#AUTHOR IS COOKING

[hanakihan]

WAIT HELLO WHAT AUTHOR PUBLISHED FULL EDSALI FIC ON PIXIV???

BLOODBORNE-ESQUE VIENNA CLAD IN ETERNAL NIGHT WITH BONFIRE MECHANICS??? FOREIGNER JOSEPH II??? ABRAHAM VAN HELSING AS AN ASSASSIN CLASS SERVANT WHOSE NP COMPLETELY YEETS HIM OUT OF EXISTENCE AT COST OF BERSERKER LIKE RAMPAGE (BUT MAN IS ALSO REALLY SWEET)??? DANTES AND VAN HELSING CAMARADERIE??? MASTER TAKING AVENGERS WITH THEM ON THIS SINGULARITY SO HESSIAN LOBO AND JALTER BADASSERY??? SALIERI LIVING IN LOTUS EATER MACHINE WITH FEELING OF WRONGNESS AND BEING SUSPICIOUS OF JOSEPH’S TOO NICE ATTITUDE??? JOSEPH BEING SO OBSESSED HE CONSTANTLY KILLS SALIERI INTIL HE GETS HIM ‘RIGHT’??? DANTES DYING CONSTANTLY AND EVERY TIME HE’S BACK AT BONFIRE BEING LIKE ‘WELL FUCK LET’S TRY AGAIN’??? ‘THE ANCIENT CAPITAL OF ETERNAL OPERA - VIENNA’???

[sadagios]

GRIA: yes, my boyfriend doesnt remember me but we ARE getting back together

GRIA: ok so maybe he does remember . but hes just acting coy right? hahahaha ... RIGHT....?

[degenerateshinji]

CHAPTER 2 UP BEACH EPISODE TIME

[lilithrebellion]

Upgraded my editing program hehe.

[gennyrthewriter]

You should like… totally read my first novel! The sequel is COMPLETE after TWO YEARS and is NOW OUT TOO!

Click here for a link to the Amazon page for book 1

Click here for a link to the Amazon page for book 2

If you like colonial-era inspired low fantasy with political intrigue, moral ambiguity, and ideological struggle, give it a chance!

(There’s a more traditional plot summary on the Amazon page if this meme-y and buzzword filled ad copy isn’t satisfying enough for you literary types. I get it. I was an insufferable English major too.)

[bleue-flora]

I got to see the musical Les Misérables recently and it got me thinking... Who represents “the people” in the dsmp. I think the common perception is L’manberg, they have the flag after all. Tommy and Wilbur were certainly not wealthy in riches, surely they represent the poor people starving in the streets, fighting against an unfair system…Except in the beginning they are revolting against Dream, who is neither a king nor dictator nor government. He wasn’t forcing people into poverty or unjustly imprisoning people for stealing bread to become his slaves. On the contrary, he constantly gave out food and even returned people’s armor when the battles were over. I believe Dream even says himself [clip] that the people of L’manberg already had the freedom to build that land and make it their home and community. What they fought for was independence, which gave them the right to deny people freedom to enter their land. They fought not for their own freedom to exist, they already had that, but the right to enforce rules that limited other people’s freedom - only Europeans allowed, no armor… etc - They fought to establish the very oppressive government they claimed to revolt against and when they were kicked out by the very laws of the government they created, that’s when L’manberg (Manberg) needed to be overthrown. But not to dismantle the corrupt institution that allowed a legal dictatorship (like Techno thought) but to become the new dictators. In other words, L’manberg is less like the Les Mis revolutionaries and more like the corrupt government. In that case then, Niki is the people who will not be slaves again, Philza fought for the right to be free, Techno fought for the world he longs to see, Dream fought for his life to start, when tomorrow comes. They then are the people who were oppressed by the government (used as a slave for resources, hunted down and executed, discriminated against and unfairly treated, forced under house arrest because of a friendship… etc) singing for the freedom to simply live their lives. They are the ones singing the song of angry men. [song]

[juriandurian]

why didn’t anyone tell me someone wrote percy jackson shooting donald trump satirical fan fiction

[skywalkr-nberrie]

Anakin’s love and marriage to Padmé wasn’t the issue of why he fell to the dark side. He was already being groomed by Palpatine in becoming his apprentice, and Padmé not being there wouldn’t have changed that. She just made it easier. Anakin was born a slave, which doesn’t leave him in the right headspace, and ever since Shmi died, Anakin became more unstable. Inevitably, he became more obsessed with control and wanting the power to stop the ones he loves from dying. Had Padmé not been in his life, Anakin still would have fallen due to Palpatine’s manipulations and topped with the Jedi’s mistreatment of Anakin. The Jedi and even OW failed Anakin in a way where Anakin came to a point where he doubts their faith in him, and he in return loses his trust him them. He says so himself in the ROTS novel. None of that had anything to do with Padmé.

But to insinuate that Anakin only cared for gaining “power” and essentially his “greed” is to blame for his actions, is super reductive understanding of his character. Yes, Anakin was greedy for control, and power. But not because he’s power hungry and wants to rule the galaxy. He only ever wanted more power to keep his loved ones safe, to assume control over what happens to him. (and this would’ve happened even if he and Padmé weren’t together.) saying that if Anakin “truly cared about saving his wife”, he would have told OW or any of the masters about his situation but didn’t because he was “greedy” is again, incorrect. Because Anakin DID go to the Jedi for advice. He talked to Yoda. Anakin put his faith into the Jedi but they didn’t exactly lead him down the path he needed.

Doubled with the fact that he knows the Council doesn’t trust him, and him not being sure he can trust them, (yes, including OW.) this led him to seeking answers in other and more dangerous places. Which was Palpatine. Whom Anakin is already vulnerable to and was being groomed by. Anakin’s fall to the darkside was due to his desperation and desire to save his wife, the love of his life. Not because he was greedy for more power and that he didn’t truly care about saving Padmé. That’s just a bad analysis of his character, intentions, and motivations. Anakin only became obsessed with the idea of “gaining power to rule and obtain authority” happened AFTER he fell. And that’s because the darkside plays with your sanity like that, makes you want and do things you normally wouldn’t do or want.

The main point is: Anakin’s fall doesn’t stem from his greed for wanting power because he seeks heroism, status, and authority. It was out of genuine love and desperation for his wife. Then again, his marriage to Padmé also isn’t to blame for his fall, because that was due to Anakin’s own fear of loss and abandonment. He would’ve fallen under any circumstance, with how unstable, vulnerable, and manipulated he was. That was the tragedy. He was always doomed to fall.

[arthdoesart]

Old SU art I did on @niickiepie IG where the rejuvenator brought back Pink but she's stuck in Steven's body :'> (Prime comic during the heights of SU <3)

[eych-two-oh]

Something so distinctly funny at Jambounds gradual increase of chapters. I still remember it being a one-shot AT MOST.

[dearmyloveleys]

RE: the absolute fascination (and adoration) I have with the symbolism of Zhu Yan's and Li Lun's weapons, how it reveals their respective characterisations and the discussion of humanity

There are so many aspects that I love about FoF but I still believe how the show represents LiYan's relationship + worldview through their weapons is one of the best uses of visual storytelling and literary/visual devices I have seen in recent years. (long text ahead!)

A Gift and A Curse

Where did their complications start? The exchange of gifts. Why do we gift another presents? For affection. It's so ironically simple, free of malice and at its basis so, so human. For a demon like Li Lun who claims to not understand humans, he reciprocates the moment of kindness Zhu Yan shows him - the rattle to make him happy, and him giving Zhu Yan the umbrella to shelter him from rain.

There is something so beautifully ironic about two great demons eventually using ordinary, human household objects as their weapons. And items given to each other at that. When they first receive them, both the umbrella and rattle are just simple objects with no meaning attached to it, except for the goodwill of friendship. There is no inherent ill-intention and it is pure. Yet.

Li Lun ultimately only understands reciprocation, and not truly the innate kindness and affection which Zhu Yan demonstrates. Zhu Yan gave Li Lun the rattle to have him understand why he finds humans wonderful: Can any of our demonic powers have the ability to make someone happy just like this rattle does for a child? Li Lun gives Zhu Yan the umbrella because Zhu Yan gave him the rattle and made him happy. Li Lun understands the action, and does not grapple with its underlying intentions. He consistently struggles with this throughout the story, especially when actions do not match up with the speaker's reasonings.

Dissonance in character is an extremely human trait, and the understanding of this is where Zhu Yan and Li Lun’s stories and similarities diverge. Zhu Yan on one hand, understands the complexity of humans and is at terms with it. Li Lun on the other hand, never understands the ability to be complex and paints humanity black. Their gifts are still turned into weapons that will eternally curse them of their once-there closeness, because of each other and their inability to reconcile their ideologies. How they use the umbrella and rattle from here on, represents their differences in their views of humanity.

Double Edged

When watching any fantasy/wuxia/xianxia cdrama, everyone who is written as a fighter usually has an offensive weapon used and made for injuring and killing. But not when it comes to Zhu Yan and Li Lun - they are two individuals who will certainly be masters in weaponry if they wielded a sword or blade. But they don’t.

In the Wilderness, from what we see, none of the demons use weapons. Even Cheng Huang uses an hourglass. Both Li Lun and Zhu Yan do not own any weapons before gifting each other the rattle and umbrella, and these aren’t even supposed to be used as weapons. There is such an underlying innocence to demons that instead of choosing a blade to take as a weapon, they choose these essentially harmless items instead. Though, this innocence ends here. The concept of weapons is a human creation. The concept of making an item specifically just to harm others is an especially human conception. By adopting the identity of weapons onto their gifts, the multifaceted nature of weaponry and thereby humanity seeps into their characters. Weaponry is both ironically and ironically human, and their weapons represent both sides of human nature that Zhu Yan and Li Lun believe in.

A weapon is only causes harm in one's hands if you make command it to. Do you protect or do you do harm with it? I find it so telling and intriguing that Zhu Yan and Li Lun run off in either directions with the purposes of a weapon. Zhuyan has always been fascinated by the human world versus Lilun having apathetic views of the human world, and they reflect this in how they use their weapons.

Zhu Yan uses his umbrella to always shield his team, protect and deflect harm, while the harm he inflicts on others comes from his innate spiritual energy (one word spells). He protects this simple umbrella and preserves its goodness, indirectly making sure to not sully the goodness of humanity. Instead, he chooses to use himself as the offensive weapon. On the other hand, Li Lun turns his rattle into an offensive weapon, changing its tip into a dagger. Before it is destroyed, all his attacks are summoned from strikes against the rattle. He doesn’t care, and humanity is trash, therefore he treats this object of innocence with irreverence and violence.

Though, there still is Li Lun’s favourite question: Is it better to be a demon or human? He chooses human. Which at the very least, is interesting.

Who You Wish To Be

The thematic concern of LiYan's relationship is very much defined by this question they often pose or have been asked by others: Is being a human or a demon better?

On an even deeper level, the juxtaposition between Li Lun's use of the rattle and what he says, being a human is better, is even more encompassing of his character — driven, conflicted obsession. The same way he keeps trying to break Zhuo Yichen and Zhuyan, but manages to maintain somehow civil and emotional conversations with them, his treatment of his rattle but the fact he thinks being human is better, and his one-time statement “maybe the human world is interesting after all” are contradictory. He is never at peace with himself and cannot accept things the way they are. He is very much a child, misguided and believing that things are one-dimensional (all humans are bad, Zhuyan how could you hurt me for them) while things in reality are complex. Even his best intentions, from his line “I, Li Lun, will never run away from things (…)” is innocently one dimensional. He will never be the human he wants to be until he comes to terms with this. And most importantly, it's not even about being human. It's never about titles or names, it's about who he wants to be. Li Lun once again is fixated on surface levels that he doesn't grasp the depth of reality.

"Whether one is a human or demon, it's only a matter of titles. Just be whoever you want to be." - Zhu Yan, Ep 26.

Zhu Yan is the stellar opposite of Li Lun. He doesn’t sully Li Lun’s gift to him and uses it the way Lilun initially gave it to him for: to protect. And his answer to the Demon or Human question as written above is telling of his character, compared to Li Lun's set-in-stone answer. But despite everything, what makes everything so tragic is what started it in the first place: affection. One keeps that affection as a weapon to spread the same to others, while the other keeps and weaponises that affection to regain it all back.

Just like how he uses his rattle to relentlessly pursue revenge, Li Lun is so insistent on what should have been, that he doesn't see what can be, and it curses him. Zhu Yan sees the possibilities of everything, wants to protect the good, and it curses him. Perhaps its this inevitability of their separation and also the sliver of hope that they can reconcile, trapped in their shared respective curses, that troubles them deep down.

-

Their weapons symbolise both their ideologies, and serve as physical reminders of their intertwined past. Regardless of how they use their weapons, they use a reminder of the other as defense and offense against the world. A diverged path still has met once before. The sharpest blade is still one crafted from the torment of memory.

On Visual Story-Telling

The use of these unusual objects in c-drama land as weapons is such a stroke of genius on the production team and writers' part. It gives so much more flavour and uniqueness to these characters instead of the usual sword or spear. Such small, precise, details with large implications on characterisation.

[mydearchoso]

geto and a reader with capnolagnia (a fetish/attraction to the smell of cigarette smoke/the act of smoking) and so everytime he wants some puss, he steps out for a few and comes back REEKING of it.

he loves doing it at movie theatres, restaurants, sometimes before he comes to visit you at work or before entering your house. any excuse to make you hot and bothered that inevitably leads to him being dragged to the bathroom or bedroom, sometimes not even bothering to hide it and just doing it right there as discreetly as possible.

he just loves the stark contrast when you go from bright, smiling, and cheery to furrowed brows and rustling thighs. mouth all but watering as you fuck the man to oblivion behind your eyes, before finally pouncing on him.

geto has also certainly fucked you WHILE smoking... slow lazy thrusts as he watches the ash flutter down to rest on your torso. smearing it with his hands as he slides it up to play with your nipple idly. putting the filter to your lips to inhale. all before he's locking your lips with his, grabbing each of your shoulders so hard his nails dig into your flesh. inhaling the smoke from your mouth as he pulls you down towards his hips. his leisurely pace turned cruel and hyper. fucking you like a rabbit who's only goal is to finish before it's heart gives out.

he gets so needy as he exhales the remainder of smoke across your face, watching your expressions as he drills into you ruthlessly. he may be using you like a toy right now, but after a little clean up, when he's put his briefs back on and you're in his shirt, you'll step out onto the back porch for a proper smoke. cuddling on the sun bed and passing the cigarette back and forth. staring up at the stars as you ramble about nothing special as you both bask in the afterglow of your ecstasy... and once you're back inside, who knows? maybe you'll be going at it again.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

MDZS Disco Elysium AU part 2 - Psyche Skills

Part 1 - Part 3

[aemondseyepatch]

Ewan Mitchell as Michael Gavey in Saltburn (2023)

[sanpape]

43 cressida/eloise fics written in the span of 1 week god bless. good to know we all watched that season and went

[aurae-rori]

“A HEART, EMBARK, A BEAUTIFUL STAR”

— aventio csm au but no prior knowledge of csm is needed. if you dont know csm then think of this of unwilling roommates and colleagues au but they kill shit too

— fiend ratio & devil hunter aventurine

— featuring mental illness and my lack of will to live

— rip kishibe you would've loved aventurine. thanks for hyping me up guys

— multichap, 1/10 and curretly 5.9k words

+ art of fiend ratio by @j11nko !!