#i hope the next game just like. i hope they don't feel like they have to bloat it with all the new plot?

[svnriseblvdd]

neighbour! clark kent x new girl! reader

SYNOPSIS: when your car breaks down right as you need to pick up a friend in metropolis, clark offers to give you a ride (not the type you want) and you step up your game.

everyone thank my writer's block, because if not for that, this would never have been as out there as it is. like if i'd released this half a week ago, it would not be anywhere near this level. i still had writer's block while grinding this out, so every question of where to go next was answered with 'make it HORNIER'. and you're welcome.

WARNINGS: mentions of road head, brief palming, accidental crotch grab, innuendo, clark is perpetually horny and shameful (who isn't?), he's still so down bad and needs loving desperately. (someone let this boy get RAILED (that's my job, really, but i promise i've got one more chapter idea before he FUCKS))

part one! part two! part three!

You sigh frustratedly as you lift the hood of your car to try to gauge the problem. Perhaps the problem was that the car was old as hell, just repainted and spruced up a little to give the illusion that it was simply vintage, not a second hand metal bag of parts. 

“Everything okay?” 

You look up to find Clark coming over. Whether it's good luck or not, you've broken down in front of the Kents house. No family nicer than the Kents exist. It's entirely possible. They're endlessly helpful. The problem, as always, is their gorgeous son. 

It's hot out, he's been sweating enough to give him a particular entrancing sheen over his skin. And now you're frustrated for two very different reasons. 

“No. Stupid car broke down,” you muttered, chest heaving in a sigh. 

Clark’s gaze wanders, against his will. All of a sudden, he’s looking at your chest, the way your breasts have been pushed up by a combination of that gorgeous tank top and probably the bra beneath it. And now he’s thinking about your underwear. You in your underwear and nothing else. You standing in your underwear in front of him, begging for his help once again. 

He closes his eyes firmly and looks away, mentally smiting himself. He can’t think about you like that. You’re his neighbour, his friend, and you’re in trouble. 

He clears his throat, speaking in the hopes that he can distract himself from the sight of your cleavage and bare legs. “Okay, well, why don't we push it up to the house? We can take a look at it, see if we can get it started again. If not, at least it's not out in the road in the way.” 

“Yeah, I guess. Thanks.” 

And so the two of you manage to push your crappy car up to the front of the house, where Mr Kent joins you to take a look at it with Clark. 

“Good news is, it's totally fixable. Bad news is, you'd need a mechanic to do it. We'll call them and they can tow it from here.” 

You sigh, looking at your watch. “Damn it. I'm supposed to pick up my friend from the station in Metropolis in a couple of hours.” 

“Well, I can take you in our car,” Clark suggests. 

“You'd do that?” You ask, and he nods, charming smile still there. You grin, throwing your arms around his neck in a hug as his arms slide around your waist. “Thank you, Clark, you're a lifesaver.” 

Clark can feel as the blush begins to set in. “Yeah, of course. We can get going as soon as you're ready to.” 

“I'm ready now, if that's okay?” 

“Yeah, absolutely.” 

It’s not until you’re in the passenger seat and on the road that either of you speak again. “So, who’s your friend?” 

“Just one of the girls from Central City. I told her she could visit once I was settled in. She’s fun, you’ll love her.” 

You play with your hair, and it sends a fresh whiff of your scent in Clark’s direction. He doesn’t know if it’s perfume or shampoo, but he knows he’s already addicted. You cross one leg over the other, and fold your arms. Clark glances over, a moment of weakness that he hates himself for. It’s like he wants to punish himself. Something in him that says that if he’s going to think like this, he can go unsatisfied and hurting. It’s not logical. In fact, he knows that looking is the one indulgence he’ll allow himself. A brief glance that he won’t let linger, thoughts he’ll bury as long as possible. 

“I’m sorry about your car,” he says, in an attempt to distract himself from your bare legs and accentuated cleavage. 

You smile a little. “Don’t worry about it. Thank you for helping.” 

“Yeah, don’t mention it.” 

“No, really, Clark, thank you,” you say, turning towards him and leaning over the console in the centre, hands resting on it and pushing your breasts up and together. “You’re always there whenever I need you. You’re so good, Clark.” He’s going to explode again. “Really. I can’t thank you enough.” 

Yet again, your attempts seem to have been either obliviously ignored or politely rejected, as Clark doesn’t respond to them. Granted, this was one of your more low-key comments, but he hasn’t even glanced at your tits, and they’re right there! 

So you decide to double down. Test to see if he’s just oblivious, awkward, or not interested. 

One of your hands lands on his thigh. He blinks, but doesn’t look at you. “You’re so helpful, Clark. Always happy to help when I need you. And I always need you. There has to be some way for me to repay you.” Your hand travels further up his thigh. In an ideal world, you’d be giving him road head right now, not halfway to it. 

Clark finally looks at you, his cheeks a little flushed, and as he turns his head, his gaze lands right on your chest. 

Immediately, though, a car horn sounds, and Clark’s eyes dart back onto the road in time to swerve back into his own lane. The road had been totally empty for a while now, it hadn’t even occurred to him that eventually they had to run into someone. 

He blinks heavily. “Sorry. I’m sorry.” 

You smile, eyes bright with mischief. “For the nearly dying? Or the other thing?” 

“Uh, both. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.” 

You giggle. “It’s okay, Clark. Really, you’re fine. More than fine.” 

Your hand is still on his upper thigh, a dangerous place. A bump in the road underneath the right front wheel jolts you, and your hand accidentally slips onto Clark’s crotch, applying pressure. His eyes go wide as saucers, a strangled noise barely escaping him before he gets a hold of his vocal cords. 

“Oh!” You gasp. “I’m sorry, Clark!” 

You pull your hand off, returning to your side of the car. That had slightly ruined your entire plan. It was a total accident. You hadn’t meant to straight up grab the guy. Just tease him a little. Shit. 

When you get out of the car at the Metropolis station to go find your friend, Clark takes the opportunity to do some breathing exercises, and uses the cover of his jacket to his advantage, palming at himself to relieve the ache a little for now. He bites the inside of his cheek to suppress the urge to make some sort of sound. He doesn’t know what it’ll be, and he’s alone in the car, but whatever it is, it’ll be embarrassing enough even if he’s the only one to hear it. So instead he just breathes a little irregularly, head tilted back a little against the headrest. 

He sees your friend with you as you approach the car again, and he tears his hand away from himself begrudgingly. Your friend has a grin on her face, eyes wide with excitement as you both talk with equal enthusiasm. 

You join her in the back this time, probably for the best, but you’re still on the opposite side of the car to him, so he sees you easily in the mirror, and all he needs to do is turn his head a little and let his peripheral vision do the rest. 

“Oh, you’re so right,” your friend says, and you shush her despite your giggling. 

taglist;

@blueeweeb

@ssnapsaurus

@artyandink

@i-got-a-bad-feeling-about-this

@milestellerismybf

@purple-1995

@writergiih

@elysianrosie

@glennussy

[ippipo]

self aware caleb

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | smutty stuff | part 4

"how would you react if i came to your world?"

the question caught you off guard. "where is this coming from?" you ask. "nothing, just wondering," he replies, although you didn't exactly believe him. sure, you hoped he would, but it wasn't realistic.

"now that you ask, i don't think i would be ready," you reply honestly. you don't notice the way his expression drops. "i would be surprised in a good way, of course. but i don't think it's realistic."

"hm," and with that, he remains quiet the entire time. you ask him questions and he replies normally, but he never initiated the conversation for a while.

the next day, he suddenly calls out to you while you were eating. "y/n, i'll be busy for a while. i have some things to take care of," he says, leaving without giving you a chance to reply. strange.

the next few weeks after that were incredibly gloomy. everything happened so fast, you didn't have time to process it. and everything ended even quicker that you didn't get to enjoy the time you had with him. your game wasn't working anymore. caleb wouldn't reply to your texts on the weird number he texted you from. and college kept getting more stressful.

it wasn't until you got some time to yourself after a hectic week. you waltzed into your living room and before you could reach the sofa, you fell onto your knees. after days of holding it in, you realized how much toll it took on your body.

you cupped your face as you tried to stop the burning tears which threatened to come out. soon, those tears turned into painful sobs. you cried out, trying to breath in but your chest was hurting. you missed him so much and you didn't even realize it until now.

caleb had become such a common part of your life in the past six months to the point that his absence feels like you lost a part of yourself. "get it together," you scold yourself, voice quivering as you sobbed uncontrollably. 'what did i do wrong?' you ask yourself.

'everything seemed fine, so what happened now?' the question looming over your mind the entire night till you were too tired and passed out from exhaustion on the floor.

when you woke up after your breakdown, it was around 1 am in the morning. and you slowly started resenting caleb for it. he got you hooked and suddenly left you with no explanations whatsoever.

a notification pops up on your screen, and you were so not in the mood for it. but you decided to reply to it anyway.

ne-andy-thal 👅

babe

you wont believe what just happened

pls wake up i miss u alresdy

plsplsplsplspls

actually ill text u tomorrow morning

i heard the engineering department busted their asses off and roped in other deps too, are u doing alright?

anyways, love u sleep well sorry for disturbing u <3

bitch you just saw my message

answer me tf???

you

hey

i'm not in the mood rn andy

ne-andy-thal 👅

rude??

you

sorry, i'm just going through some stuff

ne-andy-thal 👅

is everything ok bby? what happened??

you

no, things just took a turn and everything is spiralling outta my control

ne-andy-thal 👅

i have some news that might distract u if u wanna listen

its pretty big news

and u wont believe me at first but i have proof too

you

go on

ne-andy-thal 👅

can i come over for this?

ill bring over some ice cream for u to wallow

i have cookies and cream

you

please?

andy bae, did i ever tell you how much i love and cherish you?

ne-andy-thal 👅

never before 😒

but ill accept it now

cuz im such a great friend

you

💋💋💋

ne-andy-thal 👅

ewwww 🤢🤮

you

asshole

come over quick

"you will not fucking believe what just happened," andy comes in with a bang on your front door. you wince at the noise. "honey, calm down, it's 2 am in the fucking morning," you warn before pulling him to your side and hugging him. his warmth giving you the much needed comfort.

"aw my baby, are you alright?" he asks while rubbing your back. you sniffle and answer, "no, everything sucks."

"distract me?" you ask. "alright, yes. so basically, you know the game we play, right?" his words make you frown, remembering caleb. you nod, trying to not let it affect you.

"so, sylus is....sentient," he says with enthusiasm in his tone, completely contradicting your indifferent state. "why are you not excited?" he asks with a glare. "i- well, you know how i just had a breakdown?" you begin, watching him nod.

"that was because there was this whole fiasco where caleb became self aware six months ago, and now he left without saying a word or two," you continue, watching as andy goes through a spectrum of emotions.

"wha- wait, what?!" he gasps loudly, making you wince. "too loud, babe," you say. "right, sorry. but you didn't even care to tell me? your best friend?" his glare intensifies. "sorry.....i just thought you would freak out," you admit with an apologetic smile.

"okay, my feelings aside, let's focus on you first. were you guys dating?" he asks. "no, i don't know what it was, i just knew i had a thing for him a-and now it's all gone," your voice breaks in between. andy pulls you into an embrace before running his hand through your hair, trying to comfort you. it worked like magic.

"i'm so sorry, honey. maybe we could ask sy? only if you want to know. it's totally fine if you want to detach from the whole thing," he suggests, hugging you tighter when he feels a wet spot on his shoulder. "i really want to know."

"alright, then. but let's get you freshened up first, you stink right now," he covers his nose mockingly. you slap his shoulder and laugh. "strange way to thank your amazing friend, but it's okay for today," he huffs.

you take a quick shower and notice that andy put your clothes out. you smile at the action and make a mental note to give him the biggest hug known to mankind before he leaves tomorrow. you wear your clothes and leave your room, only to find a familiar deep voice talking to your best friend.

"she's doing alright, now. all i gotta do now is stop her from finishing both the tubs leaving nothing for me before she gets a sugar rush and destroys me in mario kart," he complains to his phone. a deep chuckle erupts from the phone. "can't believe you're complaining about me to my second favourite character, what a great friend," you roll your eyes at him before settling down next to him, cuddling up to his warmth.

"hi, hope you're feeling better. i just heard what happened," sylus says to you, a smile ghosts over his lips. you shy away from his vision, feeling strange and embarrassed. "she is, she has me, after all," andy pops in between, putting you in a headlock with his slightly muscular arms, choking you in that process.

"a-and-dy, can't b-breathe," you choke out. he quickly removes his hands and hits your back for some reason. "sorry, sorry, sorry. are you okay?" he apologizes frantically. you recover from the lack of oxygen and notice sylus's amused smile, directed towards your friend. you grin internally at the clear display of silent admiration.

andy walks to the refrigerator to get your ice cream and you take it as the perfect opportunity to call out sylus. "keep it in your pants, sylus," you say with a giggle, watching as he turns away while his ears turn red.

"here's your ice cream," andy sings out and places the tub in front of you, ready to be emptied within a few moments. "today i'm gonna introduce you to the worst thing that will ever happen to you, sy," andy says it in an eerily enthusiastic voice. "and that is?" sylus raises a brow.

"the notebook." you snort when you hear andy's words. you really wanted to see sylus cry, for some sick reason. "interesting," he says as his eyes follow andy's movements. the three (two) of you settle down comfortably, wrapped up in a warm blanket and a full tub of happiness along with the most saddest film known to mankind.

you look at your best friend one last time, a fuzzy feeling erupting inside your chest, feeling so fucking grateful you had someone to lean on.

somewhere in the dark in your room, a figure shuffles from its place. a heavy gaze directed towards you and your friend in the living room.

[kiszjuli]

⁀➷⊹ ࣪ ˖~ THE LA LA LOVE SERIES .ᐟ

introducing the la la love series ── a collection that celebrates your lucky love surrounding valentine's day

💭

♡ MARK LEE ⁀➷⊹

MY GIRL .ᐟ

prologue. "i think i'd rather wait for someone i want to say yes to,"

pairing. shyboy!mark x popular!reader

synopsis. in which mark has apparently claimed you in his heart, and to no one other than his friends. hiding his feelings thinking that he didn't have a chance, he gets extremely jealous when someone tries to ask you out for valentine's day. you're his girl.

♡ HUANG RENJUN ⁀➷⊹

SOMETHING NEW .ᐟ

prologue. "guessing you're not here for pink heart cookies?"

pairing. barista!renjun x burntout!reader

synopsis. tired of all of the valentine spirit at your usual coffee shop, you try a different one a little further from your campus. a less populated, more mellow place, and there you meet huang renjun. you were never one to believe in things like love at first sight; until you met him. all it took was one cup of coffee.

♡ LEE JENO ⁀➷⊹

CLASS CRUSH .ᐟ

prologue. “my brain just goes blank when i look at you…”

pairing. collegeTA!jeno x student!reader

synopsis. in which your shy and reserved TA from your literature class started acting a little different. harboring a crush on you for months, he finally gets the courage to confess to you…on valentine’s day.

♡ LEE DONGHYUCK ⁀➷⊹

BURNT HEARTS .ᐟ

prologue. "..you in the kitchen? with an oven?...that's on?"

pairing. sweetheart!donghyuck x baker!reader

synopsis. lee donghyuck never stepped foot in a kitchen for more than a midnight snack, but for valentine's day he is determined to bake something for you-the campus's best baker and the girl who stole his heart without even trying. when things don't go as he planned, he still shows up armed with charm.

♡ NA JAEMIN ⁀➷⊹

YOU WIN .ᐟ

prologue. "i don't always win, but i promise you i will this time..."

pairing. varsity!jaemin x photographer!reader

synopsis. in which jaemin has been pining after you and makes you a deal. if he wins the valentine's day basketball game, you have to go out with him. you agreed, but you knew you didn't like him like that. at least that's what you've been telling yourself.

♡ ZHONG CHENLE ⁀➷⊹

PERFECT EXCUSE .ᐟ

prologue. "..us. you. me. valentine's day fair,"

pairing. playful!chenle x perfectionist!reader

synopsis. you never cared much for valentine's day. it's not that you needed to, because school was more important. however, when you get roped into a (stupid) day at the valentine's day fair, with the annoyingly charming zhong chenle, maybe your perspective will change.

♡ PARK JISUNG ⁀➷⊹

LOVE BET .ᐟ

prologue. "pfft, you'll be crying into your wallet by next week,"

pairing. bestfriend!jisung x bestfriend!reader

synopsis. you and your bestfriend jokingly make a bet that whoever doesn't get a valentine has to pay for dinner at you guys' favorite restaurant, which is quite expensive. as valentine's day approaches, you both realize that you don't exactly like the idea of the other person going out with someone..

💭 j.note. hi luvvs!! i am so so so excited for this series to come out! i really hope you guys are looking forward to it and they will becoming out one by one starting february 7th! i figured i'd post the masterlist first so that you guys can get the feel and yeah! i hope you enjoy them, and until then if you would like to be added to the taglist (if anyone) just comment! <3

[thefrontmanscockwarmer]

Hi!! Wondering if you can do when thanos is fucking shy reader and then reader starts crying during the FUCKING, after that make thanos cum on readers face and he just goes to his own bed like nothing happened BTW LOVE YOUR STORY'S + HCS!!🤗 *IM SORRY IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND KMS*

Crybaby

Thanos x reader [SMUT]

Masterlist

You stood in the noisy room, looking for team members. You were turned around talking to someone else trying to convince them to let you join but, they didn’t want you. Said you looked too weak and they didn’t know what game they were going to play.

“Hey, excuse me?” A voice came from behind you accompanied with a tap on your shoulder. You turned and saw a purple hair guy. “Join my team”, he said confidently. You were too shy to ask questions. Already having to step out of your comfort zone to talk to other people. You nodded,

“Yes.” He eyed you a cocky grin plastered on his face. You guys all sat together. You, Purple haired guy, a longer black haired guy, another quiet guy, and a girl with piercings. You stayed with the purple haired guy.

“So, shy one, what’s your name?” He turned to you, practically jumping around in his skin.

“Uhh, my name is (y/n)(l/n)” you say quietly, turning red from embarrassment for no reason.

“My name is Thanos, welcome to the Thanos world” he made a gesture. You gave a simple half smile and turned to watch as the games began.

“Guys, what are we each good at?” The girl spoke. “We have to plan.” She said with resolve.you sat quietly, hoping you’d just get put to do a game, and not have to speak, but all eyes settled on you,

“I was always really good at Gong-Gi” you voice quietly. They nodded with consideration, planning how the rest of the games would go.

Your teams turn was up. Long haired boy went first, Ddajki. Quit guy went second, flying stone. Your turn, you focused and went as fast as you could at Gong Gi, not messing up or missing a single beat; the purple haired guy shaking you with excitement. Pierced girl went next, spinning top, and finally, Thanos. Scoring a fantastic 5 in a row a Jequi.

You were uncuffed, and let back into the common room. Sitting with your new group as they spoke loudly. You sat farther away, leaning against the beds, watching other players filter in. They all went around saying their names. Min- Su, Nam Guy, Thanos, and Se Mi.

As the rest of the players came in, you were passed food. You sat back were you were too shy to even look at anyone.

Time skip:

You laid quietly in bed by Thanos. He unashamedly, pulled his cock out. Beginning to stroke himself. He noticed your eyes watching him.

“Psst, hey.” He whispered to you. You blushed a red shade of red, thankfully, not visible.

“H-h-hey” you whispered back.

“”Since you’re staring want to help?” He asked. You stayed silence, to afraid to say anything. You slowly nodded, he got up and walked to your bed. “Pull your pants down”

“O-o-okay” you obeyed, pulling your sweats down far enough so he could get inside of you. “O-oh god, that feels good.” You half moan. Your embarrassment at your compromised position racking your brain. Thanos thrusted inside of you. Pushing and pulling out quickly.

“Oh, you like this? Huh?” He teased. You nodded. “God, you should see yourself” you couldn’t tell if he was making fun of you or complimenting you. Either way, it made him laugh. Your eyes prickling with tears, you couldn’t believe it. You were about to cry. No, scratch that, you were crying. Crying as you were getting dicked down by a guy you just men.

You moaned quietly as you cried, your sniffles reaching his ears through his low grunts.

“Are you crying?” He asked, seeing the shiny tears roll down your face. “Oh god, I’m going to cum, that’s making me cum” he pulls out quickly. Jerking himself off onto your face, his body convulsing slightly with each stroke as he did. “Ah, well thanks for letting me borrow you” he said, and retreated back to him bed. Almost as if he hadn’t just fucked you. You felt ashamed, determined to find a new team tomorrow as you cried yourself to sleep.

Tag list:

@nakiio5775 @christinamadsen @sebbymybaby21 @xcinnamonmalfoyx

[chelseamustdiee]

"I'm sorry, sweetie, please don't go. "

pairing : bsf! kang dae-ho (player 388) x reader

warning : death, survivors guilt, ed implied, suicidal ideation, secret feelings

a/n : this is my first time writing something like this ;,( so sorry if it is not good! It is mainly inspired by sae-byeok and ji-yeong and parallels them :)

word count : 1.3k

summary : you team up with dae-ho for the marble game knowing he is the only person in the game that you can trust

I sat on the ground caressing it for some sort of warmth I knew I was never going to get. I stared at the floor when I saw my shadow get swallowed whole by a person twice the size. I looked up to see Dae-ho was smiling at me. with no hesitation he reaches his hand out to help me off the ground.

"y/n this really isn't the best place to trust laying on the floor all day you know?" A smile slowly crept on his face trying to get me to lighten up, but all I can think is how can he manage to smirk, so confidentiality in a place like this. How could his beautiful smile end up somewhere like here? And why did I have to meet him in this condition? He stared at me for a second, realizing I wasn't going to smile. He also quickly took into account that he was still holding my hand and that I didn't let go which made him retreat his hand back to his own fondling it nervously looking everywhere but me I felt the warmth of his only for a second and I couldn't let go.

"don't worry Dae-ho you'll get me to smile someday", I said, giving him a reassuring pat on the back. Making him focus his eyes back on me. After that, we were called to get in line to be handed our lunch. But I didn't get line in that day or hardly ever since I got there. I didn't want to eat and I sure as hell didn't want to be there. God anywhere but there with kang dae-ho. I wanted to starve and I couldn't take that pit in my stomach being filled. As Dae-ho got in line he noticed I didn't budge he kept looking at me hoping I'd look back hoping I'd see him motioning for me get in line with him but he just looked like a fool. Like he did that day motioning for his dad not to send him to the marine corps I went back to my bed to sit down Dae-ho's words playing in my ear back to back like a broken record "this really isn't the best place-" Dae-ho waves his hand in front of my face seeing that I was in a state of derealization. I snap out of it and see his hand going back and forth after the third time he had waved it infront of my face

"What are you doing?" I asked confused

"You were completely out of it. You didn't look here? I think not getting enough nutrients is catching up to you" he shoots me a wink I can't help but face palm

"how could I like this guy?" I say to myself but before I could think about it too much Dae-ho interrupts my thoughts

"I know you dont want to eat but you need something even if it's just my milk take it please" I want to refuse so badly but something in me just won't let it

I can't say no to the only person I trust and if I trust him he must know whats best for me right? I reach out my hand for his milk and he eagerly gives it to me smiling from ear to ear I start to drink little by little like a kitten drinking from its mother but it ended as I was a kitten taking its mother for every drop of milk she had left. I was greedy. I felt ashamed. I needed more. before I could ask for Dae-ho's food the next game was announced

"for this game you must pick a partner" Me and dae-ho immediately lock eyes since we were already beside each other We had yet to realize this was the biggest mistake we had made After we got to pick our partners we were lead to a room with a bunch of houses that looked like our childhood homes But something was missing That joy was taken away and replaced with grief we were lead to section of the room we hear an announcement over us stating the rules

"whoever manages to take all 10 marbles from their partner wins." realization set in that we had to play against each other.

"Fuck" we both share a thought of concern We both looked at each other with nothing but love for one another And in that moment all our fears were gone it's like time had stopped and we were safe. Dae-ho knew what he had to do. We got our marbles out and started to play the game I miss on purpose the first couple times which makes Dae-ho upset he catches up quickly to what I'm doing

"Stop fucking around this is your life on the line" he says harshly In response I look at him as if he was a stranger. Like we weren't partners or even friends.

"This your life too dumbass" I say making sure he knows I can talk to him just as harsh even though I wish I didn't. I never wanted to talk to him that way and I'm sure he didn't want to either. He looked at me the same as if he didn't recognize me either Two turns had passed and I'm winning so far which Dae-ho is oddly happy about. which strikes concern in me I look at him for a bit then words manage to escape my lips

"what are you planning to do when you get out of here?" he stiffens up. He knew he wasn't making it out.

"I want to reunite with my sisters I'd like for them to meet you too" how could he say that knowing he wasn't going to make it out. Not knowing if he even fully wanted to make it out. A smile forms my lips and quickly fades. He returns the question I reluctantly answer

"I want to travel maybe even with you by my side and with all of your sisters I will meet." He managed to force a smile. Through that smile showed he was uncertain of the consequences of his foreseeable actions for the rest of the game I had blink and it felt as if an hour has passed all I needed was to take Dae-hos last marble and all this would be over right?

Dae-ho couldn't bring himself to look at me he didn't want me to play for his last marble He gave it up that marble was a symbol of friendship, hope, trust and loyalty things I didn't know before I came to the games I refused to take it but he grabbed my hand firmly but gentle as he opened my hand I couldn't bare the thought of what was going to happen next

"Y/n.. please know I'm doing this for you. I can't see you die in front of me. I won't let it happen." Tears form his face I reach to catch the tears before they can fall wiping them from his face he whispers softly in my ear

"I have to go now y/n... can you tell my sisters I'm sorry" I grab dae-ho not wanting to let him go even if my life depended on it At this moment it had already felt like my life had been taken. There was no point. He gave me a hug goodbye. He forced himself to let go not wanting to look back at me He stood in front of the pink guard waiting for this all to be over. The guard fired two shots at Dae-ho in each of his shoulders. I ran to him, caressing his body as he bled out beneath me in my arms. no matter how hard I tried get he wounds to stop bleeing they kept going worse and worse as the seconds went by. There was nothing I could do to save Dae-ho, the boy who paired up with me every game, the one who introduced me to our other team members. The boy who gave me his food, so I wouldn't completely starve. That boy had been ripped away. I held his body so close it felt as if we were one. I heard him whisper one last time. He said trembling

"I... love... you y/n.." I tried to keep my composure but all I could say was

"don't leave me here… please god." The warmth in his body had turned to ice. The only warmth I had known gone and it was my fault. Dae-ho was right. Not getting enough nutrients did catch up to me all of my strength had been taken I was paralyzed so many emotions had over came me.

an announcement was shared with the remaining players

"PLAYER 388 ELIMINATED..."

[bytemee]

chapter four. | WHERE DO YOU SLEEP? — YU JIMIN.

𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀 — y/n, a rising music producer, has built her dream career while keeping her personal life under wraps. karina, aespa’s leader, is preparing for a huge comeback with a mini album produced and written by the one and only y/n.

karina knows this is the opportunity of a lifetime, and she has to nail it. the only problem is, she may be a bit distracted by her producer.

something about their connection feels different—like maybe it's worth the risk of prying eyes. but how much will they give up to chase after what they want?

𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 — includes texts, kissy kissy, more suggestive jokes aha, tad angst idk?? and i think that's all.

𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 — 3k

𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲— i would update this more often but i second guess my writing so much

taglist (open) — @sunshinez4 @gtfoiydlyj @yuyuy90 @liaponderstings @rinapomu

series masterlist. main masterlist. prev. next.

"ah, shit!" you mumble at your phone screen, a deep frown on your lips. it was already the afternoon; you had spent the morning rotting in your hotel bed since you were free of schedules for the day, but now you were in the car with your manager coming back from a quick shopping trip because you didn't have anything better to do.

"what happened?" your manager asks, leaning over to see what the problem was. he lets out a small chuckle, and you shoot him a look. "oh, no, that's not good," he says, a hint of amusement in his tone.

you stare at him.

"it's not funny! i was so close to beating my high score!" subway surfers wasn't just a game to you; it was your life. your whole world revolves around getting that high score and having your name at the top of the global leaderboard. you were so close, too, but that train came out of nowhere and ended your run.

you let out a frustrated sigh, flopping back against the seat and crossing your arms over your chest. "i was so close," you mumble again, a pout on your lips. looking out the window, you watch the city pass by in a blur, the weather of seoul matching your mood—gloomy and overcast.

it was supposed to start raining soon.

your phone buzzes suddenly, and you look at the screen, your mood brightening a bit when you see the message.

a smile pulls at the corners of your lips.

tucking your phone away just as your manager glances over at you. you thin out your lips and stare the older man directly in the eyes, and he raises an eyebrow, but you quickly look away, whistling a tune to act nonchalant.

"you and karina are getting close, huh?" he says. you feel a blush creeping up your neck as you nod in response, trying to hide your smile. "she's just a friend," you say, hoping he doesn't notice the way your voice cracks slightly.

"just a friend, hm?"

"yeah," you lie, nodding once more.

there was a small pause of silence.

"i'm happy for you. i really am," he starts. here we go. the speech you've been dreading.

"but," he continues, because of course there's a but, "you've got to be careful. both of you are high-profile. you know how this industry is—fans, tabloids, all of it. the last thing you need is a dating rumor with karina."

you shift uncomfortably in your seat. "i know," you mumble.

"i mean it. her fans are..." he hesitates, searching for the right word. "passionate. and yours aren't exactly laid-back, either."

"yeah, i know," you repeat, this time a little more forcefully.

your manager lets out a long sigh. "look, i just don't want to see you get hurt again."

that makes you pause. you glance at him out of the corner of your eye. he's right—your fans and jimin's aren't exactly laid-back. you'd heard about the backlash from her last dating relationship, and you definitely don't want to go through that again with someone you've just begun seeing. it's a lot of pressure, but you know you have to be careful with how public you make your relationship. the last thing you want is for things to blow up in your face like they did with your last girlfriend.

you were 19, and it was the biggest mistake you've ever made. you were too young and naïve, and the relationship had crashed and burned within a few weeks. your fans didn't handle it well. it was all over the news, and even though the two of you tried to keep the relationship private, everyone had their eyes on you, and it was the most uncomfortable situation you'd ever been in.

comments like, "you deserve better," and, "she's not worthy of your time," filled the comment section of your social media, and it took awhile for the negative reactions to calm down. your fans are passionate, and while it can be overwhelming at times, you're so grateful for them. they've been by your side through thick and thin. you love them so much, and they care about you so much that it can sometimes be overbearing.

regardless of all that, you and your ex are still friends to this day, and you've managed to keep things cordial despite everything that happened. she understood the pressure you were under, and there was no bad blood when you decided to end things. it was a mutual decision—one made out of necessity rather than a lack of feelings. but the aftermath was something you never wanted to experience again.

"yeah, i get it," you murmur, fiddling with the hem of your hoodie. "i'll be careful. i promise."

your manager gives you a knowing look, his expression softening. "i know you will. i just... i see how happy you look these days. i don't want anything to ruin that for you."

you nod, appreciating his concern. he's been with you since the start of your career and knows you better than most people. he's seen the highs and lows, and he's always been there to guide you through it.

things with jimin already feel so different—easier, more natural. but with her being who she is and you being who you are, there's no denying that the stakes are high. it would be foolish not to acknowledge that, and you're not one to jump into things headfirst without thinking about the consequences.

you're not 19 anymore.

your phone buzzes again, pulling you out of your thoughts. it's another message from her.

"do you mind picking me up from my dorm?"

"not at all. i can be there in an hour or so."

"sounds good. can't wait."

"hurry, hurry!" you usher at jimin, holding your hands above her head in an attempt to shield her from the pouring rain. she laughs, ducking underneath your makeshift umbrella of hands, and the two of you sprint towards your driver's parked car just a few feet away.

"you know this isn't really helping, right?" she teases, but she's still smiling, her eyes shining with amusement as the rain pelts her hair and clothes.

"it's the thought that counts!" you fire back, grinning as you reach the car. the door swings open, and the two of you clamber inside, panting. your driver glances at you through the rearview mirror before turning on the heat full blast, trying to help the two of you dry off.

"you're a terrible umbrella," she quips, pushing a few wet strands of hair out of her face.

"you're so cruel, jimin." you feign hurt, leaning your head against her shoulder as the car begins to move, the sound of the windshield wipers providing a comfortable background noise. with no hesitation, jimin's head rests on top of yours, her cheek pressing against the dampness of your hair.

"i'm joking," she reassures, gently resting her hand on top of yours, which was lying against her thigh, your pinkie drawing small circles on her leg. "do you think your grandma will like me?"

you smile at her question, taking in a deep breath before responding, "yeah, she's excited to meet you."

"really?"

"of course. i told them you're the one behind all my sleepless nights lately," you joke, earning a slap on the arm from the older woman.

"ouch," you say, rubbing your arm, but you're laughing.

jimin scoffs, shaking her head.

your grandma greeted the two of you with a warm smile and open arms, along with kimchi-jjigae, banchan, and freshly steamed rice already laid out on the table. the smell wafted through the house, making your stomach growl in anticipation.

"ah, you're here!" she exclaimed, hugging you and then moving on to hug a shy and timid-looking jimin. "and this must be your friend. so beautiful!"

jimin bowed respectfully, a warm smile on her lips. "thank you for having me." your grandma chuckled, patting jimin's hands. "such a polite girl. come, come. sit down before the food gets cold."

the two of you settled down at the table, and your grandma sat across from the two of you, watching you with a fond smile. you began eating, chatting, and laughing as the three of you ate together. your grandma was a great cook, and the meal was delicious, and it wasn't long before a big book was set in front of the both of you, photos sticking out of every page.

your grandma began flipping through the album, showing off old photos of you as a kid. the first few were okay—embarrassing, yes, but tolerable.

then she landed on a particular photo, and you froze.

it was a picture of you when you were about eight years old. you were dressed up in a little yellow dress, your hair in two braids, and a pair of bunny ears sitting atop your head.

you had forgotten about the bunny ears.

"oh, my god," you mumbled, burying your face in your hands, your cheeks flushing a deep shade of red.

"is... that you?" jimin asked, pointing at the photo, her eyes wide with amusement as her jaw dropped. "yes, that's me," you grumbled, your voice muffled through your hands. you dared to peek through your fingers and immediately regretted it. jimin was practically bouncing in her seat, a grin plastered across her face as she leaned closer to the photo.

"what a cute girl! i remember this outfit." your grandma said, a huge grin on her face. "it was from the school festival. she wanted to dress up like a bunny—" jimin eagerly nodded, her gaze moving back and forth between the book and your grandmother.

"that's so cute," she said, laughing, and your grandma nodded.

your grandma turned the page in the album, her laugh bubbling up again as another photo caught her attention. "oh, look at this one," she said, pointing to a picture of you as a toddler, sitting in a high chair with your face completely smeared with what looked like chocolate cake.

jimin leaned forward, a wide smile on her face.

"look at her little cheeks," she gushed, pointing to your puffed-out baby cheeks in the photo.

"please, please, please. no more. i'm begging you."

neither of them looked up.

"wait, wait," jimin said, pointing at another photo. "is that flour? oh my, she's covered head to toe!"

your grandma burst out laughing, tapping the photo with her finger. "yes! she wanted to help me bake cookies, but she ended up making more of a mess than anything else. look at her face—completely indignant."

a small pout formed on your face as you crossed your arms. they seemed to be in their own little world, completely forgetting about your presence in the room. the pout leaves your face, replaced by a smile when you realize how happy she was making your grandmother—how happy they were making each other.

watching the two of them bonding warmed your heart. they seemed to hit it off immediately, and it was obvious that they were getting along. you clasped your hands together, resting your chin on top as you watched them. in this moment, you didn't mind being forgotten. seeing jimin this comfortable, sharing laughter and memories with one of the most important people in your life, felt like its own kind of magic.

it felt so domestic, and you found yourself wanting more moments like this, wanting to see her smiling and laughing with your family, to hear stories of your childhood, to watch her bond with those closest to you.

you wanted more, and the realization sent a wave of emotion washing over you.

but it also brought with it a feeling of fear.

after all, you're human. you've tasted what happens when you give too much of yourself, when you let someone in and the world takes notice. you didn't know how far this thing with her would go, but if history was any indication, the odds weren't exactly in your favor. you cared for her deeply, and you knew that if that time came, ending things wouldn't be easy, not by a long shot.

this wasn't just about you anymore. jimin had her own career, which involved other people you also care about, and if the two of you were caught, if the relationship was discovered, the repercussions would be massive.

could you handle being responsible for that? could she?

jimin glanced up at you, catching your gaze. a slow smile crept onto her lips, and her eyes crinkled at the corners. just for a moment, just for now, you pushed the worries out of your mind.

and instead, you just smiled back.

the photo album neared its end; your grandma let out a satisfied sigh, gently closing the book. "ah, so many memories. i'm glad i got to share them with such a lovely guest." she patted jimin's hand, who blushed at the praise.

your grandma stood from the table, collecting the photo album and placing it back on the shelf. "you two should take some time to relax. y/n, why don't you show her your old room?"

you nodded, pushing back your chair as jimin followed your lead. you led her down the hallway, pointing out old family photos along the way. opening the door to your childhood room, you watched as jimin's eyes lit up, a wide smile spreading across her face.

the walls were a pale blue color, with white trim and a small window that looked out onto the garden. there was a twin-size bed, covered with a floral-patterned quilt, and a dresser topped with a few knickknacks.

jimin walked around the room, examining the shelves lined with trophies, ribbons, and other awards from various music competitions you'd won when you were a kid. there were also pictures of you with various teachers, a few framed magazine clippings, and some old concert tickets displayed proudly on the walls.

you watched her from your bed, leaning back on your elbows as she explored. "your room is so nice," she said, running her fingers along the spines of some books on a shelf.

"yeah?" you replied, and she nodded, glancing over her shoulder at you.

"it's cute. like you."

you turned away muttering something under your breath, and she laughed, plopping down next to you on the bed. her hand reached behind you, grabbing a stuffed animal off the shelf and holding it up to your face.

"what's this?" she asked, a smile playing on her lips.

in an instant, you lunged for it, but she was too fast, pulling it out of your reach with a laugh. you narrowed your eyes at her, trying again, and again, you failed.

"what's his name?" she asked, her voice playful as she held the stuffed animal behind her back of her stretched body, just out of your grasp.

"mr. flopsy, okay? now give him back!" you exclaimed, making a third attempt to grab the stuffed animal, which she once again moved out of your reach.

"fine," you muttered, a sly grin creeping onto your face. you feigned giving up, and as soon as her hand fell, you struck. grabbing mr. flopsy and putting him behind your back before laying down on top of the brown stuffed bear, letting out a victorious laugh.

"you're suffocating him!" jimin yelled, crawling on the bed toward you, trying to save mr. flopsy from his untimely demise.

"he's fine," you retorted, rolling your eyes at jimin's dramatics. "i raised him to be tough and resilient, just like me."

"no, he's not," she said, climbing on top of you, her legs on either side of your body, reaching for mr. flopsy. she couldn't even reach him. her fingers barely scraped the fabric; instead, it felt like she was trying to tickle you, and that only made you lean deeper against the bed, laughing even harder.

noticing your giggles, she gave up on reaching for mr. flopsy and started tickling you relentlessly, her fingers digging into your sides. you squirmed, kicking your legs in the air, trying to escape her playful assault.

"stop, stop!" you managed to gasp between laughs, but she only laughed along with you, not stopping. "what?" she teased, and you squealed, grabbing her hands and intertwining your fingers with hers to stop the tickling.

both of you were gasping for air, and you stared at each other, eyes watering and chests heaving. the laughter slowly died down, and then it was just the two of you, alone in the quiet.

a beat passed.

her gaze softened as she looked down at you, her smile fading into something more tender. you blinked up at her, not sure what to say, not sure what to do, feeling like your brain had short-circuited.

then, she leaned closer, the space between you disappearing inch by inch. her nose brushed yours, and your breath hitched, sharp and unsteady. you caught the flicker of her tongue as she wet her lips, her eyes never leaving yours.

and then, her lips met yours. at first, it was gentle, almost hesitant. her hands stayed tangled with yours, her grip tightening slightly, and you pressed back, your head tilting slightly to the right, your mouth opening wider, the kiss becoming less innocent.

her soft sigh mingled with yours as the kiss deepened, her tongue sliding against yours, warm and wet. you let go of her hands, moving an arm to wrap around her frame as she leaned into you, arms circling your neck and her body molding against yours.

it was intoxicating, and you found yourself wanting more.

you were dragging yourself into a hole you might not be able to dig out of, and yet, you didn't care. the risks, the potential consequences, the worry—the worry—you were telling yourself that none of it mattered because you were willing to take the risk. you were willing to put your heart on the line, your career, your reputation, everything.

you were willing to do it all for her.

series masterlist. main masterlist. prev. next.

a/n: no they did not get freaky.

[fibromyalgicaf]

What other techniques remedied are in your chronic illness toolbox besides pain medicines?

Great question! Pain medicines aren't actually in my toolbox at all any more. I used to have tramadol prescribed for the bad days but it became less and less effective and the side-effects were not worth the small amount of relief. (And paracetamol, ibuprofen, codeine don't work)

Anyway, other things... Before I jump into the list, though, for context, I have a diagnosis of fibromyalgia and my main issues are chronic pain and fatigue so most of my toolbox focuses on those symptoms...

Things I've found helpful:

Heat packs (I have a couple microwave wheat packs)

A variety of pillows and cushions. Different thicknesses and squishiness so that I can mix and match to prop myself up in bed or make a little nest.

Squishmallows are a vital component of the pillow collection because they're so squishy that you can mold them into exactly what you need. My neck is the major offender so I mold squishmallows to cradle my head and support my neck at the best angle. The cuteness also cheers me up.

Massage tools but be careful not to over-massage

Wet wipes or flannels/wash cloths for days I can't shower (and for all my little spills; I'm a clumsy mfer)

Water bottle (although I'm terrible at drinking water so it's often filled with a cordial drink; I'm more likely to drink a decent amount and actually stay hydrated)

Silicone straws so that I can drink (from cups or cans) without moving if I'm partially laying down

Lip balm and moisturiser lives next to my bed so I can take care of my skin without having to get up if it's a bad day.

I use a lap tray at the moment for writing in bed (photo below on the left; see previous post here) but I'm hoping to get a proper wheelie tray desk thing (photo below on the right).

I have a bunch of easy app games (some of them are just idle clickers) for bed-rot days when I can't really concentrate on anything but I'm not sleeping so it's boring to stare at a wall.

I keep a set of comfy clothes near my bed so I can change without having to go far on a bad day. Changing my clothes after doing a wet wipes wash can make a big difference when I feel like shit.

A bedside hanging pocket tote like this for keeping my journal, books, straws, a simple craft activity, and other little bits and pieces. I spend a lot of time in bed so I need to have a bunch of things stored close-by. You could probably get the same function out of a box or drawer, though.

I've recently started trialling a self-propelled wheelchair so I can get out of the house on high-pain and high-fatigue days. It's not perfect because some days I struggle to self-propel (I'm talking to my doctor soon, though, and hoping I can try a powerchair or at least power-assist) but it's made a massive difference to my mood and how hopeful I'm feeling about the future.

Actions/activities I've found helpful:

I try to make myself get up and move around the house every few hours because I've found my muscles get stiff if I don't. It's also a wee bit of exercise and I don't get enough of that.

If I'm in bed all day, I try to regularly wiggle my feet and do a few leg lifts and stretches to help prevent muscle stiffness. If I can, I do little exercises in bed; I hope I can prevent losing too much muscle mass.

Journalling helps me remember important details and sort out the mess that is my inner thoughts. As well as regular journalling, I write down summaries of my appointments to refer back to later, and little bits of info on whatever I'm currently exploring (e.g. at the moment, it's a lot of notes on mobility aids).

I have a written plan (on paper but also a digital copy) for what to do on bad days. It's basically just a list of little actions I can take to make myself feel a little better or to manage symptoms (e.g. wash my face with a hot flannel, get a wheat pack, change position in bed). It's all fairly obvious stuff but, when I'm in a flare or super fatigued, I somehow completely forget what to do. By having it written down, my partner can remind me too.

I use a notes app (I won't specify which because I don't want to do their advertising for them) to keep digital copies of important info. I don't take my journal everywhere so it means I always have access to things like appointment notes or my bad-day plan. I can also share notes with my partner and family so they have the important info.

I use a digital calendar to keep track of appointments, bills, and tasks I need to do because my memory is not reliable enough these days. I make sure I share deadlines and appointments to my partner's calendar.

And finally, this is probably the most important thing for me: I do something I call Compassionate Aggressive Challenging; I try to challenge rules, standards, and ideals that I'm holding on to but that don't serve my wellbeing. Some are societal expectations like 'you get dressed when you wake up' (why should I? I'm not going anywhere and there's nothing morally wrong with pyjamas). Some are rules I've made up. Things don't need to be put away in certain places. There's no law against being pantsless in your own house. It's ok to eat a combination of "snack foods" instead of a meal you cooked on the stove (as long as you're still getting nutrition, but also some food is better than no food). We put so much pressure on ourselves to live up to standards that often don't serve us, and when we have limited capabilities, it's important to examine them and drop the dumb ones.

[wisteriagoesvroom]

in the center of this room

📃 1.4k words, rated T ⚢ a lesbian!charles x lewis ficlet (with a short girl!landoscar cameo) 🏎️ for @supercollide who sent sports car as a mini song prompt 🤓 now on ao3!

p.s. so i heard y'all going crazy about the new promo pics... p.p.s. this is an AU where lewis drinks ok, just roll with it

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

“It’s not as if I don’t like her. I am just becoming… accustomed. Like many other things,” Charlie says, over the music. She tucks her bangs behind her ear, hoping it looks as nonchalant as she admittedly doesn’t feel.

“Yeah?” Lando’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. And technically Charlie has lied, as Lewis was unlike many other things. No other person has won almost eight driver championships, for that matter.

“I mean, it is not really an easy thing, you know? Changing teammates.” 

“Oh, believe me mate, I know.” 

“Well.” Charlie casts her eyes towards another corner of the room, where Oscar, with her barely touched drink and her very practical bootcut jeans, is trying very hard not to stare at them both. “It seems yours is rather…”

“Socially awkward?” Lando offers.

“I was going to say enamoured. But I don’t really think that will be an issue with Lewis.”

“What– doesn’t bat for the team?”

“Please! In this house, darling, we all bat for one thing only. And that’s Ferrari.”

Lando doesn’t look like she believes her, but then she's distracted from the topic of Lewis, because she looks over at Oscar again. Charlie’s eyes follow. For all of the Australian driver’s F1 reaction times, she is basically rendered useless in any social setting by Lando’s mere presence. Case in point, she almost drops her entire drink down her front. 

“Maybe you should go rescue her?” Charlie says. 

Lando sighs, but she doesn’t seem that cut up about it. “Be back in a bit.” 

Charlie gives a courteous nod, and watches her go – watches as Lando’s curly hair mop of hair beelines through the crowd, and Oscar perking up as Lando heads towards her. 

Just as Charlie wonders if it is written in a motorsport manual somewhere to have strange psychosexual relations with your teammate, she turns to the bartender and orders herself another apple martini. When she turns around–

“Buonasera,” Lewis says, with a downward tilt of her chin. That voice, like rich velvet. It’s Lewis, who is dressed in bright yellow, in what might be described as street couture construction chic, in the kind of clothing that Charlie could only ever aspire to wear, without being the butt of a joke. (She now feels very underdressed and uncool, even in her finest next-season Jacquemus.)

Now, Charlie is no spring chicken. People throw themselves at her all the time, the predestined child of Ferrari. And she's well aware of how the temperature changes when she walks into a room. The value of her technical skill and social capital and that gnashing, unwieldy thing that is the rosso corsa brand, bleeding and beating and alive in her palms. She is well aware of her status as a patron saint, the vaunted subject of the tifosi's hopes and dreams and hymns. She loves it, even.

And yet. To walk with Lewis is to understand anew what it is to be anointed.

Because it’s Lewis. Multiple time world champion, multi hyphenate, philanthropist, game-changer – Lewis who has herself struck down other giants to stand tall in the pantheon of greats, the same one that Charlies dreams of being one day. And knows herself to be capable of, even if the results don't show it yet.

It seems Lewis however has no such concerns about their difference in status. Instead, she smiles. “That what you’re drinking?” 

“It’s my usual!” Charlie exclaims.

“Nah. We’re doing shots. Celebrating the pre-season in style.” 

“Aren’t we supposed to be good before the season starts?”

Lewis tilts her head, and her microbraids jangle slightly with the motion. She’s had them woven through with silver and yellow stars. Charlie had tried not to stare at how beautiful she’d looked at the photoshoot they did last week. 

“I think you’ve been plenty good,” Lewis says. "Haven’t you?”

“Are you joking with me, or trying to butter me up?”

“Can’t it be both?” Lewis demurs. So maybe she has a point there.

Charlie opts to smile back cordially, instead of having a meltdown about what this all means, in the middle of a Monaco nightclub. At any rate, Lewis doesn’t wait for a response. She just flattens both palms on the bar and kind of, poses radiantly, in that Lewis-like way, one stiletto heel crossed behind an ankle, not calling for service per se but with the utter confidence that the gravity in the room will eventually tilt towards her in some way. To Lewis’s credit, this pose also makes her ass look pretty incredible. Charlie diplomatically opts not to say this part aloud.  

Meanwhile the bartender, who has made themselves scarce, materialises like a bee zooming towards a puddle of sugar water. Perfectly timed. Lewis and the bartender exchange a couple of words, and the bartender disappears, ostensibly to find the most outrageously priced organic and ethically produced liquor bottles in the entire +377 area code. 

Charlie's throat suddenly feels dry. Music shimmers in the back, switching to something with a growling bass. Lewis doesn’t shimmy, but does drum her fingers on the bar to the beat. 

“This sounds like a song I knew before,” Lewis says. “Maybe Nico played it for me.”

“I don’t think they do 2000s music here. That’s for Thursdays,” Charles says.

Lewis pins her with a stare. “Charlie. Did you just call me old?”

Charlie puts one hand on her chest. “I would never, Ms. Hamilton.”

Lewis shakes her head, and the earlier tension eases a little. 

“Do you dance?” Charlie feels the need to ask. She’s not entirely sure why she’s asking. Lewis might as well be a god. She somehow can’t picture a god dancing. Gods are meant to be observed in ancient pictures, static and unmoving, or their likeness protected behind museum glass. She is not sure which category she considers Lewis to be in right now. She is equally surprised at her own rapacious curiosity, to find out if there’s a beating heart in there after all. Some flesh and blood for her to sink her teeth into. 

(It’s not the first time she’s felled a god. But at least Seb still takes her calls.) 

For her part, Lewis laughs. “‘Course I dance. Right song, right person.”

“And am I I the right person?” Charles asks.

Lewis holds Charlie’s gaze, and the music builds again. So much Charlie feels its pulse, from the tips of her toes to the back of her calves, the gentle quake up her spine– lust and hunger notching its way into the soft and vulnerable places where she hadn’t allowed it before. Not with Lewis, at least. 

And for a moment, so quick she almost notices, Lewis’s expression changes. Mouth curling at the corners in surprise, eyes lighting up with interest, as if she has been waiting for Charlie to drive on the limit with her, too.

But quick as the moment arrives, it passes. The shots appear on a tray, and Lewis’s attention is elsewhere. Always pulled in many directions, a woman with many ambitions, and short on time. 

She picks up the pair of shot glasses, and passes one to Charlie. When she leans on the bar again, the muscles in her arms flex, and Charlie tries again not to stare.

Charlie isn’t quite sure how to proceed. So she says the first thing that comes to mind. 

“What is it that we are drinking to, then?”

“Life. Love.” Lewis shouts. She leans closer to Charlie. Lewis smells like water and cocoa butter and something oudsy. It makes Charlie a bit dizzy, but maybe it’s just the lights and her harder-than-usual run this morning. It’s not like she was getting competitive about the season already. Of course not.

“And to winning, again.” Lewis says, low and conspiratorial. “Forza Ferrari.”

Charlie says nothing. She’s heard the words before of course, a million times. But not from Lewis. Not like this. In her mouth, it takes on a new shape, a whole new meaning. It becomes a secret, and Charlie doesn't want anyone else to know it.

So Charlie nods. Gives her assent. She clinks her glass into Lewis’s, and they both tip their heads back. The music throbs in her ears now, and the alcohol burns all the way down, settling uneasily in her stomach.

Lewis wipes her mouth with a napkin that’s materialised out of nowhere. Charlie is conscious that there are people all around the periphery who are staring at them both, but strangely, Lewis is staring just at…her. As if waiting for her to say something. Make the first move, initiate the dance.  

And in the cavernous space, the neon lights, it feels like the moment before an honest conversation. Of camaraderie. Of wonderment.

It feels like the moment before a bruise. 

[aberfaeth]

cleo @chasedeys made one of these and im procrastinating various responsibilities and tasks so i said why not! long-winded rationale below the cut and i mean LONNGGGGGG. full of haterisms but also love <3

ONE PRIDE

my babies my sweeties my cinnamon applessss the whole reason i got genuinely into football in like 2022 was bc i watched them nearly not eat shit against the bills on thanksgiving while my uncle sitting next to me explained the Fucking Curse i.e. that the lions will always lose in whatever way is most devastating to the people who care about their success. and i went HEY! NARRATIVE!!! and now the lions are REALLY GOOD and still managing to lose in the way most devastating to the people who care about their success. as i've said many a time i truly hope some enterprising individual exhumes and exorcises the bones of bobby layne i think that's the only way out but in all earnestness getting INTO into football these past few months i am so grateful these are our guys even through all the emotional turmoil. they've got an energy in the locker room i genuinely haven't seen replicated anywhere else in the league like those guys all adore each other unreservedly and they adore dan and it's so special to watch. LONGASS PLAYER RANT INCOMING amon-ra st brown my princess with so many mental problems one of these days i'm gonna make a webweave about how he has all sixteen wide receivers drafted before him and their colleges memorized and also how his dad gave him and his brothers the "st" because he thought it would look good on a jersey and had him lifting weights age 5 like. john brown you seem like a wonderful father i just think your children might have complexes. JAH AND MONTY SONIC AND KNUCKLES MY TWO HEADED MONSTER they're everything to me the way it's just purely admiration and support between them even though splitting touches is probably not the best for their careers like they just genuinely loved each other from the jump. i get emo thinking about all the shit they've each been through and to be able to come to the lions at the same time and just. find each other and feel safe enough in detroit to let themselves loose and have fun RAUGH. jg16 im the worlds number one jared goff glazer idgaf i will sing his praises from the mountaintop. im not like delusional i know he isn't in the same conversation as lamar/josh/joe/That Devil but i think the idea that the lions need a dual threat qb is so ridiculous like yeah we certainly are lacking offensive weapons here with our #2 ranked yards per game THE POINT is that a qb is more than just stats and jared goff is a leader of men like that offensive line would all take ten bullets for him and it's because he is a genuinely kind person and so so so easy to love. god. um. TA TERRION ARNOLD MY OTHER PRINCESS WITH NO MENTAL PROBLEMS AT ALL FRANKLY seeing him excited and smiley after the divisional loss bc why would you not be excited going 15-2 as a rookie hitting an insane amount of snaps most of your player core young and still on contract the world is laid out in front of you!!!!! cured my depression and i can't wait to see him continue to come into his own GOD the secondary is all so fond of each other thinking about him and kerby That's My Rook I Don't Let Nobody Play By My Rook..him and bb....him and dmo jah and craig in the who would you let date your daughter youtube short SHAKING MY FIST AT THE SKY sam laporta!!!!!!!!!!! my golden receiver king of the one handed dive catch im obsessed with his vernacular like only guy alive to use "sick" and "preposterous" in the same sentence how are you from illinois and have half a surfer accent JAMOOOOOO in possession of the best laugh in the known universe and such a goddamn weirdo like the mcflurry burger thing and his apparently Eclectic music taste let me see your spotify downloads please HUTCH!!! absolutely vicious ice cold hilarious but also so levelheaded did you guys know he listens to instrumentals to hype himself up before games like. he gave hans zimmer as an example. so many more tooooo i didnt even mention lif or penei or craig or any of the kicking unit or our free agents like tim and cd3 IM JUST. man. the detroit lions. Man

deep and enduring fondness

bengals every day i think about the post that's like. joe wearing ja'marr's old worn natty jersey to a bengals game day, the greatest love story of all time is happening in the graveyard of fandoms if this was hockey there would be skywriting about it. BECAUSE IT'S REAL joemarr genuinely baffle me with the level of insane devotion they have to each other like just off the top of my head. ja'marr saying joe's like a god to him. "i've never [played without ja'marr]had that, and i don't wanna have that" "[i work] with joe only. i don't throw with other quarterbacks--i don't wanna". joe burrow #1 in the league pat who. the fucking pinky swear handshake the donut thing "we did a lot of stuff but not on a boat"???? "he try flying knee kicks on me sometime" "we mess around every now and then" "make sure your bags are packed and ready i didn't believe it but he proved me wrong" the clothes saga ANYWAYS. TEEEEEE HIGGINSSSSSSS another guy who like. i read his players tribune article and god he has been through so much and to come out so KIND he is a little piece of the sun in a human body the reaction timer video with ja’marr cheering him on in the bg “forget batman he’s fucking superman” and joe and ja’marr obviously love him so much would sign him themselves “wanna play with him for eternity” if the bengals FO lets him go i fear i will never forgive them. & i know there are other players on this team and i care for them also (mike! 23rookies! trey! ctb!) butjesus christ joeteemarr the world…. vikings closest rival to lions in pure strength of culture i think like god that video of everyone lifting sam onto their shoulders !!! :') cam and his dance recitals.... josh metellus king of the locker room interview....justin jefferson and his beautiful big brown eyes like a cow every time i saw him on the sideline of that rams game i had to put my face in my hands and be so sad for him. and KOC!!! like i said with dan its so so special when you can tell a team just fucking adoooooores their coach and it's so clear with KOC that he really is a player's coach OH AND ALSO IK HE'S INJURED BUT JJ MCCARTHY MICHIGAN BOY he's gonna carry next year i just know it ravens so my aunt lives in baltimore and owns a purple car that she bought because that's how much she loves the ravens. i lived in bmore for 4 years so they're one of my hometown teams too!! obviously lamar jackson is the people's princess and there's nothing more in the universe i want than for him to succeed like he is so goddamned talented and he's such a sweetheart and i really need to try his cologne IT WAS SO CUTE WHEN THEY PASSED IT AROUND THE LOCKER ROOM AND EVERYONE WAS COMPLIMENTING IT LIKEE anyways "kick everybody ass hit everybody hit the r--i was about to say hit the ref DO NOT HIT THE REFS" his lil giggles when he gets tackled i CARE ABOUT HIMMMMMM OKAYYYYYY also london @glittersgloom and cleo have opened my eyes to the beautiful world of derrick henry and i need to find like. clips of him micd or something hey if anyone is reading this can you send me derrick henry content thank you panthers BRYCE YOUNGGGGGG MY SHAYLAAAAA he has had such a whirlwind two years and im so goddamn proud of him (context my parents live in NC so the panthers are also a hometown team LMFAO i get too damn attached to Locations) that one clip of robert hunt saying dont call him BY Reap cause he said it sounded a lil evil leave that baby alone...... his room just so clearly adores him as they SHOULD !!! chuba adam and xavier too I REALLY BELIEVE IN THE PANTHERS SWEEPING THE NFC SOUTH NEXT YEAR I DO

i like em

cowboys so when i was in middle school in new jersey and everyone around me was a giants fan but i had quirky girl disorder i decided i was going to be Cool and Different and root for the dallas cowboys because my dad had dez bryant on his fantasy team and so i do have a lingering fondness for them even though tony romo's stupid voice pisses me off every sunday. and CEEDEEEEEE CEEDEE LAMB most beautiful man in the world i wish all happiness and success for him bills, texans started making that your graduation stosh edit last week had a panic attack bon appetit no but for real the Narrative. absolutely agonizing. i love when men say insane things about each other like "Since I met him, it kinda clicked. You don't click with everybody. That's somebody I felt like, damn, I could grow old with you. I can see myself with you for a while" and then GET DIVORCED #SAD anyways. i love you cj stroud i love you dion dawkins giants, commanders MALIK NABERS WE WILL GET YOU OUT OF NEW YORK !!!!!! in all seriousness though that clip of jayden picking him up from behind and swinging him around lives rent free in my head and it's london's fault (love you). division rivals and you're cheering for him at his playoff game Mannnnn lsu strikes again. for real though jayden daniels rookie of the decade im enamored by him and his effortless chill demeanor i hope he comes back and wins a ring but like not in the next five years because the lions have to sweep the division for at least half a decade dolphins, pats, jets i've got homies who like these guys!!! shoutout to my roommate's dad and two of my coworkers <3 i like when mike had to get on his tippy toes to kiss the side of tua's head i like that the pats are such a failgirl team without tom brady and i like that the jets are gunning for the longest playoff drought in all of superbowl era nfl history. good luck aaron glenn i'm sure you will have a different go of it than the eight million one and done defensive jets HCs before you (genuine)

neutral zone of obscurity

not much to say here. i like that the bucs had that thing with the duck that was fun. and im tempted to start caring about the jags on account of it would be funny to collect the nfl kitty teams like pokemon. otherwise no thoughts im sorryyyyyy

mild distaste and/or extreme ambivalence

rams i care about matthew stafford i really do. he took such shit for the lions for so goddamn long. on the other hand you get him on a hot mic oneeeeee time saying shit about kerby joseph after a completely clean tackle and now all of a sudden everyone and their mother is an expert on tackling tight ends and the prevailing narrative that he's a dirty player is actually affecting his livelihood (pro bowl noms) and that pisses me off. mr stafford apologize right neow eagles god their fans are the worst in the fucking league. genuinely atrocious and it makes me kinda hate them even though i like jalen (THE POST RAMS INTERVIEW WHERE HES DEF OFF A PERC TALKING IN RHYMING COUPLETS GIGGLING AND SHIT) and aj and honestly ok saquon on the eagles is their main redeeming factor like i would be truly happy for him to win a ring i really would bears division rivals except they aren't as fun as the vikes so they get put down here. caleb williams my pookie we'll get you an oline don't you even worry about it. genuinely though i do love him like it seems like it should be such a nothing thing in the year of our lord 2025 but the fact that dudebros are still insanely homophobic about the nail polish in any given comment section makes me very proud of him for sticking with it. it looks very nice on you caleb. BEN JOHNSON WE ARE NOT ON SPEAKING TERMS (i understand this was the only logical choice for him and we're lucky to have had him this year and he's a brilliant offensive mind and i'm sure he'll do great things but TO OUR OWN DIVISION????? BEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

genuine devilry occurring here

49ers ok i have all the respect in the world for the frock warriors on this website but the 49ers do kind of disgust me as a team writ large like. watching receivers on netflix and you genuinely would not be able to tell deebo and george are on the same team bc they are straight up segregated like cmc's wedding and george's birthday party come straight out of a midsommar outtake and this is not even to mention that awful little freak nick bosa like i do hope he gets cte and it ruins his life and career heart emoji browns fuck deshaun watson im so serious until that team gets rid of him i will be praying and cheering for their downfall every single time chiefs ohh this is last because it's my boring bitch answer like the chiefs are barely fun to hate on anymore cause everyone's doing it but i do believe they have access to some dark devilish magics and i am tired of seeing taylor swift on my goddamn television. sorry women. on a realer note i am still not fond of kareem hunt like im not saying people can't grow and change esp after seven? years but he did assault a teenager on tape and i think you maybe shouldn't be allowed to sign a million dollar contract after doing that OH MY GOD AND HARRISON BUTKER. ANOTHER ABSOLUTE FREAK. FUCK THE CHIEFS SERIOUSLY

green bay

[sydnikov]

avs anon back, love to know more about the guys! ik a little about aho since him and Mikko are buddies and played in world juniors but that's about it.... i was very endeared by seth jarvis in particular where he's introducing himself to Mikko and goes "Seth!😀". What are the narratives... the dynamics 🤌🤌 (also any blog recommendations would be much appreciated<3<3)

This is going under the cut, get ready 😎 I could go on for hours about them

As for some canes blogs, I gotchu!! I'm definitely missing some people bc this is off the top of my head, but on my blog who I'm following is public and I follow lots of other good canes blogs from there if you wanna give that a look :) but make sure to definitely check out @smileysvech @pyotrkochetkov @callsign-denmark @human-trainwreck

The canes aren't super flashy, they don't have huge, generation-altering talent like McDavid or MacKinnon, but that doesn't mean we aren't full of talent, and obviously I'm biased but we get closer and closer every year to having a team that can win the cup. Most of their success can be attributed to smart decisions about managing draft picks, and also our head coach Brind'Amour who was on the team when they won the cup for the first time in 05

I'll start with Aho since you seem to already know a bit about him—he joined the canes in 2015 and was a superstar once he found his footing, and tbh if it wasn't for him we wouldn't have had a good foundation to get out of the "dark ages" LOL he's very introverted but he's no less passionate and he cares a lot about the game, probably takes playoff losses the hardest tbh. His most popular nicknames by both his teammates and the fans are fishy and seabass, and he also just got married to his high school sweetheart over the past summer in Finland! Right now he's alternate captain but a bunch of us are hoping he'll be named captain after Staal retires, because it's been said numerous times that this is now aho's team

Seth Jarvis is in his third year playing for us I believe. We got him as a draft pick actually, from Toronto and developed him on our AHL team before his talent was too great to keep him down. He's probably the most energetic, happy go-lucky guy we have on our team and not to mention insanely talented. He also lived with Aho and his gf-now-wife for a bit when he first started playing here, and because he's so close to fishy and our other finns he's been dubbed as the "honorary finn" 😅 also honorable mention: he is a shit driver and when moving out of aho's house, he backed up into a pole right in front of them LMAO he keeps the older guys on their toes and is probably closest to kk (another finn), svechy, and also drury and neci :') RIP

Andrei svechnikov, who is in my pfp along with jarvis, is my favorite player personally right next to slavin. He's from russia and an absolute sweetheart to the fans and his teammates, also very close to jarvis and the other younger guys, but was prolly closest to neci (again RIP). There's actually a pregame tradition where martinook will shout svech's name at the top of his lungs before they walk down the tunnel bc it helped with his nerves when he first started playing, you should look up videos bc it's hilarious LOL he's a beast on the ice when he chooses to be physical and was the first in the league to score a lacrosse goal back in 2020—he also takes the most penalties out of everyone on our team...

Our current captain is j. staal, who doesn't score all the time but he definitely comes in clutch when he has to. Our other alternates are martinook and slavin (both who have so many funny stories but for time I won't include those here), and imo slavin is the most underrated defenseman in the league bc without him we'd be cooked. Every player on our team is so important and contributes in different ways but I think this would actually turn into a fanfic if I wrote about every single guy, so if there's anything else about certain guys you'd love to know about then feel free to ask 😭

We have one of the closest team dynamics in my humble opinion and in every video of the guys, whether it's after a game or after practice or even getting off the plane, you won't ever see someone not smiling. I hope Mikko feels very welcome here and helps soften the blow 🫶

[abluescarfonwaston]

Don't get me wrong JFA is honestly my favorite game! (Well maybe after TGAA but that's unfair cause I actually played that one myself) I see it as the most thematically consistent of the games where all the cases, aside from the tutorial, tell you something very specific about Franziska and are directly used to Show the audience what she would never directly tell them. THE PARALLELS

I agree, JFA suffers a bit of middle child syndrome. It sets up a bunch of characters that have some payoff in this game and then a Big payoff in the next one. (See Morgan Fey) Both 1-4 and 3-5 are fantastic cases that -Very importantly- Close out the narrative arc of their key cast. Godot and Edgeworth get emotional closure that puts a bow on the character arcs they had throughout the game, as do Phoenix AND Maya. And while I don't think Anyone would say 2-4 is not an Excellent, highly dramatic and emotional case, it only has a hint of catharsis for Franziska who drove the game forward.

She achieved her goal! She brought her brother back! The bullet is removed from her shoulder, thus implying that the family curse is broken! But most of the character development happens After that is off screen and while she Does get her moment against Edgeworth in 3-5, which is what she actually needs more than a fight against Phoenix - he was her target only by proxy- the nature of it being a Delay the court section means even if it was meant to give the audience closure on her arc, it didn't have the impact of a true final case designed for her and didn't give her the perfect chance to display her character growth.

Ive also heard complaints that she still seems the same (or very similar) in aai. Which u think is partially true, unlike Edgeworth or Godot her change isn't so dramatic. I think it's accurate and reasonable- she is slowly unlearning her family way and forging a new path for herself, largely by herself if Edgeworth and Franziska are to be believed. (They're always like: Oh its been a while) She's a parallel to Maya whose growth is slow but steady over the course of multiple games. Maya just gets a lot more screen time. Plus, Franziska's position in the cases she's in doesn't give her a great deal of opportunities to show the changes we hoped she'd had. There's no Vazquez for her to turn her back on in favor of the truth, so the impact is diminished.

I can't really argue how long the games feel since I haven't played them myself. JFA it is longer than the first game if you don't have RFTA, which I don't think is unreasonable to discount. As a DS addition it was written to act as a bridge between the games and to give us another mirror to expand on Mia/Mayas characters on without altering existing Canon. A bonus that opened up new characters to play with in Aai/the sequel trilogy. Not necessarily something that should be held on its own, its a bridge between the two.

I'm a notorious anime lover but I don't think the changes impact what we're discussing. It's largely pacing and removing the engagement subplot/age gap from big top. But I'll say making Andrews Celestes cousin was some sailor moon bullshit. Won't argue on that one.

Been thinking about Justice for All because of Wildfey so I was rewatching the grumps play it who had some (Fair) complaints, some of which I think the anime did a good job of fixing. But there are some issues/weirdness to the game for sure.

But I also can't forget how Shu Takumi had 3 and 1/2 months to write the entire flipping game. He said when you broke it down that "meant that I only had one week to sketch out the plot and tricks for each episode.”

Also we were supposed to get 5 cases. We might have had some emotional closure for Franziska. Can you imagine???

So those cases have some issues. But consider the following:

"When Takumi did finish his script at the end of two-and-a-half months, it amounted to 1,500 pages"

Anyone who cranks out 750 pages a month of comprehensible story line deserves a fucking award. And a LONG vacation. What the hell capcom.

[rintinningvt]

Started watching the Bayverse movies with my besties and... Are we just too gay for these movies??? Admittedly we only finished the first two and got through a quarter of the third, but the second one was such a drag to sit through at times and it probably doesn't help that we do NOT care about Sam that much. I hope that there is a character arc for him in the rest of the third movie. Because so far he has not been fun to watch in that one. He just comes off as a slight manchild to me, like... I can see why he would be frustrated with where he is in life but the way he acts with others and lashes out does not help him in the slightest. I do have to admit though that seeing him go to Cybertronian Heaven in the second movie was the funniest part for me and my besties lol.

I'll just hope that the other guy in the next movies will be at least a bit more interesting. Doesn't even have to be a good guy, just an interesting guy for me lol

[wereh0gz]

I cannot wait, genuinely cannot wait, for sonic 3 to come out and for the hype around it to die down so that sega can move on and finally tease whatever next big project they're planning. I've had Enough of the movies please give us even the smallest taste of the next fully new game I beg of you

[goldentigerfestival]

Since I'd been talking a lot about JP Vesperia (primarily Yuri and Flynn and the heavy changes that surround them, and because I'm highly passionate about them in their original context), I wanted to compile some more jarring if not outright glaring mistakes in the localization (or what were likely intentional changes, because I can't look at some of these and just call them "mistakes"). I'm not going to mention every little change throughout the game, so smaller things I'll mostly be leaving out (namely things that don't really affect characters or context). I primarily just wanted to give some insight on some of the bigger parts.

Some of the changes seem to have been mistakes in translation itself (not just localization, but misunderstanding what was being said in general; such as, there's an instance I mention of that between Patty and Don), so I've got some mentions hanging around for clarity purposes as some scenes didn't make much sense, likely because of this.

Vocal tone with Yuri was the most prominent issue that got me making this, and the context that was changed being right after if not equally next to that (most often also with Yuri but also Flynn).

This is something that has been bothering me for a while and I've been wanting to share this stuff with people interested in seeing the game with its original context. Generally speaking, the plot and story themselves are on point. The majority of the differences surround Yuri and Flynn respectively, so there's going to be a lot of mention of them throughout.

I've also posted video clips of my favorite scenes and the heavy changes, so consider those a supplement to this and vice versa.

Part 2.

Part 3.

Part 4.

(Other) GTF Favorites.

I'd like to preface this by mentioning the chief director and producer of the game itself has also spoken about localization inaccuracy issues, so that's something to keep in mind (it's in Japanese, but you should be able to use the offered post translator).

I'd also like to preface this by mentioning that in the original, Yuri is more playful and relaxed/casual (generally but including with Flynn, which the dub pretty much entirely changed until arc 3), but also gentler and softer. He has a very large variety of tonal behaviors/tonal "moods" that were pretty much nuked from the dub.

Basically, to get the full experience for Yuri, I can only really recommend playing the game in JP audio. Obviously you won't get the actual context because all you'll have is the dub context, but that's also partly why I'm making these posts - to cover the contextual changes while the video clips cover some of the tonal changes (because lbh I don't expect anyone to actually go watch the entire game in JP with subtitles unless you're as insanely dedicated as I am, and I'm largely doing it out of my love for the original Yuri and Flynn and my disdain for how the localization treated them).

As a heads up, there won't be many skits in here because I'm going through a specific YT playthrough for these screenshots. Specific skits won't always come up in the playthrough in question, and I can't find a whole list of skits in JP anywhere online. I don't have all skits unlocked in my own save either yet (you can unlock all skits with Grade which I have yet to do in the DE), so I can't use that to compare all skits right now.

There are plenty of small changes here and there that I won't be including in these posts because there are some sentence changes that aren't impactful but do exist. I just don't want to be here for a year covering the random changes that don't matter much. I'm also not going to include details of a lot of honorifics because I'd be here all day, but there is one one major instance that I mention later on.

For reference if anything wants to actually watch the game in JP with the subs (it goes until just after Hypionia), most of the references come from here. Since in some cases the subber just reused localized text even when the context wasn't the same, I did bring some of those up in these posts too. These were subbed before the DE version came out. I used screenshots with subs where possible to make it easier to follow along.

I have a lot of passion for JP Yuri and I hope I can pass on some of that passion to others. 🙏

Apologies in advance if some of these sound cranky. If I sound cranky about some specific changes, it's probably because I am.

---

Since I talked about the whole, Raven being shady and Yuri therefore not being grateful to him incident that the localization for some reason butchered and made Yuri sound like a generally ungrateful or just outright dumb person who doesn't understand gratitude, I'll summarize that one again here:

Yuri has a skit with Estelle originally talking about how he can't find himself being grateful to someone like Raven for showing him how to sneak out of the castle. Basically, Raven is shady and he's not sure he should be grateful to someone like that, and is confused as to why Estelle would be so grateful when she doesn't even know him (because in his mind, he isn't sure he wants to trust a guy with those vibes). The dub just kinda... makes him sound like an ungrateful jerk and not so much because he's not sure he wants to trust Raven. It doesn't really sound like it's an issue of his with Raven specifically but more that he just generally doesn't feel grateful for the aid (and that in general one shouldn't feel grateful for aid like this), which gives off a really wrong impression of him that doesn't hold up throughout the game. Yuri wasn't wholly ungrateful for the gesture itself, but because of who it came from (and I imagine a weird peppy guy in jail is good cause to be skeptical).

We start off we a classic "Yuri, you idiot!" that was changed to "come on already!".

Yuri's response to Estelle mentioning he'd been in the knights doesn't actually give a time frame for how long he'd been there (the dub made up three months, but there was never originally even a time frame given).

Here when Yuri asks Estelle why she can't just leave, her response indicates she actually does know why. The dub made it more ambiguous, which could be easily misinterpreted as she really doesn't know, so I'm dropping this one here.

For some reason the localization seemed to have Estelle responding to Karol directly about the ace always performing their attack last ("I don't think so"). What she was referring to was the tiny monster that walked by, asking for confirmation that that monster was not the eggbear they were looking for (I wasn't gonna fight with the video to get a better screenshot without the annoying YT red bar in the way so the monster is in the corner mid-movement lol). Not sure if that was a genuine mistake, but it was an odd one.

(Also, side note and not putting an image here because it's more general, but Yuri refers to Karol as "Karol-sensei" which was translated in the localization to "Captain Karol". Basically, Yuri calls him "sensei" because that's a teacher/professor, and he's making a play on Karol's knowledge and being their "teacher" about monsters/maps/etc.)

I'd say this is more along the lines of overexaggerating and not overreacting, but this line was literally changed to "haha" in the dub. The whole point wasn't that Yuri just brushed her comment off or found it funny. At this point he still literally thinks she's exaggerating about her lack of knowledge out in the world, her excitement, etc.

Not the only instance you'll find of the dub just changing entire sentences to something meaningless as if they ??? didn't know what it meant (they actually changed Patty saying an entire sentence to "aye"). In some cases they added entire sentences that weren't even there...

Even though I can kind of see where they went with the dub here, the point was supposed to be that Flynn actively thought he would be happy for Yuri to go outside the barrier and see the world.

The dub changed this to Flynn saying that he, in the now, is happy that Yuri is outside the barrier, but then says he got a little less happy when he saw the wanted poster, indicating he was previously happy but got less happy, yet says in that moment that he is happy.

It's a weird case of (past/present) tense usage for the most part, but they also removed the fact that Flynn is literally saying "I thought I would be happy" (thus expressing he'd been wanting Yuri to see the world outside the barrier and would've been happy to find out he did). The reason he's not finding himself happy is because of the wanted poster and the crimes listed on it, following up that his honest happiness for Yuri (ultimately because of the poster) was a lie.

This also means they removed Flynn expressing the honesty of his happiness for a positive concept for Yuri, which, given all the changes toward Flynn in the dub, already now takes away from the fact that he'd been actively hoping for good things for someone and we're left with this more sarcastic take on him being "happy".

Obviously his happiness wasn't really a lie because most of the crimes were falsified (primarily the ones that would make him actually mad, because Flynn has had to have been aware this whole time that Yuri has committed small time crimes for the past few years now), but at the time, the focus on this conversation is that Flynn thought he'd be happy at a time that Yuri left the barrier; meaning he'd been hoping for it prior to it happening.

I'm also mentioning it because it's the very first in a whole line of changes the dub made to their relationship (and it's their first in game interaction ffs) and to Flynn himself as he's perceived as a character. The original is much more expressive of how important they are to each other in a lot of various ways.

Inserting the JP audio version of the following scene with Flynn here.

And... the following one from there.

This was changed to "damn, we if lose our balance...". I know they did it because Yuri had just fallen over, but I'm including this one because the context isn't... really the same thing?

This dub change is a bit odd to me. They had him saying something along the lines of "she is a princess after all" in the dub, regarding the council backing her.

The original context is more like, the council is backing her and he's hearing it directly from Ioder and he probably doubts Ioder would lie like that or about that, cementing that yes, she truly is, like he suspected, a princess, but it's almost still a bit odd to know. It's sort of like, he knew/had suspicions but hearing it directly from Ioder just confirms it for certain.

The dub just made it sound like well yeah, it's obvious they'd want to back her, she's a princess... but Ioder is a prince, so that doesn't explain why they're not backing him. She is a princess after all, so of course they'd back her... but what's stopping them from backing the prince?

Another weird one for me. In the dub Yuri says that "even the Commandant was a little in over his head", when he actually... really wasn't? All he did was step in. Things got bad enough that he had to, but he wasn't in over his head. Not sure how or why the dub ended up with that.

An example of the dub having a habit of just adding in random lines that didn't actually exist (and in this case the one added didn't even contextually make sense. This was no thank you from him, this was literally him making Yuri do something for him because he was going to ask Flynn for a favor and ended up with Yuri in the cell instead).

Another super weird one in the dub. They had Yuri saying Flynn was "too" late, implying he hadn't made it in time, but he did. He made it just before the battle started, but the original context only says he's late, not too late (which makes sense given that they were ready to fight but hadn't started yet).

This was changed to Yuri just mentioning there was one way they could get out of there without actually saying what it was, and Judith saying if he thinks it might work what's the harm in trying it out. Not sure why they changed Yuri literally telling her his plan, so... again, a super weird change that I don't get why they didn't just keep the context the way it was.

Third image was changed to "someone get me away from this psycho", which... I also don't get why they put that there unless they just wanted so much flavor text that they wanted to change the whole "they're in a fight and he's telling her not to come over here because he's pissed at her because they're fighting" part of the fake fight they had going on.

Not one I have a huge problem with, but definitely good examples of them going out of their way to change just... perfectly normal stuff that literally has no reason to be changed? Some of it is flavor text and some of it feels over the top for me. Stuff that makes me like... why would you change that when there was no reason to? Could be more of a personal pet peeve of mine, but I just don't like unnecessary changes when there was nothing wrong or odd about the original text and doesn't at all come off odd in English. Unfortunately Vesperia got littered with those.

I didn't feel like getting a whole video for this, but basically Judith gives a little laugh instead of just the more upset/distressed(?) sound she made in the dub. Feels more fitting imo to keep up the "lie" Yuri started for her. The dub makes it seem more like she feels guilty, versus here she's giving a little forced giggle to go along with it. Again, a change I'm not sure why they put in.

Ngl I get completely different vibes from these. The JP comes across more as concern, rather than... treating them like they're some mob on the loose...?

Once again, this gives off negative vibes toward Flynn as a character imo.

Here Judith gives more of a reason for coming with them, which they changed in the dub to "with the circumstances being what they are, this is just how things turned out". Reasonably, she didn't have to stick around after they ran from Dahngrest, but here she gives a quick "reason".

The dub changed this to "I'll bet he is". They were just told he's the current magistrate in Heliord, and all Yuri says here expresses he's letting it sink in and realizing exactly why all this is happening here. It's not a huge story beat or anything that gets changed, but it's an example of changing things that don't need to be changed as if trying to play things up in a way that... doesn't feel necessary to me? In this case the situation is kind of dawning on Yuri as he realizes how bad this situation could be/why it's like it is, but in the dub it comes across as more just unimpressed and "of course he'd do that".

An unfortunate, classic moment of them changing how much Yuri believes in and trusts Flynn. They changed this to "gotta run, Flynn!" and he just... leaves. I'm sorry but in what universe does "leave the rest to you" equal "gotta run"???

This one is one of those cases where the localization text was super awkward and wonky, and worse, they actually voiced it that way (like "we have guild's job to deal with". Yes, they actually voiced it that way too on top of everything else grammatically wonky with the entire conversation that they didn't bother fixing when the DE came out).

Also here, they changed what Yuri says about Cumore and Flynn. "I don't know how I could explain this to Flynn" doesn't, at least to me, carry the same weight as Yuri actually feeling ashamed (in the dub he says "what a shame", but does not express shame, versus him saying "how pathetic" and expressing shame in feeling pathetic) and saying he can't even face Flynn because Cumore got away. The thing is, Yuri does tend to posture, so when he fails at something, it hits him pretty hard.

And let's be honest, this just hits way harder than "he will get what he deserves".

Interestingly, Yuri could also fall into the category of viewing himself as sinful later on, which I talk about in my favorites post and the usage of "crime" and "sin" within the JP context.

Not particularly important, but just another (more mild) case and example of how the dub just randomly changed tone/mood/wording for no reason.

Another case of Yuri being more aggressive in the dub than he actually was. Here, all he says is just a plain statement. In the dub, he has an attitude about it and says it in a tone that's more insulting that Ioder didn't know about Heracles.

This isn't the only case of dub Yuri acting aggressively toward Ioder when he wasn't supposed to be and we'll get to that, but Ioder is another similar case of the dub making Yuri unnecessarily vocally rude (despite that Ioder is very polite toward Yuri).

(I left out the subtitles because all they did was copy the dub's localization, which kinda defeats the point of this post LOL. This will be the case going forward for any same circumstances.)

This one's a more interesting tidbit to me and less of a harmful change (i.e. I find that a lot of if not most changes relative to Flynn do more harm than good when compared with the original context). Basically it's saying "sweet mask and sharp eyes", implying Flynn's sweet face is a mask and saying it contrasts with his sharp eyes. I could get into a whole rant about why I love that in relation to some side material, but even in the game itself, there's the knight Flynn with his sweet, polite side and his real side that only shows when he's around Yuri (basically, who Flynn has to be for his job and who he actually is as a person, which he only gets to be around someone who knows the real him).

I'd guess this got changed in the dub because they weren't sure how to word it, though there's no mention of "heartthrob" here at all and instead actually says "sweet mask" as if, again, to say his sweetness is just a mask. It's actually a very interestingly accurate representation of his character - how he tends to not be himself when he's being "knight Flynn", and how that sweet face is contrasted by the look in his eyes (which they say, you know, eyes are the windows to the soul, so this would imply the sweet face is the mask and the eyes are the real Flynn. And of course, this Flynn is implied to show himself in his sparring with Yuri in Aurnion, where sword fighting is the best way to express himself. This isn't to say Flynn being a nice person in and of itself is a lie, but that his overly polite, respectful, kind knight side is a sweet mask contrasted to the man who loves to fight and has a sharp look in his eyes)

For now, we'll be back at Mantaic in the next post (due to image per post limit).

[icharchivist]

Go off queen

It's your blog and you should be able to talk about whatever you want after all

aww thank you 🥺 i appreciate it <33

i do really not like spreading negativity esp when it's on a topic i have strong feelings about, and let's say the D.A fandom especially tends to be. extreme about the way it reacts to people disagreeing with them.

And look. I'm not immune to it because sometimes i get caught up by the genuinely rancid vibe in the fandom as well, and i think those games are designed for us to have strong feelings to start with.

but it also means i don't want to go too deep into controversial thoughts because i genuinely don't want to get to a point where i'll see someone screenshot my posts to dunk on it and say i'm the reason media literacy is dead and why the fandom is so toxic (citing things i've actually seen on said blog, for instance though not directed at me but at takes i've seen taken out of context. except i knew the context so knew this was a bad faith argument.).

Like can't even dislike shits in peace in here.

[the-spoingus-show]

my current project: jump forever!

this is the first of those scheduled posts i mentioned earlier!!! i figured i would start by talking about my current project - that way i can start posting updates about it without confusing you, Michael. The next post is gonna be about the beginning of this whole Godot thing i've been on, and then i'm thinking about maybe doing a Before Godot post as a bonus once i've talked about all my godot stuff (i love saying this as if anybody cares (besides you, Michael)). setting all that aside, though: this one's gonna need some backstory, so you should buckle in.

around this time last year, me and my little cousin (he's still in high school, but we've always been pretty close) got really competitive about a little game called Jump Forever. it's a side minigame from WarioWare Mega Microgames (the GBA one) where you just jump over a little rope until you fuck up. it's really fucking fun as an addictive little mobile game, and with a quick lil emulator it was one. thus, the addiction began.

truth be told, the phase last year didn't even last that long, but i had a long bus ride a couple of weeks ago and found myself opening the GBA emulator on my phone to pass the time. that led to a little bit of playing at home, which led to beating my cousin's score, which led to getting even more into the game than i was before. as our scores get higher, we've turned to better controllers than a phone touch screen for serious record attempts - i use a ds lite i had lying around (that i reshelled! it was very fun) and he emulates on pc with a controller (i think). this got me thinking about a potential "definitive edition" of the game - probably still on mobile, but with controller support, better touch controls (the game only needs <-, ->, and A!), faster resets, selectable skins, and maybe even unlockable skins? of course, when i finished my work on fnaf (ooh foreshadowing), my sights were immediately set on a Jump Forever remake.

with all that said, welcome to the game as it currently stands! at the moment, i've got wario, the rope swingers, and the score all just about set up, with one exception; the characters have collision, the rope swings (at varying speeds, even!), and wario's speed and physics feel very accurate - but i'm still working on the ai (if you can call it that) of the rope guys as they walk back and forth. i want it to work exactly the same way as it does in the original but i always overthink random mechanics like this. hopefully the next update i give will be about how i cracked it! even if the implementation ends up jank, though, it wouldn't be the first: the rope guys check if wario is too close to them to make it over the rope with an Area2D that just checks for wario when the rope hits the ground. it works! i could just like check wario's position in the code (and it'd probably be way more efficient), but this way just... works.

i still have a buncha crap i still gotta implement before the game's even really playable - the walking ai, the title screen, the little "Ready?" animation, etc. - but that's only the beginning of my work. firstly, i'm probably gonna enlist chloe (oooh foreshadowing) to help me out by drawing some new assets (if she's free, it is finals season), and then changing the game's native resolution from 240x160 (the GBA screen) to something not fucking insane. i've got "reworking all the sprites into easy to read spritesheets" on my to-do list, and after that, making the new assets (and then maybe the skins?) will be as easy as drag & drop. once it's got the new assets and all the polish that needs to come with a shiny new resolution, i'm gonna transition into the next phase - researching how to release a game!!!

[hi, not to ruin my own amazing transition but: it's 5am and i'm running back to edit this because i completely forgot to mention that i have currently implemented a 2 frame input delay on all inputs, because that's how the emulator appears to behave when i go frame by frame. every single day i rethink this decision more and more. surely there's no way that's how it's supposed to be, right? but i feel so weird changing it now!!! i definitely fucking have to though. next time i work on it. ok anyways]

now. i've posted games to itch.io before. but even then, i kind of fucked it up (i could never get the resolution of my web games to work right???) - so it's no surprise i've always been completely daunted by the idea of "releasing a game". when you post it on real stores, that's when it becomes... real. i'm excited about the new challenges it'll pose, though! now, a mobile release means a couple of things - bite sized fun, simple progression, and fun customization. i've already got the first part nailed down, and i figured i could nail the other 2 at once with a currency system based on how many points you get (or maybe even an xp system? that goes up 1 for each jump? maybe even both???) and skins (purchasable with said currency) that let you customize the player, rope swingers, background, and maybe even the rope itself.

pictured above is my stupid ass skins mockup (i literally just made this). the rope is rainbow, the background has a snow effect and a bunch of snow on the trees/ground (isn't it great?), wario is a lil version of the rope guys, and the rope guys have santa hats. i'm not sure how many different ropes you could really make with how i'm planning the rope to move, so i'll probably end up prototyping the graphics with chloe to figure out how to lay out the sprite sheets, and if they should actually have a seperate hand-grabbing-the-rope sprite for skin purposes. it'll definitely make things really confusing, but if i go for a mobile release i don't want to run ads, and so a currency you can buy with real money (and maybe one or two goofy supporter skins that cost real money, like a solid gold guy or something, as a form of donation) is a good way to make a lil bit of money from people who like the game.

all of this is fun to think about, but it's important to remember that the next thing i have to do is that walking ai. i've gotta Make The Fucking Game before i can do all this crazy other bullshit. i'm sure the ui design for all this is gonna be soooo fun, but i need a game to attach it to first :p

this went on reeeally long but i figure if this is a dev diary or w/e it's gonna end up running long no matter what, and the more info, the more i have to look back on fondly and say "oh shit, i know exactly when this was!", which is kind of the end goal of the project. of course, these incredibly long posts about shit that only matters to me are also incredible content for you, Michael, so i'm sure you're just eating this shit up. enjoy, you weird little man.