#and now I can do it here and it's so refreshing

[verstappenverse]

Pairing: Camgirl!Reader x Obsessed!Max

Authors Note: NSFW still working on the details for the upcoming fic but having fun with the concept. Let me know what you think or send any additional ideas 😉

Max can’t remember how he found your page—maybe it was a suggested post on Instagram, or maybe some random link caught his attention. It doesn’t matter how it started, what matters is that now he’s addicted.

At first it's just curiosity, he wasn’t the type to watch cam streams or really spend any time on adult content, but something about you was different. You weren’t like the over-the-top, hyper-curated content he’d expect from this kind of thing. You were sweet, soft-spoken, almost shy in the way you interacted with the camera. And Max sitting alone in his Monaco penthouse couldn’t look away.

He tells himself it’s just a passing distraction, a way to unwind, but then he starts getting… attached. His obsession grows quietly at first. He subscribes to your page, buys your exclusive content, and sets notifications for your streams. It doesn’t matter if he’s at a racetrack, a sponsor event, or a hotel halfway across the world - when you post about your next stream, he checks the time difference and tries to plan his schedule around it.

The first time someone else drops a high tip and you thank them by name, Max feels it. That sharp, irrational sting of jealousy. He knows it’s stupid, he’s one of thousands of viewers, but the way you smile for them? It makes him want to punch a wall. So he does the only thing that makes sense - he outbids them.

When you say his username in that soft, teasing tone and add “Thank you so much, you’re incredible!”—it’s like a shot of adrenaline straight to his chest.

It starts small a few high donations here and there, but soon enough he finds himself spending more of his income on you than he’d ever care to admit. From there it spirals, he’s tipping more, requesting more, even messaging you privately. You respond graciously of course, you always do, but Max convinces himself that your replies to him are different. More personal.

Custom videos, private streams - whatever gets him a little closer to feeling like he’s the only one you’re looking at. He tells himself it’s harmless. He can afford it after all.

It doesn’t take long before his obsession starts creeping into the rest of his life. Between races, he’s refreshing your page to see if you’ve posted. During long-haul flights, he’s watching your videos on repeat. Even at the paddock while his team is running simulations or tweaking the car setup he catches himself checking for notifications.

There are nights he barely sleeps staying up to catch you live, even if he has an early training session the next day. Between races he’ll watch your older streams on repeat, memorising the way you speak, the way you smile. Max knows he’s in too deep, but he can’t stop. He doesn’t want to stop.

His spending ramps up. When someone else tries to steal the spotlight in your chat, he doesn’t just outbid them—he obliterates them. He’s dropping tips that make everyone else look like amateurs, just to keep your attention squarely on him. And it works. His messages get bolder and more desperate too.

I can’t stop thinking about how good you’d look in my bed.

It’s torture watching you touch yourself, knowing I could make you feel so much better.

Tell me I’m your favourite, just once.

You should be sitting on my lap right now instead of talking to them.

Do you know how hard it is to sit here and watch you, knowing I can’t touch you?

The things I’d do to you if you were mine… you wouldn’t be able to walk the next day. Your lips part in surprise at that one, and you quickly cover your flustered reaction with a laugh. “Well, that’s… quite the statement,” you say, trying to keep your voice steady. I never make promises I can’t keep.

But it’s not enough.

The idea of being just another fan starts to gnaw at him. Max Verstappen isn’t “just another” anything. But Max is nothing if not competitive, and the idea of being just another fan doesn’t sit well with him for long. He’s used to winning, to being first, to having the best. He wants to be the one you think about when the stream ends.

He wants to know you in ways the others never could. Where you live, what you liked to do when the camera was off, whether anyone in your life treated you as well as you deserved.

What would it take for me to get your attention?

And when you reply, laughing softly, “You’ve already got it,” it’s game over for him.

Max is playing a dangerous game. Balancing his life as one of the most recognisable athletes in the world with his growing obsession for someone who doesn’t even know who he really is. But that’s the thing about Max - when he wants something he gets it. And right now, there’s nothing in the world he wants more than you.

[watarfallar]

Incorrect quotes because they're funny

Scar: You have an impressive pain tolerance. Grian: Thanks, it's the trauma.

Scar: Where are you going? Grian: To either get ice cream or commit a felony. I'll decide on the way.

Grian: Scar, no. Scar: Scar, yes.

Scar: Do I least have a chance to explain myself? Grian: This is America, so nope! Scar: This isn't America, this is OHIO!

Scar: How do ethical philosophers feel about murder? Grian: Well, it’s frowned upon. Scar: Okay, but what if the reason you want to murder someone is to make your life easier? Scar: That’s okay, right?

Scar: Grian, this morning, I called you abhorrent and reprehensible, and I’d like to withdraw that statement- Grian: Aww, thanks- Scar: But I can't. Those are the 2 words that best describe you.

Grian: Remain CALM! slaps Scar multiple times

Scar: My head hurts. Grian: That’s your brain trying to comprehend its own stupidity.

Grian, in the hospital: Will you visit me when I get out? Scar: Lol nah, I hate graveyards.

Grian: Would anyone know any good vendors for professional-quality brass knuckles? Scar: I know you’re serious, but you say the scariest shit sometimes.

Grian: Can I have your number? Scar, visible texting: I don't have a phone.

Scar: I wanna sleep for 40 hours. Grian: You know that's called a coma, right? Scar: Scar: That sounds so refreshing, I could totally go for a light coma right now.

Grian: You are, of course, wondering why it is I have brought you here tonight. Scar: Actually, Grian, after all these years, I just sort of go with it.

Grian: Try not to roll your eyes at me. Scar: I don't have pupils.

Grian: Hey. Scar: pissed off You… complete …ASS, Grian! You show up here after WEEKS, and you say “hey”?!

Scar: I love hearing Grian shouting at someone else. It makes such a nice change.

Scar: Any idiot would know that. Grian: I knew that! Scar: See?

Grian: I know this isn’t going to end well and I don’t care. So don’t you try and stop me, Scar! Scar: I wasn’t stopping you. I was asking if you had a spare camera so I can record this.

Grian, looking at their reflection: Now, that's rubbish. Who's that supposed to be? Scar: Well, that's you. Grian: Me?! Is that what I look like? Scar: You don't know? Grian: Busy day.

Scar: hiding something in their coat I think we should adopt another kid! Grian: No. Scar: Why not? Grian: Because when you say “kid”, you mean “cat”, and we already have fifteen of those. Scar: unzips coat Sixteen.

Grian: Breaking News, Scar has disappointed us.

Grian: You are an absolute fucking dork. Scar, singing: Yeah, but I'm your dork! Grian: sighs Yeah, you're my dork.

Scar: You know how some people consider “may you have an interesting life” to be a curse? Grian: Yes…? Scar: Fuck those people. Wanna have an adventure?

Scar: I think I should be allowed on ghost hunter tv shows. Grian: I think that would be dangerous for the ghosts.

Scar: Okay, two person huddle. Grian: You can't huddle with two people. This is just a hug.

Grian: I couldn't do this without you, Scar. Scar: Sure you could. Not as stylishly, of course.

Grian: CHARACTER. FLAWS. ARE. FUCKING. IMPORTANT. Scar: Me when someone tells me to stop eating mayo packets like they’re gogurt tubes.

Grian: What's gone wrong, Scar? Scar: Hey! That’s one hell of a thing to say to a person. Just because I’m calling doesn’t mean there’s a crisis. Grian: That’s technically true, I suppose. Why are you calling? Scar: Well… There’s a crisis.

Grian: I know one person who finds me funny! Scar: Okay, who?… and you can't say yourself! Grian: Okay then I'm out.

Grian: Did you ever have like a pet run away and find it or anything? Scar: I had a lizard that I burnt.

[valleyofthedolls777]

shifting to study

Stress, burnout, and lack of motivation is something all students experience—but what if there was a way to escape those barriers and create a reality where studying feels effortless, productive, and even enjoyable?

Here's a guide to script the perfect study spot, a safe haven to stay for as long as you need, until you're ready to come back and ace your exams.

1. The study spot

The first step is deciding where you'll do all the studying. Let your imagination run wild.

Here's some ideas:

A beautiful 18th century library with towering wooden bookshelves, ornate carvings, and sliding ladders

A room right in front of the sea. The sound of waves and the fresh sea breeze make studying calm and refreshing.

A cozy study room in the fall. A crackling fireplace, soft blankets, and a desk with tea and notebooks set the mood.

A study in a castle tower with high ceilings, stone walls, and a desk by a tall window overlooking forests. The space feels timeless and inspiring.

A clean, modern study area in a university with organized desks, bright skylights, and the quiet buzz of productivity. Everything is tidy and efficient.

11. Study partners

Now, you might need someone to hold you accountable whilst studying.

You can script your comfort character, your s/o, or even create your own study group filled with supportive students who are all working together toward the same goal. Make sure to include that everyone is focused on collaboration, not competition, helping each other achieve the best grades possible.

You could also script your favorite study icons—like Rory Gilmore, Spencer Hastings, Elle Woods, or Hermione Granger—joining you. They can motivate you, share tips, and help you master tricky concepts with their unique expertise.

If you prefer one-on-one guidance, you can even imagine having a private teacher who patiently explains every topic until you fully understand it.

III. Extras

Finally, here's some more things you can script for tje ultimate study experience.

All the stationary and materials you could wish for

A fridge with any drinks and snacks you might want

A giant whiteboard for blurting and active recall

A window that changes the weather/ambience outside whenever you want

A high quality speaker to play calm music or white noise

Books, a computer, an ipad...

Comfortable but cute outfits

A candle that can change it's scent accordingly to your wishes

I haven't seen anyone do this before, so tell me if it's helpful and if you have any questions :)

- doll 💗

[pearllovesgold]

S o l S o u l C h a l l e n g e

Have you ever wanted to switch it up from typical family gameplay but still want to feel the coziness and don't know where to start? Then this challenge is for you! Welcome to the DINK Lifestyle - ie dual income, no kids.

The main idea of this challenge is to play the life of a sim/sim couple that has no kids! Sometimes it can be refreshing to approach the sims from a new perspective, and in a world of sims challenges that surround having and raising kids, I thought it would be fun to have one where the whole thing is having a fulfilling life/game without kids. Especially now that with Life and Death, your game doesn’t have to end just because the main household died, why not focus on something other than kids?

you'll need all packs to be able to do this challenge.

rules: no money cheats! you can, however, cheat your sim to have a max of level 5 skill levels for 5 skills of your choice. (for example, you can cheat your sims to have lvl 5 baking, lvl 5 flower arranging, lvl 3 gardening, lvl 4 photography, and lvl 2 handiness). this is optional, but will be beneficial to give you better choices for degrees relative to your sims traits/story! Long lifespan not required but highly recommended.

speaking of, your sim can have any aspiration, traits, and likes/dislikes you want! choose to your hearts content! this challenge is more about shifting how you play vs the kind of sim you want. that said, obviously, you'll want to avoid family-based traits and aspirations.

finally, NO KIDS! you can play this challenge as loose or as strict as you'd like, however, the one main rule is NO KIDS! You can play this either as your sim not wanting kids and/or (by using the custom gender settings in CAS) they can be infertile.

alright, here we go~

Young Adult

you, whether by choice or by nature (i.e., infertility), are not going to have kids. oh well, that doesn't mean your life is over! you can still have a cozy, comfortable, and romantic life without kids! so let's set you up for success! ♡

you can move into any of these worlds to start your household: willow creek, oasis springs, tartosa, mt komorebi, sulani, chestnut ridge, henford-on-bagley, brindleton bay, or windenburg. You must start as only one sim, no pets. move into a small lot (20x20 or 20x15 or you can move into a 1bd or studio in a rental lot if you have For Rent and place a rental lot in your selected world).

apply to university, choose any degree of interest but only take 3 courses at a time (no electives).

move into the university housing

join one university organization

make three friends, one must be college best friend (take lots of photos of your friends!)

have a college partner, break up before graduation.

"move" back into the world you set your sim up in.

before getting a job, 'find' yourself by taking a 7 day vacation in any of these worlds (obviously, not the one you live in, though): granite falls, sulani, mt komorebi, tomarang, henford-on-bagley, or tartosa.

have a short, romantic fling with a local during the vacation. end it on the last day.

return home and get a job related to your degree! Congratulations!

adopt a pet of your choice with your bonus money.

make 3 friends with locals! (you can make some!)

make a local best friend! (again, can be premade!)

make two clubs! one for your college friends and one for your local friends! meet up to connect whenever you want at your sims' favorite local spot!

earn silver doing a social event of your choice with your local and college friends!

go on a 3-day vacation with your local friends to any of these worlds (unless you live there and/or been there before): granite falls, sulani, mt komorebi, tomarang, selvadorado, san myshuno, or windenburg.

it's time to focus on your health! start up on the wellness skill, whether it be through yoga, meditation, or both, is up to you!

make a third (and final) club for your coworkers and make friends with at least two coworkers!

go on 3 dates with 3 different sims

go on a date with a 4th sim, go on 3 dates with that 4th sim before asking to be in an exclusive relationship. (note: if after the 2nd date the sim autonomously asks to be in a relationship with your sim, you can say yes!)

get engaged (wait a min of an in-game week)!

throw an engagement party!

vacation with your fiance in any of these worlds (unless you live there and/or been there before): granite falls, sulani, mt komorebi, tomarang, henford-on-bagley, or tartosa.

Adult

you have a hobby, a degree, a career, friends, and even a true love! congratulations, but your life still isn't over! you've got so much more to do and see! the world is your oyster! ♡

have a small wedding or elope and have a dinner party with friends after!

go on a honeymoon in any of these worlds (unless you live there and/or been there before): granite falls, sulani, mt komorebi, tomarang, henford-on-bagley, selvadorado or tartosa.

adopt a second pet of your choice!

move into a larger home! (a 30x20 lot up to a 40x30 lot)

quit your job!

go back to college and earn a second degree of your choice, take 3 mandatory classes + one elective for every term! remain living in your home, though! (commuting is not that bad anyway!)

start a bucket list! complete it as you go along on your own time, but scrap anything that has to do with having kids!

pick up writing as a hobby! max it and write two best-selling books of the genre of your choice! sell one to a publisher (available at level 5) and another to a literary digest (available at level 9)!

vacation with your spouse in any of these worlds (unless you live there and/or been there before): granite falls, sulani, mt komorebi, tomarang, henford-on-bagley, san myshuno, selvadorado, or tartosa.

Pick up a new hobby of your choice! You've got all the time in the world, now!

open your own retail store, vet clinic, or restaurant in your home world/town. when you have enough employees to be able to run the place when you're not on the lot, you can get a new job using either of your degrees!

max your positive reputation! once it's been maxed, host a charity event for your community (theme it however you want!)

Elder

you’ve had a very fulfilling life, but it’s not over quite yet! these are your golden years, after all. let’s make them memorable. ♡

if you've reached the peak of your career, retire! you've worked so hard and did a great job!

host a retirement party with your friends and coworkers! (can be any type of party you’d like - house party, dinner party, bbq, kava party, even a charity event! however you feel your sim would kick off their retirement)

have a small wedding event for a vow renewal with just your closest friends!

go on two separate vacations wherever (and whenever) you want!

write and publish an autobiography! you've done so much in your life, and the world should know!

start up a wellness club for elders! it can be hard to put yourself out there as you grow older, so lets get some initiative and get healthy!

if you haven’t already, complete your soul journey and bucket list!

death has arrived. but it’s not the end. after living a long, fulfilling life it’s time to be reborn.

[stellaepluviae]

Grudge Against the Heavens

("Mai. I'm terrified."

"I'm terrified of losing you."

In which a man driven by his love decides to wage war against heaven.

Translation of Ch. 6 Premium Story | Mitsuhide Sequel) ↓

‼️reblogs are welcome! / please do not repost elsewhere or take my translations as your own (i'll cry TT)‼️

Mitsuhide: "That lie I told you earlier....."

"To me, everything is more bitter than poison."

Mai: (Mitsuhide.....)

Mitsuhide's arms reach for me. Leaning closer, the bell rings softly.

The next moment—

Mitsuhide: ".....!"

The hand that nearly touched me slipped through my shoulder, swimming through the air.

Mai: (My form has nearly disappeared completely.)

"Mitsuhide, I'm here.....!"

Mitsuhide: "Ah, I can hear you."

"Your voice—it's the one thing I will never fail to notice."

His powerful murmur sounded like a prayer.

"Come closer. I wish to hold you."

Mai: " But....."

Mitsuhide: "Come here."

Mai: "Ah....."

Mitsuhide holds my fading body in his arms.

(I knew it; we can't touch each other at all.)

(But I can feel it.....a small bit of warmth.)

Craving the feeling of his body heat, I sharpen my senses hoping to feel more of it on my skin.

Mitsuhide: "To tell the truth, I knew this night would be a losing battle."

Mai: "Huh?"

Mitsuhide: "I knew you would see through my lie."

A refreshing smile stretches across Mitsuhide's face.

"Although I've lived a life of lies, it seems my love for you is the only thing I can't fake."

Mai: (If that's so, then why.....?)

".....Why would you lie to me like that?"

Mitsuhide: "I left the Oda forces to do what I had to do."

"I discovered that someone holds the key to curing your condition."

Mai: "What!?"

(My affliction can be cured!?)

Mitsuhide: "It's possible, however, the procedure we must go through is quite complicated."

"So to that end, I've decided to devote all my time to it."

"Azuchi is now in danger. I've prioritized my feelings over my duties and have become unfit to lead."

"I'm leaving Azuchi, saving you, and starting anew in another place."

Mai: (So he's abandoning his duty as a commander in the Oda forces—)

"Then I'll come with you!"

Mitsuhide: "I won't allow that. With the amount of rebellions occurring in the area, nowhere is safe."

"If we become separated while you suffer from your condition, we risk not seeing each other ever again."

Mai: (T-That may be true, but.....!)

Mitsuhide: "If you knew I was leaving the Oda forces for your sake, you would only blame yourself."

"Which is why I thought to leave you behind, even if my reason was a lie."

"If I can't come back to you, you will forget me someday and live a new life."

Mitsuhide's palm traces the fading outline of my cheek.

Mai: (I want to hold on to you. I want to say 'don't go'.)

(But Mitsuhide decided to leave for my sake.)

"I understand. I'll wait here."

Mitsuhide: ".....Ah, good answer."

He nodded, then narrowed his eyes and stared at her in silence.

Mai: "Is anything the matter?"

Mitsuhide: ".....I still surprise myself. I wasn't aware that such feelings remained inside me."

"Mai. I'm terrified."

"I'm terrified of losing you."

Mai: (Mitsuhide.....)

He wore a gentle smile, one so far removed from fear—

Even so, what he's conveyed to me are his true feelings.

"Mitsuhide, ever since I've met you, you've been the best part of my life."

"I want to touch you."

Mitsuhide: "I feel the same way."

It's terrifying to voice wishes that have little hope of coming true. Because our hearts anticipate the pain of the aftermath.

Still, I couldn't help but say it.

Mai: "I will always....."

"Wish to be with you, and laugh together without any fear."

"I refuse to disappear!"

Mitsuhide: "Mai....."

Mai: (Ah.....for the first time, I finally get it.)

Holding onto hope in the dark of night, with no end in sight, is excruciating. My thoughts drift to the life Mitsuhide has lived up to this point.

In this period where life is fleeting, achieving a peaceful world is a path of immense pain for those who continue to believe in it.

Mai: "It's hard holding onto hope. Perhaps, it's easier to give into despair."

Mitsuhide: "Perhaps, but you wouldn't do that."

Mai: "That's right. I'm your wife, after all.

"I think I understand your strength. You've fought all this time without giving into despair."

Mitsuhide: ".....I'm confronted by my own weaknesses."

"I can't control my fear of losing you, I can't tell the lies I have a knack for."

"I can't even hold the one I love in my arms."

Mai: "I believe that what makes a person strong is their ability to face what scares them."

Mitsuhide: "Goodness.....you are far too sweet to me."

Mai: (My words exactly.....)

What's important was said, that mattered the most and I decided to leave it at that. But no matter how much I think about it and try to will my body to move, my heart refuses to budge.

(While Mitsuhide has been looking for a way to cure me, I've done nothing but fret.)

(He's trying to help me even if it means leaving home.)

Mitsuhide: "My sweet Mai, I have one more request of you."

Mai: "Anything."

Mitsuhide: "I want to kiss you."

Mai: ".....That's not much of a request. I want that too."

He answers in a low voice, his thin lips forming an arch. We slowly bring our noses together—

Mitsuhide: ".....!"

Mai: (Mitsuhide?)

He frowned slightly, his eyes scanning his surroundings.

Mitsuhide: "Are you here, Mai?"

"Can you hear my voice?"

Mai: "Yes, I'm here. I can hear your voice."

Mitsuhide: ".....I see."

Mai: (My body.....has completely vanished.)

(At this rate my voice will reach him in fragments.)

The sound of the rainstorm envelops us as we are at a loss for words. The wind blowing through the gap in the window made the bell resting on my chest shake violently.

Ring—

A soft sound rings out, and Mitsuhide narrows his eyes.

Mitsuhide: "Mai, try lifting the bell."

Mai: "Lift it?"

As instructed, I picked the bell up with my fingers and brought it to the tip of my nose. Mitsuhide raises his index finger and approaches the bell.

Ring—

(He touched the bell?!)

Mitsuhide: "It seems this bell is what holds the bond between you and me together."

I held my breath and stared at the bell. This small lump the size of a fingernail felt like a lifeline.

Mitsuhide: "I'm glad you dropped this bell that time."

Through the bell, our fingertips overlap. We're touching, but we aren't.

"Mai, put the bell on your lips."

Mai: "Eh?"

Mitsuhide: "Let's try that kiss again."

Realizing what he meant, my ears started to burn.

(It's embarrassing, but.....)

(I still want to touch him.)

Listening to the beating of my own heart, I cleaned the bell with a towel and ate it gently with my lips. Mitsuhide's face came closer—

Mai: "Nn....."

His lips pressed against the bell. Feeling his moist breath, my heart clenched. Gently, Mitsuhide stroked the bell with the tip of his tongue. The bell rolled, tickling my tongue.

(I love you, Mitsuhide.)

Ring—

A light ring resonates, and the warmth of our bodies is shared with one another. My chest hurts so much it feels as if it's going to burst.

I'm sad. Lonely. Somehow, I can't help but feel happy.

(If by some chance, I can't be cured—)

(This will be our last kiss.)

Sweet words we exchanged in the past flashed through my mind.

.....

//Flashback Start//

Mai: "Our last kiss won't be until at least another fifty years!"

Mitsuhide: "When it's our hundred millionth kiss away from the end, can I beg you for it?"

Mai: ".....Sounds like a lot to plan for, don't you think?"

Mitsuhide: "A hundred million is merely an underestimation."

//Flashback End//

.....

Mai: (At the time, I never imagined something like this would happen.)

(I believed there was nothing to be afraid of.)

With the small bell as a source of comfort, the kiss deepens. One after another, tears spilled down my cheeks and melted on the tip of my tongue.

—How much time has passed?

When our lips finally parted, our eyes met. Our smiles came naturally.

(Even at times like these, what I feel the most.....is the happiness of being by your side.)

Mitsuhide: "To begin with, I don't believe in God or Buddha."

"I will never forgive the existence of someone who has inflicted such divine punishment on my beloved."

"I will save you from this. Without fail."

Mai: ".....I know you will."

Whispering to each other, we kiss again.

The sounds of the violent wind and rain no longer reached our ears.

[pistatsia]

Isagi Yoichi: problems with anger expression

Clickbait, right? One would think that what kind of anger expression problems could there be with a guy swearing on the field with war-crime level insults and joyfully bringing a child a few years younger to tears?

The kind where one derives from the the other.

Now, let's figure it out.

To do so, we'll have to go back to Isagi's novel (hoshi801_ translation is used for all of the quotes). From it, we know that Isagi grew up as a quiet and shy child. "He never gets into fights with his friends and never disobeys his teachers."

Nevertheless, it ended quite simply then - thanks to Noa, he learnt how to express his anger and negative feelings. Problem? Only on the football field. The novel says he "was fearless in running into his opponents, as if he had never been a crybaby." 

He was winning, and what he liked best about football - his football, Noa's football - was the beauty of Noa’s playstyle brutality. Because that's what made it an acceptable outlet for him - fighting with friends is bad, arguing with teachers is not allowed - but on the football pitch you are free. You can be angry. Football became his safe space.

Except that then Isagi entered the root of all his troubles - Ichinan.

Even before it, the novel mentioned and emphasised Isagi's inability to express himself. For a while, despite this, his plans worked: the coaches let him play the way he wanted, and he didn't have to come into direct conflict with them.

But that trick didn't work in Ichinan - the dream school suddenly turned out to be somehow strange, and Isagi felt that he wasn't allowed to fulfil his potential here.

But no one on the team was unsatisfied by the current system.

Even before the conversation with the coach where he was ridiculed Isagi had tried to test the waters. Specifically to test - he doesn't say anything outright in fear of being rejected. "Uhm, Tada-kun… don’t you think there’s something wrong with this?" he asks his club mate very cautiously, while in thoughts having more direct “Huh? Am I the only one who thinks that this is ridiculous?”. It's written out separately in the novel that "he watches the expression on Tada's face to see how he'll react" - Isagi already has problems. He's already learnt that he can be rejected if his opinion doesn't coincide with the majority - especially since the conversation wasn't taking place in 'football territory', where he was more or less able to talk straight. 

Having an opinion for Isagi means isolation.

But he still tries one last time - one that finally cracks him up, convincing him that the others know better and he just needs to be patient.

In the novel his friends are "Surprized, seeing the quiet and obedient Isagi talk to the coach" - again, he is used to keeping quiet and not risking. Still, he dares to - and is immediately ridiculed for allegedly trying to "show off". 

And this is what finally kills in him the will to resist. Because losing his friends and football is more terrifying for him than losing himself.

What does the novel says about Isagi after this episode? "He is afraid of being disliked for being assertive", "always timid", "compliant". "When his friends get excited, Isagi would say something like this: “Uh, yeah… me too”."

"He just goes with the flow."

Isagi agrees with Tada's taste in girls, agrees to eat what he doesn't want to, pleases in every way possible just so he won't be abandoned. He obeys the coach's strategy, and even on the field - the only thing that gave him joy and was a safe place for him - he ends up obeying the rules his surroundings have imposed on him.

He doesn't try to argue, he doesn't try to prove anything - he just chooses the safest path, the one where he doesn't do anything and doesn't fight, but he stays safe. Not abandoned.

What's the conclusion?

Isagi doesn't know how to express anger at all. He just hasn't learnt it because he hasn't tried it. And most importantly, doesn't know how to express it correctly.

Why is it necessary (and important) to know how to anger correctly in the first place? The point is that for the mentality anger is a kind of marker that lets us know when our interests are violated and our needs are not satisfied. Which by its presence helps us to build boundaries and achieve what we need. Anger is the power and energy to change an unpleasant world to suit us and achieve our goals.

But Isagi was shamed for showing negative emotions and for any attempt to express himself. He was shown non-verbally that any expression of self and attempt to argue, even just a different opinion would be received grudgingly, that you had to agree on everything, that if you tried to argue you would be rejected and not only that, you would lose the football.

And Isagi tamps down the anger inside himself - he no longer stands up for himself, and holds back the anger to the last, storing it up inside for years.

He develops a ban on anger.

And in general, not just anger - any negative emotion. He is unable to express even the despair of losing to Kira correctly; he tries to suppress it, to muffle it, the novel explicitly states that he attempts to lock it up inside, but in the end, having overflowed, this despair against his will burst out in a scream. Isagi suppresses all negative feelings in general. Aside from the crying part, this repressed anger is evident even in the first chapter, when he imagines the goalkeeper in tears from defeat, and dreams of crushing Kira. Without saying it out loud, though.

And in that 'against his will' lies the main problem of why exactly anger needs to be lived out properly. 

Because otherwise it'll spill out just like that scream - desperate, seething, expansive, and the worst part?

Uncontrollable.

What is the danger of not controlling the expression of anger? Why can't we just hide it inside and keep smiling, without causing anyone problems and without wasting the resources of our body on it, just adjusting? Yes, in doing so you lose your freedom of expression - so what? 

Because anger doesn't disappear over time. It is put inside layer by layer, day by day. 

And sooner or later you can't hold it back.

In life this rarely ends well: if a person holds themselves to a completely unhealthy level of control they may at some point experience an episode of derealisation - when repressed feelings become so abundant that the brain rolls out one of the strongest self-defence mechanisms - detachment. If it doesn't? One goes off the rails: he overreacts to the smallest of things, he is thrown from one-time hook-ups to drugs and alcohol. The accumulated anger begins to destroy from the insides.

But Isagi, as an adaptation specialist (unconsciously, most likely) has come up with a great answer to this, learnt from childhood and from the show with Noel Noa. Which one? Express anger where it would be considered normal.

Blue Lock with on-field swearing works for Isagi for many reasons at once. He got Bachira, who showed him that there's nothing wrong with expressing his angry-self - he'll be accepted, he would even be welcomed, it's okay to be angry! He got Chigiri and Kunigami, Nanase and Hiori, dozens of people accepting him no matter what (but in personal conflicts outside the field he usually still doesn't know how to behave - he prefers to withdraw and wait for things to resolve themselves - but that's for another time). Here, also, the issue of survival came into play, as expressions of anger and rage were cultivated by the Ego itself, sometimes specifically manipulating the players to do so.

There's also the application of the familiar pattern of his pre-Ichinan childhood ('I play football as rough as Noa - I'm doing well, I'm not alone, and I achieve my goals because it happens on the field, so it doesn't mean anything'), the general tense atmosphere, and a fair number of trigger characters who would drive even a saint to their grave (heh, Kaiser, heh). Isagi in general has more to do with football than almost all of Blue Lock's characters. Manifestations of anger and determination as a child (on the football field!)? Noa. Manifestations of them now? Blue Lock. He continues to use mechanisms familiar from childhood to protect himself, adapting them to new realities.

(basically, even the fact that Noa is around - who, again, once gave little Isagi the opportunity to express himself openly on the field - can have an impact on the escalation of Isagi's behaviour around Kaiser and Bastards. Whose presence and support is associated with a safe expression of himself)

like father like son

And uncontrollable anger bursts out, but for now like water from a cracked jug - in jolts, strong and those impossible to shut down, but from just one place. The swearing at the match and the opportunity to openly express himself and his objectives (remember how he shouted at Noa that his system doesn't allow him to score goals hahaha) allowed him to relax, to partially release the anger accumulated over the years - all without any realisation on his part. He doesn't even have to do anything - it all resolved itself. He's not being rejected, he's playing the way he wants to play and yet he's angry! That's great!

And everything seems to be fine, right?

The problem is that Blue Lock's setting just isn't going to work in the long run. Ego will be there for the rest of the project - another 2-3 months - and for training for the World Championship, for the Championship itself, and... that's it. The project ends, Isagi flies off to play in another country, but who can guarantee that the environment for such an expression of anger will be replicated there as well?

At one point, access to the field and, in principle, to the competitive and encouraging environment for such expressions of character in Blue Lock is bound to be cut off. There are gaps between seasons, injuries, end of career, and the simple fact that such expression depends on how much the coach allows to players - at some point Isagi may well be silenced.

And then all the accumulated, bubbling anger inside, which is now used to being expressed regularly, will spill out - and not on the safe field, where much can be blamed on adrenaline, but on his loved ones, his career and himself.

[why-the-heck-not]

insomnia? do u mean my true crime podcast time

[cowbeeboy]

watching silly animals in a silly game about a silly cowboy i care about more than i care abt real people bc i’m silly like that. anyway my horses name is shortcake and him and arthur have matching vests/coats and it’s the cutest thing in the world

[mantisgodsdomain]

We ought to write more Pokemon fic some time. We want to recreate the Pokemon Manners/Human Manners cheat sheet that we made a few years ago we think that this site would like the Sliding Scale Of Politeness When Greeting A New Pokemon You've Never Met Before.

[todayisafridaynight]

dude I just gotta say thank u for all ur amazing art bc I JUST finished y7 last night and I'm missing my emo losers (daigo and masato) ONLY TO FIND THEM EVERYWHERE HERE plus mine!!! ur fics are also on point as well I think I commented on the "quiet" one but everything aside ur style is just so nice on the eyes and very fun! bonus ur nanba is very cute he's so silly to me fr :3

HIIIIIIII ive been watchin you go through all my art in real time ngl LAKRJLRKJ SO THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!!!! masato's my evil awful toxic girlfriend and i miss him every day and i love being delusional about him and daigo so im glad my goofy postings do somethin for others too lol.... thank you so much for all your love and support !!!!!!

[fictionadventurer]

People will often say, 'If you could be with Lincoln for dinner, what would you want to ask him? What would be the unanswered question?' And I know I should be asking him, 'OK, suppose you had not been killed, how would you have dealt with the South? How would you have dealt with Reconstruction and all the controversies that arose?' But I know that if I really had him for dinner one night, I would simply ask him, 'Tell me a story, Mr. Lincoln.' Because then I would see him coming alive. He laughed so hard when he told one of his funny stories, his eyes would twinkle. And then I'd know that the Lincoln I knew -- who was somehow able in the worst days of the war to dispel the anxiety of his Cabinet members by his humor and his life-affirming sense of storytelling -- then I’d know I would have seen him alive.

-Doris Kearns Goodwin, Presidential Episode 16

This was where I had to stop the Lincoln episode at the end of my commute, and as I pulled into the parking lot I said to myself, "Wow, that's lovely." A little schmaltzy, perhaps, but I think it gets to the core of why people study history. Sure, there's the intellectual impulse to analyze and understand events with the benefit of hindsight, but deep down, the heart of historical study is a desire to connect with people. To bridge the gulf of time and space and get to know people despite the fact that they lived in a completely different century.

History's not just dry lists of dates and names and theories. It's people. It's personalities. It's quirks and memories and stories. It's knowing that a historical figure isn't just a face on a monument, or a source of information, but a guy who can tell really funny stories. And I wanted to share this quote because it really understands the humanity of history in a way I rarely see expressed.

[fortes-fortuna-iogurtum]

hey friends is it normal to just feel. numb. because I think that maybe it is not. but what would I know anyway.

[ichigosoju]

🍪🥛

[soultiio]

SOOO GUESS WHAT I FOUND

some old scanned drawings I had of shizuo, izaya and celty !!! these are probably from 2021-early2022

[soft-serve-soymilk]

Also tutoring lil kids is great actually because it’s inadvertently fixing my patchy fundamentals :D !!

[mikkouille]

you wouldnt think seeing this that just a dozen of quests ago i was enduring immense turmoil and even dare i say psychological torture