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mujeans · 4 months ago

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MY ONLY LOVE, MY ONLY ONE ✦ LCY

SYNOPSIS ✦ you and anton’s relationship through the years - because maybe not all love has to be young.

“if we’re both still single by the time we’re thirty , let’s get married.”

TAGS ✦ anton x f!reader, one-shot, angst, fluff, non-idol au, yn has mommy issues, slice of life, bffs to lovers, slow-burn

WARNINGS ✦ mentions of drinking at a bar, reader isn't really referred to as y/n or _, just "you" 😭

WC ✦ 4k

PLAYLIST ✦ only by leehi, still into you by paramore, every summertime by niki, toothbrush by dnce, bad by wavetoearth

AUTHOR'S CORNER ✦ was originally meant for heeseung, but i changed it lolz also ik i said i'd post it in a few days but i finished it early and wanted to put it out so i hope u enjoy!

snobby, proud, self-centered - these were the words that described anton's first impression of you.

he'd just moved to town, tagging along with his parents to the local mall when his mother stopped in her tracks, causing him to nearly walk into her. he looked at her confusedly when she suddenly gasped, and squealed someone's name, before she practically ran up to another woman, who he'd soon find out to be your own mother.

"guys, this is my old friend from college," she'd told him and his dad. "and this is her daughter," she said as she gestured to you.

you'd been few inches taller than him, so he was intimidated by you and immediately got the impression you were looking down on him. (well, you were, literally.)

"why don't you two kids go to the arcade? here, my daughter has a game card," your mother spoke as she ushered you two away whilst the adults went somewhere else to catch up. anton and you awkwardly stood next to each other as the parents left you two alone.

once they were out of sight, you seemed to deflate; the intimidating aura wiped and replaced by a more relaxed and amicable ‘you’. somehow, you felt more human, and he let out his own steady breath when you smiled and held out your hand for him to shake.

“sorry, my mother can be a lot to handle. you play DDR?”

turns out, you were way more fun when your mother wasn’t around.

holding hands was something you two did often.

your friends would often tease you two about it, but neither you nor anton thought much of it. it was completely platonic, right?

but nonetheless, you two were relentlessly asked if you were dating, even when one or the other was in a relationship with someone else. in fact, your closeness had led to your first and most recent boyfriend breaking up with you.

"can you believe it? everyone knows we're literally just friends," you ranted to anton later that night. "so what if we're close? he himself had his own girl best friend - several in fact!"

anton hummed to let you know he was listening, busy working on an assignment that he'd spent far too long procrastinating.

"i mean, how insecure can he be? is it really that unbelievable for a boy and a girl to have a completely platonic relationship?" you paced around his room, not caring whether or not he was listening. you just needed to get the day's frustrations out - and where better than anton's comfy and personalised room?

something about the hanging leaves, band posters, the warm lamp in the corner lighting up the room, it was your favourite place to hide when your mother would be in another one of her moods.

"i'm never going to date again. ugh."

"you sure about that?" anton half-heartedly asked.

"yes. if i have to sacrifice our friendship to kiss some guy, then no thanks."

anton turned to you with a smile playing at his lips. he didn't take you seriously at all.

"anton..." you whined. this wasn't funny to you.

"sorry, sorry," he said, but you could still hear the laugh in his voice. instead, he took your hands in his apologetically, the warmth a familiar gesture.

"if you never date again, then i won't either."

"anton, you've never dated."

"well, it's like you said. if i have to sacrifice our friendship to kiss some girl, then it's a no for me too."

he stared at you sincerely. you guys knew you both would probably still go on to date other people, but the promise felt real anyway. what with the way he was staring up at you.

"swearing yourself to celibacy for me? how sweet," you relented, sitting down on his bed, your hands still clasped in his.

suddenly, an idea popped into your head.

using your linked hands to pull him closer, his chair rolled over, knocking against your knees.

"anton, let's make a pact: if we're still both single by the time we're thirty, then let's get married."

graduation came faster than anton expected, and he only realises then that he's known you for five years now.

as expected, you and him had taken lots of photos together (wait, when did he get taller than you?), and eventually your families decided to dine together at some fancy restaurant after the ceremony. it a celebration of the two of you leaving high school, and moving onto the next chapter of your lives: university. something you were particularly stressed about.

"why is applying for uni so hard?? i'm just a girl - just accept me!"

anton could empathise with that sentiment - he'd been an exceptional student, yet his lack of curriculars had ended him up on three waitlists, and with one rejection. not to mention how complicated the process was, what with all the different requirements for every university. honestly, he felt like he'd been lied to by all those people telling him not to worry.

looking over at the parents busy in conversation, he noticed that the both of you had finished your meals already.

"can we go? i'm gonna take her out for a drive," he asked them, gesturing to you.

surprised by the sudden plan, you looked to your parents for approval.

"aren't you going to stay for desserts?" your dad asked.

"i'm sure we'll find something sweet on the way," anton replied simply.

"well, i'm okay with it," your dad agreed, looking at anton's parents who nodded back.

you watched him turn to your mother, a silent argument spoken through their eyes. she reluctantly sighs, a sign of surrender, and you cheered on the inside as anton pulled you away and out of the restaurant.

going for drives was something you and anton always did when either was stressed or upset. windows down and music blared as the sky turned an array of colours, it really felt like the movies in moments like this. you sighed contentedly, head propped up on your elbow as you stared outside. the wind combined with ONLY by LeeHi being the only sounds between you and anton.

"ah, i'm not sure if i can do this whole university thing," you confessed your thoughts. "if applying is already this hard, i can't imagine the real thing."

"it won't be this bad. c'mon, we'll be together, right?" anton's voice replied.

"always."

silence engulfed the two of you again.

"i want to do something crazy. something that'll make her mad."

"yeah? any ideas for this crazy plan of yours?"

"hmm... what about..." you trailed off, thinking for a while.

"what about a month-long trip around europe?"

anton's head snapped to you, eyebrows reaching his hairline.

"seriously? she'll actually lose it."

"not that she already hasn't already done so several times before," you grumbled into your elbow. "besides, i'm always sticking to her stupid rules. i just want to do something 'rebellious' before we get thrown back into classes and assignments and homeworks and blah blah blah..."

a pause. then, “let's do it. where do you want to start?"

"really? you'll do it with me?" you perk up, finally looking at him.

"duh," he rolls his eyes, as if you ever leaving him alone was such an unimaginable thought. "let's figure out those visas first though," he added as an afterthought.

2 Notifications yn : you free later this week? yn : feels like i haven't seen u in forever

anton sees the notifications later that night, and sighs as he pushes his hair out of his eyes. he takes a quick look at his monthly calendar.

to be truthful, the two of you had been swamped with finals and work this past semester, so you hadn’t been able to hang out as often as you used to.

seeing that the next part of his coursework wasn't due until next saturday, he decided he had just enough time.

anton: what about tmrw? 12pm at café bleu

"i was thinking..." you started. "what if we do another month-long trip this summer? like we did last year.”

anton grunted at the thought.

"honestly, i've stayed up countless nights this sem for this stupid assignment. i wanted to catch up on sleep thus summer.” i don't think i really have the time for another trip.

"oh. that's okay! we're both going back home anyway, so i'll just come over to yours like always."

"sure, if you want to watch me sleep all day."

but the way he said that - it was a clear no. he didn't have the time, not when he was going to spend all summer trying to catch up on missed sleep.

"never mind, then."

the waitress placed your orders in front of you, and the two of you began to eat in terse silence.

looking at him closely, you notice the darkened eyebags, the pale skin, the way he hadn't even bothered to wear a nice outfit. anton had been pretty cold towards you lately, and he felt guilty, but he couldn't help it. stress was a bully everyone was a victim of.

seeing the way your demeanour seemed to shrink, he was hit with a wave of shame and regret, and took hold of your hand.

"hey, remember that show we watched in senior year? it has a prequel movie coming out soon. we should watch it together."

you perked up immediately. "really? when?"

"november, i think."

he frowned when you faltered, but then you said something that completely sent his heart to the ground.

"i can’t. anton, i'm going on a study exchange programme."

talking to jake was easy. talking to him was nice.

in the three months since jake arrived from australia, anton and him had quickly become good friends, (although he would never be able to replace you). so of course he's sad that the exchange programme was coming to an end soon, and jake would have to leave for home.

however, that meant you'd be coming back too, and he was far more excited about that. the past three months had felt empty without you, even if you were a bit absent from his life for some time before the programme started.

so anton finds himself at café bleu in the same spot you'd told him about your plans, but this time with jake on the other side.

"we'll stay in touch though, yeah?" jake assured him. "i'll definitely come visit some time, this place is really great."

"i'll be looking forward to it."

"i think you're more looking forward to me leaving though, aye? what with your friend coming back too."

at the mention of you, anton couldn't stop the smile from spreading on his face. he really did miss you.

"yeah, she's my rock. always there for me - well, except for these past three months. hopefully you'll get to meet her when you visit."

"i'd love to meet the girl you've been talking about this whole time!"

"you'd get along well," anton nodded, imagining the three of you sharing a slice of cake at this very café. "hey, why don't i call her right now, and you can meet her? although it's just online."

jake nodded eagerly, "why not?"

pulling up his phone, anton quickly swiped to the favourites tab on his contacts app, and called you. after just two rings, you pick up.

"hey! what's up?" your voice greets him, bringing an instant smile to his face.

"nothing much, just wanted to introduce you to jake - he's the student who came in your place as part of the exchange programme," he introduced the guy, turning on his camera.

"oh, hi!" he hears you say after he turns the screen to face the other.

"hi! nice to finally meet you. hope australia treated you well,” jake starts smoothly.

"trust me, it has. everyone so nice and welcoming, i just love it here."

"sounds like you've settled in nicely, i'm almost sorry you'll have to pack up and leave again. but hey, you'll be back home and reunited with this guy, right?" jake laughed.

"well... about that."

anton knew something was up - your voice had that same tone as when you dropped the bomb that was you leaving for the next three months. just before you said your next line, anton felt his heart sink again like it did the first time.

"i've decided to transfer here.

"anton, i'm staying in australia."

once again, anton finds himself in a graduation gown. but for the first time, you're not at his side.

looking at the photos his mother took of him on her phone, he couldn't help but feel a little upset by the lack of you next to him. for the past nine years, he's never had much solo photos; you were always with him, sharing these moments.

but this time 'round, he's completely alone, and your friendship has devolved to instagram mutuals, reduced to liking each other's posts and reacting to stories. the thought leaves a bitter taste in his mouth.

surprisingly, your mother still came to watch him graduate, even if he was only ever just her friend's son.

"oh, anton. you've grown so much since i first met you."

"thank you, auntie," he says awkwardly.

"you know, i miss the two of you. my daughter's all the way in another country, so i barely see you anymore..." she trails off in thought. in the past few years since you left, she seemed to soften up in your absence, no doubt missing you despite the strained relationship between the two of you when you left.

"oh! have you seen the photos? she just graduated herself last week," she fished for her phone in her bag, and began to swipe through her camera roll to show him.

"i wish i could've been there, but i'm not sure she would've wanted that. she's lucky her dad attended instead."

anton shakes his head. "not true, i'm sure she would've wanted you there."

but he wasn’t sure. have your feelings about your mother changed? or were you still upset with her? he doesn’t know. he hasn’t known much about you in a long time.

"i guess we'll never know, will we?"

swiping through more photos, anton's eye caught onto a few of them, where you were standing particularly close to another guy.

"auntie, who's this?"

"ah, him? why, that's her boyfriend, of course." she then turned to look at him oddly. "hasn't she told you?"

he frowned, and shook his head. he's a little off put by the fact that you didn't bother telling him, but then again. you two haven't exactly been friends in a very long time.

and just like that, memories of a pact resurface in his head. it was never going to come true, wasn't it? but if you ended up marrying this guy, anton could never bring himself to watch.

the sound of his friends' voices brought him back to reality. "hey, anton! come over here-" and he forced himself to shake off the thoughts, joining the group instead.

anton had been learning to live life without you for the past four or five years now. he had a new friend group, a nice job in the city, his own apartment, all without his best friend. it was hard to unlearn all the mannerisms he didn't even realise he had for you, not until he would get home from the grocery and realise he bought two boxes of sushi like you used to share, or when he'd almost bought a second, folding mattress for when you'd come over for a sleepover, or even just holding an extra hair tie or two on his wrist in case you needed one.

and that was all in the past now, he's finally began to move on from mourning the loss of your friendship. he only thinks about you once in a blue moon, and his life feels like it's no longer on pause.

but you were always cruel to him.

"wait, what?"

right when he'd begun to move on, you came back.

anton stared at you in shock; when he heard the doorbell ring that day, he'd never have expected you to be on the other side. an intelligent 'wait, what?' was all he could muster when he finally registered just what, or who he was seeing.

"hi," you say in that familiar voice of yours. and you almost sound out of breath, although its clear you hadn't run there.

he finally lets you in after a moment, and you explain how you're moving back, and starting at a local company. you tell him about life back in australia, the friends and experiences you made. you tell him about the past five years of your life as if it was just any normal day after high school.

as if you hadn't just completely left him on his own, his other half gone with you.

although the conversation is stilted and awkward, and theres a gap between you that feels wider than the distance between australia and home, anton's still glad to see you. it almost feels unreal, and he wouldn't believe any of this was real if he couldn't feel your weight pushing down on the sofa, or the very essence of you in his living room.

you and anton agree to get coffee some time after you've settled back in, and he asks if you need any help.

"yes, please! its like i brought my whole life from australia back with me, what with all the boxes i need to unpack."

and so, leaning against the door frame, anton watches you walk away again, catching himself wondering if it would be the last time he'd see you again in a while. he had to keep reminding himself that you were back for good.

"oh, and me and my boyfriend broke up."

anton sucks in a breath, and slips his hands in his pocket to hide the shaking. he wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel - angry? relieved? sorry? anton hasn't known how to feel in years.

"just wanted you to know," you spoke into the air, after you received no response from him.

so with an awkward wave, you leave him once again, with a promise to see each other soon.

"happy birthday!" people greet as they enter the bar, giving anton a quick hug.

"thank you," he smiles back. "wow, twenty-seven. i feel so old."

"twenty-seven isn't that old," you tell him, hugging him from behind as a surprise. he chuckles and holds onto your arms clasped around his middle for a bit before letting you go sit across him.

"think about it, we've been friends for longer than we haven't!"

"including those four or five years we barely spoke?" you raised an eyebrow at him, taking a sip from your glass.

"shh, what years? we've always been as thick as thieves," anton grins, pinching your cheek.

after you moved back, it didn't take that long to rekindle your previous relationship. somehow, you two picked up right where you left off, like there was never a period in your friendship filled with almost radio silence.

"you two," eunseok sighed with an exasperated but fond tone. "if i didn't know you guys were 'just friends', i would've thought you were dating."

"or married!" sohee shouts from somewhere.

you roll your eyes at your friends and coworkers, the guests. dating allegation were nothing new in your relationship, having suffered from them for over ten years now.

"we have been friends for a while now, huh? fourteen years is pretty crazy."

"i honestly can't remember a time when i didn't know you," anton agrees.

"being 'friends' for longer than you haven't is quite the achievement," wonbin remarks with a knowing look. "personally, i don't have toothbrushes and extra clothes at my house for my friends though."

all this talk of friends and friendship was making your head hurt.

"anton, remember the pact we made at sixteen?"

anton looked at you sharply, knowing exactly what you were referring to, but asking anyway. "no. remind me again?"

with a scoff and a smile, you said, without regard to the fact that everyone was half-listening, "when we promised we'd marry each other by thirty if we were both still single?"

clinks of glass and utensils falling around the two of you, your friends were suddenly more invested in the conversation, not even trying to hide their curiosity.

"you really want to talk about this right now? in front of everyone?" anton murmured, voice low enough just for you to hear.

you stared at him, and then continued.

"well, looks like there's three years left to our promise. three years left to run away from me." that pulled out some laughs.

anton just stared at you with a mix of surprise and uncertainty.

"well, i haven't run away for these last eleven years since, have i?"

whoops and cheers filled the bar; you yourself were surprised with anton's boldness and honesty. you always did wonder why he barely ever dated, only ever having a few flings here and there.

suddenly, you felt a little flustered by his bold declaration, and the implication that he'll wait out the remaining years.

"i..."

suddenly, anton's face morphed into a smirk as he took another sip from his own glass, eyes still on you.

"what's another three years?"

"ah, my mom keeps asking when i'm going to settle down," you whine to anton, sitting in his living room as you two share a late midnight snack.

something about it all feels nostalgic, whining and complaining about your mom to him, sitting in his comfy room (or this time, his apartment), with a vinyl record playing in the background. this is home, you decided.

what you don't tell him is that your mom had been more specific with her words.

(when are you and anton going to get married and settle down?? i want grandkids, you know!)

anton laughs lightly, feeding you another sushi. the whole atmosphere was quite domestic, and you wished you could spend the rest of your life like this; with him.

"some things never change, do they?" he remarks with a fond smile. and your heart melts a little.

(hopefully soon, mama.)

"isn't sushi a little heavy for a midnight snack?"

"well, it's not just any midnight, isn't it?" anton asks.

and he's right. it's actually a special one - the night before your birthday.

looking at the clock, you see that it's almost twelve, and you find yourself thinking back on the past twenty-nine years. anton's in most of the memories, something you weren't particularly bothered about. when you two spent that day at the arcade together, something about it all just felt right.

you've always loved change, always wanted more experiences. but one thing you wanted to stay the same forever, was anton being by your side. when you'd gone to australia, it was a slow realisation that some part of you was missing. only when you reunited with anton did you realise why that was.

the soft beeping noise of a clock brought you back from your thoughts, signalling that it was finally twelve o'clock. that you were finally thirty. hearing shuffling behind you, you turn to look at anton for the annual hug and cheer that made your whole birthday.

but instead, you watched in shock as anton sunk onto one knee, and pulled out a box.

"don't look so surprised, now," he chuckles awkwardly. "this was a long time coming."

"i know... i just. i didn't expect you'd do it as soon as i turned thirty," you laughed. "looks like someone couldn't wait any longer."

"can you blame a man who waited fourteen years?"

you shook your head before anton called our your name, even though he already had your full attention.

"my only love, i don't have to hide my feelings anymore. i love you."

with a deep breath, filled with years and years of longing, he finally asked.

"will you marry me?"

TAGLIST ✦ @yoursyuno @totheseok

#MUJEANS ✦ FICS #riize #anton riize #anton x reader #lee chanyoung #chanyoung x reader #anton fluff #anton scenarios #anton imagines #riize fics #anton fics #riize x reader #lee chanyoung x reader #riize anton x reader #anton one shot

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sp0o0kylights · 1 year ago

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"I feel him." El insists. "Alive."

She hasn't said his name since Will first raised them all over the walkie, but every person in the room knows who she means.

Not that Steve can say his name either.

"But we watched him die." Nancy says gently, before Dustin properly loses it from where he sits in the corner. "Owen's even sent someone back through to check."

"Yes." El agrees, but it's clear she's frustrated. "He died here. But he's not alive here, he's alive over there."

"In the Upside Down?" Steve asks, and pretends his voice isn't cracking with desperation and barely concealed hope.

"No!" El snaps, before taking a deep breath and collecting herself to try again. "Through the other gate."

"Okay." Hopper cuts in, hands waving in some kind of "stay calm" gesture. "El, honey, I think we're all still hung up about the other gate." He pauses, before adding. "And how Creel dying opened it."

El gives him a thousand yard stare.

"I'm getting the crayons." Joyce sighs as she stands up. In a mutter she continues, "Should have gotten them to begin with."

Silently, Steve agrees.

xXx Eddie xXx

It goes like this.

A bat breaks through the side of the trailer. It swoops low, teeth rattling, but it doesn't attack.

It emits an odd, echoing screech, before flying through the gate, to the Rightside-Up.

"Shit." Dustin curses wildly. "Shit, they're gonna try and invade!"

"I thought they were guarding the gate!" Eddie protests, as that echoing scream returns tenfold, coming from the mouths of too many demobats. “If they wanted to invade wouldn’t they have done that already!?”

"No, because Vecna was focused on opening more gates! This must be his plan--to open enough gates to push an army through. We have to lead them away!"

"Dustin-!" Eddie calls out desperately, but finds himself overwhelmed by bats as more and more break through.

He fights through them, trying to get to Dustin, trying to listen to what the kid’s screaming.

He can’t hear him.

Not over all the screeching, the beating bat wings and the thudding noises as they smack at his head. Their teeth snap, tearing into every piece of him they can reach.

Eddie doesn’t know how long he’s been surrounded, but he hears the trailer door bang open--and shut.

"Dustin!" He screams this time, voice as loud as he can make it.

The kid’s faster than he is.

He’d planned this--or at least, had thought about it long enough to get himself a solid head start, leaving Eddie scrambling after.

Fighting through the torrents of bats. Abandoning the gate because Hawkins can burn for all he cares--but there are people who don't deserve to go down with it.

People like Henderson, who have bright futures ahead of them.

Eddie tears his way towards Dustin, unthinking, just running.

‘Stupid, stupid, stupid-!’ He thinks, but not at Dustin.

At himself, because he knows the kid. Knows what to expect from how he acts in games.

Steve even called it--and Eddie’s not stupid enough to think he was talking to both of them when he warned them about not being a hero. He was included purely because Dustin would fuss otherwise and they were short on time.

Dustin’s on the ground when Eddie finds him, and he whips his spear at the few dozen bats that attack him, their bodies circling, teeth biting.

He gets in two good hits before shit hits the fan.

To his right something explodes, flames high and reaching, a thunderous boom whipping out so loud that Eddie's ears ring.

A shockwave nearly takes him off his feet, bandana pulled from his head and freeing his hair.

Eddie crashes on the ground next to Dustin.

Sees all the blood and doesn't know what to do.

"Come on man." Eddie pleads. "Come on!"

He doesn't get an answer.

It goes like this.

Vecna’s dead.

The blast that killed him was from some kind of explosion that took out all of Creel House.

It fireballed skyward, and the Upside Down rapidly began doing….something, seconds after.

Returning, Eddie decides, to whatever it was before the asshole got thrown in here.

Or dying, maybe.

(This is easier to think about than the fact that no one could have survived that blast. That there's a black hole Eddie can see, and it has to wrap miles and miles around the Creel House because he's still near his trailer.

It the trees down the stupid hill didn't make it then Robin, and Nancy, and Steve--

He stops. Shakes his head.

If Eddie thinks about it, it will make it real.

He can't let it be real.),

The monsters all fall as one, dropping to the ground like puppets with cut strings.

Eddie had been pummeled by a few demobat bodies before he could get clear, though given how some still occasionally twitch and hop around weakly after, Vecna's death doesn't necessarily equal their own.

Madly, he crushes a few beneath his boots.

Knows that won't bring his friends back.

Stomps on a few more because he can't do anything about that, and he can't cry any harder.

It goes like this.

Eddie gets back topside to find Vecna's revenge in action.

It's an act worthy of a mad god, not that Eddie would ever give him such a title.

Hawkins wasn't split. It was consumed, with large portions falling deep into the earth that opened under it. Smoke chokes half the town from an outburst of fires, while downed trees and electrical lines make walking a chore.

The road is a cracked and pitted mess, littered with holes large enough to swallow entire cars.

Passage is nigh impossible by car, and downright dangerous by foot.

It makes Eddie want to sink to his knees in despair.

There were still people around, that first day.

There were still people around the second and fifth days too.

But then the monsters appear.

They're not the demobats, or demodogs or even the demogorgons that Eddie was told of.

They're something--else.

Mutated and mutating, taking on appearances that reflect both the Upside Down and the Right-Side Up (a term coined by one of the freshmen--Eddie can't recall which.)

Actual flowers, great purple and orange looking blooms sprout teeth and attack. Vines stick out of arcade cabinets, carting them around like a hermit crabs shell.

Some people breathe the falling little pieces of ash and suddenly aren't people anymore.

(It was Erica, who had coined the term. The Right-Side Up.

Erica who was also deceased, because the fucking explosion didn't just take out the Upside Down version of the Creel house, but the real one too.

Which meant Max and Lucas and Erica…

But Eddie's not thinking about that.)

It goes like this.

Wayne's gone.

He'd been at the plant when the Earth had swallowed it, his first day back to work because he'd used all his PTO trying to find Eddie.

The coworker who watched it happen makes sure to tell Eddie his uncle insisted he was innocent. That the old man never stopped looking.

Likewise, the trailer is gone.

It fell barely a day after Eddie had climbed out of it, one half eaten while the other teetered dangerously on the edge.

There's cops at the borders of the city.

They’re been commandeered by the military and the feds both, and people in heavy gear prowl around like guard dogs just waiting to be let off leash.

Helicopters fill the air, always circling and searching. Units of men and women begin parading around with guns as they escort tanks and other battle equipment through the streets.

They're looking for something besides the monsters, and they're happy to cut the phone lines and police the survivors to find it.

No one's allowed in--or out.

Eddie tries to escape the first few days, after he realizes everyone who knew the truth is gone.

Thinks maybe he can get to the Byers, and that super powered girl out in California, but keeps getting cut off.

Twice they've nearly caught him, which means twice Eddie has been forced to come to terms with the fact that he's one of the things they're after.

They know him by name.

They know he was involved in Creel's takedown.

Eddie"s not just being hunted by the town now.

He’s being hunted by the United States as a whole.

It goes like this.

Eddie doesn't want to die.

Can't bring himself to take his own life, forever too much of a coward.

So he berates himself while he hides.

Wonders what the fuck his plan is here.

Focuses on surviving, stealing food, sleeping in people he loves houses and hoping maybe some of them made it out.

(Given how Gareth's and Jeff's places are both untouched, he doesn't think they did.)

He’s never prayed before but now he’s praying to every deity he can think of. Hoping, wishing, that if he can’t get out alive, he at least goes down quickly.

It goes like this.

Steve Harrington walks out of the woods with a nailbat in his hands, like a blood soaked fever dream.

Eddie doesn't care.

He hugs him so hard his own ribs hurt and the crazy thing is Steve hugs him back even harder.

"You're alive." Eddie sobs, face buried in Steve's shoulder.,"You're alive, you're alive…"

Steve grips him for a moment before whispering back; "And so are you."

He pulls away and Eddie struggles against him, not ready to let go, fingers grasping at his shirt.

Steve strokes his hair, his stupid tangled, gross hair and Eddie looks at him, desperately needing the contact to prove that Steve is real.

That he’s here.

"I need you to listen--I'm not your Steve." Steve says, and Eddie’s so desperate for contact that the words don’t register for a moment.

Not that they make sense when they do.

"What?" Eddie asks.

"There’s a--okay.” Steve sighs, before saying; “I am going to absolutely blow the explanation, but I need you to trust me.”

“I do.” Eddie says, even as Steve fulfills his own prophecy, and gives a completely nonsensical explanation.

At the end of it, Eddie can’t bring himself to care.

As long as he has Steve back--even if it’s not technically his Steve, Eddie will follow him wherever he goes.

#MY COMPUTERS FIXED #HAVE MULTIPLE DIMENSION SHENANGINS #There's a part in Transformers MTMTE where this dudes husband gets murdered in a massacre in one dimension and due to Scientist Shenanigans #his husband gets him back by pulling him from another timeline where everyone ELSE died.#There's a lot of PTSD involved and i wanted that for Steddie so here we are.#steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #0o0 fanfics #tw death #tw canonical and non canonical death #but like #they get better #sorta #is stealing someone from another dimension better #pre steddie #one day I will write actual steddie #stranger things fanfic #angst #hurt/comfort #I suppose specific #tw dustin death #though I dont really go into it #or any of them #and again #THEY GET BETTER LOL #sort of #also I need you to know the husbands from TF MTMTE are canonical husbands #thats important lol #they gay

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horrorvale · 2 months ago

Text

HorrorVale Development Blog: End of Year

Hello, citizens of HorrorVale!

As the year draws to a close, we (or more specifically me, Dustin) wanted to put together a little blog to talk about HorrorVale! How launch went, what our current and future plans are, and more!

(Note that this blog post does not receive audio, so if you respond I cannot hear it.)

Dream Colosseum

First, before I start talking about HorrorVale's Launch, I want to discuss an upcoming patch.

Currently, we're working on a massive patch for HorrorVale that will include the following:

Even MORE bug fixes

Brand new optional dialogue for every single party member in the game for main story cutscenes

More skill re-balancing

Other minor things and scenes I still wish to include

But most importantly... The DREAM COLOSSEUM!

I originally didn't think many people would bother with the "Secret Bosses" in HorrorVale, but since so many of you enjoyed them and also desired to get more opportunities to mess with party combinations, I decided to punish you horribly!

The Dream Colosseum is a brand new feature that will allow you to fight Bosses you fought previously, now all scaled up to End game stats, with new moves and quirks, and all very difficult.

If you've fought the "Last Secret Boss", now you get to imagine what a Dream Colosseum version might be like.

It will require you to 100% the game to access, but won't give any unique rewards outside of a cosmetic change to Alice's bedroom so people don't feel compelled to torture themselves for completionists sake. Naturally, there won't be any new trophies either.

Right now we're working steadily on this update, and hope to have it out very early next year.

Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about how launch actually went for HorrorVale...

HorrorVale Launch

After 8 years in development and 5 years since announced, HorrorVale finally released on October 1st, 2024.

This reception has been tremendous.

Leading up to release, I was anxious but overall feeling pretty good about launch. There were minor things I wish I had included or changed, but knew that delaying what was otherwise a feature complete game would be extremely silly.

I actually intended on releasing these things as a patch in the first week of launch, in the hopes of catching most people before they get too deep in the game.

...What I did not expect however, was the unfortunate discovery of several bugs, some of which were game breaking.

What made these bugs especially frustrating is that most of them were NEW bugs, created from me adding things right before launch, or fixing other unrelated bugs.

Due to these bugs and the massive influx of new fans, comments, reviews, and more I found myself extremely overwhelmed, and it ended up being probably one of the most stressful 2 weeks of my life after launch.

In the end, everything worked out and I was quick to patch the game...

...Multiple times.

Still, despite these issues the reception was overwhelmingly positive. Certainly some critiques here and there, but the general response was that the game was so enjoyable that even the most egregious critiques could be brushed aside. All of the wonderful things I've read by people who had fun in the world I created... It truly means the world to me. The... Underworld you might say.

I'm sure some people are also interested in how the game actually DID. Good reviews and positive reception are one thing, but this is also a product being sold, so how did it DO!? Did it SMASH RECORDS and become bigger than UNDERTALE? Did it FLOP???

Well, to be honest I'm not entirely sure!

Which is a strange thing to say, but it's difficult to gauge "Success" when so many factors can change what that means. For a AAA game, success means something very different to a small indie game with a publisher, which also means something very different to a ragtag team of people with no real budget, no publisher, no marketing, and especially no notoriety whatsoever. Not to mention as first time developers we have little to compare it to...

But that being said...

As of right now, HorrorVale has sold...

1,000 COPIES!

That's an INSANE amount of people. If all of you were in a big room crowded around me, I would be very scared.

That's 1,000 new citizens to HorrorVale that have entered its gates.

If we gauge success purely based off "did it make back what you invested in it?", then HorrorVale was absolutely a success!

However, unfortunately it did not necessarily meet the expectations we had.

Going into the launch of HorrorVale, I had 3 goals in mind.

To make back what I invested in it (out of pocket, not including Patreon earnings)

To pay Matt, the composer full royalties for the HorrorVale OST (since he created the entire 170 track monster soundtrack for FREE.)

To be able to devote myself full time to Game Development

Of these three... Only 1 has been achieved so far.

While I generally try to avoid discussing topics like these, I feel like it's important context for the next piece of discussion. The future of HorrorVale.

HorrorVale: Act M

HorrorVale: Act M is a small side story featuring none other than Mothman himself! This spinoff game was greenlit thanks to HorrorVale fans reaching our Wishlist goal for the main game. This game will tell the story of HorrorVale from Mothman's perspective, giving you new insight into his side of the story, as well as elaborate on events leading up to and following that story.

I think there's something really special waiting for you in Act M, and I want to use it as an opportunity to experiment with the HorrorVale formula based off of feedback from the main game.

No matter what, this project will begin development and it will be in your hands....

...At some point.

Which is where the previous topic comes into play, because naturally how long Act M takes to make is dependent on the time I have free to work on it. HorrorVale sales could certainly pick up, and I might one day be able to devote myself fully to game dev, but for now Act M will have to follow the same development process as "HorrorVale", which means it's difficult to give an estimate of how long it'll take to make!

What I can say for sure, is that Act: M will be much, much shorter than HorrorVale. Don't expect a 50 hour experience! I'm aiming for something more like 8.

And yet, you might be asking yourself dear reader...

"How can we help?"

Indeed, you asked yourself that exact sentence and in the voice of the King from Zelda CD-I no doubt.

Which brings us to the next topic!

Patreon Revival

My original plan after HorrorVale launched was to completely retire the HorrorVale Patreon as it seemed unnecessary at that point, but since:

We did not reach our expectations of sales so far

Several fans expressed a desire to support the game in some way because of the Steam Early Access debacle

I thought it made sense to keep it up and give it a little makeover.

Now fully dedicated to "Act: M", you can expect Monthly Progress Reports here, just like the main game!

Not only that, but we've added a brand new "Cryptid" Tier, that will allow you... Yes YOU! The ability to design a Creepy, Scary, or Starry for Mothman to fight in Act: M! We don't want Mothman to just fight all the same enemies as Alice! He'd naturally encounter foes she never even knew existed. This is your opportunity to help the game out and get to be a part of it as well.

(Please note that in order to participate in this reward, you must be 18 years or older and willing to give all rights of your design to Batworks Software.)

(Also please note that Mothman will kill your beautiful creation with a crossbow and it will hurt very badly.)

Since as of now I can't "live" off of HorrorVale sales, instead my plan is to put it and Act: M Patreon earnings towards Act: M itself and Mystery Future Project. This will help ensure a smooth development cycle as possible. If you're interested in helping out the HorrorVale universe, now's your chance!

Of course, forking over your hard earned candy isn't the only way to help though!

Just enjoying the game and telling your friends about it is a MASSIVE help. Without a marketing team, word of mouth is a tremendous help to us, and it's thanks to that that we're here at all!

Closing

In closing, I just want to say thank you to all of the HorrorVale fans that have supported us over all these years. The love that HorrorVale has been shown has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. As long as I'm able to, I'd like to read every comment and message I can, but I fear that if the game does get bigger one day I won't be able to see them all. Just know that the love you've given Alice and her friends mean the world to me.

Wait Stop Right There What Do You MEAN "Mystery Future Project"???

That's all for now goodbye!!!!!!

*The device he was speaking from explodes spontaneously*

#horrorvale #halloween #rpg maker

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spirits-and-sluts · 8 months ago

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So I played through some more dbh last night and woke up thinking, God, there is a good reason Markus and Kara, and their respective companions never got as popular as Connor and Hank. Literally The Bridge is surrounded by the most *do everything for absolutely no reason* chapters, and there's no comparison.

First the Kara chapter wastes your time, she barely gets any small talk in with Luther, then the car breaks down, then you're just doing tiny tasks, doing a shitty sum up of her story so far when Alice asks you to make one up- they could have done something interesting with that story but they chose not to, literally anything specific anything that would function as a parallel to their journey would have actually had some value. Then you barely start a conversation with Luther, where are you maybe get a hint of his personality before we're back to just talking about the plot and Alice, but then it's over again and you meet the Jerries and you learn almost nothing about them.

It is a chapter where you do nothing interesting, and you learn almost nothing about the main characters, for a downtime chapter, I expect character development and get barely a sneeze of it. There is so much room and so much time for you to really push and question your main characters but it just doesn't get used.

Honestly I think the protagonists all could have probably really benefited from the audience getting to hear their internal monologues if they weren't actually going to talk to their companion characters, but even that would just be a substitute for decent writing.

Either way, after that, we come back to Connor and Hank, who do almost no tasks in this chapter, *but spend the entire time TALKING.* They talk to each other in a constant volley back and forth for the entire length of the chapter and it's probably one of the best chapters in the game, it's certainly one of the most important in their story. You spend the entire bridge scene learning more about Hank and Connor's inner worlds, and how they think, and how they feel, you spend the whole chapter learning so much about their perspectives, this chapter is all about asking the hard questions about both of their individual characters, and the tension is high, it's a straightforward chapter to play, and it really fucking feels like your choices matter here, there will be immediate consequences, not just walking through your environment trying to find the right answer, or being dragged through an interaction. It's just plain good.

And then Markus infiltrates the Stratford Tower, and you get the most boring and useless and frustrating chapter in the game that doesn't seem to serve any purpose beyond looking cool. If Kara's last chapter was only to gain sympathy and create some soft and fuzzy feelings, this chapter is only about looking cinematic. This is probably my least favorite chapter in the game, honestly I've just gotten lost on that yellow ass office floor building too many times, even though I'm very familiar with the game now I still managed to get lost again last night.

I will admit that eventually it does become an opportunity to decide between pacifism and violence but that seems to be the only real development for Markus, and it wouldn't have been hard to make that kind of opportunity in another setting. Because we get next to nothing watching him get past the front desk, or from walking around that floor, just some outfit changes and pretending to be a machine and a little more Android hate in the background, Markus is almost completely silent yet again, there is almost no talking with North once she appears. We actually get more about North's personality here than Markus', she just feels like she has more lines somehow, because sometimes she just talks without it being connected to the plot and Markus never does.

This bit is more speculative, but my fiance and I were going off last night about whyyyy did they have to break into the tower? We're never given any reason for what the steps are and why they are important, just usually pretty important in these mission impossible type scenes, they're usually explaining in a voice-over why they are taking the steps that they are taking. But we get no explanation for why he needs to go to the 47th floor or whatever, No explanation for why he needs to change into a maintenance Android uniform, why North was in the stairwell, how Josh and Simon got in, it's all just handwaved, and whyyyyyy they couldn't have just?? Made a recording and then hacked the station's broadcast remotely and basically just posted the speech? I don't know, it's just a particularly frustrating chapter to play, personally, but it isn't strong.

Either way, you've got two chapters with next to no character development, that just have a lot of empty space and time where the characters could have been talking or could have been doing something else, but didn't because the vibes were more important, sandwiching a simple scene with ten pounds of character development and it just feels weird. And once I noticed it, it just made the Kara and Markus chapters look incredibly weak and poorly written... And conversely, make the Connor and Hank chapter look much, much stronger in comparison.

It's like Detroit become human almost needs it's own type of Bechdel Test, just to show how much they fail Markus and Kara. "Do they talk about something that isn't the plot?"

"Do Kara and Luther talk about something that isn't Alice or getting to Canada?" "Does Markus talk about anything besides his speech for this chapter?" "Does Alice talk at all beyond basic communication with Kara?" "Does Markus or his buddies talk about anything that's not the revolution or just Markus himself?"

... They don't pass a lot.

It's just hard to take these characters above simply *likeable* when they just, don't, ever, talk. There's little to no development for Markus or Kara, and because they've just become deviants, there's hardly any character establishment in the first place, they barely even get the chance to just be flat, because if they don't really know who they are, we don't really know who they are.

Connor and Hank's friendship is more functionally the main plot, more so than the deviant investigation, and for Markus and the team, and Kara with Alice, that's simply just not the case, there is hardly any relationship, they're just in the same boat. This is why Connor got astronomically more popular, and why he and Hank have the staying power that they do.

Markus and Kara just don't ever talk, and Connor does. And I'm fucking mad about it. The amount of time that was just wasted in their stories, I could probably take a damn stopwatch to all the moments where there could have been a little something-something, and nothing was put there. It's not to say Connor doesn't get some quiet moments too but he always gets the chance to make up for it.

Even at the beginning of the Stratford Tower chapter, I noticed that they could have had Simon and North talking about something maybe unrelated when Markus walks up, but there's nothing, only silence until Markus comes in with a plan. And of course we know about every time Luther tries to bring up the fact that Alice is an android, only to be shut down and walked away from. It fucking kills me how much time Mark is has the focus of the camera but it's only so he could look cool for a minute, and share no thoughts of his own, none of his new feelings, everything is only implied and then followed by the action where he is only allowed to be the leader of the revolution and never just Markus. There's a tragedy in that, but they could have driven it home harder by *pointing that out.*

#dean talks to himself #detroit become human #dbh connor #markus dbh #Kara dbh #and it's not like i don't know there's racism and sexism in fandom and in production. obviously Connor is a white man. i didn't forget #and there's the insanity that happened with GR and creating all that personality for an asshole with four appearances throughout the game #which makes you wonder why didn't the fandom do the same for Markus and Kara bc wtf #But honestly the logic kind of tracks. GR showed so much personality and he has the benefit of being human so we can more easily extrapolat #we know what humans tend to do with their time and what they act like and we barely get to see any androids actually doing the whole #becoming human thing.#I've tried building them up in my head but I'll admit it's kind of hard. they're more blank slate than sandbox #GR is a human and Hank's foil and that's easy to extrapolate on. 900 is Connor but Better and that's easy to extrapolate on #i think we somehow see too much and not enough of Markus and Kara and it has us pressing the brake and the gas at the same time #just trying to figure them out around these points. it's like a damn maze and a lot of speculation that doesn't have anything to grab onto #it's just a damn crying fucking shame because there was so much time to spend on them and it just doesn't get spent on them #anyway rant over hope you didn't hate it

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freakartack · 8 months ago

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What is your least favourite misconception or fan interpretation of the WarioWare cast?

And/or do you have a favourite headcanon the community has made for the cast?

Oooohhhh we are really going for the hot hot takes today huh. Just handing me the baseball bat like that

Well I suppose it had to come to this. I've been dancing around this for far too long. It's time for

TOP 10 FREAKATTACK HARDASS MOMENTS

NOTE: please do not open this if me shitting on popular headcanons will ruin your day. I don't generally care what people do with their life do what you want forever

OK with that out of the way it's time to get narsty. Many of these will be ship-related so if that will make you mad or bored just a heads up

1. MONA AND WARIO ARE IN LOVE

OK i lied you can't do this one forever. ENOUGH!! She is in HIGH SCHOOL and if you think she has to secretly be an adult just because she has a job and drives a scooter then not only have you never been to high school but you also have not been paying attention during any of Kat and Ana's cutscenes. "High schoolers don't usually drive that much" 5-year-olds don't usually trek the mountains high and kill people with swords but they do. I get when people get frustrated that almost all the girl characters in warioware are marketable kids, because that does kind of suck, but you can't just ignore that to get shippy about it. Cmon. "Wario was dreaming about her in that 1 microgame break" yeah, and I thought that was weird. I choose to read it as a non-romantic moment (since, again, he's old enough to be her dad), and the fact is that nothing like that has happened since. Yeah mona might think he's a hunka hunka but she has every right to! Doesn't mean they have to get married

2. MIKE AND ORBULON ARE IN LOVE

This one will stir far more pots/torches/pitchforks/etc. but since we're bringing out the fine china i might as well go all out. Here's my reasoning: Orbulon is 2000 years old. Mike is like 2. I'm not saying this one is Problematic (mike is a robot that can file taxes after all) but moreso that it is unrealistic. Picture this: You are orbulon, with all of your weird hangups and whatnot. Your buddy that fixes your car all the time and plays Go with you just had a robot son. Would you fall in love with him? Probably not. On the other end of the coin, you're the robot son now. Your inventor/employer/cyborg dad keeps inviting this weird animal into your house to study it. I don't think he would fall in love with that either. "I would," you say, "i'm built different." And more power to you. I just don't think they are.

3. LUIGI AND DAISY ARE MONA'S PARENTS

FINALLY, a non-shippy one! Anyways, since Get it Together came out, a lot of people took one blurry picture on the wall and the shape of mona's house to mean that Mona's House is actually Luigi's Mansion and that Luigi and Daisy had a child together 16 years ago and promptly abandoned it to play tennis. I think it is obvious by now that I don't think that's true. Not only has Mona described her parents extensively (one of them is an artist that is obsessed with noses, the other is a supermodel that travels the world), but neither of them are anything like Luigi and Daisy. "But what if Luigi is secretly obsessed with noses and Daisy is secretly a supermodel," you say. Okay. Then I think that Luigi cheated on Daisy with Peach, and had Rosalina together, because Peach and Rosalina both have blond hair and Luigi had a telescope once. Don't play games with me, Matthew. I know what you are.

4. PYORO IS INNOCENT

He's not

--------------------

OK now that all of that is out of the way, let's move on to the fun stuff. Top ten favorite things that people have said about warioware!!!

1. PENNY IS DR. CRYGOR'S CLONE

I first saw this thought expressed here, but I've seen many people continue the sentiment and I think it's beautiful. Penny Crygor is the good doctor's transgender lesbian clone whom we all love dearly.

2. ORBULON KNOWS WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH POLYBIUS BUT WON'T TELL ANYONE

Self-explanatory. Unfortunately the genius who thought of this one has since deactivated and the post is forever under an inaccessible read-more so this is the only evidence i have that it ever existed. You have to trust me on this one.

3. WARIO IS LIKE THEIR DAD

This isn't really a headcanon moreso a popular interpretation of the text but I do like to think that despite being a jackass he does genuinely care about all the weirdos he has racked up, including the many wayward children that have glommed onto him over the years. This is like every toxic "we're all a family here!" workplace, except that they actually are all a family here and it's toxic for unrelated reasons

#not art #THESE ARE THE WITNESS PROTECTION TAKES I WAS TALKING ABOUT

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ms-demeanor · 1 year ago

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Hey! I appreciate your perspective on computer-based things. I think I need to get a laptop and would love your opinion on decent brands. If you don't have an opinion or want to answer please disregard the q.

Context: I'm often on the move and really want something small, light, and that will last a long time. I'm bad about buying new things or taking things to be fixed so ideally it's not something that dies quickly or needs frequent repairs. For a while I used an iPad for this but I need more of a keyboard than tablets have and the shelf life of an iPad is shorter than it should be for the cost. Mine is 7 years old and only works while plugged in... I liked my Macbook Pro I got for college but it's almost 15 years old and given I haven't needed a new one since I don't think spending all that on a Mac makes sense either. I use a gaming PC mostly but I'm going to need to travel a lot more in the upcoming year. I'm ok to spend up a bit since I want it to last.

I think you're going to have to adjust your expectations about the average functional lifespan of electronics. Seven years is a lot to get out of any tablet and fifteen years is way way way above average for a computer.

At work we estimate that the functional lifespan of a laptop will be around five years and the functional life of a desktop will be around seven years; we include upgrades in that lifespan, like adding RAM and storage.

It is not *unusual* to get more than five years out of a laptop or seven years out of a desktop, but if you are a heavy user of anything other than a browser and a word processor, that's about the time when you'll find that the computer feels slow enough to be frustrating. This isn't a hard limit, and it's not something that everyone experiences because people use computers differently, but if you're an artist and you use a drawing program that program will start to feel slow after a while because as updates and patches and drivers have been tweaked for newer devices they've slowly left your device in the dust.

This isn't planned obsolescence, by the way. Computer manufacturers try to "future proof" their devices to a certain extent, but you just can't anticipate certain kinds of changes. Maybe your laptop was manufactured before there were consumer SSDs available so its operating system doesn't take the advantages and limitations of SSDs into account. Maybe your desktop was built for DDR3 RAM and we're now on DDR5 and people aren't writing programs to the standard of the old technology, they're taking advantage of the standards of the new technology.

Since you were able to use your devices comfortably for such a long time, it sounds like you're not a very heavy user and don't need to worry too much about beefing up your specs. However it does sound like you want to keep your computer and use it as long as possible while paying a reasonable price for it (which is good! I think we should all try to extend the lives of our electronic devices as much as possible!).

I actually think you sound like a good match for a Framework laptop.

Framework is a company that makes laptops that are a lot more modular than what's on the market these days. They're mean to be easy to open up for upgrades and sturdy for heavy use. Most of the parts of the laptop are easily replaceable - including the screen - so you can use them for a long time and easily make upgrades that will help the computer feel fresher.

They're a bit more expensive than comparable PCs but much easier to repair if you aren't comfortable opening up your own computer (framework is intentionally built to be easy for people who are non-technical to work on their computers), and they are a LOT less expensive than comparable macs.

I still think you're probably looking at around 7 years of regular use out of a Framework and it won't *break* at that point, it will just. Probably be a bit slow and frustrating. You might not be able to get parts for it after a certain point. You eventually won't be able to upgrade the OS. But that's true of all computers.

I've still got my 2005 macbook. It still turns on, I can still use garage band on it. But it doesn't connect to the internet and uses such an old USB standard that it is extremely slow to transfer data on or off of and it cries and freezes if i try to use photoshop. It's not broken, it's just no longer useful as a daily computer.

What I'm defining as functional here is "Is able to run multiple programs (including at least one browser with 50+ tabs open and two office suites) at the same time for 8-10 hours a day without crashing, freezing, or losing data and restarting is not a major inconvenience."

In those terms, it does sound like you're probably in need of an upgrade (I can't imagine that your current machine is particularly quick) and I think that a framework laptop would suit your needs well.

If you're looking for something somewhat less expensive, you can generally find a decent thinkbook with a 12th or 13th gen i5 processor, 16GB RAM, and a 500GB SSD for around $700-ish, which is the low end of what I think you're going to pay for a decent laptop. I'm reccing lenovo here because I personally like them and have found them to be very easy to crack open for repairs and upgrades. Stick to the thinkbook over the thinkpad because that's the business line and is a bit sturdier and they are designed to be easier to upgrade over time.

Actually, here's a thinkbook with a 12th gen i5, 40GB RAM, and a 1tb SSD for under $700. That's a shockingly good price for that laptop; the reseller OEMGenuine is one I've purchased from many times before for work and I've found them to be reliable, though the reason those specs are so good is because they've added aftermarket parts, so your RAM and SSD won't be under warranty from Lenovo.

For Framework you're looking at at least $1000, but it's easy to plug and play with upgrades so you can start out with lower specs (except processor, don't cheap out on the processor) and upgrade later. The framework is a bit smaller and easier to travel with, but I have a laptop quite similar to the lenovo and it's not a huge pain to move around - it's very light but the 15" screen might be bigger than you're looking for.

If you're willing to spend a little bit more and you're very uninterested in doing your own upgrades and would prefer the most computer you can get for your money right out of the gate, this is a 12th gen i7 thinkpad with 40GB RAM and a 2TB SSD for $1150. (I've not ordered from this reseller before, so maybe check over their terms if you're considering purchasing from them.)

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masiethewriter · 4 months ago

Text

Honored Eternal Path of Demise CH. 15 - Garden Break

Looking around the garden, Shen Qingqiu also takes in the different flowers and plants. He can't name any of them, though honestly, they likely aren't even real flowers. Many of them look like a cross between multiple plants, the game developers likely just making whatever generic flower assets that came to mind. But it is as Shen Qingqiu is turning this and that way, trying to get a view of all the different flowers that he notices something. In-between the bushes, just out of reach of his hands, lays a... notebook?

First Chapter ~~ Previous Chapter ~~ AO3 Link

"We're finally back," Shen Qingqiu says in relief, feeling as if a great weight has lifted from his shoulders.

"We could really use it as a map," Binghe agrees with a nod, adjusting his hold on Shen Qingqiu slightly now that they don't have to watch out for roots and uneven paths.

Gravel crunch underneath their feet as they finally step out from the forest. The mansion towers above them, dark spires standing in the way of the moonlight. This is not much of a problem though, as this close to the mansion there are lamp posts to show the way.

They find themselves in a big open area mostly covered by loose rock. To one side stand tall trimmed bushes, taller than both Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe. Against the mansion is a wooden structure, though what it is for will require a closer inspection. The wall that faces them is purely made of reddened bricks, windows scattered across it.

There is no sight of the entrance they came from, but it is not hard to guess which direction they need to go in order to find it. Finally, they can get back on the prober track.

"Senior, what do you think this area was used for?" Luo Binghe asks, looking around at the big space of nothing.

Shen Qingqiu just shrugs. He doesn't really remember this area, which can either mean it is not somewhere he has visited often or it had nothing of note to make it memorable. He can only guess. "I suppose it could be a place to park vehicles or temporary storage for supplies? It really isn't possible to say."

"Hmm, I suppose that could be." Luo Binghe considers. Then he suddenly points towards the wooden structure. "I want to check out what that is. Would you mind Senior?"

Shen Qingqiu kind of minds. He much rather they just go straight for the entrance. But his leg is becoming heavier with each step and standing still might help with the pulsating sensation it has had for the last stretch.

He gives a "Go ahead". They huddle to the wooden structure.

Getting closer to it, it is revealed that the structure has been built into the mansion, laying low to the ground. Standing beside it, the tallest part barely reaches their knees, two aged wooden doors laying almost flat on top of it. Between the doors rests a heavy padlock.

It becomes obvious that this is some kind of basement entrance.

Binghe brings Shen Qingqiu to the wall and releases his hold on him. Onche he is certain Shen Qingqiu is keeping his balance, he turns his full attention to the new entrance. While this seemingly is another dead end, Luo Binghe clearly wants to try it out first.

The padlock is rusty and old. It doesn't look like something that would even hold Ning Yingying back. Luo Binghe takes hold of it, holding it in a tight grip and pulls.

There is no give.

Using both hands, he tries again to force it open. He shakes it around. He pushes against the structure with his feet, putting all his strength into breaking what appears to be a weak lock.

It stays strong.

With a curse he kicks at it. They aren't getting through this way.

"It doesn't change anything if we can't open it. We need to get back to Ning Yingying first either way," Shen Qingqiu reasons, trying to lessen Luo Binghes frustration.

"I was hoping we could use it as a shortcut. The faster we get out of the rain, the better," Binghe complains, but he returns to Shen Qingqiu's side. He holds out his arm for the other to take.

Shen Qingqiu doesn't remember any connections between the upper floor and the basement. At least not any connections that won't first be unlocked until later. Shortcuts are for later levels, once more sections of the mansion become unlocked.

But he just nods in agreement, leaning against Luo Binghe once more. "We don't know what is down there, so it's better that we just-"

Shen Qingqiu interrupts himself as he has to gasp for breath at a sudden surge of pain coming from his foot. It is so unexpected that his leg gives out. Luo Binghe has to tighten his hold in order to keep Shen Qingqiu from falling.

"Senior!? Are you alright?" Binghe worriedly asks, adjusting his hold so he is holding most of Shen Qingqiu's weight.

Shen Qingqiu can't answer at first, the fire swiftly running up his leg before it calms down again. His breathing becomes heavy as he feels cold sweat on his neck, a shaky hand wiping his forehead. The painkillers are definitely growing weaker.

"I'm fine Binghe, I just... I just need to sit down and rest for a bit." He manages to get out, trying to keep his voice reassuring and light. He doesn’t think he quite manages it.

"Should I get you the last pill?" Luo Binghe offers, looking down at Shen Qingqiu's foot like there is anything he can do about it.

"No, I want to save it until absolutely necessary." Shen Qingqiu rejects. "If we just take a break then I should be fine."

The cold hard rock is not a welcoming resting place though, something Luo Binghe agrees with. He and Shen Qingqiu are quick to turn their attention towards the other end of the area, where the tall bushes stand. This is the direction they would have to go for the entrance either way, so they might as well look out for a seat while going the right way.

They quickly find that the bushes function as a divide between the gloomy forest and a smaller garden area. Pots and plots are filled to the brim with flowers in every color and shape. Each kind have their glistening heads turned towards the sky, as if drinking directly from the falling rain. The loose gravel turns to smooth stone, narrow winding paths twisting around the flower beds.

In the middle of the garden stands a single light post, with a drenched bench right beneath its light. Tall flower stalks and blooming bushes surround it, giving an air of feigned privacy, as it is impossible not to see the bench no matter where you stand in the garden.

Binghe hurries towards it. He quickly sets Shen Qingqiu down on the bench. There is nothing they can do to dry it up, but by now, they both have accepted the state the rain and mud has left them in. For now, Shen Qingqiu can only lift his leg, resting it against the length of the bench. He can immediately feel the difference, the pain much more manageable when there is no weight on it.

"How are you feeling?" Binghe asks, hands hovering nervously like he doesn't know what to do with them.

"I should be fine resting here for now," Shen Qingqiu starts. He relates to Luo Binghe's restlessness, but at least Luo Binghe can do something about it where he can't. "Binghe can look around for anything useful. Once you are done checking the area, I should be good to continue on."

Luo Binghe presses his lips together as he considers Shen Qingqiu's suggestion.

"Are Senior sure he will be fine?" he asks, suddenly speaking all old-fashioned again.

"This Senior can rest by himself for a few minutes. Having Binghe hover by his side is not going to hurry it up," Shen Qingqiu grumple, copying Luo Binghes tone. Really Binghe, don't you feel embarrassed speaking like that?

"Okay then. I won't go far, so just call if you need me," Luo Binghe agrees after a minute of deliberation.

It all leaves Shen Qingqiu with an annoying sense of deja-vu, it not even being that long since they had a similar conversation. But really, that time ended up being fine and they really don't have to constantly stick together. Splitting up can be perfectly safe in small doses, as long as the party doesn't go too far from each other.

As the original goods, Shen Qingqiu should be extra safe to split off from other characters as that is basically all he did in the original game.

Fortunately, Binghe doesn't hang back as much as before and soon he is out of sight. Like this, Shen Qingqiu can finally lay his head back on the hard bench, taking a moment to curse the state he finds himself in.

He is cold to the point of freezing. He is wet to the point of drowning. He is muddy to the point of being buried. And out of it all, his hurt foot, naked without a shoe and sock, feels the worst out of all.

Once he takes the last pill, they are on a timer for how long he can keep going. He has already held out longer than he thought he would. But once the pills aren't keeping his leg in check, he won't be more than a blubbering mess. He feels nauseous just at the thought of feeling the full inferno of agony again. Once they are out of painkillers he won’t have much of a choice.

A break was the right choice, though. Like this, he is able to press his hands into his leg, massaging at the pained muscles. It helps with the surging aches that make themselves known at varying intervals. He really should be ready to get going once Binghe is back from his little exploration.

But it is as Shen Qingqiu is turning this and that way, trying to get a view of all the different flowers that he notices something. In-between the bushes, just out of reach of his hands, lays a... notebook?

Like the drawing, it is hard to see with just the single light and his blurry eyesight. And he can't reach it while stuck on the bench.

His curiosity takes hold of him. He doesn't even think of waiting for Luo Binghe to return.

Slowly and carefully he maneuvers himself down from the bench. Keeping his foot above the wet ground he drags himself into the bushes, until he can take hold of the book. Using his body as cover from the rain, he flips it open.

It is full of text, though the handwriting is too fine to read like this. It is even smaller than the text on this child's drawing, so he stands no chance of making it out. But every few pages start with two words, written much larger and clearer.

It is not hard to guess that he has found someone's diary. But again, it is quite strange...

Like the drawing, Shen Qingqiu has no memory of any diary from the first level. What is it with new items suddenly appearing? Whatever the diary contains he will have to wait and find out when Binghe gets back. Without his glasses, the only thing of note he finds is that the last pages have been ripped out.

Shen Qingqiu pockets his find and moves to return to the bench. He can feel the strain of keeping his hurt leg above the mud and he wouldn't mind some more rest before Binghe returns.

Then he hears the sounds of footsteps.

Heavy footsteps.

Alarm surges through his stomach and before he can think, he throws himself down. He holds his breath and waits.

Only a few seconds pass. From his current vantage point there isn't much for Shen Qingqiu to see. Then a hovering shadow appears. There is no mistaking the oversized physique of the Killer.

He is back on their trail.

As he steps into Shen Qingqiu's point of view, he has his back turned to him. Shen Qingqiu can see nothing but the back of his coat and the head of the axe as it is slung across his shoulder. For once, no sounds seem to leave the Killer, no heavy breathing.

A morbid kind of curiosity makes Shen Qingqiu want to see his face. To see if there are any marks from when Binghe attacked him with the poisonous bushes.

Speaking of Luo Binghe, Shen Qingqiu can only assume he hasn't been found by the Killer. The Killer's movement is too leisurely as he walks through the garden. Hopefully Binghe will hear him and hide like Shen Qingqiu. They can still get away from this.

Or rather, Binghe can get away from this.

Shen Qingqiu has not had much hope for himself for a long while by now. But that does not mean he is giving up! Right now, the best course of action would be for Binghe to see the Killer and then sneak away. When looking at it from a practical approach, abandoning Shen Qingqiu now would be the better move.

Here is what the logic should be from Luo Binghe's point of view: Either Shen Qingqiu has been found by the Killer or he hasn't. If he has been found, then it is too late. He would be dead and Binghe should hurry to move on and find Ning Yingying. If the Killer hasn't found Shen Qingqiu, then it is still better to leave.

If Shen Qingqiu is hidden, then waiting for the Killer to leave on his own is his best course of action. Once he is gone, Shen Qingqiu can crawl away by himself.

But who knows how long the Killer will stay in this area?

Binghe by himself can easily reach the entrance and follow their original plan during this time. He can warn Ning Yingying and they can together look for a way out.

Having to drag Shen Qingqiu with him, they won't be fast enough. The entrance is too far away. And there is no way Shen Qingqiu can get away quietly.

They will have to split up for real, but Shen Qingqiu has already spent so much time with Binghe. It is time he goes back to being on his own and trying to gain progress by himself. He appreciates his time with Binghe and now he needs to-

Binghe is hiding in the bushes in front of him.

Looking past the Killer, the trail is quite narrow. There are only a few meters between the flower beds Shen Qingqiu is laying in and a plot of blooming bushes in front of him. And between those bushes, a wild ponytail and steadfast eyes look right at Shen Qingqiu.

...

Binghe... Did saving you that one time really change your instinctual animosity with the original goods? Gratitude should only last for so long, what are you still risking your life for, for this old senior?

The Killer has his back turned to the both of them. Shen Qingqiu uses the opportunity to raise his upper body enough to wave Binghe away. Clearly pointing him in the direction he needs to go. To be certain he gets his point across, he motions that Binghe should leave him.

Luo Binghe clearly sees Shen Qingiu's act. He gives no sign of moving. Instead he slowly shakes his head before lifting up an item for Shen Qingqiu to see. Then he points first at himself then at Shen Qingqiu's area.

Shen Qingqiu squints his eyes to try to see what it is, but it is no use. Maybe if he had more light to work with, but like this it is just a dark shape. He does understand what Binghe is trying to say and he decidedly shakes his head. The Killer is right here! What hope does he have of getting Shen Qingqiu out of the garden?

Luo Binghe looks over at the Killer, following his pathing for a few seconds. Then he disappears back behind the bushes. Shen Qingqiu loses track of him quickly. He has no way of looking for him without revealing himself. The flowerbed he finds himself in is in the middle of the garden. There is no way in or out without exposing yourself to the light.

The Killer also doesn't appear to be in the mood to move on. Following the narrow path, he walks around the same circles, never too far from the center. If Binghe has anything planned, Shen Qingqiu does not have high hopes of it succeeding. Rather, he hopes he listened to reason and is on his way by now.

For some reason, Shen Qingqiu does not believe that to be the case.

Instead, a growing nausea is rising in his throat. His hands feel jittery and like he is about to break out of his skin. He realises it is anticipation. Anticipation for whatever Luo Binghe is about to do. Anticipation for it leading to his death. The unknown makes him feel sick and he takes out the diary again.

If he is about to die any second, then he might as well try to gain any knowledge he can from this book, since he will likely not see it for a long time.

Sadly it is not possible to force one's eyesight to get better. The loss of his glasses only becomes more and more of a frustration. Instead, he can try to gain some more light and hope it will help.

Worming his way closer to the light pole, he does his utmost to keep quiet and not catch the Killer's attention. Once he is right underneath the light, he once again looks at the diary. Trying to find any page with something readable. Any page with larger writing or words that stick out or-

With a crash, the light above him explodes. Immediately, the entire garden turns black. The sound of glass crashing to the ground sounds out around him, a few pieces falling on his back. He barely has time to register what just happened. In the next second a pair of hands encircles him, dragging him back up.

The Killer shouts, sounds of running coming closer, but he is as blind in the dark as Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe. They do not crash into each other as Luo Binghe practically carries Shen Qingqiu out of the flowerbed and out of the garden.

Gravel crunch underneath their feet as they step back out on the open area they were before. Whether the Killer hears them, they don't wait to find out. His feet barely touching the ground, Shen Qingqiu can only allow Binghe to bring them to the basement entrance. There he reveals what item he was showing off earlier.

A key. And as Binghe puts it inside the heavy padlock, it is both their luck that it fits. Not wasting time, Binghe wriggles it off and then he uses all his strength to lift the heavy wooden doors.

Shen Qingqiu would help, but he can only lean against the wall watching out for the Killer. He has not appeared yet, not begun a determined chase. His bellows can still be heard from inside the garden. It is only a question of time before he seeks out the light. By then, Binghe and Shen Qingqiu have to be gone.

The wooden doors fall open and Binghe isn't able to completely silence their fall. Instead, he just grabs hold of Shen Qingqiu again, pulling him down the staircase. He doesn't even attempt to close the doors behind them. Instead he hurries them inside, the walls closing in around them.

The last thing Shen Qingqiu sees of the outside is the Killer bursting out from the garden, axe ready in his hands.

Now, their only hope is finding a place to hide in time.

#SVSSS #BingQiu #BingYuan #Luo Binghe #Shen Yuan #Shen QIngqiu #scum villain's self saving system #scum villain self saving system #scumvillain #mxtx #AO3 Link

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thefearisoneself · 1 year ago

Text

Jax might be one of the creators?

I could be totally off base here but here's some thoughts I've been having

Our first introduction to Jax outside of his place in the intro is him asking Caine "Is this one of your NPCs, or is this a new sucker? Because if it's a new character, we're going to have to redo this whole theme song."

Now first off, since as far as we and assumably the characters know, Caine is an autonomous AI, the question of 'Is this one of your NPCs?' especially in the way it's said strikes me as if there's an oddly familiar relationship between the pair. If Jax did create Caine and this game his particular flavour of befuddlement at Caine's possible NPC generation would make more sense IMO.

Secondly, Jax seems weirdly invested in the theme song's completion? He doesn't seem annoyed they have to do it in general like Zooble, just that they have to do it AGAIN.

Moving away from this initial moment, he's also the one to suggest the adventure for Pomni. While he's annoyed with what the Gloinks end up being, he again isn't annoyed by the adventures themselves like Zooble, which you'd kind of assume a character like him might be, but if he was the one to set up the idea as the game's developer it makes some amount of sense he'd be amused by these antics because he made it like that to some extent, and he does seem to have fun on the adventures once they get into it as well.

Then there's of course him having keys to everywhere when Ragatha suggests he literally shouldn't be able to do that. Silly joke that the asshole character can do basically whatever he wants? Probably, but it could also be hold over from his abilities as the game's developer.

He's also easily the calmest and most put-together character of the cast, going with the flow of everything and having no real urgency to do anything but enjoy the ride and watch the other characters suffer at Caine's unintentional hands.

Somebody else also noted that Jax is weirdly upset about abstracted Kaufmo being put in the cellar. This could either imply they were friends, or that Jax has a personal grievance with what happens to abstracted people. If we assume it's the latter for the sake of this theory, I can imagine it would be pretty frustrating to have your playerbase go through this game-breaking bug and the only way to 'fix' it is just to sweep it under the rug.

Another thing that could easily be a throwaway but for the sake of this theory is Jax' last line in the pilot "Sheesh, lay off it, since when are you an expert on the digital world?" would also make sense if he's the actual creator of said digital world, it would be a personal offence to suggest Kinger knew more.

On top of everything, if we assume that Jax is telling the truth about having been there for years, that implies some interesting things. We know from Goose's Q&As/Tumblr/Twitter that Jax is the youngest member of the cast, being only 22, along with Zooble.

But Zooble is also the most recent character to join the circus before Pomni, while we don't know exactly how long before, it at least exempts them from the weirdness that this timeline creates in terms of Jax.

If Jax was stuck here for any more than 4 years, he wouldn't have even been an adult yet, which seems pretty suspicious given the ages of everyone else when they presumably would've gotten stuck in the program.

Of course headset aside we don't actually know the circumstances of how anyone else got stuck in the game or for how long, but it does give me pause to consider that detail about Jax.

So ultimately I could see it being revealed later down the line that Jax was some kind of tech revolution prodigy who created Caine and this world, but being young as he was had no real idea of the ramifications of what he created or ultimately how to manage it. I have no clue how he got trapped, or ultimately if he even is, but that's theorizing for when we hopefully have more to work with.

Regardless, take all this with a grain of salt, I fully recognize all of this could just be connections I'm making of nothing, but it's something that's been plaguing my mind and I'd be remissed if I just let it sit and never put it out there if it did end up being true in the end.

Hope you guys enjoy my massive overanalysis of Jax' actions in the pilot and hopefully we get to see more from this gang in like 3-6 months' time.

#the amazing digital circus #Jax #tadc jax #tadc theory

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murderenjoyer · 2 months ago

Text

On the topic of Astarion's orientation:

I joined a certain Discord server that is dedicated to an Astarion ship I enjoy. I was chatting with people getting my feet wet getting comfy in the server.

Then I mentioned that I appreciate that all the bg3 characters can be considered "playersexual" because they're all written to be some flavor of bi. I expressed that I like this fairly recent shift in romancable npc writing in the gaming industry, moving away from gender-locking specific romances. I said I like the attention and care put into player agency and enjoyment.

If everyone is bi, if everyone is playersexual, you never need to deal with the frustration of being locked out of a romance with a character you like because you didn't know they were exclusively monosexual and you chose the wrong gender for your character. It makes it so if you only like playing girls, you don't have to suck it up and play as a boy to romance someone. It makes it so you don't need to realize "ah fuck they're straight" 8 hours into your run where you happened to make your character their same gender and either just give up on your intended romance or start a whole new save.

And this person I was talking to was like, "idk I don't like that because it feels like fake representation. And I see Astarion as gay, seeing screenshots of him with peoples female Tavs makes me really uncomfortable. Him having so many female fans at all makes me really uncomfortable. They're fetishizing a gay man and trying to turn him straight."

I tactfully shifted the topic because I didn't wanna get into the diskhorse in a brand new server and get a reputation as a shit-stirrer but like. It really rubbed me the wrong way.

Having characters be bi is "fake rep?" Fake for who? It's very real rep for bi people.

Seeing a canon bi man romancing men is fine but women is uncomfortable? It squicks you out? A bi man's sexual orientation is palatable if he's "queer enough" by only dating same gender but him dating other genders shivers your timbers? Is that not just "bi people in het pairs are just straight?" If we're dating het we're just straight, if we're dating gay then it's acceptably queer?

Women being sexually attracted to and pursuing a man who is canonically open to relationships with women is fetishizing? Why? Because he's flamboyant and pretty? Because he activates your gaydar? And we're trying to turn him straight? We're not turning anything he's already attracted to women. We're not breaking his character to force a romance. We're not straight-washing him so we can ride.

If you personally only enjoy Astarion in yaoi situations more power to you. If I'm not the one plundering his vampire bussy, I'm not particularly interested in seeing him bang a woman either. Sometimes I'll play a male or masc-leaning nonbinary or amab trans Tav just because I wanna stick my pp in all four of his holes. I just enjoy m/m more than het erotica typically. That's fine, that's valid.

But it doesn't freak me out. It doesn't make me uncomfortable. I'm not grossed out by it. And that's the difference.

One is a shipping gender/genital configuration preference. Everyone has those. The other though, it's plain biphobia. It's misogyny too for that matter.

#astarion #bg3 #biphobia #this person also exclusivly draws him as a hyper-feminin ultra twink to the point that #they only allow him to bottom and give him a literal micropeen #so like #idk man if anyone is fetishizing gay manishness i dont think its the astarionwives #rambling

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blueboyluca · 2 years ago

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I know that training can be a frustrating experience sometimes, but I truly lament how often other trainers around me scold their dogs. We are a positive reinforcement-based club, but trainers are still often making frustrated sounds or saying "No!" or yanking their dogs away from things. I find it difficult to address because the issue here is a wider societal issue of how dogs are treated. These trainers know to train with reinforcement, but they are also part of a society that reacts to any frustrating stimulus with anger.

I don't necessarily think that saying something to everyone is a good idea, and I don't yet have the confidence to address these people in the moment. With my pre-triallers or my foundations students, I gently call them out because I want to cut their behaviour off before it gets worse (and I usually phrase it in a way that it doesn't even come across as a call out). But with the more experienced trainers, I struggle. Part of the issue is, there are so many moments and if I called them all out, will that make these trainers more likely to change, or more likely to feel defensive? Most of these people have been training a lot longer than me.

Right now my strategy is modelling better behaviour. I play with Marcie, I play very obviously and often. I have a specific warm up routine that I make time to do before a run. If she does something wrong during the run, I don't correct her. I just reset and try again, or I reward for effort. I am generous with rewards and I have them ready at hand. I make sure the rewards are things she likes. I pet her a lot on breaks, and I talk to her out loud about how she's a good dog. If she's really resisting something, I don't keep pushing and pushing and pushing.

I'm not perfect, I've shown frustration before, especially this year when I had issues with check outs. But I never get mad at Marcie. Ever. Why would I get mad at her for not playing the game that I want to play? That's like child stuff. We're supposed to work that out as kids. If someone else doesn't want to play your game, either make it more fun or stop asking them.

#dog agility #dog thoughts

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bluehourbucky · 2 years ago

Note

Truth or Dare with Yelena that Kate sets up because she's tried of Yelena and Reader acting like they don't have a crush on one another?

As always, no pressure to write this heheh

Backfire

warnings: use of Y/N twice

a/n: sorry it took me so long shdhdud Hope you like it <3

_______________________________________

Kate was getting tired of watching you and Yelena pretend that you don't like each other. She was sick of the heart eyes and dancing around each other and the tension was getting worse by the minute.

She loved her friends but damn was it hard to watch.

Every time she'd spend alone time with either of you, you both talked about the other. Kate didn't mind but she also thought it was absolutely ridiculous.

Every time Kate tried to tell one of you how you liked each other she would receive laughs from you and a push from Yelena.

So she came up with a plan. Kate will invite you to hang out as you always do, but then she'd suggest a truth or dare game. She knew Yelena enough that there was no way she wouldn't accept truth or dare game she was too competitive. Kate still isn't sure how you can win a truth or dare game but whatever.

kate: tonight my place 9pm we order in?

you: ur paying?

yelena: if u pay?

parker: broke af u need to pay

Kate rolled her eyes at her friends.

kate: ok

you: ur the best love you <3

yelena: be there

Kate rolled her eyes at her friends, but her plan was in motion.

"Hi" Kate smiles when she sees that you and Yelena came together.

"Wait I'm here too!" the three of you turn and look at Peter running up the stairs.

The four of you were hanging out for a while and Kate was sure now was the time to get her plan in motion.

"What do you think should we play truth or dare?"

"Ugh we're not kids!" you groan.

"Ah, scared of a little dare?" Yelena teases, and you push her lightly, rolling your eyes.

"It's on Belova."

"Alright, let's go"

Not wanting to seem obvious, Kate avoided asking you questions about Yelena and vice versa. But now it's Kates' turn again, and she's ready to help her friends finally get together.

"So Yelena, Truth or Dare?"

"Ah I will choose Truth now."

"Do you have a crush on anyone here?"

"Nope, never."

"Not even Y/N?" and then your heart broke when Yelena made a face of disgust.

"Eww. Never in a million years that's gross. It's like liking your sister or even worse." as soon as those words left Yelena, she regretted them seeing your face.

"Wow, I didn't know I was that hard to like that even the thought of liking me disgusts you." You stand up, wiping tears off of your cheeks running straight to the bathroom.

"Y/N, wait, please." Yelena follows you and knocks on the closed door.

"Shit I'm sorry I didn't think this would happen." Yelena looks back at Kate and lifts a brow.

"What do you mean?"

Kate avoids eye contact, feeling extremely guilty that she caused this.

"I-, well- you see, I just wanted to make you confess that you like each other because you do. I just wanted to help."

Yelena swore something in russian and told Kate to give them a minute.

"Hey. Can you open the door?"

You don't reply, but you know Yelena is still at the door. The tears are still falling, and you're getting really frustrated because why does it matter anyway? The "what ifs" can now leave your brain. All the daydreams and dreams can finally stop. So what if you've dreamed about kissing her under the rain, that's lame. You'll get over it, it's fine.

"Ask me again." Yelena tries.

"What?" you ask your voice breaking.

"Truth or dare."

"Fine, truth or dare."

"Truth."

You take in a breath.

"Is if true that you can't even imagine liking me? Am I really that unlikeable?"

"дорогой, you are the most incredible person I've ever met. There's not a part of you that I don't like, and your smile makes my day. In fact, you're too good to be true. I've been falling in love with you since the moment we met and and I didn't want to ruin our friendship because I'm selfish and I need you."

Yelena gasps when you suddenly unlock the door and pull her into the bathroom pushing her against the same door she was behind moments ago.

You look into Yelenas' eyes and then drop your gaze to her mouth and then back at her waiting for consent.

She nods, and that's all you need to finally kiss her. It's even better than all the dreams you've had because it's real. Yelena grabs the back of your head, deepening the kiss. You've put everything into that kiss all the bottled up emotion that's been buried for way too long.

You don't pull away until you're breathless.

"Wow." Yelena whispers, her hands holding your hips so you don't move away.

"Yeah."

"We should've done that long time ago."

you laugh at Yelenas' words because it's true, if both of you were just a tad bit less oblivious this could've happened months ago.

"If it wasn't obvious I uh like you too."

"Eh, you could kiss me again just to be sure."

You roll your eyes but kiss her nonetheless.

"I get the credits for this!" Kate yells from the other side of the door, which makes you both snort.

[the end]

#yelena #yelena belova x reader #yelena belova #yelena mcu #yelena x reader #yelena marvel #kate bishop

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princess-of-the-corner · 10 months ago

Note

Sorry, was just musing on something & skimming a season 1 episode list and like, OK now I get why you have Princess Perfuma so late in the game XD But two main things:

1: While many Akuma are laid at Chloe's feet (& some were like Reflekta, Perfuma and Kung Food) some really feel more like a group effort, circumstances or her being targeted unfairly, IE:

Ivan/Stoneheart was initially just straight up Kim and then nearly everyone in class being on his back about Stoneheart. Mylene was the situation, most of the class was getting irritated and Chloe just seemed to be the last straw. (Also Nino inviting someone he described as a brat to be in his movie. Again, Chloe may not have been beloved but she wasn't reviled at first) Then there's Nathanial where it really feels like he should have gone after the teacher unless he was trying to nice guy Marinette by murdering Chloe which... Well either way its off putting XD

2: I do think the season 1 sequence of events struggles to make some sense, given you'd think Rose would know Chloe's not liable to be particularly nice after what happened with Juleka.

Unless Chloe hands out apology gifts/baskets in-between some episodes XD

"Sorry for locking you in the bathroom so I could be next to Adrien in the picture. Dad always said anything to win & well, you becoming an Akuma certainly gave you a win, so even? No... OK, how about if I give you this obsidian dagger ne- OK we're cool then!"

"Sorry for ripping up your letter to Prince Ali, I mean I'm not sure why you were so upset, Mama throws away, destroys or rejects all my gifts, but I guess if you got AKumatized over it that it was serious or whatever. So, here's like, a pile of plushies?"

Yeah like.

Okay first off I love the name 'Princess Perfuma' better than 'Princess Fragrance' like damn the English dub was robbed there.

But also yeah its.

I go over this a chunk in LL but there's a lot that either Chloé's actions were only exacerbating a situation that was already happening, or she was entirely in the right.

Stoneheart? She actually didn't cause that one! Yes she did upset Ivan at one point which. Yeah given they don't know what's happening/why he went monster I can understand her skepticism. But Mari calms him down. The first Stoneheart was Kim's bullshit, and the second Stoneheart was the confession going wrong.

Lady Wifi? Alya was 100% in the wrong here. She was breaking into, rifling through, and taking pictures of Chloé's locker. All Chloé did was demand that she be given the proper consequences for doing so. If the tables were turned and it had been Chloé who was caught going through Alya's locker but the principal had said 'eh no harm done go back to class' you can bet everyone would be pissed about it.

Timebreaker? None of these idiots figured out how to put a pocket watch in a pocket. Yes Chloé yoinked the watch to look at it, but breaking it was a genuine accident.

Rogercop? Chloé reported a crime to a cop, the cop was like 'the fuck do you want me to do about it?' and got fired for not doing his job.

Horrificator? Mylene was scared and getting overwhelmed and everyone on the production was getting frustrated at her. Chloé might've been the first to snap, but someone would've eventually and with the same result.

Dark Cupid? While her rejection was harsh, any kind of rejection could have set Kim off in that moment. She is not obligated to return his feelings nor is she responsible for his emotions.

Vanisher? That one kinda is her fault but also friends fight! Sabrina did something that upset her, no matter how small it was, and she had a right to be upset. Just as Sabrina had a right to be upset in turn when Chloé started ignoring her. While technically in the wrong on this particular argument, the kids shouldn't have to walk on eggshells around each other and pretend things don't hurt them just because some butterfly bastard might give them magic powers.

Evillustrator? The teacher was far harsher than Chloé had been. Hell Chloé's comments were actually /complimentary/ and just outing an obvious crush. While the teacher had screamed at Nath in front of the class, told him his art was worthless and ugly, and that he was failing his classes.

And yeah Reflekta, Kung Food, and Princess Fragrance are more her purposely being a dick. And I'm not pretending that Chloé is 'nice' at any of these points. But things aren't black and white.

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firecooking · 7 months ago

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Hi, I know you've written and drawn a bunch of ZipCents stuff (which I really love btw). Do you have any extra headcanons or tidbits about those two, either as a pair or as individuals? Would love to hear it!

OH BOY DO I :D

Gosh lemme see lemme see [Sorry this took so long I wanted to make sure it was written well, Welcome to The Zipcents Train]

Gonna do a general section and then a section for my human au because I have words to say about both. First off generally:

I like to think that Zip is very book smart but absolutely awful with street smarts. And in opposition to that Ten is very street smart and not book smart at all. Neither is dumb in the slightest, they are just working off completely different bases of knowledge!

Ten tends to appear smarter while working in the port because hes very quick on the punch, however Zip knows the port rule book front to back and is a Very neat and particular sailor when it comes to line work.

Ten Cents is more likely to break a rule on accident or because it's more convenient\helps him get the work done in a harmless way. Zip, when working alone, will hem and haw breaking rules all day even if it makes him less efficient [well, not counting when he blatantly breaks the law for Business Reasons of course].

I tend to ship Zipcents with qpr undertones, as I do with most of my tugs shipping tbh. I think that first and foremost they enjoy spending time together. They can spend hours just sitting around without even chattering.

I think they tend to get easily embarrassed when the others talk about 'them.' Zip's a lot more gracious about it and with the other Z's he is used to jabs of any and all nature but it still gets him embarrassed. Ten on the other hand gets flustered fast and throws fits. "It's not like that," he says. "Zip's not an airhead," he defends. "So what we're courting, why's that matter?" He snaps. It's really easy to push his buttons about the whole thing.

Ten Cents absolutely does not like talking to Star about Zip in the slightest. It frustrates and embarrasses him easily and Star tends to be quick to draw conclusions. Star doesn't like this whole situation, but he's also not going to put any effort into stopping it. Zip does manage to reel in TC so Star sees the advantage to letting the two kanoodle, even if he doesn't like it. Meanwhile Zip is very transparent with Zero about everything to do with Ten Cents. They have crimes to commit and Zip marrying lines with the stupid Star Switcher is the least of his worries unless TC is actively hindering their business. Anything to keep his ships from giving him a migraine this week.

Tangentially related but I think Zip and Hercules get along pretty well. Herc can get a bit annoyed around Zip [not even really the switchers fault, Herc's just introverted] but he is very impressed that Zip can hold his own and practically tame Ten Cents.

On to my Human Au:

BzjKsjiskwoiwkwjiskw ZIPCENTS ZIPCENTS ZIPCENTS AUGH

[coughs] anyways. Zip and Ten Cents absolutely love sneaking off together at night. They don't do anything you'd figure they do, it's mostly reading and chatting and card\board games to pass the time together. Ten Cents likes listening to Zip read. Whether it's a newspaper or it's a novel Zip's chipping away at, Ten quite likes to hear Zip's voice as he reads.

Zip, like the other Z stacks, leans towards more of an anarchist view of relationships [have fun and spend quality with whoever] where Ten Cents is very exclusive and easily jealous. Zip recognizes that Ten doesn't like him getting 'cozy' with other folks and keeps himself reeled in for the most part. That will not stop the occasional slip where Zip gets in on Z Stack nonsense, to the horror and betrayal of Ten Cents. Usually Zip just needs a tap on the shoulder and he's back to focusing his attention and affection on Ten.

Ten Cents gets used to some of it eventually, when he's bought by Zero Marine in the 50s he starts to understand more that this is just how the Z Stacks act around each other and as long as nothing happens he can put up with Zip sometimes having colourful conversations with his fleet mates. Ten will never be a fan of Zip being really open with his fleet mates about anything and everything to do with their relationship but again, he's really just got to learn to live with that.

Zip to some extent is very close with his fleet in ways that Ten Cents doesn't really understand. It's the difference between a company of ships where there is a sailors brotherhood in general not anything stronger than that vs The Boat Mob where loyalty and camaraderie is basically its own found family [also bonding over the horrors].

Ten Cents still doesn't like talking to anyone about him and Zip's relationship. He thinks it's his business and his alone. So he tends not to ask for advice when he needs too. Usually one of the older tugs can see something is up and prod the question out of Ten. Or Zip can tell that Ten needs to talk to someone and badger him into going to talk to OJ or Hercules [being in port permitting of course].

The two very much don't have what you'd consider a 'traditional' relationship. Ten Cents is not very interested in fooling around or anything above small kisses on the cheek and holding hands, especially not in public. Zip's also pretty neutral on the topic so it works out for them. Zip is a lot more cuddly of the two, and when alone he likes to be in Tens lap or leaning on him. Ten can get overwhelmed by Zip's cuddling sometimes but he usually says something and Zip gives him space when he needs it.

When the boathouse [God speed to the boathouse I gotta explain that someday] was completed in the 60s, Zip and Ten were the most excited for it! No more arguments about where to meet after work or whose ship to spend time in! However it took them a long time to adjust to sleeping in the same bed regularly. They worked it out eventually but for a while they'd either end up fighting or someone would storm off to their ship for the night. The existence of the boathouse does lead to them getting a bit more adventurous with their relationship. Now Ten Cents and Zip will occasionally [checks notes] kiss on the lips and cuddle more. Sometimes Zip needs to spend a night on his ship and Ten doesn't understand what the heck Zip gets up too or why he needs the space. Zip knows better than to press the topic lol. Zip has occasionally breached the topic of being more affectionate and involved but Ten Cents doesn't really understand the appeal and Zip isn't too fussed at the end of the day. He loves Ten Cents and Ten Cents loves him and that's quite enough for the two of them. This is my "the boats are ace" propaganda because I'm ace and I'm projecting god dammit.

I have non ship stuff to say about Zip and Ten Cents in my au, with them as individuals, but a lot of it is niche and situational or actively being written into fics and I can't spoil everything now can I.

Always happy to talk tugs head cannons and AU stuffs, if you can listen to the old man ramble feel free to ask away anytime!

#the fire burns #burnings #this is tugs #z stacks #star tugs #tugs humanized #tugs zip #tugs ten cents #zipcents #justatesfan #asks #headcannons #au

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