#sometimes you really don't need to play devil's advocate

[spoppet]

some dissent on the conflict between the typhon and humanity

boilerplate spoiler disclaimer here: lotta big plot spoilers here. this is a long one, buckle up.

i’ve recently been seeing a lot of posts that’s like “oh the typhon are the good guys actually” and i feel the need to push back against what comes across as borderline contrarianism.

to preface this: I don’t think humanity are “the good guys”, per se. transtar corporation itself as an entity is absolutely unambiguously evil and you will hear no disagreement on that from me; it is steered and commanded by and at the behest of shadowy cyberpunk-adjacent neo-feudal billionaire lords (this is almost directly pointed out in logs you can find in Mooncrash). the arrogance of these people and their lackeys (namely the Yu siblings and their direct subordinates, especially in Psychotronics who had no excuse of ignorance) — their arrogance is a tremendous sin. it is abundantly clear that a core subtext of the game is that capitalism and privatization will consume all it can without regard for anything but profit. capitalism is as much of a devouring, uncaring monster as any typhon. with that said, i cannot agree with the notion that the typhon are “the good guys”. let’s break this down from the top.

the very first interaction humanity has with the typhon is a malfunctioning lunar satellite during early exploration of the solar system, to which they send an astronaut who is immediately attacked (unprovoked!) and killed. all subsequent attempts at communication seem to have failed. The Soviets and US government both agree this is a serious threat that they should contend with together, but because of political squabbles and confirmation bias and outcome bias (and lack of perceived benefit) they part ways and put the project on hold... after more typhon attack scientific personnel just who at the time were largely only observing them, killing them in the process. some idiot in government foists it off on the private sector without realizing the risk they’re creating.

(as a brief aside: outcome bias due to political pressure is the primary reason that both the space shuttles Challenger and Columbia were destroyed; politicos and capitalists putting their own interests above the welfare of their astronauts against the advice of their more informed specialists and anything approaching good sense. the shuttles’ design was compromised by military-industrial interests as well and that was a factor but that’s a story for another time.)

another point to make here: the Typhon appeared at a Lagrangian point - lunar L2, if memory serves. With all the mention of the Great Filter and Fermi’s Question the game makes (down to multiple paintings in Morgan’s apartment!) that is absolutely not a coincidence... because literally any spacefaring species is going to use Lagrangian points due to their benefits for space travel (I’ll spare the details but they make navigation easier). supplementary data from mooncrash logs strongly implies that the Typhon wait on other planes/dimensions/instances of reality for any activity at these points, potentially for millions or billions of years — and that’s the dinner bell, because non-sentient beings probably aren’t going to develop spaceflight. People seem to conveniently forget the following:

The Typhon are sentience-eating interdimensional trapdoor spiders who are heavily implied to have committed species-wide genocides countless times. I dunno about you, but i think maybe genocide-buffet isn’t cool just because some assholes who weren’t held accountable were doing unethical experiments. the reveal at the end of the game makes it clear that humanity’s on the ropes, billions are likely dead and consumed, the vast majority of which were innocent people who had no say whatsoever in whatever Transtar was doing. even if we assume everyone on the station actually knew because “the simulation must be biased!” as i see a common argument (that I disagree with)... people earthside sure seem to have not known.

another aside: i’ve seen people dismiss the idea of mirror neurons in pro-typhon posts re: their lack of them as a supposed excuse, but they seem to conveniently forget that while this among other things are questionable at best in our world, in the setting of Prey, Panpsychism and Orchestrated Objective Reduction are unambigously real (there’s a bunch of references to it and other related concepts to it throughout the game, both in reading material and on whiteboards - the former in the Psychotronics director’s office, the latter in Igwe’s quarters, if memory serves). things work just a tad differently. While Alex is an unreliable narrator, I really don’t think it’s a stretch that the Typhon are literally physically unable to empathize with sentient life.

all of this in mind, part of the reason I find the cooperation ending interesting is precisely because it spells out that conflict and exploitation breeds misery and death, and that forging avenues of communication and empathy is what you should do. the whole point is that transtar was approaching the issue from a consumptive, exploitative mindset, and so were the typhon. both wanted to extract from the other; but unlike the typhon humanity isn’t a hivemind. there was no collective agreement from all seven billion people that all of them should be killed for, whereas the typhon act in unison to consume without fail and without pause, without agency of their own... unless introduced to it via new methods of perception and cognition, i.e. Project Cobalt and the player character.

therein ultimately lies my main issue: while i absolutely think Alex Yu is just a tremendously evil piece of excrement who did so many fucking things hideously wrong (Danielle’s assessment of him is quite accurate), his assertion that humans are quick to project ourselves onto that which we do not understand is extremely relevant here, i.e. the argument that the typhon were just ickle innocent space creatures that were experimented on for no reason and that they must have been suffering is a very human perception and projected assumption they can or do feel the way we do, which is categorically not the case. transtar is evil and amoral precisely because it consumes sentient beings in the way the typhon do: because it is always hungry, but that is not the totality of humanity, merely its worst impulses. the typhon are more force of nature than villain per se, but by the logic that they’re the good guys so’s a tsunami that kills thousands of people who had no say in the climate change that corporations are causing... which is kind of a fucked up victimblamey throughline imo.

Prey’s thesis statement, to me, is that if everyone takes there’s only misery, but sometimes the right thing to do is to give - in this case, the capability to empathize and communicate. transtar was mistaken, but those mistakes must be corrected. humanity can give, where the typhon... don’t, at least not willingly. Morgan outright says it in one log, that we keep putting them (the powers in the interest of consuming and exploiting) into us, instead when we should have put us into them, to build a bridge and a connection for understanding. the whole goddamn point (at least imo) is that without trying to hope, without trying to see, without trying to mend, there is no future.

... but if at your darkest hour you really fucking try to make it right and to give, maybe just maybe there’s a chance there’ll be a change for the better.

[mrs-monaghan]

So, I kinda think that Jikook are a thing. Just because there's sth different compared to other relationships in bangtan*.

But to kinda play devil's advocate: I think it's easy to read into stuff and skew the perspective. We as shippers might think that just cause Jikook sometimes do sth they don't with other members that it's a sign of sth romantic, but it could also just be that their friendship grew different from the others.

Them having insane chemistry and different ways of showing their platonic love doesn't make it romantic. We have no clue what actual romantic gestures Jimin or Jungkook would show towards their partners b/c their insane status forbids it. I'm not trying to pretend that there's nothing there like I'm some 20th century history dude pretending queer ppl don't exist, but that it's just not cut n dry.

I want Jikook to be real. But I also want men to have friendships like Jikook have

----

* Rosebowl, GCF Tokyo and Saipan, MAMA 2018, wtf that naked JK live was, Letter

Aaah. Yes. Good old devil's advocate. I can do that too! Like I specifically remember that one time I was checking out my friend. Just looking at them up and down, for a while too. Lord knows what I was thinking, but I simply couldn't help myself, they looked so good. U know?

I find myself doing this. With my friend. That i mentioned earlier. I keep just admiring him for no reason, sometimes I even subconsciously bite my lip and shit

Tbf, this friend, is really hot, so I can't help myself. But we are just friends so it doesn't mean anything. Take for example when I wrote that I was handcrafted for my friend. I left that on display in a museum for all to see. Idk why I did that. But its normal, right? To let everyone know that you are handcrafted for your friend?

Anon you're right. Playing devil's advocate is kind of an eye opener. I mean, I haven't even told you about the lack of personal space between my friend and I. I don't wanna share pictures of us, of my friend and I, so I'm using Jikook as examples. Just trying to paint a better picture for you here. So the lack of personal space i mentioned;

Like there was that one time we were sharing lice

And that other time it was just comfortable. That's all.

Usually though, the closer the better.

And I will tell you something; we have always been like this.

You don't even need a magnifying glass to see this. If u were around us, you would see it too.

But I mostly think its a bit weird how our other friends react to us.

But I don't really care.

.

.

I want Jikook to be real. But I also want men to have friendships like Jikook have. *Proceeds to list none platonic Jikook moments*

This one especially showcases the Jikook friendship so so well.

You know that moment when you take your friend's sweaty ear into your mouth to comfort them when they're emotional? C'mon, we all know this moment, we've all done it with our friends, right? Anyway, there is something about that, that just screams "friends!"

I want Jikook to be real. But I also want men to have friendships like Jikook have.

Those men anon, those friendships, they do exist........ And they are fucking each other.

[jalapenobee]

Hc's under the cut

So I don't ship Gin with anyone but Tachihara lowkey finds her attractive

He's constantly flirting with her (with no intention of anything real btw) and she just sighs and deals with it

Hirotsu is so confused

Gin would see Tachihara as a brother

I think other than Akutagawa she feels the most comfortable around Tachihara and Hirotsu

Also Tachihara and Gin do like. Everything together.

Like if Tachihara needs to shake an admirer he'd just say he's dating Gin and she'd be like 'ok sure' and play along

They fake date for a lot of reasons a lot of times

For this reason it is safe to say Akutagawa is not Tachihara's biggest fan (although Tachihara lowkey looks up to him)

Hirotsu always gets wrapped up in their antics whether he likes it or not

He's the designated getaway driver/diversion/alias/backup

They all think the same way btw

Like finish each other's sentences and shit

Between the three of them there's only one braincell

It belongs to Hirotsu and Hirotsu only

Tachihara and Gin like making weapons stuff together

One time they tried making a gun that shot knives and nearly killed Hirotsu

They got a sTeRn TaLkInG tO after that

Tachihara claims he can hear voices but it's really just Gin whispering in his ear at night

She drags along Hirotsu and he records his reactions

It was Gin who convinced Tachihara not to get rose gold dangle earrings. Hirotsu bought them for him behind her back and he wears them whenever she's not looking

Tachihara styles their hair and Akutagawa is not too happy about that

'...Gin wtf your hair-'

'Look at Atsushi he's worse'

Tachihara and Gin constantly try to smoke but Hirotsu has The Sense and stops them every time

He has gone. Great lengths. To make sure they don't smoke.

'Kids, smoking isn't beneficial to your health. *takes a puff*'

He's the biggest hypocrite ever

Like he'll tell the kids to sleep and stay up all night himself

Gin slips sleeping medication in his late night tea and Tachihara makes sure his sheets are clean (because he never cares to clean them himself)

Hirotsu knows this and doesn't say a thing

Tachihara and Hirotsu have an ongoing prank war while Gin plays the devil's advocate

Gin is always cooking for them

Tachihara tried to learn from her and [redacted for your safety]

The kids are always trying to get Hirotsu to go shopping or play video games with them and he always tries to say no

It doesn't work

Tachihara found a stray cat and started taking care of it. Hirotsu covers for him and Gin tries to get him in trouble

Tachihara wants so badly to be the love advice guy but he's really bad at it. Everyone goes to Hirotsu instead

He's also such a drama queen. You think Hirotsu takes care of Tachihara and Gin? No it's him and Gin babysitting Tachihara

Gin and Tachihara sometimes just walk through Yokohama together

She always points to some emo-looking thing in a window and whisper 'that's you'

Tachihara and Hirotsu have the best hearing out of the pm because Gin used to (and still does) whisper really really quietly

When Tachihara first joined he was the prime target of Gin's antics (mainly because she was unnerved at the thought of someone new in the black lizard)

They were insufferable. Tachihara would always take her stuff and yell at her because of it and yeah

It wasn't until Gin got used to him then she started to treat him as an equal and not a um. A toddler.

Hirotsu is the king of empty threats

And yet, the kids try their hardest not to piss him off. If they do, he does Things

One time Gin snapped his monocle chain and everyone who was present at the pm hq knew of her former buzz cut gone wrong within ten minutes via loudspeaker announcement

Tachihara didn't realize that Akutagawa was Gin's brother until he tried to joke with him about her

Let's just say his ribs were far from perfect condition for a while

It's one of the many reasons he's scared half to death of him (and also Gin)

Nevertheless he looks up to him (did I say that already?) and occasionally they get along

Like sskk when they first went in the thing with Pushkin except it's not romantic

[theabyssgazesalsointoyou]

random trivial bmc headcanons because i'm bored

christine

plays around with her hair a lot so it seems curlier/messier than it actually is

korean. because i said so.

keeps a journal and it's like 'play rehearsal was so fun! also, i don't get the concept of life [200 word philosophical essay]'

lots of bruises she doesn't even remember getting bc she keeps bumping into stuff

carries around so many fucking pens and she doesn't even use half of them

rich

somewhat caffeine intolerant but addicted to it and doesn't care

an unhinged sense of fashion

an irrational burning hatred for country music

knows a ton of weird niche trivia and party tricks that are practically useless

can fluently encode & decode simple ciphers like rot13

brooke

great at math, it's her favorite subject

sometimes dots her i's and j's with hearts

her vision is slightly mismatched bc her hair keeps falling over one eye

the Most Dog Person you will ever meet

refuses to kill bugs and releases them outside with her bare hands. chloe is horrified

jenna

loves to read

huge fan of horror and supernatural/paranormal stuff

likes animals generally considered ugly/creepy

incredibly niche music taste & uploads her own music to soundcloud

has a 300-day streak on duolingo. she dabbles in all kinds of languages and has like 5 courses

jake

favorite color used to be orange as a little kid

writes in all caps & texts with perfect grammar

cannot keep plants alive to save his life. brooke gave him a succulent once and he killed it within a month (much to her dismay)

gets way too easily annoyed with illogical things

has a habit of absentmindedly scribbling on paper

michael

probably has like. 4 cats

will die on any and every hill just to mess with people. loves playing devil's advocate

very adventurous when it comes to food. he eats the weirdest shit ever

names inanimate objects (his laptop/headphones etc)

little superstitions like wishing on things

jeremy

has a crooked smile he's insecure of

bad at tying shoelaces. they always get undone and he's always tripping on them

keeps the squip squad group chat on mute and checks it like once a week

lowkey needs glasses but thinks he can manage without them so he's always squinting

has 7000 unused apps on his phone bc he downloads them, gets bored of them after a day and forgets to delete them

chloe

secretly really into art (of all kinds)

has a pet betta named gatsby

likes old disney movies

mildly allergic to pollen

loves taking pictures and will make you wait at restaurants so she can take a picture of your food

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Before I say anything else I want to be clear about two things.

One, if you don't have the energy to respond to this/don't want it on your blog I totally understand.

Two this really is in good faith. I'm not playing devils advocate and I'm not trying to prove a point or do a gotcha or anything.

In regards to the involuntary treatment for addiction(and for mental health issues in general), I don't entirely see the problem, and I was hoping you (or someone responding to your blog) could explain why it's such a bad idea.

I understand that these systems provide the perfect opportunity for serious abuse, and I also understand that they fundamentally are violating a person's freedoms.

I also understand that harm reduction options, like safe usage sites, are the best way to go, and that we should be putting our energy and resources into those.

But I also know in my own experiences I do not always have my best interests in mind, and sometimes I need someone to make me do the right things for myself.

My mental health has never gotten so bad that I have been institutionalized, so I may just not be fully grasping the depth of the flaws in the institutions, or I may not be properly understanding the state of mind of someone who is institutionalized.

However, it feels like assuming everyone will always make the right choices for themselves in the context of addiction and mental health, which doesn't seem like a responsible assumption to make.

Obviously I'd rather these institutions not have to exist, and instead provide people support before it reaches the point these systems are used, but we are not at that point yet, and it seems to me like involuntarily treatment is important in the interim.

Is this a situation where we should allow people to make a decision destructive to themselves rather than remove their freedom to make that decision? Or am I oversimplifying it?

I really am asking genuinely, and I'm very open to someone changing my mind. I just can't understand the issue at the moment.

Answer by @politicsofcanada:

There are a few reasons why I oppose involuntary commitment/involuntary treatment.

First of all, it doesn't work. Overwhelmingly, being institutionalized against your will does not benefit your mental or physical health. I studied this in college as well as having firsthand experience. The isolation and judgement that come with being institutionalized make people more likely to use substances to cope. Also, it is akin to being sent to jail for being mentally ill (which also happens but I won't get in to that right now). I've been in these places and they are not comforting, welcoming, or supportive environments. The concept of being sent to jail for being mentally ill should be more than enough to make people oppose this.

These places are rife with abuse and mistreatment. Staff are often violent, condescending, and sometimes sexually abusive. Much like the prison system, (because it operates in nearly exactly the same way) people of colour, poor people, and lgbtq+ people are overrepresented in the system. Marginalized people are more likely to experience addiction as a result of alienation from society, and involuntary commitment only makes that sense of alienation worse. Overwhelmingly, the best support one can offer someone experiencing addiction is safe supply, safe consumption sites, and community support.

Community support is far more effective than institutionalization. The only reason people prefer to lock people with addictions away is because its more convenient not to deal with them. Actually caring about people dealing with this means including them in your community, not locking them away.

[the-goya-jerker]

What are your favorite movies? Any recommendations?

ALWAYS.

I love film. I love TV shows. I love to watch things.

I'll try to group these up. But they're below a cut because this will get long.

Oh, also, I recommend checking out the Does the Dog Die and/or Unconsenting Media page for movies on here. These check for common triggers for the first, and specific sexual content in the second. Both are quite thorough, and Unconsenting Media always needs more contributers.

Please, if you have triggers of any kind, curate your experiences, advocate for yourself. These sites can really help you.

If you like straight up horror:

The VVitch is an absolute favorite, I'm an absolute sucker for historical accuracy.

The Sudbury Devil is of a similar vein. It's weird! Don't get me wrong! The quality isn't the best, but I did like it!

St. Maud is another one, very religious and very creative.

I like the original Wickerman, but I don't really see it as horror... That guy was a dick and a cop.

The Wind is fun, I didn't like the ending much, but I'm really into atmospheric horror. There's a fun game based on it. (Even if I find the creator's other works a little... suspicious, ideologically.)

Bride of Reanimator has a special place in my heart.

V/H/S '94 is a recent watch of mine. Not every piece in it is good, and the framing device is weak, but I liked it for what it was nevertheless. Big youtube short films/ARG vibes.

Go watch Portrait of God on youtube. It's scary, eerie, and it made my stomach churn a bit.

Crimson Peak is also very very good. Very gothic, but I'm grouping it here for how violence is presented.

If you like things with horror elements that are more gothic than straight up horror:

Interview with the Vampire is a big favorite of mine. I love the books, the show, and especially the movie.

Donnie Darko is fun, very philosophical, a little weird, but I've loved it since I was young.

Ex Machina is interesting to me, I find it enjoyable, even though I have criticisms of how it handles some things.

The Tragedy of Macbeth is lovely. It captures the feeling of a stage play while also using the unique capabilities of film to propel itself into something uniquely good.

The Green Knight on the other hand is not a faithful adaptation. But it has something new to say and do, and I love what it does.

Poor Things deserves every big of hype it gets. If you haven't seen it, it's Frankenstein but with delightfully surreal worldbuilding. The world feels like a painting. Also it's very good as a feminist piece, in my opinion. If a bit singular.

The Love Witch is beautiful, and fascinating to me. I have a special fascination with wicca and neo-pagan movements though, as well as witchcraft and folk-magic.

For things entirely unrelated to horror:

Hedwig and the Angry Inch restructured my brain.

Technically HBO's Angels in America is a mini-series. Watch it like a movie if you can though. I watched it that way for a film class and it's closer to the original play that way.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is a very fun spy romp. Listen, just watch it and turn off your brain.

The John Wick movies, while "basic" are a beautiful ballet of violence and action. I do like the mythological elements as well.

The Harder They Fall fucks severely. It's a western centered on an entirely black main cast.

Mama Mia, need I say more.

I do not consider Renfield horror, but god if it isn't fun.

Dungeons and Dragons, sometimes you need a good, well made, movie that's kinda a little stupid.

Barbie Princess and the Pauper isn't good, but I like it.

Spider-verse. Like the whole series. I have a special attachment to these. They're utterly beautiful.

Cats. Is it good? NO!! But you should watch it anyway. Let the awful CGI melt into your brain, let it consume you and just watch. (Someone wants me to say you should watch the movie of the stage production instead)

Watch The Invitation. Go in blind. I'm begging you. Just give it a shot. Don't look up anything.

[pallastrology]

aquarius: venus vs. mars

venus

venus in aquarius is more mellow. there's a silkiness to venus in aquarius that just isn't really there for any other placement. they aren't soft, by any means, but there's an elegance and lightness to them. they are less brusque and tend to get along with people more easily, but they can sometimes feel like they have to hide a part of themselves to do this

they are more self-conscious. the brilliant nature of aquarius, when combined with social venus, can lead to the native being self-aware to a fault. they can feel they're watching themselves from the outside, they have a harsh inner critic, and they can get stuck wondering if they present on the outside, how they feel on the inside

they often dislike conflict. as part of being social and more agreeable than most aquarians, venus in aquarius doesn't find arguing fun, the way a lot of their aquarian cousins do. they aren't afraid of conflict, but they see it as a necessary evil, rather than an intriguing social experiment or a chance to change someone's opinion, or a situation

mars

they are more stubborn. with mars in aquarius, the native has a lot of staying power. they aren't particularly quick to make up their mind, and they do consider all avenues, but once it's made up, it takes a lot to change it. they're the type to need evidence and a strong argument before they'll rescind their opinion. that being said, a nice thing about mars in aquarius is they aren't afraid to admit to being wrong, and they don't have any stigma about changing their opinions when shown why they should

they like to argue. they often find debates and conflict exhilarating, and can find it hard to stay away from drama because of this. they aren't trolls, though they do have a great sense of humour. but they almost never shy away from a chance to argue with someone, and can sometimes be guilty of playing devil's advocate, just to prolong the fun

mars in aquarius is busier. where venus in aquarius is very active internally and socially, mars is more physically active. they can be fidgety like an aries, but aren't always; what you do tend to see, are physical hobbies and pastimes. they may be traditionally physical, like a sport, or something a little more unconventional, like building, creating or growing. either way, we see a lot of activity and growth from the native, and they need both their minds and bodies to be stimulated to stay sane

both

aquarius placements are genuine. they don’t play games, and they don’t make a show of things. although there’s a lot of nuance to the sign that isn’t always easily understood, what you see is what you get with aquarius. they are honest, and they value honesty in all parts of life, too

aquarius is loving. an often-overlooked trait in the native, they are deeply compassionate and loving; they are of the people, for the people. they work hard to improve things for their community, and while they can find one-on-one relationships a strain at times, there is nobody better suited to being part of a loving community than aquarius; they love the world deeply

they are eye-catching. any aquarius placement has this affect, though it’s more obvious with some. it’s not quite otherworldly, it’s something more grounded. they have a way about them that draws people in, and they are more charismatic than given credit for at times. i think it’s the quietly unapologetic way they go through life, never altering who they are for any system. it’s a highly attractive trait, to be relentlessly, shamelessly one’s own self

they are misunderstood. i think they may be one of the most misunderstood signs. aquarius gets a reputation for being kooky, clever and quirky, and these things aren’t exactly untrue. they are a little kooky, unorthodox, and often very intelligent. but this view of aquarius is a shallow one in my opinion; the sign is kind, and altruistic, and questioning, and while impulsive, they aren’t thoughtless in the slightest

[if-seal]

hi if seal! I'm writing a short little romance if, and I sort of have the assumption that, since it's so short, the player has to buy in to liking at least *one* of the ros. but I also want to give the option of being hostile with one and friendly with the other. unfortunately, the way I've done this has ended up with the possibility of being hostile to *both*. I don't consider or intend for the story to be really fulfilling without liking one of them, and I don't want to accidentally imply to the reader that that is the case. do you have any suggestions for how to safeguard against this, or properly signpost to the player in advance? thank you, and have a nice swim!

Dear Friend In A Romantic Tangle,

Did you know that grey seals return to the same place each year to breed, and usually even return to the same spot in their colony?

Which is not to say that we are talking about breeding, per se, but I thought it was at least tenuously related to your question.

This sounds like a fun game! I am sending you all of the good wishes and kudos about it, and about the fact that you are making a short game - short can most certainly be very sweet!

A brief Devil's Advocate moment (sometimes I can be a mischievous seal): would the game work with a path where the PC can be hostile to both? Is there room for that?

If the answer is yes, then there's some work to be done around fleshing out that potential path and making it fulfilling to play.

But I will go ahead and answer assuming that the answer is no!

I wonder if there is a way of setting the two characters against each other so that being hostile to both becomes mutually exclusive. For instance:

Gertie the grey seal: "Ugh, Harry, stop eating all the bananas or I'm not being your roommate anymore."

Harry the harbour seal: "You can't talk, you're the one who traipses water all through the house."

Gertie: "The PC agrees with me, don't you, PC?"

This means the PC is put in a position to choose between the two, and it nudges the PC into being active. You don't have to include an option that's "I hate both of you and I'm going off to be a lonely seal with no connections" but you can include one that's "I want to be friends with you both, can we mediate this?"

You may also benefit from a mutually exclusive time or energy pressure. One romance interest might need the PC's help or attention for something at a particular time which coincides with the other one. Or it could be as simple as both characters asking you to go to a party together and choosing which of them you'd like to go with. You can make it clear in the narrative that this will mean you're prioritising one character over another; this could also serve to show that you're giving one of them support and are therefore setting your relationship to a positive one.

As for signposting, your first port of call is to make it clear in the game's description. If your description says "this is a romance game about finding love with your best friend or your coworker", or even simply something like "this is a romance game about finding a connection in a troubling world" if you don't want to get specific about the characters, that will put players in the zone of understanding what the game is about.

There is also room within the narrative to show that the PC is hoping for connection. There are lots of differing opinions about whether a PC should have feelings imposed upon them, but if your PC is not framed as a blank slate figure, this will be more enjoyable. Even if the PC is not very defined, it is OK to include elements in their internal thoughts about yearning for romance, reflecting on loneliness, that they have had a bad breakup, or similar. Leaning into what makes the characters appealing to the PC, and showing the PC's response (both pickable by the player and in the text) will help too.

It can be helpful to taking some time to consider the PC in more detail, thinking about what's brought them to this point where they want a connection with one of these characters. Is it a prior connection with the character? Chemistry with a stranger? Going through an intense emotional experience with one or both of them? With a strong inner voice and desires, you will find it feels more natural for them not to alienate both characters.

All of this may involve some reshuffling of your scenes or code, but it is better to do that work now than to spend lots of time writing a path that you don't really want to include and maybe wouldn't be fun to play anyway.

There is sometimes a mismatch of expectations around the scope of a game: we see it in big games and small ones alike, and around options provided to players. Sometimes it can be tricky to see players saying "my character wouldn't want to bother lighting the lighthouse at this point because the weather is too bad" when the premise is about being a competent lighthouse-keeper, or "my character wouldn't romance these folks" when the premise is about a character looking for romance.

In case you need it, I am giving you warm permission to include the paths that feel right to you, and not to include an alone/purely hostile route if it doesn't feel right.

Good luck with your game and I hope you enjoy making it!

[gojonanami]

lmaooo I’m starting to feel bad for prof geto — also it’s funny because there was so many people who were just doubled down on prof geto and now everyone is like yuta 💕🥹 which I’m glad for!! lmao you make fair points — I mean the point is for it to be a mistake! But it’s also understandable to try something even if it doesn’t ultimately work out — because you really don’t know until you try. he also has a lot more work because the last dept head fucked things up but honestly poor yuta is caught in the crossfire of this situation — he will have his own happy ending though 🥹💕

Look, I want to defend Professor Geto.

I think Professor Geto's actions make sense. They do. And I think this chapter prevents Professor Geto from turning into a Gary Stu.

It's hard to maintain a long-term relationship, and it is not the same as having a relationship in person. It is not. Having a video call with someone over dinner is not the same thing as seeing them in person. There is a reason why the people you're closest to physically and geographically end up being your closest friends. For instance, one of my friends from school who I was not that close to but still friends with ended up becoming one of my best friends because we attended the same university. And another friend of mine I now barely talk to because we live continents and time zones away and because the rhythms of our lives are so different and we are now out of sync. It didn't happen because I didn't want to be friends with her, but simply because ten to fifteen minute calls could never equate to meeting up with someone in person every day and sending hours talking to them or just being in their presence. I am getting off track now, I know, but the point still stands: given that long-term relationships are not the same thing as having a relationship in person, and given that you love that person and want them to experience the maximum amount of happiness possible, if it comes at the cost of your own unhappiness, does that not make sense?

Yuta is a new character that we don't have an established relationship with. Fine, he is nice, I will concede. And he is nice to her. But to play the devil's advocate, he seizes upon the opportunity of her having a long-distance relationship with her boyfriend. He pays attention to her phone calls, subtly presses her about her boyfriend, and positions himself in her life in such a way as to function as a quasi-replacement for her boyfriend. For her birthday, he does not offer to throw her a birthday party with the Student Committee or ask her about her family or her friends. Instead, he wants her to spend the day with him and with him only, and while that is not strictly stated, such a reading can still be read into and made (I don't have the time to isolate sections of the text currently).

Coming back to Professor Geto, though. Professor Geto is young, smart, accomplished, and handsome, with phenomenal career growth. Despite his young age, he is successful. He is influential. He has published countless articles and books, given lectures, travelled to conferences and other universities, and functioned as a poster boy for both the university he was employed at and for the field of ethics at large, which is in desperate need of such poster boys to attract interest and even students. While it is not explicitly stated (perhaps for reasons of my selfishness), I am assuming that he works at a very, very good university, too. He is a fantastic man! A Prince Charming embodied and reinvented for our age and for the female gaze. Now, for such a character to exist, he has to have at least some flaws, no? And procrastination is believable. Look, I am using the term procrastination because, in his behaviour, I can recognise a pattern that is manifest in me and some of the people around me. Social relationships are tough to maintain sometimes, even with the people you love more than anything, and work is often all-consuming (especially for someone like Professor Geto). Sometimes, stress eats away at you and worms into your mind, and you feel an urge to delay, procrastinate, focus on something else, stare, and debate, and this just causes more and more time to pass. Once a specific socially accepted passage of time for replying has passed, you almost feel like you can't send a message at that point, as you've been an utter imbecile for failing to do so beforehand. And if you're working in the field of ethics, it may bring with it a certain sense of indecisiveness (or, perhaps, it attracts personalities who tend to overthink – a double-edged sword of sorts). What is the best outcome in a situation that does not favour you? What do you owe to yourself and to others? Is what you owe yourself more important than what you owe others? What does it mean to have a happy life? Is having a successful career more rewarding than having a successful relationship? Is it fair to calculate the chance that if one is an attractive character with an amiable character, they will be able to find a sustaining relationship for them later down the line, while in the world of work, age does play a part and employers spend time looking at employment history and any potential gaps? Adding to that, is there a point in snatching career opportunities, and should they come at the cost of personal happiness? And speaking from personal experience, sometimes, it feels like delaying, and not sleeping to the point of utter exhaustion will alleviate the situation as it reduces you to a state of numbness. If you're a perfectionist, too, crafting the perfect response or apology can be a horribly difficult task, and while I am lucky that my sister entertains my twenty messages of 'Does this email sound okay?' Not everyone has that, and unfortunately, as you age, due to social perceptions/constructions/deviations in schedules/etc., you find yourself having less and less people to whom you can write fifty messages regarding a situation like 'Did I misunderstand this message?' or 'If she just replied using an emoji, does that mean that she doesn't like me as much as a friend anymore?'

I think the way Professor Geto acted makes sense. Just because he thought that he was behaving according to a mindset wherein he prioritised the future and the minimisation of pain for his partner does not necessarily equate to him being a bad partner.

And the infatuation with Yuta is, in part, due to: 1) recency bias; 2) the fact that we haven't seen as much of his character, psychology, or weaknesses (which is fine; he's a side character; not every character in a series, novel, or whatever will get the same treatment); and 3) his presentation and manifestation of the self in the world in which he manufactures an image of himself that is favourable in part to curry favour with the woman he is attracted to.

I would just like to add that I do not think that Yuta is a 'bad guy'. I just think that his character can be read in more complex ways, as can Professor Geto's.

I firmly believe that with the way in which this series is unfolding, an ending wherein Professor Geto gets back together with his girl narratively makes sense.

Also, other points to consider are: 1) She sought out Yuta's presence as a replacement for Professor Geto, and in her mind, considering the connection and sheer attraction that she harbours for Professor Geto, Yuta will inevitably be compared to Professor Geto in almost every way; 2) Relationships manifest in different ways, and in the case of our protagonist, in my reading of her, for her, it is not just the spiritual, soulmate-like, friendship-level connection that is important, but also the element of intense attraction, too. She did not feel that with Yuta. She did not feel this overwhelming, intense, possessing, all-consuming, delightful, and powerful connection, attraction, and pull towards Yuta. Rather, it was a feeling of comfort and, in some sense, convenience, a recognition of him harbouring affections towards her and that being a convenient outlet for distracting herself from her lingering (and still very powerful) feelings for Professor Geto. As a reference, I would like to draw attention to the beginning of the chapter, when she is trying to find a way of occupying herself by joining the Student Union; her entering a relationship with Yuta could be considered in a similar light.

Overall, then, I would like to strongly emphasise that there is a strong case to be made for the overseeing of narrative progression in such a way that it guarantees Professor Geto reuniting with his girl.

okay this is amazing and I have no notes 💯

I really did have this chapter to prevent prof geto from becoming too perfect — he needs to make mistakes and he needs to have flaws, otherwise he’s just too good and no one is like that.

yuta truly does have reader’s best interests at heart — but is he taking advantage? A little bit — he is putting himself there in a position where he and reader could be taken advantage of by the other. but we’ll see that all unfold in part five.

narratively, it is correct that reader and prof geto end up together and they are supposed to!! that’s the point. this is a period for them to realize what their lives are like without the other after experiencing what is it like to be together 🥹💕

[fwb-anon]

the idolz and their controversies... part 1

because we love drama

i don't hate any of them btw <3 i just like to make the world as realistic as possible with people doing some questionable shit or having controversial actions/opinions at times...

gonna get beheaded for that but LET'S START WITH GOJO <333

gojo (ex... whatever the big jjk group is called, former tripleS + GG member)

he's actually fine, at least for someone who's been an idol + a producer for like... almost twenty years sheesh

does get a lot of rumours but we don't care about those

his biggest controversy is basically the one that.. he hasn't "fixed"... putting "" because truth is everyone is divided on this ("does he really need to fix it?" you decide booboo)

anyway, he uses aave despite being the palest japanese mf ever ❤️​ some black fans don't care, others do care, some non-black fans don't care (not that... we care about their opinion...), some non-black fans do care, one of the pro arguments is "well at least he uses it correctly" so you decide if you're pro or anti gojo now /J... /hj i know some of y'all are extremists

has been called greedy as a producer but let's be real he's a man so he doesn't actually get called out a lot for this + he's one of the most popular idols anyway so who cares (if it were a woman tho...)

okay so this one is actually fake af but he's been called xenophobic and racist towards panda (who's chinese) and yuuji (who's half dominican) because they had less than 2 seconds of line in a song. gojo didn't respond to that, but a week later the behind recording was out on socials and everyone was able to see that 1/ panda actually had more lines but got outsang by most of the group (understandable, he's not a vocalist), 2/ yuuji can't sing to save his life, so giving him one line was already very nice of gojo

okay everyone, you can breathe again it's over for gojo's controversies

shikamaru (from hanafubuki)

oh god where do we start

nah tbf he only has one big controversy and it's: he's sexist

OKAY SO technically he isn't anymore because he got women's studies classes as a trainee otherwise he was kicked out for being a sexist little shit

he does have.. "traditional" views but honestly he's also very open minded

got accused of being sexist because he said he "sees himself with a boring job, a wife, two kids, and his wife cooking dinner for him when he comes back from work"

gonna play devil's advocate and say that's literally how it works with his parents and they like it that way, so

also he said (after being accused of sexism) in a radio show that while that's how he sees his life in twenty years, he wouldn't mind it if his wife was like "no i wanna work too"

they'd just have to agree on a schedule and all, especially for the kids (he wants kids so there's no way he's marrying someone who doesn't tho which is... common sense)

jiraiya (ex wabi-sabi, now soloist)

he's not sexist but he's been labelled a pervert... ngl he does like to look at women's bodies BUT he doesn't make them uncomfortable... leave me and my old man alone... where is @sexygeriatric-retirementhome :( <3 i'm still working on your ask i just take years to reply

has a tendency to date younger people, mostly women but sometimes men (bi icon) <3

has had some ableist comments in the past, mostly when he was a teen though, and although he never addressed it he's never done it again so... you decide...

(btw you gotta realise bro was technically in the public eye from 1991 [pre-debut era] to... well... nowadays... so he's been an idol for 33 years so yeah)

has been caught with porn magazines on his shelves LMAO he's such a loser <3 he was a teen when that happened and also had a gf at the time so that was fun LOL

has struggled with an eating disorder as a late-teen/young adult, which led to him being in a very poor mental state and "giving advice" on how to lose weight. <- pls don't excuse that, that's just the explanation as to why he said those things in the first place ❤️​

he did talk about it a decade later and said he was wrong, also donates yearly to charities (mostly anorexia related ones)

oh yeah i forgot but he's also been accused of having predatory behaviour towards young idols (hanafubuki's neji, bureikou as a whole, kismet's konohamaru)

basically -> he hugged neji when neji was crying (neji was 16). he regularly compliments bureikou (girl group with the naruto girlies + AFAB NARUTO YEAAA), also has a very close bond with naruto herself since he's her godfather, DID talk about her body as in "she's growing up fine" (you take that as you want honestly)... did make a joke about naruto growing up fine but being so tall yet so flat (<- didn't phrase it like that tbh but that was the joke, naruto is 180cm tall and flatter than sakura). konohamaru is his nephew in this au and the way he's been teasing him or even hugging him rubs people the wrong way, mostly because of the previous things (for people who think he's actually having predatory behaviour) and because kono was 15 when he debuted. honestly idek, you make up your mind <3

gonna be real he probably has way more, he's been in the industry for 30+ years LOL but yeah brain is smol

neji (hanafubuki, soloist)

has had ableist comments in the past, mostly about shino's quirks (fyi shino is on the autism spectrum) -> owned up to it and apologised to shino and shino's dad, literally people learned about it because neji mentioned it during a public apology when they were having a concert

neji is basically if character growth was a person

bro is gay as hell (and dating shino!!!) but was homophobic so... character growth <3

honestly props to shino for staring at neji and thinking "i will talk some sense into him" cuz LOOK AT THEM NOW <33

a few fatphobic comments towards choji during predebut era too, but gonna be honest he quickly changed his mind and is literally "choji's husband" (and choji is his wife <3 <- their dynamic is light hearted) so ykw i don't think choji would be fine with that if neji was still fatphobic

again: ✨ CHARACTER GROWTH ✨

i'm hungry so i'll make a part two later

geto will be in it.. if i don't forget

[freakshowtwopointoh]

Not sure if they meant this romantically but Imma do it anyways. So rivals with crushes. Pre canon. MASSIVE TW FOR SELF H@RM. I DESCRIBE IT. PLEASE CLICK AWAY IF THAT WILL TRIGGER YOU.

@simp-for-hurt-comfort

You never expected to still be struggling with self harm in college. But the pressure only got more intense, and all you wanted to do was prove that you deserved your spot at GodU. You'd tried to quit so many times - flushing razors down the toilet only to buy another next week. But you still were at the top of your class, so it didn't really matter. It's not like anyone had to know.

Especially not fucking Jordan Li. Arrogant, cocky, too pretty for their own good Jordan Li.

Jordan's POV

Every time you raise your hand in class, you can feel their glare on you. Every time you state your opinion, they just have to play devil's advocate.

Sometimes it would wear you down, if you're honest. You wanted them to like you, and when their eyes were on you, it made your heart flip. You'd debate back and forth, getting way more involved than necessary for your classes. But then you'd get a bad grade or be unable to complete an assignment, and they'd go in on you.

Like you didn't already feel bad enough.

You'd spent all night fighting with the demons in your head, telling you that you deserved to hurt, or you needed to cut. You'd been able to ignore them, but you'd forgotten about your assignment. You ran into them before class, clearly empty handed.

"Slacking already, [Y/L/N]? Tsk tsk tsk, I knew you wouldn't be able to cut it. Just give up now, I'll be happy to take the top rank." You did not have time for this today. You glared at them and went to the back of the room, feeling the weight of the blade in your pocket.

They hate know it all's. Fucking innocent looking show offs who act like they have no idea what they're doing. Hand always the first up, always ready to correct them no matter who's listening. Yes, they were talking about [Y/N].

If Jordan didn't know any better, she was coming for their spot.

And if Jordan wasn't lying to themself, they wanted her more than that wanted that spot. Wanted to make her shut up, make her pretty lips say their name.

They shook their head briskly. Focus, Li. Don't forget anything, look cool, make your way to the training field before your one on one with Brink fast enough and you'll have time to train.

They had a great session but couldn't keep her off their mind. They'd tell themself it's just because they want to beat her, but they knew it was a lie.

After their appointment with Brink, they made their way to the restroom. When they walked in, they nearly dropped their bag.

Why is there blood?

Your POV

You took the new blade out of its package and stared at it. You felt a little sick to your stomach, but you just wanted that moment of relief. You'd fought so hard last night, but it didn't feel like it mattered at all. Why bother fighting anyways? Jordan was right, you weren't cut out for this. You should just give up now. You pressed the blade to your wrist and cut. Over and over again, until it was covered in thin cuts and dripping blood. You wished it made you feel better. It used to, or at least you thought it did.

You got up to rinse your arm when you heard the door open and you sprinted back to the stall, heart racing.

"Hey, you ok? Need a tampon?" And before you could even register that it was Jordan's voice, the door to the stall swung open accidentally.

"Fuck." You tried to reach the door, but Jordan caught your arm.

"Don't move. I have a first aid kit in my bag." They pulled the backpack off of their shoulders as you stood frozen.

"Don't worry about it, I'll be fine." Your voice shook slightly as you attempted to make your way back to the sink.

"Don't be silly, those need to be cleaned. You don't want an infection." Your hands started to shake and you could feel tears falling down your face. They took your hand and began cleaning your arm very gently.

Jordan's POV

They thanked their lucky stars they were used to first aid, because their brain was running a mile a minute while they forced themself to stay calm and collected.

Why was she doing this? They knew the science behind it, but like, she seemed like her life was so perfect. Always had the right answer in class, always looked beautiful. Kind to everyone, always smiling.

They tried to think if they'd ever seen her in short sleeves. Then they wished they hadn't.

"Sorry about this." She said softly. "I keep trying to stop but it never sticks. Don't worry about me though, I'm fine." She wouldn't meet their eyes. After they finished cleaning her arm, she pulled a bandana from her pocket and tried wrapping it around her arm.

"Let me." They murmured, carefully wrapping it around her injured arm before securing it in a knot. "And um... If you ever need someone to talk to, or just to keep you company, let me know." She looked at them, eyes still shiny with tears.

"Do you really mean that, or are you just saying it to make yourself feel better?"

"I mean it. Anytime." She held their gaze before nodding.

"Thank you, Jordan. You're not as much of an asshole as you seem." They smiled at this, and tried to ignore how it made their heart feel when she said their name.

Later that week, they were coming home from clubbing with their friends when they saw a shadow leaning against the tree outside their dorm room. It almost looked like...

They walked over in spite of themself.

Your POV

You heard Jordan call your name. You fiddle with your fingers, almost wishing they wouldn't have seen you. But you wave, and walk towards them.

"Sorry for just showing up, I meant to message you but I wasn't sure what to say." You admit.

"I'm glad you're here. I'm not ready to sleep yet." They pulled out a joint. "Care to share?" You nod and the two of you begin to walk. You start out talking about nothing - what shitty TV you like, favorite color, etc. Then, you look to the stars. You sigh at the light pollution.

"I wish I could still see the stars. It's so peaceful, staring up, finding constellations, imagining who else had seen these stars."

"I know what you mean. Whenever nothing made sense, and no one understood me, I'd go lay under the stars. Always changing and yet always constant." You both laid in silence, trying to make out constellations.

You break the silence, not looking at them as you talk.

"Everyone acts like hard work is all it takes to succeed. But it's a fucking lie. You can work your ass off and you can still fail. I always thought that I'd have such an easy time at college. More people, less rules. And yet I still feel like I'm drowning. Like everything is falling through my fingers, and if I make one wrong move everything will tumble down. I'm exhausted." You keep your eyes on the stars, terrified of what they are going to say.

"Fuck. I thought I was the only one who felt that way." They said softly. "You always seem like you have it all together. Always smiling, always pretty." Pretty? You blushed. "Meanwhile, I spend all my free time punching shit, fucking people, or doing drugs. Trying to drown my insecurities before they drown me."

"You always seem so confident. I was always jealous of that. Meanwhile, unless I'm across a classroom, I try to talk to you and my heart goes all funny and my mouth goes dry." The weed was making you over share. "Fuck, I should not have said that. Ignore that." You laugh, but they roll over onto their side, looking at you intently.

"Do you know why I debate you in class all the time?"

"Because you think I'm wrong most of the time." You laughed.

"No. Because you're smart as hell, and strong as hell, and hot as hell, and it's intimidating." They said seriously.

"Haha very funny." They grabbed your chin to force you to keep their gaze.

"I'm serious. And if I wasn't so intimidated by you, I would've asked you to be my girlfriend by now." And then (neither of you would ever admit to initiating your first kiss) your lips were on theirs and you were kissing and sparks were flying and your heart was racing. You tangled your fingers in their hair.

"Holy shit." You said breathlessly.

"So will you?"

"Will I what?"

"Go out with me." Your heart skipped a beat. After everything they've seen... Did they really still want you? You felt the real reason you'd reached out in your pocket and on your arms. You were broken. You'd only be a burden on them. Your demons were getting louder, and you pulled your legs in tight.

"You don't want that."

"Why's that?"

"I'm fucked up, Jordan. You've seen pieces of it but once you see all the broken pieces, you'll run. I shouldn't have come, I don't even know what I wanted, I don't know what I need. I should just go." You turn to go, and they grab your arm. You gasp in pain.

"Nothing you could do would scare me away. And I'm not asking you out because I pity you, or because I expect I can fix you. I just can't stand to not be there to hold you through all your pain. I understand that now."

"I do want to go out with you. But I'm so scared." Your eyes fill with tears.

"Don't be. I've got you, ok?" They usher you to their dorm and unwrap your arms.

"Oh, sweetie. Do you have a sharp on you?" You nod, and pull it out of your pocket. They put it up for now. "I'll get rid of that later. Do you have more at home?" You nod again, and they agree to help you get rid of them in the morning. They clean the rest of your injuries and wrap them carefully. They give you some pj's and you put them on. They try not to stare at the scars on your legs.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me for that, sweetie. It just kills me knowing how long you struggled alone." They pause awkwardly.

"You ok with sharing a bed? I won't try anything." You chuckle and blush a bit.

"Would you hold me?" The words fell out of your mouth before you could stop yourself. They smiled.

"Of course, darling." They peppered pet names in so easily, and it made your heart flutter every time. You crawled into bed with Jordan, falling asleep easier than you had in years.

[queenrei]

Let me start by saying, this is a Libra STAN account 🗣...I've always identified as a Scorpio (Tropical) sun, but ever since I finding out i'm actually a Libra (Sidereal) sun, I've been diving deep into learning more about Libra energy. I've always had a little interest in it, being that I was born on Scorpio-Libra cusp.

Scorpios may have a bad rep for their darkness, vengefulness, and secretive nature, but it turns out that Libras have it even worse 🙃 From the term "lying ass libra" to being labeled as shallow, fake, and two-faced, Libra's reputation is not great. Honestly, I get it and understand. I've definitely been guilty of all the stereotypes, and I've been actively working on correcting them as I grow/evolve. But I can't help but get frustrated by people's narrow-minded views (and that goes for all pop-astrology btw) to think that all people of one sign all behave the same way is nonsense...The sun is in it's detriment in the sign and as a Libra sun, throughout my life, I've felt a constant struggle between my true self and the expectations of surroundings. It's not about being fake or two-faced, but rather, I've come to realize that I possess a chameleon-like ability to adapt to any environment. I actually really appreciate this trait as it has allowed me to explore various experiences and meet new people due to my open-mindedness.

When it comes to being shallow or a people pleaser, it's actually deeper than it seems. Personally, I consider myself an empath, cliché as it may sound. Putting myself in someone else's shoes is my natural instinct. So even if someone annoys or upsets me, I can put on a nice face and keep the peace. Why? Well, first of all, I don't like upsetting people. But it's also a peace thing for me. Trust me, it's not just about being shallow or wanting to please others. It's about empathy and finding harmony. It's exhausting argue and go back-and-forths with people Sometimes, it's just easier to handle things with kindness. I know it's not the best approach, and it is one of my toxic traits. Not caring about people's opinion is a challenge, but I'm improving over time. I admire those who speak up for themselves, even if it leads to conflict. I'll get there. However, I also value my peace, so I'll always choose my battles wisely. One thing I've stopped doing is talking shit behind people's back after playing nice. It's not something I'm proud of.

Another point to make, and it might upset some people, but whatever. We have this reputation for playing both sides of the fence, which makes people think we're disloyal and fake. But the truth is, we can see things from all sides and look past the surface. Sometimes people will vent to me, but they get annoyed when I try to understand the other person's perspective or point out their own misconceptions. Then, will try justifying their delusions or getting mad at me for not taking their side. I'm done with it now. As adults, it's crucial to empathize with others before shaming/invalidating them. I'm all about playing devil's advocate, especially if it helps someone confront a harsh truth they need to hear. I used to bite my tongue, but now I couldn't care less. Especially when it comes to people close to me, honesty is key. No need to sugar coat things just to make yourself feel better. And I hope they'd do the same for me. That's what keeping the balance is really all about, in my opinion.

Ok my last & final thought is Libras are definitely not as shallow as some people think. I mean, seriously, have you ever actually tried to have a deep conversation with a one? When it comes to delving into the depths of our minds, it requires a certain level of comfort and trust. And trust me, my mind is always spinning, and it can get pretty damn dark. I thrive on deep conversations and can go for hours about a topic. I have a few people that I go there with, and even then I usually wait for that opening or invitation to go deep, and then it's off to the ocean floor we go. It's all about the vibe I get from the person. So, don't underestimate Libras, because there's more depth than you think.

Wow, i wasnt expecting to go in like that for my first post lol. This was in no way a sympathy call for Libras, but its been on my mind and i felt the need to let it out. I love all astrology takes so feel free to express your feelings/thoughts.

[works-of-magic]

Do you got any advice for someone who trying to be a ghost type trainer?

Thanks for the ask!

"Trying", huh? I think I can help with that.

So, this got really long. I'll give the bullet-point list, and more details after!

1.) Research and consider what kind is best for you! Not every ghost is suitable for every situation.

2.) Ghost types take work. They take time to trust you, they need patience and behavioral work, and they need to be kept entertained.

3.) Meet their needs; make sure you keep them fed AND entertained! A bored ghost is a mischievous ghost. Acclimate them slowly to daylight and physical food.

5.) Ghosts are, well, ghosts. They do ghostly things sometimes and you have to be ready to handle the spook factor.

Bonus: A lot of people are going to judge you, but it's not THEIR choice to make, it's yours!

First off, if you already have a ghost Pokemon, congratulations, you're a ghost trainer! For you, the devil is in the details. Your main concern is how you're going to raise it.

If you're still considering obtaining one: There are two ways to do so, and you don't always choose which one happens to you, but ideally you'll go into it prepared!

The first way is what most aspiring ghost trainers do: You go out and you find a wild ghost to catch.

The second way is kinda... letting them come to you. But depending on your situation, that might not be viable. You have to live somewhere with ghosts, have an environment they find appealing (usually fairly dark and quiet)... or make a good target.

Either way, I can't advocate research enough! We don't know much about how ghost Pokemon work, but we have a good idea of their temperament. Read what it's like from trainers that have them. Consider which species would work best in your situation. Can you handle a high-maintenance species, or would it be better to have a more independent one?

You should definitely consider what species you, specifically, can handle! Keep in mind that a Pokemon born from a human soul will have extra concerns. Something like a Yamask or a Spiritomb could come with a lot of emotional pain you'd have to work through. Make sure you're ready to handle that before bringing one into your life.

If you're going out to catch one: be prepared to work for their obedience. Ghost Pokemon aren't easy to tame from the wild. They're often unruly, they might be too weak to have good control of their powers or be too strong-willed to let you command them, and they need to be taught boundaries early in your relationship or they won't understand why you're so upset.

Listen, I know they're cute, especially something that's friendly like a Mimikyu or a Greavard! But you NEED to be able to tell them "No". Trust me on this. Let them get away with it once and they'll think they can get away with it every time. You want to be consistent with what's allowed and what's not.

To prevent them from acting out intentionally: You need to make sure you can meet their needs! Lots of ghosts are surprisingly social. They should have plenty of time to play and they need enrichment now and again. (A bored ghost is more likely to "haunt" your neighbors than one you're keeping entertained!)

This includes their need for time to trust you. This goes for all Pokemon, but ghosts especially can be standoffish. Let them get used to you!

As far as feeding them: Some species eat more physical food and some feed more on energy. Honestly I've never met a ghost that didn't want their favorite kind of berry, but if you plan on feeding a purely physical diet, make sure if's meant for ghosts and make sure you adjust them slowly! They can get really lethargic and malnourished if you try to switch them over too quickly. It's fine to just feed them Poke-pellets, I promise! You just need to sort of wean them off the energy stuff.

Let them get used to daylight, too, if you plan to acclimate them to a diurnal sleep schedule! Most of them have very sensitive eyes and are naturally nocturnal. Don't expect them to be alert and ready to battle at 2pm the first day you have them. Give them time to adjust!

And bear in mind that ghosts... do some strange things sometimes. They might vanish for a few days. They can interact with the spirit realms way more easily than humans. They might "protect" you by eating your dreams. They might possess the unsuspecting owner to pull pranks or help them access treats they can't get on their own. You might hear them laughing and you can't figure out why, because they're playing with a human's ghost they found. It is exceedingly rare that a trained ghost will hurt someone, but just be prepared for a little weirdness in your life.

And once you have your ghost(s), just... be prepared for other people to judge you for it. But it's your Pokemon, it's your choice to make. Not theirs. You will know better than anyone else what you can train! If your heart is in it and you know what you're getting into, then by all means, go get some ghosts!

[alarrytale]

For me, all the signs are there with Nick that he's queer but I'm still a bit hesitant because he was quick to point out that he was straight when I think that if he was closeted he could have just not commented on his sexuality or refused to comment on it, and he also follows some women and likes half dressed pics of them but they tend to be fashion and pop girlies, I'm unsure how much weight social media holds when it's so public and if he is closeted he's hardly going to like pics of half dressed men. But having said that, there are more signs for me that he is queer. He looks queer for one thing. His flamboyance and mannerisms. He has a lot of queer friends. His knowledge about lgbtq+ history. Women seem completely comfortable around him and he seems like one of the girls, a bit like Harry. I'm still hesitant because we haven't really seen him around women who are really flirty or whatever and whether or not he responds positively to it. But as of this moment there are more signs for me that he is queer than not. Women don't tend to be that comfortable around straight guys, they're comfortable around queer men because there is much less chance that they'll come onto them. There's also the fact that Nick's current fanbase is mostly queer women and they're always making gay jokes about him, similar to Louis' fanbase. Obviously queer people are great at recognizing other queers. I think they go along with the 'straight' thing because he has said he is straight and there is a real purity culture on twitter where you need to take a celebrity's words for it. So they play off the gay thing as a joke. But I think most are questioning. There's some het Harrie type fans thrown in there too due to PH and tioy. Many gay men seem to think he's one of them, like Sh*wn M*ndes I guess, and sometimes it's wishful thinking but when they pretty much collectively think a guy is gay then I tend to believe them as they recognize their own. So I guess I'm leaning towards queer but not fully convinced yet. I do get the feeling that he holds back a bit, like Louis.

Hi anon,

This is a really good summary. I agree with most your takes and share your views. I'm also still a bit hesitant, cause there is still room for us interpreting things wrong.

I'm going to play the devils advocate here a bit. I haven't really seen him having sexual chemistry with neither men or women? (off screen that is). I'm seeing a very tactile, vulnerable, open and soft man who befriends and clings to both men and women. He looks very comfortable around both (little to no intimacy boundaries), but i'm getting a friends vibe and not attraction. He seems very respectful of women. He didn’t even flinch while resting his head on that female crew members boob. She didn’t either. I still feel a need to observe him more. We haven't seen real signs of flirting, sexual chemisty nor signs of attraction.

There is still a chance he's just very comfortable with his sexuality, and in touch with his feelings and his masc/femme sides (he's spoken openly about this), someone who's an ally and who rejects gender norms. Straight men like that are few and far in between. He's just so open and transparent with who he is, and it's throwing me off lol. He's not acting like someone who's in the closet. He seems too happy, free, genuine and confident. And, from the small parts i've seen so far, i don't see clear signs of lying when he speaks about identifying straight or his past girlfriends. But then again, i'm used to H and L who are really bad liars. Nick is a better actor. I just think he'd hate lying about being straight or having no same sex experience. Some days i'm leaning towards bi/pan. It would make the most sense in theory for me. But that doesn’t totally fit either. If you are right, and he does hold back a bit (or backtracks) then I think we'll see it with time. (He did unfollow that girl account yesterday after fans found out and it supported their 'one of the girls' theory.) It seems to me like he's pulling himself away a bit as he now found mainstream fame. That i recognise from H and L. We might see more signs of closeting in the near future.

Tldr; i'm still undecided. My heart says queer, but my brain says wait and observe more before concluding.

[jo-harrington]

WIP Game

Tagged by @eddies-ashtray

Uhm…ok working on Part 3 (and 4) of Eddie x Store Manager. And as much as I would love to share something really nice and fluffy, instead you get to meet Eddie's boss:

This has not been edited. So just…have mercy.

Even after a few weeks of working together, after the first paycheck was cashed, after Kyle literally asked him one night after closing if he knew of any dealers in town that could hook him up, Eddie still felt like this job was the biggest prank being played on him.

(Eddie gave him Rick's address because there was no way in hell he was going to sell to his own boss. He might be dumb but he wasn't stupid.)

Kyle was like...the older brother Eddie never realized he wanted and, a short time later, was glad he didn't actually have. He could be a hardass sometimes, sure, like any boss could be. He cared about his business. But he was so easygoing and took care of everyone. Made sure everyone was able to have the hours they wanted. He knew a lot about music and really challenged Eddie to be openminded about his personal music preferences.

He also ribbed Eddie to no end after you, "the cute chick from that jewelry place," brought him cookies during opening week.

"She thinks you're cute too," Kyle insisted.

Eddie, of course, refused to believe it. He had seen his fair share of stuck up, fake, cheerleader types yanking his chain only to laugh in his face when he made a fool of himself.

He stuck to the Munson Doctrine. Never again.

When he told Kyle as much, Kyle just shrugged and ate the cookies himself. "Your loss man."

But Eddie kept seeing you around and you kept smiling at him. And then...well, he didn't really know what to make of you. One plus one was really not adding up to two. And when you didn’t give up whatever game he was convinced you were playing, Kyle was inevitably there to play Devil’s Advocate.

“Just go and say hi. Or at least smile back dude. God, no wonder people think you’re some evil brooding asshole. Kidding. I’m kidding. She’s new in town. Maybe she needs a weed dealer too. Or maybe she likes metal. Just go talk to her. What’s there to lose?”

So he took Kyles advice, and that was probably the last thing he should have done because now he had a...date. Was it a date? Neither of you had really specified.

All Eddie knew was, Kyle wouldn't get off his fucking ass about it.

Tagging @word-wytch @certifiedtrashmouth and @foundtherightwords (Could be fun? If you haven't shared already! No pressure if you don't want to!)

[dteamain]

I understand wanting to vent and it's fine to occasionally host stuff like your confessionals, which I I really enjoy! but I feel like answering anon after anon filled with negativity whenever we get bored is doing so much harm to this community. i don't think it's any different than qrting antis on twitter tbh. its just leaving no room to have a positive environment if all we are doing is pointing out stuff we don't like... my only joy from this fandom nowadays comes from the CC's themselves, the community just feels so tired and bitter. everybody else fucking hates us so why are fighting with each other over petty shit like what leg do we have to stand on here.

I appreciate you for trying to keep a mostly positive environment around here!!

yeah i realized on sunday i just needed to delete that shit bc it was not worth the negativity. i agree that we sorta start spiralling the second there is no content lmao and we cannibalize ourselves in the process

i host confessionals as a fun thing i try to keep everything light and fun and i always play devils advocate on the serious takes to try and stop the mob mentality. i think it just gives people the opportunity to be goofy or get something off their chest (the amount of people who send something then later say 'don't post i sat on it and i'm being silly' is soooo funny) i normally wait sometime before posting the serious ones for that reason lmao.

but yeah i'm glad my efforts (though sometimes i stray) in keeping things positive are some what working lmao