#it’s similar vibes as Your Body. My Temple

[doctorsiren]

“Too Sweet” by Hozier is such a Godot song

[syoddeye]

Price as Davy Jones from POTC. Comes back every ten years to track down reader no matter where they are

the timing of this ask is bananas, because i was just discussing a similar premise with friends. (except davy jones!ghost, purely to describe him prying a barnacle off of his face and eating it in front of reader.) but this works so well with price, too.

prefacing this by admitting I haven't watched any potc movies since they came out. so this is based on what i remember, and we're going to be forgiving lol. this spun out into 1.9k.

cw: implied/referenced noncon/rape, body horror, stabbing/shooting/violence in general, implied/referenced breeding, largely unedited all vibes no brakes.

Clinging to a scrap of what was once a passenger ship, choking on smoke and seawater, you whimper as bits of wreckage and bodies bob around you, lifeless limbs brushing against your legs.

The wreckage still burns, providing just enough light to keep the nightmare well within sight. You see too much: the ship’s carcass, curious dark shadows, a woman in the distance gradually being sucked beneath the surface, her dress pulling taut like an anchor.

You barely register the ship until you hear the whipping of its sails.

Its silhouette is monstrous. A ghastly thing, every bit of it disfigured by time and violence. Its lights blur in your salt-stung eyes, and you blink hard, certain it isn't real. It's a hallucination, a cruel trick of exhaustion.

Yet, it is instinct to call out, to raise your voice. A very human thing, the desire to survive.

Minutes pass, and you're sure that your voice is lost among the waves, but the slap of a dinghy hitting water jars you. Voices call out, searching. Hope stirs in your chest, but as the small boat nears, its crew shoving wreckage and bodies aside, you see the figure at its bow.

A man. Not a man.

A lantern swings in a fist. Light and shadow spill across the figure. Wet skin like pale wax, cloudy eyes set beneath a furrowed brow—and that is where his humanity ends. 

Protruding from his beard, claws arc from his face, ridged and brown like a crab's shell, melding seamlessly into the flesh of his jaw and temples. His lips, blackened and peeling, purse together in a line. A line that slowly tips upward in its corners as your eyes grow wider and wider.

A scream works its way up your throat, but it sticks. The last thing you see is his hand, reaching, before the world spins, and darkness swallows you.

You come to, tucked in a bed, with a callused and damp hand holding your own, like a nurse would. Humming a quiet song.

It's him.

When you scream, he waits. When you cry, he says nothing. He watches you recoil, your breath catching and shuddering on your panic, and he permits it all. But when exhaustion drags you back to the pillows, he moves. A canteen pressed to your lips. A piece of bread on your tongue.

"Consider this is a second chance," He rasps, voice like the ship he plucked you from, charred and waterlogged, bubbling and burnt. "A survivor, but only alive because I decreed it so."

He names himself Captain Price. Gestures around you: this is his ship, his crew. You'll find no disloyalty here, no soft hearts. Then, with a flex of his claws—gleaming, articulated things jutting grotesquely from his skin—he acknowledges what you've already guessed. 

"You've heard the stories, I'd wager."

You have. Cursed ships. Drowned men who don't stay dead. When you booked your passage, the name was muttered like a bad omen, then dismissed with soothing reassurances: That ship's just a tale to scare the children and womenfolk.

But the proof sits in front of you, chest heaving in watery breaths, clouded eyes watching your every move.

"I've invoked my privileges as captain," He informs you as you stare, dumbstruck. "You'll be under my protection. Mine alone."

The implication is clear, as sharp as the claws on his face. Companion. The word sticks in your throat. The roof of your mouth.

When the fear overwhelms you again, your body shaking with what he means, he doesn't let you cry or scream. His grip tightens into a vise until you gasp, a warning. His spare hand, an even more disfigured mangle of fingers and claws, drum against the bed frame. 

"If that doesn't suit, you can bunk with the crew tonight. And come morning, I'll see you back to the sea."

It isn't much of a choice. Not one at all, really. You let the silence speak for you, and he releases your wrist. Rising to his full height, he tells you to finish the bread, drink, and sleep. 

"Unfortunate thing like you, you'll need it."

The next day, you're allowed more time to rest, though don't dare sleep. You're terrified of the Captain. Of him reconsidering his so-called mercy. Worse still, when you do think of the crew, you almost wish he'd let them have you. At least it would afford you an end to this torture. Peace at the bottom of the sea.

The cabin door is locked at all times, of course. Still, you're surprised to find yourself free to roam its cramped confines. You rifle through maps and logbooks, though the latter might as well be written in a foreign language. The room offers little else: no paintings, no books, nothing of sentiment. A space for planning and sleeping, nothing else.

You listen instead. The voices above deck, the crash of waves. Through the porthole, you see no land, discern no direction. The hours crawl by, and it's only when the sun disappears that he returns.

He brings food. Your dress, dried. You take the meal reluctantly, your appetite thin but you do not think he'll allow you to starve. You don't question the food's origin. From what little you've gathered, he doesn't need it.

When you're finished, the Captain takes the plate and utensils without a word. Alone again.

And so it continues. Breakfast. Dinner. Hours of silence in between. Days pass, melting into one another. You lose yourself in the monotony and isolation. You're certain this is hell: locked in a cabin surrounded by monsters, the devil himself tending to you.

Eventually, the thought comes, sprung from the desperate prayers you whisper every night. Clear and unshakable. Kill the devil. Free yourself.

When the moment arrives at dinner, you do not hesitate. The dinner knife fits perfectly in your hand as you swing it, the blade aimed at his chest. You expect resistance, struggle—but there's none. The steel sinks in easily, the sound wet and horribly soft, and the grin on his face only deepens.

He laughs. Your blood turns cold.

"Was waitin' for this," he chuckles, grabbing and pressing his pistol into your hand. He adjusts your grip, tilts the barrel toward the vulnerable stretch of his throat where carapace gives way to flesh. His claws click against the weapon as he steadies it.

"C'mon, darling. See what happens."

The shot rattles your teeth, and then it's everywhere. Blood, bits of tissue, saltwater spraying out in a burst. It coats his chest, slick and shining, and splatters up your hands, your arms.

For a heartbeat, you think it worked. His head rests against the back of his chair.

But his skin, ceral and dripping, slowly knits. Wet threads reach for one another and tie themselves together, leaving a shallow ridge. It's as if you did nothing at all. His head tips back up, gaze heavy-lidded and glinting. He spits the ball of lead out, a dark sludge dripping from the corner of his lips, and his good hand finds the back of your skull. He reels you in for a kiss. Defeat tastes like salt and iron. 

The routine changes. 

An unholy wedding occurs. You know God averts his eyes.

The man leading you down the aisle wears a skull as a mask, its hollow sockets fixed forward, fluttering gills at his neck. It is the first taste of fresh air you've had in weeks. Gruesome creatures crowd the deck, clawed hands and tendrils reaching to tug at your makeshift veil of netting and lace. Their jeers fill the air, delighted and mocking.

You are wed.

But Price admits to you on your wedding night, his deformed clawed hand cradling your head, buried within you, that he knows you can't stay. There are places he must travel, places you cannot go.

You do not believe him until he finds you an island, which, unbeknownst to you, lies on the path of a trade route. It hits you as he lifts you from the dinghy and sets you down in the shallows. This must be the end of it. This is the last you will see of him and his crew, his cursed ship. You will starve, die, and rot in freedom.

Before you take a single step toward the beach, he seizes you by your dress, turning you back to him. His eyes scour your face as if trying to memorize it. Every feature, every detail.

He leans in close, whispering in the salt-sweet air, "I'll find you again. I can promise you that."

Time blurs into a haze of hunger and thirst before you're found. It's hailed as a miracle: you survived. The sentiment haunting as you limp your way back to what remains of your life. 

Years pass and wear the edges of memory down, turning them almost bearable. Captain Price's promise fades into the background, like the echo of a bad dream.

You take a husband. You find a new home. You vow to never touch the sea, again.

Until the storm.

It comes howling, ripping through the harbor, swallowing ships whole, and splintering docks. The air is charged, furious. You cannot put words to it, but in your bones, it feels personal. You watch from your window, mesmerized, until you see it—a figure in the rain.

The lantern's light swings with his steps up the hill to your cottage. The whistle from his blackened cuts through the roaring wind, and your stomach knots with the memory it drags from the depths of your mind.

Your husband goes to ask if the stranger requires shelter from the storm. Frozen in fear, you cannot stop him as he greets his death with open arms.

Through the window, you see it unfold. The moment of recognition, him stiffening as he takes in what he sees. Then he screams, the sound ripped straight from his chest, raw and panicked, the same way you screamed all those years ago.

You try to hide, of course. Try to bar the door, arm yourself with whatever you can find. But it doesn't matter. The door groans, then gives. It crashes open, shoving back the table, and in he steps. Captain Price. Rainwater and the blood of your poor husband dripping from his hands. 

"Who was that, love?"

His grip is cold and iron-tight as he pulls you from your corner. "Not this again," He chuckles, plucking the kitchen knife from your hand.

The Captain drags you to bed, chest heaving, eyes moving over you like he's deciding where to start. How to make up for lost time. He speaks softly, almost tender. Husbandly.

"Ten years is long for you, I know," He peels your clothes off, marveling. He studies the changes in your body with reverence, dragging his fingertips along every line and wrinkle. "I do not fault you for your loneliness. But…a husband?" His tone hardens, eyes locking to yours. "Did you forget you were already a wife?"

Your mouth opens, then closes, nothing coming out but shallow, desperate breaths, like a fish gasping on the deck.

"This time," he murmurs as he shrugs free of his coat, then his shirt, "I'll give you something to remember our vows by."

The Captain leaves with the storm. The town counts its losses, buries its dead, and you stand by your own pile of dirt behind your cottage, a hand pressed over your belly.

Dread already quickening.

Ten years isn't that long at all.

[uvobreakmylegs]

favorite fic? of yours and in general

I don't feel like picking and choosing between my own fics so instead I wanna share some fics written by my fellow yandere writers (some of which I may have shared in similar asks in the past but idc I wanna share them again):

from @hypnoswrites:

Chrollo vs a blacklist Hunter (I really enjoy how fast and how easily Chrollo was able to handle that situation, from cleaning up the body to controlling reader)

Illumi uses a needle on reader (love the way poor reader's mind is addled in this one and how easily she disregards the violent scene due to Illumi's influence. love the ending as well, it's so chilling)

Uvogin x reader x Franklin (two big men - my greatest weakness❤️❤️❤️)

vampire Razor (idk how to summarize this one accurately there's so much going on and I love it all so much)

apocalypse AU with Pakunoda (Paku my beloved❤️❤️❤️)

from @ddarker-dreams:

Chrollo's birthday (love me some Greedy Chrollo)

third party recognizes reader while she's out with Chrollo (poor reader tried SO hard to keep the guy away AND keep Chrollo appeased😭)

aftermath of Chrollo's darling being kidnapped (all of the conversations that Lock's readers have with Chrollo are always great to read but this one in particular sticks out in my mind and I love it)

Feitan's darling runs away (THAT FUCKING ENDING OMG)

Scaramouche's darling distracts him (I know next to nothing about Genshin Impact but I really enjoyed this fic❤️❤️❤️)

from @cherrysha:

ABO Uvogin (this fic lives in my head rent free)

Uvo's darling has a nightmare (there's something scary about how Uvo is so violent in trying to find her and how it contrasts with how gentle he is after. the anxiety she feels from her nightmare which then turns into comfort when he has her in his arms)

reader tries to kill Hisoka (poor reader😭)

god AU with Franklin (I love love love the buildup to Franklin's true reveal in this fic. how Franklin's presence is there within the temple once reader visits, but it's only when she finally collects the proper materials that he appears for real before her. plus the addition of reader possibly being in danger if she fails at the task he's set for her. there's a lot of buildup and dread in this fic and I love it)

Meleoron x reader (this fic is just cute as hell and I need to share it)

from @after-witch:

Feitan saves reader after she's been kidnapped (I've definitely shared this one before but that isn't stopping me from sharing it again bc this fic is amazing from beginning to end❤️❤️❤️)

one night stand with Feitan (I just love the way reader and Feitan end up connecting and how reader being herself is enough to make Feitan decide that he wants to keep her)

vampire Chrollo x reader (this is another fic that has so much going on that it's hard to get all of my thoughts on it out. it's just such a fun read and I love The Lost Boys vibes)

Chrollo's patience runs out (just Bastard Chrollo at his finest)

Uvogin retrieves his darling (in these kind of fics you just KNOW that Uvo will be getting his darling after they run, but it's always a wonder as to how that happens and what Uvo's reaction will be)

from @absolute-flaming-trash:

Hisoka buys his darling a gift (using bungee gum as a LEASH omg)

Hisoka looking for his soulmate (I really liked this version of the 30 seconds soulmate au❤️❤️❤️ it was interesting plus it offered more opportunities for reader to annoy Hisoka lol)

Chrollo and kidnapped reader (poor reader😭)

Illumi punishes reader (😳😳😳)

Mahito asking about love (anything with Mahito is generally fucked up due to him being.... himself. but this one had some moments that were kinda cute. like the description of Mahito laying on the bed reading a magazine, or the way he's described looking at reader. but all it takes is for one word and the mood feels dangerous again. also it's currently raining rn so reading this fic feels appropriate)

[bits-and-babs]

✦ 𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 ✦

– KINKTOBER DAY 5: CLOTHES ON

joel miller x reader | smut, 18+ | 1.1k words

summary: trapped inside a wardrobe whilst hiding from infected, joel ups the ante of survival.

cw: f!reader, forced proximity, threat to life, mentions of gore, quiet or die kind of vibe, unprotected sex, p in v sex, cream pie, autassassinophilia – arousal in the fear of being killed.

⇽ KINKTOBER MLIST | DAY 6: NIPPLE PIERCINGS ⇾

The curve at the base of your skull cracks against the decaying wall of the wardrobe as Joel smothers your startled gasp with his palm. His life-line stifles your heaving, fearful breaths as the croaks and moans of the infected seep beneath the rotten door. Shuffling feet stumble down the corridor, bodies bumping into each other and snarling as they chase the promise of a pulse. Joel forces your eyes to focus on him, silently urging you not to look at the hoard slowly staggering by.

You can make out the image of your horrified expression reflected in his glassy eyes, see the way you shudder and flinch when a body bumps into the door. Joel leans his bodyweight against you, crushing your chest with his own and offers you a stiff shake of his head; a wordless ❝don’t❞. In truth, you don’t need his caution. You wouldn’t dream of it. 

Still, fear continues to coagulate in your gut, the awful stench of the infected creeps between hinges of the wardrobe you had both frantically crammed into in a desperate attempt to avoid the advancing numbers of animated corpses. They weren’t quite like the smell of the rotten carcass of Bill’s friend, Frank, hanging by his neck and emanating a putrid odour that threatened to bring up the rations that you had halved and then halved again – precious calories and nutrients so hard to come by now. No, the infected had a base scent of something similar, but mostly reeked of damp-mould, as though wood had absorbed water and had begun to rot from the inside out. It wasn’t quite retch-inducing, but what they lacked in rancid scent they made up for in threatening numbers and horrifying looks. 

Joel breathes deeply, and the sound wrenches you from your spiralling desire for survival. You watch as his eyes mutate, shift into something much darker. It’s thrilling and horrifying, sets your arm hair on end as you feel him lean forwards, the tip of his nose brushing your temple. 

Stranglers of the hoard of infected runners continue to lumber down the hallway, rasping and snapping at anything that moves– but the chilling sounds are drowned out by the thumping of your pulse in your ears when Joel’s teeth scrape at the curve of your neck. 

“J-Joel,” you squeak, the single syllable barely audible. Fingertips bury into the flesh of your hip, brand your skin with purple, blotchy bruises in warning. He wants you to be silent. An image flashes in your mind's eye; the museum, Joel’s index finger pressed to his lips as the ticking echolocation of a Clicker pulsed through the room. You’d hardly survived then. Tess hadn’t. 

Squeezing your eyes shut, you feel your heart leap when he takes the flesh above your pulse-point between his teeth. He bares down on it, tendrils of pain sparking out across the nerves in your neck– enough to mark. A precarious round of Would-I-Lie-To-You when you inevitably stumble upon other survivors who would demand to know where the bite came from. How would you even begin to explain? “Oh, well, me and my partner were chased by a hoard of hundreds of runners into a hotel where we hunkered down in a wardrobe and he decided he wanted to take the chance to fuck me while the runners passed by.” 

Yeah, you wouldn’t believe you either. 

You’d seen Joel before the hospital in Salt Lake. Before he lost Ellie to a lie. Seen the ruthless, immovable survivor who did everything by the book and never once flirted with danger for the sake of a ridiculous thrill– just to feel something. But that was before “I swear.” Before “Okay.” 

The clink of your belt between Joel’s fingertips is the crank of a gun’s hammer pulling back. His own, slow suicide. 

The blunt head of his cock spears your cunt slowly, a shuddering breath buried in the crook of your neck as he sinks into your velvet heat. Thighs crushing his ribs, you rock your head back against the wall of the wardrobe and swallow down the wail that bubbles in your throat. 

Then he’s grasping the backs of your legs, just below the crook of your knees and folds them back against your chest. Joel’s practically folding you in half, exposing your glistening cunt before beginning a pace so devastating that it obliterates the primal fear settled deep within your gut and reinstates a carnal arousal that has you clawing at his shoulders. 

Again, his palm smothers your shrieks before you manage to ring the dinner bell. Joel, however, works in utter silence. Easing back before cracking his hips back into you, the most he offers in return is a soft groan of relief. Perhaps the jolting thrusts of his pelvis had shaken your very being from your body, but you’re almost certain you feel a smirk dance against your pulse. 

Dampness clings to your skin, fear and delight, horror and bliss drawing the perspiration from your pores. Joel loves it– lathes his tongue against your throat to taste the salt of you as he buries his cock deep inside of you. He’s bruising you. 

You try to say his name, but it dies in your throat before you even mouth it. Joel hears it anyway– he always does. Listens to the tremor in your thighs, pays attention to the tightening of your abdomen beneath his palm, takes heed of the strain of your leather boots when your toes curl. He responds likewise, roughly pushing his thumb into the throbbing swell of your clit.

It rocks through you, materialising so quickly there’s no way to halt the faint cry of bliss swallowed by Joel’s palm. He halts his thrusts suddenly, each muscle in his body stalling in fear as you come apart around his fat, throbbing dick. Tears well and stream from your eyes, bleeding into your hairline as you thrash against the seering pleasure. 

“F-Fuck–” Joel chokes quietly in your ear, and suddenly he’s pulsing, painting your pretty pussy with his cum. There’s so much of it, seeping from your folds and streaming down the inside of your thighs as he fucks it into you, face contorting with bliss as he overstimulates himself through his orgasm just to draw out the sensation a little longer. 

When the dust settles, no infected claw at the door. There’s no runners who have heard your cries, silence falling on the corridors of the hotel beyond the hinges of the wardrobe. Instead, an altogether different monster rears its ugly head and sinks its teeth into your flesh. Neither of you will admit it– can admit that the fear of being found, of being torn limb from limb and devoured had been enough to force a mind-shattering orgasm from Joel. No, you can’t admit it, but you can’t forget either. 

The cum leaking from between your legs as you both continue your journey back to Boston makes sure of it. 

pedro pascal/kinktober masterlist:

@xwing-baby , @mybugboy , @pansa-1-san , @pedrosprincess , @cosm1c-babe , @lil-stark , @heart-atttack @crybaby-blue-blog, @ssimelttilgniht @2pacacabra @pauldanosgf @leithatnight @kirsteng42 @dindjarinsmut @s0ftgabby @milly-louise @aynsleywalker @not-a-unique-snowflake-blog @uncassettodiricordi @howellatme @mortallyuniquepeach @maviee @eatingtheworldsoffanfiction @stvrlights-world @alloftheboysivelovedbefore @girlofchaos @s-u-t @pintsizedsunshine @djarin-dreams @solidly-indulgent @bii-aan-ckaa @casa-boiardi @maelstrom007 @nikisfwn @levi-llama @haunt3dh3art @lundenloves @rentaldarling @cyberpr1m3 @jedi-in-crocs @yunggoblin @spideyman-peter @iaur @cool-iguana @paleidiot

@bloodmoon-bites @wiltedwonderland @doggydale @limegreenbabx @namelesshumanperson @ninahhh-brahh

[adamwarlock]

Might be a strange question but which is your favorite Adam design from across all iterations of him? And also why? I’m trying to piece together what makes a good Adam design

Adam has honestly mostly had good looks but a lot of them are quite similar and play with previously established design elements for him. My favorites:

Classic Counter-Earth sideboob & bootyshorts, the Infinity Gauntlet black/red bodysuit and the Infinity Watch costume which kinda combines the two. His Annihilation Conquest redesign branches out the most visually but I also really like it:

IMO Adam should always feel a bit ''edgy'' and counterculture (think goth, glamrock, androgynous, vampiric) with his dark eye markings and skull charm or the full-body latex (kinky) in the Annihilation Conquest design. It's the least prominent in his early looks as his Classic costume leans into more of a Golden Gladiator aesthetic, which carries over to the later designs too but after the Magus he stops wearing revealing (open, vulnerable) outfits and becomes much darker visually alongside his personality and worldview. I don't think every design HAS to include the staff, cape or Soul Gem to be good but it definitely helps get across the idea of a Warlock/magical wise man/saint-like figure so I do prefer him with those elements.

He does however HAVE to have good hair. I don't care if it's long or short but it has to look good or it will completely throw off the vibes.

Like I think his Infinity Abyss costume is pretty good actually but for some reason Starlin decided to draw him like he's balding so erm... it's just okay. His look in RUNE is also perfectly fine but the braids by his temples look a bit silly and the art in that book is particularly hideous most of the time so it just doesn't work.

His worst comic book design is easily Infinity Countdown/Infinity WarS because it just. It's lame. It's like they tried to make him look straight or something, just removed every last bit of flair. No big collar, no gem, no skull, no bird on his staff, bad haircut. Add a stupid belt that he would never need. At least later on they removed the belt and added the Classic Lightning Bolt which does improve it a bit but it's still just kinda pathetic looking.

When it comes to adaptions I like these (except the beard...):

These are ugly but whatever I like Him in these games a lot anyway:

This outfit needs to burn in hell:

Anyway um. TL;DR he has to serve cunt hope that answers your question I love you

[halsins-herbal-underpants]

Bound

Dayan (Tav) x Halsin || modern human AU

Rating: Explicit 18+

PWP, D/s, Bondage, Sub Halsin

CW: None needed (afaik)

Kinks: Heavy bondage, sensory deprivation, implied orgasm denial, light objectification

Approx. 1800 words

This is entirely self-indulgent & barely edited; I apologize for nothing ~~

Read on Ao3

___________________________

"There we go...all laced up, pulled tight, and buckled in."

Dayan tested the straps up and down, tightening where loose, and loosening where they were a smidge too tight. "How's the circulation? Got room to wiggle your toes?"

He looked up expectantly after a length of silence, running a darkly tanned hand through his silvery-white ponytail. Pale violet eyes blinked in realization and Dayan huffed an embarrassed laugh as he realized why he wasn't getting any answers to his questions.

"Sorry, love -- wasn't thinking." He moved up and worked at the tight buckle of the gag then gently pried it loose. A lewd wet suck sounded as he slowly pulled the lengthy dildo free, trails of saliva still connecting it to the mouth that snugly housed it moments ago.

Halsin gave a cough and exhaled shakily, tilting his head towards Dayan, licking his tongue quickly over wet lips. His hazel eyes, still red rimmed and hazy with desire, flicked to his partner's face.

"It's good," he rasped, his voice slightly hoarse from their earlier adventures with the crop.

Dayan smiled, pleased, and patted Halsin's exposed hip. "Good."

His hands shifted to stroke slowly over the bigger male's body, tracing the seam of the leg binder that trapped Halsin's lower limbs in a tight triangle of leather from hip to foot. A similar device bound his arms behind his back, laced up tight within the confining material, covered all the way to his fingertips. Dayan adjusted the straps over Halsin's shoulders that held the arm binder in place. "Fingers aren't numb?"

"No...Everything's good, my h-heart," Halsin gasped, writhing a bit from the touch of Dayan's hands over his sensitized skin. They'd had such a long session of pleasure and pain beforehand -- he'd had no fewer than eight orgasms this time, though he knew his love was aiming for a baker's dozen soon -- his skin was practically tingling and it shivered at the man's gentle caresses.

Especially when he ran them over the unbound and uncovered parts of his body -- his ass, his plush belly, his round pecs. Fingers playfully pulled at the chain hanging between Halsin's piercings, tugging his nipples and making the big man jolt with a gasp.

Dayan just smiled. "Wonderful...then let's get started. I can't wait to try out Jenevelle's new recommendation. She said when Lae'zel used this during their last playtime, she saw stars."

Halsin chuffed a strained laugh. "Sh-she is quite the wildcat, so I can only imagine ha, how...impressive the sensation may be."

"Well, we'll start slow and see from there," Dayan grinned, giving Halsin's plump ass an affectionate squeeze, the skin still tender and lined with red welts. He loved the soft moan that brought, but didn't want to get distracted so didn't chase after more. He pulled the toy, a long silicone vibe, from its case and carefully lubed it up.

Luckily he and Halsin had been having fun for most of the afternoon and his big bear was still pliant and ready, so he didn't need to prepare him much. He did tease him a little, aiming the bottle of lube and squirting a hefty amount right between those plush, hairy cheeks. Halsin gasped and shuddered hard.

"C-cold!" he whined, and Dayan couldn't help but laugh. He slid his fingers around Halsin's gaping, well-fucked rim and then slowly past it, spreading the lube inside him.

"I'm sorry, my honeybear," Dayan soothed, leaning down to kiss Halsin's temple, grinning at the shudder that ran through the larger man as his fingers worked deeper. "Sometimes you're just too cute not to torment."

Halsin couldn't respond, too distracted with Dayan's fingers inside his pleasantly-sore hole, his already hard cock swelling even more around the silicone ring situated at its base. He knew the other man was doing it on purpose, but he couldn't be annoyed; it meant he was owed payback of his own when their positions were inevitably switched. That was always worth the teasing.

His body stretched against Dayan's lap as Dayan kept idly fingering him, a low shaking moan slipping from his kiss-swollen lips. His jaw was aching a little from the workout Dayan gave his mouth earlier, but he was still looking forward to being gagged. He'd given all his lover had asked for in service, now was when he'd get to relax and receive -- not have to think, just exist, bound and filled.

A shiver ran down his spine at the thought and he exhaled a shaky breath; his erection throbbed against his thigh, dripping slowly.

Dayan smiled softly and used the hand that cupped Halsin's head to turn his face towards him, bending to give his beautiful bear a slow, gentle kiss.

"Are you ready?" he asked as he sat back up, and Halsin nodded. "All right. Press the clicker for me, love." Halsin did so, the loud sound audible even through the leather binds. "Perfect. Twice to stop, once to keep going. I'll keep checking in, but don't hesitate if you want to take a break or stop entirely, okay?"

"Right," Halsin murmured and tilted his head up again. "Kiss me once more, my heart...?"

Dayan melted, his eyes softening as he cradled Halsin's head and happily leaned down to press a deep, loving kiss to those bite-bruised lips, tongue sliding between them to tease the older man's own. Dayan kissed him until they were both breathless, then pulled back and stroked through Halsin's damp chestnut hair.

"You're so pretty like this, babe," he murmured. "Flushed warm and soft and ruined~"

He leaned down and nipped gently at Halsin's bottom lip, earning a moan. "Breathe deep and slow," he whispered and gripped the large vibe, slowly easing it into him. It slid in without much fuss, though he could feel how tight the fit was, Halsin's rim still having to stretch despite being fucked open so well just hours before. His big bear let out a husky, quivering moan, low and long, until the vibe was completely seated inside. Dayan adjusted the harness he'd buckled onto Halsin earlier and slipped the end of the vibe into the ring, situating it so it'd stay buried deep no matter how much Halsin may writhe.

"Feeling okay?" he asked and Halsin nodded fervently, letting out a shaking breath.

"Bigger than I thought," he gasped, "but it's good, it's good..."

Dayan grinned and played fingers over Halsin's bottom lip, sliding one inside his mouth for the older man to eagerly suckle. "Perfect. You're being so good for me, my love. Proud of you." He got a muffled whimper in return and chuckled low, then slipped his fingers free and shifted his lap beneath the other man. "Ready for the gag again?"

"Yes, please," came the breathless plea and Dayan's cock stirred. He exhaled deeply, shaking his head in awe of how his love could arouse him with just his husky voice alone, and picked the gag back up. He cradled Halsin's jaw with one hand, carefully sliding the dildo back into his mouth with the other, easing it in until he felt resistance. Halsin twitched and gagged a little, and Dayan paused, stroking his jaw with a thumb.

"Easy now, love. Open your throat for me," he murmured. Halsin inhaled sharply through his nose, and then his throat relaxed and Dayan pushed the dildo the rest of the way until the mask was flush with Halsin's face.

He gently wrapped the straps around his lover's head, buckling it, careful not to catch his hair, and then patted his throat. He could feel the end of the dildo bulge a little and a shiver of arousal went through him. "Can you breathe clearly? Mask not too tight?" he asked and got a single click in response, Halsin testing his airway by breathing in and out deeply.

Satisfied, Dayan reached down and squeezed an ass cheek approvingly. "Good boy. Just a little more now, you're doing so well." Halsin gave a muffled, choked whine in response, his body writhing -- which made him gasp and groan, the vibe shifting deep inside him with every motion. Dayan watched his swollen cock twitch and grinned.

"You still want the full hood?" A single click and Dayan obliged, grabbing the hood from the coffee table, then readjusted Halsin on his lap. He gently worked the hood down over Halsin's head, gathering his hair to avoid pulling it, until the man's entire head was covered with slick featureless neoprene. He adjusted it so the breathing holes were flush with Halsin's nostrils and then threaded a thick leather collar through the loops on the neck and buckled it snugly.

He hooked a finger in the collar's D ring and tugged, forcing Halsin to bend towards him. A soft moan sounded from beneath the hood and Dayan huffed a hard breath, eyes roaming over Halsin's body.

"God you look so sexy like this," he muttered, stroking a hand over the nearly flat face of the hood. "Breathing okay, babe?" he asked, loud enough for Halsin to easily hear. There was a pause and a soft click, and Dayan exhaled slowly, trying to control himself. He could practically smell Halsin's arousal, his cock thick and stiff and dark at the tip, drooling precum all over Dayan's nice couch.

Dayan reached down to run a finger casually beneath that twitching shaft from root to head, making Halsin jerk and thrust his hips forward involuntarily. A fresh drop of clear liquid pearled at the tip and fell. Dayan caught it on the pad of his finger and brought it to his lips.

"Mmh...you still taste like the sweetest nectar," he murmured. Halsin writhed in return, the only response he could give.

"All right. You ready to settle in?" he asked and received an affirmative; pulling a little remote from his pocket, Dayan leaned into the couch cushions, getting comfortable. He arranged Halsin onto his side, a soft pillow propped under his neck with his head in Dayan's lap. He stroked the older man's back until he relaxed.

And then he turned the vibrator on.

A strained, muffled groan came from the almost entirely-bound bear on his lap, Halsin's cock twitching along with his quivering body. Dayan grinned and set the controller on the side table.

"Low setting for now; you're still so sensitive, after all," he sighed, tugging on the piercings chain and enjoying the higher pitched noise it pulled from his partner's throat. Halsin writhed as that vibe buzzed away merrily deep inside, and his love watched for a bit, enjoying the fruits of his labor.

Dayan settled back and poured himself another glass of wine from the bottle they'd opened and enjoyed hours ago. He picked up the book he'd been reading and rested it against Halsin's head, taking a languid sip of wine, ready to relax awhile, as his pretty honeybear sank into the depths of writhing, twitching pleasure, deprived of all sensations but his lover's touch.

"Pace yourself, my love," he grinned, flipping to the next page, as Halsin trembled softly in his lap. "We're only on the first setting...you've got twelve more to go. It's going to be a lengthy night~"

[ghoulphile]

I absolutely love ur fics!! And I want to write fics of my own soon (not for fallout yet..) can u give me any advice/tips? How do u try to write down the characters as accurate as possible?

Aww thank you so much!!

That's awesome, I'm glad you're getting into writing ❤️

I'm more than happy to talk about what works for me; however, no two writers are alike so some things might resonate and some might not.

Take what does, and leave what doesn't.

Read - a lot. Published works, fanfic, poetry, novellas, series, oneshots, longfic; read it all. Explore different genres and storylines. Find what you like about them, and what you dislike. What makes them good or bad in your opinion. Play around with what you'd do differently if it was your story. All of this will help you figure out a few things: one being what you personally like in storytelling, and two the basic structure of storytelling/what makes it compelling.

Find your voice. We all have a unique tone when telling a story, verbally or otherwise. Figuring out what your personal voice is will help you write authentically but also I can guarantee you're going to be 10,000x more happy with what you come up with.

Showing vs telling is a delicate balance. Sometimes things need to be written out plainly, and other times it works better if you add more meat to the sentence. An example would be: she's angry vs her heart rate pulsed in her temples, her fists shaking at her sides as a wave of heat rolled through her body. While they both convey the same thing, one can be more engaging to read over another.

Sometimes you have to write the boring bits - and write them plainly - to further the plot.

Most people are not a walking thesaurus, and using big fancy words like you're writing a dissertation can be very off putting. Absolutely use stronger words if you can, but you don't need to be using furfuraceous to replace scaly.

Additionally, forward momentum: one action should always lead into another which leads into another and so on.

A first draft is never pretty (if you decide to do multiple drafts) and that's okay.

If you get stuck, go back several sentences. Sometimes we write ourselves into a corner without realizing. OR add what you want in brackets and move on if you're getting hung up on certain parts. An example being something like: He was [find word for mix of angry and sad] but had to stiffen his upper lip and move about his day as if [insert phrase mentioning what happened earlier]. Worse case, put it down for a day or so and come back to it later with fresh eyes.

As mad as it makes me, and as hilarious as it is... writing in Comic Sans helps. RIP.

Saying your sentence out loud can help you figure out if something is off, and saying your dialogue out loud can help determine if it's something an actual person would say.

Taking your time and being patient is the best thing you can do for your creativity otherwise you might burn yourself out.

I find music helpful so I create playlists for every fic I write that matches the vibe I'm going for. Additionally, I have pre-writing rituals that help me get into the headspace.

Yes, cryofreeze your darlings - put them somewhere safe for later. You can use those sentences for something else, they don't need to be completely deleted.

As for keeping characters... well, in character, it depends. Watching/listening to/reading whatever media they're in and paying close attention to the words they say + how they say them + if they have any specific phrases, the way they move + their actions + how they react to things helps a lot. Personally, I keep little lists of things I've noticed that I can refer to if I need them. And sometimes, you just have to suspend your disbelief a little and determine how someone might react to the particular situation you've put the character in. When it comes to that, I tend to think back on when I've been in similar situations or have felt the way they should in that scene, and use how I've reacted as a touchstone.

Write what YOU'D want to read.

And most importantly, HAVE FUN.

I hope this helped, nonnie~!!

Happy writing, you've got this 🥰

[femmemortes]

My top five most brutal SAW traps even though absolutely nobody asked for my fucking opinion:

5 — Pound of Flesh, SAW VI

I feel like this isn’t a trap that’s talked about often enough considering the actual shit you have to do to survive it. I mean come on. Cut off enough of your flesh to survive? And it’s not even like there’s a set amount anyway, it’s a competition between you and another person to see who can do the most. No guidance as to what specific body part to cut off either. You just have to take the knife and just start going crazy. It makes having the punishment for not doing it look not as bad but, then again, actually thinking about having screws drilled into the sides of your temples? Yeah, no thanks babes xxx

Simone was a total badass just hacking her arm straight off like that and living. Just sent it all the way and won, you love to see it.

4 — Silence Circle, SAW 3D

If someone asked me to do this trap I would actually just kill myself instead. Gun in my mouth, bang, gone. Same with all of these to be fair but the fucking idea of the key on a fishing hook in your stomach? And that just raking up your insides as you’re trying to take it out? Fuck that. Fuck. That. I think the only thing that would make me do this would be the other person pulling out the string because if I had to do that shit myself? I’d just scream as loud as I could to make the spikes impale me instantly. I am not doing that shit.

This one gets bumped down a bit because we don’t actually see the visual of the hook going up through her? Which makes it an easier watch than the others on this list, but I still think it deserved a place here because of the sheer insanity of the entire thing.

3 — Bone Marrow Trap, SAW X

Fuck. This. Trap.

Actually fuck it. In my opinion this was the most brutal trap in SAW X. Yes, I know some people make arguments for the brain surgery trap being pretty brutal and yes taking out your brain is just… Wow. And I’ll agree it is bad. But you don’t FEEL your brain.

THIS ON THE OTHER HAND?

CUTTING OFF YOUR LEG AT THE THIGH? WITH A GIGLI SAW NO LESS? The amount of blood loss, the fact if you want to live just have to take that fucking saw to your leg and just DO IT? And then once you’re done you have to take that stupid little fuckoff tube and stick it in your bone and get the bone marrow out, which is ALSO PAINFUL???

Also the part where she grabs the gigli saw in-front of her with her hands… Fuck, just fuck.

Valentina really didn’t deserve to die here, I won’t lie to you. She cut off her leg, was taking out the marrow. I believe had the tube thing for the vacuum to measure how much bone marrow or whatever the fuck had been shorter, she would’ve lived. Yes she started later but like, come the fuck on.

2 — Venus Fly Trap, SAW II

I’m going to start this with, this trap being the first trap of SAW II is an actually insane tone shift from what we had in the first movie. Like, the only trap I really consider brutal in SAW is the reverse bear trap, but we don’t even see that one go off since Amanda survives it.

So seeing this shit right out the gate is just… Oh my god. Wow. Just wow.

This trap has always given me reverse bear trap vibes in appearance, it’s probably the whole thing of, it’s on the head, closes, shuts whatever. I don’t know but it’s got a similar energy to it.

First of all, the whole nails in your face thing? Yeah, hate that. But what I’m most concerned about is the KEY BEHIND THE EYE.

FUCK.

THAT.

SHIT.

The visual of him cutting into his eyeball with the scalpel? And you actually just have to fucking go at it and just… ugh. I was pretty torn between either this trap or the Bone Marrow trap for this kinda reason. Cutting off a leg or cutting open your eye? And honestly the eye is just. Worse. Like just digging into your eye to get out a fucking key? Like all things given, at LEAST I can turn off my brain somewhat while cutting off my leg. Just back and forth with a saw. I don’t even have to look!

THIS? WHAT I’M CUTTING IS DOING THE LOOKING. I STRUGGLE TO PUT ON EYELINER, HOW THE FUCK DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO THIS?

1 — The Rack, SAW III

There is a reason why people think this trap is the worst one. There is a reason and it’s fucking obvious.

You’re on a mother-fucking crucifix looking ass thing, legs and arms out, and if this other guy doesn’t take a bullet for you, your limbs are going to be twisted.

YOUR ARMS, LEGS AND NECK are going to be ROTATED 360 DEGREES. ONE. BY. ONE.

Oh and the guy who’s taking the bullet for you? It’s Jeff by the way, stupid fucking Jeff. So you have no chance xxx

The visuals. I can’t watch this trap without looking away, I see the limbs start turning and my line of sight is directly away from the screen. No.

No.

The image of twisting flesh and the fucking shot where you see one of his legs start to move?

NO.

AND HIS HEAD. HIS FUCKING HEAD.

NO.

I DON’T NEED TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS IS NUMBER ONE. FUCKING LOOK AT IT.

Honourable mentions under the cut:

Honourable mentions go to The Angel Trap and Ten Pints of Sacrifice. I didn’t include the angel trap because I feel like, while yes getting your ribs ripped out is horrific, you don’t really suffer much while alive? Which to me, the more they suffer while alive or trying to complete their trap, the more brutal it is. Ten Pints of Sacrifice isn’t on here because I was doing 5, had I been doing like 10 you would’ve definitely seen this on here. Oh and also, Needle Pit isn’t on here because I’m entirely unfazed by it. I hate to do Mandy like this but I just personally don’t really wince at it at all.

[wangxianficrecs]

lovers be lost (but love shall not) by la_muerta

lovers be lost (but love shall not)

by la_muerta

T, 13k, Wangxian

Part of the Danmei Diaspora Creatives

Summary: When the Jiang family falls on hard times, they are faced with two choices - have Jiang Yanli marry wealthy asshole Jin Zixun to clear the family's debts, or have Wei Ying marry the youngest son of the equally wealthy Lan family. To save his elder sister from a miserable loveless marriage, Wei Ying agrees to the match. There's just one catch - his prospective husband is already dead. Kay's comments: I really loved this story and it was actually one of the first stories I saw that featured a ghost marriage! The setting especially was just great, I'm very weak for the 1910s era and I loved this exploration of this time period. In which Wei Wuxian gets ghost-married to the recently deceased Lan Wangji, but fear not, there is a happy end for them! There's also a mystery to solve and the Lan estate, which has the most haunted vibes (and may be haunted by Lan Wangji). Excerpt:"Thank you, Uncle Jiang. Actually, this is about my brother, Lan Zhan. I'm afraid he passed away a few days ago," Lan Huan says. Wei Ying is so surprised that he blurts out, "A few days ago? Then why would you want to talk about a wedding now? Um, no offence." "None taken," Lan Huan assures him. "Well, my brother and I are the last remaining members of our family line, and because he is younger than me, I'm not allowed to pay my respects to him. He was only 19, and has no spouse or children who can complete the proper funeral rites for him. I have had to leave his body at the funeral home instead of bringing it here, and after everything he cannot be buried in the family grave with our ancestors because by custom there is nobody who can mourn him, and I just-" Lan Huan takes a deep breath, unable to continue talking. Meng Yao urges his employer to drink his tea, brows furrowed with worry as he murmurs words of comfort. In the silence that follows, Wei Ying fits the pieces of the puzzle together. "Why not offer marriage to a young lady instead? Or ask the temple medium if he knows of any young man or woman who has passed away and whose family might find themselves in a similar predicament?" Jiang Fengman asks carefully. Lan Huan puts down his cup, shaking his head. "My brother would not have been happy about being married to a woman. He had few friends and kept to himself, and I was one of the few people who knew him well, but even I underestimated the depth of his loneliness. If there is indeed an afterlife, I do not wish for him to be lonely in it as well, which is why I wished to meet your foster son before we involved a matchmaker or medium." Lan Huan turns to Wei Ying, addressing him very seriously, "I want to make sure that you understand what is being asked of you." To marry a dead man and go through the mourning rites for him as his widower so that he can be buried in his ancestral grave. To promise to be the companion of this man in the afterlife, a man Wei Ying has never met... or has he?

pov wei wuxian, modern setting, modern with magic, 1910s, case fic, ghosts, ghost lan wangji, arranged marriage, ghost marriage, angst with a happy ending, lan wangji/wei wuxian get a happy ending, @la-muerta

~*~

(Please REBLOG as a signal boost for this hard-working author if you like – or think others might like – this story.)

[youremyheaven]

https://www.tumblr.com/youremyheaven/754408463252209664/i-checked-jks-mahadasha-and-hes-going-through?source=share

Man Russell brand is problematic I don't want jk to become like that 😔 , and tattoos are a spiritual part of so many tribes , that man got an eye tattoo ( which people mistook as illuminati so he got it covered) in a live he said he got the eye tattoo so he can feel he is being watched and don't take wrong decisions in life that shows good moral compass ( Jupiter trait) and if I am not wrong he has jupiter in 1st house in cancer exalted in d9 .

Russell brand is so not it and apart jk releasing that song 3d( that song rap is so fucking misogynistic) , if I leave that thing I think he is pretty spiritual just not mainstream way but I believe he asked jimin to go with him at a temple. Ketuvians idts can live that sanely if they don't feel spiritual or don't have a feminine in their life to drain( mostly Ashlesha)

I know he's problematic as hell (sexually assaulted multiple women???) and I wasn't seriously implying that JK will turn into him,, I just meant that he'd channel the vibes of a guy who just seemed super spiritual and philosophical and the first name that came to my mind was Russell Brand 😬😬I admit that its a poor comparison considering Russell is known for being an asshole as well (even without the SA allegations) but I ONLY meant his spiritual philosophical vibe, like take any interview of his and he's just talking about existential things

tattoos are deeply spiritual to me and they're connected to Ketu for a reason,, Claire explained this in her tattoo video about how getting tattoos and piercings are a way to open up certain energetic channels and how marking your body permanently can have spiritual consequences

ive heard that getting your nose piercing is a remedy for Mercury related issues

and ear piercings are supposed to help both your Venus and Jupiter apparently

there's more but i cant remember them rn

idk if he has Jup in 1h but he has struck me a "good" person so he probably channels healthy Jup energy (his Ketu is in Purvabhadrapada in D1, idk which house but generally the Ketu placement is very apparent with artists because they have to reach that deep down within themselves to make art. It can be more dormant or less obvious with other people tho but generally I've noticed/sensed the Ketu nak's energy with manyyy artists, for example, Namjoon has Ketu in Bharani and everything he writes, how he talks about life etc is soooo Bharani influenced, its hard to miss. His dignified stoic kinda vibe (which I also attribute to him most likely being Vishaka Rising) kinda comes from there because Purvaphalguni can exhibit similar Venusian traits but Namjoon's unique brand of Venusian male behaviour also feels heavily Bharani (all that eternal love he sings about = Bharani, him singing about being horny = Purvaphalguni lmao)

idk whether or not JK is spiritual but he seems connected to that energy at least a little. he said he'd hear bells when he met his soulmate lmao, ik that sounds like a cheesy fanservice-y thing to say but i also feel like its very Venusian of him (he's Purvaphalguni Sun)

Ketuvian men draining women is so real UGHHHHH i think they're hot but i could never date them due to this very reason,, they suck the life out of me :///

[astronomodome]

Alright I was asked to make a list of all the The Garages songs I associate with life series things so I have done that

A few notes:

Songs are in no particular order (mostly just sorted by album as I was going through listening to them all)

All song titles (in color) are links to the respective songs, so you can listen to them :3

These songs are all worth listening to but my absolute favorites are marked in orange

Let me know what you think! I’ve been waiting so long to talk extensively about this :)))))) <- going to explode

list is below the cut because this got loooong

Astro Astronomodome’s Garages Life Series Playlist:

Eyes in the Dark- *gestures vaguely* how am I gonna live with these eyes in the dark when they’re following me around and they’re following you around 👍 and there’s nowhere you can go that they’re not there 👍

Jaylen Hotdogfingers Settles The Score- limited life winner martyn in thy little wood I am so normal about you <- lie

Godspeed- TIES sending off Skizz… see you space cowboy

Curse of Crows- third life grian-core, you know, when he was green and couldn’t actually kill but he and scar were going around being vaguely threatening. You could maybe use the crows in this as a metaphor for red life scar. Also birds

Relief Pitcher (Leave It On The Field)- Extremely strong vibes but I’m not sure of what. Maybe last life martyn? In the final battle? Idk. Maybe every martyn. I ljke him. (anyway this song changed my brain chemistry permanently so it deserves a place in the list regardless)

rooting for you- I’m delusional, bdubs is a species of plant, and ethubs is wlw. what is a nature wives

we had a season- ok this is THE desert duo song. No song will ever end of double life we’ve-spent-so-much-time-dancing-around-each-other-and-now-we-have-nothing-left-but-each-other desert duo as hard as this song. I have a very detailed AMV in my head of this so you know I’m right. It’s even a duet… ‘we had a season, we had a year/between when I died and when I reappeared’ (there’s almost exactly a year between grian’s last third life episode and scar’s first double life episode. I checked for this reason specifically and it killed me instantly) PLEASE just listen to this one ‘I had my reasons, I had my fears/I had my pride (I still had tears in my eyes as I died)’

dead ringer- just as the previous song is The desert duo song, this is The red king ren song. It slaps and the vibes are perfect. ‘my skin is made of energy, my blood is made of fire/I am what will happen when your best-made plans backfire’

hexed- very much post-3rd life watcher grian. pretty self-explanatory

The Alternate- ‘I’m new but I’ve seen so much/I’m old but I was not there’ do I even need to say it. Gem-as-Cleo and Lizzie-as-Pearl (‘I’ve done this once before’)

gamer grindset- yeah this is The Life Series Joel Song. you can fight me on this but you don’t have to because I know I’m right

a leap of faith- reminds me of scar. nothing in particular it just has similar vibes

haunted- ok now this is a Real watcher grian kind of song. ‘my body is a temple/for the gods of other men/wielded as a weapon by foes I swore I’d never be again’ ok. edgy bird moment

she’s dead and i’m someone else- this one requires some interpretation but I’ve always seen it was team BEST mourning the loss of bdubs. However it could also be applied to almost every ten in the life series that lost a member early lol

Mike Townsend (feels the shadows call)- specifically last life shadow alliance martyn but any martyn in general fits. he’s having a bad time

INCINERATE- just like. Being on your red life in general and the bloodlust and manic energy that brings. 😛 (edit after the finale: OKAY I KNOW THERES SO MANY LIMITED LIFE MARTYN SONGS BUT THIS IS ALSO ONE OF THEM ‘I know how to win this/I don’t need to play your games/I’m just gonna dance now/I’ll show you how to deal with pain’ ‘every day’s getting worse and we’re starting to choke/‘cause the water in the air is getting stuck in our throats’ LIKE COME ON MAN)

Sidelined- limited life skizz you will always be famous ‘am I just another wash-out/am I damned to go out swinging/I can’t hear you from the dugout/is there anyone else singing for me’ I am singing! I am singing for you skizzleman!!!!!!!!!

Firewalker With Me- the song. The myth. The legend. It’s just such a great song and it’s about life series grian’s curse of killing the people he cares most about. Grian is a parker if you think about it <- mentally ill (special note- ‘nobody deserves to be called a curse/but if you’re gonna resist I’m happy to make things worse’ is grian accidentally getting jimmy final-killed first in limited life btw)

We’ve Got History- not to be that guy but desert duo. Ok

New Year, Same Me- martyn.

The Return- the start of a new life series! Seeing old friends again! Missing friends who couldn’t make it (cough cough martyn missing ren in limited life cough cough)! Playing the game! Living and loving despite the horrors!

A Horrible Mistake We Will Make Again And Again- grian grian grian. Grain. The bird boy. Also easily one of my favorite Garages song titles. ‘If I don’t know the limits, how am I gonna break them?/If you think that we’re kidding well then you’re sorely mistaken’

The First Ain’t The Last- canary curse activated! Honestly the entirety of this album is just the average life series lmao ‘and one day you’ll wake up/and from the ashes a phoenix will rise/and she’ll hit like a champ/and burn out bright before your eyes’

The Ballad of Unremarkable Derrick Krueger- another one that definitely has life series vibes (and is just a really good song) but that I just can’t place. I want to say Tango honestly because he always has been somewhat painfully mediocre and has famously always final-deathed in underwhelming and meaningless ways

Rise- this is the Cleo song. Epic. Thank you Cleo :) Joe can be the monitor in this scenario I think he’d be good at it

RIV- does anyone still remember that part of martyn’s last life lore where the mysterious voice was promising that he would get to see jimmy mumbo and impulse again if he followed its instructions? Well……

Hell’s Game- Blaseball is a death game and this song leans into that so naturally it fits pretty well with the life series as a whole. Would make a great AMV

5am Shift- Ok bear with me here. This doesn’t really fit Pearl other than the song title (lol) and maybe you can make some parallels to cleaning lady Pearl but it gives me her vibes. Plus it’s just a whole jazzy banger and one of my favorite songs so it’s going here anyway :)

Nullified- for the end of limited life. pretty self-explanatory ‘wasted all my minutes/trying to stay alive/and look where it got me/I’m just the last one nullified’ honestly worked better before the actual finale because martyn was more manic about it than this song would imply

STRIKEOUT!- life series mumbo my horrible wet cat. this song is a little weird but it suits him I think

The Tug- they never left the desert.

SUN 2- obligatory flower husbands song for all the flower husbands enjoyers out there. Time to go cry I guess

flooding/drowning- big impdubs moment. Or honestly just any of bdubs’s life series exes reminiscing… ‘and you’re angry when the energy rises to meet you/like the life rafts are disrespectful to the sea’ is the most life series bdubs thing I’ve ever heard

REMEMBERTHEM- very good and classic anti-watcher song. If c!martyn was just a little more aware of his situation I think this would fit better (honestly a lot of good garages songs just don’t fit very well because we haven’t quite reached the ‘let’s kill the watchers’ stage of the lore yet lmaooo)

Nothing Happens Every Day- tfw when no life series 🥺 could also be martyn because he loves to kill <3

historic season nine party time speedrun and associated records- mean gills vibes. a nice quiet evening in the coral isles, reminiscing

Mike Townsend Is A Disappointment- I’m so sorry Jimmy but it fits too well

Bonus! Hermitcraft-adjacent songs:

Storm’s Raging- moon big. the long, slow, inevitable end of the world. Bdubs looking up at the sky as it falls on him. the lyrics kick ass as well: ‘there were days when it all seemed never ending/when all you could hear was the forecasts, the fear/and the sound of the cloudline bending’ (and the way it speeds up at the end……. omg)

howling at twin moons- s8 scar. I will not elaborate

alaynabella hollywood- ariana griande <- wait who said that

golden- rentheking arc I love you :3 viva la revolution

Sincerely, The Collateral- hermitcitizen song tbh

Beep or Bleat- despite the EXTREMELY zedaph-coded song title this is actually end-of-season 8 tango moon landing-core. ‘do we possess a soul/does it exceed the speed of light/can it escape black holes/do we still have a chance to fight’

Nut Economy- another rentheking arc song. You can tell when I started watching HC from this can’t you. Well. Royal emeralds I miss you :(

Morning is Coming- HONESTLY if I had the ability to make AMVs this would be top of my list. It’s just so… so much. Escaping moon big at the end of season 8… I know it’s overdone at this point but it’s rotating around in my head all the time. What does it say about me that there are two moon big songs here and they’re both my favorites…

fourteen days is not enough for my screams to reach your ears- another tango lost in space at the end of season 8 song. it messed me up ok

psychoacoustics- I love convex* *DISCLAIMER: 99% of the convex knowledge I have comes from fan interpretation alone. Alternatively I could just be really trying to manifest a zedaph villain arc

oliver mueller (is a hero)- docm77 for several reasons which will become apparent almost immediately

hello world- grumbot I love you :] (putting in a different version so you can tell what the lyrics are without subtitles and I’m sorry because this version of the song is somewhat worse. they just start singing godspeed in the middle of it for some reason and like I’m not complaining I love that song but also why) (here’s the original version)

the entire kansas city breath mints team failed the bar exam- hermitcraft. no elaboration is necessary

[nickgerlich]

Foreign Matter

It is no secret that my favorite grocery store is Trader Joe’s. Sure, Whole Foods comes in a close second, but TJ’s is just my vibe. I love the laid back atmosphere, free of pretense and full of happy, adventurous shopping. They’re keen to keep bringing in foods and spices that most other groceries would never touch.

Unfortunately, we will probably never have one here in Amarillo. While they continue to add new stores (there are currently 564 stores in 43 states), they have their standards, tending to open in educated, upper-middle-class neighborhoods. We just don’t have enough people here who fit that demo.

So, whenever I travel, I go prepared with a huge cooler and a stack of Trader Joe’s reusable shopping bags. If Dallas, Albuquerque, or Oklahoma City are on my return trip, then I stop for a major shopping expedition. Believe me, I am not the only one. Many TJ’s fans who live in places that will never have one are just like me, and TJ’s knows it. Why add too many stores when people are willing to go to this extreme just to patronize you?

Trader Joe’s has been around since 1967 in Pasadena California. It was purchased by Aldi Nord (“North”) in 1979. And if you recognize that name, you should. It’s just that the Aldi stores we see in the US (which admittedly have many similarities, but different price points and target market) are owned by Aldi Sud (“South”). Both are German companies, and were once one big company until a rift developed between the brothers who owned it. They split into two at that point, so at best we can say that TJ’s and Aldi are cousins.

Given my love affair with TJ’s, it should come as no surprise that I have been known to include them in essay exam questions (wink wink, nudge nudge), incorporating their very cool podcast and other materials. This is a company that does exceptionally little advertising, adamantly refuses to allow online shopping, and will never have self-check lanes. It’s all about the shopping experience, and for this marketing prof, a company that is rich with marketing lessons.

But all has not been well with TJ’s this summer, because they have suffered through five product recalls. And they are odd ones, ranging from items that “may contain” rocks, insects, and metal. Ouch. Once that kind of news hits the airwaves and social media, it can become a public relations nightmare.

Roughly 85% of TJ’s items are private-label goods, meaning they are manufactured and packaged under contract by a different company. TJ’s doesn’t make anything; they just authorize its manufacture and labeling. It’s a challenge to find other-branded items in the store outside of the beer and wine section. It is these external providers who are the ones with quality control issues.

And yet TJ’s bears the brunt of the messaging, as well as responsibility for controlling the flow of response. That’s no small task.

None of these recalls is going to keep me from shopping at Trader Joe’s, but they might deter others, especially those who may not be quite so loyal as I am. Let’s face it, recalls are a black eye, whether you are at fault or not. How you handle that recall will help define your future. It starts with pulling all of the items that “may contain” said foreign matter, and then allowing for no-questions-asked refunds.

That’s only the beginning though. How do you begin to assure shoppers that they will be safe shopping there? Remember, we’re talking about food, something we put in our mouths. And what we put in our mouths is sacred. I liken meal preparation and eating to a spiritual experience. That is perfectly consistent with the religious training I received as a youth, that our bodies are temples and to be respected as such. Now why would I want to risk ingesting rocks, insects, and metal?

Given that TJ’s only uses Pinterest and Instagram on social media, along with their podcast and printed newsletter called The Fearless Flyer, they do not have many channels of communication. It’s so much easier when you leverage all of the socials, because you can broadcast to millions with a few clicks and taps.

In fact, TJ’s presence on Insta is predominantly fan pages that get as much traction as the corporate page, with people reviewing new products, offering recipe advice, and the like. That’s all great in terms of free word-of-mouth, but Trader Joe’s never gets to take the microphone on those pages, only their own.

Lastly, TJ’s could consider finding new vendors for some of its private label products, especially if a track record of recalls were to be established. Even still, this is no small task, because extensive vetting must then be completed. Existing vendors were chosen after thorough product testing in the first place.

I’ll be watching, TJ’s. You’re not at risk of losing me, but you cannot ignore these matters. Five black eyes in a little more than a month is a bad look. Here’s to righting this ship and sailing boldly into the future.

Dr “I Want To Work At TJ’s After I Retire” Gerlich

Audio Blog

[cryptidcalling]

I’d love to play a cozy game where you’re actually tending to a graveyard and you help set up funerals and prepare bodies and stuff. I own Graveyard Keeper but I’ve barely played it because it turned out to really not be my thing. I don’t like all the zombies and burning witches and feeding people flesh. I’d like a game that revolves around death and graveyard tending in a way that’s like, keeping the spooky vibes but not desecrating bodies.

Things I’m imagining as part of the gameplay:

-Preparing the body for funerals (prepping for open casket, cremation, being made into fertilizer, etc). You’d need to learn what that person wanted after death. I imagine sometimes there’s conflicts between what the person wanted and what the family wants, so you have to choose whose wishes to follow.

-Obv decorating and upgrading the graveyard and temple. This is the only part of Graveyard Keeper that I actually quite liked, though I’d enjoy more aesthetic freedom.

-Preparing and leading funeral services. This would involve talking to the friends and family as well as whatever wishes the deceased left behind. What tone do they want, what were their favorite flowers, other decoration info, what they they believe in, etc. (I’m still imagining this in some sort of fantasy world, so knowing what deities they may have followed would probably be pretty important for the funerals).

-Tending to the graves in various ways, like leaving food and flowers and cleaning the headstones. This could help to tie in other classic cozy-game elements like cooking and gardening!

-Probably the usual town and townsfolk you can get to know and eventually marry! I like to imagine that there’d be a lot of variety in how they treat you. Some are probably pretty anxious around you because of your job, others try to be kind but clearly don’t really Get It, and then a couple others (older people or those who have some personal connection to death) would be very kind. I’ve got one character in mind who’s really closed off at first, and eventually you learn it’s because someone they loved died when they were younger and so now they have a lot of anxiety around death and dead bodies. Another one might be terminally ill or very recently had a loved one pass away, and through getting to know the player character they’re able to find a lot more peace about their situation. Maybe there’s someone who’s into ghost hunting and is kinda disrespectful about how they talk abt the dead until they get to know you and understand everything you do.

I’m not gonna be making this bc I have no idea how to make games, it’s just fun to think about. If someone knows a game similar to this tell me so I can buy it immediately.

[alister312]

I saw in your stick of truth art you said you play baldurs gate? Im interested to know if you have any south park crossover ideas?

I have been playing lately!! well, not really 😅 a friend from d&d has been streaming it to me but once I have my own gaming PC I will be buying and playing it on my own a lot 😏 but since i can’t exactly access it on my own i don’t know the whole game’s plot so no spoilers please!! however i will say……. wyll my beloved 🥺

(putting further ideas below the cut in case anyone else wants to play but can’t and doesn’t want any spoilers at all!)

speaking of Wyll, i do definitely get Gregory vibes from him. like, the fact that he’s a runaway noble who was forced to run bc he sacrificed himself (or at least his soul via a pact)…. big martyr vibes. and now he just goes around helping the downtrodden for no reason other than that it’s the right thing to do?? ABSOLUTELY Gregory. but i will say that the way Gale talks is more Gregory’s vibe.

Christophe….. idk honestly. i will say I’ve seen that one foreign kids in bg3 crossover thing that has Christophe as Shadowheart and i think that is pretty much the MOST wrong choice lol. i know she has trauma with wolves and Christophe has trauma with guard dogs but that’s where the similarities end. Shadowheart’s a cleric. her whole thing about devotion to a goddess. Christophe’s arguably biggest defining character trait is his hatred for God. if i had to pick a main companion person to align Christophe with it’d maybe be Karlach..? but idk. maybe he’s not meant to be in a bg3 AU.

for general SPxbg3 and not just my two main SP boys tho, I really vibe with the idea of Stan as Halsin… strong, kind, loves animals 🥰 kind of the perfect fit! also the fact that he’s a bear and finn has all the art with post covid Stan as a big ol bear. for Kyle, my heart wants to say Astarion since i love vamp Kyle and for style/halstarion reasons BUT Kyle is not as mean spirited as Astarion is at first ofc so i think he’s sort of similar to Gale..? well meaning but comes off as kind of pretentious, bad luck in romance, and kind of a nerd.

Kenny is Karlach, no doubt about it. loves to party and dance, excellent vibes, but cursed in ways that involve destruction of their bodies. circling back to Astarion, honestly i think this could be Craig! i mean, Damien fits really well too but i’m trying to think of more major characters for this theoretically crossover lol. Wendy seems like an obvious choice for Shadowheart visually at least, but i think she’s a bit more like Wyll! assuming that it’s not Gregory haha. they both care deeply about issues of justice and are willing to fight for what’s right. Shadowheart then i feel could be Bebe… both perfectly bitchy but also badass. and tell me Bebe wouldn’t be the type to cut and dye her hair after a dramatic moment!!

then there’s Lae’zel who honestly I’m a bit stuck on 😅 to be frank she’s my least favorite character so far. the tav my friend and i have is a cleric of lathander who believed that the guardian in the prism was his god (before learning The Truth lmao) so the combination of the githyanki occupying the temple of Lathander and wanting to kill the guardian made me not like her much. but maybe she could be Red bc Red is my favorite SP girl so that will help endear her to me 🥰

i know nothing about Minthara bc my friend loves Halsin so we killed Minthara basically the moment we met her. doesn’t help that she’s a drow and personally as a D&D player I hate dealing with drow. come back to me about her when i play on my own and don’t kill her straight away.

[jordanprice]

Independent Excursion: Academic Reflection

June 17 - Nyan Nyan Ji Cat Temple

Today Lauren and I visited the Nyan Nyan Ji cat temple. Lauren had found it online and really wanted to go. She wanted to be able to use it for her academic independent excursion, so she asked professor Smith, and he said that if we were able to find something actually academic for it then we could. And we took that as a challenge. Lauren found the place and I found the article, we make such a great team.

The cat temple was an hour or so away from the hotel, but we decided it was going to be worth it, and it was. We revolved a whole one of our two days off in Kyoto around it. It closed at 6 pm, and we were unfortunately on track for being late to it.

We took a taxi and made it on time to have 40 mins there. If we would’ve done a train we would’ve only had 20 mins there which would not be enough at all. 40 was barely enough in the first place.

The place itself was very cool, and I had to respect how much they committed to it. They had you take off your shoes in the start, as the whole thing was tatami mats. The art was very unique and all cat themed of course. One of the apprentice monk cats was there today, but unfortunately the head monk was not there as he only works 2-3 times a month. The apprentice monk was still very cute though and we got to feed him.

The place had this bar with a cat bartender and Lauren and I found that to be extremely sacrilegious to have in such a sacred temple. In all seriousness it was pretty silly.

Then there were the actual cat temple areas to pray to them. I will proudly state that this is the only shrine or temple I donated to during the trip. The room they were in also had this cat monk statue that was absolutely BEGGING for a 0.5, so of course I got one of it. The ceiling in that room was cool as well, with each of the tiles being a different artistic rendition of cats. Some were definitely interesting for sure.

They then had a downstairs area, and it was quite something. It was a museum completely dedicated to remakes of famous art pieces, but with cats. I loved how much effort they put into it and also into the plaques describing the pieces as cats as well. The music topped it off as well, it fit the vibe too well. My favorite rendition was of a cat as The Scream.

Overall, it was a lot more serious and silly than I was expecting at the same time. They committed so hard to the bit that it was questionable whether it was even a bit anymore at that point, and I loved that about it.

Academic Reflection

The article I chose for this is “When There Are No More Cats to Argue about: Chan Buddhist Views of Animals in Relation to Universal Buddhanature.” This work discusses Chan Buddhism and how people view and debate both cats’ and other animals’ capacity for enlightenment.

In Japanese culture, cats are generally viewed as symbols of good luck and of wisdom. The lucky cat statues are an example of this. Tokyo’s Gotokuji Temple is filled with them. The reason for such is that Li Naotaka was led to safety from a thunderstorm by a cat, and to show his respect, he created a temple honoring cats. A belief in Buddhism is that cats’ bodies are temporary resting places for people of his spiritual energy and wisdom. While cats are a widespread positive symbol in Buddhism, there are not many temples actually dedicated to them. Nyan Nyan Ji is, of course, a prime example of one that is.

The reading shows how cats and dogs are used in Chan Buddhism to represent mankind’s challenges as well as possibilities in reaching enlightenment. This is done through Chan expressions to convey such didactic messages.

It also mentions how cats and dogs are the most common animals to live with Chan Buddhist monks. The reason given for cats being so is that they have similar living conditions as well as feelings of attachment as the monks do.

The debate over whether they are able to reach enlightenment themselves comes down to those who believe cats are reincarnated lazy monks, and those who believe that cats not questioning enlightenment being a higher form of understanding than people have, as people will worry about and question these things.

Citation:

Heine, Steven. “When There Are No More Cats to Argue about: Chan Buddhist Views of Animals in Relation to Universal Buddhanature.” Journal of Chinese Philosophy, vol. 43, no. 3–4, 2016, pp. 239–258, https://doi.org/10.1163/15406253-0430304008. 

[nlghtshade]

♡ july 2022 favorites

sorry this is so late 😭 july just came and went ?? i swear it was still june just last week ... anyway ... it's finally the weekend and i've caught up and organized myself enough to polish this list up :)

so many amazing recs for amazing fic and art this month !! hidden gems s2 by @sitp-recs is officially live !! i've added so many fics to my list via the amazing submissions for wizard hearts 2022, and a soft welcome back to @softlystarstruck's softly reading lists !!

i've also been loving all the amazing fics and art coming out of @hd-wireless, @hp-bodiceripper and @gwbexchange's hd summer vibes fest ♡

and lastly just want to highlight how lovely this month has been - there's been so many birthdays, anniversaries and lovely appreciation posts for everyone going around that just !!! make my heart burst w happiness ♡ so last but not least - a special special shoutout to @rockingrobin69 and her lovely fandom recs and this piece of fandom love ♡

FIC

ever-giving heart (2021, Explicit, 6.1k) by @softlystarstruck

Harry Potter doesn't ask for help, until he does– desperately, standing on Draco's doorstep. Draco doesn't intend to get invested. Really.

All The Time In The World (2022, Mature, 7k) by @basicallyahedgehog

Since he hit puberty, Harry has been using glamours to make his body look how he feels. But when the Horcrux inside him dies, taking his body's ability to accept magic with it, he is left back at the starting line. Or, after the war Harry figures out who he wants to be with the help of his family, the world's best best-friend, and a surprising person from his past.

Day 194: Feral (2022, 2.8k) by @drarrily-we-row-along

cw: injury on a case- everyone is fine but it's a little icky.

A Saturday Kind of Love by @nv-md

For the brilliant and wonderful @emmalovesdilemmas who sent me the prompt: farmer’s market. Have I written a similar fic before? Sure have. Do I still love it? Sure do. Please enjoy some boys in love! For my Somewhat Summer Drarry Drabbles.

Heart of Gold by @phoebe-delia

This is for the marvelous, majestic, incredible birthday geese, @geesenoises. My love, I don't quite know what I'd do without you and your big heart and smart brain. You are so full of kindness, wisdom, humor and generosity. I simply adore you. Thank you, also, for introducing me to Griff. For you, I have a little songfic offering based on "Heart of Gold," which as we've discussed is a great Drarry song. I hope I've done it justice. Enjoy!

Dichotomy by @undercoverwarlock

For @drarrymicrofic's prompt, "Bike Dream" by Rostam. I don't know what this is. Enjoy?

Discord by @skeptiquewrites

for @drarrymicrofic prompt 'discord' by the living temple

The Things We Did And Didn’t Do (2017, Teen, 2k) by @gingertodgers

Harry is due back from visiting Hermione and Ron in Australia, three months after finally spending the night with Draco. It's time to DTR.

High Aspirations (2019, Teen, 3.6k) by @amelior8or

The mission was supposed to be simple — the smugglers weren’t taking Portkeys, so the Aurors just need to track them onto a Muggle aerial plane. It’s fine. Nothing can really go wrong, as long has Harry can deal with Draco flying Muggle for the first time, and with Draco completely blowing their cover. And with Draco looking really beautiful when he throws curses.

ART

♡ Discovered unposted Drarry sketch in my folders. by @schnellertod

♡ This is a continuation of a series of drawings about young Aurors Harry and Draco by @egonorainu

♡ Tit For Tat Ficbinding by @a-gay-old-time for @mintawasalreadytaken with art by @mad1492, @babooshkart, & @ihopeyoubothstaysafefromharm

also check out @mintawasalreadytaken’s newly finished sequel, Truly Being Alive !!

♡ long time no see) by @roncheg

♡ 💛🌳🗡🖼🌼 by @short666bread

♡ He was the sun / bright and warm / and I was like ice / slowly melting at his touch by @cuckooboo

jegulus

♡ draco malfoy by @adayka

♡ Sectumsempra~ by @ceresartsy

♡ Ginny & Tom by @its-nanse

♡ Wolfstar by @satzzzart

♡ Lace and Heels by @peachbabypie

♡ The Importance of Charming Draco Malfoy by @lilbeanz

♡ Redraw of that old tattooed/tattooist/something Draco and boxer Harry (or something like it). by @fantalfart

♡ Dear Padfoot, by @enselius

♡ january ♡ february ♡ march ♡ april ♡ may ♡ june