#I'm just a bit scared of how it'll go because so far the paths where people exercise are also occupied by other people

[tardis--dreams]

Gonna go running tomorrow!!!! Gotta hype myself up because i know once my alarm goes off at 6am i will not be as excited anymore ((((: BUT I'LL GO RUNNING!!!!

[ri-writes-if]

I just finished reading the new chapter and damn! It was such a rollercoaster of emotions!

And I can't even begin to describe just how much I hate Selene! Not saying it in a bad way though, just to be clear! She's just the kind of character I can't stand, even if she's delightfully written. Az suggested to my MC to be cordial with her for the time being, and the plan is sound, but damn, it'll be hard. She's that kind of character I find interesting because I think her circumstances are awful and tragic, but at the same time I can't bring myself to feel bad for her because it doesn't justify the way she currently acts (as explaining someone's behavior is not the same as justifying it). With that being said, I thank you so SO much for allowing us to tell the siblings (well, the siblings in my case since I'm on Az's route) about Selene already. I was genuinely scared it would be one of these situations where the MC just clams up and doesn't tell anyone about what's happening for who knows how many chapters, which is a trope I really tend to dislike. It was such a pleasant surprise to avoid it altogether!

Now, onto more "positive feelings", I'm so in love with Az. They are such a wonderful character on all accounts. The clothing and ring shopping was just so perfect, and damn that hug! Though I'm really insanely curious about what is the underlying issue they have in relation with the MC. I sort of "felt" it already before in the way they acted, but now thanks to the PoV change I had their actual thoughts on it, but I'm no closer to knowing what's going on, though at least I had confirmation of what I felt about it (so I guess it's still something!). It still fascinates me how Az isn't even "my type" of RO normally, and in any other story I would have probably picked one of the two royals, but I don't know, something about them immediately captured me entirely. I'm also pretty curious about what's the relationship between the siblings, because the more I think about them, the more I realize I don't know much about their dynamics. With the two royals, we at least know more of their dynamics thanks to some asks on the blog and what not, but the two siblings... I don't recall you saying much. And well, in that infirmary scene, it was a bit hard to read it considering they were both preoccupied with the MC and their injury and the Selene stuff and so on.

That aside, after re-reading from scratch (I changed computers and don't have my saves anymore), I had a theory that sprung in my mind. I think there is indeed an oracle blocking MC's visions of their own future that is NOT Selene. And that oracle would be MC's mother. She may be a powerful enough oracle to see pretty far in the future, and it's possible she saw something in her child's future that had her deciding to not only abandon them, but prevent them from seeing their future. Or rather, the future she saw. Meaning as long as MC was on a path or time frame where what she saw wouldn't appear to them, then they could see their future normally. But once they found themself on said path - probably related to the apocalyptic vision at the start of the game - it triggered the "block" as now we enter the territory of what MC's mother saw and thus knows well enough to block. Of course, I may be wildly overthinking it or just be plain wrong haha!

Oh and finally, a small bit of (I assume?) stray code:

I don't think the "cordial" is meant to be there?

Okay, that's it. Yeah, it's a VERY long ask that... isn't even an "ask" since I'm not asking anything! But I had so many feelings about this chapter! It was probably the best so far!

! Spoilers for Chapter 5

I hoped some would like Selene and some would not, so I’m pleased to see people have different feelings about her! I personally really love her because she’s a tragic character and tragic characters are my thing 😂 though I agree that her past doesn’t justify her current actions.

Yeahh. I was thinking of allowing to hide the incident with Selene, but the Oracle has their priorities straight, so it wouldn’t make sense for their character to sacrifice their own standing for Selene. They went to Vez to get their freedom back, and they’re not giving it away so easily. So I had to throw out that branch.

I’m happy you enjoyed Az’s route, especially considering they’re not your type! You’ll learn what their deal is with the Oracle in the future 😉 The next couple of chapters should have more Az + Ash combo, so I’ll have time to show their dynamic. But they’re pretty uh normal siblings? Az is a troublemaker, and Ash’s perpetually but fondly tired of their antics.

Your theory was very interesting to read. Thank you for sharing it! It’s wild and cool that people actually have theories about my story 🥺 Obviously I can’t confirm or deny it, but you’ll get the answer eventually.

Thanks for pointing that out, I’ll remove that code leftover.

I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts about the chapter. Reading these messages brings me joy every time! 💛

[mysterialistic]

Over-analyzing the Yingdu Chapter [PART 1]

This is just an analysis and theories based on all the stuff we've seen so far for this chapter. It's a long one so bare with me please!

[also, english isn't my first language. Excuse my bad grammar.]

Ok, first things first: the synopsis. I'll leave the image with the official plot for the Yingdu Chapter because it'll help make things a bit easier to understand.

To me this synopsis makes two things very clear.

Number one is that we're going to see how Cheng Xiaoshi died, aka, probably starting the season with the whole context of this scene from season 2 (one of my theories is that CXS died during a dive, but that's for another post lol):

And, of course, this scene right here too:

We're finally going to discover what's the photo LG uses. Given the fact that the synopsis mentions "back to the begging", it's probably a picture of LG and CXS when they met in high school or when they're in college, which, I must point out, they're still attending during the time they go to Yingdu. For the photo to be from their college years makes more sense if we take this into consideration.

Now, the second thing that the synopsis makes clear, is that this is Lu Guang's first attempt at saving Cheng Xiaoshi. Why? Well, for that we need to get into the recently released teaser.

The teaser shows us that Lu Guang is having some sort of nightmare. Some believe that this is a real thing, but to me it seems way too abstract (also it makes sense considering all the drowning symbolism they've shown us). The nightmare could possibly start with the flashback of Cheng Xiaoshi's death, leading to Lu Guang falling into the water, sinking as he's surrounded by photos (btw, the pictures have pieces of the postcard with a building that CXS places on the table during the teaser, but we'll discuss that in a minute), then he appears in this weird place with a clock and the word "Bridon" written with red strings (threads of fate?)

Lu Guang once again falls into the water and then he sees a white light, tries to reach it and Vein appears saying: "you want more punishment?", which aligns with this text on the teaser:

Lu Guang wakes up scared, extremely nervous, very different from the composed LG that we know. To me this reaction is due to this being his first attempt at saving Cheng Xiaoshi. He doesn't know what to expect, he just broke his rules and someone knows it. Even worse, someone wants to punish him for doing so.

Now, let's go to another interesting point of the synopsis: "However, a photo with clues about CXS's parents appeared at the photo studio". This right here is tricky.

The "however" to me implies that this is something that has never happened before. A mysterious deviation of the "path of fate" that Lu Guang "retraces" (like the synopsis says). Now, what is this picture that contains clues? Apparently, it's this one:

It's a building)? And this probably also contains some sort of letter or note with information about Cheng Xiaoshi's parents, specifically his dad who's name is mentioned by Liu Xiao as he interrogates the grown man.

Another interesting thing to point out is that one of the texts on the teaser says "HE may be in Yingdu!" I'm pretty sure it's CXS talking about his dad.

Something that caught my attention is that in this section of the teaser, where they show CXS placing the postcard in the table, he and QL are fighting)? Is she maybe suspicious about this sudden clue? Does she have a bad feeling?

Ok, Tumblr doesn't let me put more images, so I'll continue in PART 2

[ttarksystem]

Hi okay um. This was my ask I'm a tiny bit nervous but. I have thoughts about Arboretum as a timlex song so I'm gonna provide my personal analysis of it to hopefully maybe convince people? Because I think it really fits. So uh. Ramble under cut.

So. The song is, to paraphrase, basically about someone getting dragged into a swamp by representations of their exes as trees to be turned into a tree as well. This is vaguely important but it's fun. Let's go.

"Toeing a trench / In the mulch between your patch and mine

I stubbed myself on a treacherous thistle and I cried / Out

If it were merely a matter of / A stray thorny bristle

A barrier screen could be laid / And I wouldn't miss you"

So. Basically this is Tim coming across little reminders of Alex and being upset about it, remembering who Alex was y'know? He keeps coming across these reminders that hurt. But there's something more to the situation, because if it were *just* these little reminders, he'd be able to block them out and stop missing Alex, but he can't.

"We could go the distance

Were there more disease resistance on your part

Nothing lasts forever when you never let it start"

So um. This is basically Tim being like, they could have had it gone, could've survived and gotten out and been happy, had Alex accepted his help. If he'd resisted (or been able to resist, as my personal reading of Alex is that he's been manipulated by The Operator for far longer than he realizes) The Operator more/for longer, they could have gotten out. Maybe none of this would have happened.

But it's uh. Also kind of to me Tim lamenting on the relationship. I imagine this is a kind of scenario where they had a kind of situationship and he feels regret at not acting on wanting more? Or like. Regrets not reaching out to try to help Alex during college. The first bit is like, their relationship never could have lasted because Tim was too scared to let it really start in the first place. Second is him being like, if he'd helped Alex in college, maybe this all would have never happened, because he would have been able to prevent it.

"Every day I pass this way / I expect to find you waiting for me / Beneath the branches of the buckeye tree

Waving a palmetto frond / Siphoning orange juice with a barber pole-ish wand"

Um. Tim having trouble processing Alex's death. Kinda feeling guilty, stewing on the what-ifs, thinking about what if they'd just had one more chance. I think it's also him kinda thinking about college-era Alex and how Alex changed, and he keeps feeling like he'll wake up and it'll all be "back to normal" in a way, like this has all been a bad dream and he'll wake up back in college. Basically fantasizing about having a happy life with Alex.

"Red horsechestnut?

Clever disguise

I, of course, guessed, but said you'd never naturalize"

So this is Tim basically realizing that his fantasies are off/unrealistic? The buckeye tree is actually a red horse chestnut, for instance. He's realizing that he's remembering wrong/missing memory and filling in blanks, but more symbolically that he doesn't actually know as much as he thought he did. Maybe even if he and Alex had been together or he'd tried to help Alex, nothing would have changed.

There's also this idea that the tree is a disguise for the person. It's a "clever disguise", but an obvious one and the person will never be good enough with it to appear natural. Tim thinking about college-era Alex? About how he changed and how even though he tried to act natural it was obvious that something was wrong? But not wrong enough that anyone actually figured out what it was/tried to help, it seems, because only Brian really knew him before- (also ties into Tim not knowing as much as he likes to think he does in regards to Alex).

"Species zag as seasons zig

Tough to keep plants in one place

Any chance they get, they diaspore

Or else transmutate

Traipsing looping garden paths

Chasing floodplain Tupelo

Tracing roots to Ponderosa

Tangling with a Strangler fig"

So uh. More context here for people who aren't familiar with trees, these are all trees that cover a lot of ground. Long roots, climbing branches, etc. Basically describing how trees try to spread their seeds/grow larger/cover as much area as possible.

I don't have as many thoughts for this part but. I like to interpret this as the influence of the relationship spreading, covering more and more of the singer's life. Basically more and more things are reminding Tim of his past with Alex, the what-ifs are consuming him in a way. Everything seems to lead back to Alex, so he follows it, tracing roots and chasing the branches, looking for anything he can find. Maybe he's remembering more about college, specifically Alex. Maybe he's coming to realizations about Alex (like how Alex was also affected for longer than either of them realized). Either works.

"Now in an old growth Bald-cypress stand / Knees locked in the strand swamp

Black- and yellow-crowned Night Herons / Abound in colonies / Conferring on me / Collective memory

My eyelids flutter / Orbits fill with water

Hemlock in my hammock / Limbs thrash, I spit and sputter

Alligator drags me under / Into the solution hole"

This is the overwhelm. I suppose in this situation it could be viewed as a metaphor for suicide, in a way? Like, everything is just too much, overtaking Tim's mind until he just can't take it anymore. The guilt and memories and realizations are consuming him from the inside out.

As a side note, night herons are often symbols of prosperity and good luck, or heralds of sacred/divine messages. The "collective memory" thing stands out to me. Tim's going through it, all these new memories at the forefront of his mind, trying to cope with it. The night herons should be comforting, or bring some kind of message, but Tim is too overwhelmed to understand it.

It's gotten to a point where Tim has become so overwhelmed by everything in relation to Alex that he can't take it anymore.

"To protect me from / Elements of fantasy / That thrive in shady reality

To offer respite from / The demands of gardening

To show me / Trees are just the fruit / Of an even bigger tree"

So. So. Final bit of the song. Um.

This could be read as a suicide metaphor within the context of timlex? But either way Tim is just. Withdrawing. The things contained within the memories have drawn him into some kind of headspace (or the guilt has driven him to death) that presents him with the absolute reality of the situation. He's uncovered there is to uncover and now he's faced with the facts. This place keeps him away from the what-ifs and the guilt, providing him respite from the fantasies and uneasy grasp on his memory from earlier, but forcing him to face the objective reality.

However, even though he's had to die/retreat in some way that he didn't want to, he's discovered something rather remarkable. Everything is connected. Each of these fantasies, these memories, are part of a bigger picture of some sort. Even though this place gives him respite, he initially resists, not wanting to let go of the fantasies and face the truth of the situation. But now he's forced to see it, and finds an odd sense of peace in it. Either peace in death or enough peace to let him heal. Yeah.

So yeah. I have thoughts.

If you are still doing the timlex song thing (what no I wasn't scrolling through your timlex tag /silly)

Creatures In Heaven by Glass Animals for 2006/pre-MH timlex

Arboretum by Sparkbird for post-canon timlex

(I also think Arms Tonite by Mother Mother is very them but that's just on vibes I could be wrong)

AOUGHAONFVHANKLB

"Three in the morning, making love/Laid on the floor of your apartment"

"I'm dumbstruck when you're tender"

ough. tim barely had any friends :( i think he'd feel like he didn't deserve his friends being niceto him,:(((

"It tears through my head, does it haunt you too?/Diamonds in the dark in your old bedroom/You held me like my mother made me just for you/Held me so close that I broke in two"

"held me so close that i broke in two"..... what if.like. they'd broken up (i guess bc of how alex started acting?) and yk. alex then started dating amy and when he moved away tim, even if he knew they werent dating anymore and stuff, felt bad.idk. and "diamonds in the dark in your old bedroom" kind of the same thing. like the memory of them in his room n shit. oguh

"I don't think I realize/Just how much I miss you sometimes/We were young and so in love/We were just creatures in heaven"

kms. THEY SHOULD HAVE LIVED AND BEEN HAPPY AND. :((

---

"Nothing lasts forever/When you never/Let it start"

i think this could be either about them after mh not really connecting if that makes sense? like. not really talking, interacting, whatever much, at least for a while, OR about alex not wanting to accept tim's help

sorry i don't.have a lot to say ab this song cause english's not my first language and i don't get most of these terms bc i don't usually read stuff related to gardening 😭😭 i mean. i translated the words and still dont know what they mean in spanish but wtv. i get the idea of the song though. :(((

---

ARMS OTNITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! literally in my timlex playlist youg et it!!!

most of the lyrics in this song are the same but. it does fit. like YEAH alex did die in his arms youre right. also "I cry in the afterlife/I cry hard because I have died, and you're alive" IHBAWFBJV,FGAFNOAAB i love youtimelx :(

ALSO!! so sorry to the other 3 people who've sent me asks. i know 2 of them are from mid may im so sorry ill try to answer them in the next couple hours 😭

[hinatastinygiant]

Chapter Twenty Seven

The Sunrise

Pairing: Kisaki x Fem!Reader

previous | the assassin's betrayal

After you grab the rest of your things from the old hotel you had been staying at before moving back in with Kisaki, you walk outside to meet him. It's just a few minutes before five am, the agreed upon meet up time- but as you walk out, you see his car already waiting for you.

You smile and wave as he gets out of the car, and as he walks towards you, he takes the suitcase from your side. After a small kiss on your cheek, he walks towards the trunk and tosses your luggage in. Then, once you're in your seat, he drives off.

"Where are we going this early?" you ask a bit confused.

"I've got a nice place," he replies calmly.

"New place?" you repeat. "What was wrong with the old one?"

"I only got that place because it was near the hospital. This one's better, you'll see."

At just about 6 am, after you wake up from a nap, you arrive outside the beautiful lawn of a beach house. Kisaki drives the car right up to the front of the house and parks, taking off his seatbelt. You're too much in shock at the huge mansion to even realize this is where you'll actually be living.

"We're home," he says, looking towards your frozen stature.

"Yeah, right," you smirk. "Good joke. This is not the kind of place where we can lay low, Kisaki."

"Why are you so skeptical? And always so pessimistic. What do we need to lay low for here?"

"Um, maybe the people who stole all your money! You said you were broke!"

"Y/N," he sighs, shaking his head in disappointment that you'd even think he meant that. "That doesn't mean I don't have money pulled aside. I'm not an idiot, you know."

"Whatever," you grumble, thinking that he did scare you for a moment. But instead of arguing, you let it go and step outside the car where, once again, you stare down that huge mansion and breathe in the fresh air and smell of the saltwater just on the other side.

"Come on," Kisaki calls after grabbing your suitcase from the trunk, "let's go inside."

"Coming!" you shout back after him, walking behind until he unlocks the door and you begin to wander around.

You've been in huge buildings like this before due to your job, but you've never actually lived in a place this gigantic before. Your old place was about the same size as the entryway alone!

After checking the first floor to your heart's content, you finally find the huge door leading to the back porch. There, you walk across the long wooden path, ending with an infinity pool on the other side.

You sit down at the end of the pool and put your feet in the cool water, leaning back on your hands. As you breathe in, you think back to how far you've come. 

If only my family could have been here... I'd totally rub this shit in their face again, you smirk to yourself. You would have just loved to kill 'em right here.

In the middle of your daydream, Kisaki opens the porch door and wanders over beside you. "What're you thinking about?" he asks.

"Oh, just business related stuff," you smile to yourself.

Kisaki hums as he sits down beside you. "Not thinking of killing me off, are you?" 

"Mmm, maybe a little," you tease, "only 'cause then this place would be all mine!"

He laughs a genuine laugh that surprises you for a moment. "I bet you'll hardly even notice me here, the place is that big. Though I'm sure you'll still find some way to piss me off."

"Hmm, those are valid points, maybe it'll be more tortuous for you if I don't kill you then."

Kisaki wraps his arm around you and pulls you close, unknowingly giving you goosebumps at his touch. You drop your head onto his shoulder and breathe out, relaxing in his embrace. Then, together the two of you watch the beautiful orange and red sun glow as it rises from the horizon.

"California doesn't seem all that bad," you admit to Kisaki. "Once I learn the language, that is."

"Yet another good reason to keep me around," he smiles to himself.

"Hey, you think you could teach me some English? I've got like five words in my vocabulary and that might be a bit of an issue here..."

"I suppose I could make time for that."

You roll your eyes at his response- of course he would say something like that instead of a simple 'yes'.

"Thank you," you still reply, earning a hum and a nod back.

You then close your eyes and breathe in the fresh smell of your surroundings. It's then that Kisaki says something in English that you don't quite understand, but it makes you smile nonetheless.

"You are my Wisteria. I will not fail you here."

previous | the assassin's betrayal

Taglist: @hanmascult @kokotakeomi @hana-patata

[sungieskies]

Demons - IX

Summary; Changbin and Miso explore around her hometown

Words; 1k

Genre; Angst , fluff

WARNINGS; talks about c*tting and s*icde

Don't forget to read @doubleknot42 's half of the collab! (Oops forgot to tag her when i posted)

Miso sat there with her arms crossed, listening to everything Changbin was telling her. She couldn't believe he had another human girlfriend at one point, and killed her. It scared her, the thought that he could kill her as well ran though her thoughts.

Changbin saw the fear in her eyes and sighed heavily. "Miso, princess...i won't hurt you..." He said ad he reached out to cup her cheek. Miso flinched and whimpered at him. "Baby..." Changbin said shakily as he pulled his hand back. Miso kept her distance from him, still scared and upset.

"Don't baby me...for one, you left me here all alone...caused me a ton of pain and for two you just explained how you killed your girlfriend over her wanting to come back to earth..." Miso spoke quietly, hiding in the hoodie she was wearing.

Changbin sighs and shakes his head, "baby please... I'm sorry. I really i am" he spoke quietly, the look in his eyes showing how sincere he was. Miso looked at him before she looked away, "if you're really sorry, you'll go out and explore with me...even with everyone around" she spoke, knowing that if he was really sorry he would suck it up for her.

Changbin bit his lip and nodded hesitantly "fine..." He mumbles and stands up. "Come on..." He spoke quietly. Miso lools at him and smiles gently before getting up and putting her shoes on. She then grabs Changbin's hand and leaves her house.

"Where should we go first?" He asks as he looks around the town. "Let's walk down through the gardens...it'll be pretty and take us to the main road. Some of those houses are so pretty.." Miso says happily and looks at Changbin.

Changbin nods and smiles before starting to walk with the girl. When Miso said the gardens were pretty was an understatement, it was gorgeous. Sakura trees were blooming, the pink leaves falling onto the path. The flowers were bright and vivid and the small animals that crossed their path occasionally were adorable.

Miso stopped at a pond, watching the little waterfall flow into it. She then pulled 2 coins from her pocket and handed one to Changbin. "Make a wish Binnie..." Miso spoke before closing her eyes and holding the coin close to her. She soon kissed the coin and tossed it in, smiling as it made a small splash. Changbin watched her and smiled, doing just as she did before tossing the coin in.

Miso giggles and her smile grows before they start walking again. Soon enough they exit the gardens and they are on the main road of her town. The houses were elegant and beautiful, looking as if they were in the richest part of Korea.

Changbin looked around and was amazed. "Miso, i thought you lived in a small town..where the hell did these houses come from..?" He asked as they kept walking.

Miso giggles and shakes her head at him, "this is the nicer part of my town. I just live in the farming area because it was quiet and far away from my parents..." She spoke quietly.

Changbin tilted his head, "what was wrong with your parents Miso?" He asks softly, watching the girl take in a deep breath and sigh heavily when she exhaled.

"They were pretty abusive to me. Anything i did was terrible. I was a disappointment because i didn't believe in God. I believed in demons, anything that was less pushy than what my parents wanted me to believe in. How do you think i knew how to summon you?" She asked before continuing "they used to raid my room, burn anything they didn't like,which was mostly everything i owned, and they would torture me. Locking me in my room for weeks without food, limited bathroom breaks and if I wanted to do anything it was monitored." Miso said and let out a shaky sigh. "That's why i have so many scars, some from them and some because the only thing i had to keep me occupied was a razor blade. They eventually kicked me out after figuring out I tried to kill myself, telling me that 'if they chose to have me I should be the most grateful and if i didn't want to live I should have thought about that sooner.'" She said before sitting down on a bench since she was starting to cry. Changbin bent down and wiped her tears away before holding her close.

"What the fuck does 'if I didn't want to live i should have thought about it sooner' even mean?" She sobbed out onto Changbin's shoulder. He knew she had been hiding her past from him, but now he knew why. She went through hell before him, more of a hell than what he had brought her to.

Changbin sighs and helps her up, "come on princess...let's go get some ice cream?" He asks softly and smiles as Miso nods and shakily wipes her tears away. Changbin starts walking with her again and chuckles as she swings their hands to distract herself.

Soon enough miso kicks something on the ground. She lets go of Changbin's hand and bends down, picking up the plastic card. "It's Chan's ID..." She spoke before looking up as she heard a door slam open.

She was met with a ragged looking Sunny, horror and anger in her eyes. Miso stood up and went to open her mouth but before she could say anything, sunny bumped into her. Miso whimpers feeling something enter her skin, sharp and cold. Miso's eyes soon widen as she feels her shirt dampen and stain with the color red. She begins to shake before feeling arms wrap around her body. Changbin's arms, she thought as her vision went black.

Changbin quickly holds miso up and starts panicking as he saw Miso's blood start to flow quickly. "Fuck..fuck.." He said as he quickly tried to call Woojin.