#all i ask is maybe as good as man of medan?

[iamthecomet]

oh yeah, i agree with you that rain is the only in the pack who's patient enough to play games like elden rings and stuff... games with an actual story

and he would definitely wreck everyone in PVP cod or overwatch or valorant

this conversation from yesterday got me thinking abt the ghouls's favorite videogames so here's my hc (coming from a person with very little experience in gaming):

dewdrop loves horror games with blood gore jumpscares, all that shit. like, I'm sure he loved the mortuary assistant and i think the only "long" game he has the patient to play is resident evil, just bc of the jumpscares you can get and the fighting zombies and shit (don't let that boy anywhere NEAR the niche youtube creepypastas videos like the mandela catalogue or the backrooms)

swiss is probably some shit like wii sports or just dance BUT he also loves mario kart and super mario 3d world. he also plays fall guys with rain sometimes

aether, well, i feel like he likes the old games better like legend of zelda: a link to the past, super mario bros 3, and maybe mega man zero? but one day he walked in on rain playing the last of us and he was liking the game so much, it became sort of a routine for the both of them to have rain playing while aether watches. they'd do that every friday night and they both cried when the game ended

mountain i think is the one that doesn't play games a lot, but the ones he likes is like stardew valley and cats and soup

idk what rain's favorite game is lol, he has a lot of favorite games but what i DO know is, he loves playing pokemon on gameboy advance.

satan, this ask is huge, I'm sorry

-📼

So, from a person with moderate gaming experience, these are great. Let me expand on them a tiny bit because I can't resist.

Dew is absolutely the horror game guy. Both the serious and stupid ones. He tries, repeatedly, to get others to play the really scary ones with him just so he can watch them get jump scared. He got most of the ghouls to play Man of Medan with him over the course of a single evening. They ended up sleeping in the common room together that night. Yes. Even Dew. (I'm not talking from personal experience with this one, not AT ALL). Swiss KILLS it at Just Dance. The Ghoulettes do too. The four of them play it together ALL the time. I think he also enjoys the classic fighting games, Tekken, Mortal Kombat, Soul Caliber. He plays those with Cumulus a lot. Cumulus usually wins.

I think Mountain plays games WITH others, but not usually alone. So it's mostly games like overcooked (this ends in a fight, every time), borderlands, whatever horror game Dew is pushing on them this week, Mario party--that kind of thing. Also occasionally Animal Crossing. In my mind, I think Rain's favorite game is something like Diablo. Classic. Can be played with his friends. Can be REALLY difficult, or very easy, depending on how you play it. And easy to play over and over again. Sunshine always wins at Mario Party somehow even though she claims she has no idea what she's doing. Cirrus is almost as good as Rain at shooters, and no one knows how or why.

[queenofbaws]

Oh man completely forget to ask but your reblog about Taylor and John reminded me lol. Would you perchance be able to or mind sharing just how you think the cast of house of ashes might fit into your little overarching supermassive brain universe?

i would be SO HAPPY to give you the incredibly boring answer to that question ;P BUT just in case there's anyone out there who doesn't want to get spoiled for some upcoming stupidity in my ghost hunting au series (where i, more or less, smoosh all the supermassive characters together like barbie dolls), i'm gonna throw this under a cut!!!

why hello there. we're alone now. allow me to tell you more about my... *slowly opens trench coat, revealing a never-ending scroll of weird mo-cap portraits* supermassive friend circles.

the first thing i want to say is that i am incredibly blessed in that, every so often, the stars align and supermassive just gives me a gift. example: when writing t(a), i made a joke about chris's new replacement roommate being way too into ww2...and then they gave me BRAD SMITH, HISTORIAN NERD. they actually threw me a similar bone in house of ashes sadklfjaklsdjf

namely..........rachel and eric met where? climbing class. what is sam actively participating in where we left off in of mummy men & bathtub soup? ...climbing class.

the house of ashes crew are gonna be fitting into the creepiverse through, who else, our dear samantha, who has met them, where else, at the gym. they're the rotc kids, they're very intense, and while they're fine when you need a spotter at the gym, don't expect them to get invited to any parties in the near future because it's like...it's the weirdest thing, they just have this vibe like they're all sort of maybe potentially sleeping with each other behind each other's backs??? kind of??? when they're not shouting at each other, that is. or having impromptu competitions to prove they're better than one another. they harsh the vibe PRETTY FUCKIN HARD wherever they go. but lbr, between the man of medan AND little hope gangs both being related through josh, chris, and ashley, sam was DUE to bring some new blood into the creeps' world.

(i am sad to say my ideas for salim are currently lacking, but my good bud @unicornaffair suggested he'd be a real fun professor to have, so he might end up joining the likes of alan, edgar, and john on the faculty - WHO'S TO SAY???)

but yes, as always i'm gonna be playing fast and loose with ages and that kinda shit just to smash everyone together. and we all know clarice and taylor are gonna be related, right? like...like there's no question there, right? righT??????????

[haveyouseenthis]

I’m staring to wonder...

After playing/watching Until Dawn, Man of Medan, and Little Hope, I’ve kind of got this theory going. I don’t know how well it’s going to hold up since depending on how you look at it we’re only 2-3 games into this whole mess, but so far I like how it looks.

My theory, my guess, my thought, my idea....whatever you want to call it - I think all of the antagonists in the Dark Pictures Anthology will be human, not supernatural. More specifically, each game is about humans dealing with extreme emotions and the consequences of their reactions and decisions.

Hear me out!

*spoilers*

Look at Until Dawn

There are two primary antagonists in the game: The Psycho/Josh and the wendigos.

Josh seems well-adjusted when we first meet him, which seems incredibly weird, but we quickly realize that he is far from fine. He is dealing with mental illness exacerbated by grief over the still relatively recent disappearance of his two sisters. Although it is never explicitly stated, it’s not difficult to imagine that Josh and his family at least suspect their family members are dead. Over the course of the game, we see Josh lose his grip on his sanity. With each scene he seems a little more unhinged, culminating in his exposure as The Psycho and subsequent punishment. The final time we see Josh, he has transformed into the second, are much scarier, antagonist of the series: The Wendigo.

The Wendigo, we learn, are born of a curse. They are humans who turned to eating human flesh to stay alive and consequently were possessed by the spirit of a wendigo. They are strong and deadly, a nearly perfect killer and a great horror movie monster.

But Tek, you say. The wendigos are supernatural monsters! You said everything will be about people.

It is.

Yes, the wendigos become the main threat of the game, but they only exist because of people. As a consequence of truly desperate situations, people made the choice that turned them into monsters. Similarly, Josh, driven to extremes by his anger, chose to put in place a plan to endanger his friends. While he could not have known the full extent of what would happen that night, Josh was the spark that lit the flame of their (potential) demise.

Until Dawn, at it’s core, is about what happens when people are left with nothing but desperation and despair.

Okay fine, you don’t believe me still. I get it; I do. Until Dawn isn’t the best example with it’s supernatural monsters. But what about Man of Medan?

If you’ve played Man of Medan, then you know that there was nothing supernatural happening on that ship - except maybe the fact that it was somehow still floating after nearly a century. The cargo is to blame for everything. Whatever the concoction was, it was literally scaring people to death. That is, if someone else didn’t get scared and kill you first.

The pirates, however, start us off. As far as antagonists go, they are menacing, but nothing compared to the mystery we saw in the prologue. You feel as if you’re biding your time until the real threat arrives.

And when it does, you’re already in the thick of it. You’ve seen each character make decisions that can potentially threaten themselves and those around them. Before you even reach the ship, you’ve been introduced to the idea of people as the antagonists of the game. The question then becomes how do these new antagonists fit in with what you already saw?

Very well, it turns out. The gas plays with the mind, causing the characters, both playable and pirate, to go mad with fear. And here is where we hit upon the core of the game.

Man of Medan is about fear. Plain and simple. It’s a kind of fear that plays with the mind and turns people into their own worst enemies. Depending on how you played the game, fear could’ve made you fall to your death or kill someone you love. Fear could’ve caused a pirate to kill you. Fear is the name of the game here. Extreme fear and what it makes people do.

So where does Little Hope fit I can hear you asking. I’d be happy to tell you.

Like Medan, how emotions play with the mind is at the center of Little Hope. Say what you will about the ending - I thought it was good - but every monster in the game springs from the mind of one man. The horror was connected to trauma and grief. Each demon that chased them down was representative of how Anthony’s family died. The unthinkable events of real life made tangible horror. The ‘monster’ hunting Anthony down is his survivor’s guilt.

But even if it wasn’t all in his head, the story’s antagonist is still very human. The overlapping characters of Reverend and Mayor Carver show the destruction one man can bring. Each is responsible for the destruction of their own towns. Reverend Carver, especially, takes on characteristics of the ‘monsters’ in Anthony’s life. The connection with his namesake is obvious, but he also represents Anthony’s conflicted feelings as to Megan’s guilt. I doubt that the demon we see Megan talking to before the fire is real. I think, more likely, it is a representation of the ambiguity of Megan’s guilt and intentions. Despite his anger, Anthony cannot ever bring himself to allow for Megan’s total guilt. If she set the fire on purpose, which I personally doubt, then Anthony, on some level, concludes she must have been manipulated. In 1972 it’s the demon. In 1632, it’s Reverend Carver. Reverend Carver also has obvious connections to the priest Reverend Carter from Anthony’s own time, mainly his obsession with the occult. While it’s not quite clear why Carter was fascinated, we’re given the explanation that Carver was trying to recover his wife. To be honest, I’m not sure what Carter’s occult fascination has to do with him being an antagonist, but I do think it’s important to establishing a connection between him and the other reverend. This connection is exemplified in their connection to Megan. To be frank, I think the priest was molesting Megan. I think that’s why her behavior was poor. I think that’s why her grades started slipping. I think that’s why she acted strange and closed off. She wasn’t possessed by some supernatural demon, she was dealing with her own trauma.

It should also be noted that the supplementary townspeople do not have faces, making them appear monstrous and alien. I’m sure this is an echo of what Anthony felt after initially taking the blame for the fire.

Finally, with the exception of Anthony, the characters are exceptionally unlikable. Were you to try and play them in character, you would likely succeed in driving a wedge between the group members. I note this because the game rewards you for not being antagonistic towards your group mates. It’s a small detail, but one that I think reinforces the idea that people are the real things to be feared in these games.

All this to say, Little Hope is about dealing with grief and trauma, how it effects the mind, how it eats away at you until it is the thing that chases you in the dark.

With only a couple games out, I have no idea whether this theory will hold true or not. And really, how fitting for a game based around choices. Of course the choices people make under pressure can become the most threatening thing around us. Still, regardless of whether this theory holds true, I just hope they continue to tell good stories.

I do have a couple guessed for House of Ashes though. If my theory holds, I think there’s a chance the antagonist will either be some sort of religious cult, enemy guerillas or soldiers, or perhaps even a double agent within your own group. Personally, I would love to see something with the last one, maybe even in combination with the first. Maybe the statue that we see is some underground temple that has been disturbed and this group sent someone to stop whatever is being done around it. I don’t know.

But whatever the story, I think the monster will be human.

[thefanficmonster]

good evening! i saw people asking you what you like to write at one point so im going to ask you the opposite if that's ok!

is there a character or character ship (from all the things you write for) you'd rather not write for at all if you could avoid it? yes this might be the me way of asking for a list of those things so i can avoid them haha

Hi James! Thank you so much for asking! I appreciate you respecting my boundaries 😊

So for starters: I don't write smut or any type of NSFW stories (for fictional characters and real people alike). Maybe I will in the future but as of now I can't bring myself to do it

There are also the ships you are probably familiar with: Climbing Class (Chris x Josh from Until Dawn), ConBrad (Conrad x Brad from Man Of Medan) and Dandrew (Daniel x Andrew from Little Hope) - I hope no one takes this out of context and thinks I'm homophobic or anything - I just dislike these specific ships.

I don't write illegal age gaps in romantic relationships (age gaps between two adults is ok but between and adult and a minor is a big NO NO.)

I don't write ships for real people (real person x real person) unless they are actually in a relationship.

That’s all I can think of as of now 😅 Don’t be afraid to send any request though, if I feel uncomfortable with it I’ll let you know, no worries 😊

[takashi0]

Hi. Long time lurker, first time asker. The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope is far from being a game about "Oh, but it was all just a dream!" It's a game about a man not being able to reconcile the loss of his family over three decades before in a house fire in the town of Little Hope. HIs guilt stems from not being able to do enough to save his entire family during that night, and he has carried that with him ever since. (1/?)

The setting is set in the town of Little Hope, which takes inspiration from the towns of Andover and Salem, of which the 1692 and '93 Witch Trials held most prominence in. In no way does the game ever disrespect the tragedy of these events, but it does use it as inspiration for the creature and atmosphere design. When compared to the previous installment in the Anthology, Little Hope is leagues above Man of Medan in many ways.

Not only is the story more interesting and compelling (Reincarnation? Stuck in Purgatory?), but the accessibility and controls of the game are a stark contrast to what was introduced in Man of Medan. If anything, I consider Little Hope it be a better game than its predecessor in every sense of the word. Instead of relying on others to explain the "faults" they saw in the game to you, play and judge it yourself.

Sorry for the long rant, but it bothers me when people boil Little Hope down to "Oh, it's just some guy and memories!" because it is so much more than that. It's about grief and loss and never, ever being able to rid yourself of those demons. The story isn't some surface-level horror game. It goes so much deeper than that, and I feel people don't bother to look at it close enough to see it that way. Anyway, have a good day and stay healthy.

Understandable have a good day. And thanks for the asks. 

Maybe lit was misinformed?

[keenmemes]

man of medan is an interactive survival horror experience by supermassive games, and the first installment in the dark pictures anthology.  change wording as necessary. 

‘ we really need to get back. ’  ‘ nobody pushes me around. ’  ‘ is it just me, or are you getting a real strange feeling right now? ’  ‘ do i look like a guy who likes to talk about his feelings? ’  ‘ you shouldn’t fear death.  it is, after all, inevitable. ’  ‘ don’t make me regret letting you tag along. ’  ‘ go with your gut.  if it’s right, you’ll know. ’  ‘ come on.  what is this, kindergarten? ’  ‘ as long as you’re quick.  and don’t touch anything. ’  ‘ what am i looking at here? ’  ‘ sorry for putting a damper on things. ’  ‘ we have rules out here for a reason. ’  ‘ you see anyone else out here?  who’s gonna know? ’  ‘ don’t do anything stupid that’ll get my ass in trouble. ’  ‘ it’s not like one tiny little thing would hurt anybody. ’  ‘ can i just take a second to say... holy shit, we did it! ’  ‘ chill out.  i’m fine, see? ’  ‘ we gotta get outta here, now. ’  ‘ i was so worried you might say no. ’  ‘ of course i was gonna say yes, you dimwit. ’  ‘ i wanted it to be memorable.  just not... that memorable. ’  ‘ we should’ve been more careful. ’  ‘ i never thought about it like that. ’  ‘ oh, so you found a website that tells you to drink beer under every circumstance. ’  ‘ i don’t see how this could get any worse. ’  ‘ i thought you were gonna ask the good news first. ’  ‘ what are they gonna do to us? ’  ‘ you’re gonna regret this, you piece of shit. ’  ‘ let’s make the most of it. ’  ‘ you can go fuck yourself. ’  ‘ stop!  please, just stop. ’  ‘ hey, dipstick.  shut the fuck up. ’  ‘ are you okay?  what’d they do to you? ’  ‘ think about what you’re doing. ’  ‘ i did not sign up for a trip to creep town. ’  ‘ i’d rather be anywhere but here. ’  ‘ we can’t just sit around.  we need a plan. ’  ‘ do as i say and that’s all. ’  ‘ wherever it leads, it can’t be worse than here. ’  ‘ hey!  can you hear me?  i’m talking to you.  hello? ’  ‘ are we safe now? ’  ‘ stay quiet.  we need to keep going. ’  ‘ maybe you should get your ears examined, bud. ’  ‘ there’s something in here with us. ’  ‘ don’t fucking laugh at me. ’  ‘ they’re dead, and we’re not, so let’s keep it that way. ’  ‘ seriously?  are you trying to freak me out? ’  ‘ this is no time to be fucking around. ’  ‘ you just do whatever he tells you, don’t you? ’  ‘ i don’t wanna hear anything from you. ’  ‘ please, you don’t have to do this. ’  ‘ are you sure you know where we’re going? ’  ‘ what in god’s name is this? ’  ‘ no way.  that’s not possible. ’  ‘ holy fuck!  that was... much too close. ’ ‘ let’s just stay calm and relatively sane about this. ’  ‘ holy shit, we’re so totally fucked. ’  ‘ this whole place reeks of weird. ’  ‘ should we bring it with us? ’  ‘ it’s just gonna slow us down. ’  ‘ i told you to shut up, you dirty liar! ’  ‘ please tell me you have an escape plan. ’  ‘ just... put the gun down.  nobody has to get hurt. ’  ‘ you think i wanted to hurt anybody? ’  ‘ i didn’t get a choice in this, did i? ’  ‘ why are you telling me what to do? ’  ‘ it’s eating me alive. ’  ‘ sometimes, you just get lucky. ’  ‘ i was hoping to die with a little more... style. ’  ‘ i can’t face going back in that place again. ’  ‘ i don’t know how all this is gonna end, but... i wanna end it together. ’

[scarcitti]

“gaming asks”

🎈 original post 🎈

First game you can remember playing?

either tetris or skifree or space cadet pinball

Last game you played?

BLACK BIRD by onion games for nintendo switch!! it’s basically “defender” but with that great onion games/lovedelic art style. it’s really great tho there seems to be some occasional slowdown on the switch.

Games you’ve played?

i have played “virtual boy wario land”, “pac-man VS.”, and “rockstar games presents table tennis”, among others.

Game(s) you’re currently playing?

this is too long a list but: i’m currently playing BLACK BIRD, super mario 3D world, bowser’s fury, hitman 3 (which i “beat” but am nowhere near finished with), nioh 2 (only just started but rly liked), golf on mars, ACNH. (also unfinished: ghostrunner, RDR2, prodeus, “the dark pictures: man of medan”, sludge life, metro exodus, tony hawk pro skater 1+2 (finished 1 but not 2))

Game you plan to play next?

more BLACK BIRD! i think i might have been at the final boss. that might put me in the mood for some MILLION ONION HOTEL or maybe restarting DANDY DUNGEON(, both from onion games).

Games on your to-play list?

i just bought “The Ninja Warriors Once Again, or: The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors”, ODDWORLD: stranger’s wrath HD, and “Sky Racket” when they were on sale on the eshop recently. i also downloaded SINE MORA EX, might load that up whenever i’m done with BLACK BIRD. i might try to play more cyberpunk 2077 before tim rogers’s review hits (though i didn’t really like the game at all). i rly wanna play more nioh 2 as well. generally, prey (2017), sekiro, RE4, pathologic 2, and rain world.

Game you’d get if time / money was no object?

chess, netrunner, magic the gathering. or rainbow six seige

Favorite game?

DOOM (1993), or TETRIS EFFECT, or moon: Remix RPG Adventure (or donkey kong: jungle beat)

Favorite game franchise ?

donkey kong, “souls”, or mario

Favorite game in a series?

mario 3, f-zero GX

Favorite game to play?

f-zero gx or god hand. maybe sekiro. using those gamecube shoulder buttons to slide side to side in F0GX and then pulling both for those 90° turns feels amazing. no dodge has ever felt better than using the right stick in “god hand”.

Most frustrating game to play?

tetris 99 is just not what i like abt tetris. dirt 5 feels like competitive plastic chewing. forced TAA, crashes, jerkweed voice fuckers spitting in your ear constantly, gross dutch angled race countdown, bogus music 😑 bogus! rockstar games also frustrate me (tho i like RDR2 & table tennis (& i probably like the manhunt games)); those awful menus do nothing but clunk. (having to hit “A” scroll the map in the map tab in GTA V? when the map is the only thing you can interact with on screen? 😑)

Comfort game?

mario kart 8 dx, puyo puyo tetris

Underrated game?

moon: Remix RPG Adventure, kane & lynch 2: dog days, rock band unplugged

Game that reminds you of your childhood?

lego star wars, “star wars battlefront ii: the 2004 one”

Game you’re really good at?

guideline tetris. i’m also good at star wars battlefront ii but only on mos eisley and only against bots

Game with the most playtime?

across different versions, tetris. on my switch ACNH takes the cake over BOTW, puyo puyo tetris, and mario kart 8 dx. on steam it’s dirt 4.

Favorite console?

PS2 & GBA SP (which just both happen to be the first consoles i had as a kid). honorable mentions to the gamecube, the personal computer (which is the actual best but does not count, i suppose), and “the switch pro”.

Favorite game ending?

nier automata or moon: Remix RPG Adventure or APE OUT

Favorite genre / kind of game?

racing games (see: f-zero GX, burnout 2, outrun 2, dirt 4, mario kart 8 dx, hotshot racing, etc.), “stylish character action” (god hand, bayonetta 2) or “hard action” (god hand, ape out, disc room, tormentor X punisher), platformers

Favorite side games / quests?

the baker in moon: Remix RPG Adventure, siegward in dark souls iii, dark souls/bloodborne quests in general

Favorite cheat codes / glitches?

my fav cheat code is the one in lego star wars that changes all guns to coffee mugs. in super mario land 2: six golden coins you can make mario fall into the game’s memory and walk directly to the end of the game.

Favorite game mechanism?

the directional dodges in GOD HAND. the push/grab in APE OUT. looping level design, like doom or dark souls or metroid. getting a tetris.

Favorite characters from a game?

wario, bayonetta, everyone in moon, donkey kong, the guy from panic restaurant 

Favorite boss battle?

beauvoir from nier automata during route B. also a fan of the final boss in dark souls iii. 

Favorite game soundtrack?

katamari damacy, moon, mario 3, botw, ape out

Most calming game soundtrack?

tetris effect, DKC, firelink shrine theme/DS1 menu music

Most energetic / pump up game soundtrack?

ape out, those digital hardcore songs in TAIKO NO TATSUJIN

Favorite boss fight music?

something from splatoon or bloodborne probably

Favorite game aesthetic?

megaman legends, sonic mania, mario 3, the wario land games, moon

Favorite character designs?

moon, chulip, the wario land series, katamari, panic restaurant

Favorite game fanart / fanartist?

splendidland

Favorite game fanfiction / author?

those splendidland comics where mario says fuck or where smash brothers characters are gay for each other. also this CYELATM

Do you make fancontent for any games?

i got ok at drawing wario a while ago. i should practice again

What streamers / playthroughs would you recommend?

jerma985: jurassic park trespasser, saw 1 & 2. giant bomb: “giant bomb makes mario”, “hitsmas”. aurateur.

What skins are on your controllers?

my own :-(

Are you a completionist?

no, i do play slowly though. as far as being a series/franchise completionist, i am bad about thinking i need context for new games by playing old games in the same genre first

Has anything made you ragequit a game?

ornsein & smough :-( bad menus, slow tutorials in lots of games

What do your customizable characters look like?

green skinned ladies with mustaches, balding or with a bob

What game would you suggest to a non-gamer?

golf on mars, bad chess

[tickletastic]

Ticklish Twenties

Fandom: Man Of Medan

Ship: Alex/Julia, mentions of Conrad/Fliss and Conrad/Brad

Summary: After Brad’s scary story, Conrad tries to do what he does best, peer pressure people into drinking. Of course, Julia can’t let her brother be bossy.

Notes: This game did the absolute least in establishing sibling ages and stuff (if you look it up it says that Alex, Brad, Julia, and Conrad are all ‘18-21, college student age’, so please accept my headcanon that Julia is a year older than Conrad. 19, and 20.

“I don’t make the rules, I just help enforce them. I’m a man of the law.” Conrad shrugged, while he passed the beers around. 

Brad got nauseous just looking at the drink that had so eloquently aided with his seasickness earlier. “I think I’ll pass this time.”

“Aww, c’mon Brad the Lad, it can’t make your little mal de mer any worse,” Conrad had always been an enabler, he always wanted to have a great time, even if other people just wanted to chill out. This was always a trait that he knew got on his sister’s nerves, but sometimes he just couldn’t stop himself. He didn’t really want to. Then again, he had never made up silly nicknames for someone as quick as he was with Brad. They had only known each other for a few hours yet he found himself compelled. If Brad and him were both drunk then maybe things would mean less.

Then again, he was making out with Fliss only hours before. Things are confusing, and when you meet two very attractive people within the span of an hour, they get worse. Conrad isn’t a slut, he swears, but he can get so absorbed in people. When he meets someone interesting, all he wants to do is listen to them speak, and then comes the attraction. Sometimes he can’t help but laugh, maybe things would be easier if he didn’t cuff his jeans. 

“Quit your peer-pressure, Connie!” Julia waved him off, poking him in the ribs. 

“Woah!” Conrad recoiled violently, his voice still somehow nonchalant. Both Julia and Fliss, who were sitting on either side of him, had to grab him by the arm so that he wouldn’t fall back and crack his head on the barbecue.

Alex laughed out loud, looking towards Conrad in his laughter, “What the hell was that?” 

Uncharacteristically, Conrad blushed a deep red, and Julia took a moment to revel in it. It had been years since she had seen her brother show any form of shame or embarrassment, but there were plenty of times that she felt like it was necessary. Conrad didn’t know how to behave himself, but he never showed any regret for his words. 

As kids, Julia would use Conrad’s little sensitivity to keep him in line. He was an absolute nightmare to their nannies, and even though he was smart as all hell, he never did the work to show in school. Sometimes, things just took a little coaching, and that’s what big sisters are for.

“Connie, here,” Julia put her hand on her brother’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze, “is crazy ticklish.”

“No way, you’re like an adult, don’t you grow out of that?” Brad asked, a teasing tone in his voice. Conrad would never admit it, but it did make his blush worsen. He was just glad that the dim light of the boat was doing him some favours. 

“Now that I think of it, maybe we should skip the final beers and just hit the hay, we have to save some fun for tomorrow, right?” Conrad made a show of yawning, extending his arms far above his head, Julia once again poked him in his ribs, and this time Conrad giggled indignantly, squirming in his seat. 

“I think it’s a little early, actually. Plus, I think everyone deserves a little show.”

Conrad’s eyes went wide with fear, he felt like prey to a much more powerful predator, a predator that was armed with the knowledge of every single spot that made him laugh hysterically.

Before he could run, Julia twisted so that she could reach Conrad’s other side, and she started to flutter her fingers gracefully over his ribs. Conrad started giggling immediately, not his usual sly snicker that indicated that he was pleased with himself, but real giggles that he couldn’t stop even if he wanted to, and he really, really did want to.

Conrad’s smile was wide, and he was showing off his dimples in a way that Brad, Fliss, and Alex had yet to see. 

Brad couldn’t help but think to himself, Conrad looks kind of cute like this, but he stopped that thought before it could develop into anything more. 

Fliss, on the other hand, was verbalizing how cute she found it. She had only gotten to see self-assured, bravado, and smoke Conrad, knowing that he had a weakness made him seem more human. Nobody can be that charming for that long without having a flaw.

“Juhuhules stahahap! Yohohohou’re being m-mehean- Ah! You’re being mehehean agahain!” When they were alone, or with their close friends, Conrad didn’t mind showing his ‘sensitive’ side. Now, he feels vulnerable and embarrassed, and he hates how when it comes to this he can’t help but resort to the same pleas that he would use when they were children. When they were younger, Julia detested the idea that anyone could ever find her mean, as they grew older, she would embrace wickedness in moments like this (especially in their teenage years, Conrad shivers at the thought).

“Aww, I’d hate to be mean! Am I being too mean Connie? Is this too mean?”

Julia started to spider softly over her brother’s tummy, and he doubled over, trying to push at her shoulders to get her to stop. Conrad was gasping lightly, and his giggles had grown into chuckling that he couldn’t contain. 

Julia decided to take advantage of Conrad’s slumped posture, and she wiggled her fingers over his shoulder blades, quickly tracing the outline of his bones through his shirt.

“No! Juhules please! Plehease! I cahahan’t take it!” Conrad felt like he couldn’t control the words coming out of his mouth, he didn’t come up with them, yet there they were, running free using his voice. 

“Aww, baby Connie can’t take a little bit of tickling? It’s good to know that nothing’s changed,” Julia was teasing him, but she stopped anyways. 

“That was so cute,” Fliss cooed, quickly rubbing her hand over Conrad’s back, eliciting a little squeal. 

“Cute? I’d say alien. How are you still so ticklish at 19? How do you function?” Brad was back with the teasing, but Conrad didn’t mind it from him.

Conrad’s face was in his hands, and the low light illuminated the tips of his ears, which were bright red with blush. “I can never show my face again.” 

Embarrassment was never Conrad’s forte, “I’d like to say that Julia’s ticklish, but she managed to evade that gene.”

Julia smiled, nodding in agreement with her brother, “Don’t worry, Connie, there’s a reason Alex has been so quiet this whole time.”

[kiruuuuu]

Oneshot in which Conrad deals with the aftermaths of surviving the Ourang Medan. ...more or less successfully. (Rating T, angsty rambling, ~2.3k words) - written for @wintergirlsoilder2​! You requested a Conrad-centric piece and I hope you enjoy it :)

.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea”, says Julia with this expression on her face she gets whenever she’s about to rain on his parade.

“Are you kidding?” He’s about to scoff but stops himself – she’s worried, he can tell, and he knows better than to make light of any part of their relationship. Julia’s accompanied him his entire life. “Halloween is my favourite holiday, I’m not gonna let some lame ghost ship – which we survived, by the way, hello – ruin it for me.”

She lifts an eyebrow. “Connie, your birthday is your favourite holiday. It’s the Fourth of July, so you can double-drink yourself into a coma.”

Well. She’s not wrong. She never is where he’s concerned, and it’s one of the reasons he wants to get away from her, just for an evening. Just for a night, he wants to be whatever he chooses to be instead of being Julia’s brother. “It’s gonna be great, Jules. Keep worrying like that and it’ll show on your face.”

She’s silent. She could bring up the times he’s woken up screaming, his tic of brushing over his ear with his thumb, the one really bad day when he stopped breathing for a long while and then puked his heart out. She doesn’t. And the fact that she doesn’t explains why they’re still rooming together, despite all.

“I don’t think Alex wants to marry a worry-wart”, he keeps going, unprompted, just can’t stop running his mouth, “he wants to live together with the free-spirited, reckless, adventurous Julia who doesn’t mind her brother attending a Halloween party without her playing chaperone.”

It hits the mark. Like having touched open fire, she recoils and drops the subject and he almost, almost feels bad. They’re going through a rough patch right now, following the time during which they were attached at the hip right after coming home. It’s nothing they won’t overcome, Conrad can tell they’re too committed to each other, but it’s a sore spot nonetheless. And he just twisted the knife. So to speak.

.

He wouldn’t say he’s friends with the guy organising the party, but he knows a few people here and there – not enough to have earned a reputation, enough to feel invited. Bringing booze is an automatic ticket to being welcome anyway, and the greeting at the door seems heartfelt. After a few semi-awkward moments (and those have been common lately, he sometimes doesn’t notice the morbidity of his own jokes until shocked expressions drag him back to the real world), he’s found his social legs again and strikes up casual conversations here and there, drops one-liners which are met either with eyerolls and groans or half-hidden giggles and hearty laughs, and if he’s honest he doesn’t mind either. He’s always preferred being memorable over being modest.

Some people are in costume, most aren’t, but the home décor screams tackiness: spray-on cobwebs, badly carved pumpkins with half the candles out already, a mat under the carpet which lets out a witch’s cackle when anyone steps on it. Apart from that, the house is gorgeous, a large pool, a sunroom and even a tiny home cinema stuffed into the three-storey family home – family not included, apparently, all of them gone except for the son taking advantage of their absence.

Somewhere between the second and third beer, he considers texting Fliss. Asking her whether she celebrates Halloween, maybe, though it’d set her off again. Thinking of her causes his stomach to drop with the guilt of dragging her into the whole thing, the guilt of never again bringing up that investment he genuinely considered back then. She told them to never contact her again and keep their mouths shut. They have, for the most part.

The most part meaning everyone but Conrad.

“Do you want to know how I lost part of my ear?”, he addresses a small group of cute freshmen who were struggling to un-stack some chairs until he arrived and gallantly lent his aid. “It’s a long one, though, I must warn you. And not for the faint of heart – but you ladies look like you can take it.” He wiggles his eyebrows and they’re captivated, expecting a ghost story and a ghost story they shall get.

He fucking loves recounting the whole thing.

When Julia caught him the first time, she was livid for days, had a few one-sided screaming matches and tried to get Alex to talk sense into him, but Conrad laughed it off. No one’s gonna believe me, he said cheerfully. What, they’re gonna fly over and check? Launch an investigation? Tell their lawyer daddies?

Brad says it’s his way of coping with the trauma: by turning it into a spiel, he diminishes its significance, reduces its impact on him. Or tries to anyway. Brad also says it’s not a very effective coping mechanism. But Brad says a lot and Conrad doesn’t listen most of the time.

He’s too busy being the hero of his own story.

This night, he embellishes, dramatises, acts out what he usually glosses over, sugarcoats nothing. It’s Halloween and they expect a thrilling, gory tale, so he allows them the full experience – several times, he has to interrupt himself and give a brief thus far because of all the newcomers gathering around him like a bloodthirsty audience at an execution. God, it feels fucking good.

How their eyes go wide the moment he mentions the pirates. How their lips part subconsciously when he ditches escaping on the boat, alone, in favour of saving his friends. How none of them dares moving as he describes the military ship in great detail. In this moment, they’re living through it by his side; they’ve been transported to the ship themselves, feeling the clammy air, the cold, unforgiving metal under their bare soles. Wrapped around his little finger, he builds and builds and builds for them until they almost forget to breathe, and finally, inevitably, he releases them with a happy ending. It looks like a cathartic experience, and slowly, they return to the present, shaking their heads a little like a dog getting rid of raindrops, glancing at each other to gauge whether they were the only ones so tightly in Conrad’s grip. He’s convinced them all he’s a hero, a martyr, a protagonist.

All of them except for himself.

“That’s a fantastic story”, someone says appreciatively. “Do you have any others?”

And this is where his carefully erected self-importance crumbles. Because he lived it. He fucking lived it, you asshole, he’s got the scars to prove it and the memories so he’ll never forget, and still this dimwit beams at him like he’s the new Spielberg or King, fudging narratives out of thin air to please the crowd. “Sorry, dude”, he replies with as much venom as he can muster, “I only had the one horribly traumatic experience in my life. I understand that might not be enough for you, so my apologies. Maybe I can set out to almost get murdered next time – oh wait, that already happened.”

The atmosphere tilts together with him. People seem confused – is he method acting? Getting pissed because they’re not giving his well-spun yarn the credit it deserves? He should stop. He really should.

“If you want more thrill in your life, why not come and fight a guy who’s got nothing to lose, huh? Certainly beats doing the same meaningless shit over and over and over again.”

“Dude, chill, I didn’t mean to -”

“Yeah fuck you. Fuck off.” He’s washed into the kitchen by a wave of concerned partygoers and appeased with a few sips of the badly-hidden whiskey belonging to the head of the family, and after no time at all he’s back to his good-natured self.

Largely. He feels sharper ever since he survived that stupid ship, more cutting. Less forgiving. As if the world owed him after what he’s gone through, and he lets those around him feel it. Remarks hit where it hurts and he realises with increasing worry that he doesn’t care. They will never experience the same gut-clenching terror he did, so what’s a snide comment here or there?

There are moments in which he resents Julia. They frighten him, yet staving them off is impossible. It’s not her fault she’s found her happy ever after, he can’t blame her for having Alex anchor her. Alex is perfect and he should share their happiness, at the very least leech off it so his empty everyday life isn’t as bleak anymore, but instead he watches them with jealousy he frantically conceals from everyone.

He knows he’s spoiled. But he can’t help the pangs of contempt whenever they laugh about something, or Alex plucks something out of her hair, or she falls asleep in his arms during a muted commercial break. She always got over things more quickly, even if it never seemed that way. Conrad carries a lot around with him, most of which he refuses to acknowledge.

And then someone suggests going to a haunted house.

“Sure, man.” He laughs, and it sounds as easy as he intended. “Nothing can be scarier than what I’ve been through.”

.

The door’s locked.

He fucking knows the door’s locked.

In between deep breaths, he turns around and checks again, slides the deadbolt shut two more times, rattles the handle, turns the key as far as it will go. It’s locked. It’s secured tightly, and no one will be able to get in.

He has to force himself to walk away and though his legs carry him, he’s unsure where to go. He could go shower, that way no one will hear his quiet sobs, or he can be a fucking man and not cry like a baby over something that wasn’t even fucking real.

Having once read that eating counteracts anxiety as it tricks the body into thinking it’s not in danger, he sneaks to the kitchen and stuffs himself on fruits until he’s vaguely nauseous.

He’s such a fucking idiot. An idiot and a failure, a good-for-nothing, someone who can’t even figure out what he wants to do later in life. Who he wants to be. Certainly not Conrad the crybaby, Conrad the expert storyteller who nearly pissed his pants in a shitty haunted house.

He double checks the shutters, then turns to leave. Checks them again.

God, he’s pathetic.

For the first time in his entire life, he sends a u up? text to a guy. It doesn’t make him feel any less sorry for himself, but he couldn’t stomach Julia’s concern right now. The worst thing would be the compassion in her eyes instead of the triumphant I-told-you-so attitude. He’d welcome a smug grin more than a hug right now.

I am now, comes Brad’s response. Yikes.

sry, Conrad writes back, and then he’s stumped. Why did he contact him in the first place?

A few half-typed and then deleted additions later, Brad apparently gets impatient and sends another message: How’s your Halloween been?

Alright, he can work with that. apropriately spooky, he replies, went to a haunted house. disapointing tho, no beer anywere

Brad is silent for so long Conrad considers whether he’s fallen asleep. Are you trying to prove to yourself that you’re over it?

He can practically hear Brad utter the question in his head – no irony anywhere, no intent to attack or accuse. Mere curiosity. Maybe this is why he texted him, because he certainly approaches most everything analytically, whereas Julia can’t help but make it personal. wat do u mean?

We’re all suffering from significant trauma, yet none of us are seeking thrills the way you are.

Conrad stares at the words for a long time. It’s been barely a week since Julia begged him not to pick any more fights.

A haunted house does not sound like an advisable place to go in your condition. Are you alright?

He deflates, sinks onto his bed and kicks off his shoes onto the pile of clothes in the corner. He doesn’t bother to switch off the light. He sleeps with it on anyway. yeah, he claims, and then: not realy actualy. i was more afected than i thought i would be. Flashbacks are a bitch. It didn’t help that some guy thought his distress hilarious, given his chilling story before – as if he’d be immune from any scares, forever. It turned out to be the opposite. Conrad used to love haunted houses.

Don’t dwell on it. Finding the right way to cope is difficult.

No judgement. Somehow, speaking to Brad is soothing his frazzled nerves. wat do u do?

I research. Mostly real accounts of people who have gone through comparable experiences, but also on the history surrounding the ship.

To Conrad, that doesn’t scream ‘moving on’. doesnt sound that helpful ether tbh

It helps rationalise and normalise what happened. Knowing what others went through, I feel less isolated now. This will not define who we are in the future, even if it might right now.

He re-reads the last sentence a few times. Thinks of the night terrors which rarely let him sleep. Of how he considered getting a dog despite none of them having the time to care for a pet, just so there’d be an additional line of defence, in a way.

He wants so bad to move past all this.

alright, profesor, lets hear it, he types and gets more comfortable on the bed. hit me with the sob stories.

It’s not like he’d be sleeping any time soon anyway.

[oh-theatre]

Sycamore High: Going Steady (Chapter 26)

A/N: Hey hey look I didn't forget about the others! :) Also I know that thats not how adoption works but... here we are. I know i just posted one but I had to post it!!

summary: Emma and Paul have some news :)

words: 3,000 (I did this on purpose, I was so proud :)

warnings: Swearing, kissing, adoption (idk man)

Ao3 Link

“Ok favorite…” Paul pondered for a moment examining the room, Emma's room was bleak but held some items of importance. There were pictures of her and her family scattered on every wall. It was a pretty basic setup, she had a desk by the window, a bed in the middle and a closet. She did, however, have an awesome TV set with many games included. At this point, the pair had exhausted most things and were just searching for anything. He fiddled with his chopsticks, twirling some noodles around them. “Oh! Favorite takeout food!” He exclaimed Emma tilted her head, scrunching her eyebrows before deciding to answer.

“Well…” Now it was her turn to look around. It was a big question, she liked Chinese, obviously. She twirled her own noodles, eating them up before thinking some more. She liked tacos that she and her mom would get on Tuesday. She loved Italian. “Italian,” She said pointing her chopsticks at Paul, he nodded approvingly.

“I would go for sushi, but nice option” He complimented, she laughed nudging him. They sat comfortably atop her bed eating as the TV continued playing the background. Paul, with his mouth full, gestured towards the TV “What mind of ames oo you ave?” He mumbled, Emma raised her eyebrows. He swallowed before trying again. “What kind of games do you have?” She perked up setting down her food. She walked over to a smaller closet under the tv, she opened it to reveal two shelves all lined with games. “Oh absolutely” Paul muttered amazed, he joined her as they perused the games. I like this one.

“What about some classics?” Emma teased holding up her copy of Wii sports. Paul laughed reminiscing about the times he, Ted and Bill would play it. “Oo! Or maybe some ‘Call of Duty’? I mean we probably shouldn't, seeing as video games cause violence”

“She says as she adopts three cats in the sims” Paul commented, she stifled a laugh continuing her game search. Paul does the same his eyes glazed over with excitement at each new game he finds. “Oh yes, South Park? Nice” Paul says dryly “Its Ted's favorite”

“Of course it is” She sighs rolling her eyes “It was either that or he was a ‘My Little Pet Shop’ lover” Emma joked, Paul falls back laughing, he sits up wiping his eyes,

“Don't diss the pet shop Em” He says putting two games back, he pulls another one “No way! Is this is the new ‘Man of Medan’ game?” Paul rushes holding up the game. Emma nods enthused. “Can we play it?” He asks softly, almost pouting.

“Yeah! I haven't played it yet but it looks fun!” She informs. Paul stops, he stares at her.

“Fun? Fun? no … no, Emma, this game is…” He ponders “I actually have no idea it just looks fun” They erupt into laughter, both smiling widely. They plug in the game preparing to play. The game is interesting enough and keeps them both on their feet and alert, probably wasn't the best game to play at night but neither of them cared. They were mostly there for the witty comments Emma made, the absolute confusion Paul displayed and the overall excitement of hanging out together after a long week. The game hit a slow with both of them gaining quite exhausted of the strenuous gameplay and pausing for a break and more food.

“You're not bad Matthews” Emma comments as they clean up their takeout

“Don't flatter me, they are just quick-time events, anyone can do them” Paul remarks as he helps out making their way to the kitchen.

“Falsehood, not everyone can do them, I personally think that QTEs are quite hard but go off” Emma mumbles, Paul chuckles as she ushers him away trying to clean. “Hey, my parents aren't home wanna practice for the musical?” She asks casually. Paul thinks for a moment before shrugging. He had no qualms about this, seemingly beneficial and well… fun.

“Yeah sure, let me go grab my music,” Paul says, Emma nods finishing up the cleaning. She opens her laptop setting up the karaoke as Paul returns briskly holding his binders. She smiles to herself as he seats himself next to her, they begin the track waiting. The song went on smoothly, each person getting into their characters and having too much fun with it. Approaching the last verse Paul had to look at his music having not been great at the final notes.

“And I love you know that I love...you know that I love…” They sang in unison sounding quite nice together Paul looked up to find Emma staring at him. She looked nice, a quiet fury of passion behind her eyes, her hair falling messily on her back. The track continued awaiting Pauls line but he couldn't really speak. Emma tilted her head watching him sweetly, and now he wasn't thinking, He wasn't thinking when he grabbed her face gently pressing their lips together, Emma melted into it kissing back almost instantly. She cupped his own hands that were still placed on her face. She giggled as they pulled away, something Paul could get used to. They stared for a moment both trying to figure out what to say.

“...me too” Paul breathes finishing the song maybe too late. Emma watches as a blush creeps on his face. She laughs lovingly, closing her laptop she turns back to Paul.

“Not bad Matthews, although I don't think we were supposed to kiss” She shrugs, Paul rolls his eyes affectionately “But hey, I could get used to that…” Paul bites his lip as she gets up to put away her computer. He follows her standing quickly, he takes her hand stopping her. “Paul?” She asks cautiously. He puts on his best smolder.

“Emma Perkins” Did his voice get higher? “Would you consider…” Emma would be lying if she said her heart hadn’t skipped a beat as she listened expectantly “Going steady with me?” he asked barely keeping it together. Emma laughed pushing him slightly.

“God you're such a dweeb” She comments lovingly, he nods agreeing. She pauses making herself more formal. “But of course! I'd love to” She says putting on her best accent. He laughs moving closer, he wraps his arms around her hips looking down at her, she follows his lead wrapping her arms around his neck.

“You're short,” He notices, she frowns sighing, throwing her head back. He laughs placing a hand on her chin pulling her close kissing her softly once more. They pull away, he frowns “Nope, still short” She rolls her eyes groaning pushing away from him.

“I take it back,” She mutters already walking away from him, he jumps following her.

“No, take backs!” He shouts as he grabs her carefully smothering with tickles. She can't help but giggle. She slaps his arms away softly turning back to him, smiling.

“The first rule of…” She gestures between then “this, no tickling. Got it?” He nods frantically. She smiles, I like this.

~~~

Sherlock, John, and Lestrade

Paul: Hey Ted! Guess what! No more making fun of me just cause you and Tommy are all smushy

Ted: First of all, please never use the word smushy ever again, second what the fuck are you talking about?

Bill: Hello, I am present

Paul: Hey Bill. And Ted for your information, Emma and I are ...going steady

Ted:...

Ted: Can I block him? Bill, can I block him?

Bill: No you may not, and congratulations Paul.

Paul: Thank you, Bill, at least someone here is not self-centered

Ted: Hey! It's called self-love...not that I have any of that

Bill: Ditto

Paul: Oh? Mood

Bill: Anyway, how did it happen?

And so Paul told them, sparing only a few details hed like to keep to himself. It was exciting and fun to recall to his friends.

Ted: That's cute, and very cliche

Paul: Yes it is, and I have no regrets

Paul: Don't you dare

Ted: No ragrets

Bill: YOLO

Paul: I hate you both so much.

Ted: :)

Bill: :)

Paul: Anyway what's going on in your lives?

Ted: Nothing much

Bill: Besides homework and rehearsal for the play I have no interesting topics for discussion.

Paul: In other words…

Ted: Nothing much. :)

Bill: Yes

Ted: Oh you know what! There is something…

Paul: Oo! What? Is Tommy secretly a furry

Ted: …

Ted: Please for the love of all that is holy Bill let me blOCK HIM

Bill: -bill is offline-

Ted: oH power move

Ted: -ted is offline-

Paul: I am so lonely...I have nobody...all on my own!

Paul: wait Ted wat was your thing

~~~

“WELL HELLO TRAITORS!” Paul shouted as he walked up to his friends by the locker. Both Bill and Ted groaned covering their ears. Paul pushed past them both opening his locker, he shoved some things inside continuing his conversation. “Hey, what's dat” He asks gesturing towards the hot drink in Ted's hand.

“Hot chocolate” he smiles “I'm meeting Tommy, we both have free periods so we’re gonna hang out in the library and study” Paul and Bill smile at the happy look on Teds. They go to continue but Emma interrupts walking up to the group followed by Charlotte.

“Is it good today or bad?” Paul asks leaning in, Emma rolls her eyes nudging him. She eyes the group which has now fallen silent and are now staring at the pair. “Ok, that's not happening, it didn't happen with Tommy and Ted, and it's not happening with me and Emma”

“Emma and I” Bill corrected stuffing his face in his book. Ted stifled a laugh as Paul glared at them

“What didn't happen with Ted and I?” Tommy asked curiously walking up to the group, subtly interlacing his hands with Teds. Ted smiled at him greeting him.

“Thank you” Bill mumbled once more at the correct grammar, Ted giggled.

“Nothing” Paul muttered, Emma sighed watching him “Well the whole gangs here…”

“Astute observation Paul! You really are a genius” Emma commented, her tone bright and fake. Paul pouted much to the group's amusement.

“Hey, we’re dating now you can't make fun of me” He frowned, Emma, smiled coyly, taking his hands.

‘Can and will” She said “Alright we have history so we out,” Emma said dragging away her boyfriend from the group, Paul following with no qualms, the group laugh waving them off.

“They're cute” Tommy commented sweetly. Charlotte nodded agreeing she checked her own watch perking up.

“Gotta go!” She said rushing away after mumbling goodbyes. And then there were three. Bill still had his face in a book only half-paying attention to what was going on. Ted sighed pushing his book down, laying it flat Bill looked up slightly irritated.  

“Can I help you?” He asked curtly, Ted knew it wasn't directed at him.

“Bill, you gotta go to class” Ted reminded, Bill, checked his watch nodding. He, just as the others had done, waved the two goodbye and disappeared into the buzzing hallways.

“And then there were two!” Tommy giggled, Ted smiled squeezing his hand “To the library?” Ted nodded and let Tommy lead him through the halls, into the library, into a secluded corner, with books, beanbags, and a small table. They set their things down and got comfortable.

“For you,” Ted said handing him the hot drink, Tommy smiled taking it enthused.

“Thank you!” Ted nodded grabbing his things from his bag, he wouldn't meet Tommy's eyes “Whatcha workin on?” Tommy asked setting his cup down, grabbing his own things. “I've got some chem to do and then-”

“They want to adopt me” Ted blurted, quietly but urgent. Oh, Tommy thought, and here I was going on about chemistry,

~~~

“Chad” Greg greeted nodding curtly to the man, he turned his voice becoming softer “Henry” Chad sighed stroking his chin, Henry didn't acknowledge the man as he continued grading papers. Chad leaned in whispering just enough for Greg to hear.

“Was it Jreg? I can't remember” He teases, Henry laughs, a full laugh clearly something he's been holding in for days. Greg groaned plopping his things down next to them. “Did we invite him? I don't remember inviting him” Chad comments poking his salad. Henry shook his head thinking.

“I don't either, odd” He turned to face Greg finally “I don't remember inviting you hmm..” Greg watched the two, why was he so adamant about tearing them down?

“Children, actual children” He muttered opening his lunch.

“He says as if he didn't kiss my husband” Chad mumbled, Henry’s eyes went wide, almost bulging trying not to laugh once more. “It's like that show… what's it called? Based on the Archie comics?” Chad snapped trying to remember, Henry, shrugged he only really watched crime tv or medical shows.

“Riverdale?” Greg added helpfully, Chad snickered.

“Of course you would know what its called” Henry muttered, going through another test. Chad nodded approvingly. A beep went off and Henry and Chad checked their phones. “Love” Henry tapped his watch with the end of his pencil

“Ah yes,” Chad said packing his things “I must go” he stood making his way to the door, not before Henry planted a kiss on his cheek. He turned towards Greg “Try not to kiss my husband while you're at it” He added mockingly before promptly leaving, giving Greg no chance at a rebuttal.

“We’ll see about that” Greg muttered a little too loud. Henry eyed him and packed up his things, leaving his own classroom without a word.

~~~

“It's so boring Em” paul groaned as he sat down at their lunch table, Emma chuckled stroking his hair lovingly. ‘History is boring” Ted and Tommy soon joined, eyeing the pair.

“What's up with him?” Ted asked Tommy, nodded agreeing. Charlotte, Bill and an unexpected guest of Sam sat down as well. Emma ignored Sam, turning back to Ted.

“You heard the man, History was boring” She shrugged, Paul sighed sadly leaning on Emma, resting on her shoulder. She patted him “There there” The group laughed collectively moving on. “Hey is everyone called for rehearsal today?” She asked as Paul sat up both opening their lunches. Charlotte quickly grabbed her journal flipping the pages.

“Yes! Everyone is called, we are doing a full run-through of the songs and then we are blocking the opeening” She informed excited, Emma smiled at her. She then finally glared at Sam, returning her soft gaze at Charlotte. Very hot and cold.

“Thanks, Lottie” She popped a chip in her mouth. The group continued on with the polite conversation, everyone doing their own thing. Bill sat on the left side of the table reading his book occasionally looking up and eating or participating. Ted sat to his left, actively engaging in conversation making jokes, and loving insults at people. Tommy sat to his left working on his music, marking it, eating sometimes and chiming in to reel Ted in or to watch the group. Emma and Paul sat at the head of the table, Emma closest to Bill, Paul closest to Charlotte on the right side. Emma led the conversation constantly throwing out ideas and topics, practically eating and talking at the same time. Paul did much of the same but much more quiet. Charlotte rebutted the conversation, always excited to share and talk to the group, eating neatly. Then there was Sam, he didn't fit in. He constantly tried to gain momentum in their conversation but they had all built him up in their heads as this egotistical, annoying human. And he did nothing to prove them wrong, making backhanded compliments, shutting down ideas, insulting them. Ted, Emma, and Paul could handle it they were instigators, but then he would move on to Tommy, Bill or Charlotte and they just didn't understand. Emma wasted no time telling Charlotte as soon as Sam left for the bathroom.

“He's being so mean! Lottie, you know I love you and I said I would...support whatever this is” She tried to hide her disturbed feelings, Charlotte listened. “But he's insulting you, and that's not a relationship!” Charlotte felt her heart pull, Emma was right, but she was always right and for once Charlotte wanted to be right. She loved Emma but this was her thing, she brought Sam into their lives and…

“What do you know about relationships?” Charlotte rebutted, no no! That's not what I wanted, She thought. “You date a guy for one day and suddenly you're the guru? Newsflash Emma-

“I'm sorry” Emma cut in calmly, the boys watched the two feeling themselves grow hot with nerves. “You're right, but I just want you to be ok” She admitted, she shrugged standing up. Paul went to follow but she shook her head. “I'll see you guys later” Charlotte sunk, Sam returned but she didn't stay. She ran after Emma.

~~~

Gucci Gang

Ted: Hey...Emma, Charlotte...is everything… Gucci now?

Paul: Can I block him? Bill, can I block him?

Bill: No you may not, and to put it in...simpler terms is everything alright?

Charlotte: yes, we have some stuff we need to talk about…

Emma: But we’re ok

Tommy: Oh yay!

Ted: you're so cute

Ted:...

Ted; The one...was supposed to stay in here.

Charlotte: Hehe, I will see you guys at rehearsal!

Emma: Ditto, gotta go grab some snacks. Anyone want anything?

Ted: Ill take some bleach

Bill: Ted, no

Tommy: No Ted

Ted: And once again, I am out

Paul: Yeah I gotta talk to my sister, see y'all later

Emma: I'M DATING A COWBOY, MOM I DID IT. Anyway, I'll just grab everyone something

Tommy: Bye!

Bill: It seems it is just us now

Tommy: Well I've got nothing to do till rehearsal, wanna go to the library and play a game of chess?

Bill: That is a satisfactory past time, I would love to.

Ted: You guys are so adorably nerdy

[saltine-kakyoin]

i felt bad putting like a bunch in one thing SO here's more of those lesbian asks!!!!!! also do 33, 35, 37, 39, 43, 47, 48, AND 49!!!!! 💕❣💖

bro!!!! i felt the same way on mine, aHH. i took some out bc i got self-conscious of it sksksk, sending two asks is a much better option! but anyhow, it’s all good! :3 i can just em under a readmore!!!

33. cheek kisses lesbian or tip of the nose kisses

so LIKE originally i was going to say tip of the nose kisses, because that just seems like such a novel and lovely idea?? like the concept of getting kissed on the nose is like… *chef swoon.. but the chef swoons into an open flame and gets burned alive* yk? HOWEVER. i saw your answer about cheek kisses being superior bc the nose is typically much oilier than the cheeks and like.. you’re right. So! I have been converted to the cheek kisses side! :3

(this question, OOH. this question makes my heart so soft, omg)

35. leather lesbian or lace lesbian

ohhh god.. this is a fun one. i LOVE the look of leather, but i think i’m allergic to it?? or maybe it just aggravates my eczema? either way, i can’t wear leather :( so ig i’m a lace lesbian sksksk? but… to all u ladies out there w the Leather Looques.. just know i’m out there respecting, appreciating, and taking notes…

37.  dimple loving lesbian or freckle loving lesbian

oh god, how are you supposed to decide? BOTH are lovely. if you have freckles and dimples you are like. the ultimate life form…..shadow the hedgehog WISHES he could be you bro!!

39. fantasy/ sci fi lesbian or realistic fiction lesbian

oh WORM. this is hard. both are really good!! i used to be a hardcore ride or die realistic fiction person, but fantasy has Always been a deep love of mine + like.. i’m getting more into scifi and similar stuff thanks to borderlands and stuff! so i’d have to say the former, at least for now!

43. horror movies loving lesbian or passes out within the first 5 minutes of horror movies lesbian

bold of you to assume i can Watch horror movies.. i am the Hides Under a Blanket the Whole Movie lesbian skskskdkdksk. they like frfr fuck me up.. I remember my brother ben had to sleep in my room for months after I saw bits and pieces of Annabelle, and like..we used to play horror games like scp, soma, until dawn, + man of medan and like.. I had to sleep with the lights on for Weeks because i was so scared of having a nightmare about it + then waking up to a pitch black room and feeling like something was There. i cannot handle horror at all, i am a fucking WEENIE

47. long hair lesbian or short hair lesbian

i like Dearly Respect any ladies out there w long hair.. I used to have hair that went down to my knees, but i chopped it all off after a breakup + like. it was so freeing. i went from spending 30 minutes brushing out my hair every morning to 10..both are valid but i am a short hair lesbian thru and thru

48. Nintendo lesbian or x box lesbian

i spent a lot of my childhood on the xbox!! but! my favorite games are all nintendo games, so!!!! #nintendolesbian aye aye

49. road trip lesbian or cruise lesbian

*banging fists on table* ROAD TRIP ROAD TRIP!! road trips are SERIOUSLY one of my favorite things, and like. i will take any opportunity i can to go on road trips, they are so fun.. the gas sucks, but like.. being stuck in a tiny car w someone and sharing playlists + just bonding throughout the trip?? peak romanticism. despite being a floridian for almost a decade now, I’ve never actually been on a cruise! and like ngl idk if I ever will go on one, i have heard So Many horror stories about them sjgshg :((

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #220

“as long as god in heaven dwell, your soul, your soul shall scream in hell.”

Would people consider you more immature or mature? It depends on the context. Emotionally, I think I'm considerably mature. As far as eligibility to be a proper adult goes, yeah. No. Would people consider you more funny or serious? I personally don't think I'm very funny, but I'm not super serious, either. Are you currently in love with someone? Who is this person? So... I'm quietly pondering over whether or not I'm just biromantic, not bisexual. I genuinely think I'm in love with my girlfriend, I do, but we have so, so little actually sexual experience that I don't know if "bisexual" fits me. I totally adore her romantically, I know that, but maybe sexually, I'm not into her? I don't know. It's hard for me to say because when I picture doing certain "things," I can't really tell what I feel. I don't take that as an "I'm not into it" though, considering I've wound up liking things with a guy I didn't think I would with anyone, something I only discovered by doing it. This whole situation was driving me insane a few days ago to the point I felt sick, but I've calmed myself out of it to where I've accepted I just have to wait and learn, being long-distance. I'm still entirely invested in us and am going to be honest learning about myself. I haven't actually talked to Sara about it and don't want to unless I come to learn this hunch has credibility. Which room in your house are you in? What color are the walls? My bedroom; light puke green, Why God. What is your absolute favorite hobby? Who got you interested in it? I don't really know about my "absolute favorite." It depends on my mood, really. I think maybe watching my favorite YouTubers tops the list, something Jason actually started with PewDiePie; or RPing, which I got into myself thanks to Meerkat Manor. Would the people you know say you have a nice singing voice? Barely anyone ever hears me sing, so idk. I personally feel my voice suits only few songs. Would you say most of your friends are older/younger than you? Ummm, good question. All but two are very close in age range, but most of my friends/closer acquaintances are kinda split around either side. Were you named after anyone famous or anyone on television? Nope. Are you listening to music right now? If so, who’s singing the song? Yeah, I'm listening to Khemmis' cover of "A Conversation With Death." It's the intro song to that new game Man of Medan and is so badass. All the comments are like "came here from so-and-so's LP because this is epic" and same. What is your dream career? What inspired you to pursue this career? Probably meerkat biologist if I could handle the heat and was okay with moving, or paleontologist if I wasn't opposed to heavy travel. I love meerkats and dinosaurs v v much. If you have a significant other, do you get jealous of people a lot? No. What would you say is your favorite holiday? Why did you choose this? Halloween bc spooks and costumes and candy. Does it feel odd being around your friend’s parents? Why or why not? If I'm alone with them and don't know them very well, sure? What is your favorite fast food restaurant? Is there one in your city? Sonic, probably. And no, but in our neighboring city. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? Is there one in your city? Olive Garden. See above. Do you ever take pictures with family members around the holidays? Mom pretty much forces it, lol... Have you ever thought you were adopted because of opposing interests? Y'ALL not kidding I legit asked my fucking mom if I was adopted in elementary school bc I thought she hated me one day versus my little sister lmfao. I went through a phase of feeling like she couldn't be "this mean" to her legitimate child. Are you more interested in indoor activities or outdoor things? Hm, that depends on the activities available. Most outdoor things are more fun, though. When is the next time you’ll see someone you’re crushing on? We were just talking a couple days ago about our next visit, actually. If I can financially, I'm probably coming up to see her for her birthday again, as that's when I have a decent break from school. Speaking of which, how many people are you crushing on right now? Lol I mean it's been just shy of two years, a "crush" doesn't cut it. Have you ever played Super Mario Bros. for Nintendo DS? Was it fun? No, actually. I didn't grow up playing Mario games. What exactly is your favorite gaming system? Do you have this system? The PS2. It had a giant graphical leap, contains SOOOOO many goodies, and you can still play PS1 games on it. How often do you talk on the phone? Who do you talk with the most? Very very rarely, pretty much only ever with my mom or dad. I hate talking on the phone. Do you normally do what other people around you want you to do? Depends. What does your trick-or-treat bag or pail look like? I don't have one anymore, but it used to be an orange, plastic jack-o-lantern. How old will you turn on your next birthday? 24... wow. What are your plans to celebrate? Probably just go out to dinner with family. What floor do you live on? I only have one floor. Do you have a balcony? No. What is your favorite fall drink, if you had to pick just one? None. Which X Factor audition(s) was/were your favorite? I've never watched it. Were you a straight A student in spelling and grammar? I'm pretty sure I was in my entire school career... Damn dude, proud. Were you a straight A student in math? HA hell no. I could get a C sometimes. Were you abused or do you know anyone who was abused? I wasn't, but I know people. Are you a Democrat or Republican, or neither? Neither. Independent. Who would take care of you if you needed surgery? My mom and dad, as far as bills go. Do you think you have an accent? Not really. Sometimes you can hear it, though. Have you been told you have an accent? Only when I was younger. I had a SERIOUS one. My family in NY couldn't even understand me sometimes, lmao. Where do you live (country or state)? North Carolina. If you could start a church, what would it be like? I wouldn't. Are there any shades of blue that you don’t like? If so, which ones? Nah. What is something you want to accomplish before you turn 30? Get a goddamn stable job. Do you know what your purpose in life is? Spreading the love and respect of animals and conservation. If you live in an apartment, what is the maintenance man’s name? N/A What are some fall activities you would do with your kids? Hypothetically, if I had/wanted kids, I'd enjoy carving pumpkins with them, obviously taking them trick-or-treating, autumnal crafts would be fun together, and watching Halloween/scary films appropriate to their age would be a nice experience. I'd decorate the house with them. Oh, a hayride would be cool together, I love those. AND DON'T FORGET JUMPING INTO LEAF PILES! I have a lot of ideas for someone who doesn't want to be a mom. Have you ever seen a fox? Yeah. At least one alive, a handful as roadkill. What color are the squirrels where you live? Brown. What do the trees look like where you live? Pine trees. Pine trees. What was the best vacation you’ve been on so far? Disney World as a kid. What is the best class trip you’ve been on? I really enjoyed the trip to Beaufort to an island of wild horses. The water was rough that day, and goddamn... watching the ocean in its aggression was unbelievable. Did you like field trips when you were a kid? UM, DID ANY KID NOT????? Do you find museums boring or interesting? Very interesting! Gimme a science museum and I'm SOLD. What are three issues you are passionate about? GAY RIGHTS, wildlife and nature conservation, women's rights and the pro-choice argument. What are three countries you have no desire to visit? North Korea, Iraq, and... uh... idk. I guess the Middle East in general. That shit's rough. Do you like your country’s flag? Sure? Stars r dope? Would you ever wear a shirt with your country’s flag on it? NO. What’s a medicine that makes you sleepy? Oh. My. God. When I was on three Klonopin a day (I'm now on just one and don't even take it every day), I literally could not function. There was one day in particular (I was on three very briefly bc of this) where I just slept until evening. I physically could not stay awake. I remember I was in the middle of watching a Game Grumps' Mario playthrough, and I'd only last like, ten minutes before I HAD to lie back down, and I'd fall back asleep in like, a minute. That was one of the most awful days ever, I was miserable. Do you like bath bombs? Sure, they're pretty. Who is your favorite neighbor? I don't actually know any. Who are your favorite small YouTubers? He's not very small, I think he's at about a million and a half subs, but Timmy Timato is so fucking iconic. He is an Actual Mood. I have no interest in what he actually posts; I just watch for him. As well, Johnny Paranormal is cool; he's a fuckin awesome guy and is chill and relaxing to watch. I don't watch him religiously, though. Rarely, actually. Who are your favorite big YouTubers? HAVE U HEARD OF????? THE MARKIPLIER GUY??????? What was your favorite girl group when you were growing up? I think it was the Pussycat Dolls, fuck off, don't say shit 2 me "Buttons" is still dope. Do you like Disney movies? Blocked & reported if you don't. What’s your favorite superhero movie? Man idk, I enjoy a lot. I enjoyed The Avengers, and Logan REALLY tugged at my heart. Do you have any credit card debt? I don't have a credit card. Have you ever been really late for work because you slept past your alarm? No. What was your favorite way to spend a summer day as a kid? Swimming. What’s the longest you’ve worked without a day off? Probably like... two days, lmao. It's not like I have a lot of experience. Have you ever been scammed? I don't think so. Where were you the last time you kissed someone? The airport. How’s your mental health? Are you feeling well? It's fine. Do you struggle with acne? No, not anymore. Do you have any uncommon interests or hobbies? RP is definitely the "strangest." Have you ever fostered an animal? No. Are you the clubbing type? Definitely not. Never been, not interested. Bar goer? No. I don't trust strangers + alcohol, and I'd be really scared of being hit on. Song you can’t stand? I don't think there's a song I've heard that I hate more than "Welcome To The Machine" by Pink Floyd. Well, correction, "Friday" by Rebecca Black. That autotuned to all fuck voice is just... major ew. Is your ex sexually attractive to you still? Jason is. Well, if he looks the same as last time I saw him, which was in 2017. Juan doesn't look half bad. Aaron's cute. What is unattractive about them? Jason: fucking communication skills. Juan: his reckless streak. Aaron: nothing that I know of, he's a sweetie and on a great path. Your hottest ex’s name starts with the letter what? J. Pick two highlighter colors: Yellow, Pink, Blue, Purple, Orange. Pink and orange. Has anyone ever written on you? Who hasn't been written on by friends with markers as a kid? Have you ever dated a fat person? Yes. Have you ever dated someone with a fine ass body? I mean this with total respect and love towards her: Sara's body is genuinely sexy. Her figure is amazing. Have you ever had any article of clothing tailored? What for? Yeah, for prom, as well as my sister's wedding. Do you welcome people back when they say they have returned? Yes. What are two foods you think taste good with whipped cream? I fucking hate whipped cream. How long would it take you to walk to the nearest fire hydrant? I've never paid attention, actually... Do you own anything that has the words or picture of ‘mustache’? Well my Mark tribute tat has the Iconic pink mustache on it, and the texting screen background on my phone is also a pink mustache collage-y thing lmao. When you see a feather on the ground, do you ever pick it up? Yeah, sometimes. If you eat it, what is your favorite way to eat beef? On a burger. How would you feel marrying the man you love who has already a son? I don't love a man, and I wouldn't marry anyone with a kid. Have you ever played Roller Coaster Tycoon? What did you think of it? No, but I had SeaWorld Tycoon or whatever it was called. I loved that game. When you are chopping onions, does it really affect your eyes personally? I've never cut an onion myself, but when I'm in the proximity of someone doing it, I feel mild irritation. How long can you hold your breath for? Is there anyone who is better? Idk, I don't feel like testing it. When was the last time you had a pet goldfish? What was its name? I couldn't even try to guess. Are you insecure about your height? What made you think this way? No. Do you enjoy mayonnaise with French fries? Why or why not? Um that sounds disgusting. Did your last significant other have a huge temper? Actually, he warned me that he can and he was nervous about me ever seeing it. I, thank Christ, never witnessed it, though. I would've broken the fuck down, I can't handle angry men. What was the topic discussed in the last meeting you attended? I don't know the last time I went to a "meeting." Honestly, when’s the last time you genuinely liked someone? Now. Are you Team Jacob, Team Edward, or you just don’t care? I've never been into Twilight, but I find Jacob way more attractive. Do you like it when questions are long and make you think? Yes. Have you ever had love at first sight happen to you? No. Do you think Avatar is really all that great? I'm assuming you mean the movie and not TLA? I never saw the full thing, but I would love it. Love or trust? Trust, I think. You can't love someone in a healthy fashion if you don't trust them. What do you think about sexting? Not about that personally. That'd be so awkward. Have you ever done it? Those days where RP mating scenes on YouTube were over private message, timeskipping wasn't a thing... oh boy. It WAS uncomfortable. Would you ever swim with dolphins? Yeah! Have you ever believed a stereotype? Probably at some point. Have you ever tried marijuana? No, though tbh I probably would (but not through smoking it) for anxiety and panic attacks if it was legal in my state. Is there any reason you should be in jail right now? Can you go to jail for illegally downloading, or it is just a fine? Idk. Did the house you grew up in have a big yard? I mean, it was decent. What has been the most difficult class you’ve ever taken? Latin. That shit was so hard. Do you have any medication that you keep with you at all times? Yes, for panic attacks. What’s something that’s much more difficult than a lot of people realize? Heartbreak. Were you raised by both of your parents? If not, then who raised you? Yes, but Mom played a larger role. Did any of the classes you took in high school count towards uni credit? No. First thing you wash in the shower? My hair. Do you plan outfits? "Not unless it’s a special occasion." <<< Are your parents strict? No. Would you go sky diving? Probably not. I'm afraid of heights, and I'd be really scared the parachute wouldn't deploy. Who sits behind you in your math class? Quite honestly, a bitch. She always has shit to say under her breath. Do you have good vision? No, it's awful. When was the last time you watched a show for people younger than you? Last I was with Sara. We're watching Avatar: The Last Airbender together. Have you ever snuck someone into your house before? No. Is there something your significant other does that bothers you completely? She's competitive and admits to it. A lot, particularly in writing, is a "mine needs to be better" thing. When was the last time you kissed someone on the cheek? When I saw my niece and nephew at my nephew's birthday party. How many best friends do you have? One. Did you ever get bullied as a child or were you the bully? Neither. Would you rather eat grape or strawberry jelly or jam? GRAPE. I hate strawberry jam/jelly. Do your parents ever send you to do their grocery shopping for them? No. Do you know anyone who has a speech impediment? I don't think I do personally. If you have your ears pierced, when did you get them pierced? When I was like... 11-12 or so, maybe? Possibly younger? Have you ever had a significant other who hit you? Fuck no. Do you own any exercise machines? No. Do you still leave/receive voicemails? If I need to, sure. School leaves me voicemails sometimes if I miss a call. Do you live in your hometown? No. Are you a festive person? Do you enjoy holidays? Not very festive, but I mean, I enjoy 'em. Did you/Will you attend college? I'm back in college now!! You’re feeling down - do you listen to sad music or happy? Sad. Listening to music fitting my mood helps me feel related to and not alone. You’re looking for some new music - what’s your preferred way to discover? YouTube recommendations. Do you watch the news? No. What hooks you to a television show? The most important thing is A GOOD PLOT!!! It needs to be really interesting to me, bc I do NOT get into shows easily. As for funny shows, they need to be fuuuuunny. I don't think I could ever get "hooked" on a show again, though. I just don't watch TV. Have you ever received anesthesia or morphine? Yes. On the morphine occasion, it didn't do jackshit. I don't think they gave me nearly enough. Is there anyone that makes your skin crawl? The #1 thing that most fits the definition of "skin crawling" to me is seeing a fetus move from outside the stomach, especially the further the mother is along. It's fucking alien-esque and actually makes me scream and panic. Are people more likely to tell you to tone it down or to speak up? It can be either. Do you have a dining room in your house? No. Do you know the alphabet in any other languages? Very close to all of German's. I blank and aren't sure on a couple. How many people have you had sex with? One. Have you ever been surfing? No.

[oodlyenough]

Hi, what are your "little hope" thoughts? (sorry if u already posted them and I missed it. my friend and i were deeply annoyed with the ending)

OMG I could have SWORN I did a full proper reaction post when I finished but for the life of me now I can’t find it... did I hallucinate it? Did Tumblr eat it. What happened!! I’m annoyed lmao I’m SURE I wrote one where IS it.... what the fuck... LMAO

Ok well I can’t remember in depth to recreate the post that I think I wrote and maybe never posted ? or ? whatever ??????????

but yes I played Little Hope and I didn’t enjoy it. I was very disappointed actually, Man of Medan wasn’t great but I still liked it more than LH. None of the characters were compelling and the most interesting part to me --  even loosely -- was the doppelganger stuff and the idea that maybe this area was like cursed or w/e and a few individuals were doomed to repeat their tragic ends forever, only for it to all be a dream (basically)? The shock ending was stupid and also too similar to Man of Medan. I want ACTUAL SUPERNATURAL STUFF in my supernatural horror game series idk why that’s too much to ask. Plus all of the characters were just kind of mean and unpleasant, I didn’t really like any of them except sort of Angela who was so mean and unpleasant it came back around to being funny. 

Didn’t find it scary either. It only got the odd jump scare out of me, and I don’t mind a jump scare but there was very little effectively-done OTHER types of scares, and after a while even the jump scares it was like I knew exactly when a ghost was gonna pop out, a ghost would pop out and I’d be like “ah”. I had minimal motivation to keep most of the cast alive because I didn’t like most of them. I also found the key to the “””””good””””” ending being “side with the little girl” like... I mean it’s fine I guess, but it was extremely predictable lol. Oh there’s a priest involved? He’s definitely evil. 100%. And... he was. 

Like... tf was the point of ANY of what I just did, lol, why would I bother replaying trying to get other endings when they’re all basically the same, why should I care about any of these ghosts... WHY did he imagine his BROTHER AND SISTER were FUCKING... lmao... just so weird??!?! I also feel like this sort of ending is quite possibly ableist but I don’t feel, uh, qualified (so to speak) to talk to that in any depth. 

The developer ran some survey a few months ago about it, I think they realized it got really bad press, lol. 

[jorrynoftheroundtable]

Time for my two cents that nobody asked for again. Spoilers for Little Hope (Dark Pictures Anthology) under the cut.

I've seen people hate on Man of Medan. I liked Man of Medan. If you can figure out the twist early, you know how to get everyone out alive. Being invested in the story helps you get a good ending. It's still an "it was all in their heads" story, but there are still stakes at the end.

Little Hope doesn't do that. Every time someone gets separated, you know they're coming back, because you don't get a gruesome death scene (which the series loves). The only person affected by the game's story is the bus driver, who we know for five minutes before he's "missing" for the rest of the game.

I was invested in the Witch Trials, the Curse, I wanted to see the resolution to why this is happening- but I never got that. Just as it felt it was building to something, like we might see a reveal of some supernatural force the heroes must overcome... It's revealed the last few hours didn't really matter. In my run, the girl was hung and I was arrested, because she was kinda mean and... I don't know why I was arrested. I assume Anthony gets released since he didn't actually commit any crimes. Probably gets therapy. The only way to get an ending that's definitely bad is if you fuck up so hard that Anthony shoots himself.

Again, it doesn't matter. Because I don't know anything about Anthony. He's a bus driver who just wanted a cup of tea. Also maybe mentally ill? Who knows? Not us.

But more than that, it just feels like an ending to a game I wasn't playing. The game promises witch trials and survival horror and ghosts and spirits- instead, we either get arrested, call for help, or die.

[holanads]

MC LIFE: I'm signing out!

note- This is just my short opinion, to stop being an mc/ presenter. The reasons came from my long reminiscing, and never think in your mind even only one min that this is a way to stop your mc life too gaes, it is just pure for me but if you feel the same way, high five! may Allah give us rizq in better way.

Ya, akhir-akhir ini saya tak banyak manggung di dunia per-MC-an. Terakhir seingat saya, saya memandu acara seminar kesehatan nasional H-5 ramadan di auditorium Akademi Kebidanan Medan. 

Tawaran yang sama datang kembali beberapa minggu setelah itu, namun saya menolaknya, padahal upah yang ditawarkan lebih banyak. Ntahlah saya semakin tak nyaman berada di panggung, seringnya saya malu-malu saat menyemarakkan acara. Kadang saya hanya banyak memperhatikan partner saya bicara, we didnt do ping-pong convos. WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?

Dalam dunia kerja semuanya serba 'diatur', kita punya kewajiban untuk menurutinya dan tentunya memiliki hak yang setara. Tak terkecuali dalam dunia 'entertainment' (yaelah, serasa seleb ya wkwk). Our performances and also our appearance, of course. Tak ada memang yg mempermasalahkan tampilan saya saat ini, event organizer yg mengontrak saya juga tak keberatan, namun saya-lah yang merasa 'tak enak'. Rasa risih itu mulai muncul di diri saya, saya lebih banyak diam. Padahal banyak orang bilang saya ini memang dari lahir pasti sudah lasak dan memiliki kepercayaan diri tinggi. (Whut? A baby boss?)

WHY?

My main reason is the aurah. I've been asking myself about aurat, aurat wanita memang lebih 'banyak', saya sadar betul bahwa wanita adalah salah satu fitnah terbesar bagi laki-laki, wanita mampu menjadikan lelaki murtad dari agamanya atau seorang wanita juga mamou membuat lelaki menjadi kian dekat dengan Tuhannya. It depends on HOW THE WOMAN. So basically, we can change good man to be bad man or otherwise. Change a weak man become a strong man, or otherwise.

Ya, begitulah cara islam melindungi wanita. Aurat itu bukan hanya tubuh saja (kecuali telapak tangan dan wajah). Namun, suara juga demikian. Your mendayu-dayu voice can trigger man's desire. Suara yang terdengar bisa saja menumbuhkan syahwat laki-laki, selain itu berada di depan audiance berarti itu sama artinya kita menampilkan sosok diri kita seutuhnya di depan banyak orang, bukan? Mereka bebas melihat dan mendengar kita tanpa ada halangan apapun. Mereka pasti melihat dengan jeli gerak-gerik, lekuk tubuh meski sudah tertutupi.

"Wanita yang baik adalah ia yang tak terlihat dan tak dilihat" -Khadijah

FYI, my friends told me that they able to 'see' woman's body(tiny, slim, fat, small, medium, large) they know it even we already cover it up with long hijab or try to hide it up with our big size clothes. That's tragic, huh?

Can u imagine being a center of attention, stand in front of people and become a dirty-imagination-object. They can even take pictures of you while you ceracas-ceracos in the stage, and you dont even realize that YOU ARE THE DIRTY-NIGHT-THOUGHT-OBJECT. Naaah! Naudzubillah.

Yosh! for those strong reason i meantioned above, I'VE ALREADY DECIDED TO STOP MC-ING!

No doubt, saya pasti nanti merindukan berdiri di atas panggung, memegang microphone, bersenda gurau dengan partner mc saya, rindu menerima hasil keringat sendiri, rindu meneraktir keluarga sehabis nge-msi. Saya ujung-ujungnya pasti kangen dan ada keinginan untuk balik lagi, kalau tidak rindu, malah justru aneh.

Sudah pasti saya tak akan bisa membeli barang keinginan saya dengan uang lelah saya sendiri, sudah pasti uang yang ada di dompet saya tak sebanyak upah saya nge-msi, sudah pasti saya tak bisa berjumpa orang-orang baru yang semuanya memberikan pembelajaran penting untuk saya. Banyak panggung yang sudah saya jamah, dari panggung yang kecil, hingga yang begitu megah.

Tapi, kerinduan saya menuruti keinginan Allah jauh lebih besar daripada kerinduan untuk berdiri di atas panggung 'dunia' ini which is a temporary stage. Rasa malu yang saya miliki saat ini pastilah datangnya dari Allah. Keinginan yang terlitas di pikiran saya untuk berhenti dalam dunia MC ini pasti datangnya dari Allah.

ps: Maybe It'll be different if the audience is all muslimah. It is much better for me:)

[yuricho-blog1]

das Bier, el Pisco, Vodka

Life is a very interesting story. It is different for everyone. And you know exactly what can make the story to be even more interesting: Alcohol or at least that’s what they said. I have stories too. Some of them included alcohol, and I think you can say some of them are interesting, perhaps.

if you’re under 18 years old, GET THE HELL OUT! *this include my lil sister, you’re supposed to be studying by now*

das Bier

I was hanging out with my 2 German friends. We went to a bar in Bandung, quite near from my undergraduate school in Bandung. The music was loud; the ambience was warm and fun. The band played us some good old rock music. I remembered they asked me to sing a song so I tried to sing Aerosmith’s “Come Together”, the only rock song that I know I can sing pretty well. The crowd cheered wildly and they started to sing along. That’s the beauty of an old song: people know. And when people know your song, they sing along. They’re not strangers anymore, they’re family. My German friends were also there dancing, and drinking. You know they are the best when it comes to drink.

“We have to celebrate, Man!” as they ordered another beer tower. “Let me show you how to drink like a German!” said one of them. So we drank, and drank, and drank. I finished 2 towers. Only God knows how much they drank that night because I stopped counting the glass. Ah the night was still young but the bar was about to close. We said bye to the rest of the people in the club, and we started to drive randomly.

I remembered we went to a hill nearby for some stargazing and it was amazing. We talked about live, music, traveling, future, past, dream, everything. It’s like catching up with some old friends; the only difference was they’re not old friends. They’re some travellers I met from Couchsurfing; basically some strangers. But strangers have always been my comfort zones. I can choose whoever I want to be. I can choose whatever I want to talk. And they will never judge me, and I won’t hate myself.

Crap! I didn’t know that I don’t like myself that much.

el Pisco

Juan was a crazy traveller from Chile. He bought an old bike from Medan, rode with it across Sumatra for around 3 weeks, and met a lot more crazy people along the way. He shared lots of thing when he crashed on my place. We talked about food, booze, girls, and every other stuff young guys would be interested to. He also taught me some Spanish grammar, which surprisingly not as easy as I thought. But in the other hand, I surprised him for learning quite quickly. It was a very good night.

“So you like, Rum? Do you know Pisco? It tastes almost like Rum.” He said, “Do you want to try?” “And by try you mean..?” “I brought a bottle of Pisco from Chile, just in case if I’m missing home. All we need is Cola, to turn it into Piscola. You get it? El Pisco. La Cola. La Piscola”. We bought a bottle of Coke, and mix it with Pisco. It tasted perfect and we had total fun. We probably had too much fun I didn’t realize that I probably drank too much; we finished the bottle! I got very sleepy. So I took off and went to my room, or I thought I did.

Juan said he found me sleeping on the stairs. (It was very warm tho) so he took me to my room. He said I was shivering so he started to wrap me with blankets, and towels, and any other fabric he can find. He called his friend, a doctor, and he said I just have some minor alcohol poisoning. All Juan needed to do is just to let me rest. He took a very good care of his friend. However, I just know one thing (which is not the fact that I slept on the stairs). That he was relieved to see me fresh in the next morning. I wondered why.

Maybe. Maybe some people still like me.

Vodka

I tried something very new: became a facilitator for some UX Community Gathering. I have no idea about UX, or at least (as Kun, one of the UX experts and a very good friend of mine, said) I didn’t realize that I know shits about UX. I happened to learn that UX is about understanding human and their desire to experience excellences. What they need, what they want, what they think they need. It’s about what these people expect. A very selfless knowledge, which is very hard to do since all UX designer are practically designers, which are artist, which are very self-centered with all of our visions and ideas. (Chill I considered myself as an artist too, and I perfectly know how selfish I am when it comes to create art.)

Surprisingly, it all went well. Yes there were some minor accident but we managed to handle everything graciously. We were a very good team. And as every other successful event, we had an after-event party. It’s not a massive party; it was just me, Kun, and 3 other friends. We did party hard. We had a really great discussion about life, work, and business ideas (I may forgot lots of thing but the idea is perfectly recorded #StartupLyfe). We had some vodka and orange juice. It was very tasty and we sipped and sipped as we continued our very personal discussion. We also danced, or at least I danced and let those people watched me.) I got some people introduced themselves to me while we were on the dance floor.

I gotta admit, it feels good sometimes to be that guy-in-the-club-you-want-to-know. That night, I was a star. But it’s not a very long night as we were all tired because of the previous gathering. I went back to our table and drank another glass, and started to listen again to the others’ story. We may have just known each other for a couple of hours, but we became a great squad. I have never thought that I will have a squad.

Wait. Perhaps I’m not so bad after all.

Alcohol

You know exactly what can make a story to be even more interesting: Not alcohol. It is you. It is you from the very first beginning. It’s true that sometimes most of us need a little booster to help us see, but it is not as important as being you; the real you. Alcohol may help you see other possibilities, but most of the times it blurs your sight and you failed to see what’s around you; what’s within you. You don’t have to drink to make you braver. You don’t have to use drugs to make you happier. You don’t have to smoke to make you smarter. You just need you.

This whole story is not about what you consume, not about who you love, not about how you behave. It’s all about you living your life fully. It’s about you living every decision that you make. And that’s what makes the story interesting. Not even you know how the story will go; life will keep its element of surprise. However, in the end, everything is going to be fine, and epic. I have decided to like myself more. How about you?

Well. I think I like myself now.

Salam!

ps: I happened to found this MV by Childish Gambino. Hope you like it!

ps: a special shout out for Couchsurfing which give me the chance to meet some of my good friends around the globe. I have some of my best moments with my CS friends. Thank you for developing such website! Salute!