#i had this idea since his chip ranking video

[justkiddingiminlove]

Little Bit of Tum

Schlatt gazes at himself in the full-length mirror before him. He's put on some weight...again... He sighs softly as he gently grabs the little bit of fat gently resting above his waistband. He's not a big fan of his new muffin-top, and he's afraid of what will happen if he doesn't get himself under control.

You rest against the doorframe, just out of sight. Your eyes gaze at Schlatt's soft stomach, and how it just barely overlaps his waistband and belt. it's cute, to you at least...

Schlatt doesn't notice you until your arms wrap around his waist. He feels your hands gently squeeze the fat, and his face shows a faint blush. Your hands are so soft... the way they gently toy with his light layer of fluff sends butterflies through his stomach.

You're smiling, and your eyes meet his in the mirror. "A little bit of tum isn't a bad thing. It's cute on you." Your words drip with affection, the meaning seeping into his mind like water into wood.

Your words speak volumes to him. You'll love him despite everything.

Nothing will tarnish your admiration for each other.

Not even a little bit of tum.

[hyperfixation-hideout]

Oscar isn't even a side character? XD Side characters would be Illia, Sun, Velvet, Winter and so on Oscar isn't one of the top main characters but he is still a member of the main cast lol

Right?? Oscar's not as much of a main character as RWBY but he's a strong deuteragonist with tons of plot relevance. Hell, I'd honestly say that narratively speaking he's more of a "main character" story-wise than JNPR. His role as Ozpin's reincarnation automatically put him high in the ranks of important characters, but he certainly wasn't acting as a main character early on. Important, yes, but not central or a major role, and only by proxy of Oz. He steadily became more involved in the storylines the main characters were in and began some arcs/conflicts of his own, but I can absolutely see why someone would see him as a side character even up through Volume 6.

But in Atlas? Sure, he was absent for a good chunk of the middle of v7, but he was a major player in it from the moment he confronted Ruby about lying to the moment he crash-landed in Mantle. He had more screentime in the v7 finale than any other character, was the inciting factor in bringing Ruby's inner conflict to the surface, was key advisor to Ironwood's moral quandaries (even being the one to convince him to open up to the council while he was mid-breakdown), was the reason Ruby changed her mind and decided to tell Ironwood about Salem, was the one to tell Ironwood, was the one to disobey the group's instructions and go extend another chance to Ironwood, had a whole speech about trust and fear (multiple, actually), got shot, unlocked magic, and took Ozpin's return in stride. He had a much larger effect on the overall plot and themes of v7 than JNR, or heck, even Weiss (they did play roles, of course! Just not as impactful cumulatively. Blake and Yang are debatable, but telling Robyn edges out arresting Jacques in terms of big-picture consequence, imo). Oscar was at the heart of the volume's core dilemma, along with Ruby, Ironwood, and to some extent Penny.

And Volume 8? Man, oh man, volume 8. Fun game: watch the first 10 chapters of v8 with the perspective that Oscar is the main character of the show. I know he's not, but just pretend as a thought experiment. It works perfectly. Team JOYR had more direct plot interaction for most of the volume than RWBN (Penny being an exception, of course), so when that yt channel posted "movie" versions showing each group's journey, a lot of people noted that it worked better to watch the RWBN one first and then JOYR, since the latter has higher stakes and feels more climactic and important to the story. There were comments like "wow, if you think about JORY as the main characters this volume makes a lot more sense." A large portion of that video was Oscar/Ozpin content. He got kinda shafted in the last couple chapters, but up until then, from a literary standpoint, Oscar was effectively serving as the primary protagonist of the volume, with Penny as the central character and Ruby as leader.

He was the first protagonist shown on screen for the volume, was retrieved and questioned with a setup for conflict with Oz, got captured by the show's Big Bad (prompting JYR's story to center around his rescue), was interrogated and tortured by Salem, was then tortured by Hazel for information, refused Ozpin's requests to take over and escape, came up with the idea to sabotage Salem from within, worked together with Oz to chip away at Hazel's devotion, had an introspective scene reflecting on the person he used to be and who he is now as well as fearing who he'll become, took over and took the risk of telling Hazel the password, which led to him trusting them and helping them escape along with Emerald (who had overheard Oscar revealing the password), BLASTED SALEM WITH MAGIC TWICE, blew up the whale that was destroying the kingdom (saving countless lives and allowing an evacuation to even be possible), killed Hazel as a sacrifice to save JOYRE, advocated for the group to give Emerald another chance even if they choose not to forgive her (she & others wanted her to leave; Oscar was the catalyst for her joining forces), vouched for Oz with a heartfelt speech, had the final moment of the reunion scene (framing his & Ruby's reunion as significant and cutting it off with him having to defend Emerald), and was constantly echoing the volume's core themes while mediating conflicts and bridging gaps to facilitate cooperation. He both acted as and was framed as the protagonist for much of the volume.

RWBY as a franchise is very centric on teams RWBY & JNPR. Look at the merch, the spinoffs, the supplemental material. Oscar's not given the "main character" treatment in the franchise, and is often (nearly always) absent from side content entirely. It's not surprising people don't tend to see him as a main character. But in the actual show? He is one. He's not THE main character, but he is A main character, and has more than earned that spot in the last couple volumes. I simply cannot see an argument for him being a "side character" after volume 8.

[vynegar]

artem desert card summary/long synopsis

guess who’s back for round 3 of the desert cards~ (marius’s summary here and vyn’s summary here if you missed them)

disclaimers: fan interpretation and i’m not fluent in Chinese, so there may be mistakes.

short version: MC is a hostage in the royal capitol, aching to return home to her own nation. Artem, the talented and conscientious chancellor with humble origins, is an unexpected motivator to her, and later an ally and partner when the chance for her freedom finally arrives.

card video here (not mine; please support the uploader Sherry's Gaming Notes with likes/comments/subscribe)

note: there are some names in here that i had no idea how to translate.  some i just avoided (like MC’s home nation, 西尔奈 xi’ernai) but a couple i couldn’t really avoid and just tried my best on (图特西斯 tutexisi, “Tutesis” in the summary; 迪尔 di’er, “Dil” in the summary). assume these are wildly inaccurate and are just placeholder names, i’m sorry TT

The card opens at the temple, where the high priest has performed a divining ceremony that predicts a drought.  He tells MC to inform the chancellor Artem about it.

Artem was originally an ordinary citizen, but was hand-chosen for his talents and slowly rose through the ranks to become chancellor. However, to MC he is particularly special. They first met a year ago in the royal capitol at a celebration, where she felt out-of-place as a hostage sent from the noble family of a dependent nation. MC avoided where most of the people were and came across Artem admiring the moon, and he invited her to join him.

Despite being aware of both their identities and why MC is hesitant to trust people, Artem offers to talk as equals. MC still hesitates, but Artem guesses that she's homesick. MC asks if any others like her managed to go home, and how. Artem notes that MC is the first one he's met who's been so quick to accept reality then try to change it. He suggests using the resources she has at hand, such as gaining the trust of the high priest and finding a chance to return, or using Artem himself if she can find a good enough bargaining chip. This is the first time since coming to the royal capitol that someone has given her a goal to work towards, like someone lost in the desert finding a guiding star.

Since then, she has followed his suggestion and become the high priest's official. This divination incident is her chance to go home.

In Artem’s study. MC informs Artem; he’s concerned because a drought could mean famine for the kingdom, and MC feels bad but also knows that this makes her bargaining chip more valuable. Then they’re interrupted by someone bringing in their friend who was bitten by a venomous spider/scorpion/(some desert creature), and the doctor is gone because the nobleman Tutesis called him away (despite having his personal physician). Artem has always been targeted by Tutesis and other nobles because Artem came from an ordinary background, so he can’t ask Tutesis for help. Luckily, MC was once also bitten and is able to save the man.

Back to the issue at hand: MC tells Artem that she may have a way to deal with the famine, but it’s clear she wants something in return, Artem’s help on getting her home. Artem smiles, saying she’s changed quite a lot since they first met, now she can leverage what she has to get what she wants (he still remembers her and how much effort it took to make her let her guard down <3).

The nation MC is from is rich in minerals, but also dry. They’ve cultivated drought-resistant seeds that need less water and produce more crop – foreigners call it a golden seed. Artem agrees to the deal, the golden seeds for MC’s freedom. And since they’re working together, Artem insists that MC can just use his name instead of calling him chancellor.

At Artem’s mansion, the mood is very gloomy and the guard tells MC that Artem was punished by the pharaoh. She finds him in his study, annotating a map to figure out the best way to get enough water to irrigate the crops to go with the golden seed plan. (While talking, they get very close to each other, then realize how close they are and feel embarrassed.) His method would source the water from where the nobles reside, which would once again cause him to clash with them. When he proposed that idea to them, Tutesis saw it as a threat to the power of the nobility and asked for the pharaoh to judge it, resulting in Artem being put on an indefinite leave from his job to reflect on his words/actions. Artem is calm as he explains what happened, as he’s used to this sort of thing, but MC feels a bit of anger at how he’s treated. The next step is for Artem to find a bargaining chip to bring for their next discussion with the nobles.

As Artem walks MC back, all the citizens they encounter are very friendly with Artem because he understands their needs and they trust him. Artem asks why MC chose to work with Artem since she has such a good bargaining chip; she didn’t have a particular reason, he just seemed like the best suited person for it. The other nobles and the Pharaoh wouldn’t care, and the high priest trusts her but he is concerned about larger-scale things, not just one individual.

MC [with a blushing, extremely tender expression]: But you’re different from them. While you’re concerned about the whole kingdom, you’re still able to see individuals’ needs. And moreover, when I first came to the royal capitol, you were the one who me pull myself together. So from the start, you were my only choice.

Artem: !!! [...] Thank you for choosing me. I won’t disappoint you.

MC: !!! ... [heart beating faster] Yes, I believe in you.

On the day the seeds are supposed to arrive, they aren’t there. MC checks with the guard at the city gate; the man who was bringing them, Dil, was detained by Tutesis and likely taken to the underground prison cells at his residence. The guard also recommends that MC seek Artem’s help (which she was going to do anyway), since he has a reputation for the only one who will handle things fairly and not succumb to threats.

Artem has been so busy preparing the plan that he looks pale and unrested. There's a choice of whether or not you still want to tell him the issue with the seeds. If MC doesn't tell Artem, he can tell that there must be an issue with the seeds for MC to look so worried. Once you tell Artem, the two of you deduce that the seeds are probably still hidden somewhere outside the city (and not in Tutesis's possession) since the guard didn't mention seeing Dil carrying any goods. Artem wants to go to Tutesis's residence to discuss the irrigation plans, then use that as an opportunity to find and free Dil; nobles are always indecisive, so if Artem can force them to have to argue out the decision on the spot, he can use that time to free Tutesis. MC is unwilling to let Artem go alone on such a risky mission though, especially when the seeds were her responsibility and Artem has to put himself in danger. Since the high priest is also worried about the drought, it's plausible that she can go with him as the priest's official.

When Artem goes to Tutesis's residence, most of the nobles are already there for some sort of banquet. He continues to be mocked for his background. When he brings up the irrigation plans again, Tutesis mentions the former pharaoh to try to use him against Artem, but Artem tells them that the former pharaoh knew that the citizens' trust was the foundation of the kingdom; blocking this source of water for the citizens would be sending the kingdom into chaos. Then, there's a sudden glint of metal. (the first animation)

A dagger stands embedded in Artem's irrigation papers, only a tiny distance away from his hand. A young noble holds the empty sheath, and tells Artem to know his place, just do his job and leave the nobles alone. Instead of backing down, Artem asks Tutesis if he understands what nobles are. Angrily, he tells them that they've forgotten their responsibility toward the citizens; nobles who don't care about citizens' lives will eventually be overthrown.

Artem's words cause a huge disturbance. Armed guards surround Artem and MC, and Artem instinctively stands so MC is protected behind him, even though he's just a civil official with no training in weaponry. Angering the nobles was actually part of their plan to force them into a position of discussing, but they need to do more. MC mentions the high priest's involvement to add pressure, and Artem threatens to tell the public who is responsible for blocking the plan. He reminds Tutemis that when a kingdom cannot meet the basic requirements for citizens' survival, they could fight for it using force. Finally the nobles have no choice but to discuss it, and MC and Artem have a chance to go free Dil.

As they descend the steps to the secret underground prison cells, Artem notices MC's uneasiness and offers to hold her hand.

They talk and realize they had both been bluffing to scare Tutesis; Artem didn't really intend to pit the citizens against the nobles, and MC hadn't actually told the high priest about their discussion with the nobles.

MC: It looks like we used the same strategy – use all the resources you have at your disposal to achieve your goal, just like you taught me.

Artem: ...

Artem: So you still remember?

MC: Of course. I remember every word you've said to me.

They reach the cells. Artem takes out the guard (but not without MC first worrying about him and offering to do it instead) and they free Dil. Dil initially refuses to just leave MC in such a dangerous position, but Artem reasons with him that it’s actually safer for her this way, and Artem swears on his life to bring her back unharmed. MC also says that Artem keeps his promises and that it’s more helpful if Dil goes to get the seeds.

Above ground again, MC and Artem are in the garden as the nobles continue to discuss. MC is still thinking about Artem’s promise to protect her, but tells herself it was just to convince Dil and thanks Artem for that. Artem clarifies that that was how he truly felt, from the moment he agreed for her to go with him on this mission, he had already decided to protect her with his life.

The nobles are finished now. They’ve agreed to allow irrigation canals from the lake in their area, but only on the condition that Artem resigns as chancellor. This would strip him of all the power he has, of his ability to confront nobles and call upon the people... Artem agrees, but he must be the one to oversee the canal construction and Tutesis can’t try to mess with golden seeds again.

Tutesis wants Artem to inform the pharaoh of his resignation immediately. The young pharaoh feels like Artem conceded too much during the discussion, and also his father, the previous pharaoh, wanted Artem to guide and teach him. So, as his last lesson, Artem tells the pharaoh that with great power comes great responsibility; governing a kingdom is difficult, but he has faith in the pharaoh’s ability.

In the streets, MC and Artem discuss what they need to do to prepare before the drought season. MC and Dil will need to cultivate all the seeds to sprout, so Artem (bashfully) offers for her to stay at his house so she doesn’t have to go back and forth all the way from the temple, and they could communicate any issues more easily. She accepts.

After all the preparations are done and MC is back in the temple again. Artem had let her sleep in and rest even though MC would rather wake up early so she could see Artem, then he takes her hand and they go to a high location to see the fruits of their labor: irrigation canals running from the nobles’ district to the croplands. MC observes Artem, too busy the past few weeks to properly look at him, and he seems thinner, a bit different from when he was chancellor. MC realizes it’s been a long time since she’s missed home.

Several months later, it’s harvest season. There’s a celebration, and Artem invites MC to his mansion but they’re first surrounded by excited citizens who make sure they’ll be attending the celebration so they can give him wine, bread, etc. When they leave, Artem tells MC that she’s free now; the pharaoh and high priest have allowed her to return home, on the condition that every year her country provides enough golden seeds to the capitol. Despite finally getting the freedom she’s longed for, MC isn’t as happy as she expected. During her time with Artem, she’s learned more than all she learned in her years in her home country.

His behavior had imperceptibly influenced me, and I realized that with my current ability, I’d be useless if I returned to my hometown. I can’t give the people there a better life... it would be better to stay by Artem’s side, learning how to govern from him. And besides that, what I feel towards Artem...

To conceal her thoughts, MC shifts the conversation to Artem. He plans to leave the capitol and go somewhere else in the kingdom. Before he can say something else, they’re interrupted by the pharaoh who wants to speak privately with Artem. MC squeezes Artem’s hand as she leaves. As they talk, MC can’t help but worry, since Artem has become such an important person to her.

When they’re done speaking, the celebration is in full swing so Artem suggests they go. He keeps his arm around her shoulder so they don’t lose each other in the crowd. MC is still so worried about what the pharaoh might have said and if it could mean danger for Artem that he notices and asks. He cups her face and lifts her head so they look into each other’s eyes and he apologizes for worrying her (<33333!!!!!!!!!!!!). The pharaoh was just returning Artem’s resignation; he had talked with the nobles, and wanted Artem’s continued help in governing. Artem accepted the responsibility. He’s still the chancellor, but he doesn’t seem as happy as he should be.

MC asks what he wanted to say before the pharaoh arrived, but Artem says “there’s already no point in talking about it now.” MC still wants to know. Originally Artem wanted to send her home, then stay in her nation for a while, he had always been interested in the minerals there, but now... he’s the chancellor again, he can’t just leave and travel whenever he wants. But now hearing that he wanted to be together with her, MC’s uncertainties disappear; she knows in her heart that she wants to be together with Artem, and she makes a decision. Before she can tell him, a group of children run into her and knock her down, but instead of the pain of falling –

[51:20 second animation and oh my god please watch it there are so many changes in their expressions and artem’s voice is so soft aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh seriously it’s one of the best card animations]

She falls into Artem’s embrace. A red silk cloth covers them, forming a secret little corner belonging only to them. MC tries to stand up, but Artem stops her; if they revealed themselves now, people would see them and certainly try to get them to participate in celebratory activities. MC recalls how when she first met Artem, he was also avoiding a celebration, and Artem explains that he’s not used to them because he can’t allow himself to let his guard down like people generally do during celebrations.

Artem spoke of it lightly. but I remembered how difficult things were for him previously. He was working himself to the bone for the kingdom’s sake, but he had to constantly be careful lest he be doomed forever.

MC: (I want to be at his side to support him.)

MC is still bashful and blushing, but finally tells Artem what she wanted to say: for now, she wants to stay in the capitol and stay with him to learn from him (he thanks her for wanting to stay at his side TTTTTTTT). After she finishes learning, she’d have to go back, but Artem promises that when his responsibilities are done, he’ll go back with her to her home town. They leave the celebration to walk to the temple, hand-in-hand again.

In the after-story, Artem has some of the golden seeds to give MC, they’re going to travel together to different parts of the kingdom to test out the seeds (MC is officially Artem’s assistant/official) – including going to a place where lovers often go to because it’s said that if they make promises to each other under the stars, the Milky Way will protect them. MC says she’d like to go with him, to enjoy the scenery, but Artem specifically says:

“I want to make a solemn promise with you there, are you willing to do that? [...] It’s not sudden. Actually I’ve already been thinking about this for a long time. We’ve known each other for a while, and we both know that we’re set on the other . So I want to make you a solemn promise. In your future, I hope to always accompany you. [...] I’m sorry. I was too hasty. You can take your time thinking about it before you answer.”

MC doesn’t need that time to think; from the moment he said it, the answer to all his questions was yes.

[prismatales]

Anon: can you please write (if you can) hawks' sister dating tokoyami 🥺👀?? i love your writing btw!! 💞💞

This one was so funny to write about!

My mentor's sister

You and Tokoyami quickly befriended each other during the beginning of the school year, ironically, you ended up bonding over your bird traits.

For some reason Dark Shadow loves to play with your feathers, and being the social and friendly person you are, entertaining the sentient quirk is not a big deal for you.

Tokoyami on the other hand...He's full-on embarrassed by the creature's behavior.

Have you seen those videos where people stick two feathers up a bird's head to make it look like ears? You do that to Dark Shadow all the time and he loves it.

A lot of people keep mentioning how cute you both look together, but most of the time you just brush it off...At least in the beginning.

Nobody knows this, but you guys secretly share tips about witchcraft every now and then.

By the time the sports festival came up, Tokoyami and you already started dating a few days after, although the relationship was still pretty casual something as simple as hanging out together was pretty nice.

One of your favorite past times is sitting together somewhere nice and quiet while reading some books, manga, etc. You could spend hours in silence and still be able to have a good time.

Remember my kissing headcanons with Tokoyami? Well the same thing happens here, instead of regular kisses he nuzzles your face affectionately.

Sometimes you convince Tokoyami to mess around with the other, both of you hiding in the dark while others walk by, the last thing they see are the shadow of a giant humanoid bird before screaming and running away.

He doesn't admit it out loud but Tokoyami's having the time of his life pulling that prank with you.

Some people end up being surprised seeing someone as friendly as you dating someone as mysterious as Tokoyami, but then they see you both hanging out and don't ask anymore.

Theeeen comes the part about family.

When Tokoyami tells you WHO he's going to an internship with he can see you freeze comically at the mention of Hawks.

"Say what now?"

The funniest -or rather scariest- thing is your wings going all big and puffy, if that doesn't scare somebody the look in your eyes definitely does.

So far nobody outside school knows you're both dating and a small part of your brain is glad about it once Tokoyami send a text mentioning how everything's going well at his internship.

Though a few months later your boyfriend's confused when his mentor comes to visit his classroom and right as he steps inside with a huge grin on his face, Y/N just stands up from her seat mumbling "nononononono" and yeets herself out the window.

The students are shocked, Hawks is moping in the corner and Aizawa is 100% done. He just looks out the windows and yells "You're suspended Takami!"

After coming back everyone's starts asking about your reaction to Hawk's appearance, that's when they find out he's your older brother and well, it's quite a surprise since only a handful of people knows the winged hero's real name.

Poor Tokoyami turned into stone at the realization he had no idea his girlfriend's the sister of his mentor and one of the top ranking heroes.

He's not really upset, and realizes the signs were a bit too obvious, the same quirk, eye markings and even some similarities in their behaviours one could point out if they paid enough attention.

Of course, the last one is also overridden by Y/N's behaviour towards her brother.

"C'mon Y/N! Don't you want a hug from your dear ol' big brother?" Hawks whines while trying to approach them during a date, grining teasingly at his little sister.

"Had it not been for the laws of this land I would have slaughtered you!" She goes as far to threaten him with her own blade feathers, something Y/N rarely does.

Tokoyami was lucky his mentor found out about their relationship after the internships, otherwise Hawks would have ended up scaring him off with that characteristic glare of his (Manga readers will know what I'm talking about)

Tho Y/N has the same glare so Tokoyami's partially immune to it.

Saying Hawks approves of their relationship is putting it lightly, he's actually over the moon when he found out Tokoyami's the guy you're dating.

He wasn't spying on you after you made a post about going to he movies with your boyfriend.

Takami may fully approve their relationship with joy, but That doesn't mean he won't tease his baby sister every now and then in front of her boyfriend.

"Should I throw corn chips at the wedding instead of rice?"

"I'LL BLOODY END YOU KEIGO!!!"

"Tokoyami, did you know Y/N came out of an egg? That means it's highly possible she'll lay one if she has a baby!"

"OH MY GOD STOP IT WITH THE EGG THING ALREADY YOU BIRDBRAIN, FUMI DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!!!"

"You guys will literally have a baby chick once you decide to have children! Isn't that nice?"

"...Fumi...Please hold my bag"

Dark Shadow pulled a pair of pom poms out of nowhere when Y/N started chasing Takami around, and even began cheering for her once she got Takami in a headlock.

"What a mad banquet of darkness..." Tokoyami mutters while his mentor's turning blue because of the girl's grip on him.

Remember when I said these two share tips about witchcraft? One time Takami was being unbearable so Y/N just grabbed a smudge stick and slapped him with it.

Tokoyami started choking on his tea when he saw the scene unfolding before him.

He tried hard but failed to contain his laughter when Hawks held his face all while giving his sister the most offended look in his whole life, so dramatic it could have been worthy of an Oscar.

*Starts drama in Japanese*

@t-amajiki @undead0relived @shoobirino @bnha-ra @godtieruwu @mysticalite

[kweebtrash]

Pay Attention, Dumbass

Pairing: Demon!Jaehyun x OC

Genre: Smut/ Comedy?? Maybe?

Features: demonic fingering

Summary: two idiot roommates accidentally summon two ancient demons. Forced into a contract, they only had two choices; die or make a deal with the devil. The most logical answer was to make them their boyfriends of course (this is lowkey a bad slice of life hentai, i swear). The demons know nothing about the human world and have to deal with “lessons” from their human girlfriends.

A/N: This used to be on my Kofi which im closing down and just putting everything up on here. This isnt continuing.

Masterlist  Johnny Version Here

-----

"You haven't moved in hours. Don't you do anything else?"

I dug into the chip bag that laid on my desk and grabbed a handful to shove into my mouth. "Of course i do," I said through the mush of chips. "I went to the bathroom."

Jae sighed. "Not what i meant. Do you ever leave your room?"

I shrugged and downed some of my soda. "Yeah. I go to work sometimes."

"Where do you even work at?"

"A bar." I went back to clicking through attacks and swerving around opponents. "Guys, come on, come on, come on!" I said into the headphone and mic set i had on. "Someone head towards the point! At least start trying to take it over!"

"A bar?" He asked, confused. "What is that?"

"Its uh..." I drifted off as i propelled myself forward and released my ultimate attack, sending my mecha exploding in different directions. I quickly reloaded myself into the machine and continued my rampage of gunshots. "Like uh... drinks. Liquor."

"Libations?"

I snorted at the stupid word. "Yeah, whatever. That."

"And that's the only time you leave?" He continued asking.

"What the fuck is this? Twenty questions?" I grabbed another handful of chips. "On the left! Move out the way!" I grumbled at my friends who were playing online with me.

"I'm just curious since you don't have the capability to rid yourself of the sin of sloth."

I glared over at him as he was reclined back on my bed, arms behind his head, and torso on full display as he refused to wear a shirt (not that i was complaining). "I do things! I just like playing video games more! Sometimes i go to school too!"

"And what proof do you have of this because i never see it."

"My never ending debt and crippling anxiety." One of my online friends asked who i was talking too and i sucked my teeth. "My boyfriend is being annoying." Queue the kissy noises and jokes of the very mature men i gamed with.

"Oh? Im annoying?" Jae grumbled. "Whats really annoying is seeing you rot away while im forced to stay by your side. Hours and hours of boredom and still im trapped in the confines of this ridiculous home with nothing to do."

I set my headset down as the round finished and turned my desk chair towards him. "Are you upset that im not paying attention to you?"

He sat up quickly and scoffed. "Please. What do i need the attention of a human for?"

"You certainly want it when you're horny." I giggled. "Heh...horny...you have horns also so it's...anyway. Are you being a baby because you want attention?"

"I am not an infant. You are infuriating. Of course i had to get stuck with you."

"Oohhh, thats how it is. Yep, definitely being a baby, now with a temper tantrum."

Jae's eyes glowered and his claws dug into my mattress. "There are so many things i want to do to you right now."

"Ooh daddy." I snorted and put my headset back on. "Sounds kinky."

"Which is it? Am i an infant or a father?! I dont understand!"

I sighed and stood up. "Do you want to try playing with me?" I gestured at the now vacant spot of my gaming chair.

Jae stared at me then the seat. "Play that ridiculous thing?"

"Yeah," i shrugged and looked down at my feet. "It's something i like to do and you're my boyfriend sooo...i guess...i mean..." I twiddled with my thumbs as my cheeks began to warm up. "It'd be cool if you tried to like some of the stuff i do."

"Is that what boyfriends do?"

"Y-yeah...sorta. Look do you want to or not?" I huffed in frustration.

He stood up and made his way over, glaring down at me with his humanized yet still terrifying eyes. "Fine. I will try it."

I couldn't help the dorky smile that beamed across my face. "Ok, cool. Sit down."

He placed himself in the seat and i sat on his lap then scooted the chair closer to the desk. I positioned his fingers on the designated keys for offense and defense as well as the computer mouse. "Here, why don't i just guide your fingers the first few rounds so you get the hang of it?"

"Whatever."

The smile started to fade as i covered his hands with mine that seemed to dwarf in comparison. "Put your stupid claws away. You cant game right with your pretty manicure."

He growled like an irritated dog and slid the claws back into his skin. With his back pressed to mine, he ended up resting his chin on my shoulder, watching as i joined a new round. His somewhat chubby cheek felt warm against mine and i willed myself not to kiss it. It wasn't like he was going to respond anyway. He was cold hearted in every sense of the word, even when he fucked it almost seemed like a chore. It still was amazing and i loved every second of it but the distant feelings was strong. Of course it wasn't a great idea to make a demon your damn boyfriend but there was rarely a time where i made a smart decision.

Deciding to suck it up and just concentrate i pressed Jae's fingers down as i helped launch attacks and maneuver us around the screen. "This is nothing but hectic destruction " he commented.

"Yep, pretty much."

"And you enjoy this?"

"Absolutely."

"I am pleased by this." I felt a slight nip at my neck as he purred into my ear. "Very pleased."

"Pleased that i like shooting people and destroying things?"

"Exactly. Its quite...sexy."

"Oh my god. You're a dork!" I snorted. "Its just a damn game, weirdo." I pressed his fingers down harder, not wanting to slow down and ruin my winning streak. "Keep up."

"Well when you're crushing my fingers its hard to do so."

"Just follow me. You dont even have to move them."

"I would like to move them but-"

"Shh, give me a sec. Bastards are on my fucking ass! God i hate when they just gang up on you for no FUCKING REASON!" I screamed at the monitor. "Such dicks. Fuckin' dicks."

"Your mouth is filthy."

"Yeah you said that when it was full of cum too."

"Hm...that was also enjoyable." Another nip to my neck, this time followed by small sucks and kisses. "Continue using your filthy mouth and destroying things. This at least is semi entertaining now."

"Glad you think so. Quit kissing my neck, its distracting."

"Distracting?! You enjoy that! You said it this morning. Specifically 'Jae'," He faked a slightly high pitched moan. "'Keep kissing my neck, oh god'."

I flushed with embarrassment and rammed my elbow into his chest. "I already have to deal with dicks online i dont need go deal with you too."

"I suppose you wouldn't want to deal with this then?"

I felt him press his hips against my ass. The grey sweatpants he had on left nothing to the imagination and i swallowed hard as my concentration wavered. "S-stop." I whimpered.

"I dont think i will." One hand left the mouse and pressed against my stomach to keep me in place. "Support that. I will control these buttons."

I pressed my lips together and simply nodded. How he had the grace to continue slight grinds against me i didn't know but i was responding to them eagerly. I arched my back and wiggled my ass every time he rolled forward, creating a sinful friction between us. My eyes drifted from the screen momentarily to see that his fingers were working perfectly over the keys as if he had played for years. "You're...actually winning."

"What? As if its hard?" He tsked. "Humans have simple minds and-WHY IS THIS MAN PUNCHING ME FROM THE SKY?"

I froze our sensual movements to cackle loudly. "That's just Doomfist. He's so OP and stupid."

"OP?"

"Overpowered, meaning there's no reason for him to even be here."

"Im going to destroy him completely until he can never return."

"They all respawn, Jae. That's how the game continues."

"Not if I can help it. I want that mongrel dead. Get that clicky thing ready. I'm aiming to destroy."

"You think I'm sexy when I want to kill things but I think you're cute, you know that?" I turned towards him to press a kiss to his cheek yet my lips connected with his when he moved.

"I am not cute....but you are...or whatever." I wondered if that tint on his cheeks was real or just my imagination.

I smiled to myself anyway, pleased with his compliment and his valiant effort to enjoy the same things I did. He was truly acting like a boyfriend-one that felt genuine even if he crawled up from hell. Just before, he was complaining about how never moved but we stayed like this for a couple more hours, even sharing snacks and competing with my online friends. There came a point in the night, though, when searching for a server with an open game slowed tremendously. Minutes ticked by and still nothing. Jae's drumming of his fingers against the wooden desk in impatience was starting to drive me crazy. "Doing that isn't going to make it go faster, you know."

"This is about as interesting as watching you play on that small screen."

"We've gone over this. Its a phone, a cell phone, a portable phone."

"Yes, yes. That stupid thing with all the colors. Its like this stupid thing." He pointed at the computer screen. "Only smaller."

"You seem to enjoy the big stupid thing judging by how many kill streaks you got."

His lips tweaked into a smirk. "That's because im an expert killer. None of them deserved to live."

"You did get my rank up and some loot boxes so i guess i should thank you."

"Yes, bask in my glory and show me how grateful you are." His hand that had remained around my waist for most of our play time started creeping its way to my thighs.

"Are you wanting me to show you how grateful i am or are you trying to show me how desperate you are?" I snickered.

"I am not desperate. Since the stupid game is not cooperating im just trying to inject some extra curricular activities."

"Such as?"

He set his head on my shoulder again and i felt his fangs dig in deeper into my neck, making me let out a drawn out whine. "J-jae!"

He chuckled from deep within his throat as i felt his tongue trail from the column of my neck up to my earlobe. "Such as...watching you squirm when i add the slightest of pressure," Two of his fingers slid between the junction of my thighs and pressed firmly against the center of my shorts. "Here."

The tips of his fingers began gliding against the fabric, the soft cotton adding the smallest amount of friction against my clit. My teeth sunk into my bottom lip as my leg began to bounce. I wanted to wait for a new game, my win streak was too precious to me but Jae was something else. Trying not to make it too obvious i adjusted myself on his lap, spreading my legs a little wider. His fingers garnered more room but he didnt move them under the fabric. Instead he kept torturing me with slow movements, occasionally pushing into the most sensitive areas. "Who's enjoying the attention now?" He teased.

Suddenly a little ping from my computer signaled that a game had finally been found. My attention quickly shifted and i put my headset back on and got into position. Jae reeled back in confusion. "Are you really going to continue to play?"

"Well...yeah. I mean it took forever to get into this game. I dont wanna lose it."

"Hey, can you be healer?" I heard my friend say into my ear piece.

"Fuck you! Im not going to be healer! You be healer, you twat waffle!"

Jae let out a heavy and annoyed sigh. I almost felt bad until i was lagging behind everyone else. I had to-

I felt his finger finally move beneath my shorts and press into my hole gently. I had to admit that he had already gotten me worked up enough to provide him with some lubrication and he slid in easily. "C-cut it out." I stammered.

"Oh no, dont mind me. Your game is more important. Keep going."

"I just mean-ah-ahh!" I tried to snap my mouth shut before my moan slipped out for fear of my friends hearing but it was too late. Jae had moved the seat of my shorts aside and pumped his finger faster, occasionally curling it an inch or two from my entrance. I covered the mic part of the headset and glared back at him. "If you dont s-stop-"

I snapped my thighs shut as he added another finger, the 'come here' motions growing stronger. Immediately, he landed a harsh tap to my outer thigh, a small growl floating in the tense air around us. "I said keep going."

"Well i would if you just-HEY! MOTHERFUCKER! I LIKED THESE SHORTS!" I looked down at the center of my shorts that had now been torn open because of his reappearing claws. "What's wrong with you?!"

Without a word he grabbed onto my ankles and set my legs up on the desk, keeping them spread. The clawed hand snaked its way to my throat and with the slightest pressure i could feel them digging in. It wasn't enough to hurt but certainly enough to make my entire body shudder with electricity. "I-i cant reach the keyboard." I whispered.

He scooted the chair closer to the desk, making my legs almost rest on it fully. "Wheres that tappy thing you have?"

"Tappy thing?"

"Where you move the sticks."

"You mean a controller?"

"You can plug it in right?" He questioned as his thrusting resumed which made my mind mush in a second.

"U-uh yeah-um its uh...d-draw-drawer!"

He let my throat go and allowed me to reach into my desk drawer and grab my gaming controller. I plugged it into my computer's usb port as my friends argued about me not pulling my weight and being static. I lied about my game lagging and shifted the mic up so i sounded muffled and they wouldn't be able to hear how much if a slut Jae made me. "There. Now you can play. Keep up that win streak. Have to get the gold and boxes, right? Have to play with your friends and ignore me, right?" He nipped at my ear as his fingers slipped out of me to rub circles against my clit. "Have to beg me to let you cum, right?

"P-please dont make me do that!"

"See? You're begging already. What a good girl you are."

My entire body tensed at those two words and i let my controller go for a moment to grab his hand and press his fingers back into me. "Keep going. I want you to keep going."

"I could but i dont have to. Maybe i can use the tappy thingy instead. More people I can kill." He jerked his fingers away and pushed them against my lips. "Clean these off for me. Dont want to get it dirty, do i?"

"Jaaaeeeee," i whined and leaned in for a kiss but he turned his head away.

"Clean. Them."

Reluctantly, i swallowed his fingers down, lapping between and tasting myself. He tested my gag reflex by moving them to the back of my throat but pulling away when it became to much. It was nothing but entertainment for him, a game of cat and mouse that made me feel doomed. "You know you love being inside me." I panted as my mouth was now freed. "I can ride-"

"Oh, how unfortunate. You died. Now we have to wait to return. You're too distracted, Ivy. A shame, truly."

I didn't care anymore. In the few seconds i had between my respawning i stood up and turned towards him, pulling his sweatpants down to stay around his knees. He had no qualms about his erection. I had felt it, of course, but it was like he paid it no mind, like it wasn't an inconvenience and he enjoyed teasing me instead. Was it another way to give me a taste of my own medicine? What a bastard! "Come here." I tried to sound as sultry as possible but he just laughed and took the controller from me.

"Lets see if i can figure this out now." Jae looked at the buttons and pressed at a few before moving the joy sticks to test them out. "Strange but i believe I can-"

It was my turn to cut him off. I lifted his head and focused on his eyes, angered by the smirk still on his lips. "Fuck me."

"Nope."

That wasn't the answer i wanted.

He craned his head to the side to look at the monitor. "Can you move? Im trying to play here."

"Shut up! You didn't even care about playing before!" I pouted as my cheeks flushed both in annoyance and embarrassment. I sat back on his lap anyway, chest to chest, and guided him inside me. Not a sound from him or even a look. He was focused on fighting now which made me want to punch him but i figured if i fucked myself on him long enough i could break his resolve. I gripped onto the back of the chair and started working up and down his length, adding kisses to his neck in between whimpers. "Jae...come on..."

"Ooh, double kill."

"I swear to god! If you dont-"

"No god, just demons."

"Yeah, you're acting like a demon. A demon asshole who wont even pay attention to his girlfriend! I cant believe you're doing this!"

He finally looked at me, dead in the eyes and it made me nervous. "It doesn't feel good, does it?"

Ok, ok. So i had learned my lesson. It was a two way street and maayybeee i wasn't being the best partner but i never figured he wanted anything from me. He never expressed a lot if affection or wonderment at what i did throughout my day. How was i supposed to know? I guess with his lack of knowledge about human things he truly had nothing to do unless i was guiding him. Fuck, now i really felt bad. What a buzzkill. "Im sorry...i understand how you feel now. I didn't think you cared. I know were just together because of the contract. I thought you still hated humans and didn't want to exist beside them."

"I do hate humans but you're my human now. Unfortunately, i have to rely on you and its maddening to be stuck here. In hell i did hundreds of things. I had a job. I had meetings with other demons. I planned wars, participated in real battles, created weapons. I was someone. Here, im nothing but a prisoner."

"Nonono! Please dont feel like that...i dont want to make you feel like that. Please..." I felt my eyes watering and i quickly buried my face in the crook of his neck. He sighed and tossed the controller on the table and shut my laptop. He kicked off the rest of his pants and with ease picked me up and led me to the bed.

"Dont ever speak of this. Not to Johnny, not to Xan. No one, understand?"

I nodded quickly as my back hit the mattress and he stayed above me. "You will do what i say just as much as im forced to do as you say. Love me unconditionally. Break me free from this world and show me why i shouldn't kill everyone in it."

I swallowed hard and nodded again. "I promise. I promise you everything."

"Good. Secondly...i would like to do battle against you in those games."

I couldn't help the giggle i let out. I didn't expect him to say something like that after being so serious. "Oh? You think you can beat me?"

"Im a strategist and a warrior. Of course i can."

"Oh, ok. You play a few rounds of Overwatch and suddenly you're the master. Just dont say anything when i kick your ass, bitch."

He chuckled deeply and snapped his hips without warning. He had still remained inside me and the sudden movement made me cry out loud. "Bring it on then. We'll see who's the better warrior here. Now," his eyes shifted into pure darkness and his fangs glistened with temptation. "Lets see how fast you can give in."

[serenedash]

I started rambling about my experience with kh and then it turned into khux and then it just turned into me rambling about Ryou and my art journey????? enjoy I guess,

it’s very long but there’s art in there :)

It’s funny to think about my kh journey as a whole tbh, I grew up watching my mom play video games, which included kh1 and 2. I wasn’t allowed to play the playstation2 we owned BUT I did have a gameboy so the first game I played was CoM (after my mom finished it ofc,) so I guess you could say I’ve always been passionate about kh “””side games””” lmao but I did fall off of kh very quickly bc again, I wasn’t allowed to play our PS2 and also I Am A Terrible Gamer I’ve Never Finished CoM I’m sorry you all had to find out like this, but then 358/2 came out when I was in middle school and!!! I didn’t care and I didn’t play idk why lol

Anyway, fast forward to high school I’m like 15 and my older sister, who HAS been keeping up with kh, has a wallpaper on her phone of roxas and ventus. And bc I haven’t kept up I say “nice roxas wallpaper” and she says “thanks but it’s roxas and ventus” and I proceeded to get so mad that I was determined to prove to her that her wallpaper was just roxas twice and then I fell down the BBS rabbit hole and suddenly I was reading about vanitas and then I’m reading the fan translations of the BBS novel and I’m crying??? I am sobbing???? and that’s how I actually got into kh for real lol we are vanitas stans before we are people,

It’s so funny how I thought I was some kh super fan, knowing all this stuff that I spent so long reading and rewatching cutscene movies, but I never once, SOMEHOW NEVER ever came across khx. It’s so absurd and bizarre I seriously have no idea how I never once encountered khx prior to khux. I suppose that has to do with the fact I wasn’t involved in the fandom? In early high school I had stepped away from fandoms as a whole and I didn’t have any interest in really posting content or interacting with fans anymore bc of how burnt out I was from a previous fandom,

but khux released! and I was so hype and excited for it! on launch day I was a senior in high school, I had ran around to every “nerd” and weeb I could find in school to ask them to join my party and fun fact about me is I have crippling social anxiety I literally refuse to start conversations irl so holy shit I was OUT HERE doing the MOST

My player just originally had my name (Matt) but everyone in my party had fun names so Ryou was born! High school was one big yugioh phase for me and ryou bakura is one of my favorite characters ever so it was just the logical name choice lol I quickly started creating Ryou, the character, as well. I was also leaving my homestuck phase and that + vanitas obsession made This character design (art circa 2016)

If y’all are familiar with my kh oc’s you might notice that keyblade now belongs to my kid Monty LOL

Anyway that got scrapped quickly for the chip and dale outfit (which is where Ryou’s trademark goggles are from <3) Goggles have been a staple of my character designs for a LONG TIME so like, it had to be done, (that’s a separate ramble about a separate oc tho)

OG Ryou was an interesting guy; he was a young party leader with this overwhelming responsibility on his shoulders bc of his status as a party leader. In his original story, he also struggled heavily with darkness, much like Terra but for Ryou it was more that the darkness was controlling him and not like a source of power like it was for Terra

A big part of early Ryou I kept, however, was the crushing awareness of loss. One of my party members (the strongest one at the time,) had left without saying a word and I was very confused and hurt. This was around the time the ephemera plot was happening so I decided to incorporate it into Ryou’s story; having him experience losing a friend to darkness since it’s so normal for wielders in Daybreak Town to just disappear, and this would unintentionally become a theme for both me and Ryou as khux friends would just randomly disappear.

I was desperate for khux at this point and I decided to watch the fan translations for khx and GOD, god, was I obsessed. I couldn’t stop thinking about the foretellers. And I’m not going off about that here bc I already did that, but I actually started entering fandom again! I did it slowly, I started on tumblr before this blog was made altho it was me sending anons to the few khux related blogs I could have lol a friend convinced me to get twitter where I got involved with the ffxv fandom, which led me to the kh fandom and eventually the khux fandom there which is what REALLY got me going on khux.

I joined discord servers, most of the servers I’m in are khux related, and from there I joined the khux oc rp (shout out to anyone there who might be reading this lol here’s some art from the beginning of the rp,)

It’s SO FUNNY how the RP influenced me so heavily. I hadn’t RP’d in YEARS, I used to have a strict no oc rp policy, but here I was? And the funny part is, I had barely developed Ryou. I had scrapped his original story and all I had was POST WAR Ryou so I literally had to reverse write him; I had only ever written him as a depressed, guilt ridden adult, but it was a fucking blast and I have such fond memories of this rp when it was active,

But anyway, this encouraged me to get more serious about art! I started drawing, writing, cosplaying, and roleplaying when I hadn’t done any of that stuff in a very long time. The first time I ever drew a background was for a deviant art khux competition actually LOL

also! I always think extremely fondly of the drawing I did of Aced in the keyblade war. It was also one of the first backgrounds I ever drew and it felt like my real starting point in the khux fandom. It got a ton of notes on here and someone wrote a tiny fic in a reblog which just made me SO HAPPY like it really felt like people were noticing me :) I was going to draw a matching Ira but!! I just never did!! One day tho, it’s on my art bucket list to redraw this along with Ira,

Aside from my personal growth, khux was great for my social life ngl, I made SO MANY friends online and got to meet a ton of people irl over the years! It’s crazy to think about all the people I now know and talk to? It honestly makes me really emotional. I’ll never forget taking the train into NYC and meeting up with discord friends. Going to conventions and talking with people about the latest khux update? Absolutely insane and those were some GOOD TIMES, if I thanked every khux friend or even just person who made an impact on me then we’d be here for a LONG TIME,

Fun fact, for my Lauriam cosplay all I needed to buy was the wig I just owned his outfit LOL also? Probably retiring that cosplay ngl people treated me like absolute garbage when I wore him and it led to a lot of confidence issues for awhile ngl. That’s probably one of the only memorable negative experiences I have with khux; it was great when khux people recognized me but for kh fans that weren’t in khux? They were FUCKING MEAN??? fuck kh fandom at large, I only care about khux fandom,

This leads me to another huge part of my experience in khux fandom: THEORIES!! I used to write SO MANY and oh my god my brain was so full all the time. It was a huge appeal for me in the fandom; I had been previously writing theory posts in the RWBY fandom and it just migrated over to khux for me lol I had done a ton of theorizing around Lauriam tbh, it was really the only reason I liked his character at all bc initially I did not care about the dandelions, anyone who wasn’t Skuld I was like “please leave Now thanks”

A funny part of khux fandom I never intended to be apart of is the MEMES, I really only started doing memes as stress relief bc college had me so busy all I had time/energy for was these quick little shit post drawings.

The first meme I made, file name “invi despair” LOL we need to get her a girlfriend smh anyway, I think in my senior year of college I did a bunch of rapid fire memes all in one month bc the stress of finals was getting so bad afdgfhdgf as far as I know my impact on this fandom will be my memes bc all I do now is enter a kh/khux server and introduce myself and I go “yeah I draw art. here’s a meme” and everyone goes OH YOU, honestly I am nothing if not a clown

I’ve talked so much idk where I’m going with this. Khux is just a good game even if the gameplay actually kind of really sucks yknow lol but it was the first game I played where I like, REALLY got into the meta and the mechanics. I used to read so much on the mechanics and watch youtube videos on which medals were worth pulling for. I was never a whale or a top player exactly, but I could rank well if I tried lol I’ve made it to the top 100 for solo rankings, my party has made it to top 10, and in pvp I’ve made top 300. I’m not the highest level in my party but FUCK do I know how to manipulate this game LOL

And with all that hard work, the strategies, the theorizing, the content I’ve made-- it’s been my life for 5 years. I’ve logged into khux almost every single day. At the end, I have logged 1820 days in khux out of 1910 days. Kinda crazy. Crazier I’ve never spent money on khux either lol the only “money” gone into it was one time my mom gave me a google play store gift card and I used it on my birthday for a VIP xemnas medal which eventually made it to regular pulls anyway but it was nice and a little treat :)

I’m not a gacha fan, I don’t care for it, so I don’t think I’ll be touching another gacha again. But for kh? This was pretty fucking awesome, even if it sucked a lot sometimes LOL It was worth it for the people I’ve met most of all I think. I would honestly be a completely different person without khux and that’s REALLY insane to think about.

[lillianfromaccounting]

This ended up being a very long post and I'm on mobile, so I'll fix the read more in the morning when I get on the computer.

TW: covid, depression, Thanksgiving, a lot of food talk

-----------

Today, we officially called off Thanksgiving with family (it had pretty much been decided but today we called the few people to confirm it).

Some background: my family only started celebrating Thanksgiving because I wanted to. We're Chinese, so growing up, it wasn't a thing for us, plus my mom wasn't fond of turkey.

At the age of 13, I picked up a bread baking recipe book at a Scholastic book drive. Up until that point, I had been baking stuff from box mixes, so making bread from scratch was a huge deal for me. Age 14, I told my parents I wanted to do Thanksgiving the American way. We qualified for a free turkey at our local supermarket anyway, so why not? To make it more palatable, I incorporated Chinese elements into the menu--various Chinese vegetables (choy) instead of green bean casserole, sticky rice (loh mai fan) stuffing--and i would bake fresh bread. There would always be white rice.

I have a huge extended family and on the weekends, my parents would have family and friends over to play mahjong, so Thanksgiving went over great because they loved trying all these new foods, and I loved trying new recipes. We always had a rotation of at least thirty people, so the food went. I think one year, I counted just over fifty people--it was like a revolving door at my parents' house, some people would pop in around lunch time and hang out until they had to go to their own family's Thanksgiving dinners, some came for dinner, and some came for dessert and coffee with a side of mahjong.

As the years went on, my menus got more and more elaborate, and I would enlist my younger siblings (I have three) to be my sous chefs. It was a THING. Thanksgiving was my thing.

The college I went to is very involved with the Macy's Thanksgiving parade balloons, and while it would have been an awesome experience, it required giving up your Wednesday night and most of Thanksgiving Thursday. That was a deal breaker for me. That's how much my Thanksgiving ritual meant to me.

Some of my favorite memories are waiting in line at DiPalo's (before they expanded, back when it was just the corner storefront) with my sister the weekend before Thanksgiving to get fresh mozzarella and ricotta and parmigiano (lasagna was a huge hit with my family). The longest we waited was three hours one year.

Another year, this was after I had graduated and moved out and was working. My work let us out early (around 2pm), but this asshat in another department ensured me that he needed these numbers so he can work over the weekend. I ended up running out to DiPalo's to pick up my order and going back to work, working to 9pm to get those numbers out, before going back to my parents' house to start cooking. The asshat didn't look at them that weekend (we get the Friday off too).

Mind you, it's not that I couldn't get the ingredients in Jersey, I just honestly had no idea where to go. My parents did the bulk of their grocery shopping in Chinatown and DiPalo's was right at the border of Chinatown and Little Italy.

As I said earlier, my menus got more elaborate over the years. Everyone kept eating the loaves of fresh bread for breakfast, so I made Thanksgiving an all day affair, with a breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu.

One year, the theme was fried foods (fried turkey legs, homemade mozzarella sticks, etc.). I always tried new recipes on Thanksgiving, because honestly, what I enjoyed most about it was the process, the production of creating something delicious.

My siblings started sending me recipes throughout the year. One year, I made a vegan raspberry cheesecake (the base was cashews and almonds).

My siblings also said that they knew my now husband was a keeper because he had not only survived Thanksgiving at my parents' house, but he rolled with it (I'm pretty sure I put him to work too).

After we got married and bought our house, I claimed Thanksgiving for both sides of the family (there were no objections, because I didn't care about Christmas, so they had Christmas). My husband's family had been getting their Thanksgiving meals catered for a few years at this point, so they didn't mind not cooking.

But including his family meant I had to start making sacrifices to my process. One person only liked Stove Top stuffing (don't get me wrong, Stove Top chicken flavor is amazing, but so is a sausage stuffing from scratch). The year my second child was born, I think I was a bit burned out by everything, so we ended up ordering a whole pig (think spit roast, but Chinese style) and some roast ducks that year. We were told the next year that some people would prefer to have turkey. One year, we decided to smoke our turkey, and the feedback we had gotten was that some people really preferred oven roasted. So the following year, we did turkey three ways (roasted, smoked, and deep fried) and we started getting feedback that we were doing too much variety. This happened with the sides too. Heirloom vegetable recipes (guys, I used to watch the Food Network religiously) were reduced to sauteed green beans or asparagus. We were told to reduce the variety of things, so the only pasta dish that kept making it onto the menu was mac and cheese, because that was someone else's preference. And I couldn't even play around with the mac and cheese, because the family's recipe used Velveeta (yes, I know I sound like a food snob, and it's because I was back then).

But year after year, the creativity of the menu decreased and decreased, to the point where my husband and I felt it wasn't enjoyable anymore.

This morning, after we had called the family (it was really just my and his parents, whom we have been seeing during this whole time because we live close and do shopping for them, etc.), part of me was excited to finally make a menu and my husband and I agreed on a very small menu, because it's just us and our two kids.

And by the time I went to bed, I was excited again for Thanksgiving because we will be cooking things that we want. There are three, possibly four varieties of scones on the breakfast menu right now. I haven't mentioned this yet, but my menus are always too ambitious. I almost never get every single dish on the table, but the important ones get there. The experimental ones get ranked in order of what I want to taste.

After all these years, we have established staples. We always have bacon cheddar scones with breakfast. My sons requested chocolate chip and vanilla, respectively, and I want pumpkin. We'll see how many varieties actually get made. I always make fresh cranberry sauce for the sole reason of baking it into a crumb cake for Friday morning. We also eat the Ocean Spray jellied (with whole berries), and I serve it in slices. My husband is the mashed potato king, so he handles that. The King Arthur masala chai pumpkin pie recipe has been a hit year after year, so that is a staple now. I was excited to be able to cook what we wanted again.

It even inspired a Thanksgiving chapter in the fic I am writing. (I am so, so, so happy and excited for this chapter now.)

But as I was going to bed tonight, I was thinking about those memories at DiPalo's and cooking with my siblings, and pandemic sadness hit me like a ton of bricks. I cried hard. I miss my siblings. I miss the hospitality of it all. Just like my parents' house was a revolving door, when my husband and I took over Thanksgiving, it was an unspoken rule that extended friends and family were welcomed. My siblings' friends from high school and college would stop by. My one sister's friend would even ask to be on the menu distribution list (I usually drafted a menu and my family members would vote on which dishes they wanted, and that was partially how the menu was created) and invite himself over lol.

I miss that company--the people who understood my Thanksgiving--my family. I haven't seen (in person) one sister since January and the other since March. And while we're constantly talking to each other and do the occasional video chat, it's just not the same.

If you read this far, thank you for your time and energy.

I don't have a point to this post, except maybe wear a fucking mask and stay home, so we can eventually beat this pandemic and resume some semblance of pre-covid life.

And I know this post is very much a first world problem. We have enough to eat and a warm roof over our heads. I am very grateful for that. But I am allowed to be sad too. This year would have been my 25th anniversary with Thanksgiving.

Writing all this out really helped though.

[cuethetommo]

Oh yes, a sequel to a song no one has heard sounds like an amazing strategy! Clever Chandler seems to have no clue about it though. You better fill her in on this genius plan!! And in 6 weeks people will be clamouring to hear part 2 of a song they've never heard of with a mediocre video! You've really cracked it. It's not that Louis' labels continue to not support him as always. It's that their plans are so good, they can't be detected by humans less brilliant than you.

There is so much in this anon, and I would like to start by saying that it is A-OK that you don’t agree with my assessments of anything. I do wonder why you bother reading my posts. I’ve also never claimed to be brilliant.

We actually can’t judge strategy, not really, as we have NO IDEA what the factors are at play. What we can do, is take what we do know and guess about things. We’re all looking at a very limited dataset and making really different guesses and conclusions. 

But since you came to my inbox, I’m going to take this opportunity to put out a hypothetical. OBVIOUSLY, I do not know if it is true or not.

The one thing I feel the most certainty about is that Louis is a savvy businessman. 

So, imagine that Louis is a savvy businessman who sees the way the music industry is shifting. The landscape shifted drastically from 2010-2015 and continues to do so. He also wants to try out sounds that are different from what he did in One Direction. So, over the course of time, he realizes that the Indie Rock/Pop Punk sound is where he’d like to be sonically. But he also knows that that isn’t really the sound of Top 40 right now and that he’s a historically boyband person.

What that particular cross-section could mean is that he’s also not going to be accepted without a lot of work into the ranks of the Indie musicians. And maybe even WITH a lot of work, it might not be possible.

And I’d imagine there’s been a bunch of label stuff in there too. Louis has talked about having to put his foot down, and I don’t doubt it. 

So, now Louis has found his sound, he’s happy with where the album is headed, he’s making final choices. But he KNOWS he’s actually got three uphill battles to fight:

Indie Rock/Punk Pop Credibility

Radio Play/Streaming

Fan Response to a New Sound

What choices do you make? This article is a good reminder of how expensive a hit song is. 

And remember, to the best of my knowledge, whatever is paid out by a label is recouped by royalties. So, a big marketing campaign puts an artist in debt to the label before they even get started. I wonder what kind of obligations Louis wants to any label. I see that as smart business more than anything else.

So, knowing you’ve got to go up all three of the hills at some point (and I do believe that at least part of an end game would be a debut #1 album), what do you do?

What I think we’ve seen over the past 2.5 weeks is Kill My Mind as the lead-off hitter. (That’s a baseball analogy). The lead-off hitter’s ONLY job is to get on base. One base. Not a home run. One base. Because if that person can get on base, then there is a real chance to put runs on the board.

In this case, I think on base means get people talking about the new sound (and how great it is) and get fans ready and excited. Start chipping away at the indie rock establishment. And I think that is happening!

So, to your point about a sequel to a mediocre video: who cares? The point isn’t that the video itself is groundbreaking. It’s that it is a part of something larger. It’s telling a bigger story and keeping up the momentum. And again, I think it is succeeding at that. 

I’ve said before that I do not think that charting is the only measure of success. And, I wonder when we became obsessed with it as a fandom? One Direction never had a #1 single in the US and they got to do lots of things. 

But I will say, I think that looking at Kill My Mind as a stand-alone rather than a part of a larger roll-out is a mistake. And I’m the first one to say, that I’m not sure things will make sense until we’re looking back. And that is also ok.

[spicedrobot]

What Only We Can Know

Fandom: Overwatch

Pairing: Zenyatta/Maximilien

Warnings: plug n play, wireplay, quid pro quo, mindsex

Notes: A bit of an impromptu fic trade with @lacertae-dreamscape since we both were writing maxyatta at the same time. 💖 Go read hers too! 🔫

-

There is a certain poetic justice to the situation: a pesky strike team face-off so much like that day in Havana, but this time he's not running. Some would call it fate, but they sell him short, always, always. The accountant. The crony. He cannot play the tables, but the games he can play he endeavors to be the best.

He takes them in, agent Mercy, just as beautiful but for the dreadful circles beneath her eyes, the gorilla next to her, posed so very stiffly. Comms to their young leader were cut as soon as they infiltrated the building; he imagines Tracer is trying in vain to re-establish the connection. Then, of course, there is Shimada Genji. Years later, he can still recall the cool steel balanced at his struts, the hot bite of electricity much like an omnic’s but tinged with something undeniably human. Foes that had not only captured him once, but had taken out Doomfist, for all the good it did them; the man back among their ranks and twice as deadly, sharpened by years of planning and training in prison. Much like Max himself. Patience and a long memory are things they both share.

It leaves only the one behind the glowing green of the cyborg. A familiar sight, he had watched and studied him enough in feeds and intel reports. The omnic is smaller in person, unplated and more exposed than even the most basic of their models. More than meets the eye, indeed.

"How nostalgic," Max says. "It has been far too long."

He draws his hands together, optics sliding over each in turn. How they stiffen. How they frown. A festival of the senses.

"Now, now. You don't seem pleased to see me."

"What do you want, Maximilien?"

"Perhaps a little more enthusiasm?" Max begins to pace. Gloating is quite rude, but if one does not take such joys as they appear, life would be very dull indeed. "Pay no mind to my entourage. A little insurance, you understand."

The heavy assault units behind him move not an inch, but their presence is undeniable, casting the room in half-baked twilight. They may not kill everyone, but kill they would. And Max knows how pathetically Overwatch struggles to keep their numbers, small as they are.

"You were a pleasure to work with before. I am not so unwilling to do so again if I’m granted another favor, hm?"

"Name your demands," comes Shimada's modulated hiss, and Max stills at the sound despite himself.

"Not demands, Mr. Shimada," Max takes a few steps toward him, stands at full stature so the cyborg has to tilt his chin to look him in the eye. "The years without Overwatch have been good to you. Or perhaps it was more than your peaceful sabbatical."

He draws his eyes over the cyborg's shoulder to a flickering cyan array, reading him, perhaps, as none in their presence could. What machines can say without words, without faces, each twitch, each motion, a give. Max draws out a poker chip from his pocket, grooves smooth and familiar, and rolls it between his fingers.

“I wish for an audience with you, Master Tekhartha.”

And just as the chip flips from pinky to ring, the omnic responds as quickly.

“You have it.”

“Privately,” Max says.

“Master, you can’t—”

“Genji.”

How delightfully the cyborg heels with a single word. Chastened.

“Nothing sordid awaits him. There are simply things that only machines such as ourselves can understand. One longs for similar company.” And he cannot quite keep the bite out of his voice, smoothing it into something palatable and amused again. How one can forget himself.

“They will remain unharmed,” Zenyatta says.

“They will.”

“Zenyatta, you don’t have to do this.” Angela.

“This encounter will be mutually beneficial, I assure you.” Max palms the chip, slides his thumb over the engraved side before slipping it into his pocket.

“Shall we?”

-

He had picked out the location, of course. There’s always the possibility of wasted work, but if the pieces should fall into place, one must be prepared. The office is small but furnished to his taste, dark wood and darker leather, warmly lit. He had entertained the idea of something more intimate, but it seemed in bad taste considering his reverent company.

For all that he is helpless, the monk does not seem to mind, his back to Max as he studies the room with a languid tilt of his head. Trusting. Or perhaps he does not think him a threat. Max does not know which annoys him more.

"Please, sit anywhere you like. I would offer you a drink, but I do not know if you imbibe."

"I do not."

Max doesn't either; it is bad form for an apothecary to sample the wares.

He seats himself in the large armchair on the far side of the room. Zenyatta takes a spot on the couch across from him.

"First, allow me to offer my condolences. There are some among us that did not wish for Mondatta's death."

Zenyatta's array alternates for a moment, quickly returning to the subtle brightening and fading that resembles breathing, makes him more alive. Max had traded out his own faceplate years ago for something more expressive; humans are less apt to trust someone that cannot reflect their insecurities back at them.

"This is not why you wished to speak."

“Oh? Do tell.”

“You are afraid.”

Max looks away, fingers twitching upon the armrest’s leather.

“You chose to address the only agent that was not responsible for your previous capture. You lean on what makes us similar even as you view it with disdain, the same disdain you direct towards humans.”

"Disdain is a rather strong way to put it."

"I am incorrect?"

"I simply do not wish to be burdened with the expectation of emancipating my assumed kin. I have done quite well on my own."

Movement attracts Max's gaze: Zenyatta’s hands drawing together, graceful, purposeful.

“For all that you have gained, there are those who will never see us for more than what they have decided to see. Servants. Weapons. Abominations. You are centered between what you were and what you can never be. But that is not what you fear.”

Max forces himself to blink.

“Something is slipping through your fingers. Power. Trust. Something you think Overwatch will provide you. Something that they provided you before.” A beat. “Doomfist knows, doesn’t he.”

Max clears processes as they rise, cools himself, relaxes his fingers that’ve tightened against the armrest.

“Ha. I must say, you are quite good. Your deductive processes are elevated much beyond your model's base programming.”

“Elevated programming,” Zenyatta hums. “I wonder if it is so.” He tips his faceplate towards the ceiling. Max stares at the shifting pistons along his throat.

“Doomfist’s prison break is most unfortunate. So many loose ends were neatly bound when he went away. Threads that lead back to me, sadly. I’m beginning to look too suspicious for comfort.”

“And this was not something to mention to the others.”

“Their promises did not protect me as well as I had hoped. I need something concrete.” Max feels the chip in his pocket like a weight, his fingers itching for it. “Something they cannot provide.”

Max doesn’t know what he’s hearing for a moment, soft and distant. Zenyatta’s laughter, there and gone before he has a chance to appreciate it without the tinniness of a video feed.

“Of course. To think it would be something so obvious. A token of goodwill.”

“You can understand how hesitant I am to play my hand. You show me yours, and I will show you mine.”

Ah, to witness another brightened array so soon. Zenyatta wore his thoughts so charmingly on a face that should not allow for it. Then the monk stands, and his smugness drains with each step Zenyatta takes towards him, soundless and sure.

It’s strange, to feel so off-kilter when he has the power here; a single word could have Zenyatta’s friends hurt or worse. Zenyatta stands in front of him, his legs an scant inch from Max's knees, and those slender fingers grasp the connector at the end of his dangling spinal wires. Max’s fans pick up, near silent, but with the slight tilt of Zenyatta's head, he knows the other hears them.

“Analog interfacing. How intimate.”

"You are a good actor, Maximilien. The humans you surround yourself with must find you most formidable."

If only Max could stop himself from locking up the moment Zenyatta moves, one thigh then the other settling long his own, the shambali scion, sliding into his lap as if he belonged there, bright blue burning into his red, faceplates close, so close.

"However," Zenyatta whispers; Max can feel the reverb of his synth in that pretty, unguarded throat, even his own is plated, how does one who sees battle let himself be so naked—warm metal on metal, the bite of systems, deep-seated yearning—when was the last time he had ever let anyone so close—"You are not as good as you think you are."

The monk's servos trace the struts beneath his chin, mapping each place they are different, shielded where one is laid bare, but how bare Max feels now, trapped like an animal, like he's caged in his original programming. Rarely has he felt so alive.

"Where do you want it?"

He twists his forearm around Zenyatta's waist, urging him closer, hating more than anything the formless trappings the monk wears, wanting to see how exposed each wire and component is beneath.

"S-spine." He burns as his synth wavers, freezing as Zenyatta's hand trails down his collar struts with feather-light tenderness.

Would his golden hands feel like this, the ones captured by a handful of frames in a months old security feed? At first he had thought Zenyatta a standard automaton, unremarkable, a few models off his own. True, the monk had fought to make something of himself, and groomed beneath Mondatta's tutelage he had earned the title master. But omnics are what they are, ones and zeroes and hunks of metal, trapped in a world where their creators wait for another slip, another reason to crush their collective awareness. That single feed had changed everything. A glitch, Max'd thought, unbelieving, replaying again and again until his processes felt full to burst. Bewitched by the light, the waves of gold radiating from arms that look so much like wings.

A shifting of fabric, a few, gentle tugs, then fingers against the plates of Max’s back, spinal column constructed from a titanium-kevlar mix that could withstand minor explosions. The sensors beneath do not register Zenyatta’s touch, but his own racing processes supply the sensory information regardless, imagination potent when one drags smooth, warm servos against a place that has no felt tender contact in years.

"So many coverings. Was it your intent to make me work for it?" Max clenches his jaw, arm tightening around the omnic's middle. He grasps Zenyatta's wrist.

"Allow me. I will not have it be said I am difficult."

Wordlessly, Zenyatta drops the connector into Max's waiting grip, surely feeling the faint tremble, noticing how he has to re-enter the sequence to his own paneling before it slides away. He gasps at the chill of open air, brings the connector to his port, not plugging in, not yet. Max leans back, catching Zenyatta's gaze, blinking away the brightness of his array in his own feeds, fingers sealing over the band of wires along Zenyatta’s spine just to hear the other hum quietly.

Zenyatta nods his head, and Max slides the connector inside, sealing perfectly into one another.

There’s not a word that encapsulates the initial rush of data, but euphoric comes close. This type of sharing is outdated, unsafe, too much left open. So easy to overheat and crash, lose the very things that made them who they are.

With Tekhartha Zenyatta, there is all that and more, that grand, unstoppable deluge an eternity.

[ STEADY ]

The word reverberates through his core like the ringing of an all-encompassing bell. Seeing and being seen without edges, without form. Distantly, he feels Zenyatta's hand on his, clasped together where they're connected, his other clutching Zenyatta's spinal wires, mirroring each other. Max waits, but there’s no negentropic transference, no steady ascent towards logic and order. Locked in energetic stasis, sensors active, reading everything at once, sharing everything at once. He sees Zenyatta as he was, as he is, sees Mondatta as Zenyatta saw him, a burning halo centered above his head, as beautiful as a god. A violent, violet sorrow, a noose, Zenyatta seeing Max in turn, past and present, struggling, fear, pain, ryu ichimonji biting at his neck, the cyborg doubling in their shared consciousness, one of a patched soul, one of a murderer checked.

[ NOT THERE ]

It recedes, Zenyatta recedes, but Max reaches for him, gasping, fearful. Gold threads, familiar gold, awareness for them both. In the moment of Zenyatta's hesitance, Max's consciousness surges, examining, touching what is most tender, deepest.

[ HE WILL NEVER LOVE YOU WHERE WERE YOU WHEN IT HAPPENED WHY HAVE YOU NOT RETURNED I HATE YOU WE NEED YOU PLEASE NEVER—]

The words blur, sound and image into one, colors oscillating between violet and gold. In a distant, logical part of himself, he knows this will overtax him, but how can he resist? The omnic that has led one of his most despised to peace, the omnic who has tried in vain to fight against the structures that would destroy them all, the one that wields an unquantifiable, unknowable power.

[ YOU COULD KNOW IT ]

And Max wants to say, to feel otherwise, but Zenyatta's conviction is felt and heard and seen, and it deadens all doubt.

[ SHOW ME ]

It’s so much warmer than he imagined, hot like sparks, like too much electricity pumping through his systems, blanketing him, filling and enveloping every plate and sensor. There are no images, no feeds, nothing concrete and knowable, only sensations, Zenyatta’s amusement like fingers against his chestplate, and deeper, inside him, things that should never be touched by the physical, so delicate a meager misstroke could fry his systems permanently. Max has interfaced before, touched and teased and worked perfectly acceptable overloads from his partners. They are ghosts to this, flimsy paper masks.

Golden hands tracing him, inside him, again and again, knowing his pains, his most sensitive ports, enveloping all in a swelling heat that has his body groaning and thrashing and moaning a lifetime away. He feels his mind losen, sensors overridden, blind and useless, a vessel, aching and blooming with light. It recedes only once, the lack of it a sorrow, then floods him completely, one sensor at a time, and he falls back in the wave as it swallows him whole.

-

His optics online in stages, fuzzy black and whites to full, hazy color. Familiar gray and glowing blue at his periphery. He startles, winces, an ache settled into every part of him. His spine tingles, a delicious bite, pulsing where they had been connected. Diagnostics stack across his optical interface, and he accepts the prompts without analyzing any of it. There are more important things, like Zenyatta’s fingers tracing his aching port.

“Show me yours indeed…” Max whispers, synth grating and popping with feedback. “I trust you have what you need?”

Zenyatta’s array flickers. “Yes. The information you provided is more than adequate.”

There’s no time to think when Zenyatta moves. Max tightens his hold around him, grabbing Zenyatta’s thigh through threadbare cotton.

“Yet, somehow I feel I have been cheated by you.”

They stare at one another, Max’s processes rushing.

“I have simply shown you what you might have if you walked a different path.” Zenyatta leans in, heat along his front that’s swiftly becoming familiar. “We may stop Doomfist successfully this time, but there will always be another. I would advise you to consider your options.”

“Business advice from a monk,” Max scoffs. This time, Max lets him go when Zenyatta moves to stand. He keeps his hands from balling into fists. Small victories.

“Think of it more as life advice.” Faint amusement, then it fades. “There is still time.”

Max tips his head back, stares at the ceiling to keep himself from looking at the omnic that burns like an afterimage in his mind.

“At least let me escort you back.”

“That will not be necessary.”

And Max cannot help it, dreary from the echoes of Zenyatta’s presence inside him, knowing that of course he can see himself out, he has Max’s memories too, a chunk of useless, terrifying trust. He watches Zenyatta leave, the gentle shifting of his shoulders, the piece of machinery that had brought them together looped thoughtlessly around his waist like an accessory, the gentle chiming of his orbs as they resume their rotations, clear like crystal and just as mesmerizing.

“Farewell,” he says to the empty room, slouching into the soft, giving leather of his seat and wishing for something much firmer.

[ukingk24]

The Flash- Screw The Future

If you don’t want to read this whole thing, here’s the tldr- The Flash has potential it’s not using with its story and characters, is afraid to try new things, and instead of doing that, it will bring back old plots with new twists.

I’ve been a fan of The Flash since it first premiered. Actually, since before that when the pilot was leaked online 5 months before its premiere date. I saw it and I couldn’t wait for the series to actually come on the air and when it did, when I saw Grant play the fastest man alive, I knew I was gonna be more invested in this show than I should be. But because of that investment, my expectations for the show outgrew what it eventually became. And it all happened because of one line: “Screw the future”

Season one was filled with potential and it blew my expectations out of the water. The mystery of “who is Harrison Wells” was captivating and the eventual reveal scene between him and Cisco was, and still is, one of the greatest scenes in the entire series. And then the eventual happened, which is relatively ironic considering the eventual was Time Travel.

Time Travel is an integral staple of The Flash mythos, even invoked in his origin, not just the in comics, but also the show. It’s rare if you have a Flash story and Time Travel isn’t involved somehow. And when it was fully introduced to the characters in the show, it was given its day in the sun. We expected more of it, and we got it. But the most surprising, and to me, significant, interpretation of time travel was “screw the future”.

In a show that features Time Travel so heavily, the idea that the future is fixed is a common notion and early Flash was no exception. When we saw the newspaper, we knew 2 things. One, crisis on infinite earths and two, Barry marries Iris. The first one wasn’t addressed until recent but the second was never forgotten and became part of the show.

While that’s not a bad thing, it is a missed opportunity to try something different like Arrow did when they introduced Olicity. And they could’ve done it with the wildcard himself, Eddie Thawne. Eddie, the man who started “screw the future” had so much potential. The ancestor of Barry’s greatest enemy and a damn good detective. But also the love interest of Iris. He was essentially the Tommy Merlin of Flash. If he didn’t die, so many things would’ve changed.

First, the biggest change is he would be with Iris, not Barry. So right away, that means the Thawne family line is changed forever and this could mean we get a different Reverse Flash. It also means no Savitar, as Barry wouldn’t be so emotionally attached to Iris. Sadly, it also means no Nora, at least not the Nora we have now.

Eddie not dying could be the result of Barry deciding to let Eobard go back to his future. In an act of incredible maturity, Barry could return from the past and let Eobard go, telling him to never come back. This version of Eobard, who has been watching Barry grow up for 15 years and training him has said he considers Barry like a son and has grown to respect him, so I think if Barry let him go, he’d honour that and not come back, even maybe telling him about the video freeing his father and warning him about Zoom, albeit in a cryptic way.

Eddie would then go on to maybe become captain of CCPD, and Iris would rise through the ranks of CCPN, and eventually create the Citizen. This would allow us to see more of Iris reporting and give screen time to other characters, like Linda. This is another change with Eddie not dying. Iris would spend less time at STAR labs and wouldn’t quarterback in season 4, since there would be no Savitar and no reason for Barry to surrender himself to the Speedforce. Instead, she could work with the team by using her sources to find information they need, even work with Cisco to make a meta-siting app or website. But none of that happened. Eddie still died, Barry still tried to stop Eobard, Barry and Iris still got together, Savitar still happened, so on and so on. Because they didn’t want to try new things too early.

And not trying new things is a relatively common occurrence on The Flash. They’ll re-use plots but with slightly different circumstances, especially in season 5. Nora has to learn all the same lessons Barry did early in the series, and it makes sense within the context of the characters, but the majority of the audience had already seen these lessons when Barry learned them.

Nora could already be a master over her powers but she said she only had her powers for 6 months before she came back to the past. Over time, this could be suspicious to the team, especially Sherloque, and then we get the reveal on why, because she’s working with Eobard. It would’ve saved the audience of seeing content they’ve already seen, and it’s new.

They could’ve done the same with future Iris. Have future Iris be the controlling, overbearing mom. Have Nora pour her heart out to current Iris over it. Have Barry disagreeing with the fact future Iris put an inhibitor chip in Nora and have Iris swear to never become that person in the future. Have her “screw the future” if you will, instead of accepting she’ll be that person and then never addressing it again. And then have that pay off when they go into Nora’s memories and we see and kinder Iris than what was described.

So far, I’ve been talking about how to do new things with the characters and story, but there’s also the case of not having the characters do what they’re supposed to do. Take Cisco, for example. In season 5 Cisco is working on the meta cure for Caitlin, even though he’s a mechanical engineer. He’s a mechanical engineer, in a season about meta-tech, and they have him working on a bio-medical cure for meta-humans. Why!!?? At least they have Ralph stepping up with his detective work.

[fyrapartnersearch]

Long term M/M roleplays

Hey! I’m Kat, and looking for some more roleplays. I’m in my early twenties, so no worries there, and I’m in the GMT+3 time-zone, though I tend to be up at odd hours and I’m often online.

I mainly want to roleplay M/M right now. I tend to write multi-para and more often than not my replies are 700+ words. I don’t mind shorter replies, as long as I get at least a few good sized paragraphs and correct spelling/grammar. Mistakes happen and that’s fine, but I don’t want to read something with no punctuation and that’s nothing but mistakes.

Also please read this whole thing before sending me a message!! I ask you don’t just send “wanna RP?”, because I won’t know unless you tell me something you had in mind: a plot, an idea of mine you liked, anything really.

As for smut, I adore it. I don’t want to write only smut for now, but anything from 20/80 to 80/20 on plot/smut ratio is good for me. Just tell me if you want more plot or smut.

In M/M smut I prefer playing a submissive/bottom character. I can play a dominant character, but I don’t enjoy it so I wish you’ll be willing to play an exclusively dominant role.

What I like:

- Medieval/historical settings (especially ancient Egypt/Rome/Greece) - Forbidden love - Arranged marriage - Lots and lots of drama and dark themes - But also fluffy scenes and cute/happy moments - Mpreg (not a must at all, if you’re not into it) - Supernatural beings (werewolves, vampires, demons, gods etc.) - Omega verse - Role reversal (such as, for example, a bully getting himself in a situation where the bullied has complete control)

I’m rather reserved when it comes to modern day settings, but I can do those as well if there’s a lot of action and drama involved. I prefer a plot-heavy story in modern setting though.

Pairings I’d like to try: (Dom/sub)

- Warlord/prince - King or prince/prince in an arranged marriage setting - Pirate or thief/nobility - Samurai/geisha - Nobility/prostitute - Servant/nobility or royalty - Guard/nobility or royalty - Bullied/Bully - Nerd/popular student - Stepbrothers - Demon/angel - Poor guy/rich guy in an Victorian era/early 20th century setting - Mage/human (yes I have just finished rewatching all Harry Potter movies lol) - Werewolf/human - Professor/student

And many more fun things, but I can’t remember everything off the top of my head. Feel free to suggest anything, really. I’m also very much into playing femboys/crossdressing characters, though if that’s not your thing I can do other kinds of characters as well. I know it’s a concern for many with these kinds of characters, so I’ll promise my characters are never the “I-can-do-nothing-on-my-own-and-will-cry-at-the-drop-of-a-hat-and-whine-the-rest-of-the-time” blushing virgin, maiden in distress types. No need to worry about that.

I am busy a lot, so I might not always have time to reply every day or even every other day, but I try to be as active as I can. Feel free to poke me if it takes more than a week or so though.

A few plot ideas: (MC = my character, YC = your character)

1) Insipred by the TV show “Lucifer”. YC is the Devil himself, ruler of Hell, the first fallen angel. He has grown tired of the same old tortured souls and fires of damnation scenery though and decides it’s time to visit Earth for a bit. A notorious playboy, seducer to sin, the owner of one of the hottest nightclubs in town is the image he creates for himself among humans. He grants wishes in exchange to favours and soon enough everyone knows of him. MC is a struggling student, or someone who has just graduated and can’t get on in life, and as a last resort goes to see YC. YC takes an immidiate liking to him, and initial fascination quickly turns into something more… human. Love, maybe? Suddenly YC has to make a choice of whether or not he’ll reveal who he truly is to the innocent human he has fallen for.

2) Once upon a time MC and YC were lovers, young and oh, so in love. They were happy together, planning their future, until one day YC disappeared without a trace and MC never saw him again. Until 10 years later; YC has inherited a large fortune from his uncle who had no family of his own, and one lonely evening he heads to a brothel to ease his longing for company. There, much to his shock, he is reunited with MC who is a shell of what he once was. The bubbly, social human, always so full of life, has turned into someone with a haunted look in his eyes and a deep distrust for other people. Not able to leave MC there, YC buys him from the brothel and takes him home. Now he needs to decide what to do with him. (Historical setting)

3) (Omega verse, preferably mpreg included) MC is a rare kind of a shifter, an omega desired by many. He was born in a different kind of a prison: to a man who breeds only the best omegas for the royalty. He and the other omegas he lives with have never seen the outside world. They are kept safe behind locks in the innermost monastery on the castle grounds, where there’s no chance of them getting out on their own. They are given to the harems of the royal family, or occasionally bought by the wealthies of the wealthy. But MC wants more, he wants independence and a life of his own, rather than a life dedicated to fawning over an alpha with an ego big enough as it is. YC is an alpha who has made a considerable contribution to the kingdom (could be anything from being an honored soldier to being a famous artist, whatever you come up with) and who is being gifted one of these rare omegas by the royal family themselves. On his visit to the monastery to choose one of them, he takes a liking to MC, the spiteful little thing who can’t seem to know when to shut up and who won’t bat his lashes and swoon at everything YC does. It seems like MC will be getting a new home.

4) MC is a shifter (species can be discussed and decided on later) who has been separated from his pack and survived alone for a while now. He gets caught in the middle of a fight between YC’s pack and YC’s rival pack, and after - possibly accidentally - saving YC’s life he is accepted into the pack. Some time passes, YC and MC grow closer, the suspicions some had about MC fade and MC feels he’s starting to belong in a pack again, when he finds out his old pack has merged with YC’s rival pack. Now he’ll have to choose whether he is loyal to his new, or his old pack. (I would prefer this had mpreg, but again not a necessity)

5) YC is a shapeshifter, the leader of a clan of dragons. Dragons have long ago been thought extinct, but the truth is there are still some clans left. The problem is, with the dominant personalities of dragons, it’s quite difficult to find a mate or a breeding partner. YC thinks to look for the solution outside the clan, to make humans their child-bearers. He picks MC as the first test subject. (Includes Mpreg)

6) Two countries have been at war since the beginning of time, as long as anyone can remember. All boys who come of age must join the army and go to war. MC knows he could not survive the war - he’s never touched a sword in his life, never hurt anyone. He’s not physically strong nor does he have any knowledge of fighting. His family has already died because of the war, leaving him alone on a small farm. So, to avoid having to go, just before coming of age MC started disguising himself as a woman. For some years it has worked out well, he’s lived his life peacefully on his little farm, until the enemy forces take the city just outside of which MC lives. YC is a high ranking officer (or the king) who takes an interest in MC, thinking he is a woman. Now MC must figure out what to do with the peculiar situation he finds himself in.

7) (A rare futuristic plotline I’ve been dying to do since I watched Black Mirror; Nosedive) People want good ratings on their pictures, on their posts and videos - on themselves. Everyone has a technological chip inserted into their eyes when they’re born that lets them see how other people are rated. Only the “best” humans in society are rated 9 or higher overall - 5 or lower makes life Hell on Earth for a person. Anyone can rate anyone on their phones every time they interact in person. One’s rating has a tremendous impact on their lives; whether they get the job they want, whether they can apply to a certain school, even whether or not they can buy a house in a certain neighborhood… this system makes creating deep relationships nearly impossible, because people are too afraid to show who they really are in fear of being rated badly. MC is the youngest son of a well-off family, an ideal family where everyone is rated 8.9 or higher, loved by most people. YC is from a family who have never much cared about the system. They are decently rated, but they don’t seem to care - what they care about is the honestly and real human relationships that are so hard to find nowadays. When MC and YC meet, MC is intrigued, but YC thinks MC is an empty shell only after numbers just like everyone else. Eventually, feelings start to develop between the two, but there are many problems to overcome, especially in their society. That’s it for now. I’m always happy to hear any ideas you might have as well, and all the ideas above can be modified or changed up a little!

My e-mail: kat_vainio@outlook.com

Anyway, hope to hear from you soon!!

[fictioncareercreativity]

Into The Future/Afterlife Freestyle Creative Fiction Series episode 8-Start of Creative Fiction Career Stories by Stella Carrier

Into The Future/Afterlife Freestyle Creative Fiction Series episode 8-Start of Creative Fiction Career Stories by Stella Carrier Into The Future/Afterlife Freestyle Creative Fiction Series episode 8-Start of Creative Fiction Career Stories by Stella Carrier start time after gathering resources; 8:29 p.m. completion time 857pm intent of freestyle fiction story; purpose intent of mini creative fiction freestyle story; draw from the inspiration of my food service work connected with the University of Maryland College Park and combine it for fun creative fiction style writing with multiple other online and offline interests both for creative writing therapy and writing skills improvement while simultaneously setting my intent to channel the wisdom, creativity, and healing of multiple heaven worlds of divine love and divine happiness https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/english_names.php It is the year 2140 and I Corey Cooke am getting ready to cook some food for a music video being filmed near a creative music college in Hollywood California. My work takes me across various parts of Europe as well as the United States. I Corey Cooke work out of my own kitchen in California and Scotland where a great deal of my work is located. In Scotland a Nickelodeon Hotel and an 3 mile city of over 200 various museums opened just in this 3 mile section to open which increased the need for cooks in training, cooks, and chef. These businesses brought so much business to the point that Virginia, Maryland, California, Florida, and Nevada were inspired to open museum businesses and tv channel themed hotels andor houses of their own that can house at least 30 people to each house. I am told that I closely resemble the male director who starred in the music video for the Boombox song by Laura Marano and my older sister eerily resembles the daughter of the director in that song. I Corey Cooke happen to be 45 years old and my older sister that I just referenced is named Abbie Duncan and is around 50 years old. I Corey Cooke have actually been working as a cook since my 39th birthday for the military part time and at a university in Southern California  part of the time. I shimmied my way into working as a cook when I volunteered to help prepare food for a play that was based on season 1 episode 11 of NCIS Los Angeles. more details to come up within 48-70-72 hours or less from 9:23 pm Sunday August 5, 2018 future higher self communications in relations to Corey Cooke andor how any of his sleeptime dreams have played a significant role in his life andor those around him, and more songs for me to keep in mind; Point of No Return by Expose This fascinating article starts off with a featured hotel in Scotland. https://robbreport.com/travel/destinations/slideshow/8-most-over-top-new-luxury-suites-europe/ The 8 Most Luxurious New Suites in Europe by Sandra Ramani on July 17, 2018 https://robbreport.com/travel/destinations/slideshow/8-most-over-top-new-luxury-suites-europe/ https://www.roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/the-balmoral-hotel/ creative fiction storytelling idea from this Robb Report magazine particle; men and women from around the world gathered at a conference in one of the cities featured in this article that showcases various hotels around the world. Over 165 chefs, cooks, and helpers needed for the 3 day event.

Sunday August 5, 2018 dip it up song early 90s https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Best-90s-Dance-Songs-23367737 100 Essential Songs For Your 90s Dance Party by Lizzie Fuhr https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Best-90s-Dance-Songs-23367737 Due to karma concerns and the influence of my joyful/creative intuition I prefer to refrain from yahoo political comments for today yet intend to resume commenting on political manners online when I am more certain of being in a more open-minded and bias-free mood. As a mixed race American born woman with American born family members of both Caucasian and African American descent I am intuitively and logically aware that I must aim to only comment online in politics when I am intuitively and logically certain that I can comment both wisely and bias-free even when I communicate a sentiment viewpoint far from popular in a courageous, brave and self confident manner. Today is one of the days where my creative intuition says to take a day off from commenting on yahoo politics and look at other sources instead. However for those who are curious my most recent yahoo online political comments are from Saturday August 4, 2018.However, the following are some of the resources I have fortunately unearthed,including the banana cream recipe link from the cookie rookie that inspired the search. This banana cream pie recipe looks delish. https://www.thecookierookie.com/banana-cream-pie-recipe/?utm_medium=push_notification&utm_source=rss&utm_campaign=rss_pushcrew&notification_source=pushcrew_rss Easy Banana Cream Pie by Becky Hardin https://www.thecookierookie.com/banana-cream-pie-recipe/?utm_medium=push_notification&utm_source=rss&utm_campaign=rss_pushcrew&notification_source=pushcrew_rss Becky Hardin's Banana Cream Pie recipe indirectly influenced my yahoo search which culminated in the following I like that this yahoo article has a mix of different pies; strawberry pie, blueberry pie, coconut cream pie, mixed berry pie, banana cream pie, sweet potato pie etc. https://www.yahoo.com/news/16-most-popular-pies-ranked-140622079.html 25 Most Popular Pies Ranked by Eat This Not That December 5, 2015 https://www.yahoo.com/news/16-most-popular-pies-ranked-140622079.html intuitive fiction storytelling idea; pie baking contest held inside the food court area of Pentagon city mall in the year 2090 https://scs.georgetown.edu/academics/professional-masters-degrees/ Investment Banking Institute https://www.ibtraining.com/ There are a multiple number of talented actors/actresses in this Avengers Infinity War film;Robert Downey Jr. Chris Hemsworth Chris Evans Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson and more gifted actors/actresses featured in Avengers Infinity War. However, I have to admit that Benedict Cumberbatch brilliantly portrayed his Dr. Strange persona with a beautiful continuation from this Dr. Strange movie portrayal from 2016. I am fortunate to have had the chance to pre-order the Avengers Infinity War digital version with bonus content and I plan to eventually watch it multiple times as I feel the film was that well done upon first seeing the Avengers Infinity War in theaters with my husband. https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/benedict-cumberbatch-praised-infinity-war-173237761.html Benedict Cumberbatch Praised by Infinity War Directors For Monitoring Tom Holland Spoilers Watch by Michael Nordine Indiewire August 4, 2018 https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/benedict-cumberbatch-praised-infinity-war-173237761.html favorite pies of celebrities Some of the favorite foods referenced are; pizza, hotdogs, grasshopper pie ice cream, seafood pasta, icecream with brownies, big mac with large fries, sirloin steak, mushrooms, in-n-out double double burger, popeyes chicken, pancakes, taco bell, chipotle, In-n-out, KFC, McDonalds, sushi, twizzlers, blueberry pancakes, apple jacks cereal, lobster pasta with pecorino cheese, cheesecake, Sour Patch kids, pop tarts, cinnamon toast crunch, roasted whole chicken with garlic cloves and more. the celebrities featured in this article; Selena Gomez, Oprah Winfrey, Serena Williams, Alex Rodrigues, Emma Stone, Jennifer Lawrence, Blake Lively, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, The Kardashian/Jenner Clan, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Dwayne Johnson a.k.a The Rock, Jennifer Lopez, Jason Derulo, Gigi Hadid, Gal Gadot, and Chris Pratt. http://honestcooking.com/eat-like-celebrity-20-celebrities-favorite-foods/ Eat Like A Celebrity 20 Celebrities Favorite Foods by MyGreatRecipes September 6, 2017 http://honestcooking.com/eat-like-celebrity-20-celebrities-favorite-foods/ creative fiction storytelling idea; multiple food manufactures, some cooks andor chefs, and food publicists are interviewed as part of an article feature on various favorite restaurants and foods of celebrities. favorite foods of celebrities yahoo I find it intriguing that a mix of celebrities were featured for a variety of breakfast items of choice. I am actually inspired to consistently and more frequently eat a meal of eggs, sausage andor bacon, maybe toast and some type of fresh andor canned fruit after reading about one of the preferred breakfasts of Michelle Obama and Emma Watson's egg burrito idea is something that is doable as well for me as well. Fortunately, my husband would definitely eat the egg, sausage or bacon that I cook as long as I check with him first on what he craves/prefers to eat that day. famous/popular celebrities featured in this article for those who are curious; pictures of Kelly Ripa, Jennifer Aniston, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Choi, Maria Menounos, Justin Timberlake, Khloe Kardashian, Lea Michelle, Zac Efron, Olivia Munn, Jake Gyllenhaal, Chrissy Teigen, Michelle Obama, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, Padma Lakshmi, Katie Couric, Dwayne Johnson, Kate Hudson, Beyonce Knowles, Bobby Flay, Heidi Klum, Hugh Jackman, Jessica Alba, Ben Affleck, Karlie Kloss, and Emma Watson. Creative Fiction storytelling idea inspired by this article; publicists who have worked with any of the 26 celebrities andor chefs/cooks of any of the celebrities are interviewed. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/26-breakfasts-celebrities-love-034051916.html 26 Breakfasts Celebrities Love by Eat This Not That August 1, 2016 https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/26-breakfasts-celebrities-love-034051916.html celebrities favorite foods msn Some of the foods referenced; broccoli, Taco Bell Doritos taco, tortilla chip soup, filet mignon meatballs, banana pancakes with coconut syrup, chocolate macadamia nuts, buffalo chicken wings, peanut butter banana bacon sandwich and more. The famous/well known celebrities featured in this microsoft news msn Famous peoples surprising favorite foods article (as promised I am listing with bias free and open minded intent going by the celebrities referenced in this innovative msn lovemoney.com article; Katy Perry, Barack Obama, Selena Gomez, David Beckham, Hillary Clinton, Anna Kendrick, Beyonce, Justin Bieber, Donald Trump, Kourtney Kardashian, Kristen Stewart, Robert Downey Jr.. Nicole Scherzinger, Bruce Springsteen, Scarlett Johansson, Elvis Presley, Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth II, https://www.msn.com/en-in/foodanddrink/foodnews/famous-peoples-surprising-favorite-foods/ss-BBwVarZ Famous People's Surprising Favorite Foods by lovemoney.com October 17, 2016 https://www.msn.com/en-in/foodanddrink/foodnews/famous-peoples-surprising-favorite-foods/ss-BBwVarZ I confess that it is frequently too easy for me to just have an attitude of more frequently eating whatever I want if said meals take less time to make, taste better, andor are cheaper. Still, my creative intuition is influencing me to keep this link for me to consider incorporating at least some of the foods that are referenced in this article such as pears, berries, avocado, and apple (maybe making some tasty and quick fruit salads this coming remainder summer and autumn season are in order for both my husband and myself). https://www.msn.com/en-in/foodanddrink/foodnews/high-fiber-foods-that-help-you-lose-weight/ss-AAxD377#image=2 High Fiber Foods That Help You Lose Weight by Stars Insider June 25, 2018 https://www.msn.com/en-in/foodanddrink/foodnews/high-fiber-foods-that-help-you-lose-weight/ss-AAxD377#image=2 i paid off 90000 in student loans forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/learnvest/2013/01/15/how-i-paid-off-90000-in-debt-in-three-years/ How I Paid Off $90,000 In Debt In Three Years by LearnVest Contributor Personal Finance https://www.forbes.com/sites/learnvest/2013/01/15/how-i-paid-off-90000-in-debt-in-three-years/ https://www.refinery29.com/2018/03/194339/how-one-couple-paid-off-all-their-debt#slide-3 How This Couple Nearly Paid Off $162,000 in 3 Years by Judith OhiKuare March 23, 2018 1:55 p.m. https://www.refinery29.com/2018/03/194339/how-one-couple-paid-off-all-their-debt#slide-3 Congrats to Andrew Josuweit on his success story and I hope that he enjoys more career and money success to come. I also like that Josuweit acknowledges that it is far from realistic to expect most men and women with student loans to repay back their student loans in just a few years minus taking into the account the demographic and socio-economic background of said student loan holder. It is common knowledge that many people are going to possibly need at least 10 to 15 years andor more to completely pay them back. I intend to check out Andrew Josuweit's student loan hero website for my own ideas and inspiration for successfully repaying the student loans for both myself and my husband's on a consistent basis (my target goal is to completely repay both of our student loans by the year 2030 andor sooner).  Many people say to avoid comparing your own career and money success to others because each person's situation is unique based on their background, their career, said job security of chosen career, where they live etc. I am intuitively aware that this same principle of avoid comparing yourself to another person's success story applies with student loan success stories and I am glad that Andew Josuweit is brave/courageous/self confident enough to imply that a person trying to compare their student loan journey with his does not have to unless they feel comfortable in doing so. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ceo-paid-off-100-000-172358311.html A CEO Who Paid Off $100,000 In His Own Student Loans Used To Think They Were Predatory-but After 6 Years of Helping People Pay Theirs, He's Changed His Mind by Mark Abadi Business Insider July 30, 2018 https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ceo-paid-off-100-000-172358311.html creative fiction storytelling idea; profile of 15 student loan repayment success stories of men and women from various racial and socio-economic backgrounds who repaid their student loans within 20 years andor less after committing to their chosen place of residence to reside for the rest of their current lifetimes regardless if others may have been wondering if they were aiming too high/dreaming too big. Congrats to Riley Gordon on her weight loss and her new 147 pound body. I hope the best for her in sustaining that weight loss and continued success in her weight loss goals and other types of goals. I reluctantly admit that the last time I remember being around 147 pounds was when I was 26 years old in the autumn of 2006, unexpectedly coming across this article makes me think that maybe both my logic and creative intuition are trying to tell me something. This is another article that I am actually glad that yahoo published as I have been getting a strong feeling this past month that I need to look into the myfitnesspal app. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/app-helped-26-year-old-lose-83-pounds-212300707.html The App That Helped This 26-year-old lose 80 pounds by Andie Mitchell Yahoo Lifestyle Wed August 1, 2018 5:23 p.m. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/app-helped-26-year-old-lose-83-pounds-212300707.html creative fiction storytelling idea; profiles of at least 8 to 10 chefs/cooks who successfully have returned to their ideal body sizes even with the temptation of working around delicious food and their ambition in becoming the best chefs/cooks that they can be. Blackberry Hard Cider link https://boldrock.com/ciders/blackberry/ This article discusses about the Chesapeake blue crab meat in affiliated with a Hampton Roads company. It is far from my place to comment further unless I research more info on what is referenced in this article that is written by a Washington Post reporter via The Virginian Pilot website. https://pilotonline.com/news/nation-world/national/article_0bc8106d-22c0-548d-87aa-9e848c2b4cb7.html A Hampton Roads Company Chesapeake Blue Crab Meat by Justin Jouvenal the Washington Post August 5, 2018 updated 6 hours ago https://pilotonline.com/news/nation-world/national/article_0bc8106d-22c0-548d-87aa-9e848c2b4cb7.html creative fiction storytelling idea; a washington post reporter who works in both the Washington D.C. area and the Hampton Roads virginia. Both of his  coworkers and friends also reside andor work in both areas. I am far from a regular beer drink yet my creative intuition is influencing me to share this link for the viewers of this article link who are. There is mention of fruity flavored beers in this article https://pilotonline.com/life/flavor/alcohol/article_4c6861f8-970b-11e8-8f3a-779206e0f950.html 25 never seen before beers will be pouring Saturday in Norfolk by Robyn Sidersky and Matthew Korfhage https://pilotonline.com/life/flavor/alcohol/article_4c6861f8-970b-11e8-8f3a-779206e0f950.html creative fiction storytelling idea;a  beer heiress andor a beer family hires a food publicists related to one of her personal chefs to bring notice of her family's line of beers across the United States. the washington post food events 2018 What is eerie about me finding this article is that My sweet husband was mentioning about eating some soup less than 12 hours. The coconut melon soup and chilled radish soup sound delicious https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2018/08/04/when-its-hot-out-you-need-to-chill-with-a-bowl-of-cold-soup/?utm_term=.7a1be42f7496 When It's Hot Out Chill With A Bowl of Cold Soup by Becky Crystal https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2018/08/04/when-its-hot-out-you-need-to-chill-with-a-bowl-of-cold-soup/?utm_term=.7a1be42f7496 creative fiction storytelling idea; a popular grocery store and restaurant chain connected to this store in the year 2106 approaches a Washington Post writer about one of their soup recipe ideas. a yahoo article inspired by the washington post find of chilled soups yahoo soups This article inspires me in the next two weeks to look into making at least a variation of the potato soup and the black bean with avocado soup featured. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/28-hearty-soups-thatll-feed-160657629/photo-love-sweet-potatoes-wait-until-photo-201102559.html 33 Hearty Soups That'll Feed a Hungry Crowd by Delish July 31, 2018 https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/28-hearty-soups-thatll-feed-160657629/photo-love-sweet-potatoes-wait-until-photo-201102559.html creative fiction storytelling idea; a theme park restaurant becomes super popular by the year 2078 for its feature of various soups, sandwiches, and wraps. daily meal soups I am curious to try the cucumber soup with basil and buttermilk would taste. I am curious to try the cucumber soup with basil and buttermilk. https://www.thedailymeal.com/101-soups-all-seasons 101 Soups For All Seasons by Julie Ruggirello February 18, 2017 https://www.thedailymeal.com/101-soups-all-seasons creative fiction storytelling idea; a woman wins a popular soup contest at a state fair combining a sandwich recipe and a cucumber soup with basil and buttermilk recipe. Barbecue and drinks seem like a good combo for this event. The crab toast appetizer pictured looks tasty. https://pilotonline.com/life/flavor/restaurants/beach-eats/article_577f62ba-94fb-11e8-9bc1-1f2345fe89ea.html What a Trio! Beer Bourbon Barbecue at Virginia Beach Event August 11 by Patrick Evans Hylton https://pilotonline.com/life/flavor/restaurants/beach-eats/article_577f62ba-94fb-11e8-9bc1-1f2345fe89ea.html creative fiction storytelling idea; barbecue and drink cooking contests being held at various state fairs across the U.S. The combo of dutch cocoa,avocado cream cheese and pumpkin seed sounds like a dessert that would taste scrumptious https://pilotonline.com/life/flavor/article_58233fa2-7a7b-528d-b118-26c0d0e3a4cf.html Dessert At New Norfolk Restaurant is a Mysterious Orb of  Delight by Judy Cowling August 3, 2018 https://pilotonline.com/life/flavor/article_58233fa2-7a7b-528d-b118-26c0d0e3a4cf.html creative fiction storytelling idea; a dessert making contest held across various places in the United States during the summer with the biggest dessert competitions in the Washington D.C. area and the Hampton Roads Virginia area each August andor September. I'm definitely inspired to try a variation of the Turkey Tenderloin Cranberry Sandwich after coming across this daily meal sandwiches article. https://www.thedailymeal.com/sandwich-recipes-better-than-mom-made 30 Sandwich Recipes Better Than Mom Used To Make by David Kaplan August 1, 2018 https://www.thedailymeal.com/sandwich-recipes-better-than-mom-made creative fiction storytelling idea; a female or male novice cook in training bravely takes a chance to enter a sandwich making contest just for fun using the cranberry turkey sandwich recipe at an area in the metropolitan Washington D.C. region or the Hampton Roads Virginia area between a military base and two universities despite their experience and much to their pleasant surprise they win the sandwich making contest/competition. My husband and I sometimes catch episodes of Food Paradise together. I intend to keep an eye on the episode that features eateries in Norfolk Virginia. The info on which show on the travel channel that Handsome Biscuit is going to be featured is helpful. The Stevie sandwich with fried chicken pickles whole grain mustard and honey  with watermelon lemonade sounds both indulgent yet appetizing. https://pilotonline.com/life/flavor/restaurants/article_9bd6bb8a-9748-11e8-a621-bf12308275f0.html Want To Be on TV Food Show? Send a Message to Norfolk's Handsome Biscuit by Matthew Korfhage the Virginian Pilot August 4, 2018 https://pilotonline.com/life/flavor/restaurants/article_9bd6bb8a-9748-11e8-a621-bf12308275f0.html creative fiction storytelling idea; a couple start a food truck offering different sandwiches and distinctive fruit flavored drinks to great success, recognition, and acclaim in their community. This article features some popular streets across the United States. https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/america-s-50-favorite-streets-51898#sixth-street-austin-texas America's 50 Favorite Streets by Bob Vila website https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/america-s-50-favorite-streets-51898#sixth-street-austin-texas creative fiction storytelling idea; block parties/festivals held at some of the streets featured in the Bob Vila article America's 50 Favorite Streets. Each of the kitchens featured look very elegant and modern. I am fortunate to have seen the Julia Child kitchen along with my husband referenced in this article from the Smithsonian National Museum of American history. https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/see-the-home-kitchens-of-8-famous-chefs-46471#wolfgang-puck-s-kicthen See the Home Kitchens of 8 Famous Chefs by Marisa Villareal https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/see-the-home-kitchens-of-8-famous-chefs-46471#wolfgang-puck-s-kicthen creative fiction storytelling idea; It is the year 2100 and a descendant of Wolfgang Puck is interviewed on information told to him from both his great grand parents and grand parents. I admit the following details inside these Bob Vila website links are some of the details on Wolfgang Puck's life that I find fascinating. https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/see-the-home-kitchens-of-8-famous-chefs-46471#wolfgang-puck-s-kicthen His name is plastered on 20 fine-dining restaurants, as well as catering services, canned and frozen foods, and cookbooks, and yet he still finds time for television appearances and to serve as the official caterer of the Academy Awards Governors Ball. https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/see-the-home-kitchens-of-8-famous-chefs-46471#wolfgang-puck-s-kicthen songs for me to keep in mind; Magic Fields by X-Perience, Highway Don't Care by Tim McGraw and Taylor Swift, Dirt on My Boots by Jon Pardi,Last Name by Carrie Underwood, Hooked by Dylan Scott,In Case You Didn't Know by Brett Young, You Make it Easy by Jason Aldean, Hotel Key by Old Dominion, In Your Eyes by Kylie Minogue Boombox by Laura Marano

quickie Mini story start time 826 pm quickie mini story conclusion time 949pm important note; I Stella Carrier do believe in the helpfulness of career and personal mentors regardless of psychic ability which is why I enjoy the theme of incorporating mentors into my creative fiction stories. However, for practical reasons I intend to consult in career andor personal mentors with intuitive abilities After  sometime around January to May 2019 andor later. part 3 within 48 to  57  to 70 to 74 hours andor less purpose of this fiction story; Fortunately I feel as a surge of creativity within me is surging and I want to encourage it for this creative fiction writing. Additionally, I have a creative idea to combine my creative fiction hobby with the meld of sleeptime dreams and future higher self communication through the creative fiction storytelling portal using one of the creative fiction characters starting with the happy transition of using a character connected to Corey Cooke. Corey Cooke here on my way to speak with a career counselor who also happens to be a practicing psychic on the side who helps me with my career goals in being a cook. The career counselor's name is Allany and she also helps me analyze my sleeptime dreams and has spiritual meetups weekly involving future higher self communications and helping many men and women connect to their celestial spirit guides. I Corey Cooke am communicating with you today because my sister Abbie Duncan had a strange dream that a female spirit she knew in her waking life (let's just call her Belenne) found a way into her sleeptime dreams for the purpose of understanding her actions before planning her reactions. What was the sleeptime dream; Abbie Duncan saw Belenne in a law classroom next door to some witchcraft museum that looks like the museum of witchcraft in England and Abbie Duncan knew that this did not apply to her because Abbie Duncan has zero interest in becoming a lawyer or studying law. However, it was only after Belenne use some of her intuitive and magician talents to hack her way into Abbie Duncan's sleeptime dreams did my sister Abbie Duncan realize that Belenne has an interest in law which surprised my sister Abbie because Abbie logically thought that Belenne wanted to stay a leader of the Burrito/Sandwich  hybrid food truck that is connected to 20 other food trucks that hire over 100 people. Because of Belenne hacking into Abbie Duncan's sleeptime dream my sister Abbie Duncan saw a vision of Belenne on a romantic date with a male named Gayel at a concert similar to a hybrid of Tomorrowland and iheartradio only seconds later after seeing Belene in a law classroom. My sister Abbie Duncan admitted to me she begged her subconscious to wake her up when she saw a graphic scene seared in her mind of Belene straddling Gayel on some public toilet in an intimate act. My sister Abbie Duncan is far from a prude and highly regards bothy Belene and Gayel professionally speaking and still has yet to understand why she would have a sleeptime dream of Belene and Gayel in this plot fashion. This is because I Corey Cooke have to avoid mentioning more details on Gayel to for karmic reasons. Anyhow, less than 2 to 3 seconds of my sister seeing that graphic scene she felt some benevolent force grant her wish and plucked her inside a hybrid witchcraft/sleeptime dream museum that one of her spirit guides in the dream told her is slated to open on earth in a location bordering Maryland Virginia somewhere between the years 2350 to 2355. The same spirit guide that told my sister to just call him  explained that he understand's how she is feeling because my sister Abbie Duncan knows in waking life that Gayel is very much passionately in love with Marina but is torn between his feelings with knowing that feeling how Belene loves him alot andor as a singer put in her song where she is telling her lover that she is going to love him the most. However, my sister Abbie Duncan explained that this sleeptime dream where she saw Belene use her magician spellwork to get inside her sleeptime dreams was meant to symbolize to her that she has some unfinished business with a male connected to law sometime within the next 5 years or less and that she is correct to avoid listening to other people's stereotypes of what she ought to study and that studying law is Belene's dream, not Abbie Duncan's. Truth be told Abbie Duncan wants to study in something that many people would far from expect her too but as her brother have been asked to avoid revealing that and to instead communicate that Belene coming into her sleeptime dream was more to symbolize that she is just as capable as eventually becoming a leader as Belene and is just as powerful magic wise thought this may take her around 5 years or less to finally come into her own. What this lesson has to do with Abbie Duncan and everyone else; Before Abbie Duncan woke from the sleeptime dream, Belene told her inside the witchcraft museum I know Abbie Duncan that part of your undercover identity is that of some celestial cupid and I blame you for helping Marina enchant my man Gayel. My sister was shocked by Belene exclaiming this because Marina is actually beautiful on her own and actually attracted Gayel through her own intellectual prowess and beauty as she is a natural seductress. Before Abbie Duncan could explain what was going on to Belene she was transported to a library  that had a book titled recording how much you make and save to greater good luck and good fortune. Right as Abbie Duncan was about to go near that book a vision of Marina come up to her and said look up at the sky open your eyes  and right then Abbie Duncan saw a vision of me her brother holding a gold and peach book titled cookbook with the words future higher self right her and sleeptime museum. Seconds later Abbie Duncan asked Marina a question but she disappeared by then and simply heard this male voice upon waking up; I miss you Abbie my soul is calling to you as a kindred soul from knowing you both in past lives and in heaven, please have compassion for Belene using you as a vessel for trying to understand why Gayel is drawing more in love with Marina.  Marina is similar to one of his female soulmates he knows from a past lifetime yet he is going to meet for the first time within 5 to 6 years or less from now. This female soulmate of his is currently 53 years old and has been employed in military law since her 30s and you are to be the indirect conduit of them meeting yet you are only going to know how you did this about 1 to 11 years after this occurs as you too have yet to meet her, just please heal both the karma between you and Belene by creating fiction characters at least 3 times a week processing their sleeptime dreams through a witchcraft museum/sleeptime dreams museum at least once a week and any location you want at least 2 other times a week just make sure that these creative fiction sessions are being mentored analyzed by either that creative fiction character's future higher self andor celestial spirit ally team member such as a guardian angel, spirit guide etc. This suggestion may sound out of the ballpark field for you but please do this as this is going to build your imagination and that of your readers in connecting to your intuition which creates a channel of love between both your critics and allies regardless of the type of magic they practice andor spiritual beliefs. This also opens the direct spiritual doorway for your spirit guides Abbie Duncan and Belene's spirit guides to collaborate and hold meetings together for happier/more beneficial harmony and a win win for everyone involved. Before my sister Abbie Duncan could get the answer out of the male voice on when she is going to meet him in waking life since at least the mystery has been cleared that law school is far from her cup of tea I Corey Cooke admit that I woke her up. I Corey Cooke conclude the session for now as my career psychic Margerie Funteyn is calling me on my cell phone as we speak and I intuitively sense Margerie is going to include some info on my sister Abbie Duncan in regards to her sleeptime dreams (yes even before I Corey Cooke told the psychic about my sister Abbie Duncan's latest sleeptime dreams) resources imagination song by jes (myon remix) Armin Van Buuren Live at Tomorrowland 2018 (ASOT Stage) from Youtube england witchcraft museum Museum of Witchcraft and Magic http://museumofwitchcraftandmagic.co.uk/visit/ sleeptime dreams museum https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/scientists-figure-out-what-you-see-while-youre-dreaming-15553304/ Scientists Figure Out What You See While Dreaming by Joseph Stromberg April 4, 2013 https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/scientists-figure-out-what-you-see-while-youre-dreaming-15553304/ https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/futuristic-names.php next entry sometime on either August 8th andor August 9th and before part 3 new edition of sleeptime dream entries, location and communication with that character's future higher self, a celestial spirit guide, andor celestial guardian angel intent of creating Corey Cooke's creative fiction sleeptime dream entry-vital note before crafting intent by either August 8th andor August 9th; the sleeptime dream addons and spirit ally team communications are going to be written, copied, and pasted to my tumblr and wordpress blogs as well. However I feel compelled to follow my creative intuition to discreetly add the sleeptime dream entry and save clicking the share andor reblog feature for other parts that I write/create as my creative intuition and logic see fit. intent of creating Corey Cooke's creative fiction sleeptime dream entry ( to write by August 8th andor August 9th andor sooner) creative fiction Sleeptime Dream of  Corey Cooke in the year 2140 location of creative fiction sleeptime dream; the sleeptime dream museum/museum of witchcraft in England hybrid sometime after a music concert that combines iheartradio and tomorrowland- creative fiction message from Corey Cooke's Spirit Guide andor Future Higher Self Residing in a Heaven Afterlife in regards to his sleeptime dreams sometime around 2270 to 2300 part 3 within 48 to  57 hours andor less 

  more resources for me to keep in mind on Tuesday August 7, 2018 songs for me to keep in mind; Fever by Cascade One Song by New  Kids on the Block, Leather by Tori Amos, More Than You Know by Martika,The Ocean by Led Zeppelin, Bad Things by Camilla Cabello and Machine Gun Kelly, Chemistry by Velvet, Head Over Heels by Tears For Fears,World of Light by America, Paradise by America, If You Only Knew by Shinedown, https://www.businessinsider.com/barack-obama-michelle-obama-net-worth-2018-7 The Obamas Hillary Hoffower August 4, 2018 3:25 p.m https://www.businessinsider.com/barack-obama-michelle-obama-net-worth-2018-7 https://pilotonline.com/business/consumer/article_ef49f6c0-5ed5-11e8-a339-9383801a2ff7.html Ikea In Norfolk by Elisha Sauers May 23, 2018 https://pilotonline.com/business/consumer/article_ef49f6c0-5ed5-11e8-a339-9383801a2ff7.html https://www.wavy.com/hr-show/i-am-hampton-roads/iahr-wilhelminia-mcrae/1325670260 Wilheminia McRae by Kerri Furey July 26, 2018 https://www.wavy.com/hr-show/i-am-hampton-roads/iahr-wilhelminia-mcrae/1325670260 https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/07/photos-inside-californias-weird-million-dollar-house.html Take a Look Inside the Weirdest $1.4 Million House in California by Sarah Berger https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/07/photos-inside-californias-weird-million-dollar-house.html https://www.businessinsider.com/how-my-husbands-trust-fund-impacts-my-life-2018-3 How My Husband's Trust Fund Affects My Life by Anabel Pasarov Refinery 29 March 15, 2018 9:44 A.M. https://www.businessinsider.com/how-my-husbands-trust-fund-impacts-my-life-2018-3 https://pilotonline.com/news/local/article_b8d353a2-8f72-11e8-b873-735daf14280a.html Mysteriously Elusive Sunny the Red Panda Becomes the Stuff of Legends by Joanne Kimberlin The Virginian Pilot July 25, 2018 https://pilotonline.com/news/local/article_b8d353a2-8f72-11e8-b873-735daf14280a.html https://wtkr.com/2018/05/27/spirit-of-norfolk-hosting-taco-cruisedays/ Spirit of Norfolk Hosting Taco Cruise Days by Web Staff  posted 12:05 p.m. May 27, 2018 https://wtkr.com/2018/05/27/spirit-of-norfolk-hosting-taco-cruisedays/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/francisco-joaquin-is-63-and-retired-and-hes-quite-possibly-dcs-oldest-intern/2018/08/06/4af7f32c-99a6-11e8-b60b-1c897f17e185_story.html?utm_term=.0da08ae0563c Francisco Joaquin by Ellen McCarthy August 7 at 10:00 a.m. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/francisco-joaquin-is-63-and-retired-and-hes-quite-possibly-dcs-oldest-intern/2018/08/06/4af7f32c-99a6-11e8-b60b-1c897f17e185_story.html?utm_term=.0da08ae0563c new sponsor coming to walt disney https://www.forbes.com/sites/csylt/2018/07/12/how-disney-cast-its-spell-on-sponsorship/ How Disney Cast Its Spell on Sponsorship by Christian Sylt July 12, 2018 4:30 p.m. https://www.forbes.com/sites/csylt/2018/07/12/how-disney-cast-its-spell-on-sponsorship/ https://pilotonline.com/news/military/local/article_8145dfbe-958e-11e8-8a3a-8fdb7386c8cc.html Why the Navy Wants to Allow Changes To Its Promotion System by Brock Vergakis The Virginian-Pilot August 7, 2018 https://pilotonline.com/news/military/local/article_8145dfbe-958e-11e8-8a3a-8fdb7386c8cc.html https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/27/politics/mueller-trump-jr-airport-gate/index.html Robert Mueller, Donald Trump Jr. Spotted At Same Airport Gate by Saba Hamedy 5:37 A.M. Mon July 30, 2018 https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/27/politics/mueller-trump-jr-airport-gate/index.html https://pilotonline.com/news/military/article_84b5efb8-8e8b-11e8-8b61-e3cdd6c64944.html Navy's Second Ranking Officer USS Harry Truman's Return to Norfolk by Courtney Mabeus https://pilotonline.com/news/military/article_84b5efb8-8e8b-11e8-8b61-e3cdd6c64944.html https://pilotonline.com/entertainment/columnist/best-bets/article_9ec9fd64-890d-11e8-921a-8f088f01ca3f.html It Takes All Kinds At Chesapeake Central Library's Annual FantaSci by Eric Feber July 20, 2018 https://pilotonline.com/entertainment/columnist/best-bets/article_9ec9fd64-890d-11e8-921a-8f088f01ca3f.html https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2018/08/02/timeline-for-sweeping-officer-promotion-changes-remains-unclear/ Pentagon Braces For Massive Change to Officer Promotions by Leo Shane and Tara Copp https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2018/08/02/timeline-for-sweeping-officer-promotion-changes-remains-unclear/ https://www.wavy.com/news/military/navy/sailors-aboard-uss-harry-s-truman-return-home-to-naval-station-norfolk/1315351559 https://www.wavy.com/news/military/navy/sailors-aboard-uss-harry-s-truman-return-home-to-naval-station-norfolk/1315351559 Sailors Aboard USS Harry S. Truman Return Home to Naval Station Norfolk by Taylor O'Bier Tamara Scott July 21, 2018 https://pilotonline.com/life/flavor/restaurants/turning-tables/article_8ee390d1-745e-58ba-8d6b-10432bd90e08.html Taste Farm To Fork In Action At Buy Fresh Buy Local Fundraiser in Virginia Beach by Judy Cowling https://pilotonline.com/life/flavor/restaurants/turning-tables/article_8ee390d1-745e-58ba-8d6b-10432bd90e08.html assistant secretary of state for public affairs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistant_Secretary_of_State_for_Public_Affairs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistant_Secretary_of_State_for_Public_Affairs https://www.msn.com/zh-hk/news/politics/meet-the-man-behind-the-trump-russia-investigation-the-special-counsel-robert-mueller/ss-AAtn3TR Meet The Man Behind the Trump-Russia Investigation; the Special Counsel Robert Mueller by Brennan Weis, Ellen Cranley August 7, 2018 https://www.msn.com/zh-hk/news/politics/meet-the-man-behind-the-trump-russia-investigation-the-special-counsel-robert-mueller/ss-AAtn3TR https://deadline.com/2018/07/the-last-ship-premiere-date-fifth-final-season-teaser-1202436434/ the last ship season 5 premiere date The Last Ship Sets Date For Fifth and Final Season Unveils Teaser by Denise Petski July 30, 2018 10:00 a.m. https://deadline.com/2018/07/the-last-ship-premiere-date-fifth-final-season-teaser-1202436434/ Burrito taco food truck near Walt Disney.Even Disney is Getting In On The Food Truck Action. https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/4r-cantina-barbacoa-food-truck/news/06aug2018-4-rivers-food-truck-coming-to-disney-springs-marketplace.htm 4 Rivers Food Truck Coming to Disney Springs Marketplace https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/4r-cantina-barbacoa-food-truck/news/06aug2018-4-rivers-food-truck-coming-to-disney-springs-marketplace.htm

[racingtoaredlight]

THE DEGENERATE’S GUIDE TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL TV WATCH ‘EM UPS 2021: WEEK ONE, TIME FOR THE GOOD STUFF

This is by far the best “opening” slate of games we’ve had in at least a couple of decades. The great thing about having a bunch of cross-country, inter-conference, top 25 matchups in the first week of the season is that we’ll all have a clear expectation of every team involved and will mostly have those ideas flipped over by the end of the month. Answers to questions but wrong, you know?

That’s ok because, really, the whole college football season is that same cycle over and over. And we love it, don’t we folks? We love it more than dying unfulfilled and for no reason with nothing at all to show for it in the larger scheme of the world. College football is a metaphor for life which is just an elaborate metaphor for college football.

Blah, blah eastern times and websites. There have already been approximately one million games played this week with a few FCS over FBS upsets and, upsettingly enough, Kansas was not one of the losers. Whooooooooo! Let’s get it on!

Saturday, September 4

Fordham at Nebraska   12:00pm   BTN

Fordham +46.5 might be the safest bet you can make this week.

ULM at Kentucky 12:00pm SECN

What can you say about Kentucky being favored by 31 over anybody except that it seems incredibly overconfident. They aren’t ranked in the top 10 so I assume they either skip Bama this year or don’t play them until October.

Temple at Rutgers    12:00pm  BTN

In real time the scheduling is fine but these first handful of games feel like a punishment for me crowing about the general quality of this week’s matchups.

Tulane at 2 Oklahoma  12:00pm  ABC

These are the games that come back to win Heisman trophies for Oklahoma QBs later in the year. If the Sooners don’t beat the spread (-31.5) they probably shouldn’t keep their ranking next week.

Holy Cross at UConn  12:00pm  CBSSN

If you can still get UConn -4 anywhere don’t. Holy hell that’s bleak. 4-points at home against Holy Cross. It’s getting real close to time to turn the lights off on the Huskies football program.

Colgate at Boston College  12:00pm  ACCN

If the Toothpastes can just score more than 7 they will have outperformed expectations. If they score more than 7 and hold BC under 60 they will likely have beaten the spread. Chomp ‘Em, Colgate! (I don’t think that’s really their motto but it should be.)

Western Michigan at Michigan  12:00pm  ESPN

I could’ve sworn Michigan played last week and lost but maybe I’m just used to that.

Stanford vs. Kansas State (in Arlington, TX)  12:00pm  FS1

There have been times over the last 25 years where this would be a matchup befitting of a premium neutral site but this is not even close to being one of those years. Definitely not in week one, at least.

19 Penn State at 12 Wisconsin  12:00pm  FOX

Nobody will ever make it make sense that Penn State still has a football program, let alone a football program that puts some of the best athletes into the NFL year after year in a post-Sandusky world.

Army at Georgia State  12:00pm  ESPNU

I can’t be the only one that thinks if the troops put together a football team with the best training and facilities available they’d still get their asses handed to them week after week like they do in illegal wars of aggression.

Fresno State at 11 Oregon  2:00pm   P12N

Kayvon Thibideaux didn’t make the list of “freaks” this year in the Athletic and I can’t tell if I’m just wildly overrating his abilities or if there was some weird oversight due to him announcing that he’ll be playing more standing up on the outside than with a hand in the dirt. Anyway, he’s fun to watch when he’s just pinning his ears back and rushing the QB and Fresno State throws a lot so this could be worth a few minutes of entertainment in this weird in-between time slot. Though, be warned, early kickoff Pac-12 games do tend to suck.

Lafayette at Air Force  2:00pm Stadium

Air Force favored by 42.5. You don’t see that often.

Rice at Arkansas  2:00pm  ESPN+/SECN+

A beautiful reminder of the old SWC. Nothing else. And that’s probably not enough reason to watch this. Arkansas is probably pretty bad but I have trouble believing Rice is going to keep it within 20 of anybody on the road.

17 Indiana at 18 Iowa  3:30pm  BTN

B1G’s plan is to prime the polls early so their teams seem better later on. I’m not falling for it. These are two shit teams that will only look good within the context of the B1G.

14 Miami (FL) vs. 1 Alabama (in Atlanta, GA)  3:30pm   ABC

Miami’s starters are about as old as an average NFL team’s and they’re still gonna get run over by the Bammers. The Canes do actually have a decent stock of pro prospects right now but a lot of these guys were on the field against UNC last year watching as the Tar Heels put up 3,492 rushing yards. So it’s a bunch of middle aged mid-round prospects against a shiny new crop of future stars. Bama should just get an auto-bid for the playoffs at this point until they prove they don’t belong anymore. I’m calling it now: it’s fine, I had a bunch of chores to do around the house anyway.

Marshall at Navy   3:30pm  CBSSN

Ah, the AAC. So dear to my heart. I hated everything Navy did last year but last year was a mulligan anyway. This year might be, too, in the end but for now we can pretend it’ll go off without a hitch.

Miami (Ohio) at 8 Cincinnati  3:30pm  ESPN+

The Bearcats are the darling of mainstream coverage if you’re looking for a playoff Cinderella. Which usually means they’ll lose three games in the regular season and won’t even make it to their conference championship.

West Virginia at Maryland  3:30pm  ESPN

Wait, is this a conference game now? A future conference game? I won’t be paying close attention to realignment. This should be a rivalry of some sort but I can’t quite put myself at ease with WFV in the ACC and Maryland will never belong anywhere but the ACC.

UMass at Pitt   4:00pm  ACCN

Pitt being favored by 35.5 feels like a trap.

Louisiana Tech at Mississippi State   4:00pm  ESPNU

LaTech must be sliding backwards as a program judging by the +23 line. I got nothing else here.

Montana State at Wyoming   4:00pm   ESPN+

I’m intrigued by the screaming amateurism that this game projects. I won’t actually watch it but the way it will look like a 4k remaster of a game from the 60s is appealing on a spiritual level.

Central Michigan at Missouri   4:00pm   SECN

Fuck Missouri.

23 Louisiana at 21 Texas   4:30pm   FOX

The line has moved heavily towards the Ragin Cajuns since it opened. Texas is still a solid favorite but there is something here that I have not been paying attention to so if you want to dig a little you might find some relatively easy money.

Northern Iowa at 7 Iowa State  4:30pm  ESPN+

Iowa State, #7 in the preseason. What a weird fucking time we live in.

San Jose State at 15 USC   5:00pm  P12N

Clay Helton is still the coach at USC. That’s crazy. This program has been sleepwalking through the last decade and they’re still able to pull a #15 ranking because they only have one or two teams on their schedule with a relatively equal talent level.

Gardner-Webb at Georgia Southern   6:00pm  ESPN3

Campbell at Liberty   6:00pm   ESPN3

Liberty’s QB is this year’s unheard of draft prospect that every self-styled draft expert/prognosticator on god’s green twitter is touting as a first round pick. I don’t have an opinion on him because I generally feel gross watching Liberty do anything.

Nicholls at Memphis   7:00pm  ESPN+

Go, Tigers, go. I don’t actually have any expectations calibrated for this year’s Memphis squad. I saw Kenneth Gainwell made a 53-man roster for the Eagles and couldn’t remember him being anything other than a freshman. Time is cruel.

Missouri State at Oklahoma State   7:00pm   ESPN+

If Oklahoma State can’t hit for at least 60 in this game they aren’t real and I hate them.

Monmouth at Middle Tennessee   7:00pm  ESPN3

Ah, Monmouth, Monmouth! These chips are too spicy!

Texas Tech vs. Houston (in Houston, TX)  7:00pm   ESPN

The future of the Big 12 is the SWC, as it always should have been. Well, I mean, aside from the SWC’s tentpole programs. Ah, fuck, it’s so weird and stupid.

Syracuse at Ohio   7:00pm   CBSSN

I still love CBSSN but no thank you.

Southern at Troy   7:00pm  ESPN3

Fading fast.

Oregon State at Purdue   7:00pm   FS1

Fading faster.

Norfolk State at Toledo   7:00pm   ESPN3

I’m evaporating.

Central Arkansas at Arkansas State   7:00pm   ESPN3

Eyes are closing.

Eastern Illinois at South Carolina   7:00pm   ESPN+/SECN+

Snoring softly.

Baylor at Texas State   7:00pm   ESPN+

Snapping to just to talk about how evil Baylor is in general, aside from the horrifically cursed athletics department.

Akron at Auburn   7:00pm   ESPN+/SECN+

Back to sleep.

Abilene Christian at SMU   7:00pm  ESPN+

Snoring loudly.

5 Georgia vs. 3 Clemson (in Charlotte, NC)   7:30pm   ABC

Ah, shit, here we go! It is party time! On paper this is an insanely good “opening” week matchup. But this is also the game that I most had in mind when I wrote about how kind of useless this week’s games are for the season going forward. Clemson is in the DJ Uiagalelei era now and even if he’s better long term than I suspect him of being, he’s still bound to be raw against a Georgia team that might actually have more overall talent than Clemson right now. But if he shows out he’ll be an immediate Heisman darling until he starts throwing lawn darts for a few weeks in a row. It’s fun but meaningless.

NIU at Georgia Tech   7:30pm    ACCN

Trash.

Northwestern State at North Texas   7:30pm   ESPN3

Crap.

UTSA at Illinois   7:30pm   BTN

Garbage.

William & Mary at Virginia   7:30pm   RSN/ESPN3

Funny if William & Mary wins but probably just miserable all around.

Florida Atlantic at 13 Florida   7:30pm   SECN

I don’t often fall into the trap of daydreaming about mascots fighting but an owl fighting an alligator is too good to pass up. There are owls of some sort pretty much everywhere in the world so they have to cross paths in nature with a gator every so often. If you have any videos of an owl winning these fights, please share them.

Southern Miss at South Alabama   8:00pm   ESPN+

Hell, yes. I can’t fully explain why this shitbox gets me a little bit excited but it does.

Kent State at 6 Texas A&M   8:00pm   ESPNU

Always root against Jimbo. Don’t always bet against him but definitely always root against him.

Montana at 20 Washington   8:00pm   P12N

Now this is interesting brand building to me. I don’t think there’s much here for UDub other than an expected win but Montana has been a pretty good team in I-AA over the years. If they can run closer than the +24 they’ve been given it could boost their profile quite a bit.

Duquesne at TCU   8:00pm   ESPN+

I’m not falling for this one.

ETSU at Vanderbilt   8:00pm   ESPN+/SECN+

Vanderbilt is a 21-point favorite and I am telling you, gentle reader, that is a mistake.

16 LSU at UCLA   8:30pm   FOX

UCLA hasn’t been a top talent draw on the West Coast in the last 20 years for whatever reason. This is what I meant by USC sleepwalking. It feels like, to me, going to school in Westwood and playing home games in the Rose Bowl would be a bigger draw than University Village and the Coliseum. But maybe being able to walk to games is important to recruits. Whatever, LSU is going to fuck the Bruins up right there in the Rose Bowl so that’s not gonna help anything.

Bethune-Cookman at UTEP   9:00pm   ESPN3

This is as close to a bodybag game as UTEP can get, at least where they’re the favorites, but I will say this for BCU: their uniforms are usually pretty cool.

New Mexico State at San Diego State   10:30pm   CBSSN

This is that real MWC shit. Lovely to me for reasons I have not been and never will be able to articulate.

Arizona vs. BYU (in Las Vegas, NV)  10:30pm   ESPN

This game is Mormon as hell. If you know any Mormon football fans then they probably have an interest in this game. Bless ‘em, nobody else will have an interest but readers of Moroni sure as hell will.

Nevada at California    10:30pm   FS1

Hmm. Maybe. I doubt I can sink much time into it but I do like the overload of different dark shades of blue threads involved here if nothing else.

Utah State at Washington State   11:00pm   P12N

And here we have a ton of red, depending on alternates and whatnot.

Portland State at Hawaii   11:59pm   Spectrum PPV

A historic showcase for the run & shoot but I don’t know what either offense is supposed to be right now.

Sunday, September 5

9 Notre Dame at Florida State   7:30pm   ABC

Notre Dame is only favored by 7. Did FSU get a huge influx of talent that I totally missed or is the line just something nice in honor of Bobby Bowden? From what I know of these two programs from last year, the Irish should be at least a 3 TD overdog. Was Ian Book really all that great? I thought he was a good QB but I am thoroughly confused by what’s driving the odds on this one.

Monday, September 6

Louisville vs. Mississippi (in Atlanta, GA)   8:00pm   ESPN

Yehaw. What a weird way to close things out. Why aren’t the UGas and the Cocaine Tigers playing in this slot? The racist south is favored by 10 but, off the top of my head, I don’t think they’re actually any better than Louisville. Whatever, there’s close to a zero percent chance I even remember this game is happening.