#// it fascinates me i've fixated on it like a weirdo

[tokkiwrites]

Hi happy holidays! Can you please do a Sergei kravinoff smut x innocent female virgin reader “babe in the woods” trope. Sergei is immediately fixated on reader and wants her to be his grude & mother of his children. He immediately marries and later takes her virginity. He hopes to impregnate her from their first time together. Ty!

thank you for this request, anon! and sorry it took so long to post. I've had it written, but it just took a while for me to get the smut part going. i hope you like it!

Sergei Kravinoff × F!Reader ♰ themes of stalking, obsessive Sergei, kidnapping, Kraven is a weirdo and needs to be locked up, i would say innocent reader but more so an unbothered reader kind of, she is just confused, forced marriage, themes of Stockholm syndrome, loss of virginity, fingering (reader receiving), afab reader, unprotected p in v, Sergei wants to get the reader pregnant.

The woods were quiet, save for the whisper of wind threading through the branches above. You loved this time of day when the sun filtered gold and green through the canopy, casting dappled patterns on the earth. It was your sanctuary, far from the clamor of town and the heavy, watchful eyes of others. Here, no one could accuse you of being strange, or sheltered, or too naive. You simply were.

The faint crack of a branch made you stop mid-step, your basket of wildflowers swinging lightly at your hip. “Hello?” You called, voice soft, hesitant. The forest had always been safe— or so it felt. until now, you had never had the need to question it.

He emerged from the shadows, and your breath caught. The man was massive. A towering figure, his broad shoulders draped in animal pelts and his chest bare save for the crisscrossing scars that marked him as something primal, dangerous. His face was angular, carved from stone, with piercing eyes that pinned you where you stood.

Sergei Kravinoff. The name would mean nothing to you, but to others, it struck fear—a hunter of men and beasts, a predator who bent the wilderness to his will. He did not speak at first. He only looked at you, as if you were some rare, delicate creature he had stumbled upon. The longer his eyes lingered, the hotter your cheeks burned.

“Who are you?” you asked, clutching the basket to your chest. His lips curved into a smile, though there was nothing warm in it. “I am Sergei,” he said, his voice low, thick with an accent you couldn’t place. “And you" he paused for a bit. " Should not wander alone in places like this. The world is not kind to lambs.” You blinked at him, confused. “Lambs?”

“You,” he clarified, taking a step closer. His sheer presence seemed to draw the air from your lungs. “Soft. Untouched. So trusting.” You took an instinctive step back, and his smile widened, as if he enjoyed your unease. “I—I’ve never seen you here before. Are you lost?”

“No,” he said simply, his eyes roaming over you with an intensity that made your skin prickle. “But perhaps I have found something worth staying for.”

It reeked of dangerㅡ death. yet you still came back.

Over the next week, you saw him again and again. Always in the woods, always watching. At first, you told yourself it was a coincidence. this strange man simply shared your love for the forest. But his presence became impossible to ignore. He never tried to speak much, yet his eyes seemed to devour you every time, as though he were committing every detail of your face to memory. You should have been afraid. You should have stopped going to the woods entirely. But something about him fascinated you. He was so unlike the boys in town, who stammered and avoided your gaze, intimidated by your quietness. Sergei was bold, unflinching. He seemed to look right through you, to the parts of yourself you didn’t even understand.

you little lamb.

“Why do you keep following me?” He tilted his head, his gaze softening though not entirely. “Because you are mine.” The bluntness of his words made your breath hitch. “I don’t even know you.”

“You will,” he said, stepping closer. He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from your face, and though you should have flinched away, you didn’t. His touch was surprisingly gentle, reverent even, even if his rough fingers scratched your skin. “I have decided. You will be my bride.”

“Bride?” You echoed the word foreign and strange on your tongue. “But we’ve only just—” you laughed. surely it must be a joke. “You are meant for me, little lamb” he interrupted, his voice firm, leaving no room for argument. “I have hunted all my life, little one. I know when I have found my prize.” Suddenly, the world went dark.

maybe it was all just a bad and confusing dream. though his touch still lingered.

You woke in the morning to find yourself not in your small, familiar room. outside the window that overlooked the bed you were in, the forest. The air smelled of pine and smoke, and outside, the trees loomed tall and unyielding. Panic gripped you as you sat up, heart racing. “Where—” The door creaked open, and there he was, filling the frame with his imposing presence. “You are awake,” Sergei said, his tone calm, almost pleasedㅡ excited. He carried a tray with food: fresh berries, bread, and cheese. “Eat. Now."

“Where am I?” you demanded, your voice trembling. “Why did you—” He set the tray down, cutting you off with a look. “You are safe. That is all you need to know.”

“I am not! This isn’t right,” you said, tears pricking at your eyes. “You can’t just—”

“I can,” he said sharply, though his expression softened as he stepped closer. “I have waited long enough. You do not understand, but you will. I will take care of you. Protect you. You will want for nothing, my little one.”

You shook your head, backing away from him, but he caught your wrist with startling ease. His touch was firm, yet not cruel. “Do not fear me,” he murmured, his voice dropping to something almost tender. “I would never hurt you. You are too precious.”

Sergei did not wait long to make you his.

The days in the cabin blurred together, each one steeped in an odd rhythm. Sergei’s presence was constant, protective, and overwhelming. He would watch you eat, his sharp eyes softening whenever you complied. He brought you small gifts: wildflowers, trinkets carved from wood, pelts to keep you warm. He never let you wander far, always ensuring you were within sight. And though he never forced his touch upon you, you could feel the tension thrumming beneath the surface, like a predator waiting for the right moment to pounce.

In the evening, as the fire crackled and cast flickering shadows on the walls, Sergei sat across from you. He leaned forward, large hands resting on his knees. “It is time,” he said, his voice calm but unyielding. “Time?” you echoed, your throat dry. “For us to marry.” You stared at him, heart pounding. “I… I can’t. I don’t even know what you want from me. I—I never— You kidnapped me!”

“You were made for this,” he said, cutting you off. his eyes were setting you a-light, it made your skin prickle. “You think I do not see it? Your purity. Your innocence. You were meant to be a wife. My wife.” Tears burned in your eyes, but you blinked them away. “But I’m not— I need to marry someone I love!"

“You are ready,” he insisted, his tone softening only slightly. “I have waited long enough. It will be done."

And it was.

The ceremony was simple, ritualistic. Sergei had prepared everything. rings made from woven silver, a bearskin cloak to drape over your shoulders as a symbol of protection. There was no priest, no people, only the two of you and the forest as your witness. He spoke vows in a language you did not understand, his voice deep and reverent, as though he were offering you up to some ancient force. When it was your turn, your voice faltered, but under his watchful gaze, you repeated the words he taught you.

“You are mine,” he said at the end, taking your face in his hands. His eyes burned with possessive fire. “And I am yours.”

but every wolf gets hungry eventually.

When night fell, you found yourself sitting on the edge of the bed, your hands clutching the thick wool blanket. Sergei entered the room, his movements slow and deliberate. He had shed his usual pelts, his bare chest glowing in the firelight.

“You are trembling,” he said, his voice softer than you had ever heard it. He knelt in front of you, his massive frame now not so intimidating. “Are you afraid of me?” You couldn’t meet his eyes. "I don’t know... what you expect from me? What you w-want...”

“I expect you to trust me,” he said simply, his hand brushing against your cheek. “You are my wife now. It is my duty to show you what that means.” Your breath stopped as he leaned closer, his lips ghosting over your forehead. “I will not hurt you,” he murmured, the warmth of his breath sending shivers down your spine. “But you are mine, little lamb. Every part of you.”

His lips met yours— soft at first, testing, as though he feared you might shatter like porcelain. But when you didn’t pull away, his kiss deepened, a low growl rumbling in his chest. His hands cradled your face, his touch reverent, almost worshipful.

“I have waited for this,” he said against your lips, his voice thick with desire. “Waited to claim what is mine.” You didn’t resist as he laid you down, his hands tracing over your trembling form. He was patient, guiding you gently, his touch surprisingly tender for someone so fierce. But his intent was clear.

oh, little lamb.

rugged hands make their way up and around your hips as his bearded face stays flush against your tender neck. he was ready to devour you. Sergei looked up into your eyes and for the first time you've seen him smile. and as if all of the things you felt caused you fears melted away, so did you into his embrace.

his lips meet yours, and it all finally made sense. you could feel the hunger, the will in him to give his all right here, right now. you wrapped around him like vines on a tree, his low growl of approval making you clench around nothing. it all felt so new, yet familiar, as if somehow, this wasn't the first time. the forest outside sung as your quiet moans filled the cabin. Sergei discards all of your clothes with ease, leaving you in nothing as you stayed splayed on the bed. the fur coverings under, pooled around your body, the moonlight dripped on you like dew in spring and you looked like a precious painting.

with no time to wait, sergei quickly gets naked. it wasn't the first time you saw him like this, but it was the first time you saw it. to say all that fear bubbled up into your stomach was an understatement. you gulped down as your glossy eyes looked at him up and down. "Spread your legs for me." it wasn’t a request, it was an order. and you obey. spreading your legs you give him a full view of you dripping cunt, and sergei throws his head back with a low groan. you finally speak up. "IㅡI am a...a virgin." it all seemed so silly to say now. "I know." he smiles in the corner of his mouth. "Smelled it on you the first time we met." and you whimper. "I will get you ready now." somehow, you knew what it meant. He kneels in front of you on the bed, pulling you so that you thighs are right over his, your puffy lips on full display. two of his digits make their way up to your mouth. "Suck." you comply.

after that was done, his calloused fingers make their way between your folds, gathering up the juices you've been dripping. You whimpered softly and Sergei shushed you, rubbing small circles on your plushy thigh with his other hand. He pushes one of his fingers inside, and you can feel it. It didn’t hurt, not yet, it was just strange and new. the second finger comes quick after and he starts pumping them, swirling them around as his lips made contact with your swollen bud. Your eyes jot open as this feeling washes over you, and you can't help but let your legs shake uncontrollably. The fire wave envelopes you whole before it comes to an agonizing stop. You open your eyes again and above you is Sergei, his shaft in his hand as he aligns it with your asking entrance. "If it hurts...yell. Scream as much as you want. Hurt me back. I am here to teach you."

and teach you he does. he pushes in slowly and the stretch is agonizing, the pain making all of your muscles tense. "It's alright, I'm here, little girl." you let out a sigh, the tears slipping past your lids when you open your eyes. the moon engulfed Sergei in It's beautiful light, his silhouette looking as if it was carved out perfectly. a couple of inches, then some more, and some moreㅡ until he is fully inside. you bite down on your tongue, but Sergei preps soft kisses along your jaw and you seem to forget about the pain. "You're doing so, so good. So good for me." he hums, taking in a big breath of your smell before he snaps his hips slowly. In a few seconds, the burn turned into a delicious feeling you couldn’t quite describe. And though it felt so new, your body fell in place right into Sergei’s touch, as if it were meant to be.

When he finally started to move faster, his groan was one of triumph, a sound that you know will echo in your ears long after. “You will give me childrenㅡ" he said, voice low and ragged as he moved inside of you. “Strong sons and daughters. Our legacy will begin tonight.”

your legs quiver around him, but he leaves no room for mercy. Above you, he looked just as a predator ready to swallow his pray whole. you weren't one to fight back, and you really didn't want to. you back stayed arched against the coverings of the bed, fingers clawing at his broad shoulders as he pumped into you. your tummy was churning, and your head was dizzyㅡ you were far gone, too drunk on the way he perfectly hit that spot with each thrust. "You were made for me, made to take meㅡ fuck, you are so beautiful." you whimper, feeling that fire wave starting to take over again. your velvet walls squeeze around him, causing him to growl. Sergei leans forward, propping one of your legs above his shoulder, the angle making you gasp for air. you look up at him, eyes glossy with tears. An animal. His eyes grew darker, lips crooked in a smile before he delivered his final blow.

you come undone right under his fingertips, writhing and shaking as small pleads fall from your lips. You can feel his seed deep within you, threatening to slip out around his cock that was still inside of you, pulsing. "Good girl."

he prays it sticks.

Sergei’s obsession with you only deepened—he barely let you out of his sight, his touch lingering whenever he could. Yet there was a softness in him, a desire to make you happy, even as he bent you to his will.

He began teaching you small things. how to tend the fire, how to skin an animal, how to defend yourself should a predator come. But you were never allowed to go far. “Why can’t I leave?” you asked one afternoon, your frustration bubbling over. Sergei turned to you, his eyes darkening. “Because the world is cruel, little one. It will devour you. You are too soft, too trusting. Here, you are safe.”

“Safe,” you repeated bitterly. His jaw clenched, and for a moment, you thought he might lash out. But instead, he cupped your face in his hands, his gaze softening. “I would rather you hate me than lose you.” you were beginning to see the truth of it. his love for you was consumin and obsessive, but it was real. He worshipped you, protected you, but at the cost of your freedom. And yet, part of you began to adapt. To find comfort in his arms, in the way he looked at you as though you were the only thing that mattered.

Perhaps you were.

[cosmosrebellion]

I'm reading through the Red Dragon arc and it made me realize how much Laios is kind of flanderized into being "The Weirdo Who Loves Monsters". Yes, Laios fixation and fascination with the monsters is an integral part of his character, but it feels sometimes that discussion about him ends there.

The fight with the Red Dragon highlights so many aspects of his personality, from his bravery, his love for his friends, and most importantly his love for sister. He gets his leg chewed and ripped off by a dragon and all he can think of is how it doesn't come close to what Falin went through.

After this, his first reaction when it's all over is to worry about Chilchuck and Senshi who were hurt by the dragon. And when he is hallucinating from blood loss, he realizes his greatest fear is to never see Falin again, which for him means losing the one person who understands him, and not just feeling, but truly being alone in a world that refuses to understand him.

When he realizes they failed to save Falin and he just starts picking up her bones so they can revive her, because he refuses the notion of losing her like this, my heart sank. The sadness and desperation Ryoko Kui renders in his and Marcille's eyes is heartbreaking.

I've seen people bring up the idea of "What would Marcille do if Laios said no to her decision to resurrect Falin", and I say this in no way trying to diminish the importance of Marcille's love for Falin which is also an integral part of Dungeon Meshi's story, but I can't see a world where Laios says no.

--

I don't know what motivated this. The Red Dragon arc just gave me a lot of thoughts about Laios.

[xxgoblin-dumplingxx]

Ok but Dick is so big brother shaped. Plz give the kid a sibling.

The trials of working for a young married couple with a child, Alfred sighed. Some of the things he'd clearly forgotten in the intervening years.

And he wasn't sure what was worse. Walking in on a private conversation or walking in on said married couple in- or about to be in a compromising position. But he did know there was a third worse option that was a mix of both.

Still. At least everyone was still mostly clothed. And he wouldn't need to see if his insurance benefits covered therapy.

Whatever the precipitating factors were didn't matter. He was sure it would all come out eventually. Though he had suspicions.

Bruce had been obnoxiously fussy where you were concerned. Even more than normal.

So either a spat had been resolved or he'd decided you were terminally ill.

He glanced up from getting the stains out of Dick's school uniform and quirked an eyebrow but other wise said nothing as you loaded the washing machine- you perfered to wash your own intimates and he didn't blame you. Even if he wasn't phased. But from his understanding, you'd been doing laundry since you were 8. So- it was probably equal parts it being weird to have someone else washing your undergarments and having some sense of normalcy. Either way it was less work for the staff- something they appreciated.

"You're home early," he observed watching you start folding shirts- he wasn't sure how many jobs you'd worked but he suspected a considerable amount of retail.

"I've been working from upstairs," you tell him. "Working at the office has been making things... distracting for everone."

"Ah yes. The unintended consequences of the lime light."

"I'm not sure why interviews keep going viral-"

"It's not the interviews," Alfred snorted. "People find you fascinating."

When you roll your eyes he smiled just a little. You seemed to have a very inaccurate picture of yourself outside of a courtroom. You were charming. And had enough wits about you to keep up with Bruce- in his public persona or out of it. To the outside you looked like an odd couple. A lawyer with a deadpan biting wit and a reformed playboy... He could see the appeal of you. Why people still fixated on you.

"Well calling my office is rude," you tell him. "Particularly when we can't unlist the number."

"Yes that is annoying I'd imagine; how-"

"I have a secretary filter calls. Interview requests and weirdos get rerouted to wherever all the PR shit goes and Ranga sends me anything important."

He nodded. He'd never considered how you'd managed to get anything done working from home. But it made sense.

"How many socks can this kid run through?" you muse, folding what felt like the 50th pair.

"It is an eternal mystery. How every child I've ever known winds up with so many mismatched socks."

"That's why I just bought socks that it didn't matter if they matched- until I was in law school it was a good day and I was on my A game if they came out of the same pack."

Alfred shuddered reflexively and wondered if you still did that, he'd never paid attention to your socks.

"Alfred where is- Oh hey Y/N," Dick said, "Bruce wants you."

"Why?" you ask, returning his one armed hug when he skipped over.

He shrugged, "Didn't ask."

"Rude."

He grinned, "You piss people off today?"

"Language. And just Gordon- that doesn't count."

"How come?"

"ACAB until they stop beating up civilians and taking bribes, Dickie.""

"Please don't say that in interviews, someone will shoot you," Dick said. "This is like the longest it's bee since someone tried to shoot you. B finally stopped trying to hire bodyguards."

"Pretty sure they could get bribed, baby bird."

"I couldn't-"

"I bribe you all the time," you tell him, ruffling his hair.

"It's not a bribe if you do it before I act up. It's just an incentive," he huffed.

"True enough, finish folding your socks," you tell him swooping down to kiss his cheek before going to find Bruce.

[puckpocketed]

Hi! Sorry if this is weird but do you have song/video recs? I have enjoyed what you recommended in the past. Please ignore this if you want, I know this isn't really a hockey ask :')

so does everyone else have a playlist where they store all their favourite essays/documentaries miscellaneous vids. or is that just me?? anon i hope u like hearing from me, if u wanted short answers u came to the wrong person. here are various faves from over the years:

Dawn from Pride and Prejudice (2005). i think about it often. it's a beautiful piece. i listen to this song and experience the movie all over again. the mud on elizabeth's skirt. dancing at parties. lovely potatoes. darcy and his cleavage. the mist in the morning. "you have bewitched me, body and soul. and i love, i love, i love you." the sun rising as she kisses his hand. HELLO!!!!

minesweeper is literally causing me health issues by i am error. a harrowing look at addiction through the lens of a minesweeper fixation. very funny and warm video.

The Best Food Movie Scenes Supercut by William Adiguna. fascinated by this. also i have used it for painting study reference.

How J Dilla's Timefeel ACTUALLY Works by Digging The Greats. right so. i know everyone's been making posts about black artists in the wake of the Kendrick-Drake beef and white tumblr subsequently figuring out that rap exists outside of Hamilton and music as a whole exists outside of uhhhh taylor swift. I don't think I've seen anyone mention J Dilla in my circles yet so here's a small essay about how he changed music history forever and you should absolutely listen to him. we lost him too fucking early, but his legacy lives on in the beat!!

The Lincoln Highway: Across America on the First Transcontinental Motor Route by Noah Caldwell-Gervais. this is a 7 and 1/2 hour travelogue by one of my favourite writers of all time. he has shorter videos about games and travel, but this one is an all-timer for me. I admire him so much. His writing voice is so lush and intentional, he weaves narrative with every sentence, and yet nothing feels superfluous. i have listened to this video multiple times and always find something new to think about.

Savestate vs Armada - The Quest for the Frozen Turnip by Melee Stats. if you made it this far down the list we are either best friends or you are super bored and want something to watch. here's the sell: Armada is one of the 5 Gods of Super Smash Bros. Melee, Savestate is this weirdo who does speedruns and loves to break the game. they go head to head at a tournament, super smash con. the frozen turnip is a bug that sort of breaks the game. chaos ensues <3

Stylish Academic Writing a lecture by Helen Sword (Harvard University). I think about this video a lot. As someone who writes a lot of academic essays and For Fun essays, this lecture was formative.

Time and Again - How to Write and Understand Time Loops by Replay Value. dissecting and categorising time loops, and teaching you how to write them in the process. excellent video even if you aren't a writer or don't have an interest in writing sci-fi/time travel!

With Love by Harbour. this song makes me so happy. i will dance to it with my future wife in our kitchen. i will sing this to her under under our pink lights. that kinda vibe <3

thank you for dropping by!! <3 and giving me an excuse to inflict a bunch of recs onto my followers!! hit me up for more recs any time ig??

[thethingything]

hi! do you have a favorite kind of bug? if so, what is it?

I have several that I really like so I'm gonna make a list of them! they're not really in any particular order, they're just kind of a group of favourites. I think this is gonna be mostly lepidoptera lol.

1. Sphingidae just in general, but especially Elephant Hawkmoths, Death's Head Hawkmoths, and the Pacific Green Sphinx. the two brown caterpillars we had last year were Elephant Hawkmoths and I still can't believe we actually got to raise some

(image sources: Elephant Hawkmoth, Death's Head Hawkmoth, Pacific Green Sphinx)

2. Lycaenidae are also one where it's just a whole family of lepidoptera we like (a friend mentioned them and we looked them up and were like "oh they're amazing" and they quickly became a favourite). I especially like the subfamily Polyommatinae (the Blues), with some of my favourites being the Friday's Blue, Melissa Blue, Holly Blue, and Western Pygmy-Blue. a lot of them have really interesting interactions with ants, such as relying on them for protection, but I know at least one species (the Large Blue) actually eats ants as a caterpillar

(image sources: Friday's Blue, Melissa Blue, Holly Blue, Western Pygmy-Blue)

3. Hesperiidae, also known as skippers, are another one where I love them just in general but I think the Fiery Skipper is probably one of my favourites. they're just very cute and they kind of remind me of hawkmoths but they're in the superfamily Papilionoidea so they're actually a type of butterfly

(image source)

4. the Sargasso Emerald is one of my favourites just because I think it's a cool little dude. look at this funky guy

(image source)

5. the Vapourer/Rusty Tussock is another one of the species we raised last year and I didn't know much about them before raising one but they have very distinctive looking caterpillars and the adults are sexually dimorphic to the point of looking like completely different species. the caterpillars are known to eat a huge variety of plants which is really convenient when it comes to raising them. I also love tussock caterpillars in general because they're all so fluffy and funky looking

(image sources: male Vapourer, female Vapourer, caterpillar)

6. I feel like I should include cicadas on the list because I just think they're really cool and I'm fascinated by periodical cicadas especially

(image sources: aberrant Cassin's 17-year Cicada, Common Cicada)

7. given that we're called the Ant System I think I'm contractually obligated to include at least one ant and I want to introduce everyone to the absolute little weirdos that are honeypot ants. some members of the colony store food in their abdomens and then regurgitate that for the other ants when needed. I think they're just fascinating little guys

(image sources: Mexican Honeypot Ants, Myrmecocystus)

8. I almost forgot to include these little guys but carpet beetles are going on the list because I see them a lot and I think they're pretty cute little guys

(image sources: adults, larva)

anyway I feel like this is a good list but I've probably also missed so many species that I absolutely adore and I keep stumbling across new ones that are really cool.

I've also been fixating on aberrant lepidoptera recently which isn't really a favourite kind of insect so much as just me being fascinated by all the ones where the colours or patterns are different to what you'd expect for that species

[dukeofriven]

I am making my third attempt to beat Mass Effect Andromeda: I could—and have! (just ask @rahkshirock)—ranted and dissected this fascinating failure for hours: you can see the good game in here, but it's let down on almost every front: from game-breaking bugs, bad glitches, dreadful writing, unfinished mechanics, the obnoxious absence of simple QOL fixes (like shutting SAM up about mining): the list goes on and on. The game was notoriously scrapped after three years and slapped-together afresh in 18 months, but while that excuses certain dev problems there's an extraordinary lack of thought in this game that even a crunched dev time can't excuse: it's not flawed at the firmament per-se, but its broad execution is un-salvageable.

And one of things that's really sticking out to me on this playthrough is that the game is so desperate to re-create MET's famous esprit de corps that it shortcuts its way to the end-point and cuts-out all the work of befriending people. Shepard starts ME1 knowing a handful of crew memebers: Joker, Chakwas, Kaiden, Presley (who gets maybe ten lines of dialogue all-told), and Anderson. Everyone else, from Ashley to Zaeed, are strangers with whom she has to build a relationship. It's not always perfect: ME1's writing is up and down, and you can go from strangers to lovers with Liara in about three conversations, but at least the game realizes you ARE strangers to one-another.

Andromeda doesn't seem to get that. I am having my first conversations onboard the not-the-Normandy, and everyone already acts like A) I know them and B) they know me, as though I have some kind of prior reputation—you know, like Shepard did. In ME2 and 3. After she established a reputation. But Ryder knows exactly two people on board the Not-Normandy: Cora, and Liam (the worst person in the entire franchise), and she clearly doesn't know them well, since she acts surprised when Cora mentions the asari (which means she can never have spoken to Cora for longer than fifteen seconds), and well, no one one willingly talks to Liam if it can be avoided.

So all these people are strangers, but they are immediately bantering with Ryder like they're old friends. Hey Gil, who are you? My BFF, apparently, because I can ask him off the bat to dish the tea of everyone on board ("Vestra and Suvi are my girls." Gross. Don't be that kind of gay, Gil.) I know from context clues (and, y'know, having played the game) who Gil is and what he's doing on my ship, but other then maybe a throw-away line when I came on board, I don't know him and his role was not clearly defined. But he's already my friend. Suvi is already my friend. Liam, that gross creep, is all over me like we grew up together.

Hell, not fixate on Gil (who is, in the abstract, fine), but in our first convo, before I've spoken to anyone else on the ship, I am chatting amiably to Gil about how great it is that Cora is a hardass because someone's got to keep this 'zoo' of a crew in line.

That is not a sentiment I hold. This is crew is not a zoo: especially not at this point, where I literally don't know anyoneand nothing chaotic has happened. MEA is shor-tcutting storytelling: 'hoo boy, what a zany crew you have, aren't they so lovable' long before I've even assembled the crew and I'm still three members short: including, crucially, Pissbee, who is second only to Liam in being an obnoxious gross mess who actually makes the place chaotic. But wallflower Suvi. Slightly snarky but relatively quiet Kallo? The asari doctor with no personality? Seriously reserved Jaal (who we don't know yet but will be onboard soon enough.)

But this is not a motley crew of outcasts and weirdos they way ME2 was: a game in which you can pick-up ten extra weirdos. In MEA I actively add only three squad members to my group, all the rest come packed with Not-Normandy, and other than couch creep their not all that weird or out-there. MEA wants you to think they are because of how obnoxiously casual everyone is (a worrying harbinger of modern live-action Star Trek shows), but, y'know, the writing's not there.

There was a line I saw on an old MEA reddit thread that was something like "not everyone is going to like every character": ME as a franchise has always had this problem, broadly speaking, in that I can't choose to not be at least friendly with most crewmemebers (Anderson is not my friend, he let me down multiple times, why the fuck does ME3 think he's the dude I want to finish the game with FUCK OFF), but the relationships are at least yours to build, and theoretically if you choose not to engage with them you get to get almost everyone killed in ME2 by not having a deep relationship with anyone. Adding in whoever you killed in M1 (go with Kaidan, at least the space racist has a personality), that's a lot of people you can ditch if you want. Sure you end up playing most of ME3 with just Vega, EDI and Liara, plus the two minimum loyalty mission folks from ME2, but you can play the game is such a way that Hackett is the only person who survives the MET (and rightly so).

I know, I know: Mea was cancelled and so could do the longer game character thing, but that's not my point: my point is that you don't have to make friends.

But MEA is so panicked that you might not instantly connect with its quirky cast that it doesn't let you get to know them: they're all your friends, even the crusty krogan. and it is both disorienting and kind of intrusive. I don't like this level of instant familiarity: it feels false, it feels inauthentic, and it makes the characters seem pushy. Yeah, the Not-Normandy is not a military ship, but you are being too immediately casual for my comfort level.

Also, to Liam specifically: I CAN FEEL YOUR DICK ON MY ASS STEP THE FUCK OFF GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME YOU ARE TOO CLOSE YOU GODDAMN CREEP.

[multi-lefaiye]

hi hi multi! I was wondering if I could get a ramble about some of your favourite dating sims? the stream the other day was v fun ^-^

oh hi hi hello logan!!! :D yeah sure!!! i love talking about dating sims ASDFJKL; i just think they're neat <3

so i think i'll talk about like. a few dating sims i love, some things i like about them, and then my favorite route(s).

fair warning, some of these games have some triggering content! i'll try not to go into detail, and i probably won't go into specifics, but still! fair warning.

1 - star days

okay so the one i was playing on stream was called star days, made by the artist pacthesis! she doesn't make games anymore and unfortunately has taken her games off the internet, but i have this one and my other favorite of hers saved <3

star days is about a group of people from different universes coming together to journey to a mythical place called The Constellations, with the intent of resurrecting people they've loved and lost.

it's less about the romance and more about the grief counseling. like the dating is fun but everyone's MOVING ON!!!

all the characters (except cil) are endearing to me in their own ways, but my favorite endings:

platonic ending - the main characters all find reasons to live and move on and remain best friends, going on adventures together and exploring other universes and beyond.

quoto - quoto is just the perfect man- idk i just think he's super sweet?? like the themes around his storyline are a lot about the importance (or lack thereof) in appearances and i think that's just neat.

vanni - MOVING ON AFTER A TRAGEDY AND FINDING REASONS TO LIVE AFTER LOSING IT ALL... MWAH MWAH.

--

2 - number days

so this is another pacthesis game! actually the last one she completed in full before leaving the internet for a while.

ANYWAY the premise around this one is that a group of people who visit a new amusement park that opens one day and end up mysteriously trapped inside, with no one else around. they each receive mysterious text messages from an unknown number saying this: "your time here will run out when your number reaches zero." and from that moment on, their phones display a number between 0 and 100.

it's SUCH an interesting game to me with really cool storylines imo!!! like it's definitely aged a little poorly, but i think it's a fascinating narrative. even romance aside, i love the characters and i genuinely can't pick a favorite.

this is also the other pacthesis game i have archived so we can play this on stream as well :3c

in terms of favorite routes.... i think my favorite one is arlo's route. it makes me so so sad and it's so so sweet and it really hammers homes these themes of like... loneliness and self love and acceptance. it's good shit. also arlo's just a cutie, even if he's kind of a weirdo <3

the platonic ending here is also a delight!!! though i don't remember all the details about it except that it made me cry the first time i got it <3

--

3 - mystic messenger

ohhh i could say so much about this game. it definitely has a lot of issues, especially in its writing (and especially in its portrayal of mental health and specifically more stigmatized disorders), but god i was fixated on this game for YEARS. i've played it so many times.

mystic messenger is a dating sim that follows real-time, each run taking place over the course of 11 days. the basic premise is that the player ends up joining a secret charity organization called the RFA, and as they work with this group they slowly start to uncover more and more of its secrets.

one thing i love about mysmes is that, like.... to get the full picture, you do have to do every character's route. every character's storyline reveals a little more of the story, to the point that i actually have a recommended order i give people for doing the routes if they play this X3 it also has a ton of different endings to explore!

the only downside is that uh. it's a time commitment. if you don't keep up with the game you can get a *real* nasty ending. and this game also gets dark as FUCK at times, like the player can die and so can most of the love interests-

anyway i love all the characters in this game for the most part, so it's hard to pick a favorite! 707 is a huge comfort character for me, though, and his route means so much to me. it really hits home with me personally in so many ways.

even though i always tell people to do his route last ASDFJKL;

--

4 - mechat

ok i just wanna give an honorary mention to mechat b/c that's the one i'm playing right now- fair warning, though, this game is SIGNIFICANTLY more nsfw than the other two here!!!! like. holy fuck. do not check this out if you're a minor or otherwise not interested in spicy content. (though i think the adult content can be turned off in settings.)

mechat is fun because it's like... fictional tinder. you can match with as many characters as you'd like and explore their storylines. not all of them are fun, but they're all interesting imo.

my favorite so far is shion b/c he's a beautiful man with long red hair who has several warrants out for his arrest and takes you on a date to do arson together. what a guy <3

i also love the sheer confidence this game has in never explaining the supernatural elements. like yeah some of these characters are regular ass people. some of them are demons. some are aliens. some are cryptids. deal with it.

another thing that's interesting to me about mechat is that some characters have counterparts with alternate designs and names--the storylines don't change, but you can swap 'em out if you don't like their faces i guess.

--

5 - monster prom series

so i have yet to play these games by myself but i've played all of them with friends and my partner and just??? so fun??? i love it. they're so fun and interesting and delightful. these games have a special place in my heart, both for the sheer silliness and wacky hijinks and the memorable characters! also the queerness all throughout them.

i also do love that in the first game there's a storyline centering around one of the potential love interests being aroace and talking about like. boundaries and consent and becoming really good friends with them rather than dating them or seducing them. i've heard some complaints about how this storyline is handled, but tbh i think it's fun <3

i have a hard time picking favorites in this series, but i love calculester so so much <333 and milo <3333333 and moss mann <3333

--

anyway yeah these are some of my favorite dating sims!! there are some i may be forgetting but ye i love these <3

[reneenalaniartista]

2.9.2024.

New Moon in Aquarius.

Another shot of my new moon in Aquarius altar with tarot spread and self-love spell jar.

OK. At the risk of sounding like a weirdo-- but you know something? I don't care. If I sound crazy, that's f-ing fine. I'm going to make my 35th rotation around the sun later this year, and I need to stop giving a damn. Haha! Which leads me to this...

I made a self-love spell jar after I had gotten out of my last (abusive) relationship. I wanted to restore my sense of self after coming out of it among all the other things that kept digging away at my heart and soul back in '22. Has it helped? In a way. I know of course that restoring my self-love was going to take time. Making the spell jar gave me something to do and feel good about. Like, "Nice! Look how cute that is in the little glass pumpkin bottle." You know, a cute little decoration that has a meaning behind it.

It's shown here on the altar as to imbued the energies of the Aquarius new moon. Fresh start to be more independent and innovative. I do have an Aquarius placement on my natal chart-- my north node. "The north node in our natal chart represents the unique direction that each of us are being called to explore and, ultimately, become." My direction in life is that of an Aquarian. Truth seeker.

Natal charts are crazy insights into one's life. Some may not agree with astrology; I can understand that. I'm just fascinated by the intricacies of astrology. It's diving in and reflecting on oneself--finding out where your soul's energy lies.

Ahhhhh! Alright. I'll stop it here. Haha! I really do hope some people can dig the astrology stuff I'm hyper fixated on. Hehheh. I do notice it's gotten a surge of popularity recently. Or maybe that's just the Al-Gore-Rhythm feeding me my interests?

All I gotta say is that I had always had an interest in astrology since I was young. I fell out of it because my peers for a time weren't into it. I've been getting back into it in recent years and it's been my guide to navigate through this crazy life in the universe.

We all have our belief systems (or not). This is mine.

#newmooninaquarius #aquarius #astrology #canon80d #adobelightroom

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