#but i have the english versions at home so i'll read them while looking at my pretty turkish ones <3

[sparklingchim]

saw a cockroach for the first time in my life today and i don't think i'll ever recover from that 🧍🏻‍♀️

[82mitsu]

Previously translated pair names that had been posted to Twitter. However corrections had to be made (misinterpretations & an instance of mistranslation), so this is version 2.

Note: This is the only translated thing I will be posting, I am not off hiatus. I had been meaning to archive this before my hiatus, but I also had to fix some things, which is why there was a delay.

Please consult to this post only regarding pair name translations done by me (82mitsu), any other posts or reposts you might see of this chart is the older version. (Previous version has been deleted, but I'm unaware how far the information had spread.)

If any other corrections need to be made, feel free to contact me and I'll make them as soon as possible.

Below follows an extreme lengthy TL note breaking down some pair names, it's a lot of text, so be warned once you unfold the read more.

A lot of research went into these due to 18TRIPs tendency to mix up words, use Gen-Z slang that hasn’t been picked up by everyone yet (or limited to TikTok) and make up their own words (“Omotenashisto” -> “Hospitalister”). I used dictionaries, searched forum results, looked up how people use these words on social media, went TikTok digging, etc.

I tried my best to localize in a way that should make sense even without added context. I only explained the ones that I thought might needed some more back-up in a cultural sense or because it was a specific JPN thing. Thus, not everything has been explained. However, I hope things are clearer compared to the first version that was posted. For Renga & Yukikaze: For ぽゆぽゆ (poyupoyu) there is no definition or anything for this word, but from context clues and digging through how people used it, I deduced that it means something soft and squishy like a plushie or cheeks, so to say. For Renga & Liguang: かりそめの宿縁 (karisome no shukuen) is a Japanese saying about a fated connection of bond that only lasts for a brief moment, but leaves a deep impact on your life. For Renga & Raito: Party is mispelled in the katakana as “paachii” and not the usual “paatii”. Renga has a tendecy to say English words wrong. While “friends” is spelled the correct way, both words have been “mispelled” to drive the point home. For Renga & Kinari: なぁぜなぁぜ (naaze, naaze) is JPN Gen-Z slang from Tiktok. It’s a statement made as an act for complaining, with a bit of sarcasm and irony thrown in at times. Like, “I said I wanna diet but I ate a big meal anyway! なぁぜなぁぜ” or “I’m an idol but I get more anxious doing improv than performances! なぁぜなぁぜ”. Best way I can describe the usage in this context is Renga is throwing a bit of a self-aware tantrum as to why Kinari would correct him. (As mentioned earlier, he isn’t good at English). I guessed a close equivalent would be “nuh-uh”, since that is a dismissal of someone else’s opinion without actual good reason, even if the other person has a point. For Renga & Netaro: まんまん (manman) means “a lot” but I also believe it’s a reference to meatbuns (nikuman). For Kafka & Yodaka: Hanbei is Takenaka Shigeharu, a Japanese samurai from the Sengoku era. He was known for being Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s strategist. For Liguang & Yodaka: 闘牌伝 (touhaiden) is related to Mahjong stuff. 闘牌伝 seems to be an old timey Mahjong video game with RPG elements. Rekka is a fighting game term, and I will quote the website The Fighting Game Glossary by Infil on this: “A type of special move that has multiple stages, as long as you input more commands to continue the sequence. Not all multi-part specials can be called rekkas though; a rekka tends to have exactly three distinct parts and will move your character forward along the ground with each new input.”  For Akuta & Nanaki: They went to the same kindergarten and were grouped together in the “Oden Class”. Japanese kindergartens, from my understanding from researching, tend to have a name for their class, rather than a number. To give an idea what such names could be, in 2019 the website hyenasclubs hosted a poll of most commonly used names for classes, and the top 3 were “baby chick” (hiyoko), “peach” (momo) and “dandelion” (tanpopo). For Akuta & Muneuji: My take on はっけよい輝矢部屋 (hakkeyoi kaguya heya) is a bit of an elaborate bit joking with Princess Kaguya of the Moon (from Tale of the Bamboo Cutter) because I was wondering why they suddenly opted for Muneuji’s last name instead of first. (I might’ve also just overestimated Kaguya Heya being some joke on Kaguya Hime). Hakkeyoi is what a referee shouts at the start of a sumo wrestling match. For Akuta & Ushio: I think ポジティブに腕押し (positive ni ude oshi) is a take on 暖簾に腕押し (noren ni ude oshi) that means something has no effect or is pointless. Lit. it means “pushing a curtain with one's arm”.    For Akuta & Tao: Akuta Nine is a joke on the baseball movie Gyakkyo Nine which is an adaptation of the manga of the same series, I believe. The movie is referred to as GK9, hence I made it AKT9.  For Akuta & Ryui: The original is OYAxKOBU which comes from 親分子分 (oyabunkobun) meaning “boss and his underlings”. Akuta also calls Ryui by “Oyabun”.

For Kiroku & Nanaki: Weebs who watch highschool anime should be familiar with this, but emergency staircase refers to the hallway stairs in a JPN highschool that are sometimes used as chilling out spots by students. For Kiroku & Chihiro: TuRyStA is the clothing brand they wear. 18TRIP has a various selection of clothing brands, which each character having a preference for one or another. For Kiroku & Yodaka: Zhao Yun, as quoted by Wikipedia, “was a military general who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty and early Three Kingdoms period of China.” For Ushio & Raito: Some heavy freedom was taken with バスボムしゅわリスト (basubamu shuwaristo). After considering how to approach it in the most sensical way, I decided to translate it as “bubblist” due the other options being “hand sign list” or “bubble list”. I thought リスト might function as in -ist, like dentist, artist, guitarist. しゅわ comes from しゅわしゅわ which means bubbly. Although bubblist isn’t not that common, it is sometimes referred to entertainers that do bubble performances (in English). And I think it made more sense than “hand sign list” or “bubble list” to say the least. This was also taking in consideration how 18TRIP, as explained in the intro, gets very creative with its language usage. For Raito & Nagi: Mandarin ducks symbolize “soulmates” of some kind in China. In other words, Mandarin Duck Touring is more along the lines of “Motorcycle touring soulmates”. However, I find the mandarin duck reference and interesting pull compared to just “soulmates”, so it was kept as is. For Kinari & Ryui: “Super Darling Gap Inspection” is more along the original lines. “Gap” in Japanese is usually used in the context of when someone acts one way, but unexpectedly, can act a different way. Ex. A very shy person shows they can be super vulgar, that can be considered a “gap” of some kind. In English, people are more familiar with “gap moe”, thus gap moe was used. For Tao & Nagi: Might be a reference to Yokohama’s Zo-no-hana (Elephant Nose) Park. For Toi & Yodaka: The original is more along the lines of, in the most literal sense, “going around raisins circle (of friends).” Toi likes raisins, but Yodaka doesn’t, so Yodaka passes them onto Toi. I’ve turned into on a play on “sharing is caring” since that’s a common concept in English.

[kielxzd]

Bed Friend Novel vs. Series

(Bed Friend Episode 4 | Chapter 12, 13, and 14)

1) Uea's Birthday: Home

Series

Tonkhao asks Uea to go home for his birthday. He did so for the sake of his sister and believing that his mom finally cares about him. Unfortunately, his mom still treats him like shit and his step-dad still have hots for him.

Novel

Tonkhao asks Uea to go home, saying that their mom is looking for him and that she hasn't seen him for months. He never received any birthday wish from his mom, even more so remember his birthday. Asking him to go home made him think that his mom still cares for him, so he went home. He then learns that his mom only wanted him home bc she wanted money which made him mad. His step-dad being there wasn't helping either, so it was hell house. Worst birthday for sure.

2) Uea's past with step-dad

Series

Sorn goes into Uea's room and sexually assault him, trying to make out with Uea who was sleeping. Uea wakes up and defends himself with scissors. Leaves his room and tells his mom what happened. Mom thought he was speaking nonsense. Basically sided her second husband and didn't believe her son. Locks him in the bathroom instead.

Novel

It happened when Uea was in high school. Uea goes home, tired from school so he fell asleep on the couch. Wokes up to Sorn touching his ass. Tell his mom and same thing happened: sides with her husband and lock Uea in the bathroom.

3) Uea's Birthday: Present

Series

After leaving his home, Uea calls King and seeks out comfort from him. King noticed the he wasn't okay and tell him to take a shower to make him feel better. While Uea was soaked in the tub, King comes in with a cake and greets Uea a happy birthday. They have sex after.

Novel

After leaving his home, Uea calls King to get his 'present'. Prior to this, King greets Uea HBD and says he doesn't have a gift for him and was like "can I give myself as a present instead?". Hence, the 'present'.

While they were making out, King noticed Uea looks a bit stressed and asks if he was okay. Uea was like "a little bit" and asks King to relieve his stress. King agrees and they continue making out. Round one done.

King asks Uea if he wanted to tell him something. Uea opens up and tells King that he went home. King didn't push further as he knew that 'home' and 'family' is a sensitive topic for Uea. Instead, he goes:

"We've got four more hours until your birthday ends. I'll keep giving you your present until the end of your birthday, shall I?...Happy birthday."

Then kisses him. Uea tears up because King, who was just his coworker/friend, cared more for him than his own mother.

4) Company trip room arrangement

Series

King asks Jade to take responsibility of wounded Gun and have them stay and room together. That way, Uea rooms together with King instead of Jade.

Novel (MDL Spoilers)

MaiJade are already a couple when the company trip happened. By default, they go together. However, Jade was worried about KingUea fighting and suggests that King stays with Mai while him and Uea stay together. King then goes "have you even asked your bf who he wanted to sleep with?" and assures Jade that him and Uea won't kill each other. Uea hesitantly agreed.

》 fin 《

Read the novel here:

[spongeofaces]

Hello! I am here for the twst matchup (romantic, please) and no first years or the teachers .Thank you, and have a good day !

**Appearance:**

I'm a 5'5" girl (165cm) (she/her, straight ). I am a brunette with short dark brown hair, round light brown eyes ,and transparent framed glasses. People often say I have a soothing aura when they look into my eyes. I have a round-ish kinda face with big cheeks, a small nose, and defined lips. I'm pale cause I mostly stay at home and avoid getting a tan. I have 8 beauty marks on my face. I have eyebags, which might be due to anemia, and I always look tired unless i use blush , i care about my skin doing skincare and such(i try(i want to be beautiful🥲).people say I am cute and pretty but it's hard for me to believe them (insecurities and self doub go brr...)

**Hobbies:**

drawing (digital and traditional ). I adore all forms of art, paintings , music , sculptures..ect .I enjoy reading, although it's been a while since I found a book that peeked my interest ,I mostly read fanfics recently . Video games hold a special place in my heart, I LOVE the different art styles and plots in each game. I have some sewing skills, mostly for patching things up .I learned to crochet and knit recently as well .Crafting is another hobby I enjoy, I am good with my hands. I love learning new stuff. biology and chemistry r my fav subjects(i like learning about anatomy whether it's animal's or human's +plants in the medical field ). I speak 3 languages: Arabic (native), French, and English. I plan to learn Spanish, Italian, or German next, depending on my mood. I'm a quick learner and adapt easily to different situations(that's something I admire and take pride in) .i hate and can't cook, except eggs and simple stuff.but in baking ,if you give me a recipe, i will make the most delicious desserts you've ever tasted(but I still hate it). Anything involving lemons is delicious (especially lemon tart😋).

Even though I am a good swimmer (I did swimming for 2 years) I have thalassophobia (ironic) but i do like me some facts about marine biology, with jellyfishes, anglerfishes, and Caribbean reef octopuses being my favorites.

**Personality:**

My personality is quite flexible and depends on both the people I'm with and my mood. When I'm outside , I tend to feel anxious, although I do my best not to show it. I come across as calm, chill, and reserved, but I'm friendly and won't reject anyone who wants to chat, although I dislike small talk and feel a bit uneasy around boys I can be quite sarcastic with a sharp tongue at times, kinda(really) annoying. Once I get comfortable with someone, you'll find I'm pretty blunt and honest .I am polite and respectful. I've had trust issues due to past betrayals, so I'm cautious with my relationships now (whether it is friends or family ,no lover tho ,don't get me wrong i can be quiet the romantic but the only man that I would probably get attached to would be fictional for sure lol)

With my close friends, I'm more open, and relaxed and cheerful?. I talk a lot about my interests, sharing random facts . I'm caring and sweet toward my friends . My love languages include gift-giving, physical touch.

I would describe myself as creative, observant, passionate, smart, meticulous and a perfectionist.I can be lazy and unmotivated. I am an INTP-T, Enneagram 5w4, and a Libra. I'm an older sister.

I am a burnt-out gifted kid , but I try to be the best version of myself in all aspects(i admit i do feel down thinking that i am never gonna make it ,but i always try to push these thoughts aside).I often feel I'll never be good enough for my mother (she has high standards for me that I can never seem to meet). I was bullied cause of my looks and weight, which made me depressed and anorexic for a year. Thankfully, I've changed a lot over time, tho it affected me making me antisocial, having trust issues and insecurities(but i am getting better). I like energy drinks. My music taste varies from pop, alt/indie, classical( my fav pieces are moonlight sonata 3rd movement, danse macabre , in the hall of the mountain king and la campanella ) ,jazz, to rock/metal, with a particular love for rock & roll. Comfortable baggy clothes are my go-to(makes me feel good in my own skin) .

***what I prefer in a partner?***

Anything is fine really , smart maybe? ,I can't cook so a good cook ,I just want someone to listen to me and make me feel included ,never getting annoyed by my behaviour and my clinginess , I want someone who I can truly be myself with (flaws and all)

I'm soooooo sorry for taking so long 😭

Tried to add some extra detail to make up for it <3

Hope you enjoy 🙏❤️

---

I match jellyfishuuuuu with...

🐍 Jamil Viper 🐍

-:-:-:-

You are one of the few people who have gotten to know the true Jamil behind all the walls he puts up. He never puts on a mask around you, always being as genuine as possible.

He adores you quite dearly, you'll often find him just staring at you from afar, even if he doesn't realize it himself. He just wishes to cherish you, and make you see just how precious you are, to him, and to your companions. He needs you to know just how much he thinks you're worth, constantly going to the extra lengths in your relationship, determined to make you love yourself as much as he loves you.

Everyone knows how good of a cook Jamil is, but he gets on a whole other level when cooking for you. He pours his heart and soul into each dish, every time. He'll be by your side as you eat, analyzing every reaction so he can make the next meal even more delicious for you. He's also very willing to help teach you how to cook.

If worry ever shows in your expression, he'll pull you aside to ask after your wellbeing. He won't take "I'm fine" as an answer either, he wants to listen to what bothers you, he wants to help in whatever way he can. He's always there to comfort you, making time even on the busiest of days.

Jamil's constant responsibilities can tire him out. Allow him to lay across your lap, or if that's too uncomfortable, lean on your shoulder, and he'll relax extraordinarially. He'll slowly doze off, fingers intertwined with yours, feeling at peace knowing you're there with him.

You guys swap clothes a lot, seeing as though you have similar styles. If you're missing a hoodie, I'd check his closet.

He's very patient. If you're ever not in the mood to socialize, or don't feel like being around him for whatever reason, he'll respect your wishes and leave you be.

He's impressed by your affinity for languages, even asking if you'd be so kind as to teach him some words or small phrases.

Constant praise. For the big things, for the little things, he wants you to be proud of yourself. You can tell he means every word of it too, by the way he looks at you with such adoration.

Since you like crafting, you could probably give him hand-made gifts. He'd find great joy recieving something from you, always treating you extra, extra special afterwords. The next day, you'll probaby be bombarded with triple the amount of gifts you gave him though, each more heartfelt and thought-out than the last.

Extra stuff as an apology for taking so long:

Before Jamil and you started dating, Kalim would constantly make excuses to have Jamil invite you to Scarabia, only to goof off elsewhere and purposely leave the two of you alone. Kalim was practically the matchmaker for you two, Jamil probably would have had noooo idea how to ask you out otherwise. Kalim was also the first to figure out Jamil had feelings for you.

If you ever wake up to frantic, jumbled texts, Jamil has been found by a bug. Please save him 😔

Your first date together wasn't really 'official' more like Kalim organizing the event then dipping at the last minute. He booked a real fancy restaurant, and only cancelled when both you and Jamil were already seated.

He pokes your forehead and sticks his tongue out at you when annoyed. Kinda childish.

A song for the relationship:

My Love Mine All Mine by Mitski.

Other options: Trey, Idia, Malleus and Ruggie.

[bluemoonjayy]

𝗥𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗖𝗢𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗙 𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦

[𝕸𝖆𝖙𝖙 𝖘𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖔𝖑𝖔 𝖝 𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖊𝖗]

𝘚𝘜𝘔𝘔𝘈𝘙𝘠: ʏ/ɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ ʏᴠᴇ ɢᴏ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀʀɴɪᴠᴀʟ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴇᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴡɴᴇʀ'ꜱ ᴋɪᴅꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ᴄᴀʀᴏᴜꜱᴇʟ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʟᴏᴠᴇ

[PART 1] [PART 2]

PLAYLIST

Long way 2 go by Cassie

Not around by Nova

I wanna be yours by arctic monkeys

Donk by Beyonce

Favorite by Isabel larosa

9 am in Calabasas x vixen by Ayesha Erotica (fanmade)

Video games by Lana Del Rey

[I RECOMMEND THE SLOWED VERSION]

BEFORE READING

- English is not my first language so I apologize for any mistakes :')

- please tell me if you like it 🫶

◯ ☽ ◑ ● ◐ ❨ ◯ ☽ ◑ ● ◐ ❨ ◯ ☽ ◑ ● ◐ ❨ ◯

-what’s your name by the way?- we sit -i never asked you, sorry-

-i’m y/n and don't worry!- with all the courage that I have I take his hand

The boy frozes for some seconds and I see him blushing

-i-i think you already know b-but I'm Matt…- he clearly is embarrassed by the situation and honestly I feel the same since i never flirted with anyone before

The waiter brings us our ordinations and we detach

-do you want some beer?- I decline the offer

-im 19, you know…- the brunette looks at me shocked

-i thought you were 21 like me- he says pouring the beer into the glass -you look older-

-they always tell me this- i say chuckling

We finish the drinks and Matt offers to pay but I try to stop him

He still pays and I hit him on the shoulders jokingly

-next time I'm gonna pay- I say in a fake offended tone

-sure sweetheart- he smiles and I do so too to hide my embarrassment

we walk trought the attractions

-oh my god!- i head to a stand and Matt follows me -my favorite character, Leon Kennedy!-

-you have great taste, I see- I look at him -i would love to have this plushie but I can't shoot unfortunately- my face gets sadder

-i'll do it for you- Matt suddenly says -what? Really?- he nods

-aw! Thank you so much!- I hug him

The boy takes some seconds to process what just happened but still proceeds to hug me back

I am so happy!

He pays the man and some shoots after Matt wins the Leon Kennedy's plushie that he hands to me

-here you go- the brunette winks

I take the plushie and hug it, clearly happy to have it in my hands

-thank you again, really...- i try to take my wallet -i should give you your money back- he interrupts me -honey, listen...I don't care about the money- the boy takes my hand -your happiness is more important to me-

I smile softly not knowing what to say

-you're really sweet!- our eyes interlock for a moment that feels like hours

He seems to close the distance from us

Suddenly my phone rings and I answer

-y/n, we have to go home! Unless you wanna sleep here- I look at matt for a second -okay, see you at the entrance- I hang up the call

The boy waits for me to tell him something

-i have to go...- his eyes sadden -you'll come tomorrow again, right?-

-i'll try- I look at him a last time -see you- I wink at him and run to my friend

-you have to give me explanations- she says

-ugh, right- I tell her about Matt, the fact that I might like him

At first she's surprised but waits for me to finish -thats amazing, y/n!- Yve hits me on the shoulder -im really happy for you-

I thank her and we head home while talking about what happened

MATT POV

-Matt! Where have you been?- Chris walks towards me

-i was just going around, you know- I didn't really want to make him know about y/n since my brother usually makes fun of me

-i saw you with a girl actually- he raises an eyebrow -something happened?-

"do I really have to tell him?"

-fine...yeah, I was with a girl and no, nothing happened-

-ohhh! I'll be an uncle?- as I'm about to reply Nick arrives

-what? we'll be uncles?- I rool my eyes

-guys, we just met- I tell them -she's amazing but...-

-you don't know how to tell her how you feel?- my eyes open and I look at the ground -yeah-

-listen...- he lays his hand on my shoulder -dont be afraid of telling her anything or you might regret it in the future-

I smile, maybe after all asking my brothers for help isn't a bad idea

-thank you, guys-

-i just came here but yeah, you're welcome- Nick says and we all laugh

We close the carousel and go to a hotel

"tomorrow I'll tell her everything" I think as I lay on my bed "I can do it"

My eyes close and I peacefully fall asleep thinking about her

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

SORRY IF ITS A BIT SHORT :'(

[formulaorange]

2023 Spring Anime

This season looks whack. There's so many notable series, there's definitely something for everyone this season. Of course starting off with the big ones:

Demon Slayer Season 3 - The Swordsmith Village Arc

Attack on Titan: The Final Season The Final Chapters

Dr Stone Season 3

While those all look amazing and all:

Bocchi is back baby!!!

Season 2 of Ranking of Kings is back this season. Their story telling is top tier and if you didnt' check out the first season, now is the time to do so.

All these amazing new seasons to look forward to, but this season doesn't stop there, the new series set to debut look absolutely killer too:

Hell's Paradise gets it's anime release, produced by MAPPA of course. This is definitely my most anticipated for the season.

Followed by MASHLE. While I had fun with the manga, I ultimately couldn't get past the art style. The anime should complete the picture for me and this will definitely be one of the top comedy series this season.

Lastly for the big name debut series: Oshi no Ko

This series takes a second to get into but it's taken the manga world by storm and has already gotten its english translations with only 11 japanese releases so far. The story is definitely worth sticking around for and will likely be one if not the top show of the season.

Additional continuing series:

Golden Kamuy S4

Edens Zero S2

The Ancient Magus' Bride S2

KonoSuba - Spin Off Series

As for some lesser known series, I've gone through this seasons' release schedule and filtered through the trailers to pick out the ones that might be worth watching... I honestly wasn't expecting for there to be so many. So like I said, there's definitely something for everyone this season.

Heavenly Delusion

I'm such a sucker for adventure series, throw in sci-fi and I'm hooked. While this definitely gives me Made in Abyss and Promised Neverland vibes, I'm not sure it'll be on the same level.

So far episode 1 looks absolutely amazing. Post-apocalyptic world with the contrast of the two stories, one of kids inside a sanctuary with little outside world knowledge and the kids that live and survive outside. Definitely worth watching.

A Galaxy Next Door

I'm surprised this is even being aired already. I swear the english volumes for the manga just released earlier this year. I've heard mixed things about the series but I think this'll be worth checking out.

Skip to Loafer

I've heard so much about this series and it's honestly got the golden trio of tags. It's a Slice of life comedy romance and the style and characters are so cute. I'll definitely be giving this a full watch through.

Insomniacs after School

This kind of looks like an irl version of Call of the Night but after watching the trailers a bit more it still looks like a lot of fun. It's about these two students who're unable to sleep and what they do when they stay up. They end up joining the astronomy club and overall it looks like it'll be a really pretty and relaxing series.

Dead Mount Death Play

Most manga collectors will have heard of this series. It's supposed to be quite a decent thriller/supernatural series. While I haven't had a chance to read through it, I think it's about time we got another good supernatural show. I'll definitely be checking it out.

Magical Destroyers

This straight up looks like utter chaos. Whether that's good or not I guess we'll find out. It's under the mahou shoujo tag?? but it's about a radical group that is trying to eliminate the otaku culture from Japan. This guy "Otaku Hero" stands up and tries to stop them. It sounds wild and kind of looks like a passion project. I'll give it 3 episodes.

My Home Hero

This is straight up a western drama movie. Similar vibes to Taken this guy kills his daughters yakuza boyfriend and gets caught up in the criminal underground. It's definitely a new trope for anime so I'll be giving it 5 episodes.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury S2

While technically this is a continuation of a series, I feel like many people didn't watch the first half unless they were already into gundam. I never grew up with it and truthfully I just lumped it in with transformers so I never checked it out.

Lots of people have been saying that this reboot it really solid and a good way to get into the series. After watching the trailer I totally understand, the characters all look great and the story looks like a solid sci-fi series. I'll definitely be watching to catch up to the new releases.

Yuri Is My Job

I've head of this series all over the place in the manga world and I know it's one of the more popular shoujo ai. Essentially it seems the plot is that these 2 girls end up working together at a themed cafe and start falling for each other. I don't really have any interest in shoujo ai series (frankly i just started getting into romance series in general) so I'll give it 3 episodes and see how it goes.

The Dangers in My Heart

This is one of those - unlikely mc's gets attention from the pretty love interest. After watching the first episode I can say it definitely isn't the same as the others. The girl is super weird and I like his commentary of all the shit he does. Pretty fun and worth a try at least.

Loving Yamada at Lv999

This looks like a fun lighthearted romance. I'll give it 5 episodes.

Otaku Elf

Pretty much as the title says it's about an Otaku Elf. I think this hoenstly looks like a fun series and as long as you're not looking for more plot, it'll be a good time.

Blue Orchestra

While I think a decent number of people will like the series, I know for sure I'll drop it due to the cgi. I just feel that CGI isn't at the stage where it feels natural enough with the rest of the animations and it really takes away from my watching experience.

My god. I had no clue they redid this but I'll 100% be watching this now lol. They rebooted Tokyo Mew Mew.

This was one of the first anime I watched growing up.

The second season is airing this season - Tokyo Mew Mew New S2

in case anyone else grew up watching it and wats to catch up.

And of course, the isekais.

We've now evolved from just the standard isekais to isekais with a twist.

I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in the Real World, too.

I'll give it 3 episodes but unsurprisingly I don't think i'll stick with it.

The Legendary Hero is Dead!

This looks a little different from the ususal, I'll give it 3 episodes.

Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion

This is a full send fantasy shoujo romance and I thought I had had enough of the royal isekai trope but apparently not. The cheese of the romance has sucked me in again with the pretty animations to top it off. I'll be giving it a good 3 episodes.

The Ecchi series for the season:

KamiKatsu: Working for God in a Godless World

This honestly looks like fun but I've had my fair share of this kind of show. This is a fantasy ecchi isekai comedy. I'll still give it 3 episodes.

Megami no Cafe Terrace

Frankly I have no interest in ecchi harem series like this but the quality looks decent so I've added it here for those who want something to watch along those lines this season.

[spa3rk-yay]

Do you remember when we were both younger

You pulled me aside in your sister's house

And showed me a photo of yourself

When you were young like me

Your cheeks were rosy and colored

Even I could tell with that black-and-grey filter

And I looked just like you

When I was in middle school I joined a club

It was a gardening club, we planted in front

Of the school and grew plants native to Texas

I went home with the knees of my pants

green and brown from the blood of the earth

You liked to garden, you told me once

Once we moved out of that trailer home

You planted plants inside the house and out

And let me help you massage the roots

And let me dig up hole for your store-bought plants

While you watered them daily and put fences around them

So that the chickens wouldn't kill them with their pecking

When I was younger, I liked to read thick books

I have a library now, on two shelves in my room

You don't know the types of books I hide in there

You told me once while I was reading something on my phone

(Not things I'd show even to Silvia)

That you used to like to read as well

I once told you a summary of a book I wrote

A poorly executed argument over

And you told me to find you a Spanish version for you to read

I told you

It's a play, I don't think it'll be easy to read

And you said

Oh well, either way I like to read

I think I'll buy you the Spanish version if I find one

And give it to you on your birthday

Instead of a plant or lotion or perfume

You once had a cat named Minina

She was a Siamese cat, and you loved her

I have a cat named Kit-Kat

She's not any particular breed, but she's the

Daughter of the cat we brought that were

Meant to kill the rats eating our chickens'

Eggs, and who we thought were both males

She sticks to me like clingy child

And you've told me she gets sad when I'm not around

You sometimes call her Minina too

And she also follows you into your room

And sleeps in your bed when you're not feeling well

I think she also suspects the same thing as me

And she thinks we are copies of each other

Sometimes I wonder if one day when I'm older

I'll look just the same as you

I'll have the same wrinkles and lines

And I'll have the same voice and tone

I think then I'll feel sad

Because by then you'd be gone

And I don't think I can handle that right now

So I'll leave this stanza as it is

Am I foil to you? Am I what would have happened

If instead of living your life as you did

You had lived my life with more opportunities

Do you think that as well

When you see me getting ready for college

When you saw me going to high school

When you listen to me speak English like that's

My native tongue and not Spanish

Do you feel bitter? If you do, you hide it well

I can hardly tell, and I'm scared of losing your love

We are both tired

I sleep when you sleep

After school and after work

I think we're both sad

And that's why we're tired

So many expectations

And hopes and dreams

And none will come true

I'll make them come true

I'll do it for you

I am your copy

[senanatheskenana]

Good morning, I wanted to try the survey event if it's still open. If not, feel free to ignore this ask. And before we get to the question, I apologize for the grammar mistakes English isn't my native language.

1. My work ethic is more or less chaotic. I'm a huge procrastinator who can't follow a plan. I tend to do everything at the last minute under the stress and the pressure. Even if I'm interested in the work, I'll zone out pretty fast.

2. Overthinking is my second name /hj. Well, to be honest I'm a very anxious person, I tend to overanalyzing every single thing. How the baker did look at me, my outfit, my haircut... What a pain. :(

3. I use to be a very extraverted kid, but as I'm growing up I'm getting more and more introverted. I like staying alone or with the few people I can trust. Honestly, I don't see why you should waste your energy by befriending a lot of people when you can use your energy to take care of your loved ones.

4. The answer is very cliché, but it would be Japan. I would love to visit this country one day, climbing Mt Fuji, eating traditional food and discovering their culture.

5. I'm finishing High School and I don't really know what I want to study. Maybe biology or history.

6. I love sweet food with all my heart, give me chocolate and you're making me the happiest man alive.

7. I live with my cat and my two dogs and I wouldn't replace them with anything in the world. But if I could adopt another animal, it would probably be a pigeon or a bird of some kind.

8. I'm a trans man and I consider myself as aroace. So yes, this is more on a " if I could to date I would... " kind of thing or platonic. And I don't really care about the gender of my match.

9. That's a hard question. Probably the hardest on the list /hj. I don't really have one favourite song, more like a whole playlist, but if I should give you one I would say... Fine by Lemon Demon.

10. Family well... All depends on your relationship with them and how they treated you in the past. Sometimes it's important to distance yourself from them, to let go for becoming the best version of yourself. But it's also great when they got your back. So to get on a middle ground, I would say that family is important but you shouldn't let them control your life or make you feel guilty for anything. Talking about kids, I don't mind babysitting or keeping kids at home to help a friend but I don't want to be a father. I don't want kids, I would be a terrible father and I don't want them to grow up in this chaotic world. If the world became a better place, with less wars and dangers for them... Then I might reconsider my choice.

And I ended up writing way to much, I'm terribly sorry T_T. Thanks for reading this, take your time and don't forget to care of you. Have a nice day!

(ps : I find your work very cool)

im glad you like my writing, i really like writing it :)

Also don't worry about writing too much, i think that as long as it's good, you cant write too much xx

I would put you with Kazuha. He's kind and friendly and most of all very calming to be around. Kazuha likes to wander around, so he'd be thrilled to travel with you. While Kazuha can be pretty quiet, he is quite good at calming and comforting people. Kazuha understands the temptation of procrastination so he'd try his best to keep you on track, he may even do it with you. He probably isn't concerned with having children, considering he likes to be transitory and travel but he probably does like having animals around. I can totally see him with a bird too because they can easily follow the Crux

[wanderingjournalofshadows]

principium

This journal is a remnant of a wanderer, an adventurer of sorts.

More precisely a solo RPG journal for me, traveling through the mists, and exploring the wonderful and horrifying place that is the home setting of Ravenloft.

The Hickman couple created something in 1983 that captured the fans of gothic horror and at the time emerging Dungeons & Dragons enthusiasts - it became a cult setting for many alike.

My personal experience with the world of Ravenloft runs back to 2017 when I first started to run Curse of Strahd, the 5th edition variant of the classic module I6 - Ravenloft. I was just starting college and gathered a new group of friends to guide them into the mists of Barovia.

Since then I ran the campaign two more times, with more or less success, but I knew that it is the perfect setting for me if I ever wanted to play D&D.

So what is the premise of this blog?

I intend to delve deep into the lore of the setting and explore it through the lenses of a character who travels through the mists and gets to know the colorful (albeit desaturated) Domains of Dread.

I'll write about my adventures, as I slowly slip into the role of this character, and hopefully enjoy my time over the weekly sessions of a couple of hours, and leave behind something that is enjoyable to read as well, since I do have my aspirations of creative writing.

It is also a practice of writing and my (non-existent) English skills, since I'm not a native speaker of the language, but if I'm to write, I need to hone the skill well enough to create something that captivates the readers' curiosity.

So expect grammatical issues, or sometimes errors in semantics, as I power through descriptions and ways to express my experiences during play.

Aesthetics? Format?

I also try to leave behind sketches, and make it pleasing to read this journal. I'm already thinking about the formatting of the text so one can separate the narrative from the game mechanics, and only read the fiction emerging from my dice rolling and decisions. Solo Roleplaying is a very interesting concept in itself, that deserves a dedicated post later on.

I think my time with Play-By-Post (pbp) games gave me a certain standard when it comes to "written play" and how certain things should be presented.

Writing in first person or third person will be always one of the difficult decisions when it comes to the tone of fiction. For the setting the first person perspective offers a certain kind of intimacy, especially to convey the character's emotions, that might be a better option to convey a personal experience. Bram Stoker's Dracula (Read it if you have the time) was also an inspiration for this choice, since the plot is told through letters, written from the perspective of the characters.

And while reading I will listen to music that inspires me, I'll most likely leave a Spotify/Youtube link at the beginning of each post to have an audio ambience for the entry.

In the coming weeks I'll figure out the blog aesthetics as well, refreshing my CSS skills and/or looking for a suitable template.

So who will be the Wanderer?

I don't know at the moment, but I need to find first where I should start. There are many wonderful resources online that can help me choose the first Domain of Dread to venture to. What I also need to choose is the rules themselves. Since the first Ravenloft was written for AD&D 1E - I might opt for using an older version of the traditional formula. There are some pros for it:

It's OSR compatible. I have a truckload of OSR resources, that can be fairly easily adapted to it, thus giving me more creative and gameplay freedom.

Lots of compatible Ravenloft materials. Lots of resources exist for AD&D 2E which also has an easy conversion backwards, if I would ever need to have that, but again the difference between 1E and 2E are minor.

It's simpler. While it's obscure in nature, it is less complicated, and less restrictive with certain aspects of the game, compared to 3E/3.5.

It's crunchy enough. 5E is nice, but lacks a certain kind of crunch that I liked about the older editions. AD&D 1E might have just enough that will be still simple enough for solo play, that I don't have to spend too much time figuring out the system while playing.

In the next post I'll be exploring my options for the character and the first Domain of Dread.

But I think it's good to write down the foundation of the thought process, and I hope it gave perspective for you as a reader on what the hell I'm doing here.

Cheers,

Mythwriter

[yiifu]

so it's 11.50pm on a Saturday night now and I've just properly finished reading the entirety of mdzs (in english) not including the extras. it feels so surreal and strange, because I'd started the English translations in Jan this year (I read exiled rebel's version) while sometimes reading pdfs of the 7seas one at the same time just to see the differences in translation. I remember blazing through the equivalent of 7seas book 1-3 from Jan to early March. From mid-March to now I took a bit of a break from mdzs to read other things like 2ha (which I'm still reading now), the 2ha manhua and the tgcf manhua. I managed to finish 7seas mdzs vol 4 in mid March too (binge reading sessions before bed, mostly) and then I stopped cos 7seas hadn't released vol 5 yet and I thought I'd just wait. then after a week I decided I couldn't wait that long so I went back to EXR to read what was left of the story until the end (before the extras). Still I took my time with it so the guanyin temple arc took me a few weeks to get through.

but tonight I decided to return to mdzs to finish the guanyin temple arc and that short little bit after that (everyday means everyday, meeting luo qingyang and mianmian, riding off into the sunset while wangxian plays in the distance) and now I'm at the end, also after reading the author's notes. so much effort went into it really and that makes me appreciate the story even more (thank you mxtx for that wonderful mind of yours and for the characters and story you've created!!) I'll probably save the extras to read when I get the digital version of 7seas vol 5 just to participate in the finale mood yknow.. I know 7seas isn't done with mdzs yet there's still the entire manhua to be released which is a whole diff beast but for now the completion of the full English novel merits some special mention at least

and it's like, yeah I'll def grow a little distant from mdzs for a bit while I tour other stories and fandoms and media but everytime I come back to it, to these familiar characters, it feels like coming home. I've consumed this story in so many forms (manhua, donghua, novel, now just left with the audio drama and the untamed) and I've drawn a bunch of fanart of them, even read longfics starring these characters, after a while you just feel like you know them as old friends. and getting to the end of the story and closing the book on these guys, even though it's only temporarily, just feels all sorts of weirdly happy and sad to me now. this story has accompanied me through a holiday trip in dec 2022, through lunch at work, weekends spent reading and watching it, work breaks spent reading it and looking at the wiki and TV tropes page for character info...it's just such a concrete part of my daily memories it really helped me get through this tedious thing called working life

I'm not even saying this to anyone in particular - maybe I'm saying it to the characters and the story - but thank you so much for existing! yall introduced me to the wonderful and heartbreaking world of historical danmei where heroes, magic, gods, ghosts, and everything in between live out fantastical tales of wonder and bravery and resilience and love and so mdzs will always have a special place in my heart for being that first piece of fiction that brought me into these worlds ❤️

[lemon-wedges]

not to be all AAAAAA COLLEGE AU on main but AAAAAA COLLEGE AU !!! everyone has their own version of what everyone would major in and ive noticed you put yosuke making music in the tags 👀 what's your take on what everyone would major in

I LOVE COLLEGE AU SO MUCH MAN. AND I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT WHERE EVERYONE WOULD END UP. This will probably get long cause I'm also thinking about what job they'd end up at so I'll put it undercut

I'll start with Yu cause he was the hardest to figure out. Here's what i see. Business major right? Boring but he's a smart guy and it pleases his parents.

He opens up his own consulting business but whatever he names it is so vague that people don't know/mistake what he actually does. like maybe repairs is in the name for some reason. So his first customer is some kid that shows up and is like 'bike repairs? I have a flat :c ' and Yu is like no....but I know how to change a tire. Next day an elderly man comes in like 'computer repairs? My laptop won't turn on.' And he's like no. But I can handle a computer.

Someone shows up for actual consulting but they're like. Consulting.....like I can consult you for termite advice. And he's like no. That would be an inspector. But I just read a book about termites so I can take a look. And it just goes on and on like that. Never actually puts his degree to use but instead becomes know as The Odd Job Guy around town

Chie and yukiko? Well I do actually love the idea of yukiko becoming a interior designer but specially one that gets hired by eccentric millionares to install a space station themed dining room next to the tiki bar. While chie....ngl I don't want her as a cop. I was thinking more of a fight cheographer for movies. Where she can occasionally show up in the bg of kung fu films being villain henchman #3

Kanji and naoto....I do ship them. Which is important for this becuase....kanji doesn't go to college. Instead he's a stay at home husband who runs a very popular online crafts shop. Along with a YouTube channel that's like a silent step by step tutorial place for simple to expert sewing techniques. While noato......would go to the same college as yu. Follows a strict detective to be course load. BUT is easily convinced to join yu in a couple of his g.e. classes where he picked extremely weird alternatives. I'm talking turfgrass science, I'm talking jazz studies, the art of walking, street fighting mathematics, and of course...a pizza apprenticeship. Each class giving both of them the detrimental knowledge they need to solve obscure murder cases or make a nice lunch for a get together....

Yosuke and rise. Well you've seen a bit of that. Both major in music but yosuke focuses more on learning a few more instruments and writing melodies more than lyrics. And eventually makes songs with rise (whoose finally able to have control of her own image and actually shows interest in the song writing process cause arrgghhhh I got some beef with this game forcing her to go back to the idol industy) ITS VERY IMPORTANT THO. that yosuke at least pushes rise to spice up her songs with English. Maybe even a 'Fuck' thrown in cause it sounds cool.

Teddie? Probably the only one I haven't thought of. But ngl teddie dj from your dance.....is so tempting. Oohhh ohhh u know what hmmn....he'd be perfect for a personally type radio station. Oohhhh my lovely ladies I'm beary excited to show u this next love song. From my perfect little bear heart to yours ~

....and now I realize that this turned more into jobs more than it did specific college majors....

[darkestcorners]

Hiiiii!!! 🥰

I LOVE SO MUCH Raven, i'm obsessed with horror as well and your fanfics are my faves for sure <3

I was thinking if you could recomend me some of tales/folklores that you use for reference because i really like this universe and want to read more of. 🥺

hope you understand my english and please continue writting for us!!! I'll read anything yours ♥

Hi babes! Thank you so much :)! Im so happy you ejoyed my fics.

Ahh some of the folkores I used for reference and that I overall found inspiration from are ;

La Lechuza - Mexican folkore about shape shifting witches that are usually attractive normal looking women during the day and shape-shift into owls at night, in some stories the owl is 7 feet tall. They often pose as babies, crying outside homes to lure people out or whistling until you come out. If you dream about them it usually means someone in your family will die. They may also warn you of something bad coming.

Black-Eyed Children- American legend about paranormal creatures that resemble young children with pale skin and black eyes, they are often seen hitchhiking, begging or on doorsteps of homes.

Nishi - Indian folkore about a night spirit calling out to its victims and luring them to sceluded areas in which they are never seen again. They often use the voice of a loved on to lure you in.If you respond to the voice, you will become hyptonised.

Sundel Bolong - Indonesian folkore about a woman thats always seen wearing a white dress and dies while pregnant or during child birth which causes the baby to be born through her back, creating a hole ( theres different version of this folkore i believe )

El Sombreron- Guatemalan legend of a man in all black who loves to court young women and braid their hair while he serenades them with his guitar but he often sets soil on their plates causing them to have trouble eating and sleeping. It's said that if he gets to finish braiding her hair, the woman will instantly become his bride.

Luz Mala- Argentinian legend about a beam of light that flows lowly above the gound and appears at night. Peasants were afraid, believing it was "lost souls" who were not baptized by the christian church. It's said if you look under the light, you will find some sort of treasure or metal objects but in doing so, a deadly gas will kill you.

I'm pretty sure I'm forgetting some but I'll add them later if I remember :)

[resident-normal-person]

Rough Translations of Magia Record S2 teaser clips

Disclaimer: I am not fluent in Japanese. Please take these with a grain of salt.

"2021年7月" (July 2021)

IT IS LITERALLY AIRING ON THE LAST DAY OF JULY

THE ENGLISH VERSION IS COMING OUT IN AUGUST T.T

Yachiyo: Iroha...where are you?

not me crying @ Yachiyo grieving over mugs

Yachiyo kabedons Mifuyu, making a crack in the wall with her fist. Someone's pissed. "She's not dead! Iroha's not dead! She promised me she wouldn't die!"

Oooh this new OST is epic!

Narrator: "Yachiyo, who lost Iroha, pursued the Wings of Magius alone."

Yachiyo seems to be going through her Kamihama Rumor File, eliminating Uwasas one by one.

(There is a shot of the page on the Rumor of Hotel Fendt Hope, whose description references Hokuyo Ward and St. Liliana Academy, which is now confirmed to be a all-girls school)

Yachiyo marked the Rumor of Hotel Fendt Hope with a sticky note reading “Magius’ home base”…she’s gonna invade them.

Touka: something about plans and unforgivable

Narrator: (not a confident translation) on the other hand, something something Magius

Touka: "Mifuyu, you understand as well, don't you?"

Mifuyu: "Yes. For the sake of the Magius."

What is she threatening the Amanes and Mifuyu for? The failure at Chelation Land?

Also, this shot. Why are Touka and the Amane sisters illuminated, but Mifuyu not? Is this foreshadowing?

Yachiyo being alone up against the Magius is greatly emphasized.

Narrator: "One day, a member of Magius and magical girl of Takarazaki, Kuroe, encounters Yachiyo."

Yachiyo: "Wait!"

Yachiyo: Why is the little Kyubey with that girl?

Yachiyo: "You, were a magical girl of Takarazaki along with Iroha, right? And you're with that little Kyubey...I have some things I'd like to hear about with you."

KUROE IS FINALLY RELEVANT!!! Yachiyo looks incredibly hostile.

Narrator: something about the encounter between Kuroe and Yachiyo, as well as the story continuing

Yachiyo: "Mifuyu!"

W-what is Miffy doing here? Did she arrange this? Put Kuroe up to it to lure Yachiyo?

HOLY SHIT, CAMPANELLA!

Yachiyo: "I'll never forgive you! Never! Not the Magius, nor you!"

YachiMifu fans…winning?

*meduka meguca voice* yechiyu lose it

Narrator: "The price of a wish...is it hope, or is it despair?"

YACHIYO TRANSFORMATION!!!

I HOPE THERE ARE MORE TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE ANIME!!! THAT ARE COOLER THAN THE GAME ONES!!!

I like how as this shot appears, the voice-over says “is it despair”, while Yachiyo sinks into deep water in her transformation.

The OST changed to the one in S1E1 from the rumor about magical girls (La chica dojo)

OMG, YACHIYO'S FASHION SHOOTS! I HOPE SHE HAS MORE OUTFITS IN SEASON 2!!!!

Narrator: second season, a year after season 1, Awakening Eve, blah blah blah

Touka: If it's us Magius, we can save all magical girls!

This is the same clip of her as the official trailer; S2 apparently continues her speech.

KaMoRe all join the Wings of the Magius; that's why Touka's speech is continued. (Momoko can't fit her ponytail in the White Feather robes LMAO)

Mitama: I haven't told you any lies. It's just that there are things I haven't told you.

She says, as she points the point of a spear away from her face. Methinks Yachiyo decided she was sus enough to warrant an interrogation.

Things I am looking forward to:

visuals (especially Uwasa barriers)

music: OP, ED, OST

YACHIYO!!!! she's in her Main Character Era

how canon divergence will be pulled off, especially Kuroe, Iroha's disappearance, and KMR joining Magius

transformations, especially for characters who haven't had any in the anime yet

Yachiyo outfits? Yachiyo outfits.

The story being animated; anime as a medium has so much more emotion than Live2D sprites

[jjmaybanksbaby]

Where It Leads (Rafe Cameron)

Summer II

Part 03: Been A While

series masterlist | previous part

summary: Your second summer in the Outer Banks becomes a whole lot more complicated when you realize a year away from Rafe hasn't changed your feelings for him at all.

a/n: And we're back with summer two - the summer before sophomore year whoop whoop! Writing this gave me butterflies so I hope you have the same feeling reading it! I always love hearing y’all’s commentary so don't be shy to scream about your favorite parts back at me.

word count: 2.5k words

Your mom reached over and tapped you gently on the arm.

"Put your phone away please, y/n. You can text Evan when we land."

"We're not even moving yet." You replied.

As if on cue, the pilot's voice echoed over the intercom. "Good morning passengers. This is your captain speaking. Welcome onboard Flight 4B7 with service from Portland to the Outer Banks. We ask that you please fasten your seatbelts at this time and secure all baggage..."

You stashed your phone in the pocket of the seat in front of you and closed your eyes, hoping that by the time you woke up you would be landing.

After the way last summer had gone, you were surprised when your mom announced that you were spending the summer in the Outer Banks again.

Frankly, you weren't that happy to be headed to North Carolina. Alice and Kensie, your two best friends back home, had opted not to go to camp this summer so the three of you had planned to spend every day at Alice's pool, biking to the Dairy Queen a few blocks away or begging of your moms to drive you to the mall.

Plus, there was Evan. Your boyfriend of six months. You'd both been cast as the understudies for the leads in the fall musical. Because of some freak food-poisoning accident, both you and Evan had to go on as Cinderella and Prince Charming in the final show. When he kissed you under the bright stage lights, it had felt like more than just a stage kiss. He'd asked you out at the cast party later than night and you'd been dating ever since.

Evan was great. He really was. He was thoughtful and cared about you. But ever since your mom had bought the plane tickets to the Outer Banks back in March, every time you kissed Evan you could only think of Rafe Cameron.

☼☼☼

You trailed behind your mother on the way to baggage claim, bent over your phone responding to the texts Alice and Kensie had sent in the group chat while you'd been in the air. Apparently, they'd bumped into Kensie's crush and need to analyze every detail. A feeling of jealously you hadn't anticipated crept into your chest, weighing you down. Even indoors, the muggy heat of the Outer Banks made it clear how far from Oregan - and from your people - you were.

You looked around the airport, searching for the baggage claim with your flight number and noticed an incredibly familiar head of blonde head of hair standing nearby.

"Sarah Cameron?" You asked.

Sarah spun around a joyful smile on her face. "Oh my god! Y/n!" She ran over, wrapping you in a hug. "Are you back for the summer?"

You nodded your head which elicited another excited scream from her.

"What are you doing at the airport?" You asked her.

"You'll never guess! We're getting a house in the Bahamas!" She gushed.

"Sarah!" A deep voice called. You looked up to see another older-looking version of Rafe headed in your direction.

Your mom froze beside you. "Oh dear," she whispered.

The man's gaze didn't leave your mom. "Heather," he said.

"Ward," she responded.

Oh, you thought. So that's Rafe's dad.

"It's good to see you," your mom continued. "You look," she paused for moment, "good."

"You as well," Ward responded.

The carousel behind you started to move and luggage streamed out.

"That's us," your mom said, pointing over to the moving carousel. "We should go."

"I'll tell Rafe you're back," Sarah whispered to you. "He's gonna be so excited."

You smiled down at her knowing that you'd already made a vow to yourself to avoid him all summer. You refused to let Rafe ruin what you and Evan had and the only way you could guarantee that was making sure you didn't see him at all.

☼☼☼

Sarah bounded in the front door of the Cameron's house. "We're home" she called out, her sing-songy voice echoing through the big house. Ward entered after her, carrying their luggage.

"Welcome home," Rose said, greeting Ward at the door with a kiss.

Sarah rolled her eyes at the exchange. It wasn't that she actively hated her step-mom, she would just have rather her dad not married her. Though he was buying her a house in the Bahamas as an anniversary present so maybe she wasn't all bad.

"Is Rafe upstairs?" Sarah asked.

"I think so," Rose replied.

Sarah ran up the stairs, skipping every other one, the way Ward always told her not to do. She came to a sudden stop in front of Rafe's closed door.

"Rafeeeeee," she yelled, knocking rapidly until his voice bellowed back at her through the wall.

"What do you want Sarah? Go away!" He yelled.

"Fine," Sarah said. "I guess you don't care that y/n is back in town then?"

The door swung open just a few seconds later. “What did you say?” Rafe asked.

“Y/n was at the airport. She’s back in the Outer Banks for the summer.” Sarah turned on her heel and sashayed her way to her own bedroom leaving Rafe in his doorway to process the information.

Maybe this summer will be a whole less boring, Rafe thought.

☼☼☼

The summer was going exactly how you'd expected. It was surprisingly nice to have your younger brother to keep you company and more importantly, keep you busy. You spend your days either on the beach, tanning, watching your brother splash in the waves, and making your way through the reading list of the Honors English class you had opted to take next year or at the Club's pool, eating chicken tenders for lunch and washing them down with the thick chocolate milkshakes.

Rafe's friends frequently made an appearance at the Club. You watched them sneak vodka from flaskes into cups of spirit from being your shaded sunglasses. So far, Rafe had yet to join them.

Currently, Phoebe was flirting hardcore with Sawyer, begging him to put sunscreen on her back so she wouldn't burn. It was all too predictable.

You turned your attention back to Nick Carraway and his descriptions of Gatsby's grand parties momentarily.

You heard Sarah's voice before she appeared next to you and plopped down on the chair your brother had been occupying before he decided he needed more ketchup for his fries and had ran off.

"Y/n," she started with the same youthful energy she always talked with, "has Rafe invited you to our Fourth of July party yet?"

"Umm," you hesitated. "No, he hasn't said anything about it."

"Ugh," Sarah threw her head back in a dramatic motion. "I told him to text you about it. He's useless. Anyway, we throw a huge party for the Fourth every year and you have to come. There are fireworks and everything..."

Sarah's monologue faded to the background as you looked up and noticed Rafe standing at the top of the steps that lead down the pool. Your stomach flopped in the same way it always did when you saw him.

Rafe started walking down the steps and a small panic set in. His own eyes wandered across the pool deck and it was only time before he recognized you. You shifted your body slightly, trying to use Sarah to block yourself from his view.

You turned your attention back to his younger sister, afraid that you'd accidentally make eye contact with Rafe.

Crap, crap crap, you repeated in your head. Rafe was for sure heading in your direction. Even as you forced yourself to focus on Sarah, you couldn't stop yourself from watching Rafe out of the corner of your eye and he was walking straight toward you. Your 'avoid-Rafe-all-summer' plan was going to be impossible now. With every step he took, you could feel your heart beating faster. It felt just like last summer.

Rafe stopped in front of the chair Sarah was sitting in and you couldn't stop yourself from looking up at him, a smile threaten to slide onto your face. The same warm but dangerous feeling you only got when Rafe was around took ahold of you.

"Sarah," he said, cutting her off mid-sentence. "Ward's looking for you."

She jumped up with a sudden spurt of energy, "Okay, I'll go find him!" She leaned down engulfing you in another hug. "See you around y/n." She said before running off.

"Bye Sarah." You replied.

"You know, you're like my sister's favorite person," Rafe said, still standing above you. "She mentioned you were in-town for the summer..." He let his sentence trail off.

But I hadn't seen you around. You finished for him in your head.

"Yeah, we got in about a week ago." You said. The tension that hung in the air between the two of you was exactly the reason you were trying to avoid him. The last time you had seen him he'd kissed you in a way you hadn't been able to get out your head for months afterward. It was a dangerous game. Nonetheless, here he was standing in front of you and you were barely holding it together.

Your phone began to ring and the photo of Evan kissing your check from homecoming popped up with the caller id. Rafe's eyes glanced over it and an unreadable expression crossed his face.

Right, it was 4 o'clock on Wednesday. The time and day you and Evan had decided you would call each other every week.

"Uhh, I gotta get this." You said to Rafe, reaching over and picking up the phone.

"Yeah, okay. See you later y/n." He replied before walking away from you and to his friends.

Your eyes followed him all the way even as you clicked answered and Evan's voice filled your ear.

☼☼☼

A feeling of nervousness set in as you approached the Cameron's, the absurd number of cars parked outside confirming you were at the right place. You glanced over each of your shoulders worried that your mom would pull up any second to drag you back home after you lied about where you were spending your evening. You felt decently bad about saying you were going to the Club to watch fireworks and coming to the Cameron's instead but you knew your family's stance on Rafe and his dad.

It seemed like the entire population of the Outer Banks was spread across the Cameron's backyard. Adults sipped festive cocktails as little kids, hyped-up onto much sugar, weaved in between their legs, chasing one another around. You looked around hesitantly, thankful when Sarah emerged from the crowd, frosting smeared across her face.

"You made it! I'm so happy you're here!" She screamed.

"Sarah," you laughed. "You have blue frosting all over you." You used your finger to wipe it from her cheek.

"Rose ordered the most delicious cake you've ever had. You have to try it. I can get you some. Do you want some?" She asked eagerly.

"I'm okay right now. Thank you though. Have you seen Rafe?" You asked. You were at his party, after all, it wasn't like there was any point in avoiding him now.

Sarah turned and pointed to the dock where Rafe and his group of friends were standing. "He's over there."

"Great. Okay! I'm going to go say hi."

"Have fun!" Sarah replied with a smile before running off in the same direction she's appeared in.

You made your way through the crowd to the dock, the groups' attention turning to you as you approached.

"Hey," you said, shyly.

Cleo and Riley jumped up from where they had been sitting with their legs dangling in the water.

"Y/n, right?" Cleo asked before leaning in for a hug.

"Yeah. Hi! It's good to see you guys again." You replied.

"You too! Rafe said you were back in town and I was wondering when you'd finally make an appearance." Cleo said.

You look over at Rafe to find him already watching you. He pushed through Cole and Milo and was suddenly in front of you

"Um, y/n and I need to get the fireworks." He said to the group. You watched Riley shoot Cleo a confused look but Cleo just shrugged it off.

Rafe grabbed your hand and pulled you along, leaving you no choice but to follow him. You walked in silence, other than the sound of your heart beating rapidly.

Rafe stopped at a small brick shed on the side of the house. He pushed the door open and stepped inside, pulling you in after. There were kayaks and paddleboards hanging on the walls and some old lifejackets littered the floor.

"Rafe-" you tried to start but he cut you off.

"Y/n, I seriously can't go one more minute without kissing you again."

Rafe looped his arm around your waist, cupped the back of your neck with his hand, and landed his lips on yours.

For a moment, you tilted your face upwards and leaned your body into his before your senses came rushing back to you and you shoved him backwards off of you. Surprise registered on his face.

"Rafe. No. I can't do this." Your voice broke, panic coursed through your whole body. "God, I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't have come here today or followed you here."

"Y/n." Rafe said but held your hand up warning him to say quiet.

"I have to go. I have to go," you repeated. "Tell Sarah I'm sorry I missed the fireworks. I know she'll be disappointed. I have to go."

You turned to leave but Rafe grabbed your wrist and his eyes locked with yours, his expression begging you to stay.

"I have a boyfriend." You blurted out. The weight of those four words settled on Rafe's face and you jerked your arm out of his grasp. You spun on your heel and walked out the shed and putting distance between you and the boy making your life so complicated.

You crossed the Cameron's yard, trying to gather yourself and slow your chaotic, unsteady breathing. You hurried down the long driveway, making it to the road without any tears slipping out of your eyes.

Rafe had tried to kiss you. He hadn't tried, he had kissed you. And you sorta kissed him back. No, not sorta. You kissed him back. But then you stopped. You pushed him away. You realized it was wrong. You didn't want to hurt Evan. You weren't gonna hurt Evan.

The fireworks began to explode behind you, large booms thundered across the sky, their big colors illuminating the night. You didn't dare turn around watch them. They reminded you too much of Rafe: the boy pulling your head and your heart in two different directions.

taglist! @oreoenthusiast13 [drop a ☀️ in my inbox or messages if you want to be added]

[leapyearkisses]

For the director's cut: Could you do Nice Work If You Can Get It? (Eliseo/Padgett)

That fic... Changed me. I'll never forget it TBH.

Yes, I'd be happy to! This one was really fun to write, and it was the beginning of two OCs I am very fond of now (and who I am happy to know made an impression on quite a few people!).

(If anyone enjoys this director's cut thing and wants to see one for another of my stories, ask away. I had a lot of fun!)

Commentary in bold below the cut! NSFW, mess, deliberately sneezing on people, m/m

This story started from a prompt about one character hiring someone to get them sick. An intriguing idea!! But it was one I actually struggled with finding a groove for when I started out. I actually started a few different scenarios with different character dynamics before I figured this one out. I have a 2600-word WIP of a different version of this in my "unfinished" folder.

"All right... close your eyes." Eliseo swallowed and did so, blocking out his bedroom, the red-gold sunset light pouring in from the windows, and Padgett, who was straddling his hips. He could still hear, quite easily, the other man's labored breathing and feel the heat of his thighs... and his crotch. Eliseo was under no illusion that he was in an incredibly compromising position at the moment. He hadn't thought much about the.. particulars when he'd first decided to strike this deal. "Are we really doing this?" he asked, voice weak.

I can't really write fetish porn without including actual porn lol, so from the beginning it was sexy even without the snz. In this version, the POV character is Eliseo, who is the "naive" character in a way. I pretty much write pairs where one character has the fetish and their partner does not but is indulgent. The one with the fetish is usually embarrassed about it or somehow naively realizing they like this weird-ass thing. Padgett laughed, voice tumbled and edging on hoarse. "Hey now. Not getting cold feet are we, my lord?" His exhale ghosted over Eliseo's forehead and his tousled black hair touched Eliseo's cheek.

Padgett is the confident character, and he brought the humor to this scenario! Eliseo cleared his throat. "No..." He could imagine the other man's smug look. They'd known each other long enough now that the image rose unbidden to his mind's eye. Padgett's eyes always glittered like opals when he was scheming something. Padgett surprised him with a tender touch on the shoulder, and he almost opened his eyes again. "The safe word is 'pumpernickel,'" he said, managing not to chuckle. "We can stop whenever you want... Hhk-" He fought off a gasp. "Decide hh quickly, though." Eliseo shivered. "I'm okay. Let's do it." He didn't want to admit it, but Padgett's reassurance did put him at ease, even if this had been his idea. He relaxed and tried to lose himself in the late afternoon heat. "Yehh-s, my lord." Padgett leaned forward and took a shaky breath. It stuttered and caught on invisible hooks, sounding at once to be full of potential and then gone again, like a ghost at the window. Eliseo could feel his body tightening again with anticipation, especially when Padgett gasped and leaned back. "Hh-... hah--

"A ghost in the window" eehhh this is kind of overworked. I like to write descriptively even when it isn't necessary. "Huh-ktschht!" A warm rush of air burst in Eliseo's face, almost immediately followed by a watery spray over his forehead, closed eyes, and nose. His instant reaction was to curl back, or try to, and he had his hands braced on Padgett's chest before he could think about it.

I had never written anything quite this scandalous as it were. There hadn't been a lot of snzfic I had read where there was direct, purposeful contagion like this or quite so much mess description directly on the skin, the face even. So I was sweating while writing this lol. "Hey now," said Padgett, delayed by a sniffle. His tone was light. "Easy. You specified this in the contract, remember?" He rested his hands lightly on Eliseo's wrists. "How are you feeling about it?"

CONSENT IS THE SEXIEST THING. We get this instinctual edge of revulsion from Eliseo because he has not acknowledged to himself that he likes snz yet and also he has never allowed anyone to do this to him before because why would anyone do this? Eliseo found he was holding his breath, but- Well, that would defeat the purpose of this exercise. He cautiously let it go and then opened his eyes. Padgett was gazing down at him, looking neither smug nor concerned, just curious. "I- this was on instinct," Eliseo murmured. After a beat, he lowered his hands, and Padgett let him go easily. "Yes, I imagine so. It's natural." Padgett smiled then, and then his expression crinkled. "Wh- hh- want to do it again? Hkt-- hhh..." Eliseo forced himself to surrender again to his pillows. "Yes." Again, he closed his eyes. Padgett shifted forward on his lap and oh- but then he was sneezing one more. "Huh- hktsschit!" Again, the spray. This time it dusted over Eliseo's nose and mouth. He fought to keep from thinning his lips and... took a deeper breath. Padgett hadn't moved, was still fighting with his own lungs, reeling in another insistent sneeze like a stubborn trout. "Huh- hh... hh hh huh-" He made an annoyed sound. "Hah-- hah-krttschtts!" Eliseo felt droplets of saliva decorate his cheekbone. Padgett sniffled thickly.

I think artists often point out how funny it is that when they're drawing they mimic the face of the character. I do this with sneeze sounds (IF I'M ALONE). I tend to like softer sounds for my characters, so a lot of sibilance creeps in. "...Bless you," Eliseo murmured. He was feeling hot. Maybe it was Padgett on top of him. The man was running a fever. "You are... doing the job admirably." That earned him a laugh. Padgett shifted his weight to his heels, which did interesting things to his cock's relation to Eliseo's own. "Thanks, I guess? I never would have thought anyone would be hiring for this, much less you." "Circumstances are dire," Eliseo intoned without a hint of irony.

Eliseo is a card. I love him. Of the two of them he is much more my preferred "type." He is similar to my mage character Llewellyn but less fussy. "Mmhm." Padgett sniffled again. "You must really hate weddings. Couldn't you have just gone on a hunt or something this weekend instead?" Eliseo sighed. "No. My sister would do anything to ruin my plans if I tried to avoid the party any normal way. But luckily, she's terrified of germs. I think a miserable head cold will be the ticket." Like hell he wanted to sit through another of his sister's weddings. Every time it was some new, world-changing drama. He wasn't even sure whether the groom this time was noble born. No doubt the reception gossip would be scathing. What absolute drivel.

There's a little "my lord" up there before, but this is kind of where the setting is characterized - Eliseo is a noble and this is a time and place where nobility matters. However, it's also anachronistic, because germ theory is a thing. They're kind of in a pseudo Regency/Victorian world where I just write whatever feels like the most fun. "Lucky also that you have me around, hm?" Padgett's next chuckle turned into a bit of a cough. Eliseo patted his knee awkwardly. "I- well, yes. Very. But believe me when I say that I would not wish for you to be so stricken if I had the power to stop it."

People with shitty immune systems are my jam. Even if it's really unlikely, I love it. Sometimes especially if it's unlikely. Like mister high elf Llewellyn, or if they're a god or angel or something. Or in a world where if you had that bad of an immune system you probably would have died of diphtheria or pneumonia by now. "Of course, my lord." Padgett rubbed his nose. And though his breath hitched a few times in the following moments, he stayed where he was. Eliseo blinked. "Are we...?" Done? He didn't really think the exposure had been long enough. "I am ready." Padgett blushed a little. Blushed? "Sorry," he said. "I can kind of feel that, uh, the uh, next ones are going to be kind of... wet. I could blow my nose." His voice trailed off, wavering again. His nostrils twitched, and Eliseo did see within the promise of moisture. Perhaps it was the taboo of it, but Eliseo was alerted instantly to a sudden thickening of his cock. It pressed at his trousers with some gusto as Padgett sniffled again. Eliseo swallowed. "No. No, this is good. This will... help."

After consent, MESS is the sexiest thing. That's just how it goes. I don't make the rules. Padgett gave him a considering look, at least as well as he could between soft gasps and squinting against the itch in his nose. "If you're sure, my lord." "Just- call me Eli, like you used to," said Eliseo, stumbling over the words. He wasn't sure where they had come from, but now they were bare between them. Still, perhaps a bit of affection wasn't so odd compared to what they were already doing. Eliseo closed his eyes on Padgett's startled look.

I wasn't sure where this came from either. But suddenly they were in love and I was cool with it. Eli btw is pronounced like the name (Ee-lye) but Eliseo is pronounced Ell-ee-zay-oh in my mind. It's of Latin origin and means "God is my salvation" according to that authority Babynames.com lol. Padgett means "attendant" so that was chosen partially because he's Eliseo's employee but also because Padgett is just a SUPER English-sounding name. I really enjoy looking up name meanings and representing different traditions in my characters. I tried to give Eliseo's family members Latin names, too, although they're not mentioned here. "Eli," Padgett said, and he sounded like he'd just come home from a long war to find the hearth kept warm for him. "I will." He leaned forward again, bracing himself. "Now, I'm going to- to hih-- to snhhsneeze, hah-- haktschtsch! Hrh- Hnkgstschhiu! More spray this time, more wetness, and Eliseo gasped himself when he felt a thick drip against his chin. Padgett hadn't moved. When Eliseo tentatively looked up, he saw his friend caught in a limbo of urgency. His green eyes were shut, eyelashes fluttering. His nostrils, gently pink now, flared. A clear trail hung from one of them, quivering as Padgett panted. He looked wild and fever bright and teetering on a precipice. Eliseo ignored what it might mean that Padgett's desperate expression, his wet nose - even the mess - suddenly went to his cock. He was hard, looking up at a portrait of a sneeze.

Sometimes you just have to stop writing for a second and drink some cold water or something. Carefully, he placed a hand on Padgett's thigh. "It's okay," he said, words coming of their own accord. "I've got you." Padgett's fingers tightened fitfully in the sheet as he shifted his weight again. He was making soft, irritated noises. His nostrils flared and Eliseo saw another drip lying in wait on the cusp.

Fingers tightening fitfully in a sheet is a thing I love to describe. If you binge-read everything I've written, you will find that I write snz and sex in a very particular way over and over. Because that's what I like! And I'm super glad readers like it as well! But I can basically only find the motivation to write what I enjoy (when I write at all... .__.), which is why I only write m/m or nb characters and such. When the urge became too much, it was like watching a wave finally crash down. Padgett's breath caught; he tensed and leaned back. Eliseo hurriedly closed his eyes again, and none too soon. "Hhhhrektschuckh!" He felt the mess streak his face, fly to spatter his mouth and nose and chin. Padgett moaned and then gasped again, chest swelling with air.

SCANDALOUS "Hah- Huhrttschuh! Hshtt! Hah- hsshtt!" Again, he teetered, teasing the air with shivering gasps. Then, he abruptly folded with a crush of vowels and congestion. "Hggtschiucht!" A baptism, pondered Eliseo's brain as it detached from reality momentarily. Pinned as he was to the bed by Padgett's sex, he couldn't move when he felt himself coming just as abruptly as the sneeze. Somehow the slick wash had become a mounting sense of urgency in each of his muscles, racing from his fingertips and toes to his abdomen, where, quite unbidden, his cock had tugged all that energy into a gut-wrenching orgasm that sent the shockwaves back out with renewed vigor. Padgett whined, and Eliseo took him firmly by the shoulders and drew him in for a messy, off-putting, contagious, blindingly good kiss. "Wow," said Padgett, when they finally broke for air.

Wow, lol. I have a great imagination. I wish I could make myself write more often. "Don't ask me why," Eliseo muttered, but he refused to be made a fool of by embarrassment. "C- come here." He shifted to sit up further and put his hands on Padgett's hips. "I want-" He wanted. "This. Yes?" Before he could stop himself, he swept his tongue over Padgett's mouth, under his nose, to rest at the edge of a nostril. He tasted salt. It was not entirely pleasant, but whatever pilot was captaining his body right now didn't care. He could still feel his cock pulsing against his trousers.

Also the first time I wrote anything like this, but Eliseo was like go big or go home, so. Padgett moaned. "It feels... odd. But, my lord, you can do what you- I mean, Eli." He was breathless for different reasons now. Eliseo laved the tender skin above Padgett's lips, then licked up his septum. When Padgett shivered, Eliseo kissed him again. Slowly, he cleaned away the mess from Padgett's face. When he was finished, neither of them knew what to say. Eliseo was hard again.

Huahaha Eliseo can have an unrealistic refractory period. I don't really give a shit how accurate this stuff is when it would get in the way of the enjoyment. Not to the point where people are just going in without lube or something crazy like that, but being willing and able to go again is just sexy, so that's fine. Finally, Padgett laughed shyly. "I think you'll be catching your cold, Eli." Eliseo blushed and shrugged. "I should hope so. I am-" He bit his lip. "I'm not ready to stop. Will you stay the night? I'll look after you." Padgett kissed him, tenderly drawing them together. "I would like that, very much."

And then they DEFINITELY banged. I hadn't conceptualized their specific history together at this point, but Eliseo and Padgett were FWB while younger, so the "surprise" at meeting again like this in a sexy fashion is more like "Oh, are we doing this now, as adults with drastically different social standing?" and less "Hey, are you into me??"

I got more than one request to write the direct sequel to this, but I dunno. I usually prefer one character in the pair to be the one who is sneezing, and writing Eliseo sick isn't as fun. Partially because I'm much, MUCH more interested in the shy/embarrassed/"voyeur" dynamic, so someone who gets off on their own sneezes really does nothing for me. I do have a WIP of Eliseo sick that is a direct sequel to Carriage Shenanigans, but I have no idea if it will ever get finished.

Thanks so much for the request for this very fun exercise!

[your-ace-cousin-clover]

okay soooo... sorry for the delayed reply, i've been kinda busy!

i gotta start this off by saying how much i loved the way you wrote "[...] that feeling of wanting to reach divinity and holiness with your writing. The raw, exposed nerve of that writing." - it's hard for me to refer to writing as a hobby because it's such a substantial part of me, if that makes sense? or maybe that's just my codependent relationship to writing... whenever i don't write for a while i start feeling like a non-person! (ok, in hindsight this doesn't sound 100% related to the holiness bit, but that's what sparked the train of thought)

on for colored girls who have considered suicide - when the rainbow is enuf: i actually listened to a monologue from this a while ago on youtube, but I'll be sure to check out the full text!

also, on the topic of spoken-word & slam poetry: i'm going to a poetry reading at a friend's place later this month and it's nerve-racking. i mean, hey, of course i bleed into my poetry, and in theory i'm cool with that. but reading it aloud to a room half full of strangers? that's like lying on an operating table, flesh sliced open with surgeons over you. (i'm sure it'll be fun, though)

i've read primer for small weird loves and wishbone (because they're both included in richard siken's book crush - which is definitely worth the money (& btw, he has a new book coming out this year in fall/winter; thought i'd tell you in case you didn't know))! out of the two i like wishbone a lot more - although that's probably just because i relate to it a little bit more. i like making lists so i've compiled some of my favorite parts from the poem:

• "I took the bullet for all the wrong reasons [...]"

• "Let's not talk about it, let's just not talk."

• "[...] we keep doing it Henry, we keep saying until we get it right... [...]"

• "If you love me, Henry, you don't love me in a way I understand."

• "This is where the evening splits in half, Henry, love or death. Grab an end, pull hard, and make a wish."

it's crazy (well, not really, but you know) that you mentioned jericho brown, because we read something by him in english class a few years back and he's completely slipped my mind since then! so, thanks for reminding me :)

first of all, i love how duplex starts and ends with the same line - and this may be a reach, but it feels sort of like coming home? he introduces us to the line, we go away for a while, then we're back at the beginning. and maybe i just feel this way because for me going home is synonymous with going back home. (not always, but a lot of the time.) also, the contrast of "none of the beaten end up how we began" & the poem ending exactly how it began? i don't have the right words to explain what, but there's something that grabs me in that.

now, let's take a short detour because i feel like dropping some recs. here's two poets whose work i really enjoy: chen chen and jasmine ledesma (who i think is on tumblr, too? @/candiedspit if i'm not wrong). i'd specifically like to recommend (and hopefully hear you opinion on) chen chen's i'm not a religious person but & jasmine ledesma's short stories no candy, sorry and FIEND.

links (just in case the previous ones don't work):

i'm not a religious person but: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/58152/im-not-a-religious-person-but

no candy, sorry: https://tinyletter.com/jasmineledesma/letters/no-candy-sorry

FIEND: https://marchharemag.com/fiend

lastly, thanks for the prompt! i'll be sending you the poem in a separate ask (although i'm convinced it only makes sense if you're me) as to not make this one too long haha

-cat

Cat!

Sorry on the delayed reply on my side too. I've been sorta busy with a lot of stuff, but I had to drop in a message.

First of all, the poem? Iconic. It is so well written!!! Ahh! The way you use the numbers to count down all the things in a list sort of a format . And the splendid use of a clock ticking to signify the time coming closer and closer. It reminds of the Doomsday Clock which always reminds us that we are two minutes to complete destruction and in a way it is an inevitable destruction. "I'm one drink away from holiness and I'm not stopping" is such a vivid Ginsberg line that ahhh, it hits with the concept of the Beat Generation being these drunk, high poets who ultimately want to experience divinity through their intoxication and writing. And the ending with, "it's almost Valentine's- please tell your wretched heart I'm sorry." AGHH, the way the narrator tries to stop the inevitability of the sadness of romance?? Or being stuck in a relationship and trying to do better? The interpretations are left wide open and I love that.

[Let me know if you'd be okay with me sharing your poem? And oh, if you like to send me another prompt, I would love that.]

And I wanted to give you some advice on slam poetry performances, I have a bit of an experience with them. The surgical metaphor is indeed apt, there is some vulnerable to stand in front of a group of people to carve out yourself into words and see it take on a meaning for everyone differently. But, revel in that vulnerable state and see how that conveys meaning. Focus on a spot in the room and speak to it and let meaning take its own hold. And remember, even if you don't get the reception you are hoping for, hold onto the meaning that you initially wrote it with. How your poetry affects you in the end is what matters. And good luck! Let me know how it goes.

[I didn't know about the new Siken book. Do you know if it has a name? I'll have to look it up whenever it releases.]

Ahh, and I love the idea of listening favourite lines of poems, I might start doing that with my favourite poems too.

[Also, I know it's in the name, but there's something about the way Wishbone is written that it makes you keep as if you are splintering into bits and dissolving. Especially in the bit where he goes I wish you'd stop reminding about the debt because you can do nothing about it and even if you love me, it is not the way I want.; Please let me go, I cannot let you be in my debt anymore.]

Jericho Brown? Iconic. The cyclical nature of the form as well as it is sort of the same line all the while not being the same line is such a beautiful way to express the repetition, but all how each cycle in a way is different than the last one.

I loved Chen Chen's poem. The way God chooses to escape from his own reality through someone who does not believe enough in him to question him at first it beautiful. And what hits me is how God stops and creates a barrier again by sending the angel as soon as he is questioned in adjacent to his role in the universe. What interests me is how the atheist (I know it does not mention atheism directly, but close enough) is sent an angel and later meet with God, and therefore, the relation that they form is a meaningful bond between two individuals rather than being a power dynamic with the worshipped and the devotee.

There's something about Ledesma's stories about hopelessness in her both protagonists. In the same way, both are extremely tired of their circumstances and want to be somewhere else in perhaps a better versions of their selves. The scattered prose certainly draws it very strongly together.

And finally, to drop a rec of my own, let me know what you think of Ada Limon's "The Problem With Travel" and "Accident Report in the Tall, Tall Weeds." They both are very beautiful poems.

Hope to hear from you soon! :)