#my sincere apologies to everyone who read this post

[adistortedview]

Here's the thing about The Mandela Catalogue Vol. 333: we don't actually see Thatcher Davis running from the alternate. Therefore, I can technically claim that he Naruto-ran all the way to the station, and I wouldn't be wrong- since no one can prove otherwise.

[httpiastri]

broccoli boy 🥺

[paulmccartneyexplodingonstage]

me when i misread a post so bad i forget every amount of beatles lore i ever knew 🧍🏻

[danlous]

Months of reading how Armand is the Big Bad man behind the curtain manipulating and mindcontrolling everyone with his godlike powers, and now suddenly in one day it switched to cruel Pimp Louis manipulating and enslaving Armand and Armand being his poor victim. I'm begging you to look at these characters and their relationships with some nuance. I'm not denying that Louis is trying to manipulate Armand in some moments (Jacob said it himself in the post-episode bit) but seeing that park scene as Louis intentionally evoking Armand's trauma and a pimp and slave assuming their old roles is in my opinion a stretch and i didn't read it that way. Tbh i also find it pretty offensive that some people are acting like when Louis was a pimp he was doing something similar to people who subjected Armand to literal sexual slavery because they're vastly different situations.

Arun isn't Armand's 'slave name' or 'prostitute name', it was his actual birth name before he was sold and abused, and he lost that name due to abuse. If Louis had actually wanted to push a master-slave dynamic he would've probably called Armand Amadeo, because that was the name Armand's abuser, who Armand served and in some way still loves, gave to him. When Louis was a pimp he notably also didn't actually act particularly domineering with sex workers, on the contrary he was usually friendly to them, because he felt guilty for exploiting women and tried to convince himself he was just helping and working with them and that they were equals. He made sex workers like Bricktop Williams minority owners of his business and they felt comfortable with criticizing him. If Louis had actually 'treated Armand like one of his prostitutes' in this episode he would've acted completely differently. Remember also that Armand has a remarkable mind gift and that Louis is bad at hiding his thoughts: if Louis had actually been trying to manipulate Armand in this specific way, Armand would very likely know it.

In the beginning of the episode Armand is frustrated that Louis doesn't acknowledge that they're companions, and Louis expresses that they don't really know each other. Later at the restaurant Armand gets angry and uses his powers dramatically which upsets Louis. He also talks to Louis rather harshly, saying that he and Santiago are acting like fledglings (children) and angrily tells Louis to come back when he leaves. Later Armand comes to apologize bringing flowers. All this reminds Louis of Lestat, and reveals how apprehensive he still is about Armand. Armand deciding to tell Louis his story is a conscious effort to show vulnerability and convince Louis of what he promised: that Armand isn't like Lestat and he isn't going to hurt him. Jacob said that dreamstat represents not only Lestat but Louis' doubts about Armand. In the museum scene this is particularly obvious when Louis feels deep sympathy for Armand, but at the same time dreamstat - a part of Louis - looks angry and distrustful. According to Jacob in the park scene as Louis lets go of Lestat he's also letting go of those doubts and accepting Armand as he is and for who he is.

So when Louis calls Armand by his birth name that could be considered his 'real' name even though no one has called him that for centuries, i see it as him saying 'Do we see each other now? Are we honest about things now? Can i trust that you are who you say you are?' When Armand calls Louis maitre he's trying to establish an impression of equality, because as they both know Armand is the maitre and the leader of the coven and the one with much more power. For Armand the ideal of love is the one of mutual worship and servitude. Like many things with Armand, his actions in this episode are both sincere and manipulative, and his seeming submissiveness is also certain kind of domination that helps him to get what he wants.

I just don't think their relationship is anything like Louis being a master and Armand being a slave at all. It's a very, very complicated and mercurial relationship that is not easily defined and where the dynamics are constantly shifting. As Jacob said, they're constantly flip-flopping between who's the dominant one and who's the submissive one, and who needs what out of the other. He also said that at the end of this episode their relationship takes on this almost BDSM kind of role playing where their roles switch, which implies that a) it's a play and not what their relationship is actually like and b) there was earlier a different dynamic where Armand was more dominant. Their Rashid role play in Dubai was also that, a role play.

When talking about those Louis' 'manipulative instincts' as Jacob called them, it needs to be considered they're something that Louis developed having to live in a racist society for all his life ("using his weakness to rise") and being in an abusive relationship for decades. For Louis that kind of soft power has often been the only power he has, and of course he's resorting to it when in a relationship with much older and much more powerful person he doesn't fully trust. The way i perceive Louis and Armand's relationship, it's a fragile, carefully crafted design built on contradictions, performances and illusions, where they both seek to maintain a fantasy where they both feel sufficiently in control and the relief of releasing that control at the same time

[goldenwilliamson]

would you maybe be able to write a fic for leah where the reader is a famous singer and goes to an arsenal or england game and then gets to meet the team after and leah is secretly a huge fan trying to play it cool (kind of like becks/posh)???

fan behaviour | leah williamson

pairing: leah williamson x reader

a/n: love this ask, feel like i miiight have read something similar to this but can't remember who wrote it, so apologies for conceptual similarities if there is any. also i reference reader wearing leah's no. 8 england jersey even though leah has worn many different numbers for england lol.

summary: reader is a famous singer who goes to an england game and goes back to meet the girls after, not knowing leah williamson thinks she is the fittest woman to walk the earth. leah's fellow lionesses taking the piss out of her a bit for her crush. reader finding it endlessly endearing, as you would.

word count: 2.1k

When you had asked your manager if she could organise getting you tickets to see the Lionesses play, you hadn't expected that your love for the women's team would be reciprocated in any way. So you were pleasantly surprised when your manager informed you that the team wanted to meet you after the game, and agreed immediately.

You had briefly met a few of the players already at a GQ event last year, and on that occasion you had found yourself completely infatuated with the captain Leah Williamson. You had watched on in the Euros as she lead the team out with such confidence and from there you had definitely developed a small crush on the footballer. You had even sourced yourself a number 8 Williamson jersey to wear to the final at Wembley.

After the historic final you shared a photo of yourself and your family donned proudly in your England jerseys to your instagram that night with the caption 'claiming the title of the @lionesses biggest fan. the girls brought it home ⚽️🔥❤️'. Little did you know that when Leah saw your post, she had made sure everyone on the team had seen that you were wearing her jersey. She couldn't believe her eyes, or that a musician of your status was posting about the Lionesses. In a simple display of mutual affection, Leah liked the post and left a comment saying 'The feeling is mutual, thanks for the love x'.

It wasn't until later in the year that the two of you had finally met at the GQ Men of the Year event after the Euros. You had seen her across the room and made a shamless beeline for her. Though no introductions were necessary, you both introduced yourselves, and right off the bat Leah mentioned the fact that you had posted a photo of yourself in her jersey. You tried your best to play it cool, but you certainly were blushing, which Leah only found more endearing.

"I've got to back the captain haven't I?" You'd told her.

"I'm not complaining, it looked better on you than it does on me," she responded flirtatiously with practised ease.

"You're making me blush now," you pat your cheeks, feeling the warmth of your face.

"Surely you get people complimenting you in every room you walk into," Leah said matter of factly, only flattering you further.

"Leah Williamson, stop inflating my ego!" You laughed, "You live a far more respectable life than I do, and you manage to look this bloody good while doing it," you motion up and down her body with your hands to her outfit, completely blown away by her ability to look so damn good in and out of kit.

"Well I'll take the compliment, but I'll have you know I have a great respect for you and your music," she says sincerely.

"Thank you, I guess it's my turn to take the compliment too," you tell her, and sadly your conversation is cut short by an announcement that the award ceremony is about to commence and that everyone must move to their seats. The rest of the night your mind was occupied with thoughts of the English captain, especially since she was honoured with multiple speeches of people singing her praises.

And while you couldn't have known it, Leah's mind was filled with you. After that night she had strictly listened to your music on repeat for weeks, much to the annoyance of her teammates who demanded something else be played since it was Leah who had the role of team DJ.

A few months later when you decided to secure tickets to the Arnold Clark Cup game in Milton Keynes, you had secretly hoped you might get another encounter with Leah, and your manager had confirmed this at the start of the night.

When the girls were in the change room before hand, news began to travel that you were in the crowd, but it hadn't reached Leah until she queued up one of your songs in the pre-game playlist and realisation dawned on Ella Toone's face.

"Can you believe Y/N Y/L/N is here? Apparently she's going to come say hello after the game," Ella said.

"Is she really?" Leah said, her voice coming out squeaky, the excitement evident.

"Oh good Lee, maybe you can just ask her out like a normal human instead of listening to her like an obsessive fan," Georgia Stanway said loud enough for every one to hear, making the team laugh.

"Give it a rest," Leah shook her head, but she smiled, knowing Georgia had a point.

Leah knew she had spent way too much time thinking about you for only having met you that one time, but she couldn't help it. She definitely felt there was a little chemistry in your brief conversation at the GQ event. She tried not to let herself believe that but, after all, you were one of the most famous artists in the world, and she was just a footballer. She wasn't even sure that you dated women. Either way, the idea that you were in the crowd made her want to put in a good performance.

From your posh seats, which you felt extremely lucky to be in, you were enthralled in the game, cheering as loud as anyone when the girls scored their 4 goals against South Korea. You'd even come wearing a Williamson Jersey under your coat, and throughout the game your eye was consistently drawn to the blonde defender who charmed you those months ago.

When the game ended one of the many people working behind the scenes for the Lionesses came to find you at your seat to escort you and your manager through the back of the stadium down to where the team was.

You could hear the sound of Murder On The Dancefloor playing loudly as you followed your escort towards the change room where the team was clearly celebrating their win. The girls were mostly too busy dancing and shouting along with the song to notice your entrance, which made you smile. You didn't want to disrupt their celebrations by any means, but the woman who brought you down had cleared her throat to get the girls attention.

"Sorry to interrupt ladies, but I've got someone special here who has kindly come to say hello!" She announces to the room and instantly the heads turn your way.

You flash a smile and wave as the music gets turned down, "Sorry to show up in the middle of such a good song," you apologise.

"Are you kidding me? The music can wait, you're Y/N bloody Y/L/N," Ella said, making you laugh.

"And you're Ella bloody Toone, it's so good to meet you. I'm a huge fan of you all," You said, expressing your love for the entire team, looking around the room. Even though you've brushed shoulders with more celebrities than you can count, staring into a room of footballers you admire felt extremely surreal.

"We're fans of yours, especially Leah," Georgia says, gesturing across the room with her thumb towards Leah who you were only managing to see now.

She stood resting against the wall with her arms crossed, shaking her head, "Thanks for that G."

You decide it's getting a bit awkward with everyone staring at you, as if you're about to give a half time pep talk so you try to diffuse the situation a little.

"Well I'd love to get around and have a chat with all of you, but please put your music on and do your thing, I feel silly standing up here in front of you all," you say, smiling.

"You heard her girls, stop staring, play the music Leah," Millie Bright said instructively and you watched as Leah picked her phone up and pressed play on the music.

Instantly many went back to singing along to the Sophie Ellis-Bextor classic, and you made your way over towards Georgia Stanway giving her a hug hello, and sitting down with her for a chat.

"That penalty was unreal," you told Georgia, referring to the goal she scored in the game. You spoke with her easily, feeling like you were catching up with a friend.

You continued to move your way around the room, chatting with some of the girls individually and with some in smaller groups. While they all had compliments for you and questions to ask, you met them with the exact same energy. The room quickly filled up with more people who work for the team and friends and family which made you feel less like you were a lucky fan who had orchestrated a private meet and greet with the team.

The whole time you were in the room you were looking for Leah out of the corner of your eye, wanting to save her for a bit later so you could get some more time to talk with her. Once you'd basically made your rounds of the room chatting to the players and their family members you finally made your way over to Leah.

"Saving the best for last?" Leah smirks at you as you approach.

"Well I'm not one to pick favourites, but I did wear my Williamson jersey tonight," you say, pushing open your coat to show off the white England jersey tucked loosely into your pants.

"I can't get over you wearing my shirt," Leah said, her pearly white teeth on full display, which you reflected with your own face.

"Is it surreal for you? Since I hear you're such a big fan of mine and all," you say, reference Georgia's little quip from earlier which didn't fly under your radar.

"Oh, she's got banter," Leah says, an eyebrow raised.

"She tries," you shrug your shoulders.

"Well if you must know, yes I'm a fan. I may even have been told off for playing too much of your music around the girls," she admits, "But you've got my name on your back so I'd say the feeling is mutual."

"Oh, it's definitely mutual, if anything I'm underplaying how big of a fan I am," you say, your honesty laced with sarcasm.

Leah smiles, "Well if we're being honest I'm really glad you came today, I was disappointed we didn't get to chat more back at that GQ event," Leah says earnestly.

"So was I! I actually tried to find you later that night but had no luck," you said.

"Oh, you did? I was probably just sitting with Alex Scott chatting her ear off about how fit you are," Leah says, her forwardness catching you off guard just slightly.

"Well just as well I came here today then," you said, dropping your voice slightly and leaning in closer to her ear, "Because I haven't stopped thinking about you since that night."

"Well what do you say we get together for coffee soon and we can gush over each other some more?" Leah offers and you light up at the idea.

"I'd say that's a great idea," you nod, laughing, "Here let me give you my number," you motion towards the phone in her hand and she unlocks it, handing it over to you. You open her contacts and create a new one for you.

"Alright, all done," you hand her phone back to her, feeling your heart beating in your chest.

"Perfect, well, Y/N, it was a pleasure to see you again," Leah says, opening her arms for a hug, which you slip into gladly.

"Yes, always a pleasure. Make sure you text me later, don't leave me hanging," you say in your embrace, knowing that you're close enough to Leah that the other girls might not hear.

"I wouldn't dare," Leah promises.

"Alright, good," you smile as you step away.

Now that your conversation has come to an end Leah turns back to the rest of the girls, most of whom are watching your and Leah's interaction very closely.

"Alright girls, Y/N is heading off now, say your goodbyes," Leah says, using what you think must be her captain voice, sounding very assertive.

"Bye guys, it's been so good to meet you all," you tell everyone as they all say goodbye and thank you for coming. You embrace almost everyone in a hug as you slowly making your way back around to the door where your manager waits for you.

You give one last wave goodbye, and have one last look at Leah who is watching every move of yours with a small smile on her face. She waves at you as you look at her and with that you turn and leave the room.

As you walk through the stadium to the back entrance where a car is waiting for you, your manager asks how you're feeling after meeting all the girls.

You giggle like you're a teenager again as you tell her, "I think I have a date with Leah Williamson."

[poetrysmackdown]

WELCOME TO ROUND 2 OF THE POETRY SMACKDOWN

Hello again. First I just wanna say how excited I am at the response to this bracket. I was going to consider it a smashing success if like forty people voted, so needless to say it has outperformed my expectations, and I’ve really really enjoyed talking with folks and seeing everyone's responses to these poems! That said, 14/16 of my votes were in the minority, so actually fuck you guys. 🩷

Anyways Round 2! Transcriptions are included this time in alt text—sincere apologies to everyone for whom Round 1 was inaccessible, and many thanks to @army-of-bee-assassins and @accessibleaesthetics for being so generous with their helpful advice and feedback. I'm still going back and forth about whether to include just alt text or to include the image descriptions in the body of the post as well, but I've reformatted it in my drafts like twice already so at this point I'm just hitting publish and opening it up for feedback.

I've also included links to readings by the author for all the poems where one was available, for anyone interested in getting a fresh perspective.

enjoy! -amelia @poetriarchy

ROUND 2: ENDS JULY 26th at 6pm EDT

“The Two-Headed Calf” by Laura Gilpin vs. “Poem” by Langston Hughes

"Miss you. Would like to grab that chilled tofu we love." by Gabrielle Calvocoressi vs. “Hammond B3 Organ Cistern” by Gabrielle Calvocoressi

“someone will remember us” (Fragment 147 from Sappho trans. Anne Carson) vs. “The Quiet World” by Jeffrey McDaniel

“Come. And Be My Baby” by Maya Angelou vs. “Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver

“The Orange” by Wendy Cope vs. “Instructions on Not Giving Up” by Ada Limón

“To The Young Who Want to Die” by Gwendolyn Brooks vs. “Meditations in an Emergency” by Cameron Awkward-Rich

“I’m not a religious person but” by Chen Chen vs. “How to Be a Dog” by Andrew Kane

“I’m Going Back to Minnesota Where Sadness Makes Sense” by Danez Smith vs. “Having ‘Having a Coke With You’ With You” by Mark Leidner

[danieyells]

hi! any chance you'd be able to post some of kaito's voicelines? I would love to see them <33

Our wanna-be knight and pathetic little best friend! He's just such a good boy lol. . .once again, another one who just wants to go back to a normal life, poor thing. Kaito's very much your vanilla, sweet boyfriend character with no frills attached, aside from his cowardice and his gambling habit of course. And his terrible aim. . . .

Copying all of them over isn't hard now that I've done it twice. Let's do it again for Kaito!

Hello: (the first time the game is opened after that character is set as home screen NPC. Only happens once per day, unless the character is switched out and back.)

"{PC}! Over here! Hiya!"

You've Got Mail: (whenever there's something in the inbox, usually Arena rewards)

"Hey, new message. Better check it out, yeah? Or are you the type who's got like a ton of of unread inbox messages?"

. . .shut up /absolutely that type (and a sincere apology to literally everyone i know for that my adhd doesn't let me read and respond to their messages--)

Default: (requires no affinity, has no time constraints)

"God, please don't make me go on any more missions... It's not like me being there is any help to anyone anyway..."

"Oh yeah, have you been on WickHive yet? Someone leaked next month's cafeteria menu! Oh wait... I-I already told you that, didn't I?!"

"Damn it... I could've taken {PC} to lunch with that money! God, why am I such a moron?!"

"Ask me anything you want to know! I'm pretty savvy when it comes to Darkwick!"

honestly the fact that he's a second year who doesn't wanna be here and doesn't wanna be doing all of this but he still knows like everything about the school is also kinda sus to me. . .surely he'd divest himself from as much of darkwick as possible if he didn't care

"Urgh... Limited time only, you are not my friend... Huh? Oh, I'm on TikTok. I really want this, but I'm pretty broke this month..."

Affinity 1: (between 5am and 11am)

"Ahem... Testing, testing... Morning! Heh, nailed it... Ack! How long've you been there, {PC}?!"

Affinity 2: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Phew, should be safe here... EEEEEEEEEEK! Oh thank god, it's just a cat... I thought he found me..."

romeo oh romeo didn't you get into enough shit for this romeo? just make sure it's not Romeo cat. Because I'm sure it'll tell him somehow--

Affinity 3: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"Shit, it's Luca… Judging by the outfit he must be going to train. I better bail before he tries to rope me in too…"

Affinity 4: (between 8pm and 5am)

"Eeeek?! Oh, it's just you... Geez, you almost gave me a heart attack!"

i know romeo is constantly on his ass, and I relate to the feeling of being scared the people you owe money will appear out of nowhere and get you, but. . .he's so jumpy lol

Affinity 5: (between 8pm and 5am)

"Ugh, Romeo's texting me... Not gonna open that..."

Affinity 6: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"So your father runs a company, huh? Who the hell leads with that?! This is why I hate talking to Frostheimers..."

so the wording here is wonky because he's quoting a Frostheimer, but there's no visual indication that he's quoting them. But lore drop! Kaito's father runs a company! But I thought he wasn't well off. . .? Maybe his parents are separated or his father doesn't spend any of their money on him. . .or the company isn't doing well. . .or gambling addiction runs in his family lol. . . .

Affinity 7: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Argh, I want junk food! And I want to try all the new snack flavors!!"

my boy is so relateable--

Affinity 8: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"All right, time to man up and bite the bullet... Nope, absolutely not, can't do it!"

Affinity 9: (between 8pm and 5am)

"How is Jin's skin so perfect? Fucking rich kids and their stupidly expensive fancy-ass toner!!!"

kaito really looking at jin like OH NO HE'S HOT

Affinity 10: (between 10pm and midnight)

"(yawn) Guess I'll go brush my teeth..."

Affinity 11: (between 5am and 11am)

"Hey {PC}, you seem different somehow today. Did you change something? Or am I just imagining things?!"

Affinity 12: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Noooo why does Tohma want to see me...? No way it's about something good! Could you come with me, {PC}?!"

Affinity 13: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"Crap, I fell asleep in class so I don't know what our homework is... Help me, {PC}!"

Affinity 14: (between 5am and 11am)

"(yawn) Man, my bed's like a freaking marshmallow. I can never get any good sleep on that thing..."

lol the Frostheim beds are too comfortable lolol I NEED A FIRMER BED TOO KAITO I GET IT.

Affinity 15: (between 5am and 11am)

"Huh? Oh, my pendant! You're always wearing it? Does that mean you've actually been paying attention to me?!"

once again the wording here is wonk because it makes it sound like the pc is always wearing Kaito's pendant. I'm pretty sure he's quoting the pc, who's commented that "you're always wearing it". It would read better as something like "You noticed I'm always wearing it?"

Affinity 16: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Hey {PC}, how 'bout we grab a bite?! I've got tons to splurge in winn... er, earnings, so it's all on me! Get whatever you want!"

your gambling addiction is really and truly going to get you in trouble. disregard that i play a gacha game.

Affinity 17: (between 10pm and midnight)

"...Huh?! Man, nearly fell sleep without putting my phone on the charger... 5%, that would've sucked tomorrow..."

Affinity 18: (between 8pm and 5am)

"Ha ha ha! Have you seen this yet?! It's all over TikTok. Ah man, it's killing me..."

Affinity 19: (between 10pm and midnight)

"Whoa, when did it get so late?! Sorry {PC}, I didn't mean to keep you up... What? You're still good?"

Affinity 20: (between 5am and 11am)

"Morning! Hey, guess what? Luca's busy after class, so how about we hit up the diner? It's been ages!"

do you. . .do you really wanna go there. . .i mean the drinks seem to be fine but according to sho they can't make good food at all. . . .

Affinity 21: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Sorry, I gotta stay after class today... (sniffle) This sucks, I really wanted to walk home with you..."

aw buddy. . .they could wait for you or come pick you up after your remedial lesson. . .!

Affinity 22: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"Hey I'm really sorry but do you mind if we stop by the campus store after class? I'm almost out of granulated sugar."

Affinity 23: (between 8pm and 5am)

"Hey, do you like stars? Oh, um, I was just wondering 'cause there's this place where you can see them really well, so I thought maybe you'd want to go some time..."

he's overcoming his fears and being honest with himself and how he speaks and just. . .asking honestly, no bravado, no act. do it scared, kaito. do it scared, do it awkward, do it sure you're going to fail. as long as you do it. proud of you!

Affinity 24: (between 10pm and midnight)

"Sure is dark. Reminds me of the closet where we first met. Remember?"

Affinity 25(max): (no time constraints)

"I know I'm weak, and a coward. But I really do want to become your knight in shining armor, {PC}."

I love how comfortable and honest he starts to get as his affinity goes up. Still shy here and there, still scared, but he's not as jumpy and he starts treating you like a real friend. laughs with you about stuff, talks a little about hobbies and struggles. doesn't try and look cool for you. and then the honesty--i'm a weak coward, but i wanna be better for you. i wanna spend time with you. just!!! he grows!!! he realizes you like him for who he is and how he is, even if that's a weak coward--and that that's exactly what he wants! and it's okay for him to be that way because you won't be put off by it, even if it's something he'd like to grow from so he can be better for you--but he wants to be better for you as himself and--idk. i have feelings about characterization lol.

Spring: (March-May) (between 5am and 11am)

"(yawn) Man, I wanna sleep, but I can't fail, so I gotta show up for class... Oh! I have Professor Nicolas next! Naptime."

does that mean you're good in anomalous medicine class or. . . .

(between 11am and 4pm)

"Grr! All those girls in the hall were looking at Luca! I'm so pissed off now I'm not even sleepy anymore!"

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"It's finally warm out again, so I really want to go do something fun... Wish I could get an R&R permit..."

well maybe if you stopped sleeping in class and did good in class or went on a mission or something. . . . . .

(between 8pm and 5am)

"Mheheh... {PC}... You've got a petal in your hair... Zzz..."

Summer: (June-August) (between 5am and 11am)

"Ugh, it's too hot to go outside... But I can sense a coming-of-age event on the horizon... All right, here I come!"

obligatory beach event? 👀

(between 11am and 4pm)

"Can't believe Professor Hyde still wears that blindfold in summer. Pfft, I bet it's really sweaty under— Eeeek! S-Sir?!"

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"Hey {PC}, are you free after this? I was thinking of inviting Luca to let off some fireworks! I want to show him how we do summer here in Japan."

(between 8pm and 5am)

"I can't believe I get to spend the whole summer hanging out with you {PC}... (sniffle) Homework? Uh y-yeah, I finished it already..."

Autumn: (September-November) (between 5am and 11am)

"Is it just me, or is it really cold today?! Guess I better get my coat out soon..."

(between 11am and 4pm)

"Have you had the chestnut rice from the cafeteria yet? They made it way too fancy. It's supposed to be comfort food..."

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"Tohma's always reading something. Maybe I should too... All right, let's go with this! 10 Ways To Become Popular Overnight!"

well. . .it's something to read. . .never a bad idea to read.

(between 8pm and 5am)

"Apparently the moon is the most beautiful in fall since the air gets clearer. Want to go take a look?"

Winter: (December-February) (between 5am and 11am)

"It's freezing out there! It's freezing in here! Frostheim sucks!!"

this makes me wonder what the warmest dorm is on average. . .probably jabberwock as long as towa's in a good mood? (or maybe warm jabberwock winters mean towa's in a bad mood. . .?)

(between 11am and 4pm)

"The cold can go to hell, but I guess there's outfits you can only wear this time of year..."

you can wear whatever you want whenever you want if you're brave enough. but this is kaito and he's not very brave. and it's also not very smart to wear winterwear in the summer.

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"I really want to go to Starbucks for the new winter drink! But I really really don't want to go on any missions!! Guess I'll never get to try it."

(between 8pm and 5am)

"Gram... No... No more mandarins... ...Huh?! Oh, it was just a dream... I haven't had a mandarin for ages..."

'gram' in this case is 'grandma' in case you couldn't figure it out haha and the mandarin(mikan)'s used to represent health and longevity and a long prosperous bloodline or something like that for new years. So i assume his grandmother would feed him a lot of mandarins every winter lolol

His birthday: (December 11th)

"Why did Jin, Tohma, and Luca give me all this high-end stuff?! It's freaking me out!! Thank you!?!?"

EVEN JIN AND TOHMA GAVE HIM GIFTS. . .FROSTHEIM FAM IS REAL. . . .

Your birthday:

"Happy birthday, {PC}! We'll make this the best one— Hey, give those back! Those are the cue cards I made yesterday!!"

ksjfkhesbfjh he made himself cue cards to give you a birthday speech with as little stuttering as possible. . . .

New Years: (January 1st)

"Happy New Year! Let's make it a good one! S-So hey, if, er, if you'd like, c-could we, um... could we make our first shrine visit together?"

Valentine's Day: (February 14th)

"C'mon Kaito, deep breaths. Girls aren't into guys with no chill. So stay cool... Stay— Are those chocolates for me?! I'll take them to my grave!"

everyone loves an enthusiastic boy lol

White Day: (March 13th)

"Do you like the cookies I made? Come on, no way they're that good, heh heh... Heh heh heh... Here, take them all!!"

god i bet he makes really good sweets too. like i bet he puts so much love and good spirit into them lolol

April Fool's Day: (April 1st)

"I'd never lie to a girl. Ah! That's not a lie, I swear! {PC}? Are you listening?!"

BAD THING TO SAY ON APRIL FOOL'S ABORT MISSION

Halloween: (October 31st)

"Trick or treat! See those carved pumpkins? I was actually the one who made them. What do you think?"

given his DIY skills i bet he's actually really good at carving too. i bet they look really good!

Christmas: (December 25th)

"Hey, uh, {PC}, do you, uh... Do you have any plans for Christmas? I'm actually totally free!"

Idle: (about 20 seconds without interacting with the game) (below 13 affinity)

"Huh? {PC}? Am I being annoying?! I'm sorry! You're probably busy, right?!"

(13 affinity and above)

"{PC} seems kind of busy... I know! I'll find a video that'll help take her mind off things!"

this one replace the first one after you hit a certain affinity, so it's cute to see that he eventually decides 'i'm not being annoying, they're just busy. i wanna help them' after he gets closer to you. . . .

Absent: (logging in for the first time in 2 or more days?)

"Ah...! Oh my god, you're back!! I'm so happy to see you!!!!  (sob) Please don't leave me again..."

he's so clingy. . .poor guy really missed you, considering you're one of the kindest and most normal people in Darkwick that he associates with. . . . also man 'please don't leave me again' with the whole loop theory stuff. . . .

I THINK I'VE SAID MOST OF MY THOUGHTS THROUGHOUT THIS BUT. He really is a sweetie. He really could have ended up a very plain and 'safe' character, but he's managed to be very charming and entertaining with his struggles and exaggerated behavior, while still being a simple and safe type. Really looking forward to seeing how he plays into the rest of the story, since it seems like his pendant may be kind of important. . . .

[gentlebeardsbarngrill]

02/27/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Cast&Crew; SambaSchutte;VicoOrtiz;RhysDarby; Fan Spotlight; More Polls; Repo News; Rotton Tomatos; Watch Party Reminders; Articles; Love Notes; Daily Darby/Tonight's Taika;

= Cast & Crew Sightings =

= Samba Schutte =

Samba posted so much BTS I couldn't fit it on one recap! I I posted some highlights, and you can see all the pictures + merstede video over here.

Obviously if you have instagram please visit Samba's IG Post/Stories

= Vico ortiz =

Vico decided to bless us with "Soft Boi" vibes today.

"💙💚✨Soft Boi✨💚💙 📸: @transnormativity"

Also, Vico is a member of the Public Assembly free theatre in South Pasadena California and "wrote something" for the next assembly! If you're in the area, consider checking it out, it's free!

= Rhys Darby =

Cameo - Reconnecting with Art / Writing!

The cameo today is about Reconnecting with Art / Writing! Thank you to the anonymous sharer who allowed us to partake in this lovely and inspiring cameo!

Cameo Src

== Fan Spotlight ==

Last couple days of February Love Collage Fest! @wndrngnomad even gave us a bonus for #TaikaTuesday! And that catches us up! Just two more days! Want to see the collages anytime, check them out in our Fan Spotlight Section on the repo!

Day 27: Season 1 Costumes

#TaikaTuesday

Day 13: Matthew Maher!

Day 14: February Love!

Day 15: Taika Waititi

PS: Lots more fan spotlights to come, today got away from me and I had a couple more people to check with.

== More Polls to Participate In =

Looks like Ranker is doing a pole on the best HBO Max shows! You can click the up arrow for OFMD, and the down arrow for other shows if you'd like as well to move the rankings around. Thanks @JackieNoses on twitter for recommending it!

== WATCH PARTY REMINDERS! ==

= People of Earth S2 =

People of Earth S2 continues tomorrow Feb 27 at 9 pm GMT / 4pm EST / 3pm CST / 1pm PST. Need access? Reach out to @iamadequate1!

#PiratesOfEarth

= Uncle Season 2 Watch Party! =

Wed 28th + Thurs 29th GMT - 8pm / ET - 3pm / PST - 12 pm Streaming on I-player! Outside the UK? Follow this VPN tutorial to learn more. 

#ForTheNewUncle

== Rotten Tomatoes! ==

Just wanted to give a huge shout out to everyone out there doing ratings! We finally made it to 1000+ ratings on Season 2 for Rotten Tomatoes! What an excellent job everyone!!!

== Repo News ==

I am putting this in the recap so that in case someone missed it on my blog I can still try to fix any damage that was done. This is the first para, but please read the whole thing here. "It has come to my attention that a google drive that was linked in my Repo contained art, gifs, images, videos etc that had not been shared with permission of the original artists. I want to sincerely apologize to anyone who this affected." The situation has been rectified, but please, if you were one of the folks affected, please reach out to me and I will see what I can do to help.

== Articles ==

10 Streaming Shows That Were Cancelled Too Soon

== Love Notes ==

Today I would like to take a moment to thank the folks who checked in on me or sent kind words today while I was having a rough time (whether you knew it or not). You all really amaze and humble me with all your kindness and caring. I wanna give a few shoutouts to some folks who kept me sane today @spirker @ofmd-ann @scorpiostarseed @xoxoemynn @catbells-and-summerlinens @brainfugk @hoshiforever @roximonoxide @aliragsandmuffins @melvisik if I missed anyone I promise it's not on purpose but because I am about 3 minutes away from passing out on this couch or I thought you wanted to remain anonymous.

Love Note: From DoodleGems--

You really do deserve to take up space. When you do, you work miracles and you move mountains and you give this tired lady hope. So remember you are worth taking up space and fill it with all your goofy unique wonderful soul <3 Love you lovelies, get some rest tonight.

== Daily Darby / Tonight's Taika ==

Okay so I can't stop looking at this post by @ofmd-ann so yes these two are tonight's, even though I'm sure I've posted them individually before (but they go so well together so here we are)

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 403: (But Just That One Part, Because I'm Not Caught Up)

Previously on BnHA: Truly no idea, but it kind of looks like Katsuki is riding some sort of spaceship, and everyone has gotten really, really sparkly. I see you all have been busy these past 22 months. Great job, keep it up.

Today on BnHA: “So it’s come to my attention that a truly shocking number of you are only reading this manga for a single character.” – Horikoshi Kouhei, October 2023.

so. where to start, lol

I guess I should open with an apology, because I am about to make a fairly selfish decision! what I am about to do, is post a reaction to Bakugou’s Return To The Manga. however, because I’m not caught up, I’m going to be reading this one scene completely out of context without knowing anything about what is going on. which means that I’m going to be missing out on god knows how many nuances and details, which means this reaction post will be short on those things as well. so basically I’m prioritizing my own personal gratification as a fan here even though it is 100% going to affect the quality of my reaction blog, and for that I genuinely am sorry. eventually I will finish catching up, and when that happens I will post a proper reaction with all the trimmings. that’s just how it is for now though

anyway so with that said, basically what I’ve done now is I have gone to the scanlation website, and clicked on chapter 403, and then scrolled down through most of the chapter while sort of half-looking away from my screen with my eyes squinted so that everything is mostly blurry, until I finally reached the big double-page spread with you-know-who doing his thing. namely, standing around on this giant glowy cereal bowl from the future, which appears to be either hovering up in the air, or slowly crashing onto the ground

and this right here, is exactly what I was rambling on about a moment ago. you guys I really am sorry to be doing this, because even I can tell this should be solemn and sincere moment of awe and excitement and relief. but because I completely lack any context whatsoever for wtf is happening, most of the dramatic impact is lost on me, and to tell the truth right now this page is a hell of a lot funnier than it has any right to be

like, so Deku. this boy is crying all the tears. I recklessly scrolled back up one page to see why, and it appears the answer is Because All Might Is About To Fucking Die (which, !??!?), so that’s actually VERY fucked up, and I’m sure I will have PAGES AND PAGES OF WORDS to say about all of that once I finally catch up properly. that is very traumatic and emotional and I will probably cry a lot about it

BUT, that being said, I just need you guys to know that without that context, Deku standing here with his giant head all >:O in the foreground, while Kacchan appears out of nowhere glowing with the power of a thousand suns and standing on top of this giant floating Smash Bros level that Nezu maybe probably built with his nine million dollars, is one of the wildest fucking things I’ve seen in my life. I feel like an accidental time traveler. you know when a character has one of those crazy prophetic dreams showing them chaotic glimpses of the future, and they’re just standing there all “???” because they have absolutely no clue what the fuck is going on? that is what it’s like right now

heh but there he is

“did you miss me, Izuku. back by popular demand after being on IR for 14 goddamn months. rebuilt better and stronger than ever thanks to the heroic spaghetti man wrapped tightly around my heart keeping me alive. just BnHA things. just a flesh wound. by the way, it’s me, Kacchan, just in case you didn’t recognize me on account of my still being really far away and completely covered by smoke, and also you thinking I was dead. here let me give you a close up to make this easier”

“fuck yeah. it really is me, btw. just in case you still couldn’t tell on account of me also being like 100x prettier than you remembered. guess it’s just that blindingly handsome character development”

also, “the end of an era” um hello, yes, what?? just what exactly have I missed here with all this All Might stuff?? because apparently All Might just prior to this was in some sort of mortal danger, is what I’ve been hearing, because everyone keeps posting excitedly about Kacchan showing up in the nick of time to save him? which incidentally makes my heart so incredibly fucking warm omg. it’s what both of them need AND deserve

why is everything so goddamn sparkly right now. this is like a Sailor Moon battle over here

love that look of instant recognition and shock and overpowering relief in Deku’s eyes though. also has he really been fighting in this cracked out OFA-overflowing mode this entire time?? he looks just like he did on the cover of volume 37. I still haven’t seen his actual canon reaction to the “death”, and I haven’t been keeping tabs on his fight with AFO??/Tomura?? at all, but I’m glad it looks to have been as emotional as I could have hoped

aw fuck yeah

his precious card. I’m now almost as invested in the saga of the All Might card as I am in all the rest of this. it’s all beat to hell, but somehow still made it through in the end. just like him

oh. my. g

protect them.

protect them all.

so is the reason this fight is so sparkly just because of OFA symbolism, then?? or is there something else happening here?? goddammit, okay, I‘m gonna very carefully scroll back to the beginning of the chapter, because I’m 100% positive there is some sort of deeply meaningful symbolic thing going on here and I’ll be damned if I miss out on it, spoilers or no

-- oh my goD??!

1. BABY ALL MIGHT WHAAAAAAT

IS THAT HIS MOM???? OH MY GOD DID WE GET ALL MIGHT BACKSTORY. oh my god. oh god. no actually don’t tell me, ahhhh I cannot fucking wait to read this properly, holy shit

so did something wind up happening to Mighty Mom later on then?? feels like it must have, since he wound up getting so attached to Nana? man I don’t want to think about any of that stuff after seeing this panel though :( just, damn it, why is this man’s whole entire life so goddamn fucking tragic

“the one thing I’ve done most is looking back to the path I took” my god I cannot wait to read this. only two short pages and I’m already buried miles deep into my All Might feels. came here for the triumphant Kacchan return and now I’m sitting here tearing up about All Might, god damn you Horikoshi YOU’VE STILL GOT IT. and I am STILL A SUCKER FOR ALL OF IT

anyway, so now back we go to the last couple of pages with this additional context, aaaaand...

...and apparently I’m now full-on crying about All Might! (: well how about that. turns out when you read the manual and follow the instructions properly this series still works exactly as advertised. don’t mind me I’m just sitting here sobbing because everything is exactly what I wanted and I apparently don’t know how to deal with that!!

THEIR FEELINGS BECOME WHAT?!?!?!

EVERYTHING IS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED AND I’M GONNA BE A MESS ABOUT IT FROM NOW UNTIL THE END OF TIME BECAUSE LIFE IS GRAND!!

ARE ALL OF THESE WATERY SPARKLES LIKE. DEKU’S FUCKING TEARS LMAO OR WHAT. HOW IS KACCHAN IN THE SPLASH ZONE. HOW ARE HIS TEARS HOLDING UP THE SPACESHIP. I DON’T UNDERSTAND A GODDAMN THING BUT THIS IS NOW OFFICIALLY A SHOUJOU MANGA, I DON’T MAKE THE RULES

the urge to ruffle baby Deku and baby Kacchan’s hair is so goddamn powerful you don’t understand. this is PRIMAL. they are SO happy and SO good and perfect. I’m gonna fucking die

there’s not even any dialogue. what the fuck are they even gonna say. their expressions say it all and more. also they are being kind to me because they know I’m not caught up so they don’t want to spoil me any further, thank you my sons

lastly, I guess, because I don’t really have anything else to add now that my brain has fully turned to sappy mush: so uh. I truly have not the slightest clue how or why, but. does Kacchan have OFA though. and why is the answer, “yes he definitely does.” ???

like, I don’t understand it, but I confess that by now I have spoiled myself on the last few pages of chapter 362 for reasons (those reasons being “I finally gave in and looked at them on purpose, because I’d already seen most of them out of context here and there, and my willpower is only so strong”), and so I know that this boy was talking to vestige!Might, and as far as I’m aware that is 100% not possible unless he has some sort of connection to OFA in some way so yeah

and now here he on this last page being all Profoundly Connected with Deku while they gaze into each other’s eyes, and I can’t help but notice that said eyes are all explodey and they look a LOT like Deku’s actually. and on top of that we have all of this All Might symbolism that I’m still crying about, so like? ???

anyway so I’m not going crazy here right? like this is definitely a thing? for whatever reason?? unless you guys know something here that I don’t. in which case I actually am asking to be spoiled fully just this once, because at this point I just need to know one way or the other and I don’t care lol

anyway so that concludes my thoughts I guess! so now my absurdly ambitious goal is to speed read the manga this next week and hopefully at least catch up to Kacchan’s “death”, so that I can better understand what’s happening when I inevitably wind up spoiling myself for chapter 404 as well. the plan right now is to still type up my liveblog notes as I go, but to not worry about posting or editing anything in between chapters. so I’ll have a big backlog of chapter recaps which I’ll eventually get to uploading whenever I can, but in the meantime I can participate more in the fandom side of things. since I really want to share all of my endgame theories and so forth, but in order to do that I really need to find out just what the fuck is actually going on lol, so yeah

[eisforeidolon]

Hi! Sorry if i'm bothering you but i needed someone to talk. About what happened recently with Destiel and Misha and the fans that believed in the things he said. I am new to Supernatural fandom, but i loved the story in an instant, thanks to Sam and Dean and their unique relationship. Then i became interested in Jared and Jensen too and i think that if Sam and and Dean are the heart of Supernatural then Jared and Jensen are the soul of the show because to me no other actor could have played Sam and Dean like they did. Now, returning to what i wanted to say i am really TIRED about Destiel, some Destiel shippers and especially Misha. I know he said some stupid thing about how CW is homophobic and how Destiel would be canon if they weren't homophobic. I don't ship Destiel because sincerely i don't see romantic love between Dean and Castiel, but this doesn't make me an homophobic person. His words are said with malicious intent. He also said some thing about how Jensen is attracted to him. I find this disgusting because he says this things only for his Destiel fan, knowing that his words are lies. Also Jensen not being there can't reply to his lies. Like i sad i'm new to Supernatural but some Destiel are making the experience in the fandom a constant war. They say that if you don't ship Destiel you are homophobic , that if you don't ship Destiel you are not a true Supernatural fan and the most stupid one... They say that Supernatural is about Dean and Castiel and their love. This make me really angry because Supernatural is about Sam And Dean, how they care for each other,how they save the world again and again and how they hunt monster and ghost and other things. But to me Supernatural is the unique love story of two brother and how they did everything to protect each other. I ship Wincest, but When i say love story i mean that Sam and Dean are Platonic Soulmates in Supernatural and even the show always remind us of that. I don't understant how Misha can say this thing without facing consequences because his words feed some Destiel fan that became hateful like him and whose mission is hating people who don't think think like them. Sorry for the long post and for the horrible english but it's not my first language. Sorry if i bothered you but i needed someone to talk to because sometimes i feel like leaving the fandom because Destiel hate and their war against everyone. I hope you will always have love and kindness in your life.

You really don't need to apologize for anything.❤️ You aren't bothering me and your English is fine - maybe not perfect, but hell, neither is mine some days! Thank you for the lovely sentiment, and I wish you the same - and that you do what is best for you in regards to this sometimes dumpster fire of a fandom.

If it helps, you're absolutely not alone. I've been in this fandom for years now, and some days it's sheer stubbornness against hellers obvious attempts to browbeat and drive everyone else out that keeps me here. They didn't get to take over the show through being loud and obnoxious and they don't get to monopolize the fandom by doing the same - and they can be butthurt forever over it.

I actually didn't mind Dean and Castiel as a ship at first. I'm always interested in what people take from a canon and then create entirely outside of it, and I read quite a lot of fanfic. Even then I was baffled by shippers insisting it was a thing in the canon, though. There was a brief period where I wondered if I'd somehow missed it, because I'm not generally really looking for romance stories and there were so many posts that were so insistent? So I actually did a rewatch focused just on Dean and Castiel's interactions - and came away with the impression they weren't actually even as good of friends as I'd originally thought, let alone anything like interested in each other romantically. The more I thought about it and the more meta I ran across and actually considered the details of? The more obviously baseless it was. I mean, some of it really is just genuinely so stupid it's hilarious. Cake. Bacon. Negative space. Widower arc. Bisexual lighting and/or plaid. But even the theorizing which wasn't absurd on its face? Always looked silly in comparison to how much more obviously and easily it had meaning in relation to the main story that plainly actually existed instead.

Meanwhile, I kept seeing more and more of those posts you mention insisting anyone who didn't ship it was a homophobe and they really pissed me off. Even if Dean and Castiel were a canon couple who spent half of each episode doing couple things and saying I love you back and forth instead of the entire show revolving around Sam and Dean's crazy tangled up lives with Castiel occasionally wandering in and out of the background with some angel nonsense or whatever? Not shipping it would not make someone a homophobe. Shipping is very subjective and any individual pairing can not appeal to any particular fan for a million and one reasons that have sweet fuckall to do with how they generally feel about LGBT+ relationships. Attempting to bully people into supporting a single very specific fictional relationship by trying to make them afraid of being branded a bigot if they don't is ridiculous as hell, regardless of how canon or not it is. How absolutely fucking disrespectful to all the people who have to deal with actual homophobia versus just being butthurt they can't force two particular fictional characters to kiss. It's so goddamn juvenile I can't even.

The longer I was in fandom, the more brain dead and divorced from the show the meta claiming Dean and Castiel were going to hook up any minute got. The more annoyed I became at all the absurd stereotypes about masculinity and sexuality they would parrot as gospel truth if it could "prove" Dean was into dudes and eventually the angel. The more obviously transparent their every cry of ~*homophobia*~ was when they tried to turn every real life LGBT+ issue and every canon LGBT+ character primarily into proof and/or justification regarding D/C. They're a bunch of entitled shitheads who not only feel like they should get to dictate what SPN is despite hating basically everything it actually was, but who are perfectly fine with co-opting serious real world issues to try and do it. I have no beef with normal D/C shippers who aren't assholes to everyone and mad at the show for not bringing their fanfic to life, but I can't stand the pairing at all even in a fandom sense anymore.

The evolution of my feelings on Misha followed a similar path. I liked Castiel well enough as a supporting character and I didn't actively dislike Misha, though after I'd seen a couple of panels where his answers were flippantly irreverent or unnecessarily raunchy, I wasn't really much interested in him. Then, over time, at the same time Castiel's character was more and more blatantly just eating up screen time to give J2 time off, he started getting worse and worse about ship-baiting. He'd act like everyone behind the scenes was talking about D/C - but then they (Jensen and Bob Singer most notably) would say that was untrue. He'd slyly hint about upcoming scenes in a vague way to imply D/C and then it would be something else entirely. He'd tell shippers about things that had been pointedly removed because they could seem leading and that was not the authorial intent, but without pointing out that was exactly why they were excised. His stories would change when he got a bad reaction - he went from saying he shipped wincest to pretending he'd never heard of it, he went from claiming Jimmy was going to appear in the original Roadhouse finale to it being Castiel, etc. Then there was framing horsing around with Jared as if he was a victim and not a participant and the incredibly inappropriate objectifying sexual comments about Jensen and Dean. All of which caused the fans falling for it to loudly and angrily attack everyone but him while they kept buying his ops/books/cameos/whatever. No matter how blatantly he queerbaits them and how upset they get over it and take it out on everyone else, he does not stop. He's an ungrateful creepy narcissist who will throw literally anyone or anything under the bus if he can get a buck out of it. Who also will proclaim he doesn't want to co-opt LGBT+ causes when he's desperately trying to keep his career on life support doing exactly that in the most skeevy, backstabby way possible.

Jared and Jensen put their hearts and years of their lives into this show bringing Sam and Dean to life, episode after episode, week after week, season after season. Telling an important story about platonic and familial love that you really won't find anywhere else.

Misha and the hellers have spent years trying to co-opt that to their own ends out of gross entitlement. They deserve each other, but the show and its actual fans don't deserve to have to put up with either of them. Unfortunately, we have the fandom we have, not the one we deserve.

[mozukumi]

PSA: Takaia (Art Fight founder who stole donation money) is still going to be involved in ArtFight going forward, has not at all apologized

If you aren't aware of what Takaia did, here are some good resources (1) (2) but TL;DR: the founder of the website Art Fight was revealed to have been grossly mismanaging the site, most pertinently taking thousands of dollars in what was supposed to be donation money and using them for personal expenses.

Takaia resigned as the owner this July, and for a while, it seemed like everything was going to be great! Finally, there'd be competent leadership on the site, right?

Well... there was a newspost on Art Fight today.

[ID: a screenshot from the Art Fight newspost that reads:

As stated at the start, Takaia will be stepping back from her role as owner and will take on a support role for the site behind the scenes. We will all continue to work together to support Art Fight and let it grow to its fullest potential. "And will take on a support role for the site behind the scenes" is highlighted.

End ID.]

Takaia also provided this complete non-apology at the end.

[ID: a screenshot from the Art Fight newspost that reads:

I wanted to take a quick moment to apologize for communication deteriorating within the team towards the end of my time as owner of Art Fight. I never intended to let it break down like that, but good intentions don’t really excuse the fact that I let the team down. I also wanted to sincerely thank the staff who stayed behind to hold down the fort while things were sorted out at the end of the 2023 fight. You kept Art Fight alive, and I’m very grateful for that. I am, however, deeply sorry I put you in that position because I know how hard it was and I wish I hadn't put you through that. As I’m stepping back and passing the helm to Rainy, Axel, and Turtle, I’m glad to be here to support them as they carry Art Fight into the future. I am endlessly grateful to ALL of the staff and users who supported myself and Art Fight through my time here. Thank you, everyone, for going on this adventure with me these past 9 years!

End ID].

And maybe this is just me being cynical, but I have to wonder if the reason they released all of this information so late is because they hoped to bury the news in the off-season. So if you can spread the word - reblog this post, message your friends on Discord, make a tweet about it, whatever works for you - I think that'd be nice. Because this is a really big thing to just sweep under the rug.

[marilynthornhilllover]

When you call my name. do you think I'll come running? { chapter 7}

+ If i only could I'd make a deal with God I'd get him to swap our places.

Alcina dimitrescu x fem!Reader

Warning: pre-grief, depression, slight sadness, extreme rage, LOTS of angst, extreme plot twist, talk of suicide, slight fluff. { read chapter 6 here }

A/n: I just wanted to start off by saying thank you to the people who showed utmost appreciation to this series and interest of it continuing! I never actually thought this series would hit it off! And it warms my heart to know so many of you are interested and it has captured the attention of your heart! Sorry for the long wait in chapter update! I know it's been almost five months since i last posted CH. 6 and I sincerely apologize! :). This is a bit lengthy so I had to split it into two parts so, chapter 8 will be a bit short!! Love you guys enjoy!!.

Today no one spoke..... no one moved.... no one even dared to blink or breathe too hard. If you were ever to be caught dead in the sight of Lady Dimitrescu who knows what she might do to you..... Perhaps Rip you in half?, shred you to pieces?, pull your throat out?..... well no one wanted to be a human experiment, therefore everyone kept their distance away from the lady and her personal space. Her rage is not one to be tested and neither is her faith. She's like a lion, sly in the shadows but dangerous in light, she couldn't be trusted then and certainly not now. Ever since you left she's been acting as a fish out of water.

She never left her office or the castle itself and when she did, no one could be able to point out her emotions. She'd always dress in her usual formal black dresses and Veil hats that covered three quarters of her face. Her elegant walk and perfectly fitted gloves, only God knew what monster hid behind the poker face of 'Countess Dimitrescu' .

The entire castle was silent - completely silent. You could hear a pin drop. Make noise and your dead, make one slip up and show weakness or incompetence and your also dead, no one wanted to be alive in the same place where " Countess Alcina Dimitrescu " also lived. The villagers who'd usually bring fresh food and fruits to the castle heard of the matter and started delivering their pastries at the back door, too terrified of the wrath she held for anyone who may know what she's going through or even the smallest detail of your whereabouts.

It was a mad house at castle dimitrescu, maids started whispering rumors and stories of how the lady was going completely mad and turning into some sort of witch or dragon - if that's even possible, at night. Some say she flys over the village howling and puffing looking for her.... lost one.... but that's not true..... right?.....

It was 10:05 am, the lady drinks tea at 10:00 am, the lady's tea is five minutes late.... why because the poor little tiny girl who's job is to bring the raven hair goddess tea is scared out of her mind to so much as to stand infront of her door, she's done this a million times, so what's holding her back now? Maybe the fact that no one knows where her fate might lie after the woman opens the door, perhaps only mother miranda will know.... but she's a topic for another time.....

The girl took slow strides walking up to the lady's door as the tray that laid in her hand containing the lady's tea shook vigorously as a result of her nervous system failing her, cold sweat dripped from her forehead as her lips quivered and shook.

One

Two

Three

Knock, knock

Her shaking palms returned to her side as she sighed a breath of pure fright. For two long , minutes there was complete silence, no movement, no breathing, no sign of other recreations, nothing, absolutely nothing. And just as she was about to leave, hoping the lady thought her ears deceived her, there were loud thudding foot steps. No exaggeration used, the tall woman's footsteps were loud and massive. They spoke of frustration and pure rage. The young girl then again started struggling to breathe.

As the footsteps got louder and closer she managed to bow her head just in time when the lady opened the door. Suddenly the girl was taken back when an impossibly human surviving air hit her skin. The air was cold and thick, she could easily tell that the lady in fact hadn't left her room in a while and there was no ventilation happening in there. It felt as if someone had truly died, as if all life was lost, and the world had truly ended and all love was forgotten.

" yes, what is it, can't you see I'm busy?!" her voice was cold, brutal and hoarse, it showed no sign of life, love or even integrity , instead she sounded bitter and cold as, if she was the first person to ever be born on earth and everyone else were just a burden or her just her unwanted ornaments.

" f- forgive m- me my lady i-if I'm wrong but- you have wine with your b- breakfast, and tea in t- the mid afternoon, m- my lady" she wasn't wrong... in fact she's one hundred percent correct, but when your life is at stake you try to minimize your talking and smart mouthing - simply being correct. Again there was a long pause of utter silence. The girl couldn't even hear the lady breathe above her , it was as if she wasn't there at all, if she wasn't quite literally staring at her heels she would have believed she had returned inside.

Besides from that she couldn't even hear herself breathe, she minimized her heart beat and lungs respiration so low that it felt as if she was dying, her chest started to burn, it was as if she wasn't breathing at all. The girl heard a sigh of frustration before a loud slam of the door infront of her.

Well.... it's better than having your throat ripped out and being made into fine Romanian wine then being sold to the market.

Alcina sniffed walking back towards her desk. she held onto the rim of it for emotional support. She bit her lip as it quivered, while fighting back tears. Your voice rang through her mind, you were like a ghost, invisible with high amount of impact but held powerful memories. Alcina couldn't function or focus the way she should be. You were the only thing she thought about, the only person she ever truly loved or cared about besides her daughters. And to have you pulled out of her life by the hands of the person she hated so greatly made her feel as an failure even more.

It ate away at her heart to know that if you had died - as miranda said you did, that means that you spent the last few minutes of your life probably cold and afraid, thinking that it was her fault. But regardless, what ate her up the most was the fact that you died with holding her hand, without her being by your side until you took your last breathe. It wasn't fair, and it was her fault. It is her fault. After all she is a monster.

' Monster '

' Your a monster '

' No one loves you '

' Your the reason she's d- '

" SHUT UP" alcina picked up her vanity and threw it across the room with great power, breaking it in half and slightly cracking the floor of her office. That's definitely gonna need fixing.... which means someone will have to visit the castle. She didn't want any guests or company, not because of the rumors, or the uneasiness you felt as soon as you stepped foot into the palace, no alcina was bigger than that, what she wasn't bigger than was herself.

Not her literally self, the one she saw when she looked into the mirror, the one she felt 24/7 weighing down her shoulders, the one she heard most of the time.....her entire life, the one she felt deeply inside waiting to be unleashed, to be able to set the world ablaze and get rid of all human beings. The one she was called...... a monster..... this part of her..... this was the part she wasn't bigger than.

No matter how much she tried, no matter how much she fought..... it ate her up inside..... her inner soul was bruised, scared, busted, call it what you want, but the truth was she fought to keep the outside going strong and tall. While the fire was running low she fought to keep herself elegant and up right. Good Posture, perfect teeth, phenomenal business, respected name. All of it was just a show that people got to tell. What people failed to realize was that although Alcina may be dead on the inside..... she's still human.....

She still loved... she's still cared, for God's sake. This was the part of her she just couldn't get rid of. The weight of it all soon caught up to her and it and not light at all.

She missed you.... so so much, beyond explanation.... beyond belief.... she loved you, every part, your smile, your hair, the way you'd do a little nose scrunch when she tackled you onto the bed, your laugher, your dramatic side eyes when she said something that didn't quite suit your style. She cared for you.... so damn much too. Cared if you ate, if you slept, if you were happy.... and now you were gone.... erased from her memories, from her life.

She longed for you....

You stired as you slowly opened your eyes to see daylight. You blinked rapidly trying to clear your eyes and refocus your vision. After a while of low steady breathing you were finally able to open your eyes completely and take hold of your surroundings. The room was small, it reminded you of the vintage times. It was raged with cigarette smoke and burning medicine plants - too much burning medicine plants. The room wasn't clean but it also wasn't the tidest.

There was a small bed on which you laid on and another which was empty, there was another room connected to the room that you were in that had a beaded curtain handing before the entrance. From the view that you were sitting you could see an old woman slowly moving her hips side to side as she hummed softly to a playing jazz music that your ears couldn't yet pick up. You coughed as you tried to get up slowly, you instantly felt excruciating pain all over your body.

You fell back sobbing as your hands felt utterly weak. You heard small foot steps before seeing a familiar face. It was Carmen. Your mom's old yoga and herb cooking buddy. A small warm smile was plasted on her face as she sat on the stool infront of you.

" Easy now child, you don't want to make this wound worst" she spoke, her voice cracky and faint. She was dressed in a light pink night gown and a soft brown head band with her hair braided in a fish braid. She gently dipped a wash cloth in a bowl of green like liquid before gently pressing it to your wound that was located on your hip. You whimpered softly at the slight stinking sensation before it disappeared as quickly as it appeared. After multiple wips of her cleaning the wound she placed a badge on it.

" thank you carmen" you mumbled, your voice also being raspy from using for the fisrt time since God knows when. The elder woman smile before waving you off with her hand. She got up and and went back into the kitchen.

" how did I end up here?" You asked her before standing since you felt a bit more better now. You heard her chuckle before hearing some pans clack together.

" I found you laying in the forest the other day when I went out to pick berries, you were all cut up and bruised, could have swore you were a zombie or perhaps even a lycan" she laughed before emerging from the kitchen and into another room. You Curiously followed her just to find four small but widthful shelves of books.

She bent down groaning slightly before taking out some books and dusting them off and replacing them, continuing the step for others.

" I hoped you'd wake up soon, when I found you, you had only a faint pulse that lasted every twelve seconds, you were basically half dead. Anyway I need to go to the market, i'm sure you can fend for yourself, you did just fine, God knows how you ended up 36 miles out into the woods" you froze..... did she just say 36 miles..... into the woods....

" am I in south Romanian?!" You asked a bit too loudly. Carmen looked up at you with raised eyebrows.

" yes.... did you forget you and your mother use to hop the river to come visit me for my birthday? Silly girl, yes south Romanian, mother Miranda's old village, the one she used to rule over? Yes my dear" she moved towards the other selve and began packing.

" Carmen! Do you heard how crazy this sounds?! I live in north Romania, you know... where castle dimitrescu is?! " again your voice was on the raise and she didn't quite like it, but you didn't really care either. She sighed before getting up, she facial expression and body language completely changed into a colder one.

" have a seat child" you compiled before she sat infront if you with a very serious expression. She sighed before placing her hands down onto your thighs.

" your mother died y/n...." your eyes zoned and you swore you could hear your eyes ring as you heard your heart beat slow down. Carmen squeezed your thighs before continuing.

" it's a hard pill to swallow but you better do, my condolences my daughter" she said doing the sign of the cross. Your mother meant alot to you, she wasn't really a huge part of your life, you didn't even remember much of her. You remember being kidnapped from your house one night by mother miranda and seeing the terror on her face before you passed out, and seeing her in a dream once. You've lived in an orphanage for your entire life and that night was the first time that you got back your life to her.

That didn't meant you wouldn't miss her.... you just couldn't find a reason to miss her.... you barely even knew her to begin with.....

" you know that lady people said your in love with?.... you know.... tall, big vampire mommy lady with wings" you gaved her a sarcastic fake laugh before looking at her dead serious. She smirked before continuing.

" there was a rumor that she killed your mother....." you tilted your head to the right, trying to comprehend the information you just received. You shook your head before nervously laughing.

" No that's not true.... it was probably miranda but people are to scared to say that so they blame alcina, they always do that, trust me, miranda was the last person my mom saw so-" Carmen cut you off by shaking her head and tsking.

" No child..... your mother was killed six months ago... and if I'm not mistaken you were kidnapped and forced to work for this ' Alcina' almost two years ago.... look they said it was big boobs vampire lady, bird lady and some lady who's obsessed with carrying her doll everywhere" you were significantly frozened between reality and what carmen was telling you now - which would obviously be a lie.

No one is saying carmen is a lier but sometimes elderly people loss their minds as time goes by - especially is they love to gossip..... anway.... your mom is dead and you felt nothing, you don't even think you miss alcina, now that your away you feel.... nothing..... you don't miss her, part of you don't even seem to care if she's doing ok, it's as if you never loved her.... maybe your body is still in shook, carmen did say that you had been out for two days straight, maybe your sleep dprived and can't think straight or maybe........ no let's not go there.

Carmen could clearly see that you didn't believe her, getting her she sighed as she began to grab her belongs, shoes, shopping bags, bud spray and pepper spray.

" look child believe what you want, don't go cra cra over your mom too much, wishing on things that just weren't possible, i'm off, when I'm back maybe we can make cinnamon rolls and some soup to get you better" she smiled softly at you before leaving a small peck on your forehead then leaving. You decide that your going back to castle dimitrescu, you needed answers...... you demanded them..... and even if it's the last human thing that alcina is capable of doing she will give them to you.

You could feel it in your heart that you were drifting away from alcina..... that spark that you once felt.... that burning passion.... that burning love.... gone....

You didn't have any belongs at Carmen's but you walked with some of her stuff, like water, little protein bars, bud spray and a knife. You left her a note thanking her for her utmost compassion and kindness upon you before starting your very very long journey....

TAG LIST : @willalovexx @ilovehugslikealotalot @milkiedimitrescu @willowshadenox @enchantressb @moisblofish, @nclgsticore @vampire-s61914 @snkskyler15 @milkkyshakeez @luisa323 . If you wish to be apart of the tag list for the next up coming chapters please comment below :) <3

[laylajeffany]

🖤 genuine appreciation 🖤

Since starting a new journey a few weeks ago in my real life, I've been receiving daily the absolute kindest, sweetest, and most thoughtful messages online about my writing. I'm not sure if this is karma or not, but I'm actually finding the comments incredibly motivating as I was really having a hard time coming back to the writing that I love. I want to give a very sincere thank you for everyone who has recently left a comment, sent an inbox, and bookmarked with something they enjoyed. For years, I've been team 'don't read the comments' and 'other people's opinion of me is not my business' but since keeping an eye out for bot activity, I've been paying attention, and extremely gracious for the positive feedback. I'm fighting a battle against turning inward, being fueled by my negativity, and pushing away the world. Truly, this love from you all is helping. Filling my cup with positivity is very difficult, but everyone who is sending me kindness is pouring into it. Personal post ahead -

In an effort to try and starve off the spiraling pit of depression demons, I've been working to heal some horrible relationships IRL. In the past, when I've up and moved during a manic phase across the country, I've let relationships dissolve and never had closure. It certainly takes two to tango, and so many times I just ignored people in my life instead of addressing my issues with them after I did/not make things worse, or left on a really sour note. Knowing I'm not moving on a whim this time, and that I have months to deal with all that needs to be dealt with - the messes I've made over the last five years, it feels like I should clean them up. Since summer ended, I've been actively shoving aside pride, stuffing down feelings of 'this is not my responsibility,' to being the one to initiate an apology and extend an invitation to do better together, or simply hope that the genuine feeling is received and the air is cleared. This is being received exceedingly well. I've always been one to literally run 2,000 miles away from my problems instead of solving them. I do not think I was initially the problem in any of these situations (this time), but I allowed the problems to fester, made them worse, and eventually turned toxic to many people. I might not have started the problem, but I became a problem. My attitude towards people I don't like is not subtle. I can be mean, rude and often spiteful. It turns out, people appreciate when you tell them that you made a mistake (duh), and so far - everyone has also then acknowledged where they could have done better, too. And I do genuinely mean it - like...I can hold a grudge like it's my job, and I really want to learn to let things go. Apologizing and making an effort to just do better seems like a good way to start doing that. I honestly feel an actual weight off my shoulders that I didn't know I was carrying. Being nice instead of toxic feels healing in a way that is surprising me. I've long made myself 'unbully-able' and I would not say that I was bothered by the fact that I had poor relationships with colleagues, families, community members, and others, but I did feel like since I have the opportunity and time to do something about the fuses I allowed to stay lit, I could put in the effort to put them out before I up and leave this time. Maybe it was affecting me more than I realized. This sort of feels like something Wednesday would figure out in the chaos Universe with a little help from Larissa & co. lmfao.

[daryascurse]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧 | 𝐒𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐤𝐞 𝐔𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐡𝐚 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

“And I thought you were so hospitable,” Sasuke says.

“You don’t like a little teasing?”

You sit up again, over him, shifting in your state of half-dress. His stare burns, cold moonlight reflected in a prism.

“Who’s really getting strung out?” Sasuke says. His hand closes slowly, hard on the skin, and ending with fabric pinched between his fingers. “You’re wet through your pants, aren’t you?”

It wasn't a question, but the words hang in the air as if expecting an answer. His hand drops to squeeze your thigh, and a moan escapes your throat. He squeezes again. His hand rocks hard and hot through the fabric.

“Take them off.”

ɴꜱꜰᴡ | ᴍɪɴᴏʀꜱ ᴅɴɪ ✧ pov : second person, AFAB reader, nongendered pronouns ✧ tags: time skip, smut, angst, one night stand, teasing, oraI / bj, fingering, love bites, spanking ✧ word count: ~5.5k ✧ ao3 link ✧ recommended mood playlist: almond cake

I have a very strict adult-only interaction policy. Ageless, blank, and clearly minor-run blogs that interact will be blocked. If you have questions about what that means, please read the byf in my pinned post.

Author's note: an old fic reposted on ao3 a while ago and I thought - might as well repost here for BIRTHDAY! This piece takes place between Shippuden and Boruto; towards the end of Sasuke’s world travels, and obviously before Sakura joins him... using Reader as a sort of stand-in somewhere on that journey. And obviously, at a point that he's an adult in this pre-Boruto time. And I like the idea that while of course he would be known to those who fought in the war, his story has been kept from the spotlight of “common people” so to speak – and he’s happy with it that way.

You spoke to him three times, and it was enough to fall.

The first was but a brief interaction as he crossed into your village. “I’d like to help,” he’d said by means of introduction. And before the elders and leaders had fallen over their own feet in gratitude and lists of chores, you’d sincerely thanked him. In this slowly-healing world, and especially in this small nameless town, everyone needs all the help they can get.

The second was when he stopped you in the street and asked directions to the bakery, clutching a bag of flour so large you worried it would slip from the one-handed grasp to balance it to his chest. In fact, it was so tall it covered his face, leaving only wisps of black hair spiking around the back when he carefully turned down the street you instructed. You’d watched him go with half amusement and half concern, even though he’d proven himself more than capable in the past few days. Watching him pass it to the old baker was when you realized that you’d fallen for him the way you knew, just achingly knew, that girls in his hometown must have.

The third, he almost smiled when you’d brought him a bowl of noodles out by the gardens and apologized for the dull life of this slow village. “Odd jobs don’t offer much glory,” you’d said looking at the row of freshly planted crops, and he shook his head, the soft turn of his lips twisting wryly. Your heart almost burned out of your chest.

“Trust me. I’m not asking for glory.”

The rumor spreads quickly that he’ll leave at the end of the week. So today all the talk is that the elders are planning a banquet, and something in the way he squares his shoulders tells you - no, he’ll slip out tonight, before he can be crowned with any laurels of glory and gratitude. He had refused offers of lodging in favor of setting up a makeshift camp just outside the village. When night falls it’s where you find your feet wandering.

Of course you don’t startle him, he’s far too perceptive. But he lets you approach with only a slight slide glance towards you as he kneels, rustling with a pack in the grass.

“You are leaving,” you say.

“I was just here to help,” he says, giving those same simple words.

“You’ve done so much for a small town. We really are grateful for all you’ve done.”

He makes a sound that would be a laugh, though it seems somewhat out of practice. “It’s not much,” he says.

“But it means a lot to us. I know you don’t want glory or praises, but you have to accept our thanks. My thanks.”

He turns his head away. You wonder if he’s just barely biting back a rude response, but you continue impulsively, speaking to the back of that black hair melting into the darkness.

“You don’t need to stay for the banquet, I understand that. Let me at least offer you a proper bed for one night,” you say. You shift your feet, glancing back at the village. “Please – it would make me feel better, to give just something back for everything you’ve done.”

You’re prepared for your words to be useless. When you turn back to him, you half-expect him to have disappeared into the forests, but he stands with his pack slung over a shoulder. He regards you with a heavy guarded gaze. It gives the courage to press your lips together and try once more.

“Don’t you have – somewhere – people who care about you, people who’d want you looked after, a roof over your head? Just for tonight?”

His mouth twists again, that same sad smile. You wait for his curt refusal, for him to walk into the woods, but his next step is closer to you. He doesn’t say anything. In fact, neither of you say anything as you turn, heart hammering, to lead him back to your humble quarters.

Inside, he lets his pack fall, slipping his sandals from his feet in easy kicks as you flick on the light. You do the same, feeling a gawky lack of grace in comparison to his fluid motions, even in your own home. He reaches with his long slender fingers to unbutton his cloak as you duck your head and walk around him to the sink. The floor barely shakes below your feet as he goes to the bed.

“Here, have some water,” you say.

You sit slowly on the edge of the bed when you cross back. He only nods in thanks. “How long have you been traveling?” you ask.

He doesn’t respond. Drinks deeply.

You look at the floor, then back to him. “By the way, what’s your name?”

He puts the glass down at the side of the table, and after a moment, his eye flits to you, hair falling before his sharp profile. “Sasuke,” he says at last.

Sasuke. Somehow the name sounds almost familiar.

He doesn’t ask you your name. He might not care if you offered it or not. Sasuke’s gaze is still on you – though distracted, as if looking through you. Or seeing something else. Someone else.

You don’t know what possesses you to do, but with that increasingly ghostly stare on you, you lean forward, and kiss him.

Sasuke doesn’t kiss you back at first. His lips are lightly chapped, dry against your skin when you tilt your head away. He blinks, that gaze sliding back into focus. You meet it. When he doesn’t jolt back, doesn’t stand up, you lean forward and kiss his lips again.

This time, his lips move under yours. Your hands come down towards him on the bed, almost crawling closer, and kiss back harder, more fervent. Your heart drums in your ears. Sasuke lets you deepen the kiss, opening his mouth slightly. You turn your head away hesitantly, and he leans with you. When he presses his mouth back to yours his tongue runs along the inside of your lower lip, and you shiver into him.

You draw your feet up, kneeling toward Sasuke. The mattress dips as his legs shift along the bed. His knee knocks into your hand fisted against the bedsheets. You lift it, coming down in a new hold on his thigh. Your bodies push into each other as you begin to follow him down, elbow bent and shoulders hunching when he lies. His hand comes to the small of your back, your knee slides between his. Sasuke bites your lip, and you moan into his mouth. There’s a fire in the kisses now, something unforgiving and rougher coming to the surface.

“Oh,” you breathe sharply when his teeth come around your lip again and he bites harder.

“Sorry,” Sasuke says after a moment, remembering to apologize.

You sit up, blinking, head reeling to take inventory of this new atmosphere. Yes, he’s on his back on the bed. You’re straddling him now as he lies between your legs. And looking down at Sasuke feels somehow strange, vertigo yawning into an abyss of his whirlpool gaze, the light harsh on his face and casting a sickly shade.

You blink again. Your hands press against his chest, and you watch more than feel them move up across draping fabric to the opening. A sliver of pale skin across his chest trembles with the heavy beats of his heart.

“Light,” Sasuke says. The word rasps out, air fluttering in the hollow of his throat.

“Oh,” you say. You shift your weight from one knee to the other. “Yeah, I’ll – I’ll turn it off.”

Your breath slips from between your lips as your fingers tense, pushing yourself off Sasuke to climb off the bed. Those steps to the switch feel far. The darkness sweeps harsh before you when you turn to make your way back, some shaking fear within you that he’ll have really disappeared into the night this time.

“I’m here,” Sasuke says as your feet slide slowly across the floor, as if he knows.

Though your room, your bed, is so familiar to you even in swimming darkness, it feels that this space is no longer your own when you stretch your fingers blindly forward to climb back up. Sasuke’s ankle rolls, knocks into your hand, and the mattress shifts beneath your knees as he sits up to meet you. His hand is bracing at the small of your back. It guides you up over his lap, and his thumb spreads up to stroke against your rib and forward. He’s warm to the touch, but you still shiver, hips dropping and knees pressing into the bed to straddle him once more.

Sasuke kisses your mouth again, tongue pressing your bottom lip to beg for access faster this time. His hand skates up, rubbing back and forth across your waist in insistent embrace. When your hips twist closer to him, it moves up, fingers spread across your ribcage and searching up in a flat, firm palm. Your own fingers flex in response. One hand anchored against the bed, pressing fingertips into the sheets, your other fumbles forward blindly for his clothes.

It’s almost hard to think of what to do once you’ve pulled them off, his body silently acquiescing. This was unplanned, getting this far in the first place. You break the kiss with a slight shake of your head. His last breath gasps into the room. The darkness is beginning to take form as your eyes adjust. Moonlight slots through the window, casting a pale shadow across Sasuke’s face. He watches you. As your own hands still, wrists turned over the smooth expanse of abdomen down to the waistband of his pants, his hand stops as well in a gentle cup of your breast right under your thundering heart.

“Is…” you swallow, unsure of what to ask. “Is it okay? Can I touch you?”

Sasuke cranes his neck forward just enough to press his cheek next to yours, and the pulse in his throat is warm against the side of your neck. “I want you to touch me,” he says, but something in the words – again – goes past you.

Not I want you to touch me.

But his muscles tense, coiled and lean below your hands, as he lowers himself again. Your hands follow automatically to grip the waistband, sliding your knees further along his body as you pull. Sasuke’s fingers are pressing against you as if he never stopped, fingers closing around your nipple as he finds and just barely pinches. You go cold right where his touch pauses, pinches once more, arching your back and sighing aloud.

“Touch me,” Sasuke breathes in repetition.

His hand opens again, thumb gliding down to cup you in one more gentle squeeze. He turns, grabbing at the fabric of your own shirt, and you pause to help slide it away in sequence. Your limbs shake as you move faster. Returning to his pants, you tug them down and off with panting breath.

Adjusting your knees brings you back up on either side of his porcelain thighs, shattered pottery with battle-torn scars. Sasuke’s hand comes back to your waist, but this time his stroking, circular motions go up your back as you bend down.

His breath comes short, the guiding motion of his hand coming faster up to your neck. Between your legs, he shifts his own, coming higher and higher as he knocks into your thigh. And your breath is impatiently quick too, anxious to snatch this moment.

Sasuke cants his hips, sliding his leg higher up. You roll against it as you lean forward. He presses back, your muscles tensing when he lowers the leg back to the bed. You rock your hips down into him, forgetting yourself for the moment to grind against him.

“Come on,” he whispers, and the thick grating of his voice makes you want to tighten your muscles, clenching desperately over nothing.

But you bend all the way down and part your lips, your hand opening around the base of his half-hard cock. Your tongue meets the head in a flat, pressing circle, and he jerks up – again, come on, come on. Obediently, you slide your tongue faster around him, dipping down at the vein already coming harder at the underside. You stroke with the side of your thumb, tracing down lightly to soft skin, gripping the sheets with an anchoring second hand just as Sasuke’s hold tightens at the back of your head.

You can’t take him in slowly. He doesn’t allow for it, with his hips curving higher, hand keeping you above him, and your throat tightens. Your lips close around the growing swell of his cock. He’s heady in your mouth, salty enough to coax saliva. Your cheeks hollow and the next slurping breath is a lewd smacking sound.

“Ah…”

Sasuke’s hips shift in restless agitation, coming higher, and your tongue reaches further down along him. Your fingers dance lightly, down to stroke against his balls, heavy and rolling in your palm. Back up to that base your throat can’t quite swallow enough of. You press the underside with your tongue and feel for that hardening line again. It makes your mouth water even more.

You keep your lips together this time; no sharp pop, no burst of wet gasping, just his cock filling your mouth. Heavy on your tongue. Its twisting and lapping grows fainter as the bobbing motions of your head take precedent action. Up and down, up and down, with Sasuke’s fingertips pressing at you. He exhales again, reminding you of your own need to breathe.

Air catches in the back of your throat, thick from your already-running nose. The slick of your own saliva and Sasuke’s precum rises against your curled fingers, and it lets you slide over him more, no longer whispering touches. His hand tenses, and he groans. The fingers press into the back of your head and fall with the insistent scrape of a fingernail running cold as ice down the top of your spine.

Eyes straining and weeping with unbidden tears, you roll your eyes up to him. He’s blue in the night, the moon catching some strands of colour in his hair and ghosting down across his face. His brow is knit, his eyes screwed tight, the shadow of his nose melting into his twitching jaw as his lips part. Sounds die in his throat, his lower lip just barely moving, mouthing words unseen to you.

You moan, the sound husky and muffled over his cock, and more saliva glides from your aching, drooling lips when you pull your head away again.

“Fuck!”

It’s sharply audible. Between your legs, he quivers.

His hand slides further, down your back, and you wash your tongue over him again. Your jaws are spread as wide as you can as the motion slows. With the next upward move, you let him go in a breaking gasp. It’s hard not to heave for air as you release your fist from the anchored hold of the sheets. Fingers trembling, you wipe the back of your mouth and hide a desperate breath.

The sensation of your still partly dressed state comes to you with the acute sensation of your pants, uncomfortably thick, hot, heavy. You roll your hips down against Sasuke’s leg, taking another moment to catch your breath. You stroke his cock. Still wet against your fingers, his hips buck up in shuddering human instinct.

“And I thought you were so hospitable,” Sasuke says above, his voice strained.

“You don’t like a little teasing?”

You sit up again, over him, shifting in your state of half-dress with his cock in your hand, still slowly stroking. His stare burns, cold moonlight reflected in a prism.

“Who’s really getting strung out?” Sasuke says. The bead of sweat running below his jaw betrays the haughty tone, but he grabs your thigh. His hand closes slowly, hard on the skin, and ending with fabric pinched between his fingers. “You’re wet through your pants, aren’t you.”

It wasn't a question, but the words hang in the air as if expecting an answer. His hand drops to squeeze your thigh, and a moan escapes your throat. He squeezes again. His hand rocks hard and hot through the fabric.

“Take them off.”

Even sliding off the bed is enough to make your legs shake, that yearning heat between your legs burning as your thigh muscles tense. The clothes practically peel from your skin. The cool air doesn’t help calm. Neither does Sasuke’s gaze, so glassy as you raise a knee to straddle his thighs once again.

Sasuke doesn’t sit up to meet you this time, but he grabs at you, demanding against your back to pull you over him. He kisses you without caring for his taste on your tongue, and he kisses desperately. It’s sloppy now, with his own saliva wetting the corners of his lips. When you lift your head and blink to readjust over him, his eyes are still closed.

“No,” he says, opening his eyes just as you wrap your fingers around his cock again to bring him to you.

“And you were so eager a minute ago,” you say, still on your knees on either side of his hips. You pump your hand up, down slowly, and Sasuke’s stomach rises with a conspicuous breath.

“And you’re so eager now. Your turn to wait.”

He’s at your leg, and the open-palmed squeeze is so much sharper against your bare thigh. Your hand falls open, away from him. It almost brings you down with a whimper as the side of his fingernail grooves along your skin again, and he moves higher, higher. You let out another short gasping whine, feet flexing into the sheets as Sasuke traces your inner thigh right where skin turns to velvet. Your hips shake, forward to meet him, and he draws back, tracing endless circles and invisible sketches.

You open your mouth to protest, and instead judder out a shaking “oh” when his finger skips up and returns in multitudes to stroke you. Reaching backward, you grab your calf, your ankle, in frantic balance as Sasuke caresses your cunt, gathering slick on his fingers and smearing it against you with each movement.

“I knew it,” he says.

All you can force is a sigh that becomes a vocal moan as that scooping, fondling hold moves further back, and one finger slips inside you. Easily.

“Easy,” Sasuke says.

“Oh…”

The first pump is slow, relaxing, teasing, a far cry from his eager motions. Your back is arched into his hand, eyes hazily fixed on the shadows of moonlight on the ceiling, but you swallow, finding the roof of your mouth dry when you look down at him again. Sasuke’s face is placid, lips parted with the puff of his breath, but his neck muscles are strained taunt. Black shadows enunciate the pulse shuddering in his throat, the cut of his jaw. His eyes are beyond you, but at your next moan, he comes back. He slides a second finger inside and spreads you.

“Oh,” comes again in a whine. You let go of your leg to stroke against your own skin, touching your lower belly with delicate fingertips, as he begins to push some electric sensation higher inside you with each curl and pump. He moves no faster, but your hips rock even more urgently, eagerly. “Sasuke…”

He closes his eyes for a moment, breathing deep with your call of his name, and opens.

Your own chest is heaving hard as his curls come stronger, reaching deep inside you. Your fingers drop lower, finding with natural ease the tense tender nub of your clit. Rubbing yourself feeds some of that desperate, slow agony Sasuke is teasing from you with those strong, slender fingers. When you fix your eyes to him, his own are direct on you, with his chest rising and falling in barely controlled breath.

“Fuck me,” you whisper hoarsely, as you press your hand against your clit in hard circles.

Sasuke curls his fingers into you before withdrawing, cutting your word off in a sharp inhale as the emptiness strikes you. Without his fingers, your hips roll back, knees hard on his thighs, hand falling away. But the next sensation is so promising that your feet shift, toes pointed and pressed hard into the sheets, when the head of his cock slides right against your teased and sore folds. You rock forward to help him guide himself to your entrance.

The moans from both of your lungs hang resonant in the air when you meet, your own body sliding down against his cock just as Sasuke jerks his hip upward. His hand comes to your thigh again and pulls at the back of your leg, squeezing at the muscle to urge you closer, closer.

You can’t move beyond his commanding motions as you clench around him, so tight, so full inside you, even better when you roll circles to grind him against you right at that angle that makes that core at the bottom of your belly go hot.

Sasuke’s head tilts out of view, but his jaw slacks as his lips part in another groan. His hips rock back, pulling almost completely out of you. When he thrusts up, he’s slick with your own arousal, cold on your skin from the air. His breath is heavy, and your hands climb up across his lean chest for a steady support against pale pectoral muscles.

And he’s deep, he’s fucking you deep as hard and fast as you fuck him right back. You roll your eyes at the sensation, pure pleasure dancing through you and leaving your very skin electric. Your gaze goes up, down at him, and down further, to the flush of his stomach as his own boiling blood rocks new life through him. And lower, to the tremble of his hips twitching off the sheets, to where your cunt is spread swollen over his cock.

“Fuck,” you whimper, the word rising high and jagged out of you as your voice shakes with the movements. His hips roll up, even deeper. Your head snaps back up, and your sigh is a soaring cry.

You ride him with fervent, kneeling muscles, just as much as he lifts to meet you. Each thrust is deep, so fucking deep, that your elbows go weak and you lower yourself to Sasuke’s chest. Rocking back and forth like this – yes, “yes, like this, right there, fuck,” – is that perfect angle. The shivers shooting down your thighs are enough to keep your hips shaking right where he grinds up into you. His hand squeezes, moves up hard against your hip.

His fingers flex, pushing into your skin, grabbing you and letting you go before returning in one sharp, open-palmed slap. Your sigh breaks into a yelp, the breath catching at the back of your throat. He does it again, and the sting radiates from every finger into your skin. You’re completely against his body now, head pressed into the pillow behind him, whimpering as his cock just barely whispers in and out at this angle, clenching your muscles where you feel him.

“Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke,” you moan again and again, the most delicious name on your lips as your mouth rubs on his skin. His shoulder is muscular, the sweat beading from him earthy whiskey against your tongue. You open your mouth with just a little more purpose and close your lips around him, hollowing your cheeks to suck here anew, a ferocious bite.

He gasps, some sound, some word you couldn’t make out getting cut off, and he lifts his hand from your ass to slap you again. You moan into his clavicle.

“Wait,” Sasuke groans, and his heart shudders below you. “Wait, wait – ”

You lower your hips, feeling him swell and throb inside you just as you clench. You whimper into him, gathering strength as he swallows and his skin dips below your lips. He seems on the verge of saying something else –

But he doesn’t know your name, now.

“S…Side,” he whispers. “Turn.. on your side.”

His cock is so heavy, so hard, resting inside you, and you roll in soft circles, not wanting to pull away. Sasuke’s hand rubs right over the smarting skin of your ass and slaps you once more.

“Do it,” he says, his voice tense.

So you do so with a groan, nonverbally voicing the displeasure and discomfort at feeling him slide from you again. You push yourself onto the bed as gracefully as you can, curling your legs up and away. You turn your head up, about to ask, but Sasuke’s knee between your thighs forces your leg straight as he shifts behind you. He presses his chest to your back, a layer of slick sweat keeping your body from sinking into the comforting cuddle of this position.

“Keep your legs apart,” Sasuke says, and his chest breaks away from your body as he rocks onto his shoulder. You curve your hips back, feeling him, resisting the urge to slide your leg down to him and grind over his thigh. He slants forward to meet you, something more teasing than satisfying as you tremble, empty.

“Sasuke!” Your voice breaks as his hand rubs over your ass, the beating, hot skin where he’d spanked you burning under his touch, and even worse when he comes to your overstimulated and sore cunt. He rubs against your slit to find your entrance, leaning fully away.

His cock is hard and wet with you, and he easily slides back inside you with one smooth thrust. Your legs splay, the nudge of his knee keeping your thighs from squeezing together, and the press of his body into yours restricting the motion of your fervently rolling hips. You rut into the mattress and back against him, with a ragged moan coming louder than you expected it to.

In response, Sasuke’s lips find your throat, down into the curve of your shoulder, and scrapes his teeth in a mirroring bite of your own. His tongue runs over your skin so lightly that you shudder. You buck into his body. His hand comes to your waist, pressing you down.

“Fuck,” the breath comes, and it’s him this time, the word hot into your neck.

You groan, letting out another whimper when his tongue brushes over your shoulder again. He tilts his head forward and parts his lips just a little more, enough to make your head writhe and turn back into the pillow when he begins to suck a love bite.

These thrusts are shorter, faster, but as the two of you desperately fuck, it’s perfect, just perfect. The burning flashes of hunger in your kissing and touching and sucking comes to a head here.

Your elbow bends back to let your fingers knot into his hair and tug him closer to you still. Sasuke’s lips move from your throat to your jaw and to your cheek, coaxing your own to meet him in ravenous, loud kisses. His groans mix with yours, and his hand rides down your body with the motion of his thrusts. He rests down, lower on your belly, right where the muscles below your core flutter with each clench and responding stroke of his cock.

“Oh!” You break from his lips, from the twists of his black hair, to moan and clutch at the pillow once more.

And when your agitated shifts against his hand grow too erratic, he pauses, sliding his hips higher up to you as his chest presses hot and sweaty. His cock slams in at a new angle, just as quick and sloppy as his kisses had been. His hand sinks lower still, and while it takes a second to find your clit, his finger presses and rubs with such precision it’s the final push that hotness behind your stomach needed.

“Sasuke - ” you whine again.

“Fuck,” he groans, and as your face presses into the pillow, his lips come right behind your ear, kissing and whispering nonsense as he pushes frantically into you. You reach down to grab at his wrist, and you moan as everything begins to go static.

“I’m – oh – fuck! Coming!”

You come, clenching and weak over his cunt, hips rocking haphazardly into whatever pressure from any angle as you ride the orgasm out. It hits so hard that you feel your pulse behind your eyes, even as you squeeze them shut. Your body shakes with the force of it as everything cramps and releases. Your thighs lose all strength. It rushes, beating slick and throbbing over his cock as Sasuke continues, chasing his own climax down.

His senseless, jagged moans begin to break through your haze, his insistent hand on your clit beginning to feel more painful than pleasurable.

“Sorry.. I’m sorry… I love… I love you.. I’m… so…sorry.”

You tighten your hand on his wrist, about to pull him off, but with a harsh, gasping cry of his own that rocks through your back, Sasuke comes. He lifts his hand and grabs at the sheets, your fingers skating down to close over his fist. His hips crash into yours as he comes, so hard that he almost pushes you onto your stomach. Your ribs contract, the air trapped right in your lungs as he rocks forward, sliding his knee into the back of yours. It beats hot through you, and you automatically feel yourself flutter and tighten around it, weak though the motions are. He sighs, breath hot on your shoulder, the last word of his rambles breaking into something totally unintelligible.

It takes him a moment to relax, for his fingers to flex under the ginger blanket of your own hand. He rolls away, lips just barely wisping off your neck in a motion almost like a kiss, but without the follow through. You raise your hand to the spot, feeling the remnant, tacky stick of his saliva, and trace your fingers down to where the love bite will rise navy blue tomorrow morning.

Sasuke is silent. You turn on your stomach, feeling something drip and dry down to your inner thighs. He’s fallen onto his back, that glazed, half-open stare stuck to the ceiling. You breathe, heavier than you wanted, but he doesn’t shift his gaze to you.

“Um.” You clear your throat, and sit up, stroking gently along his calf as you scoot to the edge of the bed. “Do you want another drink?”

“More water would be a good idea,” Sasuke says after a moment. The “yes, thank you” following feels forced, remembered too late. He’s settling into that distant nature with ease, as the aloof traveler you met and fell in love with only days before.

Your legs shake as you walk to the sink. The only sound is the rustle of the sheets as Sasuke slides them down, making room for the two of you to properly sleep. In the moonlight your body casts a long shadow swallowed by the darkness beyond the window’s frame. The bed and Sasuke are just as hidden, but his pale hand extends for a sip of the glass, a beacon as bright as the moon itself.

Tucked once more into the curve of his body, this time the touch of his chest at your back is soft, gently coming to and against your skin with each settling breath. “When’s the last time you slept in a bed?” you ask drowsily, not expecting an answer. Sasuke doesn’t offer one.

He shifts, arm coming up around you to pull the blanket higher. It slithers over your skin. His fingers drop and drum softly against your arm. Exhaustion begins to melt you into the bed, and you reach, groping in the darkness to find his hand and entwine your fingers in his. You’re overwhelmed with a sudden desire to cry, a pain in your throat dropping to your heart. You close your eyes, turning into the bed, bidding the tears to go, not to spoil these last moments.

“Have a safe journey tomorrow,” you whisper into the silence. You wonder if he’s already asleep, but his fingers flex in your hold, slanting lightly, squeezing you in turn.

“Thank you.”

Sleep comes now, in a spinning hold pressed into you as warm and comforting as his embrace.

When you wake to streaming sunlight, the bed is empty, and Sasuke is gone.

fin.

[malevolentcast]

you probably already know about this but an articles been put out about rusty quills shitty business practices and general shady behavior. if you havent already, you might be getting messages about it soon. just wanted to send a heads up in advance

Yes I saw and read it.

I'm choosing to believe the motivations of those involved, in spite the poor optics of them being from another network (and even quoting what "they" pay as an example of "good" companies), were an attempt to be morally just. That is to say, I have no ill will towards the author, their editors and everyone who contributed.

To be clear; if Rusty Quill has treated employees poorly they should be held accountable, I say if not as a way to not believe those affected but because "alleged" is used more than a dozen times in the article.

Additionally, no employer should ever yell at an employee. Again, if that happened, they should apologize and do better.

That being said…

I don't appreciate articles speaking on behalf of me or, frankly, trying to rope me in without my consent or request. I recognize they weren't attempting to give me a voice, just those who are affected, however the author has only now allowed shows to reach out, after the damage has been done and chose to speak for me nonetheless. Additionally, the article says that if I remain silent, it's because I can't speak out - which is just nonsense.

From my experience; I've had nothing but great experiences with Rusty Quill. They're a network. They host my show. What else do I need them for? Contracts, NDA's and all the legal aspects that the article seemed to make such a big deal about… are very normal. I think this is part of not understanding how large companies work.

For example; I saw tweets upset that people shouldn't have to sign an NDA to look over a sample contract which… is exactly what you do when you're looking over a sample contract.

I was a General Manager of a small rental company for 10 years prior to trying my hand at Audio work and renting a water cooler had more stipulations than RQ's agreement. Contracts are meant to be all encompassing. If you don't agree with stuff, you cross it out and ask it to be changed. If you’re upset at the way large companies work, your fight is misdirected with addressing just one company. The article also mentioned something about "Taking Money Upfront" and stuff like that, which failed to mention you don’t HAVE to take money upfront - furthermore - most shows on RQ did not do that.

In any case, this isn't meant to be a dismantling of the article. I don't want to invalidate anyone's experiences or frustrations. Who knows what more may come to light, all I can speak of are my experiences and frustrations.

So why I'm frustrated? Well, I saw a few tweets and posts boycotting RQ shows, which included mine. So that sucked.

Overall however, I think the article was done in poor taste and felt like virtue signaling more than something trying to be helpful. I think, personally - and I say this with all the genuine sincerity - it seemed written from a perspective of inexperience and naivete. It is not the Watergate scandal people think it is.

And for the people who are upset that "peoples lives were ruined" when they were let go… yes I'm sorry people lost their jobs. I lost the aforementioned GM position as well when the owner of the company sold the company out from under me. Not because I did a bad job or because I made a mistake, just bad luck. It sucked, sometimes people lose their jobs. That doesn't mean I can't have an opinion on what I feel is an article meant to stir the pot. After all, shouldn't I express my perspective as a show on RQ (which, like, isn't that what the article was meant to be about?).

Anyway, those are my thoughts. For what it's worth I think you should still read the article! It has some great thoughts…

…but with all things, read it with an informed opinion; remembering that it was written by the Director of Marketing for another Podcast network, who references their own network within their "expose" as an example of a network with "good practices", during a time that they're recruiting for new shows and that every single show on that Network has openly supported the article - retweeting it almost instantly, during the final days of their competitors successful Kickstarter.

The disclaimer on the article about the Authors association with F&F wasn't put until AFTER they were called out. Odd that an expose on uncovering the truth would be less than transparent when posting…

[magicalgirlagency]

IMPORTANT NOTICE!! PLEASE READ!!

[TW: Mentions of suicide and self-harm]

Okay, reguarding those last posts that I have erased, I just came to the conclusion that I really DO NOT want to die. Turns out that the thought of suicide and self-harm scares me more than anything.

I was just scared and very very depressed; I really don't wanna lose the things that I love (online friends, this blog and the other ones as well, my hobbies, my experiences, my education, and the freedom to share stuff with them, and so on), and just the thought of KOSA screwing everyone over irreversibly is frightening to me.

I panicked. I just didn't knew how to react to the news, to the possibility of losing my primary support network of friends to a bunch of computer-illiterate old geezers who think gays are icky-vicky. The powerlessness just got to me, albeit briefly.

As someone who isn't american, I feel extremely upset at the fact that I can't take any direct action to battle against these draconian rules.

I want to sincerely and profusely apologize to all of my followers and mutuals for giving them such a fright and for worrying them sick for the past hours. I promise I won't do anything harsh or stupid to myself, and I am really, really moved at the wave of genuinely concerned people who came to me.

I won't kill myself. I promise you all that I will keep on living.

Just promise me that you all will keep on sharing the KOSA links from the previous posts to spread awareness to others and keep on pestering your senators with your phone calls and letters; it ain't over 'til it's over.

And also, I would like to tell that I want any posts made in my name reguarding my suicidal episodes to be edited or erased. I don't want any more people coming on my DMs worried about my well-being. I promise I won't do anything crazy, and this blog will resume its regular activities as normal.