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radiantrookie · 5 months ago

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SEGA Mandates explained with their exceptions (Old)

Edit: (Plan on remaking this with a better format and sources, along with ones I missed)

Edit 2: Here's the New One

Game characters cannot have family members unless they were established in the game canon (Because Archie went overboard).

Game characters cannot be killed off.

Sonic cannot cry or get too emotional.

Exception: Sonic Prime didn't follow this rule despite being canon.

The terms Mobius and Mobians are banned, during the early 2010s, Earth was called "Sonic's World" because they wanted to appeal to 90s Boomers who hate Sonic living on Earth without calling it Mobius, it died down later though.

Exception: Ian Flynn has stated SEGA recanonized Sonic Spinball, which takes place in Mobius, so it exists somewhere in game canon, Veg-O-Fortress even has a cameo in Sonic Origins, Ian also stated Spinball takes place in between Sonic 3 and Knuckles and Sonic 3D Blast.

The heroes must always win at the end.

Characters and elements from Non Canon media cannot be used, Cosmo and the Metarex were potentially allowed to appear but according Ian Flynn, they're off the table now, the Metal Virus serves as a replacement for Robotization, Eggperial City serves as a replacement for Robotropolis, Restoration serves as a replacment for the Freedom Fighters.

Exceptions:

Sonic liking Chili Dogs (90s Cartoons)

Eggman's "I hate that Hedgehog!" and "Snooping as usual" lines (Aosth)

Scratch and Grounder appear in Eggman's livestream in one of the covers for IDW 40

Sonic's "Let's do it, to it" line (Satam)

Sonic being referred to as the "Fastest thing alive" (Satam)

Sonic Spinball being canon again, somwhat canonizes Sally, Bunnie, Rotor, Muttski and Scratch, Ian Flynn has clarified they're just cameos for now but could be a backdoor to make them canon if SEGA chooses to (Aosth, Satam, Archie)

In one of the covers for IDW 31, Storm's mugshot mentions he was arrested by the Knothole Village Police (Satam, Archie)

Tails being afraid of lightning (OVA)

Knuckles's cowboy hat (OVA)

Vector's crush on Vanilla (Sonic X)

Cream's favorite show, the NEXT Show (Sonic X)

The Chaotix Office building appears in the Sonic Channel Comics (Sonic X)

Sticks the Badger appears in the Sonic Channel Comics and is mentioned in English Sonic Frontiers (Sonic Boom)

The Eggnet has been canonized in both IDW and the Games (Archie)

The GUN Commander's name, Abraham Tower (Archie)

Bark being mute (Archie)

Bean and Bark working with Fang as a trio, Sonic even calls them the Hooligans (Archie)

Sally and Bunnie cameo in one of the Sonic Forces prequel comics with their Archie designs (Archie)

Shadow's Chaos Spear being shaped like an actual spear that he can throw or use as a melee weapon (Archie)

Badniks from Sonic Mega Drive appear in Classic IDW (Archie)

The term, Super Badnik (Archie)

Male characters that aren't humans, can't wear pants.

Exception: Tails Nine is allowed to wear pants.

Classic Era characters aren't allowed to appear in Modern Era and vice versa, during the 2010s there was the Two Dimensions retcon because of it, however they later removed it, Team Chaotix are also not allowed to appear in Classic because they considered Sonic Heroes to be their first appearance, however Knuckles Chaotix was recanonized in Tailstube, in the same episode, they acknowledge Mighty, Ray and Fang's Gang and teased a Modern Trip, recently, SEGA is considering retiring Classic Sonic after the disappointment of Sonic Superstars.

Exception: a Classic Froggy appears in various Sonic PICT artwork

Only one Metal Sonic is allowed, not multiple (They must really dislike Shard and Metallix)

Exceptions:

Metal Sonic 3.0 from Sonic Rivals 2

Chaos Sonic and Grim Sonic from Sonic Prime were allowed

Shadow: He has the most guidelines out of any character, most of them come from SEGA wanting Shadow to remain an Anti-Hero and not be too heroic, however SEGA has easied up on these with Shadow Generations

Knuckles: Knuckles is the only Echidna and only resident of Angel Island besides Chao and Baby Animals, (Ken Penders lol), Knuckles is also not allowed leave Angel Island without a reason now, prolly due to critiques with games like Heroes

Silver: Silver's Future is off limits, only SEGA can explore that, if they ever choose to

Super Forms: Male hedgehogs are the only ones allowed to go Super, this has been changed with Sonic Superstars and Otherworld Comedy.

Humans: Due to complaints from 90s Boomers, Humans besides Eggman weren't allowed until Shadow Generations

Romance: Characters can have crushes but they can't date or get married.

Money: Only Team Chaotix can talk about money

Rings: Ian Flynn was told Rings were no longer canon, however Rings appear in Sonic Prime and cutscenes in The Final Horizon, which Ian didn't know about

Special Stages: No longer canon and Fang's bio of living in the Special Stages is retconned

Off Limits Characters: These characters can only be used by SEGA/Sonic Team only:

Eggman Nega

Black Doom

Solaris (Mephiles and Iblis)

Infinite

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zerocoded · 4 months ago

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hm. so. homecoming wings spoilers, be warned.

i just finished caleb’s branch on the main story and i’m actually crying? i’m not going to talk about the little holes they left on the story because the game was never about scratching the player’s itch of writing excellency like a book would do…

but why did our farewell with caleb sounded so bittersweet? like we actually “lost” our childhood bestfriend or the idea we had of him and there is no comfort after that. that is just there, in plain sight: we are not happy with him and we let him go in weird terms. them leaving things as they were pissed me sooo much! but again, i must consider the cards and extra content after that happened… so we are actually in good terms, or something like that.

infold really put the yandere behavior on him and i love it! at the same time, they let us feel that teenage loving side of him to ease a little (and confuse) our brains.

the sleeping pills??? the “sit back” voice??? the “i want to protect you so much that i’m ok with being the bad guy in your head as long as i keep you safe”???

🔊 THE CUP SCENE. YES. OH MY GAWD. and then his reaction like “are you finished?” after that- LORD HAVE MERCY. his battle attire, animation and lines are my favorite now! (after lumiére ofc)

caleb is so hot and his memories and cards are so unique!!! you get that feeling of first love and intimacy only the mc’s trope with him can give us. AND HE IS CRAZY ABOUT US AND IF YOU DONT LIKE THAT I FEEL SO SORRY FOR YOU. cause you’re missing out on this guy.

what really got me was his yearning, his trailers really gave us that and i’m glad it wasn’t just trope bait. he looks disheartened when he sees that we are ACTUALLY pissed at him. and when he goes to ruffle our hair and then stops his hands when we’re saying goodbye? OH NO MY SHAYLA.

this was me yapping. i’m not disappointed at all, the 3.0 version is full of nice features. it’s a shame the game is mostly a scam, but who am i to complain right? i’ll watch everything on yt later <3 CALEB YOU’RE SO HOT PLS GIVE ME A CHANCE.

anyways, live laugh love caleb.

#ᴢᴇʀᴏᴄᴏᴅᴇᴅ ᴄᴀʟᴇʙ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs #love and deepspace #caleb x you #caleb love and deepspace #caleb x mc #lads #caleb fluff #caleb fanfic #love and deepspace caleb #caleb x reader #caleb smut #caleb

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krokusplays · 2 months ago

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A Rising Dawn - Chapter 1

Mydei x (female) Reader

Fic Rating: Mature (will change for a later chapter)

Chapter Length: 4.5k

Fic Status: Ongoing

Tags/Warnings: Fluff, Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Falling in Love, Learning to Trust, Sweet, Wholesome, basically no angst, no use of y/n, smut in a later chapter, set before the events of 3.0

Author's Notes: This entire fic was supposed to be a long one-shot with a lot of scenes that made it seem like a montage. It turned out much longer than anticipated, though, so I'm splitting it up. We're gonna end up with probably around 30k words altogether. Anyway, this fic is really dear to me, so I hope you'll like it <3

AO3 Link

Summary: In the Holy City, daily life remained the same for the citizens despite the threat of the Black Tide lurking beyond the city's borders.

But sometimes, a brief encounter can bring about a new dawn for its residents. Chrysos Heirs and regular citizens alike.

Even more so when the Golden Thread has tied your fates together a long time ago.

The breeze remained subtle on this early Entry Hour in the streets of Okhema, the air crisp and clean while carrying a hint of something vaguely floral as Kephale’s light flooded the streets.

Nothing truly changed. People went about their daily lives, working and striving for tomorrow, not knowing how many days there were still to come.

While Mydei appreciated the constant, the sense of peace and normality the people - his people among them - found within these streets, the lack of change, of feeling rooted in place unable to move forwards, always left a bitter taste in his mouth that not even the blessings of Phagousa could wash off.

Few duties waited for him that day. Attending Lady Tribios’s class, following up with a Kremnoan young man who had asked for his assistance some days ago, and patrol duty during Parting Hour.

He hoped during patrol he could get rid of the itch in his veins. Though, at these times, maddened Titankin were not a rarity to find in the outskirts of Okhema.

Until then, ample time to ponder and look after his detachment.

Marmoreal Market buzzed with life. The scent of fresh fruits mixed with the aroma of freshly baked bread as the stalls and shops came to life and greeted the people as they began their daily lives in the city.

Even at this hour, Marmoreal Diner was crowded, people waiting in line for a seat or a special breakfast to take home with them. He spotted some Kremnoans among them and he couldn’t fault them. Kyros’s offered the best bread and olive oil in all of Okhema if one did not have the muse to make it from scratch themselves.

While Mydei didn’t favor the crowds around here, the lively atmosphere stirred something within him. He saw the smiles on people’s faces, the excitement of children frolicking about, the relief of the employee’s as they continued - that they could continue- business yet another day.

Laughter and joy.

Fun.

Rare as it was to come across during these dire times, a part of himself - hidden behind walls of duties and responsibilities and questions no one else but him should deal with and which kept him away day in and day out - longed to engage in it all the same.

He knew his place.

In this town.

For the Kremnoan people.

In the Flame-Chase Journey.

People passed him by as he crossed the street, some greeted him, some acknowledged him, others avoided him. All the same, another constant in the Holy City. It mattered not but he greeted them back with a nod, spared words only for the little children that brushed past him as they indulged in their games.

The Fruit and Veg Store invited everyone with fresh and colorful fruits displayed on plates and in bowls that made them look like a painting come alive rather than real food. One didn’t have to know their way around vegetables and fruits to recognize the quality and care Demetria, the store owner, put into her work.

The elderly lady chatted with a customer, handling the balance coins on the scale with a cheerful smile on her face.

Though the deep red and luscious pomegranates, resting in bronze-colored bowls on a long table behind Demetria caught his gaze more so than the rest of the produce or the people surrounding the store.

Until a hand appeared on one of the fruits disrupted his staring.

As he followed the hand, delicate and too small to grab the fruit with one hand, up a slender arm, he saw you.

Your face remained calm. The focus on your work simmered in your gaze, but it did not show in the curve of your brows or the line of your mouth. You placed two of the pomegranates in a little basket, where they joined an array of apples, before you put the basket on the small table next to Demetria.

You retreated into the back of the store immediately, working on arranging the fruits and vegetables with a care to avoid damaging them that looked as meticulous as devoted to your task as Mydei was used to see from Demetria. Surrounded by the shelves and tables, the crowd in Marmoreal Market didn’t reach you as you kept working, wiping your hands on your apron when the warm air around you showed itself on your skin.

Why his gaze lingered, he could not tell.

Maybe because he frequented the store so often and he’s never seen you before? A relative of the store owner? Simply a new employee? Maybe because such little changes occurred so rarely in the daily lives of Okheman’s these days that it caught a person’s eye naturally so?

Maybe because a spark in the back of his mind whispered that you seemed familiar to him, though the thought sounded odd, so Mydei dismissed it and continued on his way.

His gaze didn’t find yours nor did it linger on you again when he bought his own pomegranates and indulged the store owner in the smalltalk she so enjoyed engaging in.

———————

Mydei spotted you at the store almost regularly after that first vague encounter. You tended to the fruits and vegetables in the back of the store, focused and not paying much attention to the crowds and buzz around you. Colorful patches stained the white apron you wore over your dress. Mydei couldn’t help but think they made you look more like an artist spending your time painting and drawing but not arranging and selling fruits.

The only time you came out from the back was when you placed a customer’s order on the table by the owner’s side, only to retreat again.

A peculiar nature given you found yourself in the busiest place of all of Okhema.

When Mydei approached the store days later again, Demetria thanked him for his patronage as she usually did but spared him the smalltalk. Too many customers, too much money to make. Despite her kindness and dedication she was a business lady through and through.

He didn’t mind. The sooner his order got processed the earlier he could leave the store and avoid the gazes he drew whenever he made his way here. He crossed his arms in front of his chest while he waited.

Neither a word left your lips nor did any hesitation appear in your steps, even though he caught a flash of something - recognition? Remembrance? - cross your eyes as you threw a glimpse up at him when you approached the store’s front with a bag in your hands.

You placed the bag on the small table next to Demetria. Mydei leaned down to pick it up before you managed to pull back again. Your fingers still lingered on the bag when he grabbed it and the flash of panic on your face made him frown.

No physical contact, no skin on skin, not the metal of his gauntlets on your skin, not even fabrics brushing and yet your hands recoiled as if you got burned by the flames of Kremnos’s Soul-Forging Zone.

That terror-stricken expression faded an instant later and you tried to hide the trembling of your hands by clasping them together in front of you.

Mydei watched you with a frown on his face, gaze hard and his mouth a straight line, as you bowed slightly - an instinct to remain respectful to your customer? - and retreated back into the store as if you found safety there. Safety from him.

People being intimidated - scared - by him was not an all too rare occurrence. He was aware to be not the most approachable man, people never shook his hand in greeting, many cowered at the mere sight of him - the Kremnoan beast, a brute. Not something he cared about much, but it has been a long time since anyone has been this blatant in their display of it in front of him.

He didn’t comment on it. The paper of the bag crackled in his his grasp as he left the store and crowded area of the Holy City.

And yet, as he crossed Marmoreal Market in the Parting Hour on his way home many hours later and his eyes fell upon the closed store, he couldn’t help but wonder what your issue has been.

Prejudices still prevailed to this day and their eradication has been everything he has striven for since he and the Kremnoan detachment joined Okhema.

He tended to overthink these things a lot, he knew that.

But if anything, his time here has proven him that his concern and wariness was justified. His first months and years in this city have been plagued by preventing assassinations - on children - of his people, by witnessing discriminations in his people’s everyday lives and filing complaints and seeking audiences with the Council. While the situation has improved, notably when Lady Aglaea handled matters herself, these bad clouds lingered in the corners of the streets still.

Was that what it was for you? A prejudice? Or had it nothing to do with his heritage and origin at all?

He made a small sound in the back of his throat and averted his gaze.

Yes, he tended to overthink these things a lot.

———————

His duties and missions as a Chrysos Heir kept him away from the city for a few days but when he returned, nothing has changed.

A pleasant outcome, one would say. Given the impending catastrophe, to see the people buzzing and thriving despite the situation in the dark outside of Okhema was… relieving.

Yet, it also showed a lack of progress on this tedious and long-lasting journey. Castrum Kremnos still remained lost in the fog, Nikador’s Titankin have been driven further towards Okhema in their madness. The safety he sought for his people in this city was as fragile as glass…

Mydei’s hand clenched into a fist, though he released the tension the moment he stepped into the streets. It wasn’t his place to reveal his frustrations to the people when they deemed them the only glimmer of hope this world had left.

Marmoreal Market came into view and the scent of Golden Honeycakes and freshly cut fruits reached his nose before he even rounded the corner.

A part of him tingled, arose that desire to indulge in the joys the pancakes could provide temporarily, though he had no time for it. He needed to report his mission’s results to Aglaea and then a hot bath would do wonders for his muscles after spending so much time in the Evernight of Amphoreus.

A pomegranate in-between duties had to make due for now. It’s been a few days since he’s had one and waiting until tomorrow was not worth it just so he could prepare juice from it.

And pre-made juice didn’t scratch that craving in his soul for it.

He saw you at the store, but instead of your usual spot in the back you stood by the side of the store, a small group of kids surrounding you. All talking over each other with big eyes and smiles as if they all had to tell you they’ve seen or experienced the most amazing thing today while you were at work.

You were talking to them. He couldn’t make out any words in the chatter and laughter but your face remained calm, a gentle smile as you engaged with them. Whatever was happening this wasn’t the first time you dealt with these children.

Not a scene he expected to witness.

Yours, perhaps?

Though he didn’t deem you old enough to have children of that age yet. He paused that thought. Lady Tribios came to mind and he almost grimaced at himself.

Looking young didn’t mean a lot in Amphoreus while demigoods existed.

Mydei approached Demetria but his gaze didn’t leave those kids surrounding you. He watched how you took off your apron and placed it in a box in the back of the store, all the while not ceasing to talk to the children who not once lost an ounce of their energy and cheerfulness.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Demetria,” you said and it was the first time he heard your voice. Clear and tinged with the contagious laughter of the boys and girls eagerly waiting for you. Pleasant.

“Take care, dear,” the old lady said and she watched how you left with the kids until you vanished around the street corner. Mydei followed your form as well. Once the chatter of the children faded, Marmoreal Market seemed strangely empty.

Demetria sighed, a content smile on her lips. Mydei didn’t say a word. He knew the store owner was about to share her thoughts with him as she often did with customers anyway.

“Endearing, is it not?” she asked. “These kids pick her up from work a lot.”

“These? So not hers?” he asked before he could stop himself. He crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“Oh no, no.” Demetria laughed as if Mydei had told her a joke.

“Then, who are they?” he asked. If only to satiate the owner’s need for conversation - not to quell some curiosity of his own. Undoubtedly not.

“Orphans, mostly. They almost all lost their parents to the war in one way or another.” Demetria’s smile grew smaller, weighed down with the mourning and grief of remembering the tragedies she’s no doubt experienced over the years herself. “She gives them a chance to come together and have some fun once she’s done with her wok.”

Demetria looked up at him and he met the elderly woman’s gaze. “Children should never be the ones to suffer the consequences of the adults’ actions.”

“Indeed.”

Children should not suffer. They shouldn’t have to pay the price for the failures and mistakes of their parents and adults who failed to protect them and willfully put them through pain and misery for their own selfish gains.

His jaw clenched and he found it difficult to relax. He hoped the elderly woman remained ignorant to the sudden tension in his body.

He could still recall.

The cold and might of the water, of his father and his guards blurring and then fading from view as the depths grabbed a hold of him from the neverending abyss, engulfing him, suffocating him until he drew a new breath - painful, agonizing - and started the cycle anew.

Young as he had been - an infant - yet that image stayed vivid in his mind until this day.

He closed his eyes for a moment to shake off the memory. It didn’t leave. It remained in the back of his mind like waves crashing against a cliff. He forced himself to look ahead, down the street where you had left with the kids.

Admirable. Regardless of that first and odd impression of you, what you were doing deserved his respect.

After tending to his remaining duties for the day and while on his way to finally have that hot bath, he crossed Kephale Plaza. At this hour of day it grew quieter with less people gathering here, though a group of children would always drown out any other noise.

You sat on the small wall in front of the trees and flowers, girls and boys in front of you. There were more now than before. They didn’t hang on every word you said, more did they appear to be busy with each other, chatting and playing, while running up to you to let you know something or to drag you into their games.

Your smile never wavered.

Nor did that expression on your face.

Serene. Content. Happy.

No matter the reasons for why you were doing this, dedicating your time and efforts to children you perhaps did not even know, you enjoyed it. The appreciation for such an act of kindness - altruism - towards children flourished among the flames and burning blood surging through his veins, showing only in the vague upwards twitch of his lips.

Mydei didn’t linger as he passed the plaza.

———————

Seeing you at the store has become a regular occurrence, Demetria employed you after all.

What he didn’t come to expect was to see two Kremnoan children at the store. He’s seen them before. No orphans, both their parents were alive and warriors of Kremnos - no, Okhema - and people he valued. He’s played with these two kids before. The boy liked to train, asked for Mydei’s approval all the time, the girl took more after the Okheman’s, she danced and sang, playing around the theater all the time but wasn’t opposed to fighting either.

He didn’t expect to see them - two Kremnoan kids - here. Not after his first impression of you, writing off your reaction to prejudice - intimidation - as there were no Kremnoan kids in the group the other day either.

He stayed back, opted to observe rather than engage and allowed his curiosity to rule his actions.

The children lingered by the side of the store, fidgeting - eager and excited - as they stretched their necks to see into the store to watch what you were doing.

He tilted his head. You balanced a pomegranate in one hand, a knife in the other. This wasn’t your first time cutting one. The cuts were deliberate, the pressure rooted in experience - as expected from someone who made fruits their income. The deep red seeds anything but glowed in your hand, even from a distance he could make them out, a reminder why he only ever purchased them at this store.

You threw parts of the peel away and took the open fruit to the boy and the girl who waited for you as if expecting birthday gifts. As they popped the seeds into their mouths they talked to you. All their words - and your replies - got lost in the sea of voices flooding the market but the children’s smiles sounded as loud as the songs of victory after the Kremnoan army returned home from battle.

He smiled at the scene.

Witnessing their happiness came akin to a small victory indeed. A little - but precious nonetheless - moment to show him that the decision he’s made a long time ago has been the right one after all.

You ruffled the boy’s hair - to which he pouted and stemmed his hands in his hips - and after a few more exchanged words, the kids turned around and left, waving and laughing. You waved after them before retreating back into the store, a subtle smile on your lips, though a hint of something - amusement? Surprise? Approval? - sprouted in his chest when you popped a few of the remaining pomegranate seeds into your own mouth before you discarded the remains in the trash.

———————

There were days when the Fruit and Veg store found itself flooded by customers. More so than usual. Mydei came to know this always happened when the seasons changed or after the weekly delivery arrived.

Such as today.

Demetria never lost her smile as she dealt with customer after customer. Neither did you, even though you barely ever came out from the back of the store, opting to prepare the baskets and bags of orders and place them on the ground and table next to the owner for further handling.

It was then that he noticed how you avoided any contact to anyone. Not just avoided. You made an effort to not even allow your dress to brush along the clothes of a customer, not even Demetria herself. He frowned and yet, it rendered his first impression of you utterly void.

He didn’t dwell on the thought, it was stupid to begin with - too much overthinking, maybe a premature judgment of his own - but he couldn’t help but to feel… at ease anyway.

It, however, didn’t explain why you were going out of your way to avoid physical contact.

Mydei was reluctant to it himself, but - the battlefield aside - in the crowds of a city one could not avoid running into people, brushing up against them.

Your behavior at least looked unusual enough to make him pause, to make him think.

And he had no idea why he even pondered the reasons at all.

Mydei approached the store, got in line as any other citizen. He easily towered over the others, and the quiet mumbling of people around him reached his ears. He paid them no mind as he waited.

After another customer left, Demetria turned around to you and called out your name - the sound of it repeated in his head as if it was somehow important information - and you looked up from where you were gathering apples from the bowls as if surprised anyone required your attention. Amusing. Especially when you were working.

“Dear, please help out here for a bit,” Demetria said, a chuckle accompanying her words. “We have a lot of customers today.”

You didn’t hesitate to follow her request, though you fidgeted a whole lot more as you stood next to her and took orders as the owner herself did. Your smile polite, the curve of your brows soft, your shoulders lowered.

Only the subtle trembling of your hands revealed your anxiety at the risk of facing physical contact - voluntarily or not - by working in the front of the store.

He furrowed his brows. Unnatural behavior. Never without reason and he still wondered why he even thought about it. Yet again.

Demetria was deeply engaged in a customer who seemed to purchase the entire store’s stock of figs, so when it was his turn, you had to tend to him.

You stood in front of him with a smile on your face, a hint of patience surrounding you that wasn’t anywhere noticeable in the busy store around you. Nor in the unease in your hands and feet.

“Sir, what can I do for you?” you asked him, your head tilted slightly.

You had… pretty eyes, he acknowledged as you met his gaze. They reminded him of a field of flowers in the earliest rays of Kephale’s light. Gentle. Kind.

An expression that led him to assume that caring for children came easy to you. Made it easy for them to approach you. A sincerity that wasn’t shielded or covered by masks or facades.

Respectable. Admirable even.

It made him believe you either forgot your first reaction to him or didn’t pay it any mind, choosing to move on or try again instead. Something within him stirred at the sentiment. Even so, he didn’t mind.

“Pomegranates, please,” he said, “four of them.”

You nodded and retreated to the back, bagged four of the fruits before coming back to him. When you handed him the bag you held it at the top, preventing any chance of possibly brushing his hands or even clothes when he took it from you.

Attentive. Though, he wasn’t entirely sure if he approved of your actions or his own.

“That’s 400 balance coins,” you said and he handed you the money by letting it fall into your open palm, as you’ve done with the customers before from what he’s witnessed. You certainly knew your way around your… issue.

“Lord Mydei!”

The calls - two voices in unison - made him pause before he had managed to turn away from the store. When he looked behind him, he spotted the same two Kremnoan kids running towards him he’s seen the other day at your store.

They were smiling and his shoulders felt lighter immediately at the realization.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Are you buying pomegranates, Lord Mydei?”

They beamed at him as if they just made the discovery of a lifetime when even children knew the significance of pomegranates for Kremnoans. A child’s mind worked in fascinating ways - although he pondered how much of his own consumption of it was because of his enjoyment of it rather than tradition.

He allowed himself to smile. “But of course.”

“Woah!” the kids exclaimed before he could elaborate. He chuckled. A sound that resonated in his chest but never made it past his lips.

“Now, what are you two doing here by yourself?”

“We wanted to ask her for games,” the girl said and pointed at you behind him. He did turn his head, saw the amused smile on your face as you waved at the kids while taking another customer’s payment out of his peripheral vision.

Your popularity among these kids was… astounding.

“But when you’re here, Crown Prince, can you train with us?” the boy asked. His big round eyes contained a fire that was hard to come by even among adults. Sheer determination. And even more so, courage.

“What do your parents say about this?”

“They are alright with it!”

His lips twitched upwards. These kids didn’t know he would be here so that was a lie. He tilted his head at them.

“Really?”

They both froze until a moment later the girl began to sway from side to side, her cheeks as red as a pomegranate. The boy’s cheeks rivaled the fruit’s as well but he held Mydei’s gaze nonetheless.

Impressive.

Deep inside, Mydei wished more people would dare to meet him face to face like this. This little boy had more of Nikador’s virtues than most adults ever would. That alone was praiseworthy and his resolve to send the two kids home faltered.

“Alright, not really,” the girl said, pouting.

“But they know we were going to meet her!” the boy added, pointing at you again. The girl looked up and tapped the boy’s shoulder.

“Oh, oh, she can come with us,” she said. The boy’s eyes widened.

“Yeah, she can watch us get stronger!” he agreed.

“I can do what?” your voice sounded behind Mydei and he looked to the side as you stepped next to him. The crowd of the store had dissipated a bit by now.

“We wanna train with Lord Mydei and you can be there too and watch us,” the girl explained.

Mydei saw on your face that the idea caught you off guard, though he wondered if it was the training part or accompanying him that rendered you speechless for a moment.

For a short moment only however because the smile returned to your face, your expression softening. “I still have a lot of work to do here, I can’t leave just yet.”

“Then after work.”

“We’ll see later, alright?”

To the kids it was more than enough of an answer and they turned to him again, their eyes wide.

“Please, Lord Mydei? We’ll be good and go home afterwards right away. Promise!”

He relented. He had the time to spare and indulging these kids for a bit would both provide a distraction for him and make the children’s day so much better. In the end, he never could fully decline a kid’s request.

Not when nothing harmful was involved in any capacity.

And training them came more akin to playing House but with wooden swords rather than actual sparring.

Whether or not you would tag along, he couldn’t tell as you had to tend to your work again, and your reply had been ambiguous at best. The kids wanted you there. And him? He didn’t know.

He supposed it wouldn’t make much of a difference either.

#hsr #honkai star rail #mydei #mydei x reader #mydei x you #my fic

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wongyuseokie · 1 year ago

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Better Than Me | Lee Seokmin; SMAU

Summary: You and Seokmin have been dating for a few years, but now you're the star of a new drama with your co-star Rowoon, which makes Seokmin insecure. Seokmin tries his best to be supportive and understanding, but sometimes it's too much, and you're both unsure if your relationship can survive the jealousy and fights.

Pairing: Idol! Lee Seokmin x Actress! Female Reader

☆ 18+ minors dni |☀︎fluff | ☁︎ angst | ♕ implied smut | ♥ completed works

Genre/Trope(s)/AUs: Idol AU! and Actress AU! Content Warnings: swearing, angst, jealousy, crying, mentions of a sprained ankle lol. Mentions of sex, food and snacks and Dispatch being public enemy number 1. Featuring the ever so handsome Rowoon. Also unnecessary Rowoon slander from Seokmin.

Smut Warnings: Mentions of multiple rounds and scratching.

Author's Note 1: thank you to the lovely @gyuwoncheol and thank you to my resident Seokmin lover @the-boy-meets-evil and my lovely wifey(s) @bitchlessdino @multi-kpop-fanfics ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ thank you guys for hearing me go on and on about this <3

Author's Note 2: This series will be released in 2024! (and yes i'm reposting this because the tag system was bothering me).

Author's Note 3: This is all fiction. ❤️

Authors Note 4: I know you're too humble, but this story would not exist without @gyuwoncheol I've wanted to make you co-author because you've inspired and helped me SO MUCH. But you won't let me, but I need you to know how much you mean to me. Thank you for being such a safe space for me to outlet and share updates and ideas. But importantly thank you for always making time for me. I adore you, my love. 🩷🩷🩷

Let me know if you wish to be tagged in this, I will only tag those who have their age visible on their profiles and are 18+.

Updates will be made daily.

Part 1: Tall Ass Rowoon ✔️ Part 2: Access Code ✔️ Part 3: Wires ✔️ Part 4: Fuck Dispatch ✔️ Part 5: #concerned ✔️ Part 6: Slutty Eyes ✔️ Part 7: Overworked PR Team ✔️ Part 8: Spiteful ✔️ Part 9: The Brightest Star ✔️ Part 10: Therapist Shua ✔️ Part 11: Emotional Support Teddy Bear ✔️ Part 12: Drunk On You ✔️ Part 13: Twice a Week ✔️ Part 14: Sweet Lies ✔️ Part 15: Hell ✔️ Part 16: Not Okay ✔️ Part 17: Test ✔️ Part 18: Hell 2.0 ✔️ Part 19: Irreparable ✔️ Part 20: Returned ✔️ Part 21: Locked Out ✔️ Part 22: Time Machine ✔️ Part 23: Lukewarm ✔️ Part 24: Fractured ✔️ Part 25: Hell 3.0 ✔️ Part 26: Last Chance ✔️ Part 27: To You (written) ✔️ Part 28: Forever ✔️ Epilogue ✔️

© wongyuseokie 2023. All rights reserved. Tag List: @dkluvrsclub @wooahaeproductions @seokgyuu @stayinhellevator @aaniag @the-boy-meets-evil @hoeforhao @here4kpopfics @ressonancee @seungkwansphd @tomodachiii @shadowyjellyfishfest @kyeomooniee @allmyl0ve17 @soupbinlily @randomworker @gyuminusone @onlyseokmins @strawberryya @meowmeowminnie @woozixo @jeonghansshitester @multi-kpop-fanfics @ohmygodwhyareallusernamestaken @imprettyweird @shuasunshine @carlesscat-thinklogic23 @gyuhanniescarat @thepoopdokyeomtouched @joonsytip @hrts4hanniehae @highvern @buffhoshi @huening-kawaii @wonwoobestboyy

I'm tagging folks who I think would be interested/ have expressed their interest hehe)

#seventeen fic #seokmin fic #dokyeom fic #seventeen social media au #svthub #kvanity

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mimisempai · 10 months ago

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Clear-cut

Summary

Greg is in hospital and injured. When Mycroft finds him, he tries to play down the seriousness of his injuries, but Mycroft has had enough and wants the unvarnished truth.

Notes

Mystrade Monday 3.0 #10 - Character A likes to include half-truths and tall-tales in their stories and Character B likes to keep track of them. (I deviated a little from it)

@mystradepromptsandscenarios

On AO3

804 words - Rating G

"Greg! What the hell happened?"

The doctor who had just finished treating Greg turned to Mycroft and said, "Sir, you shouldn't be here..."

Greg replied to Mycroft, "I'm fine."

Mycroft frowned and Greg sighed before insisting, "It's just a few scratches."

He folded his shirt sleeve over the bandage the doctor had just applied to his arm.

"Monsieur Lestrade, we were this close to transfusing you, so don't minimize your injuries."

"And perhaps I didn't want my partner to worry!"

Then, seeing Mycroft's exasperated expression, he added, "I certainly didn't mean to tell him like that."

Mycroft came and stood by the bed as he replied, "You would have minimized it even more. You'd probably only have told me half the story. I know how you are. Although I usually like to decipher your tall tales, this time it's not the case. This is serious, Greg."

Greg struggled to keep his eyes open and whispered, "But I swear I'm fine."

The doctor interjected, "I'd rather keep you overnight. "

Mycroft, knowing Greg would protest, intervened, "I'll take him home. I promise to keep an eye on him, Doctor."

Greg grimaced. They'd planned a dinner and now he'd ruined it.

"I'm sorry."

Mycroft took his hand and squeezed it gently into his own.

"Don't be. It won't be at the restaurant, but we'll spend the evening together anyway."

Then he turned to the doctor and asked, "Is there anything I should be aware of?"

"Just keep an eye on him for the next 24 hours. Even if the wound isn't as deep as we first thought, it's still a total of sixty stitches in three different places."

Halfsmiling, Greg replied, "You should have seen the look of my opponent".

"Your opponent?!"

Greg replied sheepishly, "The glass door to my sister's balcony."

"Greg..."

"I couldn't help it, she had cleaned it too well, I didn't see that it was closed and ran into it at full speed. Apparently there was already a crack and it literally exploded from the shock."

Feeling exhaustion wash over him, Greg added with a sigh, "Can we go home now? "

The doctor took pity on him and nodded.

Greg sighed in relief.

Mycroft asked gently, "Can you walk?"

Greg grimaced and replied, "With help I should be fine."

Thirty minutes later, supported by Mycroft, Greg made his way as best he could through the door of their apartment.

His lover helped him make himself comfortable on the sofa before sitting down beside him, a worried expression on his face.

Greg put his hand on Mycroft's knee and said quietly, "I assure you, I'm all right."

Mycroft wrapped his arm gently around Greg's shoulders and held him close before asking quietly, "Why didn't you want me to know? "

Greg dropped his head against Mycroft's chest and replied, "It's not that I didn't want to, but I wanted to tell you so that you wouldn't worry as much as you do now."

Mycroft harrrumpha, "Idiot, I'll always worry, and probably more if you don't tell me things as they are. No secrets, no half-truths, just the facts."

Greg nodded as Mycroft continued, "With you, when it comes to your well-being, your mental or physical health, I don't want to have to use my insight or deductive skills, I'd rather you told me plain and simple."

Greg nodded again, and after a few moments he muttered, "Mycroft."

"Hm?"

"It really hurts. I could use a painkiller."

Mycroft pressed a kiss to his lover's hair and replied, "I'll get you what you need right away."

He gently positioned Greg on the sofa, elevated his injured arm with a pillow, then went to get what his lover needed. He returned a few moments later with a pill and a glass of water, which he handed to Greg. When Greg had swallowed the pill and drunk the glass, Mycroft asked him gently, "Is there anything else you need?"

Greg nodded and replied, "Just one thing."

"Tell me, love?"

"That you take me in your arms."

Mycroft chuckled softly before sitting down next to Greg and wrapping his arms around him, holding him to his chest while being careful with his injured arm.

He planted a kiss on Greg's forehead and asked, "Is everything all right?"

Greg replied, "It's not the best I've ever been, but you're making it better."

He pressed a kiss to Mycroft's chest and added, "And that's not a half-truth."

Mycroft laughed lightly and tightened his arm around his lover, saying softly, "Try to get some sleep. I'll be here if you need anything."

Greg yawned and grumbled, "'kay..."

The backlash and the painkiller soon got the better of him and he fell fast asleep in Mycroft's arms. As for Mycroft, he didn't sleep and watched over his lover's sleep until he woke up again.

_________

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story 🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝

Mystrade mondays 3.0 : here

Mystrade masterlist here

#mystrade #mycroft holmes #greg lestrade #mycroft x greg #some fluff as always #sherlock bbc #emotional hurt/comfort #established relationship #mystrade monday #mystrade monday prompts

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simpforpeterp · 3 months ago

Text

sam sdv x OC

The Dugout

summary: an excerpt from my story on AO3 Get It Right the First Time! a story in which the most famous woman in the world suddenly disappears to move into her grandpa’s old farm and reunite with her best friend from kindergarten to high school (this excerpt is from sam’s eight (???) heart event with the band)

warnings: mentions of alcohol/addiction

word count: 4.5k

“Hi, everyone. We’re from Pelican Town��er- and we’re called Xenon Chip 3.0,” Sam announces, his voice cracking slightly. He scratches the back of his neck, glancing nervously at the crowd, and Lainey can’t help but smile. She laughs under her breath, watching him fumble for a second before he adds, “Here we go.”

The first chords of the song hit, and Lainey’s grin spreads wide as Sam’s voice carries over the noise.

“Woohoo! That’s my best friend!” She shouts, jumping up and down in the front row. Her voice cuts through the cheers, and for a moment, Sam glances her way, his lips twitching upward in a shy, fleeting smile.

But as she cheers again, she catches Penny’s unintentional glare from her left, quick and subtle, but sharp enough to leave an impression. Lainey falters, her hands dropping to her sides as heat rises in her cheeks. It’s stupid, she knows, Penny probably didn’t even mean it, but the look lingers in her mind. It feels like a reminder that she doesn’t quite belong here anymore, that no matter how many nights she spends in Stardew Valley, part of her is still the pop star who doesn’t know how to blend in.

She forces herself to shake it off, turning her attention back to the stage. Sam is moving now, falling into the rhythm of the music. His hands glide over his guitar with practiced ease, his voice gaining strength with each note. He’s in his element, and it’s breathtaking to watch.

She’d seen him like this before, all those years ago, when they were teenagers and he’d play her his rough demos in his room. He’d sit on the floor, cross-legged, his hair sticking out at odd angles, strumming his guitar like it was the most natural thing in the world. She’d sit on his bed, half-listening, half-distracted by how his hands moved over the strings or the way his voice cracked in a way that was somehow perfect.

He hasn’t changed much since then. But she has.

She isn’t just the girl next door anymore, the one who spent summers running through the fields and sneaking out to the forest with Sam. She’s been on stages like this herself, looking out at seas of strangers, feeling the weight of their expectations. She knows what it’s like to stand where he’s standing now, and somehow, that makes watching him all the more surreal.

Because she knows how much this means to him. She knows how hard he’s worked, how much he’s doubted himself. And she also knows that no matter how good he is tonight, he’ll never believe it’s enough.

Her heart twists as she watches him, her cheeks flushing again for an entirely different reason. She feels it like a knot in her chest, a mix of pride and longing that she can’t quite unravel.

She’s never felt this way about anyone before, not even Adam, not even during her so-called glory days. With Sam, it’s different. It’s quieter, steadier, deeper. It’s in the way he looks at her, the way he tries to hide his nerves but always fumbles just a little when she’s around. It’s in the way she knows him better than anyone else, and still, she wants to know more.

She wants to tell him how good he sounds, how proud she is, and how much it means to her that he’s letting her be here for this. She wants to tell him that the reason she’s here, the reason she came back to Stardew Valley at all, has everything to do with him.

But for now, all she can do is watch, her hands clasped in front of her as if holding them together might stop her from falling apart.

And when Sam looks her way again, his eyes scanning the crowd and landing on her for just a moment, her heart skips. Because in that moment, it feels like the whole world has disappeared, and it’s just the two of them, like it’s always been.

She looks up at Sam with starry eyes. She knows now without a doubt that liking the boy in the band can still apply to famous artists. Because her face is flushing more and more as she watches Sam on stage.

The skyline of the city is perfectly in view behind them so she pulls out a little camera from her bag. She turns it on and immediately angles it up to see all three of them with the skyline behind them. Sam sees and feels pain rip through his chest because he’s never wanted anyone more than the girl smiling so wide as she takes a picture of them. How did he ever kiss her and not just tell her how he felt right then and there?

Sam’s fingers stumble over a chord, and he bites down hard on his lip to recover before anyone notices. But Lainey notices. She always notices. Her head tilts just slightly, and for a second, their eyes meet again, and it feels like the air between them crackles with something neither of them can name.

Lainey lowers the camera, her lips curving into a smile so radiant it almost hurts to look at.

Sam’s heart twists painfully, and for a fleeting moment, he thinks about the night they kissed. He can still feel it sometimes, the press of her lips against his, the way her hands trembled just slightly when she touched him, the way everything in the world had gone silent except for the pounding of his heart.

It was perfect, wasn’t it? And yet, somehow, it hadn’t been enough. He hadn’t said the things he wanted to say. He hadn’t told her the truth about how he felt, about how she made him feel.

And now she’s standing there, looking up at him like he’s the center of the universe, and it’s breaking him apart because he knows he can’t have her.

The song builds to its final chorus, and Sam tears his gaze away from her, pouring everything he’s feeling into the music. His fingers press harder into the strings, his voice rising with a rawness he can’t contain. He doesn’t know if anyone else in the room can hear the difference, but he knows Lainey can.

She always can.

When the song ends, the applause is thunderous, but all Sam can hear is the rush of blood in his ears. He glances toward Lainey again, hoping she’s still looking at him, hoping for something he doesn’t even know how to name.

She’s clapping, her camera hanging loosely from her wrist, her face glowing with pride. And in that moment, Sam swears he sees something in her eyes—something soft and warm and achingly familiar.

But it’s gone as quickly as it came, replaced by her playful grin as she holds her camera up again and snaps another photo.

“Thanks, everyone!” Sam says proudly into the microphone before his eyes fall on her again. Everyone can tell he’s looking at her from the lovestruck look on his face as she obliviously smiles and waves at him. “But you should really be clapping for Lainey. Without her help, we would've never decided what kind of music to make in the first place.”

There’s more applause and cheers as her cheeks go pink. Penny smiles softly before swallowing and turning to her.

“So you're like an honorary member of the band, then?” She nudges Lainey.

“Not really, they’re all the brains and I’m just happy to be here.” She laughs to Penny before looking back up at Sam.

“Oh! And don't forget to pick up one of our demo cassettes on the way out... Only 10g!” Sam adds and the crowd cheers again.

The crowd’s energy still buzzes in the air as the band files off the makeshift stage. Sam pulls his guitar strap over his head, letting the instrument hang loosely in his grip. His hands feel clammy, his heart pounding from more than just the performance.

“You good, man?” Sebastian asks, his voice low as they shuffle backstage.

“Yeah,” Sam mumbles, not meeting his eyes. “I’m fine. Let’s just get out there.”

Sebastian doesn’t respond but Sam already feels off. He leads the way to come back around where the audience once even though they’ve already dispersed. Some are by the bathrooms, some are by the bar, and some are just chatting around.

When they walk out, everyone from town is waiting for them happily. It’s shocking how excited they all are. Jodi tosses herself around Sam and sways for a moment so happily. Lainey rushes to Abigail first, pulling her into such a tight hug. Pierre and Caroline didn’t bother to show up so Lainey makes sure she has someone to go to right after.

“You are one hell of a drummer, Abby.” Lainey smiles as she holds onto her so tightly.

“Thank you, Lainey,” She squeezes back. “That was so much fun!”

“You have got to see the pictures I got later, they are incredible.” Lainey finally pulls away and tells her.

After that she sees Sam and Sebastian talking to Robin and Demetrius but she walks over anyway. She gently grabs Sam’s arm and slowly pulls him her way because Robin was telling Sebastian something anyway.

“Sam! Oh Yoba, if I could pick you up right now and spin you around, I would.” She tells him happily before quickly pulling him into a hug.

Sam freezes for a fraction of a second, her sudden embrace catching him off guard. But then his arms find their way around her, squeezing her back just as tightly. He rests his chin lightly on top of her head, letting himself get lost in the warmth of her hug for just a moment too long.

“You’d totally drop me,” He murmurs, trying to keep his voice light, but there’s a tremor there and something he’s sure she doesn’t miss. Lainey pulls back just enough to look up at him, her hands still gripping his arms.

“Don’t underestimate me. I’m stronger than I look,” She teases, her smile so genuine it makes his chest ache. “If I had enough adrenaline I could carry you for a good bit.”

“Yeah,” He says quietly, his voice almost swallowed by the lingering hum of the crowd. “I know. You’re strong but not strong enough without the adrenaline.”

“When we’re in the zombie apocalypse, you’ll see how tough I am.” She flashes him that smile again where her eyes crinkle and she looks completely and utterly happy.

“Sam! We’re heading over to the bar. You coming?” Sebastian calls as he’s walking away.

Sam glances over his shoulder, the spell between him and Lainey breaking.

“Yeah, give me a sec!” He calls back.

“Go celebrate with your band,” Lainey lets go of him, stepping back with a soft laugh. “I’ll still be here after. Probably dancing but most definitely sober for when you’re ready to go home.”

Sam hesitates, his gaze lingering on her as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and flashes him that patient, glowing smile. Part of him wants to stay right here, just the two of them, away from the noise and the crowd and the mess in his head. But another part, the louder, messier part, pushes him toward the bar, toward the night that’s already waiting for him.

“Yeah,” He says finally, forcing a grin. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

As he turns and follows Sebastian, he feels her eyes on his back, and he wonders if she sees through him, if she knows just how badly he’s unraveling.

Lainey watches him go, her smile fading as a strange, gnawing sensation settles in her chest. It’s not jealousy, not really. It’s something deeper, something that’s been building ever since she came back to Stardew Valley. She shakes it off, telling herself it’s just the adrenaline from the show.

The music playing in the area is picking up and people from Pelican Town are already dancing in the middle area. It’s funny to see people let loose in a way they haven’t before.

“That show was incredible,” Harvey sneaks up behind Lainey as she watches the people dancing. “It’s been a minute since me and you have really talked.”

“I know, I know, I’m sorry,” She tells him honestly. “Things have been so hectic on the farm, there’s hay coming out of my ears. And then I have these farm half-dreams half-hallucinations when I’m in that stage between awake and asleep. I know I’m in my bed but for some reason, I’m also doing farm work in the hallucination and I ask myself why I’m doing farm work when I’m in bed but I don’t stop because it’s piling up in front of me. Sorry, you didn’t want to hear all that, Harvey. Let’s dance. You probably danced a lot in college, huh?”

“I don’t talk about those first four years a lot because I don’t remember half of them, I partied too hard.” He smiles, holding a hand out to her.

“Oh, come on, we are so dancing!”

“What is going on with you?” Sebastian asks as Sam gets comfortable at the bar with a drink in his hand.

“I’m a musician! Let me be.” Sam tells him.

“Whatever, dude. You’re doing too much.” Sebastian sighs and turns around to face the crowd.

He sees Lainey and Harvey and her face is totally lighting up. She looks happy. It’s been a while since she’s been around any of this and it’s clear to them she’s handling it well.

“Lainey’s having a good time.” Sebastian hums.

“What do you mean?” Sam asks but Sebastian just points and he sees Lainey with Harvey. She’s laughing and holding onto his arm as she does because she’s laughing so hard. Sam just rolls his eyes. “Oh, Harvey, you’re here. This fucking guy.”

“Hey, what’s your deal? We just had our first show and you’re being negative.” Sebastian complains before immediately walking off.

Sam sits there for a moment as the sun begins to set completely, darkening the area. It’s getting harder to focus on one thing as he anchors himself to the bar.

“Hey, you were great out there,” A voice says from beside him. He turns to see this girl with red hair who’s smiling at him like she’s trouble. “You’re cute. You should buy me a drink.”

Sam thinks for a moment. This is weird. But he also doesn’t really care when the girl he’s sure he loves is dancing with his doctor.

“Sure, why not?”

After an hour of having more fun in the city sober than she had in a long time, Lainey and Harvey step to the side. Elliott and Leah could definitely give them a run for their money.

“They could be cute together, don’t you think?” Lainey gestures to them.

“I don’t know. Don’t they seem more like friends?” Harvey asks.

“See, that’s what I thought at first but after doing some research I think it could make sense.” She tells him.

“What kind of research?” He laughs.

“I was talking to Leah and giving her a lot of goat cheese and eventually she told me all about her ex from the city. She opened up about a lot of things with her art too. See, she does physical art with her sculptures and stuff and he writes poems and stories and he’s definitely a lover, not a fighter like her ex. He’d probably worship her, which she probably needs right now.” Lainey tells him before reaching into her bag.

“How do you connect with people so easily? You’re so observant and easy to open up to, I don’t think I could ever be that w-“ Harvey starts before she loudly gasps. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t find my lipstick. Fuck, it must’ve fallen out of my bag when it was laying on the couch backstage to joke around. Sorry, I’ll be right back.” Lainey places a hand on his arm before turning that way.

Lainey moves quickly toward the backstage area, weaving through the clusters of people still chatting and lingering around the festival grounds. Her mind is half-focused on the missing lipstick, but there’s also a lingering warmth in her chest from the evening, the music, the laughter, the fun. It feels like she’s finally settling into something she hasn’t felt in years.

But as she pushes open the door to the backstage room, that warmth freezes into something cold and sharp.

Lainey stands frozen, the scene in front of her hitting her like a sucker punch. Sam, HER Sam, is tangled up with some girl on the couch with him on top of her, his hands on her waist, their mouths pressed together like they can’t get enough. The vodka bottle sits abandoned on the table, half-empty, but the sight of it feels full. Full of everything she thought she’d left behind.

Her chest tightens, her pulse hammering as the memories flood in of late nights, half-drunk laughter, strangers whose names she didn’t care to remember, kisses she didn’t want but went along with anyway because she was too out of it to care. The couch Sam’s on could’ve been in any one of those dressing rooms. It’s all too familiar. Too much.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” She chokes out, her voice barely recognizable to her own ears.

Sam stumbles back, his eyes wild and unfocused as they lock on her.

“Lainey-”

“Don’t.” Her hand flies up, her voice cracking under the weight of the moment. “Just don’t. What the hell are you doing, Sam? What is this?”

The girl shifts awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable now, but Lainey’s not looking at her. Her gaze is locked on Sam, who looks every bit the deer in headlights.

“I-” He falters, his words slurring slightly, and Lainey lets out a bitter laugh.

“You’re drunk,” she spits. “Of course you are. Yoba, this is so-” She breaks off, her breath catching in her throat as the past and present blur together. “This is exactly what my life used to be like. The drinking, the making out with strangers on disgusting couches- this is why I left, Sam! This is what I was running from!”

Her voice cracks again, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes as she throws her hands up in frustration.

“And you’re supposed to be better than this. I thought you were better.” She says, her voice like poison. Sam’s face falls, his jaw tightening as her words hit him.

“Lainey, please, I-”

“Don’t follow me,” She snaps, already backing toward the door. “I can’t, I can’t do this. Not again.”

The cool night air slaps her in the face as she pushes through the venue gates, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps. The parking lot is quiet, a stark contrast to the chaos in her mind. She presses a hand to her chest, trying to ground herself, but it doesn’t work.

Her whole body feels like it’s vibrating, the memories swirling in her head like a storm she can’t escape. The parties, the mistakes, the emptiness, all of it rushes back, suffocating her.

She thought she left this behind. She thought she was done with this. It’s all so familiar in a way that makes her mouth sour and her body shake.

Her legs give out, and she sinks onto the curb, her head in her hands as the tears finally spill over. She doesn’t even hear the footsteps behind her until Sam’s voice cuts through the haze.

“Lainey.”

Her head snaps up, and the sight of him only stokes the fire in her chest. He’s still flushed from the alcohol, his hair messy, his eyes filled with something that might be regret or maybe she’s just hoping it is.

“I told you not to follow me,” She says, her voice low and raw.

“I know,” He says, running a hand through his hair. “I know, but- I couldn’t just let you leave like that.”

“Why not?” She stands, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “So you could give me another excuse? Another ‘I’m sorry’? Because I’m so tired of hearing that, Sam. I’m tired of all of it.”

Sam’s mouth opens, then closes again, like he doesn’t know what to say. And for the first time, Lainey doesn’t wait for him to figure it out.

“You have no idea what it took for me to come back here,” She says, her voice rising. “To leave everything I worked for and try to start over. And I thought, you made me think, it was worth it. That you were worth it.”

The words hang in the air between them, and Sam looks like she just punched him in the gut.

“Lainey, I-”

“You’re drunk and making out with random girls while I’m out there cheering you on? That you’re turning into exactly the kind of person I thought you weren’t? This is all so familiar in the worst ways and my chest hurts, I feel like I can’t breathe. Seeing someone I love so much in that same position is too much, too much for all the healing I’ve been trying to do.” She shakes her head.

“Lainey, come on-“

“No,” She cuts him off, her voice trembling. “Don’t. Just don’t. I can’t keep doing this, Sam. I can’t keep pretending that you’re the same guy I grew up with if you’re not, if you’re-”

She breaks off, her voice cracking under the weight of her emotions.

“That’s not fair! For those five years you were gone, you called me five times! Five!” Sam tells her but she stands up so quickly.

“It’s not fair? What’s not fair is me running around like an idiot all day for you! Going with your dad to the city to get you a stupid cake and running around all year, going out of my way to make you happy because you were the one person who never made me feel like shit about anything until now,” She says as her eyes gloss over and his heart pulls because she looks so heartbroken. It kills him. “You don’t think I’ve felt bad about that? I’ve felt horrible! I cry about it like all the time because you deserved better but I try to be gentle with myself because it’s not like you called me either.”

“Lainey, I’m sorry,” He says, his voice cracking. “I don’t know what I’m doing. I just-“

“I can’t even look at you, Sam,” She breathes out, the lump in her throat growing as tears finally spill. “I am…such an idiot.”

“Lain-“

“No, I am. Sam…I’ve been in love with you since middle school. Probably since before that too but I don’t remember clear enough before middle school,” She tells him and his ears immediately start ringing and his stomach falls to the floor. “I didn’t move back here for you specifically but you were a big reason because no one else has ever felt like home the way you do. And now…I am so dumb. I’ve never felt so stupid, I’m an idiot. And I don’t want to be around you right now when I feel so embarrassed and so fucking stupid- I’m gonna go home. Take the bus with everyone else.”

Lainey storms toward her car, her breaths shallow and uneven, her face wet with tears she can’t seem to stop. Every part of her aches, like her heart is breaking in real-time, and her hands tremble as she digs in her bag for her keys.

“Lainey, wait!” Sam’s voice calls out behind her, but she doesn’t stop.

“Don’t, Sam!” She shouts over her shoulder, finally yanking her keys free. “Just leave me alone!”

She throws herself into the driver’s seat, slamming the door shut behind her and jamming the key into the ignition. The engine roars to life, and for a brief moment, she sits there gripping the steering wheel, her chest rising and falling with deep, shaky breaths.

But then she sees Sam out of the corner of her eye, standing in the middle of the parking lot, looking lost and broken and so much like the boy she used to know that it physically hurts. She tears her gaze away, putting the car into drive and pulling out before she can change her mind.

As she turns out onto the main road, the tears spill faster. She feels so dumb, she’s never felt so idiotic before. She should’ve known better than thinking Sam was too good to be true because when has anything ever worked out for her like that? Behind her, Sam is already running.

“Wait!” He yells, his voice hoarse and desperate. He stumbles onto the street, waving his arms at the first car he sees, a bright yellow taxi idling near the venue entrance.

Thankfully, it stops and Sam quickly climbs in. He’s already pulling his wallet out and shoving a wad of cash toward the man.

“Take me to Pelican Town. All of this, just- please. Don’t ask questions, just drive and all the cash in this wallet is yours.” Sam tells him.

“Pelican Town, huh?” The driver mutters as he pulls onto the road. “That’s a bit of a drive.”

“I have more than enough,” Sam says, leaning forward, his voice urgent. “Just go. Please.”

The car speeds off into the night, the city lights fading into the background as they head toward the valley. Sam’s mind races, his chest tightening with every mile that separates him from Lainey.

Her words replay in his head, over and over, until they’re all he can hear: “I’ve been in love with you since middle school. No one else has ever felt like home the way you do.” He knows now without a doubt that he loves this girl because seeing her like that has broken his heart into pieces. He loves her, fuck, he’s so in love with her.

It could only ever be Lainey. He couldn’t even enjoy kissing that girl because she wasn’t Lainey. She didn’t run her hands through his hair the way Lainey did, her lips didn’t cause him to spiral in the way Lainey’s did. Sinking into her didn’t feel like coming home the way Lainey did.

He presses his hands to his face, groaning softly. He’s messed everything up. He’s ruined the one thing that’s ever really mattered to him, and the only thought keeping him sane is the hope that maybe, just maybe, he can fix it.

#stardew farmer #sdv sam x reader #sdv sam #sam sdv #sam stardew valley #stardew valley sam #stardew valley #sebastian sdv #sdv abigail #sdv harvey #sdv sam x farmer

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intelisync · 1 year ago

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2024 Guide to Liquid Restaking: Everything Beginners Should Know

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missrockyqo · 3 days ago

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I'm sure you get lots of questions abt it, but where do you even start when it comes to character modelling? I've tried a couple times and can't get any of the shapes I want.. especially not these much larger body shapes. How do you do that?

I started with Minecraft skins. Switched to Blockbench, made my sona immediately, used that for less than a month. Instead of going head first into Blender I spent a few months building up to my sona again in December 2023. Did my best and then moved onto new characters. Artfight in July 2024, I made 17 heads, and burned out halfway through. I was sick and tired, I wanted to make BODIES and for them to look GREAT Instead of just going with what's in my head, I found plus size models and artists I liked, I used references, I used my own body. I made test bodies that were to be changed and tweaked for a month until I was satisfied with the result. This spawned Nia and Roxanne 3.0 in August. Hips, bellies, boobs, asses, they jut out, they are weight, they sag. Legs need space between them. These were details I tried to beat a subdivided cube into. But you need more than that. I always start from scratch, with a mirror modifier. I scale and extrude from a cube to the rough outline of my reference. For wider hips I extrude the sides of the lower half, move vertices in shape. This gives me space to extrude something for the pubic area. To big bellies and butts I extrude and then by each vertex I round them off. For boobs, I prefer to merge roundcubes to the chest. Alot of it is playing around with the exact shape until you like it, or it fits the reference. Finally, I do baked in lighting and shading on my texture, which really carries it to the end. When I started on Sybil last December, it took me 4 tries from scratch to get her body right. Each time I looked for more references for help. Until I distilled the pancake/fat fold into as simple a shape as possible and added stripes to her texture where they were needed. There is alot of overlap in her mesh, I think it's inevitable when you're trying to do this sort of thing, otherwise stuff looks like it's floating, or weirdly avoiding contact. This might be too long, but I hope it helps 💖 Also if you are doing low poly check out Voxid's tutorials just a solid guide to help you on all aspects of the process.

#3d modeling

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roachliquid · 10 months ago

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Roach Liquid's Impromptu Fantasy Anatomy Lessons: Human Claws

I've been reading a lot of monster TF lately, and boy has it got me thinking about things. Specifically, it's got me thinking about Humanoid Monster Claws.

Humans, as you no doubt know, do not have claws as such. We have what are called nails - broad, flat sheets of keratin that cover the tips of our fingers and extend somewhat beyond. You can probably tell just by looking at them that they're not made for stabbing or slicing or anything like that - in fact, the main thing they're good at is scratching itches.

So when people give their humanoid monsters claws, of course they jazz them up! We're talking 1.5-2 inches of thick, opaque, bear-like monstrosities, often tapered to a needle-like and ready to rend some flesh. You know, like these bad boys:

And... I won't argue that these don't look badass. They totally do! But I've been growing out my own normal human claws (fingernails) for a few months now, and I've learned some really fun things about how human (and animal) nails work that could really add some verisimilitude to your monster's claws, if you're into that.

I'm going to start with some comparative anatomy. First, here's a picture of human fingernails:

(Eyefive45, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

As you can see, the nails of the human hand are wide, flat, and very thin. This is probably because the main thing we use them for is scratching itches; they aren't really for combat. But I want a cool humanoid monster with claws, so let's look at claws that are combat-ready:

(Shizhao, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Bears are great for comparison because, unlike many other animals (sorry, werewolves), their claws are very much built for carving things open. As you can see, a bear's claws are long and narrow from side to side, but very thick from top to bottom, tapering down to a point as they extend. They're also anchored deep within the bear's toes, rather than close to the surface, and have a notable downward curve.

So what does this do for the bear? A few things! The curvature of the claws gives them more downward power, making it easier to dig into whatever the bear is swinging at instead of glancing off. Since this action is going to put a lot of upward force on the nails, we have a very thick structure to keep them from bending or breaking, backed up by a strong anchoring point to stop them from being torn out.

They are also, however, not very pointy. While the tips are worn down enough to be flat, they are still quite broad, and only gently rounded. That's because bear claws are always extended, and their tips wear down as the bear walks - but also, because claws don't need to be sharp to rend flesh. It's the bear's raw strength that lets them do that, and let me tell you, the damage they can do with these suckers is brutal.

Does this mean your monster can't have razor-sharp claws? Nope, not at all! But while the bear's blunt claws are made for gouging, animals with tiny, needle-like claws use them for something rather different.

Here's an illustration to get us started:

(Fabian, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Cats of all sizes have very sharp claws, but that's only part of the picture. Like the bear, a cat's claws are thick vertically and anchored deep in the flesh, but there are some interesting differences here. Firstly, the claws have a much stronger curve, producing a half-crescent shape that directs even more force downward. Secondly, they have an impressive range of motion, being able to grasp and release things with their claws like a human does with their fingers. And thirdly, their claws are retractable, allowing them to maintain their sharp points.

What these claws are good for is grabbing. They can certainly still do damage - cat scratches are no laughing matter - but if you've spent any time around cats, you'll know that they don't really use them as out-and-out weapons in a fight. A scratch is a warning - a brief burst of pain to let you know what you're in for if you keep messing with them. But if they want to attack you, those claws are used to drag you in to get you in range of their real weapons: the cat's formidable teeth.

So, how does this tie back to humanoid monsters? To answer that, let's recall what we've learned about all these different paws:

Bears and cats, who use their claws to attack, have strong, thick claws embedded in the flesh of their toes. Humans have wide, flat nails that bend easily and anchor only at the top of the finger.

Bears, who use their claws to slash, have rounded claw ends. Cats, who use their claws to grab, have sharp claw ends. Humans, who use their claws - er, nails - to scratch itches, have squared or rounded nail ends.

In other words, if a human tried to grow out their nails into long, scratching claws, three things would happen when they tried to use them:

1: They wouldn't do much damage. The flexibility of their nails would mean a lot of that force just goes into bending the nails, instead of into their enemies' flesh.

2: The nails could end up tearing. Human nails are pretty flexible, but bend them enough and they still risk tearing.

3: Some nails could come off altogether. They're weakly anchored, and if they're strong enough to resist flexing backwards, that upward force is gonna head right for the nail bed.

Now, in growing out my own Extra Strong Itch Scratchers, I've noticed a couple of additional things about my nails:

1: The ideal tip for them is not flat, not a point, but a semicircle. Rounding the ends protects the sides from a lot of damage, and makes the nails themselves stronger and more rigid than either a flat or tapered tip. Don't ask me how that works, I'm not a scientist.

2: The ideal length is about 3/16" long, or 5 mm. (Your nails may differ depending on their thickness.)

3: You could do some real damage with these things. Since growing them out, I've constantly had to hold myself back when scratching so I don't scratch too deep irritate the skin. You wouldn't do fatal damage, but you could manage a decent cat scratch.

So where does that leave us for humanoid monsters?

Well, it means that some interpretations are a bit more plausible, or at least verisimilitudinous, than others. It's up to you whether you care about that kind of thing; if you really want to have two-inch goth monstrosities, I'm the last person to try and stop you. But if you want to make things a little more natural, some points to consider:

Narrower, thicker claws are better for fighting, no matter how you use them. If you can't or don't want to make them narrow, shorter works too. An inch or less is a good compromise for being Big and Scary without being obviously breakable.

Sharper claws =\= deadlier claws. A truly deadly claw is long, sturdy, and has a powerful swat behind it. Pointy claws are for grabbing and anchoring - a good addition to combat, but not a main weapon - and need a dramatic curve for best results.

I didn't cover this above, but bones do not make good claws. If they did, any animal ever would use their bones for claws - but they don't. They use specialized structures, made out of a more flexible material that regrows constantly (to resist wear and tear) and has no nerve endings (to prevent pain from the inevitable claw damage). Again, you can still do bone claws if they really float your boat, but they're just not very believable.

The shape, size, and function of a claw will depend on the monster that has them. A big, hulking werewolf wouldn't "realistically" have long rending claws - but if they do, because frankly it's just cool, long and rounded is the way to go. A vampire might have flexible feet with batlike claws for hanging from closet poles - or hands with short, curved cat claws for grasping their prey while they drink its blood. (And don't worry about those claws being retractable - considering how little wear the average human's nails take, I think they'll be fine.)

Obviously, not every monster is a vampire or werewolf, so just do whatever works for their hunting/fighting style. There are lots of animals with different kinds of claws - claws for climbing, claws for grooming, claws for whatever the fuck turtles do with their claws - so you've got no shortage of material to play with.

And that's that! Your incredibly long guide post to the world of monster claws. Have fun!

#writing #worldbuilding #art #monster design #monsters #long post

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