#Happy National Day Ro!

[accelerandy15]

Hello Aiyuu/ Yuuai nation💛💙 Made a gift for u lovely peeps 💙

[mrs-weasley-reid]

SHAKESPEAREAN ROSE

Spencer Reid x psychiatrist!reader

Synopsis: Spencer Reid silently admires the new psychiatrist on the floor. Word Count: 1600+ WARNING: nothing, just fluff! A/N: Remember when I said I wrote more than what I posted for Doctors Across The Hall? This is it🤭 (I forgot to post it on aug 1, oops) I've decided to make Spencer Reid x psychiatrist!reader a series! It'll just be a bunch of fluff/angst/rare spicy stuff with psychiatrist!reader that happens in the same timeline but it's not in order. So, not exactly a story just tangents ??? Also I'm open to requests/prompts to keep this going hehe <3 Tell me what you think!

  “Guys, you’re so sweet! This is adorable!”

  Spencer’s ears perk up at the commotion. Curiosity thrums in his veins as he watches Derek hand you a rose. A small stuffed toy is clutched in your other hand. A wide smile adorns your face. A gorgeous sight on a late Wednesday morning. 

  Derek laughs, “Can’t take the credit.” He takes Penelope into his right arm. “Baby girl, right here strongly encouraged me.”

  Penelope gives you a bone-crushing hug, “Happy National Girlfriends Day, my favorite psychiatrist! Get ready for our sleepover! I have so many plans!” She squeals in excitement, inviting JJ in, who’d just discovered the similar objects on her desk.

  Your heart swells. Only two months into the bureau, and you’ve already found yourself a great group of friends. As the newly mandated psychiatrist in the building, it was nerve-wracking to enter the floor that seemed to reak of evil and know-it-alls. And although the BAU team is filled with know-it-alls, despite their constant denial, you managed to squeeze into their group as easily as befriending Penelope Garcia. Considering your office happens to be next to her lair.

  “Isn’t that day for couples only? For a girlfriend? Not a girl that's a friend?” You chuckle, taking in the aroma from the single rose.

  “Nah-uh,” Penelope wiggles her index finger. “All those boys are just piggybacking on girl power—” She turns to Derek, who’s about to object, “—You’re not included. You have been graciously influenced by moi. I’m just saying that I have my girlfriends, so I will celebrate the day the way I see fit, and that is with my gorgeous, gorgeous babes!” 

  As JJ begins to add her piece to the excitement parade, Spencer turns to Emily, who comes back from the kitchen, her stuffed toy in hand.

  “National Girlfriends Day?” He asks lowly.

  “What?” Emily furrows her brows for a moment before it flattens on her forehead. “Oh, that. Just a day some people celebrate to appreciate their girlfriends. Garcia’s excited about it—”

  Her voice quiets into the background in an instant. Spencer sits in his mind as he processes the information. National Girlfriends Day. The words echo in his head. A day to appreciate girlfriends…

— ✿ — ✿ ✿ — ✿ ✿ ✿

  Lunch is usually your highlight of the day. Not because of the time you eat but because of the time you spend listening to all the sizzling drama Penelope has to offer. It’s an interesting experience to have when you’re also the same person who listens to her cries every time the BAU team flies to yet another case in a different state.

  Today, though. It’s quite different.

  As soon as you enter the bullpen to check in with another agent’s inquiry regarding your services on the floor, a delivery man approaches you and hands you a huge bouquet of roses. Your newly found friends immediately hover around like shameless busybodies. Though, you never mind at all.

  “Oooh, yet another gift from your secret lover…” Emily teases, perching on Derek’s desk as she sips coffee.

  Derek joins in, eyebrows raised. “What is that—” He picks up a small note from one of the roses, rolling it open, “—Love looks not with eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind…” He waves the note with a mischievous grin. “We don’t know this guy, but he sure is cheesy.”

  Emily flashes a sheepish smile, “There’s one on each rose! How many roses are there?” She starts counting by eye.

  “It’s like Shakespearean roses.” Penelope quips after reading another note from a different rose, passing you the small poem that immediately makes your lips curl.

  “Shakespearean roses..? That's a thing?” You curiously inquire, looking over the vast red petals close to your chest. 

Penelope shrugs, “Not really, but it could be!” She beams at you.

  JJ smiles, joining in after a small detour to her office. “Oh, wow!” Her eyes widen, and her brows lift. “Another one of the noble Sir Rumple?” She coaxes.

  “Who is this Sir Rumple, anyway? I’m very curious.” Emily snorts, wiggling her brows at you. She doesn’t push past your clear boundaries but never fails to strike all her attempts to get a name out of you. She’s a profiler, after all.

  “Most importantly, when is she going to introduce us to her secret lover?” Derek teases, nudging you playfully.

  Just as you look up, Spencer Reid stands behind everyone, clutching the strap of his bag like usual. 

  His hair is short and untamed. Big hazel brown eyes spark under the fluorescent light. A thin, shy smile. And a familiar red cardigan. 

  You reckon it was the priciest clothing you’ve ever bought as a small thank you present. But Spencer doesn’t need to know, really.

  Time moves slowly at the brewing desire to have Spencer close. His shy smile and adorable averting eyes bring you the thought of domesticity. You imagine him coming home just like that. Messy hair. Giddy, tight-lipped smile. Exhausted features and yet the most handsome man in your books. A spatula in your hand, music in the kitchen, and the hem of his collared shirt swaying over your thighs. It's poetically a dream. Something you wish to have, to do for as long as you're breathing.

  “Maybe next time?” You say with blushing cheeks. The utter embarrassment of talking about a secret lover in front of your crush had your mind blown into overdrive.

  The group exchanges looks. But they don’t push further, indulging in the rare moment of your silent, sunny smile and hoping that you’re happy with whoever's been showering you with affection.

  “Okay, maybe not fully Shakespearean roses,” Penelope interjects, reading a corny joke that had the entire group cringe and you laughing.

  The joy in your laughter is like Clair de Lune playing through sunset. Spencer imagines warm tea in his hand, a book on his lap, and your little giggles across as you flip a page of yet another cheesy romance novel. Sunlight along your most beautiful features, which he insists is all of you. The cozy oversized shirt he owns covers the softness of your skin. A simple thought and yet has his heart racing in sheer bliss.

  Spencer smiles into his action report. “Shakespearean roses…” He whispers in a chuckle, shaking his head at the idea.

— ✿ — ✿ ✿ — ✿ ✿ ✿

  The day comes to a close with excitement and heartwarming joy. 

  “See you later at 9! Don't be late.” Penelope waves at you as the doors slide closed.

  You chuckle at her antics but quickly find yourself in a small predicament, struggling to carry all the tokens of love you’d received from everyone.

  “Here, let me help.” 

  Your eyes meet his. And you think you're having a heart attack. But you make sure to smile kindly with a not-so-eager nod.

  “Thanks, Reid.”

  He flashes his signature smile, taking the tall bouquet from your hands. 

  You fight yourself from biting the lower of your lips at the sight of his hand clutching the stem without difficulty. So, you breathe gently and indulge in his warmth next to you.

  “Looks like you had a nice day,” Spencer starts tentatively, swaying on the balls of his feet as he hoists your favorite thing of the day.

  You turn to him with a hum and a gentle bounce of your shoulders. “I did. I feel loved.” You confess.

  Spencer hides his blushing ears. Is it so wrong to wish you always smiled at him like that? Does a lifetime sound too much to ask? 

  “That's great,” He nods casually, letting the other patrons jump in and out of the lift.

  The doors open on the last floor. Both of you walk side by side as you trickle out of the lift into the parking lot. It's not a rule. But somehow, you and he always parked in the lowest lot despite the vast parking spaces above.

  He continues the conversation on smaller tangents that make you giggle. How did your sessions today go? How was the new lunch place you went to? 

  And you throw back the same curiosity with an enthusiasm he admires. Did you finish all your reports? Did you enjoy your lunch stroll? 

  Spencer hands you the bouquet back as soon as you settle your things in the passenger seat of your car. “See you tomorrow?”

  You beam at him, and his eyes soften, “See you tomorrow, Sir Rumple.” You giggle, stealing a quick peck on his cheek.

  Before you can turn around, Spencer stills your hips and steals a similar kiss, albeit on the softness of your lips.

  The two of you giggle at the silence. Butterflies flutter with tickling speed in both of your stomachs. Maybe keeping your relationship private isn’t as bad as you’d imagine. 

  He opens the door for you and waits until you're comfortable in your seat. “I think I prefer Shakespearean Rose now.” You announce as he leans on your window.

  He playfully pouts, “But I love Sir Rumple better…” He twists his brows. The telltale sign of his gears turning. “Maybe I can be both?” He comprises.

  “You can be whatever pseudonym you want,” You smile at him. “You’re the only Spencer Reid I want.” 

  Spencer’s cheeks tint a shade of soft red. He leans and kisses your forehead.

  “Shakespearean Rose it is.”

reid masterlist | masterlist

[beeindaclouds]

Hiya, can I request c!DSMP with a reader who has the power of Chlorokinesis like Isabela from Encanto? The reader can conjure and grow flowers, they can also manipulate plant life.

-🥀 anon

Hallo again 🥀 anon, hope you enjoy <3

C!DSMP w/ a Chlorokinesis!Reader

Includes C!: Dream, Georgenotfound, Sapnap, Badboyhalo, Skeppy, Quackity, Karl Jacobs, Wilbur Soot,Philza,Technoblade, Nihachu, Eret, Punz, FoolishGamers, Awesamdude

Click here before requesting, please ^^

Reader: GN - They/Them

Your powers give you the ability to create any type of plants that exists in the world

So obviously you made a job out of it by opening a flower/plant shop

It's true that in the SMP not many bought your flowers, but you were always happy to give out some for free since you basically made them with your powers

You gave each and every people in the SMP a different type of flowers, with meaning close to how you saw them

Dream received a Poppy flower; it's said that in the chinese culture this flower signifies the inability to control one's worst urges

George, the one time he visited before dissapearing from the SMP completely, received a Phlox; the flower has alot of meaning connected to love, but you merely gave it to him because it also means "sweet dreams", something he has a lot of

Sapnap is always attracted to one flower in particular, one that you always gift him, the Lily of the Valley; the flowers means pain and loss, and between Dream, George, Karl and Quackity, you weren't surprised by this choice of "attraction"

Bad always liked to buy Orange Lilies from you; a very ironic choice, considering the prideful and hateful meaning

You once gifted Skeppy a flower, after hearing about his constant quarells with Bad, a Chrysanthemums; as a way of comforting him for the loss of his once close friend

Quackity liked the Petunia's a lot, and always bought tons of them to put in his casino; it seems like the anger he held also translated into the flowers he liked

A bouquet of Periwinkle, Lilac and Pheasant's eye always waited for Karl at your shop; all three of them holding a meaning regarding memories

After the destruction of L'manburg, and the death of Wilbur, you threw a flower in his memory in the n9w destroyed Nation, a Yellow Rose; just as a reminder of how infedel he was to the people closest to him

Phil always liked to buy Violets from you, most of the time they were for his wife; they really showed how tranquil the couple were

Marigold was a flower Techno always admired in your shop; sometimes he would mumble about the closeness of death and the counting days

You always gifted Niki Blue Iris whenever she visited; a way of complimenting her for her strength and hope in the SMP

Eret always commissioned his servants to buy a few Purple Asters from you; of course a king like them deserved the royalest of flowers

After the imprisonment of Dream, you gifted Punz Black Dahlias; he thanked you happily, if only he knew the meaning...

Amouranth seemed like the perfect flower to gift Foolish, especially after gaining immortality

The only flower you seemed ro gif Sam was a single Lone Daffodil. Togheter they meant luck, but alone they meant the opposite

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

Authors On THG Writing Hiatus Masterlist

***Active (on this blog) is defined as a blog/writer who has updated within the past year. Inactive (on this blog) is defined as a blog/writer that has not been updated at all in the past year+. On THG Writing Hiatus (on this blog) is a blog/writer who has updated within the past year but has not posted a fanfic in the fandom in the past year BUT they may return to writing in the future. Lists will be updated as needed based on activity. ***

Created: January 5th, 2024

Last Checked:----

ashyblondwaves :: ao3, ff.net

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[nuvoloso]

Longing

Oikawa x m!reader (he/him/his)

I just love a good reunion. The little ~~ means change in view or time, it’ll make sense I promise. 

Word count: 3548

~

He wished they hadn’t moved to Tokyo. He loved his school in Miyagi, Seijoh had everything he’d wanted for high school. He had friends there, he had a life there; but his family had other plans. Y/n had grown up in the Miyagi prefecture, he went to Kitagawa Daiichi for junior high, and had gotten accepted into Aoba Johsai, a private high school in the region. When he was in junior high, he’d joined the volleyball team out of pure boredom, none of the other sports had interested him like volleyball did, and his parents insisted he join a club of some kind.

During his time with the volleyball team he’d gotten pretty good, and he’d made friends with this wonder-kid named Tōru. There was another one just like him in the year below them, but he always seemed so tense, y/n didn’t really have it in him to attempt a friendship there. There was also Iwaizumi who he had been quick to befriend, always enjoying how he interacted so playfully yet serious with Tōru. Together, the three of them went on to Aoba Johsai and immediately joined the volleyball club, eager to play the game with a bigger audience.

However, y/n had only gotten the chance to play with his friends for about a year and a half, before his parents uprooted his life in Miyagi for a much more stressful one in Tokyo. He went to Fukurodani now, and while he loved his teammates and the school in general, he desperately missed his friends from Miyagi. During his first year of high school at Seijoh, volleyball had brought him and Tōru a lot closer, mostly because they had the same work ethic. Their positions couldn’t have been more different, y/n was the team’s libero and Tōru their setter, they often only barely connected the ball to one another. 

But, y/n was more determined than most to do well and it was because Tōru’s mindset was so intoxicating. The two would often spend all of their free time practicing together, Iwaizumi joining in when he felt like it. They’d become best friends, but to y/n it had always been more than that. 

Tōru Oikawa was possibly the most attractive person y/n had ever known, or will ever know. He had always admired his friend, but when they’d gotten into high school his feelings became much more obvious to himself. Then, when he’d moved away and had to watch his friend from afar, his feelings had become somewhat tangible. Tangible in the way that he was always so jealous and angry that he couldn’t be there, angry that Tōru had this crowd of girls that followed him everywhere and got all of his attention. He took his anger out during practices, working as hard as his body would let him, always staying late or getting up early to keep going.

It was really bad one day when he kept seeing and hearing all about how Seijoh had beat Karasuno, and the feud between the legendary setter Oikawa and new legend Kageyama. Tobio gets to play against him and I don’t. 

Since Fukurodani was in an entirely different prefecture than Seijoh, the teams rarely, if ever, got a chance to play against each other. Sure, sometimes little teams from Miyagi got to play with Tokyo teams, but it was all about the connections coaches had with each other. And, since Seijoh had yet to beat Shiratorizawa in the Interhigh, they’d not gotten to nationals where they could’ve taken on Fukurodani.

The power pair from Fukurodani, Bokuto and Akaashi, were quick to notice y/n’s foul mood. They had become friends near immediately when y/n joined their team as a libero, Bokuto absolutely loved having y/n try to receive his spikes. Usually, y/n was more than happy to practice with them and would do whatever they wanted to, but today y/n didn’t even greet them upon entering the gym. 

He had gotten changed quickly, and started doing his own warm ups, separating himself from the team. After about fifteen minutes, he’d started going through the routine he always did when he was upset. It was the most intense of the routine’s he had created, and always distracted him from whatever was going on. He liked working hard, but he wasn’t great at regulating it, sometimes he’d just go on and on without taking breaks and find himself lightheaded and near passing out from dehydration.

Akaashi approached him, interrupting the set of sprints y/n had planned. “You’re upset today.” He stated blankly, not usually one to sugarcoat.

Y/n glared at him. “I don’t see how it’s any of your business, go back to Bokuto or something.” He mumbled, but Akaashi didn’t move. 

“You’ll either tell me what's going on or I'm telling coach you’re putting yourself in danger and he won’t let you practice.” Y/n scoffed, but he knew Akaashi was dead serious. “Well?” 

“Fine. But you can’t tell Bokuto, he can’t keep a secret.” Akaashi nodded, and the two of them went outside to talk, Bokuto attempting to join in, but after receiving a very harsh look from Akaashi, he backed off.

“You remember how I transferred here from Aoba Johsai?” He started, Akaashi nodding. “Well, Oikawa, Iwaizumi, and I have been close friends for a while. We went to the same junior high and we all loved playing volleyball together.” Pausing, he tried to figure out how to word the main part of his problem. He wasn’t sure he’d ever admitted out loud his feelings for his friend, but he didn’t have much of a choice here. “After we got into high school, I kind of came to the abrupt realization that I...liked him. As more than just my best friend.” 

“Ah.” Akaashi simply replied, seeming to have put two and two together before y/n had even finished. “You’re upset that you can’t play with him, and probably jealous of that fan club that’s always surrounding him. Right?” Y/n nodded, Akaashi had pretty much hit the nail on the head.

“There was also this kid that we knew in junior high, Kageyama Tobio, and he was just super standoffish, but now even he gets to play with Tōru and I have to stay here.” Even in talking to Akaashi, y/n could hear the animosity that laced his words.

“That’s definitely frustrating, I'll grant you that. But are you seriously going to let that affect how you play the game?” Akaashi asked, nothing friendly in his words. “I don’t think Oikawa would want to know that this is how you’ve been handling it.” The shock y/n felt must’ve been all over his face because Akaashi seemed to take a step back. “It's just--you never know. Maybe you’ll have a chance to play against him soon, you don’t want him to have grown more than you right? Think about making him proud.” Akaashi left him to think about what he’d said, though y/n was still recovering from Akaashi’s scolding.

He’d not seen Akaashi so mad at anyone before, much less himself, usually the two of them got along like brothers. He guessed that maybe having to deal with Bokuto’s emo mode all the time, along with y/n’s anger was starting to get tiring. Akaashi was right though, everything he said was right. 

Y/n knew that letting his anger keep a hold on him wasn’t making him any better at playing a team sport, and that Tōru would be mad at him if he learned that this was how he dealt with it. He sighed, trying to expel every ounce of oxygen held in his lungs so that he could refill with fresher air, and hopefully a better composure. He went back to the gym after that and joined his team, apologizing to everyone and the coach for his repeated idiocy and promising it wouldn’t happen anymore. 

The weeks following that day were much more fun, both for y/n and the rest of his team. There came a day where upon his entering the gym, he noticed that his teammates had gotten changed, and instead of warming up were crowded around the coach. When Akaashi and Bokuto saw him, they waved him over to them, quick to explain what was going on. 

“Coach said he had a surprise for us, nobody knows what’s going on.” Bokuto nearly yelled, he was practically jumping with excitement. “I hope Nekoma is coming over for a practice match, I haven’t gotten to catch up with Kuroo in forever!” Y/n knew that actually wasn’t true, they’d seen Nekoma maybe three weeks prior, but to Bokuto he supposed that was pretty close to forever. 

“If it’s a team, which it might not be, it would probably be one from further away, otherwise they’d be here already.” Akaashi suggested, looking towards the entrance of the gym waiting for someone to appear. Y/n selfishly hoped it was Seijoh, but he didn’t get his hopes up. Seijoh liked to keep their friendlies local, usually they went for college students or neighborhood clubs, there was little to no chance that they came all the way down here.

While the Fukurodani students all anxiously chatted, their energy nearly becoming too much for the poor coach. As if on cue, the main doors opened, revealing the red jackets that Bokuto loved so much. The Fukurodani team excitedly ran to great the guests, Bokuto leading the charge and nearly tackling Kuroo in the process. Akaashi went to speak to Kenma, and suddenly y/n was by himself, watching as red and white collided. He was about to head into the mass of students to greet Yaku, another libero and someone he got along with swimmingly when the doors opened again. 

This time, turquoise and white flooded through the doors, and y/n nearly fell on his ass. Seijoh? His thoughts raced, his eyes frantically searching the faces of the students filling the gym, some of them waving to him, he could barely bring himself to return the gesture. 

Then, he walked in.

“Tōru!” He yelled, his voice nearly getting lost amongst the number of conversations, but the intended audience heard him. 

~

Oikawa had been stunned when their bus had pulled into the Fukurodani parking lot, his coach hadn’t told them anything other than they were going to a friendly match. His heart had started racing the moment he realized where they were, y/n’s school. He and y/n had been friends forever, and it had devastated him when he moved away. In the time he’d lost him, they stayed in contact mostly through social media, sometimes texting each other but usually just though seeing the other’s posts or watching games. 

Of course, Oikawa missed playing on the court with y/n, with him there was always this energy and vigor that filled him to play his best. Iwaizumi did what he could to encourage the same kind of attitude, but it wasn’t the same as y/n. But, more than just playing together, he missed being around him. Talking, laughing, playing video games, eating, cursing each other out when the other did something stupid. He missed it all, and more than he’d like to admit, his heart ached whenever he turned around and saw Watari instead of y/n.

Iwaizumi always made fun of Oikawa’s state of dismay whenever it seemed he was missing y/n, always calling him Oikawa’s ‘boyfriend’ or something similar because of how much his mood changed when y/n was the topic of interest. Before Iwaizumi had brought it up, Oikawa had never thought about if he liked y/n as something other than just his best friend. Although, after he moved away Oikawa came to the brutal realization that y/n had a much stronger impact on his life than he had thought. Now, being without him was like torture. 

“Tōru!” He heard his name, though only barely, but he knew that voice better than any other. He looked around the gym, searching for the face he knew matched that voice, but finding himself agitated when he couldn’t see him. 

“That way, shithead.” Iwa pointed, Oikawa bolting. 

Y/n ran to meet him and soon Oikawa had wrapped his arms around y/n and was just slightly lifting him off the ground, swinging him around as much as he could. After he set him down, he just took the moment to hold y/n, feeling his hair with one hand, the other keeping him pressed against him. Oikawa had always been a bit taller than y/n, and so he found himself laying his head on the shorter, taking in the smell of his hair. 

Y/n pulled himself away from Oikawa, shaking his head with a smile. “I missed you so much, Tōru!” Seeing his face, in person, so close--Oikawa realized he was really restraining himself from just kissing the boy in front of him. 

Trying to keep some of his composure he returned the phrase. “I missed you too, y/n. Though it is your fault for leaving me, so I think you owe me.” Y/n’s brow furrowed, 

“My fault!? You think I would’ve left you on purpose?!” Oikawa shrugged, 

“Who’s to know?” He joked, closing his eyes and shrugging. “Maybe you just secretly hated me so much you had to move schools to get away from me!” He opened his eyes wide and covered his mouth as if in shock, y/n just rolling his eyes and lightly punching Oikawa’s shoulder. 

“Yeah, sure. I’m not Iwa, you know. I can actually enjoy your shitty little comments and games.” Oikawa chuckled, that much was true. “Besides, I think it was harder for me to leave than it was for you to lose me anyway.” What? Is that actually what he thinks? He thought, now thoroughly confused.  Did he not express his love for y/n enough when they were younger? Surely y/n understood how much he meant to him right? Oikawa searched y/n’s features, hoping to find some kind of answer to his questions but found nothing he liked. Y/n looked serious. 

“That’s not true, it killed me when you told me you were leaving.” Y/n just rolled his eyes again, this time shaking his head and dropping his gaze to the floor. 

“You don’t have to pretend, Tōru. Come on, we should join everybody else.” Oikawa was speechless. Y/n really thought Oikawa didn’t care about him, when in reality it was so far the opposite. 

Y/n had taken off towards the massive group of athletes and was gesturing for Oikawa to join him, so he put the issue behind him, promising himself he’d make things right later tonight.

When Oikawa had caught up with Y/n, he introduced him to his friends Bokuto and Akaashi from Fukurodani, and Kuroo, Kenma, and Yaku from Nekoma. He could tell how tight knit the six of them were, and couldn’t help but feel like his small trio of him, Iwa, and y/n had been replaced. Akaashi was eyeing him carefully, though he wasn’t sure why, but soon after they’d been introduced the coaches had gathered to get the practice matches started. 

Each team was split into two, and matched up with a team from a different school; each pairing would play one full set and the loser would have to take a lap of sorts. Each team would get to play four sets, allowing for them to play with each other team not of their own school. The matches carried on, only small water breaks between sets, Oikawa and y/n still not having played against each other. 

This was the last round of sets for the athletes, and it would be the very last set played that day that was Aoba Johsai v Fukurodani, or as they saw it, Oikawa and Iwaizumi v y/n.

When the match started, there was an energy on the court unlike the other matches, Oikawa and Iwaizumi doing whatever they could to make the ball hit the ground on the other side, y/n preventing it. The teams went back and forth, staying in deuce for several points past the typical 25, but eventually Fukurodani won, 31-29. 

Exhausted, Bokuto and Akaashi as well as the rest of the team clapped y/n on the back for the incredible receives and digs he’d made throughout the game. Y/n was heavily panting, but as he wiped the sweat from his brow he grinned at Oikawa and Iwaizumi, obviously pleased with the result. Oikawa was immediately ready for another round after that, but what he wanted more was to play with y/n, rather than against him, though that was fun too. 

The coaches excused everyone to get changed and showered, saying that there was still about an hour before either team was going to be leaving, so they could socialize all they wanted. The two got changed and cleaned quickly, wanting to spend as much time as possible together before Oikawa had to go back to Seijoh. 

They decided to go outside since it was warm, and sat on the grass outside the gym. “Why didn’t Iwaizumi join?” Y/n asked, looking back towards the gym for their third. “Is he still getting changed?”

“No, actually I asked him if I could talk to you alone.” Y/n looked at him surprised, but stayed quiet, not wanting to interrupt him. “Earlier, you said that you thought your leaving was harder for you than it was for me, you said that I was pretending when I said it killed me when you left.” Y/n slowly nodded, not sure where this conversation was headed. “I’m telling you, it really did hurt me when you left.”

He was worried about being so...sappy, with y/n. He just knew that if y/n really didn’t think he cared about him, there was no way he felt the way Oikawa did for him. 

“I don’t see how that’s possible, Tōru, you’ve got hoards of fans and friends to keep you company, what was I other than another one of them?” Oikawa could feel his heart beating faster, he was more than upset that y/n felt that way about him, how could he possibly think that he was just another fan? 

“We’ve spent years together! Practiced hours and hours together, how can you think that you’re just another blank face in my life, when yours has always had the most detail?” He spoke hastily, worried that if he didn't, the words may never come. His eyes begged for y/n to understand what he was to him, yearned for him to feel the same way. 

“What?” Y/n’s brow knit, as if he was trying to translate a language he didn’t know. 

I guess I'll always have to dumb things down for you, y/n. “If I kiss you, will you understand what I'm trying to say?” Oikawa moved closer to y/n, sitting directly in front of him, their knees barely colliding. Y/n didn’t look like he was anywhere near a response, but he muttered something that sounded like a ‘maybe’ while every centimeter of skin on his face morphed to sunset shades of pink and red. “May I?” Oikawa asked, still scared he had it wrong. 

“You have to ask?” Was how y/n replied, Oikawa not even getting the chance to be first. Y/n put a hand on the back of Oikawa’s neck and guided him into a gentle, but fervent kiss. Oikawa didn’t skip a beat, putting both of his hands on y/n’s head, and pulling him towards the other, until Oikawa fell onto his back, y/n being pulled on top of him in return. 

~

They laughed, but y/n made no attempt to move off of the setter he currently had pinned to the ground, which Oikawa didn’t seem to mind. 

“I guess I look pretty stupid now huh? Saying all that stuff about you not caring that I left...” Y/n said, his voice trailing and his eyes shifting from Oikawa’s to the grass beside his head. 

“Yeah, you do. I mean come on!” Y/n laughed, he was glad he had been wrong. It had just seemed like such an impossibility for him, considering how many people pined after Tōru on a daily basis. Not to mention Tōru had seemed to stop talking to him after he’d left, sure the occasional ‘how are you?’ text was nice, but it wasn’t anything to write home about. 

“Well maybe, if it wasn’t for someone’s horrible texting habits, I would’ve understood sooner!” Tōru’s mouth hung open in shock, but y/n raised an eyebrow at him, and his mouth closed. 

“Sure, maybe. But you knew about how little I texted people before you left!” He complained, y/n just shook his head,

“Shut up or I'll just have to make you, somehow.” Tōru grinned, setting his hands so his head was resting on them. 

“Sounds like I should talk a whole lot more then.” 

[magussanctorium-if]

3/3. Figured I’d start off with a favorite classic fluff,

For our terrific They/thems

How would the Ros react to MC making & putting a flower crown on their head saying "For the ruler of my heart"?

Under the cut for neatness!

Thalen - Thalen will react in one of two ways. 1. They will start lecturing MC on proper use of the flowers in the school gardens and that they're "grown for educational purposes and not frivolous activities", or 2. They're flustered and speechless and shy and cute. They're well-versed in flower crown making since they made them with the Princess of their home nation as children, so MC should definitely expect a flower crown of equal or better quality coming their way soon. They will not deliver it personally though because they will get shy and embarrassed and bail last minute.

Afthel - If MC is doing this in public, like the courtyard or the commons or something, Afthel's leaving. They won't even take the flower crown, they've up and gone. Before MC can even get the words out, they're like halfway to their room. Now if this is in private, they're still blushy and shy, but they will accept the crown and keep it as long as possible and when it starts to wilt, they'll press it into one of their favorite books. They'll use a spell to imprint the flowers on the inside cover of the book so when they open it, it's the first thing they see.

Lamatri - At that point, they're taking it as a marriage proposal, honestly. If MC gave them like a piece of lint from their pocket, they'd treasure it as if it was like their firstborn child or something. Lamatri is literally so obsessed and so in love with MC, any vaguely nice and romantic thing towards them is getting interpreted as a proposal. They think a spring wedding sounds nice.

Traki - Traki is so so so excited to get a flower crown from MC. They're talking a mile a minute and they're manhandling the flower crown, they're just so happy. Unfortunately, their excitement probably causes them to accidentally crush the flower crown and then they'd be devastated. They'd feel so bad until MC says its okay and makes them another one. They treat the second flower crown like it's made of glass and it manages to survive the ball of uncontainable energy that is Traki Goldreaver. At least for another day or so.

Cyian - Poor Cyian thinks it's a joke. Or they think it's for someone else and MC's just asking their opinion on it. They really can't wrap their head around the fact that someone likes them enough to do something like that. Like, surprise, Cyian! People actually like you! They'd be happy and would place it in their room somewhere where they can always see it. MC might have to get someone to put a preserving charm on it or do it themselves, cause Cyian certainly won't remember and will be even more sad and upset to wake up one morning and find it all wilted.

[luvrodite]

HAPPY NATIONAL JASON DAY TO YOU SWEETHEART i hope your classes go smoothly and you get back home in no time <333

if you have the time to answer this how does jayro celebrate the day?? do you have any traditions or something special planned?? and what kind of gifts did you get him this year tehe??

HI HI HI happy jason day to you too baby!!!! thank you angel, i’m not a fan of whoever did my timetable (me in dec 2023) to stack all my classes together in one day >:( anyway just a heads up that this gets a bit nsft

in the jay ro verse i call out sick of my classes or at least the morning ones to spend it with him even if he doesn’t ask me to and we both wake up fairly early but don’t get out of bed until later because it’s the perfect weather for staying in bed and cuddling <333 thinking about waking him up with head and making sure he starts the day off right.

i’m not great at special breakfast on the fly so i think i would’ve prepped for it in the days before, so that i could go and get it ready and be back with him asap!! we do presents first though, with him staying in our room and me bringing it all out after our activities (i feel so prudish calling it this but every other variation sounded so weird as well), and then breakfast in bed!! he gets the princess treatment, so he’s not lifting a finger today at all!

this year i would have gotten him a vintage leather jacket, because i imagine the one he has is starting to wear but also because i imagine seeing this in a vintage store and immediately thinking it was made for him!!! it’s an old racing jacket that i know he’s going to look soooo good in (imagining it’s a ferrari one because i’m biased)

also these are more birthday stocking stuffers than anything but a few books on his tbr, maybe new releases he’s mentioned wanting to check out but hasn’t gotten around to getting yet.

i think this would either be a bit tricky or so easy to get my hands on because it’s gotham and there’s no in between, but some sort of addition to the armoury he has hidden throughout our place — i think this is a tradition that started when we were younger and he got me an army knife for my birthday because i’d mentioned they looked cool, so every other year we take turns getting each other a new addition to our collection! they’re mostly an assortment of cool but practical blades, i think!!

some more stocking stuffers but i’d get him a knit sweater and some other clothes as well! he’s my barbie doll and i like playing dress up, so i’d get him some nice clothes that work for both casual and slightly formal settings — like a reservation tonight at his favourite restaurant!!

i think he expects a visit from the bats and the birds at some point of the day, but mostly we spend it relaxing and enjoying ourselves in each other’s arms <333 i insist on him getting his birthday kisses and we keep having to start over because he gets squirmy about me planting them on his face and i keep laughing, so it takes ages for us to actually get to the last kiss but who’s complaining?

anyway i love him so dearly i want him to know happiness and a soft love and be spoiled until he’s cotton candy melting on my tongue. i love him and thank you for asking me this!!!

EDIT i cant believe i forgot this but i absolutely get him flowers on the way home from my classes to surprise him as well as some fancy pastries/desserts that we sneakily share before dinner (idk who we’re hiding from but we’re having a giggle about it nonetheless)

[ohmotherwhereartthou-if]

What would be the RO's dream wedding? When, where and what kind of ceremony would they want with the MC? Will it be small or large? Curious to know all about them lol!

Hey Chaotic!

Cassandra: She would like a outdoor wedding, extravagant yet simple (one of those rustic looking weddings that look affordable but in truth were expensive). She would like to keep it a small wedding with select people attending, her dad of course and maybe a few social peers so she can show off how happy she is to other socialites.

Valeria: Small town church wedding with all of the food, pastries, and the cake made by her family. EVERYONE is invited so expect a crowd. She wouldn't want to spend too much money so she would like to prepare everything herself (read: force family to help) and hand make decorations and flower arrangements. Would like to have a beach wedding but that's more of a personal fantasy, those are expensive.

Tomás: Grand cathedral wedding, fit for royalty. While he personally wouldn't mind living a simple life, that fact that he comes from old money tends to show on huge events of his life. He wants it grand and memorable to everyone so he can brag how much he is willing to do for his beloved. Huge wedding venue with very few people allowed to attend, the grandness is for his and his lovers pleasure; everyone else can kick rocks. Will talk smack about how amazing the wedding was and then be like, "Oh yeah you wouldn't know because you weren't invited." It's revenge for everyone looking down on him and calling his a dog like his dad for years because of what his father did.

-

Ludovica: Small private wedding, the details don't really matter. The last time she was a bride was extravagant but miserable, this time she just wants her lover and nothing else. She would honestly be content to just elope. If MC wanted a bigger wedding she would prefer to have a loving riverbank wedding, heartfelt decorations and meaningful music playing. Still would want very little people to attend.

Aurelio: Sigh.

Glitz, glamour, galore. The amount of money this thing would cost could pay off the United States national debt. I could see this bastard renting out the grand colosseum and inviting everyone in Romandi, rich or poor. This event is going down in history, the day this dog finally settled down. It's a very joyous occasion, only the very best food and music money can buy.

Elio: Lmao, your lucky if you even get him to agree to getting married. Whatever MC wants honestly.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Libby Brooks

Published: Apr 29, 2024

Ros and Mark Dowey, whose son Murray took his life after being duped by criminals online, are calling for greater awareness and social media regulation

It was a relaxed evening at home in Dunblane, near Stirling, a few days before the turn of the year. The Dowey family – Ros, Mark and their three sons – were watching television when talk turned to plans for the new year. Murray, 16 years old and their middle boy, chatted about saving up for a holiday to Marbella he was planning with his friends that summer. At about half past nine, he went up to his bedroom. It was the last time his family saw him alive.

The next morning, Ros was preparing for a visit to friends in Glasgow. “I saw that Murray’s door was ajar with the light on,” she says. “I walked in and said ‘Are you up?’ and found him there.”

Mark was downstairs watching the football when he heard “this crazy, crazy screaming”. He shudders at the recollection. In the couple of hours since he had gone to bed, Muzz – as his family knew him – had taken his own life.

It took the police two weeks to gain access to Murray’s phone, and discover the truth – two weeks of “questioning every interaction”, says Ros, “trying to understand what we’d missed, how that happy boy who’d gone to bed that night was dead”. Neither Murray himself, nor anyone close to him, had ever expressed any concerns about his mental health.

Police Scotland told the Doweys there was evidence that, on the night he died, Murray was targeted by criminals involved in financially motivated sexual extortion – commonly known as “sextortion”.

[ Murray Dowey. ]

“He was duped into thinking he was talking to a young girl,” Ros explains, “and she had an intimate picture with her. As soon as shared his own, it became very clear it wasn’t a young girl he was speaking to, it was criminals who immediately started to extort him, asking for card details and threatening to share his picture with all his contacts.”

The effect on Murray would have been catastrophic, says his mother. “He was very private and hated being the centre of attention.” She describes the “frenzied panic” he must have felt: “That’s why they target teenagers, because they don’t have the life experience to understand it will pass.”

Murray was clever and street-smart, says his dad, not glued to his phone, and, if anything, slightly dismissive of social media. An open family, they had discussed the dangers of sharing photos and messaging strangers “and yet he still fell for it. It can happen to any child.”

Ros and Mark reflect on Murray’s self-containment and it is clear that they likewise do not relish public attention. But they have chosen to speak to the Guardian and one national television broadcaster. “We are doing it for Murray”, says Mark simply. “We want young people as far as your readership goes across the world to get the idea that this is insidious – it comes into your home.”

“We were six feet away when this was happening. He just needed to come through to our bedroom. So it’s about putting the phone down, walking away, saying to someone else, ‘This has happened, what the hell do I do?’ Murray didn’t do that and we lost him.”

They describe their “lovely boy” as bright, funny, sociable, passionate about his guitar and his football team, Stirling Albion. He loved hip-hop – Kid Cudi, Lil Yachty and Benzz were on his funeral playlist – and camping with his tight-knit group of pals up at the local reservoir.

His friends are devastated. Dunblane high school delayed their prelim exams when they returned to class in January after Murray’s death, and while the school immediately addressed the wider issue with pupils, Ros would like to see more concerted awareness-raising across the education sector.

“It can’t be a soft message and it needs to happen now. This is growing exponentially and young people are dying.”

International data bears this out. The FBI has recorded a tenfold increase in the number of cases since 2021 and more than a dozen related deaths. In August 2023, two Nigerian men were extradited to the US to face charges relating to online extortion and their part in the suicide of Michigan 17-year-old Jordan DeMay.

Earlier this month, police in New South Wales, Australia revealed a near-400% increase over the past two years as they announced that two different men had been charged in Nigeria over the alleged sexual extortion of a 16-year-old Australian boy who took his own life last year.

UK campaigners highlight Report Remove, an online tool for under-18s developed by the Internet Watch Foundation and Childline, which allows them to report anonymously any image or video, which will then be placed on a watchlist used by all the main social media players.

But these platforms must themselves make it easier for young people to get help, say Murray’s parents. Mark believes children’s contacts should be private by default, thus depriving scammers of the pressure point of sharing intimate details.

Ros believes regulation is key. “Social media platforms are making billions and have complete free rein to do what they want – some of which is causing young people to die – with no consequence.”

Police Scotland is understood to be working with authorities in Nigeria as their inquiries continue, and the other international prosecutions give the Doweys some hope of justice for their son.

Ros is unequivocal: “There has to be a really clear message to these perpetrators that you think you’re anonymous and thousands of miles away but these countries will come after you. Not only to punish them, but to deter others from thinking it’s easy cash and it doesn’t matter what happens to the victims.”

“I don’t want any other family to go through this,” she adds. “We were just a normal family … a completely normal, happy, loving family,” – and the horror and the pointlessness of Murray’s loss feel close by. “Then your life is absolutely shattered in the space of a few hours.”

==

Needs to be pointed out that when something disproportionately affects girls, the headline says, "girls." But when it disproportionately affects boys, the headline says, "children."

91% of victims of sextortion are boys 14-18.

[dishonestlies-if]

I have questions I don't know if they've been asked before. So pardon me if they have if this is a dumb question.

I was reading through the game description and it days our ex spouse is the great nephew of some important person so I'm assuming they were male... right?

but then also we can choose our gender. So if I choose to play a male character. How did our daughter come to be? Unless i got that all wrong. Or is there magic involved with same sex couples having kids?

And on that topic how do the ROs react to an MC that is the same gender. Are any of them conflicted or is it a happy love all vibe in the kingdom especially among nobility?

I. How did I not notice this. What is wrong with me I'm gonna lose my mind-

Thank you for pointing out the thing with Alix! (Dis)honest Lies started out as a small project for myself and a few friends so originally the MC was set as female, and therefore Alix was set as male, seems I forgot to change their description after I decided to make it a public game. I'll fix that right away!!! (On that note, what's the gender neutral form of niece/nephew? Nibling? Nephling?)

As for the ROs:

M really doesn't care. So long as they like you for you, they're not letting anyone get in the way of your relationship, least of all some homophobic old fogies who can barely manage their own failing marriages. In any case, among the lower class nobody really cares all that much - most are too busy trying to feed themselves and their families to gossip about who's courting who; your worth and status is based on what you contribute to the community, not who you choose to spend your life with.

Legacy is an immigrant from another kingdom where such relationships are much more accepted among the upper class and monarchy, so they just embrace it with open arms (assuming, of course, they can first get over all the other things keeping them from seeking happiness for themselves). In fact, they find it funny how enraged the few disapproving members of the Court get over what Legacy deems to be a trivial matter, so once they're romanced they take great delight in courting you in front of the homophobes just so they can watch them fume, unable to actually say anything (because that's the monarch and their lover, what are they gonna do about it?). E is 100% down for it. They are actively pursuing your heart (good luck trying to evade them lol), and they will not let anything stand in their way. After all, MC is the monarch, and they are an Advisor, with the backing of the House of Alinac. Realistically, only the other Advisors could lay a hand on them, and that could spark a rather nasty conflict in the Court, which they know all the Families are actively trying to avoid. Consequences be damned, they'll get what they want - they always do. E is untouchable, and they know it; what, then, is the point in fearing Court gossip? The lower nobility can say nothing to them, at least not without repercussion. O is already hesitant to pursue the monarch, even moreso if they are the same gender. O worries about the monarch's image - they know gossip in the Court is rarely forgiving, and for the monarch to court an Advisor (unheard of in the kingdom's history), well, that would certainly spark rumours of favouritism among the Families. While likely not enough to spark the other Families into direct action on its own, it would definitely make them more difficult to deal with - not ideal for the nation. They can only imagine what the rumours would be like if the monarch's lover were to be the same gender - and the Advisor from the House of Hildebrand, at least, strongly disapproves of such unions. O would prefer to spare MC (and Batrinoa as a whole) all the trouble and simply reject any romantic advances (even if they dream of taking MCs hands in theirs).

C, on the other hand, was raised in a rather homophobic household. It was really just their father Volker who drilled into the minds of his children that same-gender partners are wrong and unnatural and will be nothing more than a hindrance in war (soldiers are generally grouped into divisions by gender, and it is his belief that if a soldier was attracted to the same gender, it would make all members of their division a possible distraction on the battlefield). Though C (and none of their siblings really, except maybe their eldest brother, the family heir) took to these teachings, C is still hesitant about pursuing MC if they're the same gender - the internalized homophobia still hits hard even after all these years, and in any case they're not so sure MC would reciprocate (at least in the beginning). Give them some time to sort things out, the wait will be worth it.

[chaoticrebels]

NAME : Rory Novalie Graves NICKNAME : Ro, Ry, Nova, Rylie by her bestie, Oreo by her parents only.  AGE : 24 BIRTH DATE : Dec 26 GENDER : Female ORIENTATION : Bisexual NATIONALITY : American LOCATION : Tempe, Arizona PROFESSION : Streamer, Cosplayer, Hacker, Make Up Artist & Nail Technician ZODIAC : Capricorn SPECIES : Human SPOKEN LANGUAGES : English, French, Korean HEIGHT : 5'3” WEIGHT : 118 lbs HAIR :  Dark Brown with Purple usually dyed in it.  EYES : Brownish Green TATTOOS : None PIERCINGS : None SCARS : None FACE CLAIM : Landry Bender

Biography

Rory Novalie Graves was born at midnight on Dec 26th in Tempe, Arizona to Skylar and Avery Graves. She has a younger sister named Kyra Athena Graves {@fiercehearts​}, which growing up she had to deal with her baby sister in and out of the hospital due to an serious disease she had. And due to that, most of the attention went to her. Which caused Rory to feel semi invisible but she loved her sister, although sometimes she wished that she was an only child. But other times, she wished she could make a deal with God to swap their places so her sister could have a healthy and happy life while she suffered instead. And yet she knew how impossible that was because if God was real then why doesn’t he or she help the poor unfortunate souls who need it? She didn’t know.

As time went on, Rory began to get really into make up and nail art. So much she began streaming as she created masterpieces on her friends and herself. Making it her after school job, bringing in her own income to help lessen the burden on her parents. And on the side of that, she would get paid to hack into things. Her only rule being that it would be nothing that would get her jail time if caught, she didn’t need to put that stress on her parents. She did that enough with her rebellious ways. 

By the time she finished high school, Rory was all but ready to go out into the world and explore. But she ended up going to college in Boise, Idaho with her best friend. Taking courses in a few different fields but mainly sticking to art and design, yet she kept streaming on her free time. And on her vacations, she would travel home to visit her family until Kyra left for college. After that the sisters completely lost touch, while the eldest would get in touch with their parents from time to time.

Over the next couple of years, life had became quite busy for the female. She was gaining popularity as she started to adventure into doing more than make up and nail art on her streams, she started to cosplay and put on little stories for her viewers with her friends. She was living her best life and it seemed like it was only getting better, she even began dating. A few months after that her friend got a job offer in Toronto so she ended up moving to Canada, she had only been in Toronto when her parents where planning on driving down to visit her. And as excited as Rory was, she was also nervous. Had a strange feeling in the pit of her gut but she shrugged it off, just focused on making sure everything was ready for their visit. But then came the call that turned her world upside down, her parents were in a car accident and they didn’t survive. Her heart nearly stopped, she always assumed she’d get a bad news kind of call one day but about her sister. 

It had taken not even a day for Rory to pack her suitcases, to rush back home. If she thought she was nervous about seeing her parents, she was wrong. She was a mess knowing she had to see her sister again after all these years of no contact, on the worse day of their lives. She didn’t know how that was going to go but she did know one thing, she had decided then and there she was moving back home.

[grapecaseschoices]

i usually don't send asks and i would send this off anon, but im scared of getting hate on this, since ive seen quite a lot of discriminatory behaviour in if fandom spaces when it comes to poc opinions so imma just stay anonymous if that's ok with u.

i came across a post you posted a while ago regarding the if ROs and the lack of diverse characters when it comes to darker skin characters and i just wanted to say thank u for making that post. i hope it gives writers and the fandom some food for thought. ive been noticing ever since i got into the if community that black/ros of black descent tend to almost always be the less popular ros and as a mixed black person myself it's really sad to see. you also mentioned the lack of darker skinned east Asians/south East Asians if i recall correctly (if not please feel free to correct me) and I honestly couldn't agree not. ive noticed in some ifs that the characters of color that are the most popular tend to be those of east Asian descent with paler skin or poc ROs who's ethnicity is left ambigious by the author and whilst I'm really happy that there's been more progress made in terms of diversity, i would love to see more black characters who aren't sidelined to the best friend stereotype and more poc characters who's ethnicity is made clearer.

some south east Asian friends of mine who are of Hmong-Thai and Agta-Filipino descent have also mentioned they would would love to see more South East Asian ROs as well as East Asian ROs who are darker skinned, because the majority of the rep that there seems to be for Asian characters are those with paler skin. its a similar feeling for Latinx ROs, i almost always see lighter skinned Latinx ROs being represented in the majority with a lack of darker skinned Latinx ros. I'm not forcing anyone to add diversity to their game ofc, but the ratio of poc ROs to white ros on some games have made me kind of sad to see, specially when there's like 4 or 5 white ros and then 2 ros of colors who seem like they were just kind of tacked on for representation points, but their backgrounds are left ambigious and no Nationality or ethnicity is ever mentioned by the author which kind of leaves me scratching my head ngl. there's also a prominent lack of SEA and SA rep in terms of ROs, so I'm always happy when I see one! I would also love to see more biracial characters who aren't half white, since we aren't all a monolith.

regarding black ros. in my time in the community whilst ive seen an increase in the amount of black ROs, seeing them always be the least popular in polls still makes me quite sad. i hope that fandom can become more open minded and give more black ROs a chance. on the other hand I've seen a lot of greatly written black ROs in comparison to back in the day, and I'm glad people are incorporating more ROs based on their culture which is great!

sorry about this essay, but i hope it doesn't come across as rude or offensive, it's just something that has been on my mind ever since ive seen your post regarding the lack of representation in if. English isn't my first language so I hope I expressed myself alright.

negl, when i the way you started and then the length of this post, i foreal thought it was gonna be a fight. so, it was a relief that isnt the case. i honestly don't think there's anything for me to add, because you said my feelings and all i could do is nod along as i read this.

though, i'm glad that my post struck a chord for you. (is that the thing to say?? i'm not even sure. i guess my purpose for that post was pointing out the ignored part and bringing on encouragement as well. so, while i'm glad it encouraged you to share your opinion and made you feel less alone in feeling uncomfortable with what you were seeing -- it sucks that things haven't changed to a point where you can feel comfortable saying your thoughts off anon without being harassed. like yikes [not at you, but at fandom]. roflmao. like this is 2023. we really STILL at a point where we're going to make people feel bad about having a GENERAL issue with the racism and colorism that if writers & the if fandom continue to show? rather than … idk continue to DO something about it.)

i would love to see more black characters who aren't sidelined to the best friend stereotype and more poc characters who's ethnicity is made clearer.

i have actually seen some improvement, too. either from the fandom directly zeroing in and supporting black characters (i know the polls can seem disheartening - and i had a feeling that's what drew you to my inbox - but there HAVE been moments where the black character would be the most favored ro -- buuuuuut .... sadly, it is still so rare that i continue to be surprised when it occurs) or in the if writers boosting black characters because they have an awareness regarding fandom's bias. i definitely do think we need more of the latter, tho.

i still think there is a very long way to go. extremely. like i think in general, despite the imporvements we have both observed, a lot of the newer games i've seen ratio is still low like you said. it's a mix instead of being - at least from my observation - as consistently majorly white like it used to be. now i'd say the ratio is aybe 3 (white characters) to 2 (characters of color, of different races) ... as opposed to 3:1. Whoo. BUT i've seen what you mentioned too, still -- too many games are still so white. And if they're not, they're more often than not theyll be light skinned East Asian or black (or mixed... with white). Or an ambigous Latino that I can't tell if they're a white Latine or meant to be a character of color. So, yeah ... i don't know what it is. a fear of writing characters of color, not finding characters of color romanceable, or just a lack of awareness.

Like I guess I agree with you (lmao), I don't want to "pressure" people to have diversity either --- mostly because the people who get hurt in cases like that are minorities reading the story. My desire, I suppose, is a want to understand. I know a lot of IF writers have the idea that 'my story is for me', and in a sense, I agree -- I think we shouldn't expect writers to bend every bit of story to the fans (not even an interactive story). I've seen the mess that can create. However, if you wanted it to be JUST your story, you would've left it in your journal. You want engagement and participation -- you want to share, and I believe most stories should be shared. So, why as an artis wouldn't you want to make a story where .... I don't know. I'm tired. I've kind of gotten to a point where I'm just like whatever. I'm disappointed in myself for expecting better from IF writers and the IF fandom.

BUT I am glad that you and your friends are not only discussing but EXPECTING better, because you deserve it. Because your friends deserve to see and engage with characters who are SEA (of all shades, but especially of darker skinned). You deserve to see mixed raced characters who aren't half white (or light skinned), because as stated yall arent a monolith -- that isn't all there is in the world. (And it's WEIRD to me, like WHY do we AUTOMATICALLY assume mixed/biracial = partially white? I mean I KNOW why but COME ON! lol.)

*sighs*

i WILL say though, again, it's not all bleak: and i have seen variation of the TYPE of characters of color -- like it isn't always the cold e. asian or the black emotional pack mule best friend. so that's good. and i hope that continues.

and you're fine, dove. i actually appreciate your ask because like i said i was feeling kinda ho-hum about things but this sorta sparked a fire in me, roflmao. you expresse yourself just fine, and honestly despite the essay i wrote back i really didnt have anything worth adding.

[ask-albatross-senyuu]

SQ Ross: Hi Hero-san~ Alba: Oh, hey, Ros-WAIT WHY IS EVERYTHING TEXT ONLY?? SQ Ross: Tsk tsk, you don't know? Think of what month it is. Alba: February... Valentines? What does this have to do with anything? SQ Ross: As expected of Hero-san the horndog, all you can think of is being ha-ha~<3 and getting chocolates huh? Alba: WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT??? SQ Ross: We're low on budget here, and February 14th happens to be National organ donors day :) (Looks at Alba meaningfully) Alba: ...You're not suggesting... SQ Ross: : ) Don't worry, we're text only right now! No one will see your insides unless that's your kink! Alba: I HAVE NOTHING BUT WORRIES??? ... [And then Alba's body got lighter! Happy En-] Alba: NO IT DIDN'T!!

[eulchu]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RO MY ROGIE 💙 love you forever and always wish the best day ever to you. LOVE YOU.

MY MATTOGIEEEE love u forever and ever GOLO NATION FOREVER!

[aestheticvoyage2023]

Day 83: Friday March 24, 2023 - “Detours and Scenic Routes”

A few hours after finishing a totally unnecessary, peaceful and enjoyable out and back to Coeur D’Alene, for the simple fact of connecting some scribbles on a map and running new track under Idaho sunset, I was back in the drivers seat, in the cold, snow, and ice (I literally fell on my ass in the parking lot to start the day, before having to scrape my windows of the ice and snow that had fallen over night) of a 5am 2 lane highway to start working my way back to Boise. Only thing I have to do today, is “go home” - and I relished the idea that the way would be unwritten - all new scenes and stories, towns and roads, to find.

Hit Lewiston, Idaho about the time it started to get light, and the tempreature rose to 32 degrees as I crossed the Snake River.  Settled into a podcast, enjoyed the view of the snow covered pines on both sides of the road, losing track of the miles when I came up on a police car blocking the highway.  He explained I was being detoured, said something about following Cottonwood Creek, and how the highway would be closed for a couple of hours due to an accident.  I would find out later that about a half hour before there had been a fatal accident.  I turned around and started working on a 3 hour adventure of my own to find my way through bad service, no map or knowledge of the roads, and a rental car that lacked the proper equipment and clearance to take on what I was going to throw at it getting through Nez Perce territory.

Wasn’t quite the shenanigans that Lewis & Clark would’ve had coming through here, and I was inspired to find that I had unknowingly dropped my self onto their trail as I drove along the Clearwater River and Idaho 12 through towns like Peck and Orofino, looking to figure out my way back to the 95 and down to Boise.  My navigation kept wanting to route me up and over old stage coach dirt roads that showed promise early, but found snow and ice covered only a few miles up.  At one point I slowly backed my rental backwards for 3 miles down the winding road, figuring that was safer than attempting to turn it around.  One thing I learned in Bellingham, snow and ice, grades and ditches dont all mix well.   And the last thing I needed was to get myself stranded out here with no service where literally no one, including myself, knows where I am, and Luke isn’t in this time zone to come rescue me.  Itd be a story, Id really rather not have to tell.

Eventually I got routed up onto the right road that got me up out of the river canyon and onto the prairie above Stites.   I followed the long dirt paths of open field, open sky, for several miles, just enjoying the view and the opportunity to soak in this landscape I would have otherwise missed without the detour.  The clouds started to break and I got a little bit of blue sky.  I turned up the radio, put the window down to that 38 degree breeze and texted Audrie that I had finally made it out of the woods.   I came out over White Bird Canyon, and was met with such an eye popping view of the rolling hills that I had to stop the car and take a picture.  Its part of the Nez Perce National Historic Park, and a marker identified the battle that took place here between the US Army and Chief Joseph’s Indians. The Indians won and I was happy for that.  As I often do when I find these places on the road, I’ll stop and learn and read what I can.  Looking it up, and making a mental note of why the land here is significant. Felt sad that not far up the road we were celebrating the arrival of the White man in Lewis & Clark and how the Nez Perce had helped them; I can not imagine they’d approve of how it evolved to June 1877.  

From there I would send periodic updates as I meandered (literally) my way through little small towns that slowed the parade down to 25 mph every 20-30 minutes; Grangeville, New Meadows, McCall, Cascade, Donnelly. Putting down some new track through places that seemed to have 15 feet of snow on their roofs.  It will be a long wet spring here, eventually.   From Smith’s Ferry to Horseshoe Bend I wound through constant curves of one lane single file traffic, and places advertising for river rafting on the Payette River and other adventures.  This is the backcountry playground of Boisians, for sure.  Beautiful country and I felt blessed, despite the traffic, to take it in and see it for myself.  Someday I’ll run into someone from Banks Idaho, and I’ll know exactly what I’ll tell about the day I first drove through here.   And eventually the highway would go from 2 to 4 lanes, then 6 before dropping me back down suddenly right into Boise where I would turn in my steed and start the air travel portion of my trek home where nothing would be near as memorable or noteworthy as my excursion through the snowy hills of Idaho.  Id stop for a few minutes and retrace my route, literally figuring out where the hell Id been, updating my scribble map after some good hard earned beautiful miles in God’s country.

Song: Tyler Childers - Shake The Frost

Quote: 

There's this flash I get often, a fever dream or a vision of sorts Most times late at night And I haven't found out why, but I know exactly why I'm on this road and I hear gravel underneath me, and I feel it too And I don't know where I am, but I know exactly where I am It's dark, It's really dark And the car is warm, but somehow I can feel how cold the night is I don't know where the road leads, but I know exactly where it ends You see, I keep driving And all I see for the longest while is my headlights, for an eternity it seems And everything is desolate and empty and nothing and hopeless I'm lost, but I know where I'm going I'm safe, I'm warm, I'm driving And I see this small light A dim one, growing brighter and bigger and closer and stronger And the closer I get, the more I see I make out a house with light strewn across it, a porch, and cars Some frosted windshields that haven't been touched for hours I hear a song, and it's faint, I can't make out the name but I know every word I feel my feet first And it's cold, and they're crunching, and it's the sound of driveways And the wind takes my breath with it And then I walk up to this door, and I knock even though I feel like I don't have to And I don't know where I am, but I know exactly where I am And this crack of light widens on this porch underneath me as this door opens And this brown haired girl with the brightest smile I don't know who she is, but I know her so well And behind her, the warmest home I'd ever seen It's orange and comfortable, there's fire and it's bulb lit She says "Where have you been? I've been waiting for you all night, we've missed you" She says to the kindest smirk I'd seen in so long Then she tapers off the sentence with the, with peaceful sound that a lady makes She grabs me on the forearms, pulls softly into the dining room And there's people, and they're happy, and they're content for one I don't know who they are, but I know exactly who they are And we're all standing, and I'm laughing at a joke I'll never hear again I don't know where I am, but I know exactly where I am And then she tucks her head between my collar as a friend Between my collar and my jaw, and there's no weight at all And I don't know where I am, but there's no weight at all It's laughter and grins and no tomorrow to win And I don't know where I am, but I know exactly where I am I don't know where I am, but I know exactly where I am

~Zach Bryan, This Road I Know

[eriellesudario]

Afram Ísland – My Trip to Iceland

“Anyone can go to Japan or USA, but not everyone gets to go to Iceland”.

While everyone has ambitions to visit Asia or the Americas, I’ve always wanted to visit Iceland. This dream started around mid-2016 when I was on Instagram, seeing some of Mark Forrer’s work.

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A post shared by MarkF (@markforrer)

At first, it was the travel photography aspect that inspired me to make the trip. Then I found out LazyTown was made in this country and it gave me more of a reason to visit.

Just saying, convincing my parent to let me go here wasn’t easy since they have no idea what Iceland is. I kept using multiple of my cards to do the trip. “Do it for my birthday!”, “Christmas???”, “I have a (former) friend who’s going and we plan to go together“, “Graduation Trip?!“. Eventually, the trip happened… not because of my persistence, not because I was able to save up money… because 2 of my parents’ old co-workers in the Philippines shared photos on Facebook.

Yes… it was their old co-workers that convinced them to go to Iceland.

So after 1 year of saving up $6000 AUD, some “pocket money” from grandma, and getting recommendations from Instagram and online friends, we were off to Iceland!

What do I know about Iceland?

All I knew was that Iceland is a country in Europe. It’s where LazyTown was made and produced. And it’s a good place to go if you’re an aspiring travel photographer.

I barely know any Icelandic artist. I didn’t know who Bjork or Sigur Ros was. All I knew were Greta Salome, Matthias Matthiason, Sylvia Erla, Unnur Eggerts, and anyone who was either involved in LazyTown or Eurovision.

Yeah… my knowledge about Iceland is limited.

It wasn’t until I was talking to a few people who either visited or lived in Iceland + some YouTube channels to learn more information about their geography.

First Impressions

When I first arrived in Iceland, I was somewhat happy that it was finally cold (I was in the UK prior for a few days). The bus ride from Keflavik to Reykjavik was somewhat scenic as it’s not many buildings, more on landscapes.

The architecture of the buildings was interesting as it’s all stone. It somewhat reminds me of some houses in the Philippines. You rarely see modern looking houses.

One thing that caught my eye is that it never gets dark in the summer. I’m a night owl and staying up till 12-1am and just seeing the sun beginning to set… it’s something you don’t see every day.

The Travel Photography aspect

The main reason why I’m in Iceland is to take photos.

I like photography and at least most of the areas you visit, it makes a really good photo. Even downtown Reykjavik, it’s very photogenic if you know where to look.

Not only the iconic landscapes are beautiful but also the buildings.

But I also liked venturing outside of the main town and visiting the iconic spots. From all the places I’ve visited such as Kirkjufell, Skógafoss, Sólheimajökull glacier, and etc, I was looking forward to seeing the iconic US Navy DC-3 Plane Wreckage at Sólheimasandur.

The LazyTown Aspect

I’m now a casual LazyTown fan since 2018.

I used to be a hardcore fan but I went down to casual because life got in the way. But it doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten the facts I’ve learned and the show that I still love and enjoy till this day.

Originally – I wanted to go to the transport museum in Borgarnes. The problem is that I can’t drive and a taxi service no longer exists. So plan B – WALK AROUND REYKJAVIK!!!

What fans don’t seem to realize is that there are much more spots to hit if you do a “LazyTown Pilgrimage” around the city. In fact – there are 4!!!

1. Rocket studios (where Jol í Latabae was recorded)

2. Landsbókasafns Íslands – Háskólabókasafns (National Library of Iceland – University Library)

3. The National Theater

4 ROK – Magnus Scheving’s restaurant

But the most memorable part of this trip was when I met Máni Svavarsson! He was really nice and we did talk a lot. I have so many stories but that will be in a video for another day.

The tourist aspect

And of course – as this is a graduation trip, I’d want to see what Iceland has to offer. The best thing about this part is that since everything almost in walking distance, there will be a surprise right around the corner.

For me, that was the cat cafe called Kattakaffihúsið. I NEVER KNEW THERE WAS A CAT CAFE IN REYKJAVIK!!!!

WHY DIDNT ANYONE TELL ME ABOUT THIS!?!?!

Blue Lagoon was also nice! Warm though… but it was nice and relaxing that I can see why it’s the “go-to” place in Iceland.

Nám er Gott (Learning is Good)

Asides from the touristy, fandom-y, and photography aspects that Iceland has to offer, I did get to learn something new each day. During one of my tours, we learned that the glaciers in Iceland are melting and if things don’t improve, all the glaciers will melt after 200 years.

It’s kinda a shame since I want to go to a glacier cave that I’ve seen in a few travel photos and videos. When I was climbing up, you can see small puddles and rivers cutting through the ice as the water is 2 degrees warmer than the ice itself. The black ash/dirt helps insulate the glacier but it’s not enough to keep it cool forever.

Funny enough – the museum was NAMED AFTER HIM (Kjarvalsstaðir – Kjarval’s place).

Each day was a new adventure

Not gonna lie, but each day, I’ve got to see something new or unexpected. Going to Iceland was like the trip of my life. I’ve appreciated every moment when I was there and I wish I could stay a little longer.

There are places and things I wished to visit such as the Kolaportid Flea Market or ACTUALLY GO to the Transport Museum in Borgarnes. Maybe also see the Northen Lights (but that’s only during winter)… but who knows, maybe next time.

But overall, I enjoyed my time in Iceland. I do hope I’d get to come back again in the future! For now, it’s back to saving money for the next great adventure.

I’ve filmed a lot of my trip here in Iceland, detailing more of what just happened. So expect multi-episode daily vlogs appearing on my YouTube channel soon.