#but I feel like he's a bit of a joke/ punching bag character

[youcausedweirdmageddon]

It will forever be strange to me how Bill gets a ton of redemption aus and Gideon gets none.

I'm not hating, I'm genuinely curious as to why that is.

[koimethehorizon]

Amazing Digital Circus Theory: Gangle is an NPC

Sooo, I wasn’t expecting to talk about this show. I was perfectly content to just enjoy Digital Circus as is.

It’s a show that invites theories as to what exactly’s going on with the setting and characters, but I didn’t have much room to think too hard about it. Who’s Abel? Is Pomni really a human? Why is this VR game emulating an N64 game at the start? I like the show plenty, but it just wasn’t as interesting to go hard on any of those questions at the time.

But with this recent episode… a single, perhaps throwaway line got the brain nagging. And it’s kind of a bizarre one to waste hours analyzing.

Okay, so yeah, it’s a joke on submissive and breedable. (Don’t give them ideas) But try taking it at face value.

What does he mean by this? Sure, Jax is an asshole, and being a bullied kid is Gangle’s whole archetype… but what if it means a little more than that?

Gangle’s trapped for all eternity this asshole and she’s just letting him boss her around. Zooble can choose not to participate, so no one has to. Why does Gangle listen to Jax at all?

Let's entertain a thought: Is Gangle an NPC?

With Episode 2 bringing so much attention to the autonomy of NPCs, it seemed natural to start pointing fingers at characters being this or that. But this isn't just a random crackshot, I feel that there is a story to tell here.

Look back at Pomni’s “orientation” with the other humans. Ragatha, Zooble, and Jax ease her by saying that they’ve been trapped in this world for years and then bring attention to Kinger being the oldest.

But Gangle… she’s isolated from the peanut gallery, busy moping about the broken comedy mask instead.

Every character has been given some hints as to how they’ve been coping with the situation. Jax no longer empathizes with anything, Ragatha once had trouble adjusting but now tries to stay happy, Zooble picks and chooses her involvement, Kinger is the eldest and just exists for the hell of it, and Pomni is new to everything.

With Gangle, it’s a blank. No opinion, no hints of her human side, how long she’s been here, no thoughts on the games, nothing. She’s just Jax’s punching bag.

Even Kinger gets a potshot on Gangle in a rock-paper-scissors game…. and he likely forgot that she doesn’t have hands!

And that brings me to another detail. Doesn't Gangle look different from the others?

Unlike everyone else, Gangle's just a mask and a ribbon. No hands or legs, or just any limbs in general. She stands out as looking a bit simpler than the others.

Gangle's most interesting design trait is that she's based on comedy and tragedy masks. The ones used old Greek theater to dictate the emotions of their characters.

The first episode seems to imply that with a broken comedy mask, Gangle literally can’t stay happy. Hence why we see her sad most of the time. That's a strange limitation if Gangle's human mind is supposed to be completely intact, especially with how expressive the other characters can be.

It's not delved into too much but does Gangle actually rely on these masks to "feel" emotions?

The obvious hole is that Caine would’ve just killed her a while ago if she was an NPC, but he's not exactly omniscient.

He even admits that he has to kill them off because it’s possible for him to lose track.

Now normally I could just stop here, but I’m all about the grand statements. You know, the retroactive readings of an episode once you get a theory going. Why does Gangle being an NPC matter at all? How does Ep 2 change?

While deep diving, I realized that the thematic core of Episode 2 is Pomni and Jax’s approaches to surviving the Digital Circus.

In Pomni’s A plot, we see her connecting with Gummigoo, the NPC that Caine pitted their group against. After discovering him lamenting his new reality, she finds a strange comfort in being existentially lost together. Because in the end the NPCs and the humans are just as displaced and frightened in this meaningless world.

In Jax’s B plot, he forces Gangle to follow some insane orders. Sabotage the game to let the big chocolate turd monster destroy the Candy Kingdom. To Jax, he is the main character. Helping or displeasing this giant population of fake people doesn’t have any consequence for him, so why humor anyone but yourself?

A bit of a stretch, but what if Jax already knows Gangle is an NPC and is keeping it quiet as long as Gangle follows orders, hence the “submissive” comment? He’d be a way more unpleasant character with this reading, but it doesn’t seem off the cards with how he treats everyone anyway.

This dichotomy already plays out well within the episode, but when reframing it as Pomni and Gummigoo vs Jax and Gangle, the parallel is a lot more interesting.

Make an NPC an equal, they die. But keep an NPC under wraps as long as they continue to obey you… they live.

The episode ends with a grim conundrum that NPCs can’t be together with the humans, not because of their differences but because they're just... not allowed to be. But what if one already in the group, proving that they’re just as capable as the humans to play the games and grieve loved ones together?

PS. Despite knowing everyone else's name, I actually forgot Gangle's until I started finding evidence for this intrusive thought. Sorry Gangle.

PSS. I couldn't fit this anywhere, but Gangle's door frame doesn't work as evidence against the NPC theory, because even the mannequins have their own rooms in that hallway.

[kitkat-the-muffin]

Tis a niche of its own

Sorry there is only two female characters, I kinda pulled these off the top of my head and probably missed a ton of other candidates. Reblog with an addition if you have one!

Edit: I forgot to make this poll a week long! Once this poll ends I'll remake it with new additions depending on the results (the characters with the fewest results will be replaced with suggested characters from the notes so be sure to suggest some!) in the meantime tho plz reblog to increase sample size

This follows my own definition of what "Comic Relief" means: A character that is used as a conduit for comedy in a piece of media

Through character studies I have determined that there are 5 types of comic relief: the Character Relief, the Audience Relief, the Tone Shifter, the Butt of the Joke, and the Slapstick. Characters that identify as "Comic Relief" usually fall into one or more of these categories

Further explanation under the cut

The Character Relief refers to a character who actively makes jokes to be funny in-universe through conscious humor. Examples from this poll would be Sans and Rayla, who go out of their way to make their friends laugh

The Audience Relief refers to a character who makes the audience laugh regardless of their impact on the story. Examples from this poll would be Lapis and Gus, who are often involved in comedic bits meant for audience entertainment that aren't acknowledged by the narrative as anything unprecedented

The Tone Shifter refers to a character who makes jokes to relieve tension and shift the tone of a scene, either consciously or unconsciously. Examples from this poll would be Jay and Leo, as they both consciously make jokes about grim situations to help their friends or family feel better. Additionally, Jay would do this unconsciously before his trauma made him start doing it on purpose

The Butt of the Joke refers to a character who is made fun of by other characters in-universe, whether endearingly or not. Examples from this poll would be Dewey and Lance, who are often met with insults whenever they do something wrong or silly. The insults are usually meant to be endearing and comedic, but they can still feed into the character's possible inferiority complex. This also applies whenever a villain hits them with a sick burn*

The Slapstick refers to a character who is made fun of by the narrative and the audience like a punching bag. Examples from this poll would be Sokka and Yusuke, who are sometimes put in troubling and awkward situations as a gag for the audience's entertainment alone. These gags are not fun for the characters yet delightful to watch

Most comic relief characters can be characterized as multiples of these. For example, Jar-Jar from Star Wars is both Slapstick and Audience Relief, and even if you don't find his jokes funny that doesn't change the fact that they were written with your entertainment in mind

If you're curious how a "The Narrative's Favorite (derogatory)" character would fit into this chart, they're likely both a Butt of the Joke and a Slapstick character, making their life absolute hell. To be honest, MK from Monkie Kid is an example of a character who fits all 5 categories, but he isn't blue so he isn't in this poll

*Ok if you've ever seen Phineas and Ferb Mission Marvel let me just say MODOK is a total Butt of the Joke and my favorite line in that special is when a TV announcer calls him a "Giant Chicken Egg with a Face" and I just had to mention that omg

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Backburner 1

Warnings: this fic will include elements, some dark, such noncon/dubcon, and other untagged triggers. Please take this into account before proceeding. It is up to curate your online consumption safely.

Summary: your boss is easy going until he's not. 

Characters: Sam Wilson, this reader is known as Dizzie.

Author’s Note: Please feel free to leave some feedback, reblog, and jump into my asks. I’m always happy to discuss with you and riff on idea. As always, you are cherished and adored! Stay safe, be kind, and treat yourself💜

💼Part of the Bad Bosses AU💼

“Argh,” Sam’s grunt precedes him into the office. You look over from the cluster of desks, the lot of assistants in their corner, “Diz.”

You hop up at his beck and call as always. His gym bag is on his elbow as he rubs his hip and grits his teeth. You hurry over and grab the duffel before it can drop as he punches into the code on his door. He enters his office and you follow, holding the sweaty bag by its handles. You’ll bring it home to wash the contents. 

“Good workout?” You ask. 

“Stretched my hamstring,” he falls into his chair and rubs his thigh. “Protein, please, Diz.” 

“Of course, er, your sister called again.” 

“Yes, I know. I’ll be there,” he sighs, “she thinks I’d forget my head if it wasn’t on my neck.” 

You chuckle. Sam’s a nice guy. He’s the only manager in the office who doesn’t make you call him Mister and he likes to joke. 

“I told her you make sure that’s always on straight,” he kids. 

“Aw, sir,” you grin, “erm, so... I was hoping to ask you something...” 

“Can you ask me over my protein shake?” 

“Oh, yeah! Sorry! I’m so forgetful. Yes, I’ll go get it right now. Funky monkey or strawberry swirl?” 

“How about the orange blast. Something fresh,” he suggests. 

“Coming right up,” you nod and twirl out of the off, your wide legged pants billow around you. 

You drop the gym bag under your desk and swipe up your wallet and phone. You keep them chained together to keep from losing either. If you lost both, that would be an even bigger disaster. You put your computer to sleep so the screen saver whooshes around and you leave the other assistants. 

You head down to the lobby and up the block to the smoothie place. You order a double protein kick in the orange blast and wait patiently as you bounce on your feet. You check your phone; the group chat is blowing up today. It was so quiet for so long you were starting to get nervous. It wouldn’t be the first time you were ditched. 

You claim the protein shake and rush back out, barely dodging a man with a sweaty mustache as he enters in a muscle shirt that shows a lot of his chest and sides. You wouldn’t be caught dead in that but he sure does have the physique to carry it. He glowers as you dash around him and you leave him behind to be grumpy at his smoothie. 

Back in the office, you find Sam stretching out his leg. He looks a bit silly on the floor like that. You step up just next to him. 

“Hey, diz,” he says, “can you push my leg up higher?” He asks as he shifts onto his back and raises his foot up. “Don’t stop until I say so.” 

“Oh, sir, I’d hate to hurt you.” 

“Pfft, as if, Dizzie, come on,” he urges you, “put that on my desk please.” 

You relent and put the shake on his desk then return to grab his ankle. You push his leg up, his tailored pants resisting the strain, and he groans. 

“Ah, yeah, that’s it,” he puffs, “just... gimme a hand.” 

He waves his fingers under his leg and you give him your left hand as your other stays latched on his ankle. You wonder what people would think if they walked by in that moment. He guides your touch to his thigh, “feel that knot, I just need you to push.” 

You dig your thumb into the lump you feel under the muscle. He lets out a gurgly noise and drops his head back. He spreads his hand wide on his stomach and hisses through his teeth. 

“Keep going,” he encourages you, “oh, tell me... what did you wanna talk about?” 

“Oh, errrrrrr,” you struggle to remember what you meant to ask before you ran off to get the shake. It’s a lot to think about with his foot almost in your face. “Yes, sir, I... tomorrow morning, I might be a little late.” 

“That’s cool,” he accepts easily.  

“I’ll skip lunch.” 

“Hey, I might work out but I’m no tight ass,” he retorts, “alright, that’s good.” 

You gently let his leg down and back away. He sits up and rolls his shoulders. As he stands, he fixes the tuck of his shirt, his sleeves tight around his thick arms, and his pants taut on his upper legs and pelvis. The time he spends in the gym definitely shows. He’s hard in all the places you’re soft. 

“So, any reason for the lateness?” He wonders. 

“Oh, my sister asked me to pop by tonight. She lives a ways away so... might have to drive back tomorrow.” 

“Ah, mm,” he hums thoughtfully, “no girls’ night fun?” 

“Not tonight,” you smile, “but soon I think.” 

“Ooo, cocktails?” He goads. He’s always curious about your nights out. There aren’t very many, to be fair. 

“Yeah, probably.” 

“Retro’s again? I still haven’t been. Maybe I should take Sarah,” he suggests, “god knows she could loosen up.” 

“Sisters,” you tilt your head. 

“Huh, yeah, pain in the ass,” he agrees. 

He goes to his desk and grabs the smoothie. He takes a giant slurp, tasting it thoroughly as he swishes it around in his cheeks. He hums and doffs the cup. 

“Delicious,” he praises. 

“Well, anyway, sir, I’ll text in the morning if I’m going to be late. I’ll get back to it. Unless, there’s something else?” 

“Not right now, trust me, you’ll know if I need anything,” he shoots you with a finger gun as he sits, letting out another grunt. He rolls closer to his desk as you turn away and you hear him mutter, “damn leg day.” 

[mrsparrasblog]

Girlie your brain is wrinkly 🧠 can u write kyle being in a competition against Rudy to woo reader? Only one of them will get her in the end🥺👉👈 personally I am rooting for Rudy but you decide in the end😘

Hey first of all Thank you <333333 wrinkly brain is now my favorite new word thingy. It feels criminaly wrong to let my character pick someone over Kyle but Rudy deserves everything too. Just enjoy my midnight thoughts.

He had been pining after you for six years—six terrible, long years—where you had several shitty boyfriends or were too oblivious to realize he even liked you. At this point, it was tiring for Rodolfo to love you, but how could he stop? He had never met someone like you: so eager, beautiful, loving, and funny.

He remembered the day he first met you like it was only yesterday. You were so curious and full of passion, almost more than Alejandro had. Since then, you had grown up to be one of the most essential parts of the vaqueros. If you weren’t a medic, you would have been the third in command five years ago, but saving people was just your thing.

Alejandro, Rudy, and you spent most of these five years together on duty, and even in your off time, you went to bars with them, family gatherings, and even on vacation in Cancun. And all these times, Rudy didn't have the guts to ask you out. Alejandro always told him that he should just try, the way you looked at him or how you screamed and cried as he almost died—this is love, but he didn't believe it. And you thought he saw you more like a sister than someone to love, so you both silently gave up.

When Graves' betrayal happened, you fought alongside Rudy's, Ghost's, and Soap's side. You were so happy to have the help of their captain and another Sergeant. What surprised you was that the other Sergeant, Kyle, was so attractive.

You weren’t sure how it happened, but after the great win, you were in a pub with all of them—141 & Vaqueros—sitting on Kyle's lap. You were a bit too tipsy to realize Rudy's jealous glance and Alejandro's disappointed look. All you noticed was the pretty boy whispering sweet nothings into your ear, "Such a beautiful woman. Mhm, the most beautiful girl I've seen in ages." His hot breath tickled against your ear as he slowly wrapped his lips around your neck, eliciting a moan from you, much to Rudy's annoyance. He was almost fuming, and as you noticed it, you couldn’t stop yourself from making him a bit jealous.

So, you ended up in the corner with Kyle. His hips were pressed against yours as he pulled you into a deeper kiss. His tongue fought for dominance, his hands grabbing your ass and squeezing it lightly. "I want you, Kyle."

"Want you too Doll"

It took seconds for your luck to disappear when you went to the bathroom, returning to see Rudy punching Kyle. "Leave her the fuck alone, pendejo."

"She wanted it."

"Who cares? She’s mine."

"Rodolfo, Kyle, both of you stop," you commanded, pulling Rudy by his ear outside of the shady bar of Las Almas.

"What was that?" You asked, lifting your brow in question.

"Mhm, sorry, mi amor."

"You're a childish idiot stop punching every men I give a bit of attention, and now let me fix your cheek," you said, gathering a napkin out of your bag and removing the blood from his cheek.

"I know."

"What did you mean with 'I'm yours,' Rudy?"

"Come on, don’t act like you don’t know." he rolled his eyes, he couldn't believe you were so oblivious, you should have noticed ages ago like everyone else.

"What know?"

"That I've wanted you all these years, just couldn’t stand seeing you with another idiot again."

"You're joking, right?"

"No."

"Oh, Rudy, you should have told me."

"Why?" he mumbled not seeing the point in getting rejected

And with that, you grabbed his face, and after all these years of longing, you finally had Rodolfo where you wanted him: right beside you.

"Finally" Alejandro whispered in the corner of the bar, his two best friends were finally where they belonged.

[wickmitz]

I decided to start talking about Wick and Rocky's relationship because I like their dynamics too, I like seeing Wick scared of Rocky and Rocky being aggressive with him, which is unusual because Rocky is rarely aggressive with anyone, but of course Wick is an exception to rule

Also my mini opinion about their possible relationship, I think that if Rocky didn't have to fight for his place, then he and Wick could become friends, or at least tolerate each other a little, I also see some superficial similarities, their gentlemanly and romantic natures, and their common love for explosions (remembering the quarrymen chapter), but this is my assumption, I think that I don't understand the characters' personalities well, so I can be wrong in this assumption, something like that. So, what do you think about their relationship?

for starters, i cannot thank you enough for this ask! as i’ve said previously, i have many thoughts on these two, so it’s nice to finally be able to share some of them. although given the extent to which i think about them, i apologize in advance if this is sloppy and sort of everywhere … while i’ll try to structure things the best i can, i cannot promise i’ll succeed! but hopefully this is an enjoyable reply nonetheless.

one of my favorite things about rocky and wick’s relationship is absolutely how aggressive rocky is towards the aristocrat ; he is prone to glares and cruel jokes and borderline hissing whenever the man is within his line of sight, or can be brought to a wailing-fit over the mere mention of his name from miss m’s mouth. there is a childishness to it, but a very prominent threat as well in spite of rocky’s usual incompetence. so he goes out of his way to posture around wick, readily lying and adorning himself with the gangster drapes he so badly wants to wear, in the hopes that it intimidates … will even badmouth wick’s family and make fun of his name and rock related obsession to mitzi, and so on so forth! yet all of this is very reminiscent of schoolyard bullying rather than anything too severe, though we as the audience understand rather quickly that rocky would bash wick’s head in with a tire iron if he could. ( translation : if it wouldn’t earn the tears or hate of a certain beloved mitzi may ) and it’s all very intense despite the absence of actual violence! and i understand why many fans see this as unusual for rocky and believe that it’s only wick who makes him act so aggressively, but i’d argue it isn’t really wick at all that prompts such scary reactions from him … and that rocky is a deeply angry character who’s a.) been boiling quietly for a long, long time and b.) has turned wick into a punching bag of sorts for this inner world of resentment and hurt. basically, when he’s judging the well-to-do or poking fun, his eyes don’t look at wick and actually acknowledge him as sedgewick sable ; instead this is a being, something vague and metaphorical, who threatens to upseat rocky’s permanence in the lackadaisy and steal away his savior, and he’s had a hand in the violinist’s misfortune for a long time.

obviously, rocky doesn’t think wick robbed him of his family twice over and made him homeless, but he is channeling the fear and anguish of those events into his loathing for wick, if that makes sense? it’s easier that way -- to finally have an outlet for everything bleeding inside of you, to be able to bite and claw at something without feeling conflicted or having to take personal accountability for your own mistakes … which is something that i think rocky does struggle with to a degree. he is sort of a finger pointer! his pain has to be worth something, it has to be for someone else ; spending years homeless and losing his last bit of family was for freckle, and the scrambling of his literal brain was for mitzi, and that means he can’t ever be angry with them! well, except that he is, somewhat, but he buries it deep down instead of feeling it. with freckle there is a sense of strain between them -- an air of ‘you owe me’ from rocky to freckle as he uses freckle to appease miss m, and he constantly pokes fun at his cousin too. it’s lighter than his jabs at wick, but there’s a constant pestering, a reminder of how good freckle has it : how he’s got the mom and the house and the job and the girl most notably. i don’t think rocky is intending to come across as mean, and to his credit he hardly does! but it’s rather clear to me that some part of him, some hidden and deeply hurt part, is rather indignant about taking the fall for freckle all those years ago. which he can’t understand, because how could he? he made that choice, he decided to take accountability for something he didn’t do because he loves freckle and knows it’d be so easy to believe this family tragedy was roark’s fault ; the devilish child he was, all troublesome and too broken to properly fit anywhere. so there is a disconnect born here, where rocky can’t comprehend that he’d be angry at freckle, so instead these not so great feelings are placed elsewhere and silently boil over time. and with mitzi … i don’t think he’s angry at her per se, but there is a frustrated and desperate chorus of : why him and why not me, when i’m the one out here dying for you? which is certainly unpleasant. of course, rather than allowing those feelings to be more aimed at miss m, whom he feels unloved by, he ( again! ) represses these emotions and allows them to fester into his greatest fears and fantastical complexes. i think there is a lot of other miscellaneous anger he could have towards others too … perhaps some part of him is sore upon seeing ivy’s normal lifestyle, watching her go to university and knowing that’s been taken from him. or an ache felt when hearing stories from zib and the band and how they used to travel successfully, living as nomads, and rocky is all too reminded of his similar lifestyle and how he couldn’t make it work as effortlessly. people with immense trauma are more prone to irrational anger and jealousy, to viewing everything around them as unfair and believing it’s even more unjust that so many people get to live comfortably while they’ve suffered. a situation that gets more messy when you’re someone like rocky, a man who’s willingly made choices that have harmed himself and wants to continue on with his smiling, bumbling fool of an act. he does not want to be angry, does not want to see it within himself, i think, which leads to an accidental increase of it.

all of this is to reiterate that wick is a scapegoat for rocky and nothing more. it’s why he’s rather hypocritical whenever it concerns the man. for example, it was stated by tracy that he looks down upon wick for his excessive presence at the bar, yet he appears to enjoy hanging out with zib -- who drinks just as often! he makes fun of how all wick ever talks about is rocks, when he himself is prone to poetry rambles that people find irritating or boring, and etc etc. this is also just a human nature thing, to critique someone you heavily dislike and even going as far as to belittle things you love or do in your own day to day because you just hate them that bad! but given rocky’s willingness to befriend anyone, it more so reeks of a dehumanization element. wick is every obstacle in his way, every divine force that threatens to send him packing again, so he is equal parts unnerved by wick’s presence and angry about it. it is mostly a fear response we are seeing, an emotion that’s morphed into long held resentment and anger. so his actions are extremely defensive, with him trying to push wick far away and keep him and mitzi separate, like some sort of animal attempting to ward off a threat that’s come too close to their home. despite the loaded animosity there, this hate has hardly reached its peak … but it shall only grow more intense as things continue onward i’m afraid, since as it stands ( in the comic at least ) rocky is at an all time low … and is ten times more desperate. i’d honestly say wick has become so warped in his mind’s eye that he can only strive towards ‘winning’ over the other man, because that’s all he can see anymore. i think mitzi implying that wick willingly helped her out, the intense head injury, and rocky’s fragile emotional state is exactly what pushes him towards premeditated murder in look-see. i don’t know how people perceive that arc, but to me it’s very clear that rocky actively sought to see the deaths of wes and fish that night. going as far as to lament that he’d be, “very disappointed if ( he ) dreamed them,” and purposefully luring the marigold duo away to have freckle pick them off. while you could argue that this was a smart move, in a gangster sort of sense, there’s still no denying that rocky is oddly chipper about the whole thing and is now seeking death out ; whereas before his methods of vengeance were just, well, ruining people’s livelihood but ultimately leaving them alive. this isn’t to discredit the fact that rocky is going through something! he is in a very muddled and dark place, mentally and physically, but even tracy has said that the head injury hasn’t changed rocky’s personality -- it’s only brought things to the surface.

source : q&a with tracy .

which, yeah! makes sense! head trauma can cause a person to become a wreck emotionally ( think mood swings, irritability, etc ) but it doesn’t completely morph someone either. personality changes may occur, but it’s not like you’re being rewritten entirely, you know? and given tracy’s old statement, it’s clear that ‘personality changes’ aren’t a side effect he’s suffering from. something that adds to my beginning statement, which is that rocky is a deeply angry and troubled person, more so than fans give him any credit for.

however, to touch upon your mini opinion about these two, i actually wholeheartedly agree that rocky and wick could become friends if circumstances were different. they do in fact have many superficial similarities, but one of the more prominent things they deeply share is never really belonging in the groups they frequent. this is more overt with rocky’s character, yet wick faces it too in subtle ways. the well-to-do crowd, seen through the investors, find the gentleman to be lacking in about every place imaginable ; to them he is an obsessive freak who cares too deeply for meager rocks, something they constantly mock him for, while he’s also being noticeably set apart from the rest of them … he seems younger than the investors, more excitable, passionate, and a little less experienced, and doesn’t seem to care for money or reputation as much as them either. there is a constant rubbing between him and them, where what he enjoys is seen as wrong, such as his love for the lackadaisy and his choice in paramor, a grieving widow with extremely dangerous ties. we also know that wick doesn’t have many friends at all, with the only two he has being lacy and church ( church is listed as such on his character profile, in a sort of tongue-in-cheek way ), both of whom work for or with him. they are obliged to hang around, and while they care in varying ways, they are prone to judging him just as much. honestly, it’s not shocking that wick seeks refuge at his chosen speakeasy! but even there he is rather distant from everyone else. he doesn’t speak to zib ever in the comics, nor seems all too close with viktor, ivy, or horatio … it is merely mitzi he is close to, even if he knows of the other people who work there. and, once again, wick very obviously doesn’t fit in. he is not gangster material, could never be an atlas may replacement, much less someone who could get his paws dirty in such an active way. so he has his feet in two different worlds and doesn’t know how to fit into either of them, or which one he actually wants to fit into more. i think in many ways rocky could relate -- these are two very lonely people who wish to belong somewhere and be accepted by some group or another but go about it in all the wrong ways. wick, who is too hesitant to fully commit to what he wants and is worse off for it, and then rocky, who obsessively throws himself against what he wants until he breaks every bone in his body. they also have explosives to bond over, lol, and other miscellaneous things like their taste in women i suppose … but this potential bond adds to the tragedy of lackadaisy, where we see two people who on every level should get along but we’re burdened with the knowledge that it’s an impossibility anyway, because there’s no removing the circumstance of which they’re in.

though i like to believe that despite wick’s fear of rocky, he maintains a kindness towards him regardless. i think his worries about rocky are rather surface level … he doesn’t know the boy at all, really, and thus can’t make heads or tails of him, hence him believing the lie in balderdash. so when i’m feeling particularly self indulgent, i like imagining a world where they’re forced together and sort of ‘stuck’ together ; to which rocky finally breaks and exposes his wounds to wick, in every sense of the word, and wick finally gets him. the aggression, the possessiveness of mitzi … it is all fear and desperation and a profound sadness, things he’d sympathize with. if rocky was able to explain that he loathes wick because if he saves the lackadaisy then mitzi won’t need him anymore and that it’s not fair that wick gets to so easily fix things when rocky would give his soul for his home, for her, and how wick could render every sacrifice he’s already made for naught by smoothing things over with some greenbacks and he can’t lose this, he just can’t --! … which, well, wick is too kind of a man to be able to do anything except feel awful, even though it’s not his fault at all. here we have two people who could coexist! and they should, since rocky logically can’t do every speakeasy job ( band member, rumrunner, mitzi’s shadow, also the guy who gets the money for the hooch ) by himself, just like how wick can’t save the lackadaisy with only his cash and limited booze stash. it’d be a joint cooperation, a collaboration between them, both equally important in the grand scheme of crime’s every turning wheel … but rocky’s rage and fear won’t let him see that, and likely never will. still, in scenarios where everything ends up alright for the lackadaisy and the people involved in it ( which is not how canon will go, by the way ), i fancy wick and rocky getting better within their relationship. rocky will always be prickly and quick to upset around the other man sadly, but perhaps he could see wick in a softer kind of light. or at least understand vaguely enough that he isn’t out to get rocky, so to speak. and then maybe wick learns that pancakes soothe rocky’s ire and poorly makes them anytime he wishes to talk to the man, and other fun things like that! but you should have more confidence in your character analysis skills, because you were spot on ( at least in my eyes ) about them potentially getting along if things were different. it’s certainly a fun aspect to play around with, and is important to note when discussing their relationship so you can fully understand just how warped rocky’s perspective on things are. and how unstable and traumatized he is too, of course </3 sidenote, but i also hope that throughout everything i’ve said here, or anything i’ve said before on my blog, that my love for rocky and my own sympathy for him comes across well enough. while he’s deeply flawed and i have no qualms discussing said flaws in depth, i also don’t think of him as some insane freak who’s evil at his core or anything like that. honestly, i adore analyzing him so much as a character because of how far down his issues go! he’s very well written, i’ll say, as is wick and many of the other characters, but i digress.

once more, thank you for the ask! i’ll end this here because i fear if i don’t i’ll start going in circles, since their relationship is so vast and very important for rocky in a character sense. hopefully i shed some more light on it though! i love these two to bits and pieces and i wouldn’t be half as invested in lackadaisy if their dynamic wasn’t so monumental -- at least to me.

[awarmcupofmilk]

Satosugu x Reader "The Most Twisted Curse of All"

summary: the three of you were undoubtedly entertwined from the moment you met. your bond was holy. until everything fell apart. what is love when it can’t save any of you?

content warnings: sad, language, major character death, violence (fight scenes), angst, substance use (smoking/drinking), spoilers/deviations from hidden inventory/cursed child/Shibuya arc

word count: 1.7k

note: hidden inventory arc! everything will be in chronological order now I think, no more time skips :)

pt 1 pt 2 pt 3

© 2024 awarmcupofmilk

please don’t repost, edit, translate, use, or copy my works on any platforms (if you’d really like to please reach out – reblogs are welcome)

There were few things that eased the perpetual guilt within you, and Jujutsu High was no exception to that rarity. Still, daily training, meals, and days off with Satoru, Suguru, and Shoko made you almost forget what you owed. Almost. 

✧✧✧

The four of you had gotten quite comfortable with one another. You hadn’t felt the need to use your technique to monitor their emotions for months. Sitting on a park bench, you leaned over Satoru’s shoulder as he opened the convenience store bag full of popsicles. Shoko reached for one first, then Suguru, taking the flavor you had wanted. Satoru, eyes flicking over to you so quickly you didn’t even notice, snatched it from Suguru. Irritated, Suguru glares at Satoru. He just sticks his tongue out. Satoru unwrapped the popsicle triumphantly, humming a little, as Suguru shook his head to pick another. You watched Satoru as he beckoned you to take the popsicle, but as you gripped the stick, he smirked and bit off a huge piece. His eyes were just dripping with amusement at the tease. You rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t hide the blush creeping on your cheeks.

“Quit flirting,” Shoko joked, chewing on her popsicle. 

Satoru only laughed, not denying her comment. It only made you more flushed. 

✧✧✧

“Y/N, you’re with me,” Satoru beamed as he slung an arm around you. You noted how easily he touched you. You had preferred to keep physical distance whenever possible, but Satoru’s easygoing contact eased you into it yourself. Still, why were you stuck with him? 

“Suguru, how could you not choose me?” You whined.  “Because he couldn’t beat me in rock paper scissors,” Satoru gloated. “Now get over here and help me win,” he said, pulling you over to the arcade console. 

He definitely didn’t need your help; Satoru was a beast at first person shooters. You watched the tickets sputter out of the machine, overflowing your basket. 

When Satoru went to redeem them, he came back with a bug-eyed rabbit. It was the ugliest stuffed animal you had ever seen. “It looks just like you!” Satoru said, cackling. 

You punched him in the gut. He let you. 

✧✧✧

Fighting curses together was fun, as much as it made you sad. Satoru’s confidence, enjoyment of the fight, wit, it all reminded you of Akemi. Though you never dwelled on it. He was so strong, and you were there beside him, in control of your technique now. The past may never stop haunting you, but it was not the same as the present. 

“Suguru, you take that building,” Satoru led. “Y/N, come with me, there’s a big one here,” he motioned to the building in front of you two. 

Satoru rushes into battle. For good reason, he’s strong. Still, he was irresponsible. He hadn’t even mastered his technique’s reversal yet, nor could he expand a domain. 

✧✧✧

You had no idea what was happening. Satoru’s hand was in your hair, gripping a little too hard, lips on yours, heart thumping so loudly you couldn’t just hear it, you could feel it too. You could smell his shampoo, his detergent, his skin. If you weren’t already tipsy, the scent made you fully intoxicated.

Shoko had snuck in alcohol for the four of you. You were second years now, dabbling in things too mature for your age yet attempting nonchalance. Still, with the beers in your systems, you’d all thought to indulge in a childish game of truth or dare. You had no idea Satoru would be such a lightweight, he didn’t seem like the type. 

“I dared Suguru,” Shoko laughed. Satoru ignored her. 

His lips, pressing against yours, were incredibly soft, slightly wet, creating a sensation that left you lightheaded. You pressed a hand to his chest. He leaned in closer. “I love you,” he told you, deepening the kiss. Love. Love has always left you for dead. Your love was no different than the worst malice, the most ingratiating greed. It kills. You froze, panicking. Before you knew it, you pushed him off. 

His eyes widened, embarrassed, confused, and apologetic all at once. 

“I-, I’m so sorry,” you gasped, tears welling, turning towards Shoko and Suguru, equally shocked at the scene. You gathered yourself and bolted out of Suguru’s dorm room. 

✧✧✧

Suguru followed you out after a few minutes. “Y/N, what happened?”

You turned back, tears now freely streaming down your face out of worry for Satoru and regret for the situation. You didn't mean to, you didn't hate it at all, and most of all, you were selfish to not dwell on his feelings for you, always writing them off. All the blame flooded you. “I’m so stupid,” you said, roughly wiping your face. “It’s…just… I… it’s a lot to explain.”

Suguru didn’t press. He never did. “You want to go get some ice cream to help them sober up?” 

You nodded. 

You made sure to pick up Satoru and Shoko’s favorite flavors, wondering what to say to Satoru when you got back. 

On the way, Suguru handed you a popsicle. Your favorite flavor. You hadn’t even thought to get one for yourself. 

✧✧✧

You weren’t sure if Satoru remembered what happened. He had already passed out when you and Suguru had gotten back, having cried himself to sleep. The next morning, he seemed perfectly fine. Still, he hasn’t made another move since, and the teasing toned down. Still, he was so his usual chipper self you weren’t sure if you were imagining it. Things had been jolted out of balance that night, but everything fell back into equilibrium so quickly you were left wondering if you were the only one tipped over after all.

✧✧✧ 

“Survival of the weakest,” Suguru began. “That’s how a society should be.”

You and Shoko listened, sitting on the benches as Satoru and Suguru debated. They passed the basketball like a mic. 

“Listen, Satoru, jujutsu exists to protect non-jujutsu sorcerers,” Suguru said as he attempted a basket. 

“Is that your moral argument?” Satoru smirked. “I hate moral arguments.”

The air in the room tensed. 

“Assigning reasons and responsibility to strength is what those who are weak do,” Satoru continued, throwing the ball. As soon as it leaves his hand you know it will be a goal. 

“Quit making yourself feel better by spouting bullshit,” Satoru leered, mocking a gag. 

“Hah?” Suguru began. 

“Strength is a curse,” you said, stepping onto the court. Suguru, who was just about to pick a fight, stepped back to listen to you. Shoko left the gym, muttering something about a smoke break. “It isolates you,” you said. “It’s dangerous.”

You grabbed the ball from Satoru, dribbling it slightly. “We save others with our strength so it becomes a blessing,”

Satoru rolled his eyes. “Quit ganging up on me,” he said. “Didn’t cha hear what I just said? Strength isn’t something that needs to be justified, it just exists.”

“Not in a vacuum,” you countered. 

Satoru and you glared at one another.  Suddenly, his gaze shifts. “You seem to feel awfully strong about this, Y/N,”

Taken aback, your eyes widen. You open your mouth, but before you can respond, Yaga walks in, eyeing the atmosphere suspiciously. 

“Suguru, Satoru, come with me.”

✧✧✧

Before leaving for Tengen’s merger, Satoru stopped by your room. “Hey,” he said, knocking. “You alright? The conversation got a little heated earlier.”

“Do you really believe that?” You said, not moving from your bed.  

Satoru furrows his brows, head tilting in confusion. 

“Do you really think there’s no reason for strength?”

“I don’t like being assigned the responsibility,” Satoru said, staring at you matter-of-factly. 

“But you take it on regardless,” you respond, more a statement to yourself than anything else.

Satoru shrugged. 

“You’re kind,” you said, eyes softening. 

And just like that, something in his eyes melted, and you knew he hadn’t forgotten anything about that night, and that it had hurt him, and that as intense as that declaration of love was, he meant it. 

“Satoru,” you breathe, walking up to him. His eyes widen, he stops breathing. 

You lift a hand gingerly to stroke his cheek. But before you can speak, Suguru walks down the hall, oblivious. “Satoru,” he calls. “We gotta go,”

He presses his lips to the palm of your hand quickly, eyes so intense they seem defiant, challenging you to pull away. You don’t. The two of you hold each other’s gaze for a moment. Reluctantly, he turns away. 

✧✧✧

You had mentioned sending the three of you together was overkill. You wished you didn’t have such a fat mouth. 

“Tengen wanted all three of you, but we unfortunately need you and Shoko on a rescue mission,” Yaga explained for you to relay to Shoko. “There have been a series of disappearances, and we just lost contact with a grade 1 sorcerer. Sources say Sukuna’s finger is involved.” You had been caught up earlier on the King of Curses. The spirits his finger would attract wouldn’t be easy to handle, but the sorcerer before you likely took care of most of them. Your main job was to find him and any other people caught in the mix before any remaining curses got there. “Of course, if Sukuna’s finger is there, you’ll need to retrieve it,” Yaga said. 

“Satoru and Suguru will be fine on their own,” you said, nodding. “When do we leave?”

✧✧✧

You liked that Shoko was so indifferent. It wasn’t that she felt nothing, but she understood the reality of things. It grounded her. 

“What’s your take on it all?” You said as the two of you walked. “The strong versus weak thing,”

Shoko smiled slightly; gaze downcast. “I don’t see it any one way,” she said, pulling out a cigarette. “I think you’d have to be pretty crazy to stand alone though,” 

You smiled too. “Off the walls,” you agreed. 

Shoko offered you a cigarette. You took it. 

✧✧✧

The mission wasn’t easy, but it went smoothly enough. Sukuna’s finger had been absorbed by a curse, making the fight difficult. Still, you managed to exorcise it with no major issues. You weren’t able to find one of the missing people, and two others were significantly injured. The sorcerer, too, sustained heavy injuries. You brought them to Shoko as you put up the veil. 

It was in the car of one of the assistant directors that you got the news. The star-plasma vessel died. Satoru and Suguru were both heavily injured. They needed Shoko back immediately. Color drained from you. You took shallow breaths so quickly it soon became hyperventilation. You should’ve been there. Why were you never there to save anyone you loved? 

<- Previous ✧⭐︎☆⭐︎✧  Next ->

✧ Masterlist ✧

[lookingthroughmirrors]

Opinion on how annabeth punches and pushes percy, the judo flip and percy being reduced to a himbo malewife in hoo (can't make his way out of a paper bag without annabeth).

(Please note most of knowledge comes from PJO and HOO as I have not read much of the later series, but I do know the main points and events that happened and have read certain pages *cough* judo flip *cough*

I’ll start with the first part, Annabeth punching Percy (which happens the first time long before HOO) and the infamous Judo flip, which is for some reason very controversial.

Most of the arguments I see are one of these few things.

1. Annabeth was worried and did it out love

2. They were raised as demigods (child soldiers) so it’s not the same/ they are used to violence therefore it excuses her actions

3. There is nothing wrong with her hitting because it wasn’t like

First off, all of these arguments and any other ones I’ve seen when it comes to this topic and defending Annabeth are bullshit. Why? Because there is no excuse to hitting a partner. Slapping someone’s shoulder while joking or something in a similar context is miles different to what was happening here. Annabeth hit Percy hard, and she did it with the intention of making it hurt. There is no excuse for that. Sure, they were raised as Demigods and violence has always been a large part of their lives, but then shouldn’t Percy also lash out and hit Annabeth if that’s the case? And shouldn’t that be fine too? You don’t hit someone out of worry or concern either, not hard enough for an army to believe you to be a threat. Annabeth has never been nice to Percy, she canonically say in TLT that she doesn’t care if he dies, only that she can go on the quest. And ok, maybe that could be written off as an immature twelve year old, if her actions in later books didn’t continually prove that she hadn’t changed or developed. I think another fundamental issue in her relationship with Percy is that she can never be wrong, Luke being the biggest example of this.

Percy, even with his history and past friendship with Luke, was able to look at things objectively to an extent. He says multiple times that Luke had a point. I honestly think if it had’ve just been Luke, if titans hadn’t of been involved, that Percy would’ve joined Luke. But that’s a whole other thing. I only bring it up because I think Luke particularly is the best example of Percy having far better judgement than Annabeth, who refuses to be wrong. Something that again is addressed within BOTL, when she challenges the Sphynx because of her pride, and is an asshole to Rachel because she doesn’t want to rely on another person and is jealous. She likes being the leader, she wants to be the person people rely on, but that has always comes naturally to Percy despite how much he himself hates it.

I personally would’ve far preferred Perachel to be canon than Percab*th. Percy is always stressed about Annabeth, about doing the wrong thing where with Rachel feels like he can be himself, not like he has to live up to some invisible standard he can’t ever hope to meet.

I also, as I’ve written about before when discussing Percab*th is that Annabeth is not an essential character to HOO, and that she could’ve easily been interchanged for someone more interesting and dynamically different. I think Percy was sidelined to try and give Annabeth more purpose in the story. I also think Percy is consistently put down, berated and underestimated. He literally has people thinking he’s a god when he first meets them, that isn’t someone who lacks power. I also think Annabeth has always been a little bit scared of Percy to certain degree. Or at least acutely aware that she would not be able to put a fight if Percy turned on her and he put in a tiny bit of effort.

I also Percy is never given enough or really any recognition of everything he did. That he took the prophecy so it wouldn’t go to Nico. That he turned down immortality, not for Annabeth, but because of a promise he made to Luke and his years long stance that nothing is worth living forever for. I think the nuance of Percy as a character, and his ability to connect with and understand characters like Like and Ethan is severely underdeveloped. He has never been blind to the gods faults, he didn’t do what he did in the name of the gods. He did it for the campers, for the demigods who’d carry out their parents burdens simply because they had the audacity to be born. Demigods doomed to die from the moment they’re born because of their parents, like him. I particularly think Percy is too far often used as a scapegoat for Nico’s issues and often either villainised or dumbed down into a himbo.

It’s ridiculous, since Percy has repeatedly shown himself to have both better judgment and better strategising skills than Annabeth. Percy is better than Annabeth, and he has far more power than she ever will.

Percy is such an amazing and nuanced character with so much room to explore different characteristics he’s shown at different times and he is too often sidelined to boost another character (most often Annabeth and Nico)

Overall I don’t really like Annabeth, and I’ve yet to hear a viable reason as to why what she did should be ok. And I truly believe HOO did a disservice to Percy by dumbing him down, and making him reliant on Annabeth.

I hope you like my answer! Thank you so much for asking I absolutely love getting questions and I also love a chat so please feel free to keep it coming!

[sylvia-forest]

[CN] Shaw's Sweet and Sour Date (Part 2)

⚡Warning: This post contains detailed spoiler for a date which hasn't been released in EN yet!⚡

[Released Date: 6 December 2024]

[Section 3]

Seeing that my character in the script was about to be taken to a completely different place by Shaw's words, I started to think of an explanation in my mind.

MC (makes up a story): Uh... actually, I’m the sister of the Lovesick Maiden. My name is 'Qing Si, the Second Miss.'

MC: This person is indeed the one I like. He is the young master of the Ling family. MC: Because the elder sister is suffering from lovesickness and resting in her room, she asked me, her younger sister, to temporarily take her place and welcome kind-hearted guests.

The tourists all murmured a long "Oh," their expressions full of curiosity.

Compared to following the tasks and storyline step by step, it was clear that they were much more interested in this unexpected turn of events.

Tourists: So, do we still need to find the Lovesick Scholar? MC: Yes, yes, please take this mandarin duck sachet from my elder sister to him. He will explain things to you. Tourists: No problem, don't worry, Miss Second. How about Mr. Ling? Does he have any tasks to issue?

Shaw: Your task is to go find the scholar quickly. Don’t delay me and the Second Miss from enjoying our romance. Tourists: Hahaha, understood! You two continue enjoying your time together!

The tourists took the sachet, laughing and joking, waved goodbye. As soon as they left, I turned around and punched Shaw twice.

MC (pouting): Humph, you just want to see me embarrassed!

Shaw: Not at all, isn’t this the kind of improvisation an NPC should have?

Shaw didn’t dodge. Instead, he grabbed my finger and lightly bit it.

After we played around for a while and sent off a few more batches of tourists with the same story as before, Shaw pointed at the cloth bag on the ground.

Shaw: So, when can you get off work? After you deliver all these sachets?

MC: It’s still early. Handing out the sachets is just the first part of the storyline. After the scholar receives the sachet, he will understand the maiden's feelings and go back to work hard.

MC: Once the players help the scholar complete the 'achieve success and fame' task, there will be a scene where the Lovesick Maiden marries him. Only after that will the story be considered finished.

Shaw (fuming with anger): Getting married? So that's how it is…

MC (confused): So that’s how it is?

Shaw (someone is feeling jellyx1): What I mean is, Miss MC is in luck. The etiquette consultant for this town is Professor Shen. He's quite busy, so some of the work gets handed off to his graduate students.

Shaw (x2): When it comes time for the wedding vows, I'll be the one helping you with the reciting.

MC (speechless): ……

His tone wasn’t just jealousy anymore—it was like eating raw hawthorn or biting into a green lemon tart!

But instead of feeling bothered, I felt a sweet sensation blooming in my heart from Shaw's boiling jealousy. I grinned and leaned closer to him.

MC: Hey, you really don't want me to marry someone else?

Shaw (x3 + dangerous laughter): Well, it's not too bad. After all, it's 'Lovesick Maiden' getting married, it's all just acting.

Hmph, here it comes again, the classic Shaw stubbornness. I leaned in a little closer and lowered my voice.

MC: But I don't want to get married. How about you elope with me like you did last time?

[T/N]: This is a reference from his surging date!

Shaw (clicks his tongue): Eloping is such a bad idea. Miss MC is so responsible; how could I let you slack off at such a critical moment?

MC: …..

Seeing that he didn't respond to me at all, I couldn't help but get a little anxious.

MC (angrily): Shaw, enough already. I’m practically giving you a way out, and you...

Shaw (still not giving up on his stubbornness act): What do I need a way out for?

Shaw raised his eyebrows and turned his face away.

Shaw: Just go to work with peace of mind.

MC (feeling hurt): …..

The sweetness that had been flowing moments ago completely faded in the awkward standoff, turning into an indescribable sense of agitation.

I bit my lip, no longer trying to hide my emotions, and pushed him sullenly.

MC: No problem, I’ll focus on my work, you can go take a walk in the streets. After I finish the wedding, we can meet again.

Shaw: …..

Shaw turned his head and opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just brushed off his clothes and stood up.

Shaw: Okay.

Shaw, this guy! He actually left!

I don't want to care about him anymore in my life!!

I initially thought Shaw was just trying to scare me, but after several batches of tourists came and left, that tall figure never appeared in the courtyard again.

My emotions fermented in the waiting and the emptiness, shifting from simple frustration to a more complex and unspoken anger.

A sourness crept into my nose, and memories of the small, unnoticed tensions whenever I was with him began to surface uncontrollably in my mind.

MC: It’s always like this, always...

I can’t recall how those events happened or how they were resolved afterward—-

It felt like all those memories had become fuel for a fire, feeding the flames of my anger, making it burn hotter and hotter.

Yet, when footsteps echoed at the entrance of the courtyard, I instinctively turned my hopeful gaze in that direction once more.

Sister Xiaolan: Oh, that's great, little MC, you're still here. MC: Sister Xiaolan? Sister Xiaolan: It's me. I'm sorry for having you cover for me all this time. I’m feeling better now, so I’ll take over the rest of the work. You can go get some rest.

I saw that she had changed into her outfit, looking much better, and after giving her a couple of instructions, I handed over the remaining sachets to her.

Finishing up early works perfectly—I can go find Shaw right now... and have a good, long argument with him!

Toot—toot—

The phone call went unanswered, the long busy tone ringing before automatically disconnecting. I slowly tightened my grip on the phone, as though I was tightening my hold on my own heart.

What does it mean that he’s not answering my calls? Does he not want to talk to me? Is he preparing to start a cold war with me?

MC: How is that possible? What am I thinking? Hahaha…

I knew I couldn't just let my thoughts and emotions slide in a scary direction, but the insecurity of not being able to contact Shaw was making me feel suffocated.

MC: It must be too noisy in the town, and he didn’t notice his phone... Actually, this kind of thing isn’t something to discuss over the phone. It’s better to talk about it face-to-face.

I forced myself to clear my mind of the chaotic thoughts, stood up and ran towards the long street.

The sunlight began to move westward, but the streets were still bustling with tourists.

At the end of the long street, I didn’t know when the sound of music began to play, likely signaling that today’s main event, the "Lovesick Couple's Union," was about to begin.

And none of this has anything to do with me.

I searched against the crowd, stopping passers-by one after another.

MC: Hello, have you seen a young man with blue-purple hair, wearing ancient costumes? Really? Thank you. MC: Hello, have you seen the young man in the photo? I lost him... Well, thank you, sorry. MC: Excuse me, have you seen the young man in the photo?

The festive music was getting closer and closer, so I had to raise my voice and ask again so that the tourists in front of me could hear what I was saying clearly.

She glanced at the photo, then looked around, and suddenly raised her hand, pointing in one direction.

Tourists: Isn't he the one you're looking for?

I looked in the direction she pointed and was stunned for a moment.

The wedding gown gleamed brightly, with sharp brows and starry eyes. The bright red headband accentuated the striking blue-purple hair, making it even more eye-catching.

How come the groom riding on the horse is Shaw?!

[Section 4]

MC: Shaw—! Tourists: Wow, the groom is so handsome, and he is a perfect match for the Lovesick Maiden~ MC (in a loud voice): Shaw, I'm here!

Shaw had a smile on his face, and was looking ahead expectantly. He couldn't hear my voice at all, nor could he see me in the hustle and bustle.

Tourists: Strange...I remember the scholar wasn't played by this person? Tourists: Maybe it's a plot setting, we'll know when we go to the wedding!

The crowd was like thick, impenetrable walls, and my calls were completely drowned in the noise. I could only watch helplessly as the wedding procession passed right in front of me.

I was swept forward by the crowd and arrived at the wedding square.

Master of Ceremonies: Invite the bride!

Surrounded by the crowd, the bride and groom came to the center.

Shaw looked at the bride in the red veil with a smile, tenderness in his eyes that could not be concealed.

Shaw (THE WAY HE RECITED IT WITH SUCH AFFECTION): The magpie has its nest, and the dove resides in it. The bride returns to her home, escorted by a hundred carriages.

[T/N]: This is a classical Chinese poem, often interpreted as symbolizing a woman’s marriage and her journey from her family to her husband’s home, accompanied by great ceremony and respect.

MC (stunned): ……

I stared at the newlyweds, knowing clearly that it was all fake, all acting, but the sadness and grievance that was ignored kept piling up in my heart.

In the end, it turned into overwhelming jealousy.

In an instant, I completely understood Shaw's feelings today that he never expressed out loud.

It wasn't possible from the beginning, even if it was just acting.

You cannot exchange 'affections' with anyone else, you cannot 'marry' anyone else, and most of all, you cannot have feelings for anyone else!

Master of Ceremonies: The newlyweds shall bow to each other—

As the officiant was about to guide the couple through the bowing ceremony, I didn't know where the strength came from, but I pushed my way through the crowd with all my might.

MC: Wait a moment-----!

For a moment, the music and the noise disappeared. I took a deep breath and shouted loudly to the stage, word by word.

MC (shouts from the top of her lungs): SHAW, YOU. CAN. ONLY. MARRY. ME!

Everyone's eyes were focused on me, and Shaw's eyes widened with disbelief.

Shaw (confused): Wait, why would you... Then she is…

Sister Xiaolan, who was playing the bride, quickly lifted her veil when she heard the commotion, and was also startled by Shaw in front of her.

Sister Xiaolan: Eh? I remember you were little MC's boyfriend, why are you here…

It seemed like everyone at the wedding had momentarily frozen, but surprisingly, it was one of the tourists who first recognized us.

Tourist A: Hey, isn't this the Second miss and her Young Master Ling? Tourist B: What, what, did I miss something?

The audience who had seen Shaw and I began to explain the "hidden plot" to others, and excitement spread among the crowd in an instant.

Sister Xiaolan: Didn't you hear what my sister said, silly boy, you almost married the wrong bride!

The music, which had previously stopped backstage, suddenly resumed. Shaw stepped in time with the notes, slowly making his way toward me with deliberate steps.

Shaw (lovingly): MC. 

As I maneuvered through the crowd, my skirt picked up quite a bit of dust, and the hairpin was askew.

But Shaw's gaze was as if he were looking at a precious treasure that had been lost and then found again.

In an instant, he finally woke up from his dream and quickened his pace.

Amid the crowd's exclamations, my groom rushed towards me and hugged me tightly.

I responded to his embrace with almost greedy force.

MC: Did you hear what I just said? Shaw (in a sweet, tender voice): Of course I heard it. Shaw (HIS A LOVESICK FOOL): Since you only want me to marry you, why don't you take me with you?

Shaw (DAMMIT, HE SAID THIS IN SUCH AN AFFECTIONATE VOICE SKSK): My bride.

The crowd cheered and applauded, automatically making way for us as if they were watching a good show. I held his hand tightly and ran towards the setting sun.

_

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, we “eloped” all the way to the deep bamboo forest, a place off-limits to tourists. As soon as we stopped, the phone from the performance team rang.

MC: Sorry for the trouble we've caused... Sister Xiaolan: It’s okay, the audience thought it was a plot arrangement, and later the scholar came back and completed the ceremony. Sister Xiaolan: The scriptwriter said this development was very interesting and planned to turn this accident into a permanent story!

After giving a few more instructions, I hung up the phone and turned to look at Shaw.

And he looked at me steadily.

We stared at each other for a long time, and finally Shaw spoke first.

Shaw (scream in pain): So... hiss!

Shaw was caught off guard by the sudden move, and just as I thought I could struggle some more, he had already firmly pinned my hand.

My emotions have been up and down all day, my mind has been in a mess, and I don’t know what to say.

MC: You don't know anything at all…

Shaw: You didn't say anything, how was I supposed to know? MC: You don't know how worried I was when I couldn't reach you... After finally finding you, you were about to marry someone else...

Shaw listened to my "accusation" and he also felt a little helpless.

Shaw (feeling wronged): This is such a mix-up! I couldn’t reach you either! I thought you’d keep playing the role of the young lady, so I went to find that scholar...

Shaw frowned and his throat rolled violently.

Shaw (he sounded so hurt and wronged here): I wanted to marry you, to give you a surprise. MC (starts crying): No surprise, what surprise? I’m not surprised at all… not one bit!

The bitterness finally had an outlet to pour out, and my eyes were red as I glared at him.

MC: Rather than some surprise wedding, I’d rather have you stop being so difficult all the time. MC: I want to hear your sincerity.

Shaw was silent again.

In the tense silence, his hand remained firm until the moment when a sharp pain radiated through my skin and bones. At that instant, Shaw suddenly released his grip and leaned against me.

Shaw (in a serious tone x1): ….. MC. 

His voice, hoarse and tinged with a nasal tone, reached my ear.

Shaw (x2): I'm not being stubborn... I just... just can't say it out loud. Shaw (x3): "I don't want you to be an NPC and pretend to be a couple with someone else, even if that person doesn't show up"; Shaw (x4): "I don't want to see you marry someone else, even if it's just a show.”

Shaw (troubled by his own feelings): The thought of myself fretting over such trivial matters like an ordinary person disgusts me.

Shaw: I thought I could solve it in some "cool" way.

Shaw: Without making me say such petty things, I still want to make you happy.

MC: I'm not happy…

Shaw: But you're not happy.

Shaw's voice overlapped with mine. He gently cupped my face, and a kiss landed on my eyes, hotter than the tears that had yet to fall.

Shaw (in a low gentle tone x1): I know you've discovered it a long time ago…

Shaw (x2): Every time I pretended not to care and turned everything upside down for you, I was actually jealous to death.

I nodded, and Shaw's kiss slid to the tip of my nose.

Shaw (in a soft, sweet whisper x1): I am very petty and a super stingy person.

Shaw (x2): Do you still want to marry such a stingy person?

MC (happily): I do, so much.

The restless heart that had been wavering finally found its anchor in the shared breath, resonating with the fervent rhythm of his heartbeat.

Shaw let out a soft, muffled laugh. His lips descended again, capturing mine in a seamless, fervent kiss.

Suddenly I remembered that we also escaped from a wedding a long time ago.

At that time, Shaw seemed so relaxed and unrestrained——

Has he already become a super miser?

Not even a needle can fit in.

Until our breathing and moods slowly calmed down in this kiss, I snuggled in his arms and belatedly remembered the most important thing.

MC: ...Now that the theater has already ended, we can't hold the wedding ceremony, right?

Shaw (HE'S SUCH A GREEN FLAG): Then we won’t do it. MC: But if we don’t do it, wouldn’t it just be a runaway marriage? Shaw (in a lighthearted tone x1): Who said that? Shaw (x2): "Where there are no clouds, there is no rain; where there is no matchmaker, there is no marriage." As long as we find a "matchmaker," it won’t count as a runaway marriage.

Perhaps it was because he had untied a huge knot in his heart, Shaw's voice sounded particularly comfortable at this moment.

He looked around and pointed forward toward an old tree at the end of the bamboo forest.

Shaw (x3): Let's go with that one. It looks just like a matchmaker.

MC: Pfft... How do you know this tree looks like a matchmaker?

Shaw (x4): It feels right. Besides, there are precedents in ancient times for using trees as matchmakers. Since it's "getting married," following ancient customs is fine.

MC: That's nonsense.

Shaw (x5): Nonsense is still logic.

As Shaw spoke, he took out the red veil.

Shaw (x6): Want to cover it?

MC: Yes!

I nodded without hesitation, and he covered my face with the veil. For a moment, my eyes were full of burning red.

Because my vision was blocked, Shaw didn't walk very fast with me.

He walked step by step with determination and confidence, but the slight dampness in the palm of his hand revealed his current emotions.

MC: Shaw.

Shaw (clicks his tongue): Tsk, have you ever heard of the rule that a bride cannot talk when she is wearing a veil? MC: But I really want to talk to you, you don't want to listen, do you? Shaw: Want to hear.

There was no stubbornness, no retort; this rare display of sincerity from Shaw made my heart, which had calmed down, race again.

MC: I want to say… MC: I didn’t dislike the roundabout way you used to be, it was cute. Of course, the straightforward you now is also very cute. Shaw: Can you use a different word? Do "cute" and I even go together? MC: How about "cool"? Shaw: Aren’t those two descriptions a bit too far apart? MC: But in my heart, it's all you.

Shaw snorted. Even through the veil, I could tell what his expression was.

Shaw: If you say so, I also have something to say. MC: What?

Suddenly, the veil that was covering my eyes was lifted up by a hand.

I looked at the young man in front of me with a bright smile and unconcealed affection in his eyes.

I really love the new BGM which starts playing at this part!

The dim sunlight, with the warmth of a warm winter, was filtered through layers of bamboo leaves and fell on us.

Shaw (HIS VOICE SWEET AS HONEY X1): Just now, you were as wronged as a red-eyed rabbit, and then you stood up during the ceremony and loudly “stole the groom”. Shaw (X2): Both cool and cute.

It’s hard to explain, but it feels like he shoved a mix of sour dates, sweet pears, and bitter apricots all at once into my mouth.

In the end, I couldn't say anything and could only snort loudly like he did just now.

MC: The cool, cute, and petty bride is now giving the groom his first task — to repeat his vows just for me.

Shaw's smile became wider and he held my hand even tighter.

Shaw (laughs): Is the oath enough? Shaw: Together we share, and in unity we bond. As a student of a ceremonial advisor, my efforts are not in vain. Shaw: MC, everything you want, I can do it all.

He and I couldn't help but quicken our pace, holding hands, our hair and red thread flying in the air.

Maybe we still can't grasp the so-called perfect measure of getting along with each other, but I am sure that we will become what each other expects.

We both know that happiness is just ahead.

Shaw: The auspicious time has arrived.

[Section 5]

I regret it.

The moment I left the garden, I regretted it.

The instinctive urge to find her made me turn around and take two steps, but I forced myself to stop.

After all, what should I say when I get back? Say that I know I was wrong?

But I don’t know where to start talking about this “wrong”. Besides, if that was "wrong", she was wrong too.

I raised my head and looked in her direction.

From this angle, all I could see was a small section of her dark blue hairpin. She had been standing motionless by the artificial hill, almost like an NPC. I stared at her for a long time, until the clouds in the sky slowly moved away, and the overly bright sunlight fell on the hairpins in her hair. The reflected light hurt my eyes. ... Don’t you want to look for me at all? Not even lifting your head?

I don't know why, but I suddenly felt a dull discomfort in my chest. This feeling wasn't the first time I'd had it today. I had the same feeling when she smiled and said she wanted the players to give the mandarin duck sachet to a scholar this morning.

But how can I tell her?

"I’m so sad! I’m jealous! You’re not allowed to play a couple with anyone else! ... Just thinking about it makes me feel disgusted. If being in a relationship makes me turn into such a cliché person, I’d rather die. Thinking of this, I simply turned and walked toward the long street, stopping a tourist holding a pair of mandarin duck sachets. 'Hello, do you know where I can find the lovesick scholar?' I’m Shaw, and of course, I’ll solve the problem in my own way. The frustration from the morning had already been eased by her first 'lovesickness,' but I can’t just sit by and watch her become 'a couple' with someone else."

The negotiation with the scholar went much smoother than I had imagined, and I was also clear about the wedding process. But when I changed into the wedding dress and picked up the wedding vows, I still felt a bit stunned. When I helped them refine the wedding ceremony, I never thought that in the end, I would be the one using them.

"The magpie builds its nest, and the dove dwells in it. The bride goes to her home, escorted by a hundred pairs of guards..." I whispered each word softly.

———— Thousands of years ago, when weddings were still called “wedding rites” (the ceremony for marriage), the groom would recite such words. Thinking of this, my heartbeat inexplicably quickened, and the scenes that had once been chaotic in my mind became increasingly clear under the influence of the words.

In the dusk, she stood at the end of the long street, wearing a wedding dress, waiting for me. I would recite the vows, lift her veil with my own hands, drink the wedding wine with her, and finally hold her hand, accepting everyone's blessings. It’s so interesting. A person like me, who doesn’t believe in marriage at all, can still feel sweetness in such a childish fantasy, like playing house. I looked at myself in the mirror and tugged at the corner of my mouth.

When I put down the vows, I glanced at my hand. In a daze, it seemed like another hand appeared in my palm, hers. It was much smaller than mine, much softer, and with just my fingers together, I could completely envelop her hand.

... It’s just that when it comes to hitting, I do have some strength. If it weren’t for my impulsive decision to leave, I should still be playing the role of Young Master Ling, holding her hand and frolicking in the garden, right? The moment that thought crossed my mind, a wave of regret suddenly surged in my heart. I started to doubt whether replacing the scholar to marry her was a bad idea. What if she doesn’t like it?

"How could that be?" This completely unexpected surprise, she would definitely like it. Absolutely.

I repeated this word in my mind, stood up, and walked toward the door.

It's time to go get married.

—

⚡Call 1

⚡Call 2 

[jester089]

Jax Ass kicker here, it was definitely funny to see your thoughts on the purple menace and thanks for entertaining it! I’d like HC’s of them but only and ONLY if your up for it. I’m happy as is. Thanks! LOL ^_^

A well deserved A%# kicking (Part 2)

Can do! I'll read requests more thoroughly so I don't gloss over a vital thing like that again. Sorry again! Enjoy.

Caine

You being willing to fight back against Jax didn't really affect Caine as Jax never messed with him. Though Caine appreciates you helping out the others. It's strange but since Jax arrived Caine has seen an abnormal rise in abstraction. And Caine just can't put his finger on why? But then you showed up and it dropped back to the usual. *shrugs*

Gangle

Out of everyone Gangle needs it the most. She's made out of ribbon so she's easily hurt AND can't fight back! Have you ever tried to hit someone with a ribbon? It's impossible. AND HER MASKS ARE BREAKABLE! Yeah she needs some help. Your like a much needed Jax repellent that Gangle has been hoping for since she got here. But every time you protect her she feels bad cause she can't really do anything for you. But she'll try and be a bit more talkative/affectionate as you seem to like that. Do be warned each time he's stopped Jax gets more and more aggressive. So the only real way to have Gangle be safe is to either A. Always be with her. Or B. Get rid of Jax somehow. But that isn't going to happen so I recommend setting up a bed in your room for Gangle.

Zooble

Jax doesn't pick on Zooble a lot. He doesn't do her any favors sure, but I feel like their similar ages might make her less of a target? It's either that or because her reactions are never much fun to him. Well whatever the case, Zooble doesn't need much help. She can handle herself in an argument and in a fight. She could pop one arm off and have double the range making her able to hit the person with a full strength punch from afar. Still though everyone gets caught at a bad time eventually. And if you stepped in between her and Jax when something went wrong or Jax was being especially awful she would be grateful. She wouldn't show it until you two were alone but she does appreciate it. And she'll make sure you know that. Later.

Kinger

Kinger has been in the circus a while. He's the oldest in actual age and the one who's been there the longest. So he's definitely met a few Jax type people in his time and has learned how to avoid them. So more likely then not he wont need your help to often. But everyone needs help eventually. I can see Jax coating the outer layer of one of Kinger's pillow fortresses while he's inside with like cement to trap him. So when you save him he, like a true royal blushes then gives you his child's hand in marriage. But he doesn't have a child. So he'll have to do! (Don't expect anything fancier then a ring pop as a ring and a white sheet as a wedding gown.)

Ragatha

Ragatha honestly needs the help. Not because she's weak or anything. But because she's so worried about making sure the others are ok that she just lets herself be a punching bag if it means the others are ok. She's to much of a people pleaser and she suffers because of it. You two are a good mix of brain and brawn. She keeps everyone in the best state of mind she can manage. And you keep everyone as physically ok as you can manage. You make a good combo but you two can be a little overbearing so make sure, to make sure the persons ok with it. She's got a lot on her mind at all times so she wont always notice you helping her out, especially if it didn't happen in front of her or she was in the middle of something. But when she does realize she'll always thank you for it.

Jax

Two Jax's?! And your protecting one from the other?!? Error code 116832//: To many Jax's. Restart in 30 seconds. :\\ (That was a joke but like, it's a digital world. Technically it could glitch and their could be multiple of a character. I mean did you see that flower at the start of the pilot? It's clearly not a super well held together place.) (So, naturally my mind went straight to the thought being sandwiched in between two Ragatha's having the life squeezed out of me x2 in a super tight but incredibly loving hug. And naturally I'm going to write about that. Eventually. I'm pretty swamped rn.)

Pomni

From her first day here she's known that Jax was bad news. But she doesn't really avoid him, I mean she was there when he admitted to having keys to everywhere. So if he wants to find you their isn't just you can do. Until you arrive she hangs around him and is secretly hoping that he'll like having her around and take it easy on her. That of course doesn't work and by the time you arrive/realize how bad Jax is she's hanging on a thread. More likely then not your going to be taller then her. So if you see her clearly uncomfortable, with Jax or someone else if you just pick her up and walk away she'll be both embarrassed and thankful. She isn't the best at putting her foot down and stopping something she isn't comfortable with so your might end up having to be kind of an a%$#hole for her sake. (Ok I think I did your request right. If I didn't, again. Message me. Sorry but I'm not doing this for a third time. Your just gonna have to live with the two I did make. Even if it turned out wrong I hope you enjoyed.)

xoxo, Jester

[7grandmel]

Rip of the week: 30/09/2024

Waluigi Pinball (Beta Mix)

Season 4 Episode 1 Featured on: SiIvaGunner's Highest Quality Rips: Volume AI

Ripped by beardfear

Last week, for my "Character Archives" series, I finally pulled the trigger with the aptly-named [FILE-07] and wrote about the SiIvaGunner channel's mascot: Grand Dad. The funny Flintstones have been there since the literal first day of the channel's life, in a way representing everything that the team has aimed to achieve for the channel during its run. Yet one part I only briefly covered in the aforementioned post was the very fascinating evolution that Grand Dad as a channel meme has undergone over these past eight years. To outsiders to the channel, it may appear as if we've been laughing at the same tired joke for close to a decade - yet as things so often are on SiIvaGunner, the truth is far more densely layered, and arguably even more stupid. And in my eyes, no rip on the channel better encapsulates that ongoing growth than Waluigi Pinball (Beta Mix), a time capsule of almost five years by now.

Back in the beginning of Season 1, the appeal of Grand Dad as a meme was incredibly simple to understand: You expect one song from clicking on the video, and are instead met with one of the most globally recognizable melodies in the world. It's not that the Flintstones melody has some sort of inherent comedic value to it, like with The Nutshack and rips like Too big, huh, my nuts are too big how about that, nor is Meet The Flintstones the kind of piece to really evoke fierce emotions the way Snow Halation does in rips like Violet Snow Memories. As the very first joke made for the SiIvaGunner channel, the appeal in Grand Dad lay almost entirely in the novelty of the melodyswap alone. You as a viewer will be aware of The Flintstones theme, and you may even be aware of the Vinesauce bit that inspired the channel - and from that, the surprise of hearing the tune from a video game song you weren't expecting to, most often done with surprising authenticity to the game being ripped, was the extent of the bit.

The problem here, as you might already be able to tell, is that this joke is very reliant on the first impression, the initial surprise of not expecting the funny Flintstones to show up. That kind of surprise is something the team would continue finding new ways to evoke even in these first few months of the channel's life, resulting in a huge amount of all-time classic, inventive Season 1 rips like the great seaweed, Be Cool, Be Wild, and Be My Girl, and of course: Athletic Doctor. Yet as these kinds of new and fun ways to surprise people kept being explored, Grand Dad rips still kept coming - it had become a fun exercise for new rippers to learn, a simple melody to play around with. And even just a few short months in, I distinctly remember the reactions toward these rips beginning to feel more...tepid. Within the team, legendary rippers like Triple-Q had gone vocally against leveraging the joke further: all of which slowly escalated into the meme becoming derided as played out and tired. We'd get phrases like "Funny 7" and "Epic Flintstones" tossed around in an ironic tounge-and-cheek fashion, forever immortalized into the rip of Season 1's finale, Epic Flintstones. It felt as if, across the channel's nine months, Grand Dad had now lived a sufficient life, going from hero to the channel, to a bit of a punching bag, but one we were still left sad to see go.

And then the channel...y'know, continued.

With Season 2, as I've covered on posts like ULTRA S+G, the channel was now taking itself and its lore just a little bit more seriously. Grand Dad was still a little bit of a dated thing, yet with the notion of the channel's fate hanging into balance, he came to be as a sort of symbol for the channel's spirit, an icon to rally behind. By the time Season 3 rolled around, all of these views on the meme had wholly coalesced into outright ironic reverence. Videos like Unusual Circumstances and tons of rips made during the Nostalgia Takeover (see Fragile Snowman (Remastered)) in particular emphasized just how bizarre the fanbase's supposed adoration of Grand Dad and the funny number 7 was - and we the fans nodded, laughed and agreed! We all knew Grand Dad wasn't *genuinely* all too funny anymore, but somewhere in that storm of irony-fueled laughs it felt, at least to me, as if we sort of forgot the importance that Grand Dad was meant to hold on the channel, the ways in which it so beautifully encapsulated everything the channel stands for. And that's when this story takes an interesting turn.

In April of 2019, Season 4 of SiIvaGunner was officially well under way - and all eyes were, of course, on the newly-announced King for Another Day Tournament, covered on posts like Theme of HOBaRT. This month in particular gave us the first-ever real "SiIva Direct", a spoof on Nintendo's series of video announcement reels, only now of course focused on activity on the SiIvaGunner channel. It was as mentioned mainly focused on reveals for the still largely under wraps tournament set to come later in the year, yet amidst all those reveals and the announcements of some albums, one of the headlines stood out amidst the rest: The announcement - a week ahead of its release - of a lone high quality rip. That, of course, being Waluigi Pinball (Beta Mix). Now remember, this is still the same channel that releases on average six of these videos a DAY - and all that this announced rip was explained to be was a basic, ancient, old-ass, everyday Grand Dad rip. Surely, we all thought, there was a twist ahead: this rip was going to have a character reveal for KFAD, or this rip was going to be the start of some larger ARG, or contain some sort of crucial lore!! Even as the Direct ended, it stayed in the back of my mind...

And then the day came, April 7th. Waluigi Pinball (Beta Mix), as scheduled, lands right into our laps. And, shock and awe: It is quite literally exactly what it was advertised as. Waluigi Pinball, from Mario Kart DS, with the melody swapped to the Flintstones theme. Just the same as it had been as far back as Season 1. The drop of this video wasn't really hyped up more than its announcement, it wasn't as if this was the only video to drop this day, but it still felt like a lot of eyes were on it, yet the reaction wasn't really angry, or even tepid, so much as it was just a fair bit baffled. "I like how we all expected something huge but it's just a normal decent rip", writes one commenter: "I knew that there wasnt gonna be any special joke", writes another: Largely, though, people were of course dropping in a lot of ironic excitement for the rip, feeding off of the reputation Grand Dad had gotten. It was like Season 1 had never left! Or, well...

...the thing is, when you listen to Waluigi Pinball (Beta Mix), when you give it a genuine listen, you realize just how far the channel has come since Season 1. Sure, its grown in more extravagant, ambitious ways as well, but in Waluigi Pinball (Beta Mix), all SiIvaGunner viewers got to oh-so-subtly notice just how much better the team had gotten at ripping even the simplest of concepts in the few years since the channel's inception. A good number of early Season 1 like the original release of Violet Snow Memories were once taken down from the channel due to their off-key sound, and even the ones that stayed are often noticeably rough in sound, sufficient in getting the joke across yet failing to really stand up to any scrutiny. We'd seen rips get bigger and bolder, projects growing to the scope of projects such as The 2:28 Collab and SNES Mini Circulation - yet in a way, it was as if we were missing the trees that built this forest. In Waluigi Pinball (Beta Mix), the melody swap plays along to a melody so erratic in tempo, with such strange instrumentation, to where you just KNOW right off the bat that a less experienced and less knowledgeable ripper would have made this sound completely off-kilter back in the days of Season 1. Yet the ripper behind Waluigi Pinball (Beta Mix), beardfear, only got his start on the channel just a few months prior toward the end of Season 3, doing simple melody swaps much in the same vein as the ones Grand Dad had inspired hundreds others to do back in the channel's humble beginnings. The spirit of Grand Dad, even though all the mockery and irony surrounding it, was still continuing to inspire new rippers on the channel. It still so concisely and effectively represents everything that SiIvaGunner as a channel and as a team aims to achieve - and I feel like with Waluigi Pinball (Beta Mix), tongue-in-cheek as it were, we got a gentle reminder of just how much this ancient meme really means to all of us. From my perspective, seeing this unfold, this was the first point at which we began to start actually...like Grand Dad again?

It wasn't as if we automatically began finding the meme as funny as it had been in Season 1 or anything, nor did all of that lighthearted irony-posting really ever cease. Yet in the years since, in Season 5 and 6, it felt as if we'd all come to understand just how important Grand Dad as a figure is to the channel. By the time Season 7 was declared to be an entire YEAR dedicated to the guy, all hints of the irony that used to dominate discussion in the comments on Grand Dad rips felt as if it had completely disappeared. So many years had passed, not just since Waluigi Pinball (Beta Mix), but since the days when the meme had even started becoming derided to begin with, to where it just felt normal to present and view Grand Dad as a figure worth celebrating on the channel. He's the one who started it all! He's the most clear-cut embodiment of what the channel represents! But more than that, I feel as if by Season 7, we had all begun to realize just how far the channel had come, just how many years it had now been trucking along for - and just how impressive it was that it could all still be traced back to that one little melody.

The very next year after Waluigi Pinball (Beta Mix) released, at the SiIvaGunner team's 2020 MAGFest appearance, they held a special panel detailing how to get started in high quality ripping. Named High Quality Ripping LIVE!, it was a setup that let fans in the audience request simple rips for members of the team - live on stage - try to create as fast as possible. It was through first seeing this event that everything just sort of clicked together for me, in realizing how important Grand Dad as a figure still is for rippers in particular. I imagine it can be easy to feel lost in the excitement of rippers contributing these out of this world projects to the channel, yet as we learned back on Welcome to 2021! They finally invented summers that hurt motherfuckers😂 only at sonicforces​.​com - the main point of ripping, in truth, is to just let the imagination run wild and to have fun with what you're doing. That fun, be it ambitious or silly, all has to begin somewhere: and for rippers all across the team, rippers from Season 1 all the way to Season 8, those first steps taken into the hobby begins with FL Studio, a video game track of their own choosing, and the vision to recreate that iconic sequence of 15 notes.

[absolutebl]

This week in BL - Gay Boy Turf Wars Galore!

Also, ALL the guest couples: TutorYim & MacNat showed up in Korea. Korea also reused the Love Class pair. And Wayne Song & Huang Chun Chih (H3:MODC) popped up AGAIN. (To be fair, when does Wayne not show up in a Taiwanese BL?)

Entirely subjective yadda yadda. Organized by favs in each category. No numbered lists anymore, tumblr be buggn'.

Aug 2023 Wk 4

Ongoing Series - Thai

Laws of Attraction (Sat iQIYI) 7 of 8 - Plot reveals galore + all the penultimate tension we could want. (How many different kinds of smiles does Film have in his arsenal?) OMG I LOVE the unhinged idiot bloody tattooed ex bf - intro music and all. He is my precious psycho-bunny-snookums. Also Tinn, baby-boy, communicating about your honest feelings in a BL? What madness is this? I sense doom incoming. Smart Chan, always tell him he’s better in bed than your ex. The sides getting caught! Noooooo. I mean we knew it would happen but still noooooooo! 

I Feel You Linger in the Air (Sat YT) ep 2 of 12 - I like the surreal slip-stream dream-sequence openings. Is it a cerebral examination of temporal paradox or just designed to creep us out? The pace has picked up a bit and I'm delighted that external threat, stressors, and conflict are driving this plot. Refreshing. I love historicals - every touch and action can have such lingering significance, it’s very elegant. Thai BLs can often feel clumsy but not this one. I’m really enjoying it. 

Dangerous Romance (Fri YT) ep 2 of 12 - Sailom is great. I love a smartass who’s actually really smart, reminds me of Bai Luo Yin in Addicted. (The real Addicted.) Never a bad thing. Kang is nasty bit of business, I look forward to his redemption arc. I love his grandma. (BL is giving good grandma right now.) Nicely executed narrative twist into sympathy too: rich kid sees how rough life really is. The complexity of character depth needed for this script makes me so happy it's Perth & Chimon, they both have such expressive nuanced faces.

I do keep wanting to rewatch LBC tho. 

Only Friends (Sat YT) ep 3 of 10 - It remains a blast. Boston is king of red flags, cutting down Ray because he is the easiest punching bag? Going after his friend's bf just to prove he can? No thank you. I know Ray is lovely when he’s soft but danger zone, Sand. Be careful upon entering a minefield, every little step forward may cause an explosion. I don’t think being master of snark is gonna help you avoid getting blown up.

Sand is the one I feel the worst for - bi guy strays into cesspit of gay toxicity. He ain’t gonna make it out alive.  

Hidden Agenda (Sun GMMTV YouTube) ep 7 of 10 - The boyfriends date ep! Zo’s past explains a lot about his behavior. Flirty Zo is v dangerous to all our hearts. Nice kiss. Poor Joke. Meanwhile, the side couple gave good kiss too! However, why is Title playing the bad guy again? Did GMMTV bring him in just to be resident jerk face in all their BL? Makes me sad.

Be Mine Super Star (Mon Viki) ep 8 of 12 - This should be a 8 or 10 ep show, 12 is too many. I think I just don’t like the lead couple's character dynamic and personalities. (No shade on JaFirst.) Side couple went startlingly high heat allasudden. And while their sex scene was good, I wish Daddy and the Hot Doc were being given a lot more script, screen time, and character dev. Sigh. I guess I just wish they were the mains and the others were the sides.

Can't have everything, I suppose.  

Wedding Plan (Wed YT & iQIYI) ep 6 of 7 - Nuea is a saint and next week everything comes to a head (that didn’t already get head this episode). Trash watch here!

Love in Translation (Sat iQIYI) ep 2 of 10 - The side couple is everything. They are so cute and my favorite trope. Plus hugs with neck kisses! I love big brother using his adorable boyfriend to try and help his annoying little brother’s business. It’s just perfect. Unfortunately, that annoying little brother, is too fucking annoying. I remain largely unable to watch the main story arc. 

My Universe (Sun iQIYI) 1 of 24 eps - Sampler pack BL, 12 pairs, each pair gets 2 eps, so this show will run all the way into 2024.

First installment is Casanova Begins. Dead boy wakes up in his enemy’s body, 2 years after his own death. Has to make things right with the boyfriend who thinks he was abandoned. Everyone has secrets. No one can be trusted. And the dead kid can never tell anyone who he really is. It’s … different? Unique take on the My Ghost Boyfriend trope.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Jun & Jun (Korea Thur Viki) ep 6 of 8 - Random moment of TutorYim. Hi cuties. Simon is my favorite, I love him and his flirty irreverent ways.

Who does he actually like?

Or is he just flirting with everyone?

Can he have a crush on anyone but himself?

He’s a house cat among the pigeons. Clearly wouldn't know what to do with the bird if he managed to catch it. Or would he?

The 4 boys dodging around each other and re-shuffling is so funny. I can’t tell you how delighted this show makes me. I do feel sorry for Lee Jun, he’s just the toy everyone wants to play with. I understand his frustration, do any of them really want him or is it all because the others are interested? Kiss! Yay! Good kiss! Even more yay! 

Stay By My Side (Taiwan Fri Gaga) ep 9 of 10 - Poor baby doesn’t think he’s good enough and is holding JC back. They are THE CUTEST BOYFRIENDS. It hurts. The sappy. 

Kisseki: Dear to Me (Taiwan Tues Viki & iQIYI) eps 1-2 of 13(?) - From screenwriter Lin Pei Yu (We Best Love, H3: Trapped) formerly known as Miracle, features a student doctor forced to take care of a gangster. I love the premise and like the writer. This one could be sad. Never forget Taiwan will go there.

Shall we get tucked in?

Gay boy turf wars! Main couple is cute. Sunshine gangster (turns out to be a sweetie who cooks) meets broken brilliant tsundere student who wants to be a doctor. Side couple is the leader of the gang and his rabid Pet. Also, all praise the guest couple de jour (baddies). Nice to see you 2... again. All actors are clearly having a blast with this script.

Triggers for knife play, child abuse, lingering trauma. 

Love Class Season 2 (Korea Fri Viki) eps 5-6 of 10 - Aw guest couple from Love Class original, that is very sweet. The tutor and returning student, aka couple 3, are the best. So funny. But the whole thing remains engaging in a messy way.

Why R U? (Korea Wed iQIYI) eps 1-2 of 8 - Oh, it’s very odd. Certainly a lot more comprehensible if you've already watched the Thai version. As with that version, I still dislike the SaifahZon couple and love the FighterTutor couple. And once again I hate the weird IRL shipping sister. HATE HER. I’m not mad at the "Man who Fell into the World of BL" overtones but I wish they went at it more intentionally. (They’re not using NPC the way I would, are they? Cause that’s hella cruel.) MaxNat are fun. I love that Fighter went to his girlfriend's birthday party, didn’t even say hi to her, picked up her drunk bestie, and took him home.

This show is WILD. It’s very Korea tries to do a Thai BL. And, I gotta say, I kind of like the absurdity of the whole scheme. Do I think it will ultimately "work" as a stand alone piece? No. But as a very odd kind of parody? Sure.

Minato's Laundromat Season 2 AKA Minato Shouji Coin Laundry Season 2 (Japan Thu Gaga) ep 7 of 12 - Truth always comes out in hot springs. It's a rule of life. Coming clean is coming clean, I suppose. Still, moving very slowly for me and I need sake to get through this season. It's certainly suffering from sophomore slump.

Stay Still (Hong Kong Tues YouTube) ep 4 of 5 - Sad episode is sad. 

In case you missed it

My Personal Weatherman AKA Taikan Yoho (Japan Sat Gaga) ep 3 of 8 - didn't air this week

Dinosaur Love (Sun iQIYI) ep 9 of 10 eps - Didn’t drop this week? MDL thinks it should have. Everyone is confused. But also… who cares? 

Low Frequency (Thai iQIYI) Finished it's run - NO SINGING as flirty boyfriends they very cute actually, but this final ep was V E R Y slow.

All in all this was not a great show. Classic pulp with an interesting twist on “ghost boyfriend investigates his own not-murder” but ultimately not very good in any arena. 6/10 Only if you have nothing better to do. 

Sing My Crush (Korea iQIYI) Finished it's rerun

This a cute coming of age drama around music and 2 kinds of self acceptance and actualization journeys. This was basically Korea’s version of About Youth, and was perhaps a bit too soft and ungrounded by comparison, like a marshmallow sculpture. Sweet but somewhat lacking in discernible flavor. Inoffensively unmemorable. 8/10 RECOMMENDED especially if you enjoy KBL's style

8/24 Man Suang (Thailand movie, domestic cinema release) - historical drama about Thai burlesque with KP’s MileApo. Do I know where to get it? Nope. Do I care? Nope.

Next Week Looks Like This:

Coming September

I have 4 on my radar:

9/2 Naughty Babe (Thailand Sat ????) - MaxNat back on our screens. We think iQIYI but aren't confident.

9/15 You Are Mine (Taiwan ????) - it's taking over from Stay By My Side so likely Gaga. Secretary has to deal with grumpy boss.

9/26 I Cannot Reach You AKA I Can't Reach You AKA Kimi ni wa Todokanai (Japan ????) - Adapted from the manga, childhood best friends: The cool, smart one who’s good at everything, and his average, dorky friend who struggles. Always by the other’s side, but not together in the way they truly want to be. No matter how hard they try, their hearts cannot reach each other.

9/27 Absolute Zero (Thai iQIYI) - from 2021, Studio Wabi Sabi and New Siwaj finally bring us this “time loop to prevent tragedy” romance. We don’t always get HEAs from them, so I'm on my guard.

9/?? Venus in the Sky (Thai iQIYI) 10 eps - ????

2023 forthcoming BL master post (see comments, some are inaccurate, NOT KEPT UPDATED).

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

No you aren't, Lom. You don't even know what that means. (Wedding Plan)

Minato comes out to the best person.

Trope spotlight! (Low Frequency)

I Fell You Linger in the Air

So true. (Only Friends)

I love them so much, as @heretherebedork would put it, Tiny Idiots!

(Last week) 

Gotta say I am hating this new UI so much I'm not bothering to tag with shows. We shall see what that does for ROI.

[pafbar]

Is Ted and Toby's relationship in any way based on Sam and Max's?

hehe. oh hoo hoo. Absolutely!! I'd already been working on stuff for Harbor city for a while before I came across sam and max, but there are a lot of ways that their relationship is portrayed that is very precious to me and I try to take influence from! Things I always remember:

the shared sense of humor between them! They're constantly going along with each others jokes, yet very often, they don't laugh at them. I think that sort of lack of response makes them feel very familiar, and also quite secure in each other, not having to measure themselves or their relationship's standing through that metric of response.

this also leads to the understated, yet consistent affirmations we see of their love. Sam's "you crack me up, little buddy"s and Max's maxisms like the punching bag bit "I could never stop loving you!" and all that jazz is really sweet. Also, I like pointing out that in the Telltale games they are literally just smiling slightly almost all the time in each other's presence. it's a subtle thing and kind of just their idle animations but it's very cute and it sells me on the fact that they're just very happy people around each otherr.

Also, there's this intimate familiarity they have with each other's bodies and personalities that kills me dead - max's "your hands are freezing!!" and stuff like that, sam telling max to "stop saying things out of character" when he points out a misspelling, just stuff always throughout shows they have FIRM knowledge of each other at equilibrium and know when something's up.

They also have this sort of repression thing going on, both emotionally and romantically I feel. they don't react to things appropriately and i think that's funny

and just in general the solidity of this relationship was huge to me when i first saw it - them being middle aged makes me emotional dawg!! Of course ted and toby are much younger and have a lot more they need to figure out (as do I), I feel like the solid grounding nature of the pair's affection is something I want to bring about with my characters!!

[shiyosugi]

Hello!

I just read your "Blue Lock guys carrying you" headcanons and I thought they were cute!

I was wondering if you could write a scenario in which the reader and the guys get caught in the rain in the middle of their hangout/date?

Can you write for: Baro, Kuon, Aryu, Iemon and Gagamaru?

I don't know which characters you're comfortable writing for so feel free to leave out any you don't want to do.

Thank you! I wish you a nice day!

I'm comfortable with writing EVERY characters, to be honest. I appreciate this request! Sorry for any inaccurate stuff- and going off topic... I guess?

GETTING CAUGHT IN THE RAIN WHILE [HANGING OUT/ON A DATE] WITH BLUE LOCK BOYS

Picture from: Pink To Habanero - Chapter 3

CHARACTERS Shoei Baro, Wataru Kuon, Jyubei Aryu, Okuhito Iemon, Gin Gagamaru I will make part 2 if this got attention, which I actually might do, for now I will stick with what anon asked for! Oh, and I actually the date option, but I guess it can be seen as hanging out only as well... Well, up to you to imagine that! Also, I mostly write fem!reader, but sometimes when I wrote this kind of stuff it's gender-neutral friendly.

SHOEI BARO

"Tch." you heard Shoei as you finally turned your gaze away from your phone to him that was sitting next you. He looked pretty upset as he crossed him arms while you two were in a cafe, waiting for the rain to calm down a bit. It was clear he was upset by the rain.

You sighed and then gently placed a hand on his arm, "Hey, don't get annoyed now." you said with a small smile, he looked at you and then sighed. He had planned something for this day and how unfortunate for him, the rain ruined his planned.

"How can I not?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow at you and then looked away.

"Well, being all annoyed isn't going to help the rain to stop." you said with a slightly joking tone, he sighed at your statement.

He placed his hand on top of your head and then gently patted it, "I know." he simply said, he was still looking at the outside, hoping that it will stop raining soon.

"I really should have brought my umbrella with me before going out..." you said quietly as you looked down at your handbag, regretting that you didn't even bother to check your bag properly before going out.

Shoei looked at you and then shook his head, placing his hand on your shoulder now, "Well, none of us are going to expect the rain when it was literally all sunny when we went out." he said with his deep voice sounding somewhat gentle.

You were about to say something when he suddenly added, "I'm glad that you didn't get that wet." you stared at him for a moment before looking away, relaxing your body against the chair.

"But I am still wet." you said, rolling your eyes, a bit annoyed that you did get wet from the rain.

Shoei himself got wet from the rain but he was being more cautious about you, he didn't want you to get sick. "Yeah." he shortly replied, touching your hair that was slightly wet from the rain.

"We're going straight back home once the rain subsides. I hate seeing you like this." he said, referring to your wet hair which earning him a light punch on his arm from you.

"Do you really have to use the word, hate?" you asked, narrowing your eyes at him. He stared down at you and then simply looked away. "I say what I want to say." he replied.

Eventually, when you got home he immediately told you to take a warm bath and helped you warm yourself up even more. He didn't want you to get sick because of going out with him.

WATARU KUON

While walking through the city's downtown and talking with Wataru, you suddenly a water drop on your head. Wataru felt it as well which made him looked up at sky.

It was shining bright a few moments ago but it was covered fast by the clouds as if they have just appeared out of nowhere and the weather changed fast from a clear day to a rainy one.

"Oh no..." you heard Wataru said as he took your hand and started walking quickly to find a decent place to cover from the rain.

You can see that he was upset from the sudden change of weather. You two were quick to get soaked by the rain when he finally found a good place to cover from the rain.

You didn't mean to but you made frustrate sound as you look down at your wet clothes. Wataru looked at you, he had an apologetic look upon hearing your frustrate noises. He looked down at the ground, watching the raindrops that fell from the sky hit the concrete floor.

"I'm sorry. I should have brought an umbrella with me before going out." he suddenly said, making you looked at him and saw his upset face.

You sighed quietly and then leaned forward a bit to take a good look at his face, "No need to apologise, I didn't bring an umbrella as well so you're not the only one regretting the decision of not being sensitive enough about the weather." you said with a straight face.

He looked at you, but when his eyes(that are opened in this situation), met with yours he immediately looked away. He still felt nervous to look at you in the eyes, especially with how serious you can look sometimes.

"But, I've told you that you can trust me on having fun spending time with me today..." he said in a quiet voice, eyes not wanting to meet yours. However, that won't happened as you placed your two fingers on his cheek and then turned his face to look at you.

"Jeez, no need to be like that. I trust you, but this is something you can't predict or control and you know it." you simply said, your expression softened a bit to reassure him which he noticed and that made him blushed. A rare sight of you.

"Y-Yeah- I know." he said quietly. As you were pulling your hand away from his cheek, he suddenly but gently held that hand. He stared at you for a while without saying anything which made you wondered what he wanted to say.

However, when he opened his mouth to speak you were rather disappointed with what he said, "You're really are wet from the rain." he said, looking at you, soaked by the rain.

"I can say the same to you." you replied back to him, he just laughed softly at that.

JYUBEI ARYU

You didn't even need to look at him to know his reaction at the sudden rain, "No! My hair is ruined now!" he said as he looked down at his hair, all wet and not stylish anymore.

Your sigh caught his attention which made him examined your hair that was also wet, "Your hair is ruined also. Your soft hair..." he said as he touched your hair that he had helped to make it as stylish as he preferred it.

He had spend quite a time to do his hair, as well as your hair so getting it ruined by the rain annoyed him. Well, you were annoyed as well but not having the same reaction as him.

"I'm sorry, I should have considered of bringing an umbrella..." you said, looking down at the ground feeling a bit bad that his work on your hair had to be ruined since he spend most of his time doing his hair and yours.

He looked at you and then shook his head, patting your head, "No need to apologise." he said, leaning down a bit so that his face near yours his face that you have always found pretty was close to yours.

You slowly looked at him, turning your head a bit to look at him, "Don't put that face on, it's not stylish." he said which earning him a soft laughter from you. He preferred that face on, it might not be stylish in general but for him, it was.

OKUHITO IEMON

He felt bad that you were now soaked by the rain, he thought that you have put some effort into your looks today so getting it ruined while spending time with him made he felt a bit responsible somehow.

"I should have brought an umbrella along with me." he said as he guided you to a covered area.

"Don't worry, it's fine. Not a big deal." you said as you dried your face using your handkerchief that you always have around for some reason.

"But I can see that you put some effort into your looks so..." his voice trailed off, you just stared at him before chuckling.

"Some effort? Not really. I just try to look decent." you said, and then handed him your handkerchief which he took it and then wiped his face as well.

"Well, that is still an effort..." he said as he gave you back your handkerchief. After you took it back, he looked at your appearance once more. "I thought today will be a good day for us to spend time together, I guess I was wrong." he said while shaking his head with a small laugh.

"Don't worry about it, being with you counts as well." you said which made him looked at you again, a shy smile can be seen on his face.

"Well, it could have been better." he said but you simply patted his shoulder.

"Hey, I said don't worry about it. Stop bringing down the mood." you said with a slight joking tone before laughing quietly.

He looked at you as you laughed, you were always a sunshine to him even in the rain. He loved that fact. He almost forgot about how he felt a bit uncomfortable because of his wet clothes and the cold wind.

GIN GAGAMARU

He didn't react much to the rain but looking down at you who looked annoyed by it, he immediately looked around for a shelter and when he did, he immediately dragged you there with him. You didn't even get to protest on his action since he simply carried you there.

While he was at it, he sort of covered your head a bit, a cute gesture that you appreciate. After reaching the covered area, he placed you down and then helped you to wipe your face off with your handkerchief that you handed to him before he could use his shirt.

"You still look good." he said as if to make you feel better about how your looks got ruined a bit. You looked at him and then smiled a bit.

"Thank you." you said, he looked down at you with his usual seemingly blank face.

"Here let me..." you took the handkerchief from him and then tried to reach up for his face which he noticed and then leaned down a bit, allowing you to wipe his face off.

While you did so he stared at your face, admiring your beauty. You didn't mind that, you were used to his staring so it was not really a bother. After you were done, you patted his cheek which he then leaned back.

"Thank you." he said to you and you gave him a smile, you might didn't see it but he was a bit flustered by your gesture.

"I'm sorry... Our plan have to end up this way." he said, you shook your head.

"No no. It's nothing. Don't worry." you said, he slowly nodded at your statement. While waiting for the rain to subside, he tried to entertain you which he always managed to do.

[aliquistis]

New Skyrim playthrough starting with Irem at-Tavani who is a Redguard monster-hunting alchemist from Skaven. I love her but this post is actually bc my new favorite follower is also her husband,

Val Serano

I am being so serious right now, go play this mod.

Gushing about Val and more screenshots under the cut

So the thing I really like about Val as a follower is that he is here for the journey. He does of course have a fully fleshed-out story and personal quests but what I really love is I don't feel like I'm dragging him along to help me with my adventures, he's coming along bc he wants to be in on the adventure too (and, more importantly, the pay out,) I don't know if this feeling is an amalgam of how many lines he has (he has SO many lines reacting to quests) or his personality (relic hunter, knowledge seeker, arcane trickster on the lookout for that next big find that'll have us rolling in septims) but he doesn't just feel like a 'follower', he feels like a companion. The only other custom voiced follower I've really gotten that feeling with has been Lucien, and with how good that mod is I think that's a compliment that speaks for itself.

His personal quests are also really good and work so well with Elder Scrolls lore. I don't want to get into details bc spoilers but seriously, it's good food.

And all that is an aside from the romance, which is also excellent. I'm not roleplaying Irem as ace but I do love seeing some good middle-of-the-road options for ace people like myself who are not sex-averse and love a good fade-to-black. When I first started playing the mod I kept thinking to myself that Val reminded me of characters like Han Solo or Atton Rand (if Atton was way more charming and the writers didn't use him as a punching bag) The whole flirty reformed pirate with a heart of gold thing is ridiculously up my alley. The mod encourages roleplaying and has three paths to romance -- I went with the bickering-to-lovers path because I love a Pride and Prejudice plot and it fits Irem's character.

While your path is locked in at a certain point, you still get dialogue options, which is nice for the relationship I imagine with these two: one which starts contentious and softens over time. An issue I've had with other video game romances is that it treats one selected trait as your whole character (when they even give you the option to roleplay at all). I love that this doesn't see you being a sarcastic bitch 20 times and decide your whole personality is sarcastic bitch. I have layers ok sometimes I'm a sarcastic bitch who cries at the end of tangled

So yeah. The writing is great. The voice acting is great. The thought put into the character and the world-building is incredible. The romance is easily the best I've played in Skyrim (which. ok. low bar but the compliment stands.) tbh I only downloaded him originally because I had a skyrim itch and the Kaidan Revoiced mod isn't out yet, but I have been simply Floored.

Anyways mostly I am writing this because hurricane Milton knocked my home on its ass for a week and a half and I had a lot of electronic-less time to philosophize about how far modding has come and to write fanfiction. But also I'm just banging pots on my small corner of the internet to bring more attention to this excellent piece of work.

the fanfiction bit isn't a joke does anyone know how mod authors feel about cvf fanfic it feels weird to me like I'm playing with someone elses toys--

[heretyc]

How The Outlast Characters Spend Christmas [The Serious Version]

Happy Holidays from Heretyc and your fave Outlast characters! xoxo [And the rabid squirrels I sent to attack Barbi for assaulting my eyes!]

Miles -

Spends it drinking eggnog. 100%. He is the type to splurge on stupid shit just because it's "Christmas". His camcorder is one of those purchases.

He will sleep all fucking day Christmas day and you have to wake him up. He's in an eggnog induced coma.

Waylon -

He spoils the shit out of his sons, is this surprising?

He enjoys the festivities and will enjoy hot chocolate as he watches shitty Hallmark movies. Let's be real, the guy would love them. They're corny, sure, but they're cute. He spends a lot of time on your gifts so they're thoughtful.

Blake and Lynn -

Far too busy being nosy and suffering helicopter crashes.

Walrider -

He eats mistletoe. Next contestant.

Chris -

...He's, um...I was gonna make a Christmas Pig joke. I can't. I feel bad. Merry Chrysler. [He watches TV and eats turkey like the happy pig man he is.]

Trager -

He, too, gets drunk. But off of martinis with candy canes. He unironically smokes mistletoe when his dealer is off for the holidays because he can't ration his weed for the life of him. He's, surprisingly, thoughtful with your gifts, but he'll also buy something for you that's really for him. You don't like coffee, so why would he buy you a coffee mach- oh. Balding bitch.

Jeremy -

He's rich but he's also a bitch. Christmas break isn't a thing for Murkoff except for him. He sits on his ass, drinks wine and spiked spiced apple cider, and watches Judge Judy.

Assuming he even puts up a tree, the entire bottom half is coated in gifts addressed to you. Also there is a whole ass fucking lambo underneath it. How big is this asshole's house? Anyway, just be sure to thank him real prettily. His kindness hadn't left a dent in his bank account, but he still appreciates a passionate thank you.

Eddie -

Eddie's obsessed with the holiday; it's all about spending time with family, watching snow fall, watching corny romance movies, and having fun. There is mistletoe EVERYWHERE. His gifts for you are handmade clothes. Who needs a winter wardrobe when he's right there?

Knoth -

It's a God-revolved holiday, so expect church and spiced wine. He despises Santa Claus simply because the attention is off of him. His gifts are just paintings of him. Each in different positions. Next year, he needs to gift you ones with his clothes on. Please.

Marta -

She's not...overly fond of the holiday? She treats it like any other holiday; doing cardio and killing people in the name of Jesu- Knoth. Yeahhhhh. Knoth.

Val and the Heretics -

They don't really celebrate it. They exchange gifts and do things together, but that's it lol. They don't recognize it as a holiday worth mentioning. Val will get you something either thoughtful or sexual in nature. Or both, if you're 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴𝔂 [freaky].

...Don't eat the candy canes.

Leland Coyle -

"IT'S JESUS' BIRTHDAY! GOD BLESS AMERICA."

That's all.

Barbi -

He gets punched in the face by Santa because he thought Barbi was a swollen rat. That's it. Also I helped a little bit.

Mother Gooseberry -

If you want to keep your sanity intact, do not look in the little gift bag she got you. It's strangely heavy...and it's leaking at the bottom. Other than that, she celebrates it. She loves candy canes.

Authors note that you can skip; I obviously can't yap about Outlast 1/WB/2 forever, so I'm getting Outlast Trials soon! I'll need to clear out my PS4's space but I was given money for my birthday from my grandfather [even though it's 2 months away lol] so I'll be joining the Outlast Trials club <3 Expect memes that degrade Barbi <3