#i guess this is what i'm doing with my free time

[thekindlygrammarfairy]

The only thing that seems like it'd work is fixing public education. I remember when I was maybe 12, my class was taken into the library and taught basic internet searching skills, how to spot unreliable websites, and so on. None of it was new to me, but having it presented in an official capacity made me think about it more often and harder from then on.

I had assignments that revolved around research, which taught me a bunch of stuff about how to find good information.

Hell, even the ability to type at a reasonable pace is something I picked up from school.

So, what schools are like these days is going to be speculation, I don't know what's up, and it's going to vary wildly from place to place. But here's my best guess:

Schools, at least in the US, have been slowly bleeding talent, money, and respect since the start of the pandemic. Essentially, kids are left to self-educate. I like teaching myself stuff via online tutorials and stuff, but that only works because I have the necessary self-discipline and underlying skills. It seems like in most schools, everyone is in survival mode, and a lot of stuf that would have been taught because it's "The Right Thing To Do" is hitting the cutting room floor. Nevada's elections are having an issue with young people not being able to sign their names, for example, because we cut cursive teaching. I don't think of cursive as particularly useful, but some things are written in it - and being able to sign your name is of obvious importance.

Services like Instagram and Tiktok are appealing because of their ease of use, and the network effect, and their ability to direct you into a hyperspecific niche. But the time and energy spent in these apps and services (having tried both, they can be incredibly overwhelming) is not spent socializing in a real, tangible community. On Tiktok specifically, it seems like it's actively harder to do something as basic as learn a creator's name. For example, Amaury Guichon's name is on every one of his tiktoks, but everyone calls him Chocolate Guy. This is not true of any other creator I'm aware of. The experiences are smaller and less lasting than any other media, but are the most readily accessible.

The "I don't want to pay money for internet anything" culture is strong, with my generation and younger. Even if quality stuff is out there, we don't want it, because it's behind a 99 cent paywall. Part of this is the soft age-wall for getting a credit card, but part of this is just stubbornness. New York Times and Washington Post, both respected and reasonably-truthful newspapers, are paywalled, but Conservative """Newspaper""" du jour are free. When I see a paywall on a newspaper, my first instinct is to get around it, not pay up. A few outlets, like the Guardian, have started working with, rather than against, this behavior, but they're in the minority. The impact of this attitude on creators on platforms like YouTube and Twitch is a whole other discussion, there's some good and some bad. But "old media" (books, movies, TV, etc.) is suffering - and people who should be experiencing that stuff are suffering too.

Third spaces for young people basically don't exist. Why exactly this is is a long conversation, but the result is that everyone's on their dang phones, even if they'd get along really well with someone who lives half a block away.

Because of all of the above, patience is not a virtue most of us have. On the internet, anything you don't like can be out of your face in seconds, and there's always an infinite void of content to gorge yourself on. In meatspace, not so much. I don't think the "zoomer attention span" is real, I think it's more along the lines of Gen Z have not been taught to tolerate mild discomfort very well. The effects of this on social organizing patterns is... bad.

The result of all of this is that young people (and I'm part of this) don't have solid social ground to stand on. Everything is online platforms and services that are fickle, fragile, and can't be negotiated with. Finding friends is difficult, and everyone's social skills are atrophied to some extent.

How do we fix this? Fund schools, make spaces for young people to hang out in, and find tunnels out of doomscrolls. I've seen a promising trend in YouTube shorts of people linking longer related videos to pull people out of that infinite scroll.

And tumblr is a good example of this. We have a mix of shallow and deep content, and a culture that's not flexible, malleable, and disposable in the same way that TikTok's is.

I am concerned for gen z. Like I don't think they're doing okay. I think algorithms and a systematic denial of easy access to facts because of Internet enshittification has made them unbelievably miserable with very little sense of how warped their online experience is. Idk how to fix it.

[allllium]

Jason Todd x childhood friend fem

fluff and potential angst

Jason runs into childhood friend from befor he died and she recognizes him

Back in Time

[ Jason Todd x Childhood Best Friend!Reader ]

~ Fluff, Maybe a little hurt/comfort, WC: 1,089

~ I'm so sorry this took so long 😭 Every time I went to write this it's like all ideas flew out of my head, but I finally got it done and I hope it meets your expectations<3

"Jason?"

He freezes.

He wasn't expecting to hear your voice today.

He wasn't expecting to hear your voice ever again.

Once he came back, you were gone.

He would say he tried to look for you but that isn't true. He thought your leaving was the universe telling him to leave you alone.

But now you're here. You're here and you recognize him. He doesn't know how to respond. He knows you know he heard you, otherwise he wouldn't have stopped moving.

The first thing he hears in your voice is the sadness. Not anger like he would've expected. Not even a hint of confusion. Just something sad.

After a minute of him being unmoving, clearly lost in his thoughts, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Jason." You say.

This time it's not a question.

After he hears you a second time, he brings himself to turn around and look at you.

"Hey."

"Hey." He can't tell if you're about to cry or smile.

"I'm sorry." He immediately apologizes. Maybe for leaving or maybe for not finding you. He's not quite sure.

"For what?" You ask and take a deep breath.

He sees the way tears form in your eyes and has the strange urge to cry himself.

"I don't know. I just feel like I need to."

"You don't. Dick told me what happened. That's not something you need to be sorry for." You say it so surely he doesn't know how to respond.

"I was gonna find you."

"That's not your job. I mean a phone call would've been nice." You shrug and let out a small, awkward chuckle.

"I didn't know what to do." He tells you quietly.

"I would assume." You look around the sidewalk you're on. You're standing in front of what looks like a busy shop, people walk in and out every couple seconds.

"Where did you go?" He asks you after a moment. Probably to determine whether or not he could've found you.

"I was here. I mean I stayed in Gotham just not where I was before."

"If I had known you were so close I would've gone to you but when they told you left I assumed-"

"Jason, you don't have to defend yourself." You cut him off quickly, "If I died and came back the last thing on my list would be finding someone who left."

He nods. "This might be easier if you were at least a little mad." He smiles softly at you, watching more tears shine in your eyes.

"I missed you too much to be mad right now."

He goes to say something back but someone walking by bumps into your shoulder.

"Maybe we should get coffee or something?" He suggests, not wanting to keep blocking the sidewalk traffic.

"Are you free?"

"Oh yeah, yeah." Dick can wait, he thinks to himself.

"Then yeah, coffee sounds great."

You both walk into the coffee shop and order whatever drinks sound good. Jason chooses a table against the wall and by a giant window.

You sit awkwardly in silence as you both try and think of what to say.

"How are you doing?" You ask, after multiple minutes of nothing.

"I'm okay, I think." He shrugs and takes a sip of his drink. You take notice of his fingers tapping nervously along the side of the cup.

"That's good." You nod and sigh.

"How are you?"

"I've been better." You answer honestly. Your fingers also tap nervously along your cup.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why this is so weird."

You laugh at his words, "I do. It's been a while."

"And I'm guessing we've both changed." He smiles.

"Changed? No shit Jason, look at you." You smile at him in a reassuring way. You can clearly see how dying has changed him.

"Yeah I guess I did get a little taller." He jokes and shakes his head.

"Maybe just an inch or two." You play along, laughing as you speak.

"I missed this. I missed you." He tells you with a sudden seriousness in his tone.

"Well good thing it isn't going away this time." You reach across the table and grab his hand.

It was never unusual for you and Jason to be touchy. That's just the kinda friendship you had. But this feels different.

Instead of being a friendly touch between best friends, it's more like a reassurance that's he's actually alive. A piece of you feels relief that you're not imagining this.

"I really hope so." He wishes with a frown.

"It won't. If you think I'm leaving your side anytime soon you're very very wrong."

"What's one more person to the gang that follows me everywhere?" He laughs again and squeezes your hand. It's the first time he's felt so free to last in a while.

"Where is that gang by the way? I would've expected one of them to be here by now."

"Oh I left while they weren't looking. I needed time to myself."

"You snuck out? Jason, they're probably panicking." You scold him softly.

"It's fine I'm meeting with Dick later."

You shake your head in disapproval but a smile on your face gives you away once again.

For some reason no matter how sad you are, a smile can't leave your lips.

You fall back into a silence but this time it's not awkward at all. It's a comfortable silence that reminds you of old times.

"I should probably get going. Dick will be pissed if I'm late."

"Yeah I don't doubt it." You recall the many times Dick has given long lectures about being late to anything he's involved in.

"I'll call you." He swears, standing up from his seat at the table.

"You better. I know where to find you." You stand up as well and finish off your drink.

"Yes you do." He agrees but doesn't leave.

You stand together in front of your table. Both of you are waiting for the other to move first.

Just as you're about to make the move to leave he steps forward and pulls you into a hug.

You immediately hug back and feel the tears reappear in your eyes.

"I really missed you." He whispers.

"I really missed you too." You whisper back.

You savor every moment of the embrace. Not wanting to leave out of fear that he would leave again.

But as you watch him walk away to meet with his brother, you're overcome with the happiness of knowing your best friend is here.

[incorrectmahabharatquotes]

This is not as coherent as my usual posts and I'm sorry about that in advance. This is tangentially related to our last post about women in Mahabharat. I saw this post by @nushkiespeaks. I have a lot of thoughts about it but what matters the most in the context of our previous post is that I do not like the use of the phrase "her dharma saves her" in this scenario. I will explain.

TW: violence against women, sexual assault. Please proceed with caution.

(I want to clarify that this is not meant as a call out post or anything. These are just my thoughts about what some feminist analysis of the epic lack sometimes. You can feel free to agree or disagree with me but please be kind and respectful about it and not call people names or harass anyone.)

I love Draupadi as a character so I say the following with all the love in my heart for her:

People usually either praise Draupadi for being a perfect victim. Or denigrate her for not being one. To them, she's either the pure hearted goddess who believed in her personal god and fulfilled her dharma of being a perfect wife. Or she's the cunning woman who didn't perform her dharma properly and deserved what she got.

What gets left behind is that the fact no one should have to go through any of that regardless of whether you believe they performed their dharma correctly. What also gets left behind are: all the other women mentioned in the scene, if only in passing. The slaves.

If you're strictly talking about the BORI CE version of the story(as the post clearly is), while reading it, it's almost impossible to miss the repeated mentions of the normalised and legally sanctioned sexual abuse/harrassment and rape of slaves. (Side note: Yes, slavery was a thing back then. It's horrible. People just don't like to acknowledge the instances in the Mahabharat where slavery is mentioned because it's just not a good look for sacred books to be chill with and actively encouraging buying and selling of actual people like objects. Trust me, if you have a favourite character in the epic, they were probably involved in the practice of slavery somehow, even Krishna, I'm very sorry to tell you this.)

To me, it's odious to mention dharma whenever we talk about Draupadi's vastraharan because it leads the obvious conclusion that those other women mentioned in text suffer at the hands of their "masters", in part because maybe they weren't performing their dharma correctly.

Maybe that's not what people mean when they praise Draupadi for her dharmic perfection. But every time those people, I cannot help but think of those women. The ones that are forgotten.

The ones who were not allowed to save themselves.

I guess, I'm ultimately just trying to say that this post is just my humble request to people to not talk about topics such as sexual assault in terms of the moral character of the victim. The people may mean well, but it does unfortunately perpetuate the idea of a perfect victim.

-Mod S

[mcflymemes]

PROMPTS FROM BRIDE *  assorted dialogue from the book by ali hazelwood, some lines reworked to suit a roleplay format, adjust as necessary

every second, i want you too much, and every second, i'm on the verge of wanting you more.

you're not a problem, [name]. you're a privilege.

of all the good things i've felt in my fucking life, you are the best.

you think, but you don't know.

i would take anything you chose to give me.

i would take your problems, your gifts, your moods, your passions, your jokes, your body... i would take every last thing if you chose to give it to me.

maybe you're not meant for the way i'm meant for you, but i'm going to choose you anyway, over and over and over again.

you smell like you're mine.

some nights, when i'm walking past your door, i have to whisper to myself "keep going."

what i am is an adult woman with agency and the tools to make choices. feel free to, you know, treat me accordingly.

maybe there is something devastating about the incompleteness of it.

maybe some things transcend reciprocity. maybe not everything is about having.

honey... are we rich?

you make me want to draw again.

that was a badass speech.

stop reading my file.

badass is my middle name.

i don't know you enough to make a judgment.

your jeans are cool.

there is no world, no scenario, no reality in which i'll gracefully allow you to leave me.

spank me and take away my tv privileges.

i have no friends, no hobbies, and no real purpose aside from earning enough money to pay rent in order to... exist, i guess.

stop playing with your food.

other people's approval is a powerful drug.

at times, there are decisions that feel right.

i've seen you use your phone.

you type "google" into the google bar to start a new search.

you need to be told the right things.

you're intelligent and incredibly skilled at what you do.

you're very beautiful to look at.

am i under your protection?

i won't take your freedom. not when so many others have already done so.

if they murder me, avenge me?

any preferences on how?

be creative.

please don't leave.

how the fuck do you smell like this?

you smell like you just came.

i don't know what it is about me that says "please make yourself at home on my lap," but i'll have to fix that.

i could fuck you very nicely right now. i almost did.

i was trying to check my email.

you don't have friends.

what the fuck did you just do?

do you accept?

i am the victim here.

how many people have you killed?

you went limp in my arms, and i was so fucking scared.

i need you to behave.

hope you packed a lint roller.

i fucking love your scent.

can i play with you?

i'm too tired to keep them at bay.

i've taught myself not to care. about anything.

[wonsiwon]

No more fuel | S.J.Y

paring | Jake x reader

summary | Y/n is in a secret relationship with her professor, Jake, but when a viral video exposes them, Jake pushes her away to protect their futures.

genre | angst

based on the series Strict Professor by ZSakuVA.

You were a college student secretly involved with Jake, your literature professor. Keeping your relationship hidden was essential, especially to protect Jake's reputation, as he was well-respected and admired.

In the beginning, your meetings were limited to his office, safe from prying eyes. But a few days ago, you both took a chance and met outside for the first time. Jake brought you to a museum he'd been excited to visit, wanting to share the experience with you. It felt special, stepping outside the routine and discovering a shared appreciation for something new together.

Jake's passion for art and history came alive as he explained the details of each piece, his voice low and rich with that thick accent that seemed like it was meant only for you. It was a side of him you rarely got to see in class, and you found yourself captivated—not only by the art but by the way he spoke about it, his eyes lighting up with enthusiasm.

It wasn't always easy. You both knew the risks, and sometimes the weight of secrecy was heavy. Despite of that, you couldn't bring yourself to care about what others might think. With Jake, it felt right—even if the world would never understand. You wanted to experience everything with him, to just be happy, without worrying about rules or expectations. But after that day at the museum, something shifted. Jake had dropped you off at home with the same warmth as always, but when the week began, things felt... off. At first, you tried to brush it aside, but slowly, the changes became too clear to ignore.

Jake started avoiding you. In class, his eyes no longer sought yours, and his once-frequent texts became sporadic, almost formal. Every time you tried to reach out, he seemed to pull back just a little further.

You couldn't ignore this feeling any longer. You had just gotten out of class a few minutes ago so as you walk through the hallway, you scrolled through your contacts, quickly pressing Jake's number when you couldn't find him in his classroom.

The phone rang once, twice, and then his familiar voice came through. "Hello?"

"Hey, how's it going?" you asked, keeping your tone as casual as always.

"I'm doing fine. And you?"

"Good... I'm good. Are you free?"

"Well, I'm rather busy right now, so—"

"Are you still at the university?" You stopped in your tracks, waiting for his answer.

"I'm still at the university, but I'm about to leave. Are you on your way home?"

"I am." you lied smoothly.

"Alright, then study well—"

"Where are you now?" you cut him off, quickening your pace down the hallway.

"At... at my car, but..."

"We need to talk." Your fingers gripped your phone tighter

"Can it not wait?" he sighed, sounding a little frustrated.

"When?" You raised an eyebrow, starting to feel impatient.

"Until the weekend...?" His voice trailed off, hesitant.

"Are you serious?" You stopped walking, confused and a bit annoyed .

"Yeah. I don't want to talk about this over the phone," he explained, his voice quieter now. "I'd much rather talk face to face."

You sighed, glancing around. "Then I guess I'll give you that." You pushed the door open, stepping outside. The cold wind hit your face, and your hair blew back.

"Huh? What do you mean?" he asked, clearly confused.

"I'm outside," you said, your tone flat. "Since you've been avoiding."

There was a long pause. "I haven't been avoiding you... it's just I've been a little busy with submissions and paperwork, so I thought it'd be best if—"

He stopped talking abruptly when he saw you standing right next to his car. You ended the call, tossing your phone into your purse.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows. He was wearing his glasses, suit, and bow tie, just like he had been this morning in class.

"We need to talk."

"I told you we should wait until the weekend," he said, taking his keys out.

"You said you wanted to talk face to face."

"We are face to face..." He stared at you, but then quickly added. "...but we're still at the university. It'd be better if we plan this for another day, when we're not in full view of the student body." He unlocked the car.

"Jake, what's going on?" You blocked his way, standing firm in front of him.

He ran his hand over his face, rubbing his nose bridge and letting out a heavy sigh.

"I've just been stressed." he said, his gaze meeting yours.

"About what?" you asked, your voice soft. "Is it about our date?" you added, referring to the museum.

"No, the date was—" He stepped back, letting out a frustrated groan. "We can't talk about this."

"Then when? Because every time I try to talk to you, you always seem to be busy or something."

"You really want to talk about this?" he asked, his voice laced with sarcasm, his eyes narrowing as he sighed and turned away, clearly trying to stay composed. "Get in the car.” For a moment, you didn't move, unsure. He gave you a pointed look and repeated himself more firmly, "Get in the car."

You walked around the car, he quickly glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then both of you jumped into the car.

"You need to have some awareness. Our private life shouldn't be a topic of discussion in public." He began.

"Then tell me what's wrong." you repeat, trying to catch his eyes, but he kept avoiding your gaze.

"I told you, I've been busy with submissions and marking assignments," he sighed, his fingers gripping the steering wheel as he put on his seatbelt. "Put on your seatbelt. I'll drive you home," he added, starting the car.

You clicked your seatbelt into place and then stole a quick glance at him, but the silence hung thick between you two as the car rolled forward. “What is there to talk about?" he muttered, his hands gripping the steering wheel. "This week's been busier than usual with someone leaving the department. I've had to take on more work. Julia's agreed to more duties in the literature department, so I've been given an assistant."

You tightened your grip on your skirt when you heard her name. Julia. One of Jake's coworkers. You'd never met her before, but lately, she seemed to be spending a lot of time with him. She was tall, smart, and had a great body—everything that made you feel uneasy.

"She's quite clumsy and skittish, but she's doing well so far.” Jake finished, his tone lighter as he even cracked a small smile.

"Do you spend time alone together?" The words slipped out before you could stop them, and the question seemed to freeze the moment. Jake's smile immediately faded.

"What? What made you ask that?" he glanced at you, clearly thrown off guard. "I do spend time alone with her, but she's just an assistant.” he explained.

"Is she new? I've never seen her before..." you crossed your arms defensively, still unsure of how you felt about her.

"Yes, she started this week. But that doesn't have anything to do with why I've been so busy." Jake clarified. You could feel your face betray a little insecurity, and he noticed.

"You think there's something between me and her?" he asked, his eyes flicking to you.

"Maybe." you muttered, playing with a strand of your jacket nervously.

"You want the truth?" he sighed. "She's stunning, and I won't deny that I can appreciate someone else's looks. But I only have eyes for you. I don't think of her in that way."

You barely breathed, trying to process his words. You hadn't actually cared about Julia that much, there was something else happening—something that Jake had been holding back. And now, it was spilling out.

"Haven't you seen the video?" Jake asked, his voice a little tense, eyes flicking toward you.

"What video?" You turned to him, a sudden wave of confusion and curiosity washing over you.

"We were seen at the museum by more than one student. Apparently, they took it upon themselves to follow us for a good while and recorded it all.” he explained, his tone tinged with frustration. Your mouth opened slightly, a lump forming in your throat. “You remember when we parted at the stairs, and I held your hand, just for that moment?" Jake continued, his gaze softening as he turned his attention to the road. You noticed his eyes were distant, as if he was lost in the memory.

You replayed the scene in your mind: the beautiful silver staircase at the museum, the brief but intimate moment when you both held hands, feeling like it could last forever. But it was just a second—a fleeting connection that now seemed to have been captured and shared with everyone.

"That one moment where I actually gave in—they filmed that too, and now there's no way to pretend that we randomly bumped into each other." Jake muttered, clearly frustrated. His fingers gripped the steering wheel tighter, as if trying to hold himself together. You could feel the weight of his words, the gravity of the situation settling over you. He continued, his voice lower now, almost regretful. "Even when I watched it, anyone could tell it wasn't just a coincidence. I didn't even realize how I looked at you."

Jake took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. "The comments were—shall we say—not approving. There were some that argued we're both adults who can date whoever. But most—" He paused, his voice faltering. "They were tearing you apart. Saying you were only doing it to sweeten me up for a higher grade. Others said you were doing it for extra credit."

You dropped your eyes to your lap, the words stinging harder than you expected. So that's why people were staring at you. You had felt their eyes on you all week.

Jake's voice broke your thoughts, his tone more somber now. "When I walk around campus, I see students and staff staring, like I've done something abhorrent." His jaw clenched as he stared ahead, a muscle ticking in his cheek. "When people don't have enough entertainment in their lives, they gossip and tear others down. They like watching the fallout of rumors, and even stoke the flames if they're bored enough. We can't give them more fuel."

Your eyes flickered toward him, a sense of confusion crossed your face. "What do you mean?"

Jake took a deep breath, his jaw tightening as he tried to find the right words. "I'm saying that this needs to end," he said firmly, his voice hard. "You have to stop. We have to stop."

You stared at him in disbelief, your mind racing as the words sank in. "What do you mean, 'we have to stop'?" you whispered, struggling to understand.

"I'm saying this... whatever this is between us, it needs to end. The way you've been persistent, the way you've been holding on, it's not good for either of us anymore. We can't keep doing this."

"But Jake, you said we could get through this together," you replied, voice trembling. "You promised."

He sighed, rubbing his temple. "I know what I said before. I know... But the reality is different now."

You shook your head slowly, still trying to process everything. "But you said... we could pass through this together."

Jake met your eyes, his face hardening. "I don't think we can. This video, it's out there. And while the university might not do anything about us, the damage it can cause? We can't come back from that."

Your breath caught in your throat, and for a moment, everything went silent. Your heart sank as you finally understood what he was saying. The weight of his words hit you like a brick, and the reality of what was happening came crashing down. You weren't sure if you could breathe for a moment, the air feeling heavy in your chest.

You felt the weight of his words crash down on you, your heart tightening with every syllable. "What? Do you expect that by coming clean, it will just be accepted?" Jake's voice was laced with sarcasm, his frustration clear. "I don't care about their acceptance of us, it's not their business."

"Then what?” you demanded, your voice shaking.

"What really irritates me is what they're saying about you," he muttered, his voice rising with anger. "Things that aren't even true."

You shook your head, pushing your hair behind your ear, trying to steady your breath. "Jake, I don't care what they think of me. I told you from the beginning," you said, a faint tremor in your voice as you glanced at the house, you were home.

He stopped, eyes fixed on the pavement in front of your house. "Listen," he began, hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles went white. "it was good while it lasted. We had some fun together. But now... this should come to an end."

You froze, the words hitting you like a slap. "Why are you doing this?" you asked, disbelief creeping into your voice.

"Because I've realized that my view of this whole thing was only driven by the forbidden nature of our relationship.” he said, looking at you. "It wasn't real."

"Don't you like me anymore?" you asked, your heart ached as you spoke, as if each word was a plea.

He exhaled sharply, a deep sigh escaping his lips. "I am attracted to you." he said, his eyes darting toward the road as if he couldn't quite meet your gaze. "But is it really worth it? Is my attraction and my need to have someone more important than your future? No. It can't be. I became a professor to nurture curious minds, not to mess with people's lives."

"The words cut through you like a knife. You blinked back the tears that threatened to spill. "Jake, please... let's think about this again." you pleaded, trying to reach he's hand, arm anything "I—"

"No." he interrupted brushing you off, his tone colder than you'd ever heard before. "We can't continue this. I can't let you endanger yourself because of me. Now go. You're home."

You didn't want to leave. You couldn't leave. Your heart was in your throat as you reached out, desperate to close the distance between you, but his words kept you frozen.

"I don't care about what people think of me, Jake! I only want you, and only you." you said, your voice breaking as your hand reached for his. But as you tried to touch him, he recoiled, stepping back from you, his face twisted with frustration.

"What do you want from me?" he shouted, his voice growing louder. His eyes flashed with anger and something else—something you couldn't decipher. "My attention? A confession? I've given you that! I think about you so much it's almost unhealthy!" He took a breath, his voice lowering as his expression hardened. "It's not something I can't forget but it's something I can end, and that's what I'm doing right now."

You stood there, paralyzed by his words, the weight of the moment crashing over you. “I don't understand! Why, Jake, why?" You raised your voice, the tears falling freely now, your chest tightening with each sob.

"I'm doing this for you." he said, his voice softer now, though still filled with a heavy sadness. "So you can cruise through your education without distractions. No bullying, no threats..."

He let his head rest against the back of the seat, his hand covering his eyes. He rubbed them softly, the weariness evident in his expression. "I should have never given in to this... What was I thinking?"

And finally, those words hit you like a punch. Your heart clenched, the pain radiating through your chest. You couldn't breathe, couldn't think, just feel.

"So you regret liking me?" You whispered, your voice trembling, the mix of sadness and anger making your words sharp. "You regret all of this?"

"I didn't mean that." he said quickly, looking at you with intense eyes. "Don't put words in my mouth, Y/n." His voice was stern now, a stark contrast to the pain in your own.The car was silent for a moment. You could hear the soft hum of the engine, but it felt like the world had stopped around you. "I thought I was better than this." he muttered, almost to himself. "I can't give you more than I already have. I can't let you burn for something I need to control. I'm sorry."

"Jake, please, we can make it work—" you started but he interrupted you before you could say more.

"I can't give you what you want!" he snapped, his voice harsh, louder than before. The force of his words made you flinch, a chill running down your spine. "Not when you're robbed of your reputation because of me. I won't allow it. This is my choice. I'll learn, as I should have done from the beginning, to only admire you from afar."

His eyes were different now, colder, harder—something in them made you feel like you didn't recognize him. You shook your head, the tears blurring your vision. "No more... now please, leave." His voice was firm, almost desperate.

"Are you fucking serious, Jake?" You gasped, the disbelief clear in your voice. You couldn't comprehend what was happening.

"I have nothing else to say!" Jake shouted, his voice filled with frustration. "You can go back to flirting with your peers, but not with me! We're to have a strict teacher-student relationship from now on, nothing more." His words were cold, barely looking at you, as if he was trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince you.

"Have you lost your mind?!" you shot back, your voice rising in anger. "Are you listening to yourself right now?

"Explore your options!" He yelled back, his voice harsh, almost desperate. "I simply can't be one of them. I've said what I've said, that's it. Now leave, please."

You glared at him, your heart pounding in your chest. "Are you sure about this?"

"We can't go back. We're done!" he replied, his tone final, almost as if he had already made peace with it.

"You're a damn coward.” you spat, the words like acid in your mouth. With a sharp motion, you opened the car door and slammed it shut with all the force you could muster, the sound echoing in the air.

You stood there for a moment, feeling the air sting against your skin. Tears running down your cheeks and the weight of Jake's words pressing down on you with each passing second. You wanted to scream, to run after him and demand answers, but your body felt like it was paralyzed, unable to move.

His car was already disappearing into the distance, the sound of the engine fading away until all that was left was silence. The reality of what had just happened settled over you like a heavy blanket. You couldn't believe it—this was how it ended?

You wiped your eyes quickly, everything felt like it was spinning out of control. Slowly, you took a few shaky steps toward the door, your body moving on autopilot. You reached for the handle, but your hand paused. You stood there, the cold air biting at your skin, feeling like everything you thought you understood had been ripped away.

Finally, with a shaky breath, you opened the door and stepped inside, closing it quietly behind you. The house felt oddly empty, too quiet. You sank onto the couch, pressing your face into your hands as the tears came freely. You didn't know what to think anymore, didn't know what to feel. All you could do was sit there, the silence surrounding you, feeling the weight of the day events crashing over you.

[mint-ty]

because my best talent is squinting at anything and seeing Bojere, here are my thoughts on Stephanie :D (I didn't need to squint very hard here tbh) Using professor's @bisnes-socks methods I'll try to demonstrate how it's an attempted rebound song 👀 (*also just a disclamer that rpf is for shits and giggles only)

She lives about a thousand miles away from me

It took about a second, a smile, a thousand freckles

To set me free

Thousand miles being exact distance from Helsinki I won't even mention bcs everyone picked up on that :D (that was smooth Bojči, no one could guess). Also do y'all remember about soulmates au and the subtle freckles all over Jere's body? I'm sure you do ;-;

Oh how cliché

A stranger’s city, random party, rainy Saturday

I was downing drinks to drown the sorrow

Just to run away

This part I believe was about London. Notice how Bojan is already getting sloshed and drowning the sorrow. 'The sorrow' being singular. What's the sorrow you may ask that he needs to drown? Well, Jere after all not being able to come to London as they had planned 😔

And then a lightning strike just fills the place

A reflection of a familiar face

I only saw before with my eyes closed

I guess I knew right from the start

It was either a stroke or a racing heart

That I just met my missing part

Bojan is already sloshed here. He decides that fuck that guy (he doesn't mean it), it's only in Bojan's nature to fall in love on first sight, it's nothing special or unique at all. So he looks around the bar to spot a familiar face. Of course that face is not here and so anyone else would work just as well. He clings on this random girl immediately like "love of my life, my missing part". Lovebombing much, hm? Was her friend really throwing up or were you just a bit too desperate and a bit too intense Bojči? 🤨

The song strikes me as he had already gave up on this girl before it even started. He got a plane picture and immediately went "oh woe me 😔" despite knowing very well that distance is not an issue for a relationship (hard work, but def not impossible). It's because he never expected anything real to come out of it in the first place.

Love ain’t real for people like me

And love ain’t real for people like me

Happiness ain’t real for people like me

Stephanie

This part stuck me, and many of us, as being uncharasteristically heavy for the song up to now (including the melody too). Like this heaviness has been eating him up for a long time, not just tonight. Because this part is not about the girl he met at the pub and who all he can remember is that her friend was throwing up. This part is why he was already drinking in that bar before she even showed up.

So yeah it's a song at how Bojan was missing Jere so bad and was feeling so heartbroken that he flimsily attempted to repeat what they had with another person. And at the slightest inconvenience he threw his hands up like "can nothing ever work out for me?! 🙄"

Fast forward to Bojere vacation and Jere is asking Bojan "so what next song you release? :D", and Bojan hits him with "I don't want to talk about music 😑". Because his next song is about him trying to move away from Jere. Yet here he is.

Of course they do talk about it in the end, like they talk about everything. So Jere knows. And he takes a very neat opportunity yesterday to remind Bojan that he is "his". Jere is a genius at playing with words, so while he could joke about "his" being the cut-out lutka Bojan, they both know that Jere is claiming the real Bojan, on the evening of Bojan's attempted rebound song 😌

No wonder Jere doesn't look too cheerful lol

And heiii!!! also the album! :D totally what Jere was thinking about. Absolutely his first thought yes yes 🤭

[swrkn]

glad to see a new writer for wb manhwa and i already love ur oliver fic 🫶🏻 since ur req open can i request for hyuk with his highschool crush (&& preferably fem!reader) thankyeww!!

Between The Lines

Highschool!hyuk x highschool!fem!reader

Genre ; sfw , fluff

Author note ; Thanks for the compliment :)) I think i will probably do a part 2 fort this fic , since the end is kinda an open one. English is not my first language so im sorry if there are any mistakes, my request are still open !!

Hyuk wasn't exactly what you'd call a model student. He spent most of his time in the back of the classroom, head down, doodling in the margins of his notebook or staring out the window. School was just a thing to endure until the day was over.

But lately, his gaze had been lingering on someone else : Y/n

She sat a few seats ahead of him, always focused, her pencil moving gracefully across her notebook. She wasn't the type to cause a scene or demand attention, but Hyuk noticed her in everything she did. The way she tucked her hair behind her ear when she was deep in thought, the way she always make a little smile when she answers a question correctly, little things that most people probably don’t notice.

Hyuk though? He noticed everything.

One day after school, Hyuk stayed behind, pretending to look for something in his desk, but in reality, he was waiting for Y/n. She was always one of the last to leave, making sure her notes were perfect before packing up.Sure enough, she was still there, flipping through her textbook, her brow slightly furrowed.

"Hey, Y/n," Hyuk said casually, trying not to sound as nervous as he felt.

She looked up, quit surprised. "Oh, Hyuk. What's up?"

He scratched the back of his neck. "You're pretty good at math, right? I'm kinda stuck on this problem." It wasn't a total lie-math wasn't exactly his strong suit. But more than anything, he just wanted an excuse to talk to her.

Y/n tilted her head, a small smile forming. "Math? Didn't think you'd ask for help with that."Hyuk shrugged, leaning against her desk. "Figured you'd be the best person to ask."

She laughed softly and moved her chair over to make room. "Alright, show me what you ve got."

They spent the next half hour going over equations and formulas. Y/n was patient with him, explaining things in a way that actually made sense to Hyuk. Everytime he got something right, she'd give him an encouraging nod or a quick "See? You're getting it."

Hyuk found himself more focused than he'd ever been in class. Not because of the math, but because of her. As they worked, he couldn't help but notice little things: the faint scent of her shampoo, the way her lips pursed slightly when she was thinking.

At one point, their hands accidentally brushed as she reached for his notebook. Y/n didn't seem to notice, but Hyuk's heart skipped a beat.

"See? It's not so hard once you break it down," Y/n said, tapping the page with her pencil.

Hyuk nodded, trying to act like he wasn't completely distracted. "Yeah, thanks. I guess I just needed a good teacher." Y/n smiled, a little embarrassed, "Happy to help you out."

As they packed up to leave, Y/n glanced at him. "You know, you're not as bad at this as you think. You just need to put in the effort."

Hyuk smirked. "Guess I'll have to ask for your help more often, then."

She laughed, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Well, if you're serious, I'll be at the library after school tomorrow. Feel free to stop by."

Hyuk felt a surge of excitement. "Yeah? Alright, maybe I will."

They walked out of the classroom together, the hallway quiet and bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun. For once, Hyuk didn't mind the idea of spending more time in school. If it meant getting to know Y/n a little better, he was all in.

And maybe, just maybe, he'd learn more than just math along the way.

I really think im gonna do a second part , let me know what you guys think !

✵

[moonsun2010]

I'm mad Tumblr ate my anon asks (it's not appearing in my Drafts????) but luckily I have a copy saved to my email so:

HEY YOUR DRACULA ANIMATIC IS SO SO GOOD I can't comment on youtube (bc I have no account) but I've watched it like 10 times now, the song fits so well and the art is incredible, I love all your character designs and the way you portray all the scenes is so spot on!

I just finished re: dracula and idk how you managed to tell the whole story so well in under 4 minutes but it was amazing I love the way you use color in the animatic, the use of mostly black/white/grey is so good for evoking the specific type of horror story this is, and it makes the red in the blood and in dracula's eyes stick out in a way that is absolutely brilliant and that last shot with the sunset is GORGEOUS and then the epilogue!!! I love that you did the epilogue to and having the gentle piano music and doing it in full color gives it such a peaceful and comforting feeling, the drawing of quincey and lucy in it in the afterlife together is so sweet <3 the detail that went into this is amazing, like the captain of the demeter having the rosary even though we only see it for a second, I keep wanting to pause on every single frame so I can properly admire all the cool art lol, also the things like jonathan's beard growing out after dracula breaks the mirror, and the rosary hanging above his bed, and dracula still having the scar from the shovel in the final showdown

AND THE PART WHERE DRACULA CATCHES THE LETTER... literally the way you tell the whole story with (almost) NO WORDS in not even 4 minutes and the whole thing flows so smoothly is incredible I love the way you do like the zoom out thing on some places, it adds a whole new dimension to it visually also the way you draw mina and jonathan after the october 3rd bit is lovely, your jonathan looks so cool with the white hair and i love how you did mina's scar, and the part where her scar disappears at the end was such a cool way to depict that and the difference between human lucy and vampire lucy is done so well, like it's so clearly the same character but you can really see how she's not herself anymore, and the way you used that when they kill vampire lucy and show arthur's resolve to use the stake bc he's now seeing her as a monster who replaced and essentially killed the woman he loved and he wants revenge, literally I will never be over how much story and emotion you managed to fit into a single music video and the way you did quincey's death? crying at that part tbh.

AND THE FRAME OF DRACULA GETTING BEHEADED WITH THE RED BACKGROUND.... IS JUST *chef's kiss* I was going to say I have no words for how much I love this but clearly I have quite a lot of words lol, thank you tumblr for not having a character limit anyway have a good day/night :)

Anon I'm so sorry for this delayed reply,,, I kept rereading this in awe and didn't want to release it into the wild (and it still got eaten anyways-)

I'm so glad you enjoyed the character design!! It's not my strong suit at all so that's reassuring. The colour scheme lowkey started out as a timesaving measure, but it also allowed for me to render scenes with detail that I otherwise couldn't've with the tight time frame I had, since at the time I was also juggling university assignments. I'm glad the sunset scene hit as hard as it did, since I had also just discovered Disco Elys/ium, so it was an attempt to emulate Rostov's illustration of Harry on Filippe III's statue). It worked out in the end anyways, since the grayscale + red accent combined with a colourful epilogue gave a "the horror is now in the past, and we are in a (literally visually) livelier future)" <3

I've seen so many people say they want to pause on each frame to examine it in detail, and guess what, you can get a zip file of them all as watermarkless pngs in my kofi! For free! It's pay-what-you-want since I just really wanted to get as many eyes on this as possible, but any tips would definitely still be appreciated.

It was fun mapping out the match cuts and transitions e.g Dracula catching the letter, Mina and Dracula with Lucy in the churchyard, since the previous semester I'd taken a storyboarding class that taught that, so I HAD to include it. Zoom outs helped add visual interest to otherwise still shots, so I'm glad they didn't come off as overdone haha.

It was tough mapping out what storybeats to include, but I'm super happy that the angst for all the key moments in the video hit right :D Was worried about losing momentum after leaving the Jonathan in Dracula's castle bit, and so I really wanted the ending of each verse(?) to correspond with a red screen injury— notice that "you'd better let yourself off and, while you still have strength in your legs, escape from this horrible hell/你最好放过自己 趁双脚还有力气, 快逃出这可怕地狱" always ends with some character harming another, and when the verse repeats again but with the ending lyrics changed "you’d better let yourself off, rather than crying out to another, “Save me!”... Save me!/你最好放过自己 胜过跟谁叫救命... 救命!", it still ends with Van Helsing staking the 3 vampire women. And of course, the ending "escape from this horrible hell/快逃出这可怕地狱" ends with the sunset, its red now replacing that of the blood the characters had to spill previously, signalling an end to their necessary monstrosity (and also a literal monster with Dracula dying).

Like with the frame of Dracula getting beheaded, the timesaving measures, limited skills (plus lack of any sort of storyboarding software, I was just ""animating"" the movements with Shotcut) forced me to find creative workarounds. I could fill at least 3 pages with writing dissecting all my choices lol but idt therell be much interest in me analysing my own art. Thank you so much for watching my animatic :)

[g0nta-g0kuhara]

DRV3 blackeneds and how you would (maybe) perform first aid on them if they managed to survive their executions (part 2)

I'm surprised you guys seemed to like the last post I made along these lines, so here's some self indulgent brain rot yet again. Once again should say that I'm just a beginner and am omitting stuff

Kaede:

For this, let's say that Kaede managed to escape being crushed by those spikes at the end. She'd either have to be gently lifted down, or have something moved under her so that the rope was no longer strangling her. After that, she should be carefully lowered to the ground for assumed spinal injuries (hold cspine). If she got nicked by the spikes at all, put pressure to those injuries. Treat for shock, give oxygen.

Kirumi:

Kirumi DEFINITELY has a major spinal/head injury. She should be immediately held in cspine and then checked for broken bones, which should then be stabilized. This is a rough one because of the sheer amount of lacerations she has- first aid responders would probably have to quickly identify the worst ones (ie the ones bleeding the most) and immediately bandage them up to put pressure on them while bandaging up the minor ones and freeing their hands to again deal with the major cuts. Treat for shock, too. You'd need all hands on deck for this one.

Korekiyo:

Other than dizziness and disorientation, the spinning at the beginning should be no problem. The biggest concern would be the major burns he would have over 80+% of his body, which would be life threatening. You'd have to remove as much of his clothes that were submerged in the boiling water as possible before any swelling, but not if they were stuck to him. Use cool (not cold) water to lessen the pain, then cover him in a dry sheet until you can get more help. I'm going to assume some kind of internal head injury (re: bleeding from the eyes?) and say to hold cspine just in case.

Gonta:

Uhhh. Hoo boy. okay. The biggest concern here is obviously the gaping chest wound. This would be extremely difficult to deal with and is kind of immediately out of my scope, but If I had to try and do something, Id say to pack the injury and slow blood flow as much as possible. Lower him and hold cspine, though the stake he's tied to might ironically help with this (considering the exit wound is probably through the spine, I'm not sure it would help MUCH, but it's better than not doing anything). I guess while youre waiting for more help you can care for the stings? but the chest wound is going to be problematic enough I don't think you'd have time to worry about that.

In a much more ideal situation, the bug's leg would stay through him and help to stop blood loss. But regardless, this is a really rough one.

Kaito:

If we're just talking about his execution itself, we'd have to check for broken bones and hold cspine for an assumed spinal/head injury. But that's not what killed him, is it? I'm not entirely sure how to go about Kaito's illness... from what we have in canon there really isn't much that could be done via first aid anyways. Keep him comfortable, give him oxygen, let him cough up the blood. The only way a first aid responder could do anything is if we were playing by the rules that his "illness" was actually poison. If you could figure out what poison it was, that could be extremely useful for him getting the help he needs later. but yeah, not much you can really do about that for him in the moment.

[love-toxin]

✧˖° nasty sentence starters °˖✧

feel free to send one with a character(s) for me to write!

fair warning: DDNE ahead.

Degrading

I - “Don't make me pull out.” 

II - “I want everyone to see you.” 

III - “Lick it, bitch.” 

IV - “Are you cumming again? Fucking scum–you cum when I say you can cum.” 

V - “I love how dumb you look right now.” 

VI - “Face the camera. Put on a big smile for me, yeah?” 

VII - “Go on, touch it. It's not gonna bite.” 

VIII - “I said, touch yourself. Don't give me that shy act right now.” 

IX - “Look at you, squirming around like that. Pathetic.” 

X - “No, you don't get to join me on the bed. Kneel on the floor.” 

XI - “To think, just a few minutes ago you refused to let me use this hole. Changed your mind quick, didn't you?” 

Submissive 

I - “D-Do I have to get on my knees?” 

II - “Can we do this in private? Please?”

III - “More!” 

IV - “Please don't stop.” 

V - “I'll be good, I promise.” 

VI - “Are you gonna use protection?” 

VII - “Me! I'm a good puppy! It's me!” 

VIII - “It's okay if you hurt me, I can take it.” 

IX - “I love it when you choke me.” 

X - “D-Did I make a mess on your face?” 

XI - "M-Meow.."

Breeding

I - “Gimme a baby, sweetheart.” 

II - “Ha! You're so getting knocked up.” 

III - “Gonna get you pregnant, you want that? I bet you do. It's written all over your face.”

IV - “Can I give you my babies? Pleeeeease?” 

V - “I know we just had one, but I really wanna breed you again.”

VI - “That's it, mama. Let's put another kid in this pretty belly.” 

VII - “Fuck, I love what pregnancy did to you. You're so fucking hot.” 

VIII - “Throw away your birth control. I'm going at it for real this time.” 

IX - “I could help you get your milk out, if you just asked.” 

X - “Breed me!” 

Noncon

I - “Stop fucking crying!” 

II - "Don't pretend like you didn't ask for this."

III - “I should've gagged you a long time ago. It suits you.” 

IV - “Ugh, get off me, you fucking perv!” 

V - “Spread your legs, or I'll use this knife to fuck you instead.��� 

VI - “Just a little longer, I promise–I’m sorry baby, it'll be over soon, just a little more and I'll let you sleep.” 

VII - “Don't fight me, baby. Struggling is pointless.” 

VIII - “I'm keeping these for later.” 

IX - “Condom? Ha! That's funny.” 

X - “You're gonna be real popular online, cutie.” 

XI - “Are the drugs making you dizzy, sweetheart?” 

XII - “You're even noisier when you're asleep.”

Stuck

I - “Just a little bit–hey, not that much!” 

II - “Get in. We've only got a minute or two.” 

III - “Sure, I can make you cum quick. You know you can't resist me.” 

IV - “C'mooon, just give it a rub? I promise I'll be fast.” 

V - “I can't get off without your mouth. Just gimme a minute or two on your knees, and I can take care of it.” 

VI - “Just the tip?” 

VII - “Don't you dare make a mess!” 

VIII - “Just cause we're stuck here doesn't mean we have to-” 

IX - “Holy shit, are you stuck? I guess I'll just help myself then.” 

X - “You're pretty cocky for someone who can't get away.” 

Touching

I - “Can I touch myself?” 

II - “Are you getting off under my blanket?!” 

III - “S-Sorry, I didn't mean to walk in!” 

IV - “C'mon, we can rub one out together. It won't mean anything, I swear.” 

V - “Uh, did you need me to leave..?” 

VI - “It'd be easier to finish if you watched me, y'know…” 

VII - “Want me to teach you how?” 

VIII - “I bet I could make you squirt.” 

IX - “Aww, you need help getting it up?” 

X - “Gross! Quit touching yourself!” 

XI - “If you're so riled up, then hump your pillow. What? You heard me.” 

XII - “Go on, I got that toy for you! I wanna watch you use it.” 

Forbidden love

I - “Fuck, we really shouldn't be doing this here.” 

II - “Are you sure I'm not too old for you, sweetheart?” 

III - “I knew you'd fall for me eventually. Nobody could ever fuck you like I do.” 

IV - “Your ass is mine. I don't give a fuck what anyone else says.” 

V - “Who cares if they know? I hope they hear me pounding your guts every night.” 

VI - “I bet your boyfriend/girlfriend is real jealous right now.” 

VII - “Maybe I'll make your husband watch, just to show you I'm serious.” 

VIII - “C'mon, we're not even related! We can have a little fun if we want.” 

IX - “You always come crawling back. Don't say sorry, just get on my lap where you belong.” 

X - “A grade bump? Oh, don't play dumb. You know what you need to do if you want to pass.” 

XI - “Sometimes I think you fail your tests on purpose, just so you can fuck an A out of me.” 

Addiction

I - “I'm sorry! This is the last time, I promise. I just really need to get off.”

II - “If we don't bang in the next ten minutes, someone's gonna die.” 

III - “Jerking off to your pictures isn't that weird…”

IV - “Do you want money? I'll give you money. I'll give you anything, just, please let me taste you.” 

V - “Can't you just stay in bed with me today?” 

VI - “I'm not done yet–hold still.” 

VII - “What do you mean all my partners look like you? You're just seeing things.” 

VIII - “Okay, so I broke into your house and jacked off into your underwear, so what? It was only a couple times!” 

IX - “Is it bad that I dream about kidnapping you and fucking you in my basement?” 

X - “I trust you, but I still need to check so I know you're not cheating on me. Knees apart."  

XI - "It's a little late to hide--you already pissed on my lap."

Sweet

I - “Good morning, beautiful.” 

II - “Don't worry, I'll go slow, sweetheart.” 

III - “This always happens when we cuddle…not that I'm complaining, of course.”

IV - “Can I kiss you down here?” 

V - “You feel so nice. I could fall asleep like this.” 

VI - “Oh, I don't mind the blood, honey. Trust me, nothing will get in the way of me soothing your cramps.” 

VII - “Can I take your picture? You're so gorgeous, I want to remember this moment forever.” 

VIII - “Of course I can handle it! You won't suffocate me, I promise.” 

IX - “Whoops, uh…looks like I got a little too excited.” 

X - “Honestly, I feel like I need you even more now that we're married.” 

[bl-bracket]

Anyways I was going to make a post about the process of picking bracket topics and whatnot and was trying to come up with some examples of types of topics that would or wouldn't work and for whatever reason I thought of the concept of a "best murderer bracket" and I can't stop thinking about it lmao

it's just like such a funny concept? the idea of fictional murderers battling it out, especially ones from bls (which like I don't think is most people who are not super familiar with the genre as having a lot of characters who have killed people) is just funny in like an absurd way. like abstracting yourself from tumblr and tournament blogs, the idea of telling someone else that there's a tournament going for fictional murderers from east asian mlm tv shows, a genre that for several years was primarily shows about high school and uni students.

anyways that devolved into thinking about it more seriously, and then deciding a more practical way of doing it would to make some kind of directory of bl murderers. which would then lead to a lot of interesting statistical analysis, like characters with highest on screen kill counts, which countries have the highest proportion of fictional killers, etc. you can then make a separate category for characters with implied kills that aren't explicitly shown on screen or vague. and you could track how the number increases over time, which I assume exponentially goes up as more bls are exploring darker and more serious genres.

anyways back to the country stats, I started thinking about what the breakdown would look like so here's my guess based on zero research and just my general knowledge of shows

China. While having very few bls (censored or otherwise), they have a very unfair advantage and that is genre conventions. The 3 biggest Chinese bls I can think of are: The Untamed, Word of Honor, and Guardian. With The Untamed and Word of Honor, the conventions of xianxia and wuxia genres means that there are a lot of characters and almost all of them have killed before (usually nameless canon fodder but still). And then with Guardian, it's a supernatural detective mystery show with murder plots in it and a lot of characters, which again leads to a pretty high kill count. So even only counting these 3 shows, China will probably have the most killers in bl, or at the very least most kills done.

Thailand. It's a numbers game on this one. There's just so many Thai bls and an increasing number of like detective or mafia ones. A show like Kinnporsche has a lot of killers and deaths. Then there's other shows that include a few murderers (but less than Kinnporsche) like The Sign, Manner of Death, 4 Minutes, 3 Will Be Free, Never Let Me Go (Palm did shoot a couple guys dead elt's nto forget), Dead Friend Forever, etc. However the numbers also hurt Thailand in terms of proportions, since there's a lot more Thai bls that don't have murder, so it actually might be 3rd.

Japan. You're not getting much murder from your Cherry Magics and Old Fashion Cupcakes, which is what a significant portion of bl fan's primary exposure to Japanese bl is, but let's not forget that there's a lot of dark Japanese bls where murder is definitely on the table. Now I don't actually have a good gauge of what the numbers on this is, cause I haven't really delved that deep into this corner of the bl market, so I can't make a good estimation but I bet there's more than I'm aware of.

Taiwan. They've got a couple of mafia shows like HIStory 3: Trapped and Kiseki: Dear to Me, both of which have some implied and explicit murder (though less then you would expect if we're honest). That'll give them a few kills and they also have a relatively smaller pool of shows to pull from, meaning percentage wise it's a bit higher.

South Korea. Ok I am far from an expert of bls from South Korea, but unless there's like obscure short films I'm not aware of, the only drama I can think of from here with kills is Long Time No See? or I guess The Director Who Buys Me Dinner has like 1.5 murders? anyways Korea also has a not insignificant amount of bls to their name so proportionally it will be quite low.

The Philippines. Out of all the countries on this list, I am least familiar with the bls from here, but from what I've gathered during my routine mdl searches, basically all of them seem to be murder-free (unless of course there's some shocking plot twists in them)

anyways I'll probably never do this project just cause it would require a lot of time and collaborative effort and I've got a lot irl going on right now (hence why the submission period for most whipped is so long lol) and also have some other projects I'm already planning on doing so I don't really have time to do it. but I wanted to tell y'all about my thoughts on the matter.

also sorry if this is the weirdest thing I've ever posted. kinda had a major stress breakdown today but then resolved it relatively quickly cause I realized I could just reschedule the life altering appointment that was causing the breakdown lmao so I'm in a strange frame of mind lol

[mikuni14]

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo - Ep 7-8

There have certainly been many smart words written about the finale, I've managed to read only one post so far (and I totally agree with it), I've got a busy end of the week and don't really have time to read more. So I'll quickly list what I particularly liked about the finale:

as far as I can tell, the series probably wrapped up all the threads. Some things may be a bit incomprehensible, but I think that may have been the creators' intention, so that we could guess many things rather than be told specifically by the series. Like, for example, the reasons why JuYeong stayed and took care of DoHoe's father. There could be several such reasons and each one is good (and each one could be wrong lol). Such a wrap-up of threads, a satisfying finale and leaving viewers with a sense of closure is not that common in BL series, especially those that aspire to be more serious, we all know that 🤷‍♀️ so I really appreciate it!

the actors are excellent, I really liked, for example, how looking at DoHoe's body, figure, face, one could clearly deduce his current condition. This zombie-like rigidity, apathy versus ease, a broad smile, uncontrollable bursts of laughter... it was just 👌

I liked this juxtaposition of the oppressive, homophobic, obedience-enforcing and punishing version of religion, with the positive version of religion, i.e. "and the truth shall set you free" :) Because yes, truth, honesty, liberated DoHoe, made him feel free at last, made him feel at peace

I liked this "simple, ordinary" ending in general, where the answer turned out to be a simple, ordinary truth and honesty. Even if it involves pain, loss of something, consequences. And how even these consequences cannot overshadow the overwhelming sense of freedom and peace that is immediately visible in DoHoe. I like the lack of a sugary-sweet ending: DoHoe suffers the consequences of his lies, although as viewers we root for him and want him not to be punished at all

I absolutely love JuYeon's unconditional feelings, how he helps DoHoe over and over again, just like HyeonHo, who, even when rejected, after a difficult conversation, is still ready to help DoHoe

just like the unconditional standing by the child, even at their own expense

JuYeong, when he is serious and so matter-of-fact, when he sees reality for what it is, not believing DoHoe's "mean" but also empty words about breaking up. How many such situations have we seen, when one rejects the other for Noble Motives, or Out of Fear, or for some other Bullshit Reason, when due to an irritating lack of communication the other leaves hurt and then, frustrated, we watch them suffer for several episodes convinced of their unrequited love 😬 JuYeong is not like that, he knows DoHe, he believes in his love, he doesn't believe DoHoe's words because he knows him - this knowledge of the other person, their past, their personality is something I love in my romances, and what makes me believe in love watched on screen as a viewer. Personally, I can't stand this trope when someone is pretending or saying something ooc for them and the other person just buys it. I always ask then: do you even know who you love? Because it's so obvious ooc for them! 😤Super happy that JuYeong is like "I'm not going anywhere and I don't think you actually mean it"

I love how they talk about themselves, their relationship, their life together, their future together, like a real couple, real people 🥰

I love JuYeong because he educated himself in various, sometimes serious, sometimes funny topics 🤩 I often hear men people complaining that they can't handle various things because their parents / school / no one taught them, while Google and books in the library are free. JuYeong asks the internet how to live and how to be a perfect little boyfriend for his pookie and the internet answers him lmao, this is just so simple and perfect. JuYeong is the best!

teddy-bear pajamas! (I will put a gif of them later, love it so much!)

HyeonHo is so fiiiiiine

(apologies for the screenshot from the gray pages but I can't make them on Gaga)

To sum up: I won't hide the fact that whether it's my own fault, or the fault of the subtitles, or the plot, or the aura of depressiveness, but episodes 4-7 were incomprehensible and chaotic for me in some parts, overly complicated at times with conversations full of ambiguities and understatements to the point of being incomprehensible (but I also completely buy the fact that I'm just too stupid to catch all the nuances lol). Overall, the series is very good, although unlike Where Your Eyes Linger, I can only watch it once. The series showed the long-term effects of domestic violence very well, realistically but with respect for the victims, without sugarcoating, without idealizing the victims. It also showed struggling with traumas, which is not always successful, it also shows how important unconditional support is, but also coming face to face with the unpleasant consequences of untreated traumas. It shows the value of love, friendship, honesty, doing what is right, without irritating moralizing. The series had a very realistic vibe, I was able to imagine all of DoHoe's feelings, and the actor convincingly played him as a lost kid, tangled in his own guilt, traumas, lies, yearning for love and hope - even though he is an adult.

The only tiny reservation I have about the series is that I would like more of JuYeong, who has also suffered so much, but from the beginning he has been a strong,leading force in their relationship and is often "the adult one". However, his type of personality, his openness, courage, honesty and straightforwardness are responsible for the fact that he copes relatively better with difficult situations. So it's not really any complaint, more an observation ;)

But apart from that, this series is really good aaaand has a good, happy ending, yay!💖

[dawnbreakerluna]

i was inspired by many creators talking about this but here are some of my formal criticisms of l&ds because no matter how much i love this game and find it near-perfect, there are still flaws!

zayne's english voice lines. while it didn't bother me on the level that it did most in the past, i do think infold could do a great service of rerecording the interaction lines. they finally found the right footing for his tone and how to capture his character with the later affinity content and the recent events / main story chapter. please! i beg! (i'm already aware the localization isn't top tier but i feel this is a somewhat doable fix, though tedious.)

the timing of banners. in this economy? insane. also i'm gonna be real, i'm unemployed right now (it was an unfortunate circumstance) and my means of finding a proper job is honestly difficult with my full load of classes. it's hard being a f2p player especially when the rewards for grinding isn't as hefty as i'd like it to be. i think it's decent for what it is right now, but it could be better. also... they need to space this shit out. LMAO. i've played my fair share of gacha and otome games, yes, but with how fast-paced the updates for this game is, infold could at least offer some more in-game benefits or rewards. (ex. giving out free 10 pulls... if you're going to do a quad banner, i wouldn't mind 40 free pulls as i could just grind the rest during the duration of that event.)

increasing rewards for daily tasks/challenges/etc. because what am i gonna do with 30-50 gens per card upgrade, and so on and so forth. i also would like a new update to the abyssal chaos deductions. maybe upgrade the rewards cap since so many of us (i assume) have already maxed it out. unfortunately as a girlie who fucking loves hack and slash games, abyssal chaos is my favorite game mode and it doesn't stress me out. (a bitch is STRUGGLING with her protocore levels right now.)

infold's stance on lgbtq+ fan content. i already wrote a post here somewhat related to this. while i'm talking fans specifically, infold's stance is what i feel significantly influences the homophobic behavior. yes, we know it's an otome game. yes, we know what otome means. but i just call it what it is and i think the love interests are not confined to strict heterosexuality and the norms of it.

the characterization and treatment of the LIs. i'll be honest one of the huge turn offs for me for rafayel is the way the mc's responses are programmed towards him. while i don't mind banter in the way that it's done for zayne/sylus, i don't like how snarky it is on the player's end for rafayel. also, i know i'm a pervert on the main but i do think infold could chill a bit on the hypersexualization in certain instances (sylus). because there's no way you're gonna give me 50% and then not fulfill the rest. this is the worst kind of foreplay.

i've seen a few instances of people from cn explaining that there's setbacks due to cultural norms, etc. that would prevent something like a card with fully explicit sex being made. that's why there's only sexually implicit content. (if anyone could provide context on this or confirm, do add!) ((yes, i've seen the car sex card from mqlc... need that with zayne actually.))

every day i'm thankful for the misty invasions event, but i still have hope for more. i guess what i'm trying to say is that infold is already on a good run with making this game as to appeal to a more mature audience, yet... THERE COULD BE MORE. idk.

[noxiatoxia]

What’s the worst cause of a bad translation in danganronpa? I just saw your posts about it and was wondering how it it was

I didn't answer this right away because I spent some time thinking on it.

If you want my honest opinion, I don't think there's necessarily one "worst" translation. To me, it's more of a series of small translation errors / willfully removing character quirks that add up overtime to the bigger picture.

However, there are some specific egregious examples. I highly suggest this article on DR1's translation, as it paints a clear picture for the rest of the series (which abide by similar translation errors/choices).

In said article, however, I think is the worst translation I can think of in Danganronpa off the top of my head.

This is pretty bad for several reasons. Firstly, the official TL completely flipped the meaning of Naegi's sentence. I've seen bad translations in Danganronpa, but to completely 180 the meaning of a sentence is pretty bad. Furthermore, I think a joke was lost here. Naegi claims he is not a "Stand User", which is a JoJo reference. This being changed to a generic "I'm not psychic" I think ruins the joke that Naegi, who claims to have no hobbies, is making a reference to a manga - something many consider reading to be a hobby.

Plus, considering this is your first introduction to the character, and this is your foundation for understanding them...yeah. Not good.

SDR2 has a similarly bad introduction for Hinata, though not quite as egregious.

Left is the official translation, right is my fan translation patch.

This is pretty bad considering this is the crux of Hinata's motivations as a character. He does not think the people who attend Hope's Peak are marvelous. He thinks Hope's Peak itself is amazing. That's the whole point of his story, after all. He idolizes Hope's Peak. Never in the game do we see him idolize the students themselves beyond a simple "Wow, you sure are skilled, I can see why you got in". In fact, he routinely is pretty judgemental of them.

There's other things here and there. Komaeda's love confession in his final free time event was botched, as well as Saionji and Koizumi's love confessions in Island Mode.

Mioda's talent was messed up, too. She is not the Ultimate Musician. She is the Ultimate K-On Club Member. This is a pretty Japanese thing, hence the change, but if it were me, I would have gone with "Ultimate Pop Rock Musician" because that's what K-On music basically is, in terms of English genres. This is why the screamo music joke falls flat in my opinion. Of course she likes/plays metal, she's the Ultimate Musician. Except it was supposed to be more shocking since you're told she makes upbeat pop rock music.

Danganronpa also has just...a lot of clunky-sounding dialogue. Maizono's freetime event about the crane is very painful to read, as it is littered with references to Japanese folk lore which is not handled well in English, making it sound very unnatural.

Plus, this line:

was changed. Usually, when given your multiple choice in freetime events, you're supposed to guess what the other character is referring to. Notably, that isn't the case here. You're simply supposed to guess which of these birds are the biggest.

In the Japanese version, Maizono says, "It appears often in Japanese folklore. You know, that bird lives for a thousand years, a tortoise ten thousand years..."

To which Naegi thinks, "She must be talking about..."

Maizono is using a Japanese proverb (a crane lives for a thousand years, a tortoise ten thousand years), which strangely even the wiki seems to miss and mistakenly attributes it to her referencing Urashima Tarō. It's basically her saying "fill in the blanks, you know how this saying goes"...but since that saying is not known among English players, this part is poorly reworked.

Similarly, Twogami's final freetime event was written oddly.

I get what's trying to be achieved here, but it still sounds...not great. The point of the scene is that Togami from DR1 uses "omae" when referring to people, which is a very masculine/rude way to say "you". Twogami drops the act in this sentence and uses "kimi", which is a much softer ways to say "you". Hinata acknowledges this, but since there's only one "you" in English, they tried to word it as best as they could. Personally, I would have just reworded the scene entirely to make Twogami's sentence much softer in general, and then have Hinata comment, "It's weird hearing you speak so politely. The Togami I know is constantly looking down on others."

So, when it comes to the official Danganronpa translation, you're basically contending with 1) a lot of mistranslations, 2) removal of nuances in speech and 3) a lot of clunky, poorly naturalized dialogue. As the article I linked pointed out, even in Japanese, Danganronpa isn't some masterpiece of writing, but undoubtedly a lot is lost from these decisions.

Keep in mind these are just the ones off the top of my head I found worth pointing out in this post. There's probably way worse ones I didn't even think of, since I don't have either the English or Japanese text line for line memorized.

IMO, the best Danganronpa game in terms of text is Another Episode, 100% only because nearly every line in that game is read aloud. I find that trials in Danganronpa typically have marginally less clunky-sounding dialogue in English, and that I believe is entirely due to the fact they have people actually reading this stuff out loud. They can catch if it sounds weird out loud and then change it. So Another Episode, which is basically entirely voice acted, has the most natural-sounding dialogue in the whole series.

V3 I know very little about as I am not a fan of that game...but from what I've seen/heard, it's not much better despite coming out quite some time after SDR2. Gokuhara's speech patterns were entirely rewritten in English to sound like Tarzan...I guess to match his design? If I had to make him speak like any of the existing characters, I'd say he's more in line with Sonia's English translation. Just strange all around.

[travisdermotts]

Blue Jays / Maple Leafs Number Twins

Saw Kikuchi wearing #16 so I was curious who else shared numbers:

#2 - Orelvis Martinez / Luke Schenn

#3 - Otto Lopez / Justin Holl

#15 - Whit Merrifield / Alexander Kerfoot

#16 - Yusei Kikuchi / Mitch Marner

#24 - Nate Pearson / Wayne Simmonds

#25 - Daulton Varsho / Connor Timmins

#30 - Alejandro Kirk / Matt Murray

#34 - Kevin Gausman / Auston Matthews

#37 - Chad Green / Timothy Liljegren

#52 - Anthony Bass / Noel Acciari

#56 - Zach Pop / Erik Gustafsson

#58 - Tim Mayza / Michael Bunting

#90 - Adam Cimber - Ryan O'Reilly

(Honourable mention: #38 - Nathan Lukes / Rasmus Sandin)

[lazylittledragon]

ok someone please correct me if i'm wrong but am i weird for thinking those 'audiobooks don't count as reading' posts are ableist as fuck????