#a lot of things haven't even been explained but the game acts like I should Just Know

[enchantrum]

Secrets of the Obscure is alright and all but am I the only one kinda miffed that they ripped off a lot of it from Dragon Age: Inquisition and didn't really add or change enough to be it's own unique thing?

even the rift hunting mechanic is Exactly The Same, because you Open the rift, then fight something then close it. the animation is almost 1-1 and even the eye in the rift looks like the Inquisition eye. if it wasn't for the fact that Even The Mechanic is the same I might not have noticed it so much, but the more I play the more blatant it feels

and then their wizard lore also just feels like how demons come out of the Fade in Dragon Age to possess mages. it's almost exact

disclaimer that I'm still enjoying it because it's fun and I like that we get to see Zojja again and have a better map for practicing skyscales for those who don't have one yet, but uh...this whole plot was stolen!

and yes I know there are certain fantasy tropes that re-occur in fantasy over and over, but this doesn't feel like that. it feels like the writers legit just snapped the base ideas from DAI and then barely added or changed anything to make it uniquely Guild Wars

imo it's definitely the weakest of all the packs

which is a shame because I LOVEDDDDD the intro. the whole sequence of having to defend yourself and run for your life was so ridiculously tense, I really felt like I was playing a horror game

but now I'm on Ep. 7 and all the potential feels wasted because I feel like I'm playing the underwritten fanfiction of another game that I already played 10 years ago and didn't like that much the first time

[theminecraftbee]

task: answer the following question. do you believe in curses? respond as completely with relevant information as possible.

Grian: Well, that's a lie. This isn't a task. I know it's not a task, I set the things up! Not sure why we're getting a question as pointless as this one, but sure, mysterious scroll, I'll answer. There's no such thing as curses, unless you're Timmy, in which case it's funny, yeah? Besides, I didn't actually kill Etho. Even if that did count, self-fulfilling prophecies aren't the same thing as curses, and I know which one I fall under.

Joel: Do I believe in bloody curses what kind of question is that? Do I really get hearts just for answering this? This feels like a prank or something... well, whatever. There are no such thing as curses, except the Boogeyman curse, which I sort of had today, but it wasn't actually the same at all. A lot of the bloodlust, sure, but a lot more... Etho had to be the one to do it, huh? And it's not the same. Not comforting. That's a stupid thing to say actually. Take it out of wherever you're putting this. Cut it out of the recording. Comforting. Please. As if it were ever... Yeah, I'm done actually. Don't have a good answer. Go away.

Scott: What, other than Jimmy? Bless that man, he may not have died first, but he sure tried his best. Sure, I'll believe Jimmy is cursed. I mean, mostly he's just kind of stupid. Lovingly so. I mean, despite him being stupid, I put up with him, right? That seems like a complete answer to this question. Jimmy's an omen but we put up with him anyway. That's all.

Mumbo: NO RESPONSE GIVEN.

Pearl: Oh, I mean, I'm probably cursed. That's what everyone liked to say at one point. I think... I mean, I think this time I have good friends, which is nice. They don't think I'm cursed. And it's not like I--I mean, it's surprisingly fun, acting cursed! And I am just acting. Acting scary, blowing up dance floors, all of that. And I don't really have to this time, so... Maybe I'm not cursed? And since it's acting, it's not real? This is a weird question.

Etho: Oh, man, that's a question. Um, do I have to answer? Because I feel like if I say no, that's really just asking for it, but if I say yes, I have to explain myself. Uh, I think I'm abstaining, unless the zombie thing from earlier counts. That was scary and I hated it. Curses are scary and I hate them in general, but apparently I'm good at them, if you ask everyone else. Um, it's not the only thing I find scary that apparently I'm good at.

Scar: Why, of course I believe in curses! Look at poor, poor... Timbert? Timmy? Jim? Gosh, sorry, I'm very tired right now. That's more proof of curses, by the way! That I'm tired. I've been tired straight since the desert, let me tell you what. And that, my friends, is a curse like no other. What a terrible beast, loneliness is. Wish me luck breaking it, because it's not happening this season!

Cleo: Oh, you mean the thing people like to blame instead of their own actions? Nah. My soulbond was kind of a curse, I guess, but even that's at least half just... bad people. Bad relationships. Good ones, too. We're all just doing what you can, you know? No script, no curses, no characters, just... Oh, I hope everything turns out tomorrow. Sorry, that's unrelated. It's just nicer to hope than to preemptively blame things on curses that don't exist.

Impulse: Well, I mean, I didn't until you just asked me that, but now I feel like I should. Wouldn't that be nice? Being cursed instead of just sort of unlovable? Sorry, no, that's mean to Gem. I shouldn't say that about Gem, she's been good this season. Super, super cursed, mind you, in the like, game mechanic sense? But she's been good, no backstabbing or inability to get love involved. Um, and I guess that's not fair to Bdubs, kind of, except it also totally is and I haven't forgiven him. So I guess if they ask I said I believed in curses, and that's why my life keeps circling clocks? Don't put any of that other stuff down, I'm trying to work on that.

Lizzie: NO RESPONSE GIVEN.

Gem: I was just cursed for a task, but that probably isn't what you're asking about, right? I'm new, so I don't know! A task is a concrete thing to believe in, like bloodshed or victory or fun and games. You don't have to believe in those to know they're real, either! They just are, whether you like it or not. I understand that much!

Tango: Gah, don't talk to me about... Deep breaths. Look, I don't care if it's a curse, or if it's just me being really bad, or what, I'm not going out pointlessly this time. Jimmy managed not to die first, I can manage to not go out to a stray arrow or my own bomb or a misstep this time, right? Is that so much to ask?

Skizz: Huh? Curses? I mean, I don't think so, and to be totally honest I think it's kind of mean the way people sometimes rag on people about them. Everyone's got so many good things about them! Why do people like to focus on the unfortunate luck, huh?

Bdubs: Hah! Curses! Let me tell you about curses. When I see curses, I eat them for breakfast. I don't got curses, I've got better things to do! I've got my buddies with the Mounders, and I've got-well, I'd say keeping Etho safe, but he's being weird at me again this season. Not that it matters. It never matters. Etho and I, we're... The point is, that doesn't matter anyway, because I have the Mounders, and they're the ones who matter here. And because I'm a strong, independent Bdubs, who doesn't need anyone but my bow and my perfect, flawless fighting prowess! Sorry, what was the question? I've been thinking so much lately that it's just sort of made everything else pop out of my head, so it's hard to keep track. I'm sure I answered it flawlessly, though.

Martyn: Of course there are curses. That's half the fun for you lot, isn't it? Putting your little curses on us and watching us rail against them. Bet you think it's real cute to ask us what we think of the things, too. "Oh, what do you think of curses," like we have any control over them. Please. If I had any control over curses, Jimmy--or, well, no, I guess that one was technically broken, wasn't it? Sure doesn't feel like it. Point is, curses are bad, and they're definitely real, and I hate you for them, got it?

BigB: Look, man, if you're trying to get me to write my character out for you, just say so! I won't tell anyone. We can come up with a hole thing about holes and red tasks and the Backrooms together! It'll be fun! After all, you probably don't know what kind of curse to say I have, right? Haha, just kidding. I have no idea what I'm talking about. Luckily, neither does anyone else, so I think that evens out between the lot of us.

Jimmy: NO RESPONSE GIVEN.

[mrsfrecklesmarauders]

"Dad?"

"Mmh?"

"We haven't talked about dating..."

That alerted Fleamont. He knew his son was growing up, he was getting taller and taller each day. Fleamont noticed the way his voice was deeper and he no longer had a baby face. He was slowly turning into a man.

But Monty figured he still had time to enjoy his little boy. Time flew so fast.

"That's because you weren't interested about it before" he said, raising an eyebrow.

Monty remembered well how James declared he'd never have a girlfriend, back when he thought girls were weird and disgusting.

Oh how Effie and him had enjoyed those moments.

Now, James was noticeably blushing.

"There's this girl..."

"Oh, there's a girl..." Monty blinked as he prepared himself.

"I used to call her Carroty because she is a ginger" James explained as he pushed his glasses up "We used to fight a lot. She called me a toerag idiot...I love getting under her nerves, because she is cute when she is angry..." he grinned.

Fleamont smiled.

"Then at the beginning of this term, I asked her out and she tossed me a piece of pie in my face"

"Tough temper, ha?" Monty snorted "Probably you deserved it"

"I just simply asked her out!" James protested.

"Did you ask or demand?"

James frowned "There's a difference?"

Fleamont's chest glowed. It was adorable that James was naive and innocent about this matter. He was so young. Just fourteen. Fleamont remembered he didn't even think of girls at that age. His son had too much to learn.

"Oh yes" he said as he moved in his seat, getting more comfortable to face the boy "I know you, and you are not familiar with subtlety"

"Well, thanks for that!"

Fleamont smiled.

"What do you feel for this girl?"

James got even more scarlet.

"I think she's pretty, sort of..."

"Sort of?"

"And I like how she yells at me because she is cute when she's angry" he continued "And I think about her a lot... Not that often... But frequently... I don't know!"

James leaned closer with a bit of desperation.

"What's your advice?"

Fleamont wasn't an expert on women really. Both of the birds he had been with had flirted with him first. But when it came to giving advice to his son, Fleamont gathered all the wisdom he could.

"Listen, James" he started and the boy's eyes illuminated. When he was little, he used to think Fleamont was a genius and his dad's words were law. Fleamont was glad that he provoked that on him.

"You're a kid, there's a long way for you yet" he added "But a girl is not a cool item you spot in the market and want for yourself... It is like a trophy, you have to fight for her, you have to do things right in order to gain her attention. It requires patience and intuition"

"Patience?"

They both knew James wasn't an expert in that.

"Lots of it. But it is like rugby, you have to act when it is necessary, when it is your turn, not when it is not"

"So, I don't ask her out again?"

Fleamont giggled "I think you should go step by step first. Get to know her better, what she likes, what she doesn't. Test the waters, see if she might be interested... Then act" he explained "Like in rugby, you don't make a movement until you're sure it is beneficial for the game... Strategy, my boy"

"Strategy" James beamed.

"Yes..."

James raised from his seat. Sometimes it was overwhelming how much energy this kid had. He got it from Effie surely.

"Thanks Dad!" James exclaimed "I am gonna call the boys so they can help me plan a strategy to win Evans"

"It was a metaphor, James. She is actually not a bloody trophy" Fleamont explained but his son was already climbing the stairs.

"Yeah, yeah! Thanks Dad!"

Fleamont sighed "Ah, he'll figure it out eventually"

It was just the beginning. James was having baby steps yet. He had no idea what a relationship meant. What it felt like to actually fall in love. And to share a life with a woman.

James would grow up someday and would find the love of his life. And he would have to live new experiences, to mature and build a family.

But there was a long way for that yet. Fleamont was thrilled, he wanted to support his Jamie in every step of the way.

Aaah girls... Romance... Love... James had to learn a lot.

Effie was going to be thrilled as well when Fleamont told her.

[buddiebeginz]

I'm really happy that Buck and Tommy are finally over (thank god) but there was so much I didn't like about this episode. Not only does Tommy have a history of racism, homophobia, misogyny, etc but he was simply not a good boyfriend. And like not just not a good boyfriend to Buck (which he was that) but like not a good boyfriend in general. Like look at how he talked about Abby (and I'm no fan of hers).

I know some of the stuff with Tommy was probably due to Lou's terrible acting but some of it was definitely writing choices. I don't get the point of writing a character to be a lackluster love interest at best and dismissive patronizing jerk of a boyfriend at worst if it's not leading somewhere in the story. It just feels like bad writing. A lot of the stuff with Tommy does. It's why I'm still amazed at how much that fandom acts like they're the greatest romance of all time.

There's also all that stuff that happened in 7x04 that I fear is never going to get brought back up again. I mean it might when Buddie goes canon (which I still believe will happen) but it might not just because if Tommy's gone they might not feel the need to address it again. But it was clearly Eddie's attention that Buck wanted in that ep (I wrote a whole thing about it here). You also have the fact that Tommy was showering Eddie was all this attention and gifts and the only time we saw him do anything remotely like that for Buck was in tonight's ep on their anniversary and it was tickets for a game Buck didn't even like so clearly Tommy wasn't that invested.

It's just this show has a habit of Buck staying in these relationships where he's not happy. Not knowing his worth and not speaking up to people who hurt him all so he can feel like he's loved. And I know a lot of that goes back to the stuff he dealt with as a kid but I'm just really sad they did this to him again. I get that Tim probably wanted Buck's first relationship with a guy to end on a positive note but then like I said why write Tommy the way they did since s7? If you take Buck and Tommy's relationship just as it played out on screen then Buck definitely should have been the one to break up with Tommy.

They wouldn't have even needed it to turn into a fight or this bitter angry thing it could have been a matter of Buck realizing that him and Tommy were just too different. That Tommy didn't really get him as a person and that could have been further made clear by having a moment where Buck calls Tommy out on always calling him Evan. I also don't get why they decided to have Tommy call him Buck in the breakup scene but then never address it any other time. Like they never really explained why he only ever called Evan and then didn't explain why he switched it up.

Like I said I'm happy they broke up but I just feel like in some ways I can't enjoy it. In both this ep and 805 there was scenes like at the graveyard where Buck acts like Tommy is this amazing important person in his life and I get that some of that is Buck trying to make his relationship with Tommy into something more than that is. And really connecting his excitement and newness of coming out with Tommy. But it still hurt to see him asking Tommy about moving in when I know Buck deserves so much better. He deserves a partner who will love him and see him for exactly who he is.

Connected to all of this I didn't like the scene with Josh, Maddie, and Buck either. I know some of that was probably the shows way of trying to make us think about Eddie and his coming out in the future but they were also talking about Tommy. Tommy doesn't get a pass for being a misogynist or racist or a homophobe just because he was in the closet. Also whatever happened with him and Abby in the past he was still talking shitty about her when he was on the date with Buck (in present day) so clearly his attitudes towards women haven't changed.

I like a lot about Josh as a character and he doesn't even know Tommy or about his past so I feel like he was just trying to educate Buck on some queer history. I don't entirely blame him for that speech he gave. I do blame Tim and the writers though. If they wanted Tommy to be seen as a guy who made mistakes in the past and had grown they should have put the work in to show him as such. The couldn't be bothered to do that even in his relationship with Buck. Truly hoping this is the last we'll see of him and also that not much time is spent having Buck mourn that awful relationship.

[12woso12]

Dorothy lands in North London - Part 4

Any requests of where you want to see this go? Or are you liking the story how it is? Let me know whatever you think :)

Part 3

You weren't banking on the park gates being locked. They stretched at least two metres high and seemed to expand around the entire perimeter until meeting the edge of a dark forest in the near distance.

You frown in confusion and glance around for any sign of Kyra, you were already on edge, it wasn't exactly a pleasant experience navigating yourself around a new town in the dead of night. But your excitement at meeting Kyra out weighed your fear of actually getting to her.

'Oy' You hear the accent before you see her. As if on queue, Kyra appears behind you with a timid smile on her face. She was dressed similarly to you except where you were wearing bright green crocs, she had opted for trainers. Kyra had a ball under her arm and you groaned inwardly at your choice of footwear.

'It's nice to meet ya' Kyra stuck out a free hand which you took eagerly and grinned back at her.

'Likewise'

Kyra dropped your hand and moved past you until she stood in front of the gate and haphazardly threw the ball over. She grasped at the gate bars and hoisted herself up with ease before dropping down the other side. She paused to look back you.

'Coming?' She winked cheekily and you couldn't resist following the girl over having thought that maybe you'd finally met your partner in mayhem. You struggled a little more so than she had done because of your questionable footwear but eventually you managed to hoist yourself over the bars to where Kyra was waiting with the ball.

'I thought you might fancy a kick about?'

You chuckled and snatched the ball from Kyra's foot. 'What size shoe are you?

'What ?' Kyra's eyes widened 'Why?"

'I can't play with crocs on both my feet!' you explained already removing a croc from your left foot and holding it out to Kyra. 'Trade me one shoe and then we'll be even'

Kyra scoffed and hesitantly removed her own shoe. 'Why'd you wear crocs anyway?...And why are they so green? It's like you've skinned Shrek for them'

'I haven't been bothered to unpack yet' You explained tugging on Kyra's shoe. 'And my crocs are cool, you're missing out not having a pair of your own'

'I really doubt that' She countered, grimacing down at her feet before whacking the ball from your hands and sprinting across the field with it towards the nearest goal. You were hot on her heels and just as she was gearing up the shoot you slipped the ball away from her and towards the opposing goal.

'Come on' you shouted over your shoulder 'Aren't you suppose to be Kim Little's prodigy daughter?' You line up the ball and launch it towards the goal, it bounces off the cross bar and you cover your face in embarrassment.

'I can tell you're no top striker' Kyra caught up to you and patted your shoulder sarcastically. 'Less doesn't need to worry about competition'

'You're close with Russo?' You question more than eager to get a head start on understanding team dynamics.

Kyra nodded and went to fetch the ball. 'She's a lot like my older sister over here. You won't find anyone nicer than Lessi...penalties?' she asked.

'Only if you want to get destroyed' You mock running over to the goal to act as stand-in keeper. 'Best of five?'

'You're on y/n'

Somehow playing football with Kyra felt familiar. The way the girl passed back to you or teased you for showing off, it all felt as though you'd played with her your entire life. It was a stupid thing to think, really. And yet here you were, kicking a ball about with Kyra Cooney-Cross until the sun began to rise and the birds rose from their nests. Lost in the game, neither you or Kyra noticed how muddy the two of you had become or how as the skies grew lighter, you were getting closer to needing to leave for the Emirates.

'You know what we should do?' Kyra says suddenly stopping in her tracks. 'Feed the fans'

You grinned mischievously, immediately catching onto what she was hinting at. 'Your phone or mine?'

'Yours' she said instantly making you raise an eyebrow suspiciously. 'I hid Leah's boots at training today so i'm in her bad books right now but she can't be mad at you, you're not even officially an Arsenal player yet!'

Sighing you pull out your phone slightly nervous at the possibility of pissing off one of your captains before you've even shook her hand. 'I'll post to instagram' you said all the same.

Y/n13 added to their story

[hottpinkpenguin]

Joel Miller X Fem!Reader - Last of Us - Part 2

A/N: read part 1 here!

Warnings: hints of sexual violence (no descriptions); dark themes; post-apocalyptic dystopia; death of reader's minor child; probably a lot of non-canon details since I've never played the game; not proofread; spoilers if you haven't seen the show/played the game Word Count: 2650 Abbreviations: QZ = quarantine zone; FDRA "Fedra" = Federal Disaster Response Agency

----

“You look like hell, Joel.”

“K.”

Tessa looked Joel up and down, making a point to grimace as she did. 

“What, am I too ugly to do business with or something?” Joel’s tone was biting, his patience running thin. The restlessness in his bones was gnawing something awful today.

“Where’d your pet go?”

Joel’s stare was flat, but Tessa knew him well enough to see the slight jump in his jaw muscle as he clenched his teeth momentarily.

“My pet?”

“Yeah, that sad sack with the dead kid.” 

Joel’s knuckles turned white on the back of the chair he was leaning on. 

“What are you talk-”

“Oh come on, Joel. Don’t act like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like every other stupid fuck around here.” Tessa gestured around the dimly lit basement where she’d met Joel for the swap. They were alone, but Joel knew who she was referring to. Her crew. Good at stealing, running, and turning profits, but not amusing to her the way he was. Joel didn’t react, he just kept staring at her.

“It’s my job to know what my guys are up to,” Tessa pointed out as if she were explaining something to a young child. 

“I’m not one of your guys,” Joel countered through gritted teeth. “The only thing we need to know about each other is what I have and what you’ll pay for it.” He looked pointedly at the half-smoked pack of cigarettes, sawed off shotgun, and car battery on the table between them. 

Tessa chewed on the inside of her lip as she looked up at him. The bare lightbulb overhead cast harsh shadows on her face. 

“That wasn’t always true, though.” Her voice was softer now, a hint of playfulness in her tone. An invitation. She smirked up at him coquettishly. Joel shook his head, trying to shake out the memories that expression brought to mind. 

“That was a mistake, Tessa.” 

“A good one, though. Sometimes good mistakes are worth making a few times.” 

Joel shook his head, exhaling softly. He should have known better. Never put your prick where you put your money. 

“No, Tessa.”

“Come on, Joel. Just for old time’s sake.”

“Not gonna happen.”

Tessa’s eyes turned from flirtatious to bitter as the smile melted from her lips. 

“So she was your pet.”

Joel felt himself tense up. This was a game that he really didn’t want to play. Tessa was a dangerous woman. He’d done well to stay on her good side for so many years, but this had been a serious miscalculation. He shouldn’t have plucked at her jealousy by bringing you into the mix. 

“She wasn’t anything,” he insisted. He kept his tone even, forced himself to hold Tessa’s accusing gaze. Tessa had a good bullshit meter, but she was blind when it came to Joel. He’d used that a few times before, but this was a moment when it really mattered. He couldn’t risk it. Couldn’t risk you. 

A heavy tension settled between them as Tessa took a drag of her cigarette. Joel swallowed down a surge of anger at the oblique threat to your safety. 

“Fine.” Tessa stood up quickly, tamping out the end of her cigarette on the table and surveying its contents. “I’ll give you eight for the lot.” 

Joel ran a hand through his graying hair in exasperation. 

“That’s less than half of what we agreed on.”

“Yeah, it is.” Tessa knocked on the metal door behind her. It swung open, two of her lackeys swooping in to scoop up the contraband that Joel had brought her. Tessa grabbed a duffel bag from one of them, unzipping a side pocket and rifling through a dirty, wrinkled stack of meal cards. She pulled out eight pink slips and thrust them towards Joel. He knew better than to argue, and took them begrudgingly. 

“You’re screwing me on this, Tessa.” 

“And you’re screwing her.” Tessa’s voice was low. Joel didn’t miss the pain in her words. “In your dreams or in reality. Either way, you’re screwing her.” 

Joel opened his mouth to argue, but no words came out. His mouth snapped close. Tessa nodded in confirmation. She zipped up the duffel bag and swung it over her shoulder as she turned to leave.

“So this is about me not picking you?” Joel couldn’t stop the question from slipping out. He could have kicked himself for the fucking stupidity. 

Tessa froze halfway up the first step of the stairwell behind the door. She half-turned back to him. On the other side of the doorframe, her entire face was cast in shadow. 

“Partially. But partially because I can’t trust you anymore.”

“How do you figure that?” Joel stuffed the eight cards into the back pocket of his jeans, sensing that their conversation was coming to an end. He didn’t want to linger any longer than he needed. 

“Because. You’re not a free agent anymore, Joel. You’ve got something to lose. Which means people can get to you. And if they can get to you, they can get to me.” 

Tessa didn’t wait for him to reply before she started up the stairs. The door behind her swung shut, leaving Joel alone with the bare lightbulb and a jolt of fear in his gut that confirmed one thing:

Tessa was right. 

*****

The frozen ground crunched under your knees as you knelt down in front of the lopsided piece of wood that marked Gabriel’s grave. He wasn’t buried there, of course; FDRA confiscated all the corpses. What they did with them from there, you couldn’t let yourself think about. But you’d buried his favorite pair of sneakers and the tattered Captain America comic book he loved so much in this spot. It had been weeks since you’d visited. 

“Hi, baby.” You patted the cold, hard soil in front of his grave marker with a trembling hand. The frigid January air had gnawed your fingertips numb.

“I’m sorry it’s been so long.” 

In the distance, a raven cawed. 

“Things have been… well, they’ve been bad since you left.”

The abandoned lot you’d buried Gabriel in was overgrown with vines. It had been a playground once. A rusted swing set lay overturned on its side a few feet from where you knelt. Behind it, a monkey bar and slide combo emerged from the weeds. Gabriel used to like to play here when he was little. Eddie would take him on the rare days he had off. 

“I miss you.” You choked on the words, feeling your resolve beginning to fracture as tears burned the corners of your eyes. You swiped them away as your nose started to run. 

“I just wanted to tell you that I’m trying to do better. I’m trying, baby.” 

Next to the wooden stake with Gabriel’s name roughly carved into it, a second stake stuck out from the ground. It was more worn and weathered after years of sun and rain. Eddie’s name was barely visible anymore. Like Gabriel, Eddie also wasn’t buried here, but this was where you chose to remember him. 

“I love you both.” Two hands on the ground this time. One in front of each of your boys. A tear slid free from your cheek and slapped onto the frosted ground between your knees. 

“I’ll visit more, I promise.” You rose from your knees, tucking your frozen hands under your armpits with a shiver.

“What are you doing out here all by yourself?”

Your body went still, icy dread shooting through your veins. You knew that voice. 

“Just paying my respects, Dirk.” 

You turned to face Dirk Reynolds, keeping your face in a mask of calm. He was the last person you wanted to run into out here so far from the rest of the QZ. 

“Sorry to hear about your boy.” Dirk sounded anything but sorry. He was walking towards you slowly, eyeing you like prey. You fought the urge to run, but the sight of the FDRA-issued semi-automatic in his hands made you think twice. 

“Thank you, that means a lot.” Actually, it meant dog shit to you, but Dirk Reynolds wasn’t a man to play with. Even Eddie had been afraid of him, and Eddie was as fearless as they came. You swallowed, suddenly feeling very aware of how alone the two of you were.

“You’re all alone now, aren’t you?” You couldn’t help but take a half step back. He was still a good fifteen paces from you, but too close for comfort. His words set your teeth on edge. 

“I like to come out here by myself. Get some peace and quiet.” You knew that wasn’t the kind of alone Dirk was getting at, but you were desperate to change the subject. His brown, bloodshot eyes raked you up one side and down the other. Despite the layers of clothing you’d piled on to try and fight off the Boston winter, his gaze made you feel woefully underdressed. 

“That ain’t what I meant, y/n.” His voice dropped an octave, practically turning into a growl. He kept moving closer to you, taking his time, his eyes never leaving you.

“I’m getting by,” you stammered back. “Mrs. Hughes and her girls are good to me. They look out for me.” You wondered if Dirk would back down knowing that there were people who might miss you if you stayed out too long. Mrs. Hughes and her daughters were good to you, but you doubted that they’d notice your absence until well past curfew. God knows what shape Dirk would have you in by then. Your throat went dry and you felt your lip start to tremble.

“You look scared, y/n. I ain’t gonna hurt you.” He was close enough that you could hear the frost-stiff ground crunch under his feet.

“I- I know.” Your reply wasn’t convincing in the least. Because you knew one thing: Dirk Reynolds would hurt you. You’d heard plenty of stories from the other women who lived near you in the QZ. 

“I look out for my friends. And I’ve got plenty of friends around here. I could treat you real good. Keep you warm, comfortable. Keep you safe.” Dirk lingered on the last word, a thinly veiled threat. 

“I’m sure. And we all appreciate everything you do for us. Truly.” 

Dirk was FDRA, but he was also something of a self-styled neighborhood mafioso. He took bribes from all the drug dealers, smugglers, and pimps in the four block radius where you lived, and in exchange Dirk turned a blind eye to their goings and comings. You remembered him from when you’d first gotten to the QZ. He’d been a fat, boastful lecher back then. The twenty years since had seen him shed the beer gut and hone a real violent streak. He wasn’t the brightest man you’d met by half, but you couldn’t make the mistake of underestimating him. You hoped your appeal to his ego would work. 

“I wouldn’t mind if you showed me some of that appreciation.” 

You fell back another half step, your hands still raised in the air like it was a stick up. The fact that he hadn’t told you to put them down told you enough about his intentions. 

“What… Dirk, I- uh, I’m not ready… For all that. Still grie-grieving.” You could barely speak, the sheer panic ringing in your ears like bells. He was close enough to reach out and touch you now. You started calculating the chances of making it if you took off in a run. That gun he held in his hands gave you pause. You’d seen what Dirk did to some of the women who’d turned down his advances. And you’d known a few women - by face only - who’d mysteriously disappeared. There were rumors, of course, that Dirk had something to do with it; but up until now, you’d been able to wave those rumors off. You had other worries to pay attention to. But now, all you could think about was getting away. You didn’t think you’d make it very far before he shot you. And despite everything you’d lost, the terror pulsing in your blood told you that you weren’t ready to die. Not yet. 

“Y/N! There you are!” A vaguely familiar voice called out to you from over Dirk’s shoulder. You kept yourself completely still as Dirk’s face darkened in irritation, grunting angrily as he spun around to face the source of the sound. 

Joel Miller was striding across the frozen carpet of vines at the northeast corner of the empty playground, waving at you like you were an old friend. Your knees almost buckled in relief at the sight. 

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you! I wish you’d told me you’d come out here to see Gabriel.” Your heart twitched at the sound of your son’s name. An idle corner of your thoughts wondered how Joel knew that’s why you were here, but that was a question for later. With Dirk distracted, you made your move. You scurried around Dirk, careful not to get close enough to let him grab you, and made a beeline for Joel. You had to consciously fight the urge to run.

“Sir, I appreciate you looking after her.” Joel’s tone was sunny and friendly. A little too obsequious, you thought, but maybe that was because you knew Joel was putting on a show for Dirk’s benefit. 

You closed the distance between you and Joel quickly, the skin on your back prickling in a frenzy to get away from Dirk. 

“Get behind me,” Joel whispered to you through gritted teeth when you were in earshot. His voice was low and urgent, but the smile he wore for show never faltered.

“Yeah, sure, no problem.” Dirk’s reply was casual, but his tone was threatening and coarse. “Pretty little thing like that shouldn’t be alone in these parts. Can’t be too careful. All kinds of things slipping through the wall these days.” You knew Dirk was referring to the infected that occasionally broke into the QZ through the maze of dilapidated buildings, subway tunnels, and sewers. For your part, you’d have gladly traded the open city to get as far away from Dirk’s leering stare as possible. 

“That’s what I tell her, once a day if it’s twelve times. Isn’t it?” Joel turned to you, obscuring his face from Dirk’s view. There was a question in his eyes: did he hurt you. You shook your head quickly, letting your eyes fall to the ground. You sidled closer to Joel’s shoulder. He noted the movement and casually shifted his weight to step squarely between you and Dirk.

“We’ll go on and head back then. Don’t want to miss curfew. Thanks for your help, again. I won’t let her out of my sight, that’s a promise.” Joel turned away from Dirk, gesturing with his eyes for you to walk towards the boarded up building at the far end of the playground. He kept himself behind you, between you and Dirk. 

“Make sure you do that,” Dirk called out after the two of you. His voice was bitter and dark.

“Keep walking. Don’t look back,” Joel urged. He hovered a hand on your lower back, his touch so light you thought you imagined it. Despite the remnants of fear crackling in your nerves, his touch sent a gentle wave of warmth up your spine. You felt the terror subside slightly. 

You let Joel lead you silently back to his apartment. The two of you never shared a word, but there was a clear understanding that you wouldn’t be going home. It wasn’t until you stepped through the familiar doorway that you let out the faintest smile at the promise Joel had made: I won’t let her out of my sight. You knew the promise had been made under duress, but you sincerely hoped he was serious.

read part 3 here! **let me know if you want to be tagged in future chapters!

[saberamane]

So I haven't put too many of my thoughts on Valhalla out, aside from my frustration on the anomalies, so heres some things I've liked so far, found, or otherwise want to comment on.

First off, I have to mention some 'false advertising' I've noticed. In the store section there's a 'weekly free gift' thing. This is wrong, it's more of a free gift every 7 days you start up the game. I played yesterday, the first time in well over a week, and it said I still had 2 days until I could collect my weekly gift. So 'weekly gift' is not accurate.

I really like the standing stone things, they're pretty cool. The cairns have been a bit problematic in some aspects, but not too bad.

I finished all the beast hunts. They were all cool and interesting, but I have to say I was a bit disappointed about the 3 wolves one. Only 1 head is mounted in the long house. It would have been better imo if all 3 wolves were included.

The black shuck was awesome. I wish there was more English folk legends included in the hunts and not just oversized local wildlife.

The mystery things are usually cool, I just wish they acted more like mini missions and had general goal markers and not just 'look around the large oak tree' told to me by a note or person.

The raids are pretty fun, just wish there wasn't so many things to upgrade that I need so much exotic supplies for.

Fuck those skull curse things. In general they're fine, but the fact that your movement and sight gets impaired is annoying. You want me to solve how to find and destroy this skull thing while it's hard to see and move? Not fun.

I wish the horses had more variety that's not part of a set locked behind money. You get black, graying (the dark dappled one), a dark brown, brown/white paint, and a white horse with black mane and tail. Where are the gold horses? No buckskin, palomino, cremello, pearlino. At the very least buckskin is naturally occurring in wild horses and should be available, right? And don't get me started on the Roan coats.

So yeah, horse variety for free is not great. There are plenty of raven ones though and I really like them.

Now, something I've noticed in game that makes me believe that female Eivor is the 'canon' choice:

For one, I've noticed at least twice where, while playing as male Eivor, an NPC referred to Eivor as 'she' or 'her', and this is during main story requests.

During a recent story quest where I'm helping the alderman reunite with a childhood sweetheart and getting his wife back to france, you request the help of a 17 y/o Dane named Rollo. During most 9f the quests with him, he is shown as being about Eivor's height, maybe a small bit shorter. The very last cutscene shows Rollo as suddenly being a lot taller than Eivor.

This has happened several times. In game Eivor is on par or slightly taller than those around him, but in cutscenes he is suddenly MUCH shorter. This is both annoying because it's inconsistent, but also seems like the development was rushed or people just didn't care about this detail.

But also, if Eivor is supposed to be Odin reborn, why would he be so short? Even if you played female Eivor, they should be taller than average. Kassandra was noticeably taller than pretty much everyone she met, and when I did the mission where you run into Kassandra, Eivor is was not shorter than her. Thisnlack of attention to detail is just... bad.

Ok, rant over. Overall liking the game. Sigurd has been a dick on screen so far, but I blame Basim for that. Just found out Sigurd had his arm cut off, oof.

(Forgot to add, I loved the hidden ones bureaus, very cool. And if someone knows if Reda is in Mirage, without spoilers, I'd love to know. I'm surprised he's still alive AND a child. Is this ever explained ?)

[oncillabrigade]

I feel like I see a lot of fan authors/artists depicting Jason and Tim (and sometimes Steph) as unrelentingly mean to Damian in public, and that doesn't ring true to me. I haven't read the comics since before Damian was introduced (Wayne Family Adventures pulled me back in, and oh man there are fun DC comics these days!) so maybe I'm missing some canon examples of that... but I feel like every single child in that family gets how awful it is to be in the spotlight at a young age. They remember how awkward and exhausting it was to always smile for the camera, always be perfectly behaved, always uphold the ideal of what a Wayne adoptee should be. It didn't matter how you felt; you had to act the part. And they wouldn't make that harder for anyone.

Detailed thoughts below the fold!

Acting like a Perfect Wayne Kid���️ must be easier for Tim than for his siblings, because he was already playing that game as a Drake. But that doesn't mean it wasn't excruciating, especially for someone as introverted and wonderfully weird as Tim. Honestly, I think he'd be a mine of useful information for the later additions to the family!

I can see him at a charity dinner next to Cass, indicating which utensil comes next, murmuring, "I know, it's ridiculous. And there's no real reason, which makes it so hard to remember. But you're doing great." I can see him helping Duke practice the "right" laugh before a party: "Not too loud, not too real, not too many teeth showing. These people are terrified of genuine emotion, but in a shittier way than Bruce is." And I can most certainly see him talking Damian through how to leave a room when there are TOO. MANY. PEOPLE and the walls are closing in, showing him escape routes at different venues, explaining, "you don't want to use the bathroom excuse too many times in a row. People notice and tabloids start saying you have an eating disorder. I'll text you a list of alternate reasons to leave a conversation."

What I cannot see is Tim leaving anyone out to dry in the hell of high society. Even if Dami were driving him NUTS, I don't think Tim would call him a brat, insult him outright, or badmouth him to others. I think the worst thing he'd do is roll his eyes with humorous exaggeration and say, "okay, Damian, you've done your little brotherly duties--go talk to your friends, okay?" He could be SEETHING about a horrific fight 30 minutes before their appearance and play it off as, "haha, well, all brothers bug each other sometimes." And then he'd pivot, flawlessly, to a positive comment about the whole family, Dami included. Tim Drake, world champion of compartmentalization, fiercely loyal and kindhearted, is not giving the press a single bad word about his siblings. He is smiling and saying all the right things.

And then... then, there's Jason.

Jason understands, firsthand, how hard being inducted into the world of Perfect Wayne Behavior™️ is. Can you imagine Jason Peter Todd going through that? It's not just that he was in a new world, where money and food and clothes were a given, not a hard-won prize. It's not just that there were a million new rules to memorize (how to wear a suit, inscrutable dining etiquette, passive aggression instead of speaking your mind when angry, etc.). It's not just that he was suddenly thrust in the limelight at a young age, thrown in at the deep end of child stardom. It's not just that he was inevitably compared to Dick, who's naturally charismatic in a way that made his rambunctiousness forgivable by Gotham's elite. It's not just that he was simultaneously learning to be a Wayne AND a Robin, which was both mentally and physically exhausting.

No, it was all that PLUS who Jason was when he had just been adopted. Picture him: a kid from Crime Alley, recently out of a school for troubled youth, mourning the loss of his mother, and WAY too fucking smart not to see the condescension in the eyes of his new dad's peers. He was treading water constantly in every aspect of life, occasionally managing to float... all while the press and high society watched intently and judged him like he was swimming in the Olympics. Being Robin gave him magic, but god, he must have used so much of it up on just getting through public appearances.

I refuse to believe that someone who went through that would belittle or humiliate anyone doing the same. Especially when it comes to Damian. Damian, who comes from a world where physical prowess is the ultimate trump card, now trapped in a conversation where mentioning that prowess means he loses status. Damian, who knows the worst physical pain you can imagine and takes it as all in a day's work, struggling to contain his disdain for someone complaining about their tennis elbow. Damian, who was exposed to the worst aspects of humanity before he could form permanent memories, staring in disbelief at a kid his age saying the teacher who gave them an hour of detention is SO evil. Damian, who had mastered the rules of the League, discovering that the rules of Gotham high society are SO different that his prior knowledge is actively disadvantaging him.

I cannot imagine Jason seeing Damian as anything other than a fellow kid trapped in the pool with all eyes on him.

So Jason will do what he's always done: stand up for someone in need. Because Damian IS in need, no matter how much of a pain-in-the-ass he might be. That means Jay is telling the press about how smart Damian is, how good he is with animals, how proud the whole family is of his art. It means he's wearing suit pants with deep pockets so Damian's emotional support plushie is on hand at all times. It means he's using his bulk to clear the way to the balcony when the kid needs air and quiet. It means he's verbally eviscerating the posh knob who called Dami a brat, because NO ONE outside the family gets to say that shit about Jason fucking Todd's baby brother.

I don't care how annoyed they are with each other--bat kids hang together in the face of danger. And make no mistake: being a Perfect Wayne™️ is one of the most dangerous missions they face.

[mochicrackersss]

Blog Post - Convention Preview ᯓᡣ𐭩‧₊˚ ⊹

I've always enjoyed participating in fandom experiences! Though, I haven't been to anything crazy, like Comic-Con or Anime Expo. My most notable were just a few local Florida conventions. But they were still fun overall and gave a great look into youth culture and fandom communities with its vast amount of participants around the globe and things tailored for each fandom.

My first convention was PolyCon at Florida Polytechnic University. I don't remember much about it because it was a couple of years ago, but would say it was a good time! The convention itself was pretty quaint with not a lot to do and not many people attending besides Polytechnic students. But for being my first exposure to convention life, I was enamored. There was also a student-run maid cafe that was amusing to go to, specifically because my dad came to the convention with me. Younger me had absolutely no idea how to explain to my dad why a bunch of college students were in cat ears, maid costumes, and doing intricate dance routines. He was so confused... it was lowkey hilarious but also embarrassing.

I'd say the most memorable convention memory I have is when I went to Mega Con in 2021! It wasn't super long after the COVID quarantine got lifted, and so until then, I hadn't gone to anything or seen many people for what felt like a long time. Being able to go to a convention (of course, by then it was safe to be in public spaces) and simultaneously going with my best friend for her first time was just what I needed. However, it was very different with COVID regulations still in place, like masks and social distancing. But I did notice the convention felt like a sense of normalcy for many con-goers after the pandemic. Everyone I met was so kind (and that's rare because you're bound to run into a few bad eggs or creeps), and every cosplayer I saw, even with the masks, made the most out of their costumes! My best friend and I also tried to cosplay as our favorite characters from Demon Slayer because the anime was a huge comfort to us while we holed up inside our homes with nothing to do. Yes, I think my costume was horrible because I am no professional, and I lowkey hate looking at pictures of it, but it did act as a nice escape from the COVID-filled reality at the time. Because of that, I was so happy to spend that precious time with my best friend! And buy a lot of stuff in the artist alley because Mega Con's is so big lol.

Another convention I went to earlier this year was the University of Florida convention, Swamp Con! I never knew until later in my first semester that UF held its own convention, and I think more students should know about it! Swamp Con is an event completely run by students in the Reitz Union, which I think is super impressive based on how many activities there were to do! There were panels, quizzes, performances, cosplay contests, an artist alley, outdoor games, special foods and drinks, and even a maid cafe (which was so funny to see a second time in a college). I also cosplayed again for this convention as Sophie Hatter from Howl's Moving Castle, which is such a huge shocker based on my Tumblr. 

Overall, the convention setting on a college campus took an unseen pressure off, which is something I also remembered feeling at PolyCon. I thought that would be an interesting thing to point out compared to venue conventions! 

[elfqueen006]

Resentment and Other Unpleasant Feelings

So like... I made this fic based around this post by @yanderelovlies - I'd made an ask to make a submission but they haven't update since May.

Wanted to get this out, thx and enjoy.

---

May felt ...something overpowering her in her sleep. Actually, overpower wasn't right. It was something covering her psyche and body. It felt like having a sheet thrown over you and being forcibly held underneath it. Of course, as soon as she felt it, whatever it was, she forced it out. It didn't take much, as it wasn't that strong of an assailant - it's just that its presence was very hostile, which caught her off guard.

When she opened her eyes, she was met with her ceiling. But in her room she felt a groan and shuffling. She rose from her bed and saw Jack in the middle of her bedroom floor. Her teeth gnashing together as she made a vicious hissing sound, startling him to look in her direction. He looked tense and caught... that was the least he was going to feel once she was through with him.

"How. Dare. You?" she hissed.

The man gulped and in an instant, he was gone. ‘Coward. Asshole. Idiot.’ May thought. ‘Probably off spinning another white lie about me to Jamie.’ He'd been a pain in her ass since Jamila Cameroon had bought that damned tape. He's tried time and time again to intercept their affairs, all while slighting her. In fact, he made it a point to do it every time.

And the worst part was... she might've loved him the first time she saw him.

After watching the tape with Jamie, a soul bond of sorts had been enacted. She'd never felt one quite like this despite making them with her clients. Where hers often felt like a chain around the neck to imply ownership - this one felt attached to her heart.

May was fascinated by how humans expressed affection. It was as entertaining as it was adorable. Not a lot of demons did that without the added measure of sexual favors.

So she watched Jack and Jamie make their dates, play flirtatious games, and reassure the other. She was a voyeur to their "love", living vicariously through Jamie as she recounted their days to her. And she didn't dislike it for the most part. Demons were eternal with uncertain expiration dates - countless cogs in a great machine; not made nor fit for lasting relationships. Besides, Jack had gone after who he wanted and if his first instinct wasn't to pursue his real bond - who was she to stop him?

So, maybe it was her fault that Jack never knew. She didn't really explain the situation outside of her contract with Jamie - which had nothing to do with him anyway... it seemed like he was under the impression May forced her into it. But whether he knew it or not, creatures like her had to be summoned for these things to work. And besides, if she left, so did all of Jamie's contractual benefits. And she'd be fine. Jamie was a smart girl - when she assumed May was ignorant, she had devised a fallback plan to at least retreat to an apartment should all of her ill gotten fruits leave her.

Still, the prospect of someone owning Jamie made Jack upset. And the consequences be damned, he continued to try her patience.

"I know you're her manager, but you don't have to act as if you're her friend. You're only using her after all..."

"It's amazing how much she relies on you, but at the end of the day you'd just betray her, wouldn't you?"

"I could have sworn Jamie said she would take out the trash... so why are you still here?"

Time after time his words grew colder. And she wondered if she even had the right to be angry after all that's happened. She knows what she is; she knows she is not good. But what had she done that she wasn't doing a million times before? And though others hated her during those points as well… Why did this hurt?

---

It was morning. Jamie had gotten another call about the article she wrote on a celebrity - they were inviting her to lunch. As always, Jack congratulated her, showering her in the highest praise as if she were some sort of goddess. May couldn't help but feel a little spiteful; the girl was clueless to his cruel whims. And the fact that she always questioned her and never him was enough to drive the demon up the wall with frustration.

Still, she bears it. Years in the future this will all just be a bad memory.

As May went ahead and made herself breakfast (Jack never made enough for the three of them) she steeled herself for whatever drivel the young woman would regurgitate from the big blue bully.

"Um, May?" Jamie's small voice came from behind her. She hummed in reply. "I heard noises last night. At first I wasn't that concerned but...Jack told me-"

Here we go.

"-that you...attacked him?"

May looked over her shoulder, her emerald green eyes sending a shiver down Jamie's spine.

"Did he?"

Jamie swallowed silently before nodding.

"And for what reason?"

"H-he didn't say. Not exactly, he told me you were erratic." Then she paused, "Oh, wait! He um, said you were upset he was coming between the contract. Screaming that he was a t-threat."

May scoffed but she couldn't help her twisted smile, which unnerved Jamie further. And Jack, who'd been eerily quiet up to this point, finally spoke.

"What you did wasn't right, May. Neither is what you're doing." Jack said, faking earnest but still having that trace of cold in his tone.

"What am I doing, exactly?"

"Controlling Jamie. Staking claims over her life and isolating her from people that care about her well being."

May threw her head back in laughter. Her fangs glinted under the kitchen light. This act alone made Jamie rise up from the table as it was the biggest and most abrupt show of emotion from her. Her shoulders were shaking and she even wrapped her arms around her stomach.

“You two… you two are so funny! It's amazing, really! The things you can spin out of thin air along with your own sheer audacity!” She spat the last word at a disgruntled Jack.

“But still… it's always A nice reminder to know everytime I'm going soft on you, your opinion of me just remains stubbornly consistent.”

Jack arched a brow in question, prompting May to continue. “You aren't entirely off in your statement. I've grown weary of you and your attempts to get between Jamie and I's contract.”

Jack didn't like the sound of this… she hadn't reacted like he thought at all. Granted May wasn't a very expressive woman, for her to laugh and take his words on the chin was out of character. When he insulted her she often scoffed or gave a soft, if not annoyed rebuttal. She would look unaffected, but he could instinctually feel her waning with every remark.

Now he felt something cold weighing on his chest, applying pressure with every word she spoke. Maybe it was her demonic presence, but every bone in his body was screaming at him to reel back.

And then May looked him directly in his eyes. “I want you gone.”

“Hrk-!” Jack clutched his chest as he stumbled backwards and slid down to the floor. His back caught on the spatula in the pan on the stove and it fell with him. May's eyes widened slightly in realization, before they relaxed in cool indifference. It was that easy.

Jamie went to aid Jack, kneeling beside him as he groaned in pain. She was horrified to find her hands went right through him when she reached out to hold him. He was…flickering. Going in and out like fog or a hazy mirage.

Jamie looked up at May with wide eyes, “Wh-What did you do to him!?”

May leaned back on the counter. “Do you remember when you first played that tape? I warned you about the spiritual energy coming from its contents. We ended up watching it together… In it I made a contract of sorts. I wasn't aware I was making it. But I figured I must have done it to protect your soul, as it was already promised to me.”

Jamie's brows furrowed in confusion while Jack's face seemed drained of its warmth when he realized the implications of her words. His mouth fell open. May couldn't even bring herself to smirk at their astonishment. She could only look on in disappointment and something akin to pity.

“You have no idea how lenient I've been on you.” May said. “But last night you really pushed me. And I think it's time we end this union before you become more of a liability than you're worth.”

Jack made an effort to stand up once his form was becoming more solid, but May was already walking out of the kitchen. Jamie looked between Jack and her manager, confused and scared of what is and will occur.

“W…wait, May!” Jack called out.

May stopped. He rarely ever addressed her by her name. A cruel reminder that she was little more than a nuisance to him. A thing to be stepped over. An obstacle. And now… at his lowest, he wanted to actually use her name?

“May, I'm…I'm sorry!”

The demoness turned around with a look of disgust. It took him off guard, as he was used to her calm and composed persona.

“You're sorry?” she spat, “Who the hell do you think you are?”

He didn't answer. How could he? May had clearly made up her mind about him. The cold spread until he was outright shivering in fear. Jamie held onto him as he buried his face in his hands.

“No, No I can't go back- I can't !” he whimpered.

“You're not going anywhere!” Jamie protested.

May didn't bother with refuting that.

---

Working on part two, balancing the angst ending with some hurt and comfort after the fact.

Honestly, I just really like stories where people who wrong others atone. I think it just speaks to my petty psyche. Plus, I like showing May on the other side of Jack's ire. She's not the best person but as a demon that's amped up some.

So yeah, thanks to everyone who read, tune in next time.

[ryuichirou]

Replies

Some replies!

Anonymous asked:

Do you have an Ao3 account?

I honestly forgot that I had one because I don’t read or write fics… so it’s just for leaving kudos from time to time when I remember to log in lol

Katsu’s account isn’t as empty as mine though! But Katsu doesn’t write fanfics very often; the one I posted a sketch for yesterday was the first twst one Katsu wrote.

Anonymous asked:

I was looking at Union birthday interviews again, and the deserted island answers spark some really really reallyinteresting scenarios... Stuck in a deserted island without Internet with a guy who now can do whatever he wants with you(r body) 👀👀👀 And you can't even complain because YOU chose him!!!

Truth to be told, I originally thought of this with Lilia/Vil considering how Lilia behaved back in Stitch event, but then I realized it could be so scrumptious with other ships too! Ruggie/Deuce, Kalim/Leona, Jack/Jamil (and these three who picked victims to stuck with on an deserted island: Jack/Epel, Rook/Silver, Ortho/Malleus)

I really love this question, I wish the next bunch of birthday interviews would have more “theoretical scenario” questions like this one. It’s like the characters themselves give us a prompt for a fic or a doujin lol Stuck in a deserted island…together…

Lilia/Vil on a deserted island sounds like a delightful time, but I also don’t know what Lilia did in the Stitch event, so maybe it’s not as delightful as I picture it LOL But all of these combinations are so fun… I think Rook/Silver and Ortho/Malleus are the ones I would love to see the most.

Also, if I remember correctly, Idia went through an entire list of characters before making his pick, the boy ANALYSED IT he is so picky!!

Anonymous asked:

I was rereading Lilia's union birthday card (spoilers now if you haven't watched it— you should!!!) And thinking that his ideal brother being someone who is not "boring or too independent" but more unpredictable and interesting is really silly when it sounds like his ideal "baby brother" is the total opposite of Silver lol 😭 I can't help but think Lilia has been waiting Silver's whole life for him to hit his rebellious phase and start acting out, but Silver remains as adoring and steadfast as ever... I wonder what Silver would think of this lol

OH I remember that one!! It’s funny how pretty much the first thing he said was “well not Vil or Trey”, like why would you even mention them then, Peepaw? So mean lol

It really is very easy to imagine Lilia waiting for Silver to become a little rebel… If he had had a moment of disobedience or brattiness, Lilia would’ve probably secretly be very pleased. It’s like wow! I’m raising a little firecracker. Or maybe it was a pleasant contrast with Malleus: finally, a child that isn’t trying to burn your face out of pettiness lol

Maybe Silver would get confused and/or upset by it… he is trying his best to be the best son for Lilia, and all this time Lilia just wanted more trouble?

Anonymous asked:

do you ever intend to watch cloudcalling on the savanna/tamashina mina? i know you’re not a big fan of leona and leona’s the star of the show, and i honestly can’t say i disagree with your criticisms of book 2 — frankly, if you said it’s the weakest book, the majority of the fandom would agree with you (and idk if you know but there’s a theory that book 2 was originally book 6, bc when the books were being announced before the game’s release, they were largely in order except savanaclaw being 6 instead of 2. which is admittedly not amazing evidence that the order was rearranged way too late in development, but it’d explain why b2 is so rushed and just… bad, and p. much all other advertisement and promotional material for the game since then has been in the current order). however i feel that this event does a lot for leona’s character, and also offers a lot of worldbuilding for the savanna and context for the way he is. almost like an apology for fumbling the bag on book 2 haha. i’m not trying to force you btw and it’s totally fair if you don’t want to or have other things you want to watch first!!! i’m just a faceless blob on the internet and i obviously can’t (and don’t want to!) force you. i just recommend this event, as a resident catboy lover and lion snuggler!! :3

besides that, are there any potential events that you want to see? for example i’d love an event that takes us to the coral sea, briar valley, or even the isle of woe!!

In general, Anon, we would love to watch all the events at some point (or at least the majority of them), but yeah to be honest Tamashina Mina isn’t really in our top-10 when it comes to priority.

Even though it has Lilia, Vil and Kalim, whom we love a lot, and actually learning more about Savanna would be very cool, and the idea of Leona’s character being better written there is inviting, I guess we’re just not in a Leona mood most of the times lol It all boils down to how I just don’t like the way he is written the majority of times. This balance always feels off somehow, and the way he bounces off other characters doesn’t feel as fun, but maybe it’s due to my personal taste and me disliking this type of character in general. I don’t even know how to describe it in a way that makes sense.

But the thing is, Leona has moments that I genuinely enjoy; for example, I love it when he gets called out or when he is stuck in a funny situation. I liked his fighting scene in the Playful Land event (if you know you know, I’m not spoiling it since it’s not out in EN yet) because it shows him being smart and skilled and then adds a punchline on top of it. So it’s not completely impossible even for me have fun with Leona, and I hope this event has moments like this. But we’ll see… eventually.

The theory that Book 2 was originally Book 6 makes sense because it feels super rushed and “raw” with writing all over the place at times… Honestly, I hope we’ll get some info on it at some point! I doubt we ever will unfortunately, but it would explain a lot. But I’m happy with their order now because we got a lot of stuff from Book 6, which we love so dearly. If Leona had to be sacrificed for it, so be it, we won’t complain lol

THE CORAL SEA EVENT, YES!!! This is the one we are the most excited about, I really hope we’ll get to see it soon! And Briar Valley too of course, and the Isle of Woe since in my head I almost always picture S.T.Y.X. facility, which is so unfair because they have their own (fake) ecosystem underwater, so it’s pretty much Greece-like place!

More events…. more….

It also depends a little bit on the character combo which participates in the event, we clearly have our biases too lol Events with the characters that we strongly ship will most likely get our attention asap. We actually planned on watching the Stitch event back in April, but personal stuff made us delay it for so long that it actually came out in English. We didn’t want to overlap with the Western fanbase, so instead we watched White Rabbit Fest and Ghost Marriage Event or whatever it’s called. The second one is not fully watched though, I’ll mention the reason below. And now I’m not at home so we won’t be able to finish it properly.

What hinders us in most cases is the lack of non-official translations because as soon as the official one is out, nobody is going to bother with translating the event since it doesn’t make sense. But it matters to us :c Same with vignettes, which are even less likely to get translated after their EN release. It ruins the flow of watching TWST by making us constantly looking for videos with the events being unfinished or nobody bothering with the vignettes for the event. It’s a pity, but I understand that it’s a very hard work to translate stuff in general and not to get demotivated by the official translations, because who then needs yours? I NEED!!! Please...

[liauditore]

hi i have returned opinions on secret life so far? (also any idea why bigb’s secret animation was different to everyone else’s?) :D

hi hi i have so many Thoughts that i will definitely miss Something but. lots of things. spoilers for ep1 under the cut obvs.

why is every ship getting crumbs. literally all of them. what is wrong with everyone wtf. (except treebark. treebark girlies stay losing)

new mechanic is insanely hype and i am going a little bit feral over it. i've been wanting a UHC-style season for a long time and this seems a great way to kind of. entertainment-fy it i suppose? cus as much as i wanted straight up UHC i can totally understand why players like joel or skizz or scar would struggle hard in that sort of ruleset and it wouldn't be very fun to watch as a result.

i'm a bit.. tentative about the more acknowledgment of the Lore this time around? On one hand i love it and i think it's incredibly cool but on the other hand i know well that lore can eat a series alive if let out of control. Especially when fans start getting pushy about their theories and disappointed when inevitably things aren't as explained or thoroughly confirmed or straight up forgotten. (<-- fnaf fan. i have seen it. it is horrible)

that being said i have trust in grian specifically to handle it well and not go off the deep end with it cus a good chunk of the viewers don't know/care for the lore and if it becomes a Big Thing then a lot of people are gonna end up feeling alienated and confused.

i LOVED Bigb's episode and i think it's like. the ideal way to incorporate lore into a series like this. the way you can Feel that something is off rather than it being explicitly shown. you can choose to write it off or dig deeper. it's good juice. I've mentioned this before but I'll say it again -- Bigb is easily one of the strongest roleplayers on the entire server and his editing REALLY sells it hard. He really melts into what's happening rather than getting up on a platform and shouting THIS PART IS IMPORTANT. LOOK AT ME. which i really appreciate as a kind-of honorary former theatre kid.

but yeah tl;dr i think lore/fan theories should be left to the fandom mainly otherwise it starts getting weird. that being said i trust the life series ppl and can't wait to see what's going on with this season.

now if i may be unhinged myself. i def agree with the theory that Something is up with Bigb's task and maybe whatever gave it to him is trying to mess with the game.

Bigb and Mumbo specifically I felt were acting.. a little OOC the whole episode? Bigb was very much on purpose i think and i reckon mumbo's just excited to be back lol but its fun to think about

the task system has a lot of potential for. fanfic symbolism fuel. i mentioned this on my spam blog i think but something something about the way the players' tasks almost seem to. mock them? a little bit?

like pearl's being to "earn" people's hearts after she failed to make any connections throughout double life and has been somewhat isolated the whole series. bdubs being known for his efficient and beautiful builds being told to make something ugly and useless. scott being implicitly called a parasite with his history of teaming and latching onto one specific person each season. etc. etc.

the teams this time around are looking interesting and i think it's worth noting how it almost feels like.. the opposite of limlife a bit? with how slow and cautious everyone has to play. it seems like over half the server haven't really even joined up with anyone yet which is intriguing. (im personally praying for a scar/jimmy team up. just cus scott said they wouldn't make it lol)

which is great for me cus i loved limlife but the chaoticness of everything did kind of. make deaths less impactful i think? if i see another sky bridge i might scream

im very. of two minds about the scott and impulse team up. because if you dig through my blog you'll see i have kind of a history of being unhinged about those two and their parallels. but i have the sneaking suspicion that their actual dynamic will be like nothing i had in mind lmao

overall i am very excited but trying to control my expectations

also um MUMBO AND LIZZIE ARE BACK AND GEM IS IN THE SERIES AND MUMBO AND LIZZIE AND THUBS ETHUBS ETHUBS ETHUBS ETHUBS--

[tarot-by-e11e]

Hi, Elle! This is my feedback for your "Home" tarot game.

To be honest, I don't even know where to begin. You mentioned a lot of points that describe my situation, or how I act considering things in general. Let me start off by saying thank you for this reading.

Yes, if money wasn't an issue, my house/apartment would be a space I'd be comfortable whether I'm busy or stay at home for months so it would have all my interests in there. Thanks, I also wish you get the house and life of your dreams!

Also, the only earth placements I have are my Jupiter and Saturn in Taurus (Tropical), with Capricorn as my Venus (Vedic). However, I think what strongly relates more with your assumption is my Saturn conjunct MC. I have them EXACTLY conjunct with each other, which probably explains this need for me to be productive and make use of my time. I'm really working on being more lenient with letting myself rest though.

Also, off-topic, I just want to say that I've had quite a number of reading that usually have either the Death or Emperor card. Sometimes, even both. It could also be for any reading, not just self-improvement 😭 I just felt like this was interesting and all telling me something more about taking more initiative and being more open to different aspects of my life.

Speaking of changes, I'm going to skip first to your Phoenix comment. I think I understand your confusion since my relationship with change is this: I know it so well that I could even thoroughly explain what kind of changes should happen in my life and how it should happen. I understand and acknowledge the need for it. I accept and look for these changes, but it feels like inaction happens when I actually have to change something. It's not that I don't want to, but despite efforts, I still have fears I haven't fully resolved. So, that's probably why I reasonate with the Phoenix. This, then, brings me to my routines. As a matter of fact I do love having routines - gives more direction to my life. The thing is, yes, I can hold quite a grip on my routines for fear of possibilities of things that could happen or people that could screw me up (I'm really working on this but so far, this is my hardest "challenge"). I believe I've been more selective of the people I let in my life and I'm proud of myself for that. However, I can't distance myself from some of my relatives yet when I'm still not stable enough to do that. Haha.

You also hit the bull's eye with your momentum comment. Since, yes, I am someone who needs to acknowledge that I do need to change but not at the expense of burning myself out. However, I think I'm still in the process finding my rhythm that I do give my time a long time to rest, then I feel the need to make-up for it since what if I over-extended my rest? There's that kind of feeling sometimes. Thank you, though. I know it isn't a sprint and honestly I'm not getting outer pressure anymore but from time-to-time, I tend to push myself more just because I know I can (though I know even if I rest I still can reach it, it's just my need of having this stability).

This was a great reading and reminder. Thank you once again <33

Hi dear,

Thank you so much for sending me such thorough and heartfelt feedback. Life has been rather hectic, so I'm only able to properly respond to this feedback now~

I seriously wish you get to live in an environment where you feel safe to exist and just be yourself as unapologetically as possible. With my dream house, OMG I hope so too! Actually, let's both work hard to get it! Best of luck for us in the future!

With the astrology part, having earth placements does have that kind of effect on people. So just do what you feel called to do.

Maybe those two cards have some sort of significance in your life since they kept showing up in your other readings.

Ohhh interesting, this inaction can also be perceived as an internal resistance to change. I do really like your take on the Phoenix. But hey, don't beat yourself for being strict about your routines, especially if you have dealt with unreliable people in the past who mistook your kindness for weakness.

I'm also proud of you that you're learning to discern that not everyone deserves to have any access in your life. You don't have to go about it so abruptly, just pace yourself and take your time. You'll get there eventually. Yup, you're right about that.

Just get stable first before making a big move, also do it secretly and discretely. Unfortunately, there are certain relatives that are shameless and uncouth, that the moment they get a whiff that you have a bit of money, they'd come barging in your front door, demanding for a piece of the pie. The same people are so quick to shame you for putting healthy boundaries when you don't give them what they want, like some entitled spoiled brat throwing a temper tantrum.

When it comes to momentum, try to sit down and assess yourself first. How long can you hold focus? How many minutes or hours does it take before your brain doesn't wanna accept any information anymore? What effective mental recesses do you already implement in your life? Which productivity hack works and doesn't work for you? What kind of planner are you? How do you best retain and master a certain information or technique?

Then take notes of your progress.

How long can you consistently show up to a certain habit with this specific strategy? What do you like about this strategy? What do you not like about it?

Treat your progress, as if you're keeping track of all the developments and occurrences that happen when observing a science experiment.

But overall, I'm truly happy that you resonated with the reading. I do hope and wish all the best for you and your endeavors.

[caitlynnrosespn]

Another Rant. More Like A Response.

So I was going to make a video about this because I have a lot to say. But I realized that the stutter I thought I had gotten rid of Freshman years comes out heavily if I'm pissed, which I currently am, so I'll just save use the headache and type this out.

Also tagging @apexious cuz they wanted to see this.

Look. I could totally tag people. I could name names. But I'm not going to. Because at this point everyone has probably either seen this post or knows who this person is. And goddamn do I have a lot to say about them.

Number 1: If you're gonna call me out call me out bestie. Coming after me for a post I made expressing discomfort at a NSFW self ship is fine and all, but then you go ahead and say stuff like "adult people can have adult thoughts about other adults" when my post was referring to a fanfic written by a KID? Get your facts straight before you say anything that's public. Here's the thing, was my post in poor taste? Quite possibly. Was there an adult way to handle it and get the results you wanted? Oh yeah. Did you do the adult thing? Nope! Instead of either A. taking it to a private message and explaining what was wrong or B. making a respectful post that highlighted what was wrong in a mature way, you made a disrespectful, arrogant, self righteous post bashing an entire fanbase despite the fact that only a few people were at large. So now, instead of placing the responsibility of accountable parties, which I would have been included in, and allowing to own up and apologize, you have now not only included yourself into the problem, but also blown the problem wayyyy out of proportion. May I remind you that we are a fairly tiny fandom based on a video game directed at children? I've been playing since 2012, so believe me when I say these games have come a long way. Hell, these characters now in fanfics didn't have names until The Traveler season happened. Remember the days of referring to characters as "the coach from One Kiss" or "Jessy's guy in Swish Swish" or "P1 in Lean On"? Yeah, that was surprisingly not that long ago. So it is responsible to believe that the concept of NSFW or self shipping in a fandom is relatively new to us. Shit, we are not going to act like a normal fandom! This fandom is very different then others, so if we make a mistake like bagging on things that are all normal in other fandoms, then be fucking patient! Call it out in a respectable way, and let us fix it! We always do!

Next, the other problems you discussed? Are they currently in the room with us? I have not seen these problems like, at all. There is no mass shitting on people who have comfort characters. People who fetishsize and disrespect characters? Hell yeah (we took care of people like youngjackissohot and others), but not genuine comfort/kinny characters. The vast majority of us have a comfort character and that's why we are in this fucking community in the first place! Maybe i'm just blind as a bat, but I have not seen anyone tear apart anyone watching maps on Youtube. Bitch, most of us don't have a Switch so those maps on Youtube are our saving grace to stay in this community. Is this happening on another site, like Reddit or Twitter? Cuz if so maybe you should have gone and bitched to them instead of complain on here.

And you don't think we should benefit from your presence in this community? Ok Jesus, sorry you're leaving! Seriously though, while I appreciate everyone in this community and think you make an impact no matter how big it is, this is a classic case of "someone got a little too big for their britches". Sure, we hate to see you go. But like you said, you haven't been active since Lover Coaster (which you couldn't even remember the name of btw-how in the absolute fuck are you going to get involved with Fandom matters if you can't even name the last season you remember?) and we all survived without you. So don't pretend all of a sudden you're some hotshot celebrity whose mere absence in this community will affect anything. I have a few good fics that I am updating frequently that I know people will enjoy, and I've active for a good while, but I know if I fell of the face of the earth right now my absence in the fandom won't cause any major issues. Get a reality check.

Lastly, you're dealing with a fandom here. A group of humans who are all flawed and all make mistakes and all have their moments. If you're not happy with the ugly sides of that, then I'm sorry but you don't deserve to benefit from the many good sides. We are by far the least problematic fandom I have so far heard of. For the most part, we are kind to each other and care for each other and we love each other. If we make mistakes we make sure to fix them and then we carry on. If you have a problem with us not always getting along and us sometimes having our moments then don't let the door hit you on the way out.

I'm sorry you have to see this side of me, but come after this family and call us nothing more than a group of fucking assholes and see what happens next bitch. Cuz next time I won't hesitate to nane names.

[russell-crowe]

why don’t you like liam gallagher? (it’s totally valid, but i was just wondering which reason why)

oh boy. i haven't really touched upon this subject in like six years, so i am a bit rusty on phrasing my exact dislike for him. i also got a lot of angry anons about this back when i was really heavily into nghfb, but my stance is pretty much unchanged since then. in short, i really think liam is an immature dickhead who has never done so much as a smidge of growing up and who takes very little responsibility over his actions. his fans will always claim that he's "misunderstood" and the whole british 90s nostalgia bubble has put him on a pedestal that encourages the stupid childish behaviour that he's been on for his entire life. and he soaks it up by doing a shitty nostalgia filled collab with john squire that is just jerking off their successful careers & giving greedy oasis fanboys tours filled with definitely maybe tracks. he just overly relies on his oasis legacy and doesn't innovate at all in terms of music. now, if that was the only thing, i'd be pretty much be able to just label him as a generic dickhead and ignore his presence on this planet, but because i was (and still lowkey am) a fan of noel, i also cannot fucking deal with his attitude regarding noel. the thing i am still most mad about is how liam was completely unsupportive of noel when noel tried to quit drugs in the late 90s, called him weak for it etc. it's also just generally liam his dickass stance re: noel. there are a lot of things that i can excuse because of their bad childhood and the fact that noel acted as a parental figure who had to take liam to football games and the like - that is really the root for a lot of their problems and codependency, and it easily explains why liam seems so stupidly obsessed with noel. but honestly? noel's way better off without liam trying to continuously kick his metaphorical windows in with his weird freaky obsessive behaviour.

ultimately i think he just needs a solid (non physical) arse kicking before i even want him in the same room as noel, let alone on the same stage. i really think he's got to become less of a knob and to actually face the consequences of his idiot behaviour, as well as just become a more professional musician in general (so no showing up late for gigs, cancelling them altogether or just delivering subpar live performances). and i think his fans should hold him accountable more, instead of trying to become his little minions who are obsessed with everything he tweets. he's not a funny little monkey in the circus. he's 51 fucking years old.

i am not saying noel is perfect by the way. he's been nice to me personally and i've got a lot of pleasant memories of the times i have attended his sound checks and shows, but he's not innocent when it comes to being a knob in interviews. there's been a LOT of unnecessary and unprofessional comments from his side too - mostly about any musician who dares to be born after 1980. i just think that ultimately noel is the one of them two who actually did grow up though, and who does take his work as a musician seriously, and who is still growing as a musician, and who is trying to form a career that goes beyond oasis - at least in terms of ideas and sound. and i think he's ultimately better off without liam. :)

[casspurrjoybell-33]

Wreckless - I Have Prime

*Warning Adult Content*

Finnegan

I've been sort of dreading that conversation but it actually went fine.

He's not freaked out and doesn't think I'm some sort of weirdo, somehow, so yay.

Maybe we're just the same sort of weirdo, my mother always says there's a shoe for every foot.

Emmett's been a bit off since this morning and I thought maybe it was the phone call with his dad but I think it's because he's not sure about my headspace.

It makes sense, my mood and what I'm doing affects him a lot and he doesn't want to push me either way, I guess.

It's insanely sweet.

The problem is that I don't really know either.

Am I feeling all VP this afternoon?

No but I'm not feeling little, either, really.

I'm sort of in between.

I had to drive and be normal at church and I know there's still dinner to deal with so maybe I'm just lying low until this evening.

Maybe that's for the best, he'd probably enjoy having a real boyfriend sometimes.

But I should talk to him, explain, so he doesn't wonder.

"Emmett?"

"Yeah."

"I'm feeling sort of in between today, sorry if that's confusing or hard for you. I can pick a side if you prefer."

"Pick a side? You're silly Finnegan. No, whatever you are is fine, I just wasn't sure. Before all this started you told me that you didn't want me to treat you like a child and I haven't forgotten but sometimes it's, well I'm not sure where that line is sometimes."

Because sometimes I DID want him to treat me like one but I didn't realize it at the time.

"It's a moving target Emmett, sorry. Don't overthink too much, this shouldn't be so hard on you. I'm good. We did what I wanted all week and you deserve, I want to do what you want to for awhile. Please?"

"I wanted to go to the O's game and spend time with you this week and go to Peter's yesterday and I definitely wanted whatever the hell that was last night. And all the mornings. Besides, it's easier cooking for two, I'm eating better too. You seem to think you owe me, like I'm not having a great time too."

How can he be?

Yes, I know he wanted to go to the game but...

"Wouldn't all that stuff be more fun with someone, well, someone normal?"

"Stop. Stop. Look, some people act like old ladies when they're ten. Some don't grow up completely, well, ever. There's nothing wrong with you, darling, so stop. Don't make me set rule number three, I'm tired of you calling yourself names."

I can't quite control what's going on with my face.

"If it upsets you that much I'll try to stop. But wouldn't it?"

"No, no it wouldn't have been more fun with someone else."

I expect more but he's done. He said it plainly, without thinking at all, and I believe him.

"Okay."

"Good. Now, I'd like you to come with me to dinner but if you don't want to, there's chicken salad and sandwich stuff and a frozen pizza in the freezer. I can make you something before I go or when I get back if you prefer."

He asks so little of me and yes, meeting his parents, well his dad and stepmother, is a big deal but he also knows I'm leaving soon.

They're obviously fine with things, with him because I know he wouldn't take me into a bad situation.

"I'll go, if you're sure."

"Awesome, we won't be there all night or anything. My dad is sort of the 'small talk before dinner, eat and leave' kind of guy."

"Sounds like my kind of guy," I joke but I'm serious.

I've been to way too many dinners that lasted four or five hours.

"Let me just give him a quick call. We don't need to leave for an hour or so, at which point we're both going to need pants. Shorts are fine, it's not fancy, Finnegan."

"No tie, got it."

He kisses me on the forehead and disappears upstairs.

I'm not sure if his phone is up there or he's doing something or checking on Marten or just wants some privacy.

I decide to turn on the TV just so he's sure I'm not listening.

There's a baseball game on, perfect.

It's almost over but Emmett may want to watch the end if he's finished in time.

"Oooh, close game, where are we? Bottom of the 9th?"

"Yep."

I scoot over and he rewards me by snuggling up next to me.

I love that I can follow the game now, that I know what's going on.

"Thanks for teaching me the basics, Emmett. I really appreciate it."

He squeezes my thigh.

"You shouldn't talk about me teaching you anything today, and maybe not tomorrow either... damn boy."

Last night.

I giggle because yes, he did make some lovely promises.

I want to tease him so badly.

I shouldn't but I want to so I do.

I turn and whisper into his ear.

"I'm looking forward to you teaching me all about toys, Emmett."

"I'm going to get you a whole set of plugs. We'll start small and then every ten minutes I'll move you to a bigger one until my cock can slide right in and I can fuck you as hard as you need to be fucked, Finn. I'll do my best to keep you hard the whole time you're plugged and you'll start begging for my cock like a good little slut should."

A strange noise comes out of my throat and then another.

I lost that round, completely.

Lost. Lost. But damn, that sounds so, so good.

"Promises, promises."

"You know I keep my promises, Finn.  Stop whimpering or I'm going to... I don't know.  I'm so satisfied I can't do anything about it and I sure as hell shouldn't but damn boy, I will get you back for that eventually."

"I'm looking forward to it. Let me know as soon as you've got them and I will make sure I'm here."

He pulls his phone out.

"Are you ordering right now?"

"I'm sure as hell looking. We need plugs and one other thing that's going to be a surprise. That's the minimum, damn, I could get you all kinds of stuff. I have a few things but a man's toys should be his own."

Not arguing.

A few minutes later he says...

"Finn? Do you like being stretched?"

"Um, explain?"

"Like, worked open. Have you ever taken anything bigger than a cock? I mean, some guys like inflatables or getting fisted? Or beads? You might enjoy beads. I can get a small set."

"Small sounds good, I uh, just a cock. Some bigger than others but no, I feel no need to gape like a fucking well."

What gapes? That's the first thing that pops into my head. I've seen pictures, it's not sexy.

"A well. Shit, Finn. Okay. Any interest in a cock cage? Do you like ball play?"

"Emmett. Can we just start simple, please? I'm not some bondage boy."

"Hey, just asking. OH MY GOD."

"What?"

I try to look at his phone but he hides it.

"No, you can't see. I just found the perfect thing, it's fucking perfect. I can't wait. Okay, we have to have this. Adding it to my cart. And Finnegan?"

"Yes?"

"I have prime. Two day shipping, darling. Hey, how long till we get your results back from your tests tomorrow?"

"I honestly don't know. They usually mail them to me the next day so I may have results Thursday or Friday but this isn't my normal place, they may send them directly to my doctor first and then he'll call or send them to me? It may take awhile."

"I'm sure you'd hear right away if there was something wrong."

He needs to stop worrying about it. 

"There WON'T be anything wrong, Emmett."

"Relax, I hear you. I'm just saying that if you haven't heard by Friday, it's probably fine, right?"

Oh, now I get it.

"Yes."

"Then let's plan on celebrating next weekend if you're up for it."

"Up. I'm sure you can get me up."

Seriously though, I have to wait a whole week?

"Finnegan."