#everything that I post has precedence in my world

[firstsupersoldieroc]

Vee:If I can see shrimp colors, does that make me a shrimp Plagg:Child you have 37 demons attached to your soul and are technically my aunt Plagg: You can be whatever you wan

[dottyistired]

The missing Journal 3 pages in TBOB are so interesting to me in further contextualizing Ford's mindset of shame regarding Bill. We'd gotten a snippet of it in the original J3 release:

But Bill shows us the less pragmatic motivations behind his actions, the mushy feely stuff he was too embarrassed to properly journal, putting certain series events into new context. Particularly this scene where after a whole episode of dancing around it, he finally opens up to Dipper about the nature of their relationship:

"Bill wasn't always my enemy, Dipper. I used to think he was my friend, long long ago..."

But does he really tell the full truth here? The cat's out of the bag, Dipper knows they had a deal, there's no reason not to tell everything. But Ford proceeds to explain his reasoning for summoning Bill as a purely practical, scientifically-driven one.

"I had hit a roadblock on my investigation of Gravity Falls. Until I found some mysterious writing in a cave. Ancient incantations about a being with answers. It warned me not to read them, but I was desperate."

Desperate...for what? Ford would have us believe it was for the sake of knowledge. Yet TBOB shows us that this is the entry immediately preceding his and Bill's first meeting.

Ford isn't some unfeeling robot powered solely by knowledge, he has human needs. He was lonely, lonely enough to summon a demon for companionship. A companionship so intimate, he describes his meeting Bill as the best day of his life, and laments the periods of absence from him.

That desire for intimacy is ultimately what drove him, and even with all his dirty laundry laid out he can't admit that part to Dipper. Maybe he doesn't even realize it himself, at least not until the post-Weirdmaggedon sections of TBOB:

Under the shame of unleashing Bill Cipher's destruction on the world, there's a much deeper shame: that Stanford Pines is not a lone-wolf, unfeeling sci-fi hero, but a fallible human being, capable of illogical sentimentality and longing for approval and (in)human connection. The exact nature of this sentimentality and longing is left to interpretation, but the efforts he goes to to conceal it make me lean towards something beyond platonic. Alex Hirsch's own words might support this:

"I think he is deeply, deeply hiding from his real feelings about things, because at some point early on, he decided that he could run from hurt by achievement and by creation, and has dug that hole so deep that he has no relationships. He doesn't have friendships, he doesn't have romantic relationships, he is someone trapped in a tower of his own mind and estranged. Ford shows none of that. He has sublimated himself romantically so, so deeply. (…) I really thought of Ford kind of like Tesla in that realm.”

TL;DR Ford is up in his feelings about Bill and repressing hard. This is also eerily reminiscent of the self-blame abuse survivors engage in, the hesitance to tell others, and shame over persisting feelings for their abuser.

[bunnysdollette]

˖ . ݁𝜗𝜚. ݁ Main character energy ⟢ ⭐️

⟢ Heyy angels!! today, I’m gonna share my top secret formula on how to start attaining what I like to call main character energy. This will be a long post sharing all my secrets on how I’m working to become THAT GIRL. ♡

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ WHAT IS MAIN CHARACTER ENERGY? 🕯️ ⊹₊⟡⋆

• main character energy is basically walking into a room with all eyes on you, full of confidence, joy, and hypnotic magnetism.

• if you want to start feeling like that girl, first you have to realize that you already ARE. YOU are the main character of your life. YOU are the star.

• it’s extremely important not to flip flop with this mindset, or it literally won’t work. in order to persist in this idea I really reccommend manifesting it and listening to SUBS that help affirm that “main character” identity you’re going for. my fav sub I use to manifest a sweet, magnetic, and feminine energy . .

the sweetest girl they know works so welll ♡

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ SETTING THE STAGE 🎀 ⊹₊⟡*

• main character energy is a FEELING. In order for you to harness that powerful energy, you have to set the stage in your life

•what do I mean? Removing bad influences from your life. How do you expect to be an admirable and magnetic person if you’re surrounded by terrible people?

• anyone who is vibrating on a very low level threatens your ability to elevate your own self. you are who you surround yourself with so choose your friends wisely.

• you should also actively try to curate your social media feed and social space with things that are positive and helpful. social media has a HUGE impact on us and it should be used for our improvement, not to bring us down.

another way I love to do this is MUSIC! you can create an uplifting and confidence boosting playlist full of songs you like.

for example I really like songs like perfect night by le sserafim (kinda controversial ngl…) my world, lucky girl syndrome by illit, a lot of ari grande songs too. ♡ also girlblogging duh and looking at other girlblogs.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ STOP TAKING SHIT 🩰 ⊹₊⟡

• Stop TAKING SHIT from others. You are a walking goddess capable of doing amazing things, who is actively trying to better themselves. Who are you to take someone else’s crap?

• Walk with purpose and confidence, show people that you are secure in yourself. BUT when people are disrespectful to you. DO NOT LET IT SLIDE. That sets a terrible precedent for how others can treat you.

• You CAN Respond in a mature and calm way. But sometimes ignoring it and simply not letting it affect you can work too. Acknowledge what was said, take a deep breath and move forward. Let it go and don’t let anyone else’s comments hinder your journey. You are the one in control.

ways I calmly respond to people trying to check me:

• friend gossiping about me? bye!

• someone’s whispering under their breath about me? block out their voice and instead think about how perfect and beautiful I am.

• someone spreading rumors about me? Correct them to people who may bring them up around me, but be okay with that being misunderstood as long as it isn’t something genuinely harmful that requires adult intervention

• literally anyone has anything to say about me? distance myself from them. they aren’t worth my time, presence nor my precious energy. make that known.

my other post on this which I’m currently working on redoing. . here

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ PUTTING YOU FIRST 🍵 ⊹₊⟡

• put you first ALWAYS. you are the main character in this life, not everyone and everything is worth your attention! never feel obligated to go above and beyond for someone who doesn’t deserve it.

• self care should be a huge priority in your life, because the most important relationship you will ever have with someone in your life is with YOURSELF. it will dictate everyone according to your mindset, the way you view yourself, and the WORLD.

ways I started putting me first:

• dropping the people pleaser thing: practicing saying “no” or “I don’t want to” or “I didn’t like that” in the mirror, then trying my best to apply that in everday life

• stopped answering random unplanned calls from people when I knew I was busy and texting them when I could talk

• stopped agreeing to every hangout as well

• I stayed kind, but I stopped letting people treat me like a doormat.

• letting go when people were displeased with something I said or did.

⟢ that’s basically some of the three main points I had in this post, didn’t wanna make it tooo long. I hope something in here helped someone today and as always stay cute dolls. my inbox is always open for cuties who wanna ttm ♡

[max1461]

Thinking about different websites...

The worldview of redditors is really Bronze Age or perhaps Iron Age in a truly interesting way. Deeply transactional, concerned with honor and commanding honor, with everything founded on property relations. The comments of any AITA post will evince this. It is "patriarchal" not in the sense of being misogynistic (which it sometimes is and sometimes isn't), but in the sense that it is structurally like the morality of the archetypal Patriarch of the isolated family unit, very Indo-European. The Man who rules his own little kingdom, his family, and who deals with other such Men through a certain kind of economically-inspired honor code. Most redditors are liberal enough that they deal with their spouses as other Men though, and indeed with their children once they reach a certain age. But I think even this has some historical precedent.

It's all about who has the Right to do what, you see, it's about who can and who can't and who must. Very Norse, very Bronze Age, very Indo-European. The redditor sees themself (actually or aspirationally) as on top and as agentic. They speak positively of learning hard lessons and of teaching hard lessons. Their world is a world of contracts, not abstract and mathematical but specific and personal.

This is notably not the ideology of 4chan, which anyone who's been on that site much should know. 4chan's ideology is much less confident in itself. The 4channer sees themself as beneath, not on top, either with acceptance or with resentment. Frantz Fanon might have something to say about it. The 4channer is the subaltern.

And here? I was going to say that tumblrianas are somewhat domesticated, but I don't think this is exactly right. It's more like the world-sense of eunuchs in a harem, desperate for stimulation. Scholastic (though not scholarly) and estranged from the world—from normalcy—for reasons they can't escape. And they know this, and have mostly elected not to try. "Eh", say they, "I will read about life in one of my books," or perhaps just as commonly "I will simulate an outside-life in here with the other eunuchs, and it will be better than what they can make on the outside anyway". Maybe that's true; it probably depends on you and your eunuch crew.

I don't think I'm any of these types of guy. I've spent more of my life as a lurker than a poster. Lurkers are a whole other type of deal.

This is of course all "bullshit" you must understand.

[opashoo]

I think what a lot of people are missing about the Pansear situation is that, even beyond hurting someone who actually was innocent of the accusations that drove them away, this has broader ramifications for the Rain World community, and it's really bad. There's a reason a lot of people have felt less safe in this community since it happened. Whether or not the allegations were true, the reaction was not appropriate or helpful.

The screenshots that got Pansear banned from servers and drove them to delete all their social media have been revealed to be fake, but the damage has been done. When it was posted, people accepted it without question. They spread it and the idea that this person was a threat who deserved everything that happened to them. Pansear deleting their socials was taken as an admission of guilt, and people who've questioned the whole thing have been harrassed. Even now, instead of reflecting on what a mess this whole thing was, I'm seeing people retroactively justify why it was actually okay that someone was harrassed out of this space.

This whole thing should terrify you, that someone was not only willing, but successfully able to fabricate and utilize this kind of evidence to hurt someone. More than that, people both accepted it and enforced it. Even now, in one of my servers, we're having issues with someone who's going around impersonating people they're mad at to falsify screenshots and get them banned, a lot of damage would have been done if people didn't start asking questions.

Pansear was essentially harrassed out of the fandom, and it was ongoing long before the screenshots circulated. It's been revealed that the incriminating screenshots were faked. The fact that so many people are willing to wave it off and accept it, or worse find reasons why it's fine that it happened anyway; that's terrible. There's lot to be said about punitive justice, how unhelpful and damaging it actually is but those are conversations for another time. The point is, it's disproportionately damaging to the people affected, doesn't actually give meaningful reparations to people harmed, and this whole thing that happened sets an awful precedent for how the Rain World community at large is going to handle similar incidents going forward.

You guys have to be more careful and critical. It doesn't matter if you think Pansear is a good person or not, they shouldn't have to be a great person to deserve the grace to not be harrassed or targeted. No one should. The point is that this fandom-wide reaction was dangerous and harmful. We want the community to be a safe place, but we do the opposite by being so reactionary and volatile.

[runningfrom2am]

cold nights // epilogue

summary: a few years later...

pairing: coriolanus snow x fem!reader

wc: 3.7k

masterlists / nav / requests

tags/warnings: tribute!reader and mentor!coriolanus, r is very sweet (too kind for this world. literally.), sunshine x grumpy trope kinda, he falls first, violence typical for the source material, depictions of mental illness, also she's is very smart (as she should), district twelve!reader.

a/n:

here it is :) the epilogue :)

(i'm crying, could you tell??) i figured it was time to post this now that we've officially entered the overlapping requiem/michigan cherry era. tbh i was just afraid to let these two go bc i love them so much.

thank you all again SO so much for all the love on this fic. it has truly meant everything to me that so many people came on this actual JOURNEY with me, i never intended this to be so long but here we are.

anyway, stick around for requiem!! and i hope you loved this if you made it this far!!

my asks are also open to talk about this series! (i do have emoji anons open now too!)

send me any and all of your thoughts! here!

series masterlist // playlist // pinterest board

You were all dressed up in one of your finest gowns, attending the gala that preceded the presidential election.

Coriolanus was running, of course, and you were so incredibly proud. He's worked toward this for years, and you had been there every step of the way since the tenth annual Hunger Games, all those years ago. It felt like a distant memory- albeit one that still haunted you regularly.

You were a whole new person. A Capitol citizen most of the year, and you were happy most of the time. You and Coryo had always gone home in the summers, though, to spend your days surrounded by friends and family under the District Twelve sun. You always looked forward to it, but three months never felt like quite enough time. You missed your old life, but that's all it could be now.

While some Capitol elite was talking your ear off about the upcoming games, that's all you can think about. Well, how after the election that your boyfriend would most certainly win, those summers of peace would be a thing of the past. It was hard to think about, which is why you focussed on how you could work around it. Perhaps you would make smaller visits throughout the year- although Coryo was prepping you for the endless tasks that would even be put onto you as the First Lady of Panem. Once he wins the election, he would propose- and it would be followed by the wedding of the century. You didn't know if you dreaded it or if the pressure of it all just scared you beyond what excitement could repair.

"Miss Y/L/N?" Your train of thought is abruptly interrupted and you hum in response, bringing the champagne glass to your lips, acting like you were paying attention the whole time.

"Yes?" You respond as you lower your glass. "My apologies, I just spaced out for a moment there. It's a big day, after all..." You chuckle to recover, tilting your head slightly at them.

"I was just asking if you had any input in the arena for the next Games, if you could give us any hints." The man asks, seemingly impatient with you getting distracted.

"Oh," You reply, smile fading softly. "No, I- I really try to stay out of all of that." You laugh nervously, gripping tighter onto the glass as you take another sip, relieved when you feel someone's hand on your arm.

"Y/N, come sit. Coriolanus's speech is about to start, he got me to save you a seat at my table." Sejanus says, linking his arm with yours.

You politely excuse yourself from the conversation and allow him to pull you away. "Many thanks." You whisper to him, chuckling slightly as you glance back over your shoulder at the older man you were speaking to. "Some people are so tone-deaf, aren't they?"

"Most definitely." He sighs, shaking his head as he guides you toward his table at the front of the banquet hall, close to the stage. "Apparently that will never change."

Sejanus Plinth was your saving grace all these years, that, however, had never changed. You didn't see him as much anymore, with you being locked up in your office in the Snow penthouse focused on writing book after book until you were burnt out. His role as a doctor in and out of the Districts certainly didn't help either, but you knew he was partial to working back home in Twelve so he could spend more time with Lucy Gray. You were glad he was much more fulfilled in his adult life than you were; you always knew he would do well and you were proud. You had to take moments every so often to remind yourself that when you first met him and Coryo, you had been sad that you wouldn't get to see the men they would become but you had wondered. Now, you had your answers.

"Is that not the truth." You scoff under your breath, smiling and giving a quick wave to a few familiar faces as you pass. You had become somewhat of a people-pleasing expert, the same way Coriolanus had.

You sit down at the table at the front of the room just as the lights slightly dim, and the spotlight hits the stage. You gently cross one leg over the other, careful not to wrinkle your dress and clap in just the perfect polite way you had learned how to over the years, smiling as you see Coryo walk up onto the stage.

He waves, and people whistle and clap, and the smile on his face seems a little more genuine than it normally is during these speeches. Of course, though, this is his final address before he no doubt gets voted in as president, and you know that he is excited.

"Hello, everyone. Thank you so much for coming out tonight..." He says, in a subtle cue to get people to quiet down so he could speak, a drink still in his hand that he delicately hovers above the podium next to him. "This has been such an incredible opportunity for both of us running, and I must say, it's been fun." He tips the glass toward the other table at the front, and your eyes follow the movement to the other candidate, your friend and former classmate, Hilarius Heavensbee. They've never gotten along, and you know Hilarius wants nothing to do with this job. Not really. It makes you sad, a little bit, that his family would push him this far when he had confided in you in his freshman year that it wasn't what he wanted.

The man just gives Coryo a polite but nervous smile, taking another sip out of his own champagne glass. From where you were, you could see his hand trembling. You knew he would have to go next, and Coriolanus Snow was always a tough act to follow.

"Now, I am very happy about this turnout, because I have two important announcements to make." He continues, and whispers fill the room. You look over at Sejanus, a slight look of shock on your face. You didn't know he had anything special to announce, and he always kept you in the loop on everything. Sejanus just shrugs, looking back up at Coryo again. It must not actually be a big deal- it was probably just thanking some more people who have donated to his campaign.

"Firstly," He clears his throat, taking a step to the side as the screen behind him lights up. "For just a moment, see me as your head game maker and forget all about me running for president. Or don't, actually, maybe keep that in mind, but at the back of your mind." He chuckles, the little joke making the audience laugh. He was much more personable now than he once was, you smile a little as you remember helping him write his earlier speeches in a way that would make him more likable. "With the help of my fellow candidate and personal good friend, we are trying something new when it comes to The Hunger Games."

When he speaks, your heart drops and you sit up a little straighter- feeling all eyes on you as you just focus on him. For the first time, he looks down at you and gives you a small smile, the slightest nod in an effort to reassure you that it wasn't as scary as it sounded. You swallow and just keep your smile on as best as you can, ignoring all the stares.

"So, we all love The Games. They're exciting, the stakes are high, and I know every year we all pick our favourite tributes to root for and it's hard to watch them fall but, god, do I know better than anyone how good it feels when they win." Your cheeks burn intensely as Coryo sends a smile and a wink your way, and the screen behind him flashes to a picture of the two of you, taken after your shared university graduation just a couple of years ago. You were both smiling, but he was looking at you as he held you tight around your waist, and you looked into the camera and held up a three-finger salute. People are laughing and awe-ing at the photo of the two of you, and you laugh nervously, looking over at Sejanus with slightly panicked eyes.

You would be absolutely fine with this if he had just run it by you before, and you knew that whether you liked it or not, the Games were an integral part of who you were now, and always would be- but you certainly didn't want your name on anything to do with these new changes they're making. But, he wouldn't be talking about you at all if he knew you would hate it. You had to remind yourself of that.

"So, you all know my beautiful Y/N, of course, we're all big fans of hers here," Coryo says, gesturing to where you were sitting and you let out a nervous laugh, shaking your head at him in a way that would appear teasing to everyone else while he waits for everyone to finish clapping for you. "Don't get embarrassed already, darling, I've got a bit more to say about you so just sit tight, okay? Nothing bad, I promise." He says to you, looking into your eyes even as he stands up on the stage, everyone's laughter echoing in the background.

"So, I have known Y/N and her outstanding mind for years now. The Games are what brought us together when we were both just kids, but you all already know that story so I'll spare you the details. The bottom line is, I am so proud of the woman she has become. She's written two books that will soon become three, she graduated in the top three percent of our class with only a District education to build on, and she is the single most well-spoken, well-mannered, beautiful, and caring woman I have ever met. Truly, she has changed my entire outlook on life." He says, talking more so to the audience than to you, knowing that you're so embarrassed by this. And he would be correct. "It has truly been a privilege to know her, and to love her."

"But that was a long journey for us both, and a seemingly endless uphill battle for her recovery, despite her strength. The Games can be scary, let's be totally honest. It's life or death, and winning will change you, but Y/N came out the other side and wanted to make a difference for her family and that inspired me. And she continues to inspire me every day." Coryo says, pausing to take a sip of his champagne again. "So, all of this is to say, I'd like to thank her for all her support through my education, this campaign, and through the life we're building together. She inspired this idea in me and with the help of my fellow game makers as well as the Plinth family..." You look over at Sejanus as he continues, suddenly realizing he must have known about what was happening. He keeps a small smile on his lips as he watches, refusing to make eye contact with you.

"This," Coryo says, turning to look up at the screen while a picture comes up of a small cul-de-sac of beautiful homes. "Is just the beginning of the Victor's Rehabilitation Initiative."

You tilt your head, a shocked and confused smile on your face as you take in the photo and try to decipher what he's talking about.

"So, recently, Y/N has been more open with everyone about the struggles that came with being crowned a victor in our Games. Yes, they get to walk away with their lives, but what if winning meant something more? What if it meant security for them and their families, so they're not returning to their Districts with no sense of what to do next? That, everyone, is what this program is for. To help the strongest of them find a purpose again, and to encourage the bravest of Panem's children to get back on their feet after such an impressive feat as winning the Games."

You have to very consciously force your jaw to stay shut when you realize what he is saying, clapping along with everyone else while your smile relaxes into something more genuine. You knew that he wanted to abolish the Games altogether, and you knew that no matter who won the election, they wouldn't proceed for much longer. This was the first step in that direction, and you were flooded with emotions. Pride, excitement, relief.

"For ten years, until the beginning of the mentorship program, our victors were cast aside. Never to be heard from again after their win, I, for one, became curious as to what happened to them after the Games as soon as I met Y/N, and I have heard that question from many of you as well since we were all given the pleasure of getting to know her." Coryo's smile is one of pride and excitement, sparing a glance at you as he allows the audience to have their responses. So far, all seemingly positive despite the present undertones of him caring about the people in the Districts. He was a smooth talker, he knew exactly how to command a space and get people to believe what he wanted. And he was using it for good. "I mean, how many other victors have something extraordinary, just like her, that won't be utilized or nurtured? We never knew."

"From now on," He continues, the crowd quieting down. "Our victors will be given homes in what we've decided to call Victor's Villages in each of the Twelve Districts. They'll have ensured security for themselves and their families, and a generous sum of prize money to help them with whatever they need. Whether that's medical attention, both physical and emotional, or, if they so choose, when they reach the appropriate age, they could apply at our university to further their education. Though, between you and I, admittance is not guaranteed." He winks at the end and it's accompanied by laughter, which you try and go along with, but you're too close to tears to even process fully what was going on. This was a huge step in the right direction, even if like he said, acceptance was not guaranteed. "What I mean, is that it will be up to them. They can live their lives to the fullest, just like our gem, Y/N."

He looks at you again, and you can really only see his blurry form through your tears until someone is handing you a handkerchief to dry your eyes while people clap and cheer over the idea.

This was something you couldn't have imagined years ago. This was everything you've wanted since the Games- to make a difference, for people to care. And it was happening right before your eyes. Thanks to him. Thanks to you.

"And with that," Coryo says after a few moments, waiting for the crowd to quiet down after taking in your reaction. "We can move on to my second announcement, which is my formal withdrawal from the presidential campaign."

Gasps fill the room and your smile disappears, a hand coming up to your mouth as you look up at him, shocked and confused with the announcement that blindsided even you.

"Are you happy here?" You ask quietly, not wanting to disturb the peace of the evening as you walk from your parent's house back to your own in the Victor's Village.

"I couldn't be happier." Coryo replies through a soft sigh, swinging your hand gently as it's clasped between you.

"Are you sure?" You say again, feeling a little uncertain despite weeks of his endless reassurance that this was, in fact, what he wanted.

To him, this scenario was perfect. He could keep his job as head gamemaker, planning to only return to the Capitol for a few months or so every year for the Games. He knew that wouldn't last much longer, though, not with Hilarius Heavensbee in office. Coryo gives it a few years and a few major "accidental" mistakes on his part for the viewership of the annual event to die out and open the door for the president to call them off, just like he had always wanted to.

And every day Coryo would wake up to see you in your happy place, the only place you'd ever felt truly at home. He was more than happy to give it all up for the greatest sake of seeing you smile.

"Of course." He smiles, never growing tired of telling you the same thing over and over again if it meant he could ease your mind.

The moonlight bounces off his in a way that makes you think it could be glowing if you didn't know any better.

"I told you that I would be. Years ago. You remember?"

"Of course I remember."

He lets out a breathy laugh at your reply, shaking his head. "That was a foolish question. I don't think you've ever forgotten a single word anyone has ever spoken to you."

"Sure I have." You say, tilting your head as you look up at him, trying to catch the same moonlight reflect in the blue of his eyes as you walk down the path. "I just don't forget... the important bits."

"I will try my best to take care of you while you're here."

"My honest, best advice? Figure out a way to escape."

"I can't have killed them all for nothing."

"You are not a beast."

"Please, don't walk away again."

"I survived because I had to learn to love you."

"Like in your books?" His voice interrupts the swirling of speech from years past, and you shrug.

"Not exactly... it feels different. Because I can hear it, still." You explain, voice dropping into something more quiet as the remnants of your fear eats away at the back of your mind, the cold night breeze imprinting your skin.

"God, the way your mind works, love." He says, and as you look up at him to be met with an expression of pride that always changes everything. "You amaze me every day."

You stay quiet, cheeks getting hot as you look back down at the path.

"Are you happy?" Coryo asks after a moment, eyes never daring to leave your profile as you walk next to him, hardly more than a silhouette in the dark. But certainly more than a ghost, now.

"I am." You reply, the smile creeping back onto your lips. "Such hours are beautiful to live, but hard to describe..."

He hums softly in response. That was a yes, but also a no in the most you fashion possible. His heart remains heavy in his chest knowing that there is nothing more he can do for you to help you heal besides be present. "Is there anything more I can do?" He asks anyway, hoping that maybe you would come up with something.

You shake your head, giving him a tight-lipped smile laced with reassurance.

"Well, then..." He sighs, rather dramatically. "I did have an idea, you know, something that might make you happy. Even just for this one beautiful hour."

You let out a laugh, squeezing his hand a bit. "If that was you asking me if we could-"

"I would like to marry you." He says, for the first time ever, not feeling guilty about interrupting you.

You stop in your tracks, and he stops with you instantly as if he were waiting for it, his hold on your hand not faltering for a second.

"I... you-"

"Darling," He starts, stepping in front of you now, blocking out the moon but hardly putting a dent in the presence of the stars over his shoulders, their soft light reflecting off his blonde curls. "I do love nothing in the world so well as you."

Your shock and confusion begins to wear off as he speaks the familiar words, and you laugh softly. "In your own words, Coryo."

He tilts his head at you, clearly not having expected that kind of response. He expected a lot of things. He planned for everything that could go wrong, he prepared for rejection, for tears, panic, even, but he did not expect that. "I, uh..." He chuckles nervously, giving his head a quick shake to get himself back on track.

He had read that play just for you. Just for this- because he knew how much you loved it, and he remembered the joy it brought you. The smile on your face when you told him about it that day at the lake had never left his mind.

"If you ask me in your own words, I shall say yes." You assure him, hands gripping tighter onto his despite your surprisingly calm demeanor.

"I thought you would like that... You know, knowing you..."

He's quick to defend himself, and your eyes almost sparkle as you look up into his own. "We should have learned by now that our story is our own, yes?" You ask. "We are not Beatrice and Benedick, or Laurie and Amy, or even Romeo and Juliet, just like I used to think we were supposed to be when my days were numbered. I thought I wanted one of those stories to be mine at least once before I died, but I was wrong." You say, taking in the embarrassed flush of his cheeks even in the dim lighting. "You are you, and I am me. No matter what you say I will be happy to marry you, so long as you ask me yourself, and not as someone else."

"Alright then." He gives you a curt nod, a smile on his face as he lowers himself in front of you, careless of the dirt that would no doubt cake into the knee of his pants. "You're everything to me, Y/N/N. My world... my heart, my soul. I didn't know what love was until I met you. I've spent the entirety of my adult life learning to love you, and I never intend to stop. Not even for a moment, so please, let me marry you, love."

"A Coryo indeed." You say softly, recalling the first day you had met him- when you only knew him as Coriolanus, and how far you both had come since then. The growing smile on your lips twitches and you nod, holding his hand a little tighter and attempting to pull Coryo back to his feet. "Of course I will. Nothing would make me happier."

He stands again and very quickly his arms are around you, holding you just as tight as they always had.

taglist: @soulessjourney , @that-veela-girl ,  @dreamyysouls , @rockstarbfs , @maysileeewrites , @baybieruth , @kitscutie ,  @fratboyharrysgf0201 , @totallynotkaibiased , @stelleduarte , @secretsicanthideanymore , @bejeweledreverie , @drewsandsebastianswife , @niicole-87 , @queenofshinigamis , @innercreationflower , @nallasstuff , @iovemoonyy , @thatmarvelchick19 , @wearemadeofstardust0 , @regulusblackcore , @puredreamagination , @fantasticchaosthing , @becauseseaotters , @secretsicanthideanymore , @cascadingbliss

if you want to join the taglist for future fics (requiem, michigan cherry, etc.) as well as the bonus content for this fic, follow me over on @runningfrom2am-library and turn on post notifs! all i do over there is reblog my own writing, so it's effectively a taglist :)

thanks again for being here.

xx, raye

[philosophiums]

I have given into peer pressure.

Below the cut is my un-referenced, not proofread, off-the-cuff thoughts on the main JJK characters and their tendencies to have traits that contradict themselves, which not only makes them more rounded characters but also creates a really interesting situation in which characters have mirrors and foils not only with other characters, but also with themselves.

The point of this post is that the characters in JJK are complex. None of them are one-trick ponies and all of them contain multitudes and have, at least once, contradicted themselves and their beliefs.

Might be spoilery? I tried to keep it vague enough that it shouldn't be, but read at your own risk if you're anime only, I guess.

The Obvious One: Gojo

Gojo is "the strongest." It's debatable, I think, whether or not being "strong" is a personality trait, but he makes it his defining personality trait. (And I'm not here to do a Gojo character study, so for my purposes, it will be viewed as one.) Obviously, The Strongest is a title given to him by others, but he fully owns it and believes it. This is his identity; it's how he views himself, how he handles himself, and it is a preceding reputation that he gladly leans into. It's not a mask he hides behind, it's a flag he proudly displays on his ship to warn others of exactly who they're dealing with.

It makes sense, then, that Gojo's self-contradiction is that he has the biggest, most obvious weaknesses of all the characters in JJK. The first of these weaknesses is his knowledge of how strong he is. Toji exploits that weakness in the Hidden Inventory arc, and it almost costs Gojo is life. His second weakness is, very simply, Geto. Kenjaku exploits that weakness during Shibuya. Interestingly, Geto is a victim of Gojo's first weakness (Gojo is so self-assured that he seems to extend that assurance to the people around him, thinking that they are "as gods" like him just for being in his presence, and therefore he does not pay mind to Geto's spiraling), and exploits his second. He, better than anyone else, knows that he is Gojo's weakness, and he uses that knowledge to do everything he does before and during JJK 0 without repercussions.

Gojo is framed by himself and by many characters within JJK as being the "savior" of the jujutsu world, but in many ways he was, in fact, its downfall - because of his strength, and because of his weaknesses.

The Main One: Yuuji

Yuuji is the king of contradictions to me. Not all of it is within himself, and in fact a lot of it occurs because a large part of the plot is happening to him instead of the other way around, but he has one dichotomy that I do think is All Him. Yuuji defines himself as a cog - in his thoughts, he has been used and beaten down for evil already, so why not just be used for good as well. He thinks of himself as expendable and easily replaced; a foot soldier in a war being fought by titans. At some point, his goal stopped being to follow his grandfather's last request and instead turned into the simple act of persevering for as long as he can just in case anyone may have need of him. In a way, his outlook and perspective on everything became rather bleak and inhuman - quite literally, as, again, he views himself as nothing more than a cog.

And yet, for someone who has claimed his only purpose is to be used to kill Sukuna, everything Yuuji does is so achingly desperately human and is born out of his own desires to save people. Every other sorcerer has a CT or a fighting style that disconnects them from their foe - be that ranged attacks or weaponry - but Yuuji uses his fists. It's raw and almost savage in a way that is unavoidably intimate and human. He says, "Use me," (and, don't get me wrong, he is used) but even the act of offering himself negates the connotations that revolve around being used and shines such a lovely warm human light on him.

Yuuji doesn't push people away. The other "strong" characters isolate (Gojo has infinity, Yuuta literally fucks off from the narrative, Geto fucks off from jujutsu society, etc.), but Yuuji hoards people and connections (and yes, those become weaknesses, but the thing is: they become strengths, too). Sukuna takes Megumi away from him, but that just makes Yuuji more determined to kill Sukuna and get Megumi back. Everything he does is out of love, and he has a drive to do what he has to in order to save (or avenge) the people he keeps close. That's not exactly cog-like behavior.

The Fandom Discourse: Megumi

In my opinion, of all the characters (but especially the first-years), Megumi is the logical character. Especially when it comes to his job as a sorcerer (fighting and killing curses). He is knowledgeable about the world of sorcery, the most book-smart of the first-years, and he is smart and methodical when he fights.

He is also the only character who has openly admitted that he really only cares about saving the people he wants to save, as opposed to the general rhetoric of saving everyone. He's selfish, and he's not shy about it. Even he doesn't try to rationalize it; it's just part of who he is. Logical, methodical, smart, but also deeply, truly, selfish when it comes to where and how he expends his energy and efforts.

And yet, he is also the character who is most willing to die. Now, before half the fandom jumps down my throat, I don't mean to say that he wants to die or that he is constantly trying to - I'm just saying that he is willing to. (Obviously, Yuuji is also a character who is willing to die, but Yuuji is only willing to do so if it would also kill Sukuna, and he is determined to stay alive until such a time. Megumi, on the other hand, doesn't have a similar end-goal ultimatum for death). Yes, he comes at dying from a logical point of view, and yes, he only ever brings martyrdom into the equation if he feels he has no other option, but he has no hesitation when he reaches that point. And you (he) can rationalize self-sacrifice as much as you want to, but that is a very emotionally driven response, regardless of the situation. It's a last stand not only for himself, but for his friends, his family, the world. It's the end of the line for him, and it's something he is willing to do if it means taking out his opponent and making the world safer for everyone else - not just for his "select" people.

He is willing to run away from a fight he cannot win, but he is also willing to do something that he knows for sure will kill him if winning and running are no longer options. And I know that not everyone will see these things as opposites or all that detached from each other, but, to me, intelligent and methodical fighting does not naturally go hand in hand with, essentially, grappling your opponent and jumping off a cliff with them.

The Favorite Child: Yuuta

Like Gojo, Yuuta has access to an overwhelming amount of power. There's no doubt that when it comes to raw energy, he is the strongest sorcerer in his generation. He's exceptionally skilled when it comes to fighting and is often able to get by on simply overpowering his opponents (truly, much like Gojo). He doesn't embody being strong, though - he knows that he is, but it's not something that he considers a defining trait for himself. Instead, Yuuta's whole thing is that he has a tendency to shoulder burdens that other people won't (much like Yuuji, actually) (also it's kind of funny because of all the characters in JJK, I would consider Yuuta to be a "cog" way more than Yuuji, but that's a whole other thing). Yuuta is willing to be a monster, to make hard calls and suffer the consequences, because he has internalized what everyone keeps telling him - that, after Gojo, Yuuta is now "the strongest."

Which means that Yuuta also needs an equally large weakness to balance out that power. But where Gojo had arrogance (and his boyfriend), Yuuta has innocence. There's this pure sort of worldview that Yuuta carries with him that completely counterbalances the part of him that is willing to get his hands bloody. He has this youthful sort of hopefulness and naiveté that if he does the dirty work and puts in effort, then things will work out in his favor because they must. If he is sincere, if he shoulders an unbearable mantle, then everything will be fine simply because he chooses to do so. He does things because they are right and just, and he wants to believe that the universe will acknowledge that and be fair - even though he wouldn't have to do these unnamable things if that was true.

The Less Obvious one: Nobara

Nobara doesn't have a lot of screen time compared to the others, and specifically not a lot of time spent planning for/fighting in the "big fights," but she has one thing that the other characters don't have: self awareness. Nobara is the only character who knows what her contradictions are - she even says them out loud.

She wants nothing more than to be a normal girl who is into fashion, who could be a model, who does her hair and her nails and her makeup, who goes on dates, who has a lot of money and spends it freely. That's her ideal, that's her goal. But that's also who she is right now. She dyes her hair, wears makeup, is feminine in all the ways that would mark her as a girl to strangers on the street, goes shopping and buys too much and makes Yuuji carry her bags. She likes being girly and doesn't shy away from it.

But she is also, and I mean this with all the love in my heart, a feral little gremlin who is willing to bash people's skulls in with a hammer. She's brash and rude and loud. She takes up space and is unapologetic about it. She's vicious on the battlefield. She's not afraid to get bloody, and she hates being viewed as a damsel in distress. She's strategic in her fights, and she uses the fact that opponents underestimate her to her advantage. And she knows all of this, too, and she likes it.

She's self-actualized <3 No notes from me; I love my girl.

Anyway, that's it KSJDBVJKLDFVBJKDFVB There's no real point to this. I'm not saying anything profound, I don't think. This was all just a thought that I had, a little thing that I noticed, and I was bullied (affectionate) into sharing.

[soupthatistohot]

A rant about why BSD is hard to enjoy right now (in my opinion)

Originally posted this on twitter but I think tumblr folks will sympathize, as well. So, here goes!

The stakes are simultaneously so ridiculously high and also nonexistent. I can't shake the feeling that everything is going to return to normal after this arc is over (everyone we care about will be alive, the world will have been saved), so why should I care about anything that's happening?

To that point -- no one (I care about) stays dead!! So what if Kunikida "died" in the chapter today? I'm sure he'll be back. Dazai also didn't die in Meursault, neither did Fyodor (who actually literally CAN'T die!!). Akutagawa is now alive and well, too! As much as I hate excessive MCD (like in JJK), you need to actually kill off characters sometimes if you're gonna threaten it so often, because then every death lacks emotional impact. I've been, like, numbed to it atp.

There are so many characters I do not know enough about to care about. Who even are the hunting dogs? Bram? Sigma? Asagiri hasn't put as much time and care into characterizing them as the main cast, so when things happen to them I kinda don't give a shit long-term. They were introduced in the middle of a convoluted plot that has taken such precedence over the characters who are supposed to be driving the story.

BSD originated as a character-driven story, and that's what drew myself and so many others to it in the first place. It was bizarre in a charming sort of way. It was about the characters growing and developing as people as much/more as it was about the external conflicts going on. It almost feels like Asagiri has been trying to be too clever about this that he's lost the core of BSD: it's heart.

Similarly, there's a reason this is such a ship-heavy fandom, we live for the character dynamics! But our beloveds have been scattered to the winds for literal years in our time that we've lost most of that interaction we love so much. Give us back our found family dynamics!!

Kind of back to the point about the convoluted plot -- it eels like the characters' intelligence has outgrown us and Asagiri, to the point of seeming impossibly ridiculous. Like what do you mean Chuuya was faking it the whole time and then stopped a bullet from entering dazai's skull and got away from it because of the security camera angle?? what do you mean Fyodor dying by a vampire's hand actually means that he subsumes bram and then he sets off a tripolar singularity to create god and this was his plan all along????

Obviously I don't speak for the whole fandom and these are just my opinions. I'm not saying you have to agree with me or even that BSD is horrible. I just feel like it's kinda lost its way the past few years and I miss the animanga I fell in love with :(

[myfandomrealitea]

Hey. Just wanted to give you some anon love and support. Sorry people insist on taking everything in bad faith. Your post about vent channels and needing space away from the horrors of reality was spot on. The 'don't you dare look away' mentality has done immeasurable damage to my mental health over the years, and it pisses me off that it's still so prevalent. Thanks for speaking out in support of people taking care of their mental health. It's greatly appreciated. <3

People will always take something in bad faith, for better or worse the world isn't a hivemind. I always look at them as opportunities to educate—and that even if my words don't reach that individual, hopefully they may yet reach someone else.

As I've taken to saying; if you stand too close to the flames you'll choke on the smoke.

Everyone needs respite. Everyone needs spaces which are disallowing of trauma. Everyone loves to talk about how important mental health is until you point out that an individual's mental health takes precedence over their "obligation" to be an activist on behalf of the whole world.

We all need respite. We can't put out fires if we're burning alive ourselves. Its basic humanity.

[genshinnrambles]

noticed this similarity between capitano and the blazegem inscription

so I was re-watching the cutscene in the natlan archon quest because the Genshin Impact youtube channel posted it last night, and I noticed something:

I had just played Act II of the Children of Echoes-focused story quest before rewatching the cutscene, and the symbol on Capitano's chest jumped out at me given the similar shape to Tlazolli's Blazegem Inscription in the screenshot on the right.

Some light speculation under the cut:

An important caveat: the symbol on Capitano's chest and the Blazegem Inscription are mirror images, they are not exact copies. It's a subtle difference, but you can see it if you look at the way the loops fold over each other.

What could this mean? Full disclosure, no I have not finished every world quest and explored all of Natlan yet lol. It's possible I am missing some really damning evidence for what this could mean, but I'll go off of what I've completed so far. The Blazegem Inscription is made with the same techniques used for Ancient Name forging, though from my understanding it isn't an Ancient Name in and of itself. It's draw is it's ability to resist erosion and preserve what's engraved on it throughout time.

So why is a similar symbol on Capitano's person? There's been some speculation that Capitano has more direct ties to Natlan, and to be honest I was pretty skeptical of those theories until the cutscene with Mavuika. Capitano talks about a couple of things that seem oddly specific and, if I may, personal about Natlan: the oath made five centuries ago, the ley lines destined for ruin, Mavuika's plan (also made 500 years ago), and Natlan's "rules." And Mavuika concurs: "But it sounds like this is about more than the Tsaritsa."

I have not touched a lot of world quests that deal with Xbalanque, but I understand that as the first Pyron Archon he is the one who fashioned Natlan's "rules" that allow for humans to ascend as Archons. Maybe it's not weird for Capitano to have some understanding of that, but it still strikes me as odd given everything else he seems to know.

Another small observation is that almost every Fatui harbinger we've dealt with has had some kind of personal connection to the region we encounter them in. Not so much for Childe or Signora in Liyue (Pantalone arc in Liyue DLC when), or Signora in Inazuma and Scaramouche in Sumeru, but there is precedent in Signora appearing in Mondstadt, Scaramouche in Inazuma, Dottore in Sumeru, and both Arlecchino and hints of Sandrone in Fontaine (Arlecchino's crimson moon dynasty origins not withstanding). All of this yapping is to say, Capitano's evidently otherworldly and uncanny qualities aside, he may have more direct ties to Teyvat and to Natlan specifically.

And another thing - why is Olorun from the Masters of the Night Wind collaborating with him?

[soolh1k]

Skz ghosting you ! (pt 2)

notes: english is not my first language so apologies for any misspelling or grammar. i hope u like it !! :))) this is only the maknae line

type: text post | narrated text

genre: angst w fluff

WARNINGS: swearing, a little bit angsty, mentions of ed, let me know if you'd like me to tag u :)

Maknae line pt1 | Hyung line pt2

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

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 Han Jisung

The days were passing, and you felt that things were worsening between the two of you. You never dared to respond to the message he sent you; you were deeply hurt, and all you could do was cry in your mother's arms. However, your mother was tired of seeing you in such pain, so she met with your boyfriend, they talked things through, and they prepared a small surprise for you.

One day, coming back from work, you found a letter placed on your bed. Curiously, you opened it and realized it was from your boyfriend.

To my love bug,

I deeply apologize from the bottom of my heart if my actions have caused you any pain. I sincerely regret any mistakes I've made and the impact they may have had on our relationship. Instead of simply seeking forgiveness, I want to express the profound love and affection I have for you.

I am incredibly grateful for your unwavering concern and care towards me. Your support and understanding mean the world to me, and I want you to know that my love for you is immeasurable.

Thank you sincerely, from the depths of my heart, for always being there for me. Your presence in my life brings immense joy and happiness. I cherish every moment spent with you, and I cannot imagine my life without you. I love you deeply and unconditionally.

My love for you knows no boundaries. It surpasses all limitations and reaches the depths of my soul. You are the one who brightens my darkest days and fills my heart with warmth and happiness. I love you with all my heart, and I want you to feel the intensity of my affection.

Words fail to adequately express the depth of my love for you. It is an overwhelming feeling that consumes me entirely. My love for you is infinite. I cannot envision my life without you, and I want to spend every moment by your side, sharing an everlasting love.

You complete me in ways I never thought possible. Your presence has brought immeasurable happiness and fulfillment into my life. I wholeheartedly love you with every fiber of my being. There is no doubt in my mind that you are the one I want to spend the rest of my life with.

Please understand that my love for you is unconditional. Regardless of the challenges we may face, I will always be by your side, supporting and loving you with all my heart. You are the most important person in my life, and I want to bring you happiness in every way possible.

I want you to know that my love for you is incomparable. It surpasses all other emotions and takes precedence over everything else in my life. You are my world, my everything. I love you more than words can express, and I am committed to making you feel loved and adored every single day.

I want to assure you that my love for you is not fleeting or temporary. It is a love that will endure the test of time. You mean everything to me, and I want to spend the rest of my life loving and caring for you.

Please accept my sincere apologies and my declaration of love. I am truly sorry for any pain I may have caused, and I promise to continually strive to become a better person for you. You are my greatest love, and I will do everything within my power to make you feel loved, respected, and appreciated.

Once again, I apologize for any mistakes I've made, and I want you to know that my love for you knows no limits. You are my everything, and I will love you wholeheartedly, with a love that knows no bounds.

With all my love, Han Jisung.

As soon as you finished reading the letter, you cried as if there was no tomorrow. It continued until you felt arms wrapping around you. You knew it was

him, so you let him embrace you. You knew everything was going to be better now. It was just the two of you, and nothing could ever separate you.

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

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 Lee Felix

It had been about a week since you hadn't been eating properly, hydrating yourself, or getting much sleep. It was obvious that you had lost a couple of pounds, but that was the least of your concerns. You had lost your boyfriend, and that hurt much more than the hunger. You couldn't bear being away from him; it was really affecting you, and if someone didn't do something quickly, you could end up in a very bad state.

You were lying in your bed, staring at the ceiling when suddenly you heard the doorbell ring. But knowing how your friends were, it was probably them outside your house, pleading for you to come out and go eat. That's one of the reasons why you turned off your cellphone; you just wanted to be alone. However, they didn't seem to give up, so tiredly, you went to open the door, only to find the person you least expected.

"Oh my God, Angel, are you okay? What happened to you? Have you eaten? You don't look good at all!" Your boyfriend bombarded you with questions, clearly concerned. "What are you doing here, Felix?" you asked, surprised. "I came to apologize for how stupid I've been," he said, unable to meet your eyes. You looked terrible, and you didn't want this to be your first encounter after everything. "Let me apologize, please. Just listen to me, and if you want me to leave, it's okay, but please listen to me. I need you." You simply nodded and let him in.

“I am deeply sorry for the pain I have caused you by ignoring you. I regret my actions and the impact they have had on our relationship. 

I want to sincerely apologize for the times I neglected you and failed to respond to your messages. I understand now how hurtful and frustrating it must have been for you. Please know that it was never my intention to make you feel ignored or unimportant.

Your presence in my life is invaluable, and I deeply appreciate your love and support. I am grateful for the care and concern you have shown me, and I want you to know that my love for you is endless.

I acknowledge my mistakes and the hurt I have caused, and I’ll try to rebuild our relationship.

Please understand that my actions were not a reflection of my love for you. I have realized the importance of open communication and actively engaging in our relationship. I want to assure you that I will make every effort to be more present and attentive, and to show you the love and respect you deserve.

I understand that rebuilding trust takes time and patience, and I am willing to put in the necessary effort. I want to be the partner you can rely on and confide in, someone who values and cherishes you above all else.

Please accept my heartfelt apologies, and know that I am dedicated to becoming a better person and a better partner for you. I love you deeply, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make things right between us.

Once again, I am truly sorry for ignoring you and causing you pain. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me and give us another chance. Our love is worth fighting for, and I promise to make you feel loved, and respected every single day.”

You were surprised; you didn't expect him to say that. He was truly sorry, and he didn't want things to end between you. You felt foolish for having thought such negative things.

"Oh my God, I thought I had lost you, Felix. I was really depressed. But I know that everything is better when we're together. I forgive you, and I always will, so please never leave again." You looked into his eyes for the first time, and that's when you realized how much you loved that guy. "No way am I leaving, nor am I letting you go. Please take care of yourself, my love. I need you to be well and healthy. I love you." He hugged you as if it were the last thing he would do, and you whispered back an "I love you" to him.

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

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 Kim Seungmin

You didn't even want to see Seungmin, but as luck would have it, you ran into him at a café where you used to go together. It was obvious that your heart led you to that place, hoping to see him once more. You didn't want to lose him if you were honest, but your pride also prevented you from talking to him. You couldn't make a single decision.

"Blossom?" you heard someone say behind you. Your mind told you not to turn around, but your heart was stronger. "Seung?" you asked in return. "I thought I would never see you again. Can we talk?" Once again, your heart responded for you, and you simply nodded. You sat at a table, and he was the first to speak. "Just listen to me, okay? After that, I'll leave, if that's what you want, but let me apologize properly." You muttered a small yes, and then he began to speak.

"I regret allowing my fears and doubts to overshadow our relationship and cause you pain. I am truly sorry for the hurt I have caused you.

My insecurities got the best of me, and instead of opening up and communicating with you, I withdrew and left you in confusion and uncertainty. I understand now that my actions were unfair and unjustifiable.

Please know that my behavior never showed how much I care about you. In fact, it was quite the opposite. My fear of being vulnerable and the fear of rejection clouded my judgment and prevented me from expressing my true feelings for you.

I understand that my ghosting has left you feeling abandoned and hurt. I want to assure you that I am working on addressing and overcoming my insecurities. I am trying to become a better person for myself and for our relationship.

I apologize for not trusting in the love and connection we shared. You deserved better than being left in the dark, and I am truly sorry for the pain I caused you during that time.

I want to rebuild the trust we once had and make amends for my actions. I am willing to put in the effort to communicate openly, honestly, and consistently. Your feelings and needs are important to me, and I want to create a safe space where we can address any insecurities together.

Please accept my sincere apologies for ghosting you. I am working on myself and our relationship, and I hope that you can forgive me. I adore our connection, and I promise to be more present and transparent in the future.

I am truly sorry, and I want to make things right between us. Thank you for your patience and understanding." With that said, he stood up from his seat, but he couldn't even take a step when he felt your arms around him.

"You should have told me that earlier, you idiot. I thought you no longer loved me and just ignored me to end things between us. Seungmin, I will always be there for you through thick and thin. We promised to be together forever. I won't leave you alone in this. I love you, and my heart always will," you said, resting your head on his back as tears rolled down your cheeks.

"I won't let you go that easily, Blossom," he assured you, planting a kiss on your cheek.

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

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 Yang Jeongin

It had been about two weeks since Jeongin had gone on tour. Being honest with yourself, you knew that each passing day was pure agony, and you could no longer bear the feeling of abandonment. Did things have to end so badly? You wanted everything to go back to normal, hoping it was all just a nightmare and that you would wake up in your boyfriend's arms. But every morning, you woke up in an empty and cold bed.

One day, as you were coming out of the shower, you heard the doorbell of your apartment. It was the receptionist informing you that a package had been delivered for you. It surprised you because you hadn't ordered anything, but you said it was okay and that you would pick it up. They told you that the delivery person was already on their way up, so you just waited for the knock on the door.

You were greeted with a large teddy bear, some flowers, and a letter. You signed for them, still in awe of the surprise. Just as you were lost in your thoughts, a phone call interrupted you. Without even checking who was calling, you answered.

"Did you receive my gift?" a sweet voice asked gently.

"Yes, Jeongin, what's all this?" you replied.

"Please read the letter first, and then you can scream at me all you want," he said.

You followed his advice and started reading the letter that came with the gift:

"I'm really sorry for the pain and confusion I caused by ignoring you. I thought it would somehow make me feel less lonely, but now I see how selfish and hurtful that was. I messed up, and I'm truly sorry for the distress it caused you.

I messed up by shutting you out and not realizing how important it is to communicate openly. I didn't mean to make you feel abandoned or unimportant. I know I betrayed our relationship and the trust we had.

Please understand that my behavior didn't reflect how I truly felt about you. In fact, it was the opposite. I was just trying to deal with my own emotions in the wrong way. I now realize that true strength comes from facing our challenges together, not running away from them.

I understand the importance of actively engaging with you, listening to your concerns, and making you feel valued and loved.

I feel really bad for the pain and confusion I caused, and I promise to put in the work to regain your trust. Rebuilding trust takes time and effort, and I'm ready to invest in both. I'll be open, honest, and consistent in my communication with you. I want you to know that I hear you and understand you.

I'm truly sorry for being ignorant and avoiding you. I want you to know that I'll learn from this experience and grow as an individual and as your partner.

I understand if you need some time and space to heal from what I did, but I hope you can forgive me and give us a chance to make things right. Our love is worth fighting for, and I'm determined to be the partner you deserve."

"Don't cry, doll. Forgive me, okay? I want to do things right this time. When I come back, love me more than ever. Love me as if there's no tomorrow, just like I love you," he said.

"I've always loved you, Innie, come back safe and sound. I forgive you. You knew from the beginning that I would forgive you. Thank you for all the gifts. I love you infinitely," you said, and you could even sense Innie's beautiful smile. Everything is going to be alright from now on.

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Tags !!

@albaficaslover

@damselettism

[fandomspacenqueue]

Transformers One has been living rent free in my brain for the last few weeks. It's definitely one of my favorite movies of the year and I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it. I just wanted to ramble about some cool things that caught my attention here. Spoilers for the entire movie, and also I am pretty much completely unfamiliar with any other Transformers media apart from one or two of the live action movies, so everything in this post applies to Transformers One only.

First, the juxtaposition between Orion Pax and D-16's respective ascensions to becoming Optimus Prime and Megatron. Orion is deemed worthy by Primus, the god of the Cybertronians himself, due to his act of self sacrifice for the greater good. D-16, on the other hand, takes Megatronus Prime's cog by force, essentially deeming himself worthy. Which isn't inherently a negative thing, except his actions both before and after doing so are incredibly self-serving. He brutally kills Sentinel Prime without any semblance of trial or due process, prioritizing his own desire for revenge over rebuilding their society, even killing his own best friend who was pleading with him to consider the bigger picture. Megatron then doubles down on this when he orders the destruction of the city's infrastructure, putting innocents in harm's way and even looking like he might kill Bee and Elita, his friends, when they try to intervene. In fact, this makes him a direct parallel to Sentinel Prime, who also seized power for his own sake and whose actions were also destructive toward other Cybertronians. Like sure, tearing down every vestige of a corrupt regime might feel cathartic, but in the end it isn't constructive. It doesn't do anything to make the world better. Revolution is only as good as what it intends to install in the place of what was formerly in power.

In fact, there were already hints of where D-16 and Orion would end up in the scene after they see the truth of Sentinel Prime. Orion says he's focusing on what their next move should be, but D-16 berates him for getting them into this situation in the first place, accusing Orion of only thinking about himself. D-16 frames Orion's attitude negatively, but I would argue that this is precisely what makes Orion a good leader. Prioritizing the things that one can control, namely one's own actions and responses to external circumstances, is how we can change our future, whereas merely focusing on what happens to us or what others do to us, which we can't control, is an exercise in futility. Sure, Orion might be a little reckless at times, but his heart is always in the right place and he always takes responsibility for his own actions. He tells Darkwing that he was the one who broke protocol in the mines and he tells Sentinel that joining the race was his idea, fully expecting to be punished both times. And while doing the right thing can lead to negative consequences, especially in an oppressive system, they're clearly still worth doing. Even Elita, who got demoted because Orion broke protocol to rescue Jazz, eventually admits that saving Jazz's life was a net positive and rightfully took precedence.

That scene also showed something interesting, that D-16 might actually prefer living a comfortable lie to knowing the terrible truth of his reality. He gets angry at Orion for leading them down the path of learning the truth, despite the objective misery of their and the other miners' lives, because he was apparently advancing within the ranks of the system by following the rules and is upset that it's now revealed to have been all for nothing. He scoffs at the idea of revealing the truth to the rest of the city, claiming that no one wants to know the truth, but it's clearly just him projecting when it turns out that everyone immediately turns against Sentinel when the truth is revealed in the climax. This goes a long way to explaining why he persists in setting himself and the newly branded Decepticons against Optimus Prime at the end, despite himself acknowledging that Optimus is very much the real deal with Primus' undeniable approval in the form of the Matrix of Leadership. Megatron is so convinced of his own righteousness that he'll invent a conspiracy that doesn't exist to avoid confronting the reality that he might've been in the wrong. (Not to mention it's a little hypocritical for Megatron to go "No leader can be trusted. Except me, you should all follow me.")

I've also seen some speculation on why the High Guard didn't interfere when D-16 was challenging Starscream but tried to help Megatron fight Optimus, that maybe they just really believed in Megatron's strength or were themselves disillusioned with the "Age of Primes" as Megatron had put it. I think there's a simpler explanation: Megatron is a clear believer in their "might makes right" philosophy and was playing by their rules when he challenged Starscream. Whereas Optimus might well be mightier than Megatron, but he definitely does not subscribe to their beliefs and would not allow the High Guard to push anyone around no matter how tough they are. And it's hardly like they were knights in shining armor when they were first introduced, appearing more than a little like bullies to be quite honest. Just fighting against the bad guy Sentinel Prime doesn't necessarily make them good guys.

Honestly, Orion Pax/Optimus Prime is just so good. He's the one who goes back for Bee when the latter stumbles while they're all running from the Quintessons, he's the only one to protest when Alpha Trion tells them to leave him behind while they flee, and he never holds himself above anyone, willingly allowing Elita and D-16 to take the lead, kneeling down so he can speak to the other miners as equals after he's gained a cog and became a "transformer," and expressing his sincere gratitude to Elita and Bee for all their help and acknowledging that he'll continue to rely on them. His very first act as a Prime after defeating Megatron and the High Guard is to restore the flow of Energon and the miners' stolen cogs. He declares that "freedom and autonomy are the rights of all sentient beings," proclaiming himself a protector for all his people, no matter which faction they might've belonged to, against the Quintessons and any other external threats. Truly there could be no worthier successor to the title of "Prime."

I love this movie so much. Definitely looking forward to any sequels that might follow.

[youcouldmakealife]

KS Fill: Bryce/Jared; quick learner

For the prompt: I would really like to see someone (coach or media) realize Bryce is not actually an idiot (at least about hockey)

SO: How is it, having Bryce Marcus back in the roster for this final run before the playoffs? Is it a relief to have him back? BF: We have faith in all our guys, but I mean, of course we’re glad to have Bryce back. LR: I wouldn’t use the word relief, though. That’s not the feeling I get. It’s a treat to have him back with us. BF: Yes. LR: And I don’t just mean on the ice. The guy’s a sponge, truly. Everything I teach him, he either picks it right up, or he knows it already. I’ve coached some of the best players in the world, here and internationally, and I’d like to think I’m pretty accustomed to bright hockey minds. But it’s a treat. It’s a treat. SO: High praise. LR: My guys know — I never give a compliment unless I mean it. BF: Is that why you never give me compliments? (Laughter) LR: The only thing I don’t like about that guy is that I won’t get to coach him in the Olympics. SO: You don’t see a defection to Team USA in his future? LR: Nah, pretty sure the guy’s heart is right here in Vancouver. BF: If there’s a place for a heart to be… LR: It’s a pretty good one. BF: Great one.

-After Hours, feat. Vancouver Canucks Coach Landon Rutger and General Manager Brian Foster

*

Jared’s honestly a little surprised it takes as long as it does for the coaching staff to realise just how bright Bryce is. Or more, to pick up on just how broad that intelligence is, because it doesn’t take long for them to figure out how quickly Bryce picks up strategy, almost no time at all before he’s quarterbacking the power play, stage-directing before face offs. But Jared doesn’t know if it’s Bryce’s reputation preceding him or what, but the way they seriously pay attention to what Stevie has to say, to Gabe, Bryce doesn’t get that.

Thankfully that doesn’t extend to the team: they start listening to Bryce almost straight away, on the ice and off it. Jared thinks Gabe had something to do with that, letting everyone know Bullet has a good eye, that he’s worth listening to, but it probably would have happened even if Gabe hadn’t said a thing. This isn’t Calgary, nobody’s tuning him out, assuming the only things he knows about are scoring goals, picking up women, and taking bad penalties.

Bryce’s linemates are the first ones to notice, unsurprisingly. Usually where the first line goes, so too goes the team, and the Canucks are no exception. It’s only a handful of practices before Bryce is sticking around after the coaches leave, staying on the ice to give dudes pointers, give them a little extra practice on the things they need to work on.

It means Jared has to stick around a little longer, and Gabe too, if they’re carpooling, but Gabe claims not to mind, and whenever Jared gets impatient, he just has to think about how Bryce ran him through almost every single exercise before the combine, rented private ice time when Jared was getting too into his own head.

It’d be selfish, not wanting his teammates to get that too. And, far more importantly, it'd be completely counterproductive. It makes Bryce happy too, and Jared’s always going to be a sucker for that, though, thankfully, Bryce never seems to realise quite how big a sucker he is.

But in the final regular season stretch, Jared swears he can see it click, all at once, and suddenly Bryce is getting pulled aside by Coach, waved over to serious conversations with the team vets, Rutger leaning down to intently listen whenever Bryce turns to tell him something mid-game.

“Coach told me I should consider a career behind the bench after I retire,” Bryce says when they get home after one particularly long post-practice conversation.

He sounds a little stunned, like it’s something he never considered before, which is kind of funny, considering he was technically supposed to be one when he met Jared.

Jared would have laughed his ass off at the idea of Bryce coaching back then — and he did — but now?

Well, maybe he wouldn't be the best head coach, because Jared can see Bryce getting his ass thrown out of the game after losing it on the refs — he’s almost done it a few times as a player. He can see him being loved by his players, the kind of coach they’d run through walls for, but he can’t so much see him handling the disciplinary side of things, or delivering the bad news of roster re-assignments, scratches, which goalie’s in, which is out.

Not that he couldn't do it — Jared’s sure he could — but he’s equally sure that shit would stick with him at the end of the night, get in his head, follow him home. He’s too nice to be a head coach.

Jared’s not saying head coaches have to be assholes, except — maybe he is, a little. All of Jared’s best coaches were dudes he’d never be friends with, and that’s probably part of it. Better to be feared than loved, right? That’s Machiavelli, Jared thinks. Dude had some solid points, reputation aside.

But assistant coach, well — Jared can see that. Bryce running the power play, maybe, or special teams in general — he may not play on the PK, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t run a good kill. Or maybe be the coach that takes the lead on player development, the friendly one checking in how the rookies are doing and if anyone’s dealing with shit off the ice, helping them grow as players.

“Huh,” Jared says.

Bryce gives him a curious look.

“You would, you know,” Jared says.

“You think so?” Bryce says.

“I really do,” Jared says. He doesn’t know why Bryce lights up at that, when he’s just been told the same thing by someone who knows a hell of a lot more than Jared does, but he accepts the grateful kiss that comes his way. He hasn’t earned it or anything, but he’ll take it anyway. He always will.

*

SO: So I think it’s safe to say you’re both big fans of Bryce Marcus. BF: I know we’ve spent most of this interview singing his praises, but he deserves it. We’re lucky to have him. Delighted to have him back. LR: I think most people respect his hands, and his shot, but I don’t think very many people have realised what a keen mind for strategy he has. I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t realise until he was playing for me. BF: In hindsight, it might have been a better idea to let them stay in the dark on that one. (Laughter) LR: Maybe. But I think anyone paying enough attention will figure it out sooner rather than later. I think he’s going to make a lot of people eat their words. BF: I'm looking forward to that moment. LR: Me too. -After Hours, feat. Vancouver Canucks Coach Landon Rutger and General Manager Brian Foster

[nottskyler]

I disagree with the belief that reproduction of divine beings will look anything like the unequal burden that exists here and now in our fallen world. From Mary conceiving the Savior by the power of Gd rather than sex to Adam being formed from the dust and Eve from a rib, there seems to be a precedent for creating life outside of cis-straight sex even in this fallen world. Yet somehow the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has decided to ignore all these evidences in the scriptures and hang new doctrines on the sandy foundation of a revelation that contradicts itself: Doctrine and Covenants 132.

(I acknowledge that I wrote a post about 132 being the law of polyamory, but the section I read to write this post was not the same section I read when I wrote that post. Whether that is because of the Mandela effect or I had my “JST” glasses on, I do not know.)

I want to start out with why I believe the unequal division of reproduction labor is a characteristic of the fall because it is better to start from a place of faith than disbelief. When we talk about the fall in Sunday School and list the characteristics of a fallen world, we usually end up with a list that looks like this: illness, death, disability, weeds, work to survive, and (if you have an enthusiastic feminist) painful pregnancy and childbirth. The purpose of the fallen world is given when we look at what these things all have in common.

When you are sick, someone else needs to do the work you normally do or the sickness will spread. When someone passes away, people need community to help support them in their grief. Disabled people need support to do some things while needing others to completely take over other tasks. Basically, all the effects of the fall are things that make us need to help and support each other. A world designed as a perfect test to see if we will help people who need it.

What happens when we fail these tests? When we abuse the possibility of death we get murder and war and genocide. When we ignore the consequences of sicknesses, we get pandemics. When we abuse the need for labor to survive, we get wealth inequality, slavery and racism, and dangerous working conditions. But abusing painful pregnancy and birth doesn’t seem to be all it takes to get sexism, rape, and sexual violence. Adding lust brings us closer, but I think the true root of sexism and sexual violence is the unequal division of reproductive labor because the benefit of making more humans without having to do the labor yourself is ripe for exploitation.

If you look at teachings of modern day prophets, you will find lots of teachings that allude to the fact that the way reproduction works on this earth is how it will work in the eternities. It is the teaching that is foundational to rejecting gay marriage and polyamory that isn’t polygamy. But when you look at the scriptures, you have section 132 and Abraham 3 who teach contradictory doctrines to each other. D&C 132:63 teaches “for they [multiple virgins] are given unto him to multiply and replenish the earth according to my commandment...and for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may bear the souls of men” whereas Abraham 3:22 teaches of “intelligences that were organized before the world was;” which were the souls of humans before we were born on this earth. What do we do when scriptures contradict themselves?

Ten years ago, I likely would have told you to pray and listen to what the prophet has to say. Now I know that everything spoken by Christ or His servants can be tested so you can know for yourself whether it is true (John 7:17 and many other places); just remember that not every commandment has immediate consequences and sometimes have consequences that are a problem on an aggregate level (for example: pollution). When it comes to things we can’t know here and now for ourselves, we are best to look at the fruits to know the truth (3 Nephi 14:20 and Matthew 7:20).

It is very tempting to completely throw out D&C 132, seeing how the sealing power had been revealed before and likely has a written record elsewhere that could be put in its place (refer to section heading), especially with how many parts contradict scriptures. Jacob, in Jacob 2:23-24, condemns David and Solomon for practicing polygamy where D&C 132:38-39 extols them both for polygamy except for the murder of Uriah. Then verse 61 says “if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent” (D&C 132:61) while verse 52 commands Emma to accept polygamy, which is not consent in case you were never taught what consent it. Then, of course, D&C 132:63 where it claims polygamy is to bear souls of men in the eternal worlds whereas Jacob 2:30 states that polygamy is a temporary law when Gd needs to raise up a righteous seed.

But this is simply setting up the stage of contradictions, we can’t know truth without looking at its fruits. And honestly, there were terrible consequences in Joseph Smith’s time. Emma Smith is considered by many to have fallen away and some polygamist marriages were of dubious consent, but, other than that, wives of Church leaders were counseled on affairs of the Church, women performed what would be considered priesthood blessings today, girls passed the sacrament. While there wasn’t an office of prophetess like the wife of Isaiah had, women and men were more equal in the Church than they are today.

The full effects of oppression came later when it was not only followed but considered doctrine to build upon. I’m not a Church historian and so I can go into the specifics to how it got to be this way, but I can look at what has been built on this foundation and the consequences in our day: The belief that women are and will be the ones responsible for reproduction has created the idea that men and women are separate beings and have separate spheres of work and influence; that women are holier and more divine because they have part of their eternal powers now and their socialization to be kinder and more nurturing is part of their divine nature instead of a result of our cultures a societies that punish girls and women from deviating from this norm; that there are only two genders which are the presumed sexual ability from looking at their bodies at birth; that the ability to procreate is so holy that scientifically trying to alter the natural way it occurs is evil, except for when it is forcing intersex people to more closely fit into the only two genders; that Gd created some of His children unsuited for exaltation due to characteristics they cannot control and so if they choose to be lonely in this life they can be a ministering angel to others who were not born that way.

I hope everyone can reject that last statement as definitely not being of Gd and realize it the same idea that led to the Priesthood and Temple Ban for people of African descent. This similar belief is why I believe the Church hasn’t fully repented for the priesthood ban. Obviously there is a different faulty foundation than the role of men and woman in the eternities that supports the priesthood ban, but I am not writing about it today.

Back to the false foundation on the ideas of eternal polygamy, rejecting gay eternal marriage based on the idea that creation will look like it does here in the fallen world actually runs contrary to the command: “Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.” (Mosiah 4:9) Christ was born without being conceived by sex, Adam and Eve were created without sex, and John the Baptist taught “that Gd is able of these stones to raise children unto Abraham” (Matthew 3:9 or Luke 3:8) , and modern day science is also almost at the point where cis lesbians could conceive and have a child without a sperm donor (but with the help of a lab). Believing that the power of creation is more limited than our scientific ability in ten years feels more heretical than believing that women are not tools for men to use to achieve their exaltation.

As for the other false teachings, I have experienced how dehumanizing it is to be treated as holier but not equal, I have seen the issues my mother had from devoting her life to be obedient to being a stay-at-home mother instead of tempering her child care responsibilities with her own interests and ambitions, I had a visiting teacher who could not go a conversation without mentioning her fertility issues because she felt so unholy and broken for her inability to have children due to these teachings, I have experienced gender dysphoria and the joy from doing something leaders in the Church would consider desecrating my holy vessel, and I have listened to LGB people to learn how sexuality isn’t a choice and thus was able to accept my own bisexuality as an innate part of me instead of satan tempting me to do evil. And above all, my husband and I only conceived and had a child after my legal transition via iui and so we have experienced creating life without cis-straight sex. All things in my life point to the fact that our loving Heavenly Father did not make a plan where His children will be unequal for all eternity.

However, I am not a prophet and so I don’t know how the Lord wishes for the Church to repent and when that repentance will actually begin. What I do know is that the idea that creation will emulate the unequal reproductive burden in the eternities is false and that Gd has already told His current prophets and apostles “to treat homosexuals the same as heterosexuals” to begin the process of undoing this false doctrine. Gd weeps for His daughters’ exclusion and that He is running His Church at half-revelation capacity. He is with you as you suffer the effects of this false doctrine and He will not stand for His will to be ignored forever. But our time scales are significantly smaller than His, all I can do is hope this change comes in my lifetime and pray for patience until it does.

[tainbocuailnge]

this is kind of a vaguepost please bear with me there was long post on my dash yesterday that im not finding back and am possibly partially misremembering that complained the irish servants are suffering from having to bend around scathach's powerlevels and the importance they pulled out of their ass for a character that was in the original text hardly that important (true and i agree) and how frustrating it is that they seem to have no interest in seriously interacting with irish literary works beyond cu chulainn and the scathach they made up and are reducing the rest of them to mostly jokes about sex with other people's wives despite especially fionn being a big deal in his own right (also true and i agree i hate everything about mannanan's presence in this game) interspersed with constant comments about how scathach has no personality and nothing interesting going for her as a character beyond being a hot woman to sell (false and i will kill you) and medb is also just a hot woman to sell (false and i will kill you) because of the precedent scathach set and it's also somehow scathach's fault that saber diarmuid only talks about saber saber (i think you might just hate women) and of course theres not a peep about how scathach herself has fallen victim to this refusal to engage with irish literature too with how they stapled skadi to her to make the cuter and more marketable scathach (who also doesn't have her literary context engaged with in any meaningful way) and then only wheel scathach out for gags anymore. not to fucking mention how this specific character rot isnt even unique to the irish servants have you seen the things they do to poor lancelot. someone at type moon thinks cuckoldry jokes are the funniest thing in the world and the consequences continue to be devastating.

[anim-ttrpgs]

Wait does Eureka have its own established lore for how different supernatural creatures work?

Yes, it does!

(I’m going to preface this post by saying that just about everything I’m talking about here, and more, is available FOR FREE for you to read in the free pre-release version of the Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy rulebook that you can download from our website. Go to Chapter 8 to start reading about the supernatural lore. The rulebook itself will do a lot better job of explaining all this than I will, because it has the exact details of how each one works, and I’m just hitting the highlights and going over what those details mean.)

Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy is a game about very human and believable investigators digging into dangerous (often supernatural) mysteries way over their heads, and sometimes those very human and believable investigators will be supernatural creatures themselves.

These supernatural creatures are every bit as human and “normal” as their mundane investigators counterparts, they have jobs, friends, families, hobbies, etc. They live among mundane society, not outside of it.

Most modern fantasy settings have some kind of separation between normal society and magical society, like you see in Harry Potter where there is normal society, and then a separate, secret magical society hidden away from it, or Vampire: The Masquerade, where vampires all have an agreement to keep themselves a secret from normal society despite acting within it.

In Eureka’s world, there is no “masquerade,” but that doesn’t mean that magic and monsters are well-known and well-documented phenomenons. Supernatural creatures such as vampires, wolfmen, etc. are exceptionally rare. Don’t take this as an exact number, but you can probably assume there’s about one of these per every 3.3 million normal people.

This rarity, as well as the fact that each individual has little to gain and everything to lose by revealing themselves (try “coming out” as a person who regularly assaults people and drains their blood), has led to them going largely undocumented in the modern day. Sure, this is the digital age, there are videos, but viral videos are not exactly scientific evidence. For every real vampire caught on camera, there are a thousand hoaxes and horror short films.

There is no secret vampire government controlling things from the shadows—most vampires don’t even know any other vampires, let alone enough to form a secret society with any effect on national politics.

As for how they work, well, that’s one of my favorite parts to talk about.

There are five playable monster types in Eureka (The Vampire, The Wolfman, The Fairy, The Witch, and The Thing From Beyond) plus two extras that are Kickstarter stretch goals (The Dullahan and The Gorgon), but in the interest of time, I’m only going to really go into detail with one of them.

Most playable monster types in Eureka are very, very old-school, with an emphasis on actual historical folklore over just making up all our own lore. That doesn’t mean Eureka doesn’t have a unique approach to the supernatural, though. Little of it is “new,” but it is certainly unique, because to my knowledge no other RPG has ever taken the old stuff this far before. A PC being a monster in Eureka isn’t just a few +1s here and there and maybe a little extra damage from silver weapons, it means playing by an entirely different set of rules from fellow investigators.

The vampires and vampire lore you see in movies are not folkloric vampires, they are mostly a 20th and 21st century pop-culture creation. Eureka’s vampire abilities, weaknesses, and other traits are based on pre-1900 vampire legends, with older traits usually taking precedent over newer ones. Thus, a lot of assumptions you might have about vampires going in could end up being very wrong. For instance, in movies, vampires instantly die when exposed to sunlight, but the first ever instance of a vampire in a story being killed by sunlight was in the 1922 film Nosferatu. In Eureka, sunlight is still awful for vampires, it strips them of their vampiric powers, but it doesn’t do any real damage to them. Sunlight is an issue vampires have to deal with, but it is far from instant death. That doesn’t mean being a vampire is inherently easy though, because in addition to having all the powers that folkloric vampires have (which is a TON), they also have all the weaknesses, and it is the emphasis on weaknesses that really makes the moment-to-moment playing of a monster PC in Eureka the most interesting. A few of my favorites for vampires are the refusal to enter homes without a direct invitation, and the compulsion to count large numbers of small objects. I think most vampire media these days considers these to be “silly” weaknesses and don’t want to acknowledge them in the lore of their “serious” scary horror vampires, but honestly I think that the “sillier” vampire stuff can still be used to great effect in horror. Imagine knowing that the only reason a vicious killer at your door hasn’t stormed in to rip your throat out is because they’re being polite.

A vampiric investigator will need to work around these weaknesses, and more, in their daily life, all while being sure not to reveal their true nature to their more mortal friends. It’s something that really changes how a character behaves and goes about problem-solving.

For instance, the rest of the party may be able to break into a house no-problem, but the vampire cannot. They need a invitation. That’s a problem. That’s a puzzle. It makes me excited just thinking about it.

This was originally going to be a much longer post where I went into more of the themes of monsters in Eureka, but I have decided that that would be most cohesive as its own post, an upcoming essay titled "How Eureka Handles Disability." So stay tuned for that.

Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy is kickstarting from right now until May 10th! Back it while you still can!

If you want to try before you buy, you can download a free demo of the prerelease version from our website or our itch.io page!

If you’re interested in a more updated and improved version of Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy than the free demo you got from our website, subscribe to our Patreon where we frequently roll our new updates for the prerelease version!

You can also support us on Ko-fi, or by checking out our merchandise!

Join our TTRPG Book Club At the time of writng this, Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy is the current game being played in the book club, and anyone who wants to participate in discussion, but can’t afford to make a contribution, will be given the most updated prerelease version for free! Plus it’s just a great place to discuss and play new TTRPGs you might not be able to otherwise!

We hope to see you there, and that you will help our dreams come true and launch our careers as indie TTRPG developers with a bang by getting us to our base goal and blowing those stretch goals out of the water, and fight back against WotC's monopoly on the entire hobby. Wish us luck.