#i am totally fine.. i am totally okay

[theloneamaryllis]

spain nt players consoling toni kroos after the match

[bits-o-stardust]

HELLO SIR CAN I REQUEST A MEAL?

My friend woke me up at 2am to tell me that the drip marketing dropped and my jaw and their jaw both dropped 👁️👄👁️

His squinty eyes, his fox ears, his smile — the game designers cooked fr fr 🦊🫶 they have my heart and my wallet ASKSKKSSKSKDDKD

AND HE'S A CHEF AND NOT JUST ANY CHEF, HE COOKS CHINESE MEDICINAL CUISINE 👏👏 We stan a man who can cook and fight - chef's kiss ❤️

[comfycel]

you're connor roy they serve the cake that they gave you when they placed your mom into a psych ward and your dad dies on your wedding day :))))

[myymi]

sonic having to deal with tails bottling up his emotions has gotta be one of my favorite things to write

[currentlyonstandbi]

[stop-breaking-my-heart-telltale]

I think for all the discussions we have of "everyone hears the jokes and the piano; after that, they stop listening" surrounding Louis, we tend to still simplify his connection to the piano.

Yes, it's very cute that he sings Clementine a little song when they first meet, and it's very cute that he plays a little prank on her while "tuning" the piano. It's super cute that they carve their initials into the piano and Clementine carves a heart around them. It's mega cute that he names his song he wrote after her when she confesses her feelings. Louis playing Don't Be Afraid at the party is, in my opinion, one of the best moments in all of TFS.

But here's the thing: That piano is Louis' heart.

I don't mean to go all metaphorical on you, but I'm dead serious—the piano is Louis' heart, and when you think about his arc and his romance route with that in mind...?

That piano is his one comfort in a world where the dead walk. It's been with him from the beginning of the outbreak. We know from his backstory that Louis wanted to take singing lessons so he could be a real musician, and his father denying him of that was what set him off to be a "vindictive fuckhead." Louis never got those singing lessons, and it's a very real possibility that Louis taught himself how to play.

Sure, others could've taught him; we know Minerva was musically talented, perhaps she showed him a thing or two. But learning piano, or any instrument, is brutal even with professional guidance. It takes hours of practice until numbness wears fingertips raw; dedication to memorize every key and finger placement to make music pleasing to the ear; self-discipline to keep going through every fumble, every failure, every single cruel thought of self-doubt; intelligence and a creative ear to write his own songs.

And yet, it's severely under-appreciated by everyone. It's annoying. It's distracting. It's unimportant. It's an excuse for Louis to mess around and not do any real work. He doesn't have any actual talent. The music and the piano are brushed off, unheard.

Yet, Louis keeps playing. He keeps singing. He keeps making jokes.

Creating music, the one thing he wanted so badly as a kid that he destroyed his parents marriage, was possibly the greatest comfort he had... a welcome distraction to disassociate from the horror and death happening around him.

It's bittersweet, like a purpling bruise that you can't stop pressing on; it hurts, but there's something else below the pain. The piano is out of tune and it's something that brings him joy... but will always act as a constant reminder of who he was and what he did, why he's at Ericson to begin with.

We first meet him while he's playing; Louis' heart is exposed, but is it really? Is he playing to his true potential? Louis hides behind the mask of a charming, charismatic goof. It's what is expected of him, so he plays a silly song intended to poke and prod at Clementine, to gauge a reaction. That's something we see him do at multiple points in episode one. In fact, we can consider a majority of episode one to be like the song he's playing when we meet him; it's mostly cheery or fast-paced.

Louis is able to soothe AJ with his "alluring" music after the kid bit Ruby is an indication that the two of them will share a bond. Louis is a natural at communicating and bonding with the younger kids [another talent that's overlooked] so it's interesting that he praises AJ for being a natural at piano, as well.

But the song stutters just a bit when Louis and Clementine are in the woods together, though; "There's only one guarantee: this moment. That's the only you got, only thing any of us got. Might as well enjoy it." ...Only for Louis to compose himself and send her away.

It's only when Clementine has a gun in her face, held by Marlon, that the music isn't fun anymore; it's rainfall and thunder and the words "I thought you were more than that" sung through the wind in a melody only Louis can hear.

Then Marlon's dead. The song is over, and reality has arrived.

I've talked at length about Louis in ep2 and his vote in the past. It's one of the most compelling things about Louis' arc and romantic route. It's a tragic mistake driven by trauma and guilt. It's people simultaneously telling him to shut up and telling him to be angrier than he is. Telling him to stop burying his head in the sand when he's never been more aware of everything happening. It's AJ peering up at him with pleading eyes that Louis can't stand to look at. It's Clementine wrapping his heartstrings around her fingers and tugging just enough to hurt, but not break.

Louis missed Clementine. He says as much when Clementine admits she missed him first. I don't even know where to begin with that! I can think of no other way to describe it other than they are half agony, half hope over this... and if you get that reference, you get a gold star. I just- the ache, the tension, the conflicting feelings of finally having a quiet moment to talk but Louis not being ready yet.

Y'know how someone carved "you suck at playing" in the side of the piano? It's something you might not initially notice while playing the game, just as Louis' insecurities aren't apparent at first.. but they're carved in him; never fully healed, still scabbed and bleeding... Until Clementine offers him a bandage.

She won't clean the wound for him, but she'll be there. She'll help him figure out how to do it himself so he can heal. She'll listen to him, not belittle his feelings or pain. She'll make an effort to know his keys and notes and practice playing his song until she understands.

When Clementine chooses him to spend time with him, it's a mirror of their first time meeting... but this time, Louis plays something real: a song he wrote, one that I believe he crafted during the two week time skip... a song he wrote with Clementine on his mind, for better or worse.

If the piano is Louis' heart, he literally asks her to sit there and try to tune it, which ends up being a joke but I say she's already tuned your heart, my guy. It's there before them, changed in the warm candlelight. He plays for her and opens up about how no one actually listens, but Clementine did.

And remember, this is the night of the raid. They don't know it's coming, but they know it'll be soon. Louis understands that he could very well die, so what does he do? He carves his initial into the one thing he's always had, and he asks Clementine to do the same.

I'm sorry, how are we NOT more feral about this? Prior to this scene, the only thing we see carved into the piano, into Louis' heart, is an insult. This thing that Louis cares so deeply about, this instrument that's become so intertwined with who he is... he wants to leave his mark on it just in case he dies. A reminder that it was his and he belonged to it just as much. Something so important, and he asks Clementine to carve herself into his heart where no matter what, they will be immortalized together in this moment.

And when Clementine carves a heart around their initials? Yes, his reaction is very cute and that's great... but she's not ashamed of him, or her feelings for him. She wants everyone who looks upon his heart to know that. She tells him how she feels and Louis is so giddy, and warm, and he names the song after her and I am going to start biting anything that moves, I can't-

Oh, and let's discuss the party scene in episode three, shall we? Y'know, where the heart covered initials are on full display? Where Louis tells the story of why he was sent to Ericson to everyone?

Louis is so... vulnerable. Sincere. Ashamed of what he did. This is the exposed nerve, the one he was so afraid of showing Clementine but there it is... and she doesn't reject him. Sure, she can say it's fucked up if you choose to, but she doesn't break up with him over it.

Also the fact that everyone sitting around him finally listens when he's at his most unshielded only for Tenn to ask him to play Don't Be Afraid for them after...? How do you not see the connection? Are you trying to make me cry? In that moment, Louis' heart was heard and appreciated and beautiful and strong and-

Listen. I am fine. I'm so normal about this. And fine. I'm fine.

But I also have to add that during the walk in episode four, if you let Louis choose what to add to the imaginary house, he picks a brand new piano because he wants a new heart to reflect the confidence and growth Clementine helped him achieve and because he loves her and AJ so much that wants the new heart to not just be his but also theirs and I am so fine with this, okay.

[merrinpippy]

on masks

so shockingly miracle mask has huge mask theming in like every aspect. basically every significant character is 'wearing' a mask literally or metaphorically, except for luke who remarks in ludmilla's costume shop that he doesn't think any of the masks suit him (since the events of the previous game luke can be authentically himself now.) this is fun to notice on its own, but there's more to be discussed than just the presence of masks.

every mask in miracle mask backfires on its wearer to some degree! the most obvious case of this is descole and the masked gentleman straight up underestimating their own mask/s and failing to see their plans to the end, and the resulting consequences. dalston and henry's masks of stoicism turn out to have kept them from years of friendship they could have enjoyed, and paint them both as suspects in the masked gentleman case. angela's aloof facade and distance from everyone around her allows her to be kidnapped for a significant portion of the game without anyone but the professor noticing (and even then, he notices that something's up with her, but chalks it up initially as not knowing her anymore). less obviously, emmy's mask only means she'll end up hurting the people she has come to care for even more when the time comes.

most interesting to me, though, is hershel! even as a teen he's remarkably reserved, though clearly passionate. he keeps himself very controlled, and seems to care very much about coming across to others as helpful, grounded, and 'normal'. the interests that we know he has he keeps locked up, literally hidden away in cupboards, not to be acknowledged aloud to himself or others. he never gets angry or ever really displays any stereotypical teen behaviours apart from awkwardness.

now what this means is he is treated as the reliable one who will nonetheless go along with whatever randall wants him to do. he's never particularly assertive (something he will learn to be as an adult) so his willingness is taken for granted. he's put in mortal danger in akbadain because it never occurs to randall that hershel's protests are anything more than for appearance's sake.

and when randall falls and hershel is alone, he yells! he falls to his knees, completely overcome. he cries. he pushes through. and when he reaches angela and henry, alone, covered in dirt, looking completely haunted... they don't even ask him if he's okay. angela bodily shakes him. in the past and present, nobody treats hershel as if he's been through something traumatic - to everyone else, he was either a bystander to or complicit in randall's death, but controlled, mild-mannered and rational hershel is never considered a victim in his own right even after years have passed for everyone to think on it. years after the fact angela apologises to hershel... when she realises she needs his help. and henry immediately accuses him of betraying randall's memory and abandoning him.

and to be clear this isn't me saying oh they're evil or whatever but it's significant that they acknowledge how the trauma affected them and their behaviour from that point forward but it doesn't occur to them that hershel's behaviour and life trajectory was also altered forever! because hershel has for his whole life masked so well that to everyone else he does not have an interior life that isn't puzzle solving.

and the absolute funniest thing about it is that when hershel confesses this all to emmy and luke.... it's immediately back to the investigation, "where do we go now professor!" i'm sure there's no reason to ask if hershel's okay, he's probably unaffected by all that, let's go! readers i laughed out loud. tfw you mask so well everyone forgets you're a person

[crybaby-bkg]

Bakugou finds himself trying to live up to an expectation he never thought he would have to—being some kind of sex god. He’s not really sure how this rumor started, or from who, seeing as most of his experiences were with close friends that he knew didn’t run their mouths about his sex life. But after so much ‘news’ being spread about his uncanny abilities in the bed, he finds himself trying to live up to its expectations.

Which makes sex with you…entirely too awkward. It’s not that he doesn’t wanna do it, or that he’s not attracted to you (couldn’t be farther from the truth, actually). It’s the fact that he’s sure you’ve heard the rumors, read the stories from tabloids and shitty Reddit posts. You must have, with the way you smile all sultry up at him and rub a hand down his bicep and grin all prettily at him.

It’s why he cusses extremely loud in the otherwise quiet room when he’s above you, and slips. He’s still not sure how it happened; you were laying beneath him and he was on his knees in between your legs, resting his weight on his hands beside your head. He knows it couldn’t have been a strength thing, with his arms giving out, but he’s embarrassed nonetheless.

Especially when the slip makes his head knock against yours.

You groan loudly, rubbing your head as Bakugou cusses again, pulling his body weight from on top of you as he sits on his knees. He’s irritated now, at his stupidity, at the weight of being better than he knew he actually was weighing on him so heavily, that it’s fucked up your first time together. He opens his mouth to apologize, ask if you want him to drop you off back at home, but he stops himself when he sees your wide grin and hears your quiet laughter.

“Me almost knocking you unconscious with my head is funny to you?” He asks accusingly, but he can’t help the small smile tugging his lips when his words only make you laugh louder. You nod at him, giggling all the while you pull him down on top of you again. He gives a little resistance before he falls onto you until his nose brushes yours.

“Yes, actually.” You chuckle, soft eyes searching his. “It’s nice to see that Dynamight is actually human, and still occasionally fucks up.” You whisper, smile diminishing but genuine all the while. It makes Bakugou soften, a huff escaping his nose as he mashes his lips against yours until you feel teeth and giggle again.

“I never fuck up,” he grunts against your mouth, smiling when he feels your smile against his own.

“Tell that to the knot on my forehead.” You snark back before he’s pulling you in again.

Realistic sex with him includes the time you both laughed when you released too much air while in doggy position and it made a funny sound. And when he accidentally stumbled while carrying you and you bit his lip too hard to be sexy. And when he collapsed from exhaustion on top of you after trying to initiate, instead finding comfort in pulling out of you so you two could just cuddle instead.

[anticidic]

Sometimes I think about whether Ranpo knew about Dazai's relationship with Oda and if he ever feels a small amount of guilt about it, knowing Oda's fate when they bumped into each other years back.

I think about that scene a lot and what exactly Ranpo saw beyond what was to come. It meant nothing to him then but I do wonder if it crosses his mind that maybe if he said a little more than just something bad awaits if it would've kept Oda from going.

It's one of those situations where being so unbelievably intelligent is a curse because he knew, but he didn't know how significant that knowledge was at the time. Oda was just some guy then.

But also, if Ranpo knew about their relationship, then he has that foresight of Dazai becoming a better person. He harbors it like a secret, but he knows the path Dazai walked to get to where he was now.

[howtodisappearcompletelyand]

20/10 stars little guy

[purple--queen]

Alice got finally away from the curse that lead to her mothers dead just to die a few hourse later?

[iraprince]

Hiii, i love your stuff and kinda from a distance really look up at you for, in my perception, being able to express yourself without giving a fuck. Thats sick dude, Im so so afraid, of absolutely everything, its nice to think like i might grow into someone less apologetic of my existence. Nice to see people just being yknow

hey, thank you, this is really really nice. the secret that is probably not a secret is that i am also deeply afraid a lot of the time lmao -- but less than i used to be, and in ways that feel less stifling and self-suffocating, if that makes sense.

like, it used to be "i'm scared that if i express myself the way i want to, everyone will find me obnoxious, so let's just sand those edges down to be safe" -- now my fears are more like "now that i'm expressing myself in a way that feels natural and real, i'm afraid that it's all stupid/vapid/not worthwhile or meaningful" (<- specifically abt my art) or "i'm happy that i talk and act the way i want to now, but what if it makes me impossible to befriend," etc etc etc. which still feels bad and puts me in a funk a lot of the time but at least it's a fear that comes After/in reaction to doing stuff, rather than a fear that STOPS me from doing stuff, you know? like, it's evolved into a kind of fear that's less in my way.

anyway. i believe you'll experience something like this, because wanting to grow is the first step of growing. the fact that u hope or wish for something different means you're already on your way. to fewer fucks!! or at least distributing the fucks u give in a way that serves u better

[zappedbyzabka]

[sufferingsokkatash]

UM EXCUSE ME WHAT

[sorbetlli]

Shadow blinks slowly, staring up at his bland white ceiling. He can hear the near silent clicking of his analog clock hanging on the far wall, the only sound in the otherwise hushed room. His frown deepens when he turns to face the empty space beside him in the suddenly large bed. Too large.

He could still sense the warmth that resided where his partner had slept the night before. He was being ridiculous. It would only be a couple of nights without Sonic in his arms. He scoffs and attempts to close his eyes in retaliation to his own heart, only to end in a measly attempt to fall asleep.

He was this close on giving up on sleep entirely when his phone began to ring, the noise causing him to dive for his phone. His hopes were high as he looked at the caller ID. A soft smile overtakes his face, threatening to overflow once hearing the timbre of Sonic’s voice.

He talks and talks while Shadow simply listens, content to let the other ramble on. Shadow soon feels sleep tugging at his eyes, a purr resonating from deep within his chest at the soft sounds of Sonic breathing on the other end, having long since fallen asleep.

“Goodnight, Sonic.”

[shutupdevvie]

gif of the full version :)))))