#let's play a fun game of will this get me shadowbanned

[a-list-of-moods]

stop telling people that voting doesn't matter stop it stop it

incremental change is frustrating and feels like it gets nothing done but it's how the american government works (for better or for worse) and if you get paralyzed by 'we need to revolt voting doesn't matter' that's one more effective vote for the fascists since it's one vote we lose.

I'd much rather have slow but tangible progress (or even just prevention of fascist progression) than everyone sitting around going 'let's wait for the revolution' when no revolution is likely to come while everything gets worse around us.

Obviously, still do whatever it is else to support the antifascist movement. Donate where you can (and do your research!) Go to protests if you feel safe doing so. But do all that AND vote.

[optimisticgray-backup]

It has been a few days, I apologize for the delay. Both shadow ban and real life have hold me in a tight grip.

✨In another life, Chapter 5✨

personal note: as my main account is still shadowbanned, make sure to follow this one, bluesky or the subscribe thingy on AO3. Thank you for your support and kind comments 🫶

summary: Let's get the story along, have fun with Astarion and drool at Gale for a moment, shall we?

darling tags: @waterdeepwife @worfs-glorious-hair @dekariosclan @astarioffsimpmain @sweetgemberry @jeneralmischief (Let me know if you want to be on/off this list)

content warning: Spoilers. All of them.

word count: 4,2 k

AO3 Link

„I’d recommend bardic training - at least the fundamentals. A foundation, if nothing else.“ Gale inclines his head. „I have some rather excellent literature on the subject, should you be inclined to peruse it. The Weave sings through you, it would be a shame not to refine so natural a gift.“

„You are going to have me learning every school of magic at this rate,'” you grin as you begin to eat. Tonight’s stew is awesome, one of his best cookings so far. The others seem to agree, they shower him with praise.

The silence that follows, as everyone enjoys their meal, is a bit more relaxed now - still not fully companionable, not yet, but a step in the right direction.

„This is a personal matter to you,” Lae’zel observes as you collect the dishes and clean them with a quick cantrip - because you can now. You hand the bowls to Gale, searching for the right words, and slump back down onto the log.

„What do you mean?”

„Your choice of song.”

„It is. But I assume it is for all of us.”

„How so?”

„Well, I didn’t exactly plan to be teleported into Faerûn, have my life uprooted, be infected with a mindflayer tadpole and walk around with a group of people unknown to me,” you smile dryly. „Yet, here we are. I cling to what I know and understand through music.”

You look around, taking in each of them, and something shifts in your chest.

You thought you knew all their characters, all their flaws. You spent countless hours exploring dialogue options and building their story, ensuring they each got their good ending.

Multiple times, in fact.

But sitting here, among them, you realize you don’t know them at all. They are living, breathing people now, not just programmed characters with pre-defined lines of dialogue. They have their own stories, their own jokes, their own gestures and quirks that make them who they are.

It is all so much more than you ever imagined, and you feel a spark of excitement for it.

If this is your life now, if you have to make it all the way to Baldur’s Gate, you might as well enjoy the ride and actually get to know them - not just the versions of them you played in a game.

„And I know nothing about you,” you add. It feels like the right thing to say. Somehow, it doesn’t feel like a lie. They can never know what you know.

They are not the same.  Well, they are - but they are also much more than the digital versions you once controlled.

„All we have is each other, now. So, I figure we work with what is available. Halsin is a chance. Your creche is,” you nod at Lae’zel,

„I have to do this for you and the only way now is through,” you sing and smile. „There is no going back. I don’t know how to get home. It’s just another question on an excruciating long list of questions that is not really the main focus right now.”

You shrug, reaching for the wine. „We’ll make it work. We have to.”

„What are you referring to?”

„What is the alternative here, Gale? We break up and do this on our own? To what end? You cannot kill the goblin leaders alone. None of us can. So, we do it together. It’s why we decided to stick together anyway. ”

Wyll raises his glass, clearing his throat with a strained but genuine smile. Despite his punishment, he still carries the strength to smile, and you feel a warmth bubble up inside. Maybe you should follow his example.

„All we have is each other!”

The other cheer in and you smile. It’s not the first honest smile since you woke up here but it’s the first that deeply warms your soul.

The fire flickers, the wine flows, and you let the warmth of the moment settle over you.

You think of this smile after your first kill.

It’s just a goblin. The sword Wyll chose for you drives into its chest, and the blood spills as you pull the weapon back. The gurgling sound rips through the air, its last breath wheezing painfully, and you thought you would handle this better.

You feel its surprisingly hot blood on your hand. You hear its final breath, ragged and wet, as its lungs fill with blood, its body convulsing before it falls still.

And all you can do is stare.

You have killed a sentient, breathing thing. For the first time in your life.

„Get down!” Karlach shouts, but the command is distant, muffled by the ringing in your ears. Your mind registers the order, but all you do is fall to your knees, more out of reflex than any clear thought.

You stare at the dead body, unable to process what just happened, unable to comprehend the reality of it.

The first thought that enters your mind, the first thing that grounds you, is the feeling of your smile. The one you had around the fire on the first night you sang for them. It had felt so pure, so genuine - a warmth, contentment, a moment of belonging.

And now, this. A violent, life-ending act, one that, despite its necessity, feels so foreign. As if the moments of peace you’ve found here, of warmth, were never meant to last.

But your mind wanders back to the smile. The connection you felt with them. It had taken so many days to find your place here, and yet, you know the journey is just beginning.

A hand falls on your shoulder, and through the fog of your thoughts, a voice cuts through. You blink, clearing your head.

The world around you is quieter now. Shuffling feet, the rustling of leaves, the distant song of birds. Scratch’s warm nose brushes against your cheek.

Are you alright?

You look at him, and something inside you uncoils. The dog's face watches you attentively, and without thinking, you pull him into a hug. You don’t know what else to do.

I will be. Soon.

When you pull away, Scratch gently licks your face. You look up to find Gale standing above you, his hand having fallen from your shoulder. He offers you his other hand, and with a deep sigh, you take it, letting him help you stand.

He doesn’t speak, but his gaze is steady, watching you closely.

„Hey soldier, you up and running?” Karlach yells from across the battlefield. You nod, wiping your hand over your face, only to realize you’ve smeared goblin blood across your skin.

„Allow me,” Gale says gently, stepping closer and cleaning you with a cantrip.

„I shall venture the bold assumption that this,“ he gestures toward the goblin, „was your first.“

You nod. „I am alright, Kalla, thanks!” you yell but your voice sounds meek.

„Kalla? Hell yeah!” she cheers, grinning from ear to ear while she continues to search the goblins.

„If it offers any consolation, you acquitted yourself well.”

You force a smile, reaching up to tap his shoulder. „It means a lot. Thank you.”

Gale blinks, clearly surprised, but says nothing.

„I’ll get used to this,” you say, your voice steadying after a long breath, „I have to.”

„At the very least, you managed not to retch on my robes. Well done!” Gale’s voice is light, teasing, and when you look up at him, you’re surprised to see a wide grin spreading across his face.

You laugh. It’s a release, a sudden burst of air from your lungs. The underlying tension that had been coiling in your body seems to unravel in that moment. You laugh and laugh until you can’t breathe, only to burst into laughter again when you see Gale’s pleased expression.

„And what, pray tell, has the two of you in such cheerful spirits, hm?” Astarion comments from behind, and before you can stop yourself, you pull him into a hug, cradling his neck.

Surprised, Astarion wraps his arms around you.

„Thank you,” you whisper, pressing a soft kiss to his neck. His arms tighten around you in response.

„Are you certain you are alright, darling?”

You grin, though your head still feels a little light. „I am. Let’s wrap this up and try to find some water that isn’t ice-cold, please. I want to wash myself.”

„I have to admit, the aftermath of battle adds to your charm.”

On the way back to the Grove, Karlach and Lae'zel shoulder the heavier parts of the loot: swords, armor, and even a new pair of boots that fit you, though you can’t help but miss the familiar weight of your Doc Martens. These boots, however, seem less likely to attract attention.

Still, they are a small reminder of the world you left behind.

„And when the night gives way, it’s like a brand-new doomsday,” Gale’s voice breaks the silence, as he slows his pace to match yours.

You glance at him, noting the familiar look on his face - brows slightly furrowed, the left one arching just a fraction as he thinks.

„Surprisingly poetic,” he begins, though it sounds more like a question than a statement. „Is this how you feel? There must be a reason you chose this particular song. I’d imagine you’re well-versed in the music of your home. So, why this one? If you don’t mind me asking.”

You smile, nudging him lightly with your shoulder. He stumbles a bit, regaining his balance, and gives you a surprised look.

„A Poet, hm?” you tease.

He chuckles, the sound low and easy. „I am known to try my hand at poetry.”

„I’d love to read it sometime, if you’ll allow it.” You tease him further, but there’s a warmth in your voice.

Gale looks at you, surprised, before focusing on the path ahead. He gives a gentle nod, though his thoughts are clearly elsewhere.

„Thank you,” you add quietly. „And yes, it’s a deeply personal choice of song. One of my favourites, actually. I’ve listened to it more times than I can count. I thought it might be fitting. It’s a reminder that every day is a new day, a possible new doomsday. We don’t know what we might face. Wyll didn’t think he’d end up as a devil. Kalla only hoped we’d help her with the paladins. There’s no certainty, and that’s what the song is about.”

Gale pauses, his gaze thoughtful as he considers your words. „I had thought it spoke of shared loss and the weight of grief,” he muses. „A deep reflection on the emotional reckoning one faces when confronted with the inescapable truth of death. At its essence, it’s a song about navigating the depths of hopelessness, yet still striving to find meaning, even in the face of despair. Much like the way you guide us now, with quiet strength, even when the shadows loom large.”

You tilt your head at him, a slight smile curling on your lips. „I’m not leading you. I’m just a know-it-all who points out the obvious.”

From the corner of your eye, you catch a glimpse of Gale’s smile. „Ah, my dear friend, you possess greatness, even if you remain unaware of it. ou calmly quelled the strife between Zevlor and Arradin, and by your wise intervention, spared that poor tiefling girl from a woeful destiny. It is precisely for these reasons that our trust in you endures..”

You laugh softly, a lightness in your chest. „You trust me, hm?”

Gale stops suddenly, his arms, which had been casually folded behind his back, falling to his sides as he turns to face you fully. His gaze lingers on you, searching your face for a moment. „I have come to trust you, yes.”

You smile warmly, meeting his eyes.

„I’m glad to hear that,” you say, your voice soft but sincere. „I’m confident, somewhat, that we can get through this.”

„And the only way out is through.”

You chuckle again, the lightness in your chest lifting even further. His attention to a song you sang just a few nights ago feels strangely flattering. You wonder if he has also memorized the songs you sang after.

„I think so. I hope so. We’ll see.”

From ahead, Astarion’s voice calls, „Are you coming?”

Gale raises an eyebrow, looking amused. „You’ve made friends with our snarky companion.”

You laugh. „It’s just sex, Gale. No one will be killed by it.” You wink at him, watching his expression shift to one of surprise.

For a moment, you consider that they might not be aware of the fact that you share a bed with Astarion.

The thought becomes surprisingly irrelevant as you begin to undress for a bath. The cool evening air brushes against your skin, and you hear Shadowheart’s sharp intake of breath. You glance over at her and freeze, realizing her gaze is locked on your chest. Your chest that had remained well hidden until now.

Oh, right. Fuck.

„What in the hells has happened to you? Are those… bitemarks?“ she asks, her voice incredulous, a mix of concern and curiosity.

Astarion sighs behind you and steps closer. Without hesitation, he offers the truth. You look at him, surprised, your shirt halfway off but you don’t interrupt. He simply states, matter-of-factly, that he is a vampire spawn.

The reactions come quickly: Lae’zel starts shouting, her voice filled with anger. Karlach chuckles, clearly amused by the sudden tension, while Wyll simply stares, then sighs heavily.

But it's Gale who catches your attention. His eyes meet yours, and for a long, unblinking moment, he just watches you. You don’t know what he’s thinking, there is something unreadable in his expression.

After what feels like an eternity, Gale finally turns around and enters his tent.

You try to shrug it off, hoping to brush aside the uneasy silence that lingers in the air. But something about it gnaws at you. The underlying meaning, the weight of what was just revealed, is still there, hovering between you and the others.

Apparently, the fact that Astarion is a vampire spawn is of far more relevance than the fact that you allow him to drink from you.

Dinner is quieter than you expected. Even your singing does little to lift the weight pressing down on the camp. No one says it, but the tension lingers.

When you retreat to your tent, Astarion follows.

„Thank you,“ he whispers against your ear, voice soft in the aftermath of both acts; his drinking, your shared pleasure. You press closer, arm draping around his waist, fingers skimming over the scars on his back without touching them.

„You’re welcome,“ you murmur. „What did I do?“

„You let me speak for myself.“

That surprises you. More than it should. He is so rarely this unguarded, this honest. It suits him. You prefer him like this. Without the sharp edges, without the practiced smirk.

„It’s not my story to tell, love.“

Astarion hums in response, a pleased little sound, and pulls you closer. You are thankful you took your notes before falling asleep.

That night, for the first time, you dream of the Emperor.

You had expected the Astral Prism to be beautiful, but it still steals your breath when you look up at the stars. It is stunning, vast - so vividly real it unsettles you. Even the Emperor’s presence does not stifle it.

He looks familiar. You cannot place it at first, but as you speak with him, the pieces slowly fall in place: piercing blue eyes, freckles, a darker beard, red hair.

Silas.

He looks like Silas.

Interesting.

His hair is longer, falling past his shoulders, styled like Gale’s, though there’s something unmistakably his about it.

A merging of both worlds. While he offers nothing you don’t already know, you think to yourself of how easily you were swayed by him during your first playthrough and can absolutely see and feel why.

In the morning, you recount the dream with the others, letting the discussion carry itself as you all make your way toward the Underdark. Talk drifts between theories: what the tadpoles do, what they might mean, whether the connection and memory share you experienced with them was deliberate or instinctive.

You test it. Nothing happens.

Gale, of course, has theories. You test those, too, scribbling quick notes in your journal between steps.

You had thought about the Underdark before, imagined what it might be like and your guesses were surprisingly accurate. The air is warm and damp, thick with the scent of earth. Glowing fungi cast an eerie, otherworldly light, enough to see a few steps ahead, enough to remind you of what lurks beyond.

To your surprise, you enjoy the haze of the haste spores. You had assumed they simply made you faster. They do, but it is more than that - a lightness, a euphoria. It lifts the weight off your chest, if only for a few stolen minutes. You have to stop yourself from indulging too often. You had a hard time getting off cigarettes.

You approach the Duergar and notice: it is the first time you truly see them fight. During the goblin ambush, you had been too caught up in your own survival to notice. But now….

Gods, they are terrifying. Brilliant, breathtakingly beautiful but fucking terrifying at the same time.

Wyll is precise, his movements elegant, practiced, effortless. You nearly forget to throw your fireball when you see him cut down a Duergar.

Lae’zel fights like it is breathing, swift and lethal.

And Karlach….Fuck!

You always knew she was strong, but there is something raw about watching her in her element. She fights with unrestrained joy, each strike a study in power and ferocity. A fucking study in strength and brutality. It is as impressive as it is frightening.

Astarion disappears into the shadows, slipping behind the enemy with quiet grace.

You do what you can - patching wounds, keeping to the edges, fighting only when something gets too close. It has been best practice so far and you are beginning to work more as a team.

Gale casts Mage Armor on you, as he always does, his movements seamless. You have been watching his hands too much these past few days, and it is difficult to stop now.

There is a rhythm to his magic, a grace that speaks of discipline, of mastery. The way his fingers weave through the air - fluid, deliberate - makes it look easy, like the spells come to him as naturally as breath.

There is confidence in his control, but something else, too. Something quieter. Intimate.

You do not realize you are staring until Karlach shoves you aside, splitting the last Duergar in half.

Blood sprays. You are drenched.

„Eyes on the battlefield, soldier!“ she grins, shouldering her axe.

You sputter, wiping at your face, but it does little good. Karlach’s laughter rings warm in your ears.

„You’re enjoying this far too much,“ you cough.

„You bet your ass I am!“ she claps you on the back, nearly knocking you forward. „Nothing like a good fight to get the blood pumping - though you might’ve taken that a bit too literally.“

You glance down at yourself and your drenched clothes and sigh. „Yeah. Might look that way.“

Karlach winks. „Eh, suits you. Gives you that ‘I’ve seen some shit’ edge.“

Before you can retort, Gale approaches, surveying the mess you have become with a smirk. A flick of his wrist, a quiet spell, and cool water washes over you.

„That was vile,“ he remarks, though there is amusement in his tone. „And you’re welcome.“

You brush wet strands from your forehead, offering him a crooked smile. „Ever the gallant wizard.“

„I do try,“ he hums. He lingers a moment longer before turning away.

„Come on,“ Wyll calls. „We should move before something worse finds us standing around.“

Astarion reappears at your side with a practiced ease, dusting off his sleeves as though the fight had been a minor inconvenience.

„As charming as this little moment is, I’d rather not be some Underdark beast’s midnight snack. Shall we?“

You huff a laugh, shaking off the last remnants of battle as you fall into step with the others.

This was a victory, yes. But more than that, it was the first time you saw them - not just as individuals, but as a force.

A unit.

And you were part of it.

As you make your way through the Underdark, you subtly guide the group, nudging them in the directions you want. Somehow, you have become a smooth talker, and they are listening to your suggestions. You drop hints that neither Halsin nor the creche might have the answers you're looking for, that this situation might be more than they realize. You’re careful, though, never revealing too much or pushing too hard.

Afterward, doubt creeps in. You wonder if you have gone too far.

You are meddling with fate here. Their fate, not even your own. You could die at any moment down here.

What happens when you die? Will your name be written into the annals? Will you be teleported home or die for good?

While you progress through the fucking Forge that has a thousand degrees and stinks of hot iron and old sweat, you try to distance yourself from Gale’s teaching. His famous sentence – To know you love me for the man I am and not the magic I command – has rendered your mind recently and you feel bad, leaching of him.

Of all of them, really. They have got their own problems, and while you re finally working as a team and the battles seem to get longer, they are still just as brutal.

You are starting to feel more confident in yourself, in your abilities. A lot of the spells in Gale’s books are easy to replicate, and while he is always there to offer input when you ask, you try not to lean on him as much. He notices, but he does not question it.

The first time you are seriously injured, you question if you just wake up at home.

A blade pierces your lower belly, on the right side, and the pain is so hot, so white it blinds you as you drop back. Wyll is by your side, rummaging in his pack and pouring a health potion onto the wound while your blood blooms on your clothes. It works instantly, you can feel the pain fading but the surprise and shock of this devastation lingers as Astarion pulls you to your feet to check on you.

Thankfully, he pulls you into a hug and holds you for a moment while you catch a breath.

„No healing potions in your world?” Gale asks on the way back to camp.

„You are very perceptive. No, we have different forms of medication but nothing that works as instantly.”

„You took a wound in battle, and I couldn’t help but notice how much it unsettled you. It seemed only right to see how you were faring.“

You smile warmly, making a point not to look at him. He had quietly requested a second artifact a few days ago and you expected him to come clean about the orb but he hasn’t said anything so far.

„I was wondering what happens when I die here,” you confess. „Will you be able to revive me? Do I get back home? Do I die forever?”

„A fair assumption, indeed. This must be quite the shock for you - understandably so.“

„You are kind to say, Gale. Thank you. What do you think?”

He sighs, scratching his beard with his left hand before he speaks. „I'm afraid it's far too soon to offer a proper hypothesis. Your world is known in Faerûn. I personally know of a wizard who has crossed into your plane of existence. A rare occurrence, certainly, but not beyond the realm of possibility. Which means, in turn, that there may yet be a way to see you home. So, take heart - this is but another puzzle to solve, and I do so love a challenge. We’ll best this.”

„I appreciate your help. In all of this. You have no inclination to help me and could just let me figure stuff on my own.”

„You are far less dull than the students I once tutored - an unexpected delight, truly. And, I must say, refreshingly open to my suggestions. A rare and admirable quality.“

You chuckle at that. „How could I not be? I don’t have a fucking clue what is going on and you are a – how did you put it? A scholar of considerable acclaim?”

"It seems I am not the only one with a talent for listening," he remarks with a subtle smile.

You walk in silence for a moment. „Will you talk about it?” you ask carefully after a few moments.

„About what would you like to discuss?“ he asks, though his hand drifts toward the orb unconsciously. The moment he catches himself, a knowing smile tugs at his lips. „In due time.”

[1tsnoya]

HI love can you do a HC where the reader is in like a 'team slumber party" w the whole Karasuno vbc bc hONESTLY my heart is so soft for that idea like they're all jus vibing 😭😭 love my babies so much

IMPORTANT | a/n: i believe that i’m shadowbanned so my message history disappeared and my posts will probs slack for a bit >:( pls don’t mind </3 super sorry babes ! hopefully it gets resolved soon

✧･ﾟkarasuno sleepover✧･ﾟ headcanons

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* :･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

↳ it was like 2 in the morning and the gc with the volleyball club was blowing up

↳ everyone was awake and it was just CHAOS

↳ so it made you wonder — wtf would a giant sleepover with us all be like

↳ so u asked just that in the gc

↳ the responses were...

tsuki: no way

yams: cmon it’d be so much fun!!

kageyama: sure

hinata: LETS DO IT

noya: FUCK IT UPPP

tanaka: YUH GET INTO IT

daichi: sounds interesting

tsuki: fine

suga: i’m down!

asahi: me too!

yachi: i’m scared

kiyoko: it’ll be fine yachi

↳ so it was scheduled for friday night at 6pm

↳ and when everyone got there WOW it was so loud there was so much going on

↳ everyone finally calmed down when pizza was ordered hksksjhs

↳ a debate about pineapple on pizza went down

↳ HUGE SUPER MARIO PARTY GAME HOLY SHIT

↳ there were 12 of you (including yourself) and max was 8 players so kiyoko, yachi, asahi, and tanaka sat out

↳ tanaka was yelling at noya and hyping him up though and so was asahi at suga

↳ hinata picked diddy, kageyama picked the goomba, tsuki picked bowser jr, yamaguchi picked shy guy, suga picked yoshi, daichi picked donkey kong HSHSJJSH, and noya picked wario obvi

↳ so. much. SCREAMING

↳ tanaka: “NOYA OHMY- dont fuck this up you need to roll 4- LETS GO BABY LETS GET A-”

↳ he rolled a 4 pure luck and him and tanaka started running around screaming “LETS GOOOOO”

↳ tsuki: “you have 0 stars”

↳ noya: “wtf i’m still gonna win-”

↳ daichi was clueless at first but then really started getting into it

↳ suga was hyping everyone up but was super determined to win

↳ kageyama had the WORST luck. he could have sworn that the game was against him

↳ hinata made fun of him HAA

↳ SUPER CLOSE GAME BETWEEN SUGA AND TSUKISHIMA

↳ tsuki won are u fr?

↳ after another round, tanaka and noya suggested spin the bottle

↳ sigh

↳ they obviously were hoping to kiss kiyoko

↳ she played ONE round. ONE

↳ landed on yachi ofc<3

↳ SO MUCH YELLING WHEN IT WAS JUST A QUICK AND SMALL PECK BETWEEN THEM

↳ yachi was so nervous it was hilarious

↳ OH AND THEN IT LANDED ON TSUKISHIMA AND YAMAGUCHI

↳ tsuki did it like it was NOTHING

↳ cue the screaming. again

↳ after a few more turns, it started getting late so asahi took some uno cards out of his bag

↳ everybody changed into their jammies and sat in a circle

↳ hinata was wearing some old tee from grammar school as his pj shirt and the first and second years FLAMED him

↳ anyways. uno game. right

↳ tell me why daichi got the worst cards every turn

↳ hinata was peeking at other people’s cards

↳ kageyama was pissed off by how many cards he kept having to pick up

↳ so. many. plus 4 cards. from suga

↳ but ohohoh he got some karma

↳ yamaguchi placed down a +4 to give to yachi (he picked it up and was s o s o r r y) then she placed another one down to give to hinata, THEN HE PLACED ANOTHER +4 AND LASTLY TANAKA ADDED 4 AND GAVE IT TO SUGA

↳ 16 fucking cards- he was scared

↳ yamaguchi won <3

↳ and then asahi whipped out another game

↳ family feud....

↳ you can already tell how bad this is gonna get

↳ team #1 consisted of: hinata, kageyama, daichi, yachi, nishinoya

↳ team #2: tsukishima, asahi, suga, kiyoko, tanaka

↳ yamaguchi wanted to be the steve harvey of the night so you helped him keep track of points

↳ in the gc, asahi texted a msg for someone to bring a button

↳ tanaka brought a “nut” one 💀

↳ you placed it in the middle of the table. boom. what could go wrong?

↳ round one began...

↳ tanaka vs daichi

↳ yams: “name something you find sand in after a day at the beach”

↳ the fucking button SLAMMED AGAINST THAT TABLE AND SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BREAK

↳ tanaka: “MY ASS-”

↳ the GIGGLING THAT ESCAPED EVERYONE’S MOUTHS-

↳ daichi was just “:O um. my turn-or?”

↳ noya: did he get the point?

↳ kageyama: he is on the OTHER TEAM

↳ hinata: i guess but it was a good answer..

↳ i’m pretty sure you can already guess what team won

↳ a few more rounds were played and it was like midnight so you put a movie on

↳ tanaka noya and hinata sat in the front, laughing at every single thing going on

↳ kageyama: “hinata if u don’t shut ur FUCKING MOUTH”

↳ yamaguchi: “can you raise the volume?”

↳ tsukishima: “no they just need to shut the fuck up before i go over there and-”

↳ a pillow was thrown...

↳ shit went down..

↳ asahi: “come on guys let’s just watch the movie”

↳ daichi threw a pillow at him

↳ cue the surprised pikachu face @ daichi

↳ yachi was sCared

↳ so her, kiyoko, and you snuck off to the bathroom while chaos erupted between the boys

↳ kiyoko: “okay when they all fall asleep, i want to mess with them”

↳ yachi: “are you sure that they won’t kill us-?”

↳ OHOHOHO a plan was devised

↳ you three waited until the screaming died down a bit and then walked out

↳ feathers everywhere, uno cards all over the floor, and the nut button was smashed...

↳ wtf happened you left to the bathroom for like 6 minutes-

↳ “ummm...”

↳ “so...”

↳ “bed..time?”

↳ it was 1:30 in the morning and i’m sure you can already tell who was wide awake

↳ daichi, kageyama, asahi, yamaguchi, and tsukishima were trying to get ready to sleep

↳ you and the girls were trying to stay awake for your little plan

↳ hinata, noya, tanaka, and suga were just... wired

↳ yeah did suga surprise u? nope not me. that boy is chaotic at sleepovers don’t @ me

↳ they set up a smash game (while the others were sleeping) so tsuki woke back up to beat everyones ass-

↳ it started getting loud until daichi got up like - “shut✨the fuck✨up✨”

↳ so everyone quieted down HSJSHS

↳ you joined in on the game and teams were formed

↳ you and tsuki vs hinata, noya, and suga

↳ tsuki: “just pls don’t fuck this up-”

↳ you and him won😫obvi

↳ at the end when it was only tsuki and suga, he kept RUNNING AWAY FROM HIM

↳ suga was just — :p u cant catch me

↳ and when he did.. yikes..

↳ everyone eventually fell asleep

↳ except you, kiyoko, and yachi

↳ kageyama grumbles in his sleep, daichi sleeps like a serial killer, suga was just-he looked like an angel, asahi was lowkey breathing loud, noya and tanaka were SPOONING, hinata kicks in his sleep, tsuki sleeps with his headphones in?? and yamaguchi turns around every second

↳ it was time for the plan nehehehe

↳ kiyoko put makeup on kageyama, tanaka, and asahi

↳ yachi started doodling on daichi’s, noya’s, and yamaguchi’s faces

↳ you put an alarm set to go off in the morning and blast ‘deepthroat’ by cupcakke on tsuki’s phone ***yes he still had his headphones in

↳ and you all put some creepy clown doll right next to hinata’s face so that it could be the first thing he wakes up to

↳ next thing you know it’s 7AM and all you hear is “hUMPME FUCK ME-”

↳ tsuki was the first one awake and was already grumpy

↳ he thought that it was noya and tanaka’s idea to mess with him so he like shoved them awake

↳ “cupcakke? really?” and then he stopped to look at their faces

↳ yachi drew some fucked up shit on noya’s face and tanaka was wearing red lipstick with pink eyeshadow

↳ “it’s too early for this...” HE LEFT TO THE BATHROOM LMFAO

↳ oh god and then everyone woke up

↳ you and the girls were fake sleeping and listening to it all go down

↳ breakfast was.. interesting

↳ hinata was traumatized from that clown incident (he scream sounded like it came from his little sister) the boys were trying to rub off their makeup and it was smudged all over their faces, and the other boys were just ... trying to ignore the drawings on them

↳ ofc yachi drew a mustache on daichi

↳ oh and noya was trying to play the drawings off as tattoos😔

↳ you don’t even wanna know about breakfast-

↳ everyone agreed on pancakes and well...

↳ batter was everywhere and the smoke detector went off

[kihyuni3]

Seventeen (Hip Hop Unit) Reaction to their S/O Getting Hurt

Wow I’m such a liar ... i was supposed to start writing this yesterday but then I got a wallpaper edit commission and completely switched gears. Sorry everyone.

Posted this the other day but tumblr shadowbanned it for some reason so i’m just going to try and repost it real quick.

Requested: Yes

Warnings: Mentions of blood

Vocal Unit ㅣ Performance Unit (Coming Soon)

S.Coups/Seungcheol:

This is one responsible guy. He is already used to looking after himself and 12 other boys so his reaction to you getting hurt would be relatively calm.

When you let out a little sound after bumping into the corner of the counter, Cheol’s attention would be entirely on you making sure you were alright. Before you even say anything he notices the blood where you are holding your arm. He’ll gently wrap his hand around your waist and take you to the bathroom so he could help you clean and dress your wound. (He might even have you sit on the counter while he helps you). Cheol would continue having casual conversation with you throughout the whole process, he figured it would help you keep calm if you a little squeamish as well as reassure you that it wasn’t a big deal without ever having to say those thing directly. Once he was done cleaning you up and putting bandages over your wounds, he would lean in an give you a quick peck on your forehead and then asking if you were okay.

Overall he would be very sweet and attentive throughout the whole situation. His calm energy would help you relax and the huge smile he gave you when you told him you were okay made the little wound completely worth it.  

“See not too bad,” he would smile at you reassuringly “So tell me what you want to do now.”

Wonwoo:

I think in a situation like this Wonwoo is another member who would remain pretty calm. However, he would definitely let his worry show through.

The two of you had been messing around at a park not far from the dorms when you tripped and scraped your knee. Wonwoo’s mood would go from goofy and playful to serious the second he saw blood forming on your leg. He would help you to your feet and make sure you were okay to walk to a nearby bench. Even if you assured him it was okay and that it didn’t hurt that much he would continue to ask you if you were okay and how you were feeling every couple of seconds. Although his actions seemed calm and collected as he knelled down to pour the water from his bottle onto your wound to clean it, his constant questions and the look on his face made it clear that he was  worried about you. Wonwoo would sit there with you until long after you had stopped bleeding just in case.

Wonwoo is very caring and would worry after you even at small things like this. Even if the scrape hurt in the moment, it was to nice to see how he was willing to take care of you like this. He definitely wouldn’t let you do anything “dangerous” for the rest of the day.

“How about we just go back to the dorm and watch a movie” he would say gently, giving you a gentle smile (the first one he had shown since you fell) “That way I don’t have to worry about you getting hurt again.”

Mingyu:

Mingyu would 100% overreact. Partly because he was actually concerned and partly because he knew it would make you laugh and take your mind off of the situation.

You had been helping Gyu in the kitchen while he cooked for your date night. He always insisted on doing most of the work and only let you do little things like stir or cut, but after you slightly catch the tip of your finger with the knife you can be sure he won’t even let you do that anymore. When you told him what had happened while holding your finger he would at first ask you if you were okay in a very concerned manner taking your hands in his. However, once you assure him it didn’t hurt to much it was just bleeding that is when the drama would come in. He would let out a over exaggerated sigh and pout at you while asking you how you could cut yourself giving you an almost offended look. You could tell by his tone and his increasing volume that it was an act. He would continue to make exaggerated gestures and noises as he helped you wash up, and once you are clean and bandaged don’t expect it to stop. His act would continue until he was completely sure that you had forgotten about the incident entirely.

Mingyu would show his concern through his little actions while helping you, but his #1 goal was to make you laugh and not worry which he would do through big goofy displays. As long as you were smiling he knew everything was okay.

“Wow,” He would say loudly, extending all of the sounds “I can’t believe you would do this to me, and on our date night too. You are unbelievable.”

Vernon/Hansol:

Your relationship with Vernon was very casual and very fun. This attitude wouldn’t change even in this situation.

You had been playing games at your apartment, and after you stubbed your toe on the way to get a snack fro the kitchen Vernon could help but laugh. It was the same thing every time either of you had any clumsy incidents, and you couldn’t blame him after you had laughed at him for 10 minutes straight when he dropped his phone directly on his foot the other day. Even though you feigned annoyance this was the norm in your relationship, and honestly, even when something did hurt, joking around with your boyfriend always made you forget about the pain. If he saw that you were actually bleeding from where you had kicked the table he wouldn’t hesitate to get up and get a bandage and some ointment for you, but even then the banter wouldn’t stop. Vernon would absolutely get you whatever you needed, but he would be laughing and joking the whole time.

It was nice to see that both of you were comfortable enough in your relationship to make jokes about each other and laugh with each other even in these situations. Vernon already showed you how much he cared through his actions, he didn’t have to constantly be asking if you were okay to express his feelings.

“I know it’s distracting having such a handsome and funny boyfriend around,” he would laugh loudly “but try to watch where you’re going.”

masterlist

requests/commisions

[mbcarmac]

Things Blood Bowl 3 can borrow from other esports games

If you are reading this, then you found me for one of two reasons: you either know me as the ESL guy that runs major esports tournaments or you know me as a Blood Bowl 2 player with 3,500 hours under his belt.

The combination of the above may justify the arrogance to write a wish list for Blood Bowl 3 ahead of its release.  I probably know what I am talking about.

As esports titles go, Blood Bowl 2 is a fantastic product that I consider very polished and feature-rich.  Their out-of-the-box engine to run tournaments is fantastic (some people that actually run leagues might cringe, but I am looking at BB2 relative to other titles), tuning in to matches is easy and watching your own replays isn't hard either.  On top of this, you can make custom teams play against yourself which is a massively useful feature if you want to prepare for specific matches.

This does not mean that Blood Bowl cannot learn lessons from other titles that would make it an even better game with the release of BB3.

Before we go on, let's acknowledge that every game developer needs to balance the time and money spent on developing features vs. how many users it would provide value to.  In practice, if there's a killer feature idea that delays the shipment of the game by two weeks and the feature "only" helps the top 1% of players, then that feature might not get priority or it might not make it to the game.  For that reason I am focusing on features that I am guessing are trivial to add or would positively affect more than just the elite (that, and the fact that I'm not an elite BB2 player).

So, here we go:

1) Resume from replay (a StarCraft II feature) One of the best RTS games of all time has this neat feature where you can resume a game that was interrupted for a technical reason.  The game can be restarted from the point it broke which has obvious applications for running tournaments, but it also has tremendous potential for learning to play Blood Bowl.

Imagine that you can load up a replay of your own tournament game and try to resolve certain situations differently.  Massively useful for strategy as well as set plays like attacking or defending on one turn touchdowns.

I wish there was a save round button in the game which basically allows you to start a new match (against yourself, against AI or a live opponent) from a specific point.  You could practice all kinds of one turn tochdowns without wasting time on recreating the setup of the defensive team every time.  You could condense your practice to practically any other element you want.

I have had a good BB player analyse a demo with me on Discord once and it was a very valuable experience.  How much better it would have been if he could have told me "play this round out differently" instead of talking about how the round would / should go.

Storing such "start files" could then allow the community to build resources where people could find all sorts of setups and play them out rather than reading about them.

The easier it is to get players to a higher level of competency, the more players are decent players and the more enjoyable the game experience will be.  The added bonus of helping tournaments resume matches makes the feature worth adding into the game in and of itself.

2) Different clock mechanic (my own idea yay!) There is a balance to be struck between keeping the game manageable and fun to play and giving people enough time to make crucial decisions.  The Championship Ladder turn clock has been set to 2 minutes after being at 3 minutes for a while, presumably as a response to dwindling player numbers (it's a guess, not a fact).  Shorter turns are more fun for more casual players and longer turns are better for cerebral elite players.

A good balance might be if each player received an additional cache of time.  It could be done many different ways, but perhaps the most elegant one would be if there were three "+1 minute" cards (similar to rerolls) available for each player per half.  That would mean that when you really need the extra time, you can use it and the cards also become a resource to manage as well.

Alternatively, players could simply have an overtime clock that every extra second spent comes out of, but the "card system" has the advantage that you need to trigger receiving the extra time.  If you have to actively trigger additional time, you know it won't be wasted by people that go AFK.

3) Player behaviour management (League of Legends) It seems to me like the developer would prefer to release the game and then keep it up with minimal resources.  This means that ordinary players will have to deal with absolutely toxic people from time to time.  I can take the abuse, but it isn't fun.

At the same time, I have met a number of players that gave me tips during the match that helped me become better.  I wish such behaviour were more encouraged since meeting helpful players online can be a tremendous tool to help new players improve (a lot of players never ever leave the bubble of the game itself to find resources on YouTube, Twitch or BB2 websites).

I would like to see two buttons available to me after a game where I can label player as a toxic one or a helpful one.  If a player on ladder gets reported by five (random number) different people, the game should be able to react.  For example by displaying a message letting them know that they are shadowbanned from chat and no one can read their hateful shit for the next 25 (random number) games.  Of course "toxic reports" should be automatically discarded if the player hadn't typed anything since it's hard to be toxic if you hadn't typed anything.

The same mechanic could apply to helpful players and it could automatically start displaying a reputation marker next to their nickname (the more positive reports you get, the better your "positivity rank" - and it shoud decay over time).  Some other type of in-game reward could be instated as well, but I don't know what the developer's plans are for in-game currency or custom rewards.

I know of some players that would confuse the hell out of the above system, otherwise known as helpful ragers, but maybe it would be a good start.  And the best thing: it's automated with no manpower required.

4) Observer features (DOTA 2, Chess)

Give us basic telestration tools in the game.  The ability to draw arrows, move players (as shadows) etc. to illustrate what the player should do, where the player should be moved, etc.  It is not uncommon for a turn of Blood Bowl to last two minutes before a player is moved or a die is rolled.  Commentators being able to mark things in the game they are watching and displaying them for their audience would make broadcasts much more compelling.

I cannot stress enough that there's time for it in most big tournament matches.  It would be massively helpful with "newb streams" as well (something I've recommended for the REBBL team to organise for their playoffs) since that can bring players into the community as well.

5) Promotion of esports (League of Legends & others) The first major title to really do this well was League of Legends.  Whenever a big event was going on, they would put a link to the stream into the game client.  I cannot stress how much this has popularised LoL as a professional esport and given its community the idea that they're casual players of not a game but a SPORT.  Even if they did not watch the esports tournaments, they were given a sense that there was so much more depth to that world.

This is another feature which might require post-release management from the developer (which automatically makes it not-so-desirable), but creating some kind of in-game billboard and working with whitelisted popular leagues to fill it in for the publisher under strict guidelines is probably doable.  I am aware of the news section on the loading screen, but without an image and headline to attract my attention, I ignore it 90% of the time.

The community does tremendous work for the publisher, creating rich, vibrant places to learn, play and enjoy Blood Bowl.  The least they could do is allow the trusted ones to promote themselves inside the game.  It's for the mutual benefit of the publisher and the community leagues.

Welp... This is more writing than I've done in 5 years.  And all it took was for me to win the first round of the REBBL Challenger Cup.  I hope you've enjoyed this read and that you have suggestions of your own that could help Blood Bowl 3 become a fantastic game.