#Adding Functionality with Actions and Interactions

[paradoxcase]

Right, so, after reading some error logs, obtaining a copy of the objects.package that shipped with the Sims 2 rerelease, and talking about this with Lazy Duchess, I have a conspiracy theory about why the rerelease is so damn broken

So first, I looked at an error log that was happening in the Enthusiasm Tracker. It was coming from the function that signs sims up for a magazine subscription after they choose that option on the phone. It's a very short function, all it does is 1) check to see if the family has a magazine subscription token, 2) create one if it does not already exist, and 3) set a property on the token regardless of whether 2 was necessary or not. All three of these actions make use of the Manage Inventory primitive, which controls not just sim inventories, but also tokens like this, memories, and gossip. I compared all like five lines of this function to the one in my objects.package, that I have from the Ultimate Collection, and they were exactly the same. But for some reason, in the rerelease, this throws an error. There is no explanation at the level of this function. I kind of scratched my head and thought, maybe they changed how the magazine subscription token works in this version, and forgot to update this function? Or something?

Next, there was an Too Many Iterations error log that had a very obvious cause: for some reason, the active family had over 500 tokens in its inventory. The family inventory isn't listed in the error log, so have no idea what those tokens were, or how there came to be 500+ of them. BUT. The aforementioned magazine subscription token is a token that goes in the family inventory. Maybe these two problems are somehow related. Are those 500 tokens all magazine subscription tokens, or something?

And then there is the infamous error that the game now throws when a sim goes to get abducted. I didn't see an error log for this one, but I was making a post on MTS listing all of the known issues with the rerelease, and someone mentioned there that the issue is not so much with the abduction as it is with other sims reacting to the abduction, and if there are no sims on the lot to react to the abduction, the error does not occur. Someone else then mentioned that the Abduction Reaction Fix mod that I made actually fixes this error. I made that mod, I know exactly what it does. What does it do?

Well, you see, objects in the game all have what is called a tree table, which is a table of interactions and the functions that need to be called when those interactions are triggered. One of the interactions on the telescope is the interaction to run to the telescope after someone has been abducted. But, in the Free Time expansion, a lot of new interactions were added to the telescope, and for some reason, EA decided to renumber all of the functions when they did that. They forgot to update the tree table, which references functions by their numbers, and as a result, the function that was called when sims were supposed to do the run-to-telescope interaction was actually the function that gives sims credit for discovering a new planet. In my mod, I fixed this, so that when sims are supposed to run to the telescope, the proper run-to-the-telescope function is called instead.

So, the error happens when my mod is not installed (when the planet discovery function is being called erroneously) and not when it is (when the run-to-the-telescope function is called instead). So the error must be coming from the planet discovery function. What is in the planet discovery function? It is almost identical to the magazine subscription function. It checks for the planet discovery token, adds it if it isn't there, and then modifies a property on it, using Manage Inventory. So this is exact same bug. And other people are reporting that some sims cannot gain memories - another game function that is handled by Manage Inventory. There is also an error that happens after a sim cooks food - one thing that happens at that point is that tokens and memories are added to the sim's inventory marking that they have successfully (or unsuccessfully) learned to cook that food.

So at this point, my theory is that EA somehow broke the Manage Inventory primitive. It's used all over the code, to do all sorts of stuff, if you break something that ubiquitous and fundamental, of course it's going to cause a whole lot of seemingly completely unrelated errors. Manage Inventory is now going hog-wild, throwing errors, adding hundreds of extraneous tokens to inventories, refusing to give sims memories, and who knows what else. I can feel it, this is the answer

[littlemssam]

Mod Updates & Translations

As always delete old Mods Files and the localthumbcache, when updating my Mods!

---

Choose Painting Style (Texture) Added French by MOLLORY, Russian by wild_guy, and Chinese by Licer.

Dress Code | Custom Lot Traits Added Japanese by Licer.

Force to Leave | New Door Interaction Added Support for new Employees from Businesses & Hobbies Pack.

Improved Drink Trays Update of French by MOLLORY, and update of Chinese by Licer.

Live In Business Added Support for Pottery Items. Set to Sell should not show up on Objects like StandMixer etc.

Live In Services Update of Chinese by Licer.

More Away Actions Added new Pottery & Tattooing Skills.

Online Learning System Added new Pottery & Tattooing Skills.

Riding Companion Dog Update of Chinese by Licer.

Spend Weekend With Added Japanese by Licer.

Transfer Inventory Update of Chinese by Licer.

Ultrasound Scan Added Object SimData since Object Tuning now have them.

Unlock/Lock Doors for chosen Sims Added Support for new Employees from Businesses & Hobbies Pack. Update of Russian by Rick.

RSM - Purchased Items delievered via Mail Added Support for new Businesses & Hobbies Books.

RSM (Horse Ranch) - Better Saddle Control Added Chinese & Japanese by Licer.

RSM (Horse Ranch) - Buy Horse Treats via PC Added Chinese by Licer.

RSM (Horse Ranch) - Lead Horse Added Chinese & Japanese by Licer.

Other Mods - ATM Cards and Credit Function! Added Object SimData since Object Tuning now have them. Renamed Mod and Addon is obsolete now, pls remove the File "LittleMsSam_Updated_Zooroo_ATM!_Addon_NonCoolKitchenFix".

---

My Site with all possible Download Links: lms-mods.com

Support Questions via Discord only please!

[kaiser1ns]

𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘅 𝗳𝗲𝗺!𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿

╹synopsis :: it doesn't take much to say or show you love someone even with the simplest of actions.

╹contents :: can be read as fem/gn reader; characters from blue lock, jjk and honkai star rail, FLUFF, ooc maybe?

╹notes :: as i was walking to go home at like 10pm i thought of this, hope you enjoy! added hsr specially for @okkalo ♡

ITOSHI SAE immediately takes you out to visit the sea when he gets some days off. The sounds of the waves, the relaxing atmosphere and you in his arms calm him down causing him to flashback to his childhood memories of when he was just a small and carefree child wanting nothing more but to play football with his little brother and personal cheerleader.

Not only he is known as the strongest but GOJO SATORU is also known for having a very strong sweet tooth. So what does he do to reduce the sugar? He shares it with you because there is nothing better than sharing his favourite thing with his lover, so let's say he gets a double dose of chocolate and candy from just seeing you and that's enough.

AVENTURINE is not afraid to take the risk and his constant smile makes it difficult for people to guess his true intentions. Not with you though, he lets his guard down, your voice soothing him to help him relax and as he gets lost in your touch. He is not Aventurine of the IPC or the Ten Stonehearts, he is just Kakavasha the little boy who once dreamed of love and now he won the biggest treasure in his life — you.

ITOSHI RIN knows how much you don't like scary movies, and that's why when you come over for the weekends you watch movies or series of your choice, be it Barbie or The Lion King. He will swallow his ego and stop watching the weekly uploads of his favourite scary games just so you can't fall asleep on purpose because of the horror films.

GETO SUGURU can't stop talking about how beautiful, amazing, and kind you are. Mimiko and Nanako are tired because they are the only ones who get to hear all his murmuring when you are away even for only 5 minutes. But they know how much he loves you and how you breathe life into him, and he wishes that someday they will become like you — strong and good-hearted.

ARGENTI thanks and prays to Idrila every moment of his life for obtaining the biggest blessing to ever exist and that is meeting you. The Knight of Beauty makes sure to give you one red rose every day to express his profound love and admiration, it's a small gesture that symbolizes his devotion to the relationship. He should protect his lover and like flowers, the tender petals are directed to you, with the thorns to the cosmic and its danger protecting you

It may seem that he is spoiled, but in fact, NAGI SEISHIRO is not, well not that much. Sometimes he takes charge of the household chores, giving you, a well-deserved break. He washed the dishes, cooked you a meal (instant noodles), and even tried to fold the laundry. And you, pleasantly surprised, sank into the couch, embracing the rare luxury of relaxation as familiar songs from your shared playlist were playing on the TV. Even if it doesn't happen often you are forever grateful for your lazy boyfriend to do something like that.

ITADORI YUJI shows genuine interest and actively listens to you talking about your current obsession be it a series, celebrity, book, food, or anything. He loves your voice, seeing your beautiful smile, and how your eyes seem to sparkle as you talk, he is so lovestruck that he sometimes just stares at you with the most soft and genuine look. Just don't be surprised when you find some merchandise on your desk with a little love note, okay?

Engaging in meaningful conversations and connecting on a deeper level with DR. RATIO seems like every other normal day for him. He approaches every interaction with a thirst for knowledge. And you take him by surprise every time and he doesn't know what to do, the great genius suddenly stops functioning. The way you hold his hand, kiss his cheek, make him stutter — he goes crazy and questions himself about how there is no logical explanation for this, but there is, it is called love.

SHIDOU RYUSEI doesn't like to share his material possessions with anyone, he worked so hard to get the last volumes of Chainsaw Man as they are now put on the shelf in his bedroom. And imagine his reaction when he sees you reading volume 10 which has Makina on the cover, cuddled nicely with his blanket on the bed. How dare you read it without him? And so he jumps onto the mattress, squishing you because that's your punishment for not telling him. You apologized to him of course but for him to fully forgive you, next time you will be on anicon cosplaying Makima and Denji.

FUSHIGURO MEGUMI remembers the small details about you and your preferences. If you don't like a certain ingredient in the food, he will order the dish without it. You like to sleep on this side of the bed, no problem he will sleep on the other side as you both cuddle and drift to Dreamland. He will immediately notice the change in your mood and even if he is not so good with words, he will always be there for you offering his warm embrace.

As a Galaxy Ranger BOOTHILL tends to travel around the cosmos a lot and sadly he can't spend time with you. But when he's with you, one of the things you do is his hair and to put cute stickers on his metal hands or guns. The scary cyborg cowboy is now a pretty princess with pigtails, heart stickers and with a very happy lover. He watches you having fun with his makeover — and will do everything possible to spend more time with you.

©2024 kaiser1ns do not copy, repost or modify my work.

[kunaigirl]

Another thing I really appreciate about the FNAF:SOTM game is how they incorporate the limited (yet impressive and state of the art at the time) 1970s technology for the animatronics. If you look into the real life (US) establishments that used animatronics in the 70s, like ShowBiz Pizza and it's rival/successor Chuck E. Cheese's, you can see exactly why the animatronics look and move like they do in game.

In the 1970s, animatronics were only functional when attached to massive structures and objects that could both house and hide all the necessary mechanical components needed to make them function. These were often called "Shelf" shows, since the animatronics were attached to walls or other large structures designed to mimic showroom furniture. Seeing how FNAF:SOTM incorporates this era-accurate technology and design is REALLY COOL.

In my opinion, it really makes these animatronics specifically some of the most terrifying robots of the entire franchise. The animatronics in the other games are already hazardous enough because they're fast moving and made of heavy metal/steel skeletons, but the 70s bots? Multiply that by a hundred. They're strong enough to drag around OR rip through the ENTIRE MASSIVE FOUNDATIONAL AND INDUSTRIAL STEEL STRUCTURES that are attached to them. THINK ABOUT IT

These structures also make them even larger and heavier than any of the other animatronics on a very massive scale. Don't even get me started on the potential weight of these things. Big Top is an especially fantastic example of this horror in action. He rips through the entire deep steel track AND the center room structure that he's attached to, and drags that shit around while knocking down entire walls. That thing is MASSIVE and moves super slow, also adding to the creepiness. He's only able to appear "fast" because of his physical scale and reach-range.

Another good example is Jackie. Her "shelf" structure is smaller, but it's still full of the rest of her functional foundation technology and she RIPS HERSELF IN HALF to get out of it. Then she's a half-body dragging herself around all teke-teke style??? While also probably baring the same weight as a truck??? HORRIFYING. There's a whole extra layer to the horror elements for these 70s bots that just isn't present in other games to the this specific degree.

Safety regulations were also very much NOT what they are today (or even in the 80s/90s) so these robots had sharp edges and lose/exposed metal/bolts/etc the likes of which are INSANE. They were designed to be looked at from a distance and never be interacted so up-close and personally. OH YEAH ALSO!!! CAN'T FORGET!!! Lead was still being used in most commercial and large-scale metal and mechanical structures during this era. To recap! These robots are stronger than any other robots that exist in the FNAF universe. Any robot can rip through a soft and fleshy human, but these bots capable of tearing through a buildings worth of steel within seconds. The other FNAF robots are stopped by metal doors. They're also absolutely full of lead, and while they have extremely limited mobility, they're extremely capable of using those exact structures as part of their weaponry.

THEY'RE ALL SUCH HORRIFYING IDEAS AND IMPLICATIONS AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

[befuddledcinnamonroll]

Looks like I am going to fall on the unpopular opinion side in that I was good with Sorn's apology & other interactions with Jun in today's episode.

I liked that Sorn's personality remained consistent at the same time that he showed learning; I liked that he wasn't magically made into some perfect man; I liked that he still had his flaws but showed he was trying to be sensitive when Jun pushed back.

I liked that he attempted to be more direct to make his feelings clear to Jun, while still slipping into frequent (and culturally appropriate) indirect modes of communication, that still managed to convey so much if you look under the surface.

I liked that he tried to use humor, with his talk of becoming jobless and poor, because Jun is funny, and humor is comfortable for him, while also adding an emotional beat to the conversation.

I liked that he finally made the decision to be truly vulnerable and tell Jun he had liked him since the shoes, because that first vulnerable step is one of the most powerful actions anyone in a conflict can take.

I liked that what we saw was a realistic first step for imperfect people on a journey towards but not yet in a functional relationship, because I have lived long enough to learn how the people who come in with the perfect words are almost never able to back it up with their behavior.

I guess this goes along with my "I love mess" philosophy. I love people who are trying to do better, and being very imperfect about it.

[kiame-sama]

Do you think any of the monster guys would be good at helping an autistic human with overstimulation (like too much of a certain noise, or lights that particularly bother them etc.)

Ooh, and how do you think Malleus would respond if he used materials in the nest that the human can't really handle touching because of the texture? Would he get particularly upset because of the human rejecting the nest? Would he let the human help choose materials for the nest? (I can imagine him holding different pillows and fabrics out for the human to test the texture before he adds it to the nest)

Warnings; yandere, yandere behavior, yandere actions, autistic reader (mostly based around my own autism), monster men trying very had to be good to their Human,

There are several who would be good to pair with an autistic reader thanks to their own dispositions and behaviors. Lilia has raised a literal dragon from hatching and has managed to not get himself killed by that dragon. He would absolutely be wonderful in keeping an autistic Human calm and knowing when they are getting overstimulated. He also knows how to keep an overstimulated creature calm enough to get them somewhere calmer and quieter to relax themselves. He isn't even bothered by being yelled at by the overstimulated creature because he has had literal fire spewed at him by an overstimulated Dragon in the past, so yelling does nothing to perturb him. Papa Hades recognizes that not all Humans function the same and has had his own autistic Humans to care for in the past. He knows the general signs of overstimulation and texture avoidant behaviors. He would be fantastic at keeping the Human calm or getting them somewhere safe to help them calm down and decompress from others. Vil himself has been overstimulated many times due to being on loud movie sets and productions, the flashing lights and excess sound easily overwhelming him. He can recognize increased stress behavior in someone and knows when the environment is far too loud for most- specially the more sensitive- to handle without having a meltdown. He is far more patient with an overstimulated Human than many others would be and would be wonderful at taking them away from that environment. Malleus is fantastic at general interaction with someone who is autistic and would be content to take them away from an environment that is far too stimulating for them. He- especially in the case of an autistic Human- is already extremely attuned to the general behavior and mannerisms of the Human he protects. He will pick up very quickly on their discomfort and would be equally quick to take them out of the upsetting surroundings to help them calm themselves down. He will also be the best to hyperfixate with and share interest with because of his own niche special interest in Gargoyles.

~~~~

Malleus would be crushed if the Human didn't like his nest and would completely tear the nest apart to make anew the moment he learned it was because of his fabric choices. He will sit for an entire day with the Human to rebuild the nest, having them check and touch the fabrics to make sure they would like the texture. Any textured fabric the Human doesn't like is immediately burned and he makes mental note of the feel so he doesn't add a similar fabric in the future. He will only move forward with the actual nest building when he confirms all the materials being used are Human approved. This does mean he will sit and hold out every fabric for the Human to feel first before adding it to his nest. If he runs out of fabrics and materials for the nest, he is taking the Human shopping- both so they can choose and so he can guard them- to find more materials for the nest that they enjoy. The nest is large enough to hold him and his hoard, he will need a lot of materials to make it the way he likes and to make sure the Human likes it as well.

[huggywuggysuppy]

Gem Interaction Master Chart

@wildcatcargo thank you for the icons <3 thoughts under the cut:

Main Thesis

-> The less someone understands Gem, the easier she controls them, and she can manage more things/people at a time

-> The more someone understands Gem, the harder the challenge, and the more she grows individually

Certain Patterns Emerge

Gem and the Scotts is so peak bc she's with ppl who understand her the most and the least, and use it neutrally

GIGGS is a healthy mix of support, growth, and challenge

X and Y axis' are the most interesting: Pearl, Skizz, Ren, and Scott

Anytime a yellow group person is added to the situation, Gem's plans and outcomes become a lot more unpredictable

In contrast, pink group stabilizes her into one or two paths

Red group often bring out her greatest hits, and Gem leverages them for beginnings and conclusions

Green group are what Gem uses to set and change the status quo

Blue Group are good pawns to amplify events, although occasionally provide too much noise

Explanations

Pearl's in middle understanding bc she really gets Gem's relationship with other people and then is so clueless about their own duo D;

BDubs would probably understand her a lot if they spent more time together. He stands out in pink group for immediately picking up on what she's putting down, but refusing to budge on his own narrative -- instead assimilating her actions into the plan.

None of the dads misunderstand her maliciously, but neither they nor Gem are getting off this bus, so here we are. They're intentionally maintaining the distance for a variety of reasons. And maybe that's okay

False is working on clocking Gem back, but can't fully dig her claws in since Gem's so good at putting her on the back foot. The best example of this is HC9 "Blood on the clocktower" round 2 (on Gem's VOD channel)

Cub and Gem need to be in closer proximity I think. Mystery Hermit demonstrated Gem's side of things, along with Fight Club proving her interest in more interaction. Permitmaster too... is anyone listening

Oli and Sausage are here bc I love them. Aaaaand they represent Gem's honest delights: bickering with Oli and storytelling with Sausage

Other mcyts I want Gem to interact with more to analyze: JoeHills, Shubble, BigB, Eloise, Keralis. (groups are not 100% solid bc less data)

A lot of less close cc's fall into pink or, especially for elder hermits, blue, because they don't have time/experience to fully see Gem. This is functional for being a cc: quickly digestible and workable for any story. Smoothly places Gem into a position of power, since they miss most of her movements.

Gem and the Clockers hits every group, except the support from blue. Fascinating, since they're also elder (season) hermits.

Personal fav dynamics: all of red and yellow groups. Fans may know I'm a Ren/Pearl/Gem life series team manifester. I like when Gem is forced to act, but has a lot of options in the execution

Conclusion

Gem is incredibly observant and picks up on each intent, value, and change, of everyone around her. What decides her behavior is motive, comfort, and curiosity. Everyone on this list she enjoys interacting with, because she deeply loves social dynamics. And that excitement radiates out and inspires the room.

Always down to explain more in asks/notes :D

[casscainmainly]

What do you think of how WFA is currently using Duke so far? On the one hand bringing in We are Robin is good but on the other hand I feel like it they still are sidelining him. He's still benched and sure they brought in We are Robin but it felt like they were more used for Damian and his story, and they had Duke set up this support system but we've seen others like Steph doing more with it and really interacting with it. I feel like them say introducing We Are Robin but like making interact more with Damian and be there for his story is like "see we read Duke, now here's the other characters we really want to focus"

I've fallen behind on WFA for a few weeks so I just caught up! And. Yeah. I have thoughts. (Also again disclaimer I don't have FastPass so this is based on the free eps as of now).

In August last year I did an analysis of Duke Thomas in WFA, where I outlined my gripes. Then, in December, I praised the We Are Robin-centric episode. Right after, I wrote about how the next episode was making me a little wary but I was still optimistic.

Just outlining this to demonstrate that my feelings on WFA bounce back and forth a lot, but I do think it can do better and it has done better. So I'm gonna read on (because it's the only consistent place for Duke content, and because I like the Batgirls in it enough), but long story short: I'm pissed.

(Putting a rant under the cut; if you're enjoying S3 of WFA, I'm genuinely happy for you! I'm going to take a more negative stance than usual though so don't read if you don't want to hear that stuff).

Okay first of all the benching. All the way back in August I complained about Duke being benched, in a season that started with his kidnapping and revolves around the Joker. At the time I was hopeful he'd be unbenched, but it's been 34 eps and he's STILL BENCHED!! Even if he's unbenched in the FastPass eps I don't have, it's still ridiculous that he was out of the field for that long.

What happened when canon Duke got injured I wonder??

Oh yeah, in the Cursed Wheel he SNUCK OUT!!! Because he has agency!!!! What's frustrating about benching Duke for the entirety of S3 so far is that Duke, at his core, is a character of action. From his very first appearance in Zero Year, he's defined by an absurd amount of agency, wanting to fight the Riddler (then finding his parents, then joining WAR, then becoming Signal). A Duke that sits by for THIRTY FOUR EPISODES is NOT DUKE THOMAS!!!

But he's broken his arm, right? It makes sense for him to be benched?? Well first of all it was WFA's CHOICE to break his arm, a choice I do not think added anything to Duke's character or to Bruce's paranoia (which was clearly the entire point of Duke's kidnapping in the first place). Secondly, another character was injured in a fight with the Joker and benched. Another character who REJOINED THE FIELD IN 16 EPISODES!!!!

Dick gets injured in #130 and goes back out in #146. That is under half of how many episodes Duke's been benched for, AND Dick got injured in a fight against Joker. Duke didn't even get to fight!!! He didn't get to do anything!!! Dick's injury was also stupid, but the way WFA handled his benching versus Duke's is worlds apart, and shows to me how much less they respect Duke than the others.

Also can I just say how gross it was to use Duke's kidnapping merely to kickstart the plot? An astonishing 14 episodes pass before we get any mention of how Duke feels (in #132, he says he has nightmares). Then another 11 eps pass before we get to him talking to Lucius + calling WAR. That nightmares thing is never followed up on either! In #124 and #132, Duke's dialogue functions to further the plot or other characters - in #124, Duke justifies the others going out, and in #132, he helps Bruce through his feelings. Even when the episodes are about him, they are not about him!!! I genuinely think only 2 eps out of this entire season haven't used Duke as a prop for someone else.

I'm going to briefly detour to discuss #132 because I loathe that episode. In Homebound, Bruce visits Duke and they play Battleship (it was cute. fine. whatever). And then Bruce offers to hear Duke out on how he feels. Smash cut to:

ARE YOU SERIOUS??? We spent more than 3 episodes on Jason's PTSD, but we couldn't even spend a single panel on Duke talking about his own trauma???? Whether or not you liked the Jason bits this season, he had a moment. Babs also has her moment, and a whole ep is spent with just her and her dad. Duke, of the 3 Bats that have the biggest associations with the Joker, never gets to fully express how he feels. This off-panel cop-out is honestly kind of insulting.

Another detour: the kidnapping ep. We finally get Duke's full backstory after TWO WHOLE SEASONS (besides a brief mention in #76), and it was just not good. Besides the fact that Duke's kidnapping is, as I've mentioned, just a way to get the plot moving, I don't like the way WFA handles his parents:

What on EARTH are you talking about. This feels like a justification for Duke having never mentioned his parents before, but it's completely untrue to Duke's canon character. Sure, he thinks about his parents more than he talks about them, but WFA Duke never thinks about them either!! This narration box just riles me up whenever I think about it.

I was a bit nicer to this part in my first analysis, but no this part just straight up sucks. First off, I don't believe canon!Duke fears being turned into "something like [his parents]". In Cursed Wheel, he more or less comes to terms with how his parents are: "every horrible thing coming out of [my parents'] mouths? They're actually telling me how much they love me. [...] Let them stay." WFA always picking the weirdest things (becoming like his parents, his powers) for Duke to be scared about!

Secondly, this part juxtaposes the 'horror' of becoming like his parents ("something like them") and the wonderful, beautiful vision of "home": Bruce Wayne. Not only is this in direct defiance of Duke's canon character, it just strikes me as an odd and mean-spirited comparison. It essentially erases Duke's parents from his vision of 'home', just to fit him into the Wayne nuclear family.

But to get to the actual topic of the ask: We Are Robin. I still think the We Are Robin ep (#144) is the best Duke in the entirety of WFA, but did things improve afterwards? Did we focus on the WAR kids, their relationship to Duke, or their overall relationship to Robin? Nope. Turns out WAR, like Duke, was a prop for Damian!!

Damian is too harsh in training the Robins, so Duke intervenes. Damian stomps off and has a heart-to-heart with Jon, during which he admits he was trying to prove himself as Robin by training WAR. I actually like this premise!!! Duke and Damian have always had a contentious relationship to each other's Robins, and it makes TOTAL sense for Damian to be dismissive of WAR and think of it as a way to 'prove' himself. The problem is we did this already. TOM KING did it, in Robin War!!!

This is literally a microwaved TK story with worse writing and less nuance. In Robin War, we explored the way Damian dismisses Duke + WAR, both Duke and Damian's feelings of inadequacy around being Robin, and both of them eventually finding common ground and accepting each other. This arc is that except we cut out Duke's perspective. Now, it's all about Damian's feelings about Robin, and nothing about Duke or WAR's relationship to the mantle!

I cannot stress enough that this is a worse version of Robin War, and Robin War isn't even that good!!!

By centering We Are Robin's appearance on Damian, we lose about 99% of WAR's relationships to each other (and especially to Duke). The only specific relationship we see is Duke and Izzy blushing around each other. No acknowledgement of the Dre-Duke beef, the Riko-Duke crush, Dax-Dre friendship, these are a bunch of extras in a movie about Damian Wayne I guess.

You get absolutely no sense of who Izzy, Riko, Dre, or Dax are. The only thing you learn about them is that they're incompetent!

It's been a couple of episodes and they've been beaten TWICE. I get that they're not the main characters, but compared to the Outlaws or other affiliated teams, WAR is portrayed as ineffectual. And both times it's for Damian's sake. This is so frustrating because Damian + WAR is a really interesting relationship, but because WFA never focuses on WAR's feelings or reactions, it doesn't feel like an equal conflict. It feels like Damian vs. some cardboard cutouts.

WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE??? Why aren't they even a tiny bit mad at Damian for either Robin War (WHICH DID HAPPEN BECAUSE WE ARE ROBIN IS CANON HERE) or what he did to them literally a few eps ago?? You know what, why aren't they mad at DUKE for ghosting and abandoning them?? They mention very briefly at the start that it's 'all good', but why??? Is it because WFA is not invested in their feelings??? Is it because we don't have space to explore even a modicum of Duke's story??????

Having a We Are Robin plot not focused on Duke Thomas or even We Are Robin is so upsetting, especially because the WAR ep was genuinely grounded in canon. Like you said in the ask, it does feel like they put that in there just to prove they've read WAR. What is clear to me now is that, though they've read the run, they didn't understand it. They did it for a perfunctory 'here's some Duke stuff' and never bothered to be interested in any of these characters' stories.

Because we should have gotten Duke's side of things. Damian gets an entire ep to talk to Jon and another to prove himself by fighting Joker, and Duke gets a few panels where he's like 'Damian don't usurp my training I forgive you though'. Season 3 has come the closest to giving WFA!Duke some depth, and because it comes the closest, it also fails the hardest. I still have hope that Duke will get some moments in this season, but I'm losing hope that it will make up for his treatment at all.

Apparently an upcoming Cass ep isn't great so they're really attacking me personally at this point. Idk what gets me is that for some people, this is their first exposure to Duke and WAR. For some people this is and will continue to be their only exposure. And it's this watered-down, uninteresting, bland, prop version of him that just is not the Duke Thomas I know and love.

[sunflowhamato]

Usagi Yuichi: (Ghost/Ukagaka) ft. Leo Hamato- English/Spanish

Meet Usagi Yuichi, the brave protagonist of Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles (also known as Yuichi Usagi: Ghost/Ukagaka), who is now ready to interact with you directly from your computer. The best of all is that in this experience you can also live with Spot and Leonardo Hamato (ROTTMNT).

Includes history from both series, and one completely original, so Spoiler Warning. There will be no updates

Content (Menu): -Questions about him, friends and clan -Interact with you like watching movies, listening to music or reading -Tells interesting facts about the Yokai -Talk about Miyamoto Usagi -You can meditate -Spend time with Spot

-It is also in Spanish

If you like the character, but not the Leosagi/Leoichi ship, that's fine. You can enjoy Ukagaka without needing to include that feature. Simply DO NOT follow the following steps.

How do I get Leonardo? It's very simple. At first, only Usagi will appear on your computer. You will have to spend enough time with it to unlock some functions, mainly in the menu, where you click on “Interact” below, the folders dedicated to Leo and Spot will appear. When you click on this folder to join Leo, you will only need to wait a few minutes, and it will appear. With their arrival, some exclusive functions will be added for them. This step can only be done if you wish.

Usagi functions with Leonardo: Functions to interact with the characters. The system includes several functions for you to spend time with Usagi and Leonardo in some activities. In this part, the Ukagaka will be focused on the relationship between both characters, showing you funny anecdotes or cute gestures between them. You will be able to unlock these animations the moment you get the folder, and you will only need to click on the action you want them to perform. Some animations may only be performed once a day. For his part, Leonardo will only be added as part of the Ukagaka, which means that you will not be able to ask him questions or pet him, since these functions are exclusive to Usagi. It is important to highlight that this experience of adding Leo is inspired by the ship between both characters. Therefore, you should not expect any of them to have flirtatious gestures towards you.

Costume change (with Leo): What excites me most about this Ukagaka is that, after spending time and earning points with Usagi and Leonardo, you will unlock a very special feature: Both characters will change costumes and transform into versions inspired by different popular comics about them. It's an exciting surprise that you're sure to love! I want to thank and give credits to the artists who gave me permission to use their designs as part of the Ukagaka. Now, I'm excited to reveal the comics selected for this feature.

-Big Mama's Child AU- @hitokshellart:

-True Colors AU- @v-albion:

-AU (Yo-ho-ho) A Ninjas Life for me- @triona-tribblescore

-Love Me Dead (Vampire AU)- @x.bluell

I would just like to give a clarification about this, even if they change the costumes, the functions or the questions will not be changed, that will remain the same, because all the stories are concluded for the moment and asking questions or telling something that has not yet been revealed is It makes me wrong for the comic.

To make the ukagaka change costumes you just have to left click and search for “Change Shell”, the different outfits will appear, and you just have to select the one you want and wait for it to load.

How do I get the ukadaka? For this point I would like to give one more thanks to @venelona-turtle-den (Ukagaka by Leo F!) who was the biggest source of inspiration to create this ukagaka.

There are two options, if you have Leo F!'s ukagaka, the only thing you need to do is enter the drive link that I will leave below and download the first file called “SamuraiRabbitBalloon” with that file downloaded, you need the second one that would depend on you In what language do you want it, if it is in English, download only the “Yuichi UsagiENG.nar” file, and if you want it in Spanish, it would only be the “Yuichi Usagi.ESP” file.

If you don't have Leo F!'s ukagaka, you need to go to this page. Download what this. Then you just need to follow the previous step that I put in when you already have the ukagaka (In this case Emily).

From here you have two options to take out Usagi Yuichi, the first is to left click on the ukagaka you have at that moment, and go to where it says “Change Ghost”, you only click on the option of the ukadaka you want to take out. If it doesn't appear and you already have the files downloaded, what you can do is grab the file that ends in “.nar” and drag it to the ukagaka. With this completed you just need to wait for everything to download and update.

Link Drive:

Special thanks: I was not the only one working on this ukagaka, so I thank my great friend @Kyon_uwu, who was the programmer who managed to do all this, so thank you very much for your great work in these weeks <3 He really made a great effort so thank him for everything. If you want to support more for their work, I leave you the link for donations:

Doubts: If you have any questions, send a message to this account, or you can send them to my Twitter, I will be happy to answer them.

[urfavoritewriter]

More Than Neighbors

A commission for an anonymous user here on Tumblr, thank you for commissioning me!

Content: M/M Vore, Oral Vore, Endo, Digestion, Melting Digestion, Multiple Instances of Vore, burping

The sun cast a warm glow over the new neighborhood as Jake and Andrew arrived at their freshly leased apartment. The building, a quaint three-story structure, stood proudly with a coat of welcoming beige paint. As they stepped inside, the scent of fresh paint tickled their noses—a sign that this place was truly their canvas to fill.

The apartment had a cozy charm, with sunlight streaming through the large windows that adorned the living room. The kitchen, though compact, exuded a functional elegance, complete with gleaming appliances and granite countertops. A promising beginning to their life together.

With an exchange of glances and a shared smile, Jake and Andrew embarked on a rhythm of unpacking. The air was charged with the excitement of new beginnings. The sound of cardboard boxes being shuffled and furniture being arranged reverberated through the apartment.

Jake's lively voice, filled with enthusiasm, echoed, "Babe, I'm thinking the couch should go right here, what do you say?"

Andrew, a bit more measured in his responses, replied, "Yeah, that works. Gives a nice view of the TV and opens up the space."

Their shared brainstorming intertwined with the mundane yet significant task of setting up their home. Little did they know that this cozy abode would soon become the stage for a more unconventional kind of interaction with their neighbor. Or, at the very least, one that Jake attempted to hide really well.

"I'd love to stay and help, but I've got to go to work. Maybe wait on the heavier tasks till I'm back home, and set up what you can until then," Andrew suggested, a hint of regret in his voice as duty called him away.

Jake nodded, a teasing grin playing on his lips. "Sure thing, babe. I'll leave the heavy lifting for when my strong man is back in action." He winked playfully, earning a chuckle from Andrew.

As Andrew prepared to head out the door, Jake couldn't resist a mischievous comment, "Thinking of greeting our neighbors later. You know, being the friendly new guy in the building."

Andrew shot him a sidelong glance, his lips curling into a smirk. "Just don't get into any trouble. And no overly friendly offers, alright?" he quipped.

Jake feigned innocence, a twinkle in his eye. "Who, me? Never!" he teased, giving Andrew a quick peck on the cheek before sending him off to work with a playful swat on the butt. "Hey, I just want to make sure we're on good terms with everyone around here. Plus, who knows, maybe they're super cool."

With a peck on Jake's cheek, Andrew replied, "Alright, social butterfly. Do us proud. See you later, okay?"

"Sure thing. Have a good day at work!" Jake replied, continuing the mundane task of unboxing their many sentimental objects for the next hour.

Jake took a moment in the shiny new bathroom, adjusting his hair and shirt. He wanted to make a good first impression, not just for himself but also for Andrew. With a deep breath, he looked at himself in the mirror, nodding as if giving himself a mental pep talk.

Feeling ready, Jake strolled out of the apartment, locking the door behind him, and headed for the next door. It felt a bit odd, making the rounds so soon, but he figured it was better to know his neighbors sooner rather than later.

Arriving at the door, he took another moment, clearing his throat and then knocked twice. The anticipation was a mix of nerves and excitement, not knowing who would answer the door.

The door creaked open, revealing a man with a dad bod, dressed in a blue gym shirt that depicted a muscular guy lifting, paired with black shorts. The shirt hugged his form in a way that accentuated his physique rather than hiding it, and the casual attire only added to the relaxed charm he exuded. This was Thomas, the neighbor Jake was about to get to know.

"Hey there!" Thomas greeted, a friendly smile on his face. "You must be the new neighbor. I'm Thomas." He extended a hand, a firm handshake revealing the calluses of someone who might hit the gym often.

"Jake," he replied, returning the handshake. "Nice to meet you, Thomas."

Thomas chuckled a bit, the friendly tone still lingering. "Likewise, Jake. So, what brings you to this side of the building?"

Jake shifted slightly, feeling a bit shy under Thomas's friendly gaze. "Just moved in with my boyfriend, Andrew, next door. Thought I'd say hi to the neighbors."

"Ah, the happy couple! Welcome to the neighborhood," Thomas said, rubbing his chin playfully. "You know, you're lucky to have me as a neighbor. I'm like the unofficial welcoming committee around here."

Jake grinned, finding Thomas's confidence oddly endearing. "Well, lucky us then. Thanks for the warm welcome."

Thomas leaned against the door frame, his demeanor casual but with a hint of self-assuredness. "No problem at all. Say, why don't you come in? I was just about to make some tea. A little neighborly chat won't hurt."

Jake hesitated for a moment but couldn't resist the friendly offer. "Sure, why not? Tea sounds good."

The apartment had a pleasant aroma of warmth and familiarity as Thomas led Jake in. It was a cozy space with an inviting feel, making Jake feel a bit more at ease. Thomas moved effortlessly to the small kitchenette, pulling out two cups and preparing tea.

"Here you go, Jake," Thomas said, handing over one of the steaming cups. "I've got a knack for tea, so enjoy."

"Thanks," Jake replied, taking a sip, the warmth of the tea comforting in his hands. "You've got a nice place here."

Thomas grinned, leaning against the kitchen counter. "Yeah, it's my little bachelor pad. Not as neat as it could be, but it's home."

They exchanged pleasantries, Jake finding himself drawn to Thomas's charismatic demeanor. The conversation flowed easily, with Thomas expressing genuine interest in getting to know his new neighbor. At one point, Jake couldn't help but voice a thought that had been lingering in his mind.

"You know, Thomas, you're a pretty interesting guy," Jake said, a playful glint in his eyes. "And, well, quite attractive."

Thomas's response was a cocky smirk, as if he'd expected the compliment. "I get that a lot, and for good reason."

Jake blushed slightly, his admission out in the open. "I hope I'm not being too forward or anything. It's just, you seem like a cool guy."

Thomas chuckled, the cocky edge still present. "No worries, Jake. I can handle a compliment. And cool? I'll take it. We'll have to hang out more, get to know each other better. Maybe introduce me to that boyfriend of yours."

Jake nodded, feeling a warmth spreading through him. "Yeah, that sounds great. Andrew would love to meet you, I'm sure."

With that, the conversation continued, the two sharing stories and laughter, the bond between neighbors growing stronger. Little did Jake know that the more time he spent with Thomas, the deeper his fascination would become. Jake couldn't stop eye-ing his neighbor's dad bod, and especially his slightly protruding belly, which was cozy and inviting.

"What's up?" Thomas said, noticing Jake's attraction to his body and his extended silence.

"Say, Thomas," Jake spoke, his voice a little shaken and apprehensive. "I was wondering if you could… You know," He said, avoiding his neighbor's direct gaze. "Swallow me up?"

The revelation hung in the air, creating a moment of awkward tension between Jake and Thomas. Jake's request was so unexpected that even Thomas, with his confident demeanor, was momentarily taken aback.

"Swallow you up?" Thomas repeated, a bemused expression crossing his face.

Jake, realizing how unusual his request sounded, quickly began to backtrack. "Oh, uh, sorry. That was a weird thing to say. I just thought, you know, it's been a long day with all the moving, and I thought it might be a way to relax. Forget I said anything."

Thomas, recovering from his initial surprise, chuckled. "Hey, no need to apologize. That's definitely one way to unwind. But, you know, what about your boyfriend? Shouldn't he be the one you'd want to spend your evening with?"

Jake hesitated for a moment, glancing around the room as if searching for an excuse. "Andrew's at work. He won't be back for hours. I figured it might be a good time, you know?"

Thomas raised an eyebrow, the cocky smirk returning. "Well, well, looks like I've got some competition with your boyfriend's schedule. Alright, Jake, let's give it a try. Why not?"

Jake's eyes widened in surprise, the realization sinking in that Thomas was actually considering his bizarre request. He stammered, "Wait, really?"

Thomas chuckled again, approaching Jake with a playful glint in his eyes. "Yeah, really. I was beginning to think the tea in me could use some company." He teased.

As Thomas moved closer, Jake felt a mix of excitement and trepidation. Little did he know that this seemingly casual decision would set the stage for a series of events that would reshape the dynamics of their relationships in ways he couldn't have imagined.

Thomas's demeanor shifted, and a dominant aura enveloped him as he towered over Jake. With a wicked grin, he leaned in, his tongue emerging to sensually trace patterns across Jake's face, leaving a glossy trail of saliva in its wake.

Jake, caught in a mix of surprise and arousal, felt a shiver run down his spine. The dominant display was more than he had bargained for, but there was a certain allure to Thomas's confident and commanding presence.

As Thomas continued to lick, his teasing commentary echoed through the room. "You wanted to relax, right? Well, I'm here to make sure it's a memorable experience for you."

Jake, unable to resist the heat building within him, nodded in agreement. "Yes, I… I wanted something different."

Thomas, seemingly pleased with Jake's response, opened his mouth wide. The sight of those teeth, the expanse of his tongue, and the moist interior of his mouth created a mesmerizing spectacle. Jake, transfixed, felt a combination of excitement and anticipation.

With deliberate slowness, Thomas brought his open mouth closer to Jake's head, giving him a teasing pause. "Ready for the next part?" he asked, a wicked glint in his eyes.

Jake, feeling the heat of the moment, nodded again. "Yeah, go for it."

Thomas didn't waste any time. He extended his tongue and, with a deliberate and sensual motion, began swallowing Jake's head. The sensation was unlike anything Jake had experienced before—being enveloped by warmth, the pressure increasing gradually as he slid further into Thomas's mouth.

As Jake descended into the darkness, he couldn't help but marvel at the intimacy of the act. The feeling of Thomas's teeth grazing against his skin, the wetness of his tongue, and the gentle pressure surrounding him created a heady mix of pleasure and surrender, and he couldn't be more grateful that he had been forward with his request.

Thomas relished the sensation of Jake's head nestled within the confines of his mouth. The warm, tight space engulfed Jake, and Thomas couldn't resist savoring the unique flavors that each part of his captive offered.

With a deliberate and practiced motion, Thomas began the process of swallowing Jake further. His hands, which had initially rested casually on Jake's torso, now came into play. Fingers pressed gently into Jake's sides, aiding the swallowing process and ensuring a smooth descent.

The fabric of Thomas's shirt stretched as Jake's form traveled lower, gradually disappearing into the voracious depths of Thomas's mouth. The sensation of Jake's descent was hot, tight, and surprisingly intimate. Thomas's throat worked rhythmically, each gulp accompanied by a low, satisfied hum.

As Jake's upper body passed the point of no return, Thomas reveled in the feel of his buttocks. The firm, plump curves were a tantalizing delight, and Thomas couldn't resist using his hands to savor the moment. Fingers kneaded into the soft flesh, ensuring every inch of Jake was embraced by the consuming journey.

Thomas's thick hands squeezed Jake's buttocks inside his mouth, relishing the feeling of the soft flesh yielding to his grasp. The act was both sensual and commanding, a testament to the control Thomas exerted over the devouring process.

As Thomas continued the deliberate swallowing, the bulge in his throat expanded, signaling Jake's gradual descent into the depths of his belly. The once-taut fabric of Thomas's shirt now strained and stretched, barely containing the increasing mass within. The sight was both enticing and provocative, the visible contours of Jake's form pressing against the fabric.

GULP!

With each successive gulp, Jake's head popped beneath the surface of Thomas's belly, causing a noticeable bulge from the outside. The fabric of Thomas's shirt clung desperately to the expanding mass within, the tight material pulled upward by the gravitational pull of Jake's journey into the man's digestive abyss.

The struggle of the fabric against the growing bulge was accentuated by the relentless swallowing. Thomas's throat worked with practiced precision, each gulp drawing Jake further into the churning depths of his belly. The once-cocky bachelor now seemed entirely consumed by the act, his concentration evident in the rhythmic motions of his throat.

The tight shirt, now strained beyond its limits, surrendered to the pressure. With a final, audible rip, the fabric gave way, exposing Thomas's expanding midsection. The bulge, no longer restrained by clothing, continued its ascent, offering a visual spectacle of Jake's gradual submersion into Thomas's digestive embrace.

Thomas's belly was much more pronounced with Jake entirely swallowed up, showcasing his curled up form beneath the bachelor's muscles. He rubbed his belly, moaning, as he let out a huge burp.

BuuuUuUuUuUuUrPPP!!

Thomas grinned, running a hand over his now exposed belly, the remnants of his torn shirt hanging from his waistband. "Well, shit, there goes my favorite gym shirt. And I thought it was tear-resistant. You owe me a new one."

He looked down at Jake's bulge inside him, the corners of his mouth curling up mischievously. "But, you know, it's worth it, just to have you all cozy in there, buddy."

Thomas reclined on his couch, feeling the subtle weight of Jake nestled within him. The torn shirt hung around his waist as a makeshift reminder of their unusual encounter. He ran a hand over his rounded belly, savoring the comforting fullness.

As hours passed, Jake found a peculiar coziness within Thomas's belly. His words, though muffled by the fleshy confines, conveyed a sense of contentment. "So damn cozy in here," Jake's voice reverberated, the sounds dulled by the warm expanse of Thomas's belly.

The bachelor lounged, occasionally shifting in a way that cradled Jake further within him. Thomas chuckled, responding to the muffled remarks. "Yeah? Glad you're enjoying it, buddy. Just chill. We got time, and let me know when that boyfriend of yours is about to come."

Hours drifted lazily by as Thomas continued to chill on his couch, occasionally rubbing his belly as if patting a pet that lay within. Jake, within the comfortable confines of Thomas's belly, began to squirm subtly. His muffled sounds conveyed a sense of restlessness.

Jake's voice was muffled, the words barely decipherable but hinting at the desire to be released. Thomas, catching on, sat up with a casual grin. "Alright, time to set you free, little guy."

Thomas leaned forward, placing his hands on his knees, as the process of regurgitating Jake commenced. A low, guttural sound accompanied the motion, reminiscent of someone trying to force out an unexpected cough. As the first signs of Jake's reappearance became evident, a mixture of saliva and stomach acids accompanied him.

With a final, controlled heave, Jake emerged from Thomas's mouth. The dampened form of the once-swallowed man glistened, adorned with a sheen of Thomas's digestive fluids. Jake coughed and sputtered, the residue of the endosomatic adventure clinging to his form.

Thomas chuckled, leaning back as he wiped a stray droplet from the corner of his mouth. "There you go, Jake. Back to the land of the living, or at least out of my stomach."

Jake fumbled for a nearby napkin, wiping off the remnants of Thomas's digestive embrace from his face. He hesitated, glancing at Thomas with a mix of uncertainty and arousal.

"Fuck, that was hot as fuck," Jake admitted, his cheeks flushed. "Do you think, um… That maybe we could do this regularly?"

Thomas reclined on the couch, a cocky grin forming on his lips. "Regularly, huh? Well, who am I to say no? My gut's taken a liking to your round shape, and I figure I'd want to make use of this torn shirt again."

Jake, still catching his breath, grinned at Thomas. "Thanks, man. That was something else." With a casual wave, he headed back to his apartment, the door closing behind him.

In the privacy of his own place, Jake couldn't help but marvel at the wild experience. "Damn," he muttered, glancing at himself in the mirror. "Shower time before Andrew gets back."

Over the next few weeks, Jake found himself drawn to Thomas's door almost as if by an irresistible force. The frequency of his visits increased, and a peculiar routine developed—almost every time Andrew was out for work, Jake would find himself knocking on Thomas's door, eager for the sensation of being swallowed once more.

It became a clandestine affair, a secret passion that Jake couldn't resist indulging. The cozy afternoons spent nestled in Thomas's belly provided a unique escape, a refuge from the outside world. Thomas, despite his initial cockiness, seemed to enjoy the arrangement just as much.

Their encounters varied. Sometimes it was a quick, spontaneous venture, while on other occasions, Jake lingered longer, savoring the warmth and tightness of his endosoma retreat. As Thomas rubbed his belly in contentment, Jake relished the intimacy of the experience. The thrill of being swallowed, the muffled sounds of Thomas's surroundings, and the cozy darkness of his gut.

Each gulp, each audible swallow, became a part of their unspoken agreement. The torn gym shirt, now a remnant of many sessions, hung as a testament to their peculiar encounters. Thomas, ever the cocky host, reveled in the power dynamics of their arrangement. He would tease Jake with casual remarks, mocking him for how much he craved being inside him, how his gut's taking him from his boyfriend, and relishing the satisfaction of being the one in control. The muffled sounds of casual chatter, the gentle burps that followed, became routine.

One day, after weeks of their clandestine routine, Jake found himself stewing away in Thomas's gut. The familiar sensation of being enveloped in warmth and darkness was his routine escape from reality.

"Almost time for you to be out, bro," Thomas said, getting on his knees, preparing to regurgitate Jake, as they had done several times before. But, before the expected release, Jake squirmed in protest.

"Fuck, just take me," Jake said, his words muffled by the tight confinement of Thomas's gut, fully taken over by a surge of lust.

Thomas, taken aback, paused, looking at Jake with a mix of surprise and confusion. "You mean… like, for real? You want me to…?" he hesitated, gesturing toward his own belly.

Jake, caught in the moment of passion, nodded, confirming the unexpected twist in their usual routine. "Yeah, man. Digest me. Take me in. I want it," he muttered, his voice filled with a mix of desire and abandon.

The unexpected turn left Thomas momentarily stunned, but the allure of Jake's plea proved to be too intoxicating to resist. With a smirk and a shake of his head, Thomas took a deep breath and said, "Glad you said that, a few more weeks and I wouldn't have been able to stop myself from ending you whether you asked for it or not."

Thomas sat back, a casual air about him as he reclined, teasing Jake about the gravity of his words. "You know, bro, you just signed up for the no do-overs, no take-backs deal. You're in my gut now, and you're gonna stay there."

Jake, a mix of excitement and realization playing on his features, squirmed a bit, confirming his acceptance of the unspoken agreement. "Yeah, man, no turning back. I'm all in."

Thomas, with a mischievous grin, decided to take Jake's commitment to a new level. "Alright, bro, you signed up for the 'no more talking' package too." taking Jake's acceptance as a cue, tightened his gut, muffling Jake's words almost to the point of illegibility. With a smug smirk, Thomas leaned back, basking in the moment as he let out a colossal burp that reverberated through the air.

BuuUuUuUurP!

The sound echoed around the room, a declaration of the new reality they had both willingly entered. Thomas, still chuckling casually, patted his slightly bulging belly, sealing the unspoken contract between them. The muffled, indistinct sounds from within only served to emphasize the intimate connection they now shared.

Thomas glanced at the buzzing phone, a smirk playing on his lips. "Looks like someone's missing their boy, huh?" he teased, waving Jake's phone in the air. "Got a bunch of missed calls and texts. Your boyfriend's probably worried sick about where you are."

He chuckled, placing the phone on a nearby table. "Man, I wish I could see the look on his face when he finds out where you really are. In this big, bulging gut of mine." Thomas patted his belly with a satisfied grin. "But we'll let him stew in curiosity a bit longer. Gotta savor the anticipation, you know?" Thomas said, as he headed to his bedroom.

He sprawled across his bed, one arm behind his head, the other idly rubbing his rounded belly. The bulge from Jake's presence was noticeable, a testament to the intimate arrangement inside. He chuckled, a low, satisfied sound, as he felt Jake squirming within him.

"First night you're staying this long, bro," Thomas remarked, speaking into the empty room. "Better get used to it because, after tonight, you're not coming out. You're gonna be part of me for the last few nights of your life." He shifted slightly, getting comfortable, and let out a contented sigh. "Sweet dreams, man."

The morning sun streamed through the window, casting a warm glow on Thomas as he woke up, his gut still pronounced from the previous night's indulgence. Stretching languidly, he sat up, feeling the weight of Jake nestled within him.

Yawning, Thomas got out of bed and ambled towards the bathroom. The tiled floor felt cool beneath his feet. Leaning over the sink, he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror. With a toothbrush in hand, he began scrubbing his teeth clean.

As he brushed his teeth, his gaze shifted to the protruding belly that pressed against the edge of the sink. Thomas grinned cockily, aware that Jake was experiencing his morning routine for the first time.

"Morning, Jake, you good in there?" Thomas teased, speaking as if Jake could hear him. "Can't quite make out what you'd be saying, but I thought the gesture was nice." He chuckled, imagining Jake's muffled protests from within the confines of his gut.

Finishing up in the bathroom, Thomas got ready for the day ahead, a self-satisfied smirk playing on his lips.

As Thomas went about his day, the vibrations of Jake's phone periodically echoed in the room, a persistent reminder of the outside world that seemed increasingly distant. Each buzz was a testament to Andrew's growing worry and curiosity.

Teasingly, Thomas leaned back and patted his belly, as if saying to Jake that he's here to stay. "You know, bro, I think your body's getting a little softer in there. I'm known to have a rough digestion."

From Jake's perspective, the world inside Thomas's gut was undergoing a slow transformation. His clothes, once distinguishable, were becoming indistinct as they melded with the acids. The sensation was peculiar and, at times, disorienting, as his skin slowly melted; It was pleasant, it felt cozier than any of the previous time he's been in here, but it was still disorienting.

The muffled sound of Andrew's persistent calls and messages on Jake's phone served as a distant background noise, a stark contrast to the cocoon of warmth and semi-darkness that enveloped Jake within Thomas's belly.

On the second day, Jake's form inside Thomas's gut underwent a notable transformation. The once distinct features of his body were now indiscernible, a result of the ongoing process of digestion. The clothes that clung to him had long since lost their original form, merging with the liquefying remnants of Jake's physique.

Thomas, perhaps subconsciously or out of growing curiosity, patted his belly, noting a subtle change. The solid tautness that characterized Jake's initial presence was giving way to a softer, more pliable feel. The acids worked persistently, melting away the boundaries of Jake's form. It wasn't an ethereal or surreal process; it was the gritty reality of digestion, the breaking down of flesh and bone into a churning mixture, but despite that it still felt good to Jake.

The sudden, impatient knocking on the door jolted Thomas from his casual reverie. He swung the door open, and there stood Andrew, a mix of worry and irritation etched across his face.

"Hey, sorry to bother you this early, but have you seen Jake?" Andrew asked, his concern evident in his tone. "He's been missing for two days, and I'm getting really worried."

Thomas, wearing a hoodie that conveniently hid the changes in his midsection, shook his head. "Nah, man, haven't seen him. Sorry." There was an apologetic note in his voice as he subtly adjusted the hoodie.

"Fuck," Andrew said, seeming distressed and unaware of Thomas's gut. "Sorry. Just… Let me know if you ever do, okay?" He said, as he continued to the other apartments to ask his other neighbors.

Thomas closed the door and laid back against it, he couldn't resist a teasing smirk. He lifted the hoodie, revealing the slightly softer, bulging gut beneath. "All it took is a lift of my hoodie to show him where ya went. Too bad he'll never figure it out." he remarked, the cocky edge still present in his voice, as Jake squirmed inside his acid-filled gut.

On the third day, Thomas decided to hit the gym, his usual routine slightly altered by the recent addition of Jake to his physique. The once-toned bachelor now sported more of a dad bod, and a slight beer belly had developed, a testament to Jake's presence in his gut.

As he prepared for the workout, Thomas couldn't resist teasing Jake. "Well, bro, today's gonna be a tough one on you. Might speed up your digestion a bit," he quipped with a chuckle. "But hey, I figure I'll make the most of the gains from eating you. Gotta look more attractive when you're gone, right?" The casual banter flowed easily, as he got to exercise his muscles.

Thomas began his gym session with some heavy deadlifts, the weight clanging against the floor with each controlled drop. The impact reverberated through his core, the vibrations felt by Jake nestled within the confines of his bulging belly. With each lift, Thomas's abdominal muscles flexed and tightened, pressing against Jake in rhythmic pulses.

Moving on to bench presses, Thomas lay back on the bench, the pressure of the weights causing his gut to push outward. Jake, caught in the middle of this bodily symphony, experienced the compression and release as Thomas completed each repetition. Sweat glistened on Thomas's forehead, a testament to the exertion he was putting into the workout.

Transitioning to squats, Thomas's movements became more dynamic. As he descended into the squat position, Jake was subjected to the pressure between Thomas's thighs, a sensation that intensified with each rise. The fabric of Thomas's shorts stretched tightly over his expanding waistline, a visible reminder of Jake's presence within.

The stair climber machine was next on Thomas's agenda. With each step, the rhythmic impact resonated through his body, creating a gentle rocking motion for Jake. The pressure on Thomas's midsection increased, and Jake felt the subtle shifts as his surroundings changed with each step.

Finally, Thomas engaged in some core exercises, targeting his abs directly. Crunches and leg raises emphasized the region where Jake was nestled. The compression intensified with each repetition, the steady burn of the workout echoed within Thomas's bulging gut.

Throughout the entire routine, Thomas's banter continued. "You feeling the burn, bro?" he teased, fully aware of the unique experience Jake was undergoing within the confines of his ever-changing gut.

As the days progressed, Jake's once-solid form continued its relentless transformation within the acidic confines of Thomas's stomach. The digestive juices worked with ruthless efficiency, breaking down Jake's flesh and bones into a formless mass. The initial resistance of his physical structure gave way to the corrosive power of the stomach acids, reducing him to a mixture of liquid and dissolved remnants.

The process was slow and methodical. Jake's consciousness began to wane, his awareness slipping away in sync with the dissolution of his physical being. He became entangled in the chemical dance of digestion, losing touch with the boundaries of his form as the acids invaded every nook and cranny of his thick form.

The sensation was a paradoxical blend of pleasure and obliteration. Jake, in his reduced state, was suspended in a state of half-consciousness, afloat in the warm, corrosive embrace of Thomas's stomach. The once-distinct features of his body blurred into a formless, melted amalgamation, his essence merging with the strong digestive acids of Thomas.

As the dissolution progressed, Jake's thoughts became fragmented, his sense of self dissolving along with his body. The blissful haze of digestion enveloped him, a surreal journey into the abyss of being broken down and absorbed.

Thomas reclined on his couch, a self-satisfied grin playing on his lips. His fingers drummed lazily on his bloated midsection, now transformed into a softer, beer-belly dad bod. The once-defined muscles were replaced by a plump layer, evidence of Jake's gradual assimilation into Thomas's physique.

"Look at this," Thomas mused, patting his slightly flattened stomach. "You're almost all mine, bro. I've been digesting you real good. Your essence is now part of what makes me, well, me. Bet you can't even comprehend that with how melted you are."

He let out a hearty belch, the sound reverberating through his sloshy midsection. Thomas's arrogance echoed in his words, a mix of crass amusement and self-satisfaction.

"You thought you could handle being in my gut regularly, but look at you now. Just a sloshy mess, melting away into nothingness. And here I am, getting beefier, looking better than ever," he continued, chuckling at the thought. "You're practically my personal enhancement, bro. A little seasoning to make me even more irresistible."

Thomas shifted, adjusting his posture to emphasize the changes in his physique. The casual arrogance in his voice painted a vivid picture of a man reveling in the results of his unconventional dietary choices.

"In a few more days, you'll be nothing but a memory, a part of my gains. Can't say it wasn't a good run for you, though. The best thing you did was willingly dive into my gut."

Thomas stepped out of his apartment and immediately encountered Andrew in the hallway, looking disheveled and anxious. Andrew's eyes widened at the noticeable change in Thomas's physique.

"Dude, have you seen Jake? I've been going out of my mind looking for him," Andrew pleaded, concern etched on his face. "You know what, don't fucking answer. I know you would've told me if you had already."

Thomas feigned innocence, scratching his head. "It's good, dude. Jake? Uhh, not sure, man. I mean, I've seen a lot of people around, you know? Can't keep track of everyone." He said, "Maybe he ghosted you or something. It happens. But hey," He gave Andrew a pat on the shoulder, "I'm here for ya if you need me, dude."

"Thanks, man." Andrew said insincerely, wanting nothing more than to know where his boyfriend went, but still appreciating the offer.

As they moved further away from each other, Thomas couldn't resist a sly grin, his hand casually rubbing his now beefier belly. "Damn, Jake. Not a word to your worried boyfriend? Never took you for the silent type." He teased as his stomach growled, knowing that Jake wasn't in a state to respond let alone comprehend, only existing for a few more days before he's fully digested down by the bigger man.

[snailsgoingdowntown]

Help, I Reincarnated as the Female Lead’s Sister-in-Law!

‘Slight’ Yandere! Dion Agriche x Fem! Reader

Chapter 18

Story Masterlist

Arranged marriage AU

Interact with THIS LINKED POST to be added to the tag list. 

NOTE: Only reason Reader is torn about her current thoughts is because she’s scared to mess up the story more. Also doesn’t want Dion to become more clingy lol. Also a bit confused on how to properly write Grizelda. Hopefully she’s not too out of character.

Warnings: HEAVY themes of non-consensual sexual interactions, self-blaming, victim blaming once or twice by Fontaine, implied past attempted sexual assault, implied hypertheoretical physical abuse, self-harm (biting thumb), accidental self-harm (biting lip hard enough to draw blood), slight blood, thoughts of murder, thoughts of having Fontaine killed, near panic attack(s), Lant brings up the birthcontrol, a very awkward conversation about the Reader’s parents, implied toxic familial relationships, toxic relationship/marriage, obsessive and possessive themes, general yandere themes, mention of considered kidnapping, themes/mentions of imprisonment, mention of considered drugging, abuse of power (Dion towards certain employees. Personally, I do think he would do this), mention of physical abuse, mention of injuries (broken bones), mention of starvation, certain employees being put in danger, threats of violence (Fontaine to the Reader), slight themes of infidelity (no one cheats, just a quick thought that quickly goes by). Please tell me if I missed any.

Please tell me if I missed any.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT CONDONE ANY OF THE HARMFUL AND/OR DANGEROUS ACTIONS AND/OR BEHAVIORS THAT MAY TAKE PLACE IN THIS PIECE OF FICTION. THESE ACTIONS/BEHAVIORS SHOULD NOT BE NORMALIZED NOR ROMANTICIZED AS THEY ARE BOTH EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND TOXIC.

MINORS/BLANK BLOGS (BLOGS THAT DO NOT HAVE ANY CONTENT)/BLOGS THAT DO NOT INTERACT WITH OR REBLOG ANYTHING FANDOM RELATED (FICS, ART, ETC.) DNI.

= = =

Grizelda Agriche. 

A sorceress who played a major role in the coup to overthrow Lant and destroy the Agriche family. The young girl had drawn a magic circle for her younger sister, hidden by Roxana’s poison butterflies before the trap went off.

A memory of someone being killed in front of her was shown along with her reminiscing about what she had to do to survive. Clear delight was shown in her smile at the commotion, clearly ecstatic about the outcome - about Lant’s downfall.

But that was in the manhwa, the story overall - how will everything unfold now? Or will nothing happen?

Your appearance was an anomaly in itself. You already changed the story against your will.

… did I… fuck up everything?

Your thoughts are interrupted by her calm voice.

“You look like a mess.” Her voice isn’t as soft as Roxana’s. It suits her. “Did Dion do this?”

Her accusation has you shaking your head ‘no.’ For as much as you detest and fear that heathen, aside from fleeting touches that scream touch starved and has you reeling back in disgust or unbridled fear, he never raised a hand against you. 

Some might tell you that it should comfort you, that your oh so lovely husband doesn’t raise a hand against you. But really, that was the bare minimum of being a decent person. You’re not about to praise him for the bare minimum. 

It was already hard enough to function around him, nevermind seeing the ‘good’ in him. Just thinking about him has freezing needles piercing your flesh, already feeling the cuffs on your hands and ankles. You shiver, gulping. 

Your throat is tight and dry. 

“I see. Well, that’s good. I doubt you would survive long with him had he done so.” Curiosity filled eyes rake over your entire form - you feel naked and vulnerable.

Instead of asking if you’re okay, she stands and goes back to her desk. Distracted by her unexpected appearance, you look around the room, momentarily forgetting Fontaine. 

Papers on the walls with magic circles and scribbled data, stacked books around the room, a window that shows the swaying trees and blue sky, a desk covered in magical items. Glass test tubes filled with mysterious liquids, but no bed in sight. This must be her study.

Great, you think. You interrupted her work - she’ll surely find you a nuance. There’s a sharp sting on your tongue as your teeth dig into something mushy.

Were you really at fault for this? You didn’t choose to run into the eldest Agriche child. You didn’t give him the wrong idea, you didn’t ask for anything, and yet his disgusting hands touched you, his brother’s wife, an unwilling woman -

…no. If you hadn’t left the bedroom and just tolerated Dion, you wouldn’t be here. Your chest feels heavy with self-disappointment, kicking yourself for leaving Dion’s room. However, your sullen figure jitters to life once panic starts to kick in, remembering why you barged into the room.  

He’ll be here soon. She’ll kick me out. Your thoughts run about as you lick your dry lips. 

You try to stand.

You wrestle with yourself to not scream when you move your left foot to get up, completely forgetting the blasted thing was sprained. It burns, it feels like a molten knife is twisting in it.

You. You did this to yourself. Had you just tolerated Dion, endured those ghastly touches that are softer than what they should be but still as repulsive. Endured the unwanted attention, his detestable affection, let his cold and calloused fingers link with yours just for a moment -  

Your ears perk at the sound of drawers opening and closing, your sister-in-law rummaging through them. While wondering what she’s looking for, you inspect the injured and swelling body part. Biting your lip to muffle any sounds, wincing as you carefully slide your heel off, unable to hold back a sigh of relief once it’s off.

You freeze as the sound of heavy footsteps stop outside the door. 

RATTLE, RATTLE 

Someone tries to open the door across the hallway. It’s extremely loud that just by hearing it vibrations are sent throughout your body. There’s a muffled curse and you stop breathing when you recognize it - recognize him.

Fontaine. 

More footsteps but this time they stop directly in front of Grizelda’s door. Holding your breath as he tries the knob, you pray to a God that has clearly abandoned you. 

RATTLE, RATTLE, RATTLE, RATTLE

It’s more violent, the knob threatening to break and fall off. You hold back a whimper, shaking pathetically. You should have stayed in Dion’s room. Should have tolerated the man, go out to the terrace and lock it so he couldn’t go near you once you let him have his fun.

You could have avoided this. Avoided the ugly and more perverted brother. A potential rapist, a bigger threat to your safety and sanity if he were to ever get his hands on you. You start to lightly pant, clenching at your chest, vivid images of a fate worse than death flashing in your head. 

The taste of iron. The smell of blood. It’s vivid, you can already feel his hands on your neck before they travel lower and lower, rougher than your husband, consent forgotten, thrown away. Dion - he wouldn’t do this, would he?

He… wouldn’t… right?

When Fontaine speaks through the door, something cold rushes in strings through your body. It’s painful, everything is. 

“Fucking hell - which room are you in, you bitch!? I know you didn’t make any turns - a door wouldn’t have slammed shut otherwise. If you come on out right now, maybe I’ll be -”

An arm grabs yours, pulling you up harshly. Your bottom lip starts to bleed as skin is broken, your teeth digging into it as you hold back a scream. Quietly, Grizelda opens the closet you managed to miss, and closes the doors without a sound. You stand there, jolting when she comes back, handing your disregarded heel over to you.

Her actions confuse you but you don’t have time to mull over it as she shushes you with a finger held against her lips. You can’t stop shaking.

She closes the doors again once you nod your head. It’s completely empty save for a cloak or two, and you hold your breath as the brunette fakes a realistic and convincing groggy voice.

“...Huh? Who the hell? I can’t even take a nap in peace.” Footsteps echo in the room followed by the door opening. “Hm? Fontaine?” No fear is laced in her faked discombobulated tone. 

It sounds perfect. Which leads to the question - how often has she done this?

Why would she do this?

There’s a pause before her older brother replies, “Grizelda. What are you doing here?” You imagine him trying to peek his head in to catch a glimpse of you. A strong sense of dread and terror crawls down your spine at it.

It feels like insects are crawling all over your body, their stick-like legs digging into the flesh. Your nails dig into the heel in your hands.

“It’s my study,” she answers like it’s obvious. Your heartbeat almost drowns out their conversation. What are they doing? What if she’s secretly leading him into the room, pointing at your hiding place?

“Your study? Ah, right. Never mind that - have you seen a certain rabbit hop by? She decided to repay my generosity with violence like the whore she is.” His voice drips with heavy resentment and venom, filling your head with images of what he could and would do once he gets his hands on you.

She answers immediately. “A rabbit? I haven't seen one lately. Wait, who are you referring to?”

He pauses before giving a vague answer. “A girl around your age. Out of breath and crying like a baby.”

Fontaine sounds like a school boy trying to sound cool or to avoid punishment. If you weren’t on the verge of collapsing, you would have laughed at the absurdity. The audacity this mistake has after he tried to force himself on you. 

But fear overtakes any anger you might have felt. You’re barely able to breathe in this closed off space. It’s about to become your coffin.

“Around my age? It’s not one of our siblings… is it a maid?”

“She’s a recent addition.”

Could he be any more obvious?

Your inner dialogue does little to distract you from the scorching pain, almost crying out and bumping your head against the wood, accidentally putting too much pressure on your left foot. As gently and quietly as you can, you lean on your right side, praying that no noise is made. It hurts.

You quietly chuckle to and at yourself, the sound of a whisper.

You’re nothing more than a pathetic dog.

“Wait, surely you’re not talking about our new in-law, Dion’s wife. Do you know what harsh punishments father has instored for anyone who lays a hand on her that isn’t himself or Dion?”

“It’s not like I’m going to kill her. I just want to teach that wrench a lesson in manners.” Fontaine growls out like a dog. But the leash his father placed on him is tight as she continues to question him, frustration clear but held, an obvious need and want to avoid punishment. 

It seems that your brother-in-law does have some survival instincts, despite how big his head is.

“No-one, aside from Dion, has permission to give her any ‘lessons.’ I’m not sure what happened, but if she really did wrong you, then you should report it to Dion personally.” 

Both you and Fontaine pause, halting your breathing as the suggestion soaks into both of your brains.

Dion… what would he do?

 A droplet of sweat rolls down your temple as you give it more thought. In the Manhwa, after Fontaine was beaten and chained in the dungeon, the former favorite son was going to pluck out his brother’s eyes before killing him. Even though it was only a beautiful digital drawn panel, the image of Dion bending iron bars and a shadow over his glowing crimson eyes, pure hatred in them was enough to almost make you pity Fontaine.

Would… would he react that way if you told him…? No, rather, do you want him to? 

You must be going mad, for a small part of you is planning on it. No - you’re looking forward to it.

Your head feels weird at the thought. But your heart beats erratically at it. It’s… tempting. For once, you feel yourself wanting to seek your husband out. 

However, one thing stops you.

Your teeth dig into your thumb. You are by no means a saint, nor do you want to be one. But… What if he asks more of you? What if by just telling him, you end up giving the impression you want him? 

No. Yes. You should, you shouldn’t. He’s your husband, it’s his obligation, but it’s Dion -

“Do you honestly think Dion cares enough to listen? He only married her under father’s orders. Besides, he didn’t even look at her during the wedding and he left right after the consummation.” Arrogantly pointing those things out, you can only imagine the annoyed expression he’s certainly making. 

The closet is starting to feel stuffy the longer they talk. Your ankle brings a different type of pain when you accidently curl your toes, hissing through your teeth as you almost bite through the bone of your thumb. Shaky and heavy breaths that you attempt to steady, staying quiet, hot tears rolling down your cheeks. 

Your nerves are on fire. It feels like sharp needles are digging in and stabbing at your ankle, your thumb bleeding as the taste of iron imprints itself in your mouth. Snot clogs your nose and you hold back a sob.

Why are you so weak?

Their muffled voices make your ears perk.  

“Then tell father, if you’re so sure of that. Either or.” Your sister-in-law tells her older brother  like it’s law. Ah, how silly of you. Of course it was.

“Father… I don’t want to bother him with such trivial things.” There’s a nervous tilt at the end of his sentence. “He has better things to do than punish that bitch.”

“‘Bitch’? I see that you’re rather daring today. Regardless, laying your hands on her would only get you punished once father finds out.”

“If he finds out.”

“No. He will. He always does.” She tells him so factually that it’s funny. You know that it’s not completely true - after all, the coup happened and was successful. 

But that was only in the story… 

Your skin feels damp, goosebumps forming on every exposed part. Saliva soothes the indents on your thumb - you’ll need to treat this later. Your tongue swirls around the digit, uncaring if any blood drips on and stains your dress.

It doesn’t cross your mind that once Dion sees you, he’ll demand an explanation. 

“Right. When you do see that rabbit, tell me.” She doesn’t respond and you hear the door close not too soon afterwards. Then, you hear a ‘click.’

You wait with baited breath as footsteps make their way towards your hiding stop. The thudding of your heart overrides everything else. The footsteps sounded like heels and were light. But you’re still paranoid that it’s Fontaine and-

Creeaakk

Your body jolts and eyes squint as the closet doors open, light invading the darkness that once eloped you. Blinking rapidly, you watch as Grizelda eyes you, her gaze landing on your poor, abused thumb. Her expression is blank - no mockery nor sympathy is evident on her face.

In a way, it’s almost comforting.

“You’re a mess,” she says as she takes it upon herself to help you out. “Come on, we’ll get you cleaned up…” little do you know that an image of a pissed Dion flashes in her head, suppressing the violent shudder. Despite not seeing the married couple interact, her gut screams that maybe, just maybe you’re someone who shouldn’t be touched.

Like a docile lamb, you do as she says, sitting in the chair as she searches through the drawers for first aid she usually kept. Only to find none.

Great, she thinks, just great.

Of course she wouldn’t have any on the day she needs them. She takes a quick glance at you - she wouldn’t be in this predicament if you didn’t stumble across her study -

Wait. Her eyes widened before returning to normal at the realization. 

She never got a sample of your blood… no wonder why it didn’t work. She considers taking one from your wound. But then she takes another look at you - red and puffy eyes, a bleeding lip, your right thumb bitten into like a piece of meat. Your clothes are all wrinkled and hair out of place.

You look so tired, so terrified.

Like a captured rabbit.

Something stirs inside her. How odd, how concerning.

With a sigh, she decides against it, standing to full height and goes to the closet, standing in front of it.

You don’t mean anything to her and she doubts she has a place in your heart. She doesn’t have to be nice to you. She didn’t have to help you. 

Nimble fingers takes one of the cloaks out, and she heads back to her desk. She places it on the sturdy surface, and takes some scissors out from a drawer. Her actions halt the more she thinks about it. Hadn’t she done enough by hiding you?

Your maid could treat your injuries. 

But, to fight back against an Agriche despite the risks…

You’re a fool for that. And yet -

The scissors glide through the fabric, ignoring the cautious looks you throw her way. Regardless, her body feels hotter the longer you stare. Once she’s done, she tries her best not to sigh - you’re nothing but an injured and terrified rabbit. She closes her eyes.

She’s only doing this because you’re new and she’s curious. She’s only doing this to hear stories of how things are beyond the walls of Agriche.

She’s only doing this because you sparked a speck of interest in her.

When her eyes open, she turns to face you. 

“Unfortunately, I currently don’t have any first aid on me.” The only reason you give her your thumb is due to the determination in her eyes - stubbornness vs weakness. When she sighs you do your best to not react, well aware you were walking on thin ice. Probably.

Well, considering you kind of… broke into her study, you probably are.

Then, you realize it - you were able to open the door and not Fontaine. But how? Why?

Regardless, that fact only adds to your apprehension. Especially when she deeply inspects your dumb, head tilting to the side as she considers something. You become a statue, watching her every moment, from the way she eyes your injury to how her fingers play with the fabric in her free hand. Her eyes flicker to yours. 

“You bite on it often, don’t you? There’s still fresh-ish bite marks on it. You should stop that before it becomes infected - unless, of course, you want to lose it.” You can’t tell if she’s scolding you or not, a tiny amount of amusement in her eyes while there’s also a firmness in both the soft red hues and her lips. 

She continues before you can even think of answering.

“Aside from that, I’ll do you another favor - I’ll use my magic to heal your ankle.” She says, so matter of fact, that you’re left dumbfounded as she starts to clean your thumb to the best of her abilities before wrapping it up. Your hand jerks and it takes effort to not pull away.

Her touch is gentle, but you regain your mind as she kneels, seemingly forgetting that she is not a servant but a noble. 

You regain your voice. 

“U-um, thank you for the o-offer, but I just need some ice-”

“Do you want Dion to find out?”

That shuts you up. Your eyes cloud over with something she can’t decipher. Your mind is tearing itself apart as you consider it. It’s hard not to.

… It’s not like Fontaine would be an innocent victim. Plus, if he’s killed right now… wait, but that nightmare might actually lock me up if he finds out I was injured and targeted. To ‘protect’ me if he does want to keep me ‘safe.’

Not to mention… the story… that stupid story!

Your head falls into your hands. The dull ache in your chest overrides the physical pain.

“I… I don’t know.” Indecisive, you take a breath, forcing out any self-pity for the moment. Just focus on your sister-in-law. You can think about everything later. For now, you suppose, you should take her offer. Walking on it would be hell otherwise. 

Grizelda doesn’t say anything. Lifting your foot up makes you hiss through your teeth. Your face stays buried in your hands, hatred for yourself deepening. You want to rely on a man who’ll happily keep you prisoner if it means you won’t run. 

While also considering keeping a man who would rape you alive. You shouldn’t. Maybe you should tell Dion - Fontaine deserves it. But what his death would ruin your faith entirely?

Your lungs beg to scream.   

- - -

She drew a magic circle on your foot. It took several minutes, covering your mouth with your palms to muffle the cries of pain with each touch. The brunette was patient aside from the huffs of annoyance here and there. Regardless, she did pause and give you a few moments to recover.

Even so, you endured it, if only to hurry the process. 

“Ugh…” tears form in your eyes as hot pain shoots from your foot to up your leg. It feels like hot, melting needles are being stabbed into every nerve, every tendon. Your fingers dig into the edge of the seat as your head rolls back, thumping against the headrest. 

Deep and shallow breaths as you calm your nerves, teeth nearly tearing your bottom lip apart.

 It hurts. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, IT HURTS, IT HURTS, 

IT HURTS -

“Endure for a bit longer.” Something warm and string-like flows from her fingertips and into your bloodstream. Jolting at the new sensation, you lie to yourself and say it’s soothing and not uncomfortable. That it doesn’t feel like something is being tied and untied within you.

“Haah… p-please don’t - guh!” A painful groan cuts you off. You feel both cold and hot, skin drenched in cold sweat as your clothes make you feel stuffy. Hot.

“Hm? Don’t what?” Your sister-in-law halfheartedly asks, barely listening. 

“D-don’t… tell him. Please .”

He might go off the rails if anyone else tells him… no, it’ll be worse than that. 

Grizelda glances at you before returning her attention to her work, promising she’ll stay quiet. After all, it’s not her problem. Besides, bloodshed between kin is forbidden unless ordered. While her father would punish his eldest son, he wouldn’t order his death.

In his eyes, he is still useful. 

Getting rid of him now would only hinder everything.

She looks at you again. 

A scared little rabbit, an unwilling bride, a captive, a victim, a play thing - every word that describes you flashes in her head. In everyone’s eyes, that’s all you are, really - prey. Of course, most will stay far away from you, not willing to take the chance to anger the favorite son. 

Not willing to take the chance to anger Lant.

But there are fools who want to take a bite. 

And fools who pity you.

The more she looks at you, the more she realizes that you are not a person in Black Agriche. You’re a chest piece in Lant’s game. She doesn’t know what the prize is.

Her eyes return to your injury. With every second, the more she questions your purpose. You have nothing to offer. Your family, while a noble one, doesn’t have a high reputation like others. No hidden skills, no illegal activities that could have caught his eye. 

But, then she questions if this was orchestrated by Dion. She shakes her head. You didn’t even know each other prior to the engagement. Unless…

She shudders. She should stop thinking about it. 

“I pity you. You lost your individuality the moment you kissed him.” For whatever reason, she decided to voice her thoughts. It wasn’t to torment you. 

She waits for your reaction.

You don’t say anything, at first. Like you were trying to find the right words to say. She sees the way your lips are pursed, fingers digging deeper into the chair. With an exhale, you finally reply.

“I… I know.”

By the time you responded, she was done, slipping your heel back on.

- - -

The trip back to Dion’s room was painfully slow for the sorceress. While she understood you were paranoid to return by yourself, it was also interfering with her work. She should have called a maid. 

However, she decided to take this opportunity to ask how the outside world was - first, about your family where you gave extremely vague answers. And then, some things you would do outside of your family’s estate. Had she had more experience with the outside world she would have found your mundane answers boring, but it was interesting to see what a ‘normal’ person was like.

She should learn before you go mad. 

“I see. So your parent’s marriage was also arranged.” Your fingers slightly dig into your palms as you nod your head. “Did they ever fall in love?” Curiosity mixed with something else, she wonders if you will with Dion - not that she expects it, but it’s not completely impossible. 

Probably. 

“I’m…,” you blink as you try to answer only to reply, “I’m not sure. They’re not very affectionate with each other, but they are loyal and respectful towards each other. I guess there was an obligation to produce an heir…” you awkwardly finish off.

Grizelda questions what you meant by that, finding your troubled and embarrassed expression kind of cute. It’s refreshing.

“Um… they didn’t… stop until my brother was born. As you know, I have an older sister, then there’s me, and finally, the only boy who is the youngest. Considering there hasn’t been a third nor any talk of one, I’m guessing they’re… d-done.”

The brunette has a hard time keeping her laugh at bay. Obviously your reaction towards it is different from her own. Two different environments and ‘morals.’ 

“I see. If you don’t mind me asking, how are your siblings? As you probably know, my own and I aren’t…” 

Unfortunately the barrage of questions is interrupted once she catches sight of slicked back black hair. Blood colored eyes land on your figures as the older man walks across from you, and he stops to ‘greet you.’

You both bow as a sign of ‘respect.’

“Oh? Now there’s an unexpected sight - Grizelda and the daughter-in-law taking a walk.” Lant comments as you raise your heads. There’s no smirk but the hint of sinister curiosity puts you on edge.

Yeah. you shouldn’t have left the bedroom after all.

For if you didn’t, images of your death wouldn’t be drowning you until you could barely breathe. Your lungs squeeze painfully as his eyes look past you, gauging if he should use you today.

A gross sensation travels from your toes to your head, fearful that he might -

“I take it that Dion told you about the contraceptives?” He looks serious, no hint of sinister playfulness on his face. From the corner of your eye you see your sister-in-law giving you a puzzled look until ‘realization’ hits her, making her give you a ‘knowing’ one.

… she has the wrong idea…

You’re not sure if you should correct her once Lant leaves.

“O-oh, yes, of course, father-in-law.”

He nods his head in approval. “Good. It might be for a good while.” And just like that, he leaves, not sparing you nor his daughter another glance. Weight is lifted off your shoulders once he’s out of sight.

If only he would stay out of mind. 

“Hm. Leave it to father to plan out his son’s future,” she almost snickers. You swear that hidden resentment is laced in it, but push it out of mind.

“... yes.” 

Still, you’re shaken by the unexpected encounter, suppressing a tremble, left hand grabbing your right arm to ground yourself. You swallow to moisten your mouth. You can’t keep doing this. You can’t.

“W-well, going back to our con-conversation,” changing the subject for your own mental well-being, you decide to humor her some more. “We’re close. Or, were, at least.” 

“‘Were’?”

“There were some complications during the engagement… but that’s to be expected. Probably. But I plan on writing to my brother later today - oh!” 

You have an epiphany, clapping your hands together once. While it’s true, or at least you assume so, that Grizelda isn’t close with Jeremy, it might be better than nothing. After all, it’s an excuse to not go back to Dion -

Ah, but wait. Didn’t you want to go back to his room so you wouldn’t run into Fontaine again? Indecisive, you stop walking, thinking about your next move.

You should pick out a thank you gift for the boy… but Fontaine… not to mention you had also asked Hana… what to do, what to do…

While you’re stuck in your head, the brunette blinks, wondering what’s with the sudden change in behavior. 

- - -

He was too intense. Too forward. 

He should reel it back. Dion knows that he frightens you so easily. Like the fool he is, he thought that becoming and calling himself your dog would help take the edge off. Well, he was wrong, extremely so.

So wrong that he drove you away further, making the cracks of your marriage bigger, deeper. At this rate he may invertedly drive you away into the arms of another.

His eyes narrow at the thought. 

No. He’d kill the bastard before that could happen, and despite his fondness for you, he wouldn’t let you get off easy either. If you want to be with someone else so badly… he could give you their head. Or, depending on his mood, the intensity of your feelings for the second party, he could even kill them in front of you…

If you try to run he’ll just chain you up. He would never hurt you, no, but if the ring isn’t enough to tie you down, then he’ll do it quite literally. The rational part of him knows that you wouldn’t even dream of it. Be it out of fear or obligation as his wife, you wouldn’t.

But… What if you find a way to escape? Find someone else, someone better - 

No. 

His crimson eyes look out into the terrace as he sits in the chair, elbow propped onto the armrest, head supported by his hand, knuckles pressed against his cheek as his fingers curl. One leg is crossed over the other, his other arm resting on the opposite armrest, leaning back a bit. 

His finger taps against the plush material. 

It’s been half an hour since you left - half an hour too long. Did you go outside and take a walk? The sun is out, the weather is fine. Fresh air would probably help your nerves.

Unfortunately, he knows they’ll freeze over the moment you see him. 

It’s a silly dream he has, but it’s the only thing he truly looks forward to. Even if you fake it, he’ll be happy with any crumbs you’ll throw his way. However, he knows that he doesn’t deserve it, and a long time ago he would have seen no use in anything sweet and gentle. 

But then you came along. You with your soft touch, your pretty smile, eyes that reflected a rather sullen figure, sweetly asking for a favor that’s been forgotten. 

Your mistake was giving him a taste.

As the saying goes - give them an inch and they’ll take a mile.

He’s always been selfish and greedy. More so ever since you entered the picture. 

Hah. Just thinking about you brings forth warmth that was once nonexistent. It ignites the temptation to put you under lock and key. He’ll never tell you, but he did consider kidnapping you. It would have been so easy, a hand over your mouth, or a drug in your system.

He closes his eyes as he wills the thoughts away. Sure, had he done that, you wouldn’t be able to look at another, locked in his room with only him as company. You would have to either talk to him or play the quiet game, but really, how long would you last?

Humans were social creatures. They need company, bonds, no matter how shallow. 

You were no exception, talking to friends at balls and banquets. Laughing with them, accepting dances here and there, not minding the fact that a hand was on your waist. If anything, sometimes you would let the pests get too close, only shooing them off once you realize that their dirty paws were traveling lower and lower. 

He sighs through his nose softly. Thinking about such things won’t help in the long run. In spite of the way he wants to pluck out the eyes of anyone who looks at you, who you smile at, your husband tries to take a… ‘softer’ approach.

Throwing them in the dungeon for a week or two without food. Putting them in the least aggressive monster hutch, but the beasts are still hungry, so it was still dangerous. A broken bone or two during practice. 

Maybe ten.

A ‘small’ cut to their pay. A singular verbal threat before they turn physical. Humiliation. Ruin their reputation.

That was soft enough, wasn’t it?

“...” you really have been gone for longer than wanted - needed. 

Isn’t this what ‘love’ is; a man barking like a dog for his wife? Rolling over and showing their belly, toning down their antics the slightest bit. Listen to them, handing their spouse their leash, willing to do anything?

Bite those who come too close.

Dion’s scarlet hues open, looking at nothing in particular. His black hair shines in the light, pale skin crawling at the thought of someone happening to come across you. Shared laughter, a smile, sweet gestures, all things that he craves from you and you alone. 

Everything you refuse to give him.

You drive each other mad.

A foolish daydream that starts to dive into something darker. It’s here when Dion starts to remember just where the two of you live. Your in-laws, his family. The food chain that you’re almost at the bottom in, your status as his wife saving you from most. 

Most of his half-siblings and all of his stepmothers will avoid you just because of that, or they’ll sneer at you from a distance. 

However, there are some who won’t stay behind the line. Jeremy is an example - however, his intentions were never sinister towards you. Roxana was edging around the line, and he already knows she’s gauging on how close she should get to you, but she wouldn’t let harm come to you.

But then, there’s Fontaine.   

He’s out the door before he even knows what he’s doing.

- - -

“...Hey, Xana?”

“Hm?”

“Do you feel like something bad will happen today?”

“What do you mean?”

Jeremy shivers again, rubbing his arms. This chill just won’t go away. It’s annoying, he’s been unable to shake off this paranoia. It revolved around you, at first. So, the boy had decided to pay you a visit once he heard you returned to your room. 

You were fine, tired, but fine. Unfortunately, Dion decided to show up like the pest he is - sticking around. It’s as annoying as when he would bother Roxana in the past. Or just appear in front of her. 

However, he didn’t sense anything wrong. Discomfort, sure, but nothing dangerous. He left in the end, getting in one last glare at his older brother. The feeling went away, for a bit. 

But it spiked right back up not too long after. Stronger. And now, Dion and Fontaine keep popping up in his head, their ugly mugs haunting him. Jeremy looks at Roxana, her gaze glued to his figure. He smiles, shaking everything off.

Maybe he’s tired. 

“Oh well. It’s probably nothing, sis.”

= = =

Something big might happen.

This took way longer than I originally thought.

Tag list: @tiny-mimi @umi-adxhira @queenofspades403 @pix-stuff @manitscold @darkumbreon92 @s-ajia @disappointment-san @louissatturi @cjafjatkstke @luvercat @rainofcrime @danae-misfortune @rosedellamorte @rentaldarling @puggyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee @labryel

[quackity1999]

# — THE MAILBOX is open for business.

i take care of those who take care of me. why do you think i have no one around?

jesus, put two and two together.

this is a c!quackity ask blog :]

SEND ASKS! feel free to pester c!quackity thru asks— general questions, LN reports, dsmp lore refs, tomfoolery and such are encouraged.

i HEAVILY support spamming the inbox.

happy to answer both anons + characters (dsmp, ocs, multiverse: film, musicals, videogames, etc). if ur a reoccurring anon then grab an emoji !

#quackitychirps indicates quackity replies. #charlieposting indicates slime replies.

[ TAG SYSTEM: HERE ! pls check it out. ]

↓ IMPORTANT INFO UNDER CUT. ↓

[ hiii. i'm prophet! he/it/rez prns. biggest cquackity kin known to mankind. yes i am australian 😎😎 ]

rules: literally fucking none. go ham!!!!!!! just please no godmodding. i'll delete anything that goes too far. 18+ mentions are fine — i'll tag accordingly, but it won't be the main focus. sooo have fun go crazy ( admin is 22. keep that in mind thanks )

this blog functions on dialogue instead of written out paragraphs of literature.

IMPORTANT: i don't write any literate rp ( eg; *character sits down and does a thingy* etc etc ) unless it's preplanned in dms for an event. if i am sent starters or asks with literate rp they'll most likely be deleted.

sometimes i throw in a bit of action in brackets, but this is an ask blog first and foremost so i focus on dialogue to communicate action / location / etc.

and in order to keep my blog tidy i don't respond to reblog replies. threads tend to get real lengthy + clutter up things. so— please send another ask instead of reblogging with a reply :) thank you for understanding!

there will be occasional nsfw topics. anything indirect or at the very least suggestive goes into #vaguely 18+. anything explicit will be tagged with 18+ mention. proceed with discretion.

details about quackity :

+ las nevadas era, mainly. if there's specific asks that require a response from vice pres quackity or manburg era q, i can adjust to that: #viceqchirps !

+ he's an avian hybrid! he nests often (usually within an amethyst geode). quackity has a history of being mocked for his instincts and avian attributes, much thanks to a certain ex-husband :/

+ this bitch loves a good debate. motherfucker is a lawyer (sorta) so hit him up with a challenge every now and then. give him fun facts. Threaten him. ask whats going on in his life! throw in curveballs.

[ his chat / asks often show up as pop-up ads. ]

+ my portrayal is canon aligned! las nevadas is important as hell to him, so here's a post that explains in-character how quackity runs LN: HERE. so. yeah, we do business around here. and also torture dream for the revival book but that's not important /silly

+ on that note, i would prefer to avoid interaction with positive/good depictions of c!schlatt for this blog. no disrespect to those who do prefer that, i just personally want to uphold the importance of how schlatt's abuse informed a Lot of character development for quackity. same goes for dream— he's a villain, not a kicked puppy. thank you!

+ i violently swerve between serious interactions and utter hysteria in my replies to asks. its like a fucking lucky dip here 😎 also soz for all the links but it Does make it easier

+ shipping isn't a goal here, so attempts to woo quackity will not end in a romance plot. ofc there'll be some flirting, especially w / canon characters he's had past relations with (schlatt, wilbur, eret, karl, sapnap). i hc he's had a fling with technoblade at least once LMAO. note: apologies to dapduo shippers but they're strictly friends in my portrayal for a reason. :]

+ during las nevadas he has fortnightly gatherings with foolish. he wouldn't fuck a citizen, but he'd fuck a coworker! morals, what're those again?

overall i'm not looking to write romance plots due to c!quackity's view of love during the LN era. (he despises it.)

all anons welcome!!! ADMIN IS 22.

for art references:

my dude's got big big wings such as the first two. no other wings anywhere else though! white / blind in the eye that’s scarred. he got gold fangs to replace his upper canines; to replace the actual missing tooth from techno’s axe but also for congruence. it's also a mockery: piglins love gold.

PLENTY of gold jewelry. quackity focuses so much on his appearance, so— earrings! a brass knuckle made from the rings of schlatt, karl & sapnap. he will never use his own feathers for decoration, though. he's got some necklaces, ofc, no piercings. maaybe an eyebrow piercing but idk . debatable

usually wears a white silk shirt, regular suspenders, black pinstriped pants / slacks, deep red tie with gold intricate detailing & a gold clasp to keep it together in the middle. a fancy pocketwatch with the las nevadas star engraved on the front. his blue or puma beanie obvs! shoes are either dark red (near black) snakeskin or italian leather. steel toed for dropkicking drea—

[ PAST EVENTS: AVIAN PINNED. ]

[satsuha]

octopath traveler 2 is my favourite game of all time... i love the characters and the world and the story and the art and the music and how every part of the game is made with love and care. i love that it feels like the culmination of all of team asano's previous projects, with its core coming from octopath traveler while their advancements in hd-2d from the isometric camera angles from triangle strategy and the more varied character animations in live a live remake also work to elevate the style of octopath 2. i also feel little touches of the bravely series here and there from the unique character outfits to the "fourth wall breaking" moments such as the loading screen changing throughout your game and moments where gameplay functions like boost are out of your control (hikari's last challenge scene).

i love that every protagonist has a unique voiceline for every reaction to every other protagonist, and that characters who can summon npcs even react uniquely to their own story's major npcs. protagonists get their own unique spin on practically every skill voiceline, even down to something as miniscule as ochette not being able to pronounce hp thief properly (in japanese). every interactable npc has a unique line for each success and/or failure of a path action, showing how that npc would react to each particular traveler. i love that all of the protagonists have unique run animations that perfectly match their characters, alongside their already unique idle/damaged/victory/level-up poses.

i love that the team came up with a unique alphabet for solistia, even coming up with different variants for toto'haha and hinoeuma despite them never being used in-game aside from text on character portraits. i love that yasunori nishiki (composer) is so invested in the series that he personally requests precise moments in the story where certain songs play, and that he has personally taken the time to write out his thoughts on every piece of ost (and had it translated to english!) for fans to enjoy. i think it's incredibly sweet how much he likes agnea and how everyone on the team agreed that it made perfect sense for her to be the only one with a unique final boss theme and with the last scene in the game also being shown in the first scene of her story, i think it's a beautiful showing of just how much music and what agnea represents means to the game.

i love how it stayed true to its roots, taking everything i loved from the original octopath game and improving it and adding things i didn't even know i wanted. i've seen plenty of criticism and have a handful of my own but honestly when i boot up the game and hear the main theme swell again i feel like it doesn't even matter anymore... this game is just so special to me.

happy second anniversary, octopath traveler 2. here's to many more!

[piratesexmachine420]

Some broader thoughts about Minecraft:

First, some nice things:

Increasing the world height and adding bigger, deeper caves was an unqualified benefit to the game. Finally we deliver on the promise of 'Cave Game Tech Test'!

I am so happy that bundles, saddles and leads are all getting easy crafting recipes. These are utility items every early game player craves! They shouldn't be locked behind something so esoteric as killing slimes, or farming rabbits, or dungeroneering.

The addition of an offhand slot in 1.9, which I was soooo opposed to at the time, was to the game's benefit. Such a great change.

I really like the 1.13 fish mobs!

More fantastical biomes will always be good for the game. Realism is not what I come to MC for, I come for the beautiful cubic vistas I can shape and build in.

Second, some critical thoughts:

Post-1.0 updates have mostly felt like Mojang thinks the game is done, and just needs to be polished. I disagree. I think that release came too soon -- before they'd sanded all the hard edges down and really came up with a coherent identity -- and over the last ~fourteen years we've gone from a rough game with a lot of sharp edges to a very shiny game with a lot of sharp edges.

Everybody loooooooves that Soren Johnson quote that "given the opportunity, players will optimize the fun out of a game" but I think they often forget/ignore the corollary -- from Sid Meier -- that "one of the responsibilities of designers is to protect the player from themselves". Players optimizing the fun out of a game is a failure of game design, not player psychology. Nobody ever made Tetris unfun for themselves! (Well, not in any large numbers, anyway.)

There are three primary interactions one has with Minecraft: Extraction, Construction, and Combat. Of these three, I think it'd be hard to argue that the first two aren't the "core appeal" of the game. Those are the sandbox parts!

There are overlaps between these of course. Digging a trench is both extraction and construction, and killing monsters for their loot is combat and extraction; but, as I've already said, there aren't that many actions which are both construction and combat. Pillaring, I guess.

Beds are insanely overpowered. They skip night, making them the ultimate construction and allowing you to bypass Overworld surface combat entirely; they're the cheapest explosive in the Nether and End by a mile, making them the best means of mining ancient debris (the endgame ore) and one of the best tools for combating the Ender Dragon; and if you don't use them Mojang will send a squad of attack drones to kill your ass. My fix is to: 1) keep beds, but remove all functionality besides setting your spawn point 2) add a new end-game item, maybe in the outer End, that allows players to skip the night at the cost of some resource 3) replace exploding beds with a simple message that you can't sleep there, like "monsters nearby". Respawn anchors are fine, I have no beef with them. (A little useless, maybe, but I digress.)

When's the last time you used TNT in survival mode? I think it is to the game's detriment that there are continuous-need resources locked behind combat/extraction, like sulphur. I propose two potential solutions: 1) make "mob farm" literal and let me breed creepers/spiders/other non-humanoid mobs or 2) make sulphur and similar resources something you can mine, like string. Sulphur already occurs underground in the real world! Now we're putting less gameplay pressure on MC's weak, slow, boring combat system and more onto the interesting parts -- building and mining, respectively. (These aren't mutually exclusive either, we could do both!)

Here's another problem with TNT: sand is a pain in the butt to get. There are two reasons for this: the first is that 90% of it occurs on the surface, meaning that to get large quantities of it you have to destroy your surrounding environment. The second is that you need so goddamned much of it! This is fine for glass, because you rarely need much and can generally dig up ten or so blocks from a nearby beach, but nobody wants to walk to a desert to get four stacks of sand for a stack of TNT! My proposal is to replace sand in the crafting recipe with clay balls. Now players want to seek out lush caves, they need to break fewer blocks, and it can all happen underground!

Racist implications aside, Villages and Villagers have always been one of the least interesting parts of the game. That so many recent updates and spinoff materials have been focused on pushing players into them is to the game's detriment, I think. I don't care about Pillagers, I don't care about Illagers, I barely care about Witches. I don't care about raids and I don't want to defend these assholes from shit. I preferred when I was the only intelligent life in the universe, thank you very much. Piglins are...better, they feel more Minecraft-ey...but again I preferred when I was the only intelligent life in the universe, and further when the Nether was an exclusively hostile environment. Wandering traders are okay, if only 'cause they're so rare, but I still would rather they weren't comical ugly greedy big-nosed subhumans dependent on golems for protection. That was a bad move.

Hunger is a terrible system. Many people have gone in depth into just how badly Beta 1.8 fucked the game, so I'll keep this short: by adding hunger: passive mobs became persistent in order to facilitate farming; sprinting was introduced to provide a mechanical interaction between hunger and the rest of the game, which makes combat infinitely easier since you can outrun almost everything; it destroys the food resource economy by requiring players to eat continuously and in far greater than numbers than before; and it wrecks the previous balance between health and restoration and inventory slots available, because if food didn't become stackable it'd be impossible to carry enough.

This one's a little more subjective: there has been a near-exponential increase in the number of blocks and the number of non-full-block blocks (candles, banners, stoncutters, slabs, walls, fences, lanterns, chains, etc. etc. etc.) in the game since the Microsoft acquisition. It's easy to see this as a good thing looking at it from this side of the inflection point -- where it only means more fidelity and more freedom for high-level builders -- but my feelings are mixed. What is this, Blockland (2007)? The game has lost a strong, if low-fidelity visual identity in favor of a widening the gap between the ugliest and prettiest buildings. You have to pick a color palette now; unlike in, say, Beta 1.7, where every block fit into the same palette. If you wanna be good, you gotta learn to break up the shape your builds, rather than lean into the game's cubic nature. That's not per se bad, but I preferred the stronger visual identity.

I would like to have more things to put in my house beyond decoration. Enchantment tables, for example, were a great addition because they take up so much space. I want there to be benefits to building big houses! More crafting equipment! More workstations! Give me kinds of rooms to build!

Leather armor is a fucking joke with post-1.0 spawning rules. Nobody makes it, it's more tedious to acquire than iron (despite being worse), and it looks like crap. Making it dye-able was a good start, but I think ultimately it should either stop pretending to be armor in the first place, or it should be easier to get, like when it was made out of wool (and wool could be obtained by punching a sheep a single time).

Mining for ancient debris is such an insane chore that you'd think I was joking if I proposed it in 2019. The fun part of mining is the spelunking, not the holding click. So why is ancient debris only found at the ONLY level without caves IN THE CAVE DIMENSION? Quartz and Nether gold are fun to mine. Why can't ancient debris be fun to mine?

Furnace minecarts are pointless and everybody knows it.

Chest minecarts are pointless -- outside that one exploit where they can be stacked on a single rail -- and everybody knows it.

Nobody gives a shit about filler mobs like polar bears.

The Ender Dragon looks and moves like nothing else in the game. Is this a good thing? Maybe. It's very uncanny, very alien. Depends on your perspective on the game's artstyle, I guess.

Mining Fatigue is a baffling debuff and it makes ocean monuments a pain in the ass to loot. Nobody likes Minecraft's PvE combat, nobody likes Minecraft's underwater physics, and everyone dreads the ocean monument. Stupid fucking sniper fish.

I think it says something about the current creative direction that the number of songs in the soundtrack has doubled since the 2013 music update. The game that 'Key' was composed for is gone. Not A Value Judgement! That's what all the other list entries are for. Music just resonates differently when a game plays different. And the game plays different.

[divaatrait]

If you've been feeling burnt out or are just overall not enjoying the look and feel of your game, this guide is meant for you! Coming from someone who started out with The Sims 3, I've had to do a lot of adjusting to find what I like to do in The Sims 4 and I think I've finally figured it out. In this guide, I'll go over Graphics, Essential Mods, and Gameplay Ideas to help you make your experience more enjoyable!

Graphics✨

The Sims 4's biggest asset over previous iterations is its graphics/aesthetic and more importantly, its versatility in this regard. You can make this game look more realistic or more cartoony depending on what you prefer thanks to ReShade and GShade. While there is controversy with the latter, I think having these kinds of tools added to your game will really help with making the game better to look at. I personally recommend these presets:

@bojanastarcevic's Boho (left) and Light (right) presets

@neecxle's Boho Dreams

@pixelglam's Pearl

As you can see, using these enhancements can add a lot of great atmosphere to your game but knowing how to tweak these to your liking will make all the difference. When installing and using presets, ensure that 1) you have edge smoothing in game turned off 2) you have SMAA or FXAA turned on through ReShade or GShade and 3) you've adjusted ADOF [qUINT_dof.fx] to suit your gameplay.

These are my settings (apologies if it's hard to see) but what gives my screenshots more of a cinematic quality is having the "bokeh" settings adjusted like so. I also have the ADOF hotkey set to "tab" so that it automatically turns on and adjusts the depth-of-field when I want to take a screenshot.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! While all of these shader presets are extremely important to the look and feel of your game, there's an extra couple of steps you can take.

@plantyl-m's GraphicsRules.sgr makes those in-game shadows nice and crisp! It's a relatively small tweak, but I feel like it makes such a huge difference to the quality.

@softerhaze's Sunblind Lighting Overhaul. The pictures speak for themselves!

@northernsiberiawinds's Better In-Game Lighting is another great option for lighting tweaks (there's also lighting adjustments for CAS that I love to use)

And that pretty much wraps up my segment on graphics! Now, don't feel compelled to use all of these if your computer can't handle it. While these tweaks are nice, they don't make or break the game. Use what works and don't mind what doesn't!

Essential Mods🔧

I'll be the first to admit that without mods this game can be a bit- or a lot- dry. Depending on what kind of gameplay style you prefer, you may not need or want certain mods but I think there are some core mods that EVERY simmer can make use of.

@deaderpoolmc's MCCommand Center is a must-have. I personally use it most often to add relationships between sims for storybuilding, changing how long certain actions like doing homework takes, and changing my Game Time Speed to make my days last longer (more on this later)

Weerbesu's UI Cheats for quick adjustments to household funds, motives, and more.

@twistedmexi's EVERYTHING, but if I had to narrow it down T.O.O.L Mod, Better Build Buy, and All Cheats are the ones I get the most mileage out of.

TurboDriver's Wonderful Whims. In addition to all the features you might be familiar with, you can also use it for posing and animations. It has a positioner as well that makes placing sims so easy!

@bienchien's Whim Overhaul to make what your sims want to do more sensible based on their personality, aspiration, and environment.

For mods that add more gameplay, try out these: Basemental Drugs to add effects from consuming substances @utopya-cc's Passionate Gifts for more romantic interactions @zerbu's Turbo Careers to make more active careers Lot-51's Collection of Mods for various tweaks and features including functional hotels, internet service, and rentable movies.

There's plenty more mods, too many to list in this post but at the end of the day, enjoying your gameplay involves you!

Gameplay Ideas 💭

I love longer gameplay, that was my favorite thing about The Sims 3. But I often felt like managing a longer gameplay in The Sims 4 didn't feel as rewarding. It can be easy to feel like your save has become stagnant, especially if you're only playing with one sim in a household. And I realized why this happens. The Sims 4 has a lot of features, more than I thought, and they're overly available. Right off the bat, I can take my sim anywhere, to any world and do almost anything. And somehow, that makes it feel less impactful. I don't like following structured challenges or scenarios, so this is what I do to make get myself more invested in my sims and their lives.

Create Your Sims Intentionally What does this mean? Create your sims with room to grow the longer you play! Maybe you want a sim to become a famous actor, but they're socially awkward. Now not only do they need to gain fame, but now they're also working to overcome their awkwardness and develop more charisma. Give your sims room to grow, to adjust. Let them have negative traits or dislike things that they might be naturally better at so they have to work harder at what they do like. Another tip: when making your sim in CAS, choose their aspiration based on what bonus trait you'd like them to have then change their aspiration in game. This way, you get an extra trait that may add more to your sim's character.

Give Your Sims a Context to Exist In Because they didn't just fall out of a coconut tree, give your sims other sims to bounce off of. Maybe they have a strained relationship with their parents so they avoid them all the time. Or they had a falling out with an old friend so when they run into each other, it gets super awkward and makes them tense or uncomfortable. Using MCCC or other cheats to give your sims a little more of a backstory when you start playing makes them feel more real as you go forward.

Lengthen Your Game Time Speed When I realized I could do this, it changed everything! Sims take a long time to do pretty much everything. So days and days pass and it feels like you aren't really getting much done. Using MCCC, I changed my Game Time Speed to "30" and that lets me actually stop and think about what I want to get done throughout the day instead of solely focusing on filling their needs. For example, my sims can actually have a full morning routine like going for a walk, making breakfast, and showering before going to work. Having more time in the day lets you focus on all the smaller details and lets you notice that there's actually a lot you can do.

Make or Place Multi-Use Lots and Use T.O.O.L. Mod If you own a decent amount of packs, having multi-use lots is a must to get a lot of bang for your buck. For example, country clubs, movie theaters, restaurants, etc. are going to add to what your sim is able to do. Look at CC made by Cepzid for more functional objects to add variety to what you can do. Also, if you use T.O.O.L. you can place any object in the world to add more activities and make your surroundings feel less like set dressing.

Limit the Worlds You Play In If your sim can go anywhere, at any time, then what is the point of going anywhere at all? I like to limit the worlds that I can visit by using "travel" to around 3 or 4 depending on region. That way, when my sims go to worlds outside of the region, it's more exciting because I'm not constantly seeing it. For example, my current family The Fords live in Brindleton Bay. I'm American so I think of Brindleton Bay as being The Hamptons, which is North East Coast. So I think, what other worlds would be reasonably close and easy to visit? I assign regions like this: - North East: Brindleton Bay, San Myshuno, Newcrest, Britechester - The South: Willow Creek, Magnolia Promenade, Forgotten Hollow - Northwest: Evergreen Harbor, Copperdale, San Sequoia - Southwest: Del Sol Valley, Oasis Springs, Strangerville -Europe: Tartosa, Windenburg, Henford-on-Bagley - Central America: Selvadorada, Ciudad Enamorada - Pacific Islands & Asia: Sulani, Mount Komorebi, Tomarang Playing with these regions in mind, it adds a challenge to my gameplay. If there's a world I want to visit, I need to set aside time in my sims schedule to actually visit it (such as requesting vacation time). Also this allows me to have long-distance relationships which can add to slow burn dynamics! Case in point, Darcy and Lopez or Caleb and Natty.

6. Let Your Sims Have Their Autonomy Back Okay, I'm guilty of micromanaging. But sometimes, it's okay to sit back and let your sims try different things. Obviously, the autonomy isn't always super logical so definitely nudge your sims in the right direction but a lot of the enjoyment of the game for me, especially when playing with families, is to leave them to their own devices. With The Fords, I primarily focus on Natty which leads to a lot of hilarious moments that wouldn't have happened if I was stressing over everyone acting perfect. For example, when Caleb came to the Ford house I had Natty make them iced tea to drink on the porch and while she was inside, Alan (her dad) came out on his own and started talking to Caleb which didn't go that well. Let your sims do what they want sometimes!

7. Most importantly, find what YOU like to do! Comparison is the thief of joy, that's totally true. What one simmer likes to do, you might hate. For me, decorating is like pulling teeth. I'll do it every once in a while, but I mostly find builds from other amazing builders. I also don't really care much for challenges and like to create stories with my sims. The point is, we all have our thing. But it's important to experiment and find what your thing is. I happen to really like the actor career, which a lot of people don't find enjoyable. So don't let others opinions impact what you have fun with. Of course, if my advice works for you then I'm happy but if not, there's no love lost. Do what makes you happy!

Well, that's all I've got. I can definitely make some follow-up posts if my tips change or I discover something new. But for now, I hope this post helps or gives you some ideas!

[panicles3]

So I finally got around to watching The Secret World of Arrietty because I absolutely adore tiny little people living in a human's world. Like every Ghibli movie it was beautifully animated, but it just wasn't for me.

I think the biggest issue for me is that the human "beans" just don't feel grounded: neither Sho nor Haru have clear character motivations to interact with the Borrowers in the way they do.

Sho is this frail Victorian child who shows a near-total lack of emotion and drive. The above is him realizing beyond a shadow of a doubt that there are tiny people living in his walls and meeting one for the first time - look at that vapid stare, the complete absence of any sort of interest at this magical impossible thing he is witnessing.

Haru the housekeeper on the other hand is hostile to the Borrowers from the moment the humans are told of their possible existence, for no real reason. Sure, the Borrowers are thieves who commit grand theft sugarcube and other crimes of the smallest kind... but she doesn't know about that, she has no reason to care about the loss of such tiny things in a literal mansion, she only wants to capture and/or exterminate them because... just because?

For the record, I love wainscot societies. I love the idea of a hidden parallel world living beneath notice, and I love little swords made out of pins and clothes with giant oversized buttons and I especially love our mundane world being seen from such a miniscule viewpoint that regular people seem like beings of almost immeasurable power. But to pull that off thematically you need to build a sense of awe and wonder that proceeds from scale; "big people" actions need to be both understandable and overwhelming.

So while I think this movie overall fails to do that there is one scene that I think illustrates this very well, when Sho unilaterally tries to remodel the Borrowers' house by adding a functioning kitchen:

His well-intentioned foray into construction is justified, as it stems from his established friendship with Arrietty - but it absolutely terrifies Arriety's mother Homily, and with good reason, as we see the mighty hand(s) of God move tables and furniture, tear down walls and send cutlery flying.

This is the sort of conflict that is baked in to this premise, and it justifies the Borrowers' policy of isolationism from the "beans" because it underscores how lopsided even good relationships are: to convince his friend to stay through grand gestures (a selfish but not unreasonable wish), Sho demolishes Homily's sense of safety and agency. He's also giving them a working kitchen from a mini house that was constructed by Sho's grandfather as a home for the Borrowers. Arrietty's father Pod calls it a "doll house" earlier in the film, which is technically incorrect, but he insists its resources never be used; despite the Borrowers being inherently dependent on their giant hosts, their home being defined by the all-powerful beans is undignified. If this event were in the first half of the film and its aftermath fully explored, it could have given needed character depth not just to Sho and Arrietty but the other Borrowers as well. Unfortunately, this scene is actually the old "plot-induced rift in the friendship at the end of the second act before the antagonist sets up a greater crisis requiring the two estranged friends to trust each other" and I think the film is weaker because of that.

The other issue is one that I struggle with in my own worldbuilding; how can you justify 'giants' caring about their local tinies in ways more complicated than simple fascination? Is there a way to generate conflict not just between but alongside the giant where the tiny person has the agency to fix things because of who they are, not because of their situational size? And would anybody care to read that stuff if/when it exists?