#and it's conveniently so simple and straightforward!

[nyarlathotep-thecrawlingchaos]

You know that feeling when you want to make a good impression and eveything you do feels low-key humiliating

Or when you're just perpetually mortified about every word that leaves your mouth by default regardless of what's happening or who you're talking to like I am—

ANYWAY HERE'S SOME HEADCANONS ABOUT THE BOYS BEING EMBARASSED OR SOMETHING—

Oooh Nooooo

Zoro, Sanji, Shanks, Mihawk, Buggy x Reader

Needless pointless fluff with the tiniest bit of hurt-comfort or something

Live-action or anime/manga canon, either or both

I don't think there are any TWs?

Sorry for wasting all of our time with this silliness

Anyway here's some Nu.

Zoro

He just pushes himself much too hard sometimes.

Sitting down and "taking a nap" after training, when he's clearly well beyond his limit.

Or rather "passing out from utter exhaustion with his swords unsheathed across his lap."

It could have ended a lot worse than a rogue wave washing across the deck and a gash on his arm.

Grumbling about how he's fine and doesn't need any help the whole time you're wrapping bandages around his arm and chiding him.

Going silent and tense for a moment when you wrap him in a tight hug and softly ask him to be more careful.

No, he's not blushing, he's never blushed in his entire life, shut up

Hugging you back? What are you talking about?

Gives a little growl of annoyance, refusing to let you go for longer than he's willing to admit, and will probably say it was for your benefit if anyone asks.

Sanji

The old *whoops* with the pepper shaker.

It had already been a long day, he was just trying to wind down in the kitchen.

Trying to season a very simple, very straightforward sauce.

And the entire lid falls off of the pepper shaker, and into the pot, along with a massive pile of ground black pepper.

And he just lets out a groan of defeat, dropping to his knees and letting his forehead fall against the edge of the stove with a weak little thunk.

But no no no, you're already hurrying over to help scoop out the excess pepper, reassuring him that it'll definitely be fine.

Your rush to assist him is enough to make him smile in itself, to let out a small affectionate chuckle as he watches you grimace at the taste the ruined sauce, before you meet his eye and try to fake a smile.

Decides to repurpose the sauce in question, to get back at the idiots that loosened the pepper shaker lid in the first place.

The two of you are left snickering to yourselves while the rest of the crew fights over the nearest jug of fresh water after tasting it themselves.

Shanks

Man could probably drop a knife and sever three of his toes and still manage to laugh it off, what is "embarrassment...?"

Well, it's a little more subtle.

It's having to relearn how to use both a sword and a pen after losing half of his dominant arm.

It's laughing off how his handwriting looks like a child's now.

It's getting mildly annoyed at trying to button a shirt one-handed and simply tucking it into his belt instead.

It's refusing help with simple tasks that could be made far simpler if the stubborn idiot would just let you help already—

It's hearing him chuckle and agree when you call him a stubborn idiot for refusing any help, settling his hand in your hair and pulling you close.

The whole process is embarrassing in itself, but he's got you, and he's got his crew, and that makes it all so much easier.

Mihawk

What on earth could he possibly have to be embarrassed about?

World's Greatest Swordsman, one of the seven Warlords, with a sense of wit as devastating as his blade.

And yet, despite all his efforts to hide it, he's just a big softie.

As if it wasn't already evident from how he allowed Zoro to live after challenging him and subsequently trained him, with the convenient excuse of wanting a worthy rival.

He's going to glare at you with a sharpness that could slice clean through diamond if you suggest out loud that he did any of it out of kindness, much less fondness.

But he's also going to sigh in an irritable sort of defeat when you kiss his cheek and compliment him for finding such a perfect balance between mercy and murder.

And mumble just as irritably about how you're lucky he finds you endearing enough to keep around, begrudgingly proving your point without even realizing it.

Buggy

Lives in a perpetual state of embarrassment that he tries to mask with haughtiness and aggression.

It mostly revolves around the elephant in the room.

The very red, very round elephant in the room, attached to the very center of his face.

The one he might just slaughter anyone for mentioning in front of him.

Who nose what that could possibly be *wink-wink*nudge-nudge**stupidest-pun*

But the second you plant a kiss there and say how cute it is, in a way that makes it clear you're not condescending or taunting him about it, he's too busy blushing and sputtering over his words to remember what he was supposed to be angry about in the first place.

[homunculus-argument]

This is one of those things that seem so straightforward that I'm pretty sure that it might be more complicated to do correctly, so it'd be nice to find a tutorial about how to do it, but I have no idea how to look for one. And the pants that I would be working on are my favourites, so I wouldn't want to FAFO with them, and I doubt I'd just conveniently find a perfect pair just like them from a flea market either.

The idea I had in mind is ripped jeans with fishnet on the inside, where the rips are sewn to a stop to prevent them from tearing any further, and the net is attached to the inside for aesthetic purposes. So while the garment itself is whole and functional, it has the appearance of ripped jeans with fishnet stockings worn underneath. Have a shoddy, confusing illustration to hopefully clarify what I mean by this:

Which seems like a task so simple and straightforward that by now I've learned to expect that there's got to be some kind of a catch in it. There is simply no way that it would be just that easy. But I have no idea how to google something like this, because not only are search engines virtually useless these days, I was already bad at them to begin with. So does someone know how to find info on how to sew fishnet onto jeans?

[destroy-some-evil]

I keep seeing a lot of The Ex-Morning posts being frustrated with not understanding why Tam left Phi in the first place and-

I don t know maybe I’m just making this too simple in my own mind

and I could very well be wrong about this -

But I feel like it been shown over the last couple of episodes ever since they went to Phi mom’s place the reason why. Tam is a coward. He never believed that Phi is with him because Phi loves him as a boyfriend. As a friend, yes. As someone who takes care of Phi, yes.

He knew he loved Phi and even that Phi cared for him in some way. But given how they started with him firmly knowing that Phi is in love with Paul, and how much Tam avoids putting Phi in uncomfortable positions. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out if Tam just thought this was all just happening because it was convenient for Phi and not because Phi genuinely loves him. Which is stupid but people sometimes believe stupid things.

We see in the past that Tam basically tries to use helping with the radio audition to confess to Phi but he doesn’t commit to it because he was a coward. He was scared of what it was mean if Phi rejected completely. Phi’s answer is basically a copy of Paul’s answer from the earlier radio show. So Tam doesn’t know if Phi is actually waiting for his answer or Paul’s answer. It also doesn’t seem like Phi is picking up what Tam is trying to put down because Tam isn’t being straightforward. But he can’t be straightforward about because that’s too scary for him. (I’m not even sure Phi would have considered himself in love with Tam at that time.)

So Tam and Phi end up together but part of Tam is probably always waiting for the other shoe to drop because obviously it doesn’t mean the same to Phi as it does to him. Obvious only to Tam of course. He probably thought Phi would burn all the reminders of him and move on like he did after Paul broke his heart. After all Phi is about to make his dreams come true he probably won’t even have time to miss Tam.

He returned because he still loves Phi. He probably thought best case scenario he could help Phi and they could have a working relationship again like Young and Geogi. Instead he finds he wants to try again. He wants to be braver.

In the past Phi thought he was he was telling Tam just how much he means to him but Tam wasn’t hearing it right. It miscommunication at its finest.

At least that’s what I think after six episodes. Who knows maybe the next couple of episodes will show that I’m completely wrong and Tam actually left because he was being blackmailed by this drug dealers back in episode one.

But for now TL:DR Tam left because he was a coward but he’s trying to be braver this time.

[nicotachi]

my clumsy review aka my unorganized thoughts on Hit New Yuri Game "Love Curse: Find Your Soulmate"! you can buy it on steam here

cyn and i spent the past week or so playing through all 10 endings and i just wanted a place to write down all my thoughts. i feel like i have a Lot to say and barely anyone else to tell so i'm going to attempt to rein it in

under the cut is nothing but spoilers so tread at your own risk! also: i do not hate any ship, but if you are averse to ship hate you may not want to read any of my criticisms!

PLOT SUMMARY

you play as a 20 year-old lesbian (named selene yan by default) navigating her transition from college into the workforce. however, you are suddenly informed of a curse that will kill you in one year's time—the only way to lift this curse is to find your true soulmate (yay a girl) before then.

there are currently 4 romanceable options: your cute childhood-friend-turned-girl-next-door, your classmate's mysterious twin sister, your reliable upperclassman, and your intimidating boss at your internship. who will you choose??? 😳

OVERALL

wow. what a game!!! i have limited experience with visual novels as most of them have been linear. all the otome games i've played were written for straight female audiences (with the exception of kang jaehee of mystic messenger) and designed for mobile. this was my first foray into an honest to goodness Sit In Front Of Computer And Pick Your Girlfriend game, and this time for actual lesbians! and i liked it a lot! what stuck out to me with this game—and keep in mind my limited experience here—is that ALL the endings felt like legitimate endings, even the bad ones. for some characters, the bad endings even felt preferable! this made me feel respected as a reader/player, and gave me a sense of agency in that i was able to choose whatever ending i liked without feeling like other endings were more 'correct'. and boy, did i enjoy some endings much more than others.

there are two curious things about the game.

the first one is a unique mechanic. each character has two meters: an affection meter, and a ??? meter. i thought the affection meter seemed pretty straightforward: get the affection up and get the happy ending. however, this was not so simple for 3 out of the 4 romanceable characters with the second meter in question. if the ??? value reaches a certain number, this may trigger the bad ending for that character. while the ??? value is never outright explained, it seems to represent something different for each character.

the second thing that stuck out to me was that half of the characters' routes directly relate to the lore behind the curse. honestly, it took me a while to even remember the title of the game because the 'curse' part seemed irrelevant to me with my preferred route. while two of the romanceable characters' routes explain the origins of the curse and why you have it, the other two are completely independent stories that could live in a vacuum.

this is likely not the first time this has happened as this was a feature in mystic messenger as well; zen/jaehee/yoosung were labeled 'casual story' while jumin and 707 were labeled 'deep story'. however, it's still an interesting choice as i believe overarching plot relevance influenced the characters which influenced how much i liked each character and/or their route.

which brings me to the main reason i even started this review: RANKINGS. yes, i wanted to rank each ending, explain why i liked them, why i disliked them, and what i think they could have done differently. this is where my opinions will become Opinions so dread carefully (not a typo).

very conveniently, i saw this post which brought me this chart, which i will use to grade each ending:

and now...the rankings!!!

first, i will start with ranking much i liked each character. this is based on writing/design/overall vibes and enjoyment:

iris (by a fuckin MILE omg)

nyx

victoria

eleanor

next, here is the order in which i played so you can have some more context with each route's review:

Iris BE

Iris HE

Victoria HE

Victoria BE

Nyx BE

Nyx HE

Eleanor BE

Eleanor HE

True End

now, here is how i rank each route. this is mainly based on writing and enjoyment:

9. Eleanor HE

Score: ⭐

i'm so sorry eleanor fans. personally i think eleanor was done dirty. tragically, her pre-awakening chemistry with selene is very cute. she's the closest to a classmate that selene has out of all of her love interests, and therefore the closest in maturity level. their banter reminds me of like idk. rory and jess from gilmore girls. basically two people who feel comfortable riffing off of the other. and this is no coincidence; they mention several times how they feel they have known each other for years.

which is a shame, because the route starts going downhill after eleanor's memories are reawakened, which is pretty early on. her personality shifts and it no longer becomes selene x eleanor, but selene x someone who thinks she's jianghe. everything we know about eleanor is thrown out the window in favor of her becoming 'jianghe', whom we barely know anything about.

and i think that's one of the major issues: we never do learn much about jianghe. not in her HE, BE, or even the true end. we don't even get a sprite! how are we supposed to care about jianghe if we barely know her relationship with fuguang? was jianghe also a confident perfectionist like eleanor? was she just as playful? why do we so easily accept that jianghe = eleanor, when in other routes we make it a point that chimei =/= nyx and fuguang =/= selene?

sure, there are hints that eleanor has been controlling since before her memories awakened, but that's still related to jianghe as it's a result of the spirits she pissed off. maybe it would have felt better if being controlling were a core part of her personality, the way iris and nyx's flaws feel more baked into their characters (which is why i thought iris' house arrest was way more interesting but anyways).

what would i do differently? i honestly would have emphasized an internal struggle in which eleanor doesn't know if she wants to continue being jianghe—someone paralyzed by paranoia, fear, and regret—and instead live as eleanor, who respects selene as a fellow intellectual. the house arrest arc dragged on for wayyyy too long. it honestly made me root for nyx to come break us free. instead, what happens is we get a rather bland fairytale ending of us overcoming nyx and living happily ever after.

also, i find it a little unsettling that we never find out eleanor has been tracking us, especially since i read someone on twitter suggest she has been tracking us THROUGH THE SMART WATCH SHE GAVE US IN THE COMMON ROUTE!!! which honestly is a crazy cool detail

8. Victoria HE

Score: ⭐

(WARNING: i do not hate this ship but i can see how you might interpret this as ship hate, so beware)

i like selene and i think i like victoria (even though i wasn't a fan of her routes), but i think selene and victoria have negative chemistry. not a single unit of rizz together. 1+1=0. watching their mutual attraction unfold felt like watching one of those slow trash compactor videos. two cars backing into each other in a parking lot. just something very unpleasant that i didn't want to keep seeing, yet kept reading in hopes of being swayed—and it never happened.

TO BE CLEAR!!! this is NOT because i hate either character and not because of their age gap or boss/employee dynamic. my number one ship rn is gan/qing for god's sake which is both of those. and i think it's BECAUSE i love gan/qing and office romance that i was so put off by their development.

victoria is presented as this cold and intimidating boss who scares selene during her internship interview. and she just...becomes very soft and caring after that? she just starts hanging out with selene like she's on her level and texting her like a friend? to me, it felt like the writers wanted to ignore their power imbalance until they couldn't ignore it anymore, which felt worse imho. what's the point in even making them boss and employee if you can't lean into the forbidden love territory!!!

not to mention, the conflict in both routes is just...i feel like it doesn't do her character justice? victoria is this cold woman who has her own young subsidiary under the qi group, treats rosalie like an annoying cousin, but is powerless to go against them at the same time?

and when she does finally go against them, it feels...idk, too easy. selene barely even does anything honestly, victoria solves it herself. and she just sells all her shares for a cute intern she just met??? even her affection for us feels too 'easy'. i wanted it to come with more strings i think...the writing and reasoning just felt way too disjointed for me.

what would i do differently? for one, i think i would lean into the 'problematic' aspect more. this is the toxic yuri game for a reason!!

i would have preferred if victoria were engaged from DAY ONE. chapter 0 baby. it would have made her 'innocent' flirting with us all the more scandalous in hindsight and made us rethink her green flag status.

i also would have amped up their boss/employee dynamic with them both knowing it's a line they shouldn't cross (and do). for example, more subtle gestures from victoria under the guise of Work. hands brushing over paperwork, a hesitant pat on the shoulder, idk ANYTHING!!! GIVE ME SOME PRIDE & PREJUDICE!!! IN FACT JUST REBRAND GAN/QING AND HAND IT TO ME ON A SILVER PLATTER. it was a mistake to have so much of their flirting over text because it feels both out of character and kinda just? ick? idek. it would have been funnier if victoria were a super dry texter but gave mixed signals in person.

7. Eleanor BE

Score: ⭐

i gave this one more points because eleanor actually dies. NOT because i hate eleanor, but because actions have consequences and her death is the consequence of her and phoenix keeping selene in the dark and not respecting her agency.

however, it still has the flaw of the incredibly long house arrest arc, as well as something that bothered me: this eleanor feels incredibly vindicated by her actions, even in death. first it was the flower pot incident, then it was tracking selene and being able to die for her in the forest.

what would i do differently? well for one, i think eleanor should have had regrets in her dying moments. it would have been better if she had that final realization that hey, maybe controlling every aspect of selene's life, memorizing her schedule, and viewing her movements 24/7 IS bad and the reason she's dead. unfortunately, she's still too stuck on fulfilling jianghe's wishes and basically dies as jianghe.

6. Victoria BE

Score: ⭐⭐

i share the same gripes with her HE. however, i rate her BE higher because the ending is actually very interesting to me. i liked the line about selene realizing victoria and rosalie are still cut from the same cloth, that at the end of the day victoria will lean on materialism and privilege to keep selene at her side. the symbolism of selene kissing the ring instead of victoria herself is RAW AF. especially when contrasted with her HE cg (kissing the ring that belongs to another woman vs holding the hand wearing selene's ring, the drawn curtains vs open window, etc). really cool of the writers and artists to do that.

what would i do differently? same as her HE criticisms, but especially the bit where i think victoria should have been cheating from the start. i don't think it's unfair as there is evidence to support eleanor has been tracking us since the common route. i do appreciate that all the characters' flaws do show up in the common route/happy endings

5. Nyx BE

Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

before this route: oh nyx is just that childhood friend who is a littleeee bit clingy and unsettling but i'm sure she means no harm. i saw her kissing cg in the trailer it's very romantic she's just doing her best

during this route: holy shit she's an evil demon from our past and the reason why we're even cursed to die to begin with?

no real notes. banger story that gave me my first peek into the lore, more music tracks that were great and stellar voice acting from nyx. the backstory reveal and how they met bell was sooo cute. the final scene was raw af with selene being like "no. i'm not going to die with you because i don't want to 💃💃💃" and wanting to bid her ACTUAL LOVED ONES a proper goodbye. metal affff

also, the common cg with chimei lying with fuguang is gorgeous af chimei is literally channeling hu tao there

what would i do differently? well this one's a bit shallow but.....can they redraw fuguang and chimei's sprites please. the cg is so good just make it match

4. Iris HE

Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

i LOVE iris but i felt like the outcome of this route felt less deserved when compared to her BE. iris is such a compelling character whose cruel breakup with us was the result of her strong feelings of resentment (and let's be real depression). i NEEDED her to GET INTO her resentment!!! but what happens is that she is literally about to tell us wtf is her problem with her family when she gets interrupted by a phone call. and disappears from work. and we don't see her until a few days later by coincidence. and she begs for us to take her back and we do.

to be honest, i had played her HE second and initially rated it way lower than it is here, but i recently replayed it after the true end and enjoyed it a lot more than i did the first time. while their reconciliation was a little ? to me (see: next entry), their redo date was super cute. i love a good breakup and grovel and reconciliation, and iris giving the date her best was really nice to watch. she had spent all that time in the common route/beginning of her route flirting with us meaninglessly, so it was nice to see her doing it with the actual intent to charm us.

while i had initially disliked the scene in which she spills her feelings and asks us to to take her back when compared with the cafe scene in the BE (peak), i do like it for what it is, and i especially like the part where she politely asks us to not reject her as she doesn't think she can take it at the moment. 😭

the final section with the business trip was kinda meh (victoria, why are you asking iris who is supposedly on a different team and also a newbie to substitute for selene's senior coworker lmao), i do love the implied sex the night before. WE LOVE YOU FADE TO BLACK WE LOVE YOU DISCRETIONARY SHOTS!!! iris said it may take her a while to become intimate with someone (maybe someone who knows chinese can tell me what exactly she meant by 'intimate') but girl it only took you several months to eat her cookie huh?

what would i do differently? see the next entry mostly. but honestly, i would have revealed more about her family and resentment and hate here rather than leaving it up to the BE.

3. Iris BE

Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Spicy🌶️🌶️🌶️🥵)

if you haven't guessed by now, iris is my favorite character in the whole damn game. her bad ending was actually my first route as i totally fell into the xuejie trap and did everything i could to please her. consequently and to my surprise, i overindulged her and activated her dormant yandere state.

i had some suspicions about her as selene continued to rebuff her attempts to get back together, but i too was caught off-guard when iris decides to ROOFIE AND CHLOROFORM US. OMG. they even get into the weeds with the details of the kidnapping to show how scary the situation is e.g. iris feeding us literal crumbs and water in the dark. girl when can we pee?

but oh my god. that cg. that iconic cg that apparently made the rounds on twitter that i had thankfully avoided getting spoiled by but you know what? if i saw that cg first i'd have bought the game too. the game seems to sell at least part of itself on the idea that everyone has a dark side, but iris' ending takes it up a notch with "everyone has a dark side, and sometimes their dark sides are also sexy." because goddamn iris!!! her whole schtick is being miss perfect who is tired of being perceived as perfect and wants to bare her ugly side too, but sorry xuejie your ugly side is kind of sexy too soooo idk...

this is becoming a hornypost for iris i'm sorry. anyways um what would i do differently? my main gripe is while i commend selene for being much stronger than me, her reasons for continuing to deny iris in the BE vs her reasons for accepting iris in her HE make no sense to me.

the divergence in iris' route happens after the bathroom scene, in which you can either choose to walk in on her phone conversation/cry session (increasing her ??? meter) or try to give her some privacy (increasing her affection meter). interestingly, if you walk in, she will lie and claim she was trying to create a situation in which you two would bump into each other.

in the bad ending, you take her to the cafe where you had your first date and where she also dumped you and she pours her heart out about her family, her insecurities, why she broke up with you.

and you still decide to treat her coldly after that.

i can see how this would make sense, sure. selene is incredibly hurt. iris doesn't get to just hit the undo button because she's feeling regretful one month later. but this also doesn't make sense, because in the happy ending where you DO take her back such a conversation doesn't happen!

what happens in the HE after the divergence is: she stalks you at your social gathering (ironically she doesn't kidnap you in this one), is interrupted by a phone call before she can tell you more about her family, you find out about her family by very nicely asking victoria (simp) to disclose confidential info from iris' personal file, and you randomly bump into iris at school (iris has long since graduated), where she cries and asks you to take her back.

what??

not to mention iris' sudden slip into crazy. hotness aside, when and why does she decide to kidnap us? does she go out and buy some chloroform after eavesdropping on our resignation convo? i'm not opposed to the yandere thing at all, i just needed a little more believable buildup. she goes from completely cold and resentful of being needed to "i want to make you need only me" in the blink of an eye. maybe the writers could have connected it a bit more—maybe her doubling down into the dependable breadwinner role is her rejecting her most honest and imperfect self, realizing her true feelings were what pushed selene, her only love, away.

but anyways. still good tho.

2. Nyx HE

Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

being a 'deep route', nyx's route does a good job of being a satisfyingly complete story that fleshes out her character while delving into the lore. the payoff feels good, and i like that the writers don't try to downplay nyx's red flags even after they officially get together. nyx being jealous of their cat that SHE originally took in herself is just as amusing as it is a concern.

what would i do differently? well, my main thing with selene/nyx is that while i do find them cute (as well as fuguang/chimei), i sort of get the sense that selene is partly with nyx because she sees her as her responsibility, much like the way fuguang saw chimei. while i was very impressed by selene's development from being the least interested in nyx (IMHO) in the common route to seeing her as a lover, i think part of me isn't fully convinced that she fully reciprocates nyx's intense feelings. their final cg is soooo romantic though it invokes the shoujo doki doki fr

1. True End

Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

holy shit. no notes. the true end appropriately ties everything together. i loved the extra insight into fuguang's personality, the extent of nyx's crimes, as well as more tragic bell moments.

there is NO WAY the writers weren't teasing a lil selene selfcest, because holy shit that cg? with the cheek touch? and selene admiring fuguang's calloused hands which were so unlike her own? and becoming hyperaware of the fact that they are different people who happen to share a soul? there is nooooo fuckin way that she didn't feel a lil something for fuguang. my god.

the idea that selene travels into the past to save her own soul and ends up staying behind to save FUGUANG'S soul is heart-wrenchingly beautiful. and she becomes this wandering traveler who makes sure to protect herself/fuguang's reincarnation for eternity WHILE legitimizing every single route is just. wow!!!

if her curse weren't already broken by the paradox, it would have been broken by her true soulmate literally being the one person who shares her soul. time travel ALWAYS equals yuri. so so good. perhaps an unintentional aesop about loving yourself lmao

what would i do differently? i know the moments after fuguang passes away are supposed to blur, but some actual onscreen interaction with jianghe would have been nice. we literally know the bare minimum about her!!

ok let's wrap it up

you know what it's way past my bedtime so i should just end it here. in closing love curse was such a fun read/play and i enjoyed all the ways in which it wrinkled my brain and made me think about what i liked and what i wanted. i highly recommend you go buy it and support the devs so we can show how much the world wants yuri!!!!!

EDIT: cyn had to remind me of the actual order in which i played the routes so i edited it accordingly LOL. i think it’s actually because i disliked victoria’s happy ending so much that i started playing the bad endings first again

also, i mention 10 endings but only rank 9. this is because the 10th ending is the one in which you die due to not establishing a meaningful soulmate connection in time. currently, we’ve only read through iris and victoria’s versions of it. i do like iris’ a lot (shocker) because she sees you as a blip in her radar, something that could have been. i’m ngl i laughed out loud at victoria’s because why is my boss situationship organizing my funeral and not my own PARENTS LMAO

[deerspherestudios]

Thank you for the info on the bouncing animations, seeing my characters do a lil jump is so fun!

And I do mean the sounds themselves, I’ve figured out the coding bit. The sound design in MO is so good! I gotta know your secrets!

Haha I'm happy to have helped! For the sound design it's pretty straightforward, I just assembled the sounds in Premier Pro (it's not an audio software but it was conveniently on my desktop) and layered them out. So one audio file has multiple sounds in sequence.

For a longer explanation:

If you look at the audio files, some of them are baked in like "tail-whip.ogg" having the mug being pushed, falling off the edge, a whoosh of air and the tail catching it in one single audio file. Another example is "kitchen-cabinets.ogg" where you can hear Mychael's boots walk away first and then muffled cabinets opening and closing.

The sequence of different sound cues really make it unique to that scenario instead of just one noise indicating movement like a simple 'thwap' to show the mug being caught or just kitchen cabinets themselves. It's a little extra admittedly (I don't know if a lot of VNs even do this) but I really enjoy doing it especially hearing the final result!

As I implement them in, I always go back and forth looking at what I wrote and what I expect to hear, since I want it to feel natural regardless of reading speed if that makes sense. Timing them is the most important!

There is a 'queue audio' function in Ren'Py where one audio file plays after the first is finished, but I find it much more finicky than just editing the sounds myself where I can control the timing, volume and add in effects if I wanted in one single playback.

I hope that helps!

[knit-me-a-blanket]

A Beginner's Guide to the Different Types of Knitting Needles

If you’re just getting started with knitting, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the array of knitting needles out there. A couple of months ago, I went through my "stash" of needles because I realized I had a box of a random assortment, and it wasn't useful. From straight to circular, bamboo to metal, and everything in between, the options were endless.

In my time as a knitter, I'm sure of one thing: each type of knitting needle serves a purpose, and once you understand the basics, you’ll feel more confident choosing the right tools for your project and your style. Let’s break it down.

1. Straight Needles

Best for: Flat projects like scarves, dishcloths, and panels for sweaters.

These are the classic needles most people picture when they think of knitting—two long sticks with a stopper on one end and a point on the other. They’re great for beginners because they’re easy to handle and ideal for simple, flat pieces.

Pros: Easy to find, beginner-friendly, great for straightforward patterns.

Cons: Can feel bulky for large projects and limit the number of stitches you can comfortably work with.

But I will be honest here, don't buy that many. As you grow in your projects, you'll likely find yourself reaching for circular needles more often than not, and this is for a couple of reasons.

Heavy garments can bend straight needles, especially plastic or metal needles.

Heavy garments aren't well distributed on straight needles either, so it can put more stress on your hands while working.

2. Circular Needles

Best for: Everything from hats to blankets to sweaters—both flat and in-the-round projects.

Circular needles consist of two shorter needle tips connected by a flexible cable. Don’t be fooled by the name—you can use them for flat knitting (going back and forth) or circular knitting (working in the round).

Pros: Distribute weight better (great for heavy projects), versatile, easier on the wrists.

Cons: Cable length matters—you may need multiple sizes for different projects.

There's also something called the magic loop method, which lets you use long circular needles to knit small circumferences like socks or sleeves! I'll have a post about this method in a couple of weeks. It's something that I swear by!

3. Double-Pointed Needles (DPNs)

Best for: Small, round projects like socks, mittens, sleeves, and hats.

DPNs come in sets of four or five and have points on both ends, letting you knit in the round when your project is too small for circular needles. They’re a bit fiddly at first, but many knitters love them for precision and control.

Pros: Great for detailed circular work, no seams.

Cons: Can be tricky to manage all the needles at once, especially for beginners.

DPNs are great for a lot of things, but for the most part, everything you can do with a DPN you can also do with a circular needle. It's nice to have options!

4. Interchangeable Needles

Best for: Knitters who work on a variety of projects and want flexibility.

Interchangeable sets allow you to switch out needle tips and cables, essentially giving you many needle combinations in one. They're an investment, but often more cost-effective in the long run.

Pros: Customizable, space-saving, convenient for travel and diverse projects.

Cons: Can be pricey, and quality varies by brand.

5. Cable (Flexible) Needles

Best for: Creating cable patterns and twists.

These small needles aren’t for general knitting but are essential tools for cable knitting. They hold stitches temporarily while you twist and knit them out of order.

Pros: Useful for intricate textures and cable patterns.

Cons: Limited to specific use cases.

In my opinion, cable needles are a hit or miss. Oftentimes, when I'm making my cables, I find myself reaching for a DPN rather than a cable needle. This is because they are a bit sturdier, and I'm more comfortable working with them.

Needle Materials: What They’re Made Of Matters

Bamboo or Wood: Warm to the touch, slightly grippy—great for beginners or slippery yarns.

Metal (Aluminum, Steel): Smooth, fast, and durable—ideal for speed knitters.

Plastic or Acrylic: Lightweight and affordable—somewhere in between bamboo and metal in terms of grip.

When it comes to needles, metal needles are my favorite. Choosing the right knitting needle depends on your project, your yarn, and your personal preference. I always find myself snapping plastic needles, so I try to stay as far away from those as possible. As you gain experience, you’ll develop a feel for what types of needles work best for you.

The most important thing? Find tools that make the process feel enjoyable. Knitting should bring you peace, not frustration—so grab those needles and let your creativity flow, one stitch at a time.

[gatheringbones]

[“As I see it, there are three parts to the creative process: first, the extra vision with which the artist perceives a truth and conveys it by suggestion. Second, medium of expression: language for writers, paint for painters, clay or stone for sculptors, sound expressed in musical notes for composers. Third, design or structure. When it comes to language, nothing is more satisfying than to write a good sentence. It is no fun to write lumpishly, dully, in prose the reader must plod through like wet sand. But it is a pleasure to achieve, if one can, a clear running prose that is simple yet full of surprises. This does not just happen. It requires skill, hard work, a good ear, and continued practice, as much as it takes Heifetz to play the violin. The goals, as I have said, are clarity, interest, and aesthetic pleasure.

On the first of these I would like to quote Macaulay, a great historian and great writer, who once wrote to a friend, “How little the all important art of making meaning pellucid is studied now! Hardly any popular writer except myself thinks of it.” As to structure, my own form is narrative, which is not every historian’s, I may say—indeed, it is rather looked down on now by the advanced academics, but I don’t mind because no one could possibly persuade me that telling a story is not the most desirable thing a writer can do. Narrative history is neither as simple nor as straightforward as it might seem. It requires arrangement, composition, planning just like a painting—Rembrandt’s “Night Watch,” for example. He did not fit in all those figures with certain ones in the foreground and others in back and the light falling on them just so, without much trial and error and innumerable preliminary sketches. It is the same with writing history. Although the finished result may look to the reader natural and inevitable, as if the author had only to follow the sequence of events, it is not that easy. Sometimes, to catch attention, the crucial event and the causative circumstance have to be reversed in order—the event first and the cause afterwards, as in The Zimmermann Telegram. One must juggle with time.

In The Proud Tower, for instance, the two English chapters were originally conceived as one. I divided them and placed them well apart in order to give a feeling of progression, of forward chronological movement to the book. The story of the Anarchists with their ideas and deeds set in counterpoint to each other was a problem in arrangement. The middle section of the Hague chapter on the Paris Exposition of 1900 was originally planned as a separate short centerpiece, marking the turn of the century, until I saw it as a bridge linking the two Hague Conferences, where it now seems to belong. Structure is chiefly a problem of selection, an agonizing business because there is always more material than one can use or fit into a story. The problem is how and what to select out of all that happened without, by the very process of selection, giving an over- or under-emphasis which violates truth. One cannot put in everything: The result would be a shapeless mass. The job is to achieve a narrative line without straying from the essential facts or leaving out any essential facts and without twisting the material to suit one’s convenience. To do so is a temptation, but if you do it with history you invariably get tripped up by later events. I have been tempted once or twice and I know. The most difficult task of selection I had was in the Dreyfus chapter. To try to skip over the facts about the bordereau and the handwriting and the forgeries—all the elements of the Case as distinct from the Affair—in order to focus instead on what happened to France and yet at the same time give the reader enough background information to enable him to understand what was going on, nearly drove me to despair. My writing slowed down to a trickle until one dreadful day when I went to my study at nine and stayed there all day in a blank coma until five, when I emerged without having written a single word. Anyone who is a writer will know how frightening that was. You feel you have come to the end of your powers; you will not finish the book; you may never write again.”]

barbara w. tuchman, from practicing history: selected essays, 1996

[eldraftsman]

Day 14: Favorite Couple

Uh...

It's right on the tin? Sure, the moniker "family" applies to the dynamics between not mom, not dad, and not daughter as a whole, but such a model of family is still contingent on selling to the world the marriage aspect of the equation. So it's no exaggeration to say if this relationship didn't work on some level to push the narrative forward the entire manga wouldn't work either. And since we're all here, you can take a guess of how good the execution has been so far. I've mentioned before how the dynamics of the Forgers are the most interesting in light of what they bring out of each other, and it's specially true when talking about these two. Moreso because it's evident how much these facets are new even to themselves.

Twilight, out of necessity, has always been a suave jack of all trades that can seduce any woman required for the sake of completing the mission, always in duplicitous relationships where the entire goal was navigating the ulterior motives of those involved in a network of emotional manipulations for shady gains. The sex, the romantic conversations, they were always a code for him to decipher, a means to an end. So seeing a woman who can actually understand him on some level while also wearing her heart on her sleeve is completely disarming for him, her emotional straightforwardness demanding to understand her on sincere terms, thus slowly but effectively cracking the armor he built over a decade of shady works and getting him to unadvertedly show her his true self bit by bit even before he can realize it's happening.

Yor isn't caring because she wants to exploit anything about his Loid persona, she's just naturally a loving person and makes him feel safe in ways he hasn't allowed himself to be since he was a child. The end result is as simple as a man who's been using people's emotions as tools while trying his best to detach himself from his own is now presented with the chance to allow himself to feel again. Plus, it's a delight to see the world's best spy suddenly blush like a teenager experiencing his first crush when he lightly brushes his fake wife's hand. He's REALLY not used to actual love.

On Yor's side of the equation, she finds a pillar of support and safeness with Loid that isn't related to the idea of "being protected". She can take care of that plenty, but the safeness she feels comes from a different place: being accepted and understood for who she is. As Ostania's mightiest assassin, Yor's life up to that fateful meeting had her isolated from her peers, being an outcast who didn't have the means to shape her life the way she wanted by virtue of choosing to supply for Yuri at the cost of her childhood. She's unmatched in her abilities with a blade, but the extent of her skills outside of that are limited at best, and when it comes to socializing even the comraderie you form over a cup of cofee was alien to her. Thus her emotions were often bottled up, her aloof exterior scaring people away from the lonely person benath.

So seeing this stranger that she barely talked to for the sake of a convenience agreement being willing to take her side from a place of understanding, to think the best of her in the pressence of completely debasing rumors was the light amidst the darkness she didn't know she needed.

Moreover, Yor is incredibly self conscious of her perceived lacks. In spite of her stunning beauty she never thought much of her physical appearance, thinking of her hands as soiled by the blood covering them, and all the skills she never got to hone in often make her feel inadequate in light of social expectations.

Loid's reassurance of those skills not determining her worth, and how her loving self connecting with children being of irreplaceable value have allowed her to be that more confident in herself, to feel proud of those qualities she has, even wishing to be relied upon. In turn, this allows her to shine the warm self she always had beneath the cold exterior and allows her to connect with others, including those she didn't get along with at first.

They might still hide a hell of a lot from each other, but at a fundamental level they created such a genuine emotional connection and bring the best out of the other so much it's basically impossible to not root for them becoming a real couple. When not even the inclusion of a so called love rival character does so much as slightly pivot the bulk of fanart and fanfics outside of the dominant ship (save for the odd piece here and there), it's clear the dynamics were completely NAILED day one.

[otherworldseekers]

8. common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about ? 👀

That everyone takes the WoL for granted. Especially the Scions. And that most people simply view the WoL as a convenient tool.

I feel like a lot of the fandom in general tends to view how many npcs interact with the WoL through a lens biased toward a negative interpretation. While I believe that a straightforward, unbiased reading of what is actually said and done in game, leans toward a much more positive reading. Canonically, our WoLs signed up to be part of organizations that bare a responsibility toward the people of Eorzea. (The fact that we had no choice about our WoLs signing up is irrelevant to the game's story.) They are not taken for granted. They are expected to do their job alongside their colleagues. And as the story goes on and the WoL, due to their Special Status, takes on more and more, the response of the people they interact with becomes more and more admiring and appreciative. NPCs are constantly expressing their gratitude for what the WoL does and demonstrating how they care about the WoL's well being.

It truly boggles my mind sometimes that so much of the fandom seems to simple forget? or maybe ignore how much everyone loves the WoL. I think a large portion of the fandom has become invested in how they want to develop the narrative of their own individual WoL as someone who is very down trodden and constantly suffering on behalf of a world that doesn't appreciate them. And don't get me wrong, that's a fine theme to explore in your own writing. But the prevalence of it in fic seems to have clouded many people's memories of the actual MSQ. It's simply not the story that SE has written.

Thanks for the ask!

[dawndelion-winery]

How To Ask You Out

Scaramouche × GN! Reader

Scara would never doubt himself when it came to you. He might be uncertain about many things, but the burning passion he harboured for you was unquestionable. So much so that it had never really occurred to him that you did not necessarily feel his affection for you; surely, you must have caught on already?

It was difficult for him to accept that his habit of repressing his emotions had made all of his gestures and hints far too subtle for you to catch onto. How unfortunate it was, so many of his unspoken confessions fell unnoticed, like the leaves in autumn being shed one by one. He had tried numerous different ways, each method failing to hold your attention enough for you to notice it was more than a fleeting whim on his part.

Truly, how could you not feel the warmth in his hand when he reached for yours to lead you to something he wanted to show you? Could you not feel his excitement to share whatever it was he had stumbled upon in the way he tapped your shoulder or upper arm? There was no way you did not know how averse he was to physical contact with people, yet he touched you so easily, as if being close to you was as natural as breathing. Did that mean nothing to you? He adored how he could lay his head in your lap as you brushed his bangs out of his face with such a gentle caress he was certain you had to have felt the same way. In those moments, he bit his tongue, unable to form the words that would give him the clarity he sought. It was so simple, an easy fix, a straightforward solution to his dilemma, and yet the hardest thing he had ever had to do.

"I love you," he'd murmur every night once you'd fallen asleep. And perhaps that was the reason you could've sworn you dreamt of him confessing to you, sparking a spiral of thoughts about dating him. Slowly but surely, you developed feelings too.

However, your friend, as cold as he was, was equal parts dense, too busy wallowing in his pining to notice his affections were reciprocated. Each day, he ached for you, and had he not been cut loose of his puppet strings, he'd most certainly have handed the reins to you if only it would make you finally see the extent of his devotion that went beyond simple friendship.

Once more he found himself scowling as you introduced him as your dearest friend. He had to admit, there was some inkling of pride in being the dearest among your dear friends, but he'd always been inclined to greed, tempted to perpetually reach for more having been so accustomed to losing everything.

"Your hair's a mess," he commented, seemingly apathetically. You'd woken up late and hadn't had time to check yourself in any reflective surface as you threw on whatever was on top of your dresser and headed out. He thought it was cute, not that it seemed that way.

"I was in a rush," you huffed, averting your eyes as you mused a hand through your hair hoping it'd neaten somewhat.

"Here." How convenient his anemo vision was, for him to hover around you to get the perfect angles on your hair as he helped you tidy it. There was a gentle dexterity in his touch so unlike the gruffness in his words that you knew was far more reflective of who he was than the prickly persona he put up.

"Thanks," you said as your eyes met his. And for a second, you wondered what you could do if you'd had no fear. Would he catch you if you let yourself fall headfirst? You had no way of knowing, and yet the breeze around you blew your worries away. "You're act like you're my boyfriend sometimes."

He froze up at your words, some unknown expression dancing across his face. "Maybe I should be," he murmured. His azure eyes locked onto yours, voice as soft as his gentle caress, brushing a few stray strands out of your face. Except there wasn't anything on your face to brush away - nothing but his cool, slender fingers. His touch seemed to crackle with electricity, but you were certain it was nothing more than your imagination; his gentleness was more akin to the sweet spring gales that made the flowers dance to the songs of leaves.

"Yeah..." you responded, " maybe you should."

Scara's eyes lit up at your response, his excitement laced with wariness. There was an inkling of uncertainty as he scanned your face, as though anxiously seeking any subtle signs of deception.

"Maybe I will be, then," he said finally. And who would've thought? It seems asking you out was much easier than he'd gotten himself worked up over.

Taglist: @ryuryuryuyurboat @yinyinggie @mx-kamisato @chaosinanutshell @haliyamori @irethepotato @boundedbyfate @favonius-captain @aqui-soba @tiredsleep @sadlonelybagel @mastering-procrastinating

[ga-yuu]

Romance manhwas/webtoons I highly recommend!!!

Look! You guys must know, by this time, I am a romance connoisseur! *ahem* self-proclaimed*ahem* Romance is my fav genre and I'm not ashamed to say that aloud!! Since valentines day is coming and I'm still single, I simply fill the empty space in my heart with these cute manhwas/webtoons!!! I love reading them so much! But there are some really good romance manhwas that really give me hope about love. These are my recommendations, the ones I really enjoyed.

Daytime star

This manhwa is one of my most fav!! If you haven't heard of it, or read it...GO READ THIS RIGHT NOW!!....or whenever you have time, BUT I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS MANHWA! It's not just about its beautiful art style, but the story is AMAZING! If you're like me, who loves mature adult romance (and by 'mature adult romance' I don't mean a story like 50 shades of grey, but a more natural realistic romance between two fully grown adults) then this is the manhwa for you! I swear! I was binge-reading this manhwa the whole day, while eating, while playing games, while sleeping I was dreaming about this manhwa. The story is about a struggling actress falling in love with a very popular actor. It sounds simple, but it's really really REALLY GOOD! It's worth your time! There's nothing bad I have to say about this manhwa. It's truly outstanding.

Marry my husband

What? You want a revenge drama with the female lead in her comeback era? I recommend Marry my husband. I saw the Kdrama adapted from this manhwa and although the actors are really good....the story changes drastically towards the end. The Kdrama has so many....'Kdrama' elements which I'm not really a fan of and it just makes the story unnecessarily complicated for no reason. So I highly recommend you read the manhwa version. The manhwa version is more straightforward and simple compared to the kdrama and doesn't have any unnecessary drama to waste your time. All the characters are so good. Even the side characters have stories. I love how simple the story is and how satisfying it is. I'm sure you will enjoy the manhwa and fall in love the characters. Again, highly recommend this. This is the 2nd manhwa that I binged the whole day, and re-read it again yesterday. It's really good!

A Marriage of Convenience

I'll be honest, I was ignoring this manhwa for god knows why? Looking at the art, it just gave Under the Oak tree vibes.....and I'll be honest again, I got bored of under the oak tree. Everyone seems to love it, but I just got bored after 20 chaps or so. But this one, I finally decided to read it and again! I JUST CANNOT STOP READING IT!! I wonder why I'm so in love with it...it's because the female lead is so cool! I LOVE THE FEMALE LEAD IN THIS MANHWA!!! and you will know why once you read it. I feel like the female lead really carries the story on her back. Its so beautiful to see her growing and then comparing her present self to how she used to be in beginning of the story. Hey! I'm telling you! Go read it!! *points my gun*

I Thought It's A Common Possession (Ongoing!)

Isekai villainess manhwas are the trend guys! I wonder when is cybird going to release their own ver. of isekai villainess game? Well...I have not seen many people talking about this manhwa, so I wanna shed some light. It's a slow-burn but a really good one! At the first chap, you'd hate the male lead....but at the end of the latest chap, you guys will surely love the male lead. You'll think that the story is just a simple villainess manhwa were everyone hates the villainess but soon end up liking her...but no, it's much darker. You'll find out when you read it. Also the female lead...is a mommy!!! She gives me mommy vibes!! She's so beautiful!!

For My Lost Love (Ongoing!)

Another isekai manhwa that I'm obsessed with because the male lead is too hot for my own good! I think the reason I love this manhwa is because 1. it's a slow burn 2. the male lead is so good-looking 3. The relationship developing between the male lead and the female lead is really cute! It's like you can't help but want to see these two together! Right now, the male lead is completely in love with the female lead and its' so cute to see him being possessive about her and the female lead is completely oblivious. The female lead really loves the male lead because he is her fav character of her fav novel. It's cute! I love the female lead's personality, showing heart-eyes and blushing when the male lead does something....even the smallest things like drinking his coffee or arranging flowers. It's really cute!

Remarried Empress (First 80 - 90)

This story is really popular. There is a manhwa and a game....Phew~ Another one of those that I couldn't stop reading......BUT!! As much as I love the story and it's main characters...I feel like this manhwa is better if you only read it up to...90 chapters and from there, just read the spoilers. I'll be honest, the first 80 to 90 chapters of this manhwa are FUCKING AWESOME!!!! IT'S DRAMA AFTER DRAMA AFTER DRAMA! ABUSE! VERBAL ABUSE! EMOTIONAL ABUSE! It's bad but it's also good. The abuse is just too much to handle that you can't stop reading it because you want the female lead to be happy...and in the end she gets it. I highly recommend reading 90 chapters of the manhwa and then read the spoilers because the manhwa gets very sluggish. I bet you, because you will be only invested in the 4 main characters of this story and you won't care about anyone else. The first 90 chapters mainly focuses on these 4 characters and after that the story focuses more on other side characters until it connects back to the main 4 characters. This part is a drag.....so don't waste time and read the spoilers.

The Villainess Turn The Hourglass

Ah....This manhwa....truly one of the best villainess manhwa I've ever read!! I won't say anything! This is truly a 'VILLAINESS ROMANCE' manhwa and again...a story about a woman in her comeback era. Read only the main story though, I don't really care about the spin-off. The main story is truly satisfying. Read it! READ IT RIGHT NOW!! *Points my gun*

I'll keep sharing more manhwas and webtoons with you guys because I'm never gonna stop reading it! Even on my death bed, I'll still be reading it!!

[teabeexo]

𝚃𝚎𝚊’𝚜 𝙷𝚊𝚒𝚔𝚢𝚞𝚞 𝙾𝙲𝚜: 𝚂𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚓𝚞

with a special/bonus feature!

Information and images continue below the cut!

Special Acknowledgement

💚 ┈➤ thank you Dira!

Fools by @dira333 is what absolutely, wholeheartedly inspired Shinju as a character. I read it for the first time and fell in love with the characterization of the reader, as well as the dynamic presented between her and Atsumu.

I also want to apologize for leaving you hanging whenever you asked about my other Haikyuu OCs — I didn’t realize that I had missed it until last night (writing this on the 6th of May)! For your convenience, here is my Haikyuu OC masterlist: enjoy!

Information

📝 ┈➤ just the basics!

Name: Shinju Kita

Age: 18 (pre time-skip), 24 (post time-skip)

Affiliation: Karasuno (third year)

Birthday: May 16th

Height: 5’1” (ft), 155.0 (cm)

S/O (if applicable): Atsumu Miya (eventual boyfriend)

Notable Friends: Kymora Iwasaki (oc), Noa Higashi (oc), Kiyoko Shimizu, Shinsuke Kita (cousin), Aran Ojiro

Character Overview

🗒️ ┈➤just the basic idea! complete lore/stories will be shared elsewhere.

Shinju Kita, in theory, should have an easy go of it. After all, she was raised on a gorgeous farm, born into a steady financial life, and has parents who love her. Alas, for Shinju, it has never been so simple.

Being an only child and the only other new-generation Kita child besides Shinsuke, her parents (her mother especially) felt it was only natural that Shinju and Shinsuke should be the inheritors of the family's work, as well as believing they would follow in the footsteps of their ancestors in terms of lifestyle. But Shinju has always felt unfulfilled by this fate. What if she doesn't want to become a farmer? What if she has no desire for children and the "traditional" path at all?

Shinju, feeling as though she was disappointing her parents due to her deviance from tradition, began to seek other means of making them proud. If it was available, she strode for perfection: academics, athletics, and the arts. And for the most part, all of these routes only ended in self-flagellation and emptiness.

That is, except for one thing: charcoal art. Specifically, portraits: she could draw others, and her surroundings, in the same hues as her very own hair. This newfound love couldn't shake off her residual feelings of fear surrounding disappointment, though. Such a hobby wasn't sustainable, nor generally considered to be a great accomplishment when pursued as a career.

She's stuck. Between family and calling, and practicality and desire. And at the end of it all, how could others love her for what she is when she struggles to love herself?

Letters of Recommendation

✉️ ┈➤ A. K. A. how she’d be described!

If Shinju is anything, she is understated. Her presence and words float and land like an airy breeze -- softly, gently, and with just a little gusto. She's as polite as can be, never intending to trod on well-respected social boundaries. Even so, she knows how to speak her mind. When there is something that needs to be said, she does not mince words. Being straightforward is best.

Shinju's naturally meek nature allows for the full extent of her kindness, but also opens the floodgates for her follies. She lacks a lot of the confidence that she somewhat makes up for with her blunt words. She also fears the rebuking, and most of all, the disappointment of others. This, in turn, is turned inwards. After all, others can't be surprised by finding disappointment in her if she's already disappointed in herself.

Gallery

🖇️ ┈➤ photos! (drawing of her and Atsumu hopefully coming soon — feeling a little burnt out so I’m not sure how long that’ll take)

follow/check her oc tag for content about her, or the tag OCxC: Atsuju for stuff about her and Atsumu (+ writing by others that I picture as encapsulating their relationship).

and an itty bitty tag for @cryptid-flower because… haikyuu OC <3

[elainsgirl]

I hate the way people act in this fandom. Do they not realize we're reading Acotar of all things? Not to be that person but Acotar is not all that to be making huge theories when its right in front of our faces on whats going to happen next. Its legit a predictable book. I dont know why people are digging so deep. Its literally obvious on who the new book is going to be about- Elain. Its obvious who the next romance its going to surround-Elain/Lucien/Azriel. Its obvious a rejecting mating bond may play out. ITS OBVIOUS. Sarah isnt some deep writer people put her out to be. Acotar is literally like a wattpad book- I HAD TO SAY IT. The thing with gwyn is definitely everyones hatred for elain. Gwynriel is fanon idc. It was all about Elucien or Elriel until gwynriels decided to come in out of nowhere to be relevant. Its so ridiculous. Wouldn't feel bad if Gwynriel is never mentioned in the next book. They did it to themselves.

lmfao this. I personally feel as though Sjm isn’t a deep writer. She is just able to write certain scenes in an emotional, heart felt way which is why her books have resonated with many readers. Her books are simple, they follow patterns/parallels and she 9/10 she opts out for the easy option.

the love triangle in acotar was so “shocking” to some yet it was the most basic, straightforward “plottwist”. Looking at triologies - they all follow the same pattern of having a Li switch. And when I look back on acosf - I feel like Mass isnt going for shock factor anymore because she knows her books will sell regardless. Her books have become easy and predictable, which isn’t necessarily bad. It allows her to focus and expand on other areas.

The ACOTAR series has to have the most blatantly obvious foreshadowing a series can possibly have. People are overthinking way too much and creating all these vast theories and plottwists that are never going to see the light of day.

We’ve had Feyres and Nestas stories -> Elain is next.

Elains book could potentially have Lucien or Az as a LI. That is the love triangle. There is no Gwyn. We have 3 sisters, conveniently there are 3 brothers - each match beautifully therefore they will end up together. It is that simple. Mass wrote it out as plain as day. “Why not make them mates?” - logically no author writes that if those two characters dont end up then being mates. Gwynriel became so popular due to Elain hate. Gwynriel IS fanon as no one within the books pair Gwyn and Az together, the love triangle will always be between elu/ien and elriels, Gwynriel is irrelevant. Since Gwynriel wasnt mentioned in acosf, its safe to assume they wont be mentioned in acotar 5.

[struggling-jpg]

Some Things About Ma Feima (Yanqing) I Learned

And it matters to HSR Yanqing only because some people have had what they heard about Ma Feima affect their views of him even though it really SHOULDN'T imo.

The underlying point I'm trying to get at is that when we hear about parts of a story or characters we aren't familiar with, it'd be fairer to at least try to look into it more before making final judgments, especially if we only hear see memes and short summaries from a person over the internet.

If you're also interested in this topic then this will be very long, so thank you for bearing with me.

And if not, especially because you don't care or don't want to read about 7S/HI3 Yanqing then that's also fair, Ma Feima and Yanqing are different characters, and I hope you have a good day!

(NOTE: CW for the mention/discussion of a notable age gap between characters in the story. There are details surrounding that but I'd rather place this here for convenience. Look out for yourselves and stay safe!)

It's wild how many different versions of what happened in the Seven Swords visual novel, which is understandable due to its lack of official translation + not being complete (as far as I know? I am open to corrections overall). But the amount of details that go missing or are incorrect is notably large and I find this situation interesting. As mentioned, anyone who knows better (content, translation-wise, etc.), please correct me on anything if needed.

I will use some screenshots from the videos that translated the available chapters (1-2 and part of the beginning/prologue of 3, I believe). The translations are not entirely accurate so heck, I might be wrong on stuff too.

From personal experience, there were two things I heard about Ma Feima from HI3 players:

He killed his master, Fu Hua.

He cheated on his wife.

Legit, the first time I encountered these points, it was as simple as that. And I took it at face value because it understandably takes effort to look into this stuff and a lot of players from HI3 were saying it. But over time, curiosity got to me and I wanted to see the context surrounding it, and here's what I found.

However, here are some things to know about Seven Swords and Fu Hua's disciples:

The Seven in order are: Lin Zhaoyu, Su Mei, Jiang Wanxi, Jiang Wanru, Cheng Lingshuang, Ma Feima, and Qin Suyi

The present of the VN is set in 1496 while the assassination of Fu Hua was twenty years prior in 1476.

Ma Feima, despite being the 6th disciple, is the youngest.

Ma Feima's original name was Yanqing but changed it to Feima when he got older.

Qin Suyi, the 7th disciple, is Sushang's mother in both HI3 and HSR.

Lin Zhaoyu, the 1st disciple, and Ma Feima are married.

Onto the points:

He killed his master, Fu Hua.

Yes, he was involved but some attribute the plan to him. BUT he wasn't. The person who formed this plan was Su Mei, the 2nd disciple.

Supposedly, all seven disciples participated though most, if not all of them, were reluctant to do so.

They were all bothered by Fu Hua's, effective but cruel way of dealing with Honkai-infected people (She would wipe out whole villages if even ONE person was infected).

The last straw for the disciples was when Jiang Wanru, the 4th disciple, got infected.

It was in that battle that Ma Feima got the scar on his face.

Also to note, Cheng Lingshuang, the 5th disciple, was the one to get the last hit on Fu Hua.

This is a straightforward point, a lot of people know this stuff, and is probably the point that's more elaborated on. But I still wanted to mention it because, oftentimes, a lot of the credit for the plan, and sometimes the last hit is given to Ma Feima. It erases the actions of other pretty interesting characters and is simply incorrect.

Onto the second point, because this is where things get really interesting and a lot is going on.

2. Ma Feima cheated on his wife.

This has given the idea that he had an affair, cheating on his wife, Lin Zhaoyu

No, he didn't.

It is true that he was in love with Su Mei but she never loved him back and was very clear about it so in a literal-traditional sense, he didn't have an affair.

Emotionally, yeah.

It seems that he had been attached to her since he was a child.

Lin Zhaoyu seems to have always been aware of that and still pursued to marry him.

BIG NOTE: This is where I'm going to cover the age gap stuff.

One thing that I have rarely seen anyone mention is the large gap between Lin Zhaoyu and Ma Feima in age.

It's said that Lin Zhaoyu is 15 years older than Su Mei.

Supposedly, Qin Suyi was around eight years old when Fu Hua found her.

Remember, Ma Feima is the youngest of the disciples.

I wouldn't have harped as hard about the age gap if they met/didn't know each other in Ma Feima's childhood, but the disciples technically grew up together so I found it to be questionable.

For reference:

In order, that's Lin Zhaoyu, Su Mei, and Ma Feima when they were younger.

At minimum and based on all the searching and math, at minimum, Su Mei would be thirteen there, and by the 15-year age gap, Zhaoyu would have been 28 years old.

Now, based on the writing, Zhaoyu and Feima most likely got married in the twenty years between the assassination of Fu Hua and the present of Seven Swords.

The youngest Feima would've been at the assassination was seventeen years old at that point.

For the present of the story, Zhaoyu, and Su Mei are 56 years old and 41 years old respectively. Feima is likely in his thirties.

Like I said, I'm making a big point to this because, like, what the heck. That's MAJORLY concerning even if you tried to reason your way around it. Besides any potential "normal in the era" type stuff and that they got married when they were both adults, it's still a huge yikes, isn't it? Also, I've seen barely anyone mention that, and the ones I did see it from, it was when I was looking into the visual novel.

It's mostly because Yanqing is the one in HSR, he's the character that gets the most eyes. And when people only know him as a "master-killing wife cheater" without any of the context surrounding it, it's a huge shame, albeit fair if people don't want to actively look into it themselves. But because a notable chunk of players have let those perceptions have weight over an unrelated by anything but appearance, old name, and the parallel of (potentially) killing a master.

The circumstances surrounding the two are very different.

HSR Yanqing has Jing Yuan to raise and guide him safely through his early life. He's still very young and while stubborn, has a good head on his shoulders, and has a lot of potential to grow into someone strong and stable.

7S/HI3 Ma Feima on the other hand, is shown to have grown very differently from his younger self.

He is far from enjoying life, and don't get me wrong, he isn't completely innocent.

But he's completely aware and is miserable.

There's a lot more I could cover in terms of Ma Feima, his circumstances, and the things about the characters around them, but my brain is so fried lol. All-in-all, his story alongside the seven, is very...complicated.

My main thing is that, hey, maybe we should be a bit more vigilant when we learn things about characters. Beyond fiction, misinformation spreads very easily because we, understandably, take things at face value. In terms of media literacy, we see it time and time again when characters get reduced to a singular trait or a ship or get heavily misunderstood by the audience because a simplified summary will never do the context justice.

[pandaofsecrets]

Reworking ML's Power System

Now that I've ranted about all the ways I think the Miraculous don't make sense, it's only fair I tell you what I would've done instead.

My goal here is for each Miraculous to have its own distinct identity and a broad range of powers all built around the same theme, and to have as little overlap with the others as possible. That way we don't have to bring in a new character for every single power under the sun. Each Miraculous would also then have a lot of ways to interact with its user's character development, something I feel was sorely lacking from the actual show.

The Forces of Magic

I know what I said in the last one about how I like the idea of the Miraculous being based on abstract concepts, but the kwami actually being embodiments of said abstract concepts in universe doesn't really make a lot of sense from a worldbuilding perspective. I mean, the kwami don't really make sense from a worldbuilding perspective in a lot of ways, but that's a story for another time.

So, instead, the kwami are conduits of the primordial magic that holds the universe in balance; think the Cosmic Forces from World of Warcraft and you're basically on the right track. In this world, there's eight Fundamental Forces of magic, organized into four equal and opposite pairs: Reality (Creation/Destruction), Structure (Subjection/Transmission), Information (Illusion/Vision), and Substance (Protection/Evolution).

Ladybug

The Ladybug is the Miraculous of Creation, and is basically a combination of the canon Ladybug, Goat, Peacock, and Dragon. Kiiiinda.

The Ladybug's most basic power is to create an inanimate object. The user can either call for their power and get something random (actually random, not "seems random but turns out to be the exact object needed to win"), or they can create something specific, like Adrien did with his Lucky Charm in Reflekdoll. From there, the user learns to create things that are a little more abstract, like flames, bursts of lightning, or gales of wind, and finally living beings—usually barely sentient minions with a single, simple goal. Unlike with the canon Peacock Miraculous though, the creature's life isn't tied to an object, and there's no convenient way for the user to control or dispel their creation. They have to rely on the Miraculous that actually have the power to do that, the Bee and Black Cat respectively. The most talented Ladybug wielders can create beings so complex as to be indistinguishable from humans, but only a scarce few of those are born in any generation. Marinette is one of them, unsurprisingly.

The Ladybug works most effectively in the hands of someone who is brave and has a lot of trust in themselves, and will backfire if the user second-guesses what they're doing. The logic here is that perfect is the enemy of done.

Cat

The Cat grants the power of Destruction, and is used to well, destroy stuff. Very straightforward, I know. Jokes aside, the Black Cat can destroy literally anything, both concrete and abstract. It can bring solid objects to rubble, disrupt and cancel magical abilities, break magical bonds, and even do things like erasing memories from the minds of others. (Thanks for canonizing that last one, S6!) This makes it a very powerful tool and, together with the Turtle, a check against the power of all the other Miraculous.

The Cat's powers are fueled by negative emotion, especially hatred. For the user to destroy something, they must well and truly want it gone.

Alongside the Ladybug, the Cat forms the Reality pair, which when used in tandem can reshape the universe.

Bee

With this one I'm using the more conventional meaning of the word "subjection". To put it simply, the Bee gives its user the power to control anything. This manifests in telekinesis, in bestowing matter with instruction such that for example a weapon can only be wielded by a chosen master, and finally in controlling the minds of animals and other people.

This Miraculous works most readily in the hands of those who value order and act for the good of others, and will go haywire if the user acts selfishly and tries to upset the balance of the world for personal gain. If the other forces of magic don't particularly care about moral alignment, Subjection has to: rules must apply equally to everyone if they are to mean anything. On the flipside, the Bee Miraculous can end up empowering extreme zealotry, and the user must never fall into the trap of becoming a pitiless crusader who viciously hunts down the nonbelievers.

Butterfly

This one would see one of the most radical changes, incorporating the abilities of the canon Butterfly, Horse, Rabbit, and Dog.

The equal and opposite of the Bee, the Butterfly is the Miraculous of Transmission, and governs change and movement in all its forms: of matter, of ideas, of emotions, of state, of magic, and of time.

The most straightforward of these is the movement of matter. The user can open portals to teleport themselves or other people, and can also teleport objects away from someone else.

Next up there's the movement of ideas and emotions. Butterfly users can feel and influence the emotional state of others, read their thoughts, and communicate telepathically.

Then there's the change of state and of magic, which is only available to advanced users. This manifests in transmutation of objects and shapeshifting, and in turning the emotions and internal motivations of other people into magical power (akumatization). Unlike the Miraculous, akumatization can only give one power at a time, and the user has little control over what the power is going to be, so they have to choose who to transform very carefully.

Finally we have movement in time, but like with the Ladybug's ability to create life, only a scarce few who can actually use it are born in any generation. I like to think this is because while time travel sounds straightforward, few people can actually conceptualize it and just end up moving in space instead.

The Butterfly works best when the user frees themselves of mental barriers. Unfortunately, this makes it prone to falling into the hands of people who have no scruples and for whom the rules are just suggestions.

Fox

The Miraculous of Illusion, this is another straightforward one, giving the user the ability to fool the minds and senses of others. Aside from vanilla illusions, it also has the power to make someone else believe anything the Fox user says is true, as well as induce hallucinations of all kinds. It can also conceal things, such as allowing the user to become invisible.

For this power to work, the user needs to trust it completely, and get into a mindset where they truly believe their own lie. If they acknowledge at any point that it's not real, the illusion breaks down.

Peacock

With its canon concept going to the Butterfly and its abilities to the Ladybug, this is essentially a new one altogether, and I'm going with the power I initially thought it was going to have.

The equal and opposite of the Fox, the Peacock has the power of Observation. Whoever uses it can see into both the future and the past, find the answer to any question, remotely observe and track other people, be a living lie detector, and see through any illusion, including the glamour that conceals Miraculous users' identities.

The Peacock works best if the user keeps an open mind. If they go in thinking they already know the answer or expecting to see something, their powers will fail.

Together with the Fox, the Peacock forms the Information pair. Whoever has access to both is a one-person Ministry of Truth—while this pair can't actually change reality like the Ladybug and Cat can, it can change how reality is perceived.

Turtle

The Turtle is the Miraculous of Protection, and is the immovable object to everyone else's unstoppable force. In its most basic form, the Turtle's power creates a shield that protects someone from a physical threat. With time and experience, a Turtle user can make themselves and others invulnerable, imbue objects with durability, deplete objects of their momentum, and prevent others from entering a space or taking a certain action.

The Turtle's powers are fueled by the user's will. The logic is that the ability to protect something comes from how much the user wants to cling on to that thing.

Crane

I considered two animals for this one, the crane and the rabbit, but I eventually chose the crane, for two reasons. One, in Asian cultures the crane and the turtle are both associated with longevity; there's a saying in Japanese that goes something like "the crane lives for a hundred years, and the turtle for a thousand". This makes the crane a great choice for a counterpart to the Turtle. Two, Kagami's last name contains the Japanese word for crane, "tsuru". Okay, the second one is not that important, I just thought it was a fun Easter egg.

Anyway, this is the Miraculous of Evolution, and it has the power I feel should've gone to the canon Rooster: upgrading the user's already existing abilities and that of other people, including other Miraculous users. This also manifests into minor healing and restoration abilities, but this is far from the reset button the Ladybug and Cat would provide. For one, the Crane's ability is much more localized. For another thing, the Miracle Cure brings something back exactly the way it was, while the Crane brings something to its optimal state.

The Crane's abilities are fueled by the power of love. Aww.

Unifications

When used together, two Miraculous (or three, or four, or five...) can unlock a new range of powers that is a combination of their existing domains. This can be done by wearing both Miraculous like in canon, or more simply by combining one's power with that of another wielder. The second option is considered the preferable way to unify—for one person to wear multiple Miraculous would require a good spiritual balance that most people don't have. Those who unify still have to be in sync with each other, though, otherwise the unification might either not work, backfire, harm the wielder, or damage one or both Miraculous. I like to think this is how the Peacock would come to be broken.

Some common unifications include:

the Ladybug and the Cat, which re-shape reality;

the Ladybug and the Turtle, which creates an object that has the power to protect whoever wears it from certain types of magic (basically, the canon anti-akuma charms);

the Ladybug and the Butterfly, which creates a physical manifestation, usually an object, of the emotions of whoever it's used on (the canon Pig Miraculous, kinda);

the Ladybug and the Bee, which creates a non-sentient minion that the users can command (the canon sentimonsters, kinda);

the Ladybug and the Crane, which creates an object guaranteed to solve whatever problem the wielders are currently having (the canon Lucky Charm);

the Butterfly and the Turtle, which creates a time loop (the canon Second Chance);

the Butterfly and the Peacock, which gives the user(s) the ability of astral projection;

the Cat and the Butterfly, which opens a portal that disintegrates everything falling into it;

The Miracle Box

Unlike in canon, the Miracle Box is a magical object in and of itself. It's bound to the Guardian, who essentially has admin powers over the box and all the Miraculous inside, and can: locate Miraculous (Observation), summon Miraculous and the Miracle Box to their location (Transmission), prevent certain people from using the Miraculous or opening the Miracle Box (Protection), assign Miraculous to specific people so that only they can activate it, and making sure that the Miracle Box can only open by their or their chosen successor's hand (Subjection), repair damaged Miraculous (Evolution), and even sever the bond between a rogue wielder and their Miraculous (Destruction).

Alas, Fu never had access to these powers. For security reasons, the ceremony that binds the Box to a new Guardian can only be performed by the current Guardian or, in the absence of one, by all off the eight kwami. With the previous Guardian dead and Nooroo lost, there was simply no way to give Fu the Guardianship. As Guardian-in-training he was allowed to open the box and give out Miraculous, but nothing more than that.

[ronearoundblindly]

Can I get a U for Mr. Ransom Drysdale? 👀

From this ask game and no particular version of him I've written. Just general headcanon. Also, pretty straightforward in terms of it's not very dirty to explain...

U - Underwear

Boxer briefs, hands down. Simple, stretchy, convenient, and comfy. They must, however, have the designer label on the waistband. Absolute MUST, I tell ya.

I'd say he doesn't care about the quality, but that's not totally it? He does not care how long each pair of underwear last, even if he paid like $100 a pop. Did they have the designer name or logo or design where someone could see it if he lifted his arms enough? Then great, here's his credit card. He'll take ten.

Thank you for asking!

oh, OH, OH! I reread the prompt and forgot to add what sort of underwear he'd like on someone else!! JK that bit will go under the cut... [short]

He likes the idea/look of lace but finds it fiddly. Ran doesn't want to have to be delicate with it. He likes straps on things so he can pull and maneuver you around. No preference as to leather or satin or whatever, just straps.

Biiiiiig fan of the crotchless lingerie, that guy. Easy access and he's not concerned with never seeing it again because he ripped something.

Also doesn't enjoy the mouth-feel of lace. He's okay with lace in pictures or outer garments/layers, but he doesn't want to feel like he's flossing when his mouth is on your nipples...or...you know...

One of those photoshoots? The ones where you're in a lot of different lingerie and looking like a pinup? Yeah, throw all the lace you want in there. Just make sure the photographer gives you the negatives or deletes HER copies, because it will be a 'her' or you're not doing it.

[Main Masterlist; The Root of All Ransom Masterlist; Ko-Fi]

Did I...Did I just manage to write something about Ransom without using a single f-bomb????

Call the squad, gang. Ro ded.