#wanting to understand the way things move in space and avoid shortcuts

[art-on-legs]

Wanted to capture the feeling of an old 90s anime bumper... I'd say I'm like 85% of the way there

[glammakeupstudio]

Finding the Perfect Female Beauty Parlour in Bhopal: A Local’s Guide

Bhopal, the City of Lakes, is not just known for its serene beauty and rich culture—it's also a fast-growing hub for ladies beauty parlours offering a range of premium beauty and wellness services. If you’re like me—a Bhopal local who loves a good facial, a fresh haircut, or a glam-up before a special occasion—you know how important it is to find the right female beauty parlour that just gets you.

But here’s the real challenge: with so many options out there, how do you choose the right one? Whether you're looking for bridal makeup, skincare treatments, or just a relaxing self-care day, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to find the Bhopal best beauty parlour that fits your style, budget, and vibe.

Why Choosing the Right Female Beauty Parlour Matters

Let’s be honest—your beauty parlour isn’t just a place to get your eyebrows shaped or your nails painted. It’s your self-care sanctuary, your pre-party prep zone, and your beauty emergency room all rolled into one.

A good female beauty parlour should offer:

Trained and experienced professionals

High-quality products (no cheap shortcuts!)

A clean, hygienic environment

Personalized services that cater to your skin type and preferences

Transparent pricing

Because let’s face it: your skin and hair deserve only the best.

Step 1: Know What You Need

Are you prepping for your big wedding day, or do you just need a monthly cleanup and threading session? Your search for the ladies beauty parlour should begin with understanding your needs. Some parlours specialize in bridal makeovers and hairstyling, while others are known for skincare treatments, spa services, or daily grooming.

Make a list of must-have services you want—like:

Haircut and styling

Waxing and threading

Facials and skin treatments

Mehendi and nail art

Bridal or party makeup

Once you're clear on this, you can start shortlisting the parlours that match your checklist.

Step 2: Go Local – Ask Around

One thing I love about living in Bhopal is that word-of-mouth still works. Ask your friends, cousins, or even your favourite boutique owner which female beauty parlour in Bhopal they trust. Real experiences speak louder than flashy Instagram posts.

If you're new in town or moving into a new area like Arera Colony, MP Nagar, or Kolar Road, hop onto local Facebook groups or check Google reviews for some firsthand opinions.

Step 3: Hygiene Is Non-Negotiable

Trust me, no amount of discounts or offers is worth compromising on hygiene. A reliable ladies beauty parlour will always:

Use sterilized tools

Offer disposable kits for waxing and facials

Maintain a clean and well-organized space

Follow basic skincare safety practices

When you go in for a trial session or consultation, keep an eye out for these signs. If something feels off—trust your gut.

Step 4: Explore Their Expertise

Not all parlours are created equal. Some excel in hairstyling, some in makeup, while others offer luxurious spa treatments. The Bhopal best beauty parlour for you should be the one that specializes in what you care about.

For example, if you have sensitive skin (like we do), look for a parlour that offers dermatologically approved facials and gentle skin treatments. If you’re after that flawless bridal glow, go for a parlour that offers bridal packages with trial makeup sessions and consultations.

Step 5: Try a Mini-Service First

Before booking a major service like bridal makeup or chemical hair treatments, always try a smaller one first. Book an eyebrow threading, a basic facial, or a hair spa session and observe:

How they treat you as a client

The quality of products used

Their attention to detail

How your skin/hair feels afterward

This “test drive” is the best way to avoid big regrets later.

Step 6: Check Pricing and Packages

Let’s be real—we all want great services without burning a hole in our wallets. The good news? Bhopal offers some excellent female beauty parlours that strike the perfect balance between quality and affordability.

Look for parlours that are transparent with their pricing and offer:

Combo packages (like facial + waxing)

Bridal or party packages

Loyalty points or member discounts

Avoid parlours that are vague about pricing or push you toward expensive treatments without explanation.

Step 7: Location and Convenience

This might sound obvious, but your beauty parlour should be easy to reach. Whether you're squeezing in a quick visit during lunch or rushing for a last-minute party prep, convenience matters.

Many of the Bhopal best beauty parlours are located near prime areas like TT Nagar, Arera Colony, and Kolar Road, but don’t ignore the hidden gems in smaller neighborhoods too!

Final Thoughts

Finding the perfect Bhopal best beauty parlour is not just about picking the nearest salon—it’s about discovering a place that truly understands your style, makes you feel comfortable, and enhances your natural beauty. Whether you're getting ready for your big day, prepping for a special occasion, or simply indulging in a well-deserved pampering session, choosing the right beauty parlour makes all the difference. 

Ready to glow up with confidence? Visit Glam Makeup Studio today and experience the care, quality, and glam you truly deserve. Your beauty journey starts here!

Targeted keywords: Bhopal best beauty parlour, ladies beauty parlour, female beauty parlour

[arizona2004]

Who the Real Wolves Are.part 1

Azriel x reader

warnings: OC death(not too descriptive), eventual smut?

word count: 1777

There will be 2-4 parts total. Part 2 

It had just been an average day when I’d met Azriel. I was walking through the woods, taking the shortcut back to the small cottage I lived in with my grandmother. The first thing I noticed about him when we collided was how tall and built he was. It was frightening but also unbearably attractive. Then I noticed, looking up to his face, the beautiful color of his eyes- hazel. And they glowed golden in the sunlight. He’s beautiful, I thought. Behind him, I saw movement, and that’s when I noticed his wings.

They are magnificent, large, and as beautiful as his face. I take several paces back and continue admiring his wings. He’s fae, but that doesn’t frighten me as it should. I’m curious and step forward toward him. Now he’s the one to step back, and he cocks his head slightly as though confused or thoughtful.

I try again to take a step forward. He doesn’t move. I step again, and this time, looking up into his eyes, I reach out a hand to his wings. Quick as a fly, he grips my wrist and growls. That has me tensing, oops, I think. But when I look back into his eyes, they don’t look as angry as I feared. I relax slightly and try to pull my wrist back. 

He lets go and asks, “What are you doing in the woods?” Now he does sound angry.

What gives him the right to be angry at me, I think, and say, “walking.”

“It’s not safe out here,” he says, “you shouldn’t be walking by yourself” 

“Oh, really? I walk this path every day. I’ve never encountered anything dangerous.”

“Before today,” he responds, indicating himself.

“Are you threatening to harm me if I walk this path again?”

“No. There are dangerous things other than just me out here.”

“Well I don’t think you’re very dangerous at all,” I say, sticking out my chin.

“I’m very dangerous,” he sounds defensive now. It makes me laugh, and he furrows his brow at that, “what?” he asks. It makes me laugh harder, and I push forward, walking past him. “Don’t just walk away from me,” he grumbles behind me, “I’m very dangerous.”

He followed me home that day, but I didn’t mind. When I stood feet from the door to my house, I felt his presence fading and turned around. He wasn’t there. He was shooting into the air, and I assumed I’d never see him again, but that didn’t stop me from hoping. 

Every day for the next two weeks, I searched for him on my way home, but he was never there. Then, one evening, I felt someone watching me. I was in nearly the same spot I had been when we collided weeks ago. I stopped and spun around looking, but I didn’t see him. Then, far in the distance to my left, I spotted him. Or just his hazel eyes. He was covered in shadows; it looked as though a tree was swallowing him. 

As soon as our eyes connected, though, he vanished, and I was alone again. I walked the rest of the way home in confusion and slept fretfully that night. My thoughts were filled with questions and feelings I didn’t understand. I wonder about his name. I want to see him again. I want to touch him too. I want to know why he disappeared and what he was doing on that trail. Mostly, I want to know what his lips taste like.

I’ve been kissed many times before. Some were sloppy. Others fine. And a few were even good. I’d never done anything more intimate than kissing, but this male made me question what exactly I’d let him do to me if he tried.

Several more days pass before I sense him watching me again. This time I don’t look for him -afraid I’ll scare him away. I just stop in my tracks and speak to the space in front of me, “you never told me your name.” Seconds pass, and there’s no response. 

I’m about to walk away when I hear from behind me, “Azriel.”

I turn to find him standing feet away from me on the path, “Azriel,” I repeat.

“Yes?”

Why are you watching me?” I take a step toward him.

“What’s in the basket?” he asks, avoiding the question and my eyes.

“Cookies for my grandmother. They're her favorite. Chocolate chip. Do you want one?” I ask the last bit, sticking my hand into the basket and pulling out a cookie, walking closer to him. I lift the cookie to his lips and watch as he takes a bite. His lips graze my fingers as he bites into the cookie. 

“Delicious,” he says, grabbing my wrist, pulling it toward my lips. He stares into my eyes as he takes another bite. I swallow and try to calm myself down. When he finishes the cookie, I pull my gaze away from his face. I try, at least, but there's chocolate on his lip. Instinctively, I brush my thumb over his lip and pick up the chocolate. He sucks my thumb into his mouth, licking up all the chocolate, then releases it with a pop. 

I’m faintly aware of the squeaky noise I make at his actions and the wobbling of my legs, but I just continue looking into his eyes.

“The sun’s about to set,” he says, “You probably should get home.”

And so I start walking home, and he walks by my side. When we’re mere feet from the house, again, he disappears into the sky.

This continues for many more weeks. Moments after I enter the forest, Azriel is standing next to me. Occasionally we talk, but most days, we walk in silence. And after dreaming of it plenty, and probably not thinking it through enough. I lean over and kiss him before he flys away. I had only intended to kiss his cheek, but he had been turning toward me, so the kiss had been placed on the corner of his mouth. When I skipped the few more feet to the house, I felt his eyes on my back, and a grin plastered my face. 

The day following, Azriel, it seemed, decided to follow my lead. When he met me in the woods and walked me home, he stopped further from the house, this time. I turned to him, and he leaned down, placing his lips to mine. They were soft and warm. I leaned into the kiss, and when I did, his tongue darted out to lick the seam of my lips. I moan, opening my mouth for him. 

His tongue swept into my mouth and gently caressed my own. The kiss was slow and gentle except where Az’s teeth nipped at my lips. My hands held onto him tightly at his shoulders while he gripped my thighs, pulling me up to him. I had never been kissed quite like this before. It was soft and hard at the same time. I felt encased in the kiss. I never wanted my lips to part from his. The way his lips, tongue, and teeth moved with mine had me moaning and wanting more.

After some time, however, Azriel pulls back. We’re both gasping for breath, foreheads pressed together, and Azriel sets me on my feet. He takes a step back, “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he says, without looking directly at me, lips pulling up at the corners.

“I-” I try to respond, but he’s already pushed into the air. I walk the rest of the way home, grinning wildly, and collapse into bed that night thinking of our kiss.

The weeks that follow are similar. Some days we walk. Some we talk. And other days, we find ourselves rolling through the brush tangled in each other’s arms.

One evening Azriel does not show himself, which isn’t unusual. What is strange, however, is arriving home to find men in my house. They’re speaking to my gran and when I arrive point their questions at me. 

Have you seen a fae male? Spoken to him? Fraternized with him?

“You know our laws about the fae, don’t you deary?” The man in charge asked when I’d denied all his accusatory questions.

I did, of course. My village didn’t allow any relations with the fae. And the law wasn’t just against the fae, but the people too. Since the wall fell, the village leaders made rules about interacting with fae. Anyone thought to be aiding or supporting a faerie was considered a fae fraternizer and sentenced to death. The children of the blessed didn’t dare come near our village, they’d be killed on sight.

“Yes. I’m aware. I haven’t had any relations with any fae. I’ve never even seen one.” I say as steadily as I can manage. I glance at my gran and fear I: revealed everything with the look in my eyes.

“Are you sure? There have been reports of a winged man in the area. People say they’ve seen him near this cottage. With a woman. Though no one is sure if the woman is human or not, I think she is.” He looks at me pointedly, and I want to correct his misuse of pronouns. Azriel is no mere ‘man’. I hold my tongue, though.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

The man’s face lights up, and he pulls a dagger from his belt. Then a quiet voice says next to me, “it was me,” my face falls, and I look to my gran in horror. The man turns the dagger toward gran, “I met the male in the woods while picking berries. He didn’t seem to care about my wrinkled age; he’s quite old himself. I’ve-” She didn’t get to finish the sentence, though, as he struck her.

I immediately was pulled from my shock and shouted as I lunged at the man. The other men simply pulled me away. I fought at every turn, and they beat me relentlessly. They only stopped when I was bloody on the ground. Unable to move. The leader of the group knelt where my grandmother sat, crouched on the floor, weeping for me, and plunged the knife into her chest. A choked cry left my throat. The men left us lying on the floor after swearing threats. I didn’t hear any of it, though. My attention was focused on the lifeless body of my gran, inches from me. I struggled to breathe and reached out my hand for hers. She was cold, and I realized it was hours later. Then darkness came and swept me away.

[thisnoodlewritesao3]

Train Ride | Aone Takanobu/Reader

Characters: Aone Takanobu, Reader, Moniwa Kaname, Futakuchi Kenji

Pairings: Aone Takanobu/Reader

Word Count: 2623

Warnings: Um, I don't think there are any, but do lmk if there are any

Summary: Aone had never been more thankful of the people who avoided him on the trains, especially when they gave him something as amazing as you.

A/N: This was literally meant to be a small idea I had and at some point I just said yeet and, well, here we are. Living our best lives I guess. I don't know, I just love Aone so much, he's such a cutie. I want to hold his hand and sit by him on the train, is that too much to ask??? As always, thank you to @pies-writes-and-more for assuring me I am good at writing. God knows where I'd be without you my love

----

Aone was used to people ignoring- no, avoiding him on the train. It didn’t matter what he did, where he looked, or how soft he tried to seem - it was always the same. He told himself that it was fine, even though it really wasn’t.

It had even gotten to the point that people would purposefully avoid sitting down in the seat where he’d sit; women and men alike would choose to stand even when there were two available seats next to him. Very few people knew about these worries of his, and those that did know would make sure to seat themselves next to him.

He’d expected today to be the same. Sit down on the train, try to come off as non threatening, then go to school. The universe had some other plans for him.

He stepped onto the train, immediately turning towards his seat and taking a long step before he froze. Normally, it would be empty (since everyone knew he sat there by now), but today, in his place sat you. Your head resting back against the window with your lips parted. A book loosely held in your hand, teetering on the edge of falling. The light through the window seemed like a halo around you - for a second, he was inclined to think you were an angel. Your eyes were closed, light snores, a sign you’d fallen asleep.

You truly looked at peace.

Aone didn’t move any closer to you, worried you wouldn’t want him sitting next to you. So he chose to stand, sighing internally as people moved out of his way, leaving a large circle around him.

You were wearing the Date Tech uniform, but he’d never seen you before, maybe you were just new? Or maybe you were a first year? He didn’t know - but he wanted to know.

For a second, he thought that you’d gotten on the train too early, that you wouldn’t show up again tomorrow. The thought was almost upsetting and he couldn’t figure out why.

To his surprise, you showed up the next day, and the day after that, and every day for two weeks. Every single time, you were asleep, or too engrossed in your book to notice him. When the third week came, you were sitting with the book in your lap, staring absentmindedly at the floor. The space to your right was open.

He tried not to pay any attention to it, acting as if you being fully conscious on the train ride was completely normal. Acting like you weren't staring at him (because why would you be?). Try his best to not meet your eyes every few seconds (because he definitely wasn't doing that).

Your lips were pressed into a thin line, and your eyes followed him wherever he went. It was almost unnerving- no, it was definitely unnerving. What did you want from him?

Well, that question was answered faster than he thought.

On the Monday of the fourth week, he stepped onto the train to find you standing in front of him. A soft glare on your face.

He glanced at the seat, and it was open, so why were you standing in front of him? And why were you glaring at him? And why weren't you moving? And- OH GOD! Why are you grabbing his hand and dragging him towards the seat? Why are you standing in front of him and pushing him down? And why-

You sit down next to him, the glare on your face practically gone as you smile and nod your head happily from one side to another. He just knows his cheeks are so red from you holding his hand but he can't glance down at you.

But then you're tapping his shoulder, so he has to look because, God, he doesn't want you to think he's rude.

In your hand is a melon pan (well, two, but the second one you are already happily munching on), you lift it up to him, gesturing for him to take it. And so he does. You seem satisfied for a second, before you pull out a carton of milk from your bag (once again, two), and pass him one.

He doesn't know how to react.

You seemed to have that effect on him; the mystical ability to leave him completely speechless more so than usual.

You take extra care in stabbing the straw through the film on top and sipping violently before you glanced up at him. "What?" You asked, acting far too innocent and none-the-wiser that he wanted to scream.

He shrugs.

You sigh, "L/N Y/N," you introduce yourself and his heart skips a beat because now he has a name to the face. “Don’t worry,” you say in between bites of your melon pan, “I already know your name.” That should worry him more than it does, but he was on the volleyball team. So he guessed it was okay.

Once again, you had that halo around you. So ethereal. God, just looking at you made him blush. Especially when you looked up at him with a slightly confused look in your eyes, tilting your head and raising a brow.

Of course, he looked away quickly - not that he wanted to.

It didn’t stop that day. You stood in front of the train doors every single day for three weeks (until you were sure he wouldn’t run off), and then you waited. Some days you were wide awake with food ready for him. Other days you were on the verge of falling asleep and had barely managed to pass him the food and drink before promptly falling asleep. The rest you were fast asleep, the bag of melon pan on your lap, his name written on the brown bag with a smiley face at the end.

When you were awake, you talked and talked like there was no stopping you. He found out so much. Like the fact you came to school early just because you could (though he didn’t understand that). You were in class 2C; you didn’t have a club, but you always wanted to join one (he almost suggested you become the volleyball club manager, but the words refused to leave his mouth); you loved melon pan, like, it was your own personal obsession; you learned how to bake just so you could make more melon pan. So much more. His knowledge on you was more than his own teammates. You’d walk him to class. He swore, if you had a tail, it would be wagging constantly.

Things only got worse for him the moment Futakuchi saw you walking together. Aone half-expected you to know he was, but then you looked up at him with expectant eyes and it brought him back to the moment of how you’d known his name before. So, if you didn’t know Futakuchi’s name, why did you know his?

He certainly didn’t feel like there was anything about him worth knowing, or worth remembering. But, for whatever reason, you knew things. You remembered them. Why?

After months of this routine, he decided to be confident and ask you.

“Do you want to study together after school?” You asked him before he could get any words out.

“Yes.” He said, not taking a second to question anything. He knew he had practice today, that didn't matter. You could just give him your address and then-

“Great!” You chirped. “I’ll wait for you.”

How could you be so effortlessly cheerful? He almost hated it.

He gave you a questioning look and you hummed, “well, partly because that way I can show you shortcuts google maps won’t show you, partly because I want to see you practice, and mostly because I want to spend more time with you.” There was the confidence that would be the death of him.

Seriously, he wished he could do that.

Instead, he nodded slowly, pretending like it wasn’t killing him that he couldn’t just hold you - because that would be weird.

When you showed up at practice, smiling up at him like he was your world, his teammates were quick to bombard him with questions. Not that he answered them. So they moved to you; once again, if you had a tail, it would have been wagging. You answered all of their questions with gleams in your eyes. You were so endearing this way, but he couldn’t help the spark of jealousy that danced in his stomach. Before you knew it, he was standing in front of you, stopping the rain of questions and to give you a second to breathe. You seemed thankful, especially when you smiled up at him softly before moving towards a wall to rest and watch the practice.

Well, watch was a strong word for what you did.

You watched him play for - maybe - five minutes before you fell asleep. The moment your light snores floated into the air, everyone halted playing to look over at you. There you were in your normal position, hands folded in your lap, lips parted and head rested back against the wall. The only thing that was different was Aone’s jacket that you had draped over yourself.

God, you really were trying to kill him.

Somehow they all silently agreed to practice so much quieter than normal, and every time you stirred, they froze; God forbid you wake up.

Moniwa was amazed you could fall asleep so easily, but he wasn’t going to stop you. Things only got worse when your face scrunched up from whatever dream you were having and everyone had to take a second to recover from how adorable it was - one glare from Aone managed to stop them, for now.

Your obvious discomfort made Aone’s heart ache, but he had to practice, so he just silently watched you from across the court. He tried his best to land softer than normal. If he could make the entire world quiet for you in this moment, he would. He glared at Futakuchi when he spiked a ball and it landed slightly too loud.

After practice finishes, you barely stir awake, smiling up at him lazily. “God, that went by quick.” You say, stretching and yawning. Aone can’t help but smile - just a little - especially when you push yourself to stand up, almost fall over, and grab onto his arm for support.

He would have been perfectly fine with it had you let go of him afterwards. But you didn’t. In fact, you slipped your hand into his. All blood rushed to his face no matter how hard he tried to hide it; Futakuchi noticed it far too quickly, but he didn’t say anything through his little smirk, just turned away from the pair and whistled innocently to himself. Aone knew this wouldn’t be the last he heard of this - not that he minded.

The journey back to your home was relatively quiet - the most prominent noise was his own heartbeat in his ears. So loud and thundering that he was worried you could hear it. Maybe you could, especially when you decided to rest your head on his shoulder, nuzzling your cheek against him like a kitten.

Really, you were still a wonder to him. Your body seemed to work like an alarm clock. You could fall asleep just about anywhere, at any time, and still wake up exactly when you need to.

Right now was a good example of that. Just as his anxiety settled in that you were going to miss your stop, your eyes fluttered open and you stood up groggily.

He’d need to ask you one day how you managed to do that.

At this point, your word might as well have been gospel to him; he wasn’t stupid, he knew he probably had feelings for you, and that they were more than just how friends act around one another. He wanted to protect you, keep you safe, to hold you close and never let you go. God knows you’d probably let him. But there were the parts that were worried about how you felt. Because he’d never seen how reacted with anyone other than him, he didn’t know how you were with your friends. At least he’d get to see a little more into your life when he gets to meet your family.

When you lead him up the steps to your home, he isn’t expecting the one bedroom apartment that you lead him into, but it isn’t a bad thing. “My parents are out of the country.” You say, and for the first time, you don’t elaborate. He isn’t going to push you to either. He’s happy with anything you have to say.

You lead him into the living room, asking him if he wants anything to eat or drink; clearing off the coffee table so they’d have somewhere to work. The silence that settled was comfortable - which surprised him, because he’d never had silence with you when you were awake. You filled his life up with so much noise that he loved it - maybe he’d go as far as to say he loved you.

Studying with you is nice, he can definitely see why you’re in a higher class. You help him with any questions he has, even if he can barely ask them to you.

He’s there watching you, wishing he had the words to explain to you how much more full you’d made his life. How much you’d changed everything around him.

Every night, he was silently thanking you for just existing near him; for sitting down in his seat; for noticing him, and bringing him to you; for pushing him just out of his shell enough to be able to call each other friends (even when his heart begged for more). He hoped for so many more moments like these, where he could bask in your glory, in everything to do with you. Even when he could never be yours, he still hope-

“I like you.” You cut off his train of thought so abruptly that he physically jumped. You stood in front of him, in front of his house (because you’d insisted on taking him home). Something flickered in your eyes and you looked away from him - for the first time in all of him knowing you, you were shy. Anxious. Worried. It was so obvious. “I know you probably don’t like me. And I know this is out of nowhere, but I have liked you since the first time I saw you.”

And with that, it was like two worlds collided. His heart was exploding with such overwhelming joy that he didn’t know how to react. So, he let his body react for him.

He wrapped you in a hug and pressed his head into the crook of your neck, ignoring the ache in his neck from leaning down. “I like you too…” his voice was barely above a whisper, yet it was so clear in your ears.

Somehow, you made his days even better than before. Whether you were standing waiting at the train doors with such bright smiles and love filled eyes, or when you leaned up and kissed his cheek in front of his teammates (he’d deal with the teasing from Futakuchi because nothing else mattered when you loved him).

Aone was used to people avoiding him on the train. He wasn’t used to the love you provided. But he’d never been more thankful for people avoiding him on the train, because maybe - just maybe - if they hadn't avoided him, you never would have pushed your way into his life. He’ll always be thankful for that train ride on that Monday morning, and every morning after then.

----

General Taglist:

@pies-writes-and-more​ @satan-ruler-of-hells @dekuspet @samkysnks @tobi-momo @kaleidoscopekai

If you want to be added to the taglist, send me a DM or an ask :D

[hug-your-face]

Expecting Difficult Conversations During the Holidays?

(Thanks to @squeeful for posting the original link from the WSJ; but it’s behind a very tenacious paywall. I did the work of scraping it out from behind the paywall so you can read it --HYF)

Worried About a Difficult Conversation? Here’s Advice From a Hostage Negotiator.

Elizabeth Bernstein 9-11 minutes

There are so many to have right now. Tensions over racial issues, politics and the coronavirus pandemic are provoking arguments within families and between friends: Spouses are arguing about money; siblings are fighting about how to keep parents safe from the virus; some people are confronting relatives about race. Many conversations have the potential to become heated, especially as chronic stress is keeping our fight-or-flight systems activated, making us more likely to react.

Christopher Voss is a former hostage negotiator for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and CEO and founder of the Black Swan Group, which trains companies and individuals to negotiate. He has decades of experience guiding people through conversations that are high tension and high stakes. Mr. Voss is the author of “Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It” and once did a video series for a website run by Dow Jones, which owns The Wall Street Journal.

I spoke with Mr. Voss about how to navigate a conversation where both parties are worked up and entrenched in their viewpoints. Here are edited excerpts of that interview.

How should you prepare for a difficult conversation?

Mr. Voss: We often prepare but don’t realize it. When we think about the conversation, we picture ourselves getting mad. That is preparation. And we default to our highest level of preparation. So if that is all you prepared for, that is what you are going to get.

You need to do what athletes do. They prepare by envisioning their performance, by envisioning themselves doing things right. First, you need to envision yourself taking a different tone. If you use a calm tone of voice, it will actually calm you down.

Then you want to rewire yourself for gratitude. The brain functions more effectively when you are in a positive frame of mind. And gratitude is highly positive. So tell yourself you are lucky to be in this conversation or to have this person in your life, that you will miss them when they are gone. If all else fails, remind yourself you’re lucky to be on this planet.

A few years ago, we had a colleague who was trying to cheat us. As I was preparing for the conversation, I couldn’t stop envisioning myself getting angry. Then I had this thought: “I am lucky to be in this position, because she wouldn’t be after us if we weren’t so good.” Instantly, by shifting into gratitude, I thought of all the things I needed to say to make it an effective conversation.

Should you have a goal?

Yes. You want the other person to get a hit of oxytocin. You’re going to get that by getting them to say: “That’s right.” You do this by listening and then really summarizing their perspective for them. You especially want to focus on articulating any negative thoughts they have. Don’t dispute or deny them. When the word “but” comes out of your mouth you are denying and it is time to shut up.

Once you’ve articulated their perspective for them, they feel understood. And a person who feels understood is getting a feel-good wave of chemicals in their brain. The one you are really going for is oxytocin, the bonding chemical. Once they get a hit of oxytocin, everything is going to change. They’ll feel bonded to you. And if they feel bonded, whether it’s a little or a lot, that’s to your advantage.

So your power is in making the other person feel heard?

This should be your goal. When people have arguments, they raise their voices because they don’t feel heard. Ask yourself to remember what it felt like to feel acknowledged during a disagreement. You’ll remember how great you felt. You won’t remember what happened afterwards. That means the fight didn’t continue.

Ask yourself: What is this person saying about this situation and about me right now? We usually know what people are saying. We just don’t want them to say it. Say it out loud and see how they respond.

Some people think that acknowledging how someone is upset allows them to dig in more. But it’s the opposite. As soon as you articulate the other side’s point of view, they are a little surprised. You’ve made them really curious to hear what you are going to say next. And you’ve made them feel that you are in this together.

How do you start the conversation?

You want to start out articulating their negative thoughts about you or the situation. If you’ve had an argument with someone, what do you know for sure? They probably think you’re a jerk. So open the conversation: “Right now, you probably think I’m a jerk.”

This takes a lot of courage—until you know how effective it is. When you see how well it works, you’re like: “Ooh, I’m going to do it this way every time.” It’s like a shortcut in a videogame. It accelerates a positive outcome.

This has to do with the emotional wiring in our brain. Brain science shows that every time you identify a negative emotion, that negative feeling diminishes. So if negativity is an obstacle, and just calling it out reduces it, this accelerates the process of defusing the tension. Then from there you are able to talk.

What if a normal conversation suddenly turns heated?

Remember that people elevate their voice because they feel they aren’t being heard. So you want to acknowledge: “I am being an idiot.” Use the strongest synonym you can: idiot, jerk, something stronger.

You don’t want to be sarcastic. You want to demonstrate that you understand their negative perception of the situation. This has an inoculating effect. It doesn’t matter whether you think their perception is fair or accurate.

How do you deal with your anger?

The whole process of working to make them feel heard will keep you calm. It puts you in a completely different head space and the anger circuitry in your brain will not get triggered.

What are some pitfalls to avoid?

A common derailment is trying to explain stuff to people. Explanation is a nice word for argument. When you are explaining something, the other side feels you’re telling them that they don’t understand, that they aren’t smart.

Once you’ve listened to their viewpoint and they feel heard, there’s a really good chance you won’t need to explain your point at all.

How do you move forward?

Once the person feels heard, you can put it back on them: “How do we move forward?” This makes them take a broader look at the entire landscape. The answer isn’t nearly as important as the thought process you forced them to go through. The “how” question is designed to get them to think about negative consequences. And you’re defending your line in the sand by shifting the problems back onto the person causing them, without being seen as combative.

What if the other person becomes irate?

If you use a soothing, supportive tone of voice, this will have a neurochemical impact on them that will calm them down. Your tone of voice has an impact on someone’s thinking before you finish the sentence.

Should you apologize?

An apology should always precede something negative. The apology is a bit of a warning that bad news is coming. It allows the person to prepare. And it is amazing what people can handle when they are given the slightest opportunity to be prepared, rather than blindsided.

What do you do if there’s a stalemate?

Here is the critical game-changing move: Remember that the last impression is the lasting impression. If you are struggling to get the last word in, that’s when the last word is a cheap shot. But when your last word is something positive, it seeds the possibility that the other person will think about what you said and come back and propose a resolution.

[satoruvt]

outside, so chilly

pairing → kwon soonyoung x reader

word count → 1328

genre → fluff!!!!!!! like a tiny bit of pining, college au

song inspo → chilli by svt and a bit of bulletproof love by pierce the veil

warnings → none!

a/n → longest svt fic yet i think <3 also i’m 98% i changed writing style like the last third of this fic so im sorry HAHAH but i think its kinda cute <3333

When Soonyoung told you about a party his fraternity was having, you were expecting drinks. Music. A bustle of chatter and maybe food, if you were lucky. 

What you were not expecting was a snowball fight in the park across the street from the frat house.

A part of you thinks you should’ve seen it coming - after sitting next to Soonyoung in your criminology class all semester (in which he introduced himself and then told you the reason he was taking the class at all was so he could solve murder mysteries by himself), you’ve gotten to know him as a… very eclectic person, although lovable. You’re not really sure why you were expecting his frat to be much different.

After the final for Criminology was over and you stumbled out of the lecture hall like you’d been held captive for weeks, Soonyoung had approached you (irritatingly cheery for someone who just spent two hours taking a test) and invited you to a party. “It’ll be fun,” he had said. “You deserve it after all your hard work. The semester’s over next week anyways.”

It took a little convincing on his part - though you already had your answer when he first asked you, not wanting to seem too eager - but eventually you agreed, Soonyoung telling you he’d text you the details as he walked away. 

A few days before the party, he’d texted you to wear something warm. “Probably gloves,” is what he said. You hadn’t thought twice about it. When you actually arrived at the fraternity, later, finding no bass-boosted music nor anyone inside, you worried you had gotten the wrong address. In the middle of a double-check, your name is called from behind you.

“You came!” Soonyoung yells from across the street, waving his arms around wildly. You furrow your brows, watching as a snowball flies through the air and hits the side of his face. Laughter sounds from across the park - you figure the other members of the fraternity - as he brushes the snow off of him with his own chuckle, then gets up from his place behind a haphazardly-made snow wall.

“This is… the party?” You ask him when he gets close enough, and he nods enthusiastically. He’s bundled up in a fluffy jacket and beanie, a tiger-striped scarf thrown around his neck (and you do kind of remember him calling himself a tiger? At one point?). Your brain notes that he looks cute, cheeks and nose rosy from the cold even in the late sunlight. You feel your heart skip a beat.

“Yeah! When we heard it was gonna snow, we figured this would be a lot more fun than having a hangover for the two straight weeks of break.”

You laugh and he starts stepping back towards the park, off the porch of the house. “Come on,” he tells you. “You’re on my team.”

Well, you’re not going to say no to that.

For all things considered, it really is some of the most fun you’ve had in a long time. You quickly get acquainted with your fellow teammates - Vernon, Jun, Seungcheol, Jeonghan, Jihoon and Seungkwan (who, for some reason, you feel the need to protect with your life, and you have to remind yourself that this is a snowball fight) - and learn to fight like you’re dead if you get hit, laughing and screaming all the while. You learn early on that the winner is whoever lasts the longest, so the game goes on until the sun sets behind the horizon and leaves the sky lingering in color. 

One by one your teammates tap out (you send a playful glare to everyone except Seungkwan when he eventually needs a break, too) until it’s just you and Soonyoung fighting against the other team - who, like yours, has dissipated into two members who you believe are Mingyu and Chan. You’re on your last leg, breath rising into the air and fingers red and raw from the cold, but the universe must want you to win because right after Soonyoung’s last snowball hits Chan directly on the forehead they’re surrendering.

A beat of silence passes before you and Soonyoung look at each other and scream, victorious, jumping towards each other as your other teammates crowd around you. It’s hard to breathe being squished between bodies but you’re not sure you mind, taking a moment to pinpoint Soonyoung’s wheezing laughter and focusing on it until you can’t hold back your own laughs. Eventually the group hug disperses and you breathe out into the cold, high-fiving and hugging your teammates like you’ve trained with them for years and just won a gold medal in an olympic sport. 

“So,” Soonyoung approaches you after much of the excitement has died down, “pretty fun party, right?”

You laugh into the open air and nod, holding your hands up to your mouth to heave hot breath on them. “Really fun. Thank you for inviting me.”

Soonyoung shrugs, a content smile on his face. The other members of the fraternity are all heading back across the street to the house, and you tell Soonyoung you should head home - it had gotten late, and you feel like you need the hottest shower ever.

“Oh!” He says, face lighting in understanding. “Okay. Let me walk you home then.”

You shake your head. “You don’t need to -”

“No, I will. You walked all the way out here, the least I could do is keep you company on your way back,” Soonyoung says, and then pulls an attack pose. “And potentially protect you from a murderer hidden in the shadows.”

You nod at him with a laugh, turning to the direction back to your apartment. He shouts to his housemates that he’ll be back and they all give varying yells of acknowledgement, a few of them waving goodbye to you. You return the gesture before you and Soonyoung start walking. 

It’s comfortable, the way the two of you walk together, talking and giggling in the dark. You find yourself walking slower and avoiding shortcuts to make the walk longer. Soonyoung jumps at a sound and you tease him about protecting you, earning a gentle push on your shoulder in return. It’s comfortable. It’s good. It makes you feel a little more sad about the fact that your semester with him is over, and you’ll probably be scarce to see him again - not to mention the fondness you’ve developed for him.

Even taking the long way home, you eventually end up at your apartment. Sooyoung walks you to your door and you unlock it, then turn around to face him. “Thank you again for inviting me. And for walking me home.”

“And for protecting you,” he adds, and you scoff but don’t deny it. There’s a moment of silence that you’re not sure how to fill, and Soonyoung looks occupied with his thoughts, so you take it as time to say goodbye. 

You open your mouth to speak but don’t get a chance to let any noise out, because suddenly Soonyoung is in your space and his lips press against your cheek. Briefly, unsure, but incredibly meaningful - you feel it. He moves back as quick as he got close, but not as far away. His cheeks glow red, red in the fluorescent light of the hall in your apartment building. 

Before he gets the wrong idea from your stunned silence, your hand reaches for his and curls against his fingers. They’re just as cold as your own. “I expect a date next semester, Kwon Soonyoung,” you murmur playfully, playing with his fingers. He grins so bright it warms your chest.

“You got it,” he tells you simply. The two of you smile at each other, lost in a rose flush, before you eventually take your hand away from his and enter your apartment. A text buzzes your phone not long after you get settled into your bed.

soonyoung 

goodnight!!!! 

A smile spreads across your lips before you drift to sleep.

[bitchiha]

To Eternal Bliss, I’m so Glad to Know (ModernAU!Hidan x Reader)

The Rats 1k event prompt: Street racer x Hidan

A/N: hey.. aha.. how y'all doing.. hum so i haven't been doing great, I think that is evident through my inactivity on this blog, but that being said i am in a bit of a better place now. i finally have some time to myself and i intend to put that towards my 900 follower event. Enjoy this wonderful piece of modern racer Hidan that strayed into crazy murder himbo I love car man Hidan.

Title inspired by: this song.

MAJOR TWs: smut, harassment (brief, undescriptive), uhm murter, reckless driving, lots of mentions of and contemplations of death. You are a literal accomplice to murter. Reader is confused. But.. It’s not supposed to be gory and dark, I kinda wanted it to just be stupid and reflect a himbo hidan as much as I could. Last like 6 paragraphs aren’t edited.

-

You shouldn’t be in a criminals car, much less in the middle of a police chase and much much less be falling in love with him.

 His silver hair flashes wildly in the occasional flicker of red and blue lights, teeth bared; he was making that face again. That one he had when he first met you, lips curled and canines showing. It looked like he was in pain. It was just because he was actually trying to use his brain, you think. He grips the wheel tightly, the whites of his pale knuckles glowing as he swerves onto one of the busiest city streets you know. 

Barely avoiding a collision with a distinct yellow blur you could barely classify as a taxi, he continued to speed through the lanes, horns blaring and merging into the sound of the wailing sirens quickly approaching. Another sharp turn onto a slightly less busy road had your body slamming against the console, leaning close to Hidan. Your eyes stray from the window and onto his face, unable to hear what he is saying, you make out the movement of his lips:

shit,shit,shiiit 

The tires screeched as he fumbled around with the controls, sending the car into a full 180 and narrowly avoiding a police car sacrificing its auto body in favour of capturing Jashin. That was real close call, just scratching the side of the passenger door, but you wouldn't know; you were still watching your boyfriends features as he speeds off down another dirty alley. 

You were pretty sure that one day you were going to die trapped in Hidans little metal box.. A distant part of you wanted to throw up when you realized you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Sure, he was obnoxiously annoying in the most serious of times and incredibly oblivious when you desperately needed him to get a clue. I mean fuck, it felt like despite his adolescent years of elementary and secondary school (which you’re not even sure he attended) his brain only had the capacity to process two things. The first being lewd shit and the second would be the gas pedal... and maybe half a braincell was in there thinking of you, but probably only of you in your panties or something really shallow like that. 

You really shouldn’t love him. 

Barrelling down the alley he randomly slammed the breaks down, the lack of warning sending you flying forward. Bracing yourself to be slammed into the front of car, but just when you thought you were going to break your nose Hidan reversed, sending your body backwards instead. You yelped and he sent you a stupid little apologetic curl of his lip before twisting his body, hand coming to your chair for support as he sped the car backwards through the trash littered street. You didn't understand why he suddenly changed his mind about the direction until a few seconds later when a black and white cop car swerved down the alley in the direction you were back pedalling from. Hidan must have known they were going to try and cut his route off.    

  At the sight of the police vehicle your boyfriend impulsively slammed the breaks, rolling his window down and leaning his head out of it, “Ha, you stupid fucks think you could catch Jashin with some lame shit like that? I could smell that from a mile away!” From your boyfriends childish tone you predicted he was going to blow a raspberry, but the sound of speeding tires approaching quickly stopped him. Sirens blaring, the police car sped its way forward. 

“Oh fuck.” Hidan sped Jashin backwards again. 

  You remembered the first time you met Jashin.

  It was late that night, you were making your long trek home after a disastrous closing shift. You were tired. So fucking tired. You never would have taken that shortcut if you weren’t truly physically drained. As you made your way briskly through that musky trash infested canal, you were stopped by a man who smelled just as intensely as the alley itself. It was so much so that you had thought that perhaps it was the mans smell that was so potent and not the space itself. 

  Defining what the source of that smell was wasn’t important though, not when he was coming straight at you with barred, yellow teeth. You didn't know what to do and to be fair, what the fuck were you supposed to do? He was yelling something, you couldn't hear it over the thrashing of your erratic heartbeat.  Were you going to die? You were so fucking tired. 

Maybe you should run.

  You didn’t though. Didn’t have the energy. So you let the man come face to face with your figure, grabbing at the lapels of your coat and screaming. His breath was unbearable and you thought you were going to pass away just from the smell as opposed to actually being murdered. Although you suppose this could probably qualify for a murder, his breath was most definitely a weapon. But despite his shouts being directly at you, his humid breath spraying across your face as his chest constantly heaved, you couldn't understand what he was saying. 

“Jashin! Jashin is coming!” 

  What the fuck was Jashin? Could you still not hear him? He was probably sick. You were tired. So you continued to let him shake your form. Was he going to kill you or just ask for some money?

  Thats when a beast of sleek red metal swerved down the alley, trampling over peeled open garbage bags and beer bottles, approaching you with each sound of a crinkled can. It was gunning straight towards the man who was backing you up against the wall, he was frothing and screaming at the sight and the next moment the hood of the car slammed into his form. Despite your close proximity to the man, you were left barely unscathed and a little bit disappointed.  

  The scene laid frozen for a good thirty seconds: the man unconscious on the floor, your unsteady breathing and the window of the car rolling down. It inched back to reveal a man about your age - which made him just barely a man - with silver slicked back hair, barred teeth and knitted eyebrows. 

“Shit.” 

  You just stared at him, backpack beginning to slide down your shoulders. He stared back at you, waiting to see what your next move was going to be. You didn’t have one. 

  “...If it makes you feel any better, douchebag deserved it.” The man said a few minutes later, he clearly wasn't expecting the crumpled body on the floor to have tried to seek out help, let alone from a cute girl. He smoothed his hair back. 

   His crappy attempt to seduce you didn't work and nor did his equally crap words of consolation, you were tired. This whole situation was even more tiring. You just wanted to sleep. 

  “I won't tell anyone, if you just drive me home.”

  He clearly wasn't expecting that, you could tell that from the pained look intensifying on his face and his little choked gasp. A few moments later it released like an elastic band snapping and his features set into a smug smirk. A cute girl who wasn’t gonna snitch on him?

  “You’re not going to question the fact that I just hit someone with my car? Is it cause I'm so fucking sex-” 

  You weren’t listening, walking over the heap of a body and around the car into the passenger seat. The contrasting smell of vanilla and cigarettes clouded your senses as you clicked your seatbelt into place - noticing his lack of one in the process.

You hated that your face was burning up as you spoke. “I live a few blocks away.” 

For a while you were sure that this was the first girl Hidan had ever had in his car. It was obvious that he was freaking out, maybe if he didn’t hit people in alleyways and then blamed your silence on the fact that he was so fucking sexy, then maybe he would be able to talk to more.

  He tried to blab to you the whole way to your apartment accidentally making wrong turns to try and extend the length of your stay. He told you about that man in the alley, said something about how he totally fucked him over in some black market shit for auto parts. Said his enemy, - he stressed this word very intensely - Shikamaru probably put him up to it. Nobody messes with Jashin goddamit, I fucking hate that guy. It was a shit justification for murder no doubt, there is never a good reason to hit someone with a car, but you supposed your indifference wasn't any better. 

  You stole a couple glances at him every now and then, when his eyes took a break from darting back and fourth between your thighs, your face and the road. He had a sharp jaw, pretty cheekbones, gelled back hair with small strands escaping every so often - causing him to brush them back when too many tickled his forehead - his lashes were long and his eyes so pretty so in the dim light of the empty city streets. His teeth were straight and sharp canines peeked out whenever he sent you a suggestive smirk.

You also spent an unbelievably long time watching his fingers maneuver the steering wheel, the way his hands flexed with a certain turn. The veins of his forearms travelling underneath his leather jacket pushed up at the elbows, his jeans were all worn out and faded and his shoes looked like they were about to fall apart, it was a big difference in comparison to the well kept state of his handsome car.

  When he finally made it to your complex after running out of roads to take wrong turns down, he looked at you like a lost puppy, rolling the passenger window down to call out to you as you opened the lobby doors. “So I’ll meet you out here tomorrow then? Say, around 9?” 

  You turned to look at him confusedly, inquiring as to why he would be picking you up when you made no reservations to see him again, why would you want to see your accomplice in a murder ever again? But he was already speeding off before you got the chance. 

At least you could finally go to sleep.

The next day he was outside your apartment fifteen past nine, blaring his horn as he maneuvered his upper body to hover out the window of his lovely Jashin. You were nestled on your couch, staring at the blue light of the TV screen in your dark apartment desperately trying to avoid the textbook glowering at you from the coffee table.

‘Cute kitten saved from tree’ was sprawled across the bottom of your television in bold letters as a perky blonde read off the little cue cards in her hand. You’d been watching the news all day, waiting for the red breaking news! To slice across the screen and read out the description of a crippled homeless gambler found dead in an alley, but it never came.

It mad you feel a little angry when you realized his death wasn’t going to be announced and you knew there was no way it hadn’t been discovered yet. Then you sat startled at the realization that you didn’t feel anything towards what happened. That the anger you felt in wanting it to be so desperately displayed on the news was because you hoped you would feel something then.

The sound of Hidans car horn threw you out of your thoughts as you jumped like a frightened cat to the window. Peeling back the curtain you were surprised to see that blood stained blotch on the road with a lavender haired boy peeking out, baring his teeth.

You contemplated staying inside, he didn’t know your apartment number, but you knew that he definitely wouldn’t stop blaring the horn if you didn’t. His hand was undeniably laying flat against the centre of he wheel as he continued to sound out, you heard someone yell for him to fucking shut up. Hidan continued as if he didn’t hear. It kind of flattered you.

You wanted to vomit.

You took the stairs.

It was the beginning of winter when you finally let Hidan fuck you. You were in some parking lot lined with pitch black shops on a Sunday night. Everyone closed early going home to their families, except the two of you of course.

It was odd being with him for this long. One outing turned into another and then another, before you knew it he was picking you up every night at nine -sometimes fifteen minutes passed,- blaring his horn excitedly as he peeked out his car.

He told you it was the perfect place to do donuts, didn’t you want to do donuts? You did. It was the beginning of winter. It was icy. His idea was incredibly fucking stupid. But you agreed because maybe you’d skid on the ice and smash into a store, get crushed by the crumbling debris..

There was little snowflakes hitting the windows of Jashin as you two sat parked in the middle of the deserted lot.

“You ready? Oh you’re gonna love this, babe.”

He grinned as your face heated up at the name, you always got all flustered whenever he said anything like that. It made him feel giddy. His long fingers start Jashin up, moving to clutch the wheel as the car thrums to life.

When he makes the first swerve with his car, he turns his head to watch your body all stiff and frightened. It was funny. He laughed as your face twisted into an even more flustered one - if that was possible. God, you were always such a hard ass at the beginning of the night, but when he dropped you off outside your apartment early into the morning he always made sure to leave you with a little smile on your face. Even now, this early into the night he could see the beginnings of one.

He twisted the wheel again and your body flew to the left, smooshing into the console and the surprised laugh that left your mouth had his guts twisting. He wanted to hear it again. Your walls always fell when he did stupid shit like this. You were kinda fucked up now that he thought about it. Always getting all giggly when you should probably be screaming at him to be more careful for fucks sake! But you never did and he loved that about you. Just as fucked as he was.

“Hey babe, babe! This one’ll be good. Watch, watch.” He gripped the wheel again and grinded his sneaker into the gas, the first skid across asphalt was intentional, but when he tried to regain the reigns of his dark red beast it began to thrash out of his control.

Goddamn ice patch.

The car twisted, screeched and burned into the pavement for a good twenty seconds and when he was sure you should be screaming because I mean come on, that was fucking scary, he heard silence.

As the car came to a complete stop and your body was once again flung against the console, he turned to you. He thinks he was gonna ask if you were okay but he couldn’t remember because the next moment you were grabbing tufts of his gelled hair and sucking his face off.

He loved every second of it. The amount of times he’d tried to get his dick wet with you before was astronomical, but you’d always tell him no and he would pout like a dog. But hey, now you’re shoving your tongue down his throat like a dog so he settled on the idea that good things do come to people who wait.

The reason you decided to do it then was blurry. One moment his car was skidding around the parking lot and you were laughing and thinking of the chance of death and the next second it spat onto your tongue and you realized you didn’t want it anymore.

Like that first time you slid into his car, as you kissed him now you tasted contrasting flavours. Mint and cigarettes. For a moment you thought you were going to pull away, but you felt the sudden need to drink all of it. To somehow understand why you felt like you were burning from the inside.

It was his fault really. Hidan made you feel less tired, if that was a good way to put it. You started looking forward to things after you two met and eventually you actually started to feel a bit more deeply for poor crumpled man in the alley. It felt as if you’re body was being thawed out by this silver haired idiot who was groping for the clasp of your bra underneath your shirt.

So you climbed over the console, fumbling with the side of his chair to pull his seat back as you began to strip off your top in haste. You unbuttoned his jeans and slid down to the space between his leg, choking and drooling all over his cock because when you did you felt all these funny emotions bubbling in your body, you felt alive.

He was a loud mouth when you had his dick down your throat, groaning and saying the dumbest, lewdest shit his sex wired brain could think of. You know how many times he’s thought of this? You feel so good, you feel so good. God this is so good, Jashin probably loves it too... We should fuck on the hood of the car next. Long slender fingers guided your head up and down him as he began to twitch thrust his hips upwards, finally spill into your mouth. Douchebag didn’t let your head go and you felt some of his juices dribble down your tongue.

“Swallow it, swallow it while my dicks still in your mouth... Atta girl, you’re so good. So greedy..”

And you swallowed it all, he hoisted you back onto his lap and pushed your skirt up. He was whispering all this perverted stuff in your ear and your mouth fell open against his neck. Words making you flush fiercely and slowly grind your hips against him. You stopped him when he was beginning to shove your panties down your thighs, though.

For the first time you felt small in comparison to him as you met his eyes. He stopped his movement seeming like he was going to say something too, but you cut him off.

“- Hidan... I’ve never done it before.”

He stares at you all wide eyed before laughing and for a second and you think about getting out of his car and walking home because that’s such a douchebag thing to do, but then he surprises you.

“Me too, I was just about to say.. but I mean it can’t be hard right? Well, I am hard,” he laughed and you found yourself huffing a small giggle at his stupid joke, good mood returning as he continued, “I was just gonna go with what I seen in hentais.” That explained his dirty talk.

It was pretty good for your first time though. Ideally not the best place to have sex, you kept hitting your head and he couldn’t quite get his hips thrusting at a good pace with the confined space, but you didn’t care. You didn’t care because it was Hidan and you think you just might be in love with him.

That’s why you don’t say anything when a few weeks later you see “Shikamaru Nara, infamous street racer found dead in a back alley crash.” flashing across your tv screen.

You don’t comment, just give a little understanding hum when Hidan calls you and tells you he can’t pick you up tonight babe, or for a few nights, Jashin needs some repairs..

It’s why now, as he speeds through the streets recklessly with your bags in the trunk and the sound of sirens ringing in your ears that you feel tears prick your eyes. You wish you could have told him to be more careful, that he shouldn’t have done what he did without planning it. Something, anything.. it’s too late now. But he’s not to blame.

You think it’s your fault, really.

[starr-fall-knight-rise]

Humans are Space Orcs, “Armor.”

A ton of changes have been going on at my college right now. So sorry for not getting this out at a good time. This is all my brain wanted to right today, because I am kind of out of it right now. but I hope you still like it. 

I was standing in the warm morning sun. It beat down onto my back as I stood, feet cool against the damp moss. A soft breeze whipped at my bare chest and stirred around the hair on my face and jaw.

I lean against the spear staring out over the horizon eyes narrowed as I attempted to spot any incoming hostiles.

The more northern clans had been encroaching on our territory lately, and our Sentinel said they were likely to mount a full scale attack within the next few lunar cycles. I tended to believe him. 

The thought makes me very worried, for one giant primary reason.

I am a human and these guys are Drev.

IF you don’t know what drev are you probably living under a rock but just to refresh your memories. Six limb 7-10 foot tall monstrosities with a glorious history of cultural combat practices. Humans: 5-7 foot tall monstrosities with a history of trying to avoid glorious combat whenever possible in lieu of chucking explosives at each other over long distances.

Yeah, those guys.

But about six months ago I had taken a trip to Anum to get my head back on straight. The war with the Burg had brought up some…. Deep personal problems I wasn’t aware I still had one of the primary ones being that I hadn’t yet gotten over what happened during Operation Steel eye, when the UNSC welded an exoskeleton to my spine and then shot me full of opiates and amphetamines

But that was a long time ago.

Still, the memories were sharp. I thought not thinking about them would solve my problems, but it turned out it just bottled them up to deal with at a later date.

So I had stepped away from the situation, taken civilian transport to Anum, the place where it had all gone down, and integrated myself into one of the Drev clans fully on their side this time.

I had left a lot of friends and family behind. I had left my crew behind, but I knew that this was something that I needed to do before returning, before actually getting back to myself.

Yeah, yeah I get that it sounds like some kind of new age bullshit, but I guess whatever works.

And damn was it working.

Maybe if it wasn’t going to work for my mental issues it would definitely work for any physical ones I had. 

I haven't been in this good a shape ever.

Probably look the best I ever have minus the bad haircut and short scruffy beard.

Hair which was still dyed green by the way.

I sense him coming before I see him, moving up from the rocks at my back. He isn’t trying to hide himself, but Drev are kind of like that in a way. They are quieter than they might first appear.

I still keep my eyes on the horizon.

“Jastish stadik?”

“je. “

He wants to know if I have seen anything, but I haven’t.”

“Juhkee zhe tsak tatal tanantahik.”

I stepped down and out of his way as he took my spot on guard duty.

“Ts Zhin.” I say holding up a hand in goodbye and turning back towards the village leaving him to stare out at the rising sun.

I take the shortcut, cutting down a shallow gully, leaping from rock to rock my feet sure against the stone and moss. Another chill wind blows past me causing an eruption of goosebumps over my back and torso. I glance over towards the mountains which have been more active as of late. The dark season is on its way, and I know that my time here is growing short.

I approach the edge of the village stopping when I see a familiar figure crouched over the moss plucking bulb fruit from where it grows in the fertile, volcanic soil.

I pull to a stop beside her old wizened form, “Nak.” I say 

Hijan looks up at me her warm honey eyes scrunching in a sort of smile. She likes it when I call her that.

“Tsata.” she beckons me forward, and I kneel on the moss next to her reaching out to pluck one of the ripe fruits.

She ignores the fruit taking my face in her hands to examine me turning my head this way and that.

She plays with my hair eyes narrowed with dissatisfaction. She rubs the stubble on the side of my face.

“Etatan.” furry 

I smile, “Yid zhe rekazi.” I know.

I don’t even bother trying to pill away from her hands as she tries to fix my hair. I have tried to keep it short, but cutting your hair with a hunting knife is never an advised practice, and even I know I have done a questionable job. Hijan has been doing it for me, but its not like she went to cosmetic school.

I look like a caveman.

Aside from the colorful hair, nails.

She brushes my hair back looking at me in a contemplative manner of some kind, “zhe tsajat tsa dadik.”  She finally says motioning me to follow her. 

She wants to show me something.

Curious, I stand and follow after her my feet passing over sun warmed rock. The sun is up now, and one of their moons hangs just above and to the right. 

We head towards her little cottage at the side of the village greeting others as we walk through the town. I can already hear the sound of the morning drills. 

One of the Drev officers nods to us from where he sits by his cottage. In his arms he holds a tiny bundle.

I've seen Latinar’s newborn, she's super cute, and he even let me hold her.

That interesting thing about Drev society. Once the kits are born, the father is the primary caretaker while the mother goes off to war. I mean this is primarily because the males are the only ones that can feed the kits. Ha ha they have pit nipples.

Yeah, you heard me right, Under either of their lower  pair of arms.

They have two even though twins for Drev are extremely rare, like stupid rare.

When the kit finally reaches its first lunar marker, the father will have the opportunity to name the kid.

He told me he’s thinking about naming her Ralata.

So he’s pretty much naming his kid dirt, but I suppose our connotations of dirt and their connotations of dirt are much different. He fades into the background as we reach Hijan’s cottage, and we step inside.

The moss covering the roof is mostly turquoise, so the light that filters down is almost blue. When it does, I am surprised to see a set of armor pieces resting against the ground glittering in the blue light.

I look at her, confused, “Nin tin?’” What is this?

She takes a hand and nudges me forward.

“Zhe teeya tsa nak chazi.” I made it for you 

Hesitantly, I walk over and kneel next to the pieces. 

Armor

Beautifully made armor.

Wide-eyed, I run my hands over the warm metal pieces. This is like nothing I have ever seen before. Like No Drev or human armor. Drev armor. This armor has straps: which most Drev armor doesn’t, but it is like no human armor in the way that it is designed and crafted

“Tsa sdarat nak zhegingish?”

I turn to look at her, “Well of course I want to try it!”

In my excitement I forget which language we are speaking, but she seems to understand, and is very happy with my enthusiasm.

She moves forward and shows me how to put all the pieces together. It is a very complicated system, and I am reminded that, like Sunny, hijan was originally trained as an engineer. The lower pieces buckle on, but the upper pieces slide into each other.

And there are a lot of pieces which interlock over each other thickest around my chest and shoulders. Some for my thighs and arms and shins. She even made gloves for my hands, which is kind of crazy considering Drev don’t use gloves.

I shift in place testing the armor.

It’s heavy, but not as heavy as I thought it should be.

I was getting a bit of a medieval feel, though in a way more badass way.

She stand sbefore me looking very pleased with herself.

“Wow.” I mutter

She holds up the last peace smiling, and I lower my head, so she can place on the helmet. 

When it’s all done, I look up at her, and I can see the pride in her eyes.

“Tsa cheekish.”

“Yid nezanin.” Of course, of course a thousand times of course I like it.

She beams with pleasure.

“Tsa Daklan!” You’re Amazing 

“Zhe rekazi.” I know

I laugh and after a second of thought, I hug her. She’s much taller than me, so I am pretty much hugging her waist like a child. She steps back a bit in surprise, but then seems happy wrapping all four of her arms around me.

Our moment is ruined almost immediately as the alarm is raised, and we break apart.

She points me towards the door, “Ajish.”

“J tsa.”

“Ajish! Zhe tahaji.”

Folowing her orders, I turn on my heels and run from the hut, the armor clinking around my body. It’s harder to run in this, but I am in good shape.

Outside, everyone is scrambling to assemble themselves together. I meet with a column of warriors as they race towards the side of the village.

They look at me with questions on their faces, but then turn their focus back to the matter at hand.

I follow after.

Orders are shouted, and we are directed into groups, battle pairs forming up. I wave the officers on, but one still stops to look at me, “Kayad tsa daeen tadish.” Should you be here

The question isn’t rude. In fact, he seems worried, but I wave him off, “zhe yahan!”

He looks skeptical but runs off.

A moment later a shadow darkens my back, and  I turn to see Hijan pull up next to me.wearing her armor.

She nods and I nod back.

My palms are sweating so bad.

I grip my spear more tightly 

I can hear shouting in the distance as our group begins to march. It gets louder and louder as we break into a light jog, and then a full sprint. We crest the hill…. To look down on a battlefield. 

[skelesinners-r-us]

I mean- maybe some smut of a yandere x reader-? Uhhh- hh maybe Yanberry? Orrr Yan!Fell? qwq

You, my friend, have good taste :P 

This nearly destroyed me as I was working on it, so yeah >////> also wasn’t sure which pronouns to use for the reader, so I tried to stay neutral with the pet names that were used and such. I think I did a pretty good job of that, right up until the very last couple paragraphs or so, where I used one or two pronouns suggesting the reader is female or at the very least, capable of getting pregnant

anyways though, here it be :P

He wasn’t ok with this. Not with your current situation, not with having to leave your side for work, not having to leave you home alone. Not with his brother, of all people. He knew Papyrus could be a flirt at times and had a certain charm to him, but if he thought he could just swoop in and steal you - his human - from him, well… He’d have another thing coming to him, then.

Sans glanced up at the living room clock, taking a mental note of the time as he slipped on his gloves. Noticing the movement from beside you, you looked up from the tv, your attention fully on him as you let out a soft sigh, smiling faintly, “Almost time for work, I take it?” Seeing that your eyes were on him and him alone… god, he loved it. So, so very much.

He offered you a weak smile, wrapping an arm around you and gently squeezing your hip, “YEAH, I’M AFRAID SO. I NEED TO WORK LATE AGAIN TONIGHT, SO THERE’S DINNER IN THE FRIDGE WHENEVER YOU GET HUNGRY.” Cuddling close to him and laying your head on his shoulder, you hummed in understanding and playfully raised an eyebrow, “You already prepped dinner? When did you manage to do that?” The skeletons’ smile widened and he chuckled, “I WOKE UP EARLY THIS MORNING AND MADE IT.” You snorted, visibly amused, “Wow, look at you, hot shot. I wish I had as much ambition as you.”

That remark earned a laugh from him and he held you as close to himself as he could, “YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU REALLY PUT YOUR MIND TO, MY LOVE.” He then paused, pressing a skeleton kiss to your temple and mumbling against your skin, “BEFORE I LEAVE THOUGH, DO YOU REMEMBER THE RULES?” You nodded and sighed, absentmindedly raising a hand to play with his scarf, “Mhm, sure do.” “CARE TO REPEAT THEM FOR ME, THEN?” You made a face, your cheeks gaining a faint blush as his gloved hand captured yours, and he delicately intertwined his fingers with your own, “Uh well… No inviting anyone over, no allowing anyone other than Papyrus into the house, no allowing Papyrus into your room while I’m alone there, no going into Paps room, and no touching Paps? Not in any way, even accidental bumps or hand brushing?” 

Sans purred in delight, his eye lights shifting into small hearts as he gently cupped your face and kissed you deeply, holding you close to himself. As he nipped your bottom lip and trailed the tip of his cyan ecto tongue along it, the sound of someone coughing could be heard. It was an awkward cough, as if they’d walked in on something they weren’t meant to see, and your blush darkened: Papyrus. Growling faintly in irritation at having been interrupted, Sans broke away from the kiss, looking up at his elder brother, who was currently standing at the bottom of the stairs, “WHAT IS IT, BROTHER?”

Papyrus gestured to the clock, using his free hand to awkwardly rub the back of his neck, “it’s just that your uh… your shift starts in three minutes.” Accepting this as a reasonable excuse for disturbing his moment with you, Sans sighed, “THANK YOU, PAPY. I’LL HEAD OUT AS SOON AS I FINISH SAYING GOODBYE TO MY HUMAN.” The taller, lanky brother made a sound of acceptance, digging into his hoodie pocket and fishing around for his cigarettes as he crossed the living room, heading for the front door, “alright, bro. sounds like a plan.” 

As Papyrus disappeared, vanishing outside and leaving you alone with Sans, a mischievous look flickered in Sans’ sockets. Shifting slightly in his seat, he tugged you onto his lap, turning you so that you were facing him before very intentionally raising one of his legs slightly. Considering that you were essentially straddling his lap, his single raised leg was between your legs, and as gravity would have it, you now had it grinding against your still clothed sex. Watching your blush darken a noticeable amount, Sans smirked, almost appearing wicked as he moved his leg, making sure you felt it against you. Drawing a soft whimper from you, he chuckled, beaming at you in smug satisfaction as he lowered his leg, so that it no longer rubbed against you.

You pouted at the sudden lack of stimulation and he continued to smile at you, delicately running his fingers through your hair and mumbling in that slightly deeper, husky voice he knew you loved, “IF YOU FOLLOW THE RULES AND BE A GOOD HUMAN FOR ME, I’LL GIVE YOU A REWARD AS SOON AS I GET HOME.” You nodded, still blushing deeply, “O-Ok… Should I wait up for you, then?” The skeleton shrugged, playfully arching a brow bone at you, “IF YOU THINK YOU CAN STAY UP THAT LONG, THEN BE MY GUEST.” Sliding off his lap to let him get up, you smiled sheepishly as he leaned down to steal a kiss from you, muttering in a hushed voice against your lips, “I Love You So Much… I’ll See You Tonight, Beautiful.”

He had then proceeded to use a shortcut, heading off to work for the rest of the day.

The day had passed so slow that it was almost cruel, and the amount of boredom he faced was torturous. To combat it, he let his mind wander back to you on multiple occasions, wondering how you were doing, what you were doing, and what all he would do to you that night. By the time his shift was nearly over, he’d pulled out his phone, resorting to check the notifications on his social media. There was a photo posted earlier on in the day by a mutual friend of yours, and you’d been tagged in it. He clicked on the notification, immediately interested, but in response to actually seeing it, he scowled.

The photo might’ve seemed innocent enough to anyone else, but to him… it made his nonexistent stomach turn. You were in the photo, standing in the aisle of a small grocery store that he instantly recognized, and standing around you were a handful of your friends. The caption simply read, “Saw this dork while out getting some snacks <3 ended up staying so long chatting that the cashier had to ask us to leave.” As if the heart emoticon wasn’t aggravating enough, the way your friends were looking at you was almost enough to infuriate him.

They looked at you with pure adoration, as if they were in love with you or something. There was a second photo attached to the post that also had you in it, but one of your female friends had her arms around you, kissing your forehead. The photo had been taken while the both of you laughed over it, and as he gazed at the image, he began to tighten his grip on his phone, only stopping as the screen glitched and began to crack. If this was the game they wanted to play, then so be it. 

Sans loved games, and being as magnificent and determined as he was, there was no way he could ever lose. When you were the prize at the end of the game in question, however, he’d do anything to guarantee that no one else gained your affections. If they tried, he’d have to make it point to have a little conversation with them. If they couldn’t be reasoned with, then, well… he’d just have to get rid of them, wouldn’t he?

As soon as his shift ended, he clocked out and headed home, ready to set his plan into motion.

When he got back to the house, it was dark, minus the porch light and a single, dimly lit room upstairs, which he instantly recognized as his own. Relaxing the smallest bit, he slipped in through the unlocked front door, taking off his boots and turning to lock the door behind himself before he headed for the stairs. Being extra careful as he passed by Papyrus’ room, he placed his steps very specifically, avoiding the floorboards that he knew would creak under his weight. He made a beeline for his bedroom door, very carefully opening it, then nudging it shut behind himself and absentmindedly locking it.

Turning to glance around the room, his eye lights almost instantly located you; you were lying on his bed, a book open and laying on your chest. He smiled to himself, quietly making his way around the bed to pick up the book and mark your page for you before setting it aside; god, you were honestly just so cute like this. You must’ve dozed off while waiting for him to come home, and his soul swelled in complete, utter adoration and love as he gazed at you. 

You’d dozed off, leaving yourself completely helpless and vulnerable, and the thought of that alone elicited a soft groan from him. Call it sick, call it twisted, but he just… couldn’t help it. He loved seeing you vulnerable and helpless like this. It delivered a certain thrill that he was unable to find anywhere else, no matter how hard he searched for it. He slipped his gloves and scarf off, setting them on his desk before beginning to remove the rest of his battle body, changing into his favorite set of pajamas and climbing into bed with you.

Shifting in your sleep, you rolled onto your side, your back to him, and he frowned. He just wanted to see that adorable face of yours, and now he couldn’t. Not unless -

He cautiously sat up, sitting on the edge of the bed and watching you for a moment to make sure he hadn’t disturbed you, before he used his magic, delicately rolling you onto your back again and holding you in place as he curled his fingers around the waistband of your pants and underwear, tugging both of them down and off of you in one fluid motion. He paused again to make sure you remained asleep, which thankfully, you did. He let out a deep sigh of relief, and then proceeded to gently coax your legs apart, settling in the space between them. 

With his attention centered almost entirely on your face, he slowly slid a bony finger inside you. Stopping once it was all the way in, he paused, the soft moan that slipped past your lips enough to cause his magic to begin forming a bulge in his pajama pants. Feeling spurred on, he began slowly thrusting his finger in and out of you, his eye lights shifting into hearts as you mewled, his name a mumble as it escaped from you. Even in your sleep, you dreamt of him doing these things to you? Touching you this way and making you feel good?

He purred softly, an affectionate smile finding its way onto his face; just for that, he might have to forgive you for letting those friends of yours get as close as they did. Adding a second finger and pumping his digits a bit faster, Sans watched as you squirmed, moaning softly again. You clenched around his fingers and he arched a brow bone, still wearing a toothy grin; truth be told, he was having more fun with this than he thought he would.

He slipped his fingers out of you, licking them off as he looked over your exposed body. He couldn’t take it anymore. Before you woke up, he needed to get a taste of you.

Sans leaned down, inhaling your scent and groaning softly before burying his face between your thighs, immediately lapping at your entrance and moaning. You shifted in your sleep again, letting out a much louder moan, but at this point, he didn’t care if you woke up and caught him in the act. Pressing closer to you, he moaned again, thrusting his tongue into your hole and fighting back the whine that threatened to slip from his maw as his now fully formed member began to ache, as if begging to be touched. 

Growling faintly in annoyance, he shoved his pants down just enough to free his length before he wrapped a hand around it and began stroking his shaft, moaning against your entrance again. Your eyelids fluttered and you mumbled something incoherent, beginning to stir as he drew more moans from you.

Continuing to lap at your entrance as he quickened his strokes, he lost himself in pleasure, and the thing that brought him back to reality was the startled yelp that left your lips as you woke up. You’d begun to question him, but all he heard was his name coming out of your mouth, and with the knowledge that you were fully awake now, he moaned against you. The vibrations from his moans directly on your ridiculously sensitive core… that was what pushed you over the edge. You bucked your hips, your body spasming as the coil in your gut came undone and you moaned loudly, reaching your climax.

Sans eagerly licked up your juices, his body beginning to tremble the smallest bit. Catching your breath, you sighed, smiling sheepishly at him, “W-Wow��� Well that was one hell of a wake up call.” His sockets, now hazy and clouded with visible lust, shifted their focus to your face and he smirked, sliding back to slip off his pajamas, “THAT WAS ROUND ONE, MY LOVE. WE’RE ONLY JUST BEGINNING.”

Now fully unclothed, he leaned over you, his magic releasing its hold on you as he fumbled with your shirt, nearly tearing it as he impatiently tried to get it off of you. You cooperated to the best of your ability, feeling a bit relieved once it was finally removed and tossed aside. With your naked form beneath him, his cyan ecto tongue slipped out of his mouth, gliding over his teeth as he took in the sight of you. You were so beautiful… so gorgeous and perfect.

And he couldn’t wait to absolutely wreck you.

Gripping your legs a bit harder than he’d intended, he hoisted your feet up over his shoulders and thrust his entire length inside you in one go. Clamping a hand over your mouth in an effort to muffle your voice, you squealed, arching your back and clenching around him, and he moaned, his breathing becoming shaky. As Sans began to rock his hips, he slammed into you roughly, quickly turning your loud moans and squeals of pleasure into screams, and his eye lights became small hearts as he watched you again. But… He was a bit annoyed, at the same time.

You kept trying to muffle the sounds you were making, and that simply wouldn’t do.

One of his sockets flared up with his cyan magic, and you found your hands pinned above your head. He’d paused briefly to let your legs down, off of his shoulders, before pushing them as far apart as possible. As he resumed his previous motions and began ramming into you again, he let out a rather loud growl, tightly gripping your hips, “SCREAM FOR ME, HUMAN. I WANT THOSE FRIENDS OF YOURS TO HEAR US FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN.” Your eyes widened in surprise and as you opened your mouth to ask what was going on with him, he decided to angle his hips a bit differently, before snapping them forward again and slamming into your sweet spot.

With your face entirely flushed, you screamed in pleasure, beginning to buck your hips in time with his thrusts as you whined and begged, “O-Oh shit… Sans, please! Fuck me harder! Please, I really need it!” The skeleton growled, his gaze almost predatory and dangerous as he leaned over you, his voice husky, “SCREAM MY NAME FIRST, THEN. EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW WHO YOU BELONG TO… YOU’RE MINE, AND MINE ONLY. I DON’T LIKE SHARING… YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT BY NOW.” 

He slammed into your sweet spot again and you did as told, screaming his name. A pleased purr left him and he bucked his hips harder than before, his pelvis hitting yours hard enough that he knew would end up leaving bruises. Leering down at you and offering you a sultry grin, he began to roll his hips noticeably faster, moaning as your inner walls squeezed his shaft, “TELL ME AGAIN WHO YOU BELONG TO.” Writhing beneath him and screaming again, tears rolled down your face at the overwhelming amount of pleasure you felt, “You! Always you, don’t belong to anyone else! Won’t ever belong to anyone else! Don’t want anyone else, only want you, Sans!”

Moaning loudly as he felt his own release rapidly approaching, he panted, continuing to slam into you at the same speed and with the same amount of force as before, his tongue lolling from his mouth and allowing his cyan tinted saliva to drip down onto your chest and stomach, “S-SHIT, FUCK… MINE. YOU’RE MINE, HUMAN! MINE, MINE, MINE!” Arching your back at what looked to be an almost painful degree, your eyes rolled back and your body spasmed again. With a silent scream, you came undone around him, and in turn, caused him to finish as well. He thrust his length as deep into you as he could, leaning down and sinking his teeth into your shoulder, permanently marking you as his mate as he released a moan that sounded similar to your name and shot his seed deep inside you.

Feeling his teeth in your shoulder, you whimpered, this time in pain rather than pleasure. Easily catching this, he let go of your shoulder, purring faintly as he began to trace the tip of his tongue over the bite, almost in a soothing manner. As you let out another whimper, he softly shushed you, gently pressing his teeth to your lips and offering you praise, his voice hushed now, “Shhh… It’s Ok, My Love. You Took So Much More Than Normal, And You Did So Well. You Never Cease To Amaze Me, And For That, I Love You. With Every Fiber Of My Being, And With My Entire Soul.” Your lips curled into an affectionate smile and with your hands now free, you gently touched his face, mumbling tiredly, “I love you too, Sans… With all my heart.” 

He leaned into your touch, his eye lights heart shaped once more as he watched you with pure adoration, sighing softly as he delicately touched your hand, “I’m Glad… We Should Rest Now Though… It’s Late, And We Need It.” You nodded in agreement, attempting to muffle a yawn. With the length his magic had formed now completely gone, he simply flopped down next to you, wrapping an arm around you and pulling you flush against himself, smiling as you cuddled into his side. 

Your eyes drifted shut, and it wasn’t long before you fell asleep, remaining where you currently were. As you dreamt, Sans watched you quietly, admiring how peaceful you looked, sleeping in his arms like this. His cheekbones dusted a bright shade of cyan as he delicately rested a hand on your stomach; you were already beautiful as is, so he couldn’t imagine how beautiful you’d be, as the potential mother of his child.

That was a discussion for tomorrow though. As a wave of exhaustion swept over him, he yawned, his hand remaining on your stomach in an almost protective manner. He wasn’t sure how you’d react to possibly becoming a mom, but once those friends of yours saw you covered in love bites with a swollen belly and his mark on your shoulder, they’d know to stay away.

As they rightfully should.

[ask-the-riders]

Understanding

((Idk what this is,, but I guess it could be thought of as an experimental thing to see how different relationships between the riders might work))

Sucking in a sharp breath, Retribution drew his hand back, clutching it to his chest. From her spot nearby, War redirected her attention to him, frowning, "You ok, Ret?... What's wrong?" Retribution knew she was only concerned, and he was grateful, but he found his tone turning harsher than he'd intended, "Yes, I'm fine. Don't worry about it." War's frown deepened and she fell silent, knowing better than to press further.

Retribution staggered to his feet, swaying the smallest bit. He kept one hand balled into a fist and held close to his chest, while he lifted his other hand, touching his skull. His head was absolutely throbbing, and he cursed under his breath; shit. He'd let himself reach this point, and that was irritating. He slipped, and in response, War's sockets widened. Her body glitched and she used a shortcut, wrapping an arm around him and taking one of his arms, placing it behind her neck and effectively stopping his fall.

His breathing had become ragged and she began to panic, "Ok, I have no idea what's wrong with you, but you're clearly NOT fine. I'm taking you to your old room and you're gonna lay down until Death or Fam gets here. They'll be able to help you, since I don't know how." Retribution shook his head, his voice soft, "No, don't. I'll be fine, I just have to... I need... I need it. Please. I need it." The female skeleton took another shortcut into the other's old bedroom, making a face, "What do you need, Ret? I'll get it, just tell me."

She began coaxing him toward his bed, making him sit down as he shrunk back, a pained expression on his face. Brow bones tightly knit in concern, she reached out, gently placing a hand on his face. She withdrew it after a moment, her concern growing, "Shit... you're really burning up. I thought we couldn't get sick? What's happening to you?"

Shaking his head, Retribution cleared his throat, his eye lights starting to appear clouded, "I'm... I'm not sick. I am only weakened. Stop your worrying. I'm not dying, so it's fine." War narrowed her sockets and stared at him for a few seconds, "...You said you needed something. What was it?" Retribution hissed as a pain pulsed through his head, tightly squeezing his sockets shut and groaning, "Negative feelings, you idiot! Look at me! I'm like HIM. I need negativity or I become weak and useless."

War blinked, his tone making her flinch. As if a switch was flipped in her mind, she shrunk back away from him, her sockets wide again as she mumbled, "S-Sorry boss... 'm just worried about you, is all. I don't mean to annoy you, I swear." Realizing what she'd referred to him as, he paused, cracking his sockets open to shoot her a questioning look. She remained silent, her figure beginning to glitch and tremble the smallest bit as she avoided his gaze.

The anxiety that had started to roll off of her, practically in waves, caused Retribution's migraine to lessen slightly, and as he watched her, he began to piece things together in his mind. The way she backed away from her, how she called him "boss", all the fear she was feeling... something must've happened to her. Yet another thing his original counterpart had managed to ruin for him.

Wanting to break all visual similarities War could be seeing and using to connect him to the walking mass of goop, Retribution sighed softly, shedding his cloak and pushing it back off of his shoulders. He then lifted a hand and extended it to her, and she seemed to shy away from it, her glitching growing a bit worse as blue tinted tears pricked at her sockets. She stared at his hand, then looked to his face, almost pleading, "Boss?... What... What did I do wrong? Please don't break me again... Please."

Inhaling deeply and feeding on her fear without an ounce of hesitation, Retribution tilted his head, gesturing for her to come closer, "Come here, War." The female rider let out a faint whimper, visibly afraid as blue tears ran down her face and transformed into threads. Despite her fear, her body moved against her will as she approached her teammate. Once she was within arms reach, Retribution pressed his palm against her forehead and she froze.

She wailed in agony, nearly falling to her knees; Retribution kept his hand in place, using his magic to help support her, images beginning to appear in his mind. Through the link he'd formed with her, he saw tentacles... four of them, coated in a tar-like substance. From her point of view, he watched a tendril slither around one of her arms, easily snapping it in two and twisting, ignoring her screams as it was ripped from her body. In a second image, also from her point of view, he saw a tentacle capture her by her neck, choking her as she was lifted up off the ground. And then, with what he considered an unnecessary amount of force, a second tentacle appeared, shooting through her ribs and shattering all the bones in its path.

A third image began to reveal itself, but as Retribution felt a wave of nausea wash over him, he shook his head, frowning as he pulled his hand away from her face, breaking the link. As she trembled and sobbed before him, babbling incoherently, his frown deepened. Using his magic to move her closer, he decided to push away his pride and dignity, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly, gently shushing her.

She fought him for minute out of fear, as he'd gauged from the spike of anxiety he'd gotten from her, and then she stopped, still sobbing as she hugged him tightly back and clung to him, sniffling and apologizing profusely. He shrugged off her apologies, gently rubbing her back and trying to soothe her, remaining silent. Having regained his strength from the negative feelings he'd gotten from War, Retribution closed his eyes.

It became clear that she was entirely too tense to relax anytime soon, and although it went against his better judgement, he sent out a pulse of his magic. He repeated this until she went limp, sound asleep as desired. His magic moved her again, laying her down on the bed before releasing her. The bedroom door opened and Death stood in the now open space, his chest heaving as if he'd exerted a lot of energy in trying to locate the two of them.

His gaze locked on her first, then shifted to Retribution, and his tone was colder than the latter was expecting as he spoke, "I heard her screaming, Retribution. Terrified, pained screams. Care to tell me what the hell you did to her? You have five seconds before I end you." Retribution held up his hands in a gesture of submission, his shoulders sagging as he shook his head, "I wasn't doing too good. She was worried and wanted to help me. My tone must've set her off or something, because she... had a reaction to it. I did not hurt her, I swear on my soul."

Holding his gaze for a moment, Death slowly nodded, hesitant to accept the explanation. Crossing into the room and very gently scooping War up into his arms, he sighed, "...I'm gonna take her to Pest. He can look after her. If you're still not feeling well, I suggest you stay put. I'll even send Famine to keep you company if you want, as long as you don't leave this room." Retribution dropped his gaze to the floor, his voice soft, "Fine... I'll stay here. You have my word. Though please... don't make me out to be the bad guy. I've done nothing to deserve that. Not here, not now, not to her. Don't make her fear me, either. Please. That is all I ask of you, Death."

The reaper stared at him, humming softly, "We'll see. If you tell Famine and Pestilence what happened and they take your word, then perhaps I will too."

[i-windwater]

Feng Shui for spiritual growth

Feng Shui for spiritual growth

Most people turn to Feng Shui because they want to enhance career success, good health, happy relationship, and resolve any issues beyond their control. Beyond all the obvious benefits, Feng Shui can be a spiritual practice, keep you balanced and grounded. Here we have 7 tips about Feng Shui for enhancing your spiritual growth.

Watch our video for Feng Shui and spiritual growth

Tip 1: Feng Shui is about energy and understanding the law of nature.

In a very simplified sense, Feng Shui is about energy. Everything has energy in this world. If we slow down and pay attention, we can usually “feel” or “sense” the energy from our surroundings. If we learn the law of nature and the energy cycle, we can go with the flow, or even manipulate the energy in our favor.

The Taoism

No matter what school of Feng Shui you follow, the basic theory originated from the Yin/Yang, Five elements, 8 trigrams, and 64 hexagrams. That is also the basic theory of Taoism. Taoism can be either philosophy or religion. The essential theory of Taoism is to live peacefully with nature and go with the flow.

A Taoist live in harmony with nature instead of trying to change the world by drastic actions. It can seem too passive in the modern world, but you get inner peace when you observe the world and choose your path to align with the world around you.

So tip number one is to observe the world, learn how energy interacts, and see the cycle of luck. When we learn to detach our emotions and see the bigger picture objectively, we can live peacefully. Good luck comes and goes, and life goes up and down. Nothing stays the same forever, yet everything has a permanent effect.

Tip 2: Feng Shui is a practice of being mindful and aware of our current position.

Feng Shui is a practice, just like a doctor practices his or her medicine. It is about being mindful every day about your surroundings.

There is no shortcut or finishing line. You can set up a perfect Feng Shui today, but the energy will change over time and the Feng Shui needs to be adjusted too.

We live in an imperfect world and it is ok to have imperfect Feng Shui. Your current space might be too small or in the wrong location, but not much you can change at the moment. Just be aware of our current situation, and find ways to improve next time. We learn and grow each day, a little bit at a time.

By observing mindfully, we learn our strengths and weaknesses, and our current position in the world. Next is to turn any negative into positive, amplify our strong points at the right time, and work on our weaknesses to avoid any trouble.

It works for both our house and ourselves. Stay mindful, focus on the positive, and work on any issues at the same time.

Tip 3: Set up a centralized spiritual space to meditate and connect with your inner self.

Setting up a dedicated space is an easy way to stay consistent about meditation or listening to your inner voice. It can be a spiritual altar or just a small quiet corner to get away from a busy day.

The personal spiritual space can be as big or as small as you like. Arrange and add items that keep you calm and inspired. Maybe your book collection, music, candle, crystal, flower, art, and so on.

We tend to be conditioned by our environment. If we are looking for peace and clarity, set a space that makes you feel that way, and visit it regularly.

In this space, we can be true to ourselves. We can pray, meditate, dream, journal, or do nothing at all. It is a place of reflection and retreat for yourself. It might sound selfish but we all deserve to take care of ourselves first.

Tip 4: Cherish and take care of what you have. Start here and now.

Any journey starts from here and now. We need to accept where we are and embrace who we are first. So often we focus on the end goals and what we don’t have now and lose touch with reality. Then, we can get resentful or depressed easily for what we don’t have.

No matter how much money you have, what house you live in, what job you have, or what kind of relationship you are in right now, we are responsible for all of them. We made our choices in the past that lead to our current situation. There will be mistakes and what-ifs, but we can not change the past.

Accepting our current situation is the first step for change. If you are not satisfied with a certain area of your life, you can take action and learn to do things differently.

Cherish our fortune and more fortune will follow. When we admit all our mistakes and weakness, we have the power to change and grow. We are no longer victims.

Tip 5: Surround yourself with positive energy. Get rid of the outdated and bring in inspiring items.

Back to the practical part of Feng Shui, you can simply surround yourself with positive energy. It is similar to setting up your spiritual space, you can move around furniture, change colors, declutter, organize, and bring in items that actually inspire you and make you happy.

You do not need to hire a fancy designer to transform your interior, even though it can be a good option. The point is to clean up and update the space regularly to reflect the best of you. Your home should nurture your dreams. If you love music, have music played in the house frequently. If you love cooking, organize the kitchen to reflect your taste. If you love gardening, make space for it too. If you love books, showcase your book collection and make it a focus.

The minimal interior

Another idea is to keep it simple. Most of us have too much stuff in our home and that can create chaos. That is why the minimalist interior is so popular these years. We crave a simple, uncluttered space with plenty of room to grow.

Some popular Feng Shui suggestions to bring in good energy include,

Open up windows and set up good lighting.

Display artwork or sculptures that inspire you.

Candle, incense, or essential oil room spray for a good smell.

Display traditional Feng Shui lucky items such as crystals, jade, Pi Xiu, Qi Lin, dragon, horse, and so on.

Let the room filled with beautiful music or the sound of windchime sometimes.

Anything you love and brings you joy.

Tip 6: Northeast is generally related to spiritual growth.

Northeast is usually the direction that is associated with spiritual growth. It is also related to “Mountain” in Bagua and “Earth element” in the 5 elements. Adding a picture of a mountain, using the color yellow or brown, and display earthware here is a good idea to enhance this corner.

The water element is also related to spiritual growth and a clear mind. So the color blue or black is also a good choice.

In the BTB school of Feng Shui, spiritual growth is related to the bottom left corner of the feng shui map. That is on the left side near the door right after you walk into the house. See the picture below.

The direction is only for reference, you can be spiritual in any direction with any of the five elements.

Feng Shui is a tool only and it should not confuse you or limit you in any way. If in doubt, go with your own intuition and common sense.

Tip 7: Cultivate your good fortune by sharing and giving what you have.

The last tip here is very simple. If all feng shui calculation and planning don’t work, or issues that are beyond your ability to change, it is always advised to focus on helping other people.

There are many people that are less fortunate than us, and we can easily help them in many forms. It can be a donation of money, time, or sharing your skill, knowledge, or even just kind words. By making a difference in other people’s lives, you are cultivating your good luck.

You probably won’t see any immediate return, but the act of kindness is the start of a positive cycle. It can empower you and shift your perspective. Even if we do not get any return, we feel peace of mind.

Doing good deeds and help others will eventually bounce the good fortune back to you, even though that is not a goal anymore. In traditional Feng Shui, people believe real good fortune comes from generations of good deeds and charity work. So if you want to increase your luck, help others first. That is the secret of good fortune.

Feng Shui for enhancing spiritual growth

Featured Posts

[mister-maiden]

Pikmin 3 Is a Wonderful Gem

Pikmin 3 was one of my most anticipated games for the Nintendo Switch. I didn't have the good fortune of owning a WiiU, so I never got to experience the third game for myself. After spending 60 dollars on the title, fixing myself up for a long weekend, to my surprise I beat the game in two days...but was I disappointed?

Absolutely not. 

Gameplay: Pikmin 3 forces you to take control of three captains who had crash landed on the planet of PNF-404, a planet encompassed with dangerous fauna, familiar faces, and delicious fruit. Using the captains to form smaller groups of Pikmin, you can effectively multitask across each of the diverse maps available. 

Several puzzles force you to use this feature by giving you the ability to flung captains alongside Pikmin, effectively allowing you to reach new areas both high and far. This ability is best used with small groups performing tasks across the map. Having one captain destroy a gate while another keeps charge of pikmin harvesting berries. Meanwhile you can have your final pikmin harvesting the corpses of enemies to make even more pikmin! 

In this regard, you can play in anyway you want. If you want to keep your pikmin together to keep an army of 100 so you may overpower all in your path, you are certainly free to do so..you may just be hurting a bit on time in comparison to if you divided and conquered. To add onto this, there is a familiar special ability which allows you to split your army apart into the specific elements at your disposal so you can clearly choose the best group for the job.

The objective of the game as you quickly find out is to gather as much fruit as you can to bring back to your home planet of which is having a rather serious issue: starvation. So you'll be looking in every nook and cranny for each piece of fruit you can find to juice and bring back home. 

The fruit are finite, and each gives you a specific amount of juice for fruit. Some fruits have enough juice to give you two days worth of sustenance while others barely give half. It is certainly a welcome change from the first game's finite time limit. It allows players to be rewarded for how well they are performing instead of giving them a deadline. This is a huge gripe many had with the previous installments as well as other games with a similar time limit (Dead Rising comes to mind)

Alongside the fruits, powerups lay hidden amongst the maps which give you certain abilities. I won't dive into this as not to spoil it for any of you new players, but all I'll say is it is worth it to check every corner. To retrieve these treasures, you will have to use a specific amount of pikmin for each item. You can use a bit more than the maximum per treasure to make the journey back to the ship far more quicker. During this time, I recommend traveling with your pikmin so none shall perish to the random hazards of elements and enemies that may have slugged in the way of the path. 

With a lot of multi tasking and pathing involved in this new installment, it seems the developers worked more with the pause menu. A map allows you to see the areas you have explored and seen, marking a small green blip for each creature you spot. This was done intentionally so the player would be unaware of what lay in a path and to determine their best plan of action. To walk through the shorter parh with several blips and pray they are not too dangerous, or go around. A new feature with the mapping system also works alongside how you will be controlling three captains. You can now go to your map, scroll to an area, and press where you would like your captain to walk to. This will trigger whatever captain and pikmin group you have selected to automatically path to the point you selected. This allows for large scale multitasking in which you can have two captains traveling to destinations while your third deals with an entirely different task. A very welcome development for people such as I who want to use their time as wisely as possible.

Combat is roughly the same as the previous installments: overwhelm by sheer number while also avoiding the attacks that have a potential to wipe your armies. Picking the right pikmin for each battle is crucial...but to be honest I felt like this game gave me a bit too much leniency for making mistakes. For instance, there wasn't too much punishment for throwing an incorrect pikmin at an opposite element. You can just whistle them before they perish and all will be okay. Maybe it's my new game wisdom I have earned from thousands of hours of gaming, but I don't remember pikmin 1 being so easy.

Pikmin 3 also brings back the system in which you can slay your enemies...and use their bodies as mulch to grow your garden empire upon.

Your empire is stored in a pikmin bulb! In previous games you would have several bulbs, each being a different color representing the different pikmin types. In this game, there is only one bulb which is chromatic and swirls with different colors. Although I miss the triple pikmin bulb threat and getting violent/white pikmin from the ship, this is a welcome change since it allows the player to quickly populate a group instead of wasting time going to each bulb. 

You can carry the corpses of creatures you kill with your pikmin to their bulb to create even more pikmin! It's always been my favorite part of the pikmin games because it rewards you for playing intelligently and conservatively. 

An interesting development from Pikmin 1 and 2 to this new game is the replacement of the C stick directing agility of the pikmin to a new ability which allows you to send your pikmin forward all at once with a ravenous screech of war. It's great to quickly swarm an enemy, or to feverishly collect fruits and other valuables by surrounding them. While I shall miss the previous agility to accurately create a tendril like construct with my pikmin, I absolutely love the new battle rush!

Each pikmin, as the previous games, have their own situations they are best in. Reds are best at fighting situations, when things get heated up. Yellows for digging and reaching high spaces. Blues are good at swimming...yeah. Then this game introduces two new pikmin at the cost of two of the previous types introduced in Pikmin 2. Stone pikmin and flying pink pikmin replace the fat sumowrestler purple pikmin and toxic white pikmin. Stone pikmin are best when cracking open the defences of enemies or crystal rocks found around the maps. Hell these are my second favorite pikmin because of how they attack. Rather than use their leaves utop their hard heads, they just RUN INTO the enemy as hard as they can. It's amazing. Then my favorite: pink pikmin rule the sky..though they are the weakest in combat (though never underestimate the swarm >:] ) you can have up to 100 total of a combination of the pikmin. My personal favorite is 20 of each, as something special happens as you walk with them.

Spicy berries and bombs make a return in this game. Shrouding your pikmin in a special dust created by the planet's berries gives them a special buff that lets them go mad with energy, moving quickly and hitting harder. What's important in pikmin 3 is that the berry mechanic is much different than the previous games. This game allows the process to be automated. Berries are grown back in minutes, so pikmin can constantly move back and forth from the ship to the plant to harvest more juice in comparison to the previous games where once you harvested a berry plant, it was done for the day.

Bombs allow you to do 'tons of damage'. Throwing a pikmin with a bomb makes the pikmin drop the bomb and run in terror to avoid the massive blast. These are typically used to take down the toughest of obstacles- be it wall or wild creature, nothing shall stand in your way.

These bombs allow you to go forward so you may find shortcuts to shorten your time traveling...and now the final feature I would like to mention is the time system. Each day you are given a specific amount of time to explore the map before day changes to night...and the nocturnal predators awaken from their hungry slumber to feast. Before this time, you must gather your pikmin up as they are helpless without you. If you are unable to gather all of your pikmin, at the end of the day alongside a cinematic of you leading your pikmin to safety, you will have to watch the pikmin you left behind consumed by the hungry beasts of the night...it's rather sad and I would recommend to take track of each pikmin you send out. I have heavy attachments to even these little guys and it pained me just to lose one :c...BUT!

To combat this sad ending, the developers did something wonderful and added a brand new feature to your ship. You can walk to your ship and select a massive whistle option which will attempt to call back EVERY single pikmin on the map granted they can path their way to the ship. This was such an excellent feature as I always had one or so random pikmin in each map getting caught on something random and being stuck. With this tool, it gets rid of a lot of the stress of poor npc pathing which plagued the games before. Sure the pikmin can still get caught, but now there is a proper solution.

Also: there are missions and side content to do if youd like. I enjoyed it! Certainly felt alright...but i still enjoyed the main story more. I never was a huge fan of these types of side missions...didn't really feel like Pikmin.

I also understand there are harder difficulties, but truthfully I hate having a difficulty meter review, so I typically play on normal.

VISUALS and AUDIO 

The Pikmin series has never looked so beautiful. It still holds the familiar cartoon wonders we all loved. Those small moments of captains sticking their eyes out in surprise or pikmin expressing themselves in cute little squeaks of joy or terror. The water is gorgeous, the plant life is vibrant, and the wildlife is horrifying. Seriously, the creatures in this game have never looked so revolting yet adorable at the same time. 

You can take pictures of the world with the camera feature which is nice. It gives you a complete POV from the captain's point of view which is quite hilarious to see pikmin right in front of your face. Adorable little things just staring at you both full of wonder and waiting for direction. I really don't know what else to put here since I can't describe the game by any point except cute since the game isn't about its visuals in the slightest, so I'll leave it at the game absolutely nailing what it was going for.

Overall:

I really enjoyed this game, no matter how little time it took to finish it. It was a happy gift to my childhood in which I got to experience another mouthful of happy juice. It was something I was really looking forward to and I have a certain someone out there who can attest to that. 

Nintendo did a fine job in tuning the nobs of the game in a way that made it better yet still paid respects to the previous installments. I can't explain just how quickly I was taken back to my childhood with the familiar Pikmin themesong that I could sing at any moment on the spot because of how many times I've heard it. I think we all have those sensations that bring us back to moments when we were kids...mine always seemed to be sounds and music, be it the login music of Runescape to the Pikmin themesong. I almost have tears listening to some tracks...but regardless!

Pikmin has always been one of those games I can look at and just say "yeah. that's fun". I love the ability to command troops, make friends, and explore, and this game did all three in a cutely brutal way that I can respect. While I found some disappointment in how short my journey, nothing shall ever beat my love for Nintendo's Gem that has been in my memories for years. I highly recommend you give this game a shot.

[ryanmeft]

Movie Review: Parasite

It’s a crying shame that the ad campaign for Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite put such emphasis on the idea of the movie’s mesmerizing tonal shifts. Like your first Kurosawa or your first time in a new city, this is an experience that is best if you have absolutely no idea what you’re in for. It’s a class satire, and a family drama, and a mystery, and frankly I’ve already said too much. It is one of those films that cannot be adequately reviewed, because the best things written about it will come years after the fact. If you haven’t seen it, stop reading now.

Films from Asia often focus on the plights of a working class that lives in conditions all but the worst-off U.S. citizens can’t compare to, and that’s true here. We zero in on a family of four living in a basement that passes as an apartment. The area they live in is a place where such spaces are piled on top of one another like broken blocks. Drunks piss right outside their window, which they leave open to get free pest control from the city cleaners. They work menial jobs, such as folding pizza boxes, to make ends meet. Kim Ki-taek (Song Kang-ho), the father, actively encourages his family in taking full advantage of any opportunities they can seize, because there is no other reasonable way to live. His wife Chung-sook (Jang Hye-jin) is skilled in cooking and cleaning with very few resources or space. His daughter Ke-jeong (Park So-dam) is a gifted artist, a talent with little application in a ghetto. His son Ki-woo (Choi Woo-shik) is smart enough to be in university, but that is of course a pipe dream.

That changes when Ki-woo’s friend Min-hyuk (Park Seo-joon) leaves for university and suggests Ki-woo pose as a university student to pick up the English tutoring he’s been doing with the daughter of some rich clients. They live in a house designed by a famous architect, who built himself an Eden in the same city where so many live in abject poverty: the yard is larger than the Kim’s entire house and each room is big enough for an apartment. The Park family that currently owns it lives as if their help is invisible. The daughter Da-Hye (Jung Ji-so) falls for her new tutor, while younger child Da-song (Jung Hyun-joon) runs around playing at his idea of American Indians (the Indians are both the good and the bad guys; there are no cowboys). Dong-ik (Lee Sun-kyun) runs an IT company, but it could be any type of company, as he’s never shown to do much besides be chauffeured around in expensive suits. When asked about his relationship to his wife (Cho Yeo-Jeong), he says “We’ll call it love”, but in other scenes, especially a rather sexually explicit one, they do seem to care for each other. That’s important, because there’s no denying both families in this film are human.

That’s important, because neither is ideal. Ki-woo initially takes the tutoring job in apparent good faith, and I thought I was watching a simple domestic drama, sort of like Downton Abbey in Korea, where the lives of both served and servant are examined. Then Ki-woo gets an idea: manipulate the family’s existing servants into being fired, then have his family take their place while hiding the fact they are all family. They’re also hiding the fact they aren’t technically qualified for the work. They set up fake headhunting services to convince the Parks they are hiring highly vetted professionals. Ki-jeong, who has some skill with art but mostly with forging, becomes the highly respected art teacher to young Da-song, reading about “art therapy” online and then faking her readings of hidden meaning in the child’s scribbles. Chung-sook, who spends her days keeping her own house, becomes a maid of long experience. Ki-taek, who can drive, becomes an expert driver who has served many wealthy clients. The family starts merely wanted jobs that aren’t folding pizza boxes for spare cash, but their ambitions grow, and soon Ki-woo has ambitions of marrying Da-hye so he can inherit the mansion and all the money, he begins to refer to it as their house.

I couldn’t feel really sorry for the Parks here. The movie has morphed at this point from a drama about domesticity to one about economic desperation, and the Parks are capable of being rooked by the Kims in the first place because of the value they place on status. The Kims, of course, are excellent at giving the family exactly what they want, and no one would be likely to question that they are what they claim to be. The illusion of high class is as valuable here as the real thing. At the same time, the Kims grow greedy themselves. They are not, it must be noted, striking any bold blows for equality among the masses, but for advancement among themselves. After all, they got other poor people fired and turned out on the streets to claim their positions. This is not a simple story of outcast lower class heroes sticking it to arrogant rich overlords; neither family is shy about using and abusing others to get what they want. The standout performance here is by So-dam, whose character proves to be the most adept at manipulation.

The thing about stepping on others is they are very likely to step on you back. The movie seems at this point to be about a really clever con job, until one of the former servants (Lee Jung-eun) returns begging a favor. At this points the film morphs yet again. The Parks have gone on vacation, and the servant catches the Kims in the act of using the house (and the booze and food) as if it were their own, reveling in the possible excesses of being wealthy. Since the former housekeeper also has a secret, the movie becomes both a comedy of errors (naturally, the Parks have their vacation spoiled and return early) and a vicious satire on…well, on many things. Power. The limits of ambition. Class struggles. The idea of being trapped by wealth rather than freed by it. The layers of subtext here are so many that it may take years to dissect them all.

Joon-ho and co-writer Han Jin-won approach all these things with a breathlessly rolling dark comedy, so that in seconds we go from laughing to horrified. That it all stays tonally true---that the movie never feels like it is cheating or taking shortcuts---shows remarkable control over material that could easily become chaos in less skilled hands. Credit for this needs to go also to cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo and composer Jyong Jae-il. The former chose the site for the mansion, which was built for the film, with angles of the sun and other factors in mind, so that once the camera rolls each shot is perfectly placed. This becomes especially important during the finale, in which the locations of doors and stairways between which characters are moving become a visual poetry of their own. The latter reigns in the score when needed, and hits creeping notes when they are needed, balancing each scene. Characters move from floor to floor in ways that visually represent the divide between classes. It is notable that none of the upper class folks ever descend into the basement, which is the one area of the house that is not perfectly organized. The door to it leads to a darkened stairwell, whereas other areas are lighted, a cue as to how the high-powered CEO and his family see their servants.

I haven’t even begun to say everything I could about this film, and I suspect I won’t be able to do so for some time. The curse of reviews is that you must write them before your thoughts on a film are fully formed. I won’t pretend I fully understand the film, as I’m both not Korean and not smart enough, but I can safely say it’s a rare case where “You’ve never seen anything like this before” surely applies. It’s possible you never will again.

Verdict: Must-See

Note: I don’t use stars, but here are my possible verdicts.

Must-See

Highly Recommended

Recommended

Average

Not Recommended

Avoid like the Plague

 You can follow Ryan's reviews on Facebook here:

https://www.facebook.com/ryanmeftmovies/

 Or his tweets here:

https://twitter.com/RyanmEft

 All images are property of the people what own the movie.

[aion-rsa]

Lucifer Season 5 Episode 5 Review: Detective Amenadiel

https://ift.tt/3javrER

This Lucifer review contains spoilers.

“For now I’m going to stick to police work and avoid anything God related.”

Religious imagery, innuendo, and irony have long been part of the Lucifer gestalt even though the investigations rarely take the detective and the Devil anywhere near houses of worship. When they do, however, the depth of spiritual growth woven into the narrative typically reveals a profound level of character development. With that in mind, season five’s fifth episode “Detective Amenadiel” covers so much emotional ground and seems to provide closure to Chloe and Lucifer’s relationship problems that it’s easy to forget eleven episodes still remain in the season. 

The abandonment and deception themes remain focal points, and though there’s always the danger that some threads run too long, here we get some resolution with the most compelling arc of all – Chloe’s feeling that, like Lucifer, she’s been manipulated by God for His own purposes. However, it’s Amenadiel’s role in bringing Chloe and Lucifer back together that really drives the episode.

Putting Lucifer in a convent full of novitiate nuns just seems too easy, and the opportunity for off-color remarks and snide comments about his Father almost too juicy to ignore. But this investigation finds Lucifer sidelined at the precinct with Dan doing the boring detective work while Amenadiel goes into the field with Chloe to not only solve the murder of Sister Victoria of the Sisters of the Divine Path but to discover the truth behind Lucifer’s vulnerability around the detective. The sisters’ seeming lustful attraction to Amenadiel works because it’s so out of character for Lucifer’s brother, and once Sister Francine admits that when she looks at Amenadiel she feels closer to God, the pieces to the puzzle begin falling into place.

Read more

TV

Lucifer Season 5 Episode 4: It Never Ends Well for the Chicken

By Dave Vitagliano

TV

Lucifer: God Takes Charge As Dennis Haysbert Joins Season 5

By Dave Vitagliano

It’s certainly understandable that those unfamiliar with the show might accuse the writers of promoting anti-religious values, but therein lies the fundamental irony of Lucifer. Once we get past the misconception that the nuns find Amenadiel sexually attractive, it becomes apparent that the powerful emotions they feel when they gaze upon his angelic face is actually their love of God reflected back at them. It’s this revelation that ultimately leads to Amenadiel’s conclusion that so beautifully reunites the Devil and the detective. Though he’s ordinarily on the periphery of most murder investigations, it’s Amenadiel’s inductive reasoning that leads Chloe to finally understand the true nature of her relationship with Lucifer. Sherlock would be proud. 

The impact goes deeper still once Lucifer and Chloe really open up to one another, but what gives this mini-arc its power is that along with Lucifer, we’re given hope that the relationship can be saved. “I want us to be together,” she tells him, and what makes this scene so poignant is that Lucifer doesn’t yet know he’s been relieved of his obligation as Hell’s warden. He’s learned from Dan that there are no shortcuts toward obtaining anything meaningful and selflessly tells Chloe to take all the time she needs even though he believes time is something he doesn’t have. 

Of course, it’s Amenadiel’s explanation about Chloe’s unique ability that compels her to accept the most startling truth of the situation – instead of thinking about herself as a manipulative gift, she now understands she’s been given something even more important in this scenario. The resolution of this tragic conflict is handled beautifully, and while Lucifer’s penthouse has provided numerous opportunities to present his devilish side, here, sitting alone at his piano playing a plaintive tune, the space takes on deeper meaning. Once Chloe sits directly next to Lucifer on the bench, his emotional vulnerability is unmistakable and the power that she’s always exerted over him, intentional or not, now becomes something they share. When she shows him the truth that “You choose to be vulnerable around me,” Chloe opens a door for their union to ascend to a much higher level.

Though detective Amenadiel doesn’t impact Mazikeen and Linda resolving their troubled pasts, the decision they make to help each other is just as captivating as Lucifer and Chloe’s story. It’s fascinating to watch the wall Maze has built around herself slowly dissipate as Linda relates her own guilt ridden history. It wouldn’t be Maze, however, if there weren’t some speed bumps along the way, and though she storms out after Linda bares her soul, we know she’ll be back. And when she does return, Maze has her own bombshell to drop in a way only Maze can.

We’ve watched as Dr. Linda puts her own emotional baggage aside to help any number of the celestial crew cope with the vagaries of life among the human race, and it’s become clear that something from her past has returned to negatively impact her relationship with Amenadiel and Charlie. While Chloe’s understandably been caught up in the drama surrounding her issues with Lucifer, and quite honestly has never really been that close to Linda in the first place, the bond the doctor and the demon have formed reaches a new level here. Once Linda reveals her teenage pregnancy and subsequent decision to give up her baby, Maze takes charge and the counseling roles reverse. “Is that why you think you’re going to Hell?” she asks, and though this afterlife scenario that Linda conjures up in her head has provided some interesting possibilities, the reality takes an unexpected turn.

She is, after all, a private investigator by trade, and when Maze lets slip that “she seems good,” we know Linda has a huge decision to make that could have far reaching effects on her life moving forward. Of course, there’s no question that Amenadiel will totally support Linda should he learn the truth, but the dilemma now centers around whether or not she should insert herself into her daughter’s life. Maze wouldn’t be Maze if she didn’t attempt to squeeze some information out of a witness, and for a moment, it’s unclear how far Maze will go questioning Adriana. And though it appears this mini-arc could resolve itself here, Linda suddenly realizes that this whole meeting is really about the ultra emotional Maze working out her issues with Lilith, leaving Linda and her daughter as potential collateral damage. 

The rather pedestrian murder-of-the-week follows the trend of cases that revolve around somewhat simplistic motives, but that really matter because Lucifer has become so much more than a police procedural. Yes, the secret room in the cellar has a certain Rosemary’s Baby cultish feel to it, but the highlight of the murder investigation occurs when Amenadiel allows Hank to shoot him multiple times before revealing his majestic wings. He tells the killer to “have faith,” and whether this is meant as preparation for prison or Hell isn’t really that important. He’s made it clear that he needs to help make the world a better place for his son, and while getting a murderer off the streets is certainly a good thing, Amenadiel establishes an even more significant role through his involvement with Chloe and Lucifer.

“You need to give your daughter the choice,” Mazikeen suggests to Linda, advancing the idea that remaining in the background constitutes a level of deceit. In this new age of split seasons and much hyped mid-season finales, “Detective Amenadiel” keeps the momentum going, and though the Lucifer/Chloe problem appears to be settled, at least for the time being, there’s still plenty of personal discord to fill the remainder of season five’s first half. Now, let’s see if we can get Maze sorted out and back on track. 

The post Lucifer Season 5 Episode 5 Review: Detective Amenadiel appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/2ErASjE

[redvelvetreel]

Red Velvet Reel 11.2: Amorfino

Pairing: [Married] Spicyhoney (Underfell Papyrus x Underswap Papyrus)

Summary: Edge explains the PregHUD to Stretch, complete with a demonstration of it’s most annoying, well-meaning feature.

Characters: Stretch (Underswap Papyrus) & Edge (Underfell Papyrus)

Contains: Mpreg/Skelepreg!  Mood swings! Lots of pseudo-magic-science fudging and videogame logistics! So many headcanons!

Rating: Teen and up! (I guess?)

Note: This is the PregHUD, the default menu of all Souling related things, from Edge’s perspective! C: Stretch’s HUD is a little different, hehe!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What was this thing?!

This display was unlike anything he had ever seen before! For whatever reason, this one didn’t need to be locked on any one particular target to be used- it was just sort of this pop-up in front of Edge. Kinda like a stat menu, although Stretch didn’t think other people could usually see those. He could see Edge’s, sometimes, but that was only because their souls were literally linked. Was this the same thing or not?

Stretch carefully picked his husband up, depositing him on his feet in the middle of the room. This was way too exciting to sit down for! Edge could be cute later.

“This is so cool!” He made a circuit around his nonplussed husband, looking at the menu from all angles, “Why can I see it? Can anyone else see it?”

“Of course not!” Edge looked almost scandalized, “No one else is ever going to see this!”

“Yeah, okay,” Stretch nodded agreeably, squatting down so he was eye level with the Souling. That was a minor curiosity, he wasn’t willing to push for it.

Even through the thick fabric of Edge’s sweater, he could clearly see the bright, white glow. He lifted up the hem of his husband’s top, noting the Souling’s glow was the same underneath the fabric, too.

“Huh.” He let his hands drop as Edge batted them away, “I wonder why they’re glowing through the clothes-“ Oh! Duh! It was locked onto Pancake! He shot up so quickly Edge startled and nearly clocked him in the face, “HUDs are closest to a BATTLE setting, so it makes sense their soul would react the same way! Souls don’t typically glow in battle, but then again, we tend to have a physical form when we engage in battles! It all makes so much sense.”

Stretch rested his chin on Edge’s shoulder as he pulled his husband into a backwards hug, patting the ectomagic with a smile, “You’re a bright kid, huh? Taken a real shining to-“

“Enough!” Edge pushed him away by his face with an irritated huff, “Do you want to know how this thing works or not?!”

“Yes please! .... light of my life.” Stretch pressed a kiss to the side of his husband’s head, looking at the screen obediently... as he rested his chin on Edge’s shoulder, again. And pulled Pancake into another hug. “I’m listening. How do you use it?”

Rolling his eyes almost audibly, Edge pointed to the screen, “This is the main screen.”

It was like a mixture of an HUD with phone technology in an intangible, manipulatable rectangle. There was a big bar in the middle and over a quarter of it was filled in white. On one end was a picture of an upside down heart, and on the other was a percentage. It wasn’t labeled, but... that was obviously Pancake’s load bar.

“That’s Pancake’s-“

“Uh, why are our names in these tabs?” Seemed kind of silly to attach that information to the load bar. As though they, or the Souling, needed any reminders.

“They’re shortcuts to Pancake,” Edge literally waved his question off, “But the squares around it are more important!”

A shortcut to Pancake (whatever that meant) seemed plenty important, but what did he know? Around the load bar we’re a variety of boxes with small icons in them, some of which were gray and appeared locked.

“So, this first one is a general notes program-“

“Wait, so you click them and you can access different... programs?” He felt Edge nod, even as Stretch poked at a locked square. “And these are ones we can only access once were in the right quarter?”

“Yes, but you would know that if you stopped interrupting me!” Edge punctuated his annoyance by suddenly jostling his shoulder, which ow, point taken. Stretch rubbed at his chin quietly.

“So, that’s Notes, to remember everything important: dates, milestones, gifts, events, etc. That’s Information, which has manuals and explanations about monster pregnancy, including symptoms for non-pregnant partners.” Stretch pointedly avoided that look sent his way. “This is Family Health, which is like a CHECK for all of us and some extra information too. And that last one is Souling Theme.”

Edge pointed at each little square in turn, pausing on the first square at the bottom. It featured a little white heart surrounded by slices of all the base magic colors in a cool little heptagon. All the icons to the right of it were still locked gray. What was up with that? “And I don’t know what this one is. It unlocked itself recently, but it’s weird. It might be like a minigame? Oh, and I don’t understand the Souling Theme either. It just has a list of everyone we know. You can write things next to their names, but I don’t know why.”

“Oh, that’s probably for the Baby Band.” Stretch  waved his hand, “That’s not until the last quarter, though, so we don’t need to worry about until later. Let’s ask Undyne about the heptagon though.”

“What? Baby band? Heptagon?” Edge looked confused and a little concerned, which was not good and the opposite of what he had been trying to do. That was supposed to be reassuring! Time for a topic change.

“This all seems unusually straightforward...” Stretch squinted at it, as though that made things any clearer. Monsters loved puzzles and complicating their lives. “You just click and it opens up the tools? What’s the catch? Aren’t there any puzzles anywhere?”

“Yes! These!” Edge started swearing something unintelligible, angrily jabbing at the first square. “Goals!”

Stretch rubbed his husband’s shoulders soothingly, watching a new, much more colorful screen pop up. It looked like a bunch of paper, with a nearby pencil poised and ready to write. Before he finished taking in the rest of it, some kind of mascot danced onto the middle of the screen.

“Hey, it’s the egg! Right? The one from the Dating HUD?” Stretch hadn’t even realized it had been missing! Weird, since he had started checking it daily while he waited for his husband to wake up from his little naps. “It got legs! And a little hat!”

“Yes, and it changes what kind of legs it has every! Time!” Edge glared at it for a few more seconds, before reluctantly tapping on it. A little dialogue box popped up below it.

「HELLO, PAPYRUS “EDGE”!」

“I am not your friend!” Edge snarled, tapping at it again, more aggressively than before, “I don’t owe you any explanations!”

「ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR DAILY CHALLENGE?」

“No!” Edge tapped on it again anyway, moving restlessly as the egg danced into a corner, starting to pull something out of its hat. “Don’t laugh- it’s not funny!”

Stretch angled his face so his smile was pressed against Edge’s shoulder instead, trying very hard not to laugh. His husband seemed to be having a difficult time not smiling himself.

「HERE’S YOUR PUZZLE!」

It was a word scramble, a lot like the Minor Mixup Stretch used to do as a kid.

「 RNDKI smeo LIKM!」

Edge made a sound between a groan and a growl, counting out the letters before starting to type his answer into the space below.

「QMCJH rldn KHJL?」

Huh? Stretch frowned as the egg started dancing sadly in the corner. Stretch felt sorry for it when if finally fell down. (And a little irritated at it for making Edge so obviously annoyed, of course.)

「TRY AGAIN!」

“I hate these,” Edge seethed, crossing his arms as he glared at the screen, “There’s never a pattern! How are you supposed to solve this without a pattern?! At least a hint!”

“That’s...” What was the best way of phrasing this? “I think it might be a word scramble, Babe.” Stretch pointed to the first string of letters, “Have you tried plugging the letters they gave you in a different order to make new words?”

“Like león- I mean, lion... kim- skim...?” Edge looked adorably confused, “There aren’t enough vowels!”

“How about word by word, then?” Stretch put his hand over the last two words, gently nudging his husband’s shoulder, “What word does「 RNDKI」look like?”

“I don’t know-“ Edge sighed impatiently, “Kindr, dinkr- oh!” He positively lit up as he tapped the right order into the keyboard, “Drink? Is it drink?”

“Yeah!” Stretch cheered, clapping his husband on the back, “Good job! The next should be a little easier-”

“How dare you make fun of me?!” Edge elbowed him in the chest, and Stretch staggered back with a gasp. That was gratitude for you. “The stupid egg never said it was a word scramble! It just said it was a puzzle- and word scrambles are difficult! I don’t care what Red says, crosswords are a lot easier than this thing- and you’re wrong if you think that too!”

“I never said anything about it not being hard or anything,” Stretch rubbed at his chest ruefully, but completely ignoring rational self-preservation, went back to leaning on Edge’s shoulder. “Just that I think the solution might be more apparent if you look at it like a word-by-word scramble. I didn’t mean to imply anything- I think crosswords and word scrambles use different skills and understanding, and can be very difficult in different ways.”

“Hm.” Edge looked at him suspiciously over his shoulder, before turning back to the screen with a frown. He grabbed his husband’s hand, repositioning the fingers over the final word, “So you think the next word is... some?”

“Try plugging it in.” Shrugging, he watched Edge type it in and get the font to change color.

“Hm...” Edge still looked far from convinced, but typed ‘milk’ into the last space anyway.

「 DRINK some MILK!」

[haila-wetyios]

Moonfire Tower: A not so comprehensive guide.

This would be extremely belated since the event has been around for a few days already, not to mention the suffering from last year. But after 2 successful climbs back to back, I figured I should put up a few tricks I learned on the way to make it easier for anyone that still wants to get to the top (and maybe take dem nice screenshots).

I took a few pictures and did my best on paint to throw in a few tips and tricks as well as gifs. So this will rely more on visuals under the cut.

First thing to keep in mind:

- This whole guide picks up after the normal track you gotta do for the Eorzean Ninja Warrior quest. So nothing to explain on the small wall you gotta climb for those vouchers, some basics from that however, do go into the rest of the trek upwards.

- You gotta be patient, you may start off well in your journey to the top, and once enough time passes, I’ve noticed that not only do you start fucking up what you were getting past easily, but you’re starting to get hasty by trying to match the pace of other people jumping around. Ignore their pace, focus on yours and your evaluation of how long or short your jump has to be to get to the peg.

- While this guide is meant to make your challenge a tiny bit easier or understandable, a lot of it involves practice. Keep jumping over and over until you can do certain parts without worrying too much.

- You know how people describe beginner healers to be all nice and trying their best, and then skipping to their veteran days, they simply chug down some beer as they watch the world go in flames? That’s gonna be you once you reach the chopsticks tier. Once that anxiety and fear are gone the higher you go, but you’re also prepared to accept your fate if you jump off by accident, it becomes easier to go back at it with less stress.

There are 3 types of jumps that you will notice you will have to do from the moment you start the climb. A few pegs though, will be slightly different, and the only way to get past them, is for you to practice the basic jumps and measure how much you can adapt them to cover the distance you need rather than jumping off the tower by accident.

I like to call the 3 jumps: Large jump, Baby steps, and Bunny hops. 

Them being long jumps, tiny jumps, and medium jumps. I’ll go off and mention which one I recommend for specific spots as we go around this.

Right off the bat, once you’re done with your repeatable quest, there’s this one peg that I see a lot fail during rush hours. There are two ways to get to it without a lot of stress. The first being the yellow circle on the left, they position themselves to reach the tip of the peg and do a long jump. Aka, they wait till the last second that they’re on the platform before jumping. This one though, does have it’s risks of you accidentally touching the invisible wall of collision for the corner of the tower, doable, but I’ve come to appreciate my choice. Which is the right circle. Same move, except that there’s no risk of wall, just positioning and aiming before jumping away.

Remember how I mentioned that there would be 3 basic jumps as well as small variations of them? Well, it starts right off as soon as you finish the long jump. All of these pegs are medium jumps, except that the first one’s a tiny bit farther than the rest! Only way to get past is to do a medium jump that’s just a little more longer than the normal one. This you can probably do by getting to the edge of your current peg as much as possible. The rest are pretty much the bunny hops, you just do a medium normal jump in succession until reaching the next corner to go around.

Now we see more of those farther medium jumps. You just gotta be aware of it, and adapt your play style around it. People usually develop their own method of jumping around, either sideways with the current view of these pictures, or just measure the distance while looking over your character’s shoulder. Adjust accordingly to the distance you gotta cover, and practice how far in you gotta tap that space button to jump. (Or the one you use in your controller!)

By this point, you should have reached the famous back and forth pegs, where it’s just a constant right-left set of jumps before having to do a longer one. I tend to use these pegs for practice for bunny hops so that I can get through any quick medium jumps easier. 

GIF example can be found here.

Now meet long jump-chan. You won’t see a lot of those as you see mediums and baby steps, but you gotta always keep in mind the right moment to do the thing. Same as the first jump you did at the beginning, wait till the last moment to jump off, and you’re good.

Now we get to the first heart attack peg. Jump too far away and it’s back to square zero. Which will happen a good number of times if you’re not careful. Enter the first baby step jump. From this angle it looks like a medium jump, but calculate wrong, and you’re done for.

Look at it from a different position though, and it’s actually quite close. Simple trick, do the tiniest jump you can do while standing on the farthest end of the peg, almost walking on air basically. Better to fail and end up in front of this pillar, rather than jumping off too far to face plant against the sand.

After that pillar, and a few medium jumps followed by a long one, we found ourselves, in yet another time for baby steps to the right. I’ve been doing the tiniest jumps I can for it. But while taking screenshots, I discovered that you can actually just walk off towards it, and you’ll fall right in place. That tells you just how close you are to it, and how you could fail if you get too button mashing happy.

Next is the most cancerous jump I know (and one you will still see near the end of the tower...) You’d think you just gotta wait till the end and jump right? WELP, easier said than done, while I’ve managed to pull it off a couple of times, it’s utter hell.... Unless you know a way around it.

LO’ AND BEHOLD, YOUR FIRST WALK ON AIR. Just walk until you’re on air, and aim for the same spot on the next peg. Demo about it goes here.

Got past the cancer jump? Well, welcome to the pre-chopsticks tier. As you can see, these jumps are similar to the beginning, just relax. Take a breath, because usually once you make it here, you start getting nervous and impatient. Slightly longer medium jumps, and normal medium jumps, nothing worse than what we already dealt with, it’s just higher above ground.

You’ll see this long boi after a few bunny hops. Nothing too bad, angle yourself just right, and jump without fear. Remember to do this somehow horizontally, like going along the shape of it rather than treating it as a chopstick peg.

Each corner starts getting trickier, you’ll notice that each time you will have to start walking on air a little more and more each time to avoid colliding with the pillars.

Some more bunny hops later, we’re finally at the chopsticks tier, looking closer at the tower. You can see that the lowest peg is asking you to go right and then around. But there is a small shortcut that you can take. Granted, the right pegs could also probably be a safety net in case you screw up a few jumps higher, but who knows really.

Look what happens if you take left instead. You get on this pillar, and there it is, you get to skip one go around the tower at least.

Now this is where it gets pretty rough unless you know what to do. Once you’re in chopsticks, I’ve found it easier to just turn on walk asap. It might take you a few tries to get used to those jumps, but they are safer than going far away and down to the bottom. That, and pretty much almost everything will involve you walking on air, not hugging the wall like you’d think.

For going around, my advice is the same as other pegs, most jumps might actually be long ones because of you walking. But for corners, it’s all measuring how far you can be on air.  

Look at this GIF for reference.  As you can see, it’s completely balancing yourself on air, learn to not panic much at it. And calmly you’ll see it’s actually not too hard, you will have to repeat this a good number of times until you’re close to the top.

You’ll find there’s one last cancer jump, except there’s less room for error. I tried repeating the same trick as before, but couldn’t get it to work. Thus, you will actually have to calculate and jump at the last sec. 

My best reference would be like this.

On your last tretch, there’s one last gamble to do. I tried to do the longest jump I could while walking, but it didn’t work. So, you’re free to keep trying that way, or take the gamble. Starting on this peg, you’ll have to turn off walk, and do medium jumps.

For a last warning, don’t do a long jump for the sake of all that is good unless you’re sure you’re angled well. Don’t press any keys after jumping either, because you may land well and accidentally walk off out of utter panic. These last two are the biggest gamble to me, so take them slowly, and measure whether you need to do a longer medium jump, or take the risk of doing a full long one.

I hope this helped a bit. And goodluck!