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postgamecontent · 3 months ago

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'Cash Cow DX' Switch Review

Look, I know Flynn's Arcade is a publisher. It doesn't develop games, and in most cases the games it releases on Switch have been released elsewhere by their original developers. But more than most publishers who engage in such endeavors, I feel like Flynn's Arcade is very good at selecting titles that fit a particular identity. I don't know what a "Ratalaika Game" or a "Red.Deer Game" looks like, but if you tell me Flynn's Arcade is putting something out there, I've got a general picture in my brain of what sort of thing it's going to be.

With that in mind, I wasn't too surprised when it picked up pixel games' latest jam, Cash Cow DX, for a Switch release. Flynn's published the developer's previous title, the outstanding Donut Dodo, on the platform and it seemed to go over rather well. Even without that history, though, Cash Cow DX fits the profile. It has that classic arcade feel, drawing inspiration from a number of sources to create something that feels both new and yet somehow authentic to that era. I don't think it hits its notes quite as well as Donut Dodo does, but there's a lot to like in this game if you're a fan of classic arcade games.

In this game, your goal on each of the five stages is to collect all of your stolen Mooney strewn about the stage. You have to get every last bit of it to move on to the next stage, and that can take some work. The stages scroll horizontally at least a few screens' worth and have multiple levels of platforms to navigate along with some unique gimmicks. Your cow character can run pretty quickly and jump well enough to clear some gaps and enemies, but you can't jump high enough to reach higher tracks. You'll have to sort out how to reach everything on the level, and that's your first job in Cash Cow DX. Of course, enemies will be pursuing you all the while, so you'll have to be careful about running ahead too fast.

If I had to liken it to any classic games, I suppose Mappy and City Connection would be the first ones to come to mind. Not bad company. And of course, merely clearing the stages is just the start. What you really want to do is get a high score, right? And that's where things get really devilish. Gems will sometimes appear in various locations for a short time. Grab them and your Mooney will temporarily be worth a lot more points. There's also a pickaxe somewhere on each stage. Pick that up and you can attack your enemies for a while, earning even more points. But there are other things you can do with that pickaxe if you keep your eyes open. Trying to stay ahead of the enemies, collect all the Mooney, and maximize your score while doing so is quite a tasty challenge.

There are multiple difficulty modes here, and you can choose between two cows once you clear the Easy course. The unlockable cow moves faster but is a little looser to control and has a much weaker jump. There's also an Endless Marathon mode (unlocked by completing the Normal course) and a Goldrush Speedrun (as with the second cow, unlocked by completing Easy). You also get a Practice mode that allows you to try out single stages at your leisure. Local scoreboards are available, and you can scan a QR code to submit your score to online boards. All of that is rounded out with a few options to tweak things like screen flash, screen shake, and so on.

In terms of how it looks, moves, and sounds, you would probably be able to guess Cash Cow DX was from the same developer of Donut Dodo even if you weren't told. It's energetic, exciting, colorful, bouncy, and is just plain appealing in every way a game like this should be. It is perhaps guilty of being a little too derivative of Donut Dodo's aesthetic, but thinking back to the classic arcade era it wasn't that odd for developers to have a style that carried over from game to game. I'm not too fussed about it, at least for this game anyway.

What I will say as a more general caution is that Cash Cow DX comes on a bit strong, even on the first level of its Easy course. There are indicators to let you know where enemies are if they're off-screen, but juggling everything you need to do while keeping an eye on that information takes some getting used to. If you stick with it, you'll be fine. But I could see some people being put off immediately, and I can't help but think a slightly more lenient first stage might have helped with that. Donut Dodo nailed that aspect, and it's unfortunate that Cash Cow DX doesn't quite manage it.

On the whole I would say that Cash Cow DX is probably not going to be as widely appealing as Donut Dodo, but I think the scoring game runs a lot deeper here. I imagine it will have fewer fans, but the people who like it are going to absolutely love it. It took me a little while to warm up to it, but once I did I was pleased to find yet another game that really gets the whole retro arcade feel. As with the previous game from this developer, I'm sure I'll be back to this one frequently to try to better my scores.

Score: 4/5

#nintendo switch #reviews #cash cow dx

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60b3r · 2 years ago

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Catching up with life.

It's been over five years since I graduated from university, and here I am, once again, applying for jobs like a robot. I have sent over 4 to 5 job applications per week, tweaked my CV individually once a month, and hand-crafted my cover letter uniquely for each jobs I applied to. To top it off, I have been doing this for 2 years combined. Assuming that is not an overstatement, I have been sending over 300 job applications to different schools, universities, and even across other industries. With this overkill—yet seems to useless—Masters degree, it does not serve as a selling point, since it is being considered inconsistent with the common practice prevalently found in Indonesian universities, that one's Masters degree should be linear in order to work in academia as a lecturer. I even had to consider dropping my Graduate degree and went with my Bachelors degree to apply for jobs. People kept saying that biotech is the future, that the sciences are dawning all over, technology grows at light-speed, but all I experience is frustration and anguish. People kept telling that I am overqualified, that there's no way I am always between jobs with such emotive motivation and carefully curated skills and my beautifully AI-tweaked resume. I’m seriously starting to consider giving up this life and trekking into the wild to make my new life, Randall Clark-style. Here I want to reflect back on my past few years' endeavor and remind myself that job-seeking is such a dehumanizing process and something must be done to fix this. But before that, a quick background on my life so far. Consider this as a short, catching-up telltale.

Right after graduating in 2018, I was so motivated to fix the education system. I applied to teaching jobs and got myself a first formal job teaching Biology and caring for a dormant Science Club back in my alma mater. Why not apply for the industry sector, you ask? There's not enough room for Biotech graduates in Indonesia, and despite what people say about the unique nature of the niche, most of the positions can either be filled with Chemical Engineering graduates, or just General Biology graduates. There's not enough value created by pursuing Biotech degree, apart from continuing in academia as a researcher. After one year, I didn't renew my contract and decided to pursue for higher education, which I thought it was necessary to create a bigger impact. I thought back then, "Here I am, teaching young generation Biology and the art of life, some of them might be doctors or environmental engineers, yes, but majority of them won't even need these stuff." I said that to myself, exactly like I was thinking back then when I was their age and learning mathematics. it was 2019 when I decided to pursue MSc/PhD Biotechnology abroad, to allow myself to engage with wider masses upon completion. This time, high-schoolers, next up, college students, or so I thought. But life is a bitch, and then we all gonna die anyway.

Luckily at that time, right after my resignation was granted, I got myself three Letters of Admission: from two different universities in The Netherlands and one from Sweden. I'd then applied for several scholarships program, one of them being the notorious LPDP. The task of simply qualifying for the first round of paperwork selection was very tedious and stressful. It was my first time dealing with a plethora of documents to prepare, and I could say the tears and blood was even worse than the process of getting an LoA from the three campuses. After two more selection stages, long story short, I didn't qualify after the interview process, and I plunged myself in depression. A month later, I collected myself to start over, and this time, applied for jobs in the edtech startups. My thoughts were somehow I could work for a while, save enough money while still creating impact, and fund my Masters off my own deposits. Well again, fortunately I told myself at that time, some unicorn companies contacted me, and somewhat early that year, precisely February 2020, I was called into one of the big edtech company to attend an interview. I scrambled to book a ticket and a homestay for 2 days and... Oh boy. Three days before my departure, Jakarta shut down the borders and Covid ruined my lifelong dream of studying abroad. Interview cancelled, plane ticket burnt, and that hotel bed never touched my back. No job, no credit, eat shit. All 2020 I cried myself to sleep.

The anxiety caused by the uncertainties was so dreadful, I fantasized going for a program—the one in the Netherlands—anyway. Talk about coping using unrealistic expectation. So I emailed the admissions office and requested to postpone my first semester to October 2020 or March 2021 (they granted the former but refused the latter). I even paid for the dorm room in the Netherlands, when I was very certain that this was just another viral outbreak that's gonna resolve on its own after several months (that was also a false hope). Then, my family business took a major hit due to lockdowns imposed by the local government, and everyone went nuts. All plans go bust, and out of nowhere, suddenly, all homeschool students I have been teaching stopped responding to my calls. All types of businesses from across all sectors took a hit. Purchasing power bottomed out. Monetary circulation grounded to a halt. In the midst of all this blazing hellfire that is a financial crisis, it was in the middle of 2020 when I applied for student loan to get myself into a campus in Jogja. I thought "Well, it can't be that bad, right, I can still go to Jogja and pursue another Masters here, domestically, without going abroad and waste lots of money." So did everybody else thought, when we all first had our online classes in October 2020. But fast forward to early 2022, It's like everyone skipped two years of their life, staring at the screen for several hours drying out eyeballs and get nothing from classes other than just one or two classes that are actually elective subjects, not among the core courses.

I greeted 2021 with much hope, a hope that someday I will be able to meet my classmates and hunt for Jogja food later in the day after classes. I would have scoured through the libraries of the renown, and I would have also joined several student councils during my studies. But no. Not even once we got a call from campus saying our classes would go from distanced learning to on-site learning. I spent 2021 lurking around Malang trying to find a closure, visiting many natural places where I used to enjoy, gulping so many unhealthy foods down my throat to ease the numbing pain, even engaged in some risky behavior of ████████████. The year ended with more student debt, an unfinished thesis proposal, a broken heart, and still, no single job interview landed. Yes, I even went through Masters fully online (including all of the phases of research). I spent all 2021 mourning the hundreds if not thousands of what-ifs while drafting my thesis proposal. A small ember light up in the darkness, I got myself a job replacing a science teacher in Surabaya during her maternity leave. I got the contract extended just before I finished my thesis defense, and I am stuck in Surabaya for another year of inconsecutive work experience. Not even a single time I ever stepped my soles on campus grounds in Jogja during my enrollment there. The only chance I got to be closer than ever to my supposed campus building is during my awards ceremony where I returned my graduation robes.

I got paid three times the amount I got when I was working in my alma mater. I got myself a small room not too far away, and after selling my family's car, I even got a small discount since I am not using the provided parking space anymore. Plus, after over half a year, I can save more than I could usually save because there are no more gas-hungry beast that is my 1.5L turbocharged CVT Medium SUV. The school itself was decent, I got mediocre lunch everyday and to be honest there are less paperwork than the previous jobs I had been working on, but oooh the lab equipment and the learning materials are very lacking. I requested for some upgrades here and there, and they didn't even bat an eye. I have to struggle and come up with weird hyper-crearive plans to deliver the lesson, which by the way are not just biology, but also physics, chemistry, and geography. I enjoyed most of my time teaching, but considering a majority of students would leave the school and continue somewhere else, the school management decided to cut over half of the staff earlier this year. By the time of writing, I still need to finish my contract, though. Fortunately, I got some leeway since there are less classes to teach now after Cambridge exams has passed. This is where the fun begins. Not another job hunting. So, wish me luck friends.

#job #work #antiwork #school #life #adulting #education #depression #coping #stress

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511digital · 3 months ago

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Mastering Dynamic Ad Variations: The Secret Weapon for Sky-High ROI 1. Introduction: The Dynamic Ad Revolution

Remember the days when we’d create one ad and hope it resonated with everyone? Yeah, those days are long gone. Welcome to the era of dynamic ad variations, where every ad is like a chameleon, adapting to each viewer’s preferences faster than you can say “click-through rate.”

2. What Are Dynamic Ad Variations?

Think of dynamic ad variations as the Swiss Army knife of digital advertising. Instead of one static ad, you’re creating a flexible template that can morph into multiple versions. It’s like having a hundred different ads in one, each tailored to speak directly to different segments of your audience. 3. How Dynamic Ad Variations Work

Here’s where it gets exciting. These variations aren’t just random – they’re powered by some serious AI mojo. The system analyzes user data, behavior, and preferences in real-time. Then, faster than you can blink, it serves up the version of your ad most likely to make that particular user go, “Shut up and take my money!”

4. Benefits of Implementing Dynamic Ad Variations

Personalization on Steroids: Each user gets an ad that feels like it was made just for them.

Better ROI: More relevant ads mean higher engagement and conversion rates.

Time-Saver Supreme: Set it up once, and the AI takes care of the rest.

Continuous Improvement: The system learns and optimizes with every interaction.

Scalability: Reach more people with personalized content without losing your mind.

5. Getting Started with Dynamic Ad Variations

Ready to dive in? Here’s your game plan:

Know Your Audience: Segment your audience based on key characteristics.

Create Your Base Ad: This is your template – make it flexible.

Define Your Variables: Decide which elements will change (text, images, CTAs).

Set Up Your Rules: Tell the system when to use which variations.

Launch and Learn: Keep an eye on the data and be ready to tweak.

6. Best Practices for Maximizing Results

Test, Test, Test: Don’t assume – let the data guide you.

Be Relevant, Not Creepy: Personalization is great, but respect privacy.

Keep It Fresh: Regularly update your content to avoid ad fatigue.

Align with Your Funnel: Different variations for different stages of the buyer’s journey.

Mobile-First: Ensure your variations look great on small screens.

7. Real-World Success Stories

I once worked with a fashion retailer who was struggling with generic ads. We implemented dynamic variations, personalizing based on browsing history and past purchases. The result? A 150% increase in ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) within just two months!

8. The Future of Dynamic Advertising

Buckle up, because this is just the beginning. We’re moving towards hyper-personalized, context-aware ads that might even predict what you want before you know you want it. Creepy? Maybe a little. Effective? You bet.

9. FAQs

Q: Is this only for big businesses with big budgets?

A: Not at all! Many platforms offer dynamic ad options for businesses of all sizes.

Q: How many variations should I create?

A: Start with 3-5 and scale up as you learn what works.

Q: Will this replace traditional A/B testing?

A: It complements it. Use A/B testing to refine your dynamic variations.

Q: Can I use this for both B2B and B2C?

A: Absolutely! The principles work for any target audience.

Q: How do I measure success?

A: Look at engagement rates, conversion rates, and overall ROI compared to static ads.

10. Conclusion

Dynamic ad variations aren’t just a fancy new toy – they’re a powerful tool that can transform your digital marketing strategy. By serving up personalized, relevant content to each viewer, you’re not just advertising; you’re starting a conversation.

Remember, the key to success is to stay curious, keep testing, and always put your audience first. The technology is amazing, but at the end of the day, it’s about connecting with real people.

So, are you ready to take your digital advertising to the next level? Trust me, your ROI will thank you.

Ready to supercharge your digital marketing? At 511 Digital Marketing, we’re experts in implementing dynamic ad variations that drive real results. Let’s chat about how we can boost your ROI and take your campaigns to new heights. Click here to schedule your free strategy session today! Know More

#seo services #social media metrics #best digital marketing company #best seo company #facebook ads #search engine marketing #marketing metrics #facebook advertising #pay per click

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astaroth1357 · 4 years ago

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Demigod MC Series: Athena

So. I have to deal with the virgin goddesses… By mythos, there really shouldn't ever be children of Artemis, Hestia, or Athena (yes, Athena was a virgin goddess). PJ got past that by making it canon that Annabeth and her siblings were born from cracking open Athena's skull (yes, that's also more or less the canon explanation). They gloss over it real quick but I remember, Rick. I've always remembered and that mental image has haunted me for years...

I can't, in good conscience, ignore the history around Athena's worship (call it an academic restraint) but I REFUSE to do the skull thing. So, since I make the rules here, I'm going with magic adoption. They still get magic powers, they're just more human than demigod. Cool? Cool.

Demigod MC Series: Intro, Aphrodite, Hermes, Hades, Dionysus, Demeter, Athena

Lucifer

The human that popped out of the portal seemed to have enough sense not to attack everyone in the room for a change, but even Lucifer could tell that was more of a strategic choice than for lack of ability...

Their very existence was highly unusual… and quite worrisome. He wasn't even aware Athena could have "children" of her own, but apparently she had been taking in some particularly bright humans to raise and train like her own...

Unbeknownst to him, a surprising amount of human scholars, diplomats, and generals have her to thank for their trade… and that alone should speak to the level of intrigue at play here.

Was this an accident or Athena's attempt to plant an Olympian spy in the Devildom too…? Either way, he didn't trust them from the get go…

Look, Lucifer isn’t stupid. Athena is a goddess of Wisdom and War and war happens on more than just the battlefield…

Since they've shown up records have been going missing, official documents keep getting misplaced, and he swears that there's some kind of bug in the student council room...!

It's infuriating watching the MC suck up to Diavolo when he's almost certain that they're running their own agenda behind the scenes! And he can't prove any of it!! They cover their tracks too well!

Lucifer has one of those corkboards covered in newspapers and string in a secret wing of the Castle - 100% dedicated to just tracking the MC's activities…. The longer they're there, the more obsessed he becomes...

He swears between Simeon, Solomon, and MC he feels like a shepherd wondering why the sheep are growling… The Devildom has never been in more danger than it is right now... Send help.

Mammon

To be honest, he kind of thought that they were just going to be Satan 2.0 but that's not really true.

They're more than just a book sponge! Though they do read, like a lot. Let’s just say from one schemer to another… Game recognizes Game.

They come up with plans and ideas soooo fast, it’s insane! Honestly, there are times where he has a new money-making plot and he just brings it to the MC first to run it over.

Nine times out of ten, not only do they sniff out any problems but they have a solution for him in a matter of minutes! His scheme game has been on point since they’ve shown up!!

They’re also even better tutoring than Satan is, so he’s even managed to get a couple A’s for the first time in his life! Lucifer actually told him he was proud (which he secretly recorded and now uses as a ringtone much to his brother’s regret...)

So yeah, he likes them... buuut that doesn’t keep him from thinking they act a little weird sometimes...

Mammon: *points to a unused tower close to the RAD building* Over there is the Tower of Sorrow. We use it for storage.

MC: Ah. Interesting… *starts writing in a notebook, muttering* It may need a few minor tweaks but the location is defensible...

Mammon: *stops* Ya say somethin’?

MC: *looks back up* Nope! Say, you’ve been to the Castle a lot haven’t you? Do you know any good ways in?

Mammon: Uhm… Why do ya want to know that…? *starts looking around for Lucifer*

MC: In case of emergencies. I like being prepared. 🙂

Mammon: Look, I don’t know what Lucifer might’a told ya…

MC: I’ll pay you a thousand Grimm for it.

Mammon: Well shit, ya want those maps with or without color?

... Yeeeah, that’s pretty weird… But it’s probably fine. I mean, as long as they keep giving him money, who’s he to complain? 🤷‍♀️

Leviathan

Also thought that they’d be a lot more like Satan but was pleasantly surprised that they were into more than books.

What else did they like exactly? Military strategy!!

It’s been a looong time since he’s been able to talk to someone who’s actually interested in all the battles he’s fought, both in the Celestial Realm and the Devildom, and their curiosity is kind of flattering...! Not a lot of people take his strategic prowess all that seriously anymore...

Plus, they are the BEST partner to have any turn-based strategy game. Hands down. He once got stuck on a level of D-COM for weeks until the MC walked in and mopped the floor with the AI!! They have a serious head for probability and tactics.

The House once made the mistake of letting these two be on the same team during a Hell Game and they absolutely demolished the competition. Mammon didn’t even get a single shot off before half his team was lost to a rigged paint grenade… It took a whole day to clean up…

However, Levi’s also noticed some odd things about the human… He likes that they’re interested in his past but maybe they’re a little… too interested?

Levi: -and that’s how we defeated the Four Horsemen before they escaped from Purgatory.

MC: Wow, Levi that’s seriously impressive!! *furiously scribbling on a notebook*

Levi: Well t-thanks… 😅 But, uhm... are you writing that down…?

MC: Hm? Oh no, just doodling. *they lift up the notebook to show a bunch of cute little sketches on the page… and not the magic-based invisible ink all over them…*

Levi: Oh you draw too? Can you do fanart???

MC: Eh, sometimes. But say Levi, can you tell me about your naval ranks again? I’m still really curious… *gets the pen ready again with a smile*

Satan

Oh, it's been a long game of cat-and-mouse between these two… and unfortunately, it’s been pretty addicting too.

He honestly had every intention of tricking the human into making a huge mess do he could bother Lucifer, but at every turn they proved just a hair too clever for him...

He once gave them a cursed book to “lend” to Lucifer, but they saw through it the moment they touched it and lifted the spell before handing it over.

He rigged a podium to spray glitter during one of Lucifer's speeches but the MC disconnected the trigger mic before he even got on stage. It was pretty dang frustrating...

At one point he got so desperate that, just as a test, he tried to trap them in the House's Music Room. Fortunately for them, it only took a few minutes to work out an escape. They even passed by him in the hallway with a wink!

It's confounding! It's infuriating!!

...and it's so damn sexy... He should be furious but he’s just in awe!!

Add on that they know their art, literature, and multiple different crafts thanks to the tutelage of their adopted mother and that’s it. He’s finished. This boy is in love.

Truthfully though, a part of him is 90% sure that they’re also gathering state secrets… Like, they’re watching Barbs and Diavolo far too close for comfort - but he just can't bring himself to care. 🤷‍♀️

The MC could walk into his room one day and say, "Hey, do you want to help overthrow the monarchy with me?" and he dreads it because deep down he knows that he wouldn’t say no…

Take some notes, kids. Some bad influences get you to drink or do drugs. Others pull you into a centuries long conspiracy to destabilize and topple rival realms from within… But he has fallen for their brain hard. Devil help them all…

Asmodeus

They’re pretty clever, he’ll give them that, but uh… Are they a little off to anybody else?

Asmo is a charmer by birthright so he has a bit of nose for when someone’s just a liiittttle too nice… Not much of a nose mind you, because he can be thrown off by compliments himself, but enough to think that the MC might be a little too… “kind” for their own good...

First off, who wants to spend that much time with Levi?? They don’t even seem that interested in anime! They just keeping asking him for old war stories…

Then all the sucking up they do to Diavolo and Barbatos? Look, he gets it. Diavolo is a delicious piece of man-hunk and his butler could give him a lesson or two in sweet-talk (and he has), but they seem to be just a little too… nosy.

Of course, Asmo’s suspicions disappear pretty quickly after they start to spoil him with spa nights and beauty secrets they picked up from “casual research” into the subject.

And you know, get a little Demonus in Asmo and start massaging his back? Oh, sweetie he’ll sing like a bird!! … with gossip. Singing with gossip.

Asmo: So I’ve heard that Lucifer has been spending more time at RAD than usual… His whole club is talking about it, they think he’s meeting with some witch!

MC: Hm, is that so? *works on a knot near his shoulder blades* What do you think?

Asmo: Ooh~! Right there, MC! *purrs and lays his head on his arms* Well come on, this is Lucifer we’re talking about! I’m sure he’s just working.

Asmo: Hmm... though come to think of it, I think I heard him asking Barbatos for the spare keys to the Tower of Sorrow…

MC: Oh really? Huh. *works out the knot and gets up* I just remembered that I left some papers with Satan... I’ll be right back.

Asmo: You’re going already??

MC: *waves him off quickly* I’ll be right back, Asmo. *hurries out the door to do totally on-the-up-and-up things… surely*

Beelzebub

Honestly he doesn't like this one… But not for the reasons you'd expect.

He agrees with everyone else that they seem a little shady, but Solomon and Simeon are too so it's not like that's anything new... 🤷‍♀️

No, no. He dislikes them because they're the person who FINALLY figured out how to keep him from eating all the food in the kitchen!!

Turns out that the trick was to put a teleportation charm on the fridge door that would send all the food away if it’s opened after a certain time of night…

And where does it go? The Purgatory Hall fridge. And where does the Purgatory Hall food go…? The HoL fridge…

It doesn’t sound so bad until you remember that it means half of their fridge is now Solomon’s leftovers…. 🤢

After they put the same kind of spell on the pantry, it was all over… He couldn't get midnight snacks from the House anymore… Everything was contaminated by Solomon…

The MC is a nice enough person, he doesn’t have a lot of complaints about them, but he wants them to leave. Now. This is inexcusable… He’s so hungry… and he doesn’t want to die by “goulash” or whatever Solomon calls his latest culinary catastrophe… He’s still too young for death… 😓

Belphegor

In a way, he absolutely could not have asked for a better person to help him get out of that attic.

… In another way, he got one of the worst possible people to try and kill... Like. They saw through his scheme sooo fast…

How was he supposed to know that the human had training in body language and sniffing out lies???

Getting the door open was a piece of cake for them. They knew enough magic to undo the seals and just rummaged around Lucifer's stuff long enough to find the key to the door. He could not have found a more competent individual for a break out, really.

It’s just… well he didn’t expect to go from locked in a room like a prisoner to tied up in enchanted rope, still like a prisoner but now mobile. 😑

They even used his own hug ruse against him! They caught his wrists when they got close and tied him up before he could shake them off...

Admittedly, it wasn't exactly the best look for them either - what with walking Belphegor downstairs to the others like a one-man-prison-caravan but they're as silver-tongued as they are sly so they talked their way out of it beautifully…

And like hell was he going to trust them after that!! And not even Beel liked them so something had to be up...

Well, you want a detective? Look no farther than Belphie (no seriously, it’s in the canon). He can put things together pretty fast when he puts his mind to it and watching the MC for a while gave him enough proof to work off of...

He always knew that, humans were bad news and the MC just proved it to him all over again. They are bad news, bad bad news and they’re going to-!

Overthrow… Diavolo…? Is that what he is getting from them…? Huh…

Wait a second, MC. You might just have him interested… 😏

#you say athena mc is smart #i say athena mc is spy #because where better to use your smarts #in war #obey me #obey me shall we date #shall-we-date-obey-me #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me leviathan #obey me satan #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphegor #obey me demigods

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finelinevogue · 3 years ago

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can you write about harry helping reader cope with really bad anxiety ?

this is going to be based off the anxiety that i’m more aware of, but i appreciate that it’s different for everyone and i apologise if it isn’t accurate to you <33

The world felt like it was about to end.

It was as if the sky was pushing in to the ground and decompressing you and your lungs. It was like the ground was about to swallow you whole and your legs were too glued to save yourself. There was this heaviness on your shoulders that weighed as much as a car, sinking you until you drowned. You were afraid that you wouldn’t be able to overcome this feeling.

You stood to the side of the stage with shaky hands, holding your script tight. People moved all around you, rushing to make sure everything was in place backstage for the on stage, completely ignoring you. It was as if you were invisible, so much so that someone actually bumped into you and didn’t even apologise. It made you feel quite insignificant and only boosted your mentality for not being able to do this.

You were at a competition, see. A poetry competition.

Harry had encouraged you, about a month ago now to be brave and enter yourself in for this competition. It was called ‘Prized Poetry’ and it was a huge thing in London, where poetry laureates such as Carol Ann Duffy and Simon Armitage have performed before - and now he was a judge too. You’d had to submit an entry form at first, explaining why you should be given the chance to enter the competition. Harry had spent hours going over it with you, perfecting to the every syllable. You’d gotten through, obviously with your talent, and made it to the first stage. Then the second stage, third, fourth and now fifth. The fifth and final stage.

Your previous poems were a mixture of long sad poems, haiku poems and even a short story just to see how well your talent for writing really was. You’d passed with flying colours every single time and you couldn’t have done it without Harry. He was there for every late night, with a cup of tea or a second opinion, you spent changing and tweaking your work. He was there with flowers after every single performance, after he’d spent the entire show watching you with awe. Every single time he’d cried. Every single time he’d kissed you with pride. Every single time he came. Not today, though.

Unfortunately, for you and for Harry, he was in New York doing some press for a jewellery brand that he was the new face of. He had called you last night, explaining that he didn’t know whether he’d be able to make it or not. He couldn’t face-time you though, because seeing the disappointment on your face would have killed him inside and he was selfish for that.

“Hello!” You excitedly shouted to him down the phone.

“Hi, baby.” Harry replied, his tone of voice sounding quite flat in comparison to yours.

“Uh oh. Someone’s sounding sad.”

“Yeah.” He chuckled, before breathing a deep sigh. You just knew he was stroking a stressed hand through his fluffy hair, with his eyebrows furrowed too and all you wanted to do was kiss them away.

“What’s up, sunshine?” You asked, hoping the little nickname would help him feel a bit more yellow.

“Y/N…” Well that wasn’t a good sign if he was calling you by your proper name, “I.. God I don’t know how to tell you this the right way…”

You knew. You had a feeling and you just knew. It had been a worry you’d had at the back of your mind ever since he got on the plane to leave for New York, but hoped that it wouldn’t ever become real. Unfortunately, that’s what it had come to.

“You can’t come tomorrow night, can you?” You asked quietly, your mood quite grey now. There was a little dark thunderstorm rolling in over your head and it would stay there until you could find some sunshine again - find some yellow.

“N-no. No I can’t.” Harry sighed heavily and it weighed upon your shoulders than probably his.

“O-okay.” You tried your best to not make him feel bad, because he was 4,000 miles away and you weren’t there to hug his cries away.

“I’m so sorry, baby. Truly. So sorry.”

“No it’s okay. It can’t be helped, you know?” You let out the slightest of chuckles to try and lighten the situation, but you felt so heavy and grey.

“But you’re going to be amazing. I just know it. We’ve practiced it so many times and your poem is just stunning, there’s no way they can’t like it.” Harry tried his attempt at cheering you up, knowing all the doubts that were creeping into your mind in that moment. He wished he could hug you, because then at least that would mean he was there with you and ready to take a seat in an audience that he was sure you were going to win the competition of.

“Thank you.” You smiled, only slightly.

“I love you, Y/N.” Harry reminded you, almost terrified that this would somehow make you un-love him and leave him. You could never. Would never.

“And I love you, H.” You meant it.

“Get some rest now, okay? I’ll call you before your performance tomorrow, alright?”

He hadn’t called.

Your eyes started to tear up at the thought of him not being here. You couldn’t do this without him. You didn’t know how to.

Anxiety is something that you’ve suffered with for a very long time, but managed to overcome facing different situation. It always felt like the world was about to end, for you. It was an unstoppable feeling, unless Harry was there. Harry had this aura around him that brought you peace and calm. He made you feel easy and powerful. He was the reason that you’d gotten this far in the competition, because you would always know he was in the crowd watching you - feeding you his power and making you brave.

Your lungs ached at the thought of you being powerless today. There was no being brave today. No Harry, that was the worst factor of all. Not only did you need him here to remind you that you were alright, but you wanted him to be here. This was such a big thing for you to be doing and you’d love for someone to watch and be proud of you. Your parents were never going to be those people and you were lucky that you had Harry instead. Only, now it felt like you didn’t.

“Y/N, you’re on next.” A man with a clipboard and a headset spoke to you and brought you away from your shaking thoughts.

“O-oh okay.” Your eyes were wide with terror and your hands shook a little more. You had taken some pills to calm you down, before, but your anxiety was that bad that you felt at any moment your knees would crumble underneath you and be victorious on showing how powerless you were without Harry - without someone to support you and be proud of you.

“Our next talent is a woman who has inspired us all with her writing. Her scores have been the best in the competition so far, but will she able to actually hold up that trophy by the end of the night?” No, you thought, as the man on stage introduced you to the audience of 500 and the judges.

He walked off and gave you the thumbs up to walk on. Your legs needed a bit of persuading to actually move, but once you were anyone could tell that they were shaking nerves. Your body language gave away that you were completely out of your element and that this wasn’t easy for you. The spotlight on the stage blinded you and you found it hard to actually see anyone in the audience, let alone the judging panel.

There was a podium where you would stand and perform your piece, so you walked over to it, tripping slightly on the step up. Bloody heels. You felt like everyone was laughing at you then, your head swarming with all kinds of whispers they would be chattering;

‘What is she doing up there when she can’t even walk without shaking?’ ‘Is she really worthy of all these high scores?’ ‘She looks nervous.’ ‘Why is she even here if she can’t stop her hands from shaking?’

One of the judges cleared their throat in the microphone before talking. “Miss L/N, you know the rules. No prompts or paper with poetry.”

His tone made you blush and tears creeped into your eyes. You were so stupid to have brought your poem with you. Your hands shook as you didn’t know what to do with it. You felt so exposed up here, as if people in the back row could hear your heart about to beat, beat, beat out of your chest. Your throat felt dry and you just didn’t know what to do.

You wanted Harry.

“S-sorry.” You stuttered out, sounding so unsure of yourself which probably didn’t look good in a speaking competition for your poetry.

“Someone please come take Miss L/Ns paper please?” The same judge asked and then you saw someone run over to your side to collect the paper.

“Be brave.”

You turned as the touch of the persons hand kissed against your skin, electrifying your body like a tree on Christmas day.

He was here. Harry was here.

The tears in your eyes grew, but Harry quickly shook his head as if to tell you ‘not now’. So you breathed a deep breathe and smiled so brightly at him. He was here. He was in front of you, or more accurately to the side of the stage. God knows what stunt he pulled to get to be there, but you didn’t care. You swore you’d never loved someone more than in this moment. He ran off quickly, taking your paper with you and sticking his thumbs up at you as he fled.

You got to admire him for a brief moment. He was in a black non-fitted suit, with a white wife-beater shirt on underneath and then his old-school vans. He was in his travelling outfit. He loved being comfortable, but keeping a decent sense of fashion, when he was travelling cross countries. Your favourite pair of shoes were vans too so he often said that he wore them because they reminded him of you.

“Are we ready now, Miss L/N?” A judge asked, bringing your attention back to the audience when Harry nodded your head determinedly at you. You faced the audience, rolling back your shoulders and clenching then unclenching your fists. You felt lighter. Freer. You could, well… you could do this.

“Yes, I am.” You spoke much more confidently than before. You had to squint a little, but you could tell that the judges were smiling at you. Your heart felt a little more full at that. There was a sense of pride for you, even before you began.

“Okay, when you’re ready. Introduce yourself and your poem, but please wait before reciting the actual piece.” A woman judge explained. You could tell the audience has settled into their seats more, watching you with beady eyes.

Be brave.

“Thank you.” You nodded to the judges, before beginning. “Good evening all! My name is Y/N L/N and the piece of writing I have chosen to share with you tonight is called ‘Anxiety’. I wanted to choose this piece because it means something of significance to me. I have suffered with anxiety for some time and yet it feels new and stronger every time that I experience it. It’s that shadow that follows your everywhere, even when there’s light. The topic that our short written poetry had to be based on, for those of you whom had forgotten or had just woken up from a nap through the other acts,” that earned you a laugh you weren’t expecting and it made you a little less nervous, so you started to be more expressive in yourself, “was called ‘you’. For such a short word, there’s so much to unpack, especially about myself. So I decided to unpack how I feel about my anxiety, because although it may look a very small part of me from the outside it’s such a huge part of me on the inside and I would like to share that with you tonight. I would like for you to see my shadows.”

The audience clapped, even though they weren’t really supposed to. You briefly looked to the side and saw that Harry was shaking his head in awe of you. Probably because you hadn’t told him that you had changed what poem you were going to perform. The ones you’d worked on with him had been about courage and strength, but you didn’t seem to click with it even after weeks of practice. This, however, you’d written from heart, last night only, whilst having an panic attack when reality hit you that Harry wouldn’t be with you.

“Thank you Miss L/N. Give us a moment please.” They went quiet and you stopped to breathe for a moment, taking in the air of the theatre. It smelt like old wooden staircases and freshly painted walls. It felt snug and comforting. “And when you’re ready, the stage is all yours.”

Be brave.

You gave one glance at Harry and a simple smile was all you needed.

“The world is ending, I can feel it. The crushing weight of the world is burying me deeper, caging me until I can no longer breathe. The walls are closing in, faster and faster. With everyday i’m away from you, they close faster. I’m suffocating, but you still hear me breathing. I’m terrified, but you calm me. I’m alone, but you still hold my hand. Trapped, oh what an isolated feeling but you, i’ll always have you and suddenly the world keeps on spinning.”

It took a moment, but when the roars of the audience applauded you couldn’t help but freeze. You cried. Your heart sung happy songs. You nodded your head too thank them all silently, because you couldn’t quite get the words out anymore. You’d shown your shadows and people stood to remind you that you weren’t alone in having them.

You turned to see Harry and he was clapping just like everyone else, whistling through the use of his fingers - which, you’d be lying if it didn’t turn you on slightly. He mouthed ‘I love you’ and you nodded your head whilst the tears dripped from your eyes, letting him know that you knew and you very much felt the same way.

The other poets came and joined you on stage, seeing as you were the last act. There were only 3 of you and you’d watched the other two perform. They had been wonderful. One of them had performed a piece about love and the other about their children; both so sweet and loving, so passionate and comforting. So different to yours. Yours had been heavy and moving, exposing and sad, but it was you and that’s what you’d been asked to be.

“What a brilliant show, aye?” The presented walked on stage and let the audience clap together momentarily.

You stood the far right of the stage, further away from Harry who was in the left-wing. The other two poets, Henry and Silvia, were standing in line with you - Henry in the middle. He had spoken about his children and Silvia about love. They both congratulated you as they walked onstage and you smiled and thanked both of them. You couldn’t stop thinking about how desperate you were to see Harry again though. That one simple touch had left you burning for more ever since and you’d be dammed if you didn’t have him near you again within the next 10 minutes.

“Let’s hear from what the judges thought. Tracey?”

“Absolutely beautiful, all of you. Your introductions were great and your poems even better. I think for me, Henry, your poem stood our the most to me just because I have children also so I can relate to a lot of the moments and feelings you touched upon. Very well done.” Tracey spoke and you smiled because she was right, Henry’s piece had been so moving and simple. It was spectacular and you’re sure his kids would be proud of him.

“Yvonne?” The presenter turned to the next judge.

“Well the competition has seriously shown us some talent like no other this year. I don’t think we’ve ever had this higher standard before, so pat on the back to all of you. Um, Henry, wonderful poem and really heart-warming. Silvia, your poem was awe-inspiring and i’m so glad you had the chance to share that with us. And Y/N, thank you for what you did tonight.” You smiled and nodded a thanks back to Yvonne, her words meaning a lot more than a few adjectives of praise.

“Finally, Simon?”

“Couldn’t agree with the other two more. I think that you’re all credits to yourselves and you should be proud of yourselves. One person touched my heart a little more than the others this evening and I silently thank them for that. Some seriously stunning performances and yeah, i’m excited to see what the future holds for them.” Simon answered, looking at Silvia as he spoke, so it was clear that it was her work that had touched his heart.

It made you grow very nervous, however.

Each other the judges had said their praise, but had praised the other two poets slightly more so than you. It gave you a unnerving pit-belly feeling that you hadn’t done enough - that maybe you should’ve stuck to your other poem with Harry. Why had you changed it last minute? You gulped back the lump in your throat and looked down at your feet, not feeling brave enough to look up at the audience or judges anymore. You’d done your part and it didn’t feel like it was enough. You just hoped that you hadn’t let Harry down too badly.

“And now I think we should announce our winner.” The presenter announced, making the audience ooh and aah. You started to fiddle with your fingers, picking the skin around your nails to keep you grounded. You closed your eyes and kept your head down, not wanting anyone to see your disappointment when your name comes last in the ranks when you should really be happy for the other two. You’d put your heart on the line tonight, but maybe that wasn’t enough. Maybe you had to be something more - something special.

Someone walked on with the award trophies and envelopes. The third place holder got a gift voucher to Waterstones of £50 and a small bronze trophy. The second place holder got a gift voucher to Waterstones of £100, a stationary items to help continue to write and a silver trophy. The third place holder got a gold trophy, obviously, but the other prize was far more worthy; a definite publication of your own poetry book via Simon Armitage’s publication company - something you’d dreamt of forever.

“In third place…” You closed your eyes a little tighter and whispered internally to yourself ‘be brave’ until you would actually believe yourself. You couldn’t get that far though because, “Silvia Fallon.”

What? You hadn’t come last? What? Your eyes opened and you turned to watch Silvia accept her award and applaud her with the congratulations she deserved. Wow, you couldn’t believe that you weren’t holding a bronze trophy and a waterstones gift card right now. Silver it was then!

“In second place…” You rubbed your hands on your dress, de-clamming them before you’d have to walk over to the presenter to shake his hand and double kiss his cheeks. As you smiled out the audience, “Henry Lucas.”

What.

Your heart had stopped beating. You weren’t walking over to collect silver. No. You were cupping your hand over your mouth, shaking like a leaf in the wind and knees about to crumble beneath you as you realised what this all meant. What you’d achieved.

“So that means our winner of Prized Poetry 2021 is Y/N L/N!” You sank down to the floor, crouching over yourself as you started to cry and cry.

Was this really happening?

Warm hands brought you out of your shell, cupping the side of your head to bring your attention to them. To him.

“You won, baby. You fucking won!” He smiled so brightly at you that you could’ve sworn he was just a visual dream. You were shaking in his hold and still crying, his eyes red too over your deserved success.

“I-I won…” You spoke in shakily disbelief.

“I’m not kissing you until you go collect your prize, petal, so please go and chuffing collect your prize!” He laughed, and helped you onto your feet. You were a little shaky, because all eyes were on you once again, but you deserved this. You hadn’t expected this at all so you were also just a bit taken aback by this whole experience. The journey had been far greater than anything before it.

Harry’s hand left yours and you walked across the stage to shake hands with the presenter and the judges, who had now come up on stage to congratulate you all. You thanked each one of them, twice, and held up your trophy in the air as you walked back across stage.

As soon as you met Harry he didn’t hesitate to bring you in for that promised kiss. You didn’t care about the call last night anymore. You didn’t care about him not being here today. He was here now and that was more than enough to seal your heart with forgiveness. It was moments like this, his lips enveloping yours, when you were brought to the realisation of how yellow your world was. There was no grey with him. He, just like you were to him, was your yellow and that was a privilege to be. Your Harry made you feel so much more than a shadow. He made you feel brave. Protected. Calm.

Loved.

309 notes · View notes

retvenkos · 3 years ago

Text

“would it be terribly cheesy if i said ‘it was always you’?”

requested by @biqherosix STRAP IN, FOLKS, BECAUSE TODAY WE ARE TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE FOR EJ CASWELL TO HAVE A CRUSH ON A NORTH HIGH STUDENT...

so first of all, you and ej knew each other long before you ran into each other in high school. because, you see, you went to junior high together, and in those days, both you and ej were on dance company

(you can pry dance company! ej from my cold, dead fingers)

you were arguably the better dancer, and seventh grade ej really wanted to prove himself. a baby competition sprouted between the two of you, but it was nothing big.

you both liked to show off in order to taunt the other, and you both got a kick out of trying to one up each other.

but at the same time, you were teammates. you did everything together.

so the bond between you and ej was strong. it was a competition, yes, but it was friendly competition and you both actually hyped each other a lot.

plus, dance company does a lot of things as a group, so it was unavoidable. you were going to end up liking each other at some point. luckily, it happened sooner rather than later, and the two of you built up a nice rapport with one another - a closeness forged in friendly competition and last minute studying parties.

but all that changed when you went to north high and ej went to east high

now, since north high is completely fictional, i get to create the dynamic between the schools, so listen up everyone!

north high clearly has the better arts department, and they also have the better tennis and softball team.

east high has the better stem department as well as a better swim team and any other swim related sports.

west high has the better sport teams overall - basketball, football, volleyball, etc.

(that's why we never see any uber jocks at east high—)

now, clearly you have your boundary school, but people get on special permit all the time, and when you say you’re going to north high ej is like ???? but why ???

“they have a better arts department, ej, you know that!”

“well, yeah, but east high is the best. we always said we were going to be wildcats!”

“ej.... they’re actually leopards.”

it wasn’t a super emotional goodbye. you promised to stay in touch, and it wasn’t like it was hard. you still saw each other around the mall, you still followed each other on instagram and what not but.... time just got between you.

you slowly stop texting, you see each other less, when you see each other in public you do that thing where you give a smile but then don’t go over to say hi, because you’re wrapped up in other people. it’s not pointed things, you just... stop talking.

and you still like each others photos on instagram but you’re just... there.

all of that changes, however, when carlos asks you to help him choreograph hsm.

at the time, the rivalry between schools wasn’t big, it was just a low simmer, and the reason carlos approached you was because once upon a time, you, ej, and him had all been in dance company together for one (1) year (it all comes full cIRCLE) and for one of your performances, you had done something hsm related.

carlos wanted to know if you remembered the routine and could help him come up with something slightly more advanced.

and while you and carlos hadn’t really kept up with one another, he jokingly brought up a time where he did something for you, and how you always said you’d pay him back one day and maybe now it was time to cash it in??

you decided why not? you’ve done a lot of stuff for north high’s dance company, but you’ve never helped out in a musical before (and as you can imagine, north high is very competitive in their arts)

so you joined the hsm cast as co-choreographer.

now, because you had your own north high dance company stuff to deal with, you end up missing a lot of rehearsals. you mostly brainstorm with carlos and add tweaks to the choreo. carlos is the one to really ~teach~ things.

which means that while you are present for ~the drama~ that was ej-nini-ricky, you actually miss a lot of it. you feel the tension, but exactly why it’s Like That is beyond you.

you tried to ask carlos once but he said he wasn’t going to get into that, thank you.

and honestly, you have competitions to keep up with, so you’re not fixated on it. you’re just hoping that they’re not still pissed at each other on opening night, when ej has to strap ricky in for “getcha head in the game”

and while you’ve chatted with ej a couple of times, you haven’t had much time to catch up.

you actually bond a lot with gina, who is on the same level as you in terms of dance. you end up talking and mention how ej was once on dance company, and that rocks her world because ej???

and that’s when you show her all of the old videos you archived on your instagram from your junior high days. carlos, ej, and you all in dance company. they’re precious.

and when ej’s friendships are strained and he doesn’t have anyone to turn to, he sees you and gina laughing and crowding over your phone, and he comes to say hi.

and thus, the friendship begins again.

it is, of course, slow going because so much time has come between you, and gina and carlos (the two you hang with the most) are not on great terms with ej, but you guys grow really close all over again. ej is glad to have another senior to talk to about college, and you’re glad you have an old friend to talk to because it’s easy to feel out of place in this school that isn’t yours.

and on opening night, you know ej gifts you something - maybe it’s a jacket or beanie with the wildcats emblem on it.

“it’s kinda stupid, but we always said we were going to be wildcats together, and we did it.”

“huh, i guess we did.”

and for some reason, you chest is really warm, and you can feel the heat sneak up to your cheeks.

“this is really sweet, ej.”

“well, you know me.”

“yeah, i guess i do.”

and then it’s his cue to get ready to go on stage.

“oh! and there should be another surprise coming, don’t hate me for not telling you!”

and you’re ??? but it turns out to be gina.

you all clearly go to denny's afterward to celebrate, and if ej feels his heart seize in his chest everytime you laugh or steal one of gina’s fries, it’s not an unfamiliar feeling. because really, it had always been like that, with you. you never cease to amaze him.

and once you’re on the east high theatre group chat, you never get taken off of it, so you know everything that’s going on with your theatre buddies, after hsm has finished.

and this is where a conflict of interest really comes in...

because, you see, once hsm is a hit, some of the theatre kids at north high think you’re a traitor. you gave east high their secrets, and now east high is an actual contender. uncool, (y/n).

so you kind of get iced out by a lot of north high kids. like i said. competition there is s t e e p and you’ve been accused of fraternizing with the enemy..

but when zach roy shows up and he hears about the drama surrounding one (y/n) (l/n), he gets an idea... so he approaches you one day after dance company practice...

“he asked you to do wHAT?”

you’re texting ej, carlos, and gina in a group chat

“he asked me to co-choreograph their show.”

“are you going to do it?” - carlos

“of course they are! do you think opportunities like this just fall out of the sky?” - gina

“i don’t know, though, i feel like he’s working some angle with me. there’s something about him that doesn’t feel genuine.”

“it’s those piercing blue eyes.” - carlos

“i have piercing blue eyes!”

“and you’ve never done anything underhanded?” - gina

“we did that together!”

“what should i do?”

“accept, clearly!” - gina

“i’d be careful, if i were you. miss jenn doesn’t trust him for a reason.” - carlos

“it’s up to you, (y/n). you’ll do great, and it’s a great opportunity.”

“but?”

and everyone can feel the pause - the conflict where ej doesn’t know what to say.

“but nothing! this is a HUGE opportunity! he’s dancer extraordinaire derek hough zach roy! i’d be the villain of your eventual documentary if i were to try to hold you back.”

“okay... i think i’ll do it. you know how competitive things are, here. this could really give me a boost.”

“hell yeah, (y/n)!” - gina

“spy on their production for us?” - carlos

“anything for you <3″

i imagine you clash a lot with lily, but you actually become really good friends with howie and antoine. but that’s beside the point.

and while things are on good terms at first, your bond with your wildcats stays strong, and you’re carving out a place in north high rehearsals, lily is quick to find out that you’re on the east high group chat.

and because this is hsmtmts, i get to have some fun with this premise.

lily gets some kind of tech nerd on her side, and she gets him to make it so that somehow, the text that you get from the theatre group also send to her phone, for maximum stalking of the competition. that’s how she always gets one step ahead of east high.

and as north high seemingly continues to have insider info on east high, someone suspects there’s a leak.... which leads to you. who else has access to north high? so they send a fake text and wait to see if north high takes the bait.

they do. so now east high thinks it’s you.

but at this same time, you keep noticing that suspiciously, whenever you get a text from east high theatre department, lily’s phone goes off to. literally at the same moment, you’re doing your own test to see if somehow she hacked your phone.

(you had your suspicions because lily is actually terribly bad at hiding her hand and constantly makes remarks that make you Think™.)

you confirm lily to have hacked your phone, and so you go old school and show up to east high, hoping to tell them what happened and find some fix (since east high is the mother of all tech schools in this universe.)

but when you walk into the auditorium, the cast is being really passive aggressive toward you? and you’re so confused? what happened?

of course, ricky is the only to confront you because these days, it seems like he’s always one (1) moment away from blowing up.

and you explain that you were played just as much as they were - it was never your intention to betray them. east high is your family.

“oh, yeah? i’ve never known an east high leopard to go to north high.”

and so now we’re in shambles! we’re divided!

you leave, upset, and ej catches you in the hall. he tries to explain that ricky’s been on one, recently, that none of his anger was really meant for you, and that he believes you - truly. he knows you’re the last person to ever betray them. you’re not like that. that’s more him than it is you.

and you just give him the world’s biggest h u g .

now you’re probably wondering why i insisted on this particular plot line, but let me tell you - ej never really understood completely what a complete breach of trust it was for him to steak nini’s phone and violate her privacy like that. now he can see how deeply it affects you - how it can really ruin people in ways you never intend. it’s about the learning curve.

anyway, it takes you a while to build up trust with east high again, but you say “hey, why don’t you guys continue to send false leads to this group chat? make another for yourselves, and continue to spread misinformation to me.

ej is like... do you really want to sabotage your own show? but you tell him something along the lines of “our show is still going to have superior choreography, lily is just going to waste her time doing pointless side missions. it has nothing to do with the quality of my work.”

and ej loves this competitive and devious side of you so much. but he’s also deathly terrified of telling you how much he cares about you, because he always manages to screw things up.

and gina finds hilariously endearing because of all people to be self conscious... ej caswell? the ej caswell? she would be his hype woman if she wasn’t so busy finding this all too Good to be true.

eventually, lily will find out, but when she confronts you and threatens to tell the cast that you’re the reason they’re so behind in their production, you tell her that to do that, she’d have to confess to stealing your phone, hacking into it, and using it to spy on you which breaks like 23 different school rules. but sure! tell everyone! you’d love to see how the principal reacts when you film it and show it to them on monday.

(this is getting really long, let me see if i can wrap it up, quick)

clearly, ej is an Idiot when he’s in love, and even though he’s deathly afraid of telling you his feelings, that doesn’t stop him from expressing them.

both of you are in your respective musicals, and your rehearsal schedules align really nicely, so a lot of the time, ej will drive up to north high afterward so he can give you a ride home. (you don’t have a car, okay?) you guys always stop to get fast food or a drink at starbucks or something, and you have little “dates” where ej parks the car and the two of you eat in his car, just chatting about your day.

or on weekends, you and ej go and drive up to the state college that ej was admitted to, and you walk around campus, trying to envision him there. and if you’re also going to a school nearby, you do the same for you. (bonus points if you’re going to the same college, so you walk around and pick out the places where you’ll chill together.)

and if these little excursions of yours are the highlight of your week, and all you want to do is hold ej’s hand forever, singing in the car with the windows down and driving into the sunset... well, you just hope that ej wants the same.

and since ej is in av club, and he’s really trying to dig in and figure out what his story is, he’s always got a camera of some kind out, and some of his best work, he swears, are pictures and videos of you.

anyway, at some point, you confess to ej that you have a crush on him (howie probably pushed you to do it because he was tired of seeing you pine).

it’s a weekend and the two of you are procrastinating on your respective school assignments (study sessions being interrupted with senioritis? sounds about right) so instead you’re just sitting on the floor, staring at the ceiling, talking about whatever. and i think it just slips out, and when you realize what you’ve said, you’re vvv embarrassed, and you don’t even want to look at see how ej reacts, but he calls your name and you turn to him, a deadly mixture of dread and hope rooted in your stomach and shaking you to your core, but ej is smiling and in his eyes is something brighter than the sun, and when he tells you he’s feels the same, it’s like that dread in your stomach blooms into pure joy and when he tells you he’s had a crush on you since you were eighth graders and you were a better dancer than him, you can’t help but laugh until all of that warmth in your stomach has escaped into the air and hangs around the two of you like low hanging stars - so close, you can reach out and touch them.

anyway, cue lots of sneaking around north high - not because it’s a secret but because it’s fun hiding in the back of the auditorium and sneaking into the empty dance room.

cue cheering for each other at the menkies and congratulating each other when east high gets best musical, and north high gets best choreography (amongst others).

cue going to denny’s to celebrate and laughing until your sides hurt, stealing each other’s fries, and holding hands under the table.

(also... ej 100% would kiss your fingers when your hands are intertwined and that’s truly a blessing)

cue going to pool parties together for no other reason than i want all of the east high kids to do an impromptu rendition of “all for one” and ej gets to hit ricky with one of those blow up beach balls “for revenge” on the basketball moment in season 1.

plus, a pool party would do wonders for destressing, don’t lie.

AND FLUFF ENSUES.

taglist: @maybanksslut, @theletterhart, @brokenandheadoverheels, @neelia-thedaughtherof-athena @kitsdeadwife, @amortensie // add yourself to the taglist here!

#hsmtmts #high school musical: the musical: the series #high school musical the musical the series #ej caswell #ej caswell x reader #ej caswell x you #ej caswell headcanons #reader insert #ej caswell imagine #imagine #headcanons #would include #fluff #long post #you know it's a long post if i added a read more to headcanons and it's still long without the read more #anyway my agenda includes loving ej caswell wbu?

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honeyhan-123 · 4 years ago

Text

The Monster In Plain Sight

Summary: Steve’s been slowly biding his time, playing the role of the perfect Captain America, but now he’s sick of playing and he’s going to take what he wants.

Warnings: Non-con, Dark! Steve, Steve is a serial rapist, somnophilia, forced exhibitionism, breeding kink, use of the word Daddy. If any of these makes you uncomfortable please do not read.

Word Count: 2.1k

AN: Ooop, I can’t believe I’m actually posting for the first time in nearly three months. Please be gentle <3

Also I would like to thank everyone on the dark group chat for encouraging me to keep on going with this idea. It didn’t quite turn out as dark as I thought it would but you guys gave me the incentive to keep on going so thank you <3

My Masterlist

He was hard. Achingly hard. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt like this, this desperate for release but he knew he had to take his time. He had to relish in every single second he could get. He doubted he would get another chance and so he had to make this one count.

The sleeping pills he had slipped into your wine at dinner were obviously working as you barely twitched as he slid your bedroom door open. It had almost been too easy to get his way. All he had to do was move in next door and play his usual role. No one would ever suspect The Captain America of the sinful acts that he was about to do, that he had done numerous times.

But even as he watched you sleep, he knew something about this time was different. He wasn’t quite sure what it was. Maybe it was because unlike his usual victims he had actually made contact with you. He had never been so bold before. Usually there was always a camera lens separating him from his victims. But not this time. Not with you.

He slithered over to the vanity opposite your bed, setting up his tripod with hasty fingers. He double checked the view point, making sure that the entire bed was in frame. He knew he wouldn’t forget a moment of what was about to happen but still, he wanted the momentos. The physical reminders. He pulled the sheets back from your unconscious body and relished in the way your nipples hardened at once as they met the cool night air.

It was only at times like this when he could stop acting. When he could truly be himself. For these brief hours he could be who he was, not who the world thought him to be.

He slid one hand up underneath the silk nighty you wore and cupped your tit as his other hand dipped into his already open pants. It was a relief to feel the cool breeze on his hot pulsating length and even better when he grabbed one of your hands and wrapped your fingers around it. Slowly he moved your hand up and down, a low groan tumbling from his lips. Your dainty fingers felt amazing wrapped around him, far better than his own, but he longed for more.

With a final tweak of your nipples, he let his hand slide town along your stomach and towards the lace that covered your mound. He cupped it through the scanty material, pushing the fabric into your lips as he felt you up. He couldn’t wait to be inside you, to have you wrapped around him like a vice.

Getting you out of the nighty without jostling your body too much was a little difficult. Perhaps he should have cut it open, that would have fitted better with his plan should you awake. Ridding you of your panties was far easier and the sight that met him was beautiful.

Sure he had camped out on your fire escape multiple times, watching as you dressed or prepared for a shower. But even then you had always been quick to recover yourself, as if you knew he was outside, watching with a hand wrapped around himself. Now however, he had you exactly as he wanted and he could take as long as he needed.

Whipping out his phone, he made sure to capture all your best angles. He wanted your body to be immortalised forever so desperately that he even risked turning the flash on. He didn’t want to miss a single curve. When he felt as though he had enough pictures to last a lifetime, he moved onto stage two and trailed a hand up your calf.

He kept his touch light for the most part until he reached in between your thighs. Steve couldn’t help the guttural sound that came out of his mouth as he parted your thighs, showing off the wetness that drenched your pussy lips. He had barely touched you and yet you were practically soaking the sheets. You must need it bad and who was he to refuse a woman in need?

He wondered briefly what was going through your mind as he played with your slick. Were you dreaming of him? Of him doing these things to you? Of him making your body feel this way?

He sure hoped so.

He wanted you to know it was him. That he had crept in here after dark and filmed himself while he took you however he saw fit.

Deep down he knew he could never allow that to happen. That you could never know. It would be a PR nightmare and his days of taking whatever he wanted would be over. The only reconciliation in his mind was that if everything went according to plan, maybe this wouldn’t have to be a one off like all the others. Maybe he would purposely wake you up? He could make it seem like whoever had done those depraved things to your body had got away and it would only be natural that you would seek comfort with him, your supposed hero.

A melodic whimper filled his ears as he swirled a finger around your bundle of nerves, pulling him back into the moment. Even unconscious you were so reactive. So desperate. His nimble fingers faced no resistance as he pushed inside, swirling them along your inner walls.

Steve doubted that you needed any more work up before he satisfied himself. You were just that needy. So without a moment's hesitation, he pulled his fingers from you and licked them clean.

You tasted so sweet, just like he knew you would. A part of him wanted to bury his face between your thighs and stay like that forever but the aching in his cock reminded him of why he was really here. He needed to fuck.

It had been far too long since his last time, a month, maybe more. He had spent so much time following your every step that he hadn’t gotten the chance to find anyone to satiate his needs. Plus, the last time he had it had been a little disappointing if he was being honest with himself. He had cummed, multiple times but instead of the usual calmness and serenity that filled him after a session, he just felt hollow and empty.

He had known it was because she wasn’t you. Her pleas for him to stop were wrong, far too shrill for your sweet voice. He ached to hear you plead with him to stop, to hear to cry out for help. His gut twisted in the best way just imagining it but he would have to content himself with just your body tonight.

He crawled onto the bed, spreading your thighs with his hips as he lined himself up at your entrance. He paused, just briefly to look over at the camera, giving his future self a devious smirk before casting his eyes back to your face. He didn’t want to miss any of your body’s reactions to him.

He felt like he was coming home as he slid inside, forcing his entire length into your tight channel. Your warm velvet walls gripping him like a vice. It was nice. So nice that he just wanted to stay here, his cock buried deep inside of you for all of time.

‘Fuck baby, you’re griping me so tight.’ He couldn’t help the words as they fell from his lips and he hoped that you would register them, at least subconsciously.

Without any more hesitation he pulled back out, leaving just the tip before slamming all the way back home. Perhaps he wasn’t being as careful as he should have due to the circumstances but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. He just wanted to mark you as his and if you felt him in the morning, even better.

His pace was punishing as he thrusted his hips wildly, his hands groping both your tits. He toyed with the pert buds as your walls fluttered around him, a soft and delicate moan falling from your lips. The sound made him grateful he had invested in the extra strength microphone for the camera. He didn’t want to miss a thing.

‘You’re just so desperate aren’t you baby? You just need it so bad. Don’t worry baby, I’m gonna give it to you, just how you want it.’ He pushed your legs up, over his shoulders as he pushed even deeper inside of you. He could see the faint bulge of himself inside of you with every thrust and he imagined it going straight into your womb. The idea of his seed taking root inside of you did things to Steve that he had never known possible and suddenly he wanted it. He wanted it all.

He had always made sure to pull out because any child would be able to be traced back to him but the idea of you, round and full with his child… It was too good a vision to pass up.

His cock throbbed in need. The need to feel your velvety walls squeeze him, the need to fill you to the brim. His hand dropped down to where your bodies were connected, finding your little bud with ease. He swirled his finger in your slick and relished in the corresponding moan that came out of your lips.

‘C’mon baby, I know you wanna cum for me. I know you wanna be a good girl for me.’ His voice was throaty as he whispered into your ear, his ministrations on your clit never ceasing. He felt the familiar squeeze of velvety walls and he knew you were close.

‘That’s it baby, be a good girl for Daddy. Cum for me baby. Cum on Daddy’s big thick cock.’ He knew his words had taken affect as almost immediately he felt the pulsating of your walls, gripping him tight as you came. The sound of your pleasure was almost drowned out by his own low groan. ‘Fuck baby, milking me so tight. Fuck, I’m gonna cum. I’m gonna cum inside you, gonna fill you with my seed. You want that don’t you? You need it.’

Steve could barely control himself as he felt his balls pull up, his seed spilling inside of you in hot spurts. He allowed your legs to fall down his shoulders as he collapsed on top of you, trying to catch his breath.

‘Fuck baby, that was so good, so fucking good.’ His words were slurred, his heart still racing inside his chest. He felt the familiar pull in his gut as he started to harden again and he was about to start taking you again when he heard a soft mumble get caught in your throat.

He froze, still completely encased in you, unsure of what to do. If you opened your eyes you would know immediately what had happened and he probably wouldn’t get a second chance without resorting to drastic measures.

A moment passed, and then two and your eyes still remained firmly shut and Steve let out a sigh of relief. Perhaps he shouldn’t go for round two right now. There was always tomorrow night, and the next night and the next. He could hold back for now.

Slowly he pulled his aching cock from you, watching in awe as a little of his cum seeped from your swollen lips. He gently scooped it up before pushing his fingers back inside. He didn’t want a drop to go to waste.

He pulled the camera off the tripod and carried back to the bed, giving your body a loving once over with the lens before putting himself back into frame as he knelt by your head. ‘Y/N L/N, twenty-first of September. Rating, ten out of ten. I will be coming back for seconds.’ With one last pan down your body, focussing on your cum soaked lips, he started getting redressed. He hated to leave you, but he knew he must. You couldn’t know that it was him doing these sinful acts with you, not if he wanted more.

He grabbed the notebook on your bedside table and turning to a new page he began to write with his non-dominant hand.

Thank you so much for last night baby. I can’t wait to see you again.

He placed the note on your pillow and pushed his lips against yours, sweeping his tongue around your entire mouth and drinking in your taste. It was with extreme regret that he left, but he knew he would be seeing you in a couple of hours. He would make sure he was the first person to see you in the morning. He would hold you in his arms and comfort you as you asked him for help, and he would give it to you.

And so much more.

Tags will be added in a reblog

Part Two

Series Masterlist

My Masterlist

Thanks for reading <3

#steve rogers #dark Steve #steve rogers x reader #captain america #marvel #dark!Steve #dark! captain america #non-con #somnophilia

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krreader · 4 years ago

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take your time.

pairing: min yoongi x reader fandom: bts warnings: / genre: fluff ; hints of angst word count: 1.2k+

summary: neither yoongi, nor you had expected the night to end like this. but this moment was yours, and yours alone.

a/n: I tweaked it a little, hope that’s okay my love <333

This was everyone's dream that was a KPOP fan. Standing in this meeting hall with none other than BTS on the stage, holding an interview for a few selected fans and afterwards, you'd all have dinner, “not as fans, but as a family” is what they had advertised this as.

Yet, when the interview was done, you knew that you had absolutely no chance to meet them. The fans kept their distance, at least so that the boys wouldn't be super uncomfortable, but they were still swarmed. You couldn't even see them anymore once they got off the stage.

You knew you should have just given this ticket to your friend. They were way more outgoing than you were and would have done everything in their power to at least talk to them once.

But you weren't that. You were waiting in the back for a little while, just to see if it got a little better.

It didn't.

If anything, it got worse over time.

“Excuse me,” you approached one of the security guards, “Is there any place I could go to for some fresh air?”

“Sure, just take the elevator up, the rooftop lounge is open to all visitors.”

A rooftop lounge. Man, BigHit was so fancy.

Nevertheless, you were glad for it, because once the cold air finally hit your face, it felt like your drained energy was slowly coming back.

A small smile spread on your face when you saw the view, taking a few more steps towards the railing until you could lean against it, the smile then turning into a grin.

If you had been working here, you would never ever leave this lounge. This view was glorious. Would probably look just as great in the morning, when the sun was coming up. But with all the lights from the buildings, it looked magical right now.

“So... you found my hiding spot,” the voice made you jump, then turn around and bow deeply when you realized who it was.

“I'm... so sorry. I didn't know that this was your...-”

Yoongi chuckled and shook his head, “Not like I own this place. If I did, though, I would make this my private area.”

That sentence made it clear that he wanted you to leave and unlike the others down at the party, you didn't want him to be uncomfortable, so you rushed past him and wanted to do just that, but just before you stepped back into the building, you heard Yoongi let out a sigh.

“Sorry... I didn't mean to be rude. You can... stay, I guess.”

“No, it's fine,” you laughed uncomfortably, “I'll just leave you on your own. I'm sure you need the silence more than me.”

Yoongi looked at you for a long time and it was only then that you realized you were talking to Min Yoongi, the Min Yoongi, completely on your own. Nobody else around.

Just you and him.

Jeez, he was so mindblowingly handsome.

“Stay. After all, this event is held for you.”

“For fans. Not specifically for me,” but you let go of the door. Not that you were moving towards him, though.

“Aren't you a fan?” he sat down on one of the benches and pulled out his phone.

“I am... but...”

“But you're not like them?” he looked at you from under his eyelashes, both of you laughing at that.

“I'm not that naive,” you eyed the spot next to him and waited for him to nod, before you finally sat down too, but at the very edge of the bench, so that you still kept quite a lot of distance to him, “Just not a party person.”

“Same,” Yoongi chuckled and turned his head to look at the same view that you had just admired, “I go up here every time there is one.”

You leaned back, and nodded, “I would too, with this view.”

Yoongi became quiet for a moment, but to your surprise, it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. If anything, it was what you both needed. Quiet and peace.

Still, you couldn't help but study him, now that he was so close to you.

This was such a coincidence. How was this real, how was he sitting right here next to you, talking to you?

But because he was so close to you, you could tell that he was exhausted. That his social battery had run out as much as yours. That was the perk of being an introvert. You could easily spot another one.

“Hey, you like anime?” you asked, seemingly so randomly, that Yoongi let out a snort.

“What?”

“Anime. Do you watch it?” you pulled out your phone, but made sure that you kept it on your lap where he could see everything you were doing. Just so he knew you weren't taking any pictures or were recording anything.

Again, not wanting to make him uncomfortable.

“Uh.. sure?”

“Well... every time I need a pick-me-up, I go back into old Naruto episodes and just watch them again. They always make me smile and remind me that I'll be back home in my bed soon, where I can just continue watching them.”

You didn't see it, but Yoongi's eyes weren't on your phone anymore, but on you.

At first, he was surprised, but then a soft smile spread on his face and he only averted his gaze when you caught him staring.

“You want to watch Naruto with me? You get some alone time with Min Yoongi and instead of asking me intimate questions, you want to stay quiet and watch an anime?”

“Right now, you're not Min Yoongi and I'm not a fan. We're both just two people who need a break.”

That made Yoongi's heart swell, the smile on his face returning, “Will you at least tell me your name, fan?”

You considered it for a moment, then you shook your head, “Let's just... enjoy this. You won't see me again after this night, so no point in making too many memories, right?”

Your blunt answer made him speechless. You didn't look sad about it, though. In fact, once the theme song for Naruto came on, you just started grinning and even hummed to it.

You looked... happy. You didn't care anymore that he was sitting next to you, or at least not, that he was Min Yoongi.

Part of him wanted to know more about you, your name, what you were even doing at an event like this, where you lived, what your job was... but he knew you were rational before. He would never see you again after tonight.

No point in making memories.

“Alright, fan. Let's watch some Naruto,” he let out heavy sigh, but then smiled, “This is one of my favorite episodes, by the way.”

“Oh my god, seriously? I absolutely LOVE this episode!”

The two of you continued talking, but only about Naruto. Nothing personal was exchanged, you both just realized how much the other one loved anime.

You only watched one episode, that was all the time that you had with each other. But every second of it was precious.

And when Yoongi was later asked where he had been, he just smiled happily and said: “Just watched some Naruto.”

He wouldn't let anyone in on this little moment between you two. He didn't know who you were, but he hoped that you knew how much this night had meant to him. Because you showed him that it's okay not to be okay every now and again. What matters is that you try to get back up on your feet again and find something, that will pull you up.

And so whenever Yoongi needed a break, he would pull out his phone and start that specific episode that he watched with you that night.

Maybe he'd see you again one day. Then, he'd like to thank you and finally get to know your name.

#bts imagine #bts x reader #min yoongi x reader #suga x reader #min yoongi imagine #yoongi x reader #yoongi imagine #suga imagine #bangtan boys #bts #bangtan sonyeondan #min yoongi #suga #yoongi #reader #requests

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pillow-anime-talk · 4 years ago

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his talented baby. {pt.1}

synopsis: You as a person with a huge (and hidden) talent, and also a girl who really surprises your boyfriend.

# tags: scenarios; current relationships; romance; fluff; some PDA; sfw

includes: female reader ft. ken kaneki & nishiki nishio {tokyo ghoul} + yuuma isogai & itona horibe {assclass}

— KEN (ft. singing)

Your closest friends invited you to a popular karaoke bar on one Friday night to celebrate a successfully passed semester in college. Of course, you couldn’t forget about your lovely boyfriend, who was at the same university, but in a different field (i.e. Japanese literature) and always supported you with all his might, knowing how much you want to do your dream job in the future.

So you went to the meeting together, and on the way to the designated place you talked all the time about what the next year of study would bring you. As soon as you reached the room where your three closest besties and one male friend were waiting for you, you both greeted them warmly, immediately taking off your thick coats and taking your seats on a soft, leather couch next to a table filled with tasty-looking snacks and colorful drinks.

Long minutes of conversations between the six of you resulted in drunk plenty of alcohol and blushes on the faces. After drinking, you always got more talkative and more self-confident, so you suggested using the TV and the karaoke machine. Of course, you first offered your friends and Ken to sing something, but they all declined, saying that you should start as an initiator. One of the girls, blonde-haired Minami, smiled at you with a sparkle in her pretty golden eyes, adding that you are the best in this and you should show how to do it correctly. You chuckled in response, waving your hand at her to dismiss compliment.

Kaneki, on the other hand, frowned as he looked at the boy who was sitting on his right.

“... Oh, you don’t know? Y/N-san hasn’t yet praised herself to you that she has a wonderful voice? Huh, huh.” The black-haired boy shook his head, reaching for the glass filled with blue something again. “Hmmm, well. Normally Y/N’s very shy, but she always sings at trips when she’s drunk.” He chuckled while you picked one of your favorite songs in the meantime. So everyone looked at your standing figure, then heard the characteristic sounds from one of Selena Gomez’s songs coming from the gray speakers.

“My dear, I dedicate it to you~!” You looked with joy on your face towards the eighteen-year-old, giving him a quick wink, and then you started your little performance with ‘Love you like a love song’ from the above-mentioned artist.

Your friends didn’t seem surprised and instead started clapping to the beat of the music... but Ken’s eyes widened and he spat out his high-percentage drink, not knowing how to react to the fact that for nine, long months of your relationship, you concealed the fact that you could sing so well and so beautifully. Your voice was perfect for the song that was playing now, and you seemed to be having a great time – there was a huge smile on your lips, your eyelids were slightly closed and your hand was over your heart. If it weren’t for the fact that you were at a karaoke bar, everyone would definitely think you are playing a concert on the biggest stage in Tokyo city.

After the song was over, another girl got up to present a completely different choice, and you handed her the dark microphone, bowing in the process.

Kaneki still seemed speechless and as soon as you sat down next to him, he immediately kissed you on the warm forehead, asking you to sing more to him, especially when you two are going to be alone, because he probably fell in love with you once again and just wanted to experience that love every day thereafter.

— NISHIKI (ft. ballet)

Nishiki, as a pharmacy student, didn’t have much time for extra-curricular activities or unnecessary meetings; in addition, the fact that he was a bloodthirsty ghoul and had to watch over himself made it difficult for him to function normally in the life of Kamii University. However, the brown-haired man always found time for you, for his beloved girlfriend.

You had been dating for over three, long years, and the man definitely couldn’t imagine his own life without you by his side. You knew each other better than anyone else in this world, but sometimes some tiny things of your ordinary day eluded Nishio; of course you understood it perfectly and you weren’t angry or disappointed with him. After all, he had to protect himself, you, take care of his specific menu, be vigilant at every step, and additionally he had to pretend to be the perfect student, senpai (or kouhai) and friend of other people.

So you weren’t surprised when one day you handed him a silverish ticket for probably the most important show of your life and he just looked at you in wonderment. At the beginning, the twenty-year-old asked if it was a performance related to singing or playing an instrument due to the fact that the colorful paper didn’t tell him too much, but you just smirked as you tweaked the unruly, soft hair on his head.

“Hmm. If you don’t remember what I do in my free time, it’s even better, I guess. Come and see it for yourself, honey. I think that thanks to this you will even calm down a little and rest due to the recent weeks.” You announced in a light tone of voice, and the young man sighed under his breath.

“So... I’ll find out in three days, am I right?” He made sure by correcting his glasses and you nodded, then grabbing his rough hand and kissing his cool cheek. A short while later you suggested going to your apartment and catching up on a few episodes of your favorite series that you started quite recently.

The anticipation of your important day passed very quickly and on Saturday, at 6 p.m., when everyone took their seats (with your boyfriend sitting on one of the balconies with the best view of the stage), delicate music was played in the theater, which made everyone shiver on the whole body. Until then, the brown-eyed boy somewhere in the back of his head had the impression that it was a theater performance or an opera, but when he saw your person appear on stage in a beautifully tailored dress and ballet shoes, all the questions that flickered in his mind disappeared in literally one second.

‘Well, yeah. I remember now. She always told me about ballet classes and new shoes.’ A huge, proud smirk came on his pale face and you glanced out of the corner of your eye towards his VIP seat.

Though your expression was cold and composed, you felt an enormous heat in your small heart as the man waved at you, showing two thumbs up. His lips moved even slightly, and although Nishiki tried to hide it, you knew perfectly well that the pink blush and mute ‘I love you’ was sincere and even better than being able to play Odetta, the White Swan, in a ballet spectacle.

— YUUMA (ft. songwriting and guitar playing)

Christmas at school was never what you enjoyed; maybe due to the fact that before, your classmates on main campus were quite specific and you definitely didn’t fit with their strange ‘ideals’. It was only in the class E that you felt that you could find real friends or people who would share your ideas.

But, hmm. Still, you seemed to stand out from the rest of the girls in the class who had more... down-to-earth hobbies or characters than you; Okuda liked chemistry and was really excellent at it, Kirara loved reading, Rio was the best at English and had a great sense of fashion, and Toka was pretty good at cooking. Contrary to them, you preferred to... do more ‘intimate’ things. Writing short poems filled your heart with peace and prevented you from being as critical of yourself as usual. And when you wrote the lyrics of the songs, made notes or melodies to them and sang quietly, you could feel like a real artist that everyone wanted to admire and imitate.

Therefore, when your first and last class holidays with the rest of the 3-E students were fast approaching, Koro-sensei was the one who asked you for a short talk. You weren’t sure what this was about, but moments later your uncertainties were dispelled.

“Y/N-san, I think you mistook your notebooks today and instead of giving me your homework, you gave to me... this.” He said in his as always happy voice, and seeing the black notebook in which you always wrote songs and notes, you blushed all over your face, apologizing profusely for the mistake. “Huh? But this is no mistake, my dear. If it weren’t for this, I would never even think that we have such a talented soul in Class 3-E. So would you like to perform in front of the rest of the students and teachers during the holidays?” The easy question made you widen your eyes and sighed.

“I-I’ve never played in front of anyone, so...” You admitted shyly, and the tall, yellow octopus just chuckled.

“I’m pretty sure they will love it. We can practice together.”

Well, you couldn’t refuse (especially when Koro-sensei offered to bring your favorite, foreign snacks...) and on class Christmas day you showed up with your acoustic guitar and a notebook full of chords and songs. Everyone was surprised and curious at how well you play guitar. After all, you’ve never even mentioned that you can play any instrument before. On the other hand, the class representative, and your boyfriend at the same time, immediately came up to you, asking if you were really okay; better than anyone else, Isogai knew that you didn’t like too much attention and big crowds. But you reassured him it was okay and promised your teacher you would do it, so you smiled at him and then took your seat under the blackboard with a wooden guitar on your lap.

The song you chose for the day was a song you wrote quite recently. It had a little bit of magic, and at the same moment it seemed very romantic and delicate. Even Karma seemed delighted with your beautiful play and soft voice that echoed from time to time between the walls of huge classroom.

At the end of the song, you decided to raise your gaze and simultaneously look at your all friends, three teachers and other half; everyone was really happy and positively speechless. So you gave Yuuma a slight wink, making him blush sweetly.

The young teenager definitely hoped you would show him more of your songs someday, not necessarily the happy Christmas carols Kaede and Ritsu asked for.

— ITONA (ft. dancing)

“... You never mentioned that you can dance.” He admitted softly, and you squeezed his smooth hand tighter.

“So... I mention it right now. It’s not a big deal, baby. I just ... like it and enjoy it a lot.” You giggled as you correcting the black sports bag over your shoulder, then opened the heavy door to the training room, immediately jumping up at the sound of loud squeals and greetings from your closest friends. “Guys, this is Itona Horibe, my boyfriend that I told to you before! Love, it’s Aki-chan, Yui-chan, Kazuya-kun, Saburo-kun, and our cameraman and editor Ryuu senpai. Most often, the five of us cooperate with each other when it comes to dance in groups of five people. And... today we are going to cover a song so I hope you’ll like it. I’ll go change and you all, please, don’t scare my boyfriend and give him something to drink!”

As a group leader, you often came up with choreographies and warm-ups for yourself and others. So, it couldn’t be otherwise this time. For the last week and a half you have been practicing the choreo you came up with and today you were supposed to record material for the video on your quite popular YouTube account. You were extremely excited, not only with the new content, but most of all with the fact that your beloved one would be able to watch it live and evaluate your skills that have been refined over the years. So as soon as you got back to the teens waiting for you, you kissed the light-blue-haired quickly on the right cheek and told him that he could sit against the wall, close to the table full of snacks and the contact for charging the phone.

Then you talked with everyone for a while, doing a short warm-up and reminding the cameraman about how to move the cam. A few short minutes later, you lined up in the middle of a huge white room with Ryuu in front of you. You knelt down in the center, of course, gently moving your shoulders to calm your rapidly pounding heart and heavy breathing, and when a song by Ariana Grande started playing all over the bright room, you all looked at the already activated camera, shaking your heads and then you got up from the wooden floor.

Itona... was speechless. He has never seen people dancing before, he has never even been interested in others, only you and what you like. Today he got to know your little passion, which turned out to be a breathtaking talent, and the boy wondered if you could do anything else; are you good at one specific dance genre or are you able to move your body in a completely different rhythm than he currently saw?

From Koro-sensei’s history lessons, when you two were in junior high, the eighteen-year-old remembered perfectly well that there is also classical dance, tango and breakdance. So could you also do that? He had to ask you about it later.

But now his curious gaze was focused on you and your huge, radiant smile, and the sound of feet hitting the ground. He also looked at your legs, tiny hands, stomach, and hair, while he wondered if he might learn to dance too, to be even closer to you and your hobby. After all, you looked so beautiful and so joyful... He wanted to share these emotions.

#— 🍁#tokyo ghoul #tokyo ghoul scenarios #tokyo ghoul x reader #kaneki ken #kaneki ken scenarios #kaneki ken x reader #nishio nishiki #nishio nishiki scenarios #nishio nishiki x reader #assassination classroom #assassination classroom scenarios #assassination classroom x reader #itona horibe #itona horibe scenarios #itona horibe x reader #yuuma isogai #yuuma isogai scenarios #yuuma isogai x reader

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felassan · 4 years ago

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DA4 Lead Producer Scylla Costa’s BIG Festival talk, “Challenges of Dragon Age production during the pandemic”, can currently be rewatched on YouTube here starting roughly at timestamp 8:57:02 after a lil presenter blurb/intro. It’s 1 hour long. When it was streamed live, there was an English translation ‘voiceover’. There isn’t in this vid, however I want to post the link for Portuguese speakers, and also it’s neat for everyone to be able to see all the slides he presented with for themselves in context.

I don’t know if an English-language version will get put up so I’m sharing the notes I took during the talk below, in case anyone’s interested and because I might as well since I wrote them. The rest of this post is under a cut due to length.

Edit: Found a place to re-watch the English version of the talk

(Quick note: I didn’t note down everything, mostly things that caught my interest, so this isn’t exhaustive, and when I was watching I was real tired, so pls bear that in mind and don’t take these notes as bullet-proof 100% accurate gospel or direct quotes. If you watched it and think I’ve written down something wrong/misunderstood, let me know and I’ll fix. Also if you’re a Portuguese speaker and I’ve gotten something incorrect or missed something important etc, again just let me know.) **

** Edit: I’ve now gone through my notes while watching the talk again. I’ve filled in some of the gaps (although they still don’t cover everything said) and so forth, and now I’m no longer worried about there being possible errors in this post.

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For some context, this slide contained the breakdown of the talk’s structure. Bear in mind there are other slides present in the talk than the ones I’ve posted here, I didn’t include caps of all of them, just ones which were of note to me.

In the talk, chief Producer Scylla goes over challenges of DA4 production during the pandemic. He discusses the adaptations - necessary skills and learning from remote work - and he ponders on the future of teamwork.

After the launch of ME3 he became a producer, all his MMO and other experience helped a lot. He was on DAI for 3 years and MEA for 9 months, then Anthem. Today, on DA4, Scylla and another Lead Producer were the heads of the whole project, and there is his boss is the Executive Producer Christian Dailey.

^ the usual AAA game development cycle (brief introduction)

AAA games are games that are launched for several platforms simultaneously.

In BioWare’s case, the pre-production phase of the game development cycle can have from 5 - 30 people, and up to almost 60 people when they’re just about to go through the gate to production.

In the pre-production phase, they go through the game’s concepts and prototypes and start developing systems. They seek the game’s concept and focus, and its key features. They do lots of market research. In the case of BioWare, all their games are strong in narrative, so they have lots of tools related to game narratives and supporting the development of a narrative (cinematic design, dialogue system etc) that get focused on in this phase. Other parts of the team such as writers and cinematic design need these systems to do their own roles.

In BioWare’s case, the pre-production phase through to launch can take 4 - 6 years, but it does depend on the size of the team during development.

With regards to Dragon Age 4, they were coming close to the time when they would shift from pre-production to the production stage when the pandemic hit.

During the production phase is when the development of content and features takes place, with the systems mostly already existing from the pre-production phase. A few new systems may be developed in this phase. In the production phase is when things start escalating, and the team really starts growing, to like 2- or 3-fold the prior pre-production phase size.

(DA4 is currently in the production phase.)

In the alpha phase, features have to be fully implemented and systems all have to be running / working. All the game features should already be in the game by now. They test from pre-production onwards, but this phase is when they run heavy technical tests with lots of players trying to play at the same time. In the beta phase, the idea is that you should now have full content and that now you’re balancing it and running more and lots of different tests with players before launch. There are final tweaks and then the final launch, when in the weeks prior to launch, all the different business units and areas e.g. marketing team, technology team, publishing team, get together once a day and all of the game’s issues are reported and brought to the table to be prioritized. Then they decide the next steps re: these issues (this is known as ‘the war room’).

After the launch there are usually patches like day zero patches and other patches, this being standard industry practise. The last stage is the new content stage where there are DLCs and a game with more content.

On March 12th 2020, the team gathered to review the DA4 story in the new office. Everyone was very excited. (They had spent over 10 years in their last building and had noticed that with the team growing they needed more space. In August 2019 they found the new studio in the city center.)

Anyway that evening, they got an email from the CEO which contained instructions and said that due to the pandemic, they should from now all start working remotely. They had known that this happening was a possibility so they had been planning on how to have all the devs working from home, but initially less than 50% of the devs were able to work from home successfully/efficiently due to various issues e.g. you need a VPN to be able to log in remotely to do your job normally, varying home office setups. The day after this, the office was basically deserted, except for Scylla, the IT infrastructure people and one or two odd devs.

Scylla was part of the team that was working on allowing the devs to work from home. They first started looking at the short-term changes they needed to make to allow this.

“First, take care of our developers”.

When the pandemic first hit, their and Scylla’s [as Lead Producer] first priority was to look after the devs. Many of them are parents (schools and day-cares were shut, children were studying from home), others have relatives living with them, others have other personal circumstances which of course need to be taken into account when it comes to assessing what needs to be taken into consideration for this new scenario. So, they looked at each dev on a case-by-case basis in order to evaluate, speaking to each one and asking them what they could do to support them.

One of the first changes/adaptations they could implement was flexible working hours and flexibility around deadlines. Generally speaking the devs got a lot of support, EA was really good and really supported the devs especially in the first months of the pandemic (and they are still supporting them). Initially not all devs had suitable office spaces at home, some were working from the living room from laptops or at the kitchen table. The whole covid situation basically just happened over night and nobody was really ready to deal with that change. So their first step was to enable their devs to work remotely. As a producer, Scylla’s main task is to communicate with the team such as via a number of daily meetings. He doesn’t depend so much on powerful hardware.

“Enable developers to work remotely”.

This slide shows some of a BioWare audio team. Different teams have varying and specific needs in order to do their jobs and therefore in order to do them remotely. For example, the audio team need good-quality speakers and amplifiers, while the lighting and art teams need other specific equipment such as tablets and large screens. So there was a lot of work they had to do to go through each dev to understand their individual needs and what needed to be done for them. ‘Could they download the builds? Did they have the right performance [tech-wise]? Could they submit their changelists, their codes to the server?’

Some devs needed a more powerful internet connection as it would take 6-8 hours to download a build (some devs live rurally). Some needed a lot of cable, as they were working far away from their routers (sometimes up to 50m). As time went by things got better and better.

The chair devs work from is also important; a kitchen able chair etc is not suitable to sit in for long-term desk work, possibly leading to health issues like back ache and blood circulation problems in the legs.

Every 3 months they had money given to help devs buy new mice, keyboards, monitors - anything they needed really in order for their office setting at home to be improved. For a while, because lots of people [generally, in society] were needing and buying them, it was quite hard to buy things like webcams and microphones.

On mid- and long-term changes:

In terms of DA, we have to look at this from 2 perspectives, the change in the personal and the professional environments.

As a consequence of working from home, people tend to be less active during the day (even in an office, you go between meeting rooms, up and down stairs etc). Physical activity supports life quality and therefore work quality. Scylla noticed that he began to feel listless and such, and found that he needed to change his routine that he had initially developed when he started working from home, for example; having a normal start time (as in, have a semblance of structure in your day as if you were still working in the office site), get dressed at the normal time, not having meetings over lunch etc. This wasn’t just him, lots of other devs encountered this and had this experience too. Devs which adapted faster had better productivity and became more productive faster.

Scylla bought a stand-up desk which he can raise up and down, and at meetings he would be delivering a talk while standing or even while walking on a treadmill. Other devs also got stand-up desks. He tracked his body’s data on a Fitbit. These sorts of things helped improve physical and mental wellbeing. Other devs did similar things, like starting going out for jogs or began practising yoga. Essentially, everyone needed to make changes to their daily routine in comparison to what they had been doing prior to the pandemic.

The pandemic has been a thing for over a year now. In their location, every couple of weeks a new restriction is put into place or a rule is changed, and every two weeks there’s a new thing that you can and can’t do. Scylla also started moving around his property. He worked on his desk, fixed it up and painted - taking up a new hobby. Other devs picked up new hobbies too. These are good ways to be active and also to be somewhere else, i.e. to break up the working day and not be spending it all in one home office-type location. Scylla found that when he made these sorts of changes to his routine to improve his lifestyle, the data output by his Fitbit as indicators of his health/wellbeing etc improved, e.g. number of steps taken in a day, heartbeats per minute while at rest. As stated many of the other devs went through a similar process.

On the professional side of things:

They had to improve remote delivery of builds. Accessing things from home as a dev requires a VPN. They need to download a build every day and then upload it to the server after making their changes to the game. They had to work with infrastructure and research other tech, such as streaming tech to allow remote console access, in order to better facilitate this process. For remote access, they also had to work on adapting communications channels.

“Adapting channels of communication.”

In this slide, the team are working on the storyboards. Before you can implement motion capture & performance capture, you have to ‘run the storyboards’ like this. These are small illustrating drawings which reflect the drafts and are meant to quickly reflect the intention of the scenes that are to be built. Before the pandemic, the team would go to meeting rooms like this, sit down, talk and interact in person. After the pandemic, the question became ‘How do you do this over Zoom?’ You can, but it’s not quite the same; it’s harder to see peoples’ expressions, some people are embarrassed speaking over Zoom etc. Therefore they had to adapt their communications systems, and unlearn the ways in which they developed before in order to relearn and learn new ways of communicating.

Slack was a tool that they adopted on this front. Communications channels can be confusing on Slack, so there was a need to develop structure. For example, how quickly should someone reply (as a recommended convention for the purposes of work)? They had to define the process/procedures for the channels so it was clear for the team as a whole how it would all flow (this is important especially if you have a team with say 30 people or as a whole hundreds of people). Before the pandemic, they had stand-up meetings where they’d go around in a circle every morning and talk about their activities - what they’re going to be working on, any roadblocks they had encountered etc. The question arose ‘How do you replace these?’ They ended up doing Slack messages at a certain time of day and updating their statuses with some details on what they’re working on and color-coding (green - fine, yellow - need help, red - busy/blocked out).

Another issue that they faced was unforeseen - the number of meetings that devs were having really shot through the roof. When there wasn’t a good structure of communications channels, any conversation would become a meeting. Everybody began scheduling meetings left and right, and at the end of the day they would have little time left in which to actually work on their to-do lists. Hence, they had to work with the team to really analyze and be very pragmatic. ‘Which meetings needed to happen? Which didn’t? Is a specific meeting really necessary? Which meetings should be recurring? What can be done over Slack?’ This guideline had to be given to the team to help, and it improved things a lot. The number of meetings decreased a lot and they got more effective. For example, by making sure to set an agenda for meetings beforehand, and by having meeting notes (then a dev who didn’t really need to be at a meeting could skip attending and just quickly review the notes output after instead). They also decreased the standard length of meeting times from the default Outlook blocks of 1 hour and 30 mins to 55 mins and 25 mins respectively. This 5 minute change gave devs time for things like bio breaks (also 4 hours in a row at a computer in a home office with one meeting after another just isn’t good for a person).

“Adapting p-cap and mocap”.

On content:

From a content point of view, the most difficult thing in terms of the pandemic was adapting p-cap and mocap (performance capture and motion capture). They hire actors and it’s a large studio. The pandemic meant big limits to what they could and couldn’t do. The actors had to be masked and 5 meters apart in distance (although it doesn’t look like it in some of these shots due to angles). Also there could be no other person around in the studio - only the actors. The directors instead would ‘patch’ in remotely on big screens (you can see this in the second photo in the top right).

Before the pandemic, they felt that they wouldn’t be able to do p-cap or mocap properly remotely, as the directors would usually stand right next to actors giving guidance on their performance. The techs would also usually be near. But they adapted! The keyword is adapting, changing process. It’s harder and it’s different, but it is possible, and people start rethinking what is possible. What was said to be impossible before now is possible.

P-cap differs to mocap in that it also captures voice and facial expressions.

On the future of work after covid:

There will probably be more working from home and more flexibility for workers e.g. being able to work say 3 out of 5 days from home. It does depend on what a dev’s specific job is however. For example, the audio engineers require lots of specialist equipment and said equipment is of higher quality and quantity in the office. So, depending on role, devs might be working more often or less often from home.

Another development is that lots of devs are moving house. In lockdown etc people started reassessing what’s most important in life. Some are moving further away from the studio to get a cheaper rent or for example couples who both needed an office space to work from home from but their current place only had one area. Others are moving closer to nature for a better quality of life, and still others have other different reasons for doing so. Over 10 devs that he knows in fact have recently moved, including Scylla himself.

The pandemic changed certain skills being used by people on a daily basis. Scylla used as an example of this one of his soft skills, being able to tell from looking/interacting in-person with someone if they are stressed out. Obviously it’s less easy to tell if someone is stressed out when you’re remote, so you adapt different ways of checking in with people in the new situation. To continue carrying out his role as Lead Producer, he began checking in with his team pro-actively on the new comms channels and asking how they were doing.

Also, now that companies are more open to working remotely, there is going to be increased competition for hiring devs. They saw both sides of this coin at BioWare. They were able to hire devs from many places that they couldn’t hire from before e.g. Montreal, Vancouver, the US, as there’s less need for devs to relocate to Edmonton or Austin. This opens up opportunities to hire really intelligent and skilled people that they would not have had access to before.

Question and answer segment:

The pre-production phase has been concluded. They’re in the production phase.

They are not giving out a lot of details yet but Scylla is really excited as a big fan of the whole series. He thinks that with DA4, they will have the opportunity/possibility to launch the best story out of all DA games. He feels that the characters they’re making are amazing. He’s dying to say more but can’t.

When you work from home you need to keep your team as productive as possible. During the pandemic, when people started working from home, they noticed that some people became more productive and some people became less productive. They were analyzing it on a case-by-case basis so as not to make assumptions. They were interested in seeing what they could do to help. At the beginning of the pandemic, they were looking at the devs as people and seeing what they needed.

Production of DA4 still needed to continue during the pandemic because they want to be able to launch the game.

This slide shows a writer. Writing is an example of a role which is more able to work from home easily.

Their productivity did go down in the first month of the pandemic. After adaptations, some people then became more productive than they were before (this was role and personal situation-dependent, examples of this being artists and coders who were able to art and code at home without being interrupted, thereby being able to produce more). Covid has affected productivity in general, but this is part of our new reality. They have adapted and adjusted some deadlines. They have enough data (Scylla LOVES data) now to understand how long it will take them/how long they’ll need to launch the game. They have always had historical data for this purpose, but they’re doing more of this sort of thing now to ensure that they are doing things at the right time.

Remote hiring opens up the door to more talent joining, so if someone has talent geography will hold them back less. Some companies though may choose not to hire people from other countries due to labor issues, cumbersome legal aspects, time zones. But even in such cases there are activities for example that can be carried out while the rest of the team is asleep such as testing or working on the build, or there are cases where those companies still will want to hire a specifically/highly talented person even in spite of the potential legal aspects and so on.

On mental health: People were affected. There is the mental, physical and social impacts of the pandemic situation on people. EA supported them during the pandemic in terms of their mental wellbeing, there are specific companies (services offered, speaking to a therapist) that they can contact if they need something or help. EA had always been good at supporting them with this sort of thing but this has improved further during the pandemic. Another change was that they could/can take a couple of days off if they needed/need to because of the pandemic e.g. to take care of children, who were obviously not at school at the time. As a producer he had to be very mindful of all of this. How much they were monitoring peoples’ wellbeing really went up during the pandemic.

A question that was asked - in terms of DA4′s storybeats, is there anything in there that they decided to change due to the pandemic as it wouldn’t be sensitive or appropriate to include anymore, for example a plague plotline or something? Scylla’s answer is that DA and ME are games in which they try to have narratives that are relatable, which include things which people will identify with, so that players understand what characters are going through etc. Nothing in DA4′s plotline/storybeats has been changed (in the frame of this question, relating to the pandemic), as it didn’t have anything in it that could be specifically or a directly connected to a pandemic-type situation or anything. Of course the DA story has Blights and the Taint, but these are different & fantastical things and existed long before the pandemic situation. So this wasn’t the case with DA4 and there was no need to change anything, but this has happened to other games where they decided to change a storyline due to a strong correlation with something in the real world.

There were then concluding/closing remarks. The message he wants to send is that a crisis will always spark opportunities. Look at a crisis and try to see how you can grow.

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[☕ found this post interesting or useful? my ko-fi is here if you feel inclined. thank you 🙏]

#dragon age 4 #the dread wolf rises #da4 #dragon age #bioware #video games #covid mention #long post #longpost #wanted to write these up properly and post them yesterday but wasn't able to #mass effect #anthem

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free-falling-grenade · 4 years ago

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Cannnn you please do like a list/headcanons of little facts about Raya??? pretty pless

Ooo okay okay. I can do that:

Raya is ambidextrous af. Pretty much a survival perk she had to master with her years of being alone and encountering bandits or mercenaries. Many smart bandits would target her right hand/arm specifically so she wouldn’t be able to whip her sword out. So, she decides one day when her arm is fully dysfunctional and poorly wrapped in a makeshift bandage and sling, to practice her left hand skills. She forces herself to eat, write and fight with her left hand. How to flip and land as smoothly with her left as her right. She purposely moves her sheathed sword to the right side of her belt so she can practice unsheathing it using her left hand and using the weird angle to her advantage to use her right hand sometimes as well to stun some of her enemies.

(I saw this headcanon through someone else and I highly agreed so i thought i should expand) Raya at 16 would find underground fighting competitions in the deep slumps of Tail. At first, she would participate to get some jade but she loses her first few matches much to her embarrassment. But then again, the fighters are twice her age and size. A lone traveler takes pity on her and takes her under her wing one night after a great loss that left her bleeding on the the stage. The traveler, a Tail woman, takes care of her wounds and offers to teach her further fighting skills to tweak her style in exchange for nothing. She compliments her agility but reprimands her for using it wrong. Raya reluctantly agrees, unsure at first coz of the woman not asking for anything back but not having much to offer or lose. She trains with her night and day, only offering her water, not food as the traveler catches on her trust issues. She offers her jades instead to buy her own food to keep her health from deteriorating. They don’t talk much, nothing personal, mostly about her training and fighting related topics. They dont dare venture deeper to their personal business. She tests her skills one day during another underground fight, bets going around, a big sum of jade on the winner. She’s determined but the size of her opponent is three times her size and she almost falters. She sees her teacher in the dark corner of the room, observing her strictly. She remembers her teachings on how to not be intimidated by someone physically stronger than her. She has her speed, her flexibility and agility as her weapon. Basically, she wins the the match and the next few ones until the traveler informs her that its time to end their lessons. Raya is surprise to find herself disheartened, for once having company other than Tuktuk an actual pleasure of being around. She tells her one day she’ll be able to thank her personally but the traveler dismisses her gratitude saying she has only done what she thought must be done. She leaves without a words. Raya only fighting a few more matches to have a crazy enough jade with her to continue her travels into finding Sisu.

Which leads to a headcanon that Raya actually met more good people along the way. But didn’t let herself get too personal and attached. Enough for her to actually remember. Her trust issues are still present but she’s not dumb enough to acknowledge genuine acts of kindness.

Raya is hella introverted. Being used to her time alone for all those years has taught her how to sit in her own thoughts and relish the quiet. She has her friends, Boun, Tong, Noi, Sisu and Namaari but there are times where she’d rather be alone. Her energy easily depleted after a social interaction. Taking a while to recharge till she can. Although, Namaari is an exception. The Fang princess allowed to be by her side, the only one who seems to understand Raya’s desire for the quiet.

Which leads to another headcanon. Raya is sensitive to noise, having it trigger her sometimes when it gets too loud or irritable. Or noises she can’t distinguish the sound off, or has no control whatsoever. She has to step away before she goes into sensory overload. It’s why social gatherings, or Kumandra’s esteemed parties never sits well with her. Her own heart and mind trained to be cautious, the loud noise usually causing her to get disoriented and the feeling of unsafety spreads through her in panic. Namaari is by her side instant dragging her away when this happens.

She can actually cook, despite her horrible attempts of dried jackfruit jerky for years. Jackfruit being her only source of food that she didn’t have to blatantly steal out of someone else’s hands and hard work. She has learned from her Ba even before they were turned to stone. She was taught how sharing a meal is one of the most important thing in friendships and relationships, strengthening their bond to great heights. Namaari was surprised one day when she was invited to Heart and Raya was the one cooking and serving her the food.

She can sing! Of course she can, but its mostly to herself or when she’s alone. Namaari catches her one day, her cat like stealth making her undetectable. One night Raya can’t sleep in Fang, she steps away to the training grounds, Namaari follows closely but she decides to observe for a while, not wanting to disrupt the alone time the Heart princess might have preferred. She listens to her sing in the middle of the training grounds, not even bothering to practice any moves. She just sits on the sparring platform in the middle and letting the natural echo and reverberations of the room enhance her voice. Namaari just falls inlove a bit more after that.

#ooooof #i love raya so much #she has such a deep character that you can keep exploring different parts of her #raya #namaari #rayaari #ratld headcanons #raya headcanons #raya and the last dragon

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wrenhyperfixates · 4 years ago

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Full Disclosure

Pairing: Loki x reader Summary: Thor has always been supportive of his brother’s love life, but Loki won’t tell him that he’s dating you. When Thor won’t stop setting him up on dates, Loki has to move past his fears and confess. Warnings: just a fluff-bomb A/N: Thank you for requesting, my lovely nonny! This is longer than a typical imagine might be because I had so much fun with it (in fact it’s really more of a oneshot, oops). If you wanted something a little shorter, I already had a similar incorrect quote in my drafts that I’ll be posting for you later in the week :)

Disclaimer: Gif not mine

Sometimes it was hard to have a brother so dense. There were plenty of times during their youth when Loki would try to discuss lessons or ladies with Thor, but never seemed to make any sort of breakthrough. It was only when Loki started dating you that he was glad for it, as it made hiding the blooming relationship much easier. That is, until Thor kept trying to set him up on dates.

“I believe I might shove my brother off a cliff, darling,” Loki whined one afternoon, dramatically flopping on your bed.

“Aww. What did he do now?” you inquired after giving him a small peck on the lips.

“He arranged another date for me, and I was left with the arduous task of cancelling. It is a wonder how he has not noticed how absolutely smitten I am with you, my love.”

He nuzzled into your neck as you cuddled him, breathing in your comforting scent. You bent your head down to place a kiss on the adorable little crinkle between his brows. He relaxed a bit, but you could tell he was still stressed.

“Well, we could always tell him about us,” you suggested as Loki’s frown reappeared. “I mean, almost everyone else on the team figured it out. So I don’t really see why we shouldn’t tell Thor.”

Loki pondered this for a moment. True, the other Avengers were aware of your relationship, save for Steve and Bucky, who were too oblivious to even realize their own feelings for each other. Still, it was different with Thor, his brother, his only family left. He knew how fond of you Thor was, but if he were to oppose to the two of you dating, he had no idea what he’d do.

“My brother can be overbearing. I am not certain that telling him is the best option at present.”

“Ok. If you’re sure that’s all, then we’ll wait.”

He whispered a thank you into your hair as you shifted positions so that now he was spooning you. The whole reason you’d decided to keep the fact you were dating a secret in the first place was to be able to enjoy quiet moments like this. Loki has been worried that his teammates would disapprove and try to split you up. Surprisingly, they were supportive, even if they did engage in some subtle teasing. Though, their knowledge of your relationship made what happened at dinner the next night all the more embarrassing.

You and Loki kept secretly holding hands under the table, earning you some smirks from your teammates who happened to notice. Feeling self-conscious, you broke apart but left your legs touching ever so slightly, just enough to feel the warmth radiating off each other. You must have laughed a little too loudly at something Loki said because, suddenly, Thor got what he thought to be a novel idea.

“You know,” he said, pointing at you and Loki, “I believe you two would make a really cute couple.” As if that weren’t bad enough, he continued in a stage whisper, “You should really ask them out, Loki.”

The God of Mischief turned bright red as you started fidgeting in your seat. Everyone else made eye contact with each other before giving in to a bout of laughter. Thor demanded to know what was so funny, but no one could get any words out. When Tony laughed so hard he fell out of his seat, Loki decided that he’d had enough.

“Brother,” he shouted over the din. “I-well, we have something to tell you.”

“What is it?” he shouted back, still not catching on.

“Maybe we should do this somewhere quieter,” you suggested after a small sigh.

The three of you made your way out of the noisy dining room, and Loki started wringing his hands as both his lover and brother looked at him expectantly. This was his moment to finally get the truth out there. Unfortunately, his hands seemed to have a mind of their own and lashed out with a dagger, striking Thor.

“Surprise attack!”

“Loki!” you bellowed, upset with your boyfriend.

“Do not worry, my friend. This is a normal occurrence,” Thor assured you as Loki grabbed your hand and whisked you away.

Once behind closed doors, you fixed him with a withering glare. He knew that he was being ridiculous, especially now that Thor has shown he would be fine with you two dating. But Loki realized something else was stopping from sharing his joy with his brother. If he told Thor, it would be like bridging his old life and his new one. Granted, you already knew of his past misdeeds, but what if there was something else he hasn’t told you? Something long forgotten in his memory that Thor lets slip? In the end, his reluctance all boiled down to a fear of losing you.

“I know, I know. That was not the best route to choose. I just didn’t think it was the right time to say anything,” he lied.

“Why can’t you just be honest with me, Loki?” you pleaded as tears formed in your eyes. “It’s obvious that you’re embarrassed of me or something. The least you could do is tell the truth about it.”

“Oh, my darling,” he cooed, wiping a plump drop that had fallen and made a glistening track halfway down your cheek. “Please understand that my inability to tell my brother of us has nothing to do with you. You are the most wonderful thing to ever happen to me.”

“Then what is it?”

“I fear that you may come to resent me if you hear any more of my past.”

“Loki,” you said, voice heavy with emotion. “Look at me. I know that you’ve done some... questionable things before. But I know you now, and that’s what I care about. We’ve all done things we’re not proud of, but you work harder than anyone I know to make up for it. It’s one of the many reasons that I love you.”

He looked at you with eyes full of gratitude before hugging you close. “I love you too, dearest. Never doubt that.”

The air relaxed around Loki and his beloved as a quiet contemplation settled in. He slowly rocked the two of you back and forth, trying to plan his next move. If there was one thing he didn’t like, it was not knowing what to do next. But he was sure that, with you beside him, he could figure it out.

“Ok,” you said after sucking in a long breath. “We’ll wait then. As long as you need.”

“No,” Loki interjected, coming to a conclusion as you spoke. “I want to tell him now. Well, maybe not right at this moment. But tomorrow for certain.”

After checking that he was sure of this decision, you agreed to have lunch with Thor where you would tell him the news. Loki’s nerves were at an all-time high by noon the next day. He helped you set the table to try to calm them, but nothing seemed to cull his worries. You came up behind him and wrapped your arms around his waist, pressing kisses to the tense spots between his shoulder blades.

“Hey, it’s going to be alright. I promise,” you reassured him, hoping to relieve some of the pressure he was feeling.

He relaxed in your embrace for a second before you broke away upon hearing Thor’s heavy footsteps approaching. Loki tweaked the utensils once more, and you pressed a quick kiss to his knuckles in a final act of comfort. It also helped some that Thor seemed to be in an even more jovial mood than usual. Which, of course, was saying something as the god was relentlessly optimistic.

Sitting down, he greeted you both by name and told you everything smelled delicious. The God of Thunder bit his lip to hold back a smile, but you and Loki could see it tugging its way onto his face. The two of you shared a look, attempting to figure out what exactly was the cause of such joy for the older Odinson boy.

“Um, Thor?” you said. “Is there something you wanted to share with us?”

“No. Is there something you want to share with me?”

Another look passed between you and Loki. Suddenly, Loki realized that his brother must know the news you were about to share. It figures that after all this time, he worked it out moments before he was about to come clean.

“You have figured it out,” Loki sighed, “haven’t you?”

Thor nodded eagerly and came around the table to hug his brother and friend, overjoyed that they were dating. He loosened his grip around you upon hearing your gasping voice telling him he was hugging too tight, a terrible habit of his.

“But when did you figure it out?” you questioned, puzzling over the timeline of events.

“I have known for months, of course.” He tried to stick to this story, but the skeptical looks from both you and his brother made him abandon his position. “I saw you two being all cuddly just before I came in,” he conceded with slumped shoulders.

All three of you began to laugh, and Loki was surprised by how relieved he felt at not having to actually confess. The rest of the lunch went swimmingly, and the God of Mischief relaxed further, happy to have both his brother and beloved in such high spirits. Unfortunately, his own sunk when Thor offered to tell a story about him. It seemed like his worst fears were about to come true.

“One time when we were children,” Thor began with a wistful look in his eye, “Loki tried to use some of his magic and accidentally turned himself into a cat. He came to my room and pestered me until I brought him to mother. Remember that, brother?”

“Indeed, I do,” Loki said with a nostalgic laugh, feeling relieved that was all Thor shared. “It was one of the first spells I ever tried. I am afraid that I sorely botched it. I was coughing hair balls for weeks.”

“So that’s why you won’t let me get a kitten!” you added with a laugh of your own.

The brothers went back and forth telling embarrassing stories about the other. You refused to share any of your awkward childhood moments, and your companions vowed to get some out of you one day. All in all, Loki had a great time. He squeezed your hand in thanks under the table. With shining eyes he observed you and Thor laughing. He realized that, for the first time in his life, he had nothing to worry about. After all, he’d been wrong when he’d thought Thor was the only family he had left. Now you were his family, too. And nothing could possibly take away you or the love you shared.

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royallyprincesslilly · 4 years ago

Text

Title: FaceTime{One-Shot}***

Zeeko Zaki x Reader

Warning: Cursing, Dirty Talk, Phone Sex, FaceTime Sex, NSFW AT ALL, SMUUUUUTTTT, Self Pleasure, DO NOT READ AT WORK, NOT FILTHY BUT RAUNCHY

Words: 2.5k

Summary: With the new season of FBI currently filming during the world’s climate, the PTB has decided that the cast are all to social distance in a designated hotel where they can be tracked to lessen any unnecessary exposure. You and Zeeko have been together for just under a year, and you’re still in the honeymoon stage, and he’s been “consciously distancing” for five weeks now.

Note: Thanks to a video from Zeeko’s IG stories, this little nugget came to mind.

I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for reading!!! ❤️❤️

***Loosley Edited/proofread***

“As you guys can see, this is my home away from home for the next three months, then a two-month break and right back into it,” he said as he walked around the hotel suite with his phone filming his surroundings for the live he was currently shooting.

He walked from the living area to the open kitchen then showed off the view of downtown Manhattan. As he walked through the suite, he showed the two other rooms then made it to the bedroom.

“And this is the bedroom,” he said as he jumped onto the bed. When he turned the camera onto himself, he groaned and leaned back onto the pillows.

“As you can see, they are taking good care of us due to the current pandemic. I’ve been here for—five weeks, a little over five weeks actually, and yes, I’m going absolutely insane.”

He read the comments as they rolled in and made a mental note as to which ones to answer.

AriaTheGreat: Zeeko, I love you on FBI. You’re soo hot.

Cheesing like no one’s business, he slightly bowed his head. “Uh—AriaTheGreat, thank you for that compliment. I’m glad you’re tuning in, and thank you for that.”

BertoCrushesQuads: Bro, you look like you eat lean and crush it in the gym. I dig your workout stories. Always pushing me to step my game up.

“BertoCrushesQuads, Thank you, bro. Honestly, there’s this little competition between my brother and me regarding the gym and the weights so, yeah. I do like to eat lean things and try to stay on task there, but I’m Egyptian—so yeah.” He couldn’t help but laugh at that bit.

As he got a little more comfortable in the bed, he continued to read through the incoming comments.

Y/NInTheseSheets: How are you surviving being in isolation? Are you lonely?

His smile got so wide when he saw your name; he couldn’t contain himself. He now looked like a child on Christmas morning. You always commented and liked his pictures, reposted his stories, and even popped into his lives always with your secret account. You used this account to mainly stan for him.

“Uh—Y/NInTheseSheets, cute name. I’m taking it one day at a time. It definitely can get lonely.

The comments flew in about ways to relieve loneliness and even those bold ones volunteering to help him with that. It was still wild for him to think about how his life had changed sometimes. One of the changes he was most grateful for was your role in his life. A year-long flirtation turned to no commitment dates, and those turned to an accidental kiss that neither of you could go back from once it happened because that kiss led to your first night together.

Now almost a year from that first kiss, he was still in that honeymoon phase with you. He always wanted to be around you, kiss you, talk to you, lay with you. It was impossible not to think about you, and now that he’d seen you on the live, there was no way he was going to be able to go over his lines for tomorrow.

Y/NInTheseSheets: These Sheets are cold.

Biting his bottom lip, he looked right into the camera and nodded.

“I hear you,” he said before he skimmed the other comments trying to keep his cool.

HoeFoFlo: You should hook up with Florian and hit the gym. Can you talk about meltdown!! 🥵

“HoeFoFlo, wow. Really creative name. You know something, we actually met a few months ago. He’s a cool dude and a monster in the gym.”

PatriciaMac: @HoeFoFlo whaddya know I’m a hoe for that man too. You’re right; I’d love to see a live of the two of you in the gym together. I’d lose my shit. 😏

Y/NInTheseSheets: Would love to do some hoe things right about now. 😛

His jaw dropped, and he forgot where he was and what he was doing for almost a full minute. Sitting up, he leaned against the headboard. That was all it took for his member to stir. Pushing forward, he tried to keep talking to the six thousand people that were currently watching. He didn’t want to think more about what you were doing. He was sure you were lying in bed, fresh out the shower, probably still naked. He tried to stifle the moan when he thought of how you smelled, but he wasn’t successful at all.

PrettyGirlLeena: @Y/NInTheseSheets saaaaame! Just looking at him makes me squirm. My lady parts are all tingly.

Y/NInTheseSheets: Tingliness is the least of my problems with my lady parts. 💦💦💦

Oh god, he thought. You were trying to kill him or have someone screen record something that he wouldn’t be able to talk his way out of.

Y/NInTheseSheets: You just drive me crazy when you touch on it. Got my legs up, hands up, at attention.

“There are some good things that are coming up this season for you guys. I can’t wait for you guys to check it out.”

It was a meager attempt to force his brain away from your legs and touching anything.

HoeFoFlo: @Y/NInTheseSheets, you should change your @ to @ThisHoezForZeeko. Girl, you thirsty.

Y/NInTheseSheets: Hit it, quit it. Fill that shit, get it! 🍑

He was now past twitches and slow rising. His dick was hard.

PrettyGirlLeena: Shut up, @HoeFoFlo. You should be the one to talk. We’re all thirsty. That is why we’re here. Stop trying to shame people. Look @ your name. 🙄

Y/NInTheseSheets: Tryna see if it feel what it look like. Been a lot of urge that I can't fight. It's a lot of time in the one night.

Limit reached, he thought.

“All right, guys, I’m gonna get off of this thing. I have lines to read and an early call. Thank you guys so much for tuning in to this live. Peace, love, and be kind to each other.”

With that, he ended the live dropped his phone, rubbed his day fresh cut hair, and groaned. It was a loud groan that bounced off the walls and barreled back to him. When he took his phone up again, he quickly found your contact on his most recent calls and tapped facetime.

After three rings, you answered, and sure enough, you were lying in bed with a sheet wrapped around you. God, you were beautiful.

“Hi Habibi,” you slid out as your stretched.

He couldn’t believe it had been almost six weeks since he’d physically seen you, and he still had six more to go.

“That was not fair.”

You giggled and changed the angle of your phone so he could see that your thighs were spread.

“I’m sorry, Habibi. It was just too much fun to pass up, especially when I’d just gotten out of the shower. “

“Ah, so you wanted to get me horny cause you’re horny.”

You smiled again then bit your bottom lip. “Are you horny, Habibi?”

You knew when you called him that it did things to him. You weren’t playing fair.

“If I said no---.”

“Then I’d just have my work cut out for me then,” you said before you ripped the sheet off your body to show him that you were, in fact, naked.

He released an audible yelp that was half from shock and half from the intensity that his arousal hit him.

“Fuck, baby girl.”

Your gratifying smiled spread fully across your face before you dropped one of your hands to trail down your body, making a pit stop at your breast to tweak one of your nipples.

“I miss you,” he whispered.

“I miss you too. You have no idea. I used your soap in the shower and couldn’t help that my hand went down south.”

Biting his bottom lip, he could see it as clear as day in his mind’s eye. His jeans were now highly uncomfortable. “How’d it feel?”

“Not like when you do it. I like your hands better,” you whined.

“Mmm, I wanna touch you so bad.”

“I wish I could touch you, but you could—touch you.”

His eyebrows rose. “Are we there?”

You nodded. “Yes, we’re there,” you answered, referencing a conversation you’d had weeks ago that when things got tough, FaceTime sex was always an option. “We’re so there.”

Not needing to be told twice, he sat up, perched his phone on a pillow, and began peeling off his shirt. Once it was off, he threw it in one direction then stood to peel off his jeans.

“Mmmm, those jeans look uncomfortable, daddy.”

His hands had never moved so quickly. He hopped as he peeled them off his thighs and kicked them in another direction.

“You have no idea,” he replied before he climbed back into the bed with his boxer-briefs still on.

As he laid on his back with a few pillows perched behind his head, he skimmed your body that was still in pain sight.

“Show me,” you ordered. It was rare you did, but he liked it when you got controlling.

Slowly he trailed his phone down his body, making sure that he dragged it out as long as possible. He knew what you wanted to see. Once he got to his waist, he lowered the waistband of his underwear before letting it snap back into place. Your groan was music to his ears.

“Come on, baby, don’t tease me,” you whined.

“Do you know me?”

He gripped his hardened dick and rubbed, showing you just how hard he was. He couldn’t get it all in his hand no matter how big it was.

“Mmmm, are you hard for me, baby?”

His groan was deep, and he decided just to take them off. When he pulled the elastic down, his dick nudged on it until it sprang out, bobbing in the air.

“Fuck daddy, I miss that dick so much.” Your hand was now between your thighs, and he’d never wanted to be someone else’s body part more.

“Show me what’s mine, baby girl.”

Without hesitation, you lowered your phone to show him just how wet you were. Your fingers glistened from the moisture that his tongue wanted all parts of.

“Mmm, I’m so wet. Do you see what you do to me?”

“Me? Look at this dick, girl.”

He slowly stroked himself at first and then faster, all the while squeezing, doing his best to mimic your channel. His pants began low but quickly became audible. When he released an unexpected guttural groan, your moan overshadowed it, and he was instantly harder.

“You have no idea how bad I want you, princess.”

“Show me. Pretend your hand is mine. Pretend I’m right there between your legs about to drop my mouth on that big dick, Habibi.”

He groaned, angled his head back, and closed his eyes. As his toes curled as the visual of you between his legs took over. “Mmm, you’re so fucking beautiful. I wish this dick was in your mouth.”

“Mmm, me too. I wish you were fucking my mouth.” Your moans picked up, and his eyes snapped open to see your phone was now perched at the foot of the bed, giving him the perfect view between your legs, up your body, and of your face.

“Shit, I love this view.”

He quickly did the same with his phone so that you could have the same view and so he could have both hands. Once he was again lost in the pleasure of his hand with the visual of your mouth pushing him closer to the edge, he dipped his free hand lower to fondle himself.

“Fuck, baby. How long has it been? They’re huge.”

“The whole time,” he replied through his grunts.

“This pussy misses you so bad. I wish you could stretch me out.”

“You take me so fucking well, baby girl. Only you take this dick.”

For the next few minutes, neither of you spoke. You just watched each other and raced to your respective finish lines. Every few seconds, your moans turned to whines and his to grunts and yelps. Your back was now arched off the bed with one hand on your breast.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck. You’re gonna make me come!”

“Shit me too,” he whimpered.

You shot up to rest on your elbows and look right into his eyes. “Come for me, daddy. I want it. I want you to come right now.”

“Where would you want it?”

“Right here,” you said as you patted your pussy. “Come on, this wet pussy. Give it to me.”

Your fingers were circling your clit faster, and he knew you were close.

“Come with me, baby girl. Imagine you're sitting on my face. I want it. Soak my beard, princess.”

Your hips bucked as if you were riding your fingers, pushing yourself to go faster and faster.

“Oh my god, Zeeko, I’m coming, I’m coming, I’m coming!”

Your screech was loud before your eyes closed, and your jaw dropped, and in seconds, you were screaming as the pinch of your nipple was tight. It was his telltale sign that you were coming. He wasn’t far behind you. His grip tightened around his dick, and when he stroked up to squeeze around his head, he shot his essence. Your eyes were glued to him as he released stream after stream up into the air. You watched it splat on his inner thigh, pelvis, and abdomen. Your gingers didn’t slow. He knew you liked to watch him come. It always turned you on even more.

“Oh my god, I’m coming again,” you whined before you dipped your digits inside your heat, dropping your head back. He saw the liquid gush from you, and he was a goner.

“Fuck!”

It was the only thing he managed before he, too, came again, sending even more come across his belly. Neither of you spoke. The only sounds were that of your shared panting as your bodies cooled. When he brought his eyes back to his phone, you brought your head back to look at him. Your smile was a sheepish one as you brought your knees together, still giving him the most tempting sight of your soaking core.

“Oh my god, my phone is soaked.”

“That’s not the only thing.”

You slipped your hand between your legs, briefly blocking his view before you brought your hand up to your mouth and moaned.

“Mmmm. Tastes so good. ”

“You’re evil.”

You giggled, bent down, took your phone, and brought it to your face.

“Six weeks more.”

He groaned and brought his phone to his face. “The only way I’m going to make it is if we schedule more of these—a lot more.”

The two of you laughed together until you both laid on your beds, angling the phone on the pillow beside you so the other would feel as if they were right beside them. That was the way you remained for the next few hours, all the while penciling each other in every night to do just this.

It was going to be a long six weeks.

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

Permanent Tags:

@chaneajoyyy @dangerouslovefanfic @munteanhorewrites@sonjashuterbugjohnson @caramara3 @literaturefeen @maxcullen @night-of-the-living-shred @youremysuperstar @i-just-like-fanfics

#Facetime one shot #zeeko zaki #Zeeko zaki fanfiction #zeeko zaki x reader #zeeko zaki x you #zeeko zaki x black reader #zeeko zaki smut #black fanfiction

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lonelyreputation · 4 years ago

Text

Ready

A/N: Hello hi!!! I’m slowly making my way through all my requests! I have like four-ish docs left! Thank you for being patient and dealing with my wonky writing process 🥴 I appreciate you all 🥰

Request: hi, can you write about shawn being there for his wife during labor? like he’s holding her hand through the contractions and whispering how amazing she’s doing while pushing? if you don’t have time i understand. thank you 💗

Also!! I did my best to research giving birth and the stages so this is all based on articles and I may have ~tweaked some stuff I’m not really sure BUT I hope you all enjoy it nonetheless!!!

Warnings: Giving birth, swearing

WC: 3.3K // Fluff

“You sure you don’t want me to get it for you?”

You waved your hands in front of Aaliyah, “Even though I’m pregnant,” you took a deep breath, pushing one hand on the sofa’s cushion as oen rested on your very round stomach, “I can get myself a water.”

“Shawn said––”

“Shawn is upstairs on a phone call,” you rolled your eyes as you leaned forward to pick up your water glass from the coffee table, “Oof.” You squinted an eye shut as you felt a pain in your lower back.

Aaliyah stood up from the couch, taking the water glass from your hand, “Are you alright?”

You waved her off for the second time, “Fine, just some back pain.”

“Do you want me to get––”

“No,” you shot her a glare, and took the water glass from her hand, “I don’t need him for everything.”

Aaliyah followed you into the kitchen as you went to the sink to fill up your water. Once your glass was filled to the top, you shut the faucet off, and turned to see Aaliyah leaning against the kitchen island with a pointed look on her face. You let out a sigh, knowing exactly what the next words out of her mouth were going to be.

“Y/n, your due date is literally in two days you could have this baby at any moment.”

You moved one of the stools back to sit on and placed a caring hand on top of Aaliyah’s, “I appreciate the concern, but I’m fi––Ouch.” You scrunched your eyebrows as a hand automatically went to your stomach.

“What was that?”

You let out a deep breath, the pain prolonging for a moment, before you shook your head, “Just a little pai––pain.”

“Y/n…” Aaliyah’s tone was one of warning, but the smile on her face was growing, “Do I need to interrupt Shawn’s phone call?”

You continued to shake your head, grinding your teeth together, “It’s been happening sporadically throughout the day––”

“You’ve been having contractions and didn’t say anything?” Her eyes bulged out of her head.

“They are not contractions,” You sucked a deep breath in through your nose and slowly let it out, “Braxton-Hicks are co––common.”

Aaliyah’s smile was beaming ear to ear, having an inclination that she would soon be an Aunt. You stayed sitting at the island in silence as Aaliyah looked at you with a gleam, just as bright as her smile, in her eyes.

While you couldn’t wait to welcome your child into the world, you were absolutely petrified of everything that came with raising a child. You were responsible for another person’s life. You had to enroll them in school, make sure they made friends, help them find a passion in life, and teach them lessons in hopes they take them and make smart decisions.

It wouldn’t be you and Shawn against the world anymore; it would be you, Shawn, and your baby.

Two days is still two days, you thought to yourself, this baby isn’t coming out yet.

You pushed yourself back from the island, and just when your feet hit the floor, your eyes widened as you felt something wet trickle down your leg. You didn’t have to look down to know what just happened.

“Aaliyah,” your high-pitched nervous voice only made her smile more, “Interrupt Shawn’s phone call, please.”

Your sister-in-law didn’t need to be told twice before she was running up the stairs, calling out Shawn’s name before she even knocked on the door to his office. Being alone in the kitchen with fluids trickling down your leg, signaling that your water broke, left you terrified. This would be the last time you stood in your kitchen alone because the next time you would have your baby with you.

The harsh steps of Aaliyah and Shawn bolting down the wooden stairs didn’t break you from the trance you found yourself under because all that was floating through your mind was, holy shit, I’m going to be a mom.

“Hey,” Shawn’s gentle voice snapped you out of your paralyzed state. He gently took hold of both of your hands and gave them a light squeeze, “Breathe.” You didn’t realize that your breaths were shaky, close to hyperventilation, but you tried to match the pace of Shawn’s even breathing.

Aaliyah walked over to you with a wet cloth and a dry one, cleaning up the spillage, as Shawn smiled ear-to-ear, “Ready?”

Ready…That one word held so many sub-questions you didn’t even know where to begin. Were you ready to start a new chapter of your life? Ready to add to your little family? Ready to take care of a child with the love of your life?

“I––I’m scared,” your chin wobbled as you felt tears well up in your eyes. There was not a doubt in your mind that you were ready to start a family with Shawn, but you were so scared of messing up.

“I’ll be with you––”

You cut him off with a sharp intake of breath as you gripped his hand as you felt another pain rip through your stomach.

“I think you should go to the hospital,” Aaliyah looked at you with concerned eyes as she held out the hospital bag you and Shawn had prepped a few weeks ago.

Shawn took the bag and slung it over his shoulder, “Hospital, yeah, of course.” He ran a hand through his curls as his eyes darted around the kitchen, “Aaliyah, can you drive?”

Dangling his keys between her thumb and pointer finger, Aaliyah smiled, “Figured you wouldn’t be sane enough to drive.”

With a hand still in yours, Shawn placed his free hand gently on your lower back, slowly walking out to the car with you. He kept mumbling how he couldn’t believe that this was happening, that he remembered it like yesterday when you told him you were pregnant, and of course, he repeated how much he loved you.

While your contractions were still spaced out, they were more painful, and you were sure you cracked a few bones in Shawn’s hand, but he was all smiles as he called your parents, and his parents, to let them know you two were on your way to the hospital.

Aaliyah dropped the two of you off at the front doors to the Emergency Room, as she went to go park the car, and much like how Shawn held your hand when you left the front doors of your house, he did the same as the two of you walked through the doors of the hospital.

The next time you would be outside you would be taking your kid home.

Everything was becoming all too real. You always fantasized about having a child of your own, and when you met Shawn you knew you wanted to have his kids, but back then it was just thought. It was a romanticized thought of having something––someone––that you both created. Even while you were pregnant, it didn’t seem real. Nothing seemed real until this moment and you had never felt this amount of terror in any situation before.

“Y/n, hey,” Shawn’s eyes were wide with concern, “You have to calm down, everything’s gonna be okay, everything will be––”

You shook your head rapidly as a few tears leaked from the corner of your eyes, “I can’t––Shawn, I can’t do this.”

He scrunched his eyebrows together, “I am absolutely positive that you can do this,” his face softened with a smile as he cradled your cheek in his hand, the pads of his thumbs wiping away the tears on your cheek, “As much as I want to tell you how strong you are, I think you really need a doct––”

And like the time in the kitchen, you slightly hunched over with one hand clutching Shawn’s, as the other went to your stomach, as an unbearable pain shot through your whole body. Shawn’s eyes widened larger than you had ever seen them as he tried to hurriedly rush you to the front desk.

“Hi, my wife––” Shawn was interrupted by you letting out a whimper of pain as he talked to the front desk woman, “––She’s giving birth so we need a doctor––Like, now.”

You peaked through your eyelashes in your hunched position and saw the front desk woman sweetly smile at you and tell you as Shawn recited your information for a wrist band. All you wanted to do was glare at her.

Once the band was placed on your wrist a doctor and a few nurses came out with a gurney. You shot your head over to Shawn, not liking the idea of being wheeled into the maternity ward, but just like every moment of uncertainty before, he squeezed your hand in reassurance.

The doctor introduced themself, and the rest of the people on their team, before helping you up into the gurney, and asking you questions about your contractions and other medical inquiries that Shawn tried to answer to the best of his abilities. You did your best to answer through your gritted teeth and sharp pains in your stomach, but Shawn’s hand had never left yours since the moment you stepped foot into this hospital, so that provided you with some comfort.

After you were brought back into a private room, Shawn helped you change into the gown that was provided, and then the doctor came back in to measure your cervix. And your mouth was left hung open when he said you were only halfway dilated. With your contractions lasting a few hours, you assumed you would almost be ready to have your baby by the time you got to the hospital.

“Oh, no,” the doctor laughed, “Television really doesn’t give an accurate representation. New mom’s usually always have a longer birthing process––The early part of your first stage could be anywhere from six to twelve hours––”

“Twelve hours?” You leaned up on the hospital bed as the beeping of the heart rate monitor began to increase.

The doctor took a moment to read the screen before chuckling, “Everyone is different.”

You felt your palms begin to sweat as you looked over at Shawn, “I’m not ready,” you felt more tears start to cloud your vision, “I can’t––”

“You can,” Shawn’s voice was stern, he spoke with so much determination in his voice that, for a split second, you did believe in yourself, “This is what all these nine months have been leading up to. I have never loved you more in my life,” his voice wavered at the end of his sentence, “So believe me when I say that you can do this.”

Shawn’s words were starting to break through to you; you were starting to feel like maybe you could get through this treacherous process of bringing a life into this world if he was by your side.

The doctor told you that you could walk through the halls if you were up for it, and that people could come and visit you, but when it was time to give birth, you were only allowed three extra people in the room. And soon after that, your parents had walked into your room, your mom already had tears free falling down her face as she peppered kisses along the top of your head.

They were in the room for about an hour, congratulating the both of you as soon-to-be parents, and then came in Shawn’s parents and Aaliyah. Just like your mom, Karen was full on sobbing when she saw laid eyes upon you in a hospital gown, as Shawn soothingly rubbed his fingers on the top of your hand.

Aaliyah still had a grin spread on her face, much like earlier in the day before she interrupted Shawn’s phone call on your behalf. And like your parents, they were the room for a little over an hour, before leaving the two of you, wanting to give you and Shawn some time alone before the extra addition to your family came along.

You mustered up the strength to walk around the halls of the hospital. But you didn’t last long as you felt your contractions grow stronger. You clutched onto Shawn’s arm, as he practically dragged you back to the room, and he pressed the call button for the doctor.

Within seconds, the doctor was in the room, and you were trying to hold back the screams of pain you felt bubble up in the back of your throat, the pain of your contractions happening more frequently and lasting longer.

The doctor measured your cervix again, and when he said you were at eight centimeters, you started to cry. There was no possible way you could handle the pain of dilating two more centimeters. You wanted to give up, turn back, but realistically that was not an option.

Shawn requested the doctor to go into the waiting room and bring back both of your mom’s, as those were the extra people, save for Shawn, that you wanted in the room as you gave birth. A few minutes later, your mom and Karen hurriedly walked into the room with concern clearly written on their faces.

Karen got you a cup of ice chips as your mother went to your other side to hold your hand.

You squeezed your eyes tight as you felt another contraction rip through your body, you turned your head toward Shawn, as you tried to muffle your shout. You felt hot, nauseous, and in more pain than you had felt in your entire life. If this was only eight centimeters dilated you sure as hell didn’t want to know what it felt like to push a whole baby out of you.

Shawn’s hand was still held tightly in your grasp as he sat up from his chair and pressed a kiss to your forehead.

“Shawn, this is––”

“If you say you can’t do this one more time––”

“You’re not the one who’s about to push a fucking baby out from their vagina.”

In any normal circumstance, a harsh quip like that would’ve started a petty argument, but Shawn’s eyes only looked at you with admiration as he let out a laugh, “You sound like you’re giving birth.”

You shut your eyes, trying to relax yourself, but you were in so much pain and everything was getting on your last nerve. As if on cue, the doctor walked back into your room, and the nurse who had been in the room watching over you gave him an update. The only thing you heard from the nurse as a pain, that came so forcefully––it felt as if it was tearing apart your body from the inside out––was that you were almost at ten centimeters.

“Get this fucking kid out of me,” you cried through the pain.

Your mother shushed you, Karen offered you a sympathetic smile, and Shawn thought it was necessary to crack a joke.

“Hey, that’s my kid you’re talking about.”

You glared at him, “And I will never give you another fucking kid again––Argh––Shawn Mendes I hate you so much––”

“I love you too––”

“I hate you so fucking much––Ah!”

“Ten centimeters,” you heard the doctor say from the bottom of the bed. They peaked their head around your bent knees, “Ready to push?”

As much as you wanted to meet your baby, and as much as you wanted them out of you, you shook your head no. You continued to shake your head no as more tears slipped past your eyes and another shout of pain escaped your lips.

Shawn tried to squeeze your hand in reassurance, but with your hand gripping onto him so tight, his hand was numb. So, instead, he placed his other hand on your shoulder and pressed a kiss to the top of your head, “I’m right here. Holding your hand. You have me.”

You looked up at him through your blurry vision. While you wanted to strangle him for putting you through this, his words resonated deep within your soul that you could physically feel his love for you through his words.

“I’ll never leave your side,” Shawn whispered as he wiped your tears away, “Now, are you ready to push?”

And for the first time that day, you nodded your head yes.

“On three,” you faintly heard the doctor instruct you, but all you focused on was Shawn whispering his own soft count down until your first push.

“I,” one, “love,” two, “you,” three, ”now push.”

You clamped your mouth shut, gripped Shawn’s hand until your knuckles turned three shades lighter, and pushed. Pushing was worse than any contraction you felt and you wished you could go back to that pain. But once your first push was done, and your muscles relaxed for a little bit, the doctor was giving you a warning that you were going to have to push again on three.

You looked up at your husband with fear in your eyes, who was already looking down at you, but before you could verbalize your fears, the number three was said and you started to involuntarily push.

You let out a cry as Shawn stroked the hair on top of your head, “You’re doing so well––Incredible––” another push, “––You’re the strongest woman I know––” another push, “––There’s no one else I’d want to start a family with––”

“The baby’s crowning!”

“You hear that?” Shawn wiped away a few of your tears as you heard him get choked up, “They can see the head of our baby.”

You knew you still had more work to do, but you were exhausted, all of the physical and emotional pain was catching up to you. But when the doctor said push, you leaned forward, focusing on Shawn rubbing your back, and pushed.

Shawn’s voice was the only thing that got you through giving birth. But when another sound––one of a cry––filled a void in the room you didn’t know was there, it gave you a new sense of purpose.

“One more!”

“I,” one, “love,” two, “you both,” his last words were rushed together, three, “now push.”

And as you squeezed both your mom’s and Shawn’s hand so hard––that you were sure they would need to go to get x-ray’s for broken bones––you suddenly felt all of the pressure lifted from your lower half as you fell back on the bed. You dropped your death grip on both your mom and Shawn’s hand, but Shawn didn’t let go of your hand as you saw the doctor hold up the most beautiful baby you had ever laid eyes on.

“Say hello to your baby girl.”

Your mouth was hung open in awe as the doctor placed your baby––your child with Shawn––on your chest for skin to skin contact. After all the pain you went through, and the tears you shed, you would do it all over again just for this moment. This first little moment with your baby girl pressed to you, her cries sounding like music to your ears, as you felt Shawn’s tears fall on your skin as he pressed a kiss to your forehead.

You looked up at him with your own tears in your eyes, “Ready?”

Looking into his tear-filled amber eyes, you saw him look down at your daughter, with an amount of love that was beyond how he ever looked at you. And you knew that he was already planning his future with his daughter: seeing her first steps, driving her to guitar lessons even when she didn’t want to go, eating ice-cream with her all night when she would inevitably go through her first heartbreak, and then seeing the pure joy in her eyes when she would eventually get into her first choice school––Even though that was 18 years in the future––she was his daughter, and he knew that she was destined for great things.

And with a sniffle, he pressed a soft kiss to your lips and then to his daughter’s head, “Ready.”

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