#again everyone is going to picture different people and no one is set in stone except for people who actually play the characters | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

francesderwent · 2 months ago

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it seems to me that our task—as Christians but also just as people who care about this country and don’t want to see it like this—is to step outside the us-versus-them, black and white thinking which elections love to encourage, and begin imagining our neighbors more generously and compassionately.

our politicians have spent the whole election cycle appealing to the very lowest common denominator—but that does not mean that when we picture our political rivals we must imagine the lowest common denominator. it does not mean that that lowest common denominator defines everyone who voted one way or another. the people who voted for the worst possible reasons do exist—people who feel genuine hate for those different from them, the crass and the vitriolic and the cruel, the power-hungry and the callous. these people are all real, and our politics has undoubtedly given them a voice. but again: I think we must challenge ourselves to hold in our minds a version of the “other” who is more human and more complicated than that. our principle should be built off of “innocent until proven guilty”—we should consider people as being politically thoughtful and well-meaning and conflicted, until we are beyond a doubt proven wrong.

the objection, at this point, would be the objection I’ve seen all over the internet: “okay, maybe people had better reasons in mind, but voting for a rapist wasn’t a dealbreaker for them.” and that’s a powerful bit of rhetoric. but, first of all, both sides were using the same arguments leading up to the election to dissuade people from voting third party or sitting the election out: “you’re not supposed to vote for somebody perfect, you’re supposed to vote for the lesser of two evils/the policies you most agree with/the party you think will most support your interests and the common good.” so it’s hypocritical to then turn around and accuse your political opponents of voting for someone who’s personally (understatement of the year) not perfect. and second of all, the notion of “maybe they didn’t like such-and-such policy or quality, but it wasn’t a dealbreaker” is actually exactly my point.

every voter has to weigh for him or herself which issues are going to be regarded as most important. as long as I’ve been alive, people have been pearl-clutchingly scandalized that others have weighed the issues differently than themselves, so the moral panic certainly is not new. but despite that, this is literally what our country is founded upon: there is no set-in-stone hierarchy of values. we all get to decide for ourselves what good is worth pursuing. note: I’m not saying this is a good thing; I think what we’re seeing now is precisely the problem with that system. but the point remains that you cannot insist on the importance of a democratic election and then be horrified that democracy will sometimes vote in favor of a good that you think is subordinate, to the exclusion of a good you think is foundational—that’s democracy for you! that’s the system! you might view it as despicably selfish and shallow to vote based on the price of eggs—but for someone who is very poor, that reasoning might appear far more serious than it does to you. what would be a dealbreaker for you might not be a dealbreaker for someone else.

everyone has to determine for himself or herself what the greatest possible good is which can be achieved by the federal government, and what the greatest evil is we should avoid. at the end of this determination, everyone ends up with his or her own little hierarchy of values. the horror of two-party politics is that unless your hierarchy lines up point by point with the platform of one of the main parties—and it almost certainly doesn’t!!—your vote will either not align with the hierarchy you believe to be right and just, or it will not have the power to put that hierarchy into practice in the real world. this is where imagining people generously and compassionately comes into play: perhaps someone’s first priority in casting a vote for the republicans was the price of eggs. now, instead of jumping to the conclusion that their second priority was expelling hated foreigners from the country or making it so gay couples lose visitation rights at the hospital, imagine that their second priority was something you agree with, something compassionately-motivated and understandable, maybe even something that wasn’t a part of the republican platform. now imagine what priorities they might have that weren’t presented as an option by either of the main parties—priorities they might share with you.

”but my morality is right!” you might say. “their priorities are misaligned and their hierarchy of values is wrong!” that may very well be true. but American democracy cannot recognize it, cannot give any more weight to the true worldview, because that would be taking sides. if you want a democratic system you have to accept the possibility that the correct and the popular might not line up. you might also say, “but they’re wrong about which policies are actually going to help them! the price of eggs won’t go down!” that might also be true. in that case, it’s sort of on the people with the good policies for failing to convince the voters.

you might feel aghast that other people weighed the things you disagree with them about as more important than the things you agree with them about. it’s an understandable feeling. but the crucial thing is twofold: one, unless you acknowledge their right to disagree with you—both in essential matters of morality and in matters of the relative importance of specific moral issues—you don’t actually believe in American democracy. and two, if we are to move forward we have to start acting as if the things on which we agree are more important to our humanity than the things on which we disagree. even if we voted based on the things we disagree on! when we interact with each other we have to focus on the things we agree on.

we have to believe that people are trying their best. we have to, when we engage in political discourse, engage with a hypothetical opponent who is not the easiest possible punching bag. and when we’re confronted with our genuine enemies—those who hate us and hate everything good—instead of dehumanizing them, we have to love them. I don’t end there as a little glittery good-feeling flourish to smooth over the difficulties, because that is the most difficult part. there is no version of this story where all the hurt and fear and division are erased simply by the “right people” winning elections. there is also no version of this story where all the hatred and sin and despair is solved by good people contentedly praying rosaries in little self-satisfied prayer groups. Our Lord reconciled the world to Himself not by the worldly power of conquest, and also not by kindliness and miracles and convincing people one by one to change their lives, but by His suffering and death. the reconciliation of our world will require our suffering, and our death to self. there is no other way out than through the radical love of the Cross—that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He asks us to follow in His footsteps. imagining our neighbor as lovable is a good first step. loving him when he is not lovable is the next one, and the necessary one.

#katie I started my own post instead of reblogging your excellent succinct one because I don’t want to saddle you with my followers’ reaction #cate writes

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essayist-unexpectedly · 11 days ago

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Kel vs Basil: the Battle of the Besties

Within OMORI, there is reason to debate who Sunny’s best friend is, with this debate taking place between the characters Kel and Basil. Today, the possibility to consider is that a person’s (in this case, Sunny’s) best friend can change throughout the years. Rather than claiming that one was the best friend throughout the entirety of Sunny’s life, there could be a point made in saying that while Kel can be called the best friend of Sunny after he comes out of the house for the first time in 4 years, Basil was his best friend throughout their childhood.

One of the areas to look at when it comes to Kel and Basil is their respective personalities, and how that compares to Sunny. When young, Kel was seen to be loyal, energetic, goofy, and extremely social. Most of these traits seem to have remained with Kel, with him having possibly calmed down a little bit in terms of energy levels, and being slightly more awkward around Sunny - which like yeah, it’s been 4 years and he hadn’t expected the younger to come outside, so�� understandable. In contrast to Kel, Basil has always had a more shy energy, he was quiet and kind, while being just as loyal. Growing older, Basil took on a much more anxious demeanour, also becoming a bit more antisocial after the group split up. Now, personalities do not completely prove nor disprove the characters being best friends, however it can be seen that Sunny may have needed two very different people as he grew up. Young Sunny was quiet, shy, and not too energetic himself. After Mari’s death though, Sunny became a complete recluse, avoiding everyone who he used to know and call his friends. In the three days that Sunny has before moving, it can be seen that he needed Kel’s persistence, his socialness, and his bright energy in order to be convinced to come out of his house for the first time in 4 years - even if it was just meant to be a goodbye. However, the younger Sunny within photo albums seemed to not only be happy with the high energy of Kel and Aubrey, but also more than content with the quieter moments that he had with Basil. When they were young, Basil seemed to better match Sunny’s personality, which may have been what he needed back then, compared to at the 4 years later point.

To reflect a little more on their childhood and Basil being Sunny’s best friend whilst younger, both the photo album and headspace can also be considered. Within the photo album, Basil is seen documenting the lives of the group before Mari’s death. This album holds different pictures and entries about what the group used to do when they were younger, with basically all of the entries being candids - photos taken of day to day life without any real set up. Within these photos, it appears like - while, yes, the whole group was all together - there were possibly some duos that were more likely than others. These duo’s being Mari and Hero, then Kel and Aubrey, and finally Basil and Sunny. Now these duo’s are not set in stone of course, as everyone cared for each other and doted over Sunny, the thing is how it appears and what can be gathered. This also translates to Headspace to some degree, with Hero and Mari’s embarrassed-flirty dynamic, the bickering between Kel and Aubrey, then the peace that comes with Omori and Basil. These dynamics are able to change, and again it is clear that everyone adores everyone, but it’s still interesting that these dynamics are not limited to Basil’s viewpoint, but also Sunny’s. After all, Sunny created the headspace, meaning that it reflects his views on the group in childhood. Not only within the colourful headspace is this seen, but also when player’s go through the final memory sequence of Sunny and the group. The memories show how close Basil and Sunny appeared, as while the others had more general dialogue, Basil’s was always aimed directly at Sunny, telling him something, sharing something with him. All of these little hints of the past cannot confirm anything too much, as it’s just glimpses of the past, but it does feel fairly telling of a closer friendship between Basil and Sunny within the group. Also, Basil still refers to Sunny as his best friend in the fight with him in the Sunny route, showing that Basil definitely viewed him as a best friend, and it just seems likely that Sunny thought the same within their childhood.

However, this then leads to the present day - four years after Sunny shut himself away within his room, avoiding everyone. Those four years are basically a complete mystery, all the players know is that everyone has changed and Sunny has been locked away within his own head. At the point the game picks up in, Sunny is about to move and Kel is the one who manages to get him to leave his room - as he had been persistent in asking about Sunny and hoping to see him before he moved. A couple of things that seem implied within OMORI about these four years, is that both Basil and Kel had been persistent in seeing or at least trying to see Sunny after Mari’s death. It seems implied that Basil did succeed in visiting Sunny at least once time - the time when Sunny then destroyed his photos. It could be up to debate on whether or not Basil saw him multiple times - as in maybe once when the opening scene happened and they promised to stay together, then again at a later date is when Sunny blacked out Basil’s photos, likely being that that was their last encounter before Sunny stopped seeing people. So Basil may have seen Sunny at the beginning, persistent enough as a friend to be allowed into the bubble that Sunny created, before those walls became completely closed to everyone. But then there’s Kel, who breaks Sunny’s hikikomori habit. Kel also seems like the persistent type, however there aren’t many hints that the two saw each other within the four years after Mari’s death like there are with Basil. Rather, it seems like Kel was probably trying to deal with his own and Hero’s grief, which may have been a big enough distraction that he didn’t make it to Sunny in time before the younger erased himself from the outside world. This does not change that Kel is the reason for Sunny coming out though, as he was the one who was determined to see the other before he moved and completely disappeared. This is simply a show of Kel's personality being persistent and loyal even after years of no contact. It’s an admirable quality in a person, and it’s part of why Kel is an amazing friend - and why he could take the spot of best friend after four years.

Through his loyalty and charisma, Kel is undoubtedly the most likely choice for someone who would get Sunny outside. Aubrey is angry at everyone for abandoning her, Hero is off to university, and Basil is once bitten, twice shy. Kel, while still hurt and grieving, is closer to the acceptance stage than anyone else, appearing to be slightly better than the others, as he manages to try to still enjoy his life. It’s this kind of person who Sunny needs at this point in his life, someone bright, someone who understands the pain (at least in terms of losing Mari), but wants to be happy as he continues through life. Sunny has been stuck in a state of loneliness, only his imagination and memories - shades of the friends and people he once knew accompanying him. It is through this that Sunny attempts to deny everything that happened, but when he opens the door to Kel, he is soon reminded of the tragedy that actually took place in their past. It is thanks to Kel that Sunny is able to come out and once again see people he knew, it is Kel who drags Sunny out and creates for them new memories, helping to heal the group that once was, as Hero joins them partway through the second day, and they manage to bring back Aubrey within the third day. Kel’s determination is what brings the group together again, as if he hadn’t drawn Sunny out, then the group wouldn’t be seen together again, they wouldn’t start to understand each other.

Kel is the companion who Sunny is able to reappear for, he is the one who finds the piece who can potentially bring the group together once more. It is all of these factors that lead Kel to likely earn the title of best friend when Sunny meets him again. His bright persona is what creates an opportunity for the group to be found once more, and it is him who drags Sunny around town on random errands and fun adventures. Sunny only has dark routes if he goes down a path without opening the door for Kel, who can lead to the only good ending. Honestly, Kel gets bonus points for being the reason that the good ending does exist - without him Basil would be dead and Sunny would either be dead or else still have guilt hanging over him. Sunny and Kel’s friendship after their four years apart is still strong, even if it may start off a little bit awkward as Kel didn’t expect Sunny to open the door. He still showed up in spite of believing that Sunny wouldn’t open the door, which also shows his hopefulness and his love, as some wouldn’t have tried with the possibility of getting hurt being kept in mind.

Overall, it appears like both Basil and Kel can take the position of best friend to Sunny, even if it’s in different parts of life. It’s within the game that one can create their own interpretation of the duos, as well as what one chooses to believe. A best friend is a title that is granted personally, and not everyone will only have one person as a best friend - some people choose to not give anyone the title of best friend, so really, who knows if Sunny even views anyone as a best friend. The game leaves a lot of room for interpretation within the relationships, but no matter what, Basil and Kel are both portrayed as being amazing friends to Sunny, both past and present.

#Spence does Essays (OMORI)#omori #omori kel #omori basil #omori sunny #this essay is so unserious #this one was written out of avoidance of studying #do not take it seriously #essay #relationship analysis #character analysis #(repeating again - this is a joke)#(please don’t come at me)

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tsupertsundere · 4 months ago

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FFXIVWRITES 2024 - DAY 5 - STAMP Complete ---- 1,777 words ---- Notes: The instant I saw the prompt I knew I could do nothing but this.

“The Postmoogle’s PostPals Initiative’s aim is to unite young people across the world through the act of writing letters to each other!” Angeline Carax declared, pride shining in her voice. “Yes…” came the more uncertain reply, from one G’raha the Tia. “With the help and organization of the Postmoogles, letter exchanges between pals can reach across not only continents, but even onto other shards!” “You’ve said….” “We’ll provide all the materials, writing implements, composition books - the pilot program connecting Idyllshire and Ishgard has gone SO well we’re ready to proceed with expanding all across Hydaelyn.” “You know I couldn’t be happier to hear that,” G’raha said, his delivery less than convincing, “but… my love, I have to ask. Why am I going to be the one on the stamp?”

If his voice held somewhat more of a plaintive cry than usual, it was because he found himself up on a small raised platform in Tataru’s atelier in rather different clothes than usual for a rather different purpose. “Not just stamps,” Tataru said from her perch at her table. Her hands hadn’t stopped for the past hour they had been in here, shuffling papers and clacking around on an abacus and, from time to time, juggling a handful of lalafell-palm-sized balls with an intense frown on her face before putting them down at once and attacking something else. “There’s mailers, posters, some initiative flyers, ideally we can pass them around - “ Angeline rounded on Tataru, waving her hands to try to get her to stop, but G’raha’s tail was already going, whipping back and forth intermittently, though his placating smile grew only a touch more forced. Tataru studiously kept her head down and hummed cheerfully to herself beneath Angeline’s glare.

Angeline stepped up onto the viewing platform and took G’raha’s hands in both of hers, even as he kept talking under his voice, just to her, “Don’t get me wrong, I was so happy you asked, I just - well I certainly can’t be the right person for the job. My days of being any kind of - of figurehead, visual or otherwise, are long behind me - “

Angeline rocked forward on the balls of her feet and dropped a kiss on the corner of his mouth - he stopped short, which was the point. His eyes widened, flicked to Tataru (not paying attention), then closed when they met again for a slower kiss. “Everyone is going to be wondering why it isn’t you,” G’raha murmured when they parted, just barely. “I’m wondering why it isn’t you. It’s your project!” “It is my project. Why would I want to stare at myself over and over again?” Angeline replied, stepping forward to slide her hands along his flank, to settle them on his hips. “I’m setting this up exactly how I want it. Is that bad?” A crimson cast had settled onto his face, making him enter into competition with his hair. He shook his head quickly and flushed even harder when she smiled at him, full sun. Angeline reached up to readjust the navy cap he wore, sending the brilliant pink glowing moogle heart bouncing above his head. “Then I have a Postmoogle General to capture,” she said, and tugged him forward in her wake, again and for always.

🎐🎐🎐

The bridge that she had picked - one of the many that crisscrossed and linked the rocks, shoals and docks that made up Limsa Lominsa - reflected the sun white hot off the stone, and the sky was crisp and blue, lightly clouded. G’raha Tia was doing his best School Picture Day imitation, his arms held awkwardly akimbo at his sides, stock in the center of the bridge. “Has the boy forgotten what standing is like?” the hired roegaedyn pictomancer muttered to herself, rubbing the back of her wide neck as the white plain of her canvas radiated to beat the stones.

Angeline clapped her hands and then megaphoned them around her mouth to call to him. “Okay! Now let’s relax….! Great! Give me relaxed!” G’raha shifted in indecision, casting his gaze back and forth as if to catch some kind of inspiration, and then stiffly put his hands on his hips and puffed his chest out. “No - not quite - !” Surprised and chagrined his first attempt didn’t cut it, his hands flitted but never settled on adjusting his cap, plucking at his little necktie, gripping the bright red mailbag at his side. “We’re aiming for relaxed - !” He crossed his arms and wrenched his torso to the side, mimicking Estinien’s coolness in his mind but coming off rather more like in the throes of despair. “Relaxed - “ G’raha stared out to her mournfully, his eyes the saddest and wettest rubies that were nevertheless trying their absolute utmost. Angeline exchanged glances with the pictomancer, who with a sigh sank onto a little folded stool and settled herself in for a long day of hurrying up and waiting. Angeline set her expression into the most double plus sparkling warm supportive one but as she turned to approach her erstwhile stranded star -

The rapid padding of feet gave them a second of warning before a little body barreled into G’raha, hitting him in the small of the back and making him yelp and stumble. There was a crash and a hiss and flutter of heavy packets scattering and loose pages escaping free, and even as G’raha twisted to try to catch the young girl that knocked into him, she was Intent on using him as a springboard to lunge for her spilled belongings, a stream of expletives and complaints and invectives spiraling from without cease. By the time G’raha caught and steadied himself on the bridge’s railing, the floating pages, about seven in all, had long slipped the reach of everything but the girl’s rising wail.

A switch flipped - G’raha lifted his hands, stepped forward, and began to cast, practiced and sure. The smallest expanse contracted and in an instant-length eon, he spread his hands and with certainty the pages were neatly stacked in them, matched by a relieved smile. The girl whipped around from her position wrapped around the opposite rail so fast it sent her short braids smacking directly into her face. She shook her head roughly and when she looked again her furious expression was coated in tears - not of relief, she insisted for the record. Braid got in her eye.

Angeline wrapped her arms around herself as she watched, twisting back and forth to her own rhythm in private personal joy. There he was, that thing that could never go away, not in a hundred years or a million. One that he couldn’t even to the best of his ability hide, stamped in deep on his heart and filled with gold. That thing that she would always long to see… Lurching in from the side of (or perhaps springing from) those sentimental thoughts was a notion that made her unpeel one arm from herself, send her hand vaguely questing for the pictomancer’s shoulder.

G’raha Tia had by this point helped the girl (a shipyard’s solicitor’s assistant, as it turned out) re-gather the rather prodigious amount of bundled paperwork and notes, and to secure them more surely with package twine he handily pulled from his mailbag. It was only until his fussing began to risk demolishing her newfound goodwill did he let her go and watch her run off, wishing her luck softly and sweetly. By this point Angeline’s groping hand had long since found its mark, grabbing the pictomancer’s shoulder and slapping at it lightly but with increasing intensity until she looked up from her tomephone - but at once she caught what Angeline had. Paint hit the canvas the instant the girl trotted by them, shooting them odd looks that grew even odder when she registered what Angeline kept saying, her voice so bright and ringing Limsa’s corridors picked it up and threw it ahead of the girl on her way home - “Tell me you got that! TELL me you got that! Tell me you got that…!!”

🎐🎐🎐

G’raha, if it were up to him, would have been perfectly happy to put the whole scenario out of his mind and just enjoy getting the opportunity to have something definedly low-stakes to do every once in a while (Aymeric had spoken energetically and profusely about how much adding personally scheduled stints as the Azure Elephant helped him). Angeline wasn’t having it.

“If it were something else, maybe, but I want you to see this one.” She scooped her arms under his to hug him to her, back to her chest, then turned him and walked him forward, kicking his legs with hers. He sunk against her and groaned, taking the opportunity to press his face onto the base of her jaw, an enforced blindness suffused with her scent. He didn’t wanna.

“Omg. Calm down,” Angeline teased, coming to a stop and settling in. She caught both his wrists in one hand and settled his hips back onto hers, bundling him tight. She had a hand free to tilt his head back down but he took a deep breath of her in, sighed, and spared her the effort. Then he opened his eyes and took himself in.

The Postmoogle General stood enveloped in whirling letters emerging out of Limsa’s seagulls and clouds, bright sky and cobbles, as sturdy a pillar in the maelstrom as the quintessential Lominsan lamppost that anchored one end of the bridge. His fine navy coat had long beribboned tails to match the bow in his own, his chest crisscrossed with gold straps and medals, and crowned above all with the Postmoogle Bag in ardent red. A girl - the girl - disappears off the edge of the painting, in the flow of and leading the swirl of letters through Limsa and wherever they may be going. Wherever it may be, wherever her words and those of her fellows, they would be watched over and safeguarded, his hand still gently outstretched from having helped send her off.

The star of hope in his eye, that lit his face, that burned in him, warmth and illumination set inside a crystal case - “That’s the Initiative,” Angeline said, resting her cheek on his head and twisting and swaying with him. “That's what I always want to see, anyway.” G’raha was quiet for a long time, long enough for her to twist him a little further on one sway so she could peek at his face. It just sent him burrowing deeper into his scarf, red on red again. “I don’t think I look the best in navy, but it’s a wonderful composition,” was the model’s final comment on the piece.

#ffxivwrites

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rabbitspawgames · 3 months ago

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A few years have passed since everything crashed. The reality of the new normal is just beginning to set in when new troubles arise. Sleep, the one constant, and for some the only, escape is disrupted. Some are lost in an endless dream while others are completely deprived of it. No answers appear and the number of victims grows by the day.

Accept an invitation into the mystery of the sleeping city. Join a partner to see their side of life; help them to embrace the best parts of themselves, or the worst. Consider your actions carefully, for they have a larger reach than you may realize.

Features

Chasing Dreams is a choice driven Cosmic Horror set in post stock market crash 1930s America, where you can save humanity or offer them up on a silver platter to your eldritch lord.

6 LIs with their own story to explore.

Each route has multiple endings and a variety of ways to get to each.

Not every story has to be a love story, there is the option to be Aromatic within each route.

It is your choice to believe in the strange tales you'll be told. Choose to be a staunch skeptic or a firm believer in the occult.

While some things about the MC are set, like their job, their name and pronouns are customized to fit your identity.

Cast

There had been a point early in her academic days where Alice was invited out to social functions, work events, and even dates. But with enough rejections they did eventually die down. Now she spends her days within either her office or her classroom, exactly as she always wanted. So why did she find herself resentful of her peers each time they returned from a lunch or an event without even asking her?

Not everyone is meant for the spotlight. Not everyone wants it. But how do you reach out to those in it, when you’ve shut yourself away?

Each and every day spent within the precinct was a test of Gabriel's morals. Watching as his so-called brothers dismiss and belittle the people of their own community. Maybe one day he would work up the gall to leave the job and find something more fulfilling.

What do you do when the ideals you built your life around turn out to be too difficult to uphold?

There was never a moment to breathe for Vivi. Everyone wanted, needed, something. Even when it wasn’t something she could provide, she still searched for a way to get it for that person. That was what she wanted, was expected, to do. But would asking for a moment for herself be too much when so many were still lacking even their basic needs?

Everyone needs help every now and then. So isn’t it our responsibility to help out whenever we can, even if it means putting aside what’s important to us?

If only there were enough hours in the day. Or some way to do more with the time he’s given. Jean is in a constant fight with the clock much to the concern of his friends and family. One more patient one more call, each and every minute life changing to those who depend on him.

Not every problem can be solved. Some stories end in tragedy no mater the effort. But if you could change the outcome, then shouldn't you always try?

For Georgia the big events in life were set in stone. Sure there were dozens of different choices and hundreds of possible outcomes, but people never change. They will always choose the same thing leading to the obvious. Why even bother trying to change it?

What will be, will be. We can change the details but the bigger picture is always the same. So why even bother?

Mason didn’t always struggle so much in life, but after the economy went to hell things just weren’t the same. He had lost what purpose he had, and it wasn’t until this plague of insomnia hit that he found it again. He was going to help those suffering through sleepless nights, and guide them into a better life.

Who doesn’t want a purpose? A reason to wake up everyday, to endure the hardships of life. What would you do to pursue it?

Warnings

This game will have: flashing lights, body horror, disturbing imagery, sensitive topics such as depressions, suicide, discussions of abuse, and depictions of drugs and alcohol.

**There will only ever be discussions of suicide and abuse. These events will not happen on screen.

#visual novel #otome game #indie dev #Chasing Dreams #indie games #indiegamedev #game development

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problematicenby · 1 month ago

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The day I don't write something my friends suggest is the day I die.

These Ocs are my heart and soul.

Esha has always worked alone, it's just how he works, he's had no need for someone to help him. Besides, if he had help he'd have to share the children he takes and that, well that would just be horrible. So, he's never thought about having anyone to help him and cover up his acts.

Well, he didn't before.

Recently Esha has been, contemplating things. Children have been harder to find, more and more aren't allowed outside at all. Every child he takes is another two that are lost.

It makes him wonder that, if he found someone to help they could fix this problem, someone to make it seem like everything was alright, to push back on headlines of "The Phantom Killer strikes again!" and things about more and more missing children.

He can deal with sharing children, let whoever he finds have a turn with them. It wouldn't be the worst thing he guesses, just a little annoying.

The real problem, however, was actually finding someone, he couldn't just go out and ask random people if they'd like to help him with stuff. No.

He needs someone higher up in power who'd be willing to do this without any side effects.

He needs someone like…

Aaron hasn't been enough lately. He needs something more, something that'll boost his dopamine, that'll make him feel normal. He's not sure where he'd get it without ruining the delicate façade up. He needs someone to run the operation.

Figuring out a way to get what he needs is hard, he needs enough dopamine to feel normal, Aaron only gives him about half of what he seems to want need now. He needs something that can get him new things, different things every few days or so. someone that he doesn't need to worry about hurting.

Aarons at school right now, Abaddon doesn't have work, which gives him time to think, plan.

It's why, when he sees the front page of the paper, he has an idea.

I mean, who else would give him what he needs, than the Phantom Killer?

Someone to be in the spotlight, to get kids of all ages for them. Abaddon's thinks it'd be a perfect match, it's like he's set it in stone already.

The only problem is how to get this "Phantom Killer"'s attention… Especially without notifying the public.

Throughout the following days, a plan is formed, it's not the best formed, nor is it a good idea but it's the only thing he could come up with to get his killer's attention. There's no information on them, only vague pictures from the public as he takes a child. And those aren't even good…

Abaddon groans, his hands coming to hold his head before he lets out a breath and makes his way back to his room. When he's there he dresses himself up, black on black on black, the only peak of him is his eyes. He makes his way into his closet and pulls out some rope, and a ring gag before stuffing them in a bag and leaving.

He hasn't done anything this stupid since he was a teenager. It's reckless.

Yet he carries on.

It's late when he leaves, midnight, there wouldn't be any kids out at this time. The curfew in the city and the fear from all the parents make sure of that.

He walks all the way to the other side of the city so he's less likely to be noticed, searching for a house with any kind of children's thing out front, he settles on a house with a small playset out front.

The lights are off, everyone is sleeping.

He just has to get in, get the child, and get out…

How hard could it be?

Very hard. That's what Esha comes up with after his seventh attempt at trying to figure out how to find someone to do what he needs, no one rich wants to be known as a bad person and it's hard enough as it is to figure out if they're the kind of bad person he needs.

He gives up for now, pushing himself back harshly in his chair before huffing and dressing in his Phantom gear, he needs a child to blow off some steam.

t only takes a few minutes before he's out of his house searching. It doesn't even matter what age they are at this point, he'll take any child he can get his hands on. It's like, three, no six-year-old is going to be out playing tag with a small group of others to have fun.

No, no.

He's only going to find teens out this late, the older ones too, sixteen, seventeen.

It's dead silent, dead silent in New York. It makes no sense whatsoever for it to be this quiet.

This is what he gets for being too greedy with these children, they've gotten too protective of them.

His ears perk up when he hears struggling in an alley, it doesn't sound like much, small, sobs. Young sobs. He makes his way over there, invisibility waring slightly as he approaches a child.

No older than four.

It's alive, clearly, and although it almost looks like a trap he still takes the child. He goes invisible soon after and goes into an alleyway further down, untieing, and undressing them just in case there's a tracker somewhere on them.

While doing that he finds a piece of paper.

"Dear Phantom, I do hope this note finds who I'm looking for. I have a proposition for you, if you allow me to fulfill myself on some of the children that you find then I will do any favour you would like within reason. Please contact me: ### ### ####, if you accept."

Maybe finding someone won't be that hard after all…

Seeing The Phantom Killer so up close was a truly awakening experience, they look young, although Abaddon can't truly confirm that since he can barely see any of them. But the way they move, it's so precise, movements made with such certainty that it's clear he's done this many times before. Once he leaves with the child Abaddon backs away and leaves himself.

Making it back to the house he checks on Aaron, pleased to find him sleeping. He makes himself some food and eats alone at the table before going into his bedroom, unsurprised to see his wife not there again. That good for nothing man.

He rolls his eyes before changing and getting into bed, a burner phone is put on the bedside table before he lets himself drift to sleep.

Only to be rudely awoken by the sound of the burner phone ringing hours later. He sits up and grabs at it, sucking in a small breath as he stares at the number. He shakes away the sleep that still plagued him for a moment before finally, answering the call and putting the phone up to his ear.

"You brought me a child?" Is the first thing Esha says, staring at the thing as it sleeps in his basement, all dressed up in a onesie and diaper.

"I did."

"Abaddon? I didn't expect you of all people." Not even trying to hide his voice, it's like he wants to be caught.

"I've been craving more than what I have at the moment-" His son? "-See, I thrive off dopamine, my body, for a reason I'm unaware of, craves it in much more intense ways than others."

He hums, walking away from the child and going upstairs, locking the doors behind him.

"Go on, if you bring me a good proposition I may agree."

"The city has been more strict with their children as of lately. If I find a way for them to be more pliant will you allow me a 'turn' with the children it brings you in?"

It's tempting, very, very, tempting. "Let me have a turn with your son and there's a deal."

"Deal."

When the call ends Abaddon lets out a small shiver, putting the phone down and getting up, barely caring that he got almost no sleep. He begins to get ready, taking a shower, getting dressed and leaving his room to make himself and Aaron some food. Just something simple, pancakes and some eggs. He sets the plates down in their proper spots and then goes to wake up his son. He stares at him the whole time they eat, admiring him, how he'll be pulled apart tonight, how he'll be used by a serial killer and Abaddon will get to watch.

He waves Aaron off to go to school before putting his plan into motion. The Phantom Killer will be here tonight, when Aaron's home, he'll have to already be ready. He grabs some rope, a gag, a blindfold, anything he thinks Phantom would want for this. He'll tie Aaron up, Phantom can undo it if he doesn't like it but it'll keep Aaron in place at least a little. Hands together, behind his back.

Esha has always wondered what it would be like to have a go at Aaron Koshkin. The boy looks so perfect like he'd fit into Esha's hands perfectly, like he'd cry before he'd scream, that he'd fight before he'd cry. It's only a matter of waiting and toying with the small boy he has in his basement until it's time. It shouldn't be that hard to subdue Aaron.

He looks weak, traumatized, that much is clear with what Abaddon suggested.

It feels like a painful wait, hours upon hours of his dick leaking at the reminder that Aaron will be at his mercy soon. The boy he watched grow, always just out of his reach, now, he can't run, can't get away.

The time goes by so quickly and yet so slowly. It feels like the time has frozen yet sped up, waiting feels like an impossible task compared to everything he's already done.

Yet, he does it, he makes it the time and goes to their house, he makes it, he does it.

Looking at the inside of the Koshkin's house feels like he's done everything he's meant to in life, like he's finally got that final prize at the end of the game. he locks the front door behind him and comes into Aaron's room, watching as Abaddon ties Aaron up.

"Dad, dad, what's going on?"

"Don't worry about it bud," Abaddon answers, continuing to tie his hands, making sure they're tight enough to hurt. He's already undressed him, already saw that fear in Aaron's eyes that makes his whole body light up with dopamine. "I won't be touching you in any way. I made a deal, ya? You just gotta sit tight for a little." He hums as he turns Aaron over onto his back, watching the way he squirms to try and get comfortable with this new position. "What do you mean? What deal? Dad?"

"Someone else is going to have a little fun with you this time bud!"

"Am I interrupting something?" Esha asks as he finally stops being invisible, leaning against the wall, watching the horror fill Aaron when he figures out just who he's looking at. That's when the struggle starts. "Dad- dad no- no you can't let him. Dad, dad please. Come on- you can't be serious." His feet push against the bed, bringing him further up, until his head is pressed to the headboard, then, he lifts himself into a sitting position and his eyes flicker between the two of them.

"It's just one-time bud, you'll be fine."

That only seems to freak Aaron out more, especially once Esha begins to make his way into the room more. He stands at the edge of the bed, staring at Aaron, he's sure the boy can tell he's staring from the way he shivers and looks away.

"There's no need to try and hide yourself from me, Aaron." Esha purrs, tilting his head as he climbs more onto the bed, far enough so that he can grab Aaron's chin and force him to look at him. "I've been told I can't hurt you too much." That's the moment Aaron starts struggling, lashing out and trying to get away from Esha's hold, screaming for his dad to save him. All Abaddon does is watch, a smile on his face.

Abaddon has always enjoyed the way Aaron screams and cries for help when he understands what's going to happen to him. This is no different. He closed the door when he saw that Phantom had made their (his?) entrance, choosing to lean against it just in case Aaron did somehow get out and away from Phantom's grasp.

But right now.

Oh right now, as he watches as his son begs in horror, for Abaddon to save him, for Phantom to stop, to not. It makes his dick grow hard in his pants, a groan leaving his mouth as he huffs.

"Look- look you… You don't have to do this! Please- there's- please- Phantom? Phantom- please don't." Aaron's sobs come from all of him, every inch of his body moves and squirms as he begs the killer peering over him. "Please- Dad please you can't let him do this!"

"We made a deal." Phantom answers before Abaddon can manage. "You don't get out of this, in any way." He lets out a laugh, Abaddon chuckles in follow, and Aaron seems to fall silent. Like the fight fell out of him and he starts to shut down.

Esha doesn't let that happen, a cold, hard slap, rings out in the air. He stares down at Aaron before adjusting himself on the bed and tugging Aaron's naked body back so he's lying down. Esha's gloves hands move over Aaron's body, running down until he makes it to the boy's cock. It's hard and when Esha touches it, it twitches and Aaron lets out a soft groan. Then, he starts struggling once more.

Esha's not as patient this time, especially when he hears the rope start to snap and break apart. Esha narrows his eyes at the boy, forcing him over onto his stomach and pushing his head into a pillow. His other hands come to look at the rope, seeing how it frayed under Aaron's constant struggle. A small growl is let out as he watches Aaron struggle, his dick pushing against the fabric of his pants, desperate to come out. He doesn't move, just watching as who he assumes maybe Spider-Man's struggle dies down. He stays like that until he's just slightly twitching, finally pushing the boy back over. The mask gets close to his face as he pants and coughs. "You do anything like that again and I'll break your arm."

Aaron doesn't answer and just continues to try to breathe properly, tears coming down his cheeks, making him look even cuter than he already is.

He can hear Abaddon breathing heavily near the door but doesn't pay him much mind, his focus is on Aaron, and the fact that his dick is leaving pre.

Abaddon feels like he's going to cum at the sight. Honestly, who knew that having his son handled by another predator - one known for killing their victims - would be so enjoyable? He's already taken his dick out, holding it restlessly in his hand, slowly stroking himself as he watches Phantom handle his son like nothing more than a bad mutt.

He adjusts himself against the door, trying to get a better view of the way Phantom slowly inspects the boy's cock. Running a gloved claw up one of Aaron's veins, listening to the noises the boy makes after, the way he bucks up and lets out a sob. He looks like he wants to struggle again but refrains. Whatever Phantom told him must have worked, well at that. Abaddon supposed he'd have to be good at making children shut up, he does this quite a lot. He's not even sure what Phantom's death count is at right now, it must be well in the fifties by now.

"I do hope you're enjoying the show Abaddon, I don't let others watch, ever." Phantom's voice rings out, causing Abaddon to scoff slightly. "Yes, yes, I'm just oh so grateful you're toying with my son."

Phantom lets out a laugh before turning back to Aaron, this time, bringing two fingers to the boy's mouth.

"Open. You bite and you'll have consequences." Esha watches as Aaron does as he asks. His mouth is opened and the two fingers are slid into Aaron's mouth - which he promptly closes and begins sucking on. "Good mutt starting to understand your place aren't you?"

That, however, seems to set something off in the boy, his eyes turn to stare at Esha before he lets out a growl and bites out harshly on the fingers. They're pulled out right after and Esha huffs, inspecting the unharmed gloves. No fangs.

"You little whore!" He hisses, his dagger being pulled from his clothing and brought to Aaron who proceeds to suck in a breath and squirm to try and get away. He doesn't though, that much is clear.

Esha holds him still, dagger dragging along all the other scars on the boy's body, choosing a small, clear spot to dig into more. He doesn't stop until little beads of blood poke around the dagger. It's pulled back and he hums as Aaron's cries soften slightly.

"Now, you just love to make this harder for yourself, so, I'm going to cut you a few more times, then, I'm going to ram my dick into you. You don't get to be prepared at all." He hisses, he was going to at least stretch the boy out slightly but with that stunt, he just pulled no way will be continuing. "No- no no please Phan- please- I'm sorry-"

There's a moan from the distance, likely Abaddon enjoying this show they're putting on for him.

The dagger is brought down once more to the spot he marked, this time however he angles it. The tip digs into the small cut, digging much deeper this time as he cuts across his chest, listening to the wonderful cries as Aaron begins a struggle that falls short when it makes the pain worse. Then, the ripping from the rope comes back, it makes Esha dig it in deeper, only pulling away when that struggle stops. He's sure that Aarons tore that rope in half and is free from his restraint.

Still, the dagger is tucked away and Aaron is adjusted.

The change of positioning makes Abaddon move to a better spot, from against the door to against a wall to the side of the bed so he can see Aaron better when Phantom fucks? into him. He's still not sure if Phantom is a female or male, he's almost certain they're a male but he won't know for certain until they begin to fuck Aaron or not.

Aaron is sobbing, it's the only sound currently in the room besides his own small, shaky moans from slowly rubbing his dick to the scene. The sobbing overtakes the moans easily though, it's horrible, makes his dick twitch, his wanting more.

The moment that Phantom only undoes his pants it's clear he's a man. The way Aaron's sobs get louder, the way he shakes his head and starts pleading for him to stop once more, calling for his dad.

The second Aaron starts struggling Esha stops it, the second he tugs his hands out from behind him to try and properly attack Esha, it's stopped. His hands are pinned to his chest and Esha growls lowly. "The more you struggle the worse it'll be for you mutt." He watches as the boy's fight begins to die out and he just turns into an awful sobbing mess of begs and pleas to stop.

He doesn't stop.

No, instead he adjusts the both of them, getting fully between Aaron's legs and using his free hand to push them apart, revealing his pretty little entrance. Even when his hand is brought to his dick Aaron can't manage to close his legs all way, stuck with just wrapping around Esha, 'pulling' him closer if anything. "Desperate little whore, aren't you?" Esha would laugh and roll his eyes, pressing his dick against Aaron and beginning to push in.

The scream Aaron lets out is pure music, his struggles, they get so much worse, so much stronger than before. Esha is sure that Aaron is Spider-Man, poor thing thinks he actually has a chance of getting out with the way he's gently moving Esha's arm. When Esha finally bottoms out he pauses for a moment, just panting, listening to the way Aaron sobs and screams, to the small, quiet panting from Abaddon.

"I think you need more punishment. See what it takes to get you to stop struggling." Esha hisses out after a moment, turning his head to Abaddon and nodding.

The second Abaddon gets the signal from Phantom he leaves the room. They had planned something that Abaddon had never considered before. Phantom brought up the idea, something he had always wanted to try but he wasn't sure what design to do.

Abaddon was the one who chose one, something real simple, from a kid's show that has a lot to do with branding of sorts. My Little Pony and those stupid little cutie-mark things.

He based it on that loyal one… What was her name again? He can't be bothered to think of it, just adjusting his pants back on as he continues down the hall, a nice, giddy feeling settling in his stomach as he enters his room to find a blow torch, and the metal, shaped brander he had made.

He lets out a laugh as he adjusts it in his hand and begins to make his way back to Aaron and Phantom where he left them. The more he watches the more he thinks he'll enjoy working with Phantom. It should be pretty simple to get more children out at night, to reassure them that everything will be okay, that he'll invest in protection for their children so they may have normal lives once more.

The second he gets back into the room and closes the door behind him Aaron's cries seem to get louder. Abaddon glances up at the two as he sets the stuff down on the bed. The sight before him makes his dick twitch and he quickly makes his way back to his spot against the wall.

Phantom has moved Aaron onto his stomach once more and pulled out of him, his hands are forced behind his back from where he broke out of his ropes (Abaddon still isn't sure how, but he's beginning to get theories about it.) and Aaron is kicking and screaming from his position. Only when Phantom goes to grab the two objects does Abaddon undo his pants once more and settle back down.

Abaddon truly can be a good helper it seems. With the brand and blow torch beside Aaron, Esha adjusts himself so he's kneeling on Aaron's wrists. The whimper Aaron lets out and the brief pause of struggle from him makes Esha's dick twitch. The poor thing must be uncomfortable.

Still, Esha doesn't move from his new spot and instead grabs at his stuff and adjusts himself slightly, making sure he has a clear aim for the side of Aaron's hip.

Then, and only then does he speak. "I do hope you're ready Aaron, it'll look cute on you."

The torch is lit, the metal is heated.

Aaron's body shakes, he shivers and he sobs beneath Esha, he shakes his head and pleads for it to stop, even though everyone in the room, including him, knows it will not.

The blow torch is tossed to the side once it's heated up enough. the handle to the brand is adjusted right over Aarons body.

"Try not to pass out," Esha says with a laugh before bringing the hot metal down and pressing into Aarons hip.

The sob that Aaron lets out is the loudest yet and has Esha letting out a loud laugh and digging the metal into his side just a bit more.

It stays against his hip though, stays pressed to make sure it'll be a wonderful burn. His own little cutie mark.

Aaron hasn't experienced anything like this before, at least he doesn't remember the last time he did. It burns, it burns so much and he can smell his skin melting in the air, there's a tingling on his wrists that can only be from the pain Phantom is causing him, pressing against delicate scars.

Every scream he lets out tears his voice a little more, makes it a little scratchier, a little harder to keep screaming. Every horrible shake of his head leads to nausea that travels right past the burn to his stomach.

His struggling slowed to mer twitches beside his head, tossing and turning, trying to regulate the pain, the horrible feeling of pain that his adrenaline just won't cancel out.

His mind just repeats over and over again that he needs out, his Spider-sense going off, again and again, and again and it only makes the nausea worse. His sobbing gets worse when he feels whatever metal had been pressed against him lifts when instead, gloved hands press and that's what does it.

The nausea in his stomach makes it bubble, makes everything feel horrible, and makes the world flip.

His food comes right back up and he vomits, unable to lift himself more than a few inches off the bed. He twitches and pants, his cheeks feel wet from tears, mouth and chin covered in vomit.

"Poor thing." Phantom's voice rings in and out of his ears and he shakes his head, whimpering and turning his head to bury it into the pillow.

Abaddon has a lot of preferences for things.

Be it, food, clothing, hobbies.

He's aware everyone has preferences, and he's aware Aaron knows his.

…

He pushes himself off of the wall and begins to make his way over to Phantom and Aaron.

He's also smart, he's gained information over the years.

Like how adult humans can lose fifteen to twenty percent of their blood before passing out.

Aaron, passes out at just under fourteen.

"Phantom, may I use your dagger?" His voice is low, a slight growl as Phantom does, backing away with a laugh to let Abaddon do as he wants for a moment.

He climbs onto the bed, turning Aaron around onto his back so he can't hide. The boy has his eyes shut as he sobs, they're quiet things, like his voice has given out on him.

"Boy." He hisses and Aaron's eyes snap open to stare at him. "Dad- dad m' sorry- dad please-" "Shut up."

Aaron does.

These sheets are already ruined with that damn puke. There's no need to change them, they can afford to get a bit of blood.

Take maybe, tweleve precent, make him dizzy, weak, easy to move.

But he won't pass out, it'll let Phantom continue with whatever he wants without much more fighting. Like he'd be doing that anyway, Abaddon is sure that branding will have put enough fear in him that he won't try anything.

Esha supposes this would happen at one point during this or another, that he'd have to sit back and watch for a little. He'd been told very briefly about Aaron's punishments, what would make him tic, fight, cry. Little things like that, he was also told about how Abaddon wanted things clean.

He's sure that'll be interesting to watch pace out, every movement Aaron seems to make causes him to wince and still, he's only making small sobbing noises, completely silent besides that.

Watching Aaron is truly an interesting thing, and he's sure that if this was a different time or a different place he may have taken the boy for his own, although, he supposes this way he always has someone to fall back on if he cannot find a child on his own to fill any cravings. It's not like either of them can stop him…

Esha stares at Aaron, wondering… Does Aaron think this is better than being raped? Which would he prefer in this situation..?

Abaddon has a knife pressed against Aaron's thigh, right over another healed scar that was there before. He hasn't cut yet, just edging and poking at it slightly, digging it in to make Aaron inhale sharply before calming when the cut he's expecting doesn't come.

"You know what I think about you making a mess, don't you bud?" Abaddon asks with a small pur, finally cutting deeply into the scar, watching his leg jerk and the wound slice open, blood slowly beginning to fill the open space that was healed before.

Aaron cries out, claws coming out and scratching at the bedding, ripping apart the sheets. "Aaron."

"Yes- yes sir! I do!"

"Good." Abaddon hums, bringing the dagger up slightly, to a clean spot of skin, positioning it on one side, resting it lightly on Aaron's skin.

About a glass full.

Swip.

Aaron cries out and Abaddon watches the blood spill from the long line across Aaron's leg.

The dagger is put back in and another swipe is made, he watches Aaron's skin open into small bubbles of fat.

After that another cut is made.

And another. Another. Another. Another.

The cuts just keep getting bigger, deeper, peaks of fat turn into only fat.

It only stops when Aaron screams out "I'm sorry" His sobs are loud and are the only thing that fills the room. That seems to satisfy Abaddon as he pulls back and tosses the dagger back over to Phantom.

"Keep an eye out for too much blood loss." Is all Abaddon says, he shouldn't lose too much, he assumes Phantom knows what too much looks like too, he's been known to enjoy torturing his victims after all.

When Esha comes back over to Aaron there's blood all around him and he's sobbing. It's a beautiful sight.

Each cut is slowly leaking blood, even the one on his chest, it's mostly clotted but there's a small line of blood. Oh, and the crying, Aaron's small sobs are music to Esha's ears and have been since this whole thing started. The way he's crying, trying to hide his head in the pillow it's resting on and failing. The way he doesn't know what to do with his hands since they're not tied up anymore.

He looks beautifully horrible. Like he's about to be murdered and oh, how wonderful Esha thinks that would be, to be able to take Aaron's life from under him, dangle it over fire, tell him that he's going to die…

"You'll be okay." Is what he voices instead, poking at each little cut, watching the boy twitch and flinch from the pain as he slowly rights himself between his bleeding thighs. Esha's dick aches from getting a taste of being in Aaron only to have it ripped away.

This time he won't stop, he'll slide inside Aaron and fuck him like he never has been before.

He adjusts the boy on him, things moving open more, fingers digging into cuts just so he can hear Aaron scream out for him once more. By the time he's put into position Esha is needy, wanting for Aaron, so, a hand comes to his dick, pressing against his tight entrance before finally pushing in. A long, whimpering moan is let out from Esha as he bottoms out, Aaron is a lot tighter than he was the last time and that just seems to make it so much better.

It's like a free upgrade that was already near perfect before. He leans over Aaron slightly, panting and listening to Aaron's cries mix with small moans too, tiny little whimpers from pleasure that he's sure Aaron doesn't think belongs there.

"Fuck, you're so tight now." He groans out and he rolls his eyes when he hears Abaddon chuckle from wherever he is in the room, probably pressed against that wall of he's again. he seems to love it over there.

"Please don't" Aaron whispers out, shaking his head, staring up at his mask, it just makes the man laugh, adjusting himself slightly so he can have a better hold on him. Hands wrapping around his waist, keeping a tight hold on the boy. "You struggle too much and I'm sure I can find you some nice punishments." Esha hisses out before beginning to pull out of him and slamming right back in, causing the two to cry out. Esha is quieter, softer too, while Aarons is harsh and more of a sob than anything.

So, Esha sets a nice, slow, bordering painful pace for the both of them. He leans over Aaron, letting out slow, even breaths while he listens to Aaron's erratic ones, the ones that pant and make every inch of his being hot.

He speeds up, rhythm trying its best to stay even while his breathing doesn't. it turns erraticism unstable.

Abaddon hasn't personally seen anyone besides himself rape his son before and it's truly better than he thought it would be. Watching the two go at it, listening to the noises and how Aarons completely overtake Phantoms is music to his ears.

It's like watching the first time he fucked Aaron while he was completely there. Without the restraints of his heat and knowing that he wouldn't remember it. No, this gives him full dopamine again, it reminds him of that first time.

Makes him wonder, if, with this new lifestyle he'll have, just watching Phantom rape a few kids would be enough?

Being able to just watch it happen, to be there when he tortures and rapes his victims.

it'd be enough for months, no struggling with a kid who tries to fight back, no needing to break them, tie them up.

Just need to watch as someone else does.

It's a wonderful thought.

Esha lost track of slowly speeding up a little while ago, content with just fucking Aaron, digging his claws into the boy's skin, feeling the blood as it soaks into his clothing, feeling the bit of it that got on his dick.

Then, when Aaron cums and lets out a high squeal before flopping onto the bed, defeated, like a dead fish. There's no fight left in him, and when he looks up at Phantom, it's clear it died out a little while ago, maybe it'd still be there if he wasn't beginning to look so affected by his bleeding wounds. With the way they're moving, they're not bound to close on their own anytime soon. He's dazed, blinking slowly and focusing on regaining his breath while also still crying. No longer making much noise, reduced to small, wheezes and whimpers as Esha continues to fuck into him.

At least for a while more, as, a few seconds later he cums and groans, leaning into Aaron's body, pressing his mask against the cut he put on the boy's chest.

"Best time raping a kid I've had in months" He'd groan, staying there for a few more seconds and only when Abaddon replies does he pull out.

"Never a dull moment with him." The man would purr and Esha would hum in agreement.

He'd get off the bed, tucking his dick back into his pants and doing everything back up again.

"Well then, I do suppose I'll take you up on that offer, I don't see a point in me refusing anymore, clearly you've marked this one up nearly as much as you could." He offers after a few more moments, glancing down at Aaron, where he's still lying, completely unresponsive.

"Good, it'll be a pleasure doing business with you Phantom." Abaddon hums in response, it makes Esha look back up at him, taking his eyes off Aaron.

"I'm assuming that you have a phone that's untraceable, yes?" Esha asks with a small chuckle, humming when Abaddon smiles at him and nods, that, yes, he does have a phone like that. "Good, I wouldn't want anyone trace our calls."

"Yes, yes, there's no need for a simple slip-up to have both of our lives ruined."

"Of course, though, it's likely only your life would be in line, Abaddon, I would just need to move."

There's still vomit on his face, Aaron can feel it. Can feel the way it's started drying on his skin, every movement just seems to make it worse.

The voices from the two adults in the room hurt his ears, the cum inside him makes every movement uncomfortable.

There's a burning from that brand they used on him, he still doesn't know what it is, what he does know is every movement from his legs hurt, from that, and the cuts.

It takes him a while to open his eyes, to get used to the light that was never shut off and doesn't seem to ever want to shut off.

That light gets worse when someone opens the door to the outside light and Aaron lets out a slight whine.

Then his mind repeats.

They opened a door.

Someone opened a door.

He could leave!

He could get out, leave Dad and his awful new 'friend' behind.

He forces himself to stand, to get up, leaning against the bed for support before running.

As fast as he can, as far as his legs will take him.

The sound of stumbling and heavy panting alerts Esha pretty quickly that Aaron is trying to run, get out, escape. Whatever kind of plan he's got in his head falls short the second he trips over Esha's shoes and goes tumbling to the floor with a yelp. The boy lands right on all the cuts he has, to make Esha laugh as he walks over to Aaron. He makes no attempts at getting up or even rolling over, just laying there with his nose buried on the floor.

"You'd think he'd give up," Esha comments with a laugh, turning him onto his back with his foot. He's not passed out, glaring up at Esha while panting.

"No, it takes a lot to break him down fully," Abaddon replies with an equally amused laugh.

"I'll give the kid a final parting reminder before I go," Esha mutters out to no one, just, to anyone that will listen. Abaddon and Aaron, being the only two in there with him, are the main subjects of his voice.

Esha's foot is raised and his shoe is pressed into the cut on his chest.

Aaron wheezes, hands coming to clutch at the shoe, softly scratching with his cute, filed-down claws, whimpering and making sounds that vaguely resemble when he was saying sorry earlier.

He presses down more, he can hear a small crack in a rib, only then does he speak again. "Out of all the children I have taken into my care, I'm sure if I had you there you'd be my favourite." He'd laugh, foot coming up and pressing down right on his nose until he heard a nice crack to go along with his rib.

"You should be glad you never landed in my care, mutt. You'd be so much more broken than you are now." His foot is lifted and a swift kick is given to his cheek, knocking his head into the floor with a long groan.

It trails off into more soft sobbing and Esha lets out a huff of a laugh, stepping over the boy.

"I'll be in touch Abaddon."

Abaddon waits a few more minutes once Phantom leaves, just to make sure he's truly gone. Only then does he pick his son up and take him right back into Aaron's room. He glances at the mess on the bed, scoffing before making his way into the bathroom and setting the boy against the toilet.

"You really don't know when to quit, do you bud?" He asks with a chuckle, beginning to fill the tub with warm water before turning to Aaron.

He takes his cheeks in a hand and moves his head around, inspecting his nose. "Phantom broke your nose boy, that wouldn't have happened if you just stayed in bed like a good boy." He hisses, letting go of his head and watching as Aaron spits out a tooth. "And a tooth, my my, what a stupid kid you are." He hisses, shaking his head as he gets back up to stop the water.

He picks Aaron back up and gently puts him in the water.

"Is he going to come back?" Aaron asks quietly after a moment.

"He might, I'm not sure," Abaddon answers, grabbing the shampoo to begin cleaning his hair.

"Please don't let him do it again Dad."

"We'll see bud."

Esha feels great about himself, Once he gets home he changes into some new clothing and makes himself and that little kid downstairs some food. Just simple grilled cheese sandwiches, he also ends up grabbing another diaper.

He was gone for a while so he can never truly be too careful.

He's got a giddy smile the whole time he's down there, he doesn't even touch the child besides to change him. He doesn't think he's ever done that before, it's odd how giddy playing with Aaron for a little could make him feel.

He supposes this deal could be for more than just that.

Esha's sure Abaddon won't mind sharing Aaron again sometime, he seemed to enjoy it too after all.

#oc #oc writing #they're my babies #problematic #proship #proship please interact #i want to eat them #commissions open #ignore my spelling mistakes #I wrote this in like one sitting

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itsmacetheace · 6 months ago

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requesting elaboration on slenderman being the modern day camelot

Okay I suppose a little elaboration wouldn't hurt.

I'm sure pretty much everyone one has heard about the sword in the stone (anvil) and the knights of the round table, maybe even the holy grail or lancelot and the green knight? Well Arthurian legend actually consists of dozens of recorded stories of these characters and their adventures. Much like how old mythology, people would hear stories about this fantastical kingdom and the knights there in and create their own stories that would then be spread around. This was in the early time of people making books, so we actually have a bunch of records of these stories from a bunch of different authors in a way we never quite got from legends prior to this. All of the stories kind of go in their own separate directions but borrow characters or themes or settings from the other stories, and this leads to a lot of overlap but also a good chunk of contradiction (please refer to the weird shifting love triangle between Lancelot Arthur and Guinevere, I belive this may have been one of the earliest documented shipping wars.)

Now look at the Slenderverse. While it's all spawned from just a set of pictures from a forum, people were quick to start creating stories. As they did they would read and watch stories from other creators, then things from other stories would be reused by other authors such as proxies or the operators camera distorting from marble hornets. Again, this was in part because of a shift in the landscape of media documentation with the internet making it even easier to catalog all of these stories and see them as soon as they're posted. Marble hornets is the sword in the stone of the slenderverse, the crux that everything else is based off of.

TL;DR Arthurian legend was just the first chaotic fiction, it's super cool and I'm sick of pretending it's not

#slenderverse #slenderman #marble hornets #arthurian legend #camelot

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grimm-the-tiger · 7 months ago

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Okay, so for shits and giggles I started writing a crossover between Fallen London and Sky: Children of the Light, and I suddenly realized something: these two games have a hell of a lot more in common than I thought they ever could.

They're both set in the aftermath of some great calamity (London abruptly ending up underground and someone fucking around with darkstone and finding out) that's vaguely defined and you kind of have to piece things together from context, and even then you'll probably never get the full picture. You can team up with other players, usually random strangers, to either help each other out or fuck each other up (although Fallen London's multiplayer is a lot less involved than Sky's, and it's a lot harder to push your friends off of cliffs for funsies in Sky than it is in Fallen London). There's a big glowing mountain that plays a major role in the lore, the dichotomy between darkness and light is a big deal, both games end with a big, self-destructive moment, and there are a lot of candles. Just...so many candles. The difference is that Fallen London is more cynical than Sky, and the roles light and darkness play are swapped.

So light in Sky is overall a positive (i.e. the emphasis on candles and Winged Light), and darkness in Fallen London is the closest thing you'll get to positive in this game (i.e. the darkness of the Neath protects its inhabitants - both good and bad - from sunlight, which can and will kill them eventually), with two exceptions: Eden and Stone. Eden is a big, glowing mountain at the end of the map, so it's gotta be a good thing, right? WRONG. If you go there, you will die. End of story. But you don't have a choice but to go there eventually, unless you're one of those insane people who can make do with what you can grind out during Shard Eruptions. Stone, meanwhile, is a gigantic glowing mountain at the bottom of the map who, in a world where most creatures of light are evil, is a benevolent being who grants her subjects immortality and is overall pretty reasonable (she's the hardest god to piss off in Sunless Sea, and her curse has the mildest effects). Both might also be connected to eldritch beings, or in Stone's case be the eldritch being herself (the implication I got from Eden is that it was the result of the king deciding to dabble with darkness and/or growing too greedy with light and getting smote for it, and Stone is the daughter of the Sun and a space crab. Best not to ask how that happened).

There are also candles, which in Sky are a source of light (again, light is positive in Sky, not negative) and a currency. They're a currency in Fallen London too, but trading in them advances the goals of the Liberation of Night - who seek to spread the darkness of the Neath to the rest of the universe by literally murdering the stars - and they're also deeply connected to one of the most fucked-up creatures in a world full of fucked-up creatures. You use candles to make friends in Sky, but in Fallen London, if you're looking for candles you either really need them for some reason or you're a Seeker, in which case you don't have friends anyway because you probably ate them all or something.

Is there any real connection in any of this? Probably not, I just thought it was interesting. They're also just on wildly different ends of the mood and atmosphere scale, but oddly close on the tone scale? Everyone in Fallen London has just kind of learned to accept all the weird shit that goes on there and makes the best of it, and there is some degree of hope within the setting; there's a quality called "Adrift on a Sea of Misery" that's usually your character bitching about how awful London is, but if you do something good it changes to read "Nothing has changed. Perhaps someday it will", and the recent invasion of the Starved Men (former humans with the ability to warp flesh) was repelled by a force that included London's enemies. The options for what might've happened if the playerbase as a whole hadn't been able to convince these factions to side with London are visible, but you can't play them because of a quality labeled "London does not stand alone", showing you that the worst outcome was not what ended up happening. Meanwhile, Sky is just...Sky. It's Sky. It's the happy friendship game we don't talk about Wasteland or Eden that ends on a positive - if melancholy - note.

TL;DR - weird glowing mountains that subvert the rules the games set for whether darkness or light is evil or bad are a Very Big Deal, candle grind goes brr, and Fallen London's tone is like your sardonic friend who just started antidepressants and therapy while Sky is your other friend who probably hands daisy chains out to kids for fun and secretly plays a chaotic evil halfling in DND. Go play FL and Sky.

#fallen london #sky cotl #sky children of the light

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humanoidalien27 · 2 years ago

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Content Warning: Salazar

....

Chapter 7

Door with No Key

The four of you moved through Hogwarts's halls. Godric, Helga and Rowena were working together to keep Salazar distracted all day, explaining away your absence to meeting with your parents on important business from your old school.

You moved into the empty, near-dead-end room Salazar mentioned in the book.

"How far are the caverns in this place?" Sebastian asked, the light from your wand illuminating the scrap of the stone.

"According to Salazar, past this room is a long hall, followed by a winding staircase carved into the rock, then we'll reach the cavern. After that, we follow the path further down to a circular room with a door."

"That's a long way to go for a dead end," Ominis mumbled.

He felt a little better when he woke up that morning, but he was still worried about how things were going to end. The last war didn't end without everyone coming to fight and those numbers were drastically reduced.

You pulled on the book, which popped open the door, making the stone scrape across the floor. The path was dark and foreboding, reminding you of Salazar's secret room.

A chorus of Lumos rang out while you led the group down the long hall that felt like it ran the length of the school itself, before finally finding the stairs, which went on longer than the hall did.

The cavern itself was lit up with braziers as if it was travelled extensively for secrets, but the cleanest path led to a room that reminded you of the map chamber if it wasn't so far under the school and didn't have what looked like lava soaking parts of the walls.

"This is the room?" Sebastian asked, already moving around to look at the various writing and pictures carved into the stone.

"According to Salazar's notes, yes," you answered, eyes on the door that was scorched with past spells.

"This place smells like burnt hair and sulphur," Ominis mentioned as he covered his nose.

You glanced his way, seeing his discomfort as his wand pulsed at a higher rate of speed than you've seen before.

"Do you want to head back?"

He shook his head. "No, this is likely the only time we're going to be in this place. If this will help you, we need to stay as long as possible to try finding what you might need."

Nodding, you looked towards the twins who seemed to have the same feeling you did, look as thorough, but as fast as possible.

Sebastian went to the books that were set up on the table nearby, which Anne searched the walls and you checked out the door.

Ancient magic swirled around the cracks of the door, which moved into certain pictures carved into the rock. One was of three people finding the room. The second lit up showing one person stabbing themselves and the third was two people being surrounded with a swirl that seemed dark on one and light on the other.

"Stabbing themselves?" You mumbled grabbing Ominis's attention.

"Pardon?"

"The pictures lighting up on the door. They're showing three people finding the room, one stabbing themselves and the other two surrounded by two different types of magic."

"It's not stabbing yourself," Sebastian said bringing over one of the books. "Salazar already tried that and even smeared his blood on the door itself. Nothing opened the door."

You grimaced at the rust looking stain on the stone. "Thanks for the new nightmares. What else does that book say?"

"It says that he only saw two pictures illuminate. He seemed to think the magic behind that door chooses which it decides to let in and it doesn't want Salazar."

"That must be the real reason he wants you to become his apprentice. To see if you can open that door," Anne said, glancing at everyone in worry.

"And kill her afterwards," Ominis added. "Salazar isn't known to share and he'd see her as a threat once he gets what he wants."

"Fantastic," you grumbled, your eyes travelling to the door again. "Whatever is behind that door, I don't think it's a mass of magic. It doesn't give the same feeling those repositories did."

"Do you want to guess at what it is?" Sebastian asked.

You shrugged while staring at the door. "I have no idea, but whatever it is, it's better off not being opened by Salazar."

Back in Godric's office, Rowena, Helga and Godric listened to you describe what your group found under the school. Their faces slowly slipped into concern the more you spoke.

"You have the same magic, can't you get into that room?"

If it was that easy you'd think you'd have taken longer to check in because you'd have already tried it.

"No, I don't think I can. The door doesn't come with coherent instructions and it didn't show any signs of opening with me there."

Helga looked to her fellow founders. "How do we stop Salazar from getting another magical boost without knowing how? We can't distract him forever. He's already suspicious of us for it today. I wouldn't be surprised if he checked those secret places to make sure nothing was missing."

"Is there any other places you might have heard or known about that have strange magic or makes people feel as though it's eerie to go near?"

Godric shook his head and looked to Helga and Rowena.

"Not far from here there's a spot of land that I've noticed flourishes with magic, almost astoundingly so. I haven't mentioned anything because it's a good spot for growing plants, but you can at least look into it," Rowena mentioned, tapping his chin.

You nodded and looked to your friends. "We still have half a day, should we?"

"I'm curious," Sebastian admitted, getting his sister to nod.

"Alright," Ominis whispered.

Following the hastily drawn map, you began to recognize the path after a while.

"Am I the only one who-"

"Hogsmeade," Anne finished.

"Yeah, I always felt like it had an abundance of power," Sebastian laughed as he looked around at the plants surrounding us.

"But, I never seen any signs of ancient magic around here and I've been all over this place."

"Maybe one of the keepers already took it? Or altered it?" Sebastian offered.

It could have been plausible, but it still made you feel sort of stupid for missing it.

Warmth slipped around your wrist, before Ominis slipped his fingers between yours. "You were rather busy then. Dodging me, my parents, your parents. Working with Fig, Sebastian and the keepers. Fighting Rookwood, Harlow, Ranrok and every goblin or ashwinder who attacked. Helping anyone who called out to you."

Chuckling you squeezed his hand. "Fair point."

"You two should be sold at Honeydukes," Sebastian teased, getting hit by his sister.

"Stop it! Let them have these moments without interrupting them."

Rolling your eyes, you looked to Ominis, who had turned red.

You walked a little bit longer until you came to a spot where the plants were almost three times the size they normally were.

"I'd say it's concentrated here," Anne said kicking at the ground. "But nowhere to get into a cave or a passage, nothing."

You looked around but didn't see any signs of ancient magic either.

"Maybe you should walk around a little?" Sebastian offered upon seeing disappointment flicker over your face.

Nodding, you moved forward as Ominis's hand slipped from yours.

"We'll search around too. Call out if you find anything," Anne added.

"Okay," you said, though you weren't sure if they'd be able to find anything without being able to see it, but appreciated the help anyway.

Venomous tentacula followed your movement as you passed.

The rolling hill didn't have very many trees but the ones there were had been in a cluster.

Thinking it was the best place to hide something, you walked over seeing a few silver bubbles slipping out from under some of the bark on the tree.

Curious you reached out towards it, the bark curling away as your hand approached.

Reaching in, you felt something akin to a pedestal inside, with something small placed on top of it.

Carefully pulling it free, the tree vanished from existence as you looked down at the object in your hand seeing a golden necklace and chain with a star-like symbol.

It didn't have any magic surrounding it as you inspected it.

"Fancy meeting you here," Salazar's voice called out from behind you.

Glancing back, you couldn't see him past the trees.

"Come on out. We have things to discuss."

You quickly put the necklace on and hid it under your clothes before stepping out into the open.

Anne, Sebastian and Ominis were being held by a different student, with their wands being held by a fourth, the guy who was jealous of the attention Salazar was giving you.

"I told you that I'm not a patient man," Salazar said with an exaggerated wave down his person. "Now, if you don't want to lose your friends, it's time we came to an agreement."

....

#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy fanfic #ominis x oc #ominis x reader #ominis gaunt #ominis gaunt x oc #ominis gaunt x reader #ominis gaunt x you #sebastian sallow #anne sallow #salazar slytherin #godric gryffindor #helga hufflepuff #rowena ravenclaw

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ivoryblack · 1 year ago

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Cold Autumn.

09/11/23

Today, as I am sitting and trying to put together word by word for assignments (which failed, horrendously), I decided to start a new blog; one where I can be anonymous. This blog, from today onwards, might serve as a hideous space for my busy head, or a corner where I can sit and sip my cold coffee (I don't drink coffee).

Ever since I moved to this city roughly two months ago, my wandering eyes have laid on so many beautiful things and beings; the dogs that ran freely in the park, the babies who smiled when I said hello, the old buildings that hold unwritten stories, the leaves that fall magnificently, the cold breeze that pulls me back from the warm bakery (which I end up buying pastries from every day, anyway), the busses that would stop despite the green lights because students were running late crossing the streets, or strangers who quick to offer help without hesitation. These memories may remind me of all the blessings I couldn't count whenever I start counting them down one by one in the days to come. Whenever I start to question myself or fall into despair. Whenever I cross the street mindlessly, thinking my body isn't made of bones that would crack open but of stones. Whenever I forget that I am a vinyl with songs made of everyone who knows and loves me, even for a very brief moment. And those blessings; I should not count for they are so infinite or else, I might spend my whole life doing it.

So, I intend to write every tiny piece I cherish in this blog. One day, they might form a picture and I would hang it on the wall of my dream with a coffee table underneath (again, I don't drink coffee).

And I will start by writing these stories;

In September 2023, I set foot for the first time on the green field of this university. It took me five years to finally come here; the pandemic robbed 3 years out of it. I spent a year and a half picking up all these plans and finding the courage to actually try. I did well.

In October 2023, I saw the leaves turn yellow, then orange, then brown, and then fall. This is my first time living throughout autumn. All these cute autumn Pinterest-esque clothes I've always wanted to wear since I was a kid, are now in my wardrobe. But no one knew I wore them because a huge puffer was always on top of it. It's a cold autumn here. But I love it, still.

A few days ago as I was dead hungry, I ran down from the library to a cafe to eat my cold macaroni cheese. I didn't bring my spoon with me, so I asked the male waitress if they had a wooden spoon. He said, "We are not supposed to give this away to people. So if next time you come here and ask for this, and they don't give this to you, it's because we are not allowed to," while secretly giving me the wooden spoon. Thank you.

Yesterday, I had trouble trying to use the printer for school. The printing app was faulty on my laptop. I asked in the group chat, but none knew how to solve it. So I waited and waited for 20 minutes for someone to actually have answers to this. I wanted to go to the library. I wanted to study. I wanted to finish my assignment. But the printer did not work and I was stuck in that printing station for more than 30 minutes (sucks). I wanted to cry, I just wanted to have a nice day. Was that too much to ask? (I was on my period. It wasn't me. It was the hormone). Then, a stranger came. "Here, use my flash disk". Thank you, but my laptop has a Type-C port. "Oh, I got one in my room" and he sprinted out of the door and came back in two minutes while trying to catch his breath. He took the stairs since it's faster than elevator. His room is on the 4th floor– the printing station is on the 1st. A moment later, a friend from a different building came to this printing station to help me figure out the trouble with my installer. It wasn't solved. But thank you, both of you.

Today, I sit in this library seat where I can see the sun at its best spot (not a good spot, too shiny). But I feel contented. I have not started my assignment, but I wrote something that will remind me just how far I have walked, and how much beauty of this world I have encountered on my way.

Enough wasting time, I shall go back to my paper. I will tell myself I do well, later. When the autumn is still cold.

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foundfamilynonsense · 2 years ago

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Second person only works when it is an extended hypothetical!!

Listen. Listen. I have read for multiple literary magazines. I see some things in fanfiction. I understand second person is this alluring, interesting pov that people write in when they’re feeling deep. But second person is not LIKE first and third person. First and third person are practically interchangeable. But second person only works for a certain type of story.

I am grabbing you all by the shoulders. I’m begging everyone on my knees to understand. Second person says something about a story.

Look me in the eyes. Second person is not about “putting the reader inside the narrative”. That is not what it is for. That will not work.

Whenever I read a second person story that ~puts me in the story~ all I end up thinking is “no I would not fucking say that”. The story says “and you feel lonely” and I’m like “no I don’t.” Hell, sometimes it’s even a challenge. Like “why am I such a shitty person in this story how dare you claim I’m like this?” Even “canon character x reader” stories have this problem.

Now. That’s not to say people won’t read that story regardless. But I guarantee it is because they have taught themselves to picture “y/n” or “you” as a different character. They don’t actually see it as themselves. Nothing would change if you changed the story to first person and may “y/n” an oc. Second person does not ever put the reader in the story. That is not what it is for.

But! Second person is still interesting! Bc that is not the actual purpose of second person narratives! Second person narratives are an extended hypothetical.

Take the short story “Ranch Girl” by Mail Meloy. Written in second person. It starts with “if you’re white, and you’re not rich or poor but somewhere in the middle, it’s hard to have worse luck than to be born a girl on a ranch”

Notice how it’s starts with “if you’re white”

Let’s talk about A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid. In second person. It starts with “if you got to Antigua as a tourist, this is what you will see”

“If” is very important here. Bc each person is their own person who makes their own decisions. But IF you make this decision. IF you are this type of person, it doesn’t matter how different or unique you are, this will happen. It is an extended hypothetical.

It’s a way of saying “the main character of this story could be you. It’s not, obviously, but it could be. If you had their life or were in their shoes this would be you.” Which is a cool way of saying “this story is inevitable. If you were in the character’s shoes, you would make the same mistake” or even “this tragedy is set in stone. It has happened before and will happen again. You would not be immune”

If this is not the story you are telling. Do not write in second person.

Sure, you can write whatever fanfiction you want that’s your decision but please. I have been on the reading committees of SIX literary magazines. In most of them, we see second person that does not start with “if” or is obviously a hypothetical we deny it there and then bc it’s going to be bad. In the others, we read the second person but agreed that second person just takes something from the stories, and it would have been better in first or third. I have written many emails saying “this was rejected because the second person added nothing to the narrative. If you would like to resubmit it as a first person story, we would love to look at it again” and those are only for second person stories that blew our socks off… except for the fact they were second person.

If you’re submitting short fiction to magazines, do not write second person unless you are writing a very VERY specific story. There is only one place it works. It will just hinder you anywhere else.

#writing advice #I’m sorry to be a snooty writing advice person but I had to get it off my chest #VERY MUCH RECOMMEND RANCH GIRL AND A SMALL PLACE #second person pov

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koolcece22 · 7 months ago

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Enter Venomgirl

Ch.31

Shade’s Pov

Me and Miguel are still in the lab trying to set up the game plan on how we are going to take care of the collider. According to the data, the main collider was in the building in Alchemax HQ. The one me, Miguel and the kids were in. so if we can get to that one, we will be able to shut down the others all at once. So that one problem is taken care of. The main one. Now we need to find out who is really behind this, my guess is Andrew and Penny. I looked at Miguel who was still looking at the many files on the screen. How was he able to do that without getting a headache I'll never understand.

He was particularly glaring at the picture of Andrew Stone, I wonder if he reminds him of someone? Then again that man is evil and causes so many problems for me and anyone with Compound R.

I walk up beside him “I know, he has a punchable face.” I joked about getting Miguel's attention.

“Didn’t take you as a type to jokes.”

“Well hanging with you guys does that. But, your look at Andrew like he also ruin your life or at least someone similar to him.” I can feel that Miguel was particularly oozing with hate at the guy and I'm pretty sure he never meant him.

“He reminds me of my boss.”

“He does? That Tylor stone guy you talked about? Do you think Andrew is your boss’s variant?” I asked

“Maybe, but if he is, he will be just as twisted.”

Lyla then pop in,

“Well boss I called Jess, Peter, Ben,and Petra. To meet with you guys, also Hobie, Miles, and 42 came back with Agony that was left on Shade’s earth.”

“Say what now?” Both me and Miguel said at the same time. Lyla shows Jess and Peter talking to Miles,Hobie, and 42. Also talking to Gwen, Pavitr and Peni who all of them are getting scrowled by them. Miguel sighs as he jumps down from the platform landing on all four I follow, wanting to know why those three went to my Earth.

Me and Miguel open the door to the room they were all in. We can hear Jess yelling at them down the hall, even Peter looks a bit upset.

“I can believe you three went to that Earth without our permission! You know you could have been stuck there right?” Jess said soundly like a very upset mother. Then again she is one.

“Yeah, well we try to save Agony. Zee was handling her hostage unless we helped them with making sure that one their informant wasn’t betraying them.” Hobie said

“Yeah, he likes a big demon guy named Blackheart and why is there a demon in their group anyway?” 42 chime in. When he said Blackheart's name the room shifted mainly the emotion that came from Jess,Peter and even Miguel. It was fear.

“You meant Blackheart?” I asked everyone to turn towards me, now noticing me and Miguel in the room.

“Yeah? You met him.”

I shook my head, I never met the guy, Zee told me he is the best informant they have. Then again they only have two, him and Timothy. Not like people are so keen on joining U.N.I.T.

“No, all I know is that he works for Zee. They don’t want to meet me but they have seen me which is creepy.”

Miguel used his watch to show us a bunch of villains and their variants, he scrolled a bunch of them till he landed on a weird-looking creature. It was an all black creature, his form reminded me of my Berzerk form.

“You saw this?” Miguel asked sounding very worry

All three of them nodded, starting to get the feeling that something was wrong and they weren’t supposed to meet that guy.

“Yeah, only different, he has red markings similar to yours tio.” Miles said

“ genial, otro problema con el que podríamos tener que lidiar.” Miguel said under his breath.

“Ugh, ok I never met my Blackheart but something tells me he’s bad, right?”

Judging from the looks Jess, Miguel, and Peter look, he’s bad.

“He is not usually a villain we deal with. He has more Ghostrider and Daredevil problem. But when we do have to deal with him, he is a variant we don’t want to deal with.”

“And why is he so bad?” I asked

“He is the son of the demon named Mephisto. Another guy I hope we don’t have to deal with.” Miguel turns to the kids “if you even meet that man again. don’t try to engage with him, got it?”

They all nodded this was probably the first time I felt the kids also taking them seriously. Miguel sighs again as he rubs the bridge of his nose.

“So where is Agony?” he turn to Peter

“Andrea is taking care of her. Perta and Ben are also with them. if Agony tries to do anything but she looks like she is not going to try to escape.”

“Ok I’m going to check on her, Shade will come with me. You guys continue your work and don’t go to Earth 2424. Entiendo?”

Surprisingly, they all nodded. Me and Miguel head to the Med room while Jess still lay on the kids. I’m just glad they are ok, I will have to have a word to Zee once I get back but for now, we need to talk to this Agony.

Once we were there, Miguel opened the door and saw two other spider men. One looks like someone who would be in a gang on my Earth while the other looks like a cyborg or something. I’m guessing there are Ben and Petra. I saw Agony who was on the bed. She look chain up so she wouldn’t get away. I mean, she is surrounded by hundreds of Spider-people so I don’t think she is getting away.

She look up at us as her eyes widen,

“You are that freaky symbiote I saw back at the gym.” Agony hissed at me, I was taken aback by what she said Kuro pop on to shoulder growling knowing I hated being called a freak.

“ Say that to our face you kuso icky!”

“Kuro, stop it.” Then I look back at Agony who is glaring at me as Kuro calls her icky.

“Why half your brain is out?”

I was about to answer till Miguel stepped in. Agony also glared at him seeing his costume remembering she fought him when Carnage captured Tempest.

“You, you were there too. Why are there a bunch of you?”

Miguel put his hands up trying not to be a threat to her. I can feel her unease with her.

‘Don’t trust them, we need to go back .’

‘I know, but how?! We have no choice but to trust them for now.’

I grab my head from hearing the voices, their voices. Agony and her host, it was like that before. Miguel and everyone in the room must have noticed as I felt their emotion shift to concern.

“You ok?” Miguel asked

“Yeah…I can hear her.” I pointed to Agony who looked at me and was confused. I don’t blame her, I'm just as confused as they were.

‘ What is she talking about? ’ I hear her talking again

“I-I can hear what you're thinking.” Agony was taken back by this. Miguel looked at me and heard as I continued. “I heard it before with her and a bit with carnage. Is that normal for symbiotes?”

I turned to Agony or the symbiote part of her went back into her body to show us her human host, her hair was brown with some purple highlights in it and had a mole near her lip. Miguel looked at her, guessing she looked familiar to him. Well she could be a variant of someone.

“You're Liz Allen?” Miguel said, examining her.

The woman or Liz Allen nodded and her symbiote popped out the side with a grin. It looks like a snake compared to Kuro who looks like a rabbit when she pops out. My body also looks like she or they can’t leave her body all the way too.

“Yeah? What is it to ya?”

“Nothing, it's just rare to see a Liz Allen, you usually with a Misery symbiote. I need to run some scans to see which earth you are from.”

“Earth 8532, or that Carnage asshole said I was from.”

I walked up to her and sat next to her. I just want to see if she ok since I'm the closest thing here, as the same as her. She was taken back by it but I can sense she calmed down quickly.

“I overheard that Carnage and my Six on my earth were experimenting on you. Do you know Why?” I asked because I wanted to know what they did to her. Whatever they were doing wasn't good.

“They were trying to copy me. Carnage seemed like he was working under someone so he wasn’t getting tested like a lab rat like I was.” Liz hissed the last part. I wouldn’t blame her. “They were trying to copy this Venomgirl’s powers. I’m guessing that you?”

I nodded. I know one reason why they tried to capture me was to copy my powers since in their eyes I’m one of the strongest with Compound R. Then again why me and not Penny or Arachnidqueen.

“Well, good news. I overheard that Zee person that someone took care of that and all the data they got from me was deleted, even the backup file.”

“I think it was Blackheart who must have done that.” Miguel pointed out. Then he pulls up a hologram from his watch and a girl pops up. I think that Margo if I remember correctly. “Margo can see what is going on, on Earth 8532 also ready for the go-home-machine.”

My eyes widen, wait! This is my only chance to talk to someone that likes me. They look like they have their powers down compared to me. I don’t know how but I can tell they have a good bond with each other. Something that I wish I had. I know Kuro isn’t her own but me but It's like a me that I always reject and I don’t want no part of. I want her to be part of me.

“Wait, can she…train with me for a bit?”

“What?!” everyone said at the same time. Even Liz’s symbiote pops out in surprise that asked that.

Andrea walk up to me “Shade that not a good idea, they- I mean she can be dangerous.”

“I’m more dangerous than her! Look, this is the first time since this whole Collider thing started that I found someone similar to me and not try to kill me. She is probably only one I can get any answer from directly.”

Miguel, Andrea, Ben and Petra look at each other as they fold their arms not liking this Idea. I think I know how those kids feel.

“How about this. Give me one day with her. Please” I begged them, Miguel sigh as he walks forward to me and Liz.

“I will allow it but first, it is going to be up to her if she wants to help or not.” Miguel then turns towards Liz who looks confused by all this. I kind of did threw her under the bus without her say-so. “I look into your history, your earth there is Spider-Man but its Kaine Parker. We haven’t talked to him yet to join the spider society. But it looks like you haven’t caused trouble like most Agony.”

“Heh, how I'm being treated as another prisoner, I can tell. I look, I don’t think i’m qualified to help you control yours…” she eyed me up and down like she was trying to figure me out. I really am not like them. “But, you did kind of help me out. You two broke me free on Carnage’s control and those other spiders brought me here. Let's say I give you a free trial as a thank you. But that it, got it!?”

Nodded as I grabbed her hand, shaking it excitedly, for the first time in while I was happy. Finally! Someone who can help me understand. I wish Patrick was here, he would also be excited too.

“I will be with you two just to keep an eye on things but once the machine is done we will send you home as soon as we can, we don’t know if you not being there affected that earth’s canon.” Miguel said as he walked up Liz and removed the chains that were on her. Liz didn’t react as she just rubbed her wrist

I walked up to him “was it really necessary to chain her up like that?”

Miguel got the sense that seeing her like that was making me uncomfortable.

Can you blame me?

“We are taking precautions. Symbiote are part of the spider-person’s canon and most of the time…they aren’t pretty.”

I sigh that I understand what he meant but I feel like there should be another way. Miguel took me and Liz to the training room. It was only us three here, Miguel sat on the far end of the room, I'm guessing to give us girls some space. Liz then turns back into Agony.

“So, what do you want to learn?”

“Oh well, I have run down something I can do.” I pointed out. I mean I know I've been like this for nine years but I only got some of my powers down to at least not turn into Berzerk every two seconds.

“Can summon tendrils and stuff?” Agony then summoned her tendrils but they came from all over her body, same did Carnage, but his was more wild why Agony was strangely elegant. I can only summon my tendrils arms and legs. It helps with my shapeshifting.

“Well, not all over my body like you but yeah.” I show her that my tendrils from my arms. Agony examine my tendrils

“They look like they don’t go far compared to most symbiotes I meant. You have anything unique about you?”

“What do you mean?”

“I can absorb chemicals that can reconstruct something useful. Anti-venom can cure anything he touches, Carnage as you know can control people and absorb.

Each symbiote has a unique gimmick.”

“Does being half-symbiote count?” Agony laugh I couldn’t tell if Liz or Agony was the one who was laughing.

“No, I don't think so. I will admit I have never seen anyone like you before. You were hard to sense or read. You can sense me right?”

I nodded. I'm close to her so it is not but I feel this buzzing sense when I'm far away from her. Like she is giving off a signal on where she is. It was way worse from Carnage I wonder if because of his killer intent.

“Hey Peter or Kain?” my attention was back to Agony who was calling Miguel guessing she thought he was Peter or this Kain person.

“It Miguel.” he said

“Oh, ok. I can fight your friend right?”

I couldn’t help but cocked my head wondering what she meant. Does she want to fight me?

“As long as you don’t hurt her I allow it. But if I hurt her…”

“Yeah yeah, you step in and stop me and beat me up right? I’m not like Carnage, you know? I know when to stop, I just want to see what she can do, that's all.”

I can feel the unease from Miguel, not sure if this is a good idea, I don’t blame him since I did lose control from the last training session I was in. But, I feel better and my head is clearer now that I'm all healed up.

‘ Are you up for it Kuro?’

‘ You know i’m always ready to fight.’

I nodded and turned to Miguel.

“I will be ok Miguel.”

“You sure? you just got better.”

I nodded as I grew my claws and got ready to fight Agony. She smirks at me as ready herself.

“Yeah, I'm good.”

Third person POV

Agony made the first move by using her webbing to swing up to a nearby wall and launch herself off from it. Shade was able to dodge it but barely, she used her tendril to try to wrap around her leg but the moment Shade’s tendril touch Agony’s leg it quick retracted from the burn she felt.

“What?!”

“I told you! I can change the chemicals in my body and still have left them to test me.” Agony then shoves her tendrils into the ground which spikes quickly go towards Shade. Shade turn hand in to giant claws to slash the spike like tendrils, at the same time Agony came from behind was about to punch Shade but Shade blocked it with her tendrils

From the far end of the training room, Miguel was eyeing the fight and he had to

admit Shade was able to hold her own. Then again he saw her fight. She seems like she just need more practice but she is just as good as any newbie Spider person.

‘ Focus Shade, focus !’ Kuro said as She turned Shade legs into more animal-like to give her more speed, Shade got down on all fours as she was about to charge at Agony. Agony used her webbing again and covered a spot that Shade touched causing her to stop in her tracks. Before Shade can slash the webbing off of her, Agony punches her in the back and pins her on the ground.

Miguel was about to stop the fight till his watch went to inform him to take his medicine. But he can’t leave Shade with an anomaly. Lucky, he should be fine for the next ten minutes before his instinct takes over him.

‘ Threat, don’t like’

Miguel shakes his head and tries to push down the thought. He should end the training so he can send Agony or Liz back. He turns back to Agony and Shade, as Agony punches Shade hard on the back. Seeing this, something inside Miguel reacts to this as the next thing he knew he got between Agony and Shade. Both of them were confuse on what Miguel was doing.

“Miguel?” Shade got up wondering what he was doing. She knows she took a nasty hit from Agony, but it was nothing she can’t handle. His back was facing towards her. She got up to touch his back till she noticed something off about him.

“Where are your emotions?”

#across the spiderverse #miguel o'hara #spidersona #symbioate sona #spider man 2099 #writing #miles morales #spider gwen #feral! miguel o'hara #atsv hobie #spiderverse pavitr #42 miles morales

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back-and-totheleft · 2 years ago

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A pinned butterfly

I recently had a chance to interview one of the most luminary directors of our generation, Oliver Stone. He was in town to talk about his latest film, World Trade Center, but we also got around to why he gave in on the version of Alexander that was released, Bill O’Reilly, his image as a director, and what his next project will NOT be (the Internet rumor mill proves incorrect again).

He walked in, sat down, and looked at the cheese plate in front of him. Stone shook his head ruefully, “I’m not a cheese eater anymore. I’ve turned against the French.” Bye bye cheese. That’s the way it goes when you’re Oliver Stone, big-time director of JFK, Nixon, Any Given Sunday, Platoon, Wall Street… well, you get the idea. He’s directed a lot.

How much of this World Trade Center is completely factual?

Oliver Stone: Well, we have dialogue between people that we don’t know, we have ghosts too. There’s some dramatic license because you’re taking 24 hours and condensing it into two.

Is this a patriotic film?

I hope it’s viewed as a film about people, It’s about America in many ways because it was America that was attacked but if the movie grows the way it should it’s a larger story. It’s about the human heart, survival, how we’re all in it together.

What makes this an Oliver Stone movie, where is your trademark on it?

That’s a tough question to answer. I view myself as changing every picture. This was what it was; there was not a lot of moving camera shots because of the nature of the story. The idea was to concentrate on the lighting throughout the day, darkest when the story is at its bleakest, as hope fades within the families.

The story deals with couples who are very rarely together on screen, was it tough to direct something like that?

Yeah, imagine at the beginning of this process talking to the actors and telling them they were going to be heads in a jar. But no, I wanted to keep it in the Hollywood tradition of a driving narrative, so you could say each of the four actors occupies a quadrant of the movie.

Why did you decide to tell this story?

I decided to because I don’t think we really know the story. We have so politicized 9/11 that we’ve lost track of what the story is. What struck me when I read the script in late 2004 was Ah-ha, I’ve never seen this. It was so fresh and true. It wasn’t like we had to make it up. There were parts that during the screening people thought we had made up, but they were true so we had to re-cut the cards to show people what they were watching was true. It was also the script. My agent read it and said I can’t get this thing out of my mind, I don’t know if it’s going to make a dime, I don’t know that I can even get it financed. I read it and had the same reaction. It was so right on and the irony is I couldn’t get the fucking job; it was another six months before they finally gave it to me.

Can you talk about the set used on this one?

We built it in the old Howard Hughes hangar. Complicated build because of the access. Walking on rubble for an hour is exhausting. I don’t recommend it; well actually maybe we could turn it into a great new aerobic exercise. We could bring people down to a rubble field and make them walk for an hour, maybe make some money.

How much of a collaboration are your projects?

Well it’s not a full democracy because then it would be like the United States Congress. You’d be having God votes every day; you can’t do it that way. But I love working with writers on real subjects. This movie was a technical nightmare to make; I can’t even begin to tell you. Plus all the calls I had to make, where were you, what were you doing? All the equipment alone, all the shit that was going on. And I had to remember it all and change it all when people remembered something else. Even in Vietnam (Platoon) I knew I had to make that movie because I was beginning to forget the details. And everyone sees different points of view too. I did pledge an oath of loyalty to do the movie within the confines and move beyond the cliches. We all paid attention to details.

Are you frustrated with still being the “conspiracy director”?

I feel like a butterfly that’s been pinned. No, I pride myself on keeping at it. I’ve been destroyed a few times, Nixon was painful, Heaven and Earth was a tremendous setback for me because that was a lot of work, a lot of energy. Alexander was probably the biggest visible blotch. Only in America and England I should say, it was top 20 abroad which was significant for me.

Why didn’t you just release the director’s cut of Alexander originally?

I think I had the attitude of "Fuck it." I didn’t want to fight that battle anymore and I did feel it was a structurally correct version.

Did you feel any qualms about being one of the first directors to tackle a 9/11 movie?

I’m glad that Paul Greengrass made his movie. I think it helped break the ice, I think it was an excellent movie. This subject matter should be done in different styles like Vietnam, there’s room for six or eight movies about this that could be very effective. But I’m glad he (Greengrass) helped break that ice though I feel we have a more traditional Hollywood movie here where you get an attachment to four characters.

Is your next project really Son of the Morning Star as listed on IMDB?

That’s not my next project, that’s an old internet factoid, I guess they want me to do that.

Did you make an effort not to stand out on this project?

Yeah, I would have been embarrassed had I stood out. It would be the wrong thing for me to get in the way of the movie but I would say that about every movie I’ve been involved in. I really feel like I’m a chameleon with every movie. I think the problem is I’ve been outspoken politically between the movies and they confuse that with the movies. If you look at JFK and Nixon they defy type. Nixon was attacked by the right wing but it was actually very empathetic towards the humanity of Nixon. JFK was neither left nor right. It’s a question mark, a radical question mark. I consider myself an independent. These political things came about because we live in this climate and it’s hurt the movies, no question. But I have a right to speak out as you do.

This is an apolitical movie though right?

Yes. It’s about the day, their feelings. It was like Platoon in that sense, we didn’t talk about LBJ there.

Is it worth fighting the right wing talk show hosts who have already made up their minds on this one?

I can only say see the movie, I don’t know what to say there, I’ve been a boogey man for them for years, maybe they’ve forgotten about me by now.

Have you been invited on the Bill O’Reilly show?

Oliver Stone: I’ve been invited many times, yeah. Many people tell me it’s a really difficult format to be heard in; I think they ring a bell!

And with that the publicist rang a bell on Ollie’s time with me.

-Laremy Legel, "Oliver Stone Talks ‘World Trade Center’," ComingSoon.net, Aug 2 2006 [x]

#world trade center #oliver stone

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i-care-4u · 2 years ago

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UN VERANO SIN TI | J. HARLOW

part one | part two | part three

pair: jack harlow x actress!reader

requests are closed | masterlist

JUNE-JULY 22’

This summer was packed for you. First, your movie finally got released after a year and a half of working on it. On the other hand, there was obviously going to be a press tour on it, which includes going from Buzzfeed and Glamour interviews to even showing up to award shows. And finally, you were set to have another movie released in October, which more details will be given to you between now and mid-August.

You were pretty occupied for now, and your next big appearance will be taken place at the Video Music Awards in late August. Why the VMAs? Promotion.

Obviously, Jack was going to attend the show, with him performing “First Class” and also receiving several nominations. You were pretty excited, yet anxious after that reply that you’ve given back to the audience in Cannes.

Jack, on the other hand, went back on stage to perform in several countries. Traveling with the team was the fun part of touring, yet it felt different without your presence. The moment Jack went to Australia, he thought about the places you’d take him to. Suddenly, he remembered a conversation that you had with him about being in Australia.

“If you ever go to Australia for touring, you should definitely check out this place,” you got out your phone and looked up the place. You remembered the time you spent there, looking at the waves while sitting on a big stone. It was always sunny, yet cool weather when you went.

“That view looks beautiful,” Jack complimented.

“Thank you,” you posed, teasing him.

“You’re just as beautiful as those views,” Jack leaned in to give you a kiss.

The moment he went, he found an empty stone to sit at, and looked at the water along with the sky. “It really does look beautiful,” Jack thought.

Based on Urban’s sight, Jack looked concentrated, seeing the Australian nature.

Urban turned around to where Jack is at. “Everything okay Jack?”

“Jack?” Urban repeated until Jack turned his head to his direction.

“Huh?”

“Thinking about her again?”

“How’d you know?”

“Look around you.”

Jack was sitting on a big stone, similar to the picture that you showed him a couple months prior. It felt like a piece of you was still with him.

Urban was on his way to sit down with Jack. “You’re still not over her, are you?”

Jack shook his head, no reply given.

“I’ll tell you what, she’s coming to New York for the VMAs.”

“What?!” Jack turned around, eyes widened. Urban didn’t mention another word and walked away.

This was shocking, yet exciting news for Jack. Normally, you wouldn’t be in attendance for these music shows, declining their requests politely. Reasons for this is due to you feeling like you’re outside the box. This year was a surprise to your fans when they found out that you were attending to this years VMAs.

VMAs ‘22, August 28th, 2022

With the summer ending soon, it was about time for the award season to arrive. Tonight, it was the VMAs.

You checked in at the hotel in New York a couple days ago, yet no sighting of Jack for now. By now, you knew what living in New York is like. It was so easy to be recognized out there.

At this time, you were about to carefully step outside to take over the red carpet and later watch the show. There was already a crowd of people outside, and as you began walking, you heard everyone chanting your name. You smiled and waved at them. Some even requested to take a photo with them, in which you agreed to be in their frame.

After a having a moment with your fans, you walked back to the red carpet and this time, it was the photographer’s time to take the pictures.

You walked away from the red carpet and went inside to the venue. MTV already had the seats set up for the guests, and you were five seats away from Jack based on the photo that was posted on Twitter.

You sat down, and enjoyed listening to the live performances that were given outside the venue. More celebrities started to arrive, but you didn’t pay much attention on who was coming to the show.

The show was starting now, with Jack opening with “First Class.” The set for the performance looked fun, with celebrities and his friends hanging out. You smiled, feeling proud that he is having fun in his career.

While performing, Jack made an announcement where he is bringing a special guest, that guest being Fergie. They began singing “Glamorous,” and you gasped, knowing how far he’s gotten into his career. Your reaction was shown on screen on TV. You knew how much Jack loves Fergie’s music since childhood, so it was such a huge accomplishment for him.

After a few performances and awards, you got on stage to present one of the awards. Once you presented, the people got their first hands on your new movie, coming to theaters on October.

As soon as commercial break was over, you heard small muttering coming from a few seats away. It was from Druski and Jack.

“I thought you guys were over.”

“I can’t get over it Drew, I still have a soft spot of her.”

You catch a glimpse of Jack, but immediately turned to eye contact. You didn’t bother but to look the other side.

“I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

Jack didn’t want you to end it in a negative way, and he wanted to make things right again. He got up his seat, and came up to you to talk.

“Hey,” you greeted him.

“Let’s talk, yeah?”

It was a public space, and MTV does these behind the scenes clips of what happens inside the show. This interaction between you two made it in MTV’s “Stan Cam.”

You and him walked backstage, where his dressing room was located, and you guys tried to talk things privately.

“What’s up?” you asked him.

“It’s been a while,” he sounded a bit awkward, which is one side you only got to see back when you guys were dating. This showed a sign that he missed you dearly. “It’s been what, three months since we last talked?”

You nodded, “Yeah.” You stopped and stared for a moment. You knew things took a turn after Cannes, which explains the gap that you have today with Jack. Cannes was an important factor of the cause, so you decided to bring that up.

“Let me start off by saying that I did mean most of the words I said during Cannes. They were mostly about you and how we got along during our time.”

“But our scheduling conflicts-“

“I’m aware of it Jack. The truth is, I was stressed about the whole situation before even breaking up. It never happened to me before, and I didn’t know how to handle it properly, so I thought to break up instantly. I’m sorry I didn’t told you sooner, and I know I should’ve.”

You were almost in the verge of tears and Jack noticed the look that you had on your face. He reached in for a hug, and he began to pat your back.

“It’s okay, Y/n.”

Outside the door, there were incoming footsteps. A person knocked on Jack’s dressing room and announced in front of his door, “Jack you’re up in five!”

Jack looked at the door, “Shit.”

Time was running short, but you knew you had a few days left in New York before leaving for Venice, Italy for the Venice Film Festival. You couldn’t leave him in a cliffhanger, but you learned today that you were luckily still in good terms.

Before leaving the room, you made a commitment to take Jack on a date, “Before you go, how about we settle this down at a dinner, just you and me. I’ll pay, by the way.”

“That’s good, wait? I’ll pay instead!”

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31st, 2022

You were set to leave to Venice on Friday morning, and one of the last things you promised to do in New York, was a dinner date with Jack.

For today, you wanted to throw in a comfortable, yet classy look. Luckily, you found the perfect outfit from your luggage and threw some shoes, ahead of time. The sun was about to set, and you were in the bathroom mirror, making last minute touches into your face.

Your phone started spamming with notifications, all being texts from Jack.

Jack: I’m on my way

Jack: Where are you?

You: I’m still getting ready, hold on ☺️

Jack: You and always getting late 😒

You: What can I say, I’m the main event

Before leaving the hotel, you fixed your earrings and grabbed your purse. You called your manager, telling them that you’re leaving for dinner.

Taking off your sunglasses, you stepped inside the restaurant. The rich scent was one factor as to why you began eating here recently, and today was the first time you were eating here with Jack. You had a huge smile on your face, feeling enthusiastic about Jack trying out new food, especially from this restaurant.

In front of you, there was a hostess. You greeted her and she began asking you the usual questions when first arriving.

“Welcome! Table of how many people?” the hostess asked you.

“A table of two, please,” you requested.

“Of course! What’s your name?”

“Y/n L/n.” you stated.

“Oh, your guest arrived! Follow me.”

You followed the hostess as she guided you to your table. By the time you showed up, Jack was already sitting there for 10 minutes.

“The waiter will arrive soon. Have a nice evening you two!”

Jack was laughing at your late appearance. “Look who showed up late to her planned date with me.”

You dramatically glared at him, “Don’t act like you don’t take time for yourself because I know you do.”

“Well it was worth the time because you do look nice today.”

You posed, thanking him in a British accent, “Why thank you, Jackman.”

“Did you learn that for-”

“No, it’s not for the upcoming movie, Jack.”

Jack responded back with a British accent as well, “Pretty impressive.”

A waiter was coming your way and he passed out two menus, one for you and the other for Jack.

“Welcome, what can I get for you?”

You decided to eat your typical meal that you love, and you pointed the meal to the waiter, who was writing it down on a notepad. Meanwhile, Jack was carefully looking at the menu, viewing what they have.

“May I get a-” Jack paused and attempted to pronounce the name of the meal before you interrupted and helped him out. The waiter also wrote Jack’s meal down, and before he left, he wanted to verify if you guys wanted the meals that he wrote down.

“So you want these meals, correct?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Okay. The meals will be ready for you guys in a few minutes. In the meantime, enjoy yourselves!”

“I can’t wait for you to try these foods out. I promise you that you’ll never go to another restaurant again. Because this, this is so fucking delicious,” you exaggerated.

“I believe you Y/n,” Jack smiled. “After Australia, I have to give the award for best recommendations to you.”

Your eyes widen, “Wait? You went to that place?! The one with the water and the stones?”

You loved that place in Australia. It was one of the best parts of your day as you were relaxed after a long day of filming. You wanted to hear more about Jack’s experience there.

“It was so calming. The weather seemed nice, and overall a beautiful scenery. It reminded me of you when I sat down and watched the sky.”

It was happening, you believed. “You really miss my absurd commentary, huh?”

“Not just your jokes, but you in general.”

His hand started reaching for your hand. It was something that haven’t experienced for a while, and it was a heartwarming moment for you two. You looked at him, and replied, “I truly miss this.”

He was ready to ask you out again, and began confessing, like past times. “I love you Y/n. I’ve always adored you since the first time you popped up on my TV screen, and I felt like the luckiest man when I met you, and I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you sooner. I’ll fix things this time, I promise you I’ll do anything for you, my love.”

You didn’t want Jack to feel in a similar position like you were at the VMAs. “Jack, it’s okay, don’t worry about it now. In fact, why don’t we just start over?”

You wanted to tell everything to Jack in one sitting, but you first wanted to go back to basics. Meanwhile, Jack took this is a humorous manner. “Hi, I’m Jack.”

You smiled at Jack, “I know who you are. By the way, I’m Y/n, and I am going to attend the Venice Film Festival this weekend. What about you, any plans?”

“I have a tour coming up.”

“I have a tour coming up as well, a press tour to be specific.”

“When can you be free for our next date?”

“Hmm…” you began looking at your calendar from your phone, and it has a few notes in them, including interview, events, and photoshoot dates.

“Around early October, for sure.”

“In New York?”

“Yeah.”

“Then, would you like to go out on a date with me on October 8th?”

“Of course, Jack.”

The food has arrived, and it was served to the table. You and Jack began eating, and it was a delightful night for the two. You were right about Jack, as he said that he will consider coming back to eat here again.

Before leaving the restaurant, Jack offered to pay the dinner like he promised, and left a tip by the counter. Jack then reached in to give you a goodbye kiss, the first kiss since the MET Gala in May. He got red as soon as he left,

You began walking outside, thinking about Jack and the new things you will try together now that autumn and winter is coming. It marked an end of an era, and a start of a fresh and improved relationship with Jack.

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