#not a huge fan of more “erotic” games

[girlinthetardis04]

Wh- Storytaco????

Another one for the pile, in you go

[drdemonprince]

Hi Dr. Price,

I’m a huge fan of your work and I’ve found it immensely helpful in figuring out who I am.

In recent years I’ve discovered I am both AuDHD and Bi. My partner is also Bi and very supportive. However we have been together for over a decade and I’m struggling a lot lately with the fact that I’ve never actually been with anyone else. I’ve been spending a lot of time in queer spaces online and finding myself wishing I could at least experience some of what they do.

I love her more than anything and would never do anything to hurt her. She’s not interested in opening things up in any way, which I completely respect and to be fair I’m not even sure that’s truly something I would want either.

I guess I’m just asking if you have any advice on these overwhelming feelings of missing out on aspects of life I never knew I even missed? Other than using porn to get it out of my mind as I’m worried that’s affecting our relationship sexually, which is another issue. Should I find a dating sim game or something to push all of these thoughts on to? It’s kind of messed up but I feel like if I was allowed to flirt online and not actually act on it that might satisfy me? I don’t know.

If nothing else thank you so much for your work and giving me a space to get this off my chest. ❤️

Because I am of the mind that most longings for queer expression/recognition/community cannot and should not be met with media consumption, I'm not going to tell you that there is any kind of game that can simulate queer erotic contact in a way that will be remotely satisfying for you.

You and your partner's desires for your relationship and its boundaries are important and matter, but alongside that, I would also encourage you to listen to that urge that tells you that you'd love to flirt online with a sexy queer stranger as a way to let a little of the steam off.

The wants you are feeling are real, and when disregarded or left unattended they can spiral out in all kinds of unpleasant ways, from just regular garden variety frustration, to resentment, to conducting years long emotional affairs with agoraphobic instagram thot boys you met online (not that I know anything about that).

You want to be recognized by another queer person as a sexually desirable, available person, you want to feel the rush of a developing romance, you want the future to be filled with possibility and excitement, you want to know that your life is not over and that there's still more to learn about yourself and more experiences to enjoy -- these are all good things. These are important things, and I promise you that it is very unlikely that you won't get to experience more desire, attraction, sexual contact, romance, and heartbreak in the years to come.

Most relationships end. Those that last more than a couple of years undergo dramatic shifts over the course of their tenure. And so, it is very likely that you and your partner will either eventually split, or your various desires and capacities will become incompatible in certain ways, and you will contemplate some kind of change to the relationship dynamic (or someone will fail to communicate this and cheat. hopefully not that one. But if it does happen, well. It's very common and not the end of the world or even necessarily the end of the bond).

How does it feel to confront this information? That in all likelihood, this relationship will either end, open up in some way, change dramatically in its dynamic, or be marked by one or both parties stepping out in some way, however small, be it an online flirtation or a kiss at a party or a sexual affair? I think your feelings in response to that information is important too. And that regardless of what you and your partner decide for the time being, it is an important series of potentialities to reflect on and emotionally prepare oneself for. Also worth asking: are these potential futures ones that you can speak to your partner about? One of them will likely be headed for you in time, not through any fault of your own or due to lack of love, but simply because people change and relationships develop, just like a person develops. Whether or not these are subjects that can be broached is itself valuable information, too.

Now personally, I am very biased, but I think there is very little harm in having some virtual sex with a consenting stranger, roleplaying sexy interactions online, even getting on a dating or cruising app and posting a few anonymized photos and seeing what kind of attention you get and enjoying the rush. I think that kind of thing is all within the realm of the harmless and forgivable, but hey, my sister just ended an engagement over her fiance doing that kind of thing, so not everyone agrees with me clearly.

But I think it is worth at least contemplating the full, long continuum of infidelity that exists, from having a whole secret other marriage and family and keeping a partner in the dark about it on one end, say, and making bedroom eyes with a cute person at the bar and fantasizing about what if what if what if, on the other. If your partner did anything along that whole continuum, you might be hurt, and likewise they might be if you do.

You say you love your partner more than anything and would never do anything to hurt her. But you can't really promise yourself that. Every partner hurts one another in some way or another, sometimes even intentionally, over the course of a long relationship. But hurting one another in a relationship is, also, not the end of the world. We all make mistakes, say things we regret, lose control of our faculties at times, or are simply forced to reconcile that what we need conflicts with what another person does. And sometimes we put our needs first, even though it's uncomfortable.

I don't regret the times I cheated. I regret the lack of communication and cowardice that brought me to that half-formed, unarticulated decision. But I don't regret ever having chosen to listen to needs that had been powerfully screaming inside of me, typically for years before I attended to them.

I think you and your partner should continue having very frank conversations about these topics, and do your best to regulate your own anxieties and feelings of relationship threat when the other party brings up an activity or an idea that makes the other feel scared. The choice isn't to remain monogamous or to become fully polyamorous with no hierarchy. There are a lot of activities you can both decide are either okay or not okay, and conditions under which you will engage in them.

Even what counts as "monogamy" is subject to fierce debate, that's part of why so many jealous straight people destroy one another so easily. Is texting someone you think is cute in a flirtatious but ultimately just friendly way cheating? Is dancing with someone else cheating? What kind of dancing is okay and is not? Is cuddling on the couch? Working on erotica together? Kissing? Is watching porn with someone else cheating? Is masturbating to a video they sent you?

You might have a very visceral response to these questions, but those are just like, your opinions. They are not set in stone and you can easily find another monogamous person who is just as adamant about completely opposing rules and definitions of what monogamy means to them. And so, it's worth talking with your partner and really being honest with yourself about what it is you want to do, what is decidedly off the table, and what the hell it even is that you two are talking about when you discuss your relationship and its limits.

If it were me, and if I could wave a wand and make you and your partner feel okay about and agree to a set of relationship limits, I think you should consider flirting with actual queer people online. But I can't control other people's behavior or emotions, as much as I have tried. But you can at least contemplate (and then discuss) alternate ways of getting the kind of attention that you desire.

There are lots of things you can do to scratch your itch that are not having sex or dating someone else: LARPing (there is larping that has a sexual or romantic component!). Tabletop games. Acting or improv that incorporates romantic or sexual elements. Going to a sex party and just WATCHING people do stuff. Going to a gay bar and just hanging out and socializing. Going to a cruising bar and watching people fuck. Going to a dungeon for a class or a demo. Going on gay speed dating but secretly agreeing that you're not actually going to take anybody home, you're just gonna see how it feels. Wearing a slutty outfit to pride and waving and winking at people. Exchanging heartfelt letters with a queer friend who you have chemistry with but who respects your relationship.

These are just some ideas, but the possibilities are limitless. One day, you and your partner might agree that you are open to having sex with other people, or flirting, but not to them having other lasting relationships. maybe you'll have threesomes together or one partner will watch the other fuck casual hook-ups. Or maybe you'll just break up. Who knows what the future holds! No matter what it is, you can figure it out with both love and commitment to your partner, but also the courage to name what you are feeling and to honor your desires. None of those things have to be incompatible, and monogamy doesn't have to be incompatible with getting a little thrill here and there either.

Good luck!

[canirove]

Rice, Rice, baby | Chapter 21

Previous chapter | Next chapter

Masterlist

Declan's pov

❃ Flashback to the day after the lionesses game and his chocolate cake date with Liv (chapter 5)

“I want all the details. Now.”

“Hello to you too, Jordan. Please come in” I say after my brother storms into my house.

“Details” he repeats once we are in the living room, sitting on the sofa and patting the spot next to him.

“Details about what?” I ask, sitting down.

“The girl you dumped your beloved brothers for. What's her name? How did you meet? When did you meet? Is she hot?” he smirks, making me roll my eyes.

“Her name is Olivia, though everyone calls her Liv, and we met a couple of months ago when I was with the national team.”

“Oh, Olivia. What a lovely name” Jordan smiles. “But you met when you were with England? How? You aren't allowed to go out.”

“She works as a barista in the cafeteria at Tottenham training centre.”

“Wait, she is a Tottenham girl?” he gasps.

“Yes and no. She works for them, but she isn't into football that much. Her dad, on the other hand… He also works for them, he's part of the medical team, and he is a huge fan who apparently hates anything Arsenal.”

“Wow” he chuckles. “You are like a modern Romeo and Juliet.”

“Let's hope no one dies, tho.”

“Yeah…” Jordan smiles. “Do you like her?”

“I… I do, yes” I confess.

“And you like her a lot, don't you? Because your face right now is turning bright red, little bro” he laughs.

“Yeah” I nod. 

“Does she like you back?”

“She blushes a lot when we are together and gets all nervous, which is really cute” I smile. “And we've made out a couple of times, so I guess she likes me back.”

“Oh, Declan” Jordan laughs again. “I think you do more than like this girl.”

“What?”

“You should see your face right now talking about her. I think I've only seen you smile like that when talking about football and you love it, which can only mean one thing: you are falling in love with her, Dec.”

“I'm not falling in love with Liv, don't be silly” I say with a nervous laugh. “I just met her.”

“And?”

“And you don't fall in love with someone after a couple of dates and some kisses even if those kisses have been the best of your life and have made you feel things you've never felt before.”

“Declan…”

“And yes, she's great. She's funny, and sweet, very clever, and a lot more beautiful than she thinks she is. And when I'm with her I feel like I can truly be myself. Just Declan, the boy from Kingston, not the football player. But you don't fall in love that fast, that only happens in movies.”

“Well, I did” he shrugs. “And everything you just said proves my point and confirms it. That, and the fact that you haven't slept with her yet. Because you haven't, have you?”

“No.” I've just thought about it. A lot. Especially since our date after the game. Who knew seeing someone eat cake could be so sexy and… erotic. 

“Then there you have it. Because you usually don't waste your time” Jordan smirks.

“That's not true” I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

“It is, Declan. We all know it is” he says. “But now you are taking things slow because you want to do it right with this girl. Because you truly like her, you don't see her as a fling. So here comes my next piece of advice…”

“Jordan…”

“Don't fuck it up.”

“What?” I laugh.

“Don't fuck it up, Declan. Or have you forgotten what you did with Sarah?”

“I…” I fucked up. Big time. I got scared because I had started to feel things for her, things that were more than just a physical attraction, and… “That's not going to happen with Liv.”

“It better not, Declan. It better not.”

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

❃ A few days after those photos in Ibiza and Liv's visit… or after Declan did fuck it up (chapters 13 & 14)

“Declan, time to get up” Jordan says.

“No.”

“The preseason is about to start, you need to get out of bed and start training” Connor adds.

“I don't want to” I say, covering my head with my duvet.

“Declan…” Jordan sighs.

“Leave me alone!” 

“We are your older brothers. We can't leave you alone.”

“But it is what I want!”

“Ok, fine” Connor says. “One, two…” I hear him whisper.

“What the fuck!” I yell when one of them throws the duvet away and the other dumps a bucket of freezing water in my head. “Are you out of your fucking mind?”

“Maybe” Jordan shrugs. “But we needed to do something to stop all this moping and get you out of bed.” 

“Like, we get it, Declan. You fucked up, and big time.”

“Big time was what I did with Sarah. What I've done to Liv is… is… urgh” I groan, letting myself fall on the very wet bed.

There are no words to describe what I have done to Liv. The way she looked at me the other day… I think I will never forget it. It will be engraved in my brain forever. And I will never forgive myself for hurting her like that. But I deserve it. I deserve her hate and all the bad things I'm sure she's thinking and saying about me.

“I still don't understand why you did it, tho. Why did you cheat on her? Don't you love her?” Connor asks me.

“I do.”

“Then?”

“Then that's the problem!” I say, sitting up. “That I love her! That I'm madly in love with her, and that scares the hell out of me because I'm a coward!”

“Love is scary, Dec” Jordan says, sitting on the bed next to me and avoiding the wet patch. “But it also is the most wonderful feeling.”

“I know, Jordan. I know. Because I've experienced that with Liv. She's the first girl I've felt that with. And every time I've lived one of those moments of extreme happiness with her, where I've felt like I'm in cloud nine, I've ended up fucking things up and treating her like shit.”

“What do you mean?” Connor asks, sitting on the other side of the bed.

“I've… I… I've basically ghosted her.”

“In English, please.”

“It means that every time something good has happened between us, something important, I've freaked out because I'm a coward and ignored her. She would text me and I would leave her on read or reply with a vague answer. Or she would call me to facetime and I would ignore her and then not call her back.”

“That's…”

“That's being a jerk. Say it, it's the truth” I shrug. “And then, to make things even worse, I would come back as if nothing had happened and with a bunch of excuses because I was feeling guilty and as an idiot for sabotaging our relationship, and do something big and romantic for her to try and make up for it. Like when I took her to Paris for her birthday after basically ignoring her on the actual day. But then, of course, something will happen that would make me realize that I was even more in love with her than I thought, I would freak out again, and fuck things up.”

“And that's what happened this summer.”

“Yes” I sigh. “Things were so good between us… So good. She was the first thing I would think of in the morning when I woke up and the last before falling asleep at night. After training or a game, she was the first person I wanted to talk to, and just thinking about her put a stupid smile on my face. And when I would see you with your wives and the kids, I… I…”

“You?” Jordan asks me.

“I would see myself having that life with Liv” I confess. “She's the one I want to marry and start a family with and love for the rest of my life. She's the one.”

“And that realization made you freak out so much that you spent your summer looking for the best way to sabotage it all until you found it in Ibiza.”

“Yeah” I sigh again. “I… Why am I like this? Why do I do this to myself? To her?” I cry, furiously wiping away my tears. “I love Liv. I love her like I've never loved anyone before. I want to be with her and only her. But now I've ruined it all. She will never forgive me for what I've done, which she is in her right to, and she will hate me for the rest of her life. I could see it on her face, on the way she looked at me the other day. I broke her heart and hurt her so bad, and I hate myself so much for it. So fucking much! I just… why am I like this?” I yell, hitting the bed. “Why?”

“Dec… Declan…” Jordan says, taking my hand on his.

“Why am I like this?” I cry again, looking at him. “Why did I ruin the best thing in my life?”

“Sometimes, we… I…”

“We are humans, Declan” Connor says, putting a hand on my shoulder. “We all make mistakes, it's in our nature. Some of those mistakes are bigger than others, but…”

“This can be fixed” Jordan says.

“Fixed?” I laugh. “How?”

“You need to talk with Liv and explain everything to her. Tell her how you feel, tell her what you feel for her.”

“She doesn't want to see me, Jordan. She made it very clear after crossing my face. I'm like dead to her.”

“But she still loves you, Declan. That doesn't go away that fast even if you've hurt her the way you have.”

“And even if she doesn't forget you, which we all agree she's in her right to… Telling her may help you forgive yourself. And maybe, one day, once you've fixed all those insecurities and self sabotaging… You can give each other another chance” Connor says.

“You think so?”

“I mean, it's worth trying” Connor shrugs.

“But how am I going to tell her all this if she doesn't want to see me? I'm pretty sure she's blocked me everywhere, and I can't show up at her house. If she doesn't kill me, her dad will.”

“You could also meet with her after work” Jordan suggests. 

“I can't go to Tottenham training centre just like that. I'm the enemy, remember? And that would make people start gossiping.”

“What if you ask Madders for help?”

“No, not him” I say. “He's probably going through enough already with being caught in the middle of all this, I don't want to make things worse for him. Liv loves him like a brother.”

“Then…”

“Then there is nothing to do” I sigh. “I fucked up, and Liv will hate me forever.” 

“Wait!” Jordan says after a few seconds in silence. “The national team!”

“What about it?”

“You are playing two games in October, and you will probably stay at Tottenham training centre, right? That's your chance, Declan!”

“If she knows I'm going she'll probably say that she's sick to not see me.”

“Or not” Connor says. 

“Dec, this can be it. You have to stay positive!”

“That's easy to say when the woman you love doesn't despise you” I say, letting myself fall on the bed again. “Was the bucket of water really necessary?”

“It was. And we will be throwing another one at your face every time you start being negative” Jordan threatens me.

“Urgh” I groan.

“Will you stay positive and focus on talking with Liv during the international break?”

“And will you keep little Declan inside your pants in the meantime?” Connor adds. 

“It has only left my pants for Liv since the day we first kissed” I reply, hitting him with a pillow.

“Wait, really? I thought you and the singer…”

“She wanted to, but I didn't.”

“Good, good. Keep it like that” Connor says. “And stay positive and focused.”

“I will. I promise” I say. “Now can I please get out of this wet bed and have a proper shower?”

“You can. But we will be watching you” Jordan says.

“Not while you shower, but you know what we mean” Connor says.

“Yeah… Thank you, guys” I say, smiling for the first time since I ruined it all. 

“You're welcome, little bro” Jordan says before he and Connor hug me. 

[jxtina-86]

The Third Date

Roman brings the car to a halt outside the apartment building. He casts a sideways look to the passenger seat and Katherine catches his eye.

It's the end of their third date. He'd decided to up his game this time after the first two more casual affairs where they'd met for coffee and brunch. This time he'd booked a table at some fancy steak joint, and phoned to ask if they could put them somewhere quiet and out of the way. That had somehow translated into a private dining experience with minimal interruption from the staff. Tonight had been more flirty than before, the privacy allowing them both the opportunity to say things a little more bluntly than when in a packed restaurant with families on one side and a loud group of women on the other.

"You spoiled me tonight," she says with a smile. "Thank you."

"Anytime."

They've kissed once. Briefly. After the second date when he'd dropped her back right here. She'd put her hand on his arm and leaned up to kiss his cheek and then their mouths had met for the briefest of moments. He'd wanted more but pulled himself back. Katherine had blinked up at him and then felt his fingers push the hair back from her cheek and had to bite her lip to stop herself from letting out a sound. It was too much. Too soon. Take a breath, she'd told herself.

"When are you back in town?" She asks as she unclips her seatbelt and shifts to angle her body directly at him.

Roman's head rocks back on the headrest as he drags his eyes over her. "Two weeks," he sighs, not even trying to hide the disappointment in his voice.

"When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow evening."

He watches her chew her lip for a second, his eyes darting down to take in the neckline of her shirt - if you can call it that. He's sure it's some sort of optical illusion, defying the laws of physics in the way that it seems to reveal so much yet so little all at the same time. The red material makes her olive skin glow and he's sure it's no coincidence that her lipstick is an exact match.

"Do you want to come up?" She sounds hopeful and he's not one to disappoint.

"Sure."

She leads the way and yet his hand on her the small of the back by the time they reach her apartment. As Katherine moves to flick on lights and offers him a drink, Roman takes in the huge bookcase that adorns one side of the lounge.

There are books squeezed into every possible gap and as he approaches, he starts to pick out that they're in alphabetical order. He immediately drifts towards the mid-way point, a finger drifting along the spines but he can't find her name. Most authors only appear a few times before a new name gives way, but he stops when he sees half a shelf dedicated to the works of Lydia Ratchford.

He picks one at random, raising an eyebrow as he reads the back cover.

Seductive Surrender is a scorching and explicit romance novel that will leave you breathless and begging for more. With its captivating characters, tantalizing sensuality, and emotional depth, this book will take you on a passionate rollercoaster ride that will leave you yearning for your own forbidden love. Brace yourself for an erotic tale of seduction, surrender, and true intimacy that will leave you begging for more.

"Interesting choice," Katherine's voice murmurs behind him and he turns to face her, still holding the book. "I thought you'd be more of a psychological thriller kinda man."

He chuckles. "Big fan I take it."

"Huge. She's got a talent."

"Yeah?" Roman flips the book over and starts to thumb through it. He looks up to see her grinning sheepishly. "Hey, no judgement here."

"I didn't say you were judging."

He replaces the book, drumming his fingers along the shelf. "I was actually looking to see if I could find one of yours."

"Oh yeah?"

He runs a hand over the back of his neck and Katherine notes the faint flush of red creeping over his skin. "I looked in every damn bookshop whilst I was away and I can't find anything by Katherine Pritchard."

"You looked for my work?"

"Yeah... I wanted to see what you were about. Is that a problem?"

"Not at all. It's just that well, no guy has ever been that interested."

"Is it a work in progress?"

"What?"

"Your book..." Roman is scanning the bookcase again.

"Nope, they're out there."

"Given your only copies away then?"

She shakes her head. "You're looking right at them."

She watches his brow furrow for a second and then the penny drops. "Shit, you write this? Why not under your own name?"

That's not the response she was expecting. She's never told a guy before. No-one has ever been that interested in her career before she realises.

"It's technically a side project," she explains. "The plan was to write a few to make enough to sustain me to do a completely different kind of book. I didn't want to risk not being taken seriously later down the line. This kind of thing is sneered at by publishing houses."

"So are you writing something else?"

"On and off," she shrugs. "My agent thinks I should stick to this. It sells, she makes money, I make money, my readers are more than happy to give me that money."

"Who else knows?"

"My agent. A friend or two." She pauses. "And now you."

"I won't tell a soul."

She eyes him warily. "Because you want to protect me... or protect yourself?"

He stares back at her wide-eyed. "To protect myself? Why would I do that? You clearly don't shout about it, so I'm happy to respect that."

Even more interesting, Katherine thinks, her guard slowly backing down again. "I appreciate that."

"Although I am interested to know one more thing."

"What's that?"

"Is this all based on research or fantasy?"

Katherine laughs. "Wouldn't you like to know..."

He's reaching for her, her wrist captured as he slowly tugs her closer. A hand on the small of her back again, pulling her to him. His fingers trailing up her arm, across her shoulders, making her shiver.

"I'm just saying," he breathes against her cheek. "More than happy to offer up my services."

She giggles against his neck, her hands skimming up his thick biceps. "Smooth. But you forget, I write characters like you for a living. I know all the tricks."

"Yeah? Wanna test that theory?"

"Do your worst."

He chuckles, his eyes flashing darkly. "I ain't got a worst, baby girl."

She rolls her eyes. "See, classic line. Although I'll give you baby girl, that's a nice touch. I usually go for sweetheart, darlin', little one, that kinda thing."

"I can switch it up."

She shakes her head. "Don't. I like it."

"See, I'm teaching you something new already."

"I'm always open to new ideas," she whispers against his lips before she kisses him. His arms wrap around her, pulling her closer still. Her mouth is warm and open and he can feel himself melting for a second.

She starts to pull him off the bookcase, towards her bedroom. But he's too strong, shaking his head as he pulls back and instead spins her so she's now backed against the shelves.

"Here."

"Here?"

Her head is spinning as he looms over her, an arm outsretched above her, his fingers slowly easing the strap of her shirt off her shoulder. He leans down, his mouth on her neck, gentle, warm. Slow.

"For now at least," he rumbles against her shoulder.

For once, Katherine is lost for words. All the quick-wit has left her as she cups the back of Roman's head, stifling a moan as he places whisper-like kisses across her collarbone, long fingers caressing her back as he seeks out the zip to her shirt.

His hands cup her bare breasts and Roman doesn't even attempt to hold back the groan as he does. They fit perfectly in his palms and he smirks to himself as he rolls one nipple and then the other between his thumb and finger and Katherine lets out a gasp.

Her hands claw at his back, tugging his shirt up and over his head.

"Holy fuck," she breathes as she takes him in. Her hands ghost over his abs, his chest. "And this is why I stopped Googling you."

He gives her a quizzical look.

"Because I didn't want to talk myself out of seeing you again."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because guys like you, don't pick girls like me."

"Now that," he wags a finger at her. "Is a line. And a bullshit one at that."

"Why do you think I became a writer in the first place?"

"Nah, not playing this one, baby girl. You're hot. And you know it. And I ain't gonna let you say anything else."

"I'm being deadly serious."

"So am I." His hands slide down quickly, scooping her up and looping her legs around his waist. "Knock it off."

Her breasts press firmly against his chest and Katherine is sure that he can feel her heart pounding fast. His hands cup her ass, squeezing firmly.

"You got me," she breathes against his ear and he pulls back to smirk.

"I got your card marked, Katherine," he tells her, his voice so low it vibrates through her. "You can't play a player."

---

A/N: Will I ever write an actual smut fest between these two... I'm undecided. I just love the tease. Thanks for all the love so far. No idea where I'm going with it, just enjoying the ride.

[triviareads]

ARC Review of The Mistress Experience by Scarlett Peckham

Rating: 4.5/5 Heat Level: 3.75/5 Publication Date: June 25th

Premise:

Thaïs Magdalene is Britain's most infamous courtesan, and she agrees to auction herself off as someone's mistress for a month in exchange for funding her women's rights institute. The highest bidder is Lord Alistair Eden, who wants her help learning how to please his future wife sexually.

My review:

This is a gorgeous, sex-positive, feminist romance that answers the perennial historical romance reader question: "how do all these heroes come by their sexual prowess?" The answer here is sex lessons.

Thaïs is loud, proud, and unabashed about being a sex worker, and her bawdy sense of humor kept me laughing throughout the book, and kept our hero perpetually blushing. Alistair is starchy, charmingly sweet hero— a cinnamon roll, if you will. Where he deviates from most HR heroes is that he has performance anxiety and he's been celibate for a long time. Enter Thaïs, who agrees to teach him by way of sex lessons. I'm a huge fan of this trope, and the fact that it's a sexually-experienced woman teaching a less-experienced man is something I really enjoyed reading.

One of my pet romance theories is that when you have a main character who has much-higher-than-average sexual experience, the novelty for them tends to be the emotional rather than physical connection with their love interest, so the author needs to build on that convincingly while not sacrificing the heat (because love can absolutely impact sexual chemistry). And I thought Scarlett Peckham did an amazing job of this; I adored all these lovely moments of growing intimacy between them— Alistair cooks for Thaïs and helps her with her correspondence because she can't read or write very well, and there's so much laughter and tenderness and teasing just because of how different they are. And then there's the hugs; listen, if you'd told me hugs can be written erotically a few months ago, I'd never have believed you, but now I'm a believer.

And as this intimacy builds, they both unwittingly start to torture one another with reminders of exactly what will happen once their month together ends: Thaïs insists on judging every one of the dossiers compiled on Alistair's potential brides even as she becomes increasingly hurt over them, and in a particularly heartbreaking scene, they roleplay his future wedding night, which NEVER ends well because feelings are always caught, AND YET. Alistair is hellbent upon doing the Right and Proper thing, namely marrying an upper-class virgin, and Thaïs doesn't figure into his future plans. I thought the class difference conflict, and the portrayal of stigma against sex workers, were both handled well.

Also, can we talk about this cover?? it's so lush and beautiful and harkens back to old romance clinch covers in the best way.

The sex:

This book felt honest about a lot of aspects of sex in a way not many romance novels are. Alistair's performance anxiety is real and the book doesn't beat around the bush when it comes to portraying it, but I want to clarify, Scarlett Peckham managed to make even this hot. There's a particularly steamy moment where Alistair is washing the mud out of Thaïs's hair and like, giving her a head massage. All it takes is her returning the massage favor (which... was honestly so romantic??) and a kiss, and it's game over for him lolol.

I also thought it was kind of great that he built up his *sexual stamina* by masturbating a multiple times a day— you don't get a lot of male masturbation scenes in HR, so I do appreciate this. And once it clicks for Alistair, there is no stopping this man. He's insatiable.

Thaïs is an experienced courtesan and tends to disassociate during sex, and she feels like this is even more critical as her feelings start to grow for Alistair. She also doesn't necessarily orgasm every time earlier in their sexual relationship even though she derives pleasure from their encounters. But once again, once Alistair is able to figure his stuff out (and by figuring out, I mean eating her out), and Thaïs lets go, there's no going back.

Overall:

I can't tell you how much I appreciate Scarlett Peckham for writing a historical romance that falls outside the norm in so many ways, and yet feels true to the subgenre in the way it merges certain realities with the romance of it all. I had so much fun reading The Mistress Experience, and I'd absolutely recommend it to any HR reader.

Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[master-john-uk]

cris mears foto

I assume you are referring to Team GB Olympic diver Christopher James Mears MBE.

Chris was born in Reading, Berkshire, UK on 7th February 1993.

He began diving at an early age and competed in several junior competitions. In January 2009 while training in Sydney for the Olympic Youth Festival he suffered a ruptured spleen, at the same time as unknowingly suffering from glandular fever. At one point doctors only gave Chris a 5% chance of survival, and he was told that he would never dive again. Just eighteen months later Chris competed in the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

At the 2016 Rio Olympics Chris and Jack Laugher won Gold medals in the Men's 3m Synchronised Diving event. The pair won several more medals in events over the following two years.

In 2019 Chris announced that he was retiring from competitive diving to concentrate on a career in music production.

Naked photos. Chris is certainly not shy! Over the last ten years he has posed for several erotic (not explicit) photographs, and has been featured in several magazines. He has always been publicly supportive of both male and female athletes who want to be open about their sexuality, including fellow diver Tom Daley.

In 2017 some very explicit photos, and a video of appeared on the internet which claim to be of Chris Mears. I do not know if they are genuine.

Chris is very aware that he has a huge gay following. Recently he has been one of a number of British divers to start sharing photos on Just-For-Fans (a pay to view website.) All of the divers say that the content that they share will be SFW... although one Chris's former diving colleagues has posted some photographs that leave very little to the imagination!

[thevalleyisjolly]

Thanks so much @jadeandquartzes for tagging me in this super fun tag game!

Rules: Go to your (current/main) AO3 account and find the following:

What ratings do you write most of your fics under?

General and Teen are tied with 5 each! Granted, Contrapuntal Calculus should probably be under Mature, since it features something I can only describe as "divine mystery meets the erotically baffling." Then again, if I'm reevaluating my rating decisions, the manner of things doesn't really warrant a Mature rating, I was just erring on the side of extreme caution since a lot of D20 fans tend to skew younger, so I guess it balances out.

What are your top three fandoms?

I only have 12 fics up on my AO3 spanning five fandoms, so it isn't a huge range. Top fandom is Dimension 20 coming in with 6 fics, and then Critical Role in a distant second with 2 fics. The rest (LOTR, Doctor Who, Agent Carter) have one fic each.

What is the top character you write about?

Cumulous Rocks baby!! Back in my heyday of writing ACOC fic (I'm in a Star Wars/Andor hiatus right now but I pinky promise I have not forgotten about On The Raising Of Chickens), I made a solemn pledge to myself to create the content I feel is lacking in the community. And I have kept that promise and I will continue to keep that promise! Once I finish this other fic about questionable polyamory negotiation practices. And this other fic about the rulership of the Noldor in post-Fourth Age Valinor. And-

What are your top three pairings?

It's very ace of me that I hardly ever write very shippy fics, even though I am a happy crewman of many ships. All my fics are technically tied because I (thus far) haven't written more than one fic per pairing. And some of the tagged pairings aren't heavily focused on in the fic or are just implied, so going chronologically based on pairings that the fic is actually about, I have: Elrond/Thranduil (LOTR), Peggy/Daniel/Jack (Agent Carter), Essek/Caleb (Critical Role), Theo/Cumulous (ACOC), Theo/Lapin (ACOC), and Fifteenth Doctor/Fourteenth Doctor (Doctor Who).

What are the top three additional tags?

Character Study and Canonical Character Death are both tied with 3, and then we have a three-way tie between Grief/Mourning, Additional Warnings in Author's Note, and Implied/Referenced Character Death. ...which is really not a surprise based on my writing interests and favourite media, huh? What can I say, I really like getting into characters' heads and I really really like exploring the impact that death has on a story. My most popular fic, in the face of death's mystery, revolves entirely around the premise of the impact that a character's death has on the narrative and on other characters, and how things are affected if they remain tangibly present in the world.

(Which makes the fic I'm working on right now so much funnier because it's exactly what I often dislike as a fic concept - characters who died in a really poignant and momentous narrative event somehow surviving. But hey, it's important to get out of one's comfort zone and try something new!)

Does any of this surprise you?

I'm surprised that I've written so few stories for specific pairings. As someone who does enjoy shipping most of the time, it feels odd that I don't write more about ships I enjoy. My next fic, if I ever manage to finish it, will balance this out more, as will the next few fic concepts up the pipeline.

I also surprised myself with how few fics for how few fandoms I've actually published. I have so many drafts of fics for many, many fandoms that I keep forgetting no one else has seen. So while from my perspective, I've written quite a lot for multiple different fandoms, what I've actually published is just a fraction of that.

(I've really never talked on here about the 47,000-word Rey Kenobi fic I wrote back in 2017 and never published, have I? Yeah, that was a thing that happened)

Hmm, tagging @daggersandarrows, @domesticatedanimals, @swanmaids, and anyone who'd like to try this out. It's a pretty fun retrospective on your writing, I recommend it!

[k4tisblog]

08 MEDIA DIARY: Dan & Phil & Privacy

HELLO INTERNET!!!!!!!! If you didn't know me in 2012-2017, you might not know about my little fixation on these two British men on YouTube. Meet Dan Howell and Phil Lester. They started out as teenagers making silly videos in their bedrooms. Dan inspired by and a fan of Phil, made his own content and - come 2009, ended up meeting Phil.

(Moral of the story: Parasocial relationships work! Sometimes!)

Chaos ensues, they bond for life.

Now you can never really think of one without the other.

Without getting too much into it, yes. You know the internet. There was HEAVY speculation on their relationship and sexuality. I never got into it myself, but it was a huge part of the "phan"dom in the early days. Inescapable. Them openly denying that they were gay while their fanbase wrote insane erotic fanfiction (think: hamsters, peeling of skin), made "evidence" edits, and leaked footage from their private lives - It was a wild ride, and dare I say invasive at times. They did come out as queer at the end of June 2019! In Dan's 45-minute-long video titled "Basically I'm Gay", we get to know a lot of his personal battle with his sexuality, yet while still barely scratching the surface of it all.

"Obviously we were more than friends, but it was more than just romantic. This is someone that genuinely liked me. I trusted them. And for the first time since I was a tiny child, I actually felt safe. And the relationship we formed at that point was something that I needed in my life. We are real best friends, companions through life, like actual soulmates." is what Dan says about Phil, choosing not to elaborate further. He sets a boundary with his audience, stating that he wants to keep his personal life private (and so does Phil).

I respect that dearly, and I am glad that the fanbase has matured a bit more over the years to abide by that boundary (at least from what I've gathered. I hope... Looking up their names seems to say otherwise). Learning what to keep private and what to turn into content is a fascinating practice. Especially when you're a celebrity whose entire brand revolves around your person, stories, and hijinks. There will always be people who you can't control - those who view you as a commodity, a story to unpack and watch unfold. I feel like none of us are built to be seen by this many people at once. On a personal account, everytime I've encountered a brush of virality I go a bit cuckoo and I find myself withdrawing into a shell. It really does take a certain strength/dissociation to be perceived by so many.

Anyways, they uploaded a video on their shared gaming channel recently! "A Fan Perfectly Recreated Our House in Roblox". Self-explanatory, and also not clickbait! It was fun seeing their old apartment perfectly recreated as they occasionally showed clips of videos, reminiscing about their old content.

...Pretty jarring to see their real street views outside their windows, though! (O_o) ( 8:38 ) A bit funny, but also not funny at all. I giggled, had a bit of a haha hehe, but I also worried. There are definitely people out there who stalk creators by going to places they frequent, or even their own homes just from clues online.

Everyone is a content creator to some extent, so we need to be mindful! Digital footprint, guys! Moral of the story is shut your blinds and throw away your phones and delete yourself off the face of the internet and change your name and live off the grid and. I'm kidding... I also wrote this at 1.25am and am unsure how to end it. GOODNIGHT INTERNET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Goodnight Chris.

[laiqualaurelote]

Phrack Pirate AU

so I'm a huge fan of taking phrases in Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries literally (e.g. "you are fox spirit", "there's something wild about you, child") so I'd have loved to make the Pirate Girls of Collingwood a thing, but it's hard for me to reconcile the show's tone and dynamics with historical context here. BUT! this is an ask game, so I needn't do that. So: instead of going to England to become an 18th-century Lady, Phryne runs away to sea. It starts off as a quest to avenge Janey's murder at the hands of notorious pirate Murdoch Foyle and evolves into her commanding her own ship ("the Silver Lady") and robbing wealthy merchantmen on the high seas (she continues to go about in disguise in high society so she can get hold of shipping schedules and plot her raids). Mr Butler is her quartermaster. Mac is the ship's doctor, because it's the only place where she can practise medicine without stigma. Cec and Bert were poached from whalers, Bert because of the better remuneration, Cec because whaling really was not for him. Dot was being transported for murdering John Andrews (most historical Australian pirates were escaped convicts) before Phryne and crew snaffle her. She's not actually any good at piracy but she keeps the Silver Lady ship-shape. Jane just stows away on board and never leaves. Jack is the unfortunate naval officer tasked with bringing the Dread Pirate Fisher to justice, but she always escapes him at the last minute, and he's beginning to wonder if he really wants to bring her in (his subordinate Hugh gets kidnapped by the Fisher crew at one point and somehow completely suborned, to Jack's chagrin). There's a lot of erotic swordfighting. It'll probably end with Phryne killing Foyle but getting captured as a result and sent to face the King's justice but Jack has a last-minute change of heart, rescues her from the gallows and they sail off into the sunset to, I guess, commit more piracy. Someone else can write this

Leave an AU and a pairing in my ask and I’ll give you the plot of the fic I won’t write for it.

[childofaura]

Any thoughts you have for Stephanie Sheh?

She does Tharja, Kjelle, Rhajat and Sophie (wish that she’s in the game).

Outside of it, she’s Orihime (Bleach), Usagi (Sailor Moon), Kyrie (Devil May Cry) and Nui (Kill La Kill).

On a personal level, I’m not a huge fan of her. When it came out that Monica Rial’s fiancé was a serial domestic abuser, she was trying to stick up for him by claiming he had replaced her broken laptop so she COULDN’T believe he was a bad person, or something along those lines. It’s not cancel-worthy, but it definitely didn’t sit right with me.

But as an actor, and as burned out as I am on Tharja, she does a pretty darn good job. And she’s good at voicing her other roles. So I’ll break it down. Stephanie Sheh plays Tharja/Rhajat (I’m not considering them two different characters), Kjelle, and Beruka.

Her performances for these characters are VERY good. Tharja sounds perfectly grumpy and malevolent in her lines, like she’s constantly on the edge of murdering someone (which she probably is). And Christmas Tharja’s fake cheery tone is hilarious; it sucks that we don’t have any more alts exploring fake Tharja, but it was fun while we had it. And even though it’s a HUGE turnoff, the fact that she sounds borderline erotic whenever Robin comes up is… accurate. As Kjelle, she is VERY driven, aggressive, but passionate about being a strong knight to protect her friends. She’s a good contrast to a lot of the other kids who are either calmer (Lucina, Gerome, Laurent, Nah) or goofier (Yarne, Brady, Inigo, Owain). And as Beruka, she’s very subdued and keeps her emotions hidden. Though honestly it’s hard for me to say much about Beruka when she hasn’t even had an alt yet… Still, these are all great performances, and Stephanie doesn’t disappoint.

I think she was a good fit to play all these characters. Her Tharja is certainly iconic but Kjelle and Beruka are pretty underappreciated, she was well cast as those two.

Her range is pretty all right, there’s a huge tonal difference between Kjelle, Tharja, and Beruka, and she does physically change her voice for those three. But you can also pretty distinctly recognize her.

Overall, Stephanie’s a pretty solid 8.5/10. Just… no more Tharja for a little while please.

[ferretteeth]

Hozier 26 November 2023, Stockholm: review

I went with my mom who has never heard his music before and was completely unprepared for the amount of people there. Evidently neither was he – I didn’t hear if he said this was the biggest crowd he’s ever played or just the biggest in Europe, but we were between 12,000 and 16,000 people. I'm sure SOME parts of the crowd were dead but from where I was sitting it was constant cheering, screaming and singing along.

Pre-show was The Last Dinner Party. Not a huge fan of the music but I liked their stage presence, dancing around the stage

Started with De Selby 1 and 2. The instrumentals in all of the songs are so much more powerful than in the recordings. Additionally there were some incredible visuals, the screens behind him and the lighting.

Francesca, my personal favorite, was amazing. He does however no longer do those high wails at the end, presumably to mind his voice

To Be Alone was erotic. After the little call and response game (which he said “I haven’t done this in a while so i’m as nervous for it as you are) the guitar or bass takes over and it’s insane.

Dinner & Diatribes is so much better live. The instruments and the orange lighting makes it feel almost ritualistic

Everything came to a sort of mid-show pause from Cherry Wine to Like Real People Do, followed by Hozier saying “Now to lighten the mood, here’s a song about an animal getting hit by a car” (Abstract (Psychopomp))

Take Me To Church was an experience. Thousands of people all singing along as the music video of two men being persecuted because they’re lovers plays.

After Take Me To Church there was an ear deafening applause and general ruckus, and the band went off stage then came back and performed Nina Cried Power

The last song was Work Song which was stopped when someone in the crowd collapsed. The band made sure they got back up before resuming the song

It was great. So glad i went

[kittenchrissy]

C, H, R, I, S, for the nsfw game ;D

AHAHAFKASADLSKM I give you the highest score for the name Chris from the letters. Thanks bby💗💗💗

C - Control -  How dominant they are? Who is more dominant?

Christian rarely dominates. He prefers to give control to his partner more, but adjusted for the fact that this person has no right to hurt Chris or do anything that goes beyond "vanilla" sex without his consent. If this rule is violated, Christian will at least take control into his own hands, and at most, he will stop the partner harshly and ask him to leave. Such a choice can also be explained by the fact that he is a little lazy. The kitten sometimes gets so tired that it only has the strength to obey its partner

H - Horny - How easily aroused that person is, and what drives them crazy?

When Christian is in a good mood, he can be very easily aroused. It flares up like a lit match and this flame will not go out until it is extinguished in a way known to everyone You can hug Christian tightly from behind and start whispering something pleasant and erotic in his ear, gently kissing his tender skin. It will 100% drive him crazy. It also melts when it is taken by the waist or lower back. Dino is aware of these weaknesses and often uses them when he wants to tease Christian

R - Random - Any random fact about them (x3)

💜 If Chris had a playlist for sex, it would consist mainly of Arctic Monkeys songs 💜 Christian really likes to be treated gently during the process. It blows his mind. The feeling of security and love allow Chris to be liberated and completely surrender to pleasure. Be gentle with him and then he will be all yours 💜 His standard pace is slightly below average. Chris likes to stretch satisfaction, so he takes his time. But sometimes, when he is covered with strong arousal, he can accelerate. This usually happens when two factors coincide: alcohol intoxication and lack of sex for a long time. If both of these points coincide, then the pace will be fast and erratic. All this in order to reach the end as quickly as possible

I - Innuendo - How good is their dirty talk game?

Poor Chris is so bad at dirty talk that every time he tries to say something vulgar and dirty during a sex, it always ends with hysterical laughter. His partner is standing/sitting/lying with an uncomprehending and questioning expression on his face, and Christian shudders in a fit of suffocating laughter due to a huge cringe from himself. But it’s okay, because Chris’s laughter is transmitted by airborne droplets, infecting his partner However, a couple of times (hallelujah) he managed to say something truly dirty and exciting. These are his small victories in the sexual field. Simple uncomplicated phrases, but they had 100% effect I’ll tell you in confidence that Chris is trying to improve his dirty talk skill. It turns out very slowly, but his efforts are commendable

S - Strip - What goes underneath their clothes?

Nothing supernatural huh Usually he has boxers of different colors and prints under his clothes (he is a fan of underpants) But when Chris puts on a bodysuit, he is completely naked under it. This adds a bit of extreme to his life. Chris feels a little free and butterflies begin to flutter in his stomach from the thought that he is not wearing underwear

[ MEME ]

[apoptoses]

“You and @desertfangs have been the only ones to make any comment on that fic at all and it feels so awful” okay first of all HOW??? It’s honestly shocking to me because it’s... perfect? Literally doesn’t get any better than this, Devil’s Minion-wise. It has all the components that make their relationship so complex, fascinating, and fun. With top tier writing at that. And absolutely mind blowing smut. Their interactions feel lifted right off the text, so like... what else do y’all want?!! And even kink-wise I don’t feel like it’s too extreme or anything tbh, Angle of Incidence felt a lot more experimental to me for instance (my dyslexic ass thought it was Angel of Indecency for the longest time and it somehow worked??? lmao). Anyhow this is officially a PSA from DA to the good people of tumblr.com/AO3: don’t be a fucking prude and read this, your experience in this fandom will be better for it (nothing wrong with being a prude btw, but being an Armand/Daniel fan and not tolerating even the mildest of kinks is... certaintly a choice). I hope this doesn’t discourage you from posting! Know that there are tons of people who love everything you put out there. Banger after banger, every single time 🥹

“His backlog of films is just so fucking perfect and his looks are incredible and ugh! I just love picturing him as Daniel”, just saw your post and dear god it’s doing things to me. Specially eyeing that one with Madchen Amick because the Devil’s Minion vibes are off the fucking charts. Madchen with her pale face and reddish hair and feline features... oh I’ll be looking into it. 

“are you a succession fan? haha Is this a kendall roy reference?” lmao it’s ALWAYS Succession reference babes, I’m absolutely insufferable about it. Sundays are just not the same anymore, LIFE is not the same 🤧

“They're part of him, they're a symbol of the walls he has up and the defense mechanisms he hides behind, so any time I have him remove them around Daniel he's being the most honest.” Exactly! And the fact that he allows himself to be completely bare in front of another creature (human or not) is a huge thing for him. Daniel is so doomed yet so lucky, and I get the feeling he knows it, even if he can’t fully explain why at this point. 

My cats!!! Light of my life, fire of my loins. No pictures available atm sadly as I’m in class rn but one of them is named after VC’s Pandora  and she’s the baddest bitch in the game, just like her namesake xoxo DA ❤️❤️

I have no idea! Angle of Incidence was so extreme, I thought if people enjoyed that then nothing I wrote could put them off but fate as it flows is just flopping in terms of audience response. I feel like I've done something wrong but I don't know what.

VC tends to be a surprisingly tame fandom but if people have read my other stuff and liked it...idk I really have no clue. My confidence is really off now, I have to admit. I have two completed things on deck and the idea of posting them is now excruciating lol But I deeply appreciate your encouragement.

The Madchen Amick movie is wild because if you blur your vision a little and ignore her boobs she even LOOKS Armand-y at times. It's a good one for visuals of them together but if you want him with the most Molloy-vibes action-wise I'd say you gotta watch Sex Lies and Videotape and Crash. They're both perfect erotic weirdo movies, I could scream about them for days.

You love Armand/Daniel AND Succession, you're perfect DA lmao Please respond asap with which Succession character is your favorite, I need to know. My life is so empty without Tom Wambsgans filling my Sunday nights, for real.

Pandora 🥹 I don't even know her and I love her already!

[sirenedeslily]

𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐊 + 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐄

𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐔𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐬, matthew sturniolo && fem!reader.

𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬 : a world renowned model dating a loser?!?

𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 : fluff fluff aaaand more fluff!! established relationship between reader and matt. swearing. matt is just a normal dude with absolutely no social media presence whatsoever

˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖ 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 [𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲] : first time writing a headcanon so be gentle with me PLS !!! new acc bc i hated not being able to follow y’all back <33 i might turn this into a smau if anyone wants it & pls give me ideas in da inbox (: huge creds to @//fawnchives for being the inspiration of the layout, love her BAD

𓋜 you met matt in a movie theatre.

𓋜 "parasite" was the movie that your friend dragged you to watch with her, telling you that it was life-changing — urging you to sit in the B section, your seat being #13, which happened to be beside three identical boys.

𓋜 when the end credits started rolling, the fluffy haired boy caught your attention when he pulled out his phone and went on letterboxd, rating the movie five stars and writing a quick review with a “what the fuck?” it made you giggle.

𓋜 from then on, you and the sturniolo boy had become inseparable, going from friends to lovers two years after the movie's release.

𓋜 it took you both some time to truly get used to the idea of going public with your relationship. matt was just a boy from boston who moved to los angeles because of his brother’s hockey scholarship. he didn’t even own any social media accounts!?

𓋜 well.. that is until he got sick of missing out on his angel’s content.

“why did nick say you ‘onika burgered’ in your comments?” the doe - eyed boy stared up at you with a look of confusion on his face.

“i-what? since when did you get instagram?” you exasperated, halting your previous movements of sitting on his bed and brushing your hair. matt sat up from laying on his back just a few moments ago as he explained.

“i felt left out.” you chuckled, unable to resist the urge of jumping on him and smothering his face with kisses. his pout turning into a big cheeky smile as you left your sparkly lipgloss all over him.

𓋜 from then on, his instagram consisted of anything and everything that had to do with you. he had gained over half a million followers, but that never halted him from basically being a fan page for his favourite model.

𓋜 his account is truly just an update account for you. posting you on his story, the new cover magazines you’re in, the products you’re modelling for, and the runways you’re walking in.. best believe it’s already all posted on his socials.

𓋜 with matt having absolutely no social media presence unless it was to keep up with you, it’s safe to say that the public was quite confused about who this boy was and how someone as seemingly normal as him stole your heart — a model desired and wanted by everyone.

𓋜 the first few months of you going public with your relationship, the articles were spewing out left and right. the media was on a mission, trying to figure out who matthew sturniolo was.

𓋜 matt is obsessed with taking pictures of you. wether he’s backstage admiring as your makeup artist touches up your face or you’re both at the beach aggressively playing uno with friends — he’ll capture those candid moments!

“ha take your 20 cards idiot!” you yelled, smiling as chris whined about this game being stupid yet picking up the cards from the deck. you couldn’t help but laugh at every cry chris was making as he counted twenty.

matt couldn’t help himself as he grabbed his phone and took multiple pictures of his girlfriend erotically laughing, the piercing blue ocean in the background.

it’s almost as beautiful as her.

that picture remains on the back of his phone from then on, a constant reminder of your angelic essence.

𓋜 matt truly believed you were a real-life doll, and he treated you as such! he picked out the prettiest items for you to wear and learned to tie the ribbons in your hair, always ready for your constant requests to do so.

𓋜 with you being a model and him being in college, the two of you weren’t able to constantly be with each other. traveling was mandatory for your career and matt completely understood that.

𓋜 he would write you love letters, always ensuring he got your suite's number correct, not wanting the pink envelopes to get lost or, worse, sent to the wrong person.

𓋜 his love language is acts of service, so having to occasionally do long distance wasn’t going to stop him from showing his love. the boy would curate an infinite amount of playlists, from songs that reminded him of you to songs that sounded like his love for you.

he takes his craft very seriously

“why did you send me a link of congratulations by mac miller?” you questioned as you stared at your boyfriend’s smirking face on facetime. your phone was perched up on your hotel’s vanity, applying the final touches of your lipstick.

“just a little sneak peek of the playlist i’m making you.” matt answered, laughing at your cute expression.

𓋜 shoots are incredibly draining for you and matt knows that so, he always makes sure that lilies are sent to your dressing room with a cute little note letting you know how proud he is of his doll

𓋜 matt acted like a proud mom when it came to you. buying more than ten magazines and told the cashier that the girl on the cover was his girlfriend. he sat front row at every runway show you walked in, proudly telling the person beside him that his girl was one of the models.

𓋜 he loves matching with you. outfits? you bet! nails? you don’t ever need to ask him twice! jewellery? he already made sure to get a ring and chain that looked exactly like your favourite set!!!

“baby, why the fuck do you have a bow engraved in your ring?” you questioned, puzzled. you were getting ready to go out, and the boy had asked you to grab his rings from the nightstand as he adjusted his button up.

“oh i got someone to engrave the same bow as your favourite necklace.”

𓋜 dates were almost always planned by him.

𓋜 he knows how exhausting your life can be, so his dates usually involve drive-in movie theatres or your favorite activities: picnics and stargazing.

𓋜 he’s completely smitten with you, and he wouldn’t have it any other way..

my inbox is always open !!! pls feed it some content 🪽🎀 likes, comments & reblogs are highly appreciated.

ᨳུ⠀ 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭. @carvedtits

[tinseltine]

#4 – TÁR | Focus Features|Writer/Director Todd Field | Music by Hildur Guðnadóttir - There were technical difficulties at the first press screening of TÁR where we could hear it, but the screen was black.  They tried to fix it for 30-40 minutes and eventually we were dismissed, with our PR agent saying they would send details for a new date. But I didn’t think I wanted a new date, I knew the movie had a long 158 minute run time and in just listening without images, it seemed too dense, too insider, too intellectual.  However, I did attend the re-screening and now these things are some of what I love most about this film.  It’s feels so authentic, as if you are a fly on the wall of this classical-music world, it’s beauty, dedication, artistry, politics, precision.  One of my favorite critics for Variety, expresses it best:

“In “Tár,” Todd Field enmeshes us in a tautly unfolding narrative of quiet duplicity, corporate intrigue, and — ultimately — erotic obsession. Yet he does it so organically that for a while you don’t even realize you’re watching a “story.” But that’s what a great story is, right? It doesn’t hit you over the head with telegraphed arcs. It sneaks up on you, the way that life does. Field, working with the cinematographer Florian Hoffmeister, has shot “Tár” so that it looks like a documentary directed by Stanley Kubrick (who Field worked with on “Eyes Wide Shut,” back when he was an actor). The compositions are naturalistic in an imposing, ice-cool way, and what they express is the casual calculation with which Lydia monitors every facet of her existence” – Owen Gleiberman

Everyone has made a big deal out of the fact that it’s been 16 years since Field has directed his last film “Little Children”(2006) starring Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson. I know I saw it, and remember it getting awards season buzz, but little else.  I remember more his debut feature “In The Bedroom” (2001) with Marisa Tomei, but I need to revisit it again too. “Tár”, however, will be his tour de force. Due in great part to his lead, Cate Blanchett, for whom he wrote the character of Lydia Tár.  

This is a character study, one of my favorite genres, delivering a fully multi-dimensional woman/man/artist who is as arrogantly toxic as she is intriguing, vulnerable, and understandable. One of the first scenes of the film is Lydia being interviewed at a large forum by Adam Gopnik of The New Yorker (playing himself) it’s the ideal setup for a character piece because the viewer is made to understand this woman’s accomplishments and the fact that she is at the epicenter of her career, there’s really no where for her to go, but down. Which ultimately is the crux of the film, a huge fall from grace – but for me, not one I was seeking for the character. Similarly with Blanchett’s other excellent role, that of a boozy socialite in Blue Jasmine, I found myself in this woman’s corner, despite her unflinching power games and predatory sexual desires – which are handled with ingenious suggestion. For instance, there’s a scene where a young woman is fangirling all over Lydia Tár – during the conversation Lydia admires her bag, which looked like a Birken.

Later when we see Lydia back in Berlin and discover she has a wife, Sharon (Nina Hoss) and daughter; Sharon makes an off-hand observation, “Oh, you got a new bag”. Lydia doesn’t miss a beat in downplaying the acquisition, offering it to Sharon if she wants it. This is how we’re clued into the fact that she must not only have seduced the fan sexually, but beguiled her into giving up her Birken too. Truly, subtleties are a key factor Field employs throughout, which also feeds the haunting moments of the film. A couple weeks later we were sent a screener link, so I watched it again, picking up on more nuances, which I think will be the case with each viewing.

[mainsmaximum]

Meltys quest save download

So just hold down control and keep going through the kids thing. You won’t get kicked out, pregnant, or go through the sleep jingle unlike all the other scenes. Once its built up find a kid and do their scene. The easiest way I find to do this is the castle. Bitchiker is what it’s called and it requires 100 sex experiences aka 100 individual h scenes to have happened. The only thing in the game that really needs grinding is the final outfit. If you go the sex route you even get a huge amount of money so buying everything isn’t really a problem. Every respawns on entry so just find a close by exit and go in and out and you’ll have enough. The length really comes from the h scenes and gathering materials which thankfully is easy. Most dungeons areas are a screen or so long and even the biggest dungeon is only two or three screens big. Its a solid game really, though feels short. You have the convenient give up option if you want to get to the porn without losing properly. If you do you get their lose scene as a usable item so no reason to lose to everything unless you want to. For the most point if yous see every scene this you should hit the requirements naturally.īasically you enter an area, fight the new monster, reach the boss and see if you win. These have sexual experience requirements, basically you need to have sex to wear the more risque outfits. It has alchemy for most item creation and a lot of different outfits that change Meltys looks(but not in battle) and give her passive skills and let her learn new abilities. Not a lot happens outside of the plot at the boss fights other then you running around trying to bang things. The plot is decent and did have a serious twist near the end that completely changes the final boss. Along the way fighting the pillars of the monster army and learning who is at the helm of the monster attack, and its someone closer then Meltys ever thought. After working to help her family’s butler after he took serious injuries, Meltys goes out to try to take down the monsters and save her sisters. Meltys tries to do something and fails and her three older sisters are taken and the castle destroyed. Both profit.Īs for the game, Meltys Quest is an RPGMaker MV game about Meltys, a kogal princess saving her sisters and her kingdom. Fan translator approaches indie and indie lets fan translate work and release on Dlsite or steam or wherever. All around what I wish Sakuragamer was instead of the crap they are.Īnyway, this is what I wish was a more constant thing. A good translation, easy to get the adult material back in, and plenty of fixes. Here’s a steam released erotic RPG Maker game done right. Created by Happy Life, translated by Remtairy.