#Virtual Reality Ensues

[raynydaystorytime]

Virtual Reality Ensues (35002 words) by ReaperZX7 Chapters: 4/?

Fandom: Original Work

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Characters: Original Characters

Additional Tags: Virtual Reality, Gaming, MMORPGs, Sexual Humor, tagging as we go, Chatting & Messaging, mostly pulling from my experiences in FFXIV, Science Fiction, i guess it counts as science fiction now that i think about it

Summary:

When he first signed up for Valadia Reborn AKA ValVR, the latest VRMMORPG to hit the shelves, “Alrai” never expected much to come of his time in game. But here he is five years later, leading the Argonauts, one of the top guilds in the game as they prepare to make a bid for the world first clear of the new Forsaken Continent expansion coming out next week. Join Alrai and the Argonauts as they venture from the shores of the Kingdom of Valadia to the depths of the Forsaken Continent, confronting the game’s hardest challenges, old rivalries, and the chaotic antics of their own guild members. All in the pursuit of fortune, fame, revelry, and perhaps even the chance to unravel the game’s deepest secrets. All while being a crafter.

---

Ch4 is up

Welcome to the Forsaken Continent!

[rainybubbles]

How COD men say the first "I love you"

Price, Gaz, Soap, Ghost, Rudy, Keegan

(Sorry in advance for my mistakes, English is not my mother tongue. So sorry if it's badly written or if they're OOC.)

-

for more context (you don't need it to read) : here how you met them

P R I C E

-He confessed with Gaz covered by whipped cream.

-Let me explain.

-After your first meeting based on a pregnant Shrek cake to his base and a misunderstanding, John became a regular of your bakery.

-So obviously for confessing his love, he thought of baking a cake.

-During the afternoon on the base, he tried to bake.

-Yes, he could have bought a cake with "I love you” on it. But John liked doing this on his own when it came to gifts.

-He liked the old-fashioned way of doing gifts himself.

-However, as the dough turned an unexpected purple hue, he wisely sought the expertise of Soap, a proficient pastry enthusiast.

-"Cap...your dough is..." Soap hesitated, unsure of how honest he could be.

-"Horrible, you can say it, son," John acknowledged.

-"I just wonder how you managed to make it turn purple?"

-"I used beetroot."

-"For a cake?"

-"Sugar is derived from beetroot."

-"Yeah, but in a Paris-Brest, you don't have beetroot."

-"...how can I fix this?"

-"Well, call Gaz. By three, we could finish the pastry in time," Soap suggested with a knowing smile.

-The collaborative baking commenced, yet Soap overlooked a crucial detail—Gaz sucked as much as Price when it came to bake.

- Entrusted with the delicate task of preparing the crème au beurre, Gaz inadvertently neglected to secure the mixer's lid.

-Chaos ensued as the cream erupted, spilling on the surroundings.

-Soap tried to stop it, but he slipped on the floor.

-Gaz couldn't see because of the cream, and John was looking at them reconsidering his life's chouce.

-Obviously, you decided to come back home at this moment.

-Yo were greeted by the sight of Gaz adorned in whipped cream, Johnny sprawled on the flour-strewn floor, and John enveloped in a cloud of flour.

-"I...is this a kinky food party, or did I miss something? Because usually, people are naked when they use whipped cream," you quipped.

-"I can explain, love," John offered.

-"Okay, what happened?"

-"I wanted to bake for you."

-"You know I don't need cakes or pastries; that's my job. If I crave a sweet tooth, I have plenty of cakes, honey."

-"I know, but this one was special. It was supposed to be a heart-shaped Paris-Brest."

-"Paris-Brest aren't heart-shaped."

-"Not when they're not employed for confessions."

-A moment of realization dawned upon you.

-"Fuck, you...you wanted to say 'I love you.'"

-"Yeah, but it's clear I messed up."

-"No, no. I mean, sure, Gaz covered in whipped cream, Johnny on the flour, and walls adorned with flour was not what I pictured, but it's perfect."

-"Good because I don't plan to cover Garrick in whipped cream every time I want to say it."

-A shared chuckle ensued as you joined Gaz and Soap in the aftermath, each contributing to the cleanup while John beamed with contentment.

G A Z :

-He confessed with a vocal.

-After your meeting and your teasing when you found out Gaz listened to your spicy ASMR as a streamer, you noticed him.

-He was a regular, one of the fans who always leave a comment under each post.

-He became more than just a familiar username.

-Your bond deepened as you sought his counsel on scenarios for your streams and videos, a virtual confidant in the ever-expanding realm of online content creation.

-As time unfolded, your relationship transcended the digital realm.

-The spark between you two ignited, an intangible force that fueled your creative musings.

-Swiftly, meetings materialized whenever Gaz found a fleeting moment of respite from his duties.

-When he was on long deployments, you sent him exclusivity audios so he could be distracted from the horror he did or saw, offering a temporary escape from the grim realities he faced.

-Your voice became a comforting melody, a beacon in the darkness, ensuring that Gaz could find solace even amid the harrowing experiences he encountered. 

- In fact you could record yourself spelling a list of grocery and he would find it awesome

-Yet, despite the kisses shared and the intimate moments experienced, Gaz had yet to formally ask you out or declare those three potent words: "I love you."

-One night, as a gentle breeze whispered through the window, he turned to his friend Soap for advice, a hint of embarrassment lingering in his tone.

-"Hey, mate, can I ask for advice?" he queried, his eyes seeking guidance from Soap.

-"Sure," Soap responded, welcoming the opportunity to lend an ear.

-"How... would you confess to someone you've been flirting with for months?" Gaz inquired, his apprehension palpable.

-"Tell them," Soap replied matter-of-factly.

-"No shit, I wanted something special. They're... they're awesome, and I really want to make the thing memorable, you know?"

-Soap smirked, teasing Gaz.

-A playful shoulder bump ensued as Gaz protested, "Shut up, mate. I just... I feel like they're the right person, you know? I mean, they saw me during my lowest moments, and for people like us, it's hard sometimes to find those who can handle a lover with PTSD."

-"Yeah, I feel that," Soap acknowledged. "Well, maybe use your first meeting or something they love. If they're into soccer, bring them to a big match and confess during it."

-"But, you know, during a match, everyone screams? It's kinda dumb."

-Soap paused.

-Gaz looked at him.

-"Well, it sounded like a good idea at that time."

-Gaz's eyes widened. "Wait, you did that?"

-"Listen, it seemed like a good idea."

-"Oh my gosh, what happened?"

-"She didn't understand what I said and answered, 'You're such a good friend.'"

-"Damn."

-"But it doesn't mean it'll be the same for you."

-"I know. I just think about things they love. I... can't confess by ASMR, honestly. It'll be cringe."

-"Maybe send an audio? No need for ASMR," Soap suggested.

-"Yeah," Gaz agreed.

-As Gaz found himself in his room, armed with his phone and ready to send a heartfelt audio message, he hesitated.

-The recorded voice sounded foreign and awkward to him, far from the eloquence he envisioned.

-Discouraged, he abandoned the attempt.

- Upon his return from deployment, sensing your unusual behavior, he confronted you about it.

-"You... sent me a vocal, but it only said 'Fuck you,' so I didn't know if I did something or not," you confessed, puzzled by the unexpected message.

-Gaz paused, the realization dawning upon him. He had forgotten to delete a frustrated attempt at confessing that slipped through the cracks.

-"No, it was not against you. I... I tried to do something, but I messed up. So I was mad at myself, and at the same time, I was recording a vocal for you," he admitted, vulnerability coloring his words.

-"Can I ask what was this thing?" you inquired, curiosity dancing in your eyes.

-"I... gear. I couldn't take off my gear," he lied, attempting to divert the conversation.

-"You're a bad liar," you chuckled.

-"Okay, I wanted to confess to you. And I tried to record something like you do, but it sounded horrible."

-"You know you could have texted?" you suggested with a playful smile.

-"Yes, I... I didn't think about it. I was so focused on voices and the perfect confession."

-"I reciprocate, if you ever wonder," you reassured him.

-A smile broke across Gaz's face as he squeezed your hands, grateful for the understanding that transcended words.

S O A P :

-He confessed by drawings.

-After drawing you like Gollum because you flustered him, Soap, determined to prove his artistic prowess, pursued every opportunity to capture your essence on paper.

- Despite attending each modeling session and receiving your compliments, he couldn't quite capture the nuances—those wrinkles when you smiled, the sparkle when you ate, the delicate mole that graced your visage.

-Unyielding, he embarked on a mission of his own, drawing you ceaselessly between military duties, on the pages of his diary, and during leaves.

-Training, a familiar concept to a soldier, became his artistic discipline.

-You willingly played muse.

-The drawing sessions evolving into intimate conversations, forging a connection that extended beyond artistry.

-As your bond deepened, so did Soap's frustration.

- The elusive perfection he sought in his drawings continued to elude him, and he longed to express his feelings through his sketches.

- One day, returning to your darkened apartment, you discovered a trail of candles illuminating your path.

- Recognizing Soap's expertise with fire and explosives, you followed the flickering lights until the room burst into brightness.

-There, on the wall, an intricately arranged collection of sketches painted a portrait of your shared moments—coffee spills, date nights, and more.

-Overwhelmed by the domestic warmth of the scene, you couldn't help but murmur, "Shit, it's so cute."

-"I hope so, because I love you, baby. I want these sketches to continue, to wake up to you every morning, to draw you, to see you, to kiss you," Johnny confessed, closing the distance between you.

-A tender embrace and a heartfelt kiss followed. "I love you too."

-"Good, because it would have been hard if you said you hate me after I spent five hours gluing these sketches," Soap admitted, a playful smile gracing his face.

-Laughter filled the room, echoing the joy of two hearts entwined in love.

G H O S T :

-He confessed with a monkey wrench.

-You were tired.

-The life of a mechanic on the base demanded a toll, and today, that toll felt almost unbearable.

- Fatigue etched lines on your face as you toiled among the clattering tools, your hands weaving intricate dances of repair.

- The camaraderie with your coworkers, usually a source of solace, had soured into an unbearable weight on your shoulders.

-Amidst the clinks and clanks, a sudden snap echoed through the air, drawing attention like an unwelcome spotlight.

-Your favorite monkey wrench, a faithful companion in countless repairs, lay shattered in your hands.

-A surge of frustration coursed through you, and against all reason, tears welled in your eyes.

- It was an odd vulnerability, shedding tears over a broken tool, but the accumulation of stress had reached a breaking point.

-Then, there he was—Simon, the enigmatic connection born from his bad driving skills and your repairing of his vehicles.

- Your eyes met, and the vulnerability you felt intensified.

-"Don't pity me, please," you whispered, a plea tinged with embarrassment.

-"I don't pity you, love," Simon responded, his voice a balm to your wounded spirit.

- He knelt beside you, his presence a comforting anchor in the chaos of the workshop.

-"I... I must look ridiculous?" you stammered, seeking reassurance.

-"No, you look quite stunning crying on the dirty floor with a broken monkey wrench," he teased, a glimmer of humor in his eyes.

- Your tears mingled with laughter, a cathartic release in the midst of chaos.

-"Yeah?" you asked, a hint of uncertainty lingering.

-"Yeah," he affirmed, his gaze sincere.

 -"Then Soap is the most stunning with his mohawk full of mud."

-"Hm, he can't beat you with your grease on the cheek," Simon remarked, using his gloved hand to wipe away a smudge.

-A quiet settled between you, broken only by the sound of tools and distant chatter.

-Simon extended his hands, a silent offer of support, and you accepted, rising from the dirt-strewn floor.

-"Thanks for... being here," you said, gratitude coloring your words.

-"I'm not always here, love," Simon admitted, a touch of vulnerability in his gaze.

-"But you're here when it counts, Simon. That's all that matters to me," you confessed, and with those words, you retreated to the solitude of your barracks.

-As you left, Simon watched you, and in that moment, an unfamiliar warmth enveloped him.

- It was the realization that he was enough—enough to be there for you, enough to be loved.

-The following day, a surprise awaited you in the form of a brand-new monkey wrench.

-A note accompanied it, bearing Simon's distinctive scrawl: "I hope to buy you more in the future."

- A subtle promise, a declaration beyond words.

- You smiled, for you understood—it was more than a tool.

-It was the promise of a connection that transcended the clangor of the workshop, a sentiment that spoke of a desire for something deeper. And for you, that was more than enough.

K E E G A N :

-He confessed with Happy Meals.

-After all, it was how you met. Keegan ordered 20 happy meals, and you were a worker for McDonalds.

-( Even though you began to write an essay about how happy meals and military men seem to be an issue)

- Keegan and you became close.

-Since you saw him each night during his leave after your shift.

-At first, it was because some teenagers were here, threatening the employees after their shift, so Keegan proposed his help.

-And after that, driving you back home became a routine when he was on leave.

-And when one night you decided to ask him to drop you somewhere else, and it ended up being a restaurant, he realized you were asking a date subtly.

-Slowly, it became flirtatious.

-Even though you still didn't know how he could flirt when you were covered in grease-smelling potatoes.

-But Keegan had rizz even at 1 AM.

-He could say the more cheesy lines while you're covered in cheddar and coke.

-That's why he wanted to confess in a cool way, the same way, his flirt could make you smile through the worst shift.

-At first, he thought of a Happy meal where the toy could be a letter saying "I love you" with a selfie of you two.

-But he wanted something fun, as fun as when Ghost ordered 40 Happy Meals just to have all the skeleton toys.

-So during one of his missions, he used his phone and ordered food for your flat.

-Surprised, you opened the door to the delivery guy, saying you hadn't ordered anything. But you noticed it had your name on it.

-You sighed and took the bags.

-The 4 bags.

-Which surprised you because, hell, you won't eat all of that.

-And then you opened the bag to see happy meals.

-20 happy meals. Like Keegan used to order.

-You chuckled.

-It was a good prank.

-You sent him a text.

-"Okay, good one, I'll take revenge, I swear"

-But then you notice the Happy Meal is empty.

-Except for one who had a little toy.

-A heart toy.

-You squeezed it like it said on it

-And the little toy spoke with a horrible voice. "I love you".

-The cheesy smile you had when you realized it.

-"fuck, you got rizz even miles away, uh ?"you texted.

- "of course" he answered.

-"well, Mr Rizz, I can't send you Happy Meals, but I love you too."

-"thanks, love"

R U D Y :

-He confessed with books. 

-After meeting Rudy in the library and realizing he was one of the few readers following your books. You ended up meeting with him when he was on leave so he could be your beta reader.

-He was a good help, he was not always saying "good", he had good remarks and ideas.

-He was the one bringing coffee during your late writing sessions.

-Even when duty called him away on missions, he sent texts 

-Texts traversed the ether, connecting your worlds despite the miles that separated you.

-In response, handwritten letters, carefully penned with the knowledge of his penchant for tangible memories, sailed back to him, becoming anchors of shared moments in his turbulent sea of duty.

-Thanks to his comments and ratings on sites, you slowly became more famous as an author, and you now live by it.

-Yet one day when you were writing, you were searching for one of the books you wanted to inspire your fight scene for, but...

-"I didn't order my library like that," you whispered.

-Your books, usually standing sentinel in perfect alignment, bore witness to an intrusion—an inexplicable disorder. 

-But you had this habit of putting in order books in a certain way. But it seemed someone messed it up.

-And it would be so strange for a stalker to just break into someone's house in order to...mess up their library ?

-What kind of shitty villain could do that ?

-You sighed.

 -The only one who could come in  your flat is Rudy, and it couldn't be Rudy since the guy was kind of obsessive with it too.

-Not a soldier for nothing, after all, being clean is part of it. 

-His library was impressive, he even gave advice to his local library about archives.

-So slowly, you pulled out one book, in order to put it back where it was supposed to be.

-You sighed, knowing it would take your night to do all the books.

-Until you noticed it.

-The letters.

-The first letters of each title were aligned.

-You stepped back, and you rode it.

-"I love you"

-You bite your lips and smiled.

-'Fucking idiot", you whispered, and you sent him a selfie with you and the books aligned.

-"Me too." you had texted.

-"I had thought you would never find it."

-"What do you mean ?"

-"It's been six months, it's like that."

-"What, no"

-"si."

-"Fuck, you-"

-"I thought you didn't want to address it before I realized you just haven't seen it."

-"I'm so sorry; fuck, you must have been stressed."

-"Not really"

-False. He cried to Alejandro one month after he did it, and you didn't answer. But you would never know that.

-"Well, now you know it's reciprocated."

-"Thanks, love"

-"Have a good night, honey".

He smiled. It'll definitely be a good night, now he knows you said I love you.

If you want more : my COD masterlist

And my whole masterlist

[three--rings]

You Should Watch The Spirealm/致命游戏

What is it?

A 2024 cdrama based on the danmei webnovel Kaleidoscope of Death. It's a censored version of a BL novel, with thriller, mystery, and horror aspects, 38 45-minute episodes.

What's it about?

A young man accidentally gets drawn into a virtual reality video game that involves passing tests in a series of doors. Once you start playing, you cannot stop and if you die in the game, you die in real life. He meets a frustratingly mysterious, competent, and attractive man in the doors who recruits him to be part of his game solving team. Well, specifically to be his partner. Lots of gay subtext ensues as they fight through door after door seeking to get to the final door in order to end the evils of the game. (The book is a little different, as it's more supernatural.)

So basically it's a infinite flow deadly game situation, with m/m romance.

Main Characters:

Lin Quishi/Ling Juishi (novel/drama versions of his name)- Our protagonist. A smart graduate in computer science, good at games. Well meaning but a little naive to start out.

Ruan Nanzhu/Ruan Lanzhu - Our love interest. In the novel he crossdresses often and he presents as a woman for the whole first arc. Super intelligent, expert at the game, extremely flirty but reserved at the same time. Got one look at Lin Quishi and said That One.

Other Characters, aka the Found Family:

Ruan Nanzhu's team consists of a pair of twin brothers (one young and dumb and one uptight), a hot doctor vet, a woman whose main job seems to be cooking dinner, and a not-so-stable dude.

Then there's Li Dong Yuan, a rival player who becomes reluctantly-tolerated friend, and his cute female assistant. And Tan Zao Zao, an actress who hires the team to help her in the games and also sticks around persistently.

They're pretty much all delightful and some may start off silly/annoying and end up breaking the hell out of your heart.

Okay, but what's the VIBE?

Big Guardian vibes. The team of lovable scamps investigating weird supernatural (?) type mysteries? While the boss and the guy he fell for have a situationship? Totally. This definitely has more of a horror feel than Guardian, though, even though they tone things down from the novel.

Each door is its own setting, and some are more scary than others. So one is a mental hospital, one is a traditional village, one is a gothic manor, etc. Lots of tragic female ghosts who have been wronged and are getting revenge. The one that really creeped me out was the one with the children with the eggs. It does a lot of creepy rather than really horror. It's not truly gory at all, as it was made to air on Chinese TV and they have strict limits to violence.

The camerawork and set decor is really nice, actually. It looks great most of the time and a lot of the effects seem to be practical. It looks a lot better than Guardian is what I'm saying, if not quite to a film level.

How Gay is It?

Oh MY GOD. Okay look, this show was NOT supposed to be released, but thank whoever put it up for that two hours. It's really incredibly blatant, like really as much as Word of Honor was, although because the plot is focused elsewhere it's maybe not quite as in your face. But the actors UNDERSTOOD THE ASSIGNMENT and there's so much longing and SO much implication. After a while, everyone basically just treats the main couple as a couple even thought it's never talked about.

I mean episode one there's Only One Bed and at the end of their first meeting Ruan Nanzhu gives Lin Quishi a RING. I mean, the flirting is also BLATANT. I also just find this a really romantic show, despite the Not Talking About It thing.

Is it a Happy Ending?

So, It's Complicated. I'm trying not to spoil anything and this show is pretty easy to have spoiled for you. There's definitely a good bit of tragedy in this show in general. Characters die and it's really sad. Like, this is a plot with stakes and if no one we liked ever died, it wouldn't be the same.

I will say I consider this show to have a happy ending, but you do go through some pain first. Essentially the main couple does have a separation, but there is a reunion before the end. There's also a scene that will give Guardian fans fucking PTSD, but the show does a fix-it on its own, okay? I do feel that I have to warn for that, though.

Where can I watch it?

The show is legally available on Viki with a subscription. Obviously there are other ways to find it as well, and links went around before it was picked up by Viki so check tags if you need those.

I really hope this encourages some people to watch this show, as it's really well made and a great time. It's one of a very small number of danmei adaptations we've gotten, but a lot less people have watched it since it's modern and had a weird release. Honestly, it's well written and acted and filmed and you should give it a shot.

(All gifs by @ruanbaijie, thank you very much for allowing me to use them. Check out their blog, there's such gorgeous stuff there!)

[k-evans-reads]

The Spare

We do NOT give permission for our works to be reuploaded, translated, or reposted on any other site. Our work is our own.

Summary: When Princess Rosie unexpectedly is thrust into a political tour of the country, a working-class Air Force Captain is assigned to be her pilot. Although the princess is unhappy about the decision, she realizes she’s stepping into unknown territory when the unexpected happens

Chapter 1 l Main Masterlist | The Spare Masterlist

By @k-evans-writes and @ourfinest-hour

Word Count: 7,725

Chapter 2

Four Years Earlier 

The sound of loud voices booming and laughter still followed Chris as he shook his head to himself, rolling his eyes as he walked further into the hangar, headed toward his fighter jet. He didn’t understand how one visit from a member of the royal family could cause such an uproar on the air force base, especially when the crowned prince was in their unit and most had gone through university with James as well. Sure he had seen the way other people treated James, knowing that one day he would be their king, but the further they had gotten knit together as a unit, the less it had mattered to all the guys. Chris figured because of that it wouldn’t be as shocking when another member of the royal family made an appearance on base, but the chaos that seemed to ensue the minute the princess had stepped out of the shiny black car was something that Chris just couldn’t seem to understand. 

Well… that wasn’t completely true. 

Having been born and raised in Ellington, Chris had been well aware of the royal family. He was constantly reading, hearing and seeing so much about them, although he had been too busy as a teenager working to help support himself and his mother to pay much attention. It wasn’t until he received a scholarship for university that he had met James, the future king of Ellington. He saw the way everyone treated him, varying between fawning over his every moment to completely avoiding him so they didn’t run the risk of saying or doing the wrong thing. 

Maybe it was because of their first meeting when he laughed at James for missing the easiest layup on the basketball court, but from the moment Chris met him, the two had just connected. To Chris, he was just James, one of his best friends. And to James, Chris was what felt like his first real friend. The only guy who didn’t care who he was or what his position was but was simply just his friend. 

They were constantly together throughout university and somehow ended up in the same unit once joining the royal Air Force afterward, something Chris knew was probably some special strings that were pulled but he didn’t care. He had come to see over the years that even though being a royal might have seemed glamorous, he’d seen the reality of how isolating and burdensome it was, and if he could be there for James, he was happy to be that. 

With Chris being virtually the only person that James trusted implicitly, he heard a much more honest and unguarded version of James’ life as opposed to the highlight reel that was on the cover of newspapers. He knew of all the hard things like the strained relationship James had with his father, the virtually non-existent one he had with his mother, how insane his boarding school experience and schooling was, the immense pressure he had growing up, how he felt disconnected from his youngest sister Annie with her being so much younger and him already gone away to school. But he also knew that the saving grace of his growing up years and even now, was his sister Rosie. 

By this point Chris had reached his cubby in the base, taking his time as he changed into his olive green flight suit and boots, preparing to go on a test flight but found himself smiling as he thought about the way James had talked about Rosie over the years. Chris couldn’t even count the amount of times their classmates or now even guys in their unit made comments to James about getting them an introduction to Princess Rosalie. She was arguably the most popular person in the country amongst most people, bringing a relatability and normalcy to the royal family who often felt out of touch with most of reality. 

It was fairly often that one of her comical faces revealing everything she was thinking was photographed and put on the front page of the paper, or reports of her sparkling personality was talked about in contrast to the stoic and demure ways of most nobility. She felt more attainable, more in-touch with what was going on in the country and that made everyone look forward to seeing her more in the press in the coming years now that James would be serving in the Air Force. 

It hadn’t gone unnoticed to Chris that James had always clammed up anytime someone mentioned his sister and that it was a long time before he even talked to Chris about her. James was fiercely protective of his sister and loved her so deeply. They were each other’s person, the only ones they could really trust and rely on, but once James started telling Chris more about her, he understood why. He had never even met her and Chris could feel a softness in his heart toward her just from hearing about her for so many years now. It was no wonder to him why James loved her so much, but when he saw her for the first time in person today, stepping out of that car, it also was no wonder to him why she caused such an uproar amongst the Air Force unit because as beautiful as those pictures of her were on the newspaper, they didn’t hold a candle to her in person. 

As much as he would have liked to meet the girl he’d been hearing about for years, his dedication to his duty and annoyance at the way his unit turned into a bunch of ogling school boys at the sight of the princess made him need to get away. Chris had worked his ass off to get through university on his scholarship and was committed in every sense of the word to the Air Force, wanting to serve his country well and he wasn’t going to let himself be distracted by the loud chaos that was ensuing outside the hangar, instead focusing on making his way over to his jet to prep for his test run. 

He hadn’t quite made it when the sound of a door opening echoed in the virtually empty hangar and a voice he’d only heard in a more restrained and proper tone on the television before echoed as she laughed, “It looks like coming to visit you is more dangerous than I thought.” 

“I think you’re right, that was fuckin’ insane out there,” James laughed back, and Chris could practically see the look on James’s face from behind, the crinkle of his eyes, the smirk on his lips. “I don’t know that i’ve seen those guys go that ape over a girl before.” 

The footsteps stopped just on the opposite side of the plane, blocking Chris from their view as the laughs continued to echo. “No I was more meaning the fact that your commander stands way too close to me and spits while he’s talking,” the princess snickered. 

With a quick wipe of his hands on a rag, Chris poked his head out from behind the plane. He shot a kind smile to the princess before his eyes returned to James.“Try sitting in the front row at his briefings,” he chuckled, a smirk growing across his lips. 

“Hey! I was wondering where the hell you went!” James greeted Chris, shaking off the hand Chris offered to him. “Chris, I want you to meet my sister, Rosie.” 

Chris saw the way that Rosie visibly shifted, her posture tightening and her undoubtedly years of training kicking in as she put a beautiful but seemingly surface-level smile on her face as she put her hand out to greet him. Chris bowed to her but before he could take her hand, he saw James nudge her side, making her stumble slightly in her precarious heels as James told her, “Rosie, this is Chris, my best friend who I told you about. You don’t have to be formal with him.” 

It was as if all those years - undoubtedly - media and publicity training slipped and it seemed as though the real Princess Rosie came out. A familiar look crossed her face, one that mimicked James’, as she mischievously arched a single brow and told him, “Oh yeah, I’ve heard about you…” 

A strange feeling settled in Chris at those words, but he let the humor lead as he shook his head, admitting, “That could be dangerous.” 

But his worries melted away at a simple shrug of Rosie’s shoulder as she conceded with a playful smile, “Maybe.” 

Now, even all these years later, Chris could still vividly remember that smile. Sure he’d seen hundreds of photos of Rosie smiling in the papers but that smile he saw that day was different. It was one he still couldn’t forget even now as he walked up the steps to the grandiose palace, two immaculate guards opening the doors for him as he walked inside. 

It felt weird to him to be entering in the place he’d seen in his history books in school on just a normal Monday. Although he’d been so close to James for years now, he couldn’t quite wrap his mind around that his best friend would one day be his King. The Air Force had been a level playing field for them all, but stepping in the palace just to meet his friend was the most surreal feeling he’d ever experienced. 

Before he had a chance to dwell on it too much, he felt a hand clap on his back as James appeared next to him, smiling wide as he greeted him, “I’m glad you could come today.” 

Chris suppressed an eye roll at those words, knowing there was no choice on his end - or anyone's end, really - once the royal family got involved in affairs. “Don’t even act like you didn’t pull rank and get me out of a briefing I was supposed to be in,” he muttered, only half serious. “I knew the second that they told me I suddenly wasn’t needed in it, I knew something was up.”

Chris’ words didn’t seem to affect the charming royal much. “Hey, being the prince does have its perks every now and then,” James admitted teasingly, before he turned serious. “Did you have a good time at the ceremony last night?” 

He huffed out a soft chuckle, his lips curling into a wry smirk. “You know I hate that shit,” he reminded James. The odd…. Well, he didn’t know whether it was a blessing or a curse, the extended invitations and offers of accompanying James to events, whether to charity visits that always warmed his heart within seconds, taking in the countless sporting events from the royal Box with beers in hand and the sun on their skin, or sitting through an admittedly painful dinner of tucked elbows, stick-straight posture, the pricks and pinches of safety pins on his hastily-altered suits. It was all just a bit much at times.

The gravel crunched under their feet as they rounded a bend in the path, following the carefully and overly lush landscaping through the gardens as a few members of the security team lingered about. Their presence was not lost on Chris as he felt their eyes on the pair every so often, keeping a respectable distance from them. James’ sarcastic laugh seemed appropriate as he pointed out, “Try being royal, it’s shit like that every day of the week.” 

Chris raised a brow, his lips curling again, this time in genuine amusement. He’d always felt for James, knowing how desperately his friend wished to disappear in a way Chris and their peers always could. “If you’re trying to make me envy you, it’s not working,” he teased him playfully, keeping the tone light as birds chirped, flying above them. 

“I am wondering though if now I have to only refer to you as Captain?” James asked, his shoulder bumping into Chris’ as he shoved his hands into his pockets, a playful twinkle in his eyes at his friend’s suddenly unamused expression. 

“Only if I have to refer to you as prince now,” he retorted dryly. 

His friend’s jaw dropped nearly instantly, causing a smile to grow on Chris’ face. James moved a hand, shoving a laughing Chris. “That’s a low blow.” 

He shrugged, turning his head over his shoulder momentarily to catch a peek at the lake behind them before they turned to head back inside the large, ornate doors. “Well, ask a stupid question,” he answered, quickly thanking the guard as the doors were pulled open and they stepped back inside.

The doors closing echoed momentarily until the only sound was their soft footsteps on the pristine floors, reverberating off the walls of the estate. 

James turned serious and his hand reached out, resting on Chris’ shoulder, making them come to a stop in the middle of the entrance hall. “Seriously Chris, I’m proud of you. Nobody is going to make a better captain than you,” he congratulated. 

Chris gave a soft smile, nearly uncomfortable with the honest praise. “Let’s hope so,” he sheepishly answered, grateful for the trust James placed in him. “I still haven’t gotten my first posting yet so we’ll see where things go after this. I know there were some things on hold until this ceremony happened.” 

There was a look on James’ face that Chris couldn’t quite read, but he figured out why when James began, “Funny you mention that because that’s part of the reason I asked you to come today. There’s something I wanted to talk to you about…”

“I don’t know that I like the sound of that,” was Chris’ admission with a raised eyebrow, looking quizzically at his best friend who had become more like a brother to him over the past years. 

“You probably won’t,” he saw James’ eyes crinkle up as he loudly laughed, Chris joining in with a chuckle of his own before his pace slowed as they ventured down the lengthy hallway Chris swore was longer than most of the Air Force hangars he’d been in. He shoved his hands in his pockets while turning to glance at James, his face more stoic as he started, “I know that you know about a little bit of what’s happened with my father.” 

He just nodded before James motioned toward an open room, directing him to go in which Chris did, admitting on his way by, “Well, I’d still have you in my unit if it weren’t for that.” 

There was a silence that hung in the air as James closed the door behind them, the sound echoing in the ornate room. Chris awkwardly stood, his hands fidgeting in his pockets with discomfort. He’d been with James nearly every day for years on end now, knowing him so well, better than just about anybody, but somehow this just felt different. He was standing here in the fucking royal palace and his best friend was the heir to the throne of the entire country. Here he wasn’t just his best friend James. Here he was the crowned prince. 

Chris waited until James sat down in one of the overstuffed chairs, seeing him motion to the empty one before he sat himself, listening while James started explaining, “Things are actually a little worse than we thought. He needs a few months to recover which means I’m going to be here taking over for him more to give him space to rest and I’m sure you’ve seen in the papers that now Rosie is going to be taking my place on the tour.” 

Over their years of friendship, he’d heard his fair share about James’ beloved sister and that coupled with what he’d read in the papers it wasn’t hard for him to imagine her reaction and couldn’t help but chuckle sarcastically, “I’m sure she’s thrilled about that.” 

“You can imagine,” James just shot him a look through his own laugh, knowing just how accurate his satirical comment was. He ran a hand through his perfectly swooped over hair, his gaze falling to the carpet before admitting, “Honestly, I think Rosie has been struggling these past few years while I’ve been gone more than I realized. I stayed in the Air Force longer because I loved it and it’s what I wanted to do and honestly, I don’t think I really looked at how much it put on her.” 

Not quite following him, Chris’ brows furrowed as he asked, “So are you trying to get her out of doing the tour?” 

“No, I can’t really do that. I need her to do the tour because we just don’t really have a choice but the reality is that there’s a lot of pressure being put on Rosie in some different ways.” He vaguely motioned with his hand. 

Chris knew there was a lot about royal life he didn’t understand and never would. Growing up with a single mother and an after school job to help buy groceries felt like night and day to how James no doubt grew up. With just a glance around the huge room with oil paintings on the wall, ornate furniture, and guards stationed right outside it was obvious how different their lives had been. But Chris had come to see just how burdensome James’ life was in a way he couldn’t imagine and couldn’t seem to understand what he alluded to with Rosie and point blank asked,  “What do you mean by that?” 

“There’s just a lot riding on this tour. There’s a lot of pressure on her for being a little more stable, being viewed differently, and it’s no secret about all the unrest there is along the coast which brings a pretty real level of a security threat that kind of scares me,” James admitted honestly to the person he knew he could trust more than anything. “It would make me feel a lot better if I knew there was someone there looking out for Rosie and making sure she’s alright and so I’m wondering if you’d be willing to be her pilot and on the security team for her during this tour.” 

Hearing this struck a pang of fear in him, feeling like every bit of this was out of place for him. He was an Air Force captain, not someone who was prepared to do any of this. He rubbed a hand along his short beard, muttering, “Shit, I don’t know about this. I’m not trained for that and I’m not sure I’m the most qualified to be doing that for the Princess of Ellington.” 

“It’s not like you’d be alone, there’s going to be the most highly trained people in the country and you’d go through a training before the tour. Also, because of what you’d be doing, it’d be double the salary you’re making now," he tried to convince him but with just the mention of a pay bump, Chris instantly felt more intrigued. For years he’d been sending most of his paychecks to his mother to help take care of her and lift some weight off her shoulders, but he knew a bump in pay would not only help him get ahead on some things of his own but fix up some of the things his mother’s home had been needing. Chris was busy making a mental list of all he could do with that when James added, “This isn’t something you have to say yes to, it’s not an order from the prince, it’s just a favor for a friend.” 

With a laugh and a wave of his hand, Chris rolled his eyes playfully, “You had to fucking go there, pulling the friend card!” 

“Well I know the prince asking you to do it wouldn’t be enough to pull you away from active duty,” James said through a laugh, knowing it was completely true but also that Chris was just about as loyal as they came and that he could rely on him for just about anything. 

“I am going to be a little pissed at you for that," he emphasized playfully with a point of his finger.

A smirk gave away James’ feelings before he asked, “Does that mean you’re going to say yes?” 

“Only because it’ll keep me busy enough that I won’t have to watch my best friend turning into a spoiled ass now that’s back to being a prince,” Chris snorted. 

That response got a good laugh out of his best friend before a genuine smile crossed his lips and he admitted, “Seriously, thank you Chris. This means a lot to me.” 

Unable to keep the teasing smile from his lips, he joked with a nudge to James’ knee, “Remember that when you sign my check.”

And with just that one conversation, Chris got swept into a whirlwind he wasn’t quite prepared for over the course of the next month. Being pulled from the Air Force had been tough enough, but having to sit through meeting after meeting about all of his responsibilities, safety protocols, and royal decorum and he felt like he couldn’t quite keep his head straight. There was no part of him that wanted to be doing this. Everything in him yearned for his unit and to be up in his fighter jet, following the duty for his country, but he knew that this duty was just as important. 

Thinking back to when they’d first met, Chris wished he could tell his younger, scared, and intimidated self just how much James would quickly become like a brother more than anything to him over the years. Sure, he had been there for James, and he’d helped give James a sense of normalcy amongst prying eyes and intense attention, but the prince had been there for him just as much. Growing up with a single mother and tight finances had been difficult and without anyone else to rely on, Chris had felt the full weight of that. He had grown up well before his time, having to worry and bear the responsibility of more than his age normally would demand, and a way he knew James struggled to fully understand. Because of this, he knew there was a bit of an emotional wall that he’d put up, trying to always push away his vulnerable emotions to do what needed to be done, but James had been the first friend he could really be open with. 

His best friend had proved to be such a loyal friend through and through, always being there to support him and able to pull out his real feelings in a way Chris didn’t even completely understand. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for James, and if it meant doing this, he decided he’d be able to handle it for a couple months. With his days being so packed full and being hours away from where he grew up, he hadn’t been able to see his mother for weeks but with only a few days before he set off on the tour, he carved out a time to drive toward the familiar terrain.

Chris recognized the sound of the rhythmic bumping of the car tires over the many potholes on the street as he slowed down to park in front of the old building. He climbed out and locked the car before starting to walk toward the building but seemed to linger on the sidewalk for a moment, his blue eyes just taking in the sight in front of him. 

He knew the house he had grown up in wasn’t much to look at, sandwiched in the cramped neighborhood and right on the street. He knew how many times he had fixed the leaking faucet, had to install new windows a couple winters ago when the frames had rotted on the old ones, and how you could feel the vibrations of the cars driving by when you laid in bed. The house wasn’t pretty. Or new. Or spacious. But this house would always hold a special place in his heart thanks to the woman that lived inside. 

Growing up with a single mother hadn’t always been the easiest life, remembering the many times as a teenager he’d close that black iron gate behind him late at night after working a job after school to help buy them groceries or make rent. He certainly had never gone without food or a roof over his head but things weren’t easy for them and he had seen just how tirelessly his loving mother worked to make sure he was taken care of. He remembered her saving up to buy a sewing machine, making it easier for her to be able to make their own clothes and fix any holes or tears that happened to existing ones, allowing them to get every bit of use out of everything they had. She was often up late clipping coupons or baking pies to sell to help bring in some extra money, all while still giving Chris all the love and nurturing in the world.

Chris leaned against that gate, just gazing at the house and remembering when he had gotten a scholarship to university and that deep drive and determination he had to make sure not one bit of it was wasted. That grit proved to be useful when his mother started developing some sharp pain in her back and knees, preventing her from keeping up the grueling work she had been doing and Chris stepped in to take care of her, sending most of his check from the Royal Air Force home to care for her, only keeping enough for himself to rent a tiny apartment and whatever else he needed for basic necessities. 

There hadn’t been one moment of hesitation for him, wanting to do anything he could for the woman he loved more than anything and could still to this day put him in his place in the way only she could. She had always been there cheering him on, encouraging him, and loving him wholeheartedly with that same smile she had on her face now as she opened the teal door. 

Her silvery gray hair was falling around her kind face, that sweet smile on her lips as she held her arms open, “Well don’t just stand there looking at the dead landscaping, come over and give me a hug!” 

“Hey Ma," he smiled, walking over to wrap his arms around her short frame, feeling warm from the inside out as he genuinely said, “It’s so good to see you.” 

“It’s always a good day when I get to see you," she said with a hand rubbing his back before ushering him into the warm house, motioning around the kitchen as she started looking through cabinets, “What can I get you, honey? Coffee? Some cake?” 

Chris was watching her through an inquisitive eye, seeing something she hadn’t admitted and spoke up, “Ma, you need to sit down. I can see you’re still favoring that knee.” She turned around, tucking her gray hair behind her ear before averting his gaze as she turned her back to dish him up a piece of what she knew to be his favorite cake as he questioned, “I thought you said it was getting better?” 

“It is, just slowly," she shrugged, pouring him a glass of milk and without even looking up, shot back at him,“Don’t give me that look, Christopher.” 

But Chris just laughed from where he sat at the worn wooden table and tossed his hands in the air, “I will if you keep refusing to take care of yourself!” 

Margaret put down the piece of cake that he knew she made just for him, down on the table before patting his shoulder as she sat down in her own chair, “You just worry about me too much.” 

“I’m afraid of what other shit you’re going to be feeding me while I’m away on this tour. Before I know it I’m probably going to find out you’re out dancing every night while I’m away,” he teased her easily before taking a bite of the cake he loved so much. 

“Don’t you worry about me, I’ll keep on resting my knee like the doctor said,” she waved him off, being just as stubborn as he knew he could be before changing the subject, “Are you officially done with all your training for the tour?” 

A deep sigh escaped Chris as he leaned back in the creaky chair. “Yeah I finished yesterday, although I don’t feel like it’s enough,” he admitted, his voice sounding befuddled even to himself. His hand twitched on the worn table, well-loved with everything from rings from glasses to paint from his youth and a frown on Chris’ face as his eyes bore into streaks of red paint. “I mean, I’m not the head of security, I’m mostly just the princess’ pilot and then will be the one escorting her to events but she’ll have a whole security team.” 

But Margaret’s eyes never left her son’s face, her brow raising sharply. Her voice, however, was kind and curious as always as she mused, “That seems unusual that the pilot would be doing that.” 

He shrugged helplessly. “I think it is, but I think it’s more James wanting someone he trusts with his sister,” he agreed, then added, “He made it sound like she’s maybe having a hard time with all of this so I think it’s maybe his way of making it easier or something like that. It’s obviously not really my first choice but I’ll do anything for James.” 

“And I know he appreciates it,” she agreed honestly, and the twinkle in her eyes made Chris think about the many times Chris had caught rides from James and his security back home from university. He remembered the way the sleek cars would draw curious eyes on the streets, but no one ever spared a second glance when they saw Prince James dart out of the car to always give Margaret a hug before heading off to the palace. 

“He probably just wants to earn points with you for getting me off of active duty,” Chris chuckled with a smirk.

“James already knows he’s my adopted son, he doesn’t have to earn any more points,” Margaret told him amusedly before she sat up a bit in her chair, her face twitching momentarily as her knee shifted below the table. “Although I do like him getting you off of active duty. You know how much I hate that.” 

Chris' lips twitched, curling into an instinctive smile as her overprotectiveness shone through. He knew she struggled with his choice to enlist after university - being the only family the other had, the only one that looked out for the other -  but it’d always made sense for him. It was a safe career path, one that provided a lot of opportunity to see places he’d otherwise never get to see, one that was all but guaranteed to keep him and also pay for the remainder of the university tuition fees that his scholarships didn’t cover. And James being there too? He couldn’t say that wasn’t a factor, getting to spend a few more years with his brother at his side before he inevitably became King, but it helped. 

However, he knew his Ma disagreed, fretting about everything from his safety abroad to on the very planes that the royal family even approved of for their heir. But those fears were admittedly easy to shake off as his heads hit the clouds, leaving his worries behind back in his bedroom by the phone each day after he hung up his calls with her. “Well I don’t know that being on the security team for the princess of the country is a whole lot safer,” he pointed out quietly. 

But Margaret simply chose to ignore the issue, something they’d both grown to do, instead asking, “Have you met Princess Rosalie yet? Is she just as beautiful in person as she is in the papers?” 

He couldn’t help the loud laugh that burst out of him at those words, taken aback. “Ma!” He admonished, but he couldn’t stop the laughter that continued to echo throughout the tiny room. 

“I’m just asking,” she shrugged, her eyes twinkling as she listened to him. 

He shook his head, eyes dropping back down to the splattered paint on the table. His hand moved and he began scratching it lightly with his nail, despite knowing it was no use. At this point, it’d been on the table for at least twenty-five years, it wasn’t going anywhere unless the table did as well. “Well I only met her like four years ago for a few minutes. Later this afternoon I’m going back to the palace to see James and he said he wanted to introduce me to Rosie.” 

But the look in Margaret’s eyes became a mix of surprise, amusement, and something else he couldn’t quite put his finger on at his admission, and he found himself looking away from her gaze as she asked, “Oh so you haven’t even really met her and it’s already Rosie now?” 

“I’m starting to think it’s a good thing I’m leaving for two months if you’re going to be stirring up trouble like that,” he chuckled, shaking his head as he gave up on removing the paint. 

Margaret grew quiet for a few moments, eyes shining as she watched her only son. Chris' heart panged at the way she quickly moved her hand to disguise the few tears that escaped her eyes. “I’m so happy for you but I sure am going to miss you,” she told him, her voice soft and quiet. “I just love you so much.” 

A soft sigh escaped Chris’ lips as he thought about the reality of the situation and vulnerably admitted,  “I know, I love you too Ma and I’m going to miss you. This isn’t even really what I want to be doing but it’s a favor for James and I’m going to be making double my salary so that’s hard to say no to.” 

“Well it’ll only be a couple months and then you can go back to the Air Force," she nodded, trying to brighten his spirits as well as reminding herself of when she’d see him next. 

A genuine smile crossed his lips as he told her, “I’m already looking forward to that.” 

Rosie stared at the books in front of her for several long moments before she reached both hands out, quickly pulling a few off the overstuffed and well-used bookshelf. Despite the longing desire to do nothing but sit in the plush armchair next to the grand bay window, Rosie begrudgingly and precariously packed the books in the bag sitting on her bed. She missed the short knock and creak of the door opening and closing in her haste to pack, knowing how much preparation there was still to do over the next several hours. Final fittings, final itinerary plans, and final interviews with a few Ellington-based outlets for pre-planned articles to come out throughout tour, showing “the strength and resilience of the royal family, even in the trying times they were in” she thought, reminding herself of the Communications Secretary, Edward Henry’s, words. 

Her eyes nearly rolled out of her head at that memory when a soft “Ahem,” broke her train of thought, making her jump slightly as she turned to find her mother standing by the door to her bedroom. After a quick, routine curtsy to the Queen, her mother made her way to the sun-drenched arm chair, sitting perfectly on the overstuffed, well-loved chair, facing Rosie with an arched brow. 

“Are you packing?” She asked her eldest daughter, a hint of amusement in her voice. 

Rosie nodded, turning her back to her mother and she grabbed the last of the prepared items off her nightstand, delicately placing them in the bag. “Yeah, I’m almost done,” she informed her. 

Her mother was quiet for a moment and as Rosie snuck a glance over her shoulder to Genevieve, she saw the mix of amusement and curiosity on her face. “You didn’t have Claire do it for you?” She questioned. 

She simply shrugged. “She got all my basics but since I’ll be gone for two months I wanted to make sure I had some of the things I wanted,” she explained, and it was true - Claire had packed more clothes than Rosie had time to wear on tour, for everything from galas with dignitaries to visiting local youth sports programs to the very slight downtime she may have during her days. But it didn’t mean she wouldn’t want her favorite pair of slippers, hair brush, hair masks, or even her comfiest shirt to sleep in - the well-worn one she’d gotten early on at university. 

A silence hung in the room for several moments as Rosie left the bag on her bed, knowing either Claire or one of the other aides would close up the bag when they fetched it later. She turned to her mother, arms crossed over her chest, both of them unsure what to say. The conversation didn’t feel strained, however, her relationship with her mother was well beyond the point of being uncomfortable after a lifetime of this. Of feeling that they never quite fit together the way her university friends seemed to with their mothers, having had a lifetime of caregiving to connect. 

Instead, Rosie had never felt connected to her in any warm and fuzzy way. She and Annie had been kept at an arm’s distance from both of their parents through their childhood, and James had only been closer to prepare him for his future. Otherwise, the children were pawned off to nannies, teachers, and - eventually - to their respective boarding schools, with only the occasional letters or calls home. 

“It’ll be nice and warm on the coast when you go. All of those beaches are so beautiful,” the Queen pointed out, and Rosie furrowed her brows a bit at those words but quickly schooled her expression. 

“I’ve seen the schedule and I don’t think I'll hardly have time to breathe let alone go to the beach.” 

Genevieve’s face faltered for a moment, her posture falling before straightening. “I’m sorry Rosalie…” she trailed off, her voice meek.  “I’m mostly sorry you have to go on this tour at all.” 

But Rosie shook her head, pushing herself forwards from where she’d been leaning on the footboard of her bed. “It’s fine,” she deflected, running a hand through her long hair, pausing momentarily before pointing out, “Dad and James overrule everyone, but that’s nothing new.” 

Her mother’s frown deepened but a short knock at the door interrupted them. Rosie looked at her mother, watching as she called for them to enter. But to her surprise, the Palace staffer was there not for her mother, but for herself, informing her that Prince James was waiting for her down in the garden. 

With an awkward goodbye to her mother, she left the room, the staffer trailing behind her along with a member of the security team as she made her way down various stairways, through historic hallways. As she made her way out to the gardens of the Palace, she found her brother waiting for her on a bench in front of dancing fountains, sitting in the sun. 

They chatted briefly - James telling Rosie about his upcoming meetings with the Prime Minister, what he’d heard about the latest elections globally, and even that Annie’s university field hockey team had won their latest game. 

It was simply passive small talk, serving only to try to break the ice and quell the tension between the siblings as they started to walk the gravel pathways through the garden, as James finally asked her, “Do you remember when you met Chris before? A few years ago?” 

“Should I?” She asked, hardly able to remember much beyond the memorable meetings or the regular contacts she had outside of the Palace - those she spoke to often at her favorite charities, the nurses she regularly saw during visits to the hospital, and some of the more lively members of the public she’d met.  

A sideways grin appeared on James’ face as he told her, “Not really, he’s only been my best friend for the past eight years.” 

She gave him a sideways glare, thankful she’d worn flats as she stepped through the gravel. “Is that the real reason you want him on this tour? So you can spy on me?” She asked, her voice unamused. 

“Maybe,” he said, his voice serious for a moment until she elbowed his side, making him laugh and hold his hands up placatingly before telling her, “I’m kidding, I want him there because I trust him more than anyone and I think he’ll make it easier for you.” 

She dropped her eyes to the gravel, staring at the rocks with every passing step as her voice quietly admitted, “I don’t know that there’s a lot that’ll make it better.” 

“Trust me, Chris will,” James promised her, and a familiar, comforting grin appeared on his face as he continued, “We roomed together all four years at uni, did all of our basic training together and were in the same unit so trust me when I say that once you guys warm up to each other, you’ll love him, he’s great.” 

Although James kept talking about some memories over the years with Chris, Rosie couldn’t seem to concentrate on his words and found her mind wandering. She knew that James was just trying to help but she just felt like there wouldn’t be anything that would make this tour easier, and in fact having to get used to someone new seemed harder for her. 

She tried to follow along as James laughed and recalled various adventures and misadventures the pair had gotten into over the years, but it did nothing to quell her growing anxieties as they slowly made their way from the gardens back towards the Palace, where a tall, lean figure came out of the doors and made their way over to them. 

Having met literally thousands of people over the years Rosie had become very intuitive at reading people. It was easy for her to spy the nervousness in the tense and rigid appearance of his body. She glanced at his hands that were fidgeting inside his pockets, pulling them out before shoving them back in again as he walked closer to the siblings. 

As his tall frame came to stop in front of her, she felt a little bit relaxed at the kindness that was evident in his eyes while his low voice greeted her with a bow, “Princess Rosalie, it’s a pleasure to see you again.”

When he stood back up, she saw the polite smile across his lips. It was obvious that the smile was a little tense and didn’t quite reach his eyes, keeping it from being fully genuine but even still, Rosie couldn’t help but feel just how effortlessly charming it was and suddenly she found herself searching her brain for just how she could have forgotten having met him. 

She reached out her perfectly manicured hand to take his, shaking it with the many layers of manners she had learned over the years and replied, “Nice to see you as well. Thank you for joining the tour.” 

“It’s an honor," his blue eyes arched kindly while their hands disconnected. 

“I’m glad you both are going to be together,” James couldn’t help but chime in before reaching over to give Chris a hearty pat on the back as he informed her, “Rosie, this guy is the best pilot I’ve ever seen. I swear he spends more time pouring over his plane than he does anything else.” 

Rosie intently watched while the captain’s eyebrow rose, a jovial smirk dancing across his lips while he retorted, “Can you blame me when you’re the one I had to hang out with?” 

“Hey you shouldn’t be making fun of me, I got you a pretty good gig for the next two months,” James argued with his hands held in defense. 

Hearing his words made all of the feelings that were so near the surface come bubbling over as she muttered quietly, “I’m not so sure you did.” 

It didn’t seem as if either of the men heard her, or if they did, both chose to ignore her as she was so often used to before Chris nodded politely at her and said, “I’m looking forward to being in your service, princess.” 

With a surface smile, she easily replied, “Thank you, Captain. We’re honored to have you.”

After Rosie politely shook his hand and Chris bowed, she excused herself to head back into the palace to attend to the laundry list of things that were still left to do as the sound of the two men’s laughter echoed behind her. It was obvious to her that James had connected deeply to Chris and she honestly was so happy that they had. Rosie wanted James to have someone that he trusted and was so close to, knowing in their life how nearly impossible that felt, but at the same time she just wished that James could understand that was the exact reason that she didn’t want Chris. 

At this time Rosie was supposed to have a break from the duties she had been thrown into the past four years in James’ absence. She finally was going to be able to step back but that was long gone now. The past few weeks she had come to accept it and knew she didn’t have a choice, but she had hoped that she would be able to bring more of the staff she felt comfortable with, someone to make her feel like she had a friend when she so often felt utterly and completely alone. But she knew that what James or her father said went no matter what. The best she could do was just hope these next two months would go by as quickly as possible.

A/N: Thank you for your patience as we tried to write some more before posting! We are so so excited to share this story and hope you are enjoying it as well.

[jebewonmorelike]

Good Luck, Mickey!

wc: 1k warnings: a pretty flirtatious little joke made by ricky... do you need to be warned of that? maybe if you have a weak heart. otherwise very very light angst and fluff. pronouns: none used; n/a summary: planetmaster/idol!reader and their boyfriend ricky have to pretend they don't know each other while the cameras are on ~masterlist~ ♡ ~kofi (no pressure at all)~ this was a request! it's short and sweet but fun. i might want to expand more on this one eventually. spending tonight rewatching bp after work :,)

Positioning yourself in the wing of the stage strategically, you lean forward just a bit so you can take a look from behind the curtain at the crowd of unsuspecting trainees lined up after completing their second mission.

You spot a head of perfectly styled blonde hair sticking out from the group almost immediately due to the height of its owner. Smiling to yourself, you hop up and down a bit to pump yourself up. You can't wait to see the look on your boyfriend's face when you step out onto the stage.

The lights dim quickly, then flash dramatically back on as a producer gives you the go ahead. You nod respectfully and steady yourself as you begin to make your way out from behind the curtain and to the center of the stage. The boys gathered in front of you in neat formations begin to scramble excitedly; shouting and jumping with enthusiasm as you step towards the front of the stage.

Your eyes find Ricky, who is standing completely still as he stares up at you in shock-- not knowing how to react properly to your presence. Some of his teammates are poking him and laughing, teasing him about your unexpected appearance as a Planet Master.

You had met Ricky a while ago when he joined your company as a trainee. You would run into each other in the hallways at night, as you were always in a practice room trying to improve even after your debut. He could be uncharacteristically shy around you, since you were his senior (and he was secretly such a big fan). Needless to say, Ricky was incredibly surprised when you were the one who eventually asked him out.

"Hello Boys Planet trainees! I'm leader and main vocalist (Y/N) from Virtual Reality," you announce confidently. "I know you've only just finished your Second Mission, but time is limited when you're forming the next big K-Pop boy group!"

Most of the trainees begin another uproar, some complaining that they're exhausted and some shouting for you to hurry up and announce the next mission already. You sympathize with both sets of emotions.

You glance at Ricky, who is now smirking at you from the crowd-- eyebrows raised as he chews his cheek. Fighting the urge to grin back at him winningly, your eyes return to your script card in your hand.

"The Third Mission is..." You look back at the screen behind you and gesture towards it as a new pair of words appear. “Artist Battle!"

Yet another commotion ensues and you suddenly understand why the boys kept losing their voices in the first two missions. As you finish your script, announcing that teams will be formed and then re-formed after eliminations, you're instructed to meet and greet the trainees and give them your well wishes.

After a half hour of greeting all of the contestants and having to pretend like you'd never met any of them before in your life, an especially familiar contestant strolls up to you.

"Hello, how are you?" Ricky greets formally as a few of the trainees he is closest with giggle behind him. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

"Hi, how are you?" You return, extending your hand for him to shake as you bite your lip to keep yourself from laughing in front of the staff. "What did you say your name was?"

"Ricky," he replies, taking your hand in his and shaking it firmly. "And your name is?"

You squeeze his hand hard, raising your eyebrows in a stern warning. Too far, you mouth.

"Ow!" He whines before looking around to smile nervously at the closely observing staff. "I mean, WOW that joke did not land! Of course I know who you are. I love you."

You pinch his hand harder.

"--R WORK! I love your work," Ricky corrects after your warning, but the mischievous glint is still in his eyes. "I'm a big fan of your entire body of work."

Zhang Hao and Kuan Jui have to excuse themselves as they burst into laughter, running out into the hall to (most likely) tell everyone what Ricky just said with cameras rolling.

Ricky smiles at you smugly and you finally drop his hand. A producer frowns at you both confusedly. "Do you two... know each other or something?"

Ricky shakes his head. "Where would I have met the leader and main vocalist of Virtual Reality before?"

The producer nods, shrugging in agreement. "Huh. You just have good chemistry is all."

"He's not my type," you reply coolly, eyes narrowing as you glare at your boyfriend.

"Hey," Ricky pouts softly; a little frown forming on his lips.

You fight the urge to lift up on your toes and give your tall, handsome boyfriend a peck, opting instead to pat him on the shoulder and give him a boastful grin. "It was nice to meet you, Nicky!"

His eyebrows furrow now, the adorable pout growing deeper (and more powerful). "It's Ricky."

"Good luck, Mickey!" You call over your shoulder with a wave, following two staff members out the door.

~

Walking through the empty hall to the back parking lot after you've finished removing your wardrobe and makeup in your dressing room, you see your favorite trainee (okay-- your second favorite trainee. Red House Mingyu is actually your favorite but you can NOT tell Ricky that) waiting for you in the doorway.

"Hey Nicky," you greet with a laugh as Ricky looks up from his phone.

"Stoooooop," he whines, basically collapsing in your arms as you hug him. Into your shoulder, he mumbles, "I am your type."

You kiss his cheek, rubbing his back comfortingly. "You totally are my type.”

"I can't believe you're hosting the show I'm on," he says, pulling back from the hug to look at you. "You told me you were getting the cats bathed today."

You throw your head back in a laugh. "Cats don't get bathed, lovey."

He laughs awkwardly. “Oh."

"I thought that was such an obvious lie that you'd catch on!" You exclaim, grabbing his hand in yours and swinging them back and forth playfully.

Ricky looks around, checking if any staff are lingering in the hallway before swinging open the door and pulling you through.

"Where do you think you're going?" You ask with a giggle as Ricky pulls you towards your car.

"To get ramen with you," he replies with a smile, raising your hand in his above your head so he can twirl you around.

You spin around with a grin, bowing after the impromptu dance move before he continues to pull you along. You watch as his pretty, dangly earring jingles while he runs.

"Fine," you relent with a grin. "But you're gonna have to buy me a lot of ramen to make up for that body joke."

[cinema-hallucinations]

Prompt: Write a movie concept involving Sam Reich's (more specifically his persona as a mildly demented game show host on Dropout) journey into manic supervillainy and the ensuing over-the-top ridiculous clashes with his archnemesis: Brennan Lee Mulligan.

Title: Dropout or Die: The Sam Reich Ascension

Tagline: Discover the true Reich of chaos

Logine: Dropout kingpin Sam Reich, fueled by a potent blend of Mountain Dew and existential dread, ascends to supervillainy. Now, armed with a nonsensical army of internet randos and armed with a twisted version of his game shows, he challenges his archnemesis, the wholesomely heroic Brennan Lee Mulligan, to a series of increasingly ridiculous battles for the fate of the internet.

Characters:

Sam Reich: The once-beloved host of Dropout, now a manic supervillain obsessed with proving the superiority of internet culture. He wields outdated memes and viral trends as his weapons.

Brennan Lee Mulligan: The wholesome and athletic champion of all that is good on the internet. He uses his teamwork skills and genuine charisma to counter Reich's chaotic schemes.

The Dropout Army: A ragtag group of internet personalities, gamers, and forum dwellers, manipulated and fueled by Reich's promises of internet domination.

The Algorithm Avengers: Brennan's team of allies, including a conspiracy theory-debunking librarian, a teenage coding prodigy, and a surprisingly buff cat influencer.

Plot:

Sam Reich, the host of the increasingly unhinged game show "You Don't Know Jack," snaps. Fueled by a potent concoction of Mountain Dew, existential dread, and the pressure to stay relevant, he discovers a hidden internet artifact – the "Scroll of Clickbait." This ancient scroll grants him the power to manipulate the very fabric of online trends and memes.

Corrupted by power, Reich declares himself "Overlord of the Algorithm" and vows to reshape the internet in his twisted image. His first target? His former co-host and foil, Brennan Lee Mulligan, the embodiment of wholesome online content.

Reich unleashes a series of absurd challenges based on warped versions of his game shows. Contestants are forced to participate in real-life "Wikipedia Races" with dodgeball-wielding librarians, decipher nonsensical riddles based on outdated memes, and navigate obstacle courses filled with internet trolls.

Brennan, ever the champion of good, rallies his own team – The Algorithm Avengers. They consist of an unlikely bunch: a conspiracy theory-debunking librarian with surprising martial arts skills, a teenage coding prodigy who can manipulate social media algorithms, and a surprisingly buff cat influencer with a massive online following.

Each battle is a hilarious spectacle of internet culture come to life. Reich throws everything at Brennan – weaponized cat videos, comment section arguments manifested as physical beings, and a sentient pop-up ad monster. Brennan counters with clever use of teamwork, witty banter, and the unexpected tactical advantage of catnip grenades (courtesy of the buff cat influencer).

The climax involves a showdown within a virtual reality game show arena created by Reich. Brennan and his team must navigate a series of challenges that parody classic internet experiences – from navigating a comment section filled with angry trolls to escaping a pop-up ad labyrinth. In the end, it's not brute force that wins, but Brennan's genuine connection with the online community. He uses his social media influence to expose Reich's manipulations, causing the internet users to abandon him.

Themes:

The power and pitfalls of internet culture.

The importance of genuine connection and collaboration.

The fight against manipulation and misinformation online.

Humor:

Slapstick humor based on internet memes and online experiences come to life.

The absurdity of Reich's schemes and his reliance on outdated internet trends.

Witty banter and self-referential humor referencing Dropout shows and internet culture.

Ending Scene:

A defeated Reich, stripped of his powers, is forced to return to hosting a low-budget web series about obscure historical facts. Brennan, hailed as the champion of the internet, celebrates with his team. However, in a post-credits scene, a shadowy figure emerges from the dark corner of the internet, holding a mysterious artifact – a dusty VHS tape labeled "Myspace Mayhem." The figure cackles, hinting at a future villain even more terrifying than the Overlord of the Algorithm.

[bi-hop]

spider-byte headcanons

while this blends her singular intro comic, elements of the movie, and my own thoughts, this shouldn't really have any spoilers. still, if you haven't watched across the spiderverse, read with caution

anyway Earth-22191 in my personal content is basically The Matrix. Hear me out.

Essentially, if you crossed over into Earth-22191, every person you would encounter is either a person hooked up to what I am tentatively calling the World Computer or a simulation so perfectly constructed that it is impossible to tell the difference. Unlike the Matrix however, everyone knows this and it is distressing. You ever heard of philosophical zombies? It's a whole thing, but for these people, an uncertain number of people around them - even their own parents - used to seem like behavioral zombies to them:

Endless paranoia ensued about this and being a cog in a giant machine for centuries, so scientists worked hard to find a solution. They settled on virtual reality. More specifically, they settled on an extra layer of virtual reality. The aim was to continually give people access to various forms of virtual reality that were fantastical and abstract so paranoia would die down and socialization would flourish. Once this was successful, society was reconfigured to incorporate this technology as much as possible. It allowed this world of expendable tech parts to escape into worlds that soothed their minds.

Enter Margo Kess, a... let's say fifth generation teen post the advent of this VR tech. To us, her attachment to her headset would be seen as unhealthy. She uses it as much as the current legal limit allows, only stopping when absolutely necessary (sleeping, bathing, walking to class). But, in her world, her avoidance is normal. Why have that boring family discussion in your dining room when you can all meet up on a simulated beach and have it in paradise?

Earth-22191's reality is one where socialization and education mostly occur by necessity in cyberspace. Unfortunately, so does crime.

Flesh crimes, as they're called, are on a steep decline. This is mainly because they bore people. Stabbing someone in PERSON? Ew. Who does that? It's so gauche. Hacking into your worst enemy's locked server and carefully drowning them with mods you managed to find and downloaded? Now that's fun and compelling. It's a new age of catfishing, thievery, and murder. As the one and only Spider-Byte, Margo tries her best to address complex crimes of passion and fraud. She's a vigilante, so she doesn't exactly work with the Cybercrimes Division. Instead, it's more like a game where the best of you can adapt on the fly, split yourself in two, and code like no one else has ever seen.

Other random details:

The Databank is a structure located inexplicably both in the true reality, the not true reality, and the modified false reality. It displays ever changing text and code. Some worship it as a god and spend years trying to translate its ‘wisdom’. Pilgrimages occur

Miguel worked with Margo to be able to project her digital self across dimensional lines, not really out of the goodness of his heart, but because she would be a liability otherwise

the Databank is strange. No matter what filter you put over it in the modified reality it never changes. It’s tall. Sleek. Shiny. Almost slimy. All black and jutting out of any landscape without a clear reason

its lights pulse like a heart

Margo HAS friends, we see them in her comic debut. But she’s not very good at socializing in person. This spider rescue team delights her only because she gets to do that! Except… her body is in another dimension-

all non-humans you can think of (mutants, Inhumans, etc) are called Bugs. This isn’t that bad of a term. It’s just because they display code deviations that weren’t intended by God, in the eyes of Databank worshippers anyway. Margo's a Bug

her Green Goblin is Normie Osborn trying endlessly to impress his grandfather and failing, it's kinda sad. said grandfather is now preparing to be the first person to enter this VR space full time… hm

that's all for now

[mythologicalbiologist]

Magic in The World Around Chrysanthemum

Lets start off close to the beginning, shall we? Lay some groundwork for the world.

Magic in The World Around chrysanthemum is a highly variable thing. A thing that touches nearly every aspect of every life worldwide in one way or another. It is a suprisingly easy to access thing, as well!

As of the point in time of this particular tabletop, there currently persist 12 "elements", so to speak, all lingering alongside one another.

The Twelve Persisting Elements

Fire

Water

Earth

Air

Electricity

Metal

Dark

Life

Death

Space

Time

All creatures of the world are capable of wielding up to two total elements of any combination of these 12, many integrating it into their bodies over time.

These elements are those that have persisted over many, many years. The elements surrounding this world are NOT those of a core nature to the universe, qnd are not, by any means, beholden to its core values.

Those around it are representative of the elements, whether they rise and whether they fall. Humanoids, in particular, and others of those of humanoid intelligence are those that shape the elements through their belief, their words, and their actions, when many come to believe, truly, that something around them is necessary to their existence, the fact that they are alive, it is very likely to become an element. An element requires a large portion of these people to form, and as belief that this element is essential grows, as does the element in nature, and as the belief wanes, so to does the element in kind.

These elements are beholden to their respective planets, those outside of each individual rock in space having no berring on eachother regardless of strength, distance, or ideal.

With the gradual aging of the world around chrysanthemum and its populace, many elements have both risen and fallen, some staying around for many, many years, while others can last for a mere few decades, if even that.

At the center of this vast branch of magic, was the magic of neutrality. Virtually unlimited potential in such an overwhelming magic! One that could drastically shape and change realities, yet so overwhelmingly unpredictable and unknowable. A magic that could, and WOULD do ANYTHING, as it pleased. So extreme was this, that it is commonly believed to be the source of the first signs of life that had ever persisted, and perhaps even manipulated much of life to be as it was in the modern day. It is theorized that should someone of humanoid sentience be able to wield this magic, untold chaos could ensue on a vast scale, creating events that would be difficult to even manage.

[argyrocratie]

"The pattern in Greece was largely the same as in Italy, with the National Liberation Front (EAM) — under pressure from both the communists and the Soviet Union — surrendering its gains to the British. The only difference was that, when pressed far enough, they eventually defied Stalin by fighting back.

The EAM, after virtually possessing most of Greece and besting the British forces in combat, willingly surrendered its arms and staked its future on the reliability of British promises and their small and anxious local allies. This abdication was possible only because the Communists in the EAM dictated it over a movement they could barely control.[169]

But despite the Greek Communist Party (KKE) and the communist ELAS guerrillas going out of their way to appease the British — surrendering arms and staying outside Athens in accord with the Varkiza agreement — Churchill, following a long series of betrayals, packed the Greek army with prewar monarchists and wartime Nazi collaborators. The conservative government it installed, facing a reality in which the communists would likely come to power in an unfettered electoral system, ignored its own obligations to ELAS and the communists under Varkiza and resorted to an escalating series of repressive actions.[170] “The terror that ensued was ruthless, and ultimately self-defeating. It began immediately after the January 1945 truce and mounted in intensity.”

The regime systematically purged the army and political bureaucracy of pro-EAM elements. There was casual terror of random assassinations and beatings, and systematic repression by security committees and courts-martial that simply arrested EAM supporters and detained them without trial. The government tightly controlled trade unions, and charged former EAM underground government tax collectors with robbery and looting. The regime now judged ELAS executions of collaborators as murder. Outside the Athens area the government-proclaimed martial law lasted until August. The police and their supporters beat up EAM and Communists news-vendors, even arrested purchasers at random, and shot leftist reporters. Right-wing bands roamed many districts, doling out retribution at will. When the British Parliamentary Legal Mission visited Greece at the end of the year they reported that wholesale terror filled the filthy, crowded jails with a very minimum of 50,000 prisoners, and by comparison the excellent, even comfortable, prisons for some of the worst fascists were comparatively empty.[171]

Yet as late as May 1945, Communist Party Secretary Nikos Zachariadis — newly returned from imprisonment in a Nazi concentration camp — attempted to purge the Party of militants and enforce continued cooperation with the British and the rightist regime.[172] But despite pressure from Britain and from Stalin for the Communist Party to function in electoral politics as just another party, given the likelihood of communist victory in free elections the rightists in power felt they had no choice but to intensify the terror and repression.[173]

The result, from mid-1946 on, was a growing civil war in which maintaining the government in power was beyond the resources of the British, and the United States assumed Britain’s interest in Greece and saved the regime from collapse with U.S. funds and military advisors.[174]

-Kevin Carson, "The Undeclared Condominium: The USSR As Partner in a Conservative World Order" (2023)

[phanfictioncatalogue]

2022!Phan Masterlist

A Nun and A Priest: You Get Me Closer to God (ao3) - Spring_Haze

Summary: When Dan dresses up as a sexy nun for Halloween in America, he finds himself longing for a sexy priest.

all of these small things (ao3) - possumdnp

Summary: It’s Dan’s first day back from his American tour, and Phil can’t believe how much he’s missed him.

and there you are (ao3) - dantrospection

Summary: texts during wad

banging on a heart of tin (ao3) - dizzy

Summary: Dan has a little crush.

(Spoiler: It's on his boyfriend of thirteen years.)

🌸 cherry blossom 🌸 (ao3) - natigail

Summary: It had been a silly dream at first. The idea to have a cherry blossom tree in their garden they didn't even have yet. It hadn't felt like it was something that would really happen.

But it was real. Dan was watching their tree, Phil's arms around him, and hoping they would get to see its first bloom soon.

crashing on the highways of my dreams (ao3) - dizzy

Summary: Dan has a dream about Phil while on his tour bus.

Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder (ao3) - TalentIsntGenius

Summary: Dan leaves and Phil trusts he'll come back.

easy for you to say (ao3) - phantasticworks

Summary: Phil tries to convince Dan to throw away the grey shirt. Dan can’t do it.

He Keeps On Dropping Hints (so i won’t be the only one that’s going down for this) (ao3) - cafephan

Summary: Dan has discovered that solo tour life can be lonely in more ways than one. One particularly restless night, he aims to satiate himself - though Phil seems determined to make it as difficult as possible.

His World (ao3) - Sinninghowlter

Summary: Dan opens the door and before him stands his world.

He's finally home.

home for the holidays (ao3) - possumdnp

Summary: Dan and Phil take a moment to themselves while hosting Dan’s family for Christmas.

home is such a lonely place without you (ao3) - nivi_chip

Summary: Phil during the US leg, Dan finally coming home. Fluff ensues.

i fall for the same face every time (ao3) - zsunsetz

Summary: In every universe, in every lifetime, in every world, he promises that he will love him.

"In my defense, I really wanted to." (ao3) - yikesola

Summary: Dan already knows that Phil is having another dizzy spell not merely because he is laid flat on the couch with nothing turned on— no TV and no music, nothing at all but the sounds of the city coming through the open windows— but also because he is that particular shade of green he used to only get after an ill-advised virtual reality session.

A fic about heads and horizontal.

it's amazing that you care (ao3) - danhoweiis

Summary: phil is having one of his dizzy spells whilst dan is on tour in america

late night talking (ao3) - theloveofbees

Summary: it surely wasn’t the weirdest thing phil had caught dan doing in their thirteen years of knowing each other, but it was up there.

or it's the summer before dan's tour and they talk on the floor of their office.

long-distance lads (ao3) - possumdnp

Summary: Dan worries that he’s going to miss Phil while on tour.

Love, Becky (ao3) - husbants

Summary: At a We’re All Doomed pre-show Q&A, Dan gets a question about his old characters Becky and Jessica.

He has a dream about them. And sometimes dreams inspire in peculiar ways.

Mitten (ao3) - yikesola

Summary: Dan really truly thought it was going to take longer to feel normal on the Isle of Man again. He’s changed so much; the world has changed so much. A fic about knits and rules.

More than 2 and a half weeks (ao3) - natigail

Summary: The night before Dan leaves for the American leg of his tour, Phil pulled him into shooting a video and then he pulled him into his arms.

pancakes + syrup (ao3) - indistinct_echo

Summary: “Are my nostrils deceiving me?” Phil asks, still out of Dan’s line of sight.

Dan blinks, looks down at the pancakes, now almost ready to be flipped, and then back at the Phil-less space. “No?”

permanent (ao3) - calvinahobbes

Summary: Phil gets a tattoo :3

Returning home (ao3) - philsbignaturals

Summary: In which Dan returns to find a clingy Phil

Santa Buddy (ao3) - philsbignaturals

Summary: In which the boys host joint family Christmas in their forever home

Based on the Michael Bublé Santa Baby cover

security! (ao3) - natigail

Summary: Dan comes home to Phil after tour rehearsals. They cook, kiss and banter. And Dan reflects on the word "security".

Two Months Is Too Long for You and Me (ao3) - Spring_Haze

Summary: Phil is proud of Dan, but he misses him more than he thought possible. Goodbyes are hard, but accepting daily life without his partner is even harder. Phil's outlook changes when he takes an idea and his liberties too.

Something Unholy (ao3) - hygge

Summary: Phil receives some very surprising and seductive texts in the middle of the night.

Welcome home! (never leave that long again) (ao3) - natigail

Summary: Dan comes home from tour and stumbles right into Phil’s arms. He is more touch starved than he’d realised.

we'll all sing along to the song (ao3) - dizzy

Summary: Kath contemplates the way Christmas has changed.

[mxtxdiaspora-may]

Diaspora story rec: Modern Diaspora 'Verse [series by dragongirlG]

Modern diaspora AU set in the United States, with Easter-egg elements from canon. 6 parts so far.

Part 1: 知往鉴今 | through the mirror of days past

Explicit, Choose Not to Warn (note tags), 3K

As fifteen-year-old Lan Zhan performs his original guqin piece at the Cloud Recesses summer camp talent show, he reflects on his family, his childhood move from China to the United States, and his evolving feelings toward Wei Ying. After his performance, he gets a surprise visitor in the dressing room: Wei Ying, dressed in a bright red qipao and heels, a last minute addition to the talent show's final act. Wei Ying leaves shortly afterward, and Lan Zhan desperately relieves some pressure before he rejoins the audience.

Part 2: just a little bit of your heart

General, no archive warnings, 1K

In the summer after high school graduation, Lan Zhan does a long-distance videochat with Wei Ying, who's attending a summer camp in Taiwan and learning about his mother's homeland. Pining ensues.

Part 3: Welcome to the Multiverse

Teen+, no archive warnings, 3.5K

During a study session late Friday night, Wei Ying convinces Jiang Cheng to beta-test the virtual reality simulator he's been working on with Lan Zhan. As Jiang Cheng and Wei Ying spar with swords, wuxia-style, the competition heats up, and Jiang Cheng becomes determined to beat Wei Ying at his own game. (Also, Lan Zhan makes a cameo with snacks and bubble tea.)

Part 4: the sacred simplicity (of you at my side)

Teen+, no archive warnings, 6.6K

After thirteen years on the run, Wei Ying is finally returning home on a flight from Singapore to the United States. He doesn't expect his old friend Lan Zhan to be the first person he encounters on his journey. Sparks fly as they rekindle their bond on the ground and in the skies.

Part 5: 記憶猶新 | Fresh in One's Memory

Teen+, no archive warnings, 2.2K

Lan Qiren silently judges the drunken karaoke performances at Wei Ying and Lan Zhan's wedding banquet. When it comes time for him to give his toast, he sings instead, accompanying a recording of Wei Ying's late parents performing a song together in their youth. 

Part 6: 一家人 | One Family

*podfic and fic together, co-produced by PandaReads (DrPanda99)

General, no archive warnings, 1.9K 

Lan Qiren awaits the arrival of his family members, both old and new, on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

-

This fic rec is part of our reclist, stories that spoke to us: MDZS fics & the Chinese diaspora experience. Reblogs are always appreciated.

[raynydaystorytime]

Virtual Reality Ensues (26566 words) by ReaperZX7

Chapters: 3/?

Fandom: Original Work

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Characters: Original Characters

Additional Tags: Virtual Reality, Gaming, MMORPGs, Sexual Humor, tagging as we go, Chatting & Messaging, mostly pulling from my experiences in FFXIV, Science Fiction, i guess it counts as science fiction now that i think about it

Summary:

When he first signed up for Valadia Reborn AKA ValVR, the latest VRMMORPG to hit the shelves, “Alrai” never expected much to come of his time in game. But here he is five years later, leading the Argonauts, one of the top guilds in the game as they prepare to make a bid for the world first clear of the new Forsaken Continent expansion coming out next week. Join Alrai and the Argonauts as they venture from the shores of the Kingdom of Valadia to the depths of the Forsaken Continent, confronting the game’s hardest challenges, old rivalries, and the chaotic antics of their own guild members. All in the pursuit of fortune, fame, revelry, and perhaps even the chance to unravel the game’s deepest secrets.

All while being a crafter.

---

Chapter 3 is up

One last chapter before we actually reach the new expansion

[robo-family]

ROBO-FAMILY WRITING PROMPTS

Writing prompts based around GDT's Pinocchio, Hunter (TOH), Connor (DBH) and Calculester (Monster Prom) as a found family. (WARNING: There are a LOT of prompts) - Connor’s memory is wiped. Calculester and the children are devastated. - Sometimes, Pinocchio can see the ghost of a red cardinal that follows Hunter around. Why is no one else able to see it? - Pinocchio’s insecure about his inability to age like other children. Alongside his family, he decides to begin a new tradition: growing up. - Hunter learns to drive. - Pinocchio and Hunter are aware that their parents are robots– but sometimes, they get confused by the weird ways in which they communicate. In short: Connor and Calculester have their own little language. - Calculester's virtual reality reminds Connor of the Zen Garden-- flashbacks of Amanda ensue, but Calculester is there to comfort him. - Hunter and Pinocchio try to play twister: Pinocchio has an unfair advantage. - Pinocchio and Calculester visit an old abandoned garden with a swing. They decide to refurbish the garden together. - Connor doesn't like heights-- the only other person who knows this is Calculester. Safe to say, he's not feeling very good when the two of them are trapped on a ferris wheel. - Hank dies. The family attends his funeral. - Hunter is moving out of home, and Pinocchio doesn’t know how to feel. - Pinocchio and Hunter are introduced to Calculester's parents in the library… and Damien and Scott, too. - Hunter tells Calculester about wild magic and the unique plants of the Boiling Isles. Intrigued, Calculester grows some of its native flora in their garden, things do not go well. - Calculester and Connor send the kids to therapy to assist them with moving on from the past. - Calulester catches a computer virus - the family nurses him back to health. - Calculester and Connor interface and share their memories together - “Hunter! You didn’t tell me you were made of wood too!” or, Pinocchio discovers something about Grimwalkers. - Hunter carves Pinocchio his own Palisman. - Calculester, Connor, and Pinocchio meet Willow for the first time– the entire family decides to poke fun at Hunter’s crush. - Sometimes, Hunter and Calculester have trouble talking to each other. That all changes when they’re alone in a car– and traffic is looking bad. - Connor finds Hunter moping around on the couch at midnight– deep talks about trauma ensue. - Calculester gets a new job at the demon realm university! He comes home to tell the family the great news. Hunter is conflicted. - Pinocchio accidentally plays too rough with his FNaF Foxy plushie. All hell breaks loose until Hunter reveals his secret little side hobby to help. - Connor and Cal want to get Hunter and Pinocchio out of the house more with outside of school hobbies. Hunter ends up in an old ladies sewing club, Pinocchio ends up in The Mafia. - Cal is more than eager to help Hunter pick out the year’s Grom outfit. - During a visit to Hank in Connor’s dimension, the family stumbles across a World War II memorial service. Pinocchio knocks the breath from Hank's lungs when he recounts the horrors he’s witnessed. - Calculester has to crouch to get through their front door. Connor goes above and beyond to fix this problem. - In response to being distant, Connor makes the decision to skip work for the day and spend the time bonding with his children. Calculester isn’t impressed when he finds a giant blanket fort in the middle of the living room.

[inkdsythe]

Epic Showdown: Freddy Krueger vs. Dr. Destiny DC - A Battle of Nightmares!

Hey Tumblr fam! Gather 'round because we've got an epic fight brewing between two masters of nightmares: Freddy Krueger and Dr. Destiny DC! Get ready for a thrilling showcase of abilities as these titans clash in a battle for supremacy. Who will emerge as the ultimate nightmare maker? Let's find out!

🔪 Freddy Krueger: The Slasher Extraordinaire 🔪

Dream Manipulation: Freddy possesses the terrifying ability to enter and control people's dreams, where he can shape reality to suit his twisted desires. He creates horrifying dreamscapes, conjures deadly traps, and toys with his victims' fears.

Dream-World Immortality: In the dream realm, Freddy is virtually indestructible, making him a truly formidable adversary. Physical harm inflicted upon him in dreams can manifest in the real world, making his attacks doubly lethal.

Wicked Wit and Cunning: Freddy is known for his dark sense of humor and sadistic taunting, keeping his victims off balance and intensifying their fear. He thrives on psychological torment, using it as a tool to weaken and ultimately overpower his opponents.

🔮 Dr. Destiny DC: The Master of Dream-Magic 🔮

Dream Reality Manipulation: Dr. Destiny wields the Dreamstone, a powerful artifact that allows him to alter reality within dreams. He can bend and reshape the dreamscapes at will, creating illusions, summoning objects, and controlling the minds of others.

Telepathy and Mind Control: Dr. Destiny possesses formidable telepathic abilities, enabling him to delve into the minds of his adversaries, manipulate their thoughts, and even control their actions. He can turn their own dreams against them, driving them deeper into despair.

Vast Knowledge of the Dreaming: Having studied the Dreaming, the realm of dreams, Dr. Destiny has unparalleled knowledge of its secrets and its denizens. This deep understanding gives him an edge in manipulating the dreamscapes and exploiting their vulnerabilities.

💥 The Ultimate Showdown and the Clear Victor 💥

As the battle ensues, both Freddy and Dr. Destiny engage in a mind-bending war of dreams. Freddy attempts to invade Dr. Destiny's dream realm, seeking to ensnare him within his own nightmares. However, Dr. Destiny's extensive knowledge of the Dreaming allows him to erect formidable mental defenses, making it difficult for Freddy to gain an upper hand.

Utilizing his mastery of dream manipulation, Freddy conjures grotesque monsters and nightmarish scenarios to terrorize Dr. Destiny. Yet, Dr. Destiny's Dreamstone empowers him to counter Freddy's assaults, reshaping the dreamscape to his advantage and turning Freddy's own tactics against him.

In the end, it is Dr. Destiny who prevails. With his exceptional telepathic abilities and unparalleled understanding of the dream realm, he pierces through Freddy's defenses, seizing control of the slasher's nightmares. Driven to the brink of insanity, Freddy is trapped within an endless loop of his own worst fears, unable to escape.

🌟 Conclusion: Dr. Destiny DC Claims Victory 🌟

In this epic battle, Dr. Destiny DC emerges as the clear winner, outmatching Freddy Krueger's dream-manipulation skills with his own formidable powers. While Freddy is undoubtedly a terrifying force in the realm of nightmares, Dr. Destiny's deep knowledge, Dreamstone, and telepathic prowess prove to be the decisive factors.

[heatherhusonpro]

Face-Swapping in the Digital Funhouse Mirror: PPnude’s portal to the Absurd

In a world where reality and virtuality dance an endless tango, the line between the two blurs smoother than a buttered banana peel. We humans, ever the curious apes, have latched onto tools like PPnude's AI Face Swap online free tool, and suddenly, we're all artists of the absurd, painting our lives with strokes of someone else's mug. Welcome to the funhouse mirror of social media, where everyone's a star – or at least, everyone can borrow one.

Let's talk turkey – or should I say, let's talk Tom Hanks. Imagine a world where you could don the digital mask of your favorite celebrity, or even that neighbor who always looks like they've just eaten a lemon. With Swap Face, this whimsy is no longer the stuff of movies. It's your average Tuesday evening. Now, the question isn't "Why would I want to do that?" but rather "Why wouldn't I?

Consider this: you're at a family gathering, everyone's taking turns with that ancient smartphone, snapping photos for the album of memories. But what if, instead of your own grin, Uncle Bob sees the face of a koala bear staring back at him? Laughter ensues, perhaps a bit of cousinly chiding, but mostly just a moment of shared absurdity. That's the magic of PPnude's tool – it's the sorcerer's apprentice at the ball, turning the mundane into the mesmerizing.

But let's not forget the digital wild west that is the internet. Swap Face isn't just about family reunions or turning your cat into a human for a day (though, admittedly, that's a treat). No, this tool has delved into the deep, dark corners where NSFW lurks like a shadow. It's the kind of place where even the most innocent of photos can be turned into something that would make a sailor blush. The digital playground, where the rules are made to be broken, and the faces swapped are often the ones you'd least expect.

In this hall of mirrors, the question of consent becomes a whisper lost in the wind. Sure, it's all in good fun – until it's not. We Swap Faces with the casual indifference of a child swapping stickers, rarely considering the implications. PPnude's tool, while a marvel of technology, also holds up a mirror to our societal norms. We're laughing, but are we also reflection our deepest respect for others' privacy?

Now, I'm not here to wag my finger like a schoolteacher caught you swapping your geometry teacher's face with a's. This isn't a cautionary tale. It's an observation of the oddity of our times, where technology allows us to play dress-up with identities as if they were costumes hanging in a closet, waiting to be tried on for size and shared with the world.

Yet, let's not ignore the creativity that such a tool loosees. We're no longer confined to our own visage; we can become anyone, anything we desire – at least in the virtual realm. It's a form of expression that's both liberating and slightly terrifying. And that's the beauty of it. It's a reminder that we're all just faces in a crowd, yearning to be seen, to be heard, to be someone – even if that someone is a faceless stranger on the other side of the screen.

So, the next time you decide to give PPnude's Swap Face tool a whirl, take a moment to ponder the face you're swapping with. Is it a loved one, a celebrity, a fictional character? What does that choice say about you? And when you press "swap," remember that in this digital funhouse, you're not just changing your appearance – you're engaging with the collective conscious, one swapped smile at a time.

[mishraincrediblepoint]

What Lies Ahead for Graphic Designers in the Next Decade?

From immersive encounters to augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and sustainable design, this article delves into the emerging trends and technologies that will redefine the role of graphic designers and the industry as a whole.

1: Surging Demand for Digital Design

In the forthcoming decade, the demand for digital design is poised to escalate significantly. With the continuous expansion of online platforms, social media, mobile applications, and digital marketing avenues, businesses will increasingly turn to graphic designers to craft visually captivating and user-friendly digital experiences. Mastery of responsive design, interactive interfaces, and optimized content for diverse devices and screen dimensions will be imperative.

2: Fusion of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

The rapid advancement of AR and VR technologies will revolutionize modern graphic design paradigms, enhancing the way we perceive and interact with visual content. Graphic designers will play a pivotal role in sculpting immersive and interactive experiences, be it through designing AR filters, crafting VR environments, or orchestrating virtual product demonstrations. Seamlessly blending the digital and physical realms will become a coveted skill among graphic designers.

3: Embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI holds the potential to automate mundane tasks, enabling designers to channel their focus towards strategic and creative endeavors. AI-driven tools can aid in generating contemporary graphic design styles and iterations, refining layouts, and even proposing color schemes based on data analysis. Graphic designers must adeptly collaborate with AI tools to augment their efficiency and ingenuity.

4: Sustainable Design and Ethical Principles

As societal awareness regarding environmental issues grows, there will be a heightened demand for sustainable design solutions. Graphic designers must integrate eco-friendly principles into their work, considering aspects like recyclability, reduced carbon footprint, and ethical sourcing of materials. Additionally, designers will play a pivotal role in championing social responsibility, inclusivity, and diversity through visual communication.

5: Personalization and User-Centric Design

Personalized and user-centric design will reign supreme in the future landscape. Leveraging abundant data and advancements in user tracking, graphic designers will possess invaluable insights into their target audience. They will be tasked with crafting tailored visual experiences that resonate with individual users, be it through customized interfaces, personalized marketing collateral, or adaptive user experiences.

6: Collaborative Design and Remote Work

The surge in remote work and digital collaboration tools will continue to reshape the graphic design domain. Designers will collaborate with clients and peers globally, necessitating effective communication and project management skills. Seamless collaboration across diverse time zones and cultural backgrounds will be pivotal for graphic designers in the ensuing years.

7: Continuous Learning and Adaptability for Aspiring Designers

To thrive in the forthcoming era, graphic designers must embrace lifelong learning and adapt swiftly to emerging technologies and design trends. The industry will evolve rapidly, underscoring the importance of staying abreast of new tools, software, and techniques. Designers should actively engage in professional development, attend workshops, and participate in online communities to stay ahead of the curve.

8: Data Visualization and Infographics

With the exponential surge in data, the demand for graphic designers proficient in transforming complex information into visually engaging and easily comprehensible formats will soar. Data visualization and infographics will play a pivotal role in conveying information effectively, rendering it visually appealing and accessible to a broader audience.

9: Cultivating Cross-Disciplinary Skills

Graphic designers of the future will derive immense benefits from possessing cross-disciplinary skills. Collaborating with experts from fields such as UX/UI design, motion graphics, coding, and content creation will become commonplace. The ability to seamlessly navigate across diverse disciplines and integrate various design elements will be highly coveted.

10: Embracing Mobile-First Design

With mobile devices continuing to dominate digital consumption, graphic designers must prioritize mobile-first design principles. Crafting user-friendly interfaces, optimizing designs for smaller screens, and ensuring a seamless mobile experience will be indispensable skills for graphic designers

In addition to these trends, the incorporation of motion graphics and video content, Voice User Interface (VUI) design principles, global design considerations, branding expertise, and entrepreneurial skills will shape the trajectory of graphic design in the upcoming decade.

Conclusion

By embracing graphic design courses such as those offered by Incredible Point, aspiring designers can gain hands-on expertise to contribute creatively to society. Through a symbiotic relationship with emerging technologies, an emphasis on sustainable practices, and a continuous honing of creativity, graphic designers can unlock new vistas of opportunity, collaborate seamlessly across borders, and shape the visual landscape of the future. It’s an exhilarating time to be a graphic designer, and those who embrace change and adaptability will flourish in the dynamic decade ahead.

About Incredible Point

Incredible Point, a leading digital marketing institute in Dwarka, offers comprehensive courses that equip aspiring designers with hands-on expertise. By embracing emerging technologies, sustainable practices, and continuous creativity, graphic designers can thrive in the dynamic decade ahead. It’s an exciting time for graphic design, and those who embrace change will flourish.

FAQ

1. What are the key trends shaping the future of graphic design?

The key trends shaping the future of graphic design include rising demand for digital design, integration of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), harnessing artificial intelligence (AI), emphasis on sustainable and ethical design, personalization and user-centric design, collaborative design and remote work, continuous learning and adaptability, data visualization and infographics, cross-disciplinary skills, and mobile-first design principles.

2. How will graphic designers adapt to the increasing demand for digital design?

Graphic designers will need to master responsive design, interactive interfaces, and content optimization for various digital platforms such as online platforms, social media, mobile apps, and digital marketing channels.

3. What rule will augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) play in graphic design?

AR and VR technologies will revolutionize graphic design by creating immersive and interactive experiences. Graphic designers will craft AR filters, VR environments, and virtual product demonstrations, blending digital and physical elements seamlessly.

4. How can graphic designers leverage artificial intelligence (AI) in their work?

Graphic designers can use AI-driven tools to automate tasks, generate design styles, refine layouts, suggest color schemes, and analyze data for informed design decisions, enhancing efficiency and creativity.

5. What is the significance of sustainable and ethical design in graphic design?

Sustainable and ethical design involves integrating eco-friendly practices, reducing environmental impact, and promoting social responsibility, inclusivity, and diversity through visual communication.