#Can't wait for people to post about getting theirs as well

[drinzen]

R A N D A L

[thedexcat]

VotV Speculation Megapost

(For posterity's sake, the latest major release is 0.8) (Also, buckle in. This post is a long one.) (Edit 9/20/24: Added Addendum 1) (Edit 10/14/24: Added Addendum 2) It should be extremely obvious, but spoilers ahead.

As we all know, Voices of the Void has a "story breadcrumbs" approach to its plot. Combine that with its alpha status, and we're left with a lack of hard answers. However, some pieces did seem to click into place. This is far from anything definitive, but here are some of the conclusions I've drawn. Let's start with everybody's favorite:

Part 1: The Arirals

god i want one to hold me like that

You know em. You love em. Like 90% of the fanart is about them. But the question is... what the hell are they doing here? Judging by the fact that they construct a campsite in the facility, they clearly expect to be here for a while. A common interpretation I hear from people is that the ones out in the facility are either political refugees, or just some sort of benign "tourist group". I've personally come to a different conclusion. Let's consider what they brought with them.

Exhibit A: The weapon (left)

The weapon they drop around Day 24 is no mere Star Trek phaser. If you drop it in the main building, pretty much EVERYTHING in the building is going to be sent flying from the resulting blast. Not only that, but the "human-wieldable" version that can be unlocked for the sandbox mode has one hell of a fire rate. Something tells me that there's no way in hell this thing is a civilian-grade weapon. And, as established in a previous post of mine, they're kitted out in full-body armored stealth suits.

Exhibit B: The stealth suit (Kerf dutifully remains there for scale)

These aren't tourists or runaways. They're goddamn Black Ops. But you're probably asking, "If that's what they are, then why do they have nothing better to do than to steal shrimp and prank you?" Don't worry, I'll get to that later. Eventually. Maybe.

For now, let's move on to a third thing of theirs: The letter to Kel.

Exhibit C: Esraniki's Letter (D-, see me after english class)

This is the letter left at the Ariral camp if you have maxxed reputation with them. There's one line in particular that's always stood out to me. "GET WE HOME YOU GET DEATH AVOID" So... why can't they go home? Let's review: A: They have perfectly functional spacecraft parked right behind you. Even if they were broken, surely some random Pre-FTL primitive wouldn't be able to help with a mechanical failure in their technology. Hell, they buzz you at the radio tower with one. So there seems to be nothing physically stopping them from leaving. B: They've come kitted out with some serious weapons and armor C: Something in the facility is drawing the attention of all manner of extraterrestrials (and ghosts and demons. are 'metaterrestrials' a good word for them?) So my take? They're monitoring something, waiting for an opportunity to act upon it. (In keeping with the Patch Note naming convention, I will be calling this unknown something "The Threat") Not only that, this 'opportunity' may only open up with the assistance of a human. But what could Dr. Kel possibly do that an Ariral couldn't? Well, I can think of one thing he can do better... Interface with human technology.

Exhibit D: Ariral Communique (quality: shit) Computer technology isn't some universal constant. You can't make a program and expect it to magically run on alien technology with an unknown architecture. This ain't Independence Day. The fact that the Arirals barely managed to send a heavily-garbled message to Kel's computer, quite frankly, speaks of an extreme amount of effort on their part. And it was all just to say the word "OUTSIDE".

If The Threat has some ties to human technology, then perhaps Kel actually could be more qualified to deal with it than the Ariral Black Ops. Hmm... An unknown threat with ties to human technology. Could it possibly involve...

Part 2: The Incredibly Suspicious Bunker

"I left a 'Do not enter' note on the floor. That'll stop people from investigating!" This damn thing is quite obviously, as TVtropes would put it, The Very Definitely Final Dungeon. It is my firm belief that this is what the Arirals were sent to monitor, and where The Threat can be found. But we can't really get much further in than a few doors. So... what's in there? An easy assumption to make is that it's some sort of fallout/storm shelter. But something nearby might tell a different story...

Exhibit E: *squints* ...Liberty Prime? If you take a metal detector over to the bunker entrance, you'll quickly discover a buried drive nearby. The image you just saw is its contents. It's clear that something is being depicted here. What exactly it is, well, that's hard to say. but if you look at that teeny tiny thing at the top, you'll see something that looks like the Alpha base and its radio tower

oh god we're getting into crusty duende video territory now

What this says to me is that there is a colossal something underneath the base. Some sort of mega-facility? Unnatural cave formations? Something else entirely? Or I could be looking at it entirely wrong. But the point is, it's very likely that something extremely expansive is down there.

What if we could just take a peek a liiiittle bit further in? Well, there is ONE way...

Exhibit F: The Least Cursed Elevator in Horror Fiction

Roughly around 3:33 each night, there is a chance that a camera inside the bunker will become active. It's monitoring what appears to be a heavy-duty elevator coated in blood. An elevator like this would also indicate something buried deep underneath the base. Say, this elevator seems familiar...

Exhibit G: Monique Santificer's Extremely Ominous Foreshadowing

...Huh. I'm sure that only means good things. So we have a Hellivator and evidence that there's some place that you'd need a Hellivator to get to. Are there any other clues around? Well, there's that handy instruction book on robotics. You can make your own little friend!

POV: You're 5'11 and she's 6'0 And... Oh! looking back at that camera, it looks like someone else made their... their own... friend...

Exhibit H: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA- ...I don't think they followed the instructions to the letter. So it seems the people in the bunker were working on combining robots and, er, 'biomass'. I don't think our meaty friend here is The Threat itself, but I do believe that it is some aspect of it, or at least a result of it. And whatever The Threat is, it seems to be "leaking" out of the bunker. After all, this toothy bot here seems to have little siblings burrowing out from underground!

Exhibit I: should start running Kerfus. Kerfur. Whatever name they have, they love you! Such a shame that the flesh inhabiting their chassis does not.

they seriously recalled the ++ models over a little thing like this, smh Something deep underground, cursed flesh, and occult sigils. Hmm. Things would tie together neatly if there were, say, some sort of demon around associated with flesh and dark depths.

Part 3: Furfur (and conclusions)

"I WATCH YOU SHIT AT NIGHT" The Great Earl of Hell and raw flesh afficianato, it's Furfur! Demonology refers to him as a liar, but also a teacher of secrets. And he seems to really really like flesh. Not bones, though. He's always leaving those behind.

They say that if you burn an offering of flesh at his altar, he'll give you a marketable Furfur plushie!

The children who survived loved them! Interestingly, there's a certain location connected to Furfur: The bottom of the well. If you pass out at the bottom of the well, you will end up in a (dream of a?) mysterious structure.

Exhibit J: all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well

A few things of note in this place: -More demonic sigils -The only 'exit' is a tunnel leading upward with a broken ladder. And even if you could reach up there, Furfur's giant skull-face is blocking the way. -A unique knife, which when examined in the inventory, says that it was found "deep underground".

How very interesting that this flesh-loving demon has his own little place down in the depths of the earth. And you say the bunker reaching downwards has been spawning horrific robot-flesh amalgamations? Robots that are specifically of human design?

Well then. So here's what I think is going down:

no i'm not crazy it's invisible alien catgirls versus demon cyborgs you weren't listening were you?

-Some scientists from before did a Very Bad Thing in the bunker depths. If I had to venture a guess, it's that they bargained with Furfur for secrets of the flesh, perhaps in the pursuit of cybernetics, biocomputers, or somesuch. This resulted in the Very Bad Thing happening, thus creating The Threat. -The Threat was contained to some extent, but is starting to noticeably leak out. It is also severe enough to have drawn extraterrestrial attention. -The Arirals have sent a squad to monitor the situation and act if necessary. Seeing as there's been no urgent need to act as of yet, they are bored out of their skulls and taking it out on you. -The fact that the bunker hasn't been blown up by catgirl black ops already says to me that the situation down there is delicate, and a 'guns-blazing' approach would be inadvisable. Not only that, but The Threat seems to be tied to technology they have little knowledge of. They would most likely need outside assistance if they want a 'clean' resolution to the problem. -And wouldn't you know it? Right there in the facility is some nerdy, crusty, half-crazed twink that seems to be very proficient in handling human technology. How very convenient.

"average person eats 3 roaches a year" factoid actually just statistical error. Dr. Kel, who-

That's how I think this ties together, personally. Of course, there's always unaccounted for 'loose ends' that may or may not be tied to the Bunker Conspiracy (the rozital pit in particular has been bugging me with its vagueness). Plus there's always the chance that I misinterpreted things like a dumbass. There were a few other smaller things I wanted to cover, but my fingers hurt from typing, and my ability to hyperfixate has its limits. And sorry if the screengrabs are a bit mismatched, I've already spent hours on this post without having to get screenshots from the game myself. If anyone actually read through this monstrosity of a post, congratulations! If you're as deeply brainrotted as I am, feel free to point out the reasons I'm dumb and wrong :)

Addendum 1: Meta Aspects

no, not this. wrong place. wrong time.

Every now and then I hear talk of lore clarifications in Discord servers, Google Docs, etc. Will I be covering these?

(source) The reason? I want to give my impressions based purely on the work as published. Death of the Author and whatnot. The furthest I'll reach 'outside' the games are those ambiguous little teasers on YouTube, which you don't have to be in any 'specific server' or anything to see.

haha what if funni meme robot was irreversibly corrupted by the horrors?

Think of it as me giving a form of feedback on how the game is presented as an isolated work. Anyway, I'll be posting another Addendum later, connecting more demon stuff to the bunker. Fun! One thing I intend to investigate between then and now is a rumor of a very poorly documented... item interaction. As a little preview, consider this note.

It seems, in my pursuit of knowledge regarding a mysterious bunker in an incomplete videogame story, I find myself investigating a skeletal entity of ambiguous origin described as having a single glowing eye. God. Fucking. Dammit. Every time with this shit.

This always seems to happen whenever the protagonist is bullied by tall monstergirls

Addendum 2: Classified

Progress on my investigation has been slow due to a combination of poor RNG and real-life stuff. Fun fact: I've never encountered the fossilhound in my many months of playing, and it looks like that won't change anytime soon!

I'll get you one day, ya boney bastard. In the meantime, it seems that someone has leaked classified pokemon data communications from our employers...

And just who do we encounter within the first few weeks?

Our classified documents are their vacation photos

So it seems that at the very least, our employers seem to be aware of the Arirals. So to what end do they want to draw them out? And why would the Arirals show any particular interest in a human presence in this facility specifically?

They clearly seem to be hiding their presence from the world at large with their cloaking ships and whatnot, but they seem almost eager to grab the attention of anyone working at this particular site.

And, as everyone already knows, Arirals are certified Goobers. They form like 3/5ths of the Counsel of Goobers*. The ones we encounter at the very least are very much not what our employers expect to kill us. So our employers are also aware of the existence of some other threat, possibly even THE Threat. *the remaining members are Kerfuses and Dinguses

Truly an incomprehensible menace from beyond the stars. (source)

Personally, I feel like this all feeds back into my previous thoughts. There is clearly a Threat at this location, and the Arirals probably believe that they may need human assistance to do something here. Or maybe I'm just biased towards whatever random thoughts got cooked up in my head.

Anyway, hopefully next time I'll be back with reports of yanking the lifecrystal out from the Fossilhound's head and shoving it up its ass. I am so, SO sick of trying to get that thing to show up.

[pinkdreamcollectorsworld]

Hey besties! Please read!!

We need to have a chat. An important one.

I've sorta been seeing posts floating around on here about speculation surrounding Assad's sexuality.I typically tend to keep scrolling just to avoid discourse since it's personally not my thing to get into. But, I was on insta when I happened across a fan account (story linked below) discussing the comments/dms they are getting asking if he's gay. This also happens to be an account that is followed by people who work on the show. One of them being someone who works alongside assad as a side character on the show (someone can correct me if im wrong)

The Instagram story clearly states that none of the moderators of the account know him personally, nor has he ever divulged the information in regards to his sexuality.

To say that I'm shocked is an understatement. Maybe even embarrassed. Definitely dissapointed.

We as a fandom should not, by any means, be speculating, or be doing ANYY digging about these actors personal lives. That includes reasearching thier family, friends, and/or partners. Thier personal lives, are theirs only. Just like ours. We need to respect the boundaries of the people who not only are nice enough to interact with us (when they can), but also work really hard provide us with our beloved show.

Its okay to enjoy the things that come with being in a fandom like this. Its okay to be interested in the other work they do. Whats not okay is to violate thier privacy in a very public, rude way.

This goes not just for Assad, but for the rest of the cast and crew/showrunners as well.

I enjoy Assads work and can't wait to see what else he does in future projects.

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk 🙃

(I also have permission to share the story. If anyone needs the screenshot of it I have one if it ends up expiring before you get the chance to look at it)

https://www.instagram.com/stories/assadzcdaily/3442715499721453007?igsh=ZGU0eHAwOTRjNWMy

[kristinhateslife]

Okay so last night I was having an "art style panic"? I guess you could call it that? But I was feeling really bad, so i started drawing other peoples art styles and picking points and peaces out of it!

I did this last night when I was really tired and i used a pen so the drawings may not be how i usually do my drawings haha

Ok so first up we have @emjoyzhos-ej !! I recently just found your account but you have a very cool style!!

•Your skull shape is very unique, very rectangle

•your lines are very sketchy (most people I follow have this trait in their art..)

•when you color it looks like you mayy have rook inspiration from itsxroxannex? Idk i wrote that down, maybe it's not true but I guess i thought that last night

But I love your style! Your art is so cool and I had fun trying to replicate it!

Next we have @milkybnnuy ! Omg so I really like you!! Your art is sooo good

•You draw a lot of fell, so i made the drawing of killer like how you made that one fell killer drawing

•when you color you have a very paintly-style and that's cool!!

•your skull shape reminds me of an egg (i guess thats why i said "egg head" last night)

Up in the top I wrote "I did not replicate your art properly enough," and that's true! Your art is so unique and different from what i usually drew so i had a hard time replicating it! But nonetheless, i had a fun time trying and hope you ain't disappointed lol

Btw- I really like the way you draw your fuzz on hoods!! So satisfying to look at!

And now we go onto @voidzphere !

I've followed you for a while, and you're cool to be around and I like when you post! Though i had a hard time finding the art hidden around, I still was able to replicate it (luckily i chose to draw killer for this haha)

•so I see that you usually draw/post doodles, unless i just didn't scroll down far enough haha (plz tell me if you have drawn something big i wanna see)

•I noticed you have more pointy and thicker lines

•you have a certain way you draw your Skulls, I can't really put a shape or object here to describe it

Even though I couldn't find more drawings, I still tried! I hope you like it, friend, cause u cool

Here is @cherrio-krispz ! I just started following you last night, like seriously I had to search you up just now to figure out who you were cuz I forgot, but when i saw your art I immediately recognized you

•you have a very recognizable style!

•again, i did not replicate well.

•very painty-like when color

•sketchy lines, seems like you don't do line art?

•I like ur skulls, they look like skulls

OMG I'VE BEEN WAITING TO TALK ABOUT YOU. YOU. YOUUU. @somegrumpynerd OMG YOUUUUUU. I REALLY LIKE YOUR ARTTT.

•I LIKE IT

•very cartoonish

• noticable art style

•thick lineart

I LOVE seeing posts when they come out!!! They're really really cool and make me feel so happy when I see them! Keep going because you're so cool!

@spookeri haiiii

You're here tooo

i like ur art :)))))) a LOT . Same as the last guy, I get very excited when you post. Your DTIYS were fun, and yeye... Yeah

•Very flat colors

•flat lines

•cool looking skulls

•you have an "air-brush" shading style (i guess you could call it), which isn't a bad thing! Do what you want to do! But maybe try out cell-shading? Idk you don't have to, but idk i feel like cell-shading fits your art style

Also if you look in the bottom you can see a scratched out drawing, that was my first attempt haha

You can see it in the drawing below

@wyllaztopia !! I like your art :)) you have a very noticeable style and when you post I get excited as well!

•clean lines

•you make skulls longer than how other people make their skulls in this last

•I liked replicating it

Idk what else to say ... Its just all really cool!!

And last but not the worst

My art style!

My art style is

•cool

•easy to draw

•and funny lookin'

What did i learn from this whole thing i did? That everyone has a unique style, that even if they try to change it it still stays theirs and it's still unique

I also found out that everyone, small artists and big artists, has flaws! It's comforting to know that everyone has flaws so I know I'm just learning and getting better everyday

Another thing I got from this is that everyone's styles are always changing and warping. But thats fine! Because everyone's moving and changing, and the worlds always moving and changing!

So, don't be so hard on yourself if you're struggling to draw or find an art style, how you draw is unique to you and you'll like it one day

Just keep drawing everyday and you'll get there.

I suggest doing this challenge, on paper or digital, wether you color it or not, or post ot or not!

It's great to try out.

[rizaposting]

big bang ask time!! woohoo!!

1. what was your favorite thing about the event?

2. favorite and least favorite canon things about royai?

3. what was the most challenging thing to draw for you?

Can't wait for everyone to see your work!! ☺️💕

Yippieeeee!!! Thank you Ana!

1. what was your favorite thing about the event?

I know everyone has been saying it BUT it's been so fun to get to chat and get to know everyone involved. We have so many silly conversations and everyone is genuinely so nice and talented!!!! ;w;

2. favorite and least favorite canon things about royai?

Oh this is a tough one hmmm... I think my favorite thing is their dynamic, which is kind of a wet noodle answer but! Even before we know about their past you can really tell that there's history between them, and they care about each other more than a usual amount. Some might even say... They are really abnormal about each other. I also love the potential!!! Almost any scenario you could propose, I could see there being a way for it to happen between them. Childhood sweethearts? Secret dating during canon? Post-PD confessions? I could go on.

For my "least" favorite... It's not that I dislike it, but something I wish more people would address is that Royai grew up entrenched in fascism, and I think that's, in part, where their rigid black-and-white idea of punitive justice comes from. And I see a lot of people interpret it as the Correct mindset to have or don't really think about it and it can be so frustrating. I ALSO wish more people would address how self-centered Roy's ambitions are. They're good and well-meaning, don't get me wrong, but he (and Riza) tends to view himself as The Only One Who Can Make Things Right And Make Sure There Is Justice. Which stems from a good place but man it really smacks of his (both of theirs, really) martyr complex WHICH I THINK IS AN INTERESTING FLAW. CAN WE CONFRONT THEM ABOUT THAT? It's one thing to go "if you want something done right you have to do it yourself" and it's another to be like "if Roy doesn't become the Good Guy Dictator this can NEVER happen by any other means. No one else cares about it". I dunno. I'd love them to get called on their bullshit <3 Like babes, get over yourselves <3

3. what was the most challenging thing to draw for you?

I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to draw for 'Accretion' (by raisingmybanner on AO3; get hyped it's a SUPER fun art heist fic) but I struggled a lot trying to figure out the composition. I wanted to show Royai of course, but also show the art piece in question, but also show the gallery. I wanted a lot of depth but I really struggled with it XD The most "classical" art training I have was high school art courses, so my lofty ideas made me really feel that lack of technical skill and know-how. I still ended up really liking the end result! But I certainly had to reign it in to match my current skills hahaha

[bittcnneck]

Vent about the RP community in general under there.

A lot of people like to say that they don't care about your aesthetic or how your blog looks as long as they like your writing style and can see your muse interact with theirs. This is false. Just because a blog looks good aesthetically, like a really nicely edited pinned post, a really fancy carrd, fonted and colored writing style, small and nice icons, does not make them a good writer. They can still be illiterate, keep repeating same words, not be creative. But that's not what matters for most people from MY EXPERIENCE that I've seen. But they always seem to get a lot of followers and a lot of people want to interact with them. However, you can be the best writer, someone who makes the roleplay fun, exciting, someone who makes people eagerly wait for a reply. And if your blog doesn't necessarily look fancy, it's a higher possibility you won't get a follow back. This is very sad. And I'm speaking from experience because I fell for this before too. Just because someone doesn't have cool gifs and small icons doesn't mean they don't put in effort. maybe they just can't. Maybe they don't know how to. And just because they do put in that effort, doesn't mean they can write that good. This is not to down anyone, I promise. I'm just speaking from what I have observed. I've had tons of mutuals on here who didn't necessarily have anything fancy going on. And I would see them keep making starter calls and ask for interactions. Then I look at fancy blogs and they speak about how they got tens of threads, hundreds of asks, they're getting overwhelmed by it, which is really nice, I suppose? It's so cool that people want to interact with you that much! But if your blog was half as fancy, would they? Please think about this guys. And please give people chances and actually read their writing instead of just seeing their promos and stuff and decide if you want to follow or not based on that. I hope no one takes offense to this, my fancy blogged, colored writing mutuals I love you all so much. I'm just talking about how unfair it is around here. Because it's so sad to see people who write so well get little to no interactions because their icons aren't nicely edited, you know?

[pandorasword]

Chaeri as the 8th and youngest member of BTS.

Chaeri's masterlist

❒ Reading order: 1. Chaeri's recovery | 2. Calvin Klein with Jk | 3. HS concert

❒ genre: Angst

❒ words: 2.5k+

❒ summary: In which Harry Styles' post-concert doesn't go as planned for Chaeri, as Jungkook has something to tell her

❒ warnings: swearing; heated argument;

❒ pairing: Jungkook x 8thmember!OC

❒ notes: I'd have much to say about what I wrote. First of all, it was very difficult. Chaeri has this very annoying way about her in which she uses anger to hide other emotions, and I did not find it easy to write. Usually I don't expose myself much, for those who read my blog know that I didn't plan yet an ending of this story, but I think Jungkook is not in the wrong this time. Chaeri has sent him some unclear signals, plus she has completely distanced herself from him. In one way I understand his point of view.

Credits to media owners!

March 20, 2023

Chaeri bubbled with joy as she left the concert arena, greeting fans on her way out.

Concerts always put her in a cheerful mood, especially when it was Harry Styles performing, and having the chance to meet him backstage had made it an even better experience. For two hours, she felt like a normal friend hanging out with Yoongi and Namjoon rather than a celebrity herself.

When the concert paused halfway, Taehyung, who was nearby with Jungkook and a friend of theirs, asked her to tag along for a bite after the show. She accepted the offer, knowing that Yoongi and Namjoon would head home straight away once it was all over.

Though it didn't take her long to catch up with the two guys, she had to wait for the personnel managing the event to have most of the onlookers removed and organized so that all the celebrities could leave without being mobbed.

Chaeri waved to both of them as she drew near, her face aching from the long smile it had been wearing since the night started. "It was stunning" she exclaimed.

Wrapping Taehyung in an all-encompassing hug, she beamed with happiness "Harry was so nice to agree to take a picture only with me! I can't believe it's already finished"

She diverted her attention from Taehyung to give Jungkook a warm welcome too.

Harry Styles had put her in such a great mood, she wasn't going to let the bad vibes from their last encounter while on the set of the Calvin Klein photoshoot ruin her night.

So, she gave him a hug, albeit briefer than Taehyung, and then touched his arm gently, asking "Did you have a good time?"

Jungkook nodded, his voice muffled by the mask he had not yet taken off his face. "Yes," he said "there's not many who can put on a show quite like Harry Styles"

Chaeri gave his arm an affectionate pat in reply to his comment. "Well said!"

"Did she just turned in fangirl mode?" Taehyung teased her playfully, and she stuck out her tongue in response.

"Aren't we all a bit of a fangirl for him?"

Once they were in the car and out of sight, Tae maneuvered himself from the backseat to the front, taking care to not bump into them with his long legs. He then took a seat next to the driver

"What the hell are you doing?" Chaeri inquired, avoiding the near-miss of a kick that the boy almost gave her as he scrambled to get into the front seat

Taehyung leaned back in his chair and breathed a sigh of relief, pleased with himself for achieving the task. He spun around to face the two people he had just brought together. "I'm giving you both the chance to clear the air."

"What? There's nothing to talk about"

"Stop it," Taehyung replied sternly to her. "Every time we're all together, it's incredibly awkward because of you two. I don't know how you avoided it tonight. This has to end. Make peace."

With those words, he shut the divider between the back and front seats of the car, providing them with some privacy.

Chaeri had her mouth slightly open in amazement and was beginning to get nervous. She also knew that the broken rapport between her and Jungkook was a source of stress for the whole group, yet was that really the night and was that really the way to discuss it?

Jungkook shifted in his seat, his gaze fixed on Chaeri. "I'm sorry," he said "Don't take it out on him, I was the one who asked him to tell you to come in the car with us and give us some privacy. I needed to talk to you"

"I really can't believe you two pulled me into this little game"

Taehyung's words echoed through the divider, making Chaeri jump. "No one is playing games," he had his gaze focused on her reflected eyes in the driving mirror "You two have been avoiding each other for weeks, and it's not healthy for the group dynamic. Clear the air, talk it out."

She tapped her knuckles against the divider and asked, "Don't you remember you said we'd have some privacy?"

"My apologies," he replied. The boy in the front seat had now tucked his head down, out of sight. He was trying to be invisible.

Jungkook glanced down at his hands, where an array of silver rings glinted in the light. His fingers nervously twisted them around and around as he spoke, his gaze fixated on the shining metal "Before anything else," he began, "I want to apologize for what happened last time. I should have respected your boundaries... But I don't regret saying what I said."��

A heavy silence filled the air as she stared at him, her lips parting slightly before closing again. After a long pause, she finally muttered "Jungkook, please. Let's not talk about this again” 

The car had been driving for several minutes, thus taking away any hope of escape from that conversation she did not want to face. She made a mental note to kill Taehyung once that day was over.

"No,I refuse to delay this conversation any longer”

Well, from better to better.

Crossing her arms, she turned away from him, her lips pressed into a thin line. "I'm not going to hear what you have to say” she had to warm her voice first, to make it come out as if she didn't care what he had to say to her

Jungkook's emotions were now clear on his face: lips slightly pursed, eyes narrowed, and a jaw clenched tight in an effort to stay composed.

Damn stubborn girl

It typically took a lot to shake him up, anger or irritate him in any way. He was used to having his patience pushed by disrespectful people, and he considered himself quite logical and thoughtful. But it took all the willpower in him to utter the right words without starting an argument; that was the goal, after all - discussing without fighting.

He paused and took in a breath before continuing "Remember when you promised that you'd always hear me out? Has that changed too since then? What is left of us? I'm not talking about our..relationship. But of who we were for each other before all this”

Chaeri's stomach was in knots. She had been dreading this conversation for weeks and didn't want it to take place with an audience. Taehyung must have sensed her apprehension, as he cranked up the volume of the car radio. A song by Harry Styles came on - what a strange coincidence.

"I remember," The memory of them sitting on the steps of the old BigHit's building, much less tall than now- or at least Jungkook -, came vividly to her mind, along with the promise they had made each other to always remain close. It felt like a lifetime had gone by since then. ”But things have changed. We can't go back to the way things were before” Uttering those words felt like an inferno in her throat. She never wanted to say them aloud, yet there they were, hanging heavily in the air.

Jungkook felt something break inside his mind at the sound of those words, wishing he had been able to keep his composure and not let his anger get the better of him.

"You don't even try! You avoid me like a plague! You were already distancing yourself from me before the accident, and now it's worse. When we were living together in the dorms while you were healing, though, it was almost like things were back to normal; like my Chaeri had returned. At least my friend" 

"Why won't you understand that we can never be fucking friends!” Her voice grew louder than she anticipated. It was her fury that prevented her from forming the words in her head before they came out of her mouth.

Jungkook's jaw dropped as his eyes widened in shock. He felt the tell-tale thumping of an accelerated pulse against his ribs, as if it was trying to escape his chest

"I will always care about you, no matter what happens. You'll always be family to me, but I can't be friends with you anymore - that's all there is to it”

Chaeri's voice was firm and unwavering but her eyes are were filled with sadness and her lips quivered slightly as she spoke. Her hands clasped together tightly in her lap, her knuckles white from the strain.

"That's all there is to it!? Are you fucking serious?"

Jungkook's voice had risen, the intensity of his emotions coloring his words.

They were both going too far with their words, causing pain to one another.

Taehyung quickly turned down the volume of the radio, sensing the tension in the car. He had hoped for a peaceful resolution, but it seemed like things were only escalating.

"Listen," he interjected, trying to diffuse the situation. "I think it's best if we all calm down. Emotions are running high right now, and we're not going to get anywhere like this."

Chaeri ignored him completely but leaned over to inform the driver to stop because she wanted to get out

"Is that how you want to solve the problem? By getting out of the car?” Jungkook was incredulous

"I don't want to hear from any of you anymore" Chaeri spat back

"We're on the highway Chaeri, where the fuck do you think you're getting off"

"At a goddamn truck stop, can I pee in peace for fuck's sake?" 

Jungkook observed as she opened the vehicle's door and stepped onto the shoulder of the highway once the car had come to a halt. Her form was tiny and vulnerable in the darkness, and he felt an overwhelming urge to go after her.

"I'm gonna go talk to her" he said to Taehyung, who nodded in agreement and stopped the driver who was about to get out of the car to follow both of them

"Chaeri! Just stop for a second”

Chaeri’s small frame and her strides cast a determined silhouette in the night. Her blond hair swished around her shoulders and fluttered in the wind as she continued walking, unfazed by Jungkook's pleas.

"No, you know what I'm going to do? I'll head into that store, use the restroom, and then enjoy the dinner you said you'd buy me - by myself."

"Why are you so stubborn?!" His voice rose in frustration

Chaeri stopped mid-stride and spun around, her face flushing bright red with anger. She glowered at him, "You used to appreciate my stubbornness!"

Jungkook’s eyes were focused yet there was a hint of exhaustion around the edges. The light from the passing cars illuminated the determination on his face "I still do," he said. "But not when it's at the expense of us" 

She drew closer to him, her heart pounding in her chest. She cleared her throat and spoke quietly, “Us? You say it as if we were still an 'us'”

Was she really taking out on him all the bitterness she felt toward her own agency for what it had put her through? As soon as the fog of her fury cleared, she knew she'd regret how she was treating him. But in that moment, it was still overshadowed by her blazing anger.

"And you say this as if it was up to me!" Jungkook's voice was rising with frustration, he cast a furtive glance around the empty parking lot of the truck stop, double-checking that no one was within earshot. "I could not decide anything about this relationship. I know I said that we had to move on, I remember the night I said that.. But I ... I can't stand it. I tried, but I can't"

Jungkook took a step closer to her, his hands outstretched as if to pull her into an embrace. "I don't want to move on," he whispered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want to let go of what we had"

Chaeri backed away, her eyes fixed on the tips of her shoes as she hugged herself tightly to keep out the chill and contain what she was feeling; whether it be was positive or negative 

"Whenever we're together, it seems to bring out the worst in us" 

The umpteenth realization that she gave the worst of herself every time she was with him made her sick. 

BigHit had been their downfall since they were first caught together - one continuous downward spiral until the crash in 2022. 

"It's like gasoline and fire; we bring out the worst in each other" She repeated at the end.

Jungkook took a step back, his hands falling to his sides. He understood what Chaeri was saying; since the break up they had been like a time bomb when they were together, ready to go off at any moment.

"It was not our fault" 

"I know, but it still happened. It didn't...work. We tried. We thought we could do it but in the end they won” She tried her best to keep her voice emotionless

"If I didn't know you-if I didn't know you, your indifference would make me think you never loved me!" Jungkook his voice hoarse with emotion

"Don't you dare say anything like that!" Chaeri's voice wavered, and she fought back tears. She took a step closer to him, looking up into his eyes "You know that's not true! "

"I don't understand why you're so determined to push me away" Jungkook said, his voice shaking. "I'll get over it if you.. love someone else now, but I cannot bear the thought of losing you as someone in my life" Those words on the tongue tasted like poison.

"We cannot be friends. Not the way we have been" she said, her gaze lowered to the ground, understanding this was the best decision for both of them.

"Why not!?"

"Because our love consumed me! Because every fucking time I see you, it feels like I'm stuck in the past. Every time I'm with you, you fucking idiot, I question myself about-" she couldn't dare to finish the sentence.

The tears that streamed down her face as she spoke were like a raging river, unstoppable. Her hands trembled and her voice was ragged, yet full of passion and emotion. He watched her with remorse, knowing he shared in the blame for the way things had disintegrated around them. She continued to scream out her frustrations, her words echoing off in the empty park

She sniffled and wiped her wet cheeks with one hand "The time spent together while I was recovering from my injury made me realize that it's best for us to keep some distance"

"Is it better because you don't have to deal with your feelings that way?"

Their faces were suddenly illuminated by dazzling lights, causing them to look as white as ghosts. Abruptly, they both turned in the same direction and noticed a pair of paparazzi - the distance too far to hear their conversation luckily -

"Fuck.."

taglist: @alixnsuperstxr | @ycuvi | @bts-dream

[luthsthings]

Dude thank you so much for all the work you do compiling broken/updated mods and cc. And I'm sorry people can't just read the first page of the sims forum thread! Drives me bonkers, so I can't imagine how you feel

Thank you!

I'll be honest here: Simmers choosing to add mods to their game (and that includes CC, which are mods too) but not learning how to properly install and update them or how to use them across game updates, not reading instructions from creators, not taking them out when reporting problems on support forums or to Maxis but saying they did, and not reading available info before asking for support are a HUGE reason modders leave modding (or just stop publishing their mods and keep them only for their own use) and a HUGE reason support volunteers stop volunteering.

So I'm going to bounce off your kind post with some advice for other people.

If You Want to Use Gameplay Mods and Custom Content...

Learn how to use your Mods folder. Learn how to set your folder up with subfolders so that you can find the files you need to delete when you add new ones. Learn what has to go no more than one folder down so the game actually sees it. Something every college instructor quickly learns is that younger people have often never needed to learn about computer file structure before. Well, you have to.

Read creators' instructions. Creators' instruction will tell you crucial things like what a mod actually will and will NOT do, packs are needed for their mod, how your files need to be arranged in your Mods folder, what other creators' mods you need to run theirs, which files to install only one of, etc. Far too many people show up asking for help and the problem is they didn't read the instructions. Instructions are not optional.

Have a plan for something else to do after game updates. Sometimes your gameplay mods and custom content WILL BREAK because the part of the game they "talk" to changed. Have a "vanilla" save or a different game entirely to play while you wait. Develop a second hobby. Clean your kitchen. Call your mom. If you choose to use gameplay mods and CC, you are choosing that you will need to stop using them occasionally, one way or another.

Read AHQ support instructions and follow them. Reporting a game error at Maxis's AHQ? Read about testing for the error without your Mods folder, and supply all the requested info.

Read mod support instructions and follow them. Asking for help with mods/CC from Deaderpool or Sims After Dark or a creator? When you join, read the rules you agree to; they aren't there for fun. If you choose to use mods with unethical or illegal content, expect that you will NOT get support. Answer questions honestly. Upload the files requested, not just pictures of them. Be kind to creators and volunteers: there are very good reasons they're asking you what they are, and if they give up creating/volunteering, you're going to be on your own.

Read broken/updated mod support instructions and follow them. @scarlets-realm and I have very different structures and therefore different rules, but neither of us is going to stay willing to maintain our lists if we keep having to deal with Simmers who don't follow our rules, which we have set up, for one, to prevent false reports, which benefit nobody. I started my list because I was looking for info for myself and thought I might as well share it in a centralized way. If it becomes increasingly annoying, I'm happy to let Simmers go back to Hard Mode.

Don't ask "WHEN". You are not a preschooler anymore, and when you were and were asking "Are we there yet?," you were making it harder for your mom or dad to drive the car. Creators are not working on your schedule; you aren't their managers. Leave them alone so they can actually get to the destination.

Don't ask "What broke". The answer is already available to you. READ AND FOLLOW my Forums list (don't just pop in with a question). Please note that the Forums themselves have rules, and those MUST be followed there. READ AND SEARCH Scarlet's list. If you choose to use mods from creators who use a pirated/cracked game or packs, who paywall any of their creations permanently or longer than Maxis permits for their type of content, or who copy code without permission from other creators, you're going to be relying on the creators for support. Neither of us will support unethical creators by helping you use their stuff.

Get your news about what's broken and what isn't from the established lists, support servers, and the creators. A lot of Sims influencers on YouTube and Twitch use mods, but that doesn't mean they're a reliable source of info, unfortunately. Some are using outdated or broken mods and don't realize it. Some have been known to say that a mod is "broken" when what's broken is a game mechanic or when they think a mod is supposed to be doing something it's not.

You have a choice:

You don't HAVE to use gameplay mods or custom content. Many players don't, including all console players. If you CHOOSE to use them, learn how to do so the right way, and be a supportive part of the community so that you can keep using them.

[auncyen]

what are your thoughts on the group’s view (i think specifically mirabelle and bonnie mention this in their messed up friendship events) on siffrin being ���so mysterious” and “always acting like they know better”? Cause it seemed like a small grievance they’ve had for a while that was (rightly) exacerbated by sif being a prick during those convos.

I'm going to be honest I don't remember Bonnie saying anything about Siffrin being mysterious (at least not as something they're mad about) so as far as I know this is a Mirabelle view only.

tbh I feel like why Mirabelle saw Siffrin like this pre-game was pretty well explained by an interaction in SASASA and I'm currently blanking on if it, or at least similar dialogue, got into ISAT. She says in it how she was disconcerted by them acting like they didn't care, not exactly in a mean way, but like going to fight the King was no more serious than doing laundry, and that after they lost their eye protecting one of them she realized they were earnest about the journey as well. I honestly don't remember if Mirabelle still has a dialogue like that in ISAT but ISAT definitely still has the elements for her to have had that perception, with Siffrin just being like "well everyone else has these great reasons for being here. me? I'm just here because I've got nothing else to do" and being so afraid of showing how attached they are to the others that they try asking everyone what they're going to do post-King but give a joking answer every time the question is turned back to him. Siffrin is not forthcoming about their emotions and has also been. perpetually traveling ever since the trauma, so I imagine they've never really had people close enough to tell them what kind of impression he makes until he joins the group, so no wonder Mirabelle ends up with a weird impression of him!

Odile is older and seems to have Siffrin somewhat figured out just because of experience (she tells him to try letting down his walls so she's got it right that it's more a defensive thing than acting superior) and Isabeau both has a great deal of emotional intelligence and just. seems to have clicked well with Siffrin off the bat in a way Mirabelle didn't because of simple differences in personality. Bonnie's mad at Siffrin already for their own reasons. As far as I'm aware the "Siffrin acts superior" thing is totally a Mirabelle perception but it makes sense in that like. while the party as a whole is pretty in touch with feelings, the party can't get EVERYTHING right emotionally or there wouldn't have been a game to begin with. This is just what happens to be the barrier of sorts between Mirabelle and Siffrin, because in the end, she wants to keep traveling with him too, so why didn't she just ask? Because she thought he'd be disinterested, because he's this cool, mysterious traveler with so much "experience", so worldly, and oh change she just had the entirely wrong idea what was going on inside that sleepy head of theirs.

I find it interesting you're asking me about this though because to me Mirabelle going off about this in act 5 was honestly kind of a bummer about the Mirabelle & Siffrin friendship for me on my first playthrough. (This is all going under a cut because it's tangential.)

Especially after act 4 dialogue makes it clear she still remembers Siffrin saying they're the happiest they've ever been on this journey, after having lost their eye to protect Bonnie, and that she takes his answer seriously, it was a little 'wait, how can she doubt so quickly that Siffrin cares?' And I still wonder if maybe I'd like the act 5 Mirabelle scene more if Siffrin was deliberately being callous like he is with Odile and Isabeau rather than accidentally saying the wrong thing. (I mean he is being a prick in that he's trying to rush an emotional conversation, it's not the nicest thing to do. But he wasn't trying to insult her and as soon as he realizes he's upset her he tries to explain that he said it wrong, but she cuts him off.) But in the end:

act 4 Mirabelle remembers that conversation so act 5 Mirabelle should too, but act 4 Mirabelle also says that after having the bonding experience of trawling the final dungeon, eating snacks together, and kicking the King's crabbing butt. (and it may or may not be family run dependent too if she says it? I forget. I usually did family runs once available even if they were the cheaty speed ones.) act 5 Mirabelle didn't get to have those moments.

act 5 Mirabelle has also been hearing from the villagers that Siffrin's acting weird in ways that confirm the "acting mysterious and like they know better" characterization. They're actually just slowly burning their last brain cell but you know. when they won't admit it. how is she supposed to know.

act 5 Mirabelle has also had a friend say something super upsetting to her that is pretty 'why would you say that', 'was I totally wrong about our friendship', she pretty much says right in the dialogue that she'd decided on more innocent explanations for Siffrin's quirks that initially rubbed her wrong (like the teasing! She probably didn't like that at first and probably had to convince herself that they were just one of the people that bonded by teasing, not teasing to be mean) but yeah with her hearing from villagers that Siffrin's acting in this way and him saying such a cruel thing to her seemingly unprovoked it makes sense that when all the little things about Siffrin get tossed up in her head, they, for the moment, land on "they're a jerk".

and in the end she goes after them, is the one to unfreeze them (not like anyone else could have done it, but still) she DOES see him as a friend. She's just. still reserving the right to be mad about what he said. Which considering what was said and that they said it because they were trying to rush through a conversation important to her, y'know, FAIR.

...Anyway I had to get that out. again. TANGENTIAL.

[gremlintheslut]

Forever theirs

Redone

Chapters 4, 4.5 and 5

(i wanted to make up for missing 2 posts but i would of posted 4 and 4.5 together so heres 3 chapters)

Master list

Chapter 4 safe?

Finn thrusts in and out at an inhuman pace. I feel the coil in my stomach tighten for the 9th time today. We have been doing it like rabbits in my boss's office all day. Then I hear a timer go off. "home time baby girl" Balor utters against my neck and before I know it I'm in well... Somewhere else.

We're laying down on silk sheets, the place looks like a sex dungeon and my mind is going a million miles an hour. "calm down we're at my place" he says as he continues to fuck me. I nod my head and try to focus on how good I feel but the weird stomach feeling is back.

A part of me wants to tell him to stop or to take us to my house but nothing will come out of my mouth. The coil in my tummy finally breaks and I come undone for the 9th time. Next thing I know Finn is painting my walls with his seed. He pulls out and lay beside me. "I know I probably should have asked before I took us here but I think you will have a lot of fun here," he says and I look at all of the toys surrounding us.

I know what he says is true as my eyes lock onto a toy I recognize. "not today baby get some rest your gonna need it for tomorrow" he chuckles before getting up and returning a little while later with a washcloth.

After cleaning me up he kisses me and climbs into bed next to me. "I'll never take another client again" he whispers. I don't know what to say. Obviously he means not me included. I decide to stay silent and try to fall asleep. It's hard to ignore his previous words but after a few minutes, we fall asleep but I can't help but feel upset when I wake up.

I'm home. In my bed. Alone. He has left and I wonder if he tricked me into thinking he cared so he could fuck me and leave. His euphoric effects are quickly canceled out by anxiety and fear. My head is still foggy but I'm no where near happy. this has never happened so quickly before i never knew the euphoria could leave so fast. I Get ready for work and check the date to make sure it wasn't all a dream. it wasn't. All of it was real and I guess I'll find out if he really cares today.

He hasn't gone a single day without popping up and fucking me or at least trying to. When I get to work I'm shocked that my boss isn't waiting for me so she can ridicule me. Then I'm even more shocked to find out that everyone is looking for her.

The last time anyone heard from her was yesterday when I was in her office for half the day with the door locked. The only excuse I can think of is that she was screaming at me for violating the dress code and wouldn't let me flaunt myself around the office so I had to stay with her the whole day.

I told everyone that story and that she looked pale and she might be sick and being her normal bitchy self by ignoring everone. The whole day I can't stop thinking about what Finn said. He was sure she wouldn't be back soon. What did he say to her? What did he do? Those thoughts distract me for most of the day until I leave my desk to go to the bathroom. Usually, Finn would pop up and try to have a quickie in a stall but he doesn't.

He hasn't shown up at all today. Or maybe he has and I haven't noticed. No. I would know. he hates being ignored and he wouldn't leave me alone if I didn't notice he was there. Wait. He hates being ignored. This could just be pay back for not saying anything last night.

Then the tears fall as i think of how stupid i was to say yes. Then i know this isn't pay back. If he wasn't a liar than he woupd pop up to comfort me. He'd never want to make me this sad. I was right. He used me and now my boss is missing and people might think I did something to her. No one saw me or her leave. I am filled with anxiety, sadness, and confusion. I wipe the tears from my face and leave the bathroom.

Warning: omorashi(piss kink) there will be an alternate version after this

The second I sit back down I realize that I didn't pee and I need to go pretty badly. The office is full and everyone would notice if I got back up. I sit silently squeezing my thighs together. The need gets worse and worse but my shift is almost over and it is nowhere near an acceptable time to go back to the bathroom.

I might actually piss myself on the walk home. I check the time and I can finally leave. "hey y/n can you stay a little longer?!" I hear the co-worker that's covering for my boss call out. "no!" I reply quite loudly and scramble to the door.

I get out of the building and begin to run. Then I leak. A decent-sized wet patch is left on my panties and I'm forced to slow down. At this point, it's dribbling out of me and I hobble as fast as I can into the ally I use as a shortcut. Another spurt comes out and it goes down my legs.

Then I bump into someone knocking me down and making me lose control for a few seconds. I'm sure there's a wet patch on the butt of my skirt. "you alright there love?" I hear a very familiar voice say. One I've been wanting to hear all day but suddenly want to be left alone by.

He's been watching I know he has, he always does before he pops up. There's no way he doesn't know I'm about to piss myself. He grabs me by the arm and pulls me up. He is holding most of my body weight as my legs are shaking and I can't keep myself up. My face is red and I grab onto the wall with one hand and push Finn away with the other.

He lets me and steps aside as he watches me try not to release the liquid in my bladder in front of him. I keep trying to hobble down the ally with my hand pressed hard against my cunt eyes glued to the ground.

He creeps up behind me and grabs my right leg bringing my knee to chest height. I use both of my hands to hold myself. But he moves his hand from underneath my knee and replaces it with his inner elbow. Now both his hands are free he can restrain me properly. "no" I whimper out as I lose control again for a few seconds but I can barley gain control. There's a mini puddle growing beneath me.

I hear a chuckle in front of me and I look up. There are three people in front of us watching me piss myself slowly. 2 men and 1 woman. The woman gets up from the crate she was sitting on and walks towards me. She has a big grin on her face as she stares at my terrified one. She has sharp fangs and I know immediately she is Rhea. I take notice of the fact she's as pale as a ghost.

She puts her hand out and her fingers poke at my bulging bladder. Her smile widens her fangs more visible as she watches drops of piss go down my leg and into the puddle. I can hear the 2 men laughing at me but I'm too scared to look at them. I can hear Finn laughing at me too.

I squirm and whine as she puts more pressure on my bladder. I can tell they love what they see but I haven't gotten a single confirmation from Finn that I am safe. I think about my missing boss for a second before I'm brought back by the feeling and the tall woman's palm squeezing my bladder.

I lose control fully and for 2 whole minutes, I pissed and moaned at the relief. Whilst They all laugh at me.

Words-1408

Chapter 4.5 safe? Alt

Finn thrusts in and out at an inhuman pace. I feel the coil in my stomach tighten for the 9th time today. We have been doing it like rabbits in my boss's office all day. Then I hear a timer go off. "home time baby girl" Balor utters against my neck and before I know it I'm in well... Somewhere else.

We're laying down on silk sheets, the place looks like a sex dungeon and my mind is going a million miles an hour. "calm down we're at my place" he says as he continues to fuck me. I nod my head and try to focus on how good I feel but the weird stomach feeling is back.

A part of me wants to tell him to stop or to take us to my house but nothing will come out of my mouth. The coil in my tummy finally breaks and I come undone for the 9th time. Next thing I know Finn is painting my walls with his seed. He pulls out and lay beside me. "I know I probably should have asked before I took us here but I think you will have a lot of fun here," he says and I look at all of the toys surrounding us.

I know what he says is true as my eyes lock onto a toy I recognize. "not today baby get some rest your gonna need it for tomorrow" he chuckles before getting up and returning a little while later with a washcloth.

After cleaning me up he kisses me and climbs into bed next to me. "I'll never take another client again" he says. For a moment I'm shocked. Obviously he means me excluded. I don't know what to say so I jsut try to fall asleep. Of course it's hard to ignore his previous words but after a few minutes, we fall asleep but I can't help but feel upset when I wake up.

I'm home. In my bed. Alone. He has left and I wonder if he tricked me into thinking he cared so he fuck me and leave. The euphoric feeling he gave me is quickly canceled out by anxiety. My head us still foggy from it but I'm no where near happy. I never knew the euphoric feeling could leave so fast. I Get ready for work and check the date to make sure it wasn't all a dream it wasn't. All of it was real and I guess I'll find out if he really cares today. He hasn't gone a single day without popping up and fucking me or at least trying to.

When I get to work I'm shocked that my boss isn't waiting for me so she can ridicule me. Then I'm even more shocked to find out that everyone is looking for her. The last time anyone heard from her was yesterday when I was in her office for half the day with the door locked. The only excuse I can think of is that she was screaming at me for violating the dress code and wouldn't let me flaunt myself around the office so I had to stay with her the whole day.

I told everyone that story and that she looked pale and she might be sick. The whole day I can't stop thinking about what Finn said. He was sure she wouldn't be back soon? What did he say to her? What did he do? Those thoughts distract me for most of the day until I leave my desk to go to the bathroom.

Usually, Finn would pop up and try to have a quickie in a stall but he doesn't. He hasn't shown up at all today. Or maybe he has and I haven't noticed. No. I would know he hates being ignored and he wouldn't leave me alone if I didn't notice he was there. Wait. He hates being ignored. This could just be pay back for ignoring him last night. No if it was pay back he'd be watching and he'd pop up when he noticed how upset i was.

Then the tears fall. I was right. He used me and now my boss is missing and people might think I did something to her. No one saw me or her leave. I am filled with anxiety, sadness, and confusion. I wipe the tears from my face and leave the bathroom.

The day passes slowly. I finally get to go home. The walk is lonely and I keep getting the weird stomach feeling. I turn into the alleyway where all of this bullshit started and I fight off the urge to turn around and take the long way home. Then arms wrap around my waist. "miss me, princess?" the Irish voice reaches my ears and for a second I am happy before I remember everything about today.

I want to pry his hands off and slap him. Then a second set of hands rest on my shoulders. I look up and see a tall unfamiliar woman. "I have been dying to meet you, sweetheart," she says staring into my eyes and smiling. I can see fangs where 2 normal teeth should be and i know this is rhea. I feel one hand leave my shoulder but I am too afraid to look at what it's doing. 

A wet cloth is then placed over my mouth and I try to hold my breath. I feel lightheaded and I am forced to breathe in. Then I feel relaxed and weightless. My knees buckle and the 2 sets of arms catch me. I am slightly aware of 2 other people standing near us. I close my eyes and they dont open for a while.

Words-933

Chapter 5 unknown and uneasy

I wake up in a small dark room. It's cold but not freezing. I can feel eyes watching me but my body is so sore from sleeping on concrete I don't bother to look. I have been kidnapped. By a demon. of all things a demon. I can't leave. I probably never will.

"I know you awake," a deep voice says unlike Finn's from the corner. I turn my head and look at the man. He's tall as fuck and hairy too. if there was any chance of me getting out of here there isn't now. "what do you want?" I snap. There's no point in being nice they're going to kill me.

"Excuse you?" fangs on the top and bottom if his mouth show. he stares at me and I shrink back. The words 'I'm sorry' get so close to leaving my mouth but I stop them. He continues to stare at me expecting an apology. I turn my head away from his cold frightening eyes. He scoffs at me astonished that I had the nerve to not answer.

I hear him leave his spot in the corner. "let me rephrase that for you-" he grabs me by the hair pulling my sore limbs up. I grab at his hands and he swats me away with the other hand his slightly overly long nails scratching me. "apologize. or. regret. it." he says through his teeth. "I'm sorry" my voice wavers. "I won't say anything like that again." he drops me to the floor. "good bitch" I can hear the smile in his voice.

"This is how this is gonna work," he says grabbing my arm his nails scratching me again and pulling me up. He turns me to face him and he squats down in front of me. "you call me sir or daddy nothing fucking else got it?" he says sternly I nod my head. He grabs a hand full of my hair. "Got. it?!" he says louder. "yes" I squeak. He pulls harder. "yes who?!" he yells in my face and I flinch away. "yes sir" he lets go of my hair.

"you've met Finn properly, i guess you met Rhea but you still need to meet dom" he says "is rhea the woman I saw the other night?" He slaps me in the face. "that's not what you fucking call her you hear me?" he says. "yes sir" I repeat the same phrase from before. "you call her mommy, you call Finn master and you call dom Papi," he says and I nod my head to show him I'm listening.

"you can call any of us daddy we know you're into that," referring to the fact I'm a little. They must have been stalking me. They wouldn't have to for long before they figured it out but still. I can feel my face get hot and I look at the ground. They don't want to kill me. Do they?

I'm hesitant to ask. "sir?" "yes sweetheart?" my stomach churns at the nickname. "are you going to kill me?" I ask the question. He chuckles. "we don't want to. We really don't but, if you become a problem we can't just take you home" I look at the ground again. He puts 2 fingers under my chin and lifts my head. "we'll take good care of you" he says. Then he leans in and kisses me. I don't kiss back. I don't pull away I'm too scared to.

This is my life now. All the way until the end this is what it will be like. My eyes glass over with tears. When he pulls away he sees my fear and looks at me disappointed and seemingly disgusted. I try not to let the tears fall. I really do. But they fall. I cover my mouth with my hand as i begin to sob. But when Damian sees this he does something unexpected. He sits down, pulls me into his lap, and hugs me. HUGS. ME.

I'm sorry but what the actual fuck is going on. I cry harder and try to pull away. He holds me still and shush's me. Then the door opens.

Words-732

I know this is the shortest chapter yet sorry love ya-gremlin💞💋💗

[jackdaw-kraai]

Hey, Jack? Do you have any advice for dealing with those who do nothing but demand updates for your fics? I'm pretty sure most writers have to deal with this crap, it's just… I have one reasonably popular fic that's been on hiatus for over a year, and it feels like almost every comment I receive is just another demand for an update. I'm starting to regret ever posting that damnable fic in the first place. I don't want to delete it, that would be cruel to the other readers, but I'm already stressed as hell, I already felt guilty for the long hiatus, and these constant demands just kept grinding me down to the point I can't stand to even look at this fic, much less continue writing it. So… any advice?

Oh I have different tactics for different platforms, so I'll give you some tips for all the ones I use and how they synergize. First of, on Ao3, I generally put something in the notes like "writing takes a long time and real life doesn't always cooperate, so be patient. I'm the one actually working on this, so you can deal waiting for me to pour my labor and passion and time into this. Cool? Cool. If you can't be cool, I'll block/mute/freeze you." Then, I put places in the notes where they can find me outside of Ao3 like my tumblr and discord and explain what they can find there, usually this will help redirect. Then, once in a while, I'll answer a comment if I'm feeling like it like "life is still busy, working on this is still fun but very labor intensive in order to make it, ect". If they get pushy, I block them.

On tumblr, if people get pushy about it in the asks, I block them. No question about it, I block them. Once in a while I'll publish one of them with either a compassionate, curt, or snarky explanation depending on my mood, but I don't give all of them the time of day because oh my gods, who has the time once you ask box hits the triple digits?? I also keep a pinned post on my blog with links where you can find my stuff, so people can easily locate it instead of pestering me about it.

On discord I'm most active, so there's a lot of info to find there, but also, there's a lot of friends there who can help intercept anyone asking questions like that and inform them "writing takes time, cool your heels." Having a good moderating structure also helps with this, as well as spoiler channels where you can rant about your progress to people who are willing to be spoilered, or point at to people who aren't down for spoilers but still want info like "them's the rules for the info, if you don't like it, tough tits." I also flat out have a rule amongst the server rules list (mostly stuff like "don't be a bigoted cunt," "don't air your dirty laundry in #general," "if I catch you being a creep to minors, I WILL call the cops on your ass") that says "don't harass the author" and enforce it by having the server closed to anyone who doesn't tick the little box at the top saying "I have read the rules and agree to them." You very quickly get a self-selecting audience that way that knows you won't take their shit.

Key to all of this is to assert yourself and be willing to step on toes to make people back off and give back your personal space. You can't be shy about setting your boundaries, and you don't have to be polite to people crossing them. Even the kindest celebrities often have bodyguards for this reason, and while we may not be celebrities, we can be our own bodyguards enforcing our boundaries. Try giving people a space they can go for information, but information that's given on your terms, not theirs. Pinned posts and A/Ns and the like are excellent for this. And finally, just block people. Literally just block people, even if they're fans. If people make you uncomfortable, remove them from your space, you can literally just do that. You don't owe them access to be able to harass you, and if they can't be polite about this, you can deny them access to you, period.

Fans are a lot of fun, and I love interacting with them! I met some of my best friends as fans first, and they're lovely folks! But you gotta stick to your boundaries in order to keep it fun for everyone, and make sure you state them loud and clear. And if people pretend to not have heard them, you can remind them this isn't a court of law, and even if it was, ignorance of the law is not defense of breaking it. Evict them from the premise without further notice if they won't comply.

[blundergato]

i swear to god man, i cant wait for this election to be over, so the "vote for the lesser of two evils" posts die down and i dont have to pop a vessel every time i see that shit.

i keep seeing this shit about how we have to vote for the person that is more likely to be pushed left or some variation of that sentiment and it's just a load of shit. if that worked, the democratic party wouldnt constantly be shifting further to the right and trying to CONSTANTLY cozy up to the republicans.

i watched a video where that was the main arguing point and also that republicans tend to play the long game with their policies. they will work for years and years to get a progressive policy undone and democrats just don't do that.

and that's partially true. republicans do do that. however, republicans are also far more united within their own party. they are shitheads with almost no morals or standards so they gel together easily to work towards whatever awful thing they want to do.

but if you think for a goddamn second that democrats have that sort of unity, or more importantly, willingness to work with their more progressive members, then you are just being willfully ignorant. the democratic party constantly shuns and actively fights against its more progressive, left-wing constituents in a way republicans just dont do to theirs. democrats are constantly trying to appeal and appease the more right wing people because it is a right wing party.

saying that democrats have to play a long game is juts a losing battle because they have not and will not be shifted left; the opposite is happening. and so what is the result of this?

obviously, you are going to lose those votes and support and DESERVEDLY so. its not the left's responsibility to just bend and acquiesce to the more right wing policies of the democratic party to foster this fake "unity." its the party's responsibility to WIN over voters and if they can't do that, then trying to use guilt and scare tactics isn't going to work.

and that's not even touching on the fact that most u.s. americans knowledge on foreign policy is piss poor. hell, ask about things happening in puerto rico, a domestic issue, and you will get blank stares, even though the democratic party has caused just as much damage, if not more, to the island as the republicans. and that is true of...most foreign policy, tbh.

but a big thing here is that people also only tend to care about domestic policy as it affects them. its easy to look past the atrocities being committed in other countries when its YOUR rights that are potentially under attack. its easy to go "well, what's happening in Gaza is an important issue, BUT..."

but some will still get on their computer and attempt to guilt the people affected most by these atrocious policies that they have to vote against themselves for some magical greater good.

[weary-minds]

Rejection sensitive dysphoria is... just so painful. No one said they hate me. I've been: invited into spaces meant for only close friend groups, recently promoted on my team, and have met so many wonderful people upon joining Tumblr on my main. But I've also: been blocked after giving someone a well wishes message in DMs during a difficult time of theirs (a super well-known artist at that), had my stuff removed over one other person's personal issues with the OP of what I posted, and am currently the only active member of my team while the community I care so dearly about is falling apart; knowing everyone will blame me if it does because of my position. I feel like I'm being judged. Like, everyone everywhere is staring hard at me, watching, analyzing, ready to catch me in a snare and put me down the first chance they get with any verbal or behavioral mistake they can find, with any flaw they can use against me. I've been dragged before over something I had no insight on, by people who initially backed me up and told me I did the right thing, only to turn well after the fact. Why wouldn't it happen again? They hate me now too, it seems. As if everyone is looking for an opportunity because they disgust me so much. I can't socialize in this mental state or my mind will take whatever it can to prove to me that all of this is true. I thought I was fine but I'm not. I am at first, but then it just all comes crashing down. Why does everyone hate me? Why am I so hurt over non-personal things?

I can only shut down, recluse, and wait out this long night. Because I know I won't be sleeping.

[freneticfloetry]

fic rec friday(ish)

Well, it’s Saturday. But have some recs!

This week’s theme: Rec a “gateway” fic - a fic that you read and it was so good it lead you to read multiple works by the same writer.

The rules: Tag a fic and explain why it was a gateway fic / what you liked about it. Then tag some people to see what everyone else is reading. Spread the love! Lola will do the round up on Sunday again, so if you’re still recc-ing on Saturday, no pressure. Please tag @welcometololaland or #ficrecfriday so she can compile the masterlist!

(A couple things, just in general: first, I am still very new to reading in this fandom, so I’m still standing in many of these gateways. Second, I am a kudos-and-comment reader, so if you don’t see my name in your serotonin section, please assume that I haven’t yet read your fic / update (but will soon, because I am slowly but surely consuming all the things).)

Thanks to @welcometololaland, @rmd-writes, @thisbuildinghasfeelings, and my beloved @ambiguouspenny for the tags!

to which there is no reply by stormss (@reyesstrand)

We've been blessed with so many post-finale/honeymoon takes, but this is one of the two that haunts me. It's quiet and moody and beautifully introspective, as Carlos comes to grips with the end of escapism and reality starts creeping in again. There's this distinct sense of before and after, especially as he reflects on the things he would've brought back to the real world with him, if his life still made sense, and there's so much insight here, in the objects he chooses for his parents, in the way he thinks of his father, in the way he sees TK. And I felt so at home reading this, not just because it's such a well-drawn story (though it is), but because of the way, every few paragraphs, there'd be a line phrased precisely the way I would have, and I'd get the strangest sense I was reading the best work I'd ever done that I'd somehow forgotten I'd written. I can't wait to read everything Maddie's done, including the handful of fics in another fandom we share.

living at the centre of a wound still fresh by LolaLand (@welcometololaland)

And here's the other! I am utterly infatuated with this fic — the way it's written, the way it's paced, and the way Lola lets Carlos plain not be okay. It's such a starkly beautiful story about grief and the way it ebbs and flows like the tide, the way it can pull you under or see you safely back to shore and you never know which wave you're riding. Lovelier still, somehow, is her TK, and all the things he does to help Carlos stay afloat. This one is still in progress (and I have a date this weekend with the last couple chapters), but it's the reason why Lola's Seven Ways (Back to You) series is next up on my Marked for Later list.

Fire Island by @carlos-in-glasses

I was remiss in not reccing this last week, for the "fics that start with the first letter of your username" theme — it certainly deserved a spot. This was not only the first fic I read of theirs, it's one of the first fics I read in the fandom. And it's such a rich, bittersweet story, one of those quietly beautiful pieces that lovingly punches you in the gut. The OCs are so well-realized, and the boys' love is so warm and lived-in that it feels like a lifeline, like a thread of hope to hold on to as we hear these tragically beautiful stories of boys past. This is the whole reason I got so excited for the swimfic, which is posting now.

You Keep Coming Back With A Bird In Your Teeth by vaguenotion

I can't even. I got so wrapped up in reading this that I started work two hours late. Writing a rec for this apparently isn't going to be any better than my feeble attempt at feedback, so I'll just say this: the prose is gorgeous, the character voices are unreal (fueled by a truly next-level TK POV), and it surprises me with every word. It's not even finished and it's already one of my very favorite things in this fandom, and everyone should read it. It's the author's first Tarlos fic, but they've got a fan in me for life.

I’m late, so I’m pretty sure everyone’s been tagged. But just in case, @hoko-onchi-writes, you’re up!

[superlustersnew52]

I feel like I should just outright say it and be done with it so here goes

I've only really not talked about this openly because I know people don't like people posting about drama but if I'm getting anon hate over it fine then I'll just say my piece and be done with it

back when I first started up superlusters (side note: the "new52" came later when I moved it from sideblog to main blog), another person made a blog called "powerlusters;" my blog was all dc characters at that point so they made theirs all marvel

I did not know this person before this, but I went along with it for a while until their true colours started to show

I believe it was on that powerlusters (which briefly rebranded to partylusters) account that they posted a smut starter that used m.illie b.obby b.rown as a fc (mind you, this was around 7 years ago, and she is 20 years old currently), which got them mass reported and had their account terminated when others found that starter, I did not personally see this starter but a callout post made the rounds

they came back not too long later as schooloflust, I admittedly was too lenient on them and should've blocked them then and there but gave them a second chance

then there was the incident where they hopped into my messages (and at least one other person, who would publically call them out on it), wanting to do an rp wherein a spell was cast on their muse so everybody saw them as a child and they could not change out of childlike clothes (mind you, they intended for this to go sexual somehow!), and, at least with me, they really pushed for it and went "well what if we just did the clothes part" and didn't want to take no for an answer

seeing the other person call them out on this was what made me decide to finally block them

fast forward to when they remade schooloflust later on, and they followed me from the new account, and I swiftly blocked them again

they would still wind up on my timeline sometimes though so I can tell you they added a.ngourice r.ice as a fc soon after she turned 18 but used gifs basically exclusively from s.pider-man h.omecoming (she would've been 15 at the time of filming that), and added i.sabela m.erced as a fc like the week of her 18th birthday and again used old resources

at the same time as they ran schooloflust, they followed me from another account (I believe this was ofcherrybombs, but maybe with a c or x replacing a vowel there), no part of this blog looked similar to their other ones so I followed back and was immediately messaged about wanting to rp and was tagged in a starter before I even replied, this starter made me go "hey wait that feels familiar" and sure enough upon checking schooloflust the exact same starter was posted on there as an open starter, so I blocked again

fast forward a bit again and I'm followed by an account called tornvoid which again I come to realize is the same person (I believe it might have been ofvoid at first)

at this point I have become paranoid that any account that follows me might be them so admittedly I probably blocked some people that weren't them and most certainly stopped following people back nearly as often

fast forward to relatively recently, they have new blogs yet again and literally have muse ages listed as under 18 on their smut blog and post smut starters saying their muse is 16, so of course I have them blocked and reported them for trying to write sexual content about minors (which is not allowed on tumblr!) and upon vague posting about it the other day I can tell you one person popped into my private messages to say they were trying to pressure them into writing smut about 16 year olds

I have had this person blocked for ages, and yet I keep seeing them on my timeline though others, I'm done, if I see you interacting with them, you are getting blocked, I can't have this hanging over me any longer

I understand they keep making new blogs so it may not be the easiest to recognize them but I can tell you they pretty much always have an oc named brooke redmund portrayed by v.alorie c.urry on their blog so that should help you recognize them (not to mention that they like to have muses listed as 16 or 15-18 on their smut blog so that should hopefully earn a block anyways)

[dearunreliablenarrator]

can you see me?...

honestly i hope not...

i guess you would be able to since my shower curtain is clear...well at least one of them is. but i do wonder what others do in theirs. i think showers or bathrooms in general tell a lot about a person(s), and as someone who finally took a nice shower in a clean, decluttered, and freshly stocked with a new lotion and soap (despite my shopper picking out the wrong scent :( (twice, mind you!)) i think im the perfect person to speak on this.

I think about how often normal people clean their bathrooms, as this time around it'd been about two...no maybe three months of watching Samson's litter crumbles matt themselves onto the fluffy patch that are my bathmats, or the drying reside of fresh toothpaste on old spit, and lest not forget the ever growing pile of clothes growing behind the door before i get tired of looking at it. although, im more prone to getting tired of thinking about doing it.

i think about me taking the floor furthest from the landry room wasnt the best move for someone like myself, but at least i have the ability to drop them two floors down and they'll already be in the wash waiting for me.

thanks sabryna, i love you so much for all you do!

but back to showers, i was convinced when i first moved into our townhouse to change out the head to a dual one...a suggestion by my mother as i was quote unquote...a grown woman with womanly urges...and while she meant well, this knocker will not be hit twice by this guest and will be reserved only for spraying down soap scum from the shower walls.

and do people still do everything showers? I got the appeal when I was younger and more agile but now adays i can't help but rest my head on the white tiling, on the verge of passing out with every passing minute under the scorching heat of the water...and that just with washing my hair. so i built a routine...or tried/try/trying?...lets just say im in between trials, but one thing for sure; i'll always feel better after a showering. feeling clean, pristine, and smelling like vanilla and citrus as a i walk out ( that if I put on lotion though; i think someone needs to invent a screen you can walk though that applies it for you).

i dont know how long a post is supposed to be on here but i guess i end after this last spurt of typing.

i think everyone has a strange habit they do in the shower, i know i tend to wash my face before my ass ( body in general people), and then rinse all at once ( though Im sure this isnt that weird), but i also like rewatching Kitchen Nightmares while i shave my legs, or that the tag of my towels have to be face up and out before i wrap it around me. or maybe its when i have to stand still and let myself drip excess water in the tub before i step out. im sure there are more nonsensical things i do that seem normal to the next person but i've yet to invite anyone into my space to find out.

until next time, or whenever you'll see me again,

elaine b. [wtrb-SsN]

10 february, 2025