#i'm sure i'll be nostalgic about this in a few months

[idkimnotreal]

i'm so mad at this game. "continue exploring maguuma to earn your gliding mastery" but then you actually go to maguuma and every other exploreable spot (hero points/poi/vistas) is, hear me out, INACCESSIBLE unless you already have all those masteries and mounts to reach those secret locations, or you're already deep into the game to know which events unlock what or how to do the jumps or whatever. and it's not intuitive like core tyria.

listen. anet. i've got a hangover. i just want to turn off my brain. i'm sure this was fun in 2014 but i mean...

[jaennwrites]

Birthdays ˗ˏˋ ★ˎˊ˗

guysss...i was on twitter and i saw this damn tweet that was like "why are guys never excited for their birthday" and YALL the men in the replies were so SAD AND CYNICAL...and i feel like that's so carmy. SO! In the spirit of raising my spirits for my 19th birthday...i wanna write this...tee hee. pairings: carmy berzatto x gn!reader, established relationship word count: short :D warnings: none, pure FLUFF CUTE DISGUSTING LOVEY DOVEYNESS BLAHH.

Carmy didn't really care for his birthday. He didn't want to sound like "those guys" but it really just was another day. The fact that he was never not working on his birthday also contributed to his nonchalant mindset.

He hadn't planned to be with someone this birthday — had he ever? This year he had you, you guys had been dating for five months now and Carmy was happy. Although, the happiness terrified him to death, it felt good. It felt good to have you drop by the restaurant randomly, to see you sleeping in his bed when he came home late. That will be his birthday present, seeing you when he got off of work, that was good enough.

"Cousin!" "Your lover is here!" Richie announced teasingly

Carmy rolled his eyes at the playful jab but a smile couldn't leave his face at the announcement of your arrival, an early birthday gift. He pushed himself out of the office chair and opened the door to see you with a cheerful smile on your face.

"Happy birthday Carm" You smiled extending the small white bakery box in your hand.

"Thank you?" He spoke trying to sound sincere but this was new for him. He couldn't really remember the last time someone brought him a...cupcake, he discovered as he peeked in the box.

"I know you're so blahh about your birthday but I believe in celebrating birthdays" You nodded stealing Carmy's seat in the office chair.

"I do like my birthday, and I appreciate this cupcake" "Actually" He reassured

"Sit" You demanded as you got up to let him sit down.

You turned off the lights in the office before pulling a pack of candles out your bag. You placed one right in the center of the cupcake, lighting it with a smile.

Carmy wasn't sure if it was the warm somewhat nostalgic light emitted from the candle, or your presence but he could feel his eyes starting to water. He turned his head away from you in hopes to not embarrass himself. However, it wasn't embarrassing, nothing about this was, it was just very unfamiliar for him.

"Carmy?..." "Are you...crying?" You asked concerned fearing that maybe his birthday held a negative memory for him.

You hadn't told him about this cupcake thing considering it was a surprise, but you and Carmy never really talk about birthdays. There were few conversations the previous month about if he was excited but he was always fairly dismissive. It never crossed your mind that the whole day might just be a negative thing for him.

"I'm sorry" "I hope I'm not being insensitive" You apologized taking his hand in yours

"No, No, No" "I'm just...happy, very happy, I love this" "All of it" Carmy smiled, quickly wiping a few falling tears

"Are you sure? I'll throw this cupcake a thousand miles away if you want" You reassured

"Really" "You're the best...best thing that ever happened to me" He declared squeezing your hand lovingly.

You held his face with you free hand, letting your thumb gently caress his cheeks before leaning in and kissing him. Carmy melted into your touch as he kissed you back rather eagerly. You both nearly forgot about the burning candle that was now halfway melted leaving blue wax all over the top of the white icing.

"Fuck" You cursed pulling away to turn your attention towards the cupcake.

"I have to make a wish" Carmy joked, going to blow out the candle

"Make a real wish Carm" You demanded holding his shoulder to ensure he didn't blow out the candle without thought.

"I am" He defended with a laugh —he was not.

Carmy closed his eyes and thought about what he wanted to wish for. I mean realistically, he wanted the restaurant to do great, he wanted things to get easier, maybe for everyone to always listen to him. He couldn't choose one wish and the candle was still burning, and you...

You, he thought, if he had to pick one wish above all other wishes, he would wish for you. So that's what he did; he wished for you and him to be together forever in kidlike fashion. Carmy couldn't honestly say he believed in birthday wishes but as he blew out his candle, he hoped that this wish would be the one to come true.

"What did you wish for?" You asked, laying your head on his shoulder

"I can't tell you" "Or else it won't come true" He argued playfully

"Better have been for something good" "Birthday wishes are important" "We're gonna celebrate every birthday from now on" You informed with an authority he found attractive and amusing.

Carmy watched with adoration as you carefully split the cupcake in half, picking away the blue wax from the top. If every birthday from now on was going to be with you then he didn't mind, didn't mind not one bit.

[putschki1969]

2024/10/10 Blog post by Wakana おしゃべりガーデン第14回目‼️〜みんなの健康法がスゴイ！寒暖差についていけていない今日この頃〜

❗This is Fan Club EXCLUSIVE content❗ ❗PERSONAL USE ONLY❗ ❗Do NOT SHARE on other sites❗ ❗Join her FAN CLUB! Check out my detailed TUTORIAL ❗

Talk Garden Vol.14‼️~Everyone's Health Regimens Are Amazing! I Can't Handle The Recent Temperature Changes~

The temperatures in Tokyo suddenly dropped below 20℃ so I thought it was finally going to get cooler…but it was only for a moment. It seems to be going back up to warm temperatures around 25℃ 😅A temperature difference of about 10℃ between different days is rough in many ways😵‍💫I'm not sure what to wear *laughs*🧥

Hello, this is Wakana (0￣▽￣0)／

How is autumn approaching where you live? I feel that the plants in my house are growing a little slower, maybe because they've been freed from the heat of just a few weeks ago. It's a little sad, but some of them seem to be preparing for hibernation so I need to be more careful when watching over them🤔Watering them will become quite tricky from now on 😇I'll do my best!

Well! Today, I Vol.14 of my podcast "Wakana's Talk Garden" has been uploaded! ＼＼\٩( 'ω' )و //／／ I received many submission about "Everyone's Rules of Healthy Living"! It made me realise how well you all take care of your health😳You didn't only talk about different diets, you also mentioned exercising, regular health checks, trying new things to deal with daily physical problems…I was really impressed by everyone's dedication to a healthy lifestyle!! 😭✨I got the impression that a lot of people ride bikes😊🚴In terms of food, many people try to prioritise vegetables🍅🍆🥒🥕🥦Basic health rules seem to be ingrained in all of you🤔That's amazing…✨

I'm trying my best too, but the fatigue of summer and the dryness of the sudden cold have made my voice a little nasal😓It may be hard to listen to but if you have some spare time, feel free to check out the latest episode. I forgot to mention it in the podcast but I wanted to introduce my recent favourite foam roller. I am using it every morning and evening for stretching 😉It's a small foam roller for myofascial release. Look at the cute colour and size. It's tiny compared to a regular-sized foam roller. It's light and easy to carry! It's small, but it can release myofascia just as well as a regular-sized one!

I've always loved this stretch ball, too. It's a great product that can be used on trigger points. (Trigger points are "hyperalgesic areas, which are where the pain-sensing sensors in the body have malfunctioned, causing constant pain.") Personally, I use it in areas that don't usually hurt but are prone to stiffness. The shoulder blades, collarbones, and especially glutes! My glutes are surprisingly stiff! (By the way, if you want to work on large muscles like your glutes or thighs, I recommend using a foam roller with a large surface area rather than a small ball 😊 The ball is best for small focus areas) I keep these items near my bed so I can use them before bedtime at night, I also keep them in my stretch corner or on the sofa *laughs* I use them whenever I notice stiffness. It's quite painful though… 😇

Thank you to everyone who sent in submissions this month! ! As for the little present for those whose message was read, please expect it to arrive in about a month. I'm sorry to keep you waiting but please be patient😅💦

So! For next month's talk theme I chose: "Everyone's Ideal Autumn Trip". I talked a little bit about it in the episode but last month I went on a trip to Nikko with my mother 🧳I was very excited to be able to visit the nostalgic Nikko Toshogu Shrine 😍It was my first trip in a while and I felt very refreshed. That's why I picked this travel topic for the next episode ♪

Please tell me about the places you want to go or have been to, and the kind of trips you want to take! ! ＼(^o^)／I will of course share photos and a travel diary of my trip to Nikko on my blog soon✏️

And last but not least! I also wanted to talk about the happy news that were announced last week! Next year, on January 15, 2025, we will hold a Kalafina live concert. After seven years, we have decided to sing together again as a trio. 17 years after our debut! We have been encouraged by the feelings of everyone who has always supported us throughout the years. For this reason, we want to stand with gratitude and pride on stage to convey our feelings to you that day. The concert is titled "Kalafina Anniversary LIVE 2025".

We look forward to seeing you at Tokyo Garden Theater next year. Please come and see us!!! ＼＼\٩( 'ω' )و //／／[Note: Unfortunately, Wakana doesn't really share anything specific about the upcoming live. She's bubbly as always when she makes the announcement but no further infos or thoughts are revealed]

All right, that's all for today! Until next time~☆( '▽')/

＊＊＊Wakana＊＊＊

Wakana’s Talk Garden #14

❗This is Fan Club EXCLUSIVE content❗ ❗PERSONAL USE ONLY❗ ❗Do NOT SHARE on other sites❗ ❗Join her FAN CLUB! Check out my detailed TUTORIAL ❗

Episode #14 »»—— CLICK ME 🎁 CLICK ME ——«« ・Everyone’s Rules of Healthy Living ・Anything you’d like to ask Wakana/Anything you’d like Wakana to talk about

For next month’s episode which is scheduled to air on November 10th, the following two topics have been chosen: ・Everyone's Ideal Autumn Trip ・Anything you’d like to ask Wakana/Anything you’d like Wakana to talk about

The submission deadline is 10/31.

[definitionsfading]

I know you guys are sooooooooooo invested in my reclamation of childhood era nostalgia re: getting to play the Petz PC games again, so here's a lukewarm update after my last post about it 😌 (now complete with unrelated family drama)

on WEDNESDAY we went to see Mimi for lunch and a belated Christmas exchange, and barely after we'd eaten and given her the present (a real gold necklace with some words from scripture engraved on it), my mom initiated a Huge fucking conflict about a broken diamond ring Mimi gave away to my 20-something-year-old female cousin, right. mom apparently expressed interest in wanting this ring several years ago or something and Mimi gave it to cousin Lauren when she gave me a gold horseshoe ring back in 2021. shit got so intense about this that my mom had Mimi scream-crying and hysterical because it just kept getting worse when we found out she gave my deceased Papa's vintage Corvette to her other daughter with nobody's input lmfao. it was like living in a melodramatic episode of Succession for about two hours there.

ALL THIS TO SAY, the drama was insane and amidst the tears and screaming and theatrics I only barely had an hour to sneak into the computer room to see if the old machine was still working before we had to leave. come to find out (!!!) my grandparents replaced the super vintage tower with a Windows XP machine around 2010, something I didn't previously remember, and the old disconnected Windows 95 tower was still sitting in the laundry room inside a box. it had been Windows 95 all along and not 98 like I thought. go figure.

anyway, I brought the Windows 95 tower home with me even though I have no damn cables or monitors to try and get it running, and the plan is to return to Mimi's house [BY MYSELF. NO MOM ALLOWED] in the coming weeks/months to get the old photos off the XP system for her before bringing the entire system home with me so I can finally, at long torturous fucking last, play my goddamn Petz games. because Petz 5 will happily run on Windows XP, I went ahead and ordered secondhand copies of Catz and Dogz off eBay. they should be here by Valentine's day.

I have very minimal desk space in my room at the moment so I've cleared off a work bench in the garage to set up the Windows 95 machine and the original monitor once I obtain it from Mimi's house, lol. I'm not sure if I'll be able to get it to even boot up but we'll see if there's anything on there, and if not, I'll probably just eventually donate the tower to a local electronics recycling company. as for the functioning XP tower, I need to source a flat screen monitor and then THAT one will be able to get set up in my room on my glass vanity table by the window for some cozy nostalgic gaming, god willing.

I have to arrange with Mimi's schedule because I've agreed to help her clean out her office in exchange for the XP system, but we get closer every day lmfao!!!! life got me playing the long con right now but that's okay. I've waited 15 years to play this game again, I can wait another few weeks.

[icycoldninja]

Can I request Dante x Fem Reader who finds out she is pregnant and doesn't know how to tell Dante... How will he react? And how will he care for her throughout pregnancy....

Absolutley! Here you go and I hope u enjoy 💜

Pregnant (DMC5!Dante x Fem!Reader)

Recently, you'd been feeling weird. You were growing increasingly fatigued, your back ached, you were feeling nauseous nearly all the time, and your mood changed like the wind. You'd randomly burst into tears whenever you heard a nostalgic song on the radio; you were often grumpy and snapped at your friends, and sometimes just felt really happy for no reason. Initially, you blew it off as exhaustion from work, until you missed your period. The entire month flew by and there wasn't a single drop of menstrual blood--one of the most telling symptoms of pregnancy. You had to check now, so you raced to the pharmacy and bought a pregnancy test.

An hour or so later, you were curled up on the bathroom floor, sobbing, the positive-reading test in your hands. It was true. You were pregnant, and worse yet, you knew who the father was: Dante. You two had done the deed not too long ago--without protection. The two of you were so caught up in your lovemaking, you had forgotten about possible consequences. Your mind was currently in a state of delirium; thoughts swirling about like a violent blizzard. You were thrilled to discover that a child was growing inside you, but at the same time, dreaded telling Dante that the kid was his. Despite their differences, Dante and Vergil were still brothers who shared some of their core traits--and you didn't want your child to end up like Nero. After a few moments of mentally debating it, you decided to take a breather and go to one of the girls for help. Snatching up your wallet and keys, you headed for the door right when it flew open of it's own accord, or rather, Dante's accord. He strode into the room, a smile on his face, then wrapped you in a big hug. "Heya, babe! Miss me?" You nodded, wincing as he pressed you against his frame, which applied unwanted pressure on your painfully sensitive breasts. "I did," You managed to choke out, struggling to free yourself from his grip. "I missed you so much." Dante roughly patted you on the back; a gesture that normally wouldn't bother you, but now that your back was an aching, sore mess, it did. "Ow! Stop being so rough, Dante!" Dante pulled away from you, confused. "What? Did-did I do something wrong? Why ya being all grouchy?" Realizing that your behavior was going to give you away, you immediately sobered up. "No, it's just...." You sucked in a breath, trying to think up a lie quickly. "I...uhhh...pulled a muscle in my back earlier, and it hurts if you touch it." Dante blinked at you a few times before his bewildered expression melted into a grin. "Aw, is that all? I could massage it for you if you like." You forced a smile; sudden pangs of nausea were filling your stomach. "No thanks, Dante, I'll be fine." Dante frowned, sensing this behavior wasn't like you at all--you always enjoyed his massages because his hands were so strong. "You sure you're OK, Y/N? You're acting weird." You gagged; the sudden need to vomit overcoming you. Wordlessly, you raced to the bathroom and barely made it to the toilet in time. Out came your breakfast, lunch, and last night's dinner, followed by an amalgamation of other substances you didn't want to recognize. Dante appeared around the corner, brow furrowed. "Y/N, are you sick?" You shook your head, sighing. If there was ever a time to tell him, it was now. "I'm not sick, Dante...I'm pregnant." Dante's blue eyes widened; his mouth dropped open in shock. "Wh-really?And...and the dad...is me?" You nodded miserably, feeling another wave of vomit coming. Still awed, Dante rushed forward and held your hair back while you regurgitated all that was in your stomach. After you'd been cleaned up and all that, you seated him on the couch and gave it to him straight. "Yes, Dante, you're the dad. I'm pregnant with your kid." Dante was amazed and overjoyed, but something about your tone didn't sit right with him. "Why do you sound so mad? Do...do you not want a kid?" He looked hurt, and disappointed, as if raising a child was something he'd longed for his entire life. "I do want a child...but I'm just...worried.." Dante gently took your hand in his, kissed it, and asked, "About what?" Before you could stop yourself, you'd burst into tears.

"I'm just worried you'll leave me like Vergil left Nero!" You ended up blurring out, while sobbing into his chest. "I don't want that for our kid! I want you to stay with me and have a family!" Dante was silent for a while, gently rubbing circles into you back while you cried and told him all your worries. Eventually, he pulled away, but only so he could wipe away the tears in your eyes and kiss your cheeks. "I won't leave. I'm not that old asshole, Y/N, just cause we look the same doesn't mean we'll act the same. I want to raise a family with you. I really do." He reached down and rubbed your belly. "I can't wait for this kid to get here, he's gonna be a badass just like his old man!" You laughed, nestling into his shoulder. "How do you know it'll be a boy? What if it's a girl?" Dante shrugged in response. "Then she'll be badass, like her old man, and probably'll be as pretty as her momma." You grinned, wrapping your arms around his neck and kissing his cheek. "I sure hope so..."

♡ Pregnancy care headcannons ♡

-Carries you everywhere, even if your destination is just across the room.

-Sets up a nursery like 8 months ahead of time, claiming that he needs all the time he can get to decorate it to "suit the baby's tastes".

-Throws a huge (alcohol free) party at DMC and uses it as an excuse to dramatically announce your pregnancy.

-Can't stop rubbing it in his brother's face, as until recently, a child was one of the few things Vergil had that Dante didn't.

-Cooks the weirdest dishes (like spaghetti with chocolate sauce and omlettes with rice in them) but that's okay cause you so happen to be craving these weird foods.

-CUDDLES AND HUGS 24/7!

-Seriously cannot wait for this kid to be born, he has so many plans.

[sweetsuke]

at home: Welcome Home / Episode 1

-

>Two years after the establishment of ES, early April.<

Arashi: Hehe, how nostalgic. Walking here makes me feel like I've gone back to my student days.

Nazuna: You make it sound like it was ages ago. Arashi-chin graduated, what was it, a month ago?

Arashi: That's true, but. You know, we've been living in the dorms since last year, right? Since we moved to the dorms, we hardly pass by here anymore.

I'm remembering a lot of things. Since it's cherry blossom season, I seem to be feeling sentimental.

Chiaki: Yeah. This area holds a special place in my heart as well. There was a time when I used to do the "morning greeting campaign" under that streetlight over there.

Arashi: That kind of thing happened too, didn't it? I vaguely remember it.

Chiaki: What!?

You remembered me even though we never had the chance to meet...... I'm so moved!

Arashi: You're being so dramatic. I said "vaguely," didn't I? It was memorable, so it just stuck in my mind.

You were wearing the "Ryuseitai" costume and energetically greeting people passing by. Even if I didn't want to, I'd remember it.

Nazuna: Ahaha. Still, I think it's something that makes Chiaki-chin happy.

Knowing that his activities are remembered in someone else's memory ♪

Chiaki: That's right! Everything has an end. Even a hero show will come to an end after a year.

However. The hero's deeds remain in our hearts forever and continue to give us courage even now.

Thank you for remembering me back then, Narukami! Handshake......☆

Arashi: You're welcome. Geez, you always talk about heroes whenever you get the chance.

I feel like I've heard enough for a lifetime just today.

Nazuna: I heard a lot about it at Chiaki-chin's house too~ The conversation was so lively that a viewing party was about to begin—

......So, shouldn't we resume filming soon? We're quite far from Chiaki-chin's house now.

Arashi: Sure thing. Staff, could you please start the shoot? ~♪

"Well, well. Did you enjoy 'Surprise! Idol's Room,' where we introduce idol homes?"

Chiaki: "Yes! It was fun to showcase a lot of things I like! Thank you so much for coming today......☆"

Nazuna: "Arashi-chin was talking to the viewers, you know~? But well, as the person in charge of the program, I'm happy you're pleased."

"As you all know, in this program, we introduce the homes of idols, and—"

"It's a relay system where the guest of that episode introduces the next idol who will show their home. So, Chiaki-chin, can I ask you to do the introduction?"

Chiaki: "Leave it to me! Now, everyone, the long-awaited next guest is—"

"My reliable companion! It's Kanata Shinkai from 'Ryuseitai'......☆"

>A few days earlier. Inside the TV station, in the dressing room of the talk show "Sekirara no Yakata".<

Arashi: —Sorry to keep you waiting, Nazuna-chan. I got us some drinks.

Also, the staff gave us a treat saying, "Please enjoy it, everyone." I'll leave it here.

Nazuna: Thank you...... but this is quite extravagant, isn't it?

I was surprised last time too. I feel like the treatment is getting better with each recording session.

Arashi: You're right. If you were given something like this, you'd naturally think that way, wouldn't you.

Does that mean our program is just that popular?

Nazuna: That's right~ I never imagined that the program we're in charge of would become such a hot topic.

Arashi: Me too. At first, it was a mini program of about five minutes, and both the name and purpose were different from now.

Nazuna: Yes, yes. It was a project titled "Attention! Idol's Treasure," where guests were asked to bring their important personal belongings—

"Since I don't want to take it out, I want you to come see it at my house". The guest's request prompted a program introducing the idol's room.

Arashi: Yeah. There are quite a few fans who want to know what goes on in their idols' rooms, and it doesn't seem like the program is going to end anytime soon......

Nazuna: Hmm, do you feel like there's a problem? I thought we were supposed to be concerned about privacy, like not showing the exterior of the house or anything that might identify the address, right?

Arashi: No, that's fine. The problem is the content of the program.

Earlier, I overheard the staff talking. They said, "We've been introducing too many wealthy homes, and it's starting to feel monotonous."

Nazuna: Ah...... With Tsukasa-chin and Momo-chin, the rich people just keep coming.

Arashi: Yeah. In that sense, it's nice to be able to introduce Morisawa-senpai next.

I was shown a picture of his room. It was very boyish with a lot of Sentai goods.

Unlike at Momo-chan's house, it seems like we won't have to be so nervous next time.

Nazuna: It is getting a bit monotonous, huh...... Come to think of it, it's been nothing but introductions from friends, hasn't it?

Even if we introduce our friends, is it too much to ask to introduce a room with a different direction than before?

Arashi: Isn't it natural to think about making a good program?

It's the staff who actually run the project. However, we're also entrusted with the progress of the program.

That being said, I don't really have any concrete ideas. What should we do?

Chiaki: Bwahahaha! You two, I heard everything!

Arashi / Nazuna: Morisawa-senpai / Chiaki-chin......!?

Chiaki: That problem, I'll solve it for you......☆

-

[Directory] - [Next]

[lumenflowered]

Pelipper mail! A nightmare, maybe? Or just a dream...

It is a normal shift at the Yharnam Coffee Shop, in your home town in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon. You have lived here all your life, and have been satisfied enough.

The owner, Gehrman, hardly ever comes into the shop to manage things. He prefers to sit in the chair out front and greet customers, all day long, and he swears this is critical to Yharnam Coffee's successful operation. When he's not present, it's up to you as most senior employee to make sure things run smoothly.

Not that there's ever much difficulty or tension, here. The shop's only competition was your former employer, the Cainhurst Brewery, and it burned to the ground three months ago. Your coworker Alfred seems unusually happy about that and you have your suspicions, no matter how many times you've tried to tell him that companies don't deserve his loyalty or outside-work efforts.

Eileen is here, as usual, sitting in the corner with her black coffee and blacker clothing. You don't know what she used to do, but she's retired now. She likes to people-watch, and will comment briefly to people who make the effort to sit beside her, but she always pushes visitors away eventually.

At the front of the line now is Djura, who used to work here but quit in favor of a better job last year. He is polite but curt, asking for his latte to go as he always does, because you know he doesn't like to spend time in here any more than he needs to. You take his payment and write his name on the cup, spelled correctly as so few people can. Behind you, Gascoigne begins making the drink for him.

It is an uneventful day. After a while, Eileen gets up to leave. Another one of your regulars, Gilbert, enters wearing a face mask, but he assures you what he has is not serious. At the end of your shift, Gascoigne's daughters show up with an order for four hot chocolates. Laurence and Amelia are already here to replace you, making this as their first order of the day, and you help Gascoigne carry everything out to his wife waiting in the car.

Then you head home yourself, and Reina meets you at the door with a smile and a hug, and all is well.

I. That.

What.

I have so many questions and I am, in fact, just confused enough to actually begin asking them.

Where is Portland? Where is Oregon? Why a coffee shop? I'll admit I'm rather amused by how thoroughly useless Gehrman was, given how thoroughly useless I am led to believe he became in his old age. Yet—

Cainhurst? A brewery? If anything, they would be a winery, they were always all too pretentious about their particular vintages—on a related note, do not drink the wine there, it is not wine and it is not sanitary—and I don't know who this 'Alfred' is but if he burned Cainhurst to the ground he cannot be entirely terrible.

I do know Eileen, and she would be the sort to drink entirely black coffee. She would... also be the sort to push people away. Especially after being retired.

...I can scarcely imagine her retiring. Not willingly, at least. She was... she was younger than me. She was an old woman in that dream.

I have... never met a Djura, or a Gascoigne, or a Gilbert. I suppose that they, like Alfred, must have been after my time... and like whoever Amelia must be.

Laurence is... familiar. I would not trust him in food service. For several reasons.

Still, I...

How can I feel nostalgic for something that never was, and never could be? For people I have never met, only heard of, in many cases?

Why do I miss something that I never experienced?

...Enough of that, I suppose. Victory Road is close, and I'm told that the Pokémon League is just beyond it.

Perhaps...

...Perhaps I'll consider coffee further, the next time I am in civilization. I always preferred tea, though that was more out of familiarity rather than anything else. It certainly smells nice, or did in that... dream? Nightmare?

I don't know what to categorize that as, in complete honesty.

[the-tenth-arcanum]

9 people you'd like to get to know better

(lys sorry I re-liked your post a dozen times I was trying to keep it on top of my 2k liked posts otherwise I would never see it again. and then I got stuck on the very first question and I kept putting this off. but I'm doing this now! everybody clap)

tagged: @malinaa

tagging: @centurieslove | @fairyhagmother | @flowersandfashion | @tuttocenere | @herstarlight |

@stormsouls | @mayapleiades | @courtjestermerlin | @godmerlin

three non romantic duos:

Sam & Frodo! Who did it like them! "Don't go where I can't follow!" "Frodo wouldn't have got far without Sam"! And other such hits. Crazy. To be honest there's a few non romantic duos from LOTR that I could pick but I love Sam Gamgee to death so I'm going with these two. Three hurrahs for borderline homoerotic devotion

2. Jen & Jack (Dawson's Creek). Dating myself here but I was obsessed with this teen drama as a teen. I've not really rewatched it since then because I'm afraid it will not live up to my nostalgic memories (though to be fair it started sucking so badly around S5 that I dropped it at the time and only tuned back in for the last episode lol). Anyway is there anything more beautiful than the friendship between a gay guy and his fag hag bestie? They were the cutest I love them both so much. I love how this show was so consistent in the way it portrayed their friendship. they were ride or die. I WANT WHAT THEY HAVE

3. Gaius & Merlin (lol). Okay I agonised over the last one but I couldn’t think of a better duo (sorry women 😔). I'm sure there are others I can't remember right now, but I do love them to be honest so why not them. I might have mentioned it before on my side blog but their relationship is probably my favourite in the show. I like the Chosen Family trope, okay? And I love that their relationship was important, in the show. They care so much about each other and it comes up time and time again. And their dynamic is fascinating, they're so similar in some ways and completely different in others. Immovable object vs unstoppable force. Thick as thieves, a pair of liars. As I once said—they lie so much, to other people, to themselves and to each other. And I think that's beautiful. Grey morality ❤

a ship that might surprise others: can't think of any tbh. I'm sure there are fics I've read that might surprise others, but only because I do check out a bit of everything if the premise sounds interesting enough to me, even with ships that are a bit out there. I don't really count that as shipping though.

last song: 80s medley I need to learn for my choir

last film: I don't really watch films anymore tbh 😭 I think the last one was when my aunt came to visit me last month—How Do You Know, which she chose because Paul Rudd was in it and it's probably the only reason to ever watch this film.

currently reading: Bliss & Blunder!! "A modern reworking of Arthurian legend". Or, the one where King Arthur is a tech bro. I'm enjoying it actually! (Nell if you're reading this I'll post some thoughts soon.ish. but I'm not even halfway through)

currently watching: nothing? I started Wolf Hall but I've watched less than half an episode over three lunch breaks and then I gave up for now because I'm meant to read a book and I can only focus on one (1) thing at the time apparently. but I might resume watching it at some point

currently consuming: nothing. hashtag minimalism

currently craving: local close friends so we can go out for a coffee and a chat 😔

[rottherhopehttps]

That boy is mine | Sensei Wolf x female/oc

Summary: Kaisa Nichols, Tory Nichols's eldest sister, comes back after 4 months being away, she left Cobra Kai, now she's coming back to watch her ex-teammates and friends fight, also supporting her sister as well, it is the last Sekai Taika, before the main champion Dojo wins, but she's also been there for someone else, someone from the Iron Dragons. Who might be?

warnings: Kissing, violence, fluffy, comfort, boyfriend/girlfriend, curse words, agegap

author's note: this is my first OC fanfiction, so please be gentle. Vote and comment if you want more.

After 4 months away from California, and also from the world of Karate, Kaisa Nichols returned again where it all began. Everyone saw her as the "villain" of the movie because she left everything, nobody knows her reasons and they judged her and doubted her. She left her mother, her sister who needed her the most and her teammates. Nobody understand her issues or her at all.

She walked upright, looking everywhere, there was a large crowd of people on the benches just minutes away from watching the fight for the Karate championship. Her now short blonde hair reached her shoulders, a long-sleeved black shirt, black jeans, black boots, her nails black from the nail polish and a silver chain around her neck. Her slim body also had perfect curves from exercise. She wore no makeup, but she kept a cold look on almost everyone who looked at her, except her best friend, Miguel Diaz and his family.

Miguel Diaz understood the reason why she had left, but no one else did. She smiled a little and greeted her best friend's mother and grandmother. Miguel approached and hugged her waist, almost lifting her off the ground, when he said:

"It's been a long time since I saw you, Kai" said the young dark-haired boy with curly hair to his best friend with his best smile

"I know, I know it was a tough few months, and I even know that you tried to help my sister when Mom died," she said in a nostalgic voice, but smiling a little.

"Good thing you're here to watch us fight the Iron dragons." said the young man with a smile on his lips

"Did you said the Iron dragons?" said the young blonde looking at him attentively.

The young woman's voice was filled with nervousness. She turned around and didn't saw anyone from the Iron Dragons yet, but only maintained her relief and calm. She saw her sister's gaze, which surely showed contracted and restrained emotions, but she still did not say anything.

After the brief encounter, she went to the bathroom, washed her face with cold water and looked at herself in the mirror, looking pretty much good in shape. She came outside the bathroom and encountered another of her best friends, her sister's enemy, Zara Malik, from the Iron Dragons.

Zara looked at her in surprise, but hugged her friend and she did the same and the brunette captain of the Iron dragons, separated saying:

"Goodness girl, you look amazing" said the brunnette to her blonde hair friend

"Same to you, Zara, its been long 4 months" said the women smiling now more brightly

"My God, I hope he's ready for you when he sees you" said the brunette smiling at her best friend

"You can't tell him that I'm here yet, I know he's still working for Silver" the blonde said to her friend with a serious, almost murderous expression.

"Silver is an asshole. Does he knows about it?" asked the brunette to her friend

"No, he doesn't know anything at all. I'll tell him when it's Axel's turn against Miguel," she said seriously as she clenched his fists slightly.

They finished talking and hugged again in a super tight hug, Zara went her own way, while Kaisa stayed their thinking about 4 months ago.

She went back to the arena, looking at the teams, smiling at some of her ex-teammates. When she saw him, standing next to Zara, Axel and Silver, her gaze was set elsewhere, but when she felt the powerful gaze of the blonde woman, their eyes met and small sparks.

Sensei Wolf looked at her little warrior, and sent her a smile that says everything like "we need to talk" or something like that, he didn't let Silver knew who he was looking at.

The match started and everyone prepared themselves, it was the semifinals. Axel did a great, but hurtful movement on Robby's knee to quitting the fight. Axel became champion over Miyagi-Do.

The next day at night, everyone went to the club even the Iron Dragons, without Silver watching their movements. Kaisa entered the club, everyone looked at her, but she looked at her ex-teammates, Tory didn't wanted to cause a scene, but her rage and anger were more potent than her own control. She went up to her sister and said:

"What the hell did you had to come back?" Said the young Nichols to her sister

"It's none of your business. I have my own shit going on, so do the same" said the eldest Nichols looking at her without retreating herself

"You're the most selfish person I ever know, you didn't care about your family or your friends" said the young Nichols very angry at this point

"You also are, I heard what did you did when your team needed you the most, you punch them in the stomach when you rejoined Cobra Kai" said the eldest blonde in her control, not showing anger

The young Nichols was amazed about the words her sister said, but she did. She was going to say another thing, when Zara and Axel involved:

"Hey, Kai, are you okay?" asked the brunette looking towards the young Nichols with sarcasm

"I am okay, Zara" said the eldest Nichols to her friend

"Since when you were friends with my enemy?" Said Tory pretty much piss about it

"Like I say, Tory, none of your business. So it's better if you get yourself inside my shit or else" said the eldest Nichols, her control was on check and she only looking at her with a glare that say "stay out of the way".

Kaisa, Axel and Zara returned to their own table, and the eldest Nichols took one last look at her sister. Tory was hurt, but as she was proud, she didn't show it at any time. The youngest of the Nichols went back to her table, Sam looked at her without saying anything despite the strong conversation they had.

Another person arrived at the club, his presence made everyone stay silent, because of his superiority, his strength and also that aura of a sense of control and confidence that he had as the sensei of the Iron dragons. He looked at his table, and saw the blonde girl there, maintaining his head straight, walked towards them and said:

"So good to see that my babygirl is back" said the older man, the senei of the Iron Dragons, Sensei Wolf, Feng Xiao to her pretty and gorgeous girlfriend

The blonde girl smiled, looking at him with such confidence, but also love. Everyone in the table knew about their relationship, including Miguel Diaz. She stands up in front of him and wrapped her arms around his neck and said in his ear:

"I always coming back to my wolf" said the eldest Nichols to her boyfriend, now that everyone knows what they were.

Sensei wolf smiled at his girl's words, pressed his forehead with hers and when the gap was close, they connected their lips in a passionate, but claiming kiss. Everyone watched, the Iron Dragons smiled, but the Cobra Kai's looked very amused, and really angry about the interaction.

Continued...

[pandoa]

Hey... Do you know the song sung by the voice actor from the pilot Hazbin Hotel? Called Thank you and goodnight ( I recommend). Weirdly this song reminds me of Mystic Messenger, despite being a new fan and having been into this game until this year 2024 I already felt a connection, seeing old posts about this game from an old fan somehow makes me tear up. Despite I'm a fan of 2024, I somehow feel nostalgic about this game despite never actually experienced it before ( COME BACK TO MYSTIC MESSENGER)

hi there! so sorry for the extremely late answer... i'll admit it's been a hectic past few months for me :,) but i did see your ask! and i did check out the song you specifically mentioned and completely agree! i can see how you'd be reminded of mystic messenger through it. i feel like it perfectly encapsulates the emotional rollercoaster mystic messenger puts both its players and characters through lol. with all of the joys, tragedies, chaos, and love throughout the game, the song definitely does an amazing job of showing every emotion.

i may not know much about hazbin hotel, but i can say that this song does match up with the feelings of nostalgia i get from when i completed mysme lmao.

on another note! i will also admit that it feels odd to be referred to as an older fan of mysme (just thought it was funny!) as i always considered myself a more "later" fan since the game came out in 2016, and i found myself entering the fandom the year they released their final string of content with ray's after ending around 2020. but my concept of time since then has been so twisted (2020 still feels like a year ago lol) so maybe i am an older player in denial lmaoo. i'm so happy to see new and more older players still talk about mystic messenger though! it really is such an amazing game that will always be special to me.

on coming back to the mystic messenger fandom however... that is honestly very uncertain for me/this blog. even while playing the game, i was never actively part of any social platform posting about mysme. i played and completed the game a couple years ago by now. a year or two before i even made this blog. and once i created this blog, most of my content was filled with other games like twisted wonderland (i'm sure you've seen; all of my writing here is literally for twst lolol).

now, any post with mysme is very casual on my end. a comment here and there, an occasional post sometimes. i still adore the game for sure, and i never truly left the fandom. it's just that my writing won't focus on mysme since my peak moments when playing the game were from a time when i didn't really write content to post yet. i'll still lurk in posts from time to time, but there are no promises of me actively posting on mysme like i would have a few years ago :,)

i'll definitely still talk about mysme to others like you if you wish to though! memes, discussions, etc. love it all.

thank you so much for sending in your ask <3 it's amazing to know that people still come over to love games and stories like mystic messenger even now

[thegoddessprose]

It's official... Chitarch has some domestic fluff and quality time as a love language.

I'm going a bit out of order here with this one... It's supposed to be post-Mockingjay when Chiasa and Plutarch are in a more established and public relationship. I needed a bit of fluff this month and I'm sure many others do too... Enjoy!

(I know a pinned masterlist is probably needed at this point and I'll pin it soon...)

As always, tagging @plutarchheavensbee

A cool, rainy winter day always tended to set the backdrop for a slow afternoon, and such a leisurely time on a weekend had Chiasa rifling through an unpacked box. It had been a few weeks since she'd moved in with Plutarch, but they’d both been so busy, a lot of housekeeping was either neglected or outsourced. Keeping her fashion house afloat and guiding her nephew and his girl Minerva (Yes, Minerva… She was still amazed how the young woman was able to fool her) through the early days of parenthood was hard work. Plutarch's television and democratic guidance filled his schedule as well, and while they found time for each other, be they apparences at his side, his growing attachment to Marcus, and even just evenings… Real days off ought to have ration coupons of their own.

At least now, Chiasa had time to sift through some of her parents’ old things. Even though the new staff was wonderful, it wasn't easy for her to trust practical strangers with such memories. She’d examined a pair of old gloves that belonged to her mother; a bit of wear and tear, but fixable. Tigris did make them, after all. A couple of old polaroids made an appearance as well… The four of them; her mother, father, herself, and her sister before the world got the best of them… Her mother, father, and Tigris at her very first show, how the three always smiled… Herself and Quinta on their first day at the Academy. Eww… The uniforms were absolutely hideous back in the day and she remembered cutting hers up the day she graduated. At least they had the sense to update 20 years ago, so Marcus was never caught in that outmoded monstrosity.

There was one thing that caught her eye, though… An old blue binder filled with lightly aged paper. She took it out and opened it to a recipe written in her father's neat handwriting. So that's where she left this… Back at her old place, she’d kept these in the kitchen, but she must have been feeling nostalgic and sorted it accordingly. She couldn't help but smile as she recalled her father in the kitchen, humming or scat singing as a rock n’ roll or jazz record played and he whipped up another spicy smelling culinary masterpiece. He adored cooking, the way it brought so many people together and was one of the few ways he stayed in touch with his roots. What a time to remember, to be alive then… Hmm…

The chicken cassoulet in the front, while delicious, wouldn't do with the rationing about. Perhaps a yaki dish? Of course! Kare was simple enough, delicious, and she still had some good roux.

Now to recruit some help…

It wasn't surprising to find Plutarch in his library, hunched over an old book with a notebook on the side. Maybe Chiasa should have scolded him for working on a day off, but he looked so damned cute in his reading glasses… Still, she couldn't lean on that doorframe forever, lest she forget her mission. Quietly, she snuck behind his chair and reached over to gently rub his shoulders. Glancing at the familiar pink on her nails, he relaxed and leaned into her touch.

“Dear… Now this is worth getting used to,” he murmured.

She moved beside him and leaned down for a soft kiss.

“This place was always so very you… But this room? If it were any closer, there would be a cozy little fire in that fireplace,” Chiasa remarked, “What would it be… The warmth of your embrace? Your burning passion to light the world?”

“I see you’ve been looking into that poetry I’ve suggested,” he quipped, “But that's not a bad idea… It should be fixed in a few days and I’ve been meaning to replace that rug…”

What an idea, the two of them curled up together on a beautiful night, and maybe eventually lost in each other… Although… was he trying to distract her from his desk work? His chicken scratches and shorthand could be tough to read at times, but the wizened book was clear enough; Chiasa spotted the name “John Locke” on the spine, one of the thinkers he loved talking about.

“As much as I love your dedication, what have we said about all work and no play?” she asked.

“That it makes me a dull boy and you a dull girl… Not to mention our first foundation,” Plutarch replied, squeezing her hand, “But you know… Locke believed that we're not born knowing, but that we have to learn through life and study, like I am now.”

“I can't argue with him there… The world definitely has its ways of delivering life lessons, both beautiful and harsh,” she agreed, “But… Does he say anything about working oneself to death or eating between lessons?”

He thought for a moment. “I think being fed would fall under the “life” part of his life, liberty, and property… As for work, that's a good question to consider, especially with the labor unions popping up in the Districts–”

“Plutarch…”

When he opened his mouth to protest, a growl from his stomach betrayed him.

“I suppose I could take a little break…” he relented, “Perhaps if you join me back here afterwards.”

Not a bad plan… So long as they got to just be human for a while. Chiasa led him to the kitchen and opened the binder on the counter to the curry recipe.

“You know, I’ve told you how I grew up, how food was important to my family… With is settled in and some time on our hands… I love you, and I’d like to bring you into the fold too,” she said.

“I love you too… And I’m honored,” Plutarch replied before studying the recipe, “I think I’m familiar… Marcus really likes this, doesn't he?”

“Oh, his favorite is not for the faint of heart… He likes a ghost pepper roux. I have one on hand that's closer to my dad's original.”

Her darling nephew always had extreme taste buds… Always going for the sour candies and spiciest meals. It could have been worse, he could have liked everything plain. Her father would be turning over in his grave if such a thing happened in their own family.

Chiasa started to gather the ingredients while Plutarch gathered the equipment and utensils. Once the pair donned some aprons, she noticed him looking excited, yet still a bit apprehensive.

“I have to warn you, I'm still a little new at this,” he said.

“I don't think there's much to worry about, I’ve seen you bake bread before,” she replied with a reassuring smile, “And you’ve done it well.”

“True, but that’s baking. Baking is more precise. Cooking, however… There's a lot of experimentation, trial and error… And you eat it rather than look at it or wear it or program it.”

“Cooking is an art for a reason… Some of these are family recipes, but a lot of them came out my my dad's experimenting… But was I ever the willing lab rat,” she recalled, “But hopefully a recipe will have you more comfortable… Why don't you start by slicing the onions while I take care of the meat.”

Chiasa started cutting some chicken into strips and glanced over to see how her partner was doing. Keeping his glasses nearby was smart; an age old trick to stave off the tears. Luckily, he seemed to be a natural. He managed the potatoes with minimal guidance too while she took care of the more complicated carrots. Once she lightly seasoned the meat, she was happy to see everything else ready.

“Great job!” she praised, “I’ll make a sous chef of you yet, Ploot… Now, before we stew, all this needs to be sautéd. I can take care of that, but I’d like you to pay close attention.”

As she turned on the stove, he stepped towards her and cheekily put an arm around her waist.

“Close enough for you?” he teased.

“It's a start…”

Once it was warm enough, Chiasa tossed the onion wedges into the pot and they landed with a satisfying hiss. She gave Plutarch a kiss on the cheek before grabbing a pair of cooking chopsticks to stir. Her father liked to say everything tasted better with them, after all.

“Only stir them occasionally… You want them translucent and a nice brown color,” she instructed.

She felt his head rest against hers, and she couldn't help but blush and chuckle to herself. As she finished, she held herself back from pouting at the thought of him letting go, but he had to learn…

“Honey, why don't you add the garlic and ginger, and I’ll tell you when to add the chicken,” she requested.

Thankfully, he seemed to feel the same, but managed to play off his own disappointment as playful. Once he added the aromatics, she was quick to stir it in, making sure none of the onions missed out on the extra flavor. As the chicken was added, Plutarch took a whiff of the strong aroma and grinned.

“Mmm, that's starting to smell incredible…”

“And we're not even finished yet,” she gushed, “Do remember when we add the broth, it barely covers everything so far.”

The remaining ingredients had to simmer for a few minutes, and even Chiasa had to admit she was getting hungry too. Even so, she was still grateful to finally have time to share this with Plutarch. He really knew how to run himself ragged, but admittedly, she wasn't much better, even before they got together.

“Looks like it's already turning out great… I’ve heard tales of your father's cooking, I’m excited to try something of his,” he said as he gently pulled her close.

“If only you could have tried it in person… I know I try, but I could never live up to it. I guess he had this natural kind of talent,” said Chiasa, “It really is a shame you never met…”

“From what Tigris told me, he was a lot like you… Tender-hearted, passionate, a quiet sort of strength in adversity…” he mused, “I’d like to think we’d get along just fine.”

Chiasa cupped his face and rested her forehead against his. “And I'm sure he’d love you once he knew you… Maybe he might be a little bit shocked at us, but we both know he wasn't much better.”

The couple dissolved into laughter at such a thought… After all, Tigris was still fairly young when she and him started seeing each other. Technically, Plutarch was much older than the catlike stylist was back in the day when he and Chiasa started things up.

Unfortunately, their embrace was interrupted by the ding of the timer. Oh well… All would start again soon. She cleaned out the foam, got out a wooden skewer, and turned to him.

“Pop quiz… How can you tell that it's all cooked?” she asked.

“Hmm… Good question. I’d probably say it's a certain look or smell, but I suppose it has some to do with the skewer in your hand,” he replied.

“Right. If you can stick this all the way through a dense veggie, it's time to add the roux. Wanna try?” she asked.

“I don't see why not.”

He took the skewer from her and carefully stuck it into a potato on top of the mixture. It indeed went all the way through.

“Wonderful,” she praised, taking out a jar filled with brown cubes, “Now for the roux… These were made from scratch a while ago, my dad's traditional way… Cayenne, tumeric, nutmeg, black pepper, thyme… dash of citrus and chili. It's a medium kind of spice, but that was low for him.”

“I can handle it,” he reassured her, “I imagine he hated state dinners and galas…”

“Oh yes… If any of his committees were throwing something, he did his best to get ahead of the catering,” she replied, “If not… He always had a little vial of paprika in his pocket.”

“He would have hated the family dinners I had growing up.”

“From what you’ve told me… It's hard to imagine anyone would.”

Chiasa turned to give Plutarch a brief hug as he stiffened at the memory, then slowly nodded. His stories of his younger years seemed so stiff, orderly, and cold as patrician families could be at times. She recalled him not knowing how to react when she showed him genuine tenderness; hell, even when she started flirting with him, he wondered if she had some ulterior motive.

Even when he couldn't hold his emotions back one night, he was cautious and confused at what she believed was common sense in comforting a loved one. Once she held him, however, he'd melted. He let his tears out on her shoulder and held on tightly, as if he was afraid she’d disappear. She'd realized the poor man was so deprived of unconditional love and any sense of security that she'd nearly teared up herself. Right now, hopefully along with the brave new world, he could start to move on from an isolating past.

Chiasa let go and gently stroked his cheek. “You don't have to go back… I’m here for you. This meal always felt like a warm hug to me too.”

Plutarch shut his eyes and smiled. “Thank you… I suppose by now you know how incredible it feels to hear such a thing… And actually believe it.”

She invited him to dissolve the roux as she held a ladle of broth to speed the process along. The concoction smelled so wonderful as it finally came together; maybe a little strong for some, but comforting for the right people.

“Now, traditionally, this is served with rice, but we don't have any,” Chiasa lamented, “I checked.”

“With all the talk of trial and error, surely we can find something else.”

Plutarch eyed a nearby breadbox and opened it, revealing half a loaf.

“Well… Most stew-like meals are served with bread for dipping, aren't they?” he added.

“Yes, you're right! And homemade too… Perfect!” she gushed, “Really, I’m surprised there's still some left… Yours is just delicious.”

“Hmm… I suppose we have been a little preoccupied this week,” he relented, “I'll slice some for us, you grab some bowls.”

A most unusual suggestion of eating in the library followed. Chiasa was almost skeptical until she saw Plutarch set the old book and notebook safely aside as she set her bowl on one side of the desk. Before she even asked, he was quick to pull up a chair for her to sit in across from him. As they sat, she watched him sniff at his bowl curiously before dipping his bread in for a bite.

“Hmm… Mmm!” he praised, “This is really something… A little bite, but not terribly spicy… Some umami to be expected… Oh! Didn't expect the sweetness. I don't remember adding anything sweet…”

She chuckled a bit at her lover analyzing such a homey dish like a food critic. What an adorable quirk…

“That's in the roux,” she explained, “It's normal to have some secret ingredients with curry, and I’ve told you about the cayenne and black pepper, thyme, nutmeg… But also a bit of honey and cinnamon. Do you taste it, honey?”

They both took another bite at the same time, and Chiasa couldn't help but smile at their results. It certainly wasn't bad for a non-cook, and she couldn't help but warm up inside… And she finally could understand why, the very same reason she looked forward to Tigris’s visits when she was a girl.

Plutarch was a bit more thoughtful in his bite, almost as if he was switching from fine dining to viticulture with his slow, pensive chews.

“Yes… That's it. It's all coming together now,” he replied, “And what about you, dear? I know you're used to it, but surely having it again still brings back some memories.”

“Oh it does… Dare I say, even better, like my whole self has been lifted up.”

“Hmm?”

“Well… I guess there is a reason for it,” said Chiasa, “Of course, food wasn't just a way of keeping my dad's cultures going, but a way of bringing people together. Serving is one thing, but preparing them with someone is different… Sometimes you can taste that bond, and it's all the better.”

“Ah… You're saying it's better because we made it together,” he replied.

“There is that sense of accomplishment, but I got it whenever I helped out, but it wasn't quite the same,” she said, “This… I hadn't had anything like it in many years. Actually, I don't think I’ve experienced it myself. It's a little hard to explain to someone who isn't used to this, but… I guess you could say we added another secret ingredient.”

Plutarch smiled and took her hand across the desk.

“And here I thought ‘made with love’ was another corny saying… But I suppose you’ve been proving most of them right for a while now,” he replied tenderly, “I should have spotted it from the beginning. You were so happy, so excited to share this dish and get me involved. I was a little out of my element, but your ease, your enthusiasm… Just the way you smile and light up when you're in yours… It soothed me immediately.”

It was lucky the couple were fond of those bowls, otherwise Chiasa would have lept over that desk immediately just to get close.

“Oh, Plutarch… That's beautiful.”

“It’s exactly what I think… I love you.”

“I love you too…”

It wasn't long before both were finished and the leftovers and dishes were stowed away. As promised, however, they’d soon returned and Plutarch was in his big chair once again. When Chiasa tried to take her original seat, he shook his head.

“This might get a bit complicated, you should get a little closer to read it with me,” he said.

“Oh? How close?”

He patted his lap with a sly grin and she smirked and sat. Almost immediately, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a deep kiss. That sly bastard… but one of the best traps to fall into.

“You're so damned devious, Ploot,” she murmured against his lips.

“You know I try, Chiasa.”

She pouted when they had to pull away, but the spark in his blue eyes as he opened the book back to its marked passage. As much as she worried about him working himself to death, his dreams for the future always had him hopeful, animated, and so handsome in the light…

They really should invest in that new, softer rug for the fireplace if they were going to spend their off-days trading passions like this. And it was shaping up to be a wonderful way to spend their quality time.

“Darling, go on… What is it that Mr. Locke says that you love so much?” Chiasa asked.

“I said before that knowledge isn't innate, but the rights of life, liberty, and property are, and any government who denies them deserves to be overthrown.”

“But of course… You’ve managed that already. And what's this letter the book is talking about?”

“A Letter Concerning Toleration… It's been a while since I’ve read through it… I remember it being a little dated for our time, but maybe we can apply culture as well as religion to it… Let's go over it together.”

[albonoooo]

thank you for the tag @borntogayz <3

star sign: pisces

favourite holiday: christmas (for the cozy vibes and food)

last meal: rice and stir-fried veggies

current favourite musician: this changes daily, but lately i've been listening to a lot of palaye royale (damn you, liquid) and nostalgic 2000s music like britney spears, beyoncé, christina aguilera and the pussycat dolls.

last music listened to: i'm listening to palaye royale as i'm typing this.

last movie watched: drei haselnüsse für aschenbrödel (which is the same answer i gave in a tag game a few weeks ago lol)

last tv show watched: it's been months since i've watched any show, but i think it's the witcher.

last book/fic finished: the last book i finished is to kill a kingdom by alexandra christo (only took me one and a half years). i'm not sure about the last fic, probably something from the kinkmeme idk.

last book/fic abandoned: the last book i abandoned (for now) is bleak house by charles dickens. i technically had to read it for a seminar, but it's just too fucking long. as for fics, i don't really "abandon" any, i just keep them in my library (marked for later section) until i get to them, whenever that may be.

currently reading: as per the previously mentioned older tag game, i'm still reading the picture of dorian gray by oscar wilde. since my last answer, i have made zero progress.

last thing researched for writing/art/hyperfixation: does frantically looking for the right pictures of alex albon in red bull gear as well as articles about him leaving/them sacking him at 3am count?

favourite online fandom memory: honestly just discovering that there was fanfiction beyond x reader stuff was eye-opening. the first few m/m k-pop fics i read had such a huge impact on me, i can still recite the plot down to the smallest details.

favourite old fandom you wish would drag you back in/have a resurgence: it's not old per se, but the pedro pascal girlies (gn) seem to be having a great time atm. i had my pedro moment in 2019/2020 when i watched triple frontier for the first six times, but maybe i should revisit that.

favourite thing you enjoy that never had an active or big fandom, but you wish it did: i've been thinking about this for ten minutes, i can't think of anything. if something comes to my mind later, i'll just add it then. EDIT: my best friend and i have an unhealthy obsession with the film napola (more specifically, max riemelt in it. the film itself is quite dark), but barely anyone even knows it. devastating.

tempting project you're trying to rein in/don't have time for: i'm currently trying to learn how to make web weaves because i have a bunch of ideas, but uni comes first unfortunately.

zero pressure tags in case you want to do this: @wanderingblindly @piastrisms @hrhgeorgerussell @bright-and-burning @liamlawsonlesbian

[chiimeramanticore]

Part of the Band - Chapter 8 - Up Late

Chapter summary: Beach Bear and Dook stay up late together. A/N:

hello! how are you doing? I hope things are going well for you :] fun note about this chapter! with its posting this will become my longest fanfic I've ever written (to AO3 at least, but I'm certain I've probably beat out my old Wattpad fics too lmao). my former longest fic is called after the end, a steam powered giraffe fanfic that's still up on here if for some reason you want to read it lmao. it sits unfinished at 12k words and 7 chapters. this chapter will put potb at 13k words and 8 chapters! after the end is like... 10 years old at this point and is a v nostalgic fic for me, even if I don't think it's that good anymore. it's bittersweet to surpass it! thank y'all for reading so far :] hope you enjoy this chapter! OH ALSO tw for a brief transphobia reference in this chapter! sorry lol

Chapter word count: 2,068 <- Chapter 7 - Chapter 9 -> Read it on AO3!

The drive home is long and silent. Dook curses himself for not saying anything– maybe he could've helped lighten the mood. But the atmosphere in the car was so oppressive... it felt like even if he did try to say something, the air would've swallowed his words before they even escaped his mouth.

They arrive home, and the few feet walking from the car inside is equally oppressive. Dook is certain this is going to hang over them for the rest of the day. He's prepared to find an excuse to go out for a while just to get away from it.

Beach Bear puts his keys down. "...Hey, y'know what?"

"What?"

"What always gets me cheered up," he says. "We should write a song."

Dook isn't sure what to say.

"Yeah," Beach Bear continues. "Yeah, c'mon. Let's not let this ruin the whole day, right? We'll sit down and come up with something real good, and we can order takeout for dinner, and we can turn this day around. That sound good?"

"Uh..." He's still staggered from the sudden turnaround. "S- sure. Why not?"

"Great," Beach Bear says. "I'll grab my guitar. You grab some paper." He bounds off toward the car, leaving Dook to find some paper.

Beach Bear returns within a few minutes, and the two sit down at the couch together. It's just about as much as Beach Bear had promised... but maybe not as fruitful as he had hoped. They struggle to come up with anything particularly catchy. But despite Dook's protests that "maybe this isn't working out," Beach Bear insists it'll come to them if they just keep at it a little longer.

Eventually, night falls, and the two have still yet to come up with anything good. Dook is drained of his energy, and at this point resorts mostly to just watching Beach Bear figuratively throw spaghetti at the wall. It takes a while of this before Beach notices Dook's sorta clocked out. Finally, he slows down for him.

"...Uh, hey," he says. "If you're getting tired, you don't have to wait up for me. I don't mind if you go to bed."

"You're in my bed," Dook says, gesturing at the couch he's been sitting on for hours.

"Right. Use my bed, then," he says. "I'll be up for a while longer. I can sleep here tonight."

The idea of sleeping in Beach Bear's bed is... It feels so personal. Even if he's not there with him. It reminds Dook of that night he slept in his car. It was nice, sure, but he still can't think of that night without a twinge of guilt.

"Are you sure?" He asks.

"Yeah, sure," Beach Bear insists. "Go on ahead."

"...Okay," Dook says. If he says he's sure, he's not going to fight him for the couch.

Despite having lived here for a few months now, Dook has never really been in Beach Bear's room. Maybe a few times for a minute or less... but he's never gone much past the threshold. And he's certainly never stayed here overnight. It almost feels like an invasion of privacy to get into his bed.

The pillows are soft, the mattress even softer. The blanket is thin, cool. Beach Bear's room is painted a pale reddish-pimk color, the walls strewn with posters and flyers and other memorabilia. From the bed, the door sits across from him in the center of the wall. The wall to the left is a sliding door to a closet. A desk sits adjacent, cluttered with papers, clothing, and projects long-forgotten. To the right, a large window with a thin curtain pulled down over it. Next to the bed, a nightstand with a lamp and a mostly-empty glass of water.

Dook sinks down under the covers, silent, as if careful not to disturb the very air in the room. It's heavy, but not as uncomfortable as it was in the car. It weighs on him like a thick blanket. He thinks of Beach Bear and all the nights he's spent in this room... A bedroom is such a casually personal thing, isn't it? A perfect representation of a person, yet one never seems to notice it. Not until you're in someone else's room alone and the walls themselves seem to contain the ghost of them.

It must take some great level of trust to let someone sleep in your bed, Dook thinks idly. If he'd had his own bed, would he let Beach Bear sleep in it? If he had his own room at all...

·–—–·

Dook wakes up hot and uncomfortable. He's sweaty, having twisted the blanket uncomfortably around him in his sleep. He sighs, sitting up. Maybe a drink of water will help.

He steps out of bed and is about to leave the room when he hears something odd. Is that... crying? Is Beach Bear crying?

He considers ignoring it and just going back to bed, leaving him be. But despite it, he opens the door, if more careful than before.

"...Beach Bear?" He calls.

"Ah–" He hears shuffling from the couch. "Yeah? What's up?"

Dook approaches more now, the couch visible. Beach Bear has turned to face him, resting an elbow casually on the top of the couch, but he's failed to fix himself up well enough. It's obvious he's been crying.

"Are you alright?" Dook asks.

"Y- yeah, man," he says, then sniffs. "I'm fine, I was just–" He turns back to the music sheets scattered around the area. "I was just finishing up. Might turn in soon."

"Anything good?" Dook asks, skeptical.

Beach Bear pauses. "...No," he admits.

"Maybe it'll be easier when you aren't so tired," Dook suggests.

"No, it's–" Beach Bear sniffs again, beginning to sound more tense now. "It's not about that. It's..." He trails off.

"...Do you wanna talk about it?" Dook says.

"...Yeah," Beach Bear says finally. He moves over on the couch to give Dook room to sit, and he joins him.

Beach Bear stares down at the mess of papers he's made. "It's not just about the music, obviously," he begins. "It's not even just about Mini. She's just... I guess she sent me over the edge.

"I told you we were in a band before, me and her. It wasn't... just a band. We all came from pretty scrappy or seedy backgrounds. We all needed someone. So we basically spent all our time together. But a bunch of troubled people are just bound to get into more trouble. And when you get people like Queenie... she takes over easily. She likes telling people what to do. And when you're like me... you listen. Because you don't have anyone else.

"I let her use me for anything she wanted. I let her berate me over and over, because I thought one day I'd finally get it right and she'd praise me for once. But she never did. No one did. Near the end, basically all we did was fight. We'd hang out in this garage, some abandoned house no one was using, and we were supposed to be practicing, but all we ever did was just... argue with each other.

"And one night, it came to a head. The place got burnt down. We scattered to avoid the cops, and I just... haven't seen any of them since. Except Mini. She stuck her fangs in me."

Dook isn't sure what to say. He finds himself staring idly at the papers, too. "Her parents are..." he says. "I didn't know."

"I know," Beach Bear replies. "She told me a long time ago. It was an accident. I don't know the specifics. Since then, she's had to handle Mitzi on her own. She's been stressed, and... I've tried not to blame her for her behavior, but..."

"It wasn't an excuse for how she treated you," Dook says.

"It's not an excuse for how she treats anyone," Beach Bear says.

"...What about Mitzi?"

"What about her?"

"Is she... safe? With Queenie?"

"I don't think she'd hurt her, if that what you mean," Beach Bear says. "But that girl deserves better." He sighs. "I'm sorry you had to see me so angry."

"It's okay," Dook says.

"It just... came to a head again, I guess." Beach Bear leans forward, resting his arms on his knees. "And now that we're out a singer, and... and I can't even write a half-decent song..."

"It'll come to you," Dook offers.

"Maybe," Beach Bear says, upset. "I just– I really need this to work. I need this to work so bad..."

He huffs, somewhere between a sigh and a sob, burying his face in his hands. Dook reaches out and places a hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

"...I need the money, Dook," Beach Bear mutters.

"...What?"

"I need this to work, I need this band to work," he says. "I'm gonna be out of money soon if it doesn't work..."

"I... I didn't know you..." Dook trails off. His hand falters a little, sliding down a bit towards his back.

Beach Bear straightens just a little. "I... don't know how to tell you this," he says. "My family and I, we... aren't on the best terms. We aren't exactly speaking.

"I wasn't..." He pauses. "I wasn't born a boy, Dook. I'm happier like this, but... my family doesn't get it. They don't like that I'm happier now, I guess. I don't need them. I'm not gonna go crawling back to them. But they... wouldn't support me, even if I did."

Dook is silent. His hand falls from Beach Bear's back.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier," Beach Bear says.

"...It's okay," Dook says. "This... that doesn't change anything, you know. That doesn't make me not wanna be your friend anymore. And it's not something you owed me, neither. I'm glad you told me."

Beach Bear says nothing, but lets out a small, shaky sigh. A silent tear falls from his eye.

" 'Sides, I... think I understand you. A little, at least," Dook continues. "I'm not talking with my family right now either.

"See, I, uh..." He leans back against the couch. "I come from a real big family, right? And a lot of us are musicians. Successful ones, at that. I always wanted to follow in their footsteps. I wanted to prove I was somethin'. But I'm... the runt of the litter, I guess. I'm not so strong... definitely not so smart. My family doesn't think I can't– I can't do nothin'. They gave up on me before I even got a chance to– to show 'em I could be worth something at all.

"They love me, sure. But they never took me seriously, neither. So one day, I... I walked out. Told 'em I wouldn't come back until I made somethin' of myself.

"And then I..." And then he failed a few dozen times, sending him into a depressive alcoholic spiral... putting him at rock bottom. Broke, drunk, unhappy, and with no faith in himself at all. And that's how Beach Bear found him.

"...I... fell on hard times," he says finally. "It didn't work out."

"...Dook, do you think the Rock-afire has a future?" Beach Bear asks.

"Oh, sure," Dook starts.

"Be honest," Beach Bear says. "You just said you couldn't get it to work on your own."

Dook pauses. "I... I know it's rough now, Beach Bear," he says. We're out a singer, and you're struggling to write, and... and I don't have too much faith in myself. Not on my own. But... I'm not on my own. I got you. And I got Billy Bob, and Looney Bird, and Fatz. Both of us do. Hell, maybe we still got Mitzi, too. I dunno if any of us could do it on our own, but... But together... I think we got somethin'. Really."

Beach Bear hasn't moved. He doesn't react at first to what Dook says. Then, a sigh through his nose, and he closes his eyes.

"You're right," he says. "You're right."

Dook smiles. He leans forward to meet him, his hands resting near the edge of the cushion.

"We're gonna make something out of ourselves," he says.

Beach Bear's left hand moves to touch Dook's right, a set of fingers laid just over the other. Dook doesn't pull away.

"Yeah," Beach Bear agrees. "It's just a matter of time."

[randomboo256]

BotW and TotK, Revisited

So it's Tears of the Kingdom's anniversary already.

I ended up replaying the game a few months ago. I'm not sure if I've ever played a game so rife with good ideas and great potential that failed so hard to take advantage of any of it.

This will be long, please stay with me.

Before we talk about TotK, we need to talk about it's predecessor: Breath of the Wild.

I played this game when it came out, and for what it's worth I thought it was decently fun. However it lacks a lot of the design that made previous games work. Before you ask, no I'm not nostalgia blind. I played the entire Zelda series for the first time in 2016, and I played BotW just a year later. If anything, I'm just as nostalgic for old Zelda as I am for BotW itself. This is just an honest critique of the game's design.

BotW is a game that felt like a rough draft of what a modernized 3D Zelda game could be. The idea of making the world larger, more open, and more inspired by the 2D games is a brilliant one. The execution however felt less like 2D Zelda and more like every other open world game.

What BotW mainly suffered from was bloat. The world was too large and less rewarding. Your main reward for exploring a Zelda game are new items and heart pieces. When you relegate all of those to copy/paste shrines, you're removing the main incentive to actually engage with the world.

In old Zelda, you had no idea what you could find! Any random chest could have a heart piece or even a brand new item. Any sidequest could give you an awesome reward. That's what made it so much fun and so compelling to do everything you can! Old Zelda also loved to show you something you wanted, without telling you how to get it. Often you'd have to come back WAY later. It makes you remember that location, and when you can grab it it's so satisfying. Metroidvanias are like entirely built on this principle.

However, BotW's map is simply too large to be constantly engaging like this. The devs can't ensure you'll find the upgrades, important NPCs, and discoveries without just telling you. In old Zelda, the devs can naturally guide you to all of that with level design. To remedy this, BotW tries to give you items and upgrades constantly, but they do so in a way to make sure that it makes no difference if you missed them. That's how we get things like interchangeable swords that break instead a permanent sword upgrades (I'll get back to that).

It doesn't help that BotW pushed it's nonlinearity too hard. It wanted to make everything in the game accessible immediately as well as completely skippable, which ruins most sense of player progress as well as obliterating any form of a difficulty curve. BotW never has that "Oh, I can get that now!" moment. You know, I actually don't mind the weapon system in concept. I love resource management in games. The problem is that enemies are optional, and killing them is rarely ever worth the swords you broke. Other games with resource management don't allow to just effortlessly ignore every enemy. The worst part of BotW's over-nonlinearity is the dungeons. Dungeons have always been the heart of this series, even in the original game. In BotW, they were simplified down to "do these 5 points in any order" and it's just really boring and underwhelming.

On top of all of this, I haven't mentioned the stamina system, which quite literally just exists to waste your fucking time. By stripping out so much of Zelda's game design in favor of interchangeable everything, it just all adds up to a game that's very repetitive, often boring, and not as satisfying to play as the older titles. If BotW had a map half the size, it could let Nintendo actually pack it to the brim with something interesting and engaging to find in every step you take. Combine that with a return of the old item/heart piece system and a bit of linearity, and it could be great. The happy medium between old and new Zelda is basically just giving the game a more Metroidvania-esc game design logic, as I alluded to earlier. It's a simple fix, but I think it would make everyone happy.

However, TotK took a different route....

Finally, the topic of the today's post. I played Tears of the Kingdom right around launch, and again for what's worth I thought it too was decently fun. However while I could be a little forgiving of BotW for its various missteps, this game doubled down on all of BotW's worst issues.

Instead of removing bloat, TotK TRIPLED it. We have a mostly empty and boring sky and a mostly boring and empty depths. What's left is the shamelessly reused map from BotW. So now everything in the game is either something you've already seen or something you don't care about. This choice is baffling, to be frank. Of all Zelda games, BotW especially is all about exploring the map.

Like, it literally didn't have anything else!!! Why would I want to explore this map again?!!! I've seen it already!!! There wasn't that much there the first time!!!

cough cough

Getting back ahold of myself....

TotK's main excuse to explore the map is the introduction of caves (which somehow weren't in BotW). Caves certainly add a ton of life to the world design, but we still run into a problem of them too getting very stale by the end. On top of that, they removed any challenge in the physical effort of exploring the world. While the stamina system in BotW mostly sucks, it's main strength is that you can't just climb to the top of every mountain. You gotta look around and be a bit more clever. In TotK, towers alone shoot you up a million feet, so you can just glide everywhere. It's faster, I guess, but what's the point of having world map if it's smarter to just fly over it? It's like they knew that exploring again would be boring so they just let you skip over it.

Well exploration is mostly a bust, but what else changed?

Well to start out positive, I adore the weapon fusing system. I already enjoy resource management, so adding whole fusing layer on top of it is super fun. However, I still rarely have a reason to actually fight. By far the most fun part of TotK were the Proving Ground shrines. When I walk into one of these shrines, it's like the game comes to life with so much fun and energy. It's like I'm teleported to a world where the combat clicks and is insanely fun and in-depth. It's funny, because all those shrines did was limit my weapons, limit my healing, make enemies more punishing, and forced me to actually beat them.

WHY WASN'T THE WHOLE GAME DESIGNED LIKE THIS?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Well we know why. By making the enemies unrelenting, the weapons and healing limited, and forcing you to fight, the game is limiting what you're capable of. Working around and with limitations are the core of what makes, not just video games, ALL games fun. However, the modern Zelda games are so allergic to the idea of limitations in general that they're sabotaging their own carefully designed combat system at pretty much all times. The only way to enjoy it is for the player to decide to place the limit themself, which is a lot to ask of us.

Outside the upgraded combat system, the main difference between BotW and TotK is a new move called Ultrahand, which strangely a reference to an old Nintendo toy. Ultrahand "functions" by letting you grab any physics object, twist it around, and then stick it to other physics objects. If you're thinking "that just sounds like the fucking Psychics Gun from Garry's Mod", then correct! The only difference is that the Physgun actually works properly. For what it's worth, it's pretty impressive technology, however that doesn't mean much when it's not actually fun to play. Moving an object around with Ultrahand feels extremely stiff and awkward. As for the glueing aspect, it's even worse. With the controls alone it's hard to make anything, but what's worse is that you can't detach one item at a time. If you glue one thing on wrong, shaking it loose will probably make it all fall apart. As you might imagine from a system where any two things can be glued in any way, it's all extremely fucking janky.

When the game's systems for Ultrahand are properly flowing and working properly, it can be pretty fun, but for every "pretty fun" Ultrahand moment, there's a thousand annoying moments.

In a way, Ultrahand is basically just an upgraded and reskinned Magnesis, a move from BotW. Magnesis also barely worked, but it wasn't used nearly as much. Ultrahand meanwhile is literally the entire game. I'm not exaggerating. Pretty much every puzzle and a majority of side missions are about Ultrahand. Ultrahand is this game's gimmick. You know, like how Ocarina of Time's gimmick was time periods, Majora's Mask's was a time loop, Wind Waker's was the ocean, Twilight Princess was the wolf, Skyward Sword's was motion controls, and Breath of the Wild's was extreme nonlinearity. Tears of the Kingdom's gimmick is Ultrahand, and wow holy shit is it the worst 3D Zelda gimmick so far.

Honestly what sucks is that Ultrahand could've been a lot better. On occasion, they do have some really fun puzzles with it. However, because these modern Zelda games don't have difficulty curves, the Ultrahand puzzles won't get more challenging over time. The majority are just too easy, and I'm spending more time thinking about how awful the controls are at doing what I want.

As for the dungeons, well don't get your hopes up. They're identical to BotW, except now with Ultrahand gimmicks! Well, that's not totally true. They do have two big changes. Firstly, every dungeon has a long linear segment leading up to it. These sections are genuinely great, and they feel more like Zelda dungeons than the actual dungeons. However they are just short preludes to the lackluster main event. As for the other change, this game reintroduces companions.

Companions are classic aspect of Zelda that BotW sorely missed. They're usually small and out of the way. They exist for three important reasons: For one, player guidance. They'll occasionally chime in with hints on where to go and what to do. For two, they add worldbuilding. You can freely talk to them and sometimes you can learn some interesting details from them. For three, they give Link a voice. Link is barely a character, so having another character follow him around and speak for him in cutscenes is a great way to remedy that. Of course, they could just... let Link talk but HEY HEY let's not get too crazy.

Unfortunately TotK once again dropped the ball on this. This game has four companions that you unlock over the story, and they're not small. They're full human sized NPCs that constantly follow you around and get in your way. Now honestly, I could forgive that. I love Final Fantasy VII Remake, and those games have that issue. I don't really care that my party members get in my way in those games, because they're great characters and they're constantly chiming in with fun dialogue. However TotK somehow didn't think to do that. Your "party" never chimes in at any point. Neither in gameplay OR cutscenes. What a huge missed opportunity! They're just lifeless robots that follow you around.

You might be thinking, "I thought the whole point of Zelda companions was that they'd talk. If they don't talk in TotK, what do they do?" and that's a good question hypothetical-person-I-made-up. For one, they fight in combat with you. That sounds fun, but you can't control them at all. They're completely AI. For two, each one has a special move you can use by walking up to them and pressing A. This means they essentially act like a dungeon item. That's a huge improvement for the quality of the dungeons. But remember, they get in the way constantly. Combine that with the strange controls, and you will be constantly setting off your partners without wanting to. Did nobody playtest this???

Giving Link party members is a fucking amazing idea, but they botched the execution of this so hard that most people just turn the party members off. What a waste of an idea. I hope they revisit this concept. I'll be really sad if they don't.

So all in all, Tears of the Kingdom is a really upsetting video game to me. It didn't do the one thing I was hoping, and that was "make a version of Breath of the Wild that took more advantage of it's concept".

On top of that, it kept piling on new great ideas that they also fucked up. Like adding caves, sky islands, and depths to an open world Zelda. Yes! Great idea! However, they were really fucking boring and repetitive. They gave the game an amazing combat system, and then punished you for using it. They gave the game a complicated physics puzzle gimmick, but it was really fucking janky and overused. The added fun build ups to dungeons, but still skimped out on making the actual dungeon part. They gave Link party members, but they're boring and get in your way.

When I look at Tears of the Kingdom, all I can see is the insane amount of missed potential this game had. They could've done so much. They TRIED to do so much. But they didn't do any well at any of them! I can't help but think this all just comes down to a case of some extreme overambition. They tried to do so many things, on top of having an insanely large open world. BotW's map was way too big. TotK's map is insanely oversized. That's why my number one prayer for the next Zelda is that they SCALE THIS SHIT DOWN!!

Overall, Tears of the Kingdom isn't a bad game. When it works, it works very well. However it works so occasionally that I really wish Nintendo stops doing this new modern formula. It seems like Nintendo just doesn't know how to improve upon BotW. With TotK, they just figured "Well if we take BotW and just shove more shit into it, it'd be good right?". Well, it's not good. It's fucking mid.

As for what I want Nintendo to do instead? Well I hope that the next Zelda is just something that's radically new. You might not have expected me to say that, huh? Well honestly, I don't really care if old Zelda ever returns. If it ever did, I'd be happy for sure, but it's not like those old games are perfect either. The reason we're even in this mess is because Skyward Sword was so hated that Nintendo backpedalled so hard in the opposite direction that they fell off a cliff.

At this point, all I want is a new Zelda game that I can love again, and these modern ones just aren't it.

[shaniacsboogara]

What are some of your favorite movies and why? I'm in the mood for some ranting about cool stuff :)

OKAY ALRIGHT LET'S DO THIS (in no particular order)

JK ROWLING IS STINKY 🤬🤬🤬

But I love Remus Lupin. And I love the aesthetic of this movie. And I LOVE werewolves. Professor Lupin is one of THE BEST characters in the entire Harry Potter franchise and I just think he deserves more hype and he's really cool and idk I get nostalgic about this movie and it's definitely a comfort movie for me.

Just this entire franchise. And the Hobbit movies. My Dad has always been a BIG Tolkien fan so I was raised on LOTR and went to see the Hobbit movies in theatres when they first came out (I saw the first one 3 or 4 times, I was OBSESSED). BEFORE ANYONE COMES AT ME I'VE ALSO READ THE BOOKS I READ THEM IN GRADE 3 I KNOW THE LORE DW 🙏. I'm a sucker for fantasy (hence my current dnd obsession lol) and the world of these films is just so immersive and breathtakingly beautiful that I can't help but consider them my favourites, even if it's been years since I've watched them cohesively. ALSO THE MUSIC IS SO GOOD. I'LL LISTEN TO THE LOTR SOUNDTRACK ANY DAY.

Again. THE MUSIC.

Andrew Garfield was SO GREAT in this, and I personally connected to it a lot as a songwriter myself. That being said, this movie makes me SOB EVERY SINGLE TIME. Jonathan Larson was truly a talent and it's such a shame his life ended as early as it did. So glad he lives on through his art, and so glad that he was able to make such a huge impact on people with what he created. (Also fun fact I'm going to see Rent in a few weeks)

IT STARTED AS A BIT IT WAS A JOKE

Word of advice: if you ever think to yourself, "Hey. It'd be silly if I kept suggesting to watch that one Adam Sandler Halloween movie whenever my family asks for movie suggestions despite the fact that it isn't Halloween anymore and it's not that good of a movie- DON'T. DO IT.

Hubie Halloween is my comfort movie now. I don't rewatch movies and tv shows a lot, but I've seen this one probably 5 times in the last few months. It's just a silly little Halloween movie, but I sort of started to appreciate it more after realizing "HEY THAT GUY IN THE TIN MAN COSTUME IS WILL BYERS!!!" Although most of the media I find myself drawn to is more complex and explores the intricacies of how humanity functions, this movie somehow grew on me. My family references it constantly, and every time we play Jackbox games, half of the quiplash answers are just "Hubie". Overall I just think this movie is funny, quirky, subverts expectations in silly ways, and is a nice lighthearted watch compared to my other favourites.

My final movie on this list isn't ACTUALLY a movie but I HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND

MIDNIGHT MASS IS MY FAVOURITE SHOW. EVER. OF ALL TIME.

The music??? Immaculate. THE ACTING??? Immaculate. THE WRITING??? Immaculate (although there are a lot of monologues which can be a lot for some people, but as a theatre kid I REALLY appreciated them).

I've rewatched this show 2 1/2 times now and I'm just so in love with it. It's horror, but it doesn't rely on cheap jumpscares and many of the cheaper tactics some horror movies use nowadays. It's way more focused on its ensemble cast and developing good characters and storytelling. Sure, it starts off a bit slow, but the emotional payoff in the final two episodes is SO. WORTH IT.

Hamish Linklater as Father Paul is just... Awesome. RAHUL KOHLI AS HASSAN??? SO GOOD??? THIS ENTIRE CAST IS SO TALENTED and the way they play their characters is so raw and compelling and human.

Ryan Bergara was so right when he listed Father Paul as a poor little meow meow on Tumblr Top 5 HE SO IS AND I LOVE HIM FOR THAT. Anyway if you wanna see a new take on some classic horror tropes, commentary on the meaning of life and what happens after it, and some really good acting just... Please watch this. It definitely destroys your soul and makes you think but it's so good and the aesthetic is just... Mmmm.

Anyway Boog rant over, THANK YOU FOR THE ASK I LOVE RANTING SORRY THIS IS LONG!!!

[weirdthoughtsandideas]

Christmas writing calendar 2023!

@countessofravenclaw Once again created a writing advent calendar this year, and I thought once again it would be very fun to join in! So, I'll be releasing a little oneshot hopefully every day. Just like last year, I'm gonna do every other day Violetta and every other day SL (with maybe a few exceptions, if I get to it).

Last year I started with Soy Luna, so it's only right to start with Violetta this time.

The prompt is Story.

Aka: Two grandmas tell their grandchildren all about their first christmas together. However, they seem to disagree how the story actually went.

Read on ao3 or under the cut.

It was a christmas dinner, and the family was gathered. The four grandchildren sat eagerly on their chairs, kicking their feet in excitement. Their mother came out with the food, before sitting down herself. Then came their grandmas, carrying the drinks.

"Oh, let me help you, mama," their daughter said.

"No, I can handle it! I'm still strong, hija."

Ludmila and Naty never could have predicted how life would have turned out. Once upon a time, they weren't even sure they'd be together. Now here they were - blessed with a beautiful daughter, who eventually had kids of her own. Now their daughter, while her partner was working, decided to get her four children in the car and let them spend a weekend at their abuelas' house. It was almost christmas, and since their daughter had planned celebrating with her partner's family this year, she figured she'd at least want a little weekend with her own, too.

"Abuelas," the second oldest said, "How was christmas when you were young?"

"It depends on how young," Naty replied. "When I was really young, I lived in Spain. There it could snow at christmas, because it was winter."

"Why isn't it winter here?" the second youngest asked.

"We're living in the southern hemisphere," Ludmila explained. "Over here it's summer."

"I was really confused about that when I moved here," Naty admitted, causing everyone to giggle. "Anyway, when we were young, we were living through a technology change. When we were very little, phones still were stuck to the walls, and we watched movies on giant blocks called VHSes!"

"I recall at the first christmas I remembered, one of my gifts was a VHS," Ludmila said nostalgically. "It was a movie about space."

"But then we we grew older, phones started to be in our pockets instead, and we watched movies on little discs called dvds."

"I wanna hear the story about your first christmas together!" the oldest grandchild exclaimed.

"Oh, of course!" Ludmila said. "Let's see... it was 2026, and your mother was just born."

"No!" Naty exclaimed. "It was the christmas of 2020... we've just officially gotten together and there was a pandemic in the world."

"Did you die?" the second oldest grandchild asked.

"Yes," Ludmila laughed. She watched the horror in her grandchildren's eyes, and realized none of them had learned what sarcasm was yet. "Oh, I'm just joking!"

The only one laughing was the youngest grandchild, who was just 10 months old and sat with food covered all over their face. Maybe they just laughed because they heard their grandma laughing, but no one knew for sure.

"Anyway... we were sitting all alone, just the two of us..." Naty said. "We could not see any family, because of the pandemic restrictions..."

"Ok. Have fun! Merry christmas! Love you!" Naty got off the phone with her sister.

"What did Lena want?" Ludmila asked.

"She just wanted to catch up before she performed that christmas gig," Naty explained.

"Hold up!" Ludmila exclaimed. "That didn't happen in 2020, that happened in 2018!"

"When did you get together?" their oldest grandchild asked.

"It's very complicated, dear," Naty said. "We knew each other for many years before we fell in love."

"Not me, I fell in love with you immediately," Ludmila admitted.

"Oh, I guess it was the same for me... but nonetheless, it took some time for us to admit it. We had been dating for maybe 2 years by this point, but this was the first time we celebrated christmas. And you are right, it was in 2018. I guess I just mix it up because it was also just the two of us in 2020."

"You know, it's gonna be fun celebrating christmas with you," Naty admitted. "Even if I miss my family."

"Of course. But I'm also your family," Ludmila remarked, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"No, I kissed you on the mouth!" Ludmila argued. 

"Maybe you did," Naty chuckled. "My memory is a bit fuzzy."

"Excuse me, I recall every kiss we have shared. That was a makeout session! That was the night we conceived Stella!"

"Stella was not born for another 8 years."

"What's 'conceive'?" the second youngest asked.

"Ask your mother," the grandmas replied in unison.

"How you managed to raise me so well is a mystery to this day..." Stella mumbled to herself, although she couldn't help but let out a snicker. ”Conceiving is the day a baby gets put in the belly. But your abuelas are just joking, because I was actually conveived in a hospital.”

”Why?” one of her children asked.

”Because when you have two mommies they need help from a doctor to get a baby in their belly.”

”Why?”

”We’ll take that another day.”

”I better call my mom,” Ludmila sighed. ”I don’t want to, but if I don’t, I’ll think about it so much.”

”Get it overwith,” Naty encouraged, ”I’m here.” 

Ludmila felt her heart beat fast as she pressed her mother's name on her phone. She put it towards her ear as she shivered.

"No, you put it on speaker," Naty said, "You were way too nervous to talk to her when only you heard."

Ludmila put it on speaker. Soon, she could hear someone reply.

"Hello? Ludmila?"

"Hi, mom..." Ludmila felt her voice shake. "How are you?"

"I'm doing okay... it's kind of quiet here in the facility. But I have some friends that I'm spending time with."

"That's great. I sent you a christmas gift."

"Did you? I haven't gotten it."

Naty squeezed her hand on Ludmila's shoulder.

"There's a new person in the facility. She lost her eyesight after setting fire to her own house! Ha ha! We get along very well, she and I."

"Good to hear, mom... listen, I wanna wish you a merry christmas."

"Oh. Merry christmas! Wait, how are you celebrating?"

Ludmila felt anxiety rise. She had not told her mother about Naty. 

"Uh... with... Naty..."

"Naty? Why?"

"Well, because we..."

"She didn't tell her that night," Naty explained.

"Yes, I did!" Ludmila yelled.

"No, you didn't. You told her in person, the christmas after, when we celebrated with Violetta and Priscila wondered why I was there."

"I do remember that, but I also remember telling her that night."

"Hmm... wait, maybe..."

"Mom, me and Naty are dating."

There was a silence on the other end of the phone. Ludmila felt her heart sink more and more.

Finally, her mother's voice came back on.

"Sorry, I couldn't hear what you said! A nurse came in and told me I can only talk for another minute. What did you say about you and Naty?"

"Uh-"

"Wait, I don't have time now. It doesn't matter, merry christmas, darling! I need to go, now!"

Ludmila sighed. "Merry christmas." There, the phone call ended.

Naty embraced her, and kissed her on the cheek. They were silent for a while. 

"I'm hungry," Ludmila suddenly declared. "But we have nothing home."

"Do you know what we can do?" Naty asked mischievously. 

"What?"

"We can order takeout!"

"On christmas?"

"Yes! Let's order some pizza, what do you want?"

"We didn't order pizza!" Ludmila objected, "We ordered chicken! From that chicken place with the name I've forgotten now because they went out of business in 2030!"

As they sat and ate their pizza and/or chicken from the chicken place Ludmila forgot the name of because they went out of business in 2030, they smiled at each other.

"I like this, even if it's not traditional christmas food," Naty said.

"I can't cook anyway," Ludmila shrugged.

"What presents did you get?" the oldest grandchild asked.

"If I recall, it was a necklace..." Ludmila said.

"No! That christmas, I gave you a mindfulness coloring book of space!" Naty said.

"Now when did I get a necklace?"

"You didn't get one, I was the one who got a necklace!"

"Are you sure? Because I am pretty sure I gave you a book about how to make your own flannel shirts."

"Was that you? I thought it was Fran who gave me that one!"

"I think I remember which gifts were from me, honey."

"Thanks so much!" Naty said, holding her necklace/book about making flannel shirts.

"You're welcome," Ludmila said. "And thanks for your gift! It was so nice." She flipped through her mindfulness coloring book.

Naty blew an air kiss.

"Then what happened?" their second oldest grandchild asked.

Naty shrugged. "Not much else. It was kind of uneventful for the rest of the evening."

"So you mean nothing fun and exciting happened?"

"No. It was just us in our little apartment... it was very cozy and we were happy, but not much happened."

Their grandchildren sighed (except for the youngest, who was busy staring into thin air).

"I thought it would be a more exciting story," the oldest said, disappointed.

"You want it to be more exciting?" Ludmila asked. "Alright, abuela's gonna make it more exciting!"

Suddenly, as they cuddled together on the couch, the window blew open! It was a big wind!

"Why is it so windy? It's supposed to be a warm summer night!"  Naty exclaimed.

"We better close the window!" Ludmila exclaimed.

They stood up and walked towards the window, trying to close it. But there was a problem: the wind was so strong that it almost blew them away!

Stuff came flying towards their window that were caught in the wind: A chair, someone's cat and a whole tree.

"Oh no!" Naty shouted, "We need to hurry to close the window before any of that hits us!"

"Take my hand," Ludmila said. They held onto each other as tightly as they could, as they took strong steps towards the window.

"Almost there!"

"Come on!"

With grunts, they reached the window. Both of them put their hands on it and pushed it all they could. 

Right as the flying chair was gonna get to them, they closed the window and the chair simply bounced off it. No harm done.

"We did it!" they cheered, as they hugged.

"I think we should celebrate by baking a cake!" Naty said. "And eat it in bed!"

"Did you eat the cake in bed, then?" their second youngest granchild asked.

"Yes, we did," Ludmila said. "And that's the end of the story."

"But did all that with the wind actually happen?" the second youngest asked.

"No, you idiot!" the oldest replied, "They just wanted to make the story more exciting, so they made it up!"

"It can be true if you want it to be," Ludmila said with a smile. "It's always fun to spice up your stories a bit. Right, love?"

"Sure," Naty replied, giggling. The two shared a kiss.

To think, how many christmases they had celebrated together since that first one. They wondered how the upcoming ones would be.

Only the future could tell...