#i actually have more of these preloaded

[khayalli]

(fashion by lady gaga blares in the distance)

[so-much-for-the-seashells]

It’s A Love Story…

Colt Seavers (The Fall Guy 2024) x Reader

-Part 2 to Coffees, Plural-

Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the characters in this story except for Sheila and the reader insert!

Author’s Notes: Background is summarized on part one! I tried to get Colt as in character as possible, but it’s hard to perfectly capture him 🙃 also, this is not edited!! idk if it’s cringe or cute, but if you enjoy the story, please leave a comment! I’d love to see what you think! Icons by @gosling-girlx !! She’s the best!

Content/Content Warning: nothing serious! Just some suggestive themes and some smooching at the end :)

Part three is out!

Reader’s POV

Looking back on it, I think my crush on Colt Seavers really did develop on day one. But little did I know, it’d only get stronger.

Dramatic, right? It’s not wrong, though…

After bonding over his affinity for coffees,- yes, plural- that first day, I knew I was down bad. At first I thought it was just stupid butterflies- I was prone to falling fast- but as I got to know him I realized it was far more than just stupid butterflies.

There was just something about him- a lot of somethings, actually. It was- it is- his puppy eyes. His coffee addiction- affinity, sorry. His sense of humor, the way he comes preloaded with sarcasm at any given time. The way his legs bounces when he’s nervous, bored, excited, or all three. His perfect smile. The way he pays attention, the way he cares…

I could go on. And on. And on. And on. But you get the idea.

And oh, that voice… that’s enough to-

Sorry. Anyways.

Over the past nine-ish months we’ve gotten pretty close. I’ll meet him for lunch on set, we’ll meet at each other’s trailers just to hang out, sometimes we’ll find ourselves down by the beach… it’s just nice.

Also, over the past year, I’ve rekindled my friendship with Jody Moreno. We hit it off immediately after I arrived, as if no time had passed at all since the last time I saw her. We’re close again, just like we were back in college, which is also really nice.

She knows full well about my little (big) crush on Colt. I didn’t even have to tell her, she just burst into my trailer one day a couple months ago, accusing me by exclaiming “You like Colt!”

She’s lucky I love her so much, because otherwise her incessant teasing and blatant attempts at setting us up would be just a little annoying.

Today I was on set, watching Colt get thrown around while being on fire. I couldn’t help the way my heart tossed and turned with worry while watching him do his stunts- yes, he’s a professional but that doesn’t mean these crazy stunts scare me any less. He teases me about my worrying, but I can see the way that sometimes the thumbs up he’ll send the director’s way isn’t genuine.

By the fifth take on this stunt I could tell he was beginning to grow weary. Thankfully the stunt coordinator takes mercy on him and tells him to take five after the crew extinguishes him.

He gets up and looks around before setting his eyes on me. My face grows warm as I watched his face light up when he recognized me.

“Heya stud,” I say by way of greeting when he approached me. “How you feeling?”

“Never better,” he responds with a trademark thumbs up.

“You know that that’s still cheesy, right?” I ask. He gives me the thumbs up pretty much anytime I ask him how he’s feeling, and I tease him about it every time.

“Yeah, but you love it,” he shrugs playfully. I swear, he purposely lowers his voice sometimes. Not that I’m complaining, it’s definitely not unattractive…

“Maybe a little,” I concede with a small smile. “Anyway, I brought you some brownies for lunch,” I said, taking a brown paper bag out of my satchel. “They’re from that bakery we tried a couple weeks ago.”

“Aww, [nickname], you shouldn’t have!”

“Oh don’t you worry about me, I ate like three for breakfast,” I say sheepishly. They really are that good, the baker must be putting crack in them with how addictive they are.

“So you’re telling me I can’t offer to split one with you on the beach?” he asks, bringing out the puppy eyes- at least, more so than usual given that he always has puppy eyes.

“Now how can I say no to that offer?”

“You can’t,” he says with a cheeky smile as he starts walking back to set, noticing the stunt coordinator waving him over.

I wave goodbye to him, and then sneak over to the directors chair to say hi to Jody.

“Aw, look at this blush!” she greets when I meet her, pinching my cheeks. “A certain stuntman got your panties in a twist?”

“Why do I subject myself to you?” I groan.

“Because you love me.” She’s not wrong.

“How’s the scene coming along?”

“Perfectly, I’m just torturing your boyfriend until he agrees to go to karaoke with the rest of us tonight. I think he’s still embarrassed from last time,” she laughs.

Last time he drunkenly sang that Love Story song by Taylor swift and was straight up bawling midway. Everyone laughed and has a recording of it, and holds it over his head.

“You’re pure evil, Jody Moreno, and I very much aspire to be you,” I say, watching Colt get flung into the rock again.

“It’s an art, what can I say,” she shrugs, before grabbing her megaphone.

“Oi, stuntman!” Colt sends over a thumbs up before she can continue her sentence. “I feel like we can salvage that last take…” she smirks.

He groans, out loud. And even from like 25 feet away, I can hear it. And I don’t like how hot I find it.

“All I need is a double thumbs up,” she chides. The rest of the crew is also turned his way, with a lot of snickering coming from our little peanut gallery.

He meets my gaze and I mouth “please” with as much puppy eyes as I can, hoping that he can read my face from where he’s at. He scowls in a comical way, closes his eyes, face dramatically tilted toward the sky before finally looking back at us- at me- with two thumbs up.

“Perfect, that’s a wrap!” Jody exclaims, cackling maniacally after she’s turned off the megaphone. “See you at nine, Seavers!”

He gives a little sarcastic wave, but a smile takes over his face as he meets my gaze again, and I can’t help the way my heart skips a beat when I send a coy wave his way.

***

Colt’s POV

You know that feeling, when your heart starts pumping and you start smiling all stupid, when you’re telling yourself that you’re a dipshit but it’s because she’s just too perfect?

Yeah. That’s y/n to me. Anytime I’m near her I have to remind myself to breathe. It’s like the movies, like some sort of rom com that she loves so much, except better. So much better, if you ask me.

Honestly, I’ve had a crush on her since the beginning. Man, I just used the word crush. For some reason I can hear that dipshit Tom Ryder’s asshole voice in my head, calling me a “pussy bitch”- a personal favorite ��original” term of his- for using the word. But I don’t care, because how else do you describe… butterflies.

You know what it is? It feels like a Taylor Swift song. Like a Love Story, if you will. And baby, I just want her to say yes.

I think I need help.

I still remember how flustered she got when I accidentally scared her when I met her that first day.

We had both been running late, me more so than her due to coffee(s- yes, plural) related reasons- it’s an affinity, not an addiction.

I had went to say hi while she was in the middle of doing her own makeup, I think she got bored waiting for me, and she jumped like six inches, and accidentally dragged her makeup brush down the side of her face.

I felt so bad, the look was gorgeous, very northern lights- esque with greens and blues and purples- but at the same time, I was too stunned to speak. Y/n is gorgeous, as it turns out, with or without makeup, and even with a steak of yellow going down her face that would make anyone else look like they had a jaundiced scar.

Thankfully, I still don’t think she noticed my dumbfounded disposition as she ran to the sink.

But the thing is, she’s not just drop dead gorgeous. She’s also the sweetest, cutest woman in the entire world. Her sense of humor- the self deprecations, the sarcasm which perfectly matches mine… how flustered she gets when I’m driving her around, the way she gets cold and smuggles into my side when we sit in the trunk after a night swim, shivering but still trying to talk with her teeth chattering. The way her hand’s so small compared to mine… you get it.

Also, the fact that she doesn’t make fun of me for being a Swiftie.

At least not as much as the others do.

Which frankly, isn’t saying much, now that I think about it.

Anyhow, even after being thrown against a rock four times I’m still not ready to wave the white flag at Jody. I told myself I would never step foot in the karaoke bar again, not after last time…

Sorry, I just got war flashbacks.

<Author’s Note: these war flashbacks sound a lot like Love Story by Taylor Swift>

But then of course, she just had to be on set. She’s got me wrapped around her little fingers, bringing me brownies and calling me a stud. The last straw was the puppy dog eyes from across the set- I have no idea how she hasn’t figured out the effect she has on me. Or maybe she has, and is just an evil genius. I don’t really know.

Not that I need to know, because if the words “Swan dive off of a bridge” fell from her perfect lips I’d probably do it.

Looks like I’m going back to karaoke…

***

Reader’s POV

“Come on, y/n! We’re gonna be late!” Jody yells as she raps her knuckles on the door of my trailer.

“I’m not coming out! I look ridiculous!” I yell back. I had let her pick out my outfit, and she picked out a short black romper with a tight bodice and flowers printed on it. I don’t think it suits me very well, and I’m seconds away from wearing a t-shirt and jeans. I don’t feel like doing my makeup, so that’s one less thing to worry about, at least.

Wait, why is it so quiet now? Where did she go?

“Y/n, this is your last chance,” she warns, apparently having took a quick break from peer pressuring me into coming outside.

“I’m. Not. Coming. Out.”

“Fine,” and for some reason, I can hear the smile in her voice. That’s never good.

“Y/n?” a new, softer, lower, more gravelly voice comes from outside my cabin. For fuck’s sake.

“Colt?” I ask, rubbing my temple.

“Yeah. Can you please let me in?” he asks so sweetly, it would be impossible to say no.

I mentally punch myself before unlocking the door to my trailer, and of course, to no one’s surprise, he looks perfect. Jody must’ve scampered off, because now it’s just me and him. He’s wearing a white tank top underneath a completely unbuttoned black short sleeved button down, black slacks and white shoes. His usual necklace, the gold chain with the small medallion, accompanies the look. His hair is tousled, and I don’t even think I have to mention how pretty his face is- that part’s a given.

“I, um, you-,” he stutters, and then stops to compose himself. “You look beautiful.”

My breath hitches in my throat. The thing about Colt is that if his words aren’t sarcastic- and you can tell when they are- they’re so, so genuine. And he just called me beautiful.

“I- thanks- so do you-“

Did I really just say so do you? By the smile creeping on his face I think I did.

“I’m sorry, I’m being awkward,” I say with an awkward laugh, proving my point. “But you look really handsome.”

“Aw shucks,” he says, his words slightly sarcastic but the blush on his face very real. “Now cmon, we don’t want to be late?”

“But this romper looks so stupid,” I say, drawing out the last word. And you look so stupidly attractive, I think. What if I just kiss him? What’s stopping me from telling him how I feel about him?

“Permission to touch you?” he asks, ignoring my comment.

To… touch me? Fuck, I’ve read far too many romance books. His stupid voice can turn anything into a double entendre, I swear it.

He raises a brow when I don’t answer.

“Uh, sure?” I don’t really know what he’s up to.

“Great,” he smirks, and before I can realize what he’s done he has me slung over his shoulder, like I weigh nothing more than a sack of potatoes. He shuts my trailer behind him as I hit his back, telling me to let me down, but the bastard just starts humming “Livin’ On A Prayer,” by Bon Jovi.

“Asshole! Put me down!” I yelp, but he just holds me steady by my legs as I flail behind him. Curse his actually useful muscles.

Finally, he sets me down in front of his truck, reaching out to steady me. My hands fall on his chest. His very well defined chest. Which perfectly matched his very well defined back.

Colt’s POV

My hand is on her hip, I tried to steady her. But shit. I wish I could just squeeze it, maybe while I’m…

Puppies dying at the end of a movie, Colt. Dead puppies.

We stay there a moment, in front of my truck. Everything in me wants to just tell her how I feel and press her into that truck with kisses that tell her I’m never letting her go. But now doesn’t feel like the right time. But when is? Why wasn’t it at her trailer?

And I just had her over my shoulder too…

Alright, come on, dipshit. Get it together.

But of course, her small hands are on my chest…

Focus.

“You’ve got two options,” I tell her, removing my hand from her hip and holding up a two to make a point. “We go to karaoke and I drive, or we go to karaoke and you drive.”

I can’t let her not go. She loves karaoke, and she looks beautiful regardless of the lies she tells herself.

“Do we have to go? We could just stay home and watch a movie?” she diverts. A smile is playing at her lips though, so at least I know she’s not uncomfortable.

“Tell you what. You can drive,” I start, which is a great start because she hates when I drive and use my stunt skills. To be fair I just do them to show off and get her to slide into me on the long bench. It’s fun, sue me. “We’ll go, and if you still don’t want to be there after my song, then we’re going to come straight back here, get under some blankets and watch She’s All That.”

She’s All That is her favorite movie, in part due to the main plot but I also think she identifies with Freddy Prince Jr’s sister in the movie. She’s a sarcastic makeup/hair artist in the movie, and who do I know that sounds like that? Yeah, exactly.

“I don’t like how well you know me,” she says, biting into her lip as she pretends to mull over what I suggested.

“You’re right, you love how well I know you.”

“Okay, fine,” she says, fully smiling now. “You were serious about me driving?”

“As a heart attack,” I tell her.

‘YES!’ I’m shouting in my head, because I nailed it! Getting a smile like that out of her is the best prize you could ever get, I swear it.

I think the only thing that could be better is knowing that she’s mine.

But that’ll come, eventually.

***

Reader’s POV

Ten minutes later we’re at karaoke. I truly cannot with Colt Seavers, the only person who could make me feel pretty in this stupid ass romper.

He spent the car ride talking to me about his day, which was adorable, the way his nose scrunches up when he remembers something funny, and intermittently singing along to the song on the radio. I love when he lets me drive his truck, I feel like I can taken care of him for a minute and just listen to him. Oh, and I also don’t feel like I’m seconds away from dying because unlike him I don’t stunt drive. Although, I will say, I don’t mind when he does those stupid circles because it always presses me up against his side, which is never a bad place to be.

Right now Gale, the producer who always seems to be drinking a Diet Coke, is singing Toxic by Britney Spears. She has an incredible voice, and the entire bar is rightfully captivated by her stage presence.

“Hey! You made it!” Jody says, walking over to Colt and I. We’re sitting in a booth, on the same side, both slack jawed watching Gale.

“No thanks to you,” I say with an innocent smile.

“If you say so,” she smirks. “Thanks for getting her out of the trailer,” she tells Colt.

“My pleasure,” he says charmingly, squeezing my arm.

“Alright, I’ll leave you two lovebirds to it. Phil Collins is calling!” she dashes off to the stage as Gale is almost done with her song. She must be cued next.

“I see what you did there!” Colt comments after her. Collins and “calling” sound similar with her British accent. I must be blushing-the whole “lovebirds” thing-, because he looks over at me, amused, saying “What? Do I have something on my face?”

I go to answer, but all of a sudden Jody is singing “You’ll Be In My Heart” by Phil Collins, and I immediately pull out my phone to video. Jody has an incredible voice as well, and I love listening to her sing.

Once she’s done, she runs over with Sheila in tow, who must’ve just got here. They lift me up out of the booth- I’m starting to get sick of being man handled- and push me towards the stage against my protests. Colt is laughing- jackass- but all of a sudden “Any Way You Want It” by Journey is playing and I’m singing.

Now, I have a mediocre voice, but the thing about karaoke is that you could sound like a rabid raccoon, but if you have a song that everyone knows, you’re the shit. And also, I don’t really care what anyone thinks of me, so I just went for it.

So naturally, I was the shit. Everyone was singing along, and I couldn’t stop looking back at Colt, who was smiling so big as he sung along. He’s so, so cute. Finally the song was over, and I gave a dramatic bow. Colt met me by the stage, holding a hand for me to grab as I jumped down.

“You were incredible,” he compliments sweetly.

“Thanks,” I say, looking up at him, my hand still in his. His touch is electric, I can feel his heartbeat. His lips are ever so slightly parted, and I’m sure mine are the same… if he would just lean down-

“Is there a Colt “See-aye-vers” in the house?” the emcee asks into the microphone, completely mispronouncing Colt’s last name.

“Fucking Jody,” he mutters. We both turn to see Jody literally cackling by Sheila.

“Your turn!” I say gleefully, pointing at him so the emcee can see him.

“Mean,” he pouts jokingly, before going up on the stage and taking the mic from the emcee as I Was Made For Lovin’ You by Kiss begins to play.

And he’s staring right at me as he sings it.

Well shit.

That’s the thing- apparently all of my coworkers are extremely talented singers. Maybe it was a requirement? Who knows.

Colt is no different.

And the thing is, I’m severely attracted to his voice. The gravelly, yet low and softness of it. I love listening to him talk. Like, he could read the nutrition label of a soup can and I would be completely locked in.

His singing voice? A whole other story. Between the rasp and the range, I could literally lose it right here and now. He sounds incredible.

And he’s looking right at me as sings about being made for lovin’ someone and about that someone being made for lovin’ him.

And I don’t want to assume, but by the way he’s looking at me…

I think that someone is me.

Colt’s POV

Kiss?! Are you shitting me?! That’s the song Jody picks for me?

I should’ve kissed y/n right then and there, I’m thinking as I head up to the stage.

And then there it is. A Kiss song. Not just any kiss song, the Kiss song.

I can work with this.

At this point, I don’t think I can handle her not knowing how I feel anymore. Not knowing if she feels the same way. Fuck “eventually.”

So you know what? I’m going to do my grand romantic act, just like in the movies. And I’m going to sing this damn song, to her.

And if she still doesn’t notice, I’m going to go down there and kiss her until we can’t think straight. Asking permission to before, of course. I’m not a jackass like Ryder.

So I sing the damn song, and my eyes are on only one, singular person. My one, singular person.

And she’s mouthing the words right back to me, her gaze never leaving mine.

I don’t even hear the applause as I jump down the stage, Tom Cruise style, landing right in front of her. “Hey,” I say, trying to sound cool.

Naturally, my voice comes out as a squeak instead.

She doesn’t say anything, just takes a step closer.

“I, um…”

Of course now is the time I decide to choke on my words. Not when I’m singing in front of thirty people, literally never before. But now. Damn it, Seavers. See-aye-vers. Fucking adhd. Shit. Wait.

“Colt?” she says, her voice only loud enough for me to hear. I’m all too aware of the beginning of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” behind me.

“Yeah?” I whisper. Looking down at her.

“Kiss me?” she asks, and it’s the last straw. My lips crash against hers before I even realize what I’m doing, and it feels like fireworks. Like the whole world could end but it would be fine because her lips are against mine.

***

Reader’s POV

This isn’t happening. There’s no way this happening.

Those are the only thoughts running through my head as I look at him. That song… it was electric. Coming from his voice, as he stared into my soul? I can barely think.

I don’t notice anything, nor anyone. Nothing at all, except for him.

So when he jumps down from the stage in stuntman fashion, looking me in the eyes up close… I can’t help it. I can’t wait any longer.

And now his lips are on mine, as Jody sings more Phil Collins, but I don’t even hear it.

I’m sure we’re going to get teased for it, but I can’t help it.

Not when the only thing I can sense is his soft lips on mine.

So when we finally release, there’s no question about what’s going to happen next.

“Colt..?” I breathe.

“Yeah?” he asks, parted lips already puffy and pink from our kiss. Gorgeous.

“Can we go outside?”

He doesn’t even answer, just grabs my hand and starts walking to the door. Thankfully we didn’t buy any drinks, and have no tabs to settle, because quite honestly I don’t think we’d have cared.

Finally, we stop in front of his truck. I’m smiling like an idiot, and he’s smiling right back.

“Colt, I really, really like you,” I tell him.

“Y/n, I really, really like you too,” he says.

And that’s all that needs to be said as he crowds me against the truck before pressing a kiss to my lips that leaves me giggling.

“What’s so funny?” he teases.

“Everything,” I tell him, before threading my fingers through his hair. He shakes his head bemusedly before kissing me again.

I couldn’t ask for anything more, anything more at all. Because in the words of his favorite song, this is a Love Story and baby, I will always say yes.

[yes-these-obsessions-are-healthy]

Veilguard was trying to pull off an underlying plot thread of “Varric and Solas are both roguish trickster types and Rook is following the footsteps of that ‘do what needs to be done’ roguish behavior, but with Varric out of commission, Solas is now putting Rook through their paces in being more cunning and versatile” and it’s obvious this was the point when you finally trick Solas and he’s like “you learned from me” and you can choose to say “No I learned from Varric”.

This sort of cheese has been pulled off much better and with way more efficacy than what was in this game because even though Solas is in your fucking head, you are still distant from him because your opportunities to directly speak with him and interact with him are extremely, extremely limited. Not to mention that your backstory has already all but hinted that you already possessed the chops to do what needs to be done, and no amount of demurring “oh I can’t lead the group, not like Varric” remains convincing. No, you’re able to do it. There is no ‘growing into the role’ because your character is incapable of saying a disastrously wrong thing. Your character comes preloaded with the means and temperament and personality to pull off this mission because that’s all the game allows you to have, even more blatantly narrow than Inquisition did.

No matter what, you’re a veteran to adventuring. You’re good friends with Varric so you know how to make the most of a situation and use people and things and opportunities to your advantage. There isn’t anything more you are learning from Solas in all actuality. You aren’t being corrupted or hardened by Solas by “learning manipulation” because that is a skill that you are proven to possess minute one of the game in your very first dialogue choice in the bar (persuade or fight). It is implied you have gotten as far as you have because you are roguish, and you make it repeatedly clear that your mission is to stop Solas, so this “learning from him”/“You unconsciously learned from me, the villain, this entire time” plot hook is hella empty.

[hiskillingjar]

Strade with an autistic mc?

One of my characters has low functioning autism. She’s really sensitive to bright, noisy light and cold air. (It could trigger a meltdown). Her special interests are stuffed animals, especially if they’re big and cuddly, and apple slices.

She’s not really great at verbal communication especially when she scared or nervous. She’s good at physical communication tho? Expressions?

Also she’s part tanuki soooo do whatever you want with that.

autism gang rise up

i'm gonna make this a headcanon post cus i've written something adjacent to this for strade before (cw for. strade lol)

ren 🦊

suddenly he is the sweetest boy in the world

like so kind, so patient, so sweet

you're out in public and get triggered by bright lights, loud noises, you have a meltdown? ren is literally dragging you out and making sure you're okay

he's speaking to you so sweetly, so gently, he won't touch you if you don't want him to

he's just so patient with you

kind of like...he's the only person who really understands you? the world is so cruel and mean to people like you...and you're so sweet and gentle, you shouldn't be out there...you should be with me, you should let me take care of you...nobody else will

manipulating king. gaslighting king

to be fair he does win your affection with stuffed animals and like. good sensory stuff. blankets, pillows. got a whole autism nest goin

he'll replace all the lights in the house too

doesn't mind when you stim by touching his tail or ears. it just makes him curl into you that much more <3

and like obviously he's doing this cus he's a horny monster that wants you to depend on him

but he does genuinely just want someone to care for

like even if you can't make eye contact all the time, or if you don't understand what he says or tells you sometimes, he'd still be so patient

he knows you struggle with that stuff, and you're doing your best. that's all he asks for <3

law 🥀

autism 4 autism

law is so autistic, are you kidding.

granted their autism manifests kind of differently though. they got the liveleaks autism, the monotone drawl autism, the twin peaks autism (me too)

but like. providing that you survived the first night (cus they might not be able to stop themselves from just watching you wilt)

they'd be reasonably patient and gentle with you

i mean there's like no prolonged eye contact between you

but you'd communicate remarkably well (with what little you did actually talk)

they know how it feels to be misunderstood after all...and you're so delicate and need to be cared for

they wouldn't. totally understand your special interests (cus they like bones and taxidermy and roadkill) but they wouldn't be able to stop themselves from buying a few soft toys

you just look so sweet and comfortable when they leave you for work, why would they deprive you of that?

they might panic if you started having a meltdown, but they'd eventually clue in and. get you settled down (give them a break, they have meltdowns too)

and like. autism 4 autism...you know there's some sadomasochism happening. good for you! good for you...

strade 🔨

i mean. i've written it so. lol

strade would be such an asshole i'm so sorry

like come on you've come preloaded with triggers and buttons he could push to make you panic and freak out. he couldn't NOT fuck around with you

he might get a little overwhelmed himself by how much he likes fucking around with you. it's just so easy

keep a few bright lights on, play some music too loud, put on the air conditioning, that's all it takes? buddy you are NOT surviving this one

but okay okay. on the concept that you DO survive past the first night (lol)

strade would still be pretty shitty about everything

like he wouldn't yell or be mad at you for meltdowns but he would not understand in the slightest (and you know his ass is not looking anything up to make it easier)

it would kind of be on ren to make adjustments (changing lights, reminding him about your sensitivities) and like. maybe then he'd pay attention to some shit

he's better with your special interests and sensory needs tbh. he might even think it's kind of cute that you infodump when you're excited or curl up with blankets and soft toys

that doesn't mean he's not gonna fuck with you though lol.

also. full german stare at all times. will trigger your conversation sensitivity at all time. he loves it.

[luigiblood]

An interesting view of Retro NSO Patents

So a bunch of patents from Nintendo recently got published and got my attention: They are related to the retro Nintendo Switch Online service and how it works and it brings a bit of an interesting view of it, with features that are DEFINITELY not inside the apps as of now.

As I went through them, I decided to also go back a little bit to earlier ones.

Just in case, for every reader:

At no point this describes the future of NSO! Let that be clear!!

Unlike most people who reports on patents, I actually will LINK the original patents.

US11003312B2 - NSO User Interface

You can find this patent here: https://patents.google.com/patent/US11003312B2/en

This seems to be among the earliest ones, it's from 2018, right before the launch of NES NSO that happened in September 2018.

This is an exact description of how the NSO UI works, where each image (or box arts, as they are usually used) are scaled roughly equivalent to each row so it always fits perfectly.

They had planned initially for details to be basically on the box art, thankfully they changed that completely for a full window in the final version.

They also had Special versions / Extra versions also nailed down already at that time, which are just games with preloaded save states, which the patent does explain. And the whole NEW thing where a new game is packaged like a gift and you just open them as you select them, that's already in the final app as well.

But here's something cursed:

This is a full vertical version of the user interface, which we've never seen so far.

US20240165505A1 - GB/GBA Multiplayer

This patent can be found here: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20240165505A1/en

This existed since late 2022 in Japan, but got a US version the next year, then published this year.

This patent explains how multiplayer works for GB and GBA NSO, as in emulating multiplayer between different linked systems, whether through LAN or online.

It gets complicated to read, but it's really about different ways to handle emulation of multiplayer, from one way where each player run their own emulator on their systems, to what I believe to be actually used: Running up to 4 emulators on each player's systems at the same time and keeping them synchronized through each player's input, but only display one of them corresponding to each player.

I believe this last way is used because all data sent through link cable is expected to be instant, you cannot delay this data, because this is asking for constant lag, but emulating all consoles on each player's system does solve this problem.

There also some quick algorithms in there about how to handle connections, disconnections and so on, but at this point it's not too interesting to explain because it works just like the apps.

US20240181342A1 - NSO User Interface (Save System)

This patent can be found here: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20240181342A1/en

It's dated just like the previous one, actually.

It might sound like the first one, but this one is more than meets the eye. Some articles talked about this as like, new Switch OS UI which is just bullshit (hi GameRant), or as GameCube NSO (wtf are you smoking to think of that straight up), but this one is actually about saves!

This image is actually having the main game on the left side, and everything to its right are all save states! You can see 2 saves for the first game, and 5 saves for the second game, it even has two rows for a single game which never happens on NSO apps. Of course, each save are just essentially having a screenshot of when the save state was taken at that moment.

This can very well be an alternative way of things, as I think this looks quite a bit cumbersome in how much space it uses.

But what's interesting is the Auto Save feature, which is not a feature of retro NSO currently. It is explained that the auto save can be enabled or not, and can happen anytime, including within a repeated time interval. This would be very nice in case of crashes.

And then, the elephant in the room: Yes, this looks like you could do more than 4 saves, with a peek of the suspension menu with a way to scroll through saves, the first option being to create a new save, without necessarily having to choose a numbered save state ID.

US20240173627A1 - Mission Play Mode

This patent can be found here: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20240173627A1/en

Now, this one is really sad because this shows an actual mission mode for retro NSO apps with objectives and rewards!

This has a new mode included called Mission Play, and you are provided with a mission that you can enter.

In this case it's about hitting enemies, keeping a count for a mission, but also even keeping a count of every single player in a region, and then the world!

This is really cool! I really think they should be doing this, but it seems Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition might do it instead.

That said, this being planned for retro NSO systems is definitely not entirely news for me, because I had noticed a long time ago that the SNES NSO emulator definitely kept track of specific game information as you play, it wasn't necessarily sent anywhere, but they were thinking about it, for several SNES games.

Funnily enough, these are real examples of detections for Super Mario Advance 2 specifically. This is pretty much how the memory and code looks like for the game.

I want to insist though: These are patents, these are for ideas, so this patent might have been publicly published because of Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, but through experience, most of the time, as much as they describe stuff for illustrative purposes, it is usually describe a real example that was in development at one point or another.

Again, though: At no point this describes the future of NSO! Let that be clear!

But it gives us a view of what Nintendo and NERD had in mind for development. And, at least, I actually give links unlike a few who loves to tease bullshit through those.

[diavolo-is-babygirl]

Happy Birthday, Diavolo! Birthday Fic between Diavolo x GN Reader: Nook

—————————————-

The day before Diavolo’s birthday, you stayed up late, carefully arranging the final touches in a small, secluded corner of his vast castle. His week had been a rough one—nonstop meetings, decisions that weighed heavily on him, and an air of exhaustion you’d rarely seen. You wanted to give him a gift that wouldn’t be just a physical item but an escape, a space of his own where he could find peace and let himself breathe.

You’d chosen the coziest corner of one of the lesser-used sitting rooms, a nook with an arched window overlooking the misty woods below. The late autumn sun peeked through the trees, casting golden light over the small space you’d prepared, draping the area with a gentle warmth. You set a thick, plush rug on the floor, layering it with pillows in deep, comforting hues of burgundy and gold. A knit blanket hung over the side, just begging to be curled up under, and a small wooden table held a stack of new novels and a small lamp that cast a soft, inviting glow. You’d even brought in a laptop, preloaded with an assortment of anime he hadn’t yet seen, and a pair of sleek headphones so he could escape from the world without interruption.

Satisfied, you took a step back, envisioning Diavolo nestled into the cushions, surrounded by all the warmth and comfort you could offer. You’d even added a small drawer stocked with his favorite autumn teas, along with a little jar of snacks he loved, neatly tied with a ribbon. It was your way of saying, “Rest here. Forget everything else, even if it’s just for a little while.”

When you finally went to find him, he was just coming out of his study, his shoulders slumped slightly, eyes shadowed with the weariness of a long week. But when he saw you, he perked up, flashing that warm smile that always sent a spark through you. “There you are!” he said, his voice a little rough but genuine. “I was beginning to wonder if you’d forgotten about me today.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “Trust me, I couldn’t. I have something for you, actually.”

His brow arched, curiosity replacing his fatigue. “A gift? For me?”

Nodding, you took his hand, leading him down the hall, feeling the anticipation grow in your chest. When you reached the nook, you paused just outside, turning to look at him.

“It’s nothing grand, but… I wanted you to have somewhere just for you,” you explained, your voice soft. “A place to get away from everything, where you don’t have to be ‘the future king’ or anyone but yourself.”

With that, you opened the door, revealing the cozy little corner that seemed to glow with warmth and invitation. Diavolo’s eyes widened, and for a moment, he was silent, taking it all in—the cushions, the books, the subtle scent of cinnamon from the tea drawer. “This… This is incredible,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “You did all of this for me?”

You nodded, suddenly shy under his gaze. “I thought you could use a place to unwind. Somewhere to read, or watch some anime without… well, without Barbatos finding you right away.”

He laughed softly, the sound like a balm, and turned to you, his eyes warm and filled with something deeper than gratitude. “I don’t know what to say,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “No one’s ever done something like this for me. It’s… perfect.”

You smiled, your heart thudding in your chest. “I’m glad. I just wanted you to have a place where you could be at peace. Even kings need somewhere to hide every once in a while.”

He took a step forward, enveloping you in a gentle, heartfelt embrace. His hand lingered on your back, and for a moment, he simply held you there, as though this small gesture of comfort and love was more valuable to him than anything else in the world.

“Thank you,” he murmured, his voice warm against your ear. “For understanding me so well. For knowing what I needed… and for being here.”

The two of you stood there, wrapped in each other’s warmth, as the golden autumn sun poured through the window, casting a soft glow over the nook you’d built with such care. When he finally pulled away, he gave you a look that was equal parts gentle and mischievous.

“So, what’s first? A book or some anime?” he asked, his grin making your heart race.

You laughed, feeling the last bit of tension melt from his frame. “Well, I’ve got some snacks ready, so I think anime might be the perfect start.”

Diavolo settled into the cushions, patting the spot beside him, and as you joined him, he reached over, taking your hand in his. It was a simple touch, yet filled with unspoken words of gratitude, comfort, and perhaps even a hint of something more.

In that quiet, cozy nook, with the gentle hum of the laptop and the golden light filtering in, you watched as the weight of the world lifted from Diavolo’s shoulders, if only for a little while. It was just you and him, tucked away from the world—a small haven you’d made for him, where, for a few precious moments, he was simply Diavolo, the man you’d grown to care for so deeply.

[illicitlimerence-writes]

a love story | m. schumacher

pairing: mick schumacher x reader word count: 3.4k words request: nopewarnings: fluuuuuuff and maybe some angst? kinda? this was inspired by a dream i had last night 🫣 a/n: me? actually posting something? no way!

my masterlist 

(i'm so proud of my boy but honestly wtf did they put in the water during roc they were all INSANE)

the gray clouds looked threatening, they covered the sky completely, leaving the sun nowhere to be found. it was a cold morning, with the crisp air causing the curtains of her bedroom to dance, even if her window was open just a tad bit. she usually loved days like this, being bundled up in a cable knit sweater, watching the raindrops hitting the windows as soft music played in the background, a cup of warm tea in her hands and a good book on her lap. 

but those days were usually accompanied by a warm embrace around her shoulders, a hard chest allowing her to rest her back against it, soft lips grazing her neck, her cheeks and lips. 

today was not one of those days, for he was not with her, but hours and miles away. after years of being with him, she still couldn’t get used to the idea of him being gone. but she couldn’t be selfish, she had to support him and his dreams as much as he did for hers. 

just two more days.

she started her morning as usual. shower, get dressed, light makeup, brush her hair, make breakfast and grab the lunch she made the previous night before leaving her apartment and going to work. 

the small book shop downtown sat peacefully, waiting with its pastel yellow walls for customers to arrive. she ate her breakfast as she sat on the bus on her way there, a simple bagel with cream cheese and jam bought from the farmer’s market. she finished just in time for her to skip down the bus steps and onto the streetwalk. 

she did her usual routine to open the book shop, like picking a quote from a book to write on the chalkboard wall by the kids’ section, checking that everything was in its right place, collecting the flowers from the shop next door, to brighten up the place. she was so lucky she found that spot for her book shop, with a café on one side, a flower shop on the other, it was quite possibly the perfect combination. every so often she’d receive customers with a coffee cup in their hands, looking for a book to enjoy while relaxing from the day. or people looking for a book as a gift, having already bought a bouquet of flowers. 

once the clock turned its hands to tell her it was 9:00 am, she turned the lock on the door and flipped the sign that hung from it, now reading ‘open’. 

it was a quiet morning, the rain started around an hour after opening and just picked up from there, with the winds picking up strength as well. she couldn’t spot a soul out there, the town she called home was a ghost town, everyone much preferred staying home than going out.

she wished she’d done so as well, that rest of the day was probably going to be just as slow as the morning. 

but a few hours after midday, a young couple entered the book shop. they apologized profusely as they dried their shoes on the carpet she’d placed especially for that. 

she smiled at them, waving their worries away as she informed them they could hang their jackets on the coat rack to dry and avoid making a mess. they thanked her, and she noticed how he was the first to reach for his girlfriend’s hand after having to separate to take off their jackets. she watched them walk further into the shop, and she grabbed her phone, opening the music app and changing the preloaded queue, adding a few soft, romantic tunes that fit well with the ambiance of the day, the bookshop, and the couple. songs that reminded her of him. 

book shops had always been a special place for her, she could get lost for hours on end, reading the back cover of paperback books, running her fingers along the hardcover spines, sighing over beautiful covers and sprayed edges. but especially, she loved book shops because that’s where she met him. 

she was in college, longing for ways to escape the real world. books provided just that, a chance to get lost in fictional places, with words that described endless possibilities and worlds where everything was possible. 

the local bookstore was her most frequented place, the owners and workers knew her and trusted her, they knew that the books she took were safe and that she’d take care of them as if they were the most delicate rose petals. 

she sat on a velvet sofa, her favorite. it fit two people, but she always claimed it as hers, and no one ever bothered her. not even on that day, when all the other available seats were taken. she was reading a poetry book. she had a lot on her mind and needed something that was quick to read and kept her mind occupied. she had her legs crossed beneath her, the book on one hand as she rested her head on the other. her eyes scanned the pages quickly, re-reading verses that caught her attention and often writing them down in her own notebook. she never was a fan of writing on books, but did like taking notes and scribbling down her thoughts. 

her quiet peace was interrupted by a tall body standing in front of her. 

“sorry-” she looked up, seeing blue eyes looking down at her. “is this seat taken? all the other chairs are busy and i- i haven’t seen anyone here, so-”

“yeah, it’s okay,” she answered, grabbing her bag and placing it on the floor beneath her.

“thank you,” he smiled at her as he sat, she did the same, returning to her book.

they didn’t speak more that day, he only thanked her again and said goodbye when he was ready to leave. he looked about her age, and she found herself staring at his frame as he left, with his back toward her. 

two days later, he was there again. he had the same book he was reading the previous time, whilst she had already finished her poetry book and was now reading a classic tragedy. the routine was the same, none of them talking, simply sitting next to each other as they read and saying goodbye when it was their time to leave. unfortunately, she couldn’t go the rest of the week because of school work, but finally, after a hard week, she walked through the doors, breathing in the familiar scent of ink and pages. she walked straight to her spot, stopping in her tracks as she saw the same guy sitting there already, his backpack on her side of the sofa. he looked up, a smile on his face.

“you’re back,” he said, grabbing his bag and placing it on the floor, like she’d done for him that very first day. she smiled, unable to stop a light flush to rush to her cheeks as she walked to him.

“yeah, school was being a pain,” she said, dropping down beside him. 

“well, i’m happy to see you again,” he placed a bookmark between the pages he was reading, closing the book to pay attention to her.

“thanks, i missed being here. this place… it’s like a home away from home.”

“i get it, i only found out about this place a week ago and felt an instant connection, and i’m not an avid reader. or, i wasn’t before coming here for the first time.” 

she smiled, nodding her head, that was exactly how she felt.

“i’m mick, by the way,” he offered his hand. she sat up, shaking his hand. she told him her name, and looked down at the book he was reading.

“the great gatsby?” 

“yeah, i saw you reading it last week and… you seemed so lost in the book and the pages, you gasped and your eyes widened every so often… you made me want to read it,” he spoke, hoping he didn’t sound like a creep. but he was an observant person, he noticed things. 

“oh,” was all she said, crossing her legs beneath her, a position she often found herself in, it was comfortable and meant she was at ease. “and what do you think?” she asked, looking down at the way his fingers delicately tapped the cover of the book. 

“it’s really good,” he chuckled, nodding his head to confirm his words. “i’d seen the movie but-”

“it doesn’t compare. it’s a good adaptation but… it’s not the same,” 

“yeah,” he agreed. 

and then he asked her a question, she answered. then she did, and he answered. and the hours passed but neither of them read the books, they got to know each other, talking and laughing and confessing their favorite tropes, books and even discussing their different stands on a controversial topic in one of their favorite books.

before they knew it, the day turned to night and the owners started getting ready to close the shop. she looked around, noticing they were the only two customers there. 

“i’m guessing that’s our cue to leave,” she said, chuckling softly, but didn’t stand up.

“oh- yeah,” he replied, playing with the edges of his book. they both stood up, walking to the exit. she said goodbye to the owners, waving her hand.

“see you tomorrow,” she told them, the words she said every night. “i guess i’ll- see you tomorrow, too,” she smiled.

“yeah, i’d like that.”

“okay. good night,” she said, looking straight at him as she took a step back. 

“good night.” he nodded his head, walking backward too, the other way. 

after that day their afternoons were spent getting wrapped up in sentences, verses, rhymes, the times new roman font, and each other. they’d walk along the shelves, point to books they’d already read, book they recommended to each other, and books they promised to read together. at one point as the days passed, the distance between them disappeared, they now sat side by side, leaning into each other to read from the same book. other times, one of them would read aloud while the other stared at the ceiling, or at the person reading.

the bookstore was witness to their first meeting, the time they exchanged numbers, their first real goodbye… their first kiss.

their first goodbye. he explained that besides books, his biggest passion in life was racing. he explained the extent of his rising career, the stakes and responsibilities that came with it. and how he’d have to leave several weeks of the year. she remained quiet, taking in his words, understanding that his life was so different from hers. their first goodbye included soft smiles, a gentle touch of hands, a hug that neither of them wanted to end, and a tear streaming down her face as she turned her back to him as she walked away. 

their first kiss happened two weeks later. two long weeks he’d been gone, and even though they could count on technology, it wasn’t the same as having him sitting next to her, feeling his warmth and hearing his laugh echoing through the wooden walls of their little nook in the bookshop. mick arrived unannounced, saying hi to the people behind the counter, asking for her. he walked to their spot, seeing her belongings there, but not her. he walked down the long corridor, one shelf after the other, and finally spotted her, leaning against the wall, book covering her face. 

"the great gatsby?" he asked. she dropped the book, looking up at him as a smile broke on her face. 

"you're here!" she got up, leaving the book forgotten on the floor as she flung herself towards him. "how are you? how did it go?" she said as she threw her arms around his neck. he wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her close against him. 

"it was good, but i don't want to talk about that right now," he replied, putting her down, but she still kept her arms on his neck, he kept his hold of her waist. "you're re-reading the great gatsby already?" he raised an eyebrow.

"yeah, i… this was the first book you read because you saw me, and we started talking because of this book. it's… special." 

"that feels so long ago," he said, turning so he had his back against the tall shelf. 

"a month and a half." 

"hmm…" he smiled, "and what have you been up to these past weeks?" he asked. 

"oh! i found the perfect greek mythology retelling, it's about hades and persephone, and all of their struggles, and he loves her so much, it's so beautifully written and-" her rambling was cut short by a pair of soft lips on hers. 

it was soft and slow and tender and so delicate, he moved his lips against hers as if they were a sugar cube that could break with the wrong movement. she was left breathless as he fully circled her middle with his arms, turning them so her back was against the hard wooden shelves. 

their first kiss was perfect. there was no other way to describe it. it was shared in the place that had a special meaning for both of them, they were both eager and devoted to the kiss, not wanting it to end, loving the feeling, the rushing heartbeats and flushing cheeks, the shivers and goosebumps after a particular sensitive touch, it was magical, and no words could ever even begin to describe it. 

they'd try to find poems, verses, lines, paragraphs that could put into words everything they felt at that moment, but nothing could ever come close to fully capture the electrifying energy that surrounded them. 

and five years later, after endless kisses, touches, intimate moments, book after book, their love only grew larger and larger, deeper and deeper, an undeniable and undefiable connection that could overcome everything. 

but sometimes that was easier said than done, and as she stared at the young couple, that reminded her so much of them, she couldn't help but wish he was there. she never said it, she didn't want to make him feel bad, but everytime he walked out the door was hard on her. he was her rock, the one person she could count on to always be there for her. and sometimes all she wanted was him. just his presence made her feel at ease. 

and especially in slow days like this, when her mind was left free to wander and think endlessly, she couldn't help but wish she could just wrap her arms around him and keep him close forever. he was so kind, so gentle with her, everything she longed for in a partner and so much more, traits that only made sense because of him. 

but she powered through it, picking a high fantasy novel to keep her mind busy, building the images on her head and creating the characters she was reading about. every so often her eyes would find the couple, sharing kisses and giggles as they scanned the books. 

maybe that was the magic of bookshops, the chance to escape the real, rainy world outside and be consumed by the endless possibilities the stories inside had to offer. 

once the rain died down, the couple left, they bought a couple of books and she dropped a couple of bookmarks in their bag as a gift. the rest of the day was the same, with only two or three more customers arriving and leaving quickly, not wanting to get caught under the rain once it started again. 

with about an hour left until closing time, she decided it was enough. she highly doubted anyone else was coming anytime soon. so she flipped the sign on the door, locking it as she began to clean up. the playlist had finished playing, and the only sounds were that of her footsteps. 

until a knock on the door startled her. she could only make out a tall body, head covered by the black hood of a jacket, her immediate stranger danger siren went off in her head, but she still approached the door, grabbing the nearest thing she could find as a weapon.

a hardcover copy of les mis.

she unlocked the door, opening it just wide enough for her to peek her head forward.

"sorry, we're closing early because of the weather." she explained, hands clutching the book against her chest.

"really? i wanted to buy that new emily henry book," the man said, looking up at her with a smile on his face.

"mick!" she said, dropping the copy of the french novel and skipping down the few steps leading up to the shop. she wrapped her legs around him, hands over his neck, pulling him close.

"get inside! you're not wearing a jacket," he laughed, walking with her on top of him. "it's nice to see your habit of dropping books when i stop by unannounced hasn't gone away." 

"i've missed you so much," she said, keeping her face buried in his neck. "all day… all i wanted to do was be near you." she mumbled against his skin, feeling him walking with her in his arms.

"i'm here now," he placed her on the counter, beside the cash register, and softly placed his hands on her face, leaning back to look at her. he tilted her chin up, getting lost in her eyes.

"you're here." she whispered, her fingers playing with his hair. "how are you here?" she asked.

"got done early. took a flight. i was going to wait for you at home but… i wanted to see you. i missed you too much." she smiled at his words, feeling butterflies in her stomach as he ticked a strand of hair behind her ear. even after so many years together, he still made her feel like they were falling in love for the first time all over again. 

"how was everything?" she asked, tentatively. she knew that sometimes he wasn't in the mood to talk about his job, he liked leaving racing on the paddock and just enjoy their time together.

"good, talks about next year are going well," he said, squeezing her hips. she smiled, knowing how much he deserved a seat on the f1 grid. 

"i'm happy to hear that. did you get any reading done?" she asked, changing the subject. 

"finished 'little women', started 'circe'."

"ooh, you really want to complete your reading challenge this year, don't you?"

"i only have two books left." he smiled, pressing a kiss to her cheek. 

"well done, my love!" she said, kissing his cheek, too. 

"and you? how many books did you finish?"

"night circus and i'm halfway through anna karenina."

"a big book?" he raised his eyebrows. "i'm proud of you, baby."

"thanks," she blushed under his stare, her hands finding his, locking their fingers together. 

her eyes met his, soft smiles painted on their lips, chests rising up and down in sync. he leaned forward, pressing his forehead against hers softly. he rubbed his nose against hers, then placed his lips on top of hers. 

the first kiss after a goodbye was always a special one. there was so much longing, love and pure emotion poured into a reunion kiss, it always brought them back to their very first kiss shared a few moons ago. 

the first kiss after a goodbye always left her breathless after. it was like her body was getting used to having him close again, and no matter how many times they said goodbye and hello, it always felt like the first time. 

"what do you think about going home… turn on the fireplace, make hot cocoa, and read a good book?" he suggested.

"i'd love that," she smiled against his lips, leaning forward once more. "what are you in the mood for?"

"hmm… a love story?" he raised an eyebrow.

she nodded, pushing him back to jump off the counter. she held his hand and led him to the first book that crossed her mind.

"how about a tragic love story?" she said, grabbing a copy of the blue paperback book. "quite possibly the greatest love story," she teased.

"impossible. ours is way better," mick said, grabbing the copy of 'the great gatsby' and holding her hand.

and he was right. 

out of all the stories she'd read, theirs was her favorite one. and the best part was, it wasn't fictional, and more importantly, it didn't have to end. 

-- take a shot each time you read the word 'book'

[blood-orange-juice]

4.5 preload datamine has a book with a Khaenri'ah lorebomb

Text on Project Amber

Excerpts and thoughts under the cut

vol.1:

"In those days, a crimson moon shone down upon the subterranean realm, and not the dark sun of latter days."

Something something Eclypse dynasty.

Due to the Kingdom's unique position, things from outside this world were always leaking into it. The Kingdom's weapons would wipe out the calamities slipping in, but what of all the other objects? Such as, say, a child who may have come from some destroyed world?

What the hell what the hell what the hell

"Oh high lord of the nobles, a child once told me a tale of another world: Once upon a time, there were sea people who believed that the gods came from the sea. Each time they discovered a shipwrecked person, they would treat them with the utmost honor, for they believed that the gods would take the form of the shipwrecked to investigate the mortal realm."

I can't connect it with anything but I feel it's important. Parsifal's and Skipper's story mention a shipwreck. Two, actually. In some sense the twins are shipwrecked and Paimon was fished out of the sea.

The ocean and the sea were often used as a metaphor for the space projected by the stars.

Why sea and Abyss get conflated with it sometimes: Khaenri'ans were more familiar with the Abyssal stars than the sea.

In anticipation of the arrival at their Kingdom of gods from beyond the so-called ocean — or rather, the arrival of beings who could transcend the gods — they founded an organization, an orphanage to take care of such children. In latter days, the orphans of the Kingdom and those who wandered in from outside were accepted as well.

Everything fun in Teyvat is made by kids in orphanages.

The young Perinheri's first memory was that of being asked by the grown-ups to crawl through a dark corridor. This passage might have been a chimney for winter fires, for it was filled with coal ash, and there was not a single crack in it through which smoke or light could pass through. As he crawled, he would sometimes stumble in the pitch-black darkness. Fortunately, the corridor appeared designed for the passage of children in the first place, so the falls were not very painful. It also lacked any annoying cobwebs. When Perinheri reached the end at last, the exit had not opened yet. He knocked, only for the grown-ups to coldly ask: "Are you dead?" Well, how was he to reply if he was dead? But the grown-ups did not like this response. They kept asking the same question, until he at least shouted, "Yes, I'm dead!" The adults then asked, "Did you see it, then?" Perhaps it was the fear brought on by the darkness combined with hunger and exhaustion, but Perinheri did indeed see an illusion. The crimson moon, hanging high in the pitch-dark night sky, suddenly turned around, revealing itself to be a titanic, horrified eye. The adults opened the door and embraced the soot-covered Perinheri: "You have traversed the fire of two worlds within the hearth, and here you are reborn."

Moons being goddesses' corpses, the fake sky, whales, the rebirth ritual in the narcissenkreuz notes. Again, I can't connect it.

Though the crimson moon set, and the dark sun descended into a yet darker dusk, that transcendental person from beyond who the Kingdom orphanage was awaiting never arrived. But unusual individuals they had aplenty, and many of those who strode forth from the gates of that orphanage became great knights of the Kingdom. Perinheri was, in his time, the leading figure amongst their ranks — that is, unless, he were forced to compete with his best friend, Hleobrant.

tl;dr: Khaenri'ah casually welcomed travelers from between worlds, visitors from dead worlds especially. or at least hoped to but didn't get many

[ourloveiselectrifying]

Hi...!

I saw your game update post and I have to ask, how did you make the character custom thing? I'm a noob in creating games, so honestly the amount of options you've got there terrifed me! It's awesome but the work... Nevermind, would it be possible for you to do a tutorial? Or at least give some tips, or maybe suggest a person who explains stuff like that? I would be very, very thankful 🙈

Btw, amazing job, you're talented ;)

Hello! :3

I don't normally do these on the blog because it's not Kevin/OLiE, if you want to join the OLiE discord server you're welcome to and if you're stuck on someting me or another dev might be able to help out!

But- a small tutorial!

It's just tons of variables and condition switches within condition switches, this is most of them for the customiser! :3

This is the hair colour button. It's action is to increase the "haircolour2" variables number! there are 30 different hair colours. I don't want the button's action to let the variable go past 30 so that's why there's the If statement, which sets the variable back to 1 and then it can go back up to 30 again. ("If(haircolour2 > 29")

the "at customiserbutton" is a transform so I don't have to make a hover/idle image and it's 29392394X cooler than having an image change on hover, there's a very simple guide on doing a transform at the bottom of this ask :3

This is one of the condition switches for a hairstyle, you can display something different for each variable. This condition switch changes the secondary colour for the first straight and short hairstyle. The hair is is uncoloured/greyscale. The image is the same but theres a transform applied to each variable number (" matrixcolor=TintMatrix("#212121")) ") This changes the grey uncoloured hair to like black! The #numbers are a hex/html colour code and you can goog "html colour picker" and goog will give you one. :3

This is a composite. It's like layers in an art program, the first is the bottom and the last is the top layer. For the hair there's three layers, the bottom colour, the second colour, and the line art! The first set of numbers is the size of the image/canvas. The other sets of numbers next to each layer determines the placement of the layer. I've got it set to (0, 0) the first number moves it left/right and the second is up/down, I wanted it to be exactly where I saved it in my art program so I've not increased/decreased the numbers.

that composite then went into a condition switch for each hairlength (hairstyle)! Theres one of these for each hair texture too, then a whole set for the hair on the back of the head, and another set for a few that needed middle layers (parts of the hair behind the head and infront of the body.

Then each of these hairlength condition switches went into another

and finally these hairtex condition switches went to the the displayed image/character/composite!

I fucked up the placement of the eyebrows and the entire character, so that's why the placement for each layer is -15, and the eyebows are 1! Didn't have open everything in my art program and move it! :3

The amount of switches and variables for this was insane and actually managed to lag the game. So I don't know if I can say I'd recomend my stupid way of doing a customiser until I can figure out how to let Renpy/OLiE have some more crumbs of ram to preload the hundreds of images for the customiser Sdkfskdfjl

Have a tip! Add this to the end of every single condition switch!

( "True", "gui/playericon/nothing.png", )

Make it an image that's easy to recognise mines the players thoughts icon. It will display when your variable is set to something your condition switch doesn't have a displayable for (for example if my hair colour variable somehow went over 30) instead of just crashing your game and giving a confusing error code or none at all.

Another is if your game is crashing when you make the condition switch/composite, make sure you've put a capital C and S, ConditionSwitch and Composite, I've made tons of these and still forget a " , " and capitalisation all the time.

Don't get discouraged because your game keeps thowing out errors/crashes that's just how it be, take a few deep breaths and have a break before looking over your code again! :3

I hope some of this was useful lol, and I wish you good luck on your project!!! 🍀🍀🍀

[cassiesdevblog]

I Don't Wanna Know Anything!!!!!

Don't try to teach me anything!! I don't want to know any of it! ...Why?

Because this terrifies me...

...and this doesn't!!

So don't tell me anything! .....Except what I actually need to know!

I want to zero in on the Binding of Isaac's seemingly lackadaisical approach to teaching players. This is a game loaded with hundreds and hundreds of different items with various effects, and the biggest effort it makes toward explaining what any of them do is never more than one short line of text, which is sometimes more of a catchphrase than an item description

This is enough for some people to call Isaac a "wiki game," and many will say you should just download the mod that puts a detailed description in the corner of the screen before you pick up an item, but I'm here to make the case against that

As a new player trying to get into Dead Cells (the game I pictured above with the detailed item descriptions), I found it overwhelming to try and digest all the information given to me every time I found a new item. The deluge of stats and attributes made it all feel super important, like I was already being expected to carefully consider every morsel of info while I was still trying to get to grips with the basic controls and movement. I'm sure some people are into that kind of thing, but I dropped the game fast

And I think the big question here is: would I need all this information to have fun?

Isaac's answer would be a firm no!!! You can pick the game up, not understand half the items you find, and have a blast anyway. Most of the time though, you'll have enough of an idea of what something does just by the short blurb of a description that you can make effective use of it without needing all the details

I think it would be awful if the game had the item descriptions mod (pictured above) preloaded by default. I'd like to think I'd just say "I'm not reading all that" if I found it overwhelming, but it's hard to ignore juicy, helpful information. After all, the player's job is to win, and it's the designer's job to make that process engaging

Not only that, but Isaac's approach actually removes the decision making from the process entirely for new players, because it doesn't give you any information until you pick the item up. If you waltz into an item room and see something you've never seen before, are you just not gonna pick it up? No, of course you just take it, and if you regret it later, that'll stick in your mind and you'll remember it next time. As you play, you'll gradually build your knowledge of what each item does, and eventually the game will be full of interesting decisions because of it

The short, catchy "item descriptions" are perfect for this purpose. It's easy for them to get stuck in your brain so they can help jog your memory next time you see the item. After playing enough, I've found myself reciting the ones I remember in my head before even picking an item up

It's a system that works great for all kinds of players, because the game is already fun even when you know nothing (plus, it's fun to discover what items do organically!), but you can reach new heights of strategy by naturally building a well of knowledge as you play, usually without even trying to

...Alrighty, so that's all nice and ideal, but what if players just crack open the wiki anyway and drag out the pace and volume of information waaaaaaay more than they would by downloading the item descriptions mod?

Well... I think that's fun too actually! If you're willing to go to the effort to go to the wiki and type in the name of every item you see before you pick it up, it's probably because you're super engaged with the game and you're in the mood to gather knowledge so you can make super informed decisions

Speaking personally, I sometimes do play with the wiki open if I'm in the right mood for it. But even then, I only actually look something up if I really want that extra advantage. The slight inconvenience of having to type into a search bar means I don't overdo it and suck the fun out of it. Rather, I generally only use it when I'm in the sort of mood where I find it fun!

Isaac is able to match so many people's moods and levels of experience by sparing the details and encouraging curiosity, discovery, and long-term accumulation of information, rather than trying to make sure you know everything upfront. I kind of think this is at least half of the game's secret sauce...!!! Seriously!

So if you ask me, the next time you want to tell your player something, you should ask yourself:

Do they need to know this to have fun?

(btw me and my friends just finished a whole ass game go play it)

[overwhelmed-overweight]

hey, i really appreciated the post you made on BED. describing ana habits w bed as pouring oil over a fire is so accurate. do you have any more relevant tips to lose weight? or to break the cycle? im really struggling.

I'm glad (and sad tbh) so many people felt seen by that post!

Honestly I could write a book on how to lose weight, both from a scientific nutritional and psychological standpoint, but the reality is that I haven't even succeed in my own efforts yet lol. Any "proven"(?) tips I could give would be ones that y'all have probably read and heard hundreds of times over.

But I have a feeling this post is gonna get long, so the rest will be under the cut!

In my opinion, the difference between knowing what to do and actually doing it is meeting yourself where you are.

For example, lately I'm dealing with intense stress (family issues, getting ready to sell our house and move to a big city, financial issues, job hunting, a late period...) and it makes it hard to identify emotional eating triggers or fight off addictive tendencies and impulses as a result. It's taking everything in my power and more to not bully the shit out of myself.

As easy as it is to be hard on yourself when facing BED, it only makes things worse. If stress is one of the biggest triggers for BED and you place extra stress on yourself for binging, it ends up being counterproductive as fuuuuck. I know yall know, but it's worth reminding. I know I'm going to binge lately, so instead of fighting it for now I'm just doing damage control.

In terms of tips, I've got a couple that help me personally

Keep a lot of fresh produce and other "safe foods" prepped. I'm a slut for strawberries, air fried tempeh, frozen grapes, rice & gochujang with seaweed, stuff like that.

WATER. This might be an odd one, but before eating anything I'll drink some ice cold water because if I can feel the water hitting my stomach and making it noticeably and entirely cold inside, it means I'm not that full and should/can eat a little. If it's just a little cold, it means I'm mostly full. Preloading with water also keeps me from eating quite as much as I otherwise would.

(TW: sex) If you're so inclined, do something sexual. A lot of the time when I try to figure out what I'm really craving when I'm about to binge, I notice an itch for bold physical stimulation (usually flavor + chewing) and the calming effects that flood my body when that need is met. Masturbation helps me a lot tbh, sometimes I'll make it a whole thing and put on makeup and lingerie. It's not foolproof but it has helped me avoid binges before (especially if you have an enthusiastic partner like mine lmao)

I might edit this post as I think of things. I just want to make sure I'm putting healthy information out there :')

[our-future-is-up-to-us-2]

'Cause You're A Brand-New Species

Here's another oneeee

You're all going to be sick of me at some point but I'm gonna keep posting!!

Title is from Touch-Tone Telephone by Lemon Demon, and the idea for this fic supplied by @daeagon !

Word Count: 1.4K

Relationships: Bianca Pullman & Charles "The Jackal" Calthrop, Bianca Pullman & Vincent Pyne

Warnings: SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 9! A sprinkling of content from Episode 8 and also a tad from the beginning of Episode 10/Season 1 Finale.

This is a post-episode 9 fic fyi!!

~ Read the fic under the cut ~

The boat chase is highly exhilarating, if the Jackal says so himself. 

UDC is dead, his minions and the authorities racing after him… It’s all a victory lap, really, to really solidify the achievement. 

As he approaches a place to dock, he turns back to face the crowd. He can spot at least six boats tailing him, out on the water. 

A crowd of law-obsessed maniacs, they are. Some are just driven by hell and high water, doing it for whatever reason fits their purpose. 

And in that crowd, he swears he recognised one or two of those authorities, talking to each other, crouching down in their vessel… 

Right. He can’t take any chances. 

In times like these, he hates thinking on his feet. He always needs a schedule, everything meticulous and prepared well in advance. 

But being The Jackal means being able to suit up for any situation, to adapt like the tides beneath his feet. 

He lets himself laugh, smiling wickedly as he drops something in the driver’s seat, docking the vessel, and escaping. 

After all, he makes everything seamless. From a boat to a car, zooming down Croatian highways… 

It’s a beautiful thing to be wild and free of burden… Well, for the most part. The authorities are connected and he’s certain they’ll find some way to trace things back to him. 

Perhaps that’s exactly what he wants. 

All he has to do now is wait, and keep his eyes focused ahead. 

***

Vincent Pyne groans as the boat halts, many others surrounding Bogdan’s. He shakes his head and tuts, exchanging a glance with Bianca. 

“Remember how I told you he’s a fucking ghost?!” He exclaims, gesturing to the vessel ostentatiously. “Motherfucker just comes and goes without a trace. We had eyes on him!” 

Bianca huffs and crosses over from their MI6 vessel to where The Jackal was. 

There is nothing to hide, The woman thinks, even as she searches every nook and cranny for a lead, a clue, anything, And The Jackal does not make mistakes…  

When she takes her attention to the driver’s seat, finding an old cell phone and a number preloaded to dial, she’s left smirking. 

This is not a mistake. Nor is this a trap, so she hopes. This is an intentional move. 

“He must be desperate,” She picks up the phone, waving it in Vincent’s direction, “There’s no way he would’ve left this without noticing.” 

The man crosses his arms and watches Bianca as she steps back over to their vessel. “Well, we have no other choice, do we?”

She shakes her head. 

The other authority boats do not leave their post, instead drawing their guns in case of sudden fire. 

She feels better with the security, with Vince as her right-hand man. So why can’t she help the tremor in her fingers as she hits the dial button? 

***

He allows the phone to ring four times before picking up. 

“There you are,” He says, soft, slow, with the same satisfaction he had before killing UDC. 

Finally, they could speak, bringing this cat-and-mouse chase closer, more personal, even. He doesn’t know why he’s thrilled by the whole scenario… She could actually find him and he’d be arrested, worse, dead, in a matter of days. 

Maybe it’s because he hears her breath now, steady, but holding back from so much worse. Maybe it’s because she’ll start speaking, then start yelling at him, losing all her MI6 professionalism. 

He eases his foot off the accelerator, just to focus on her. In his mind, she should be feeling very privileged. 

“Yeah,” Bianca hisses, “Here I am, right where you want me,” She ends up sighing, glancing over at Vince. 

His eyes tell her everything: This is our chance. Rip into him, do whatever you can. Find him, Bianca.  

“I’m here, left with Bogdan’s tarnished boat… And you’re in a car, judging by the engine I hear, driving speedily down some roads, in…” 

The Jackal scoffs, tapping his hands against the steering wheel, “You really think I’m giving myself up? Leading you right to where I am?” 

“I’d appreciate it!” She forces out a laugh, and forces herself to take a few breaths. She can’t let her ambition and zealousness get ahead of her, not this time. 

Not when the MI6 agents have him on the ropes, closer than ever before. 

“You could tell us where you’re headed. Better yet, who’s paying you millions of dollars to take out these hits. Or…” She says slyly, letting out a laugh, “Why don’t you recall something for us?” 

“Oh, yeah?” His eyebrows quirk up, but of course, she cannot see that. She’s left with his curiosity in the moment and a hint of mischief that she hates to define, “And what will I be recalling for Bianca of MI6?” 

He remembers spelling out the details to Zina, convolutedly asking for her help: First name Bianca, tall, black, mid-30s or so, and another male, white, about the same age.   

He never ended up finding the name of the other male, but he has Bianca. Bianca, a woman of MI6, on the phone with him, right on his tail. 

“Your time in the British military?” She says in a knowing tone, “Must’ve been quite the journey. Expertise, weather and all.”  

She sits down now, aware of how long this call could take. At least, that’s what she thinks: That she should be taking notes, making sure not to lose any detail. 

Vincent grunts as he sits down next to her, admiring the crystal-clear view, the water, calm and fresh. Working in the MI6 does present plentiful opportunities for sightseeing… 

Bianca simply rolls her eyes at his sudden lax behaviour. This is not a time for slacking. She tells him with furrowed brows, pointing to the phone. 

The moment of silence lasts longer than she expects, and she’s prepared to press as though she hasn’t done so throughout the entire investigation. She’s killed to get here, and she’ll threaten more if she has to, if it means finishing up the job. 

The Jackal’s voice is softer when he next speaks, “I dunno, Bianca. It’s pretty… Complicated. Expertise can come from anywhere, these days.” 

He shrugs it off like it’s nothing, because he does his best to regard it as nothing. His whole unit, taken out by his own invention, and he’s still alive, making a sharp left turn onto a desolate street?  

Well, that’s how the cookie crumbles, so he’d like to think. 

He presses his sunglasses closer to his face, “Speaking of killing, I wonder how all that guilt is treating you these days.” 

The woman clenches her fist, laughing drily, “Yeah, and I wonder the same for you. Every day, you seem to pop a bullet through someone’s body. Innocent, corrupt, billionaire… You’ve gotta care, Jackal.” 

“I care about the work and that’s all.” He smiles, “I really think that you and I are one in the same. Bye, now.” 

It’s easy to hang up, to leave her with that parting thought. He can feel the mirth in the air he breathes… Everything is oh-so effortless, and everyone is oh-so gullible! Feelings are the key to unlock necessary hope in her, while providing no substantial intel. 

Her words happen to play on his mind, however. 

… Military, must’ve been quite the journey… You’ve gotta care, Jackal. 

And perhaps, that was her intention all along. 

***

“You think we were successful?” Vincent asks, shuffling closer and peering over the phone. “Sounds like we were.” 

“Yeah, right…” Bianca rolls her eyes once more and pats Vince on the shoulder. “All we know is that he’s on the move, and that he’s potentially being chased by authorities. Knowing him, they’re either dead or exhausted.” 

“So we got jack shit. Hip hip fucking hooray.” He scowls, shaking his head. “Apologies for the optimism, Bianca.” The sarcasm in his voice is as clear as day. 

She looks between the phone and her co-worker, thoughts running through her mind. We may have never reached contact if he didn’t leave this for us…  

She shoves the phone into Vincent’s hands, determination ablaze in her eyes. 

“Not quite. We look after this phone, call him at random intervals. We judge what we can on voice, sound, and intel, along with anything from Isabel and Osi. We can’t give up on this fight.” 

Vincent nods, smiling broadly, “I never said that we were.”

[narwhalandchill]

(certain genshin ships w ajax brief negativity lmao like this is gonna b real controversial im sorry. not an attack at anyone just my opinion here be gentle)

obviously disclaimer that if u like the pairings in question im not like canceling or attacking you personally or saying ur wrong for liking it or for not considering the more uhh iffy angle im abt to bring up in terms of how i personally always felt abt these ships, i have mutuals who rb stuff for these sometimes and its just a tag i have blocked its life it happens, im more so just overall commenting on the existence of the pairings to begin w, its not worth the drama its my opinionnn please keep that in mind but yeah

anyway ugh now w like capitano model preload stuff and some of the model comparisons being made (hes slightly bigger than the usual tall male apparently n childes model was used for the comparison) and the shippy comments being made abt it im gonna be honest chief. i do not. like. a single ajax x harbinger pairing like im sorry just how exactly is the age gap (and seniority. and experience. and power imbalance) not processing with ppl when it comes to these at all ??? 😭😭 hes the youngest appointed harbinger canonically and w perueres story we now know that was like. Literally 16 at most for him. and even if that wasnt the case and before it was confirmed. hes still been around the harbingers since he was a teenager bc of being pulcinellas protege idc if its like this convoluted argument of well he wouldnt really interact w them on an interpersonal relationship level before hes a bit older its just still so weird to me i just dont understand how any of these pairings became a thing 💀 like you think not being around him that frequently would stop the usual shipping suspects ppl favor with childe from seeing him as a literal kid either way???

arles literally the one exception here since theyre actually around the same age but those 2 have the ship chemistry of two noble gases JSKSKSLDOSOSKFL (= literally no reaction) . arle is a whole dyke that much is obvious.

like obviously its not like much can be done since pairings like scara are way too popular to be somehow halted on their tracks and the cap stuff will prolly have a resurgence as well now that hes getting a more tangible characterization in natlan but ughhhh. it also sucks bc i think ajax 100% has a crush on cap and its such a peak concept (the guy Absolutely played a part in childes bisexual awakening) but the idea of it being reciprocated on any level whatsoever just feels nasty to me im sorry 😭 my cap would Never its literally on the level of pairing him w skirk to me

also scara always felt strange to me solely based on the fact that he genuinely dislikes ajax lmao like. it feels ooc on principle afshsjsksidk but whens that ever stopped anyone i suppose. it lowkey feels like ppl just wanted a m/m harbinger pairing at any cost 💀 and i suppose scara being an immortal puppet wasnt like known early on so i suppose the ship becoming a thing in like 1.1 is fair enough? but still my current feelings wrt ajax age gap w the harbingers do stand

[emachinescat]

A Year in (Book) Review: My 2024 Reading Journey 📚

#54 - The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan

Fantasy / Percy Jackson and the Olympians #6 / 288 pages / published in 2023 / Finished Jul. 1

One Sentence Review: Though the stakes are lower in this sixth Percy Jackson book, the characters are just as loveable, the humor is just as on point, and the gods are just as concieted as ever - if I had a complaint, it would be that I'd like to see more of traumatized Percy after the whole Gaia debacle, but honestly, the slice of life moments, the sweet Percabeth scenes, the intense cleansing river bit, and the touching message about growing up and growing old far outweigh my desire for a traumatized Percy (anyway, that's what fanfic is for).

Favorite Quotes

"Find someone who loves you the way my girlfriend pushes me off a cliff. Without hesitation. With full confidence in your abilities, with the rock-steady belief that your relationship can handle it, and with complete faith that when you come out of the water, assuming you survive, you will totally forgive them for the push. Almost certainly forgive them. Probably. Bonus points if you find someone with enough chutzpah to say Bon Voyage while they do it."

*

"I am a guy of limited talents. If I can't kill it with water, a sword, or sarcasm, I am basically defenseless."

*

"To his left was my buddy Hera, goddess of making Percy miserable."

*

"I come preloaded with sarcasm."

*

"I'd sworn off spaghetti, but pasta is like a best friend: you can't stay mad at it forever."

*

"...any future that had us in it was a future I wanted to live through."

My rating: 5/5

A Few More Thoughts (Spoilers):

Though lower stakes and more chill than the original 5 Percy Jackson books, this book has the humor, the heart, and the charm that so characterizes this series. Riordan never seems to run out of new myths to explore, and the slice of life after the giant war is a welcome respite.

While most of Riordan's books are so action packed that readers barely have time to come up for air, Chalice of the Gods sets a leisurely pace and takes ample time to set up and develop its theme of aging, youth, and both the joys and trappings of nostalgia, of old age and how we can embrace instead of hate it, and the false splendor of immortality. So well done!

This book paints a great picture of how human nature is inclined to look back and forward in time instead of finding contentment in the present. At this point in the series, Percy is at a huge transitionary period in his life - not only is he about to start college, but for the first time in years, he can actually imagine a future. The book's prevalent themes of time and aging - the dangers and allure of nostalgia and the beauty of embracing old age, especially if you have someone to share it with - are exemplified perfectly through Percy and his unique position as a demigod transitioning into adulthood.

[stevenbasic]

Growing into the Job, Post 376: Back Together, p2 (Third Round of New Hires)

“Y-you've interviewed all these people, gone through all their resumes?” he asked, sidled up next to Melissa. This was his Office Manager/Girlfriend and the young woman who - along with her hive of worker bees - was handling so much of the practice’s expansion for him. “You must have been busy…”

Dr J, geriatrician and former owner of the medical practice the two of them now sat in while finishing up a dinner of take-out Thai food, was suddenly not feeling quite as confident as he had throughout the day. Melissa had been showing him the new women that they’d hired, girls who were set to work in the two new wings of the building. 

Far Horizons was about to become a full-on health-care complex, complements of funding by Evolution Pharmaceuticals and his ex-wife Sheryl. It all opened for business on Monday, after some early ceremonies and a news piece that was supposed to air at the end of the week. Rather than feeling excitement for the growth of his (former)  business he was instead starting to squirm. His mouth filled with something that tasted like dread. 

“Yep, We've been very busy!” she chirped, pulling up the application and pictures of another girl on the tablet. This one was someone who’d be working behind the desk in the (it still made him shudder) Regression Clinic. In truth, the interviews Melissa had with these girls had been brief, quick introductions more than anything, and they were done over the computer. The girls were mostly all still out in California or Mexico or wherever. 

Dr. J tried to relax about the whole thing, but it was hard. It was all just so crazy, and was quickly becoming a reality. “So the, uh, 50’s housewife look is really coming back, huh?” he pondered aloud, looking at the dress on a pretty young brunette and having a strong recollection of a recent dream. The flashback made him temporarily dizzy. He was becoming confused. For one thing, these images weren’t the amateur selfies that the new girls on his current staff had sent him, back in the last couple waves of hiring. These seemed more professional, and he daresay more clinically crafted to highlight the women’s, umm, best features.

These girls are all insanely gorgeous, he marveled. Like the staff he now had surrounding him day-to-day, it was nearly unbelievable. What the actual fuck - where are they growing these people?!? “It’s kinda, uh, ‘Stepford Wife’-ish,” he commented, unsure she would get the reference.

“You know…I just ordered a few new dresses myself,” Melissa replied as Jay stared at the tablet, no longer paying enough attention to her. She could feel it. She could tell as he went through the tablet preloaded by Evolution with 'applications' that he was feeling more nervous and agitated. Maybe the effects of Katarina’s milk were wearing off, or maybe this was just too upsetting for him. She understood, it could be overwhelming, tripling your staff and facing the prospect of being surrounded by more than three times the women in the office every single day. It was a lot, and she could tell he had some questions.

“So, what’s up with the, uh ‘subject number’ on all of them?” he began in a mumble, “Or this blacked-out space on all of them?”

Melissa paused; she knew she had to have answers. She didn’t want to lie if she didn’t have to, but more importantly she didn’t want to upset him. “The Col-…uh, Evolution actually helped out, found us a lot of girls, doing most of the hiring and human resources for now, until we have our own girl for it - she’s this one here, with the red hair!” She showed him a particularly bosomy picture, hoping to distract him.

“And what does ‘program’ mean? And what’s ‘Coronado’?”

“Oh uh I dunno?” She hated having to lie to him. “Maybe they have some sort of, like, employment…outreach?…program? In…Coronado?” oooOooo I just want to blast him with perfumes, make him believe me! But I promised myself I wouldn’t do that as much. Unless he…unless he wanted me to do it. Ooo nnnnhh that’d be…..oooo…

“So…how many of these new people are there?”

“Including the men?”

He’d forgotten about those. The guys they were hiring, for maintenance, groundskeeping, some gruntwork data entry. The ones they were keeping housed in the basement.  “Uh, no, just the uh-“

“The girls?" she said with a knowing giggle. 

He nodded, grunted his assent: “uh, yeah.”

"Well, at first, It looks like we’ll have about sixty new girls,” Melissa replied, knowing it was a bit more than that, “some on our payroll, some on Evolution’s, but I’ll be managing them all.” The prospect made her warm and wet between the thighs. “And I think eventually we’ll need more.” 

He shivered, and his voice cracked. “a-And how many do we have now? Already working?”

“Thirty. Including me.”

“Jesus.” The scale of it was staggering to him. The scale, and the fact that they’d been able to grow so quickly, filling all these positions in so short a time. “Wow, why? What’s so attractive about these jobs? It can’t be just the pay,” he asked. The pay is ridiculous, though. I don’t know how it’s all feasible. 

“Oh getting girls for these applications was easy!” Melissa replied, “And all of them were hired before your video came out. Now? After this weekend? That video made us very popular! Soooo many people want jobs here now! Girls willing to move from all over! Just to work for us! The applications just keep coming in! Even now!”

“T-that’s insane…” 

“Why is it so crazy? We now have streams of you and your-”

‘Harem’, she wants to say ‘harem’. 

“…staff, all over the internet. Girls just want to be part of it.”

“It makes no sense!” he exclaimed, then paused. His voice dropped as he descended into thought. “The world is…twisted.”

“Oh, sweetie, it’s really not,” she purred, closing the space between them as she leaned in towards him. She’d already begun releasing pheromones subconsciously: 0001.55.6009.xx, 0001.55.6388.dd, and, though she’d promised herself she wouldn’t, 0001.55.6022.cd. “Honey, It makes perfect sense. The world is just…changing. Girls want what they want, and it’s different than before. You have to know that you being so perfectly vulni will bring in girls wanting to join us. They want to join us and grow into something better.”

Dr. J sighed, pondering his place in all this.

“We've been swimming in candidates” Melissa commented, her voice a near-whisper, secretly having begun to shiver herself. All this talk of growing, gathering more girls around herself was getting her excited. She recognized the feeling and it was continuing to make her warm up between her powerful thighs. I want another hundred of them, a thousand. Millions…

“S-swimming..?” Dr. J stammered the fear creeping into his voice.

And now you’re drowning in them. Melissa smiled. She knew it wasn’t just seeing Jay’s shrunken flagellations on livestream that was attracting all the outside attention, from both men and women. Her own influence was growing. They were watching her and her girls, and the world was starting to gravitate toward them. Toward HER. Randi had said something to her recently about it, and it struck her: ‘They’re all, all your followers, all these viewers, starting to see you as something more than themselves, something more perfect, and they like it’. The memory excited Melissa even more, and set her mind reeling. 

“Wanna see some more girls?” Melissa offered, pulling herself from her thoughts and smushing herself into him even closer. She slid her chair until it was practically on top of his. “They’re all so pretty, don’t you think?” Again on her tablet she started swiping through girls, applications, photos, a blur of beautiful girls, attractive women, each one another member of her little beehive. “All our new roommates…” 

“r-roommates?” he stammered, as she’d settled on a particularly athletic looking brunette. Jesus this one could kick my ass. Look at those arms.

“Well, more like housemates.” Melissa corrected. She could tell that he was growing even more nervous, less relaxed by the minute. His thoughts? She could taste them almost as clearly as she did her Tom Yum Goong: they’re all so beautiful, and there are so many of them.

“They’re all going to be living together in the barr-...the dorms and apartments upstairs,” she continued, “those new spaces are pretty much ready to go.” She reached out, pushed an errant lock of hair from his forehead. She could sense his pulse quickening, and saw his eyes flit to her big chest. Where all this talk of new girls - a huger hive of honeybees - made him uneasy, it was thrilling to her. Every new face seemed to make Melissa feel bigger.  And, these days, I like being big. 

“We put a rush on the new girls’ suites since they all need a place. Most are coming from so far away. Mine and the current girls’ won’t be ready for another little bit.”

“And I’ll be staying-”

“With me.”

I can’t wait to put you in your room.

Suddenly he looked even more nervous, especially as he thought  about moving in with her. Maybe it was too much? 

Jay couldn't comprehend what he was feeling in all honesty as he felt himself shift away from her. “uh…could we, like, maybe do this another time?” he asked abruptly, “Maybe just, I dunno, we could talk about something else? Do something else together?”

She knew him well enough by now to know what his little plea meant. She needed to change course with him and protect his weak male ego. You can be so fragile. “Oh,  so you want to spend time just with me?” she asked with a girlish giggle, tucking her tablet under her arm...

“Well, yeah…” 

She sensed he was getting more agitated. Was Katarina’s milk wearing off, or was this all just too much for him now? She knew that she could just calm him down with some of her body’s own perfumes, and did allow a little more 0001.55.6022.cd to ebb off her skin. Despite it, she still felt him wanting to back away some more. As he retreated she caught his eyes  roaming her chest again in a quick furtive pass. He just couldn't help it. I know what the poor thing needs, even if he doesn’t know it himself. 

“Whoa whoa whoa mister,” Melissa laughed, reaching out her strong  arm toward his remarkably thin shoulder, “You’re not going anywhere." She felt him squirm underneath her grip as he tried to get away; it was like restraining a small puppy. “No you are not.”  She took a moment to turn off her tablet and place it on the table. Then, she sat up nice and straight. “C’mere,” she directed him, “Come sit on my lap.”

He gave her a look she didn’t necessarily like. He was having thoughts, getting a bit too fussy for her liking. She knew she needed to exert her will a bit. He needed to calm down. 

“I said.  On. my. Lap. ”

He stayed frozen in place. Was she going to have to release more pheromones? 

“Dear? This is not me asking you. On my lap, NOW.”

Her voice. Something had changed in her voice. It’s not that it was, well, loud - though she had increased its volume - but it had made the windows rattle. It carried with it authority, a terrible, acute authority that made him feel small.

And it made him listen. 

He half stood, turned, and brought himself towards her. On her little breakroom chair she spread her thighs a bit, letting him in to sit. She urged him to hop up onto her right leg and smiled as he sat. 

“That’s it. You said you want my attention?” she purred, enjoying the weight of his little body on her lap, “Well, now you have it.” Snaking her perfectly toned left leg around him, Melissa carefully locked him into place as she gave him a comforting smile and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. 

He tried to move, but his legs may as well have been shackled by steel. His skin prickled in a blend of fear and excitement as he became once again intimately familiar with the phenomenal strength of  her body. Her formidable thighs held him tight while, at the same time, he felt the soft, comforting mass of her right breast pressing into his side. But even surrounded by the soft feminine weight of Melissa’s body, he was still agitated. 

Oh, my fussy little boy.

At first, Melissa was amused by the feeling of his futile half-struggles against her. Then, those feeling changed, She was not only reminded her just how weak he was, but the sensation, the thought of her being so much stronger than him made her feel powerful. Aroused. Hot. She felt herself now getting wetter with each passing second. Tiny thrills fluttered her increasingly superhuman heart as she felt him struggle against her. with all his adorable, meager little might. 

Gotta control yourself, Missy. Deep breaths, in and out, just like you’ve learned. You can't…you can’t…

She felt her breathing pick up, in pace.

…you can't what? You can't enjoy yourself? You can't be yourself around your boyfriend?

A simple but very reckless question began to form in her mind: ‘Why?’ Why can't I just be myself?

She smiled.

“What do we have here?” she began again, unable to keep the husky arousal out of her chuckle, “A poor little bunny, struggling to escape my trap?”

“haha I, uh…”

Though he was sitting on her thigh, his head was still lower than hers. She looked down into his face and read his eyes, his expressions, his emotions and thoughts. She somehow knew what he was thinking, how he’d noticed things seemed physically weird today. Like, didn’t his shoes - new since yesterday - fit better this morning?

“What’s wrong?” she asked, though knowing exactly what was now bothering him. He was feeling so physically inferior, especially now that she was enveloping him in herself. It made her tingle again. She knew he was comparing them: comparing their heights, their sizes, and just how small he was pushed up against her chest. I am, she silently answered his thoughts, I am so much bigger than you. 

“I’m…I’m just a little nervous about all these new people, because…because…” he offered. He knew he didn’t even have to explain what made him so anxious about them, that she could already guess his next unspoken words: it’s because they’re…strangers. 

“Oh, sweetie, give them some time,” she purred, consoling him with a voice she knew he liked, “they’ll become family too. Just like all my other friends have.”

His next thoughts were plain as day to her too: Yeah but why do I feel like, with all these new women around, I’m going to seem even smaller? And then, as he squirmed a bit in her embrace: Why am I suddenly craving milk? he thought, Should I…ask for it?

“I’ll get you some milk later,” she answered, making him gasp. She giggled, and knew she had to reassure him. “I heard your tummy rumble,” she explained. I hear Katarina left some in the fridge. “I’ll get you some, when we’re done here, and then we’ll play at home.” You’re fun to play with when you’re so relaxed

“H-home?”

The poor thing was confused again. 

“You are staying with me again tonight, right?” she asked.

He fidgeted anew. “I was, I’m…actually thinking of staying at my place?”

“Nope,” she answered, “They’re still fixing it up. It’s not ready yet.”

”huh okay,” he replied, completely unaware that he’d just agreed to come home with her again. “But I thought it was just cleaning, patching a few holes in the walls, fixing some cabinet doors?” he enjoined, “And do we know who did it yet?” His eyes glanced down the top of her blouse.

Hm yeah that’s right. ”uh, no,” Melissa answered. I have to ask about that. I’m sure the girls have reviewed the security footage.

“okay, but maybe I can stay on the cot in my office?”

This little man is being a little difficult. We still don’t know who’s ransacked his room, and he thinks he can stay here all by himself?  Maybe he needs to be shown who’s in charge a little more convincingly. 

“Here, stand up,” she instructed, removing her large left leg from where it lay over his thighs.and hips. She took him under the armpits and hoisted him from her lap...

“Wh-what are you doing?” he asked, as she stood him between her legs and leaned in towards him.

She didn't answer. She didn't need to. In just a moment she had the drawstring of his scrubs untied, and had stripped his pants and briefs off him. He was hard. 

Of course. He’s always hard for me. But he’s worried. We’re at the office, in the breakroom. He’s thinking ‘what if…’

“I promise you we’re alone,” she assured him. The windows didn’t have any shades, they were basically on the ground level. But whatever.

She looked down and saw that he wasn’t tall enough to reach what she wanted him to, so she reached down toward his bare, bony hips and lifted him up with her hands, bringing her legs together and him down to kneel on her lap nearly eye-to-eye, his hips at the level of her chest. 

“I noticed you’ve been looking at my chest all night,” she said, her voice now dripping serious with barely contained arousal, sounding deeper, “Why don’t we bring you in for a little visit?”

With that, Melissa used her two hands to part the button-gap of her yellow silk blouse, between the second and third button. She’d opened up a slit, a window of an entry for him, right at the level of his huge, solid, nine-and-a-half inches of dick.

“Slide it in,” she said, and immediately he groaned. She smiled.  She could  almost see the blood rushing from his brain into the second most amazing thing about him, her most valuable ally, that incredible cock of his. It guided him to comply, and with both feeble-looking hands (yes, he needed both hands, both hands, to have the strength to control his own erection) he pushed it down and slid it in-

NNNNnnnnghhhh!!! ohmygodohmygod….

- into the opening between the buttons of her blouse, into the warm, dark passage which led in between her breasts and deep into her cleavage. He felt every millimeter of movement: the cool smooth satin of her shirt sliding around his shaft, and the soft kiss of her breasts as he began to part her softness. He slid into the velvety cave and felt like he was being embraced by heaven itself. Her breasts were held aloft, tautly pressed together by the support of her bra, but he had no trouble sliding in between them. Though he was so big, so long, her cleavage was deep enough to take him in, straight on in full, to the root. It was like they were made for each other, his cock and her tits. His sac pressed against the cool fabric of her blouse.

“Ooooooooooo…” Melissa cooed, looking deep into his eyes as they rolled back in his head, “How does that feel?” she used her arms to gently press her massive breasts together, squashing herself around him even more firmly, as she  wrapped her hands around his little butt and began to push, in and out, her chest into him. His weak body had started to shake and quiver in her embrace, and it was only with her help and encouragement that he was able to begin to pump.

“There we go, there we go,” she purred, helping him move his meager hips in and out, in and out, slowly, sliding in through her slick satin shirt, her smooth skin, and then out of the warm grip of her dark, hidden cleavage. She was going to gift him with a clothed titfuck that she knew would melt his little male-mind. Men are so funny.

His words were nearly gone, but he managed some clumsy form of praise. “Mmm….mmm…oh my god…M-Melissa….oh my god…”

“Shhh, honey, shhhh….it’s okay,” she cooed, now gently rocking her chest forward, her shoulders back in time with each pump, to guide him through a rhythm, to help him along. “You just enjoy it baby, you just enjoy it in there.”

Now his voice had totally failed him, and he fell to grunts. It had been all day - all day! - since he’d climaxed, since he’d come. His body had grown used to orgasming several times a day, if not more, over and over. Whether at his own hand or hers, he’d become accustomed to it, he basically needed it. The milk had helped to distract,  had given him focus, had allowed him to forget his needs until now. But, here now, he was suddenly pent-up beyond belief and ready to blow.

“C’mon, honey, c’mon…go ahead,” Melissa encouraged him, as she felt his scrawny frame start to shiver differently, tense up. He was close, and she knew he had a whole day’s worth to share. A whole day of blissful orgasms, and they were all going to come out in just one moment. She watched, was happy. In and out, in and out of her clothed chest he thrust, thrust, thrust. Trust, trust. He trusted her. She felt it in him, she did. He let himself be like this, he let himself be weak around her. He let himself be enveloped by her, be surrounded by her, be consumed by her, and she loved it. She loved holding him, engulfing and cocooning him and she wanted to do it more more more. If she could pull him fully in there, into her blouse, in between her tits she would. She would trap him, and keep him there. Encapsulate him, insulate him, enwomb him.  “I hope this brings you lots of pleasure…” 

Fuck my chest little man. 

“Oh goddddd….” he finally groaned, finally finding his voice, finally surrendering, his love into the unseen depths of her warm chest. Under her shirt, beneath her blouse, into the satiny confines of her top and bra and skin he let loose a load that drained him, drained his stress, drained his day away. She let him go, she let him empty himself into her, and felt his warm life bubble and goop and stickily slicken his shaft as he continued to thrust and thrust and thrust in his trust of her. She would hold him, she would support him, she would keep him and let him die his little death here, kneeling on her lap and emptying his mess into her top. A whole day’s worth, a trove of his treasure.

“Good baby, good boy,” she allowed herself, the feelings of love and care and affection for him now overwhelming everything else. She hugged his hips to her big bosom, held his smaller body to her larger one. He’d had his hands on her shoulders, and now he let his arms drape behind her. He collapsed, his head falling to rest on hers.

“Melissa, I love you,” he murmured, mouth full of her thick, dark hair.

“I love you too, sweetie…I love you too...” she said, and felt him fall asleep.

==============================================

lots of thanks to ElephantPorn for the AI images in the animation, and to RiF for editing in the copy

[copperbadge]

Hey, Sam! Glad you're enjoying your euro trip! I'm traveling internationally for the first time this summer (Canada), and I had a question about currency exchange. At home, I use a credit card for most transactions on a day-to-day basis, but I like to keep some cash on hand just in case. Should I do the same while I'm in Canada? Seems like a good back up in case I lose my card or I want to but something where they only accept cash. Any general tips?

I think it's always a good idea to carry some cash; it certainly helped me out a few times, particularly in Amsterdam where I was shopping at a street market, and Rome when a couple of places didn't want to take card for small purchases. Post-pandemic pretty much everywhere takes contactless cards, I think, but it's not always the best way to go. When I went to Europe, I took 50 pounds sterling for 3 days in London, and 100 euro for seven days across mainland Europe. I changed the remaining 20 pounds for euros in Amsterdam, and spent most of the cash in Rome, once I was sure I wouldn't have any major emergencies; I came home with a 10-euro bill and about another 10 euro in coins.

In general, for travel, I have a pretty specific setup. After a couple of times where I lost a debit or credit card (genuinely lost, they weren't stolen, which just makes it more annoying) and had to change a bunch of website payment info, I started carrying a preloaded debit card for travel, one that doesn't attach to any websites anywhere. I just throw a few hundred dollars on the card and use that, and if it's lost it's way less hassle. It's the only card I have out of the wallet while in transit, although depending on where I'm going once I arrive, I'll add a credit card as a backup.

So I have a wallet in my luggage with my normal debit/credit cards, and then in a holster on the strap of my messenger bag I'll have my debit card and phone (and ID if I'm flying, though I try to move the ID back to luggage as soon as I can) and maybe a backup credit card. When in Europe I had most of my cards in my luggage, a wallet with only cash (usually not all of it) in my bag, and the debit card in the bag strap holster. I could afford to lose the cash I was carrying if I got pickpocketed, but I didn't want them to get my cards, so those stayed in the luggage as much as possible. I doubted that I'd actually get pickpocketed, but being able to write off the cash and not worry about my cards lowered my anxiety about the possibility.

(In case anyone is curious, the debit card is from Betterment; I have a savings account with them and they offered me a checking account attached to it with a debit card. So I have a few grand in savings, and can pull a few hundred at a time from that savings into the checking account, but the debit card can't access the savings side. If I need to "reload" the debit card I can do it instantaneously from the app, unlike a bank transfer that can take a few days. The only downside is if I don't track what I'm spending, the card can run out and give an insufficient funds error, at which point I have to reload it while standing at checkout, which irritates everyone behind me.)