#Overconfidence in Marketing

[blaksheepcreative]

🔥 Ooohhhweee, this one might sting! 🐝 Are your bold marketing claims really hitting the mark, or are they just missing the bullseye? 🎯 We're unpacking the pitfalls of claiming to be the "Nation's #1" when it might not resonate with your local crowd. Dive into our latest piece where we reveal the true power of authentic and targeted marketing strategies. 🎩✨ Don't get caught in the overconfidence trap - read on to make sure your brand stands out for all the right reasons! #MarketingTips #SEOStrategy #LocalSEO #BrandGrowth 👉 https://blaksheepcreative.com/digital-marketing/overconfidence-in-marketing-claims/

[phantomrose96]

If anyone wants to know why every tech company in the world right now is clamoring for AI like drowned rats scrabbling to board a ship, I decided to make a post to explain what's happening.

(Disclaimer to start: I'm a software engineer who's been employed full time since 2018. I am not a historian nor an overconfident Youtube essayist, so this post is my working knowledge of what I see around me and the logical bridges between pieces.)

Okay anyway. The explanation starts further back than what's going on now. I'm gonna start with the year 2000. The Dot Com Bubble just spectacularly burst. The model of "we get the users first, we learn how to profit off them later" went out in a no-money-having bang (remember this, it will be relevant later). A lot of money was lost. A lot of people ended up out of a job. A lot of startup companies went under. Investors left with a sour taste in their mouth and, in general, investment in the internet stayed pretty cooled for that decade. This was, in my opinion, very good for the internet as it was an era not suffocating under the grip of mega-corporation oligarchs and was, instead, filled with Club Penguin and I Can Haz Cheezburger websites.

Then around the 2010-2012 years, a few things happened. Interest rates got low, and then lower. Facebook got huge. The iPhone took off. And suddenly there was a huge new potential market of internet users and phone-havers, and the cheap money was available to start backing new tech startup companies trying to hop on this opportunity. Companies like Uber, Netflix, and Amazon either started in this time, or hit their ramp-up in these years by shifting focus to the internet and apps.

Now, every start-up tech company dreaming of being the next big thing has one thing in common: they need to start off by getting themselves massively in debt. Because before you can turn a profit you need to first spend money on employees and spend money on equipment and spend money on data centers and spend money on advertising and spend money on scale and and and

But also, everyone wants to be on the ship for The Next Big Thing that takes off to the moon.

So there is a mutual interest between new tech companies, and venture capitalists who are willing to invest $$$ into said new tech companies. Because if the venture capitalists can identify a prize pig and get in early, that money could come back to them 100-fold or 1,000-fold. In fact it hardly matters if they invest in 10 or 20 total bust projects along the way to find that unicorn.

But also, becoming profitable takes time. And that might mean being in debt for a long long time before that rocket ship takes off to make everyone onboard a gazzilionaire.

But luckily, for tech startup bros and venture capitalists, being in debt in the 2010's was cheap, and it only got cheaper between 2010 and 2020. If people could secure loans for ~3% or 4% annual interest, well then a $100,000 loan only really costs $3,000 of interest a year to keep afloat. And if inflation is higher than that or at least similar, you're still beating the system.

So from 2010 through early 2022, times were good for tech companies. Startups could take off with massive growth, showing massive potential for something, and venture capitalists would throw infinite money at them in the hopes of pegging just one winner who will take off. And supporting the struggling investments or the long-haulers remained pretty cheap to keep funding.

You hear constantly about "Such and such app has 10-bazillion users gained over the last 10 years and has never once been profitable", yet the thing keeps chugging along because the investors backing it aren't stressed about the immediate future, and are still banking on that "eventually" when it learns how to really monetize its users and turn that profit.

The pandemic in 2020 took a magnifying-glass-in-the-sun effect to this, as EVERYTHING was forcibly turned online which pumped a ton of money and workers into tech investment. Simultaneously, money got really REALLY cheap, bottoming out with historic lows for interest rates.

Then the tide changed with the massive inflation that struck late 2021. Because this all-gas no-brakes state of things was also contributing to off-the-rails inflation (along with your standard-fare greedflation and price gouging, given the extremely convenient excuses of pandemic hardships and supply chain issues). The federal reserve whipped out interest rate hikes to try to curb this huge inflation, which is like a fire extinguisher dousing and suffocating your really-cool, actively-on-fire party where everyone else is burning but you're in the pool. And then they did this more, and then more. And the financial climate followed suit. And suddenly money was not cheap anymore, and new loans became expensive, because loans that used to compound at 2% a year are now compounding at 7 or 8% which, in the language of compounding, is a HUGE difference. A $100,000 loan at a 2% interest rate, if not repaid a single cent in 10 years, accrues to $121,899. A $100,000 loan at an 8% interest rate, if not repaid a single cent in 10 years, more than doubles to $215,892.

Now it is scary and risky to throw money at "could eventually be profitable" tech companies. Now investors are watching companies burn through their current funding and, when the companies come back asking for more, investors are tightening their coin purses instead. The bill is coming due. The free money is drying up and companies are under compounding pressure to produce a profit for their waiting investors who are now done waiting.

You get enshittification. You get quality going down and price going up. You get "now that you're a captive audience here, we're forcing ads or we're forcing subscriptions on you." Don't get me wrong, the plan was ALWAYS to monetize the users. It's just that it's come earlier than expected, with way more feet-to-the-fire than these companies were expecting. ESPECIALLY with Wall Street as the other factor in funding (public) companies, where Wall Street exhibits roughly the same temperament as a baby screaming crying upset that it's soiled its own diaper (maybe that's too mean a comparison to babies), and now companies are being put through the wringer for anything LESS than infinite growth that Wall Street demands of them.

Internal to the tech industry, you get MASSIVE wide-spread layoffs. You get an industry that used to be easy to land multiple job offers shriveling up and leaving recent graduates in a desperately awful situation where no company is hiring and the market is flooded with laid-off workers trying to get back on their feet.

Because those coin-purse-clutching investors DO love virtue-signaling efforts from companies that say "See! We're not being frivolous with your money! We only spend on the essentials." And this is true even for MASSIVE, PROFITABLE companies, because those companies' value is based on the Rich Person Feeling Graph (their stock) rather than the literal profit money. A company making a genuine gazillion dollars a year still tears through layoffs and freezes hiring and removes the free batteries from the printer room (totally not speaking from experience, surely) because the investors LOVE when you cut costs and take away employee perks. The "beer on tap, ping pong table in the common area" era of tech is drying up. And we're still unionless.

Never mind that last part.

And then in early 2023, AI (more specifically, Chat-GPT which is OpenAI's Large Language Model creation) tears its way into the tech scene with a meteor's amount of momentum. Here's Microsoft's prize pig, which it invested heavily in and is galivanting around the pig-show with, to the desperate jealousy and rapture of every other tech company and investor wishing it had that pig. And for the first time since the interest rate hikes, investors have dollar signs in their eyes, both venture capital and Wall Street alike. They're willing to restart the hose of money (even with the new risk) because this feels big enough for them to take the risk.

Now all these companies, who were in varying stages of sweating as their bill came due, or wringing their hands as their stock prices tanked, see a single glorious gold-plated rocket up out of here, the likes of which haven't been seen since the free money days. It's their ticket to buy time, and buy investors, and say "see THIS is what will wring money forth, finally, we promise, just let us show you."

To be clear, AI is NOT profitable yet. It's a money-sink. Perhaps a money-black-hole. But everyone in the space is so wowed by it that there is a wide-spread and powerful conviction that it will become profitable and earn its keep. (Let's be real, half of that profit "potential" is the promise of automating away jobs of pesky employees who peskily cost money.) It's a tech-space industrial revolution that will automate away skilled jobs, and getting in on the ground floor is the absolute best thing you can do to get your pie slice's worth.

It's the thing that will win investors back. It's the thing that will get the investment money coming in again (or, get it second-hand if the company can be the PROVIDER of something needed for AI, which other companies with venture-back will pay handsomely for). It's the thing companies are terrified of missing out on, lest it leave them utterly irrelevant in a future where not having AI-integration is like not having a mobile phone app for your company or not having a website.

So I guess to reiterate on my earlier point:

Drowned rats. Swimming to the one ship in sight.

[its-not-that-weird-blog]

On the wrong foot

Matt Rempe x Reader

Summary: Maybe starting off on the wrong foot wasn't as bad as everyone thought…

Warnings: A little angsty but nothing to bad, enemies to lovers.

A/N: Due to the lack of Matt Rempe´s fics, here you have one, hope you guys like it. Sorry for any grammar mistakes, english is not my first language :) Let me know what you thought about this little fic

2.8k words

Being an intern for the New York Rangers has its ups and downs. Some positive aspects are that you get to do what you like (having fun on social media and forcing the players to make TikToks) and having free access to all the games in the season. All of that makes you grateful for this amazing opportunity, but there is one thing that makes this job unbearable..

And that is Matt Rempe, a cocky, 6'7" rookie who acts like he has the entire world in the palm of his hand. His arrogance and overconfidence make every interaction with him a challenge. He struts around the locker room, flaunting his height and abilities, often disregarding the efforts of those around him. His constant need for attention and validation only adds to the frustration, making what could be an amazing experience a bit of a nightmare.

Y/N and Matt started off on the wrong foot, meeting under the worst possible circumstances. It was the worst day of Y/N´s entire life. She had woken up late, throwing off her entire morning routine, and had to rush out the door without even grabbing a quick breakfast. Her day only got worse as she hurried to catch the train, only to miss it by mere seconds. By the time Y/N finally made it to the rink, she was frazzled, starving, and running on empty. That’s when she ran into Matt Rempe for the first time. Their initial encounter was less than pleasant, setting the tone for our strained relationship from the very start.

“You know this is a private practice, right?” Matt asked the poor frazzled girl.

“Yes, I am very aware of that,” she answered, chuckling. “You must be Matt, right? The new rookie?” Y/N asked, looking up at the lanky, very tall boy standing in front of her.

“Yeah, I mean, hard for you not to know, I guess... And you are?” Matt trailed off.

Y/N was taken aback, mainly because the team directors always made sure to let the new guys know who worked in what, especially in the media and marketing department.

“Oh, umm… I’m Y/N, one of the media interns,” she replied with a tight-lipped smile.

Matt raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “Media intern, huh? So, what do you do? Take pictures and post tweets?”

“Actually, I manage the team's social media accounts, coordinate player interviews, and create content for our marketing campaigns,” Y/N replied, trying to keep her voice steady despite her irritation. “It’s a lot of work and responsibility.”

“Right, sure,” Matt said dismissively. “Well, try not to get in the way.”

Y/N felt a surge of frustration but forced herself to stay calm. “I’ll do my best,” she said, her tone tinged with sarcasm. “And maybe you can try to remember who’s on your team next time.”

Matt smirked. “We’ll see about that.”

As he walked away, Y/N couldn’t help but feel a mixture of anger and determination. She knew she had to prove herself, not just to Matt, but to everyone. This internship was too important to let one arrogant rookie ruin it for her.

She brushed it off, but it still annoyed her the audacity of that boy.

°°°°°°°°°°°

A few weeks had passed since their first encounter and it has been a constant fight between Y/N and Matt, mainly because of Matt’s attitude towards her. December rolled around and the team´s marketing director told the staff that they needed to do a promotional photoshoot to use during summer break.

It was a chilly Tuesday morning, and the team was gathered for the photoshoot at an outdoor rink. The bright sunlight reflected off the ice, creating a beautiful backdrop for the shoot. Y/N had been working tirelessly to ensure everything was set up perfectly: the lighting, the props, and the shoot schedule. 

Matt Rempe, on the other hand, seemed determined to test Y/N’s patience today. As the players gathered for their turn in front of the camera, Y/N called Matt over for his individual shots.

“Alright, Matt, let’s get started,” Y/N said, holding up a clipboard and checking the list. “We need you to do a few action poses first, then we’ll get some close-ups.”

Matt strolled over with a cocky and sarcastic grin. “Sure thing, but can I ask, why do we have to do this out in the freezing cold? Couldn’t you find a warmer spot?” Making his grin disappear and tuning his face into an annoyed frown

Y/N kept her professional demeanor. “It’s about the look we’re going for. The outdoor rink adds a unique touch to the photos. Plus, it’s only for a short while.”

Matt sighed heavily but positioned himself on the ice. As Y/N instructed him to perform a few drills and poses, Matt’s resistance became evident. He was slow to follow instructions, often taking a few extra seconds to reposition himself, and his expressions were lackluster at best.

Y/N tried to stay patient as she gave him clear directions. “Matt, please try to focus on the details of the poses. We need these shots to look sharp and engaging.”

Matt responded with a distracted nod but continued to make minimal effort. When Y/N asked him to adjust his stance, he grumbled, “I’m doing my best here, but this isn’t exactly my favorite way to spend an afternoon.”

Y/N took a deep breath, keeping her frustration in check. “Matt, I understand it’s not the most exciting part of the job, but it’s important for the team’s image. We need to get this right.”

Matt didn’t seem to take her seriously. He continued to make things difficult for everyone, giving half-hearted poses, shooting dirty looks at the camera, and maintaining his scowl. The photographer was visibly annoyed, and Y/N could feel the tension rising.

“Matt, if you can’t cooperate, we’re going to have to reschedule,” Y/N said, her voice firm.

Matt stopped his antics and looked at Y/N, realizing she was serious. “Alright, alright. I’ll play along. But can we make this quick? I’m freezing out here.”

With a reluctant nod, Y/N directed Matt through the remaining poses, this time with a bit more cooperation. Though his attitude was far from perfect, he made an effort to follow directions and get the shots done. Y/N was relieved to finish the session and hoped that Matt’s cooperation would improve with time.

Matt’s POV:

A few days after my awkward encounter with Y/N at the photoshoot, I was at the rink, trying to shake off the frustration of another rough practice. As I was heading to the locker room, Trouba stopped me in the hallway, looking a bit more serious than usual.

“Dude, you should leave poor Y/N alone,” he said, shaking his head. “You’re driving her crazy, and not in the right way.”

I raised an eyebrow, confused. “What are you talking about? I haven’t done anything that bad.”

“Really?” Jacob replied, his tone indicating he was unimpressed. “I’ve seen you giving her a hard time. She’s not just some intern; she’s part of the team’s media and marketing department. You’re making it difficult for her to do her job.”

I shrugged, trying to downplay it. “I didn’t realize it was such a big deal. I thought I was just being straightforward.”

“It’s not about being straightforward,” Jacob explained. “It’s about showing some respect. She’s working hard behind the scenes, and she’s under enough pressure already. You don’t want to be the guy who makes things worse for her.”

I sighed, realizing he had a point. I hadn’t thought about how my behavior might be affecting Y/N. “Alright, I get it. I’ll try to be more considerate.”

Trouba nodded, seeming satisfied. “Good. Trust me, it’ll make things easier in the long run.” He started walking back toward the locker room but stopped and turned around to face me again. “And if you have a crush on her, that second-grade bullshit needs to stop.” He winked at me before finally leaving.

As Trouba walked away, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to make things right with Y/N. It was clear that my attitude needed to change, and I had to start finding a way to work with her, not against her.

And maybe Jacob’s right; I might have a little—just the tiniest—crush on Y/N. She’s a gorgeous, smart, and driven girl, and because of my little game, she probably won’t give me the time of day. But first things first, I need to turn around the relationship we currently have, or rather, the lack thereof.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

The next day, Matt found himself lingering outside the media office, trying to figure out how to approach Y/N. Apologizing wasn't something he was used to, especially when he wasn’t sure how she’d react. But he knew he had to start somewhere.

Y/N was at her desk, headphones on, focused on editing a video from the previous game. She hadn’t noticed Matt standing in the doorway until he cleared his throat, causing her to look up in surprise.

“Oh, hey,” Y/N said, pulling off her headphones and sitting up straighter. “What’s up?”

Matt rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a bit awkward. “Hey, I just wanted to talk to you about the other day. You know, at the photoshoot.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow, clearly curious where this was going. “Okay…”

“I realize I’ve been a bit of a jerk,” Matt admitted, his voice slightly strained. “I didn’t mean to make things harder for you, and I’m sorry for being difficult.”

Y/N blinked, taken aback by his sudden apology. It was the last thing she expected from him. “Well, that’s… unexpected,” she said, not quite sure how to respond. “But I appreciate it.”

Matt nodded, feeling a small weight lift off his shoulders. “I know I’ve been giving you a hard time, but I want to make it up to you. Maybe we can start over?”

Y/N studied him for a moment, searching for any signs of insincerity. To her surprise, Matt seemed genuinely contrite. “Alright,” she said finally, offering a small smile. “I’m willing to give it a shot.”

Relief washed over Matt, and he smiled back. “Great. Maybe I can help out with some of the social media stuff, or anything else you need?”

Y/N chuckled, the idea of Matt willingly helping with TikToks and Instagram posts was amusing. “We’ll see about that,” she said teasingly. “But I’ll definitely let you know if there’s anything you can do.”

Matt grinned, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction. “Deal.”

As he left the office, Matt couldn’t help but feel a bit more relieved. Maybe he’d been too quick to judge Y/N, and maybe, just maybe, there was a chance to turn things around.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°|

Over the next few weeks, Matt made a conscious effort to be more cooperative and approachable, especially when it came to Y/N’s work. It wasn’t always easy—old habits die hard—but he was determined to keep his word. Slowly but surely, the tension between them started to ease.

Y/N, for her part, noticed the change in Matt’s behavior. He was still cocky and sarcastic, but there was a noticeable shift in his attitude. He wasn’t as dismissive or difficult as before, and he even started to show some interest in the work she was doing. It was a refreshing change, and it made her job a little less stressful.

One day, as they were wrapping up a content planning meeting, Y/N decided to take a chance. “You know, Matt, we’re shooting a new series of TikToks next week,” she said casually. “We could use a player who’s good on camera… Interested?”

Matt smirked, recognizing the playful challenge in her voice. “Oh, so now you need my help?”

Y/N rolled her eyes but smiled. “Only if you’re up for it.”

Matt pretended to think it over, then nodded. “Alright, I’m in. But only if you promise to make me look good.”

Y/N laughed. “Deal. But you’ll have to take direction without any complaints this time.”

“Fine,” Matt agreed, holding out his hand. “Shake on it?”

Y/N shook his hand, feeling a sense of accomplishment. It was a small victory, but it felt like a step in the right direction. Maybe, just maybe, this internship wouldn’t be so unbearable after all.

And as for Matt? Well, he found himself looking forward to working with Y/N a lot more than he’d expected.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°

As the weeks passed, the collaboration between Y/N and Matt grew smoother, and so did their relationship. They began to banter more playfully, their exchanges losing the tension they once had. Y/N started to see a different side of Matt, the side that wasn’t all arrogance and bravado, but someone who was actually fun to be around. 

Matt, too, couldn’t help but notice how much he enjoyed spending time with Y/N. Her sharpness, her determination, and the way she handled everything with grace under pressure all intrigued him. The more he got to know her, the more he found himself wanting to be around her.

One evening, after a long day of content creation and practice, Y/N was finishing up some last-minute edits in the media room. The office was quiet, with most of the staff having gone home. She was so engrossed in her work that she didn’t notice Matt walk in.

“Hey,” Matt’s voice broke the silence, startling Y/N slightly.

“Oh, fuck!” Y/N yelped, “ Matt, you scared me!” she exclaimed, laughing as she turned to face him. “What are you doing here so late?”

Matt leaned against the doorframe, a small smile playing on his lips. “I was just wondering if you wanted to grab a bite to eat. It’s been a long day, and I figured you could use a break.”

Y/N blinked in surprise. This was the first time Matt had ever suggested something like this. “Are you asking me out on a dinner date?” she teased, raising an eyebrow.

Matt chuckled, his expression softening. “Yeah, I guess I am. What do you say?”

Y/N hesitated for a moment, then smiled warmly. “Sure, I’d like that.”

They ended up at a cozy little diner not too far from the arena, the kind of place that felt welcoming and unpretentious. As they settled into a booth, the conversation flowed easily. They talked about everything, from their families and childhood memories to their hopes and dreams for the future.

For the first time, Y/N saw the genuine person behind the cocky exterior. Matt was funny, thoughtful, and surprisingly down-to-earth. The more they talked, the more she found herself drawn to him. 

And Matt? He couldn’t stop thinking about how beautiful Y/N looked when she laughed, or how her eyes lit up when she talked about something she was passionate about. He realized that this wasn’t just a crush anymore, he was falling for her, and hard.

As they walked out of the diner, the night air cool and crisp, Matt felt a wave of nervous anticipation. He knew he didn’t want this night to end just yet.

“Y/N,” Matt began, stopping in front of her. “I know we didn’t exactly start off on the right foot, but… I really like you. And I want to see where this could go.”

Y/N looked up at him, her heart skipping a beat. She could see the sincerity in his eyes, and it made her heart swell. “Matt, I like you too,” she admitted, a soft smile spreading across her face. “I wasn’t sure at first, but… you’ve shown me that there’s more to you than I thought.”

Matt took a step closer, his hand reaching out to gently tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “So… what now?” he asked, his voice low and hopeful.

Y/N’s smile widened as she closed the distance between them. “Now,” she said softly, “we see where this goes.”

With that, Matt leaned in, his lips brushing against hers in a tender, sweet kiss. It was soft at first, almost hesitant, as if both of them were testing the waters. But as Y/N responded, the kiss deepened, filled with a warmth and affection that had been building between them for weeks.

When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathless, but smiling. Matt rested his forehead against hers, his arms wrapped around her waist.

“I’m really glad you didn’t let me mess this up,” Matt whispered, his voice filled with emotion.

“Me too,” Y/N replied, her eyes shining with happiness. “I think we make a pretty good team, don’t you?”

Matt grinned, leaning in to kiss her again. “Yeah, we really do.”

As they stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms under the soft glow of the streetlights, it was clear that this was the beginning of something special—something neither of them had expected, but both of them were more than ready to embrace.

[distinguisheddwarffriend]

Ok ok OK hear me out:

Fili is the crown prince, right? So while Thorin is still alive he is already involved TM into the whole politics and statecraft bs, but also somewhat 'the face's of the crown, the one actually walking through Erebor and talking with people and shit.

SO since Fili as we all know is a very considerate, kind being and his big-brother-instict has him sniffing out as soon as someone needs help, he of course will do All he can to help whoever is struggling.

An old grandma having trouble carrying her grocery bags? Fili carries them all on one arm, escorting her with the other right to her door, charming and flirting and treating her like A Lady and the old woman giggles and maybe pinches his cheeks and will always remember the lovely, good - hearted prince.

A fight between two boys in the market? Hell mediate immediately, getting the boys to befriend each other instead, and takes them home to their mother(s) telling them what great sons they have (the boys later admit to their mothers that the prince caught them fighting and their hearts just about MELT).

Some young guard in training, overconfident and failing at his first attempt? Fili will tell him all about his embarrassing first years of training while casually instructing him how to avoid this or that mistake. The lad later of COURSE tells his parents about how kind and supportive and everything the prince is.

So after some time, many many people have either themselves met Fili & experienced his helpful nature and kindness, or know someone who did.

And when some dickhead lord is trying to idk get a petition Fili or his family care for rejected, or sth like that, he just smiles and asks the lord to give his best to his mother/sister/grandma who he missed taking his tea with and is her leg healed by the way? And the lord just starts sweating because hell if he wants to risk the wrath of a dwarrowdam, let alone their mother/sister/grandma so yeah maybe Fìli's idea does have some merit after all he will reconsider it, no need to mention the whole thing at home!

And this is how Fili manages a friendly takeover of the council of Erebor destroying almost all opposition by just being his amazing self.

Now excuse me while I return to my writing block with my current fics.

Toodles!

[liesmyth]

the locked tomb holiday exchange rec list

Behold! The good, the magnificent, the sad! The filth and the angst and the feelings! The weird shit that would make TazMuir proud! 💀🎉✨☠️🔥🎊

Here are some favourites from a skim of works posted for @tlt-holiday-exchange, both art and fic. They are MANY and they are JUICY. Find the entire collection HERE, and keep an eye on for authors reveal coming soon!

ART FILLS

A Beautiful Fairy Tale. Wake tells little Bomb a bedtime story but she can't mention a princess without talking about guillotines. Rated T.

Dubious Curiosity. Nona is curious. Nona loves everyone. And Nona wants Cam. (Camilla/Nona) Rated M.

Fingers In Her Mouth. Camilla Hect misses the Warden. Maybe he can lend a helping hand… even in death. (Camilla/hand!Palamedes) Rated M.

just guys being bros. Camilla/Gideon. Gideon touches a boob! A very happy new year to awkward butch lesbians everywhere. Rated T.

Pyrrha Dve Appreciation. Pyrrha & Nona, soft hugs! Rated G.

Stealing Breath. Camilla/Gideon butch-off make-out session. Rated G.

To Shreds, You Say? Pyrrha/Mercymorn/Wake fucking nasty. Rated E.

FIC FILLS

a buried and a burning flame. Coronabeth fucks Gideon's corpse. Rated E.

For all intents and purposes the corpse of the Ninth’s cavalier is a bad lay. That’s all fine, though.

a grave, deep and narrow. Camilla/Palamedes, GtN AU, Character Death, Tape Recorder Conversation Redux. Podfic included! Rated T

Only Lyctors were meant to leave the First House alive. Ianthe insists on bringing Coronabeth; Judith dies of her injuries. Camilla is stranded alone at Canaan House — alone, except for the persistent hallucinations of her necromancer.

affix. Coronabeth/Harrow, humiliation kink, improper use of bones, dom!Harrow, GtN era. rated E.

Cytherea doesn't go to Canaan House AU - Corona overconfidently approaches Harrow in the hopes of exchanging lab keys. Harrow humbles her quickly.

AITA for telling my dad I didn't like my birthday party? Gideon & John, In-Universe Social Media, Character study, Rated T.

I (20F) told my dad (45?M) that I wanted a cool birthday party, but he threw me a terrible birthday party instead. Am I really the asshole for telling him I didn't like it?

and kings shall come out of thy loins. Gideon/Ianthe, crack treated seriously, body horor, SNAKES. Rated M.

Ianthe saves God from the stoma and the River and all she has to show for it are these fucking snubes.

come, dearest heart. Lyctor Palamedes AU, HtN era. Camilla/Palamedes, Pyrrha/Palamedes, Pyrrha/Camilla/Palamedes. Rated E.

In Canaan House, Palamedes Sextus unwillingly ascends to Lyctorhood to put an end to Cytherea the First's rampage. He's left heartbroken, grieving, and terribly, terribly lonely.

Don't Care If You Think I'm Dumb (I Don't Care At All). Gideon/Ianthe, Gideon as Kiriona, Unwholesome Tower Princes Bonding ft. bad sex and retail therapy. Rated E.

The newly christened Kiriona Gaia is not having a good time on the Mithraeum. At least she has Ianthe there to make her worse.

Follow Your Dreams, Never Let Them Die. Gideon/Harrow, Pokemon trainers AU! Rated T.

On her Pokemon Journey, Gideon Nav approaches the mysterious Drearburh City Gym - but something feels oddly familiar.

Gaia's Natural Market. modern AU, retail hell, Harrow/Gideon, Harrow/Ianthe, Gideon/Ianthe. Rated T

RING-A-DING-DING, the Holiday's are here! And nothing says "Give!" like the bounty of the Mother Herself, so come on by to GAIA's Natural Market! Treat your family to a home-cooked meal with only the PUREST of ingredients - all Produce Organic, all Products non-GMO, and all Smiles Authentic and free of Toxins!

Good Girl. Coronabeth/Ianthe, puppyplay, muzzles, rated E.

Coronabeth is Ianthe's big dicked bimbo puppy. Ianthe's into it.

Goodnight, New Rho. Camilla & Nona. Domestic Fluff, Missing Scene. Rated G.

Nona gets a bedtime story. Camilla reminisces about growing up with an older sister. They both sleep well, despite a notable lack of dogs.

In the Empire of the Deeps. Gideon/Nona/Ianthe, Gideon/Ianthe, Pirate AU, monsterfucking-adjacent, Nona is an eldritch sea creature. Rated E.

A chance encounter on the beach. Ianthe is manipulative, Kiriona is sad, and Nona is not as innocent as she seems. Sometimes, you might yearn for one person and meet another one. Sometimes, you have to take what you can get.

just like normal. Ianthe/Coronabeth, Cytherea is also there. Penis in vagina sex, Exhibitionism, Squirting. Rated E.

Ianthe gives herself a cock, and Corona is increasingly bewildered that she hasn’t been allowed to sit on it yet.

language of its own. Camilla/Palamedes. Worldbuilding, idiots to lovers, pre-canon. Rated T.

Camilla Hect has to do an erotic poetry final.

Masochism Tango. Porn with feelings, knifeplay, vivisection, lyctor-typical everything. Rated E.

Two occasions in which Pyrrha Dve had the pleasure of being under Cytherea's knife, and Mercymorn had the pleasure of Pyrrha Dve.

METHODS OF SUBDUCTION. Judith/Cornabeth, Judith & Varun. Planetary science rizz. Rated M.

Varun the Eater teaches Judith Deuteros how to flirt.

midnight mass. Mercymorn/Cristabel, pre-canon, Character Study. Rated T.

A lifetime before the resurrection and two decades before the apocalypse, a novice nun and a third-year medical student discuss goodness, passion, and salvation at midnight on Christmas morning.

motherhood. Mercymorn uses flesh magic on Wake. Hate sex ensues. Body horror, motherhood as violence, canon compliant. Rated E.

“I will kill you,” you say, with all the placid fervor of a religious convert. When you’re on the edge of real violence, you lose that tense little furrow in your brow—it’s beautiful, really. “Please give me a reason.”

My Love Overflows. Corona/Ianthe, Strap-on, Dirty talk, Impact Play, Hair Pulling, Bladder control. Rated E.

The one in which Corona pisses all over herself at Ianthe's whims.

name and rank. Judith/Coronabeth, Judith & Varun. Judith's failwoman swag! Rated T.

As Judith lies dying, she has nothing but time. Varun the Eater uses it to teach her how to flirt with the Princess. Don’t worry. Varun has got this!

New Rule. Mercymorn/Pyrrha, Ranch AU, stablehand Pyrrha, boss/employee relationship. Rated E.

Never hire stablehands who are too handsome and capable for their own good.

no shade in the shadow of the cross. Cytherea/Mercymorn, angst, fisting, two pillow princesses NOT making it work! Rated E.

Cytherea and Mercymorn have an ill-timed tryst.

per my last email. Camilla/Palamedes. Academia, banter. On peer review and multitasking. Rated M.

“Warden,” she said patiently, “you want me so badly it’s making you stupid."

RISKING OUR LIVES FOR UNIVERSITY HOLE???? 🤯😳 University AU, Team 69. The hole is a basement to be clear! Rated T.

The difficult part of visiting the local haunted house for a feature in the university magazine is not actually the visiting; it’s the writing about it afterwards.

So Messed Up. Ianthe/Coronabeth. Puppy play, collars & leashes, tail plug. Rated E.

Ianthe using her flesh magic to give Corona a big cock for petplay because she loves the idea of her sister being a big dicked bimbo puppy girl who just wants to rut into her.

The Great Gamete Gambit. Camilla & Palamedes, Pre-canon, worldbuilding, sixth house reproductive practices. Rated G.

Palamedes and Camilla have an important package to send, but there's been a heist in the gamete repository! Can the 15-year-old Master Warden and his cavalier crack the case?

The Sextus Scandal. Camilla/Palamedes, Epistolary, Pre-Canon Divergence. Rated E.

Transcripts and documents relating to the disciplinary hearing and subsequent resignation of Master Warden Palamedes Sextus.

Ways to Be Perfect. Babs/Colum Asht, GtN era, Rated M.

When Naberius first glanced across the supper table at Colum Asht, he didn’t immediately get the impression that he was liked.

The end!

Thank you for making it this far. If you enjoyed any of these works, or anything else in the collection, please drop a comment to make our creators feel appreciated <3

[post creators reveal exchange wrap post]

[harry-on-broadway]

Snapshot

Word Count: 3.4K || Rating: M

A/N: This is my super late entry into the SweetandSpicyFicChallenge I hosted with @hslllot​ and @harrysblackcoat​. It’s a sweet little blurb (with a hint of spice) inspired by the coziest photo of Harry to exist. Enjoy! 

***

2017

“Stop!”

You put your hand in front of your face, hoping to block Harry’s advances.

“Just one more,” he said, laughing.

“That’s what you said five minutes ago.”

“It’s not my fault you’re this beautiful.”

Click.

You heard the camera shutter and put your hand down, figuring you were safe for a minute. Harry’s head was bent over the device. He frowned as he looked at the back of the camera.

“I think it’s out of film.”

“Are you sad you can’t use your new toy anymore?”

“Yes,” he sighed. “The lighting is almost perfect and I just wanted one good photo of you.”

You bit back your sarcastic reply upon hearing the earnestness in his voice. The film camera had been a recent vacation purchase, with Harry justifying it by saying he’d been looking for a new hobby and always planned on learning photography. In the days that followed, he’d started practicing, taking pictures of the view from your Paris hotel room, the flowers you saw at the market, and to your displeasure, you. You knew you should be flattered by his admiration and dedication to preserving you for eternity on film, but being hounded by a camera when you just wanted to relax was no fun. Harry of all people should know that.

“Harry, we can pick up more film tomorrow. Let’s just go to dinner now.”

He pouted. “Do you promise? You’re not just saying that? Because I know how you feel about the camera.”

“Yes, Harry, I promise we can get more film tomorrow. But I’m getting hangry and need to eat. Food. Now.”

He placed the camera on his nightstand. “Alright then, let’s go since someone needs to be fed.” He slung his arm around you, pulling you close before you all headed out into the Parisian night.

***

2018

“Right then, we have to get it on this try. There are no second chances.” He looked at you to make sure you understood.

“Yes sir,” you said, getting into position.

“Sir?” He arched his brow.

“Oh you liked that?”

“Yeah, but we’ll get into that later.” He placed his hands on your hips and positioned you how he wanted, back to the lake where the sun was rising. “OK, when I say cheese, we’re smiling.”

“Harry, I know. I’ve taken a picture before.”

In the year since he bought his camera, he’d graduated from taking pictures of you and his surroundings, and had started incorporating what he described as “self-portraits” of the two of you in the mix, an interesting technique for someone who despised selfies any other time.

He took his place beside you, resting his left arm across your shoulders and using his right to position the camera in front of your faces.

“One, two, three, cheese!” he said as his finger pressed down on the shutter, the flash momentarily blinding both of you. “That’s going to be a great one, I just know it.”

“Doesn’t it bother you?” you asked as he put the camera back in the case. “Not knowing how it looks until later? Like what if it doesn’t turn out? You can’t recreate the moment.”

“It’s a game of chance but it’s kind of fun.” The corner of his mouth lifted. “We might not be able to recreate the moment, but we’ll always have the memory.”

“So when I look at that overexposed picture of me on the beach, I’ll always remember how annoying you were when I was trying to sleep.”

He kissed you. “Yes, and when we get this roll back and I’ve invariably misjudged how to frame both of us, we’ll always remember how overconfident I was that time at the lake.”

“In more ways than one,” you grimaced, remembering how the canoe you all had rented the day before had tipped after Harry insisted he knew how to steer.

“I heard that!”

“That was my intention!”

***

2019

“Please? I promise I’ll be careful.”

“Since when have you been interested in film photography?”

You and Harry were seated outside of a cafe in Tokyo, bundled up against the cold temperatures as you waited for your tea. He’d been in the city working on his new album and after a few weeks of settling in, he’d invited you to come out and spend some time with him. You could tell he loved Japan. There was an extra pep in his step and he lit up whenever he was able to take you to one of his favorite spots.

“I just want to learn. You’re like an expert now and maybe I want to be able to take a turn.”

“I sense an ulterior motive.”

“You’re right, Harry. It’s my evil plan to get payback for you harassing me with the camera for years.”

“I knew it!” His eyes crinkled as his face scrunched with delight. “We can stop by the apartment and pick it up after this. Get some practice in while we do some sightseeing?”

“That’s perfect.”

You spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around Tokyo with the man you were certain was the love of your life. While he knew how to press your buttons and often enjoyed riling you up, he was unbelievably patient with you that day. He coached you through it all, helping you capture snapshots of buildings and dogs and even your dinner, offering gentle corrections whenever you went wrong.

That night, when you returned to the apartment you were calling home for the duration of your stay, you were still messing around with the camera and had started to see why Harry enjoyed it so much.

“Are you almost done?” Harry asked from the couch. The long day showed on his face and you knew that while he’d never admit it, he was tired and desperately ready for bed.

“Just one more,” you murmured, placing the camera in front of your eye and lining up Harry in the viewfinder. In the small square you could see him, curled up on the couch, head resting on his hand as he scrolled through his phone. You held your breath, not wanting to disturb him in this near perfect moment. As your finger pressed down on the shutter, he looked up, almost as if he had sixth sense.

“Another one?” he asked, a tired smile on his face.

“What? I learned from the best!”

You had no clue if the picture had turned out or not, but if you’d somehow managed to not fuck it up, you knew it would be your favorite.

***

2020

“Tell me what it is!”

“No!”

Harry pouted. “Please. Please tell me. I’m getting desperate here.”

You doused the package that had just arrived in Lysol, hoping that would be enough to fight off whatever was lurking on the cardboard. “If you keep whining, you’re not going to find out.”

“Fine. Should I start lunch?”

“Sure. I left some carrots and tomatoes on the cutting board if you want to throw those in a salad? I’m going to run this upstairs and then I can help.”

Harry raised an eyebrow, but didn’t question you any further. You scurried up the stairs and when you reached the bedroom, you looked behind you one more time to make sure that you were in fact alone. Confident that you were, you tore the tape off of the package and dumped its contents onto the bed.

Boredom was starting to set in after three weeks locked in the house, and with no end in sight, you’d decided to order a little entertainment for the both of you. Lingerie in a variety of colors and styles covered the bed. You sorted through the pieces, making sure the sizes were correct before hiding them in the drawer you thought Harry would be least likely to look in and heading back to meet him in the kitchen.

The two of you spent the afternoon just as you’d spent all the afternoons before, lounging by the pool, swimming laps, and planning your next meal. You put thoughts of your plan out of your head until just before dinner when you slipped on a lacy bra and panties underneath your shirt and shorts.

Dinner was essentially a repeat of the last 21 nights you’d spent together, though you didn’t mind the repetition, savoring the mundane moments with Harry after so many years of chaos. When you saw him rise from the table and head to the sink to start washing up, you put your plan into motion.

You crept up behind him, wrapping your arms around his waist and pressing your face between his shoulder blades.

“Hello there,” Harry said with a chuckle. “Can I help you?”

“I didn’t think we were done,” you purred in your best attempt at a seductive whisper.

“Did you want dessert? I think there’s some ice cream in the freezer. There might be some of the pound cake left too.”

“That wasn’t what I had in mind.”

“Oh.”

Harry turned around to face you. “I’m in the mood for something a little spicier,” you said, pulling him towards you and planting an open-mouth kiss on him.

“Bedroom?” he asked, breathing heavily.

“Yes, and don’t forget your camera.”

By the time Harry had made it upstairs, panting as though he’d sprinted a mile, you’d shed your clothes and had reclined on the bed in the little red number you’d unpacked earlier that day.

“I’m ready for my close up,” you said, a hint of shyness creeping up on you. While phone and FaceTime sex was nothing unfamiliar, there was something strangely intimate about exposing yourself in a way that would be captured permanently.

“Fuck,” Harry whispered, slowly lifting the camera up. Click. Click. Click. “You look incredible, baby,” he said, pulling his eye away from the viewfinder to gaze at you in full. “Now how about you take that off.”

***

2021

“Big night, huh?” Nervous energy had been pulsing through the Vegas hotel room you were sharing with Harry, who was presently ignoring you. “Not even a smile, H? Come on!”

He looked up from his phone and pressed his lips together in an expression that might have resembled a smile if you had been standing across the room, squinting at him.

“Baby, don’t be nervous. You’ve been waiting so long for this, just like everyone else. It’s going to be amazing.”

“What if I’ve lost it?” His question caught you off guard.

“Your…talent?”

“Yeah. It’s been awhile. I’m kind of rusty.”

“That’s true you haven’t performed for anyone except me in 18 months.”

“And those shows are just for you.” His lips curled into a cheeky grin. “Can’t give the goods away to everyone.”

“I’d hope not.”

You reached across the sofa and squeezed his arm. “Seriously though, you could just stand on stage doing nothing and they’d love you. Everyone’s just so happy to be able to be together again.”

“I know, I know. It just feels like a big responsibility, performing, keeping people healthy, showing that we can do it all safely.”

“And there’s no one more prepared than you.” You pressed your lips against the back of his hand. “I’m going to shower. Are you going to head out?”

He glanced at the time on his phone. “Yeah, I probably should. Start getting ready.” Like clockwork there was a knock at the door, summoning him to the venue. He sighed. “I’ll see you there?”

“Of course. Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

He gave you a quick kiss, and you smiled at the casual display of affection. In the early days of your relationship every hug, kiss, cuddle, and fuck had been a production, with both of you giving it everything you had since you didn’t know when you’d see each other next. But after a year and a half together, knowing that Harry was only a room away, you didn’t feel the need to rush everything, a luxury you never thought you’d be afforded.

You arrived at the venue a couple hours later and made your way backstage. Your goal was always to stay out of sight, though Harry had a habit of bringing you into the fray. As you milled about the edge of the crowd that surrounded him, you managed to catch his eye. He was listening to the crew member that was walking him through something, but his gaze was locked on you the entire time. Though his mouth was covered, you could tell he was smiling based on the way the corners of his eyes crinkled. You were about to approach him when the crew began to pile around him, helping him climb into the box that would transport him under the stage. You quickly blew him a kiss, which he caught and slipped into his pants pocket.

With Harry ready to go, you followed Jeff out into the arena, feeling the butterflies swirl in your stomach as the show’s intro began. The crowd’s energy was contagious and you could feel your heart thudding as Harry ascended to the stage. You knew this was coming, having watched him rehearse it several times before and your phone was in your hand, ready to capture the moment.

You didn’t get a chance to look at the image until later that night when Harry was snoring beside you in bed. It wasn’t the perfect picture – the way your phone camera caught the light caused a bit of a lens flare, slightly obscuring Harry’s body, but his face was clear, the joy and happiness he felt evident by the huge smile on his face.

You never wanted to forget that moment.

You immediately set it as your lock screen.

***

2022

“You are worse than my mum!”

“I know you mean that as an insult, but your mother is an amazing woman, so I’ll take it as a compliment.”

“Well, I don’t think we need to capture the car ride to the Today show.”

“She said she wanted updates on everything. And who am I to deny her that?” You positioned your phone in front of Harry’s face and snapped a quick picture. His disgruntled scowl filled your screen and you laughed. “The least you could do is smile.”

“What will it take for you to leave me alone? Ten dollars? Fifteen?”

“That’s all you have to offer me? A fifteen dollar bribe?”

“Hmm.” He drummed his index finger against his lip. “I’ll throw in a kiss.”

You pretended to ponder the offer before dropping your phone in your lap. “You drive a hard bargain.”

He laughed lightly, reaching across the center seat to interlace his fingers with yours. “I know it’s a big week and that everyone wants to cheer me on every moment, but I also just kind of want things to be normal, you know. Just five minutes where it’s not all about me. To balance it all out.”

“Well then, I guess now would be the perfect time for me to bring up the fact that you left your socks and underwear on the floor of the bathroom for the third day in a row. How hard is it to pick up after yourself? Just because you have an album coming out doesn’t mean you’re off the hook when it comes to chores.” He was smiling at you now, the scowl from earlier long gone.

“Oh! Also, I need your advice on a couple of things. First, I’m getting my nails done tomorrow and I need to decide which shape I should do, and the color. I’m feeling like maybe a glitter? And then I wanted to try this new coffee. And the Instagram I saw it on said it’s best with almond milk. But I don’t like almond milk. So do you think it would work with oat milk?”

Harry nodded thoughtfully. “First, my sincerest apologies about the underwear. It won’t happen again.”

“Famous last words.”

He squeezed your hand. “Second, you should absolutely do a glitter and maybe whatever the pointy shape is?”

“Why?”

“Feels nice when you have long nails and scratch at my hair and…other things.” You shot him a surprised glance as he flushed. “Anyways,” he continued, clearing his throat. “I don’t think the milk matters. You won’t be able to taste it with all the flavoring.”

The car came to a stop and you could hear the screams from the crowd, even with the windows shut. Harry took a deep breath and you scratched at his arm.

“I have some serious questions for you about what dog breed I most resemble, but we can get into that whenever you're done with this thing.” You gestured out the window.

Harry smiled, the first true authentic one to grace his lips that morning. “Thank you,” he said.

You knew exactly what he meant. “Anytime, baby.” You picked your phone up again. “But just one more for the road.”

***

2023

“One more step. And another one.”

Harry’s voice was low in your ear, his hands were over your eyes as he guided you into the living room of your London home. You all walked awkwardly, you standing in front of him as he nudged you, one step at a time, further into the room.

“Wouldn’t it have been easier to just blindfold me?” you huffed as he stepped on the back of your heel for the third time.

“So you’re not enjoying this?” You could hear the smirk in his voice.

“You stepping on me? No, not particularly.” Your shin made contact with what you assumed was the coffee table and you yelped. “Harry, for the love of God just tell me what’s going on.”

“Calm down, don’t get yourself all worked up. But keep your eyes closed” He moved his hands down to your shoulders and spun you around so you were facing the opposite direction. Opposite of what you didn’t know, but you could feel Harry wrap his arms around your waist. “OK, you can open them.”

When you opened your eyes, you blinked several times adjusting to the dim light that surrounded you, and once your vision had been restored, your jaw dropped.

The painting that usually hung on the wall in your living room had been removed, and a clothesline had been strung in its place, zig-zagging across the wall. “Is that-?” You turned to look at Harry.

“Why don’t you go see?”

You stepped forward out of his grasp and determined that your first impression was right. Small photographs had been hung on the line with clothespins. Photographs from every stage of your relationship with Harry.

Group shots from those early outings when you were both too scared to make a move, instead settling for the buffer of mutual friends. Photographs from the first vacation you took with one another, the fateful trip when he’d bought his first film camera. Pictures from every family gathering, big and small. Selfies snapped at concerts, goofy Snapchats with every filter imaginable, and even a portrait your mother had taken of you at your graduation – you were smiling wide, looking straight at the camera while Harry beamed at you, his pride evident.

You felt the tears involuntarily well in your eyes as you were overcome by the realization of just how much Harry loved you and how much you loved him. “H, this is incredible but what’s this all for?” You turned around to face him, and you couldn’t tell if it was your own blurry vision, but it looked like Harry was crying too.

“We’ve been through so much and have so many snapshots of our lives. But I want a whole fucking album with you.” Time moved in slow motion as he reached into his pocket and sank down onto one knee. He held a film canister in his hand and when he opened it, a ring fell out. “What do you say, love? Do you want to keep me in the picture forever?”

You laughed, cheeks wet, as you nodded. “Of course.”

Harry rose from the floor, slipping the ring onto your finger before he kissed you with a passion you’d never felt before. You looked up at him when you all broke apart, frowning when you saw him fishing around in his pockets again.

“H, I don’t think anything can beat this surprise.”

“Don’t worry,” he said, wrapping his arm around your shoulders and holding you close as he lifted his phone. “I just want to capture this moment.”  

***

talk to me!

[curtain-caller]

It's time to meet Chai, the Head of Marketing at Vandelay Technologies, and self-proclaimed "King of Rock". No one really knows how he got this job with how annoying and demanding he is, not even Peppermint... And yet, his overconfident, playful demeanor is charming enough for him to get Vandelay's products flying off the shelves. Buy 1 deadly robot and get 20% off on a ticket to his concert at the Project Armstrong Festival!

Finally finished drawing everyone's favorite white boy! For his swapped design, I just kinda mish-mashed a bunch of his costume accessories together, threw on a bunch of V symbols and slapped on a bunch of red, orange and yellow until it passed the vibe check.

Bonus doodles below the cut:

[bushkit]

MiD LGBT HEADCANONS (cause why not)

(These headcanons mostly apply to my rewrite but I feel they fit in canon too. Any hate/homophobic comments will result in a block 🥰)

Ava: Biromantic Asexual, She/Her

Not really sure on this one, maybe cause I don't think about Ava very much, but I guess she gives off bi and ace vibes? Like she does make some saucy jokes despite being possibly ace, which I find kinda funny and relatable. I'm not sure though.

Asch: Straight Demiromantic/Sexual, He/Him

Being a prince, I'm sure Asch has been high on the market for nobility who are interested in marrying him. These girls do whatever they can to get his attention in hopes he’ll choose them. But despite their hardest, sweetest efforts, Asch is always unimpressed. He’s not an idiot. He’s absolutely aware of what these women are really after. If he died right in front of them they’d probably shrug and walk off, and then mourn over what they've lost…… their precious newfound status. Asch knows that’s all they really want, they don't want him for love, for a genuine lifelong relationship, when they look at him all they see is a prize. And boy is it an immediate turn off. Asch finds it very difficult to find a lover, he has high expectations, and it takes a lot of interaction for him to even develop a crush. Asch mostly just doesn't even bother. He finds his status and the people he's constantly surrounded with make his chances of finding love slim to none. He just focuses on his kingdom and nothing else. But even still, there's a part of him that longs for a genuine partner. He doesn't want to be completely alone forever.

Leif: Bisexual, He/They

Leif is the most bisexual person I have ever seen in my life. He’s very flirty, and is not afraid to show his impeccable rizz to both men and women. He usually comes off too strong and sends everyone running away, but they're trying their best! He’s overconfident in his abilities and usually fails, but he slays nonetheless. Slay the day you fruity king. As for pronouns, he's fine with any but feminine pronouns. Usually he goes by he, but he also really likes it when people refer to him as “they”. They pronouns make them feel deadlier, and he just finds it comfortable and more fitting to his personality and lifestyle.

Rhys: Aromantic Asexual, He/Him

Rhys has never felt actual attraction before, and in all honestly he isn't complaining about it. He's doing perfectly fine on his own, all he needs are his books and companionship. When it comes to love, Rhys is far more fascinated by the science of it. He loves to observe the behaviors between lovers, how unique each couple is, how relationships may change others over time. He’s okay with spending his life being helpful to his kingdom, and thinks romance will get in the way of that.

Noi: Pansexual, He/Him

Since childhood, Noi has always been absolutely charmed by the idea of love. He’s constantly dreaming of a happy life he could share with someone, no matter who it was. When it comes to potential romance, gender is out of the question for Noi, as long as they love each other he's happy. It’s difficult for him sadly, as someone who's considered weak by many partnered with societies view on love in general, it’s hard to find someone who truly wants to be in love like he does. But that doesn't stop him from being caring to others, and he will never give up hope that he will find a lover some day. (I LOVE YOU MY BABY NOI YOU WILL FIND LOVE)

Pierce: Gray (panromantic) Aromantic Asexual, He/Him

Pierce was a difficult one. He's so quiet and reserved most of the time that it leads me to think his romantic preference is something he keeps to himself. I don't think romance is very important to him at all, but I also don't think he's against romance as a whole. In a way he's kinda like Rhys, more fascinated by love, but though hesitantly, he’d actually be willing to give it a try. Being so laid back, I don't think Pierce really has a romantic preference, leading me to believe he's likely panromantic.

——————

So ya that's it ✨

[max1461]

So, it looks to me about like this.

Classical liberals say that central planning is fundamentally flawed because the economic calculation problem can't be solved, and they're basically right.

Marxists say that laissez-faire capitalism is fundamentally flawed because it leads inexorably to wage slavery, and they're basically right.

Anarchists say "fuck it, free for all (+mutual aid)", but then you run into the tragedy of the commons.

Welfarist liberals have a vision of the economy cobbled together with sticks and duct tape, but at a crude level it does work.

There are a bunch of funkier proposals out there, from Georgism to "free-market anti-capitalism", that mostly seem like linear combinations of bits and pieces of the above systems and as a consequence inherit many of their faults.

Nobody's got anything good. Or, people have good ideas but they're held back by overconfidence or underdefinition. I need to read more, study the extant proposals and extract what can be extracted from them.

I'm not really interested in arguing the above points. I mean, I am, but not here. I'm confident enough in my assessment of the general lay of the land that a random tumblr argument does not seem likely to present me with something new that I have not considered (at least as far as the banally ideological goes). If anyone has been reading or thinking about something really new, I want to hear it.

I'll keep contemplating, and generating proposals, and asking questions. Maybe that will continue to incite knowledgeable people to contribute in the way that I am looking for. Hmm.

[lemonhemlock]

hi! I'm sorry to bother you, but, after re-seeing the first episode of season 2 I can't get over about how much I HATE how they potrayed Blood & Cheese, especially on how they made it to be the Greens fault that it happen (and by twitter/tumblr it seems that this is the general thinking)

I truly don't understand why the writers decided to change it so much, but in reality I know: for one they don't want to make the green too over sympathetic, plus they wanted to do the parallel between how Rhaenyra had to walk the stairs whith her newborn to Alicent, with Helaena doing the same with Jaehaera, and I hate it if this is one of the main reason?

It only shows that, see? The greens are bad, they deserve whatever comes to them (it's Alicent fault bc she din't bow/adore Rhaenyra)

The show is using the "choose" marketing, but it's taking for granted that the black is the good side and is doing nothing to really put them in a bad light

Even with Daemon with Blood & Cheese, we are suppose to believe that when they ask if they don't find Aemond what they should do, with his reaction he said (off camera of course) to take the life of Jaehaerys, but did most of the people watching it get it? No, it seems like another ops! Ok, maybe in the 2nd episode they will make it more clear, but still... I don't like this

Not to take the clear plot hole of there being no guards guarding the queen e children (that it's been justified by most bc it was Criston responsibility; Aegon didn't care; They were too overconfident; It's Alicent & Criston fault bc they wanted to fuck; etc) and again, with all of this is taking away the responsibility to the black, to give it to the greens for why it happend (to the victims of the violece they received)

And to the people who said that Aegon didn't care, HOW? Especially after all of the episode, where Aegon is shown he cares about Jaehaerys? He is his heir! So you really believe he wouldn't put guards to watch over/protect the heir of the throne? After this episode?

But of course they would, when the show keep pushing those narratives, that just screech with the rest

But my anger comes directly at how they changed so deeply the act of Blood & Cheese and not because I wanted to see the death of a child (not at all) but because it's the DEATH of a child: it should've been horrific, breaking and leave you horrified and aghast, but alas, most didn't even think twice about it, and some have laughed when Helaena stumbled on Alicole having sex

I know they said they couldn't film the scene for how it was gruesome with the children there, but that's such a cop-out? Because they could've only shown Helaena with the children (I hate that Maelor isn't in the picture, will he ever come in it? Will his birth be another reason to hate the greens/aegon with a forced act of sex to produce an heir?) at the door of Alicent's room, a few shot that put them on the spot and when she entered B&C would've acted and then the child actors got away from the scene and all the attention would've been on the adults (with mannequins maybe to show the kids) and they could still have not shown the act of the murder and the reason why the guards didn't rush forwards bc they had Alicent gagged (couldn't scream) and they threatened Helaena to not do so

They could've even used the silence (with no music) to hit more home everything, after her final choice (a close up of everyone face, to Alicent, Helaena and then to B&C who only smirks) and then the sound they've actually used and then the scream of Helaena with a shot of the corridors/the guards/Aegon/Aemond/Criston reacting to it, end of the episode

Not what they've shown us, with Helaena pointing to her son, not even trying to beg them to take her life, giving a necklace and the stumbling in the act of her mother having sex to say only "they killed the boy" not even my son, Jaehaerys

I can take the "she was dissociating" but it's the premise that is wrong

I don't know why they had to put the sex scene between Alicole in that moment, to make them be questioned by Aegon? To make them feel guilt, shame and regret?

All they took was making Alicent a witness of the horrific deal that Daemon (Rhaenyra/the blacks) did, while being impotent to do anything (to see her sweet Helaena make an impossible choice, to see the death of her grandson, a child).

To make her feel rightful anger and hatred toward the black (Rhaenyra) that would only grow with the dance;

Helaena despair and spiral toward madness, another innocent (with her children) that was made to pay the price for the action of others. Yes, they could still make her go toward that path with how they've done it (her pointin her finger) but it was more than that: she did everything she tought she could've done, she offered her life, she beg, cried and made an impossible choice, only to be laught at and bear the consequence of making that choiceIt should've been breaking, it should've made the watcher feel horrified on the violence on the innocents, on children

For Cole's responsibility they've already made the premise of his relationship with Alicent, they could've shown us the breaking point in their relationship, maybe with a little disdain, him leaving his post (after asking someone to replace him) to go to reflect/pray/anything and than HE WASN'T THERE.

He couldn't protect the two queens and the heir

The angst of it would've been greater to me, than whatever we would get, even the possible anger that Alicent could put on Cole in the show would've been more justified (where were you?)

And sorry, I've ranted enough and I hope it didn't bother you too much, it's just... it's not been well written (b&c) in the show, even in the book it wasn't perfect, but they had the opportunity to make it more so and they didn't and now I'm seeing people undermine the act, saying it's good writing and blaming the victims for what they endured and I hate it

Sorry again for the rant, I hope you're having a good day or night!

sorry for not having replied earlier as i've been a little busy these days, but i can see you feel very strongly about this 😂 yeah, i mostly agree with what you said

as this scene has percolated in the ole brain, i think that, beyond the changes from the book (which we can discuss endlessly and many points have been made already so i won't insist), this particular iteration COULD have worked if they didn't mess with the logistics so much:

- b&c could have simply used a secret passage to gain access to helaena's room, seized her immediately and threatened her with a knife so she wouldn't make noise

- noticed the children sleeping, had an expository conversation that they have been searching for a long time and are not able to find aemond in time, so they should just make do and kill prince jaehaerys. since they are kings landingers, they must already know that helaena has twins

- keep helaena immobilized (you can have her be as demonstrative in her grief or as dissociative if you want, it's not really about how "inappropriate" a non-divergent reaction is, like some people have gone to imply) but the viewer should be made aware somehow that she is conscious of what is happening and is opposing it

- one of them goes to check which child to kill and it can surely happen off-screen as we focus on helaena's horrified eyes

- they exit v quickly using the same secret passage

- helaena takes a few moments to compose herself, grabs jaehaera, unlocks her door and notifies all the guards on the hallway, shows them where b&c disappeared

- some of the guards call for reinforcements, some of them follow b&c down the tunnels

- and, finally, we can have the same sequence with helaena holding jaehaera as she rushes to alicent's room. she knocks frantically but the door is locked bc alicent and criston are not idiots. they are interrupted, dress quickly and open the door. the episode ends in the same cliffhanger

so, yes, it STILL would be a watered-down version of b&c with no maelor and no alicent in the room, daemon and the blacks getting less blame etc, but AT LEAST this version would make sense

it's the changes in logistics that simply add up to looney tunes level and take the viewer out of the horror of the moment and into frustration or annoyance, which is simply not the reaction and the vibe you'd want to have

anyway stream brat ✌️

[bylerconfessions]

Sometimes I worry that I'm suffering from extreme confirmation bias and that we as Bylers are setting ourselves up for embarrassment when it's revealed that the Duffers were just writing a fairly conventional show all along like they all think, and Mike was always intended to be the straight self-insert everyman character. And I'm worried it wasn't even queerbait either (at least not originally, maybe now it would be due to marketing). They truly just accidentally made him seem queer. I fear that because by all appearances, the Duffers are straight nerds. And on the surface Mike is pretty similar to other straight nerd teen characters from 80s media.

Occam's Razor (the simplest explanation is usually true) and all that. I'm worried they might not see anything wrong with Will being the gay kid who crushes on his straight best friend, and they might see Mike lovingly rejecting Will as a happy ending. Would they really plan out all these intense, complex, brilliant Byler theories and shift away the cultural conversation around their show from being a fun, entertaining, scary time with catchy 80s songs like Running Up that Hill to being "the show that suddenly went gay in the final season." A lot of people are comfortable with Robin being a girl liker, but Mike being a boy liker and kissing a boy might be a bridge too far.

Also, Bylers are SO confident in Byler, so I worry we're too overconfident. We openly mock and taunt the dumb GA, the media illiterate Milevens, the Reddit dudebros... everyone. But doesn't pride come before a fall? We could be so horribly wrong about the intentions of the creators and that would be super embarrassing and they'd never stop gloating and being homophobic. I mean, weren't we wrong about Volume II? (Many Bylers believed Mike was gonna come out and ride off with Will into the sunset at the end of the season, but instead he monologued to El about how much he "loves" her).

But then I rewatch the show and see how gay Mike obviously is, and I'm like, "Nah, Byler endgame is literally in the bag."

yea like volume 2 is always reminding me “hey what u think is gonna happen could be the inverse!!!”

and also most discussions in the byler community talk about byler like it’s canon, so if it’s not what we gonna do???

[colourful-jack]

Paper Talk Special: YOSHIHARA Rieko's interview (1989)

“Riki is an almost full-grown black panther”

YOSHIHARA Rieko has written in a wide variety of genres, from high-school stories to fantasy and science fiction. If there is one thing her characters, like Aki and Kacchan or Iason and Riki, have in common, it’s their impressive charisma. We had the opportunity to ask her more about Ai no kusabi in this interview.

Profile

Pen name’s origin: My birth name. My family name changed when I got married, so I thought “nobody would know it’s me!”.

Date of birth: October 4th, 1954

Blood type: B

Place of birth and residence: born in Fukuoka Prefecture, living in Kumamoto Prefecture

What made you send your manuscript to the magazine: It had been a long night…

1. What made you start writing Ai no kusabi?

I didn’t really… want to write about “pure love” in a science fiction setting (ah ah ah), because I wanted to write about an “encounter” than would not just be casual, the bonds it would create and the various feelings they would draw along.

2. Which character can you empathize with the most?

Probably Riki, as one could expect. Because, even though he has a sharp tongue and is quite mature, his way of thinking is fundamentally straight. Him running around struggling yet unable to act, because he’s caught between two feelings of different natures, makes him seductive, I like it.

3. What is your favourite scene? And what is a line you like?

My favourite, hmm… It would have to be the scene where Katze cries while stifling his voice. But I also cannot put aside the scene where Riki is kept waiting in vain in the rain by Guy… As for the lines, those would be “there’s no way I’m letting him die alone” or “you may be able to look the other way despite everything, but I… wouldn’t be worth more than trash if I did. I couldn’t go on living.”

4. Could you tell us about the creation process of the characters, like Riki and Iason? (size, weight, blood type, date of birth, etc.)

I had their personality roughly figured out, so I didn’t think about their finer characteristics, but…

Riki: Because he’s a slum mongrel, I pictured him as an almost full-grown black panther. Not frail, but slender and lithe. As for his appearance, his intelligence shines through the strength of his obstinate spirit, that’s all.

Iason: Since he’s an absolutely perfect member of the elite and the Black Market’s king, he should definitely be like the God of the Sun Apollo, but raised in the depths of the sea (or something). He’s shrewd and good-looking, incredibly proud, and wouldn’t collapse under any circumstances. Regarding his height, all things considered, he’s a head taller that Riki.

Guy: In my first draft, he was a tolerant and broad-minded herbivorous felid… that was my intention, but I wonder where and how things went wrong.

Raoul: His looks, intellect and handsomeness are on par with Iason’s. He has a sense of humour and, even more than Iason, nerves of steel.

Katze: Went from being raised in the slums to being a Furniture in Eos to being a broker on the black market. Putting aside the protagonists, he’s the one with the most dramatic life, so that’s probably why I gave him a tragic handicap, like being a scarface or being a man without manhood…

Kirie: Representing slum dwellers in their late teens, he’s overconfident and reckless. He has a very limited worldview, so he’s the most fragile yet also the most dangerous character.

5. Concerning the way you chose the characters’ names, you previously said you were “drawn to the “dragon” kanji”, were you fixated on something like that for Ai no kusabi?

This time I wanted to give them names that would fit their character, so… I gave Riki a name conveying “power” (riki is one of the few ways to read the kanji meaning “power”), I named Iason after a hero from Greek mythology, and Guy after the goddess of the Earth, Gaia, for his ability to embrace everything. But when you list them, they’re not consistent. All things considered, you could say they’re just far-fetched choices, ah ah ah…

6. Writing Ai no kusabi, what did you enjoy? What did you find difficult?

For the most of it, the story was ever changing with the characters’ feelings, so until I had reached the ending, I had fun worrying (somehow) while writing. Difficult things that would bring wrinkles to my forehead, I tend not to think too much about them.

7. A number of different types of Pet Rings appear in readers’ four-case mangas, but how do you picture them yourself?

No, well, when it comes to Riki’s, its basic image was something like Sun Wukong’s circlet. Looking at it like this makes Journey to the West quite salacious too… don’t you think?

8. Could you tell us your thoughts about the cassette adaptation?

I thought “Are you sure we can really do that?”… but when it became real, well, I mean, ah ah ah, what could I say? As you know, this work involves many human relationships, some violent lines, and it’s quite heavy on that. “How can we make all that fit in 60 minutes?” I wondered… When I heard the tape for the first time, it dawned on me that letters and voices are truly two completely different things, obviously. I wrote it, so it’s weird for me to say that, but I thought “can I really make Mr SEKI and Mr SHIOZAWA say those things?”… on the other hand, when I wondered what faces they made then, Tokyo felt so far away… So those were my thoughts. But everyone used their beautiful voice to give impassioned performances, so I’m very happy!

9. And lastly, what is June to you?

A breather between child rearing and house chores, a teatime friend… or something like that. (October 1989)

[sunshinesmebdy]

Your Week Ahead: A Business and Finance Astrology Guide (March 17th — 23rd, 2024)

Greetings, stargazers and go-getters! This week promises potent astrological influences to guide your business and financial decisions. As an expert in both astrology and business consulting, I’m here to translate the celestial language and empower your strategic planning. Let’s dive into the key transits for the week of March 17th to 23rd, 2024:

March 17th:

Daydreaming & Intuition: The week begins with the Sun and Neptune swimming together in Pisces. This is a time for expansive thinking, creativity, and tapping into your intuition. In business, this can be a good time for brainstorming new ideas or revisiting your mission statement. However, be wary of letting pure fantasy cloud your judgment on financial matters.

Emotional Spending & Communication: The Moon enters Cancer later on the 17th, potentially making us more sentimental and security-oriented. This can influence us to spend money on comfort items or nostalgic purchases. The Moon squares with Mercury in Aries, briefly creating some tension in communication. Be mindful of assertive communication that might come across as harsh.

March 18th & 19th:

Abundance & Opportunity: The Moon spends these two days harmonizing with a beautiful spread of planets — Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. This is an auspicious time for abundance, expansion, and new opportunities. Trust your intuition (developed on the 17th) and take calculated risks. Negotiations and financial planning are favored under these supportive transits. The Sun’s entrance into Aries on the 19th injects a dose of dynamism and initiative — perfect for taking action on your plans.

March 20th:

Creative Expression & Overconfidence: The Moon in Leo trines with Mercury in Aries, fostering clear communication and creative expression. This is a powerful day to present ideas, launch marketing campaigns, or connect with clients. However, a square between the Moon and Jupiter later in the day urges caution against overconfidence or extravagance.

March 21st:

Passion & Patience: The Moon in Leo opposes Mars in Aquarius, creating a potential clash between passion and practicality. This can manifest as impulsiveness in business decisions. Take a deep breath and prioritize patience over rash actions. The Sun in Aries, however, finds a harmonious angle with Pluto in Aquarius, infusing you with the power to transform and overcome challenges.

March 22nd:

Reality Check & New Beginnings: The energetic Mars enters the dreamy Pisces on the 22nd. This can be a time for increased compassion and empathy in business interactions. The Moon enters Virgo, grounding our focus on details and practical matters. This shift is a welcome reality check after the expansive energy of earlier days. The Moon’s oppositions to Venus and Mars later in the day highlight the potential for indecisiveness or a clash between practicality and pleasure.

March 23rd:

Strategic Planning & Innovation: The week ends with the Moon in Virgo trining Jupiter and Uranus, bringing a strategic and innovative mindset. This is a powerful time for problem-solving, financial planning, and developing long-term strategies. Trust your intuition (remember that Pisces influence from the beginning of the week?) and combine it with Virgo’s analytical prowess.

Overall Guidance:

This week offers a potent blend of visionary thinking, emotional intelligence, and practical action. Embrace the creative spark ignited in the beginning of the week, but ground your ideas in sound strategies as the week progresses. Communicate clearly, take calculated risks, and prioritize long-term planning over fleeting impulses. By understanding these astrological influences, you can navigate the week’s energies and make sound decisions for your business and financial well-being.

Do you have questions about this week’s astrology or your business strategy? Feel free to leave a comment below or reach out for a consultation. Wishing you a prosperous and insightful week ahead!

[ailius-suffers-through-art]

again, too lazy to draw a whole comic so plot summary here:

rpg au kinda inspired by that one animation meme on youtube by Mintartem

as always, please note that the twins are aged up to 18 in this

So basically, towards the end of weirdmaggedon bill is facing down the pines family in the fearamid when too much weirdness leaks through the rift and everyone gets dragged into a different dimension. This dimension just so happens to be a D&D themed one.

Everyone wakes up to find themself stuck as a different race and class, including bill.

Dipper and Mabel end up as half elves; Dipper being a Wizard and Mabel being a Bard who only sings cheesy boyband songs.

Grunkle Stan and Grunkle Ford find out they've become wood elves; Ford being an Artificer and Stanley a Rogue.

Lastly, Bill comes to as a regular old human sorcerer.

Bill, for once, has to play by this dimensions rules, as the god who governs it (the DM) is stronger than he is. Of course, this doesn't mean he can't have fun where he is, though, so he charismas himself an army and makes himself the big bad evil guy™ of the campaign.

Ford and Dipper share a nerd bonding moment about where they are before getting serious again and trying to figure out how to escape this place.

The party immediately splits (much to the chagrin of both nerds) as Mabel sprints after the nearest hot fantasy guy and Stan heads to the market to scam people out of their gold. Dipper ends up getting left with Stanley since Ford immediately takes off after Mabel to look after her.

Cue cute Grunkle bonding for both siblings.

After a couple days and a lvl up to multiclass ranger, Dipper is thrown a bone by a deity and told that if he manages to defeat the BBEG™ they might be able to leave. Once he has that, he manages to scrounge up a bit of info from tavern gossips about who the BBEG is and sets off for the ominous castle behind the town.

He tries to get Stan to come with him, but the man is having too much fun getting rich. So, alone but overconfident, he busts down Bill's door and tries to burn his face off. This obviously does not work and dip gets put straight into bills mini prison.

They bicker for a while and Dipper nearly escapes by tricking a guard into giving him lunch in his cell and taking his keys and making a run for it, but he gets caught after setting around half the castle on fire.

He gets brought to Bill, who is fed up with him and is about to execute him, when one of Bill's minions lets him know about an attack on his forces somewhere in the middle of the forest. Badabing badaboom guess who is suddenly useful again?

So Bill switches his tune real fast and tries to coerce Dip into leading him to the location using his nature navigation skills, and Dip reluctantly agrees so he has a chance to gtfo of there.

Blah blah blah they find the monster and end up having to hide somewhere and slowly start to bond because Bill finds Dip annoyingly endearing and realizes he's decently competent, and Dip comes to appreciate Bill's chaos and comes to enjoy their butting of heads.

Ford and Mabel eventually end up rejoining Stan and they go on a quest to find Dipper. In the meantime, Dipper and Bill annoy eachother in various wacky ways whilst trying to solve the mystery of who keeps threating Bill's BBEG status.

NOW that i've caught you guys up to speed, here's a moment that came to me in the middle of the night that compelled me to draw it. Takes place after these dorks officially get together.

[mable-stitchpunk]

Hi there! I've been a fan of your videos and am curious to either read or hear your thoughts about Ruin in the future. ^_^

While I liked the DLC for the majority, my biggest gripe is with the Mimic and how casual fans or gamers are basically required to do homework to get a lick of understanding as to what's going on, and as a writer myself that really doesn't sit right with me. Maybe from a marketing point of view it might make sense, but from a writing point of view it just doesn't work. The plot of a game shouldn’t rely on supplementary material, rather it should be able to stand on its own. Books can expand on ideas but not be required reading.

I honestly think Baby/Scrapbaby should have been the Mimic. Not only were the Funtime animatronic specifically designed to lure and kill children, one of them also had voice-mimicking as a feature. And Baby said herself she was good at pretending, and actively manipulated the player/Michael Afton. Plus after she had been ejected from Ennard she managed to reassemble herself. It wouldn’t be that big of a stretch to imagine she implemented all of the Funtime animatronic's features into her new/recycled body. And even though it might have been retconned, since it was before the release of Sister Location, there's also that secret cutscene of a character that warned the player Baby was a dangerous creation before being killed shortly after.

And last but not least, in Ruin Baby plushies appear in a janitor closet, all laughing in unison before disappearing as you turn around.

My point is, you already have this pre-established canon character with so much potential. A character that's honestly underutilized, but has so much going for them, and in my opinion is a way better fit qua plot-relevance to be the antagonist than a random character that only appears in the most recent book series. You have the ties to previous games, foreshadowing right before the reveal, a ruthless, manipulative character that will stop at nothing to escape confinement.

Sorry for rambling.

I definitely agree. Having to read a bunch of extra material- and PAY for it- to get the context of a character is a big no-no. Especially since the Fnaf books have such a questionable history of material. Even in those books, the Mimic itself has been framed as two completely different characters. Sometimes it functions in one established way, other times it works in a completely different way. Likely because there's numerous ghost writers.

Plus, like you said, there's already animatronics who did Mimic's role better. Fnaf's trying to write out its history, but all it's doing is shooting itself in the foot. It can tell us, "No, no. Ennard? Didn't exist. Michael? Didn't exist. It was all created by Fazbear Entertainment, so all of the former material is discredited."

Not only is that a really stupid precedent to set- and also extremely overconfident to basically shaft the series to bring in Steel Wool's 'definitive' idea of Fnaf- but it leads to the creation of things like the Mimic. A lazy Ennard. A worse Ennard.

And one you have to pay to read the backstory of. Of course, you can read the Fourth Closet and get the same backstory too. -_-

[cherryrainn]

can you write about greedler x fem!reader with they childrens? i wonder how it would be

ooo! cute! thank you for the ask <3

☽ ༚  ༵ ۰ ✧ ۰  ༵ ༚ ༵ ۰ ✧ ۰ 

— bound by blood

greedler x reader with children

in the lavish factory that onceler called home, you and your children filled the spacious living room with laughter and joy. onceler might have been overly focused on money and wealth, but when it came to his family, he couldn't help but show a softer side.

"look at this, kids!" he exclaimed, holding up a shiny, glittering toy for your little ones to see. "the latest toy on the market! i got it just for you!"

your children's eyes lit up with excitement as they reached for the toy, their laughter filling the room. onceler may have had his flaws, but he always went above and beyond to provide the best for his family.

"thank you, daddy!" they chorused, and you couldn't help but smile at the sight of their genuine happiness.

in the midst of onceler's overwhelming pursuit of wealth, it was easy to forget that he was also a caring father. he loved his children deeply and took great pride in providing them with all the material comforts they could desire.

"alright, kids, now let's see who can find the most gold coins hidden around the house!" onceler declared, his overconfident smirk in place.

you rolled your eyes playfully, but you knew that the children loved these treasure hunts. they excitedly rushed around the mansion, searching for the gold coins onceler had hidden for them.

as the kids continued their search, you pulled onceler aside, a teasing glint in your eye. "you do know they adore you, right? even without all the gold and wealth."

his confident demeanor faltered for a moment as he looked down at you, his expression softening. "well, it's important for them to have the best of everything, isn't it? i want them to be successful and have every advantage in life."

you placed a hand on his cheek, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath your touch. "and they will, but they also need your love and attention. material things are nice, but what really matters is the time you spend with them."

he leaned into your touch, a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. "i guess you're right. i wanna be a good dad, even if i can be a a little... excessive sometimes."

"you're doing great," you reassured him, "and they adore you just as much for the time you spend with them as for the toys and gifts."

onceler smiled softly, grateful for your understanding and support. he was a man who had learned to find comfort and validation in money, but your love had shown him that there was more to life than just material wealth.

as the treasure hunt came to an end, your children returned, their arms full of gold coins they had found. they excitedly counted them, and onceler played along, pretending to be astonished at their impressive haul.

at the end of the day, as the children settled down to sleep, onceler sat with you, his arm around your shoulder. "i never thought i'd have a family like this," he admitted, his voice tinged with emotion. "you and the kids... you mean the world to me."

you smiled, leaning into his embrace. "and you mean the world to us too, onceler. you might have your quirks, but you're a wonderful father and husband."