#modesty dawkins

[joyfulbeegaming]

How do the ROs feel about cuddle naps? I just took a nap and it was *chef's kiss*

Ooooh 👀

Jefferson: Not really a nap person himself, he tends to be too busy for that, but if MC wanted him next to them while they napped, he’d be more than happy to cuddle with them!

Merrill: This sounds like a very nice idea to him!  ...in theory.  Unfortunately he takes forever to fall asleep and then stays asleep.  He’d love to nap with MC, but he’ll have to content himself with just cuddling them.

Clara: Yes.  Just, yes.  She has a much easier time falling asleep, so she’s all for this.  She makes herself very nice and comfortable cuddling with MC, and, while it’s a much more quiet activity than she’s used to, it’s nice 😌

Modesty: She says she’s not a napper.  This is a lie and she’ll curl up with MC at the drop of a hat.  But it has to be in private because she got poked in the stomach one too many times in her teens by Rance.

Newt: On a work day?  Absolutely not.  On an off-day?  Absolutely.  That just means that he has more energy for stargazing that night 👀 he’s still an octopus, cuddling them very tightly.

Max: They’re surprisingly cool with just chilling for an afternoon!  They might not fully fall asleep, but they’d be happy to hang with MC while they nap.

~

Thank you so much for the ask!!

[redrikki]

🏳️‍🌈 PRIDE 2020 IS DONE!! 🏳️‍🌈 

Here’s an updated list of my Queer-focused fic.

Unsurprisingly, I’ve written a few stories focusing on queer characters and romances.

Agent Carter

Because Girls Love Girls (The Soulmate City Remix) - There’s something in the water and the next thing Angie knows, she’s waking up with the name Margaret Carter wrapped around her wrist. (Angie Martinelli/Peggy Carter)

One Last Kiss (The Final Storm Remix) - You never forget your first kiss with your nemesis. Dottie won’t forget her last either. At Howard Stark’s funeral, she puts a few things in the ground. (Peggy Carter/Dottie Underwood)

Avatar: Legend of Korra

Girl, Gotten (The Heroine After Remix) - As long as Asami’s the hero, Korra’s okay being the love interest. (Korra/Asami Sato)

Leaves on the Wind - Korra, Asami, and the next Avatar (past Korra/Asami Sato)

Ten-Thousand Words (Which Once See the Light of Day) - There are things they can’t say.  There are things they wont say. There are actions which speak louder than words.  A series of short stories about the ladies of Legend of Korra. (bisexual Asami Sato/Mako, various het pairings)

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Playing with Fire (The Dubiously Consensual Remix) - People didn’t tell Azula no. (Azula/Ty Lee)

Battlestar Galactica

Persephone on New Caprica - It’s winter on New Caprica and they’re all Persephone here.  A collection of short stories. (bisexual Felix Gaeta/Eight, various het pairings) Trigger warning: non-con/dub con

Batwoman (TV)

Trapped in the Closet - Kate was never afraid to come out to her father, but she is now. Episode tag to the season 1 finale. (lesbian Kate Kane)

Black Lightning (TV)

Comic Book Life - Comic book Thunder’s boyfriend knew what his woman did, so why couldn’t Anissa tell her girlfriend? (Anissa Pierce/Grace Choi)

Truth Will Out - Anissa’s in the closet about her superhero life. Three times she thought about telling Grace and one time she actually did. (Anissa Pierce/Grace Choi)

Maybe Baby - "Ever think about what kind of power's you and Grace's kids would have?" Jen asked, raising possibilities Anissa had never considered before. (Anissa Pierce/Grace Choi, Jennifer Pierce)

Sleeping Beauty - Grace had been in coma for over a month now, but Anissa still couldn’t help thinking each visit that this would be the one where she woke up. Maybe today it would be. (Anissa Pierce/Grace Choi)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Short and to the Mr. Pointy - Collection of drabbles set across all 7 seasons. (Willow Rosenberg/Tara McClay, Willow Rosenberg/Kennedy, Willow Rosenberg/Oz, Larry/Xander Harris, various het pairings)

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (TV)

The Beast You Made of Me - The Waverider’s resident shapeshifters compare notes. (Mona Wu, Genderfluid Charile)

Neither Should You (The Real People Remix) - Rescuing her clones was the right thing to do. They deserved the right to live their lives and make their own choices. Ava just wished they’d stop sleeping with Gary. (Ava Sharpe/Sara Lance, Ava Clones/Gary Green, implied Gary Green/John Constantine)

Downton Abbey

The Hedgehog’s Dilemma - Thomas Barrow’s daemon is a hedgehog. “Mind my spikes.” Five warnings, four relationships and one revelation. (Thomas Barrow/Duke of Crowborrough, Thomas Barrow/Edward Courtney, Thomas Barrow/Jimmy Kent)

Snakes and Lions - Hogwarts AU. In Thomas, Jimmy finds that courage isn’t exclusive to Gryffindors.  Now if only he could find some himself. (Thomas Barrow/Jimmy Kent)

Kipo and the Age of Wonerbeasts

The Hero Was You - Benson likes Troy and Troy likes Benson. Great! Now all Benson has to do is figure out what to do about it. (Benson/Troy)

Miraculous Ladybug

Better Than Ice Cream - Orange, mint, and raspberry could be a tasty combination. The solution to every love triangle should be polyamory, but sometimes it’s just not that simple. Spoilers for Love-Eater. (Marinette Dupain-Cheng/Adrien Agreste/Kagami Tsurugi)

Orphan Black

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Girl - There’s something magical about Uncle Felix’s flat.  Maybe it’s all the art. (Kira Manning, gay Felix Dawkins, lesbian Cosima Niehaus)

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

She-Ra (Modesty) Shorts - Three very short Catra/Adora stories. (Catra/Adora)

Parting Strands - Looking out for each other had been their thing, but Adora's starting to suspect that's over. Her thoughts during that scene in "Promise." (Catra/Adora)

Spider-man (Ultimates verse)

Fingertips That Might Ignite - Peter is straight like a straight thing.  Jessica isn’t sure what she is. (Jessica Drew/Johnny Storm, Jessica Drew/OFC)

Gonna Share My Tin Man Heart - Kitty moves in and Kitty moves out. Jessica falls in love somewhere along the way. (Jessica Drew/Kitty Pride)

Star Wars

For Amidala - Her handmaidens had all poured so much of themselves into Amidala, it was like they were part of her now. Padmé didn’t know if she had the strength to let one go. (Padmé/Her Handmaidens)

Dateline Felucia - Embedded with the troops on Felucia, a reporter from HoloNet News paints an intimate portrait of the men of the 212th Attack Battalion. (Obi-Wan/Cody, Waxer/Boil)

Tag - Sabine and Ketsu, bounty hunters extraordinaire, argue about how to sign their work. (Sabine Wren/Ketsu Onyo)

When I Was Your Age - Kanan, Ezra, and the fruits of a misspent youth. (Pansexual Kanan Jarrus)

Stranger Things

Date Night - Everyone and her mother seems to think they’re together and Robin’s getting pretty sick of it. (lesbian Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington)

Umbrella Academy (TV)

Iconic - When Vanya learns Klaus is gay from a magazine, she’s angry for more than just one reason. (lesbian Vanya & pansexual Klaus Hargreeves)

Feed Your Head - Three shitty things young Klaus did for drugs and one thing they did for him. (pansexual Klaus Hargreeves)

White Collar

Eyes on the Target (The Solid Ground Remix) - Peter asked Diana to keep an eye on Neal for him while he’s stuck in jail. It could be going better. (lesbian Diana Barrigan, Neal Caffrey)

Wonder Woman (2017)

After the Glory Fades (The Last Lesson Learned Remix) - Glory fades, but what truly matters remains. Diana takes a moment to remember everything her aunt taught her. (Bisexual Diana, past Antiope/Menalippe )

[andersa]

read

Alexander McCall Smith: Humankind by Rutger Bregman makes the case that humans are altruistic, not selfish

Rutger Bregman’s new book Humankind contains a real-life version of the ‘Lord of the Flies’ scenario that turned out very differently to William Golding’s novel, writes Alexander McCall Smith

Rutger Bregman's book Humankind could join the works of people like Sigmund Freud, pictured, in changing the way we think about human nature (Picture: AFP/Getty Images) Copyright: Getty Images

There are some books that you read, utterly rapt, in very few sittings, close with a sigh, and think, or even say, “Yes, precisely”. Sometimes such books make you want to write to the author and say thank you. So you get out your pen and you begin: “I do not make a habit of writing to authors...” (It’s remarkable how many letters to authors actually do begin that way.)

I am thinking of writing to Rutger Bregman to thank him for writing his new book Humankind. I shall probably not do so, because we all think of writing far more letters than we actually write. Indeed, there should be a special category of books: The Collected Intended Letters of... or The Unwritten Letters of...

This book has just been published and is beginning to be widely discussed. It is not entirely novel: the main issue it deals with has long been the stuff of debate in fields as diverse as biology, anthropology, and philosophy. The issue revolves around the question: is homo sapiens really red in tooth and claw? Hobbes and Rousseau are the poles there, and Bregman goes back to that old intellectual tussle, but with new insights, new evidence, and, in some cases, a fresh take on old evidence. This book, which is far from being a dry academic tome, could well be a much needed reminder of the traditional virtues of modesty and the like, of sharing, and of co-operation rather than vicious competition.

There are, of course, moments when the way in which we look at the world is changed by a single work. Darwin and Freud both produced books that changed the way we saw the world. In Darwin’s case, the publication of The Origin of Species was Copernican in the challenge it posed to our view of ourselves and of our place in the world. Later on, when genetics showed us how much of our DNA we shared with vegetables and pigs, let alone with other primates, notions of human exceptionalism were further weakened.

Freud’s writings similarly unsettled our view of ourselves, this time in the way in which we understood why we do what we do. Freud’s theories may not have survived scientific scrutiny, but the change that he brought about changed our fundamental intellectual framework and ideas of human motivation. Certainly, that was how Auden saw him in his poem In Memory of Sigmund Freud, where he wrote “to us he is no more a person/ now but a whole climate of opinion”.

The Selfish Gene

There have been others who have made people think very differently about the world, although few to the extent to which Darwin and Freud did. Scientific books may catch the popular imagination, as happened with Richard Dawkins’ The Selfish Gene, a widely read and highly influential work in its time. Then there was Stephen Hawking’s Brief History of Time that made the author a household name even in those households where cosmology may not be an everyday topic of conversation. That book sold in its millions, but has actually been read by a very small proportion of those who bought it – so obscure are the matters it sets out to elucidate. Even the duffers’ guide to A Brief History of Time has flummoxed most of those who have a copy. And yet for many, Professor Hawking did change their understanding of the world.

Bregman’s book may not change academic opinion to any great extent, but it stands a very good chance of having a real impact on the feelings of the general public. Having been written for ordinary readers, as opposed to specialists, it will no doubt be greeted with the academic sniffiness that is often displayed when a generalist presumes to write on subjects reserved for the Academy. Rutger Bregman, of course, does not pretend to be a professional evolutionary anthropologist or anything of the kind: he is an historian and journalist, described by the book’s publishers as one of “Europe’s most prominent young thinkers”. As a general rule, old thinkers are to be preferred to young thinkers – on the grounds that old thinkers have usually done a bit more thinking, have seen a bit more of the world, and have probably changed their ideas as they go along. But Bregman is a very good advertisement for those young thinkers who range freely over a variety of academic disciplines, are well-read, have open minds and are prepared to challenge philosophical orthodoxy.

The glove he throws to the ground in this invigorating book is a challenge to the received view that people are inherently selfish and violent. That is a view that has enjoyed widespread support, and has always been used as a justification for state coercion and control. It is also music to the ears of those who would regard human life as a matter of ruthless competition rather one of sharing and co-operation. That, Bregman argues, is simply wrong: we are an altruistic, co-operative species, and we flourish best when our institutions – and even business practices – stress trust and sharing. If that message rings true at this particular moment of crisis, then perhaps we should not be surprised. If books require the right zeitgeist to have a major impact, then Bregman’s timing may prove brilliant.

Humankind is kind

The book is crammed full of fascinating examples, including a real-life Lord of the Flies. William Golding, we are told, was something of a misanthrope, and in imagining the story of how badly a group of boys would behave if marooned on a desert island, he extrapolated from the way he would behave. We believed him. But in fact when a group of real Tongan boys were stranded on a small island for 15 months in 1965, they actually behaved extremely well. They co-operated, kept their fire going, and did not fight. All the things we need to do in our own crisis.

Reading Bregman on desert island behaviour sent me straight off to my own shelves, where I happen to have a book called The Robbers Cave Experiment, which gives an account of an important sociological experiment carried out on a group of American boys in 1954. They were not placed on an island, but were observed in camp conditions to see how they co-operated and related socially. They did not emerge as angels, but different sub-groups did co-operate to achieve common goals. That is not good news for the Golding hypothesis. The American boys, of course, were the product of American society, and would have been influenced by its individualistic ethos. The Tongan boys came from a very different society.

Bregman’s book is something of a beacon at the moment, when many are looking for values to profess in our traumatised and altered society.

Essentially he is reminding us that human nature is not inherently vicious; that we should celebrate kindness; and that conflict and confrontation are not what we are somehow programmed to perpetuate. People have started to talk about this book: perhaps the moment of this entirely positive, heartening message is about to come. Humankind is kind: we have seen that, we want it to be true, and there’s no real reason why we should not act accordingly.

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[cat-the-intern]

A Trend Forecaster

A Trend Forecaster is someone who predicts the future. They study how people behave, live and make lifestyle choices. Looking at changing attitudes and shifting mindsets, they spot patterns forming in the modern society. The shifts in culture that they notice, range on a wide scale of size and importance but they all work together to form an idea of what trends may arrive next. For fashion trend forecasting they don’t only look at fashion related trends. They also look at science, architecture, literature, technology or the arts. This distinction that trend forecasting isn’t only connected to fashion, but can represent a wider change within society, is vital to a forecasters success. A trend doesn’t have to be a physical thing, such as a style of print, it can also be an emotion or a change in culture. When a forecaster detects and maps a new trend it helps us understand what ideas and motivations drives people. Trends can be altered on a yearly to weekly basis. One trend that has emerged is “New Modesty” which uses solid shapes, sober palettes and restrained design style to represent a cool, formal and controlled atmosphere. This trend is the opposite of “Bling” which is the representation of capitalism. It relies on flashy, gaudy materials and styles to give the impression of wealth and success. These trends are focused on aesthetics. Trends can also be created from a feeling or mood. In the 1980s there was a reduction of national barriers which allowed a better flow of goods and services. This led to the trend of “Globalization” to arrive. In the 1990s a trend for organic food started to rise as there was a new fear for what we consumed after the increased use of GMO’s, among other things. A trend forecaster would notice these subtle shifts in cultural views and relay the information to designers, businesses and the international market so they could alter their strategies accordingly.

Memes can help explain trends. Richard Dawkins explained that a meme is something that self-replicates and spreads per cultural changes. Memes pass from person to person by imitation, one person will imitate the behaviours of another because they believe it will be advantageous to do so. Much is similar with trends. When a person buys something that is perceived to be “on trend” they will become, or at least feel, culturally and socially superior. The consumer will feel cool or like they own something of higher value. This is because the item bought will be associated with people that they respect and aspire to be associated with. Whether this is a conscious or subconscious decision will differ between individuals and circumstances. But, where this becomes important is with the trend forecaster in that they will hopefully see these trends appearing and will act to make it beneficial for their client. 

[mariamtekueva-blog]

Martin Raymond’s “The Trend Forecaster's Handbook” Chapter 1

Precis First chapter explained the general idea what a trend forecaster”s is and the role of different aspects of our life. DEFINITION OF A TREND FORECASTER AND TREND. Trend forecasters are "lifestyle detectives " they spend time discovering the way of living, dress, thinking, behaviour and anything that might influence the trend. To find the new trends forecaster's use Different techniques. Trend forecasting discipline now takes all aspects of society even the smallest changes around us, as well as the impact of technology, interior, science, music, arts or even food we eat . Trend is not only about fashion. A trend may be intellectual, emotional for example our mood, cultural and also spiritual.Martin Raymond explains that trend can be everything, he lists few examples such as “Brutalism, Eve-solution, New Modesty”.  MEMES AND TREND VIRUSES Meme also can be a trend particularly in our days when social media and the internet is the biggest part of our life. Memes can be anything – clothes, quotes, ideas, tunes. According to Dawkins a meme like a virus for a small period of time transmitted from one person to another. Being a meme, we buy a trend product not only because we love it but also because it is socially approved. Also, the purchase decision may affect by value attached to it cultural, social or phycological aspects. DIFFUSION OF INNOVATIONS Today trend forecasters use the same Roger’s model of ‘type's’ as 40 years ago. His categories include; - Innovators, Early Adopters, Early Majority, Late Majority and Laggards. An innovator is a person who is responsible for the development of new ideas and innovation, they may not be the creators of the trend, but they will help other people understand the idea and promote it. The innovators are the fist people a trend forecasters need to track down first. Innovator close friends or colleagues are usually Early Adopters.They are easily exposed to new ideas. Early Adopters more integrated into a social life, they are more socially active. Crucial to spreading innovation, then everyone else is innovators and early adopters. They spread the trend leading up to the ‘tipping point’ when a trend becomes so infectious no one can resist it. Then goes Early Majority those who watching how Early adapters relate to new ideas and trends. For Trend forecasters important to monitor which trends the Early Majority are concerned with to determine which ones are set to become more popular than others with the Late Majority. The Early Majority is very connected to the Late Majority group, both groups make up the largest number of the groups overall. Many forecasters concentrate their efforts on the Early majority and late majority because these are the areas where forecasters can determine more carefully if the trend they are focusing on is set to be a profitable and long-lasting one. The slowest to adopt the new ideas are Laggards. Usually, a trend being adopted by Laggards when the trend has reached the end of its usefulness. Chapter one is a great start to understanding how trend forecasting system works. As we can see forecasting is not about focusing on the new and future trends it is also about paying attention to the small changes as in the past or present and future. 521 words

[bethhamnett-blog]

MARTIN RAYMOND – THE TREND FORECASTERS HANDBOOK

The Trend Forecasters Handbook is a detailed book teaching students about the different kinds of trends and describing the types of people there are that are related to a trend. This book is a visual text book which reviews every key issue and describes the issues thoroughly to help the reader understand.

 DEFINITION OF A TREND

Martin Raymond talks about how ‘trends’ aren’t just associated with fashion, as most people think. In fact, trends can be emotional, intellectual and even spiritual. A trend can be distinctly noticed by the direction something travels, if this is acknowledged and leads onto having an impact on society and cultures etc. then it is classed as a trend. Developing reader’s knowledge of trends, Martin lists some examples of trends such as, “Brutalism, New Modesty, Eve-olution” and many more. This is a smart way of explaining something to the mass public as most people know what these trends were and why they became a trend.

 MEMES AND TREND VIRUSES

According to Dawkin, memes spread themselves by passing from brain to brain via a process called imitation. This is where one person copies someone else because of the advantages of doing so. Moreover, Martin explains why we buy the things we do. For instance, we don’t just buy things because we like them, we also take in to consideration the social, cultural or psychological value that comes with it. Maybe as consumers we have seen the item on someone we believe has these values, which has an influence on the consumers.

 DIFFUSION OF INNOVATIONS

An innovator as described in The Trend Forecasters Book is a person who is responsible for the development of a new idea. Overall, they may not be the ones who formed the idea, but they are the ones who can help make other people understand the idea. It is said that the innovator is one of the first people a trend forecaster should source as they make it easier to spot a trend in its early stages. The early adopters are usually close friends of the innovator. They enjoy being showed new ideas and ways of doing things from people they respect. However, the early majority members are usually very sociable, active on social media but do not have ideas that could make them leaders. They tend to follow, but only follow the people they trust as they’re seen to be sensible enough to not embrace something if it’s too radical. Finally, the Late Majority are those who require high levels of reassurance about a new idea. These members are the biggest imitators in a group as they want the best things that others may have. Laggards are very resistant when it comes to trying something new. However, when they see that everybody else has settled in to the trend they then accept it as normal.

 In conclusion, chapter one is a great innovating start to the book. There are in depth analysis’ of trends, highlighting the important things that helps the reader learn from the book which will eventually aid the understand of the book as a whole when they read it.

Raymond, M. (2010). The trend forecaster’s handbook. 1st ed. London: Laurence King.

[joyfulbeegaming]

ooo the tummy talk made me think.... are any of the ROs ticklish? 👀👀

Ticklish: Merrill, Clara

Not Ticklish: Jefferson, Max

Tickle Me and Die By My Sword: Modesty, Newt

~

Thanks very much for the ask!

[joyfulbeegaming]

how does everyone smile? and what are their laughs like?

:Dc

Jefferson: He has these very calm, gentle smiles, the kind you can always tell are genuine.  Very serene. His laugh is a warm chuckle that he pretends to hide behind his fist.

Merrill: He hides his smiles behind his hand, but they’re sweet, nervous smiles that waver at first but eventually settle if he’s comfortable.  His laugh is an anxious giggle that devolves into a stuttering laughing fit if it goes on too long.

Clara: She smiles with all her teeth, and her smiles are contagious. She has one crooked tooth in the front, but she doesn’t care.  She throws her head back when she laughs and they’re as contagious as her smiles.

Modesty: She has very sly smiles that don’t show teeth.  Very catlike.  Her laugh is the complete opposite, a loud, hiccupping chortle; she rarely laughs this way though.

Newt: He has this toothy smirk that he inherited from his dad that’s almost wolfish.  His laugh sort of alternates between snickers and snorts, and it gets out of control very easily.

Max: They have an open mouthed grin that always looks like they’re ready to laugh.  They have a gap in their front teeth but, like Clara, they don’t care.  Their laugh is a loud, echoing laugh that you can hear halfway across the airship terminal.

~

Thank you very much for the ask, this was cute!

[joyfulbeegaming]

Hello! I was wondering what everyone's favourite places to smooch and be smooches were? 😚

This.  I like this :)

Jefferson: Likes to give forehead kisses and knuckle kisses; likes being kissed on his cheek the most, it’s a classic.

Merrill: Prefers to give kisses on the cheek, or on the nose if he’s feeling cute ;) neck kisses and kisses to the inside of the wrist make him weak though 😍

Clara: Gives kisses everywhere but particularly likes giving cheek kisses, the kind where she can smush her face against MC’s; likes receiving tummy kisses :)

Modesty: Likes giving them on the lips, no need to get really fancy, but if MC wanted to kiss her along her collarbone and on her shoulders 😏

Newt: Prefers giving kisses along the jawline and neck, but receiving he’s incredibly partial to tummy and thigh kisses :))

Max: Gives kisses along the shoulder blades and the back of the neck, and they like being kissed on the hands and near their prosthetic joint.

~

Thank you very much for the ask!!  Kissing questions are always fun :D

[joyfulbeegaming]

Hey bee what were the ROs like as children?

Hmmm, a very interesting question :) just as a general worldbuilding note, it’s very common for children to take on apprenticeships starting in their early teens – these are more like afterschool activities or may take the place of school, and they serve as a way for kids to play around with things they might like to do as they get older. This... may or may not have been based on something my sister's high school did.

Jefferson was a very precocious but friendly child. He and his younger sibling Tommie were raised by their mother. He became interested in fashion at a very young age, and his toys became the unwitting subjects of his early forays. He was very attached to Tommie almost immediately, and he has remained a dedicated older brother to this day. He got his first apprenticeship when he was 13, learning the ropes, er, threads at the Empress Designs Clothing Boutique. His old mentor actually still recommends him to clients.

Merrill was a very anxious and quiet child. He was raised by his paternal grandfathers after [REDACTED]. Merrill constantly clung to his Grandfather’s coattails, but his Granda would always eventually coax him away with ice cream and swing records. He was easily occupied with books and stereoscopes, but he had few friends. He was encouraged by his grandfathers to take a certification course at the Freerunners’ Guild in his teens to help him open up, and he took to it like a duck to water.

Clara was a rambunctious and adventurous child. She was raised by her three parents. She loved exploring, spending most of her early days finding every single nook and cranny she could in her neighborhood. She was extremely popular among the other children and always had a small parade of kids following her. She participated in a lot of group sports and other activities, and she has a good dozen or so certifications from her early teens.

Modesty was a proud, very prim child. She and her oldest brother Rance (Temperance), her older brother Val (Valiant), and her younger sisters Dee (Charity) and Mercy were raised by their parents. From her early childhood, Modesty was (ironically) taught to be proud of who she was. She took these lessons in stride, but she quickly learned that clerks, while important to the background, usually didn’t get their names put in history books. She’s strove to change that ever since.

Newt was a quiet but curious child. He was raised by his parents with a lot of assistance from his maternal aunt, Polly Mockett. He spent a lot of time at the Science Commons as a kid, but his favorite spot was always the Planetarium. He spent an entire summer reading every astronomy book he could get his hands on and staying outside all night to watch the stars. When he was 14, he finally got apprenticed there. At 16, he was offered a paying job, and he took it.

Max was an energetic and mechanically inclined child. They and their young sister Percy (Persephone) were raised by their parents. They were always tinkering with anything and everything, and they cannibalized their family’s appliances more than once. Unfortunately, they and their family were in a carriage accident when Max was ten – this was the accident where Max lost their leg. Max was the most unlucky of the group, and they are mostly glad that their sister, who was four, was relatively unharmed.

~

Sorry, Andrew, I just took your ask and ran with it XDD but this was fun!! I've been trying to get all of this written down formally, so this was excellent in facilitating that!

[joyfulbeegaming]

ohoho,,,, you've unleashed the fluff demon then >:3c

How would the ROs react if MC came in the room looking worried, took the RO's face in their hands and said "oh no, this isn't good!". When the ROs ask what's wrong, MC says "you haven't met your daily kiss quota yet!! We gotta fix that!" then peppers the RO's face with smooches 😏💕

I think your new name is ‘fluff demon anon’ XD but I like the way you think 😏

Jefferson: He gets very worried until MC drops the line.  Smirks and covers their hands with his.  “How awful.  ‘Twould be a terrible thing to not make that quota.  I’ll have to make sure to help you meet your quota, my love.”

Merrill: Not gonna lie, he gets really scared seeing that worried face and thinks he did something wrong for a second.  But once they explain, his shoulders relax and he smiles softly.  “I didn’t realize I was so far behind.  Thank you for helping me keep up, sweetheart.”

Clara: Two can play at this game.  “Oh really?  Well, if I’m not mistaken, you haven’t met your daily kiss quota either, sweetie.  Oh, have you met you daily nose boop quota?  No?  Gotta fix that too!”

Modesty: She braces herself but is pleasantly surprised when it comes out.  “You know you don’t need and excuse to kiss me at home, right, babe?”

Newt: He desperately, desperately tries to stay focused on what he was doing, but he fails at that after, like, kiss no. 4.  “You win, you win!  Should I be keeping a tally, my sun?”

Max: They stop MC, like, half a second before the first kiss even connects.  “Hon’, I love ya, but let me wash my face first at least, yeah?”  They’ll let MC fill that quota twice over in payment for the wait though 😏

~

Thanks so much for the ask!!  This one was cute!

[joyfulbeegaming]

Touch 44. For modesty and Clara

Thank you for clarification (heh, CLARA-fication, I’ll see myself out now). Sorry for the wait, Modesty was not being cooperative.

Touching 44: Sitting on the other’s lap.

Clara

There was plenty of room on the trolley. More than enough room for one of you to lie down, even. And yet Clara had made herself perfectly comfortable perched on your lap. The trolley driver rang the bell for departure, and it began trundling down the track.

“Comfy?” you ask, your hands on her hips as a precaution.

“Absolutely!” she chirps, her legs swinging. You look around her bobbed hair and watch as you slowly make your way back to the Science Commons. The trolley was Clara’s idea, and you’re starting to think it wasn’t because of sore feet.

“Clara?”

“Yes, sweetie pie?” When she looks back over her shoulder, her smile is dazzling, crooked tooth and all.

You smile back at her, her joy contagious as always. “Your shoes aren’t really pinching your toes, are they?”

And then something extraordinary happens – Clara looks sheepish. “Do not tell Jefferson.” You laugh, and Clara immediately joins you. “Don’t tell him! He’ll be so offended!”

“I won’t tell. Promise.” Clara leans back and pecks you on the cheek, and you wrap your arms fully around her.

“Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Modesty

The theatre wasn’t sold out. The ticket attendant had said that this wasn’t a sold-out show. So how was it that you could only find one seat in the back of the theatre? You look over at Modesty and watch as the steam appears to build up behind her reddening face.

“Come on, you can sit on my lap,” you say, gently taking her hand and sitting down before she blows a gasket.

Modesty rolls her lips, trying not to glare at the teenagers chortling among themselves next to you. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable,” she murmurs, watching the clock mounted just above the theatre door – clearly debating if she should go talk to the attendant.

You pat your lap with a smile. “I don’t mind.” Modesty shifts on her feet a few times as the theatre lights begin to flicker, and finally she hikes up her skirt and sits side-saddle on your lap. You wrap your arms around her waist, and she leans her head into your shoulder.

The lights finally drop, and the orchestra slowly starts the overture. “I kinda like this seating arrangement better, babe,” Modesty whispers in your ear before turning back to the stage.

[joyfulbeegaming]

Romance Options

Subject to change

Jefferson Colley (he/him; asexual demiromantic): the GSG's head merchant (read: tailor) who welcomes the MC into the Guild with open arms. A very kind and polite man, Jefferson is known for being extremely fashion forward, and he prides himself on mixing the Guild's need for function with the fashion of the time.

~

Merrill Redsmith (he/him; bisexual): the former Lead Field Surveyor who was expelled from the Guild under circumstances you are not privy to, now one of the MC's quote-unquote rivals. A generally soft-spoken but paranoid man, Merrill seemingly refuses to accept his expulsion from the Guild, though he has remained a neutral party… until now.

~

Clara Turner (she/her; bisexual): the unofficial Lead Field Surveyor and the MC's trainer in the ways of surveying. A bright and energetic young woman, Clara considers herself a woman of progress, always trying new things -- though, she'll admit that maybetrying to fit two people on a monowheel wasn't the best idea.

~

Modesty Dawkins (she/her; demisexual biromantic): an aspiring Surveyor who has been trying to get recruited by GSG for years and one of the MC's more ardent rivals. A hardworking and short-tempered woman, Modesty is determined to get her small-family-of-clerks' name into the history books.

~

Newton 'Newt' Keeler (he/they; gray-ace biromantic): the Planetarium's Assistant Curator at the Conservatory and one of the MC's contact. A sarcastic and cynical young person, Newt bears the brunt of the work at the Planetarium and feels like him and his work are underappreciated by his ever-absent superiors.

~

Max Rowley (they/them; bisexual): one of the many airship mechanics employed at the Ender McLean Airship Terminal and one of the MC's contacts. A fast-talking and talented young person, Max dreams of one day becoming an airship racer -- of course, airship racing needs to become a thing first, hey, do you want to see their prototype?!

~

~

No gender-flippable romances, sorry; I just don't have the spoons for that, especially considering the (hopeful) scope of the game. I hope you enjoy these friends nonetheless!

[joyfulbeegaming]

How would the ROs react when MC who always calls them using a cute nickname suddenly called them by their name? 👀

Interesting... I’m going to assume this is in a positive context rather than my initial reaction of ‘uh oh why is MC upset’ 😬

Jefferson: He kinda blinks once, but then he starts grinning widely.  “It’s so nice to hear you say that, MC.  Truly.”

Merrill: I’m sorry, he immediately starts freaking out.  Why did they not use their nickname?  Did something happen, did he do something wrong?  Can’t even say anything because his brain is otherwise occupied.

Clara: Doesn’t even register that they used her name, just keeps on going.  She realizes it at, like one in the morning and bolts out of bed.

Modesty: She actually smirks at MC.  “It took you long enough.”

Newt: Quirks an eyebrow.  If MC calls him ‘Newton’ rather than ‘Newt’, he’s very pleased.  But ‘Newt’, that’s just another nickname.

Max: They honestly think it’s cute and funny and they’re very excited!  “Aw, baby, is it my birthday or something? :D”

~

Thank you very much for the ask, and sorry if I misinterpreted it! 😅

[joyfulbeegaming]

How susceptible are the ROs to MC's puppy eyes? Also who is most likely to use puppy eyes on the MC? 👀🥺

Love me some puppy-eyed MCs 👌

Jefferson: Both extremely susceptible and extremely unsusceptible to puppy eyes.  He knows when to give in and when to stay his ground.  Not super likely to use them himself; he has other methods.

Merrill: He gives in, like, immediately.  As soon as he realizes MC is looking at him.  Also not super likely to use them himself, just because he feels bad :(

Clara: Extremely susceptible to puppy eyes but also 100% ready to shoot them right back.  Beware when she breaks hers out, they’re set to instant-KO.

Modesty: She Will Not Break.  She’s used to this.  She has four siblings.  Sorry MC, if her little sisters can’t break her, neither can you.  And she’s too proud to use them herself.

Newt: He’s not going to do it.  He’s not going to—dammit, okay, what do you need?  He puts up a good fight, the dear, but he can’t say no to MC for long. He has some decent puppy eyes himself when he really wants something.

Max: They are a sucker.  They pretend like they’re resilient, but they can’t help it.  Theirs aren’t as potent as Clara’s, but they can be very persuasive when they want to be.

~

Thank you so much for the cute ask!!

[joyfulbeegaming]

I was wondering if you could just share a few words about each of the RO routes? Just like, which is angstier, which is slow burning VS quicker, etc etc? 👉👈👀

👀👀👀 (also, just a quick preface, this is not intended to be a story with a ton of angst or anything.  There might be some, especially relating to RO backstories, but this isn’t a dark story by nature, so any ‘angsty’ descriptors should be taken with a grain of salt) 

Jefferson: Sweet, easy, passionate; Jefferson’s route is about that easy sort of love where everything just seems to fall into place, like you were meant to be.  A fast-friends to lovers sort of route.

Merrill: Creating trust, gentle, acceptance; Merrill has some... deep-seated insecurities, and he doesn’t trust easily.  Not really angsty, but more a slow burn.  But, in my opinion, well worth it.

Clara: Fun, taking risks, exciting; Clara doesn’t think before leaping most days, and especially not with MC.  If they’re willing to go for it, she is.  Partners to lovers.

Modesty: Tenuous, building bridges, compromise; Modesty is a textbook rivals to lovers route, and MC will really have to work to break down her preconceptions.

Newt: Enthusiastic, breaking down barriers, surprisingly sweet; Newt is a cynical person by nature, so if MC actively tries to pursue him despite that, that means the world to him.

Max: New experiences, silly, curious; Max has never been in love before, and they’re very excited by this new thing happening!!  But you are going to have to actively seek them out.

~

But on a scale of ‘quick fall’ to ‘slow burn’, it’s probably:

Jefferson > Clara >> Max > Newt >>> Merrill = Modesty

Thank you so much for the ask!!