#enjoy these intricate rituals lol

[blorbocedes]

lestappen is so much more fun if you consider charles used to be an antimaxxer crashtappen hater who has now rebranded to "he's a good driver" verstappie ❤️

[dangerliesbeforeyou]

maybee im just tired but i just saw the news talking about people in the us being rly excited about the solar eclipse and started getting emotional like... people have ALWAYS been fascinated with the funky things our planet does and it makes me feel all !!!!!

[thegnomelord]

Ahhh! The Harpy Gaz fic was so cute. But that section at the beginning has me thinking about Ghost, who is interested in reader hybrid that has a very unusual courting ritual(s).

Like, apparently, pandas have a weird hostage situation. The female runs and hides in trees while male competitors fight for her. They will follow her around and try to steal her away until she's ready to mate. It's theorized that this little battle actually stimulates the mating cycle. Similarly, female ferrets don't ovulate unless they're being mauled half to death. (Doesn't sound pleasant to me, but to each their own) my thought here would be more like Ghost's total confusion as to why you seem to like fighting him so much.

Or one of my personal favorites, certain birds and pufferfish (and probably many others that idk yet) have taken to terraforming. They'll create intricate designs and illusions with sand, rocks, sticks, bones, whatever you can think of to attract a mate. The structure they create doubles as a sort of nest. Bowerbirds are particularly keen on displaying an assortment of blue things specifically.

Ooh or shrikes, imagine Ghost's reaction to seeing his favorite food impaled on a sharp object (maybe a combat knife). Tbh, that would be a little threatening. Opening the fridge and seeing a steak or something stabbed with a combat knife and a little note saying, "For Ghost, I hope you enjoy 😁❤️"

Sorry for the little rant, I have an unnecessary amount of knowledge about animal mating rituals.

- 👑 anon

No, no, as a fellow animal nerd I find this stuff so interesting!

I think Ghost would be weirdly into the knife being impaled in his food. Especially if you attempt to feed him with the knife, like sticking small chunks on the tip and expecting him to eat off the knife. And while he acts aloof he's hard in his pants because there's something hot about you using a dangerous object so tenderly with him (also weapon kink idk)

I really love the idea of reader being some deep sea monster or of some species that has a "fuck or die" mentality. Like some anglerfish or spider sexual dimorphism thing where if you were to court your own kind they'd be like 4-5 times your size and wouldn't hesitate to eat you. So you're very crafty and your courting rituals are weird as fuck.

Like Ghost is reading up on your species mating habits and seeing you tie up your mate and if they can't get out you fuck? And if they can you die? Should he be worried? And like he's rethinking every enemy takedown simulation you two had when you needed to tie him up like; were you courting him? was he courting you? what?

Or an especially powerful monster that has a tendency to make nests out of bones, to show how strong they are. So Ghost just walks into your room to see it covered from floor to ceiling in bones of all kinds of creatures with you looking at him like a puppy lol

Or or some kind of mercreature monster reader having a ritual where they pull their mate down to the depths away from competitors, because if it's not dark and cold and you're not drowning your mate won't want to fuck, and Simon's wondering if he needs to buy scuba gear?

[good-beanswrites]

Fuuta and Mikoto would both become down bad so easily for their partners if the two were ever in relationships

It's TRUE 👏 Put these touch-starved, connection-starved, attention-starved, love-starved guys near Anyone that can provide that and they are going crazy. (I don’t think this was an official request but I really wanted to write headcanons for it anyway lmao)

When Fuuta has a crush/partner he’d (unknowingly) follow them around like a little puppy – he usually prefers online connections and avoids people in public, so he’s not used to enjoying in-person company so much. Though he’ll always speak up with his intense opinions, he starts initiating tons of conversations with that person, even about calm or meaningless topics. He just wants to be around them, he just wants to talk. He’s also not used to a lot of physical touch in any form, so he goes wild trying to get a chance to connect (intricate rituals and all that), but then the minute he comes in any sort of contact, he’s flustered enough to short circuit. He becomes a hundred times more competitive with them around, willing to push himself to his limits just for the chance of maybe impressing them. It doesn’t matter that he’d never flat-out admit his feelings – finding someone that makes him feel that way makes him Completely obsessed. 

When Mikoto has a crush/partner, the puppydog metaphor still works lmao. Mikoto’s always been friendly and touchy, and he becomes even moreso when there’s someone he likes. He’s usually good at dividing his attention and making sure everyone is happy, but it starts becoming clear to everyone that his attention is definitely favoring one person. The other big sign is that he leaps into Service Mode. Do they need help with that? Maybe they want someone else to take some of the load? Maybe he should surprise them with a little extra favors done around? What if they were big favors, too? Mikoto tells them all the time how much he cares about them, never shying away from a sappy love confession. The real clue that he’s in deep is he starts opening up about other things – not necessarily the big things he has on lockdown, but small moments of need/sadness/shame he’ll start to blurt out to them. (Whether they want to or not lol,) they become the person who knows him better than anyone else.

[puckpocketed]

caps fan here!

as follower of pld (the few, the proud, the courageous!), i was wondering if you had any thoughts about how he might fit in with our team, assuming he's going to be 1C with Ovi on the left and one of Wilson or Mangiapane on the right, and basically taking the former Kuznetsov/Backstrom spot on the halfwall on PP1. my thinking is that he can easily return to being a 60 point player just by the increase in ice time alone this coming season, and maybe even flirt with 70 if he has a triggerman like big O on his wing.

as someone who knows a hell of a lot more about PLD than i do, is that just wishful thinking because i'm a caps fan? what do you think?

The PLD Post, Part 2: mask-OFF

Hii!! (we are SO brave and SO correct). i am so sorry this took ages to answer, i was trying to decide how serious to be. I will admit, I was hesitant about going mask-off and hitting up the microstats and revealing that i do seriously think he can be better than he was bc that shit is kinda lame ESPECIALLY when defending a clear failhorse. but at this point any rep i have as someone with good opinions must be gone considering how many media scapegoats i've attached myself to (i got a fucking. c.gauthier ask the other day aslkjdkljas) so. mask is coming off. we've hit somewhere between well-considered manifesto and vibe check so . um. enjoy!!

I remain optimistic going from everything I've heard and from what you're saying here! But, big big asterisk. He absolutely needs to take ownership of his lack of engagement. when he speaks in media availability I believe him when he says he wants to change. The will to change is there, idk if it’s possible that any player would be satisfied with their performance being the way his was. There’s a lot that needs to be unpacked about his lack of production, the Character Issues, and what his role might look like going forward. You and any other Caps fan who reads this will have to tell me if the fit is right. Hockey talk below the cut lol!!

So before I start I have to say I know dick all about the Caps except:

You're dragging that old man (Ovechkin) to Gretzky's lawn (record) to set it on fire (break it before he retires)

Everyone is pining away for your very very injured 1C who is also Ovechkin's boybestfriend/perfect set-up guy/work wife

There's. intricate pre-game rituals?

So I'm not sure I can speak to how he will fit with your (our? i AM picking the Caps up fr given every acquisition/draft pick they've made) team with any depth or specificity. also i don't think i'd call myself a PLD expert. like. i just got here !! I haven't been following him since he was drafted or anything!! I have, however, consumed TOO MANY Kings games this past season and I can give you a broad look at what actually happened with them and why I think it didn't work out. I will not be making any overtures about being unbiased. My biases WILL slip through because I think Dubois is a sweetheart and I find the mental exercise of defending him fun <3 I’ll give you stats and observations and I will build a story that runs counter to what the prevailing media narratives say. While I stand by my opinions, they're also just one of many available interpretations of what happened.

character concerns

Everyone will be bringing it up at the first speed bump of the season, the first bad game he has. Please be prepared to have a crisis of faith and also be deeply disappointed in him. god knows I am, like, all the time <3 But... I always want to dig deeper when it comes to dominant narratives, because in following multiple teams I’ve become acutely aware of just how miserably Bad media can be at reporting on teams that aren’t their own.

I hear “Locker room cancer” accusations bandied about and I’ve yet to see anyone produce a primary source for this — podcasters, journalists, even people on nhl broadcasts will throw these words around so casually, assuming they’re correct because everyone knows the story. Some confounding factors in the character narratives arise when you scratch the surface. People who've worked with him speak well enough of him. Todd McLellan called him “misunderstood”, and had nothing bad to say about his character.

Matt Roy, who also just got picked up by the Caps, has recently said he’s a great teammate. MORE proof if you want to hear it directly, Roy went on Dropping The Gloves and had this to say about Dubois (transcript by me):

[on what actually happened] Honestly, I don’t know. I mean if you asked him he would say he had a down year. But it’s nothing like — I feel like the media paints this picture of him, and to me it couldn’t be further from the truth, you know. He’s a great teammate, he’s a great locker room guy, he gets along with everybody. So, in terms of all that I don’t know where the media is getting all this stuff. If I hated the guy I probably wouldn’t have come to Washington. He’s one of my friends on the team and I really think he’s going to have a bounce back year. I think he’s really going to be good for the team.

Matt Roy signed with the Caps of his own free will as an RD, a contested free agent in a sparse market, knowing Dubois was already here. He could’ve gone to plenty of different places. Why the hell would Roy sign here long-term, clearly wanting to play and win, if Dubois was as disliked as some pundits would have us believe??? Credible reports (and not just speculation) point to PLD’s other teammates liking him!! 

And here’s some propaganda; I direct you to this extremely sweet video where he gets asked about assisting on Akil Thomas' first NHL goal (and a bunch of other first NHL goals). He is so, so genuinely happy for Akil, who battled through injuries that set back his development for years. Just LOOK at his smile!! He can’t hold it back. (Others have said this but it looks like a little v. Like :> !!!! HELLO !!)

How does all of this happen when, supposedly, he’s a low-character asshole and a “locker room cancer”? It doesn’t line up for me.

On the other hand, I have seen Dubois cruise. He really can’t seem to bounce back from a poor start, and if you were just looking from the outside in, the scoresheet this year reflects this. The critique is fair; I’ve turned this over in my head enough times. there are less physically gifted, less skilled players, who are working so hard to stay in this league, and Dubois’ poor showing does feel somewhat like, idk, something I’d be mad about usually.

Here comes the “but”. Call this next bit the narrative section, because I’m showing my ass here: I think Dubois gets a lot of scrutiny because of his infamous Shift, which went a specific kind of viral, under the exact right conditions, and it has just. defined his career. And okay… I am not denying that the shift happened, but plenty of guys in this league have taken shifts off. come on. the season is long and they're only human. I’m not excusing it either! It was bad and he deserved his benching. Ideally, he one day becomes a player who always puts effort in. Working hard is one of my favourite traits in any player, and usually this would be enough for me to dismiss him as not worth being invested in.

and yet…. the reactions to his floundering performance feel so much like they’re about expectations as seen through the lens of The Shift. They’re calibrated differently because he went 3rd overall, and he's got this big body, the speed, the skill — it's the fact that he's got the tools and seemingly squanders them. All of this is amplified by the contract he's sitting on and his run of short-term stays on teams. Does he get this much scrutiny if he went in the 2nd or 3rd round? Does he catch this much heat for his low energy performance if that one shift clip hadn’t done all that damage? We’ll never know obviously but . I do wonder.

Final word on the character stuff is that we don’t know what truly went on in those locker rooms and i don't want to give more air time to baseless speculation. What we can examine is the hockey. The hockey tells the truth <3

the 23-24 la kings

Assuming the plan is to give PLD a look at 1/2C while he’s on the Caps, I think he’s a complementary type of player. The way he is right now, I don't think he can drive his own line or pull people up. He works with the calibre of lineys he's got and will produce the expected outcome. That sounds so obvious, but what I’m saying is I don’t think he’s capable of miracles like the best playmakers in the league, he's not about to make your guys look 15 years younger. In this vein, I look at his many first NHL goal assists as a symptom of what kind of linemates he was being paired with all season, and how unstable the situation was. His drop in point production IS more complicated than "he's just a piece of shit". From this article, the best summary I've seen of the Situation PLD was in:

LA acquired a player who had been a top-six center (and at times, winger) his entire career playing with established NHL talent. Yet after investing multiple assets to acquire Dubois and sign him to a significant contract, the team decided to put him in a third-line role where his most common linemate was a first-year NHL player who wasn’t expected to be on the roster in Alex Laferriere. Those two had a revolving door of wingers throughout the season. Moreover, Dubois’ most common on-ice teammates after Laferriere at 5-on-5 this season were Matt Roy and Andreas Englund. Gee, I wonder why he didn’t produce?

Context about Roy and Englund: Roy is a quiet but capable d-man who is defensively geared with a bit of offensive upside (j'adore. does things the right way and is very responsible and good. will throw hits but doesn't chase them or headhunt. I think playing away from the Kings’ more passive system will unlock more of his offensive potential. Matt Roy you will be SO good for the Caps I truly believe mwah mwah); and Englund is a leg weight/goon who, going by every single stat I can pull out, makes his d-partners Worse (with affection <3). Point here is neither of them being on the ice was particularly conducive to a lot of scoring chances.

As I said in my previous post, I think Dubois absolutely needs finishers. At some point there was hype around his shot but I didn't see much of that at all on lak? Eye test says: he was unwilling to shoot, and when he did shoot it felt like there was low/no commitment, no power behind it. Comments on his shooting called him “too deferential” at different turns. That’s just an insulting way to say a guy likes to pass and I truly think it circles back to the expectations thing. Would there be anything wrong with him not being much of a shooter this past season if he was another player? (Can't we just say he passed a lot this season without bringing value judgement into it? leave my failhorse ALONE!!!! like must a man score goals ,can't he be very very sweet and happy for the rookies he assisted ? wailing about it forever.)

More fun stats from that same article:

#1 on lak for passes that led to high-danger scoring chances, and scoring chances in general <- again, not a miracle worker. did not have finishers who could capitalise on these chances. its so fucked up what they did to my failwife

one of the best on lak in actually carrying the puck into the o-zone. (another reason i quite liked watching him!! transition forwards my BELOVED) everything I've ever observed about him off the cuff holds true here: he draws penalties this way, because he's fast and when he's locked in he is pretty good for controlled zone entries <3

Dubois had a career high in even-strength assists per 60, this is all in spite of his weird linemate situation and his reduced TOI and the power play mess (more on this later). he might have been deferring, but I truly think the lack of stability + good finishers, and ice time held him back from being more productive.

jim hiller

Building off that last point: even worse on the stability front, which I did allude to in the initial PLD Post, was what happened when Jim Hiller took over. You must understand one of the first clues that we were working with a different animal of a head coach is he was NOT afraid to line shuffle, and shortly after he found short-term success with that, they started running 11 forwards and 7 defensemen (you can see where it started precisely if you scroll back in lak lb because you'll find ME yelling about it LMAO). This shortened forward bench resulted in mid-game line shuffling, as in it was uncertain as to who they would be playing with from shift to shift. Hiller is on record saying he thinks it was beneficial, per this article:

It’s all about getting his deep forward corps engaged in the game. That’s sometimes difficult if you’re running four full lines and there are penalty kill or power play opportunities that alter the flow of the lines. Especially for the group of forwards who don’t kill penalties – think Kevin Fiala, Viktor Arvidsson, Quinton Byfield, Pierre-Luc Dubois – it’s an opportunity to get them extra shifts and engage in the game. “Some of our other players who don’t penalty kill, you know they can lose the flow of the game, so they enjoy it more I know,” Hiller said of having 11 forwards in action. “We’ve talked about it a lot. We really just think for our team, the way it is right now, that gives us an advantage getting those players more ice time.”

(and ok sorry to go off about my gripes with how the kings are run but .They were doing this into playoffs. This article was written during playoffs. god. CARL GRUNDSTROM, WHO HAS NEVER NOT PLAYED HARD, PLAYED 25 SECONDS IN GAME 2. all this while they were trying to get people 'engaged'. Idk. Maybe it did work for some players. I wasn’t behind that bench. But sitting one of your most energetic and committed forwards during a series in which you’re trying to come back from being down several games was a CHOICE!!!! also like what if you didn't double-shift QB. what then. And we all know how that series ended. lak coaching/management i am beating you with a pillowcase stuffed with bricks . <3)

Much was made of the Hiller takeover. I liked it at the time. In his first couple of media availabilities post-TM, Hiller emphasised bringing back "fun" to the game for many of the players who were slumping — and a reportedly tense locker room during the big skid that lost McLellan his job. It was all very Ted Lasso of him. Hiller also introduced a new way to rate Dubois for his performance every night, separate from the scoresheet. I made jokes about PLD's very special star-chart, everyone who knew about it was making jokes about it. This merit system was tailored towards communicating with Dubois what he did and didn't do well, and while no one ever went into depth about it we do know a few things:

It measured things outside of +/-, goals and assists, and was likely a score out of 5 per metric.

One of the metrics was about hits/physicality, another one was likely ‘compete’ levels.

He alluded to being measured on penalties drawn?? Or something??

Anyway it sort of … worked?? The change in Dubois was pretty immediate, the moment he was given some clear direction to work in. He played some of his BEST games of the year in the wake of this change. He got involved physically, he was not losing steam, he was drawing tons of penalties because he’s huge and fast and has good hands and IF he puts his mind to it he can truly be a transition monster.

CUE THE LINE SHUFFLING… imo, much of the progress made seemed to be lost, and the rest is history.

NOT saying Dubois is free of fault here. Needing that extra motivation to get physically involved is kinda wild, and I understand why for some people it’s a bridge too far. EYE am here for the laffs though and it's really funny that the communication came in the form of super special individualised performance evaluations/a glorified sticker chart. This is why he’s my temperamental desert flower. Wilting violet. Soggy kitten. <3 and for the record I truly don’t think I’d care if he put up 40 points per szn for the rest of his career. I don’t care because he’s a sweetie and the Bit i do when defending him is too funny. I don’t think I’d care if everyone was right about him — I just don’t actually think they are.

the power play problem

So okay, as per part 1 (my last email <3) we know Dubois thrives net front. It’s where he scored a bunch of his goals on the Jets. Every stat and the eye test supports this. So how come Lak had him stationed on the half wall doing jackshit, if he was on the power play at all?? I will admit I drove myself half crazy studying power play structures and watching LA Kings games back before coming up with a garbled, half-formed idea about how LA runs their PP. I was going to attempt to explain it here — had to do with Kevin Fiala and Dubois being lefties and how that's just an awkward passing sitch — but it turns out more than one person has had this thought and MAN I love being validated by actual hockey people. I fully thought i was making shit up in my head for a good week or two, and was seriously considering scrapping this portion . but it’s SO important for contextualising the production drop, so here goes !!

As early as September 2023 there was a story published about PLD’s role on PP1 — a place where he certainly should’ve belonged as a top-6 guy with plenty of ppg’s under his belt. From this article, which explains the issue very very neatly, and much more eloquently than I could ever hope to:

The addition of Pierre-Luc Dubois was a big one this summer; at first glance, he should be a great addition to the power play. But when digging deeper, the Kings might struggle to fit him onto the top unit. Dubois played mostly as the net front player for the Winnipeg Jets last season, the role Gabriel Vilardi often played for the Kings last season. So, it’s an easy one-to-one switch in that spot, right? Not necessarily. Dubois has all the talents to be an effective net-front player. He has the size and strength to battle in front, with the skill to effectively pop down low and create chances. However, his handedness is a big problem for this role. The Kings run their power play primarily on the left side with Kevin Fiala — Anze Kopitar when Fiala is hurt — which necessitates a right shot down low. When a right shot player pops out on the left side, there’s an easy passing angle for the half-wall player and more options for the player down low. Quick passing is key for a successful power and a left-shot can’t move the puck quick enough down low. They would have to either move too far into the corner or take the extra second to step out from and open up their body to create an effective passing angle. Time that would slow the power play down too much and allow the opposition penalty kill to get back into position. There’s also minimal shot threat from a lefty down low. We saw both Vilardi and Viktor Arvidsson frequently take the pass down low and quickly turn it into a shooting opportunity, something a left shot wouldn’t be able to do.

It then goes on to suggest 2 solutions that aren’t appealing at all:

Flip the power play entirely to accommodate Dubois net front. Not great as they dont have the players for that, and if they tried it they’d be hamstringing Adrian Kempe’s one-timer.

PLD on the bumper position. This one’s hard to swallow because that displaces Kopitar to PP2, there’s his position as captain and the optics of moving him off his spot.

In this article it is once again suggested that LA MUST flip their power play and figure out how to get PLD net front. In this article they point out how useless he was playing on the wall down the stretch, and how the only reason he seemed to be able to produce something was because he’d taken Kopitar’s spot in his absence. This article calls to attention Dubois’ worlds performance, where team Canada utilised him net front.

Big picture, the Fit

Do we see the problem here yet? It’s not the flat narrative I was sold by the national media, random assholes on twitter, and podcasters who don’t actually watch Kings matches!!!! Do we see how weird and messy and complicated it is, beyond “hey he’s just a sack of shit who isn’t trying hard enough”. Rob Blake himself has come out and admitted that they didn’t put Dubois in a position to succeed. And absolutely there was effort required on his end — a different player might have sucked it up and adapted to circumstances, a different player might never have needed that extra bit of communication, a straight up better player might have dragged his less skilled lineys up to a higher level. But the problem has always been two-fold: LA was trying to coach and manage a completely different player to the one they had in front of them and expecting good results; and Dubois was unable to keep competing with all he had in the face of that. I think both parties are at fault here. And I think, given the chance and the right circumstances, Dubois can hit 60 points again.

Okay, circling back to the big question of Fit. Will he be able to work with Ovechkin? Hard to think he could fail with one of hockey’s best goal scorers on his wing, if he does get a look at 1C. People who know the Caps better than I do, does this sound workable? Is Dubois going to be too difficult of a nut to crack for your coach? Your locker room?

And, of course, the power play issue. Maybe Dubois learns to be better on the half wall! Idk!! Maybe it was a matter of coaching and he thrives in Washington running your PP1 from there. For my money… I like him better playing net front or bumper. Do the Caps have the bodies to accommodate this? I did ask someone familiar with the Caps PP to explain it to me so I could try and figure this out but ouuuugh. My head is spinning. Someone smarter than me please jump in. I am TIRED . We don’t know what it will look like, what they’re planning to do with Dubois on the power play. You guys probably have a better idea about what’s possible than I do <3

Conclusion?

PLD is fast, big, a passing threat and a formidable net front presence when he’s given the opportunity and playing his A-game. As far as I can tell, his B-game is garbage </3 His poor performance is more complicated than people think and I’m pretty sure only the LA Kings beat reporters + the 12 kings fans on twitter know this. Most of them still dislike PLD anyway bc his low motor. I don’t blame them, I’m just more inclined to be forgiving because I love redemption arcs and I think he’s a good person. i would love to be wrong about his low-effort B-game LMAO but im trying to be realistic here. I want him to fit in and be embraced by the Caps so bad <3 Your coach sounds like he wants to help PLD succeed and is up for the challenge. The vibes from my friends who follow the Caps are always good, I’ve read through various tags and it sounds like a place that will take him in whether he likes it or not. I might be stupid but I believe in him !!! and I’ve laid out all the hockey bullshit for you to the best of my ability. Given all of this… do you think he’ll do well?

[oodlyenough]

I've been pretty critical of AAI so far but I'm mid 1-4 and enjoying the bit I'm playing right now so I feel I should give credit where it's due

Calisto Yew is hilarious

finally... someone willing to laugh in edgeworth's face. lmfao. deserved. sometimes I worry this game has forgotten miles edgeworth is a ridiculous person. calisto yew never has. god bless her

i'm with her, that was hilarious. bully those (post)minors ms yew

This post got really long so here's a cut. More on Yew & Franziska below:

it also meant we got to hear edgeworth and franziska talk about how awful and disgusting defense attorneys are, how could they defend someone who might be GUILTY, the HORROR, because in this universe the actual role of a criminal defense lawyer is arcane knowledge lost to time.

i've found myself wishing AAI got into the defense/prosecution philosophical debate more, the mainline games spend a lot of time positioning the prosecution as the enemy and i thought the alternate perspective here would be compelling. but so far it's mostly been edgeworth "inspecting every nook and cranny" while court has no role to play at all. so this is nice.

2. baby franziska

a lot of why I wanted to play this game at all is because I am obsessed w Franziska and hoped it would continue her story after it kind of unceremoniously ends in AA3. then I ... wasn't thrilled with how she was written in the airline case, so my hopes for baby franziska were not high.

But I'm liking her actually. Her put-on maturity and insane competitive streak really suit a 13 year old, lmao. And I don't have to wonder why she has fire extinguisher amnesia re: everything with her father and DL6. She and Miles are pretty funny, but there's some nice moments too. I really loved this one:

I cut the MVK/Franziska exchange in between for readability, and I'd seen that first screenshot float around plenty before, but I'd never seen the follow up. The progression of MVK is a huge dick to Miles for no reason -> Franziska intervenes in a way that makes MVK change his mind, but, crucially, without revealing any particular sentimentality -> Edgeworth recognizes it for what it is and thanks her anyway -> Franziska brushes it off in a way that lets them go back to competing in lieu of talking about their feelings, phew. Really good and felt very true to the relationship I think these two would have and the ways I think Franziska would demonstrate her care. The rituals are intricate but she loves her idiot little brother.

Also: matching sprites. Hehe.

3. This MVK line specifically, in response to why he wants Edgeworth to be a "top tier prosecutor"

Cracked me the fuck up. What an insane thing to say, and no one in-universe even knows what he's talking about. An inside joke to himself about his 15 year elaborate 5d chess child abuse revenge plan. Nobody's doing it like MVK. His ridiculously circuitous plan is 1/4 complete

Anyway, I'm not done this case yet, but it's the most I've enjoyed AAI so far so I felt I should give it a shout-out, lol. I wish Franziska could be my weird girl all the time 😔

[finnitesimal]

I do see Endo being touchy-clingy kinda guy. Especially with Noroshi and Sakura, like i see him hugging them over the shoulders, putting hand on the back, lean closer into their space, playfully bump heads or rub them together. He wouldn't push it if the person seems uncomfortable, but otherwise Endo does strike me as the type of guy to initiate a lot of physical touch with friends/acquaintances.

But with Chika tho? The guy he's so pathetically in love with since fifth grade? HELL NAH! He blushes when Takiishi looks at him long enough and will definitely combust on the spot if they accidentally brush hands (without Chika's intention to kick his butt).

Endo isn't initiating shit with him lol

physical touch lover endo beloved you're so real. I do see him enjoying being around noroshi more than he lets on (or maybe just doesn't like having his connection to takiishi conflated with the group) and they see him as a cool charismatic sort of guy and are on friendly enough terms to still be in touch in the year after furin (Endo putting a hand on a shoulder, clapping them on the back as a veiled threat goes hard too)

Sakura is kind of a newer interest so he's definitely more open to being touchy I think, but even then sakura's the one to initiate it (the arm around the shoulder helping him up to the roof, and he's still not trying anything with the other, just hanging loosely) and keeping his distance on the roof even, he's at ease and comfortable but isn't trying to push anything

Yeah he's not touching takiishi out of nowhere. The distance on them even before we actually see him swing. See how he keeps his hands where takiishi can see, he's not reaching out, he is Not clinging onto him and getting his shit beat every couple days that is the trained smile of someone who's had to talk his way out of an alligator death roll

I am Big on takiishi seeing all of this and reaching out though. scruff him by the collar, knuckles to the nose, dragging him off when he's taking too long or being a dumbass, swatting at his head. Intricate rituals etc. i think holding hands would actually kill both of them

[ragnarokhound]

I’ve already left a comment on intricate rituals, but I just realized I forgot an important part. Having experience with toys but not other people is such a fun solution. My fave. Yes he can take it (yes you will be the first). The possessiveness of it all!!

But also from author’s perspective being like. Nah I don’t wanna deal with That. Absolutely valid <3

-🦇🐺

wAUGH THANK YOU!! <33

frank discussion about sex & the porny bits of my fic that got. really long somehow? below:

Hehehe yes - when I was writing, I hadn't necessarily intended that to be read as 'Tim's never bottomed before', but I realized belatedly that even if he's bottomed in the past, he certainly hasn't ever bottomed for an alpha >:3c

a lot of Jason's 'we don't have to, babe 🥺' came from anxiety about pushing for too much too fast as much as it came from the practical sentiment of 'knots are a lot to handle when ur body isn't made to take them' lmao

(because, well. look at his behavior for the entire fic, the boy spent six months gently boiling the frog of their relationship. the kind of wretched anxiety that spawns that behavior doesn't go away after one lousy love confession OTL TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE)

And Jason's been all up in Tim's business, so he KNOWS Tim hasn't been having a lot of sex because uh. He'd be able to smell it for one fjdslafjs and Tim would probably tell him about it for two fdjlafjk they talk about everything ugh they're soooo married in this fic it's disgusting lol

but like! Tim's never been with an alpha before!! of course he's never taken a real knot!! Jason would be the first OwO And it was one more way to shove another possessive omegaverse trope about Jason being jealous over Tim without it actually being awful fufufu

Hearing that Tim would be able to take his knot gave Jason extreme whiplash from 'wait what, how would you know that, who's been touCHING YOU' to 'holy fuck you've been prepping yourself? for me? that's so hot' and I am very here for any opportunity to indulge in possessive tropes with mostly just sexy consequences, especially with these two ;)

On another note, I genuinely think toys are great for testing out what you like, without fear of judgement and without worrying about 'doing well' or whatever. You can focus on yourself! You can see what works for you! You can discover your size kink-

- or lack thereof without it being tangled in complicated feelings or anxieties.

I looove the image of control freak Timothy Drake figuring himself out with toys once he knows that's an option (though imo he also doesn't give a fuck about what other people think enough that he'd be fine exploring with another person djslfa but i digress) and I love the image of control freak Timothy Drake wanting to experiment specifically with his partners to figure out all the ways they experience pleasure @_@ he wants to know how they're compatible, and he wants to know what makes them tick!!

*COUGH* anyway thank you!! I'm so glad you enjoyed the fic, and that you enjoyed that part specifically <33!!

[novemquadragintillion]

I'm reading LotM for a second time, and am currently in the beginning of arc 2 ~

I'm enjoying it WAY MORE currently!! I think one of LotM's weaknesses as a story is that the author gives us way too much information in the first arc. There's so many names of people and titles of stuff! I was so confused the first time around!! I had finished the story with lots of information holes related to lore. It was like having a puzzle that's 3/4ths finished, with 1/4th of it being loose puzzle pieces. (I loved reading it nevertheless). Rereading LotM, however, is like finally placing those remaining pieces together 💛 (or at least most of them). Info like the Nation of Evernight have become a lot more clear to me now.

So I'm enjoying it so much more. It's so exciting when you know what will generally happen!! I'm like "THE FIRST MENTION OF INCY BOY AND 0-08!!- OH THERE'S AZIK!!! *sends Azik a hug*- OH THERE'S LENAVUS. I hate Mr. Lenavus, all my homies hate Lenavus.- OH THERE'S TRISSY!!!!!!- " etc etc. And oh gosh the Tarot Club!! I love seeing the Club's development again.

I'm also remembering bits of how I used to feel about certain characters. I haven't realized until now how great Frye is. I hadn't paid much attention to him during the first time. Now, I just wish he was more of a major character in the story. Meanwhile, I remember I thought that Leonard was an antagonist and would become Klein's enemy in the future. I was so wrong ��� But I understand why I thought that. Klein and Leonard are passive aggressive and suspicious of each other in the beginning lol

Every time the story shows Melissa, Benson and Klein planning for the future, like going to Desi Bay and famous restaurants after they save up, I feel so sympathetic...

The scene of Old Neil's death did not fail to make me cry again... And with Dunn Smith...

Things are more clear and I'm so happy that I decided to read it. I wish there were physical copies in north America. (Btw I love Hong Kong's LotM cover art so much ❤️ If LotM is published in America, I hope the art is similar!)

When I read LotM for the first time, I had taken notes on the story and my thoughts and feelings in a notepad app I have. So, while I'm rereading, I'm also reading the notes I had made previously, and it's been fun to compare 😂 I will continue on!! Meanwhile, I'm slowly keeping up with CoI <3 there's so much chaos happening there... I'm taking notes on it as well. Maybe I'll reread CoI someday too!!

(I've been thinking.... I feel like Circle of Inevitability kind of... misses certain feelings I get from reading LotM 1. Seeing Klein learn how to set up rituals, him finding intricate ways to keep items on him and do certain things like visiting Sefirah Castle, we don't see those details barely in CoI. Klein had to carefully choose what to keep with him, because sometimes he didn't have time to go to the Castle, and he had to keep a lot more secrets compared to Lumian, it feels like. I enjoy how we get to see Klein using particular candles and daggers to set up walls of spirituality and crafting charms and experimenting a ton. Also, I think LotM focused more on sealed artifacts/ items, while CoI focused more on evil god Beyonder pathways. I like the artifacts more~ I still like CoI overall, don't get me wrong (⁠人⁠ ⁠•͈⁠ᴗ⁠•͈⁠))

[selfproclaimedunicorn]

When it comes to fic, you're someone that goes balls to the wall with the world building. What is it about worldbuilding that excites you? Where is the place you find yourself starting in order to expand?

It's about the implications

I just really like filling out a world with things that make it feel lived in, & for something like asoiaf that's taking the handful of details we've already been given & just kind of running with with them. I've said this before, but I had to get really good at "yes anding" myself because "only child who had to entertain herself."

I enjoy finding something without a lot of explanation, or that's maybe not even addressed, & then adding stuff to it that I just think is really cool. It's really just a lot of "I think this is neat, & it makes sense with what we have to work with."

Catacombs being a thing in The Vale where the ground is rocky & so many castles are on top of mountains makes sense to me, & I think it's cool.

Burial rituals & spending time preparing the body yourself is something that was really common in the vast majority of history, so of course that's stuff that really, really old Houses in Westeros (especially that still have ties to the First Men) are going to be doing! Plus I find that stuff really fascinating

I like fashion history, so of course I'm going to mash somewhat period appropriate undergarments with what we've seen in text/on screen. It's neat to me.

I am a medievalist at heart, of course I'm going to give castles a bunch of gaudy paintings & intricate tapestries & the kind of careful "purposefully naturalistic" gardens we have evidence for in the medieval period

George said there's magic in things x, y, z; why would I not want to add stuff I think is dope as fuck to my interpretation of it?

Like, it really is just me trying to make sense of a crafted world & put in little details that I think are cool & add to the effect of "people are living here." It's just a really important (& fun) aspect to a project for me. Digging my little fingers into the crevices & saying "how can I make it dope as fuck?" is both the enjoyment & the starting point to me, lol

[prongsmydeer]

Ayesha Liveblogs Hidden Agenda S1

I will not lie to you, I am watching this entirely for the fact it stars Tony from the Warp Effect

"I will get back my five minutes. When that time comes, I will let you know." Seems like an extreme overreaction to imply you want some sort of physical favour for missing a few minutes of studio time, but hey, I'm not a musician!

Much like Pat, I also feel like I've walked in the middle of something

LMAO @ the opening theme suggesting there's only one woman in this whole show, but I guess if I want women, I should choose a different genre

"As I've told you guys, I'll deal with the Nita situation my way." You know that post that's like 'I'm bisexual, by which I mean I'm physically terrified of dating men and emotionally terrified of dating women?' That's Zo

"Joke used to date Nita. Maybe he can help you out." Ah, I think we have arrived at the premise

I really want to know what's going on between these two because they are really acting like We Have A History:

Nita talking to a female classmate who is fully offscreen because she's the only woman on this show HAHAHA

"Why did you freak out like that?" said Pok, as if he had not jumped on a man holding a full cup of coffee

Not the debate club of the political science faculty!! This is far too relatable to my university experience LOL (also RUN Nita this is a terrible dating pool)

So far, mostly Joke's role has been to pop up out of nowhere to taunt Zo about being romantically inept, like a particularly Rude Flirtation Ghost

"I'm not sure, [Joke] might have a problem with me." If by 'problem' you mean a semi-hostile leetle crush, Zo, u right

Fellas, is it romantic to lean into ur crush and whisper in their ear that they have no spine?

[Taylor Swift voice] I think I've seen this film before:

I've said this before but: If your friends leave you alone at a bar while ur plastered, get new friends!!!

Awwww Joke taking the 5 minutes to clear up a misunderstanding with Zo is the first sincere thing he's done in this show

SCREAM why did you make one of the romantic leads punch the other? I know he's drunk but COME ON. WHO LIKES SOMEONE WHO PUNCHES THEM IN THE FACE FOR NO REAL REASON

At least he's apologizing right away???? What a bold first ep

Yes, I do know in Bad Buddy (also by GMMTV) they were starting with street brawls, but that's different, it was their faculities fighting, not like one guy doing it unsolicited

LMAO I can't believe the punch was a plot device to give Zo a reason to follow Joke around wanting forgiveness

"If you just leave it as it is, it won't heal quickly." It was ALSO a plot device for intricate rituals for touching the skin of other men

"Who said I don't like you?" "You repeatedly gave me harsh words during our freshman year." Ohhhhh so their history is that tweet with Joke not knowing how to deal with his crush and writing Zo a letter that says, 'get out of my school'

You know, I do enjoy the Share My Drink So We Can Start a Weird Dating Mentorship Pact. It's fun! It's like a blood ritual but for stupid bisexual guys. Or a marriage, take your pick

"I can't eat anything here, right?" Dkljdlkjdd is Zo just a very picky eater? Vietnamese food isn't even like a polar opposite to Thai food in my experience, it's still Southeast Asian cuisine?? Also I have definitely had fresh spring rolls from Thai restaurants LOL

"My peer mentor is the best!" For some reason, I did think Pok was older than Zo at first sight

The more time that Zo and Joke spend in the debate room, the more Zo's personality (a mild pain in the ass) makes sense

HHAHAHAHAH is Zo dream-sequencing about kissing him? I didn't think we'd get here so fast

Oh psych, it's Joke's dream sequence. That tracks, but my god, get it together Joke, this guy punched you like yesterday

"No, let's get something to eat." Joke said: If we stay in this debate room any longer I WILL kiss you, Zo, and then it'll be both of our problems

I like that they haven't done ANYTHING to talk about Nita all day. They're just hanging out hahahaha

"Why would you come [to my gig]? It's not the right place for practice." "You'll see." Colour me intrigued about Zo's plan

Joke alternating between singing scales and practicing debate intros is so me. I am so him

Joke's cousin laughing at him but cheering him on for debate while handing off the key card is the true family representation I need from these shows

Trin is also P'Dim from 2gether and Captain from the Warp Effect so this is really the first role I've seen Guy Sivakorn in that he's not at least a little nefarious

"This is your home turf. Trust me, you can do it, Joke." Awww I like that Zo is teaching debate techniques through a medium he feels more comfortable with, which is music performance

I like that Zo has also made himself designated driver! Always appreciate someone staunchly against drinking and driving

"I told you who my crush was." "You told me voluntarily. I didn't ask," said Joke, like he didn't eavesdrop on Zo in a bus and then accost him to confirm what he heard

"Why would you want to join this club? I don't get it at all." "I'll explain later." Will you Joke? Because every explanation for this situation makes you sound a little crazy. 1) I am helping a guy to date you, Nita, so I need to be in this club to make that work or, more honestly 2) I like a guy in this club, but he wants to date you, so I'm in this club to spend time with him, while hoping that I don't help him enough to date you

A relationship with a hidden agenda is such a broad topic for someone's first debate. Talk about school uniforms, or fracking, or a legitimate social issue. Also also also. Do they not have a structure for this debate? Where are the themes, the motions, the timed speeches. Even if Thai debate is different from the styles I know, there should still be a structure. Why they just rebutting ceaselessly back and forth? All this for a title reference. Which debate nerd signed off on this!!

"To me, a hidden agenda is a secret." You have to decide the definitions at the top of the debate, or else you can't have one!! Writers team, I'm sending you a passionate telegram

It is fun how Joke is always standing like, 6 inches from Zo's face at every opportunity and you can see Zo getting progressively more distracted each time

The English dialogue and PowerPoint caught me off guard:

Honestly, as bananas as this is, I feel like Joke really does have the opportunity to Build-A-Boyfriend here, which does tickle me

Zo every time Joke stands too close: Not now, gay thoughts!

"But if you never try new things, how will you know what suits you?" Like dating men, said Joke, in the subtext

I don't actually like Zo's white jacket, but I appreciate that all of these outings are giving him an opportunity for both new things and confidence-building

"Well, look at him. We might need an exorcism. He must be possessed." Pat absolutely losing it because his friend showed up slightly hotter than he was the day before:

"Your task is to plan a mock date with Nita. I'll be there to fine tune the details." "Wait a minute. So you're telIing me you'd play Nita, and I'd be... dating you." Oh, I love a mock date

Zo crashing his bike because he's too busy making eyes at Joke LMAOOOO

I LOVE the pottery painting date and Zo giggling because he tried to clean paint off Joke's face but he made it worse

If a man tried to order for me on a date, immediate red flag LOL

"Stay true to who you are on your first date." Every bit of advice that Joke gives is genuinely helpful

"Would you like to go on a date with me?" [Joke freezes and then leaves immediately] Truly a congratulations, you played yourself moment

Two dudes, standing in a library, 6 inches apart bc they are bi:

Reading someone your favourite book while sitting together in the library stacks IS emotionally intimate. Good job, Zo!

We interrupt this program to say: Hee hee

Zo, beelining for the bathroom: Something LGBT just happened to meeeeee

It only took Zo three episodes to realize that dating someone might lead to you being attracted to them, good for him!

Debate club members using school activities to trick people into a date really brings back some war flashbacks for me

"The portrayal of women is quite antiquated. If I were in Clytie's place, I wouldn't just wait. If someone doesn't want to be with you, they simply don't. The sun will never look at you. Isn't it better to look for someone who truly values you?" I love Nita

"First is passion. Second is intimacy. And third is commitment." I do enjoy a Romantic Realization montage

Zo said: The best way to deal with my newfound romantic feelings is to run away to Chiang Khan

Joke said: Great! I'll come with you. To which Zo said: That's not what I meant!!! U r not helping the crush crisis

LOL when they subtitled them bowing to the monk with "Vulnerable" did they mean "Venerable"?

I was wondering if Nu was a Thai honourific but upon googling it is a diminutive meaning "mouse" or, contextually somewhat like being someone you just met calling you baby

"When a person is sad, he needs some alone time." "Have you tried being someone else's company? It might be better than being on yotur own." Touché, Joke

I did not expect Jeng and Pok to already be dating. Points for surprise!

Awwwww Pok looks v nervous, is he worried about Zo finding out that he'd dating a man? Don't worry Pok, he's also kinda dating a man, in a very convoluted way

If there's one thing Joke will do, it is button not even HALF of his shirt. Tiddies out always. Respect

"But Pok and I are close. He's my peer mentee. Finding out like this feels off. Am I not trustworthy?" I really did think that Zo was stankfacing Pok for just crashing the date-cation, and not because he was concerned about not having known Pok was gay. Also babygirl, with greatest affection, it really isn't your business why or when someone comes out to you, or doesn't

"I just don't want to make anyone uncomfortable." Awww Zo

"Stop giving each other doe eyes." Zo and Joke have been CAUGHT and CALLED OUT hahaha

I am also Team Glass Floors Are Scary. I feel closer to Joke with every passing minute

Zo laughing while still helping Joke through his fear is my love language:

"The first photo Pok and I took together is in that wallet." Maybe I'm just from the age of digital cameras, but I feel like that is not what would stress me out about losing my wallet LOL

Joke trying to recreate the sunset for Zo. SWEET BOY

"When I look at you, you make people around you happy. They smile, and at ease. You bring a warm and comforting vibe with you." Joke comparing Zo to the sun!!!!! ROMANCE

"Aren't we all the protagonists of our own shows?" How meta

The tinkling of bells while Zo eats grilled rice for no reason. Beautiful sound editing

I love these guys talking to their friends about their concerns, both in Joke pointing out to Jeng that just because Pok is willing to be closeted for now, doesn't means he feels good about it, and Zo establishing that Pok doesn't need to talk about anything before he's ready, but Zo is there to help

"From your perspective, what kind of person am I?" Joke said: Do you like me? Check ☒ yes or ☐ no

"You should let yourself express your feelings sometimes." This is both good advice and a possible romantic segue, Joke can multi-task

"Do you think... if your heart races whenever you're around someone, does that mean you have feelings for that person?" Zo said: Do I like you? Check ☒ yes or ☐ no

Zo said: Actually, never mind, the answer is yes:

I really look forward to Zo trying to explain himself after this

"I wanted to know what you were doing, but you didn't answer me." Based on how this bus ride is going, I feel like they did not have a conversation about the kiss

"I'm sorry. But I think we should keep things the same between us." Zo said: I will NOT be elaborating on our kiss at this time xoxo, goodbye!

Replying, "Mom, I got a lot of snacks?" to "Did you go there alone?" is a MUCH more suspicious answer than saying you went with a friend (who you're kissing and dating and having feelings for, but I digress)

"Should I put water on it?" "No, that'll fill the room with smoke!" GHKJHGKJHGG Joke trying to help with the burning food but not having a clue what to do. Mood

WikiHow Article: What Do When Your Crush and Close Friend That You Kissed and Are Now Avoiding Like the Plague Shows Up in Your Dorm Room Wearing Matching Aprons with Your Mom

"If it's too hot, take it slow. Try these dishes, they aren't spicy." Oh how the food suggestions turntables

"I wasn't exaggerating. I genuinely think you're exceptional." Get you a man who hypes you up like Joke

Fellas, is it gay to hold hands and gaze deeply into your homie's eyes while doing the dishes?

"I don't know how I feel about you. And there's this whole thing with Nita. I don't want to say things that I might regret later. Can you give me a bit of time to figure it out?" COMMUNICATION

Joke karaokeing out his romantic woes. Me too, buddy

"Knowing how you feel might help him make a decision." Joke said: How dare you make an excellent point, Jeng

"When did you realize that you were into Jeng?" Awww, Zo is trying to sort out his feelings

One (1) kiss with Joke cured Zo of all his nervousness around Nita

Joke showing the debate club his goofy side just to make Zo smile

"I'm looking." "Where? You're only looking at my face." Truly these two sitting beside each other in debate club is a big hazard to their focus

"I want to love the toad. Does the toad love me?" Crazy lead-in to telling you have feelings for someone by comparing them to a frog. I am in love with Joke

It makes me happy how much Zo is a true debate nerd

"The topic for today is school uniforms: Pro or con?" I told you it was a classic!

"I felt bad about kissing you, avoiding you, and being the idiot I've been. Despite all that, you still helped me." Zo says: Stop being nice to me or I WILL fall in love with you

UNBELIEVABLE THAT ZO IS STILL ASKING JOKE IF HE (ZO) LIKES HIM (JOKE)

"I like you, Zo. I'll make you see that I really like you. I want to make you see that you like me too. Let me win you over." Roooomance

The most unrealistic thing that's happened in this series thus far is them pretending that this pillow looks at ALL like a sunflower. Could the props department not have at least found some felt and tried their best?

"I'm still in shock," said Zo, about Joke trying to win him over, as if he had not been the one who kissed Joke first bkjgjhgkjhg

"You guys don't seem all that surprised, especially you." Has Pat been pulling some shenanigans this whole time? He was the one who kept saying Zo should ask Joke for help

"What did you do as a kid?" "I stayed home, did homework, and went to tutoring classes." Nerd ❤️

Zo said: You must beat me at ten arcade games to earn emotional honesty on this date

And Joke replied: Let's do it baby, I love winning AND talking about our feelings

"Why are you forcing stuff on Zo? If he doesn't want to eat it, drop it." Honestly this is also how I'd react if someone was trying to make my friend eat food they didn't ask for, Kot. There's a fine line between expanding your horizons and ignoring someone's preferences

"Do you think it's right to pick a fight with Kot like that?" [Zo as the Spice Girls voice] If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends

"You can do what you want, but respect boundaries. As for the food, I know you meant well. You wanted me to try something new. But you need to understand that I don't like it. People don't like things they don't like." I'm glad Zo is establishing boundaries. We love a healthy heart-to-heart

"I know that you're in a bad mood. You're not ready to listen. Take some time to cool down. I believe you'll get what I'm trying to say." I just love the entire vibe of this conversation. The confidence, clarity, empathy, honesty. Go Zo!!!!

Ohhhhh, was Joke never dating Nita at all??? Just protecting her from this weirdo who leaves her haunting sticky notes

"After that, rumours about Nita and me started. I didn't bother clearing them." You know, now that I think about it, Joke never did say he dated Nita LOLLLLL

"You didn't really want Nita." Bold take, Joke, how are you gonna mansplain Zo's feelings

"I had feelings for you." HAHA Zo confessing to Nita in past tense

"Thank you for the feelings you had for me, even if they were just admiration." KJHGKJGH Zo said: Joke was right, I am not in love with you, you are simply the Zendaya of this school

God, this metaphor of Zo being the sun and Joke being a sunflower is getting to me. I LOVE SUNFLOWERS

"I'd be so lost without you," said Zo, after Joke simply handed him a glass of water HAHAHAH

"Just be yourself. Being you is more than enough." STOP THEY'RE SO CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!! You win this round, drunk punch debate show

Oh I do love their little hand holds. And Zo being the one to reach out:

"Yes, I am [single]. I can give you my Line ID." Jeng, how is Joke, who is not even officially dating Zo yet, better at turning people down than you, who has been with your boyfriend for like a year? Bananas behaviour

This show is capturing the very real sentiment of visiting a man's apartment and going, "Damn, you live like this?"

Zo taking food from Joke's chopsticks instead of getting his own because he wants to flirt. Hee hee

Lmao @ Zo looking surprised at Joke asking him how he feels about him as if that's not the natural progression from Zo saying he doesn't have feelings for Nita

Zo every time things become a little too romantic: I gotta go to the bathroom

It's fun that they have already slept in the same bed without even it being a big thing before but this time is different because they are Romantically Involved

"Why did you choose this place for our date?" Hee hee amusement park date. First official date!!

Joke saying he's not scared of the amusement park when he is in fact, very scared and motion sick, is very funny

I'm surprised it's taken this long to get to an Obviously Sponsored Segment. They lasted seven episodes!:

"I think... I think I like you." Awwwwww so Zo has liked guys before, it's just didn't work out with this guy Puen

Being dumped on a moving merry-go-round by a guy who was leading you on because Puen "just thought it'd be fun" is BRUTAL. No wonder Zo asks Joke if he's serious about them 14 times a day

"Maybe that's why I'm afraid to confess my feelings to anyone." True, this actually does add some context to Zo's interactions with both Nita and Joke

"You're just like my grandma," said Joke, which is both a delightful implication his grandmother also laughs at him for being a scaredy cat and a wild thing to say to your crush

They said: Fear not, if you are missing the kissing, we will offer you some JengPok kisses

Bold choice for them to choose to end this date with an introduction to Joke's grandma, but I suppose she was part of theme of the day

"Why is he wearing your shirt? Did you spend the night together?" Also a bold choice for in front of grandma

"I'll come over tomorrow for round two. I'm not backing down that easy." Zo said: Meet me in the ring, Joke's Grandma, I WILL make you love me

"Your partner has to be a fighter. It wouldn't last otherwise." Grandma said: I bully your future boyfriend as a litmus test for his strength of character. He passed!

"You need to step up your game, Joke. Because I'm kind of fond of this one." HAHAHA Grandma dunking on Joke for them not being together yet

Also, all of Grandma's outfits are INCREDIBLE

I repeat, if there's one thing that Joke will do, it's take his tits out at the first opportunity:

Awwww Zo helping Joke to "recharge his battery" by giving him a tighter hug

Fjkfhkjfhkfjh what's going on with Zo, passing out in his living room and getting nauseous over chicken? I mean, relatable, but what's up. Overworking or is he coming down with something specific?

Update from 1 minute later: Overworking, apparently

It's fun that we've progressed from pottery painting to making your own pottery and then painting it. It's symbolic. Also Zo putting a sunflower on his cup!!

"Honestly, I felt something for you too." Coffee Shop Carthasis ft. Puen the Ex-Situationship, perhaps?

"Are you planning any late-night funny business?" I think this Joke's way of saying, 'Please kiss me again'

Also I love that they just hold hands as they walk around now

"Thank you for coming into my life. Thank you for trying to win me over. No, I should say, thank you for being my boyfriend." AYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

HAHAHA Zo closing the door only to yank him in for a quick make-out and shove him back out again:

I feel like the anonymous breathy phone calls to Joke have to be the same guy who keeps sending Nita haunting sticky notes. He's an equal opportunity harrasser, I guess

Them hanging out in bed just to cuddle. I looooooove

[Pat as Joke] "Darling I, miss you." [Kot as Zo] "I do not want to go to class, Joke. I hate being away from you." Hahahaha Zo's friends pretending not to look at Joke and Zo while they flirt but then immediately reenacting their flirting as soon as Zo sits down. 10/10 friendship

Something I haven't really talked about in the past 8 eps but that has consistently been happening is that every time Zo is thinking very hard he kind of stares into space with his mouth slightly open like :o It is very awkward and endearing

NOT Zo making class friends with Poom the Stalker

Zo play-biting Joke's hands while he has his arm around him is also one of my love languages

Convenient of Poom to send an incredibly threatening message confirming that he was stalking Nita, Zo, and Joke at the exact time he would be at Zo's apartment

I know it's necessary to resolve the storyline but I would like them to get rid of Poom ASAP

Poom smashing their special date mugs >:( He is not only a gross, harassing stalker, but also just a run-of-the-mill douchebag

I'm glad Nita gets to see Poom (James) get his ass beat by Joke and then taken away in a police car

"Until you're ready, I can wait." [Zo immediately kisses him] Zo said: I've thought about it for ten seconds, and it turns out I'm ready now!

"How can a couple have a secret relationship that goes on and on?" Nine episodes in, Pok and Jeng are finally dealing with the festering romantic resentment of Jeng being so closeted he is actively leading on women

"Although you don't plan on dating her, you can't just go around acting like you're single." A really reasonable point, Joke

"I see a knot between your eyebrows." "You can be a masseuse." Meanwhile, Joke and Zo are in their sappy couple era, good for them:

Not Pat and Joke being caught shenanigan-ing about Zo. Eep!!!

I can understand why Zo is upset. If you found out that the moments that felt organic and meaningful to your relationship (impromptu trip to Chiang Khan, even Zo coming to Joke for help, all ochestrated via secret texts) were actually planned with one of your friends and your partner scheming to get you together, that would really make you take a pause and reevaluate

"You and I still have things to discuss." "Discuss what? Why am I out of the loop?" Kot being the only one who isn't In Trouble with Zo LOL

"How should I be feeling? My best friend pimping me out to you!" That's a rough but fair way to phrase it, Zo

I am also 100% on Zo's side here, he has, at best, been told many lies of omission, and at worst, had his feelings and boundaries disrespected by his loved ones, and he's given Joke so many opportunities to tell him. Joke minimizing is not helping, and it's kind of Zo to not immediately dump his ass

"During the debate tournament, you may get a topic that doesn't align with your beliefs." That's true, it's like 50-50 at any given time LOL

Also: If I were watching these debate interactions you best believe me and the besties are debriefing about the debationships

"Grilled Rice, tell me, what should I do?' Props to Joong for keeping a straight face

Yeah, Pat and Joke, Zo is mad at you for lying, but luring him into a mascot flash mob in his classroom with another lie with fix it

Also I didn't mention it but if for some reason you've gotten this far without seeing the show, Pat fell down the stairs after Zo caught him in the lie, that's why the furthest dog is on crutches:

"Zo is mad because you lied to him. But your apology is another lie? Enough already." THANK YOU KOT

I'm not even sure that at any point Joke has said, "I'm sorry," so my opinion is that he should, in this order, say: 1) I'm sorry for lying to you. It hurt you, I realize that now. It wasn't fair to you. 2) If you can, please tell me more so we can make sure all your concerns are heard. 3) What, if anything, can I do to start rebuilding trust? What do you need from me? Space, access to my messages, an explanation of how me and Pat know each other

"I know you understand me." "I know. I've been so understanding. Even though I'm not fine with it, I try to be." I actually like the B couple conflict much more than the main couple conflict, at least Pok and Jeng both have legitimate sides

"I was blind to how my selfishness hurt you. I need you in my life. I can't live without you. You are my everything. I promise I'll make this right. I will fix this for you. I'm sorry." Now THAT is an apology. 1) Say you're sorry 2) Acknowledge and address the concerns being raised and 3) Change your behaviour!

Jeng coming out to the football club to assure Pok he's serious about them. ❣️

"I was just helping Joke get close to you. When you started dating, I did nothing to influence either of you. But it was wrong to keep it from you, to go behind you back. I was supposed to be a friend you can trust. I'm really sorry, Zo." Pat also knows how to give an apology. 2 down, 1 to go!

"I'm really sorry. I've done you wrong all this time, but I never apologized. You don't have to forgive me for this. But I promise I won't lie to you or hide anything from you again. You may not believe me now, but I'll prove it to you. FINALLYYYYYY JOKE. IT TOOK YOU SO MANY TRIES

Gjkljgkgjlgk Zo gently informing him, 'Yeah stupid, I was waiting!'

"Absolutely no lip contact for a month." HAHAHA. Good for Zo. Also I give them a week

If we count play-kissing, it took them like 50 seconds

I appreciate whoever captioned ep 10, because not only did they caption the dialectical differences or accents from where Zo is from versus Bangkok, they also made sure those captions sit higher on the screen than the default English caption height, so you can see both without moving it. GOOD JOB!

"Zo, where are you? Why aren't you here at my house?" Hahaha Zo has earned his place in Joke's Grandma's Favourites (Joke is not included)

"You'll need fuel for an intensive tutoring session tonight." "Maybe ease up a touch?" Can confirm, this is a relatable Asian parent-child dynamic

"By the way, I've got a debate topic in mind for tonight. Childhood trauma from parental conflicts results in troubled adults." Wow, a little on the nose, but true, Mrs. Zo's Mum

None of these guys follow any structure when it comes to debate. Normally, you get a topic, you take a few minutes to prep your arguments, THEN you start arguing. You don't just automatically keep rebutting back and forth. How can Zo be expected to speak to his arguments after like less than 10 seconds of thought? Unreasonable!

"I can play [football] anywhere. It doesn't have to be that club." Maybe Jeng should go to Sarawat and Tine's school, where more than half of any given sports team is at least somewhat gay

Pok crying because he realizes being out makes Jeng's life a lot harder :'(

"One day you'll find that love will make the impossible possible. This too shall pass. It will." I'm glad Zo has a good relationship with his dad

It's a good thing that Zo likes Joke so much, or showing up out of the blue at his house could've gone over a lot more poorly

"Your parents seem chill." Famous last words, Joke, I tell ya

Also, I do appreciate how evident it is that Zo DOES want Joke here

If there's a trope I will never get tired of, it's sneaky hook-ups in your childhood home as adults. In practice, maybe a lil stressful. In fiction, VERY FUN

"Your mom's pretty intense, huh?" [Tonelessly] "Yeah, but I'm used to it." Oh, Zo, I know the voice of childhood trauma when I hear it

The fact that everything with Puen also made Zo's relationship with his mum worse. No wonder he plays things so close to the chest

"I get it completely. Your family and mine are not so different." That explains why Joke spends all of his time at his grandma's and not with his parents

"I've got your back from now on." Sometimes that's all you need. Empathy and back-up

"Happy birthday!" "You knew?" He went to see Zo because it was his birthday!! They are sooooooooooo

Also, Zo said: The kissing embargo does not count on birthdays

Woo for Zo getting debate club presidency for this year!!!

"What did he do that made you hate him?" "He's close with Trin!" Finally the weird tension between Former Debate Club President Wave and Bar Owner Trin is being addressed

"But we're pals! You can't have feelings for me." I know this is supposed to be an emotionally intense conversation but it reads SO funny in English:

Unbelievable!! You're telling me that Wave is made because HE started throwing punches in the dorms and got banned from debate tournament

"He cost me the competition!" "That's on you. You wouldn't have missed out if you hadn't thrown that punch." You tell him, Zo!

"Who said you could smooch my hand?" [Zo does a finger gun] "Took the liberty myself." Bi culture khgkjgh

Joke saying, "Then let's ramp up our international relations, shall we?" as a segue for sex is incredible. This series may not be for everyone, but it is for meeeeeeeeee

Not Joke's family trauma revealed as being left on read in the group chat

I do appreciate at the debate tournament they actually are (finally) following a motion, prep time and speech structure

Also. It's clear whoever wrote this scene has NEVER competed in a debate tournament because they are not talking fast enough or writing anything down

"Can you say in all honesty that your effort here is not a product of hard work?" Not to jump on Nita's argument specifically but this making a point about the individuals you're debating rather than their arguments is ad hominem fallacy and would not score well at a debate tournament. In this essay, I will—

It's SOOOO funny that they made Zo loving the sound of soda tabs a genuine characteristic so they could better integrate sponsors. I miss the Bad Buddy soda sponge bath

YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH POLI SCI DEBATE CLUB!!!

Good for Nita for taking home the Finland prize. Regardless of substance, it was very well-delivered!

[Park, about Nita] "Look at our shining star! So gifted." [Zo nodding, looking at Nita] I think Zo is doing a very good job of not showing how much not getting the Best Speaker/study abroad scholarship has hurt his feelings

"You don't always have to put on a brave face, you know?" said Joke, to which Zo probably thought, 'You don't understand, putting on a brave face is all I have done my whole life, I don't know how to turn it off!'

It's funny that Park is a credited character in the intros but the only memorable dialogue he's had up until Episode 11 is asking Zo to dress up as a frog to surprise Nita

It makes a lot more sense now that I know it's Nita's birthday and they weren't just frog-surprising her for winning best speaker LOL

I do love the nonverbal communication of Joke raising his eyebrows like, 'You okay?' and Zo smiling and fixing his hair like 'No sweat'

"Saijai, Joke isn't here. Shall I call him?" "That's fine. He'll turn up." LMAO no one in this show tells ANYONE that they're coming. Zo's mum didn't when she visited Zo in Bangkok, Zo didn't when he went home, Joke didn't when he visited Zo at home, Joke's family hasn't when they're visiting him. WHY DOES NO ONE THINK THEY SHOULD SAY THEY'RE GONNA VISIT

"You can tell me." [Zo sighs, hesitating.] "Alright, if you're not ready to tell me, wait until you are, okay? Do what makes you feel good." This is good relationship communication

"My mom's never said she's proud of me. Not even once." Oh, Zo. Heartbreaking. Also same maybe? I don't know fhkjfhkjf

I really do think they are both handling this situation as well as possible

"Zo, what brought you here?" said Zo's mum, like his dad wasn't lying in a hospital bed right front of him

"Was it a kidney stone?" "Yes, indeed. But surgery these days is minimally invasive. They just insert a tool. It doesn't hurt much. An ingrown nail hurts even more." First of all. As a person who has had 'miminally invasive surgery' YOUR BODY DOES STILL HURT AFTERWARDS. Secondly, the thing that precipitates the surgery is usually a very painful medical emergency!!!!! That is why you go to the hospital. I haven't had a kidney stone but I know they can cause a ton of pain!!!! Thirdly, it's not YOUR body, Zo's mum, so shut up about it. This is like, incredibly rude dialogue. Villain behaviour. Meet me in the Denny's parking lot LOL

"Buzz the doc if it hurts, okay? Don't think you'll disturb him. Don't just hold it in." At least she is NOW acknowledging Zo's dad could be in pain. But good grief

"Zo, you know your dad was in pain for a long time. But he wouldn't tell me, wouldn't see the doctor." Why are so many dads this way jkhfkhf. But also, why then, were you dunking on him for being worried, Zo's mum!!!

I do actually understand why Zo's mum did not tell him mid-debate that his dad was in surgery. Would've been rough

Joke subtly telling Zo's mum he needs support without betraying Zo's confidence. Love that!

"You did such a great job today. You nailed your speech. I'm so proud of you." Awwwww, good for Zo and his mum

Fjfhjfkhf Joke missing out on his family trying to celebrate him because he's been too busy with his friends and supporting his boyfriend. How many of these problems would've been solved if they'd texted beforehand

"Joke, I need some alone time tonight. Just to process how I feel." We love a boyfriend who expresses his needs

Joke making faces to his BF to say goodbye and then continuing to make faces to himself for no reason is so me. Joke continues his streak of Niche Relatability

I do wish that Joke got to celebrate with his family, he needs family time too!

"Zo, your dad's got sepsis. He's in the ICU." THIS IS WHY I WAS SO MAD WHEN SHE WAS MINIMIZING THE EFFECTS OF SURGERY. THEY ARE SO SERIOUS!

Poor Zo and his mum though, this is the worst feeling

"You can count on me to be here for you in times like these. Remember, I'm your sunshine." Ohhhh I like that they've switched up the metaphor, they are both suns

In all this, I did forget about the random bunny animation voice-over that they started this show with LOL

What class is that voice-over even for? An elective?? It's been going on for months. They never explain!

"This 'under the weather' thing seems to hit you every year on this day." Is Joke's dad the emotional equivalent of Zo's mum, in that he is prone to bringing bone arsenic to his child whenever possible?

Dhkjhgkjghgkj Joke walking around his huge, beautiful house looking for his parents does give Poor Little Rich Boy

Also. They've not put Joke in a super reasonable position in either of these situations. Of course Joke's parents would be busy if they're planning Bachang's (I assume Joke's brother's) graduation, which is time-sensitive, as opposed to a college acceptance, which is often unpredictable and happens months ahead of time. Of course Zo may be a more absent partner if his dad is in the hospital with sepsis. Joke isn't making it their problem or anything, but it is a little bit lacking perspective to be upset that Other People Have Stuff Going On When You Want Them Around

"I think what you're feeling isn't physical, but mental." At least Jeng is here to help Joke talk it out

"Am I one of the things bothering you?" Shockingly emotionally perceptive of Zo's mum

"I feel like all that I've done means nothing." "Zo, you've got it all wrong. I've never set any expectations for you to follow." Zo's mum, you should read a wikipedia article on gaslighting, because you have done it multiple times, on screen

"I'm sorry for making you feel this way." That's a better response

"You're always enough. Winning that scholarship or not, success or failure, you're still you at the end, and you matter. Remember, you're the sun, always shining brightly on your own." "I'm sorry. But I need to be with my parents." It's funny, because Zo and Joke didn't actually do anything romantic in this hospital hallway, but I think this particular argument is the most emotionally intimate thing they could do while his mum was eavesdropping without them knowing kgjhgkjhghgj. Like, they didn't say anything about dating, but it screamed couple

She's gotta know they're dating now, right? She's gotta!

"What's going on between you and Joke?" That didn't take long. Also I love her little smile after she asks

"You might end up pushing Joke away, like you did to me." I take back my love, see u back in the parking lot, Zo's mum

"Something precious... Joke!" I'm glad Zo does see the value in his relationship. Also, now they ARE romancing in the hallway

"It's great... seeing you get your act together, finally." Joke's dad IS the same vibes as Zo's mum. Coming in hot with a backhanded compliment

"I stopped by your apartment and ran into Jeng. He said you might need a friend. So I'm here." Zo said: Uno reverse on the boyfriend drop-in family support visit. No one on this show knows how to use a phone 💖

"You don't need to cover for him. I know he's up to no good." What an insane thing to say to your son's friend upon first meeting him. He is monologuing on Joke's flaws. Joke's dad SUCKS.

"[Joke] may not be the golden boy you pictured, but to me, he's pretty much perfect." Zo said: You have actually chosen the extremely wrong audience, as I am President of the Joke Fan Club, and will reverse monologue on Joke's virtues

Get you a boyfriend who will therapize your dad at the dinner table

Also, do these wider shots suggest Joke has TWO brothers, neither of who have named as his brothers LMAO. This show really only utilizes its cast for drama

Zo and Joke really said to each other: Give me ten seconds, I will fix your relationship with your mean parent:

"If you've ever felt I didn't care for you, you're wrong. I love you just like your brothers." Oh, so they are his brothers!

The most realistic part of this show is all of the parents going, 'Actually, the emotional problems in our relationship are the fault of your own misconceptions.' 10/10, terrible and true parenting. Also Dad revealing it was middle child trauma all along LOL

"I've always been proud of you, son. Without fail, any given time. I'm so happy that you're my kid." Again, refer to what you JUST did moments ago, Joke's dad. But, better, I guess

"I'm sorry I pulled away for a bit. I was lost. I didn't know where to turn or what I wanted." I'm glad that Zo is acknowledging it. These two are all about talking through their feelings

"I love you, Joke." I like that Zo is initiating this 💞 They make lots of effort to balance the support and love

"I've never been shy about us, and I'm no longer scared." I really love Jeng and Pok's relationship arc

Jeng kissing Pok outside the party to show how much he means it and loves him!!

"But let's be honest, it's not the outfit that makes me look this good, it's all in the face." Hahaha Joke has never been lacking in self-confidence but I like how him voicing it shows he's back in a good emotional place

"But, you know, I was in a weird place back then. It's all good now." Me about myself every minute that's not the current one

"And honestly, you totally deserved it." We love a good sport!

Not them fully pausing the montage of their friends achieving their goals (beating video games, passing exams, rejoining football, going to Finland) to resolve the Wave and Trin conflict

"Kiss me, this time with the certainty we have in each other now." Oooh we love a full-circle post-uni kiss in Chiang Khan

"Well, my dream is a lot simpler now. Just being by your side like this, forever." ZOOOOO. STOP THAT'S SO SWEET 🥺💘

Final thoughts on this show: I would say the plot is somewhat meandering because it doesn't feel like it has one particular story to tell until the last few eps, and the use of their cast of characters could've been better, because I felt like people would only pop up to drop in a plot point. BUT I do find the show incredibly endearing!! I love the debate themes, I love how Zo is really focused on school, I love the silly little dating lessons. I think they do a particularly good job of building upon Zo slowly to help you understand who he is and why. I also liked the way they navigated the friends to lovers arc, though I could've done without the initial drunk punch or all the scheming. I don't feel like it added much, and I do think it took away from the relationship. I get that it's called, 'Hidden Agenda' but the mere fact that Joke liked Zo from the start fulfills that. The other part is that they laid some groundwork on why exactly their relationship was so tense in the beginning with flashbacks about the Freshy contest, but didn't really deliver on it beyond Joke appreciating that Zo asked how he felt. It felt like they didn't make much effort to reconcile the tone change or develop Joke's backstory in general. In any case, they had good chemistry, really good communication, a fun secondary couple, some really realistic parent dynamics and I liked it enough that I'm willing to hand-wave away its perceived flaws. A pretty solid mid-tier romance!

[waywardpensman]

My magic system for my novel

Its a bit of a read so enjoy lmao

and I do apologise for being quiet for ages lol

Magic System for Aetheria: The Dual Weave

In the world of Aetheria, magic flows from two primary forces: The Celestial Light and The Abyssal Shadow. These two powers, which were once united in a single, harmonious source of magic, were violently split during the event known as the Sundering. Since then, mages of Aetheria and the Shadowlands have been taught to wield only one side of this divided magic, but some, like Kael Rynn, seek to understand both.

The core of this magic system revolves around The Dual Weave: the intricate relationship between light and shadow magic, where mastery lies in the understanding that neither is inherently good nor evil, but both are necessary to maintain the balance of the world.

Foundations of Magic:

Essence: Magic in Aetheria is drawn from the Essence of the World, a primal force that pervades all living things and the environment itself. This essence is divided into two types:

Celestial Essence (Light) – Associated with purity, order, protection, and life.

Abyssal Essence (Shadow) – Associated with transformation, chaos, secrecy, and decay.

Conduits: All magic users, called Weavers, channel magic through conduits—physical or mental focal points that allow them to access and manipulate the Essence. These can be innate, such as the user's body, or external, like staves, crystals, or enchanted objects.

Weaves: Magic is cast by forming Weaves, which are complex patterns of light or shadow essence. Each type of magic requires different weaves, from simple spells like basic shielding or energy projection to complex rituals that bend reality.

Schools of Magic:

Celestial Weaving Celestial Magic, the power of the Light, is commonly practiced in Aetheria. It draws upon the structured, radiant force of the Celestial Essence, which grants users powers of protection, healing, and enlightenment. The Celestial Weavers believe that their magic is tied to righteousness and clarity of purpose.

Illumination: Creating radiant light, banishing shadows, and revealing hidden truths.

Wardcraft: Defensive spells that form shields, barriers, and protections. These can be either personal or for protecting large areas.

Restoration: Healing the wounded, purifying disease, and restoring the vitality of living beings.

Radiant Command: Control over natural elements through the manipulation of light, such as summoning fire, blinding enemies, or influencing weather.

Abyssal Weaving Abyssal Magic, practiced in the Shadowlands, draws from the Abyssal Essence. It is less understood by the people of Aetheria and is often feared, as it deals with powers of change, concealment, and entropy. Abyssal Weavers can manipulate darkness, hide their presence, or accelerate natural decay.

Veilcasting: The power to manipulate shadows and conceal oneself or others. Advanced weavers can create illusions or become completely invisible in darkness.

Entropy: The acceleration of natural decay or degradation. This can be used to break down physical structures or sap the life force from enemies.

Transmutation: Abyssal Weavers can change the shape and nature of objects or beings, transforming matter into different states.

Soulbinding: The manipulation of life energy, which can be used to influence minds, raise the dead, or channel the power of fallen spirits.

Dual Weaving:

The rarest and most powerful form of magic is Dual Weaving, which combines both Celestial and Abyssal forces into a single weave. Few can perform this, as it requires deep understanding and perfect balance between the two forces. Dual Weavers have access to abilities that transcend both light and shadow, but practicing this magic is forbidden in Aetheria due to its association with heresy.

Equilibrium Weaving: The balance of light and shadow magic allows a Dual Weaver to influence both order and chaos. This type of magic can restore balance to imbalanced areas, neutralize other spells, or bind creatures of light and shadow alike.

Temporal Magic: Dual Weaving can also manipulate time in small ways—slowing it, speeding it up, or creating brief moments of stasis by weaving both forces together.

Reality Shifting: Advanced Dual Weavers can alter the fundamental nature of space, bending reality or creating small pocket dimensions where both light and shadow coexist harmoniously.

Anima Fusion: Dual Weavers can merge life forces from both light and shadow, creating hybrid creatures or fusing themselves with elemental beings for a temporary boost in power.

Laws of Magic:

The Law of Harmony: Light and shadow must always remain in balance. If a Weaver draws too heavily on one force without respecting the other, they risk losing control of the magic. Overuse of Celestial Essence can lead to blindness (both literal and metaphorical), an inability to see the subtleties of reality, while overuse of Abyssal Essence can cause madness, as the mind is consumed by the chaos of shadow.

The Sundering Limit: The Sundering created an artificial divide in magic, which has made accessing both forces difficult. Most weavers can only wield one type of Essence. However, with special training or forbidden rituals, a rare few can overcome this limit and access both.

Essence Decay: Overuse of magic leads to Essence Decay, a slow degradation of the Weaver’s ability to harness magic. Those who rely too much on their powers, especially if they disrupt the balance of light and shadow, can lose their connection to magic entirely. Celestial magic overuse leads to physical frailty, while Abyssal overuse drains the soul and shortens the lifespan.

Foci: Certain places or objects are naturally attuned to one type of Essence. For instance, in areas rich with Celestial Essence, light magic is easier to cast, while Abyssal magic is weaker. Conversely, the deep forests of the Shadowlands are saturated with Abyssal Essence, amplifying shadow magic and weakening light-based weaves.

Magical Artifacts and Relics:

The Orb of Sundering: A legendary relic said to hold the combined power of both light and shadow, created during the event of the Sundering. It is rumored that whoever masters the orb can restore the world to its pre-Sundering state, merging light and shadow back into one harmonious force.

Celestial Crystals: Glowing, radiant crystals used by Aetherian mages to amplify their connection to the Celestial Essence. They are often embedded in staves or worn as amulets to boost power.

Obsidian Sigils: Dark, jagged stones infused with Abyssal Essence, carried by Weavers of the Shadowlands. These sigils allow their wielders to enhance shadow spells, control creatures of darkness, or summon shades from the Abyss.

Final Thoughts:

In this world of divided magic, conflict arises not just between the forces of light and shadow, but within individuals who seek to find harmony between the two. Those who practice Dual Weaving, like Kael Rynn, must navigate the dangerous path between these opposing forces, risking not only their lives but the very nature of magic itself. As Kael uncovers the truth about the Sundering, he begins to understand that restoring balance between light and shadow might be the only way to prevent the world from falling into chaos again.

[huitzilinthebudgie3]

I like when it Rains

Rating : Mature

Pairing : Khonshu x Reader , Jake x Reader

Summary : Khonshu is an ass but , he finally meets his match with Stevens neighbor . Y/n also meets her neighbor and his ghost .

Note : Merry Late Christmas !! And Happy New Year !! Sorry for the Hiatus guys with Unrequited Love . Aside from Personal reasons , It will probably be put hiatus for a while . I'll be trying some other stories as well as posting a few drafts for a few fandoms that i love and What i have of The New Chapter (Unrequited Love) as a Half Chapter before the end . This one has been in the drafts for a while , so enjoy some Khonshu and Reader sass lol . And like always let me know if you like it 😊

The pure shock of the moment hits , the anxiety of this very second . The emotions that shoot through your mind like lightning as it raced down the nape of your next to the very tips of your toes . As it spurred a surge of pure dread and  resentment through your heart . 

Y/n was in that very position as she glared at her exam that read 5% on a quiz , she'd studied night , day and now rain for . Her chest squeezed painfully tight as she fought the slew of tears pricking her eyes . However she'd yet to see the being that was disturbed by such a loud and careless flair of emotion being shared emphatically .

------------------------------------

It jumped in surprise before appearing beside this human , it seemed to be in despair as it sobbed silently.  It thought silently to itself as the human panicked so drastically.  Before he poked his beak in its direction before noting it tensed briefly before grunting .

Wiping at its tears from its sad little face , reminded him of the mannerisms a mouse would  use to groom itself.  He moved closer intrigued by the creature , observing the intricate tattoo that spanned from their elbow to their collar and then their shoulder blade under their clothing . The woman however stood up suddenly and trudged toward their mattress. Unlike the worm's intricate sleep ritual , she only stared up at the moon offering a sad smile "I tried , I gave it my all . Why does it feel so…" her voice cracked and tears gathered in their eyes as she rubbed them roughly.  

He observed her eyes as they stared silently at the moon "You always see me at my worst moon . Must be bad luck , hmm ? Always heard the moon was bad luck" she said under her breath before he decided to let her have the pleasure of seeing her easily''The moon isn't as bad as you think, mouse !" The human turned to him and peered into his gaze as he squirmed at another being staring and trying to gauge his own reaction "Fuck , i need some sleep ! You're gonna tell me that I'm special and some bullshit and try to get my soul or sumthin' ?" The skeletal bird glared indignantly …. well as much as a skeletal bird could "How dare you-" he started "-Listen , Skeletor . I don't know you and could give a shit . Go back to wherever you spawned from "  she sighed tiredly before turning over and promptly passing out .

Note : Should have chapter 1 up later or tomorrow.

[unproduciblesmackdown]

description of a substantive billions dream

a typical [school problems] genre thread of assigned fiction reading became a book about winston as an elementary or middle schooler, and how there was a new girl who, i guess to sort of change the conversation around herself from [being the new girl] instead established the topic as her having a crush on someone, this being winston who she’d already interacted with more often than others / was closest to friends with. but he was kind of uncomfortable with this and so there was a scene with them talking about it and her explaining it seemed like the kind of thing she was supposed to do, with mutual genuinely liking each other but not necessarily so far as [let’s declare mutual crushes or bother with that framework at all at the present]. and yet there was a sort of dramatic irony tone conveyed for the audience that, not that this was incorrect / inaccurate or anything, but naturally that anything associated w/that framework might not be off the table forever, especially what with having a whole discussion about things really here just cementing that they do both want to be / consider themselves like friends proper. there was a little illustration like so:

i don’t remember my dream supplying a name for the girl, just like how it didn’t supply any particular design for elementary or middle schooler winston than “smaller, i guess”....despite things only featuring this small winston at the start, it then became a) about regular billions b) directly observable as An Event as well as being relayed through reading the book still and c) about winston and taylor and others, including the older unnamed dream oc girl, having a pleasant day outdoors in a meadow by water and sometimes in a cave with water, as a helpful offshoot of another prior typical dream thread.

more granular and vivid details: one scene being observed half directly as a real event, half through reading about it, ended with philip and taylor at a distance (winston keeps the pov) sitting in a field by water, and philip being playfully affectionate with taylor like 😉 and holding their hand and calling them “baby” while taylor is like 😳 like so:

i read this part like :o ! and turned to noted blogger nothingunrealistic like “omg what page/chapter are you on” and they had not yet reached it so i was like “omggg...” expressions to the [honey you’ve got a big storm coming (positive)] effect

and another scene specific enough to have drawn was that, after having enjoyed a swim (philip constantly appearing in usual canon-type business suits despite the outdoors activities, even this one) winston kind of [tag you’re it]’d philip out of the water and they had this drenched like wrestle embrace ft. winston pressing his face to philip in as close to a kiss as anything else that happened. had as much or more as a like lighthearted playful energy as anything as well despite the [intricate rituals] and [sounds like a sexually charged kind of situation perhaps] lol like well once again it needn’t Not be that, but things are casual and spontaneous And homoerotic. everyone simply being comfortable enough despite tensions of [discuss that you’re nervous abt there being hot gossip abt you as a Crush] or [flirtation ft. the recipient being flustered] or [plenty of physical touch plus affection] like so:

let’s go boys! and of course, relevant as well that winston was Deeply Affectionate and Closely Aware/Attentive towards taylor the whole time, sometimes conveyed simply through how again taylor scenes were seen through him as the pov character and myself as the pov beyond that, like, of course there’s tayston and of course there’s plenty of like, well anyone here may be liable to kiss anyone and everyone else. tl;dr everyone enjoying this refreshing outdoors excursion and being comfortable in the marinade of any of that tension re: potential increased emotional and/or physical intimacy with each other out there, like, as a metaphor, having a stretch and despite the element of [!] there it can also be unthreatening, welcome, pleasant and it can be like “well i’m glad for the greater flexibility this can yield. and/or being warmed up for something. and/or easing an uncomfortable physical sensation. etc” lol. good for them

[reclusiverisottonero]

hiiii julieeee, for the hc prompts: 2, 29, 30, 48!!

2. Do they have any daily rituals?

Risotto’s most obvious rituals happen in the morning right when he wakes up. He wakes up earlier than I do so he uses the quiet moments for ‘me’ time where he does some exercise, shower and washes his face in a super basic skin care routine, then makes himself an intricate coffee with a light breakfast, before going to wake my ass up (if it needs to be woken up). This is how he charges up his social batteries to get ready for the rest of his day. 

29. Reaction to sudden extrapersonal disaster (eg The house is on fire! What do they do?)

I’ll just use the house on fire example here LOL. He thinks first, and stays calm then acts after, type of person. So he quickly figures out the best way to escape and gets everyone out of the house safely, barring anyone from going back inside for anything because it’s just stuff, and not as important as anyone’s life. 

30. Reaction to sudden intrapersonal disaster (eg close family member suddenly dies)

Oh this is another great example provided too! He tries to be strong and appear unaffected in an effort to be a support for those around him that could also be hurting but in reality he hurts much, much more deeply than he lets on. The immediate reaction for him internally though, is to try and minimize the importance of the person that’s gone or try to even forget about them as to escape from the feelings of loss and grief. I don’t think Risotto has quite learned though that grief is something that comes in waves, and so when the feelings come and go, they’re intense because he wasn't processing the feelings from the last time they arrived at all, and he’ll chastise himself for caring too much. For allowing himself to open up or be close to someone only to have them be taken away again. 

48. How do they express love?

It’s through action and words that you’d have to read between the lines to see. His hand on your back when he doesn't enjoy even casual touches with anyone else, giving you the bigger portion of food you’re sharing with him, laughing softly at your bad jokes when no one else would. Uses phrases that seem inconsequential but hold more meaning than people usually realize: “Did you eat today?” “This reminded me of you.” “You should get some sleep.”

[wangxiangiftexchange]

Winter Solstice gift for @apprenticedmagician!

I hope you enjoy the gift! It got a bit prose-y lol, but im pleased with it. i love the intricate rituals of men in love. hopefully this satisfies your desire for fluff by doing each others hair and makeup! I wanted to do an art fic combo, hopefully you enjoy it!!

*****

a kiss on the nape (is better than the lips)

Morning light shining in through shuttered windows, the kiss of the sun upon a foggy home. Sleepy, muffled noises, giggles, the kind that can be found emerging from under the covers of loving beds.

A laughed "Lan Zahn!", the cry of one that was woken up by his partner's lips upon his own. Another noise, deeper, this one pleased, then the combined sound of two men slipping out of bed.

Cloth rustling, as naked lovers dress for the day ahead, despite both wanting to stay within the other’s arms, safe, warm, loved .

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