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mephinomaly · 10 months

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[TL] Backdoor - an Original Scenario written by Akira

Backdoor is a short original story written by Akira-sensei to accompany the release of the Crossroad animated series. I recommend watching it before reading this, especially if you haven't read the original Crossroads.

Please enjoy my translation below!

—

Backdoor

I break in from the backdoor. I feel like a super cool outlaw from one of those movies. Avoid the countless traps, blindly shoot the enemies like bang bang bang! Feast your eyes, idiots of the world!

I am the great Oogami Koga…!

"..."

By the back door is a guy with blond hair who’s sorting the trash out, probably works here part time. Since I came in and started acting like a weird middle schooler, he looks at me, surprised.

“Hey, you–” Part-time-kun (tentative name) puts his hand out with a totally bored expression. “One thousand yen. It’s the entrance fee.”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry.”

“Next time come in from the proper entrance, ‘kay?” Part-time-kun (tentative name) doesn’t lecture me any further and exchanges my 1000 yen bill for a sleek plastic card. If I show this at the bar, I can get a drink and stuff. I thank him. “Enjoy your night～♪”

Part-time-kun (tentative name) is side-eyeing me, and at this point in time I’m so embarrassed all I want to do is go home but I pull myself together and head inside.

I’m in a cheap underground livehouse in the downtown area, near Yumenosaki Private Academy, the school I’m going to attend.

My sanctuary is here.

My god is here.

***

The livehouse I've been hanging around in lately is built a little weird. The entrance to the stairs is in a back alley. At the bottom of the stairs, there’s two corridors, one leading left, the other right. There’s a lot of soundproof doors, standing one after another. The majority of these small rooms are booths, meant to be hired out by amateur bands to practise in. If you look through the window of one, it’s normally empty since nobody really uses them.

Well, these days people don’t practise by actually picking up an instrument, playin’ until their fingers hurt. I’ve been doin’ that too lately, sittin’ at home ‘n staring blankly at my computer screen. I dunno.

At the end of the empty corridor, there’s the employees only room, the kitchen, and the back entrance which I found by accident when I was trespassing.

I’ve been short on cash lately because I’ve been buyin’ like, introductory books to playin’ the guitar ‘n stuff so I’ve been sneakin’ in that way ‘cos then I don’t hafta pay the entrance fee. No-one’s ever around anyway.

“I won’t be able to come in that way next time,” I complain as I walk down the corridor in low spirits, stopping when I find the soundproof room I’m looking for.

The biggest, most extravagant door is in the middle of the corridor. At the back, at the heart of this place— is the livehouse, or I guess you could call it a music hall.

“♪～♪～♪”

I open the weighted door and my entire body is blasted by music.

This is it. This electrifying feeling.

At the back of this relatively wide space is a really nice stage, and that’s where bands that have signed up to perform do so. The entrance fee also covers one drink, but you can order more food and drink and enjoy the show at the same time. It’s your average livehouse. I dunno though. I’m underaged, so I stick to a non-alcoholic tomato juice whilst enjoying the show.

Since this place is close to Yumenosaki, a lot of the customers are scruffy-looking students. I never thought young me would come to a place like this. I’m just in ordinary clothes. This place pays attention to its customer base, so there's not a drop of alcohol or a single cloud of cigarette smoke to be seen. Only super cool music is playing. It’s echoing.

“～...♪”

My God is in the middle of the stage, singing enthusiastically. The lyrics are in English, and I understand almost none of them. The lyrics are probably about wishing for world peace, or religious sacrilege; something complicated but meaningful. When I asked what he was singing about later, he said something like “I’m so happy because my cute little brother has recovered from his cold!”

Is he stupid? Or am I the stupid one for being so entranced by him?

But. I didn’t know that sort of thing back then, so I was genuinely moved by him.

Illuminated by the dim stage lighting, his pale corpse-like skin stood out in the shadows— him.

Crimson eyes like hellfire.

Black hair that melts into the darkness.

From between his seductive lips that are sexier than any girls’, comes a masculine, deep voice.

He looked simultaneously like an angel that could rescue the world and a devil that could destroy it too. Whether angel or devil, his singing voice was powerful enough to completely change the very fabric of this world.

“～...♪”

The name of the person I respect the most in this world is Sakuma Rei.

My God.

***

I was born and raised in an unremarkable environment.

We’re middle class. My dad’s an office worker and he earns a pretty decent wage, and my mum’s a housewife, which is rare nowadays.

They bought a nice detached house in a nice place. Both of my parents like kids and like taking care of others, so I grew up pretty pampered. I’m aware that since I was spoiled, I grew up to be a selfish, cocky brat. I was given whatever I wanted. I didn’t know what I really wanted though since it would be handed to me before I could even think about it. When I got to an age where I didn’t need to be looked after, my parents got a dog to satisfy their overflowing need to help others (?). His name’s Leon. He’s the best dog ever.

I fussed over him too, but not in the way my parents did. Everyday, they’d treat him like he was a baby, doting on him, probably the same way they treated me. It made me sulk a bit.

I could tell that my parents’ interest had shifted from me to Leon. Leon isn’t bad. He was bought to be loved. He’s a pedigree, he was born for this, to be doted on. He’s a really good boy and whenever I felt sad he’d snuggle up close to me and put his face next to mine. So I wouldn’t be lonely. So I knew I wasn’t alone.

But I felt that the amount of love I had received up until this point was steadily decreasing, and it made me anxious.

—Alas! Miserable, spoiled Oogami Koga-kun!

But I wasn’t shameless enough of a person to say “pay attention to me instead of the dog!” Leon deserved to be loved as much as I did— I wandered around town, searching for someone other than my parents who could love me.

I was starved, yearning. I looked like a stray dog scavenging around for something to fill me up. My parents aren’t bad. Neither is Leon. I’m probably not bad either.

I’ve already finished compulsory education. I had reached the age where I could fend for myself. So I should have. I’m sure other people are doing that. We leave the watchful eye of our parents, tackle teenagehood, and find out who we are. Find what we want to do with our lives. After countless trial and error, I found what I was looking for— Sakuma Rei. His music satisfied what my soul had been craving.

***

The performance ends, and Sakuma Rei disappears behind the stage.

I’ve never been on stage before, so I don’t know what it looks like back there. There’s probably a passageway that leads to a green room or something. The livehouse is weirdly dark and it’s hard to see much of anything, so it really looks like Sakuma Rei vanished like a ghost.

The person who fills the gap in my heart, vanishes.

So I grow anxious again and begin blindly searching for him everywhere. I make my way through the livehouse, pushing through the swathes of people who came here to see Sakuma Rei.

—Sakuma Rei, Sakuma Rei, Sakuma Rei.

My soul wants him.

Of course, I’m not part of his family. We’re not even acquaintances, let alone friends. He’s probably never even heard of me. But I didn’t mind either way. I found him, met him, fell in love with him, and had my yearning quenched. That alone made me thankful. Sakuma Rei, without a doubt, saved me. That’s all I wanted. I was just a sheep, one of hundreds who came here. To me, he was the night sky, something I thought I could never reach. I didn’t mind just watching from afar. That’s how I really feel. If I never got to see him closeup, I’d be fine with that.

And yet.

“What you’re drinking looks good.”

Suddenly, the tomato juice I’d ordered, which I didn’t end up liking because it was weirdly sweet, is taken from my hand by someone next to me.

—The hell, bastard? That’s mine. When I go to look up at whoever grabbed my drink with a belligerent expression, I realise it’s Sakuma Rei.

“If you’re not drinking it, I’ll have it. Singing’s got me workin' up a sweat.”

Naturally, my body stiffens.

That’s Sakuma Rei.

If I reach out my hand, I could touch him.

I’m so surprised by what I originally thought was something that could never happen, I have nothing clever to say and instead, like an idiot, I freeze with my mouth ajar.

“What’s up? Oh, you’re at that age where you think indirect kisses are embarrassing, right…?” Sakuma Rei says with a somewhat apologetic expression. Then he says something absurd.

“Oopsies, sorry～…Don’t worry, I take full responsibility for stealing your first time. Mhm.”

That was the first conversation we had, and it’s not exactly something I can brag about to anyone.

Ever since then, ever since that moment, I’ve been at the mercy of this arrogant person.

***

I step through the backdoor.

The unmotivated-looking blond employee is slacking off on his phone again today– he’s a playboy called Hakaze and is actually the manager of this place. He’s also supposedly one of my senpai from Yumenosaki. He glances up from his phone at me with a gross expression.

“Look look. I just got another girl's number. I’m typing out my first message now.”

“Shut up, I don’t know you. Don’t talk to me, playboy.”

About two years have passed since I had my first conversation with Sakuma Rei, Sakuma Rei-senpai, a conversation I’d rather not remember.

I’ve got a bit taller and a bit stronger.

I practised intensely so my guitar and singing skills have somewhat improved.

Whilst I was growing, Yumenosaki had gone to the dogs.

Yumenosaki Private Academy’s an idol school steeped in a rich history and tradition. But inside, it was rotting.

I wanted to be like Sakuma-senpai, so I followed him without thinking and took Yumenosaki’s entrance exam like an idiot. I was blinded. I didn’t know anything. Every Yumenosaki student is shit. Naturally, I noticed that since I frequented the livehouse in order to see Sakuma-senpai.

A rotted miniature garden where those with dead eyes spend their sad youth reeking of corpses. Sakuma-senpai was weirdly energetic despite the backdrop of death, so I got it wrong. No. I think I was just an immature, stupid brat, so I didn’t notice.

Sakuma-senpai had those same dead eyes.

In the mountain of dead bodies, he was clinging onto life. He was the only one who didn’t want to die, he was the only one praying for something to happen.

No-one could save him.

A bespectacled monk boy from a temple came along and evoked anger in him, trying to make him into a human— into something more than human. The stupid, lost dog just wagged his tail and followed the hand that fed him.

We didn’t realise that the person that was always grinning like a fool, and living what appeared to be a happy life, was actually suffering more than anyone. He desperately needed help. You can see why we didn’t notice; he looked like he was having fun.

When he stood on stage with me and Shitty Glasses as Deadmanz, he lived each day like it was his last. He looked genuinely happy—he looked like he was alive. But that was only a short-lived dream. Once he steps off stage, the spell breaks, and he turns back into a corpse.

A revolution takes place at the rotted Yumenosaki.

Sakuma-senpai was seen as a cause of evil and exterminated by those who claimed to be on the side of justice. The evil monsters had been defeated, and everyone lived happily ever after. It’s creepy when a corpse moves. Yeah, nothing will change if you don’t exterminate all the gross monsters, right?

—Fuck you, you bastards!

***

“Wan-chan, will you be singing today too?” The bored-looking playboy asks, on his phone as usual. Guess he doesn’t really want to talk to me. “You should stop because you’re dampening the mood. People think you're one of Sakuma-san’s henchmen, so people think you’re evil too and will persecute you like he was.”

“I don’t care. I… I’m.” I growl, the shallow first person pronoun Sakuma-senpai sometimes used slips from my mouth [1]. I cling onto what I’ve got left of him. “I just wanna sing with all my energy. I don’t care what the rest of you do.”

“But you’re creating problems for the livehouse. A customer pokes fun at you or Sakuma-san, you get angry, and you start a fight—I really don’t want things like that happening.”

“I won't create any problems, I’ll be on my best behaviour.”

“Will you really? But you’re like the rest of the customers— You always look like you’re going to start arguing with other Yumenosaki students. You come in from the back entrance like, everytime, to avoid any trouble, right?”

“I still pay the entrance fee.”

“Why do you go out of your way to perform here even though you’ve got to jump over so many dangerous obstacles to get here? It’s super bothersome.” Playboy's grumbling as usual. He pulls out a key and throws it to me. “Here. I’ll give you a key to a room so you can change clothes and get ready. If you swear to not cause any more trouble, you can become our new breadwinner, Wan-chan. I actually want to cheer you on,” the playboy said and laughed insincerely.

I hate his demeanour, so I snap back.

“Don’t call me ‘Wan-chan’.”

“Sakuma-san calls you ‘Wanko’. I call you ‘Wan’ as in, ‘number one’. Honest, honest to god.” [2] Playboy’s face goes serious for a split second and he waved his hands around like he was trying to hide his embarrassment. “You can be my number one breadwinner, like Sakuma-san.”

“Don’t hafta tell me twice.”

Just like Sakuma-senpai, I’ll become the best guy in the world. My voice alone will excite the crowd. A flirtatious glance will have women swooning. With a single look, even the strongest of men will bow down to me. In an instant, their souls are gripped, I captivate everyone. I’ll become like Sakuma Rei too. But the journey is a long one. “Let’s go. I’m singin’ tonight.”

I reach my booth, key in hand, and change into my costume. I take out my guitar, who’s as important to me as my parents and Leon are. Once I’m ready, I head to the stage. To tackle this head on.

“Shake, you fools! Imma show you what real music is!”

I sing. My guitar does too.

Just like Sakuma-senpai did.

Right now I’m blindly copying him, but I pray that one day, I’ll be able to be just like him.

I hope this song reaches him, wherever he is.

***

Once, I was starving, yearning. But when I found Sakuma Rei and his music, my soul was satisfied.

—Now it’s my turn.

“Rock ‘n’ roll…!”

Come on, idiots of the world. I’ll open your eyes with my music. I’ll become your God.

~~~~

Translation notes:

[1] in the line above this one Koga says ‘俺...俺様は’ or ‘ore…ore sama wa’. Oresama being the first person pronoun rei sometimes used, and its very egotistical.

[2] number one is pronounced as, in this case, ‘nanbaa wan’

#ensemble stars #enstars #backdoor #rei sakuma #kaoru hakaze #koga oogami #crossroad anime - backdoor

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pendarling · 1 year

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Just Faking It

Hero fixed their hair again; the attire was uncomfortable, but the food tasted good. The jovial spirits of the other customers were found unmatched here in their booth, which felt tense and awkward. At least for Hero, they felt that way.

Villain seemed more relaxed than them.

Nothing was more annoying than being forced to attend a mission as a fake couple. It was humiliating to be seen like this; Hero had better things to do. Although they had to admit, Villain was… well… a little above average in terms of looks. Their personality could draw a crowd; something about having a flare bright enough to cause a disruption in town.

They've been trying to get their attention forever, but it just looked like they were too oblivious. It was always the stunning people with the worst sense of awareness. Sometimes, Villain did come off as selfish, but it wasn't anything Hero didn't expect; with Villain's head so focused on themselves, they should've known it would result in their lack of engagement for others. It's probably the core reason why they weren't interested in them.

They watched as the other right across them flagged down yet another server and insisted they pour their glass of wine again. Villain's face was already beginning to light up with drunken happiness. Personally, they didn't take Villain to be a wine person, yet here they were.

"You gonna eat?" They smiled lopsidedly while gesturing with their cup at their plate.

Hero let out a huff of disapproval and wrapped their arms around themselves. Under Villain's gaze, it was impossible not to feel like they were actively trying to intimidate them.

These clothes were so out of their usual style.

Hero looked around the dim-lit restaurant and tried to focus on the target, sitting just a few booths down. The damn CEO was why Villain and Hero were forced to investigate. Their only downside was Villain's lack of concern for the mission. Instead, they seemed to be distracted by the variety of desserts available.

"Can't you stop indulging and restrain yourself for a minute?" They harshly whispered while keeping track of the target.

"But I am restraining myself." Hero turned briefly to throw a questioning stare only to catch Villain's eyes travelling along their neck.

"Cut it out."

They hummed lowly and pushed the pasta around on their plate. "Whatever you say."

This dragged on too long, and Hero was ready to send the attack immediately. The CEO stood, leaving their damsels cooing as they finally walked toward the bathrooms.

"Now! "They whispered. Hero double-checked that their blade was secured on their hips and slipped out of their seat to discreetly follow the other. Villain coughed slightly as they tried to chug down the remaining wine and join their companion.

The booth the CEO was just in had been filled with all types of escorts hired by Hero's Agency to go undercover for this project. It was amazing how they all agreed, most admitting that the CEO was just another cash cow who loved to throw around their money in the hopes that their plans would come true. Hero opened the curtains and closed them right behind them just as Villain made it in.

"What're you two doing in here? We're not supposed to interact." The woman in the centre was a blonde worker. It wasn't a lie to say that she and her entire team were all equally stunning. It almost left Hero at a loss for words.

"Did you put the poison in?" Hero asked as they looked around the seat and table for the device tagged underneath.

Hero's hand grasped what they were looking for and pulled it out. "A bomb?!" Another woman spoke with her eyes flung open.

The secret worker jolted from her spot and inspected it. "How'd you see that?" It was a small portable device in Hero's hand. But easily recognizable. "The CEO's onto us?"

"Yes."

Villain sat beside the brunette on the red leather seat with an arm wrapped around her. "Relax, we'll handle this."

"I saw them plant it just before they left to go to the bathroom. Luckily, it isn't turned on." Hero pocketed the small device and glanced at Villain, now surrounded by the other workers. They couldn't believe they could be thinking about that at a time so constraining.

"Villain!" They moved over to the other side and glared down at them; Villain was still in high spirits from the rush of alcohol. "We need to go!"

"Just a minute…" They sighed before facing another woman who entertained the advancements, but it had gone beyond them. Hero scowled and moved out of the booth, fuming.

What was Villain thinking anyway? They would finish this project with or without them by the night's end.

The CEO's laughter was caught in the air as several footsteps made their way to the booth.

"Fuck!"

Villain sprang out of the chair and attempted to dash out, but the tall figure of their target blocked the way.

"Oh, hahaha," Hero nervously fidgeted. How could they let themselves get caught like this?

The centre worker stood from their seat and rushed over to the target's side, "These people were just about to leave. They were just asking a few questions."

"Were they?" CEO questioningly looked to the side; next to them were several of their personal bodyguards who stared down at the two. "And what questions were that?"

"About you, of course!" Hero chimed in, "We noticed that someone as powerful as you was attending this same restauraunt, we just wanted to know how we could admire you."

Villain nodded in agreement, "Yeah- there's nothing more profound than a strong figure like yourself here."

It seemed to work, and the blonde worker sighed with relief. The target's eyes lightened up at that, "Well, there's plenty of ways to show your respect for me, although I've never had anyone personally show such interest openly. "

"Well, I guess we should be on our way then. Don't want to waste your time." Villain grabbed Hero as they made their exit. It seemed they would be safe for now, but they've interacted with them; they needed to be more careful.

"Now, just hold on a second."

Hero felt their arm tugged back slightly. They paused in their tracks, and Villain looked behind them. The worker stood confused.

"We've only just met. Why don't we get a little accustomed to each other?"

Hero blinked idly at Villain with a questioning face. It looked like there would be a change of plans, "Well," Hero nervously began, "I would love to; however, you see, I'm already here with someone." They gestured to Villain.

"Please, I'm sure if you really had such great admiration, you wouldn't pass up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." They laughed as the guards pushed Villain out of the way, and Hero was locked tightly into the CEO's firm grip. From behind, they saw the escorts look at each other skeptically. "A pretty thing like you has better things to do anyways."

Hero faked a laugh, "You're really… too kind."

It infuriated Villain, not because the plans were ruined so quickly but because who did they think they were to take their date!? Who does that?! Villain forcibly pushed the standing guards and spoke louder, "Hey, jerk, that's my date you're stealing!" Their arms were pulled behind them.

The blonde escort placed a hand on Hero's shoulder, "Please, reconsider your decision, we don't have to take this kind guest with us."

They huffed at the escort's words, "Sit down, I'll make the decisions, you're just hired for my entertainment."

They couldn't hear Villain anymore; comforting hands from the escort told them to not look behind them and to follow through. "Of course, sorry for stepping out of line."

They couldn't believe it. Were they really going to end up as some kind of hostage? They knew Sidekick should've followed them in case something like this happened.

Another person in a suit pulled back the curtains, "Your ride has arrived."

"Excellent," They pulled out a cigar, and one of the guards lit it for them, "You'll come with me." Hero was pushed outside and into the cold night. Their eyes still searching for Villain. Hopefully, nothing bad happened with them. This was all so unfamiliar. They still had the dagger attached to their thigh, hidden away. Maybe they could find an opportunity to escape.

A dark car pulled into against the curb. Hero sat on the dark red leather chair, fabricating a contempt expression. They were flexible. They'd come up with something.

~~~

MASTERLIST

#writing prompt #enemies to lovers #cute prompts #fake dating #imagine your otp #pining prompts #villain x hero #hero x villain #writing #fake #scenarios #undercover #heroxvillain #villainxhero #unrequited romance #romance #unrequited pining #unreciprocated love

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maytheamazing · 5 months

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Saw another "Keanu is a zionist" post with no supporting evidence or citing and this annoyed me so I'm making a post about it. To preface, this is all in good faith and to educate.

Zionism is, to be put simply, the belief that Israel has a right to make their own homeland, to create a "place for all jews" by clearing out the native population and culture. As Israel is committing a genocide, it is perfectly acceptable for those supporting Israel's genocide of the Palestinian people to be labeled a zionist.

Specifically we are going to be talking about Keanu Reeves and his involvement with the zionist company Paramount, who expressed their explicit support of Israel and has not issued another statement changing their stance as far as I am aware. I will also be adding film making information as needed.

To start off, we only know of two examples of Reeves interacting with people who have a connection to Israel. He has not stated his stance on any social or political movement, full stop. The first of two such instances is his weapons trainer for John Wick 2, who was hired by the producers specifically. And the second is his attending of a party in 2014 by producer Arnon Milchan, who you may know from movies like; Fight Club, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the Chipmunks sequels, and more. At this party Reeves was photographed speaking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. [image description in alt]

This photo is the only information we have on this party and their interactions. Here is an article gossip mag MalibuTimes released on it. This article also goes to say that Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife made sure to interact with multiple actors- in fact the photo they used for this article is them posing with James Caan.

Seeing as this appears to be their only known interaction and Reeves has been photographed candid and not posed, it is a fair assumption to say they aren't friends catching up. On the film/actor side of things, parties like this are a fantastic way to network within the industry. Arnon Milchan is a well known name in producing movies with a long history and it would not be a smart move to decline or spur his invitation.

Now back to Paramount and Sonic 3, as is our main discussion. Paramount this last October in response to the Oct. 7th bombing announced that they stand with and support Israel.

As you should know by now, six months later, Israel has far gone past "defending itself" as some may claim it has a right to do, and firmly and undeniably into genocide. In this time Paramount has doubled down on their support, donating large sums of money to Israeli based charities and military. In their new Sonic spin off series, Knuckles, one of the human characters openly supports Israel and practices a form of martial arts invented by the Israeli armed forces.

When it comes to Sonic 3 and staff and cast involvement, a little more context is needed. Filmmaking takes a long time and a lot of hard work. The script needs to be written before the cast can audition and then rehearsals, prop design, set and location set up, rigging and prepping Sonic character stand ins for their CGI coverups, and more all need to be done before filming can ever start. According to Collider this last summer Sonic 3 was set to start filming in August of 2023; meaning that cast had been hired months before that. Contracts for movies from big studios like Paramount or Disney often include Non Disclosure Agreements so that staff members wont leak anything before its ready and/or a legally binding punishment should a leak happen. We only found out Reeves is playing Shadow the Hedgehog this last week, and filming has completed earlier this month according to ScreenRant who cited James Marsden for that confirmation. Meaning that Keanu has been done for a little while now, if he was only in booth voice acting rather than some combination of on set and in booth. Depending on the NDA the agreement can last for years, according to BrewerLog Attorney's Office the average amount of time a NDA lasts is 1-5 years and depends heavily on what is outlined and what information the business in question wants to be kept secret.

Reeves nor his PR team has yet (as of 4/28/24) to make any statement regarding his role of Shadow the Hedgehog in the upcoming film, but that's the norm for him. Keanu Reeves rather rarely does interviews or public outspeak; he doesn't even make a statement or announce when donating or setting up regular funding to charities in the past.

To wrap things up there simply isn't enough to say Keanu is a zionist. Circumstantial at best, and heavily assumptionist and bad faith at worst. If in the future there is confirmation that Keanu purposefully or willingly sides, supports, or is politically aligned with anything to do with Israel and their genocide of the Palestinian people and their destruction of Gaza Strip then I will absolutely change my tune here. But there's ACTUAL people who are vocal about their support of genocide who I see get no negative feedback. Jerry Seinfeld openly support and even donates to Israel- why say nothing about him? Or Gal Godou. I have literally seen zero posts about either of them.

TLDR; Keanu isn't a zionist, and explaining why

#keanu reeves #paramount+#sonic the hedgehog #sonic 3 #free palestine #free gaza #also for the fist bump thing. literally YESTERDAY at work a stranger went in for a fist bump. this is a very normal thing for strangers.#knuckles series

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something-tofightfor · 1 year

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2023 Summer Kiss Prompt #8: Oberyn Martell - Apology Kiss / Jealous Kissing

These were the two most difficult prompts for Oberyn ... and yet they made total sense to combine.

Thank you to @oonajaeadira and @crazysouthernlady for trusting me with our favorite Dornishman.

I got a little carried away with this one, but what Oberyn wants, he gets.

This is not connected to any other Oberyn I've written - so please enjoy.

Word Count: 4,102

Even though you knew that Oberyn operated on no one’s schedule but his own, it was unlike him to be so late. With one final glance down at your watch, you sighed, rolling your eyes as you raised a finger to signal the bartender.

“What can I get you?” The young woman grinned, her eyes sparkling from behind heavy, dark lashes. Wonder if he’s the one that hired her. “Another of the same? What was it, Blood and Sand?”

“Yeah. That sounds good. I think that he’s going to be …” You trailed off, shrugging. “Much later than I anticipated.” She gave you a sympathetic smile, raising an eyebrow and nodding before she turned away. Only a minute or so later, the drink was in front of you, along with a small bowl of the snack mix that the bar was known for - fresh berries, salted nuts and an assortment of crackers. “Thank you.”

Oberyn had asked you to meet him there that night, promising that once he finished handling a few things in the afternoon, he was yours for the rest of the weekend. But the time he’d said he’d meet you came and went more than an hour earlier, and the single message you’d sent to ask if everything was alright had gone unanswered. Unread, actually.

You knew he was busy. Knew that what you had between you wasn’t defined, and that being with someone as in demand as him was bound to lead to disappointment in the long run. But he’s never flat out ignored me before. He’s never blown me off.

Sipping through the straw, you let your gaze wander around the inside of the bar. It was the third location of the small chain he managed with his brother and sister - one concept designed to match each of their personalities - and it was one of the hottest spots in town.Has been for months.

You’d met him there while attending the grand opening with a group of your friends, catching the man’s eye from across the room while the four of you laughed and drank thanks to an invite through work. You knew who he was immediately, and had no plans to approach him, because you were no stranger to his reputation.

But Oberyn’s plans were different.

Not even ten minutes later, he’d sent over a round of drinks to the table along with a message that the remainder of your night was taken care of, too - no strings attached. You met his eye again as he raised a drink in one hand, his wink visible even across the crowded room - and from over the shoulder of the dark haired woman draped across his lap.

You gave him a nod and a small smile of your own, but had left it at that - until you were leaving a few hours later and the path to the door took you by his VIP area.

The silken curtains that had previously been opened to expose the booth to public view were closed. You hadn’t seen him leave, so you figured that he was still inside - but what you hadn’t counted on was the sound of a voice carrying through a crack in those curtains and curling into your ears like smoke. “I hope you enjoyed your evening.”

There was no stopping it - your footsteps faltered and your head turned to the side, lips parted in surprise. But the bigger surprise was the material moving to the side and the man himself peeking around the edge of it, his eyes locked with yours. He was shirtless, pants hanging low on his narrow hips, and you watched as the fire crept into his eyes at your startled expression, the man’s lips curving up into an almost dangerous smile.

You managed to answer - telling him that you’d enjoyed yourselves thoroughly, and Oberyn’s smile grew. His eyes remained on you even at the sound of a woman calling his name from behind him, and you couldn’t resist giving him a little sass in response, your head slightly fuzzy from the drinks you’d consumed. “But not as thoroughly as you seem to be enjoying yourself right now, Mr. Martell.”

He’d paused - only briefly - before reaching down to press his hand flat against his belly, eyes narrowing almost in challenge. “We will have to do something about that next time. Come back soon. Anything you desire within these walls is yours.” And then he was gone, the curtain swishing back into place and obscuring him from view.

You’d stayed away for a month, and then curiosity got the better of you.

You and a friend decided to head back to the Viper’s Den for a drink on a Thursday, fully prepared to wait in the admission line … but instead, you’d been ushered inside as soon as the bouncer saw you, two seats in a prime location at the bar offered before you realized what was going on.

It took him less than an hour to step up behind you, the man welcoming you back and then offering to accompany you into the private lounge - though it wasn’t his lounge area, and there were no curtains to close. The three of you talked until it got late, Oberyn offering a car to take her home while he escorted you personally - and you agreed, the word yes dripping from your lips before you could stop yourself.

He didn’t try anything in the car, though the two of you sat close together in the back seat, the man’s fingers laced with yours and his thumb running slowly over your knuckle. He was different there, the short drive and complete privacy allowing him to turn off the swagger and persona he adopted in public … and that was the Oberyn Martell you fell for.

Over the course of the next few weeks, you got to know him in the club and out, trading contact information and building up a friendship. He flirted - heavily, the man’s charm a constant presence, but he never pushed you or used his position to encourage more than you were ready to give.

And when you finally went to bed with him, it felt like an extension of the friendship, a natural progression of things between you that changed nothing about the way you behaved with each other … and everything about the way you felt about him in one fell swoop.

That continued for a year, and in that time, both of you dated other people, though you always gravitated back into each other’s arms and beds, the familiarity and comfort of being with him a welcome reward for a hard day or a successful week at work. Every touch of the man’s hands or press of his mouth against your skin confirmed what you already knew to be true about your feelings for him. You wanted more but knew that you could never ask for it without disappointment. So you didn’t, even though it got harder and harder with each passing day.

But that night was the first time he’d outright forgotten you - leaving you hanging at the bar he’d invited you to, surrounded by people oblivious to the hurt that was clawing at the inside of your chest. Your phone vibrated, the screen lighting up, and for a split second, you thought it was him, messaging to let you know that he was on his way.

It wasn’t.

The hurt turned to anger at the image attached to the alert. It was a tagged photo taken through the glass of a restaurant window and posted on social media, Oberyn’s arm around the shoulders of a dark haired beauty that you didn’t recognize, his head turned so that he could speak into her ear. That’s it. I’m done.

Darkening the screen, you shoved your phone into your purse, digging for your wallet and pulling out a few bills to leave as a tip for the bartender. You finished your drink and stood, slinging the strap over your shoulder and weaving through the crowd on your way to the door.

It wasn’t that he was with another woman, even though that stung, too.

You knew that there were others - even others like Ellaria that he saw just as frequently as he saw you. You knew that he wasn’t really yours, and that you had no right to dictate who he spent time with or what kind of time they spent together. He said he’d be here. He invited me here tonight, and then he just …

Oberyn was many things - and being a man of his word was near the top of that list. And that’s why this is … You wiped a tear away from beneath your eye with one hand as you prepared to hail a cab, but when you saw the car that he always had on standby parked near the curb, you headed there instead. Might as well take it one last time.

The drive to your place was a short one because the traffic was light, but even the limited time wasn’t enough to keep you from pulling your phone out and staring at the image, lower lip caught between your teeth. It was the first time he’d disappointed you in the entire time you’d known him, and it hurt.

I thought we were friends. The car pulled to a stop and then idled, the driver telling you to have a good night as you climbed out. You stood on the sidewalk, watching it pull away and merge back into traffic, and as the taillights disappeared, you let out a long sigh, squeezing your eyes shut.

“This is not how I pictured tonight going.” You winced at the sound of his voice, shoulders stiffening. “Doreah told me you left, and I figured … I figured this was the only place you would go.” You heard his quiet footsteps as Oberyn approached, the man stopping before he got close enough to touch you. “Why did you leave? I thought we -”

“You were an hour and a half late, Oberyn.” Turning to look at him, you shrugged. “You didn’t answer my text - you didn’t even read it. And then I saw a picture of you at dinner, and I just …” Tilting your head back, you curled your fingers against your palms. “You can spend time with whoever you want to, and it’s fine, but…”

Bringing your chin back down, you met his gaze for the first time that night, unsure of what you’d find there. The look in his eyes surprised you. He watched you silently, head tilted to one side and a line between his brows, but his expression was even. He’s just waiting. Waiting to see what I say, how I handle this. “But what?” He stepped closer, shaking his head. “Finish that sentence. Please.”

“But I think I deserve to be told when you’re not going to show up somewhere, Oberyn. I don’t expect all of your time, but if you make plans with someone, I think the least you could do is let them know if you’re not going to keep them.”

Under the glow of the streetlight, Oberyn stood completely still, his expression unchanged. You’d more than likely crossed a line, but that didn’t mean that the words were any less true. “I have always said that you should tell me how you feel.”

“Sure have.” Rolling your eyes, you forced yourself to keep your arms by your sides instead of crossing them protectively over your chest like you wanted to. “So I hope it was a -”

“You saw a picture of me?” Blinking, he took another step closer, eyes narrowing. “At dinner?” He hummed, pushing his shoulders back. “What was I doing in the picture?” With a scoff, you reached into your bag for your phone, bringing the picture up and showing it to him. “Oh.” Oberyn hummed, a brief smile twisting the corners of his mouth upward. “I’m here now, and you should know very well that that means I did not go to bed with her.”

You laughed then, the sound sharp, and when you stuffed the phone back into your purse, you reached up, holding your hand out in front of him, palm forward. “Oberyn that isn’t the point. You’ve slept with how many people since we’ve known each other? I’m pissed that you asked me to meet you and then you didn’t even have the courtesy to send a message that said ‘Hey I’m sorry, I’m going to be late. Having dinner with someone’ or ‘I’m sorry, something came up. I’ve gotta cancel’.” Lowering your hand, you placed it on your hip. “You knew what time we were supposed to meet.You reminded me earlier today. It would have taken fifteen seconds to let me know you wouldn’t be there. That’s all.”

“Would you still have wanted to meet me tonight if I had slept with Talisa?” He wet his lips and then pressed them together. “Knowing that -”

“Probably not.” You were already being honest with him, and didn’t think there was any point in lying. “I definitely wouldn’t have wanted to have sex only a few hours after you’d been with someone else, but …” You shrugged. “But that just proves my point. You should have told me, Oberyn. We’re friends, and -”

“I would not have done that.” He shook his head. “To you of all people.” He smoothed down the front of his shirt, your eyes following the movement and unconsciously lingering on the exposed skin of his upper chest. Oberyn went silent and your mind wandered, breath leaving you in a quiet huff as you thought about how unfair it was that he had the nerve to look so good when you were so mad at him. Nobody looks good in mustard yellow. Nobody, but he - “And there is no probably, you would have told me that you didn’t want to see me tonight if you knew that I was with someone else earlier in the evening.”

He knew it was true because he knew you, and that made it even worse. “And yet here you are.” You spit the words out, more venom in them than you anticipated, but still less than he deserved. “Maybe you should have slept with her, Oberyn. Because you’re definitely not getting there with me tonight. Not after this. Not -”

“I do not blame you.” Shaking his head, Oberyn crossed his arms first, taking a deep breath. “For being angry with me. I deserve it. I understand that I should have… but it came up last minute. Elia’s friends were in town, and what you did not see in that picture was that she was sitting across from me. She and her husband were there, and the woman?” He smiled then, the expression genuine. “Talisa? Her husband was also there. But he stepped away from the table to take a phone call. That picture was taken at an…” He frowned, thinking. “An inopportune moment.”

“That doesn’t make it any better, Oberyn.” But the truth of it was that it did make it better, even if only a little. You believed that he wouldn’t have come to you after being with someone else. You believed that Elia and her husband had been there, and that despite his interest in sex and his lack of boundaries when it came to sex, Oberyn never would have done anything to break up the relationship of his sister’s friends. But he still stood me up. And that’s bullshit.

“In all the time I’ve known you, I have never known you to be jealous.” I’m not. I’m not jealous. He sighed, swallowing. “You know me and what I enjoy. You know my history. You know how I spend my time, and you have never … judged me for it.” He reached up, scratching the side of his head and then said your name, letting a slow breath out through his nose. “I have seen disappointment in your eyes before. I have heard it sometimes, in your voice when we’re talking about the things that have happened since we last saw each other.”

Cautiously, he reached for you - the man’s fingertips sliding down the bare skin of your arm. “Oberyn, stop. I’m not -” Am I?

“But you have never shown true jealousy.” You weren’t proud of the assessment, because it was true. You knew what you’d gotten into when you started seeing him, had known Oberyn’s routine and his behaviors, and had accepted it because you wanted to be near him. “You’ve seen me with Ellaria. You’ve met her. I have not kept what I do and who I do it with a secret, and yet…” He eyed you, taking another breath “And yet it is this that puts you over the edge.”

“Yes, because you ditched me, Oberyn. I’m not jealous, I’m pissed. I don’t like being ignored or stood up. My time is worth more than that. Having a casual relationship is fine, but we’re still friends. And the fact that you beat me here proves that you know that what happened tonight was not cool. I would have been disappointed if you’d canceled or told me you’d be late, but I would have understood, because it’s not a regular occurrence. It happens.” You took a half step away from him, head whipping back and forth. “But this? This fucking hurts, Oberyn. Because -”

“I think I like you jealous.” The smile was back on his face, his eyes gleaming in the dim lighting. “I like it a lot, actually. Because it proves that I -

“Oh, fuck you, Oberyn.” You spun away from him, digging for your keys. “I need some time. Leave me alone for a few days. Let me be mad at you, and then …” You closed your fingers around the bundle in your purse, scoffing. “Then we’ll see if -”

You stopped speaking at the feeling of his fingers closing around your arm, just above your elbow. He squeezed gently, the man’s presence behind you growing as he moved even closer. “Wait. Turn around and look at me.” You didn’t want to. You wanted to keep going, to unlock your door and go inside, slamming it in his face.

But you didn’t, instead turning and facing him, the man’s grip loosening, though he didn’t pull his hand away. He watched you intently, his expression unreadable, but when you relaxed - only slightly - he nodded, closing his eyes. What is going on with him?

When Oberyn’s eyes opened again, they’d softened, the look in them similar to the one he gave you sometimes when he didn’t think you were paying attention. He wasn’t Oberyn Martell, multi-millionaire heir to the Dornish empire or owner of The Viper’s Den. He wasn’t the Red Viper, a man that moved in carefully and struck quickly, taking what he wanted and not thinking twice until it was done. He was just Oberyn then - the bravado gone and the facade dropped, a man looking at a woman that he cared about, unguarded.

“I am sorry.” Opening your mouth to interrupt, he stopped you, the slight tightening of his fingers halting the words in the back of your throat. “I’m so sorry for not letting you know I couldn’t meet you. I’m sorry for not keeping my word.” He paused again, blinking slowly. “I’m sorry that I hurt you.”

In the year that you’d known him, you’d never heard the man apologize - except once to Elia for making a joke that she’d taken poorly.

You hadn’t been meant to hear that, the words whispered into her ear as he pulled her away from the group of people they were speaking to, his mouth forming words smoothly and paired with a squeeze of her wrist. Not to Ellaria. Not to Doran. Not to any of the employees or the people I’ve seen him turn down. To Elia and to … me.

“Oberyn, I …” Closing your eyes, you took a shuddering breath. “You…” It should have taken more than that - more than a simple apology that didn’t at all make up for what he’d done. But it was the shock of hearing those words from him for the first time, seeing his expression as he spoke them and watching the way his body moved - curling toward you, the hand not on your arm twitching like he was warring against himself not to reach out and touch you.

With other men, apologies were meaningless, just words spoken to placate someone until the next time they needed to be used. But with him, just like with everything else he said, you knew that he wouldn’t have wasted the breath to apologize if he didn’t mean it. Oberyn’s words always held meaning, no matter how insignificant they seemed. And I’m not going to waste this. I’m not going to waste what might be the only time he ever …

“I know you are.” Reaching up, you pressed your palm to his cheek, watching as the tilt of his head changed subtly, pressing toward your skin. “And you’re right. I think…” Dropping your chin and shaking your head, you shuddered. “I was jealous tonight. Jealous that someone else got to spend time with you when it was supposed to be me.”

It came out in a rush, but once you’d said it, you felt lighter, the truth hanging between you. He’d seen through you because he saw everything, and even though you knew that having any sort of possessive thoughts about Oberyn’s time was not a good idea, keeping it to yourself that night hadn’t ever really been an option, especially after he’d been so open. Just like not going back to the bar and to him after the first night wasn’t.

“Well I’m here now.” He inched closer, his other hand finally rising to settle against your hip, thumb stroking in a slow arc over it. “And I would really like to … stay.” Logically, you knew that he meant that the wanted to stay the night - that he wanted to salvage whatever you could from the broken date. But there’s always more to what he says than…

You didn’t even think about it before you leaned in, tipping your head to the side and pressing your mouth to his. He let you, fingertips digging into your skin, and when you moved your hand back so that you could tangle your fingers in his hair, Oberyn finally sighed.

It was you that started things - and then took advantage of his sigh and the slight part of his lips, deepening the kiss at the same time you urged him closer.

But it was Oberyn that took over - as he so often did - the hand on your hip dragging you forward to leave no space between your bodies, the hand on your elbow slipping free and then between your arm and your side, snaking up the center of your back to keep you close.

He kissed you hungrily - like the admissions of remorse and jealousy had unlocked something new in him. And maybe they did, because … You pulled on his hair, groaning as he licked into your mouth, but then Oberyn pushed you away abruptly, the man’s lips set into a smirk that you knew well. “What are -”

“I would not mind it, but I don’t think you want this to keep going here.” Using the hand from your hip, he gestured to the space around you. “Especially when I know how comfortable so many places in your house are.”

You laughed at, the remaining tension breaking, but instead of pulling completely out of his arms, you leaned back in, kissing Oberyn’s cheek. For you, Oberyn Martell, I am a pushover. “If we go inside, I’m going to need you to show me just how sorry you are.”

He hummed and you could hear the smile in it, his nod turning into a gentle tug on your hand as you headed up the driveway. “There are plenty of hours left before the sun comes up.” He looked over at you, the smirk still present on his lips. “And I have nowhere else to be tomorrow, do you?”

Your stomach bottomed out at his words - the man’s voice low and full of promise. But even then, you could hear the undertone of sincerity in it - and despite the earlier anger, you were already more than halfway to forgiving him. I’ll be all the way there in a little while. What does that say about me?

“Absolutely nowhere, Oberyn.”

—

#oberyn martell #oberyn martell x reader #pedro pascal #oberyn martell x female reader #summer kiss prompt #2023 summer kiss prompt #oberyn martell masterlist #pedro pascal masterlist #pedro pascal character #summer smooch #oonajaeadira #crazysouthernlady #thank you for the request!#oberyn + a jealous kiss #oberyn + an apology kiss #game of thrones

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itstorimf · 1 year

Text

risky, risky, risky - professor!dad!chan x female reader

chapter two: "HAHA! Pay up bitch!

word count: 2.1K

warnings: mentions of death (not any main characters, just in general) language, consumption or alcohol, not quite smut but definitely suggestive

series masterlist

*written in Chris's pov*

"Thank you again," I smiled as the babysitter I hired shut the door. It wasn't everyday that I had a night to myself, and honestly I felt a little guilty about leaving Leo with her. Leo and I were inseparable. Ever since his mother passed away, I had a hard time leaving him. However, tonight, my two best friends invited me for a night out. Jisung and Changbin were waiting for me outside of my apartment complex eager to begin our evening out. They both attended the same college and I was just lucky enough to have met them when I first moved into their town. Jisung and Changbin also happened to be friends with the owners of the club that we were going to. Minho, Hyunjin, and Felix alongside my two friends were all in the same fraternity together. They invited us out to check out their club, and honestly, who were we to decline a free night of drinks?

Changbin sat in the driver's seat and would glance my way every so often. He could obviously tell that I felt uncomfortable I had left my son for the evening.

"Dude. I promise Leo is going to be just fine," Changbin sighed as he made eye contact with me from the rearview mirror.

"I know, but what if the babysitter can't get him to fall asleep, or she doesn't close the baby gate and he falls down the stairs, or worse! What if he-?" I was cut off by Jisung in the passenger seat.

"Chris. I highly doubt that Lia would let any of that happen! Try to chill out. We're going out for fuck's sake! Drinks are free. Lix is dj-ing. Let yourself enjoy at least tonight," Jisung was right. After the year I had had with losing my wife and moving to a new city, I owed it to myself to live again. If not for myself, then for my son. Even though he was only two, I hated that Leo had to watch me go through the grief I did. If I could find it in myself to have fun again, maybe raising a child alone wouldn't be too hard.

When we arrived at the boys' bar, the place was packed. Filled with people dancing and downing drinks. As weird as it sounds, it honestly felt kinda inviting. The atmosphere was freeing and exhilarating all at the same time.

"Gentlemen!" I heard a voice behind me say. It was Minho, one of the club owners. Hyunjin followed shortly behind him. "Let me show you to your table." Minho led us up a few steps to a table that was just slighted elevated from the dance floor. You could see what was going on in every corner of the club. "Drinks are on us, so get as crazy as you fuckin' want 'kay?" Hyunjin continued. We all laughed and decided to order a round of beers to start. After achieving the drinks, Changbin walkover to the DJ booth that Felix was setting up at. He had always had an interest in music production, so he would probably stay there for the rest of the night. The silence at our table was broken by Jisung.

"Alright dude. We seriously gotta get you laid!" Jisung shouted. My head turned faster than my brain could comprehend what he had said and I shot him a look. I chuckled and shook my head in disapproval. "What?" he said in shock, "Dude! You're like a major dilf. Dilfs are all the rage these days!"

"Right and how would I explain that to her? 'Oh sorry let me just move my son into the living room. Don't worry! Get comfortable, but if he wakes up I have to bring him back in here!' You're funny", I respond.

"How about this? You meet a girl. It goes well. Say the word and you can go back to mine and Changbin's place! We'll take care of Leo while you-"

"I got the point!" and honestly. It wasn't too bad of an idea. Ji and Changin took care of my son over night once while I was away for a conference and they did just fine. Maybe, just maybe, I would take them up on that offer. It was the idea of talking to a girl again that made me nervous. Changbin eventually joined us again at the table and we ordered a bottle of Hennessy for the three of us to share. My eyes scanned through the dance floor and they landed on woman dancing with a friend. She clearly had been drinking by the way she was dancing, but sober enough to look after her friend. Every so often her attention would go back to the intoxicated girl next to her, checking to make sure she was okay. Before I could realize that I had been staring, she looked up at me. A quick glance, before she averted her eyes to the ground. A little while later, a larger group of people joined them on the dance floor, and she broke away to sit by herself at a table in the corner. There was something about the way she held herself. An obvious wallflower, but judging by the way she danced, around just the right people, she was able to let herself go. I needed to know more about her. I downed what was the rest of my glass and stood up. "Alright gentlemen! Wish me luck..." I announced to them.

"No fucking way! Mr. Christoper Bang? You're gonna go talk to a girl?" Changbin asked.

"Hey you guys were the ones that said I had to loosen up a bit. Here I go!" and with that I started walking in her direction. When I got to her table, she also stood, though she wasn't looking where she was going. She stumbled into my arms and held my arms out to catch her. Clearly embarrassed she looked up at me with blushed cheeks.

"I am so sorry!" this mystery girl said, quick to apologize for landing on me. "These shoes are death traps I swear." I chuckled. Do I flirt with her? It had been so long since I had even attempted to flirt. The alcohol was kicking in and I thought to myself, 'eh... fuck it! What do you have to lose?'

"That's alright, but I'll only forgive you if you tell me your name," I said with a smirk.

"HA! Smooth. I'm Y/N. I haven't seen you around here before uh..." she trailed off.

"Chris." I responded. "Yeah. I'm pretty new to the area," small talk. I was never very good at small talk, but then she smiled at me. God. Her smile was infectious.

"Well Chris. What brings you to Venom?" Y/N asked. So she was as equally curious about me as I was about her. Good.

"A couple of friends know the owners, so they dragged me out tonight. Technically, Hyunjin did say that drinks were on them, so can I get you a drink?" I asked. A cliché move, but in movies, they always seemed to work.

"Well before I stumbled onto you, I was supposed to be leaving..." she trailed off again. I expected her to say no, but instead she continued with, "but hey! If it's free then one more wouldn't hurt!" I guided her to the bar and learned that her drink of choice was vodka tonic. One drink turned into three and suddenly we were on the dance floor. The music had changed as the night progressed and the dancing turned into full on grinding. I looked over at Felix who was smiling at me. He gave me thumbs up and continued on playing the music. Her body was on mine. The mixture of the heavy bass and the alcohol made the situation all the more intoxicating. My hand snaked around her waist and she turned around to face me, her arms wrapping behind my neck. Do people kiss on the dance floor? Do people kiss a person the JUST MET on the dance floor? Before I could find out the answer, Y/N's friend pulled her attention away from me. "I will be right back!" she shouted over the music.

I looked over at Ji and Changbin sitting at the table. Minho had eventually joined them. They were all smiling at me. It then clicked that all of my friends, Felix, Minho, and Hyunjin included, all had the same intentions of getting me laid tonight. Jisung and Changbin allowing me to use their space should things go well. Minho giving us a table above everything, allowing us to people watch. Hyunjin giving us access to free drinks to fuel the rest of the evening. Felix purposefully changing the vibe from uptempo club music to filthy grinding music. I was almost certain that this was Jisung's doing, but honestly, I couldn't be too upset. They obviously found the situation comical considering my distain for wanting to come out tonight in the first place.

"So my friend called an Uber back to our apartment. I guess that means I have to go," Y/N said when she returned disappointedly. This was it. I had to make a choice between letting this bombshell of a person go and being a little bitch, or sucking it up and being bold for once. Before I had the opportunity to exercise my options, I was speaking faster than my brain could comprehend.

"Or you could come back to mine?" BOLD CHRISTOPHER! BOLD. She smirked back at me and bit her lip. She said nothing else. Just nodded. I grabbed her hand and led her off of the dance floor. I got to the table and shot Changbin and Jisung a look.

"Mr. Bang? To what do we owe the pleasure?" Changbin asked with a smile on his face. He obviously knew what I was asking for seeing as he fished his hand in his pocket ready to give me the keys to his apartment. I looked at him and winked. Changbin took his car key off of its key ring and threw the remaining set of keys my way.

"HAHA! Pay up bitch!" I heard Jisung yell, holding his hand out to collect the bet they had placed. Both Y/N and I chuckled. Hand in hand, we walked outside of the club and anxiously waited for a taxi.

"I'm sorry. I don't think I heard this correctly," she said breaking the silence. "Is your last name really Bang? Like your name is Chris Bang?" she laughed. The tension in the air subsided and I winked at her.

"Technically in Korea you'd call me Bang Chris. Well, my Korean name is Chan so you'd actually call me Bang Chan. Don't worry I've already heard all of the jokes you can make. My mates back in Australia were ruthless," I rambled on. We were finally able to hail a taxi and Y/N got in first. I gave the driver the boys' address and we were on our way.

The tension in the taxi could be cut with a knife. My hand rested on her thigh and her's rested in the back of my neck, playing and tugging at my hair. I drew little circles on her thighs and watched as her eyes closed. The more I teased, the tighter her grip got on my hair. Y/N was clearly enjoying this. We arrived at the apartment and I practically threw the money at the taxi driver, way too eager to get inside. Inside of the apartment, I shut the door and pushed Y/N against it. Our lips connected and our hands explored each other's bodies. Not disconnecting from the kiss. I unbuttoned the rest of my buttons and she pulled the shirt off of me. I pulled the tight black dress she was wearing off of her body. One by one, articles of clothing went flying as we made our way to the room.

Did I feel guilty fucking in one of my best mate's room? Maybe a little, but all I wanted to was make Y/N feel good. I barely thought about it.

"Well Mr. Bang. I think I need to find out for myself if you name precedes you," she muttered with pure lust as I kissed down her neck. It was both the nerdiest and sexiest thing I had ever heard.

"Well gorgeous. I guess you'll have to tell me what you think when we're done..."

#skz bang chan #bang chris #bang chan #bang chan x female reader #bang chan x reader #bang chan college au #stray kids #skz #skz fanfic #stray kids fanfic #non idol au

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souls-festival · 1 year

Text

Souls Festival!

A stage, surrounded by trees.. A lonley spotlight shins bright from fhe center. You see a familiar face, Venus, stand under the spotlight. She seems to be wearing a bright costume of the sorts. A microphone appears before her. She takes it off its pedestal and speaks into it.

"Welcome ladies, gentlemen, pokemon of all kinds, to the annual Festival of Souls! My fellow companions and I are filled with immense joy to see so many familiar and new faces this year~"

Venus begins to walk around the stage, her hand on her chest.

"It is truly such a treat, first of all, to see so many of you returning to participate in the Festival once again. Before I release you all though, I shall go over some simple rules, standards, and such for the new commers."

Who can attend?

"First of all, anyone is of course allowed to attend the event. Human and Pokémon alike are free to come! Though I highly suggest that you come in a costume, so that you may be allegible to enter the costume contest! Which I shall get into more detail later."

Starting & End Dates?

"The Souls Festival shall official open on October 5th, 2023, and will last until October 31st! Though, you are free to come into the Festival early, and come and go as you please."

Beverages & Food?

"We have a wide variety of stands, and food carts, all with different and wonderful fall food items to choose from! Though since we don't want any incidents to occur, Miriam will be passing passing out different wines and champagne to those of you who are above a certain age."

Entertainment?

"For this year's special entertainment, I have hired a local band known as the Vortexs', to comd and jam out all of your favorite "family friendly" Halloween tunes!"

Activities?

"There will be many wonderous activities for you to participate in if you come and join the festivities. Such as bobbing for apples, pie baking, hay rides, fortune telling, visitinh different booths, writng Souls Letters, and so much more! As well as the costume contest, which will be open to enter from the start of the festival on October 5th and end on October 27th. Where two winners will be announced. The winner with the best costume will receive the luxurious prize, of their very own bottle lf Souls Ink! With the Souls Ink, you will be able to wrote to your ancestors even when it is not October. That person or pokemon will also receive a spooky suprise message. The second best costume winner will also receive a special spooky message."

Rules, or Guidline?

"Lastly though, all I that I ask of you all, is to just have a good time! But please don't cause too much of a ruckus, or cause to much chaos If indeed myself or one of my companions were to find out you've cause some mischief I am afraid you will be banned from the Festival for five hundred years."

"Though despite the simplest rules, I truly just with for everyone to have fun! So let the Festival commence!"

...

"If you have any questions or concerns, don't be afraid to reach out and ask~"

Side note: Pls also tag your intro posts with #souls festival or tag the souls festival blog, o that I may you are joining the event.

And if you would also like to enter the costume contest. Whoever you are having enter must have a costume first off, and you must tag #mascarade I your intro post as well. ^^

#Intro #Souls Festival Intro #Venus #Venus Espeon #Festival of Souls #Rules #Standards #Guideline #Activities #souls festival

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drades-lair · 4 months

Text

Glory Hole

Fandom: HelluvaBoss

Rating: M

Pairing(s): Striker/OC, Chaz/OC

Calus released a disgruntled sigh as he shifted into a better sitting position on his king-sized bed, propped up against the headboard in nothing but a pair of loose-fitting gray jogging pants. Muting the TV Calus reached for his phone on the bedside table, opening to his text messages specifically Striker’s texts.

“When are you coming home?” Calus texted.

“Not for another week, job got extended,” Striker responded.

“Another week!? I thought you were coming home tomorrow?” Calus retorted irritably, reaching down to readjust himself inside his pants.

“Sorry Calus, like I said job got extended,” Striker answered resulting in a hefty, irritated sigh from Calus.

“Fine, mind if I take a trip to the brothel tonight?” Calus wondered.

“Fine by me after all it’s your rules,” Striker replied with what Calus could only imagine was a laugh on the other end.

Calus finished up by reminding Striker to stay safe then stood up to pull on a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt before heading out the door. Amid the various shops in the downtown core of IMP city was one of the better brothel/bar combos, Calus as well as Striker would attend it on occasion when the other was out of town for obvious reasons. Upon entering the facility Calus was met by the familiar neon lighting amid a mostly dark interior including a massive sign that read ‘BAR’ above what was obviously the bar at the back, moving to said bar Calus flagged down the bar tender who was a large burly looking imp casually cleaning a glass.

“Whatchya need?” The imp inquired in a gruff tone.

“I was looking for a quickie,” Calus informed the bar keep.

“Alright, Room or wall?” The bar tender continued to ask.

“Wall is fine,” Calus confirmed pulling out a stack of bills, counting out some before handing them to the bartender. Upon placing the bills in his back pocket, the bartender led Calus behind the bar to an area where a set of five booths sat and unlocked the third one in.

“Alright, supplies are inside,” The bartender stated.

“Sounds good,” Calus retorted moving into the booth then closing the door behind himself.

The booth was exactly what you’d expect, a bench was attached to the wall on Calus’ left with a variety of lubes and condoms on the one side. On the wall straight ahead of Calus was a shelf that had towels on it along with several water bottles then of course on the right wall was the glory hole as well as the worker’s ass he’d soon be fucking. Calus was Pansexual thus it didn’t matter who he was fucking which was why he told the bartender to show him to the first open booth…this ass however looked oddly familiar the more he stared at it. Cocking an eyebrow at the familiar tush Calus moved to get a better look, it was a shark demon that was for sure however as he lingered on the unique tail it finally clicked who it was.

“Chaz?” Calus questioned as the backside in front of him jerked.

“Calus!? What are you doing here?” Chaz’s voice retorted from the other side of the wall.

“I’m in a glory hole booth at a brothel and bar, what do you think I’m doing here?” Calus chuckled pointedly.

“Oh, right…shit, what are the chances you got me?” Chaz retorted, voice taking on an embarrassed quality.

“Why are you working here?” Calus wondered.

“I lost my other bar job and needed to get a new one, this was the only one hiring in the city. Most days I’m a bartender or bar back but here sometimes the bar staff…fill in,” Chaz explained while slightly pressing his legs together.

“I see, is Moxxie and Millie okay with this?” Calus continued to ask.

“Yes, they understand that I’m just trying to help out,” Chaz confirmed.

“Are you comfortable with me being your client?” Calus quarried further.

“Well…yeah…I guess, aren’t you with Striker though?” Chaz wondered in turn mostly out of fear that Striker might take offense to this situation.

“Me and Striker have our arrangement, as long as no one comes to the penthouse we can indulge ourselves when alone,” Calus briefly explained.

“Oh, okay…well I guess if you want to continue with this…” Chaz trailed off, slightly parting his legs again.

“Yep, I can’t get a refund so might as well get what I came for plus you get paid thus so long as you’re alright with it this could be a win, win for the two of us,” Calus retorted.

“Sounds good to me,” Chaz agreed although there was still a hint of hesitance in his tone mainly due to the fact this was an unusual situation he’d never thought to find himself in.

Assured that Chaz was on board with this idea Calus moved forwards to gently grab the sharks’ hips, his tail had been casually secured by a loose rope just above the glory hole. Gingerly Calus spread Chaz’s cheeks to reveal his puckered hole already glistening with lube. Rubbing the pad of his thumb over Chaz’s entrance a couple times Calus got a feel then pressed inwards revealing Chaz was already loose.

“You’re loose, had a few clients already?” Calus inquired.

“Uh-huh, I’ve had five already…sorry,” Chaz apologized.

“Don’t worry about it, we’ll need to loosen you up a bit more then this if you’re going to take me,” Calus chuckled with a smirk on his face.

“Wait, what? Are you serious?” Chaz questioned, body tensing in surprised concern.

“Relax, I’ll make sure your ready,” Calus assured Chaz, slowly pumping his thumb in and out of Chaz’s hole.

Chaz swallowed hard around the lump in his throat, but he allowed Calus to proceed while trying to relax. After a short time, the shark began to not just relax but also enjoy what Calus was doing prompting the Dracony to pull his thumb out to retrieve one of the provided bottles of lube, drizzling it over Chaz’s entrance to insert two fingers’ moments later. Chaz released a strangled groan as Calus started thrusting his fingers, getting deeper with each thrust till Chaz was taking them to the second knuckle. Closing his eyes Chaz was enjoying the sensations, prep was something he wasn’t used to receiving from clients, so this was a welcomed change however just as he was getting lost in the feeling a yelp of surprise was wrenched from him as a new and sudden sensation spiked from his balls all the way up his spine, the knuckle of one of Calus’ fingers pressing gently yet firmly against his testicular bulge.

“Ugh! Fuck! C-Calus…tha-that’s my…” Chaz stammered through panting breaths trying to explain to Calus what he was touching unfortunately he couldn’t string together a proper sentence.

“I know, it’s your testicles,” Calus interjected continuing to use the knuckle of his pointer finger on his second hand to gently massage right between Chaz’s internal testicles.

“Y-You know…how?” Chaz wondered, starting to moan as his cocks drooled between his legs.

“You really think you’re the first shark I’ve been with?” Calus retorted with a chuckle, pressing a little harder wrenching a loud moan from Chaz and causing his legs to buckle slightly.

“Holy SATAN! Fuck that’s good!” Chaz exclaimed in ecstasy.

“Glad you’re enjoying yourself,” Calus stated, sliding his knuckle along Chaz’s bulge while inserting a third finger.

Chaz was going cross eyed with how good everything was feeling, tongue hanging from his mouth as Calus twisted his fingers inside him. After five clients not paying any attention to his needs Chaz was extremely pent up and now, he was having some of the best sex of his life then Calus leaned down to suck at the base of Chaz’s tail sending further waves of arousal, getting him dangerously close to releasing. Calus chuckled darkly as he stopped everything the moment he noticed Chaz gearing up to cum promptly denying him that satisfaction and causing him to whine loudly in protest.

“No, no, no, no, no, please! Please! Let me cum!” Chaz begged, thrashing slightly in the glory hole from his desperate state.

“Sshh, hush…I promise to take care of you, but I need to take care of myself as well,” Calus assured Chaz, gently holding the sharks’ hips to prevent him from hurting himself.

Chaz released another whimper however he calmed down allowing Calus to drizzle some more lube onto the young shark’s entrance before pulling out his fully erect cock from the confines of his jeans. Applying some of the lube to his cock, Calus stroked himself a few times then lined up with Chaz’s hole and pressed slowly forwards.

“OH FUCK!” Chaz gritted out, hands gripping the table he was laying on as Calus’ cock stretched him further open. Calus’ cock head popped past Chaz’s tight ring of muscle making the shark yelp as the stretching burn spread through him.

“Easy…I’m going to just stay still for a few minutes,” Calus informed Chaz, gently massaging the shark’s hips.

“I-Is that…just the…head?” Chaz panted out, concern lacing his tone.

“Yep,” Calus answered simply, claws gently raking along Chaz’s lower back now.

“S-shit…I don’t…think…you’ll fit…” Chaz panted again, already feeling as if he’d taken a fair sized plug up his ass.

“Don’t worry, you can take it. If Striker can, you can,” Calus assured Chaz.

A little more lube later and Calus was able to bury himself balls deep in Chaz’s ass, his stomach bulging slightly from the Dracony’s massive member inside him. Calus waited a few minutes to stretch Chaz out before pulling back out about halfway then pushing back in, repeating this movement at a smooth pace. Chaz couldn’t believe he’d managed to take the entirety of Calus’ cock, but it felt amazing being fucked so deep by something so thick. Calus’ cock started throbbing inside Chaz as his thrusts picked up in speed then Calus’ hand pressed to the wall and Chaz could hear the Dracony’s heavy, grunting breaths indicating he was getting close to orgasm. Calus changed his thrusts to short, quick ones to stimulate Chaz towards his own release while simultaneously preparing to knot the shark. Gripping Chaz’s hip with one hand while bracing against the wall with his other Calus growled as he shoved forwards making Chaz yelp into a loud cry, orgasm wrenching from the shark to paint the wall and ground below him as Calus’ knot popped into him. Calus bowed his chin to his chest with a growling grunt as his own release spilled into Chaz’s body making the shark whimper at how full he was.

“You okay…kid…?” Calus asked through panting breaths, voice two octaves deeper then previous.

“Y-Yeah…though I…feel like…I’m gonna…explode…” Chaz chuckled in turn.

“Ha-ha…try to stay with it…my knot’s gotta recede before I can…pull out,” Calus retorted, gently massaging Chaz’s hips in a soothing manner while lightly rocking his own to stimulate his knot to release his cum.

Chaz whimpered a little as Calus’ knot continued to spew cum into him, over filling the shark then with a solid pull Calus removed himself from Chaz’s hole. Chaz felt the cum flow from his ass down his legs which were struggling to stay upright luckily Calus wrapped an arm underneath Chaz’s lower half to hold him up.

“Done for the day?” Calus chuckled.

“Yeah…definitely, that was amazing,” Chaz confirmed, exhaustion lacing his tone.

“Here, let me help you,” Calus offered, releasing Chaz’s tail from the loose rope it hung in then assisting Chaz in sliding through the Glory hole.

“Thanks, I’ll see you later,” Chaz retorted once he was able to stand on the other side of the hole.

“Oh no, thank you,” Calus shot back, cleaning himself up then tucking back into his jeans before leaving the booth.

#Smut #HelluvaBoss #Humor #Striker #Chaz #Original male character

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askagamedev · 1 year

Note

What is a "recruiting event" like in your industry?

There's a variety of different kinds of recruiting events. I've never been invited to a digital recruiting event, but the in-person events typically fall under one of two major categories:

Tables at a Show

This is common at larger industry events like GDC, or at tech job fair events at universities. We set up a table or booth on the show floor, hand out branded swag like t-shirts and toys, and talk to the variety of job seekers who come by. The table is staffed primarily by recruiters and HR people who have a list of job descriptions they're looking to fill. These recruiters will have a few representatives from engineering, design, art, production, etc. nearby that they can set up for impromptu interview sessions. The table is often where we get a lot of junior job seeker resumes. The more promising candidates usually get asked back to talk to one of the interviewers and/or invited to a...

Recruiting Party

This is typically an event thrown by the studio at some offsite location (often a bar or restaurant) where there's free food and drinks, party games and prizes, and a number of developers from the recruiting studio on hand. Those invited to these recruiting parties are usually either the top picks of candidates gathered from the table, or "on-the-list" candidates explicitly invited to these events. Explicit invitees to these events are usually referrals from employees. Recruiting parties run the gamut of being strictly-business where it's obvious that the devs in attendance are there for the express purpose of vetting the candidates over a meal, all the way down to drunken affairs where the alcohol flows freely and are the beginning of many convention horror stories.

The purpose of recruiting events is to gather a bunch of candidates as potential employees. We cast a wider net with tables at bigger events, and we hold informal interviews at the recruiting parties to skip the sifting of many candidate resumes. These kind of live events primarily exist to shortcut the normal and lengthy hiring process with face-to-face contact.

[Join us on Discord] and/or [Support us on Patreon]

Got a burning question you want answered?

Short questions: Ask a Game Dev on Twitter

Long questions: Ask a Game Dev on Tumblr

Frequent Questions: The FAQ

#recruiting #getting a job in the game industry #hiring process

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pumphouseentertainmentau · 1 year

Text

To Capture Moments and Memories, Consider Hiring a Photobooth

There aren't many things that can compare to the allure of a photo booth when it comes to the ability to create memories that will live long after your party is over. Guests have the option of taking instant prints or digital copies of their photos taken in the photo booth as a memento to take home and keep as a memento of their time spent at the event.

The rental of a photo booth should be a top priority for your upcoming event for the following reasons:

Your guests will be encouraged to interact with one another and have a good time when you have a photo booth. The photo booth is a source of amusement for people of all ages, because it allows them to have fun either by using goofy props or by striking graceful postures.

Personalization: You can adapt the experience of using the photo booth to correspond with the subject matter or tone of your gathering. From backdrops to photo templates, you have complete creative control over how the photobooth is incorporated into the aesthetic of your event.

In this day and age of smartphones and social media, the photobooth prints serve as a physical keepsake that your guests will be able to cherish for years to come. Memories. In addition, with digital copies, individuals will have the ability to quickly share their memories online.

Guestbook: Many companies that provide photobooth services also provide alternatives for guests to leave emotional remarks and store their photo strips in a guestbook. It is an excellent method for recording well-wishes and producing a keepsake from the event you are hosting.

How to Determine the Best Photobooth Service for Your Needs

To ensure that your experience goes off without a hitch, it is essential to hire a photo booth from the proper company. Consider the following important aspects of the situation:

Check the company's cameras and printers to make sure they are of a good quality. This will ensure that your images come out clear and colorful.

Check the variety and condition of the available props and backdrops. This includes both the foreground and the background. Your guests will have more enjoyment overall if you provide a wider variety of options.

choices for customisation: Enquire about the various customisation choices available for photo templates and branding. This may help to make your event even more memorable for those that attend.

Read reviews of the photobooth hire service, and make sure to ask for references, in order to get an idea of how competent and dependable the company is.

Pricing: Compare the many pricing packages and make sure you fully understand what is included (such as prints, digital copies, and props) as well as any additional fees that may apply.

Rental of DJ Equipment: Creating an Atmosphere with Music

Music is the beating heart of any celebration; it determines the ambience of the event, imparts the appropriate mood, and contributes to the overall enjoyment of your visitors. Despite the fact that many people choose to use a playlist, hiring DJ equipment brings your event to the next level by giving a professional DJ setup that can adjust to the intensity level and musical tastes of the crowd. A DJ equipment hire in Sydney company is a game-changer for the following reasons:

Professional Sound: DJ equipment guarantees high-quality sound, ensuring that the music at your event is audible without any distortion and enjoyable for all attendees.

DJs have a wide range of skills, including the ability to gauge the crowd and adapt the music accordingly. They are able to move fluidly between a variety of musical genres and emotional states in order to maintain the momentum of the party hire in Sydney.

Engagement: A talented DJ is able to communicate with the audience by taking requests and generating a lively atmosphere that gets everyone on their feet and dancing.

Knowledge of the Equipment Professional DJ gear includes a number of functions that are absent from amateur setups. This includes effects, mixing capabilities, and backup systems to ensure that the music is always playing without interruption.

Choosing the Best DJ and Their Equipment

The success of your event is highly dependent on your selection of an appropriate DJ and the appropriate equipment. This is the procedure that should be followed:

DJ Selection Conduct research on prospective DJs and conduct interviews with them to identify a person who is familiar with your preferred musical genres and the spirit of the event. Request to see their previous work and inquire about their experience.

Ensure that the DJ firm you hire offers high-quality sound equipment like as speakers, mixers, and microphones at your event.

Backup Plan: Discussing several contingency plans in the event that there are technological concerns. The professionals have backup equipment in case something goes wrong during the encounter.

Song Requests: Suggest to the DJ in advance which songs are your favorites and which ones they really must play.

To get an idea of the costs involved, get multiple quotations and think about the things that are included in the package for hiring DJ equipment, such as the setup and the breakdown.

#Party Hire #Photobooth Hire #DJ Equipment

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numbuh-7-knd · 2 years

Text

MLB LARP/Ren faire AU idea

an AU where instead of there being Miraclous and stuff, Adrien and Marinette are both live action role-players. There’s a local role play group in Paris that does Renaissance Roleplay mixed with magic and superheroes. Marinette originally got involved when someone commissioned her to make an outfit for the roleplay, then there were wardrobe malfunctions, and someone suggested she could make money by coming and opening up a stand to do repairs.

I don’t know much about renaissance fairs or larping, so I’m imagining that this is a combo of the two, where there’s a plot and stuff, but also a market where people can sell food or trinkets or say, costume repairs.

Marinette comes in a cute outfit that fits with the medieval theme and sets up her stand, offering on the spot wardrobe repairs at a decent price and also selling stuff, probably just homemade jewelry and maybe pastries from her parents bakery at first, then also advertising commissions.

To differentiate the visitors enjoying the ren fair stuff and not participating in the roleplay (still pretending to be in that era but are not involved in the plot) with the “players” they have a rule: All “Players” need to wear a mask of some kind, mostly masquerade masks. Marinette has started selling them in her stand to make it easier for people who want to be involved but didn’t bring a mask.

One day the big plot takes a turn and no one is able to solve the problem/defeat the day’s bad guy. Marinette is inspired to step in, grabs one of her own masks (a ladybug themed masquerade mask that’s red with black spots) and becomes Ladybug. She does really well, and makes a big enough splash that from then on she rebrands and her stand now reads “Ladybug’s Miraculous Clothing and Repairs” (or something like that) and she keeps her mask on whenever at the faire. All her contacts are for “Ladybug” and she has a phone just for that. (her parents also probably had her do this because she’s a kid and they don’t want creeps knowing who she is)

All this results in most people (other than those around when she first started coming to the faire) not knowing her real name or even that she’s a kid. She’s become really popular, both for her booth where she sells cool jewelry and accessories (and is a life-saver when someone needs repairs for their costumes) and also for her actions as Ladybug, where she’s always saving the day in unexpected ways not unlike in the show with her lucky charm, she’s always solving riddles or thinking of ways to defeat the bad guy that no one else would think of.

The real plot comes when she’s joined by Chat Noir, a suave knight in leather armor who quickly becomes her sidekick/best-friend-while-larping/love interest/partner, who is secretly Adrien Agreste, famous model whose famous fashion designer Gabriel Agreste sent him to infiltrate then larpers/ren faire to discover the real identity of Ladybug, because Gabriel has seen her designs and wants to hire her, but quickly realized that she’s a teen and he doesn’t want to freak her out and make her think he’s a creep, so instead he totally did the smart thing by sending in his teenage son to spy on her, and then when she lets something slip to Chat Noir about her attending Francois Dupont, Gabriel decides to finally give in to Adrien’s demands to go to school with other kids and not be homeschooled anymore, but tells him to keep an eye out for ladybug there too.

Adrien, meanwhile, is having the time of his life, he hit it off with Ladybug (Gabe only wanted him to befriend her a little bit, becoming her bestie and partner was all him) he’s getting to act authentic for the first time in his life, he really likes role playing, and he’s even gotten to go to school because of it. At this point Gabriel is just letting him be, he’s just asked that if Ladybug ever tells him her identity, he do the same and let her know that his dad would like to hire her. He’s not actually having to spy on her much, he did mention to his dad that she slipped up and mentioned what school she goes to, but mostly he’s just getting to hang out and role-play and his dad is just asking him afterwards “Did you find out who ladybug is?” and nothing else. At this point Adrien is actually the one saying they shouldn’t reveal their identities instead of the other way around, because he doesn’t want this to end.

Marinette thought Chat Noir was sus at first, but now they’ve warmed up to each other and she’s actually tried to tell him who she is several times so they can hang out outside of the masks, but he keeps saying no and implying that he’s someone recognizable and that his parent only agreed to let him do this if he hid his identity.

Cue various identity shenanigans where Gabe is only trying to hire the designer who’s been making all these amazing costumes and wants to mentor her, Adrien is scared he won’t get to roleplay or see Ladybug anymore if he finds out her identity (and he’ll go back to home schooling), Marinette is -this- close to kidnapping Chat Noir to take him home with her to feed him pastries and play Ultimate Mecha Strike III together and yell at his dad for being strict, and Nathalie is done with all this shit and would like her boss to reassure his son that he only wants Ladybug’s identity to hire and mentor her, nothing bad, and also that he can still attend school and be friends with ladybug after, even if she says no to his dad’s offer.

This is really unpolished, but the idea popped into my head, and I needed to write it down and get it out there. Feel free to add on to it.

#miraculous ladybug #ladynoir #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #my fanfiction #my ideas #ren faire

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julirobert · 1 year

Text

Where to get Bespoke Illustration and Exhibition Design services?

When it comes to finding bespoke illustration services, there are several avenues you can explore. Below are some popular options where you can find talented illustrators who offer customized illustrations tailored to your specific needs.

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When hiring an illustrator for bespoke services, it's crucial to review their portfolio, discuss project requirements and timelines, negotiate pricing and licensing agreements, and ensure clear communication throughout the process. Don't hesitate to ask for references or testimonials to gauge the illustrator's reputation and professionalism. Ultimately, finding the right illustrator depends on your project's specific requirements, budget, and aesthetic preferences.

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Where to get Exhibition Design service?

There are several options available for obtaining exhibition design services. Here are a few places where you can find such services:

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Referrals and Recommendations: Ask for recommendations from colleagues, industry professionals, or other companies that have previously organized exhibitions. Referrals can help you find reliable exhibition design service providers who have a proven track record.

Remember to evaluate potential service providers based on their portfolio, expertise, experience, and client reviews. It's also important to clearly communicate your requirements and budget to ensure a successful collaboration.

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#Bespoke Illustration #Exhibitions And Presentations #Exhibition Design

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davidmariottecomics · 1 year

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Ask Me (Almost) Anything 2023, Pt. 1

Hello!

This week, I'm answering a bunch of questions about comics from you, the reader! There will also be some non-comics-y questions that'll pop up too, just for fun. I actually got so many questions, this is going to get spread out over 2 weeks to cover them all! As a reminder, I didn't have a lot of rules, but I did ask that people keep in mind there are some things I can't answer due to confidentiality (or just plain don't know!) and that I'm not fielding requests for work. Without further ado, let's get into it!

@BillijoFreeze asks: "Hi David! Will you be attending New York Comic Con?" I actually don't know! I'm planning on being at a few more shows through the year but the only one I can say is 100% set at this point is San Diego Comic-Con.

Because this might be interesting, I attend cons 3 ways myself. There are conventions that I attend as promotion for my own work--like I tabled as myself at the Arizona Comic Book Arts Festival earlier this year. Those shows are all things that I set up/am sometimes asked to do/set up with Becca (my fiance & sometimes creative partner). There are shows I attend as Becca's booth babe or otherwise just an attendee, like WaifuExpo earlier this year, where I'm not really there for my business, I'm there to act as Becca's support or, occasionally, primarily attend as a fan. Then there are the shows I attend on behalf of/in conjunction to my IDW work. Those shows, often I'm getting my badge and potentially my travel covered by IDW. Because of that, my attendance is dependent on their needs and when they let me know they need me there. If IDW sends me to NYCC, I'll happily go, but right now, I can't speak to if that's happening this year.

Billijo had a couple other questions, so let's knock those out, too!

"Will you be doing portfolio reviews in upcoming months?"

I'm sure I will be, but I don't know how publicly accessible they'll be. Something I've certainly learned the past few years is just how difficult it is for me personally to do portfolio reviews digitally. A big part of that for me is that I find the most valuable parts of a portfolio review tend to come out of conversation, which unless you're in person or on a video call with someone, is slowed down by the act of actually reviewing the portfolio and the time between responses. Like, the real time conversation of "here's why X doesn't work" and then an artist is like "but I was thinking Y and that's why I did it" and then I can say "okay, well doing Z is going to be better for you in the long-run" is I think a lot handier than writing out corrections and slowly building the back-and-forth of conversation around notes and then things get buried in my inbox and new things end up taking priority because that's the periodicals business--there's always something new (all of which is to say, I do know I still owe a few people responses and I will get back to you very soon. I appreciate your patience).

Here on my website, I've actually changed the policy to be that you're fine to send a portfolio along, but I just can't guarantee a review of it (though I will always link to Steve Lieber's sight-unseen portfolio review because it is a lot of the sort of general notes I would give).

With that all said, I do think it's worth mentioning that I have often found artists outside of portfolio reviews and do contact people without them. Portfolio reviews are great for getting professional feedback and strengthening your skills, but you can get jobs without them.

And finally, "Is there a limit to how many artists you can hire for a comic?"

Functionally, yes. There is a limit. However, to answer the question I think you're asking, no, there isn't. It is very dependent on the project. Let's say I'm working on something very short, like our Godzilla Rivals one-shots or a Sonic mini-series. Generally speaking, I have a pretty set limit on the number of people I can hire for those. I have X number of covers, plus an interior art team, and that's all the openings I have. Sometimes those numbers do go up, like things are running behind and I need to bring in an extra person to help out on an issue. Sometimes those numbers go down, like an artist is hired to do a cover for each issue so by hiring them for multiple projects, I can't hire someone else on that particular book. And also, sometimes, there are projects where I have even less creative control--some Original titles, for example, might have the creators bringing in the majority of the talent and I might only be able to bring in/suggest one or two people.

But when it comes to an ongoing project--say Godzilla or Sonic comics generally--I'm often looking for artists for future projects. I may not have any availability at the moment, but I can add to the pool of talent available. The only limit I have there is actually being able to provide those folks with a job (and, to some extent, making sure people I bring in have the opportunity to continue working).

Another batch of questions, this time from @ziggyfin: "How do you like your steak? How do you like your eggs? How do you take your coffee?"

I prefer my steak medium to medium rare, but when I'm cooking a nice steak, I usually end up making it closer to medium-well because that's how Becca prefers theirs.

I don't eat eggs by themselves in any form. I'll happily cook with eggs as an ingredient when I'm baking or as a binding agent when I'm making like katsu or fried chicken or whatever.

I'm very basic with my coffee tastes. I like it with half-and-half and regular sugar. I tend to drink medium roasts and prefer to grind my beans every morning. And I only drink it hot.

@PeterClines asks: "Possibly silly question--how do artists and writers tend to get paired up on new projects? Do folks usually come to you as a pre-existing team, do you keep writers and artists hip-pocketed and connect them, or is it a mix of the two?"

Not a silly question at all! Whether we're talking licensed or original projects, it does tend to be a mix of the two. And sometimes even on a single book it can be a mix of the two. When Canto by David Booher and Drew Zucker came into IDW, the team pitched it together and when we started working on it, they had also brought Vittorio Astone and Deron Bennett in for colors and letters. It came with the creative team and made that part of my life really easy. But on something like, say, Paul Allor and Adam Bryce Thomas's Samurai Jack: Lost Worlds, that was totally me being like "I like these two guys and I think they'd make a good book together" and I was right! Or most issues of Sonic, we look at our schedule, our artist pool, and figure out who can hop on those issues while the writers for each issue are set up further ahead of time.

But, like I said, it can also be a mix of the two on a single book. When Sonic: Scrapnik Island was getting pitched, Nathalie Fourdraine did some early concept art as part of the pitch and so when that became a reality, we had Daniel Barnes locked in as writer, Nathalie locked in for designs and coloring, and then editorial brought Jack Lawrence in for the lineart.

When we're talking about acquiring a comic project, often having a creative team in place is a good thing. Anything that makes the pitch closer to the reality of what the book will be is helpful for reviewing the project. Sometimes it's not so locked in, but say a writer will come in with a short list of artists that are in the stylistic wheelhouse they're thinking of, and that's helpful too. And, less frequently than a writer coming in without an artist, occasionally you'll get an artist who comes in looking for a co-writer/scripter.

I'll also say that sometimes a book comes in with a creative team, but shifts over the course of the acquisition. Again, not a super common thing, but sometimes it'll be a situation where for whatever reason, someone has to step away but gives their blessing for the project to continue. I have a project I can't say too much about where the writer pitched it with concept art that they commissioned from a pal who started out as sort of a question mark of attachment and pretty quickly was like "I like you, this seems fun, I can't commit to this longterm" and so we figured that out.

@DigammaFWau asks: "Hi David! Cross referencing your credits on other books at the time, when Sonic started development in mid-late 2017 and you and Joe Hughes got attached to it, were you initially assistant editor, and ended getting promoted partway through production of the earliest issues?"

Ahh, the complicated world of comic editorial credits. The short version is pretty much. I came into IDW in 2016 as an editorial assistant and pretty quickly over the next few years ascended to assistant editor, associate editor, and now editor. So when Sonic started development at IDW, yes, I had not yet been promoted to editor as my job title. However, sometimes credits are not strictly tied to the title so much as the work put into a title. And pretty much from the get, Joe and I were doing equal amounts of work on Sonic and co-editing the book. And the exact nature of what that looks like can change too. While I would say we were co-editing the book from the launch, the division of duties that went into it was very different than how it is co-editing the book now with Riley Farmer.

The other big push here--as well as when I took over Transformers--is my role really shifted when Joe left (and when Carlos left TF). My title may've been associate editor, but in function, I was the editor on those books and the credits reflected that. I am a big proponent of credits reflecting the work, rather than the title.

@TheIllustriousQ asks: "When putting on your socks do you start with your left foot or your right?"

I don't usually notice/think about it, but in testing this morning, shoes & socks lead with the right, pants lead with the left.

@lizislife2 asks: "How do you choose artists for Sonic comics? When can you submit a portfolio for IDW Sonic?"

To answer the first part, I start out by looking at my artist pool. These are the approved artists that (semi-)regularly work on Sonic. A lot of that initial determination is based on availability--the more regularly I'm working with someone, the more I know their schedule in the first place, so it's easy to be like "oh, Adam Bryce Thomas can't draw X cover because he's only midway through Y issue." Then if there are any other factors, those are considered, and if everything's good, the person's hired for the project.

If we're talking finding new artists, that happens a bunch of different ways. Nathalie Fourdraine posted some good Sonic art on Twitter and both Joe Hughes and I had someone send us her stuff (simultaneously) and we were like "yeah, she needs to draw Sonic for us" and she's been doing it ever since. Gigi Dutreix first came in on Evan Stanley's recommendation. I think Reggie Graham (who asked about steak and eggs and coffee) is someone I found on Twitter and we DMed and the rest is history. And someone like Jack Lawrence, well, Jack was a new-to-Sonic artist, but he and I had worked together on TF for a while and I thought he'd be a good fit (and, again, happy to have been proven right time and again). There're folks who either I reach out to or who reach out to me who I've worked with on other projects who express interest in Sonic and sometimes that works out too.

Here's where we enter the "things I can't talk too much about" category: There are specific requirements that I do need to get people approved to draw Sonic. I do have a set of guidelines that I use in my reviewing of portfolios (and generally when I'm looking at artists that I'm interested in) and if someone's approaching/meeting those criteria, I may reach out.

I do not have set periods for portfolio submissions. As mentioned above, I'm also not really doing digital portfolio reviews at the moment. Know that I am both often looking for artists and also when I actually have the ability to try to on-board more people, am the one reaching out to people I'm finding and interested in. You can also send a portfolio to [email protected] and direct it to my attention and if you're a good fit and I am able to try to on-board more people, I may reach out.

@CraterLabs asks: "How does one get into comic editing? I see people talk about comic drawing (showing editors portfolios) and comic writing (getting lucky), but I never see people talk about starting editing. Also do editors look for new projects, or is that someone else in a comic company?"

I find that there are two ways into editing, and it really depends on if you're freelance or if you're working at a company--though they do kinda overlap, especially as there are editors who move between the two.

I got into comic editing the old fashioned way--I applied for a job that I was unqualified for, happened to apply to a place that already had goodwill toward me and had a position I was qualified for opening up, did an interview, and got hired. There is a longer story there, but that's the short version. And a big part of what got me in the door, in all actuality, was the fact that I came from journalism school where I had been doing editorial at the school newspaper and in my classes. And that often is what companies are looking for, someone who either has an editorial background from a different type of publishing/creative field or someone who has been in the trenches of comics in other regards: former store owners, writers, artists, etc.

If you're doing freelance editing of any sort, a lot of it, like most comics jobs, is reputation based. Start out small with projects with your friends and peers, build your portfolio and relationships simultaneously, and as your reputation grows, hopefully so does your work. I know folks who've left companies and do some freelance editing and a lot of what they do is based on the relationships they established being in-house. But, yeah, if you're not coming in with an editorial background, the best way really is to do any other part of comics and start independently, as rough as that often can be, and work at it until you start to grow.

Generally, yes, it is the responsibility of editors to find new projects and new talent at a comic company. Some companies will have additional people who act as support in those roles--be it doing some talent relations or business affairs or management who bring in new projects/new licenses and give them to editors (e.g. someone above my pay grade brought Sonic to IDW, but I have been editorially involved since day 1). Similar to what I was saying earlier, a big part of finding new projects is building reputation and relationships. Many projects come to me from creators and agents I've either worked with in the past or who know my work and think I'd be a good fit for what they have in mind. Or I'll be reaching out to a creator that I like and asking if they have a pitch for an Original project or a specific licensed project.

Also, and I know you weren't being flip, so much as trying to communicate quickly, but I think understanding the ways in which editors at a company bring in new projects and talent beyond portfolio reviews and luck is beneficial to you as an editor too. The best editors are not necessarily a jack-of-all-trades, but understanding of the processes of each step of creating comics to better serve the people they work with.

@Huwer14 asks: "What would be the best advice you could give to a writer looking to pitch for your books?"

One of the biggest complications of being a writer and wanting to work on a specific series is you can't really talk about what you'd do with the series, right? Editors and other writers can't read unsolicited ideas/pitches, so if you have a great idea for The Flash or whatever, you can't just float it out into the world and hope to get picked up.

So what you can do instead is establish that you're interested in a book and that you're a good fit for the tone of it, right? Like I knew Gale Galligan was a big Sonic fan and from having read Gale's other work, I knew that they were good at writing the sort of stories I like to read and that work with Sonic as a property. Same with like James Kochalka or Daniel Barnes. So, make stuff that you like to make and stay on my radar and it'll help me figure out if you'd be a good fit.

But the actual best advice I can give sounds really simple: read the book. There are a thousand complications to this, of course, and yes there are writers who are hired who are not fully caught up, but knowing what the book is like now goes a long way to making everyone's life easier. I'll speak to this more in the next question too, but, yeah, read the book.

@SuaveGorilla asks: "What are red flags you notice in scripts or pitches that tell you the writer’s vision might not be aligned with what you can publish or that they might be challenging?"

Okay, so, this builds really well from the last question. That said, I'm going to talk about this very generally because it is sensitive and does border on some of the stuff that is more confidential/particular to each license.

1. To me, there's only one outright red flag and that's sending an unsolicited pitch. This one I don't mind saying. If you send me something and I didn't ask for it, I can't read it. That is standard policy with editors across comic companies. At least ask if you can send it in first and once you get the okay, do so, but if you aren't following protocol in that way, it's a red flag for future projects and it kills that pitch there and then.

2. I'd say this is a yellow flag--something to be discussed, but not always a dealbreaker. I can tell when someone is not staying current to a series. To use an exaggerated example: an editor gets a pitch for a modern day Batman story and Dick Grayson is still Robin. And, like, yeah, you can tell a Batman story with Dick Grayson as Robin, but it's a lot harder to have that line up with Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo's Nightwing run if they're supposed to be happening at the same time.

3. A closely related yellow flag is not following the rules provided. When you're working on any sort of pre-existing property, there are some rules attached. Again, to use an exaggerated example, if someone has been asked to pitch the next arc of the main Batman book and it comes back and Batman never puts on the costume and both his parents are alive and he loves guns and it's to "make Batman cool again", that's not really in the spirit of Batman. Like... maybe there's a version where that's his worst nightmare or it's an alternate reality, but it's not great to get a pitch that is trying to break the rules.

The specifics between a book and even the way a creator and editor work together can be very different. And rules can shift with editors and licensors and creators over time. As a final Batman example, there have probably been times when Batman couldn't pilot a robot or be a dinosaur because Batman was supposed to be a more "grounded" character. Notably, in recent years, both those things have happened. Policies can change and things that might not fly now may down the line.

@CBDev95 asks: "What is a good way to reach more people outside of social media in regards to marketing your comic?"

That is a great question! The short answer, I suppose, is that social media is just one form of communication and ultimately all marketing is communications, right? I know folks who when they have a new comic releasing call or email comic shops and say "hey, you're the person who can order this/stock this/sell this. Do you have a couple of minutes to talk about it and I can tell you why it's cool and why your customers are going to like it?" And sometimes, that little touch is the sway that they need to place the order and gives them the tools to sell to their customers.

I'm also a big proponent of events (huge asterisk: if that's something you're comfortable with/able to do. I understand it is a privilege in many ways to be able to travel and feel secure in your health, personal safety, and finances). Doing outreach at your local/semi-local comic shop, book shop, zine shop, little art market, library event, convention, etc is a good way to expand locally and sometimes bring in attention from people who aren't local. And, depending on what you're doing and who with, sometimes they're doing conventional marketing. You get on a flyer or maybe you're super lucky and they run a TV or radio ad or whatever. Similarly, occasionally that can beget a "local does good" story where you end up in the paper or on TV or on a podcast because you're the person in your area who made this thing.

Something that is social media adjacent that I know happens but I only sometimes looped in on is creator review chains. Basically, a group of creator friends who get advanced PDFs and get to say good things about it and help build hype--online, offline, maybe they give you a blurb that helps get the book into a new hand.

If all else fails, just drop a couple copies off at like... a bus stop or laundromat. Somewhere people might need something to read for a few minutes and might pick it up and become a fan.

And also: "How does IDW scout for talent, especially when it comes to the various IP they hold? Any set criteria?"

I think it's important to understand that even within a company, the way different editors (and talent folks) scout and find talent can be wildly different. I find a lot of people on social and through creator connections. I like person X's work on Twitter and reach out or creator Y says "hey, my buddy creator Z would be an awesome fit for this, can I put them in touch with you?" I also do the traditional thing of walking around artist's alley and the small press area and talking to folks and getting a feel for what they're doing. And I also sometimes reach out to people creating other stuff that I enjoy--people working in animation or podcasts or traditional publishing or whatever.

But by the same token, I know editors who are inactive on social media, if they have it at all. I know editors who are much more active than I am in talking to managers and agents who bring them talent. And editors who primarily do it the old fashioned way and do in person portfolio reviews, con walk throughs, recommendations, and bringing the authors and journalists they like. I personally think that the right way is a combination of them all, but everyone has their own style, their own comfort, their own tastes and scouting is going to be unique, which is part of what makes books unique.

That all said, and again, kind of continuing what I've said above, yeah, each IP is going to have different guidelines. And, frankly, sometimes different editors/talent relations folks will have different understandings of those guidelines or tastes within them. A good way to start to get an idea, if you're not talking to an editor about the criteria of a certain book, is to read the books they are putting out in that IP. Because at the end of the day, those are books that the licensor allowed to be released, which is a good sign that they and the editor probably liked it.

@brainstorm_dr asks: "So once you’ve got a job writing, what’s the production pipeline like? Writer -> editor -> revision -> artist? Or are we talking an endless loop of potential back-and-forth?"

Endless loop! Endless loop! No, I'm... kind of joking. Like so many of the things I've talked about so far, it can really vary project to project, and even sometimes issue to issue. My ideal would be, yeah, writer sends over a script, editor does a single pass for clean-up and whatever notes, writer sends the revision back, it's perfect, it's off to the artist, the artist does great and makes things super easy for the colorist and letterer and the book happens. But the more people are involved, the less straightforward things are--often for the better, but y'know, not uncomplicating things.

I'm going to talk Transformers because your name's Dr. Brainstorm. At certain points, a Transformers script would go through 3 editors at IDW on the first or second pass. Assuming revisions were all good and locked on the rd. 2 script, that would be reviewed by the nice folks at Hasbro. Their team would come back with any notes, the writer may have to do a rd 3 (or very occasionally, more) draft. If deadlines demanded it, sometimes the rd. 3 script would be coming in after art had started. Sometimes things would be set pretty early, but then the art would come in and a writer might end up doing more significant rewrites at the lettering stage (though, the hope was always not that). With various other books, you may have even larger editorial teams looking at it, you may have translators involved or copy editors or co-writers or someone else along the food chain who has to review the script and may make notes, and notes that may seem like they're going back and forth a lot.

That is all assuming two things: 1. we're just not going to get into the weeds of artist/colorist/letterer/production artist back-and-forth and revisions and 2. you're writing full script style. You may've heard of Marvel or descriptive script style, where the script is looser and more focused on the action/emotion of each page, and then the final dialogue is added after the art is drawn. That whole process gets additionally wonky!

The good news is eventually the comic has to go to print, so at some point the back-and-forth must stop. And, sometimes, it really does only take one or two rounds of back and forth to get everything set.

@DesertLorenzo asks: "How have you been lately? Both doing and feeling (within what you feel comfortable sharing)." Most people are polite enough that they don't tell me that I look tired. Or, alternatively, are so used to the bags under my eyes, I appear as normal to them. But tired I am.

Some of it is normal tiring stuff. Tiansheng being a cat, does not really understand the concept of time and recently has been particularly active (and naughty) between the hours of midnight and 7 a.m., which happens to be when I am trying to sleep. Money's been a bit tight recently. Not "we don't have groceries" or "we can't afford bills" or anything, but tight. I got a lot of hot takes on things and thinking about them tires me out.

A lot of it is what I would describe as unusual and despicable. From the anti-trans legislation that is sweeping the nation and contributing to a trans genocide to all the book bannings to library funding removals that are instead going to police to enact fascism to the challenges to the attempts to abortions by negating mifepristone use to the fucking bullshit that is the RESTRICT Act to all the people who are being killed so frequently by guns and a refusal to do the most basic care in not spreading a deadly disease.

It is fucking hard out here. It is hard to even try to live a life that is normal. It is hard to feel like there's so much more I should be doing and to know that in a weird intersection of my own privilege and disadvantageous circumstances, there is only so much I can do. I am frequently sad and mad and scared and most of all uncertain. And it's not to say I don't have good days and good times too, just that the negatives are constant and at some point, I can only celebrate one step forward for two steps back so much.

I am not doing well. I don't see how I can have a brain and a heart and be doing well. But I am doing the best I can and that is all I can ask of myself or anyone else right now. Sorry to go out on the downer, but that's how I feel.

Next time: RILEY QUESTIONS! And the rest of the questions not from my co-editor on Sonic/good friend Riley. If you weren't in this batch, sorry, I did try to do these relatively in the order they came in!

What I enjoyed this week: Blank Check (Podcast), Honkai Impact (Video game), Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo (Anime), Mass Effect (Video game), Teen Titans Go (Cartoon), Craig of the Creek (Cartoon), Devil House by John Darnielle (Book), Chainsaw Man (Manga), a very good call of what I hope will mean good things to come, and there have been so many good art shares for Portfolio Day and stuff. It's nice to see artists and creators banning together to promote each others work in the face of a platform that is increasingly against them. New Releases this week (4/12/2023): Quiet week from me! Enjoy another comic!

New Releases next week (4/19/2023): Sonic the Hedgehog #59 (Editor)

Announcements:

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY! I'm going to be at Geoffrey's Comics (see the Pic of the Week for the address) for Free Comic Book Day this year. As always, it's the first Saturday in May (the 6th). I'll be there with Becca and a number of our friends including Nick Marino, Rosie Knight, Mark Martinez, and more! It'll be a cool little event and I hope you can come out and see us.

Also, relative to the very first question, looks like I'll be playing booth babe for Becca again soon too. More on that after they have shared.

At time of posting, you can still come and hang out for Becca's Twitch stream tonight. It's at 7 PST. They're playing Genshin. It should be fun.

If you're at all interested in that silly little comic redraw thing I mentioned last week, the scripts are available here still. If you're not sure what I'm talking about, more info on last week's post!

I was hoping to have something announced this week, but not just yet. I am looking into building something that'll allow for a little direct support for me, provide some extra content beyond the blog, and maybe even start to fund some cool new little comics projects, but that's all TBD. There are a few services that I've decided against, but I've yet to find the right platform for it. And if nothing ever comes to fruition... well, it's a nice idea.

Pic of the Week: FCBD info and a cute (?) picture of Nadja!

#ask me almost anything #ask a comic editor #ask a comic writer #comics #comics editorial #sonic idw #transformers idw #free comic book day #actual feelings #script advice #pitch advice #comics advice #new york comic con #conventions #silly questions #silly cat

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