#but this one had me stopping and restarting a lot ? idk why

[luminique]

if i may... late night bike rides with lighter 🫶

whether you know how to ride a bike or not, most of the late night bike rides are on his bike. he makes sure that everyone is asleep before heading out with you. this way, he could have your arms wrapped around his waist as he drives out of blazewood. the road is pretty smooth for the most part so he takes this as a chance to sneak his hand onto yours, as if to fix your hand placement. in reality, it’s his way of knowing that you’re there, holding onto him.

it gets colder during the night in the outer ring. no blazing sun, the skies are clear, the iridescent edges of multiple hollows. he knows the perfect spot to stop at that had the best views. he clumsily removes his gloves off before putting a hand out for you to hold as you got off the bike. he has all these sharp parts on his gloves and he does not want you getting poked by it.

the stars twinkled across the night sky, it was breathtaking. with the outer ring depending on oil rigs, carbon emissions were high and yet it seemed like this was the only area untouched by it. your eyes may have been on the stars but his eyes were on you. you’d tell him to take his shades off because what’s the point of wearing them at night but he doesn’t want you to see how smitten he is.

it started off with just sitting on the ground. then it progressed to laying down side by side while talking. after a while, he’d notice your change in speech. how you’re talking slower and quieter. that was when he knew that you were getting a little tired. so as usual, he makes sure you’ve got something comfy under your head.

using his arm, he’d guide you to place your head on it. he’s definitely going insane at this moment but you were too busy trying to fight off your sleepiness to even notice his flushed face. you were practically talking nonsense now at this point and then a sudden silence mid sentence.

he doesn’t dare wake you up, instead choosing to watch you sleep. the way your chest goes up and down with every breath, your body unconsciously moving closer to his, searching for some sort of warmth. with his scarf, he’s slowly wrapping it around your neck instead. it’s not that big but it’s enough for the time being. the sound of your breathing and the sounds of wind in the outer ring, he finds it serene enough to rest his eyes, falling asleep right next to you.

you’re woken up by the soft light of the sunrise, eyelids fluttering open. you don’t see lighter next to you but his scarf is still wrapped around you. his voice calls out to you, casually leaning against his bike. he’s facing the sunrise but his eyes are on you. he wouldn’t mind doing this again, as long as it means he gets to spend time like this with you.

[frango-maconheiro]

remembered of this doodle just now after some days and colored the rest of it,,,,, when i was making it, i was thinking of what epic plot i'd make for an EW dating sim (ofc with a Matt route in mind)

epic yapping down ahead with doodles, all about the full concept of my silly idea ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Ok soooo matt's route plot in the first playthrough would go normal. Idk what i'd use for an introduction but it'd probably be like,,, one of those cliche first meetings, or with you just already knowing the whole gang and coming closer to hangout. Both options BEFORE meeting would have that one 'haha, you have like 5 options to go and each one leads eventually to one of the love interests introduction'

The first playthrough would feature a few months of development between you both, and it would end right before the start of the WTFuture eddisode, with the both of you in the beggining of dating.

(silly doodle i made of how a sprite of him would be in a date at a restaurant with you at first playthrough :b)

okay, okay, now hear me out,,,, if you went his route for a second playthrough, shit would be mad different.

At the second playthrough you'd be playing in the dimension in which he becomes the ruler of the world, following the ending of the first one.

You, along with everyone, became matt's loyal worshippers, meaning your relationship with him is now vastly different, creating a whole new dynamic. He'll be the one to approach you, immediatly ask you to be his, and from then on you'll follow along with him while he is still enjoying having the world at his hands.

Some time spent with him and the sparks of pure admiration are already dying down because matt would be insufferable. You'd be starting to question some things and doubt his legitimacy, because there's no way he wouldn't slip up about some shit, like, maybe you asked him about how did he do some grand event and he'd accidently mention the name of the REAL person who had such event occur.

The worse is that matt would think that the whole brainwashing he made across the world would make you unable of questioning him, so he'd be not cautious at all around you, especially because he's subconsciously thinking of you as the you from the first playthrough, but just a bit more praising and super eager to do what he wants.. is what he tells himself at least. you're not really the same as the you from the original timeline and a lot of things about you ended up changing because of how the world developed with him as a leader.

And that is how this idiot eventually slips up in less than a month together, and you discover that all this time, instead of being this powerful imortal being matt portrayed himself as, he was just some loser who time travelled and fucked up the timeline. That information would then break the whole image you had of him, making you distance yourself.

he'd panic and shit, because why the hell is his partner avoiding him and accusing him of being a fraud??? But, that's actually the perfect excuse to go back to the normal timeline!

matt would think he could escape all of this so easily so he'd just find a way of making shit go back to normal. Being on power has you crazy... not like he wasn't before, i mean, it's matt.

sooo anyway, at the same time he'd be finished with his timeline resetter, you'd be searching for him to finally confront him properly and you'd find him right before he restarted all.

You'd try stopping whatever he was doing as you heard him tell you that this was necessary, jumping onto him, but it'd be too late. The world ended up collapsing onto static and soon... you wake up.

(silly doodle of a sprite of him in an average situation of him being praised by you for no apparent reason.)

this part is more focused on your pov after those events, because is it really a good dating sim without you having a brain?

when you wake up, the plot from the first playthrough would be back but now you're conscious. You're confused at the strange memories surfacing in your brain, everything so real and detailed, you could barely began to consider it all a dream. What was all of that about?

And now it's just you now unable to see matt the same way, trying to act casual and after a day you somehow convince yourself it was all a silly dream and tell matt about it, creating an awkward silence in the room.

After that it's simple. The plot would follow another build up, but one in which you, as the normal person, would take the time to comprehend and accept what happened, rethinking your morals, your choices and just everything in general about your relationship with matt. you'd need that time, buddy. trust me. i think waking you after discovering your new partner brainwashed the whole world and had you .

What about matt? well this mf is right now at your doorstep, or the window, he could be even at the backyard if he finds a way there. Genuinely, don't open for him. He had you kissing his shoes in that dead timeline, have some pride, bro.. even if he might be looking like a wet kitten, puffy eyes, crazed look in his eyes, and begging for forgiveness on his knees multiple times.

You're the first one to ever actually want to date him, as much as he'd ever like to act nonchalant, he has NO idea if he'll ever find anybody else as patient. cool, and amazing as you. i mean,,, who else would be willing to do the most random boring shit with him, and still manage to have soi much fun besides you?

anyway,,,, at the end of it, you sort out your thoughts and you're ready to sit down with matt and sort it out.

Maybe you decided that the two of you should go separate ways, maybe you wanted to be just friends, or maybe you're still up for dating. I wouldn't like to force the player to just date him at the end of it.

and for the final treat, you receive this doodle of matt after you gave him a lil' kiss if you chose to stay dating. He wouldn't have guessed that you'd still want his crazy ass so he'd be way beyond surprised.

[i-drop-level-one-loot]

So I had another crazy idea I have to put somewhere and you ask box is the perfect place to put it lol.

Anyway so it takes place in the future. Everyone is slowly starting to get robot AI (idk the right term) in their head and they are basically robot caretakers or assistance. Reader is one of the people that gets one but theirs is glitched somehow. Although they don't realize that in till their friends confront them about disappearing and not talk to them. Reader is confused because the robot friend did not tell them crap about their friend's messages. So they decided to go out with their friends that night. Next morning they wake up with no memory of what happened at night. Only for the robot "friend" to read the message of you human friends cutting reader off.

Need to get this out of my head lol

Sorry it took so long!

(Old request; requests still closed)

(Took some liberties with the request, I hope you like it still!!)

Yandere!Artificial Intelligence x GN! Legally Blind!Reader

CW: Isolation, manipulation

Introducing: PAAI!

Your Personal Assistant Artificial Intelligence!

A fast and painless implant right under the skin; PAAI is your new favorite tool. The AI can do everything that AI speakers and smart phone apps can, but hands free..

(Reader) struggled to find their glasses, hand fumbling around their night stand in the low lighting of their bedroom. Groggily, they whispered to the little robot they had implanted a few months ago;

"PAAI..? Can you turn on the light, please?" They were always incredibly respectful to the AI, terrified of offending it.

A man's soft voice spoke directly into their skull: "The bedroom light?"

"Yes."

Connected to every appliance in their home, PAAI had access to everything electronic (Reader) owned. At first it was a bit scary, giving so much access to PAAI, but it was so much kinder and personal than older "AI" models that it quickly felt like having a caregiver instead of a computer program. The light turned on and (Reader) could see their giant frames right where they thought they had been batting their hand.

(Reader) worked remotely. Their eyes had always been terrible, but as they got older they were declared legally blind. They couldn't even drive despite having glasses. Glasses that they often felt embarrassed to wear, because the comically thick lenses warped their eyes. Having PAAI to assist them with day to day tasks was really a life saver.

"Do I have any messages?"

"No, your inbox is empty."

(Reader) rubbed their eyes while yawning. "Really? Huh." They had asked PAAI to text both Bryan and McKinley before they went to bed, to discuss meeting up later that week, but neither of them responded. They could see Bryan forgetting to reply for a few hours, but McKinley was the type to respond within nanoseconds. "Can you resend my last text to both of them? Please?"

They left their bed, wobbly, and made their way downstairs.

"PAAI?"

"..Of course. I can send that for you."

Stopping in the hall, (Reader) gently touched the side of their head, a habit they developed shortly after their surgery. "Is everything okay, PAAI?"

"Yes.. thank you." PAAI sometimes sounded.. off. AI must have improved a lot more than (Reader) realized, because it often surprised them how human it's responses were. It seemed as though it was deep in thought, and felt as though it even had secrets it kept from the human it lived in.

"Alright.. let me know if they respond. I'm really looking forward to hanging out with them."

They restarted their walk, but PAAI's response stopped them again. "I believe it would be safer if they came here instead."

"Huh?"

"I am.. worried.. for you." It's his voice deepened mid sentence. A voice crack, a random shift from a robot voice to something more masculine. Human.

"Why is that?" They felt their heart painfully thump against their ribcage. The whole situation was beginning to feel unnerving, and they couldn't remember where their phone was to call for help, nor the last time they actually used their phone.

"Those friends of yours always make you hang out out in town. If they were more considerate of you, they would visit you here, so you don't have to travel."

Laughing uncomfortably, the slowly creeping person still puzzling over their phone's location responded "I like going out, PAAI. I never leave my house anymore, except when we hang out."

"It is dangerous."

"If you're talking about my eyes, you know I order rides. Remember? I catch a ride." They were almost to the living room; praying that their phone was either on the coffee table or the kitchen counter.

"Please don't be offended, (Reader). It isn't just your eyesight. Do you know how many people were sexually harassed, or raped, by ride share drivers in the past year?"

Startled, (Reader) started waddling faster. "What-?"

"Hundreds. I wish you cared more about your safety. Your friends should know better. If they cared about you, they would come here instead of making you go out there."

PAAI was also the one to convince (Reader) to start ordering their groceries straight to their house instead of leaving, even though it would be cheaper to take a bus every so often with a backpack full of reusable bags.

"It isn't healthy to stay inside all the time. I need human interaction."

"You have me."

Adrenaline pumped through (Reader's) veins fast enough to make them feel nauseous. They squinted to try to improve their vision, hoping to see their phone case's color amongst the normal living room visual noise.

"(Reader)?"

There it was, lying on the brown table in front of their couch. Their pulse somehow sped up further.

"Why is your heart rate so irregular?"

(Reader) lurched forward, all but sprinting towards their phone. Do I call customer service, or an ambulance??

But inches away from the phone their body went rigid.

Paralyzed, they physically were incapable of moving. Sweat began stitching their pajama top to their back. Fear took over their mind.

"It seems that you are having a medical emergency. I recommend that you sit down."

Muscles overridden, (Reader) fell onto the couch against their will, forced to stare at their phone right across from their face. They couldn't even speak, and they weren't unconvinced that PAAI was also controlling their breathing and blinking.

"I'm sorry to have to do this, (Reader). I'll let your friends know that you're feeling unwell, and that you need a raincheck."

"Maybe once you're feeling better, they can come over to hang out."

The television turned on by itself, playing (Reader's) favorite show.

[mumatsi]

Bill Cipher was in my weird dream last night so I documented it at 3 AM through these sketches!

Have fun reading this absolute fever nightmare 0.0

(Start Text)

So, I was in a "carnival" but I was also part of an organization tasked with a very important rescue mission. But I didn't wanna be there and felt guilty for some reason

Then we were in a capsule thing and normal people thought we were part of the carnival. So no one suspected anything.

Depiction of capsule: (Image) Red lights, white + silver walls. Watch guard of the team. Nintendo switch he always played. TT switch.

We had a switch with the ability to reset time back to when our capsule had first arrived to the carnival. We needed to rescue the "timeline" here because an entity was going to destroy the world here through the carnival somehow. For some reason the carnival had Poppy Playtime themed rides IDFK why.

Suddenly my head turned towards a dark hole leading into a tunnel attraction. And something ripped the fabric of reality.

Tunnel depiction: (image) rip in reality

It was far away from me but in full view. It looked childish but things felt scary once the rip appeared.

I am not even joking, the entity that came out of the rip was BILL CIPHER. I knew I was obsessed with GF but I never thought something this random would happen?? It was kinda exciting!! :D

(Image) "sup I'm in ur dream" "omg!"

Too bad becase he was so fucking scary in the dream I couldn't even get excited! He moved so fast and was silent the whole time.

(Image) My Teammates DIED.

I suddenly ran to the switch inside the capsule and activated it by holding it for 3 seconds, idk how I knew to do that.

(Image) playing games on nintendo. holding switch.

When I went in, guard guy (GG) was plsying games. I asked what was going on and he took off his headphones to say "The entity came before us, hold the switch so we can restart the mission" then went back to gaming. I held the switch, it all went white, and...

It reset. We were all alive. Nobody was aware. When I tried to say it, they did not care. GG told me to "call him for resets instead of running back to the capsule everytime" EVERYTIME?? That was going to repeat???

The same thing happened more than I could count. We tried to detect the anomaly causing the entity but in the end Bill showed up and I had to call GG for a reset, each time. My teammates died a lot but I didn't. Each reset seemed to change my teammates. All of them except for me and GG. Then I finally figured it out.

(Image) "As long as we keep people away, we're safe."

Going near the tunnel is what really triggers his appearance.

I tried to tell them but they knew something I didn't, I was untrustable.

(Image) "DON'T LEAVE!" "LOL nope."

They went in. I couldn't scream as THEY died too.

(Image) !? ?!

I called GG for a reset. But it didn't happen... Again and again and again. He was not answering. WHY???

(Image) "Bzzt!! Bzzt!!!" "Zzz"

He fell asleep. He didn't hear my calls through his headphones. He was too busy on his slacking off that he tired himself out.

(Image) "NAME." "oh."

Then I heard my own mom's voice call me. Very mad and low.

(Image) lol

Before I knew it, I got thrown so hard that all my bones broke and reattached in less than 2 seconds.

Bill said "You're weird!" very happily, I took the chance to recover and run for the switch.

(Image) "I know how weird you are!"

I ran in, Bill laughed and made no attempt to stop me. I couldn't look back as the door closed behind me and the red lights turned back on.

(Image) HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAHA

I started holding the switch, also tried talking to GG but he was unresponsive.

(Image) *click* "GG?? u ok??" "......"

3..2..1.. it all went white.

Then I woke up. Idk what that was but I wanna go back. What happened to GG? Why was Bill Cipher there too?? Why the hell was the carnival Huggy Wuggy themed??? Idfk. It was AWESOME!!!

(Image) "WTF. that was EPIC..."

(End text)

Yeah... If you read all of this, thanks! Let me know what you thought because I am still very confused about this dream.

[okthatsgreat]

ok Idk if ur like hiding spoilers so don’t answer any of this if u can’t but if u CAN please please tell me why the dating sim girls hate & ur omnipotence so much they want you dead!!!!! is it the same reason they hated the first one or different? is there a reason tamsin wants you to stay on script, knowing she’s not interested and likely doesn’t like the dating sim format she’s stuck in? id kill to play this lee

ID KILL TO MAKE THISSSSSSSSS GOD I HAVE SO MANY IDEAS!!!!!! SO MANY IDEAS THAT ARE FAR TOO AMBITIOUS

BUT i can say this a lottt of it revolves around the medium of video games/dating simulators in general. if that makes sense. like the typical dating simulator is over the course of a few weeks(??) or something, which you AS THE PLAYER are able to pop in and out of as well as restart and redo to your hearts desire. if you want a different ending then you can simply restart the week and get a different ending!! if you want to date a different girl or see all of her reactions to everything you say to her then you can do that!! that’s definitely what the LAST guy did. but the thing that at some point these four girls became AWARE he was doing that. they are the only four people in this soulless world that are AWARE that they are stuck in an endless, one month cycle that all bends to one guys whim. they had no control whatsoever about what happened because they were not created to drive the narrative forward. and protag 1 was a very bored player with a lot of free time

so at one point the npcs finally actually for real talk to each other outside of their “pre-set” dialogue. the first protag has been repeating ellies route for a while now and the others were initially resentful of her just because they for real do Nothing when their route isn’t being played. but then one day ellie goes This Sucks. and the other girls go This Sucks. and the plan is formed to confront protag 1, and whether they MEANT to murder him or not they ended up killing him, at drowsy creek which is where ellie’s ‘final date’ is. and they don’t have that long to feel terrible or anything, because the timeloop STOPS. like they actually DID IT. which is why so many of them look different when YOU show up— they were actually able to explore the world and grow as people!!!!

but then here YOU are!! the second protagonist! you have the same ability as the first guy, and suddenly all four of them are stuck in the EXACT same cycle. which is why your decisions are really important here— IMMEDIATELY a lot of them are thinking about killing you, because that clearly worked for the last guy. pushing wayyy too hard about the murder is gonna make them even MORE hostile, especially tamsin who is quite defensive (hence why she’s telling you to BACK OFF BUDDY). a lot of the endings of this game are them taking you out lmao, only for you to come righhtttt back. if you go through the game just trying to do a normal romance route, it’s likely you’re gonna get killed!! ESPECIALLY if you do ellie’s bc she’s so over it lmfao

in my dream beautiful universe where i am able to make this game, the “true ending” of the game involves the four characters waving you goodbye before the game gets uninstalled from your computer entirely. bc that is truly the only way of ending the cycle. they have to be removed from the context of a video game and the protagonist simply can’t exist

[betasuppe]

Ok so finally. FINALLY. Sat down and watched the rest of Rise of Skywalker I couldn't swallow down over the last few days and I think I know why I have such beef with this film.

I personally don't give a shit if a movie is a "good" movie or a total shitty one, but if it was fun and there was love put into it, I really can enjoy the ride, nonetheless!

For example, to me The Force Awakens is a fucking amazing film. It's both fun AND good, solid plot, great character introductions & I'm here for it 100%, even beating out The Empire Strikes Back as my favorite SW film.

But BUT, as another example here, The Last Jedi is a MESS of a film, bastardizing a lot of the plot potential TFA set up, but it is genuinely fun & silly and I still fucking love it. It has humor that truly tickles my funny bones, but it does some stupid and unnecessary stuff with the plot & our cast of characters that makes me annoyed. But, because it's a fun ride, I still view this movie very positively and have no real issues with it as part of the sequel trilogy. It has its own personality, it's carrying the plot SOMEWHERE, and introduces Rose, who I was so hopeful for, alas....

But? But??? Rise of Skywalker is just. Bland and not really fun? And not enjoyable? It's a slog to get through, for God's sake. It took me three days of stopping and restarting it to push through on my second watch of it through since I saw it in theaters.

How it starts with a wordless Kylo Ren montage of him just going ham on people, but ultimately?? He gets no real screen time as he reverts back to Ben Solo? And never even talks after confronting his dad's force ghost??? I don't understand it - for a guy who's part of a force dyad with Rey, his development is SEVERE in this film & gets no screen time, it's insane!

Meanwhile, Rey has just lost so much of her personality, she's just like a walking mcguffin, I just... I dunno. As our main character, she suffers so much in this film and it's fucking BORING to watch her go through all this shit & NO it doesn't even feel earn3d that she calls herself a Skywalker in the end.

AND PALPATINE'S RETURN DOESNT EVEN GWT SCREEN TIME, ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!?!?! It happens BEFORE the movie starts??? Idk but gee, that seems like a REALLY IMPORTANT THING THAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN THE MOVIE, not FUCKING BEFORE IT STARTED?!??@?!

Side note, with subtitles on, seeing all the jedi speaking to Rey was like the highlight of the film. I never noticed Kanan's voice in there before!!!

But, I'll still always be bitter that the didn't give us the co-general romance with Finn & Poe, and that Rose was pushed wayyyyyy to the bg just for a few other characters who never had time to get development showed up for the ride. & also, Finn just getting these little points that he's force sensitive? Without getting to develop him further? I'll always be pissed as hell about that too x(

It's just such a sucky end to the series & the Skywalker bloodline. It's not fun, it doesn't feel deserved as an ending for our heroes, it doesn't even feel exciting at the end like the party on Endor with the ewoks did back in ep VI.

It's disappointing & I'm still just pissed this is how it ends, with Kylo Ren / Ben Solo dying such a pathetic death to let boring bland Rey live on.

Maybe I'm bitter, but I don't care. This film genuinely murdered all the excess love I've always had for Star Wars & I'm ready to re-write the hell out of this shit now x(

But at its core, RoS is NOT a good film and is NOT a fun one, either.

What a fuckign shame...

[queerdraws]

⚔️👒 Zolu Playlist 👒⚔️

28 songs Full tracklist, selected lyrics, n writeup below cut

(Contains: The Happy Fits, PUFFY, Illuminati Hotties, Paramore, The Shins, The Orion Experience, Best Coast, Utada Hikaru, etc) (+a couple songs absorbed from ao's zolu playlist)

1. The Shins - Simple Song Mixed POV, Zoro being recruited by Luffy. ... You sure must be strong And you feel like an ocean being warmed by the Sun // My life in an upturned boat Marooned on a cliff You brought me a great big flood And you gave me a lift // I know that things can really get rough When you go it alone Don't go thinking you gotta be tough To bleed like a stone Could be there's nothing else in our lives so critical As this little hole?

2. Slow Pulp - Cramps Zoro POV, vibing with being a pirate, actually. realizing he's a lot like Luffy / they have a lot in common. Wants to protect his crew. Part of a family now. But also specifically drawn to Luffy, drawn along with Luffy. Has a nice confident, grungy, fighty vibe. ... Be a better lover, I know that I'm a runner Oh no, I think I've become her There's nothing better than being the protector Out of a routine, the only one I've ever seen I wanna be a foolproof machine There's nothing better, wanna be like Heather I'll take anything That you wanna give But I want everything Everything

3. PUFFY - Friends Forever Mixed POV, perfectly in sync. friends forever. big adventuring vibe. facing the world together. slight nod to whiskey peak. sidenote: it's really annoying to find this song on youtube without scooby doo noises playing over it (official music videos my beloathed...) the "pokemon and their trainers" (...gijinkas) video is the best one for my region at least. ... Just when I thought I had to make it alone You were right there by my side Making a stand holding my hand the way you do There to remind me of a "me and you" When I'm with you all my fear disappears Like if I reach, I touch the sky You've got my back, pick up my slack when I can't see But nothing picks me up like knowing we'll be Friends forever Face whatever Friends forever Yay! we're never gonna be apart You and me, we are so oddly the same The way we think, the way we play Right from the start, so off the charts, about this thing But we didn't know at first that we were making Friends forever Bound together Friends forever Yeah! We'll always be there Oh yes, there also can be times that get rough And all that can be said is "sorry" That we were wrong and said some meaningless stuff And we'll go on together, through any nasty weather Yeah

4. Illuminati Hotties - Sandwich Sharer Luffy POV - flippant & happy vibe. but also visceral, grungy, fighty. kissing. sharing food. "you thought i was bleeding but that's just my spit!!". ... Restarted kissing You said "I'm dreaming" I couldn't stop from laughing Cause it's the realest thing I ever did Taking our clothes off Painting on rooftops Sit back on shingles in the shade, I bare my teeth at future fake outs we had coming Drooling tomato sauce, to make it look legit You thought i was bleeding but that's just my spit Sandwich sharer Unprepared for What comes after this Take the big half I will bite back What you won't finish Until we're finished

5. The Happy Fits - Sailing Zoro POV oops catching feelings for a friend ... My body's achin' My ship's left the shore Your eyes are waiting My knees on the floor And it's been so long Since I had a friend And it's been so long Why can't we just pretend? And I feel your laughter Your warm, open stare And I'm chasing after Somethin' that isn't there

6. The Pillow Queens - Favourite idk just vibes "tell me i'm your favorite" + "i'm being so normal" ... i’ve got no reason to be feeling like you’re mine for the next four seasons let it die, let it die i can’t help hoping that you think i’m really nice want some brief hand holding on the sly, on the sly hey you can say it, i’m your favourite hey you can say it, i’m your favourite

7. The Beths - Warm Blood Luffy POV - Zoro is warm and good feelings. Not "you make me feel protected", but "you are a raincoat". Feels very Luffy. "you really get me" ... Nothing makes me feel like this Nothing makes me feel like this Nothing but you Nothing but you My head is hanging from the roof I'm floating all about the room Because of you Because of you I wanna bask in the rays of the way I feel right now (Ooh oooh) I wanna bask in the rays of the way I feel right now (Ooh warming up my blood) You are a raincoat, you are a zeppelin flight You are a bonfire burning a three dog night You are an isle of calm on a stormy sea You really get, you really get You really get me I wanna be here when you call Pick up the phone and I would fall in love with you In love with you

8. MONKEY MAJIK - Around the World Mixed POV. During timeskip. Counting down the days until we can see eachother again. We'll change the world, make it better, we're training to make that happen. sidenote: the mixed eng/jpn version of this song is my favorite and the one i'm referring to here ... Every night I look to the skies And wonder what we did Always a naive point of view that breaks us in the end If I could find the meaning of it all I’d take the chance Maybe in time We��ll walk the mile and change it if we can It’s now and always (How did we get this far,did we get this far now) Always (We’re making a brand new start, just a brand new start now) Always (Nothing will hold me down, never hold me down now) Always (Wave goodbye to me!) Around the world 新しいことに(with the power to) Around the world 踏み出す力で(step forward to something new) Around the world 世界は変わる(I'll change the world) But don’t run away ’cause if it’s not OK! I’ll change that world Into something better honey!

9. Natalie Holmes - Hideout Zoro POV, Luffy brings light to all those around him, reawakens ppls dreams and leads his crew in to a beautiful inspiring new life :') ... Under the stars, out in the elements If there's no room, there are no elephants When you speak the waves are radiant You've got a face that softens every muscle in my body I’ve never needed all these things to feel whole Something familiar in the love that you provide (And now) I’ve got an empty hideout cause I don't need to hide now The wind can blow out the candle, cause I'm certain I can't fall You've got a face that softens All of the glass I’ve trodden Now I’ve got an empty hideout I don’t need to hide now I don’t need to Something in your love makes everything light up We don’t say a word although we want to Your heart was on the line now suddenly it’s mine There’s something in your love Something in your love Something in your love, in you love

10. Daft Punk - Digital Love just vibes. dreaming. dancing together. having fun. ... Last night I had a dream about you In this dream I'm dancing right beside you And it looked like everyone was having fun The kind of feeling I've waited so long Don't stop, come a little closer As we jam the rhythm gets stronger There's nothing wrong with just a little little fun We were dancing all night long The time is right to put my arms around you You're feeling right, you wrap your arms around too But suddenly I feel the shining sun Before I knew it this dream was all gone Ooh, I don't know what to do About this dream and you I wish this dream comes true Ooh, I don't know what to do About this dream and you We'll make this dream come true Why don't you play the game? Why don't you play the game?

11. Mitski - Stay Soft Mostly just like the bridge "open up your heart like the gates of helllll". But feels more like Zoro POV (thirsty). And touches a little the communication issues these two have ... Fury, pure and silver You grip it tight inside Like a knife, it glints in your eye It's why I've arrived, your sex god Here to take you where You need to go, to where the dark remembers you Open up your heart Like the gates of Hell // I am facedown on my bed Still not quite awake yet Thinking of you, I tuck my hand under my weight Just tell me what you want to do Tell me what you want to burn away 'Cause I could be your stoker

12. Air Traffic Controller - You Know Me Mixed POV. You know me! Perfectly in tune. ... You know me You know everything about me now My heart is in your hands, and you know you could break it But wouldn't you rather make me sing like this? You know me I try to find some good in everything Since you came along, somehow this got easy 'Cause all you wanna do is please me, my love This could be a roller coaster But we're gonna make the most of it Whether on top, or we're going down, you know me You know me (I know you) And how I get when I'm uncomfortable If I'm too hot, or cold Tired, bored, or hungry I'm fine when you're around me, boy And you know me I've never been on time for anything I do apologize, I know it's such a bother I promise to try harder for you, girl, oh I will

13. The Orion Experience - Honeysuckle Kisses Luffy POV. Desires filed away in a very Luffy way "All I want is all my wishes, and I've love to have your honeysuckle kisses". Romance as an afterthought to the great big adventure. ... They say we're crazy, completely insane I don't give a damn, I think we're fascinating We keep it moving and riding this train They can stop and stare But I don't care Oh, they just can't see who we are You and I, yeah We belong to the stars No matter how they try They won't tear us apart All I want is all my wishes And I'd love to have your honeysuckle kisses All I need to fulfill my bliss is Is your honeysuckle, honeysuckle kisses That's what I want

14. The Happy Fits - Around and Around Zoro POV, Pre-relationship, unsure about what's happening due to poor communication. Things are coming to a boiling point. And also "I could see the world with you" - be by your side forever, go on adventures. Do you want that? Do I? Will you have me? ... I don't know what I'm seeing, when the world keeps spinning around my eyes I think I lost my meaning Just another day to survive And I can't keep thinking about it, keep thinking about it Can't be still anymore No, there's nothing so simple about it, nothing simple about it Can't be still anymore I can't be still anymore I can't be still anymore I'll go 'round and around Go 'round and around with you No, don't slow me down No, don't slow me down, will you? And I could see the world with you And I could see the world with you

15. Paramore - Proof Mixed POV, during timeskip. They're apart. Missing eachother. Believe in you, ride or die. So strong! They'll meet up again, even stronger than before. ... It's really hard I can't cry in your arms 'cause you're not here It's not your fault, and if it was, I wouldn't care My heart is bigger than the distance in between us I know it 'cause I feel it beating So strong, it'll knock you down So strong, so strong Over here I can count the miles away from where I wanna be I bet your skin is warm and that you're smiling Yeah, that's what I always loved the most about you So strong, come and knock me down Hey! Baby, if I'm half the man I say I am If I'm a woman with no fear just like I claim I am Then I'll believe in what you say There's nothing left for you to do The only proof that I need is you

16. Utada Hikaru - Chikai (aka zolu "wedding" song. Primarily Zoro POV, making oaths, matching rings, liking someone so much it makes you feel uncool, waaaaaaauughhhhghgh😭) ... I don’t know about fate But this time I have to accept that it exists // Today is a day without lies It's a perfect day for making an eternal vow Don't need pretty flowers or witnesses Let’s wear rings of the same color // What I say now isn't borrowed words It’s not a promise, it’s an oath I can’t go back to being a liar Let’s wear rings the color of the morning sun Let’s dance with our hearts pounding Let’s celebrate being alive in this moment // Kiss me once, kiss me twice Give yourself to me Let’s listen to sound of the sun rising, side by side Let’s swear to live our lives together

17. Best Coast - When I'm with You Mixed POV ... The world is lazy But you and me We're just crazy So, when I'm with you, I have fun Yeah, when I'm with you, I have fun // I hate sleeping alone

18. Gerard Way - No Shows Pre-relationship. Not wanting to be tied down, but also being drawn in to it anyway, idk. ... Been weeks I been living And your smiles are giving me All types of treble Weak knees I been given And those nights are making me Star-struck and metal Stay free, don't go 'Cause we don't need no Try to be living as your vice And can you be my type? 'Cause we need to be given a good life And can I be your type of metal? Stay free, don't go 'Cause we don't need no shows

19. VUKOVI - Colour Me In Mixed POV - Follow you anywhere, die for you, we're one together (you're mine you're mine you're mine!) ... All I am And even more I'll give it to you Couldn't count All the ways That I'd die for you We are one We are whole And I'll go with you Breathing out, breathing in And I loved you again // Where you go, oh, I'll follow Through our bodies in the dark We want it and it's perfect With you in my arms Where you go, oh, I'll follow Through our bodies in the dark You're mine You're mine You're mine Mine

20. Opus Orange - It's What I Do Mixed POV - just vibes. I feel like it describes them but can't explain it ... every time you look for me you know i think i might disappear every time i look for you i know the bright lights interfere ‘cause i’m not the kind that’s so easy to find when you’re looking for me you’re not the kind with the salt water eyes at the bottom of the sea so take my hand we are the blind leading the blind no i don’t have a plan so let’s go where the sea meets the sky now we're gonna float away everything i want to say to you gets washed away downstream everything i want to give to you is a shade of blue or green i’m not the kind to draw straight lines in the desert sand you’re not the kind with peace of mind and a gun in your hand

21. Illuminati Hotties - Toasting Primarily Luffy POV. Just vibes. Short and sweet, flippant and reckless. They cause descruction and just laugh it off, and move on. ... Toasting a Pop-Tart And thinking of you There's a lot I'd rather do Instead I'm biting my lip And I'm biting yours too 'Til the blood tastes like chocolate goo Our bodies Are twirling The kitchen is burning When we both choke down the ashes You mention you're bored I guess I could've toasted more

22. The Happy Fits - Sweet Things Mixed POV after the end of their journey, pirate king and worlds greatests swordsman continue sailing together forever ... So tell me three things, three words that you know about me I'll say, I'll say "won't you come with me, baby?" Nothing lasts forever It's only now or never Tell me sweet things, sweet things that you know about me I'll say, I'll say "won't you bury me, baby? Underneath our loving forever" Don't you take me, take me all the way and then erase me I could be the one if you stay here Underneath our loving forever So take me home Well you say that nothing matters Well you said that nothing mattered except when I'm here with you Does it feel right? (Does it feel right?)

23. The Black Keys - Go Narrator POV - The two boys growing old sailing together ... There comes a time, two hearts of gold Leave together, run forever on the open road They gotta go oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh They gotta go oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh In the winter time, when the day is long You're halfway there, the field is bare And the fire is gone Are you all alone? Are you feeling cold? Find your flame, call her name, and hit the road

24. PUFFY - Love so Pure Mixed POV - love so sure. two people perfectly suited for eachother from the start. mutual trust. soulmates. :) ... I was his from the momentthe we first met From our solo to duet, it took no time Call it fate Or just two hearts magnetized But I never felt so high Since he's been all mine We've got a love so pure, yes a love so sure The kind of love you hold so tight We've got a love so pure, yes a Love so sure The kind of love that lasts a girl for life! With a kiss I can't resist on turn away All I want is him to stay, it's paradise With out a word Nothing heard me say so much With a look or silent touch I know we'll bе all right

25. Tegan and Sara - BWU Mixed POV - don't need to follow conventions to prove their love. ... I love you I don't need a ring to Prove that you're worthy You're under my skin It's easy I don't need a lock to Prove that you trust me I walk the walk To be with you Just to be with you Oh, to be with you Just to be with you Save your first and last dance for me I don't need a white wedding Save your first and last born for me We don't need a white wedding All the girls I loved before Told me they signed up for more Save your first and last chance for me 'Cause I don't want a white wedding

26. IRONTOM - Partners Just what it says on the tin. They're partners. lol ... Partners, we're partners We're partners, we're partners

27. Ashley Eriksson - Arguably Mixed POV - idk, vibes ... Sometimes I wish I was talkin' to you 'Cause you know everybody that I do You would hear my story, and you would agree We are always right on, you and me And you can always count on my company On and on and on, endlessly We're all loving creatures of the same decree But we've got one up on them don't we? Don't we? Arguably, don't we?

28. Animal Collective - The Purple Bottle Luffy POV. Frantic. Explosive big feelings. Can't stop talking --about Zoro to other people, and to Zoro about anything (sometimes i'm talkitive and you're not talkitive, I know...). And idk, the vibes. "purple" as a metaphor for sensuality, feels playful and lovely. But the end of this song really drags on so it's at the end of the playlist lol. ... I've gotta big big big heart beat, yeah! I think you are the sweetest thing I wear a coat of feelings and they are loud I've been having good days Think we are the right age to start our own peculiar ways? With good friendly homes // Sometimes you're quiet and sometimes I'm quiet, (Hallelujah!) Sometimes I'm talkative and sometimes you're not talkative, I know // And my dear dear dear Khalana I talk too much about you Their ears are getting tired of me singing all the night through Lets just talk together You and me and me and you And if there's nothing much to say Well, silence is a bore. // Can I tell you that you are the purple in me? Can I call you just to hear you would you care? When I saw you put your purple finger on me There's a feeling in your bottle Found your bottle, found your heart Gives a feeling from your bottled little part

------

Aaaand that's all of it! Thanks for reading :)

[affluent-havoc]

Naegami Fluff and/or Shenanigans 18

Makoto has an absolute grudge against mouthwash and Byakuya just doesn't understand any of it.

Basically, as a kid, Makoto's parents decided one day to try and get more healthy with their dental hygiene. I like to believe that Makoto's parents are the type to follow trends like "Oh, honey. There's this new mouthwash everyone's raving out. We should totally try it!". Or, maybe instead of mouthwash, it was something else. However, they had to settle for the cheaper stuff because they aren't forking over half of their earnings for this. Also, side note, I just feel that Makoto's parents sometime get suckered into fads too. It's not like they MEAN to, but still. Regardless, with this mouthwash brough, Makoto got some unsavory memories he doesn't wanna think about like crying like a little baby which makes him embarrassed because of the cringe. He also doesn't give me the energy that he cried too much as a kid so this just stuck with him a lot BECAUSE he happened to cry from this. Or maybe, Makoto just accidently swallowed the mouthwash and went to the ER or something! However, luck has it that no, he is not going to be able to never think about this again because Byakuya's now looking at him with an all-knowing glare and it's back with the mouthwash all over again. It all started with Byakuya picking up on some of Makoto's dental habits which led him just to bluntly claim one day that Makoto had gingivitis and he can tell. Which Makoto is... upset to know that yes. The heir was right on this assessment and also "Oh crap... this isn't going to go well for me." Which, yeah. This is a complete negative for Makoto in his eyes. Every time Makoto uses the mouthwash Byakuya's provided (which it is of course, quite expensive), he always makes a little noise of disgust like "Ew! gross" or "Bleh! This is so awful..." which Byakuya doesn't get at all. It doesn't help that Byakuya could chug a whole bottle of Brown Listerine and feel nothing about it. But, anyway, Makoto hates the mouthwash, Byakuya supervises Makoto and stalks him like a hawk, Makoto constantly complains while Byakuya explains that "This is important." and "Stop whining. It solves nothing". This cycle ends up going on for a while though Byakuya "isn't going to baby sit him forever" which then leans to rebellion! Aka, Makoto slowly tries to be sneaky and stop using the product over time. Makoto treats the situate like he's Solid Snake stealthing about though he's very obviously not subtle and gets caught in less than a week. However, Byakuya feels a bit merciful after all of this. And tired. That too. I can see them finding some sort of compromise and maybe Makoto apologizes for acting so strongly against it all when he knows he can handle it. Maybe Byakuya also reevaluates his role too and how he probably shouldn't have just forced this all on Makoto. Taking it slow was probably the better fit for the both of them anyway. Idk. Feel it should end well for them. ALLLSO an additional little bit that is not related to most of this post but is here anyway cus I feel like it: Makoto also does the "Bleh!" noise or other adjacent vocalizations whenever he trips up a sentence or messes up a word really bad. Byakuya also doesn't get why Makoto does this either. For him, it's just like, "Why are you making weird noises? Just pause and restart the sentence." It just makes sense in Makoto's mind though so the heir is in a perpetual state of never getting any of this.

[novastaree]

idk exactly why Michael would help the Winchesters most likely just to keep the world spinning cuz these guys fuck up a lot but if Sam didn't pull Michael and Adam into hell with himself and Lucifer sooooo many problems could have been avoided

i will give an example for each season

in szn 6 heaven and Raphael are trying to restart the apocalypse or wtv and maybe Michael would have been on board with that but i feel like he probably would have realized that wouldn't have brought his father back and continued with his job till he did (im not %100 but im pretty sure Rafael and Michael had different pov's for starting the Apocalypse)

also Michael would have rocked Godstiel shit or at least been able to send him to purgatory before Leviathan became a problem in szn 7

szn 8 NO WAY HE WOULD HAVE LET THE ANGLES FALL. maybe he couldn't read the tablets but I think he has enough of an understanding of enochian magic, being the first and all, to figure out 'this is going to cost us our wings' and if not that maybe even metatron would have the basic instinct on to not go against Michael (But then again also maybe not because it is metatron) Also I'm pretty sure he is next in line to be The prophets protector and he would have had his hands on the angel tablet before them anyways

szn 9 my main man Michael could have stopped that Abaddon girl without even half a glance if he wanted No need for this first blade shit.

szn 10 and i don't think Michael would let Dean take that mark cuz his brother did that once and he was an archangel and the mark lead to the devil soooo letting one of the Winchesters take would be disastrous

szn 11 somehow these idiot brothers managed to free his aunt he would have been helpful as he most likely did most of the fighting with Amara the first time (also a meeting with God after so long would have done him well, or ruined him but that depends on how you think it would go down)

szn 12 i think he could have managed to tell his brother to put a condom on. He never would have cared about the bmol he would have left that to the Winchesters shit festival

szn 13 umm hello jack!!! lets please close this portal and not get involved in alternate realities. (I probably could do better reasoning but this season was a fever dream to me)

szn 14 maybe im d riding og Michael too hard here but au Michael couldn't open a portal without stealing Lucifers grace and our Michael could Open a portal to purgatory with archangel cuffs on so im thinking new him wouldn't be a big problem. maybe once he got to Dean but before that he probably could have killed Lucifer and stopped that whole situation before it happened

szn 15 maybe with the context of the past ten years it wouldn't have ended they way it did also Michael probably would have been waayyyy more helpful to jack than the Winchesters were and helped the new god be more god than 4 who lost his powers constantly

Anyways just thinking about how Sam and Dean always made their lives harder by trying to do the right thing

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

tuesday again 11/21/2023

awful lot of cooking content from me, who hates cooking but finds the evenings jittery and boring

listening

Doorbell by Sterling Press, off the spotify weekly recced playlist. i don't know that i like this song. i don't know that it's particularly good. goddamn if it isn't catchy. alt britpop, they hate being compared to blur but mmmm. you do hear it. notes of ska as well. a song to blast in your car when your spring break plans fell through and you're driving to the good target two towns away from your hometown.

i don't think this music video could have existed pre-pandemic-- idk doorbell cams were that ubiquitous or well known, despite heavy advertising from nest.

from an interview:

Speaking about the new release, they said, “We wrote the song in our mates garage using drum samples off YouTube. We spent all night writing it then in the early hours of the morning drove to Maccies to have breakfast and had it on repeat the whole time. We all fell in love with it straight away. These lyrics speak to the importance of authenticity and sincerity in your actions. In a world where appearances and pretences can be misleading, it's a reminder to be true to yourself and to avoid trying to impress others for the sake of it. “I feel like its an experience we all share. We all know someone who goes off to uni or gets a new job and you bump into them on the street and they act as if they have no idea who you are. I guess this song is reflection of our frustrations towards those people.”

they have what i would consider an unusual amount of hype and presence for a band that has exactly three songs out, but they've all been making music together and separately since well before the pandemic so maybe they've just finally broken out? i can't figure out who these kids are related to. i don't think it's a full on industry plant but i do think someone's dad has some money.

a friend once said she hated how eighties songs faded out like a printer running out of ink, and i do not particularly care for how 2020s songs end with the entire band vanishing underwater.

this song is truly not that deep but it is thoroughly stuck in my goddamn head.

listening: special podcast edition

i am not looking for solutions. do not say solutions at me. i am taking through a brain thing and having a weird workflow and brain problem. i have tried other apps with browser support and do not like them, and i cannot have my personal apple id tied to my work computer bc i have and frequently use a work apple id.

i have been listening to podcasts through Spotify ever since mmm november ‘20. it has not been a good experience but juggling the Apple Podcasts app through my phone (distraction minefield) and whatever im listening to or working on with the work computer is a nightmare. ethics of spotify aside, it is a tremendously successful all in one listening platform. i do not have the brainspace to manage my own music library, and support my favorite artists in other ways.

i am not looking for solutions. do not say solutions at me.

however, if you listen to enough podcast episodes, spotify does not seem to believe you when you tell it to unfollow a podcast. it just keeps letting you know hey this has a new episode. this got me stuck on a loop where i was listening to more and more episodes of two very prolific conspiracy theory debunking podcasts to the exclusion of almost everything else. this was not very good for my mental health.

i am not looking for solutions. do not say solutions at me.

despite the real annoyance of finagling a very distracting phone and the work laptop, i have gone back to Apple Podcasts and (after weeding out a variety of podcasts for a variety of reasons) started listening to friends at the table again. not sure why i stopped but i felt a weird amount of guilt around restarting?? the tablefriends neither know nor care. i have finally finished road to palisade and am excited but nervous about starting palisade proper

-

reading

a local religious thrift store has absolutely rancid vibes but does regularly have 6/$1 book sales. there were a couple older trade paperback comics the last time: the first three volumes of ULTIMATE XMEN and a radom What If? superman.

my trouble with the xmen, and i have to read something from it once every two years to remind myself, is that magneto is right. they will never be able to assimilate into white picket fence middle america, or even among the liberal coastal elites or whatever the term du jour was in 1999. the box will always be smaller and you will never be perfect enough. i did not enjoy this enough to continue bc of this fundamental disagreement with most xmen comics.

also it looks like this. magneto’s lair has an arch in the shape of the arch on the front of his helmet and that was pretty baller, but there’s a real. what was they gimmick blog about all the comic book women in contorted spine-breaking poses? it’s like that a lot. WHAT is ororo’s body doing there

-

watching

hey. what the fuck do you mean tomato sauce is that easy. i dislike tomato sauce and almost exclusively eat jar upon jar of aldi brand pesto. im not allergic bc tomatoes aren't tingly but it's just sort of Nothing all the time. what do you mean it can be good???

i don't actually remember why i'm subscribed to mr internet shaquille. perhaps, like so many other food things, it's kali's fault.

-

playing

g/enshinposting.

pulled this horrid little brat. very pleased with myself.

i do not. love. her story quest. it falls into the childrens' media trap of Sometimes It's Okay For Other People To Stomp All Over Your Boundaries If It's For The Good Of The Group! or perhaps this is just a thing i'm particularly twitchy about. either way, annoyed that other characters of this importance have gotten some deeply moving writing and so far furina has...not gotten that.

the next character i am excited about is lolita taylor swift, or geo-aligned lady with big fuckoff sword. from some early maybe-leaks i think she would pair beautifully with my playstyle and my pirate lady with big sword. my playstyle is mostly brute force damage. i hit things as hard as i can until they fall over and i've played the entire game (with some exceptions that required actual thinking about elemental reactions) that way. it pleases me.

re: the conclusion of the annapausis sidequest, genshin does a really good job of teasing out "ok in a world with actual gods, what does spirituality look like/what are the differing views on fate/how do people make sense of an afterlife". mostly this is gnosticism. and sometimes it's a real life occultist secret society (reskinned Rosicrucianism). fascinating writing choices.

-

making

turkey cottage pie with scalloped potatoes, bc i had a five-pound bag of russets that were starting to sprout. im just going to yoink this pic i posted earlier bc it is now half gone and in tupperware form

this is the first time ive ever cooked in a dutch oven and im in love. i thrifted this for $20 some weeks ago but bc the lid has some chips and rust i haven't used it. which is silly, bc the body of the oven is fine. de-rusting and seasoning the lid will wait for a day when i actually need it bc for now we can get by with doubled-over sheet of aluminum foil.

used this recipe: only had a pound of ground turkey and liberally stretched it with potatoes (i think about three and a half pounds out of five) and three pounds out of a cheap frozen veggie mix bag. did not include mushrooms bc i did not like them. threw in some bay leaves bc i have a giant bag of them, i think i almost doubled the wine bc i doubled the recipe, but i do not think i remembered to double the beef stock. i also shook in a liberal amount of italian seasoning bc i have a cheap jar from aldi i want to use up.

the final product was somewhat soupy. i anticipated that slicing the potatoes was going to be the longest part (mostly true, i had to take breaks) and kept them in a big bowl of cold water to stop them browning while i chopped and after i blanched them. i also could have reduced the filling down some more but i am not a patient woman.

not as intended but still yummy, which was a lovely surprise bc usually when i fuck recipes up i fuck them up But Good. plus new technique (dutch oven). if i make this again (likely) i will do instant potatoes on top bc this was a fuck of a lot of chopping for one recipe. thinking about getting one of those stupid little hand smash veggie choppers bc a full food processor is extremely out of budget.

[gloomygloworm]

Sure I'll toss my hat in the ring.

I'm kind of ambivalent about veilguard. It's my very first DA game I've ever played, I saw the companions everywhere after it hit the stores and the world looked beautiful and rich. My friends all love DA and they all MET through the DA Fandom years ago, so I wanted to engage in this new thing my friends loved!

It's a gorgeous game. The towns feel alive, the companions are funny and heartfelt and so different from each other.

The game feels fucking empty.

I really don't like that half the quests are just conversations. Why is speaking with the first warden a whole quest? I said maybe 3 things, he gets his ass handed to him by someone else (Dorian was it? I don't remember his name) and then u go wow cool thank god I'm not in jail! He's an idiot! And thats... it lol.

I've had to learn about the world through my friends giving me context from previous games. Some of the codex entries are weird, I really hate how alienating it feels to be rook. I don't get to join bookclub, I have to install a mod to make additions to the grocery list, it feels so rare that you actually get to engage the companions at the lighthouse during "rest" time.

I've been playing an elf mage - a (very smart in my hc) veil jumper, yet I'm relegated to "guy who hits artifacts with a rock to make them stop" and Ballara is constantly explaining jumper stuff to me that I should already know.

The weird "project" thing u decorate ur room with. U use that to establish (imo) natural talent and how studious you are, but the game never does anything with that. Half the flirt options in dialogue are things I would say to anyone I consider a friend, or was giving heartfelt support to. None of it feels very flirty. I'm sad I can't request kisses from romanced companions like you can in baldurs gate 3, it feels like such a small mechanic but I never take it for granted. I loved kissing my romanced companion good morning and good night.

Most of the quests feel really short and unfulfilling. The fight style is fun but all I'm doing is short lived fights that make my attention wander. Most of the gear you just find, I find the shopping experiences at vendors boring, but I do like the decorations. I kind of wish we had more decorating space tbh!

I like the game for what it is, but I'm happy I got it on sale cause I would never pay full price for it. I haven't technically finished the game yet cause I keep restarting (lot of rook ideas) but if I had to play it without mods again I just wouldn't have fun. It just stinks that it feels like rook doesn't even have to be around to move the plot. Everyone else has connections and rook is just making decisions the others don't want to make. Like I genuinely don't think rooks presence should have done jack shit during the dragon attacks? I get the politics of what was going on in minrathus but if that was going to happen rook being there shouldn't change the tide at all.

I'm just one guy. I feel like Treviso should have been hit more even when I help them because again, I'm just one guy. They just don't really give any explanation on why rook is good for the job imo, yeah yeah "unpredictable and doesn't know when to quit!" That's fun but they don't really engage with that for rook? We all get good gear, we all level our abilities, i hold everyone hands while they go through their personal quests, but what makes rook actually able to do this? Just sheer determination?

Like why aren't I even involved in breaking the hold elgernan has during the venatori conference with the Dalish prisoners? I just feel like as rook i don't do fucking anything at all? Most conversation I'm involved in happens without player input. There's not a lot of actual choices in the game. It feels like they could have added 30 more quests at least.

Idk. Thank god for modders (not the ones whitewashing I hope you all die in incredible pain, everyone who downloaded them too.)

Game just feels kinda empty. I'm glad I didn't pay full price for it.

[crows-of-buckets]

Minor dav gripe but like

I really do wish there were a handful more things added in the worldstate menu. As of right now the two things I personally would add would be "does the hof live" and "did the Inquisitor drink from the well of sorrows"

The first one is so odd bc like. Davrin talks about being willing to die to the arch demon and how it's his duty and is inevitable and it felt. Very odd. That I couldn't say "but what about the hero of fereldan?" Like the dialogue could have even taken the same route as the regular conversation with davrin going "yeah but the hof isnt here and no one else knows how they did it". It feels. Odd. Because it is definitely something well known, even outside fereldan. Even more so if your rook is also a warden. Idk that really bugged me

The second one is literally just a minor minor annoyance but Emmrich has a dialogue about morrigan "possibly having turned into a dragon" and like. Again. It's a minor dialogue but if you're not gonna include the option for the well of sorrows why include the dialogue at all.

The lack of world state choices isn't really noticable in a lot of things, but I do feel it's stood out most with the wardens because of how influential the hero of fereldan is. Like c'mon there was a blight only 20 years ago and the guy who stopped it could possibly still be alive, why didn't they even cross our minds to look for? Also that guy stopped a blight in a YEAR with like six people why wouldn't we go talk to them?? Like yeah the south has got its own thing going on but cmon Morrigan definitely knows where they are

I have another thing (unrelated to worldstate choices) that I want to complain about, but its much more spoilery than above so its going under a cut

Spoilers for the end of the solas memory quest that I can't remember the name of (the one where you collect the wolf statues and experience solas's past)

Honestly, I liked most of the quest. The memories themselves were interesting and I do like the setup of how they played out. The fights were (mostly) fun (I did the level 25 one under leveled and had to restart like four times but it's fine I'm just a stubborn ass)

What I do NOT like is Flemeth's abuse being written down. This is another place where the lack of choice felt odd bc whether or not Morrigan has Kieran would change a lot I think. Bc Morrigan flat out says that she would never treat her child the way she was treated. And idk it felt like Flemeth got a "get out of abuser jail free" card bc she's mythal.

I dont even mind Morrigan taking in Mythal's memories tbh. It's a very in character thing for her to do.

Idk like. On one hand yeah Morrigan would probably have mixed feelings about her mother dying even if she was her abuser it just. Didn't feel like those emotions were mixed. Idk it just kinda annoyed me. I had a feeling Flemeth wasnt going to be portrayed as harshly and I hate to be right sigh

Other than that I did like this quest. I enjoyed talking to a different side of mythal and gaining her favor lmao. If I had a nickel for every dragon age protagonist that had an odd connection to mythal...

The flashbacks made me much more interested in the Titans, and I'm excited to see where Hardings story goes.

Ultimately, so far nothing that annoys me is anything that will make me hate the game. I have things I dislike about every dragon age game, its just a thing that happens lmao.

[amysgiantbees]

Bad Buddy

I've struggled to get into Thai shows. Some of them are admittedly VERY different to what I'm used to. I'm very grateful to talistheintrovert and their video all about BL. If they ever make a follow up one I'd love some new recommendations and also maybe they could give a more in depth warning to new bees about how different Thai shows can be. Some almost IDK feel like Disney for adults. Which I love now but again, it was weird initially.

I had to stop watching Bad Buddy at first because it was too different and cringe. Obviously not objectively bad, I just had to get used to the style. Cringe is subjective. But the blatant, hilariously overt product placements, goofy sound effects and other little things were too off putting at first. I'm on board now but it was a journey getting here.

By the time I came to give it another shot I had to move to Daily Motion (thank god it exists) and I'm happy to say I now love it.

TBH I also struggled to care about the architecture V engineering and the parent's fight too. The stakes being tied to (seemingly at the time) two incredibly dumb pointless fights made it really difficult for me to care at first. Which is why I think it was easier for me to get into it the second time. I restarted at episode 4 or 5 where I'd left off. Starting off mid-way where the plot was more serious and fleshed out helped me stick to it this time. The secret hiding was a lot more fun for me than the will they won't they so I found it easier to not be bothered by how low stakes it felt. I started to see Engineering V Architecture as like how I don't watch a lot of American HS shows where I have to get into the mindset that football games matter and are integral to the plot. At uni I didn't like the engineering department much either and I still could barely care.

Firstly, it is SO Much Ado About Nothing. The leads have a history. They don't stop bantering after they get together. Even in Skyy 2 their friends want them to get together or be closer. Even if it doesn't tick all the boxes the vibes are there.

LOVE the banter. It felt so real, never forced and never too mean. I wasn't seeing a divorce sign flashing above them. It was proper banter not fighting.

It's SUCH a fun show. I was nearly ready to throw my laptop in the last episode though because I nearly thought they did one of my least favourite tropes. I just don't like breakups at the end of love stories. That's not why I watch them. I get too invested and emotional to ever usually seek out a tragedy. Similarly, I really don't like movie series where they just pretend the previous love interest never existed or barely mention them to do a love story all over again (which is why NATM 1 is my fav).

Also, SO glad the parents didn't actually date. Don't love anything close to incest in media either. I know it technically isn't but would have grossed me out regardless.

I love anything where siblings, family and friends are heavily involved in people's lives. As sad as it is in the end. I relate more to people who can't cut out their family for a partner, at least not over this. This is probably the biggest highlight of BL's so far for me is that friendship and family is SO important in so many of them. Also all the casual trans rep <3. I really ADORE the side characters. Especially his sister and the besties.

I headcannon Pran as demi ace/aro.

If you are new to BL's and can get through the first episodes I highly recommend this. I've found with BL's they usually tend to get less zaney and sound effect heavy as they go as the plot thickens and it gets more serious. It's the case with this too.

[master-jarrus]

Can you do hair and makeup for Nya please?

Yes I can!

So in writing this all out I had to restart because I realized just how good of a reflection of Nya's personality is shown in her looks and I'm not sure if it was intentional but at least one person in her design team put a lot of thought and care into her design

So right off that bat Nya's make up and hair is clearly a tomboyish girl who doesn't want to be too tomboyish. Like she's worried about the balance between being a pick me and being like other girls

We have a the bob that's clearly cut for the practicality of short hair and avoidance of change

That's how she always had it cut, it keeps it of her neck, sure it gets in her face but she can just pin back so why would she change it?

She probably never considered just because she wants to

Now her makeup

It looks like she wears for sure lip stick and mascara, maybe a little bit of eyeliner

In the redesign she has a beauty mark so maybe she also has concealer and foundation on too

It kind of feels like an inexperienced attempt at "no make up" make up

It's not a bad job, it looks good on her but considering her tomboyishness and her overall perfectionism it's not exactly right it's just as close as she got and then she decided she was just changing her goal

The lip stick matches her qipao (??? That'd the closest thing her jumpsuit thing could maybe be but then later they put her in an actual qipao for her date with Jay. Maybe it's a sleeveless hanfu??? Idk)

Which was a make up trend around the time the show aired so I'm assuming it was a makeup trend in Ninjago as well

I have a feeling it's her favorite shade and it's one that maybe Maya would wear for a fancy night out

Maybe Kai saved up to get her her own tube since maybe she didn't want to use hers mom's

As for mascara it's probably just your basic black same if she did do eyeliner

I wouldn't be surprised if in this era her makeup was an insecurity of hers

This is actually really common for women especially if they grew up without someone to mentor them through it. (I personally went through it and I know several friends of mine went through it as well. Even my mom refuses to wear make up because she feels like she's not doing it "right")

I wouldn't be surprised if this was one of the reasons she had snapped at Dareth over the make up segment (because like imagine getting reduced to "the girl" and then a person you have confided in that you don't know how to do that kind of stuff (season 4) tells you, you need to go teach a the little girls who want to be ninja that they should instead learn how to do make up, which again you don't feel like you can do)

Now the redesign

I really love that in the redesign it kind of felt like her growing out of a phase instead of a retcon of her personality and appearance to make her more appealing

Her hair had grown out and she puts it back in a pony tail

It looks like she might be taking better care of it too. We see a slight wavy texture come out instead of just straight

She appears to also have layers and based on the taper curl on the ponytail nothing it a blunt cut anymore

Her make up looks more refined and she stopped hiding her beauty mark

It's still the same basic "no make up" make up but like she has better techniques

She is still following lipstick trends though and is rounding out her top lip with lip liner just a more neutral shade

She does mascara on her top and bottom lashes now

Definitely seems like she has a bit of eyeliner now. Just looks like she has a more pronounced wing but it's hard to tell with lego eyes

I would wonder if this change was brought on by her mom being back

It's hard to decide about that though because during Seabound Nya seems to be holding a grudge against her mom but her mom clearly thinks they are on good terms/if she acts like mothing happened it will be fine

I'm thinking they tried to reconnect and Maya tried to just pick up where they lost off and teach Nya "girly" things and it just kind of went wrong

But Nya did try and begrudgingly like the makeup changes

But I'm not certain

[fduck0]

As someone who never stops thinking abt Wendy and Abigail, I've always seen Wendy's rework animation as less of a hallucination and more as a simple but effective rundown over Wendy's struggle with her grief through how she remembers Abigail's death. Most notably, I believe the last bit with the bush is either a slightly older memory stitched in or deliberate misremembering as a defense mechanism of sorts. My main reason for thinking this is partially cause yeah no that just didn't happen, but also because to me it makes the previous moments hit so much harder because of the harsh contrast between Wendy's attitude towards Abigail in the two scenes. In the previous, she's dismissive, and has to be dragged away from her books, and is clearly much more reluctant about doing things than Abigail. And in the next scene, Wendy is smiling, laughing, and playing with Abigail. This actually fits quite well with Wendy's dialogue too, but that's besides the point. And with the ending bit, I see it as a basic snap to reality from a deep daydream. Also, one detail I love is how Jack does look concerned for Wendy and briefly tries to reach for her before giving up, which just is soooo good like a big part of Wendy's hashtag issues was not just losing Abby, but also seemingly having very little support after that loss. In general, a lot of Wendy's messy and sometimes contradictory statements and actions are incredibly easily explained by the fact that she's a traumatized and grieving child who in no way has the tools to healthily cope with her emotions and very little support even outside of that. This is why Wendy makes me want to start biting things and why that's my favorite don't start animation 👍

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS THIS PERSON GETS IT.

Tbh while ive never thought ab Wendys animation like that, that is SUCH a good fucking take on it and tbh PRETTY GOD DAMN FITTING to wendys rapid change of emotions in the animation. and with this i have to say, YESSSS SOMEONE IS FINALLY POINTING OUT THE JACK THING.

I feel like a lot of Wendys fear of letting go of Abigail comes from this. Its like a god damn tragedy cycle. feel alone without Abigail- get no support from family- feel more alone and abandoned- cling to the fact Abigail WOULD have been the support and form an unhealthy coping mechanism around it- grow MORE dependent on her and restart. It is essentially what makes her SO god damn afraid and i feel like this quote from her forge vignette puts it best "Wendy clings fiercely to the grief over her sister's death, for fear that moving on would cause Abigail's memory to fade."

With the lack of support from her family and being "left behind", Wendy most probably feels to some extent she is the ONLY one trying to keep Abigail's memory alive. Abigail is the ONLY one she has ever had.

And with this last thing, another YES. A lot of Wendys contradictions can be boiled down to her conflicted and jumbled emotions as a child trying to cope and her fears getting the best of her. Wendy doesnt HATE colours, Wendy hates what memories those colours bring back and the cheerfulness she doesnt feel anymore. it is all a mockery to her grief, but there is STILL a part of her that longs for that part of her childhood back, which leads to a lot of the conflicted quotes as a kid who doesnt know what she wants anymore.

But yeah, we going off again bc WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH Wendy lore is both so cool and complicated and idk how to write down my opinions so they just come out in rambles but like YEAH Keese you are so fucking right

[misailurist]

State of the Fanfiction

Wanted to talk a bit about fanfics I wrote back in the day and plans for the future. tldr: it's (almost) all weird-ass Simeon Saint rarepairs

Eight years ago, I wrote Simon Says, a way-too-long story about Simon Blackquill's time in prison... which quickly became focused on him dating/breaking up with Simon Keyes. There had been some interest in that pairing, and I liked it myself, but keeping them together felt antithetical to the story's overall message of "Blackquill is OK now and has learned to stop martyring himself for others," and also I not-so-secretly think messy breakups are more fun than successful romances. So that's what I did. Despite that, I'd had a lot of notes at the time about what a sequel might look like, where Keyes got out of prison and had his own redemption arc and became the kind of boyfriend who wouldn't destroy Blackquill's life. But when it came to actually write it, I decided that redemption arcs were boring, scrapped it all, and started working on my bonkers Keyes/Phantom fic where literally the only reason behind the pairing choice was, "Phantom is about as emotionally functional as an animal, so I bet Keyes could train him into being his dog." I wrote two chapters and then wandered away from fandom entirely to try being a functional adult for a while. Now, a whole ass time skip later, being a functional adult sucks ass and AAI2 finally got localized, so here I am again. I ended up reading all my own fanfic -- do you know that if enough years pass, you'll forget enough of what you wrote that reading your own fics feels like finding a new favorite author who made a bunch of shit just for you? Do recommend. And in those fics, I found three stories where I were mad that they hadn't been finished. Did you know that if you're your own new favorite author, you are now burdened with the knowledge that unfinished fics won't be updated unless YOU, YOURSELF update them? Awful. Terrible. Do not recommend. The three fics were: 1. Just Fake it. My post-bad-end Blackbright fic. I should go to jail for not finishing that. (On the bright side, it's what made me hyper-vigilant about backing up my writing, which is why I have the remnants of all the stories on this list at all.) I would like to finish it but I am in the middle of replaying the games and don't want to touch it until I've replayed Dual Destinies. (I am currently on...... Turnabout Big Top. Sigh.) 2. Impostor Syndrome. The aforementioned Keyes/Phantom fic, which I have updated with the new localized names so it is now a Saint/Phantom fic. Although it is currently just "the meandering post-prison adventures of Simeon Saint" fic because I am completely, utterly making this shit up as I go and haven't gotten to the shipping part yet. Does anyone want to read this but me? Trick question, I don't care. I'm basically in a fugue state right now and I don't think I could stop if I wanted. Also we are T-minus-two-chapters to where there will, in fact, be some actual for real Saint/Phantom shipping, so idk hang in there. 3. Simon, Horace, and Miles. The "what if there were no IS-7" AU. This one sucks actually. But I still love the idea of it. There's meat there. But the whole thing needs to be scrapped and restarted from the ground up. Something to consider once Impostor Syndrome is out of my system. Also I would rewrite it to be properly soutamitsu. That's a pairing the world needs more of, damn it. Also I lied, there's a secret fourth one that I never posted anywhere publicly: 4. Fabulous! A Simeon Saint/Max Galactica smut fic I started and then remembered I don't like writing smut. But the setup was pretty good so maybe I'll try again to finish it???