#reblogging this as i am a darker skinned player

[ithsjustspam]

No, no. You have a point. A lot of Korean webtoons and manwhas fall into this trap and StoryTaco is another perpetuator. I do kind of wish we had other darker skinned side characters we're in contact with or at the very least going about their day. I'm not counting Thuban since he looks like Count Lucio if his shin was dusted in ash and soot. If this was the case, I'd be more willing to buy that he just happens to be morally grey.

This is one of the reasons I'm disappointed the game ended so soon. The writers could have took more time to explore Sirius' character, yk since he is a LOVE INTEREST. It's clear they wanted Sirius to be a redeemable character in the end, but their execution made it hard for me to buy. An extended version of the game or a version with LI routes would have been better for Arcana Twilight IMO. If they chose to extend the game like in Obey Me, StoryTaco could have given Sirius a proper character arc with a few more dedicated chapters. Or if they chose to make a game with LI routes like in The Arcana or Court of Darkness, we could find more secrets about him. Either way would have made Sirius look better as an LI if StoryTaco took the time and care to write his character.

This has been my part of the rant, and if anyone has any other ideas, I'm all ears

SPOILERS!!! SPOILERS!!!

Rant on Storytaco's bad writing of dark skinned characters. Specifically Sirius.

I wanna start this out with saying, I do not hate Sirius as a character. He's one of my favorites and I feel like he had wasted potential being in the hands of Storytaco. I don't think there's anything wrong with enjoying Sirius as a character either! I believe however that we can enjoy media, and look at it from a critical lense. There are good things about his character and I enjoy a lot of how he was written lore wise!!! Otherwise I wouldn't be so violently obsessed with him since the age of 15 lol. But again. There are a combination of things that I can't really see as a coincidence.

If you have anything to add, or disagree with any of my points, please do not be afraid to say so! I wanna have an actual discussion about this. please I do not bite. I stand pretty firm on my points at this very moment, but I'm entirely willing to listen and change.

Uh. Apologies if my points come across poorly or if my writing is incoherent. There's a reason why I did bad in school lol.

My criticisms are below here. Have fun

Anyways.

Fuck Storytaco?

Uh. This is 100% inspired by recent discussion on the fandoms treatment of Sirius. But I'd like to discuss why this treatment is actively perpetuated by the developers of Arcana Twilight. Which is much more disturbing to think about when you consider their games are often marketed towards minors.(There are other issues with storytaco marketing towards minors too. Uh, idk if those are relevant for this post though. Maybe later cuz it's high key disturbing!!! 😃)

Sirius was written very inconsiderately. Like I know he's a villainous/morally gray character. However I feel like there needs to be a lot more tact when your only dark skinned character is written to be not a good person. Especially in comparison to the light skinned characters. I feel like they just applied every negative trait on earth to him, then turned around and went "jk guys! He's not actually bad. Hes like this cuz he's an orphan." 😭 Like some of these traits would be fine in their own if balanced out with other things, but there's so many combined together that I can't help but feel suspicious of their intentions and bias.

He's the most provocative out of all the love interests. He's consistently initiating suggestive situations, is labeled the "sexyman", and is constantly making innuendos. The game has a lot of fan service in general (even though it's rated E), but Sirius is disproportionately portrayed this way and is just constantly going "hehe sex 😁" Which making him the provocative one is both an issue with him being queer coded and dark skinned..double whammy 😟

He's the dangerous, unpredictable and violent one. He SHOT!!! SHOT the mc within the first few floors. And like. There wasn't even a good reason behind why they decided to write that in other than to make us think he's violent/dangerous/untrustworthy. There are times when it's portrayed that he can't even be trusted alone in a room with the mc, even prior to the villain arc. 😐

He's a pretty much a domestic terrorist.... 😐

He was a wanted criminal for half of the story. Idk if I need to explain what's wrong with that either 😐

He's potentially the only one killed off at the ending depending on your interpretation.

In the clan equivalent of Americans (cough. Guns + eagles + the lazy unlikable rebellious group that just gets into trouble) which is just. Silly. 😭😒

Again he's the "untrustworthy one that nobody wants to be around." This is a point constantly driven in by the characters he's surrounded with. they drill that into the viewers head so so so much.

He's the "party animal" of the group??? Which isn't really portrayed beyond him drinking a lot but was definitely advertised as such.

He's 100% queer coded you cannot convince me otherwise. Which. Now we're falling into queer coded poc villain territory. Double whammy again! Disney is that you?

Going off the queer coded point, he's falling into "predatory gay man" territory. Hes shipped with basically every man in the game by storytaco for promotional and bait reasons. But it's always displayed as Sirius making the other party uncomfortable and getting in their personal space. Making unwanted advances. Like... Y'all don't got a do that

Ok this is possibly nitpicky but deadass why'd they make him a basketball player in the highschool au thingy. He's a theater kid. Nothing about him reads as liking sports. Please do not wear dangly earrings while playing sports??? It bothers me so much 💀

Okay so the sassy, violent, deranged, perverted terrorist... is the only romance-able dark skinned man in the game. ??? NONONO just think about that for a good moment

HE HAS OTHER THINGS IN HIS CHARACTER. THERE ARE GOOD PARTS ABOUT HIS CHARACTER!!! I LOVE SIRIUS SO MUCH. HES VERY COMPLEX AND INTERESTING.. but this is such a horrible combination of very specific negative tropes that it's hard to ignore. Especially when thinking about how this game is advertised to minors who, more often than not, are easily subjected to subconscious bias in media and are easily influenced due to our lack of ability to critically analyze media we're haphazardly consuming. (Sorry fellow minors. As a senior minor aka 17 yo it's the hard truth y'all gotta accept. we've all been there and we've been influenced by media whether we're aware of it or not. I'm not mad at y'all or belittling. Keep having ur funsies with ur silly star men I'm not stopping you lol? This is legitimate concern and criticism towards a company that is promoting weird stereotypes to us)

And I don't think Sirius is just a one off weirdly written dark skinned character from Storytaco. Thuban (WHO IS GREEEEEY. Big issue on its own 😰😭) is depicted as lazy and rude.???? Like he has a single redeeming moment but again. Just reads as "domineering rowdy black man." Especially when you look at the whole great hero trio .. he's supposed to fall within the fantasy "Fighter" archetype with his big ass mace. Compared to Polaris who is like a Cleric and the Wizard/Ranger Schedar.

Also shout out to storytacos other grey men.....???????? I was only able to find four dark skinned men (not just tanned a bit) including Sirius when I went thru Storytacos game catalogue. Two of them are grey. 😐

Anyways Sirius was a huge motivating factor in why I wanted to make Extraterrestrial... Fucked up potential of a character. There are 100% biases showing through how he was written. These were all conscious decisions made on the writers part and I don't think it can be kept behind "he's a morally gray character who's going thru it" because there were so many good ways to show that and his grief without going to every. single. extreme.

--

[allyaloe]

Pick a Fairycore Pic: Who is your Future Spouse?

Choose an image from above, 1-4. Scroll down to get a channelled message from your chosen group. Feel free to reblog and leave a comment if it resonates with you. This will not resonate with everyone, so take what you feel applies and leave the rest! I will be channelling for the collective energy. These will be quite long so be warned. IF YOU ARE A MINOR, DO NOT INTERACT AS NSFW THINGS WILL CROP UP OCCASIONALLY THROUGHOUT!

Pile 1

For those of you in this group, your future spouse could have light coloured hair. More specifically for someone, I’m feeling sandy hair, medium build, but more lanky, masculine energy with Aries placements. They may have a sunny disposition, I’m getting someone who sorts of sways on their feet, bounces on their toes with a big grin on their face and hands in their pockets. They could have green or blue eyes and a slight tan to their skin, not fully pale, but light with freckles, if that makes sense. 444 could be a significant angel number or you could wake up at 4:44 am.

They are a very bright and happy person, that’s getting emphasised again. The type who lets things go pretty easily, “water under the bridge” kind of person. I get the sense of kissing and cuddling, snuggling with you in bed or on the sofa/couch. They may want to shower you with love and affection a bit too much, it’s important to set boundaries if you’re a bit more reserved or not comfortable with so much PDA. However, it is all with the end goal of making you smile and giving you the love you deserve. Some people in this group may have been let down in the past by their relationships, romantic, familial or otherwise. It’s important to give this person a chance, but don’t rush into anything. I really feel like they have a Pisces or Cancer Venus or other placement, so soft, gentle and loving. I really love this person’s energy, it’s so adorable and heart-melting. They will really take their time with you and be so warm towards you, kind, caring and sincere.

I feel like in terms of career and hobbies as well. I’m being given the feeling of an office job, temp or intern position, someone who looks through files or paperwork, wears a tie and/or more formal dress code. I almost get the sense of an accountant or financial person. However, they dress casual outside of work, grey/dark jackets with a shirt, jeans, Converse shoes. They could enjoy running, jogging, or soccer and they have quite a nice body working out. They probably listen to music on their run as well, more rock and up-tempo songs.

The letters M, B, A, G, J, P could be significant for this person’s name/initials. 

EXTRA TRAITS: Gold jewellery, rings, bracelets, warm colour pallet, Tinder/Bumble, “Lucy,” a wild cat with grey fur and fuzzy ears (Lynx cat, Ocelot) that they could feel/be connected to, Sagittarius risings, HDMI cords and watching movies, Greek mythology like Medusa, philosophy majors, “terrified of love,” 777, Othello by Shakespeare could resonate too.

Pile 2

I’m getting two different energies for this group, both masculine with some more feminine attributes. Mostly, I’m getting someone who is more entrepreneurial, they could have darker skin and like wearing more flashy clothes, with straight, buzzed or bleached hair. They may have studs in their ears. On the other side, I’m getting someone with lighter skin and extremely curly red hair, but mid-length, not long or short but it kind of sprouts around their face. I’m getting big Scorpio/Leo energy.

Whoever you resonate more with, there’s still this energy of cockiness and playfulness that hides a more wounded and easily gentle façade. I feel like they like spending time in bed with you, and yes, in a NSFW sense! They’re the type to make you blush super easily, very much a flirt and smooth talker. Bit on the risqué side, but “they could go for hours” just popped into my head. I feel like when you first meet, they’ll put up a player front, but I think from the first moment they kiss you, they will feel things they’ve never felt before. They may hit you up most on Snapchat or some other texting app (WhatsApp) or iMessage. They may also send you “naughty” videos if you’re into that sort of thing. I feel like you tame their wild side and they are genuinely so grateful you are in their life, like they were “saved by your light.” They are completely committed and devoted to you by the time you’re married.

In terms of career and hobbies, they may weightlift and go to the gym a fair amount. This is just something to be wary of, but I feel like in the past they may have watched YouTube videos on how to pick up women, if you are a straight woman asking about a man. However, it never got into radical territory or anything concerning. Nowadays, I feel like they enjoy watching informative programming or podcasts/documentaries. They are always looking to expand their knowledge. I also get the sense of someone who in the past and present, has worked a variety of different jobs, from Doordash to Uber to different retail chains and fast food. I feel like they could work in a shoe store as of recent.

The letters W, K, G, L, J, A, B, and S could be significant for this person’s name/initials.

EXTRA TRAITS: Libra placements, a name beginning with J, making mixtapes or playlists, Doordash, SoundCloud, tattoos of a birthday or a family member (mother), maid outfits, FaceTime, watching old Disney channel shows together like Recess, 333/222, they may also like Family Guy, may like art (drawing/painting), “I love you so much, baby. I promise to do better next time.” Reconciliation with this person for some of you.

Pile 3

I feel Capricorn, Gemini and Aries placements could be prominent. We have blonde hair for this group. I have a more feminine energy, this person could not necessarily identify as the gender they were assigned at birth, or they could dress more masculine, or wear skirts with a shirt or oversized long sleeve with pastel colours. Their hair is somewhat short, could be a wavy bob of some kind. They could have very blue eyes. I am really getting LGBTQIA + for this group, so if you feel that doesn’t resonate for you, feel free to choose a different reading. I feel like they could have a Virgo/Scorpio rising or other placement, as I’m feeling they are both intense and practical. The air placement of Gemini could be significant too; they are deep thinkers, but with a very unique perspective on life and interesting topics.

I feel like for one or either of you, this is your first queer relationship but as this is your future spouse, this is for the long haul. I feel like this is a very sweet relationship with lots of physical touch and hand-holding. I feel like one of you will find comfort in the other’s family or choose them as your own family after enduring rejection. I know this is sensitive, but it’s important I include everything that’s relevant. They may also wear a bracelet or you may share matching charms or outfits. This is a sentimental and nostalgic person who wears their heart on their sleeve and is a hopeless romantic. They are so loving and kind but may have a sharp tongue when hurt, and have a tendency to be a little bit guarded when things bother them. However, I’m seeing lots of soft, shy kisses, giggling and fun times together to balance it out.

In terms of hobbies or career, I’m picking up on a light-hearted person who is into activities like roller-skating and dancing. I feel like they also enjoy experimenting with gender identity or appearance via makeup and could be somewhat androgynous. I feel like for some, they could be unemployed or a student at present, with an emphasis on arts, humanities and freelance work such as writing. Some could also work more physical jobs, such as with clay or using digger machines.

The letters P, A, B, G, V, E could be significant for the person’s name/initials.

EXTRA TRAITS: “Would you stay with me? Promise?” They could be quite clingy, 444 (seeing it out in public), going on a carousel or to a fun fair/county fair, they may like rabbits, snake tattoo or some sort of piercing, tie-dye jumpers, may blister or bruise easily, they have nice hands. They may like nature and the outdoors, particularly hiking, as well.

Pile 4

I feel multiple zodiac energies for this group: Capricorn, Virgo, Leo and Pisces. I feel a more masculine energy, and this person could be broad-shouldered and have a more solid build: I’m getting “teddy bear” vibes, and they could be a good hugger. They may have tan skin, a dark beard, hair and eyes. They may also wear beanies and hipster/alternative clothing.

They may be more guarded and keep to themselves but they are so rugged and handsome that it draws you to them. They could be Hispanic and come from a big, close family where everyone takes care of one another. They may be more shy than you, but they’ll come alive and more outgoing in your presence. They may get slightly jealous and develop a crush on you first. However, your future spouse is very honourable, charming and attentive to your needs. They could be slightly traditional in terms of wanting to have kids and getting married quite young.  They love and are very proud of their car and work on it often. They probably love to take you out in it. There’s something really sexy about the way they treat you on dates, too. I feel like this person has a hidden dominant side and could be quite kinky.

I feel like in terms of career, they are in school and working on themselves. They also might do work lifting heavy things like timber or bricks. I feel like this person likes smoking recreationally or vaping.  They are above all honest, hardworking, trustworthy and a really sweet person. They would never do anything to hurt you and they want to keep your heart and treasure it forever.

The letters J, R, A, S, K, C, B, H could be significant for this person’s name/initials.

EXTRA TRAITS: Cancer rising, 888/555, may wear platform shoes/boots, dimples and a unique smirk, messy/wavy dark hair, could also wear plaid and dog tags, they might use Dove products or body wash and smell really good with a really nice cologne, hazel and light eyes, they may have quite thin lips, and could have a Gemini moon.

---- 

Thank you for checking out this reading and hopefully something could resonate for you!

Best Wishes,

- Ally Aloe 

[puppyluver256]

[Image descriptions: Three Pokemon Trainers with the fan-made Pokemon Chikret, Calflame, and Haymuth. Three more images break them into individual Trainer and Pokemon pairings.

The first image is the feminine Pokemon Trainer. She has light skin, shoulder-length brown hair, and blue eyes. She is wearing a pink hat with button badges attached and a Pokeball design, a purple short-sleeved shirt under a creamy yellow shirt with ruffled trim, a green wristband, blue shorts with pink lace trim, aqua knee-high socks, and pink and blue slip-on shoes. She has a tan backpack with purple straps on her back, and as she is walking forward she is looking back and waving at those behind her. Beside her is the fan-made Pokemon Chikret, which is a blue egret-like creature with big blue eyes. It has its wings outstretched and is running alongside its Trainer.

The second image is the androgynous Pokemon Trainer. They have somewhat light skin, short dark brown hair, and trey eyes. They are wearing an aqua green hat with teal accents and a blue Pokeball design, a purple button-up shirt over a darker purple shirt, a green wristband with an aqua Pokeball emblem, a green jacket tied around their waist, denim cutoff shorts with purple and pink leggings underneath, and purple slip-on shoes. They have a tan backpack with purple straps, and are scratching the back of their head nervously as they walk. Beside them is the fan-made Pokemon Calflame. It is a small calf with red fur and eyes, stubby horns, brown hair on its head, and orange and yellow hair on its tail resembling fire. It is running alongside its Trainer in an attempt to keep up.

The third image is the masculine Pokemon Trainer. He has medium-brown skin, short blonde hair, and green eyes. He is wearing a backwards-turned green and black baseball cap with a Pokeball design, a red collared shirt over a dark violet t-shirt, a green wristband with an aqua Pokeball emblem, denim pants, and green and grey running shoes. He has a tan backpack with purple straps on his back, and he is excitedly running ahead. Beside him is the fan-made Pokemon Haymuth, a yellow and green mammoth covered in grass-like hair. It is happily running alongside its Trainer to keep pace with him.

End ID.]

-----

Introducing the player characters for Pokemon Plow and Circuit! And yes, there are three basic options available, the "girly" one that people taking my survey decided was their favorite, the "neutral" one, and the "boyish" one. And I gave the players the design elements and starter Pokemon based on what shared their placement in that survey: everything with girly placed first, everything with neutral placed second, and everything with boyish placed third. ...Okay so there were a few ties in there, but I settled them with coin flips hehe. So how do they look? If you wanna draw 'em yourselves sometime and make 'em look however you want I can throw the base ref atcha that shows the basic options, though feel free to get crazy with the hair and eye colors as I can imagine that the realm of salon dyes and colored contacts could lead those bits to some wild fun hehe :3

While the players' skin, hair, and eye color can be determined by the hypothetical player (and the hair and eye color can be changed later), these are the looks I'm going to personally stick with for any Cantessy drawings featuring the player going forward.

For storytelling purposes only, each of these player characters has a hypothetical "real" person behind them who made them look as close to themselves as possible. The girly character is Mira, and she chooses Chikret when playing Pokemon Plow. The neutral character is Briar, and they choose Calflame when playing Pokemon Circuit. And the boyish character is Jake, and while he will eventually choose Haymuth, he is currently more focused on other games and will play either Plow or Circuit when he can get both as he'd rather have the full experience. Wait, why am I so specific on which version the players pick? Weellllll...if ya know, ya know. If not, you'll find out :3c

💖🐶 Check out my pinned post for ways to support my artwork, among other things! 🐶💖

~If you like, please reblog to show your friends! Likes are appreciated, but reblogs let more people see my content! If you have something to say, feel free to give feedback in tags/comments/replies as well!~

Pokemon and related concepts © Nintendo/GameFreak Cantessy player characters, Chikret, Calflame, Haymuth, the Cantessy region, and artwork © PuppyLuver Studios

[ofichinose]

REPOST, DO NOT REBLOG

Tagged by: @ardensfides​ Tagging: @queensconquest​ @midnightdrxam​ @valorheroics​ @fatechosen​​ & anyone up for the challenge!

TAROT CARD: The Tower, The Hermit, The Sun (reversed) SYMBOLIC IMAGERY: A raven / The Moon or The Sun (depends on pov) FEELING(S): An unwavering sense of guilt that’s darker and deeper than any part of the ocean / Yearning for that which he fears will be taken from him / Nostalgia in the form of a damaged record player; it works, but it’s not what it once was. / Regret that stings him every time he passes an orphaned child or grieving soul

 QUOTES OR LYRICS:

So I bare my skin and I count my sins and I close my eyes and I take it in.

breaks out Will H. quotes folder. For this I would have been damned forever. For this I would have given up everything.

I'm sorry that I did this... The blood is on my hands. I stare at my reflection. I don't know who I am. I’ll be a better man. I'm walking through the halls. I did it all for her. Would you love me more if I killed someone for you? You have to understand that the one I killed is me; changing what I was for what you wanted me to be. I followed your direction. Did everything you asked. I hope that makes you happy 'cause there's just no turning back.

SEA CREATURE(S): Beaked sea snake A SINGLE WORD: “Sin.” A NIGHTMARE: Ten years too late.

[tarithenurse]

Stolen - 21

Pairing: Loki Laufeyson &/x fem!gifted!reader Content: “Getting the most of it”, jealousy. Oh...and smidgen of smuttiness. A/N: After 2 night shifts from hell I finally got time to write a bit again. Ask or reblog for tag ;)

21. A Place in the Dirt

...  Reader   ...

If you had had any hope of getting off the hook lightly on your first day in Asgard...well, those hopes have been crushed, ground into dust, mixed with oil and pigment, and painted onto the wall to spell out the words ‘HA HA’.

Loki had given you all of half an hour to chill and explore the room – surprisingly granting you ownership of the gorgeous suite and the fairy tale-esque bed – however his return had brought a storm of preparations. Maids and tailors (he called them seamstresses) had flocked around you, insisting to prepare a bath for you (as if you weren’t capable of that yourself) after having taken your measurements and tested a gazillion different fabrics while you stood like a mannequin until your body hurt. Admittedly, the bath had been worth it, but you weren’t gonna tell the schemer that when you’d appeared from the bathroom in a cloud of steam.

Allowing a maid to usher you behind a screen, Loki had busied himself with a servant – a good thing too as you were afraid getting physically near him would ruin you and the cleanliness. Still, you were happy for the help as the clothes presented to you were new, styled to match what you had seen the Asgardian noblewomen wearing earlier. Several layers of gossamer-thin silk in greens and sandy colours were almost magically draped across your shoulders, tugged and crossed into a smooth, shimmering haze before the piece-de-resistance was applied: it looked like a bodice of metal scales, the coppery kites woven together unseen without desisting the subtlety of any other thick fabric.

“Lady [Y/N], it is hard to believe you are not Asgardian,” a blond man greets you, breaking the dreamlike (or nightmarish) state you’re in.

Smiling politely, you recall he has been hanging out with a small group during the beginning of the feast. With a woman on each arm, the Asgardian has been drinking and laughing with a bear of a guy with red hair and a beard befitting a Tolkien dwarf (he even has roughly the same shape and table manners as one); at least the second friend – although short of words – knows how to behave himself in court if Loki's directions are to be believed: his face is happy and eyes sharp, never stopping the careful watch of everyone in the room. You don't mind when he looks your way because he will move the gaze to the next person soon enough. The woman, however...brilliant eyes have taken in your every twitch even after Frigga officially welcomed you, explaining to the court how the plan was for you to be tutored by the queen herself. Sif. Apparently, she's quite a warrior and still, she isn't coming to save you now.

"Thank you."

Rather than leaving you alone again the blond sits down, grabbing a glass of golden liquid from a tray of a passing servant and taking a sip. Eyes the colour of forget-me-nots twinkle over the brim.

"Please indulge my curiosity, fair lady." With that melodious voice you might forgive him everything. "How come you travel alone? Save for a single servant..."

You know the answer because it's been drilled in it by Loki: “Travelling without an agenda set in stone, it would be presumptuous and unkind to any host if I arrived with the customary retinue. My servant, as you call him, may not attend precisely the same tasks as a maid...but his allegiance is unwavering. I trust him with my life.”

Brows half cocked, the man next to you drains the glass lazily only to signal for more. The tip of his tongue wipes the last drop of his lips, eye contact unbroken. A shiver runs down your spine and you’re not entire sure it’s the good kind even if there’s an inkling of admiration for his confidence. Player.

“If ever you find yourself in need of...other company,” the man leers, “you can always come to me.” Two full glasses are set between the two of you and he immediately scoots one towards you. “I am Fandral, of the Warriors Three. At your service, m’lady.”

Simply raising your glass in return, you decide life will be a lot nicer with some friends around especially with Loki’s recent teasing. And either way, what harm can a polite gesture do?

...

Someone stop the floor. Your entire world seems to tilt and spin as you walk down the grand hallways – not uncomfortably so, just enough that keeping on a straight path requires more concentration than you’re willing to spend at the moment when you’d much rather enjoy the warm buzz in your body.

“The floor’s steady, silly pet,” a cool voice admonishes beside you, “I told you not to drink the mead.”

Turning to face Loki, his face bobs in and out of focus until something cool readjusts it’s grasp on you. Some sort of answer is brewing in your brain, but it’s not quite ready yet, it seems, and so you let him lead you the rest of the way to your room.

Aha! “Buttit tastsss good! And Fandang...Fanran...Fannnn-”

“Fandral.” With a sigh, Loki plops you onto the huge bed.

“Tha’s’e’one!”

For a moment the trail of thought escapes you while you wiggle around the soft, bouncy surface in an attempt to figure out the method to get out of the bodice. When your companion swats away your hands, you hum with delight at the delicate touch freeing you. Yay! Cool down.

As the feast had progressed and your new, blond friend had coaxed the glass of mead into you (an easy feat considering the deliciousness) your body had begun to heat up, making you miss Loki’s soothing temperatures.

Shrugging off the layers draped over your body, the air is like a balm. “Orh, that’s be’er.”

...  Loki   ...

Nothing but a delicate shift shields [Y/N]’s curves, the silk still unable to hide the darker nipples puckering as she throws herself back into the pillows with a delighted groan. If only...Loki’s imagination grants him flashes of scenes where each sound falling from the woman’s lips are a testimony to the bliss granted by him. Shifting to ease the discomfort brought on by too confining trousers, the Jotun allows his hands to move slowly as they pull the covers over the Midgardian’s body.

“Sleep now, I’ll open the balcony door to let the cool air in.”

It’s a simple order and [Y/N]’s eyes are already closing, still she manages to capture one of his hands and lead it to her forehead. “This works too.”

He can’t pull back, only stare and try to breathe evenly as the woman guides his hand as though it’s a cool cloth. Along the jaw, down the throat to send shivers racing towards the hairline at the neck. Knuckles brush delicately back and forth over the clavicles before she allows his palm to flatten over the upper sternum – the heartbeat beneath strong and rapid – only to drag further until nestled between her breasts while the silk is pulled taught by his wrist.

I...not like this. Snagging the hand back, Loki ignores the whimpers and turns away to discreetly readjust the painful tightness of leather again.

...

Lying in the darkness of the servant’s room, he can still smell the dampness of [Y/N]’s skin on his hand and the memory of soft heat guides that very same hand’s strokes upwards, twists, and down again in the hopes of relieving some of the tension and frustration that have build up within.

A flicker of magic, and a rendering of her face glows dimly, smiling softly at Loki as he ups the tempo. Though the heat is lacking, at least he can mimic the tight hold she would have on him as he thrusts into the fist repeatedly. Although wavering, more of her body appears, completing the recollection of the sight of [Y/N] splayed on the fourposter. The god’s breath hitch and his hips stutter, but the euphoria only lasts mere seconds before the unquenchable need returns. Sweet doom. There is a way to sate the hunger, but it has to be done right or not at all.

[starpaintedskinmuse]

First off I love your blog. And secondly, I am english and agree with 95% of your hating england posts. I am not a football fan, and I haaate the football culture here. Its an excuse for ignorant white men to behave even worse than they normally do. It compounds their intolerance of other countries and cultures and hides it under a veil of acceptability.

Its an excuse for them to get drunk and behave in abusive, and even more entitled ways. Like you dont walk out alone on the night of a big football match for a start.

And its all accepted under this guise of 'sport' and positive patriotism. Rather than excusing some of the worst parts of english men, and our culture in damaging, horrendous ways.

(Sos, I needed a rant. And to confirm your feelings towards england and football)

Hey! Firstly, thank you very very very veeeery much 💜 I saw you several times in my notes and everytime someone comes and stays I can't help myself but wonder why, my blog is such an incoherent mess :))

Secondly, I loved to hear those things from you! I might have been a little biased (it's sports, not diplomacy, can someone be blamed for this kind of views regarding a hobby?) since the English came across my two favourite NT's (Germany, which I've been supporting for several years already, and Italy, a team full of enthusiastic people who stole my heart and who happen to come from my favourite place on earth with which I feel a deep bound for, again, more than several yeas). I don't know if I made it clear before (probably not, considering that all I did most of the times was to reblog stuff from others), but I've got nothing against English people and definitely nothing against the individual players of your national team! I've got friends and family living in the UK, I myself visited your country two years ago: the experiences are somehow like almost everywhere in the world, you come across good and bad experiences, encounter good and bad people and so on. Yeah, so basically those things are not inborn, it's about each and every individual. Then some kind of behaviours become accepted and even generally praised... and this is were the trouble begin.

About the football fans... I've heard some things from one of my besties who works in London: watching the final together with some co-workers, surrounded by supporters of the English NT, they felt scarred and had to make sure they celebrate Italy's good moments discreetly... This adds to all the things I've read before (sure, I'm not fully confident in everything I read since I'm not in the middle of the things). Some football fans become really violent (not only on a physical level, but mostly verbally), but those are, exactly as you said, the undeducated, the bad people who only find in this sport an excuse to behave like brutes and a place to transfer their frustrations. It happens here in Eastern Europe too. Players with darker skin tones (not necessarily due to their ethnicity) are praised when they go through a good phase, but when they make a mistake, they suddenly turn into "filthy gypsies" (again, even if they are not rroma people, it's just because those mother f*uckers find it insulting to be a part of this community) or "dirty crows" ('crow' being a term used, again, for gypsies and in extention for other poc). All I'm trying to say it's... sports usually tend to bring out the true nature of those implied: if you are a good person, the supportive, enthusiastic, hopeful side of you comes out, but if you're full of issues, unjustified anger issues, a superiority/inferiority complex and you still don't know the basic principle of "Never judge a book by it's cover" , the contrary happens.

Well, I'm sorry for the long and boring rant, I guess it was way much longer than I've expected it to be... Thank you again for your ask, I love it when I come across lovely (and sane) people like you on this site! Have a wonderful week 💜

[starsmuserainbow]

Starfire’s RP PLOTTING CHEAT-SHEET

Want new-and-exciting plots for your character? Long to reach out to more of your followers, but don’t know where to start? Fear not! Fill out this form and give your RP partners both present and future all the of juicy jumping off points they need to help you get your characters acquainted.

Be sure to tag the players whose characters YOU want more cues to interact with, and repost, don’t reblog! Feel free to add or remove sections as you see fit. Template here.

Mun name: I go by Star or Starfire online. If we’re close, I might give you my real name upon asking - but if I do, please don’t ‘openly’ call me by it for others to see on this site. I’m very hesistant about RL things like that. OOC Contact: IMs and Asks are always open (and IMs are always OOC, I don’t do IC IMs), I also have Discord. I’m not giving out my Discord to everyone though, so please forgive me if I decline when you ask for it. Again I don’t do IC on Discord. As for plotting purposes or things like that, I think IMs would work the best.

Who the heck is my muse anyway:

An alien from the planet of Tamaran, Starfire was a princess there but left the planet a while ago because she wanted to explore other worlds and meet other people. Overly friendly, always excited to meet new people, very gullible and also somewhat naive. But don’t let that fool you, she’s not stupid, and her alien abilities also make her a threat if you decide to use her friendliness for your own purposes.

Points of interest:

She has orange-ish skin as it is common for tamaraneans. Her eyes are green, the sclera as well as the pupil even though the pupil is a bit darker. She can fly, assimilate languages through lip-contact, has superhuman strength, can withstand many difficult circumstances (like the vastness of space, and she doesn’t feel hot or cold unless in that environment for very long or in certain emotional states), and she has a kind of energy that is commonly referred to as ‘starbolts’ which she can use in various ways to attack others. While she has learned english through language assimilation, she still has a strange way of speaking sometimes. Especially with sayings it can easily happen that she doesn’t quite understand them yet. Due to coming from a different planet, her tastes might seem very strange to some people (e.g. she has a big liking of mustard as a drink), and she also still tries to keep up some of her people’s traditions like festivals even when she lives on earth now. She’s very friendly, bubbly and cheerful, probably a bit too energetic for certain people’s tastes, and overall enjoying to be together with people as long as they aren’t (openly) ‘mean’ or ‘evil’.

What they’ve been up to recently:

I don’t really do much in likes of story lines on this blog (yet?), she still lives with her friends in Titans Tower and often spends her free days visiting other areas of the world to meet new people. Other activities in her free time are shopping, flying over the city, and spending time with anyone she calls friend or whom she might be able to call friend later. On the not-free days there’s a lot of crime-fighting involved.

Where to find them:

Titans Tower, Jump City, any kind of Shopping Mall. She also frequently flies to other areas of the earth, so she could be found basically everywhere on the planet.

Current plans:

As stated above, I don’t really do big story lines or such. I had an AU thing once that I had running basically as a sort-of ‘event’ (Blackfire’s Final Trial was how I called it, searching for it will probably show you more info - or you need to ask me), and while similar might happen again if I ever get that spark of an idea again, nothing is really planned at the moment.

Desired interactions:

I’d really like to have more enemies for her. I love my sweet little beam of sunshine and how she tries to see the good in everyone, but I feel like there’s not enough villain/enemy stuff going on. Also I would really love more interactions for my other verses too (most prominently I’d name my Evil!Star here and my “Bad Endings”-verse), see my verses page for more details for that please. I’m open to any kind of crossover, even if I don’t know about your fandom yet! (Which of course doesn’t mean that I’m not open for anything else, any kind of interaction is great!)

To also name some specific character/s I’d really like to interact with: Mar’i (kid of Robin and Starfire in some future timeline, originating from one comic-line I think)! I have a wishlist-post about that too. There’s never enough RobStar, of course, but at least I do know and am mutuals/interacting with some Robins at the moment, so I don’t really think that should even be listed here - but since there can never be enough, here it is. Cyborg. Has there ever been a Cyborg RPer that lasted longer than, idk, a week or so? Because I definitely haven’t found anyone like it, which is a shame. I’d like to list some more, but two others I could name are ones where I can add more explanation, or ideas, on my other blogs, so that’s where they’ll be listed instead.

Offered interactions:

Starfire sometimes takes her home-made food to offer it to others. Be aware that the tamaranean food often has very different tastes from what would be expected. She also loves to take people flying with her, or talk about her planet. She tries to help in basically any way she could for any problem you might have. She could also easily end up crashing somewhere - as she’s quick to be distracted for a few moments and not check where she’s flying. Or come and go on some other kind of adventure with her! Crime-fighting is naturally also one of the things she’d appreciate a partner (or enemy) in.

Current open post/s:

Open Starters here (and please feel free to reply to ones that already have replies, that doesn’t mean they aren’t still open!) and Memes here! Both are always open, and you’re free to answer or send in something older too! There’s no expiration date on my things!

Anything else?:

I live in germany which sadly causes me to miss out many great things when they happen on the dash. I tend to read all that is on my dash once I’m awake again, but I don’t feel brave enough for reacting to anything that might have happened hours ago. Oh, I’m also as shy as can be, or maybe even shy-er than that. I do try to change this and everyday tell myself to go and approach someone or send in things to others, but that’s hard and quite often it doesn’t happen. I do have Wire-accounts for my muses, and you can either search for them on my blog or ask me about them, but I don’t know if I could/will ever do any good on those.

Tagging: Anyone that took the time to read this!

[boogiewrites]

Choking On Sapphires 23

Title & Song:  Fever

Characters: Alfie Solomons x Genevieve (OFC)

Word Count: 4800+

Summary: Genevieve is a force to be reckoned with.She’s been intrigued by Alfie since she met him. But where will she draw the line between business and pleasure? The tension that’s growing between them is getting harder to ignore. Both of them showing cracks in their armor of denial. Will they be able to keep ignoring it when forced to work together for a job that requires seduction?

Warnings/Tags: Language. Fluff. Suggestive Dialog.Mentions of past trauma of a violent nature. 

A/N: Every chapter of this story will have a song to work as the title and as a soundtrack. Chapter song is Fever by The Black Keys.

Positive feedback is MUCH appreciated! Reblogs, likes and comments feed this artist to write more!

My Masterlist. (Includes Parts 1-22)

He's sitting on a stone bench in the garden, coffee in his cup, sipping noisily and admiring the countryside and sunrise on a lazy morning. He sits up straight and twists, working the sleep out of his body as he takes a deep breath and watches the lavender he gave you move in the breeze, most it now planted in an empty section near the field's edge. The rest littered the garden, bunches of it placed among the low lying flowerbeds, the last bit of it put into a large decorative planter that you'd placed in front of the window in your bathroom. He let’s his mind contently disconnect from the present, his thoughts turning to you.

 After requesting to speak to him, your request’s delivery a bit delayed from the mouth of a maid, he’d eventually wander the house to find you. The journey ended many times with him following the sound of your record player. Leaving him standing in the door way to your bathroom as you’re planted deep in the tub. You would greet him with a entirely too casual fluttering of lashes over your flushed cheeks, your hair piled on top of your head in a way that made him wonder how it’d look spread out across bed sheets. The bubbles would mask the surface of the water with its bits of flowers, petals, and herbs scattered throughout the rolling hills of the soft mounds. You set flight to small clumps of bubbles as your pinked lips pursed and blew. If he remembered the sight of you, what you'd asked him on each occasion couldn't be recalled with it. He just recalls seeing you break pieces off and using in your bath and with your little bottles of oils and perfumes. The smell of the lavender he'd bought you slowly penetrated your hair and skin. He couldn't help but feel smug at the thought that you went out into the world smelling like something that you would associate with him.

His thoughts and the near silence of the early morning are broken as he hears hooves. He gazes out, seeing a horse riding over the rolling field that lay before the forest on your land. You're atop the horse, galloping in, your hair bouncing with the rest of you. It had blown back, the long braid loose and messy down your back. The first rays of light just starting to break through the gloom of the morning, he can see the heat coming off you as you slow and dismount. As you approach he see's you're wearing another old fashion choice in dress, this one including a corset. The light white fabric of the sleeves, open front shirt underneath the tight fitting plain bodice. Your layered skirt was gathered up into your lap as you hold it while you rode. He clears his throat, eyebrows rising as he's noticed the garters that hold up your stockings, worn underneath your riding boots. He finds himself quite fond of the look. There was something about the way the worn leather of your tall boots mixed with the soft white petticoat under your fluffy skirt, that roused him ways beyond just alertness. The just slightly darker, but he imagines even softer skin of your upper thighs match the billowing fabric of the skirt, almost distracting him from noticing the tightness of your garters, squeezing your thick thighs just enough to be noticed as you raise up the skirt, giving him a risque glance at you, the shine of silk of your pants as you fuss with the stockings, having wandered from their preferred placement while you rode. His eyes continue to watch you as you fix your skirt, hair, and chest as you call out for the man who works in the barn, the horse's reins in your hands. He decides to cut his morning reflection short to investigate.

"What are you doin' up this early ridin' about?" he asks in a gruff shout as he crosses the dirt path from the garden to the barn.

"Good Morning, Alfie." you say, you scratch your head and mumble to yourself, distracted, walking the horse into the long line of stalls in this side of the barn.

He scoffs and laughs, hands on his hips are you blatantly ignore him. His shoulders still shaking in amusement as you walk farther into the barn, he stands and waits as he sighs and shakes his head at you. --- Alfie has elected to stay outside the barn, getting to watch you walk with a stomping purpose back towards him, rolling your sleeves up over your elbows.

"I was distracted by Essie, I didn't hear a word you said." you say, shaking your head with a laugh as you crack your knuckles on approach.

"Forgiven, dear." he says with a dismissive shake of his head and wave of his hand. "I was inquiring about what ya doin' ridin' around so early." he politely explains again.

"I ride out before dawn to the forest quite frequently," you say, your face and chest flushed, he notices your hair with varied bits of leaf and twig stuck in its soft waves, you reminding him of some sort of forest nymph. "I have a spot for Essie to graze and run while I take off to the woods much like a rabbit, runnin' and jumpin' and carryin' on." you say with an easy going expression, your eyes bright. "Gets the blood flowing, ya know?" you tilt your head and wrinkle your nose. "Keeps me in fighting shape." you nod and raise your skirts as you take a pitchfork in your hand and move towards a stall. "Gotta stay on top of these things for work." you conclude sweetly before you move from his sight into the stall.

"I didn't know you rode." he chimes in, surprised to find you shoveling the contents of the stall into a barrow in the corner.

"What kind of little rich girl would I be if I didn't know how to proper ride a horse?" you say with a laugh, wiping your face with your forearm.

"Is that why you wear a corset to do it?" he smirks and you turn with narrowed eyes and a half smile.

"In part," you say, your eyes looking up for a moment. "When you're plentifully proportioned in such a feminine manner, as I am," you say with a cheeky smirk that compels him to mirror the expression. "You have to have support to ride a horse. Don't want to knock myself out or break my back." you say indifferently.

"I've always thought of corsets as a pleasing aesthetic choice, did not occur they would help in such a way." he beams that cake eater grin at you and you give him a scolding but still warm glance, a heavy sigh quickly follows when you shake your head at him.

"I'm sure there are lots of things you don't know about the reality of dealing with such aesthetically pleasing things." you jeer.

"Also didn't know shoveling shit was something you bothered yourself with, eh?" he asks with crossed arms and a raised brow.

"Well I'm having Winston look after Ess and this was the last chore he needed to be finished before he could leave for holiday, didn't want to keep the man away from his new baby any longer than I already had." you said, he thought he might've heard a touch of guilt in your voice.

"Here, gimmie that ya milk maid lookin' thing." he laughs, holding his hand out for the fork in your hands. You purse your lips at him, shoving the fork further into the hay.

"I am perfectly capable of doing it myself, thank you." you say with a smile but a defensive tone.

"I didn't say you weren't, but I'm a bigger lad than you, eh?" he asks, fingers gripping into his palm for you to hand it to him.

Your shoulders slump and you move to carry what's on the fork into the barrel but one hand slips in your distraction, knocking the metal of the handles of the wheelbarrow, and with the force you exerted to take the heavyweight over, the handle snaps in your hand.

"BAISEUR DE LA MERE!" you shout, one hand immediately covering the other as your shoulder shoves past him quickly. He sees the blood on the splintered handle that rests on the ground now. He hurries after you. You're cursing in anger, your face set in an angry pose that would have been adorable if the anger behind your eyes hadn't been so hot. You see Ess in the far stable, as you trot back to Alfie. "Winston's gone, I'll need to fuckin' clean and bandage this fuckin'-" you let out an angry growl, foot stomping as you bend slightly. "MERDE qui fait mal!" you laugh loudly, madly, holding your hands to your chest, taking deep slow breaths. "Enfer." you grumble as Alfie jogs away from you and you follow less enthusiastically as his loud voice booms across the garden.

"OI!" he booms across the flowers. His tone and word choice reminding you of boys from your school days. "Don't fuckin' see no one. You need me to go? I don't know where it's at but-"

"No, wait I'm sure it's not as bad as it seems-" you explain, not moving your hands apart, afraid to be proven wrong.

"OI!" he yells again, making you roll your eyes with no real annoyance in your face for him, only at the volume with which he announced his displeasure. "Imma go tell 'em." he mumbles out before he moves away quickly. He returns just as fast. "You need to hire girls who know where the fuck things are Genny." he says, annoyance in his voice. You tilt your head at him in question. "She said she didn't know where it was either but she'd go find out and bring it." he rolls his eyes, hands on his hips.

"It's fine. Just help me sit and we'll use this skirt to stop the blood for a bit. I don't feel faint or anything, I think it hurts more than the damage warrants. Lots of nerves in the hand, ya know." you say with a sweet smile to offset your rough words.

"Here, luv." he says sweetly, holding your elbow and sitting you on a stone step outside the barn. "Want me to tear a piece off?" he asks, the hem of your dress in his taut hands.

"Go on." you give permission. You groan as he pries your shaking hands apart, wiping off the non injured one first, setting it down on your dress, his strong hands are so gentle as they move you about the wrist. You can see the cut is near your thumb in your palm. You make a disgusted noise and shake your head. "Bollocks." you mumble with a sigh. He wraps the fabric around snuggly, you wince a bit but beyond that, his touch is like a whisper.

"You'll be just fine, least it wasn't your dominant hand." he's looking towards the house as he speaks, his hands taking yours between his, still holding a pressure to the cut. You were somehow flattered by his knowledge of which hand you wrote with, then you realize you also know his. Your brow would have furrowed if it hadn't already been from pain. You stop to study his hands as he holds yours, his impatient expression still looking over your shoulder. He already had on a few rings at this early hours, they glinted despite the sun not being very high yet. They were so steady against yours, still shaking and upset about the adrenaline rush from hurting yourself. The hand that rets on top, tattooed with a single black crown and slightly fuzzy, its square-tipped fingers caress yours to comfort the non-injured hand. By the time the cold morning air chilled gold starts to warm against your skin, your notice the tick in his eyebrow. Your arms are pushed together by his holding of your hands, your bodies are directly up against each other, arms and thighs almost on top of the other as he'd pulled you to him to inspect you.

"You're going to make me nervous for no reason if you keep acting like this." you insist, eyes wide up at him, your doe-eyed expression catching him off guard as he'd been distracted by your aloof maid's ignorance.

"Uhh.." he stutters out, chin pushing back into his neck. "Sorry luv, that rocks for brains little girl got me frustrated." he says with a sigh.

"Then let's distract ourselves, shall we?" you suggest with a tilt of your head. He gives you a soft nod and smile, turning his attention and shoulders back to you. "Since they are directly in my vision, I can't help but be pulled to ask you about your tattoos, Alfie." you suggest.  His head moves in small quick movements in surprise, looking down to his hands.

"Ah." he says with a quick series of nods. "You curious as to why I've got the crowns, eh?"

"How could I not be?" you say with a sweet grin.

"I got 'em after the war." he declares after a deep breathe before he elaborates, indulging your curiosity of him." The story starts before 'at though." he says shaking his head, brow low, face looking out towards the garden, being lit by the sun as it rises over the hills. Your eyes float across his handsome features as he speaks in his animated and captivating way when he tells stories. "'Spose me scrappin' and fightin' about as a boy was the true beginning," he says with a shrug. "But boxin' was where it became more than something that kept me occupied in my free time at school." his stare moves to meet the one you'd been giving him. You notice the sun picking up the yellow flecks in his blue eyes as he speaks "I's a touch good at it, yeah?" he says with a wrinkled nose, nodding over at you.

"I can imagine." you say looking up at him, your heart thumping at the thought, your adrenaline fading, your posture slumping with your shoulders as he continued to speak.

"After the war I knew that weren't what I wanted to go back to. But it did certainly help save my arse more than a few times." his eyebrows raise in emphasis. "I was a Captain, right? 'N as it came to pass you have to fight your own when you're fighting others sometimes." his nostrils twitched slightly in a tiny tell that tells you the memories could still bother him if he let him. "Whether there were words or drink or just bein' fuckin' stir-crazy, we'd brawl," he says as if it's common knowledge. "With my position, there were many names I'm sure they called me," he lets out a huff of a laugh. "But the ironic usage of righteous fists in the insults they would whisper behind my back were always my favorite," he says in a whisper, nodding his head at you. "Somethin' about it." His eyes narrow and move away from you, darting about the garden again. "Even said in such hateful ways you can't help but feel a certain respect in the title. I ended up fightin' when I'd drink too much for all the wrong reasons, but I'd win every time." he turns his face back towards yours, you make sure to lift up your half-lidded eyes. "Not a brag so much as a fact." he nods sincerely, face set softly to sell his point. " Wasn't exactly clean fighting, as you might be able to imagine." he almost mumbles, frowning slightly for a moment before his eyes twitch again and it disappears.

"I can." you say quietly to show you're listening. You notice you've been biting your lip and change this fact as soon as you realize. You hate to admit you'd let yourself get flustered at the power that came off him as he told his tale. The thought of him bare-knuckle boxing and then the number of men he'd been victorious over admittedly had done something for you on a deeper, darker, more animalistic level.

"I don't like to dwell on the memories from the war but that dunnit mean they're all useless." his words start high pitched and more to a deep rumble as he speaks, he looks down at his hands." I got myself out of the mouth of hell more than once with the help of these fists." the slightest hint of pride in his voice. "Seemed proper to remind meself of that." he gives that funny little face, his exaggerated frown when he wants to show his support for his point. "And to warn others I can send 'em back to their makers by my own judgment." he adds, a tilt of his head, his voice back to soft." 'N remind me that I still have yet to meet mine." his voice was growing more gritty as he continued sharing.

It hits you hard how dark and powerfully sexy his words were feeling to you. "That story is far much elaborate than I could've imagined. I can't help but be terribly interested when you speak to me of yourself in such ways. I love knowing what darkness motivates you." your lashes look long as he can't help but think they're batting up at him, your head tilted towards his earnestly as your too close, wet pouted lips stay ever so slightly parted as your eyes move quickly from his lips, back up to his face. He wasn't imaging the flush to your chest, was he? The usage of such sultry words makes the darkness you speak of stir just slightly within him.

"I've seen your paintings, Gen. You don't fear the darkness in the same way others do." he shakes his head just slightly, looking down at you with a question in his eyes and voice.

"Same as you?" you clearly bat your lashes up at him, your lips parted just slightly, still distracting but set in a different pose than the last time they'd stolen his attention. He doesn't know if you mean to come off so seductively but you do nonetheless. As you lean forward to speak to him, he looks away, his peripheral vision aching at the noticing of how your breasts heaved when you slumped your shoulders to speak closely with him.

"Certainly seems so, yeah?" he gruffs out, eyes lowering to your chest as you look out the garden with a thoughtful smile and a nod.

"You know I'd thought of getting a tattoo before..." you say in a light-hearted way, glancing down at his hands. He lets out a sudden, high pitched scoff.

"Now why the hell would you go and mark up a gift from god like 'at?" the words blurt out, sounding like a disciplinary scold, his face turned up in an expression of pure confusion and perhaps even disgust at the suggestion.  The red reaching his face as his clumsy and boarish delivery of the words hits him. Your eyebrows shoot up in surprise at the delivery of his opinion, you fight back a patronizing smile and choose to speak softly to counteract his knee-jerk reaction.

"Well," you say with a half smile, looking off to the side to nothing in particular.  "I'm quite fond of them on men so I thought I would be fond of them on myself as well." you say with an entirely mischievous smile, he knows you've seen the crack in his calm facade in reaction to your feminine charms. You see his eyes, although skilled at not getting caught looking at you in ways he liked to pretend he didn't, grasping at the chances you give him consciously, and not, to look at you. In particular your breasts. Which were, in his defense, very distracting to a fan of the female form such as himself and in this corset nonetheless. The compliment isn't missed by his hungry mind as you watch his Adam's apple bob up and down.

"You don't need no further decoration, luv. Believe me." he recovers in a gruff tone, his head swiveling about and not meeting your eyes. You can't help but be endeared to his boyish behavior. Getting his feathers ruffled over you getting hurt so simply. His opening up to you, the fumbled words from his suppressed impulses your body sent his way;  a big, grown man like him getting flustered over some cleavage was for possibly the first time in years you can recall, was something you found yourself getting turned on by.  It seems you did have a soft spot for weak men, but the catch was, the weakness had to be you. ------------------------------------------------------------------============================================== It's another slow Saturday morning, Alfie sat in the study putting the papers away on his desk. He hears a high pitched squeal from you from the front door and he carries himself with a jog to the sound.

You've got your arms wrapped around Tommy's son, Charlie. He's on your hip and he's very weakly defending himself from your assault of kisses to his round little face. "How is Auntie's little gentleman? Look at you gettin' so big! I could eat those chubby cheeks right off your face!" you baby talk him enthusiastically, making 'nom' sounds and blowing raspberries on his face as he laughs and squirms. Tommy is closing the door behind him as Alfie rounds the corner, he's laughing quietly and smiling as Charlie tries to answer questions.

"Afternoon, Alfie." Tommy greets the man as he approaches, they share a mutual pat on the shoulder.

"It is." he gruffs out, looking at you as he speaks to Tommy. "Didn't know you were coming in today, mate."

"He's here on business and surprised me with this little man." you coo affectionately, bouncing the boy around.

"Well, I knew you'd want to see him. He likes driving around in the new car anyway." he shrugs slightly, hands in his pockets.

"Business, eh?" Alfie asks, looking back at Tommy.

"Don't be nosey, Alfie." you say, walking towards them both. "If you need to know, you'll know." you say with a non-threatening smile. You give Charlie one last smooch before handing him off to Aggie. "Shall we get the business over with so we can all enjoy each others company?" you suggest in a politely enthusiastic way. "I've got an adorable godson to spoil if you don't mind." you say matter of factly as you walk towards your office. ------------------- You're sitting on the front of your desk as Tommy speaks to you of a job proposition. A nouveau riche man, coat-tailing on a politician cousin has been throwing his weight around on the wrong people. Literally on girls that work for Tommy and figuratively with his drunken rants that begin with "Do you know who I am?". Tommy didn't go into specifics but he didn't have to.

"I had heard words spoken of the man but until the girls brought him to my attention I didn't think much of it. Once they told me what he had done to them, and rumored to have done to others, I knew you were the woman for the job."

That's all he'd had to say. He could ve lead with that and shook hands and been done honestly. Tommy knew a lot about you. He knew more about you than any other Shelby. More than Polly and even more than Arthur. After jobs in years past, you had spent the occasional very drunken night together talking. It'd all start with a drunken blurting out of something about Grace. You'd both be left raw and the stories just came tumbling out. As much of a pain in the arse he was, he had always kept your secrets. And of course, you'd kept his. So from these quiet confessions, you cathartically purged previous pain of your lives. Spoken into the flames of a dying fire, your pouring and drinking to kill that pain still very much alive.

Because of the nature of the stories told, he knew you preferred to take on jobs that required murder if you thought the person deserved it. Due to the nature of this man's crimes and your stories told, Tommy came to you when he found out a man causing trouble had harmed women because he knew you'd say yes. You had yet to fail him on a job and he was noticing that Alfie was also catching on to how much your allegiance was worth. This didn't bother him in the slightest, he honestly wanted to encourage it. The thought had crossed his mind more than once that if you and Solomons were to join forces, that would mean mutually assured loyalty of Solomons through your orders. He'd only ever known you to be, and frustratingly so at times, a loyal person to those you loved, and as much as you claimed not to like him, he couldn't help but think you counted him amongst those you were loyal to. He didn't see this as changing anytime soon, and you wouldn't let Alfie harm him if you had any control over it, and he suspects a woman like you would certainly have control over a lot of things in a relationship.

So this power hungry pig was known for his fondness of burlesque starlets. It would be easy to get him alone for the purpose of seduction. The man thought he was clever, thinking that dancers couldn't possibly be threats. He'd send his men away, except his driver who Tommy said he could have taken care of with no work needed on your behalf.

"And where will this be happening? You don't own a bar with a stage." you say, holding your hand out to ask for an explanation.

"That's why I wanted the meeting here and on a Saturday afternoon." he says with a subtle smug smile and you nod.

"You want to use Alfie's club," you state, lips pursed, looking at the door, wondering if the bugger was eavesdropping. "You want me to go grab him or ask him later?" you sigh out, swinging your head back towards Tommy.

"I'd actually like to speak to him alone first if you don't mind." he says in an indifferent way. You sigh and stand.

"If he'll speak of business on Shabbat." you say sarcastically with a closed mouth smile.

"He's not trying to sell you that holy routine is he?" he shakes his head, eyes rolling but an amused look on his face.

"No, but I do find his hypocrisy and blasphemy highly amusing." your chuckle shakes your shoulders as you leave the room to send Alfie in. ------- After being informed to the situation, the plan and the inquiry to use his club to do it Alfie sits back in your chair at your desk, hands on his stomach, shoulder hunched and brow low, clearly hesitant.

"I've kept the place quiet so far mate, best not mix things up right now. Not with the way the politicians are actin' skittish after our last job." he says, his face less tense but still unhappy.

"This man's cousin will not mind him gone. I'll clean it up. I just need a controlled environment." he offers, shrugging his shoulder. "Since Genevieve would be in a reasonable amount of danger with this rather large and strong man alone, I thought you might prefer to be around if anything did not go according to plan." he offers in a voice that is too still and calm to not make Alfie's eyes narrow at the man in offense to his assumptions of him.

A "Hmph." of consideration was the only response given to him for using you as a means to appeal to his emotions. He wasn't sure how he felt about the man's boldness to suggest he'd care about such a thing. Even if he was exactly correct in his presumption.

"If I know I can trust the owner of the establishment and the men in it, that lessens the probability that something will go awry significantly," he states with an easy going nod, presenting the attempt at persuasion and using you as a piece of the negotiation. "And we both know we can trust her, eh?" he offers, leaning forward with a nod of his head towards the door.

"You'll clean it up?" he asks, fingers tapping together in front of his face. "I just gotta give you a place for her to dance and 'ats it? You handle all the planning and dirty work?" he leans with his elbows on the desk.

"Every bit of it." he says convincingly.

"You got them political connections now, dontcha? Running for office and what not." he huffs out a laugh. "This a job for 'em?" he asks, tilting his head. "A favor among the aristocracy?" he lets out an amused breathy chuckle.

"Not exactly, no. It being at your club should bring no suspicion to you with the ends I have tied up." he says with a subtle purse to his lips, head tilting back at the man to show he wasn't backing down.

"So ya just use me place and ya payin' me? Is this what I'm to take away from this?" he asks, hands out in question.

"Yes, Alfie, that's what I'm offering." he states very matter-of-factly.

Alfie spits in his hand, Tommy follows suit as they move to open the door to include you in on the conversation.

Pt 24 Every So Often

Tags! Let me know if you’d like to be added or dropped! Thanks!

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[fandomplethora]

Speechless.

The following post deals with the game(s) Doki Doki Literature Club, Mystic Messenger and then a sinister “challenge” called Blue Whale.

Recently I reblogged this post thinking that it was a joke about the game DDLC (Doki Doki Literature Club). I have played this game (along with a friend of mine) and I thought this was something edited.

It turns out...it’s not.

This is actual news coverage about a teenager that has committed suicide and his family, and the coroner, are linking his tragic death to the game. (At least a part of it.)

Here is the link to that and the full video as well.

So, I watched this video by PewDiePie (Felix) today talking about this. Watch it. I will link it here. (He begins talking about it around 6:35) anyways...they describe the game like this:

-advertised for 13 or older. (They ask if you are 13 and older before playing the game but also consistently warn you that this game is not suitable for children and not to play this game if you are easily disturbed due to it’s graphic content.)

-“characters suggest things to you and you decide what to do...” (I mean...kind of...but...they ask you to select words for poems and then it is a “decision making” game that needs to advance the plot. Just like any other game.)

-“the characters befriend and love you and give you tasks to do, but if you do not do them, they turn nasty.” (The game was made to begin “breaking” no matter what choices you made.)

-it is a free game. (Okay, that’s true.)

-it is an online game. (While it is on the computer...it is not an “online game” in that sense. But you do need an internet connection to play.)

-it is a mobile phone game. (Whoa, whoa, whoa...that’s not true at all.)

I was so confused because this is not how DDLC works. Also, again, DDLC has a consistent advisory warning about the content of the game and it is advertised as a psychological horror game. It does contain triggering content but it does warn you.

This just didn’t make any sense.

But, then, this is what got me:

-“...the game was linked with his mobile phone and he would be contacted by text message during the day and at night, often waking him up.”

Felix then says they were possibly talking about a different game.

A game that is actually mentioned in a different article about the same tragic event.

A game called Mystic Messenger.

A news article about that is linked here. (This article speaks about DDLC as well, so, to get to what they say about Mystic Messenger you will need to scroll down a bit.)

I was...speechless. Felix then says how they are describing a game “where you message people” and “gives your notifications at random points”...how he “thinks” this describes some main premises of MM (Mystic Messenger).

I have played this game as well so let’s match up the points to MM now...and also their contradictions.

-advertised for 13 years and older. (Some parts of the game are advertised for age 15 and older. Also, due to how the game is set up and how complicated it can get, it actually has attracted an older audience than 13 or even 15.)

-“characters suggest things to you and you decide what to do...” (They suggest guests...and you decide whether to invite them or not. But other than that...)

-“the characters befriend and love you and give you tasks to do, but if you do not do them, they turn nasty.” (The characters do befriend you and it is a dating simulation game...so, yes, they do “love you” and you do have “tasks” but, really, it is just the plot of the game to complete each route with each character. Also, you do have the “pressure”, if you will, to select correct answers to get a “Good Ending”. Other options...including missed chats, wrong chat options and not enough party guests in attendance for the finale of a game route will lead you to a “Normal Ending” or “Bad Ending”. These “endings” can be showing the characters, or your relationship with the characters, in a negative light. But, these characters never truly turn “nasty”. Not in my opinion.)

-it is a free game. (Yes, true...until you unlock other routes and other DLC’s.)

-it is an online game. (Not in the sense of interacting with other players...but, yes, you do need an internet connection to play.)

-it is a mobile phone game. (Strictly, so.)

But...just like Felix says in his video...it is like they combined the premises of both games (which...are not really the true premises). Then they twisted it in a way to create this dangerous view on these games.

When talking about this game(s) the family has said, and I quote, they “dragged his son in”, “it drags you in and makes it very real”, “once you get into it - it will not leave you alone”.

These sound like extreme exaggerations on both games. DDLC can be done in your own time and in one sitting or not. MM is over the course of 11 days but you do not have to answer any of the messages or chats.

Also, you can delete these games and stop playing them at any time. These games do break the fourth wall, can be considered “broken games” (by some), do deal with very real issues and Mystic Messenger does send you notifications in real time.

These games, as well, do deal with abuse, violence, mental illness, suicide, drug use and criminal activity.

These themes are also forewarned multiple times in both games to users.

But...at the end of the day, these are just games. You can stop playing. They can be deleted. And nothing will happen.

(There is no shame in not playing these games or deleting these games due to their content. Please, do so, if the content is triggering to you. Take care of yourself.)

(Comments on Felix’s video.)

The family has stated that “there is not confirmation yet, but we believe that the game could be linked to Ben’s (their child) death.” They have just listed it as a “potential cause”.

But the media is putting the blame and making DDLC the front face of this tragedy. And, now, an article is actually linking Mystic Messenger as a warning to parents and their children as well.

But these descriptions do not truly fit these games.

This media converage is disrespectful to a company like Team Salvato (DDLC) who created an intricate game as a pathway into a more intricate game (watch Game Theory if you do not know what I am talking about) and Cheritz (MM) that uses their game to donate to charities and provide “happiness” to their players. Both games also address severe issues such as abuse and watching out for signs of mental illness in the people around you. Even in yourself.

Also, I am not pushing blame on anyone for this tragedy. But there was something deeper happening here than a video game. Because, while a form of entertainment can have triggering content, it is not the root of the issue.

The media, and possibly even the family to some extent, did not totally know what their child was doing and/or did not fully understand it. (Which Felix also states in his video.) The proof of that is how poorly both games were even covered.

So, here’s where I’d like to bring up a more sinister, darker “game” that is truly not a “game” at all...

A “game” (or, “challenge”, if you will) called Blue Whale.

(Comments on Felix’s video.)

Blue Whale is a game that was in the news a while back for causing people to commit suicide. But it is much more sinister...this “game” “does not physically exist”, is “hidden in a world that cannot be found”, you are “trapped in a world with no escape”...”a world that lasts for 50 days, ending with you taking your own life.”

This game has spread worldwide. From Russia, to other places in Europe and now, as I have read recently, to Asia as well.

The game starts out between an “administrator” and a “participant/victim”. This game is mainly conducted through social media platforms. It includes the “administrator” assigning you daily tasks such as listening to certain music or watching horror-genre videos. These tasks grow in intensity as the days go on to things such as staying up the entire night, standing on the edge of great heights and mutilating your skin with a “whale” symbol. The final end task is to commit suicide.

These victims are, in my eyes, basically brainwashed, conditioned and manipulated. They could already been in a vulnerable place and the administrators of this game know this through monitoring them by their online presence. They make their victims think their devices have been infected by malware and viruses and threaten to release all their information and photos of them online if they do not “play”. The tasks they are given are meant to drive someone to that dark of a place where they will follow any instruction and, then, eventually, even take their own lives.

It’s evil.

In the last month (side note: DDLC does not take a month to play unless you truly spaced it out. Also, MM is an 11 day game unless you play more than one route.) of Ben’s life his family said they observed this behavior:

-no interest in school when he used to be one of best pupils in class

-problems sleeping

-problems eating

-“became darker inside”

They also stated that many things were happening in their son’s life but they believe the game is one part of it. That kids and parents need to be made aware.

They just want his death to “have meaning”.

And...that breaks my heart.

This whole situation is unfair and tragic.

But, if they truly observed a change in their son and also linked the timeline of it with a new engrossment in a game...they could be possible looking at the wrong game.

But...these changes in him alone are a sign of possibly severe mental illness. That’s the bigger picture...something very, very difficult was happening within your child.

And...there is a possibility that a sinister “challenge” such as “Blue Whale” preyed on that.

They are looking in the wrong place.

But besides that, games and challenges aside, the point is...your son was struggling with mental illness.

Even if he was playing a game such as DDLC or MM...that is not the root of the issue.

We need to reach out to our children, to our family, to our partners and our friends and speak to them, watch over them, help them. And pray they grasp our hands back.

Before it’s too late.

The games themselves are not the problem. The problem is a disconnect between one another where we miss something, overlook something, not pay close enough attention to something, not monitor your child...until a tragedy like this happens.

But no one is truly to blame. (Unless he did fall prey to such a sinister “challenge”.) from the information we do have, this is no one’s fault.

Also, the media needs to do their research (I know they had a couple people on the BBC interview that said relevant things but they also had some misinformation as well) before slapping a popular image of a game(s) on the screen for views and clicks. The game is not the point.

Missing something crucial.

Speaking out about the true root of mental illness.

Watching over each other.

Watching over our children.

That is the point.

[elfyourmother]

re: that last post i reblogged, that’s also why i harp so much on loghain’s design playing into anti-semitic tropes and why his inquisition redesign was just so fucking egregious, because it seemed to underscore the inherent racism of his origins design. of course once he became an unambiguous hero on the side of the player (the only way he’ll ever show up in inquisition), he got a nose job and quit looking sallow. of course.

this kind of thing is also on my mind having immersed myself back into final fantasy again lately because final fantasy is rife!! with!! so much!! colorism and anti-blackness. and i’m not talking about the obvious shit like sazh in 13 being presented like a fucking minstrel-era buffoon w a god damn baby chocobo in his hair, or basically everything to do with barret in 7. this goes back way further than that and character design is part and parcel with it. colorism is fucking rife in that series!! 

as much as amano is near and dear to my heart he is so fucking guilty--99% of his heroes are blonde/platinum haired and pale. i was just talking to dandy the other day since i’ve been playing the psp port of ff2 about the blatant colorism. firion and maria are pale and delicate looking. guy, the "gentle giant” bara that speaks You No Take Candle bc he was raised by wolves or w/e, is markedly darker than either of them--a pattern that you see over and over again in ff games. darker skin has a tendency to be equated w “wildness” or a lack of civilization. you see this later on with fran (a literal non human) and fang (indigenous to the “savage” land of gran pulse). wakka, our darkest and most obviously “ethnic” party member in 10 w his big nose and distinctly non-anglo accent in the English version, is alternately portrayed as a happy go lucky island jock and deeply ignorant and racist.

SNES sprites outside of 5 had a tendency to be wildly off model from amano designs but it’s sus as hell that kain was the only one to become visibly brown in his sprite. the character who’s mind controlled into betraying his friends. 

the only dark haired party member i can think of in 6 is cyan. the darkest skinned party member is again the least trustworthy (shadow). leo christophe, the closest thing to a brown character in 6, has some really questionable shit going on w his exaggerated lips that always made me vaguely uncomfortable. and ofc he has exactly 1 scene and dies in it.

also, every single one of these brownskinned characters can and will be whitewashed in every manner of port, side game, spinoff, sequel, official art/ultimania, etc. kain’s sprite got far paler in TAY, similar to the loghain example in inquisition, a game where he was an unambiguously good character who literally became holy. tidus, the one brown skin protagonist in the whole fucking franchise, gets paler and paler in everything he shows up in. and i mean i’m certain that a lot of this is rooted in east asian colorism and i can’t and won’t speak to that bc that’s not my culture or my context, but as a black girl growing up w these games, as much as i love them, i am 100% certain they were responsible for a lot of the garbage i had to unlearn as an adult about race and fantasy.