#Work Comp Central

[aroaessidhe]

2024 reads / storygraph

The Final Curse of Ophelia Cray

fun YA adventure

follows a girl who’s seen as cursed because of her recently hanged notorious pirate queen mother, and runs away to the navy where nobody will recognise her

and her half-sister who’s desperate to find her before she’s arrested for using a fake name, to bring her home to their dying father & save the family business

both get on the bad side of some pirates and have to brave storms to find each other

aroace MC, sister relationships

arc from netgalley, out april 9

[felassan]

New Details on DA4 from this IGN article: "Dragon Age: Dreadwolf Is Officially Being Renamed, With Gameplay Reveal Set for June 11 - EXCLUSIVE"

"BioWare confirmed that The Veilguard will feature seven playable party members, and that it will feature “fun and fluid, moment-to-moment combat” while continuing to center strategy via the unique powers of each companion.

BioWare general manager Gary McKay explains that while Solas is “still very much a part of the story of Dragon Age: The Veilguard,” the team wanted a title that reflected a “really deep and compelling group of companions.”

“One thing that’s important to remind fans is that every Dragon Age game is a new and different experience and this game, more so than ever, is about you and your companions – a group that you must rally to fight by your side,” McKay tells IGN. “We can’t wait for players to meet, connect and form their own personal relationships with the unique companions that make up The Veilguard. That’s the spirit of this game…of this story. Choosing who will join you on your adventure, fight alongside you, and be there by your side in the end.”

McKay claims that the name change wasn’t a matter of focus testing, which commonly informs decisions like these. He even goes so far as to admit that sticking with Dreadwolf might have been easier.

“We actually think sticking with Dreadwolf would have been the safer choice – ‘Dread Wolf’ is a cool name after all!” McKay says. “In the end, it was most important for us to have a title that was authentic to the companions that are the heart of this adventure we’ve created. We’ve worked throughout development to create really incredible backstories for each companion that intersect with the main narrative in meaningful ways.”

As for why it’s not simply named “Dragon Age IV,” McKay says it’s for the same reason that Dragon Age Inquisition wasn’t called “Dragon Age III: Inquisition.”

“Every game in the series tells its own unique story and the title is an important element to help set the stage for the next standalone adventure inclusive of its own hero, companions, narrative arc, villain, setting, etc,” he says.

Asked what it means for BioWare to finally be able to show The Veilguard to the world, McKay said, “As the studio head and executive producer, it’s been incredible to see the journey, resilience and passion that this team continues to bring every day. We have an incredible group of both BioWare and Dragon Age veterans who have been with us for years, as well as new faces and voices that love the series who have helped to create an unforgettable experience we feel will be worthy of the Dragon Age name.”

So who exactly are the Veilguard? In the lore, the Veil is a barrier between the physical world and Fade, which is Dragon Age’s spirit realm. Solas, who helped create the Veil, now wants to destroy it. Hence, as McKay puts it, “the Veil needs guarding.”

While acknowledging that the why and the how is definitely spoiler territory, McKay says, “The biggest clue I can share is that you and your companions – that make up The Veilguard – are central to taking down a new evil threat unleashed upon Thedas. It might not just be Solas.”

McKay isn’t quite ready to reveal the party members quite yet, but does provide some hints on what to expect, including some initial info on romances.

“We spent a lot of time making our companions feel authentic based on their own unique experiences within this larger fantasy world, which in turn makes the relationships you form with them feel even more meaningful. We’ve tapped into Dragon Age’s deep lore and explored its most iconic factions to bring each of the seven companions and their stories to life,” he says.

“I won’t spoil next week’s reveal but I can say we’ve created a story where you can impact the world and the companions that surround you. Player agency is important to the Dragon Age: The Veilguard experience and allows each player to form unique personal connections with their companions of choice. And, yes, you can romance the companions you want!”

McKay says the decision to pare the number of companions from nine to seven is mostly down to it being the “right number for the story we’re telling.” Each one is intended to represent a unique faction or element from Thedas, and will feature their own arc with “stories of love and loss, each with meaningful choices and emotional moments.”

He continues, “As you accompany your companions to unravel their backstory and earn their loyalty and friendship, you’ll visit more regions of Thedas across a deeper variety of biomes than any Dragon Age before it.”

McKay mostly sidesteps questions of how Inquisition’s characters might fit into The Veilguard’s story, though he does confirm that it will once again feature an original protagonist similar to The Warden, Hawke, and The Inquisitor, noting that each Dragon Game has its own standalone story with its own thread and conflict.

“Games across the Dragon Age franchise are never designed as a game-over-game continuous storyline. There are familiar arcs, factions and heroes important to the overarching Dragon Age universe that weave through the new story we’re telling,” he explains. “The previous games, characters and events aren’t the anchor of Dragon Age: The Veilguard it’s about your adventure with a brand new cast of companions that you must rally to fight against a powerful force.”

He once again teases another villain beyond Solas: “I don’t want to get too deep into spoiler territory but I can say that the Dread Wolf is not the only god players need to be worried about.”

When The Veilguard is finally revealed on June 11, BioWare’s presentation will include 15 minutes of gameplay from the opening moments of the game, which will help set up the story. On the gameplay front, McKay says that The Veilguard’s combat was a “big area of focus” and something the team wanted to push forward. Among other things, McKay says that The Veilguard will feature an ability wheel designed to give players more direct control over their characters.

“As an RPG, strategy in combat is important as you bring two companions to every fight. Each companion brings unique powers and abilities that have a direct impact on how you choose to take down the enemies at hand,” he says. “To add another layer to that strategic element, we’re introducing a new ability wheel where you can pause the action and set up your next move – whether it’s your companions’ abilities or your own.

“The ability wheel opens up a huge amount of strategic possibilities, giving players the ability to control the flow of combat and link powerful combinations of abilities between players and their companions that can quickly turn the tide of any battle. We think we’ve found an exciting balance between fun, fluidity and strategy for every encounter.”

“This is a game and experience that continues BioWare’s tradition of single player RPG storytelling set in the epic fantasy world of Thedas,” McKay says. “We know Dragon Age fans and the community have been waiting a long time for the next game and we could not be more excited to share our gameplay reveal on June 11.""

[source] (emphasis mine)

[annislittleshopofhorrors]

I love your graph girl 🤣

But the fact that 🐟 had to post a welcome card for a movie that finished filming a year ago (and is now doing reshoots) tells me she really is scraping the bottom of the barrel.

This isn’t to be mean/judgemental - but it’s funny how this time last year she was so busy vacationing after however long she was filming - and it seemed like her focus was on her travels with her besties.

A year later. This is what she posts. To let people know she’s still in this film. IDEK if any of the other women who worked on the film posted about reshoots 🤣

She didn’t post about working when the film was actually in production (but maybe that’s because it was during the strike and this film was exempt and allowed to keep filming but the actors couldn’t promote?) so that’s fair.

But no matter how you look at it, this girl’s priorities are always out of whack.

Your biggest claim to fame (WN) has a season two premiere and you decline to be interviewed while your costar is left alone to promote the show.

Instead, you do a walk in Central Park with your “bf” who is the only reason anyone even pays attention to you, and you take some yoga classes and photoshop your way to becoming an instructor. I’m unsure why anyone including your show’s show runner would really be willing to defend you? But again, I’m only seeing it from the outside.

WN fans went on twitter asking a reporter who interviewed your costar if you were doing one too and the reporter says you weren’t available. 🤣 Your costar does a buzzfeed interview alone. Your costars get together to do a save the show campaign and even got together to due a cast table read during the holidays but you were MIA for all of this.

Twitter fans asked if you would attend a comic con for the show in London and you also declined. Which, is your prerogative, but I do wonder what you DO think is worthy of your attention?

…

The ghosted movie premiere because your BF is famous and so is his female costar and there were other actual celebrities in attendance. Wow, Hugh jackman even showed up to the premiere - not for you, of course, and you didn’t even get to walk the red carpet but at least you got your one photo that you could photoshop and post your dress!

Paris fashion week with miumiu.

GQ man of the year.

Scarlett and Colin’s Christmas party.

Dinner with Edward Cullen and his gf/wife Suki.

GG after party for UTA.

CAA preOscars party.

VF after party.

—

Your priorities are always for things that have nothing to do with you (literally) but gets you free press, comped outfits, and media attention.

You didn’t show up to your small PT’s film showing at the Lisbon film festival when your husband was in town touring restaurants, but you do show up to a GQ event two weeks later that has nothing to do with you and you refused to talk to reporters.

I’d be hard pressed to believe an industry as unforgiving as Hollywood would be willing to overlook these things.

I guess your IMDB resume agrees with me though.

Just my two cents, I think her career ended the day she did the speedwalk in NYC. And I can only judge her work ethic and her social media behavior. We don't know how many auditions she did. I think she went to some auditions but I doubt she was so busy and had to travel between NYC and LA the whole time. In my opinion, she thought the title girlfriend/wife is the door opener and she doesn't need to do anything, she would get job offers. She was so wrong. In one of her last Portuguese interviews she said she's selective when it comes to new roles. That's just a nicer excuse why she's unemployed at the moment. There are no job offers.

Oh and let's assume she couldn't post anything about MM due to the strike. Why didn't she interact with the choreographer or other cast members or the crew? Interactions on social media were allowed. But interesting that she's now kissing asses and showing that people like her.

[lamamasjamas]

NEXUS

Nexus /ˈneksəs/ n 1 a connection or series of connections linking two or more things. 2 a connected group or series. 3 the central and most important point or place.

Chapter Summary: Din just wanted to show you the stars.

Part 2! Part 3!

A/n: I’ve been working on the whole series for two years??? Give or take. This is like the only thing I genuinely wanted to get right in terms of writing so plsss 🙏😭 This first chapter is super tame, very fluffy and very short in comparison to what's coming.

Warnings for the series: Dead Dove Do Not Eat!!!, getting lost in the unknown regions, Death, Gore, cosmic horror, very heavy topics, smut, angst, fluff, dark themes. This is a dark fic; you have been warned!

There’s a constant beeping around you, for a moment you get lost in it, you even start to time it. It takes about four seconds in between; silence and a breath in from Din’s chest before another soft bleep from the console. 

His fingers twitch, helmet roaming over the panels in front of him, his other hand moving quickly to flick a small lever at his side as if wacking a fly from the air. The beeping had begun a couple days ago, and much to his irritation it hasn’t stopped no matter what buttons he pushes, what levers he pulls and how many times he’s checked for repairs. 

A glitch he had said, looking down on you after you had mentioned how frustrated you were with the repetitive sound not letting you sleep well the first day it appeared. A bug, you replied with a small curl of your lips, thinking you were so clever. 

It was insignificant, it was buzzing but it technically didn’t hurt you. You had gotten used to it, it was part of the crew. It had gotten so repetitive that it was practically muted in your ears, the beep melting into the harmony of the creaking of metal, the hum of the engines and your own quiet conversations. 

It was still there but you didn’t even hear it anymore. 

Sitting in the cockpit, you watched as the stars passed by. Mando was setting up the nav comp to a planet for fuel. You figured, before the trip, that if you had a few days until the tank was empty you would be fine with landing on any planet on the outer rims to refuel. 

“What are you looking at?” He rasps as he flicks something else in front of him, his back still turned to you.

You didn’t notice your attention drifting towards the pilot’s seat, if anything you were mesmerized by the stars reflecting off of him, swirling over his armor quickly with rays of blues and grays. You turned down to your lap and pressed your hand over your face, pulling the skin of your cheeks down momentarily, willing the smile on your lips to distort with it.  

“Nothing,” you respond curtly, smiling almost shyly.

He could see you through the reflection of the viewport, your head was down and he could see your eyes flicker up to meet his gaze from the glass before quickly shifting to your lap. His seat swivels to the side, allowing him to rest his elbows on his knees slowly. He stays in that position for a few moments, hands dangling from between his legs, head tilting in inquisition and watching as you fidgeted with the loose leather of the seat, picking at it with your nail. 

He hummed, not quite believing you, but he knew what you were waiting for. 

He slowly unlatched his helmet, the hiss making your breath catch in your throat. You're still avoiding his gaze and looking towards the ground when the beskar meets his thigh in a soft thud.  

Just a few months ago he wouldn’t even think about revealing his face to you. The decisions he had made throughout his journey inevitably gave him clarity to what he truly viewed as important.  He was still a Mandalorian, despite his recent indulgence of taking his helmet off every once in a while around people he trusted, you amongst them. 

It was odd for you. Getting used to his face was odd, but not unwelcome. You have only known him as a featureless man, his helmet was his only descriptor until then. 

At first it was as if you didn’t know him, feeling unpleasant awkwardness whenever he would take it off to eat. He felt like a stranger to you. You would treat him differently when the helmet was covering his face. You would act much more freely . 

It wasn’t his fault or yours, the human psyche was stingy, it took a while until your brain caught up. As he places the helmet on his lap, you think it really shouldn’t have been that hard to get used to him like this. 

He was timid, so were you, but he didn’t know how to control his expressions. Anyone could guess what he was feeling or even thinking by a glance at his face. You could almost laugh now, thinking of all the different ways he must have contorted under his barrier of beskar without anyone knowing.  

You guess you grew an appreciation for Din’s helmetless state after a while. Especially when he pouted, or when you could hear his laugh clearly, or even when he gave you a gravid look. He was more human this way. You learned to like it. 

He watches you now, trying to contain your giddiness in your seat. 

Despite being initially nervous to show you his face, he now knows that in your standards he was considered attractive. He could hide his face forever knowing that you, the only person whose thoughts he takes in exceptionally high regards, thinks of him as extraordinary. 

No one’s opinion mattered except for yours. You made him cocky, and he’s using his newly discovered looks to his advantage. He likes making you stumble over your words. He likes getting you in a daze. It makes his heart race. 

He gets down on his knees in front of you, edging his face closer to your gaze. Your eyes connect with his and the contact makes him smile warmly. 

“Hey…” he tries. 

With two fingers he tilts your chin from your chest, making sure you would look at him without your eyes wandering. 

“Let’s go on vacation.” Your eyes widen, your mouth starting to curve upwards at the strange sentence coming from the mouth of a bounty hunter.. He continues.

“After this bounty I’m pretty sure we can have some free time. We’ll be able to afford it.” 

You're skeptical, he’s not the type to settle down and just relax. You hum, not quite bought on his idea. He pokes your thigh and covers his hands on your own. “Come on, we deserve it, don’t you think?” 

“And what exactly are we going to do in said vacation?” you ask. 

“We’ll sleep.” 

You roll your eyes and raise your brow. He chuckles.

“I want to take you to different planets-” He could already see you start to rebuttal, “The good parts of planets, not the ones filled with organized crime.” He gives you a lopsided grin as a final selling point. 

You pretend to think, narrowing your eyes at him. 

“...I’ll give you a maybe.” 

He leans in close at your words, your eyes flutter and your teasing tone fades. His hand cups your face, the tip of his thumb running under your bottom lashes. 

“That’s all I need.” He finally seals the deal. 

His kisses are inexperienced. At first they were pecks, never on your lips, but the few he would give you felt as if they were everything a real kiss should be. It wasn’t until your lips met the skin of his cheek that he finally realized how nice it felt.  

It was like a mini blessing for someone. A way to show your appreciation for them. He loved giving and receiving kisses to and from you, especially when he noted that you had to stretch in order to reach his face and he had to crane his neck down.  

You would go so far as to go through an inconvenience, even if it was small, to give him a peck on the cheek. You were truly remarkable to him. 

A miscalculated kiss to the corner of his lips had made him turn fully and give you a proper one. At first it felt as if he was just pressing his mouth against you, but gradually as it progressed he was finally able to move his lips with yours in synchrony.  

He was obsessed. Never having a day without a few or more, even going as far as pulling his helmet halfway up just enough to allow you to lean in when in public . 

You developed this relationship without putting any labels on it. To everyone else you were partners, which wasn’t not true. Between each other, saying partners came with much more weight . 

It was nice, you were both safe and content. You thought everything was going well. It was too good to be true.  

You sit up straight and break mid-kiss as alarms blare from the control panel. They screech in your ears, for a moment your heart drops and he sees a twinge of fear in your eyes. He squeezes your hand and your eyes focus back on him, your small bubble of peace reforming wobbly even if just for a second more. 

The pit envelopes in red, a ship is nearby and they don’t seem friendly. He seats himself back on the pilot’s seat, helmet lopsided from how sporadically he pulled it on himself. Spirits were high as if your lips had given him vitality. 

Ships hover on both sides, their windows tinted. For a moment you hold your breath, Din’s hands tighten over the steer and his chest rises more pronounced with each inhale into his lungs. 

You tense as he tenses, already sensing that the interaction would only lead to unnecessary altercations. They refuse to comm through, even as Din’s voice rises in irritation. The metal of their panels was scratched, faulty jobs of less protective material over it as cover. 

They inch closer and Din shakes his head, forgetting the comm button and instead shifting in his seat.

They don’t even try to bargain, already busy forcefully trying to board the ship. As the pirates get closer to boarding the hull, he finally turns to you, his hand hovering the panel, ready to make a move. 

You hear the guns shift between the enemy ships, engaging. You sigh exasperatedly. 

“Get ready.” He almost sounded excited, cocky. 

Giving a nod, you buckle in, prepared for the ship to push you back against the seat with force. He waits until you're ready, pausing for a moment and taking a deep breath in.  

You're being chased through the system. You can barely pay attention to the nav comp as Din makes sharp turns and tilts to avoid being hit by incoming asteroids. You press your head against the headrest, gritting your teeth and closing your eyes tightly as he makes a loop. 

Your eyes meet the blinking dot on the navigator. Your ship was parallel to the thick red line. 

You're nearing the edge. 

“Din, we’re getting a little too close…” you warn, your voice muffled by the plasma cannons from outside. 

He was usually great at this, navigating through the galaxy without having to look through any directionals. He was a Mandalorian, he knew his way through every situation.  

But he didn’t know this region and with an almost exaggerated sigh he had decided that he would use the nav for once, per your request, of course. 

“A little busy right now!” As one of the ships crashes next to you against a piece of rock Din had just evaded, you feel everything shake around you. 

Only one ship was left and Din was gripping the steer tightly in wait.

The Crest was awfully close to the border of the parameter in which the nav comp couldn’t guide you in anymore. It was well known not to go around this region, it was dangerous and only extremely skilled navigators could go out and not get lost.  Nav comps coincidentally stop functioning once you leave, there wasn't enough data gathered to be able to create a map, and it would show blank and crash.  

Dead space, the unknown. 

As Din suddenly shifts downward the ship in front of you passes by quickly.  He takes the chance to finally take his shot.  You watch as the ship in front of you explodes, coloring the inside of the cockpit a warm and sharp orange-yellow. 

You breathe in deeply as you're enveloped in the color, almost as if you were choking on the fire grazing over the front of the ship. Din slows down and cruises. 

He turns towards you, and somehow you know he’s grinning under the helmet just by the way he holds his shoulders. You shake your head at him and cross your arms, obviously not as amused as he was by the chase. You briefly look over the panel, and backtrack again. 

Your heart falls to your stomach as you finally see the computer blanked out, no coordinates, no directions, nothing. 

You were officially in the depths of the Unknown Regions and you didn’t know how to get back.

[lilypadlys]

Domestic December Day 29 - Power Outage

I started this one thinking, aww it's gonna be so cute. Ghoul cuddles as they keep each other warm. And then my brain was like, but what if we give Rain frostbite. Wouldn't that be fun? I’m sorry Rainy. (Don't worry he ends up being fine!)

Notes: Prompt list by comp-lady. See prompt list here

Ghoul popsicles below the cut or on AO3

Pop. There’s an audible fizzle as the power goes out. Dew stops mid guitar solo and glares at the overhead light of his room as if that would make it spring back to life. When to no avail it stays stubbornly dim, he sighs and puts his guitar away. No sense in practicing if he can’t see, much less the amp not working.

This was just perfect timing. A snowstorm was on the way and the power was out. The abbey doesn’t have the greatest insulation or central heating at the best of times. Dew can already feel the cold air seeping through gaps in stone to rob what little heat had been maintained.

Luckily, nearly every room meant for residence possesses a fireplace. Dew heads out into the hall knowing that soon he and the other fire ghouls will be tapped to set fires and make sure the abbey’s inhabitants don't freeze to death. He meets Aether in the hallway.

“Hey Dew. The power’s out and the fire places need-”

“Yeah, I’m on it.” Dew interrupts, not unkindly and more to speed things along. “Go find Alpha, Ifrit and Sunny and get them to help too.”

“Thanks Firefly.”

They part, the quintessence ghoul in search of the other fire ghouls as Dew makes his rounds to his packmate’s rooms to get their fireplaces running. Sunny has already gotten a magical fire set in Cumulus’ room and all the girls are curled up there. Dew gets fires going in his own room as well as Aether and Mountain’s. Along the way he finds Swiss in Aether’s room and Phantom and Mountain in the earth ghoul’s nest. He pokes his head in Rain’s room to drag the no doubt freezing water ghoul to his own bed but there’s no sign of him.

He doubles back to Mountain’s room.

“Have you guys seen Rain?”

Phantom shakes his head but Mountain’s eyes get huge.

“Shit.” He’s already leaping out of bed.

“Wha-no. He didn’t…” Dew doesn’t wait for an answer, already heading to the door. He mutters a trail of curses under his breath.

“What’s going on?” Phantom asks, still ensconced in blankets.

“That idiot decided to go swimming in the middle of a snowstorm and now the power is out.” Dew grumbles, tapping his foot impatiently as Mountain scrambles to put his jacket on and grab a warm blanket.

“Stay here.” Mountain points at Phantom. “We’ll be right back.”

Dew forgoes his jacket, just amplifying his body temperature instead, as he and the earth ghoul race outside and to the lake. The snow is already beginning to fall, collecting in rapidly growing drifts. Dew curses again and picks up the pace. About halfway to the dock they see a blurry figure, obscured by the whirling snow. When they get closer they both breath a sigh of relief when they recognize Rain’s twisted seaglass horns.

Rain stumbles forward hazily, hunched over as he walks into the wind. His arms wrapped tightly around himself as if to block out the cold. He’s shivering like a leaf and soaked to the bone, only clad in his sopping tee and swim shorts. His trail of footprints leading towards the lake are already being filled with snow. He makes no indication that he sees his rescuers.

Dew runs to him immediately, shouting. “You fucking idiot! What the Hell do you think you’re doing going for a swim in this weather?!” He yells, already wrapping the water ghoul in a warm embrace.

Rain looks up wearily, eyes having trouble focusing. “I-I’m s-sorry.” He manages despite his chattering teeth. He looks about ready to cry.

“We need to get him dried off so he doesn’t get frostbite.” Mountain says, already tugging down Rain’s shorts. When Rain weakly protests Mountain adds apologetically. “I’m sorry but these are soaked. They’re just going to make you feel colder.” Rain nods, letting Mountain pull them the rest of the way off, too weak to help much. Mountain helps him ditch his shirt as well.

Now freed of his wet clothing, Dew can see just how bad off Rain is. His face, hands, and feet are an angry red, bitten by the fierce cold and his shoulders shake with every shiver. His eyelids droop in a cold induced fatigue and he sways on his feet.

“Inside. Now!” Dew commands.

Mountain wraps the thick blanket around Rain to block some of the wind. Then he scoops up the trembling water ghoul and trudges his way back up the path. Dew brings up the rear, stepping in Mountain’s tracks rather than fighting to forge his own way through the quickly accumulating snow. The return trip to the abbey takes twice as long, now fighting the wind rather than moving with it.

Dew fights not to spew curses the whole way back. He wants to rage at the weather. Rain’s poor decision making skills. Himself. What if he hadn't noticed Rain was missing? What if Mountain hadn’t known where to look? What if…?

They finally make it back though. Dew runs ahead the last few yards to haul the door open and usher Mountain inside. Both ghouls sprint back to the pack’s den where Aether, with Phantom and Sunny in tow, is ready waiting with a lukewarm bath prepared in his tub. Mountain eases Rain into the tub murmuring apologies as the water hits Rain’s cold numb skin; the temperature difference jarring. Both Mountain and Aether begin to massage Rain’s hands and feet to help warm them and increase blood flow.

“What the fuck were you thinking?! You stupid fucking idiot! You could have gotten hurt. You could’ve d-” Dew chokes unable to vocalize the thought. He looks away.

Dew and Sunny gradually warm the water temperature. Slowly but surely the angry red becomes a soft pink as Rain warms up. He’s thankfully stopped shivering, no longer in danger of frostbite. Aether, Phantom, and Sunny retreat while Rain soaks, letting the other’s know he’s okay. Mountain excuses himself too to go make tea for Rain.

Now alone with the water ghoul, Dew breaks down.

“I’m so sorry Dew.” Rain looks down, eyes damp. “I didn’t realize it was going to snow and…Dew?”

Tracks of water leak down the fire ghoul’s face that can’t be attributed to the snow melting in his hair. Dew swallows a sniffle, face still downturned. “Don’t scare me like that.” He says much quieter. He can’t hide the way his voice wavers.

“I’m sorry.” Rain reaches for Dew’s hand and squeezes it. Dew squeezes back and doesn’t let go.

“You’re feeling better right?” Dew looks back, his grumpy facade slipping back into place.

“Uh huh, I'm fine now.” Rain assures.

“Never do that again.” Dew says it like a threat.

“I promise.” Rain squeaks. Rain leans over to nuzzle and plant a kiss to Dew’s forehead. “Thank you for coming to get me.”

Dew ruffles Rain’s hair with his free hand.

After a little while, Mountain returns. After making sure Rain has warmed up enough, Mountain scoops him up again and bundles him in a towel before bringing him to the common room, setting him directly in front of the fireplace.

Dew stokes the fire to life before curling up next to Rain, pulling him into his arms. He reaches for Rain’s hand again and they interlace their fingers. It’s Dew that squeezes first, three times in rapid succession. Rain returns the gesture. A silent, I love you.

Mountain gives Rain a mug of tea before retrieving the others. They all curl around Dew and Rain, doting over both of them. Mountain rubs Rain’s head and Aether presses himself to Dew’s back. Phantom, Swiss, and the ghoulettes wrap themselves around them, cocooning them in warmth. They all just lay in front of the fire for a while, enjoying each other’s soothing presence. They’re all thankful that their packmate is safe and sound and right where he belongs; in their arms.

[study-with-aura]

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Tuesdays and Wednesdays are my long days this semester; therefore, if I do not post on one of these days, it is because I barely have any time. I only got back from dance, and I am eating an almond butter sandwich and posting before jumping in the shower and getting ready for bed, so I can be there by 10pm and asleep before 10:30. 7am will be here quite shortly for another full day of studying, an extracurricular course at the library, supplemental study, and more dance. Wednesdays are actually my favorite because we have Variations.

Tasks Completed:

Geometry - Reviewed tangent lines + learned about arcs and central angles + practice + honors practice

Lit and Comp II - Reviewed vocabulary + started writing on my paper + read the news

Spanish 2 - Reviewed sports vocabulary + learned about Pelé

Bible I - Read Numbers 35

World History - Worked on my Enlightenment thinkers chart + read more about the Enlightenment

Biology with Lab - Played a game on genetics

Foundations - Read more about love + did my daily workout on Lumosity + learned about choosing a speech topic + chose a "how to" topic (how to become a professional ballerina) + made a five-bullet outline

Practice - 60-minute piano lesson

Khan Academy - Completed Unit 8: Lesson 2 of High School Geometry

Duolingo - Completed at least one lesson each in Spanish and Chinese

Reading - Read pages 80-136 of Chaos Theory by Nic Stone

Activities of the Day:

Ballet

Pointe

Journal/Mindfulness

-

What I’m Grateful for Today:

I am grateful that ballet started back up and that all of my friends had a nice winter break.

Quote of the Day:

The problem with resolutions is they’re only as solid as the person making them.

-Crank, Ellen Hopkins

🎧Má vlast, JB 1:112: No. 2, Vltava - Bedřich Smetana

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Fern Oppenheim, David Bernstein and Eran Shayshon

Published: Jun 14, 2024

While the Jewish world was reeling from the inhumanity of the Oct. 7 massacre, an immediate aftershock came in the form of the anti-Israel rallies on college campuses and on the streets of major cities. Since that time, the protests have only intensified. Opposing Israel has become fashionable in some circles. Campus activists feel imbued with a sense of historic mission, perceiving themselves as the modern embodiment of the protest movements of the 1960s. Many Jewish professionals and lay leaders remain overwhelmed and unclear as to how to proceed. Years of investment in countering various forms of antisemitism have been proven inadequate. It should be clear by now that we need a new strategic approach and a comprehensive plan to enact it.

The post-Oct. 7 reality dictates a strategy that counters underlying ideological currents, places Jewish concerns in the context of broader American interests and upholds American and Western values. The current focus on antisemitism makes it appear that the strife on and off campus is a Jewish problem rather than an American problem. Antisemitism is low on the relevance scale for most Americans, but the health of American society is central. Based on our assessment of what went wrong, current survey data and key trends, we believe that the Jewish security is inextricably linked to firming up larger support for American values and a renewed commitment to the U.S.’s key geopolitical interests. We further argue that American Jewish organizations should prioritize work with new partners in civil society who share this mission and who should take center stage in effecting a larger cultural shift. In short, we believe the best defense against antisemitism is restoring the commitment of Americans to the nation’s founding principles under which American Jews and other minorities have thrived.

What went wrong?

The anti-Israel narrative — Israel as an apartheid, colonialist enterprise — gained limited support on college campuses over the past few decades. Yet trends in survey data indicate that while the anti-Israel narrative caused a slow erosion of support for Israel, the overwhelming majority of college students remained neutral and attitudes towards Jews were largely unaffected. In fact, the data through 2016 indicates that, even in the face of hostile campus rhetoric, most college students and most Americans cared little about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The issue was just not relevant to them and they remained in the “middle” — neither “core supporters” nor the “unreachable.” Likewise, antisemitism among college students remained low. Research indicated that the large group in the middle represented an opportunity as it could be swayed towards Israel once it was shown the broader face and humanity of the Israeli people.

So if the same anti-Israel narrative has been around for decades, what explains the dramatic increase in its acceptance now? Simply put, anti-Israel forces have found a way to make their cause relevant to a growing swath of Americans by linking it to the significant cultural and ideological shifts over the past ten years.

With the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2014 and changes in the social media landscape, a binary ideology that divides society into oppressors and oppressed, skyrocketed in popularity on campuses. Anti-Israel groups successfully aligned themselves with activist groups representing marginalized communities, thereby significantly expanding the cohort of young Americans sympathetic to their cause. For the first time, Jewish students found themselves excluded from student social justice activities due to their sympathies towards Israel.

In the heated aftermath of the murder of George Floyd in 2020, this binary, oppressor-oppressed ideology found new audiences outside campuses. Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, which frequently enshrined the oppressor-oppressed ideology, gained broad-scale penetration into numerous mainstream institutions including business, government, media, science, medicine, culture, K-12 schools, etc. So while the State of Israel and, now, Jews are seen by many as white, privileged oppressors in a broad swath of institutions, Hamas is increasingly seen as a legitimate resistance movement representing the marginalized.

It is important to note that notwithstanding the titular expression of solidarity with the Palestinian cause, protests against Israel on U.S. campuses are about far more than the Jewish state. Instead, they are often part of a larger agenda that aims to reshape the power structure, dismantle the larger social order, defund the police, undermine the very notion of meritocracy and undo the market economy and concept of private property. Many protesters on campus explicitly cite this larger worldview as a motivation for their campus activism. 

Against this backdrop, it is not surprising that in the wake of Oct. 7, most surveys of young people show high levels of support for Palestinians/Hamas and declining support for Israel. The majority are no longer in the swayable middle. Moreover, for the first time since the Anti-Defamation League began measuring such trends, young Americans are more likely to believe antisemitic tropes than older Americans. In short, by aligning with cultural shifts occurring among the progressive left, anti-Israel forces — many representing extreme Islamist perspectives — have successfully made their narrative relevant to many young Americans.

While the Jewish community was busy maintaining support for Israel in the political arena, ideologues sought to and succeeded in changing the culture. We are now experiencing the downstream effects of our collective failure to counter dangerous cultural trends.

A strategic pivot

If Israel is to retain American support down the road and if Jews are to be safe in this country, then action must be taken to reverse these cultural shifts. For the most part, the Jewish community has responded to the post-Oct. 7th onslaught with well-funded efforts to counter antisemitism and anti-Zionism. It is not doing enough to make its case more relevant to Americans than it was years ago, unlike the anti-Israel camp, which broadened its appeal in the intersectional arena.

Yet there is good news amid the bad. In this highly charged environment, Israel and its allies have lost support among college students, but not among most Americans. Raucous anti-Israel protests on campuses have alarmed many Americans, who are concerned that these anarchists pose a clear and present danger to the U.S. The Jewish communal world needs to take a page from its enemies’ playbook and make its cause more broadly relevant by aligning with the significant percentage of Americans who believe in the American dream, oppose chaos and support the principled use of American power in the world. Jews represent only 2% of the American population; we cannot win this battle on our own.

The Jewish community needs to work with those who are already fighting back on various fronts and to catalyze the energies of those who may be concerned but are not yet taking action. The focus of such coalitional efforts must be on strengthening the American narrative and values, not on antisemitism or Israel. And these efforts need to be led by diverse American voices rather than Jewish groups, as they will be seen as more believable and less likely to have an agenda. In short, the Jewish community needs to lead from behind.

We are currently developing a white paper that lays out in greater detail the needed strategic shift and will be holding sessions in person and online in the coming months. For more information, email: americanvaluesstrategy@gmail.com 

[words-after-midnight]

Writeblr Introduction (finally): N. Roy / words-after-midnight

Because I've been here since December and still haven't posted one of these.

[Updated 22-07-2023]

About me:

I'm Nico (he/him), a 32-year-old chemist moonlighting as an author of dark adult contemporary crime fiction and horror. I'm based in Tio'tia:ke, colonially known as Montreal, where I live with my 10-year-old cat Saturday and most of my chosen family and friends. I plan to publish under a pen name similar to the one on my blog (ie. not my real name - I like to keep my different "lives" separate). You can read more about me here. I love tag games and ask games and interacting with folks on here! I especially love the Find the Word and Last Line/Heads Up Seven Up games, so please never feel like you're annoying me by tagging me in those. I also love any and all music tags!

What I write:

My novel-length projects - 95% what I talk about on this blog in terms of my writing - are predominantly (though not exclusively) in the realm of adult contemporary crime fiction, usually in combination with horror, thriller, docufiction, and/or psychological fiction. All of my novel-length works take place in the same universe, and are all - either directly or indirectly - connected to each other.

My short fiction is typically either contemporary litfic, slice-of-life, crime/procedural, or experimental horror. Most of my existing short fiction is currently being submitted for publication (or in the process) to various literary periodicals.

I write and submit freestyle poetry on occasion.

My forte is writing well-developed, messy, typically queer characters who exist on a continuum between morally gray to morally bankrupt, as well as complex, intense, and/or dark relationship dynamics. Other things I love writing and featuring in my stories include:

Small casts (I typically focus on 1-3 central characters)

Symbolism, motifs, and foreshadowing

Found/chosen families and homes

Exploration of dark real-world themes, including themes involving mental illness, trauma, and recovery

Intense and/or introspective narration

Faster-paced narratives

Trope subversion

Social commentary

Experimental narrative styles

Unconventional formatting

Genre-blending

Complicated endings

What I read (with some exceptions here and there):

Crime thrillers/dramas

Psychological thrillers/dramas

Contemporary horror (not into supernatural or fantasy horror unless the premise and/or themes are very intriguing)

Litfic with darker plots/character relationships

Mysteries (especially murder mysteries)

Dystopian and/or realistic speculative science fiction

My projects:

I currently have three active WIPs, which you can read more about under the cut. You can also find general information about all my projects here.

Active WIPs:

🌙 Life in Black and White | Adult contemporary | Psychological thriller | The love of my life | Querying as of Fall 2023

Draft start date: June 7, 2008 Draft completion date: February 12, 2011

Status: Line edit + prepping query package

Comps: THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS (Nemerever) x GIRL ON THE TRAIN x CATCHER IN THE RYE

Summary: At the dawn of early adulthood and fresh from a childhood fraught with instability and loss, Gabriel's life revolves around outpatient psychiatric treatment, his own rigid routines, and trying to find purpose. But when his best friend moves in with the alluring Jeff, a former fellow patient, and Gabriel reluctantly befriends him, everything changes. After a fateful choice permanently estranges them, Gabriel is left to pick up the pieces of his life and identity, while all the while, a growing obsession lurks beneath the surface... Major themes: Control, choice, obsession, mental illness and recovery, stigma/social perceptions of mental illness, inevitability, grief, trauma, the butterfly effect.

WIP intro post Story playlist Pinterest (cw: violence, gore, some disturbing and/or suggestive imagery)

Tags: #libaw, #call it midnight (for inspo reblogs)

💀 The Dotted Line | Adult contemporary | Experimental horror/Dark comedy/Crime | Camp NaNoWriMo project - July 2023

Banner image source

Draft start date: July 1, 2013 Draft completion date: TBD

Status: Drafting

Comps: THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION x A CLOCKWORK ORANGE

Summary: A young, emotionally challenged inmate nicknamed after an Al Pacino movie navigates the bizarre and dangerous world of a medium security American state prison while plotting his escape.

Major themes: Survival, reinvention of self, abolitionism/overt anti-carceral messaging, institutional abuses and corruption, trauma, the darkest recesses of humanity.

WIP intro post M&S Camp NaNoWriMo Directory post Story playlist Pinterest (cw: violence, gore, some suggestive imagery)

Tags: #tdl, #the jungle (for inspo reblogs)

🔵 Supernova | Adult science fiction | Dystopian/Speculative/Science fiction | Introduced as part of Moon & Seraph Pitch Week in March 2023

Draft start date: TBD Draft completion date: TBD

Status: Pre-production (zero drafting/outlining)

Comps: FRANKENSTEIN x BREAKING BAD

Summary: What if you held the key to the Earth's salvation... and its potential destruction?

An eccentric Montreal chemistry professor is rumored to have isolated a dangerous theoretical compound with powerful implications for the energy sector. Despite her many warnings, her new PhD students, seeing strong potential for a solution to the advanced climate crisis threatening life on Earth within a few decades at most, decide to investigate the claims. By doing so, they ignite the spark to an unstoppable chain reaction of passion and pride, power and corruption, and unintended consequences they never could have anticipated.

Major themes: Scientific responsibility and ethics, unintended consequences, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, advanced climate crisis, discrimination and social inequalities.

WIP intro post Moon & Seraph Pitch Week post Inspo playlist

Tags: #sn, #hexa (for inspo reblogs)

[aokozaki]

Devil Survivor (NDS) is really great because they spend a lot of time getting into the minutia of how the Demon Summoning Program works. Which is really funny, because Devil Survior's version of the series-recurring COMPs are very clearly just Nintendo DSs, running homebrew software.

"Well obviously a DS COMP isn't powerful enough to run such a complicated program - what it's actually doing is making a request to the central Server, which handles all the computation"

They didn't need to explain this but it's really fun that they did.

[otaku-trash]

'Baby It’s Cold Outside’

Pairing: Harry Wells

Warning: Slight Angst but mostly fluff. This might also be considered a song fic

Author’s Note: This is going to be used with the same background as a possible fanfic that may come out latter in the future. This is also a Christmas Special! Marry Chrstmas to all you beautiful and lovely humans! I hope you had a great Christamas and a Happy New Year. And if you don’t celebrate either I hope you have a good day and days to come.

Summary: Christmas is hard on everyone this year but mostly for the two Wells, but with a little music and a warm cup of chocolate coffee they just might be able to enjoy their Christmas this year.

Masterlist

The Flash Masterlist

The quiet howling of the wind was the only thing that was heard as the pot of coffee brewed. Reaching into one of the cabinets the female Wells grabbed two large mugs and two packets of hot chocolate. Gazing out into the winter skies of Central City. She watched as the white powder counted the street floors.

“Y/nnnnnnnn!”

“I’m in here Cisco,” she called back to her younger colleague.

“We’re about to head out, do you need a life?”

Casting him a warm smile she shook her head, “I’m going to stay here tonight. Make sure Harry has some company this Christmas.”

At her reply his face contorted to one of worry, and she couldn’t blame him. This was the first Christmas since she found out that Eobard Thawne killed her husband and took over his body as well as him killing her adopted daughter Jessie.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure Cisco. Go have fun with everyone,” she reassured him with a lopsided grin.

“Alright see ya tomorrow then.”

“Unless there’s a metahuman none of you are coming in to work tomorrow.”

“But-”

“No buts. Tell Catlin that she doesn’t need to come in tomorrow and if I see any of you here so help me i’ll-”

“Alright alright I get it,” he yelled, throwing his hands up before the older woman could go into detail about how she would dissect his body and get away with murdering him.

Shaking her head in amusement as Cisco ran out of the small kitchen they had at Star Labs. Dumping a pack of hot chocolate into each mug followed by the hot coffee. Topping it off with whip cream, shaved chocolate, marshmallows, and a mint candy cane. She takes the two mugs down to Cisco’s lab where the Earth-2 Well’s should be working.

The hallway lights were dim. The only light in the halls where the Christmas lights that she had Barry hang up throughout the hallways. Stopping in the entry way she hesitated. She knows that this isn’t Thawne but the fact that he has the same face as her late husband left a foul taste on the tip of her tongue.

“Knock knock,” she said softly as to not startle the Doctor. “I brought a refill.”

“Thanks but no thanks. I only drink coffee,” His voice was slightly raspy from the fatigue that was consuming his body.

“Well you're in luck. A cup of freshly brewed coffee,” she replied, handing him the mug.

Raising a single eyebrow he shot back, “It has sugar I take mine black.”

“And it is black mixed with a few other things,” at his confused and slightly hesitant Y/n elaborated, “In the past my earths Harisson and Jessie we had a tradition together. Every

Christmas whoever was staying with us in our home would have a chocolate coffee movie night with us. And I know you don’t want to celebrate Christmas this year because Jessie can’t be here with you but that does not mean you can’t enjoy some Christmas treats. It’s a strong black coffee with hot chocolate, whip cream, chocolate shavings, marshmallows, and a mint candy cane. I’m also gonna go watch movies in the lounge if you want to join.”

Taking the cup his face showed with hesitation as he took a sip out of the mug, his eyes not leaving the slightly younger woman.”I still have work to do,” he replied, turning back to his work, taking another swallow from the coffee concoction.

Happy that he at least accepted the drink she made her way towards the door. Stopping before walking out completely she turned her head in his direction.

“I know you're worried about her, Harry, but if your body gets burned out you won’t be able to help her.” taking a shallow breath she continued. “I know it’s not my place to tell you this but get some rest. If you want to help Jessie you need to be well rested… and eat something that isn't Big Belly Burger,” she joked making her way towards the Cortex to shut off the equipment that didn’t need to be on.

Sighing Harry turned to where Y/n once stood he knew that what she said was true but he couldn’t stop. He needed to get his daughter back before she … Shaking the thought from his mind he went back to work after taking a sip of the bitter sweet caffeinated drink he was given.

…………

Enter the Cortex Y/n set her drink by what everyone labeled as ‘her’ computer. Listing as the radio started to play “Baby It’s Cold Outside”

‘I really can’t stay (Baby, it’s cold outside)’

‘I’ve got to go away (Baby, it’s cold outside)’

‘This evening has been (Been hoping that you’d drop in)’

‘So very nice (I’ll hold your hands, they’re just like ice)’

Shutting off the computers and turning off some of the little bit of medical equipment that Catlin left on. Gently swaying with the music Y/n started to quietly sing the words to herself.

“My mother will start to worry.” ‘(Beautiful, what’s your hurry?)’

“My father will be pacing the floor.” ‘(Listen to the fireplace roar)’

“So really I’d better scurry.” ‘(Beautiful, please don’t hurry)’

“But maybe just a soda pop more.” ‘(put some records on while I pour)’

Turning off the lights from the med bay she made her way back to the computers to do one last scan for metahumans before heading to the lounge.

“The neighbors might think” ‘(Baby, it’s bad out there)’

“Say, was that a wink?” ‘(No cabs to be had out there)’

“I wish I knew how” ‘(Your eyes are like starlight now)’

“To break this spell,” Y/n sang softly, lost in her own little world that she didn’t hear the footsteps that crept behind her, startling her.

“I’ll take your hat, your hair looks swell,” his voice was gruff but held a slight bass tune too.

Turning around her face was covered in shock, but she continued to sing the song softly, “I oughta get home for dinner”

“Mind if I move in closer,” he questioned, taking a step forward offering Y/n his hand.

Hesitantly she took his hand and allowed the blue eyed man to pull her towards him, “So it’s time for me to cast you aside,” the (h/c) haired women sang as Harry spun her into the center of the Cortex swaying them into a more upbeat slow dance.

“What’s the sense in hurtin’ my pride?”

“I really can’t stay,” Y/n started to walk away only to be pulled back by Harry.

“Oh baby don’t hold out.”

“Baby, It’s cold outside,” the two sang together with grins slowly spreading across both of their faces. A warm feeling blossomed through their bodies, one that neither one had felt since both their spouses died. Twirling the shorter girl back into his side Harry hesitated before placing his hands on Y/n’s hips all the while she draped her arms around his neck.

“I simply must go. Baby, it’s cold outside.”

“So thanks for the show. But baby, it’s cold outside.”

”The welcome has been. How lucky that you dropped in.”

“So nice and warm,” Y/n sang with a cheeky grin as she gave Harry a quick hug.

“Look out the window at that storm,” Harry sang, turning Y/n to face the window where the snow started to fall harder.

“My sister will be suspicious,” The illustrator sang softly, her back leaning against Harry’s broad chest.

“Gosh your lips look delicious,” he matched his voice to hers while whispering beside her ear.

“My brother will be there at the door. Waves upon the tropical shore.”

“My maiden aunt’s mind is vicious. Gosh your lips look delicious.”

“Maybe just another dance more. Never such a blizzard before.”

“I’ve gotta get home,” she sang, slipping out of his arms as she took off into the hallway making her way to the main lounge.

“Baby, you’ll freeze out there,” Harry mochanly sighed, grabbing a remote that was for the speakers before chasing after her.

“Say, lend me your comb. It’s up to your knees out there.”

“You’ll really be grand. I thrill when you touch my hand.”

“But don’t you see? How can you do this thing to me?”

“There’s bound to be talk tomorrow. Think of my lifelong sorrow.”

“At least there will be plenty implied. If you got pneumonia and died.”

“I really can’t stay,” Y/n sighed once Harry caged her in his arms. His hands laid on her hips, his forehead resting against her own. “Get over that hold out.”

“Baby, it’s cold. Baby. it’s cold outside!” With the final note being sung the two fell onto the couch in the lounge. Letting out a huff of laughter Y/n turned to Harry her expression mirroring her amusement, “I didn’t know you could dance, let alone sing for that matter.”

“I could say the same thing about you,” he grinned, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. “And I thought you were going to watch movies.”

“I am, but I had to shut down some of the equipment and turn off the music … which I still need to do,” she sighed, getting ready to stand up.

“I got it,” he replied with a remote in his hand. He pressed the power button turning off the speakers around Star Labs. “I thought the music was off?”

“It was, Barry probably turned it on before he and the others left.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Y/n decided to turn on the TV and play the 1966 Grinch movie. Grabbing the blanket from the back of the couch she threw it over her legs offering the other end to Harry who slid underneath the offered end.

By the time the end credits were playing Harry heard light snores from the left side of the couch. He couldn't contain the amused snort at the sight in front of him. The female illustrator had her arm on the couch armrest, with her head resting on top of it. Her hair covered her face and some landed in her mouth. Her mouth was slightly cracked open allowing a small line of droll on the side of her check.

Chuckling he pulled the blankets over her, turning the TV off and dimming the lights. He casted her one last glance before making his way back to his work space. The small smile never left his face. For once in his life since his wife died that same spark of warmth pulsed through his body. It made him fear what the future would hold for him but he couldn’t help it. He wanted to be selfish and he would do it even if it killed him.

[unceasingtoe]

Hi everyone!

I'm Matt from the UK. I'm a professional nanomaterials physicist, and I wrote a Fantasy book.

Now what?!

I've been working on this story, Aria of the Wayward, for something like four years. I started just pre-Covid with a little character vignette about a student having a meeting with a magical professor/wizard-type-person, and it kind of spiralled from there. One hundred and twenty thousand words later, and what was originally Echoes of Astyr is now two books: Aria of the Wayward, and Echoes of Astyr. (I also have ideas for the next book, Chorus of the Forgotten, on the backburner)

Now that I've done "the hard part" (actually writing a book, or two!) I'm at a bit of a loss. I follow agents and other authors on Twitter, I regularly see threads and blogs on getting an agent, and querying, and the publishing industry landscape, and it all makes me feel one thing: these stories are unpublishable.

Not because they're bad (not that I could judge that), but because they're too different—at the intersections of too many circles in the grand Venn diagram of stories. Publishing these days lives and dies on genre labels and tropes and comp titles, and I have too many of some and not enough of the others to see how I could query effectively.

Both stories are second-world Fantasy, with magic a central element, but there isn't heroes and skeleton warriors and a race to save the world (although there are a few wizards). While there is a lurking intrigue that emerges in Echoes of Astyr that drives a more conventional-feeling plot, on the whole both stories are character- and theme-driven.

The main setting, particularly for Aria, is an Oxbridge-coded medieval university and we're following the lives and academic journeys of students; so it's Dark Academia, right?! Well, sometimes, but actually there is plenty of brightness and hope and love and joy, to contrast the darker parts... so it probably isn't Light Academia either!

The stories thus far have two female main characters, and while much prominence is given to their various interpersonal relationships, it's *not* got the right elements to make it capital-R genre Romance. (Maybe I could gut it and build a safe Romantasy story out of the giblets though, as I gather that's hot in publishing right now! 😜)

The prosaic style is perhaps a bit old-fashioned because I read books from the 1800s instead of things published in the last three years, and the general tone leans a bit Literary: it's filled with references to philosophy, and poetry, in between the flowery landscape descriptions and kissing sessions among the library stacks... ahem. The writing probably splits the age category down the middle too: it's got an Adult reading level but maybe more of a New Adult setup.

I don't know what to do with this.

I've been serialising the story as it is so far on WattPad in the hopes of accruing some feedback and encouragement. If anyone likes the sound of the ramble above, I would love you forever if you'd give it a read, drop a comment or a star over there (link below).

If you made it this far, you're a star 🌟

[pantspissedinreverse]

hey i love seeing ur posts about comp tf2, do you have any advice for a wannabe sixes medic? ive been watching a lot of recorded games and demo reviews and stuff and it looks like a lot of fun but actually playing a match myself sounds so daunting and scary

hello anon! thanks for asking and im glad that youve thought about playing comp :)

this ended up really long so under the cut it goes

to start with some outside stuff youll need:

a discord account

a mic (or any other audio input device)

mumble (optional)

from what ive seen, the biggest leagues all have discord servers where players can find scrims or teams and teammates (in the case of rgl) but also teams use discord because its a quick, easy and cheep way to keep in touch

now, a league, there are 5 leagues but ive only played in 2 of them as they are region specific, there are:

rgl (NA/north american league)

etf2l (EU/european league)

ozfortress (oceania/australia league)

asiafortress (asian league, site is down rn?)

ugc (international, the old league where it all started)

now the best way to get into comp is probably through a newbie cup, a shorter season for new players with dedicated coaches provided, but the only one that regularly runs is by an NA pug group, speaking of, another good way to start is through pugs! (or mixes if youre in eu) pugs or pick up games or mixes are run either by the league or an independent person, in NA the biggest non-league pug group i know is tf2 coaching central or tf2cc for short, they also run the newbie cup and are based entirely on discord! in EU, mixes are run usually through sites and require mumble, the biggest being tf2center which id say is much more beginner friendly and hosts more formats than the other site, tf2pickup.eu where you can only play 6s and will usually find players that have been playing since season 2 (etf2l is on season 47)

also! every friday (if there are enough people) there are newbie mixes! basically a mix/pug with a coach, i havent personally played but ive heard its good

now if you find a league that works for you, heres some settings that youll need:

enable developer console

this will allow you to open the developer console, this is a nifty little thing because it allows you to do all kinds of crap, for example, connecting to a specific server if you have the connect info, which is very important in comp, you can change the button that opens the console at the very bottom of the settings

thats how the dev console looks like, heres how to find it:

change your fov to 90

this can be either done in the settings or by putting fov_desired 90 into the console, 90 is the max you can set it to in the settings but if you want more fov then feel free to change this to something else like 130 for example. this is done because the default tf2 fov doesnt let you see as much as 90 and having that information is crucial, especially for medic

now for the actually medic specific stuff

in the advanced settings there are two key things you need to turn on, 1) keep healing even when not pressing the fire key and 2) autocall for medic if below 99% health

the first one is a no brainer, youre gonna be healing constantly for 2 hours or more if you play a season as medic and your fingers will cramp up if you just keep holding down mouse1 so this ones for that

the second one is a bit odd, why autocall? well it might help you find spies or find your way back to your team if you get lost without having to comm it out, it also shows you if a teammate got damaged very recently because of the small cross above their head, this is important because then it will take more time to heal them up

uber masking

when you are about to hit 100% ubercharge, press E, and the "medic!" voiceline is gonna override the very loud and very obvious "I AM FULLY CHARGED" voiceline, tldr: you dont want the other team to know that you have uber

uber counting

the average stock uber can be built in 40-50 seconds, at the start of the round your ubers are the same but they will get offset as the game goes on, when the enemy medic spawns count in your head to 40 or watch the clock for 40 seconds and at the end of that 40 seconds they will have uber

uber related callouts:

"we have ad" (=we have more uber than them)

"we have disad" (=we have less uber than them)

"they have" (=they have uber, be cautious)

"we have" (=we have uber, yay!)

"its even/equal" (=the ubers are the same)

"med dropped!" (=the other medic dropped uber, you now have a lot of ad, you will hear this from your teammates)

"he got a saw on me" (=their medic is running ubersaw and just hit me, they have 25 more uber)

"use" (=pop it)

"use on me/use on [class]" (=use uber on a specific person or class, usually scout or demo)

"big ad/disad" (=the difference between our ubers is big, around 50% difference)

"small ad/disad" (=the difference between our ubers is small, anywhere from 20% to 5% difference)

thats a lot of callouts but dont fear, youll get a hang of it soon :)

the ideal loadout

crusaders crossbow

stock medigun

solemn vow

i did mention the ubersaw but its use is much more niche and works the best when the enemy team is shit, the solemn vow also lets you see the enemy medics uber if you see him but dont use this as a crutch and also call out enemy health ("demo is 50!" and then your flank scout game ends him), ill go over the weapons now

crusaders crossbow

the weapon with most skill, it allows you to heal your team at large distances, your teammates will usually say "arrow me" or "arrow me [location]" and then you shoot them and heal em up, the crusaders crossbow is also used in rollouts a lot, process and gullywash for example both require you to arrow someone mid rollout, i have a few aim training maps linked in my other medic tips post which also, funny enough, have a clip of how comms usually sound so thats cool

stock medigun

other than the kritzkrieg, the stock is the only medigun allowed in standard 6s, its the most consistent medigun and also makes you invincible for 8 seconds, you mentioned watching demos of other players and usually when they do a push into a point they uber the demo so that he can jump in unharmed, then the scout to go fast and the back on demo because hes the 2nd most important class here (the 1st is you!! so dont die!!)

honorary kritz mention

in lower divs, kritz isnt usually played, its an element of surprise weapon and it takes 32 seconds to get uber but 32 is an awkward number so we usually just count to 30 and use the 2 seconds to run :)

the kritz is much more widely used in highlander but ive seen some great playes with it in 6s too

some medigun strats before we move onto melee:

building uber with a boston basher scout

your scout is your escort now, random encounters lied to you, medics do, in fact, heal scouts

give your players a buff (overheal) when youre in spawn and waiting to move, its needed for rollouts in most cases, heal order is usually demo -> roamer -> demo again -> psolly

you need to heal as much as you can, this is a race to get uber

players will come up to you and ask for buffs, its usually soldiers and they will usually jump away shortly after

the ubersaw and the head

the solemn vow is a much better choice of melee then the ubersaw simply due to the fact that you can see enemy health and uber, but i cant deny that the ubersaw saved my ass a few times, still, use the head

now thats the weapons, lets get onto the more interpersonal relationships between teammates

the general playerbase of comp is sweaty gamer cishet guys but ive found that many of them are cool (despite the reputation of sweaty gamer cishet guys) and they are cool especially in rgl

heres some tips,

keep your tumblr private from your team

they dont know the lore of tf2 and 9 times out of 10 dont really care for it

just keep the discussion to comp

many of them are down to play casual or even valve comp if you ask

feel free to ask for tips! they love giving tips!

you will be judged for being a medic player but in a joking matter (they dont usually like playing medic so theyre glad that someone else is lol)

they will show you cool shit (usually clips of airshots)

tf2 comp players are a bit edgy at times, sometimes people just say slurs but not the n word with a hard R or anything (ps. you can report people if they say a slur mid game in chat)

a lot of the time they are gonna tell it to you straight, if youre bad then they will tell you youre bad at xy and z and if you dont improve then they will just call you open (<- lowest division in etf2l/derogatory term for anyone who isnt in open)

in a team you have the team leader who schedules everything and runs this team and talks to the admins, maybe a co-tl who helps with team leader stuff, the main roster which is just the players who play most often, the subs who substitute the main roster when someone cant make it but you still want to play and lastly the ringers(NA term)/mercs(EU term) who are outsiders you call in if your pscout just called in sick and the pscout sub is on vacation and you really need a player

classes

its at the bottom because i forgot about it lol?

6s has 2 soldiers, 2 scouts, a demo and a medic

they are split into the flank and the combo, the combo is with the medic and the flank is not

demo:

you will need to heal this guy a lot, he takes a lot of damage and gives out a lot of damage, he can trap down an area or spam down a choke, will be with you in most of your ubers, make sure this guy is buffed

pocket scout:

the scout in the combo, your escort and personal bodyguard (kinda), hes gonna build with you, pick you up from spawn when you die and is most likely gonna be the maincaller (=person who calls the shots in a comp match like when to retreat and what not)

pocket soldier:

in all honesty idfk what this guy does, he wants heals and watches chokes, spams rockets down chokes too, sacs for med (=jumps on the medic and kills them hopefully)

flank scout:

watches flanks, wants heals, can replace your pscout if he dies, will offclass if need be (offclassing is the act of switching your class to a different one that isnt standard in 6s like sniper or heavy)

roamer (flank soldier):

i also dont know what the fuck the roamer does, its basically the same as psolly but he watches flanks and offlcasses and has a different rollout

post game

so after you play your first game of comp, write ".ss" into the chat, this will open a window with your logs for that match and you can see how you did that game! if you want you can also download the demo from demos.tf if you look up your steam name it should show up, there are other sites where you can see how you did like more.tf which is a nicer looking site and also you can compare specific players and see more stuff so thats cool! theres also trends.tf where you can see how you did over time and basically every stat you can think of even down to the time youve spent playing a class in comp, heres my overview on trends.tf if you wanna see all that it shows (ps. most of my recent games are 4v4 because of a cup lol)

last thing before the end, i did make a post about medic tips a while ago and those apply here as well

tf2 competitive wiki if you want to learn callouts and other stuff

so! thats the basics of 6s med :) gl hf and feel free to dm me if you have any more questions

edit: i forgot to mention b4nny, the lord and savior of competitive tf2 and while he doesnt play med much he has a lot of experience and knows a lot about comp and just has a lot of resources for comp

[socially-awkward-skeleton]

15 questions. 15 mutuals

Tagged by @poisonedtruth and @theelderhazelnut Thank you both :)

1. Are you named after anyone?

My middle name was my maternal great aunt's name.

2. When was the last time you cried?

about three weeks ago??

3. Do you have kids?

Yes.

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

Always. It's my #1 type of humor.

5. What’s the first thing you notice about people?

The clothes they are wearing (I priced clothing for years at my thrift store job it's heavily ingrained in me now to look at them lol)

6. What's your eye color?

Hazel. (Got that central heterochromia)

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

Scary movies. 100%.

8. Any special talents?

I can do the clamshell with my tongue?? I like to think I'm a pretty good writer (when the imposter syndrome isn't saying different) I can make my father in law laugh which is nigh impossible for most people to do.

9. Where were you born?

Canada

10. What are your hobbies?

Writing, gaming, drawing, watching movies/TV, embroidery sometimes

11. Have you had any pets?

Yes, have my current cat, Luna.

12. What sports do you play/have played?

In school I played basketball and volleyball

13. How tall are you?

5'6"

14. Favorite subject in school?

English, History, Comp Civ, Chemistry

15. Dream job?

Writer. For a long time I really wanted to work in sfx makeup, but alas Hollywood no longer seems to care about practical effects.

Tagging: @roofgeese @poetikat @strangefable @direwombat @purplehairsecretlair @kittiofdoom @adelaidedrubman @confidentandgood @derelictheretic @sukoshimikan @strafethesesinners @detectivelokis @clicheantagonist @voidika @shallow-gravy

[mermaidsirennikita]

ARC REVIEW: Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous by Mae Marvel

3.75/5. Releases 6/11/24.

Vibes: second chance (or first chance after you never took the second), figuring out what love actually is, the cult of celebrity

Heat Index: 6.5/10

Wil Greene and Katie Price grew up together--their moms were best friends, after all. Then, in their senior year of high school, they became best friends... and almost more. But Katie went off and become a super successful, internationally famous actress; and more recently, Wil has become known for a viral TikTok account where she kisses new people every week and posts the videos. Katie's seen plenty of them. And now that she's back in Wisconsin for a month, she may be ready to finish what she and Wil almost started all those years ago.

This is an overall lovely (though imperfect) heartfelt, funny, and sexy romance that sort of mashes second chance with friends to lovers, though like--were they ever friends? Or were they finally allowing themselves to be close to each other despite the burgeoning tension? It's hard to say.

Don't worry about the celebrity angle--it's not that sexuality doesn't matter here, but you don't have a lot of "but what will the public think?" angst. Not that that's inherently wrong for queer celebrity romances. But this book is focused on something else, and though I think it sometimes got wrapped up in the characters' heads, it still leaves me wanting to read more from the Mae Marvel team (yes, that's a pen name for two writers!).

Quick Takes:

--Okay, so I want to get something out of the way here, as the back copy mentions 'Tis the Damn Season: how Taylor Swiftian is this? I would say, overall... enough to where, even if you notice a thing here or there, you can overall ignore it. The biggest thing for me was Katie's cats, which she's quite well known for having. And really? That probably wouldn't have come off as Swiftian to me if not for the TtDS comp. So... while I get it, I do wonder if that comp will turn some people off. I hope it doesn't.

--There's actually a really interesting connection between Wil's TikTok videos and Katie. Like, I was initially hesitant about the TikTok aspect, but the way it loops back to this connection between the two of them (beyond Katie being turned on by them... which she is) is clever. I appreciate that degree of thought going into it, the subtle character work.

--What's not subtle is the way that Wil and Katie talk to each other! I was of two minds on this. On the one hand, I kind of like that right out the gate these two are upfront about being into each other. It dodges a lot of the issues I find with friends to lovers stories, because again... are they friends? When they admit that they at minimum want to fuck from the beginning?

On the other, I did feel like these two communicated a little too well. I've seen a lot of reviews celebrating this, and I get it! But there's good communication that feels real, and good communication that's a little too good to be true. This was the latter, though it isn't too big of an issue. It's just that--at some point, I was like "okay we know where we stand, let's get this tied up". It's not because I wanted the story to end... But a huge part of any potential central conflict never happened, because Wil and Katie were on the same wavelength from the jump. Again, for a lot of people that's going to be great. For me, it did slow the book down a bit.

--In the same sense, these two just like each other so much. They're so besotted. And you get that over and over in the narrative. How amazing Wil thinks Katie is, how remarkable Katie thinks Wil is. And I would say that most of the time, that's really cute and genuine and sweet and soft. But it did go a little overboard.

--There's a really compelling backstory on both sides, and both are so real (in often sad ways). And in general, this was something I liked about these characters. Even when the sequence of events isn't that realistic--Katie has done a LOT in her young years, even by super famous actress standards--the leads still feel real. It adds to their love story and the intimacy between them.

The Sex:

The sex in this novel isn't that explicit, though I appreciate the diversity of sex acts and the way in which it was all seen as sex. You get about four-ish scenes. But beyond that, there is SO much sexual tension in this book, and it's hot. I mean, a lot of this novel is about kissing, and the moments before kissing, and knowing you want to kiss someone... It's delicious.

Was this a flawless book? No. I think there are still some things that need to be smoothed out, more of an emphasis put on the things that really leans into the raw and honest moments Marvel writes. But it's a fun read, and if you want to read about two ultimately good women falling in love--this is it.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[vertonghen]

i was really impressed by onana yesterday and saw today that a lot of spurs fans on twitter are talking about wanting him on our team, what are your thoughts? what’s his play style like? what do you think his price point would be?

anon i’ve been wanting to talk about him for so long and this ask came at such a perfect time thank you 😭 i will be yapping a lot under the cut but my main thoughts are 1) i think he would be incredible for us and i love him 2) he’s an absolute monster in defence. versatile, strong, tall, smart 3) i think he’d be quite expensive, i don’t see everton selling him for less than £60 million unless they have to for FFP reasons, im guessing somewhere between £50-80 million.

okay. i’ve also been seeing our fans on twitter talk about wanting him and ive been liking every single tweet because yes!!!! we would absolutely be better with him in our midfield!!!!

firstly, he’s a young and versatile player (he’s only 22!) he was asked to play cb in belgium’s game vs ireland which is an odd position for him but played very well and without complaint. as a person he’s incredibly mature and humble when speaking for belgium, absolutely future captain material and i think he would fit in very well personality wise at spurs as well. he normally plays as a central or defensivemidfielder i believe but can switch to attacking and now to cb whenever needed which is perfect for us.

he’s an absolute monster in defence. tall, strong, incredibly long legs that can sweep the ball out of any player as you saw yesterday, and pretty good vision as well! everton in general are just huuuge but he’s about 195 cm i believe so he’d be vital for us when we’re defending those pesky corners 😖 he’s also great at header goals because he’s so damn tall that no one can get to the ball before him. he’s also not very injury prone, he’s had small injuries here and there but nothing that keeps him out too long.

his debut for belgium was very impressive and he was even called up to the world cup which was a pleasant surprise. one of his best strengths is his ball carrying ability, he’s insane with transition. he reminds me a bit of mousa in the way that he’s quicker than you expect, insanely strong, and amazing at carrying the ball.

i know united, arsenal, barcelona, and chelsea(?) are all interested in him as well which gives you some insight into how good of a player he is. i think barca made an offer of £50 mil and was rejected by everton because they wanted more which is fair. i mean i believe we have the funds for him and i think he’s such an adaptable player that he could easily work in ange’s system so i really hope we show interest in him and act quickly in the summer.

sorry that this was all over the place i was just so excited to talk about him LOL i love him so much. idk if you know that belgium have had their drama recently with courtois and him whining about not getting the armband but amadou was quick to shut down any talks of that drama which is another reason i love him. he always says that as long as he gets to wear the country’s badge he’s happy and honoured and will always fight to keep his position in the belgium squad. he would die for the badge, he would be absolutely perfect for us.

some videos if you want to take a look:

this comp on twt of him in the england game

just a quick little look into his personality

and a video that the red devils made when he was a rookie introducing him

(he’s also insanely gorgeous i mean that’s just the cherry on top but man he’s handsome)

[florallylly]

so CLEARLY the stobin big brother au brain rot had to come out some time and tbh this is going to be so scatterbrained bear with me

based off of my favorite season ... bb4 with jun song like well yes....like yeah i LOVE this season but also like. i have to think about this because i want to open up the possibility of there being a pre-established stobin relationship.

like OKAY clicking from the first day creating a final 2 alliance immediately ... i see it. initially enemies becoming begrudging allies using a final 2 alliance to keep each other loyal becoming genuine friends who honor that final 2 alliance despite knowing it wouldn't help their game. LIKE.... i am Sick to my Stomach. BUT some type of x-factor WOW.

if they go in as exes, i think i could only see them purposely bamboozling producers into thinking they would never work together when they have a shared google drive of strategies for their game or like fuckin... idk i don't strategize u tell me

OKAY BUT maybe a home town high school reunion type theme, where they make sure to include duos that would have been in the same high school at the same time blah blah. so there are two steves that could possibly have applied for big brother.

one steve was encouraged by His Boys (and carol) to try out bc he's athletic AND good at the social game. king steve is in it to win it, but as time goes on, steve harrington's bleeding heart prevents him from being as ruthless as he planned to be.

stobin seeing each other ep 1 and just the most evil glares toward each other, but actually they're nonverbally setting a meeting to discuss their alliance. they don't know it but it's their strongest, longest lasting alliance and the one they are ultimately the most loyal to. thinking jun and jee picking fights to throw people off their scent.... robin and her you suck/you rule board like. YEAH.

i think that in this scenario, steve is more jee in using his physicality to prove his worth to the team and winning comps. and robin is more jun in that she (unfortunately) is not the most liked in the house bc she has smth of a "floater" strat. WHICH not a coasting strat. a floater strat. okay. she is instigating and she is lying and she is scheming.

however also steve being jun with the kitchen strat like YEAH like yes. using cooking as an excuse to stay in the most central part of the house and eavesdrop like well yes. have a neutral reason to always be present for drama and make people not want to eliminate you bc if they do, they lose ur cooking too.

i think that like robin would win in this season, but only because steve didn't make it to the final 2. both of them knew that steve would have jury. like he just played the social game so well that even people he beat and blindsided wanted him to win. like he proved to be loyal while still pushing his game and he was on good terms with everyone in the house. steve threw the last hoh so he would be eliminated esp since he knew that robin would be the obvious winner against the other contestant

the Second steve would be a post-demogorgon or bullshit kind of checked out steve harrington who doesn't have it in him to fight for his crown. maybe he Did apply before the upside down and unlucky enough to have a life altering experience right before appearing on television. or maybe he was just throwing shit at the wall instead of applying for college thinking whatever. face card never declines.

picturing a taylor hale-esque journey where robin hears that King Steve is joining the house. and she has her preconceived opinions about him and obviously it's beneficial to her game to completely undermine a good social player before he even gets a chance to speak. so she starts turning people in the house against him but not in a paloma way me think. less intense, but still just as detrimental to steve's game.

but steve is able to make a couple solid connections in the house, and despite being put on the block, he's not eliminated. the first month in the house is pretty rocky for steve, and he's put on the block nearly Every Single Week. now he starts giving a jag performance and winning comps left and right like. power of veto every week baby and that's why he will Never Be Eliminated. people are beginning to look at steve differently now

they're like okay he's a bit of a free agent, and obviously a strong player. he could be used as a shield, he could be used as a buffer, keeping him could be beneficial to my game. robin is still iffy about him, but she sees his merit.

just like taylor, steve is one to one in convincing people to support him in his game. he appeals to them so effectively that people who were vehemently against him just boom.... appreciate. like robin is not immune to the harrington charm and she's already the worm in his brain

thinking some Big Drama involving steve though and literally daniel's tirade on taylor (which was SO undeserved and like? insane?) yeah.... and then the turn around and calling out of his previous treatment like. YEAH. that's what i want...

robin taking the longest to come around to steve, but being the most ride or die. they're like jag and matt just. ur my minute man baby.... i know i'd have a better chance against this guy but. we made a final 2 alliance and i'm not going to blindside you.

and steve would win in this case. he's just so strong with the jury and really good with comps like okay... was there a q.... robin argued her social game was more refined (it violated constitutional rights or smth)

but yes yes stobin big brother au... of course after the season they become the platonic soulmates they ARE in every universe. and like. people don't expect them to stay friends for so long after, but at some point like. okay now they're a duo. like that's bert and ernie.... acshually the old man muppets who sit in the nosebleeds and criticize the show loudly (was this only a thing in disneyland idk idk)