#Anyone else really excited to romance the dragon

[awgwst]

Feelin super normal things about this dragon

[felassan]

Snippets. 🐺💜 DA:TV spoilers under cut.

Game Informer reporter Wesley LeBlanc has mentioned that he will not be at the DA@SDCC stuff [source]

Saira: "i won’t lie, my very first council note for lucanis was “can’t wait to fuck puss in boots”" [source]

Jay: "And you killed it!" [on Alex Jordan's - one of the actors of Rook - post announcing his role in the game] [source]

Ashe: "say it with your chest HELL YEAH HE DOES" (context: Council members sharing that Lucanis' voice in-game does indeed sound like the actor's Spanish reel video) [source]

Erika Ishii might sneak into the actor panel at SDCC [source]

A user asked "when are the announcements of the different languages voices?" An EA Community Manager replied "We’re not ready to reveal everyone quite yet, but stay tuned!". [source: the official BioWare Discord]

In the Discord, the ask-bioware channel is for questions folks may have for BioWare. they can't guarantee that all questions put there will be answered, but if you have one it's still worth popping it in there as the channel helps them "for future Q&A sessions and the like" [source: the official BioWare Discord]

In the Discord, a user asked about pre-orders. An EA CM replied "Not yet announced!" [source: the official BioWare Discord]

In the Discord, a user asked about the release date. An EA CM replied "I wish I could. Gotta keep it under wraps until it's ready though!" [source: the official BioWare Discord]

EA CM Violet: "always stirring in the bioware lighthouse. hard working team full of passion ❤️" [source: the official BioWare Discord]

A user said regarding the talent lineup for Rook's actors, "This entire lineup is INCREDIBLE." Corinne: "So glad you like it! 😊" [source]

Ghil Dirthalen shared that she thinks Bellara "rocks- so excited for people to meet her ❤️" [source]. She also mentioned that Bellara isn't really like Peebee from Mass Effect: Andromeda [source]

Ghil also shared non-DA voice clips of the companion actors that she thinks sound most like their voices as-used for the companions in DA:TV. This is the clip shared for Taash, although it's not super-close as Caitie had trouble finding a clip of this actor. "but their voice in DAV is a lot more dead pan? In a good way though- Taash is fun!" [source]

This is the clip shared for Emmrich. "this is closer to the Emmrich voice than the other clip ive seen floating about. I would say less cartoony than this performance, but with the same voice??" [source]

Malcolm on Emmrich: "you might have to buy him dinner or something first. He's a classy guy." [source]

Bryce: "someone on Tumblr who follows me for dragon age content called this the Veilbus and I'm-" [source]

John Epler is heading to SDCC [source]

John on the recent Game Informer video: "not shown - the piece of wood digging into my spine for 45 minutes as i filmed this. me after: 'yeah i had a piece of wood digging in between two of my vertebrae' them: 'why didn't you say something?' me: 'i was on a roll and i didn't want to lose it'" [source, two]

Trick: "I thought I knew who I was romancing in DAI until the first time I heard Sera giggle. I suggest pinballing wildly between whoever strikes your fancy as you learn more about the characters until the game comes out and then seeing who wins your heart!" [source]

User: "I was wondering about tavern songs in DAI. There’s a song for Samson, but not for Calpernia. I was wondering if there was an in-universe reason for that, or if it was due to real world limitations?" Trick: "I think the tavern songs were about what the lyricist found interesting, so they weren't a sign that Samson or Sera or Harding was more important than anyone else." [source]

[sageadvice]

[ Dragon Age: The Veilguard Spoilers ]

Well…I reached the end.

And I mostly survived.

Varric 😭

I’m not going to complain about the bits that I took issue with. It’s 3:30 am and I’m too emotional for objectivity.

I did all that work to get the Solavellan ending…and then I gave it all up to punch the egg man in the face. And I don’t regret it for a second. (Chalk it up to my Rook being a girl’s girl, I say.)

One day, I’ll reload and do the whole “secret ending” thing but my gosh, keeping Varric’s…what, spirit? Tethered between Solas and Rook through BLOOD MAGIC?? Even Merrill would not approve of this. I knew he was manipulating Rook. I thought I understood betrayal. But that…that really cemented his place as the villain in this story for me. Even to the last, he believed himself a god.

I lost Harding. That…really got to me. I sort of knew it would happen; her or Davrin, the game didn’t make some big secret of it. And, to be honest, the whole game had a lot of easily-predictable plot revelations, and I think that was one of its major strengths. You could always point out the traitor during the first conversation, and then feel that sense of “ha! I knew it.” If they’d tried too hard to subvert your expectations, it would have come across as poorly written.

I ended up being very glad that I got all the companions to Hero status, and all the factions to three stars, because that meant that I didn’t lose anyone else. It felt right, like I personally did put in those hours and make those careful choices to save those people, and they didn’t just get a free pass due to plot armor. It was all Rook.

And I did enjoy the end of Rook and Lucanis’ romance. To be honest, if that scene hadn’t been waiting for me after she got out of the veil prison, I would not have been able to keep playing. Was it enough? I think so, for Rook. I will be writing my own fanfiction embellishments though.

Scrolling back a bit, the moment in the game that first made me cry was Manfred waking up with magical powers and squealing with excitement. “Magic! Like you!” Instant waterworks. The depressing moments are never as meaningful to me as the shockingly touching ones, and Manfred embodied that sentiment wonderfully.

What else can I say? I loved it. 10/10 for me, especially after waiting 10 years. They honored Varric, and even if I’m still mad about it I guess it’s more than we got for any of our other past beloved NPCs. In my head, he’s hunting Hawke down in the Fade. One day, Cassandra will meet him there and they’ll be reborn as wisps who can dance around the Necropolis together. Emmrich will make sure they’re properly cared for.

[the-24-7-lawlu-library]

Hello!

I have a trip in a few days and I need some longfics to help me survive, do you have any recs?

Hello there! I hope we are not too late with answering. Of course we can't leave you alone in this! Here are some recs:

I’d Forgotten How Nice Romance Was, Then You Reminded Me by Living4LifesSake (M)

At forty-four years old, Luffy was content with the way things were. Sure his life hadn't exactly gone like he had originally thought it would, but it was fine. He had a good job, a cute dog, a whole gang of awesome friends, a supportive family; things were great. He was fine with being single. Then, one fateful night, he got sat by a handsome man at a bar. And suddenly, everything changed. A story where Law and Luffy learn that you’re never too old to have a whirlwind romance.

Lead Me Back to Suffering by Purplehairedwonder (M) [non-con, includes Doflamingo/Law]

In the wake of Kaido's fall, Law is kidnapped from the shores of Wano.

Inhuman Potential by Sydneyxface (E) [Blood and Gore]

Dr. Trafalgar Law has seen many wild and surprising things come across his table as a pathologist, but nothing compares to one of his decedents waking from the dead - and thirsty for his blood. And so Law befriends (and beds) a vampire named Luffy and is pulled into the chaos that surrounds him - which involves cracking a case of missing people supposedly being used as slave labor for the elites of the world... the Celestial Dragons. Alternate Universe - Modern day, 2023.

Not a Ball or a Chain by HollowIsTheWorld (T) [AU-Modern]

Trafalgar Law grew up hoping he would be one of the handful of people to never develop a soulmate mark. Now that that hasn't panned out, however, he's willing to settle for just never meeting them. Unfortunately for him, Monkey D. Luffy is a hard person to avoid.

At the End of the Day by Artificial_Starlight (M) [Edit: we corrected the link]

It was such a simple thing to get worked up about, he knew, and maybe it was because he's so removed from normal social interaction that the idea of new friends coming into his life only bothered him. He only needed the three - they gave him enough trouble! They already bugged him enough to hang out, already caused drama that he was dragged into, already teased him about his idiosyncrasies... They already knew about his issues; spent years around his ever changing moods as he tried to be less angry, less scared, less obsessive. They already tried with mixed results to help him sleep, heal, and trust. He didn't need anyone else getting that close. However, as he began to walk away, he couldn't help but believe that not taking Straw-hat's words seriously would be a mistake.

the thing that remains by tciddaemina (M)

He'd had a plan. Destroy the SAD manufacture plant, destroy the SMILE factory... A kidnapping here, a bit of extortion there. Simple, at least by Law's standards. The Straw Hats had been a surprise, but a manageable one. Doflamingo would submit to their demands, sealing his own fate, or they'd destroy the factory and Kaidou would finish the job for them. He'd had a plan. Now Law doesn't know what's going on, but its definitely not the plan.

Boyfriend's Duties by martilla (E)

“Good evening,” Law said calmly. “I am looking for…” he looked down at the medical chart in his hands. “Monkey D. Luffy.” The boy on the bed smiled immediately when he heard his name, a curious and excited look in his eyes. “That’s me!” He shouted out. “Are you the doctor? They said that they were sending a doctor before dinner and I am really hungry, so if you are the doctor this means that I am gonna eat soon!” The two men in the room groaned at that sentence and Law felt taken aback by the enthusiasm of the guy. He was either stupid or not aware of the gravity of his injury, if his only thought was dinner. “Yes, I am the surgeon that will operate on you,” he answered. “My name is Trafalgar Law.” * Law is a surgeon who needs some light in his life. Then Luffy happens.

-Mod Raiya

[uchidachi]

I was going to avoid posting about Veilguard til I finished, but i’m about halfway through (i think) and I have so many strong emotions about Taash’s personal quest/romance so far that i have to share here:

so i just locked in Taash’s romance and on one hand… squee! But on the other hand, Taash-momma (i can’t remember her name, Shethan?) is so similar to my own mother that it’s made me break down in tears repeatedly. (The constant criticism! Nothing is ever good enough! Every conversation becomes instructions for what i should do!!) So i’m simultaneously excited to continue their romance but scared for them to come out as nonbinary to their mom, so I’m avoiding progressing the story right now.

On a more personal level: I did the math today, and I came out as bi to my mom almost exactly 25 years ago. She still doesnt “get it” and sometimes that’s fine, she doesnt need to understand as long as she accepts. And sometimes it’s actually truly funny bc she genuinely seems to think i’m just *really bad* at being a lesbian 😂 but also sometimes it’s very upsetting. So with Taash’s plotline with their mother, I know the “right” options from Rook-me are the “you should talk to your mom” and “she loves you” “she’ll understand” but honestly Real-me just wants to reach through the screen and hug them and tell them about “low contact” and “info diet” and “don't go to the hardware store for oranges”

I don’t know if I’m emotionally prepared to see Taash’s mother fail to understand their gender identity in a similar way that my mother doesn’t understand my sexuality. And I don’t know if I can handle watching her criticize them constantly the way my mother (still!) does to me. (Especially about food! Oh god that’s a whole other post…)

but if their mom turns out to be understanding and willing to change… i also don’t know if I am prepared to see Taash get the “oranges” I’ve had to accept I won’t ever get in real life, even though it’s a much happier ending for them if their mom accepts them and that’s what I should be rooting for but maybe i’m just a bitter person for that.

On a less-personal note: major kudos for Trick Weekes and anyone else involved in fixing the sins of Dragon Age romances past… not only are there tooltips explicitly saying that certain flirt options will start/lock in the romance, but picking the “flirt” option makes Rook flirt AND say something supportive, so you don’t feel like you’re missing anything by choosing the little heart 🩷

(Oh, and btw if you’re farther ahead than me in the game please don’t spoil me, even to be reassuring. I’ll be fine with however Taash’s personal quest ends, I just need to psych myself up before I face Taash-momma again.)

Ty for listening to my ramblings. Have a Taash-mance meme as your reward:

[bookaddict24-7]

REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

EVERY WEEK I WILL POST VARIOUS REVIEWS I’VE WRITTEN SO FAR IN 2024. YOU CAN CHECK OUT MY GOODREADS FOR MORE UP-TO-DATE REVIEWS HERE.

___

172. Funny Story by Emily Henry--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I'm a big fan of Emily Henry, something about her books always hooks me in and, save for one book, I've grown to really enjoy and look forward to her stories (without reading the synopsis because I like going in blind).

The premise of this isn't overtly original BUT it was entertaining. I also loved the mirroring of the beginning and the end with the "let me tell you the funny story of how we met" line (I'm paraphrasing). I thought that was a fun touch that added levity to the ending AND really brought me into the story at the beginning.

I was a big fan of the tension between the two jilted lovers and how they grew their friendship before anything else even happened. They're both flawed characters who have had to overcome heartbreak and just happened to be each others' best support for their ordeals. I thought that they worked so well together, especially because their both (understandably) jaded by love. The subplot of their fake dating was a fun twist that added heat to the story and even though I don't know if I'd call this Henry's steamiest romance, I'd say that FUNNY STORY has the best sexual tension I've seen in Henry's books.

I liked the exploration of all of the relationships in the MC's life and how they helped her become who she is, or who she will be by the end of the book. I liked that she was flawed and made mistakes because it was realistic. I especially loved that she had this moment of realization that she needed to find out who she was and where she wanted to be when finally out of a relationship that didn't actually work for her. Also, LOVED that she was a librarian.

The love interest. Oh man, he is ADORABLE and honestly, I don't know how anyone could pick the stuffy fart of the MC's ex-fiancee over him. I wish we had a POV of his experiences with the MC because he himself has such a complicated past with relationships and family. I wish we could see into his mind during the whole breakup that happens at the beginning of the book. That's maybe one of the only things I wish we had more of in Henry's books--dual POVs.

This was cute, fun, at times heartbreaking, and a great read for the summer. Henry doesn't miss and I'm excited for her next book already. I don't know how she does it, but she's definitely an auto-read author for me.

___

173. The Dragon's Bride by Katee Robert--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I finally picked up THE DRAGON'S BRIDE and I will admit that I was wary. I'd tried a Katee Robert book a few years ago and found it to be a boring experience.

This one, however, was a lot of fun and I loved how the relationship between the two characters developed. Since it's more of a novella, it was definitely on the faster-paced and shorter side. But to be honest, I would have probably been bored if this was any longer.

The spicy scenes were SPICY. I feel like this one had me bugging my eyes out the most of the books I've read in the last few years. But now I want to read the rest of the books in the series.

Is this a serious book? Not really, save for the fact that the MC deals with some heavy topics like abuse and PTSD. But the romance is lighthearted and as slowburn as it can get in such a short book. I loved the level of consent the dragon had for his bride and the turmoil they both felt as they started falling for each other.

___

174. Over the Woodward Wall by A. Deborah Baker--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really, really enjoyed this snippet of a story. I think it's perfectly fitting that the author is also the author of the WAYWARD CHILDREN series because the mood was the same. This was whimsical, lyrical, and engrossing. I wanted the kids to truly find answers and a way home.

I think the quirky characters really make this story--not just the MCs, but all of the ALICE IN WONDERLAND-esque characters they come across. This is a middle grade book, but I can definitely see this just being an adult fantasy novel for the adult who always wished they'd gone on a fantastical journey as a kid.

I also thought that the way the two MCs contrast each other was really fun. One child clearly needs to learn how to loosen up from the "adult" expectations his parents have placed on him, while the other needs a bit more attention and care to ease the energy that partial parental negligence has gifted her. They worked really, really well together and I loved seeing their journey to friendship.

I highly recommend this story, especially for those who are looking for something fun and quick to read in the garden.

___

175. Peacocks of Instagram by Deepa Rajagopalan--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received a copy via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my review in any way.

I'm not a big short story person, but when I heard the synopsis for this, I immediately knew I had to read it. I tried out a new way of approaching this short story collection--one short story per night because one of the things that turns me off short story collections is how overwhelmed they sometimes make me feel. This method worked perfectly and it even helped build up the anticipation for reading the next story.

Deepa Rajagopalan's collection is incredibly rounded. Not only did we get thought-provoking stories, but also surprising conclusions for several of the characters as they inadvertently affected other characters in other stories.

And made even better was Rajagopalan's writing and how immersive it was. It also flowed so beautifully, making the heavier topics feel so easily digestible. The pacing was quick and most of the stories felt like punches as a result.

While some stories were definitely stronger than others, they all came together wonderfully. I loved their commentary on the Indian diaspora and how immigration was handled. I loved the deeper examinations of culture, racism, bigotry, classism, family, capitalism, and karmic justice--there was a lot of revenge in this and it was awesome.

Anyway, if you're looking for a new short story collection to hook you, then I think you're going to love this one! Highly, highly recommend!

___

176. Otherworldly by F.T. Lukens--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed OTHERWORLDLY, especially because my last attempt to read Lukens was a bit of a hot mess. Thankfully, this one makes me want to check out the last few books they've written.

This was a fun adventure with a lot of heart. The curiosity of the paranormal MC and the sweet way he falls for the second MC was adorable. I also thought his storyline was fun (even if it wasn't wholly unique).

I loved the side characters and how the second MC learned to find what made them happy. I found their storyline to be both sad and hopeful. They had incredible support from their cousin and cousin's girlfriend, even when their family tried to break that confidence with their requests.

Like another reviewer mentioned, this was definitely more of a cozy contemporary fantasy novel. Sure, there was the paranormal underworld and the creatures hunting the MCs down, but it didn't stray too much from the small town setting.

Overall, I'm glad I read this and I definitely want to get to the backlist titles. I love when an author surprises you!

___

177. The Underground by K.A. Applegate--⭐️⭐️⭐️

THE UNDERGROUND was an interesting addition to this series because we get a new potential weapon added to the story, even though the kids are so morally conscious that the option might now make an appearance in future books.

One of the biggest things that I noticed, however, is how much the language was really a reflection of the time. It made me slightly uncomfortable, but I know I also am reading this in 2024.

The story itself was good and adventurous. It's always a bit more exciting when we get the story from this character's perspective!

Onto the next book!

___

178. Mindy Kim and the Fairy-Tale Wedding by Lyla Lee & Dung Ho (Illustrator)--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another adorable MINDY KIM story has passed and I loved seeing how much Mindy has grown as a little character. She's so sweet and supportive of her dad's happiness. As a person who was partially raised by a single parent, I was so happy when my mom found someone new. And I see this reflected in this story, since Mindy just wants her dad to be happy.

I think stories like this one are so important for young readers, especially because it may be relatable to them. This is why I love that young readers read--it helps them build that empathy.

Mindy teaches kids that if you work hard, you can reach your goals (and even if you don't, or if "reaching your goals" looks a little different, then that's okay!) She's got a great head on her shoulders!

I do wish more little ones read these books, because I find that they teach so much--such as culture, how different some families may look, life lessons, and how to have good communication with those you care for.

Will be picking up the next one in the series next month!

___

179. Alex Wise vs. the End of the World by Terry J. Benton-Walker--⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

ALEX WISE has a character or two that I'd like to slap some sense into (*cough*the dad*cough*), but this didn't take away from how ridiculously fun this book was--even if it DID deal with the end of the world.

I'll admit that ALEX WISE started a bit on the slower side. I wasn't sure quite where it was going, especially with some of the things the MC and his sister get up to before the main storyline begins. I did appreciate, however, how we were given a backstory for the MC and why his relationship with his father plays so heavily into the way he is and how he carries himself in the story. I felt so awful for the MC. It honestly broke my heart.

The heart of the story was FUN. I loved seeing these characters work together to overcome a seemingly impossible to defeat villain. It played really well into the concept of empathy and how sometimes the most obvious solutions aren't always the right ones.

While the story felt a bit on the longer side for me, it was still an enjoyable adventure that I'll definitely be recommending to the younger readers who stop by the bookstore! I'm looking forward to the sequel!

___

Have you read any of these books? What were your thoughts?

___

Happy reading!

[esseastri]

here i made it an ask:

HECK YES, ok, I'll do all the questions that Kogi didn't ask me.

What was the first Dragon Age game you played?

I started at the beginning because I think Kogi and Feather would have manifested in showers of sparkles to berate me into oblivion if I hadn't, so DAO.

2. Which Dragon Age game is your favorite so far?

DA2. Listen, I love all of those bisexual disasters (except Fenris) so damn much, and while the whole thing is a little repetitive, I always find it to be more comfortable than annoying. I'm a sucker for a good framing device with an unreliable narrator. And while I love the Warden and the Inquisitor because they are blank slates that I can create anyone off of, it's nice that Hawke has a solid, actual character for me to love.

3. Do you usually play as a warrior, mage, or rogue? Which class are you planning to try first this time around? Which subclass?

I've got one of each in my canon worldstate, but Rogue is historically my favorite, even though I find mage easiest to play. I will almost certainly make a shitty little double-daggers rogue as my first Rook because all we know of Rook so far leads me to believe that she'd be besties with my Hawke, which means Rogue Supremacy.

5. Do you typically use a preset character and name or spend hours in the character creator coming up with a custom one?

Bahahaha, I think the first time I played DAI, I was in the CC for a solid two point five hours. I will be dicking around for nine years with hair color alone.

6. Do you have your Rook(s) planned out to any degree? If so, would you share some details or ideas you have?

I will need to know the canon surnames for all the races before I can really dive into planning a Rook. I can't do anything without a name, and my name has got to jive with the surname, so that's what I'll need to start with. I can say that she will almost certainly have red hair, since all of my previous First Characters have been redheads. Gotta stick with tradition.

9. Which romance, if any, do you plan to pursue first?

I have been trying to KISS Scout LACE HARDING for TEN YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (But Davrin is making a strong case for himself by simply existing. He'll probably be second.)

10. Which location are you most excited/hoping to explore in-game?

Weisshaupt. I want to know everything about how the official organization of the Wardens works, so I know how shitty the little Fereldan outpost has been all these years.

13. What’s one thing you’ve seen confirmed so far that you’re a fan of?

Mmmm everything about the character creator--the pronouns and body shapes and lighting and just... everything about it.

14. What’s one thing you’ve seen confirmed so far that you’re NOT a fan of?

mmmmmmrrrrrggggggg Ghilan'nain.

15. Do you have any unpopular opinions about DAV so far?

The character trailer was a blast and made me infinitely more excited for the game than anything else we've seen, I didn't think it was ""too MCU"" or ""quippy"" or whatever, I thought it was perfect Varric content and I loved it.

16. What’s one crack theory you subscribe to (yours or someone else’s)?

Sandal will show up at some point, possibly in the Black City, because he's actually massively important and possibly the Maker in disguise.

17. Are you interested in all the lore and speculation or do you focus more on the games and stories themselves?

Yes? To me, a lot of the lore is in the stories and the stories are about the lore, so they go together. I'm not the most speculative--I just want to know, I don't want to guess!--so I'm bouncing off the walls waiting for the actual game to drop so I can just go nuts. And I'm always really here for the characters, so that's what I'm most interested in.

18. Which aspect of fandom are you most looking forward to? (e.g. reading/writing fic, the bounty of gorgeous art, getting to know new people, etc.)

NEW ART SO MUCH NEW ART god bless every fanartist in this fandom, I cannoooottt waaaaiiiittt!! There is already so much amazing stuff in the tags, I can't wait until there's even more!!! I want to see everyone's Rooks, all of them, I cannot wait. Also I have not written fanfic in years, but if anything is going to get me to write some, it will be Dragon Age, so it will be great to get back into that, hopefully.

19. Are you planning to replay any of the previous games, watch Dragon Age: Absolution, or read any of the books/comics/short stories, or are there other games you want to play in the meantime?

Uh, Kogi and I watched the gameplay trailer and about ten minutes after we finished, I'd plugged DAI into the PS4 and booted everything up. So. Yes. I'm also finally reading Tevinter Nights after sitting on it for two years. AND I'm making my best friend play all three games from the beginning so she can join us in DA hell, we are deeply enjoying Origins rn. It's great. I am fully in the soup and there I shall remain until DAV appears.

[u-vogin]

This might be CRINGE but I’m getting excited for the new dragon age and yeah, I was hoping for a Varric romance but you know? I can’t see him with anyone else but my Hawke/Marian Hawke/other peoples custom Hawkes. And I’ve already been set on making my Rook Sophie and Varrics kid anyway for like, years now so it wouldn’t really have mattered

[sodaliteskull]

The Starcrossed Cycle: Media Influences

Got inspired by the meta dump @byjillianmaria did (which you can find over here), and wanted to do one for the Starcrossed Cycle!

(I go into more depth about how they influenced me below the cut, because I love getting in the weeds with this shit!)

Borderlands & Sunset Overdrive - A neon, hyperpop veneer over top a dystopia caused by corporate greed, these were the main inspirations for the world that Iradurel grew up in

Saints Row & Borderlands - Violent settings with little to no regard for the sanctity of life, these were inspirations for the life that Iradurel led before being put on ice

The Addams Family - A family that stands in direct opposition to the norms of their society, they were a big inspiration for Iradurel's parentage, the Kortellako family

Panty and Stocking with Garter Belt & Saints Row - Panty from PaSwGB and the Boss from SR were big inspirations for Iradurel's character

God Eater & RWBY & Horizon - Settings where monsters with no end plague the world were something that really tickled my pickle, so I made up my own with the Opiri

Dragon Age & God Eater - If there's going to be monsters, then there are going to need to be monster hunters to fight them. May as well give them powers to do so, but watch out! Those powers have a price! These two are the biggest influences on the Opiri Slayers

RWBY - And if you have monster hunters, then you need a place to show them the ropes, and this was the series that inspired me to make a dedicated school for the Opiri Slayers

Critical Role & Dimension 20 (specifically Fantasy High) - I really enjoy the differing takes on what Gods are in these two: either outside forces that have come to the world of their choice and shape it according to their whims (CR) or endemic to the world but shaped by their followers (FH)

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem & Babylon 5 & Mass Effect & Critical Role - Eldritch horrors causing problems for mortals that they view as little more than ants, another inspo for how deities work in this setting

Babylon 5 & the Legend of Zelda - A repeating cycle of conflict perpetuated by a single malevolent force is something that really gets my motor revving, so I yoinked that for Marenkes' history

Sailor Moon & the Legend of Zelda - The reincarnation aspect from these to tie into the cyclical aspect of the above bullet point was just a natural fit. I gotta have that miracle romance!

Dragon Riders of Pern - The concept of dragon riders is sick as hell, and ones that are psychically bonded to their mounts? Fuckin' awesome, my dudes! Everything else that McCaffrey thought was necessary to add to that equation? Big Yikes! But my desire to have the draconic Eidolons does stem from this series

Assassin's Creed & Final Fantasy XIII & Tales of Symphonia - Settings where the world is older than anyone realizes, and problems from the past (caused by a group of individuals with godlike abilities) are coming to bite the present in the ass were concepts that really excited me! Bonus points to ToS for inspiring a pretty big piece of the physical world of Marenkes!

Mass Effect & Horizon - Ryla is very much in the vein of a Commander Shepard (doing a full Paragon run, naturally) and Aloy type person

Dragon Age & Mass Effect - People being able to use magic because of a natural element in the world is definitely inspired by DA's lyrium and how biotics can use their abilities thanks to eezo from ME

Horizon & Assassin's Creed - The modern world is built on the bones of a far more technologically advanced society that was completely wiped out due to hubris preventing a solution being thought up to a preventable situation, that's the kind of juiciness I wanted for my setting!

Mass Effect & Eternal Darkness & Babylon 5 - The path to victory has been paved with so many sacrificed lives, but it is only thanks to those sacrifices that success will be possible. I fucking LOVE plots like this!

[liaragaming]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard HYPE Q&A

What was the first Dragon Age game you played?

Origins. My husband encouraged me to play it, saying that he thought I would like it. And then I loved it more than he did. lol!

2. Which Dragon Age game is your favorite so far?

Inquisition. That cast of characters just sucked me in.

3. Do you usually play as a warrior, mage, or rogue? Which class are you planning to try first this time around? Which subclass?

I tend to switch it up. Origins, I played rogue because that was recommended to me. Exodus (DA2), I played warrior because I wanted Bethany in my party. And then Inquisition, I was like, well, I haven't done mage, so I'll do it. Thinking of going full circle and going rogue again in Veilguard.

4. What does your worldstate look like going into DAV?

That's a little difficult to get into since we don't know what will be important. But:

Romanced Solas / vowed to save him

Leliana Divine

Inquisitor didn't drink from the Well

Do you typically use a preset character and name or spend hours in the character creator coming up with a custom one?

I can get overwhelmed in the character creator. I tend to start with a preset and then customize it a bit and then jump into the game. I'll make tweaks to the character overtime though as I play. I prefer coming up with a my own name though, just because I don't want my character to share the same name as other players. And I will spend hours on that.

Do you have your Rook(s) planned out to any degree? If so, would you share some details or ideas you have?

Waiting for more information, but I'm thinking elven and red head. I like the idea of a non-magic user who joined the Veil Jumpers. Just because you can't use magic, doesn't mean you can't be fascinated with it.

Which character from the previous games or other media are you most hoping will make an appearance in DAV?

FENRIS! I need, need, need Fenris!

Dorian feels like a given.

There's more, but those two are tops!

What faction are you most excited to learn more about?

Veil Jumpers!

But also, all of them, to be honest. I can't wait to learn more about each one.

Which romance, if any, do you plan to pursue first?

I was thinking Bellara because I like elves. And then I heard about Lucanis being the angst romance, and I'm a sucker for that (as long as it end happily - I'm already in hell over Solavellan). But then I heard Emmrich is a total nerd and loves learning - and like... I don't know anymore!

Which location are you most excited/hoping to explore in-game?

It was Tevinter, but now... Arlathan forest? I also really want to see Rivain and learn more about the culture there.

There's so many place we'll be visiting. I'm excited for them all!

What's one thing you'd really like to see in this next game?

Resolution to the Solas romance. I've been in hell for 10 years! Please release me from this prison!

What's one thing you're hoping we DON'T see in this next game?

Anyone dying. Please Bioware. DO NOT give me the Hawke / Warden choice again.

What's one thing you've seen confirmed so far that you're a fan of?

The theme of regret. I can't wait to dive into that.

Developing a relationship between Rook and Solas. I have no idea how that is going to work, but I am so excited.

The Lighthouse. Just... gimmie.

What's one crack theory you subscribe to (yours or someone else's)?

Solas and Ghilan'nan were a thing (mine).

Are you interested in all the lore and speculation or do you focus more on the games and stories themselves?

All of it. All the lore, all the stories, all the characters. I just eat it up.

Which aspect of fandom are you most looking forward to? (e.g. reading/writing fic, the bounty of gorgeous art, getting to know new people, etc.)

Very excited for all the companion fanart and meta that is going to come out. Also all the fanfic I'm sure I'm going to write.

Are you planning to replay any of the previous games, watch Dragon Age: Absolution, or read any of the books/comics/short stories, or are there other games you want to play in the meantime?

Reading through Tevinter Nights now. Then going through the World of Thedas books. I WISH I had time to add the comics in there as well.

Post a picture or gif that conveys your current level of excitement for Dragon Age: The Veilguard!

[danielnelsen]

The Veilguard Q&A thing: Which location are you most excited/hoping to explore in-game? Do you have your Rook(s) planned out to any degree? If so, would you share some details or ideas you have? Do you have any unpopular opinions about DAV so far?

answered the first one here

6. Do you have your Rook(s) planned out to any degree? If so, would you share some details or ideas you have?

only very broadly. definitely a grey warden, but i havent decided between elven mage and dwarven rogue. every time i think im leaning more towards one over the other i realise im actually not lmao. i think there'll be the most extra dialogue and story content for elves and i dont wanna miss out on anything (obviously it will be a complete story either way, but yknow), but dwarves are my favourite race. the only reason i dont play dwarves very often is because i love playing as a mage. i think my choice will probably come down to what the actual backgrounds of the characters are: if we can play a dwarf with like..a dwarfy background, rather than a surface dwarf from a mostly human population, then that might tip the scales. i dont think i could resist playing a dwarf from the ambassadoria or kal-sharok (not that the latter is gonna happen).

i think my rook will be nonbinary, but i havent decided between he/him or they/them. im interested in how well the game will handle neutral pronouns, but my characters are also always somewhat an extension of myself, especially on my first playthrough. i'll most likely stick with a default name and face, but i'll definitely play around with the body customisation. hopefully you can be real-life fat, not just popular-media fat (aka not fat). today's article also revealed that you can adjust 'glute and bulge size'. so. we'll see where that takes me. if im already making the rest of my body bigger, then.........

im going into the game expecting to romance davrin, but we know nothing about anyone's personalities yet so that's very easily subject to change. second choice is emmrich. i think my rook will be a bit more serious than i usually play my dragon age characters, especially since we're starting out already having had some real-world experience (im a grey warden, after all), but who knows, maybe once i start picking dialogue options i'll just feel the need to be sweet to everyone.

this is all very surface-level stuff, which is the only planning im gonna do. maybe i'll be more sure of my race option by the time the game releases, but everything else will just evolve based on how the game goes. i dont wanna get too attached to a character that wont end up fitting well into the story.

15. Do you have any unpopular opinions about DAV so far?

ok it took me a while to think of something because whenever i see a lot of people disagree with an opinion i have, i also see plenty of people who share my opinion... but i dont really want the inquisitor to have too big of a role. it makes sense for them to be there, and i especially understand people who romanced solas feeling like their inquisitor should have an important part in the story, but i think this is a bit of a limitation of having the plot directly follow from the events of dai. it wouldnt make sense for the inquisitor not to show up, but this isnt their game, it's rook's. id argue that it would make sense for them not to show up much because solas knows them already, but we've got harding as a companion, who solas is also very familiar with. that said, i expect the writers have probably learned from the reaction to hawke's cameo in dai and will do a better job of writing the inquisitor than they did with writing hawke lmao

[persephoneggsy]

2, 6, 7, 15, and 17, for the DA: TV meme, please!

2. Which Dragon Age game is your favorite so far?

It’s close, but Inquisition beats out the others by a thin margin. I just really love the hopeful, epic tone the game goes for, I love the gameplay, especially for mages and archers, and I just think it’s a really pretty game! Emprise du Lion is so gorgeous, sometimes I just walk around the snow and take it all in. It’s the game I’ve replayed the most out of the trilogy. And also it has the best DLCs, Jaws of Hakkon, The Descent, and Trespasser are all S-tier for me.

And it has my favorite group of companions, in terms of how many I like overall. In Origins I really only feel strongly about Alistair and Morrigan, and I'm fond of Oghren... everyone else I’m lukewarm about. 2 has my best boy Sebastian, and I like Fenris and Merrill, but I largely dislike-to-hate everyone else. Inquisition, though, I bare minimum like all the companions… with one exception lmao.

6. Do you have your Rook(s) planned out to any degree? If so, would you share some details or ideas you have?

I always play a human woman, at least to start with, so there’s that. I have an OC from Star Wars: The Old Republic that I’ve been wanting to turn into a Pathfinder 2e character, but I can definitely rework her for The Veilguard: her name is Solesta, and she’s in her late 50s/early 60s. 

I’m leaning towards Antivan Crow or Mourn Watch for her faction. And I WANT to make a warrior since my previous protags have been Rogue - Mage - Mage, but Rogue might fit her better aesthetically.

Personality wise, she’s a very flirty old woman who can be charming and witty, but absolutely brutal and unforgiving in a fight. Also she has two adult children and two grandsons whom she dotes on.

7. Which character from the previous games or other media are you most hoping will make an appearance in DAV?

I mean… I’d love for Sebastian to get at least a mention that’s nice to him. He’s my canon romance for Hawke so it would be nice to hear that they’re happy ruling Starkhaven together. But given how much BioWare seems to actively dislike or treat Sebastian as lesser than the rest of the DA2 cast, I’d be just as happy if they left him alone and let me just headcanon that he’s happy and thriving with his wife.

Other than him… I really like Professor Kenric from the Jaws of Hakkon DLC. I think he was really adorable (and I possibly just have a thing for Starkhaven boys lol). He had a pretty obvious crush on Harding, she could reference him at least!

15. Do you have any unpopular opinions about DAV so far?

I think my unpopular opinion is just that I’m like… earnestly excited and hype for it. I get the criticisms people have for it, I’m never gonna tell anyone that things shouldn’t be criticized. But I just personally don’t have a problem with anything we’ve been shown so far. 

I think the style of the game looks beautiful, I always preferred stylized characters to realistic ones, I LOVE the colors, and I’ve never really considered the series to be “dark” in the way that other people seem to, so a brighter tone doesn’t bug me either. I’m interested in all the companions, I’m intrigued by the new combat system, and I screamed and cheered and clapped at the reveal trailer we got during the Xbox Showcase. But being earnestly excited is either met with "you're a shill for EA/BioWare", "huffing copium" or "being contrarian" lol.

Honestly, the only thing that might get me some pushback is that I don’t want Varric to be there. Not because I think he deserves rest or whatever, I’m just earnestly sick of him and would prefer if he just fucked off back to Kirkwall and make BioWare come up with a new character. Preferably a dwarf.

17. Are you interested in all the lore and speculation or do you focus more on the games and stories themselves?

I love DA lore, but I leave the analyzing to people smarter and with better retention than I. I tend to focus more on the stories actually being presented to us via the games. Idk, I’m just not like… equipped to speculate, I think. I either need concrete answers or I will make up my own headcanons regardless of supporting evidence lmao

[mundanemoongirl]

Tropes I don't like

I was reading this book lately with this trope that really annoyed me and now everyone has to hear about all the tropes I hate. Btw, I’m not saying it’s bad to like these tropes or write about them. I just don’t like them. Does anyone else feel the same?

staring at someone’s body + fingers accidently touching

This one is two tropes because it was the combination of them that made the book so annoying to me. I wouldn’t mind as much if the characters interacted in other ways between the staring and finger touching, but nope. That was the only way we could tell they were interested in each other. What I really can’t stand is when two characters meet for the first time and the female mc just stares at the male mc’s body and describes every detail to the readers. It just feels like the author is holding up a sign that says they will get together, and that takes away from the excitement of romance for me. Especially when it’s the second these characters meet.

love triangles

First of all it’s never an actual triangle. It’s more like an angle. Second of all, it’s always so toxic. I have yet to see a girl choose the guy who actually cares about her instead of the one who treats her like garbage.

pick-me girl

I hear people toss around this term loosely so let me clarify. I’m not talking about a girl who has non-feminine interests. I’m talking about a girl who thinks she’s so much more interesting than other girls because she like to talk about war and eat meat. (I’m looking at you, The Last Dragon King)

giving up powers

Is it too much to ask that my favorite characters are special and powerful? (I’m looking at you, A Court of Silver Flame)

writing current events

This makes sense in some cases, like if a story takes place in the 1920s you will have some 1920s references. But if I see a character say “rizz” or mention covid, I’m done.

[causeilikelix]

'Cause I Like You - Chapter Thirteen - Riding the Soundwaves - Two Years Later

↳ Pairing: Felix x OC / Hyunjin x OC (later)

↳ Genre: Romance, comedy, smut (eventual), slow burn, enemies (idiots) to friends (idiots) to lovers (probably still idiots), high school au, college au, non-idol au

↳ See Chapter One for summery and blanket warnings

↳ Chapter warnings: Like one (1) singular mention of being turned on

↳ Read on my A03: Here

↳ Notes: Sorry this took so long! School, work, you get it! The semester is over in two weeks and then I'm gonna write some more.

<- Chapter Twelve- Chapter Fourteen ->

“Good morning, KNU!  You are listening to 90.5 The Art, based out of the Korean National University of Arts!  I am your DJ for the next hour, Bbokdi.  Welcome to the very first installment of my brand new show:  ‘I Am Who?’  I hope we get along!  You can follow me and interact with me on Kakao talk or Instagram at @Bbokdi_whoshow.

For this show I just wanted to spend some time with you lovely listeners, play some of my favorite songs these days, and do a couple of talking segments.  I have a segment for anonymous confessions and a segment for messages you’d like to send to someone else!  Seeing as it’s my first show, I asked a few of my friends to submit some for me to read.  However, if you would like me to read something, please message me!  

I don’t want to talk your ear off right off the bat, so I’m going to play one of my favorite songs.  I’ve been listening to it pretty much non-stop all week so I’m excited to play it for you today.  So let’s get started and please enjoy this incredible moving song by Day6, and my message to you!  ‘Hi, Hello.’

...

Ah, wasn’t that lovely!  Again that was a favorite of mine from Day6 called ‘Hi, Hello’.  I hope you enjoyed it!  Once again you’re listening to 90.5 The Art and I am DJ Bbokdi with my show “‘ Am Who?’  

Let’s see, I really want to feel like I’m friends with all of you and I know that will come in time, but I wanted to introduce myself properly.  I am a freshman here at KNU and I have always enjoyed music and production, so in an ideal world I will be studying that while here.  Some of my favorite artists are Coldplay, NCT, Sam Smith, Macklemore, and of course Twice.  So, you’ll likely hear a lot of them while listening to the show!  If there’s anything else you want to know about me, please don’t hesitate to send me a message!  

Without further ado, let’s get back to the music.  I have a bunch of great songs lined up for this set including Bruno Mars, 2PM, and Imagine Dragons!”

~!~!~!~!~!~

“... and that was ‘Mirotic’ by TVXQ!.  And honestly, what a classic.  I admit that I do like some of the older K-pop, as it honestly did set the stage for K-pop as we know it today.  

I hope you are all doing well with your midterms!  I’ve been studying like crazy all day and all night.  I thought the studying I did in high school was intense, but it’s nothing like that!  I wish you all luck on your exam week!

We’re going to go into a quick break and then we’ll be back with your favorite segment: Secret Confessions!  

...

And we’re back!  You’re listening to me! DJ Bbokdi on 90.5 The Art out of Korea National University of Art.  Now it’s time for ‘Secret Confessions’ where you guys send me anonymous messages on Kakao or Instagram and I read them over the air!  Sometimes it’s nice to get it off your chest.  This segment has really taken off since I started the show a few weeks ago!  I’m so happy you guys like it.  It makes me feel so warm inside. 

Alright, first we have a confession from ‘In My Feels’.  Well, we’re already off to a good start!  They say: ‘I have had a crush on a boy in my class for the longest time and I feel like I’m in middle school all over again!  We’re not in the same group for a project and I don’t know if he feels the same.  I like him so much and I don’t know what to do.  Help!’

Oh, we’ve all been there, I think.  Honestly, it’s been so long since I’ve liked anyone like this so if anyone has any advice, please text it in and let’s see how we can help!  I would suggest just talking to them and maybe asking about a concept you’re talking about in class.  Make sure it’s something they seem to know a lot about.  That way you can get them talking easily.  It will make him feel good about being able to help you with something he knows a lot about and you feel good because you initiated an easy conversation.  

Next, I have a message from ‘Dog Days.’  They say:  ‘Yesterday it was my turn to walk the dog, but I was so tired from school that I paid my little brother to take the dog out instead while I took a nap.  My mother got home from work a while later and thanked me for taking the dog out, but I never did!  And I didn’t correct her.’

Wow, looks like you got away with it!  I bet that feels great to say.  Alright, let’s go ahead and play a song and we’ll be right back!

...

Welcome back!  Inspired by the first message, I played ‘The Feels’ by Twice and I am unashamed to say I was dancing a little in the studio.  It’s such a fun, high energy song and it always makes me feel warm when I listen to it.  

The next confession I have is from ‘Bbokie Fan’. They say:  ‘Sometimes I go through the radio archives and listen to your old shows to help me fall asleep.  Your voice is so warm and calming and I could listen for hours!’  Well, thank you!  Oh, that is so sweet of you to say!  I hope you’re sleeping in a cold room or something cause I think if you’re sleeping somewhere warm and my voice makes you warm it might... I dunno, make it too warm?  Well, anyway, you can look forward to more shows from me!  Maybe I’ll play a few quieter songs to help you sleep better. 

Next we’ll be hearing from ‘Rainbow’ who says:  ‘I want to get this off my chest and I think you might be my safest option.  I think I’m gay, and I don’t know how to tell my family.  I’ve never had a girlfriend and I don’t want one.  I’ve only ever liked boys, but I’ve never had a boyfriend.  I’m too scared to tell anyone who I truly am.’ 

Wow, I’m honored that you told me!  Of course, your secret is safe with me.  I’ll be honest in return.  I can go either way.  I’ve liked both girls and boys but I’ve never told anyone about the boys before.  Sorry to my friends who are just learning about this!  But I don’t think it’s anything to be ashamed of.  I think that if you don’t feel safe coming out to your family, wait until you are before saying anything.  I know it’s tempting to scream it to the world, but your safety is the most important thing.  I’m positive that one day you will find like minded people and you will find someone with whom you belong.

Oh, look.  It looks like I have time for one more song before I have to sign off.  Hmm... I wonder what I should play.  Just kidding, I pre plan my playlists.  Once again my name is DJ Bbokdi, thank you for listening to the show today!  This is ‘Viva la Vida’ by Coldplay!”

~!~!~!~!~!~

“Guys I am just floored with the support you’re giving me!  Just now my Instagram passed two thousand followers!  I never would have imagined my show getting so popular in less than a semester, but I am very happy it did! 

I have people saying they love the music I play, my advice, and how I sometimes whisper into the microphone.  My best friend always says I have a good voice for radio, so I’m glad to be putting it to good use.  I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for saying such wonderful things!

Anyway, in the last few minutes I’ve gotten a bunch of questions that I want to answer for you, so we’re switching gears a little bit!  I just got the question ‘do you have any pets?’ and the answer is unfortunately no.  I would love to adopt a little kitten or a puppy, but I am about to move in with a couple of my friends in an apartment that does not allow pets.  So maybe one day!  Until then, I satiate my desire to have a pet by going to dog and cat cafes to cuddle with them there! 

Someone also asked ‘What was your favorite memory from high school?’ and I had to think about it for a minute.  I had so many great memories in high school.  However, I would say this.  In my junior year I transferred schools and I was worried about fitting in, but right away I ran into an old friend from primary school and from there I met many of the guys I consider my best friends today.  So, I think I got lucky in that regard. 

Ah!  Sneaky!  Someone asked what my real name is!  I would have told you if I wanted you to know!  I know you’re all so curious, but part of the fun is the anonymity.  I know you all have so many more things you want to ask, but I’ve been talking forever.  So, I think it’s time to play a song! 

Honestly, I’ve been thinking about someone I knew in high school a lot.  I’ve been missing them and wondering where they ended up.  Whenever I think about high school I always think about this song.  I used to listen to it every day on the bus ride in.  It always motivated me to face the day, and I hope it can help you, too. 

This is ‘Amsterdam’ by Imagine Dragons. 

...

That last song we just heard was ‘Sugar We’re Goin Down’ by Fallout Boy.  Truly, what a classic.  I really like the era of music from about 2003 to 2010 with all of those boy bands like Fallout, Panic! At The Disco, Parachute... just to name a few.  

Gosh, you guys are swarming me with so many questions!  Today I’ve received more questions than confessions, so next week I’ll do an extra long confession segment and focus on questions today!  You know I love sharing my thoughts with you guys.

This one reads ‘What did you think of Ali Gatie’s last album?  Have you listened to it yet?’

Oh my gosh, of course I’ve listened to it!  One of the songs is on my playlist for next week.  I really think he has a unique take on...

...

... Which is why I think that is my favorite song off the album.  Oh boy, I didn’t mean to talk your ears off about that for so long!  We’re going to go through a quick little commercial break and then we’ll continue!

... 

Welcome back!  You are listening to “I Am Who?” with your favorite smooth-talking DJ Bbokdi!  For those of you just joining us, I’ve decided to mostly just answer questions today instead of doing confessions, so I’ll be reading only confessions next week! 

Just in, I got a very important question from number 3783, ‘Important! Please read!  Are you dating anyone?’ Oh!  Haha, I suppose I should have been expecting this question at some point.  To be honest, no.  I’ve gone on a few casual dates with people but I haven’t had a significant other since high school.  I haven’t been terribly interested in dating, since I’ve mostly just been focusing on University!

Next I have a question from number 8236 asking, ‘DJ Bbokdi, what is your number one hobby on the weekends?’

Oh this is an easy one!  Lately, when I have free time, I’ve been baking a lot!  Last weekend I got to try out this incredible banana bread recipe and...

~!~!~!~!~!~

             Welcome to the show!  You are listening to 90.5 The Art and I am DJ Bbokdi.  For today’s show, since earlier this semester I did a show all with questions and then later did one with all confessions, I figured we needed a show with all music.  

You see, finals week is almost upon us and I know we all have a lot of studying to do.   Myself included!  So I’ve come up with a great relaxing playlist filled with slow songs and some Lo-Fi stuff to help you focus.  I’ll pop in to say hello a few times, but for now let’s just enjoy the music! 

Admittedly, this playlist was inspired by someone who I miss and hold dear to my heart, and wherever they are, I hope this brings them a little slice of joy.  Our first song today is a favorite of theirs called ‘Kiss Me Slowly’ by Parachute.  A part of me always knew they were romantic!  

~!~!~!~!~!~

Welcome to the new semester at KNU!  My name is DJ Bbokdi and you’re listening to ‘I Am Who?’ on 90.5 The Art. 

Spring is in the air!  Well, kind of.  It’s still brutally cold since it’s only January but I’m honestly so excited because that means we only have two more months until cherry blossom season.  I long for the warm weather and sunny days.  I haven’t been on a decent bike ride in years so I hope to go this spring if I get the chance. 

This semester, I have a lot of great things lined up for the show and I hope you love them as much as I do!  This semester I’ll be incorporating some new things, like a mindfulness ASMR segment, where each show I’ll be reading out some phrases that will hopefully motivate you.  I also have a really exciting show planned for Valentine's Day, so please be thinking about questions and confessions you want to send to me!  If you send them now they’ll likely get lost, so just think about it and I’ll let you know when to send them!

Since it’s cold outside, I decided I wanted to share with you some warm and motivational songs to get you going.  It’s so easy to let that seasonal depression get you into a rut.  I get it, I’m the same way.  So hopefully today my show will make you feel a little bit better. 

This morning we’ll be starting off with ‘Like Ooh Aah’ from my favorite girl group, Twice!

...

Alright, that last song I played was ‘Red Flavor’ by Red Velvet.  This playlist is so warm and wholesome.  I hope that these songs are warming you up on this cold day.  I think it might snow later, so be careful wherever you’re headed!

~!~!~!~!~!~

Good morning and welcome to the [Show] Valentine’s Day special with me!  DJ Bbokdi!  Today’s show will be composed of love songs, love confessions, and a few questions from you guys!  Typically I avoid questions that get too personal, but I figured I would make an exception today since so many of you have been asking. 

Today, we’re going to start right off with a beautiful love song to start the show!  This is ‘No Other’ by Super Junior!  What a classic!

...

Alright, that last song was ‘For Life’ by Exo.  That winter tune made me tear up the first time I listened to it!  My roommates made fun of me for it, but I don’t care a bit.  It’s just so lovely and an incredible declaration of love.  

Speaking of declarations of love, we have some lined up for our anonymous confessions!  We have a really interesting one here from ‘Playing With Fire’.  He says, ‘I like my dance partner.  We’ve been paired together in our classes for the last two semesters and with every project I fall for her more and more.  She’s beautiful, funny, and talented, and I can’t believe we’ve been so lucky to work together for so long.  Luckily, I think our teachers see that we have chemistry, but I wonder if she sees it?’

Wow, you’ve got it bad, dude.  Still, she sounds great and I’m happy for you!  Hopefully you can get up the courage to confess.  If I were you, I’d at least wait until the end of the semester.  You don’t want ruined feelings to make things awkward!  

Next I have a confession from ‘Chipmunk’.  He says, ‘I’ve been with my girlfriend for two years now, but now I see that I don’t think I’ll ever want to be with anyone else.  I want to wait until after we graduate to propose, but I don’t know if I have that kind of self control!  I think we can wait that long.’

Oh, congratulations, Chipmunk!  That’s so exciting!  I hope that you can work with her to build a happy life together.  Wow, all of these messages coming in are so happy and warm, I wish I could read them all to you!  

Okay, last one before I play another song.  This one is from ‘Lovestruck’.  They say, ‘Mina-yah!  I like you!  If you like me back, meet me at our spot and accept my heart!’ 

How sweet!  Mina-ssi, I think this was very brave of them so I hope you can give them a chance!  Honestly, for me, it’s always so hard to confess to someone and I think I’ve let a lot of opportunities slip away because of it.  So if they’re brave enough to tell you, especially over the radio, I think you could give them a chance. 

Anyway, I’m going to play a few songs and go into a quick commercial break and I’ll be back in a few!  Starting us off on this set is ‘You Really Are Beautiful’ by Choi Nak Ta!

...

Welcome back to ‘I Am Who?’ with DJ Bbokdi!  For this Valentine’s Day special, I wanted to share a little more about myself.  In general, I like to keep my identity secret and only a few of my friends know about the show.  Especially now that the show is so popular, it’s just easier for me to keep my radio life and my school life separate.  But today, because you’re all so lovely and kind to me, I’ve decided to answer a few of the more intimate frequently asked questions. 

So!  For the first question many of you have asked: ‘Tell us about your first kiss?’.  Gosh, it was so long ago.  I couldn’t have been older than twelve or thirteen.  I remember I was at school, I went to a private Catholic school that was co-ed and one of the girls had a crush on me.  This is so embarrassing, but even though I didn’t like her back I agreed to kiss her.  So during lunch we went out to the yard and behind a tree and I gave her a little peck.  Only a few seconds.  It was so embarrassing I couldn’t talk to her for weeks!  

Her crush on me went away after that, so I don’t know what that says about my kissing skills.  I like to think they’ve improved but it’s not like anyone’s given me any feedback. 

Anyways!  The next one is... oh boy... ‘Who was your first love?’  This... this isn’t really an easy answer?  I had my first love in high school but we knew each other before.  She was incredible and pretty and, in hindsight, it was love at first sight.  But it took me a while to realize I liked her.  In any case, we weren’t close or anything and she liked someone else.  She was a piece of work though, but it was fun sometimes.  While I never confessed or anything, she made it extremely clear that she wanted nothing to do with me.  Last I knew of her, she got accepted into medical school so I haven’t seen her since graduation.  

I had a chat with all my friends the other day about this, actually.  It was nice to reminisce and think about all the lovely, positive things about my first love.  I don’t think I’ll ever see her again, but it’s nice to think about her and I genuinely hope she’s doing well.

Alright, last one before another break!  You guys wanted to know if I like anyone now and the answer is... not really?  I think I’m still hanging on to some residual feelings from my first love.  Those are kind of hard to forget, you know?  But anyways, maybe one day I’ll find someone I like.  In the meantime, I have you guys!  

Okay, for the next song I wanted to play some K.Will, a true romantic classic...

~!~!~!~!~!~

...

And that was ‘You Were Beautiful’!  I’ve been listening to a lot of Day6 recently.  I don’t know why, but their songs always hit the spot.  The instrumentals are incredible and the lyrics are always so powerful.  Honestly, I don’t know why I haven’t listened to them more.  I used one of their songs as my first song last year, but at the time I hadn’t listened to much else, but I’m glad I listen to them now!  One of my... um, friends, kind of... put me onto them indirectly and now I can’t get enough!  They honestly don’t have a bad song, if I’m being honest...

I hope that these slower songs have been helping you prepare for midterms this week!  I have literally three exams on Friday and I’m tired already.  My wrist is killing me from all the writing and the revision I’ve been doing.  I think I’ll do well, but who knows.  I just hope I won’t fall asleep during my exam.  Anyway, enough talking from me.  I wanna make sure my voice is rested for the ASMR Affirmation segment here in a few songs!  

This next one is from another artist I’ve only recently started listening to.  You guys all know how much of a connoisseur of good music I am, so I always love discovering new music.  I came across this completely by chance and I wanted to share it with you.  This is a great track from LOONA, a group who is admittedly new to me.  This is from their album [12:00], ‘Fall Again’...

...

Alright, the last song in that set was [Song] and while I’m loving all of these great songs, it’s time for ASMR Affirmations. 

If you’re just joining the show for the first time, my friends all tell me I have a really nice, deep voice for doing stuff like this.  Since I’m too embarrassed to release a proper ASMR Youtube series or something, I decided to do it in small bursts to work up my confidence.  Since the theme of my show is generally positive, I want to share warm affirmations with you to help you get through the day.  Without further ado, here we go, I’m going to whisper into the mic...

Today I will get everything done that I need to, and even if I don’t, tomorrow is another day.  

I wake up every day and I do my best. 

I am deliberate and afraid of nothing. 

I am here for a reason and I will see it through to the end. 

Failure is just another way to learn how to do the right thing. 

You all are going so amazing on your exams and I am so proud of you for sticking it out even though it is hard.  

Your dreams await you.

...

~!~!~!~!~!~

Thank you for tuning into [Show] with your favorite DJ, Bbokdi!  I’m so thrilled to be back this semester!    

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is an absolutely GORGEOUS day to start the new semester.  Last year just whizzed right by and I can’t believe I’m already a sophomore!  Honestly, I think the fall semester is often my favorite.  Starting the semester when it's warm outside and the energy is high is my favorite.  I have some great classes lined up this semester and I have some huge projects I’m working on and, honestly, I’m just loving my youth right now.  

This show will continue on as it has.  I will share my favorite songs, your confessions, answer questions, and do some warm affirmations to start your day!  This morning, I’m just so excited so I want to start off with a bright, warm song that I’ve been obsessed with to get the mood right for the morning.  This is ‘Shivers’ by Ed Sheeran, featuring Sunmi and Jessi!

...

And that was ‘The Way I Am’ by Charlie Puth!  Hopefully, these songs are giving you the energy to start the day!  I’ve been really motivated the last few days, so I want to share it with you!  These songs have really inspired me recently.  

I want to jump into a few of your confessions because I have some great ones that you guys sent in this morning.  This is one from number ‘6348’:

‘I just moved away from my family to go to school here and follow my dream.  They all said I would regret it, but I don’t.  In fact, I don’t even miss them.  I’ve never felt more at home.’

Oh wow, I’m so excited for you!  It’s hard, I get that.  My family and I moved to Seoul so my sisters and I could get a good education, but over the summer they moved back home to be closer to my grandparents.  I miss them, but I know I belong here.  So, maybe it’s not exactly the same but we’re definitely in a similar boat.  I am so excited that you’re following your dreams!  Here’s a confession from number ‘8234’:

‘I have a huge crush on my best friend but I’m so afraid to say anything and mess it up!  We’re so compatible but for some reason, I can’t seem to take that extra step.  I don’t want to ruin a good thing.’

I think we’ve all been there, Friend.  At least, I have.  I had a crush on my best friend when I was a freshman in high school I think?  Anyways, I’m sorry you’re going through a tough time and I hope you can figure out what to do!  If it gets too bad, I would consider talking to your friend and seeing what you can do to keep up a healthy relationship.  Remember: communication is key!

Alright, last one for the day, we have a message from number ‘0392’:

‘I’ve been studying pretty much every day for years because my parents want me to succeed, but my secret is that I hate it.  I don’t want to study for a while and just live my life.  I barely was able to convince them to let me come to KNU but even now they want me to be the top student.  I feel like my life has been completely taken over by textbooks and exams and I don’t see an end in sight... I feel so burned out.’

Oh wow, I’m sorry to hear that.  Studying is hard and I am so proud of you for sticking with it even though you hate it.  I hope that soon you can take a break or talk to your parents about letting you take a break.  If you really have worked this hard, you deserve to take a rest.  Now that I think about it, I had a friend, I say friend... she didn’t like me, but anyway, she was like this.  She studied so much our senior year and she got so many nosebleeds from the stress.  My friend, you need to prioritize your health above all else.  That is what truly matters. 

Also, this is your youth!  You will never get these years back and it is so important for you to make the most of it and live your life to the fullest.  I know that’s easier said than done but sometimes that just means closing your book and drinking your tea or coffee in silence, or sitting down and listening to your favorite song a million times, or going for a walk.  

I believe in you!

...

Alright, that’s about all I have for the day, I have to get to class here soon.  We listened to some great music and I have just posted my playlist on Twitter!  Before I wrap up, I want to take care of some housekeeping!

As of tomorrow, I will be changing my Twitter handle to something a little more fitting so keep an eye open for that and...

...”

~!~!~!~!~!~

“GOOD MORNING?  EARTH to Cha Eunbyeol!”  Jiho tugged lightly at the earbud cord dangling from her best friend’s ear.  

The girl in question sighed happily as she stared out across the bustling and busy quad.  The sun warmed her skin and her favorite radio show warmed her heart.  Jiho’s nagging was pure background noise as DJ Bbokdi whispered his final few affirmations of the day into her ear.  His rich, smooth voice covered her like warm chocolate and she sighed again.  Jiho rolled her eyes and muttered something Eunbyeol couldn’t hear, but it didn’t matter.  Not when Bbokdi was talking.  Who cared about anything else?

Her sophomore year at KNU was already off to a good start.  Eunbyeol’s dance class yesterday went perfectly and she was aptly paired with her favorite dance partner for their final project.  The other kids protested, knowing they would get a good grade that way but their professor pretended not to notice.  She and Hwang Hyunjin met in her first dance class in college last year, and while they weren’t partners right away, they hit it off swimmingly.  They helped each other with their routines and with the choreography their professor had them memorize.  Then, during the spring semester they finally got paired together properly for a project and sparks flew.  No other dance partner had ever complimented her the way he had.  His dance style was distinct and skillful and Eunbyeol wondered why he even needed to take dance classes in the first place.  

Eunbyeol only just barely managed to convince her parents that KNU was the place for her to be, and not Seoul National University.  Human anatomy and organic chemistry didn’t interest her in the slightest, so she had to go after something she liked.  No one except her was surprised when she got accepted into the school.  She, Jiho, and Jisung all got their letters on the same day and they met in the library of their high school to open them.  Eunbyeol, somehow, was lucky enough to get just enough of a scholarship to convince her parents. 

And the rest was history. 

She got good grades, had amazing friends, an adorable apartment with Jiho not far from campus, a perfect dance partner, and the warmest radio show to help her through the week.  DJ Bbokdi rambled on about something that happened to him earlier this week and she chuckled at the anecdote but finally noticed Jiho pointing at her watch. 

“What?”  Eunbyeol tugged an earbud out of her ear. 

“Don’t you have class?”

“Yeah, I have Fundamentals of Acting of all things at noon, but that’s not for a while.”  Eunbyeol waved it off and went to put the earbud back in, but Bbokdi’s voice was rudely cut off by the shrill ringing of her phone.  Hyunjin’s handsome profile picture popped up on her phone, alerting her of a call.  It was a sweet picture they took together back in March during cherry blossom season.  The pair of them smiled into the camera and Eunbyeol could forgive the interruption.  “What’s up, Jinnie?”

“Where the fuck are you?”  Hyunjin’s airy voice hissed into the phone and Eunbyeol jumped.  

“What do you mean?  I’m in the quad waiting for class?”

“We agreed to meet at the theater building so we could go in together and get a better chance at being partners for the semester.”  Hyunjin’s pout could be heard through the phone. 

“Yeah, and I’m going to go!  Class isn’t for an hour.”

“You idiot!  It’s literally 11:55 right now.  Don’t tell me you were listening to that stupid radio show of yours again.” 

“What!  It’s not stupid!  DJ Bbokdi really gets me!  Today he played like three songs I’ve been obsessed with recently.  Besides, I won’t be late, it’s only-”  Eunbyeol checked the time on her phone.  “Fuck!”

“I’m never going to speak to you again if I have to be stuck with some random person for the entire semester.”

“I thought Minho was taking this class, too?”  Eunbyeol scrambled to gather her things, shoving her papers and books into her backpack unceremoniously while Jiho watched on. 

“He had to switch out for his stage managing practicum.  I think I have another friend who agreed to take it, but I don’t know if he got in!  If that’s the case, I don’t want either of us to be stuck with some rando.”  Hyunjin whined. 

“Bye, Jiho-yah!  I’ll see you at home!”  Eunbyeol called to her friend, ignoring the ‘I told you so’ eyeroll that she was so famous for.  “Relax, I’m on my way, I’ll be there soon.”

“It’s 11:56 now!  If you’re late you owe me dinner.  You’d better run!”  

With nothing else, Hyunjin ended the call and Eunbyeol wasted no time in picking up the pace.  While running she quickly navigated to the radio station app to see if Bbokdi ended his show yet.  She fumbled as she ran, cussing under her breath the entire time.  Eunbyeol shoved the earbud into her ear just in time to hear the last ten seconds. 

“That’s it for me today, my friends!  Be sure to tune into [Show] next week!  Same time, same place.  Now, I have to get to class.  See you later!”

“Damn it...”  Eunbyeol muttered, racing past the student center without getting the chance to peer in and see if she could see the mastermind at the switchboard. 

Eunbyeol stumbled onto the radio show quite by accident.  In her first semester, she’d found Jiho listening to it one day because Jisung recommended it to her.  Something about DJ Bbokdi just made her heart all warm and before she knew it, she found herself listening every single week.  He had the perfect voice for radio, smooth and enticing.  And he was friendly and loving and such a wonderful person, truly the whole package.  It was no wonder that most of the girls she met on campus always had something to say about DJ Bbokdi and his beautiful voice and beautiful personality.  Surely, with a voice like that, he had to be good-looking.

The idea of being ‘just another fangirl’ was abhorrent and Eunbyeol winced at the mere thought.  She wanted to be his friend somehow.  He’d read a few of her confessions on-air and answered a question or two, but for some reason, it wasn’t enough.  It didn’t feel like he was talking to her.  Not exactly.  

Eunbyeol couldn’t tell if the warmth in her chest was from the show this morning or the physical exertion of running down the path toward the theater building.  She’d only agreed to take this stupid class for Hyunjin, who wanted it as one of his electives outside of his majors.  The idiot was enrolled for two bachelor’s degrees and still found time to take asinine acting classes and he convinced her to do it with him.  She needed a few electives herself, so she agreed.  But... it wasn’t the only reason. 

Her heart pounded as she made her way closer and closer to the building.  She could see it, but he wasn’t standing outside.  Hyunjin must have gone inside to secure a partner.  The professor for this class did the same thing many professors did.  They stuck you with a partner for a semester-long project where you had to equally contribute towards a mutual goal.  It’s how she and Hyunjin got close, and how they wanted to stay close.  Hyunjin was the perfect partner for her and she for him.  It was no wonder why he wanted her to take this class with him.  He didn’t want to be stuck with someone potentially unreliable.  With that thought, Eunbyeol sped up. 

Her phone pinged with a message and she winced, eyeing the preview on her screen as she ran.  Hyunjin wasn’t going to wait for her to be late.  Eunbyeol’s heart sank at the idea of running up to the building without seeing Hyunjin on the stairs.  The only reason she ever liked being late was getting to see him waiting for her.  She wished she could see that today:  Hyunjin’s slender form leaning against a wall or a pillar and swiping aimlessly through his phone before looking up at her and smiling.  She couldn’t decide what she would have missed more.  The end of her radio show or her gorgeous best friend. 

[Jinnie: Professor Min is beginning to dish out partners as a way of taking attendance.  She hasn’t even read the syllabus yet.  You’d better hurry!]

A new text from Hyunjin made her lungs claw for breath.  Eunbyeol cussed under her breath as she started up the stairs toward the building.  The theater building was tall and made of pristine glass.  In the evenings, you could look in and see the sparkling chandeliers and ivory marble floors.  Her senior showcase would be performed on the expansive stage and just the thought made the hair on the back of her neck stand to attention.  She longed to leap and twirl on the hardwood under the lights.  

She didn’t have time to stop and peer into the hall to appreciate the stage like she normally did.  Eunbyeol wanted to dance there more than anything.  Well, except for maybe getting to class on time. 

[Jinnie:  Just listen to your stupid radio show in the building next time... you’re too whipped for that guy.]

She would have to tell him off for that later.  She didn’t have enough brain power to come up with a comeback, but thankfully she could give Hyunjin an earful after class.  She wasn’t that whipped. 

Eunbyeol gratefully rounded the corner and was glad to see the door to her classroom open.  A few students hurried up and down the hallway to get to their respective classes, so at least she wasn’t alone.  A boy several feet ahead of her slipped into her classroom and her heart swelled with a moment of camaraderie.  At least she wouldn’t be the only one late to class.  She glanced quickly at her watch to find that she was only three minutes late, so she might still be able to be partners with Hyunjin.  Eunbyeol wasn’t sure she could survive this semester being partnered with anyone else.  

“I’m sorry, Professor!”  Eunbyeol gasped as she threw herself into the brightly lit classroom.  She doubled over to suck in some deep breaths.  “I lost track of time, please forgive me-”

“Look at that!  It looks like you won’t have to be in a group of three.  We’re back to an even number in the class!”  Professor Min exclaimed, clasping her hands together.  

Eunbyeol slowly straightened out and glanced through the room, her eyes finding Hyunjin as naturally as looking towards the light.  Hyunjin sat near the back by the window and he stared at her with wide eyes.  His jet-black hair was about as long as his chin but pulled back tastefully out of his eyes with a white ribbon.  A few stray stands fell out to frame his slim face.  His features were soft and elf-like, with a strong jawline and cheekbones but handsome eyes and lips.  His thick eyebrows were furrowed together and he mouthed a few words at her through the classroom.  She knew him well enough at this point to tell what he was saying. 

“Where the hell were you, what happened?”  

“Lost track of time!  Who is that?”

Eunbyeol gestured vaguely to the random boy on Hyunjin’s left.  He glanced over before scowling at Eunbyeol.  She didn’t need to be told that the random kid was Hyunjin’s partner.  She hoped he at least saved her a seat.  Eunbyeol knew he’d be mad, but they’d have to talk about it after class.

“Oh, okay!”  A voice at the front of the room exclaimed and Eunbyeol’s attention was ripped rather rudely from her best friend. 

The boy who had slipped into the room before her stood at the front of the room by the professor.  He wore a black hoodie, strange for the middle of August, and a black cap that had tufts of blond hair sticking out the bottom.  His backpack sagged but his shoulders were straight and showed no strain from the weight.  Something about him struck her as familiar, but she couldn’t seem to place him. 

“Student?  What is your name?”  Professor Min, a tall and lithe woman with a long ponytail down her back, once again brought Eunbyeol’s attention back into the room. 

“Ah... I’m Cha Eunbyeol.”  she introduced herself with a deep bow, missing how the boy at the front tensed up the moment she spoke her name. 

“Welcome Cha Eunbyeol!  Please find a place to sit with your partner!  Ah, please introduce yourselves.”

Eunbyeol rose back up just in time to have her world completely turned upside down.  The blond boy turned around to greet her, his handsome face melting into a satisfied smirk that she knew all too well.  She never thought in a million years that she would see him again after high school and, in fact, was banking on it.  She wanted to forget her entire relationship with him but somehow, fate had brought them together again.  She supposed it was her fault for not paying a lick of attention to him after the music video shoot before their senior year.  How could she have known they chose the same goddamn university?

The boy took a step towards her and held his hand out to her.  He stuffed his free hand into the pocket of his hoodie.  Blond hair poked out of the cap he wore from all angles, curling around the back of his neck and flaring out around his perfectly shaped almond eyes.  She almost wouldn’t have recognized him with the longer blond hair if she wasn’t hyper-aware of so many other parts of him.  His soft hands, plush lips, perfectly angular nose and those beautiful freckles scattered along his cheeks.

If it wasn’t for his signature smirk and the obnoxious nickname he called her, she might not have recognized him at all.  When he spoke, Eunbyeol’s jaw dropped and she found herself stuck to her place on the floor.  His voice somehow got even lower and it reverberated through her and went right to the empty space between her legs.    

“Hello, nice to meet you, Sweetheart.”  He whispered the name under his breath so just she could hear it.  “I’m Lee Felix.  Let’s get along, shall we?”

Oh no... he got hot.  Really, really hot.

~!~!~!~!~!~

EUNBYEOL TRIED TO pay attention to the syllabus in front of her, but she’d heard all of the boring stuff before.  The professor droned on about things like classroom policy, school policy, and plagiarism for several minutes and Eunbyeol convinced herself that was why she wasn’t paying attention.  

Same shit, different day.  

Same shit, same guy, different day... different school.  Eunbyeol’s jaw set as the thought about the unbelievably hot blond-haired boy sitting next to her.  Thankfully, Hyunjin put his backpack on the seat to his right so she could sit there.  

Hwang Hyunjin:  Her dance partner, the most beautiful man she’d ever seen, her best friend, her crush.  Whenever she saw him her heart leaped into her throat and she couldn’t believe that he actually liked her too.  Even if he didn’t like her in a romantic sense, he liked her enough to hang out with her all the time and seek out being her partner for class projects.  In fact, aside from Jiho, Eunbyeol thought she spent most of her time with Hyunjin and he spent most of his time with her.  Not only that, but he was the best dance partner she’d ever had in her life.  It was almost movie-like and stereotypical how well they worked with each other, most of the time predicting the other’s moves way before they did them. 

“It’s your fault we’re like this.”  Hyunjin leaned over to whisper in her ear. 

“I know!”  Eunbyeol wanted to scream, but she kept her voice as a harsh whisper.  “You don’t have to remind me.”

“I would have been happy with either of you but now I have neither?  Ridiculous.”  Hyunjin rolled his eyes and leaned away, leaving Eunbyeol to wonder what he meant.  She didn’t have time to ask before the professor finally spoke up about the project. 

“Alright, and now the project!”  Professor Min began.  “You’ll see the details in the syllabus, but here’s the gist.  Your final project will be a pair scene that we work on all semester.  You have a couple of weeks to read a bunch of scenes and one-acts.  Ideally, your performance will be between ten and twenty minutes.  By the third week of class you will have chosen a scene with your partner, by midterms you will perform it once for the class and we will spend a few weeks workshopping each piece.  Then, your final exam will be performing your piece at a showcase in the Black Box theater.”

“Oh god, are you sure you wanna take this class?”  Eunbyeol whispered to Hyunjin, swallowing the lump in her throat.  

“Of course I do.  Come on, it’ll be fine!”  He responded with a glint in his eye.

“In the meantime, while you all are working on your scenes, you will be doing weekly exercises with your partner.”  Professor Min continued and the class groaned at her words.  Everyone except... Lee fucking Felix.  “These exercises will be in the most important thing you can have with anyone: trust.  We will be doing various trust-building exercises in class and out of class for the next sixteen weeks.  Every week I expect you to complete one of them and submit a reflection by Sunday at 11:59 pm.  While I have some plans for in-class things, there is also a list of things you could do with your partner on the syllabus.  There are more than sixteen so you are welcome to do more than that for a few points of extra credit.  By the way, that will be the only extra credit I offer this semester.  With that, let’s get into the grade breakdown...”

Eunbyeol flipped through to the page that listed all of the things she would have to do.  Her eyes widened at the extensive list and nausea bubbled up within her at the thought of doing these things with Lee Felix.  Hold hands for thirty minutes... stare into each other's eyes for twenty minutes...  cook a meal together... read to each other...

What is this bullshit?

She glanced over at Felix who, like her, was perusing the list.  However, he had a delighted smile plastered onto his soft features, making his eyes sparkle in the bright natural light.  Felix, the last person Eunbyeol expected to see much less be paired with, looked over at her and balanced his chin with the palm of his hand.  He smiled warmly at her.  Her heart flip-flopped in her chest.

How obnoxious... ly hot.

“Alright, class.  I am going to pass out your first pair assignment now.”  Professor Min handed a stack of paper to a student in the front, who took one and passed it down.  “On this page, there are three questions you’re going to ask your partner.  Simple things, nothing too much.  Write down their answers and on the back write a brief paragraph about first impressions.  Once you’re done, you can leave for the day and we will start learning about genres in the next class.  If you have any questions let me know.”

The room burst into conversation immediately.  Eunbyeol glanced over at Hyunjin to see about talking to him instead of her partner, but he seemed to be invested in his.  Eunbyeol then turned to look at Felix, who was already looking her up and down with an obnoxiously perfect smile on his face.  Slowly, Felix leaned forward to whisper in her ear, sending chills down her spine involuntarily. 

“I can’t wait to work on this project with you!  I’m sure we’ll have a great time.”  Felix shot her a wink and she scowled in response. 

“As if!”

“Come on, it’s the perfect chance to catch up.  We haven’t seen each other since high school!”

“Yes, and there is a very good reason for that.”  Eunbyeol hissed.

“Here-”  Felix produced a pen out of his bag and leaned over to scribble something on her syllabus.  She tried to wrench her papers away from him, but his veiny hand kept them in place effortlessly.  “When you decide you’d like to do well in this class, shoot me a text.  Or, actually... you should give me your number, you probably won’t text me first.”  

“What?”  Eunbyeol blinked in surprise when Felix tilted his pen toward her and moved his syllabus closer. 

“Sweetheart, like I’m sure you’re thinking right now, we’re stuck doing this together.  Some of these dumb exercises are things we have to pre-plan, so we should talk about what we want to do.  If you won’t give it to me, I’ll just get it from Hyunjin.”  Felix rolled his eyes, taking a page from the stack handed to him before offering it to her.  She took a page and passed it over her shoulder to Hyunjin.  She didn’t miss how Hyunjin’s long fingers brushed over her own.  “God, these questions are dumb.  Let’s get this over with.”

“Fuck this,”  Eunbyeol muttered, grabbing a pen from her backpack.  She leaned over and wrote her digits on his paper before huffing and looking at the page.  After reading the questions, she glanced up at Felix. 

In high school, his eyes seemed to shimmer in the light and it was no different now.  However, it was somewhat reassuring that he wasn’t exactly thrilled to see her either.  On that, at least, Eunbyeol knew they could agree.  Felix rolled his eyes, leaned back in his chair, and read off the first question to her.  He ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek in annoyance.  He glanced over the page at her and heaved a sigh. 

Why is he hot even when he’s mad?!

“This is gonna be a long fucking semester, isn’t it?”

~!~!~!~!~!~

“Student Name: Cha Eunbyeol.

Partner Name:  Lee Felix 

Question 1: Why are you taking this class?

Answer:  My (our?) best friend asked him to take it.  It’s not in his major, but he said he didn’t want to be alone.  They’re not partners now so I guess it didn’t work out. 

Question 2: Three interesting facts about yourself?

Answer:  One... He likes nutella toast way too much, I think it’s a problem.  Two, he’s a music production major.  Three, his favorite color is black.

Question 3:  What is it that you hope to get out of this class?

Answer:  Of course, he said friendship.  He loves meeting new people and learning new things and he really thinks that this class will help him to learn how to develop relationships and work with difficult people to work towards a common goal.

Reflection:  Professor, PLEASE let me switch partners.  If anyone else is unhappy with their partner, I will HAPPILY switch with them.  I know all of this is about trust but I wouldn’t even trust Lee Felix to spell his own name correctly, much less do the work.  I do not like him and I don’t think we will be a good fit for this project.  I’m scared of what will happen if I’m associated with him.  What if... what if I don’t hate him?”

“Wow, Eunbyeol-ssi, it sounds like you have to learn to trust people a little more!  The fact that you and him seem to clash is the exact reason I do this project every semester.  Stick it out and all will be well!  -Professor Min”

“Student Name:  Lee Felix

Partner Name:  Cha Eunbyeol

Question 1:  Why are you taking this class?

Answer:  Her best friend (also my best friend! Small world!) Hyunjin wanted her to take it so they could be partners for the project.  They actually work well together.  Also... this fills an elective requirement. 

Question 2:  Three interesting facts about yourself?

Answer:  One: She hates the color black, she prefers blue.  Two: She’s at KNU on a scholarship and if she drops this class, she’ll probably lose it.  So, lucky for me Eunbyeol is stuck here. Three:  She really likes to dance.  (I knew that already, but she wouldn’t change her answer.) 

Question 3:  What is it that you hope to get out of this class:

Answer:  She hopes to get out of this class alive.  (Sorry, she didn’t give me a better answer before she left.)

Reflection:  Honestly, we knew each other in high school but she hasn’t changed much.  She likes things done her way and she really doesn’t like me.  Unfortunately for her, I think she’s great and I’m super excited to get to work with her on this.  I really hope that some of these trust exercises will help bring us a little closer together.  If anything, I just want to be her friend.  Chances are, she’ll be dramatic about it for a few weeks and then she’ll do it.”

“Felix-ssi, you have your hands full!  Normally I wouldn’t share this, but she asked to switch partners.  If things were bad, I would allow it.  However, it sounds to me like you really care for her and you want to put in the work to do the project and to build your relationship with Eunbyeol.  I’ll be rooting for you! -Professor Min”

[wyrmskulls]

I havnt recovered from the Caz fight yet. BUT

here are some genuine thoughts on Astarion from my- knew nothing of baldurs gate before playing run: (from me the Ace with no sense of self preservation)

"Oh great a sexy vamp man- bet friend XYX is all over that, they are romanceable, right? like dragon age?"🧛‍♂️

".... that 'don't touch me' sounded too real.... hope im wrong"

" I mean if we are cool with Shar worshippers and devil pacts why not a vamp, join the club buddy."

"he is a cagey little fuck I think I'll go after him this play through love his little faces"

"I'm not into pain, thinking this was a bad choice" chains and whips to not excite Tav XD

"I mean maybe it's the years of slavery and not sexual trauma???" 🙏

"noooo, I mean of course the sexy vamp wants to fuck, I probly have to- to get more of his story...." proceed to worry stupidly about unskippable sex scenes and noises for no reason (you can press x any time to get to the next thing / dialog)

get propositioned again at party.... "maybe this relationship won't work out, he's way to thirsty least there wasn't another sex scene lol dun worry buddy, I'll help you murder that guy that hurt you, just can't keep up with the horny XD"

"so I just feed him bad guys and tell him he is pretty? yup that checks out"

act 2

Start working on wyll, he seems like a cool guy... "whoa bud, is this you first romance scene.... by saying yes to a dance... feels icky cause I know sex happens at some point, like some entitled jerk at a bar, least astarion was real upfront about it" ( in hind sight this was unfair to wyll, but everyone was being so horny and the only scene I had was astarions so I drew some incorrect conclusions with wyll being a 'good guy' asshole)

"I mean we has evidence that deals with devils are bad.... or is it demons... anyways I support you in a friend way, getting raphel to Facebook stalk your abuser to make sure he not still pineing after you is OK with me."

Got his Act 2 scene "OHNooooooo I was right it was a sexual trauma 'don't touch me....' ohhhh noooooo. he didn't wanna fuck either????? baby boy, you never gotta sex again if you dun wanna, we can hug forever!" cried a while ngl

"look here blood witch- no means no, if your house wasn't destroyed, I'd destroy it myself."😈

"i mean he said he kills kids, so it's ok to kill him, then raphy boy will tell us if you back is bad news or really bad news <3"

"It's really bad news..... so no big astarion lover of cuddles l, will help you kill the guy who ruined your life. that's what romantic partners do. we kiss and nothing else and I will murder people to keep doing that <3" pondering an evil play through honesly

"he was so upset when Tav died in battle.... like doesn't he know rez scrolls are a thing? it's ok Tavs gonna live forever.... not sure how we will figuer that out" researches dnd lore to find several solutions XD

"Gale bud. friend. pal. I care about you and your life. your ex is shitty for asking you to do this, but also if you do blow up you'll take us all with you.... and even if you don't, #1 priority over there will be back under vamp thrall so this is a no go, put your shirt back on."🙃

act 3

found a cliff in the camp before act 3 with a song that made me cry again it is for sure astarions "wtf dude I was emotionally stable now what have you done"

"circus lady, here are all my loves deepest secrets- oh no she's a shapeshifter???? oops, it's ok love we will kill her too why not" No one can know how hurt you are but meeeeeee 😋

"a statue of my boyfriend in camp don't mind if I do~☆ aww now he has a halo so everyone can see he is a good boy who totally doesn't cause me to murder people and would never murder anyone himself" 😇

"Astarion NO, we are not gonna kill a bunch of other spawn just cause you are scared. I get it, and you don't have time for therapy but trust me that not gonna feel great in a few hundred years"

"ooooo blood bitch is back and you fucked up. look at this boy standing up for himself - yes that's right take us to your private house so we can kill you at our leisure.... man oh man I used to have morals now I got Astarion."

*****

and now I'm tired XD

[inprogresswriter]

Warning: Rambling and shitty grammar ahead

When you're a writer and have no idea what to write for your story but you know you want

Monsters

Like I want a monster romance like I am craving it and wish to write it but the big question is which fricking monster

We got:

Werewolves

Vampires

Gorgons

Fae (General idea nothing solid)

Demons

Revenant

Divine beings

Animal hybrids

Merfolk

Eldritch Abomination

Don't wanna do vampires cause they feel overdone but also vampires are amazing when done right like Alucard in Castlevania I'm crying tears of joy although he's a Dhampire. But you get the idea less Twilight more Castlevania like but I also like the ideas of Vampires just being absolute little shits like they are immortal bored and need to stir shit up ironically its the non immortal who has their shit together

We love a chaotic King/Queen/Royal

Werewolves are amazing, like I love them and their potential, but I feel they aren't presented well, or maybe I haven't found a good one yet I like. Like they are more than buff jocks like come on, just like how vampires are not just emo rich dudes who sip wine in their castle. Like why can't I have a smart werewolf rat king who could bring the end of the world. Or a werewolf who just wants to find their soulmate but has horrible luck or a werewolf who's trying to get accustomed to a life away from their huge family.

Potential here like I would read this or maybe write this but will I really or will this fall down the abyss known as stuff I'll do later(never). Less Jacob imprinting on a child (baby?) and more Bigby from Wolf Amoung Us (Anyone excited for Wolf Amoung us 2) gotta love the rough but caring detective.

Gorgons oh how I love you. I love gorgons Ok like sexy snake lady who could snap me in half sign me up. She's more snake then human even better I'm not picky. This is spawned from my love for snakes and the story of Medusa just kills me everytime I'm also a slut for greek mythology.

A matriarchal society of snake ladies who turn people to stone but make it a royal who's possibly trans Male and is trying to find themselves in a race which is 90% female but they are still proud of their culture and race and is ofc a Feminist. The gorgons are kinda confused but try their best they have the spirit like they are hissy with everyone else but with their own kind they are open and relaxed.

(First time making a meme)

Also you can be a race of badass women and still not hate men like I don't really get it like you can be all for womens being strong without shitting on other genders.

Now Fae is an interesting on since its a huge category. We got like fairies, pixies, elves etc they are amazing BUT not really my jam like don't get me wrong love elves like Fenris my sweet love but elves are done to death and are kinda bland Dragon Age actually doesn't do too bad with Fenris story being really interesting but also making me want to headbutt a wall (Fuck you Denarius). Love me fairies and pixies and no disrespect to those who adore them but they are just not me cup of iced tea (too hot for tea).

Now Demons/Cambions on the other hand are something I find cool I swear I'm not a cultist. Like for example Hellboy is my jam (although he is a Cambion), Damien and Dhalia from Monster Prom etc. Like Demon characters with a soft side. I'm just not sure how to fit them but I want them in just not sure how. Demon literally fist fight and burn to their goals if only I could too.

Now Revenants are a special place in my heart (I swear I have not done anything illegal). Since one of my favourite movies is The Crow with Brandon Lee and I just love the idea of someone coming back to life getting revenge on those who wronged them like yesss. Like forgiving people and kissing and making up sometimes isn't enough and murder is indeed the answer. On a similair note its one of the reason's I adore Jason Todd although he isn't a revenant he was still ressurected and mentally fucked consumed with anger and revenge.

Seriously though Joker really needs to die like Batman doesn't need to do it but like doesn't America still have the death penalty so like why hasn't he been executed yet for fucks sake.

But seriously if we can't agree on whether Joker should be killed can we at least agree Jason deserves better (all of them deserve better) although I am on the fence with Batman sometimes he can be an ass.

Moving on while I am all for stories of chasing revenge I want a story where they find a way to exist despite this like try get revenge and it consumes them so their found family helps then gain revenge but doesn't let it consume them if that makes sense. I'm a sucker for found family the Bulls Chargers with The Iron Bull and Krem destroys me.

Divine beings I'm talking Gods/Goddesses, Spirits and basically anything which is immortal but not dead in someway or spawned in Hell. Now I have mentioned before I love Greek mythology so you bet your perfect ass I am a fan of stories of Gods with mortals (cosentually being the key)so Apollo and Hyacinthus 100%, Euridice and Orpheus, Rauru and Sonia defo and by some people's opinions Icarus and the Sun God/Titan (Apollo or Helios). But I do like romances amoung immortals themselves Hades and Persphone Hell yess any romance with Zeus and Poseidon get in the bin.

Now when I say Animal hybrid I do not mean Furries I mean creatures who look human with animalistic features for example Satyrs, Fauns, Tengu, Kitsune, Centaurs but also characters like Catra who are more human looking with some animal like features and behaviour I mean idk why but I love these type of creatures maybe because it forces us to create new things for them for example Avian creatures need different clothing depending on the shaping of their wings or more hairy animal hybrids need help with shedding and personal grooming. It gives a lot of opportunities for creativity.

Merfolk which maybe a bit of an unpopular opinion idk it's kinda bland wait let me explain. Merfolk much like elves are pretty standard and often are a copy past of eachother you know the beautiful mermaid who probably sings and looks like she belongs on a L'Oréal advert. Which is OK but like something different like gimme some variation also while I know sirens originally where supposed to be these bird like ladies I do like the more fish like version personally I am considering it but only if I cam figure how to make it interesting.

Leaving the best for last we have an eldritch abomination. (Seriously I swear I don't have a cult). Which to be fair I have no idea how to even explain this which is pretty on brand tbf if tentacles, lots of eyes and random gaping maws plus selling your sanity for love is your jam then here you are. A lover who you will go crazy for literally. While I love the idea again much like demons I have no idea where to begin cause let's be honest Chaos from Hades is Gender but they are also hot. Ik technically they are a god sort off but they give me big eldritch vibes and I'm here for it also their chaos so it makes.

Although what better way to understand Eldritch horrors then with reading Lovecraftian novels I kid you not they scare me but also hot hmmm I mean life already makes me feel insane minds well be benefiting from it amiright

But also

Anywho I'm gonna keep digging although tumblr is giving me appreciation for monsters I had not yet considered