#help me avoid making decisions xD

[legolasghosty]

Help me pick a video for my assignment!

Okay so I have to storyboard a short visual presentation for a class and she placed no limits on what we can use so... I'm gonna go for hilarity and do one of the Chocolate Guy's videos.

Help me pick which one!

Yes I will actually use the winner for this assignment, cause why the heck not? XD

[shootingmorningstar]

Was inspired by bambygourl’s fanart and a TikTok I saw. Dressing up as Roger and Jessica Rabbit for a costume party with Lucifer. I think he’d be all pouty and grumpy about dressing up as such a silly character and not a suave charming character. Especially since he’d take a look at the white button up, red trousers with suspenders, and blue bow tie with yellow polka-dots and see it as a fashion nightmare XD. And don’t get him started on the bunny ears and tail. Tho his mood is sufficiently uplifted when he sees the reader dressed up as Jessica Rabbit. Low cut red dress with a slit and all. Just imagine pulling on his suspenders or bow tie for a kiss, getting lipstick on his mouth and face, and cooing over how adorable and handsome her honey-bunny is.

I've been meaning to get to this request ever since I saw it because it is just so good. I'm definitely biased for anything Lucifer related but god this is just so cute. Anon, your brain is outstanding. I love pouty Lucifer. If you still have that tiktok on hand or ever come across it again, do you think you could send it my way .ᐣ

You didn't include what kind of request you wanted though, and my default is HCs -- but I couldn't help but throw in a little drabble based on them, too. Or, at least I intended it to be a drabble .ᐣ It got away from me, haha.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀Lucifer and Female Reader Dressing

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ Up As Roger and Jessica Rabbit ~

Lucifer is initially thrilled when you bring up wanting to attend a famous yearly costume party in Pride with him. A chance to show you off sounds amazing, and he's great with costumes. Just the thought of you two matching is enough to get him excited.

You seemed just as excited as he was -- in fact, he was even more excited when you told him you'd already had something in mind .ᐟ He's pestering you to tell him just what the costumes were as soon as the plan leaves your lips, but much to his displeasure, you refuse, saying you want to keep it a surprise.

You'd even managed to resist the very strongest puppy-dog eyes and pout. Impressive. He usually succeeds in getting his way with that one -- who could ever say no to that face .ᐣ Having exhausted his options, he sighs his defeat.

Well, nearly exhausted his options. He was entirely too ready to pretend that you'd won and snoop through your closet the second you walked away. Apparently his quick glance at said closet had given him away though, and with a quick deadpan stare alongside a scary sounding ❛ don't you dare. ❜ has his feet rooted to the floor.

Did his poker face really suck so bad .ᐣ He's definitely practicing it in the mirror later.

Ultimately, though, he trusts you completely and your choice in matching outfits is no exception, so he allows it to drop for now. There's still a few more days until the party, but that time could be spent much more productively by your side rather than whining about clothing.

That is, until the day of the party comes around and you bring out his outfit. You'd never seen Lucifer's jaw drop quite like that before and it takes iron will to stop yourself from giggling at his present state.

He doesn't understand the reference. Lucifer regrets his past decision to give humanity free will. It's obvious, even if he never seems to say it outright. He had given out such a precious gift and so much of humanity chose to abuse it, to be nothing but cruel. Looking at sinners and by extension humanity is just a terrible reminder of what he'd done, so he prefers to avoid it whenever possible. This quite often includes the media of the living realm -- he's never even heard about the movie, forget seeing it.

So without the full context, all he knows is that you've just handed him an absolutely atrocious outfit -- and to make it worse, you expect him to go out in it .ᐣ Seriously, he whinges, red overalls with a blue bow .ᐣ Rabbit ears .ᐣ And to make it worse, you won't even show him your outfit until he gets dressed .ᐟ He can't believe you're laughing.

He sounds completely and totally ridiculous, in your defense. Seriously, has he seen his regular outfit .ᐣ He looks absolutely stunning, sure -- but he also looks like he walked right out of a circus.

It says a lot, though, that despite the complete and total pity party he's currently throwing himself, he's beginning to shuffle into the costume anyway. He's grumbling the whole way, but the fact that he just doesn't have it in him to say no to you warms your heart.

You had been so, so eager about this party, and the way your eyes had shined like stars when you told him had long since burned itself into his heart.

wc ; 1.2k

His seemingly endless complaints had tapered off ever so slightly when you shimmied his grasp off of the ruby red suspenders sagging unbuttoned over his chest. By the time you take the fabric into your own hands his protests faded to little more than a mumble under his breath, and with the very first snap of a button in place under your gentle touch he'd quieted completely. Where a look of exasperation had reflected off his face seconds prior, in its place now is that of silent awe, his gaze trained on your every action. The gesture of intimacy is enough to leave Lucifer somewhat choked up, his heart still not used to receiving such acts of adoration and kindness. You tie the cornflower blue fabric adorned with tiny yellow spots into a bow to accentuate the costume and cover his hands briefly with your own as you slip the gloves onto his fingers.

Not twenty minutes had passed, and he finds his attitude regarding the ensemble shifting with every second you take to assist him into it. Each and every part of it looks ridiculous at best, but the thought of you picking it out solely for him has him warming up to the idea.

Declaring your work complete, you raise your grasp ever so slightly, palms holding each of his cheeks close, your thumbs rubbing soft little circles below his eyes. Your affections are sufficient only when finished with a kiss placed on his forehead. ❛ I'm going to go get dressed, okay .ᐣ No peeking. I promise I'll be right back. ❜

The way his wrists on instinct dart out to catch yours to bring you close to him again as you pull back nearly got you. He's extended his lips in a pout once more. You hate to leave him quite so sad looking but you know he'll appreciate what you have planned enough for it to be worth it.

Bathroom door shutting closed behind you, there's the smallest bit of lingering regret that he can't help you to get dressed like you had for him. The outfit itself takes you barely a few moments to slip into -- it's the makeup that requires precision, time and effort. His pacing around the bedroom is audible, impatient steps sounding into stomps, the sounds causing you to choke on a laugh. You need a steady hand for your eyeshadow and that's hard to maintain during an act quite as cute as this.

Nonetheless, your look is finished within half an hour and therefore Lucifer is put out of his misery. It's not a second after the door clicks open that his attention is caught, snapped to the light peaking out of the doorway. Stepping into the small hallway, your eyes are met with his own -- and the way his pupils widen as soon as he gets a glance of your dress makes both your efforts and his complaining worthwhile. His gaze takes you in from top to bottom, each detail enchanting him further. The dress so perfectly hugging your curves is crimson to match him and absolutely breathtaking -- and are you walking towards him .ᐣ Your strut does well to accentuate the slit stitched into the leg, your thigh tantalizing in its display.

Finally reclaiming your place beside him, one of your fingers reaches out, finding purchase under his chin -- and when you tilt his head up you swear you saw his eyes flash red. ❛ Hello, my darling husband, ❜ you coo, sending his already overloaded brain into a frenzy. Husband . . .ᐣ You wanted . . .ᐣ With him, really . . .ᐣ And although he's beginning to put the pieces together and clue in that such a term of endearment was part of your match, you seemed so happy to say it. He snaps his focus back onto just how stunning you look tonight, but the idea has firmly implanted itself into the depths of his mind.

Back into the present time, his hands have begun to roam -- he wants to commit every detail of you to memory, and that includes the feeling of your dresses fabric under his fingertips. His grasp is met with your own, for it's not long before you're pulling the straps of his suspenders, tugging him forward into a kiss. By the time he's recovered from his surprise enough to reciprocate, though, you're already beginning to pull away. He chases your lips with a whine but you've already moved on, pressing a kiss first to his cheek and then to his forehead. It's only when you offer him a small compact mirror does he understand -- each of your kisses has left behind a little bit of the lipstick you oh so painstakingly applied. Your marks on his face have left him entranced, desperately craving more.

A gasp rips itself from those same cherry red lips in surprise -- you weren't expecting him to summon forth his tail, much less wrap it around your midsection and use it to bring you closer. ❛ Kiss me again, ❜ He pleads, desperate and breathy. ❛ Anything for my honey bunny, ❜ you chime, matching the mark on his left cheek with one on the right. ❛ You just look so cute, ❜ between each kiss is another offering of praise and compliments, the blush left in your wake matching excellently. ❛ Who's my handsome bunny .ᐣ ❜

Your multitude of kisses has left Lucifer stunned and looking nothing short of angelic -- even more so than usual. You're fully intending on giving him several more, leaning in to do just that when the wall mounted clock besides you chimes a new hours arrival, alerting you to the time. ❛ Oh, dear. I'm very sorry, Mr. Rabbit, but I'm afraid we simply must be going. We don't want to be late, do we .ᐣ ❜

Fixing your lipstick takes all of a few seconds, leaving you free to grab a makeup wipe off the pouch resting atop your vanity and wipe all of the stains you'd adorned his face with away. A snap of his wrist catches yours just inches from his face, however, halting your plans in their tracks. Confused, you look to him for an explanation, a soft ❛ leave them. please .ᐣ ❜ being all he offers you. ❛ You're going to go to the party like this, love .ᐣ ❜ to which he nods sagely. He can't bear to part with them -- not when the lipstick marks are yours, not when they declare proudly that he is yours.

❛ If you say so, honey. ❜ You can't deny that the prospect leaves your heart fluttering. A grand, golden portal appears with a simple snap of his fingers and he takes your arm, now linked with his own in an attempt to usher you forward. He can't wait to show you off, to watch as other demons eyes glow green as they stare his way. You stay still, though, prompting him to look back at you with an air of confusion. It's then that you lean close, whispering ❛ be a good bunny and there will be more where that came from. too bad we'll have to wait until we come home, hmm .ᐣ ❜

Suddenly Lucifer can't wait for this party to be over.

I still can't believe I'd originally intended this to be 100 words and it ended up over a thousand. I can't help it, I'm so weak for anything Lucifer related. I'm half tempted to write an absolutely filthy post party part 2. If there's enough demand for it .ᐣ I just might.

As always, let me know what you think .ᐣ Hearing back from you guys keeps me motivated ~

[michanvalentine]

I was asked if I had any thoughts on Astarion's character development in terms of taking responsibility and making choices. And him coming to terms with that part of his past he's ashamed of. In the past I didn't dwell on it in detail, normally I write down on the keyboard what spontaneously passes through my brain. But I think they are excellent food for thought, so I will try to express what I think about it.

Here’s a little ramble, just because I love psychology and think it’s something to always keep in mind when discussing Astarion. If you’re not interested, feel free to skip ahead!

(Let’s talk a bit about the self.

The self is quite a complex concept with many facets. Briefly put, it’s shaped by various internal and external factors and reflects a conscious image of "me." In psychology, it’s key to building the Ego of an individual—the capacity to act, understand, organize, and interpret experiences. The Ego provides a sense of uniqueness, coherence, and personal continuity since the self encompasses many "faces." All this forms the personality of an individual, which naturally develops (and changes) throughout life.

Particular attention in the formation of the self is given to sensitive periods, such as early childhood. The self determines the level of self-esteem based on an individual’s assessment of their worth and competence in the characteristics they attribute to themselves (Real Self), their future aspirations (Ideal Self), and what they want to avoid (Feared Selves). The greater the discrepancy between these aspects, the lower the level of self-esteem. Social support and approval, as well as competence in domains deemed important to the self, obviously contribute to perceiving oneself as a person of value.

I’ll stop here, or this will turn into a full-blown psychology lecture, diving into every possible personality disorder! xD)

Astarion, as we know, has had his sense of self fundamentally undermined. For him, the world is divided between those who have power and those who don’t, with the former always being the "winners" in his eyes. The magistrate he once was is long dead, along with his moral compass and the life he used to live—especially after 200 years of servitude to Cazador.

As vampire spawn, akin to a newborn in some respects, Astarion learned to exist solely within Cazador’s world, revolving around Cazador, for Cazador. He was the domineering father figure, and vampire society functions under strict rules handed down by vampire lords. In this hostile context, without any room for self-expression or choice, Astarion developed a fragmented and damaged self-image. Constantly belittled by Cazador as an individual (small, weak, useless, incapable, all words he uses in the game), always pitted against his brothers and sisters, and degraded from a magistrate to a prostitute (this is important because it’s the only skill—or "talent," as he calls it himself—that Astarion believes gives him any value or power, forming the basis for his self-image). It’s easy to imagine just how high his self-esteem must be, right? Most importantly, he never developed the skills to navigate life as a free individual—at least not in a healthy way.

This is why, even if reluctantly (and despite his fear), he ends up leaning on Tav/Durge. Astarion is a follower, not a leader—not yet, at least. He needs a guiding figure to help him figure out what to do because making decisions and acting independently don’t come naturally to him; they terrify him. Especially outside of his talents, sex and survival. He needs to be rehabilitated, re-educated, and to achieve this, he requires a safe and healthy environment where he can experiment and grow, perhaps developing other faces of the self on which to base a new evaluation. Like, I'm not just a slave or a whore: but I'm also a companion, a friend, a lover, a hero and I'm able to listen, to help, to learn, to collaborate, etc. For instance, I think his lack of attention to detail reflects this to some extent—not just his tendency to be dismissive or distracted. In fact, Astarion isn’t stupid at all; his intelligence and wisdom stats in D&D terms are above average. He knows how to move in the shadows, remain unnoticed, and is highly skilled with his hands. Additionally, we shouldn’t forget that Astarion is an excellent observer of bodies, particularly body language. This is especially common when someone has lived in a stressful environment with abusive parents or partners. Recognizing the early signs of what they fear most—abuse—is crucial for trying to avoid getting hurt. The inflection of a tone, the light in someone’s eyes, the posture of their shoulders, arms, torso, etc. Body language is the most direct and primal form of communication and reveals intentions.

This is a skill Astarion has naturally refined, not only through survival but also by interacting with countless partners. It inevitably helps him sense certain things before others do, often saving him from trouble. So, he’s far from just some clueless fool, no matter how frivolous he might seem at times.

Sure, stress kills neurons, but the issue is deeper than intellect. To execute a plan, one needs to make decisions and lead a group—something he simply isn’t equipped to do yet. This also ties to accountability, an inherent part of decision-making—especially when others are involved.

Throughout the game, Astarion grows and begins to reclaim his rights as an individual. He realizes he’s more than an object to be used (he is no longer small, weak, useless, incapable), and he starts to establish boundaries and discover what he truly wants or doesn’t want to do, always alongside Tav/Durge. By the good ending, he even states that with Cazador gone, he can finally find out who he really is and what he wants from the life he’s regained. He’s still afraid—the road to healing is long, and the trauma is deep—but he’s willing to work on himself, which he couldn’t or wouldn’t do before.

A significant part of Astarion’s defense mechanism is dissociation, the ability to separate himself from the terrible things that have happened to him—or that he has done.

This, in my opinion, is how he managed to survive without completely losing his mind. In the game, there’s even a dialogue choice that highlights how Astarion simply repressed everything inside and kept going—a deeply unhealthy way of coping. And rightly so, the vampiric spawn retorts that it’s easy to judge when you haven’t lived through such a situation.

However, when Astarion comes face to face with his victims, that mechanism begins to falter. This time, he’s forced to confront what he has done directly, with all the consequences it entails. He has to look them in the eye, listen to their harsh words, and endure both their pain and his own—without filters, without excuses. The sequence is heart-wrenching, as we all know, but what I particularly love is Astarion’s comment about the Gur children and how, when he delivered them to Cazador, he felt nothing. I love it because it’s followed by an “oh” that speaks volumes more than all the discussions about ascension up until that moment. That “oh” seems to say, “How the hell is that even possible?!”

Astarion is surprised, first and foremost, because what he felt then isn’t what he’s feeling now. Before, he was numb, alienated—a ghost wandering the streets. But now, he’s not. He’s more awake and lucid than he’s been in the last 200 years. This concept is crystal clear when, upon setting foot inside Cazador’s palace, the vampiric spawn states that everything feels different, even though the place hasn’t changed. It’s not the palace that’s different; it’s Astarion!

And at this point, after speaking with Sebastian and Chessa, Astarion is torn.

On one side, there’s ascension, with all the rational explanations—or justifications for Tav/Durge and himself—about why it must be done. The vampire spawn are too many and too hungry; they’ll cause a massacre, etc., etc. On another side, there’s the need to erase the evidence of what he was, of what Astarion endured, and what he inflicted upon others—what these wretches represent as a mirror reflecting his own helplessness and pathetic state. A victim, essentially. And that, for him, is humiliating because he was, in fact, humiliated for 200 years. He’s deeply ashamed of it.

But yet another part of him holds the desire to do the right thing.

In fact, if asked about the prisoners and what he intends to do, Astarion will say he’s weighing his options. Not only that, but Astarion also gives his approval when Tav/Durge tells Sebastian that their freedom depends on whether or not they know how to control hunger. Adding immediately after that they can succeed. Anyway, at this moment, for the first time, the choice and the responsibility are entirely on Astarion's shoulders—and on his conscience. There are no orders from Cazador to carry out, no Tav/Durge acting on his behalf. The most Tav/Durge can do is help him think clearly in a moment when, between fear, the scent of blood in the air, and power within reach, Astarion might not be the most clear-headed being on the planet. But ultimately, the decision is his to make. The first of many more to come.

However, I believe Astarion truly takes responsibility for his actions when, after freeing the vampire spawn, he becomes the leader of the coven in the Underdark in the ending. In this particular case, the transformation is complete—Astarion is a leader who plans, makes tough decisions every day, manages resources, takes care of his people (his old victims, let's not forget), and continually grows in his independence.

Naturally, returning to the concept of the self, each of the endings—whether he travels across Faerûn with Tav/Durge, becomes a nocturnal vigilante in Baldur’s Gate, or even ascends—offers a perspective on how Astarion has changed and how new experiences have added positive aspects to his self-concept. These enable him to increasingly perceive himself as competent and valuable. At this point, I’m afraid I might have gotten lost in the flood of words, and I’m not sure if I’ve managed to address the proposed topics thoroughly. My apologies—I tend to lose myself in my thoughts and ramble on freely! If needed, feel free to let me know, and I’ll add a follow-up! xD Anyone who made it this far is a true hero, just so you know!

[purelyfiction]

━◦○◦ⓢⓞ◦○◦ⓘⓣ◦○◦ⓖⓞⓔⓢ◦○◦━ .t.w.o.

NFL QB Jake 'Hangman' Seresin AU x Popstar F!Reader

Summary: NFL Quarterback Jacob Seresin is in hot water from a streak of bad decisions, just as you go through the worst public breakup of your life. With people slandering both of your reputations, your publicists hatch a plan to bring both of you back into favor and keep the heat off until spring - that is if you can keep up the facade.

Word Count: 2,999 words

Author Note: :)) I know it's shorter than the first part but I am trying here y'all - I really am. but!!! more Celeste and Jake for your trying monday night xD ━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━

There are only so many ways to avoid conversation, which is why Jake’s fiddling with the radio. It makes you nervous, seeing how he man-handles the wheel with one hand, the touch pad in the car with the other. Who was the genius to put touch screens in vehicles anyway? That seemed like a stupidly dangerous decision. But you weren’t an engineer so that meant it wasn’t for you to worry about. Or maybe it was since Jake was fucking around with it while operating a motor vehicle. 

“Shit, there is literally nothing good on.” His voice is low before he asks the AI assistant again to play a specific song. You turn your face to the glass of the passenger door, trying to hide the growing smile on your face as the country song plays. “What?” 

“I didn’t say anything!” You defend, looking at him while actively battling the grin. 

“The thing on your face - you’re smiling, why are you smiling-”

“I can’t just smile?” 

“Not out of the goddamn blue like Jeffery Dahmer, you can’t!” It’s now that you realize that there’s a subtle twinge in his voice. He’d relayed plenty of stories to you at the bar but not once did he mention where he was from. And the slight drawl on his lips helps you narrow it down slightly. Well that made sense now. The pop country track wasn’t out of the blue when you pieced it together. 

That isn’t why you’re giggling though. Instead of answering his question, you lean into the door, watching the landscape whizz by. 

“Gonna answer my question?” He prompts once more. 

“I’m just smiling!” You try, looking at him with a laugh. The look on his face is one that makes him look like he’s almost about to explode under the stress you’ve seemingly put him under. Finally, you relent. “I- well I wrote this. That’s all.” 

Brows furrow as he turns down a road. “I’m calling bullshit.” Now your lips part in amused shock. 

“Are you joking? I wrote this!” You give an astonished laugh as you slowly approach a modern looking gate overlooking the driveway to a residence. 

“No. Prove it.” Off the top of your head, you begin to list the chord progressions, C. F7. G7. F7. C. As he parks the car, he’s still being stubborn. “That proves nothing other than you can play the song.” Scoffing with a roll of your eyes as he pulls his phone out, tapping something on the screen. The large gate slowly begins to recede into the bushes next to it. 

“Here.” You hand him your own phone, Google provides not only the lyrics, but the song writing credits at the very bottom. Jake squints and points to the name, reading it out loud to you. “Yes!” 

“That doesn’t say ‘Celeste’.” Now he’s smirking, leaving your head falling forward. You quickly move to your purse, grabbing your wallet and then your ID, throwing it at him, causing both of you to laugh when it hits his face. He scrambles to pick it back up, looking at the plastic. Then, not unlike a bouncer at a bar, he cross references the name on the card to the one on the screen. Jake then has the audacity to bend it for authenticity. 

“Oh give me that.” You snatch both of your belongings out of his hands and he holds up his hands in defeat. 

“Fine, fine.” The gate is open now, a rolling road of pavement that opens up to a mammoth of a house. You pull into the garage, finally moving into the conversation again, somewhat bluntly. 

“Is it so hard to believe I wrote a song about sex?” Jake doesn’t answer. Instead, he gets out of the vehicle, shutting the door behind him. Before you can utter a word, he’s come to the other side and opened the door. 

“No. Though, you writing a country song is.” His head disappears from the door frame and he leads you into the house. “It’s not a bad song. You did the whole thing?” 

You are slowly following him in, your head craned as you take in the massive building. For its size, it’s very ordinarily decorated. There aren’t massive and astonishingly expensive art pieces on the walls or marble staircases - it was… dare you say: cozy? It was familiar and welcoming in the way a home should be, not sterile and rigid like most homes in the neighborhood were. Of course, you only knew this because of Restoration Hardware and the likes. 

Jake is easily leading you to the kitchen, which is less ‘normal’ than the rest of the house. Recent appliances and modern finishes adorn the kitchen, from intricate coffee machines and luxurious wine fridges. He’s stuck his nose into one as you gape at the rest of the house. 

It finally dawns on you that maybe you should answer his question. 

“I did. It was one of my favorites but.. The entire thing just felt too… out of place for my style- you own this place?” Jake nods. You’re not sure if it’s in response to your question or to your response. 

“Sounds about right. I can’t imagine you singing country music.” He’s moved around the kitchen toward the fridge. “And no, I don’t.” 

You freeze for a minute. If he didn’t own this place… 

“Then whose house-“ 

“It’s my mom’s.” Well that wasn’t listed in any of the answers you’d predicted he’d give you. Still, he’s pulling a bottle of wine from the wine fridge, reading the label and then sitting it on the counter. 

“Your mom owns a place… in LA?” He starts digging into drawers, looking for what you can only presume to be a wine bottle opener. You help him in his pursuits, pulling random drawers open. 

“Well… it’s- okay so I bought it for her. She really loves the drive to Big Sur on Highway 1 and so she’s got this place to stay at and then there’s my place in San Diego. My place isn’t big enough to house my whole family, so they crash here when they’re in town for football games, they just take a quick flight up to SD. Or make the drive if they have the time.” You’ve found the wine opener by now and are unintentionally holding it hostage. He’d bought his mom a house so she didn’t have to stay in a hotel in San Diego? And he just flew her home whenever she wanted? 

“So.. you crash here because no one can tell when it's your mom or you here?”

He shrugs. “Sort of. It’s as close to home as I can get without boarding a four hour flight.” Jake pushes the bottle in front of you, and you distract yourself by opening the bottle as he putzes around with his phone. It begins to ring as you screw metal into the cork. You preoccupy yourself with your task as he disappears to the other side of the room. The blonde paces the room as he settles on the phone. An unfortunate look crosses his features and it certainly doesn’t inspire anything confident in you. While he hangs up, you are still struggling with the damned cork in the bottle. “Well, that was my lead security guy.” Jake speaks, leaving your attention on him as you hopelessly tug on the bottle and the jammed instrument in the glass neck. 

“And what does Mr. Security have to say-” your question is punctured by the pop of the stubborn cork. As well as the splash of decade old fermented grape juice all over Jake’s mom’s nice granite counters. And your very new, very white tank top. Defeatedly, your hands let the bottle gently come to the surface, staring down at the mess. For some reason, you don’t immediately respond to the mess. You just… stare.

It isn’t until Jake comes along with paper towels, bumping your hip with his own to nudge you out of the way. “Don’t worry about it.” The wine is cleaned in no time, and you hazily fill two waiting glasses. 

“What a waste of good wine.” You complain, before nearly gulping your first sip down. Jake simply laughs. 

“Happens. Anyways, Wells, he said they can’t get to your room.” Setting your glass down you’re about to explain how reception desks work. The quarterback beats you to it. “Now listen, smartass. I know what you’re about to say, cause I would’ve said the same thing-” he laughs. You tandemly giggle along with him, “the hotel literally can’t get into your room. The key card reader is malfunctioning. The guy who fixes them won’t be in until tomorrow.” The groan off your lips is paired with your footsteps as you move to his living room.

“Great. Well,” you take another sip, pausing in the middle of the room, “guess you made a smart move of bringing me here then. We have an out if we get caught. ‘My room was malfunctioning so like the gracious gentleman you are, you let me stay at your place.” 

“My mom’s place.” He corrects, slowly following you into the room with massively vaulted ceilings. There are beams across it, dark in color. If the sun was still up, the entire thing would be flooded with daylight from the skylights in the ceiling.

“Right. Your moms.” You spend time staring up at them, admiring how he was a whole ass homeowner as you count his skylights. Eight skylights. When your attention comes back to the horizontal plane, Jake looks over at you as he tosses his phone to his couch. When he does, you realize your own voice is softly playing over the built in speakers. 

“Are you quizzing me? Is that what’s happening here?” You squint at him teasingly as he sets his glass down. “No, I’m putting it on so I can learn it. If I consistently listen to things on a loop my brain seems to soak it up - almost like a sponge.” The blonde disappears from behind the couch, down a hallway, leaving you to admire the stone fireplace that crawled to the ceiling, basking in the notes and chord progressions you’d strung together. 

“Oh, so I’m not studying, you are.” You call out to him, letting it echo down the hall. He mimics your call. 

“Yeah. My coach will have me benched if this doesn’t go well. So, I’m gonna be damn sure I know everything about my girl.” 

You know what he meant. The word wasn’t meant to be possessive, or affectionate. Except, coming off of his lips - so naturally like that… it was easy to mistake it for genuinity. 

“That tracks. What are you even doing over there?” As you call out, your feet are slowly making their practiced patterns from choreographed rehearsals timed with the song playing over you. 

The realization makes you giggle. You haven’t performed this in over four years. So it was silly you still knew it. But it also was just plain silly. Dancing around to your own music, tipsy in a multi-million dollar house in the Hollywood hills, with a stranger who let you spill wine on his quartz counters. The whole thing is something from a novel. 

“You ruined your shirt, and your stuff is locked in a hotel almost thirty minutes away, so-” Jake has looped around the couch by now, watching as you step in time with your music. One hand grips to a pile of clothing, his other hand pointing your direction. “If you plan on me learning this then you can forget it.” The clothes drop to the leather of the couch as you continue to step with the words, shimmying for emphasis. 

“Oh come on, it’s so easy.” Moving to the coffee table, you set your glass down, grabbing his now empty hands and pulling him further into the room. “Ready? Just follow my steps.” 

And he does, doing as best as he can as you emphasize the words, using them as the tempo with your steps. You know that’s not how your dancers did it, but that’s how you’d done it. Using the words were like landmarks, signifying when you needed to do specific motions. Jake seems to pick it up, somewhat effortlessly, with an uncanny ease. 

“Oh you totally dance.” 

“I don’t.” 

“You do. Don’t even try to deny it.” You tease him further as the song ends and transitions into the next one. This one has a heavier tone to it, but it doesn’t stop you from following the steps. Your mind floods with the dance moves and the arena tour. The catwalk into the crowd, the sultry steps you took alongside the music. The outfit you’d had on. God, you had felt so hot in that outfit. It was one of your favorite tour costumes. You’d wanted it back from wardrobe when the tour was over - but the Music Hall of Fame had wanted it for a display not even three months ago. Otherwise you would’ve worn it to New Years Eve. It was your favorite. 

It was Jonah’s favorite. 

Jake has stopped dancing at this point. His attention has moved to each of the coordinated moves you made until you got halfway through the song, grabbing your glass and sitting next to him where he was perched on the arm of the chair. 

“Your turn.” You tease, only to sip from your glass. Surprisingly, Jake downs his glass and stands up. 

His dance moves are horrible. Downright awful. But you laugh all the same as he tries to sing along, getting the words wrong.   You shake your head and continue to grin as you begin to sing along to the words. 

“I’d walk through the fire if you were the flame, couldn’t care less if they call me insane, I don’t need the fortune and I don’t need the fame, I just need for you..” The note drags out as the song picks up, your hand slapping against the couch with the drum as Jake continues his terrible rendition. Finally you finish the line, “to say my name. Say my name! I’d take it all on, face all of the pain, say my name!” 

The instrumental approaches the bridge, an overlapping conversation in the background of the audio, ‘Celeste’ over and over in low sounds. But Jake’s voice catches you off guard. He’s stopped dancing by now, but you look at him all the same. Your name falls off his lips again. When you look like you’re about to question him, he just laughs. 

“You said to say your name.” Rolling your eyes, you finish your wine, moving back to the kitchen to grab another glass. You wouldn’t tell him, but so few people called you by it anymore. It was refreshing. You retrieve the clothes he’d dropped to the couch, before giving him a pointed gleam of a smile. 

“I’m gonna go change- bathroom?” He points you in the direction of the room, and you quickly slide in. Once your shirt is off, you’re dropping it into the sink, the water running as you try to get out a stain that was on the verge of being fully dry. That was, admittedly, less than helpful. Still, your soggy shirt is the least of your problems when Jake comes knocking on the door. 

“You okay?” You open the door and show him the shirt in the sink. There’s a low laugh that comes from him. “I have a laundry room- here, give me that, I’ll go put a stain remover on it and let it sit for the night.” You don’t exactly know why, but you are kind of shocked that he offers. You had imagined he would just turn and leave you to your failed attempts, but instead he’s been rather compassionate to your cause. Though, it doesn’t take him long to mock you for your misfortune. You then remind him that this was his wine that was causing the problems after all.

Jake then proceeds to ask you about each song that comes up over the speakers for the remainder of the night. He surprises you with his questions on specific words, asking what they mean and making you laugh as you play dictionary for the man. When the bottle is finally empty, the two of you have sprawled out on the couch, the ceiling having transformed into some form of entertainment for the two of you. 

When you try to stifle a yawn, the blonde slowly pushes from the couch with a low grunt. It makes your stomach surge. Being in close quarters with a man like this was one thing: the sound he’d made was a completely other itinerary. One you never planned on following. The only plans you wanted to follow were the contractual ones you’d signed off on the other afternoon. The way that Jake was standing in front of you, holding out a hand to help you off the couch was making that more difficult. “C’mon, let’s get you to bed, popstar.” Drowsily, you take his assistance, but his strength pulls you up way harder than you were anticipating, leaving you flying into his chest and leaving him to subsequently catch you. When he does, you’re only in a fit of giggles as he holds on tight, feeling how his breath falters as he tries to return it to its regular rate. “You think that’s funny?” He smirks, moving the two of you now in some makeshift waddle, arms locked around you. His breath comes hot over your shoulder as you move through his house - his mom’s house - and toward a room. When the door creaks open, another damn near erotic sound leaves the athlete behind you. You know you didn’t cause that sound (even if you kind of wished you had). That was the work of one disassembled queen bed frame against the wall of the guest bedroom.

[alexa-yukiyu]

Hey there! Could you please make headcanons of the straw hats with a reader who's a marine admiral who is upset at the corruption of his fellow marines, deserts the marine and immediately accept Luffy offer to join his crew"since your not a marine you should join my crew" "ok sure" I imagine Luffy being over the moon and the others freaking out

Please use either male or gender neutral pronouns

Bye Family, Hello Family (Luffy x brother!reader)

A/N: Here we go! Another Defected Marine joins the dark side (the best side). Am I the only one who feels conflicted about Garp? Idk like he seems paternal and caring but at the same time he let his son die? But at the same time it was his job? But at the same time he did die? But at the same time he warned him? But at the same time he is one of the few good marines XD

Dividers by @/Saradika

“Im tired of this Luffy,”

Both Luffy and his brother sat together at the top of a cliff, the Sunny anchored beneath them as Luffy’s crew explored and entertained themselves around the small island they had rendezvous at; Luffy glanced at the Marine next to him. He turns to look a him, his head tilted, confused at his brother’s words

“Grandpa was wrong; this isn't what he made it out to be, Luffy. I hate it; the Marines are a farse filled with corruption.”

Luffy looks away from Reader slightly while listening to his words

“The offer to join me still stands; Monkey D Reader and Monkey D Luffy on the same crew, Shishishi.”

Reader cracks a smile at his brother’s words

“I don’t know Luffy, what about Grandpa? I wanted to make him proud.”

“You would probably make him more proud by actually doing what you want.”

Reader shrugs

“I’m not sure, Luffy; somehow, it feels like im giving up, but I really can’t take how those assholes treat pirates and others who stand against them. They always say how pirates are nothing but scum, thieves, and murderers, but aren’t we marines the same? The only difference is that they do it for this so-called justice. Pirates can have hearts, and they are living beings just like the next person. You and Ace are some of the kindest people out there with just as kind crews; even Sabo and the revolutionaries are incredibly kind, fighting against how inhumane the government is.”

He listened to Reader speak as a smile spread across his face

“So…You’re thinking of taking me up on my offer then?” He asked, raising a brow, waiting for an answer

Reader huffs out a laugh

“Luffy, all you heard from that was ‘im considering your offer’?”

Luffy laughed as well and nodded

“I also heard that you think im pretty amazing, shishishi.”

“That is just not what I said, Luffy!”Reader exclaimed, swinging at his brothers just for the latter to easily avoid the punch directed at him

“Come on, you’ve always wanted to help people, give freedom to everyone, and that’s what I want too! I want to be the Pirate King because he is the freest of all! You aren’t giving up if you join me! You’ll still be able to achieve your dream!”

He bites his lip, thinking over his brother's words

Luffy stayed silent; his gaze never left your face as he watched you think the possibilities over. He had a soft smile on his face as he waited excitedly for his brother to join him on his adventures

“Is your crew okay with this?”

“Of course they are! They trust my decision-making completely and know how much I care about you. I made them all promise to be nice to you and treat you just like they would me.”

“Luffy! You said that as if you were sure I would say yes!”

“Well, aren't you?” He smirked with his usual bright smile

“Besides, I already told them before I asked you; they’d said you were more than welcome to join us.”

“You are something else, Monkey D Luffy.”

“Shishishi, of course I am. im the next Pirate king,” he exclaims confidently

“So...You joining? You can't leave me waiting for too long, you know; I've already made plans for you and everything.”

Reader smiles, sliding off his Marine jacket and folding it, placing it on the cliff next to them, and turning to face his brother

“Where to next Captain?”

They let out a surprised gasp as, rather than words, Luffy responds by wrapping his rubber hands around him and pulling him off the cliff with him

“H-Hey! Im already regretting this!” Reader screams

Luffy just laughs as he pulls his brother off the cliff

"It's too late now!! You can't back out now!! You accepted my deal, so now you have to stay with the crew! Shishishishi”

Feel like I made it a bit confusing in between Luffy’s and Reader’s dialogues, I feel like you can’t tell who’s who, what do yall think. Also I keep avoiding using you, and I don’t even know why?? Maybe because I alreadys tarted writing without you but I feel like it would make the stiry writing smoother

Taglist:

@imaginarydreams

@amethystviolin

[00lunect]

Eeeee I’ve never jumped into anyone’s asks before, but I just wanted to say I ADORE your John Dory with Braces AU! Idk, it just hits different, a type of angst that I love, and it’s such a good storyline AH!

I guess to ask a question… Does Rhonda help cheer him up at all? Give him snuggles and such when he’s feeling all down? I just picture him laying facedown, suffering, and she’s just licking him like a protective mama bear😂

Again, LOVE this AU, and can’t wait to see more! Thank you for such an adorable AU!

Okay, first-

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, YOU'RE THE ONE WHO WROTE "Great Decisions"! I love your fic. And the other two you wrote before that. They're great✨

So it's almost an honor that you're the first person to leave me a question and that it's your first time asking. I'm new to asking questions too! (⁠^⁠～⁠^⁠;⁠)⁠ゞI was actually unsure at first, but then I was like "well since it'll take me a while to draw, I might as well let people ask me about the lore of my stuff in the meantime"

Also, thanks! (⁠人⁠*⁠´⁠∀⁠｀⁠)⁠｡⁠*ﾟ⁠+ I'm glad you like my AU. It was just something that occurred to me in passing, and well, being a Wattpad writer (although I've never written anything for Trolls so far), I ended up making it bigger and more complex. XD I don't know, I have a knack for dragging things out, but Braces JD had so much potential! John Dory suffering without actively hurting himself physically (and psychologically), but rather because of things he already had long before and couldn't avoid (or maybe he could, but John is a stubborn fool). And essentially seeing how those things bite him in the ass as an adult. Thankfully, he already has his family around to soften the blows.

Okay, now to answer your question, Yes! (⁠ﾉ⁠◕⁠ヮ⁠◕⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠*⁠.⁠✧ Rhonda helps cheer JD up!

Since John isn't allowed to leave the Bunker because of his prescribed bed rest, and John is too exhausted and insecure about his own appearance to go out anyway, the two don't see each other as much as they used to, but JD still makes an effort to drag himself to Rhonda's garage so he can see his girl, who's being cared for by the rest of him brothers.

Rhonda, on the other hand, is a smart girl and knew her dad wasn't well from the moment he got his braces (since the guys used Rhonda to transport JD from the dentist to the Bunker because they weren't going to force a still-drugged John to walk around the village). She also gets sad and worried when she doesn't see JD for long periods of time. In fact, about two days after John went under the Bunker and didn't come back up, Rhonda made a scene and almost dug the Bunker up just so she could find John. XD John was also pretty nervous about his girl. He knew her siblings were taking good care of her, but it had been just him and Rhonda for a decade! Of course, there would be a little separation anxiety.

So, whenever John goes to the garage, Rhonda is extremely affectionate with him, but also very gentle because she knows John isn't as well as usual and she doesn't want to make him feel worse. John sits on the floor and hugs Rhonda's face as much as he can while Rhonda rubs her cheeks against John's. Sometimes she licks his face to show him she loves him, though she tries not to hold him too close so as not to slobber on him. When John seems particularly hurt or sad, she coos like she's singing him a lullaby and leans around him like a mother when John occasionally decides he wants to take a nap in the garage (usually when he comes to visit her after taking his medicine, because JD definitely feels terrible after taking them and sometimes they make him sleepy, so sleeping with Rhonda makes him feel better). John also sleeps better when he's with Rhonda, since living there for years has accustomed him to her lullabies, and despite the pain in his face, hearing them always calms him. That's partly why John hasn't been sleeping as well since he's been in the Bunker. He misses his girl.

But his brothers can't let him sleep in the garage for obvious reasons, so Branch is thinking of something.

Finally, Rhonda is the only one who takes John Dory out of the Bunker "for a walk." (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠) John's brothers usually take Rhonda out for walks to stretch her legs, but it's not the same without JD, so when John visits and no one has taken her out yet, she grabs John by the shirt like he's a kitten and takes him to the woods. The first time it happened, the brothers were very scared, but Rhonda didn't take him very far. She simply brought him to the spot where they used to camp together and left him on the grass so John could get some fresh air.

John still feels a little awkward about being outside with his braces on and looking disheveled, as he doesn't want anyone to see him in a similar way to how he did back in the Neverglades, but being out of the Bunker was a welcome change of scenery. It felt great to just lie on the grass with his girl nearby like old times.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this answer, and I'm sorry if it was too long. (⁠•⁠ ⁠▽⁠ ⁠•⁠;⁠). Like I said, I tend to drag things out a lot, so… that's it.

Thanks for asking! ✧⁠◝⁠(⁠⁰⁠▿⁠⁰⁠)⁠◜⁠✧

[dropthedemiurge]

Some language comments for Gray Shelter [Episode 5], just like I promised!

"Do whatever/however you want to. (literally: 'Do it the way your heart desires') You do things how you want to anyway."

"I'm sorry" - the translation is correct, it's just it's funny how Yoondae's level of apology to his friend he just lashed out at last time + he wants to ask him for HELP, and all he says is: 미안 (mian). The most informal and short way of apologizing possible. He's so teenager-minded still.

Even when he asks "Can I leave my stuff in your dad's warehouse?" it comes out grammatically more of a demand, like 'Let me do that'. Yoondae is talking like someone who has a lot of walls and doesn't reach out to people, he doesn't talk kindly but he's honest and straightforward and he cries easily but he's very angry about it.

I especially love his facial expression, even when he's at his most miserable, he'll make it everyone else's problem, as if being pitiful is the worst thing that could happen to him. "I have no one else I could ask for help but you >:(("

Fun fact about Korean's sentence structure, when you quote someone or express your thoughts, you put your sentence this way: "quoted phrase" and then + "that's what they said/what i thought/etc". So oftentimes, I see Kdramas use that trick when characters say a phrase... and then take it back with "that's someone else's thoughts" or "that's what you thought I'd say, right? LMAO". It's funny how the translators' way of transferring this was using the word "Sike!" xD

"It wasn't a mistake to me." "If it wasn't a mistake, then [what]? Since you started talking [about it], let me ask you. So what if it wasn't a mistake? What do you want to achieve with me?" "Can I do anything about it? In the past or now, you're the one who runs away and avoids me. I asked you, can I make a decision (do I have any choices)?" "You made the move but you want me to decide? Fine, then. Let sleep together once and end it once and for all. Go wash up first. I don't have time, I only left office for a short time."

The way they both care about each other but their dialogues and words are very sharp and bitter almost all the time, especially here, aaaah. That's the contrast that hooked me for all these 5 episodes. Soohyuk doesn't swear but he's talking to Yoondae very harshly and emotionless here, and for Yoondae harsh talk is the default, it's like Soohyuk is lowering his manners to talk on his level, to provoke him (or maybe that's also how he distances himself from the discovery that Yoondae has feelings for him).

And Yoondae is holding back his frustration and tears, but he understands the way such words were aimed to hurt him, so instead of lashing out back at Soohyuk, as he probably wants him to, he swallows and unusually calmly, almost softly says: "Let's talk when you can be honest. Because I will shut up and wait for you."

And it makes Soohyuk stand there in shock and contemplate.

I'll add next scenes in READ MORE since this post is getting long!

Here's the moment when the boss asks their youngest employee to write something more 'trendy' for their marketing text xD It's very true that trends in Korea come and go very quickly, they also love to invent new terms and phrases all the time. Like "MZ slang", there are many phrases, and the one trendy phrase the boss uses as the example is 킹받네 (king-pad-nae) which literally written as 'receive the king' but means "I got angry" - but with a teasing/playful subtext, like friends could say each other 'ah you're so cute, it makes me angry'.

If I'm not wrong, this phrase was widely used like 1-2 years ago and not really in its trendy peak as well right now but kudos to boss to even learning it xD And it's funny how translator chose to (I assume) use "[living in my head] rent-free" phrase as a substitute. Another fun fact, they ended up using some trendy lingo in their ad that translator gave us as "no cap!" but that part of phone msg was so blurry, I couldn't see which exact Korean phrase they ended up using x)

"Hyung, if you have any ask for help, say so. For you, 2 million... No, I'll try to give you until 3 million won in any way."

Can I just say that we had this character for one moment and I'm so not ready to let him go, I want Jeongwan to have his own storyline and everything and he's too sweet and also caring for strangers/his colleagues, and so he stole the spotlight for me xD

Yoondae said there's no food at home. But also, as you can see, there is: beer, water, rice that you can cook in the microwave, kimchi for a side dish and some other microwaved food. According to my Korean friends, typical Korean person (poor like student) can survive if they have rice, kimchi and also ramyeon. That's their the most basic food. Just a fun fact. xD

Also he was on his third can of beer, and he already made a drunken longing call on the verge of tears to Soohyuk, lying about being hurt and bringing trouble just so he'd return home. "Is that okay with you?" - just shoot me, please. :')

"I called [the cleaning service/you] to tell you to stop it [sleeping outside of home]" "Let's have that dinner [that I promised you] today. Wait for me."

After days, Yoondae was ready to give up, he "tricked" Soohyuk to return home just so he could tell him he'll move out and stop pushing any talk. And then, Soohyuk brought up the dinner (the feelings) that he kept avoiding. No wonder Yoondae looked so struck and confused. It just gave him his hopes back (and viewers too, but we probably should've known better with this kind of series haha)

Interesting cultural context: they are getting samgyeopsal - grilled meat, chosen by Soohyuk because Yoongdae said there wasn't anything he wanted to eat. And usually, the youngest one has to set the cutlery and grill meat, out of respect for the seniors. And here we see that Soohyuk is the one choosing the place, menu and even grilling the meat and pouring soju for Yoondae.

Once again, it shows that despite Yoondae's emotions and pleads, he is not mature enough, he is not ready to focus on other people. We know he can't plan his own future, he doesn't know what to do, and we see where their relationship stands now - Yoondae is still more of a burden than an equal partner to Soohyuk, and Soohyuk is more of a parent.

Even when they drink soju (in Korean drinking etiquette usually you don't drink alone, you toast together and drink together), notice how they don't even clink their glasses together, then Soohyuk is the only one drinking and Yoondae wants to follow him but puts the glass back. He's taking a shot later, when Soohyuk grills the meat again. They are totally unsynchronized at this point of their lives, and it's painful to watch.

"I said he [my father] was dead because that's the truth/reality for me. There was no other [hidden] meaning. I didn't plan to lie to you."

"I moved out completely. If I don't organize my life starting from doing this, then I don't think I'll be able to live like all the other [normal] people."

The fact that Yoondae started thinking about improving his life (the word 'organizing'), immediately made Soohyuk stop in surprise. So he started asking what does the normal life like others mean to him, hopeful to find that equal adult footing from Yoondae... but Yoondae's thoughts stopped there. And Soohyuk offered his own goal and life meaning: "to have a place to go back to, that's enough for me".

Here's when Yoondae thoughtfully agreed with him: "It's important to have a home", and took the meat tongs from Soohyuk, saying how high-maintenance he is. Yoondae embraced that realization, he took the responsibility (even a small cultural gesture) and even though Yoondae nagged him, Soohyuk smirked. Because it wasn't a completely hopeless situation. And Yoondae proved it, by saying how eating like this and going home together is his normal life as well. (and yet they were still unsynchronized until the very end! we can't have happy ending yet)

AND HERE IS WHERE I HAVE TO MAKE A SECOND POST! Because tumblr only allows 30 images in one, and I can't stop screenshotting the last conversation so I'm going to make another post that you can find in 'gray shelter comments' or 'dropthemeta' tags (upd. or here's the link to the post!)^^

[pizzabox-box]

Ah this is cringe as heck for me, but screw it, the last ask you got about a person not feeling much sympathy all for Peppi-No really was great, kudos to the OP of that comment since it really got me thinking, why even if I agree what the dude is doing is awful... I actually feel pretty fucking bad for him XD.

Like, I think we can all agree we've done shit in our lives that wasn't great, and that doesn't diminish the harm done or the fact other people have gotten hurt from our own stupid decisions. I also just think sympathetic villains are so interesting. (when done right, and hell you could argue even if he is the protagonist of the DMW AU, Peppi-No is a bit of an anti-villian) it really makes you think about the fact its so normal for people do try to avoid the consequences of their actions. I'm sure everyone has done something bad and instead of admitting fault have doubled down and tried to save face because they were SURE they could "fix" it without getting hurt from it.

Sure most of the time, (...I hope) its not as bad as murdering a person and taking on their identity... I think there is something really human about wanting to not get hurt, and feeling like shit about regrets we've had.

I think that Peppi-No even if what he doing is wrong, still... I dunno I can empathize. I mean.. he's sooo sowwy 🥺, its kinda pathetic, like a more extreme version of a puppy that just destroyed something important to you. Like "awww... you asshole, you're so cute though but goddamn it..."

I both am loving the angst of this AU and know its going to be so cathartic to see Peppi-no finally deal with his lie blowing up in his face and suffering MORE >:). I feel sympathy yes but I also love angst hehe.

(sorry if that wasn't super well worded? I don't normally send things like these >//>)

I assure you, it’s not cringe! It’s nice to see both sides voice their opinions!

Personally, I’m pretty divided on how I feel about Peppi-no. Part of me wants to strangle him for what he did (and what he might still do*cough* ), but at the same time, he’s,like you said, a sad, pathetic "sowwy" puppy, and I can’t help but feel bad for him.

When he took a piece of Peppino, he may have gained a conscience but not emotional maturity. He’s like a kid who just realized he fucked up in the worst way possible and is terrified of the consequenses. And fear can drive people to do terrible things, after all. Before that, his entire existence was just scrambling around, making pizzas out of whatever he could find: pigs, other clones, pizza monsters. He ended many lives, that but never faced any sort of repercussions. Never got a chance to learn "murder bad" ,

Then he takes a bite out of one of the kind Peppino—bam! Conscience, coherent thoughts, and memories of the guy he killed flood into his head. Can you imagine the whiplash, the shock, the stress? I certainly can’t.

Obviously, I’m not some dough doppelgänger pretending to be someone I killed. That would just be silly… no, really, I’m not.. But I can relate a little to what Peppi-no’s going through.

And let’s be honest, how many of us would have the absolute balls of steel to admit we killed someone’s friend in cold blood? Sure, it’s the morally right thing to do, but… you know. I’m not sure I could. (Once again purely hypothetical scenario)

Peppi-no's actions are unexcusable, he should know better than this by now, but at the same time you can kinda understand why he acts the way he does.

[dia-oro]

I completely agree that even the calmest, kindest, and most understanding latinas or latinos have a temper no one wants to unleash or provoke. I’m one of those latinas and latinos, and while I may have the patience of a saint, when I explode, it’s better to run or avoid talking to me for a while because, in that moment, I’m worse than the devil himself.

I blame my mom for being my example, as I resemble her absurdly. I also blame my brother and sister for having triggered that side of me, unintentionally traumatizing them a little while also disciplining them for life not to push my patience.

I believe I could bring the Yandere Chain to its knees faster than the blink of an eye and discipline them completely, turning them from wild dogs into obedient dogs with military training. That’s because some latinas or latinos we have a kind of sixth sense and can tell when something’s wrong or when someone is lying to our faces. In my case, it doesn’t help that I’m the smartest in my family after my dad, who was an almost know-it-all like me. This means I can get very creative with my methods of punishment and rewards.

If the guys do something I disapprove of or lie to my face, I’d teach them a lesson that would make them wish for a physical punishment instead of mine. That’s because I can be very malicious when provoked and have countless weapons at my disposal to use against them. For example, since I’m an excellent cook, I’d withhold meals I prepare, especially desserts, from them for a good while. I’d also take away any affectionate gestures, and worst of all, I’d apply the silent treatment, torturing them slowly and almost painfully by making them miss hearing my voice.

The guys would have to learn the hard way that if one of them does something wrong, all of them get punished. To earn rewards, each one would have to work hard because I’m someone who can forgive but never forget.

It would go something like this: If Time or Sky get jealous or possessive with me, they lose the right to sleep next to me for the entire chain for an indefinite period. If Warriors and Legend argue about who’s better at something, say goodbye to my famous cooking for all of them indefinitely. If I discover that Four has neglected himself while making me armor or a weapon, all of them lose my affection. If I find out that Twilight and Wild threatened or nearly killed a poor man who merely spoke to me on my instructions or for something I purchased, it’s silent treatment for everyone because bad boys doesn't deserve good things. It will be even worse for them if they exhaust my patience entirely and bring out my bad side because, at that moment, I won’t be the sweet and kind person they know me to be.

They might cry or beg for my forgiveness, but unfortunately for them, I’m firm with my decisions, and I’ll only lift the punishment once they’ve learned their lesson. Reforming these guys from their yandere attitudes is a long-term task, requiring patience and perseverance. It’s possible to reduce their behavior to a much more tolerable level with my methods of punishments and rewards, especially if they don’t provoke my temper. But I’ll be confident that they won’t be a danger to others unless I tell them to or give my approval.

In simple words, calm latinas and latinos are like time bombs in terms of temperament. When we explode, we’re worse than nuclear bombs—something our dear Yandere Chain would never want to unleash or test, because we have limits, and when they’re crossed, it’s better to run or beg for mercy.

And also ¡saludos desde Chile 🇨🇱 y feliz año nuevo!

oh yes, I don't see mercy here at your hands at the hour of them disappointing you xD they all are going to suffer very nicely, by nicely I can only say they will be dead to hylia after a week and she is loving every minute of it if they are the 'worshipping' type they will only see sure as heck no only Hylia have torture them but you also, nice, I'm sure they deserve it.

every Latina have I'm their very gens the fury of God itself ready to unleash in the right (and no so right) time :D I'm too very mellow even a little people pleaser but because I have conflict issues so I will ignored them or just got annoyed till my good of heart end in probably the most gory bloodbath see by man, at more young age I have a severed anger issue so yea, I'm with you in that, when they break the last piece of my kindness there is only horror let till I burn out it all and just got annoyed with their misery.

Girl you would no only bring them to your mercy , you would be a roler mode for the Zelda's to know what to do with these misbehaving hero's, they are needed like the only ones to know how to really fight a true disaster at least train the knight man! Flora learning how to tame the wildness in wild enough to him to go to his work as teacher, malon only need to count in reverse Thank to your try and now also she know how to fucking make time work at lon lon and no mope because you have a life to.

All the girls learned from the master how to make these men be functional for society.

Feliz año nuevo ! Espero que allás pasado felices fiestas.

[lunarsilver]

What awaits you in January?

I've decided to have some fun and try bibliomancy. Three quotes, three totally different books that share in common that I've had all them on my shelf and on my tbr list xD. "Carmilla" by Sheridan Le Fanu, "Freshwater" by Akwaeke Emezi and "Autoboyography" by Christina Lauren.

Arts are from official manga covers of Dandadan.

REMEMBER

I’m not a doctor, a psychiatrist, a therapist nor a psychologist. Divination will never replace meetings with them.

It’s a general reading, so not everything will resonate.

If you can’t choose between two piles, probably both of them have some messages for you. You can also not identify with any of them, and that’s okay, too.

Readings can help you make a decision, but they shouldn’t be the main reason for making it.

1 ~ 2

3 ~ 4

PILE 1

Whenever you tell me your story, it will be made up chiefly of some one great romance.

My mother does not sleep at night.

Blinking a few times, he exhales in relief as the game goes to commercial break.

PILE 2

It was like the ardor of a lover; it embarrassed me; it was hateful and yet overpowering; and with gloating eyes she drew me to her, and her hot lips traveled along my cheek in kisses and she would whisper, almost in sobs, “You are mine, you shall be mine, you and I are one forever.”

We were distinct in her head by then: we had been Smoke and Shadow since the naming, since the second birth, little nagging parts that the Ada tried to ignore, that she sometimes argued with but didn’t tell anyone about.

Do you want to go with me?

PILE 3

Can you point out where it stood?

I was manifesting strongly that day, wearing her face, but with sharper cheekbones and fuller lips.

I avoid Mom all night when she gives me that lingering wanna-talk look, and claim I’m swamped with homework, which is true, but it’s a Friday night and I’m not fooling anyone.

PILE 4

I hope you are thinking of claiming the title and estates?

I could have told her it was all me, even that last one.

I watch him tuck in, using a fork, not chopsticks, neatly managing to get a pile of noodles in his mouth without greasing up his chin.

[ika-nas]

I had a nightmare about Wally, and I managed to type it down before I forgot XD

I was avoiding Wally because he was being particularly clingy for some reason, and I wanted some alone time. I felt bad for avoiding him, I also feel like he know I’m with the others and he felt jealous. The other characters comforted me that I made the right decision and I should be away from wally for a while.

A knock came, and I could hear Wally's voice, he was creepily muttering about why are you so tall? and more stuff about questioning my existance. He suddenly cried for help, saying he doesn't want to be alone, and that made me give in, I immediately opened the door but outside was pure darkness, wally was kneeling in the ground, he was making the scary face where almost half his face can't be seen. He was like a scared cat glaring at me, but I knew he was in desperate need of help.

I felt guilty, and I lowered myself at his level, I apologized and asked him to come to me. He did, and I closed the door, the darkness was gone but it was still night. Then, the atmosphere got scary, weird humans wearing mascot costumes of the characters started to creepily play outside, you can tell they are human because they are not wearing the costumes properly, you can see their hands and skin peeking through the gaps, I can see them in my open windows roaming outside the house. Whenever I take a look outside, they are playing weird stuff, it felt like they were taunting us. The weirdest thing is that the layout of the house began to look exactly the same as my house.

All the characters who were stuck with me inside the house were scared, all of them are hiding and I thought that they can't come inside but the longer the night is, the more power they seem to have. They managed to break in on the room opposite from mine by going through the window, I closed the door, but they used a knife to slowly destroy it, I used the couch to block the door and buy more time.

I started to look for Wally, and he was suddenly small (he looked exactly like Find Mini Wally by JuDraw in Tiktok). I asked what I should do, but he doesn't know too, I took him from his hiding spot, and I went to my room. I closed the door, the windows are still open, I knew they were going to get in, but I still hid behind the mattress while holding Wally tightly. I didn't hear them break in...

Then, I felt like I was woken up by someone, but I was alone in the house, and my alarm hasn't gone off....

.

.

.

For context, I drank coffee in a new cafe last night, and it was so strong kinda mess up my sleep, and the nightmare happened. Well, it's not really a nightmare, more of a spooky dream, I wasn't scared when I woke up, just confused. Aside from the effect of the coffee I think I had that dream cause I've been busy lately and when I heard the news that the Welcome Home website was back, I took a peek, but wally was gone and the main focus is Julie (which isn't bad I love her too! I just miss my favorite boy T^T) and I heard that you can only find his crumbs which made me kinda sad plus I've been stressed lately cause of the summer heat and several schoolworks.

Anyway, the nightmare was so vivid in my mind that I immediately typed it on my cellphone. It was kinda scary but also exciting with how real the dream felt sooo I'm gonna put it here in tumblr (and maybe on AO3 later) . I'll be happy for someone to adapt the idea or turn this in a fic, please tag me or gimme a link so I can read it too. I hope you enjoyed reading! (p.s. my first language isn't English, so I'm sorry if there is some typo or details that are not clear)

[panda-puma]

oh, I've had a hunch that Sanji got... cranked up to 11 in the anime. after OPLA I became manga-only reader, as I wanted the rawest possible OP experience and also bcuz reading is quicker than watching the anime 😅 (I'm still not even halfway through -- recently started Impel Down -- but it is such a great story, I already love it so much!!!) but I also started dipping my toes into the fandom. and I saw people hating Sanji for being a gross pervert. but while reading the manga, this man gave me more of a love-sick puppy vibes??? all the swooning and fussing over Nami and Robin seemed almost sweet (him running towards them with flowers in Skypiea or cotton candy in Long Ring Island? c'mon, that was adorable) he has his moments but they aren't even that bad, tbh. I wondered that maybe it was a misguided hate towards his special treatment for women (chivalry?????) rankling feminists, tired of men treating women like wilting flowers in constant need of man-help but no, people seemed very dead-set on him being a straight up pervert and I realised... oh, those are anime fans... oh, no... what happened here, and I got discouraged from trying to watch the anime, since if it changed Sanji, one of the main characters, it was very likely to change other things, especially given how old the anime is. and then I realised that it already changed things even in the first episode and I kind of... stuck to the manga for now. maybe I will watch some movies just to see the One Piece world prettily animated 🤔

(Long post) First of all, some recommendations for you so you can enjoy the animation ^^ If you want to enjoy One Piece animated with an "Oda feel", watch the movie "Strong World". The script is written by Oda and you can watch it after finishing Thriller Bark. Like with the rest of the movies, the content is not Canon content, so what you see on them doesn't really happen in the real One Piece story (even if some of the enemies pasts are canon), but this one is the best and more on character we can probably see.

After that, Oda was executive producer in "Film Z" (supposed to be after FishMan Island Arc, but preferably after Punk Hazard Arc to avoid spoilers) and "Gold" (watch after Dressrosa Arc). His involvement with these movies is not so big, tho, so watch them with that in mind. (For example, in "Gold" Oda only rewrote the script of the climax of the story, because he was specially unsatisfied with how that part was done. They had to redraw the last 10min of the movie OvOu)

Also he was a producer in "Red" (watch after Wano Arc), and he made a lot of interesting comics and things that are canon pre-Movie... but the Movie on itself is weird. They changed many things of his initial notes and the characters are very "out of character" in my opinion. It has very good music and animation, tho! But yeah... watch with caution ^^U

(I was not gonna mention it at first, but why not... there is also "Stampede", but "Oda stated that he would not have allowed the movie's story to be produced if it was not a commemoration of the anime's 20th anniversary." So... I wouldn't watch it if you expect anything that makes sense in his world or characters xDU)

(You also have the OVA "One Piece - Defeat Him! The Pirate Ganzack", which pre-dates Toei's Anime adaptation. Oda took a lot of interest in this OVA, and he praised it a lot when it came out in 1998) ----------- And second, in my opinion, you made the right decision going to the Manga! As you say, it is the best way to get the rawest version of the story. And also way faster to read it than to watch it xD

I'm glad you love it so much! ❤️ It is really an amazing story, and I hope you keep enjoying it ^^

And now, oh boy, about Sanji... (this is gonna be a very reduced and fast thing I'm gonna write, but I plan on analyze the differences between the Manga and Anime in this other tumblr, if you want to see more eventually):

Your hunch is completely correct. Sadly Sanji's character is completely obliterated in the Anime ^^U

He is reduced to his perverted side (and very veery amped up), or to being mean and fighting all the time. He has nothing of the kindness he shows in the Manga, only the things they can not exclude for the story to make sense. The many fillers also show a different Sanji than the one shown in the Manga. The Anime also shows Nami completely disgusted by him very often, which influences the way we see him as viewers. She just treats him like a slave when she is being "nice". (Nami is also very different in the Anime. They all are different people in the Anime, honestly u_uUU)

So yes, I think most of people who hate him for being gross and a pervert mainly have their first and only contact being the Anime. And it is understandable feeling like that, because it is seriously a bad representation of the character. He is not himself at all.

The Anime reaches an even more unpalatable degree after the time-skip. ---- [((Little Spoiler of right After Time-Skip: Sanji comes back more sensitive to pretty women in the Manga, which translates into many nosebleeds until he recovers. But in the Anime they had always shown him in that level of pervert, or even worse! So they had to amp it even MORE and show him harassing random women and everyone being disgusted around him... something that doesn't happen in the Manga! It makes the character really stand out in grossness))] ----

As you say, Sanji in the Manga is a sweet guy, and only shows as a real pervert sometimes... but it is shown in a funny way. And Nami and Robin react in a non-negative way, mostly just amused that he is such a dummy. But everyone knows he is just harmless.

He totally acts like a love-sick puppy and has those sweet romantic outburst, but he can be a normal human being. And most importantly, treats them mainly as friends and human beings. Anime Sanji could never xDU

Please, feel free to make more asks ^^

[amtrak12]

Hi, amtrak12! I'm your Bering & Wells gifter this year, and I'd be happy to provide you with a story of a sort that might make your heart sing. I write AU and canon-compliant stuff, though I do tend to avoid full-on tragedy and anything truly explicit--apologies for that, if it's too limiting, but I bet you'd find any attempts I'd make at those to resemble lumps of coal rather than true gifts. In any case, I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

OMG I totally feel you on the explicit smut. I, too, should not be trusted to write it! LOL And I think the Bering and Wells fandom gave ourselves enough tragic fics during our great Angst War of 2013 😜 So those restrictions are totally fine with me!

Oh, I'm so excited for this! Let's see...

My general likes:

The S3 yearning during Helena's pokeball era XD I will read anything where Myka sneaks Helena's hologram out late at night to talk to her.

Helena mentoring kids. I hate S4 and I hate Instinct, but I do agree with its premise that Helena is fantastic with kids and would love to play a significant role in a child's life again.

Warehouse artifact shenanigans, especially during inventory. Always a classic.

Dislikes:

Character bashing (though feel free to criticize Myka's dad more than the show did)

Season 4 -- everything except Steve's resurrection is just a big no from me. Though if you want to use Abigail in the fic, you can. I did like her.

Season 5 -- I didn't even bother watching this one. I noped out right before the S4 finale and I don't regret that decision at all.

I am more than happy with an AU future where the warehouse and everyone are magically alive (and Leena never died). I don't even need an explanation for it. 💜 Canon S1-3 settings or even pre-series settings are also good with me.

If you'd like some specific prompts to get you started....

Canon Setting Prompts:

Helena has to work with Pete to help Myka -- could be something as big as Myka being in danger. Could be something as simple and domestic as picking out a birthday gift. Myka has two important people in her life and I, at least, am incapable of thinking about her and Helena without also inevitably thinking about Myka's relationship with Pete. (As completely platonic BROTP, of course. No Myka/Pete romance, either past or present :S But that's probably assumed in a B&W gift exchange.)

Helena's past work with WH12 shows up in small ways -- she recognizes an artifact during inventory, she wrote one of the shelving tags, or they find a report she filled out over a hundred years ago when they're refiling in the archives. Could be angsty because it's S3 and Myka misses her. Could be comforting because Helena's back and every reminder helps her feel like she's home. Could be any tone in between.

Myka having to adjust to having Helena living at the B&B, either in S2 when they're still getting to know each other or in a happy, post-S3 world where Helena's working with them again. Or maybe Myka notes that it isn't an adjustment for her at all because it feels so natural to have Helena living with them. Just domestic introspection outside of the chaos of the job.

AU Setting Prompts:

I'm a huge sucker for soulmate AUs. The tattoo style markings are my favorite premise, but if you have another favorite soulmate set-up, feel free to use that instead. I just think it's neat to explore the impact soulmates would have on the world building and relationships. Are soulmates formed or pre-ordained? How do soulmates work when the other person was born in a completely different era than you?

I know we had a firefighter/paramedic AU series way back in the day, but I wouldn't be mad to see it come back. I've been watching a lot of 9-1-1 lately LOL

Lawyer AUs are also always delicious. The tension that comes out in the courtroom -- HNNG!! There's a reason I have sexual headcanons for Alex Cabot (Law & Order SVU) and every single female defense lawyer and judge she came across ROTFL (And no, this doesn't contradict the no smut agreement, you and I have made, anon. One of my most formative ships was Doctor/Rose. They were heavy on the Unresolved Sexual Tension, and I firmly believe UST should make a comeback in media/fic. It's about the denial, it's about the what if's, the almost's, GUH!)

Hopefully, that gave you enough variety to inspire you without overwhelming you. I will be happy with any length of fic. So if you're the type of writer who thrives on deadlines and/or can write plotty fic in a short time, great. If you're a slower or shorter writer, also great! There seems to be a trend where readers only want 10k+ fics (at least in my current fandom), but I love short stories! I think you can do a lot in just a single scene. So write whatever length you're comfortable with, and feel free to use these ideas as just a starting point. I'll be thrilled to read whatever you come up with :) Thank you so much! 💗

[blackjackkent]

All right. Sort of found Minsc last night, but hopefully tonight we find him for realsies!

To the sewers! Show me how excited you are about going back to the sewers, Hector.

That's what I thought.

I stole some fancy new armor for Jaheira out of the back of the secure vault from a box with a DC-30 SoH check; I savescummed it, yes, but I feel no guilt from an RP level bc it was not labeled as an item that would be considered theft. XD So I'm choosing to believe Glitterbeard gave this to us as thanks for saving his hide.

It looks pretty dope on her.

We have to be somewhat careful here because (I have been informed by @aloptext) the game actually isn't kidding about Florrick only having five days to live. So if I want to get Minsc and then save her we need to be fairly judicious with our long rests. So for now we'll go straight to Minsc and try and avoid getting caught in any other trouble in the meantime.

...

...

I wrote the above and was IMMEDIATELY accosted by a woman in the street out of nowhere. It actually startled me a little.

"You! The gods-damned disease of the Gate! Lady Mizora told me everything - how you and the Blade of Frontiers slaughtered his own father, how he craves ultimate power, how he means to make the city bow to him and him alone! First I finish you! Then I finish the duke's traitorous son!"

...Mizora, you motherfucker. >:|

I guess we should have expected this. Hector's pretty upset about it; they already had Orin doing her best to smear his reputation in the city. He doesn't need Mizora doing it too.

The woman's anger seems sincere, though; he suspects she is a decent, honorable person being misled by Mizora's lies but doing what she believes is the right thing. And-- I recognize her name!

"Cordula Eltan." Almost certainly related to Duke Eltan, founder of the Flaming Fist, who was present at Caden's adventures in BG1.

We have the option to address her with recognition, as her family has "a storied history" in the city, but Hector has a history check he can take instead, nerd boy that he is.

[HISTORY] A relevant thread of knowledge pokes at your mind. Explore it.

Narrator: You remember the stories of Elturel's fall. The city was dragged into the Hells at Zariel's behest - and Ravengard along with it.

Ooh. I actually forgot that Ravengard was apparently involved in the original fall of Elturel. It's not super clear if the implication here is supposed to be that Mizora is shooting for revenge against him for escaping Zariel's grasp, but that certainly seems to be the line Hector is trying to take.

"Zariel's stunt destroyed countless lives," he says soberly. "Mizora is her minion. You can't trust her."

Eltan hesitates... then sheathes her blades. Hector gets the distinct impression she was already thinking this in the back of her mind and he has merely forced her to confront it.

"Stand down," she mutters. "I believe you, the Battle Lord help me. What darkness has fallen upon us..." A slight pause; she looks Hector up and down consideringly, then seems to come to a decision.

"Listen. There's something Wyll should know," she says earnestly, her voice softening. "On his way from Elturel, Ravengard sent a messenger with word of the cult. He knew about the Absolute. I thought little of it at first - but he realized the danger before anyone else did. He understood that if the cult were successful in raising an army, Baldur's Gate would be doomed."

Her eyes narrow. "And he knew that to protect the city, one trained in the ways of the great champions would have to rouse the wyrm living beneath. If I'm not mistaken, that would be Wyll."

Wait.

What?

Hector blinks rapidly, thrown by this unexpected pivot in the conversation. "Do you mean there's a *dragon* living under the city?" he asks, bewildered.

"A bronze dragon, to be precise," Eltan answers gravely. "Sleeping beneath us. The wyrm goes by many names. Ansur. The Waiting Storm. The Heart of the Gate. He made Balduran a binding promise to protect the city when its need was greatest."

...Interesting. (Especially interesting that the Emperor didn't feel like bringing this up when it mentioned we need to look for allies. Seems like the sort of thing that would be valuable information.)

"The city's survived countless threats," Eltan goes on. "But Ravengard knew its walls would fall to the cult. With him gone and the city near ruin, your call is to unleash the Heart of the Gate." She hands him a curled scroll of paper; he feels the fragility of it, the age of the paper. "'The Legend of Ansur.' The bards call it a tall tale. But every last word is true. Follow its path to the wyrm." She scowls tightly. "Or do not, and let the Coast be drowned in blood."

Hector considers the woman in silence for a moment. He has heard of this story obliquely in some reading or other - but not as something seriously considered fact. But this woman seems quite lucid in all other regards so he is hesitant to call her mad in this one. And if it's true...

They need allies. And, to be honest, Wyll needs something to give him a sense of purpose in the wake of the terrible sacrifice he's had to make.

"Your faith in us is well-founded," Hector says, matching the younger woman's serious tone. "We will seek the wyrm and ask for his help."

Eltan nods crisply. "I was right to lay down my arms, Foehammer be praised. I should go, gather allies. We'll join you in your hour of need. Free the wyrm, and may his thunderous wind drive the Absolute from the Coast."

-----

Well, that was unexpected. XD Hector's days continue to get weirder.

The written tale she gave us is fun because it has notes from Wyll's dad written in the margins.

I guess we'll go look into that after we've gotten Minsc, Florrick, and potentially Ravengard himself to safety.

[twilightknight17]

Last night on P5T, the sky is a clockwork hell, but it’s okay, because we’re doing the traditional P5 information cutscene! And as usual… we still don’t manage to clear up everything!

(Seriously. I will never stop making fun of the fact that the post-Plan cutscene is a 2 hour infodump and STILL doesn’t answer everything. XD)

Anyway, it’s nice to have everyone together in the Velvet Room.

Lavenza fits in great with the rest of the Thieves. Now if only we could convince her to come fight with us, we’d have no problems getting through anything else in our way. ;)

But she can at least shed some light on what Salmael is, because as usual, it’s a manifestation of a human instinct gone berserk.

Congrats, kids, on reaching a point where we can discuss Yaldabaoth by name! Scramble's timeline never managed that. XD

According to Lavenza, unlike the God of Control, which came from people’s desires to be idle and leave all the decisions up to someone else, Salmael is the personification of humanity’s self-preservation instinct.

Which makes sense, in terms of Persona final bosses. It makes as much sense as the personification of the desire for bonds, or the personification of the desire for solitude, so we’re all good so far. But, hm. They keep talking about what makes it different from the God of Control, but…

…...who does THAT sound like, Atlus? Hm? Is this a god damn sequel or not? It has to be Royal’s universe. Joker’s got his grappling hook, Morgana and the others know Lavenza already, but you are just determined not to mention Maruki at all even though this is definitely his MO. This thing isn’t like Yaldabaoth, but it is like Maruki! So why are you willing to mention one god by name, but avoid the other entirely? You’re exhausting, Atlus. Honestly. X’’’D

GEE, MORGANA, I WONDER WHAT PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WOULD INFORM THAT OPINION?

Anyway, Lavenza explains that the Kingdoms are a structure that, the way she describes it, sounds like a halfway point between a Dungeon/Palace and something like Tartarus. A place constructed by a cognitive god, but from the cognition of a single person. Under normal circumstances, Salmael would have been able to infiltrate Toshiro’s mind and take over. But because his latent potential was already stirring, it couldn’t overpower him that easily, so it used his cognition to create and populate this distortion in an effort to break his will.

And Toshiro’s spark of rebellion was inspired by the broadcast hijack. <3

So Salmael built the Kingdoms, and created the Rulers as fragments of itself, dressed up in the image of Toshiro’s memories to mentally wear him down.

I… think this implies that Shadow Toshiro was another one of Salmael’s creations? Which reads as true to me. I don’t think Toshiro ever blamed Eri for what happened. I think he blamed himself. So his shadow wouldn’t want to kill Eri. But a god focused on stamping out any hint of rebellion would.

It also, according to Lavenza, took shadows from the Sea of Souls and turned them into its Legionnaires, which is why when we destroy them, they drop gears with the essences of the original demons/personas that we can then use for fusion. Which makes sense!

And, after realizing that it wasn’t managing to wear Toshiro down just by waging war in his mind, it pulled his real self into the metaverse to break him directly.

Now, Erina.

Lavenza says that she is the cognitive embodiment of Toshiro’s feelings of hope and resistance, taking on the form of the person who inspired him. And he subconsciously entrusted his unawakened powers of persona to her to help her fight back against Salmael, which is why she can do magic like the Thieves.

Lavenza says that in this state, she was essentially a cognitive being with an inner persona. She was protecting Toshiro’s subconscious and will of rebellion where he couldn’t.

All of that is… fine. It’s fine. It’s a little fast and loose, but it’s the sort of thing that’s okay if you gloss over some of the details. After all, we know a shadow that gained enough of an ego to develop a persona, and we know cognitions that grew so powerful that they overwhelmed a Palace in the ruler’s place, and we know cognitive gods that lived as humans, amnesiac or not. So a cognition trusted with the power of its creator’s persona is something I can grasp.

The fact that she, herself, is considered his persona and how they implement it afterwards is what bothers me.

You can still send both of them into battle. Erina operates completely independently from Toshiro, still has her own magic and uses her own skills, and just… disappears briefly when Toshiro needs her to be Ernesto. That’s really not how I would have done it.

One option would be to say that he’s taken his power back from her now that he’s strong enough to stand on his own. He can fight with Ernesto, and she can fight with just her guns and melee (or say that some of the power still lingers with her so she can still do magic, idk). OR, if they’re gonna insist that she is Ernesto and not just a cognition wielding Ernesto’s power, then you can’t have both out there at the same time. It makes so much less sense to have her running around as normal and just being a persona when convenient. If you want her still running around as a person during cutscenes, fine, I can accept that, but if she’s gonna be his persona then she needs to be his persona during battle.

I don’t know, it all just feels so much messier than it needs to be. It feels like it’s literally just that they wanted to keep Erina around as her own character after the reveal, and they did it in the most convoluted way possible.

But, anyway, Lavenza has crashed the train into the final area and I’m just now realizing how very close they’re skirting to another entry on the stolen things list. Not quite, though, thankfully, or I’d be getting even more unhinged. What’s the next step up in unhinged-ness from “lorekeeper”?

Loving Erina’s enthusiasm despite the clockwork hellscape, though. XDDDD

Salmael is summoning metal versions of bosses past to stop us (hm. metal versions. Hmmmm), and so far I’ve beaten Marie. The kids have come to the realization that Salmael is targeting Toshiro specifically because he’s the most likely to be the next prime minister, and therefore would have the most influence on the people. So like Yaldabaoth using Shido, really.

Toshiro blames himself for the real-world Marie being as bad as she was because he didn’t stand up to her, and we get a lovely reminder that Akira can be a horrible little goblin if you let him. :3

And Lavenza offers us a set of challenges to unlock everyone’s final skills, because she can’t fight us herself, as much as she wants to.

Which I can’t really complain about, because as much as I love my darling attendant here, she is a little cheater. Gimmick boss fight without explaining what the gimmick is, or that it even exists in the first place? Mean, Lavenza. There’s a reason I never beat her bonus boss fight in Royal. It’s the only one I never beat.

Anyway, final notes. I love Erina and Yusuke’s little drawings to “help” illustrate what’s being talked about. Absolutely delightful.

Overall, a pretty solid explanation of what’s been going on, but getting it all at once is still a little much, and as usual, there’s still things it didn’t answer. How did it pull Toshiro into the metaverse? How did it pull the Thieves into the metaverse? Toshiro had already been imprisoned by Cognitive Marie for a while when they got there, so what separate thing dragged in the Thieves (and Lavenza)? It would be weird for Salmael to bring them in and risk them freeing Toshiro. Just take care of them after you break him. You’re a god; why do you need to rush?

And I love the idea of Toshiro subconsciously fighting back against Salmael’s attempts to get in his head. Honestly, if it had been a cognitive space that Toshiro constructed, instead of one made by Salmael to break him, I’d say it lines up very well with my version of a cognitive Stronghold. Which, I’m not even gonna put that on the stolen stuff list, because I like being validated in my overall worldbuilding choices. XDDDD

Metal Yoshiki is probably next, but I think I’m gonna see what Lavenza’s challenges are, first. She better not be cheating again. :’’’D

[goldenteaset]

Beyond curious about your "Ramsay Bolton (Game of Thrones ver. era" (no pressure or judgement though! just curious about your thots)

OH MAN (thanks anon! And for clarifying too XD;)

Okay, so. Let's wind back the clock to 2013, to a very different Tea: one who had convinced herself for some reason that she was "too old" for fun in general at the grizzled old age of *checks notes* her late teens/early twenties, and was finally starting to realize that was the stupidest decision she'd ever made. Thankfully, even at the height of my bad decision making I let myself have one nice thing, and that was Game of Thrones.

I got into it (and the books, A Song of Ice and Fire) in 2011 I think? When the first promo poster with Sean Bean as Ned Stark dropped, and I can almost never deny myself something with Sean Bean in it. XD; After a lot of reading-to-prepare, and a college classmate lending me each disk of the DVDs per week, I was capital-H Hooked. Despite what a mess Game of Thrones eventually became? Seasons 1-4 remain very, very good. I believe by 2013 we'd reached Season 3, and my fave was not Ned Stark at all. It was Theon Greyjoy, the most hated man on TV.

"What does that have to do with Ramsay?" you might ask. As it turns out, everything. And not just because this was also my "Theon Era".

(...Under the cut because it got long, oops.)

See, I don't blame people for disliking Theon. Theon in seasons 1-2 is a selfish, entitled coward just as much as he is a good-hearted, loyal nineteen year old: someone who starts off as a glorified hostage to the House Stark and by the start of S3 has turned traitor, murdered children as a ruse to keep what fragile control he had over the Stark family castle, and then stuck as a prisoner of war by House Bolton, banner men of the Starks. Shortly before his capture, he says with a mixture of misery and stubbornness "I've come too far to be anything else."

And then the writers (in both book and tv versions) looked at the audience reaction to Theon, looked at that line, and went "Oh, have you, now? :3c"

Most of Theon's storyline in S3 is in a single dimly-lit stone room, with him strapped to a flaying cross. He's tortured physically and mentally, and we never see the perpetrators. In fact, it almost feels like it's (some of) the audience's own feelings toward the guy getting enacted. I'm sure it felt cathartic at first! But then it kept going. And going. And going.

And then, in the middle of this hell, a little light appears, though you wouldn't know it by looking at him cringingly mopping up Theon's blood. Welsh actor Iwan Rheon, credited as "The Boy", feels like just the sort of person Theon needs in this moment; someone gentle, innocent, and who believes in him. But there's these little things that make you wonder, just enough--if he's with Theon's people (the Ironborn), why does he use the Stark rallying cry? Why is this kind, sweet soul so coldly efficient with a bow (just like Theon)?

But Theon doesn't have time to notice all that. He's shaken by the torture, the narrowly-avoided threat of rape by Bolton men, that with his injuries he has to rely on this boy. And yet The Boy is kind. The Boy is helpful. The Boy worships the ground Theon walks on. He'll listen to anything his Lord Greyjoy has to say. So Theon Greyjoy, the Turncloak, starved for any tenderness at all and with escape in sight, spills his guts.

And we have it on video, like Candid Camera from hell! :D

I opted to show it instead of just describing it, because frankly you kinda have to see it in action. Even now, the lighting, the acting, even the way The Boy pauses and looks genuinely troubled when Theon starts really throwing it all out there, it still gives me chills! (I know award shows never matter, but Alfie Allen [Theon] and Iwan Rheon still have Best Supporting Actors in my heart)

And of course, now you know what all this has been leading to. Why Ramsay Bolton (or rather, since he's still an illegitimate heir at this point in-story "Ramsay Snow")?

What is it, his pretty face? I would say yes, but then in 2014 I'd have been anonymously writing RPF featuring Iwan Rheon instead. You saw the video, you know how he can twist his face into a veritable gargoyle's if he wants, so that can't wholly be it. Something about Ramsay's character specifically really spoke to me in 2014, enough that I decided to get back on the fic writing saddle via the GOT kink meme.

Like I said, I was a very different person with a headspace to match; a lot more worried about What This Character Could Say About Me. Which I suspect only made the obsession stronger, really. XD; But to hone in on some stuff that's consistent about my tastes for a second...in S3, Ramsay post-reveal brings this sort of childlike enthusiasm to every scene he's in. He is having so much fun being a nightmarish mirror of Theon's worst traits! Even when he was flaying my fave's little finger off, I couldn't look away. It's the kind of personality trait that immediately made me wonder what he was like when he had to behave himself. Say, around girls.

Because he has a harem! Yes, believe it or not this rabid puppy of a man actually got laid, sometimes even on screen. Needless to say, this also didn't help my obsession. XD Suddenly, I had a perfectly good excuse to rustle up a sweet young thing for him to...well, even back then my tastes were pretty vanilla, so the worst she got was canon-accurately getting chased and eaten by his hunting dogs after Ramsay caught her trying to rescue Theon. (Sometimes Theon even got to be rescued for real!)

Around mid-2014 I finally got over myself and was writing fic again, having a pretty great time. For me things only went up from there, frankly. :D

But for GOT...well, we'll never fully know what went on in the writer's room. Let me say that I don't think any of them were/are "hacks". I think they were overworked, understaffed, and HBO wasn't giving them time to really think through what choices they were making in the scripts. Time was money after all, and GOT was making A Lot Of Money. Post S4, Ramsay Snow--now Ramsay Bolton at last--had crawled like a centipede to his goal, victorious. Roose Bolton had accepted him as his son, Theon was fully under his thumb as cowed, miserable "Reek", and there was nowhere else for him to go but downhill. It was so exciting! I couldn't wait to see him be the one on the back-foot at last! Theon and my once-doomed OC were frantically outrunning his hunting dogs by the skin of their teeth at every lull in my day.

Cut to S5 and BEHOLD, THE PRINCE OF BAD WRITING HATH COMETH, GIVE PRAISE FOR HE HAS NO EQUAL

Seriously, though, not even getting to see him peel an apple as a seduction tactic seeing a frankly horrifying heart-to-heart with his dad Roose Bolton was worth what happened to him. Manipulation? No need for those, he just needs "twenty good men"! We don't even need to see what he and those men did, he just wins, the end. Two seasons ago he was too busy having a harem and trying to outmaneuver social assumptions of "lawless baseborn thugs" to stoop to rape, but now golly gee, he just can't wait for his wedding night to do just that! Good dialogue? Why have that when we can just have him say "balls" every other word! Etc. etc.

Needless to say, when Ramsay showed up in S6 I was downright sick of him. I wish the parting could have been more bittersweet on my end, but sometimes that's just how it is with long-running fiction like this. And that's where my Ramsay Era ended! Thanks for reading this far. :D