#and it’s such an interesting dynamic to play with

[lemonadehtwooh]

If I have to see One More fucking post that makes Alhaitham a "daddy dom" and Kaveh into a "soft uwu sub" I'm going to fucking kill someone

[eerna]

it might be my dislike for the "in every universe yadda yadda" trope speaking, but I just. don't see why Ekko had to go to an alt universe and see Powder grown up to figure out he could still share with Jinx what he'd shared with Powder. Like don't get me wrong I loved the dance and the cuteness and the pretending like it's the first time... but he already figured most of it out in s1. And it was a much better, more nuanced scene - of course seeing a physical reminder that she is Powder with the capacity to love him would change his mind, but it's much more powerful when it's shown through their shared memories and behaviors. The coexistence of gentleness and violence in the bridge scene is the heart and soul of why their dynamic is so interesting. She will play their childhood game, she will look at him softly, and then try to blow them both up. We could have had an episode that continues that story, that shows us how they would find their way back to each other now that the main obstacle, Silco, is removed... But instead, Ekko went through it with a separate person, while Jinx went through it offscreen, and nothing more was ever said about it. Man. I am sad.

[darlinglute]

i think it's extremely fun to pair rook and solas together in any regard, no matter if he previously was being romanced because as clear narrative foils, having an enemies to lovers (and in tandem, bitch4bitch, hater x hater) dynamic feeds into that delicious 'whenever I see you I see myself and I hate that' and 'you are everything I hate about myself' soup.

I once saw a post with a collection of quotes that had this certain vibe, in the 'you and I are the same' (negative) way. if i had a quote to represent them it would be:

so shipping them feels very complex and interesting to think about, because, like in that one dialogue

(first of all, like c'mon) furthermore it's the cycle. rook is to solas what solas was to elgar'nan, there are several times in the game, especially the end, where they can see each other in each other. even if you dont see it in a shipping lenses (which you dont have to!) this is a juicy story.

moreover, at the end of the game if rook outwits solas by giving him the fake ritual dagger, solas not only recognizes that he was out played by 'wits alone' he also says that he's met his match. this mimics the several stories of fen'harel who uses his wits, wisdom etc to get out of a situation

(example: the story of fen'harel, andruil and anaris, solas goading them both into fighting each other so he could get out paralleling solas making rook fight the gods and in addition a thousand other enemies in order to get himself enough time to get out of the fade prison without rook getting ahead of it)

the betrayal too, i don't have much to say that hasn't been said already about the prison switcheroo, (evokes solas's betrayal of felassan yada yada) other then it's really tasty.

[filthyf1]

A Long Short Time

pairing: Daniel Ricciardo x Reader

content warning: MINORS DNI (18+); Porn WITH Plot, cunnilingus, blowjob, unprotected sex, slightly tipsy sex?... Not entirely healthy relationship dynamics….

summary: Daniel and you broke up two months ago. He comes back to get the last of his things…. And the rest is history.

word count: 5k

author's notes: AHHHHHH this was so nerve wracking.... it's been so long since I've written anything so please let me know your thoughts!!!

____

Two months. A short time that felt like a millenia to you. The apartment felt emptier than usual. He wasn’t there often before, but it was more than never. Life felt slow and tedious, and you weren’t exactly adapting well. 

It had been two months since you and Daniel broke up. That felt like such a silly and simple way to explain it, but that’s exactly what happened. It was and then it wasn’t. Four years and it was over just like that. 

Daniel was let go from VCARB after the Singapore GP. The fans could tell something was wrong from his interviews, and their guesses were spot on. He’d known it was the end and given it his all, understanding that it wouldn’t be enough. His whole life came to an abrupt halt, just like that. What was the point of contracts in the first place? It felt like a crime to let him go before COTA, and yet… 

Just as his career came to a screeching halt, your relationship did as well. The comfort you thought you could give was simply not enough. Nothing you could say or do could make it right. It made sense even if it hurt. What do you do when the thing you’ve worked for your whole life gets pulled out from under you? Some people cope and move on, collect the pieces and figure out how to go forward. Some people burn the rest of the world around them and crash. 

What began as trying to comfort him turned into an all-out shouting match and ended in the door slamming behind him. 

“I can’t do this! What the fuck would you do?”

“I don’t know! Lean on my friends? Family? My fucking girlfriend, maybe?”

“Well, nothing like this has happened to you. You just get to sit around and be pretty. Life is so fucking easy for you.”

That last one stung - his sharp words certainly hit their mark. You played the conversation over and over again in your head for the past 60 days, trying to think of an alternative ending.

The movers eventually came and took his things, leaving both the space and your heart wide and empty. And that was how the past two months went. Your apartment was small, but when a whole other person’s things were removed, it felt much too large.You got to see him unwind and find himself by his own posts and his friends’ on social media. The news outlets were fucking annoying. Apparently, one of the most interesting things to report on was an F1 driver’s relationship status. And the paparazzi had exactly as much sympathy as you expected. You were sure there were at least a dozen photos of you crying floating around on Twitter, Facebook, etc. 

It was your turn to feel stuck. You felt like the last four years were a waste. What were you working towards? It was upended so swiftly and easily. You saw Daniel regaining the light back in his eyes while he attended sporting events and went dirt biking with his friends. You sat in your flat drinking wine and looking at the city lights contemplating what could have been. 

There were things you wanted to accomplish that you put on the back burner and now regretted never pursuing. Maybe once you got your spirit back, you’d go after the fashion degree or write that book that always sat in the back of your mind. Just a little bit more groveling…

What really hurt was finding things the movers missed. Little things here and there that you knew he would miss, a helmet here, a jersey there. So instead of burning them like a lot of people might, you gathered them and put them in a box. You put your big girl pants on and sent him a text, hoping it would still go through, and let him know he could pick it up whenever he was back in the city. And to your surprise, not only did the message go through, but he answered. It was the only thing you’d heard from him since he left and unfortunately, you clung to it. 

It was another Friday night that wine was your companion. Your friend had visited for a few days for some gossip and retail therapy, but unfortunately she had left earlier that day and you let the loneliness seep back in. The riesling helped dull it a little bit. You were halfway through the bottle, feeling the pleasant buzz settle into your muscles. 

Music swept through your apartment while you danced and cleaned things here and there when your phone dinged on the counter, interrupting the melody you were currently feeling. Thinking it was your friend who forgot her lipstick on your counter, you swiped the message open without a second thought. Once you read it, however, the blood drained from your face and you looked on in horror.

Be there in 20 if you’re still awake.

Okay…. Okay. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

You were very much not sober enough for this. The bottle of wine looked on in amusement and you glared at it, as if it wasn’t your choice to partake in the first place. That still didn’t stop you from chugging the rest of the glass in front of you. Maybe it would help you to be more relaxed or cool in his presence. You glanced at the clock on your oven.

11:20PM.

Late, but not ridiculously so. You wondered what exactly he was doing in the country. But that wasn’t really any of your business anymore. 

It was fully in your right to deny him, let him know it was not a good time to stop by. Your sober self needed 3 to 5 business days to prepare for this, but your tipsy self wanted him to stop by now. Your chest ached at the thought of seeing his face again in person. You craved it desperately. Against your better judgement, your fingers sent out a quick, “Ok.”

Oh, God, what were you doing? 

Simply put, you fucking missed him. There was no denying or getting around it.

“Fuck, this is happening,” you breathed to yourself. You ran a hand through your hair, a nervous mess. You ran to the bathroom to do a once over; you looked as much a mess as you expected. Hair everywhere and eyes slightly glassy from alcohol. You swallowed hard, trying to fix things, but gave up after a minute or two.

Sitting back in your kitchen, you nursed another glass of wine. There was no going back now, so you might as well commit. A knock came a few minutes later, causing you to jump in your seat. 

“Fuck,” one more for the road. 

You approached the door slowly like a victim in a horror movie. One last hesitation, and the door swung open and there he was.

He stood tall, not at all bowed under the pressure he had experienced so recently. His hair was longer than you remembered, the curls so perfect and tangled it hurt. They weren’t yours to run your hands through anymore. You were sure you looked sad and pathetic, and he stood in front of you looking healthy and radiant, something you hadn’t seen in a long time. He looked damn good.

A breathy, “Hi,” was all you could muster. You immediately kicked yourself internally. So much for keeping your cool. Daniel gave you a once over that made you feel hot inside and self-conscience at the same time.

“Hi,” he gave a soft smile and you nearly melted. It was such a stark difference from how your last conversation ended. You stood in silence for another few seconds, taking him in. This was how you wanted to remember him. 

“Fuck, uh, sorry, I don’t have your stuff here,” you shook yourself out of the trance. “Do you… want to come in for a minute?” You weren’t sure if this was a good idea or not. You didn’t have a great track record with exes and them visiting your place of residence. 

“I’ve got the time,” he said. 

You’d be lying if a plethora of less than innocent thoughts were running through your head. He looked better than you remembered, and the feelings were still there, ready to be unearthed at a moment's notice.

He took everything in. The air felt heavy with unspoken tension and you wondered what he was thinking. His eyes settled on the empty wine glass and less than full bottle.

“Been drinking?” He asked and a smirk settled onto his lips. His facial hair was growing in, and you’d be lying if your mind didn’t wander. Beard burn was a hell of a drug.

“Yea,” you said sheepishly, a hand running through your hair to dispel your nerves. “There’s whiskey if you want a drink. I still have your favorite… I don’t really drink it…” You trailed off, not really expecting him to accept. You thought he would be itching to leave as soon as possible, the weight of the last conversation heavy on your mind. To your surprise, he opened the cabinet that he knew very well and grabbed the whiskey. He grabbed a glass (the cabinet never changed either) and poured himself a double. 

“Cheers,” he held the cup out. You poured the rest of the wine into your stemmed glass and clinked your glass against his. You paused, watching him down the glass, his Adam's apple bobbing and a single droplet of whiskey dripping from his lips and trailing down his neck. Sinful thoughts flashed across your eyes, but long gone now were the days where you could lick it away. You averted your eyes quickly and drank your wine in one swift gulp. Anything to distract you from the images circling through your head. 

“You’ve been doing well - at least from what I’ve seen,” you placed the wine glass down in the kitchen sink and Daniel followed suit. The heat of his body was heavy behind you, his arm right next to yours. You fought everything in you to fight freezing. Surely, he wasn’t doing this on purpose? You didn’t have much time to contemplate as his body was gone in the next moment. 

He leaned against the kitchen counter - his arms propped his body up and you chose to avert your eyes from his toned form. Two months was clearly not enough time to stop those thoughts from clouding your mind. Was it you or did he just look you up and down?

“I’ve been… okay,” he didn’t elaborate, but the silence explained enough. Maybe it was easier to put on a smile for the camera.

“You still miss it,” it wasn’t a question.

“Every day,” he nearly whispered. His warm brown eyes held yours for a second too long and you wondered if you were still talking about racing. You cleared your throat, not totally sure how to address that. 

“Things ended pretty poorly, huh,” you averted your eyes. Now was not the time to let your tears get the best of you. Your last argument was the elephant in the room and you’d explode if you avoided it for another second. There was a tightly wound bundle of resentment, pain, and anger in your stomach. You were mad at him for walking away. Mad that he seemed to get over things pretty damn quick while you were still fumbling for a grasp on things. Mad that he walked right back in like nothing happened.

“You could say that again,” he said simply. You went to speak again but he cut you off. “I’m sorry for the things I said.”

Your eyes shot to his. He wasn’t really one to open up and talk about things like that. He tended to take things out on the track and work through them that way. He didn’t have that anymore though, so maybe he found talking was easier these days. 

“Thank you,” you said roughly. Blinking rapidly to stop tears from coming forward. What were you supposed to do now? You never stopped loving him, but you were feeling so many other conflicting feelings at the same time. Daniel made a move as if to come forward and comfort you, then thought twice about it. He was obviously feeling a lot of things too. He cleared his throat.

“So, you said you put everything in a box?” He looked around. If things were heavy before, they weighed a ton now. 

“Um, yes, your stuff is in the hall closet. I put it in a box for you - I’m not sure it'll fit in whatever car you drove, but you can always send someone to pick it up for you,” you over-explained as you walked towards said storage. Were you delirious or was that his body heat on your back? This time it did not disappear. 

You slowed, turning to face him. He was as close as you suspected, his strong frame standing over you. His pupils were blown, his breathing slightly accelerated. You’d be a fool to deny that his scent was intoxicating. The same cologne and musk you remembered that was distinctly Daniel made your head spin. You swallowed hard and Daniel’s eyes flickered down to your eyes then your throat.

“Daniel?”

“I’ve missed you,” he breathed out, his voice deep and husky. Your heart pounded hard in your chest. You wanted this more than anything. You wished he’d just kiss you already. Your body ached to feel his against yours again. It had been so long. You were both suspended in time, your eyes locked with each others’.

“I missed you, too,” you replied. He looked relieved at that, like he thought you had moved on. As if you’d ever be able to do that.

“Yea?” He was even quieter that time.

“So fucking much.”

“Can I kiss you?”

“I wish you would.”

Whatever dam was once there broke in an instant. Daniel surged forward and his lips enveloped yours. You couldn’t help the groan that leaked from your throat. You missed this so much it hurt. One of his hands wrapped around your waist, pulling you into him. His other hand found the back of your neck and his fingers wrapped into your hair. His body was hot against yours, your skin searing wherever it touched his. He backed you into the wall without his lips leaving yours once. You eagerly reached your hands to his hair and pulled on the curls you missed so much which earned you a groan in return. You fit together like two puzzle pieces. 

You gulped in air as he moved his attention to your neck, his facial hair scratching you in the way you remembered. Words couldn’t describe how much you missed this. His leg parted yours to push against your clothed cunt and pin you to the wall. God, if he thought you were moaning like a whore now… He suckled hard on the soft skin of your collar bone and your fingers tightened in his hair.

Things were complicated, sure, but this was here and now. Right now you were feeling pretty damn good for many reasons and your present self didn’t care much about the potential consequences. Daniel was a man starved and you were an oasis in the desert. 

“Take me to the fucking bedroom before I strip you here,” you barely got out.

“Can do,” he replied between pressing kisses up your neck. “Not that I would entirely mind…” His strong arms moved to loop under your thighs and lift you up easily. He took a moment to hold you against the wall and kiss you again. His need was as evident as yours; you could feel him straining against his jeans. His tongue was hot and furious against yours and you feared being fully consumed by him. 

Your body temperature was running at one-thousand degrees and you felt like you were about to burst. Daniel’s tongue was wet and insistent against yours and you drank him in. Soft groans echoed from him and you could barely handle it. He carried you to your room, placing you softly onto your plush bed. His body was heavy upon yours, barely holding himself above you. You took the opportunity to roll your hips against his, eliciting a moan from both of you. You wondered if he was with anyone in your absence and then quickly pushed that thought away. It was none of your business, and you chose to believe the answer was no based on the way he was acting. 

Your hands trailed around each other; you missed the feel of each others’ bodies. Something told you that neither of you would last long. Already you feel yourself soaking through your panties.

Barely able to tear himself from you, Daniel managed to rip his shirt off. He looked just as good as ever and your mouth watered at the happy trail disappearing into his pants. 

“See something you like?” He grins evilly.

“Shut the fuck up and take my pants off,” you sigh. He did not need to be told twice. Your pants were removed in a flash leaving you in your underwear and shirt. The shirt was quickly removed after. Lucky for you, it was nearing laundry day which meant you had only your skimpiest and laciest underwear leftover. 

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Daniel sighed. 

“I’d apologize but I’m not sorry…”

“You’re going to be the death of me,” he leaned back in and placed soft kisses down your torso. His hands pawed your chest roughly, pinching your nipples between his fingers and causing you to keen into him. He came back to place one more kiss on your lips and captured your bottom lip between his teeth to nip at the soft, swollen skin. You rolled your hips into his again but this time he caught them and pushed his own into you to fight back. Everything with him was a delicious push and pull.

He edged back down, but not without placing wet kisses along your torso on his way there. He grabbed the band of your underwear between his teeth and pulled them off. His eyes held yours as he did so and you felt the blood rush to your cheeks. The man knew how to make you blush, that was for sure. They peeled back from your dripping pussy in a way that was almost embarrassing. You didn’t miss when he took the panties and shoved them into his back pocket. 

His lips ghosted over the inside of your thighs and drank you in in a way that made you light headed. You wanted nothing more than him to put his fucking mouth to work. He could sense your urgency and gave a cheeky chuckle.

“Don’t pretend you don’t want this as much as me. I’ll suck your dick if you hurry up and eat me out,” you threatened.

“You don’t have to tell me twice.”

His mouth was warm and the pleasure shot deep through your core as soon as he ran his tongue over you. 

“Fuck,” you barely managed. Your head hit the mattress - Daniel held you tight and didn’t allow an inch for you to squirm. Your legs draped over his shoulders and your toes curled as he worked on you. The wet sounds that came from your cunt were sinful; when Daniel paused for air and to smile at you, you could see his chin glistening. He was relentless, moaning into your folds and your head started swirling. “Daniel,” you gasped and one hand clawed at his shoulder while the other held tightly to his hair. “I’m not gonna last - if you keep doing that I’m gonna come.”

“Good,” he barely pulled back. Now that he had that information, he didn’t hold back and within a minute you were writhing and moaning underneath him as white hot pleasure coursed through you. He alternated between sucking and swirling his tongue around your clit. His strong arms barely flexed to hold you down as your hips rolled against his tongue. He only relented when your hips stuttered as you became overstimulated. You were gasping and swearing. It was way too long since you’d felt like this. He pulled back, but only far enough to place more open-mouthed, sloppy kisses along your thighs. He let you recover and kissed his way back up your body on your hips, your stomach, your breasts, and finally your collarbones and neck. 

“Sooooo, you said something about getting my dick sucked?” He asked and completely evaporated the heavy mood. You couldn’t help the laugh that exploded from you and you hit his shoulder weakly. He fell back dramatically on the bed, holding his shoulder in mock pain. “You wound me, woman!”

The light humor was nice, but it made your heart ache. You missed this so much and you realized that this ended with Daniel walking out the door. This was all a moment of passion after time apart. He’d take the rest of his things and go back to his life and you’d go back to yours. Instead of wallowing, you chose to shove it to the back of your mind and enjoy the moment that was happening in front of you. You put the smile back on your face and turned your attention back to Daniel. You kissed him deeply and softly once and ignored the slightly confused look on his face.

You pushed him back into the bed and he propped his head up by putting his hands behind his head, and you swallowed hard at his flexing biceps. He still wore his jeans so you palmed him roughly through the thick fabric which earned you a look that could kill. You licked a stripe over the coarse hair that sprouted up his stomach. He was hot and salty with sweat and you craved to take him into your mouth. 

Removing his belt slowly, you teased him; how much could he take? To your surprise, he was exceedingly patient and looked down at you with a disgusting smirk.  You pulled down his jeans and wiped said smirk off his face by placing a feather light kiss over his clothed cock. He smelled hot and musky, and you couldn’t wait to strip him completely. The pants and boxer briefs came off together and got tossed somewhere along the rest of the clothes on the floor.

He was just as you remembered. You suppressed the whine that built in your throat. He was already cocky enough; he didn’t need to know you missed sucking him off. You took as much of him in your mouth as you could, the rest taken care of by your hands. Another thing he didn’t need to add to his ego was his size. He was heavy and warm on your tongue with the sting of bitter saltiness from the precum that leaked from his swollen, red tip. A deep groan came from him and you looked up to see his head thrown back and his bottom lips caught between his teeth. A small ego boost for you too. 

You dragged your tongue from his base to his tip. Following the thick vein that ran up his length, you took him in again and hollowed your cheeks. He couldn’t control the groans and moans that spilled from him and one of his hands came down to wind through your hair and hold it up.

“Look at me,” he commanded. Bold of him, but you had to admit you missed this possessive side of him. You obliged him and looked him dead in the eyes but did not pause your ministrations. You let him push his hips into your mouth to fuck your throat. You were out of practice and gagged once before holding it back. Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes and you loved it. You swallowed around his length and his hand tightened painfully in your hair. His hips thrusted against his own will and his eyes squeezed shut. “Okay… okay, stop, or I’m not gonna make it to the main event,” he breathed heavily. Still got it, you thought smugly. You released him but not before placing one last kiss on the crevice between his crotch and his thigh which earned you a satisfying twitch.

You climbed up, settling yourself on his lower stomach. This was one of both of your favorite positions. Daniel loved seeing you above him, riding his cock and finding the exact right spot that got you off. It was a position that allowed you both some control and he liked being able to see your face. You scooted back and grabbed his length, ready to position him and sink down when he halted you by catching your hips in both of his hands.

“Fuck, I didn't bring a condom,” he sighed and paused. You almost lost your mind. 

“I don't fucking care,” you moaned and pushed against him. “And I'm still on the pill.”

“You didn't stop it?”

“Just be glad I didn't and fuck me already, Daniel,” you whined. You knew adding his name would be the cherry on top of a cake he couldn't deny. He took the head of his leaking cock, swiping it through your folds to collect the excessive wetness there, and pressed himself into you slowly. The stretch ached deliciously. It had definitely been awhile. Daniel hissed between his teeth as you sunk down on his length inch by agonizing inch. 

When he was fully inside of you, you took a moment to adjust. You steadied yourself with your hands on Daniel’s chest, and he grabbed your wrists to pull you back down to him. Your lips met his in a surprisingly tender kiss that stirred things in your chest that you were having trouble keeping buried. You blinked away tears for the second time that night, but this time a warm hand came to cup your cheek and stroke the warm skin there. 

Whatever happened tonight, you hoped you and Daniel talked after this. He brought you so much joy and comfort. His warm brown eyes held yours as if to say everything would be okay.

“Okay, I’m fine. You can start moving,” you breathed out and began rocking your hips. He didn’t need to be told twice and held your hips to guide you up and down on his cock. He felt just as good as you remembered. Maybe better. The room was filled with the harmony of your moans and the wet, rhythmic slaps of your hips meeting each other. There was no sweeter sound.

“Fuck, you feel so good, baby,” he moaned. “So fucking good for me. So tight and fucking soaking. All for me,” his hips snapped to meet your movements. Him calling you baby lit a spark in your belly and spurred you on.

“Faster. Fuck me faster, Daniel,” you whined, desperately chasing your high. He complied and moved faster and harder. He stuck his two forefingers in your mouth and you sucked on them, your tongue swirling around the digits. You looked at him through your lashes and he groaned deeply. You felt deeply in your soul that only you two could have this effect on each other. His thrusts became more erratic, his breathing deeper and faster, and you knew he was nearing the edge. You decided to spur him on, wanting to hear his sweet sounds and see the beautiful face he made when he reached it. You beared down on him, squeezing him and matching his rhythm.

“You’re so good, Danny. You make me feel so good,” you could barely get the words out.

His eyes squeezed shut as he tried to maintain his composure. Sweat beaded on his brow and shined on his chest. One hand left your hip to rub quick circles on your clit to give it right back to you. You were so sensitive from earlier that the effect was immediate. One hand flew to muffle the sounds coming out of you, but Daniel ripped it away. He wanted to hear every sound uninhibited. 

He held on until your orgasm crashed over you. You hoped you wouldn’t be receiving a noise complaint from your neighbors the next day, but would understand why if you did. Your thighs shook and you couldn’t control how you rutted against Daniel like a crazed person. That was all he could take and his hands tightened painfully into your soft skin. He bit his lips hard and his eyes screwed shut. His hips hit once, twice more before slowing. Was that a whine coming from him? God, that sound alone could make you cum again. You reveled in the bliss, slowly moving your hips to ride it out. 

The room was quiet for a few minutes after, save the heaving breathing coming from both of you. Finally, you pulled yourself from Daniel, a soft sigh coming from him. You were battling yourself on what to do next. Now that it was over… What came next? Maybe you would take a hot shower and then he’d be gone with his things when you emerged. That was usually how this kind of story went, right? At least he wouldn’t be around to see you fall apart.

You made a start to get off the bed, but a warm hand wrapped around your wrist. You were pulled back down. Warm arms wrapped around you and then you were laying against his overheated body, your legs draped over his like nothing had ever changed.

“Don’t go,” he said into the top of your head.

[osteoptimist]

The only "fuck WotC I'll make my own game with blackjack and hookers" game that's piqued my interest has been Matt Colville's/MCDM's game Draw Steel, which obviously still follows the "fantasy superheroes go kill monsters and become stronger" archetype and a lot of the existing player base is still dissatisfied former D&D players.

It's not exactly avant-garde in regards to modern trends in TTRPG design, but having run a few of the playtest versions I can say it's bringing more originality to the genre than any of the other post-5e games I've seen.

I think the best way I can describe it is like. If you like to play 5e as a "band of weirdos overcome the forces of evil through the power of friendship and incredible violence" game, then it's far better suited to that style of play than current D&D is. At the very least, it is about something, which 2024 D&D and the other new additions to the genre haven't really managed, to my knowledge.

It has some other good additions to the genre. My favorite part is the resource economy and the kinds of play it encourages over the course of an adventure. The negotiation rules are robust and ask players to think about NPCs as complex individuals and consider their motivations. The combat is robust, but dynamic and engaging. They've done a lot to make the Director's job easier and more fun, including better monster design and actual fun abilities for the Director to spice up combat with. It's not going to be a revolution but it's probably going to be the system I play predominantly for the near future.

Honestly I'd be curious to see what a truly cutting edge tactical heroic fantasy game would look like, incorporating current design trends and all that.

Now I've got people writing fanfic about how Brennan Lee Mulligan will have to save D&D by writing his own RPG if Elon Musk acquires Hasbro

[nether-ending-dream]

The LADS Boys' Realistic Kinks

What are they actually into?

Kink list and imagines ♡

I feel like a lot of the kink lists I've seen for the guys haven't been realistic/match their characteristics. Therefore, I wanted to write my own and see whether or not you guys agree with its accuracy! Remember, this is just fiction, and I'm going based off my own thoughts and personal, sexual experiences. Let me know if you're interested in full fics or short imagines. I'd be down to write them or take requests. With that said, enjoy!!

♡♡♡

Rafayel

Switch

Teases/Acts bratty to initate sex

Loves getting and giving hickeys

Thigh fucking

Chastity cages

Would like to try sounding but is too scared.

《Raf!sub》 Impact play. He specifically likes paddles with that leave hearts/designs.

All his toys are aesthetically pleasing and match.

Tail butt plugs, but he's shy so he tends to only wear them when masturbating on his own.

《Raf!sub》 Likes handcuffs, but doesn't like rope (doesn't like how itchy and rough it can feel).

《Raf!dom》 Very much into shibari and practices on mannequins with he's not with you.

Dacryphiliac. Loves being made to cry from pain and occasionally likes seeing you cry from pleasure (makes him feel like he's doing a good job)

《Raf!sub》 Likes receiving anal and keeps his butt clean and prepped

《Raf!dom》 Loves getting head the most because it boosts his ego. He can get very rough with your hair and have you drolling everywhere.

Definitely talkative during sex. Usually a lot of affirmative words and moaning. Checks in quite often and overall pretty conversational during.

In my experience with numerous bottoms, this tends to be how they are. However, as you all know, he enjoys being dominant as well. Though he can be very whiny and shy, he is also caring and intuitive. He prides himself on knowing all your sweet spots and making you into a pretty mess at the end. I'm a professional artist too, so I know the need to strive for perfection in all aspect of our lives. Sex is no different, he's definitely the type who googled "how to kiss" as a teen.

Xavier

Switch but mainly a dom

Exhibitionist. Likes sneaky touches in public or sex in the woods. Quite possessive, but won't make a scene about it.

Vocal and obvious about when he's riled up. Master of foreplay and teasing.

Likes watching you get him off. He adores your face when you go down on him.

Lots of "good girl" and praises

《Xav!sub》 Always tries to hold back moans and act tough while he takes it. Less bratty and more nonchalant. But he likes taking orders from you and letting you lead.

《Xav!dom》 has a thing for spit and degradation. He likes it sloppy.

Somnophiliac. Sleepy sex, cuddle sex, morning sex, etc.

Toys and vibrators to enhance the session

Not really into bondage cause he likes when you're both touchy and explore with your hands.

《Xav!sub》 Surprisingly would be into cross dressing or puppy play

I don't really know anyone like Xavier in real life, since he's so myserious and calm. He's like a hidden gem when it comes to sex. Tends to be more vanilla, but hes still very flirtatious and can be rough. Since he finishes quick, he loves edging. Doesn't really sleep around, so it may seem like he's inexperienced, but hes extremely loyal.

Zayne

Soft dom, doesn't really enjoy bottoming, he'd rather pleasure you.

Lots of soft words, pretty pet names, and check-ins to make sure you're okay. Loves getting you to be vocal. Will pretend he didn't hear you so you can say dirty things.

His favorite position is doggie while holding your arms back. He loves looking at you and flashes a smile while you're turned around.

Bodyworship and massages, takes his time leaving kisses and soft bites all over you.

Premium aftercare and knows how to set the mood. Lots of candles, dim lights and soft music.

Guilty pleasure is roleplay. He can really get into it and play along. He thinks its fun to dress up as different dynamics.

[I've been waiting for this moment my whole life] Sounding. Since he's a surgeon, he has access to the high quality rods. He knows how to sound safely and loves either sounding you or himself.

Though he is sweet, he can be rough when he's really riled up. He'll mumble words with his head thrown back, picking up speed and grabbing you tightly.

Only slightly spanking, but he does enjoy watching you tear up from pleasure. He likes watching your ass get red.

Really into your thighs and labia. Will spenda lot of time kissing you there before eating you out.

Of course his surgeon hands know your weak points. Master at fingering.

Has a thing for tongues, whether it's watching you lick his shaft, putting his fingers in your mouth or licking your body.

With him, you'll probably never have bad sex in your life. Though if he's too "by the book" and gets formulatic, just let him know because he definitely has new things he wants to try. Super keen to your needs and can never get enough of you. He can usually go for multiple rounds. Master of aftercare.

Sylus

Strictly a dom. He gets a laugh out of watching you try to dominate him, but it always ends up with him back on top.

Heavily into impact play. His tool of choice tends to be a belt

Bondage with cuffs and blindfolds. He's not as dedicated to learning shibari as an art form, but he knows basics ties and how to do it safely.

Not into public exhibitionism (he has an image to uphold), but he loves a private show. He enjoys watching you from afar (lap dance, pole dance, mutual masturbation, etc.)

Slightly into voyeurism, in the sense that he loves teasing you by walking around the house with only a towel or a robe.

His secret fanstasy is dog masks. In an alternate universe where you're dominating him, he'd love to get on his knees with a collar.

LOVES anal. Although he is always sure to fully prep you, the second you're ready, it's non-stop roughness until you both finish.

Fingering>Head. While he does enjoy watching you go down on him, he gets too riled up too quick and wants his hands all over your body.

If he is getting head, he's definitely throat fucking you with your neck over the bed.

Definitely into knife play and I think he'd also enjoy spurs.

Wax and temperature play

Dirty, nasty talk. Lots of curses (unless you don't like that, he accommodates to you) lots of pet names.

Biting and grabbing whenever he can.

Loves giving oily massages.

Baths/showers for aftercare + body worship

Reluctantly giving credit where it's due, Aries knows how to fuck. It's going to be rough and heated. Since he's a busy guy, he always makes sure to give his darling a good time. He's a try everything once kind of guy, so whatever you have in mind, he'll make it happen. Very confident in his sexual abilities, but is always looking to improve any weak points.

[mythalism]

Despite being a diehard Solavellan, that ending bothered me and felt a bit empty. And I think it's because they don't allow Lavellan to do anything but give Solas what he wants. Like, she's basically love interest Barbie.

I get that Solas and Mythal's relationship has gone on for Millennia, that they are deeply intetwined, that she shaped his identity,etc. I get that Solas and Lavellan were together for only a year, which relatively is a blink of an eye in Solas's lifespan. I get why Solas needed Mythal to tell him it was okay to stop his mission.

That's fine, but I feel like Lavellan in this scenario deserves more than to just walk into fade prison with a kiss. I get that they had limits with time, but the writing makes her seem like she has no feelings of her own beyond "I love you sooo much Solas!" And it does such a disservice to some of the most interesting parts of their relationship. Like she has no identity outside of him. In reality, he just rejected her all over again to her face, with the added baggage of still intending to destroy her world and even kill her. He killed her dear friend and gaslit everyone about it, manipulated them into putting him in a position where he could end the world again. This is all after twelve year span of her cleaning up his messes, having her life turned upside down, possibly losing her entire family, losing her arm, having her heart broken, etc. At no point in the game do they actually allow Lavellan to express any anger, frustration, or feelings at all over what the antics of both Solas and Mythal have cost her. It's a constant reframe of "I love him, I'll always love him, I can never give up on him!" etc.

I don't need her to hate him, or not forgive him, but it feels completely unearned when you have her all smiles and kisses, forgiving him for the 90th time minutes after he threw said forgiveness in her face and was ready to kill everyone. She at least deserves to assert her choice to follow him instead of just going, "It'll be fine if we're together!" The writers couldn't at least give her piece of dialogue that goes beyond "Our looooove!"

From her perspective, her forgiving him and begging him after everything wasn't enough, that he was willing to destroy everything regardless until he got the a-okay from the person who is literally the source of all his deepest regrets. A woman who turned him into a tool with which to cause all manner of destruction. While she, the woman who always loved and accepted him for who he is, forgiving him after all she personally suffered at his hands, wasn't enough. And she can't have a reaction or indication that she feels anything about this other than, "I LOVE YOU SO MUCH SOLAS!"

I feel like if you go into Veilguard blind, not having played Inquisition, this relationship comes off as co-dependent and sad. And it certainly doesn't feel like any sort of resolution or breaking of a cycle. It feels like it's just a renewal of the same toxic dynamic, this time with Solas in Mythal's place and Lavellan's in Solas's.

i have been sitting on this message for a few days because i wanna do it justice with my response and after pondering this in the shower just now i think i am ready. beloved anon, thank you for sharing your thoughts in my inbox because i love yapping with you. however i am going to assume that because you came to my inbox with this you want my unfiltered opinion, and i very much disagree with this interpretation. i dont think its wrong to interpret the ending as involving a loss of agency for lavellan, or to feel like her story gets absorbed and eclipsed by solas's. i think thats true, and i understand why that could feel disappointing, but i do think it is wrong to frame it as co-dependent, sad, a renewal of a toxic dynamic, or love-interest barbie. not because those are necessarily false, but because that is quite literally what we signed up for with this romance, and i think that interpretation prescribes a very modern lens, rooted in real-life cultural values and expectations, to a story that is intended to be mythological, fantastical, and primarily serve a narrative purpose rather than an escapist, self-indulgent fantasy one for the player.

i would say that majority of the romances in bioware games are intended to provide a level of self-insertion, escapism, and personal fantasy fufillment in the player. that is also very much the trend of romance as a genre more broadly in the 20th century, but it becomes especially poignant in video games where you become the protagonist via your participation in playing through the story, and controlling their actions and choices. there is absolutely nothing wrong with these, and i love them. as an example, my fenhawke is very much like that to me. i self-insert so fucking hard on my hawke, and fenhawke is extremely self-indulgent to me. another great example that might be more obscure is the wayhaven chronicles (if you haven't played them, you should!! they're interactive fiction). many love stories lean very heavily into this sort of player fufillment, and they are wonderful.

solavellan, however, is an exception among these sorts of romances, and think the expectation that it would be otherwise is what has left many people upset about lavellan's supposed lack of agency in the ending. a good point of comparison here, i think, is hawke and anders. solas is tied to the narrative of dragon age and the destiny of thedas in a way that few dragon age characters are, save anders. solas is inextricable from the plot of not just veilguard and inquisition, but from the entire dragon age series. without solas, thedas would not exist and the stories that these games tell would not be able to begin. similarly, anders cannot be removed from the plot of dragon age 2. nearly any other companion can and the core story remains unchanged. but anders was always going to blow up the chantry. hawke nor the player can stop him, they can only join him in his tragedy, if they so choose. similarly, solas was always going to occupy his role in the narrative (i do believe this once involved bringing down the veil lol but instead its becoming the immortal guardian of the veil and atoning by healing the blight). lavellan nor the player was ever going to be able to change this. our only option was to join him on that path. romancing anders, and romancing solas, does not change the fact that they belong to the narrative first, and the player second. thus, when you romance them, you as the player and hawke or lavellan, as the protagonist, resign and submit themselves to the shared fate of that tragedy.

i call solavellan a tragedy not because it is sad, but because solas is bound by his narrative purpose the way a classical tragic hero is. he calls himself "fatalistic" verbatim, and the devs have referred to solavellan as a tragedy several times. when asked about solavellan happy ending on a dev q&a this summer, corrinne literally said "i thought you guys wanted a tragedy?" and though she was half-joking, she was right. solavellan was always going to be a tragedy; a story bound from the beginning by its inevitable ending. this is what it means to romance the most plot-relevant character of all time in dragon age, you have no choice but submit yourself, as the player and as lavellan, to his narrative fate.

to look at this story from a modern lens of gender power dynamics causing a lack of agency does it a disservice, in my opinion. yeah, if lavellan was my friend irl, i would tell her to dump her ugly ass bald boyfriend and move on. and to be fair, rook can literally do this LMFAO. like you can literally tell her to dump him, and they gave you this option for a reason; its a final opt-out from joining him on his narrative destiny as basically the tragic, meta-protagonist of the story of thedas. solavellan would indeed be super fucked up if it was real, even before veilguard. this is part of the reason i actually am not a fan of modern solavellan AU's, because they have to recreate and grapple with some insane themes that do not translate well when removed from the mythological god x mortal woman tragedy context of dragon age, and are plopped into a modern world. i still read modern AU's and enjoy them and have read plenty that are literal masterpieces, and i believe people should continue to write them if they so desire, but that does not change my feeling that something very essential to solavellan is lost in the process of that transformation. as i said before, solas is integral to thedas and dragon age. to remove him would mean thedas and the stories of dragon age ceases to exist. and to put him elsewhere and retain the core of who he is as a character and the solavellan romance by extension, is impossible.

i bring this up because i believe a lot of the issues you bring up in your message get at this sort of modern perspective being projected onto a story that was not intended to shoulder that burden. like. i would never support a woman joining a man who just murdered one of her friends in jail LMFAO. but their story is fundamentally about the power of love to redeem, and for the purpose of fulfilling that overarching theme, lavellan has to love and forgive him for everything. there is even datamined dialogue where morrigan says "and in the end, the dread wolf was saved by love". by entering into the romance with him, and reaffirming it not once or twice but three times throughout the games (1. lock in at crestwood, 2. choosing to save him at the end of trespasser, 3. coversation with rook) lavellan sacrificies her agency and autonomy within the story as a protagonist, and chooses to give herself over to the neccesary narrative conclusion that veilguard demands to finish solas's atonement story; her saving him (morally, rather than physically from his fate of being trapped) with her love. the only way to do this is to join him. her offer to walk the dinan'shiral with him in trespasser is honestly a perfect metaphor for this. it translates to the path of death but it represents his path through the plot of dragon age. by insisting on joining him, she submits herself to wherever the plot may take her in order to remain by his side. when she shows up in the end of veilguard, she re-affirms this by saying "i am here, walking the dinan'shiral with you!". she is less so submitting to him, but submitting herself to the path he is must follow to fufill the story of dragon age.

as for her not being enough to change his mind. yeah. she was never going to be enough to change his mind. thats kind of the point. this is made clear in trespasser, she was never going to magically become enough 8 years later. this is part of the tragedy. it has nothing to do with who he loves more or who is asking him to do what. solas does not have a choice, he is bound to walk this path to maintain who he is. varric says this in the regret prison, the inquisitor says it to rook, solas almost says this himself; he is too proud to change his mind (like, literally), he has come too far to turn back, and if he does then everything he did beforehand would be for nothing. he would have failed mythal, but more importantly he would have betrayed and ruined himself for nothing. his repeated rejection of lavellan in favor of choosing this path is a defense mechanism, to preserve both himself in his nature, and her "rare and marvelous spirit" that he adores so much. if he wavers and chooses her, he betrays himself. if he allows her to join him, he becomes like mythal. thus, the only person who can release him from this is cognitive prison is mythal. not because he loves her more, but because she set him on this path in the first place. he literally exists because of her. it is only once he is free of his duty for her that he is able to choose lavellan, and he does it immediately and with almost no hesitation by abandoning the veil. simplifying this to him "throwing her forgiveness in her face" is an unfair and disregards of the impact of the immensity of his guilt for the things he has done in mythal's service.

solas goes to great lengths to avoid recreating the dynamic that mythal deliberately inflicted upon him with lavellan. it is why he breaks up with her the first time, citing "distracting her from her duty", it is why he refuses her in trespasser, it is why he refuses her when she pleads with him at the end of veilguard. they do not recreate the solythal dynamic because the toxicity in solas and mythal's relationship was not about solas being willing to follow mythal anywhere. the toxicity comes from her manipulating him into doing horrible, violent things to accrue her power. in contrast, solas sacrifices his and lavellan's love for each other to keep her from joining him in committing horrible, violent deeds at his behest. he will literally do anything to keep her from being to him what he was to mythal, and that includes brutally breaking her heart and abandoning her and rejecting her repeatedly. it is the ultimate reversal of his dynamic with mythal, and the ultimate expression of his love. he is only able to accept lavellan's love when he is sure that he is no longer destined to accruing more blood on his hands. he allows her to follow him into the regret prison to help him heal the blight because he can only accept her love when he is sure it will not corrupt her against her purpose, the exact opposite of the way mythal's love corrupted him.

could all of this been fleshed out better within the game? absolutely. the entire game is rushed and messy, and although solavellan is the best of it, it suffers from much of the same. the inquisitor should've been in the game more. yes. it would have been wonderful to hear more about her gradual decision to join him in the fade. it also would have been helpful if the game was more explicit about the fact that the south is absolutely decimated by the blight, or mentioned lavellan being tired of ravages of the title of inquisitor and herald. all of these things are implied and should have been fleshed out more, i agree. personally, my headcanon for my own inky is that their relationship actually requires a lot of healing in the prison. it would be a long time before they were intimate with each other, and a long time before they reached a dynamic that is comparable to what they had in inquisition (but forever changed). just because lavellan forgives him does not mean she has to put aside everything he has done to her and never mention it again. they can fight, she can cry and scream and rage and confront him for what he put her through, mine certainly does. but the story we got makes sense for the game we got, and is consistent tonally and thematically with solavellan from the beginning. while further elaboration in-game might have helped the initial sting of the ending (i was also confused at first, it felt so sad), i dont think extra scenes of her getting to be angry at him would change anything fundamentally. solavellan is still a romantic tragedy inspired by the mythological stories of loki and sigyn, orpheus and eurydice, even hades and persephone, and many more, and is designed to convey a theme of the redemptive power of unconditional love and forgiveness within a fantasy setting. it achieves this at the expense of player headcanon, which is a bold move but one i respect. i empathize with people who found themselves disappointed by the direction it took because i know how much we all love and connect with these characters, but i do not think that makes the direction wrong. in conclusion, i leave you with some quotes and posts from my solavellan pinterest board that fit the theme of this essay, xoxo <3

[agarafile]

So, I saw someone say that the powers definitely weren't accidental, (such as Lizzy "ldshadowlady" getting the power of shadows, or "zombie"Cleo getting zombies, or creeking bigb getting creakings) and one of the things they said is that Ren getting to be other people is fitting since he subbed in during secret life, and that made me realize something, it's very fitting that Gem's and Cleo's powers are so intertwined, Gem's first appearance was her as Cleo

ooooh!! this is interesting, gem getting influenced by cleo's power from the time she filled in for her, which makes her connection to death also stronger. and also how both got frustated over the mumbo and skizz shenanigans, for mutiple reasons, it creates a very powerful narrative. how they started connected, even being the same in limited life and then drifiting apart to become almost opposites. body vs soul, life vs death, and all that. and still, they remain similar in some ways, on how they are known to hold grudges and playing a dynamic and relativity social game,,,

a lot of the powers fit so well in a narrative sense, it really becomes hard to belive it wasn't intentional

i haven't seen a lot for pearl and lizzie, yet, but since they are in a similar situation, i wonder if there are any parallel to them as well

[pixieswashere]

I want to say that due to 1. On your list, as much as I love Jayvik, I'm questioning if S2's portrayal of Jayvik in being a good representative ship is....genuine and without building off of misogyny.....bc this reveals A LOT on intention and it SHOWS (Sky getting killed off twice, Mel being villafied OUT OF NOWHERE despite the fact Jayce did WORSE even without her presence like BISH U SERIOUS? and the rest of the council playing him like a fiddle while she was only helping him with keeping Hextech afloat when it came to politics.) Like.....some of it feels like the ship portrayal in the show was built up on hate towards other characters in S2 which IS bad. Now it's not even about the whole brother relationship bc it IS stated in the show by Jayce like thats not the point when arguing about this dynamic when the real problem is.... Considering some of these animators opinions on the women of Arcane, if you're going to tell me a gay/lesbian/bi ship needs to vocally say they're not interested in women....yknow the basic definition, experience, and meaning of what being gay/bi/lesbian etc.....by killing, villainizing, degrading women, ESPECIALLY women of color.

That doesn't mean you're not interested in women, you just hate women. You don't need to kill, slander, or humiliate a WOMAN to tell me you're gay/bi/pan. You can show me that by idk SHOWING ME you're close relationship to the person you love.

Being gay doesn't always = being a misogynist, actually. You can be a decent person who happens to be gay/bi/ace/pan etc. and also has friendships with the opposite gender...like any other person.

For some of these animators horrifying comments....it's why I'm not completely buying into S2's portrayal of Jayvik and it's why I'm only sticking to S1 and OG! Jayvik from game lore. Maybe some S2 Jayvik too in terms of fanfic/fanart as well as for the other ships: meljayvik, skyvik, meljayskyvik, and skyjayvik but other than that though very disappointed in the team for this....

P.S. ALSO want to add bi/pan people exist, Jayce being with Viktor doesn't automatically mean he's gay or remove his sexuality, same could be said for Viktor, if ppl see him as ace (that's fine but don't associate it with "no romance or etc" asexuality is a spectrum after all.)

just saw the video and there is just two things Im gonna say, really.

1. Throwing away your only genuinely healthy relationship and saying well Jayce only used Mel for the sex is absolutely disgusting and weird. For multiple reasons. Throwing in the line that she was his cover up? shut the fuck up. oh my god. Mel is so not appreciated in this fandom alone and for CREATORS to join is so very insane. Especially here.

2. The undervaluing of friendship in media is quite frankly very weird. It's always "they can't be JUST friends because they did this and that" as if platonic love is somehow less. If my best friend was on the brink of literal death I'd also leave everything behind to be by their side. No question asked. And I'm so serious when I say that if anyone thinks that for some reason this must mean I'm in love with them, then I have to say

I'm sorry for you. I'm sorry that you never got to experience the gentle love of a friend.

[tennessoui]

Obikin comes in so many flavours, depending on where in the timeline/canon divergence/AU/ages etc you can really play with their dynamics. And you do such an excellent job of it your ao3 is a treasure trove!

One thing I've always wondered is, how do you think different Obi-Wan's would have reacted if AotC Anakin's flirting game had been directed his way (like if he never got it out of his system with Padme), angel and all?

aw thank you for the compliments!! this is an interesting thought experiment too because i feel like anakin would not have to flirt the same way with obi-wan - i read his very awkward and ~creepy flirting in aotc as him being a bit of an awkward teenager with grandiose understandings of his feelings to Hot Senator Maid Queen, but also that he's trying to get to know her. and maybe even more importantly, he's trying to get her to know him as he is now because he wants to be known by her and accepted and loved so he's like 'i hate sand. i hate my mastermommymentor except for when i don't which is also all the time. i am very powerful in the force.'

but like obi-wan already knows all that. maybe anakin doesn't quite realize the depth of feeling and trust and pride that obi-wan holds for him, but i think there is very little about anakin's life obi-wan doesn't know. so i think anakin trying to flirt in the same way with obi-wan would sort of go like:

"Oh," Obi-Wan says, setting down his piece of toast as his datapaad flashes with an incoming notification. "The Council has sent us the information for our next assignment, padawan." Anakin looks up from the stove, spatula held loosely in his hand. The eggs he's scambling cook merrily on the pan in front of him. They're for Obi-Wan obviously. Anakin hates eggs. Obi-Wan isn't sure why or how the boy got it into his head that part of his duties as a padawan included making Obi-Wan breakfast, but he feels less inclined to complain the less watery Anakin is able to cook them. "Where?" "Hm," Obi-Wan says, blinking down at the datapaad. "Jakku." The Force twitches around them, and Anakin lets out a bitten-off noise of disgust. "I hate sa--" "Sand, yes, I remember." Obi-Wan flicks through the file. "I myself do not particularly enjoy mud between my toes, yet when we were on Meyset, did you hear me complaining?" "Yes!" Anakin says, tossing his hands in the air. "You complained the entire time we were there!" Obi-Wan hums, scratching at the edge of his beard. "Oh, right, yes," he says, flicking off the datapaad and setting it aside. "And you were quite kind to put up with that. When you're a Jedi Master in your own right, you can do the same." Anakin responds with sulking silence, and Obi-Wan glances at him to see the boy already staring back, face dark and heavily drawn. His spatula rests against the edge of the pan. "I wasn't putting up with you out of kindness," Anakin says. "I would do anything for you, Master." The moment is far too heavy for so early in the morning and there is something Obi-Wan shies away from in Anakin's eyes. Something he can't quite bring himself to confront out loud. "Like save my eggs from burning?" he says lightly, and the moment is broken in two as Anakin's head swings back around to the pan on the stove and his attention is caught by something else. Good. Obi-Wan picks up his toast again and taps along the edge of his datapaad, lost in thought. That was--a lot. Anakin was getting bolder.

[buubonita]

I wish I could enjoy other Cross ships but I genuinely don't want to or care for them. I tried.

Cross and Dream are such an adorable duo if handled right. They're beautiful together! Maybe I'm being a bit biased because they fulfill some tropes I like (mortal x immortal for example) but it's the only relationship that makes sense for Cross, FOR ME.

The old Cream comic is... weird, a product too outdated for what the characters in it really are. And in fact the reason I got interested in them was Underverse.

I don't know if their relationship would be strictly romantic but it doesn't need to be! What is certain is that the relationship was slow and took some time to settle. You can't tell me that Cross didn't have problems trusting again after everything that happened and Dream carries the fear of people loving an idealized fantasy of him and not the flawed and broken being that he really is.

Some like to play with the idea that Cross has Dream on a pedestal and is madly obsessed with protecting him.

I say it's possible that Cross had a first impression like that that faded as he got to know Dream a lot better. Cross coming to understand that Dream is just as vulnerable as he is is fundamental to their dynamic. Relationships are about equal partners! Idealizing your partner won't do any good, mainly because it leads to habitual self-loathing. It's good for both of them to know that they can trust each other.

Dream learns that it's possible to be truly loved despite his mistakes, and that what he does is enough. He's lived a long time trying to please everyone, he's been used as a means to happiness on numerous occasions by the most ungrateful people. It would be nice if Cross helped him understand with his affection, romantic or platonic, that Dream can put himself first too when necessary.

And learn to live and move on despite everything, and enjoy the simplicity of life.

[mercutio-the-velaryon]

Okay, the Twitter takes are pissing me awfff, so let's get this straight and then never talk about it again.

The conversation between Mel and Jayce in the council room definitely should have taken place at some point. I think it was better suited to have happened at an earlier point, like episode one. However, the conversation itself fell very flat, and its contents failed to properly reflect the issue with Mel and Jayce's relationship dynamic.

In the confrontation Jay asks, with a very fragmented mind, whether she only protected her and Jayce on purpose, she says no, he says I can't believe that because of you using victor and me for hextech and calling us investments.

This accusation doesn't really make any sense, because although her actions and methods were unethical making a business investment out of hextech does not align with the extremities of purposefully not protecting the other in the council room.

Let me be clear, it is blatantly obvious that Jayce only makes this accusation because he has been through the mental and physical ringer. That is part of the reason why I think this conversation should've happened earlier so the real issues could've been addressed. Because now within context, his almost valid criticism is treated as lashing out, and it has to be swept under the rug because we got war the next episode.

Now for a breakdown:

Mel and Jayce's relationship was imbalanced from its inception. He had piqued her political interest from the moment he stood before the council for his unlawful science experiments. She was interested in Hextech from the jump but didn't make it known until she knew it was a beneficial venture. But that wasn't a problem that was the fall of the first domino.

Throughout their relationship, Mel is always one or two steps ahead of Jayce. She leads and guides him to make decisions that she deems necessary to attain the power and influence required to improve Piltover. I believe that she wants Jayce to fully realise his dream of helping the masses, due to her being an empath, she takes on his wants and desires which results in his success mattering more and more to her as the story progresses.

So, she is well intentioned but inconsiderate of the fact that Jayce rarely wants to be where she encourages him to go he just has an unshakeable sense of responsibility. She orchestrates behind the scenes for his benefit, springs investors on him, and advocates for his place on the council, all without any discussion or proper dialogue with he who it does concern. It's kind of funny that she's very considerate of him, but she doesn't consult him on anything. She's already made up her mind when they speak; she goes to convince not to discuss.

Let me very quickly assert that I don't think what Mel does obstructs his autonomy or his own free will, she offers and he accepts and he always has the option not to but he rarely does mainly because I think he's a people pleaser and he also holds Mel in high regard.

Let us also remember that he is an educated man from a House in Piltover with a sponser from the council he is a man of privilege his social status is his largest obstacle to realising his dream because he isn't even versed in the complex issues of the people he's trying to help.

Considering all of this, the conversation in the council room followed by Jayce's non-apology and their subsequent break-up scene that was more a viscerally implied break up than explicity stated (which I think was an odd choice because they'd known each other for years and they just kind of fizzle out) are an ill match to what actually transpired between them.

There was such an amazing opportunity for them to have a compelling dialogue about their relationship imbalance. If it had been more two-sided, we could have had Jayce bring up being used as a political pawn but also bearing the weight of his own choices, and Mel being emotionally closed off and unreachable.

It should have played out like a tennis match until both of them lost. Then, for the break up, if thats what it was, they were still characters who meant a lot to each other and deserved a just goodbye, featuring a little hand holding and Mel pulls away first and then they walk away from each other.

In general, Mel, as a character, endured a lot with little to no triumph or compensation. For example, the next time we see Mel after that she's trying to talk her mother down speaks "out of turn" and ends up getting bitch slapped by her I mean...

And you can argue that becoming the wolf was triumphant. I would say that it was a very bittersweet moment with an emphasis on bitter because that felt like the passing on of a generational curse.

You could also argue that Jayce had endured a lot by that point. Well... yes! He did, and he didn't seek comfort in her. He couldn't. He wasn't asking for it like she was. He also got to die in the arms of the person he loved, man got glorious closure, no notes.

I think the scene with Jayce also revealed how isolated Mel is as a character. In the sense that she feels so separated from the main narrative, like if you culled her entire storyline, it wouldn't change much. She also has no other established relationships of depth among the protagonists, no dynamic with anyone, her final battle is her and Cait teaming up, and they don't really mean anything to each other. Which sounds irrelevant until you consider how inextricably linked everyone else is.

And yes, they were both somewhat Ambessa's heirs in some capacity more figuratively for Cait, but it fell just fell short emotionally especially in contrast to Ekko and Jinx and Jinx and Vi and even Ekko and Jayvik because they're the science buffs and the kid straight out of Zaun with no formal education shattered time. Ugh, now that's a Triumph!

[loopyarts]

I sometimes think about and ponder on how Bruce is such an overprotective yet mostly well meaning parent towards Dick. Yet Bruce is also the type of parent who fails to realise that their kid has grown up and can look after themselves and doesn’t need them for protection and guidance anymore. 

Dick and Bruce are both control freaks but for different reasons. Bruce is a control freak because he thinks that as long as he is in control of the situation that means he can protect the ones he loves from harm or losing them altogether. Because when his parents died he had no control over that. He felt powerless that he couldn’t do nothing to prevent it. Even though he was just a helpless little 8-9 year old boy who could do nothing but stand there watching helplessly as it played out before his very eyes.

While Dick is a control freak for the opposite reasons to Bruce. He needs to stay in control of himself and not let others tell him what to do and values his freedom his independence if that makes sense. All his life even with his own parents he was excepted to do as he was told, like how most children do. He wasn’t listened to in his own mind he felt responsible for his own parents death depending on the version it was because he didn’t tell them about stranger threatening Mr Haly or in some tellings he wasn’t listen to by his parents. He had no one to turn to really and much like Bruce he was just a powerless little boy. Who nobody truly heard, Dick Grayson to the world was just a child and therefore had no voice.

The only person who truly heard Dick’s voice was Bruce Wayne who saw himself in the young boy and knew the only way to save this boy from becoming like him was to get him his justice and put Dick Grayson parents killer behind bars. He became like a second father towards the young lad, family, the dynamic duo crime fighters of Gotham. Which is why Dick was able to heal and move on mostly from the loss of his parents because unlike Bruce. He had someone to fill the void that was lost when his parents died. Bruce Wayne the Batman because like a father to him a second father, in a way he was Dick light shining hope in the darkest part of his life. It’s so important to Dick development as a character and without it he wouldn’t be the same person he is today and it’s also so important that Dick time as Robin was a pretty happy one as well.

Both Bruce and Dick saved each other just by becoming each other new family. Bruce didn’t need anything from Dick all he needs from him is to just exist to remind him why he does what he does.

So imagine the hurt Dick must feel as a young adult. That his second father who heard his voice and listen to him all those years ago. Is now not listening to his voice really anymore or respecting his decisions as a young adult a man in his own right. While it comes from a place of good intentions. Dick cannot help but feel he is still seen and viewed as just a little boy by him and the crushing feeling of never truly living up to his expectations and the shadow that the Bat casts onto him. When will he ever be good enough to finally be taken seriously by him as his own man. Dick coming of age story is about finding one self in the world and crafting out his own legacy and what being a superhero means to him and him alone.

While it wasn’t Bruce intention, he did in fact put pressure onto Dick even though he doesn’t want him grow up to be like him. He values him so highly and he is glad that he grew up to be a much better man than he will ever be. He loves his surrogate son so much but with that comes fear. Like any parent he cannot help but worry for Dick future and the decisions that he makes as an adult and he will state his opinion on what he thinks of said decisions Dick makes in his life. He didn’t approve of Dick dropping out of college which caused some tension between the two of them for a good bit.

I always found Batman #330 original released in September 11th 1980 really interesting because of how Lucius fox and his son Tim Jace fox comes into play in that story Bruce compares himself to Lucius while Tim to Dick and how he cannot understand why would in he in Bruce’s eyes be throwing away his future. So when Bruce is talking all this nonsense to Tim he wasn’t actually speaking to Tim rather it’s the things he wanted to say to Dick.

Dick probably understood at that point that this was never about Tim or the thugs rather it was about Bruce who took out his own frustrations with Dick by projecting them onto Tim and the thug members. The themes and parallels to a father that being Lucius and his son Tim to Bruce and Dick within that comic book story makes it so painfully clear to me. It was about a Father who was upset with his son life choices for his future and only wants what is best for him even if he isn’t going about it in the best way possible.

The biggest hurdle for Dick and Bruce relationship as surrogate father and son is miscommunication and how the other isn’t willing to listen to the other. Bruce is the parent who always think he knows what is best which is not always the case which leads to him fighting with Dick all the time because he is blinded by the idea that his adult son might know better then him and stubbornly refuses to budge on that for a stupidly long time.

[ostrichmonkey-games]

Cleaning up a thread I posted over on bluesky earlier where I talked a little bit about some thoughts on downtime and time in general, in Forged in the Dark games.

So, whenever I end up playing different fitd games one thing that basically always happens, is the emergence of a "mission session" and "downtime session", really just a doubling down on the separate phases. Which I like! (also, as a GM, a downtime session can be a nice break since the players take charge with what actions they want to use).

Downtime sessions extend from shorter checklists about recovering and working on plans to places where the pace can change, characters have more room to grow, and time can pass at different intervals ( @temporalhiccup's Twilight Throne in particular has a lot of fun with downtime actions for example).

In general, the "spending time" part is something I'm interested in, and something I want to tinker with.

Right now, I'm playing with the idea of removing the typical mission -> downtime -> mission etc, structure, and having downtime be specifically about time passing in larger chunks.

This means you could go mission -> mission -> mission, for as long as you think you can risk it, but once you decide to start downtime any time-sensitive Things you wanted to accomplish are now impacted (and maybe no longer accessible!).

I'm interested in seeing what the effects are when time becomes more of an important resource you have to juggle along with everything else. For example, instead of having a relatively guaranteed chance of recovery after each mission, what happens when you have are faced with pushing yourself to accomplish a time sensitive goal when you're already way up on stress, or missing out on the time sensitive goal and choosing to take a rest during downtime?

Also, having downtime be more explicitly be about larger chunks of time passing seems like it would feed nicely into the "GM Turn" that is the faction/heat/fallout/troubles style of mechanics in most FitD games.

This will probably be yet another Thing i tinker with in "Unnamed Furry Crime Game", along with my quest to rework harm into something more dynamic.

(2025 will be the year i actually come up with a name for this game too)

[slamdunkhcs]

Found some of my older essays in my google docs… you guys are very lucky. This may or may not be the last post until my winter break (depending on if i find more old essays)

love in slam dunk

Slam Dunk is best known for its intense basketball action and character-driven storytelling, but it also features some of the most pure and heartfelt depictions of love in shōnen manga. The relationships between Ryota Miyagi and Ayako, as well as Hanamichi Sakuragi and Haruko Akagi, provide a fresh perspective on romance, one that diverts from over-the-top romance tropes common in the Shonen genre, instead opting for moments of emotional authenticity among the series’s main two couples.

Ryota Miyagi’s feelings for Ayako are sometimes loud or obvious, but they are undeniably genuine. Ryota admires Ayako not just for her beauty but for her maturity, intelligence, and leadership as the team’s manager. One memorable example occurs when Ayako scolds Ryota for his brashness during practice, and instead of becoming defensive or aggressive, he listens attentively and takes her words to heart. He even scolds the others to listen to her words. This shows the respect Ryota holds for her, not as an idealized love interest but as someone who inspires him to be better.

What makes their dynamic so refreshing is Ayako’s independence and confidence. She acknowledges Ryota’s admiration without being dismissive or overly accommodating.

Throughout the series, Ayako’s support for Ryota goes beyond her role as the team manager. During games, she often singles him out with specific advice and encouragement, such as reminding him to stay calm under pressure or praising his quick decisions.

These moments may seem small, but they show Ayako’s awareness of Ryota’s struggles and it is her own way of reciprocating his feelings. Ayako doesn’t openly express romantic affection, but her actions—like cheering him on when he feels overwhelmed—speak volumes about her care for him.

Their dynamic, where love is expressed through small, caring acts rather than overt declarations/gestures, reflects a level of maturity rare in shonen manga. Their relationship thrives on mutual respect and understanding, and it shows that love doesn’t always need to be dramatic to be meaningful.

Hanamichi Sakuragi’s love for Haruko Akagi is one of the driving forces behind his decision to join the basketball team, but it is far from a typical romance. His feelings for Haruko are pure and earnest, fueled by admiration for her kindness and enthusiasm for the sport. What makes their dynamic unique is how Haruko inspires Hanamichi to grow—not by demanding it, but simply by believing in his potential.

Another thing sets their dynamic apart is how Hanamichi’s love is portrayed not as an obsessive or idealized fantasy, but as an innocent longing for connection. This innocence is most evident in Hanamichi’s fantasy of what it would mean to have a girlfriend. Unlike typical shonen protagonists, whose romantic aspirations might revolve around physical attraction or “weird” scenarios, Hanamichi’s dream is simply to walk a girl to and from school. This vision is strikingly pure and reflective of the awkward, genuine feelings of a teenager experiencing love for the first time. It is a big contrast to many shonen, which often sexualize their female characters or present romance in a way that feels transactional

Haruko, for her part, never mocks or diminishes Hanamichi’s feelings. While she is unaware of his crush, she consistently treats him with kindness and encourages his growth. A memorable example is when she praises Hanamichi for staying late to practice his shooting, showing that she values his effort and determination. Though Haruko’s heart belongs to Rukawa, her warmth and encouragement play a massive role in Hanamichi’s journey toward self discovery.

What makes Hanamichi and Haruko’s relationship so compelling is its emotional weight. Hanamichi’s crush is not rewarded with a confession or a dramatic romantic arc, but it serves as a catalyst for his personal growth. By channeling his love for Haruko into his newfound passion for basketball, Hanamichi discovers a sense of purpose and self-worth. Their relationship captures the awkwardness and uncertainty of teenage infatuation while showing how love, even unrequited, can push someone to be their best self.

In many shonen series, romantic subplots are rife with clichés. Female characters are often reduced to idealized figures or comic relief, while male protagonists are rewarded with their love interests after overcoming obstacles that have little to do with the relationship itself. In contrast, Slam Dunk grounds its romances in simple, yet authentic moments. Ryota’s admiration for Ayako and Hanamichi’s earnest crush on Haruko feel more like reflections of real human relationships than formulaic storylines.

For example, Ryota doesn’t win Ayako’s heart by performing some dramatic act; instead, his feelings are expressed through his consistent respect for her and the way he values her advice. Similarly, Hanamichi’s love for Haruko isn’t the reason he succeeds in basketball, but it serves as a gentle nudge toward discovering his own passion and discipline. These relationships are not about conquering or achieving love—they are about learning, growing, and connecting on a deeper level.

[justwriting]

THK Musing of Kant and Bison relationship so far (Ep 1 & 2)

I can’t stop thinking about this especially after I find out that there is a more accurate translation of what Kant said to Bison when he was trying to teach the latter how to bowl (from ep 1)

Source: link (the screenshot is from this link!!!)

Because oh, the 🐈‍⬛ & 🐭 teasing we see after the above scene gives such nuances beyond just Kant flirting and Bison playing hard to get (and also wary with Kant's motive).

The now infamous red room scene - we have Kant doing that little pat on the pillow, it’s a gesture of Kant being dominant (and he strikes me as someone who has always been in control, except when he had to obey Captain Chris, where he was basically coerced into doing the spying for his younger brother sake🫣)

Which led to Bison’s almost incredulous smile even as he felt instant attraction to the gorgeous guy he just met at the bowling alley.

Because Bison himself has never yielded to anyone, apart from Fadel (and he is already testing his boundaries with his older brother) and likely "Khun Mae."

We see the dynamics between these 2 established after that with Kant keeps trying to reigning some sort of command on Bison but Bison resisting, all undertone by them flirting like crazy (heh) (either Bison reminding Kant that he is still his own person or him positioning himself higher than Kant)

Even when Kant has the slight upper hand (because he is just physically taller than Kant), Bison is quick to deny him (like the toilet scene)

Or the garden scene (where again, Bison's is sitting higher than Kant, plus that chin gesture - it may look sweet, but it's a reminder to Kant that Bison remains in control)

Followed by the bowling scene (where Kant was quick to remind he allowed Bison to win)

Bison was then quick to counteract by challenging Kant to prove himself devoted to him by dancing together. The slip up of Kant's mask while Bison sharply observing that change in his face 🧐

And oh, that dance no!!!!

Everyone should take note not only the lyrics (which reflects Bison's heart and mind warring with each other - how clever of P' Jojo), but also the dance itself - I had to watch it several times to notice the first few sequences were the boys dancing on opposite directions (although still complimentary), but as they converged, the boys start to become in sync and came together at the end

I might be alone in this, but I think it was only after that dance Bison realised Kant can yield some of the control and meet him halfway, which then led to himself relenting and giving those sweet pecks on Kant's cheeks/lips.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see their tug of war power balance continues because as the preview in episode 3 shows, Kant continues to push but Bison does the same and refuses to bow down (I suspect Kant will end up liking the loss of some of his autonomy to Bison, at least in the bedroom anyway)