#making small tweaks but overall just watching

[koralcove]

contains: cockwarming, period sex, unprotected sex, gentle sex... just overall vanilla.

thinking of cockwarming xavier while you're both taking a nap.

he'd have his arms wrapped around you, cocooning you in his warmth, nose buried in your neck, feeling the soft wisps of his breathe tickling you. you're curled up against him, back rested against his chest as your legs wrap around each other loosely. it's only midday, and you're already in for another nap. it's not unusual for xavier to do so, but when you're in your mid-cycle, your body has been opting for you to rest more, making you prone to habitual heavy napping. and xavier is more than happy to indulge in nap time with you. he gets to do what he loves most while spending it with you – two birds with one stone!

you shift slightly in your sleep, one peeking at your sleeping form as he feels you hugging the pillow you have to your chest tighter, nuzzling on it before your body settles again. xavier does the same as well, pulling you close to him and nuzzling against your neck before going back to his own dreamland.

when your consciousness comes to, you revel in the warmth surrounding you, carefully moving xavier's arm closer to your face as you inhale the scent of his hoodie sleeve. it smells of clean detergent, the kind that has a soft, but lasting impression, with a hint of his scent. it makes you feel heady, your hormones surging, singing to you as you're surrounded by the presence of your lover. you gyrate your hips softly against him, only small movements as you feel him stir gently inside you. you're surprised by a reciprocated movement from him, hips following your slow rhythm. you're unsure if it's him unconsciously letting his body move instinctively with you or if he's come to his senses, but you're answered with a small peck on your neck.

as you continue your movements, a slow heat is building up between you. your hips rock against him with slight force, hinting that you want more. he answers with tightening his arm around your waist, catching the small movement of when your hips meet his to push against you. you hold onto your pillow, humping your hips against it, the fabric brushing against your clit, making you sigh out. the arm around your waist slides down to tuck itself under your shirt, his warm hand splayed on your skin, gripping on it softly as he continues to move from behind.

the intimate, soft sounds of your bodies rubbing against each other are only heard through the shape of you and him. he doesn't pace any faster, only consistent with the soft rock of your bottom meeting his pelvis, unhurried with his release. he watches as the golden stream of light filters the room in a soft glow, paired with the faint scent of your shampoo on his nose, and he wishes that he could loop this moment to infinity.

when you near, you squeeze softly on his arm, simultaneously clenching around him. xavier responds with trailing his hand higher to your chest, softly kneading on your breasts, tweaking your nipples gently in between his fingers. a few more thrusts from him and little humps on your pillow, and you finally release, body stiffening as you let your climax come through to you. xavier stops his hips, letting you ride out your high as he continues to softly knead on you flesh. after you come down, he continues to move gently against you, making you clench around him, still a little sensitive from your climax, but you let him have his way with you. a few moments pass, and you feel him twitch inside you, stiffening as he releases in you with a soft grunt. when he finishes, he kisses your head, trailing down to your cheek, your jaw, then to your neck. you hum in small delight at his affection.

you both bask in the afterglow, his hand tracing small mindless shapes on your skin. a sigh leaves you as you wish to revel in his warmth longer, but you could already feel the stickiness between your thighs clinging uncomfortably on you. you tap on his arm lightly, and he gets the message. he pulls out of you slowly, and you feel the warmth of his seed spilling out of you, probably with your own fluids as well. you feel him shift from behind, dipping the bed as he slowly sits up, stretching his limbs a bit. he grabs a tissue from the bedside table, wiping himself clean, doing the same to you, gently wiping between your legs and your thighs. he pads his way to the bathroom, throwing the tissues and getting a washcloth, dampening it slightly before making his way back to you. you spread out for him as he cleans you, the coolness of the washcloth on your skin and being cleaned making you sigh out in relief. you sit up, taking the cloth from him and giving him a peck, swinging your legs from the bed and going to the bathroom. xavier lets you tend to yourself, putting his sweats back on and inspecting the towel on the covers to make sure if it's still cleaned. when he doesn't find any stains, he settles on the bed, taking off his hoodie and setting it aside. you come back, pulling out a pair of bottoms from the drawer before joining him to bed, seeing how enticing and cosy he looks in the afternoon glow.

you crawl into his arms, feeling the soft heat of his body warmth radiating. he wraps his arms around you as you settle on top of him, caressing your head softly as you feel the slow, gentle pace of his heartbeat. both of you lay in the gentle silence wrapped around the lazy moment. later on, you'll both drift off to eventually sleep once more as the sunlight's glow immortalises this peaceful moment.

[grossnyucky]

Samsonite Headcanons

gonna put everything undercut, taking this from my comments on someone else's post so sorry if this is formatted weird i've never done anything like this </333

please feel free to tell me yalls headcanons too tbh

I like to think he's selective mute

his smile is his resting face which can make him hard to read initially

with that being said I think if he cares about you in our way traditionally, I think he takes the time to add nonverbal signals for his emotions

his ears twitch/move to show emotion, like a cat's (I think it would be easy for people to get confused what it means, which would end up with tales mixing which signals mean what for people who encounter him)

also giving him a small tail just cause, tails are fun

his favorite on brand is mtn dew :]

Samsonite likely inspired music in that universe, which would give more reasoning to drums/bass considering he likes a beat

that being said, I think he'd enjoy things like electro swing and would actively switch his dance style (enjoy the swing dancing mental image)

if y'all listen to music together that doesn't have much bass/beat I think it's slowly turn into pony by habit

he's a horse and I'm basing it off of the fact the song is Pony, do with that as you will

though all of his outfits have the overall and hat combo, I do think he also has the sagging pants and open shirt outfit on very rare occasions too (begging someone to draw this ngl)

I also want more people to draw his small fucked up form that appears during the exorcism, and whenever he tweaks out

on that note, he needs a host every once in a while. Taking liberties there I like to imagine it like Venom if he's weak enough/if a person is powerful enough

he calls you a doodoohead etc if you don't listen while he's in the backseat

this does probably mean being on a people's soul/on brand soda diet, so rip ur wallet probably

if you take his hat count your nanoseconds

Samsonite is playful/a tease, he likes to torment before taking people as a host or to his domain I feel like it's a given

if we go with the headcanon that he's a pig, he snorts for laughter

his domain reaches not only closets, drawers and bed undersides, but I also like to think this means any larger pieces of room furniture

he 100% uses this to jumpscare you or pulling you off the bed just cause

I think this would also allow him to travel via luggage

he can become pocket sized, let him have an iPod to listen to fr

he probably disappears for months at a time before coming back regularly, he's gotta feed

I think he'd adore scratches/pets

on that note watch out for biting or potentially ur soul being eaten (it's worth it though)

on the fence about how I see this, but I think touch is a one way street more often than not

but that could also be why he likes scratches and pets whenever he allows them

self-inflicted touch starved LMAO

if you think of him romantically, hear me out on doomed relationship cause technically he is one of the "great old ones"

denies each trip without taking you to the domain as stalling because he is attached but his survival needs mean more

using you as a host because in a way its a compromise, the best that both of your limits can offer anyway Anyway, I'm insane and if yall want something specific lmk :]

[decks-writing-blog]

Here to Stay Drabbles: Preferred If You Woke Me

Summary: Benrey has a nightmare.

[A/N] Now might be a good time to clarify that these drabbles and one shots aren't in chronological order.

Also, with this upload my total overall published word count over on Ao3 surpasses 2.5 million. :)

~

The cube was small, encouraging Benrey to be small too. He could only shrink so much though. He pressed against the glass like walls, trying to phase through. The cube got smaller, compressing his form further, making the need to phase through it stronger but not any more possible.

Figures walked around outside it, distorted heavily by the orange tinted barrier walls. They were watching him, studying him. An experiment or a test. Whichever it was, he wanted not part of it. He’d have said something to annoy them for that but… he didn’t have the parts formed to make speech possible. For some reason he couldn’t remember how to make those parts.

The cube got smaller, forcing him to shift his bones to make himself more flexible. The barrier was cold. Pulling away from it was just as impossible as phasing through it though. He tried anyway which… made the cube grow smaller. It pressed in on all sides now, forcing him to conform to its shape. He couldn’t breath with how tight it was or struggle or move at all. The only thing he could do was hope it wouldn’t get any smaller.

As if egged on by that thought, it got tighter, compressing him. He tried again to phase through it, had never really stopped and was just trying harder now because he needed out! He needed out right now! There was no out though, just the cube getting smaller and smaller until...

His eyes snapped open. Above him was the ceiling to the game room. The TV was on though silent. A glance over revealed why; the game was paused with a message stating that the wireless controller had lost connection. He sat up, making said controller fall from where it had rested on this chest to his lap.

Apparently he’d fallen asleep playing video games. In his defense, the electric blanket Gordon had given him yesterday was cozy. … Or had been cozy; it turned off automatically after a few hours and thus was cold now. Picking the controller back up, he quickly saved and quit before grabbing the blanket and folding it up to place on the couch’s arm rest. He didn’t bother to unplug it as this was likely to be its primary home.

His hands still shook by the time he was done but… he was going to ignore that until it went away. Judging by the light coming in through the window it was late enough that Gordon should be home by now. Good.

Not bothering with opening the door, he phased through it because he could. There was only one material that he knew of which he couldn’t phase through. He was otherwise completely free to go around and do whatever he wanted; nothing could contain him or squeeze him.

Loud music came from the kitchen, indicating Gordon was there and probably doing the dishes. Benrey headed that way.

The music was blaring, making walking into the kitchen feel almost like passing through a wall of sound. Gordon always liked to listen to things loud when he was alone. When asked, he’d said it drowned out his thoughts. An impulse Benrey could understand, especially right now, but loud things had never helped him much. Distractions did though.

Still unnoticed, he approached the radio and stuck his hand into it. Most of the time when he messed with electronics while phased into them, they broke. Thus maybe he shouldn’t risk such here but radios were the easiest thing to mess with without breaking and this one was old, easily replaceable if need be. Lightly touching and tweaking some of the inside bits of it in just the right way made the music distort and fuzz in a way Tommy had ensured him sounded creepy.

It apparently worked on Gordon as he let out a small yelp as he snapped around to look at Benrey and the radio, squeezing the sponge in his real hand tight. His gun hand was up and presumably ready to shoot. At the sight of Benrey though, he relaxed, letting it fall to his side. He said something but the radio, still distorted and fuzzy with static drowned most it out.

Just to show off, Benrey turned the radio off – or accidentally broke it in his attempt to do so, only trying to turn it back on again would reveal which it was – before pulling his hand back out. The sudden silence seemed just as physical as the music had been.

“Hey,” he said in way of greeting as he leaned against the counter. “How’s it going?”

Gordon turned to place the kitchen sponge back on its little dish by the sink before setting to wriggling his hand out of the dish glove. “It’s going. I didn’t know you could do that.”

“It’s cool, huh?” No need to mention the radio might be broken because of it.

“Kinda creepy sounding but sure, cool too, I guess.” Free of the glove, Gordon turned to face him fully. “You… uh, have a nice nap?”

“You could’ve woke me when you got home. I don’t really need much sleep anyway.” Benrey would’ve expected him to since he had a thing about being alone.

“Yeah, I know but… I didn’t want to disturb you if you were cozy enough to nap. And I needed to do the dishes anyway.” He gestured back towards the sink which was actually empty now. Apparently Benrey had disturbed him right as he’d finished.

“I’d’ve preferred if you woke me.” He liked hanging out with Gordon when he got home from work and well, the bad dream would’ve been nice to be pulled out of early.

Gordon was silent for a beat or two before… “Oh, uh… bad dream?”

Benrey didn’t want to talk about it but he was trying to make an effort to stop lying about being fine when he wasn’t. Apparently acknowledging bad feelings was supposedly ‘healthier’ and ‘better’ than ignoring them until they went away as was his usual habit. A hard habit to break but Gordon of all people would understand nightmares so… “Yeah.”

Gordon stepped towards him, already reaching out to touch him. Normally when Benrey felt bad, Gordon’s arms was the best place to be, they were warm and nice. But Gordon didn’t like to be phased through so Benrey tried not to. With the nightmare still pressing in on the back of his mind, the thought of being surrounded by anything he couldn’t freely phase through was unpleasant. So he stepped backwards, phasing into the counter to make it very clear he didn’t want to be held right now and just because he could. He couldn’t be contained by anything mundane, let alone squeezed and squeezed.

He flinched a little but Gordon did stop, shifting his trajectory as if he’d been coming over to stand a short distance away from Benrey instead. Leaning sideways into the counter, he fiddled with the gun’s barrel, turning it absentmindedly as he looked down at it. “You wanna talk about it or just want a distraction?”

“Uh… you know that stuff we put in the basement yesterday from my old lab?” It had taken them almost a whole week to finally get around to moving it out of the gaming room but they’d got there eventually. “You think we could destroy the panels we tore off walls and stuff?” The only material in the world he couldn’t phase through and there was a whole bunch of it in the house, just a single flight of steps away. He’d gotten really good at not looking at those boxes while they’d sat in the gaming room but if ignoring bad feelings was unhealthy then surely ignoring the things that caused bad feelings was too, right? So… “Like grind them down to dust then burn the dust kinda destroy.”

Gordon looked up at him. “Yeah, sure, we could do that. It’s a bit late to be heading out into the desert right now but maybe tomorrow we could drive a few miles out into the middle of nowhere, perhaps even off road a bit, destroy them best we can then bury what’s left.”

Immediate agreement, no questions asked, he’d even offered a place and time to do it. Benrey didn’t have to explain why he’d brought that up unprompted instead of answering the question or why he didn’t want to be held right now when normally he liked cuddling. Often Gordon was annoyingly curious, he liked asking questions about basically anything that caught his interest, but this time, blessedly, he just got it. That probably came with the territory of having his own problems that he preferred to talk about instead of directly about.

“’kay,” Benrey said. “We can invite the others too ‘cause there’s lots of stuff to destroy.” And Coomer had already punched through a sheet of it so he for sure was strong enough to break it. “It uh… might even be fun.”

“Yeah, might be. For now though… wanna go for a walk or would you rather stay home and play games or whatever.”

“Walk.” Benrey could do with working off some energy. And even if it was late enough that the desert heat had gone down some, it was still plenty warm. “I’ll get my camera.” Taking pics of things was always fun too. Maybe if they were out for long enough they could catch the sunset.

[annerly-san]

Love and Deep Deadlines | A LaDS Corporate AU - Chapter 5

Summary:

Amidst the cut throat culture of Onyxion Enterprises where cutting-edge innovation is overshadowed by corporate chaos, no one talks about how hard it is to be an intern.

Alongside Caleb, the sales department smooth-talker; Zayne, the cold and unflappable CTO; Xavier, a director who might as well be an intern himself; and Rafayel, the overly dramatic Creative Director who brings his own flair to every meltdown, our intern is just trying to survive the workday. Oh, and don’t forget Onyxion’s very own CEO, Sylus, a walking HR violation who gets off on terrorizing his employees.

In this company, will love bloom before the deadlines run deep, or will the company go under first?

Chapter Navigation: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | ?

Alternative AO3 link:

The buzz around the Aethercore was undeniable.  The interview with Zayne had gone far better than I could have hoped, and ever since then, whispers about the new technology had echoed through the office halls.  My inbox was filled with emails about presentations and marketing collateral that needed to be finalized.  There was a lot to do, but I liked the pace—it kept my mind from wandering into less comfortable thoughts, like how my internship was nearing its end, or the growing sense of uncertainty about my future here at Onyxion.

I’d been working in one of the open creative spaces on the sixth floor, a bright, modern area designed for collaboration.  It was my new favorite spot—close enough to the marketing department but far enough from the constant hum of the main office to do work in peace.  The smell of fresh coffee wafted through the air, and the quiet chatter from nearby desks made it feel more like a café than a corporate building.  I liked that.

Today, I was deep into building the slides for the sales team’s upcoming pitch on one of the new Aethercore application projects.  They were expecting something sleek, cutting-edge, and polished enough to impress even the most skeptical customers.  I sipped my iced coffee, fingers dancing in rhythm to the clacking of the keyboard as I wrote out various value propositions and tweaked design elements on the slides to make a compelling slidedeck.

"That’s nice," a voice said from behind, startling me.

I turned to see a man leaning casually against the desk next to mine.  His clothes were effortlessly stylish, and there was an air of playfulness in the way he tilted his head, studying the slide on my screen. His short purple hair framed his face in a curtain-cut similar to that of the pop stars that I watched on screen.  His eyes gleamed with curiosity.

"Oh, uh, thanks!" I said, quickly recovering from the surprise. "Just trying to get this presentation ready for the sales team. We’re gearing up for the Aethercore launch."

His gaze lingered on the screen for a moment before he walked over, sitting on the edge of the table.  He studied my work with a faint smile, but his posture remained completely relaxed, like he belonged here.

“You know,” he began, gesturing vaguely at the slide, “you might want to add a bit more contrast between the text and the background.  It’ll make it easier for people to read without squinting. And maybe try using a bolder font for the headers—just so there’s enough contrast between that and the subheader text.”

I blinked, considering his suggestions.  “That’s... a great idea!”  I quickly made those changes and saw how it really elevated the overall slide deck and message.  “Thanks for those suggestions!” I beamed.

He gave a small chuckle, pleased.  “Of course it is. Are you presenting this, or is it for someone else?”

I laughed.  “Oh, I’m just an intern, so I’m not presenting it.  Caleb—uh, one of our sales leads—is going to present it next week.”

He chuckled as he leaned in a little, eyes twinkling. “Oh, Xia?  I know him.  He’s good.  Tell him to make his own slides next time, why bother the poor intern?”

I shook my head and let out a polite grin.  “I’m in the marketing department, so I work with Sales.  This is one of my jobs and I don’t mind helping Caleb out.”

The man let out a resigned sigh as he threw his hands up in defeat.  “Well, if you say so, I guess that’s how it is.  If you ever need any more tips though, I’ve got plenty of those. Especially for someone working so hard on something so important.  That’s also part of my job I guess…”

I tilted my head, intrigued. “Thanks!  I appreciate it!  Are you in marketing?”

His smile widened, but he didn’t answer directly. “Let’s just say I dabble in the creative side of things.” He stood up smoothly, as if ready to make his exit, but paused. “If you ever need help with graphics or design, feel free to stop by my office. I’m always happy to lend a hand.”

Excited that I might have found a new friend and coworker, I couldn’t help the wide smile on my face as I asked, “I might take you up on that. What’s your name?”

“Rafayel,” he said with a wink. “Just ask around. People will know where to find me.”

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed with a meeting reminder. “I’ve got to run,” I said, grabbing my laptop. “But thanks again for the advice, Rafayel.”

He gave me a playful salute before walking off with an air of mystery, and I couldn’t help but feel like I’d just met someone... eccentric.

“Oh, you met Rafayel?”  The barely concealed glee in Caleb’s voice made me frown as we stared at each other in the meeting room.

I crossed my arms and glared at him, already regretting that I’d mentioned meeting someone new at work.  “Yes?  And-?”

Caleb bit his lip as he was barely able to make out his next few words without laughing too much.  “D-Did you ask him to be friends with you too?”

“Hey!!”  I grabbed my pen and threw it at him from across the conference table.  “What’s that supposed to mean?!”

By the time Caleb managed to stop laughing long enough to get the point across, I had already pulled up Rafayel’s name in the organizational chart.

‘Rafayel Qi - Creative Director’

My jaw dropped as Caleb burst out laughing again. “Man! How do you keep running into all these directors so casually, pipsqueak?” he cackled, kicking his feet up onto the table. “That’s some real talent right there! Talk about getting your network early—”

The notebook I threw hit its mark.  “Owowowow! Ok, ok!” Despite the direct hit, Caleb still wore that stupid grin. “I’ll report you to HR for sales guy abuse!”

“Pft, like anyone in HR would believe you!” I shot back, rolling my eyes as I stood up to retrieve my notebook. “That’s rich coming from the guy who has a monthly meeting with HR because you don’t understand that sending memes to half the company is not ‘professional communication.’”

“Whaaat? No idea what you’re talking about, pipsqueak. I’m just trying to make things fun around here. Can’t help it if some people don’t have a sense of humor.” Caleb whistled innocently, typing away on his laptop as if last week he hadn’t just ‘Reply All-ed’ to the Sales & Marketing newsletter, telling everyone to direct customer inquiries to Zayne’s personal cell number.

“Yeah, sure, Mr. ‘Culture Enhancer.’” I muttered, shaking my head. “You’re like a walking HR-violation.”

Caleb clutched his chest dramatically. “Wow! That’s harsh! But listen, you haven’t even met a real walking HR-violation yet, so don’t throw around such accusations!”

“Oh really? Who’s worse than you?” I challenged, raising an eyebrow.

Without missing a beat, Caleb’s voice dropped into a mock-serious tone. “SYLUS.”

I frowned, feeling a strange twinge in my chest.  “WHAT?  OUR CEO!?  DON'T EVEN START COMPARING YOURSELF TO HIM, YOU’RE NOWHERE NEAR HIS LEAGUE!  HE'S A GREAT GUY!” I shot back without hesitation.  The words flew out of my mouth faster than I’d expected. I could feel my face heating up as he blinked in shock at me. 

Caleb stood straight up, his chair clattering to the floor. “EXCUSE ME, PIPSQUEAK???” He looked genuinely scandalized. “WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!?!?”

“YOU HEARD ME! I SAID WHAT I SAID! DON'T DISRESPECT SYLUS LIKE THAT!”

“I SHOULD BE THE ONE OFFENDED! HOW IN THE WORLD IS SYLUS A GREAT GUY?! EXPLAIN YOURSELF!”

I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling self-conscious about how strongly I had reacted.  What was that? Why was I defending Sylus so adamantly?  Aside from seeing him in the news and on the screen in formal events, I didn’t know him at all to be arguing with Caleb on his behalf.

“AREN’T WE SUPPOSED TO BE GOING OVER THE PRESENTATION? THEY’RE GONNA KICK US OUT OF THE CONFERENCE ROOM!” I waved my hands toward the slide deck.

“OK FINE!!” Caleb dropped back into his seat, still clearly flabbergasted but reluctantly pulling up the presentation. “But we’re not done talking about this!”

A few moments passed by in awkward silence between us as Caleb started flipping through the slides.

I waited with bated breath as the projector showed him clicking through everything-- my work getting scrutinized under his eyes for the first time.

“This deck’s looking sharp, pipsqueak,” he stated proudly, nodding with approval.  “You’ve really nailed the messaging here.”

I smiled, feeling a little more at ease. “Thanks. I just hope it’s good enough for the customers.”

“Good enough?” Caleb raised an eyebrow, spinning his chair to face me fully. “This is more than good enough.  It’s killer.  The audience will eat this up.  You’re making me look like a rockstar.”  He winked, but there was something genuine in his voice, like he wanted me to know that I’d done well.

I gave a small laugh, brushing off the compliment.  “Hey, that’s what I’m here for.  I just hope that it’ll be enough for you when you get up there.”

He leaned forward, folding his hands on the table, his usual playful expression replaced with something a little more serious. “Don’t sell yourself short, pipsqueak. You’ve got a talent for this.”

His words warmed me, but the knot of anxiety in my stomach still wouldn’t unravel.  Caleb was a master at sales, so if he said that the presentation was solid-- then sure-- it would be fine.

But I couldn’t shake the pressure of knowing how much was riding on this.

This was a very large customer-facing sales presentation.  The slides were practically finished, but every time I thought about it, my stomach flipped.  Sure-- Caleb would be the one presenting, but my work was going to be on full display.  The thought of having my work so visible to the larger organization was exciting, but also terrifying.

It felt like a double-edged sword. If it went well, maybe I could turn this internship into something more permanent. If not, well...

I must’ve drifted off into my thoughts because Caleb suddenly nudged my arm with the back of his hand. “Hey, earth to pipsqueak. You alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I lied, forcing a smile.

Caleb stared at me with a strange look on his face, and I knew that there was something he wanted to say to me, but he seemed to decide against it.

“Ok,” he said calmly as he started to type up speaker notes on the file.  “If you say so.”

We spent the next hour going over every detail, fine-tuning the flow of the presentation until Caleb could practically recite it in his sleep. His usual goofy demeanor gave way to his professional side as we worked through each point, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride watching him in his element. He really was good at this.

By the time we wrapped up, I felt a little more confident in the work we’d done. The presentation was solid, and Caleb had a way of making everything seem like it was going to be okay.

As Caleb shut his laptop and stood up to leave, he paused by the door, glancing back at me. “Don’t stress too much, pipsqueak.  These slides you made for me are great, and this is going to go super well.  I know it.”

I gave him a small smile, appreciating his faith in me more than I could say. “Thanks, Caleb.”

“Anytime.” He gave me a two-finger salute before heading out. “Now let’s go show these people what’s coming for them.”

The day of the presentation came sooner than I expected.

The room was buzzing with energy as Caleb started the presentation. He moved confidently from slide to slide, his voice commanding the attention of every client in the room. I sat quietly off to the side, fingers nervously clutching the edge of my notebook, hoping everything would go as planned. Caleb had rehearsed well, and the smoothness of his delivery was testament to his natural talent for this kind of thing.

“And now,” Caleb said, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, “I want to take a moment to thank someone who was instrumental in making this presentation the success that it is.” His gaze flicked toward me, and I felt my heart drop into my stomach.

Oh no.

He wouldn’t.

Caleb called out my name, and in an instant, the entire room seemed to shift. All eyes turned toward me, and I could feel the weight of their attention like a tidal wave crashing over me.  The sudden recognition caused my heartbeat to thunder loudly in my ears.  “She’s an intern in the product marketing group,” he continued, “who worked tirelessly to design these slides and make sure everything looked as polished as it does.  Couldn’t have done it without her.”

Heat rushed to my face as Caleb gestured toward me. A wave of applause followed, the sound ringing in my ears as I glanced around the room, overwhelmed by the sudden attention.  I forced a smile, trying to stay composed, but my heart raced frantically.

My coworkers who attended the meeting with me were cheering and giving me encouraging pats on the back, and I felt the rushing emotions of joy, embarrassment, and pride run through me.

I’ll give Caleb an earful later.

As the applause echoed, something strange caught my attention—a gaze that felt sharper, more intense than the rest.  A strange sensation crawled up my spine, and I instinctively scanned the room. The source of that intense gaze felt almost magnetic, and when I found him, my heart skipped a beat.  Toward the back, just barely visible, I caught a glimpse of a tall man seated at the edge of the crowd.  His broad shoulders filled out a deep red velvet suit jacket he wore, sharp in contrast against the sleek black of his fitted trousers.  His silver hair glowed under the dim lights, stark against the sea of black and blue dress wear—like a full moon hanging in the night sky.  However, the most noteworthy feature was that he wore sunglasses, indoors, no less.  His lips were curved up in a slow, deliberate smile as he clapped—once, and then twice, almost lazily.

My breath hitched. That… that looked like Sylus.

I blinked, shaking my head as the applause continued around me.  No way. I pushed the thought aside.  There was absolutely no way Sylus would be at a sales presentation like this. CEOs didn’t just show up for routine meetings, right?  And yet, as I glanced back at the man, that same chilling smile remained.

For a moment in time, the applause and attention from the crowd around me seemed to disappear into the distance as I locked eyes with the strange man.

But before I could dwell on it further, Caleb’s voice broke through my thoughts. “Her contribution really made this all come together. Thanks to her, we’re confident this will resonate with our clients and really push the frontier of this new Aethercore technology forward!”  He shot me a quick wink before turning his attention back to the crowd.

The rest of the presentation continued seamlessly, Caleb’s charisma pulling the room back in for the Q&A section, but I couldn’t shake the eerie sensation that I was being watched.  As Caleb wrapped up, the room erupted into applause again, louder this time.

I risked a glance toward the back, but the seat where the man had been sitting was empty. My stomach twisted with unease.

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed as I sat there, but I was brought back to my senses as Caleb came back to my side, nudging me with his elbow.  “See? Told you they’d eat it up. You killed it out there.”

I hit him in the shoulder, trying not to smile-- but failing terribly, as I chided him for calling me out in his presentation.

The unsettling thoughts from earlier had vanished to the back corner of my mind.

“And hey,” he added, his voice dropping to a softer tone, “after that? You’re definitely on their radar. You’ve more than earned that full-time spot.”

“How did-?

Caleb laughed as he ruffled my hair.  “I always know, pipsqueak.  It’s written all over your face.”

After the presentation, the energy in the room was palpable. As I made my way back to my team, several people congratulated me with smiles, pats on the back, and even a few thumbs-up. I smiled, still a little dazed from the overwhelming attention, but their support helped ground me again.

When I finally reached Caleb, he was leaning back in his chair, his arms crossed and a proud grin on his face. “Told you. Rockstar status achieved.”

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t suppress my grin. “Alright, alright. But seriously, did you have to call me out like that in front of everyone?”

“Of course!” Caleb said with a laugh, standing up and throwing an arm around my shoulders. “If I didn’t give credit where it’s due, what kind of brother would I be? Besides,” he winked, “you deserved it.”

We gathered our things as the day wound down, and after a few more congratulatory handshakes, Caleb and I left the office.

The evening air was cool as we walked to his car, our footsteps echoing in the mostly empty parking lot.

“You know,” I said, glancing at him, “I’m still mad you called me out like that.”

Caleb smirked. “Oh come on, pipsqueak, it was the highlight of the day! Besides, you killed it.” He shot me a sideways glance. “You looked like you were about to pass out, though.”

“I did not!” I protested, elbowing him in the side.

He chuckled. “Okay, okay, maybe not pass out, but you were definitely red as a tomato.”

As we got into the car, my phone buzzed. A quick glance told me it was a text from Zayne.

[Zayne]:  Hey, just wanted to say you did a really good job today. Presentation was solid. Don’t let Caleb take all the credit.

I smiled, feeling a bit of warmth at the message.

[Zayne] (to Caleb):  Congrats on not completely messing it up, Caleb. Small miracles, huh?

I stifled a laugh as Caleb’s phone buzzed at the same time.  He glanced at it, rolled his eyes, and muttered, “He just can’t help himself.”

As Caleb drove the both of us home, I couldn't help but feel satisfied with the weeks of hard effort the two of us put in-- culminating in today's reward.  I let out a sigh as I watched the streetlights flash by us through the car's window, smile on my face.  I couldn't wait to head back to the office tomorrow.

[slugdragoon]

Devlog #6 - New Bed, Torch, and Table assets + status indicators

This week, I wanted to work on more visual assets, so I took a full break from code and just did models. However, I also had like 3 appointments to keep and babysat a toddler for a family friend to attend a wedding over the weekend (then I watched all the summer gaming conferences), so I was just a bit too busy all week to get much done.

Initially my plan after getting the bed done was to get the furnishings for a whole bedroom done, to sort of have one small environment complete, but that didn't fully pan out this time. Might work on it some more this week, or go back to code more features for a bit.

I finished the bed from my last post , where I explained the concept behind it and how it fits in with the game overall.

The second piece of furniture is a small round stone (granite?) table, I figure this one may go in the bedroom used by the player, but I could just as easily use it somewhere else or retexture it.

Besided the furniture, I also have a new wallpaper texture for the bedroom, and wooden beams to break up the corner areas of rooms, which I will make a few different versions of.

We also now have animated torches, which we can see on the sides of my test battle screen.

Finally, I made up some new sprites for indicating status effects, but I'll have to tweak them when the overall battle UI is designed to make sure they "pop", right now I'm not certain.

[theysangastheyslew]

Hey!!!

I want to share more suffering with you, homie haha *crying*

What do you think of the episode? Especially 132 part ofc!

Hi friend! :'))))))))) Ooooooh honey that gif is such a mood XD I’ve been trying to collect my thoughts and this is the best I can do atm. Sorry it’s kind of wordy but here we go 🥲

Ok! So ever-present pacing issues aside, the overarching story made for a solid episode and the animation was incredible. Hell, even the things I disliked objectively looked well-done out of context. Overall, that was no small feat to pull off, especially in such harsh working conditions. I truly do want to acknowledge that.

But in regards to 132, you guys already put into words how I feel better than I could. I may not have anything new to add, but I’ll say what I liked first and then put my issues under a cut.

As someone who actually really likes Yams’ art style, I loved that they consistently kept Hange’s face accurate to the manga. It was really inconsistent throughout the final season and they struggled to not make it too short a lot of times. Hange was always still stunning of course but the difference always stuck out to me. Here everyone was drawn well, but you can tell she got some extra attention.

The way they inched Levi closer to where Hange was sitting while talking with Yelena. Insignificant yeah but consistent with their past behavior. Also I’m glad they tweaked the position of his bandages so it looked less like they were painfully tugging upwards on his nose.

The pained expressions of the kids and Hange watching Levi struggle to even hold his gear

The “unrequited love” exchange. It had most of the softness and emotion from the manga even though the weight of that line will never be realized in non-written form. The camera lingered on each frame in a way that conveyed the sentiment. This is what got my hopes up that they would stay truer to the source material with DYH.

I'm so glad they left in Hange's lines to Flochroach about not giving up. Helps show—once again—that they wanted to live

The choked way Levi said “Devote your heart” + Hange’s widened eye and soft gasp at his words. Though not tearing up like in the manga, the shot still looked lovely for the half second it lasted. He doesn't pause halfway through saying it though so this one I'm still wrestling with.

Of course, the last stand. Onscreen, Hange took out at least 16 colossals (including the ones we see trip and get trampled) and definitely more offscreen (when they cut away to show other characters) and for the last few, did it while in the most pain a human body can feel. 7/10 for combat, my ass. Idk about y’all but I can’t stop hearing Romi Park’s screams in my head. I knew it would be nauseating and brutal but dear God. At the same time I cannot put into words how proud I am of them. That's my commander 💜

Ok “like” is definitely not the right word for this but I had wondered when I first read 132 how Hange’s gas tank was so well-insulated that it didn’t ignite, and.. well I got my answer.

I’m thankful that they didn’t show a glimpse of Hange’s bloody, crushed remains the way you see in the og panel. That at least felt respectful to me. This is wishful thinking I know but the defined charred outline makes me choose hope they fell more off to the side from where the titans were walking so at least there was maybe still a body left to recover someday.

The afterlife scene, the kids all sobbing their hearts out, Levi holding his own hand in the aftermath trying to process what just happened, and Onyankopon confirming the plane’s significance all really were appropriately gut-wrenching.

I really recommend taking a little break between The Rumbling and Sinners. It definitely makes the shift in emotion less jarring and less

When I did that with my rewatch it helped with the flow of things.

Ok, now twist me up and call me a pretzel bc here there be some salt :|

I’ll try to leave out my og issues with the manga chapter itself (like how painfully obvious it was all just to make Armin commander and how unnecessary Hange dying was IN THE FIRST PLACE and IF it had to happen at all how it could have been done at the final boss skelepalooza showdown, etc.) and just focus on the episode.

Goes without saying but it bears repeating: pacing. 75% of my issues with the execution of DYH would be gone if they just slowed down a bit. Just let the weight of it sink in a little. That this moment —all shreds of shipping aside— is the end of the line for these two heroes who have been supporting each other for ten years while bearing the weight of the world on their shoulders. But Mappa completely reversed the timing of the sequence of events. In the manga we had a longer, more intimate farewell followed by a last stand that was so short even when you knew it was coming it left you reeling from how fast it was from start to finish. Whereas here they hurried it along to get to the “main event”. Hell, it flows better in gif sets than it does in the actual show.

To me, it felt like Hange’s demeanor didn’t really change from talking with the kids to speaking with Levi, making their false bravado seem like less of a front. I know their tone was meant to sound like they were keeping up appearances, but with how often Hange just gets reduced solely to being a titan freak the way they had Romi say the lines made it sound like actual excitement, especially with the way they drew Hange's facial expressions (more on that next)

Hange’s little smirk after the salute. I kinda get what they were trying to do here but to me it came off as very flippant and dismissive of Levi’s choice of words, especially since they all but got rid of their lips trembling and eye beginning to well up with tears. I wish we’d gotten the big fake smile and laugh because that would have shown better that Hange was overcompensating by trying to put their brave face back on after starting to lose their composure. Their fear is obvious in the manga but it just simply didn’t come through as well throughout this entire exchange.

Sooo Hange almost tears up when Pieck said their words inspired her yet minutes later when their Best Friend tries to say goodbye there’s nowhere near that kind of reaction? Sure, Jan

Levi’s face. Ok look. It’s not a lack of emotion on his part that bothers me. It’s that it’s an entirely different one to begin with. He looks bummed at first yes, but then that changes to what I’m guessing is supposed to be determination which comes off as anger or annoyance (kinda like what changed with his scene with Armin on the stairs). They removed what made this parting different from previous ones, which was the sense of open vulnerability and the dawning realization that now he’s going to have to let Hans go too. See it's not like they were in the middle of the battle just yet. This situation came on suddenly and unexpectedly; it wasn't "supposed" to happen. One second they were on track and the next Hange is being torn away by fate. And yes, the highlights play a part in that transition. Anyone who draws eyes knows the importance of placement and intensity and the major impact they have over the final expression. And when drawing a comic you certainly don’t take up valuable page space with three panels focusing on the hope draining out of someone’s eyes if it wasn’t supposed to be the focus. I mean for fuck's sake, even the Final Season!Nendoroid Levi got it right. Plus, if they could make a point of getting Eren's eyes right during the raid on Liberio they could have gotten it here.

When the camera cuts to the kids watching the titans fall the angle doesn’t let you see that Levi can’t bring himself to watch for more than just a second

NOT MAPPA’s FAULT but since I’m being whiny right now I’m going to add that while ACWNR is a mixed bag to begin with, WIT’s adaptation not including Levihan’s introduction saddens me bc Levi asking Hange to keep watching loses a bit of extra oomph.

Really it just comes down to the fact that there was nothing wrong with the original page. It wasn’t overdone or dragged out by any means but considering many other scenes got shot-for-shot depictions I don’t think we were asking for anything outrageous by wanting a faithful adaptation. The couple frames we got that were almost perfect were so freakin fast you barely had time to process them before it cut away.

I wanted to like it, I really did. Especially since MAPPA did so many things so incredibly well as a whole. My expectations weren’t high, and I did want to give it the benefit of the doubt. But when it came to DYH, it felt both watered down and disjointed, like a completely different scene.

But so it goes. At the end of the day, Hange still dies a horrifying, demeaning death for plot convenience, and Levi is left behind to suffer once again. It was always going to hurt and I was never going to be ready for it, no matter how it was done.

[heloflor]

Probably my hottest Mario take: I might actually like the 1986 Anime Movie more than the 2023 Movie. Yes the 2023 one is a better movie overall while the 86 Anime didn’t age well and is filled with plot conveniences and random things happening just because, along with the bad animation, questionable voice acting, weird soundtrack and sound design, but idk I still really like it.

It’s just that there’s something very charming about that movie. It came out a single year after the first Super Mario Bros, back when there was little to no lore about the Mushroom Kingdom, and it really shows in the way enemies are used and random characters exist but also you can tell they made an effort with the little they had. It’s like watching the very beginning of the franchise, way before it became the phenomenon it is today, and there’s something about it I really like.

I’m also fascinated by the way Peach and Bowser were written in it. This was the first time these two were given a personality past “evil bad guy” and “damsel in distress”. And not only are they both great in the little screentime they have, but these new personality traits, given one single year after the creation of those characters, remain to this day their personality, albeit with a few small tweaks (Bowser being a dad becoming a huge part of his character, Peach losing her temper in most versions). Kinda funny how these two are the biggest highlight of the movie despite only being in it for like 5 minutes, but still, love what was done with them.

And when it comes to comparing it to the 2023 Movie, I actually find it hilarious how many similarities the two have, including having the exact same skeleton for their story. It’s been 37 years yet Nintendo is still writing the same thing, I love it (more on the comparison here).

Oh yeah and because I just know there are some people who will go “the hell you like about this movie?!”, here’s an actual list!

- Literally everything about the intro is great once you get past the weirdness of the Mushroom people coming out the TV. We get Mario playing the Famicom, Peach managing to defend herself for a while before getting overwhelmed, Mario being hilariously chill about all of this, Mario more than willing to fight Bowser until he sees just how enormous Bowser is and gets intimidated, the back and forth between Peach and Mario hiding behind each other, that moment where Bowser gets rid of Mario with one finger and then smiles about it followed by a beat and then Peach starts throwing furniture at him, the Game Over screen, Luigi reacting like you’d expect. Just. Everything about this scene is great!

- The wooden title cards look amazing. It’s a small thing, but I love the “fairytale” vibe it gives the movie. And now that I think about it, that might also be why I’m being so nice with this movie, since fairytales do tend to be small stories with little going on and not always making sense, making it easier to forgive its flaws.

- The shop scene is also very solid in showing us who Mario and Luigi are as people and how they play off of each-other. On that note, I like their dynamic. It’s a bit of the usual bickering siblings who would still do anything for each other, but it works.

- The meeting with the wizard guy is also solid with the way Mario and Luigi react to things. It’s a bit of an exposition dump, but you can tell they try to make it entertaining. Plus, it works for how simplistic the story is (yes I’m giving this movie a lot of slack).

- The travel montages...yeah I’m gonna be honest with this one, it sucks. I do like how they use them to show the different power-ups they get, but it’s still very boring and I skip them when watching the movie. Except for the last one on the airship, that one is pleasant.

- Luigi tripping on mushrooms. Do I even need to say more? But yeah that whole sequence with the paratroopa is nice (once you get past the fact that a turtle made a bunch of birds). And I like how clever Mario gets to save himself and Luigi from the babies.

- I’m not one to care about people drawing smut of cartoon characters, but the internet is sleeping on those Toads. That’d actually be hilarious if the main takeaway the fandom had of this movie were to be the Toad girls. And on an unrelated note, their designs is more original than the Toads we get now!

- The whole sequence with the Piranha plants and the Lakitu honestly bores me and drags on a bit. The Piranhas might also be the worst animated part of this whole thing. I do like how much of a selfish bitch the Lakitu is though. Idk, that’s a fun character in their shittiness.

- The scene in the cavern is fine. I like how the Hammer Bros is used as that intimidating guard, and we get to see Luigi be the one to solve the issue this time around! On that note, I love that Luigi’s love for money isn’t only for jokes but is at times used as a plot point (him later on flooding the castle and finding Mario’s star). Mario’s daydream is also pretty cute.

- I probably watched that scene between Peach and Bowser a dozen times since I re-discovered this movie this year. I adore the way they are characterized, especially in the context of this being the first time they’ve been written this way. Bonus points for Bowser who has no rights being as adorable as he is in this. Ultimately this scene doesn’t really advance the story, but I still love that we got some insight on who these two are at such an early stage of the franchise’s existence.

- The underwater scene is also a slug to go through, though it’s interesting to see how they used the Cheep Cheep. Also Mario dressing up as a ballerina while the dog references that one queer music star is a yes.

- I find the third act of this movie to be honestly solid. Sure there are some contrivances with the fire platforms room and the water somehow destroying the castle, but I still like it. Granted it might be due to how much screentime Bowser gets here. Speaking of which, it’s actually surprising that Bowser turns down Peach when she promises to marry him if he lets Mario alone, with Bowser refusing because he knows Mario might be trouble since he already ate two of the power-ups. This is probably top five smartest things Bowser has done in the entire franchise. This isn’t an insult to Games Bowser btw, I fucking love this dumbass, and he is kind of a dumbass when interacting with Peach in this movie as well!

- While the ending is hated for a reason and I do find it dumb as well, it’s still incredibly sweet how Mario accepts it and wishes happiness on Peach.

So overall, is the 86 Anime good? Ehh, not really. But if you’re able to get past all the weird shit going on, it’s very charming as a piece of Mario history, and it’s especially funny to see all the small things that end up becoming a core part of the franchise. And because of that, I can’t help but like it more than the 2023 Movie, even if the 2023 one is an overall better movie (I’d give the 86 Anime a 4,5/10 and the 2023 one a 6/10 in terms of movie quality; but in terms of enjoyment the 86 Anime is above the 2023 Movie for me)

[undead-potatoes]

OC Questionnaire!

Tagged by @mightymizora B)

Tagging @ottobooty, @trashwizards, @muddiestpath, @axiolotl, @rarestereocats, @collegeoflore, @inkberrry and anyone else who sees this and want to do it~

NAME: Jay

A small side tangent here, but I kinda want to keep the name Tav as a shorthand for some kind of alias that Jay uses and have been using since he was quite young, possibly before he even settled on the name Jay for himself. Problem is, I haven't found anything I like yet so uuh for now he's just Jay 🙈

NICKNAME: Tav, Spud (Nana calls him this, even as an adult)

GENDER: Trans man

STAR SIGN: Gemini I think, at least in our world. The calendars don't translate 1:1, and FR don't seem to have zodiac signs so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

HEIGHT: 102 cm / 3' 4"

ORIENTATION: Gay

NATIONALITY/ETHNICITY: Forest Gnome, born and raised in Baldur's Gate. He doesn't really know any of his family history, as he was orphaned as an infant and grew up in an orphanage.

FAVORITE FRUIT: Pears

FAVORITE SEASON: Spring. He loves watching the world come back to life after the dormancy of winter.

FAVORITE FLOWER: Harebells (aka Scottish Bluebells).

FAVORITE SCENT: Outside after rain, new leather, fresh parchment, lavender

COFFEE, TEA, OR HOT CHOCOLATE: He has a real sweet tooth so I image he'd love hot chocolate, maybe with a dash of coffee to spice it up a little.

AVERAGE HOURS OF SLEEP: Ideally 8-9 hours on a good day, but most of the time he only gets about 5 or 6. He gets home too late and has to get up again too early for anything more.

DOGS OR CATS: Cats are his favorite animal, so you know. But he loves dogs too. And rats. And birds. And owlbears. An-

DREAM TRIP: Don't know enough about Faerûn geography and destinations to really answer this, and I don't want to spend the next 3 days reading up on it so I'm taking the coward's way out and skipping this one

NUMBER OF BLANKETS: Like 5 of them, however many it takes for him to burrow like he's hibernating over the winter or something.

RANDOM FACT: While a mediocre cook overall, Jay makes a killer fish stew/soup. It's a favorite of his that he's been tweaking and perfecting over the years, and might be one of the few dishes he makes better than Gale.

[if-music-be-the-food-of-love]

✨New chapter posted✨

Brushing away the bits of eraser, Sander flipped his pencil and shaded the elephant’s knee again. He was nearly done. The story had already passed Yasmina’s first cut and the editor’s review; and the individual pages of the first book were essentially complete, minus a few tweaks here and there, which was great news, as his “before Christmas” deadline had gone from months away to two weeks away.

Sander took a sip of his coffee and placed it back on the table before erasing and reshading another spot, this time on the trunk. He gazed around the restaurant, taking in the bundled up tourists and families with small children, rushing to grab a hot drink or meal before heading back out into the bitter cold.

Now that the weather had changed, Sander spent most of his time at the zoo indoors, sitting at a cafe table or in an indoor habitat, at first finalizing his work and now working on the concept art for the next three books in the series. He could do it at home, of course, and often did, but he made sure to come in on days when he knew he could see Robbe. 

Both of them had been busier since their first date, Sander readying his presentation for the publishers and Robbe working with patients who rarely fell ill at convenient hours. 

Dating Robbe was both gloriously exciting and endlessly frustrating because, while they saw each other often, they never seemed to find time to be alone. If they were at the zoo, they needed to be professional. If they were at Sander’s home, Millie was there, and Robbe could never stay late. If they were out, they had spectators (and usually Millie). If they were at Robbe’s… Well, one day they’d get to Robbe’s. It was just hard with Millie. And Frodo. And life. Sander’s house was just easier (and supposedly much bigger–he wouldn’t know).

Sander enjoyed every moment of their time together, every conversation, every quick kiss, every brush of hands under the table. The problem was that he wanted more, so much more, and they just couldn’t seem to make it work. The few times he’d asked if someone could watch Millie, it hadn’t lined up, and he was overall uncomfortable asking in the first place. 

Keep reading on Ao3

[drowning-in-cacophony]

Dive

Written for @flashfictionfridayofficial Prompt 206: Sink or Swim

Summary: a girl prepares to dive

She sits on the edge of the cliff, her knees drawn up to her chest, her arms loosely encircling. Below her the water roars, white rapids against harsh stone, and it’ll be freezing down there. Especially with this breeze that plays with the split ends of her hair, tossing them this way and that way.

Her body, in the waves, would be as powerless. The rocks would be a harder target than her shoulders.

“You’re assuming it’ll be a failure,” the architect says from behind her. She doesn’t turn to look, already knowing what she’ll see. Them, standing so tall and impenetrable behind her. Unmoveable by breeze or waves or even words. Nothing shifts them; she’d not be surprised if they outlasted the very cliffs they stand on, held up for millennia already.

“You were chosen for a reason,” they say, the same tone. Slightly disapproving, like she’s a kid refusing to wipe her face or something. But always so distant, with emotions and tones addressed through five feet deep glass, so it’s only the slight impression crashing down into her shoulders. The distance makes it worse, even if it mutes those more negative words. Emotions are meant to be vivid for a reason. How can she trust in their judgement when she doesn’t even know how they actually sound when they feel?

“This refusal to do your task is juvenile,” they say once more. “Fear is a logical companion, but we have taught you well enough to push that to one side. Think of the bigger picture.”

It’s always the bigger picture with the architect. They’ll tweak and focus in on those small pieces, like her and her dive, and they’ll put all their attention into it, but the bigger picture’s always there. The constant companion, the ever-reliable reminder. The bigger picture; it’s selfish not to prioritise how everything looks, stupid to allow a small feeling to ruin the overall look. There’s too much of the plan in their head, she thinks, and that’s why they can never truly stop lecturing about it. They see how it will all go, once all the small pieces do as asked, seeing that finished product of a mansion so well that they forget what it’s like being stuck in just one of the rooms and that being all you see.

The breeze lashes a end across her cheek. It bites as badly as the water will.

They get no response and yet don’t even check to see if she’s listening. She could not be – she could be caught in her own thoughts, her own dread and heaviness, because there isn’t a path that leads her away from this clifftop. There was never going to be a way back, only a way forward to whatever end. It’s not even an assumption that she will listen; they speak with the knowledge that no-one can quite resist listening. It’s like hypnotism, but it’s all voluntary, a warped version of ultimate trust.

She, all the others, trusts them. And the architect sends them off edges into possible doom, and she and all of the others will always listen and obey regardless.

She climbs up to her feet, slowly enough that it could be considered taking the piss, or slow enough that she’s savouring the last certainty. Once she dives-

It’ll be one of two ways. The thing the architect wants, the outcome she wants because it’s the one that ends with her still breathing and still fighting, and she’ll be stepping out of this room of the plan and out into the ballroom, ready to dance with bigger sections. Or it’ll be the other thing, where she smashes against rocks and pulls underwater and fails, messily and painfully. Horribly, while the architect watches with mild disappointment, always so distant.

That’ll be the worst thing. Seeing the world disappear as the water clouds her vision, just like the glass pane they must see the world from.

“Come now, no more delay.”

She still doesn’t look over her shoulder at them, even as she approaches the very lip of the cliff. Her boots disturb a few small stones, plummeting down to the punishing water. Her fingers curl towards her palms, nails biting.

The sky’s a dull grey. The architect’s distance for her eyes to suffer even with her back turned. She shouldn’t look towards the water, if only because it’ll make her heart jump to her throat, but she does anyway if only for something that feels. And there, the crowded blues mixes with daring whites, the way the current swirls so violently and the grey splattered rocks sit so sharp and waiting. Vibrant and unavoidable. Full force, full volume.

The wind buffets around her knees, and then she steps off the cliff-

-and into the pod. Electronic sounds spark, too loud in her ears and their lights too bright for her eyes. She blinks them open anyway, coughs on water that doesn’t exist in her lungs, and stares through the glass panel that’s over her face, over her whole body. There’s readouts on the other side that she can’t read, doctors bustling around somewhere outside this pod, the bigger picture unrolling even more-

And she’s facing that grey sky again, in its purest form. The architect’s eyes peer down at her, double glass with theirs and the sheet over hers.

“Good work,” they say, voice even quieter with the physical boundary. Words much more pleasant than disapproval, but that’s the thing. If distance mutes, everything’s caught. Positive sounds end up like useless sludge between her fingers. Useless.

She coughs again, tasting salt deep in her throat.

She says the thing expected of her. “What’s next, then?”

[digital-marketing-tips-9]

How to Improve Digestive Health Naturally

Do you often feel bloated, sluggish, or just not quite yourself after meals? If yes, you’re not alone. Digestive discomfort is a common issue, but the good news is that you can naturally support your digestive health with a few lifestyle tweaks. Want to improve digestive health naturally? Try these simple tips for a happier gut. Here’s how:

1. Chew Your Food Properly

Yes, something as simple as chewing can make a huge difference. Digestion begins in your mouth. Chewing your food thoroughly not only breaks it down but also signals your stomach to prepare for digestion. Take your time and enjoy each bite—your gut will thank you for it. Improve digestive health naturally by including more fiber-rich foods in your meals.

2. Stay Hydrated

Water is essential for keeping things moving in your digestive tract. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, but try not to gulp too much during meals, as it can dilute stomach acids. A simple rule? Start your day with a glass of warm water to kickstart your metabolism.

3. Eat Fiber-Rich Foods

Fibre is the unsung hero of digestion. It helps in regular bowel movements and feeds the good bacteria in your gut. Incorporate whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds into your diet. For instance, a bowl of oatmeal topped with fresh berries is not only delicious but also a fibre powerhouse.

4. Include Probiotics in Your Diet

Probiotics are friendly bacteria that support a healthy gut. Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and other fermented foods are excellent sources. If fermented foods aren’t your thing, you can opt for a good-quality probiotic supplement.

5. Be Mindful of Food Combining

Ever felt heavy or bloated after certain meals? It might be due to poor food combinations. For example, fruits digest quickly and should ideally be eaten on an empty stomach. Pairing heavy proteins with starchy carbs can also be hard on your gut. Experiment to see what combinations work best for you.

6. Get Moving

A little exercise can go a long way in improving digestion. A short walk after meals can help stimulate digestion and prevent bloating. Even yoga poses like “Child’s Pose” or “Wind-Relieving Pose” can work wonders for your gut health.

7. Manage Stress

Your gut and brain are more connected than you think. High stress levels can wreak havoc on your digestion. Practice stress-relief techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or spending time in nature. Sometimes, even a good laugh can do the trick.

8. Watch Your Portions

Overeating puts unnecessary strain on your digestive system. Try eating smaller, more frequent meals instead of three large ones. This helps your stomach handle food more efficiently and prevents issues like acid reflux.

9. Limit Processed Foods

Processed foods are often loaded with unhealthy fats, sugar, and artificial ingredients that can upset your stomach. Stick to whole, natural foods as much as possible. Think fresh veggies, fruits, lean proteins, and whole grains.

10. Listen to Your Body

Finally, pay attention to how your body reacts to certain foods. Everyone’s digestive system is different. If something doesn’t sit well with you, it’s okay to avoid it. Your body knows what it needs—you just have to listen.

Final Thoughts

Improving your digestive health naturally doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s all about small, consistent changes. Start by implementing one or two of these tips and build from there. Over time, you’ll notice the difference—not just in your digestion, but in your overall energy and well-being. You can improve digestive health naturally with just a few small changes in your diet.

Remember, a happy gut equals a happy you. Cheers to better digestion and a healthier life!

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[loesyff]

So I got ill from visiting relatives for holidays. Again. Nothing the whole year and then this.

Feeling sick I decided I want to play something comforting. Skyrim here we go! Decided to test the special edition for the first time. I've always just played the Legendary before.

So I matched my old mods out of nexus, because no workshop for SE, but oh well. Then downloaded the construction kit and made my Very Important Gwilin changes mod.

I've always used kinda small amount of mods overall so I've used to setting them up manually. I piled them into data, tweaked the archery things in the ini file and launched the game up.

..And there is no mod manager on the launcher. Huh? Well maybe it's on the main menu because of the paid-mod-nonsense.

No. There is no option to set them up. Only the creations option that wants me to make some bethesda account. Yeah fuck that, no thank you.

So my last hope, I start a new game, watch the cart ride, and just before the character creation make a save point and check out the options. Nope. Now when clicking the creations thing, when it asks to make an account there is additional button for mods, but there is nothing there and you can do nothing.

And I google and google, people are asking where has the mods button gone, some blame a mod, some got it back reinstalling, but I find nothing that helps me.

Well isn't this just fucken great. For the first time in how long the game has been out I get an outside mod manager. Ffs.

[remedieshaven]

3 Tips to Beat Insulin Resistance!

3 Tips to Beat Insulin Resistance! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPyJNalkDx8 Did you know that small changes in your daily routine can significantly enhance your well-being? Check out our "3 Tips to Beat Insulin Resistance!" video. In just under a minute, we’ll share three actionable tips designed specifically for health-conscious adults. Learn how simple dietary tweaks and lifestyle adjustments can help regulate insulin levels, boost your energy, and improve your overall health. Imagine waking up feeling revitalized—these tips are your guide to achieving that! Like and share this video to spread the knowledge! #InsulinResistance #HealthTips #HealthyAging #WellnessForSeniors #DiabetesPrevention ============================= 🔔 Join RemediesHaven to master health naturally and enjoy life fully - every day: https://www.youtube.com/@remedieshaven?sub_confirmation=1 ✅ Stay Connected To Us. 👉 Facebook: https://ift.tt/jNh4dMw ============================= ✅ About RemediesHaven: Welcome to RemediesHaven, The ultimate destination for all things health and wellness! Our mission is to provide informative and engaging videos covering everything from natural remedies and vitamins to health tips. We believe that everyone deserves to feel their best, so we create our content to help you achieve optimal health and wellness in a way that's accessible, understandable, and actionable. At RemediesHaven, we're committed to providing accurate and up-to-date information backed by science. Our team carefully researches and fact-checks every video to ensure you get the most reliable and trustworthy information possible. We want to empower you to make the best possible decisions about your health so that you can feel confident and in control of your well-being. 🔔 Hit that subscribe button for more nutritional guides, health tips, and more: https://www.youtube.com/@remedieshaven?sub_confirmation=1 ================================= Medical Disclaimer: The content provided on this YouTube channel is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have seen or heard on this channel. The use of any information provided on this channel is solely at your own risk. The content may include information on the use of agents that have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States (FDA). RemediesHaven does not advocate for the use of any unapproved agents. Copyright Notice: This video and our YouTube channel contain dialogue, music, and images that are the property of the RemediesHaven. You are authorized to share the video link and channel and embed this video in your website or others as long as a link back to our YouTube channel is provided. © RemediesHaven via RemediesHaven https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMdtmyVMOFq0yvE4cW7OwIQ December 12, 2024 at 11:00PM

[gizopedia]

Introduction: The latest update, watchOS 11, has dropped – and yeah, it’s making waves. If you're a die-hard Apple Watch fan or just curious about what’s new, you’re in the right place. I took it for a spin to see if it’s worth the hype. I was looking to dive deep into its new features, hoping for smoother performance and some added bells and whistles. Did it deliver? Let’s check it out. Key Features & Specifications: Sleep Apnea Notifications: One of the headliners of watchOS 11 is its ability to monitor and notify users about potential sleep apnea issues. It's like having a sleep doctor on your wrist. It keeps an eye on your breathing patterns while you snooze and sends alerts if something seems off. For anyone who struggles with sleep, this feature could be a game changer. Vitals App: We’ve all seen Apple Watch tracking your heart rate. But now, with the new Vitals App, it’s taking things up a notch. You get real-time insights into your overall health – including blood oxygen levels and other key metrics. It feels like the watch is practically a health assistant now. Training Load: Fitness junkies, this one’s for you. The Training Load feature gives you a breakdown of how hard you’ve been pushing yourself in workouts. Whether you're running marathons or hitting the gym, it keeps tabs on your effort level, so you can optimize your recovery and performance. Smart Stack: The Smart Stack is all about making your life easier. It lets you customize widgets on your home screen based on your daily routines. It learns what you use the most and keeps those apps handy. It's like your watch is reading your mind but in a cool way. New Watch Faces: We’ve got some fresh looks with watchOS 11. New Watch Faces have dropped, adding more customization options. From playful animations to sleek designs, you can really personalize the watch to your vibe. Small thing? Maybe. But it adds a fun, fresh feel. Tides App: For those who love the ocean or maybe just need to know when the tide’s coming in, watchOS 11 has introduced the Tides App. It shows you the tide times at your location – perfect for surfers or anyone living near water. More Customizable Activity Rings One of the coolest updates in watchOS 11 is the ability to further customize your Activity Rings. If you’ve been using an Apple Watch, you’re probably familiar with those rings that track your movement, exercise, and stand goals. Now, with this update, Apple is giving you more control over what they track and how they’re displayed. You can adjust the goals for each ring individually, which makes it super flexible for different fitness levels or lifestyles. Maybe you want to increase your Move goal but dial down the Stand hours – you’ve got that option now. Plus, Apple added more visual tweaks so you can personalize how your rings look, making them a little more reflective of you. This added customization not only makes it easier to hit personal goals but also makes the whole activity-tracking experience feel more tailored. Whether you’re a casual mover or hardcore fitness enthusiast, watchOS 11 makes it so your Activity Rings match your vibe and needs better than before. Additional Support During Pregnancy A standout feature in watchOS 11 that’s flying a bit under the radar is the added support for pregnancy tracking. Apple has quietly made some significant upgrades to help expectant mothers monitor their health more closely during this critical time. With watchOS 11, you’ll find enhanced tracking for things like heart rate variability, sleep quality, and even real-time health notifications that can be particularly useful during pregnancy. The Vitals App works in sync to track key health markers and can alert you to any unusual changes that could be worth mentioning to your doctor. Plus, with the Activity Rings being more customizable, you can adjust your fitness goals as your pregnancy progresses, keeping things flexible without overexerting yourself.

While it’s not a full-fledged pregnancy tracker like some dedicated apps, these subtle yet powerful tools in watchOS 11 offer expectant mothers a helpful way to stay on top of their health. It’s another great example of how Apple is leaning into the personalized health and wellness space, making the watch more than just a fitness gadget but also a valuable tool for major life stages like pregnancy. Double Tap Gesture Another slick feature in watchOS 11 is the Double Tap Gesture. This allows you to control your Apple Watch with just a quick tap of your fingers—no need to touch the screen at all! It’s perfect for when your hands are full or when you don’t want to smudge that shiny display with sweaty fingers during a workout. Here’s how it works: with a simple tap of your index finger and thumb, you can answer calls, scroll through notifications, or even control apps like music or workouts. It’s one of those small features that, once you start using it, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. This gesture feels super intuitive and really ramps up the accessibility of the Apple Watch, making it easier to navigate without always relying on tapping the screen. Whether you're mid-run, in the kitchen, or just multitasking, watchOS 11’s Double Tap Gesture is one of those features that adds convenience without even thinking about it. Additional watchOS 11 Updates: There are a few other nifty updates sprinkled in. Siri’s got a boost – faster and more intuitive. Plus, the overall design feels cleaner, smoother, and more responsive. Performance: Alright, so what’s the real deal with performance? watchOS 11 feels like it’s running smoother than ever. There’s no lag switching between apps, and even with all the new features, it’s still quick on its feet. The battery drain is minimal – a big win considering all the extra monitoring going on in the background. I’ve been using it day-to-day, and it’s definitely handling the workload. Whether it’s notifications, health tracking, or music control, it doesn’t skip a beat. It feels reliable, which is a must for something you’re wearing all the time. Conclusion: After putting watchOS 11 through its paces, I’ve got to say, it’s a solid update. The Sleep Apnea Notifications and Vitals App pushes the health-tracking game forward, and features like Training Load and Smart Stack make life a little easier. It’s smooth, quick, and, overall, just makes the Apple Watch experience that much better. Would I recommend it? Absolutely. If you’re someone who uses your Apple Watch for health monitoring or fitness tracking, this update is a must. Even if you’re just a casual user, there’s enough new stuff to make it worth the upgrade.

[kyrodo]

Overall competency level with making an avatar look nice. I'm gradually getting comfortable with all the bells and whistles here and there. Even the bones and weight painting side of things, it was noticeably easier and faster this time around. I already had a less than vague idea of how to approach it and I got the straps redone. Rounded the khnfucat trinket, no problem. I could still stand to go through the donut tutorial in its entirety to iron out my knowledge of all the capabilities of blender and how to do it, including the stuff I don't do right now like renders.

But yeah. Originally the trenchcoat idea was off of watching kippicat's community showcase at furality. He has that heartless looking avvie with the organization style jacket. I thought I could find it myself and found something else instead, and I made it work. I learned so much out of it, I padded out the identity of my mayu sona with it. I even get commissioned for a retexture. My power and knowledge grows and I'm able to keep making these small additions here and there, and people definitely notice it. I love that so much. People will never fully understand or appreciate all the little things I've done for the avatar especially the less noticeable stuff but they appreciate it as a whole and that's enough for me to keep at it. Azuki himself recognizes it, I'm one of the mayus with custom clothing that many never learn that far to do, and that makes me recognizable, that makes me stand out. And the fact that beyond gumroad assets and shaders the rest of my work is pretty much all me, it feels like I've earned it. I feel accomplished as someone who works on avatars, even if it's mostly just my own.

Also I guess the fun thing about avatar work is community content. You can shop around for stuff on gumroad for things like clothing, based, accessories, whatever, but you don't just stick with what you get. You gotta tweak it to fit your colors, you have free reign to make whatever edits you want after you get the asset. So it's legalized art theft in a way. You're editing someone else's work, or your editing a base someone else made, or you're using a shader someone else made. It is a very collaborative process, and while it is useful to be able to do things like make your own assets and models, especially for small things that are easy to make, generally most people look for what's available before they start making something themselves. There is a lot of work sharing that makes avatar work more accessible than regular artwork. And there's so much you can do with tweaks to material settings that is significantly easier than drawing. It's helpful to know how to draw to make your own textures more customized, but beyond that it's more knowledge based. Knowing how the different features of poiyomi work, knowing how the masks behave, knowing how to get vrc fury to behave the way you want it to. It is much more accessible for a non artist to be able to get somewhere and make things look nice under their own power than be dealing with clip studio or whatever art program and trying to draw precise lines or build anatomy from scratch on an empty canvas with a drawing tablet you might not even have. No, instead I am able to thrive here.

[media-geneous1]

Why Buying YouTube Views Can Enhance Your Channel

Why Buying YouTube Views Can Enhance Your Channel

The Real Questions You Face

You’ve spent hours creating content, but your YouTube views are stuck. You’re wondering if buying views can really make a difference. Is it worth the investment? Can it actually boost your channel’s growth, or will it just get you in trouble?

These are legit worries. So, let’s break it down in plain talk.

Why Buying YouTube Views Matters

1. Jumpstart Your Channel

Buying YouTube views can give your channel the initial push it needs. Here’s why:

Social Proof: People are more likely to watch videos with higher view counts.

Algorithm Boost: YouTube’s algorithm favors videos with more views, pushing them higher in search results.

Attract Organic Views: Higher view counts can attract more organic viewers.

2. Increase Credibility

When your videos have more views, your channel appears more credible. It’s like walking into a busy restaurant – if it’s packed, it must be good, right?

First Impressions: High views make a strong first impression.

Trust Factor: Viewers are more likely to trust and subscribe to channels with higher engagement.

3. Monetization Opportunities

More views can open doors to monetization faster. If you’re aiming to make money on YouTube, this can be a game-changer.

Ad Revenue: More views can lead to higher ad revenue.

Sponsorships: Brands are more likely to sponsor channels with higher view counts.

How to Buy YouTube Views Safely

1. Choose a Reputable Service

Not all services are created equal. Go for trustworthy providers like MediaGeneous.com.

High-Quality Views: Ensure the views are real and not bots.

Secure Payment: Use services with secure payment methods.

2. Start Small

Test the waters by starting with a small number of views. This lets you gauge the impact without a big investment.

Analyze Results: See how the initial boost affects your channel.

Adjust Strategy: Make tweaks based on performance.

3. Complement with Organic Growth

Buying views should be part of a broader strategy.

Content Quality: Keep creating high-quality content.

Engage with Viewers: Respond to comments and build a community.

Optimize SEO: Use keywords effectively to improve search rankings.

FAQs

Is buying YouTube views legal?

Yes, it’s legal, but make sure you use reputable services that comply with YouTube’s policies.

Can buying views get my channel banned?

If you use low-quality services with bot views, yes. Stick to high-quality providers to avoid issues.

How much does it cost to buy YouTube views?

Costs vary based on the number of views and the provider. Check different services for competitive pricing.

Will buying views guarantee success?

No guarantees, but it can significantly enhance your chances of success by increasing visibility and credibility.

Relevant Websites for Buying YouTube Views

When looking to buy YouTube views, consider these reputable services:

MediaGeneous.com - Excellent solution with real, high-quality views.

StormViews.net

GetViral.io

SidesMedia.com

Viralyft.com

Conclusion

Buying YouTube views can enhance your channel by boosting visibility, credibility, and monetization opportunities. Remember, it’s not a magic bullet but a tool to complement your overall strategy. Start with reputable services like MediaGeneous.com, and always pair it with organic growth efforts.

Make the smart move and give your channel the jumpstart it needs today.