#is my ask box even open??

[thatdeadaquarius]

sagau with the language barrier issue except... the creator is sick and tired of trying to ask for things so they do everything themself.

and it gives their followers mass anxiety bc they can't even ask what you're doing... bc they know they won't understand anything...

SUCH A GENIUS NARVI 10/10 GOOD WORK SORRY IM SUPER LATE BUT THIS IS *chefs kiss*

Like, that's literally how I feel like I first played Genshin LMAO

Also this has a cont. Part 2 at the bottom bc tumblr fucking hates me UPDATE I FIXED IT THANK FUCK

Paimon was like "and then we go to Mondstadt- ! NO, not Wolvendom, to Mondstadt! NOT THE THOUSAND WIND TEMPLE WITH ENEMIES OUT OF UR LEAGUE, ENTER MONDSTADT FOR THE FIRST TIME BEFORE U EXPLORE THE REST OF THE MAP!! >:("

SO MANY IDEAS YET SO LITTLE WRITING SKILL GUYS HELP-

Also warning this is ROUGH in terms of spelling and editing and im so sorry abt that! I have my art show today so you're welcome to come back if you want to see it a little more readable tomorrow lmao

Edit Update 4/6/23:

Revised and fixed all the bad spelling and grammar (hopefully) so make sure to give another read if you havent read the cleaned up version lol

I dont have a beta reader so its just me trying my best ok-

Everything was like kinda chaos tbh at first

WOW- MY FIRST 1,000+ NOTES POST??!?! U GUYS, WHAT ARE R YOU DOIN??!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! IM GLAD U GUYS ENJOYED IT SM!! Also look out for more encoded stuff in the future since i mentioned wanting to continue stuff like this + ARG stuff :) <3

Edit 9/7/23: 2,000+ NOTES?? THANK YOU???

Like u wake up under the Irminsul, and u think ur hallucinating a goddamn gacha game for like a solid 5 minutes, or ur lucid dreaming, 

but once u actually took what felt like hours to process that u might actually be in fucking Genshin Impact-

Nahida came running from, somewhere?? Its kinda just very floaty dreamy in here so, unclear, she’s beaming with a giddy little smile (💘)

It’s… so much more than what her game model could manage.

I mean, you knew that, of course you did, but- to see the tiny goddess smiling in person, her cute chubby arms waving in the air, her cheeks all plump with baby fat from her excited smile, pretty green eyes that sparkle only in the way excited toddlers do-

It was just…wow. 🥺

You can’t help it, her sheer carefree excitement, exactly like a child but you know that she must be really overwhelmed with joy if shes letting herself act like that so blatantly, you feel ur muscles tug gently into a smile, you try to muffle it but ur happiness leaks out anyway

She's panting as she stumbles on short chubby legs to reach you.

After just staring at you with those big green clover eyes for a few seconds, she physically shakes her head to knock herself out of it,

Nahida places her hand over her heart, and bows elegantly, going back to looking at you with a small but bright smile, her voice is kind of quiet, muffled in a soft way, much like her game depiction,

“Hzozn! R'ev yvvm dzrgrmt gl nvvg blf! R wrwm'g gsrmp blf dlfow wvhxvmw fmgro R dzh zg ovzhg z uvd gslfhzmw bvzih low!” *

…Nahida begins to look a little concerned… her eyes get impossibly bigger.

…Oh no.

♧

Nahida had apparently quickly spread the news that you can’t understand them, but luckily it seems like all the characters still know you!

Alhaitham is pretty much a constant by your side, you knew he was vaguely studying linguistics in the akademiya… but that knowledge still didn’t prepare you to be intensely stared at with his diamond pupils for hours. 💀

Then he’d tap your shoulder or something, and you quickly picked up that he wanted you to just try and say something.

Then he would scribble for hours.

Turns out they can understand you about as much as you understand Teyvat language (s? You can’t even tell if there are multiple languages, that’s how unrecognizable this language is, damn)

The more extroverted or friendly people, like Venti, Yoimiya, Kazuha, Jean, Noelle, Amber, Xingqiu, Hu Tao, Zhongli, Ganyu, Barbara, Beidou, Collei, Ayaka, Gorou, Nilou

At least attempt to talk to you, and try very hard to watch what you gesture with your hands or body language

They're pretty much ready to play charades at all times for you lol

Interestingly enough, they only ever understood you when you typed in the chat (with other ppl)

But even then not immediately, 

Sumeru scholars basically had to make a whole new department (regardless of how much you play with others) to decipher your ancient language (to them) like those old clay tablets with cuneiform we’re still translating?

Like that, your words appear in elemental magic heavy places (so like that abyss lang. It’ll appear on walls or structures, so like Andrius’ stone colosseum? in Wolvendom gained some of your chat replies inscribed and glowing a rainbow of colors on the top edges of the walls)

Much like the abyss language you see throughout genshin, most Teyvat scholars (across nations/internationally) agreed your language is the oldest form of language known!

It’s like modern languages having roots in older ones, like English with Latin, greek, or German roots, or Sanskrit and the Prakrit for Hindi language today

…so of course no one really speaks the root languages anymore, because they’re so old, so those ancestors who spoke those languages would have little to no understanding of their modern counterparts…

◇

Occasionally if you turned your mic on for whatever reason there would be a gentle whisper on the winds in Mondstadt of your voice,

or your laugh in the waves washing ashore in Inazuma and Fontaine,

your startled noises or screams from battling bosses mixed with the landslides in the mountains of Liyue

So they know what you sound like, but that doesn’t mean they understood your language :/

Nahida had been hoping that you’re actual physical form being here would help improve the language barrier

But unfortunately, those things remained the same, but at least you were physically here to talk to now and give more content for the scholars to study rather than them having to make do with your snippets of language from chats

…so needless to say, it took you a long time to realize they viewed you as a god of sorts.

You kind of knew something was up when at least two allogenes were by your sides at all times, or eremites would replace them if they really couldn’t stick around

You figured they knew you weren’t nearly as combatant-ready as they were at all times, hell you obviously didn’t have a vision hanging off you somewhere, and you only really had a knife strapped to a belt, courtesy of the Thirty Corps

You are still kind of convinced that the people of Teyvat, or Sumeru at least, are just pretty polite (and in the allogenes case, very kind or friendly, even people like Alhaitham or Cyno, resting bitch faces they have, seem to soften a little when they’re walking around with you… maybe you’re just imagining it…)

And as much as you would love to wait until they understand you to do something more fun, as you can see the frustration on Tighnari’s face (and his ears try to flatten back hehe) as he looked like he was debating heatedly with some of the Sumeru sages who insist you stay in the city

…so why not go?

It’s not like they’re going to get it anytime soon, and it’s still too frustrating for yourself to charade things or draw things for them because you can’t even hear their guesses 💀

You can totally handle being like the traveler too, 

You still have access to your inventory afterall! Plus, lucky for you, you still find a pass for the Serenitea Pot in your little pocket dimension!

So now you have somewhere to sleep at night, and while most of your stuff went to the traveler’s pack, the things like Primogems

(which.. Okay now you really want primogems bc theyre so pretty and shiny irl)✨️

And other high-level things, or just objects of no use for the traveler (so basically all your hoarded level up stuff and infinite amount of weapons lol) came along with you

So you did have to wander the first week or so around the city and even commission the Adventurer’s Guild to grab you food supplies to cook with

Filling up, along with a few big waterskins, you’re off!

...and everyone collectively has a heart attack!

◇

When you show up in Ghandaraville essentially all “✨️💖☺️✨️” on Tighnari’s doorstep-

He chokes on the tea he’d been sipping on before he opened the door lol

He looks a little frazzled so you try to just gesture with “calm yourself small animal” energy with your hands

“Tivzgvhg Oliw! R'n- R- sld wrw blf-?! Mvevinrmw, xlnv rm, xlnv rm, ivhg! ...R mvvw gl hvmw z nroorlm ovggvih mld gl ylgs gsv vmgriv xrgb lu Hfnvif, gsv Zxgrmt Tizmw Hztv, zmw gsv Nzgiz nlhg orpvob…” he began out looking at you and talking and gesturing to his small dining table (the game sucks, his house looks great and has lots of cool rooms filled with interesting plants… oooo…so pretty...) 

But then he kinda just devolved into rambling, no need to understand, you can read the vibes and just know that's what he's doing lol

Collei eventually ducks in, and she looks a little panicked?

She’s quickly followed by Cyno, pushing past her to call out into the house,

His voice seems hard and stressed, looking at Tighnari, “Grtsmzir, szev blf hvvm gsv Tivzgvhg Oliw zmbdsviv, gsvb dviv hvvm xlnrmt gl Tszmwziezeroov ozhg-” 

Cyno stops and blinks.

Collei’s mouth is slightly dropped open, she also just, blinks.

You blink. 

Tighnari blinks tiredly, he looks like he’d rather be done for the day, you think.

The doctor sighs, and moves his head to nod towards the other dining seats.

◇

Sumeru foods are so much better looking in real life, and they’re so good too, your practically bloated by the end of dinner, 

As a thank you, bc u cant say it obv, you just gesture for Tighnari to stay sitting, and he gives you a raised eyebrow and a suspicious ear twitch

But stays still, and you reach out to finally hit the eight-pointed star hovering over his, and all playable characters chests at all times.

Like you suspected, it brings up a holographic character menu, but rather than his full model, it kind of hovers in front of Tighnari’s face, replacing his old 3D model self with framing the real thing for a portrait just in front of his face

The poor Denro user nearly jumps a foot out of his chair as he looks in shock at your screen, you do the same “chillll boy” gesture with your hands and press his shoulders for a second to remind him to not run off or panic

Cyno and Collei had done the dishes and put up leftovers, and are now standing behind Tighnari, watching with equally wide eyes,

“...Dszg ziv gsvb wlrmt gl blf?

Cyno’s voice is even deeper and quieter than usual, you feel goosebumps run up your spine

“Ziv blf tvggrmt yovhhvw, Nzhgvi Grtsmzir?!” Collei’s sweet voice is also hushed like she’s witnessing something sacred, Tighnari gently shakes his head negatively in response, his shoulders shrugging,

“Nzbyv? R uvvo... z orggov hgilmtvi, zmw nb Erhrlm rh zxgrmt fk zh dvoo…”

Though he’s replying, Tighnari’s eyes haven’t once left your ancient magic? technology device? hovering in front of him,

and as he crosses his arms and squints to try and look closer at everything floating in front of him, you can see the childlike gleam of awe in his green eyes, (so cute) in fact, now that you glance up and look, both Collei and Cyno have the same quietly excited and fascinated sparkle in their eyes too

With a displeased sneer, you chuck his old level one bow into the material grinding spots, hope he wasn’t attached to that…

Oh well, he’ll like the new one better, afterall, with no characters, all your best weapons and artifacts are ready to use!

With a small smile of reassurance, you finally finish gearing Tighnari up, tap a miniature version of that 8-point star in the corner like an “X” button, and it retreats like a classic TV set📺 turning off into his chest, he startles but then carefully stands

You decide to just start making decisions bc its worked out so far ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

And grab his hand and haul him out into the forest, Collei letting out a surprised squeak, her and Cyno hurrying after

You reach the nearest clearing, and gesture at Tighnari like a bow and arrow firing, he gets it, and your glad he already trusts you, because he doesn’t take long to summon his bow

He takes aim at a smaller tree about two cars length away

You can feel them all holding their breathe, as Tighnari charges it with Dendro, the arrowhead glowing, (it looks so cool and badass irl god you feel envious even tho ur already here-)

The ranger lets it fly, it streaks neon green, whistling through the air, it hits the tree-

and it fucking explodes.

Vines and leaves and the trees roots all rapidly swell like theyre filled with water, like it literally got hit by a superhero with plant powers, which, not that far off actually.

The green floating Dendro seeds make a ring around the tree its so full of elemental energy-

You give a wild grin, you still got it, hell yeah. >:)

Your grin widens as you look over at Tighnari, Collei, and Cyno

Cyno has a smirk lighting up his face, eyes eager, Collei’s jaw has dropped and she’s just frozen staring as the tree finally settles from the burst of the dendro powered arrow

…Tighnari has lowered his bow, and his mouth is only slightly open, his ears perked straight up into the air, shaking with excitement? Happiness? Interest? You don’t know how peopl-animal-hybrid ears work,

and you STILL cant talk to any of them to ask what they thought, so looks will have to do >:/

Tighnari is the first to move, his head snapping over to look at you, the brightest, kinda feral tbh, smile taking over his face-

“Blf pmld, dv xzm'g fmwvihgzmw blf, zmw blf fh, bvg R xzm'g dzrg gl hvv dszg rm gsv dliow blf'iv tlrmt gl wl mvcg. Blf'iv znzarmt."

… and you just 🙂? Cool!

And give a thumbs up👍LMAO

☆

Bonus:

Alhaitham was literally running around Sumeru City trying to find you when you left, tho you did try and leave a translatable-in-3-to-5-business days-note, he didn’t have time to translate that because you were gone.

Or worse, lost in the city, and he would never forgive himself if he lost you, esp as Acting Grand Sage-

Kaveh got a letter a day and a half later from Tighnari letting them know you were having a sleepover in Ghandarvaville lol

Kaveh also had to hunt down Alhaitham to give him said news, then force his roommate to go sit or lay down for the rest of the day to recover lmao

(Haitham honestly kinda freaked Kaveh out bc he’s never seen him that... desperate, it was like seeing a statue emote lol)

♡

ARE YOU KIDDING WE ALMOST HIT LIMIT AGAIN?!

Bro has anyone else had this problem???

I literally had to switch from PC to mobile and copy and paste it there to get all my shit in and tumblr not throw a hissy fit???!!!

FUCKING TUMBLR- SUCK MY BIG FAT- 👹👹 UGH

ANYWAYYYY SO I FINALLY CAVED 

And started doing ciphers for when you dont get teyvat’s language! I meant to do something fun like this for awhile but I wasn’t sure if that would be kind of annoying, but if you’re interested in learning what they actually say (which the whole point of this is that dw it doesnt rlly matter lol) here’s a hint:

*hint = Atbash

:> good luck!

Wish me luck on my art exhibition today!! Then I’ll be homefreeeee 😭

Safe Travels,

💀♒

♡ the beloveds ♡

@karmawonders / @0rah-s / @randomnatics / @glxssynarvi / @nexylaza / @genshin-impacts-me / @wholesomey-artist

[cwbuggo]

what if, instead of a boring ol text post, i made a goofy little mock user manual about my worker drone headcanons.. what then?

[kerimcberry]

I was surprised to see my follower count the other day! Where did you all come from?? Um… hi 😳

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve done a “Meet the Artist” post. I’ve been having so much fun meeting people on here and talking Hogwarts Legacy. I’m so happy that you all enjoy my art! Thank you so much 💕

[perhaps-in-anotherdream]

[CN] Li Zeyan’s 2024 Birthday: Former Times Date (Eng Translation)

“Perhaps, from the moment we met eighteen years ago, fate had already quietly written our today.”

“Li Zeyan, it was your appearance that made me start to believe in the existence of fate.”

⌚Warning⌚ This post contains detailed spoilers for a date, 昔年约会, that is yet to be released on the global server! ♡

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

【Subbed Video】

──────────────────

【Prologue】 

As soon as I arrive at the main entrance of the Riverside Plaza, I notice a woman in professional attire walking towards me with quick steps.

??: Miss MC, hello. I’m Wang Yi from the Publicity Department of the City Hall.

MC: Hello, Miss Wang.

After shaking hands with each other, I take out a pre-signed agreement document from my tote bag and hand it to her.

MC: I’ve already signed the temporary usage agreement for Riverside Plaza’s venue. Please have a look.

She efficiently flips to the last page, confirms the signatures, and hands me a temporary access ID card along with a map of Riverside Plaza.

Wang Yi: I’ve already taken care of informing everyone involved and have reserved the time you’ll be needing.

Wang Yi: On January 13th, there won’t be anyone bothering you here, except for the patrol staff.

MC: Really, thank you guys so much.

Wang Yi: No worries. Director Chen mentioned you have very important memories here… and besides, you are the main person in charge of the promotional video for Riverside Plaza.

Wang Yi: In terms of both emotions and reason, this little help is nothing.

It’s not until I watch her departing into the distance that I begin to earnestly take in the recently completed Riverside Plaza before me––

The use of minimalist lines sketches out several strikingly modern structures, while in the not-so-distant surroundings, an artificial mountain rises, cloaking everything in front of me in lush greenery.

Such a strong contrast momentarily makes me forget what the park where I first met Li Zeyan looked like.

MC: I wonder what his reaction will be when he sees the drastic transformation here.

Saying this, I lower my head to look at the bag full of birthday gifts I’ve brought, and a smile slowly spreads across my face.

MC: But no matter what, Li Zeyan, I’ll definitely make you happy~

Just as these words leave my mouth, my phone in my pocket suddenly rings. I take it out, only to see the familiar avatar unmistakably displayed on the screen.

Smiling, I answer the call and start speaking even before he can say anything.

MC: Hehe, I was just thinking about you, and here you are calling. What’s up~?

LZY: A certain dummy hasn’t made a peep all day, and I’m a little not used to such quietness. What are you up to?

MC: Ah~ Turns out someone was missing me.

Grinning, I sling the “gift bag” over my shoulder and head inside, chatting as I walk.

MC: Me?... I’m preparing a birthday surprise for you right now~

The voice on the other end of the line clearly freezes for a moment, followed by soft laughter.

LZY: How come you’re not keeping me in suspense this year?

MC: Because your birthday happens to be on the weekend this year.

MC: Since we don’t have anything else in our itinerary, you must know that I’m planning a surprise for you!

MC: So, there is no point in keeping you in suspense. I just need to work hard to not fall short of your expectations~

My eyes crinkle into a smile, and I halt in my steps. Then, I take out one of the gift boxes and place it under the bench in front of me.

Just as I’m mulling over where to hide the remaining gift boxes, Li Zeyan’s voice sounds once again, his tone neither too soft nor too heavy.

In the winter breeze, this voice inexplicably brings me a touch of warmth––

LZY: Dummy, you don’t need to work so hard.

LZY: As long as you’re around on that day, it doesn’t matter where we go or what we do.

LZY: Because the most important thing has been by my side for a long time now.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 1】 

MC: Happy Birthday!!

Early in the morning, the second I hear the sound of movement coming from the bedroom, I immediately burst in, carrying the cake with Pudding accompanying me.

Li Zeyan, who has risen from the blanket, watches us as we shower rose petals on him, his eyes widening slightly.

After processing the situation, he laughs somewhat helplessly.

LZY: A certain someone disappeared early in the morning; turns out she was preparing a surprise.

MC: Judging by the birthday star’s expression, bet you must have been shocked by my surprise, huh~

Hearing this, a glint of teasing surfaces in his eyes.

LZY: Indeed, you did give me a good scare.

LZY: I even thought someone was “breaking in.” [1]

MC: Well, I’m certainly gonna hijack all your unhappiness today!

He smiles and pulls my randomly flailing arm, hugging me to his side. Then, he glances down at the cake in my hands.

LZY: Looks like my stomach has already been hijacked by you first.

LZY: You squealed me out of bed at twelve a.m. for a bowl of longevity noodles, and now you want me to eat cake?

MC: These are all my blessings~

At this moment, Pudding suddenly reaches out his paw, lightly smearing a bit of cream on Li Zeyan’s face.

Seeing him momentarily frozen, I can’t hold back and burst into laughter.

MC: Haha, our Pudding is also wishing you a happy birthday~

LZY: After being with you for so long, even he has become more childish.

MC: It’s only natural for a family to become more and more alike~

He nods contemplatively. Then, he bends down and gently nuzzles against me, leaving a cool sensation on my face.

MC: Whoa! Why did you pull a sneak attack on me?

LZY: You said it yourself – it’s only natural for a family to become more and more alike.

Even though his tone is composed, a twinkle of amusement betrays his eyes. The overlapping laughter and soft cream melts and spreads in the sweet-scented air.

After washing up, he slices a piece from the cake and doesn’t forget to put the reddest strawberry in my mouth.

LZY: Your blessing tastes good.

LZY: So, what’s your plan for taking me to do later?

Smiling, I wink at him.

MC: Haven’t you heard? The construction of the Riverside Plaza is already complete~

–

───── [FLASHBACK STARTS] ─────

MC: The next time we come here, it will be called “Riverside Plaza.”

Ten months ago, the park where Li Zeyan and I first met when we were kids was slated for redevelopment by the city hall and was soon to be incorporated into a large urban public space – “Riverside Landscape.”

Before the construction began, we returned there once again after several years.

The park, dust-laden in memories, had remained almost unchanged in its original appearance. It beckoned to us from across the long years.

MC: Though, don’t you think the park seems to have gotten a bit smaller…

Holding Li Zeyan’s hand, I repeatedly measured the size of the sandbox with our footsteps and couldn’t help but feel a sense of incredulity.

MC: I can’t believe it only takes a dozen steps to make a circle now. I remember how I could play the whole afternoon in the past.

LZY: It indicates that a certain dummy has been particularly engrossed in playing this game since childhood.

MC: Well, you’d still be next to me and watch me play~

MC: Speaking of which, thankfully, this little me had big dreams.

MC: That’s how I could become your one and only best friend among so many kids in the entire park!

Hearing my exaggerated tone, he seemed unable to hold back a small laugh.

LZY: That’s your standard for a “big dream?”

MC: Of course! Zeyan gege was so cool back then, and he never seemed to rashly make friends with others. [2]

MC: Mm-hmph, but if I had known you were a kid without dreams, I might not have played with you!

LZY: …who said I didn’t have dreams when I was a kid?

The next second, seeing me immediately cast a curious gaze his way, he seemed to stop talking somewhat regretfully.

I kept swinging his hand, adopting an expression that vowed not to give up until I heard the answer. After waiting for quite a while, I finally got a soft sigh of compromise from him.

LZY: You can listen, but you have to hear the premise too. It was just a casual remark I made when I was little, not exactly a serious dream.

MC: So, you were playing coy earlier. But if CEO Li doesn’t say it today, he won’t be adorable anymore! Tell me, tell me~

LZY: …Pianist.

My eyes widen for a moment, picturing Li Zeyan playing the piano, and I can’t control my eyes crinkling as I smile.

MC: Hahaha, even CEO Li had such a whimsical dream!

LZY: [extremely helpless laugh]  I told you, it was just something I said without much thought when I was a kid.

MC: But when I imagine how you’d look in a tailcoat, it does quite suit your temperament.

MC: So, when we return home today, will I be fortunate enough to hear the playing of the Grand Pianist Li?~

LZY: Nope.

MC: Oh, c’mon, just play it casually; even just putting on a show would be fine too.

LZY: [helplessly amused tone]  Your current dream is not small at all, I must say.

Our light-hearted, trivial laughter and chatter scattered throughout the park, and in a trance, we brushed past our childhood memories.

We strolled aimlessly, and when the curtain of twilight fell, neither of us uttered a word about leaving.

It wasn’t until we saw the construction vehicles approaching from a distance that we tacitly cast our gaze for one last time at this piece of land.

MC: I wonder what this little park will turn into the next time we see it?

LZY: If you’re curious, let’s come and check it out together once it’s completed.

His voice was soft, but he spoke with sincerity.

LZY: In any case, its finest appearance has already been preserved in the passage of time.

───── [FLASHBACK ENDS] ─────

───────

[Tidbits]:

[1] It’s a small nod to his 2nd birthday date, where MC “broke into his house” to surprise him LOL, though this time it wasn’t necessary b/c she lives here haha~

[2] don’t think I need to again; still just a reminder–  MC used to address Li Zeyan as “Zeyan gege” when they were kids. For those unaware, when a Chinese girl addresses a boy as gēge (an intimate term of address), if not used to address her own older brother, she’d use it to address her boyfriend~ and the reason it got both Victor and MC flustered the first time they reminisced in Preference SP~ It’s similar to how oppa (in KR) and onii-chan (in JP) works in cases like this haha~ (//∇//) 

You can refer to this post for more details: ♡♡

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 2】 

In the damp winter haze of the south, two interconnected artificial mountain ranges embrace the brand-new Riverside Plaza.

The lines of modern architecture in the square appear to escape from the shackles of steel and concrete, blending seamlessly with the natural landscape.

I take a satisfying deep breath, allowing the fresh air to instantly fill my nostrils.

MC: Looks so much more beautiful than before.

LZY: The concepts for this renovation are very new, and the execution on the ground is pretty commendable.

LZY: But I recall that this place will only be open to the public around mid-year.

MC: Yeah, you’re right. But it’s your birthday today, so it’s perfectly normal for magical things to happen~

Seeing my wink that hints at my intention to keep it a secret to the end, he helplessly raises his eyebrows.

LZY: A certain someone seems to be leveraging her personal connections for me a lot recently.

MC: If it weren’t for CEO Li’s help along the way, I wouldn’t even have the small network I’ve built up today.

MC: “Always think of its source when you drink water”-- it’s but a fundamental principle in life.

LZY: [laughs softly]  Does your fundamental principle also include sweet talk?

MC: This is called the use of some rhetorical devices to convey a heartfelt expression. Every word of mine is sincere~

Amidst the laughter and chatter, as we approach the place where I had placed a gift in advance, even my footsteps gain a little excited spring.

–

3… 2… 1 –– I silently count as I lead him around the corner, and a delicate gift box appears on a bench not too far away.

I discreetly sneak a glance at the person next to me and see that he seems to be in a daze for a moment. Soon after, he quickly catches on, and a smile of realization spills out from the corners of his lips.

LZY: Looks like a certain someone has already been here in advance.

MC: After all, this place holds very special meaning for us. But more importantly, it’s your birthday today~

MC: Since we have the opportunity to acquaint ourselves with it once again, I want to create some new memories that belong to us~

With the expectation in my gaze, he opens the gift box–– inside is a bottle of wine labeled with the year he was born.

MC: Hehe, your first gift is a red wine meticulously selected by MC~ It’s the best-tasting one I selected among many wines!

LZY: Does a certain someone’s idea of the best taste mean it’s “very sweet?” [3]

MC: Huh? How did you know…

A barely imperceptible curve graces the corners of his lips, though he doesn’t reply to my question.

LZY: So, did you just say this is the first gift?

It’s only now that I remember something, and, akin to presenting a treasure, I pull out a gift map.

MC: That’s right~ There are still nine more gifts scattered in the streets, waiting for their owner to bring them home.

LZY: You’ve prepared ten gifts for a single birthday? [4]

MC: Uh-huh. After all, my feelings outweigh these gifts by far, but at the very least, the figure gives a hint, right~

Seeing me use my hands and feet to gesture exaggeratedly, he laughs in spite of himself and takes hold of my hand.

LZY: [gives a precious laugh]  Well, let’s hurry up then. I don’t want a certain dummy’s feelings that are lying scattered to wait for too long.

–

MC: Jeez…

As I watch him retrieve the final gift box straight from the ice cream parlor, my eyes widen in astonishment.

MC: How did you do that?

LZY: It’s not difficult to guess a dummy’s thoughts.

Noticing a glint of complacency flicker in his eyes, I pout a little, unwilling to resign myself.

MC: If you’re really that good, then take a guess at what’s inside the gift box?

LZY: What if I guess correctly?

MC: In that case, you can put forward any conditions you please~

He lowers his eyes to the gift box, and soon, a hint of interest curls at the corners of his lips. Watching him muttering to himself irresolutely, I swiftly regain my complacency.

MC: I knew it! How could you possibly guess~

LZY: Is it a flipbook comic?

MC: …!

I find myself rooted to the spot in incredulity, falling into serious contemplation.

MC: Seriously? I drew this at the store, so there’s no way I could have accidentally filled in the wrong recipient’s phone number…

MC: And, I intentionally didn’t bring it home… so, there’s no chance you could have seen it beforehand!

MC: Weird, how on earth did you figure it out?

He gives me a playful look, then turns the side of the gift box towards me.

A label reading “Hand-drawn Flipbook Comic” is prominently affixed on it.

MC: …how could you cheat!

LZY: You said it yourself–– the birthday star has the final say today.

He laughs candidly, opens the gift box, and takes out the comic book.

As he slowly turns the pages, the changing sequence of images gradually brings a story to life.

The soccer ball that came flying knocked down the sandcastle. Faced with the girl’s loud sobs, the boy was flustered and at a loss for what to do. Finally, he quelled her tears with a pudding.

Probably because the girl always had something to say, and the boy was always willing to listen–– as a matter of course, the two naturally became playmates.

Seeing that an unforeseen accident took place and caused the two to lose contact, Li Zeyan slows down his pace of flipping the pages.

During that prolonged separation, the girl, just like him, grew up well in her own world.

When his fingertips turns the final page, a sunshower drizzles down without warning, bearing witness to their reunion on the sidewalk of fate. [5]

With yearning, his gaze lingers on the page for a long, long time, as if he is looking back to that day through the paper.

MC: It’s a bit of a pity; this was already the thickest book in the store. I originally wanted to continue drawing more into the future.

He looks at me, his gaze deep.

LZY: We already know how the story unfolded after that.

LZY: As for the story that will unfold in the days to come, we will know that, too, as time goes on.

──────────────

[Tidbits]:

[3] It’s a nod to a term MC often uses for Li Zeyan– “世界第一甜李泽言” (world's sweetest Li Zeyan) and the nickname CN fans have for him 李甜甜 (Sweet Li); which is also discussed in the call for this date that she wanted to choose a wine that fits him the best and apparently drunk texted in the process LOL. 

[4] Guess all Li Zeyan stans know the significance of the number “10” ahah the source of all angst, but in the light of this date, it’s also a nod to Li Zeyan’s age when he and MC first met.

[5] Likely not necessary LOL, but a refresher anyway — it’s the reference to S1 CH 1, the impending car crash and their fated reunion ahah— ༼⁠;⁠´⁠༎ຶ⁠ ⁠۝ ⁠༎ຶ⁠༽

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 3】

MC: I hereby declare that the gift-finding mission is a complete success!

Watching me dancing for joy and ticking off the last empty space on the list, Li Zeyan can’t help but break into laughter.

LZY: Obviously, I’m the one who received the gifts, but you seem even happier than me.

MC: Because once again, your reunion with this land has been branded with my mark!

MC: No matter how that little park’s appearance may change, whenever this place crosses your mind, you will always think of me!

LZY: [laughs helplessly]  Dummy, thinking of you has never had anything to do with time or place.

The next second, as if a realization has struck him, he lifts his gaze to meet mine.

LZY: But how come you didn’t place any of the gifts in that little park?

I scratch my head and unfold the map of Riverside Plaza to show him.

MC: With the artificial mountains they’ve built along with so many public structures, the topography here has changed dramatically.

MC: I couldn’t figure out the location of the little park…

MC: Perhaps it was leveled to the ground, or it might have become a part of the mountains, or maybe we’ve just passed right through it.

As he listens to my conscientious conjectures, a soft chuckle escapes from the corner of Li Zeyan’s lips.

LZY: As expected, you dummy.

—

MC: Does the venue usage agreement also include riding the cable car…

As the cable car slowly ascends, I flip through the thick agreement in surprise.

But before I can find the relevant clauses, my eyes are captivated by the gradually unfolding panorama of Riverside Plaza.

Emerald water and azure stones breathe in and out the refreshing breeze, embracing modern architecture and blending into a highly artistic urban landscape.

MC: It seems like the blessing of the birthday star’s halo really makes things magical, huh?

MC: Then, if I get closer to you, perhaps I can catch some of your magical aura.

As I speak, I snuggle even closer to him, crashing into his gaze fixed on me.

LZY: Even if the halo does exist, it wouldn’t spread through such childish methods.

MC: Well, you never know, and you––

The next second, he leans down and silences my unfinished words with a kiss.

LZY: [in an adorably serious tone]  The success rate should be higher with this method.

Seeing him making jokes in a deadly earnest tone, I can’t help but burst into laughter.

LZY: If a certain dummy keeps giggling, she might miss the place she’s been yearning for.

MC: Huh?

Seeing him lift his chin slightly, I look perplexedly to the left side of the cable car.

In the next second, I spot the small park within the construction enclosure of the Urban Construction Group.

The sense of familiarity hits me right in the face, leaving me astounded and frozen in place.

MC: I can’t believe it’s still here… is it that they haven’t gotten to renovating this area yet?

LZY: Take a closer look.

With my eyes, I trace over the landscape before me, overlaying it with the images in my memory.

The old soccer field from the past has now taken a brand new appearance, incorporating the previous open space and expanding to at least twice its original size.

Meanwhile, the small sandbox seems to have become the best viewing area to watch the game, nestled inseparably against the edge of the soccer field.

MC: It… has been preserved?

LZY: Mm.

LZY: In the future, whenever you want to visit, it will always be here.

All my uncertainties vanish into thin air, and even the excitement turns into a sense of reassurance.

The unexpected surprise makes it impossible for me to resist turning my gaze toward that small area; I can’t seem to get enough of it no matter how many times I look.

The cable car ascends a bit more, and on the construction barrier previously obscured by tree shadows, an inverted triangle symbol that I couldn’t be more familiar with comes into view.

MC: Huh? Isn’t that the logo of LFG?

In my bewildered gaze, he nods.

LZY: I mentioned to you before about the collaboration between LFG and Urban Construction, and this is the project.

MC: So, you are the one who preserved it?

LZY: I was indeed involved in the decision-making process.

LZY: However, the redevelopment plan originally called for a youth activity area, so we retained the outdoor park and added more activity spaces.

I nod thoughtfully, but as I look at the small sandbox, I can’t shake the impression that it doesn’t really fit in with the surroundings.

Seeming to notice my trance, he speaks first.

LZY: [extremely softly]  My selfish desire did indeed take part in this.

LZY: Since the soccer field was already being preserved, there was no reason why the sandbox shouldn’t be preserved as well.

MC: Even if it doesn’t quite fit the planning requirements?

He gently lowers his eyes, remaining silent, but the upward curve at the corner of his lips seems to have long declared the answer.

Partiality towards someone that causes a person to break the rules is always a source of joy, and I am no exception.

It’s just that being loved can subtly give rise to greed, making it impossible to resist the temptation to seek more confirmation from him.

MC: But… didn’t you say before letting it be preserved in the passage of time is enough?

The moment my probing gaze meets the light in his eyes, everything is laid bare in his knowing smile.

LZY: Even now, I still believe that time always leaves its traces.

LZY: But you seemed so unwilling to part with this memory.

He pauses for a moment, gazing gently into my eyes.

LZY: [IN THE GENTLEST POSSIBLE TONE]  So, if you wish to seek the traces of time, I can preserve the entirety of time for you.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 4】 

As the sky gradually imbues with darkness, the cable car reaches the end of its journey.

The words Li Zeyan said just now still linger in my ears, filling my entire heart with elation.

His love is omnipresent, allowing me to crash into it and be embraced by it at every turn, no matter where I casually roam in this world.

I want to hurry up and bring him to the destination; I want to present him with my surprise and give him all of my heart; I want to make him as happy as I am in this moment.

With this in mind, I pull him by the hand and start running in small steps.

His question echoes from behind, sinking into the night again, but I don’t say anything, only smiling at him.

We run all the way to the river side and spot the bubble house coming into view from afar. Quietly, I press the light control switch.

The dreamlike lights embrace flowers, fine wine, swaying candles, balloons and fireworks… At this moment, my innermost feelings seem to spill onto all the existences in the world.

MC: Happy Birthday, Li Zeyan.

Saying this softly, I look up to find his gaze and see his slightly dazed eyes illuminated brightly by the flowing light. But his eyes seem to be infinitely more resplendent than the moonlight.

LZY: When it comes to creating surprises, no one can ever surpass you.

He allows me to lead him by the hand and walk into the “bubble.” Then, he watches me as I take the cake out of the mini refrigerator and light the candles.

The candle flames dance, causing those eyes that have always been fixed on me to become even softer.

Drowning in his eyes, I softly breathe out a relaxed sigh.

MC: To be honest, until I arranged everything here and set up the gifts, I wasn’t entirely sure if this would be a good venue for your birthday celebration.

MC: Upon coming back here again with you today, I suddenly realized…

MC: Perhaps, from the moment we met eighteen years ago, fate had already quietly written our today. 

MC: We just didn’t know it back then.

We didn’t know that we would lose each other, and then we would meet again after going around in circles.

We didn’t know that we would be so favored by fate, becoming such important parts of each other’s lives.

Li Zeyan, it was your appearance that made me start to believe in the existence of fate.

You’re such an incredible person that all my yearnings and adoration seem to naturally and rightfully find their way to you––

Becoming my unique and unmatched destiny.

I lift the cake towards him, as if holding my heart full of sincere wishes in my hands.

MC: The cake from the morning was pawed on by Pudding, so it could no longer shoulder the important task of making wishes.

MC: I hope this unblemished cake can hold all of your wishes.

He solemnly accepts all of my heart and sincerity, gazing at me for a long time, so long that the candle burns down another inch.

LZY: From the very first second of today, I’ve been blessed by a certain dummy with all of her heart and soul.

LZY: The old place where I met you in the past, today has given birth to new memories, all because of you.

LZY: Life wasn’t all bad before I met you.

LZY: But it wasn’t until I was constantly thought of, cared for, and loved by a certain dummy day and night that I realized the happiness fate had bestowed upon me was a million times greater than I could have ever imagined.

LZY: Once a person has known happiness, they will naturally want to preserve everything the way they are indefinitely.

LZY: This is my wish.

He gazes at me with an earnest and profound expression in his eyes, and then he blows out the candle.

MC: Hmm… although I really want to promise you this––

MC: But I’m greedier than you. I want every day of yours to be happier than the one before.

MC: I want to make you the happiest person in the whole world.

He gently lifts my hand and draws me into his arms.

LZY: You already have.

LZY: So, accompany me to an even longer and more distant future, and let’s witness the surprises fate has already written.

In a daze, my memories drift back to the day we first met when we were kids.

Just as I was certain back then that he would show up with a pudding for our rendezvous, at this moment, I am equally sure that I will accompany him to that future.

I gaze at him and nod emphatically.

Beneath the starry sky, we eat cake and drink wine, laughing and making clamors for a while, and then we just cuddle together quietly.

We let time silently slip away before our eyes, because it feels as though as long as we can be just like this, it’s enough to make us happy.

It’s not until the moon quietly shifts its position that the winter night brings with it a nip in the air.

Probably sensing that I’m a bit cold, he enfolds me in his arms, gently rubbing my hands until warmth blooms in them.

But he still appears a little uneasy, his brows creasing into a slight frown as he looks at my light clothing.

LZY: The weather is too cold; let’s go home.

MC: Since it’s a birthday celebration, it’s not considered over until the very last second.

I shake my wristwatch at him; there are still more than twenty minutes until the new day.

Probably because I’m being a bit too insistent, he can do nothing but hug me even more tightly, letting his body heat encase me.

Vaguely feeling a sound of helpless sighing on the verge of escaping above my head, I hurriedly press my finger against his lips gently.

MC: The birthday star is not allowed to sigh!

LZY: [IN THE MOST ADORABLY PLEADING TONE]  I’m worried that you might catch a cold.

MC: I’ve got a solution.

I stand on tiptoes and kiss him. Then, resorting to my old trick, I take his hand and pull him along for a run towards the outside.

MC: Let’s run around, and we’ll be warm in no time!

But this time, after being taken aback for a split second, he steps ahead and overtakes me, pulling me along and leading me to run forward.

There’s something even more enchanting beyond hugs and kisses, and that is – lovers sprinting through the silent night.

The night is so thick with darkness that it engulfs any sense of direction, and I find myself momentarily uncertain if we are running toward the past or moving forward into the future.

Or perhaps, all along, we’d constantly been running towards each other in every passing moment.

Perhaps fate is not willing to treat such a fervent and sincere love unkindly, and so in the boundless night, a winding piano pathway unfolds before us like some kind of miracle.

We both freeze for a moment, then look at each other with a hint of delight.

LZY: Walking on the same path with a dummy, I guess a person is bound to run into surprises along the way.

Stepping onto the pathway, I hear a “clink” sound, so I hop a few more steps, and suddenly, the air is filled with tinkling noises.

I turn around, smile at him, and pull him onto the pathway.

MC: The journey to becoming a grand pianist can take various forms, and the one before us right now seems like a pretty good one.

The next second, I feel a force on my lower back, and I fall into his arms.

LZY: [THE OVERWHELMING JOY IN HIS VOICE x1]  Well, in that case, dance with me.

The entire world resonates with the sounds created by us.

We hold each other tightly in an embrace, stepping on the musical notes flowing from the black and white piano keys.

As the notes intertwine, I close my eyes. Suddenly, I have the feeling as if I’m in a magnificent concert hall, playing a tacit ensemble with the person I love the most.

MC: How does it feel to have your “dreams” come true, my grand pianist?

LZY: [x2] This moment is far superior to any dreams.

MC: Then, how about allowing this moment to become a little more joyful?

As I speak, I gently lift his hand and twirl around with the dance steps.

The notes that do not form a melody fall into our hearts, giving birth to an unparalleled sense of fulfillment.

I find myself unable to resist looking at the person in front of me, only to find him gazing at me tenderly.

MC: Are you happy?

MC: I seem to only remember wishing you happiness, but I haven’t asked you yet. Are you happy?

–

Hearing the girl’s question, Li Zeyan is momentarily caught off guard.

Amid the disorderly notes, they dance with steps that keep getting tangled time and again, laughing together like two dummies.

Perhaps as long as she just stands there, her presence alone will make everything in front of him lovely, making it impossible for him not to be happy.

So, he nods.

LZY: [the overflowing joy in his tone here literally broke the last surviving barrier of my tear flood]  Hm, I’m very happy.

Happiness doesn’t seem to be that difficult. After all, thanks to her, it has become a presence that is attainable at his fingertips almost in every second of every day.

It’s just that when a person becomes accustomed to the existence of happiness, they will naturally grow reliant and insatiable.

“So, hold her hand tightly, until the end of time,” — he thinks to himself.

The girl in front of him checks the time, announcing loudly that the hour hand is about to usher in a new day.

4, 3, 2, 1–– along with the countdown, she leans into him and wishes him “Happy Birthday” for the last time today.

Almost instinctively, he leans down and kisses her.

For all the years to come, may every sunrise and sunset be as perfect as this moment.

───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

【Anika’s after-notes】 

those of you who know me on twitter/X or are on the official discord server, you guys may have already seen me having multiple meltdowns on this date. so, you can imagine just how much i still have to yell and scream about lmao, but this time, i’m not gonna write a whole essay that’s what my twitter threads are for lol. it’s one of those writing that is very self explanatory, everything is at your face but in the best possible way, and leaves you little to no room for second-guessing. so, hope you enjoy this treat packed with emotions and infinite beauty, and happy crying ahah~ ಥ⁠‿⁠ಥ💕

───────────────

[thirteenemeraldcats]

in one of your tags you mentioned-

'one of the things that gets chatted about A LOT in teaching is meeting students at their point of need- which ted does NOT do with jamie'

I would love to hear more of your thoughts on this! Both in terms of what that concept entails, and also what you think Jamie's point of need was at the time versus what Ted saw the situation needing

(You have excellent tags btw, don't know if anyone's mentioned that)

I HAVE MANY THOUGHTS ON THIS THAT I LOVE THAT YOU'D LOVE TO HEAR!

(I have more thoughts than I anticipated, this got errr, long. Whoops)

(potentially necessary/relevant background here is I am a high school teacher 👋)

Okie dokie, so, one of the principles of best practice in teaching is the idea I tag-rambled above; meet both the individual students and collective class at their point of need. Essentially this means practising differentiation in teaching and adjusting how content/ideas are communicated to students based on who they are as learners and people. Particularly if a student is performing outside the 'average' (either exceeding or still developing), this means adjusting to their needs by (among other things) curating differentiated resources and adapting delivery style. Differentiation is especially important in an all-abilities classroom, unfortunately public education is perpetually underfunded and overcrowded so everyone's just out here doing their best (the decent people of the world at least). BUT! WHILE I'M ON IT! SPEAKING OF THE THINGS I'VE TAG RAMBLED, the education system's (global) inability to adequately differentiate for students of different-abilities, particularly students with ADHD, ASD and Dyslexia, is perhaps the greatest failing of the whole dang thing and if anyone who ever stumbles across this is neuro-divergent and feels like they were a bad student or couldn't 'keep up' in mainstream education- THAT WAS NOT YOUR FAULT. You don't have to break yourself to 'fit', school is MEANT to bend for you. (Particularly when you're young, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG)

ANYWAY, the fictional football of it all!

We don't see a lot of Ted actually coaching in this show (stick with me). The scenes in which he 'coaches' are typically him and various other coaching staff standing on the sidelines while the team skirmishes or occasionally runs drills, so me saying Ted doesn't differentiate is more based around his patented Ted-talks. NOW, Ted PROBABLY knows the team fairly well as individuals, particularly in season 2 and 3, purely by having spent quite a lot of time with them, despite this the only times we really see him 'adjust' his style with the team are ironically season 1 (examples include conferencing Jamie and Roy in 1x04 For The Children, and allowing/facilitating Nate's speech in 1x07 Make Rebecca Great Again). The moment that always sticks out to me as most significant is when he goes and seeks out Keeley's advice on how to get through to Jamie in 1x02 Biscuits.

Side note: I will be forever obsessed with Keeley jumping straight from 'blowjobs' to one of the four operant conditioning techniques (positive reinforcement) when asked about this. That woman is a very fascinating puzzle of a person.

Ted recognises that his typical perpetual-optimism-style isn't cracking the Jamie-Tartt-nut and seeks out a different opinion. This kind of collaboration and whole-system approach is key in teaching too, either by tapping the knowledge-well of a student's broader school context or the difficult-to-crack student's parents.

SO, having gotten the Jamie-Tartt-cheat-code from Keeley he DOES meet Jamie at his point of need, speaks clearly to him and communicates what he needs from him. AND IT WORKS! Temporarily! During the conversation between the two in Ted's office we see Jamie engage, he even practises self-reflection! Granted it's about his left foot cross, but still! The nut is cracked.

Jamie even maintains the perspective Ted has taught him for about two seconds while talking to Trent, until Jamie's other (definitely not positively-reinforced) behaviours rear up and he reverts to what James others have taught him.

On the other hand.

Multiple times throughout the show we see Jamie be visibly or verbally confused by Ted's communication style. Ted often talks in meandering metaphors that Jamie doesn't seem to be able to follow. We verbally hear him state 'Why doesn't he just say that then, do you know what I mean?' in 2x07 Headspace after Beard has to translate Ted's 'peas and carrots/beefchunks' analogy to 'starters and reserves'. Then there's the infamous 'What the fuck are Denver Broncos?' from 3x09 La Locker Room Aux Folles. The only notable time we really see Jamie 'get' one of these metaphors is the sewer-system-tunnels from 3x01 Smells Like Mean Spirit.

(His understanding of that specific metaphor, along with his use of the magnets to demonstrate total football in 3x07 The Strings That Bind, and a Watsonian-perspective of his near perfect mimicry of movements he saw two years ago when executing the decoy play in 3x12 So Long, Farewell, are actually all examples I use to head-canon Jamie as a primarily visual/physical based learner. For whatever that's worth!)

NOW! Ted's willingness to seek and apply alternate techniques in season 1 when he should know the team as both individuals and a collective the least, coupled with his inability or unwillingness to practise differentiation in later seasons when he DOES KNOW THEM is why I don't think Ted is meeting the team, specifically Jamie at their/his point of need. Any person's ability to differentiate behaviour to meet the needs/requirements/comforts of the individual or group they're talking to is increased the more they know them. (We all do this in life, consciously or subconsciously we typically try and 'match the vibe' of whoever we're communicating with [doubly so for people who're engaging in masking.])

Ted should and does learn more about Jamie as a person and his background as the show progresses. He listens to Jamie vocalise both his internal justifications for his actions and his reflections of those justifications/actions in 1x06 Two Aces, he sees him being explicitly physically abused in 1x10 The Hope That Kills You, he listens to him describe a spiralling mindset in 2x02 Lavender, he sees him being explicitly verbally abused in 2x08 Man City.

Of course, one of the fascinating things about Jamie is how much he learns and grows over the course of the show, and there are instances in which I don't think Ted is recognising that (primarily his dismissal of Jamie in 3x03 4-5-1 and not utilising Jamie's knowledge of total football as a resource from the beginning in 3x07 The Strings That Bind).

Ted understands and has previously applied Jamie responding well to positive reinforcement, yet at multiple times in the series doesn't respond in a way that reflects his perspective being informed by that knowledge. Essentially not practising the appropriate level of care/caution when interacting with/around Jamie.

There's not intervening on Jamie's behalf in 2x03 Do the Right-est Thing or 2x06 The Signal when the team and Roy are targeting or ignoring him respectively. The assumed absence of any follow up to the events of 2x08 Man City, the Zava of it all in season 3, and of course the eternal 'forgiveness' kicker from 3x11 Mom City.

POINT BEING. And to actually answer your inquiry lol, I think Jamie is someone who needs clear communication, ideally bracketed in positive reinforcement based operant conditioning as a learning technique (reward behaviour you want reinforced by offering something desirable [praise in Jamie's case]) and visual/physical aid/references for concepts; as a LEARNER.

AS A PERSON, there's more. Ted can readily infer from all he's heard and seen that Jamie's a victim of child abuse. The long term damage to the adult psyche that abuse during formative years has is astronomical, it literally changes the foundational structures of a person's brain. And yet, again, we never see Ted even acknowledge this. Jamie in 3x11 Mom City, incidentally compares his father to Freddy Krueger, Ted elaborates on the comparison, then Jamie reiterates that Freddy Krueger's 'fucking terrifying'. Ted doesn't reassure Jamie (the requirement of his point of need), he gives him a Ted-talk (and in doing so doesn't differentiate his perspective/communication technique).

As far as what Ted thought the situation needed... search me I've got no idea. I do think Ted projects onto Jamie a hell of a lot. That he gets Jamie's personhood and life experiences all tangled up in the emotions he has about his father's death and his consequent perceived abandonment, his insecurities about his own ability to parent Henry and even in his own inability to clearly communicate with his mother. I do think Ted relies on his own forced optimism to 'get by'. Like how a great white shark dies if it stops swimming, if Ted stops being 'Ted', if he stops swimming, his past and his fears and his feelings will catch up to him and swallow him whole. (For what it's worth, I do think Ted is more unwell than even the show explicitly tells us, much like Jamie experiencing ongoing trauma due to childhood abuse, the effects both short-term and long-term as well as potential causalities of having a parent die by suicide are... grim.)

(Essentially the entire fandom has talked about basically all of this at one point or another, I'm just using slightly different language.)

NOW! These characters are fictional (obviously) and I am judging them based on real-people conventions and the best-principles of my own profession, as well as my background in theoretical psychology (which I think I forgot to mention and is also probably [??] relevant). My Doylist-perspective of Ted and his coaching/communication style is ...kinder, but if I get too sucked into the narrative it results in either brief tag-rambles or... whatever this thing I've just typed is. I think it's been too long since I've written academically, my thoughts have gone circular 🫠

ANYWAY! I hope this made something-approaching sense! Thank you again for asking to hear my thoughts! Always happy to word vomit!

ALSO, thank you for saying my tags are excellent (you are the first and currently only to say so!) - The tags are where I send my thoughts to die (in a 'I must banish them to move on' kind of way rather than a 'I'm strangling them' kind of way) so you saying they're excellent is even MORE flattering than you realise! Makes my brain want to purr 💚🤣

[clownkissersinternational]

more hrab please 🙏? <3

What a weird fish….

[michelle-jacksons-art-blog]

Got a lil Anakin toy and now im making it everyone else's problem

[foibles-fables]

I've been following you for the Horizon content, and it's been very fun to see it. And I've recently finished HFW, and honestly... I can't help but feel underwhelmed and disappointed with the story.

I loved the world building, character interactions and themes in general, as I truly felt involved with HFW, but like... I just can't bother to like, care, or feel involved with the Zenith storyline.

They were supposed to be the main force to drive the story to the final game... and yet, they had so little screen time on a very impressive world, Beta ended up playing a minor role compared to the whole world and had a sudden change on trusting Aloy after just seeing Rost, and Tilda played a huge exposition role, shoehorning all depth of them in the last hours, which I found to be rather overwhelming and even easy to forget after Varl died on GEMINI.

And the final mission just didn't do much to make them compelling. Like... as I was charging through the base and hearing them ramble about their superiority, Zo killed the sadist idiot, Tilda suddenly revealing Nemesis, and the final monologue from Aloy... I was just reactionless, because I didn't feel any sort of involvement with that storyline to make me hyped.

It felt like I was fighting an enemy just for the sake of fighting it. Which is something I didn't feel with Helis and the Eclipse on my first playthrough of HZD.

I really wanted to love HFW and be excited for Aloy's follow-up adventure... but I guess I just can't with this.

I know I'm rambling and complaining a lot, but as a huge fan of Aloy and Horizon (in general), I can't help but point this out to someone.

You might be surprised to hear that many share your reservations about the narrative of HFW, myself very much included.

Over two years later it's still kind of shocking how much the story--including the implementation of the Zeniths--hamstrung what HZD had naturally built HFW to address. Sometimes it feels like the team forgot how to pace? Bringing back GAIA in the first act was...a true ??? to me. The turning point of Aloy and Beta's relationship was, IMO, incredibly unearned, and I concur entirely about both Varl (as well as the player reaction to it, filtered through Aloy's reaction) and the final mission/fight.

I also know that others feel that Tilda's Nemesis reveal kind of stole the fun out of speculation for H3. With where HFW (and BS, re: Londra's data and other threads) left the story, I'm finding myself just not inclined or enthusiastic to think in-depth about what could plausibly be coming next, beyond what actually bridges back to HZD (Elysium and VAST SILVER, namely). HFW itself left no new mysteries to carry forward.

Consider, however, if the Zeniths and Beta had been saved for the final chapter. That, IMO, would have made for a much more compelling hook into H3. Reveal them in a post-credits stinger after Aloy succeeds at stabilizing the biosphere and finally restoring GAIA as an endgame task. Instead of some...questionably-motived space spaghetti Bigger Fish, we'd have an actual full-circle existential threat.

It really seems like a compelling storyline for HFW and beyond was spelled out right there in GAIA's dying plea from HZD, and then just...sidestepped into what we actually received.

This is all to say, nonny, you're absolutely not alone and I think many folks who were head over heels for HZD were underwhelmed by what was presented in HFW. Like you, I still adore the world and the characters--but there was a lot that very disappointingly fell flat otherwise. Here's hoping it was just a sophomore slump, second-installment weirdness, and H3 falls back into the stride that the first installment set up.

[ask-spacehero13]

W-WAIT TH-THIRTEEN. THE- THE DEVIL...ITS OVER TAKING ME- (turns tiny) awe man >:(

[builtlikeastickofcelery]

twins 💪 this actually started out as a pose study for a) hugs and b) ppl with their knees to their chest

and its hurt/comfort too all my sketch pages are mostly sweet recently and I love it anyways I’ve retreated back into movie stuff and its great

[artroc-ity]

NEW OC REFS

NEW OC REFS

[thatdeadaquarius]

Episode two of us teleported to genshin and we just play prank on everyone and causing havoc cuz y not <33

Secretly swapping venti and kaeya's vintage wine with the freshest grape juice *evil laugh*

Randomly singing niki minaj and megan thee stalion lyrics in random places <3

WE WOULD BUILD A TREE HOUSE NEAR WINDRISE AND LIVE TOGETHER YAYAYAY

Living that cottage core dream <3

YOU KNOW WE WOULD BITCH

i like to think we'd fufill every genshin fans chaotic dreams if we got yoinked to genshin lol

(obviously, seriously, sorry for replying way too late to this ;-; )

ur talking abt harmless pranks, and while yes we would need to do all of those, im talking abt figuring out how to trick Zhongli into running into Neuvillette LMAOO

ok but the Windrise idea is lowkey genius, i mean if Hilichurls can accomplish structures surely so can we, u know what i subscribe to tho? Treehouses/cool houses in every nation 👌

like cool mountain home for Liyue/inazuma could literally have a house for every island/sumeru would be yet another most epic treehouses/I WOULD LIKE TO HANG OUT/LIVE IN ONE OF THE PYRAMIDS!! not all of them have dead ppl in them i don't think (in teyvat not earth💀)

Im a personal favorite of not just singing nicki minaj songs/2000s party songs, but blasting them thruout Fontaine’s speakers 👍

OR EVEN BETTER-

blasting unhinged music thru the speakers of the CLOCKWORK MEKA, no matter where Fontainians go they can’t escape shit like, “REESES PUFFS REESES PUFFS EAT EM UP EAT EM UP EAT EM UP”

(i like to think our phones would come with/always be at 100% bc we’re “inside the video game” too)

i just posted ur other idea abt this, but telling the Akademiya/Fontaine vision users abt powerpoint nights, and just sitting back with popcorn/genshin food so we can watch the show lol

idk if u saw it for Lantern rite this year, but how mountain shaper and moon carver accidentally messed with cloud retainer by flying kites in her territory? i would give the adepti even more funny gifts so they'd unintentionally prank Each Other lmao

Giving unhinged novel ideas to Yae Miko would also be great, like the beef between Zhongli/Rex Lapis and Venti/Barbatos but enemies to lovers fanfic 💀

she’d print it too lol

(oh god i don't even wanna think abt how much more insane we’d seem if they thought we were their Creators/above the gods 😭 be gods of chaos more like lol)

tysm for all ur big brain ideas orah, 10/10 would love driving Teyvat crazy if we were both there irl

i hope u have a great week!! :D

Safe Travels,

💀♒

If you wanna join a taglist, DM me what for! "Pspspsss, please tag me for [All SAGAU posts, Only SAGAU Language AUs, diff fandom, etc.]!"

(If you ever wanna drop, just DM me! "No more taglists/[specifically this AU/fandom] please!")

♡the beloveds♡

@karmawonders / @0rah-s / @randomnatics / @glxssynarvi / @nexylaza / @genshin-impacts-me / @wholesomey-artist / @thedevioussmirk / @the-dumber-scaramouche / @chocogi / @fallen-starr / @areaderofbooks / @devilangel657 / @esthelily / @justinsomniachild / @nanithefuck / @questionotmystopit / @chinuneko

@kiyomi-uchiha777

[sister-lucifer]

“how do you deal with— with all this trauma?”

“i write…”

“aw that’s beautiful man—”

“…write horny fanfiction on the internet that strangers masturbate to”

[bluastro-yellow]

get it Kim has a lot to unpack do you get it

it's imperfect I'll never polish it just take it as it is

[arsonist-chicken]

When your coffin gets opened and all the Fazer chocolate falls out (weird transport choice for you and your souvenirs from Finland, but hey, travelling is expensive nowadays).

Ich packe meinen Koffer coffin und nehme mit

Maybe we just have to befriend a vampire, they can either sponsor our Finland + Lapland + chocolates + tattoos trip with their centuries-old money or they can smuggle us along in their coffin so we can at least save the transport + possibly accomodation money.

[jamiesfootball]

🌹🌹

"'Como te llama' if I'm talking to a person?"

"Sí."

"And 'como se llama' if i want to know what something's called"

"Sí."

"And 'mi llamo Jamie' if they want to know what I'm called."

"Sí."

Jamie flipped through the translation guide. "See, those one's make sense to me. It's these other one's that don't make sense."

Dani slid his sleeping mask up against his forehead. He preferred these late night flights more than the ones during the day. The flights were so long; he would rather sleep through as much as he could than be stuck awake and sitting down for half a day. For football, he would do it, but he didn't like it.

He was glad his friend Jamie was so understanding when he explained his reasonings. And agreeable. And kind enough that when Dani woke up restless, with a sore back, and they still had four more hours left in the air, his friend put up the seat divider and allowed Dani to splay his legs over his lap.

His heart filled with warmth. His mama would love his friend; he knew it.