#maintaining 2 games seems manageable enough

[howlsofbloodhounds]

hello howl! do you have any favorite hcs of killer that you or someone else created? do yap if there's a lot, my brain is deprived of killer🥺

Alright, this are mostly about Stage 2 because he’s on my mind. Feel free to add on with yalls own killer hcs.

1. That Killer has ADHD. Probably a stereotype born from fanon killer’s personality, but I like it if it’s done well. (Which i rarely see, but that has been changing recently!)

2. That killer is some degree of blind or in general has a hard time seeing. Makes me think his other senses would be a lot better than his sight—especially his vision worsens depending on what Stage he’s in.

3. That he and Chara did pinky wears and the pink swears were sacred—not capable of being broken or the other has the right to kill or torture the snitch however they want. (My HC.) (Alexa play secret)

4. That Chara gave Killer Asriel’s half of the heart locket/golden locket, the one that said “bffs forever.” Especially if Killer has come to associate it with control, and it’s the only way to gain control over a Killer who has been stuck in Stage 4.

5. That his SOUL is a record player of all his victims dying, fearful, hurt, painted, angry, hateful and frantic words. Or at least Killer thinks it is—as he constantly hears them in his head whenever he attempts to resist killing or hurting anyone in Stage 1, and the constant flood of internal degradation is overwhelming enough to trigger Stage 4. The last part seems be somewhat canon, but the record player isn’t.

6. Cannibal Killer, started by me, holds a little place in my heart.

7. Cathearted and Angelkin Killer. Love it. Angelkin was @justanidiotartist’s idea.

8. Princess Killer. As in there is a timeline where he and Chara overthrew Asgore’s rule and became the royals of the Underground for a time.

9. That a part of Killer’s conditioning and training was being taught royal etiquette by Chara. It was framed and hidden under the disguise of learning something new, and a game— a way to keep Killer entertained and avoid boredom, therefore keeping him stable while implementing further rules and structure—but of course it had its typical violence and the use of Resets was often if Killer ever made a mistake or forgot a single thing.

He was taught to hold himself and carry himself as “something more,” above the others in the Underground, but never above Chara and not as real as anyone else.

His spine is always straight, trying to maintain a composed demeanor even when leaning into his silly behavior and extroverted mask. He eats his food in a very specific practiced manner without conscious thought, using his hands and utensils in a specific way.

He only eats when the “Queen” (Chara, Nightmare) eats, and stops when they stop—regardless of if he’s finished or not. Sarcastic, overly exaggerated bowing and signs of deference towards Nightmare—“Your Majesty,” “Your Highness,” in a deadpan, sarcastic manner.

And this one’s a bit more canon, but he copies and mimics Chara’s ways of speaking in a formal manner— such as how he says “greetings” instead of “hello” or “hey.” Often more obvious when addressing those he views higher and above him, or when stressed.

Maintaining old habits of perfectionism and cleanliness despite appearing outwardly apathetic, as if he doesn’t really know why he does it, he just does. His spaces are to be ordered and clean, all gear and weapons done in a certain way, and it’s probably more than once he’s corrected the others gang members postures and manners of eating or speaking.

One thing Chara never managed to make him stop doing was putting his hands on the table. He did that then and he’ll keep doing it. (Somewhat canon. Bro always has his hands on the table.)

10. Killer has the same fascination with the number 9 that Chara does. My HC.

11. Killer with schizoid personality tendencies. My HC. (Bit more complicated than that.)

12. Killer is subconsciously drawn to heart imagery—especially upside down hearts. He will often absentmindedly trace them on his bones/carve them, or draw on paper. It calms down his body. Especially after having failed some type of mission—both when killing or refusing to kill.

13. He stims. They’re small and not noticeable if you aren’t looking, easily dismissed as something else, but he stims. My HC. (I like to think his whole clasping hands over the soul/chest in prayer gesture is a happy stim and a nervous one. And also finger guns.)

14. He is a romantic. But only in his own head and fantasies.

15. Golden flower tea..yum.

16. He treats his weapons and animals better than he treats actual people or himself.

17. Stage 2 will blatantly ignore you if you try to call him Sans. (Somewhat canon.)

18. Stage 2 is mostly apathetic and indifferent but also distrustful of children. My Hc.

19. Chara and Killer’s relationship has been through just about any type of dynamic you can think of. Creator/creation, parent/child (both have played this role), teacher/mentee, enemies, friends, partners. Anything but equals.

20. He is actually very good at knife tricks. Will only fail when he wants to cut himself on purpose, or wants to make someone laugh.

21. Actually a pretty good caretaker, at least physically. Mentally and emotionally tending to a patient needs some work.

22. GNC fashionita.

23. Believes having no needs will make him invulnerable and free.

24. That a more humanized Killer would have long black hair he styles in many different ways. Also that he has a hooked nose and still doesn’t look entirely human.

25. The idea that he gives himself something like tattoos that remind him of Color in his Good Ending. Gradient flaming heart rainbows like Jinx’s blue cloud tattoos. My HC.

26. Catlike behaviors. Yeah. Including being very petty and causing problems for no obvious reasons.

27. Various forms or presentations of pet or age regression depending on the Stage.

28. Hates feeling too exposed physically. ✨ body issues ✨

29. Would’ve thrown the comfort plushie Color gave to him for when he’s Stage 1 away if it the plushie didn’t have an excellent texture. (Is the reasoning he gives.)

30. Acts of service. Just come to him instinctively. Very parentified eldest daughter coded I think.

[juju-or-anya]

A character I deeply hate in *Game of Thrones* and *A Song of Ice and Fire* isn’t Daenerys, nor Cersei, nor even Sansa (and that’s saying something, as she annoys me quite a bit). No, the character I truly despise is Robert Baratheon.

Robert embodies all the traits that make me think: "I hate men" or "Men disgust me." His entire personality revolves around being a womaniser, a drunk, an overweight man obsessed with the ghost of a dead woman. Lyanna Stark has been in her grave for nearly twenty years, and she still can’t rest in peace because of his sick fixation.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. While Robert wasn’t the mastermind of the Rebellion, he was certainly the one who fuelled it. He didn’t do it for the good of the realm or out of any sense of justice; he did it because he couldn’t accept that maybe Lyanna didn’t want to marry him. She preferred to be another man’s lover rather than his wife, and instead of accepting that, he unleashed a war. Lyanna, though raised as a noble lady of the North, had a will of iron and wouldn’t have allowed herself to be kidnapped without a fight (not that she really had a chance to avoid it—after all, she was a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl facing Rhaegar, a twenty-four-year-old trained warrior—but I think you get my point).

And let’s not even talk about his reaction to the murder and rape of Elia Martell and her children. Robert laughed cruelly when he heard that innocent children, some barely toddlers, had been brutally killed and celebrated that a helpless woman had been raped and murdered. He was happy about it.

Of course, I’m not idealising characters like Lyanna, Elia, or Rhaegar. We can’t sanctify or demonise them because we don’t truly know them. Everything we know about them is filtered through the perspectives of others, some positive, some negative. They’re “told” characters, like Lily and James Potter in Harry Potter, whose backstories depend entirely on others’ memories. But who do we actually know enough about? Robert Baratheon. We know he’s the kind of man who would order the murder of a pregnant girl across the sea—a girl who’d already lost her family and home because of his rebellion. Robert did all this, not because Aerys was a tyrant, but because he was obsessed with the memory of a woman who never loved him.

As for his supposed "love" for Lyanna, he never showed any intention of respecting her, being faithful to her, or actually loving her. He was only in love with the idea of having a beautiful, strong, wild wife he could mould and subdue to his will. Before he was even engaged to Lyanna, he’d already fathered a bastard daughter; and only a few weeks after her death, he had Gendry. So much for his “great” love for Lyanna—he was already fathering children with other women within weeks.

What’s worse is that half the story seems determined to paint him as "the good guy." Give me a break. The realm didn’t entirely collapse during his reign only because of Tywin Lannister’s ambition and the competence of the royal council, who worked tirelessly to maintain stability. None of this was thanks to Robert Baratheon, who barely managed his responsibilities while the realm barely kept itself afloat despite him.

For all these reasons and more, I deeply hate Robert Baratheon.

Edit: I'll stand corrected, because a comment corrected me and they's right. The real hero who kept King Landing stable enough for there to still be a King Landing was Jon Arryn, that man deserved a raise and the biggest statue in the world, as well as putting up with his idiot king.

Edit 2: Re-reading my post, I realized that I made a somewhat fatphobic comment when I talked about Robert's physique and if anyone feels hurt, I truly apologize. I will not delete it, because it will be evident and give me a reason to improve, we are in constant deconstruction and I do not want to delete something bad that I could have said and pretend it never happened, how will I learn if I do that?

[quibbs126]

You know Twitter was talking about something, namely that with this update we’re could be getting yet another Legendary group

I’ve been told that they aren’t, and these are just the Epics to come with the update, but that’s not the point I’m making

The point is that I’m noticing just how many new Legendary/premium tier groups there have been. Just in 2024 alone, we got the Novas in Ovenbreak, the Beasts in Kingdom, and then the Archons/First Cream’s group in Witch’s Castle. That’s 3 groups and we’re not even halfway through the year

On some level it feels like they keep trying to give us new big things to be excited about, while not delivering on their already made promises, such as bringing in the Ovenbreak Legendaries, which they teased in late 2022 and we’ve only gotten one new one so far (not counting Pitaya)

It’s like me coming up with a new idea every couple of days and abandoning previous ideas I said I was going to work on, especially with AUs. Except I’m not a company with millions of players, I’m one scatterbrained, ADHD riddled person. So following my example is a very bad idea

I mean maybe let some new Legendaries just be one offs, like Xylitol Nova and just let it be one space themed update, or maybe First Cream (though I don’t know enough about her yet to say). The Beasts can stay, they work as a group since they’re basically evil Ancients/the original holder of the Soul Jams, though maybe they should have come after the White Lily chapter, and have Beast Yeast come after her story, after all the Ancients are recruited, instead of jamming in new hooks and shuffling the actual focus to the background

Like at this point I’m getting concerned about this company, since these releases feel like short term getting your money for promise of future updates while neglecting the hooks already set up (like the Dragons or Dark Enchantress (especially Dark Enchantress)), and it’s not gonna go well in the long run. Granted I’m not knowledgeable in how businesses work so what do I know?

I mean personally I just want closure to arcs that have been set up, as well as possibly seeing my old favorites again, I don’t really care that much about the company itself, I don’t even pay money. It’s just that they make the stories that I like and want to see more of

[ninesolsyapper]

So... Goumang and her Apemen Boys? Her weirdass kids, pets, whatever bizzare exact relationship they've got.

I frequently see their situation being described as Goumang turning them into Jiangshi out of her own will to control them while keeping them around. This idea of her control freak tendencies showing in how twisted her affection towards her Apemen is. This seems widespread enough that both the real and the fake Nine Sols Wikis frame it as such on their Goumang pages.

Though as I see the information we're given in the game, this does not seem right to me. The story here is a bit different methinks.

Goumang did not just turn her Apemen into Jiangshi soldiers because of her control freak tendencies, she did because her Apemen Boys died. They died and Goumang used her research into Jiangshi soldiers as a try to ressurect them, or at least to maintain as much of what's left of them. What we see in the game are these reanimated corpses.

I don't think I can call this part even a theory, because IMO this is pretty much what the game tells us about the situation. It doesn't directly spell it out but it appears clear.

Case 1 - Goumang's direct response to Yi's question of "You've gone so far as to modify the Apemen?" is "What's wrong with putting everything to good use? The opportunity to serve me beyond death is a special privilege I bestow.". So already here, this response would be just straight up incoherent if "serve me beyond death" was not directly relevant to the Apemen present. Though here admittedly it could be argued she meanslt that by making them Jiangshi she made them "beyond death", as good as immortals by her side. This by itself is not ironclad case for my argument.

For that I need to reach for...

Case 2 - The Apemen Jiangshi were stored in literal coffins.

So once you get back to the spot where you first meet Team Rocke... I mean Goumang and her Apemen, the coffin on the opposite side of the hole left after the elevator has a database lore entry attached to it. It gives you some context on what Jiangshi are but the most important part is the inscription, said to be written personally by Goumang, on the coffin itself.

“A life cut short too soon. The Abused - dead at 19”

So what we know from this?

1. The Apemen were dead at 19

2. Their life was "cut short", which definitely doesn't mean they were just forced into the Jiangshi-fication tubes or whatever. This more conclusively proves for me that they died for some other reason before Goumang made them into Jiangshi.

3. The most crucial part, this is Goumang herself stating these deaths were a tragedy, that they shouldn't have died at 19. This is an orbituary, this is why I said these are literally coffins. Goumang made them into coffins herself. Her directly saying they were "too soon" seems to also dismiss the idea she was already anxious that due to going into her Dreamscape she could end up seeing them only a few times more before they die of old age.

In this context, the "This way, you'll always be by my side." in Goumang's dreamscape reads less as a simple statement of the reson for which she's doing this but as this sorrowful "this is the only way I can keep you" way. Frankly it also carries this more sorrow tone in her voice.

So the above is my go at analysing what we are shown in the game. I would like to follow up with a couple theories going off of that.

1. Her control freak "mindful method" ideology actually crystalized because of the events that killed the Apeman duo. The extent of Goumang's desire to control and manage everything appeared to me to be like an actually new development that Yi wasn't quite aware of. He has no idea what "mindful method" is and the conversation in Goumang's throne room doesn't seem to hint they had this sort of argument before.

As for Apemen themselves, they really could have only either died to an accident or by pissing off some Dusk Guardians or another Sol. In either of these cases Goumang could go onto thinking this was her fault for not controlling them well enough, either by letting them work in an unsafe area or by letting them be around dangerous people without her supervision. She of course already showed similar tendencies before but being affected by their deaths could have make her double down on the micromanaging aspect of it.

2. The two Apemen actually started a bit chipping away at Goumang's ruthless technocrat worldview, a bit like Shuanshuan did with Yi. Possibly she started questioning her actions just a little bit just as two Apemen got cut down very conveniently.

What I'm nudging at is that Eigong was the one who orchestrated their deaths because after Yi she got paranoid over her second student also potentially getting weird ideas. First "lying bad" and then "mass murder and slavery possibly maybe bad", a true slippery slope if you ask me! So she got rid of the source of these weird ideas and possibly actively pushed Goumang towards going in the opposite direction of doubling down on the desire to control.

Also possibly the Apemen themselves started questioning the morality of what was happening to the rest of their species and got themselves in trouble as a result. At that point mayhaps Eigong could have had them even openly executed to teach Goumang a lesson.

There is so so much opportunity and potential for some fucked up shit that could have happened here. I hope my drive for fic writing finally pops back in for this.

3. Goumang actually got a worrying tendency to try to keep around people and things she became attached to after death. Next to the Jiangshi she got her old transmutated scorpion research subject taxidermed and lying around somewhere.

[bassmars]

Hi! this is my first time posting here.. and I wrote this at like 2 am so it’s probably all jumbled up + I’m learning English (like actually) had to translate some stuff too :p

Wrote this for my friend so shout out to them, also this is somehow super long?? I don’t know how I managed that so it isn’t proof read.

Sub! Neuvillette nsfw

Furina tríes finding Neuvillette for a meeting but it seems he’s too busy (tried making it gender neutral but— yeah.)

warnings: office sex, reader has a dick but just imagine it’s a strap if you’d like, idk you fuck his ass basically, teasing

——————————

“Neuvillete!”

"Where could he be?" Furina muttered under her breath, a hint of worry breaking through her usually confident demeanor. "Leaving me alone with someone like that."

By “someone like that” she referred to Arlecchino one of the 11th fatui harbingers.

They had arranged a meeting to discuss matters of the state but it seemed Neuvillette was late, which was oddly out of character as he had always been punctual especially matters this serious.

As Furina waited nervously in Arlecchino's presence, her mind raced with concern, Furina swore she checked everywhere… everywhere but the most obvious place where you could find the chief justice himself, his office.

Arlecchino continued to scrutinize her with her piercing gaze. Furina finally blurted out, "Neuvillette should be here to assist me in this matter, but he seems to have vanished into thin air."

Arlecchino's expression remained stern, and a hint of amusement danced in her eyes as he responded, "It appears your capable assistant has chosen an interesting time to disappear. How... unfortunate for you, Furina."

Meanwhile, in Neuvillette's office, the atmosphere was thick with tension as his lips met yours.

Neuvillette's urgency was palpable as he hastily closed the door to his office, his eyes locking onto yours with a mix of impatience and desire. Without wasting another moment, he turned to you, his voice husky but still filled with longing.

"Please, Y/n, do not delay any longer. I’ve been waiting for days."

Your lips curled into a knowing smirk as you approached Neuvillette with deliberate steps. The air between you two was charged with anticipation, your desires converging in the small, private space.

"Is that so?" Your voice was low and sultry, a stark contrast to his formality. Your eyes, however, remained dark with desire as you closed the distance between the two of you.

Neuvillette's fingers twitched at his sides, his impatience barely contained. "Do refrain from teasing, my dear Y/N. I find it rather challenging to contain my desires any longer."

Y/N's hands, however, moved with a deliberate slowness as they undid Neuvillette's belt, their gaze locked onto his. The anticipation in the room was electric, but Neuvillette couldn't help but feel a thrill in playing this particular game.

"Ah, but patience, Neuvillette," Y/N purred, their fingers tracing along his waistband, a teasing glint in their eyes.

Neuvillette's breath hitched, and he fought to maintain his usual composure as Y/N's touch sent shivers down his spine. "I’ve been patient enough."

Y/N's lips curled into a knowing smile as they finally freed Neuvillette from his pants. Neuvillette's arousal was evident, his desire on full display as he stood before Y/N, his usual formality slipping away.

"Then let’s not waste any more time.." Y/N's voice carried an air of command, and yet there was a mischievous playfulness to it that made Neuvillette's heart race.

Neuvillette's back met the edge of the desk, the cool surface a stark contrast to the heat of his skin. Y/N's hands were everywhere, exploring, caressing, and igniting every inch of Neuvillette's body.

Neuvillette's fingers tangled in Y/N's hair, and he pulled them into a fierce kiss that mirrored the urgency coursing through their veins. Their mouths collided, tongues dueling for dominance as their desire spiraled higher.

Y/N's hand slipped between them, wrapping around Neuvillette's hard length, and he couldn't help but moan at the sensation. His hips bucked instinctively, seeking more of Y/N's touch.

"Y/N," Neuvillette gasped, his voice laced with desire as Y/N's grip tightened around him. The formal facade was slipping further, giving way to the intoxicating pleasure of the moment.

Yuri’s lips trailed down Neuvillette's neck, leaving a trail of heated kisses in their wake. "You're mine, Neuvillette. All mine."

Neuvillette's head spun, his arousal and need blurring his thoughts. "Fuck, yes," he managed to breathe, his grip on Y/n’s hair tightening.

In the heat of the moment, Y/n leaned down to capture Neuvillette's lips in a passionate kiss, their mouths melding together with a hunger that mirrored their desire. Neuvillette's moans of pleasure were swallowed by their kiss, the intensity of their connection deepening.

And then, Y/n's fingers found their way to Neuvillette's mouth. They slipped their fingers inside, and Neuvillette's tongue eagerly met them. With a sultry smile, Y/n withdrew their fingers, glistening with Neuvillette's saliva.

Using Neuvillette's saliva as a makeshift lubricant, Y/n continued their preparations, Y/n couldn't resist the urge to add another layer of sensation any longer to their passionate encounter. With one hand firmly gripping Neuvillette's hip, he used his free hand to slide his fingers between Neuvillette's cheeks, teasingly circling his entrance.

Neuvillette gasped at the unexpected touch, his body quivering with anticipation. Y/N's fingers dragged along the velvety walls of his ass, exploring and stretching him in tandem with his thrusts. It was a sensation that sent waves of pleasure coursing through Neuvillette's body, intensifying their connection and bringing them both closer to the brink of ecstasy. But he couldn’t release, he wanted more.

Neuvillette's voice quivered with need, his words a plea for more. "Y/N, don't tease me like this. I need you."

Y/N's response was a wicked grin as he continued his careful exploration, coming tantalizingly close to Neuvillette's prostate without quite hitting it. He could feel the heat and desire radiating from Neuvillette's body, and it only fueled his own arousal.

"Patience, Neuvillette," Y/N murmured, his voice husky with desire. "I want to make this unforgettable for you."

As Y/N stretched and prepared Neuvillette's eager ass, their connection grew even more intense. Neuvillette's moans of pleasure filled the room, his body responding eagerly to Y/N's skilled touch.

Y/N couldn't help but revel in the sensation of Neuvillette's tightness and warmth around him. It was an intoxicating feeling, one that he had longed for, and now that he had it, he intended to make the most of it.

Their passionate encounter continued, each moment filled with unrestrained desire and a playful teasing that had Neuvillette's mind in chaos. The office, once a place of formality, was now a sanctuary of shared passion, with no room for restraint or decorum.

As Y/N's fingers continued to work their magic, Neuvillette's moans grew louder and more desperate. He couldn't contain his desire any longer, and he longed for Y/N to take him completely.

"Y/N," Neuvillette gasped, his voice desperate and filled with need. "Please, I can't wait any longer. Take me."

Y/N's approach was deliberate, and as he pushed inside Neuvillette, he didn't fully enter but instead teased him by rubbing just the tip against his eager warmth. It was a calculated move, one designed to drive Neuvillette wild with desire.

Neuvillette's reaction was immediate and intense. He gasped, his body quivering with need as he desperately sought more of Y/N's touch. "Y/N, please," he begged, his voice filled with longing. "Don't tease me like this."

Y/N's grin was wicked as he continued to tantalize Neuvillette, the head of his cock dancing against Neuvillette's entrance. He could feel the way Neuvillette's body clenched around him, the walls of his ass gripping him tightly in response to the teasing.

Their connection was electric, desire and pleasure coursing through both of them. Y/N's voice was low and husky as he whispered in Neuvillette's ear, "You're so responsive, Neuvillette. I love how you react to my touch."

Neuvillette's moans grew louder, his control slipping away as Y/N's teasing pushed him to the brink of insanity. He arched his back, seeking more of Y/N's touch, more of the pleasure that only Y/N could provide.

"Y/N," Neuvillette gasped, his voice desperate and filled with need. "Please, I need you inside me. Take me."

Y/N's grin grew wider as he finally relented, pushing himself deeper into Neuvillette's eager warmth. A guttural moan escaped Neuvillette's lips as he was filled by Y/N's presence, the sensation overwhelming and exquisite.

Y/N's desire for a better position overwhelmed him, and without a word, they decided to take matters into their own hands. Neuvillette, lost in the sea of pleasure, was caught off guard as Y/N suddenly flipped him over, his chest pressed against the smooth surface of the desk, his ass now fully exposed to Y/N's hungry gaze.

Neuvillette's gasp of surprise was muffled by the desk, and he found himself in a position of vulnerability, completely at Y/N's mercy. Y/N's strength was surprising, and Neuvillette couldn't help but admire his assertiveness.

With Neuvillette now face down on the desk, his ass exposed and inviting, Y/N had full access to his most sensitive areas. It was a position that left Neuvillette trembling with anticipation, his heart pounding in his chest as he waited for Y/N to take him completely.

Y/N wasted no time in taking advantage of the new position. His hands roamed over Neuvillette's back and hips, his touch both tender and demanding. He leaned over Neuvillette, his lips trailing hot kisses along the curve of his spine.

Neuvillette's moans of pleasure filled the room as Y/N's lips and hands explored every inch of his exposed skin. He couldn't contain his desire any longer, and he pressed his ass back against Y/N, silently begging for more.

Y/N's fingers brushed against Neuvillette's ass, teasing and tantalizing. He couldn't resist giving Neuvillette's cheeks a playful squeeze, earning a gasp of pleasure in response.

"Y/N," Neuvillette whispered, his voice filled with need. "Please, I need you."

Y/N's response was to position himself once again, this time pushing into Neuvillette with a single, powerful thrust. The sensation was overwhelming, and Neuvillette cried out in ecstasy as Y/N filled him completely.

Their connection deepened as they moved together in perfect harmony. The pleasure they shared was intense and all-consuming, and as they surrendered to the ecstasy that bound them together, they knew that this encounter would be one they would both cherish forever.

Y/N leaned over, his lips grazing Neuvillette's ear as he whispered, "You feel incredible like this, Neuvillette. You're mine, and I'm going to make you scream."

Neuvillette's moans filled the room as Y/N continued to thrust into him, their passion reaching new heights with every passing moment. The office, once a place of formality, was now a realm of shared desire, where they could give in to their most primal instincts without restraint.

Their movements were fervent, urgent, driven by a need that had built over days of anticipation. The desk rocked beneath them, a testament to their unrestrained desire.

Neuvillette's hands gripped the edge of the desk, his knuckles turning white as he met each of Y/n’s thrusts with equal fervor. The pleasure was exquisite, every sensation magnified by their raw need for each other.

Y/n’s voice was a low growl in Neuvillette's ear, their words driving Neuvillette closer to the edge. "You're so damn responsive, Neuvillette. My cock knows exactly how to make you scream."

Neuvillette's pants were fully down now, leaving him exposed and pressed against his desk, the situation utterly scandalous. Y/N's grip on him tightened, their desire evident in the way they pressed their body against him, their groin firmly against Neuvillette's exposed rear.

The friction and heat between them were undeniable, and Neuvillette's gasps grew more intense as pleasure coursed through his body. His arousal was evident, his cock hard and throbbing, pre-cum glistening as it dripped onto the polished surface of the desk.

Y/n's relentless desire and teasing had pushed Neuvillette to the brink of ecstasy, and he couldn't deny the intoxicating sensations that coursed through him. The office, once a place of formality, had become a sanctuary of shared passion and irresistible temptation.

In the midst of their passionate encounter, Y/N couldn't resist teasing Neuvillette further. Their voice dripped with seduction as they whispered, "What if Lady Furina walked in right now, Neuvillette? What if she saw the Iudex of Fontaine in such a compromising position?"

Neuvillette's thoughts were a jumbled mess, and he struggled to maintain some semblance of composure. His usual formality had been abandoned, and he was now fully immersed in the intoxicating moment.

"I-I..." Neuvillette stammered, unable to form a coherent response. Y/N's teasing was driving him to the brink of insanity, but he couldn't bring himself to stop or resist.

Their passionate encounter continued, with Y/N's relentless teasing pushing Neuvillette further into ecstasy. The office, once a place of formality, had become a sanctuary of shared passion, where restraint and decorum had no place.

Y/N reveled in the control they had over Neuvillette, their voice a seductive whisper in his ear. "Tell me, Neuvillette, what would you say to Lady Furina if she walked in right now? How would you explain this?"

Neuvillette's mind was a whirlwind of desire and pleasure, and he struggled to form coherent thoughts. "I... I would..." he began, his voice trembling as he was unable to finish the sentence.

Y/N's laughter was a sultry melody as they continued their relentless assault on Neuvillette's senses. "Would you tell her how much you enjoy being taken like this, Neuvillette? How you crave my touch, my every command?"

Neuvillette's moans grew louder, his resistance crumbling with each passing moment. He couldn't deny the truth of Y/N's words, and his desire for them was all-consuming.

As their passion reached its peak, Y/N's voice took on a commanding tone. "Tell me you're mine, Neuvillette. Say it."

Neuvillette's breaths were ragged, his need overwhelming. "I'm yours," he finally gasped, surrendering completely to Y/N's control.

Y/N's desire was insatiable, and as their passionate encounter with Neuvillette continued, they couldn't resist the urge to explore every inch of his body. With heated urgency, Y/N found himself wanting to feel all of Neuvillette, to experience every sensation in their shared moment of ecstasy.

Their lips locked in a fiery kiss, tongues dancing in a sensual rhythm as they continued their fervent lovemaking. Y/N's hands roamed Neuvillette's body, tracing the contours of his chest and shoulders. His shirt had become an inconvenient barrier to the sensations he craved, and he couldn't bear to wait any longer.

"Turn around, Neuvillette," Y/N whispered breathlessly, his voice dripping with desire.

Neuvillette, lost in the intoxication of their passion, complied, his chest rising and falling heavily. He couldn't help but wonder what Y/N had in mind, his curiosity piqued by their urgency.

Y/N's desire to feel all of Neuvillette was undeniable, and as he attempted to remove Neuvillette's shirt, he found it to be a more complex task than anticipated. The fabric clung to Neuvillette's body, and in his haste, Y/N decided on a more direct approach.

With a swift motion, Y/N slid his hand under Neuvillette's shirt, fingers eagerly seeking the warmth of his skin. His palm pressed against Neuvillette's chest, feeling the rapid rise and fall of his breath, and his fingers traced the contours of Neuvillette's pecs.

Neuvillette's gasp of surprise and pleasure was music to Y/N's ears as his hand explored further, fingers brushing against the hardened nubs of Neuvillette's nipples. Their shared ecstasy deepened as Y/N's touch elicited a moan from Neuvillette, his body reacting to the exquisite sensations.

Neuvillette couldn't help but break the passionate silence with a trembling voice, filled with desire and curiosity. "Y/N, what are you doing?"

Y/N's own desire was palpable, his breath hot against Neuvillette's ear as he replied, "I want to feel all of you, Neuvillette. Every inch."

Their bodies pressed together, their connection intensified by the intoxicating sensations coursing through them. Y/N continued to pound with unrelenting fervor, each thrust driving them closer to the brink of ecstasy.

"Haah," Neuvillette moaned, his pleasure building with each passing moment. Y/N's touch and their shared intimacy were overwhelming, and he could no longer contain his desire.

Their passionate encounter continued, the office now a private realm of shared desire and irresistible temptation. The complexities of their desires, the urgency of their actions, and the fervent dialogue between them created an unforgettable tableau of unrestrained passion.

As their passionate encounter reached its climax, Y/N couldn't resist the temptation to tease Neuvillette one final time. Their shared desire had pushed them both to the edge, and Y/N was determined to send Neuvillette over the precipice of ecstasy.

Their breaths were ragged, and their bodies glistened with a sheen of sweat as Y/N whispered provocatively, "I didn't know dragons could be so responsive, Neuvillette."

Neuvillette's moans of pleasure and desire filled the air, his body trembling with anticipation. Y/N had discovered his most sensitive spot, and he was now utterly at their mercy.

With one final, powerful thrust, Y/N hit Neuvillette's prostate with precision, sending shockwaves of pleasure coursing through him. Neuvillette's eyes widened, and he saw stars explode behind his closed eyelids as pleasure consumed him entirely.

A strangled cry of pleasure escaped Neuvillette's lips as his vision exploded with stars. The sensations coursing through his body were overwhelming, and he couldn't hold back any longer.

His release was powerful, an eruption of pleasure that left him seeing stars as he came, coating his own stomach and shirt with his essence. The intensity of the climax was like nothing he had ever experienced before, and he was left trembling and utterly spent.

After their passionate climax, Y/N couldn't help but look down at Neuvillette, his face flushed with desire, a fine sheen of sweat glistening on his skin. He was a vision of post-orgasmic bliss, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he caught his breath.

With a mischievous smile, Y/N leaned down and left a lingering hickey on Neuvillette's neck, a mark of their intense encounter. Neuvillette gasped at the sensation, a mixture of pleasure and surprise coursing through him.

But before Y/N could savor the aftermath, Neuvillette's expression shifted from one of post-orgasmic bliss to sudden realization and panic. With a start, he quickly sat up, his eyes widening in alarm as he asked in a frantic voice, "What time is it?"

The urgency in Neuvillette's tone was palpable, and Y/N glanced at a nearby clock. His eyes widened as he saw the time, and he couldn't help but curse under his breath. Neuvillette was incredibly late to the meeting, and the implications of his tardiness were not lost on either of them.

Y/N quickly gathered his clothes and helped Neuvillette do the same, their movements hurried and frantic. They exchanged hurried, breathless kisses in between pulling on their clothes, the taste of each other still lingering on their lips.

As Neuvillette finally managed to get dressed, he glanced at Y/N with a mix of regret and longing. "I wish I could stay," he murmured, his voice filled with genuine desire.

Y/N smiled, his fingers tracing Neuvillette's cheek affectionately. "I know," he replied, his own desire evident in his eyes. "But duty calls, and Lady Furina awaits."

Neuvillette nodded, his expression torn between his responsibilities and his longing for Y/N. With a final, lingering kiss, they reluctantly parted ways, knowing that the world outside was waiting for them.

———

Extra:

"Well, well, Neuvillette," Furina purred, her voice laced with sarcasm. "You certainly took your sweet time getting here. Care to explain why you're so fashionably late?"

Neuvillette, still slightly breathless from his passionate encounter with Y/N, struggled to find the right words. He knew that any excuse he offered would likely be met with more of Furina's sharp wit… and probably her wanting to take him to court for being late.

Y/N's earlier teasing echoed in his mind, and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of amusement despite the situation. It seemed that both his assistant and Lady Furina had a penchant for teasing him mercilessly.

With a composed facade, Neuvillette finally replied, "My apologies, Lady Furina. I was... caught up in a matter of utmost importance."

Furina's lips curled into a sly smile, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Oh, I see. A matter of utmost importance, you say? Well, I do hope it was worth the delay."

[sonkitty]

Bookend Buddies - Crowley and Muriel

Introduction

Alright, I'm going to talk about Crowley and Muriel.

My starting theory was that these two knew each other as at least acquaintances, not necessarily friends, in the first draft of the story. This first draft would have resolved the matter of the cardboard box Gabriel brought much sooner. Then a second draft, or even more drafts, act as the cover for whatever happened the first time around.

After looking over Crowley and Muriel scenes, something like that could indeed be true, but certain other messages from the story emerged that seem to make that idea secondary when looking at the pair specifically together.

Trust

For one, a far understated thing about their relationship is that these two trust each other, even if they don't seem to know each other very well. It hits really hard once you get the level of trust Crowley has to have in Muriel for their assistance in the Triple of The Bigger Thresholds Trick. Their part together is for the Heaven elevator, and pockets are involved.

Pocket usage combined with threshold usage in Good Omens 2 amounts to a nightmarish puzzle that I will never truly solve. I have solved just enough to know what to look for, and I see it all over their entry into Heaven. Pockets require precise framing, and they both have it.

This trust level would put their relationship as much more likely to be actual friends despite Crowley's intense claim to the contrary in episode 5 when he tells Gabriel that Aziraphale is the only friend he has.

Bookends

The other weird message was something I found in looking for a small pattern I noticed. That pattern was that Crowley scenes tend to bookend Muriel scenes. I started to log and verify that pattern. It's not on both ends every time, and I could find only one Muriel scene where there's no bookend of a scene with him on either side.

When they both get back from Heaven in episode 6, this pattern goes into hyper-drive. It becomes a game in and of itself to see how Crowley can bookend or share Muriel scenes all the way up to the end of the episode and overall season.

Along the way, Muriel likely assists Crowley in the Single of The Pocket Trick. Muriel then ends up having bookend scenes to all 6 of Crowley's own Threshold Tricks.

Memory

I don't know how both their memories were edited or altered, but I'm left to guess that it happened and was partly voluntary with making sure they remembered just enough to maintain their trust in each other or have a way for that trust to quietly activate, as if it has a switch.

Boxes

Boxes are a theme with these two, so I'm going to discuss the boxes among the other stuff below.

...

Episode 1: The Arrival

There are 3 Matchbox Muriel scenes. Two of them happen in episode 1.

Before Muriel is shown on screen, there is a cut of Gabriel with the fly that's implied to be an extension of the scene where Aziraphale called Crowley to invite Crowley to the coffee shop.

Then Muriel finds the matchbox. I'm not going to get too much into the quote and stuff, but one could easily link it to Crowley if what I've read of its relation to "leviathan" is true since leviathans can be associated with snakes. There's also the fire-breathing Crowley pretending to be Aziraphale in season 1. Then of course that hopping and shouting with the lightning forcing the power outage on the coffee shop that comes later. The matchbox itself might be evil or borderline evil.

Muriel's hand is just as deliberate as Crowley's can be when it comes to managing the touch because part of a thumb is shown with the thumb tip itself hidden and the thumb obscured specifically by the end of the touch.

After this scene, the immediate next scene is Crowley's arrival at the coffee shop, which is also The Perfect Entrance Trick.

So, that's one Muriel scene book-ended with Crowley scenes. One could find the first part debatable, and indeed, that will happen again. Still, almost every time, there will be a Crowley scene at least before or after a Muriel scene.

That's also the first scene for Muriel to bookend one of the Threshold Tricks.

Take note.

These things add up.

We're going to take a quick break from Muriel because of the cardboard box.

In episode 1, there is an extremely important sequence of at least one Likely Fake Crowley, possibly two, storming out of the bookshop. In that sequence, the fake who looks most likely to be Aziraphale passes by a prominently displayed cardboard box and does not touch it.

Actual Crowley is a top tier player in Earthly Objects who is incredibly deliberate in what he touches, especially with his hands. He's also someone who tends to ask questions.

Remember the cardboard box and that the fake did not touch that box and did not question it. Both Crowley and Muriel are going to follow this pattern with the exception of Crowley retrieving the box during episode 6 of course.

Let's get back to Muriel.

The next debatable front bookend Crowley scene to a Muriel scene is that after Crowley shoots out lightning, his torso is shown and does not include his head. The scene cuts to Nina and Maggie realizing they are locked in. For some reason, a blurry red-headed figure wearing black is ensured to be shown in the background as if it could be Crowley. This figure is a possible fake because we later find out that Crowley lost so much of his red in his hair. Plus, there's some general confusion about the car being parked in front of the coffee shop. The car itself seems more bluish. He doesn't enter or leave and is shown to be with the car later on a different street. This possible fake allows for a stronger bookend connection to the incoming Muriel scene nonetheless.

The next cut is of Michael and Uriel for a bit before Muriel enters, but it is the same scene. Now we are at Matchbox Muriel Scene #2.

When the matchbox is set down, it does not make the sound that an empty matchbox makes. In fact, it sounds like a disguised magical book. The music gives more of a mystery vibe than a stronger intensity and possibly evil vibe it will give later in episode 5.

We learn the name of the game, Earthly Objects, and are shown an extensive touching sequence. I don't know if it's a tutorial. If it is, I can't tell you what it teaches. I can mainly tell you it makes sure to show most of Michael's digits during the sequence. Thumbs are shown, but the thumbs don't actually touch the matchbox itself. Thumbs are a big deal in Earthly Objects. A thumb tip can even set certain things into Door Mode. If that matchbox is an evil book hiding in disguise, a thumb tip could be like a password that would have accessed it. Muriel avoided doing that or avoided it in just the right way.

As this Muriel scene wraps up, Uriel says, "I think he's gone to Earth."

We're supposed to guess and assume they mean Gabriel, yet the story cuts to Crowley entering his car before he is summoned to Hell. So, this Muriel scene is given a clear back bookend Crowley scene.

Muriel does not show up again in episode 1.

But...let's get back to the cardboard box.

When Crowley returns to the bookshop, the prominently displayed cardboard box is no longer prominently displayed where it was. In fact, for a good long while, I thought it had disappeared as much as the plate of Eccles cakes, but no, it was just moved out of the way in a less obvious spot.

Now, here's something I found interesting while drafting this post. My own question to myself was, "Was the box moved out of Crowley's line of sight?" for the scene.

I was quite surprised to find out that in almost the entire scene, the box is not in his line of sight. There is only one tiny part of the scene where it is.

The box is in Crowley's line of sight briefly during the apology dance.

So, the dance might have been a clue to Crowley to know where the box was but still not visibly touch it or question it. Remember, later in episode 6, it's going to be weird when he acts like he knows about the cardboard box he never acknowledged in the whole story up to that point.

...

Episode 2: The Clue

Not that it's hard being one of the two main characters of the story, but Crowley has another front bookend scene before a Muriel scene in the minisode that starts off the episode. He is at least prevented from having a back bookend scene this time.

The episode opens with the scene of the big giant scroll and pretending to kill off the goats while actually turning them into crows instead, as Crawley.

Muriel is later shown reading a big giant scroll. I don't know if it's the exact same scroll, but it's at least supposed to be about the same thing.

Muriel does not appear again for the rest of the episode.

...

Episode 3: I Know Where I'm Going

At long last, Muriel arrives on Earth. They have a scene without Crowley scenes book-ending either side of it.

The front bookend is Gabriel drinking hot chocolate. Soon after, Muriel is the subject being seen through the window for Mrs. Sandwich. Then they start their scene with Aziraphale. One could probably estimate this scene's end as Aziraphale closing the door. So, finally, no Crowley though Crowley himself will be part of the scene immediately after.

It's possible that Muriel has had a memory wipe though how recent is hard to guess. My own guess would be that it's actually relatively recent because as stated, I think they and Crowley knew each other in the first draft of the story.

Aziraphale seems to have a moment of quiet recognition, that could be either from the recent Job minisode or if he knew Muriel in the first draft as well. I would guess that he did, but this bookend thing Crowley and Muriel have is not quite the same as what can be found between Aziraphale and Muriel. Aziraphale moves the story along without any further acknowledgment.

After Muriel enters, the cardboard box is given more focus from its designated place than usual with a blurred Muriel in the foreground. The camera work forces a shift such that Muriel receives focus, and the cardboard box is blurred. While I'm sure many people have picked up on this thing happening, I'm going to add that that particular type of blur was used in the first shared complex window scene Maggie and Nina had looking at Crowley through a window in episode 1. The blur type share was also done with Crowley and Gabriel in episode 1 when Crowley finds out Gabriel is in the bookshop. So, Muriel is given a notable share with a cardboard box instead of an actual full other character in the story. It's also a box that keeps having no touching or questioning from Crowley. Muriel doesn't touch it or question it either.

When Crowley arrives, he does sound grumpy as he complains about Aziraphale not taking the train. He soon stops, realizes Muriel is there, and says, "Who's this now?"

Take note of the "now" because this story is both deceptive and deliberate in its methods. These are the types of little clues it scatters around compared to the bigger ones. The "now" hints he knows of a "who" Muriel was from some other time.

Just as Muriel glows, Crowley is actually more cast in shadow than he already often is upon stopping to find them there. His body makes sure to stop with the shadow covering much of his upper body area in a diagonal manner.

Crowley has short sideburns despite Muriel being an angel because the bookshop literally took their claim as human. Interestingly, Crowley is also lacking his more saturated streak of red hair that is often found over the center of his left eye during the present day story.

Crowley himself quickly warms up to Muriel in a more friendly manner.

Muriel's body blocks the cardboard box from our line of sight for a good amount of the scene but not the entire time. In turn, Crowley is bound to have it in his own line of sight much more easily than in episode 1 when he returned to the bookshop. So, by now, Crowley probably knows it's there and is still just generally ignoring it while being near its presence.

There's some kind of light near Muriel that keeps flickering. While neither Crowley nor Muriel use pockets here, they both do at other times. Pockets use lighting as clues. So, I'm not going to log every single line and every single flicker, but I did notice the flicker when Muriel said "200 years". That number could mean something like when these two actually met or became friends.

Another noteworthy thing about this scene involving both characters is that it is one of the few times the story shows a person reflected in Crowley's sunglasses before The Window Trick at the end of episode 6. Muriel's reflection can actually be found, quite likely because they were intentionally showing off their cup of tea.

Crowley exits first, allowing for a scene between Muriel and Aziraphale. After Aziraphale leaves, Muriel is left alone momentarily. While they do not get the same blurred share from earlier, they are still shown specifically with the cardboard box while not touching it or questioning it.

Later, Muriel intrudes on Crowley and Aziraphale. I've actually written about the scene in my "Rule Following" section for Earthly Objects.

So, I'll mainly say that this scene does not really have a hint of them having known each other. Instead, it has Crowley manipulating the scene and Muriel to do what he wants so he can give Aziraphale a proper pass of the car keys. The toss is incredibly precise because he waits until Muriel's eyes move to the notepad, not just for them to get out their notepad. The only possible hint is if Muriel actually looked at Crowley before their notepad intentionally as a cue for when he should be ready for the toss. Then the toss isn't as impressive, so my bias prefers to think that was not the case. Head canon as you please.

Even though the two had an actual scene together, the story makes that scene a front bookend Crowley scene of yet another Muriel scene with Muriel's stop at the coffee shop.

Muriel is not seen again for the rest of the episode.

...

Episode 4 does not have Muriel. It does have Crowley touching the cardboard box of the plants. Sorry, I couldn't help notice that cardboard boxes are a thing because of the matchbox and the mainly featured cardboard box, so we may as well take note since Muriel was given that shared blur with such an important cardboard box.

...

Episode 5: The Ball

During episode 5, there are two important scenes shared between Crowley and Gabriel. The first scene is where Crowley ultimately tells Gabriel to jump out a window, then stops Gabriel from doing so. He offers to make hot chocolate. This scene is a front bookend of the last Matchbox Muriel scene. It also includes mention of an actual matchbox.

Finally, we are back to our ominous borderline evil matchbox itself with Matchbox Muriel Scene #3. This scene further manages to act as a back bookend to a touch of The Sunglasses Trick. In this matchbox scene, the subtitles say "intense music" and it is intense. The matchbox is given immediate focus to introduce the scene.

The intensity settles. Muriel is giving their report to Michael and Uriel with no Saraqael around.

In this report, Muriel says Crowley's name, including calling him, "Mr. Crowley," and describes Crowley as Aziraphale's "grumpy friend." Well, Crowley was grumpy when Muriel first saw him yes, but most of the time we saw them together, he was not grumpy. In fact, he was rather friendly. Muriel is also shown to be unaware that Crowley is a demon. When they say Aziraphale's "Mr. Fell" name, Uriel gives Muriel a look that makes Muriel definitely not say Crowley's name—not even partially.

Aside from Aziraphale, Shax, and any character involved in the 1941 minisode, the story itself seems to have some rather strict rules on who can say Crowley's name and when. If I remember right, Muriel never says Crowley's name again.

We, the audience, were never shown anyone giving Muriel Crowley's name before that point either. In addition to that, mysterious music plays while the angels stop in confusion as they grasp at the assistant bookseller they can't quite remember. The matchbox is not easily seen during all of this time, but we know we saw it first with the intense music.

We never saw Muriel see or speak to an assistant bookseller, Gabriel going by Jim, in the scenes given. Muriel's memory and the story's memory do not match with what we have been told is happening. And some possibly evil matchbox is making that happen...maybe. That thing gives off "trying to get back to its master" evil ring vibes towards Crowley. It's creepy. No, I'm not venturing too far down that road. I'm admitting it's just vibes.

The back bookend scene here is Crowley actually giving Gabriel hot chocolate.

After this point, Crowley's sideburns stay a medium-to-long length until right before the credits at the end. Part of my sideburns scheme theory is that Aziraphale and Crowley borrowed each other's homes to form a special connection that affected an invisible supernatural border that existed between the car and the bookshop. They then made their preparations for the ball through the invitations, and Crowley had his scenes with Gabriel to force this sideburn status into place.

That means a lot of pieces were moved around so that the next time Crowley encountered Muriel, his sideburns were longer despite Muriel's earlier claim of being "human" and the bookshop's reading from that.

Let's skip ahead to that Crowley and Muriel encounter.

Crowley finds Muriel near the pub. In fact, he finds Muriel at, I believe, where he parked the car in episode 2. That's quite the coincidence.

After he convinces Muriel to "arrest" him, for some reason, Crowley makes sure to enter the elevator first. Ever since I realized Crowley's sideburns respond to thresholds, I have taken note of Crowley's deliberate decisions in so much of what he does, especially in season 2. He is rather strategic overall. Him entering first sets off alarms in my head. That is not the typical way he does things. He goes alone or Aziraphale leads. In the Edinburgh minisode, Elspeth entered first, followed by Crowley, then Aziraphale. Not long before this Muriel encounter and probably not a coincidence, Crowley left with Mrs. Sandwich first. They went together. He still did not go first as only himself.

But for some reason, at this particular threshold, it is a priority that he be first. I wish I knew why instead of just constantly sensing it.

This entry into Heaven is the first part of the Triple in The Bigger Thresholds Trick. It is also the only one that expands over two episodes.

When looking at Crowley and Muriel together, here are some things I think are worth noting.

First of all, Muriel was convinced to begin with. Why would they trust him? He's a demon, and they were even given a specific look of not even saying his name. Yet still, they find Crowley convincing enough to do this arrest. Crowley told Shax in episode 2 that he was a "former demon," but when it comes to Muriel, he actually drops the "former" part of his own self-description.

Now, I do have this theory that when it comes to the longer sideburns, they are like a mark of rank on Crowley when he is around angels. I usually associate that theory more with their longest length and specifically when in the bookshop. If that theory has any merit even outside the bookshop, then latent memory in Muriel could actually be recognizing Crowley's rank from before his fall and why they ultimately abide. If I'm wrong, then Muriel still finds a way to put their trust in him, such as a latent memory of whatever they did together in the first draft of the story or past friendship they had. If there is no latent memory, Muriel just trusts him anyway.

Crowley himself is having to trust Muriel here. It is no small amount of trust either. This segment is incredibly important to performing the Trick. He trusted Aziraphale for the other two, and with Aziraphale not here, Muriel is the one he turns to for help.

Unfortunately, I do not have a desired simplified explanation of how this threshold is being tricked, but I can at least tell you I know what to look for and the deliberate methods both characters use for entering. The more simplified ways are that Crowley manages to not touch the buttons and not touch the pub doors before going up. Muriel is the one who both summons the elevator and closes the pub doors for him. When he is later seen going down, he maintains touch with his back at where the edges of the elevator doors meet.

Well, that's the easier stuff. There is something far more complicated happening with shadows, lighting, and pockets. I don't know what it is. I'm just going to tell you I see it, and I know it when I see it because I at least know what to look for. With pockets involved, that also means framing.

I won't bore you with too many of the details. It was hard to write in my initial draft. Muriel is deliberate in how they get themselves framed alongside Crowley. Probably about the most noteworthy things of such framing are a look down as if to check they are positioning themself properly and getting their right arm so close to being over the middle edge of where the elevator doors meet and still not doing that. That part might have to do with whatever was necessary a to align with a reflection in a window pane, and that reflection being over a lock.

Speaking of windows, they are both deliberately framed through the window panes. I'm not going to describe it. If you're interested and can see, I advise you just go take a look. It is assuredly intentional. Their heads and upper bodies are in a grid or something. "Gridlock" might be the simplified word I'm looking for, but I'm not fully convinced and couldn't explain it to anyone.

Here, I have at least made a GIF because the glance down helps show it's intentional:

Pockets of light were involved. Muriel used a pocket. Crowley made touches on his clothing suspiciously like when he uses pockets. His tied hands might have been tied. His belt head might have activated. It's ridiculous. I can't believe this Earthly Objects game.

Before Muriel entered, they looked at Crowley and asked, "You aren't trying to trick me, are you?"

Now a lot of people would see that question and be, like, yes, of course he is.

It definitely looks that way.

But...these two are actually tricking a threshold together. It is likely a clue to the audience to look for the Threshold Trick that's happening right in front of their eyes instead of Crowley tricking Muriel.

Even though we saw Muriel close the doors, we did not see any miracle touch to activate a button. We just see the elevator go up.

...

Episode 6: Every Day

As the two arrive in Heaven, Crowley makes sure to exit the elevator first. His foot decidedly makes sure to not touch the lower threshold of where the doors slid open. His shadow can be seen to his left side. When Muriel follows, they don't have a shadow to their left side at all.

Now on they go where probably a million important things happen since pockets were involved on the way up, but let's focus on three things.

Crowley quickly refers to Muriel's rank when asking about records. We've already seen Muriel know Crowley's name without us knowing how they got it. Now we see Crowley know Muriel's rank without us knowing how he got it. We're even going to see both of them receive each of these pieces of information later on this trip in Heaven.

Not long after the rank reference, one of the lines Crowley says is, "You're forgetting about the bees."

Crowley, how many times has Muriel helped you break into Heaven by this point?

I hope it's not more than one, but it's going to be awhile to get such an answer.

Muriel's "forgetting" are they? Does he know that Muriel knew about the bees before? Did they talk about it? Did they work together?

As the conversation continues, it leads to Crowley changing his appearance. Of note in this appearance, his newly manifested gold tie is...pocketed into his newly manifested gray jacket. If his "tied hands" activated at the entry, he's putting those hands in a pocket here and now. And he's doing that because Muriel led him to that decision.

Neither one seems to truly remember the other, but both are guiding each other to certain ends.

At some point, Crowley asks Muriel a question about if they knew why Gabriel would not want another Armageddon. They shake their head and answer "not yet". We were never actually shown Muriel's assignment for why they were on Earth. We were just led to believe it was to confirm the miracle that Aziraphale performed since all actions shown by the characters said so. Muriel has no problem admitting this "yet" part of their answer to Crowley.

Saraqael arrives and shows us one way Muriel could have gotten Crowley's name by addressing Crowley by name.

Later on is when Muriel actually gives the rank. Crowley gives them a friendly fist bump to the shoulder. They smile. Both of them are shown to be on friendly terms in what might be an earlier draft of the story. Even if it's not an earlier draft, I'm glad to see Crowley be on friendly terms with an angel who is not Aziraphale. He reached somewhat friendly terms with Gabriel, but the story made sure that Crowley and Gabriel had zero direct interaction on Gabriel's side once Gabriel recovered his memories. The same could be said of Muriel, now that I think about it.

There's footage of the cardboard box they both watch. Muriel's memory of the matchbox is shown in focus as an assumption it was whatever Gabriel really dropped.

On the exit to Heaven, I've long theorized that Crowley is invisible and Muriel looks scared and amazed by such a thing at the same time. I haven't really changed my mind. If Muriel is doing something to help because Muriel is in the middle on one side, and Crowley is in the middle on the other, I don't know what it is. I can just tell you that a pattern is indeed found between the two if one looks for such a thing.

I can also bring back the pockets.

When the light goes up and Crowley's appearance changes, something about his re-manifested clothes is decidedly different than usual. His tie strands are pocketed into his vest, which then means his thumbs and thumb joints are hidden. I don't know exactly what that means, but it's deliberate on the story's part. Thumbs do things to doors, and these thumbs are hiding themselves while Crowley has his back to a door. That's somehow doing whatever needs to be done for this Threshold Trick and Muriel convincing Crowley to change his appearance earlier contributed.

Also, there was a rainbow when the light went up.

We missed whatever led to Michael and Uriel joining Muriel, Saraqael, and Crowley in the elevator.

When Crowley and the angels arrive at the bookshop, Muriel quietly closes the doors without anyone asking. I'm left with the impression that those doors being opened when they were and while Crowley was in Heaven is supposed to be important. So, the timing of this closure and who is doing it is also important.

Muriel stays out of the way and on their own quite a bit throughout their time in the bookshop as they turn their attention to a book.

In turn, that means their attention is not on the cardboard box when it is retrieved to help Gabriel recover his memories.

When Gabriel recovers his memories, something strange happens. If Crowley is where the story told us he was—next to Aziraphale, Gabriel is acting like Crowley isn't there. Aziraphale glances where we were told Crowley was. Gabriel briefly follows this gaze, then changes course. In the next cut, he blinks as he passes over where Crowley would be. He names more characters, including Michael and Uriel. While he doesn't remember Saraqael's name, they are given an interaction. With Muriel on their own further back—just like Crowley—they, too, are ignored during this sequence. They are at least shown on screen. Eventually, Gabriel reacts to seeing Beelzebub, and we are informed that Crowley is still there by Aziraphale. Of course, with the scene cut the way it is, maybe he wasn't there, and all of these drafts are blending together but still telling us Crowley was ignored, possibly invisible, cloaked, or forgotten.

Even with Crowley visibly on screen as Beelzebub refers to Aziraphale by name, neither Gabriel nor Beelzebub acknowledge Crowley as having played any part in helping to look after Gabriel—or anything else for that matter.

Again, the cardboard box was notably ignored by Muriel. They were given a specific shared blur with the box. Why give the focus if nothing of fruition was to come from such a thing? That was a shared blur that Earthly Objects uses in its game, and that box went untouched.

Things move on with Crowley escorting Maggie and Nina out.

Now it really gets hard to track how Crowley is book-ending Muriel in the scenes at the end, but he is. I think he is doing it every time. He is shown to approach a window and look inside while several angels and demons are arguing. Aziraphale rings his bell, which is enough to grab Muriel's attention as well. Soon after, Crowley is shown looking through the window again and smiles.

Then they actually have a scene together where neither one of them talks. It is the Single in The Pocket Trick. The Pocket Trick is a difficult, confusing collection of puzzles that uses word play. Because Muriel wears all white and The Pocket Trick has a Rainbow Connection mechanic that uses non-rainbow shades, there is a very strong chance Muriel is helping Crowley with yet another Threshold Trick. Whatever it is, it probably has to do with the alignment of Crowley's sleeve and jacket through a window frame since that's when Muriel's white can be seen and then when Crowley's sunglasses appear in one of the window panes at a certain point since that's the exact frame where all-white-wearing Muriel is no longer on screen. Muriel's white probably held onto something the Trick needed during that part.

Muriel ends up bookend-ing both sides of the Single of the The Pocket Trick while also being in it. That means Muriel is pocketed into the last touch of The Pocket Trick.

From this point, I consider them both part of a much bigger scene between several characters that ends with the demons leaving. I also consider it the back bookend to that Pocket Trick Single.

The story cuts away to the Metatron and then back to another scene that Crowley and Muriel share with other characters. By the way, the angels and Crowley seem to have generally changed positions overall.

Eventually, everyone leaves, giving Crowley and Muriel a chance to have their own scene together.

Now Crowley is more grumpy. Even so, near the end of their scene, he throws a book at Muriel and says, "Go for it. Here, you'll like this one." How does Crowley know Muriel would like the book? Has he known that book to be liked by a past version of Muriel? Does he just generally know Muriel because they are either friends or decently acquainted even before this scene ever took place? Even if both answers are no, he is probably guiding Muriel to read that book. I have never read that book, The Crow Road, but I have read what other people analyzing Good Omens 2 have had to say about it. That book has characters who communicate in non-verbal code with each other.

That's something both Crowley and Aziraphale do frequently during Good Omens 2. Crowley is actually giving away how he and Aziraphale communicate to Muriel by choosing that book. That could be dangerous with someone he doesn't trust...but he trusts Muriel. He trusts Muriel so much he is trying to tell them something about himself without saying it out loud—or is reminding them.

The story moves on.

In the next Muriel scene, at first glance, it looks like Crowley does not get a front bookend scene with it. Instead, that's given to a mix of the Metatron and Aziraphale as Aziraphale walks away and enters the bookshop. Blended with that scene, Maggie and Nina leave the bookshop with Nina shown to be passing by the Metatron. If one goes back and looks very closely—and I definitely would have missed this part were it not for a Tumblr post I'm happening to remember, a small bit of Crowley can be found in the background when Maggie and Nina were leaving the bookshop.

Muriel has their scene with the Metatron about reading a book. This part allows Muriel's scene to be a front bookend to the last two touches of The Sunglasses Trick, which take place while Crowley and Aziraphale have their argument.

At the same time, Crowley's scene of those touches becomes the back bookend of another Muriel scene. This stuff is happening on purpose as a game from the story.

Crowley leaves. Sometime after, Muriel can be seen looking through the window with a big question of how much they saw of the argument. They saw enough to look sad—like someone who cares about Crowley as a friend would.

Muriel is barely part of the scene with the Metatron and Aziraphale yet still gets book-ended between Crowley scenes.

After that scene, Crowley is shown standing alone as he starts The Door Trick. So, again, we have Muriel acting as a front bookend to a Threshold Trick, and Crowley acting as a back bookend to a Muriel scene.

Muriel is not on screen during the entirety of The Door Trick, The Door Catch, and The Window Trick. They manage to stay out of the way during these important moments in the story even though, as best we can tell, they are somewhere nearby.

In Muriel's last scene, they still get book-ended by Crowley scenes. The Window Trick finishes. Muriel opens the door and enters the bookshop. That makes their scene a back bookend to the last Threshold Trick. Crowley's car is seen driving away. Before the credits start, Crowley is shown driving with short sideburns as the last scene of the season before the credits truly start to roll.

If I understand yet another pattern from this little game, starting from when I said this bookend thing went into hyper-drive, Crowley's supposed to be a front-and-back bookend to Muriel scenes whereas Muriel doesn't do that for as many of Crowley's scenes. They have a special pocket version for The Pocket Trick and a front-and-back bookend to the argument, which was the conclusion of The Sunglasses Trick. One could find Aziraphale's moment alone before the Metatron arrives as debatably its own scene, then Crowley just doesn't front-and-back bookend Muriel at that point. Otherwise, Muriel's supposed to bookend one side or the other of Crowley's scenes but not both.

I wasn't even looking for yet another game, but I found one.

Anyway, I think they're friends—good friends even. It's hard to say how long the friendship existed before season 2. This trust they share would also explain Muriel's last scene with Crowley trusting them to look after the bookshop as he leaves.

...

More here:

Bookend Buddies Part 2 - Crowley and Muriel

[themattress]

Dameon Clarke as Perfect Cell: A History

0:01 - 1:55 : Dragon Ball Z 1:56 - 2:11 : Dragon Ball GT 2:12 - 2:50 : Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2:51 - 3:12 : Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2 3:13 - 3:18 : Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 3:19 - 3:24 : Dragon Ball Z: Sagas 3:25 - 3:47 : Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3:48 - 4:06 : Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 4:07 - 4:23 : Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 4:24 - 4:28 : Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai 4:29 - 4:36 : Super Dragon Ball Z 4:37 - 4:51 : Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit 4:52 - 5:11 : Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World 5:12 - 6:43 : Dragon Ball Z Kai 6:44 - 7:11 : Dragon Ball Xenoverse 7:12 - 7:39 : Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 7:40 - 8:02 : Dragon Ball FighterZ 8:03 - 8:14 : Dragon Ball Legends 8:15 - 8:25 : Dragon Ball: The Breakers 8:26 - 9:35 : Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot

From his debut in Dragon Ball Z through his minimal input in Dragon Ball Z: Sagas, Dameon Clarke had a consistently smooth and charismatic yet intimidating voice for Perfect Cell. However, starting with Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi, his voice seemed to gain an extra level of bass and his shouting got raspier. I'm not sure what was going on with him, but while a step down it didn't become a problem until Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit and Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World, where he gives the only two bad performances in the role. The sound of his voice and line delivery in Burst Limit is wretched and nigh impossible to take seriously, while for what little he had to do in Infinite World he somehow managed to briefly use his lisping Semi-Perfect Cell voice instead of his Perfect Cell voice, in what is supposed to be a huge dramatic moment! After this, he unsurprisingly retired from the role, which was taken over by Travis Willingham, a competent enough replacement although obviously not quite the same.

But then, much like Cell himself, Clarke ended up returning more powerful than ever! His performance in Kai is chillingly good, with him having mastered that extra bass and raspy shouting in a way that makes it work in the role and breathe all new life into the character. He kept this up in most subsequent video games, although he sounded a little overtly raspy and hammed his line deliveries up too much in the first Xenoverse game...most likely since the material there was practically begging to be goofed on. He dialed it down in Xenoverse 2, doing it only when appropriate. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, however, is a fascinating case where he tried to shake things up again, maintaining a guttural, bestial growl in his voice. The effect is wonderfully unnerving, making Cell sound like a true monster who is only playing at a relaxed, gentlemanly demeanor, but his true sadistic intentions leak through all too clearly.

Dameon Clarke: truly the perfect voice actor for Perfect Cell.

[albatmobile]

Head empty just Roy and jason being submissive while high with reader ehueheuhe

(Ignore this if you want)

definitely more of this prompt to come in the next chapter!

romance and return policies

next: [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] || ao3

𓅪 Rated: M | TW: weed | 1.7k includes: alternate universe no powers, modern au, eventual polyamory, eventual relationships, eventual smut, gamestop au

𓅪 established roy harper x koriand'r eventual: jason todd x reader, Roy Harper x reader, koriand'r x reader endgame: Jason Todd x reader x Roy Harper x koriand'r

It's not your fault you always want the latest games, exclusives and merch for the fandoms you're in. 

In your old town, certain GameStop’s had even banned you from trading due to how much you were in there, something you’d never understand. Other stores sneered at you for always buying up the good shit before the employees even had the chance to stake their claim on it.

Since moving nearly across the country, the new GameStop you’ve started going to definitely seems to be the most chill of the bunch. It's in a small, podunk town in Arizona, which means you never have to beat the lines like you had to in the hustle and bustle of the East Coast cities.

The town's big enough to stay somewhat anonymous but small enough that if you visit a place once a week, by week three, everyone will know your social security number. Needless to say, the GameStop workers know your car by now, as evidenced by the way Roy sees you pull in and attempts to snuff out whatever he’s been smoking.

You don't normally use their back parking lot, but the DMV next door is extra packed today and spilled over into the shared lot. You figure he’s been smoking a cigarette until you step out of your car and smell it.

“I’m telling,” is all you say. The redhead flips you off easily.

Roy has always been overly welcoming and easy to joke with right off the bat, something you sincerely appreciate considering you don’t know anyone here.

“At this point, you may as well fucking work here,” Roy says. “Honestly, your word would mean more than mine.” You laugh, knowing it’s probably the truth. You make gimmie hands, which he goes to oblige easily, then suddenly stops. He regards you silently for a moment before looking around, then up at the security camera that he was just out of view of before finally holding out the joint to you. Fucking paranoid stoners. “Didn’t take you for the smoking type, darlin��.” 

“Considering you don’t know me, that seems about right,” you say, causing him to laugh easily at your prickly humor. At this, you sidle up to him in the blind spot of the camera, blushing slightly when your fingers accidentally brush in the hand-off. “My ex was a huge stoner kinda formed a habit that I can’t even maintain.” 

“Money?” he winces only after the question comes out, seeming only then to realize it’s a bit of an invasive question for the circumstances. 

You’ve been coming to this GameStop at least twice a week, though almost always more, for the past few months since you moved to AZ. Whether it be to browse or trade- Roy, a redhead named Star and some brooding dick with a grey streak always seemed to be there (you’ve never seen him wear a name tag, but he seems to be the manager). Regardless, your relationship hardly seemed to go past customer service ever. That is, until now.

Roy doesn’t seem like the type to have a filter, so you know he means no offense. You can’t lie, though, seeing him all flustered is doing things to you.

You quickly snap yourself from your wandering thoughts. 

Roy has always been extra touchy-feely with the beautiful red-headed employee who always offers you kind smiles and excited opinions on your choices. This particular employee has a special affinity for plushies and always seems to push more on you. At this point, you could run a shelter for plushies with the way their cute dead eyes watched you from the growing pile on your bed. After all, who are you to tell this seven-foot-tall goddess no?

“No,” you chuckle lightly as you inhale. “I just never learned how to roll.” 

It's a lie. 

A total, complete lie, but you know one thing: men love to think they're teaching you something. Plus, if it means someone will roll you free weed, who are you to turn it down?

“Oh, babe. I’ve got you,” Roy’s silky voice stirs arousal within you as he pulls out the decrepit remains of a smartphone. Android or Apple, it’s too far gone to tell, but the screen still brightens when he bangs on the home button, so it can’t technically be considered completely trashed…

“Won’t your girlfriend be mad?” you ask, looking hesitantly at the sharded screen he’s pushing your way.

“Kori?” Roy gestures to the store behind the two of you before waving off your concern. “Nah, she’s chill.” 

Kori, huh? She always wears a name tag that says Star, but you should’ve known it was just a nickname.

With all the basement creeps that come in and try to hit on you while you're here, you can’t imagine Kori’s position. Hell, you didn’t want to wear your name tag at the diner half the time if it wasn’t for Pam forcing you to ‘play nice.’

You raise a dubious brow. “I think you misunderstand my question: is Kori single?” you ask cheekily.

He snorts easily, eyes crinkling around the scattered freckles on his face, “Fucking figures that I’d finally get your number and you’re more concerned with the redhead inside.” 

“Finally get it?”

The deep voice startles you as the ‘Employee Only’ door whips open to reveal skunkhead.

“Get what?” you ask with a tiny tilt of your head.

Name-tagless dude gestures down to Roy’s cracked screen. “We had a bet going on,” is all he says. 

“Yeah, man. I got the number, but she wants the other babe,” Roy laments. The sexy brooding skunk, fuck- you have to learn his actual name- laughs. “Also, stop spying on me during my break, fucking weirdo.”

“I’m your boss,” he says. To prove his point, the raven grabs the joint from your fingers and takes a long drag. Your eyes remain wide while his close into green slits, taking you in with the smoke, closing his eyes with the exhale. “How else would I know you’re corrupting our best customer?”

“Corrupting!” Roy exclaims, gesturing to you as his eyes rip open. You immediately hold your hands up in surrender. “She came up to me! You know how the ladies get with this hair, Jay.”

Your face wrinkles in obvious disgust. “Is it too late to delete my contact?”

Roy huffs and yanks the blunt from ‘Jay’ and shoos him, “Jay, you’re ruining my shot, man.”

“Yeah, me,” Jay says. The tall man rolls his eyes and motions you in before retreating back inside. “What do you want?”

This time, you don’t contain your eye roll as you attempt to catch up to his quick pace. “What happened to the monotonous ‘Welcome to GameStop’ I used to get?”

“You’ve got half of my employees stockpiling the good shit for you. That’s what happened,” he responds. The raven glances at you over his shoulder, his usual emotionless eyes glinting with the slightest bit of amusement.

You don’t bother with a response as you follow him out of the elusive breakroom you’d seen them disappear to in the past.

“Not my fault you only have like four employees,” you say, shrugging with a faux-innocence he sees right through. You’re cute, though, so he’ll let it slide.

“I have three employees and all of them would probably return this overdue shit for you without question,” he says with an unimpressed look as he underlines the ‘return by’ date on your receipt and flips it around for you to see. “Two days, a bit irresponsible, no?” He exhales dramatically as he clicks obnoxiously around on the computer on the counter before shaking his head, “Don’t know if we can help even a loyal customer such as yourself in an incident like this.”

You don’t know Jay well enough to know if he’s joking or not, but before you can even respond, the bell chimes and welcomes in one of the other usual customers.

“You always come in on Tuesdays,” the man says. His greasy mouth quirks into a smirk as he winks at you and starts toward the counter. Before he can get too close, however, Jason shakes his head and points toward the door. “What? I didn’t do anything this time!” the man exclaims.

“Buddy, we’ve already talked about you scaring off my customers.” 

“Three strikes doesn’t apply?” the man tries.

Without waiting for Jay’s response, he disappears off between the shelves before coming toward the counter again with a box in hand. Once he’s back in sight, your eyes drop to the counter in front of you, wishing he would just leave you alone.

“Pretty sure you’re at your limit and,” Jason cuts off the man before he can interrupt, “I’m not going to argue with you about my own strike system, so kindly fuck off.” There’s nothing kind about the dark timber of Jay’s voice.

The other man seems to think better of questioning the manager who makes the GameStop uniform look like a stripper outfit through his muscles alone.

“I just came here to get this, man.” With this, he drops the box on the counter and you recognize it as the new, limited-edition final season statue worth over $400. Jason seems to realize this, too and looks at you with a silent apology before quickly checking the man out and personally escorting him to the door after. 

“Just because you’re a big spender doesn’t mean you won’t be banned if you don’t start treating her, let alone any other woman, with some fucking respect.” The look Jason gives the man is enough to send him scurrying out without so much as a glance back at you.

“Thanks,” you say quietly in the wake of silence that follows the door’s bell. The tinkling noise echoes around in your ears.

“Don’t thank me for shit like that,” he says, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

You say nothing else as he processes the late return without question. 

As soon as he hands you your receipt, Jay walks you out to your car, holding the door open for you, all while making sure the man hasn’t lingered in the parking lot or anything. Luckily, it seems like Jay’s warning has sufficiently warded the creep off. He makes sure you’re completely in your car before shutting your door, then watches you peel out of the lot until your car is a mere fleck in his vision.

A/N: this was a spur of the moment fic i really had a craving for a gamestop au after i was forced to go in there to return some shit and was like o... i know what i need to do now, hence ^

let me know what you think and check out my pinned for my other content!

[next] || ao3 ||  pinned || ways to support

[seosejun]

Soloist SEO SEJUN debuted at the beginning of last year with the critically acclaimed mini-album, NEW GAME, which achieved immediate success. The album sold nearly half a million copies, and his debut song, MELODY, took home seven music show wins. He followed this up a few months later with another EP, to much of the same success. His meteoric rise to fame and fortune is an obvious by-product of the little over a year he spent in 1V1, a fan-formed group from survival show Last Act. By the end of their fifteen-month temporary contract, 1V1 was on even ground with the show’s winners, ENCORE, having sold over a million copies with their first and last full-length album.

The ten months since his last music release have come as a surprise. While it was obvious he wouldn’t maintain the breakneck pace of 1V1’s releases, the quick turnaround between his first two albums seemed like a promising sign. Now, it looks like those signs were misplaced.

That isn’t to say Sejun has spent the last ten months in radio silence. He’s active as a model and an influencer, gracing the covers of Vogue and Elle Korea to name some examples. He also co-wrote the debut album of former group member KIM CHAN late last year. When it comes to his own music career, he seems to have become completely inept.

With each passing day, it becomes increasingly evident he’s moved on to greener pastures: his streaming career. Sejun’s Twitch and personal YouTube channels 세유화 (SEYUHWA)—a portmanteau of his name and Kim Sowol’s poem “산유화”—made their debuts last summer. Since then, he’s streamed almost every day, sometimes for ten to twelve hours at a time. He spends most of that time playing video games—namely Overwatch 2—and occasionally engaging in the usual parasocial conversations with fans. Given that his appearance on Last Act and 1V1’s entire concept both revolved around video games, it was only a matter of time before his solo career did the same. Inheriting the group concept is not enough, Sejun needs to wholly embody it.

From an outside perspective, C Entertainment appears to support his new ventures. His streams sometimes features his manager, KWON INSOO, as a gaming partner rather than a supervisor. Sejun has yet to speak out or complain about his new management. Knowing his propensity for talking shit, his complaints would be known if he had complaints to make. Viewers were also quick to notice that he seems to be happier and more animated streaming than in either of his solo promotional periods, leading fans to wonder if he still wants to be an idol.

Not everyone is as enthusiastic as he is for his new career. He gained notoriety during Last Act after a recording of him flaming his League of Legends teammates in voice chat surfaced. Although tame by gaming standards, it was not the best look for an idol hopeful. Similar controversies would continue to plague him throughout his time in 1V1, though they did nothing to hinder the group’s success. With his freedom to apparently do whatever he chooses, Sejun has once again found himself the target of those who dislike his disregard for an idol image. Some of his streams also feature former 1V1 member ALEX KANG, who retired from the entertainment industry after the group’s disbandment. Though these collaborations were once celebrated by casual kpop fans and die-hard Supports—1V1’s fandom name—alike, Alex’s insistence on distancing himself from the kpop industry and his tendency to ban people in his Twitch chat who ask too many questions about his idol experience have furthered soured some netizens’ opinion of Sejun.

When asked about the state of his music career or if he’s preparing for a comeback, Sejun is uncharacteristically vague. In responses to comments on his Instagram posts of his latest brand deals, he's “working on it” and hopes fans will “wait a little longer.” He elaborated a bit further on streams, assuring fans it isn’t the fault of his management like many of them assume, but rather his own choices. He doesn’t say much more on the topic.

For now, there's nothing for fans to do but wait as he's asked.

[thestarcollective]

Maintenance Habits to Stay Polished

Here's a list of things I do to stay put together and feel polished both on the outside and internally. I always tend to feel my best when I look my best, so by implementing these small habits, you can keep up with your maintenance and be your best self!

⭒ Nails & hands: I've always struggled with my nails because I have the terrible habit of picking and biting at them. The only thing that truly gets me to stop is getting my nails done because I don't want to waste the money I spend on them by ruining them. Having my nails painted encourages me to stop picking them because having pretty nails really makes me feel beautiful. There is just something about having pretty nails that boosts my confidence and femininity. In addition to that, keeping my hands and cuticles moisturized is the cherry on top.

⭒ Hygiene: This is an obvious one, but maintaining general hygiene is undoubtedly one of the most important things. Some more specific tips I have are oil pulling for white teeth and fresher breath, tongue scraping + flossing daily, layering perfume and lotions so your scent sticks, exfoliating using a net sponge (ditch the loofah!), and refreshing your deodorant (especially after you sleep... this was a game changer for me). Adding these extra little things to your daily routine can really elevate you overall.

⭒ Water, water, water: This is also something I've really struggled with. I never seem to drink enough water and it just isn't a natural instinct for me. Whenever I do manage to drink it, I feel like I'm forcing myself to. Something that's helped me is getting a cup with a straw. This isn't just because having a cute cup is motivating (which does help a little), but drinking out of a straw is easier on my stomach than chugging it out of a regular bottle, and sipping feels more natural for me. Drinking lots of water just makes me feel cleansed from the inside out.

⭒ Hair: Styling your hair daily and finding products that work best for your hair type is super helpful. I used to just leave my hair down with no product because I didn't know what to do with it, but over the years, I've learned what hair masks and leave-in products give my hair the extra shine and body I desire. I've also tried experimenting with more styles, although I do want to try more and gain the confidence to go outside in more unique styles.

⭒ Face: Your face is the first thing most people see, so I like to do certain things to ensure it looks its best. For one, I have unruly eyebrows, so I have to take care of them about 1-2 times a week, whether trimming or plucking the stray hairs. This makes me look more put together overall. I also take care of any facial hair that I don't want. Lastly making sure my lips are hydrated and free of any dead skin keeps the looking healthy and plump.

I hope you enjoyed and can utilize these tips. Remember that everyone's body is different, and we all have different preferences on what makes us feel our best, so do you always! Let me know if you want a pt. 2! <3

[raspbeyes]

ace good character question mark (not really morally but yes)

(another one of my longer ones, this one more self-indulgent than actually analytical sorryyy i might just be spouting off stuff already said)

okay out of the gate i love ace as a character and i had to just spit out words into the void of why such an asshole of a character just rose to the top of my list of fav drdt characters

now drdt definetely has a lot of assholes in its cast: arturo, arei, j, charles, and recently teruko herself as of chapter 2. now while i do love the latter three, i cant help but say i dont really love arturo and arei as much and find their asshole tendancies more aggrivating

SO WHY ACE? what did he do? out of anyone, he's the one who's become actually more of an asshole compared to ch 2. at least teruko has ch 1 and a reason for being a jerk, j has her redeemable moments and isnt inherently bad, just coarse, charles was redeemed as was arei, and arturo hasn't done anything that made him inherently worse from ch 1 (i can hear u say "what about the whole j thing?" and my point still stands ... he's still just as insufferable lol). meanwhile, ace has turned from a comedic relief who swears profusely to an actual bully, who while still is probably just bite, actually threatens nico's life several times during ch 2.

i think its the sparse moments of "calm" between his hectic swearing that makes him so much more compelling to me. when a character, especially a character as far gone and stubborn as ace shows these slight moments of awareness of themselves, i think it reveals so much to their character beneath surface level without overtly doing a full reveal, making them sm more interesting to me. what makes ace compelling is where the expectations of his supposedly hot headed demeanor dont add up

rambling time ~

ace has a strange relationship with his talent. for someone who is a red headed, athletic, and foul mouthed character is already signing the alarm bells of a leon kuwata character. those three major traits signal to some sort of pride ace would have for his talent. and while in some ways he is like leon in that he doesn't train much, its actually ace's fear of failure that keeps him pushing past his fear of horses. ace has a habit of supplementing one fear for another, like how he overcame his fear of levi with his fear of the killing game. but at the end of the day, ace lives not by any level of cockiness like his brash character design may suggest, but rather by constant fear.

though ace is aware of his cowardice, as seen in his dialogue in ch1, ep2

Ace: Damn ... I know I'm scared of everything, alright? You don't gotta point that out to me. I wanna overcome my fears, but it's really fuckin' hard!

Right away, when called out, ace admits to knowing of his flaw and even more, he wants to improve! it's wild that a character who seems so bull-headed would even comprehend the thought of self-improvment, especially coming from ace. ace doesn't just have the desire to be safe, but he also has the desire to grow past that mindset (though clearly not enough to actually change). moreover, his line of saying how teruko doesn't have to "point that out" will show up again later

i dont have much to say on the trial outside of the obvious ace being a dick and going along with popular concensus. tho his outburst on levi is interesting. especially where he calls levi a coward

Ace: That's right. Shut your damn mouth, you coward -

I wonder how ace now is the one calling levi a coward when ace previously was terrified of levi. he seems especially peeved off by levi's peacemaker attitude the most. honestly, this is some good ol' fashion projection. Ace is well aware he's a coward, but he calls out levi for somehow the same thing.

personally, i think ace is pissed off that someone as intimidating as levi manages to maintain his anger and fears when ace cannot. We know Levi has a darker past that we aren't aware of and with the slight collpase in his character after ace's sharp remarks, it's clear levi isn't as much of a pushover as he lets on. ace noticed this from the start due to his own paranoia - which is why ace feared levi intially sm - and seeing levi somehow being the better person infuriates him. he wishes to be better, but when he fails, seeing levi further rubs salt into that wound.

a clear but inevitable change occurs within ace from chapter 1 to 2, with the creator (i believe i cant find the screenshot sorryyy) mentioning that ace hasn't been dying his hair red like he usually does to hide away his grey hairs, probably due to the stress. out of anyone's reactions following min's exection, ace's is the most vocal

Ace: Get me the fuck out of here! I don't want to be here anymore! Someone, anyone out there, please help me!!

Because everything, from the body discovery, to the trial, to the execution, were all something ace feared would happen and kept wanting to deny by having outbursts and trying to gain some short-term joy in picking fights. but now, every one last of his fears have been proven true, justifying all of his negative emotions. next we see him in chapter 2 is believing the food eden and levi prepared is poisoned and jumping to the conclusion teruko died when she arrived early.

during the motive reveal, ace says off-handedly

Ace: You've been nothing but a complainer this whole time, Teruko, and that's coming from me.

Again, small detail, but shows ace's awareness that he often complains. just adds to how ace views himself.

Tho more concerningly ace says later

Ace: You know what, fuck it! Fuck this motive, fuck investigating, fuck this killing game, I'm just going to walk around randomly and get my head blown off by whatever's waiting for us. Who cares! Buh-bye!

I will touch on this more later, but here we get the first glimpse of ace's self-destructivness. perhaps in some desperate way to escape his fear of death and everything from the last chapter, ace chooses apathy as the solution to facing death

during teruko's exploration at the gym, ace constantly brings up levi's threat from the trial. but unlike before, where he might cower away, ace shows no fear in snatching levi's stretch band and running away. it seems that while before ace may have wanted to improve by following levi, seeing levi do something ace would have done while facing no reprucussions from the rest of cast drives ace mad. after all, levi did threaten to actually harm ace, while ace only makes cowardly attempts to fight, but somehow people are way more willing to look past levi compared to ace.

however, after teruko calls ace "utterly useless" and "volatile, a coward" and "will die quickly" ace comes rushing back into the gym

however, when confronted and teruko only doubles down on her statement, ace is taken aback before saying

Ace: Tch, I should have realized it from the start. In this killing game, everyone is out to get me. Especially people who love picking fights with me, people like you and Levi (side note: in all of my talk of his self awareness, ace still doesn't realize he's the one starting fights smhh). I can't believe I wasted my time with all that dumb shit like arm wrestling and running around screaming at meaningless stuff. I was fucking stupid to not take this killing game seriously from the start. I'm done with being everyone's kickable scaredy cat. The only thing I should do is look out for myself and myself alone.

His previous awareness of his cowardly-ness now has transformed to self-loathing, as he is angry at himself for not "taking the killing game seriously". it sure seems like he did, judging by his fear of it; but it seems to me he more means trying to let himself get caught up in miniscule conflicts to distract from bigger problems. in some ways, it's like teruko in which ace tried to open up (not a lot, mind you) to distract from the looming fear of dying. but now that it has been confirmed, he feels like he has been played for a fool. his awareness of his "scaredy cat" label further intrigues the audience, because it seems ace truly does loathe how much of a coward he is, but is unable to truly overcome it. before, he seemed more willing to openly express it, and his desire to change, exposing himself slightly. but now he realized how much of a weakness that was for him, as pointed out by teruko, so now ace is determined more than ever to mask his fear with more destructive tendancies.

next we see ace is with what becomes the start with his rivalry with nico. we do get a hint in chapter 1 of ace picking on nico, but here, it fully explodes to actually bullying.

when asked what set ace off, nico recounts how he mentioned that if ace keeps on yelling, people will "keep thinking you're dumb". now idk when this happened, but likely right after teruko said pretty much veratim what nico is warning ace about happening. with it already proven true, ace is already prepared to fire back and now direct all his resentment towards his classmates of their perception of him on nico.

Ace: You all think I'm damaged in the head. But more than that ... Levi, Teruko, Nico, Veronika, and everyone else. You all think you can say whatever the fuck you want to my face, right? I'm stupid, irritating, a good-for-nothing, and a spineless coward. Is that what everyone really thinks of me? And it's fine that you drill it into my head over and over again, because you think that I'll forget about it in 5 minutes like you do? Ha! Ha ha ha ha! You're sooo funny! So fucking funny, did anyone ever tell you that? You think I act like this for fun, and then I go to bed and sleep soundly at night, you dumb piece of shit?

THIS! THIS IS WHAT MAKES ACE SO COMPELLING! Because as much as it seems like Ace is rejecting what everyone is saying from the list he made of negative traits, I'd argue only Teruko hands-down affirmed what Ace says about himself. Levi apologized multiple times, Nico further explained he meant it as constructive critcism, and well ... idk Veronika is just thrilled so she doesn't care. Honestly, while it might be true the cast thinks that of him, only 4 people have mentioned it, and two already apologized. But that was enough for ace, because form this dialogue alone, it inadvertenly reveals this is how ace views himself constantly

that's why i love ace's character writing. he can outwardly seem like such a jerk (and he is, no denying that) from being a coward, but with his dialogue, it reveals so much about it without him ever uncharacteristically acting vulnerable. he fully weaponizes his own self-hatred and chooses to instead reframe it as everyone else's full hatred of him. he is constantly hating himself, but at the same time, it conflicts with his want to be seen by others better. due to his own self hatred however, he believes that everyone already looks down on him, which creates its own self-fufilling prophecy

(SPOILER FOR THE RECENT EP 9) this even connects with his relationship with food. while jockies do develop eds due to the strict weight limiations to correctly ride the horse, that quickly can spiral to body image issues, and thus how people view them. ace's ed likely further adds to his hatred to not just himself but his own body, an ed that is further justified by said talent. moreover, we know previously how it is his fear of being viewed a failure that pushes him to become a jockey.

but instead of being able to better himself, he chooses to project and cover these self-loathing thoughts as not just his own, but everyone else's. and with nico - someone ace despises due to nico being the coward ace likely fears he is seen as (get it ... scaredy cat ... cuz ... cuz nico looks like a cat ... hehehe ill see myself out) - to point it out to him right after being told off by teruko is what broke the camel's back for him.

moreover, with how ace questions the others about him choosing to act the way he does "for fun" hints to the actual lack of control ace feels he has not just on the world, but himself. he cannot find anything in himself to like, but because he doesn't know how to be better, he's left constantly internalizing it. it may be why he constantly causing a stir and lashing out, in order to never be left alone to think about it like he would at night

it may be why ace threatens to "bash" veronica's "brain out", so veronika, in all her psycho analysis, only points out the surface level fear of the killing game pushing ace to act the way he does, treating ace like a coward. and he is, but ace knows that more than anyone else about himself and the constant treatment of him as pathetic infuriates him because in his eyes, they all aren't pin pointing anything ace doesn't know about himself that he may be able to control.

(tho before i continue on, just know whatever i've been rambling on about is not a justification of any of ace's actions, especially him being a massive asshole to nico, only due to his own insecurity and not because of nico himself. while ace didn't deserve to be attempted-murder-ed for it, he is the one who took the first shot and people have the right to be upset, especially nico. pls dont take this post as me justifiying ace's actions or his words at all T^T he's an intersting characters and i just like watching characters cause interesting conflicts)

During the cafeteria scene, when david intervenes in ace exposing nico's secret, ace says

Ace: Tch. Of course. You always need people like David to save you from mean bullies like me, huh? What a pathetic weakling. The truth is, you're nothing but a spineless whelp who can't stand up for yourself.

Nico: Why are you so cruel?

Ace: Go ahead and cry. Let everyone swoop in and help you.

Nico: You're ... You're the worst.

Ace: Yeah? And?

Ace refers to himself as a "mean bully" and accepts the label as "the worst" from nico fully, showing how he plans on only "looking out for himself". Ace is aware what he is doing is wrong, which is interesting from the bully archetype.

And as others have mentioned before, his line of calling nico a "pathetic weakling" feels less just directed at nico, but more himself. Ace, in his perspective, finds it unfair that Nico has aroused others' pity while ace only manages to drive them away (here's a thought: don't start a fight first chance u get lol). he believes that nico and him are both equals in terms of "patheticness" but nico, in ch 1, is sought after by xander and teruko (something ace interjects into). In some vain way to gain an edge over what ace views as his worst qualities, ace antagonizes nico, but it only leads to more people supporting nico (obviously lol). we'll see often ace referring to nico as a coward, 100% projecting.

but after david, hu, and nico run out the cafeteria, i think ace's interaction with rose is particularly interesting and definitely worth looking into.

Rose: Ace, you definitely went too far.

Ace: Haah? You wanna go --

Rose: You're doing it again. How do you have so much energy to fight all the time?

Ace: Tch - Look, I just ... I struggle to control myself sometimes when I get angry. Or something.

Levi: Still, that in no way warrants what you said to Nico -

Ace: Oh, like you're one to talk. Why am I sticking around this dump? I'm leaving.

I have to wonder what Rose said that caught Ace off-guard. this is speculation, but initially ace seemed fired up to fight. But when Rose instead poses a question rather than a statement of ace's character, it's what manages to cool him down enough to admit his own anger issues. In a way, Rose may have been a lingering question Ace often thinks himself, and for Rose to verbalize it manages to cool Ace down. But when Levi makes a statement about ace, that and what ace views as levi's hypocrisy is enough to put ace back on the offensive (or defensive... idk he's just angry all over again)

now onto nico's attempted murder (also have to say this, but omg i love ace's va, Seth Raffield. especially during ch 6. bro put his everything to sound actually in pain its incredible work all throughout!)

while most of ace's reaction is in line of what you'll expect ace - hell anyone really if they were nearly murdered - to say (ie swear profusely and scream).

however, for once, ace is offered help from levi and eden (idk about teruko lol but ig she gives advice in telling ace to give up on finding nico.

Ace: Don't bother. I'd rather bleed all over my room than accept any sort of help from you.

Levi: Don't say that. Your injury is serious. If you don't get medical treatment right now, you're going to make your situation worse -

Ace: Then I'll let it get worse! I'd rather die alone than accept your help! It's inevitable anyway, so why should I take your pity on top of everything else I have to suffer through?! Don't talk to me ever again!

Levi: ...

Eden: Don't say that ...

Ace: You know ... Heh. I've always wondered which is worse, dying young or living a long shitty life of suffering. But it turns out neither of those options are as bad as this.

Teruko: What's 'this'?

Ace: Don't ask stupid crap. And also? Go eat shit. [Ace proceeds to pass out]

This always confuses me. LIKE WHAT IS 'THIS' REFERRING TO? The killing game? Being murdered? Nico getting away with murder??? WHAT AHHH?

It's so puzzling I cannot for the life of me figure out what ace is alluding to by what is so bad from dying at nico's hand. Whatever it is is clearly important since teruko points out ace's vague phrasing BUT I CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT!! ( T^T )

Though from what i do know, ace clearly still holds a deep resentment for levi, rather wanting to die than get his help. And that's a huge jump from ace of ch1 who was terrified of death, and perhaps he still is. but we did see early in ch2 after the motive reveal this self-destructive attitude he has adopted since the min's execution.

He fully accepts his death, calling it inevitable, which may be even more true for ace's case with the understanding of his ed. with his body "falling apart" and eds being known to get in the way of a body being able to properly recover, ace's paranoia of death becomes something not just delusion but a constant reality for him. Death is always present in his mind, with it seeming he has spent a long time questioning whether dying young or old is better or worse.

I don't have much to say as of newer material since it's pretty expected of ace's reaction. tho its really jarring how people are fully unwilling to accept the possibility nico attempted to kill ace WHEN HE WAS CLEARLY INJURED. it's wild. i can't say i agree with him fully going after nico during the investigation, but i cant say i think ace is in the wrong since LITERALLY NOBODY IS WILLING TO BELIEVE ACE, not even eden nor teruko choose to back him up on what they saw.

so uh tl;dr (don't blame u)

soo ...yeah ace cool character maybe? idk if anything i really said was anything ground breaking i just had to compile them all together in this big ol' post. ace is a character who idk resonates with me in all of his frustration. a lot of what he says feels like a very human feeling of knowing his wrongs but feeling powerless to make a change, creating a cycle of bitter frustration. it's what really makes ace stand out, as while at first he appears to be a one off hot headed joke, ch 2 takes the breadcrumbs laid out in ch 1 and truly expands on the implications it means. He's the bully trope, but instead of bullying out of confidence, he bullies from insecurity. And not just that, he is very aware of it and hates himself for how he acts. A bully who wants to do better but can't control himself is just intriguing and i cant wait to see more ace development

now anyway ill be off in my sacrifice circle to manifest survivor ace

[brocktonbay]

HALFTIME SEXYMAN REPORT

ROUND ONE IS OVER AND THE RESULTS ARE IN!

The bottom seeded three-way matchup between Flashbang, Kevin Norton, and Gregor the Snail has ended in a decisive victory for Gregor the Snail. With his sultry looks and unconventional underdog status, Gregor has captured the hearts and twisted imaginations of the wormblrinas. Though his odds going into round two against Sexyman Favorite Jack Slash are exceedingly low, Gregor stans should remain hopeful. There's plenty of him (and his slime) to go around.

In an outcome that's sure to please the serial killer flower crown edit side of tumblr, Jack Slash has handily defeated Eidolon. Fans of sopping wet meow meows, Harry Du Bois, male pattern baldness, and @datmoongamer were heartbroken at these results, though not entirely unsurprised. Minority voters of this massacre of a match are advised to seek refuge with the Danny Contingent. Should they organize well enough, they might just be able to make it out of the upcoming DILF bracket alive.

The dubiously moral "heroes" conference was fraught with sexual tension, thanks to canonical gay representation and some… particular artistic choices from @heyitschartic. Armsmaster came out on top 😏 of Legend, but if he wants to advance to the semifinals, this tinker techbro is gonna need more sponsorship than a Larry David cryptocurrency Super Bowl commercial.

One of the most surprising games of the weekend saw wormblr-favorite Accord struggling to maintain an edge over Lung’s smoking-hot physique. After a sloppy first quarter, Accord managed to pull ahead and secure a win. But with his confidence shaken going into round two, Accord might not be a shoe-in for finals as predicted. Can he get himself together and stick to his numerous game plans? Or could we anticipate an upset?

The closest match of the night was in bracket five, where Danny Hebert beat out Crawler by a slim 2% margin. Artists both rejoiced and despaired at the fact that Crawler would not need to be drawn in any further rounds. Fans of Crawler take heart; though he may have lost early in wormblr’s 2023 sexyman tournament, us commentators suspect this won’t be the last we see of this monsterfucker-friendly face. Some athletes are growers, not showers.

The bishi showdown between Marquis and Mr. Gladly ended in a definitive and widely predicted win by Marquis. It seems that voters who are hot for teacher just couldn’t face the raw sexual charisma of Amy Dallon's father. Inside sources at the Birdcage have told us that Marquis is also pursuing a career in modeling, so stay tuned for next year's cellblock leader calendar, where he'll be starring as Mr. May AND October!

Trickster made excellent use of his top hat and gamer knowledge, defeating a colorfully costumed Nilbog in bracket seven. But unless he can pull a new trick out of that hat, our analysts aren't too optimistic at his chance of advancing into the semifinals.

Last but certainly not least was the Thinker Off between Coil and Number Man. Thanks to an aggressive pre-season campaign from @cpericardium and subliminal bulge messaging, Number Man golden ratio'd his way to 79%, leaving the remaining 21% of voters (sexually) confused at Coil's cake.

[optimistredsox]

14 July, KC @ BOS, 4-5, win

I might be in too deep. This team keeps winning and delighting and surprising and the nugget of cynicism that every Boston fan has lodged firmly in their heart seems to be temporarily dislodged. Will it stay thus for the rest of the season? I dunno. I hope so. This is such a different team from the Sox teams I've loved in the past. They're SO YOUNG. I was looking at the active roster, as you do, and basically the only two veterans active at the moment are Kenley Jansen and Dom Smith. Everyone else is crazy young. Yeah Raffy is a veteran relative to the team but he's still about 12. You can't have a 12yo veteran. And he's the face of a six year old. A six year old who packs enough dip to kill a horse, but still a six year old. Sorry, this is going to be a bit of a rambling post as the All Star break means I don't feel rushed to get something out before the next game starts. And I don't really care about the All Star Game. Am I going to try to compare Sunday's game to the Sox season as a whole? A game that had so much fun and joy but still managed to be a bit of a nailbiter and rough around the edges. Sort of like the season so far. Ok that's enough comparison (though I really do wonder where we'd be without all those injuries at the start of the season - I don't necessarily think we'd be doing better).

Anyway. The game.

Bello gave up a dinger to lead off the game, which wasn't great. But then Raffy hit a 2-run dinger, which was great. He drove it to right, which was a nice change from all the blasts over the monster of late. It did get a bit stressful - the Sox were up 4-1 at one point and then all of the sudden it was a lot closer than that. Ok, maybe not all of the sudden... it was a run in the fourth and a run in the sixth and then, terrifyingly, a run in the 9th. But that wasn't enough for the Royals to come back, which is good. In fact, it's better than good because we won, maintained the third wild card spot, and have a few days to chill. You know what that means? Bright sides.

Brayan Bello did better. He went six and a third and gave up three runs on seven hits. He struck out three and walked one. Remember when he was dreadful in day games? That was awful. Thankfully he was good yesterday.

Bernadino got the hold, coming on with one out in the seventh and throwing up zeroes. It's what he does.

Kenley Jansen came on for two innings, taking the ball in the eighth. He did give up a run in the ninth, but it was ok, and he's been so good this season that I think he's allowed that. He's got 19 saves and a 2.16 ERA. Really enjoying watching him this season. And he dominated the 8th. Impressive.

Jarren Duran, before jumping on the next sand worm to Texas for the All Star Game, had a day, going 4-for-5 with a run scored. He's been so much fun to watch this season.

Raffy Devers went 2-for-3 with a 2-run dinger and scored twice. He also took a walk and didn't strike out. He also played some good third base. He's really good at the moment.

Dom Smith had another good game. Dude is growing on me. Great picks at first base - this solid veteran anchor coping with young 'uns hurling the ball with an excess of excitement. He also hit a two run dinger, on a pitch that was about five inches above the strike zone. Dude launched it. It was great.

Dave Hamilton went 3-for-5, played great second base, but was also caught stealing. He's not going succeed in every swipe. But I kinda want him to.

Both of the two-run dingers came with two outs. That is awesome.

We din't make any errors! Hurray!

We're only four and a half back!

It's the All Star Break! Have a beer and a taco and chill out, there's a few days off baseball!

[ferhog]

Signalis Playthrough Update 1

I started my first survival-horror game Signalis about 2 days ago, and after beating the first boss last night I thought it would be fun to post my initial thoughts.

So I avoid the horror genre in all mediums because I'm a weeny little baby, hence why this is my first horror gaming experience at age 24, other than playing a bit of my younger brother's FNAF copy as a teenager. But within the first night that I started playing the game I started appreciating how the genre uniquely immerses you in the world and story. I presume this is because good horror is much easier to create through narrative and atmosphere than through pure gameplay, and that that's why the main gameplay challenges aren't combat encounters, but puzzles that require actively paying attention to your environment. So far I've also managed to do every puzzle without looking anything up (Which I really don't want to do for the sake of maintaining immersion) which has been really satisfying. However getting stuck when you don't know what abstract thing to do next is my least favourite thing in video games and at points the game has seemed on the verge of that, so I really hope it never goes over that line and forces me to look up what to do next.

I understand why staples of the genre like Resident Evil and Silent Hill famously have limited ammo. Trying to sneak or run past enemies because you don't want to waste ammo is bad enough, but knowing that the enemies you have killed could get back up at any moment is truly nerve wracking, and adds a feeling of time sensitivity to figuring the puzzles out. But I really wasn't expecting health to also seemingly be in limited supply, so there's also a real risk to not gunning them down. I'm curious if the game has some kind of countermeasure to running out of healing items and leaving you stuck on the verge of death, but I suppose not wanting to end up in that state is adding to the fear. Thermite may be one of those items I just never use because of its potential value. It doesn't help that when I first tested it out on an android that was in an important hallway and seemed like a smart obstacle to remove, I then finished the floor like 5 minutes later so it felt like I wasted an item in truly short supply.

I went in knowing what Elster's relationship is to Ariane since it's one of the most talked about parts of the game, but I otherwise knew nothing about the story. I enjoy learning about the society and system of this authoritarian government and the people within the facility, but the mystery of what happened to it looks like it's just going to be the generic "They uncovered ancient eldritch evil" but as long as the personal stories are satisfying that shouldn't be a problem.

My enjoyment of both the gameplay and the story and how they perfectly interweave to create one of the most immersive gaming experiences I've ever had so far has had me waking up each day eager to play more, but forcing myself to wait through the day so I could play at night for what feels like the ideal experience. Ironically yesterday I went through this and then within half an hour of playing wanted to stop out of fear, but I thought to myself that Elster doesn't have the luxury of just leaving and going to bed. It made proceeding to find all the elemental keys and facing the first boss feel like even more of an accomplishment.

[edoro]

thinking a lot lately about the very fun experience of technically being able to work, but not consistently or enough to make a living

recently i took five days off from my (extremely easy, simple, online, wfh) job because i had hit the point of being burned out that thinking about it made me Literally Want To Kill Myself

i spent those days cleaning my house, playing video games, and writing original fiction that i’m going to try to sell, and also doing things like “crying into my salad while i washed the leaves” and “laying on the floor thinking What if I Was Dead Instead” because none of the stressors that made me get to that point were actually gone and in fact taking this time off of working was making a big one (the fact that i live on a very narrow margin of financial safety where i am usually just BARELY able to pay for everything i need) significantly worse

now i have to get back to it and i can already physically FEEL the stress returning, although thankfully the constant mental loop of “what if i just killed myself instead” is mostly gone and i just feel kind of shitty about it

but this is a pattern for me, and it’s a deeply frustrating and demoralizing one. get a job, hope that this time this will be the job i am Able To Consistently Do And Live Off Of, and then from there a few things have tended to happen:

1) i’m actually really good at the job but doing it drives me insane because it hits all of my anxiety and trauma buttons and every working day involves psychologically torturing myself for several hours straight (anything involving phones)

2) i like the job but i suck at it and the knowledge that i suck at it drives me into a despair spiral that ends with me quitting before i get fired

3) i like the job and i’m okay to good at it, but either something external happens (car dying while working as a delivery driver, covid) to force me out of it OR i just hit my burnout point anyway because there is something deeply broken inside of my brain wrt my ability to function as a person in the type of society i currently live in

And Then I Don’t Have A Job Anymore. the longest i’ve managed to keep a job is not quite three years, and then covid happened and i had to choose between continuing to work in retail or keeping myself safe from getting the fucking plague. the specter of “having to go back to working around the general public, none of whom mask anymore, and also no one is really vaccinating anymore either” looms over me constantly.

every time this happens it makes me feel even more like a useless garbage person AND it makes it much harder to get another job, because my employment history is full of three to six month stays at jobs that most people would find incredibly simple and easy, and i have to try to find a way to explain that without saying “i’m insane and probably going to have a mental breakdown under the crushing weight of light clerical duties, but i prommy i’ll do a good job up until i hit that point”

and meanwhile while i AM working, i have absolutely no energy or motivation for anything else. i can’t keep my house clean. i can barely maintain my own hygiene. i can’t write. i can’t engage in any hobby that isn’t passively absorbing information through a screen. AND i can barely make enough money to live on with the number of hours i’m capable of working, so it doesn’t even feel particularly worth it.

anyway. idk. it just sucks. it’s really hard and i’m tired of living like this but the only solutions seem to be “win the lottery” or “stop being disabled” or maybe “find a sugar daddy.”

[carlatsukinamistolemyhamsandwich]

Diabolik Lovers x Cupid Parasite Crossover AU

Some quick notes before we start: For anyone not in the know, Cupid Parasite is an otome game that was localised in late 2021 and revolves around the concept of a heroine who works at a matchmaking service. The heroine is tasked with finding matches for the so-called “Parasite 5”, a group of 5 men who have proven so impossible to match that everyone else has given up on them. There’s also a whole bunch of Greek mythology mixed in (the heroine is literally cupid) but I won’t go into too much detail with that because spoilers.

The game is kind of wild but I absolutely love it so… I wrote a crossover with DL. You don’t have to have played the game in order for this to make sense, nor does this post contain any spoilers for Cupid Parasite beyond the synopsis I’ve included above. I originally intended to write this introductory post in prose but unfortunately I never managed to find the time so I’ve decided just post my planning notes as is.

Plan:

6 S boys are all human because there is no sensible way I can work vampires into this AU

-Ages:

Shu - 24

Reiji - 23

Laito, Kanato, Ayato -21

Subaru - 19

Reader works as a bridal advisor at the most popular matchmaking company in Kaminashi town(?), keep cupid corp name? Rename to something like aphrodite agency?

Reader is the top bridal advisor after working there for just 2 years.

The agency has been tasked by Karl to find matches for his sons to “help to better secure their futures and maintain the family image”. However the boys have proven unmatchable and been nicknamed the parasite 6:

Shuu - Lazy Parasite

Reiji - Strict Parasite (?)

Ayato - Oresama Parasite

Laito - Perverted (?) Parasite

Kanato - Unstable Parasite

Subaru - Tsundere (or Violent) Parasite

Thus reader gets tasked with matching them.

Fic plan:

Quick intro to reader and agency

First meeting with Sakamaki brothers -> interviews

Shuu - sleeps and then won’t stand to leave the office

Reiji - Manages to get Shuu out of the office, seems okay (currently doing a PhD in chemistry i.e. life sorted? lmao) then nitpicks reader, critiquing everything from their posture to their speech patterns

Ayato - makes unrealistic demands (mainly with regards to body type)

Kanato - says that the girl has to be able to bake but won’t be forgiven if she eats his sweets. Talks to Teddy and freaks reader out. Then says that the girl should look cute when she cries in fear. Reader is AFRAID

Laito - Flirts with the reader and is generally deplorable

Subaru - Earns brownie points by kicking Laito out of reader’s office and reader sympathizes that he’s young to be looking to get married but tries to comfort him on the fact. Thinks that they might actually be able to help him but then he punches the wall after he leaves and reader is forced to reevaluate. 

Reader laments how difficult the task will be, goes home to find Karl waiting for them. They ask why he really wants to get his sons married and he simply says it suits his purposes. He then makes a comment about how easy it is to convince a landlord not to rent to someone, even one who has a trustworthy record. He goes on to say that in fact, someone with enough influence may just be able to stop a person from being able to rent in this city altogether and that were that to happen, the individual in question might be left with no other option than to marry into money, as it were. 

The reader asks if that was a threat, and Karl (maybe he goes by Tougo here?) replies that it’s nothing so serious, just that if they fail in their job then he may have to resort to other means of getting his sons hitched and then comments that the reader themselves is unmarried and close enough in age. Karl leaves and reader realizes that they have to find matches for the Sakamaki bros or else they’re going to be forced into marrying one of them.

Some extra notes:

Reader’s gender here is up to you 

There are no vampires in this AU, yes I know it’s disappointing, but if the reader is supposed to be matchmaking the Sakamaki brothers, I needed them to be, you know, not literal murderers.

The boys are not highschool age here because 1) the idea of highschoolers being forced to use a matching service makes me VERY uncomfortable, so the boys ages are the same/close to those of the love interests in Cupid Parasite and 2) while we’re not given their actual ages in canon, we know for a fact they’re all older than the ages listed for them in their profiles anyway.