#every time i play a character- it's like tuning a radio. trying to get the frequency just right.

[punkforkos]

Heya!! I was looking at what you posted for the ask game and I wanted to ask some questions about my favourite dragon paladin Cosima! You can of course answer whichever ones you’d like to, but I was extremely curious about #8, #40, #28 and (extremely self indulgent question as a fellow player in the campaign she’s in) #22! Anyways, I will be drawing her a fair bit, so stay tuned!!

These are fascinating questions to ponder for Cosima!!

For anyone who has no idea who Lady Cosima is, she's my new dragonborn/tiefling sorcadin for a Curse of Strahd campaign! Here's some art of her (Her usual look, altho she doesn't currently have the wings + a bonus version of her that is more dragonborn-presenting!)

Anyways, question answers are below the cut!! <3

8. What were they told to start/stop doing most often as a child?

Cosima has been told what she ought to be doing for most of her life, honestly. She was caught between her two lives-- one as a revered member of her church and the other as a nobleman's daughter... Both of which held a lot of expectations for her and how she should act. She was frequently told to pay attention and not get distracted by anything outside of where her head needed to be. Let's just say that she had an interesting upbringing... one that a lot of neurodivergent kids might be able to relate to, a la: feeling like a weird kid or just kind of out of place, but when you try to go off into your own world, you were told you couldn't really do that either. And you had to engage with what you were told to engage with. So you did. I have much more specific stuff I could say for this, but I'll hold off for now because it might come up later on!

40. How sensitive are they to their own flaws?

I would say she's in the process of learning more about herself, which means she's still learning some of her own flaws and shortcomings. I think she gets flustered whenever she figures out new flaws of hers, embarrassed even, but she's figuring out how to get better at adapting and responding to em! She's eager to grow and experience more, so she can take it.

28. Would they prefer a lie over an unpleasant truth?

Cosima is the type of person who was pretty sheltered and became quite sensitive as a result... an unpleasant truth will sit bitter on her tongue, linger in her mouth, and be a challenge to swallow... but she's also the type of person who has only ever been told what people think she wants to hear or half-truths or It means a lot to her whenever anyone tells her what's really on their mind, even if it's unpalatable. Even if it hurts. It's real, at least.

22. How does jealousy manifest itself in them (they become possessive, they become aloof, etc)?

This will certainly be elaborated on more in-game, but... because of the dragonisms, I think she gets kinda possessive/clingy with people she is close to. She's not insanely overbearing with it, but certainly gives off the aura of wanting to keep her people with her. ^^ This is smth I'm definitely gonna have to feel out more in the campaign to know for certain how she'd react!! I'm not quite sure what behavior feels right for her or what moments would bring out some jealousy, but !!! I am intrigued thinking abt it nonetheless.

[rootedinrevisions]

Kinktober 2024: Day 30

CHARACTER: Tyler Owens

KINK: Car Sex (Truck Sex)

WORD COUNT: 1.2K

WARNINGS: 18+ MINORS DNI. SMUT (biting, p in v sex, semi in public/where you could get caught)

TAG LIST: SEE COMMENTS

If you would like to be added to any of my Tag Lists or be tagged for a specific character please feel free to comment, send an ask, or send a DM and I'll be happy to get you added! Below are the fandoms I currently write for.

Glen Powell (himself and the characters he's played)

Twisters (Mostly Tyler right now, but possibly others soon)

Top Gun: Maverick (Hangman, Rooster, possibly others soon)

Marvel / MCU (Bucky Barnes as of now, but possibly others soon)

WWE / Wrestling

The low rumble of the truck as you cruise along the highway is oddly comforting, blending with the soft tunes of 90s country coming through the radio. Tyler drums his fingers lightly on the steering wheel, one arm stretched casually along the top, his hand dangerously close to where you’re sitting. His confidence is effortless—grounded, but with a spark of mischief in his eyes whenever he glances your way. After getting caught in that rainstorm, he’d shot you a grin and shrugged it off, wet t-shirt and all. But it had left you flustered, noticing every inch of him in ways you usually tried to keep to yourself.

“So,” he starts, breaking the comfortable silence. “Worth the detour for that burger, huh?”

You let out a laugh, grateful for the chance to ease some of the tension building between you two. “Absolutely. I think I would’ve wasted away if we’d just gone straight back.”

He chuckles, glancing at you briefly before returning his eyes to the road. The wet fabric of his t-shirt clings to him as if daring you not to look, showing off the muscle in his shoulders, the veins on his forearms.

“You okay over there?” he asks, his voice teasing but warm. The mischievous look in Tyler's eyes is unmistakable, even if he’s trying to keep his focus on the road. 

But then you decide two can play this game. Your lips curve into a smirk before you adjust in your seat, letting yourself have a little more room to lean over the console.

When your hand first rests on his knee, he seems amused, even relaxed, but when your fingers start to move upward, you notice his jaw tense slightly, and his grip on the steering wheel tightens. 

The subtle power in his reaction emboldens you, and you can’t help but push things just a little further.

Your fingers trail over his thigh, brushing the front of his jeans. You feel him tense under your touch, his breath catching slightly, and then you catch the slight shake of his head, paired with a low chuckle.

He clears his throat. "Now, just what do you think you're up to?" His voice is low, rougher than before, laced with both amusement and a touch of restraint. You glance up, meeting his gaze, feigning innocence with a small shrug.

"Up to?" you say, keeping your voice as light as possible. "I'm just sitting here. What do you think I’m doing?"

Tyler’s hand, still resting over yours, gives another squeeze, this time firmer, his thumb tracing over your knuckles.

“I think,” he says, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, “you know exactly what you're doing.” He releases his hand from yours just long enough to turn up the music, using it as an excuse to adjust his posture—maybe to regain a bit of control.

You flash him a playful smile. "Oh, come on, Tyler. I thought you liked it when I kept you on your toes."

His laugh is warm, a little breathy. “Trust me, I do.” He pauses, his eyes cutting over to you with a look that’s both soft and intense. “Just not when I’m driving, sweetheart.”

The growl that escapes Tyler’s lips is low and guttural as you press kisses into his neck, your teeth grazing the sensitive spots you know drive him wild. His breaths come shorter, more strained, and he shifts in his seat, trying to focus on the road as you continue your teasing, unrelenting.

“Baby,” he murmurs, his voice thick with warning, “if you don’t stop, I swear…” But even as he says it, his hips move up instinctively to meet the pressure of your hand. He’s torn between maintaining control and giving in, and the internal struggle shows in every flex of his jaw, every grip of his hands as he tries to hold on.

You lean up, letting your breath brush against his ear. “Relax, Tyler. I trust you,” you whisper, your voice teasing, knowing full well that your words make it even harder for him to resist.

With a low curse, he tries once more, his tone nearly pleading, “Honey, you’re gonna make us crash.” But even as he says it, his body betrays him, pressing into your hand with increasing urgency. His breath hitches as you run your fingers along the front of his jeans again, this time applying more pressure. His body leans into yours, the tension nearly vibrating between you.

He finally pulls his hand from the wheel just long enough to grab your wrist, halting your movements. 

"Alright," he says, a slight tremor in his voice, eyes still locked forward, his grip firm but full of unspoken promise. “You’re going to pay for that when we get back.”

You then hear Tyler and sigh and curse under his breath as he glances at the rearview mirror. You watch him start to slow the truck and pull over to the shoulder of the highway. You glance through the back window and see the unmistakable red and blue lights of a police officer.

The moment Tyler pulls the truck over, the tension shifts from playful to cautious. You can see the way his expression tightens as he watches the officer approach the window. The flashing red and blue lights reflect off the dashboard, casting a pulsing glow that heightens the mood in the cab.

“Just stay calm,” you murmur, trying to reassure him as you lean back in your seat, your heart still racing from your earlier teasing. Tyler nods, his jaw set as he rolls down the window, the humid air rushing in, mingled with the scent of rain.

The officer bends slightly to peer into the cab, his demeanor professional but relaxed. “Evening, sir. I need to see your license and registration.”

Tyler fumbles with the glove compartment, glancing nervously at you as he retrieves the documents. You pass them to him, your fingers brushing against his in a moment that feels all too intimate given the circumstances. He hands the documents out the window, maintaining eye contact with the officer.

“Do you know why I pulled you over?” the officer asks, his voice steady as he inspects the papers.

“Um, I’m guessing it’s because I was speeding?” Tyler replies, a hint of a nervous chuckle in his tone. You can see the flush creeping up his neck as the officer raises an eyebrow.

“You were weaving a bit too, which is why I stopped you. Have you been drinking tonight?”

Tyler shakes his head vigorously. “No, sir. Not at all. Just trying to get back to the motel before that storm hits.” He gestures vaguely toward the darkening sky, which is heavy with rain clouds.

The officer narrows his eyes, clearly unconvinced. “You’ve been speeding and weaving for several miles. I’d like to know what really happened back there. You weren't on your phone were you?”

You shift in your seat, biting your lip to suppress a grin at Tyler’s awkwardness. He looks over at you for a split second, searching for inspiration, then takes a deep breath, his confidence wavering slightly.

“Honestly, I was just trying to outrun the storm,” he continues, though it sounds more like a half-hearted excuse than a real explanation. “I thought I could make it to the motel before it hit.”

The officer studies him, and you can sense the moment he sees through the facade. “You realize that speeding is dangerous, especially in this weather?”

Tyler nods, his expression earnest. “I know, I know. I didn’t mean to—I just got caught up in the moment. This one here’s a little afraid of storms. I was just trying to get her back to the hotel, and I didn’t realize how fast I was going.”

There’s a slight pause as the officer glances between Tyler and you. You can see the wheels turning in his mind as he assesses the situation, perhaps weighing whether to let Tyler off with a warning or to issue a ticket.

“Alright, hang tight for a minute,” the officer finally says, stepping back to his patrol car.

Tyler sinks back into his seat, releasing a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Well, that went better than expected,” he mutters, though the humor in his voice is overshadowed by the unease lingering in the air.

You watch him closely, noticing how the blush on his cheeks deepens as he tries to make light of the situation. “You could’ve just told him we were getting carried away in the truck,” you tease.

Tyler shoots you a look, half-grinning. “And risk getting us both in trouble? No thanks.”

A few tense minutes pass before the officer returns, a speeding ticket in hand. “Here you go, sir. Just drive a little more carefully next time,” he advises, his tone firm but not unkind. “You’re free to go.”

“Thank you, officer,” Tyler replies, his voice steady as he takes the ticket.

As Tyler pulls back onto the highway, the silence in the truck feels heavier than before. You notice the way his jaw is clenched tight, a contrast to the usual relaxed demeanor he carries. His grip on the steering wheel is firm, knuckles white against the red paint. You can sense the tension radiating from him, and it sends a flutter of nervous energy through you.

The muted sounds of the truck and the rhythmic thumping of rain against the windshield fill the air, amplifying the weight of the quiet. After several minutes of driving in silence, you decide it’s time to break the ice.

“Tyler, I—” you start, but he quickly shakes his head, cutting you off.

“Don’t,” he says firmly, though not unkindly, his eyes still fixed on the road ahead.

You bite your lip, feeling a mix of guilt and confusion. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get you pulled over. I’ll pay the speeding ticket, I promise.”

At this, Tyler finally glances at you, a flicker of something playful sparking in his eyes. “Oh, you think that’s all it’s going to take? Just paying the ticket and calling it a day?” His tone is teasing, but there’s an undercurrent of seriousness that sends your heart racing.

“What do you mean?” you ask, eyebrows raised, your curiosity piqued.

His lips curl into a smirk, the corner of his mouth quirking up just enough to hint at his mischievous side. “Let’s just say I have a different kind of punishment in mind for you once we get back to the hotel.”

You feel a heat rising to your cheeks at his words. The implication hangs in the air, thick and electric. You squeeze your legs together, suddenly aware of how your body reacts to his playful threat.

“Oh, really?” you manage to say, trying to keep your voice steady despite the rush of excitement coursing through you.

“Yeah, really.” He finally turns his head to look at you, and his gaze is intense, filled with a mix of confidence and something deeper. “I think you need a reminder about what happens when you play around like that while I’m driving.”

Your breath hitches slightly at the way he says it, each word laced with an underlying promise. The thought of being alone with him in the privacy of your motel room makes your heart race even faster. You can already imagine the way he might hold you, the playful banter turning into something much more heated.

“And what kind of reminder do you have in mind?” you challenge, a playful smile tugging at your lips, emboldened by the way he looks at you.

He chuckles softly, the tension in his jaw easing just a bit. “Oh, you’ll find out soon enough. Just know it won’t be easy for you,” he replies, the playful edge in his voice making your pulse quicken even more.

Tyler’s sudden turn off the highway a few minutes later takes you by surprise. You watch as he pulls into a quiet rest stop, the lot deserted and shadowed under a dim streetlight. The familiar rumble of his truck’s engine fades as he shifts into park. His eyes remain fixed ahead for a moment, his jaw tense, but when he glances at you, there’s a spark there—a confident glint that’s all Tyler.

The sound of his belt coming undone pulls your attention fully to him. As he unzips his jeans and reaches down, revealing just how affected he is, your breath catches. This is a side of Tyler you've never seen quite like this. His usual easygoing confidence has morphed into something bolder, more assertive, and it sends a thrill straight through you.

“Shorts off,” he says, his voice a low command, his gaze intense as he meets your eyes. “Then get your pretty little ass over here. I've decided I don't want to wait.”

You feel your face start to turn red, taken aback by his tone but undeniably drawn in by it. He’s never been this forward, and it leaves you momentarily stunned. But then he raises an eyebrow, his eyes flicking to his lap, leaving no room for misinterpretation. You glance around, the empty lot eerily still and quiet, but the thrill of the situation overrides any hesitation.

Heart racing, you pop the button on your denim shorts, sliding them down your legs. Climbing over the console, you’re careful around the equipment scattered between you and Tyler, a reminder of the storm-chasing gear piled up in his truck. Finally, you settle onto his lap, your legs straddling him as his hands come to rest on your hips, grounding you there with a firm, possessive grip.

There’s a hint of a smirk tugging at his lips, and in that moment, Tyler’s gaze alone makes you feel as if you’re his entire world. The energy between you is electric, leaving no doubt that he’s completely in control—and you’re exactly where you want to be.

The atmosphere in the truck has completely shifted as Tyler leans his seat back to make a little more room, his grip firm on your hips, guiding you over him with steady, unyielding confidence.

Your pulse is racing as you straddle him, trying to ignore the thrill of being in such an exposed place. The dark, quiet lot around you seems to fade, leaving just you and Tyler in the cocoon of his truck.

As you sink down onto Tyler, his hands grip your hips with a possessiveness that sends a shiver through you. The initial stretch is intense, leaving you breathless, but Tyler doesn’t give you long to adjust. He bucks his hips up, pressing you fully against him, your bodies flush as he draws you into a rhythm that’s all-consuming. His arms wrap around your back, holding you close, making it feel like you’re the only two people in the world despite the thrill of the open parking lot.

Every movement becomes a test of restraint as his hands guide your hips, the friction pushing you closer to the edge. The weight of his body beneath you, the warmth of his skin, the scent of his cologne—it all heightens the intensity, and soon, your breaths are mingling, matching in urgency.

Tyler’s mouth finds the shell of your ear, and you hear his low, husky whisper, laced with a mix of adoration and authority. “You’re not allowed to finish until we’re back at the motel, you understand?” He murmurs, his voice firm. The promise of “punishment” hangs in the air, thickening the tension between you.

A thrill of rebellion flares up, daring you to ignore his words, but you catch his gaze, steady and knowing. Tyler’s eyes are locked on you, as if he’s memorizing every reaction, every gasp. 

He knows every inch of your body, every telltale sign of your nearing climax, and with every arch of your hips, he can sense your resolve slipping.

You feel yourself teetering right on the edge, one or two more movements of your hips and you know you could get yourself there, but is it worth the punishment that would come with it?

His mouth is close to your ear, his breath hot and unsteady. “Don’t even think about it,” he murmurs, his voice low and rough, as he senses your resolve wavering. “Not until we’re back at the motel. Remember?”

A shiver runs through you, and it’s taking everything in you to keep from crossing the line, but the look on his face—equal parts teasing and commanding—keeps you hanging on. Tyler keeps up the rhythm, each movement an expert test of your self-control. The whole situation has you electrified, both daring and savoring the challenge he's given you.

He keeps his eyes locked on yours, his gaze unwavering. “Good girl,” he whispers approvingly, and the praise sends another shiver down your spine. 

Your eyes catch the faint glint of headlights in the distance, and your heart skips as you realize they're moving closer, aimed right at the rest stop.

You lean in, whispering urgently to Tyler, “Someone’s coming.”

Instead of slowing down or pulling back, Tyler’s grip tightens around your waist, his hands pressing you firmly against him as his eyes meet yours with a mischievous glint. “Then you’d better get me there fast,” he murmurs, voice dark and steady, daring you to rise to the challenge.

His hips thrust up, driving into you with an intensity that makes your head fall back, a loud, breathy moan slipping from your lips before you can stop it. You can feel him everywhere, his hands firm on your skin, his chest rising and falling under yours as the rhythm between you builds to a dizzying pace.

The headlights draw nearer, their beams glinting off the side mirrors, and with a low, guttural groan, Tyler buries himself deep, his entire body tensing beneath you. A shudder runs through him as he lets go, filling you completely, his arms wrapped around you, pulling you close. You feel him press his lips to your forehead as his hand starts to rub your back.

You carefully shift back over to the passenger seat, your cheeks flushed and your legs shaky, feeling the warmth of Tyler's release start to slip out, dampening your underwear. You quickly tug your shorts back on, fingers fumbling as you catch your breath. Glancing over, you see Tyler, his own breathing just settling, as he casually tucks himself back in, zipping his jeans and securing his belt as though nothing happened.

Once he’s ready, he flashes you a satisfied grin, throwing the truck back into gear and pulling out onto the highway, the hum of the engine filling the silence between you. You can’t help the small smile that tugs at your lips as you lean back in the seat, finally feeling your pulse slow.

“Am I forgiven yet?” you ask, your voice still a little breathless.

Tyler’s eyes flick over to you, his smirk deepening. “Forgiven?” He chuckles softly. “Sweetheart, that wasn’t punishment,” he says, reaching over to squeeze your thigh. “That was just the warm-up. You’ll get your real punishment when we get back to the motel.”

The anticipation makes you shiver, and you can’t help but squeeze your legs together, bracing for what’s to come.

[scenteddelusion5]

Could you write a Vox x Alastor’s Child? Wherein reader views their fights as a “bonding activity” because it relieves stress for the both of them because they’re not willing to kill each other due to not wanting to hurt reader and they’ll be civil when they need to be. A large chunk of their rivalry being due to Alastor seeing Vox as trying to steal his child from him (making them his partner both romantically & business wise, them becoming an actor) and Vox seeing it the same way with Alastor trying to drag them on random outings when they’re supposed to film or have time together. - @am-i-interrupting

"Two households, both unalike in dignity, In our unsightly hell, where we lay our scene," PART 1

Vox x gn reader (Alastor's child)

Note: At first I wasn't sure if I wanted to do this one, especially because i had already written a daughter character, already have a daughter oc myself and then would have this child. But then I had this Romeo and Juliet inspo in mind and now I wanted to do it.

!!!!! NOTE ABOUT REQUEST !!!!!

So I really liked the idea of this Vox and Alastor dynamic but I can't write short stories so instead I'm doing a 2 or 3 parter about how they got into this dynamic. So they aren't like how you requested yet.

Word count: 3436

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5

"Two households, both unalike in dignity, In our unsightly hell, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where denizen blood makes denizen teeth unclean, From forth the innovation of these two foes, A pair of star-crossed lovers arise,"

Y/n sat on the balcony of their father's mansion. Nothing but trees, or at least hell's version of trees, could be seen from there. The bustling city was ways away from the territory most denizens were too afraid of to enter. The book they were reading was written a small auteur in hell, it was obvious that he had taken great inspiration from a much more famous work. An old-fashioned, cannibal and a modern man, with more savoury tastes, falling in love, their families hate each other yada yada yada. Nothing they hadn't read before.

The demon, whom resembled a deer, put their book down and started messing with the knobs on their older radio. It sprung alive with the voice of their father; Alastor the Radio Demon, feared all throughout hell. On his broadcast played a catchy jazz song that, every once in a while, got interrupted by agonizing screams.

"That was an amazing number." The Radio glowed green as he spoke. "It brings me all the way back to the nights I spend in the speakeasies. Let's continue on-"

Everyday Alastor would broadcast the news and gossip of the week at exactly 10 a.m. and Y/n would always tune in.

"- Oh, and make sure to stay clear of the Carmine mansion this evening. The overlords are having a little get-together. So if you don't want to be served for dinner, I recommend you go home early tonight."

Right, Camilla Carmine was holding a party to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Carmine industries. Y/n was so excited. Normally their father wouldn't let them go to parties, but considering he would be there, he allowed them to go this time.

"Lastly I have a personal message to my favourite fan. I couldn't have wished for a better fawn. I hope you liked the breakfast I cooked especially for you, that demon was a struggle to catch. Hahaha," he laughed, "see you after the broadcast. Let's put on (song), it's not really my style but considering it's your favourite, I can make an exception." Their song slowly came on while Alastor's voice faded.

Y/n hadn't made friends outside of cannibal town. They had to admit they were a bit nervous...

The day went by faster and faster as the night grew closer. Y/n had put on their green gown/suit. It was beautiful; adorned with black lace, a pattern of turns and roses sewn into it.

"What do you think?" Y/n asked while turning around.

Alastor, whose suit didn't look all THAT different from his usual one, studied them up and down. "You look delightful, fawn. Every single demon in that building will see green from jealousy."

"Thanks dad."

Despite the fact that cars were already owned by most citizens in the time Alastor was alive, he preferred to walk, even to such an important event as this. So, when the two off them arrived, they stepped in through a side door instead of the big red carpet where the limousines dropped off guests.

"Remember Y/n, don't talk to people you don't know and if something goes wrong, find me or Rosie." Alastor's antlers started to grow and static filled the air. "I'll destroy however dares to hurt you."

"Don't worry, dad. I'm an adult, I can take care of myself." They laughed off their dad's threatening stature. "But if something happens I can't handle, I'll go to you."

The ballroom was decorated with black gold and white. All kinds of denizens were roaming around, from high standing overlords to imp servants. There were no familiar faces. The only other overlord Y/n had ever met besides Alastor was Rosie. Even so they had immediately split up from Alastor in favour of exploring the buffet table.

After picking up a plate, they started picking the tastiest little snacks. There was even a few dishes with demon in them provided for the cannibals.

Vox had spent four hours making himself presentable in a fancy blue suit and a new screen protector. the other Vees had matched his style. So when the three stepped out of their high-tech car and got bombarded with paparazzi, it was clear that the three belonged together.

It isn't often that they had the chance to converse with other demons of their status. It was the perfect chance to make new connections.

Vox had gotten the chance with a few other demons before it happened. His eyes landed on the most beautiful person Vox had ever seen. Their looks hypnotized the tv-demon... Which was supposed to be HIS power.

"Hey Voxie, you never guess who I saw~... Voxie? Vox... VOX!" No matter how hard Valentino tried, he wasn't able to capture Vox's attention. "What are you looking at?..." Following his colleague's line of sight, Val's eyes landed on them too. "Oooohhh, I see~ Should I go talk to them for you, maybe I can convince them to stay the night in our bed."

Vox slightly buffered. "What! NO! I'm going myself, yeah, I can handle this myself."

Y/n was enjoying a lovely tea sandwich with raw, demon heart on it, when a person they didn't recognize came up to them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." The man with a tv for a head grabbed their hand and placed a kiss on their hand. "I'm Vox, and you are?"

"Y/n, and it's a pleasure to meet you too," they introduced themselves before shoving another tea sandwich in their mouth.

"You must really like those sandwiches."

Y/n aggressively nodded her head. "YES! Here try one!" they shoved one of them in Vox's face who reluctantly eat it.

"Wow, that's... an unique flavour."

"Yeah, heart does taste very peculiar but I like it."

It put Vox off that the demon had spoken so casually about cannibalism, however, he was even more put off that he was just fed ACTUAL DEMON. So, when they weren't looking, he drank an entire glass of champagne in one go, hoping to wash off the taste.

"Anyway... I was hoping to dance with you." Vox offered out his hand but pulled it away again when he saw the dissapointment in their face.

"I would love too but I don't think my father would be happy to see me dancing with anyone. I'm sorry."

He thought about it for a few seconds. "Y'know I'm quite familiar with this place, there is a smaller ballroom a few doors down. If you want to, you could take me up on the offer there." The overlord suggested.

Normally, Y/n would've never said yes. Going to an empty room with a stranger who must have quite a lot of power. Only an idiot would follow him... Maybe they were a bit of an idiot but Y/n was intrigued by the man, so much so that they decided to go.

"Alright."

Hours went by while the two of them danced, talked and drank in the empty ballroom. Y/n felt themself falling deeper and deeper in love with the handsome stranger. The confident way he spoke, the way he buffered and glitched whenever he got flustered, the way he would get angry when they hurt his pride by laughing at his attempts to woo them. He was perfect.

"Now, tell me Vox. Who exactly are you? Like, I know you your name but you must have been invited for a reason, so...??" Y/n asked.

"You mean you really don't recognize me?" Vox asked flabbergasted. "I'm the CEO of VoxTech." The other demon still looked confused. "The biggest tech company of hell? We release new products almost every single day."

"I'm not big on modern technology, I died during the 1920's," Y/n explained, "I tried using a computer once and it didn't go well."

"Well, that's really no good. As a demon of high society, you should keep up with modern invention, if you ever want the help I don't mind teaching you how to use it." Vox stared at them lovingly. "You know what, I'll even give you a phone. Give your address and I'll send you on-"

"HEY! Vox!" A girl with pink and purple hair walked in. She wore a poofy pink dress and her face was covered in make-up. Her bloodshot red eyes landed on the person standing next to her friend. "Oooeeehhh, and who are you?"

"Velvette, Y/n. Y/n, Velvette." Vox introduced them to each other. "They have been great company tonight, right love?" He caressed the side of their face."

Y/n got redder and redder as the conversation went on. "Yeah, it was great."

"Well, sorry that I gotta burst your bubble." Velvette interrupted the sweet moment between the two. "But the Carmines are about to have their speech and you know how pissy those old fuckers get about shit like this."

Y/n looked at the clock hanging on the wall and realised they had been gone from the party for hours. "Yeah, I should really be going back too. My father is provably worried about me."

The three swiftly made their way back to the main ballroom, Velvette joking about the two lovebirds the whole time.

Once there, they gathered by the crowd standing around a podium. Carmilla was standing there, already holding her speech about the start of her company, the amazing growth and the future. Although a very basic speech, demons were at the fact that the Carmine had mentioned future dealings and couldn't wait for the opportunity to become a part of them. One of them seemed to be the handsome TV Demon that Y/n had hopelessly fallen in love with over the course of the evening.

"Excited I see," Y/n said while pointing to the electricity coming off of Vox, "I'm not sure that a deal with Carmilla is going to happen if you electrocuted her."

"Hey! I'm a great negotiator. Thank you very much!" The man joked.

Alastor had kept his child in his sight the whole evening.... Until he didn’t. They were right over by the buffet table just a second ago. Y/n couldn’t have gone far. So, he went on a search, but after an hour, he found nothing. He even asked Rosie for help but no luck. He had stayed looking until Carmilla started her speech and even then Alastor still kept an eye open for her.

What he never expected to see, was his child, his lovely, well-behaved, miracle of a child, to be joking around with his nemesis. And were they.... Blushing?

Static filled the air around him, symbols floated around his head. The terrifying shadow of his ever-growing antlers made every demon and demoness run out of his way.

Once he got really close he could hear their conversation.

"You're such a dork!" His child laughed.

Alastor could only see their back, but he knew what their smile looked like right now. Unlike his plastered smile that hid his emotions, Y/n's was genuine.

"I'm the dork? Have you se-" Vox's eyes drifted to the strange red symbols, when he noticed Alastor standing there. A small x on his forehead, eyes like dials and his smile wide.

Normally, during their fights Alastor would be somewhat lenient with him. He still roasted Vox to the living world and back but he never outright tried to murder him. This meant that he had never experienced the true wrath of the Radio Demon. But right in that moment, Vox felt like his days were numbered.

"Holy shit," Velvette muttered.

Noticing the two Vees were looking behind them, Y/n turned around and as soon as they did, Alastor switched back to normal like clockwork.

"Oh, hey dad!" Y/n greeted him sweetly. "What are you doing?"

"Oh nothing, little fawn," the Radio Demon spoke, distain clear in his tone of voice, "now tell me, why are you wasting your time conversing with such vermin? Especially, a styleless one like that insecure, copycat, picture box."

Vox was still staring between the two of them. Y/n was Alastor's child! The one the Radio host always talks about, the only thing that freak actually seems to care about. Why did it have to be them the overlord had fallen in love with at that ball?

"You are the Radio Demons child!" The man freaked out.

"I didn't think you would care about that..." Y/n's face turned into a frown, unlike their father’s whose grin only grew wider.

"I-I" The tv started buffering. " I don't..."

"Come one Y/n, let's find someone with more class." Alastor turned around, his child in toe.

"Wow, can't believe you got the hots for that man's child." Velvette quickly snapped a picture of Vox's stunned face and send it to Valentino. You'll never guess what happened. She typed under it.

Y/n looked down at their shoes, not wanting to see their father's victorious grin. "I can't believe you just did that."

"Whatever do you mean, little fawn?"

"You know what," they replied sounding angry this time, "why did you scare away the first real people I made friends with here in hell?!"

Y/n had never had an attitude before, never talked back, never even sounded annoyed. It scared Alastor for a few seconds. "That... Vox isn't the type of person you should make friends with'."

"Isn't that for me to decide?" Tears filled their eyes and their voice was strained. "I want to go home."

Once home, Y/n attempted to rush up the stairs but was stopped by Alastor’s shadow grabbing them by the arm. They were struggling to get away when Alastor cupped their face with his hands and looked suspiciously in their eyes. He was searching for something.

"Let go of me!" Their eyes glowed as they screamed.

When Y/n tried to pull away again, Alastor's grip tightened. "You've never acted like this before. He must have hypnotised you, so be a doll and let me find his spell!"

But no matter how much he searched for even a sign of demonic manipulation. Did Vox not hypnotize them? Then why were they.... Because of Alastor's second of confusion, Y/n could quickly pull away. They rushed up to their room and locked the door.

Alastor just stood there, stunned until a knock came from the door. He straightened his suit before opening it.

"Hi Alastor, I saw you two... Leave and thought you might need a listening-ear." Rosie stepped inside and made her way to the dining room. "Besides I could really use a cup of thee after such a long night."

"You know me too well, Rosie. I'll get some snacks too."

"They've never even raised their voice at me before but one hour with that noisy rectangle and Y/n is acting like a rebelious teen." Alastor took a bite from the index finger snack. "I tried to look for a sign of hypnosis but there was nothing. What did he do to them?"

"Ever thought about it that Vox didn't do anything?" Rosie suggested.

Alastor's pupils turned into dials. "Hmm? What did you just say?"

"Ya have to think about this differently." Rosie took a sip from her tea. "A demon always buried in their books with little to no interaction with the outside world goes out for the first time in years and meets a charming man who's interested in them. It's just like one those romance tropes they always reads about."

The other overlord considered it. "Then what do you suggest we do about it. How can I show them that they deserve much better?"

"First of all, have a conversation with them. A genuine one."

"And then?"

Rosie's smile showed her sharp teeth. "Then-"

Vox was still buffering from that crazy night. He fell in love with ALASTOR'S CHILD, for god's sake. He was connected to his advanced computer, rebooting his systems. Images of Y/n, memories he saved in his files, flashed over the many monitors in his room. The doors to his office opened revealing the other two Vees.

"Damn, Voxie. You've never had to reboot after we've 'hang out' before." Valentino leaned over his colleague's shoulder. "You aren't going to demote me from being your favourite, right?"

"I wouldn't sound so confident Val. Vox was pretty hooked last night, you should've seen him." Velvette pulled up the picture she took. "This photo doesn't do his obsession justice."

"Stop it, Velvette." The TV Demon unplugged himself from the computer set-up. "It's never going to work out anyway. And it's all that shitty, old demon's fault!"

"You really think that?" Velvette asked. "I mean, they looked pretty interested to me... You could always go over to them and explain yourself. Oh and while you're there, try to find a snoop that'll make my drama Sinstagram go viral."

"Voxie doesn't need them. Just stay with me and I'll make you forget them in just five minutes." The moth demon's cigarette smoke formed a heart.

The screen buffered once more. "Get out! The both of you."

"I'll wait in my room." The two Vees made their way out.

Once he was sure they were gone, Vox pulled up another file. Y/n's beautiful face showed on the screen and their addicting laugh filled the room.

Y/n sat against their door, crying. They could see the moon through the balcony window. It's red light filled the room. They couldn't believe their father had reacted like that. And they couldn't get the face Vox made when he released their connection to the Radio Demon out of their head. It plagued their mind since the moment it happened.

Their room seemed so small, so empty, so cold. Nothing had physically changed but mentally, emotionally, everything was different. They got a taste of that beautiful romance and it was taking away from them in the blink of an eye.

Y/n was so deep in their self-pity that they didn't notice the moonlight was blocked by something. They were jolted out of their own thoughts by a knock on the window.

Looking up they saw none other than Vox standing there. His suit was covered in dirt and branches that he got certainly caught in on his way there.

They quickly walked over to open the door, stumbling on their way.

"Y/n, I- uhm, you must find it weird that I show up on you balcony like this." Vox's screen got slightly red. "I wanted to apologize for this evening. I don't care who your father is, I- uhm I care about you."

"Vox, I need you to be honest with me. Did you hypnotize me?"

Y/n's sad look broke his heart. Who got into their head that he hypnotized them?

"Y/n, I didn't and I will never do it." He put his hand on their cheek. "I promise."

Blush decorated their face. "Then can you tell me what's going on between you and my dad?"

"Of course."

The two sat on their bed, cuddling. Vox had told them about everything. The start of their feud, his constant fighting with Alastor but also the fact that he fell in love with them at first sight. It was a lovely, domestic moment.

"One time I got so angry at your dad that I made a complete smear campaign against him. it didn't work out, he completely cut off all my broadcasts, all seventy channels."

"I think he once told me about that," Y/n laughed, "you get more under his skin then you think. Even before he saw he two of us together."

"If you say so..."

Their banter went on for hours. The two did their best to keep sounds to a minimum so Alastor wouldn't find out.

"Oh, before I leave, here." Vox handed them a white box. "it's a phone. I made sure to remove all spying devices and I programmed you a special assistant. It should help you figuring out how it works."

"You put spying devices in people's phones?"

"Uh-I"

"Don't worry, I get it. It's hell. There is no need to explain yourself."

"Right." Vox tried to laugh it off like Y/n was doing. "It's getting late, I should go. Wouldn't want the Radio Demon to know I'm meeting up with his daughter without a chaperone."

This time when Y/n was separated from Vox, they felt fine. Because they knew that he loved them. They were still longing for him, but not in a sad way. It was pure, romantic love.

Part 2

Masterlist/request guidelines

[inkpot909]

The Stardust Crusaders’ Picks for a First-Dance Wedding Song Headcanons

↳ Gender Neutral Reader. Joseph Joestar is excluded.

A/n: A chill list of headcanons that came to me at 6 in the morning. Jokes aside, I loved putting this together. Although I admit I am a bit biased since I’ve always loved retro music. I did my best to pick music that coincided with the music the characters each canonically listen to (at least, as far as we’re told).

Warning(s): None.

Jotaro Kujo

-> As the World Falls Down

David Bowie

“As the pain sweeps through

Makes no sense for you

Every thrill is gone

Wasn’t too much fun at all

But I’ll be there for you

As the world falls down”

Canonically speaking, Jotaro’s favorite musician is Toshinobu Kubota. It’s admittedly a rather interesting choice for a man who was a dedicated delinquent in high school.

But music tends to touch people in a special, often times sensitive, manner. And despite looking and acting the way he does, Jotaro’s music preferences are no different.

Yeah, sure, he’s definitely a “whatever’s on the radio” kind of guy, but he has taste.

Separated from others, when he’s in control of the music he’s listening to, his choices give the impression of a casual listener that somehow always has the best picks seemingly with no effort put in at all. Perfectly on brand for Jotaro.

Therefore, he’s likely going to have an unexpected pick.

Therefore, he picks a sappy ballad from an under-appreciated 80s movie. Not because he’s even seen The Labyrinth by any stretch of the imagination, but because he just… likes how it sounds.

He likely heard it one way or another, completely detached from the movie itself, and decided he enjoyed it. Something about the slightly cheesy yet instrumentally enchanting tune gets stuck in his head in a really good way.

There is a reason past “oh, it just sounds nice” as to why he picked it but let’s be honest… he’s going to get a little embarrassed annoyed if he has to explain to you in full detail.

The title pretty much speaks for itself, in his opinion.

Noriaki Kakyoin

-> Every Breath You Take

The Police

“Every move you make

And every vow you break

Every smile you fake

Every claim you stake

I’ll be watching you”

Good god, he’s certainly the Sting fan.

Whether or not you actually like Sting it’s hard to argue against the fact that Kakyoin likely has an overall shit taste in music. Why is this the case? Because he’s been alone the majority of his life and didn’t have any friends to bully him over it.

Not having anyone around him to say “what the hell is this” or just a simple “no” will and has effected him.

He’s the type of guy who claim’s “this album will change your life” before putting on some of the worst pieces of music you’ve ever heard.

Not that he isn’t trying, keep in mind.

This man will stress about what to suggest for days on end. He’s going to take the longest compared to the others in how how much time it takes him to pick. It’ll eat away at his brain, threatening to take every bit of his sanity unless he can think of what he deems as the perfect song he can choose.

And still he manages to not only choose an extremely predictable wedding song, but an insanely creepy one as well.

It’s weirdly charming, in his own odd Noriaki way.

He likely didn’t know what he was doing at the beginning of the relationship due to inexperience, and it’s probably heartwarming to know some things never change.

And it’s completely possible the stalker-ish lyrics of the song didn’t click inside his brain. Not because he doesn’t understand the lyrics per se… but because the poor guy hardly had a grasp on what was actually considered romantic when you first met.

Please, for your own sanity, don’t let the song played at your wedding be one that he picked (with hindsight he’ll probably thank you for it too).

Jean Pierre Polnareff

-> The Air That I Breathe

The Hollies

“Peace came upon me and it

leaves me weak

so sleep, silent angel, go to

sleep

Sometimes

All I need is the air that I breathe

And to love you”

Polnareff’s favorite musician isn’t ever canonically specified, but it’s made pretty clear he���s likely a fan of The Beatles. And considering he went through puberty during the 70s, he’s likely going to lean into that era of music.

Generally speaking, he’s got decent taste. Sure, he’s got the music taste of a white suburban father, but his picks are usually pretty agreeable.

That said, he’s definitely a little high and mighty about it.

He won’t go off on the subject too hard whenever you’re around, but he thinks very highly of his preferences. Polnareff’s a huge victim of nostalgia, and a part of him feels a little elitist for having grown up in the time period that he did.

He has had the song for his first dance picked out in the back of his mind for years, swearing that it would be played at his wedding at some point or another.

Hell, he’s probably got a full roster of music in mind for the reception.

For such a monumental occasion, he’s sure to pick a ballad that starts off slow but crescendos into the chorus- easily the type of romantic tune he’d prefer.

And unlike the others, you may get pushback from him if you don’t want that as your first dance. He’s quite stubborn, generally speaking, and this is no exception to that.

Ultimately though, he would eventually cave and do just about anything you want.

But as stated before, he’s had his mind set on this one for literal years. So certainly expect this to be a somewhat tough conversation to have with him if you prefer something different.

Muhammad Avdol

-> I Love How You Love Me

Claudine Longet

“I love how your eyes close

whenever you kiss me

And when I’m away from you I

love how you miss me

I love the way you always treat

me tenderly

But, darling, most of all I love

how you love me”

Avdol’s music taste is left as a complete mystery in canon.

However, because he runs his own shop, he’s fairly attached to the calming instrumentals he often keeps on at the store. Avdol understands atmosphere well and takes it very seriously.

When he’s not working, it’s not very often that he finds himself listening to music.

But when he does, it’s usually music with soft or ethereal overtones (you cannot tell me he doesn’t listen to Enya). Throw in some charming oldies from the 50s and 60s, and Avdol’s in his element.

To put it simply, easy-listening tunes are his freaking jam.

He also enjoys listening to music from all across the world. Avdol is likely well-traveled, and is undoubtedly knowledgeable on other places and cultures. So the preference comes naturally to him.

He’s going to pick something very romantic and slow. A song that, even if you maybe haven’t heard it before, upon the first time listening you just know it’s meant to be played at a wedding.

And, unlike the others, it would take him less than 24 hours to have made his choice. It’s not that he doesn’t put care into the decision, he just doesn’t like making you wait. He’s quite efficient when it’s something this important.

Regardless, he’s the most flexible of the group when it comes to your tastes, so anything you want is perfectly fine with him.

That said, it has to be a ballad. That’s his main request. Avdol’s eager for your input, sure, but he’s going to want to slow dance with you more than anything else.

[sociopathicartist]

Heya! I was wondering if u could do a headcanon of how Sans would act to being at disneyland with his S/O for the first time??

hey! thank you for requesting these, this was light-hearted and fun:) i’ve never been to disneyland before so forgive me if some of my stuff wasn’t correct, i’m going off of what i see online.

UT Sans Disneyland headcanons.

Being at Disneyland didn’t appeal much to Sans at first. Why? Standing in 2-hour lines for a ride and seeing characters from movies he didn’t get to watch growing up just wasn’t a very appealing idea to him, at the least, he could only see himself going if Papyrus wanted him to.

So when you suggested the idea on a random whim one night in bed, it took a bit of convincing to get him to go with you. It was a good portion of money that the both of you’d be spending, and he just wasn’t sure if the price would be worth it for the experience.

But eventually, your pleas got to him, and he finally gave in.

➭ road trip

Sans surprisingly did enjoy the drive down to disneyland.

He drove the whole way there for you. Since you took care of him in many other aspects of your domestic life, so when it came to things like cooking or driving, he always jumped the gun and made sure it wasn’t a task of yours.

He kept playing eye-spy the entire way down with you, stopping at the gas station for snacks (a lot more often than he should have), and jamming out to some tunes with you on the radio. He didn’t want you to be bored on the drive there, and his hand somehow kept sneaking its way over to your thigh and mindlessly rubbing up and down without any further motives while you two talked.

➭ hanging out at the hotel

You didn’t ask him, but you were pretty sure that Sans’ favorite part of the whole trip was getting to stay in one of the resort hotels. He always loved staying in the hotels when you went anywhere, which evened out since you also loved doing the same with him, but he was enthralled with the rooms. Why was there disneyland on the headboard of the bed? Why was the carpet fireworks? Why was this bed so damn comfortable? He probably could have sunk into the mattress and stayed there the whole time if you hadn’t pried him away from his all-famous napping sessions.

He also really liked just collapsing on the bed after being outside all day, and if you got within an arm-length radius of him you’d be pulled down onto the bed, trapped with him, and most likely not to be seen again until morning.

‘uh-oh, seems you’re stuck here with me now.’

‘Sansss, don’t do this again, I have to get showered off and changed.’

‘tough, my bones are locking up around you, can’t let you go, babe.’

➭ going around the park

Surprisingly despite his doubts, Sans actually had a lot of fun on the disney rides. He obviously wasn’t a big fan of the lines you both had to wait in and despite the looks you got from other people around you, he kept clinging to you like velcro the entire wait while you both talked to pass the time. You couldn’t blame him, even though he didn’t have skin and the heat didn’t really bother him, he didn’t like standing still for so long without doing anything.

He wasn’t too big of a fan of getting photos with some of the characters, (you could have sworn that he was a bit shy about it), but he did put on some silly mickey mouse ears and snag some fun pictures with you for whatever princesses or mascots you wanted to see. It was just a little bit harder for him to relate to wanting to see the characters that much since he didn’t watch these movies growing up in the underground, but he did love seeing you happy about it.

➭ snacks and food

This may be a huuuge shock, but Sans really liked the snacks and meals. Despite his ick for the expensive price tags, he was almost always dragging you to get snacks with him every time he saw something he could eat. These snacks were just so weird and a bit cool to him, food wasn't mickey mouse shaped or disney movie themed back at home.

‘baby, babe, try this.’

‘Sans, isn’t that your fourth one? Do you want to go get something else to munch on instead?’

‘ehehe, i know something else i’d like to munch on.’

He also really liked the themed dinners, it was pretty cool being able to see characters come out and walk around the tables while you both ate. Needless to say, this man was pretty satisfied with your meal options during your trip.

➭ souvenirs

Sans did find quite a few things he wanted to bring back for Papyrus and your other friends, mostly just cute little trinkets or figures. He did take fondly to some of the more sci-fi stuff they had there, and he couldn’t help but grab some stuff he liked that he swore he’d be able to find a place for back at home in your shared bedroom.

He wasn’t a big fan of the themed shirts, but with some convincing, you both got a matching pyjama set that you said you’d make him wear with you since he held up a doll of stitch and said that it looked identical to you.

‘babe, you can’t deny that the resemblance is uncanny.’

‘Sans, I love you, but it’s time to put the stitch doll down.’

‘i guess you’re right, humans aren’t blue anyway.’

[peachy-panic]

Companion, pt. 1

New Do No Harm content? In the current timeline? In 2024 the year of our lord? Could it be?

Here's part 1 of a couple-part saga in the Sebastian contract, which I lightly foreshadowed here.

WARNINGS: Not much outside the usual BBU tag and the uncomfortable power dynamics that come with it.

The house is warm when Sebastian gets home, in every sense of the word. A candle flickers an inviting glow on the coffee table, and the smell of garlic and onions rushes to greet him. As expected, he finds Jaime posted in the kitchen, tending to his latest creation on the stovetop. On the small bluetooth radio beside the toaster, a song he doesn’t recognize is playing.

It’s taking some time for Sebastian to get used to coming home to someone. For so long, for most of this adult life, it has been dark, empty apartments or cold, distant roommates, never allowed past arm’s length. And now, there’s Jaime, who has entered his life like a bullet and smiles over his shoulder when Sebastian walks into the room. 

He is getting better these days at reading his smiles, and this one, at least, appears to be genuine. Relieved, almost, that he is home. 

“Hi,” Jaime says first.

“Hello,” Sebastian echoes, dropping his coat over the back of a barstool. “What are we making?”

“It’s an Ezra recipe,” Jaime says, wiping his palms on his pants. “Is soup okay tonight? If that’s not substantial enough, I am happy to make something else with it.”

Sebastian does not let his smile drop or fade, no matter how desperately uncertain Jaime sounds. “Soup sounds great, Jaime. It smells amazing.”

It’s the truth, too. It’s a difficult balance, wanting to compliment his prowess in the kitchen and appreciate the genuine joy he seems to derive from it, while also trying not to think of the how and why. Sebastian doesn’t know much about what “training” looks like inside the facility, especially for the specialized domestic tasks that would have been assigned to Jaime, and he doesn’t particularly like speculating on the details. From everything he’s seen in the clinic, he knows that none of it is pleasant.

“How was work?’ Jaime asks, then seems to catch himself. He stiffens, looking sheepishly away. “Sorry. You probably aren’t allowed to talk about that.”

Sebastian snorts. “If only doctor-patient confidentiality applied in a place like that.” The words come out before he can consider the significance they carry to the person he’s speaking to. Guilt spikes sharp in his chest. “Sorry, that wasn’t…”

“It’s okay.” Jaime smiles, but it’s a tense, brittle line. 

“Um.” Sebastian clears his throat, trying to get their conversation back on the rails before he ruins the evening completely. “My day was okay. It was fine.” He shakes his head, pressing his fingers briefly to his eyes. “That was a lie. It was terrible, as usual. I don’t think I need to convince you that having a good day in that building would be a poor reflection of one’s character.” 

So much for salvaging the conversation, Tate. 

“Anyway, how was your day?” 

Jaime pulls the hand towel down from his shoulder and begins wiping at an invisible spot on the counter. “It was fine, thank you.”

Sebastian watches him, trying hard not to scrutinize the pre-packaged reply. His answer is always something of the same tune when Sebastian inquires about his day, never anything less than “fine,” never forthcoming on the details. It’s not the first time it’s sent Sebastian into a bit of a spiral about a concern he’s had from the very beginning: how does Jaime spend his days? Is he happy here? Has Sebastian provided him with enough resources to carve out some semblance of a life here?

He has tried. He has provided him access to the internet and all the movies streaming had to offer, he bought Jaime a reading tablet and granted blanket permission to fill it with as many books as he wants, he has given enthusiastic encouragement for Jaime to go for runs or walks whenever he’d like. It doesn’t feel like enough. He still ends up spending his long days at work wondering if Jaime is at home feeling like a prisoner. 

Sebastian pushes the thought away for now. 

“Is there anything I can help with?” He asks.

“It’s almost done, actually.” Jaime taps the excess liquid from the wood spoon and lays it on a ceramic dish. “Just needs a few more minutes to simmer. Sorry, I hoped it would be ready by the time you got home.”

Sebastian gives him a look. “You don’t have to cook at all,” he says. “Let alone have it hot and waiting at the table. You’re aware of my microwave burrito phase? My standards are low.”

“I remember.” Jaime assures him.  “I don’t mind, though. I like trying new recipes. Ezra lent me a cookbook. I tabbed a few that look interesting. If they look good to you, that is.”

“You have yet to steer me wrong. I’m starting to think it’s impossible for you to cook anything less than a masterpiece.”

The slight stutter in Jaime’s stirring is quick enough that Sebastian can brush it off as his imagination. 

“It passes the time,” Jaime says, a bit quieter. 

“What?”

“Cooking. Planning the meals, ordering the ingredients. Prep and cook time,” he elaborates. “It’s productive, is all I mean.” Jaime has gone tense, the way he does when he seems to say more than he means to, but he recovers quickly. 

The soup is ready shortly after, and dinner is delicious as always, but Sebastian can’t get out of his own head enough to really enjoy it. Jaime’s words—it passes the time—bounce around inside his skull, breaking open all sorts of subtext and confirming all of Sebastian’s fears. 

They’re cleaning up afterward, Sebastian scrubbing the dishes while Jaime dries, when a thought that’s been brewing spills out of his mouth. 

“Have you ever had any pets?” Sebastian asks, apropos of absolutely nothing. Jaime shoots him a quick side glance without pausing in his work. 

“Once,” he says after a beat. 

Sebastian knows it’s tricky ground, getting too close to details from Jaime’s past. He knows the rules he is bound by and how closely Jaime tries to follow them, even if sometimes Sebastian thinks he might be getting more and more comfortable with little rebellions. Sebastian is still riding the high from a couple weeks prior when Jaime had gifted him and Ezra the small nugget of truth that he used to play soccer, in his life before the system. What might have been an insignificant detail to anyone else was such a fragile, entrusted thing.

Sebastian doesn’t want to pry, though. He decides to keep his questions more general. 

“Do you like animals?”

“Yes.” That answer comes much quicker. 

“Would you…” Sebastian pauses, making sure he’s positive about the proposition he is making before he makes it. He is. “Tell me honestly if this isn’t something you’re interested in, and I won’t be offended in the slightest. I was wondering… if that might be something you would be interested in. Having a pet here.”

Jaime takes a minute to answer, like he’s choosing each word carefully. “Would it be solely for my benefit?”

“No,” Sebastian assures him, and it’s not a lie. “It’s something I’ve thought about before, but I don’t have a lot of experience with pets. Zero, to be exact, unless you count a goldfish that lived for under a week when I was seven.” He pauses. “I do worry about you getting lonely, though. Staying here by yourself all the time.”

“I don’t mind being alone.”

“I know. I just wonder if it might be nice to have some company. Something to look after.” Something to bring you comfort. Anything to make you happy here. 

A quiet falls over them, interspersed with the sound of running water and dishes clanking around in the sink, and Sebastian starts to think of how to walk this back. Because clearly this is something that gives Jaime pause. 

“What about…” Jaime starts, then stops. Sebastian puts down the dish he is working on and looks at him. Jaime meets his eyes for a split second and then averts them again. “Would you keep it, even after I’m gone?”

And shit. Maybe it’s a good thing he put the cup down in the sink, because Sebastian is pretty sure it would have shattered in his hand from the force of his grip. And he realizes, not for the first time, that the longevity of this… arrangement is something they need to talk about. In detail. At length. Soon. But now doesn’t seem like the right time. 

“If I brought a living creature into my home,” he starts carefully, “then this would become its home, too. It will be here for the long haul.”

After a long, weighty silence, he sees Jaime nod in his periphery. 

“I think I’d like that.”

****

@whumpervescence @shiningstarofwinter @distinctlywhumpthing @whumptywhumpdump @nicolepascaline @anotherbluntpencil @hold-him-down @crystalquartzwhump @maracujatangerine @batfacedliar-yetagain @thecyrulik @pumpkin-spice-whump @finder-of-rings @melancholy-in-the-morning @insaneinthepaingame @skyhawkwolf @whump-for-all-and-all-for-whump @mylifeisonthebookshelf @dont-touch-my-soup @whump-world @inpainandsuffering @cicatrix-energy @quietly-by-myself @whumpsday @extemporary-whump @the-whumpers-grimm @thebirdsofgay @firewheeesky @whumperfully @hold-back-on-the-comfort @termsnconditions-apply  @cyborg0109  @whumplr-reader  @pinkraindropsfell  @whatwhumpcomments @honeycollectswhump @pirefyrelight @handsinmotion @alexmundaythrufriday @scoundrelwithboba

[smash-64]

2024 Game of the Year Countdown #14: Shadow of the Tomb Raider Sony PlayStation 4, 2019

Definitely my favorite setting of the new trio of Tomb Raider games, since we see Mexico and Peru. I’ve visited both, and while I never had any adventures of the sort Lara Croft experiences, Crystal Dynamics did a great job capturing the atmosphere of so many of these settings. It actually made me want to go back quite a bit, and there was one echo-y clip of Spanish music on the radio that fully threw me back into the streets of Ollantaytambo on my way to Machu Picchu. 

One slightly annoying thing about all the new Tomb Raider games is how drab and dirty so many of the locales are. Trash and debris are always scattered everywhere, no matter where you are. Even in a flashback scene to Lara’s childhood home, a literal mansion, there is stuff scattered and broken all over. It’d be nice if even ONE place wasn’t a muddy, filthy mess. I’d understand if the tombs you’re raiding are like that, but it seems like everything everywhere is a mess. Personal taste, perhaps.

Lara does get this really cool native dress at one point in the story and I had to share it here because it just looks SO good. It’s both pretty and cool, and still pretty BA since she kicks a lot of butt while wearing it.

My biggest gripe about the game is twofold. First, I was constantly shouting “what am I supposed to do?” at the TV while I was playing this game. While many of the pieces of the world with which you can interact are prominently marked, there were so many times where I was lost. And this doesn’t even have to do with the puzzles; those were fairly straightforward. I’m talking about just what to do next, where to go on the map, what will satisfy whatever requirement the game needs in order to trigger a cutscene. One time, I was trying to find a campsite so I could upgrade some skills. It was right there on the map, I could see where the fire was right in front of Lara, but the game just wouldn’t register it as a campsite. Another time, I had investigated everything there was to investigate in a given location, but the game wouldn’t move on. Maybe I just experienced some bugs at just the right time, but it was definitely annoying.

Secondly, I was frustrated with the controls frequently. In some of the action sequences, you’re expected to run and parkour around falling debris and buildings, and I died dozens of times because the game decided that this particular sequence would require an incredibly precise button input. Normally, you can just mash the jump/action button and it’ll do what you want it to. It seemed very inconsistent and a lot of times, it made me question whether I was making the right decision or not since everything else always worked. Only one time was I doing something incorrectly; every other time, the button input just decided it needed to be hyper precise in this one instance. This is extra annoying because I played the first two games in this trilogy, albeit on Xbox 360 instead of PS4, and never had this sort of issue. It definitely hurt my enjoyment.

I had a fun time with the story in Shadow of the Tomb Raider because it felt more like a movie than a game, which is an interesting thing to say since all three games in this trilogy have been set up almost as a movie you can play. Perhaps the setting of Shadow of the Tomb Raider had a lot to do with it, but Lara is also much more well-rounded in this game. We see a lot more of her character, her past, her relationship with Jonah, and heck, we see more from Jonah too, for what it’s worth. I also liked Unuratu, leader of the native tribe you discover. She’s smart and a good fighter.

The music in this game is more atmospheric than anything else, so I can’t say I will be listening to many tracks in my free time. However, the credits song is a really good, borderline melancholic tune, that was a really good note to end on.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a fun game and my favorite of both the trilogy and the franchise, although I’m not much of a fan of the original PS1 games. Lara Croft is, however, legitimately a horrendous archaeologist and should be banned from digs just like Indiana Jones.

[blizzardfluffykpop]

Scaredy-cats

Summary: Trying to branch out of your comfort zone, you try a haunted house installation in the middle of March.

Oneshot

Fluff, Meet-Cute, Non-idol au

Trigger Warnings: It is a haunted house, so it has light/minor horror themes.

Word Count: 2,056

Jacob X Reader

[A/n: As @jinkoh said; we watched Wings of Escape together and well, here’s another addition of that brainrot we experienced there. To check out jinkoh’s addition(s) to it you can find ‘em on kebbi’s blog 🥰]

------

This year, you were determined to try things outside of your comfort zone. So when they announced a haunted house installation in March at an old youth hostel near you, you were all for it because “It’s just a haunted house. How bad can it be?” You were confident that it definitely couldn’t be spooky because it was becoming spring, daffodils were starting to bloom, and the outside ambiance would make for a non-scary experience. But what you underestimated was that it still was a haunted house. It wasn’t the outside that mattered. It was the actors and ambiance inside that did. 

---Pov Switch---

Jacob had applied for countless jobs and finally heard back on a security job. He was getting desperate, and anything would do for rent money at this point. So when he walked in, he wasn’t sure what the position entirely entailed until the person said, "You're aware this is for a security position watching live CCTV footage at a haunted house?" He nearly threw up, but considering it was also his last option, and that he was running low on funds, he could do it, right? "Yeah, that's fine." He should have never agreed to this. Although, he’s met all the scarers and has been friends with them long before this installation began. He still refuses to enter the ‘scarer floor’ after they decorated it, or he’d feel his stomach tie in knots. 

Even driving to work made his stomach turn. His guts twist every time he puts his car in park. All he ever wants to do when he walks up to the building is turn ducktail and run to his car. But that’s money on the line he can’t risk. He goes down the basement steps, unlocks the door, and gets inside, quickly turning on the lights and locking it behind him. He sighed in relief before checking everything over, inspecting all the cameras to see if they were working correctly. Before turning his two-way radio on and going, “Good afternoon!” He hears ten friendly voices greet him back. And he asks, “Anyone on the floor? Or are you all getting ready?” Getting various answers of; “Getting ready.” “Waiting.” “Snacking.” He laughs, “Any good snacks?” “Gummies, you want some?” “Hell yeah.” A few minutes later, a knock rings through the door. He peeks through the peephole and sees Kevin, “You’re not in costume. That’s nice.” “Don’t need you sick.” He puts out his hand, “Gummies?” Kevin hands him the pack, and he asks, “Everyone’s doing the same routine as usual, right?” Kevin nods, “Yeah, as always. Hopefully, no dates go awry this time.” Jacob laughs, “It was cute to see Younghoon take them around, though. It was much more pleasant to watch than your gorey scenes~.” Kevin rolls his eyes, “All I do is chop jello.” Which makes Jacob shiver, “It doesn’t read the same on the CCTV. It really looks like guts.” Kevin shakes his head at him, “Later?” He nods, “Yeah, later.” 

He eats his gummies, looking over the main control panel as the ‘night’ starts at the hotel. “Overhead lights off in 3… 2… 1… Stage lights on!” There are little cheers before they get into character, and he refuses to look up, only listening to his two-way radio and hearing the random songs Haknyeon performs every time Haknyeon turns on his radio, “Spooky scary plumbers~” Which makes Jacob tune in and cackle over the radio. He looks at his designated camera and sees him singing his heart out into the plunger. Jacob shakes his head and carries on playing on his phone. He looks up occasionally, assuring no one is actually getting murdered there. And he laughs as he watches a couple cowering behind Younghoon as if that would help their case. Younghoon, as if on cue, turns around with a sinister grin, effectively spooking them. Which makes his nerves stand on end at the motion. He shakes it off and goes back to his phone. 

And that’s how he spends the majority of his shift until he hears a door slam over the two-way radio someone’s turned on. He looks up to see Juyeon and Younghoon staring at it curiously. When Juyeon goes over the two-way, “Jacob… Uh… Someone just ran right into the utility closet and locked the door. We can’t help them out. I think Younghoon terrified them too much.” Younghoon scoffs, “I did not!” Juyeon continues, “Sure. Anyways, you’re the only one who has keys…” Jacob couldn’t believe his ears. This was the first time the crew didn’t have the situation under control. And of course, because he refused to do a floor check when the decorations were finally up, a door was left unlocked. 

With haste, he looks at his keys and the panel before deciding to go and get you. And with nerves shooting through him, he goes over the two-way, “You all go to our assigned rooms and stay in there!” Eric calls back, “Where do you want me to go!?” “The other side of the building- I don’t care!” He throws the door open after flipping the overhead lights on and rushes into the building as he searches for the correct key. He refuses to look ahead, only down at the floor, “Fuck! Why are there so many fake mice!” He rushes to the room you’ve locked yourself in, and unlocks it. He tries to push it open as he calls out, “Hey!” Inside the closet he hears you yell back, “Leave me alone!” “I’m not a scare actor!” He hears your mumbles, but you still don’t budge from the door. He sighs, “Please come on... This building scares me so much. I want to be out of here just as much as you do.” You ask softly, “You promise me you’re not wearing scary clothes?” “Promise. I’m wearing a jean jacket with flowers on it if that helps.” You sigh, “Pinky swear?” “Pinky swear.” 

---Pov Switch---

You hesitantly lift your weight off the door, and he carefully pushes the door in. You cover your eyes with your hands and peek out of them to see his blue jean jacket with pretty painted flowers on it like he said. No blood in sight. And you whisper, “I don’t… I don’t think I can move.” He gulps, “You want to stay here for a minute with me?” You nod, and he walks in and leans against the door. He mutters, “I hate working here.” Thinking he meant because he had to save scaredy-cats like you, you apologize, “Oh, I’m sorry.” He shakes his head, “Oh, that’s not what I meant!” He looks at you and says, “It’s not your fault! I just get scared easily and like, uh… It’s just not good for a person who doesn’t stomach this well.” You giggle at him and go, “Really? Then why are you working here?” He sighs, “It was my last option left. No one else would hire me.” You shake your head, “Is it good money?” “Not in comparison to being scared shitless every day at work.” You look at him confused, “Why don’t you quit?” “Until I find something else, it makes due. Plus, I've known my coworkers since high school, so it makes it easier.” You shake your head, “Well if it makes due and they’re genuinely nice guys outside of work. I understand.” He nods before asking, “Are you okay to go back out there?” “You can get us through? No scares?” “Yeah, promise, they’re all away.” You hear his two-way radio scratch, “I’m getting bored!!” He rolls his eyes, “Eric, our gardener… He’s a little excitable when it comes to scares. So we better move before he decides to be a meanie.” You agree and he calls back, “We’ll be out in three, no funny business.” “That’s my job, though…” “Eric…” “Fine.” He laughs as he opens the door and looks down. 

You follow suit gulping as you exit the doorway with him to see the fake mice, snakes, and spiders on the ground, “Can um… Can you hold my hand?” He nods, waiting for you with his hand out. You quickly grab it and cling to his side. “Not that far, right?” “No, but look down. Mice and snakes are somehow easier to stomach compared to the rest.” You let out an, “Uh-huh.” But your curiosity gets the best of you. You look up and see the amber lights illuminating the spiders and spiderwebs above along with the netting with fake limbs entangled in it dangling down at you. You let out a small, “Yikes!” He laughs, “Told you not to look up.” And you quickly look down with him. Every time the building creaks, you shiver, and he does too. When you see the bottom of the curtain, he says, “Here’s our exit.” He moves the curtain, and the sunlight greets you as he opens the door. You nearly kiss the ground as you mutter countless thank yous. 

You don’t let go of his hand even though you’ve made it out. Feeling a sense of comfort with his hand in yours before you ask, “Um… is there any way I can stay with you for a bit until I get my nerve back up to drive?” He nods, “Yeah, that’s fine. I just need to go back to my security room.” “Is it okay if I go with you?” “Yeah.” He leads you along the side of the building and down the stairs. He unlocks the door and leads you in before calling on the two-way radio, “Back to business.” He flicks the overheads off, and you watch as everyone exits their rooms on the cameras. He gestures for you to sit in the spinny chair, “I’m gonna grab the chair from over there.” He points to the corner and lets go of your hand before getting it. He joins you, his knee touching yours under his desk. You watch the CCTV roll, seeing all of the scares live at once, making you feel sick to your stomach again. And he goes, “I wouldn’t watch that if I were you.” You gulp and nod before looking down at your shoes. 

He distracts you from it by asking, “So what scared you so bad you ran to the first open door?” “Uh… It sounds silly.” He laughs, “I’m just as much of a scaredy cat as you, so it’s not silly. I promise.” “So uh, the one with the doll face? Yeah… So he was stitching that Frankenstein or something together. And it freaked me out… And when the butler-dude turned away from me to show me to the next room. I made my break for it, thinking it was the exit…” He laughs, and you pout, “I thought you promised it wouldn’t sound silly….” He shakes his hand, trying to hold his laughter back, “No, it’s funny, 'cause I would have done the same thing.” You grin and end up laughing with him. You stay with him his whole shift as he tells you a little about each actor to ease your nerves. “And the doll guy?” “He's a good dancer. But he loves what the two of us would consider scary dolls.” “Oh.” “Yeah, and he calls them cute.” You laugh, “Of course he does. What about you: any weird hobbies?” He shrugs, “Well, it’s not weird, but I like to play guitar and sing.” You smile, “That sounds lovely.” He smiles, “Maybe I could play for you sometime?” You ask, “There’ll be a next time?” “I uh… well, I’d hope so. You seem fun.” You laugh, “You just watched me get trapped in a haunted utility closet.” He laughs, “Yeah, I did.” “But I’d like to hear you play sometime soon.” 

You exchange numbers before he turns the overhead lights on and the stage lights off as all the actors head to the basement to change back into their casual attire. You start to leave since you and Jacob already had plans to meet again sometime soon. You figured it was best to get going while the going was good. Until he asks, “Since we both had a scary experience, what do you say to getting some ice cream with me?” You grin, waiting for him to join you, “I’d love to.”

[hidden-clue]

more nitpicks over The Seven Keys (mild spoilers, mentions of getting stuck):

When a puzzle annoys me or exhausts my mental capabilities, I need to be able to walk away, play a mini game, cool off, annoy some characters, then come back and work on it with a fresh outlook on the world. Except in this game when I try, the doors are LOCKED, I am TRAPPED with an impossible PUZZLE that won't let me WALK AWAY the crystal puzzle got to me okay that wasn't good for my self esteem

I got STUCK for HOURS because in the real life, when you get a piece of paper, with a handwritten web address on it, you can't just click on it, because it's HANDWRITTEN. on a PAPER. you can't hand me a LINK on a piece of paper. So HOW was I to understand that if I click on a piece of paper, it would open a website on my phone?? On what grounds? I was looking for a freaking computer, trying to steal the one someone left in the cafe trying to reach this freaking website because my phone didn't even offer a browser or any browsing options (which, it would have been so helpful if it had!) because there was no indication my phone could even open a web address, there was certainly no way to open any kind of browser or internet app. There were no signs!!!! I thought the game was bugged!!!

they won't let me CALL PEOPLE WHEN I WANT. All phone calls are timed! Even text messages! Even NED won't pick up unless it's important for the plot in that moment for me to have a conversation with him! Also I assume they couldn't get the voice for Carson in the game even though he was necessary for the plot so they play it like he's too busy to talk to Nancy but not to busy to relay all messages trough Ned which is difficult to believe, just have him TEXT NANCY. And let me call my friends at me leisure!!! Maybe I wanna chat about my day!!! Maybe I wanna ask them what they're up to! If I want to make a call I don't want to hear Nancy say 'it's not the right time' IT'S THE RIGHT TIME WHEN I SAY SO

since I'm complaining about calls and texts, they're triggered by absolutely nonsensical triggers. For example, you can't get Ned to text you back until you pick up the alchemy book in the cafe. The game can't progress until you do get that text, but you won't, unless you know specifically to go to the cafe, browse all of the bookcases which there are many of, and pick up inconspicious brown book.  Is this Stay Tuned For Danger again? I thought we learned this lesson before? Don't make the triggers ridiculous so people don't get stuck forever without understanding what they did wrong? Everyone is referencing STFD too, it's like they went back to that game and decided 'we need more like this'. The game at one point tells you to grab a laptop charger, and then if you haven't talked to the repair-shop owner, you can't pick up the charger from the cafe. On what logic? How would you know thats what you need to do in order to extend your hand a grab a physical object in front of you? It's nonsense.

I am in love with the environment, so much so that I explored every nook and cranny, every detail, and the copy-pasting of elements is killing me. I was so damn excited to enter the puppet repair shop and see all of the old-timey radios, tape recorders, video recorders, telephones, until I realized they copied each one of them about 3-4 times, and it's not even like they're next to each other like they're being sold, they're scattered to make clutter. And okay fne I would forgive them that. But THEN they also copied all of the tools from that shop, directly into the Marionette Theater, which, why would all that be there? Identical tool board but apparently Radek doesn't fix those dolls. Why does he have a saw? And then, as if this wasn't an insult enough, there was an identical SAW in the EXHIBIT. How do you expect me to suspend my disbelief there HER interactive? You couldn't find a way to create different clutter so you put a copy of the SAW in the CASTLE EXHIBIT? It didn't even belong there it was just there to make clutter! I am literally trying to figure out if this is something that has plot reasons or it was just randomly done with no thought to it, just for visual clutter reasons. My love of exploring has come back to hurt me.

[syrupspinner]

i just completed bomb rush cyberfunk

the sound that plays when you clear a textbox is the spongebob footstep sound and youll never unhear that now

i love the fuck out of this game. the vibes are literally, not figuratively, everything i couldve ever wanted from a jet set radio successor. a lot of people get caught up in naganuma's music, but jsr had way more variety. the original had rob fucking zombie and future had that yoko ono song about cake or whatever. i feel like they did a excellent job keeping a cohesive vibe while still including a wider variety of songs. characterizing the gangs through their mixtapes is such a fun idea and it was done so well

the gameplay is perfect too, like every little bit is fine-tuned to be exactly what it should be. walking feels like walking and skateboarding feels like skateboarding, the way you turn feels noticeably different but in a lateral way that the game is built to accommodate

level design is phenomenal. built from the ground-up for your combo game without feeling like its forcing you onto a single route. manuals were the perfect addition so you dont feel trapped in what the game provides, and lets you get creative with a levels ingredients.

I dig the dream levels and how they twist the formula. levels are normally pretty open arenas, but these are just linear platforming challenges. it's really cool to see what these physics and moves let you do in a different environment. they're super fun for the plot too, I love the bit where red is like "I can't keep the ladder steady, I'm up here with you". no spoilers but I think it ties in super well to the backstory of the character and shines a light on their thought process - you can't get support from someone if they're on the same level as you because they're too worried about keeping themselves steady.

i love how they did achievements for this game. the only story-related achievement is for beating the final boss, and its totally possible for that to be the first one you unlock. it feels good when youve actually gotta work for the achievements, and it adds so much to the endgame. i had so much fun experimenting with the best place to do the longest manual, going back through all the stages for the pictures of the penguin guy, and just playing around for... the, uh... oh christ those are some high scores. welp, problem for the post game.

not to mention all the collectables you can get! this is the perfect amount of side content, i always get excited when i see a pickup in the distance but i never felt bogged down by the need to collect everything. and slowing down to examine the level and look around for everything is a great way to shake up how you usually play the game without feeling like youre doing something that isnt accounted for design-wise.

also, fucking thank you for the maps, and smart move that you can only get em after the main story beat in that spot. it's a shame they don't show the collectables too, cuz finding the last 2-3 is a total pain without a guide, but I'm just glad there's some mercy in finding the graffiti spots. that one in mataan is a bastard, you know the one

the game's pretty easy, i dont think there was ever a point where i lost and had to retry something, with oooooone exception. the cops are all pretty annoying, especially the turret, but not in a way that makes the game unplayable if you have heat. there are certain platforming sections that gave me trouble, like that one on top of the signpost in varsum hill, and... probably another one im forgetting. its hard to hold on to stuff i struggle with, because its just so fun to do fucking anything in this game. moving back into position and trying a jump again is just part of it, yknow?

but that exception, damn. theres one boss fight that fucked me up. it was the first time i actually died in this game. and the second, third, fifth. heres a hint: youve gotta deflect the projectiles. dont worry, you didnt miss anything, you cant reflect any other projectiles (i dont think there even are any) so there isnt some tutorial you missed. it may seem like youre supposed to get close to the machine and spray it like every other fight in the game and youre just struggling with the hitbox or something, but no youre doing the wrong thing. it may also also seem like the reflected projectiles are designed to miss because they keep just barely avoiding his head, but there youre just doing the right thing the wrong way and need to aim better. not with your camera, but by changing the angle of your player character. it may also also also seem like youre meant to use the deflected projectiles as a chance to stun him and close the gap between the two of you, because since he jumps across the map whenever you get near him, there is going to be a gap. this is also one of team reptile's clever tricks, as the stun is so short you need to dodge the projectiles to get in close (but not too close!) and only then start to reflect them. wow, this is inexplicably misleading for a game thats been really tightly designed until now. you think since i get texts all the time like "dont forget to earn points by doing tricks!" someone could communicate the brand new mechanic to me at some point

another thing with this game and communicating mechanics, nobody explains the secret things that all the different ride styles can do, so thisll be your spinny tip of the day: skateboards can balance on fire hydrants and do a trick to unscrew them and ride them up; bikes can stand in front of those garage doors with bike symbols to open them; and if you manual with the skates you can break glass. yeah i only figured out the bike one on my own. i get this is going for that good ol days vibe where there was just cool hidden shit the game doesnt tell you about, and too its credit you only need to know these if you want 100%, but i found them pretty unintuitive. like, i had my board out and fucked around with a hydrant at one point, and i didnt stumble on the secret, just because theres nothing that flags to me to consider jumping on it. this is obtuse, but not as mood-ruining as the boss fight.

also, this isnt really a complaint, i think im just confused. there are tons of spots that are designed like hidden loading screens? theyre usually transitions between parts of the map, like between the entrance and the wide-open parts of the mall. im not sure why though, because it seems like the game doesnt need them? like theres one in pyramid island separating the lower and upper parts, but... you can fall from the higher part to the lower part without a stutter. theyre both clearly loaded all times youre in the area, and the game isnt shy about loading the levels when you move from one spot to the other. is it just to stop combos from going too long? that seems strange in a game thats like, about combos. again its not a big deal at all i just dont really get it?

oh, i should talk about the plot. no spoilers, but im super into stories about the psychology of the characters, shit like repressed memories and identity. if you didn't know, I'm actually working to become a counselling psychologist, so it's really cool to see how games tackle really mental-based narratives. it's like being a plumber and appreciating the manhole design. the central theme is roots, as in where you come from and how it effects you, and they did a pretty cool job exploring how that would be handled in a sci-fi setting.

the story does a great job of having a protagonist thats important but doesnt feel shoved into the world. a lot of stories have to establish a status quo and then introduce how the protagonist is fucking with it. here, the status quo is already shaken up cuz the streets used to be between the big three, but now theres only one left. the protagonist is born from this distruption and has to work backwards to try and get out of it, all while still embracing the world around him. it really helps players get acclimated without making it feel like a hand-holding isekai

and of course you know im gonna dig the anti-cop through line. i like how there are focal characters within the force to show that while its corrupt on a systemic level, there are still individuals inside that system that arent immoral. and once they conflict with the corruption, their choices are to abandon their morals and assimilate (which is why one of those characters disappear from the narrative, they were faced with the realization but discarded it to become assimilated into the general mass of the police) or to abandon their position and fight against the corruption (the other character doing so to help our heroes survive the oppressive force).

oh, and i also dig how they specifically draw attention to how police think. the chief states that he sees all crime as bad because of the slippery slope fallacy, saying that citizens witnessing that the laws dont matter would encourage more reprehensible criminal activity like homicide or piracy. i can see how someone raised in a system that values order and obedience could develop such a black-and-white thought process, and we see how its propagated through the whole police. i also love how, even without saying it out loud, theres a point to be made about how the police are so overfunded that theyre running out of shit to justify it. yeah sic the swat team on those teenagers, who gives a fuck if youre just treated like an inevitability of society and have more money than god. theyre also so everpresent that theres little pods where i think the fuckers just wait until their inescapable silencer system picks up the slightest hint of disobedience. saying the quiet part quietly, but still saying it.

uhh what else. i also appreciate that we see what a cyberhead looks like before we learn why red is exceptional. thats just good plothole-covering, cuz if that didnt happen, i totally wouldve been like "wait are they all like that?". im trying to be vague but its the thing in the mall chapter

alright lets talk about what youre here for: what it was like to 100% this thing. my process was this: normal casual playthrough of the story, getting pickups i saw along the way and making a point to seek out all the optional characters. the second thing is to go back and tag all the graffiti spots, which you should get out of the way so you dont have to worry about the police later and so you have the rep to unlock all the oldhead-gates. after that, go back through the boroughs a third time and pick up all the pickups i missed. you should use a guide for this, those fuckers are really well hidden. by all means look around first, like i said earlier its fun to take it slow, but it devolves into "where the fuck is the last thing" pretty quickly. if its not fun, why bother, yknow? turn it from a scavenger hunt to geocaching. the fourth step is doing the other gangs' score attack challenges to unlock them as playable. I thought it'd be super hard, but theyre tough but doable if you keep a single combo through the whole thing and do the boost trick. the only thing is if you drop your combo, you gotta march your ass back to the challenger to restart, or get your phone out and wait the timer out, there's no quick restart. it's not THAT big of a deal, but I shouldn't be taking my phone out in the middle of your video game, just saying

then there's the high-score steam achievements. this is bar none the hardest part of the game. unlocking futurism in mataan just takes 5mil points, which you can do in a few minutes. the achievement asks for 16mil, more than triple that. you have unlimited time, that's still a pretty bad leap. the best way to get your score up is to up your multiplier with unique billboards and rail corners, but that only works once per combo. even if you exhaust most of a stage, you're still gonna be pretty short, with the multiplier only getting you to a couple mil. so, what do you do when you have no time limit? find a rail that loops, rubber band your joystick to the side, and go to bed.

...that's what I thought at least. I tried this in mataan and I bottomed out at about 6mil after going grocery shopping. and I gotta walk a kilometer and a half to the store and back, so it was like... a little over an hour. that doesnt sound that impressive but still i didnt wanna just wait. I feel too self-conscious about running up a power bill I split with my roommate to do it overnight, so let's try plan b and just... do it. and yeah, its still the hardest part of the game, but... its still very doable. i dropped my combo like two or three times, but i ended up with 20 million before i even realized it when i went for varsum hill, which is wayyy overshooting. the only problem area was pyramid island, and thats just because i had to march my ass back to the top when i dropped my combo. i totally overblew how much of a pain these would be

i think thats it! with a single 15-minute-or-however-long-that-fight-took exception, and disregarding the post-game optional character missions having no quick restarts, this game is fantastic from beginning to end. i know it sounds like that fight was a huge detraction, and yeah ive got problems with it, but a single blemish cant ruin a whole game. i can see myself loading this up and just fucking around with it even after ive perfected it, which is a HIGH complement from me. its got that same sauce as all the games i played as a kid, where it feels like if you only got one game per year, you could play the fuck out of until that whole time without getting bored. you know the kind of games im talking about, those jrpgs and zelda-like adventure games where it just feels like the game doesnt want you to leave. like yeah there are games where its fun to replay the campaign over and over, and this feels like one of those too dont get me wrong, but it just feels like its giving you so much to play around with, to explore and unlock and even just to fuck around and exist in the world. sure, as an adult it feels kinda nice when a game is short, cuz you know you wont have to be married to it for a year while you balance real-life shit in between the video games, but thats why it being optional is so thoughtful. also 30 hours is a totally healthy length for a game to be completed in

i guess what im saying is that bomb rush cyberfunk knows exactly what its doing. this feels like how a game from the era its paying homage to should feel, how it would be designed with the sensibilities of the time, but without subtracting from what i appreciate about modern titles. if you told me this was a remaster of an OG xbox game that added shit like autosaving, id totally buy it if i didnt know better.

im worried im underselling how much i love this game, so i guess ill just say that i love jet set radio. jsr classic has some of the best vibes in the medium, and future is straight up my favorite retro game of all time. and brc eclipses both of them combined. i would like to apologize to anyone who has any interest in working towards xbox emulation. i fear that interest in the field will somehow decrease even further now that the only xbox game worth emulating that hasnt just been ported to pc has been totally outclassed. good luck trying to top this, sega

[mitochondriaandbunnies]

Miami Vice S1E12: Little Prince

Bits and pieces of a good episode mixed with Rich People Heroin Drama.

GAYETY HAS A SEQUEL. GAYETY 2, HOMOEROTIC BOOGALOO

I have mixed feelings about Little Prince. I think it tells a similar story to Milk Run in a lot of ways, and Milk Run is a really stellar episode and this one is... fine? There's some really good bits (and actually, the little bits of physical comedy in this one are utterly delightful), but every time we go back to Sad Rich Boy Mark and his Awful Rich Father Mark I kind of check out.

Trudy is barefoot on the streets of Miami as this episode opens and like. I get it, girl, I get that you're trying to sell being a junkie, but maybe. Maybe don't do that.

A young Giancarlo Esposito makes the Surprised Pikachu Face when Gina and Trudy pull guns on him.

Rico dives on Sonny as soon as they enter the room with all the dealers, which is very sweet of him, but also like, facing drug dealers is your actual job, so also maybe a little bit of an overreaction

All of this is happening to the tune of Relax by the apocryphal Frankie, which is a song that was banned in its original form from radio because it was too much about gay sex and also banned from MTV in its original video form because it was too much about gay sex

What are we trying to say here, Vice

Also the working title of this episode was apparently White Bread and that kills me dead

When they arrest Mark, Tubbs seems to start playing good cop, except that he's very obviously being sincere. As a character, he has a real soft spot for kids, and is always trying to look for ways to get them out of whatever trouble they've gotten in. Sonny sees him doing this and immediately stops his usual Asshole Cop Who Makes Prison Rape Jokes schtick, looks at Tubbs for a long time, softens, and gives the kid a pen. He's clearly a little ashamed over his prior aggression, and follows Tubbs' lead on just. Y'know. Trying to be a good person.

Then, after Mark is picked up by his lawyers, Sonny has a straight up temper tantrum, and then blatantly changes his tune on the behavior we witnessed only a few seconds before. He straightens up, affects a tough guy attitude, and tells Tubbs it was a "nice touch" by "playin' good cop." Tubbs admits he wasn't "playing," and we know Sonny knows that, because he changed his own behavior in response to it. However, he can't admit that he was also trying to be kinder and more understanding, because he's embarrassed about his outburst and pissed off that his case got pulled out from under him. Sonny has to lie and pretend he's heartless here in order to make any of this acceptable, and he swallows that lie for the rest of the episode.

What, really, is polo

Why do we get like 3 straight minutes of it

Sonny follows Mark around at the polo match looking genuinely predatory-- he looks at Mark like he's a target, not a person. There's remorselessness behind his decision-making here-- he's doubling down on being "the bad cop," and he's so desperate to catch the high level drug dealers that he's willing to destroy Mark over it. (Or, perhaps more accurately, he thinks he's willing to destroy Mark over it.)

The little bits of physical acting as Trudy walks Sonny and Rico around the station cracks me up-- Gina, very gently rolling her eyes as Sonny sits on her desk, Sonny, gesturing like an elderly mobster as he's asked to stand up again, Rico deeply bored. It's cute.

All of the bits with Mark are just so soap opera-y

"I've never noticed.... how white this house is"

"I'm sending you to rehab" / "That's like sending me to jail! I'm not going!"

"Why can't you ever see things from my perspective" / "IT'S TOO DEPRESSING"

*rips shirt off crying to reveal wiretap*

It's fine it's fine it's fine that's all fine writing and not ridiculous melodrama right right right

Trudy attempts to tell Sonny and Rico that you really just can't send Old Money to jail because Lawyers and Rigged System and they're both like : ) : ) : ) but what if we can

Gina resting her chin on Trudy's shoulder so they can both look through the camera is too damn cute

There's a scene where Rico buys a hotdog in order to talk to a hotdog vendor about what he may have seen near a suspicious warehouse, and then immediately throws it away after leaving. I think this is, hilariously, the first indication we get that Tubbs is a vegetarian. Because no one has actually said the V word yet, though, the scene mostly just makes Rico look like a fussy snob who wastes food.

"I thought that being a Jorgenson was enough, something in our blood. Above it all. Above the law." Wow that is uhhh. That is a real blunt thesis re: the power of wealth, there

And then immediately after he says this, Mark Sr. starts crying about how he perpetuated the cycle of abuse and should probably have told his son he loved him or something

I really can't with the Marks Soap Opera

After Mark Sr. is arrested and Mark Jr. disappears, Tubbs starts to ask Sonny if they did the right thing. Sonny blinks, pauses, and lies baldly: yes. It was the right thing. It was "good, routine policework." Both of them know this isn't true, and the worst part is: in the grand scheme of Miami Vice, this episode actually is pretty close to "good, routine policework." They arrest the top guy. There's no bloody shootout. The law... kind of works?

And yet: it's still a lie, and it's the same lie Sonny tells Rico at the beginning of the episode, and the same lie he tells himself at the polo match. The system is corrupt, being a cop means propping up that system, and there will always be collateral damage, even in the cleanest of cases. The thesis of the show is right there from the very beginning-- it should come as no surprise that by season 5 these two men realize that the only moral option is to quit.

Also I am 99% certain that the implication was originally supposed to be that Mark Jr. died of an overdose or something, because there's like a 2-second coda after this conversation where he... gets in a Jeep? And some very obvious dubbing in post where Sonny says something corny like "Maybe now... he'll have a chance." I mean, it's nice that he doesn't die, but he was probably intended to.

This:

[cookinguptales]

I will say that I've been lying down quite a bit the past few days just because uh. Strong dislocation risk.

So, to please tumblr, I've started listening to Malevolent. Podcasts are an okay way to stay sane when you can't move much, lmao.

Thoughts so far under a cut, because to my knowledge, only two of you care about this lmao.

So far... I'll admit my feelings are mixed. I'm a couple episodes into the second season, I think, and... well, I still don't care much for cosmic horror or creature features. I'll admit it's just kind of a style of horror that I find a little boring. Every time they start describing the new monster or Lovecraftian cult or cosmic horror, I'll admit that my eyes glaze over a bit.

So uh. With the caveat that the actual plot is not doing that much for me at all, I'm not like... okay, if I were on my own I probably would've tuned out by now. lmao. But I'm not, so I'm pulling steadily through. I don't hate it or anything. That said, it does struggle from some of the same pitfalls as other indie horror podcasts, and I do think it's worsened a bit by the creator trying to do everything himself here.

I especially wish that he had not decided to do every voice himself, because as someone with hearing difficulties, it makes it really hellish to figure out what's going on sometimes. lmao. I usually rely on really distinct voices to tell people apart in podcasts, and I mean. That's not a thing here. Moreover, because he often tries to disguise his voice with accents or digital effects... well, that does not always make the voicework easy to understand. I've had to rely kind of heavily on the transcripts, so thank god they're there.

While I think he does have writing strengths and weaknesses (it's... not always easy to keep track of what's going on) I am interested to see where the characters go. I'm not... quite sure I follow the logic for why John gained selfhood while Arthur was in a coma, but I'm willing to just go with it. I do kind of wish that we were working with a somewhat expanded timeline, though... I think at times it's like "HE'S GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO HIS FACE..." and I'm like "sir, it's been like 48 hours." But. You know. Again, I'll just go with it.

I am intrigued by the idea of writing a pairing inhabiting the same body (and......... it would not be the first time, if I'm being entirely honest) and I think that's kind of what's got me holding on lmao. I do also like the concept of a creature struggling against his old self in a very literal way. That sort of bid for earned humanity is always interesting to me, though I'll admit I haven't listened to enough of s2 to have thoughts on how it's playing out.

So every time I'm like "oh... okay... they're being chased by a monster again..." I just tell myself "yes, but you might get to write something very weird and fucked up" and that does help.

To be clear, I'm not saying the style of horror here is necessarily a bad thing. It gives old radio serial vibes sometimes, like they're gonna have to fight the eldritch ghost pirates with Little Orphan Annie or something, and I'm sure some people enjoy that very much. It's just a style of horror that I tend to bounce off of even in other types of media. (Like I am still firmly of the opinion that The Descent was scarier before the monsters showed up.) I suppose I just feel more strongly affected by horror that's more like... just kind of unsettling and uncanny and spooky. The monster-y action stuff does less for me personally. Like.. I'm not worried about Shub-Niggurath showing up in my apartment, frankly. I'm just like "yeah but that's not real."

Spooky, uncanny, very personal horror that is just disquietingly close enough to a reality that can't quite be explained is more my style, I think. I'm realizing that as I listen to this podcast.

Other things I've thought to myself while listening to this podcast:

SHUB-NIGGURATH IS A GIRL. It was even in that book they read out loud in the first episode. But John and Arthur keep calling her "he" and I'm like "that's sexist, women can be unfathomable eldritch beasts TOO. god forbid women do ANYTHING."

me, halfway through the second episode of s2: sir are you going to make us wander through the entirety of dante's inferno or just the seventh circle? because that was a very long book?? we've already done the violet/blood-red lake, self-harm woods, the burning plain, and the cliff, and I'm a little worried about that allusion to ice at the bottom! I don't want to go all the way down, lmao.

the first time they mentioned the king in yellow I immediately imagined the man in the yellow hat and I am so sorry but I still keep thinking of him. and also occasionally this man. it kind of... makes him less scary...

it's truly embarrassing how much it drove me crazy until I remembered that song at the beginning of episode 10 was "stardust" lmao. which... I suppose is probably some kind of cosmic horror pun...

I know that I was supposed to be really horrified when John took control over Arthur's hand but literally all I thought was "oh, I'm sure the fandom has made good use of that."

like I was in marvel comics fandom for years before the movies came out, I am well acquainted with monsterfucking fic.

look I'm not here to criticize you, john, but your other half seems to be running a really inefficient cult here.

how did you guys not notice the wraith following you for like six episodes. that one really seemed to come out of nowhere. like... did she hitchhike with them?? go in the caves with them?? swim behind the boat?? or was she just like psychically watching them and then teleported???? I am literally so confused about the wraith thing. I get that they wanted Arthur's kindness towards a "monster" to save him later, I get the themes and motifs here, and I get that they needed a deus ex machina, but I'm so confused about the actual mechanics of that save. it didn't help that I thought that "free her" meant like... free her spirit so she wouldn't be a wraith anymore and she could move on or something. so I had a very confusing moment like "wait, that thing is still alive??" lmao

so... anyway, yeah, I'm just kinda. hangin' on. haha. I'm here for the monsterfucking more than I am for the monster fighting, being honest with you. the monster mash more than the monster bash, if you will. but I am willing to be patient with the parts of the podcast that don't do as much for me to get more character work. hopeful on that point.

[avemusica]

hihihiii . since i got to tell u abt enstars do u wanna talk abt oxenfree since all i know abt it is that someone has blue hair and pronouns

I WOULD TY MWAH KISSING YOU ok so . blue hair & pronouns is the protagonist her names alex the game opens with her on a boat trip w her childhood friend ren + her recently acquired stepbrother jonas to edwards island 4 a yearly quote unquote bash on the beach that ppl do but literally no one else went except them + two girls (nona and clarissa) and since they caught the last ferry theyre stuck together 4 the night on an essentially deserted island . FUN . neways we learn through exposition that a) throughout the years ppl have reported freaky shit involving caves on the beach with radio frequencies & they brought a radio 2 test them out and b) the islands oldest living resident (maggie adler) died about three days prior to their visit and c) there was a military submarine called the kanaloa that was sunk in wwii that killed 97 people inside OKAY . moving on . theyre playing truth or slap (truth or dare but no dares and u get 2 slap some1 if they lie) stuff happens ren has a crush on nona etc etc clarissa chooses 2 be a cunt and ask why alexs parents divorced & we learn that alex had a brother named michael who died + throughout other flashbacks in the game we see that clarissa and michael were dating, he drowned on a lake trip with alex who was unable to help since she cant swim & clarissa blames her 4 his death its a whole thing they make me insane MOVING ON . CAVES in the caves you do some radio signal bullshit BAM theres . some fucked up floating triangle that speaks in radio voice clips . & is kind of possessing them as vessels . occasionally theres time loops bc theyre trying 2 keep them there as long as possible 4 the possession 2 be successful . FUN ok the triangle is actually a dimensional rift connected 2 all of the people who died on aforementioned submarine that were separated from existence in a void outside of time and space theyre called the sunken okok shenanigans occur everyones on every corner of the island clarissa is the most posessed throughout & kills herself twice but dw shes fine ANYWAYS . after much plot they find maggie adlers plans 4 closing the rifts since she was part of the reason the submarine was sunk in the first place & had been studying them they have 2 cross over to the other side of the rift & tune the radio from there BUT while shes there the ghosts try 2 bargain with alex that theyll spare her & her friends if she lets them have clarissa therefore erasing her from existence & its either that or have that happen 2 Alex herself and then the ending is determined by the player there r several different endings & then at the end when alex is recounting how everything ended how ppl are doing after the island etc etc theres a glitch thing that happens whenever theres a time loop & she starts talking abt how she needs 2 catch the ferry and pick up jonas the whole game is a loop in itself WOO ok . anyways i loveeeee the characters in this game theyre so . teenagers & i love how like !! theyre all trapped by grief alex and clarissa are stuck in this endless antagonism bc thwyre both grieving the same person the sunken persist bc theyre grieving their own lives that were cut short & theres this scene at the end right b4 alex has 2 make the final choicethats just !!!!! the parallels !!!!!!!!! explodes !!!!!!!!!! uhhhh i love this game its 7yrs old now she is like a child to me . heartemoji

[realm-sweet-realm]

Memory Lane

I know that having one's own fan cast for the Bendy characters is a bit out of fashion now, but I wanted to take out my Norman Polk and play with him like an old toy. I hope you all enjoy this.

---

The lost one struggled against his restraints. If he had anything resembling a heart, it would have been beating out of his chest. Behind him was the sound of the angel sharpening her sawblade. The lost one may no longer remember his former life, his name, or even the name of the lost one settlement he'd been plucked from, but he remembered one thing: the angel was dangerous.

The angel's high heels clacked against the floor as she came closer, moving slowly. Perhaps, the lost one thought, she was savouring the moment, watching him squirm. She began humming a little tune as she lowered the blade to the lost one's chest.

And that's when the lost one's life flashed before his eyes.

---

"So if they make it through all of the bases, that's called a home run?" Norman asked as he clung to his dad and the horse trotted along under them.

"That's right. And we used to watch the games in these big buildings called 'stadiums,' or listen to them on the radio. It was fun."

"When you get us out of here, can we go to a baseball game?"

"It'll be the first thing we do once we have money."

Norman snuggled into his dad's back. He usually had so many questions about the world beyond the commune, but at the moment he was fresh out of them, and apparently, his dad was fresh out of important explanations. Norman thought back on his father's explanations to try and come up with some more.

In the real world, when you own something, no one's allowed to take it away just because they thought someone else could use it more.

In the real world, a single accusation wouldn't end your life that quickly. We have courts that demand evidence. And the death penalty's rare.

In the real world, we aren't ruled by a single leader who claims to be chosen by God. We have leaders of cities, states, and countries, and we're allowed to talk smack about them and vote them out. Which is good because they still have too much power.

"Why do people in the real world let the leaders have too much power?" Norman asked. "Aren't they better than us?"

"No, they're made of the same stuff the people in here are. Look, I've explained a lot to you, but just assume that there's an unspoken 'but it's not that simple and there are still problems out there,' after every sentence, got it?"

"Got it."

The two arrived at the trapping grounds, which were about an hour's horse ride out from the commune. Norman's dad dismounted from the horse and tied it up as Norman slid off. The two got out their knives and set to work collecting rabbits and re-setting traps. Frost was melting off the plants as the sun rose, and as they worked, they talked. Out here, they could talk about whatever they wanted.

Just as they finished up, Norman spotted something: on a distant hill was a brown horse tied to a tree. The horse they'd ridden in on was black. At the distance, it was hard to tell if it was one of the commune's horses, but they were over five days' ride out from anywhere else, and there was no reason for anyone else to be there except to spy on them.

"Dad," Norman whispered. "Someone is here."

Norman's dad nodded. They would be quiet for the rest of the trip.

The lost one remembered feeling calm at the time, secure because he could tell his father felt safe so long as they took precautions. But the memory brought him devastation. It was days later that his father would be banished for corruption of a youth, and Norman never saw him again.

---

Norman had been mopping up muddy boot tracks on the corner store's linoleum floor when the clock struck five. He started mopping harder and faster so Elizabeth wouldn't be waiting for him. When he was finished and the mop put away, he met her at the front door and they headed out into the brightly-lit evening city.

"Not such a bad place to work, huh?" Elizabeth asked, smiling brightly.

"Not bad at all," Norman said. It had been very interesting seeing so many people come and go that day. Norman could see their faces calculating a thousand choices, most of them difficult. He and Elizabeth had joined the world at a bad time, it seemed. Something called "The Great Depression" had left a lot of people destitute. A whole lot of people had a whole lot less than their menial jobs and a family member to stay with.

The two got home to Liz's aunt's apartment. It was a nice place- homey. He’d heard that it wasn’t normal for a New York home to have so many crystals and dried herbs, but having just escaped the cult last week, he had little sense of what was normal out here, and if gaining one would keep him from appreciating little things like that, maybe he didn’t want one.

The two helped the older woman prepare dinner and ate together.

"I'm going to take a walk. See what i can find in the city," Norman announced once they were done.

“Can I come with you?” Elizabeth asked.

“Sure,” Norman said, unsurprised. He could see that she was attracted to him. She’d been rather nervous to be with him before because they didn’t have a choice. But now that they did…

The two set out to see what they could see. They went to a bakery, a bookstore, a pawn shop, and then heard whispers of a 'speakeasy' and decided to see what that was. They ended up ducking into what looked like a residential house but was full of people dancing, drinking, and laughing. Norman had never seen anything like it before. For a moment, he just stood there, people-watching. Joy and freedom were in the air.

"Wanna join them?" Elizabeth asked, pulling on Norman's arm.

"Why not?" Norman replied.

The two melted into the crowd. They passed by a couple of ladies making out, and Norman decided that he might as well give his own love life a shot.

"You know, I never wanted to be betrothed to you, because I don't want you to have to be with me, but... now that it's our choice, would you like to try dating?"

"Yes," Elizabeth said, her green eyes lighting up as they met his.

The two made out in plain view of the partygoers. In the middle of so many oddball people, they fit right in.

The lost one remembered Elizabeth's love. It had lasted him a good, long time.

---

"And this is the music department," Mr. Drew said, leading Norman into a new set of bright, yellow-coloured hallways, "Can you imagine cartoons without music? I certainly wouldn't want to!" The two walked past a number of offices- one with a "deadline looming, do not disturb," sign on it- as Joey rambled about the importance of music to put some soul into cartoons. Before they knew it, they'd reached the end of a hallway, which culminated in a double door with the words "recording studio," painted across it in whimsical font. "And here's where the magic happens," he said, "And, conveniently enough, where you'll be working!"

Joey opened the door to reveal a number of musicians noisily playing their instruments. A red-haired, tired-looking older man was waiting for them. Norman could tell he was eager to see them and bored out of his mind.

"Alright, Vince," Joey said to the man. "Show Norman here the ropes and you can leave your role as projectionist behind and join the writing department. I'll leave you to it." Ah, that was why he was bored- he was a creative type in a not-so-creative job. No mysteries to this one.

Vince and Norman exchanged introductions, and Vince took Norman up to the projection booth. He guided Norman as he ran the film through the reels of the camera as the music department was in swing.

"I suppose I should be thanking you for taking the job off my hands," Vince said. "It's mindless work once you get a knack for it."

Norman nodded. "I hope writing suits you better."

He looked out at the crowd of musicians. He could see a lot of hidden crushes and a lot of hidden grudges. It looked like there'd be some fun drama in this place. That was another thing the lost one remembered now: he'd been incredible at reading people, to the point of considering it a power of his. It had certainly given him some entertainment over the years.

But Norman also sensed that a lot of the people below him were unhappy. Strained. Crushed. Up until then, the bright creative culture of the studio was making Norman wonder if Grant's cautionings about the place were overblown. Now, he could see Grant's point.

---

"Do you want to know something else about Joey Drew?" Norman asked Grant, grinning as he sipped from his golden finch coffee mug. Inside, his daughter Olivia was having a play date with Grant's two daughters.

"What?" Grant asked, an owlish excitement on his face. Grant loved hearing secrets about Joey. They took a bit of mystery from the man and made him less intimidating to him.

"Him and Sammy."

Grant stared at him, wide-eyed and skeptical.

"No joke, I've seen Sammy comin' out of Joey's office all flushed and showing all the signs of shame and fear and lust."

Grant laughed. "Well, I don't want to say it, but..."

"They deserve each other? I suppose they do."

Grant nodded. "It's hard to believe that someone with as much pride as Sammy would put up with someone like that. But then, with what you've told me about him... the inside really doesn't match the outside, now does it?"

"It absolutely does not. Anyhow, you're still having Shawn and Lacie over to for poker tonight, right?"

"Definitely. I can't wait for you to meet them."

"Daddy, look what I made!"

Olivia handed Norman a beautiful watercolour painting of a horse. Norman had studied a little art for his daughter's sake, but even the most naive person on earth could have seen the skill that went into it. Later on, he'd tell her what she'd done wrong and right with the anatomy and shading and whatnot, but for now, he didn't want to take her away from her playmates for too long.

"Good girl. I'll take a closer look at it later," he said, handing it back to her.

---

The halls of the studio had been dim that night. Ink oozed from the pipes and seemingly the very walls like a fungus, staining mosaics created by their artists and posters that had once contained positive messages like, "work hard, work happy." This place used to have at least the appearance of an almost saccharinely friendly workplace. Now, it was downright eerie. Filled with the same energy as Norman's childhood community. He hated it.

Norman had stayed late that night. Why? Simple. Sammy Lawrence had stayed late as well, despite the music department experiencing a rare moment in which it was well ahead of schedule with no work that could have been done early. Norman had already strongly suspected that Sammy was up to something. Anyone could have seen that Sammy had been very off lately, moreso than ever. And Norman could sense a great pain, guilt, and fear weighing on him. Like he'd killed someone and would have to again.

Norman was going to find out what Sammy was doing. He had to. He turned the corner towards Sammy's office, and suddenly felt a large metal object hit him hard and repeatedly on the head and jaw.

When Norman woke up, he was bound, gagged, blindfolded, and lying on the floor, covered in ink. Next to him was what was presumably another person, inadvertently rubbing against Norman as they squirmed and attempted to speak. No more than an hour later, Norman began to hear ink-covered boots sloshing against the ink-covered ground.

"Sheep, sheep, sheep, it's time for sleep," came the smooth and charismatic voice of Sammy Lawrence.

Norman attempted to get himself upright. An axe dug through his side. The axe slashed again and again at his torso as Norman rose unsteadily to his feet. Another slash and he fell, hitting his head and going unconscious.

That had been the last moment he'd been human, the lost one realized.

---

Norman came back to, still tied to the gurney. Alice used the saw in a circular motion on his chest. His instincts told him to be afraid of being pierced, but strangely enough, its contact was only uncomfortable, like pieces of him were being stretched too far as Alice made way for whatever it was she was doing. She took a knife and sawed through his neck, cutting off his vision and throwing the amputated head onto the floor, where it landed with a splat. He could feel her attaching wires into him and putting something that felt hard, cold, and circular onto his chest. Finally, she gave him an electric shock, and he could feel his new mechanical parts come to life. Norman could see again. She threw a lever and undid his restraints. He reached for his head and found… oh. A projector.

"There. Perfect,” Alice said, stepping towards him. “Do you trust me now that I've made you the fastest and strongest lost one in the studio? I know that you wouldn’t have agreed to this on your own.”

Norman’s mind was swimming. Why would she do this? Loneliness? Genuine benevolence? He wasn’t sure. But he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially to such a dangerous person. He attempted to thank her, but only a small, low, gurgling roar came out.

“That’s a good little mindless pawn. Now, are you going to stay near me and keep all the other nasties away?”

No, Norman thought. He had a lost one settlement to get back to. He began to wander out, taking a quick look back at Alice to see that she was smiling with satisfaction, blind to the fact that he had his mind back, however temporarily. He wandered out.

The halls Norman emerged into were ones he’d never seen before- Alice must have knocked him out quite a ways from here. Where was the lost one settlement he’d been tasked with protecting? He didn’t remember. It was like his memory was a leaky cup.

He had to find them, Norman thought as he began searching the unfamiliar halls. And he had to remember all the names he’d already forgotten once.

Apollo Polk. Elizabeth Polk. Shauna Polk. Grant Cohen. Olivia Polk. Susie Campbell. Sammy Lawrence. Shawn Flynn. Lacie Benton.

Apollo. Elizabeth. Shauna. Grant. Olivia. Susie. Sammy. Shawn… who was that last one?

At some point during his trek, he'd ended up lost. His lost one settlement was somewhere lower down- he knew it. But after going down a few levels, he couldn't find any more stairs that went downwards. Had he been down this hallway before? With the projector now permanently fused to his head, the lost one could illuminate dark hallways. Had it been dark where he came from? He didn't remember.

Some time into his wandering, Norman found a tape recorder containing his voice. He kept it with him. He had to remember who he was, even if that was all he remembered.

Sometime later, the lost one realized that he had a tape recorder in his hand and had a vague idea that it was important. Why? He couldn’t remember. He was wandering. Why? He couldn’t remember. But he knew it was important.

The lost one wandered, killed, and forgot until one day, a thin, one-eyed man came into his territory with humanoid abominations made of wires and tubes. The lost one fought. He killed several of them. But in the end, he was dragged off, incapacitated, and left to lay immobile and suffering.

---

“He’s waking up!” came a female voice that Norman didn’t recognize. Norman pried open his eyes, shielding them from the overhead light with his…

His hand. His hand was no longer thin and black. It was sketchy, like any ink creature’s, but it was the same long, scarred, hand and long, thick forearm he’d had as a human. Norman sat up to see the woman crouched down next to him.

“My name is Audrey,” the woman said. “I put you through the machine to give you your mind and body back. Did it work? Do you remember anything?”

It was then that Norman saw the people waiting for him at the door. Alice Angel was there, but her smile looked like that of Susie Campbell. With her were inky versions of Grant, Shawn, and Lacie.

“Yes,” Norman said. “Yes, I remember everything.”

[ladychandraofthemoone]

💚💙❤️♥️💛3/3❤️♥️💙💛💚 Happy Late 3/3 Day!! I’m two days late here but have all the 3s in my au! SELECT YOUR CHARACTER🎮👾 Here we have:

A plant loving tree hugger 🌲🌿🍃🌱🪴

A literal bluebird tweety man🦅 🐦

A snappish yet wise rich prick 💰💸💵

A whimsical musical alp grandparent🎵 🎼🎵

A mortal turned god of fortune 🔮 🍀🪔✨

References/Trivia/Notes: (cause this post is long enough already lmao 😂 🤣)

Henry’s pose I used this basis from https://animebases.info/

Wilfred’s pose I mainly based it off of Brook mainly this official one:

RANDOM STUFF:

Wilfred is said to love music (he canonically whistles) so that’s kinda the reasons why I’ve picked Brook like if Ernest is the wise elder figure, Wilfred is totally the eccentric bouncy grandparent 

I Gave him a more whimsical look like Brook like fancy (two feathers just for aesthetic) yet still willing to get dirty. Fun fact the music notes on his coat are from the Swiss national anthem, he has a conductor staff just for fun of it (his name and number are on the back of his coat) 

Human/humanoid au he totally knows how to play many instruments and sings, totally uses the radio 📻 to listen to music, I know he looks like a henry but I saw a slighter different color on him on Deviantart made by LeatherBootlace with yellow so I added that to him

Off topic but Wilfred totally adopts my cfr diesels ocs (Corran Aldyn Shiloh Poll-ny-Chrink) since they also are musically in-tuned, he’a also a grandfatherly figure towards the others as well despite his moments of cynicism and age gap

Kyle very much has so many outfits throughout the years like the ones I’ve drawn during his time as Proteus so this would be of one his first appearances, he chooses the more storytelling fairytale like aesthetics like his feet are made entirely of gold dust so are his clothes he wears a cape simply to cover others in need and I tried to lean a bit more into his heritage

he looks up to Lady (still does but branches out later on and different views over humanity and morals and rights and wrongs that stuff honestly it’s complicated…) so sparkles at first he’s happy and excited over learning despite breaking down in tears to lady cause he wanted to fit the role despite being very modest and humble trying to look at the bright sides of things✨

kyles necklace is made up of many good luck charms like (four leaf clovers 🍀 horseshoes eye of Fatima etc)same with his belt he gets once he decides to wear a outfit he feels comfortable in, still quite elegant but he feels like himself since he still has control over his life somehow plus he brings good fortune instead of granting wishes (he kinda can but there’s a price)

Everyone in human au except Kyle (who’s mixed Bengali-Punjabi) and Adam (Filipino, maybe Jewish?) are Latino cause I couldn’t help myself haha , still working out the details on specific ethics

Henry has heterochima, still haven’t figured out the shades out though and Kyle can turn his sclera pupils and retinas into complete shades of different yellow to fit his new status (that was fun since he can use it to fit his cryptic nomad style later on after his first official fight) only his eyes remain sparkling gold in every other form✨

[lindsaywesker]

Good morning! I hope you slept well and feel rested? Currently sitting in my study, attired only in my blue towelling robe, enjoying my first cuppa of the day. Welcome to the working week although, for those of you working in the NHS, welcome to just another day, and welcome to July: the seventh month of the year! Ain’t this year whizzing by!

Many thanks to everyone that listened to the radio show live and to everyone that will listen to the show on MixCloud. The Letter O (Part One) this Saturday at 1.00 p.m. Executive Producer: Matt Louis.

On Saturday afternoon, we’d been invited to a BBQ in Reading, so we didn’t get there until after 5.00, but we were very happy we made it! Waiting for us were our hosts Greg and Keri Emmerson and a whole clutch of beautiful people. Thankfully, there was no DJ trying to impress us with their set, so the classic tunes were set at ‘background music’ level and we didn’t have to shout in someone’s ear. As Greg is a former ‘Masterchef’ contestant, the food was mouth-watering! The Trouble gave me a piece of jerk chicken and, before someone could get me a plate, it was already in my belly (and dribbling down my arms!) As we could hear ourselves speak, the conversation was lively and, on a warm summer’s afternoon, surrounded by beautiful people, spoiled with delicious food and drink, I was able to sit back, smile and truly enjoy my life. You go to an event like that and you have one of those, “Aaah, life is good!” moments. Big love to Greg and Keri for the invite!

I suspect the English police are probably quite relieved that English people don’t destroy cities every time an English policeman murders an innocent civilian. If that happened in America, most cities would have been burnt to the ground by now! The footage from France is quite remarkable and shows that ordinary working people are growing weary of lawless law-enforcers!

Our current go-to show for light relief while we’re eating lunch or dinner is ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’. (Yes, I know we’re late to the party.) The strength of the show is not only the script but the characters and their lovable quirks: Diaz’s love of violence and mentally unstable men, the sarge’s obsession with yogurt and his talking in the third-person, and the captain’s almost Wesker-like insistence on proper language and grammar. When we complete all nine seasons, it will be just like ‘Modern Family’ and ‘This Is Us’ all over again; loss, emptiness, withdrawal symptoms. Nine-Nine Trivia: Hitchcock’s dad played Hoss Cartwright in ‘Bonanza’.

I am immensely grateful to all the promoters for sending me new music for my radio show. The No. 1 problem is that 80% of it is good but not good enough to play in my show. I get two hours a week and the music has to stand alongside the best black music of the last 60 years. I definitely don’t blame the promotions companies but I do blame the artists, musicians and producers not making enough effort to be creative. With 120,000 tracks being uploaded every day, the market place does not NEED music. What the market place needs are timeless future classics. If DJs are still playing ‘Skip To My Lou (a 40-year-old tune), then today’s tracks must be good enough to still be filling floors in 40 years’ time.

Sunday was a lazy day: I got up at 8.00, The Trouble got up at 11.00, my son got up at midday! Brunch was at 3.00! We all work hard; we deserved a lazy day.

Have a marvellous and momentous Monday. I love you all.