#it's like the da vinci code in here

[txttletale]

this guy is straight up writing the da vinci code here lmao he has just imagined im his head that i know some guy i reblogged from once and wrote coded posts secretly defending him getting called out on another website and that i and maia crimew (???) conspired to do this because we're part of a secret pedophile friendgroup and then wrote it out like its true. me when im not a transmisogynist

[beausling]

pov: you’re jensen ackles’ controversially young gf (alt!musician!reader) part ii

read part i here, read part iii here

youruser

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youruser guess what’s in my pockets🤭

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gibson_g1rl better not be what i Think it is🤨

youruser nah, it’s actually just used joint filters and train flattened pennies from chicago

archiveofvirtue @/youruser TRAIN FLATTENED PENNIES???😭

youruser @/archiveofvirtue cus they’re cool😸😸🎀

vamps4y/n ONLY INHALE THE BEST

youruser EXHALE THE STRESS !!!!!!!!!!!!

suicideleopard is that the hearse we saw in carrollton?

youruser indeed !!!

suicideleopard @/youruser dude send me all the pictures you got

youruser @/suicideleopard omw bd😜

pearlzier @/youruser BABY DADDY?!!?!!????!!????

youruser @/pearlzier well Yes!!

vamps4y/n @/youruser jensen will be hearing about this📞

jensenackles liked a reply to your comment

jensenackles

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jensenackles Ahhh New York….. 😎🤎

Till next time.

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youruser another day, another slay✨

jensenackles liked your comment

gibson_g1rl the brown heart emoji??? ohhh, y/n cooked here🤭

hrtsy/n was just omw to say this🤭🤭🤭

vamps4y/n i’m gonna ask the question everyone is thinking… @/youruser did y’all link up or not??🤨

youruser only got to see each other in passing yesterday, i’m in florida rn for rockville🙁

pearlzier @/youruser ohhh thats fucked up, #universe let my parents see each other

archiveofvirtue @/pearlzier mama y papa liked😸🤞

jackleswife let me sit on it

gibson_g1rl OH so you’re Gross huh!?

vamps4y/n ermm Aktually🤓☝️ it’s y/n to sit on

y/ngirlies @/vamps4y/n CRYINGG SOO REAL GIRL

youruser

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youruser nobody needs to know . . .

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y/ngirlies okay but when is the album coming out?

youruser eventually…

jasvtsc @/youruser PRAISE THE LORD🙏

yourbffsuser what a time we’ve had✨

youruser it was definitely a time !!!!!

gibson_g1rl need to know where that shirt in pic 8 is from tho

youruser olivia sade fuck baby tee🤞

archiveofvirtue HEY GUY WHY ARENT WE TALKIN AB PIC 4!!!!??

pearlzier are we thinking the same thing🤭🤭

gibson_g1rl okay so we’re all on the same wavelength rn??🤭

deanluvr like thats GOTTA be jensen’s hand ru kidding

hrtsy/n explain yourself love @/youruser

youruser @/hrtsy/n CAPTION !!!!!🙌

jensenackles

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jensenackles Just another night in Paris. Watching body parts explode on a giant screen. No biggie.

Are you guys ready for this?!?!

@/theboystv this Friday!!!

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youruser le brouillard approche…

jensenackles Stop saying ominous things in French…

youruser @/jensenackles quoi que tu dis, joli garçon😸

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vamps4y/n @/youruser there you go again flinging that name around……..

deangirlsride why is #She around every corner🫣

gibson_g1rl girl stfu😭

j2texas fr it’s like a horror movie😟

hrtsy/n @/deangirlsride @/j2texas kay why ess❤️

youruser

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youruser got to live my da vinci code dreams (nuit blanche was so funky fresh!!!)

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hrtsy/n so we’re just not gonna talk abt pic 8??!!!

youruser the food was SO scrumdilly😸

pearlzier @/youruser that is NOT what we mean😭😭

gibson_g1rl Y/N AND JENSEN IN PARIS AT THE SAME TIME LIKE ITS NOT A COINCIDENCE…….

jackleswife if it’s real i might have to kms

archiveofvirtue girl BYE you’re weird😭

jasvtsc @/archiveofvirtue @/jackleswife NO FR like IF IT IS TRUE.. why can’t you just be Happy for him????

vamps4y/n @/jasvtsc mama y papa liking iktr🤭

jacklesfan isn’t she like super young too?

y/ngirlies she’s literally pushing 30 so gtfo with all that😭😭

pearlzier @/y/ngirlies PUSHING 30 IS INSANE😭😭😭😭

y/ngirlies @/pearlzier ITS TRUE THOUGH SHE TURNS 30 IN A FEW YEARS !!!!!!!!

꩜ thank you so much !!! i hope you guys enjoyed reading this😸 all feedback, likes, and reblogs are greatly appreciated 💟

꩜ this one is a bit more silly, a bit more drama.. things are starting to pick up a bit more🤭 (sorry, but i just love a good slow burn)

꩜ tags : @gibson-g1rl @pearlzier @jasvtsc @archiveofvirtue 🎀 lmk if you wanna be tagged and/or featured in the next part !!!!!

[mcflymemes]

THE DA VINCI CODE (2006) PROMPTS *  assorted dialogue from the film, adjust as necessary

you say you hate history. nobody hates history. they hate their own histories.

we are who we protect, i think. what we stand up for.

that's why we study history... so we'll stop killing each other.

can you keep secrets? can you know a thing and never say it again?

how many have been murdered over this question?

if it's so important to you to stop us, then you're just going to have to shoot us.

understanding our past determines actively our ability to understand the present.

tonight, this will be our quest.

how would you know that?

you seem... uncomfortable.

you have me confused with someone else.

why would i try to run? i didn't do anything.

will you excuse me a moment?

i was supposed to have drinks with him earlier this evening.

i waited for over an hour.

i'm afraid the police arrived more quickly than i anticipated.

you must follow me, please. for your own safety.

you knew they were coming?

if you step inside, please. time is of the essence.

you have not been honest with me.

you will leave this house!

your ruse is pathetic.

will you just tell us what the hell it's for?

i've jammed my shoulder, i've been shot at... i'm bleeding.

if we are to get away from here, we must find another way.

you can start with him.

do not react to this message.

you must follow my directions very closely. you are in grave danger.

i could run them over.

i can pretty much remember what i see.

sorry for all the mystery, [name].

i'm into something here that i cannot understand.

you should be ashamed.

if you would close your eyes...

well, that's a bit strange, isn't it?

how many wine glasses are there on the table?

there's virtually no empirical proof.

that is what they want you to believe.

that's a common misunderstanding.

you are saying all this is real?

you are an angel.

i am a ghost.

have you ever heard those words before?

why are you asking these things?

i am the messenger of god.

every breath you take is a sin.

you will be hunted by angels.

you believe in god? your god doesn't forgive murderers. he burns them.

do you mock me?

we are betrayed.

did they find it? this buried treasure?

i've never heard about any of this.

this is an old wives' tale.

now you're a psychologist too?

what will you do?

it's a rudimentary phallus.

the only thing that matters is what you believe.

i thought i was going to die.

sometimes i wonder if i wasn't alone down there.

maybe human is divine.

thank you... for bringing me here.

the mind sees what it chooses to see.

do i owe you money?

care to open up for an old colleague?

first, a test of honor.

shall i serve coffee or tea?

what would you do?

maybe there is no proof.

surely such a travesty has never occurred.

your heart is true.

they are used to keep secrets.

you used me.

we've been dragged into a world of people who think this stuff is real.

do you trust this man? i hope you can.

i don't follow.

stop now. tell me where it is.

i don't know what you are talking about.

is it a secret you will die for?

well, i must say, you two are anything but dull.

forgive the intrusion.

i'm not sure how much help i'm gonna be here this evening.

funny, i don't even like history.

i've never seen much good come from looking to the past.

are you a god-fearing man?

you're acting like you lost your mind.

[eggroll-sama]

THINGS THAT REMIND ME OF THE LI

This is purely self-indulgent and just based on stuff that makes me go, “it’s them!” when it’s unrelated to them. But here you go and hope you like it. To make it sound more accurate, I replaced the nouns to fit Touchstarved cast.

AIS

Tyler Durban and Edward Norton from the FIGHT CLUB— “How much can you know about yourself if you’ve never been in a fight?” “Maybe self-improvement isn’t the answer, maybe self-destruction is the answer,” “Only after you’ve lost everything you’re free to do anything.” “We are the same person.”

The song, ‘I Remember You’ from ADVENTURE TIME— “I can feel myself slipping away, I can’t remember what it made me say, but I remember that I saw you frown, I swear it wasn’t me…And I need to save you, but who's going to save me? Please forgive me for whatever I do, when I don’t remember you.”

The punk from FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF. I can just see Ais at a police station, giving advice to a pretty stranger, and end up making out with them.

This scene (warning: graphic violence and gore) from ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD. It’s just so Ais and Princess-coded

VENOM, enough said.

KURAS

The murder-mystery film, THE DA VINCI CODE. I feel like Kuras would love the movie if it existed in his world since it’s canon that he likes trashy murder mysteries.

The song, ‘No Good Deed Goes Unpunished’ from WICKED— “[MC] where are you? Already dead, or bleeding? One more disaster I can add to my Generous supply…No good deed goes unpunished. No act of charity goes unresented. No good deed goes unpunished. That’s my new creed.”

GONE WITH THE WIND— “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.” This line was controversial when released in 1939 because swear words weren’t normalized. I feel like Kuras, like this movie, rarely swears but when he does, the whole room goes silent and you know shit’s about to go down. Also according to the RSS radial chart, Kuras has low empathy plus maxed out strength high wisdom, damn at some point that man might legit not give a damn-

MAQUIA: WHEN THE PROMISED FLOWER BLOOMS— “you smell weird, you smell like the sun;” “If you fall in love, you will truly become alone.” Contextually the line is about how an immortal should never get too close with mortals because they'll one day they’ll die, and it fits Kuras a lot.

HUNTER X HUNTER 2011—“[MC] you are light. Sometimes, you shine so brightly, I must look away. But even so, is it still ok to stay by your side?” I love the idea of an angel heavily associated with the sun (Prometheus, likes sunny days, radiates heat), finds someone that is the light of their life.

ONE PIECE— “I have seen the future of this country. And it is destruction. As long as [the Senobium] remains here, this country can never be cured, because even if medical technology progresses, even if [alchemical] research continues… there is no cure for stupidity.”

OPPENHEIMER. After I watched the movie all I could think about was Kuras doing the blank eye stare at the end of the movie.

LEANDER

Goob from MEET THE ROBINSONS (he’s literally just child Leander in the modern world ;o;)

Michael Scott from THE OFFICE— “I wanna be married and have 100 kids so I can have 100 friends and no one can say no to being my friend,” “it’s not about the horniness, it’s about the loneliness”

The painting, Death of Sardanapalus, by Eugene Delacroix. King Sardanapalus palace is besieged by enemies and he decides to commit suicide after he learns of the army’s defeat, but not before ordering his men to destroy all his favorite possessions- wives, horses, pages, and dogs. He’d rather his valuables all be destroyed than his enemies own them. King Sardanapulus selfishness is humane, but the extremity’s he would go to keep what is his is monstrous.

GASTON from BEAUTY AND THE BEAST— Gaston and Leander both have similar vibes. They’re both trusted and well-liked by most people, viewed as heroes, are human but are monsters on the inside, overconfident, attractive, has a possessive streak, hangs out in bars, nice singing voice. The main difference is that Gaston doesn’t try to act like a nice guy like Leander Fake ahhh

The song ‘Burn’ from HAMILTON— “Do you know what [Vere] said when we saw your first letter arrive? [He] said, be careful with that one, love, he will do what it takes to survive…Do you know what [Kuras] said when [he] read what you’d done? [He] said, you’ve married an Icarus, he has flown too close to the sun.”

Michael Corleone from the GODFATHER.

Sampo from HONKAI STAR RAIL— I barely know anything about Honkai Starrail, but I was going to an anime goods store with my friend and one look at him made me think of Leander. My friend gave me a run down that he betrays you for money and runs away and unironically I could see Leander throwing us under the bus.

VERE

This scene from the movie, MALENA. Vere is heavily desired by men and women alike, but his flirty and fickle personality is just a front to protect himself. And he hates how people see him as a pretty face or someone who needs saving from the Senobium. Tbh Malena herself just reminds me of Vere’s problem of how being pretty is a double edged sword. People see you’re pretty, so they feel threatened or idealize you. You feel extremely lonely bc people are distracted by your beauty and won’t try to understand you intimately. So you either own it and be alone OR assimilate and have friends. Vere is the former.

Madonna-Whore Complex. This article explains it pretty well, “The Madonna Whore Complex (MWC) is a psychological complex often perpetuated by heterosexual, cisgender males which places women into two categories the “Madonna, a woman who is pure, virtuous, and nurturing, or a “Whore,” a woman who is deemed as overly sexual, manipulating, and promiscuous. The dichotomy of MWC creates a rigidity that limits women’s sexual expression, agency, and freedom by defining their sexuality into one of two categories.” Vere is the latter.

Ymir from ATTACK ON TITAN. Both of them were self-proclaimed deity, was caught lying (presumably), and paid for it. Their personalities are similar too except Vere masks himself through innuendos.

The song, ‘The Red Means I Love You’ by Madds Buckley— “The red on my face is matching you. And goodness, you're bleeding, what a wonderful feeling. You're down and you're pleading, my head is just reeling. The red means I love you. Tasting your blood means I love you.” (I can’t see Vere becoming a yandere because he’s already deranged)

MHIN

Another line from ONE PIECE —“Someday I will become too much of a burden. Someday you’ll betray me and cast me aside.”

SHUTTER ISLAND— “What would be worse, to live as a monster or die as a good [person]?” Mhin hates monsters ironically since they are one, and I could see them nearing the time limit where their curse becomes permanent and decides that maybe it’s better to die with their humanity than live forever as a monster.

The Beast from BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. I already said this in another post but like IMAGINE THE AU. AHHHHHH

Felix from LAST LEGACY but more depressed.

Disclaimer: we don’t know much about Sen or Elyon yet so I don’t have much.

ELYON

THE GREAT GATSBY— “…can't you see who this guy is, with his house and his parties and his fancy clothes? He is just a front, a gangster, to get his claws into respectable folk…(to Elyon) We're all different from you. You see, we were born different. It's in our blood. And nothing that you do or say or steal... or dream up can ever change that.”

SEN

Unfortunately I don’t have any for Sen. Her design reminds me of Frankenstein’s creature tho.

BONUS:

MC

This scene from SHAPE OF WATER. MC falls in love with a monster and trying to save them from danger. MC knows that they are also an outsider, a monster. Being with the LI’s feels like they were finally accepted for who they are, regardless of their curse, so they can’t abandon them— “When they looks at me…the way they looks at me, they don’t know what I lack. How I am incomplete...and now I can either save them or let them die.” I think this quote can also be interpreted as the players choosing a route, essentially dooming the other players if we don’t choose them.

Famous line from 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU— “but mostly I hate how I don’t hate you, not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.” The fact that us as players will keep coming back to them, replaying their routes even though they killed us, and obsessing over them. Yes they suck but we still love them.

This quote from Green Mile— “ I’m tired…I'm tired of bein' on the road, lonely as a sparrow in the rain. Tired of not ever having me a buddy to be with.” I think this quote really emphasizes how touch-starved MC is, and how alone they feel from being betrayed by people they cared about in the past (also sparrow name drop ^-^)

[angelasscribbles]

Character Development

Here's the summary of today's live discussion.

What is it?

Character development can refer to initial character creation, but when I say character development, I'm usually talking about how the character grows and evolves over the course of the story.

We will talk about both.

Character Creation

Creating a character is much more than just what they look like. So many things play into their personality, beliefs, feelings, etc. Their ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, what kind of upbringing they had, past traumas, general inborn temperament traits, etc.

Character Types

Static v dynamic: refers to how much the character changes throughout the story.

Static characters stay the same and do not change at all during the course of a story.

Dynamic characters change and grow in many different directions. This character will develop and change throughout the story, sometimes to the point where it surprises the reader. Sometimes they surprise themselves and the other characters.

Flat v Round: refers to how much depth the character has.

Flat: A flat character is pretty one-dimensional, and that doesn’t change throughout the story. It is a static character with little to no depth. Maybe one or two identifying traits.

Round: A round character is more developed and has some depth and layers. They are interesting. They do not necessarily change throughout. (Unless they are also dynamic).

Character-driven story v Plot-driven stories: A plot-driven story is one where the plot moves the characters, while a character-driven story is one where the characters drive the plot. 

The key difference between a plot-driven story and a character-driven one is that in a character-led narrative, the focus is more on the thoughts and feelings of the protagonist and the decisions that they make. Whereas, in plot-driven narratives, the action and occurrences that unfold will be the main point of focus.

Plot Driven examples:

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton.

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.

Character Driven examples:

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman.

Some Definitions

Main Character: The character through whose POV we get the story. Often the same as the protagonist, but not always.

Protagonist: Prime mover of the plot. And in the vast majority of cases, the main character.

False protagonist: A character that seems to be the protagonist until a twist tells the reader otherwise. Think Ned Stark in Game of Thrones. This is why his death was such a shock, because most readers assumed he was the main character. This is often done exactly for that reason. Plot twists and shock value.

Antagonist: Opposing force who stands in the way of the protagonist’s goals.

Grey/morally ambiguous character: Just as it sounds. A character who is not all good nor all bad. They have complex motives and can sometimes be a loose cannon. Their actions are not always clear-cut in terms of morality.

Unreliable Narrator: An unreliable narrator is an untrustworthy storyteller, most often used in narratives with a first-person point of view. The unreliable narrator is either deliberately deceptive or unintentionally misguided, forcing the reader to question their credibility as a storyteller.

Character Arc

The character arc is the full extent of how the character's inner world - thoughts and emotions - transforms from the beginning to the end of a narrative.

Things we will discuss in a future session:

Character motivation

Inciting incident

drivers of character growth

Random recommendations from today:

Lovecraft Country: an American horror drama television series developed by Misha Green based on and serving as a continuation of the 2016 novel of the same name by Matt Ruff. Lovecraft Country follows Atticus Freeman as he joins up with his friend Letitia and his Uncle George to embark on a road trip across 1950s Jim Crow America in search of his missing father. This begins a struggle to survive and overcome both the racist terrors of white America and the terrifying monsters that could be ripped from a Lovecraft paperback.

Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong. A good example of using the same characters but shifting who is the main character from book to book. The series began in 2001 with Bitten, featuring werewolf Elena Michaels. It continued for thirteen novels, introducing other supernatural characters–witches, ghosts, necromancers, half-demons–and spinning off to their stories, and expanding the series into a multi-narrator fantasy world. Past characters continued to appear in guest roles and often returned to narrate new novels or short fiction.

Ya'll, I'm sure there were more recs from both myself and others but I'm drawing a blank and once the live stage ends, I can't see the chat anymore, so please comment or DM me if you remember a rec that I didn't.

Please, if I've missed anything at all, mention it in the comments and I'll add it!

Also, check out these articles:

Character Development

April Event:

TBD pending voting.

Word Warriors:

@karahalloway @aussiegurl1234 @harleybeaumont @alj4890 @peonierose @petiteboheme @twinkleallnight @lizzybeth1986 @noesapphic  @thedistantshoresproject @welcometotheweirdplqce

@ryns-ramblings @tate-lin @nestledonthaveone

@aallotarenunelma @kristinamae093 @coffeeheartaddict2 @memorias-depresivas

@jerzwriter

[cool-fancier]

Cherries of Mystery

Synopsis: Fans were left in a state of speculation as you and Bada subtly hinted to your relationship on Instagram with cryptic cherry-themed posts. You two took joy in the anticipation as fans analysed every aspect, knowing that the cherry symbols meant for your humble and wonderful love for one another.

Even the slightest actions can excite fans in the world of social media and K-pop idols. Keeping your relationship a secret had become somewhat of an art form for you, a famous K-pop idol, and Bada, her equally famous choreographer and secret girlfriend.

You made the choice to have some fun one nice afternoon by subtly hinting at their relationship on Instagram. You uploaded a picture of yourself with a sneaky, amusing grin on your lips and said, "Lips taste like cherry." You and Bada were making a small inside joke, so it was meant to be mysterious.

Bada, who was aware of the situation, couldn't help but chuckle when she read your post. She made the decision to join in and start her own rumour. Bada took a photo of herself with a cherry-flavored lip balm, the brightly coloured container shining in the dim light. With the caption "Trying out some new lip products today! 🍒💄  #CherryKiss #NewFavorites," she posted the photo to Instagram.

Fans started making connections in only a few minutes. Comments began to flood in on both of their posts.

@Y/NLoveNotes:"Did anyone else notice that they both posted something about cherries today? 👀"

@BadaDanceLovers: "I smell a conspiracy here! 🕵️‍♀️"

@DancingLovebirds: "OMG, my shipper heart can't take this. Are they trying to tell us something?"

@BadaxY/NAdmirers:"I'm convinced there's more to this cherry story! spill the tea, queens!"

As fans examined every aspect of the posts in an effort to figure out the secret message, the interest and excitement reached an all-time high. Even if it was vague, the cherry symbolism was enough to spark their imaginations. It was a clever method for you and Bada to tease fans without drawing attention to your relationship.

The cherry-themed mystery held fans attention throughout the day on social media pages. They investigated Bada's and your posts more and more, getting more and more engrossed in the puzzle.

@BadaEnthusiasts:"Okay, hear me out. What if 'lips taste like cherry' means they've been kissing? 👄🍒"

@BadaSecretAdmirers:"I see you with that theory, but what about Bada's lip balm pic? Is she hinting that she tasted cherries too?"

@Y/NMagicFans:"This is like a K-pop Da Vinci Code. I'm invested!"

You and Bada, meantime, found the fan theories and the amount of attention their posts were getting to be very amusing. You had a nice laugh over the situation in a private.

You: "Babe, it seems like they've onto us. The cherry game is strong."

"Haha, we're turning into quite the mystery queens," said Bada.

You: "But seriously, I really like how they're enjoying themselves. And they have no idea how much fun we're having too!"

Bada: "Our secret is safe, and they're none the wiser."

The mystery behind your and Bada's cherry-themed social media posts only grew as the days went by. Fans couldn't resist acting as amateur investigators in an effort to unravel the meaning of these cryptic messages.

@Badaismine:"Okay, guys, new theory! What if they're just messing with us? Maybe there's no hidden meaning at all!"

@Y/Nwife:"But why the sudden cherry obsession? There's gotta be something more."

@Bada_isY/nwife:"I heard they're working on a new project together. Maybe it's related?"

The speculation ranged from the plausible to the utterly fantastical, and you and Bada couldn't help but smile at the frenzy you had unintentionally created.

You say, "Babe, our cherry posts are the talk of the town!"

Bada: "I find it unbelievable that they are still trying to solve it. It's just too much fun."

You: "Should we drop a hint for them? Or do we let them keep guessing?"

Bada: "Let's keep the mystery alive a bit longer. We'll watch to see how inventive they can be."

And so, the cherry-themed mystery continued to swirl in the K-pop fandom. Every aspect of your and Bada's posts relating to cherries was argued, theorised about, and examined by fans. Was it a humorous tease, a sign of their secret love, or just a joke between them?

The cherry saga was not resolved as the weeks passed. The real significance of those cherry posts may never be revealed to the public, but Bada and You understood that they stood for your love, which was sweet and unassuming like the cherries yourself. That was ultimately all that mattered to you both.

[lousyglitch]

Scott pilgrim takes off inhabits the same artistic space as the matrix 4, or even the final fantasy 7 remake. I mean this as a good thing. It has the distinct touch of an artist that made something that defined a generation revisiting the art that outgrew them a thousandfold with more maturity and different interests.

These interests usually skew meta, they're about what drives someone to revisit something made by a past version of oneself, about the experience of suddenly gaining more influence than anyone could reconcile, where criticisms of your work (which you also, no doubt, have many) become synonymous with criticisms of your culture. If you've been here a while, you probably know (and are tired of) what I'm talking about, manic pixie dream girls and aloof average male protagonists, toxic nostalgia, pick your theme and it's a video essay title.

Imagine having every read of your 2004 funny video game-coded coming of age comic reverberate infinitely toward every direction, people saying your main character taught a whole generation of men to be self-absorbed while the exact opposite type of people rant about how your secondary lead "ruined a whole generation of women" because of hair-dye or whatever. Imagine Edgar Wright makes a movie adaptation of your cute little comic that somehow launches the careers of half of the current celebrity pantheon simultaneously. How would that change you?

Well, for one, it makes you less relatable. The truth of an aloof nerdy guy dating in his early 20s is a lot more universal than the truth of an artist in his 40s forever defined by the event horizon of a thing he wrote half his life ago. The matrix 4 couldn't stop talking about how it feels to have created the matrix. The final fantasy 7 remake can't help but to constantly examine what it means to remake final fantasy 7. It's easy to see why someone would hate that indulgent meta trend, I'll probably never write a generation-defining story, why would I care about the first world problems of someone who did? It can feel distant, and at its worst it can feel insulting. Like it's pointing the finger at the fans, whispering 'you did this to me'. I get that.

I get that, but I love it.

It's the fundamental difference between wanting something that is like something you liked, and wanting someone that is from the same creator of something you liked. The difference between feeding the mona lisa into an AI and finding a new authentic da Vinci. You can't make something entirely new if you religiously stick to using the parts of something that's already there. The human behind the work will always have influences you didn't realize, thought patterns and aesthetic preferences that weren't entirely clear in their previous work, no matter how much you deconstruct it. More importantly, the human will also change, and this organic self-continuity will reflect on the art. I don't want the creator of something to hold their own creation with the same zeal as its fans, because someone who did that simply wouldn't have been capable of creating the original piece in the first place.

I don't want a product, I want art.

Scott pilgrim, the original, indulges the most earnest impulse we have-- that of self-mythologizing, of creating a narrative off of our own lives. To depict the mundane as fantastic, interpersonal relationships as adventures. It resonated with so many people because it was earnest, and it was also picked apart to hell and back because it was earnest. Its flaws were on display, and not just the ones it intended to show. But in my opinion, the opposite impulse, that of washing off everything that could be criticized and presenting the cleanest possible image of yourself through your art, is just... bad. it makes for bad art, or it just freezes you. The very first hurdle of creating anything is getting over that, then maybe the spotlight will fall on you. If it does, you'll get everything you ever wanted, but everyone gets to see through you.

So, how do you revisit something like that? You have two options. Either you take all the pieces and try to reassemble them exactly how everyone remembers it, signing your name as a formality, looking at a mirror in which you no longer see yourself, or you talk to it. You dialogue with your own work, with who you used to be. You travel in time and talk to yourself. You question them, acknowledge them but also teach them a thing or two. You don't respect the product, you respect the feeling. You find the same earnestness that made you put pen to paper for the first time, and you point it towards your new loves and fears. Maybe you make it less about the main guy, take the chance to develop your secondary characters, maybe you give the girl more agency. Maybe you summon the future and refuse its answers. Maybe you fight yourself.

That's the harder choice. It submits your new self to the scrutinizing eyes of a whole new generation, it risks alienating the people who identified with your previous piece. It's riskier, probably less profitable, and by any pragmatic lens probably a bad idea. But it's the only way you can make art. It's truth, the truth that got you there in the first place.

It's how you get it together.

[bloodycotton]

Day fiiiiiive, god this one was hard. Is worship and adoration a love language?

Prompts by: @raven-cincaide-words

(My first language is NOT english)

Day 5.- Love Language.

Manuel Aringarosa (The Da Vinci Code, 2006) x Gn!reader (Again, i think so)

Reality is a dreadful thing, it is horrible and terrible. 

That's why the need to cling to something was a feeling that burned your soul, squeezed your heart, and made your knees weak at his very presence. 

He was everything to you: your saviour, protector, master and object of worship, without him the world would be meaningless. 

He sat by your side with a rosary in his hands for long periods of time, praying for you, that healing would come to you with his help. He cared for you diligently in your sick and weakened state, brought you back to health with complete readiness, totally devoted. 

He fed you in your mouth, with careful movements that you remembered in bits and pieces, like his large, warm hand resting on your head, and his scent, a mixture of which you could not really place any other ingredient than incense, a sacred, almost heavenly fragrance. 

When you finally managed to faintly open your eyes and could make out his silhouette blocking the light behind him, a halo of light shimmered around him. The first thought that crossed your mind was that you were looking at the creator himself, your saviour; an idea that was partly true.

He looked at you in a way that humbled you, and his hand, once again bringing you that familiarity you longed for, rested on your cheek, with care and palpable affection, tracing with its warm, calloused pad the faint features of your face.

As you looked up at him, you heard him call your name. 

“How are you feeling, my child?” His voice was low and soft at the same time. He was sitting on a chair beside the bed you were lying on, the light emitting from outside creating shadows on his face and hiding part of his expression. His fingers ran gently, from your cheek to your forehead, taking your temperature. 

The words were stuck in your throat, you moved your lips, but no sound came out of them, more than incoherent mumbles. 

Manuel frowned slightly as he watched you struggle to speak and with an almost heavenly tenderness, he lowered his hand from your forehead and took it between his own, giving you a gentle, comforting squeeze that enveloped you in a divine warmth.

“Shh, don't try to speak yet,” he murmured in a low, reverent tone, his voice echoing in your chest like a sacred chant. He rose from his chair and stopped touching your hand, pouring you a glass of water from a jug. 

He brought the glass to your lips, tilting it with a care that made you feel as if you were receiving a sacrament. “Here, this will soothe your throat,” he said, his eyes fixed on you with an intensity that seemed to penetrate your soul.

The water sliding down your throat felt like a divine gift, a balm that brought relief not only to your body, but to your spirit. At that moment, you understood that he was not only your saviour; he was the centre of your universe, the source of all light and hope, for he brought you back to life when you were in the darkest, lowest place, he gave you purpose. 

His every gesture, his every word, resonated in you like a prayer, and you couldn't help but feel that your life was tied to his presence. Manuel was the god you worshipped in silence, and every moment at his side brought you closer to a state of profound adoration, where only he and his light existed.

Manuel, seeing you revitalised, smiled with satisfaction, as if every little advance you made was a personal triumph. 

As you recovered, his visits became the centre of your existence. Every word, every gesture, resonated in you like a holy hymn. His presence was a comfort, and you felt your soul expand with his every glance. He treated you with a combination of tenderness and authority, and you couldn't help but be completely captivated by him.

One day, as he held you in his hands, he said, “You are a gift, my child, brought to me by God. You have an important role to play in this world.” His words were like a divine command, and the way he looked at you made you feel that your life had a much greater meaning than you had imagined.

You were filled with fervour. You were willing to follow him wherever he led you, to do whatever he expected of you. The idea of being part of his mission filled you with an almost sacred purpose. The desire to please him gripped you, and every action you took was guided by the need for his approval. 

Yet, in your heart, there were certain days when it was filled with shadows and doubts that quickly faded in the face of deep adoration for him. The reality of the outside world faded, and there was only Manuel, the beacon of light in your life.

The thought of disobeying him became a foreign idea, and your life revolved around his will.

[big19boss-blog]

So, I was thinking that the irony of TCF is that Cale-nim would absolutely love to read a book like Trash of the Count's Family too. It's literally his type. Happy ending (hopefully), smart MC, a team of professionals who are ever-growing powerful, major power players.

Which got me thinking what other books would Cale-nim love?

And here are my guesses:

Artemis Fowl

Ending Maker

I'll be the Head in this life

Sherlock Holmes

The Da Vinci Code/ Robert Langdon Series

Solo Levling

Percy Jackson

Lord of the Rings/ Hobbit

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Omniscient Readers Viewpoint

[nightcolorz]

I'm here for your Daniel/Louis headcanons!

Personally, I picture them as friends with benefits who love each other so much and would go to the ends of the world for each other, true ride or die for the other but they aren't in love romantically at all, even if the attraction is clearly there and they sometimes have sex

And I think Louis is very attracted to someone who can call him out on his bullshit, not many people can do that

It's a special connection that others don't really understand (specially Lestat who I can see asking Louis for clarification about what's going on between him and Daniel on regular basis because he can understand plain friendship, and he can understand if Louis is in love with Daniel but he struggles with the concept of two people having a genuine loving connection and also sex but that not being romantic)

Louis keeps Daniel's books in a special case on a prominent place of his library and Daniel makes fun of him for it and then gets all warm inside when Louis says "but these are first editions, signed by the author, they are very special to me" and then it's Louis turn to make fun if Daniel

I can also picture them having a little book club where they read something and write little notes on the margins, then send each other those books so it's like they are reading together or read each other books out loud when they are together

Also when Louis is having one of his depressive episodes, Daniel rolls up and tells him to knock it off with the overly complicated philosophy for a while, that is just making you more depressed, what you need right now is to read something dumb and entertaining

*Pulls up something like 50 shades of gray or the Da Vinci code or the fourth wing and starts reading out loud hopping to annoy Louis into getting up and taking the book off his hands or at least making him smile a little*

It doesn't always work but Louis appreciates it

YESSS!!! This is perfect haha I love this, literally them. incredibly rare healthy vampire friendship

[crownmemes]

The Da Vinci Code Sentences

(Sentences from The Da Vinci Code (2006). Adjust phrasing where needed)

"Symbols are a language that can help understand our past. As the saying goes, a picture says a thousand words - but which words?"

"Understanding our past determines actively our ability to understand the present."

"The prospect of death is strong motivation."

"You seem uncomfortable."

"You're telling me that his last act on earth was to draw a goddess symbol on his chest? Why?"

"You must follow my directions very closely and, above all, reveal nothing to the police."

"You are in grave danger."

"You have me confused with somebody else."

"What, you admire him now?"

"When you were a child, were you aware of any secret gatherings?"

"I know he is guilty - beyond a doubt!"

"I've never seen much good come from looking to the past."

"Are you a God-fearing man?"

"I've never met a girl who knew that much about a cryptex!"

"Nobody hates history. They hate their own histories."

"So now you're a psychologist too?"

"I'm into something here that I cannot understand. Not without your help."

"Playing to my vanity. You should be ashamed!"

"You're interpreting facts to support your own conclusions!"

"As long as there has been one true god, there has been killing in his name."

"The mind sees what it wants to see."

"Your ruse is pathetic."

"Can you keep secrets? Can you know a thing and never say it again?"

"Well, I must say, you are anything but dull!"

"I can't imagine what your complaint is! I'd be well within my rights to shoot you and let you rot in the woods!"

"How many atrocities and scandals has the church rationalised in its time?"

"What happens if the world discovers the greatest story ever told is actually a lie?"

"What the hell do you mean you lost them?"

"You're acting like you've lost your mind!"

"Each breath you take is a sin. No shadow will be safe again, for you will be hunted by angels."

"You and I have observed history. Time has been our glass. We are in history now. Living it. Making it."

"People rarely notice things right in front of their eyes, don't you find?"

"You, of all people, shouldn't be one to dismiss the influence of the past."

"We cannot let ego deter us from our goal."

"You used me."

"You must explode the truth onto the world. It's your duty."

"Only the worthy find the grail."

"I'm sorry. You thought he was your friend, no?"

"I should have been smarter. I acted on faith, I suppose."

"These records go back thousands of years. They date back to the death of Christ."

"How was I ever supposed to figure all of this out?"

[lenniedoesthings]

hii! this is my studyblr where I'm trying to be more productive and study more. I've only been lurking before but I’m going to be committed this school year (and hopefully in future)! currently looking for studyblrs to follow!

#lenniedoesthings for original posts

About me °

♤ Lennie (she/her)

♤ Chinese

♤ dark/chaotic academia

♤ 3rd year in Scotland

♤ enfj-t

Study °

♤ English (fluent), Chinese (native), French (A2)

♤ I love to draw and write, coding is my passion. Playing with python is what you'll usually find me doing in cafés.

♤ currently doing 100 days of productivity!

Goals °

♤ prolong my duolingo streak

♤ workout at least 3 times a week

♤ be consistent with my debate work

More about me °

♤ favorite books are If We Were Villans, The da Vinci Code, the stranger on the lifeboat, Daughter of Fortune

♤ absolute morning person and coffee addict

♤ english over humanities over science

♤ favorite musicians are cigarettes after sex, fuji kaze, lana del rey, hozier (these change all the time)

Studyblrs to follow °

@cards-of-rose (best study tips and cute pink aesthetic), @cuddiecore (her posts always make me feel motivated), @a-fox-studies (blue aestheic study diaries), @olderacademic (best seasonal study posts ever), @frenchiepal (like study with me but better), @student-by-day (motivating studyblog content), @studentbyday (has the best study diary)

Anyways, I hope we motivate each other on here. All pics are mine.

[writingquestionsanswered]

Hello! Do you have any advice on how to deal with the fear of bad-faith readers? Thanks to spending too much time online during Covid, my confidence took a huge hit, and now I’m quite worried about random online users discovering my writing and complaining that my writing is not good enough, not diverse enough, not social justicey enough, etc. It’s often made me hesitate a lot during my writing recently, so any advice to deal with this would be much appreciated. Thank you!

Fear of Negative Feedback/Reviews

Three things to keep in mind here:

#1 Reviews and comments aren't feedback. Unless you post your story to a place dedicated to writer feedback or where you're specifically asking for feedback, any commentary or review you receive is not there to educate you. It's either there as thanks and/or flattery, or it's there to let other readers know what to expect. On sites like AO3, for example, unless you specifically ask for concrit, you will probably only get neutral or positive commentary which isn't feedback. If you get negative comments, just ignore them if you didn't ask for them.

#2 Reviews are for readers. Let me say that again...

Reviews are for readers to let other readers know what they liked and didn't like about a book. They are not there for the author's harm or benefit. They're not there to educate the author. They're there for other readers, full stop.

Write the best story you can write, and if you can, utilize feedback tools meant for writers (alpha readers, writing groups, critique partners, sensitivity readers, beta readers, editors...) to ensure your story is everything you want it to be.

If your alpha readers, writing groups, critique partner/s, sensitivity readers, beta readers, or editors have concerns about representation in your story, those are the issues you need to address.

Once your story is out in the world, let it go, especially if negative reviews hurt your confidence and mental health. If you inadvertently do something terrible that blows up, listen, apologize, and take steps to do better next time. That's it.

#3 Everyone isn't going to love your story. All writers get bad reviews. If you expect to receive only glowing praise on every story, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes is a beloved classic that has sold an estimated 500 million copies worldwide since it was first published in 1605. Among the reviews on Amazon: "repetitive and frustrating," "book is trash, don't know why it's a classic," "I absolutely hated this book," "silly, lengthy, display of low humor."

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens is another beloved classic, and it has sold an estimated 200 million copies worldwide since publication in 1859. Among the reviews on Amazon: "boring as heck," "incomprehensible jibberish," "has significant flaws," "great if you want a nice nap," "way too slow and boring."

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is a classic that is still very popular and beloved today, and has sold an estimated 100 million copies since its publication in 1937. Among the reviews on Amazon: "very slow paced and confusing," "I found it mind-numbingly dull," "the worst piece of writing ever," "zoned out because I was bored."

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown is a hugely popular contemporary book that has sold an estimated 80-million copies worldwide since its publication in 2003. Among the reviews on Amazon: "One of the worst, if not THE worst book I've read, ever," "much ado about not much," "couldn't overlook the shallow characters, boring car chases, and general lack of quality," "unnecessary ramblings about scenery," "horribly written, full of cliches."

All stories have people who don't like them. Period.

It's something we have to accept as writers.

As long as we're doing our best to put the best possible stories out there, and as long as we listen and learn when legitimate concerns are brought to our doorstep, we're doing all we can.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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[savage-rhi]

Ffxv headcanons whatever type you want just share with the class

Noctis: When he was a kid, he used to lift up rocks to see what critters lived underneath them. He stopped around nine or ten when he accidentally pissed off a snake and got bit. It spooked him so bad that he didn't do anything like that again until he went on the frog side quest. Now that he's over his fear, Noctis is always flipping over rocks and ushering Prompto to come over and take photos of the animals and bugs he finds.

Gladio: There's a saying among the kingsguard that, "if you give Gladiolus a beer and a mic, you're gonna have a GREAT time!" He's quite good at karaoke, and despite the gruff voice, he can hit high notes. Singing was something Gladio and his sister did together while growing up. While Gladio didn't like her taste in music, being the big brother, he still sang her favs to and with her. He tried to keep this hobby a secret until he had one too many drinks with his comrades. He's since embraced his reputation over the years, and isn't as embarrassed about it.

Ignis: There are a few things in this world that can make this man mentally break, but Feng Shui nearly destroyed him. Ignis got into the practice initially in an attempt to get Noctis to have better organization in his apartment. Per usual, Noctis didn't appreciate the principles, but it rubbed off on Ignis to the point where he became obsessed with Feng Shui. He did it to all the rooms in the palace, much to King Regis's chagrin. It all backfired when Ignis attempted to Feng Shui his own residence. Nothing satisfied him, and after he didn't come out for almost 10 hrs rearranging furniture, Noctis had to give him an intervention. After that, he swore off the practice. Sometimes, he'll get irritated if he hears about it in passing.

Prompto: In his spare time when he's not with a camera, Prompto is on a computer learning to code. While he's not the best at it, Prompto enjoys the process cause it satisfies a mental itch (he gets that from his father...haha). It's his dream to one day make a game like Kings Knight. He has pages of concept sketches for apps, and other social media ideas he'd like to try creating one day. He seldom shares his passion with the boys, assuming they'll think it's too nerdy.

Lunafreya: It isn't considered "proper" by an means for someone of her status, but Luna enjoys watching duels on TV or in person. Ravus from a young age was always taught how to be a warrior, and she felt left out on numerous occasions when he'd be sent off to learn sparring lessons among other trainings. As a kid, she used to sneak away from her home in Tenebrae to watch people battle for fun. Observing others helped her hone in her own skills, and she's memorized different stances and techniques over the years. She also used to place bets on people who fought, and did get into trouble at one point because of it.

Ardyn: He's very aloof and no one knows what the hell he does in his spare time when not running a country. He has the craziest of rumors made up about him, and he ravishes in how it all scares and fascinates people. What people don't know is that he often sneaks around Niflheim and observes others for his sketchbook. When he was a healer, he had a book of medicinal plants that he'd catalog and sketch out himself. It's one of the few things that soothes his mind anymore with the daemons he has in his head. For a few hours, Ardyn can silence them by focusing on capturing the details from another person or thing in his work. It's also his only means of connecting with humans given how far he's gone. His style is kind of like Da Vinci's, very detailed with lots of notes here and there. When he's sketching its also the time where he'll snack on something sweet like candy from his pocket. In general he'll always have candy on his person, but he likes savoring it without an audience.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

You seem like a really reasonable person and something I want to propose (though the thought is probably not new at all): Gaylors seem like they weaponize Swift's victimized position as a woman in music industry only when they need it to play in their favor. The moment this woman that they and the rest of their weird fandom seem to appreciate for being outspoken and powerful does something that does not fit into their rhetoric, she is immediately devoid of voice. Everything she says is a "clue", every direct "I am straight and how sexualized my life is bothers me" is a "code" for something; it's straight up scary.

There's a woman sitting in front of them talking about her life experience, and they just giggle and go "ok ok now say the truth". Like. Isn't it insane.

I hope this ask doesn't get touched by terfs or some similar crap since I'm talking about how misogynistic Gaylors are, but my idea is that they give their "favorite creator" zero agency. She can't decide her own sexuality, she can't have a voice, she can't live a life without being scrutinized for "queerbaiting" the most misguided and mistaken part of her audience.

This is just ironic because I expected TS fans to be more respectful towards the words of their idol since such a large motto of the entire fandom clique is "look at how empowered she is". Yeah. But her fans get to dismiss her every word because they can't handle being into a straight white woman's music.

Anyways, stay safe and sorry for the rant.

many people would disagree with your assessment of me as reasonable, but I do agree with pretty much all of what you've said here. whether or not Taylor is read as a victim tends to vary depending on what's most convenient to maintaining the Gaylor conspiracy at any given time. for years it's been popular to imagine her as a victim of some nebulous force with control over her career pressuring her to stay closeted while dating a variety of men she doesn't really like to serve as beards. but when she offers opposition, even mildly and indirectly, then she receives accusations of herself being a vindictive bully who's deliberately betraying Gaylors by refusing to come out.

it all makes a lot more sense if you understand that the Gaylor portion of the fandom don't actually like "Taylor Swift," the person or even the public persona; they like the version of Taylor Swift that exists in their brains who's a kind of closeted lesbian Riddler with nothing better to do than spend a decade assembling a Da Vinci Code-style trail of clues for them to follow.

[silentkasama]

R1999: Just Reports (1.9 Lead-up In-game Activity)

in-game activity where a report is unlocked each day for five days; each day you are made to enter a password. you are given a code, enter the corresponding letters and that's the password. you get 400 clear drops, 5 picrasma candy, and other goodies. happy first anniversary, r1999

Day.1 (pw: boring)

/Survival Report

Congratulations on successfully completing the test. Those that independently cracked the code are deemed to have a highly developed left brain and are considered to be able to read the report on their own.

The following is the information contained in the report: None. In accordance with Laplace guidelines and the assigned task of deciphering the incantation, regular progress updates will be provided over the next twenty-two hours to document and verify advancements.

Summary: Currently, vital signs remain confirmed

Day.2 (pw: mrfishjar)

/Observation of the Teamlead

Based on internal data at Laplace, writing reports is considered as the second most effective way to prolong the perception of time; reading reports is the first.

In this report, I have noted that the teamlead showed signs of anxiety and became unusually irritable during our decoding operation. As part of my duties and out of personal interest, I will continue to monitor any fluctuations in the teamlead's emotional well-being.

Conclusion: It is generally accepted that straight lines represent relaxed eyebrows, while curved lines indicate a smiling mouth. The complete deciphering of facial expressions is fast approaching.

Day.3 (pw: msuncanny)

/Observation of the Director

I understand that the reader may not have enough free time to continue reading this report unless it is necessary for their job; my apologies.

The following is the content of the report: The director appeared emotionally stable when presented with the interim results of the decryption operation. Correction: I cannot confirm any noticeable emotional fluctuations in the director; they seem to be stable for the time being. Further observation will be temporarily suspended.

Summary: The expression system is the same as the masks, and after a right-brain assessment, I can no longer trust the verifiability of the emotions conveyed by this system.

Day.4 (pw: ihatearts)

/Day of Art Appreciation

Aside from upholding confidentiality obligations, the main purpose of the code is to weed out people with highly developed right brains, such as certain artists and arcanists.

The following is the content of this report: Efforts to decipher the pictorial messages sent by the investigators were unsuccessful. A proposal to go outside and turn into oil paintings to better connect with the artwork was rejected.

Summary: I strongly believe that combining cryptography with the works of Leonardo da Vinci has the potential to create a unique form of literature that would captivate and engage a wider audience.

Day.5 (pw: goodbye)

/Application for Leave

This report assumes that the reader has most likely skipped the first four reports. As a precaution, it is highly recommended that the reports be read in chronological order to fully grasp the information presented here.

The following is the content of the report: In praise of the director's efficiency oriented approach, and given the limited manpower in the technical support team, I have decided to temporarily stop writing reports and transition to another role.

Just a side note: I am quite intrigued by the Kingdom of Numbers on that island, as shown in the external intelligence. I'm thinking of applying to visit the island and talk to the natives about cryptography after today's events.

if you know where to look at previous similar activities, could you please point me to them? thank you