looked like she could scoop up Fen and Zhe on each arm.

"I remember when they were standard issue. If you didn't keep them immaculately clean they would jam at the worst possible time. Ancestors, I must have printed tens of thousands of replacement parts."

The woman narrows her eyes. "Where were you stationed?"

Northern raises an eyebrow. "All over-" she gestures at the pistol "-but when that gun was new? I ran Parvati-Sol."

The woman's eyes widened. "Ears are everywhere. Keep your voice down." She looked at Northern, Zhe and Fen again. "Dammit. I can't say no to a vet." Her eyes flashed blue for just a moment. "Okay, I put-"

The conversation was interrupted by a rippling thump, and the deck undulated and rocked beneath their feet. There was a moment of surprised silents and then an alarm screamed overhead. Action Stations. The noise of the alarm broke the spell and it was pandemonium. People started streaming towards the exits, vendors abandoning their stalls. The woman grabbed Northern. "Come with me! We have to get out of here."

Zhe looked around at the mess. "What happening."

"It's an Action Stations alarm." Fen's voice was nearly a whisper. "We're under attack."

[gemsofgreece]

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGejUxD5k/

The comment of making a song in Ancient greek just to piss of Greeks what's the purpose of it? As a Greek i wouldn't mind someone foreigner trying to learn Greek, so just making this comment a video provokes a negative behaviour.

My problem with this is that I am so annoyed at the person who made the request like this ("make the Greek mad") but it gets worse because there are Greeks getting mad at the comments in a wrong way so that person is proven right :////// That person makes a reference to the long standing animosity between modern Greek speakers and western classicists obsessed with the Erasmian pronunciation. Or the reconstructed one. The TikToker has had beef with Modern Greek speakers in an older video. That's what was referenced there.

Anyway, the tiktoker himself is not wrong in his recitement when it comes to the technical aspects of it. The problem with it is that - who knows how - even though he employs the prosody in the recitation, he still sounds incredibly monotonous. And incredibly English lol. If I had to listen to all that by a rhapsodos as an Ancient Greek I'd rather kill myself. Imagine 15,693 lines of verse like that. Listen to it and tell me I am wrong.

And not to be that person, but the TikToker kinda looks like he's torn between being the most English person ever and the descendant of Brad Pitt's Achilles.

I am so mad at Greeks because the radical western classicists (new term I just invented!) lack so much self-awareness that it would be easy for Greeks to argue, and yet Greeks are divided between "GREEK PRONUNCIATION SAME ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1000000000 BC" and "a blondie said it therefore it is the unquestionable truth and I dare not develop an insight on it by myself". There's no in between. I hate us.

And I say they lack self-awareness because even though they obsess so much over the textbook, (which is western theories mixed with western interpretations of scarce ancient Greek sources, without questioning even for a second the accuracy of said interpretations and even the ability of the ancient texts to convey in script the sound and the oral delivery of the language accurately and easily enough for foreign people to understand it perfectly many centuries later and with no exposure whatsoever to said language), they fail so much at removing the inherent elements of their own language.

Like, when Ancient Greek was said to be a very beautiful and unique sounding language, and you end up sounding like the blandest English gibberish poem ever, something must not be quite right. This is not evident just in Greek. He speaks a lot of languages (and kudos to him) but he said Mahabharata and it was like "Muh- hub- arr - atttah... and a cup of tea, please". Come on. I was petty enough to pronounce Mahabharata loudly and then went to GoogleTranslate and listened to the pronunciation in Hindi (no pronunciation option available for Sanskrit). I am closer to it than he is. (3,2,1 until some wild Brit classicist claims the English version is closer to Sanskrit than Hindi is XD). But okay it was petty and not all that scientific on my part, I admit.

Whoever wants a GOOD recitation of Ancient Greek, try Ioannis Stratakis - Podium Arts on YouTube. He sticks to the "textbook" and so far he is the best I have heard.

P.S. I saw somewhere in the comments under his posts the explanation / excuse that some words have to be pitched / stressed incorrectly in prosody because otherwise they won't fit in the hexameter.... while this indeed has to happen sometimes, if it happens too often you are doing something wrong, Greek is one of the best languages to modify and switch the placements of words in order to fit in the meter or rhyme just right and if memory serves me, “having to be incorrect” not as a frequent occurence as stated.

PS2: the more I listen to it the more need for such excuses I notice….

[thethirdromana]

I'm home alone on Saturday evening, what is there to do but go to Netflix and watch a truly appalling romcom? The cat's with me and I have alcohol: it's time for Irish Wish.

I normally rate Alexander Vlahos as an actor so I'm not quite sure what's happened here. His accent is to an actual Irish accent what this is to an elephant:

Picard's son from Picard is here! He's throwing fistfuls of charm at the dubious script and some of it is sticking.

Aww, Maddie is clumsy! What an unusual trait for a character in a romcom.

Fascinated by the choice to dress the mystical Irish fairy in a silk headscarf and a salwar kameez. I mean, it works, it's just... unexpected.

The puff sleeves are awful but I'm honestly impressed that Maddie has a wedding dress that she can run in.

Maybe I'm just failing at genre conventions for this kind of romcom but it feels like it would be helpful if Paul were even a tiny bit likeable, just to give some sense of why Maddie has feelings for him, and also to make it seem like maybe Emma wouldn't be getting such a raw deal out of it.

Is it just that he's loaded and has a massive house?

I've just realised that the house is supposed to be a short journey from Lough Tay, in County Wicklow, but Maddie flew into Knock Airport. And yes, I know that expecting film geography to make sense is a mug's game, but I'm also not sure why they would choose Knock Airport and not Dublin? Is this airport product placement?

Was it that they didn't think it would be plausible for Maddie to end up on a quaint old-fashioned bus from Dublin, but it was plausible that the same quaint old-fashioned bus would drive for three hours across most of Ireland to drop Maddie at the most plot-convenient location?

Oh, and now we're at the Cliffs of Moher. A six-hour round trip from Paul's house.

Let's not even get into the James Joyce thing.

James (not Joyce) tells Maddie that it would "hardly be difficult" to move her wedding to the other side of the country the weekend before it's due to take place. And the sentiment is sweet, but as someone who has organised a wedding, I have to say: it would, in fact, be difficult. Really quite difficult.

It's just not the most straightforward location to hold a wedding, you know?

I can't believe they're doing the classic "he teaches her how to shoot" scene, but with darts.

DARTS. The sexiest leisure activity.

And the height of romance is being weirdly judgmental about someone who you've known for a day.

Picard Junior is giving it socks, in fairness. I hope he gets to do this kind of thing in a better film than this at some point.

Also, Irish fairy lady is... St Brigid? Probably best not to dig into the theological implications of St Brigid-as-trickster-spirit.

The music after the Big Damn Kiss goes on just a tiny bit too long.

It is genuinely unclear to me whether Maddie intends to write a book on the Cliffs of Moher, as in about them, or physically on them. Feels like it could be either in this film.

Well, if nothing else, I hope Knock Airport's marketing team are pleased.

[theshiftingwitch]

Well the guy I like lives far away from me in another province. He just finished with his ex and we only see each other by video call, he is too cold with me and is even stopping talking to me and answering for answering, nothing is like the beginning. He even dedicates things to his ex and was going to come to see me but I don't know, I'm worried because he doesn't believe in long distance relationships and I'm not his physical type, besides she does live where he does. I read the tarot and they told me that nothing was going to happen between us, even he wouldn't want to come and live here as much as he can, that he is very cold and all that. I really love him, sometimes his attitude is cold and hot, I think that the tarot is coming true because we are getting farther and farther apart and that hurts me a lot. I would like him to really fall in love with me, but she marked him and besides we are far away, I am even afraid that he will go back to her or talk to others. I really like him and I've been making affirmations but I don't see anything in 3d, it hurts a lot.

Help please

Tarot cards told you that nothing is going to happen between you, so you internalized that truth, and you started assuming that it's the only way that things are going to happen between you. And so because it is the law of assumption and your thoughts create reality, you started creating a reality in which he doesn't want to be with you.

Now does that mean that's the only reality out there?

No. There are infinite realities out there, infinite realities in which you are together, infinite realities in which you are not together. Which one are you going to choose?

I get a lot of these SP questions, and every time people start listing reasons why they're not seeing results. "I'm not his physical type, he has a girlfriend, he has an ex, he's in love with someone else, he lives very far away, he's very cold and unattached..." and every time, I tell whoever asks that these are circumstances and circumstances do not matter and yet I keep getting the same question.

you have to decide which version of him you want, because that's the only version you're going to keep seeing. If you want him to be obsessed with you, if you want him to be with you, if you want him to challenge the whole world for you, then you're going to have to start assuming that's exactly what he's doing. Because right now you're assuming that you're not his type, you're assuming that he doesn't want you, you're assuming that he's still in love with his ex and that's the version of reality that you're getting. You have to decide, and then stick with that decision no matter what you see around you. Stop freaking out because you're not seeing results right now, stop freaking out because you think something is not happening or something is happening and you don't like it, stop wavering. And if you don't like what a tarot cards are saying maybe you should not consult the tarot anymore. Because at the end of the day you are the creator of your reality and you're the only one who can change the outcome if you don't like it. Affirm, visualize, script, listen to subliminals, listen to affirmation tapes... whatever you need to do, do it and don't accept anything less than what you want.

Happy manifesting ❤️

[brainbleach6]

UnderPollen AU

Soooo I'm finally uploading the UnderPollen AU I'm making. I kinda lost passion for it immediately but decided it wouldn't hurt to post it. I have no skill at coding so it's in a script format with the main cast as doodles I made underneath it. This is just the first chapter, however. Welp, enjoy!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

POLLENTALE: AN UNDERTALE AU PROJECT:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*You've fallen. Miles and miles of underground had flashed by in a second. You had landed on a lone patch of yellow flowers, the pollen sticking to your hair and face. It burnt! You jumped up, hurriedly wiping the pollen off of you.

*"Oooh, yikes! That stuff hurts, doesn't it?"

*A cheery voice made you look up toward the patch to see a….talking flower?

*"It alllllso stains~," The flower said cheerfully.

*Looking down at your hands, you saw they were now yellow colored, no matter how hard you try to wipe it off.

*"Oh! I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Flowey! Flowey the flower! What's your name?"

*You answer the flower quietly.

*"Frizz? That's such a silly name! You know what else is silly? This!

*The flower attacks you, hitting you with white pellets as he laughs. He says something about easy HP, but you couldn't make it out over the ringing in your ears.

*Suddenly, you saw a white light and it was all over.

*"Oh, you poor thing!" Fuzzy hands picked you up and carried you for a while, a soft humming putting you in a pained sleep.

*Almost as quickly, you were woken up by a pleasant smell of butterscotch and cinnamon.

*You looked around you, seeing a child's room dimly lit by a lamp. You get up and exit the cozy room.

*"My child! You're awake!" You see your savior, a motherly goat woman. She is smiling at you from down the hall, beckoning for you to follow her into the kitchen.

*Once you are sat at the table, she pushes a big plate of pie toward you.

*"Please eat my child! You need to regain your strength before you can journey home!"

*You quickly eat the pie before asking the goat woman her name.

*"Oh, how silly of me! I'm Toriel, the keeper of these ruins! I help children who fall down here, though it's been quite some time since the last one fell.

*You ask if they made it home. Toriel looks stiff.

*"Why of course, my child! It is quite safe here in the ruins."

*Her words don't seem convincing, so you ask if you can go home now. Toriel looks upset.

*"You ar-aren't at full health my child! That horrible flower nearly killed you!"

*She grimaces as she thinks about Flowey. "Not everyone is as nice as I am, child. Some creatures are vile, only caring about power."

*You look over at the staircase leading downstairs. You ask where it leads to.

*Toriel looks over you sadly before suddenly changing the topic.

*"My child, you're yellow! We must wash off that pollen before it-oh never you mind! Come!"

*Toriel leads you to the bathroom before aggressively trying to scrub the yellow from your skin but to no avail.

*"Oh….it's alright child. It doesn't seem to be doing any damage…." Toriel seems to zone off as you look at the now yellow hue of your skin. Maybe landing on those flowers wasn't so lucky after all…

*"Alright my dear, it's time for bed. Let's get you situated, hmm?"

*Toriel leads you back to the bedroom you woke up in and tucks you in before wishing you a good night.

*Once you were certain she was asleep, you crept out of "your" room and tip-toed toward the staircase you had been eyeing earlier. You knew from Toriel's reaction that that must be the way out.

*Quickly, you ran over to the staircase, starting to descend it when you heard a whimper coming from another one of the bedrooms.

*Curiosity got the better of you and you slowly made your way to the room. Opening the door a crack, you nearly screamed.

*Inside was a child around your age. They had their legs and arms cut off and were positioned to sit up in a chair. When they saw you peaking in, they cried out the best they could with their mouth sewn shut.

*Terrified, you turned and made a run for it down the staircase.

*Suddenly you heard footsteps behind you. It was Toriel!

*"My child! Get back here! You can't leave! The pollen is worse outside! It's corrupted people! I'm trying to protect you!"

*The goat caught up to you, grabbing you by the collar.

*She begins dragging you back toward the staircase leading upstairs. You pull and fight.

*"You children don't understand how much I suffer to keep you safe! Even if I have to mutilate you to get you to stay, I will! I'm doing this for your own good!"

*Eventually, after enough pulling and pushing, you get free and run full force into the door, Toriel screaming from behind you as you close it.

*"NO! You brat! You'll die out there! Stay with me! Stay with Mommy! Stay with Tori-"

*Slam!

*Silence…You were finally out…

~End of Chapter One~

Here's the cast btw (I will be making better pictures later):

[prince-of-elsinore]

watching season 14 episode 1 where they're going off to save Cas from the demon ambush, and Sam's driving and Mary's sitting shotgun and they're having this conversation:

MARY: Sam, it's gonna be fine. SAM: (scoffs) Stop saying that, please. MARY: What? SAM: “It's gonna be fine,” that everything's gonna be fine, we're gonna find Dean, and -- MARY: We are. SAM: You don't know that. (pause) Dean's gone, and we have no idea where he is or -- or if he's even still alive. You know, Michael could have… burned him out or… worse, and… (sighs)

and it's like this merry-go-round of roles from the situation at the start of season 13, where Mary was missing, Dean was hopeless about it, and Sam was keeping the faith (and later season 13 where it flipped to Sam in despair and Dean keeping the fighting spirit), and all I can think is what must Sam be feeling right now, having this conversation play out with his mother rather than his brother? He and Dean come down on opposite sides of issues like this all the time. It's kinda baked in to their dynamic. Whenever one staggers or gives up, the other pulls/pushes him forward, and they both take their turns in each role. It's not only the bread and butter of the show, it's the bread and butter of Sam and Dean, so much that they themselves acknowledge it, as Dean did in 13x04 ("I need you to keep the faith for both of us").

In the above exchange, Mary goes on to give the kind of mini-pep speech I could imagine coming out of Dean's mouth, and it seems like the show wants us to think 'aw, Mama bear reassuring Sam and having a bonding moment.' But it's never been the words Dean uses, his platitudes about family and not giving up, that matter to Sam in these situations; it's who they're coming from. It's the fact of having Dean there by his side in spite of everything. So even though Sam finds himself, again, in a dark place with a loved one missing and another trying to pull him out, and even though Mary sticks to the Winchester script, the balance is all off. She's not Dean, and without Dean the fraternal seesaw of hope and despair breaks down, and there's nothing to pull Sam up again. The scene doesn't go there or really invite this reflection, but I wonder how much Sam is consciously aware of this as he listens to Mary. There's an interesting, blink-and-you-miss-it moment, after Sam says "You don't know that" where he cuts himself off and glances over as if just remembering who's in the seat next to him, and he adjusts his tone, in a way he probably wouldn't for Dean, before going on. So maybe he can't help but compare, in his head. Maybe Sam is thinking how he's heard his brother say similar things a thousand times but it's just not the same, and how much more hopeless that must make him, even as he shoves it down, for Mary's sake, for the sake of the mission in front of them, and for the sake of the people he's leading. Sam's never been so surrounded by people, all on the same team, his team ostensibly, in his life. But when it comes down to it, he's just as alone as he's been any other time he's lost Dean. He's grateful for Cas, and he loves his mom, but at the end of the day Sam can only rely on one person get his brother back: himself. Everyone else is just another person to convince he's fine.

[veilkeeper]

as i get towards the end of act 1 and start toeing along the act 1.5 creche/underdark stuff, i want to put down some roz/astarion thoughts because i think their dynamic is really interesting ignore that im unbelievably biased

the thing is that theyre both, in their own way, really good with navigating other people. they've both learned the scripts they need to follow to more or less walk out of any given interaction with what they want.

famously, if astarion wants something he uses 200 years of fine tuned routines to seduce and manipulate people into whatever he wants; be that a victim to lure away or a secure ally to keep him safe in uncertain times. while he latches on to roz/the PC, it's worth noting that he flirts with everyone. perhaps because he doesn't know how else to talk to people. at least, not anymore.

if roz wants something, they tend to dig into the other person's head to find what they need, or failing that, they brute force intimidate their way through. however, that doesnt really work when they want to make friends; people they see every day aren't going to appreciate either approach. so what do they do? well.... they do what they're told. every long-term relationship (of any kind) that they've ever had "worked" because they figured out what the other person wanted and they did it, to the letter. that's how they keep people close - by pleasing them.

which creates a bit of interesting feedback loop when these two are side by side, i think. roz is interested in at the very least a working relationship with astarion (and everyone in the party), so they make an effort to talk to him and take interest in him, to find out what he wants from them. astarion assumes this interest must be attraction - why else would anyone take the time of day? and, conveniently, roz is also very powerful and influential in this little ragtag band, so they make for a good person to get on his side.

astarion begins his routine. obvious flirting, everything short of eyebrow waggling. he propositions roz with the assumption that that's what they want from him. that it's how he can lure them in and thus secure some modicum of safety and power in a very uncertain time. roz says yes because... well, astarion's been pretty clear that this is what he wants, hasn't he? he wouldn't ask if this wasn't what he wanted from them. and while they don't understand his attraction, and they don't even really think he is attracted to them, there's no harm in indulging him.

they've tricked each other, a little on accident, a little on purpose. when they sleep together, the irony is that neither of them really wants it, they just both think the other does, and they both want the other to stick around.

it isn't until after that astarion feels secure enough to let his guard down the slightest bit, to show roz something genuine enough for them to actually fall for. and eventually, he sees something in them, too. something that makes them deserving of more than just... pretending.

in the meantime, they both think they've solved it - they think they've found the right mix of allowances and teeth-gritting compromises to give the other exactly what they want. and pretty soon they're going to care about each other enough that admitting what they actually want is going to be really fucking scary.

[tsuki-sennin]

Now, for episodes 17-19 of the funny king bug sword people show!

Uhhhh... Racules is a big meanie, there's somebody behind the Fury of the Gods, Gira is living out my fantasies with Yanma, shit's goin' DOWN!

Yeah, that's where I'm at right now, Spoilers, I guess~!

-Yanma, I wouldn't say he sold himself out, I'd wager he's about to do the biggest rugpull of all time.

-"Goddammit, Gira! At least wait for me!"

-Ohhhh, somebody's comin'.

-Daigorg!

-That's like the most Sentai villain name ever, I love it.

-Why you gotta do it, huh?

-Jeremy's gonna have some very cross words with you, Racules.

-Gira's regicidal tendencies are getting a bit much for the prez.

-Yeah he definitely gets it... he just doesn't wanna.

-Put him in the back.

-"I'm doing great, Yanma-dono~! ...can't say the same about you though, huh?"

-Shifty, therefore reliable.

-Lord Kaguragi's about to have himself a naptime

-Rita, honey, you're always on top of things, huh?

-"Peace~! Yippeeeee~!"

-"I will defend our world..."

-Glory to King Racules!

-Oh hey buddy!

-Daigorg!

-Oh... must be one hell of a man.

-"Relax man, I'm here. What is it?"

-This is the guy. Daigorg, the... hoo, big beetle.

-Holy shit

-Racules, you have some serious balls to just

-Dismiss all that.

-The die is cast.

-"I see this as an absolute win~!"

-Morphonia arrives!

-...and Jeremy's in no mood to play along.

-"This is the worst plot twist I've ever read. Please put me in jail."

-RITA JLKHL>L

-I don't know why, but that got me

-Together, we'll be stronger.

-I too am a fan of Kamen Rider Dragon Knight.

-Chris my beloved

-Spiders Jeremy is back in the building!

-King Ohger!

-Oh!

-Here it all is!

-Going all the way out!

-"Now... stick to my perfect script~!"

-Um yeah, we have some notes. On page 2 she's eating peanuts, but later she's wearing a hat. Does that make sense?

-If you get that reference, I love you.

-"I am the protagonist! Me, me, me!"

-King Racules has arrived!

-"How dare you betray me?"

-Get him.

-Dawn comes with the shogun, his scarlet eye burning on his cruel, dark blue face. Amidst the rubble of N'Kosopa's concrete, Emperor Desnarak's Champion stood. Resplendent in silver armor that rings out with a dull clank every step he takes, he glares at the President and Storyteller. In his right hand, he held up a curious weapon. Not quite a scythe, not quite a pick-axe, but a freakish middleman, with what seemed to be orange fungus coating the metal just below the head. He did not move an inch when he was fired upon.

-There he is. Daigorg.

-A SONIC BOOM

-Okay!

-Oh, they're right fucked up.

-Holy shit

-Racules stopped him.

-He cursed Racules, he glared at Racules, he despised Racules with all his might. But that could never change the fact that Yanma was at the man's mercy.

-So they just left Gira there the whole time?

-Yanma...

-His ideals, unwavering even in the face of his own death.

-I see not even the people of Shugoddam are willing to turn a blind eye any longer.

-President Yanma Gast. The man Gira, King of Evil stands with.

-Get this man an IV.

-Oh hey, Racules~! That was a very good evil laugh you did there, quite impressive.

-"This kingdom is all mine! So you vanish!"

-Oh shit, upgrade time.

-"That's my boy, Gira! Masterful rigamarole! Perfect reveal!"

-Oh shit, Ohkuwagata time.

-"Back off. I'll deal with him."

-Holy shit, Racules is good.

-CROWN

-"Ohgai Busou. Glory of the founder."

-He's real shiny.

-Ohger! Crown Lance!

-That is a cool weapon.

-Is Racules seriously gonna mop the floor with this guy before he even does anything substantial.

-Oh, no, he's just gonna put Little Brother in his place.

-"The only needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. ...carrying the Bugnarok isn't something I should have to do, but..."

-Jeremist.

-They didn't show this, but there was a montage of Jeremy carrying him across the bridge with Eyes On Me from FFVIII playing in the background. Can't believe they cut that out, smh

-"I'm here to put Racules in jail."

-SELF-DEFENSE, OKAY SURE DOUGA

-"That was awesome! What's that crown thing, anyhow?"

-Kaguragi absolutely wants to wear that crown himself. ...can't blame him at all, tbh.

-"I'm outta here, see youuuuu~!"

-...Oh do you now~?

-Ahhh, left out a crucial detail. Smart.

-"Ugh... I'm gong to tell Desnarak."

-KURODA-SAN

-And their twin!

-Sneaky~!

-"This gives me absolutely horrendous hives in unspeakable areas to admit, but it is necessary for us to go outside the law for this one."

-Dyed your hair again, huh Himeno?

-Racules's cool new toy available on Premium Bandai looks nothing like the crown in the flashback. ...is this perhaps another one of his deceptions?

-If only Kaguragi were around to make things easier... well, as easier as it can get with him around.

-Nooooooo, Jeremyyyyy!

-He's having himself a Mondo Moment.

-"Oooooh~! A secret~?"

-Gira's a very guileless man at heart.

-Even Kaguragi can't help but admire.

-Instant fail sneak.

-Must be playing Extreme Mode.

-"Get his ass."

-Ah, Suzume-san.

-"I must see him driven before us."

-Playing a real Lady Macbeth.

-Kabutomushi~!

-Giiiiiiiii!

-Gii-chan has returned.

-Giiiiii~! Giiiiii~!

-Kagura-giiiiii!

-Suzume????

-Did she trick us into... helping us?

-HOW'D YOU GET IN THERE

-Kaguragi Dybowski. What japes he performs.

-He wanted to ride the cool robot.

-"How long have you tricked me...? How long have you been cheating on me!?"

-Literal chicanery.

-Gira-donoooo~!

-"King Gira! It is time for your grand coronation!"

-King! King! King! King! King!

-Rejoice, rejoice to the heavens above! Gira Husty, forgotten younger Prince of Shugoddam, ascended as the King of Evil hellbent to end the wicked justice. He has come into his own once more. He is now the great King Kuwagata Ohger!

-...which means that Racules's version was called King Ohkuwagata Ohger.

-That's like three kings in one.

-Extreme King-Ohger!

-Well, Jeremy had the right idea! Can't exactly force it, you know?

-God has descended.

-"I didn't do a damn thing! He just... did that!"

-Let's goooo!

-Oh...

-Big Brother Racules... you've truly lost your way.

-"The rules of this world mean nothing... not compared to the people in it!"

-Long Live the King.

-Racules has truly lost it all.

-Here's Jimmy.

-The Sanagim roam the streets.

-Ohhhhh

-Makin' it all official, eh?

-Kaguragi played the game far harder than anyone else.

-"The Bugnarok are your neighbors now. Deal with it."

-"Ow, my every place."

-All for the people, Yanma~! Don't take it personally, yo.

-Treaty Time.

-...incidentally, that's what Rita (allegedly reluctantly) allows Morphonia to call her taking them to McDonald's.

-Still absolutely in love with Zenryoku King, it's just so infectious.

-It's all right, you're King~!

-Awww, Kuwagon :)

-Jeremy has completely checked out.

-"I hate Racules :("

-Becoming friends?

-Suzume's gotten in over her head, it seems.

-Do something, Douga!

-It's almost pitiful seeing Racules's vassals all driven before Desnarak.

-He can hardly be considered a king, anymore. Just a beetle captured to fight for somebody else's amusement.

-Guess Racules's confidence took a hit. He effortlessly dodged Daigorg in his base form, and now he gets clocked by a single guard.

-I see the people's lives have gotten a little worse.

-Gira's home!

-Koga-neesan...

-Headpat.

-Please help us, Prince Gira!

-He's here for us...

-Peak

-Despair! Always with the prolonged suffering.

-Stand up on that green screen, beetle man!

-Throw that sword!

-Lucky~!

-THE AUDACITY OF THIS BITCH-

-"C-c'mon, man, I was just kidding~! You wouldn't hurt a little guy, would you? :3"

-Bang~!

-"Et tu, Jeremy?!"

-A taste of his own medicine.

-"Yanma!"

-Dude

-Seriously?

-Okay, that was hella worth it.

-Didn't take Mama Nephila for a prankster.

-DOVE

-Racules has well and truly lost.

-They gather~!

-International cooperation~!

-A new power forms.

-The Ohsama Sentai... King-Ohger!

-Ohgai Busou!

-King of Kings~!

-Right, no more delay~! Let's see these arthropods swarm~!

-Hehehehehhe

-"Death Penalty."

-This is the good shit right here. Just pure vibes.

-Diamond Dan has no swag.

-Immortal, invincible tyrant king!

-You are! I am! We are the we are the King Ohger~!

-A man of the people, that King Gira.

-"Okaaaaay~! Well, Desnarak-sama, I can see that we're clearly losing, how about we just ditch Diamond Dan and head-"

-Complete Combination, once more!

-Extreme King-Ohger!

-"Jeremy's got this one, don't worry."

-Six kings all at once!

-Hooray~!

-So... I suppose all that's left is to meet with Racules.

-I see Gokkan does things Hammurabi style.

-Oh!

-One final duel. It seems fitting to end things this way.

-Two Kings Enter, One King Leaves.

-That'll have to wait until next time though, hmm~? I have a lot of overdue art to reblog!

[ameliiorate]

josh could be mechanical, downright clinical, because that was the first behavior that he had been exposed to and learned to mimic. spending so much time in hospitals from a young age, he's used to artificial interactions, but he's not accustomed to anything except authenticity with mina. he wants to say something, and is robbed of that opportunity as he shuffles his shoes off as she speaks on the phone, allowing her privacy though he would not be able to translate anything that she was saying anyway. he aligns his shoes where he would otherwise leave them sprawled askew in his own residence, all too aware that he is a guest in mina's space. and it doesn't feel like a space that he should be occupying anymore, not after what had just transpired.

"does she? when you speak to her next, please let her know that i greeted her back and hoped that she is doing well." it has been awhile since he has seen mina's cousin but, well, perhaps hari would be at this excursion that he has agreed to attend. hari tends to be more ostracized, so he cannot be sure that she will be. he would not further delve into mina's family dynamics, however, considering that is what has led to this chasming distance between them.

he follows after her, sitting aloft a stool at her kitchen island, watching her wordlessly and accepting the bottle of water. still, he says nothing, an unusual occurrence for josh who has something to say for every occasion. that is part of what makes his script writing so strong.

all he can do is watch her, leaving the ball in mina's court. it is the least of which she is owed after he has hurt her. they may both attempt to act like nothing has changed going forward. in their heart of hearts, they would know that everything has changed. this is the closing chapter of their story, and it would not be a happy ending.

and for the first time in a long while, the explanation as to why is at the tip of his tongue. he swallows it back with a long swig of water. there is no point in breaking his silence now. because all that would serve is further causing mina undue pain, and he has done enough of that already unwittingly. when she finally speaks, he blinks.

"thank you." for more than he could properly express, flinching as he sees the trail of steam and can yet again only watch as she changes her drink of choice to add something far more potent to the tea that she had been making. "i'll sit with you until you are ready to go to bed." the very least that he could do. "and i'll make sure to wear the blazer and have it steamed before i slip it on. you're the best, do ya know that?" his texan accent slips back into his tone when he is at his most exhausted, and he is mentally worn and drained. "you'll be with me in the meeting, won't you?" she would see this through to the end, wouldn't she? "and you'll send me the details of the family meeting, too?" he would stick to his commitments, as he is sure that mina will too.

she only takes another moment to collect herself before she's moving to unlock the door, push it open. it's a kind of mechanical movement through rooms to flip on lights to guide them in, cool florescent bulbs feeling a little too clinical as they light up the modern space around them. her phone rings, but it takes her a moment to realize it as her mind is in a haze, and she answers it flatly, not expecting her cousin's extremely loud voice on the other end. she very quickly speaks in rapid korean so that hari will make the switch, and walks a little further away to have a rapid and hushed conversation with the woman, only offering the barest of details about her own night before hanging up.

"hari says hello."

it comes out flatter than she intends, as she moves into the open space kitchen, flips on a burner and places the kettle on it, grabs a bottle of water from the fridge and goes as far as to open it before setting it in front of him.

and then, her eyes glaze over, body sits stiff on a stool, and she stares, somewhere into the middle distance, replaying the night over in her head. she should have done things differently. maybe she shouldn't have told him about the party at all. everything is ruined now, and it's all her fault, and the icing on that cake is the shattered illusion of her feelings.

as long as they were in limbo, she could have pretended that there was hope, that she wasn't clinging to a dead end dream. now, it's out in the open and, being so thoroughly rejected, she wonders if it's even worth it to keep fighting against her father's arranged marriage proposal.

"i restocked the bathroom last week, if you want to shower." she forces herself to blink as the kettle starts to whistle behind her, and she starts going through the motions of making herself a cup of tea. steam scalds her hand a little but she barely notices it as she stirs it, stares at the murky liquid as if it'll have the answers to all of the questions she dares not even ask. its a snap decision to reach above the counter and grab a bottle of dark liquor to add a shot to the still steaming cup. "wear the green blazer tomorrow, it looks good against the cream color in the office, appealing to the eye, makes people pay attention to you when you're speaking."

[slttygeto]

jjk men + the film industry!

synopsis: i recently read something similar and I've had the idea of them being actors for a long time so :)!!

featuring: gojo satoru, geto suguru, toji fushiguro

warning: slight nsfw

author's note: peep the friends references :) and i apologize for the slight cringe at Toji's part I'm not creative with movie names lol

additional note: @cherriese thank you for the idea!!! it's amazing<3

reblogs are appreciated!!

gojo satoru

absolutely a goof behind the scenes

most of the bloopers from the show he stars in consist of him popping in a scene where he's not supposed to be there

or poking fun at you for a slight break in your character

especially when you're mid-acting and then you suddenly see his eyes curl up, a sign that he was going to laugh really loudly

"or, you could stick a fork in an apple!" "..."

based from the look on his face, you knew you were gonna have to shoot that scene again.

"what is one thing about working with the gojo satoru that makes it different from working with other actors, is he serious? is he playful?" staring at the man sitting next to you, you were quick to shoot him a teasing smile as he leaned back in his chair with a smug grin, waiting to be showered with compliments. something he was used to a bit too much.

"he's a man-child," your response was mostly expected from gojo, but that wouldn't mean that he would hold himself back from making an exaggerated reaction, as if he wasn't waiting for you to throw insults at him left and right like you always do on set.

the interviewer laughed in return, watching the interaction between you and the white haired male.

"but working with him doesn't really feel like it's work, if you know what I mean? he makes acting...natural, and not a job, on days where I feel like the script is too much, he comes to my side and tries to make it more fun for me," you said with a smile, hands resting on your knees as you continued the shower the man with compliments he never saw coming, a look of adoration in his eyes.

"he is...an inhalation of fresh air to say the least,"

don't be surprised when you find out that dating rumors spread after the interview, with the way you and gojo were fidgeting and being too flirty, it wasn't a surprise that people could feel the love from the screen.

geto suguru

he and satoru starred in the same show as best friends which made total sense to be honest

he plays the role of the really responsible-yet-also-goofy-when-he wants-to best friend, it fit him perfectly

joey and chandler much?

geto is an actor who always keeps his hands to himself unlike gojo

he definitely does hugs but most of the time, he doesn't engage in much physical interaction with others

that is until you two met on set and it was a complete change in his behavior

he went from taking a seat alone and chatting from afar to walking up to you with a drink you had mentioned that you liked on the first day of filming, engaging in the most random conversations with you

the type to fix your hair mid-scene because it was getting in your way

your nervous giggle at how close he was to you all of a sudden was something geto could never get enough of.

"please give us a smile," "over here! (name)! suguru!," tonight was the premiere to the movie you've been working on for the past two years ; two years of seeing each other on set everyday at 7am, bundled up in clothes and a coffee in hand.

two years of hiding the fact that you were utterly in love with each other to the world, something everyone was about to witness in the movie tonight. your roles were perfect depictions of how you were with each other ; secretive, playful, in love. truly one of your most enjoyable works of all time.

"tonight has to be a very special night for you two, how would you describe the movie in a few words?"

suguru's hand was quick to slide down to your side, warm hand caressing your bare hip. your dress being one of his favorites if he had to be honest.

sharing a glance with him and trying to decide on a shared sentence, you started laughing at his stare, as if he was daring you to admit that you two were straight up going to be fucking on a screen in front of everybody.

"pornographic-" "oh my god!" you tapped at his shoulder, squeezing it before giving the interviewer a small, delicate smile.

"it's enjoyable. not family friendly but definitely enjoyable,"

toji fushiguro

he was known to be shameless on set but you never knew how bad it was until you had to starr with him in a make-out scene.

if you had followed what the script said, the make-out session was supposed to be done when he suddenly slides his hands under your shirt

not on toji's watch.

the moment his hand slid under your shirt, he pulled away from the kiss, saying something that was utterly and completely not on the script.

"can I fuck you?"

the director was supposed to say cut.

the staff members were supposed to do something

but when you laid there on his lap, panting against his lips before nodding at him and letting the scene escalate a bit too far, all they could do was just watch it get natural.

they've never seen such good chemistry before

"rumor has it that the sex scene in reckless," you started, reading what was written on the piece of paper with a small smile, the name of the movie catching toji's attention who was playing with the puppies on the floor.

"wasn't scripted," you finished by crumbling the piece of paper and looking at the bigger man with a small grin, the lopsided smirk adorning his features sending chills down your spine as a puppy nestled itself under your sweater.

"oh hi baby,"

"to answer you," toji started, caressing the puppy in his arms before looking straight at the camera, "what if it wasn't?"

of course he wasn't going to give them an actual answer. he never did and he never felt the need to. he did what he wanted to do, when he wanted to do it which happened to work perfectly with you.

"something about the way toji stares at (name) in reckless makes me think that these two definitely have something going on, i hope it's not just me," toji read out loud, your humming as you leaned against him in a very more-than-friendly way before gazing up at him making the dark haired male man chuckle.

"will you stop with those stares?" he sounded like he was being mean when in reality, he was a bit too whipped for his own liking.

"not my fault i have pretty eyes,"

"yeah and a pretty ass too,"

"toji!"

you can read part two here!

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