#i need to be genuinely interested to hit that follow button

[hl-obsessed]

.

[euaphora]

Bully!Saturo please 🤗

gave it all just to hold you close!

✎ᝰ mean!dom!gojo x reader

bully!gojo who can’t ever stop staring at you in class and gets caught by the teacher.

“Satoru, something you need from her? She sure won’t tell you the answer if you keep eyeing her..” she asks, her eyes motioning to you while half the class turn their head towards him then towards you.

You would sit a seat in before him. He would always watch you take notes and raise your hands when the teacher would ask the class a question.

He feels his cheeks turn a dark shade of red and his heart racing, “what I need is for her to learn what a brush is so I can see in-front of me, gosh.”

You feel a pit in your stomach and duck you head down, feeling self-conscious now with everyone making side conversations and giggling at his comment, the teacher shushing everyone up quickly.

“That’s enough of that, back to the lesson…”

He wanted to punch himself for what he had said but he knew it was too late by the way your chest rose up quickly, making it obvious to him you were crying in your arms.

bully!gojo who “makes” it up to you when he sees you struggle with the only class you didn’t understand.

“It’s C…”

You look up from your paper and turn your head towards him, “what?” You asked once you took a glance back at your work, “you must have confused it ‘cause they both have a decimal towards at the end.”

“Oh, thanks!” You smile at him, all of sudden trusting what comes out of his mouth. He grins at your smile, later telling his friends how much you want him.

Delusional.

bully!gojo who thinks he’s the only who you should talk to or be bullied by.

“You should have punched that guy in the face for taking away your notebooks from you, he shouldn’t be-”

“So you could treat me the same way and it would only be okay if you did? Alright, Satoru..” you say, rolling your eyes back. He laughs at your demeanor and harshly pulls you by your face by squeezing your cheeks together while he grits his teeth, “he shouldn’t be touching what’s mine.”

You look up at his eyes to met his dark gaze, “I didn’t know you felt that way ,‘toru…you should have said something.” He gently pushes you off his grip and sighs, shaking his head.

bully!gojo who fucks you against the teachers desk in a empty classroom after finding out she failed you with a D-!

“…and she said s-she— fuck ‘toru — wouldn’t give me an A+…feels so good, please let me cum!” You beg while arching your ass out for him.

Feeling his balls hit your pussy, you let out a small whine— quickly covering your mouth, forgetting you were still in school. He laughs at your poor demeanor with the way you fail to cover your mouth, doing it for you with his two hands while repeatedly slamming himself is die you while you hold onto his biceps.

“doing so good for me and only me baby…aren’t you?” He groaned out, reaching down to your nipples to play with the bud of them.

bully!gojo who likes to tease you by following you around the school, you just trying to get to your class!

“What class do you have right now, princess?” He asks, hands in his front pockets while his uniform tie is loose around his neck, white button up shirt untucked.

You wanted to ignore him because of the pet name but he seemed genuinely interested, “uhm…chemistry, how about you?”

“I don’t really go to my classes, ‘usually skip with the guys and go to one of their houses.” He bluntly told you while he sees you pull your skirt down.

Then why would he always go the classes you both had together? “Weird”, you thought.

You mutter words out that he can’t hear but can guess it has to do with your tone and facial expressions.

“Since when was your skirt too short for you?”

“Since of now I guess?” You say unsurely.

“Gaining weight, baby? Seems like it all went to your ass then,” he laughs off, making you smile a bit, had it really?

“Ah! She smiles, has a great one too..” He looks down at your lips and back up at your eyes, pupils dilated.

“Whatever, Satoru…this is my class,” you point out to the door standing infront of you both, you leave him alone without saying a goodbye as you enter your class and greet the teacher.

He looks down at your skirt hiking up and curses at himself when he feels himself hard when he slightly sees your the bottom of your panties, weight definitely went all to her ass, he thinks.

bully!gojo who stays after school with his friends and passed through the library and sees you tutoring a boy.

“So, you should be able to at least get a 79 with all the notes you have and the Flashcards I gave you to study.”

Gojo watches you smile at the boy infront of him, feeling his blood boil. He walks over to you—leaving his friends dumbfounded on why he walked off— without thinking and sits next to you and places his stuff down on the empty chair next to him.

Turning your head over to him, you furrow your brows and watch him give you a big smile, clearly being sarcastic.

You only ignore him and continue with the conversation you were having with your client when you feel Gojo’s long slender hands rub on your clothed panties.

“So j-just remember what I said and you should…be g-good!” You yelp, trying to form a sentence while his fingers rub hard against your clit.

“Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do to make up for everything you’ve done for me these past-”

“She’s good, she has me to take care of her needs..trust me.” Gojo speaks with a angry tone, trying to keep his temper after finding out what he’s been trying to do this entire time.

[ririsdelusionalcorner]

Idia with a cosplayer SO

How did it start (Idia):

○We all know how invested Idia is when it comes to the series he enjoys so it would only be natural that he followed accounts that post content for those series.

○He most likely found his future SO account due to this fact. They were cosplaying a more niche series that he had been hyperfocused on so he had never hit the follow button faster.

○This would have spiraled into him becoming one of their biggest supporters. Always interacting with posts, sending anonymous messages, going to fan meets mostly digitally but sometimes in person when he was brave enough

○I would say he'd even have either drawn fanart for them, or made some type of merch, we'll say a Keychain in this case to give to them during the one time he was brave enough to go to a fan meeting in person.

How did it evolve:

○Imagine Idia's shock finding out his favorite cosplayer was attending NRC and is in the same dorm as him. When he's the Housewarden!

○Idia almost thought it was his eyes tricking him but the sight of a familiar Keychain used as a phone charm made him realize it was real.

○Was Idia going to approach them? Absolutely not, but to his horror delight they ended up joining the board gaming club.

○Things were made worse when they recognized him. How is someone supposed to react when their favorite cosplayer remembers them. Idia almost short circuited that's for sure.

○Idia didn't pursue a friendship with them but they pursued one with him.

○Idia almost thought he was living in a dating Sim at this point. And he was the capture target. His future SO was relentless. Always going to his dorm, dragging him out when they weren't busy with class, building a friendship with Ortho, working on their cosplans in his dorm, listening when he talked about his interests/sharing their own. Anything and everything they could do they did.

○And eventually one day they approached him with a request. They wanted him to cosplay with them for their next event....that is cosplay a couple. To say Idia.exe stopped working was an understatement. He tried to cover his embarrassment by jokingly asking if they were asking him out and he got a serious yes. He almost fainted on the spot but managed to agree.

As a couple:

○From then on it wasn't just his SO who was a famous cosplayer he became one himself to his horror. Their fans were now his fans and he just had to suck it up and accept his fate.

○Couples cosplays are a must! But only from series they both genuinely like. He'll be super embarrassed if you're going to cons in cosplay together but He'll suck it up for you. For private photoshoots he's a little more comfortable but is still embarrassed when his SO posts them.

○His dorm wasn't just his own anymore. It was shared with his SO. You could clearly see they practically lived there.

○Cute gaming sessions, and by that I mean him gaming and his SO working on a project and commentating.

○Friday movie nights are a must. If he doesn't get time to just sit with his SO in his arms binge watching series he'll combust

○Designated bag holder Idia is real. He's the bf walking around the con with all of his SO stuff and he doesn't complain one bit. Why would he when his partner is cosplaying one of his favs and looks so genuinely happy to be interacting with fans

○Idia takes the best photos btw. Both in cosplay and out of cosplay he's always prepared. He'll use drones, go out of his way to get the best angles and even edit the photos himself If his SO asks. He's their number 1 supporter

○Idia will fight to pay for things. Need fabric? You know his card information. At a con and see some merch you want? Here's his card grab anything you want, and actually get multiple of some of the keychains or pins so he could match with you. Basically if you want something you'll get it. He has the money to spare and it's more meaningful if he spends it on you.

○He's a pro at making props. With his technical skills he's making props that actually do the same things that they do in their individual series

○He's very interested in the creation of cosplays as a whole but cannot sew whatsoever so he sticks to what he knows and just enjoys watching his SO work.

Notes from Riri:

You will never have a more supportive Bf than Idia istg. Sorry if this isn't like an actual fic I just wanted to get this out of my head. But lmk if you like content like this and my asks are always open! I'm not a pro at writing but hey I'm here to be delusional so that's what I'll be

[twistedwonderlandimaginesblog]

Vil+Purple lilac? :))

Vil Schoenheit: 

Purple Lilac - love at first sight. 

This was what Vil would define as a poorly defined twist.

It simply didn’t fit his character. Overall, he was the person who people fell in love with at first sight, tripping over themselves at the beauty and power that radiated off of him in waves. He stood tall and proud, a flirtatious smile for the fans, a teasing remark for the questioning paparazzi, he knew how to play the game and play it well. It was hard, near impossible, to get one over on him and even his fans with all their knowledge of him, his life, and his interests, never managed to throw him off-balance, not even once.

“You looked super cool as that detective’s assistant!”

He had to wrack his brain to even remember the film you were mentioning, some passion project that he had joined because his father was good friends with the director and they needed someone to fill in a secondary role. Vil hadn’t minded because it meant he wasn’t being typecasted as some villain, hoping to show off his acting chops and prove his range. It was a simple role but he had been a showstopper, the reviews rolling in for months after speaking about how his scenes were the most heavily highlighted among articles and reviewers online. He hadn’t thought about it in a long time because in the end, it had been just another stepping stone; it didn’t do much for his reputation in the long run, showing his skill yet still not allowing him to branch out to other kinds of roles.

“Was it easy to steal attention away from the main detective? He really wasn’t bad but the way you look on screen, and the little subtleties you add to your characters… Like the way you’d mess with your bangs when you were uncomfortable, or the way your character would count off on his fingers every time he got upset—Did you come up with all that yourself?”

“I did.” Vil was proud, chin held up, even happier to know that the little things he had worked on had been noticed by you. His stunning looks and powerful presence were all the reviewers had mentioned, not the little nuances Vil had attempted to add into his character. He could probably listen to you talk all night if he had the chance to but— “What’s your name?”

“O-oh, me? Oh, uh…” You stuttered out your online name to him, the last thing you get to say before he’s ushered off with some fellow actors and models into the premiere of another film he had a role in.

He thinks about you the entire time.

The light in your eyes, the excited way you spoke, passion laced in every word, he could tell you genuinely liked the movie and that it wasn’t just to impress him. In a world of people constantly speaking on his sex appeal it was a relief that his acting and the plot was what you were concerned about, though he hadn’t missed the way you had described him.

Striking.

Just like you were.

He discreetly peaked at his phone, typing your name quickly into Magicam to see where your profile was; you were a film geek for sure, a variety of pictures and reviews revolving around media filling his vision as he scrolled through your account. He took the time to read a few during a slower part of the movie, noting that you were quite thoughtful with considering the human side of even the worst kinds of characters. Near the top is a post about him, not the detective movie but another one where he had essentially played ‘the other woman’, and you had written a very opinionated.

‘In the end, Vil Schoenheit is often forced into the same old roles with a slightly different font. It’s a waste of talent and I, for one, look forward to the day directors realize what a gem he truly is. I hope to see Vil in many different kinds of movies in the future, and I’ll try to be at the premiere of every one of them!’

Vil hit the follow button.

He’d never just followed a person like that, not unless they were someone in his circle or a brand who was looking to add him to their payroll. Even then, if they weren’t products he believed in, there wasn’t a chance he’d even look at them twice, so his follow list was a rather short one… But now you were there.

He hoped he could see you before his next premiere.

[howlsofter]

Nextdoor i.

part two , part three

John Wick moved in last year but you’re just home for the summer. He hires you to dog sit for him while he’s on business trips but it doesn’t take long til you’re pushing the limits of your “professional” relationship.

Words: 4.6k

Tags/warnings: nsfw, age gap, John is 28 and fem protag is 22, weed, masturbation, nothing too intense in this one, more plot building and some yearning

My mom introduced me to him in his drive way. Waved him down and asked him to wait. She hurries into the front door and yells my name up the stairs.

I’m in bed, cozy under a soft blanket and just a little high from the gummies in the side drawer. Her call echoes into my silent room and I huff, shoving my phone into the soft covers and scrambling up to grab some sweatpants. I decide my tank top is acceptable for whatever she needs help with and I rush down, knowing she’ll just yell again if I take too much time.

I slow my footing as I hit the door, seeing him standing there in a dark suit. He was tall beside my mother, clutching a black bag and giving me a small wave. I walk out to where my mom has already returned, waving back to him shyly and brushing the hair back from over my shoulders.

He was handsome, dark hair parted in the middle and falling past his ears, a scruffy but neat short beard. I stop with some distance between us, even more nervous now as he looks down at me.

“This is my only daughter,” she nods to me and I step up, meeting his outstretched hand.

I try to clear my throat as discreet as possible. “My name’s Jamie,” I try not to stammer, gripping his larger hand in a solid shake then returning my arms to my sides awkwardly. His hands were soft, firm, and rough against my clammy ones. Drowning in fear like I’m attending my first job interview.

“Actually, she’s only here for the summer, but she loves dogs,” she tells him like I know what they’re talking about.

He looks to me as she speaks, eyes flickering down at what I’m wearing. It was quick, I only caught it because I was staring him down. His tie loose and hanging from work, too button undone and hair just a little messy. He didn’t look too old, maybe not even thirty. Definitely 26 or older. Out of my dating range, most likely, but a girl can fantasize.

“I have to leave on business often, but I have a dog named Daisy and my previous sitter moved back home for the summer.” He tells me, opening his stance as he speaks.

“Ahh,” I drag the edge of my Birkenstock against the hot concrete, looking at his slick black business shoes, “I see… you paying?”

He chuckles, looking to my mom, “of course. Generously. I’m John, by the way.”

“Then I humbly accept.”

“Why don’t you text so I have you saved, and when I need a sitter I’ll hit you up.” He opens his jacket, flicking out his business card between two fingers and giving it over to me. I glance at it then nod, tucking that hand behind my back and swinging backwards onto my heels.

“Cool, I’m free like anytime so…” I shrug.

My mom swoops in to save me, “well, isn’t that just perfect? I hate to take up too much of your time Mr. Wick, you have a great evening now.”

He smiles to my mom, so genuinely he could be one of her own.

“You’re never a bother, Dixie,” he responds politely, she shoos him as she begins stepping away.

“You love to flatter me,” she chuckles, calling behind her. I follow my mom in, stealing glances of John walking up to his front door, tucking his jacket back to retrieve his keys from his front pocket.

“Handsome, isn’t he?” My mom teases me once the door closes. I replay our interaction in my head a thousand times over, did I seem too weird? Too young? “Hellooooo,” my mom coos, walking to the kitchen. I’m following her blindly, shaking my head to clear my thoughts.

“Yeah, uh, he was nice.”

“He’s been renting out of there since the start of the year, a widower, I hear.”

“How’d she die?” I ask too quick, my mom pulls out the baking sheet.

“I don’t think it’s anything interesting, she was sick or something.”

She loves to gossip, my questions are expected by her. Why wouldn’t I want to know the details of everyone else’s lives?

“Recently?”

“Two or three years ago… maybe? Such a shame, I don’t think he’s too old.”

I swallow and excuse myself up to my room.

Two the three years, that’s more than enough of a grieving period, I think. He seems gentlemanly, maybe the type to never marry again.

Entering my room, I realize I’m still holding his card. I flop onto the bed and grab my phone, holding the card out from my face in wonder. Its basic, white background, sleek black lettering.

John Wick

His number was on the back with his official title. It doesn’t mean anything to me, but it sounds important. I open my messages app, copying the numbers in carefully.

I compose several starter messages.

Heyyyy

A far too devious amount of ys, I delete them and try to stay casual.

Hey it’s Jamie the neighbor, lmk if u ever need a sitter

Good enough. I send it before I can overthink, immediately exiting the app.

I thought he might reply to acknowledge me, but my phone was dead all week. I purposefully avoided him outside. It was easy enough, he was hardly in the front yard. A strict schedule. He’d leave early in the morning, sometimes even earlier. Probably for breakfast, or coffee, more likely. He seems like a man who would drink a black coffee in the morning and skip lunch.

He comes home at the same time every evening. 6:04pm sharp. I watch him sometimes, I can almost sense it now. Peering out my window at 6:03 to his black Ford Mustang, he climbs out with more work to bring home each evening.

It’s extremely boring here. My old friend’s parents have moved away so no one else is home for the summer. My old plug is though. He never moved. He’s in the same nice house he’s been renting since I was in high school.

I tell my mom I’m running to Target.

For what?

I’m stir crazy. Maybe some socks.

She leaves it and I’m picking up an ounce. I do stop by target first, for the lie and for fun. I some socks with spiders swimming with pool floaties.

My mom loves them when I show her. I wait until they’re in bed to slide outside and grab the weed from my car. I bring it up inside as slow and careful as possible. It takes me minutes to open and close each door, cringing at every squeak. I set about a gram aside and grab my small bag of paraphernalia. Slipping onto the back porch I relax in my mother’s backyard area. She has flower and a tree out there, an outdoor table and some chairs. I unpack my grinder and rolling papers and get to work on rolling myself a nice little joint.

I pack everything up before I’m sparking my lighter, lounging back in the chair and looking up at the sky through the tree.

I take a few long puffs, holding it into my chest before exhaling the cloud of smoke into the branches. A few more drags in and I hear it. A patio door sliding open and the soft clicks of excited dog paws scampering across the backyard pavement. I lower my hand to the side of my chair like they could see me through the fence, holding my breath too. My joint continues to burn slow, seeping up in a small stream of thc.

It’s John’s yard, I’m praying he just lets the pup out but his footsteps aren’t hard to identify in the silence of our yards. I curse under my breath, heart beating quick.

Weed is legal in New Jersey, but the thought of John knowing it’s me is what’s so shaking. He won’t let me watch his house now for sure, he probably thinks I’m some young irresponsible trouble maker. I’m in college, I’ve never gotten in trouble, I just like to smoke weed.

Putting it out won’t stop the smell, I decide, hesitantly hitting it again. I hold the smoke in for as long as possible before blowing it in the opposite direction of John’s. I am at mercy of the wind, so I can’t force the scent in any which direction.

My phone lights up on the table and I freeze, seeing the contact I had labeled as Mr Wick light up in my notifications. I have to be in trouble with him. I breathe out the smoke I’d been holding for awhile now, grabbing up my phone to where I could read the text.

I’m leaving tomorrow, 11am. If you meet me before I can show you where all her stuff is.

Relief. I wait a minute, so it doesn’t seem like I was too available. I don’t know why I’m playing these games when he’s on the other side of the fence. I can hear him following his dog around, his footsteps heavy on the grass.

Yeah I’ll be there like 10:30?

I reply carefully, I keep going over it, not sure if I sound normal or not. I send it anyways and he replies almost immediately.

Great, thank you.

I’m still nervous, like he’s going to come over and reprimand me. The soft click of his sliding door assures me that I’m in the clear and I can finish off my joint in peace. I save the roach and sneak back into my room, stashing it in my sealed metal water bottle before I’m crashing into my bed again.

My mattress is soft, it’s so familiar and comfortable. I press one of my pillows in my chest, laying still and thinking about how stoned I am. My limbs are heavy and sensitive, just like my eyes as I slide them close.

Falling asleep immediately always felt like a waste of a high.

My emerald green throw tickles my skin as I slide into the covers. I settle in restlessly, the covers cradling my body delicately as I begin running my hands under my shirt. My core is warm but my hands are chilled from the wind. Body already trembling, I flinch away from it. I hate the feeling, but I find myself continuing to run my hand over my ribs as they heat up, the curve of my hip bone and just under the dip of my waistband. It feels good, my skin is just as soft as my finger tips, I press over my panties, just for a moment and squeeze my thighs together. A hum of pleasure verberetes through me and I think - it would feel better if John was doing this. Those strong looking hands, tall figure arched over me. His middle finger would feel endlessly better stretched up into me than two of mine ever did. My leg muscle tenses thinking about, pressing my heel into the bed. And that deep voice he uses when he speaks, would he be silent during sex, better yet, talk to me, low, sultry. In his fucking business suit, telling me how good I’m being.

I’m still not really touching myself, unmoving, it feels so dirty but I can’t stop my mind.

Finally, I yank my hand up, tucking myself into bed and pulling up a YouTube video.

I show up at 10:30 sharp, wearing a hoodie and some workout shorts. I didn't want to dress too nice since I have nothing else going on all day, but wearing a tank top again felt desperate.

John seemed like he had been idly waiting, I wonder if I should’ve been ten minutes early. I see him through the glass of the door as he strides over to allow me in.

His eyes skim over me as I pass by him, just for a moment. It's hot outside, he wants to ask me the question I always get.

Aren’t you hot in that?

The clothes are oversized; I push the sleeves up slightly, or they'd be hanging past my wrists. They're probably his size. John shoved his eyes away from me, towards a side hallway to the garage.

"The dog food is out here,” he begins leading me out. “He gets one scoop, and then just a can of wet food mixed in.” He shows me the dog food container and the cabinet where the wet one is. Guiding me through the kitchen, explaining that he doesn't care if I eat anything in the house, but he doesn't keep many snacks.

His house is the same size as mine, but the minimalist decor makes it feel bigger. There’s hardly any decoration, a few pictures. The furniture is black and new looking, his tv is large and takes up the entire side of the wall across from the couch.

In a pause, he turns to me and asks, "How old are you?"

My expression changes before I can catch it, startled. "22." I answer quickly. It’s such a normal question but for some reason the tips of my ears are burning.

John bites back a smile. “I only ask because," he gestures to a small area with a bar set up, whiskeys and assorted spirits lined the shelves, "you can help yourself. You're only next door, anyways, so I don't have to worry about you drunk driving home…" he almost begins to ramble, "so." He cuts himself off, pressing a hand to the table.

"I have cameras in the living room," he uses his other hand to point to one. Right beside a propped-up picture frame was a black home camera. "I just have it to check on Daisy when I'm working. It doesn't record, but if I check it, it lights up. It's the only one besides the doorbell."

I take mental note, and he gives me a key to the backdoor. "Last thing. I know you are staying with your parents, so if they start to annoy you, feel free to spend the night here. I have a spare bedroom upstairs.”

I thank him and leave out the front door with him. Waving him off after giving me the rest of daisy’s schedule.

It’s easy, daisy is a sweetheart and John texts me where’s his extra towels are. He hot tub hooked up to his back porch, it’s nice and clean but he said he hardly uses it.

Lucky me.

Day two of watching the dog and I’m spending the night. Creeping around the house like he’d click on the camera any minute. My large shirt covers my bikini as I go through my tote bag on the island. I try to touch the least amount of things as possible. It’s not hard, there’s not much to mess with. The camera isn’t pointed towards the kitchen, it angles to half the living room, the side of the couch, getting a nice potion of the backdoor where daisy likes to splay.

I already made sure the hot tub was out of view. He said I could use it but the thought of him catching me is embarrassing.

It’s the evening already, the sun setting back and the heat receding. Daisy sits at my feet as I make sure I grabbed everything I need from my house. Once I feel content, I take my bag and spare towel and head to the back, Daisy following on my heel.

She lays down in her spot as I peel off my tshirt, reaching into my bag for my joint and lighter. There’s an ashtray back here, I take mental note. Nothing of his smelled of cigarettes. A few steps in, I prop my phone up against the side of the hot tub and the wall, playing a new YouTube video while I continue to sink into the warm water.

I spark up and relax, listening in to my 3 hour long video essay mindlessly.

I wonder what John’s room looks like, is it just as empty as the rest of the house? It’s a rental but you’d think he’d want some semblance of of himself. Would just sheets smell like him? What did John Wick smell like? I haven’t been close enough to notice. His living room smells… new. Clean, like some just vacuumed.

When the hot tub gets boring and I’m sufficiently stoned I put on some music instead and climb out. I hate being wet, grabbing up the white fluffy towel and wrapping it around my torso.

I spend a nice amount of time rubbing on Daisy. She’s such a good girl, waiting patiently for me the whole time. It also gives me time to dry, so I’m not sopping wet when I do go back in. I go ahead and shower in the spare, keeping my hair dry. I change into comfy clothes, a new tshirt and some sweatpants, and I exit the bathroom.

I walk the halls slower, taking in the few frames that are there. Daisy, mostly. I look for his ex wife, but there’s none hanging up. I can guess where the master bedroom is from the layout of my house, arriving at his door with caution. It’s shut closed, menacing. Carefully, I reach out and turn the black metal off the handle. It gives way easy, slowly swinging open even after I release it.

His bed is large, a black fluffy looking confronter tucked into the low bed frame. Multiple black pillows sat up at the top. Still no decor, I slip in, my heart rattling in my chest. His closet door is mostly open, sunlight strewn into the bedroom illuminated the business suits hanging up.

Without further consideration, I fall onto the firm mattress. It gives way under me, soft, cradling my body as I stretch out. I moan in relaxation, digging my face into the material. It smells like man. A subtle cologne, salt, cedar maybe like shampoo. It’s so comfy that I close my eyes and choose to stay. John probably does this exact thing after work. Or maybe he’s occupied in his study hours before he’s wrapped up in bed.

I inhale deeply and push myself up, lingering around near his master suite bathroom. He has no bathtub like my parents, but he has a large rain shower. I don’t dare step in, it feels so off limits, leaning into the frame. It’s white and plane, it almost felt like a hotel bathroom. A luxury hotel.

When I’ve had enough, I retreat back to the spare room. The sheets smell like cotton fresh detergent and the blankets are soft beneath my body.

I urge to touch myself again, I wish I could in his bed. No. No. My thoughts are sinful, the guilt turns me off and I’m back to YouTube videos and heavy marijuana sleep:

I only spend the night the night twice. The second time on Thursday. He wouldn’t be back til Sunday so I was in the clear, it gave me time to wash my sheets. I follow the same slow routine, relaxing in the back with a joint, stringing out on his bed comfortably.

I had put all my stuff up, packed so I don’t have to worry about it in the morning and I can focus on cleaning. I pull John’s pillow into my chest, it smells even more of sea salt. It’s a more specific scent, so him, pheromones maybe that make hum quietly to myself.

Being high just boosts my bubbling hypersexuality I seem to suppress.

I could picture him fucking me into this bed. I would scream into this pillow, inhaling him every time I gasp for another breathe. I bet his cock is as pretty and well kept as he is. Cut, for sure, and long maybe. I’d let him use me to relive his stress after work, or maybe he’d be too tired and he’d fuck me sloppy and needy for release.

I don’t move from the bed. So comfy in my little ball and stuck in a cycle of distracting thoughts.

I started awake when I hear Daisy bark, disoriented as I peered around John’s room. Fuck, I had not meant to fall asleep here. I scramble up, rushing to the stairs to see John, pushing through the front door. I didn’t want him seeing me come from his room. I shut the door quickly, turning the handle before it closed so it would make less sound. I hurry to the guest room and toss some pillows around and pick them back up just as John as making his way up the stairs.

“Oh, sorry, wasn’t sure if you’d be here.” John speaks from the hallways, he can see you through the open door as you put the last pillow back in place.

“Mr. Wick, I’m sorry, I’ll clean up right now.”

“No, it’s okay. They sent me home early but I forgot to warn you. I’ll take care of it.” He approaches the guest room, leaving his suitcase at his closed door.

“Hey, uh,” he raises his shoulders intensely, biting his lower lip. His pause grows my anxiety. The threat of being caught looms, and he hadn’t even opened his door yet. “Next time you,” he coughs, “smoke. Could I buy some off of you or something?”

Oh. My mouth curves up into a smile. Mr. Wick wants to buy some weed off of me?

“Yeah, how much would you want?” I ask, sitting up straighter. It’s odd, suddenly having this hold over a grown man. I could scam him so easily.

“Like… a gram, maybe. Not a lot.”

“You know,” I press my tongue to the roof of my mouth, wondering if I’m crossing some unspoken line. He crossed it first, I think, asking your worker for drugs is not very professional, “you could just smoke with me next time? If you want.”

His eyes dance over me for a moment, trying to find the line I’m stepping on.

“Sure, if that’s okay?”

“I offered.” I reassure him. He nods, moving past the subject and stepping back.

“I’ll let you finish up whatever, let me know when you’re heading out,” he turns out and finally heads in his bedroom. My sudden high drops into my stomach, fuck, I left his pillows fucked up.

I ignore it, pretend everything was perfect as I finished stripping the guest bed and throwing him in the wash. He tells me he’ll finish the rest, eyes lingering on me downstairs in the kitchen. I try to return the key but he tells me I should just keep it for now, he’ll probably have to leave again soon. He’s quieter now, watching as I gather up all my things and wave myself off.

That night I text him, balancing the joint on my knee as I typed out a short offer for him to join me. I wasn’t sure if he’d be asleep by now, 11pm, he must be tired from his early flight. I had taken a midday nap to fill my time.

Despite my speculations, John replies telling me I can come over. I sneak out the back yard and walk to John’s front door. He’s waiting to greet me, black sweatpants, a white undershirt. His hair is wet from the shower and he’s wearing some funky socks. He pushes the door open enough for me to walk in and I accept, gliding past him. I’m also in my sweatpants and a big tshirt, as always. We’re almost matching.

“I rolled us a joint,” I tell him proudly as he pushes the rolling door to the outside. I don’t waste much time, easing myself into the chairs out by the hot tub and pulling the joint from my sleeve. My lighters in my pocket, I toss it onto the glass and it makes a soft clicking sound as it hits.

He follows me out slower, giving a minute to pet Daisy before he settles beside me. He picks up the joint, pulling it closer to his face to examine it. He inhales that gas and hands it back to me, “excellent roll,” he commends with a chuckle.

“Thank you, sir,” I put it between my lips, cupping away from the wind trying to light it evenly. I’m mostly successful, but it’s going to canoe at some point. I huff it a few times and lean back in the chair, pulling my legs up criss cross. John takes it from me, he’s leaning back too in the metal chair, legs pushed out.

He takes a breathe of it in, exhaling with a small cough. He suppresses more, clearing his throat before hitting it again and passing it back.

“Do you mind if I play music?” I ask and nods. I set my phone up and shuffle one of my Spotify playlists.

“Was Daisy good for you?” He asks, Daisy lays out by his feet.

“She’s perfect, I think you already knew that.” John laughs a little harder than I think he would if he wasn’t high, reaching down to scratch Daisy.

“I haven’t smoked weed since college,” he admits after a beat of silence.

“How long ago was that?”

More silence as he thinks, “about 5 years, maybe.”

Not as far away as I thought, I take another hit, it hasn’t started canoeing, go me. He’s 26 at the very youngest, but he seems pretty high up in his corporate job and there’s the chance he started college late, so maybe 31?

“I’m 28,” He said I like he could hear me thinking, “almost 29.”

“Old man.”

“I knew you’d say that,” I pass it back to him.

I talk about movies. John only plays them on flights but he hardly pays attention. TV shows? He hasn’t watched tv in three years.

Since his wife died. I fill that part in on my own.

I want to ask about her but I know it’s a touchy subject. He doesn’t even keep photos of her up.

“What do you usually do now?” He asks when it’s too hot to hit, a little roach. I set it on the glass.

“I usually stash them for a roach bowl when I’m out of weed,” I admit. Probably kinda gross now that I think about it. “Then I climb up in bed and,” touch myself, and think of you, “watch YouTube til I pass out.”

“I napped earlier so I’m not tired yet.”

“Same.”

“I don’t usually nap.”

“I do.” He chuckles and shakes his head.

“I wish.”

“Do you want to watch a movie then?”

I show him Kill Bill. He settles on the unused couch first, carefully pressed to the side to give me more than enough room. I settled on the couch with my legs folded into me. I leave a few inches between us, stealing glances at the way he’s strewn out beside me. He’s a large man, at least six foot but lean and strong looking. He has to work out, I can see his arm muscles flex as they’re crossed over his chest. He’s actually enjoying the movie, I was hoping he would. He got up to grab popcorn and I eased into our shared space carefully.

It’s easier when he comes back with it, I don’t give him the room to place it between us so he sets it on his leg near me. I let my eyes crawl over him every time I reach over to grab some. I could slide over into his lap right now, slide my hands under that tight white shirt. Help him relax.

I’m too high to dare, my hands are shaky just thinking about it. John notices when I go to grab more but he doesn’t say anything.

I do allow myself to shift closer, trying to do it unnoticed. I pressed my thigh against his. He doesn’t move but I catch his eyes darting to my leg, moments later.

I beg him with my eyes, to touch me, pull me closer. He doesn’t dare.

We get through the whole movie without me poucing on him, I yawn. Still high but not as much as earlier. He thanks me and I leave for the night. Going home I felt empty, he’d let me almost touch him. I climbed up in bed and I’m immediately rutting up against my hand. I wonder if he’d touch himself thinking of me, not that I’ve given him much material in my comfy clothes.

Maybe if I could get him into that hot tub. I imagine him, shirtless in his swimsuit. Damp and pressed to his thighs, pushed down to his hip to expose his cock, just above the warm water. I press two fingers into myself, flattening out on the bed and moaning under my breath. I want to grind against his thigh, come on his fingers. I come quick, and hard, laying shaky and exhausted in my small bed and going to sleep.

[agathathevelvetlady]

Late Night Thoughts on Metaphor: ReFantazio

Probably going to periodically post thoughts on Metaphor. I'm currently at 6/16(?), so I'm still in the first real dungeon. Lots of points (and spoilers) below the read more; you have been warned.

-Storywise, this game seems made for me. Immediately differentiating the player from the protagonist is a very interesting move coming from ATLUS of all people, and I love me some metaplot. Seeing my own name on the end of the Royal Magic Scroll sent an actual chill down my spine. -Hell, the fact that the protagonist actually speaks is so jarring. I don't know if we've EVER had a speaking ATLUS protagonist. -The whole idea of fantasy being not just a form of escapism, but a form of idealism is a very interesting response to how Megaten handles Alignments; it feels like a much more hopeful version of that basic idea. -Speaking of which, I absolutely love that the protagonists book is clearly about our world but is absolutely an idealized version of it. The idea that our world is in some way aspirational to these fantasy characters? Cool as hell! -Any worries I had about the game having it's edge removed because of the T rating are also gone. Hell, I would argue there's more edge to it than some of Atlus' M rated titles. Seriously, how'd they get away with all this blood and people getting hanged without an M. -On a personal note, I think it's incredibly funny that ATLUS released a semi-meta JRPG where the main characters powers come from "Archetypes" at the same time I was working on a semi-meta TTRPG wherein characters get their powers from "Archetypes". Utterly hilarious coincidence. -I love the fact that there's a bit of nearly every ATLUS game in here. You got DDS mantras, Etrian Odyssey resource management (we even have ariande threads!), Persona social stats/links/time management, Megaten Press Turn combat, FUSION SPELLS (but actually balanced this time), not to mention nearly all of the classes being from some ATLUS game or another. Hell, we've got the Etrian Odyssey Brawler and Gunner in here. This is awesome. -The time mechanics feel a lot less grindy than something like P5; it seems like we'll be restrained to a much shorter chunk of time but it makes each action matter a lot more. -Coming off of P5 Royal being so piss easy that I could do most dungeons in a single day without even trying even on merciless, I am so glad that Hard mode is actually like, Hard. I've already wiped a few times, and it is SO refreshing to have to actually leave the damn dungeon. Does wonders for the game's pacing. -Being able to engage in a bit of real time combat to wipe out fodder enemies or weaken stronger ones is a wonderful system (I believe it's taken from Trails but don't quote me on that). It lets us skip past most of the "fodder" fights and really cuts down on the combat being too repetitive since the times when you will fight will always be against things which actually challenge you. It's not as brain dead as just running up and hitting the attack button, or Persona 5's stealth ambush system. There's times when I legitimately have decided to just engage a fight then and there because I thought it would be too risky to try and go for a break attack. I love making decisions like that. The fact that you have different move sets based on class weapon similar to SMT IV makes it feel fresh enough to keep doing. Character wise, I'm pretty happy with the core trio. I would die for Strohl and that is not a joke. Plot wise, it keeps pulling out things that really just amaze me. That fucking stone head in the sky man. What a great idea. Overall, I'm really happy with the game so far. Cautiously optimistic and with some minor nitpicks (I think some of the VFX need to be toned down tbh). If it follows through on the ideas it's setting up? I could genuinely see this becoming my favorite ATLUS game. I feel like I'm playing Vanilla P5 for the first time again, and it's a beautiful feeling.

[alexanderwales]

Movie Review: I Saw the TV Glow

Spoilers follow. Content warning: death, transphobia, homophobia

I don't review most things I watch. I'm a writer, not a reviewer, and most things just sort of pass by having been consumed and thought about in a way that I don't feel the need to share with others. I'll be upfront: I Saw the TV Glow did not land for me. I think it's a good movie for the people that it resonated with, but I find the disconnect interesting, because it's perhaps the first time a horror movie has failed to hit me so completely that I'm left thinking that I just don't have the fear button it's trying to hit.

I Saw the TV Glow is a trans allegory. I'm not entirely sure that it can be read as anything else, but I'll try to make some comparisons later on.

In 1999 I was in eighth grade, and was the token boy in a group of girls who had all been friends for ages. I enjoyed hanging out with them, which went on for about two years until they started getting older boyfriends and I drifted toward spending time with other friend groups. There was one particular party where they talked me into dressing up as a girl and putting makeup on me, and when they had eagerly accomplished this they told me what a pretty girl I was. This was pretty much a non-event in my life, something that made close to zero impact on me and my self image. I had no gender feelings about it. I am cisgendered, in a way where I have sufficiently explored my feelings and found this to be true about myself. (Similarly, I have sufficiently explored my feelings to understand that I'm straight: in high school I kissed a few boys during games like spin the bottle or truth or dare, and it just did nothing for me. I've watched gay porn for the sake of science and don't get anything from it.)

The horror that I Saw the TV Glow taps into is idea of hiding your true self and not accepting who you truly are, running away from these realities of your personal identity because you deeply fear either that truth or the consequences of that truth. It's not a fear that I've ever had cause to experience, as much as I have (at times) been a disappointment to my parents and a social outcast. This is almost certainly a form of privilege, but it means that I was watching the movie at two steps removed, understanding what it was trying to get at but not feeling it, trying to run a janky simulation of a main character I did not at all relate to.

In the late 1990s there were a spate of movies about white men who were being slowly killed by working in cubicles, their True Nature repressed by the corporate hellscape. Fight Club, American Beauty, Falling Down, The Matrix, Office Space ... they really had a moment. Most of those movies worked for me, and when I was a teenager, some of them really worked for me. Fight Club and The Matrix came out in the same year, 1999, and both had similar messages of "you are trapped by this bullshit corporate life that demands you be weak and without purpose". As a fourteen-year-old white boy living in the Midwest, this really resonated with me. Fuck the system! Rage against the machine! But neither of those movies was about the how and the why of being trapped in a life that doesn't suit you. The Matrix has its own refusal of the call, but it's very brief, and not central.

There's a recurring theme in tons of movies about being an outsider and an outcast and hiding your true self, but eventually you can't keep up with the lies, and it all comes spilling out, and the people who you thought would hate you have to confront their prejudice or whatever. Sometimes the protagonist isn't even hiding it, it's just out in front for anyone to see, but I think that's gotten a little less common over the years. We got Luca and then Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken and it's really all over the place. I genuinely think that "I am different and no one understands me" is one of the stock experiences for teenagers. But the lesson imparted by those movies (and shows and books) usually starts with the premise that our protagonist is clearly and obviously different, and the message of "shine your light" can only really work if you've accepted that there's a light to shine.

Owen refuses the call over and over. Uncharitably, he's a coward. If I'm to be charitable, I think I would have to make a case for cowardice. It's scary to defy social expectations. It's scary to have this truth inside of you that demands you leave everything you've known behind, which is the explicit thing being asked of him during that first refusal of the call. I can relate to the fear and self-doubt. Owen has more to lose than Maddy, at least at that point. Later on, there's another refusal of the call, this time with more excuses that are transparently denial, and it's less easy to understand, though the imagery is that of death: buried in a hole in the ground, the burial of the old self to become the new. And at the end, it's just sad brokeness, understanding yourself and deciding that it's too late, even if the street chalk says that it's never too late.

(The character's name is Owen, who I have seen referred to with she/her pronouns as Isabel by some people, but I'm going to go with what the end credits say rather than attaching an identity to a character who has explicitly rejected that identity multiple times.)

In 1998, a year before The Matrix came out, a year before I would be dressing up like a girl for the pleasure of my friends, Matthew Shepard was beaten and tied to a fence, later dying of his injuries. I feel like I'm old enough now that the name Matthew Shepard has been replaced by other names in the collective consciousness as "the face of anti-queer violence", but at the time it was huge in the news and deeply affected me. This is the era of nostalgia that I Saw the TV Glow is harkening back to, and I think if you're hearing about a gay man being beaten to death in Colorado, watching something with ambiguous queer rep like Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Xena: Warrior Princess would easily be a lifeline, much more than something that's explicitly queer. That's my guess, anyway, at what the movie is trying to model. The Matthew Shepard thing has always stuck with me as one of the news stories that defined my teenage years, and I cannot imagine how much more it would have affected me if I were gay.

Even in that context I find Owen to be awkward and unsympathetic, and I don't necessarily feel like this is an unendorsed reading of the film. If there's a lesson that the film wants us to take, it's "embrace the you inside", and if there are two lessons the second one is, "it's never too late". The reason it's a horror/drama is that the protagonist teaches us these lessons by suffering for not embodying the lessons. They're lessons I generally endorse. But the horror doesn't land for me because I've never been in that situation of holding back from some personal truth I wasn't willing to accept. I've always freely probed at the edges of my identity.

The other major theme of the movie is finding yourself by way of media, and sometimes artistically questionable media. Here, I think the movie works a little better for me. The show-within-a-movie is The Pink Opaque, which we get to see a lot of, and which represents ... probably a few things, but I think the major one that fits best with the overall themes is "queerness". Maddy escapes the world the film is set within, which is actually Mr. Melancholy's "midnight realm", and comes out in The Pink Opaque, which is then inferred to be the "real world". Maddy comes back for Owen, trying to help him escape, and the metaphor here is someone openly queer trying to help someone who's still in the closet. (This is also the subtext of Maddy leaving Owen behind.)

There's a bit later in the movie where Owen finds The Pink Opaque on a streaming service and finds it to be much more childish than he remembered it to be, and what we're shown of it also conflicts with earlier depictions. I don't know what this means from within the logic of the movie (probably that Mr. Melancholy's plans are working), but within the metaphorical logic of the movie, it's a comment on how the thing that was real was the way it made them feel and what it revealed to them about themselves. I think that's sort of neat, and there's definitely formative media that I haven't gone back to specifically because I worry that it won't hold up to what I created in my mind. My guess, from reading a few things, is that Buffy was the main inspiration, but I think for a lot of teenagers who grew up around the same time it might have been something else: something with subtext rather than something gay. Xena, maybe. There's probably something about the deniability of it that helps people who are questioning: when you're at the point of watching every season of Queer as Folk on DVD as it comes out, I think you're past the point where you're pushing down these feelings. (Note: I did watch every season of Queer as Folk on DVD as they came out, it was a high school ritual with a friend of mine.)

I thought the movie was interesting, but I didn't like it. I think it's personal in a way that some media is, not just personal to the people with the creative vision, but personal to the people it's meant to speak to. It's not a movie for me, and I'm left trying to engage with it by reconstructing some of the emotions from first principles. There are probably bits of imagery and dialogue that will stick with me, and it was cause for reflection, which I think is the mark of a good film, even if I didn't enjoy myself or feel any kind of personal impact. Some of this is just privilege on my part.

If you've struggled with identity issues and self-acceptance ... I don't know. I can't imagine that watching this movie would would feel good, given the ending, but that seems to be who the movie is squarely aimed at. I recommend it overall, even if I think the hit rate will probably be low.

[eqt-95]

Thanks @sssammich and @sideguitars for the double-tap tag!

1- How many works do you have on AO3?

28 (?!?!)

2. What's your total AO3 word count? 711,082

3. What fandoms do you write for?

in chronological order: harry potter, batwoman, arcane, supergirl

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

follow the buttons

the glasses that broke lena luthor's back

a nemesis and her hero

a crisis of indulgence

like we're made of glass

5. Do you respond to comments?

i aspire. it's real hit or miss for me, but i genuinely adore every comment i've ever received even if it goes unanswered.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

i guess it would be being batwoman but only because i wrote it as a cliffhanger for the sequel?

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

i generally always aim for happy endings, but in my opinion the 'happiest' is a crisis of indulgence but only because it's layered with angst. all my fluff pieces are happy throughout so the end doesn't hit as intensely (i think).

8. Do you get hate on fics?

only once that i remember: same person on multiple fics. such is life.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

i have tried, but it objectively isn't great so i steer clear of it. this has actually been a conundrum with my latest fic: sauce or no sauce?

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

i wrote a kate kane + lena luthor one shot once. does that count?

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

i don't think so

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

someone asked to translate one into german. not sure if it ever happened.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

i haven't but i'd be interested, though i'm usually one of two people: a chaotic procrastinator with fading interest or the most diligent person on the planet. i can't guarantee which would show up for a collaboration.

14. What's your all time favorite ship?

supercorp has had the most lasting affect.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

there are three: 1. being batwoman | year one - (batwoman) i did so much legitimate comic book research and planning for this that it's a shame i've left it go 2. a handy handful - (arcane) i have 30% of the rest written 3. let's for flying - (supergirl) again, i actually have a lot of it worked out but for one reason or another it's in limbo

16. What are your writing strengths?

i'd need to reread things to figure that out

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

consistent prose

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

like, would i personally do it? no, i don't even have a solid grasp of the english language. why would i go butcher another one?

19. First fandom you wrote for?

harry potter

20. Favorite fic you've written?

i answered this in another ask recently, but i think my answer has changed. i'm actually really happy with the concept of like we're made of glass. i don't know how well the execution landed for people (one commenter wrote: not good. it made no sense), but i'm ok with that. things aren't made for everyone.

- - - -

i'm not sure who all did these already, so i won't tag folks, but if you see this, consider yourself tagged!!

[lovecanbesostrange]

A quick list about what I loved about the Agatha All Along finale.

Agatha still isn't a good person. She's not completely evil either though. She looks out for number 1, herself. To protect herself she killed witches before and she's still willing to do it again. Which doesn't mean she is completely uncaring either. She has buttons that can be pushed, mostly the big one that says "Nicky" on it. And I love the way she is torn between "Billy reminds me of my son, but he also very much isn't my own".

Billy also has done shitty things. Much like his mother out of not having proper guidance. When he realizes that he created the road and thus caused suffering for others, his devastation is genuine. And he does lash out by trying to banish ghost!Agatha (honestly understandable reaction). But then he doesn't.

And these two form a most interesting pair for a mentorship!! I need more of that. I am not devastated about Agatha's death, since she is a ghost. Hilarious. Being dead doesn't stop her from being a character that can be easily used. And oh, what a death scene that was. Fantastic! Plus how she insists that it was not a sacrifice. Because she is not nice. Nobody ever dare say anything nice about Agatha Harkness!!

The true devastation are those scenes with Nicolas. Her son. The one who started singing a silly little tune and oops, they created the whole ballad together. FANTASTIC! I love everything about that and how Agatha uses it as a con, when the ballad spreads. A lie she can use. Wow. Epic. Agatha All Along!! She said the road was fake and she meant it. But also can we talk how the ballad did become a protection spell for a child by her mother? Best use ever and it hits harder now.

I do wish there had been a scene prior to Agatha being pregnant. To show her with Rio before. Agatha killer her own mother and her first coven and I'm sure that's when Death took note of her. A witch who kills her own coven, who sucks them dry and leaves bodies for her to collect. I think just a short scene from their first encounters would have helped. Also to explain why Rio feels such sympathy for Agatha that she doesn't take Nicolas right away at birth. ONLY FOR AGATHA TO SUFFER MORE BECAUSE KNOWING HIM WAS EVEN HARDER... more wow. It hurt so much. Rio was so gentle, and how she sends him back to kiss Agatha goodbye. Only for Agatha to find her dead son in her arms, unable to do or say anything. And all of that is WORSE. She said she would never forgive Rio and she kept that promise.

I do think it's a bit weird how easy it is that it comes down to "I will take one of you", even though Billy upset the natural order by taking over William's body. And then he did it for Tommy. Holy shit. The deal and natural balance felt a bit... well, not focused on enough. But just the way Billy comes to help Agatha and does give her some of his power, and she actually does stop herself -- these two! (Honestly I wish Agatha could learn about what went down in MoM. If there is one person who could appreciate massacring a bunch of wizard monks just to follow an insane plot to get some children back - it should be Agatha.)

JEN IS ALIVE! And she has her powers back. From Agatha. Fuck it, Agatha All Along, who knew.

Agatha still isn't good. She was an opportunistic witch and now she can be a cunty ghost mentor. The way she says that she is not ready to face her son, breaks my heart. Maybe it's also because she used their song to kill more witches and he didn't like that part all too much.

What a great trip. The big reveal hidden in plain sight. A very character focused emotional journey, yet some dangling threads to connect it to ge greater known Marvelverse, pushing the door open for Tommy (I'm glad they told us right away and nobody has to now make up theories how his soul was around and why didn't Wanda sense him at least). I think it would be fun if this has the greater effect of making the road real and that others can now walk this path (with all the dangers attached), but that doesn't matter and it's probably this isolated event. Jen survived the road and she found sisterhood along the way.

Oh, in that fight between Rio and Agatha, I like how Agatha tried to use the things she learned about protection and healing, also of course listening to Lilia's last warning. Oh Agatha, you would be better off with a coven, you know.

[astralis-ortus]

[ public service announcement ]

hi, friends!

this might not be the kind of post you’re looking forward to (don’t worry, i have something to post right after this :D), but this is a post i need to make.

i don’t really want to admit this here but currently, i’m not doing very well and it has been a struggle to make ends meet. i need to survive somehow—but i’m not asking for anyone to spare me a change (my capricorn rising’s ego will not let me, boo)! instead, if you feel like helping, do consider one of the following options:

first! request and commissions are still open :D while requests are free, by getting the ideas and motivation to post regularly, i hope more will come across my account and in turn will be able to help me in one way or another♡ i will still only write sfw requests, but i’m open to writing more for commissions, so feel free to drop by!♡

second! reblogging my existing stories is definitely a major help as well with similar reasons to requesting a story!

third! as i’ve posted before, i have a threadless storefront where you could get some of my fanarts in forms like stickers, magnets, pin buttons, and notebooks. examples are like these!

i know it’s not ideal, but personally it’s the best option for me since a) i’m not in the position to fund a production process, and b) i’m not based somewhere where it’s easy (and cheap) to ship out internationally. hopefully once i’m in a better condition, i will be able to actually produce something on my own because genuinely, that’s what i’ve been wanting to do for the longest timeㅠ

fourth! i also have a ko-fi storefront for my digital stuffs (digital prints and coloring pages) if it’s more up your alley! (i might be biased, but i think the coloring pages are too cute to miss out onㅠ)(name on watermark is me! just another pseudonym!)

fifth! i’m also open for art commissions in the following styles (do ignore the watermarks—it’s my old pseudonymㅠ):

do hit me up on messages if your interested in a commission while i update the thing on ko-fi♡

so… yeah! i really would appreciate any kind of help and/or inquiries (and reblogs!♡) because i still wanna survive and watch christopher and skz being a bunch of silly little beans for a long timeㅠ and thankyou so much for reading this long post!

with love,

isa♡

[sotwk]

How I Use My Following/Mutuals List

Although I celebrate the growth of my Followers list as much as the next blogger, my Following list is much more valuable to me, and I try to make it so that my Following List = Mutuals List. (Except for a select few blogs I follow for "business" reasons, such as graphics, artist/image resources, etc.) In an ideal world, my Following list would be the same size as my Followers list too.

I try to Follow mostly just blogs who follow me back, not because I think it's some fancy VIP list, but because interactions and developing actual friendships with Followers matters a lot to me. I regularly browse my Following list to check on blogs/people I haven't touched or interacted with recently, and I make an effort to make some sort of contact if it's been a while. I actually try to keep tabs on Mutuals! That is more difficult to do if there are a 100+ blogs/bloggers on the list that have barely interacted with me and are kind of just sitting there. So I don't follow back those blogs.

I understand that not all Followers want to chat or get chummy, and that's okay! But "silent" interaction is shown through likes and reblogs, and those matter to me too. If you are a Follower, please show up on my notifications and give me some sort of sign that you'd genuinely like for me to follow you, too!

On the other hand, if I started Following you (cause I do make the first move sometimes), and you're not hitting the follow back button to make us Mutuals, that's totally fine! But if enough time passes and the engagement/interest is starting to feel just too one-sided, then I might eventually unfollow--no hard feelings!

I will never unfollow the blog of a Mutual, even one that's gone inactive. Once we become genuine Moots, it's for life, baby!

I WOULD LOVE TO BE MUTUALS WITH YOU and interact with you and your blog.

I just need some sort of sign that you want the same, thus the word, "Mutual". <3

I just completed a "clean up" of my Following and Followers lists, which included purging suspected bots, following back followers I have missed doing so before, and unfollowing blogs that almost never engage with me or just never followed back. I hope I haven't mistakenly unfollowed someone I wasn't supposed to, but if I did, please forgive me, and if you can please let me know, I will correct the mistake!

Disclaimer: Side-blogs vs main blogs make this whole Following thing pretty tricky, so if that causes me to screw up my own Follow-back protocol, I apologize! Again, please feel free to reach out and give me a heads up on which blog I can/should follow and reach you at!

I love you, Mutuals!

[milkywaydrinker]

Day 3: Crown - 805 words

The confusing scene on the screen in front of her made her want to get up and leave. 

She couldn't, though; she promised to be nice. She promised to do her best and try to be friendly. She had to make it through somehow.

"Okay, so now, after picking up the power-up, you unlock new powers," Badyah rambled while seemingly just mashing buttons on the oddly shaped device in her hands. It must have been a remote of some sort since the character on the screen responded to her actions. 

"Yeah! In different games, there are different powers too! There's one where you can be a cat or a raccoon!" A ginger kid seated on the floor chimed in with barely contained excitement.

"A tanuki, you can be a tanuki, but yeah, different games have different cool mechanics. There are even racing games." She did something on the controller, and the screen changed into a completely different scenery. 

"No offense, but I really don't get how this is fun." Zagan wished she could just call them nerds and leave. 

"That's okay; maybe after you try it yourself?" The kid, who had to be someone's brother or something, smiled cheerfully. 

She already missed those first few hours when he was too scared of her to talk. 

"Like I don't," she grumbled before Norma's "Be nice, please" rang out inside of her head. She clenched her jaw before sighing and finally saying, "Sure, I'll give it a go."

"That's the spirit!" Badyah shouted way overenthusiastically for Zagan's taste and almost shoved the colorful bit of plastic into her hands.

"Hold up, what do I even do here?" 

"Weren't you paying attention?" He scowled at her, but a single, perfectly practiced, mean look made him shut up. 

"It's easy; those are for moving your character." Badyah pointed to the rubber numbs that could move in any direction. "Those buttons here do all sorts of things; it depends on which powers your character can use." She pointed out other buttons with symbols on them. 

"Uh, huh." Zagan pressed some of them and quickly noticed how little force the remote needed to operate. She had to be careful with it. 

"Which character is the most powerful?" She pressed some buttons, following the directions on the screen, and found herself in the character select menu. 

"Well, if you want to play the easiest character..." Badyah said with a small smirk.

"Not what I said," Zagan huffed. 

"Hm, well, you want a challenge, but the character should feel powerful?" She tapped her chin and looked at the kid next to her. "What do you think, Patrick?"

He swallowed loudly and shifted on the floor before responding. "I think Toadette would work. She has balanced basic statistics and can use the Super Crown."

"The what?" Her ears perked up. 

"Yeah, it's a unique buff only she can use. It's almost like she gets to be a princess for a while." He began to speak faster again, suddenly encouraged by even the slightest amount of interest. 

"All right, let's try that." She confirmed her character choice. 

Very quickly, she realized she didn't care about the plot. 

Another problem became apparent almost instantly.

She sucked at this game. 

Badly. 

"Oh, come on!" She growled after falling into another pit.

"It's all about timing. You keep jumping way too early." Badyah pointed out, causing Zagan to grit her teeth.

"Yeah, whatever, it's not my fault those buttons are so damn small." She tapped the button and fell into the pit again. After a few more tries, she finally made it. 

"Yay! You did it!" To his credit, he sounded genuinely happy for her. It didn't make it any less embarrassing.

"Oh, is this the crown thing?" Zagan pointed at the screen after hitting a block with a question mark on it.

"Yeah! Go pick it up!" Badyah almost shouted into her ear.

"Jeez, okay, relax." She picked up the item.

A brief animation played. 

It was, honestly, rather underwhelming. 

"Okay, now what?"

"Well, um, try to finish the level?" Badyah looked at her, clearly confused. "It should be easier now. You can jump way better with this."

"I see..."

She ran into an enemy, got hit, and lost her power-up and her last life. 

"Oh, screw it!" She snarled, and before even realizing what was happening, the plastic cracked in her hands.

"Aw, Zagan, it's okay." Badyah rested her hand on her shoulder. "Just, please don't break my pro controller."

With a frustrated groan, the vampire hung her head and passed the device over. 

"Hi everyone! We're back!" Norma, Barney, and Az walked out of the elevator.

"Oh, dope, are we gaming? I wanna play Mario Cart!" Az sat on the floor with a thump.

"I'm not playing anything ever again," Zagan mumbled, head in hands. 

[mdhwrites]

Zenless First Impressions (Spoiler Free)

I just got through what I would consider the first proper storyline after the prologue. The impression I'm getting of ZZZ is this: Zenless is swinging for the fences presentation wise and I think doing a genuinely great job at it. It has leveraged being Hoyo's theoretically safest gameplay structure so far in order to try and be all it can visually and sonically. It's not perfect but for all it's trying, it knows what to focus on so far mostly and the heart of these first couple stories is hitting me exactly right.

To get away from the writing though: I genuinely really enjoy the combat. I was really scared going in about it being an action gacha game but to me it keeps closer to Kingdom Hearts 2 than KH 3 in terms of being an anime fighter. Quicker, satisfying combos over long, overdrawn animations that leave you wondering what each button press actually translates into. The parry mechanic feels INCREDIBLE. To me it's kind of a marriage of the Arkham parry, where it's a flash that you need to immediately respond to, with a more traditional parry in that it translates into an absolute fuck ton of damage in return for succeeding in it. It helps give a flow to combat that Genshin never had and that I haven't really found in any gacha action game.

I also have to give credit to the pacing. While it's not perfect, they aren't trying to front load everything you can do in the game. Instead, they allow it to come more naturally as you bounce between downtime from story missions to charming main quests that introduce you to the NPCs for shops and the like. It makes sure it never feels entirely bogged down that way in just tutorials or just story.

It's just got a charm to it that I'm loving, helped by a good mix of bog standard dystopian bullshit and heart to keep the plot interesting and engaging. Seriously, this is blowing my expectations out of the water.

I have a couple more blogs I want to make, including expanding on my thoughts on the first story line and its climactic cut scene, but this is a strong start to the game I think. You've got me, now just reel me in Zenless and we'll see how far this goes.

======+++++======

I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead. If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

A Twitter you can follow too

And a Kofi if you like what I do and want to help out with the fact that disability doesn’t pay much.

[understandingbimbos]

Transformation.

Like most of this blog, this is an opinion piece.

I hate the association of bimbofication with MC. I hate that bimbofication is considered a subsection of MC.

And that's not to say I hate MC. There's art and erotica I like I'm pretty sure falls under the umbrella of MC. But with bimbofication, its all about the transformation. Yes, there's a transformation of the mind, and I suppose that could be considered mind control -- but there needs to be a physical transformation. I have no interest in bimbo-fication without physical transformation.

There's nothing wrong with bimbos on their own, divorced from transformation. I love the exaggerated plastic surgery look. I love female characters who are dumb, lascivious (this is a really specific word to use over "horny" or "slutty" but I need to be specific about what I mean), or attention seeking (or dumb, lascivious, and attention seeking). But what I don't like is reading a story where some mind controlling reality-rewriting psychopath asshole walks in and is like "Hey, you're dumb now! And you have huge tits." I don't enjoy that. I don't like when some loser ass motherfucker hits the bagel button on the bimbo toaster and a fully formed hot dumb slut obsessed with sucking his dick pops out seconds later, followed by descriptions of sucking dick. I could just watch porn for that.

I want to see a transformation. You know, the real bimbofication is the bimbos we made along the way. The end result is fine, if the end result is written well (it never is), but I'm here to see the process.

And on the slightest related note, maybe this is why I have a such hard time with IRL bimbos. I love the fakeness. I love the vulgarity of a woman having an obviously fake ass, and fake lips, and fake tits... but its genuinely ruined for me if I can't think of the woman as dumb. The sexiness and allure evaporates. What are bimbo tits without the bimbo brain? Without the bimbo behavior? A waste of bimbo parts, in my honest opinion. At the very least, it helps to have a character to reference. Pamela Anderson is hot, but I started watching Baywatch and in the first few episodes CJ's not acting bimbish at all. Then I watched Barb Wire, and she's fucking Humphrey Bogart. So now I'm watching Stripperella... and Erotica has her moments, but even she's not really a bimbo. What gives, Pam?

It's a damn shame. Even including pornstars the only people I can really project that bimbo persona on is

1. Jayne Mansfield, because she played it so well -- on more than one occasion, and incorporated it into her public image.

And

2. Barbara Eden, because she played a silly horny genie in a skimpy outfit on TV for 5-7 years.

One of those women has been dead for 56 years, and the other is 91. It's honestly not looking so good.

[monriatitans]

AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH QUOTE 15

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

“I do genuinely wish and think all therapists should be Neurodiversity Affirming. I also recognize this has to begin at school. We need undergraduate and graduate level courses taught in ways that allow for learning about the Neurodiversity paradigm and movement. We need professors explaining the medical model of disability as well as other models such as the social model, human rights model, the holistic model by AutisticTic, the social relational model by Carol Thomas, etc. … We need therapists to be less Autistiphobic and actually learn how to best recognize and assess Autism – not even for diagnosis – just to best support Autistic people.” – AuDHD_Therapist, "Reasons your Therapist may not be Neurodiversity Affirming"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Check out Different Brains, who “strives to encourage understanding & acceptance of individuals who have variations in brain function and social behaviors known as neurodiversity”. Interested in seeing where the quote came from? If so, check out their Instagram post here! For the curious, the purpose of this series of quotes can be found here! Enjoy what I do? Please consider supporting via the WGS Ko-fi! Like what you see and want to know when there’s more? Click here to subscribe for updates and/or hit the Follow button!

For more about MonriaTitans, click here! Watch MonriaTitans on Twitch and YouTube! The image was made with the Quotes Creator App!

[a-bit-too-much-of-a-pokemon-fan]

Oops, forgot to post my early review of Violet

I found this just chilling in the drafts of my main blog, so I'm gonna post my initial review of Pokémon Violet here, then follow up on it with thoughts now that I'm on my seventh playthrough (sixth Nuzlocke, third Hardcore Nuzlocke).

When I was in the midst of catching Pokémon and progressing the story of Violet, it hit me that I was having some of the most fun I’ve ever had playing Pokémon. The fact that the game runs so abysmally is all the more tragic because other than that, I’m tempted to say this is one of the best games in the franchise. I grew up on Platinum, and White/White 2 are my overall favorites, but Violet is creeping real close. Performance aside, I think the biggest weakness is one that most open world games suffer from—a fragmented story. It’s eerily similar to Breath of the Wild in that sense. The story that’s there is really good, but the world design leads to a loose execution. Compared to Skyward Sword and Pokémon Gen 5, which are suffocatingly linear but deliver a tightly executed story that hits all the right beats at all the right points.

That’s the crazy thing about Violet, too. The story isn’t just good because of the characterizations and themes. The dialogue is just straight up good. It feels like you’re talking to real people and not video game npcs, or at least the most like it we’ve gotten in Pokémon. The localization was clearly done by people who are young and/or in touch. There are so many little gems. A gym leader who is a streamer and tells her audience to smash the subscribe button? The earnest but out of touch school headmaster asking you what “cheugy” means? It’s so good.

I’m surprised with how well the three-prong story fits and comes all together in the end. The gym challenge in your standard Pokémon romp and is fun but honestly the least interesting of the three. Arven and Team Star’s stories are genuinely well-written and touching. They both start kind of weird and forced, but they grew on me really fast.

Alright, and the music is fucking fantastic. Pokémon has always had great music. That’s probably the coldest take in this post. But there are some serious hits in this score. The East Province themes, Team Star themes, and very spoiler-heavy, late-game songs are so, so good. They made a great choice bringing Toby Fox in for more tracks.

In terms of the game design though, I’m a huge fan. Terastylizing is probably the most interesting battle gimmick since double battles introduced in Gen 3. The regional Pokédex is a nice balance of mons from every generation and sits at a very respectable number of 400 Pokémon. I just caught myself a whole living dex up thru Gen 6, so for this playthrough I chose to only use new (Gen 8 and 9) Pokémon. Still, I came into it knowing I wanted to catch every mon I can. I was struck by just how much encounter variety there is. On a second playthrough where I allow mons from Gen 7 and earlier, I can see myself using a completely different team.

Ah, my team. My companions for this adventures were as follows: Zaza the Meowscarada, Li’l Buddy the Pawmot, Blaze the Ceruledge, False Knees the Corviknight, Honey Bun the Dachsbun, Connie the Frosmoth, and the late substitution for False Knees to cover my crippling weakness to fire-types: Norm the Veluza. I can and will go in depth into this team and what I love about it, but suffice it to say that Weed Cat was a great starter.

I do think I’ll need a second playthrough a while down the road before I can say if I love this game, but it’s easily one of my favorites in the series. Again, that’s why it’s poor performance sucks so much. I really, really like Violet, but it can be miserable to play sometimes. I know it can be so much better then it is. So let’s get to the elephant in the room.

Gamefreak needs to slow down. From what I saw of Sword and Shield (I skipped these ones), there are points where you can tell corners had to be cut. The problem became obvious with Legends Arceus. I love the gameplay, music, art direction, and all the little experiments the designers took, but holy Arceus above, the game looks like ass. If the devs were given more time, it could have looked so much better. And now we’re here with Scarlet and Violet. The art direction is strong but it’s obvious in one look that the devs were rushed. The only parts of the game that don’t consistently drop frames are the Tera raid battles. I’m sure there are countless people listing every performance issue, so I’ll stop there.

The devs need more time to put out their best work, and the Gamefreak and Pokémon Company execs know that. But. Their main audience is children. As a former child myself, I know that children have no taste or sense of quality. Unless the game is literally unplayable and crashes every other minute, kids will not notice the myriad performance issues. So they will continue to ask their parents to buy them the games, and the games will continue being purchased. The share of Pokémon fans who are A) adults, and B) concerned with the state of the games and franchise, is tiny compared to the primary audience. So unless the next game is so rushed that it actually sells as terribly as it runs, things will never change.

So,,, yeah. I give it a 6/10. Fix the performance and I’d give it a 9.5/10. Good game. They gave me a weed cat.

~~~~~~

Alright, that was the review I wrote on December 31st, six days after I got the game. I had just finished my vanilla playthrough of the game. I'm even more conflicted on the score now than I was before. I think I'll itemize it then revisit the overall score.

Music: Easy 10/10. Banger after banger here. Battle themes, boss themes, town themes, area themes, oh man. Almost everything is great. There are some tracks I aren't the biggest fan of, namely the West Province theme and variants. But the sheer quantity of songs I like, and the phenomenal use of adaptive music makes up for it.

Story: 8/10. Easily the strongest story of the series in terms of writing quality and dialogue. I don't have much more to say than what I wrote in December. It loses points on having that weaker execution than Black and White, and if I'm being honest, it still doesn't compare to the better-written non-Pokémon games I've played. Halo 4 or Undertale, anyone?

Trainer/Boss Battles: 7/10. Where are the healing items? Where are the switch-ins? Random trainer battles aren't always easy, granted. The trainers with black dialogue boxes (the strongest trainer of each area) are no joke, especially in Nuzlockes. Boss battles though. Thematically, always reserving their ace for last then Terastallizing works very well. It makes the battles much more predictable. I can definitely feel the lack of healing items, which reduces the amount of strategizing needed. I also dock points for removing set mode. That was legitimately the only form of a difficulty option in this game and they turned it into another input and a time loss every time you KO an opponent's Pokémon. It's especially frustrating when I return to Violet after playing earlier games that have the option. Overall enjoyable though.

Wild Pokémon Battles: 10/10. Phenomenal. Perfect, even. Continuing the mapping of Pokéballs to the X button instead of needing to go into the bag is perfect. Makes catching smoother. Pokéball animations are much faster. Roaming encounters are such a welcome change from random encounters. The only problem with them is that they complicate Nuzlockes, but that's really not the designers' fault.

Accessibility: 1/10. Abysmal. Disclaimer that I almost never use any accessibility options in games because I don't need them. But there's no options for disabling or toning down animations. No button remapping. No color blindness options. No text options beside changing the speed. Forgive me if I forgot some. Again, I don't use them so I don't usually think consciously about it. Besides, GameFreak forgot all of them. I give one point because falling of cliffs is made harder by a buffer, and you can warp back up if you do fall. Nintendo-published games need to have more accessibility options and I can't believe they keep getting away with their absence of options.

Presentation: 4/10. Oh, this is rough. Character and Pokémon models are fantastic, manmade structures are great, but almost everything natural looks terrible. I don't see any anti-aliasing. It's terribly optimized. Performance issues abound. And what's with the pace of battles? The higher ups needed to let the devs and QA teams cook. Damn.

Overall: ... 8/10. In some ways, ScarVio knocks it out of the park. In others, it falls flat on its face. But the most important part to me personally is whether the game is fun. And I stand by my previous take. It's some of the most fun I've had in Pokémon game. If my seven playthroughs (four complete, two Nuzlocke wipes, one in progress) are any indication, I like this game quite a lot.