#Allan Wake 2

[ch4tk4t]

So I finished Alan Wake 2...

I think I bought/beat Alan Wake 2 at the PERFECT moment. Okay, turns out I only had until fall to FINALLY hold it in my f*cking hands, but hey, as mentioned before, I'll GLADLY buy it twice especially since I keep hearing it hasn't been selling well, like WTF people ??? Like GO BUY IT RIGHT NOW ?

I only waited like two weeks since beating the game to have the DLC almost shadow dropped into my lap. I haven't started playing yet, but I can't wait to jump back into Remedy's GORGEOUS and crazy world. It's not a loop, it's a spiral 🩵

SPOILERS BELLOW

[senpaichan]

It’s Alan Wake 2 release day! Of course my broke ass can’t afford that right now so I’m continuing my play through of the original Alan Wake game with Episode 3. Check it!

[being-worthy]

Venom & Eddie Brock headcanons - Part II

I know I said that all my writing was on hiatus, but the job search is not going well and I want to avoid falling deeper into my desperation/depression...

I had this interview for a really cool role, but they offered $15/h and not only is the rate unfair compared to the work they ask you to do, but the platform also takes a huge cut from it and after they take their cut, I'm left like with $10 and it's way under what I'm comfortable working for. When I see shit like this, I ask myself 'Why did we bother with abolishing slavery, if, now, in every job, they want you to work for a salary that was okay back in the 1850s when nothing is affordable with such salary?'

So, here's part 2 of my Venom & Eddie headcanons (part 1 can be found here). Comments and reblogs would be highly appreciated!!

Please help me with my goal on my Ko-fi! 💕

Image found on Google. Credits to the creator Dreaming_Oor.

It took a while for you guys to get together, mostly because you were pushing them away, not because you didn’t feel something for them, but because you didn’t think you were good enough for them.

“What do you mean you’re not good enough for us? If someone is not good enough for you, it’s Eddie.” “Venom is right. Wait, what did you just say?!”, Eddie rebutted in offence. “Face it, Eddie, out of the two of us, you’re the bigger loser. I’m still cooler than you and she’s cooler than both of us together and more than enough for us," Venom answered smirking.

Once things got serious between you guys, and after many sweet, sometimes weird dates, you guys moved in together.

Their pet names or names you call each other:

How Eddie calls you: baby, babe, sweetheart, love.

How Venom calls: morsel, little one, nibble, sweetling.

How you call them: love, handsome, V, Ed, Eds, Edward (if he messed up), Edward "Eddie" Charles Allan Brock (if he messed up big big time!)

How Venom calls Eddie: Eddie, loser, love.

How Eddie calls Venom: Venom, love, parasite (he avoids this as much as possible because Venom breaks his nose when he calls him this and fixes it afterwards, only to break it again).

There was an adaption period for all three of you and getting to know the ins and outs of each of you and your relationship.

Both Eddie and V love to cuddle with you, it’s one of their favourite things to do with you.

They both like to be the big spoon with their backs towards the door because if some dangers comes through it, you'll be protected no matter what.

If they're having a bad day, they also love you being the big spoon because it makes them feel extra loved and safe, and you are their safe haven.

V’s favourite place to cuddle you is laying his head close to your neck (he sometimes will softly nibble at it). He also particularly loves to lay his head between your boobs. This leads to him and Eddie arguing as it’s Eddie’s favourite spot as well. He’d argue that he was there first, leaving you to devise a compromise for them. If Eddie doesn’t get to cuddle your boobs, he’ll be grumpy and pouting all day, but you always make it up to him.

V especially likes it when you pet him, he’ll end up sounding like a purring machine, although he’ll reiterate in all seriousness that he’s not a pet and does NOT purr as he's the Lethal Protector!

This also means they like to join you whenever you take a nap. For example, if they come home and see you napping, they’ll join you, or if you tell them you’re going to lay down, they’ll join you, you ask them if they want to nap with you, they’ll join you no matter what, even if V doesn’t require sleep.

You always always will wake up with some of V’s tendrils on and around you making sure you’re close to each other. It’s heaven during a scorching summer or a freezing winter as V can regulate Eddie’s body temperature accordingly and you’ll always have a deep comforting sleep thanks to this ability of his.

There are times when Eddie has to work because he’s got a deadline for an article and he’d like nothing more than to join and hug you close to them, but he likes his job and you love him for that and completely understand it. However, this leads to him and V arguing, as V wants to snuggle you and thinks work is dumb.

On the other hand, there are also times when they wake you up with their bickering and you just tell them to either join you or to take it outside and not come back until they’ve made up. This ends with them joining you 9 out of 10 times. Eddie will end up asking for an extension for whatever deadline he’s got.

The one time when V doesn’t get his way, he’ll curse Eddie to infinity and beyond and even go as far as detach himself from Eddie and make his way to you. Once he’s almost completely attached to you, he’ll stick out his tongue at Eddie blow raspberries his way and join you in the arms of Morpheus.

To be continued...

Comments and reblogs are always appreciated! Do not copy or translate my work plz!

💫 My Ko-fi page

[house-of-evenmoor]

la danse macabre

Hello everyone! I am Meg (she/her) and I am the author of The House of Evenmoor.

The House of Evenmoor is a work-in-progress interactive CYOA novel with mystery, horror, and psychological thriller/horror themes.

It is inspired greatly by the "classic" gothic literature of Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, and H.P. Lovecraft, among others, as well as media such as Crimson Peak.

Please note that this story may contain certain elements, storylines, events, and topics that may be triggering to some readers. Reader discretion is advised. A full list will be available before reading.

Rated 18+ for language, death, murder, gore, etc.

You play an amnesiac who wakes up to find themselves locked in an 18th century manor belonging to the mysterious Evenmoor family. You find that there are 11 other people who are in the same situation you find yourself in. You remember nothing about yourself, except for a name, which you take on as your own.

With little to no memory between all of you and an excruciating headache that occurs when you try to remember, you all try to search around the house to find an exit. The doors and windows are all bolted shut and the glass panes are unbreakable. Outside is a thick wall of dense fog. You're not even able to tell if it's night or day, much less where you are.

As you investigate around the house, you start to uncover clues that reveal the real secrets behind the house and the Evenmoors. But it's not that simple as you and your companions are being actively hunted by a strange supernatural force and entity. As members of your group are picked off, more of the manor is slowly revealed and, while being investigated, more pieces of lost memories come back to you and others, as well as the knowledge of how to potentially leave the manor.

Will you be able to escape with your group unscathed and with your memories or will you become yet another permanent member of the House of Evenmoor?

Play as a male or female. Choose to be straight, gay, bisexual, or even asexual.

Customize your character including your name, appearance, and personality.

Romance 1 of 6 options or none at all.

Bond with the 11 other people trapped in the house with you and find out their stories.

Investigate the mysterious Evenmoor House. Uncover long lost clues and dark secrets.

Discover your long-lost memories and who you are.

Avoid catching the attention of the mysterious supernatural force or the strange entities that reside within the house.

Figure out the truth behind the Evermoors and their strange house.

Main Character - The Amnesiac Truthseeker (he/him) or (she/her)

This is you. You are 25 years old. You remember the least amount of your life before this. You are determined to uncover the truth of the manor and escape. You awake in and are staying in Room Number 6.

Jasper - The Reflective Guardian (he/him)

Jasper is the stoic and brooding person of the group. He is independent and has the tendency to go off and investigate on his own or go into something before everyone else. He often breaks up arguments in the house and seems to have combat experience. He is 27 years old. He is staying in Room Number 1. Romance Option

Vina - The Sensitive Overseer (she/her)

Vina is the caring and motherly person of the group. She doesn't like discord in the group and will leave the room if arguments start. She appears to have experience with medicine and patching up injuries. She is also particularly sensitive to different energies. She is 28 years old. She is staying in Room Number 2.

Edmund - The Aspiring Detective (he/him)

Edmund is the sometimes-bumbling but eager-to-help person of the group. He likes to think himself as a detective and is a bit too excited to search for clues. Despite his conflicting personality, he is actually rather observant and is an adept investigator. He is 26 years old. He is staying in Room Number 3. Romance Option

Beatrice - The Lovelorn Poet (she/her)

Beatrice is the melancholic and pessimistic person of the group. She has the tendency to view things through rose-colored glasses. She spends most of her time in the library or conservatory, composing her poems about heartbreak. She is 27 years old. She is staying in Room Number 4. Romance Option

Hugo - The Obstinate Maverick (he/him)

Hugo is the irritable and instigating person of the group. He is a realist and often picks fights due to his negative views. He prefers to be alone and generally always has a bad attitude. He isn't very helpful either. He appears to be pretty decent with fixing things, though. He is 25 years old. He is staying in Room Number 5.

Laurel - The Enigmatic Huntress (she/her)

Laurel is the surprisingly cheerful and bubbly person in the group. She is very open about what she remembers and what she doesn't. She's also a very friendly person, in general. She appears to have a decent amount of general knowledge. She is 24 years old. She is staying in Room Number 7. Romance Option

Alden - The Fateful Author (they/them)

Alden is the quiet but quick-witted person of the group. They don't speak much, but are happy to assist. They have a journal that they use to take notes in while they're researching. They're also usually found in the library. They are 29 years old. They are staying in Room Number 8.

Ian - The Expert Weaver (he/him)

Ian is the unspoken but de facto leader of the group. He is calm and level-headed. He does his best to keep everyone alive and well. He tends to spend his time near Vina. He appears to have decent experience with textiles and related subjects. He is 30 years old. He is staying in Room Number 9.

Willa - The Skeptic Historian (she/her)

Willa is the resident skeptic of the group. She is very book smart and has a pretty hard time believing in the stranger experiences in the group. She is very honest and is perhaps a bit too blunt. She tends to get into arguments too. She is 25 years old. She is staying in Room Number 10. Romance Option.

Pearl - The Romantic Heiress (she/her)

Pearl is the youngest person in the group and it shows. She's very idealistic and hopeful. She doesn't have many relevant skills or experience and is rather impulsive. She's also very open with what she remembers from before. She is 21 years old. She is staying in Room Number 11.

Cecill - The Tortured Artist (they/them)

Cecill is the prickly and cold person in the group. They're dramatic and aren't very helpful around the house. They spend a surprising amount of time with Beatrice. They also seem to have some kind of connection to the supernatural energies. They are 24 years old. They are staying in Room Number 12. Romance Option

[elialys]

"To sport now, and Australian cricket captain, Allan Broader…Border, has threatened to resign in the wake of Australia's worse…worst ever World Cricket score…Series score."

THE NEWSREADER | 1.01 | Helen x Dale - Dale's Update Part 1 [2]

[ninyard]

scattered thoughts abt what might happen, either in tgr or tsc3~

1. trojans going against the ravens (at the gold court or at the edgar allan uni stadium idk) and someone from the ravens (zane? jasmine? grayson, if he’s not dead by then?) purposefully messing with jean. either during the game or spooking him before it starts in order to throw him off his game/traumatize him further)

2. ravens are DONE! someone (jean? another raven? neil???) revealing what REALLY goes on in the nest & edgar allen facing so much public outrage that they’re completely eradicated and shut down.

3. jeremy/bryson altercation that leaves jeremy rlly wired. maybe he snaps or is on really on edge and jean is like O_o

4. jean uses sex toy. idk. i want to see him start to feel comfortable with himself and with that part of himself.

honestly I think all of the Ravens are going to be taunting Jean or trying to get a reaction out of him from the get-go. Jean is going to have to be very strong not to react, I think, because I'd say every single one of them are going to be looking to throw him off his game. they all sent letters, right? like every raven? they're gonna be out for blood

YES i really like the idea of an ex-raven going public right after the jean/kevin press conference too. can u imagine the two of them thinking they ACED it. the interview went SO well and everyone is on their side and everyone is so happy with how it went. and then they wake up to headlines. the hand, the assaults, everything that went on in the nest? everything they'd just tried so hard to clear their name from like the day before? i can see the angst already (but every day i pray for the downfall of edgar allan. i'll live to see it. tsc2 come through for me PLEASE)

I CANT WAIT. I need to see Jeremy's family, i need to meet bryson and his stepdad and his MOM. also on my tsc2 bingo card is Jeremy having an argument with his family because i feel like a rabid dog waiting to see what his actual family dynamic is like.

tsc3 maybe?? but maybe in tgr, laila buys it for him but it's like. a Journey until he feels comfortable enough to use it you know

[mickkmaiden333]

Round 2 of Lost Boys incorrect quotes

David, talking about Star: Looking left cause you don’t treat me right

Marko, joining in: Looking right because you left

Y/N: Looking up cause you let me down

Paul: Looking down cause you fucked up

Dwayne: What’s wrong with you guys?

——————————————————————————-

David: Good Evening

Marko: Good Evening

Y/N: Good Evening

Paul: You all sound like Dracula, try spicing it up a little bit

Dwayne: EVENING MOTHERFUCKERS!

——————————————————————————-

David: Wake me up….

Marko: Before you go go!

Y/N: When September ends.

Paul: WAKE ME UP INSIDE-

——————————————————————————

Cop: You’re receiving a ticket for having three people on a motorcycle.

David: Shit.

Marko, confused: Wait, three?

Cop: Yes?

Y/N: OH FUCK PAUL FELL OFF!

——————————————————————————-

Paul: Change is inedible.

Dwayne: Don’t you mean inevitable?

Paul, spitting out coins: No, I did not.

——————————————————————————-

Dwayne: Paul was banned from the buffet on the boardwalk, so we had to go out of town to get some.

Paul: Well, they shouldn’t say “all you can eat” if they don’t mean it.

Dwayne: Paul, you ate a chair!

——————————————————————————

Y/N: David, my old arch enemy.

Star: …. I thought I was your arch enemy?

Y/N: I have a life outside of you, Star.

——————————————————————————

Micheal, struggling to keep up in their 1 inch heel boots: yeah, I-I don’t really think heeled boots are for me

Star, pointing at them and walking flawlessly in silver 6 inch heels: WEAK

——————————————————————————

Micheal: Am I in trouble?

Sam: Take a guess.

Micheal: No?

Sam: Take another guess.

——————————————————————————

Sam: Are you sure this is the right direction?

Edgar: Certainly, I’m as sure as I am honest!

Allan: In that case, we’re definitely lost.

——————————————————————————

Lucy: Is something burning?

Max: Just my love for you.

Lucy: Max, the toaster is on fire

[campgender]

from A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy by Tia Levings (2024)

There was a new course at church recommended by Dr. John F. MacArthur, president of the Southern Baptist Convention and friend to Dr. Vines. Gary and Anne Marie Ezzo attended MacArthur’s church and wrote Preparation for Parenting and Growing Kids God’s Way. Signing up to attend the course seemed as natural and innocuous as registering at Toys “R” Us for a crib.

Anne Marie was a NICU nurse and her experience informed the medical advice. She wore a puritanical black dress with an oversized lace-trimmed collar. She giggled and deferred to Gary, and I struggled to imagine how she handled herself in a neonatal nursery. I recognized her Fascinating Womanhood hallmarks with mixed feelings. How could I take a woman who coos seriously?

The Ezzos started with sin. Infants are born with a sinful nature, one of the base elements of the depravity of man. While newborns don’t make cognitive decisions about moral rights and wrongs, they’re biologically affected by sin at birth. Left to their own with weak mothers, they’ll break the marriage and ruin the family.

I read the chapters carefully. As a nanny, I wasn’t worried about newborn care. But I feared sleepless nights. A tired Allan was an unhappy Allan. I needed to fix that before it happened.

The Ezzos said our happiness came down to how I fed the baby. The secular world encouraged feeding a baby “on demand” with attachment parenting.

“Mothers are told to endlessly carry their babies, sleep with them, breastfeed them day and night without any regard to routine. They exalt the child as the center of the family universe.” The Ezzos said husbands had to watch out for this evil.

Parent-directed feeding was his solution. Feed the baby when they wake up, interact a little, and then lay it down for a nap. This predictable pattern was neither a schedule nor chaos, and it stabilized the hunger/sleep cycles for proper infant management—essential for keeping the peace.

I studied and highlighted the pages. If I got it wrong this time, I wouldn’t be the only one who paid for it now.

excerpt 2:

Gary Ezzo was fired from Grace Community Church and he and Anne Marie were dropped by their publisher after babies parented with their program suffered malnutrition and failure to thrive.

[adascreativeroom]

BSDecember day 2

Snow ; @bsdecember

[cw: i think none, just some ranpoe domestic fluff]

─ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──

It's already december. The year passed too quicly, just like the other ones. And it's already dusk. Edgar had woken up at 5:30 am just to be able to make a check on his to-do list. He wasn't even able to cover half of the paper.

The snow had been falling for half a day, and it seemed like no matter how much warm clothes he put on, the cold still reached his bones. 

And as much as he'd like to stay in bed all day, he didn't have that kind of privilege.

His latest book had shown itself to be more of a headache than the writer had imagined, With a difficult story and plot holes that kept showing up any time he’d reread it.

So that’s where Edgar Allan Poe found himself, the sun had already said it’s goodnight and the moon welcomed more cold into his apartment. Although he had already turned on the heater, the room’s temperature didn’t change. Fortunately, he had a portable heater kept in the highest part of his closet, only there for these kinds of situations. Unfurtunately, though, it was small. it couldn’t offer heat for all of his body, so after some thought, he decided to put it under his desk, so atleast his legs didn’t shake all the time.

~ ~

Ranpo was exhausted. A tough case had left the agency working until late at night and the snow had made all of the roads completely white and fluffy, making the journey home way longer than what wa’s supposed to be.

When Akiko dropped him off at Ed’s apartment, the only thing the detective could think of was snuggling with his partner and drinking something warm while seeing the snow fall.

As Ranpo entered the house, he noticed the lack of sounds coming from inside, not even Karl had come to greet him. Ranpo had first thought that they must be asleep already, but considering the lights that are still turned on and knowing how full Poe’s schedule is, he can deduce that his beloved probably fell asleep in his office again.

And when was Ranpo ever wrong? 

Edgar was draped over his desk, arms crossed over papers and pen serving as a cushion for the mop of unkempt brown hair. He wore a hoodie and warm pants with the addition of  two blankets, his weighted one above the blue fuzzy other. Karl slept at his side on the table, taking benefit of the abandoned side of the blue fabric on top of the table.

It felt like it didn’t matter how many times Ranpo asked Ed not to overwork, the writer would always push himself to the limit. Ranpo sighed, he better wake up the other soon or else he would be really uncomfortable in the morning. 

Putting his hands gently on the other’s head, the detective whispered “Ed, come on, you know you’ll feel ache in the morning if you sleep on the desk”

Grey eyes were met with green emerald ones, and Poe realized what he did. “oh, Ranpo… I didn't mean to..”

“Don’t worry that pretty head of yours. I just care about you, you nerd.” The hands that before were petting his hair now messed with them. “What do you think about a warm drink before we sleep in the correct place?”

“That’d be great, actually…” If Poe had to adimitt one thing, it would be that he was constantly dehydrated. A cup of tea would do him good.

As the two were leaving the room, Ranpo paused. “Go put some pajamas on while I make your tea. Promise I’ll not set the kitchen on fire this time.” And gave a sheepish smile. 

He wished he was joking, but Ranpo did really almost cause a disaster after trying to make one single fried egg some months ago. But, Ed was exausted. He’d also come to the conclusion that he wouldn’t be able to stop his partner anyway, so no reason for trying to refuse the offer. 

“Oh, Ed?”

Poe turned around. “Yes, dear?”

“Just don’t forget to take out your binder, please. your spine is probably screaming already for help.”

Oh, right. He was wearing a binder. And for more than 8 hours, too. Edgar had his head so deep into his responsibilities he had even forgotten about the compressing piece of clothing wrapped around his chest!

~ ~

After a lucky attempt at making warm drinks and putting on some comfortable pajamas, they sat in the middle of their bed, now with warm mugs on both of their hands. (Poe always drank chamomile tea or a blend that had the herb. Ranpo on the other way almost always had hot chocolate), and leaned into eachother looking at the room’s window, having a beautiful view of the snow and Yokohama’s harbor.

 Half an hour later, the mugs were already empty, the only light present was coming from outside of the room, and both Ranpo and Ed were already asleep holding eachother with Karl at the center, providing the most comfortable warmth that the writer thought he had ever felt.

[helplesspuppet-bsd]

Comfort From Your Beloved Author

 

Warnings: none? Overwhelmed reader Maybe?

This is a gift for my dear friend @fomybeloved

Edgar Allan Poe x Genderless Reader

 

It had been a tough day for you, it was so exhausting you just wanted to sleep. However, you were unable to, taking care of a 2-year-old was exhausting, and all you could do was endure and hope he’d calm down for a little while. You so desperately wanted to sneak off to your room and crash on your bed, poor Karl was startled and clung to Poe when Poe came to visit. 

Poe sat down next to you “So... That’s your cousin's kid?” He asked in a quiet voice as you sat bored and tired. Seeing this Poe placed a hand on your shoulder and only smiled at you. 

This brought you a large sense of comfort, it was his way of saying, “everything will be okay.” As he intertwined his arm with yours, Karl climbed onto your lap, for a moment, you forgot about the child, as you turned away in a blush. 

He stayed with you for hours, until you and him retreated to your room when you two were able to “Y/n... Are you sure I’m allowed to be here?” Karl asked as you fell on your bed, completely exhausted. 

Poe’s question remained unanswered; however, he didn’t need an answer just yet, he took off the jacket he wore around his shoulders and laid in bed with you. 

Your legs intertwined with his as he wrapped his arms around you “Sleep my darling... You are exhausted.” Poe whispered in your ear, as Karl nestled his way under your arm, snuggling his small racoon body close to you. 

“It would mean the world to me and Karl if you slept. You’d feel better too.” Poe then whispered. Karl had fallen asleep almost immediately once he found his position. 

You ran your hand down Karl’s back, giving the racoon a small smile.  

“My dearest... rest your head. I and Karl will be here when you wake up in the morning.” Poe kept whispering, his voice was soothing to hear, as it lulled you to sleep. 

Poe smiled as your breath became shallow and your body became limp in his embrace, before leaning his head against you and falling asleep himself. 

[savemefromanepicoftimewasted]

Why Does Change Hurt So Much? Pt. 3

Joel Miller X Wife!Reader Ellie Williams X Dina

Surrogate or not, Ellie was absolutely Joel’s daughter and anyone who argued that she wasn’t could kick rocks. Maybe that was why you felt so protective over her, neither of you were blood related but there was a bond you’d never felt before. a/n:thank you to everyone who has read part 1 and 2! if you do read this feedback is much appreciated warnings:mentions of violence, mentions of wounds, Joel talking about his past, if i missed any please let me know! Part 1 Part 2 Part 4

Joel was nearly comatose for a week, drifting in and out of consciousness every now and then as the nurses and doctor made their usual rounds. You didn’t bother to complain one bit, mainly thankful that he was even able to look at you for those brief seconds he was awake. Ellie had indeed brought food whenever she had managed to swing by the cafeteria. She offered to sit with him so you could go home and take a quick shower, which was much appreciated. While you knew there was a chance Joel could wake up while you weren’t there, he’d be more upset if you weren’t taking care of yourself. It was touch and go for the first couple of days, he sparked a very high fever that they couldn’t break. The incisions were healing nicely, no signs of infection which was your biggest worry. Now you just needed him to stay awake for longer than a minute and your mind would be put at ease.

“Hey, Ellie wasn’t able to make it but she wanted to make sure you had something to eat,” Jesse brought over a covered plate of food.

“Thank you, I honestly don’t think I would’ve eaten had it not been for you guys,” You smiled up at him, gently peeling off the foil to dig in.

“Yeah, it’s not easy watching someone you care about not knowing if they’ll survive,” It was upsetting to say the least, this was your world.

Jesse left after a couple more minutes, saying that he needed to attend to his daily duties and would have Ellie swing by later in the day. The food, while more lukewarm than hot, filled your stomach pleasantly. You’d have to make Joel some of his favorites while he was home for however long the doctor said. Maybe you could convince Maria to let you have some of the spare cocoa powder they had and make him a cake.

Joel’s eyelids fluttered for a moment before they opened, glancing around the room and taking everything in. He could feel you sitting beside him, the edge of the plate you were eating off of pressing against the back of his arm.

“Darling?” His throat felt dry, chest aching as he looked over at you.

“Joel! Oh thank god you’re awake!” You wanted to wrap your arms around him but there wasn’t much you could do without causing him pain.

“What happened?” He reached for your hand, grimacing at the way his chest protested.

“Seth and a couple of his asshole friends jumped you, Tommy found you outside and brought you to the infirmary,” You were angry, Tommy had admitted they’d found Seth and the two accomplices just as they were trying to escape the commune’s walls.

Tommy hadn’t said what they had done with the three men and as of right now you weren’t sure you wanted to know. Ellie would most likely speak her mind and make sure they suffered for what they’d done. There were times you wanted nothing more than to go down to the jail and torture them yourself. No, Joel needed you more than anything right now so getting your hands dirty wasn’t the right thing to do.

“Oh, makes sense,” Joel rested his head back against the pillows, having any kind of enemy was a death wish these days.

“Joel Allan Miller, you need to start being more careful!” Maybe yelling at him wasn’t the smartest idea, but goddamnit you were angry with the situation.

If you’d had any sense you would’ve slapped him for being so nonchalant about the entire situation. You couldn’t, and wouldn’t do that though.

“Ellie came by when you were in surgery, we have two new guests,” Maybe it was slightly petty, but Joel was still delirious and you were upset.

“Shit, she’s turning into me,” Joel pouted, reaching up to touch the gauze that covered his wounds.

“You knew exactly what was going to happen, she learned from the best,” You grabbed Joel’s hand before he could pick at the gauze.

He looked almost offended that you denied him of doing something so stupid. The last thing he needed was to irritate the stitches and cause an infection. You simply stared him down, waiting to see what retort he would come back with.

“Hey, sorry I couldn’t make it earlier had to go on early patrol,” Ellie was still brushing off the fresh snow from her jacket as she walked inside.

One of the newcomers was standing behind her almost nervously, her eyes locked onto where Joel was lying, a million and one emotions flashing over her face. It was a sickening realization that she must’ve known who Joel was, there wasn’t any doubt in your mind.

“Hey it’s Ellie bean,” Joel chuckled, hissing out a breath at the pain in his ribs.

“Joel I haven’t been called that since I was fifteen,” Even though she rolled her eyes, the smile on her face gave her away.

“Still always gonna be my Ellie bean,” It was a nickname he’d come up with during one of their many outings.

You rolled your eyes and patted the back of his hand gently, he had stopped trying to go after the gauze finally so you felt it was safe enough for him to not be held down.

“I didn’t get your name the last time we met, I’m Y/N and this is my husband Joel,” You gestured from yourself over to Joel who looked ready to fall back asleep.

“I’m Abby, my friend you met last time is Lev, he’s with Dina right now,” So that’s why he wasn’t glued to her side anymore.

“I hope you’ve been able to settle in, Jackson can be kind of overwhelming if you’re not used to it,” It was true, you’d been terrified to leave your home for the first few weeks.

Abby went to respond before Ellie caught her attention, mentioning that they were serving pot roast at the cafeteria. You’d talk with Ellie later on about what you noticed, right now you needed to get some food into Joel before he passed out again.

“Sweetheart, you need to get some food and water into you before you take another nap, okay?” You didn’t want to push him, but he needed some nutrition.

Joel just nodded, head lolling to the side as you ran out of the building to go and get him something to drink and eat. Ellie and Abby were close enough that you could make out the expression of joy on Ellie’s face. While you didn’t want to confront Abby, you knew the truth was going to come out eventually. For now you were going to make sure your husband was fed before worrying about everything else.

Tommy had already packed up two plates, along with a thermos full of ice cold water for you to take back to Joel. It was nice to know that his brother cared about him so much, considering how much shit you’d gone through lately. How could you even bring up that one of the people from Joel’s past was now inside of Jackson’s walls? No, don’t start thinking about things like that, Joel is fine.

“Hey!” Shit, you were almost back to Joel.

“Hey, what’s up?” You turned to face Maria who was now standing across from you, her raised brow caught you off guard for a brief moment.

“I was heading over to see what Tommy was doing, but I can already see what that might have been. How’s he doing?” Maria was kind and friendly, but right now your emotions were running wild.

“He’s starting to stay awake for longer than a few seconds which is nice, Ellie swung by earlier to check on him,” And nearly gave you a heart attack as well.

Maria nodded to herself, looking down at her snow boots before her gaze locked back onto you. She could see right through you, and damnit it was not a nice feeling whatsoever.

“I met the new girl too, she seems friendly,” Just a few more steps and you’re home free.

“Yeah, Tommy met her yesterday, she’s gonna start training so they can see how she does on patrols,” Of course, they needed all hands on deck.

“Makes sense, Joel’s gonna be out of commission for a while so if you guys need me for anything please don’t hesitate to ask,” Sure you wouldn’t willingly leave Joel on his own, nor did you expect them to ever truly ask for your help.

Maria assured you she would ask if there was something you could help with, patrols would be off the table entirely. Could you even handle leaving Joel for longer than a few minutes? No, it sounded too painful to think about. You sighed to yourself and finished the walk back to the infirmary hoping that Joel had managed to either stay awake, or wake back up. To your delight, or horror you weren’t entirely sure, there was already someone in the room.

“Oh, I didn’t think anyone else would be here,” The woman turned her head, jumping up from the chair as if it shocked her.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize there was anyone else here,” You narrowed your eyes at her, did she not know who he was? Who you were?

“I was just getting some food for my husband, for when he stays awake long enough to eat,” The air in the room filled with a tension that could’ve choked you, you held your ground and made it known you wouldn’t back down.

“He reminds me of my dad, maybe a little bit grayer but, yeah,” That wasn’t what you were expecting. Most women still tried to throw themselves at Joel, even when he made it known he wasn’t interested.

You set down the plates nearby, stepping over to the opposite side of the bed so that you could not only see this stranger, but also keep an eye on the door. The nurse would be making her rounds in a few minutes which helped ease your mind.

“How old was he?” You weren’t sure why you were trying to engage this girl in conversation, but it felt rude not to.

“Forty eight when he died, happened before my mom and I got to Jackson,” Too young, you hadn’t known Joel when he was that age.

“That’s so young, have you and your mom been here long?” Why did you feel protective of this girl now?

“A few years, we got here after Joel and Ellie came back,” You had already been living here for about a year when Joel Miller arrived with his daughter.

Surrogate or not, Ellie was absolutely Joel’s daughter and anyone who argued that she wasn’t could kick rocks. Maybe that was why you felt so protective over her, neither of you were blood related but there was a bond you’d never felt before.

“Sorry for barging in by the way, I had come in with my mom and got sidetracked,” The girl laughed nervously, stepping further away from the bed to make her escape.

“It’s okay,” You didn’t want to make things any more awkward for her.

The room fell silent as she all but ran out the door leaving you, and a once dead asleep Joel to occupy it. It was all the stress, you were overthinking everything after nearly losing Joel for the second time, nothing to worry about. 

“Smell food,” Joel mumbled slowly, hand reaching towards you blindly.

“Yes I brought food, figured you’d be hungry by now,” You stepped over to where the plates were, grabbing one to help Joel eat since he’d most likely need assistance now.

He managed to stay awake for nearly half the plate, humming after every few bites as you helped him eat. It was nice to know that he was still able to eat without any struggle, lord knows you had been worried he’d start to lose too much weight being in bed. 

“I heard Ellie came by with someone, is she nice?” His eyes were slightly unfocused, though you weren’t entirely surprised.

“Yeah she’s friendly, they’re training her to see if she’d be good for patrols,” It was easier to tell Joel the good things about what’s been going on lately.

Would you ever tell any of them the truth about who she was? Or would you keep it all hidden away so they never knew? Shit, this wasn’t going as planned and you were getting more stressed by the second. Joel could practically feel the unease pouring off of you in waves, what had gotten you so worried that you wouldn’t talk to him about it?

“They found Seth!” Ellie burst into the room, sneakers skidding to a squeaky halt when she realized that Joel was awake.

“Why were they looking for ‘im?” Joel was still groggy, eyes drooping as he fought off the tight grip sleep had on him.

“Joel, Seth is the reason you’re in the hospital,” Ellie raised a brow at him, had he completely forgotten what happened?

Joel grumbled under his breath, pulling the blanket higher to fight off the chill that lingered in the room. Shit, if he’d forgotten something like that, then what else was he bound to forget?

“Isn’t the first time I got put into the infirmary for protecting someone I cared about,” That caused your brow to furrow in confusion, what had that meant?

“Joel?” You turned towards him, abandoning the plate you were about to eat off of.

“Tess was being stalked by this guy, so I decided to pay him a visit, ended up killing him but the fucker got a good enough jab that I had internal bleeding,” You’d always known that Joel was protective of those he cared about, but to hear this shocked you.

“I swear to god Joel, if I find out that you’re here because of Tom,” Joel snickered to himself, grimacing as the pain in his side spread over his entire stomach.

“He fucking deserved what happened, wouldn’t leave you alone,” Maybe it was the protective side in him, maybe it was seeing one of his closest friends nearly get killed, who knows.

Tess threw her hands up, walking away before she could berate Joel any further and end up saying something that was mean. The plus side was Tom wouldn’t be around to stalk her around the QZ anymore. No, no rewarding Joel for making terrible decisions that were going to get him killed one day.

“No more picking fights, the last thing we need is you getting killed because some asshole decided that I would be his next victim,” Tess could defend herself, having done it for years before meeting Joel.

“You know that’s not going to happen, gonna protect you no matter what,” Joel would fight until his last breath, no matter who it was for.

“Joel,” You couldn’t stop the tears streaming down your cheeks, he’d been through so much that you were completely unaware of.everything that had happened to him.

Joel frowned, opening his arms as much as was feasible and held them out towards you. You all but threw yourself into his embrace, tears soaking into the thin t-shirt he had on. This man had defended so many people and what did he get in return? Ellie walked over quietly, wrapping her arms around the both of you in what she hoped was a comforting embrace.

“I love you so much, don’t you ever forget that,” You pressed your face further into his chest, sighing in relief when his arms wrapped tighter around you and Ellie.

“I love you too, both of you,” Joel ruffled Ellie’s hair, chuckling when she pushed his arm away with a huff.

Things were going to work out perfectly fine, you’d have Joel back in the house before you knew it and he’d be back working with the sheep. It was all going to be fine.

-

Everything was in fact, not fine, as Joel’s body healed and his ribs were no longer broken, he was adamant about getting daily exercise to make sure that he didn’t get sick. Tommy had mentioned they’d taken care of the men who attacked Joel, Ellie was oddly quiet that day. Joel had tried to engage her in conversation but she continuously shut him down. It had you worried that something had happened during the “trial” a few people had attended. You had wanted to go, to watch Seth suffer for what he’d done, but Joel needed you at home.

“They executed them, everyone” Ellie was quiet, legs pulled up so her chin rested on her knees.

“They attacked Joel after he defended you, I’m sure they would’ve done much worse,” You had a feeling something had happened but to hear that they were executed made you feel some type of way.

Joel hadn’t asked about Seth, or his ridiculous goons even after he was back home in the comfort of his own bed. You were somewhat thankful Joel hadn’t said a word, more curious about his past than anything. You knew about Tess, about how they’d met Bill and Frank through the radio, the lunches they would have out in the countryside. It made you wish you knew more about him, about the man he was before the world collapsed.

“Does this make us bad people?” Ellie had always been afraid of being lumped in with people like raiders, they were the scum of the earth.

“Getting rid of a few people to save hundreds is sometimes the best thing to do,” Maybe killing someone wasn’t the best thing to do, but if Seth was willing to try and kill Joel because he defended Ellie? It didn’t matter how upset you were, Seth had to go.

The one thing you would never let Ellie believe is that she’s a bad person for doing what it takes to stay alive. There were plenty of things in your past that would make Ellie think twice about ever trusting you again.

“Hey, could I talk to you?” Abby, the newcomer you’d slowly warmed up to, was standing beside the table you and Ellie were sitting at.

“Uhh, yeah, of course,” You pushed yourself up from the table, letting Ellie know to stay so you wouldn’t lose out on your seat.

Abby quickly talked outside, shoulders hunched forwards as if she was afraid to say what was on her mind. Would this be the big breakthrough that you were waiting for? Shit, how was this conversation even going to go? She turned down one of the alley’s, if it could even be considered that, and stopped when the two of you were about halfway down.

“I’m so sorry, it’s my fault that your husband came back hurt the first time. My friend and I were looking for supplies and that’s when I realized he was even in the room with us,” She sighed, playing with the end of her braid nervously.

“He didn’t even put up a fight when I stabbed him, just grabbed my wrist so I couldn’t run off too quickly. I was afraid he was there to kill us, wouldn’t be the first time I was stalked by someone looking to settle a score,” Her voice slowly trailed off, leaving you both confused and oddly comforted.

You had always known that Joel wouldn’t fight a kid, not after seeing what Ellie had gone through years prior. Then again Joel wasn’t above killing someone if it meant keeping himself safe during patrols either.

“Why are you telling me all of this?” You weren’t mad, the world outside of Jackson was scary and you’d gladly stay inside if it meant being safe.

“You deserved to know the truth, that Joel wasn’t picking fights when everything happened,” The two of you locked eyes for a brief moment, the sudden realization that she was just a kid hit you like a ton of bricks.

Abby couldn’t have been any older than twenty, which in your eyes made her a kid just like Ellie was. She was a scared kid that was trying to find her way in the world just like everyone else was. You couldn’t even imagine how old her friend was, probably barely even a teenager if his height was anything to go by.

“I’m not mad, was I upset finding out Joel had gotten hurt? Of course, but I know how dangerous this world can be, you don’t have to apologize,” It wasn’t even an apology that you needed to hear, Joel needed it more than anyone.

You weren’t going to do that to Abby though, not with Joel just being out of the hospital recently and back in the house. There was no telling how he would react to being told that the person who’d stabbed him was living comfortably in Jackson as well. Things would be okay, after a conversation with your husband you’re sure.

“I just felt terrible, and then I ran into Ellie during their last supply run and I didn’t have the guts to say who I was,” Her hands were shaking now, a frown pulling down your face.

Before you could question yourself you pulled her into a tight hug, squeezing her shoulders to let her know that she was safe. If things were different you’d surely never forgive the teenager for harming him, but the world wasn’t normal anymore.

“You don’t have to apologize, just try and stay out of trouble from now on, okay?” You patted her back gently, releasing her from the hug as the two of you went your separate ways.

Things were slightly tense between you and Ellie once you got back inside, she was curious as to what Abby had to say and you weren’t comfortable spilling those details. After a few minutes of prodding she eventually gave up and continued eating the food she’d ordered. You would tell Joel eventually, when he wasn’t so tense and willing to risk his health because he was upset.

Everything would be just fine, you were sure of it, Joel would understand why you didn’t tell him and Ellie just wouldn’t need to know. This was the right thing to do.

“So how are you and Dina doing?” Maybe a topic change would do you guys some good.

“Really good, we’re gonna hang out later tonight unless you and Joel need us?” Ellie would drop everything if it meant getting back to a normalcy with Joel.

“No, I think we’re just going to relax on the couch and read tonight, not much he can do with his ribs still healing,” That was a partial lie, you would be reading while Joel napped on you.

It would be a peaceful night at least, nothing to do except read one of the new books Tommy had given you and make sure Joel took his medicine to make sure he didn’t fall again. That was nearly as scary as when he had arrived with an infected wound after three weeks. Joel would never admit that he had fallen though, his pride would take too much of a hit. The man was just too stubborn, though you found it endearing most of the time when he admitted his little faults. You never told anyone about the issues he had, whether it was his knee giving out or nearly burning dinner because he'd forgotten to turn off the stove.

"Are you sure this is going to be comfortable for you?" You didn't want to argue with him, but while you had plenty of pillows to lie on, Joel just had your body.

"Yes, now open the damn book and get to reading so I can take a nice nap," You rolled your eyes, opening the book up to page 1.

Joel smiled to himself, situating himself so that he was laying on top of you with his head against your chest. He was a typical man, and laying on his wife's chest was too comfortable for him to deny and say it wasn't. He was damn near positive Tommy did the same thing with his wife whenever he wanted somewhere comfy to rest his head.

The book was interesting enough, sucking you into the fictional world of knights and kings. The amount of bloodshed was downright shocking to you, it felt as if they were writing about your current world, and not one hundreds of years in the past. Joel had fallen asleep within a few minutes of you reading, lightly snoring as his arms wrapped around your waist. You propped the book up on his back, turning the pages with your fingers carefully.

You had started to run your fingers through his hair, smiling at how soft the strands were even after his latest hospital stay. Of course that got your mind wandering, who had ever gotten the chance to see Joel like this? Had he opened himself up to Tess like this? Or had he kept his heart closed off in fear he'd get hurt once again and be left in the dark? No, it was silly to think of something so miniscule, Joel had loved you and that was that. Just because he didn't tell you every single thing about his life didn't mean he didn't love you.

Shit, your mind was slowly spiraling with the negative thoughts and there was nothing you could do to stop them. It was better to let everything run its course instead of trying to fight it off and making it worse. Joel would be able to sense that you were upset when he woke up. Maybe you could bring up everything then, have an adult conversation and figure out all these emotions together. That wouldn't be such a bad idea, it was better than bottling it all up inside until you exploded on him.

That's it, you're going to wait until Joel wakes up and have an adult conversation about how you're currently feeling. That way you can both figure out the best course of action instead of acting like two idiots. Ellie had more adult conversations than you did, so clearly you could do whatever you set your mind to. 

"Hmmph," Joel rubbed his face into your chest, tightening his arms for a brief moment before he relaxed once more.

You were afraid you'd woken him up during your internal monologue, but looking down there were no signs he was awake at all. The conversation could wait, for now you would enjoy this new book and the weight of your husband's body. Easy enough.

[sometipsygnostalgic]

game awards

Monster Hunter Wilds announced for 2025. Footage appears to be nothing more than a scripted gameplay demo. Very unpolished. I would expect the final game to be completely different, perhaps drawing inspiration from this demo. This is a surprise as the game is expected to have been developed since 2019, and the reveal footage here speaks otherwise, with actual physical development only just starting recently.

Baldurs Gate 3 was announced as Game of the Year winner. I think that it was very clear the game deserved this title, not just due to the quality, but due to the impact it has had. People will be comparing other games to this one moving forward, and it actually is terrifying for Bioware, who have had failure after failure this past decade and are no longer the kings of... whatever this genre is. Character-driven multichoice action rpgs???

Guy showed up with pretty good drip.

Allan Wake 2 won a lot of awards but while I'm sure it's an ok game, I'm not sure if it won for being the most amazing narrative or because it appeals very specifically to american journalists, aka, the people who nominated it.

But if you look at the competition in the Direction and Narrative categories, it's not like the other nominees had much going for them. Most of them don't have voiced main characters and the ones that do are, well, not famous for their great narratives. I don't know how most of these games ever got nominated for these categories. Is it a bad year for story driven games?

But then they gave Alan Wake "best art direction" and NOW I am suspicious. It has not been nearly as influential as, like, any of these competitors.

There's lots of categories, big L to Starfield for being against BG3 as best RPG, but I also think a genuine victim of this year was Tears of the Kingdom. It was a spectacular game but it didn't win a SINGLE category. Fuck, it lost to Music against Final Fantasy 16, which is a far more mid game as far as people tell me.

Thankfully Hifi Rush was recognised as having great audio design. I love when a game doesn't just have good music, but USES it effectively as a game tool.

I think the reason most of these games lost out is because the competition was so strong. You would've never expected, going into this year, that Tears of the Kingdom would lose in EVERY SINGLE CATEGORY it was nominated, but when I saw the nominations it wasn't a surprise. (Edit: It actually won best action adventure, but that was it).

The truth is, Breath of the Wild was in 2017 what Baldur's Gate 3 is in 2023, an earthshaking game that changes how everyone else in the industry designs that kind of game. And Tears of the Kingdom, compared to BG3, just feels too similar to Breath of the Wild. It doesn't change anything in a way that is going to have an impact past this year. Everything special it does has already been done better somewhere else, in this case by Minecraft or Fortnite with its sort of creative engineering.

I do think it deserves best musical score though.

[amber-jinx]

Max Chloe & Rachel read The Raven by Allan Poe

Thank you guys for 100 followers! This is probably the result of sheer obsession with Life is Strange & particularly Rachel Amber as a misunderstood character for the past few months XD but I truly appreciate everyone who's liked/reblogged my posts. They make me feel heard & that I'm not alone so once again, thanks! This fandom is almost life changing even though I got into it so late (start of 2023) but hey it's never too late :')

So I thought this is a good time for me to post this! One of my followers on Bilibili suggested this idea months ago and I finally edited a snippet of the poetry. Some lines are read by 2 or even 3 of them at the same time, see if you're able to tell their voices apart 😆

Thanks for watching :) Not sure if this counts as ASMR, but it's a calming one! I've used the snippet of that truck scene & you can hear Rachel calling out to Chloe while she was waking up, just nice Chloe's wearing the Raven shirt! Max's reading fading out & Rachel's kinda fading in also mirrors the transition of Chloe's life in that period of time.

For me I think none of them is the raven entirely, it represents a certain ominous fate, perhaps, as we always see it pass by til the end of bts. It could also be William or Max watching after Chloe in Before the Storm. ��‍⬛

Check this playlist out if you're interested in other AI dubs! You know, cuz we miss them.

[coraniaid]

20 questions for fic writers

Thanks to @isagrimorie for the tag!

1 How many works do you have on Ao3?

14

2 What's your total Ao3 word count?

452,732

3 What fandoms do you write for?

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and technically Angel, I suppose, but not really), Mass Effect (but not recently)

I've also tried writing some Avatar: The Last Airbender and Farscape and Person of Interest works over the years, but nothing that I've finished yet.

4 What are your top five fics by kudos?

Coexist: Season 3 Buffy AU in which it was Giles, and not Jenny, who was murdered by Angelus in Season 2 [27 chapters; 277,084 words; various POVs but mostly alternating Buffy/Faith]

Last Year's Rain Didn't Fall Quite So Hard: Season 4 Buffy AU in which Faith wakes up from her coma having forgotten about killing Allan Finch and everyting that happened afterwards [one shot; 16,904 words; Buffy POV]

Together: Season 3 Buffy AU in which the Homecoming Dance goes a bit differently [one shot; 2,711 words; Faith POV]

Done: post-canon Buffy fic set a few years after the end of Season 7, with Buffy having mostly stepped back from being an active Slayer [one shot; 4,312 words; Buffy POV]

Mixed Signals: post-canon Buffy fic looking at Faith's changing relationship with Buffy since first meeting her [one shot; 4,919 words; Faith POV]

5 Do you respond to comments?

Not often or promptly enough. I try though: I really do appreciate the comments I get a lot.

6 What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Think this is a toss-up between two different canon-compliant Faith POV one-shots: One Girl In All The World and Calling.

7 What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Together is the happiest and fluffiest thing I can imagine ever writing.

8 Do you get hate on fics?

I don't think so? None that I can remember anyway. (I do use the block and mute features on Ao3 though, so maybe I'm just blissfully ignorant.)

9 Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

No. Just don't have the talent for it.

10 Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

I don't have any published crossovers but I do have very vague ideas for a Buffy/Farscape crossover that I sometimes play around with in my mind. (Largely inspired by the joke of taking the couple of times Crichton makes references to 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' which his crewmates don't get, and pretending that they're right to assume he's talking about a person he knows rather than a TV show he used to watch.)

11 Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge (and honestly I'm not sure I'd want to know if I had?).

12 Have you ever had a fic translated?

If I have I don't know about it (and I would love to know if I did!).

13 Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No. I think it might be fun, but I'd probably have to change the way I write a lot.

14 What's your all time favorite ship?

Moya!

I mean, look at her!

(Oh, okay, it's Buffy/Faith, if that wasn't obvious.)

15 What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I'd love to finish either of my uncompleted Mass Effect fics (the first and longest, Residuum, is actually fully planned out and has been for years: I just got stuck on writing a particular chapter and never managed to come back to it; I had a fairly detailed plan for Night Winds in Nos Astra when I posted the first chapter but then I decided I hated it and never figured out how to fix it.)

16 What are your writing strengths?

Dream sequences. Internal monologues. Foreshadowing. Planning. Quoting bits of canon back at the reader in hopefully interesting ways. Hopefully getting the characters' voices sounding reasonably accurate.

17 What are your writing weaknesses?

Deadlines. Brevity. Physical descriptions. Titles.

18 Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I haven't really thought about it much before, honestly.

19 First fandom you wrote for?

Mass Effect is the first fandom I submitted anything for anywhere online. I wrote some Avatar: The Last Airbender fic before that though (a long Azula POV AU that I would kind of like to come back to one day, though I'd probably have to rewrite it from scratch).

20 Favorite fic you've written

Realistically, I think popular consensus must be correct that Coexist is the best thing I've ever written (though I sometimes wish I'd spent more than a minute thinking up a title). It's definitely the work I'm proudest of, and I think it contains some of my best writing (and ... well, most of my writing, based on the numbers I just posted). But I have a bit of a soft spot for some of my earlier Mass Effect fics, which aren't incredibly polished but I learned a lot from working on, and for Last Year's Rain Didn't Fall Quite So Hard as well.

Tagging: @juanabaloo @beatriceeverytuesday @explosionshark @bodytoflame-ao3 and anyone else who wants to do this.

[toonie-selfships]

Smiling cruise

@wulfums, started thinkin after a day of having no or negative thoughts, can finally type something out even if its not what i originally wanted, thought id tag you. so i been ponderin for a short minute and i was like "hm yes, put smiling friends on a cruise ship and write about what theyd get up to". simple ideas like that, youre more than welcome to reblog and add onto this what Lucky64 would be gettin up to

Lucky Charms & Gwimbly would be sharing a room obvi, probably one with a balcony because everything would be paid for by Charms, this is probably after the game ceo finally dies and Charms finally gets their proper earnings of music revenue.

Charms would be up early and awake late, so barely any sleep because they're excited. In the mornings they'd stand on the balcony to watch the sunrise, at night theyre probably on top deck watching the sun set and then probably dancing through the empty decks with their headphones on in the middle of the night to burn left over energy before returning to an already asleep Gwimbly.

Gwimbly would be the sleep late, wake up late type. and probably a bed hog. sometimes hes up earlier but thats a rarity. say this cruise is like 2 weeks or something, 4 out of those 12 days hes awake early.

They'd have a table alone but it'd always be close to Allan & Whatwulfs because they like to hang out and talk whenever they run into eachother. Gwimbly and Allan probably have quiet tension from the whole hose thing, Gwimbly never really forgave him for that. Maybe Charlie, Pim & Glep are also at that table, maybe not, that'd probably depend on you

Lucky carries their headphones and autism bag everywhere they go, especially to actives, they know how crowded and loud things can get sometimes and theyre always prepared. Gwimbly also always double checks to ensure they have their stuff, hes had to be the main escort out of a situation a few times when they first started dating because Charms forgot their stuff. He hates seeing them so distressed when they thought things would be fun and fine.

Charms is usually Gwimblys drink cut off, they dont really like seeing him incredibly drunk unless theyre both shitfaced and Charms cant cut either of them off, but that doesnt happen often, best Charms' gets is tipsy from a few cocktails.

Gwimbly spends alot of time in the arcade, usually at the little duck claw machine (every cruise ive been on had one and i love them) trying to win as many unique ducks for Charms before they can win them themselves, he knows they love random bullshit like that. however gwimbly is in no way a master at it like he claims.

On land days they try to stick with the main group and/or Allan & WW (im just gonna shorten it to ww for whatwulf sometimes or just wulf, lazy like that ✌️). Charms isnt great at directions in new locations and gets stressed easy when they dont know where to go, especially on a time limit.

the two of them collect as many postcards, magnets, keyrings and pins as they can. Lucky has a rather large collection and gwimbly wants to be apart of it.

Gwimbly has definitely fallen into the pools a few times. completely sober.

the two like to spend more time in the 18+ pool areas just to be away from the rowdy kids and parents.

Charms brought their laptop and stuff to still make music since they always love making music on down times. Gwimbly is slowly learning to draw, sure its akin to a 3 year olds but hes doing his best and Charms loves everything he draws no matter what, seeing their face genuinely light up fills him with the confidence to get better.

sometimes gwimbly gets a lil too handsy outside the room but not too much to warrent trouble, he just cant help it, he tries to hold onto charms as much as possible because hes terrified of losing them to homelessness again like the day he lost them after the games fell through.

Gwimbly & Charms participate in costume nights but if its somethin theyre not crazy into then theyre kinda half assing it.

Loathsome mozzy eaters (again all what i think would happen ur welcome to change and add things)

Allan probably sleeps early and wakes up early.

ww falls asleep real early and wakes up at the same time as allan to watch the sunrise together.

unintentionally got the balcony room next to lucky64, wave to eachother often. allan probably goes inside early if he hears them getting all googly at eachother or making out.

whenever theyre not in the dining rooms theyre either at the help yourself restaurant or the fancy pay to be at restaurant because allan wants to treat ww.

allan does all the shoretour talks while whatwulf does most of the friendly first interactions.

both probably get a lil tipsy but never overly drunk unlike everyone else (excluding glep and his wife).

allan got the cruise through work most likely.

whatwulf swims the most

both of them also use the 18+ pools to be away from kids #ChildFree.

allan has never seen Charms tic before and probably thinks theyre drunk or something at first before asking them about it, hes slowly learning to get used to it and pay no mind to any unintentional noises.

wulf understands Charms' tourettes well since theyre better friends than them and allan, sometimes he'll help explain them to others when Charms cant themselves.

they def kiss at sunset on leaving day & going home day.

allan seems like he'd enjoy trivia, much like Lucky Charms, they always swap answers with eachother at the end.

whatwulf HAS to see every performance, theyre too good not to see.

whatwulf probably doesnt get sea sick as easily as everyone else due to being an aquatic-ish critter.

whatwulf is also probably a connoisseur of rubber ducks, very appreciative of them when gifted by allan.

shore days the two try to find their own way around unless its really unfamiliar and they get a shoretour.

allan makes sure they both have any autism things they need, if somehow they forget something Charms always has something similar to offer. fidget toy? sorted. earplugs? cleaned daily with interchangeable silicone or the soft foam ones for someone elses keeping.

ww is ALWAYS prepped and goes all out for costume nights, hes always matching with allan to the T no matter what!

sometimes on quiet nights they'll slow dance on the lido deck when no one else is around.

what everyone else is doin (aka charlie, pim, glep + Marge and maybe mr boss + Jason)

literally NOBODY trusts pims with directions and shit, not after Brazil.

Charlie and pim get shitfaced on the regular.

charpim share a room more in the middle of the boat, they dont have a balcony.

100% from work tickets.

glep and marge have their own room on a different floor, opposite side of the boat, balcony.

all 4 of them share a table with mr boss and jason, sometimes allan and whatwulf. pim gets along with gwimbly and no one really talks to charms that much because only allan and whatwulf really know them. pim tries to talk with lucky sometimes though to get to know them. charlie silently questions their tics but never has the balls to ask.

mr boss puts jason in the kidsclubs even though hes 18, jason fuckin loves the kids clubs because who wouldnt? i fuckin loved kids clubs.

mr boss kinda scares lucky sometimes, his random outbursts of actions scare the crap out of them.

glep and marge sometimes get a table to themselves when they want a quiet moment.

charlie fuckin hates being dragged to every single activity by pim. "pim cant we just slow down and play mini golf or something man? my knees are killing me."

pim is always first awake out of everyone in the group, he swims the most too.

charlie rides the waterslides 50 times in a row whenever he can, though hes gotta take big ass breaks between them for his pace maker.

[definegodliness]

Tag game for the poets and poetically inclined

1. A poem that tends to pop into your mind

Edgar Allan Poe

To —

The bowers whereat, in dreams, I see The wantonest singing birds, Are lips — and all thy melody Of lip-begotten words —

Thine eyes, in Heaven of heart enshrined Then desolately fall, O God! on my funereal mind Like starlight on a pall —

Thy heart — thy heart! — I wake and sigh, And sleep to dream till day Of the truth that gold can never buy — Of the baubles that it may.

I often resign my life's missed chances with that last line: "... of the baubles that it may." It's like a respective shrug to the as-to-whys of indifference.

2. One line in a song "The shadow on the wall tells me the sun is going down", Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town, by Kenny Rogers. The paraplegic imagery is brilliant.

3. One line in a movie "Learn to enjoy your loss", Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

4. A word you'll avoid for fear of over-usage Oneiric — of, relating to, or suggestive of dreams. I'd put it in all my poems if my annoyance of repetition wouldn't prevent me.

5. One word that is you, metaphorically (no explanation) Breath

Thanks, @not--waving--drowning!