#but it’s a bit spoilery if I can say so so I won’t share it

[lieutenant-amuel]

Alright, another post of the “my characters now have faces” series. I’ve made this and this post in the past and as always, I use only two picrews: this one for the majority of them, and this one for Señor Bravo (I’d honestly prefer to have all characters created in one picrew so the style was consistent but alas).

This post includes the characters who are quite minor, but all of them have appeared at least twice, so I think they deserve to be visualized, too. Plus, Karel and Laurens are going to be in the next chapter so you can have a clearer picture of them when they appear again.

And there’s also two bonuses :D (because I love all my characters too much, don’t judge me)

Karel Aakster

Karel has black hair, brown eyes, and light skin. All Aaksters are here having sharp facial features because I said so, and he’s not an exception as he has high cheekbones, square jaw, and a humped nose. He also has freckles because I love freckles.

He has not really long hair and a goatee or whatever this kind of beard is called. He also wears glasses.

He’s not tall, ~165 cm, and like his brother he’s a wardrobe, he’s big boned.

Ignore what he wears at all costs. He wears what he wears only because I couldn’t leave him naked. Although, maybe now it’s clear why Frida’s dad didn’t want to develop his fashion house with his brother. And green is definitely his color because Hendrik’s is red, and those colors are opposites so

Laurens de Wit

Laurens is a typical white boy.

His hair is blonde, his eyes are blue, his skin is light. Peak character design.

His face is narrow (I hope it doesn’t sound offensive or off akahdnfk; or heart-shaped, aka the lower part of the face is narrower than the upper one why do I always explain my characters’ appearances with shapes or comparisons what’s freaking wrong with me), he has a grecian nose like Frida, and overall his features are quite elegant.

I have no idea what type of body he has??? Alright, he’s relatively short for a guy (~170 cm or shorter) and he’s just a rectangle, he’s not muscular and I don’t want him to be super skinny either.

In clothes he’s fancy~

Federico Murillo

I honestly have no idea what to say about him XD

Umm hmmm. Okay, first, I’ll make a note that he’s at least 55 years older than Gabe, so in the fic he’s an elderly man (so he obviously has wrinkles and white hair, I won’t emphasize it; anyway, he has a granddaughter that’s been mentioned twice, so I hope it doesn’t come as a surprise that he’s old). He has hazel eyes, olive skin, and wears glasses.

His hair is wavy, when he was younger it was brown color. His beard is bushy. As for the face, he has soft and round features.

He’s plump, his height is ~175 cm. As for clothes, I don’t know.

Sebastián Bravo

Yes, his hair, eyebrows, and beard are three different colors ✌🏻 (okay, I can accept him having black eyebrows (because he had black hair when he was young), but his beard is grey, like his hair)

Okay, I don’t have much to say about him, this picrew is pretty good (especially when it comes to the hair), so I’ll just emphasize that he’s quite short (~170 cm) and skinny and overall always looks like he’s judging you.

Inés Rivera

Raise your hand if you remember her.

Honestly, Inés was such a big deal in the first drafts of this story, but then something went wrong XD

Anyway, looks like I’m a sucker for the thin tall (she’s ~172 cm and on heels she’s taller than Emilio >:D) women with sharp features, because she’s not the only one in my fic.

I’ll also add she prefers having her hair in a high bun and she loves floral accessories.

Bonus 1: Valerio’s parents

they both were bitches

Neither of them has appeared yet, but Valerio’s mother is painted on two portraits (so, if WBTL was a TV show, basically, we all would know how she looked already) and Valerio’s father is still a mystery, but we know quite a lot about him, so why not (and his parents are important, maybe not that much for the plot, but for my heart).

Valerio’s mother was a gorgeous woman had dark brown eyes, dark brown super straight hair, and dark skin. Her facial features were sharp, she had high cheekbones and aquiline nose (Valerio takes after her a lot).

She was tall (~173 cm) and big boned, her shoulders were relatively broad (she was a reverted triangle), so people wouldn’t call her elegant or feminine.

But! She was elegant in clothes. She dressed to the nines and had an absolutely refined taste. And since she was a jeweller, she loved jewelry items (and since she was quite prideful as well, she obviously preferred wearing the ones she made herself).

Valerio’s father (I have much less to say about him, ugh) had dark brown hair, brown eyes, and dark skin. He also had sharp facial features and generally he looked quite rough and mean akhsndjd.

He was tall (~188 cm), big, and muscular which made him look very scary too ahgsbdh and had a scar on his face (maybe somewhere else as well, he was a guard, and a very serious one after all).

As for clothes, he definitely knew his worth and his clothes were supposed to reflect it, so he was quite elegant, too.

The thing you should know about them is that they basically are the same person personality wise but they had absolutely different goals and views, just diametrically opposite, so they hated each other, but Valerio’s mother deserves more sympathy because she loved her son at least. And a lot.

Bonus 2: Animals :D

Because why not.

But to be serious, I think it’s still quite helpful for understanding how they look because I don’t describe animals’ appearances either.

I thought of making picrews for the dogs, too, but since I chose specific breeds for them, it was quite difficult and I just found the pictures from the Internet instead.

Nube

Nube is inspired by the breed dogo argentino. He’s a large white dog who might look a bit scary (he’s a hunting dog) but he loves his owners and can kill for them. Literally.

I also want to make a note that I’m aware “nube” is a feminine word in Spanish (it means “a cloud”). But I got aware of it super late, when Nube’s name and gender were mentioned way too often, and I simply didn’t want to change anything.

So, let’s pretend Ángel thought Nube was a girl when he got him, and when it turned out he was wrong, he just didn’t have the heart to change his dog’s name because he got used to it (and Nube, too) and decided to leave it as it was.

Sombra and Ceniza

Alright, I’ll put them together because I don’t have much to say about them.

Sombra is dead, but she (was mentioned in the latest chapter) was a dog in the Royal Guard school where Valerio studied, and they were really close. Sombra is inspired by the breed calupoh who are also known as Mexican wolf-dogs.

Ceniza isn’t inspired by any breed, I just googled the pic of a black dog so she looked similar to Sombra yet still was different (Sombra had pointy ears, and Ceniza has floppy ears).

That’s it!

[simfluencer-network]

Posepack | Tied Up at the Moment

Published by NotJustaBook on April 21, 2018

Nooo, don’t leave, I know there’s a bad pun in the posepack title… and in that image tagline, but I won’t make any more in this post, promise! Honestly, I can’t think of anymore, so you guys are safe. For now.

Today, I present some poses that I haven’t even really used yet. Or, rather, I haven’t posted the chapter they’re used in yet. I would say it’s spoilery, but then I think Vittoria has already spent five years tied up and it’s not a spoiler anymore… ANYWAY, three poses today, two that’ll appear in chapters, one that was going to, but won’t (probably).

As usual, they are poselist compatible and there’s a version without. You can use any chair for the two chair poses. But I know what you’re all clamoring to learn… does it have funky elbows? Well, a bit. They might look funny with some shirts. They’re also not good with longer skirts. The third pose also clips into the ground a bit. Why I didn’t notice that when creating it, I don’t know, but lazies gotta lazy, so I didn’t change it. Can they be used for dudes, too… maaaybe? Clipping could be a thing and I haven’t tried it.

The rope accessories used for these poses can be found here (they’re not included).

With that said, let’s have a look at the goods!

The pose names aren’t consistent, I’m sorry to say – funky stuff happened and I’m the laziest lazy to ever laze, so there.

And finally for the last one:

As you can see on the third one – clipping into the ground is a thing that happens 🙁 I apologise and bow my head in shame. To be fair, unless you go for the direct side view, it’s not that visible – it’s how I didn’t notice it until I was too lazy to change it was too late.

Before I leave this off and share my clipping feet with the world, have a look at how they look in your poselist:

Other than that, there’s naught to say but here’s the download link, and thanks for checking out my stuff on this fine Saturday 🙂

Download (Box, .zip)

Download (SFS, .zip)

[acorrespondence]

🌤

🌤️ Share your favorite piece of dialogue from your WIP.

Ooh this is tough because a) I am notoriously bad at ranking things and thus almost never have a definitive “favorite” and b) I can’t use this excerpt again since I just answered an ask with it XD All my other favorite bits of upcoming dialogue for heavy heart are at least somewhat spoilery. So, I’ll take this opportunity to plug my other wip, catching bullets. Because of its structure as a series of vignettes, it’s very dialogue-light, and the dialogue is often the last thing I end up writing, so there’s not much to be found yet in the draft for the final chapter. This is a dialogue exchange from what I’ve posted so far that I’m really happy with:

Raylan wants to go. To leave Harlan and its teeth and its stubborn survival behind him. He wants to run and keep running, just to prove to himself that the world isn’t flat, doesn’t drop off sharp at the edge of Harlan County, with every soul who ever tried to flee lying dead at the bottom.

Boyd doesn’t.

They argue about it in the bedroom of the cabin, Shelby on the other side of a closed door.

“You know why I can’t,” says Boyd. “I got my daddy, and Bowman.”

“They think we’re dead, Boyd!” Raylan shouts. His throat aches like he’s been shouting for hours, the weight of tears pressing heavy at the back of it, like a boot on his neck. It hurts him, to think of his mama and Helen at his funeral, praying over an empty box—or pretending to pray, on Aunt Helen’s part, because Raylan thinks she’s too angry at God to ask Him any favors.

He doesn’t care if Arlo thinks he’s dead. If Raylan’s daddy thinks he’s dead, he won’t think to come looking.

Raylan’s words are like physical things scattered on the floor between them, falling the way his tears won’t. We’re dead, dead, dead.

Boyd looks at him sideways. “But we ain’t.”

Only, Raylan’s not so sure.

He lays his hands on Boyd’s shoulders and looks him in the eye.

“This is the only chance we’re ever gonna get.”

Boyd looks back. His eyes are close together and set deep, brown and green mottled together like camouflage, and dark under the shadow of his brow. Sometimes Raylan looks into them, and he can’t see anything at all.

Raylan shakes him. “God, why won’t you just leave?”

Boyd shakes his head like an aftershock, traveling up from Raylan’s hands. “Harlan saved us, Raylan.”

Raylan laughs, loud and sharp. “Harlan killed us.” He takes a deep breath, and in it he can almost taste the salty sea air of his dreams. “There’s other places. I’ve seen ‘em in my dreams. I know that you have, too.”

“Where it feels like you’re there,” Boyd says quietly. Raylan nods, and Boyd does too, like they’re two sides of a mirror. Raylan’s not quite sure who’s the reflection. Not until Boyd smiles, white and cracked down the middle like fractured glass. “They make me homesick.”

(Ask Game here)

[confused-bi-queer]

I’m passing out from sleep, so I’ll drop this and leave.

Yesterday, I finally finished just writing the first chapter for my CORB. I have to say that it was a pain in the ass to get it done, but it is and I’m quite proud of myself for it.

There will be rewrites and some things might change, but I wanted to share two bits because the plot is asdfghjklñ😮‍💨😮‍💨 wow

This is all from Simon’s pov, and to refresh your memory, it’s the dark-ish/mysterious/angsty Regency AU.

After our rather slow dance, I slide Agatha’s hands to meet the Duke’s and I shiver with the touch; she has always had pleasant hands to touch, and they feel so light and delicate that it makes you want to touch her all the time.

You have no idea how much I liked this part. In case you don’t see it, I’ll tell you. You know Simon, right?? Well, his personal mark is constantly saying sweet things about Baz while “roasting him”, so he’s definitely not talking about Agatha here and it makes me happy😫🥺

And to balance things… angst… and fuck the Mage

“I have no reason to listen to you,” I say.

He huffs, still smiling. “Ah, however you do trust me enough to come here by yourself because you want to know what I have to offer.”

“This is mere curiosity.”

“I can work with that, and it doesn’t change anything. You have already doubted your family enough to believe the words of a stranger and bothered to come here. If I recall, it was a long trip; the state of Salisbury is quite far from here, even by carriage.”

I have written the bare minimum for posting, but of course I will write more before the first chapter is out, but this was all I could share because the rest is too spoilery (in case I didn’t spoil it already, which I might just have, but who’s counting.)

Writer’s blocks are thee wors, so I’m glad I’m past that complete freezing pace. Hopefully I won’t annoy even more people into helping with this au (I have already like 7 people involved in this fic, ha!)

Now tagging: @artsyunderstudy @basiltonbutliketheherb @fatalfangirl @facewithoutheart @johnwgrey @cutestkilla @gekkoinapeartree @takitalks @aroace-genderfluid-sheep @sharing-a-room-with-an-open-fire @starwarned @moodandmist @kherub @martsonmars @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @letraspal @aristocratic-otter @captain-aralias @bookish-bogwitch @excalisbury @tea-brigade @palimpsessed @bazzybelle @sillyunicorn (no pressure and wishing no artist/writer block❤️)

[faeriexqueen]

So, I finished chapter 8 of my “Romeo and Juliet” fic for Tyki and Alma. I’m starting 9 tomorrow (or maybe tonight, if I don’t crash soon), but I wanted to share an excerpt for it. It’s not too spoilery, but features Cross since he’ll be a player in this fic (and I realized I don’t ever write him really? Like, ever?). Tyki, of course, shows up too. :3 Anyways, for anyone interested, here’s a snippet from chapter 4. :3 (And as always, my inbox is open for anyone who wants to message me about this fic. XD) Enjoy! ^^ Chapter 4 Excerpt: Cross didn’t care for confession. In fact, it was one of his least favorite responsibilities to deal with as a priest. Years ago, when he had started his journey of piety, he might have found it of some interest — hearing others divulge what secrets plagued them in the darkest parts of night. Some were quite unfortunate — tales of lust, theft, gambling. All terribly human when it came down to it. And nothing that Cross could say he was unfamiliar with himself. He couldn’t help but feel that there were worse things in life. But, Cross wasn’t entirely sure as to where that left him.

He kept hidden in the confessional box, the air a bit too hot and stuffy for his liking. Some poor soul on the other side of the confessional had just poured their heart out about having lied to their mate, the confessor having denied being attracted to an alpha they had met briefly. Apparently, their partner being beta could only fulfill so many of their needs. Cross exhaled, the sound low and heavy. He was tired of listening, but for the sake of his practice had to attempt to sound like he gave a damn. “It is normal for us to be attracted to others, even when mated,” he grunted. “But you’ve bonded yourself to your mate — you cannot break that.” The confessor faltered — a young omega. “It’s just…” She faltered, words timid — even a bit fearful. “I…keep asking myself if there’s a way to break it? I know it’s not orthodox, but…” “It’s not orthodox in the church. You won’t find approval if that is what you’re seeking,” Cross stated, words potentially too blunt. “No one here can condone breaking what God deems sacred.” The omega sighed. “I know…” Cross massaged his temple, exasperated. His brow furrowed, head aching dully — his punishment for engaging in some of his own vices the night prior. “If you want to save yourself trouble, say what you need to your mate. Otherwise, it’ll only get harder,” he warned. “Ultimately, whatever choice you make will be between you and God.” Another sigh. “I understand,” the omega said. “Thank you, Father.” The curtain pulled back, the confessor taking leave. Cross took a moment to stretch his neck, still crammed into the confessional box. He thought of slipping out, before anyone else had a chance to enter the connecting space. However, Cross’s plans were foiled as soon as he heard the curtain rustle, someone taking a seat in the box. A small curse lingered on the tip of Cross’s tongue. He forced himself to swallow his irritation as he kept silent, waiting for the new confessor to speak. Faintly, Cross caught the scent of cedar and patchouli — something familiar, before the new confessor spoke. “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.” Cross recognized the confessor immediately, his lips tugging into a frown. He did well to keep his voice a low grumble. “Have you come to actually confess something or are you just here to make my job more difficult?” Tyki chuckled, amusement apparent even when Cross couldn’t see him. “I might have something to confess,” he spoke. “You know how I am when it comes to indulging in pleasurable vices.” Cross scoffed. “Any other priest would be taking that a lot more seriously.” “You don’t?” Cross scowled. He was prepared to spit back another comment, but Tyki spoke, words hushed. “Is there somewhere I can hide for a bit? I can only act like I’m praying for so long. Being in a stuffy box doesn’t help, either.” Cross huffed. “Hell, if I know. But I’m busy—" “Tsk. Such crass language from a priest,” Tyki chided. “But, really — is that wine I smell? Somehow, I don’t think it’s from communion.” “Just shut your mouth already,” Cross grumbled. His dark eyes lingered on the small, gated wall separating them. “Go up to the gallery — I’ll meet you there. At least, as long as no one else comes in here after you.” Tyki didn’t say anything more, though Cross heard him slip out of the confessional box. He waited just a few moments, ensuring that no one else would come in to confess. When Cross was convinced he was in the clear, he stepped out from his box, discreet and quiet. Briefly, he scanned the nave; there was another priest speaking with an individual and a few people still in prayer, but otherwise, the space was close to empty. Good. Cross didn’t need to deal with anymore responsibilities than necessary.

[interact-if]

Day 9, 2/2 of the A/PI Heritage Month featured authors interview! Please perceive the wonderful Leo! :chinhands:

Leo, author of Venatici House

A/PI Heritage Month Featured Author

Two years ago your world fell apart. These days you’re… a bit of a mess. And, as it turns out, a soon-to-be criminal too- er, hang on let’s try that again.In a 21st century world where abilities exist, attend university (for the 2nd time), fall in love (if you can), make new friends, and go on cute (potentially life-threatening), fun adventures with them (aww)!

(INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT UNDER THE CUT!)

Q1: First of all, introduce us to your project! What is it about?

My project is Venatici House, a modern fantasy IF! I intend for it to be a series, but the first game will be about you (the player) illegally entering a fairy tale world with your housemate to find a way to save someone you care deeply about, while attending a university to learn to control your magical ability. There’s adventure, tragic backstories, and shenanigans, but at the core of it is a story about a bunch of lonely people who meet each other when they need it most.

Q2: If it’s not too spoilery, what are you most excited about your project?

There are things I plan to set up now that won’t pay off until later, so I’m excited to get to those parts of the story. I’m looking forward to writing scenes where players can develop their relationships with the characters more, and it’ll be fun to write different dynamics with different MC personalities. Even though it’s a long way away, I’m also excited for when I’ll finally be able to introduce the 6th RO in the next game.

Q3: What inspired the current project you’re working on?

After getting into twine IFs last year and finding the whole IF community, I wanted to write my own. I like to daydream and come up with storylines in my head, so the main concepts for Venatici House came from those daydreams. The MC’s backstory and power have been quite set from the start, but the plot of the overall story has changed a lot since I first started writing!

As for more concrete inspirations, the ‘guild’, ‘powers’, and ‘ranking’ etc. concepts are inspired by various RPGs and webtoons, while the tone and aesthetics are partly inspired by shows like The Umbrella Academy, Harley Quinn (the cartoon series), and The Good Place (for the lighter, warmer parts of the story).

I’m also inspired by books I’ve read – Frances Hardinge is my favourite author ever and her stories are a huge inspiration to me. I think her influence on me will be more evident in book 2, however.

Q4: Do you pull from your own identity for inspiration? How has that been reflected in your work?

One of the ROs, Gil, shares my own heritage. It hasn’t been explicitly mentioned yet but he’s of Chinese descent, raised with a mix of Asian cultures (Chinese, Vietnamese, Malaysian). His last name, Choi, is Cantonese/Chinese (not the Korean Choi). Although it won’t be a main focus of the game, I hope to share parts of my own culture/experiences growing up through Gil. I’d say more on the subject of ROs but it’s a spoiler, so it’ll have to be a secret for now.

My identity has also been an indirect inspiration! The interior for the house is inspired by my mum’s childhood home from when she and her family immigrated to Australia from Vietnam. We still own the house, and despite never having lived there, every time I go there, I get a very nostalgic feeling that I hope to put into my game.

Q5: What’s been your experience so far? With writing, with the if community...

Writing is hard but fun, and the IF community is great! I love how diverse and accepting everyone is, and it feels like the community is growing larger every day which is wonderful to see. Going forward, I hope to make lots of new friends and continue meeting new people.

Q6: Do you have any future projects in the works?

Every day I dream about writing a time travel story. One of these days… just… need to create an actual plot… and find a way to make things fit well because I’m trying to jam too many things together (angels and demons! Robots! Coastal town! Fancy hotel! 60s vibes murder mystery?).

[alittlextrathatway]

So, I’ve changed tactics on a multichap I started and because of that, this intro to the first chapter is now defunct. Instead of letting it get dusty in my google docs I thought I would share the non-spoilery bits. Enjoy!

******

Severide knows why he’s up early. He has to be.

A day of fishing that starts late is a waste of time.

Boden can’t come to the bachelor party mostly as a result of the extremely thin professional and personal boundary he tries to maintain between himself and 51. Instead he offered to take the day off and go fishing with Kelly on his boat.

It’s a compromise Kelly can definitely live with.

What he didn’t expect when he woke up that morning was to find Sylvie Brett leaning against his kitchen island with a cup of coffee in her hands.

He stops and blinks tiredly at her. “What time is it?” He asks her.

“Five, why?” She says through a yawn.

“Just making sure I hadn’t missed my alarm. Last time you slept over no one saw you before lunchtime — and by you I mean you and Matt.”

She blushes but grins without shame. “I have somewhere to be today and Matt has shift so an early start it is.”

He walks around the island and gently hip checks her, playfully making room for himself in front of the coffee maker. “You’re off today too?”

She nods and bounces on her feet as a beaming smile spreads over her lips. In these moments, he remembers Sylvie when she was green and earnest, getting to know everyone at 51 for the very first time. She hasn’t changed too much, thank god. Not in any detrimental way at least. He’s watched from the sidelines for years as she became better and stronger — a leader the CFD could be proud of. He was in her orbit a lot in those early days but as life became busier that fell away and now that she’s dating Matt he finds himself growing close to her again.

He regrets ever letting them drift apart. He’s ashamed to say that he forgot how much fun she could be.

“I’m babysitting Amelia today,” she tells him. “Scott has a last minute all day work thing and his nanny is out of town so it’s Big Sister Sylvie to the rescue.”

“As opposed to every day Sylvie who never saves lives,” he teases dryly.

She rolls her eyes with a chuckle. “Right. Anyway, I still have to go back to my place and pack before I can hit the road.”

“Casey isn’t insisting on driving you?” Severide asks her with a knowing smirk. Every time Brett makes the trip out to Rockford, Matt makes sure to go with her. Casey would never admit it outloud, but Sylvie’s little sister has him wrapped around her tiny little finger. So does Sylvie Brett, but that’s beside the point at the moment.

She laughs lightly and shakes her head. “He tried, but I told him the house couldn’t afford to be missing both the PIC and the Captain at the last minute. Not with Boden no longer at 51 anyway. That seemed to convince him.”

“It would,” Kelly replies, laughing with her. “We’re all suckers for 51 and any of the people in it.”

There’s a shuffling sound from the other end of the room and they both look up just in time to see Matt walk into the living room.

“Are you leaving already?” He asks Sylvie as he joins them in the kitchen.

She nods and hands him her half finished coffee. “I need to be at Scott’s early so he can leave for work and I still have to pack.” Her arms go around his neck, she leans into his chest, and places a lingering kiss on his lips. “Don’t worry, I wasn’t going to leave without a proper goodbye. I promise.”

Matt’s arm circles her waist and pulls her flush against him, with their shared coffee in his free hand. “I’d hope not. We’d have to have a serious talk if you did.”

“You two are gross,” Severide declares with a teasing grimace. “Too new, too cute. Take it back to your room, Case.”

“You’re one to talk,” Matt fires back with a wide grin. “You and Kidd are equally disgusting.” He takes a sip of the coffee and then winces, turning to Sylvie with a mock accusatory glare. “How much sugar did you put in this?”

“Less than I normally do,” she replies, poking his side playfully. “Do you have something to say about it?”

Casey yelps and squirms away from her with a laugh. “No, babe. Not a single complaint. I’m fine with drinking mostly sugar and cream.”

Sylvie chuckles and pokes him again. “God, you’re a jerk.”

As much as Kelly teases them, he doesn’t actually find them disgusting. If he’s truthful, he’s ecstatic for Casey. And for Brett too. They’re two of the best people he knows and they’ve both had a lot of bad luck over the last few years. He’s relieved to see them happy and joyful. Casey may think he and Stella have a unique connection, but Casey and Brett have one too. One grown from friendship and mutual respect. It’s a stronger foundation than Severide had with Kidd when they started. He has a feeling his best friend has finally found his forever person and he anticipates things will move faster than either of them are willing to admit right now.

When Matt commits, he commits. It won’t take them long to take the next step. Whatever that looks like for them.

Sylvie takes her coffee back for another gulping sip and then sets it on the counter. “I should head out.”

Matt leans down to kiss her quickly and casually. “Be careful. Call me before you actually get on the road, yeah?”

“Of course,” she assures him as she runs a soft caress over his cheek. “I’ll call you when I leave for Rockford and when I get to Scott’s. I promise.” She grabs her duffle from where it sits by the door and slings the strap over her shoulder. “Have fun on your day off, Severide!”

“And you enjoy that little sister of yours!”

“You know I will!”

Matt walks her out of the loft with one hand on the small of her back and a besotted grin on his face. Severide chuckles softly and shakes his head.

As long as he’s known Matt, he’s never seen him so gone on anyone. He’s glad Casey and Brett worked it out. They deserve someone who reciprocates their feelings unconditionally.

******

Since Kelly and Sylvie are off, Matt offers to drive Stella to work in his truck. Carpooling saves her gas and mileage so she quickly agrees.

Severide is already gone by the time she wakes up. Fishing with Boden is serious business. She knows better than to keep him from it or delay him from leaving precisely when he means to.

On the way to the Firehouse, Matt’s phone rings from the phone mount on his dash. At the sight of Sylvie’s name he eagerly hits speaker.

“Hey,” he greets.

Stella grins at his chipper tone. It took them a while but she’s grateful her two best friends got their act together finally.

“Hey!”

“Stella’s with me. We’re on our way to work.”

“Oh! Hey, Stella!”

“Hey, Brett! How’s it going?”

“Good! Just stopping for a sugary treat before I hit the road.”

“Bear claw from The Doughnut Vault?” Matt asks knowingly.

“Of course! What else?”

He rolls his eyes with fond frustration. “That’s hardly breakfast.”

“I’ll make sure to eat some real food once I’m at Scott’s,” she promises. “I’m about to head that way now. Should be there in a couple of hours at most.”

“Good,” Matt agrees. “And don’t get so caught up in Mia that you forget to call me when you get there, okay?”

She laughs and the sound is bright. Brighter than anyone’s laugh should be before 8 in the morning, Stella thinks.

“I’ll do my absolute best not to forget. Believe me. I need to get on the road though so I should get off of here.”

“Okay, drive safe. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

“Bye, Brett! Give that baby a good squeeze for me!” Stella chimes in.

“I will! Have a safe shift, both of you.”

“I’ll try and keep the Captain in line but I make no promises. You know how he is.”

Sylvie laughs again but Stella can hear the genuine nerves underneath it. “I do know. Just make sure he stays in one piece.”

“Now that I think I can do.”

“Okay, okay, enough picking on me. Are you two done?” Matt asks with a dry laugh.

“For now,” Sylvie replies. “Call you when I get there. And then I’ll brag about how I’m getting all the baby cuddles and you’re not getting any of them.”

“Damn, Brett,” Stella says with a chuckle. “That’s cold!”

“I try to tell people how mean she is but no one will believe me,” Matt says, shaking his head and grinning playfully. “Take lots of pictures.”

“That’s a given. Talk to you later. I promise.”

“I’m holding you to that. If you don’t I’ll come looking for you. Don’t think I won’t,” Matt threatens, half seriously.

“Oh, I have no doubt you would. If only for the chance to be a baby hog. See you later!”

“Later,” Matt says just before she disconnects the call.

“You two sound sickeningly happy,” Stella observes, grinning widely.

“That’s what Severide said,” Matt replies with a chuckle. “And, you know what, I think we are. Sylvie is…well, she’s the best thing to happen to me in a very long time. So, if that means I’m disgustingly infatuated with her for the rest of my life then I’m okay with that.”

“It may be disgusting,” Stella concedes. “But it’s a good look for you. For her too. You both deserve someone who gives as much as you do. And there’s no one who gives more than you and Brett.”

Matt glances over at her as he parks his truck with a grateful expression. “Thank you, Kidd. I appreciate that.”

“Hey, I just call it like I see it.”

[janzoo]

Just watched “Prey” and thought I’d share my (spoilery-free) thoughts. Mainly that it’s absolutely badass.

The movie is very suspenseful, with none of the constant bluster and high-octane action pacing, or script bogged down with witty quips or references and little actual dialogue. It’s a guerilla movie. 

(There are two major references to previous movies, but in my opinion they’re tastefully done.)

Not being Native myself, there’s only so much I can say on the matter of the Comanche’s portrayal. What I will say is that it seems respectfully done, with use of the Comanche language in the right here ‘n there spots. (And hey, I learned a word - “kima” means “come”. Yay!)

The one gripe my husband and I have is that Naru gets the occasional skill booster at random - sometimes she seems like a video game character leveling up all of a sudden. “Prey” could’ve benefitted from a little extra time on showing the audience Naru’s improvements. Hopefully this will be part of the director’s cut - at a little over an hour and a half, it could be squeezed in.

Oh, and we both thought the Predator’s face looked pretty dumb.

Still. STILL.

I loved it! A lot of other action movies have committed worse sins so fuck it. “Prey” is a great action movie and I love Naru to bits. Amber Midthunder and Dakota Beavers not only do excellent work, but also make me cry in bisexual. I’m actually a bit upset that it won’t be in theatres; it would look incredible on a big screen.

PS: I’ll be tagging spoilers as “prey spoilers”. 👍

[thewitchofbooks]

Konnichiwa~ How about...family headcanons for ikepri suitors???? You can chose whoever you want~ thank you! 🤝🤝

Hello there~You didn't ask for someone specific, but I didn't want to come to conclusions, so I wrote for everyone, haha. I hope you like it! Also, thank you for the request! 

Game: Ikemen Prince 

Type: Headcanons 

Characters : All the characters

Warnings : Kind of spoilery, I hope it is okay, lol,my English,the characters might be ooc. 

~Chevalier Michel 

🔹Chevalier becomes a bit more gentle when you two start your own family.

🔹Sometimes, you catch him smiling at your children and playing with their chubby cheeks. They always giggle and hug him. 

🔹He tries to tell them how much he loves them, more with his actions and not so much with words. But they know he absolutely loves them. 

🔹"I love you too." You heard him once say. You peeked inside the library and saw your handsome husband kneeling in front of the youngest, who was crying. The moment your kid heard that, he/she was grinning as he/she threw himself/herself at Chevalier. 

🔹Then Cheva walked out (after a lot of awkward but comfortable cuddles on a small chair. 

"Chevalier?" You said his name. 

"What?" You smiled and asked. 

"What did you say before?" Chevalier frowned. 

"Nothing that concerns you, dummy." You laughed as he walked away. 

🔹Once, you went to wake Chevalier in your shared bedroom, only to see a large lump and a lot of smaller ones, covered with the fluffy blankets. 

🔹Now you have to wake them all up, but you gave up a few hours later and slept with them. 

🔹Chevalier is very clever and very strong so, sometimes, he teaches his children. 

🔹Every night, he reads them to sleep. 

~Clavis Lelouch 

🔹You were in for it when you agreed to start a family with Clavis. 

🔹If your children didn't look like him, they surely took his character. 

🔹Clavis will be coming back after work and instead of being greeted with deep bows from the maids, he gets greeted with buckets full of sparkly confetti and glitter. 

🔹He is very proud of them but he doesn't want you to have a lot of headaches. 

🔹Clavis always makes time to play with his children. He is being sweet and he helps them however he can. 

🔹He teaches them to not be too open with suspicious people and if they get in trouble, he shows them how to get out of it. 

🔹He let's them keep pets. And if you're allergic to furr, it's okay! None of these pets have furr at all! They can be from small, little snakes to big birds and fishes. 

🔹He is trying his best. 

🔹Your children love him and they show it all the time. 

🔹Clavis is getting attacked with love, which he wasn't used to. He was completely shocked. In the end, he got used to it and he adores it. 

🔹There will be days where you'll wake up with sketches on your face and your husband laughing with your children. 

🔹They are very adorable when they're sleeping together, Clavis arm wrapped protectively around them (and you, of course).

~Leon Dompteur 

🔹Leon is a very loving man. You and the family you both made are his oxygen. You're the most important reason to keep loving and enjoying life at the fullest. 

🔹There are days where Leon has finished with training his army, so he takes you and your children for rides with his horse. 

🔹You ride in the city and go straight to the food section. 

🔹He spoils his children very much, you have to stop him. Do they like sweets? He'll walk through hell to buy cakes, chocolates and everything else. (or ask Yves to bake fresh cakes, lolol). Do they not like sweets? What are those? He never heard of them. (He still eats them.) 

🔹Leon always tries to find new activities, just to make sure his children are having fun in the palace, or outside. 

🔹Everytime they do something troublesome, like breaking glasses and plates with their father, they try to play innocent. 

🔹If they have nightmares, Leon will help them through them. 

🔹He always tells them that they don't have to 'stop seeing nightmares' to be brave. Braveness is when they search for someone they trust, because opening up is harder than keeping it inside.

"But dad, when I'm sad and I don't tell anyone... am I weak?" Leon wiped his kid's tears away. 

"No. You are strong. But if it is something too hard to keep to yourself, you can share it with anyone you trust." 

~Yves Kloss 

🔹Yves is a big tsundere and he is shy. So, when you asked for a family, he blushed and tried to deny it. It wasn't working. 

🔹His eyes light up everytime he looks at his children. They're the most adorable children in the world. And his world is made with you and them. You are all the matters. 

🔹After his royal duties, he bakes cakes, the children are decorating and you have to watch the chaos. 

🔹Before having a family of his own, he found it bothersome and annoying to have things all over the place, but he got used to it. 

🔹He is sneaking kittens in the palace for them to feed and pet. Where did those stray kittens you show on the street when you were shopping? Yves doesn't have any idea what are you talking about, but you now have to sleep in your shared bed with foolur freshly bathed kittens. 

"Are you sure you don't know them? They look comfortable around you." You said, your brow raised. The kittens were sleeping on him. He blushed and glared at you. 

"Hmph, I don't know them! No, lay down Snowflake, we aren't fighting with your mom." He stroked the white furr and the small animal fell asleep again. 

🔹He gives to the children gorgeous clothes and he brushed their hair, putting it in the best hairstyles. 

🔹At night, he praises them for being kind. 

~Luke Randolph 

🔹Luke grew up in a bad environment, so he makes sure that his children won't ever have to grow up like that. He could give his life in a blink of the eye to do that. 

🔹He doesn't spoil his children too much, because he wants them to be down to earth. For him, his role as a prince is not important, but his family is. 

🔹The children are tripping on his long legs while they're playing outside and he sleeps. 

🔹Luke is a Disney Prince. That means all the animals love him. He gently cradles small fragile butterflies, or cute little birds to show them. 

🔹Luke is taking them for walks in the forest. As the time goes on, more and more animals are attached to their gentleness. 

🔹If anyone dares mess with his children, they are in for a big surprise. Luke will take them down and fight them until he is sure that they won't bother them again. He won't kill someone though, only hurt them enough for his family's safety. 

~Sariel Noir 

🔹Sariel is a very busy man and you know that. So when he asked you if you wanted a family, you were super exited. 

🔹By the time your children are born, their bedrooms and everything inside is already ready to use. 

🔹Sariel seems pretty strict, but he has a soft spot for your family. 

🔹He helps them study all their lessons. If they don't understand something, he'll go out of his way to search it up and give them all the information he gathered. 

🔹After babysitting the Princes, he takes a few books filled with fairytales and reads to them in his soothing voice. 

🔹Sariel loves his kids dearly and he protects them from harm, even if it means being in the shadows. 

🔹The children love to hug him and cling on him, while he is giving lectures to the Princes. (translation = scolding Clavis.) 

🔹Sariel was lonely before, so he won't let anyone hurt his family. He'll let his people "clean up the dirt". 

🔹Sariel kind of spoils his children, and you, because he is weak for your eyes and pouts. 

~Licht Klein 

🔹Licht seems distant from afar, but his family gets to see his true colours. 

🔹Whenever his children are playing or doing something else (that isn't harmful), he smiles softly, his red eyes fill with love and adoration. 

🔹He is scared that someday, they'll have the same bad luck his brother and he had. 

🔹That's why he always keeps an eye on them. 

🔹Licht was never troubled if he died, until one of his children told him he/she loved him so much, that he/she will make him the proudest dad in the world. 

🔹Licht's eyes are wide open and he thinks about his choices again. He'll have to live in order to help them grow up. 

🔹He is very supportive with their choices, unless it's something bad for them. 

🔹At nights, he sings to put them to sleep, his smooth voice calming the down completely. 

🔹You can find the m all sleeping together on a chair. 

🔹He won't admit it, but he loves sweet food and his children are no better. 

~Nokto Klein 

🔹Nokto became a whole new person when you had your children. 

🔹He still stayed playful for them. 

🔹Nokto is happy when they are happy, he is sad when they're sad... 

🔹He despises it when they hurt themselves, physically or not. 

🔹He is also scared like Licht. He doesn't want then away from each other. He wants for them to be happy. 

🔹Before they were born, he was scared that he wouldn't turn out to be a good father. He was scared of rejection. 

🔹He lived with the same fear, until his children run up to him and hugged his legs. 

"Dad! Thank you for taking us with you! We love you so much!" They said happily. 

🔹Nokto.exe has stopped working. 

"I love you too." He quickly hugs them to his chest, trying to keep the tears in. 

🔹He is teasing them (in a good way) till there's no tomorrow. (with uncle Clavis). 

🔹The children, with your help are making presents for him. He gets so happy! 

🔹His past self still haunts him, but he doesn't let himself fall. He is strong. 

🔹Nokto doesn't take risky jobs anymore. He takes better care of himself for the sake of his family. 

🔹When stormy nights fall, his strong arms are ready to close you and the kids to his heart. It's his promise of never letting go, even in the scariest times. 

~Rio Ortiz

🔹Rion is as exited as a puppy! 

🔹Right after they are born, they are in his arms, cuddled up to him. 

🔹Rio travels with them in other places (for personal reasons). He shows them all around and does anything they ask. 

🔹Are they hungry? A whole buffet is made for them. 

🔹They have his heart and mind. Sometimes, he is scared they'll think he is annoying, but they always tell him how much they love him. 

🔹He takes time off his work and plays with them in the garden or in their Rooms. 

🔹He always hear their problems. If he can help it, he'll tskr care of them. 

🔹Rio won't let others hurt his children. If someone tries and he is in front of the scene, his hand might slip and he the other guys might get hurt. 

🔹At night, he cuddle with them and they all wait for you to read them to sleep. 

~Jin Grandet 

🔹Jin was feeling bashful. He really wanted a family with the most beautiful person in the world (you). 

🔹Like almost everyone else, his character changed a bit. He spends more time with his family. 

🔹His children like to climb on his back and go fit walks. His back hurts, but are they happy? They it's worth it. End of the conversation. 

🔹There are days where he is too tired so he takes food and drinks (not alcohol) and sets them on the king sized bed with you and the kids. 

🔹He is manipulating Yves to cook (lol), but Yves does it for his nephew(s) /niece(s). 

🔹If the children are terrified from the nightmares or other scary things outside of the windows, they'll run to him, crushing him on your bed. 

🔹When morning comes, they are all over the bed, sleeping soundly. 

THE END~

AN: I'm writing from my phone now, but I'll fix it when I'll get my laptop! 

NadiaSilver~

Also, fun fact: When I first started the game, I fell asleep while reading/listening the prologue, because Sariel and Chevalier were speaking! I love their voices and I want them to put me to sleep every night, lololol.

[soopersara]

NaNoWriMo 2021: Day 28

5329 words written today 87813 words written total (goal: 46676 words)

Milestones: Finished drafting Chapter 78 of A Tale of Ice and Smoke! 

I think it’s safe to say that I’ve been on a roll for the past few days. Four chapters over a four day weekend? Not too shabby in my opinion. 

The final “battle” is officially complete now! I was kind of worried about how it would pan out when I started, but honestly? The draft turned out a lot better than I was expecting. Like, yes, it’s obviously still rough, but it’s not going to cost me all of my sanity to get it into readable condition when I get to this point in editing. There’s hope!

Now I just have to write the next 2-3 (I’m kind of leaning toward 2, though) chapters (and cry a lot, I’ll leave the reasons for the crying up to your imagination) to wrap up Book 1! Definitely won’t get through the whole thing before December, but I’m fairly comfortable with saying that I’ll have Chapter 79 done on the 30th and then finish Book 1 sometime in December. It’s gonna be awesome, y’all!

Also, I’m just gonna blatantly redact some of the sneak peek, because this whole chapter is a massive spoiler, and this is the only way I’ll be able to share any of it. So yes, it probably looks weird, no, I don’t really care.

Sneak Peek: Beware spoilery material below the cut!

*

“So?” Katara asked him in a whisper when they were just barely out of earshot in the street. “What is the plan?”

Zuko glanced back at her and frowned. “Just—to be clear, you remember that I said you were going to hate it, right?”

Her grip on his hand tightened, and she pulled closer to his side as they edged along the outer wall of the oasis. “I remember. That’s kind of why I’m hoping you’ll tell me what it is before we start.”

He took a long, slow breath, scanning around the next corner. “Well—basically, I think that we need to [REDACTED].”

“Good. That’s fine. So what’s the part I’m going to hate?”

He glanced back down at Katara again. “That’s—I think that I’m going to have to be the bait.”

She gave his arm a small smack that was less painful than it was audible. “You’re right, I hate it. Why do you have to be the bait?”

“Because [REDACTED].” He tried to pull her toward the next street, but her grip held tight, and she refused to move. Zuko looked back again and found her staring directly into his eyes, her brows drawn upward in the middle and her forehead creased. “What?”

“Zuko—there has to be another way out of this. A way that doesn’t put you in so much danger.”

He sighed, looking off to the side a bit, and shook his head. “Can you think of anything? Because I can’t. Believe me, I’ve been trying. It’s just—either we take this chance or hundreds of other people are going to get hurt instead.”

“I don’t want to see anything bad happen to you.”

He found himself drawn back into her gaze, falling back into the almost endless blue. “I trust you,” he said quietly. As small, as soft as his voice was, he could hardly put any more meaning behind it if he tried. “I know if I do this, you’ll find a way to [REDACTED]. I know things will turn out okay.”

Her voice wavered a little. “And what if they don’t?”

He gave a small shrug. “I thought I was supposed to be the pessimist.”

Katara scowled. “No, you’re just impossible. There’s a difference.” But rather than getting angry with him—or rather than yelling, at least—she yanked hard on his hand so that he stumbled back toward her, then threw her arms around him and buried her face into his shoulder.

Warmth seemed to spread out through his entire body, and after a few moments of hesitation, he wrapped his arms cautiously around her in return. This was nice. This felt good, and although he still didn’t know quite what to do about being hugged, he thought that he could probably get used to it in time. As long as it was her, he’d be happy with as many hugs as he could possibly get.

“If you die, I’ll kill you,” Katara said, her voice a little muffled thanks to his parka covering much of her face.

Zuko snorted. “You know that doesn’t make any sense, right?”

“That’s the point.” She squeezed him a little tighter, then let out a huff and pulled back, wiping her eyes. “You’d better make it out of this safely.”

[voicefromthecorner]

So, after unlocking some stuff on the Social Network, I got handed this little number: Secret Report No. 3.

I found it curious that I was unlocking secret reports already, given that the last game didn’t let you get a single one until after you’d beaten the story at least once. But hey, maybe this time is different, I thought. After all, why would a game give you something massively spoilery before such a time as you’re ready to receive it? Especially when the previous game had that exact foresight? But then, there have been instances like the K1-Beat Social Network thing before, so maybe I should be more cautious.

At this point, if I were wise, I would probably have remembered the distinct advantage I have of sharing my playthrough online with people who know what I’m in for. I would have thought to point out this development and ask what their recommendation is of what I should do. I could even have offered them to vote on it or something. I could have consulted available peers to make a careful decision about this interesting situation.

But I am not wise. In fact, I am quite the opposite sometimes.

So, I’ve read it. In my defence, Square Enix have dished out reports as you go through the game before, like in Kingdom Hearts. Plus, even as I went to read it, I figured even if there’s a risk to it, the game still gave me the opportunity to read it ahead of time. So it seemed worth the experiment to know what the game is already willing to expose me to and to see how that pays off.

Maybe it wasn’t, but either way, I was resolved from the start that this is the only one. If I get any more secret reports before the end of the game, I won’t read them until after I’ve beaten the story.

So screw it! Let’s just dive into this bad boy!

Welp, there are a couple of cats that just got out of the bag here. Or should I say, CATs? Eh?

In a sense, I’ve not learned too much new info. This report offers a bit of (fun) commentary on our party that doesn’t say anything too groundbreaking about them. The same goes for the explanation of the latent powers, which gives us some technical jargon and elaboration of the lore on how our party’s unique powers work as well as a reiteration of how our crew was dragged into the UG by the Reaper pins through them, which was established earlier in the story. Plus, the first page ‘reveals‘ that our home team are effectively playing a much bigger game where the fate of Shibuya is at stake, but that’s very out in the open as the exact scenario that we’re dealing with right now.

Hanekoma is outright confirmed to be the writer of the secret reports here and he’s somewhere else for some reason with Joshua, and neither of them can interfere. That’s not too shocking, honestly. I mean, I’ve wondered before about where those two are and what they’re up to while everything falls apart, so it figures that some kind of business is keeping them out of play but still present in some way.

So all that doesn’t break the mold(/mould?) too much and I should be grateful that given there must be at least another 20 reports that likely have much more damning information in them, I didn’t get spoiled too bad by this.

That said, there was one key word that really shattered one of the veils that this game had done well to craft:

“ P R O X Y ”

YEP! We’re a proxy again! For Joshua! Who is chilling out with Hanekoma!

That’s unfortunately big news that I’m now expecting to get from the story at some point. I still trust that there’s tons of twists coming my way that’ll still blow my mind (the names “Neku”, “Tsugumi”, “Coco”, “Rhyme” and “Sho” immediately come to mind) but this is still a beefy one. Sure, I knew now that we were playing for the fate of Shibuya, but apparently that was the plan from the very beginning! And it’s why Rindo is a part of the game to begin with!

It’s not a complete and official confirmation, but I feel like this more or less proves me right in thinking that Swallow is Joshua. Again, not too surprising at this point, but info that got dropped a bit too early.

Having said all that, there are still more questions raised by this that I don’t have answers to at all. Why are Joshua and Hanekoma playing for Shibuya? Who are they playing against? Why can’t they intervene? And if Joshua chose Rindo as his proxy and really is Swallow, then he’s been preparing Rindo for this for 3 years by pretending to be his online friend? I mean, Joshua would totally do that, but that’s some serious dedication.

There’s still a ton to see and this is definitely intriguing, but I do apologise for reading this so soon. It was an impulsive move and I definitely won’t be reading any more until I’ve beaten the game.

But in the meantime, I’m going to enjoy the fact that Rindo’s Replay power is so powerful that the arguably most powerful known character in canon is nervous about Rindo being loose in the UG with it because its power is so volatile that reality as we know it could totally be undone by it. And Joshua is 1000% chuckling away to himself about it while banking on that power going loose in his favour in some way.

[procrastinatorproject]

Previously on Lili reads Rogue Elements: [1] [2]

Remember how I always go on about how we all in this fandom share about 2.7 braincells and constantly come up with the same ideas? Well. TURNS OUT IT'S UNIVERSAL!

(Slightly spoilery details under the cut. tl;dr: I was really worried I wouldn't agree with how the author writes Rios’s character, and his friendship with Raffi, and the origin of his ship, but so far, I AM DELIGHTED!!)

Remember when the show first came out and several people (though I can't say who anymore) said that the holos' accents were a little over the top because they're not "a person with an Irish/English/Scottish/American accent" but "Cris Rios doing a not-super-convincing Irish/etc. accent"? Turns out: Miller had exactly that same idea! Completely amazing!

I still haven't met the holos, but... Rios gets supremely drunk one night, drunk enough he doesn't remember anything the morning after, and... I am VERY certain we're gonna find out soon that on that fateful night, he made certain... additions to his ship. I have to admit I was glad to be in a car on the highway while it was happening, because I was scream-queeing about it SO LOUDLY 😂🤣

Context for those not aware:

https://href.li/?https://archiveofourown.org/works/31753207/chapters/80130544%23workskin

Raffi, of course, is the one getting Rios a bunch of his assignments and trying to get him to meet people and so far, their interactions have been "bickering over the subspace comms" and... see what I mean about the same things cropping up again and again?

https://archiveofourown.org/works/23702563/chapters/56910463

It's like... yes, these are very low-hanging fruit. These scenes aren’t at all far fetched or exotic, they are very straightforward given what we know about the characters. But the fact they're showing up in the book shows that everyone, from the RPers to the fic writers to the "professional" fic writer reads these characters similarly and it makes me extremely happy!

There's a bunch more moments where I thought "ah yes! This scene is very similar to that particular fic, or this WIP of @regionalpancake​ 's I was privileged enough to get a glimpse of, or this WIP of mine that has been languishing in the drafts for I-wanna-say-an-age...” And it's not even because we're inspired by each other, it's just parallel evolution, people coming up with the same ideas, but they are AMAZING ideas, so it's just wonderful to see!!

On a slightly more broad note: It's humbling when you're listening to an "official" story and can go "hmmmmm no, there is no loading ramp there. Actually those wings are somewhere else. When you say the ship 'isn't that old', do you mean in like... the galactic sense? Because 50 seems old, even for a freighter starship...."

I just... look, I have invested a ludicrous amount of time into investigating every little snippet of this ship. I have no expectation any writer do even remotely the same, write Sirena however big or small you want! It's just kinda fun to realize that I actually know a lot of this stuff and notice when someone is, say, working from an old set of images :D

(The Engine Room Door Is A Lie!)

Also: MY GOD THE BANTER IS EXCELLENT!!! There is so much banter! And it is so frigging funny! I love it so much!

And finally: Raffi is friends with the main crime boss and so far, everyone has been a bit vague about what exactly their relationship is. Then the crime boss shows up and she's a very refined older lady who keeps calling Rios "honey" and "sugar" and "baby" and who knows her own mind and has fun but won't take any shit. And I'm sitting here like: "Oh. Raffi and her are friends. I see what she would see in her..."

Anyway. I'm fairly sure I'm gonna end up reading through the night 🙈 Sooo much book still to go!!

But so far, I'm having a phenomenal time!

[p5youllneverseeitcoming]

Persona 5 Strikers/Scramble

So! I finished the story of Persona 5 Strikers and I wanted to share my thoughts as I have soooo much to say but cannot share with my friends due to spoilers :’) I am currently playing on a New Game+ as, ya girl wants the Platinum Trophy :o

I will talk about some of the things that I really liked here (Spoiler free don’t worry) AND include spoilery things under the cut so I won’t ruin the experience for anyone else!

The Plot

Obviously this takes place after the original Persona 5 story finishes and as opposed to a whole year, you just get 1 month with the Phantom Thieves. I really liked exploring all the cities you travel to and the character interactions were so cute!! I really like the two new characters introduced (Sophia and Zenkichi Hasegawa). Both of them fit the story so well and their interactions with the other Thieves are honestly so good and pure! Also?? Their outfits? Amazing T_T It was such a nice change seeing everyone in casual outfits as opposed to their school uniforms!

I also loved the fact that you could choose to play with characters that get introduced late game like Haru for example straight away. I for one, always have her in my party as soon as she’s available so having her for the whole game was like a dream come true haha. I’ll talk about Sophia and Zenkichi a bit more under the cut but I will say that it’s so fun to play as them! I personally prefer Sophia more as she has healing skills which are always really useful and she uses yo-yo’s for her weapons which are so fun to use. Zenkichi uses a great sword which is very Final Fantasy of him and I am loving it. I love their Phantom Thief outfits! Sophia looks super cute in her floofy coat and boots and Zenkichi just looks so cool! His hat is goals, I want one T_T

The anime cutscenes in the game are also... Omg... I just can’t help but fangirl over how everyone looks... ESPECIALLY SOPHIA OML, she’s so... Bby... And of course, the dialogue options you can choose are so funny, then again what else can you expect from a game that had the option to say “you jelly?” to Ryuji.

I won’t spoil the main plot but this game works similarly to Persona 5 in the sense of, you still go into dungeons but these ones are a lot shorter and when you leave the dungeon, the days don’t actually move forward, only specific story points advance the days. So essentially if you wished, you can stay and grind for as long as you like!

The Gameplay

I won’t lie, as expected from a hack-and-slash it gets quite chaotic at first if you don’t fully know what’s going on but you get used to it pretty quickly! The game gives you tutorials whenever anything new appears and you get the hang of it pretty well by the first dungeon. You still only have 4 characters in your party and Akira must always be present but here you can actually run around as the other party members when the battles are over! Also? Morgana gets comical sound effects when he does things like jumping and running and I was LIVING for it.

The other thing that changed is, obviously it’s not turn based so if you were like me and wore the SP restoring accessories to get 7SP back each turn, you’re in for a last surprise! In this game you actually use your items quite a lot as there isn’t a limit to how much you can use as you access them mid battle by pausing. Later on you get specific skills that restore your SP after each battle or by performing All Out Attacks and 1 More’s so honestly, SP isn’t really a problem for regular battles. I mainly found it running out quickly when I was fighting some of the optional bosses but I always had SP restoring items so it was all good hehe.

You still do things like All Out Attacks and 1 More’s in this game but you also do something called ‘Showtime’ which is very similar to the ones introduced in Royal only in Strikers it’s for one character, you basically build up the showtime gauge as you battle enemies and, once activated, you deal significant damage to stronger enemies like bosses as well as all of the enemies in the area. The All Out Attacks also have their own little animation with your party posing and just looking really good!

Yusuke being so extra is honestly such a mood omg... Also Mona T_T So smol.

Every party member has their own special quirks such as Ann and Makoto applying Fire and Nuclear affinity respectively to their regular weapons, Morgana turning into the Mona car and so on. I personally always had Haru and Yusuke in my party and kept switching between the other Thieves to see what I like best. Personally, I really like having Morgana or Sophia as they’re really good healers, Morgana obviously having the more powerful skills such as Mediaharan and Salvation.

Also... The menus... Omg... If you thought the Persona 5 menu was stylish then you will LOVE the Strikers menus. They’re so stylish! And I love that all the Phantom Thieves are there too, it’s so cute T_T

The only thing I don’t like is the game doesn’t pause when your controller dies so uh... I may or may not have died during a boss battle when I was like 2 hits away from winning and then just... Stopped moving letting the boss hit me with a killing combo :)

To be honest though the party that I had pretty much all the time was:

But as I said, I liked to change Morgana and Sophia around every now and then.

The Music

Omg the music. Atlus really just said: Hey what if we made Persona 5 music again but like... More epic?

The song that plays right as soon as you have control of Joker is SO. GOOD. I legit had to pause for like 5 mins just to jam out. I don’t think it will come as much of a surprise but in my opinion, Persona 5 definitely has one of the best video game soundtracks, I absolutely love all the songs!

I will discuss some of the dungeon themes in the spoilers but I absolutely love the soundtrack for this game. Every dungeon theme is so fitting for said dungeon, I genuinely listen to them all the time, especially when doing my research for my essays!

The battle music is really energetic as opposed to the jazzy feel from the original Persona 5 soundtrack but it’s very fitting for the actual battle as you often fly all around the area instead of standing in one spot. I will say, Last Surprise made an excellent comeback despite being an already amazing song which is just, amazing, incredible, fantastic...

Other things

Well, I can’t go into detail due to spoilers but they deadass put a JoJo reference as well as a character in the game :’) The moment I saw them I was fangirling so hard!!! Also? The villain designs in this game??? Amazing. Beautiful. Very creative!

The Phantom Thieves interacting with each other is also really cute! I ESPECIALLY liked the fact that Morgana and Ryuji got along a lot better! They still had small fights here and there but they pretty much apologised to one another straight away which I really liked! Also? Ryuji protecting his friends, especially the girls? Amazing. Wonderful. Cannot help but stan.

Well, that concludes the non-spoiler section which.... Is kinda long haha, Below the cut I will talk about the spoilery things so I advise looking at it AFTER you finish the game!

The Plot

The plot of this game is really fun if you ask me. You travel around Japan defeating Monarchs in Jails AND you get to experience the joys of summer vacation with your friends and your new Persona dad. I really like the fact that you don’t advance time when you leave the Jails because this gives you the chance to grind as much as you want before tackling harder fights like some of the optional bosses. The boss designs themselves were so good! Especially Alice?! My God? She’s beautiful?? Look at her!

Persona 5 Strikers said you can be horny on main... Just this once o_o. She literally steps on Joker in the Jail which o_o Ma’am... Plz but she ALSO steps on her manager in the real world.

I really liked all the bosses in this game because they felt so... Real? Obviously I don’t agree with them for brainwashing people into worshipping them, but I really like how the game gave them backstories that showed why they strayed away from the right path. The fact that the Thieves tell them that they understand their struggles because they themselves went through the same thing (Like Ann and Yusuke) honestly made me appreciate the story that much more. I really liked Haru’s little arc in Sapporo because not only did she help Mariko Hyodo and show her that despite mistakes you can always stand up and start again, but she also got to have more screentime, like that cute fountain scene she has with Akira! ALSO? The Hee-Horde?! I was laughing for a solid 5 minutes when I saw it! It was so cute how Haru, Sophia, Ryuji and Yusuke were so into it while Futaba was just there like: ????

I think my favourite Jail out of all of them will definitely have to be the Kyoto one, a.k.a. the Jail controlled by Zenkichi’s daughter, Akane. Despite how short it is, you can learn so much about her. The overall aesthetic of the jail shows her love to the Phantom Thieves and in the actual Jail theme you can hear fragments of ‘Life Will Change’ and ‘Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out There’ which I think is absolutely amazing! The boss fight for this jail honestly took me 3 tries to beat as the first time, I died due to not fully getting how Shadow Joker worked, and the second time, I was about 2 hits from beating him but then... My controller died :’) By the time it turned back on I was already c-c-c-c-comboed to death so :’) This is also the jail where Zenkichi awakens to his Persona and honestly? I found the little segment where he has to sneak around in his usual everyday attire so cute, bless him, he really did adopt 7 teenagers, their cat and an AI daughter.

ALSO?! They deadass put Dio in this game? Like when I first saw Natsume’s shadow I was like: Hm looks kinda familiar...

BUT THEN?!

Needless to say I was fangirling pretty hard.

I liked Akira Konoe, very much vibing with his Power Ranger aesthetic however, I have to say, his boss fights was surprisingly... Easy? At least it felt easy to me which was kind of... Disappointing I suppose for him supposedly being “the final boss” HOWEVER, I very much liked how his calling card was delivered, and the fact that Zenkichi could finally get his revenge was very satisfying! 

Now, let’s talk about the end game, mainly the Abyss Jail.  I did NOT see it coming (haha) that it was Ichinose all along! As I’m currently replaying the game, the fact that she doesn’t want to look at Sophia despite specialising in AI technology should have been my first clue that something is not quite right here! 

When she forces Sophia to attack the Thieves, it honestly broke my heart. The fact that she recognised Joker and Skull... And she threw herself off the ledge just so she can’t hurt them anymore... Yo, I love her so much T_T That’s why her awakening to her Persona (her true Persona) was such a satisfying scene! Her Persona (Pandora) has a really cool design, I especially like the fact that she represents the Hope Arcana (as there was hope left at the bottom of Pandora’s box) and that Pandora herself kept the box-y design from her original “Persona” Pithos. I found it quite funny that all the skills Pithos has ended with a “?”. Anyway, the scene where she tells Ichinose all the things she learnt, and that Ichinose herself has a heart despite believing that she doesn’t for so long was so touching. It showed that Sophia deeply cares for her, despite the fact that she literally said she’s the reason so many people are getting mind controlled by EMMA. The ending scene with the two of them laughing and holding hands... My heart T_T

Now then, let’s talk about EMMA.

I. Loved. The. Final. Boss. Fight.

The fact that the game makes you use ALL the characters for the final fight! As I usually switched out characters here and there, my reserve party members weren’t severely under-levelled which made the fight pretty okay! I had quite... Strange groups I would say as I had Makoto and Zenkichi being a team, Morgana, Ann and Ryuji being a team, and Akira, Haru, Yusuke and Sophia being the final team. The final boss itself, has an absolutely beautiful design. I especially loved the angel like wings because it really showed that EMMA saw herself as a saviour. The cutscene that plays after with all the Thieves dealing the final blows before watching all the desires fall around them was honestly so pretty... Man, this game series is just so aesthetic!

When the credits rolled and all the photos started appearing I couldn’t help but start crying. It really felt like you were actually there, living through all the memories and the fact that Sophia called the photo of all of them together “Treasure”... T_T

The Gameplay

I already pretty much said all I wanted for the gameplay in the non-spoiler section but I will say, the Showtimes and the Master Skills each character learns are so good! I love that once you master all of them you’re bascially unstoppable, I especially love Haru’s and Akira’s as it allows them to deal damage even if they’re a safe distance away from the enemy. The fact that you can learn Bond skills that restore SP with every All Out Attack and One More is honestly so helpful because it saves you going back and forth between the real world but then again, by this point you probably have way too many HP and SP restoring items!

I really liked that Zenkichi has no weaknesses and uses Almighty damage but I find the whole Fury/HP consumption combination a bit weird. After a while you get used to it and obviously you don’t have to activate fury at all but as I said before, I prefer playing as Sophia. Although, I will say that gun wise, I think Zenkichi’s are a lot more fun to use than Sophia’s blasters, but then again that’s just my personal opinion!

The Music

As I said, the music was so fitting for each Jail, I absolutely love it.

The first Jail, you honestly can’t help but bop your head to the beat. It really gives you the impression that you’re in some kind of twisted theme park which really fit the overall aesthetic of the Jail. I loved the vibrant neon colour scheme in such a dark looking place.

The Okinawa Jail... My God that theme was so good. I can’t really explain it but the song really made you feel like you were... Alone, like the place was truly abandoned and forgotten. As soon as the violin started playing I couldn’t help but just stop and listen to it. The overall jail was just so... Creepy. The Shadows there resemebled the shadows you would usually find in the previous Persona games, just this black mass slithering around. I think it was very fitting that they put the Reaper in this Jail. 

As I mentioned before, the Kyoto Jail theme is my absolute favourite. The fact that it has elements of other Persona 5 songs due to Akane being a big Phantom Thieves fan was such a good choice! I love how when you take a closer look, you can see the Phantom Thieves logo on the lanterns and the fact that Shadow Akane herself made a Phantom Thief outfit for herself... Big mood. I loved how all the Thieves encouraged her to try and get along with her dad better AND that they taught Zenkichi how to cook just so he can make curry for her, especially when you remember just how much curry means to someone like Futaba. 

I really liked the remix of Rivers in a Desert, then again what did I expect from a Persona game? The battle music is ALWAYS amazing. I really liked how this played when you fight Konoe as it parallels when you fight Shido in the original, supposedly the final fight, only to find out that there is something MUCH bigger than them.

Other things

This post is already way too long and if you read all of this... Thank you so much. Sadly, I cannot share this with any of my friends as it’s spoilers so I hope you guys don’t mind me sharing this here! I would love to see your opinion of this game!!!

Also? Yusuke and Akira are now canonically dating and I think that’s beautiful

And then that scene later on

Why do you think we came here with Yusuke, Morgana?

TL;DR: I love this game

[juhihuji]

do u have any random facts or things about Depth of heaven and ur characters (sfw or nsfw 🤭) even if what you want never comes to light, I really enjoy reading the concepts and asks about ur OCs

Hehehe I haven't thought about the characters and their story in a long time, until recently...but I never put a huge amount of thought into them before either! I kinda just knew I...wished I could make something cool that had everything I wanted in that kind of game lmao. Even if it doesn't happen, I felt like I wanted there to be twists and secrets...if it never happens then nobody but me will ever know about them, huh! But, if it does happen then I'll spoil stuff for later! What to do...ah I'll share about it! But I'm giving it a spoiler warning for something that doesn't exist anyway lmao Also I'm not a writer or a scientist this is all wacky world rules ok xd also there might be inconsistencies idk I never wrote anything down I'll tell u their heights! June: 5'4 Puzzle: 6'3 Koa: 5'6 Adam: 6'1 Keizo: 6'7 Lloyd: 5'11 Static: 6' Cyril: 5'9 Holly: 5'7

In high school June and Puzzle were da weeaboos who listened to vocaloid on their phones at lunch. Puzzle wore cat ears, big headphones, and tutus to school. I think....I decided that because of her old bad design lmao. I thought I had a drawing of her in cat ears but I can't find it 😔 June prolly just wore hoodies and graphic t-shirts. They were each others prom dates! June wore a tux! Okay spoilery stuff ahead!

I have a general idea what I want the story to be, but right now I just see it as disjointed scenes in my head. I posted some June and Puzzle wearing dresses where I wanted a scene to happen in a casino on the ship. Cruise ship casinos are kinda lame though lol, but it'll be as big and cool as I want >:•3 and it's an excuse to have everyone in cool formal wear cuz that's always fun! The cult leader calls for a big party on the ship and everyone has to attend! It's also where he culls the herd...because not everyone is worthy of going to heaven...apparently Koa likes playing video games! He's on the top of the leaderboard for one MMO, and during one event the top prize was blueprints for an in-game item: roller skates! It would make for cool merch to put on your wall or something. There was a rumor among the playerbase that the blueprints could make skates that function as they do in the game. Koa won the prints then used them to custom build his own skates (they look kinda generic now but I haven't put a lot of thought into their design lmao). The combination of materials used and construction give them a magical quality that allows him to skate faster than any human could! He's always pushing his limits, and sometimes it gets him in twubble xd Keizo has an issue with bad dreams...at night he replays all the times in his life where people were rude to him or each other, how he needs to keep peace between them, he just really hates assholes! He has nightmares about them treating him badly and there's nothing he can do, because at his height and with his strength he'd come off as the bad guy no matter what! They push and push 'til he's about to snap...then he wakes up! The rage super heats his blood and his skin glows red and steam pours out his ears! His hair is all wacky cuz it holds it's shape on the pillow from all the heat lmao June and the rest of them find out about it when they see steam coming out from under his door at night. Don't wake him up though! If he's still glowing hot he'll sleep walk while in a berserk state. First, it makes him really rude himself lmao. He'll say all the nasty things he won't when he's awake! Second, if he sees someone doin' shit he don't like, they're gettin' these 🤜🤛 In his happy ending you'd see him with his hair flat for the first time wouldn't that be nice :•3 Adam is always doing experiments on himself, kinda just for shits, kinda because he wants to discover something amazing....!.....?!?!??! When he was younger, his sister, who he loved v much, died. He wanted to become a doctor, not because he wanted to find a cure for the thing that killed his sister...because she died in an accident! He wanted to find a way to make people invincible! He's always injecting himself with stuff hoping it'll make him stronger. He likes Keizo as a friend, but to Adam Keizo is a perfect specimen of an indestructable human. Adam's been fascinated with him for a while, but Keizo also just makes for a good subject for testing against! Also, they met when Adam was studying abroad and Keizo came up on a motorbike and attacked the wheels on Adam's scooter. Cute! :•) Keizo used to be a bad boy :•( Other experiments Adam's done: Eyesight like a HAWK Cat ears but for real Jelly bones(?) Longer ween 😳 Lloyd is a stinky tech wiz who likes playing around with AI's and robotics! He has myassive myega brains and he monitors many of the functions of the ship by himself in his server room. When the captain is captured and thrown off the ship, Lloyd uses his know-how and special accesses to make sure the cult doesn't make a mess of everything. He knows about and can see everything that happens on the ship...for fun he likes video games toooo! And plays with Koa! He likes buildin' lil gadgets n tings for fun too! They can come in real handy! nsfw! Stuff past here!!!!!!!!! June, Koa, and Lloyd are all inexperienced!

As a lover, Keizo tries to be gentle...but once he gets into it he can be a bit rough! If you're into it, just enjoy! Or speak up and he'll slow down! Hmmm I was inspired by a scene from the film Crying Freeman (which I haven't actually watched 8•|) of some ppl doin' it in a closet(?)...it's all dark and cramped and humid and their skin is so shiny and glistening it's probably the thing that awoken me to drawing people super sweaty. I just can't help myself 😳 def wanna give Keizo a scene like that. This doodle was inspired by it actually lmao

Adam is patient and gentle! Lots of kisses and verbal reassurance and checking in w/ u. He's aware of his age and he doesn't wanna come off badly so he'll let you do all the pursuing. And June will pursue him hard if she has to! He's also gonna make you beg and ask, just so he's sure sure :•) He loves to sit her up on the examining table n do things wit his mouf n fingers 😳 I'd probably make it an option to call him daddy in certain scenarios...up to u if u choose it find out what happens for urself idk 😳😳😳 or don't

Koa likes to tease you, maybe bully you a lil, but when it comes to intimacy he's a wimp! I just like the idea of making the bully bend to your will, but he likes it. It just feels good to wipe that cocky smile off his face! Step on him! Make him whimper! I know June's a virg too, but Koa is just so easy to tease it makes it feel like second nature. BUT the more time they spend together, the more confident Koa becomes. So! Enjoy havin' him under your thumb while you can cuz it might not last forever! Lloyd tries to stay composed when June starts showing an interest. He's usually alone in his server room, but secretly appreciates her company when she comes by. At first he'll act like he's too busy. He's not used to being around women! As his interest in June grows it becomes harder to hide his feelings! So June notices...and teases him! Cuz it's just so easyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyYYYYYYY 😩 Seeing his serious expression crack when you put ur hands in his pants is lots of fun :•3 And he shows you a voice he's never shown anyone else before 🤤 He does his research and with your help he'll learn exactly how to worship u 😌 IF it ever happens there has to b a new game plus where u unlock threesome scenes with Koa/Lloyd and Adam/Keizo :•x That's all 4 now! Sorry I'm fuckin' gross and don't know how to type :•|

[cherry-valentine]

So I recently read Killing Stalking over the course of two days. The first day was spent fleeing my home from flood waters and so I read the first half of the manwha on my phone in the parking lot of a grocery store. I was so absorbed in the story that I didn’t have time to worry about whether or not my house was washing away (it didn’t, and there was no damage, thanks for asking). I know I was pretty late to the party on this one, and it wasn’t because I wanted to avoid the series. To be honest it sounded like something I would love from the moment I heard about it, but at the time, I was busy and ended up forgetting it. I saw some pictures from it on Tumblr a few days back, was reminded, and decided to give it a shot. I have some feelings and random opinions on it that I felt like sharing. Most of these will include spoilers for the entire story, so be warned. Also: TW: ABUSE

But first, my non-spoilery plea to others who haven’t read it (and I guess the first thing I wanted to talk about): If you’re avoiding the series because you’ve heard that it glorifies or romanticizes abusive relationships, you can put that concern to rest. I honestly don’t know how anyone can walk away from the series with that take. The relationship portrayed in the series is nightmarish, and even the parts that aren’t so nightmarish are tense and very much realistic in the way abusive relationships actually work. Abusers aren’t abusive 100% of the time, and that’s what makes them so insidious. If they were terrible all the time, it would be much easier to hate them, leave them, and forget them. Instead, they are often kind, generous, and loving between incidents of abuse. This is to keep their victims emotionally attached to them. For many of these abusers, they may even feel actual love for their victims (a twisted, selfish love for sure, but I’ve always been of the belief that love can be a bad thing in certain situations). So even though there are moments in the series where the relationship seems to be going “well”, there’s always a sense of dread hanging over it, the feeling that at any moment, things are going to explode.

From here on out, there are !!MAJOR SPOILERS!! for the entire series.

A lot of people have identified the most sad or tragic or painful moments for them while reading, and those moments vary quite a bit between people. For me, the moment that gouged out my heart, the moment that was such a punch to the gut that I almost felt physical pain, was just a tiny thing. Toward the end, the first time Bum tries to go to the hospital Sangwoo is at, and the cab driver treats him like shit, Bum thinks “Why does everyone treat me like this?” And then we see flashbacks of moments when Sangwoo was kind to him. And... that right there. That got me. The fact that his abuser, the person who had treated him so cruelly, was also the only person who had treated him with actual kindness, broke my heart. The fact that he’d lived his whole life and experienced nothing but cruelty or indifference or betrayal. The only person who ever made him feel special, feel loved, was also the person who had tormented him. And it hurt so much to read, because I know that’s how many real life abuse victims feel. It was, in my opinion, the most tragic aspect of the series.

My last opinion might be a little controversial. Something I noticed when checking out the fandom for the series was how anyone who even hinted that they’d like for Sangwoo and Bum to be happy together was met with absolute hate and fury (slinging around lots of terrible insults like “failed abortion” and things I won’t repeat here - like yeah great idea explaining how abusive relationships are bad by being verbally abusive). Now, as a logical adult, I know it would be totally impossible for them to have a happy relationship (and indeed they didn’t). I didn’t even want them to be together. I just wanted them both to get a lot of therapy. The “headcanon” I came up with to make myself feel less depressed after the ending was that they both died and were then reborn into loving, nurturing environments where they grew up to be happy, well-adjusted people who would meet in college and have a healthy relationship. But I do understand the people who saw the less horrible moments and thought, “I wish they could just be happy together”. Because it did feel like these two thoroughly broken people had found a tiny, miniscule amount of happiness and love, even if it was clear it definitely would not last and definitely was not healthy. I get feeling that way.

And actually, the series plays a fairly clever trick on the reader. Just like real life abuse victims have trouble hating and leaving their abusers when those abusers are kind or show a more human side to them, Sangwoo became much harder to hate and dismiss once his traumatic childhood was revealed and he showed some kindness to Bum. It’s like the series was showing us exactly how abuse victims remain attached to their abusers, by making us stay attached to Sangwoo as a character. For the first half of the series I despised him, but the series tricked me into sympathizing with him and even feeling sorry for him and wishing he could be happy. And that. right. there. That’s how abusers get you. I thought it was a very smart way to portray this concept.

I also get that some BL fans DID romanticize and even fetishize the relationship. But, and hear me out please, I don’t think that’s a reason to totally dunk on those fans. Most of the fans who felt that way are probably fairly young, probably naive, probably exploring some dark fantasies for (perhaps) the first time in their lives. I think most people have something that introduced them to darker fantasies (rape fantasies, violent kinks, etc.). When you’re young, these are pretty thrilling to think about, and as long as you limit this exploration to works of fiction, it’s a safe way to dig into these fantasies. For most people, they grow out of them. The thrill wears off as they get older or they become mature enough to realize how horrible and scary those situations would be in real life. Some people keep those kinds of kinks all their lives, and as long as they limit it to fantasy and fiction, or consensual situations, that’s fine. But we need to understand that Killing Stalking, just by nature of having a very attractive character like Sangwoo, is going to be that piece of media that introduces a lot of younger people to those darker fantasies. And it’s not necessarily a terrible thing to let them safely explore those fantasies with this story. Because the story doesn’t encourage it. It doesn’t paint a rosey picture of this kind of relationship. It’s horrifying and ends in tragedy and trauma for everyone involved.

My “thing” that introduced me to darker fantasies was a movie called Boxing Helena, which I watched when I was most definitely too young. For those who haven’t seen it, it actually shares some themes with Killing Stalking (involving a sexy but psychotic man who had lots of issues relating to his mother and keeps a woman captive in his home, partly because she reminds him of his mother, and does horrible things to her - there’s even a scene where he brings another woman home and has sex with her while the captive woman is forced to watch through a cracked door. Sounds familiar, right?). It felt dark and dangerous and taboo, because it was also horrific. But it was exciting. Of course, I grew out of things like that, but it would have been absolutely no help to have a ton of people screaming at me that I was a sick pervert for finding the psycho guy hot (I mean it was Julian Sands in the 90’s, can you really blame me?).

If you come across younger fans who think Killing Stalking was sexy and say dumb things like, “I’d like to be in Sangwoo’s basement!” (actual comment I saw), don’t immediately harp on them and make them feel bad. They’re just exploring their own fantasies. It would be much more helpful to calmly and patiently talk to them and point out that it’s okay to like this stuff in fiction, but to be very careful about how they explore these feelings in reality. I’d be willing to bet that the vast majority of these people are just virginal teenagers who would never in a million years get involved in a dangerous relationship. So let’s cut them a little slack.

Note: When I refer to younger fans, I’m thinking 18-20 or so, and of course the younger teens who are going to read this whether we want them to or not. I am in no way suggesting that we should encourage younger people to read it. Just that, if you come across a younger person who has already read it, yelling insults at them over their naive opinions on it isn’t going to be helpful to anyone.

Anyway, that’s all I have to say about it for now. I just felt very strongly about it and felt like sharing.

[salty-ironstrange-shipper]

27, 35, 3, 6

3. What do you think makes your writing stand out from other works?

Oh, I don’t know actually. I like to think that my fics are generally strong, but I’ve received compliments on my characterization - which is great because I worry about that constantly. 

6. What element of writing do you find comes easily?

I think narration comes easiest to me - that is, pretty much everything not dialogue. With dialogue, I’m always worrying about whether or not this is something a character would actually say. I like scenes with description and detail and inner-character thoughts. 

27. What’s the nicest comment you’ve ever received?

I don’t know, I’ve gotten a lot of comments over the years (not at all humble brag), but a here are a few that stood out to me:

“omg ROFLMAO <3 I was a bit hesitant going in - fem slash usually doesn't do much for me - but considering the two women involved I decided to go for it and..... now i am cleaning coffee off my laptop and trying not to choke on breakfast ;-) This was relatable, hot, and funny AF! The best part? You managed to surprise me every time I thought I had a handle on this deliciously naughty tale - KUDOS!!!!“

- from Athenasbubo on Seduce Me (MCU, Pepper/Christine)

“Do you know how many times I had to stop reading to breathe or because I was crying too much? Each paragraph. You annihilated me. Thank you! I read this fic at least thrice to give you an idea of how much I love it! It's really one of my favourite! You managed to grasp the characters so well and their character development is super realistic! It is really amazing! I have loved every part of it. The parts where my heart ached and the parts where it laughed and the parts where it filled with love for these two idiots. I can't believe it's over. I feel like I've reached the end of the line. I was so terrified of finishing it that I had to re-read all over again and wait a few hours to start reading the last chapter. I have loved the end too. The thing I'm afraid of with fix-it is that they completely leave out Tony's sacrifice. I mean him snapping his fingers had two consequences. Saving the universe and dying. I can't imagine a fic without the first one but I can do very well without the dying part! Your fix-it was perfect! It illustrated how much these two love each other and how far they're ready to go to protect one another. I loved it! Also, I'm so happy that you managed to include Morgan! This kid is precious! To conclude, I am so grateful for this fic and I, honestly, feel so sad that it's finished. Anyway, part of the journey is the end. All I can say is thank you 3000! Wow... too much references in two sentences... that's tell you how emotionally exhausted I am because of you! Anyway, THANK YOU FOR THIS AMAZING JOURNEY!“

- from  Athenaskywriter on From the Top (MCU, IronStrange)

“I’ve always believed that Charles’ greatest strength is to love people beyond the confines of his genetic family. His mother shared his DNA, but that never guaranteed love. I love how that’s brought about in this chapter. I love that Charles loves and Wanda and Pietro like he would love his own children, and I love the fact that Wanda feels the same. Thank you for a lovely chapter! 😬Looking forward to the next one!“

- from JackyJango on A Treatise on Evolution and Extinction (XMCU, Cherik)

“its 2:30am currently, i binged this fic in roughly about five hours and im now going to make all of my friends read it because this is such a quality fic that i will never forget.“

- from ghostlyeris on Stay A Thousand Years (Doctor Who, SpyDoc)

35. Ramble about any fic-related thing you want!

One of the things I love to do is come up with symbolism and foreshadowing and little things that have meaning that most people probably won’t notice, but then people don’t notice, and it drives me insane! This is something I desperately want to talk to someone about with my current WIP, A Treatise on Evolution and Extinction, but it’s all spoilery so I CAN’T. I just keep telling myself it’ll be worth it even though it probably won’t be worth it.