#disappointed in the newest title change

[rosalie-starfall]

Kathryn Hahn & Craig Ferguson

The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson November 23rd 2010

“Oh I see you favor the snorty laugh”

[ad1thi]

stevetony recs you won't see on other rec lists

I've (surprisingly) been reading a lot of stevetony lately, and have come across a couple of gems that i feel are vastly under-appreciated, and wanted to show them some love. Obviously, the title is a misnomer because maybe you have seen these on other rec lists, but it's clickbait okay !! Don't forget to leave kudos and comments, if you like what you've read !!

No Trait As Much As This : @kandisheek-art

Tony gets hit with truth serum. It's a terrible time for everyone.

the year you were mine : @areiton

The night that changes his life forever, Steve is on a date with another man. Or: Steve is a pricy escort and Tony buys him for a year. Neither of them are doing this for love.

Meant : @ardett

What Steve meant when he asked out Tony was very different than what Tony meant when he said yes.

One Last Second Chance : @/Muccamukk

Tony Stark, second newest engineer at Rhodes Labs International, is just trying to rebuild from the ruins of his failed company, vanished fortune, and struggles with alcoholism. His goals include keeping his head down, avoiding stress and convincing Dr. Rhodes to let him build a really cool robot, so why does the universe keep throwing Avengers in his path?

Not just a river in Egypt (Tony is most certainly not in denial) : @lilgideon

"You are most definitely not in love with me, Cap, what you are experiencing is called cabin pressure," Tony explains, because he has a rational train of thought and he's met enough shrinks to have figured out their tactics by now. "And possibly, you know, sexual frustration, because it doesn't matter at all that you're, like, America's national icon, Fury still won't let you out. I know that, I see that, I acknowledge your pain, I feel with you, Cap, believe me, I do. And I get it, because I am a very good-looking fellow and we spend a lot of time together, stuck in this tower, and it's easy to--" "I am," Steve cuts off, equal parts amused and frustrated and concerned. "In love. With you. Tony, I'm in love with you."

then sirens, then bells (the broadcast remix) : @isozyme

“I tire of this,” Amora says, and with a casual gesture the entire team is pinned in place, frozen in mid-air. Steve has the unsettling, half-familiar feeling of someone rifling through his head like it’s a card catalogue. A mind-reader as well as a witch, then. A female voice whispers into his mind’s ear. It’s very tragic in here, dearheart, but I think your armored friend is, somehow, more psychically toxic than even you. What’s wrong with Tony? Steve thinks, but the presence is gone, leaving his memories of war stirred up like flying insects rising off a lake in at dawn.

The Enchantress opens Tony's mind to anyone and everyone near him. Steve knows he should let Tony keep his secrets, but he's not noble enough to stay away

The Twice-Told Tale : @arysteia

For someone he'd hero-worshipped for so long, Steve Rogers in the flesh is a pretty big disappointment. For one thing, he keeps looking at Tony as though he reminds him of someone else, and even if he never says anything, Tony's pretty sure it's his father. A lifetime of not measuring up to Howard's expectations is more than enough, thank you very much, and he's certainly not going to make an effort to live up to any of Steve's. Steve's pretty clearly failed to live up to his expectations, in any case, and that's not hypocritical at all.

i'm going too far (just to have you near) : @/zaynerpaner

“Rhodey, why did you leave me here?” Tony demands. The voice on the other line doesn't sound exactly like Rhodey’s – in fact, it sounds like he’d woken somebody up, which couldn’t be right since Rhodey had been here with him earlier. “Who is this?” the voice speaks again, and – it’s too deep. Rhodey’s voice isn’t that deep. “Rhodey? It’s Tony, m’phone’s dead and I need you to pick me up,” he tries again, frowning as he leans against the bar. “Uh, I think you have the wrong number.” OR the one where Tony drunk calls the wrong number looking for a ride home from the bar, and Steve comes to pick him up.

Living In The Future : @/Closer

Eighteen-year-old Tony Stark is the boy genius who woke Captain America, and now he's stuck with him. That's not a bad thing, but between Steve's wide-eyed wonder at the new world and Tony's little fanboy crush, the awkwardness just keeps happening.

if we ever meet again : @/anonymous

"It’s been two months," Steve says, voice low. "Rhodey- Colonel. It’s been two months.”

[galactic-cumslut]

bleed magic

this was originally titled heavy metal heart but anyways here’s some evil!rick bc i love men who are totally irredeemable,, i hope it’s not obvious i didn’t know where i was going with this..bc i didn’t

rick is a mean dom, slave/master dynamics, afab reader, lots of degrading, cockwarming, exhibitionism , he just wants to show off his power be frl

you liked to think you had an ounce of pride in your body. it was just a thought though. in reality you had none left. he made sure of that.

“c-c-come to me pet. on your knees immediately”. he had said,long legs spread on his throne. his eyes bore into you daring you to refuse him.

instantly you fell to your knees, awaiting your next command.

“what an obedient slut, look at me a stick out your tongue”.

you wanted to resist. anyone could walk in at any time and see you in such a vulnerable state-being used by your lord. the teasing would surely kill you if the sheer embarrassment didn’t first.

a sharp smack to your face threw you back into reality. you hesitated. one thing rick doesn’t stand for is hesitation, once he gives an order he expects it fulfilled immediately.

“are you de-deaf or something, bitch? or do i need to s-spell every little thing out for you, jesus christ you’re stupid. tongue out. eyes on me”.

fear overcame you and you did as you were told. you expected him to insert his fingers inside your mouth but instead he leaned down and spit directly onto your tongue.

“swallow”. he commanded.

as shocked as you were you quickly swallowed. if wanting to be hit again.

rick seemed pleased with you eating up the fear in your eyes.

“there we gooo, all it takes is a little discipline with you huh”? he stroked your cheek gently and you willing lean into his touch. “you just want to be a good little slave for your master hmm”?

rick was almost never gentle with you so of course you were quick to answer. eager to receive more praise. “yes sir”.

“of course you do my darling little cum slut. on your feet at once”.

he offered you his hand as to help you up from the uncomfortable position between his legs.

“i’m going to explain what’s going to happen and you’re going to listen closely”.

you nodded, almost eager to hear what he had up your sleeve.

“the council is coming for a visit very soon and since you’re my most obedient servant you’re going to be shown off. it’ll asset dominance as well as keep attention on me”.

again you nodded, unsure of what he meant by his words. usually he didn’t allow the council anywhere near his lair. ‘what could have changed’ you thought.

“you have one job y/n. you’re going to sit still and stay quiet. your only duty is to look pretty”.

———————-

“welcome council of ricks. i trust you have all been briefed about the reason you are here”. rick bellowed , addressing the six other versions of him sitting in his court.

you in the other hand were in another world of bliss, sitting atop his cock infront of so many men.

less than an hour ago you were worried about someone walking in on you and your master. oh how things have changed. the many eyes locked onto your body-it gave you a feeling of power.

the feeling of his cock twitching inside you was enough to have you drooling. you did your best to sit up straight and smile.you didn’t want to disappoint your master after all.

as if he could read your mind he bucked his hips up slightly causing you to gasp in a mix of surprise and pleasure. “be a good girl infront of the other ricks and you’ll get a biiiig reward”. he whispered in your ear, nipping at your lobe.

“shall we conduct business”?

the group became silence and focused their eyes on rick…or they tried to as you stole their attention away from whatever brining speech rick had planned up.

“i understand that you’re all infatuated with my newest plaything” he started, a crazed grin spread king across his face. “give me what i ask and she is all yours”. fuck his speech, you were a much better bargaining chip.

[yanderecrazysie]

Can you do a Yandere Sakusa one-shot?

Absolutely! I feel like I barely saw any of Sakusa in Haikyuu- so many people love him but I totally struggle with getting a feel for his personality. And thank you so much!

Also, it’s been a little while since I wrote about murder. Let’s change that! ^-^

Title: Competitive

Pairings: Sakusa Kiyoomi x Reader

WARNINGS: Yandere themes, descriptions of murder, I know nothing about Japanese volleyball rules for girls on guy teams so just pretend I’m right

Summary: Sakusa’s never felt this competitive before. Maybe it has something to do with his newest opponent.

competitive

/adjective/

having or displaying a strong desire to be more successful than others:

Sakusa had never felt this alive.

He was used to staying in the background with a bored, disdainful expression. Judging people from a distance while staying in his own little germ-free corner. He rarely found interest in anything but volleyball.

Sure, he got competitive during volleyball, much more than in any other aspect of his life. He didn’t like leaving things unfinished and losing felt unfinished. He had a tendency to label rivals as a threat and overfocus on them throughout every match.

But never had he been more competitive than against this team.

He couldn’t understand why he viewed most of this team as such a threat or why he wanted to crush them harder than any team in the past.

Sakusa prided himself on his honesty, even if it went into the territory of being way too blunt. But this wasn’t so much lying to himself as it was being unable to figure out why?

He barely heard the whistle sound as he blankly turned to look at the scoreboard. Oh. They’d won. And by nearly 15 points. He’d been much too focused on the game to pay attention to the score. It felt like a blur.

The team he was playing at lined up and began to do their punishment exercises- running up and down the hill outside. Honestly, the training camp was going easy on everyone. If you lost in a competition, you were out.

Sakusa’s eyes trailed after one particular player as the number 13 jersey jogged through the morning dew-laden grass. You.

He’d been surprised that a team had let a girl play, but he had originally supposed you were just a bench warmer, let on to keep the parents’ mouths shut about equality. He had been outright shocked (though he’d never show it) when you lined up to play off against the other teams as not even the libero, but the setter.

You weren’t filling in for anyone, either, that much was for sure. Sakusa had watched your team beat another before playing against his and you were good. Your movements were fluid, your form was perfect, and you were a quick-thinker. Not a genius like Kageyama and not as talented as Oikawa, but you were a worthy opponent by far.

When he went up against your team, one of the wing-spikers (the one right across from him) said something snarky, something he couldn’t even remember anymore, and put his arm around you for just a moment while laughing.

And then, he’d been consumed by a need to win he couldn’t hope to control.

When your team turned around to run down the hill, he could see the disappointment on your face. You felt bad about losing, most likely, even though you’d probably done your very best. Sakusa didn’t know, he hadn’t been paying attention to you during the match.

Although, now it was over, he felt like he should have been.

You looked like an angel, with the sun’s rays lighting you up at that angle- he almost expected a halo to appear above your head. Your beautiful skin shone with sweat but it just enhanced your looks by making you glow.

He wasn’t the type to get this distracted by a girl, but he couldn’t help it.

“Why are you in a corner by yourself?”

To anyone else, Sakusa would say something biting, making them leave with their tails between their legs. To you, he could only look down at his food silently, wishing he had the guts to say anything to you.

“Would you like to sit with us?” Your voice was so soothing, so kind… You probably thought he was lonely, all by himself, when he did this to himself. He just wanted to get away from the crowd as they ate lunch, but you…

You really forced him out of his comfort zone from the moment you met him, huh?

“I’d prefer to stay here,” he managed to mumble out.

“Oh, okay,” you looked a little disappointed. Were you hoping to hang out with him? His heart lifted a little at the thought but quickly plummeted when you dejectedly walked away. 

He knew then that, if you gave him the chance, he’d do anything to bring that smile back to your face.

The universe must hate him, Sakusa was sure of that.

Somehow, he’d been tasked to be the one to clean up all the dirty, germ-ridden volleyball equipment at the end of the night, along with that infuriating guy from your team that always had his hands all over you.

But you’d given Sakusa a little wave and sweet smile as you left, and that’s all that really mattered to him. Silly that a girl he’d just met had so much power over him.

There was a cage filled with all sorts of different PE equipment that the volleyballs were meant to go in. The two boys jogged around the gym, scooping up the balls, dropping them in the cage, and repeating.

It would’ve been fine, had it been in silence. But the other boy just would not shut up.

At first it was little digs at how their team would beat his next time, about how Sakusa’s a “weird guy”, and then he said something that sealed his fate.

“(Y/n)’s pretty hot though, don’t you think? The girl on our team? Bet you’re jealous.”

Oh, he was jealous. Jealous beyond words.

“Yeah, I’m glad she’s on the team- she looks hot in a jersey and shorts. Doesn’t she?”

Is this how he always talked about you? Did you know about this.

The two of them stopped at the cage to drop off volleyballs. As your teammate turned around to gather more, Sakusa fished around deeper inside, under the volleyballs.

“I really wish she’d let me-”

CRACK

The sound of a baseball bat meeting the side of the jerk’s skull was a wonderful sound to Sakusa. 

The boy slumped forwards, landing on his face and not moving. For good measure, Sakusa brought the bat down hard on the back of his head. Twice.

He didn’t bother to touch his disgusting body to get a pulse reading- he could see the guy was dead from a mile away. It felt good. Better than he’d ever expected.

The threat was gone. Now both you and Sakusa could be a little happier. 

But he wanted more. He wanted all of the competition out of the way, until it was just you and him. Maybe that was selfish of him but he couldn’t help it.

He wondered how many of your teammates he could dispose of before this week-long training camp was over.

[themonotonysyndrome]

Your thoughts on the newest audio from Desmond ?

sndfjksndf I was just thinking of posting my thoughts on Prince Renae today; you have great timing, Anon! I was lowkey worried that I might spoil those who haven't listened to it yet.

What I ❤️❤️❤️ about it:

-Tigress's new origin story is hella interesting! I actually like that she's not a captain in this one because a captain would be too busy to try and infiltrate the Imperial royal circle. Tigress is playing the long game and I'm here for it!

-Little Prince Renae was the one who gave Tigress her nickname! Awww! Even after all these years, he still remembers her.

-The SFX!? SNDJSKDNAS I can clearly visual in my head during that scene where Prince Renae and Tigress were dancing. The footwork, the background music, and the soft conversation around them? IMMACULATE.

-Tigress is still a badass and a badass that Desmond clearly 'shows' instead of having the characters just say, "Oh wow, Tigress. You're really strong." Once again, to all the creatives out there, the golden rule is: Show, not tell!

-Prince Renae's admiration for those 'Southern Warriors' and how he only admits it in a drunken haze because it might come across as treasonous is adorable. I imagine that he has heard of Castin by now, and I would love to write a fic where the Baroness and Castin are attending an Imperial Royal Ball, and the Prince is trying really, really hard not to fanboy while Castin is so confused at this Tsundere 😂

-Also, I love how everyone in the tavern couldn't care less that Tigress killed the owner sdnfjdkfsdf though, Tigress, that was very stupid of you. YOU'RE TRYING TO STAY LOW PROFILE! NOW WE HAVE WITNESSES!

-The dramas and intrigues came in swinging like a wrecking ball! Who framed Tigress' dad!? I'm so sus about the Captain, don't trust him Tigress! I don't know if Tigress can continue pretending to be a merchant girl for long because the Empress and Prince Renae are upset about her face and the ending, too!? Tigress is fully back in Imperial high society and mingling with royalty - there's so much potential here for where the story can go, AND I CAN'T FUCKING WAIT! Oh, the fallout is gonna be so angsty!

-Last, I hope Desmond will release the official names and their spellings somewhere soon.

What I 🤨🤨🤨 about it:

-Once more, Desmond, why? Why with the clickbait thumbnail and title? Tigress only took a bath in her new room in the Imperial Palace, and Prince Renae walked in. There was no brothel bathhouse or whatever 😭 I was disappointed in that.

-Speaking of which, the title - now, we know that Tigress and Prince Renae were childhood friends, and at the very least, he has a crush on her and now MAYBE believes himself to be in love with an idea of Tigress instead of ya know, her actual self. But calling them exes is not really... right?

-The name change from Prince Desmond to Prince Renae. I remember in the old lore that Prince Desmond was given that name to honour Gang Leader!Desmond, the first King of the Coastal Empire. I don't know if I remember that wrong, please correct me if I'm wrong, but yeah, I always did like that bit of lore. But hey, I can fuck with Prince Renae eventually.

And... yeah! That's pretty much it!

[randonauticrap]

A Letter to Myself ~ Chapter 1

Series Description: A 1st person POV Isekai Ikemen Prince adventure told by me, your narrator. Not all true stories are believable, and not all true stories are real. I have changed my name and the names of anyone who inspired these characters.

Chapter Description: Liliana goes to sleep after another disappointing experience with love, and wakes up inside a very strange dream.

Chapter Title: Dream Truths

Triggers: Negative self talk; vague mention of fatphobia

There are few things in this world I love more than singing, sleeping, and daydreaming. They’re the three things that can always reset my anxious mind, and push out all forms of mental clutter, if only long enough for me to focus on the task at hand. That particular evening, the task at hand was wishing that my situationship (who, after I admitted I had feelings for earlier that day, told me he didn’t actually feel that way about me, and saw me only as a friend) had instead been one of the dashing princes in my favorite otome game. I think everyone could agree that they would never. But the quiet of the night threatened to envelop me nonetheless; this wasn’t the first time I’ve been fooled by pretty words and flirtatious kindness. It wasn’t even the second or third, and I’ve begun to wonder who the real problem is. Am I simply misinterpreting this behavior? Was my perception truly that terrible? I didn’t think so, since I could usually nail down just about anyone I met: what their struggles were, why they acted the way they did, and so on and so forth. In fact, it was one of the things I was known for in my friend circles - being a mind reader. 

But for some reason, when love was involved, my radar was off; or broken; or just flat out missing altogether. It was something I’ve wanted for as long as I can remember; to be loved the way I love, but fate seemed to stand against me in that regard. What if I just wasn't meant to have my own love story? My heart clenched at the thought that plagued me over and over. It was no mystery that my body type was not one that was so popularly celebrated in many circles, and I'd experienced my fair share of backlash over it through the years. And while, thankfully, many women in this day and age were standing up and speaking out about it, I still received far too many judgmental eyes on me when I dared to eat in public; didn't matter if it was 4pm and it was the first thing I'd eaten since I woke up at 7am. 

So it should come as no surprise that the little voice in my head - that damn goblin - often added "overweight" to the list of qualities that left men… wanting, in regards to myself. But the laundry list was miles long by now, and not even the newest Whirlpool could scrub it clean. Besides, who could afford that much laundry detergent? Certainly not me. Not in this economy. 

Usually, I could stir up some comforting scenario with the handsome first prince and lull myself to sleep in his imaginary arms, but the trick wasn't working tonight. God, of course it wasn't. I had to be up in around 4 hours to go to rehearsal, and sleep had been evading me almost as much as men did. "Is sleep a man?" I pondered aloud to my quiet bedroom. "Would make a hell of a lot of sense." I grumbled under my breath as I reached for the Melatonin gummies on my nightstand. I popped two in my mouth and chewed begrudgingly until the almost-fruit tang flavor was gone from my mouth, then let my head fall unceremoniously back onto my pillow with a dull thud. 

Now my neck hurts. Of course it does.

I tossed and turned for awhile longer, praying the Melatonin would do its work, and at last, I felt the gentle tug of sleep calling the deep recesses of my brain. Thank God, now I can go see Jin. It was the last coherent thought I had before diving under, my subconscious brain taking over, my desires in tow. 

…

…..

…….

Birds. 

I was hearing birds. Is this a dream? Those birds don't sound like the birds outside my window normally do. Those sound like… what the hell is that? A weed wacker? It isn't Friday. Is it? This has to be a dream, there's no way I missed two days; I've slept for long periods of time, but never 48 hours straight, long. That's like, coma long. God, I hope I haven't peed the bed. 

I cracked one eye open slowly, noting the lack of crust around it. Thank God, I'm finally re-hydrated. I'd been dehydrated for pretty much my entire life, through no one's fault but my own, and I'd always wanted to be one of those girls who could tote around a cute water bottle the size of a milk jug and drink it all in one day. But alas, God had other plans when he made me. Maybe he was distracted, I don't know. But I had been trying to take better care of myself lately, so I guess it finally paid off! Hopefully this means no more headaches, and-

I opened my other eye to stare up at my ceiling. I wonder what ti- wait. "M'kaaaay, maybe I do have eye crust." I mumbled, rubbing my eyes with my index fingers. Cause that's not my ceiling. Have I gone blind? Oh God, am I blind?

I opened my eyes again and flicked my gaze around the room quickly. Okay, not blind. A relieved sigh petered out of my lungs, but it only lasted a second before I cast my eyes around the room again, in earnest this time. This is not my room. My head swiveled left; right; left again. Okay, so I'm dreaming. Damn it, I probably still have eye crust. I shook my head in disappointment as I sat up in bed. The room I was in was small; tiny, even in comparison to mine, which was saying something. There was a single painting on the wall perpendicular to my right, hung precariously on the dusty beige wall. It looked like a lush green forest with a river running through the center. Pretty. 

My eyes continued their journey right and landed on a small, rustic looking side table with an oil lamp on it, along with a well-worn book. On impulse, I picked up the book and stroked its spine while I read the words on the cover. "Liliana's Adventures" Funny. That's my name. Could my brain really not come up with anything better than this for a title? Jeez, and I call myself a writer. A sound between a scoff and a laugh escaped my lips as I set the book back down on the side table and turned my head to the left. 

There was a small table with two rickety wooden chairs and what looked like a sewing project neatly folded on the tabletop. Okay, is my brain trying to tell me to pick up a new hobby or something, or did I watch too much Lord of the Rings last night? I noticed that there was a simple mirror on the wall across from me that reflected the bland beige wall above my head, the door to the tiny room, and a single window, notched in the downward slope of the ceiling to my left. I didn't understand. Why did my subconscious bring me here of all places? And where even is here? I mean, it has to be a dream. I just "woke up" and the inside of my mouth doesn't even feel gross, and there's no way that's real. 

I pulled myself out of the small, stiff bed and padded over to the window, my feet bare on the chilly wooden panels. The most beautiful garden I had ever seen in my life sprawled out before my eyes way down below. Bursts of yellow, white, pink, and red lined a maze of pathways through the middle, and showcased the gorgeous flowers in bloom. Most of them looked like roses. Wow… now I understand the weed wacker. 

I could get lost tracing each walkway with my eyes, and apparently I did, because I didn't hear the angry footsteps stomping up to the door of my room until it burst open and an irate woman screeched through it. "Leisel, quit your dawdling, we are due in the kitchen in five minutes!" The door slammed shut just as suddenly as it had opened and I jumped hard, nearly knocking my head on the sloped ceiling in the process.  "Who the hell is Leisel?"

~

Tags for the Lovelies: @aquagirl1978 @rhodolitesroseforclavis @ikehoe @queengiuliettafirstlady @maries-gallery @nightghoul381 @judejazza @xbalayage @kissmetwicekissmedeadly @alvieeru @aria-chikage @tele86

[darklotuspublishing]

Stitched in Shadows: A Love Bound By Obsession Chapter One

TW: swearing, hints of being stalked, alcohol usage

It was all over the news, “Takashi Kurouta named top fashion designer after making a bold statement with his newest line,” he had the nerve to present something so perverse at the Kyoto fashion exhibition. I couldn’t believe it, Takashi Kurouta was named Japan’s top fashion designer when he didn’t even deserve that title. He was nothing more than a high-end smut peddler with his perverse fashion lines.

“Miss Nakamura, don’t you think it would be best for us to delve into the sex sells trope for your next line?” My assistant Hajime asked.

“Hajime, doll, sex sells is just some bullshit men like Takashi Kurouta created to hypersexualize women,” I responded, my voice laced with obvious disdain for my rival. Hajime could sense my frustration and ceased his commentary and unsolicited advice. I plopped down on my leather couch, picked up my glass of whiskey, and downed it in one gulp. The burn from the alcohol was intense but so delicious at the same time. After a few moments, my new goal was clear. I had to crush Takashi Kurouta at the international fashion exhibition.

The apartment complex security guard came over the intercom, “Miss Nakamura, we have a Mister Kurouta here to see you.” he said.

I groaned, hitting the button on the intercom, “Send him up.” I replied and then sat back on the couch. Within a few moments a resounding “very well” came over the intercom and I was soon face to face with the Devil himself, Takashi Kurouta. What could he possibly want? He never visits my home. Well, at least not for the right reasons.

“Smile princess don’t look so upset. You’ll get on my level one day.” Takashi said with a smug smile on his face.

“Save it Kurouta. We both know that your victory was bullshit!” I yelled, wanting nothing more than to slap that smug grin off of his face. Takashi did nothing more than laugh at my less-than-friendly attitude. He stalked closer to me, closing the distance between us and crouching in front of me.

“How about you let me take you out on a date to make up for upsetting you so much, hm?” Takashi questioned.

My expression changed to one of shock, “You can’t be serious. What makes you think that I would go on a date with you?” I spat, obviously annoyed at his bold proposition.

“Come on, you’re a pretty girl and no girl can say no to me,” Takashi stated confidently.

I couldn’t help but laugh, “Oh, that’s just rich! No girl can say no to you. Really? Well, my answer is no.” I continued laughing as I spoke, wiping a tear from my eye after laughing so hard. Takashi wasn’t used to being rejected by anyone. His expression went from smug, to disappointed and then to anger. He was a ticking time bomb with no real indicator as to when he would snap. Without another word, Takashi stood up and left, slamming my front door behind him.

Hajime looked over at me, “What was that about? He just came here expecting you to date him? I always knew that he was crazy.” He stated, laughter escaping him as he spoke. Takashi’s actions were always laughable. I knew Hajime could never resist a good laugh at Takashi Kurouta’s expense.

“He’s always been a nutcase. Takashi Kurouta thinks that he’s this irresistible bachelor when in reality, he’s just a sad desperate man who has probably never had a girlfriend.” I said, my voice laced with amusement. Hajime burst into girlish squeals and giggles at my comment. His laughter caused me to burst out into laughter. I couldn’t resist laughing along with him, our obvious hatred for Takashi was visible with how hard we were laughing. Eventually, we both settled down and Hajime left, leaving me alone in my penthouse.

Sleep never came easy for me and there was something about Takashi’s sudden visit that made me feel uneasy. Tonight was going to be a long night, especially since I was going to be meeting with several of my designers in the morning. Tomorrow couldn’t come any sooner and I was already dreading it. My biggest rival wanted to date me and I vowed never to date another fashion designer. The fact that Takashi thought that I would date him was ridiculous. It’s been said in countless interviews that I’ve done that I would never date someone in my profession because of the stress it would cause.

After several minutes of debating whether or not to just fall asleep on the couch or get up to get ready for bed, I stood up and stretched, hearing a few pops from my spine and hips as they readjusted to their normal positions. Walking down the hallway, I went into my bedroom at the end of the hall, taking in the sight of my more than inviting California king-sized bed before walking to my closet to retrieve my silk night dress. Stripping out of my Chanel pantsuit, I discarded each piece into the laundry basket that I had labeled as outfits that needed to be dry cleaned instead of machine washed. Looking in my floor-length mirror, I studied how dull my skin had become from the stress of trying to claw my way to the top of the fashion world and sighed, shrugging on my silk night dress that fell just below the curvature of my butt. My body was something I took great pride in, I had a slim waist, flat stomach, decently large but perky breasts, and a decently sized backside. Men wanted me like I was the last cut of expensive steak at a restaurant and women wanted to be me just so they could look like me.

Climbing into bed, I pulled back the satin sheets and let myself fall back onto the pillows, the lights automatically shutting off so that my electric bill wouldn’t climb to some extravagant amount. Staring up at the ceiling, my thoughts began to race. How was I going to dethrone Takashi as one of the best designers in the country and claim the spot of the best designer on the international level? Why is he suddenly so interested in me? I thought we were supposed to be rivals who could be cordial in public but hostile towards each other behind closed doors. None of his actions make sense to me. Takashi was regarded as a ruthless person who would knock even the best of the best in the design world to their knees to get to the top of the ladder. Soon, sleep finally took over, allowing me to clear my thoughts and drift off into a semi-peaceful rest for the few hours I had before my alarm clock started blaring at me.

My alarm was blaring within a few hours, the annoying tune that it played driving me to get out of bed just to turn it off. Once I shut my alarm off, I stripped out of my silk night dress and put on my Yves Saint Laurent suit. It was my favorite suit with a decently tight pencil skirt, silk dress shirt, and a blazer to match. I always paired my outfits with a pair of Louboutin heels in a matching color. As a designer, I had to look my best, or else I wouldn’t be taken seriously.

Giving myself a final once over in the mirror, I exited my bedroom, making my way to the kitchen to grab myself a cup of coffee. As I grabbed a mug from the cabinet, the high-pitched squeal of the intercom caused me to drop the pristine piece of ceramic, shattering it on the tile floor. I groaned in frustration and stalked over to the intercom, hitting the button.

“What is it? I have to leave for work soon!” I said, letting my frustration be known by the tone of my voice.

“My apologies ma’am but, I have a package for Miss Sora Nakamura.” The deliveryman spoke over the intercom.

“That would be me. Please leave it at the door.” I told him, hoping that my request would be honored.

“Sorry Miss Nakamura but, I need you to sign for the parcel.” He replied in an apologetic tone. I sighed and unlocked the door. When I opened it, I was met with a young man, no older than nineteen years old, holding a small box and a clipboard.

The deliveryman handed me the clipboard, “Please sign this ma’am.” He requested. I took the clipboard from him and scribbled my signature on the line. We exchanged the package and clipboard, and he bowed as a sign of respect and quickly left. I shut the door and placed the box on the coffee table. My first thoughts were still on my need for a cup of coffee. Quickly striding into the kitchen and grabbing the broom, I swept up the pieces of my mug and threw them in the garbage.

Putting the broom away and grabbing my travel mug, I poured myself a cup of coffee. The box on the coffee table was suspicious. I wasn’t expecting any packages and the only person with my address was my assistant Hajime. Who could’ve found my address? Nothing about this was adding up and that made me hesitant to open the box.

Checking the time, I realized that I would be late for my meeting. Gathering my things, I rushed out the door, hoping to make it to the office in time for my meeting. My commute was short enough that I was able to walk to and from the office. I was well-liked in my community so people around me would greet me during my walk to work. The walk was short, and the security guard greeted me at the door as I rushed inside. Hajime greeted me from his desk, following me into my office and going over my schedule for the day as I prepared for my meeting. My schedule typically had no variations unless there was an upcoming fashion exhibition.

The meeting went smoothly. My designers presented the progress on the new Spring and Summer lines for this year. Some of them took admirable risks with some more revealing designs. I couldn’t hold it against them for wanting to take some risks. Maybe going outside of my comfort zone is just what I needed to take down Takashi.

Hajime entered my office, “Miss Nakamura, a package was dropped off for you.” He said, showing me the box in his hand.

“Really? I wasn’t expecting any packages. This is the second one today.” I replied, taking the box from him.

“What was the first one? Maybe it was from the same person. Are you seeing someone in secret to keep them away from the public eye?” Hajime questioned; his voice laced with curiosity.

I couldn’t help but laugh, “No. God no. I learned from my last relationship that men and women alike only want me for the money and power that comes with being a well-known designer. Take my advice Hajime, this profession is not for dating. You’ll find that out soon enough.” I told him in between giggles. Hajime was amused by my reaction and began to laugh along with me. We stood there laughing for a few minutes just enjoying ourselves.

“You should probably see what’s in the box. Maybe you have a secret admirer.” Hajime said in between laughs, wiping the tears from his eyes from laughing so hard. I was still laughing so all I could do was nod my head and reach for the scissors on my desk to cut the tape that was keeping the box sealed. Using the scissors, I cut the tape holding down the edges of the box and popped the flaps open. The contents of the box were disturbing, to say the least. I was shocked to find photos of myself during various times of the day, all dated and time-stamped with the exact times that I was inside my penthouse and out of it.

Hajime’s eyes widened at the sight, he knew that this wasn’t a case of a secret admirer, it was a case of someone stalking me. I wanted nothing more than to toss the contents of the box into a fire but out of fear, I kept myself from doing so. Whoever took those pictures would know if I had done it if I truly was being watched. Hajime and I sat there and looked through the photos until we reached the bottom of the box to find a brand new Yves Saint Laurent cocktail dress. I pulled the dress out and inspected it. The dress was in my exact size and favorite color. The person who sent the package has been watching me for a while and knows exactly what I look like, down to the smallest detail. Does that mean that this person has seen me naked?

“Who do you think sent this to you? It must be someone you know if they could get your favorite brand of dress in your exact size and favorite color.” Hajime stated, still in visible shock that someone would be so bold.

“I don’t know who it could have been. Nobody knows my home address or even the exact address for this office building. Whoever it was that sent this is either trying to get my attention or trying to scare me somehow.” I responded, trying to keep my composure and not lose my mind out of fear. Hajime only nodded and left my office, taking the pile of photos with him and locking them in the drawer of his desk. I sat down at my desk, staring at the cocktail dress and racking my brain to try and figure out who it was that sent me the package. That’s when the thought crossed my mind, what was in the box that I left on the coffee table at home? Was it more photos? Maybe it was another piece from the newest Yves Saint Laurent Spring line that hasn’t even been released yet. There was no telling what could be in that box and honestly, I didn’t want to find out purely out of fear that whoever sent the package to my office would be watching the moment I got home.

The workday was dragging by slowly. I had meeting after meeting with various store owners wanting to try and renew contracts to be able to sell my clothing at lower prices when they knew that my pricing to allow my designs to be sold in these stores was set in stone. After meeting with store owners, I had to spend some time in the actual design studio, meeting with models who were being fitted with new pieces from my upcoming lines to be put through a photoshoot to promote the new lines that were set to release at the start of the seasons. Several of the models had complaints that my work wasn’t as revealing as Takashi’s and that they didn’t feel sexy enough wearing my work. I took the criticisms with a grain of salt and dismissed the models that dared to act ungrateful when I had been kind and given them jobs when they were nothing but amateurs in the business.

Hajime handled all my phone calls as normal while I was running around like a madwoman taking care of business as usual within the building, getting things ready for the release of the Spring fashion line and contacting the sponsors that were running the international fashion exhibition that would be held in Yokohama this year. I spent my day getting my name on the roster for the designers being featured in the exhibition and making sure I had a phenomenal lineup of work and models to go down the runway in just a few months at the start of the Summer. This year, I have my work cut out for me. My designers will likely have to work overtime to make sure everything is ready. Yokohama will be the place where I finally knock Takashi Kurouta from the top of the ladder.

“Are you coming over for drinks later Haji? We haven’t had a drinking night in a while.” I asked as Hajime packed up his laptop and a few files.

“Not tonight, Sora my boyfriend is supposed to be coming to my place. He said that he’s got something planned for our anniversary, but we have to celebrate early because he works on our anniversary and can’t do anything that day. I’ll take a raincheck on that drinking night though.” He responded.

“Damnit, alright well, I’ll hold you to that then but you’re staying the night when we have our drinking night,” I told him.

“Deal. How about next weekend?” Hajime asked.

“Sounds like a plan to me. I’ll see you on Monday Haji.” I said, going back to my office to prepare for the end of the day.

Once the workday was finished, I sent all my designers and models home, spending a few minutes alone in my office before leaving the building myself to head home. The walk home was somewhat peaceful except for the overwhelming feeling that I was being watched. I made quick work of my stroll home and made sure to lock my front door and keep the curtains closed so that nobody could see inside the penthouse. The one thing that plagued me the moment I walked in the door was that damned package that I left on the coffee table without opening it. My thoughts started to race, and I was dreading opening the box out of pure fear of what might be inside.

Hesitantly, I picked up the box and peeled away the packing tape that secured the flaps. The name on the return address for the shipping label was blacked out and that just made this entire thing even more unsettling. Slowly, I opened the box, finding no photographs but instead finding several sets of lingerie and a few sex toys that had been left in their packaging, unopened. Who would send something like this to someone? You would have to be sick in the head to send something like this to someone who doesn’t even know who you are.

My stomach churned at the sight but at the same time, I couldn’t help but feel aroused. Did the person sending me this want me to enjoy myself and make myself feel good? Was I going to be watched if I tried on the lingerie and lay in bed to masturbate to the perverse thoughts running through my head? I hope whoever gifted me these items was happy with their purchases. Shaking my head, I quickly took the box to my bedroom and shoved it into the back of my closet. Out of sight, out of mind, and right now, I needed those items out of my sight before I let my impulses get the better of me.

The temptation to try on the lingerie and give the sex toys that were gifted to me a try was there. I knew using any of those items would just give the person stalking me the wrong idea. Using those items was the most sure-fire way to ensure that my stalker would be fully convinced that their feelings would be reciprocated. If I had to put it bluntly, the feelings are not mutual between this unknown stalker and myself. I don’t even know who this person is; they have the gall to send me items like this. Their gesture just shows me that in their eyes, I’m nothing more than a piece of meat or a sex doll to them and that is not something that I could ever see myself being for someone.

“Sick pervert,” I mumbled to myself as I stripped out of my suit and changed into my loungewear. Today was certainly an interesting day for me. I never expected to find out that I was being stalked and discover that whoever was stalking me was probably the one who was sending me sex toys. After a day like today, I needed a stiff drink and good company, but Hajime wasn’t available to sit with me tonight. It looks like tonight will be spent drinking alone and trying to forget about the fact that I have some pervert watching me all the time now.

Leaving my bedroom, I popped my head into each room I passed. The thought of someone watching me was making me increasingly paranoid. Once I made it into the kitchen I was greeted by the sight of my liquor cabinet. There was no hesitation in my movements. I quickly threw open the cabinet doors, my eyes scanning over the bottles. Most of the alcohol I had was dark liquor, I wasn’t very fond of clear liquor after my college days. The only liquor I would drink in college was clear liquor like tequila or vodka.

The sun started to set as I stood in the kitchen searching for the bottle of whiskey I kept for when I needed to unwind. I must have been overly stressed out because it took me nearly an hour to find that damn bottle of whiskey. Once I found the bottle, I just skipped grabbing a glass and drank straight from the bottle. The burn from the whiskey felt more intense but it made me feel normal in a sense. Discovering that I had a stalker sent my anxiety into overdrive.

The alcohol hit me quicker than normal, pushing me into that tipsy yet euphoric feeling that I was in desperate need of. That overwhelming feeling that I was being watched started to subside the more I drank. By midnight I was too drunk to notice that someone was watching me through the only window in my home without curtains.

Within a few minutes, I was nearly passed out drunk on the couch. My head was fuzzy, and I felt like I was flying. It was a good thing that my office was closed tomorrow morning because I was sure that I would inevitably have a hangover in the morning. The whiskey helped me to take my mind off my newfound stalker. By no means did I have a drinking problem, my alcohol typically lasted months at a time before I needed to restock it.

[pookiescurls]

I’m not afraid to say it

Camila Cabello ruined Shawn Mendes

His music was so much better before they were a thing

His last good album was illuminate. Self titled was hit or miss. The newest releases are def a different vibe, and I’m not necessarily into it. Like why why why is fine (the dad line had me shook as I was writing this) but isn’t it enough is NOT it for me.

Isn’t it enough gave me high expectations with the first few seconds but i was really disappointed the more I listened to it

Overall it gives me lower expectations for the album that I WAS super excited for. Those are my first thoughts anyways, they may change by the time the full album comes out

[writingmochi]

an honest review of minisode 3: tomorrow purely from musical observation (not proofread)

opening remarks: i'm one day late and that is definitely still valid. given that there is currently a boycott for big 4 from april 1st to may 1st, i've downloaded the album off of spotify so thank you to the developer who created the software.

is there a reason why both the chaos and name chapters only have two releases on their belt whilst the dream chapters have 3? in a way, i think this is telling of how fast the trend is changing here in kpop and pop culture music in general. i could say that kpop groups are literally cloud chasing the newest tiktok trending music given that le sserafim's newest release is full of familiar sounds rather than establishing their sound. i sure hope this album has a clear way to tell what it wants to tell because i have a pretty big expectation when it comes to txt, especially since i came here blind and deaf cause i don't know anything about this comeback apart from the concept and promotional photos.

speaking of that, concept-wise it seems interesting. i'm currently in a more neutral side because i just realized just how biased i can become even if it doesn't meet my expectations. i like how they basically embrace their fantasy-esque story retelling on things happening to individuals in real life. based on the txt.ibighit, the concept of this release is about past promises, salvation, and hope for tomorrow, which i've felt in a few of the concept photos. i, once again, feel disappointed to know the creative difference in between the concept photos and the music video. it kinda feels like false advertising as i realize the dichotomy of it. as i enter into the sonic world of this album with restrain and neutrality, i hope that the songs can help to invest me with them too.

let's start!

1.i'll see you there tomorrow: what in the illit is this? it sounds rhythmically and melodically complex at the start, which i like. but it became this light hyperpop-esque edm sound. i think this will be a challenging first song to here, especially with kpop fans who are not familiar with "strange beats". the bridge part kind of reminds me of daft punk in a way with beomgyu's voice on the vocoder filter. soobin's timbre is the highlight of this song for me because it has been a long time since i hear low-voice soobin, so i'm glad to hear it here. i like how complex the percussion of the song is, especially in combination with the bass playing.

2.- --- -- --- .-. .-. --- .-- ("tomorrow" in morse code): i know it's literally only morse code and it's definitely lore-based, but why do they bring back the morse code now when the last time we hear it is in crown/dream chapter star? hmmm

3.deja vu: i've heard from people that this title track doesn't have a bridge. that is definitely a minus for me. but let me here it first before continuing to write this.

at first listen, this reminds me of a japanese release of a kpop group. i was reminded of stray kids's slump, maybe because it's the synth that they're using. i like the little sprinkle of a floaty synth behind it as it seems like there is ghost (positively?) haunting the song, that's why it sounded a bit mystical and isekai-ish. i like that little interlude as it enters verse 2. okay, i now understand why there are people who complained about the lack of a bridge cause this song has the potential to be a more tear-jerker than it is now if there is a bridge.

i will compare this song with bts' spring day (which for me gives off similar vibes, especially with their current situation mirroring bts during their time releasing ynwa). i'm always near in tears whenever i hear spring day ever since it was released and i believe it is because of taehyung's bridge and how the song pays off what it is building throughout the listening experience, especially in the music video version with the added band interlude. deja vu has the potential to be txt's take on spring day (some may say it already is), but, for me, the lack of bridge = lack of payoff = lack of grit to the song. that second interlude with the guitar and added like another set of lyrics can definitely alleviate and add that grit i'm searching for. i also think that maybe strings can also be added to aid the tear-jerking sense of the song. but it is synthy so idk how it will be connected (maybe this is an encouragement to use acoustic/natural sound more than midi). i also think the short pre-verse also contributes to the lack of grit this song potentially has because it hasn't fully develop the transition between the verse and the chorus.

other than that, this is the first hybe song where the vocal processing doesn't sink the vocals into the instrumental (until the deja vu part in the chorus). yeonjun's voice has this yearning in it that is definitely to match the vibe of the song. he is definitely the highlight for me. i'm also not surprised at the lack of beomgyu here because this song is high even for me and especially for the boys. beomgyu's songs are the brooding, darker one but this one is more melancholic to hopeful so it is expected to not hear much of him.

a missed potential to add a freaking heartbreaking bridge and a much more grand departure. if they maybe get more inspirations from aespa's welcome to my world then i can hear the track in its fullest potential.

4.miracle: different types of me hearing the world miracle: (1) life could get better~ (suju's miracle) n (2) i believe in miracle (wayv's miracle).

the start of this song reminds me of bts' love myself before changing to enhypen's tfw. okay, it sounds more like those feel-good pop rock songs kinda like enhypen's orange flower or something that i called "road trip songs". it definitely embraces more of rock txt as it delves into something i usually listen at the start of my alt/indie music listening arc. idk why but hearing the synth synchopation at the verse reminds me of the game i'm currently playing, hyper light drifter (which is one of the sound i associated with my fic, subterranean homesick alien). i like the instrumental break at the part where i can say is the bridge, but maybe like a musical breakdown/slowdown where the song slows as it starts with acapella/minimal instrument before rising to the last chorus (that's a beomgyu part and he will definitely shine in that) and i like the cymbals bash at the end as the song closes out.

5.the killa (i belong to you): okay, guitar ooh the latin sound (which i expected seeing the title). it definitely is riding high (maybe dry) of tinnitus with their latin influence. a more lo-fi reggaeton, unlike tinnitus. tbh idk what to say because this is so similar to tinnitus but a bit mellower with the sensuality. i can feel the sensuality with the harmony. with how similar this song is with tinnitus, it also shares its weakness for it to be too droning especially because of the more lo-fi approach. i also don't know what to say on making this song better because i think it is meant to be a song that drones, like those 70's 12" disco songs that can be played for 10 minutes. maybe, if they consider it, making this song more bossa nova it can give off a more unique feeling. surely a bit more sensual but it sounds more like they are serenading you or something. i can also guess from the fact that this is a yeonbin song that it might even have innuendos in the lyrics. another safe entry for me.

6.quarter life: with the title of quarter life and the fact that this a unit song, i thought that THIS song is the yeonbin song because they are in/approaching their quarter life. so i didn't expect the killa to be their songs while beomtyunkai get this song.

i can definitely hear the same influence of this with miracle. the same inspiration maybe because of its rock vibes. it's like the quintessential coming-of-age song you hear in those american coming-of-age movies (say edge of seventeen, perks of being a wallflower type of movies). i can hear the mid 2010s influence of those feel-good songs but i hate how the song abruptly stops anhajkfhaj pls beomgyu sounds so good at the ending but they just decide to finish it. this song deserves a freaking bridge and too hear tyun belt his voice at the last chorus. ughh why are you making a song that can be 3 minutes long so short? me is mad.

7.deja vu (anemoia remix): even i am intrigued with why they decided to put a remix in the main release instead of a one-off single. but after listening to the song, i definitely understand why.

this version of the song is the one that i'm willing to pay to watch live (but i can't tho cause i'm boycotting hybe) because for me, this song doesn't deserve to have a choreo and i rather watch them sing their hearts out. in a way, this version of the song is the happier ending compared to the original's more melancholic. hearing the main synth being put here in it's original form makes it weird, like, you couldn't adjust the synth with the band background? idk, like make it sound more like an organ instead of an 80's synth.

even though in the context of which one i want to watch live, it's this remix. the original deserves to be the title track because i can't imagine this version of the song having to use the choreo. in kpop sense, using this version as the title track will actually erase the other pivotal part of kpop: the performance aspect. yet, i could definitely see this song being performed in the festival circuit (hopefully they do that)

closing remarks: concept-wise and now sound-wise, the concept photos captures perfectly of what the album sounds like (but i just dislike how the music video is different than the concept photos). other than that, especially coming from freefall, this album is definitely underwhelming for me. did it meet my expectations? it exceeds it actually but i just have the feeling that it isn't optimal enough.

to have txt embracing their pop rock side with soft rock now (especially with balletcore, fantasy, n rocker fallen angels as part of the concept) definitely defines them as the rock representative that i have assigned them too (along with woodz for the more grittier alt sounds and dreamcatcher with the heavy metal rock songs) and it shows in how i think their creative director knows that txt = rock, which validates my txt as a rock band au so much but i digress. this side of rock that they're showing is definitely the rock that can be found on tiktok--those songs you hear in those feel good tiktok which is imo a very beginner-friendly side of rock because of its pop n rnb influence. i also like that they're experimenting with i'll see you tomorrow, especially in the verses but the chorus sounds too generic.

i actually really describing this release their spring incarnate song. it's just a shame that they didn't do more with it. and also 17 min ep for 7 songs? i'm actually mad cause that is a freaking scam and the fact that none, NONE, of the song has sung bridges is just *sighs*

final ranking:

7. - --- -- --- .-. .-. --- .-- (it's literally morse code)

6.the killa (i belong to you) (too droning)

5.quarter life (that abrupt ending makes this drop against miracle even though instrumentally i like this one better)

4.miracle (it feels too safe for me)

3.i'll see you tomorrow (will like it better if they embrace the weirdness instead of making it into the pop mold)

2.deja vu (anemoia remix) (pls don't force the choreo to this one)

1.deja vu

small conclusion: how could it have been if deja vu had the spring day x welcome to my world treatment... just add the life-changing bridge, a chorus of string insturments, and voila: best txt title track. lovesong is still my fav title track but ughh what a missed opportunity. f u hybe and bighit for not taking risks

PLS TAKE RISKS!!!

[reblip-reblog]

The Evolution of Link by Dan Ryckert

Scan of pages 38-39 from Game Informer Issue 222: The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword

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Transcript & Close-Ups:

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The Evolution of Link by Dan Ryckert

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The Legend of Zelda (1987)

Link's debut introduced many of his trade-marks — a green tunic, his silent manner, and iconic items like the boomerang, bombs, and bow. When gamers saw him in-game, many wondered what the odd green pixels above his eyes were. We still don't know for sure.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1988)

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link shifted our view of the hero thanks to its sidescrolling nature. We saw him from the top-down on the over-world map, but most of our time with him was running from left to right in XP grinding runs.

A Link to the Past (1992)

With Link to the Past, the Christian cross imagery was replaced with the iconic Triforce and other designs. While the character's art has almost always portrayed him with blond/brown hair, his in-game sprite appeared to have pink hair.

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Link's Awakening (1993) • Oracle of Ages / Oracle of Seasons (2001)

Link's three installments on the Game Boy didn't take the look of the character in any unexpected directions. With the system's limited screen resolution, Nintendo developers didn't have much room to work with when it came to the character's in-game model.

Ocarina of Time (1998)

In previous titles, Link's age was never clearly defined. With his 3D debut, we got to see two distinct versions of the hero — Young Link and Adult Link. The latter is the model that became most recognizable, serving as the basis for his appearances in Soul Calibur II and Super Smash Bros.

Majora's Mask (2000)

Majora's Mask may have featured gameplay mechanics based on time, but Link remained young throughout. This disappointed some who enjoyed the more mature Link from Ocarina of Time, but the 24 masks in the game guaranteed he'd have more abilities than ever before.

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Majora's Mask (2000)

Other masks in the game granted him new abilities, but the Deku, Goron, and Zora masks turned Link into new creatures entirely. These allowed him to navigate around Termina differently, and even changed the instrument he played.

Majora's Mask (2000)

Once all the other masks were collected, Link could turn into his most intimidating form ever — Fierce Deity Link. This form was only available during boss fights, and allowed Link to shoot beams out of his curving sword.

Wind Waker (2003)

With his GameCube debut, Link was reintroduced in his most controversial form yet. Thanks to the cel-shaded style of Wind Waker, Link appeared more child-like and cartoonish than ever. While some gamers cried foul over this new direction, the game and art design are generally looked back upon fondly.

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Four Swords Adventure (2004) • Minish Cap (2005) • Phantom Hourglass (2007) • Spirit Tracks (2009)

After Wind Waker, Link's portable adventures stuck with the Toon Link design. From the size-changing Minish Cap on GBA to his two DS titles, the expressive and simple design worked well on the small screen.

Twilight Princess (2006)

Link's return to form was so well-received that longtime Zelda fans openly wept in the audience when he was shown off at E3 2004. His final GameCube game (and Wii debut) featured the most adult-looking Link to date, as well as an alternate wolf form.

Skyward Sword (2011)

With his newest adventure, Link is looking decidedly classic. No drastic changes have been made to his iconic design, but Hyrule looks different thanks to the game's watercolor-like visuals.

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[assortedalice]

Fallout has lost what made it Fallout

Fallout, praised as a series that (in it’s pre-Bethesda days) revolutionized what ‘role playing game’ meant for a game, is inevitably doomed because of Bethesda’s decision to keep game development in house for future titles.

It’s not worth debating whether the old Fallout games were better than the newer ones, because for all intents and purposes they are trying to accomplish completely different things. The direction that Bethesda has chosen to take with the last two installments in the franchise (Fallout 4 and Fallout 76) is light and day compared to what the original games were. The original games had much more focus on role playing and were quite a bit darker in tone (they did lighten up over time, but Fallout 1 was nothing short of bleak). They were top-down, turn based, and brutal. At their hearts, they were classic role playing games.

Fallout 3 was originally being made by Black Isle (a subsidiary of Interplay) before the series got sold by Interplay to Bethesda, who then finished the game. This is likely why it’s such an outlier compared to Fallout 4 and 76.

The two newest games, Fallout 76 and Fallout 4, are utterly different games. They have a heavy focus on the atmosphere, the graphics, and the gun play. The idea of them being ‘role playing games’ is thrown around a bit, but compared to what they came from, it’s a side-label at best. What they are is open world, post apocalyptic Call of Duty campaigns within the universe of Fallout. And despite some Bethesda headaches (Fallout 76′s unplayability on release, reliance on mods, greedy bullshit with paid mods and pay to win mechanics in 76, lore additions that don’t make sense, etc.) they did a pretty good job. Blowing the heads off of super mutants with a teddy bear is super fun, and the world is seamless and fun to explore. Especially with mods.

But the thing is, they’re vastly different games than Fallout New Vegas, Fallout 2, and Fallout 1. And honestly, being an assassin who doubles as a child-killing porn star in New Reno in Fallout 2, or a dimwitted Legion slaver who’s addicted to whiskey in Fallout New Vegas to me beats Fallout 4 every day. They’re likely not going to be changing direction for the series anytime soon. So for the fans like myself, who want Fallout to return to it’s roots, or to get another out of house game like New Vegas, we’ll likely be disappointed. Fallout has lost what made it Fallout, and even though the new games succeed in what they’re trying to do, it’s not what I’m looking for in a Fallout game.

[montdargent]

mid-year book freak out tag

thank you @pinkasrenzo for tagging me (? maybe accidentally? was it just a mention who knows)

1. Best Book You’ve Read So Far in 2023? The wee free men, by Terry Pratchett: witches, scottish fairies and a coming of age story set in the discworld universe. what's not to like? officially my new favourite discworld series

2. Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far in 2023? A hat full of sky, by Terry Pratchett: these are just excuses to talk about the tiffany aching series tbh. also granny weatherwax is back, so that's easy money

3. New Release You Haven’t Read Yet, But Want To? Deadly ever after (Rivers of London graphic novels), by Ben Aaronovitch: the rivers of london novels, novellas and short stories are not enough. i need to inhale these graphic novels too. i can't wait for chaotic river goddess twins shanenigans!

4. Most Anticipated Release For Second Half of 2023? The deep sky, by Yume Kitasei: not many anticipated releases for that time, but it was reccomanded to me and the synopsis sounds right up my alley

5. Biggest Disappointment? Leave the world behind, by Rumaan Alam: a cool premise but incredibly boring execution and not my preferred writing style. a disappointment mostly because it was so amped up

6. Biggest Surprise? No exit, by Taylor Adams: i'm not usually into thrillers, so i didn't have particularly high expectations. but it was really good at building tension, delivered a satisfying ending and had a badass final girl that was easy to root for

7. Favorite New Author? Alison Bechdel: read "Fun home" because a friend of mine wanted to show me the musical and fell in love with it. i can already tell why her works are considered queer classics and i plan to read everything i can find by her

8. Newest Favorite Character? Tiffany Aching: see point 2. most children protagonists fall a bit flat for me or they have at least a couple of moments where their actions or internal monologue feel just unauthentic. and then an adult british cis man writes a smart, lonely, strange little girl and he makes me feel like he knew my child-self better than most family members. and that's why i love terry pratchett (among many things) and why i would die and kill for tiffany aching. she is the one true heir of esme weatherwax and i can't wait to read more of her

9. Newest Fictional Crush? Jordan Baker (from The chosen and the beautiful by Nghi Vo): what can i say, i could never resist a bisexual brunette who was too smart for anyone's good and falls a bit in love with everyone <3

💕Best Ship💕 Blue/Hamal (from Taproot by Keezy Young): just some cute friends-to-lovers fluff with plants and ghosts. honourable mentions are: the extremely toxic polycule from tcatb. that's for new ships, but i have to mention peter/beverly: they're still the best power couple in the greater metropolitan london area (i know i cheated and said three but i can't choose)

10. Book That Made You Cry? I'm glad my mom died, by Jeanette McCurdy: a very tough read, especially with the audiobook narrated by the author herself with all the emotion she puts into the reading. not for the faint of heart, but the pain is absolutely worth it

11. Book That Made You Happy? The fey and the furious (Rivers of London graphic novels) by Ben Aaronovitch: it's a comic version of a series i love, about fairies and drag racing. the pun in the title! i was smiling ear to ear the whole time

12. Favorite Book Adaptation You Saw This Year? Nimona (2023): i just finsihed rewatching it and i will do it again. i was obsessed with the gn at 18 and i'm obsessed with the movie now. between this and she-ra nd stevenson just owns my ass at this point. even with all the changes from the original, it still captures the spirit of it beautifully, with all the added layers of how the author changed and grew since then. i love it with my whole queer heart <3

13. Favorite Review You’ve Written This Year? i don't write reviews anymore, but maybe i should start again just for myself

14. Most Beautiful Cover? The priory of the orange tree, by Samantha Shannon: colour scheme? on point. lettering? beautiful. a dragon? fuck yeah

15. What Books Do You Need To Read By The End of The Year? ideally i'll complete my reading challenge, but for now i just hope i finish the ones i already started, so "One hundred years of solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez "Cemetery boys" by Aiden Thomas and "Circe" by Madeline Miller

[harveyhawkscripts]

[M4M] Brool the Library Gargoyle [Gargoyle Speaker] [Soft Fantasy] [Romance]

Categories: M4M, Gay, Fantasy, Romance, Storm Sounds

Synopsis: The listener has fallen asleep at the local library, causing them to be locked in for the night. One of the library's local gargoyles, Brool, finds them asleep at one of the tables and accidentally wakes them up.

About Brool: "Brool" means a low roar or deep murmur. If that does not match the speaker's voice, feel free to change his name. Brool is lonely, less athletic than his fellow gargoyles, and enjoys literature. He has a scholar's mind and romantic heart, but he can also be awkward, overly idealistic, and at times downright rude. Also, he is very gay.

Google Doc

Ellipses (...) are listener replies

[Footsteps]

BROOL

Hm. The librarian forgot to draw the curtains again. Well, what better night than that of a full moon. A few dark clouds, but how gently the light illuminates their silver outlines. It's a perfect night for -

[Shifting]

Huh?

(Whispering) He's asleep. But what is he still doing here? The staff should have locked up half an hour ago. Did no one do a final sweep before closing?

(Whispering) And he had to fall asleep right in front of the romance section. There go my plans for the night.

(Whispering) Well... At least he is a handsome stranger.

[Shifting]

(Whispering) I should go -

[Thunk]

Agh! Shit, my tail!

…

Oh. Um. H-hello. Lovely night, isn't it? Aside from the storm rolling in, of course –

…

Ah, no no no no! Calm down, please don't scream. Please? I promise, I won't harm you.

Truly, I won't! On my honor.

...

I am a gargoyle. Perhaps you've seen me before? Up on the corner ledge on the front of the building?

...

Yes, that would be me! We gargoyles sleep during the day. Or, rather, we go into a dormant, half-awake state.

...

Hahaha! No, my dear. It's not like that at all. We aren't -- we don't turn to stone, goodness! We can move around if we so choose, gargoyles are simply nocturnal.

...

It may look so, but it's actually thick keratin, much like alligator skin.

...

Pardon?! Y-you would like to -- to feel it?

Ahem. Ah, it's fine. You managed to catch me a bit off--guard is all. However,... I do believe curiosity should be rewarded. And while usually such a request would be entirely improper... you may touch my arm.

...

My... your hands are very soft.

(Whispering) His fingertips are like rose petals...

Hm? Ah, nothing!

...

The other gargoyles? Yes, they're awake. Though they prefer to keep to themselves. They often wander off at night, so we don't spend much time together. They prefer more athletic pursuits, but I... Well, truth be told I'm not the strongest flier. Oh, I fly down to the docks on occasion, but never farther. Though, what I lack in strength I make up for in knowledge! I have an entire library at my claw-tips, after all.

...

Not every book, no. While I have attempted all of them - save for the newest arrivals - there are some not even I can stomach. And I consider myself quite liberal in my standards. Even if I don't particularly enjoy a book, I can usually still appreciate it. Some, though...

...

My favorite? Poetry. The classics, mostly. Bashō, Hughes, Dickenson. But, particularly, um... Neruda, Hemphill, and Essex.

....

(Disappointed) You haven't? Well, no matter! There are plenty of anthologies you can borrow here. I was actually going to take a book down to the docks to read, but those storm clouds are moving in quick. Ah, well. We can stay in and I'll show you my trove of knowledge-- I have a personal collection of books not even the librarian has heard of! What do you usually read?

...

Oh? I haven't heard that title. Is it a novel or a collection of essays, or...

...

An online comic strip. I see.

...

Nothing! There's nothing wrong with that at all! Any art is worth making, I just... From all of those journals and books strewn about the table, I assumed you were a scholarly type and into, you know... more intellectually stimulating material.

[Journal opening, pages flipping]

What the - these are all doodles of little sheep on dates! But, but then what are all of these -- ah, these are all... romance novels.

...

Date ideas. For the sheep. Of course. So... You aren't a prodigious scholar burning the candle at both ends?

...

You're a cashier who does art commissions on the side?

...

Well -- I don't know! Wishful thinking, perhaps? So I have a thing for the academic types, so what? When your only company is fantasy romance protagonists, you tend to idealize a bit in your head.

...

That's -- that's not what I meant, I --

...

No, I...

(Sigh) You're right. You must just want to return home, but here I am making such judgements and being unnecessarily rude. I haven't even asked your name. My apologies, dear. This is my first conversation with a human, you see. Perhaps we could try again?

...

Thank you, dear. My name is Brool. It's a pleasure to meet you. Now, how did you manage to sleep all the way through closing?

...

Yes, well. Unfortunately, those sugar-loaded energy drinks only keep you wired for so long. I assume the crash put you right out. Hm... the bus station is not too far of a walk if you would like me to escort you.

...

You don't have fare money? And you're new in town so you don't have a pass... That makes things a bit harder. You've memorized your address, haven't you? If it's not too far, maybe I can fly you there before the storm rolls in.

...

You live near the docks. You are quite the unlucky human tonight, aren't you, dear?

...

Oh? And why not?

...

(Flustered) Well, I, uh -- that's -- um. Ahem. That's. Very kind of you to say. I find myself enjoying your company, as well.

Now, as for your situation. How about you stay here for the night? You would be heading right into the storm if you left, and the librarian has a sofa and some snacks in her office. You can sleep there.

...

Of course. The librarian always forgets to lock it. She's getting up there in age. It should be perfect.

...

Is that so? You certainly seemed tired when you were slumped over your notebooks.

...

Haha! I'm just teasing, dear. I understand it would be hard to sleep in these circumstances. Come along. The storm hasn't reached us yet. It may be a bit bluster, but we may have time for a stroll in the garden before the rain comes.

...

No need to worry. The library's security alarm will take but a moment to disable, then we can go through the employee door in the back.

[Sound of wind, rustling, maybe wind-chimes]

Why do you look so nervous? Is something wrong?

....

The storm... Frightens you? Oh, don't be silly, dear! Right now it's just wind and distant thunder. There's nothing to worry about. Besides, I'll be there to catch you if a gust of wind tries to sweep you away.

…

Ah, fresh air... mmh, feels good to finally stretch my wings... Ah, human? Why are you staring?

...

Beautiful...? Oh! It is beautiful, isn't it? The local schoolkids planted this garden. I often come out here to read Bashō . "The face of a flower/ is it feeling shy/ the hazy moonlight."

(Sigh) Ah, the haiku. Truly, one of the most evocative forms of poetry despite its brevity. I must admit, the ability to be concise is lost on many a poet, myself included –

…

Hm? Me?! No - well, yes, I did just say - but I'm hardly any good! Not by any professional standards. It's simply a hobby, really.

...

You would? Well... My poetry is rather special to me. It's very personal, you see, so I rather like to keep it private. We've only just met each other and –

[Thunder]

Goodness! Are you alright? I didn't know humans could jump so high.

...

Right, the storm. Would you like to go inside?

...

Are you sure?

...

Hold my hand? I... suppose that would be alright, if it would make you feel better... Oh, human. You're trembling. Here, let me shield you from the wind with my wing. There we are. How's that, dear?

...

Good.

...

Oh, it's not that. I just haven't shared my poetry with anyone before. As you can imagine, I've scarcely had the chance.

...

Certainly not! The others don't share my appreciation for the literary arts. I doubt they would take my work seriously.

That isn't to say I dislike them! They're good folk; we've protected the library together since it was built. We simply have nothing in common.

...

Gargoyles are creatures made of magic. Historically, humans aren't often fond of magic. And if they are, it's only for their own benefit.

...

Well, the library is my place. Every gargoyle has a place they protect. My family has lived in this town for generations, and the library is where I feel the most at home. I can't quite explain what it feels like, it's just an instinct.

 ...

This again? You really aren't going to let it go, are you?

...

Hm... I suppose a fresh pair of eyes would be helpful... How about this? We're still getting to know each other. Let's see where the night takes us, dear. We can talk, and when you're ready to sleep you can retire to the librarian's office. I'll write a poem especially for you while you rest, then once the storm passes I'll take you home.

...

Yes, then you can read my poem.

...

It's perfectly fair. You can tell me what you thought of it tomorrow night.

[Thunder, rain]

Damn it all, looks like the storm caught up to us.

...

Oh, don't fret! It's alright, dear. Come on, take my arm. Back inside we go.

...

Ahaha, don't worry about that, dear. The water will drain through the spout whether I'm there or not.

...

Of course it counts. Who here is the gargoyle?

…

The rain doesn't bother me in the slightest. It slides right off my skin. It can be a pain to fly in, but other than that I find it rather refreshing. Now, let's warm you up and get you something warm to eat.

[Time Skip]

There you are, my dear. It isn't much, but this portable heater should keep you warm through the night. Have you had enough to eat?

...

Good. As forgetful as the librarian is, she always keeps her snack drawer fully stocked. Now, try to get some rest. I'll wake you early to fly you home.

What's wrong? Are you still on edge?

...

A bit....Very well. I'll stay by your side until you fall asleep. Lie back and relax, my dear. When you wake the storm will have passed.

...

Yes, and I will have written your poem. If there's time before the library opens, I may even recite it to you.

...

Yes, really. Now goodnight, my dear.

[Pen/pencil on paper]

END

[quoteablebooks]

The Mid-Year Freak Out Tag

Is it currently August, yes. But hey, better late than never right? Here is what my first half of reading looked like.

Best Book You’ve Read So Far in 2024?

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke was just a fun and surprising read for me this year. I know that everyone and their cousin was raving about this novel when it came out, but I have been burned by popular books before. I waited until all the hype died down before picking it up and was pulled into the interesting and confusing world that we are presented. I am now attempting to get all my friends to read it as well. 

Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far in 2024

I have read a lot of companion novels instead of true sequels this year. If we are talking about the true continuation of a story sequel, it has to be Fire with Fire by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian. I am not sure what I expected from this series, but the dark and sometimes twisted turns that this YA novel takes really surprised me and kept me turning the pages 

If we are counting companion novels, it has to be A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi. I loved the world that Chokshi takes the reader into and I loved the companionship between Gauri and Vikram instead of the instant love that was in The Star-Touched Queen. 

New Release You Haven’t Read Yet, But Want To?

I don’t usually keep up with new releases, but I do have a book box so I get more of them than I used to. I think the two that I got recently that I really want to get to are The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden and The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim. 

Most Anticipated Release The Second Half of 2024?

I have a preorder for Wisteria by Adalyn Grace so I am excited to go through the whole series when that comes in. If we get Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao this year, that will also be on my list. 

Biggest Disappointment?

I was disappointed by Faebound by Saara El-Arifi because there was so much promise but it focused on things that I wasn’t interested in. I was also disappointed by Well-Matched by Jen DeLuca after liking the first two books in the companion series. 

Biggest Surprise?

I can’t talk about my biggest surprise due to it being a St. Martin’s Press title, which is annoying because I really did enjoy that book and its sequel is one of my most anticipated. The Will of the Many by James Islington was better than expected, again because I rarely trust things that get popular on the internet. The Honey Witch by Sydney J Shields was also unexpectedly good, though I have some issues with the pacing and tone shift near the end. I like The Tainted Cup as well by Robert Jackson Bennett because I hadn’t expected to be so immersed in the world and the characters in book one. 

New Favorite Author?

I think that I can say that Patrick Radden Keefe is now my favorite non-fiction author after reading Empire of Pain and Say Nothing. I think I need to read more from the other authors I enjoyed this year to say that they are an all-time favorite, such as Jen Deluca and Robert Jackson Bennett. 

Newest Fictional Crush?

I am an old woman now, so it takes a lot for me to have a fictional crush, especially because all the men are 5,000-year-old Fae or teenagers. While I enjoyed the male leads in the romances I read this year, none of them had me swooning. Perhaps the second half of the year will change that. 

Newest Favorite Character?

I really enjoyed Ana Dolabra from The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett and her Sherlock vibes and bluntness. I liked Jin from A Tempest of Tea as well because I love a good confident male best friend. 

Book That Made You Cry?

None. It takes a lot for me to cry in a book and while there are some really emotional books, such as Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle and The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly, but there were no tears shed. 

Book That Made You Happy?

Well Met by Jen DeLuca made me really happy and probably the first romance book that made me want to pick up another one right away. I also enjoyed the cozy atmosphere of The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields, even with the darker turns at the end of the novel. 

Most Beautiful Book You Bought This Year?

I have a book box subscription and the prettiest ones I received were The Honey Witch by Sydney J Shields and A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene, though I have not read it yet. 

What Books Do You Really Need to Read By The End of the Year?

There are some St. Martin’s Press books that I want to get to, but in August I will have all of the Belladonna trilogy by Adalyn Grace that I want to read. I also want to read The Scholomance trilogy by Naomi Novik because, again, I own the whole series. However, dark academia is more of a fall read. 

[daxwritesstories]

College AU Part 15: How Old Are You

Scene 1: Old money bitch

(Scene title by underscores)

INT. Car dealership - Afternoon

Ace and Cyra are strolling through the dealership. Ace is looking at the cars and Cyra is looking at Ace.

ACE: So, how did you know that I wanted a Benz?

Cyra makes a face like she just remembered something bad.

CYRA: Uh... don't worry about it.

A dealer approaches them.

DEALER: Hi there. Can I help you two out today?

ACE: Yes... Which model do you recommend?

DEALER: Do we have a budget?

Ace looks at Cyra.

CYRA: No budget. Whatever he wants.

Ace smiles at the dealer, who gives Cyra a skeptical look.

DEALER: You don't look old enough to drive.

CYRA: I'm eighteen. You can look at my ID if you want.

Cyra speaks in a confident, passive-aggressive tone. The dealer smiles and nods.

DEALER: Our newest models are this way.

The dealer leads the way to a different part of the building. As the pair follow him, Ace frowns and bends down to talk to Cyra in a low voice.

ACE: You better be eighteen.

Cyra snickers.

We cut to some time later. The dealer is smiling and writing something down on a clipboard.

DEALER: This is an excellent choice, Mr. Diamond. You have a refined taste in vehicles.

Ace giggles and plays with his hair.

ACE: I'm sure you say that to all your customers.

Cyra rolls her eyes.

DEALER: No, no! I'm truly impressed. Did we have any paint colors in mind today?

ACE: Pink.

DEALER: Uh, well, that will cost a bit extra. Since it's an unconventional color.

Ace looks at Cyra.

CYRA: Like I said, whatever he wants.

DEALER: Perfect! So, if you'll just sign here, Miss Drake...

The dealer hands Cyra the clipboard and pen. Cyra doesn't even flinch when she sees the price on the form. She just calmly signs it and hands it back to the dealer.

Cyra digs through her bag and pulls out her wallet. She opens it up and searches for a certain card. Ace looks over her shoulder to see how many cards she has.

Once Cyra finds the card, she hands it to the dealer.

CYRA: This will cover it.

The dealer smiles.

DEALER: I will be right back.

The dealer walks over to a private room.

ACE: Having regrets?

CYRA: Nope! I always wanted to buy a car.

ACE: You're really not allowed to drive?

CYRA: My parents aren't strict at all. But that was the one thing they wouldn't budge on. They think I'll get a DUI or something.

ACE: I guess that you having a criminal record would look bad for them.

CYRA: Yeah.

Cyra nervously glances at Ace.

CYRA: Um...

Cyra starts searching through her bag again.

CYRA: I know I said I wouldn't ask for anything in return but...

Cyra pulls an envelope out of her bag and holds it out to Ace. Ace raises an eyebrow and takes the envelope.

ACE: What is this?

Ace starts opening it. Cyra replies in an unusually shy tone.

CYRA: I'm throwing a Halloween party. I'd be really happy if you came to it.

Ace finishes opening the envelope and pulls the card out.

ACE: Can I bring Zayn?

Cyra sighs and responds in a dramatically annoyed tone.

CYRA: Yes you can bring Zayn.

Ace giggles.

ACE: Okay, I'll be there. Who else is invited?

CYRA: All my friends.

ACE: Are your friends as crazy as you are?

CYRA: No, it's just me. Well... Arabella and Connor are kinda crazy. But you might like them.

Ace smiles.

ACE: Then I can't wait to meet them.

Cyra smiles back and blushes.

Scene 2: Maneater

(Scene title by Hall and Oates)

INT. Boy's dorm hallway - Afternoon

Cyra knocks on one of the doors. She seems confused when Devin answers it. He looks her up and down and leans on the door frame.

DEVIN: Hey...

CYRA: Hi... Is this Connor's dorm?

Devin nods, looking slightly disappointed.

DEVIN: Yeah. Connor!

CONNOR (from inside the dorm): Hold on, I'm changing!

CYRA: Lemme see!

Cyra tries to look inside the dorm. Devin smiles and moves to block her view.

DEVIN: Nah, look at me instead.

Cyra smiles and points at Devin.

CYRA: Wait a minute! You're that guy, aren't you?

DEVIN: What guy?

CONNOR (from inside the dorm): She's the crazy chick you never texted!

Cyra nods.

CYRA: My friends gave you my phone number but you never even texted me.

DEVIN: Oh that.

CONNOR (from inside the dorm): Okay I have pants on now!

Devin nods behind him and Cyra follows him into the room.

INT. Connor & Devin's dorm - Afternoon

DEVIN: So... why did your friends want me to text you?

Cyra shrugs.

CYRA: They probably thought I'd scare you off.

Cyra reaches into her bag and pulls out an envelope. She hands it to Connor, who immediately starts opening it.

DEVIN: You'd... scare me?

CYRA: I eat boys for breakfast.

Cyra bares her teeth at Devin and runs her tongue across them.

CONNOR: Yo! A Halloween party?!

CYRA: You know I had to.

CONNOR: Let's goooo! I have the perfect costume!

DEVIN: You're throwing a party?

CYRA: Yeah! Oh!

Cyra reaches into her bag and pulls out another envelope, which she hands to Devin.

CYRA: You can come too if you want. I rented out an entire bar, so there's room for everyone.

CONNOR: Oooo, can I put him in a slutty costume?

DEVIN: No!

CYRA: Yes!

CONNOR: I'm thinking lumberjack. No wait, he's not hairy enough.

Devin looks offended.

CYRA: Lifeguard?

CONNOR: That could work... Oh! What about a cowboy?

Cyra gasps.

CYRA: Yes! Sexy sheriff!

CONNOR: And, brother, I'm an outlaw who just got caught.

Cyra and Connor laugh and high-five each other.

DEVIN: Uh, don't I get a say in this?

CYRA: Shut up.

Devin throws his hands up in disbelief.

CONNOR: Is, uh, that Erik guy coming?

CYRA: Yes. We "made up".

Cyra does air quotes around "made up". Connor laughs.

CONNOR: Nice.

CYRA: Well! I'll see you two on Saturday.

DEVIN: I don't even know if I can go yet.

CYRA: You'd better be there or I'll hunt you down.

Devin looks a bit scared.

Scene 3: How Old Are You

(Scene title by Miko Mission)

INT. Music classroom - Morning

It looks like class just ended. Everyone is packing up and slowly leaving the classroom.

Drew walks up to Roman's desk, holding an envelope.

ROMAN: How can I help you, Drew?

Drew throws the envelope onto the desk.

DREW: This is from Cyra. She's throwing a Halloween party on Saturday and she wants you there.

Roman picks up the envelope, looking at it suspiciously.

ROMAN: Really?

DREW: I guess she thinks you're pretty cool. She only invited one other prof.

ROMAN: Hm. Maybe. You don't have to answer this since I'm your professor, but are you one of Cyra's many exes?

DREW: I thought that was pretty obvious.

Roman smiles.

ROMAN: Well I didn't want to assume anything.

DREW: Cyra's a serial dater so we didn't last long. Even though I was her first boyfriend.

ROMAN: Well, I'm not one for gossip, but that's what I've heard.

DREW: It's weird though. I don't think she's tried to date anyone yet this year. I know we're only two months in, but that's a long time for Cyra to be single.

ROMAN: Yeah, that's pretty weird. I'm surprised she doesn't have her eyes on anyone yet. Has she shown any interest in wanting to get back with you?

Drew laughs.

DREW: I'm not looking to date anyone right now and she knows that. And it's been almost ten years since we broke up.

ROMAN: Oh. You dated when you were eight?

Drew smiles and gives Roman a confused look.

DREW: I never told you how old I am.

ROMAN: Cyra told me. Well, I asked her. I just assumed you two were the same age.

Now Drew looks even more confused.

DREW: ...why'd you ask her that?

ROMAN: Just to make conversation.

Roman frowns and his tone changes, now sounding slightly threatening.

ROMAN: Why do you think I asked her?

Drew glances to the side, thinking.

DREW: That's just a... weird thing to ask a girl who's not your student.

Roman tilts his head.

ROMAN: Is it?

Drew pauses to think again.

DREW: Uh... I guess not if you're friends.

Roman squints at Drew, his smile disappearing. It makes Drew a little uncomfortable.

DREW: Um, well, hopefully I see you there on Saturday!

ROMAN: Yeah, I'll see you there. Have a good day, Drew.

Drew nods and walks away.

Scene 4: Come Out and Play

(Scene title by The Offspring)

INT. Cafeteria - Noon

Cyra walks into the cafeteria with her phone held up to her ear.

CYRA: What? No! Why would I do that? He's way too old for me. And he's a professor! That would be weird.

Cyra looks extremely nervous as she listens to the other person on the phone.

CYRA: That's just a thing that older men do. Happens to me all the time. It doesn't mean anything.

Cyra pauses to listen again.

CYRA: Well, don't worry. I wouldn't do something like that, okay?

As Cyra walks through the cafeteria, she notices Axel and Phoenix sitting at a table across from each other. Axel looks scared, holding his hands to his chest and leaning away from Phoenix. Cyra makes a concerned face and stops walking.

CYRA: Yeah, I know. Thanks, Drew. I really appreciate that. Um... I have to go. I'll talk to you later, okay?

Cyra giggles.

CYRA: Okay, I promise. Bye-bye.

Cyra hangs up and walks over to where Axel and Phoenix are sitting.

CYRA: Hey, Axel.

Phoenix turns to look at Cyra. Axel immediately drops his fearful composure, trying to act normal.

AXEL: Hi, Cyra.

Axel hastily gestures at Phoenix.

AXEL: Uh, t-this is my boyfriend, Phoenix.

PHOENIX: Pleasure to meet you, Cyra. Are you one of Axel's friends?

Cyra glances at Axel.

CYRA: Uh... not really. I'm friends with his roommate, actually. We just know each other by proxy.

PHOENIX: Ah, I see.

Cyra looks at Axel.

CYRA: I'd love to get to know you better though, Axel.

Axel seems surprised when Cyra talks directly to him. He nervously fixes his hair.

AXEL: Oh, well, I'm not the most social person...

PHOENIX: He's very shy.

Cyra nods understandingly.

CYRA: Well, I don't want you to feel left out just because you're shy... Oh, I know! Would you two like to come to my Halloween party this weekend?

Phoenix smiles.

PHOENIX: Both of us?

CYRA: Sure! There's plenty of extra room on the guest list. Anyone's welcome, really. Here.

Cyra reaches into her bag and pulls out two envelopes. She hands one to Phoenix.

CYRA: One for you!

She hands the other to Axel.

CYRA: And one for you!

PHOENIX: Invitations?

CYRA: Mhm! They have all the info on them. I hope I see you two there.

PHOENIX: Sure.

Cyra smiles and walks away, but not without checking over her shoulder a couple of times to see Axel's reaction.

[megsbooklr]

Mid Year Book Freak Out 2023

Best Book You’ve Read So Far: The Hound of Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle

I've always been wondering why many people say it's the best SH story - now I finally know ^^ I love stories that change your initial ideas about the characters and the events to such degree!

Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far: Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan

Very satisfying conclusion to Xingyin's fight for her family and love!

Most Anticipated Release for the Second Half of the Year: 

Dusza pokryta bliznami by Robert M. Wegner (yay, we have the title! and I remember nothing from the first five books, but who cares! Not me! :D)

and

Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson (I only read the Mistborn OG trilogy and the novella about Forgers by this author, but there's something drawing me to this book ^^)

Biggest Disappointment: Midnight Library by Matt Haig

It wasn't that bad (the ending though... ehh), I just expected something more Earth-shattering given all the hype.

(same about The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd)

Biggest Surprise:

1) that I genuinely didn't expect the twist in The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle and thought it was just A Study in Scarlet 2.0

2) Aoharu x Machinegun by NAOE - it's a manga on a subject that couldn't be farther from my interests, and YET. I am fascinated~

Favorite New Author: Kafka Asagiri. His mind... :D

...also Xiran Jay Zhao, I guess :) Iron Widow is a compelling book ^^

Newest Fictional Crush: Masamune Matsuoka from Aoharu x Machinegun <3

Newest Favorite Character: Everyone from Bungou Stray Dogs...? :D

Book That Made You Cry: that one volume of Bungou Stray Dogs in which Mushitarou stays with Poe and tries writing again... :')

Book That Made You Happy: Not sure how to answer that... but reading Hand of the Sun King by J.T. Greathouse made me feel like a middle-grader at the beginning of an exciting bookish adventure, so let's go with that ^^

Favorite Book to TV Adaptation: Da Ming Under the Microscope

I haven't read the novel by Ma Bo Yong, but the drama is great!

Most Beautiful Book You’ve Bought This Year: The Polish edition of Babel by R.F. Kuang

New Release You Haven’t Read Yet But Want To: the sixth volume of Heaven Official's Blessing

Book You NEED to Read By the End of the Year: Babel and The Nature of Middle Earth :)