#but anyways it kinda had a cool effect on the atmosphere so it's not that bad in my book

[fluffypichu876]

the lack of sound-effects from the hydra and the singing in the background made this area feel even more mystical to me...

[monkey-d-ezekiel]

Gear Reverse Theory (kinda)

okay hear me out. no the 3 week break is not messing with my mind. but WHAT IF Gear Reverse is an actual thing. we've seen Luffy in Gear 5 multiple times by now, right? and one of the consistent responses that Luffy has had to people acknowledging him as Sun God Nika has been essentially "Huh? I'm just Monkey D. Luffy!". Like he does not care for this Sun God business in the slightest.

The point is, Luffy has never wanted to be any sort of hero or God, and he doesn't take kindly to his new gear (Gear 5) basically being called a reincarnation of someone else, specifically someone who was worshipped as a God of Liberation. He always clarifies that he's just Monkey D. Luffy and doesn't really understand this Sun God business.

But we've also seen it be stated that Zoan devil fruits have a 'will of their own' and in the case of Luffy's mythical zoan, the will of the fruit is that of Sun God 'Nika'. We've seen Luffy undergo a fairly noticeable shift in personality numerous times while fighting in Gear 5. While his major fights pre-awakening used to be tense struggles with him adopting a more serious demeanor, his recent fights have been more characterized by humor and goofiness. This seems to be a direct effect of the will of Sun God Nika or Joyboy coming to the forefront. In a way you could say that Luffy's will and personality is sort of playing second fiddle in Gear 5.

We all know that Luffy is a headstrong and in a sense, selfish guy. He values his beliefs, personality and aspirations over the morality of a hero, as we've seen several times in the series. He was averse to Jimbei trying to frame him as a hero in FMI, and the same held true for one of his first interactions with Vegapunk, in which he seemed disenchanted at the thought of being some sort of hero. Oda seems to be indicating more than once that Luffy is yet to realize that his awakening has made him a reincarnation of a God.

So what exactly will Luffy do once he fully understands what his fruit and its awakening entail? He's going to be unhappy about it. Luffy does not want to be a hero, and especially not when it comes with the added cost of having your will taken over by a mythical deity. and this is where Gear Reverse comes in. Luffy is going to be the first human to go beyond his awakening. Gear Reverse is going to be Luffy asserting his will over the fruit and making use of all its powers post awakening while also making sure his will is the dominant one, and not that of the fruit. I'm not sure how exactly Gear Reverse would look, but I think it would be cool if it was Luffy simply in his base form and nothing more, while still being able to fight in the ridiculous manner he does, turning the environment to rubber and such.

I think one of the biggest indicators which point towards Luffy slowly gaining control over his devil fruit, rather than his devil fruit having control over him, is this panel from chapter 1108. It is in equal parts menacing and goofy, combining both those elements to create a terrifying atmosphere, and a bit of a departure from the overly humorous style of fighting that Gear 5 has been so far.

Anyways yeah, there's probably a buncha holes in this theory, but I found the concept of an internal clash of wills within Luffy, between him and his devil fruit, to be pretty interesting and in character for Luffy, while also being a fresh and innovative direction for the series to take with Gear 5 rather than it just being a chosen one story.

[tilebytiles]

star treatment - a.t. (part 2)

summary: there's a strange man named alex that has a strange obsession with you, and he makes the strangest offer of your life. word count: 3.2k warnings: none part 1

You had fallen asleep a while ago. The stars, although breathtakingly beautiful this far out in space, had eventually gotten tiring to look at, and your brain itched for something else. You were still too tense to talk to anyone else on the spacecraft, and Alex was nowhere to be found, although you doubted you'd talk to him anyway. With no methods of entertainment beyond staring out the window, you fell asleep rather quickly, your imagination conjuring up strange dreams about the hotel you were heading to.

The only thing that woke you up was the sound of rustling clothes in front of you. Drowsily, you forced your eyes open and your body to come up onto your feet. You were a little wobbly from trying to do so much so quick, but you regained your balance rather quickly and began to follow the journalists down the narrow aisle between the rows of seats. If there was anything science fiction films had taught you, you should have been floating through that rocket instead of walking. Your feet, however, remained firmly planted on the carpet, a fact that was rather disappointing. Floating would have been cooler.

The interior of the seating area was done in soft, warm colours, offering an inviting atmosphere. The seats were a navy blue with an off-white stripe down the center, and the walls were a shade of pink, something close to salmon, you thought. The floor was done in the same colour, but down the aisle was a red carpet. There weren't many seats, so the rocket could only house a group about the size of this one at any time. You didn't mind; the less people you had to awkwardly avoid, the better.

You realised the giant window at the end of the aisle that you'd thought was for stargazing was actually a port. As soon as you stepped into the giant see-through tube, you heard the door slide shut behind you, sealing you off from the rocket. You couldn't help but marvel at the empty chasm of space that surrounded you, as well as the moon that rested beneath you. From here, you could make out the complex building you were realising was meant to be the hotel. It looked futuristic and retro at the same time, an effect that wasn't hard to achieve; the architecture looked like the kind that was popular in the 70s, providing a sort of nostalgic feel, but it was sitting on the surface of the moon. This definitely wouldn't have been possible in the 70s (you could hardly believe it was possible now).

One of the journalists spoke up, shattering the awestruck silence. "He's a bit mad for doin' all this."

The journalist beside him shrugged. "It's kinda cool, though, don't you think?"

"Well, sure, but imagine having these kinds of funds ... and you waste it on a lunar hotel?"

You hardly knew Alex, but it made you feel a little uneasy to hear someone speaking ill of him. You wanted to speak up, but a third journalist beat you to it. "If anything, he's proving we can even do this kind of shit on the moon. It's better than some of the stunts billionaires have been pulling."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, Miles," the first journalist grumbled. "Stop kissing his ass."

The journalist named Miles rolled his eyes, then glanced over at you. You hadn't even realised he was walking beside you. He grinned at you and held out a hand for you to shake. "Miles Kane," he said.

You slowly shook his hand. "Y/N L/N."

"You don't exactly seem like the reporter type. What're you doin' up here with this pretentious lot?"

You liked him already.

"Alex invited me," you told him. "I haven't really figured out why yet."

He nodded, seeming to ponder over the information you'd just given him despite it only being two sentences. "I'm sure we'll get along perfectly," he finally said, smiling at you again. "If any of these pricks cause you trouble, just lemme know."

"Thank you." You smiled back at him.

When you made it to the other end of the tube, the door in front of you slid open, allowing your party of prose into the hotel. Your eyes widened once you stepped through the door. The room you were in, which you guessed to be the main lobby, was absolutely gigantic - or at least, it felt that big. There was a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, illuminating the whole space with sconces mounted on the walls to light up the spots the chandelier couldn't reach. The walls were a warm, perhaps almost burnt, shade of orange, and the floor was made of lush carpet, the pattern almost hypnotising. Squiggles of colour stretched from wall to wall above a black background. The wall to your right, close to the door, held floor-to-ceiling windows, showcasing the moon and the stars in all their glory. To your left was the reception desk, the lift to its left and the stairs to its right. Chairs and tables were scattered amongst the space, providing plenty of spots to sit and rest. Mounted on the wall behind the reception desk was a flat-screen TV. You were impressed it could pick anything up out here.

Your group wandered over to the reception desk, and to your surprise, someone popped out of the door that had an 'EMPLOYEES ONLY' plaque, grinning at you all. "Pleasure to meet you!" he said. "Mr. Turner told me you'd be arriving."

Alex's last name was Turner?

"Hold on," the first journalist from before said, "you mean you've just ... been here?"

The receptionist nodded, still smiling. "We've had more than enough resources to last us, don't worry. And they're replenishable! But we can get into that later."

"There's more than one of you?"

"All the staff were busy prepping for your arrival. We hope you enjoy your stay. Let me be the first to officially welcome you to the Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino. My name's Mark, and I'll be your guide for the tour today."

You admired Mark's genuine enthusiasm. Then again, you didn't think it'd be very hard to be enthusiastic about a job like this.

He came out from behind the desk and motioned for your group to follow as he headed for the open doorway across from the door you'd just come through. It opened out into a long hall, branching off into different rooms. "This is where the café is," he said, pointing to one of the sets of doors you passed by. "That's where you'll be eating all your meals, although your options will differ depending on the time of day. That," he said, pointing to another set of doors, "is the gym. There's all kinds of equipment in there, and it's completely free for all guests, so don't be afraid to stop by."

He continued leading you down the hall, pointing at different doors and explaining them. Connected to the café was a greenhouse that provided different types of produce, and it was available to guests ("take a tour or let the little ones learn how to garden!" he had said). There was a library, a laundry room, and even something like a patio at the very end of the hall, allowing you to get as close to the moon itself as you safely could.

When you came back up the hall and squeezed into the lift, Mark explained how the actual hotel rooms would be the last part of the tour; that way, you could all rest as soon as you got to your rooms. Your first stop was the very top of the hotel, where you could see the large hexagonal neon sign spinning slowly on top of its pole. They had built a pool into the roof, complete with a ladder to make getting in and out easy, a diving board, various chairs set up, umbrellas that you weren't even sure were necessary and bathrooms and changing rooms, the latter of which were fully stocked with robes, bathing suits and pool toys.

Heading down a floor revealed the hotel's partial namesake: the casino. The lights were significantly dimmer here than they were in the rest of the hotel, but they weren't so dim that you couldn't see at all. Machines had been pushed up against every wall and were lined up perfectly around the room. It was almost overstimulating, and you were grateful you left when you did, although the aftereffects of all the lights remained in your vision as colourful blobs for some time.

Your whole group was staying on the same floor. You didn't know if you were glad about it or dreading it. At least Miles would be nearby, you thought. He'd been making the occasional quiet joke to you throughout the whole tour, and you did your best to stifle your laughter to avoid dirty looks from the others.

"I'll talk to you later," he said, snapping you out of your thoughts. You hadn't even realised you'd made it to your rooms. His was across the hall from yours. You nodded and flashed him one last smile before unlocking your door with the key Mark had given you and stepping inside.

The room was lavishly decorated. You almost felt guilty for staying there for free. A four-poster bed stood tall, the frame painted a creamy white and the mattress covered in a white sheet. A thin fabric, something like lace, hung from each corner like curtains. The blanket looked soft, inviting, and after many, many hours of being stuck in a rocket and sleeping in a (albeit comfortable) chair, slipping under the covers and taking a proper nap sounded heavenly. You forced yourself to hold off on that nap, though, and continued your exploration of the room.

The overhead light was built into the ceiling, and upon discovering a small remote on top of the chest of drawers across from the bed, you realised the brightness could be changed. There was a floor-to-ceiling window built into the wall across from the door, offering yet another stunning view. The closet that was built into the wall rested to the left of the bed, and to the right was a small nightstand. In the closet, you found all sorts of clothes. At least there was comfort in the fact that no matter what happened, you'd be well-dressed for the occasion. Not far from the nightstand was a door, and when you opened it, you discovered the bathroom.

Ah, yes. It was about time you took a shower.

The water was perfectly warm, and the shampoo smelled lovely. Although it had only been a few days, you still felt gross for having gone so long without a shower; you guessed it was only because you were used to showering every day. When you finished getting cleaned up, you slipped into the cosiest pair of pyjamas you'd ever gotten your hands on and made sure to turn the light off before slipping into the unnecessarily fancy bed.

You wondered what Alex was up to. You hoped you'd see him tomorrow, mostly so you could thank him for inviting you in the first place. Although the concept of a hotel in space still felt a bit mad to you, you were beginning to realise it really wasn't as bad as you'd expected it to be. Maybe you were even a bit proud of him.

•••••

The next morning - at least, you guessed it was morning - you made your first trip to the café Mark had shown you. You had to admit, you were starving. Although you'd been given snacks on the rocket, they were exactly that - snacks. They hadn't been near enough to keep you full, and now your stomach felt like it was going to gnaw its way through your entire body if you didn't get something to eat soon.

A few of the journalists were already in there, including Miles. You headed towards the counter, where the employee behind the till smiled at you. "What can I get for you today?"

"Uh ..." You stared at the imposing menu on the wall, assessing your options. "Can I have the egg croissant, please?"

"Would you like a drink with that?"

"Water's fine, thanks." The employee nodded, punching your order in, and when the small number popped up on the digital screen sticking up from the till, your eyes widened. It was cheaper than you'd been expecting. You quickly fished your wallet out of your pocket.

Once the transaction was complete, you headed for Miles' table and sat across from him. He was scribbling something in his notepad, but when he heard the creak of your chair, his head snapped up. When he realised it was you, he grinned. "Hey, Y/N."

"Hey," you replied. "What are you doing?"

"Writin' down some notes for that article I gotta write. We've been here for less than a day, and I already have enough info to crank out a goddamn essay."

That made you laugh, earning a sideways glance from one of the journalists. It was the one that had been questioning Alex's motives before. You heard Miles scoff, prompting you to look back at him with a raised brow. “Trouble in paradise?”

He snorted. “Hardly paradise with that prick around.”

“Who is he?”

“James Schwartz, also known as one of the biggest dickheads on the planet. Old money - his dad runs the paper he writes for, and his dad ran it before that, and so on. Heard he’s in line for the throne.” He shook his head. “He’s willin’ to do anything for a story. Can’t keep a girlfriend for more than a few months, either.”

“What do you mean, he’s willing to do anything?”

He eyed you for a few moments, as if he was debating whether or not he should unveil James’ moral crimes to you. Eventually, he sighed, leaning back in his chair; so much so that the two front legs rose from the floor. “The best of it, so to speak, is that he flooded some poor shop owner’s voicemail until they phoned him back.”

“And the worst?”

His lips pressed into a thin line, and his gaze sauntered over to land on James, who’d put a pair of headphones on at some point and remained entirely oblivious to your conversation. Still, to be on the safe side, Miles’ voice lowered, forcing you to lean over to hear him. “He dated a girl, some model from Bristol. A couple of months later, she broke up with him, and then suddenly, her nudes were up on the Internet, free for all perverted fucks to see. He was one of the first to cover the story, and his article painted her in a suspicious light, spoutin’ some shite about how she shouldn’t have let anyone take such compromisin’ pictures of her. She quit modelling not long after. It was never proven to be him, but …” He shrugged and looked back to you.

Your stomach churned at the mere thought of what he’d gotten away with. “Surely someone questioned him?”

“If they did, he probably paid them to keep quiet. Either way-” He dropped his pencil onto his notepad. “-I would stay away from him, if I were you.”

“Don’t need to tell me twice,” you mumbled.

After your food had arrived and you’d satiated your hunger, Miles suggested heading up to the pool for a quick dip. You agreed, although considering you’d just eaten, you didn’t think you would actually do any swimming. This notion seemed a bit funny to him, and he even asked if you were chicken, but he didn’t press the matter any further.

Much to your delight, there were swimsuits in the dressing room, and you slipped into a black bikini on the off chance you hopped into the water. Wrapping yourself up in a plush white robe that had the hotel’s acronym embroidered into the left breast, you stepped out onto the pool deck. Miles was already in the pool, clad in a pair of black swim trunks and swimming from one end to the other, engaged in an intense race against himself. You plopped down onto one of the pool chairs and stretched your legs out, watching as Miles swam to the edge closest to you with a grin. “The water’s lovely.”

“I’d rather not get cramps,” you said, making him laugh. He playfully splashed water in your direction, spraying small droplets onto your calves and the chair beneath you. The water was cold against your skin.

You heard the entrance to the pool open, making you turn and look over your shoulder. Alex stood in the doorway, and when he saw you, he managed a small smile. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I could say the same for you.”

“I was looking for Miles.” He glanced around you and spotted the man in question, who offered an enthusiastic wave that was akin to one from a child. “Mark said you’d be here.”

“You should come join me, Mr. Turner,” Miles replied, assuming an exaggerated air of pompousness. “Have you even tested your own pool?”

Alex seemed to genuinely consider that question for a few moments. His hands slid down into his pockets, and his lips pressed together before finally parting to form the words, “No, I haven’t.”

And with that, he found himself in swim trunks exactly like Miles’ less than a few minutes later. It was the first time you’d seen him in anything beyond his perfectly crisp suits, and it also offered you a chance to admire his physique. His abs were lightly defined, as were the muscles lining his arms; the veins in his forearms protruded, as if all they needed was a small push before bursting from his skin; his legs had about as much hair as you could have expected, and there was a light smattering of hair across his chest. Draped over his chest, sinking into the dips of his collarbones, was a thin gold chain, the same one you’d seen him wear a number of times at the café.

Miles whistled, snapping you out of the spell Alex’s body had put you under. “She’s oglin’ ya.”

“Am not!” you protested, glaring at him.

He only rolled his eyes. “There’s nothin’ wrong with admirin’.”

You didn’t say anything, only crossed your arms over your chest. It wasn’t like you needed to respond, though; the heat that spread across your cheeks like wildfire spoke volumes.

If you were being perfectly honest with yourself - which you did reluctantly - Alex had always caught your eye. You mostly attributed it to the mysterious aura that he was always shrouded in, brought into existence by how little he spoke, how much he kept to himself, and the documents he primarily occupied himself with. Even if you now knew what those documents had been for, there were still heaps of things that remained locked away from you. For fuck’s sake, you’d learned his last name from a complete stranger.

In some ways, his mystery was a siren call, coaxing you in for what you thought might be your untimely demise. If there was anything the piles of romance novels in your flat had taught you, it was that strange men- especially rich ones- shouldn’t ever be trusted with matters of the heart.

As Alex lowered himself into the pool, though, you let yourself ogle for a little while longer.

[elendsessor]

ok my favorite kind of elder dragons are the parasitic ones since we actually see what harm they’re capable of doing outside of being told they’re harmful to the environment and i really have to give props to blackveil vaal hazak since he’s easily the best “roaming” elder dragon (aside from the magalas because honestly there was so much done with gore that no elder dragon can stand on the level of showing that domino effect).

see the problem i have with roaming ones is you barely see what they do unless it’s story stuff and worldborne was MASSIVE missed opportunity. they tried remedying this by having extreme weather whenever they’re around (except in the elder’s recess at least it’s insanely hard to tell) but while yeah extreme weather is bad…. it looks way too natural. teostra in particular makes this really obvious by having things in the wildspire wastes look a little warmer. wow so cool clearly a massive problem. we do see what elder dragons are capable of in fights of course but some of it is harder to depict without their own unique arenas. nergigante is the one we see the most but really nergie’s more of the real hero since he actually y’know kills and eats other elder dragons so aside from the affect of potentially scaring some off from their territory he’s the least harmful. and has been fighting them off for years and is what helps regulate elder dragon populations so really the demonization of him is very very fabricated after the initial zorah storyline. only closest one is velkhana but she’s actually pretty passive outside of story stuff. most of the ones in world kinda just mind their own business anyways.

but vaal is built different.

(anyways big ramble beneath the cut)

you can already see the effects of what his presence has brought about the second you get to the rotten vale without even meeting him. effluvium is nearly everywhere and a ton of the small monsters are coated in the stuff which does harm them, and when you do fight vaal you see him fuck up those lil guys repeatedly even outside the introduction cutscene. he also has the best elder dragon theme in world no contest. only problem is that he’s pretty easy??? all he has is the effluvium to prove a real threat so popping on anti effluvium decorations simplifies the entire fight. he moves slow, acts slow, the ai isn’t particularly good, and though he hits hard it is relying heavily on if you have your health cut.

blackveil is somehow infinitely more terrifying than a massive mesh of rotting flesh and is absurdly unique

this is what happens when black mold mixes with cordyceps and it’s so fitting for what vaal hazak is. kinda surprising we haven’t had a fungi based monster until him at least in mainline (might’ve been one that existed before that i’m forgetting). but it’s more than just appearance that makes this thing horrifying. while another chill unless provoked monster, the damage has already been done once you first encounter him.

the entirely of the great forest’s deepest depths are covered in spores and before meeting him you see a bunch of familiar monsters caked in it. the atmosphere is dreary, at least the forest floor choked by sickly mold. he doesn’t even attack you when you finally get the run in, rather moving past you like you were never there. worst part? effluvium resistance doesn’t save you—it only removes one problem. he attacks faster while still hitting hard, each breath spewing more and more of that mold, further covering the foliage and whatever creature is unfortunate enough to be caught in the crossfire, chipping away at your health. you step in the pale patches, you start taking damage at a relatively rapid pace.

then there’s that ultimate move, where blackveil puffs itself up. most elder dragons when they do this call for the player to get as far away as possible. not with him. he covers such a wide range that, unless you farcast, you will get stuck traversing through a sea of spores. the only “safe” space is right beside the beast, aka the last place you want to be, since he can easily hit you.

this is straight up some of the most anxiety inducing stuff in mainline monster hunter and does show that killing it isn’t enough. the spores don’t magically disappear. it sticks, and all you got rid of was the source… until you return to the forest in any quest or expedition he isn’t in, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t any threat. that’s just a gameplay thing. thinking on a logistical level, were hunts to have a visible effect within the world, yeah that shit isn’t clearing for awhile.

this is how roaming elder dragon fights should be, and it’s easily the greatest one to come out of post old school monsters.

[shummashum]

Klaus Goldstein Ch6 [8~14]

are you fucking kidding me I apologize, students sorry……..

oh gosh the possibility of Serge appearing is increasing ah, have Klaus and Serge already met? so he was that distraught? well it's not a bad guess

does Al know Taffy too? it's not easy to not know about that bipedalism plush though by the way, is Al aware of that incident 6 years ago related to Klaus-Randy-Serge one student being petrified is an incident that could have a significant impact anyway…?

Anyway, his soft voice and the sound of his approaching footsteps were painfully loud for Liz in this state.

oh I know this

On that day, mankind received a grim reminder.

But contrary to her fears, he gently scooped her up in his arms, informing her the potion had temporarily turned her into a cat.

I told you, this guy is also kinda weird I recognized his bizarre taste from the time he said that Illusion Station was cool while everyone else said it was gloomy and dismal

So she leaped down from his arms for a big cat adventure. Just because her body became a cat, did her mental age also become a cat?

snap out of it man you wanna eat feedstuff for the rest of your life?

As she was walking through the courtyard…

Klaus and Cae spotted

oh? what's this conversation has there been any progress in the investigation? but why are you guys the only ones who know let me know too

Just then, Cae stopped his departure.

heh… so he also noticed those two nocturnal idiots won't notice nor care at all though

And well she happened to sit on his lap.

maybe this is her chance to hear his inner thoughts this time, she'll be able to eavesdrop without being discovered well it feels like you're digging into the person's inner thoughts without their consent though~…

ahem mah! everyone has their own burden! besides I think he started life in rather easy mode? his family is somewhat high-class, his economic situation is decent, his appearance is good, and his skills are excellent …is he bragging or something

At that time, Al's voice was heard calling Liz's name from afar.

erm well I don't think Al's backstory will be dealt with in any depth right now… they'll just create a temporary unstable atmosphere and then move on as if nothing happened I guess?

Anyway, when Al was trying to pick up her from Klaus…

wellll… has the effect disappeared? but then, was there really a need for an antidote

hehe… thigh… zettai ryouiki… hehe…

by the way, it's the bridal carry pose again just like in Ch3… but now that I think about it, that pose is kinda awkward? now her abdomen is in the upper but if she was sitting on his lap while being a cat, she would've been sitting like Maxwell cat

like this

uh… or not perhaps it would've looked weird if she had turned into a human in that exact posture

okay I got it it looks definitely weird

so there was no need to take an antidote but well she turned back into a human before she could do anything worthy as a cat. it feels kinda deflated~… we couldn't hear his inner thoughts (this might just be because I bought a normal item though), and becoming a cat didn't make much progress in the story or was this chapter created as a rest session for the next chapter

Anyway, when Klaus asked for an explanation of the situation, Liz started explaining why she turned into a cat and why she ended up sitting on his lap.

this is not entirely her fault, this fuss wouldn't have existed if that plush hadn't suddenly popped out the mighty emperor is giving a lecture again

Al… that guy keeps nagging

what what? what's this sudden outburst no way turn on the blinker ;; what are you doing

huh,,,,,,, what's wrong with that guy his apology doesn't sound like an apology at all, there's not a single sincerity in it

Al… you should let it slide you said you've known him for a long time, you already know his personality is quite… one that you don't want to get close to, yeah? you should let it slide…… I'm sorry I can only tell you this, but… there's nothing else I can do

-Ch6 End-

+)

he's not here ! ! ! this goes against our deal Solmare

nah don't give up yet perhaps in Ch7!

[gerogerigaogaigar]

LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out

I know I'm an outlier for saying this, but I'm pretty indifferent to this album. It's not bad by any means, but LL just isn't a masterclass rapper for me. Marley Marl has crafted some truly amazing beats for this record. There's a nice lo fi energy that would be picked up a lot as the 90s went on. But LL Cool J's rapping and lyricism? Very hit or miss. The title track, The Boomin' System, and To Da Break Of Dawn are all genuinely very good, but then you get shit like Mr. Good Bar and Milky Cereal which are so embarrassingly corny that they make me wanna shrivel up and die. The real standout track is definitely Farmers Blvd. (Our Anthem) for featuring some obscure rappers from the street LL Cool J came from. It's charming to see LL put his money where his mouth is in terms of hometown pride and honestly the featured rappers kinda outperform him imo. I don't see this as one of the best albums of the 90s like a lot of other reviewers, it's a mixed bag really. High highs and low lows. Good but not great.

Cocteau Twins - Heaven Or Las Vegas

I was a Cocteau Twins fan for years before I learned that they sing in English. It never occurred to me to look up the lyrics, it doesn't matter. If you don't get the vibes within seconds then you aren't going to like this kind of music anyway. Cocteau Twins started as a goth band back in the 80s and the progression of their sound led them inevitably to this, the first dream pop record. This album is ethereal, dreamlike. It sounds like swirling colors, the musical equivalent of staring at the sun with your eyes closed. Heaven Or Las Vegas perfectly embodies the hallmarks of dream pop and it's conjoined twin genre shoegaze. Layered guitars, layered vocals. Effects upon effects until the entire sonic spaced is filled with sound. You can drown in this album. Beautiful.

Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak

Dropping these again

https://youtu.be/wvgehVhF9D4

https://youtu.be/e7e5BFJa-Ug

Oh how history has vindicated this album. Everyone who hated it when it came out either has to admit they were wrong or admit that they hate the last decade and a half of hip hop. The stripped down production and lack of anything traditionally resembling hip hop was shocking, but the cold depressive atmosphere clearly resonated with audiences because this album was a hit. And now we can look back on it as the starting point for a while wave of singer/rappers to come. But wait there's more! You see I was there Gandalr. I was there 3000 years ago. I was 17 when this album came out so let me tell you from experience. It was huge. Monstrous. Heartless was the biggest song of all time when it dropped. White preps who wore polo shirts to school were blasting this album. I had never paid attention to Ye before this, but Heartless was stuck in my head for months. This shit got white kids into hip hop. I am a case study babey. So while it may run a little long I gotta give this album a ton of respect.

[whatyourusherthinks]

Longlegs Review

I got the trailer for this movie twice, the day before it came out. Didn't know it was even coming to our theater before that. Don't know the director either, I guess he's a indie horror guy a lot of people like, but you know I had to get excited for Nicholas Cage! I, like most people, love a hammy Nick Cage performance and he's playing a serial killer in this movie! I loved that you barely got any of him in the trailer too, it was a great suspense.

What's the Movie About?

A weird FBI agent named Lee is on the trail of a satanic serial killer called Longlegs, who is convincing families to butcher themselves up.

What I Like.

This movie is top notch. The acting is pretty subdued for the most part, but it was excellent. Obviously Nicholas Cage chews the scenery of his scenes like he's a cow and the movie is cud. The story's pretty good for the most part. I like Lee a lot, and her partner was a little stereotypical but fun. I liked that all the licensed music was just T. Rex songs. Besides the fact that they are a good band, the cohesiveness of the music appeals to my OCD. The cinematography is great. I like the aspect rations between flashbacks and current plot time a lot. The old handheld ratio really works at being both nostalgic, and unnerving. The shot compositions were pretty unnerving as well. There's some great shots where focus is used to hide people lurking in the background and it looks SO COOL. There are also some great effects of images coming out of shadows that look awesome as well. The effects in general are good. There's not a whole bunch, but it's for the best so they can make them look the best they can. There's some maggoty corpses and one point that are stomach churning. And my god, it the atmosphere so. Fucking. GOOD. In this movie. There are scenes that reminded me of weird internet videos that you'd accidently stumble on in the early days. Y'know, the ones that are scarier than any horror movie you've ever seen, even though it's just a collection of creepy clips strung together with very little context? It approaches Alien level in the dread it made me feel. The music, sound design, and the cinematography are masterfully combined to make my toes curl and hands clutch at the seat. And it's addictive to watch as well. I never wanted to look away, and the few times I instinctively did I immediately turned back so I couldn't miss anything. I was having a really good time with this movie! For a while, I was wondering what I was going to rate higher at the end of the year, this or the Fall Guy. That was, until...

What I Didn't Like.

The ending. It's dumb and kinda sucks, but in order to get into it and everything I wanna say, I have to get into spoilers. Before I do, a brief digression. I'm not sure if I like the autistic-coding on Lee. On one hand, I like that the main character is autistic, and she's the kind of character that basically knows everything that is going on, even if not everyone listens to her. One two hand, she might act the way she does because of either psychic powers or trauma or something, so its the "only-rep-is-inhuman-or-diminished-characters" problem. On three hand, it's not directly stated if she is autistic or not so maybe I'm just overthinking this. I also think the gore was kinda unnecessary. Like it's fine, and whatever gets the horror fans in seats, right? But I feel like the movie would have been a lot scarier if we didn't get explicit shots of decayed bodies or Longlegs smashing his face in and it was just offscreen or implied. Anyway, on to spoiler talk. Skip to the Final Summation to avoid. (Or stop reading entirely since the Final Summation is really short and basically just: Watch the movie. Hey, sometimes it's just that straight forward.)

So my main problem with the ending is the explanation about how Longlegs is forcing families to go nuts. It's Satan magic. Like he makes these dolls that have a metal sphere in the head, and in the sphere is black mist that is evil I guess. First problem is that it's really unclear, even with the explanation. They do not explain what the black mist is or how Longlegs can make the metal balls. It's heavily implied a demonic figure is involved somehow but you only see it maybe once. Longlegs' surprise accomplice also has really confusing motivation that is probably just they went crazy, but I have no idea. The second problem is maybe something you felt too, if you've seen the movie or read my spoiler. That solution is lame, right? Like it doesn't come out of nowhere, they kinda imply that Lee is psychic in the beginning. But not only is it pretty probable that she isn't (she might just really smart/reliving forgotten trauma), but why does psychic powers existing mean that black magic exists? I was honestly rewriting the movie while watching the movie.

How I Would Fix The Movie.

Roan, what is this bullshit? Something we will barely ever revisit! I am not a professional screenwriter. In fact, I'm not a screenwriter at all. But I do like to creative write, and sometimes I like to imagine what the story of a movie would be if I wrote it. And I did have an idea, so.... So this is fanfiction. And what's wrong with that Buggnutz?!

Anyway, let's throw out the idea that the black gas is magic. What if, instead, it's just like a knockout gas? I mean shooting open the ball knocks out Lee for a bit in the finale, so it makes sense. The ball just release the gas after a delay and you can make up some excuse why Longlegs and the accomplice are immune. Exposure maybe, or perhaps there's a chemical they consume that counteracts the gas. Whatever. After when the gas knocks out the families, then the accomplice kills the families, or lets Longlegs in to do it. And since the accomplice has medical knowledge, they can stage the murders to look like murder suicides or struggles or whatever. I'd also rewrite the final scene to be a denouement instead of a vague tragic ending, but that'd be really restructuring the movie.

Final Summation.

Despite a lackluster finish, Longlegs is really damn good. I think most people should check it out just for the atmosphere and the acting. All there really is to say.

[watching-pictures-move]

Put On Your Raincoats | Buda (Stagliano, 1997)

I was interested in checking this out because in John Stagliano in his Rialto Report interview made it sound like one of the few things he’s made with actual artistic ambition. This is set in Budapest and a lot of the actors speak Hungarian with intermittent subtitles, so you know this is artsy. But more seriously, there is an attempt here to meld the feigned verisimilitude of gonzo style with a crime thriller narrative that is interesting in concept, if not consistently engaging to actually watch. The most notable thing about this is the early digital cinematography. At this point digital cameras offered nowhere near the fidelity you would get with film, but you can sort of see this movie working with those limitations. A good chunk of the movie is shot outside at night or in darkened rooms, and the limited colour range of the digital image has a collapsing effect. Shadows become stronger and more impenetrable, while the lighting seems starker, and even things like lens flare feel more gradated and tactile. You could argue this presages what Michael Mann was doing in the 2000s, if you wanted to talk out of your ass. There’s also a club scene with harsh red and blue lighting. You could argue this is just like Suspiria, if you wanted to talk out of your ass.

Anyway, you mix this digital cinematography with the frequently seedy location work (this was shot guerrilla-style, and Stagliano notes that a kidnapping scene was mistaken by bystanders for the real thing, and some of the actors had connections to crime, with at least one being arrested during the shoot for possession of a gun) and there’s a compellingly sleazy atmosphere here, particularly during the nocturnal sections. That being said, I do think this highlights the difficulty of truly adapting gonzo style to a conventional narrative. For much of the movie we’re sticking closely to our hero Rocco Siffredi, but the camerawork will frequently detach from his perspective and pathologically home in on the actresses’ buttocks. As Stagliano is the Buttman this shouldn’t be entirely unexpected, and in his defense, the actresses here have some pretty delectable derrieres. And I do think he sometimes pulls out some unexpected angles or otherwise accentuates the mood with how his camera floats and lingers. But I understand a lot of this was improvised, and Stagliano’s shooting style ends up drawing things out far beyond of interest. For normal people watching this to jerk off, they probably won’t mind, but for those of us with Letterboxd-induced brain damage trying to watch this like an actual movie, this is sometimes a challenge with its three-hour runtime. There’s also a jittery industrial synth score that starts off helping the mood but then keeps playing, even over other scoring. The sound mixing is pretty horrible, and while the digital cinematography has its benefits, the quick shooting and lack of conventional lighting setups results in Stagliano cranking up the brightness on some scenes to hideous results.

I will also note that while Rocco Siffredi has his fans, I am not one of them, and while he’s more tolerable here than the porno Klaus Kinski he would become later on, I still don’t think he’s good enough to carry the movie. I also think a lot of the sex scenes, while ably performed and featuring stunningly beautiful actresses, suffer because we don’t have a good sense of who most of these characters are. The best ones here are between Siffredi and the heroine Holly Black (who was thrown into the role after the original lead actresses left the production but handles herself well enough, and looks kinda cool with a gun at the end), and between Siffredi and Ursula Moore as the villain’s sympathetic sister. The one with Moore is the movie at its best, Stagliano’s horny camerawork allowing us to grasp her attractive qualities and letting her evoke a sense of mystery before the action begins, at which point the shadowy visuals accentuate the energy pretty nicely. It is, dare I say, genuinely erotic.

And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Stagliano has a role in this, essentially playing himself. When Siffredi shows up with Black at their hotel room, Stagliano remarks “He gets the girl at the end of the movie", asks to shoot a Buttman scene and then leaves. The sign of a great actor is that they can lift up their co-stars and make them better by giving them something to play off of. Stagliano does not do this at all.

[demonslayedher]

You know how the pillars view each other? In the same format, how would they view the six Kamaboko even if they haven’t met them canonically (like Rengoku and Genya)? Kanae as well (I need more on Kanae, can you tell?)

Water Pillar-sama:

K.T.: As I expected, he showed promise and succeeded at Sensei's training. He'll make an excellent heir to Sensei's legacy and uphold the Water Pillar position. Wait, Hi-no-what?

K.N.: She really does love humans from the bottom of her heart. I'm always impressed with her. I hope things work out for her.

A.Z.: Talks back too much, makes a lot of excuses. I don’t believe he was struck by lightning.

H.I.: Never knows what he's getting himself into, dives in head first anyway. I wonder if that's how the the pig head thing started.

T.K.: She keeps her cool under pressure. For as much as Kochou is always bugging me to talk more, she should pester her Tsuguko more.

S.G.: I feel bad for him, I can tell he's struggling to communicate with his brother. The gun is a bit inelegant.

Flame Pillar-sama:

K.T.: Some occasional lapses in judgment, but he is quickly maturing. A very sincere boy and hard worker. I want him as my Tsuguko!

K.N.: Regrettable that's she's a demon, but that makes no difference in that she puts her life on the line to protect humans. That makes her a proud Corp member in my book!

A.Z.: Very polished and effective technique! Excellent use of Thunder Breath speed!

H.I.: Brave and a flexible thinker! Follows directions well!

T.K.: A very talented Tsuguko! Very quiet!! I've never heard her voice!

S.G.: He can't use Breaths but the gun is very impressive! He won't be held back, that's a good trait! But should hold back his temper and not injure innocent people!

Insect Pillar-sama:

K.T.: He's a hard worker with a chipper personality, I like him a lot. Sometimes it's hard to tell whether he's dense or perceptive.

K.N.: It took a while for me to relax around her, but she's really grown on me. She's curious and very gentle, whether for a human or a demon.

A.Z.: He's stronger than he thinks he is, if he's in the right mindset. It would be quieter around here if he stayed in that mindset more often. Stealing food is one thing but stealing my goldfish is another.

H.I.: I'm proud of his progress in adapting to living among humans. His unusual upbringing gives him a creative way of thinking which is kind of cute. I wish he wouldn't wear that hairy boar head though.

T.K.: It's hard to have to be her master now instead of a sister figure to her. Either way, I hope I can do my best in raising her to be her own person.

S.G.: He's shy and anxious, but once he opens up he can be very sweet. I'm glad he forced his way into Himejima-san's care, I think Himejima-san likes his company.

Flower Pillar-sama:

K.T.: I felt so relieved to meet him, like I had been waiting to find someone I relate to like him for a very long time. He's a very good influence on Kanao, too.

K.N.: It's a joy to finally befriend a demon at all, but she is a joy to be around in the first place. I'm sure everyone would have wanted to befriend her when she was human.

A.Z.: So energetic! He doesn't always let on when he's feeling sad, and he does his best to be strong even when it's hard.

H.I.: Such a gruff exterior for a warm and fuzzy child underneath. Sometimes it's like you can almost see a warm and fuzzy atmosphere around him.

T.K.: So cute, such big eyes, I love her so much! It'll still take her some time, but I'm sure she'll recover her heart and her smile one day.

S.G.: He's so much like his brother, it's cute. I hope they'll find a way to get along someday, it's sad to see them like this.

Sound Pillar-sama:

K.T.: Disappointing. Would have expected someone carrying a demon around to be more flamboyant.

K.N.: Resisting eating Shinazugawa was one of the more interesting things I've seen a demon do. Kinda drab.

A.Z.: Annoying as hell. Flashy hair. Good technique. Can work with this.

H.I.: He's a freak. Kinda gross.

T.K.: Drab. No personality. Clingy.

S.G.: Eating demons is a super flashy power! I want to see more of that!

Mist Pillar-sama:

K.T.: Yappy like a little dog.

K.N.: Something weird about that kid. What was it...

A.Z.: Buzzes around like a big yellow bumblebee. Eyes bug out like runny egg yolks.

H.I.: Honey badger.

T.K.: Big staring eyes. Floats there like a goldfish with shiny scales.

S.G.: Hisses like a stray cat. Taken home by the Rock Pillar like a stray cat.

Love Pillar-sama:

K.T.: I'm rooting so hard for him! He's got so much potential and he always keeps his chin up! I'm glad we're friends!

K.N.: So, so, so cute!! I want to take her home and have her be like one of my own little sisters! Unlike my sisters, she can stand up to my tickling!

A.Z.: His yellow hair is so translucent and pretty!! And he's really powerful! A little uncomfortable to be around though.

H.I.: I've never met anyone more flexible than me, he's amazing!!! He tried to eat my pets during Pillar Training, though, that's a problem.

T.K.: She's so pretty and sweet! It's so nice to see her growing up and thinking about what things she likes more!

S.G.: So big and strong!! I think he's taller than Shinazugawa-san! I hope they make friends again, Genya-kun is a sweetheart!

Wind Pillar-sama:

K.T.: I'd rather not be around this kid. Thinks he can pull sunshine out of his ass to make demons all get along or shit.

K.N.: I should hate her for being a demon, but it was pretty chilling how she resisted Marechi. (Seems he won't admit he has some respect for her.)

A.Z.: Not only is he an annoying dumbass, but he's a simp for a demon. Idiot.

H.I.: This one's pretty okay. Can take anything anyone dishes at him.

T.K.: She's alright. So quiet that sometimes I don’t even notice she's there. The coin thing is sweet but also kind of dumb.

S.G.: I don’t know who you're talking about.

Rock Pillar-sama:

K.T.: He's endured a lot of tragedy, yet he remains too idealistic. His resolve has never been tested.

K.N.: I dread the day she'll disappoint Oyakata-sama.

A.Z.: Maybe good at heart, but his will is weak. Very loud.

H.I.: Brash. Will get himself killed someday in a stupid way. Namu Amida Butsu.

T.K.: Shinobu is always worried about her. She seems to like Kamado.

S.G.: Too earnest and stubborn for me to leave be. He still has a ways to go, but he's matured a lot. I worry what eating demons will do to him.

Snake Pillar-sama:

K.T.: I hate him. He got me in trouble with Oyakata-sama and he acts all annoying and close with Kanroji. No, I will not elaborate.

K.N.: I hate her. The fact that she's a female demon makes my skin crawl even more.

A.Z.: I hate him. He's a brainless twat who would throw all his savings away if a woman asked him to.

H.I.: I hate him. He cheated at my training by using those gross bendy arms.

T.K.: Kaburamaru likes her. She's quiet and I don’t mind her.

S.G.: I respect his efforts, but swordsmen who can't use Breaths should stay out of the way. If he were a Kakushi maybe he and Shinazugawa would have a chance to get along. (Snake-sama seems to overestimate how friendly we are with Wind-sama.)

[thewinter22]

Okay so here it is.

My rant about Ultra Despair Girls

Obviously, there will be spoilers about the entire game here, so... Yeah.

In my opinion, every game after the first has had a decline in story quality, but this one takes the cake in every way. I would love to do a rant about the decline, but for now I will just do Ultra Despair Girls.

Part 1: The introduction

So starting off, the game's starting cutscene, before any gameplay starts, is actually kind of good in its atmosphere. You play as Komaru Naegi, immediately telling you the relation to the previous games, Makoto Naegi.

She talks about how she has been trapped in a room by herself for a long time now, which adds a mystery aspect, and even some horror in the form of narrative dissonance, as you are told by her how she has grown accustommed to her daily routine in this strange prison, in a positive way, while in the meantime, the music is sorta intense and you see her banging against the door, which she also says to just be part of her daily routine.

But spoiler alert: The mystery of why she was trapped, or how, or by whom never gets adressed, or resolved! Additionaly, the interesting story beats get so quickly halted in its tracks when suddenly, a Monokuma bursts through the door, attacks you, and you are thrust into gameplay.

Personally, I played on hard mode, which I usually end up regretting in the games I play because I suck, but... This game is so ridiculously easy it hurts. More on that later, but the reason I bring it up now is because clearly, this Monokuma is supposed to be a great threat, maybe even make you panic.

But in my first playthrough, I not only decided to explore the entire apartment, instead of running out like I was supposed to, but Monokuma couldn't even catch up with me that entire time, because it's slower than you. I even managed to accidently get it stuck dancing in circles simply by walking around a table.

Eventually I got careless in my exploration, because I thought "There has GOT to be some sort of secret here, any kinda of reward for me going against my basic instincts and exploring this supposedly dangerous area" (there wasn't any secrets), and Monokuma eventually snuck up on me..... But then, his attack had such a long fucking windup that you can EASILY get out of the way when he attempts to claw at you.

So this guy is absolutely not a danger in the slightest, and I even let him hit me, and it doesn't even start a cutscene or anything that forces you to try again, which I usually hate, but come on this is the very start of the game, it just takes away health like normal, so there is nothing here that actually gives any kind of agency.

Anyway, once you do run out of the room, it does trigger a cutscene, where you meet... Oh my gosh, Byakuya! A character you actually know! He destroys the definietly dangerous and threatening Monokuma with a sorta megaphone device in the cutscene and is such a cool hero.

Then, you get into a dialogue where he is his usual assholey self and because this series does not know the phrase "Show don't tell", he immediately proceeds to explain how "This megaphone device seems to effectively destroy Monokumas". And just to really make sure you got that, it then does a little flashback to less than a mimute ago when he shot the fucking Monokuma with the device holy shit who fucking thought this was necessary aaaaaa.

Okay I gotta make a pause here, these are not even the first five minutes of the game. I will continue my rant very soon. Feel free to tell me how I'm wrong.

Anyone interested in hearing a huge rant about why Danganronpa Uktra Despair Girls is literally the worst thing in the fucking universe?

[mandareeboo]

Okay, okay, Dog in Space prompt number 2!! I really like the idea of Ed being like an uncle to Nomi, like the fun uncle that teaches her how to lock-pick and how to 'case a joint' (is that the phrase?), much to Stella's chagrin. Maybe you can do something with that? Maybe Stella catches Ed teaching Nomi how to crack a safe or something like that lol... Or something fluffy where Nomi calls him uncle Ed and he reacts to it. I kinda like the idea that his mind just halts because being a friend is one thing, but family is so different... how did he get to this moment in his life? ... This is so long and rambly, sorry, i just love this show and its characters

It really is a damn shame that the humans got puppies involved in all of this. Nomi is a spunky little thing, Ed knows, but she's still a puppy. Being here means long hours, near-death experiences, and a lot of trauma.

For Nomi, it's the long hours Ed worries about most. Nomi can tear herself out of the guts of an alien with her teeth and come out with little mental scarring. But bedtimes are important for kids, or so he’s been told, and after slamming into multiple asteroids because she was “just rubbing her eyes, geez” Ed thinks they might have a point.

“Alright,” he decided, picking her up by her wiggling midsection. “Bed time.”

“What? C’mon!” Nomi whined. “You’re supposed to be the cool Uncle!”

Ed feels something warm in his chest. It’d been an unspoken agreement on board to keep the atmosphere as family oriented as possible when they first met Nomi- hoping to give her the puppyhood that genetic experimentation tends to squash out like a bug- and it was nice to see it was working.

(It also makes it easier to snag a few expensive items from Nomi’s room, but that’s a problem for well-rested Ed and an equally well-rested and homicidal Stella.)

Ed casually pressed the auto-pilot button. They weren’t far from the Embark anyway. “Can’t be cool Uncle with a concussion, kiddo.”

“But I don’t wanna! I like looking at the stars!”

“Can do,” he said, flopping back into his own chair. Ed tended to sleep in his chair anyway. All of them did. Going from adrenaline to safety tended to conk anyone out for a couple of hours. Holding Nomi just had the added benefit of a puppy-shaped blanket. 

Nomi sighed, defeated, and curled up in his lap like a human child. Of all of them, Nomi clearly showed the least connection to her dog side. Side effect of being a puppy, he supposed. Sometimes it was easy to forget she wasn’t just some human child with fake ears.

“Wake me up in five minutes?” she prompted, already slurring.

“Of course,” Ed promised, having no intentions of doing so. “G’night, kiddo.”

“Night night...” Her little head drooped. “...Uncle Ed.”

[skysyama]

𝐶𝑢𝑟𝑙𝑠

pairing: karasuno x manager male reader

plot: Reader who normally straightens his hair comes to school with his naturally curly hair.

a/n: some more fluff between Karasuno and their male manager, since it got requested a lot! also sorry for the lack of content, but life really hit different these past few months. 

﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋﹋ Walking into the gym and seeing Kageyama and Hinata screaming at each other, Tanaka and Nishinoya doing dumb unrelated shit, Daichi being ready to murder everyone, Sugawara and Asahi (kinda) trying to save the situation and the other second-years just standing around with the most blank faces ever was probably the most normal thing you’d see at the club. 

Today everything was a bit more rowdy than usual, coach Ukai was sick and Takeda was busy correcting exam papers, so there were no adults to get them to practice effectively again. The two female managers just stayed back talking, they really didn’t want to get involved into the madness.

“Hey you guys--” Daichi spoke slowly, the atmosphere immediately shifting. Just before he could scream at his teammates the door opened.

“Sorry I’m late.” You spoke whilst huffing a little, the run from the third floor had taken a tool on you. A ruckus would’ve normally happened, only that it didn’t appear today. 

“Guys?” Completely confused you looked at the other boys who seemed to have turned into stone, gawking at you. The first ones to get back to normal were the second-year duo, who rushed to your side at the speed of light, whilst crying. 

“It’s not fair M/N-san” Noya started, hiccuping. 

“How do you turn even more attractive each time we see you.” Tanaka continued, his arm over his eyes. With those two talking about your appearance, it slowly clicked.

“Oh this?” You took a strand of hair that wasn’t straight like usual. “I woke up late today, so I didn’t have time to straighten my hair.” A laugh escaped your lips, as the hectic morning came back to your mind.

“Wait, does that mean you have naturally curly hair senpai??” Hinata nearly screamed at you, stars filling his eyes.

“Yeah, I don’t really like it though, so I normally straighten it everyday.” With an arm behind your neck and the gaze sheepishly fixed on the floor, you didn’t see another member sneaking up on you. 

“What do you mean you don’t like it?!” Sugawara slapped you on the back, a sinister look on his face. The others quickly joined in, saying that the curved strands of hair suited you even better.

A bit overwhelmed with the situation you backed away, but with their constant positive feedback the idea, of not straightening, didn’t seem that bad anymore.

“Ok, if you say I look better with it, I’ll leave my hair like it is from now on, saves me 5 minutes in the morning anyways.” For the second time today there was an awkward silence. Your smile slowly dropped, as color slowly bloomed on their faces. Suddenly there was a huge uproar and you couldn’t even understand why.

“We-we got him to change his hairstyle, just for us.” Noya and Tanaka were a crying mess, again.

“I’ll tell you every day how cool you look (L/N)-senpai!!” Kageyama exclaimed and Hinata joined in on it excitedly, which soon caused another fight to start between them, on who could compliment you better.

"(L/N)-senpai looks better with it, right Tsukki?” Yamaguchi questioned his friend nearby, which just got him a hushed “shut up Yamaguchi”, but even the lanky boy couldn’t hide his flushed cheeks.

“It really does suit you.” Asahi patted your shoulder, a rosy colour being evident on his face as Ennoshita, Kinoshita and Narita joined in on him complimenting you.

“Don’t you ever change it again.” Even though it came out as a warning, Sugawara wore a warm smile that you’d rather see than his scary one.

“Maybe you should, now I think the other teams will adore you even more and try to steal you from us.” Daichi also held a grin, but it too came out with a different undertone. Just what was it with these two and being so intimidating once in a while?

Suddenly orange strands of hair jumped up and down infront of you and the boys excited voice reached you.

“Can I touch your hair senpai? I bet it’s super soft!” At that the whole team stared at their middle blocker, the aura around them changed into a murderous one. Before anyone could interfere, the whole gym interrupted into screaming again.

“Stop breaking them already.” Kiyoko laughed behind her hand and Yachi giggled. You joined them with a smile and watched Daichi yelling at them to get their act together again. This practice was really doomed from the start.

[novelmonger]

Alan Wake - Whoa, wasn't expecting it to win by such a large margin! But it is one of the best horror games I've ever played, so I get it. The story is great, about an author who goes for a little getaway in a small town in the Pacific Northwest, but then discovers pages of a horror story he doesn't remember writing, which then starts coming true. I choose to read a bit of allegory in the story, which makes me like it even more, but even without the allegory, it's just a good, solid horror game. Really great atmosphere. And I love that Poets of the Fall did some of the music for it!

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - Actually not one of my favorites of this franchise, which seems to be an unpopular opinion. Don't get me wrong; it's a solid game, and there are some really cool things about it, like the detail of all the townspeople's routines that play out over three days. I also really like being able to play as a Zora, especially - they're so graceful in the water! But personally, I just find the game as a whole to be very depressing, since the overall theme is about death. Also, I will never forgive them for starting out with Link searching for Navi, but never finding her T^T

Super Scribblenauts - A fun little game where you solve puzzles by making items appear when you write the words! I wasn't expecting much from it, but it was actually a lot of fun, and could get kind of challenging sometimes!

Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs - You know, I think I actually like this game more than the Dark Descent base game. The mechanics and the look of things are basically the same, but something about the horror elements got to me much more effectively in this one. Seriously creepy.

The Last Story - I so wish more people knew about this game. Does it do anything new in the JRPG genre? Not really. It mostly plays like a Final Fantasy, slightly to the left. But even though it doesn't do anything new, it does the old stuff well, and I think that's more important anyway. I had a lot of fun with this game, really enjoyed the characters, and...come on. A soundtrack by Nobuo Uematsu! (Also, for years I would motivate myself by saying, "You beat Zesha. You can do anything!")

The Oregon Trail - A true classic! Though I have to admit, I actually haven't played this very much myself ^^' The knowledge that your people could die, in such a variety of unexpected and sudden ways, scared me so much I could only watch my brother play. Pretty sure I cried the first time our whole party died. That music really got to me, man....

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception - Aww, I'm kinda sad this one lost :( It's really a good game! I love the chance to see a Middle Eastern setting, and get a (woefully rare) Middle Eastern character who's actually a good guy for once. The set pieces are really cool, and I also love the development of Nate and Elena's relationship in this one <3 And more backstory of Nate and Sully! Awesome stuff.

Among the Sleep - I always want to call this game Among the Sheep for some reason XD I remember, I was excited for this game from the first trailer I saw. It was years before I actually got a computer that was good enough to run it, but it was well worth the wait. It was such a good idea to have you play as a kid, because it taps into all of our childhood fears so effectively that way. Everything looks scary when all you can do is crawl and toddle around.

Arbitrarily-Chosen Video Game Tournament, Round 1.18

Welcome to the Arbitrarily-Chosen Video Game Tournament, where we will find out which of the games I've played is the best game of all time!

Why? Don't ask. Just vote and reblog!

[faeerrie]

Current Projects- Fandom

Stuff Started/In Progress

Re-writing (and re-posting) Headaches, my first ever fic I've posted, a Dragon Age: Inquisition Dorian x Lavellan one-shot- I probably had this idea bouncing around my head like the DVD logo screen-saver since around 2018ish. But also like the bouncing DVD logo screen-saver, it took forever to get where it needed to go. I hadn't written for fanfiction since high school, and my writing didn't go on MY account until this one, right here (I helped my best friend with a Naruto fanfic and wrote her fight scenes for her. SHE was the writer of the friend-group, not me. It felt wrong to try and do it for myself at that time). Then, a lot of stuff happened, including college and moving cross country and jobs and just overall getting my mental health stabilized for the first time in my life. I finally got this thing written and published to FFN and Ao3 around 2020. I've written a lot, since then, not always fanfic, not always fiction, sometimes paid, and my style has changed a lot since then, as well as the quality! I want to re-write this, because I love it, it has a special place in my heart, but I want it to be as good as my current writings. This one takes place after the end of base-game DA:I, but before Trespasser. So Corephyeus has been defeated, but Dorian hasn't gone back to visit Tevinter, yet. Asher Lavellan tries his best to get along with every one, from every race, country, and religion. However, he is still a proud Dalish Elf, and while people call him the Herald of Andraste, he believes in no such thing and doesn't take kindly to being talked or looked down to, because of his heritage. He was a hero- he closed the blight, he defeated the enemy, and saved everyone. However, as the days past, and normalcy returned, it seemed that more and more people were seeing him as less the "Hero" and more "Elf".

Finishing up, or at least continuing, Dirt and Diamonds, the 2nd fic I ever posted, and the first attempted after Headaches, a Male Ryder/Reyes Mass Effect: Andromeda fanfic that started as a one-shot, but demanded to become a chaptered fic- It's just too bad that I stopped and forgot about it after the first chapter. This fic is 100% self-indulgence whump, hurt/comfort, a morally-questionable lover/ally who is soft for the hero and decides to show the antagonists why people tend to be afraid of them when their hero is kidnapped and hurt, a hero-lover just kinda snapping when they see their beloved hurt and admitting that, this entire time, honestly, they really didn't care about being the "model hero", and, finally, the morally questionable lover/ally watching their hero... just kick ass and traumatize the antagonists, from their place on the floor, where they just woke up from getting knocked out, and just feeling nothing but butterflies in their stomachs and proverbial hearts in their eyes. It's at this moment they realize their hero is THE ONE for them, that they are just the right mix of fucked up, kind, sexy, smart, strong, and caring for them. Once hero finishes up, he turns around, blood and dirt all over him, and just sighs when he sees that their lover has decided that this is just the atmosphere is romantic enough to qualify for a marriage proposal.

Finishing up, or at least continuing, It's Not Just a Mission, a New World fanfiction, that features my OC, Leo, and takes place a few months before the player's character starts their adventure.- I honestly don't know if it is a good or bad thing that I hold the honor of having the ONLY fanfiction under the "New World" category on Ao3. I have some hits, so that means there's people out there, somewhere, who want to read it. Anyways, New World has a beautiful social engineering aspect to it. You have to join one of the 3 factions, and community has to build in order for the game to exist and have a chance at thriving. That's really cool from a design aspect. However, since the purpose of this MMO is not story or lore, there is very little to none. So I've decided to make my own. This suspenseful action-adventure fic follows Leo, a member of the Syndicate faction, as he gets roped into finishing a mission (that's admittedly a bit too important for his current rank) that another member couldn't. However, this seemingly simple mission in an area mostly trafficked by the less-experienced, newest members of the island turns into something waaayyy bigger as he finds himself entangled in inner and inter-faction politics, espionage, and a bizarre, but dangerous, cult.

Continuing, and Finishing, The Catalyst, a MirageHound APEX Legends fanfiction that is set before the announcement of Seer, because that's when I started this fic, and also around the time I stopped playing APEX- This about 60% self-indulgent and 40% out of spite. I'm going to explain the spite part first, because that's admittedly easier. I'm going to be honest, when I originally started looking for MirageHound fanfic to read, I found that the vast majority of it quite literally glorified abuse, r*pe, and other disgusting and otherwise disturbing content. Look, I'm all for "people can write what they want" and "separating reality from fiction", and I kinda get "If you don't like it, don't read it." But, quite honestly? I read true crime on a daily basis and this shook me. What I read, I wouldn't be surprised if it was mentioned in a legitimate True Crime article. I feel like a lot of you APEX fic readers know what I'm talking about, but I'm being vague here b/c I don't want to call out names in case there's something else at play that I'm not aware of. But because so much of the MirageHound category (at least, at the time) was un-proportionally filled with that type of content, I decided that I was going to make the wholesome MirageHound fanfics I want to see in the world and that deserve to exist. I will purify this tag, single-handedly, if I have to. For the self-indulgent part, I just really really really want to see Bloodhound go "calm-feral" when he sees Mirage being hurt. Okay, this story is basically about Mirage and Bloodhound's close friendship (which no one really gets or understands) evolving into more, but at the same time, a new champion (who literally won it via a special promotion amateur APEX Games) seems to be a little too interested in every aspect about Mirage, to the point that he seems to know the man better than himself.

Stuff I Am Planning On Writing, But Haven't Started Yet (Have You Seen the List Above This One???)

PowerPuff Girls - The plan for this is for it to be aged-up!AU, where the actual "Universe" itself is pretty much the same, but the girls are a lot older now, and in college. All of the PPG and the RRB will be featured, but at the heart of it, this will be a Blossom/Brick Fic. Since waking up one day, a few years ago, to Him being gone with no trace left behind, the boys slowly, but surely realized that they were finally free from the hell-spawn. They could finally experience the freedom of choosing their own paths, making their own decisions, and not living in essentially constant fear. Despite this realization, it probably took them way to long to realize that they weren't expected to do crime anymore. (It WAS all they knew, after all!) So their criminal activities slowly tapered away and they slowly (and rather awkwardly) adjusted to just trying to live a life they enjoyed, something a lot less "Supervillain" and a bit more "Teenage-Boy-Who-Just-So-Happened-to-Have-Superhuman-Abilities". They would even, sometimes, on occasion, if it was convenient and on the way to their destination at that time, help the Puffs bring down one of the many criminals and metas trying to fill the hole the Ruffs left un-filled, exchange some (now)playful banter and (also now) empty threats. The only one who didn't seem to be adjusting well was Brick. He had only withdrawn within himself, becoming a man of few words. He became easily irritable, and jumpy, like he was always on high alert for some kind of inevitable threat. The only one besides his brothers that he talks to (and even with his brothers, he only says the bare minimum nowadays), is Blossom, and it's usually short and too the point. Blossom would even hesitate to refer to him as her friend. No one know why, however, but they learned very quickly NOT to tease him about it. But.. what happens when Brick stumbles across a horrific scene? A scene that absolutely terrifies and angers him, one that he has specifically been afraid of these last few years? And what if he found Blossom at the heart of it, barely alive?

Lost Ark- This is, very simply, a fix-it fic for the MMORPG, Lost Ark. Xereon, an NPC who plays a key role in the storyline of South Vern, deserved way better. They truly did this guy dirty, and they did it in a way so that it absolutely hurts you the most. So, this fic is going to give him better, and yes, this does have romance in it!

Naruto- This is ALSO a fix-it fic, but it's a bit different than the last one. This one actually takes place before the original Naruto series begins. Specifically, a few months to a year before the Uchiha Massacre. You see, I've developed a deep attachment to Shisui and, if you know your Naruto lore, he was the village's first choice to stop the Uchiha Coup, which, with his abilities, would have dissolved it peacefully. However, shit-face Danzo, the Umbridge of Naruto, felt this wasn't enough to keep the village safe and, in secret, managed to use Shisui's trust in his high status, and kill him, forcing the village to have Itachi use the more violent method we all know of. In this fic, my Inuzuka OC with an unheard-of situation for her clan, who is also a member of ANBU, is best friends and rivals with Shisui. Like all Inuzuka's, she tends to feel compelled follow her nose, even if it brings her to trouble... like learning about the planning of a coup in the near future.

[bigskydreaming]

@hood-ex

Okay but re: the subject of wingfic.....picture this....His Dark Materials style AU where instead of kids having daemons who shapeshift until they settle, kids have wings that are constantly shifting and trying out new forms until they settle.

And maybe Dick’s generation is the first one to have this.....like, the DC multiverse is constantly having these universe-altering Crises, that are all metaphysical and unleash and reshape cosmic and universal creation energies....and early in Dick’s tenure as Robin, let’s say the DC multiverse undergoes a Crisis whose resolution has an unexpected side-effect.....at that point forward, teens begin manifesting their like, soul or whatever, in physical or metaphysical form, in the shape of wings.

They first pop up around when kids start entering puberty, and tend to settle around them kinda ‘finding themselves’ as adults....and we’re not talking just bird-type wings. Wings of any kind, any shape, any material. They’re described as ‘metanatomy’ not in the sense of metas having altered anatomy but more in the sense of how metaphysical relates to physical.....these wings don’t have to prescribe to any biological or anatomical rules because they’re not biological in nature. Kory’s people describe the wings as a child’s ‘over-soul’ - a manifestation of their fundamental, individualized essence that’s overlaid on top of their physical self.

So, many wings are bird-like in nature, physically capable of being touched, damaged, healed, etc....but just as many are batlike or dragon-like, they can be just wing-shaped and made of fire, they can be mechanical appearing or insectoid or pretty much anything. There was a period when Dick was around fourteen when his wings were just wispy wing-shaped stormclouds behind him, lightning constantly flickering up and down their lengths as though it were the wings’ veins.....another period where they were just giant sweeping shadows behind him that he could nevertheless fly with, and while he was Robin, they most consistently manifested as bright, gleaming swaths of luminescence that glowed as though they constantly had spotlights trained on them. 

(Which had Bruce paranoid it would just make Dick an easy target, until they realized that a ‘side-effect’ of Dick’s wings when they looked like this was instead of making it easier for the bad guys to train their weapons on him, even the most hardened villains would find themselves hesitating to pull the trigger. Some kind of pulsating, emotion-laced effect of those wings drawing their attention was it was more like moths drawn to a flame....they were so busy being momentarily entranced or hypnotized by the spectacle of them that they were usually a second too late in actually firing....by which time Dick was in a position to strike them first. Well, at least that’s how it went until the Joker managed a lucky shot anyway. But then, when isn’t that asshole an exception to the rules?)

Some wings had little quirks or fringe effects that went with them taking on a certain form or appearance....though those didn’t tend to stick around when the wings shifted to a different appearance, unless a person’s wings settled in the shape a particular fringe effect was associated with. Like when Roy hit adulthood, his wings settled in the appearance of bright red feathered wings with black accents......his wings are fairly small and not suited for long range flight, or even flight in general, as they tend to be more useful in helping him glide in short, quick spurts. But they also come with a perk unique to him....when Roy uses his own feathers to fletch his arrows, those arrows never ever miss. 

In adulthood, Donna’s wings settle as giant bird-like wings, all black feathers with silver specks of stars scattered all across them, same as her Troia costume. They’re like patches of night sky sliced straight out of the heavens, and when Donna’s in costume she’s impossible to see cutting through the dark. Her huge sweeping wings would cast an easily noticed shadow over the ground if not for the silver specks dotting her feathers, but thanks to those, by the time she’s close enough for you to make out her features, distinct from the night sky, its far too late to do anything but go oh fuck.

Wally’s wings are more of a presence than a visual. Hummingbird type things that match his speed but never manage his stillness. Beating at the air a furious several hundred wingflaps per second, so even when he’s standing still he’s far from motionless....the air around him thrumming with movement, humming with vibrations that make it look like he’s constantly surrounded by shimmering ribbons of heat baking off an asphalt pavement. And again, that’s when he’s just standing still. When he actually gets agitated, they hit the air like a thunderclap. Sparks shooting up from the points of contact as the friction of them is so fast and furious it ionizes the atmosphere around him all on its own.

Garth’s can be a bit unwieldy when on the surface, but in the water they make him glide faster and smoother than any Atlantean before him. Stretching out from torso to underarms like the wings of a manta ray, they’re black and gray and streaked with purple like his eyes and the tattoo around it, just inverted. The material of them thick and coarse enough that when he flings his arms out or wrapped around himself just so, the folds of his wings draped around him create a dense barrier capable of shrugging off any number of projectile impacts.

Vic’s are mechanical marvels, smooth and sleek metallic expanses that aren’t dissimilar to Marvel’s Archangel, but where Warren’s feathers are knife-like flechettes, Vic’s host a variety of sensory arrays and feed him all sorts of data. Gar’s never fully settle....they shift as often as he does, sometimes vast and feathered, sometimes batlike and leathery....always green though, and always there no matter what animal he shifts into. He’s never a snake so much as a feathered serpent, a pegasus instead of a horse, a manticore instead of a mere lion, and well, you haven’t lived until you’ve seen Beast Boy take to the streets of Manhattan as a T-Rex with giant pterodactyl wings. Why his wings never fully settle could be due to his shape-shifting or it could just be in his nature.....Gar’s the original Lost Boy who’ll never FULLY grow up.

Raven’s are purple and black on the outside but bone-white on the inside.....like her empathy, they cut both ways. When she pulls her wings tight around her and someone else like a protective shroud, they can shield her and those in her care from prying eyes and scrying magic....when she throws them wide and strikes out with them at enemies on either side, the touch of her feathers is like feeling the cold of the grave. Kory’s are a deeper, royal purple juxtaposed beside Raven’s shadowed inky violets.....but rather than feathered, Kory’s are tall and draconian, imperious and imposing canvases adorned with swirls of red and green like nebulas painted across a cosmic backdrop. Curling emerald flames lick around the edges of them just like her starfire sometimes dances through her hair.....even when ‘ablaze’ her wings are cool to the touch if she invites you to touch them, but touch them uninvited and you’re going to get burned. Badly.

Lilith’s are four enormous feathered wings of green and gold and black spread behind her like the many layered wings of a seraph. They’re decorated in various places with dark concentric circles like those found on peacock feathers....until those circles flare and open wide and you realize you’re staring at dozens of eyes that are all looking back at you.....each a window to your own soul, freezing you in place with a glimpse of your own darkest secrets or possible destiny.

Joey’s are many-hued mosaics, like wings made of stained-glass windows. Hazy and indistinct shafts of rainbow light slanting through his varied ‘feathers’ when he spreads his wings in the air behind him.....like viewing screens or windows they show glimpses, afterimages of everyone he’s ever joined his soul to when riding shotgun in their bodies.....making them forever a part of him, a link he can tap into at will and rendering his power less about possession and more about connection, a forever-door that lets him merge with one of his previously tethered-to teammates, no matter where they are in relation to him. But with the slight change that now what he makes up for in range, he loses in stealth, as his wings show up behind the body of his ‘host’ for as long as he remains merged with them.

And Dick’s wings finally settle in adulthood to sweeping feathered wings of blue and indigo banded with gold.....but where his presence is less attention-commanding than in his younger years, his impact is definitely felt. As his settled wings act as an epicenter for a kind of gravitational bubble around him that’s keyed to his mood.....when he’s lighthearted and in high spirits, everyone around him feels a little bit lighter, purely in a physical sense, gravity within his sphere of influence being a little less heavy, leaving his friends and teammates a little lighter on their feet, quicker in their reactions, etc, etc. When he’s feeling heavy though, his immediate environs feel it with him - though that’s not always the worst result when surrounded by enemies he’s better off having feel overburdened, weighed down, like they’re struggling to get to their feet and the air itself is sitting a little heavier in their lungs every time they take a breath.

[venuscribble]

No open cars, no open bars — Kim Namjoon

A/N: Hello again! Sorry I will do everything but follow the laws of grammar in my writing, I'm working on it... Grammarly hates my guts. Anyways, please do enjoy!

Summary: Joon takes his most favourite person to his most favourite spot in Seoul. He even gains a new friend on the way, too.

Fluff, hints of idol!Joon, gender neutral reader, bullying in a very romantic and charming way

It feels like I’ve lived for this little moment

On the two wheels, everything is just a trivial daydream

“Nearly there!” calls out Namjoon, riding ahead of you with his navy denim jacket billowing slightly behind, spanning out to meet the push of the wind like the wings of a dove. As the same gust pushes itself through your hair and makes waste to the careful styling you had applied to it, you can't help but realise it doesn't treat you half as nice as it does to the man before you. The gentle breeze makes his every movement elegant as he peddles along, head turning side to side to make sure every inch of the scenery around him is taken in. Intently, Namjoon soaks every little detail of his ride up and leaves nothing to be ignored. There’s not a single thing his pensive mind cannot see the beauty in, as his legs continue their steady push of the pedals below him. Nothing is minute, and to Namjoon, everything has its unique charm. It makes perfect sense for Namjoon to demand that the physical embodiment of everything he loves most about biking should accompany him on his next excursion. Despite your feeble argument against it, you knew how much accompanying Joon meant to him, a signal of trust and love which such a small gesture revealed to you. “It’ll be absolutely perfect,” he gushed as you agreed. “My baby and my bike. My two favourite things.”

You’ll do almost anything to see the bright beam of a smile Joon emits when he hears any good news. Even, it seems, deal with the gradual pain in your calves as you carry on peddling your bike along the smooth concrete path. Casting your gaze around, you understand with full clarity why Joon comes here to think - the world around you feels nothing less than idyllic. With the golden light of the sun meeting the greenery on either side of the road which you and your partner now inhabit, it feels like nothing of the cold concrete world you’re used to. Saturated and delicate, the air of perfectness is almost confusing in a sense of unfamiliarity to you. Even the daisies along the path's edge which greet you with a bow as the wind hits them feels closer to a Ghibli movie than your admittedly average life. It feels so unlike bustling Seoul, unlike unforgiving earth, unlike any dimension you could conjure up. This moment between you and Namjoon is so intimate that you conclude the space belongs to both of you and you two only. Only yours and Joon’s reality to feel the sunlight warming your cheeks and to think back on in future days.

“You look so peaceful.” You call out to Joon, hoping your voice carries through the whirring of your wheels and your backpack which audibly jiggles under your peddling. Namjoon smiles to himself, head ducking slightly in bashfulness. Accepting compliments from such a deity as yourself…he knows that will never be his forte. Alas, something his high IQ falters at - the praise of his loved one. He doesn't have a moment to string a reply together when along the path ahead he spots something that has him squeezing his brakes.

“Ah, check it out!” He exclaims happily, dismounting his bike as you brake to find...a traffic mirror? As you settle your own bike out the way to walk to your boyfriend, your head comes to rest on his shoulder from behind, looking up to the circular shape. It gives off an almost fish eye effect, the sky which is gaining an orange hue curving around your interlocked figures. A strong arm moves to hook around your waist, as Joon pulls you into his side. Seizing the opportunity to finally have you close once again, his lips plant a small kiss atop your head.

You give a small puff of a laugh. “Yknow, stopping to look at your reflection is a little vain.”

“Stopping to look at our reflections,” Joon jokes with a soft squeeze to your hip. “Me and my love.”

Your head turns to find where Joon had left his bike - of course, rather half-hazzardly abandoned in the middle of the path.

“You just left your love in the middle of the road.”

Namjoon can only let out a long and disapproving aish at your joke, releasing the hand on your waist only to engulf you in a gentle hug. Your head rests against his chest, finding solace in the familiar deep scent of his cologne. His arms wrap around your frame and rest on your hips, chin resting atop your head as he begins to rock your bodies side to side.

“Stop that.” He whines, rather than scolds. “You know I’d choose you above anything alllll day. Even if it was some kinda super cool mountain bike with an engine built in so I don't have to pedal. I’m still choosing you, okay?”

“Even above a super cool bike with engines?” you pout up at his face. He’s starry-eyed staring down at you, love pouring out of his gaze.

“Even then, and always.”

Content, you allow yourself to settle back into the comfort of his chest. What a sight, you wonder. Two lovers swaying to a melody no one can hear. You hear some chatter in the distance which only becomes a murmur once your senses tune to the soft rise and fall of Joon’s chest. His eyes smile down at you until flicking up to the mirror once more, and the sight of your frame resting upon his as the sunset casts a golden beam over you makes something tug at his heart. "Why me", he puzzles. Why him of all men in this lifetime, granted a gift so precious as yourself. He closes his eyes. His mind spirals into self-reflection. Why should Joon be the sole person granted such a harmonious moment as the one happening in front of his very eyes? What makes him so lucky? He doesn't have too long to analyse what karma he has, as he feels two paws plant themselves above his knee.

“Yeong-Won! We don’t jump at strangers!” ashamedly orders a woman as you turn your head and deduce to be in her mid-30s, whilst she and another older lady pry the golden retriever from hopping up your boyfriend’s leg. Not that Namjoon would care at all. Joon loves animals, and your many days having him give Moni just a few more kisses than you can attest to that.

“Hey, buddy!” coos Joon as he bends to meet the dog’s level. It’s slightly more grown than a puppy yet reaches to kiss Joon’s face with ease as he sinks to greet the boisterous dog. He rakes a hand over its head, running through its golden fur and ruffling his slightly floppy ears. “Nice to meet you, Yeong-wonie. What a handsome boy, eh?”

“He never does this to strangers,” offers the older of the two women to you. “Looks like he needed to say hello!”

You smile in return, shaking your head as Joon and the dog carry on playing as if the world around them has dissolved away. “What a lovely dog, he’s adorable!” You giggle. Joon rises to stand once again, not without ruffling the golden fur one last time.

“So sorry about that, again.” The younger woman adds as her eyes seem to pause on Joon’s face. Not something you're entirely foreign to.

“Wow, I feel like I recognise your face, mister. Dayeon-ah, doesn't the nice man seem familiar?”

The elder, now identified as Dayeon in your mind, furrows her eyebrows together as she thinks. Namjoon all but turns red.

“Ah, my mother tells me I have ‘one of those faces' all the time. It was nice to meet you! See ya, Yeong-wonie!”

After a quick goodbye, you both share an embarrassed laugh together and settle to resume biking once more. The sunset is in full swing now, casting shades of neon pink and blood orange against the cloudless sky like lazy brushstrokes of colour overlapping.

As Joon promised, it only takes a quick 2 minutes of peddling until you rear a corner and the greenery which followed your left side on the path is replaced by the apricot shade of the Han River. The sight makes your stomach stir - it's like nothing you could ever imagine. The setting sun reflects so perfectly, an oil painting brought to life in front of your eyes. You know Joon meets your level of adoration as the wind carries the sound of his small “Wah, so pretty” to you. Joon, your self-proclaimed bike guide during this trip, guides you along the path beside the river further, the atmosphere tranquil with the sounds of birds chirping and your wheels spinning.

“We’re here, babe.” Joon announces, once again dismounting his bike and prompting you to follow, resting your bike beside his. He is, of course, your guide. Your personal guide pauses to stop at a flat square of concrete just aside from the main path, facing the river which grows more and more picturesque by the minute. Your perfect picnic spot, you realise, pulling the backpack off your body and spreading the soft brown blanket kept inside. Joon gives a soft sigh as his body all but collapses down onto the square. The man is uber-fit, almost shockingly buff these days, yet he groans groggily after your short ride.

“Someone tired?” you tease. “Maybe you should be hitting the gym some more than you already are.”

“You're so mean to me. I bring my favourite spot and you make fun of me like this.” Huffs Joon, leaning back with his hands behind him supporting his body. “You’re lucky I love you as much as I do,” he adds with a small laugh.

“I know,” you reply, rapidly. You know you are, you might just be the luckiest person on earth. The one feeling the warmth of Joon’s unconditional love and companionship every single day. You feel like the moon and Joon is the earth itself, only you are blessed to be in his orbit despite the unfathomable size of the universe and countless other people living as you are.

“Hey, you know I'm kidding, babe.” Joon softly argues, hand running through your hair, ruffling it slightly. A blush creeps up to warm your cheeks, nuzzling into the large hand currently entwining it’s fingers into your hair. After a slight pause to collect his thoughts, Namjoon’s voice becomes more gentle as he replies, “Having you...it's like having this one treasure no one else can find. Like, I dunno. Like everything good you’ve done in life is being repaid to you. Does that make any sense?”

“Of course it makes sense, babe.” Your hand pries the one resting on your head to lock your fingers together, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “You feel like that to me, too. I promise. You feel like everything good.” You take a quick look around your surroundings. You catch Joon’s eyes locking onto yours, gazing adoringly at you as if some sort of heavenly body had taken form, moulding into you. “You feel like the sunset and the trees... The wind, the flowers, all of it. You feel like nature to me, Joonie. Just tranquil and loving,” you turn to meet his eyes, “always so loving.”

“Ah, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. Didn’t think taking you on my ride would make me so…”

“Gross?” you intercut with a smirk.

“Emotional, Y/N. But, this is the most romantic place in Seoul, I suppose. Doesn't help that I'm here with my angel. It’s human nature to be all soppy.”

You shuffle down to rest your head on Joon’s thigh, the extra bulk recently gained there making for an excellent makeshift pillow. He looks down at you with a tender smile which makes your most favourite pair of dimples on earth take form.

“I’m just waiting for someone to pop out that bush and say ‘Hey, got ya! Look at you being all mushy!’” you joke, the laugh it emits from Joon slightly rocking his thigh and your head in return.

“It’d probably be Jin-Hyung. I would go investigate myself if he didn’t have a schedule after we left. Still, not that I think anyone else can be trusted.” He huffs.

“Mm, definitely not.” you agree, nuzzling slightly into his thigh below you.

“I could stay here forever,” Joon begins after a tranquil minute, “just frozen in this moment.”

You want nothing more than for that to happen. For the laws of time to grant you this never-ending memory, to encapsulate it forever and never again worry about the minutes passing you by.

Joon’s lips press another soft kiss upon your head, lingering there for a while, basking in your warmth and the smell of his favourite green apple shampoo you keep using. Above you the sun gives its last fleeting moments of illumination, sinking to be doused in the Han River. He stays there, engulfed in bliss for a short second, nothing worrying him on Earth. That is, until his eyes widen and his head whips from atop yours to rapidly look at your puzzled face.

“How’re we getting home?” He all but exclaims. He’s right, you're both clearly slumped and what little sunlight that is left quickly fades. You think for a second, then, nothing.

“Shit!”