#she's new to the party and coping badly

[vegasvictor]

words from the wasteland | three.

you were a looker once, a wonder of the wastes. now the world is your reflection — brush your hair out of your face and the hair tags along. why does it think it got an invite? a living warning. an undead reminder. daddy's got your nose and the man's got your noose. do you wonder if your friends would cut you loose? - g. h.

[blueberrypancakesworld]

hellooooo!! may i request a poly! mayhem/black circle (dead is alive) x fem reader who is a mix of black metal/gothic but sweet and bit of a bimbo?? like all of them are hungover from a black circle party and she makes them breakfast and takes care of them and everything??? 🤍🩷

A shiny and sweet morning

warning : fluff, kissing, comfort

Info : Helllloooo dear anon of course you can request such a thing I hope you like this fluffy sweety thing and everyone have fun reading ;)

masterlist

Disclaimer : I don't want to glorify anything, it's about the actrs who play a role, not the real events

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Norway the mornings in winter were cold and foggy, in spring the sun hung behind the clouds and only in summer the morning was surprisingly bright and pleasantly warm.

A warmth from the sun's rays that came into the young woman's room, the chirping of birds and nature through her roommate's open, demolished window.

Slowly opening her eyes, she wiped the sleep from her eyes as she looked at the clock. ,,Well, let's make the boys something to eat," she mumbled and got out of bed.

She knew it was morning, knew that the boys had all been partying late into the night in the music store and had then found their way back here more badly than right. The smell of beer and grass, of smoke and fire hung in the house, but that would soon change.

The longer black fingernails with the slight silver glitter reached into her closet and picked out a dress, the puffy white underdress with frills was rounded off by the black, thinner outer dress and a belt with small bows.

Sitting back on the bed, she gently and carefully pulled up the white knee-high socks so as not to damage the thin material and tied her hair up in a bow, which was a little wild from sleep.

The sweet young woman, preoccupied in the darkness, walked out of her room and peeked into the hallway, seeing that most of the doors were closed or slightly open from not closing due to the drug and alcohol influence. ,,Like a bat" she mused with a grin as she saw Dead and Euronymous lying on the mattress and coffin with their heads propped up on the floor.

The two of them looked like two oversized bats because of the runny makeup but the picture was cute and she wanted to grin and make a mental note that she had to take a picture of it next time.

That as she walked on and the bunch of Faust, Occoltus and Varg had thrown themselves together on the beanbag, the youngest of the three had the odd disturbing thought and a hand to horrofilem them both with one hand in his arms she held tightly even in her sleep.

,,The iron maiden and her captives," she murmured jokingly and continued down the corridor, almost running over the two of them.

Hellhammer and Necrobutcher leaning against each other, ,,Two mad bears with a hangover," she joked, shaking her head lightly as she tried to escape the crack of the wood from the stairs and quickly made her way to the kitchen.

She was thankful to all her lovers that they were all fiddling in the music store and not here in the house she took care of besides her job as a reporter because she brought the good news to the "hip youngsters" as her boss always called it by giving news and updates on the band once a week and writing an article.

Which was sometimes a bit of a challenge, considering her fingernails and the way her breasts pressed against the keldi. But as it was now, she was coping with everything.

The little light in the kitchen was slightly amplified by the lamp, so she turned on the stove and took the things from the fridge.

,,Goodness gracious, we're almost out of everything," she muttered and took out the remaining eggs, a few slices of ham and sausage as well as fruit and salad.

She put what she wanted to cut up on a board and started cutting away the already moldy part while listening to the latest song from her band playing on the cassette.

Humming along, she swung through the kitchen as best she could, taking care of the scrambled eggs, the salad, the meat and the few cereals with milk.

She set out the plates and cutlery and decided to stop the coffee and not give the men any beer for the time being.

She didn't want another mess. Minutes passed and it had taken her about half an hour to do everything here.

A glance at the clock told her it was time to wake the boys. Pulling the small pocket mirror out of her clothes pocket, she pulled the shimmering, strawberry-scented lip gloss over her lips before she was ready to wake her pack.

Humming happily, she opened the windows in one room after the other, letting in fresh air and the house slowly began to smell of nature and coffee, of something tart that wasn't beer and dorgen.

,,Wake up, gentlemen of hell!" She shouted through the corridors as she knocked on Euronymous and Dead's door, brushing a few tangled strands of hair out of their faces, and the black-haired man's ,,Mhhh too soon" was met with a gentle kiss, causing him to rise slowly.

,,Thank you sweetie," the band founder murmured, letting his gaze wander over her and smiling slightly as he made his way downstairs.

She heard him on his way down, but the three of them fell over Hellhammer and Necrobutcher as they went crashing down the stairs and the sound of cursing filled the house. ,,Day?" she heard the soft voice of the blond who was suddenly standing behind her, his make-up still smudged.

,,Yes, Day... my little zombie," she said and briefly took his hand before she started to pull him behind her to get him to eat, which he didn't do very well anyway.

While the five of them were eating and she had given Hellhammer and Necrobutcher a cold pack, she went back upstairs to hell the last three.

,,Fresh coffee," she murmured and held out a cup to the three sitting on the beanbag, which slowly worked wonders.

Varg took the cup with just coffee, Faust the one with two sugars and Occultus the cup with more milk than coffee.

,,Thank you, darling," the three of them trilled and gave her a quick hug before they all gathered downstairs and the large group squeezed around the table.

She had a cheerful smile on her lips when she saw that the boys were enjoying their meal despite the headache they had all taken a pill for.

,,That's great," she heard from Occoltus, who scooped another heap of egg onto his plate, and a ,,You're the best mommy," from Hellhammer, who winked at her, knowing full well what he was alluding to.

But they all knew what the brown-haired one was getting at, but it didn't bother anyone, she was there for each of her sweeties and always would be. ,,Always happy for my little devils," she replied and sat down at the table before taking her first well-earned sip of coffee.

She was happy when she saw the many relieved faces and received her rewarding kisses.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[sarahscribbles]

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LOKI MASTERLIST

[Last updated: March 8 2023]

[All my readers use she/her pronouns]

KINKTOBER MASTERLIST

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS MASTERLIST

THE SAKAAR FILES MASTERLIST

FOLLOWER CELEBRATION MASTERLIST

☆ Signifies 1k notes and up

✧ Moments of Magic ☆ 

Summary: You bring Loki two gifts to mark his birthday. One a magical object and the other your heart

✧ 14 Hours to Cape Town (18+)☆ 

Summary: When the rest of the Avengers are sent on a mission to Cape Town, you're forced to stay behind to recover from a previous mission while Loki isn't trusted enough to go along. How will you cope with being made to stay in the compound with the man you're in love with when he seemingly wants nothing to do with you?

✧ Warming Him (18+) ☆ 

Summary: Loki makes you warm him

✧ Stay Here One More Time

Summary: On the anniversary of the Battle of New York, Loki discovers he has someone on his side

✧ Don't Go Tonight

Summary: While on a mission fighting against HYDRA you do the one thing you’re not supposed to do and get distracted. The price you pay is a high one.

✧ Do I Haunt Your Mind?

Summary: You finally work up the courage to confess your feelings to Loki, but it goes badly wrong

✧ Little Green Dress (18+)

Summary: You try, and spectacularly fail, to tease the god of mischief.

✧ I Want To Make You Feel Wanted (18+)

Summary: On a mission you get the opportunity to kill the HYDRA agent responsible for torturing you, but, misreading the situation, Loki kills him before you get the chance. And now you want to kill him

✧ "My Pet." (18+)

Summary: Tony’s Christmas party gets a little steamier than you had imagined

✧ Tiny Blessings

Summary: Growing up within the royal palace of Asgard, you learned magic alongside Loki and his mother Frigga. After Frigga's death, you find a way into the dungeons to comfort her broken son

✧ Paper Trail

Summary: Loki organises a romantic treasure hunt for you

✧ Back In Your Arms

Summary: Loki arrives back at the compound, and back in your arms, after the battle with Thanos

✧ Illicit Affairs (18+)

Summary: A marriage built on nothing but childhood infatuation was always bound to fall apart. The love you once thought you had for Thor has dwindled to nothing but indifference. He doesn't know the things you crave and makes no effort to find out, so you turn to the one person who will fulfill all your filthy desires: his brother.

✧ One More Week (18+)

Summary: When Loki makes a request of you in bed, how can you possibly deny him?

✧ Burned (18+)

Prompts: “Do I look like I’m messing around? Do I look like I won’t punish you?” ||"Fucking is a reward, but you haven’t been good.” || "Be a good girl

✧ In The Quiet Of The Morning (18+)

Prompt: Soft morning sex with Loki

✧ For All To See (18+)

Summary: You, Loki, and a floor-to-ceiling window. What of it?

✧ Between His Thighs (18+)

Summary: Loki makes you warm him. Again.

✧ Emerald Lace (18+)

Summary: Your first time wearing lingerie for Loki has you nervous, but your god is quick to show you how much he adores you.

✧ Victory Prize (18+)

Summary: Loki arrives home from a mission eager to celebrate its success

TWO PARTERS

✧ When You Play With Fire (18+)

Summary: When Loki doesn’t accompany you to Scott’s birthday celebration, you think you have the upper hand by leaving him to stew in his own desire. You should have known better than to play with fire.

PART ONE

PART TWO

✧ Dancing With The Devil (18+)

Summary: You’ve burned for him for centuries, but you know he sees you as nothing more than a prize to claim. Still, you play his game of teasing and innuendo, but never give in to how badly you crave him. That is until an innocent smell of a flower on Midsummer leaves you with no other choice.

PART ONE

PART TWO

✧ On The Throne (18+)

Summary: Yet again Loki has allowed a security council meeting to run late. You decide that, this time, you’ll go and help hurry it alone

PART ONE

PART TWO

DRABBLES

✧ Don't Move, Darling (18+)

Prompt: "Move an inch and you won't be coming tonight."

✧ Purple And Red (18+)

Prompt: "I won't apologise for marking you up, everyone should know you're taken."

✧ Against The Glass (18+)

Prompt: "I want everyone to see how good you take it."

✧ Make You Sing (18+)

✧ Eyes Open (18+)

Prompt: "Keep your eyes open."

✧ Consequences (18+)

Summary: Loki gave you one simple order when leaving the palace and now you have to face the consequences of failing to follow it

✧ Worship You (18+)

Summary: Yours is the only altar Loki will ever worship at

BLURBS

✧ Loki with an overstimulation kink

✧ How would Loki love us?

✧ Loki praising us

✧ President Loki

✧ Sub!Loki

[spacesapphi]

(Finally) Introducing Farmer Möhle!

Profile maker template by Jazybee! More info about them below the cut too :)

Möhle (pronounces moe-luh) was born and raised in Pelican town for 8 years, meaning they knew quite a few people when they returned! Emily was their absolute best friend growing up, and they got along well enough with the few other kids who lived there as well (those kids being Haley, Alex, Shane, and Penny). They lived on grandpas farm with their mom, and spent much time with him. The two were very close. When they were 8, their mom got a better job in the city and couldn't say no to the opportunity. Möhle didn't want to leave, especially since they knew it meant they couldn't see their grandpa or his farm as often anymore. He promised they could come by during the summer and stay with him, but unfortunately passed away mere months after they left.

She got the letter from her grandpa soon after, and wanted so badly to open it, but listened to his instructions to wait until the time was right. The death was absolutely devastating for them though, and being so far from town didn't help. During this time, they stayed in touch with Emily, the two becoming pen pals for years. These letters did help them cope with the loss and the move, though they wished for nothing more than to return to the valley

18 years later, their job at Joja Corp became too much for them to deal with and they finally opened the letter, quitting on the spot after reading it and calling Emily to let her know that they were coming back home. Emily was ECSTATIC when she got the news, and wound up being the one to tell everyone in town! On their first day back, Emily planned a party to welcome them back with everyone who grew up with them, but only she, Penny, and Haley showed up. Möhle was secretly relieved, not really enjoying that much attention.

Farming thankfully wasn't too hard for them, given they had spent much of their early childhood helping out their grandpa. All the knowledge he imparted was still with them, and it didn't take long to get back into the hang of it. Once the junimos got involved though, things got significantly more complicated. The poor quiet farmer who liked no special attention was suddenly in a contract with a multitude of forest spirits to restore the community center AND town and become it's hero. It was a scary, daunting task, but they knew it needed to be done. No one else was gonna do it either, it seemed. Pelican town was so much sadder than they remembered now, and if restoring the center meant bringing life back to the valley, they would simply push through!

After some time back in the valley, friendships grew too! Their bond with Emily only grew stronger, the both of them having a lot of similar interests! They liked to talk about philosophy, spirituality, art, textiles, and music. They made it a point to spend a night every other week just hanging out and talking. Emily couldn't deny she had a teeny crush on them at the time, but that faded once she started getting closer to Sandy

Linus is another great friend, a kindred spirit even. Möhle respected his beliefs and his way of life immediately, which meant everything to him. While Linus was wary of them at first, many trips up the mountain to forage, fish and mine meant they ran into him often, leading them to speak frequently. Linus grew to enjoy their company, and realized he wanted to stay in the valley due to having such an understanding friend. Möhle didn't try to fix him, or make him change his way of life. They accepted him for who he was and wished him well, which was all he ever wanted

Möhle was terrified of Harvey at first, mostly because he was a doctor. Given they had many bad experiences, doctors weren't exactly fun for them. They first met when Möhle had to get their meds transferred over, having a VERY awkward conversation since they sucked at small talk. Both of them were intimidating to the other and neither knew how to handle it (absolute cringefails we love them). However, after spending time talking at festivals and when Harvey had days off, the fear of each other began to fade, and was replaced with mutual respect. They shared their interests with each other, super happy that both of them were collectors (Moll collects rocks) and they both liked jazz!

Sunday afternoons soon became a time for them to have lunch together, listen to music, and work on whatever model plane Harvey had started building. Rumors that they were dating soon went around, and the two rolled with it, realizing they did actually like each other! They had fun, their daily routine not changing much, just having a bit more PDA involved mostly. It didn't last long though, only about 5 months before they realized they worked better as friends. It was a mutual agreement, one that still stung, but one they knew they had to make. They're on very good terms though, and still occasionally have Sunday Lunches together :)

He didn't fit in the template but Elliot is also a bestie!! The two of them run into each other at the library, talking about their favorite novels and classics, often reading together and discussing themes and metaphors in the books. When Elliot mentioned he was a writer they volunteered to be his test reader immediately, to which he said yes. They occasionally have meetups in the library or at his cabin to go over writing and bounce ideas back and forth, usually listening to classical music to help brainstorm

Marnie was a good friend and business partner of Möhles grandpa before he died. She was so excited to hear they were coming back to town, and made sure she gifted them two chickens upon moving in (they have the Meadowlands Farm). She invited them to a family dinner right when they moved in, wanting them to feel like they still had something close to family in the valley, even though their grandpa was gone. They met Jas during the event, who was very wary and shy towards them, even if Aunt Marnie insisted they were a family friend. Möhle and Shane's reunion wasn't exactly the best either

He was much ruder than they remembered, and they didn't like it. Marnie tried to explain that he was going through a lot and needed time, but it didn't make them feel much better. Everytime they visited Marnie, they'd run into him, usually finding him buzzed or hungover, standing by the microwave. They'd try to say hello, almost always getting a blank stare or an unamused sound of acknowledgement in return. They tried to keep Marnies explanation in mind, but frequently got frustrated by these interactions. Honestly the two of them kind of had beef for a while

But, they did get a few glimpses of the good sides of him, the glimpses that made them believe that the kind, happy person he was when he was a kid was still around. For one, seeing how he interacted with his goddaughter and Marnie was always sweet. No matter how cold he was to others, he always seemed to brighten up when spending time with them. His demeanor seemed softer, he smiled more and he was happy! It was the same way around Marnies chickens too. They had seen how gentle he was with them, how much he loved and doted on them, overhearing all the chicken stories he'd tell Emily at the saloon. Maybe, just maybe, Marnie was right. They knew well that hard circumstances and mental illness could make a person put up walls... They just hoped they would come down

Holy shit this turned into an essay but I'm VERYYYY passionate about my OC's and Stardew AU stuff. I'm gonna be making more Möhle content in the future since there's more I wanna write and draw for, I have a WIP thats nearly done actually! If u made it this far ty :))

[kaviary-blog]

An Ache in the Depths of the Soul

Have a sad little drabble cause that’s all my brain is capable of right now

Unspecified MC, unspecified M!NPC. I leave it up to your interpretation.

Pure angst and sadness cause that’s all I got

Word Count- 1,057

—

Two years. It had been two years since they had seen each other. Two years since her heart had been brutally torn from her chest and ripped apart. Two years since the promises they had made were broken. Two years.

Two years but still heavy.

She wished that she could say that things ended amicably, and on some fronts it had. But they were young, neither handled the situation with much grace. She didn’t know how to let things go, and he didn’t know how to love her anymore.

This newly unrequited love was humiliating for her. He had told her that she was everything, the whole package, the best thing he could’ve hoped to had.

And then he let her go.

Utterly devastated and humiliated. She was forced to watch him be completely fine without her, which stirred up a million doubts in her mind. Had it been real? Why was she so completely crushed and he seemingly unscathed? Had he ever really loved her? Was it a lie?

He was joking around with his peers and she had a physical pain in her chest. Breathing was too much. Every blink brought her back to that moment; sitting together in silence as the inevitable dawned on her. Wailing all alone once he had closed the door behind him.

She knew that she was playing catch up. He had admitted that he had fallen out of love with her long before he broke her heart. Told her that he no longer knew how to love her. He knew her all too well, every dark and ugly part of her, and he didn’t know how to keep loving her now that he knew her.

Seeing him laugh and flirt with other girls further twisted the knife. But she remained cordial. He was her friend, he had been her best friend up until he broke things off. And she missed him.

They had ran in the same circle throughout their final year of school, when they officially began their relationship. They had rescued each other from the clutches of doom time and time again, shared the same scars and friends.

So when things ended, she felt completely alone. She didn’t have anyone else to go to that wasn’t also friends with him. In refusing to leave the comfort of her friends she had inadvertently drove him to seek comfort with another, a disarmingly pretty girl who she had always felt inferior to.

The witch he fawned over was everything she wasn’t. How could he like her if he ever loved me at all?

She’d be lying if she said she never villainized him. She wasn’t completely sure how to cope with all the grief. And it was easier to be angry than to be sad.

But at the same time, she couldn’t bring herself to hate him. He had hurt her so deeply, yet she loved him. Completely and irrevocably.

Seeing him happy churned her insides and burned her eyes. She didn’t understand how he didn’t miss her. He laughed and it felt like daggers. His voice haunting her dreams, every corner of the dorms held traces of him. Everywhere had a bittersweet memory of what they had.

She had put everything he had given her into a box. Every momento, every note, every flower. She cried as she put in the ring he had given her. Just a plain silver band with their initials carved into it. No matter how badly she may have wanted to or the logical part of her brain screamed, she couldn’t bring herself to throw it all away. So instead she hid it, closed the box, sealed it shut with a spell, and stashed it at the bottom of her trunk where she wouldn’t have to look at it. Where it could just sit and mock her silently out of view.

A few months later, and they had graduated from Hogwarts and were free to start their new adult lives.

She was aware that the boy had chosen and was planning to go abroad for a bit after school. They had discussed it before everything had come crumbling down.

She had attended his going away party, and that was the last time she had seen the boy who she once thought she was going to spend the rest of her life with.

Her sweetheart had left.

And she had watched him slip from her fingers. Though she had denied it at first, she knew that she had lost him long before he left. She had read and noticed the signs of his fleeting feelings, but she denied it. Told herself it was fear and anxiety, he loved her. Right? For at least part of it, she hoped.

And those thoughts haunted her for two years.

Then she got the news. He was coming home.

And she was expected to show up.

The bile rose in her throat and her chest tightened. She had finally stopped thinking about everything, and now here he was, about to saunter back.

She didn’t want to go see him. What if she felt everything all over again? What if she felt nothing at all? Which outcome was worse? She didn’t know what scared her more, seeing him again or never seeing him at all.

Before everything came apart at the seams, she had promised him that she would wait for him. And even after he was long gone she found herself subconsciously waiting. And she hated it.

Going out on dates and kissing other guys filled her with an overwhelming sense of guilt that she couldn’t pinpoint. Often times she would break down in tears after returning home from a date.

She wished to be free of him.

Now she was supposed to greet him home, without a clue of how to do it.

She didn’t want to go. The idea of facing him head on was too much. And for the first time in over a year, she cried over it. Pathetic blubbering as she tried to fall asleep. The all too familiar pit in her stomach that had made it impossible to eat. The emptiness that fills you up so completely. The kind of pain that is all consuming. A dull thrum in the back of the mind.

An ache in the depths of the soul.

[blackstarchanx3new]

Creations AU FNAF 4, But I obnoxiously over explain it 2

Pages 30-59

The sad story of Cody and his miserable life.

I know for a fact some of these pages were lined don't remember if they colored any by @akdrawsandwrites thanks AK. ^w^

More NPC dialogue.

In FNAF 4 game: There's an oddity with the NPC with a green shirt and brown hair, he has a STRIKING appearance to one of the "bullies" older brother's friends. But the one in the green shirt in the game has blonde hair. Idk if they're meant to be the same character and the sprite was just bonked up or what. FNAF color pallets being consistent is NOT something this series is known for lmfao.

I made these two characters brothers and modified his dialogue to suit that he knows Cody by "Josh's brother". Either way this character should know this kid's name lmfao.

The party coming up is apparently Cody's. The last NPC is debated to be the character "Susie" from the games....I color picked and this girl looks black to me. (Susie is white with styled blonde hair) Like they both have bows and wear pink so MAYBE it was meant to be her but idk. This was the design I went with. Retconning design and inconsistent colors in FNAF again: Is not new.

Susie is used as a character in another place in Creations anyway and it wouldn't line up timeline wise. (This makes an animatic with her as the Chica we meet in Mike's story outdated and incorrect but there's LOTS of ideas in the animatics that were abandoned going over all of them would take hours lmfao.)

Exposure therapy, I say as a joke.

You might have noticed an itty bitty detail of Josh getting set off every time Cody starts shouting. Bro does not handle that shit well.

Yeet the child again, damn it Josh you gotta kick that habit.

Josh's main response to dealing with Cody: Lock him somewhere where he doesn't have to deal wit him.

Oh dear. This looks familiar.

Creations readers and FNAF players alike know where this shit is going.

HI MIKE! ❤️ Yes that's Mike without his dyed hair lol.

Reasonably avoiding confrontation but uh, to the determent of others oof.

Dude proceeds to never stop throwing himself in danger later so I guess he decided to slam to the other side of the two extremes lmao.

HAH.

Well that explains Cody's creepy ass stalker crush on Mike.

He didn't really SPECIFY he recognized Mike verbally when talking to him in the main comic but here we get conformation he for sure did.

Again Cody/Golden Freddy doesn't consider himself a 1 to 1 with the original Cody. Rather just a robot with the kid's memories/soul.

They don't feel like his memories.

Lol. Cody and his Para-social relationship with Mike Schmidt.

We can tell this genuinely amuses him as his eyes aren't red.

Hah he says something to the same affect in thee FNAF 1 Arc...with a lot more body horror involved.

"It was just a prank bro"

Daddy's gonna make it all better.

Cody stop that. We've talked about how the faces you make are unsightly.

Also Puppet. She's here.

People didn't really GET Cody's reality bending abilities: So he explains it pretty plainly here.

He's powerful as hell. X'D

Basically the most OP character in Creations much like the cannon Golden Freddy.

So I'll give ya some writing advice: If you're gonna make an OP character, just make them lazy as fuck.

Easiest way to nerf them: Make them just not care about fighting. X'D

Cody's got a mixture of laziness, apathy and fear of daddy to keep him from being helpful much in the plot.

Because if he wasn't he'd clap Afton in 2 seconds and that'd be no fun. So he's a coward lmao.

He was gonna snap that bitches neck while he slept. And not a single one of us would have blamed him. UwU

Casually hides in his brother's closet XDDD

Also I pointed it out before but Josh's room is Michael's room in main story.

Cody's cowardess is on full display: He bent to NOT killing Josh when he realized how badly Josh was coping with his brother's death.

Just like his daddy!~

Jokes aside this is my fave page in FNAF 4. It was lined by AK. I drew the sketch

I like, never draw the nightmares but the ended up so good here. Props to Ak for translating the sketches real well.

This is another instance of what I mean when I say there's no real good "Starting" place for the Creations AU.

This is smth that happens in Sister Location, but I feel Josh's character is more interesting with this context.

Buuuut this scene makes no sense. Aaaaand FNAF 4 shows more chronological events.

Agh.

Honestly whenever I get around to doing "Spring Bonnie's friends" I'd argue that is the best place to start chronologically but we'll see.

Anyway Cody saving his dumbass brother is so funny to me.

It's also really sad to think that he saved Josh because he knew how much Josh HATED the idea of dying in a springlock suit. Cody shows empathy quite often, especially towards Mike but this extends to helping Josh too.

His little "Now who's the cry baby?" is just the icing on the cake. XD

So Josh IS dead...?

Kind of?

His "remnant" is just kinda all over the place.

Will pick up in part 3 since PAGE LIMITS.

[fandomworld9728]

Only Love Can Hurt Like This - Chapter 4:

"Come on Angie. Stop your mopin' and party with me. It'll make ya feel better~"

This wasn't working. Angel came out with Cherri as a way to distract himself from the pain and all this new free time. Usually, the Sinner would be hanging out with Luci on his rare days off. However, that wasn't an option anymore.

"I'm sorry Cherri. You know I love seein' ya, but I don't think I'm up for this scene tonight."

"Alright. Talk to me, bitch. What's got your party breaks on and stuck?"

"...You know how most hellborns hate us Sinners? Well, he told me that I was restorin' his faith in Sinners. Then I go and pull shit like this!"

"Holy shit..." Lightly rubbing her best friend's back, the cyclops hadn't realized just how happy this guy had made him.

"I don't know what to do Cherri. The pain and guilt are eatin' me alive. Especially since he confided in me."

"Then get your ass over there and be with this guy."

"But Valentino-"

"Fuck Valentino."

"Cherri Bomb!"

She tried so hard not to laugh at the scandalized sounding gasp that came from the spider demon. This shit was serious, and her bestie needed her. She could laugh about it later.

"This guy, Luci, makes you happy, yeah? Like for real happy. And probably has the power or connections to get you out of this crap ass deal. so, just go for it."

"The whole point of leaving was so he wouldn't get mixed up in my shitty problems! And one of the best things about him was that he respected my decision to handle this myself..."

It was wonderful. Luci would always remind Angel that he would help him with anything. All he had to do was ask. But at the same time, he trusted him to handle himself. Believed that he could take care of himself. The only time the other demon would cross that line was if Angel was in major trouble.

For the first time in years, Angel truly felt like himself again. For once, someone saw him as more than just the porn star or the fun party guy. He could just be... Anthony.

"Then all I got left to offer is getting fucked up enough to forget about it all for tonight."

Why not? No different from what he usually did to cope with it all. What was one more night of self-destruction?

~

"Lucifer. You need to get out of bed. It's been a week. I mean, I'm glad you aren't completely neglecting yourself, but you need to bathe. And change your bedding."

Dirty dishes and old take-out containers littered around the large bedroom told Asmodeus that the king was at the very least eating. While that was a good sign, not leaving bed for a week... It was like Lilith had left him all over again.

Which meant he had been right. Lucifer had fallen again. All the signs were there, yet the other Sins wouldn't believe him. If they saw the mess their brother was right now, they'd finally get it through their thick, stubborn skulls. But that wasn't important right now.

Right now, his baby brother needed him. If this demon had meant so much to him to warrant this reaction, why had he let go so easily? The Sin of Lust was tempted to find out who this guy was and demand answers. Why had he hurt Lucifer so badly? Though that investigation could wait. First thing's first. Getting this man a bath.

That task had been easier than he had thought it would be. After Lilith left the fallen angel at least had some fight left in him to try and be stubborn about being 'babied' and wanting to just be alone to wallow in his own misery. What happened to his brother?

Clean and dressed in a fresh pair of clothes, Lucifer finally spoke up while Asmodeus was towel drying his hair. That was a good sign that they were on the right track.

"He didn't know that I was the King of Hell, Oz. He didn't care about my position within Hell. H-He actually knew, cared about, and wanted just me."

Ah. That's why this is hitting him so hard. "I am so sorry Lulu. Do you know why he broke things off so suddenly?"

"No. All he said was that he couldn't see me anymore."

"Well, you don't need him baby. You are Lucifer fucking Morningstar. The King of Hell. The Sin of Pride. The best person I have ever met. An adorable, loveable dork. A badass who can get anyone he wants."

"Thank you, Ozzie. But... I don't want anyone else. I want him. He's just so... you know?"

Oh, he knows. The Sin of Lust had his own troubles in the love department. He knew exactly what his fellow Sin was trying to say.

"Who is this guy anyways?"

"Anth- ... A-Angel Dust."

"The porn star? Never thought you'd fall for a guy like that. He must be something special for you to lose yourself because of a Sinner."

"Yeah. He really is."

It was going to be a long and hard road to recovery, but Asmodeus would be with him every step of the way.

< Previous

[instructionsnotincluded]

The new chapter of Wild Winds? 😍 I love it! JJ suddenly getting squirmy and nervous when Logan asks about the party was hilarious lol Rafe also needs to get his shit together because we both know it wasn’t a one time thing. Also the scene where he corners her outside was HOT. Something about doing stuff in public with the chance of getting caught just reels me in 😂 But I really liked the scene where Logan goes out to smoke and Rafe was watching her about to do coke. It really plays that they’re both struggling and run to not so good habits when things get stressful. Love the parallels! You always bring everything together and I love it. Can’t wait for the next chapter 🫶🏻

JJ is SWEATING it out. He knows Logan's gonna hear about it, but I think he's trying to figure out how long it'll take and how mad she'll be when she finally hears it. Poor guy has no idea what's coming, hahahahaha.

NOT A ONE TIME THING, RAFE. DON'T BE DUMB.

Yes! I really wanted them to have that moment individually, but together. Like they're both coping and trying to get a grip on their feelings, but they are both struggling so badly.

Thank you for reading and enjoying!!

[cgi-heart-eyes]

dndads incorrect quotes

long post ahead

the teens:

Scary: I hate you sometimes.  Normal: Well according to this picture Link drew of us holding hands that's not true.  Scary: Normal, you drew that.  Normal: It doesn't matter

Scary: I just watched Normal jump off of a spinning chair. Luckily, they weren't hurt that badly. But the whole time, Link was screaming for help, which caused Taylor to run in to help Normal. Just note that all of this happened in the span of six minutes.

Scary: Self care is actually getting into fights with randoms in dark alleys.  Normal: No, self care is stuff like taking a bubble bath, or putting on a lot of makeup if you like it, or taking a nice warm nap!  Link: Self care is the burning heat when rage washes over you!! Self care is when you feel the bones crack under your powerful fists!! Self care is the fear in your enemies’ eyes!!!  Taylor: Lmao self care is taking your birthday cake just so I can eat the frosting.  Scary: If you touch my birthday cake I’ll make you eat your hands.

Scary: I think Taylor was right.  Normal: I'm surprised they haven't marched in here to say 'I told you so.'  Link: They wouldn't do that.  Taylor: You're right, Link. For once in your life, you're 100% right. I would never say that.  Taylor: *turns around, the shirt they're wearing says 'Taylor Told You So' on the back*

Scary: Normal, I'm sad. Normal: *Holds out arms for a hug* It’s going to be okay. Link: Taylor, I'm sad. Taylor, nodding: mood.

Cop: You’re receiving a ticket for having three people on one motorcycle.  Scary: Shit.  Normal: Wait, three?  Cop: Yeah?  Link: OH MY GOD TAYLOR FELL OFF!!

Scary: Why are your tongues purple? Link: We had slushies. I had a blue one. Taylor: I had a red one. Scary: oh Scary: Scary: OH Normal: Normal: You drank each other's slushies?

Scary: There is no future. there is no past. do you see? Time is simultaneous, an intricately structured jewel that humans insist on viewing one edge at a time, when the whole design is visible in every facet.  Normal:  Link:  Taylor:  Everyone Else At Scary’s Surprise Birthday Party:  Normal: All I asked was if you wanted to cut your birthday cake first.

dads:

Ron: Why are Henry and Darryl sitting with their backs to each other? Glenn: They had a fight. Ron: Then why are they holding hands? Glenn: They get sad when they fight.

Henry: How did none of you hear what I just said?  Darryl: I’ve been zoned out for the past two and a half hours.  Ron: I got distracted about halfway through.  Glenn: Ignoring you was a conscious decision.

Henry: Everyone, synchronize your watches.  Darryl: I don’t know how to do that.  Ron: I don’t wear a watch.  Glenn: Time is a construct.

Henry: So my therapist was talking to me and she said that I really just need to break down my walls and let people in.  Henry: So I’ve decided to break the fourth wall.  Henry: *looks at camera* Hi there. I use humor as a coping mechanism.

Henry: Physically, yes, I could fight a bird, but emotionally? Imagine the toll!

Henry: I’m this close to falling in love with Darryl. Glenn: Your fingertips are touching. Henry: Exactly.

Glenn: Bad news—Ron locked themself outside of their own house. Glenn: Good news—we didn’t have to wait around for a locksmith. Glenn: Bad news—Darryl finds it very concerning that I know how to pick locks, and tried to unlock my Tragic Backstory(TM). I was too embarrassed to admit that the reason I learned it was because, at thirteen, I figured that was the kind of skill that would impress cute guys/girls/enbies. Glenn: Good news—a cute guy/girl/enby saw me do it. Glenn: Bad news—it was Henry, and since they’ve already seen me fall out of several trees, cry because I saw a fawn that was just too damn small, and knows I can ride a unicycle, they’ll never think I’m cool no matter what I do. It’s too late. They know.

Glenn, explaining why they are not allowed to cook: I put the noodles in the pot and put the pot on the stove and turned the burner on high. Turns out you don't put noodles in marijuana and I almost burnt the whole house down.

kiddads:

Lark, to Grant: I mean, I get complimented all the time- Sparrow: starts cackling Lark: I do! Sparrow: laughs harder

Grant: Yesterday, I overheard Lark saying “Are you sure this is a good idea?” and Sparrow replying “Trust me,” and I have never moved from one room to another so quickly in my life.

Terry: Why don’t you go talk to them? Grant, sarcastically: Oh. Yeah, sure. Terry: What? So you go tell them they’re cute, what’s the worst that could happen? Grant: They could hear me.

Nicky: Sweet dog you got there. Police: Yes, this is our new drug sniffing dog. Nicky: Still training huh? Police: What do you mean? Nicky: Nicky: Never mind.

Nicky: "What are you into?" is such a broad question, like do I reply with a TV series or choking?

Grant: I am going to cry. I’m going to cry until I can no longer physically cry anymore because all the water in my body is gone and I die from dehydration. Terry: Are you okay? Lark: Did you actually just ask them that? Like, you need that to be answered otherwise you won’t know?

Lark: You've got to act tough, Sparrow! Show 'em you can't be pushed around! Show 'em they can't mess with you! Sparrow: Right. Yes. Tough. Got it. Sparrow, standing up on their stool and slamming their hands down on the bar: I'LL TAKE A CHOCOLATE MILK.

Terry: Watcha got there..? Sparrow: petting a ostrich A smoothie.

i’ll probably add more at some point, this was really fun to make!

[crimeronan]

what. what the hell is going on with that OC soulmate relationship

#diversity win the antag wants to ruin her soulmate's life thru a forced bond whether theyre a miserable cis man or miserable transfem dyke

imagine you walk into a high-class party filled with glamorous political powerhouses who are all doing glamorous political powerhouse things. there's like a Nauseating amount of finery on display. this is clearly a place where people own things for the sake of Having Things that other people Can't Have. sweet jesus the capitalism. it oozes. eaugh

the hostess of this party is a glowingly beautiful woman with long, beachy blonde hair and an incredibly friendly smile. she greets you by name and compliments your earrings or your bracelets or some other specific aspect of your outfit that you felt kinda unsure about. she looks genuinely thrilled that you showed up, like she was waiting for you, even though that makes no fucking sense because there are a million people here and they're a lot more important than you are.

about an hour into schmoozing and socializing and such, or whatever tf you're doing here, you catch the hostess sitting in the corner of one of these shitty opulent rooms with a woman who looks like she just crawled out of the grave. not like a servant, any serving staff around here are DEFINITELY better dressed than this. this chick is wearing a tank top at Best and her face is smeared with enough badly-smudged eyeliner to look like a 2008 scene kid who got hit by a truck. she looks like either she hasn't slept in three straight days or she did like 72 drugs that aren't agreeing with her.

the hostess notices you watching them, waves you over, and happily introduces the other woman as her wife. the goth scene emo disaster lady looks you dead in the face and says, "i am going to kill myself." and then expands upon the sentiment. with a very long, very detailed, very gruesome plan. there is zero humor in it.

you do not know what to do with this.

the hostess, totally unperturbed, pats her wife's hand. she assures you that that's just her sense of humor. spouses are quirky like that!

the emo bitch does not blink. or smile. she appears to be trying to explode you with her mind.

you voice some kind of sentiment about how sometimes it's healthier NOT to make constant suicide jokes, or whatever, and instead to redirect your focus, or whatever, and try to come up with a different means of mental coping. because making suicide jokes just reinforces the urge, or whatever. who cares. you're not a mental health professional

the emo bitch responds to this by saying, "i am going to actually kill myself," and then expands with a fresh new overly-detailed plan. it is completely different from and somehow more gruesome than the first one. if you're not nauseous by the end of it then you have nerves of steel.

the hostess betrays only the smallest hint of annoyance and tells her wife to stop being so fucking rude. then, because you still look Deeply Concerned About Whatever The Hell Is Happening Here, she grins and informs you that everything's A-okay. the only reason she'd ever worry is if her wife Stopped making suicide threats <3

why, you ask.

she laughs. this is extremely funny to her. the emo bitch has yet to blink but apparently that's fine too.

"because then," the hostess tells you, "she might actually do it."

[strangelandofbritain]

"After the bailiffs arrived at her rental flat, Heidi presented herself as homeless at the council’s offices. She says she was sent away with a list of private landlords, none of whom would accept a tenant on housing benefit."

Britain: a caring, civilised 'democracy'?

Or... a nation of corrupt and uncaring hypocrites that tells the world it is the home of "justice" and "fairness", but can't / won't look after its own citizens, and will happily let profiteering landlords line their pockets while thousands of people are homeless?

... a nation that will allow builders to make millions in profits for their CEOs and shareholders through ripoff housing prices, but where the Government won't create and enforce rules on building social, affordable homes for the millions of working people who need them.

What kind of country does that?

A shithole, capitalist, (now FORMER) Tory Party country that sold off its national, public, taxpayer-funded assets to rich private shareholders who get richer by making public services worse and worse until they fail.

Perhaps the new Labour Government from July 2024 can put these things right... but we'll have to see.

Our rivers and shores are polluted; our national health service is run down to the point of collapse; there is a national crisis in housing and homelessness; energy is unaffordable but oil companies make £billions; rail and transport is overpriced, inefficient and run for profit instead of being an essential public service for the whole community... and poverty across the country means that charity has to provide foodbanks for many thousands of working people...

...the police force is so badly run that it employs racists & rapists and can't afford to investigate theft & burglaries, but it can arrest and use brutal force on peaceful protestors or anyone who criticises the Government...

...the roads are full of damaging, unrepaired potholes, our once-vibrant town centres are soulless and empty because of high rents and the cost of parking, our essential broadband internet services are a ripoff and don't reach everyone...

...and the list goes on and on.

But... we have 'Princess' Kate, or 'King' Charles on the front pages every day, so everything's alright... isn't it?

[mariacallous]

On Oct. 25, U.S. President Joe Biden said something so extraordinary about the current Israeli-Hamas conflict that, had he really thought it through, he might have seriously reconsidered saying. “There’s no going back to the status quo as it stood on Oct. 6,” Biden said.

It was a simple line, but one with breathtaking scope.

Was it a throwaway talking point or a determined commitment for the ages? Did the president understand that, having tethered the United States to Israel’s war aims, when the dust settles, he’ll be expected to play a lead role in creating a new reality both in Gaza and on Israeli-Palestinian peace? Or does he believe that he can unload most of the post-conflict work to a group of regional and international actors that will somehow shoulder the responsibility for Gaza reconstruction and whatever performative peace process might follow? And does he fully grasp that the proverbial “day after” is likely to be more like the year (or years) after?

Every breakthrough in the Arab-Israeli conflict that occurred within the conflict zone has been preceded by violence, insurgency, and war. Indeed, severe crisis can produce opportunity because it breaks the status quo and injects pain that can produce urgency. But that pain must be married to the prospects of gain—usually but not always generated by an outside mediator. Whether the Biden administration is willing or able to play that role remains to be seen.

Serious challenges stand in the way of a more hopeful, let alone transformed, future. And much of what will confront any effort to alter the Oct. 6 status quo remains largely outside of the president’s capacity to control.

Biden will confront two badly traumatized societies that will each in their own way enter a period of prolonged political reckoning. When Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Herzog said that Israel was one country on Oct. 6 and a different country on Oct. 8, he was not exaggerating.

The most severe terror attack in the nation’s history; the bloodiest single day for Jews since the Holocaust; the greatest intelligence failure since the 1973 Arab-Israeli War (and perhaps much worse given the civilian death toll of the Oct. 7 attack); and the taking of more than 200 hostages have stunned and shocked a country somewhat conditioned throughout its history to cope with terror and violence. The Hamas attack added to Israelis’ existing fear of incoming rockets the new fear of cross-border massacres—not just near Gaza but also along the Israeli-Lebanese border and in the West Bank, too.

The events of Oct. 7 also undermined the essence of the contract between the governed and those who govern—a government’s commitment to guarantee the safety and security of its citizenry. The average length of an Israeli government since independence is about 1.8 years; and the emergency coalition that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formed after the attack will almost certainly be replaced. Whether that will be with a more right-wing or centrist coalition is hard to say.

In the wake of the 1973 war, a state committee of inquiry found the Israeli military and intelligence elites responsible for the failure and didn’t address then-Prime Minister Golda Meir’s role. In 1974, she resigned under public pressure. Yet the real earthquake would not come until three years later, when Menachem Begin’s right-wing Likud party came to power and reshaped Israeli politics for decades to come. In one of history’s great ironies, it would be the right—not the left, which had dominated Israeli politics since independence—that would benefit from Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s war-then-peace strategy.

This time around, however, Israelis likely won’t be challenged by a charismatic, transformative Egyptian leader boldly seeking peace. And the Israeli public, still reeling from the events of Oct. 7—suspicious, worried, and embittered—will be in no mood for far-reaching concessions on a Palestinian state so close to their borders.

For Palestinians, the reckoning will be much harder. The death and destruction Israel is visiting on Gaza will leave Palestinians in Gaza angry, impoverished, and leaderless. Should Hamas or an Islamist successor survive and be able to mount an insurgency against either an Israeli occupying force or a multinational one in Gaza, then the Palestinian national movement will remain divided—split between Hamas or its successor in Gaza and the Fatah-controlled Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank, with two different visions of where and what Palestine should be.

The PA—led by an aging Mahmoud Abbas, who is now in the 18th year of a four-year term—will be further tarnished by its inability to do anything but watch as Palestinians are killed by the thousands in Gaza or to protect Palestinians in the West Bank from attacks by Israeli soldiers and settlers. Armed groups of young Palestinians such as the Lions’ Den or Nablus Brigade—some independent, others influenced by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad—will carry on the struggle against the occupation as Israeli encroachment on Palestinian land continues. Having postponed elections in 2021, Abbas will be under immense pressure to hold them for both a new legislature and the presidency. But what about Gaza? Can elections be held there? And as happened in 2006, might Hamas again win a majority?

New leadership and reform of the PA’s authoritarian and corrupt practices are clearly required to replace the aging Abbas and the Fatah establishment. But from where will it come? Once again, there’s talk of the most popular Palestinian leader, Marwan Barghouti—who is currently serving five life sentences in an Israeli prison—coming to the rescue. A poll of Palestinians in Gaza taken shortly before the Oct. 7 attack on preferences for president should elections be held had Barghouti at 32 percent; Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s political head, at 24 percent; and Abbas at 12 percent.

Leaders need not be born to lead; often, they emerge in response to the direst of circumstances. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is one such leader who comes to mind. But if the Biden administration has any hope of trying to push for a credible process to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it will need leaders on both sides with the capacity and desire to make and sustain very tough—even historic—decisions. Right now, it’s hard to see those kinds of leaders emerging quickly in the wake of this crisis.

Any postwar effort will need to prioritize rebuilding a destroyed and traumatized Gaza. Physically reconstructing and repairing homes and infrastructure; supporting a displaced population of what may eventually be almost half of Gaza’s residents; and psychologically rehabilitating a traumatized populace, especially children, will be a gargantuan task. Who or what will assume responsibility for this effort is an open question.

But it will be taking place in a post-conflict environment in which Israeli forces may still be present in Gaza until some transitional mechanism to ensure security and order has been worked out. And Netanyahu’s comment last week that Israel may have to stay in Gaza for an “indefinite period” suggests an even more complex situation. To prevent a Hamas resurgence, Israel is going to demand influence in the temporary governance of Gaza, which will make any reconstruction effort much more difficult—or, perhaps apart from tending to the immediate needs of the population, hard to begin at all. Israel will almost certainly want to inspect construction materials—any of which might be used for tunneling or manufacturing weapons. And Iran will be looking for opportunities to provide money and resources to feed an insurgency.

The question of who will ultimately govern Gaza further complicates the situation. Key Arab states such as Qatar, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia can play a critical role in this process by providing financial and political support, though it’s hard to imagine an Arab peacekeeping force patrolling Gaza and doing counterinsurgency against Palestinians or having much legitimacy with Israelis still occupying Gaza.

The most logical and feasible solution is Palestinian governance legitimized by elections. As evidenced by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent meeting with Abbas, the Biden administration is clearly thinking about the PA as a key ingredient in Gaza’s future governance. Indeed, the secretary called for an “effective and revitalized” PA. But this is far easier to describe than to actualize. Abbas and his Fatah colleagues have little legitimacy in the West Bank and none in Gaza. And after 16 years of absence, the PA cannot reenter Gaza on the back of an Israeli Merkava tank and expect to be welcomed by the people of Gaza.

Empowering the PA—if it can be done at all—will require linking reconstruction and governance in Gaza to a serious and credible process to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In short, legitimacy for the PA in addition to holding elections will need to be tied to a real effort to negotiate an end to Israel’s occupation, presumably based on two states. To make this credible, there would need to be front-loading with any number of steps to build up the PA, including restricting if not ending Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank. Right now—and certainly with this Israeli government—such a step seems far away.

The biggest question is whether Biden has the bandwidth to take on such a colossal endeavor—especially as he heads into what is likely to be a closely fought presidential election in 2024. Or is that more likely an assignment for a second Biden administration, if there is one? Either way, unless the administration plans to get serious this coming year about at least laying the foundations for new realities in Gaza and the West Bank, very little is going to move.

Governing is about making difficult choices, and it’s not as if there are no other foreign-policy challenges to absorb the U.S. president’s time. Competing priorities abound, each tied to complex domestic politics. Biden has tethered the United States to Ukraine’s fight with Russia, and the reality of what is likely to be a very long war resourced by his administration has begun to sink in amid growing Republican doubts about long-term support.

Biden has also committed the United States to defending Taiwan against China, even if what that defense would look like in the event of war remains ambiguous. If there is an inside-the-Beltway consensus on any foreign-policy issues in Washington, it’s on pursuing tough policies against China and Iran, especially as the Israel-Hamas war has brought the United States much closer to the possibility of a conflict with Tehran.

Pursuing Middle East peace isn’t for the fainthearted or those who aren’t prepared to spend the energy and time. Much of the effort can be offloaded to a secretary of state and a special envoy. But even with husbanding the White House’s time, it will require a good deal of presidential focus. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter not only had to convene a presidential summit but also embarked on a shuttle diplomacy trip in 1979 to conclude the Egypt-Israel peace treaty. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton traveled extensively in the region and called at least four Middle East summits as part of his peacemaking efforts.

Nor can one ignore the domestic politics that can drain a president’s political currency—and those domestic politics on the Israeli-Palestinian issue are fraught indeed. With the Republican Party emerging as the Israel-can-do-no-wrong party and a divided Democratic Party with a progressive wing that’s pushing for Biden to impose accountability on Israel, Biden will need to navigate a perilous course. Invariably, pushing for Israeli-Palestinian peace will mean friction or worse with Israel. Will the president be up to it?

In tying the United States to both Israel’s trauma on Oct. 7 and its resulting campaign to eradicate Hamas in Gaza—and all the death and destruction that is causing—Biden now shares direct responsibility for the fate of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Biden has committed himself publicly to a fundamental change in the status quo. If that’s going to happen, first and foremost there will need to be Israeli and Palestinian leaders committed to that objective. But even with those kinds of leaders, Biden will need to own this, too.

And even if he does, the risks are great. If the past is prologue, as it’s been so many times when it comes to U.S. peacemaking efforts, the chances of success are small. Walking away or pursuing a performative policy in the wake of the horrors we’ve witnessed will undermine the president’s personal credibility—as well as America’s—in the region and the world. And it will cost him politically, particularly in a state such as Michigan, with Arab Americans as well as with progressives and younger Democrats. Biden may very well be remembered as the U.S. president who presided over the bloodiest phase of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, most likely, the death of the only pathway that offers a hope of ending it: the much-maligned two-state solution.

The stakes are enormous, especially for a president who cares deeply about Israel, Palestinian suffering, and the United States’ leadership role in the world. But it remains to be seen whether his stunningly powerful pledge not to return to the status quo of Oct. 6 was merely a throwaway line and a performative talking point or a serious and determined commitment to finding a solution to an excruciatingly complex conflict that has eluded all of his predecessors.

[ellekhen]

Hand, Hearth, and Home

Chapter 52 - Lost in the Dark

Chapter Summary: We find ourselves back at the beginning where we first found Church and Astarion at the House of Healing. Church once again confronts his feelings of guilt and loss. Much to his horror, the other half of the party falls under attack. Church breaks the news to Arabella about her parents, and realizes quite a bit more as a result.

Pairing(s): Astarion x Male Tav (Main); Past OC x Male Tav Rating: Explicit Length: 272K+ words; Chapters 52/70 (Master Post)

Excerpt below:

While they wait, Church seeks out Gale, relieved to see his friend intact and well.

Or, rather, as well as he can be. Gale looks deep in thought as he stands by the river, eyeing Moonrise Towers in the distance.

“Doing alright?” Church asks him softly. The wizard turns around with a start, but smiles tightly at the tiefling.

“I would have asked you the same question,” Gale replies affably. “Karlach told me about that utterly horrifying scene you encountered within the House of Healing. That’s not something one can simply walk away from — least of all you.”

Church rubs the back of his neck, grimacing. “I’m coping. It’s not me I’m worrying about — it’s Arabella.”

Gale nods, grimly. “And you have every right to. How she survived this past week alone in the shadows… all thanks to strange magic, yes, but it still takes tremendous will not to give up entirely when alone with your thoughts.”

“I know the feeling well,” Church says dryly. 

Gale eyes him carefully. “Karlach also told me you were in a bit of a state before you all arrived on our side of town.”

“Yes, well,” Church clears his throat. “I’ve… got to be honest. When I heard — and saw — the explosion, I…” 

His voice catches unexpectedly, and Gale turns to him, taken aback with concern as the tiefling glances away with burning wet eyes.

“Gods, I thought I lost you,” Church admits softly, before sheepishly adding, “So yes. I… may have panicked a bit.”

“...oh! Whyever would you…?” Gale asks, puzzled.

“I thought it was the orb,” Church explains, gesturing vaguely at the wizard’s chest where the sigil of Netherese magic is barely visible beneath his shirt’s loosened collar. “I thought something happened and you… detonated.  

“I was… I was terrified I was too late. Again. So seeing you there, even getting wailed on by those githyanki?” he looks up to meet Gale’s eyes as he fights back the tears that he doesn’t have the strength to hide. “Gods, it’s just so good to see you just… here, you know?”

He huffs a helpless laugh and steps hesitantly forward to wrap his arms around the wizard, holding him tight.

“You…” Gale seems at a loss. “You truly were concerned for me?”

“That’s… basically what I said,” Church mumbles, still holding him. “It didn’t help that Astarion couldn’t link with your mind again, and neither could I. But like I said, I was afraid…”

Gale finally returns his embrace, resting his head down onto Church’s shoulder.

“Well, you needn’t fear,” the wizard says, clearing his throat as they finally part from each other. “That method of destruction is reserved for one thing only — the Absolute. I wouldn’t allow it to go to waste on a few zealous githyanki.”

“I mean, I didn’t think you’d do it intentionally, but I thought maybe a githyanki might’ve hurt you badly enough… to…” Church trails off, regarding Gale incredulously. “You… you still plan on doing that, then? Using the orb — yourself — to destroy wherever we find the Absolute?”

Gale smiles grimly at him and shrugs.

“Well, why not? It would all seem so straightforward,” the wizard says with forced levity. “Find whatever mausoleum that necromancer went off to, destroy the artifact, destroy Ketheric. And then we locate the heart of the Absolute and… destroy that too.”

He frowns, not meeting Church’s eyes as the tiefling ogles at him in disbelief.

“But… we don’t even know what any of that entails, right?” Church reminds him. “The mausoleum, or the artifact. Or whatever Ketheric has up his sleeve. Nor do we know what the hells this ‘heart of the Absolute’ is.”

“No, but I imagine that when we do find it, we won’t have time to ruminate on what to do next,” Gale replies evenly. “We will need to move quickly so that I may have the best advantage, and so that you all can clear out in time.”

“Oh. Gods, Gale…” Church balks. “I told you. We’ll find another way, and…”

“Well, have you found another way?” Gale snaps. “No. You have not. None of us have. I remain the one sure-fire way to destroy the Absolute. Are you telling me that I should forsake my duty to my goddess? To my friends? To…” his voice breaks, “...you?”

Church feels lightheaded. 

“There has to be another way,” he says numbly. “We just… haven’t found it.” 

Everyone you ever cared about… the voice reminds him. Doomed to die. Doomed to leave you behind too soon, because you were too slow…!

Church’s heart and mind race as his hand twitches up to reach towards his friend. “Gale. Please… I’m not… I’m not ready to lose you.”

The wizard closes his eyes and rubs the back of his neck, turning away from the tiefling. “This is bigger than you and me,” he says, and Church wonders if it’s just sheer coincidence that he’s quoting Tavi. 

“Don’t lie to yourself,” Gale scoffs. “I… know you. If it were your decision, you would give yourself up to save the world, wouldn’t you?”

Church stares after him, stricken.

“Well?” Gale demands.

“...yes,” Church whispers, defeatedly. “I would.”

Gale turns away, nodding. 

“Then do not pass judgment on me for preparing myself to do the one thing I know to be right,” he says, resigned to his fate. 

Start from the beginning!

[aplacetosharemyfics]

The Downfall of Susan St. Clair

Chapter 1 : The First Meeting

When Susan accidentally bumps into a girl at the drive-in, she has other things on her mind. But fate would work its magic.

Chapter 2 : The Second Meeting on the Football Field

How many times can you run into someone before it becomes a coincidence? And where is the best place to hide on Rydell campus?

Chapter 3 : The Third, and Most Fateful, Meeting

For some people, the magic of the song does not exist. For others, it makes miracles happen.

Chapter 4 : Who are the James Family?

A chapter in which people perform some impressive detective work.

Chapter 5: An Essay on the Pep Rally

Susan has big plans for the Pep Rally. Maisie just wishes she could have stayed home.

Chapter 6: An Invitation to the Most Desired Party

Everyone wants an invitation from Dot.

Chapter 7: Everyone has Secrets

Dot's party ended with three boys locked in a study, four girls running out the front door, and a dizzying feeling clouding her brain.

Chapter 8: The Morning After

How were they supposed to react after such a night?

Chapter 9: A Return to the Scoreboard Hut

Maisie returns to the little hut behind the scoreboard believing that her encounters with Susan had finished. Unsurprisingly, she was very wrong.

Chapter 10: On the Doorstep

What was the best way to forget about someone? And how should you cope when they arrive at your doorstep?

Chapter 11: Locker Notes

When they couldn't meet in person, Susan started writing notes.

Chapter 12: How will Susan apologise?

Finally realising that her inaction might cause her to lose the only true friend she had ever made, Susan headed towards the wrong side of town to apologise.

Chapter 13: The Party

Finally, the Halloween Party was upon them. Will it be a time of joy and merriment? Will there be cute romantic moments? We can only hope.

Chapter 14: What would become of the Election?

How will things change when the election is finally over? And how is Susan coping with the memories of the Halloween party?

Chapter 15: Domestic Bliss (Hut)

A little fluff before the dance chapter. And Dot finally stumbles across their little secret.

Chapter 16: The Dance Did Not Go Well

The dance went really badly.

Chapter 17: And Still the Rain Poured

Poor injured Dot has to find a way to get her friends to stop fighting. Was a surprise lockdown after heavy flooding prevented the students from leaving her opportunity?

Chapter 18: A Conclusion

There is no such thing as a happy ending. But there are good beginnings.

Chapter 19: The Start of a New Chapter

Like the end of Episode 10, this chapter hints at a continuation of the story.

Not reading this chapter does not affect the rest of the story - it officially ended with the previous chapter.

[ultraericthered]

Anime Update V3 2

Vinland Saga S2 - Gardar didn't last too long against Snake (Gardar and Snake, ha ha) before he ended up getting taken out of there to be put back in chains. The rest of the episode was spent on Arnheid's backstory with Gardar and the son she lost, as well as the reveal that she is now pregnant with Master Ketil's child. Eeeeugh!

Hunter x Hunter - Leol's party got sent out by the King's Royal Guard to hunt down Killua, Cheetu is still on the move from Shoot and Knuckle, and Meleoron finally got found out by Gon in the desert, but he seems to want to defect from the army and reason with Gon, which I don't buy for a minute, he's up to something else here. But I have to mention that this was the 100th episode in this entire anime and it ends in a way that left me unable to stop laughing for a good while - the human-looking Chimera Ant sniper who was trying to pick off Killua gets exposed as a small octopus-looking Chimera Ant named Ikalgo, and when Killua brings up he resembles an octopus, Ikalgo shrieks "DON'T CALL ME AN OCTOPUS!" The screen freeze frames, and as the narrator caps it off he too describes Ikalgo as resembling an octopus, prompting a echoing repeat of Ikalgo's line. Just...after 100 episodes of anime, what a way to end this milestone!

SHUFFLE! - Rin is understandably having difficulties coping with the recent changes in his life, which includes different fan clubs for Sia, Nerine, and Kaede who all hate his guts for his closeness with the girls. We see more from Rin's friends and learn that Sia had met with Rin once when she was younger that Rin can't recall, and then one day while walking from school, Rin lets a mysterious new girl into his life, a Demon friend of Sia's named Primula. When she follows him home to Kaede's house, it's decided that she will live there too.

Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works - Reached the part where the big Emiya showdown has ended and then Archer is slain by Gilgamesh, who asserts himself as the final enemy who wants to use the Holy Grail to exterminate the majority of humanity so that the world can be made better by virtue of being inhabited by only the truly strong and worthy, which he'd rule over as their king. He's so infuriatingly high-and-mighty and contemptible, but he does one decent thing at the very end by turning Shinji into the body horror that will become the Grail's vessel. Shinji can never deserve it enough!

KonoSuba - Kazuma has continued to show us how out of his depth he is as a "hero" in this world, and Aqua, for a goddess, is so damn incompetent and useless that it becomes all too clear to Kazuma that they're not getting anywhere fast as they are, so they put out fliers to recruit another party member, which they get in the young dark mage Megumin. And the one thing that was kind of distracting me in the episode was Megumin's portrayal: Erica Mendez doesn't do badly as her voice, but she's such a clear Rikka Takanashi clone that I'm always expecting Margaret McDonald. This isn't a dub-exclusive problem either: Maaya Uchida (Rikka's seiyuu) did voice Megumin in the Drama CDs, but the anime cast Rie Takahashi in the role instead. Why? Anyway, she's going to be a handful with her insistence on using this one destructive darkness spell all the time, and at the very end there appears a new, different sort of "Darkness" to deal with...

Symphogear XV - At last I started the final season with its premiere, where our girls go to Antarctica (hello, Place Further Than The Universe!) and fight a new sort of enemy that's been unleashed by an offshoot of the Bravian Illuminati who diverged from Adam's plan and are under the employ of someone else. In between we flash back to how this got started, with some new cute HibiMiku to spare.

Eureka Seven - Renton's still got it good with Charles and Ray, but its contrasted not only by the disarray back on the Gekko, but with Renton acting out and trying to save a terminally ailing Voderac girl against the advice of Charles and the wishes of the people at the sanctuary he wants to bring her too, who only display hostility and prejudice against her for belonging to the same group of people who terrorized them, killing and injuring many. There are some very harsh life lessons Renton is forced to learn here and he understandably does not take well to it. His guilt over his own sins are paralleled with Holland, who hesitates to tell Eureka that Renton ran away and when he finally does, still can't bring himself to admit out loud that he's the one most to blame for it, leaving Eureka to blame herself instead.

Gintama - Keeping with the continuity of this crazy show, Odd Jobs receive two Amanto carpenters - a Red and Blue Oni looking pair - from Sakamoto as an apology for destroying their home just two episodes back. Shennanigans ensue with Gintoki marveling so much over how good the two are at their work that he cons them into working extra to improve and "restore" the place, even making up some bogus fable about an unshakably helpful, dedicated and skilled carpenter named Mokishi, and these cheap tricks somehow work on the two carpenters every time. It all ends in a perfect Brick Joke where all the extra handiwork on the Odd Jobs place literally goes flying off into orbit with just the push of a button. So brilliantly dumb!

AND

My Dress-Up Darling - I think this anime and March Comes In Like A Lion could work well as a set labeled "Your Lie In April, But Actually Healthy, Uplifting, and Competently Conveyed." Much like how Rei Kiriyama was like a Good Counterpart to Kosei, Marin Kitagawa is like a Good Counterpart to Kaori, a extroverted, perky, silly, beautiful blonde bombshell who transcends Manic Pixie Dream Girl as her own aggressively confident force of nature unto herself, but while Marin is every bit as pushy, naughty and teasing as Kaori could be, she is also more earnest and sincerely well-meaning towards the friends she interacts with. Already I find myself enjoying the shit out of Marin and Gojo's dynamic and want to see them push all the way with it. Really my only big point of critique would be with Gojo, not because of his character, but because of his backstory: it is comically rushed and just ridiculous in its very nature, yet the show tries to convince us that it left major mental and emotional damage on the guy? I could not buy it, I just think Gojo is oversensitive and lacks commitment to try to really achieve something meaningful, and he's been clinging to that one childhood experience as an excuse to keep himself that way. Here's hoping Marin helps him get the f**k over it!

[manonamora-if-reviews]

New Year's Eve, 2019 by Autumn Chen

============= Links

Play the game See other reviews of the game See other games by Autumn or follow @cyberpunklesbian

============= Synopsis

Social gatherings are not your preferred activity. But this one is obligatory, and it threatens to ruin you. You are Karen Zhao, a senior in college who is home for winter break, and seeing your old high school friends for the first time in years. You are not ready, not even close, but perhaps you could make the best of it. Two endings, many paths to arrive there.

============= Other Info

New Year's Eve, 2019 is a Dendry* game, submitted to the 2022 Edition of the SpringThing. This game is a sequel to Pageant (review). *Autumn is also an unofficial maintainer of the Dendry format.

Status: Completed Genre: Dating-sim, Slice-of-life, LGBT

CW: social anxiety, panic attacks, depression, family conflict

============= Playthrough

First Played: June-2022 Last Played: 31-May-2023 Playtime: around 1h (1 full playthrough - 1 half-assed) Rating: 4 /5 Thoughts: A science-type forgets how to human, has a panic attack at a party. May or may not be fine at the end.

============= Review

Jumping a few years into the future of Pageant, Karen Zhao comes back, more anxious than ever, for a short evening, celebrating the turn of a new year*. Stuck in a house out of social obligation, Karen has the option to interact with a cast of familiar faces, go down memory lane, or hide from everyone as best she can to avoid starting a panic attack before the clock strikes twelve. How ever will she cope????? *and what 2020 brings... rolling eyes

Spoilers ahead. It is recommended to play the game first. The review is based on my understanding/reading of the story.

The one thing that I love about Autumn's games is how real the characters and their interactions feel. NYE19 is no different, continuing on the tradition of anxiety-inducing situation and self-deprecating humour bordering on self-loathing. But unlike its predecessor, Pageant, NYE19's tone translated less as slice-of-life-of-a-stressed-teenager-trying-to-make-it-through-the-semester-oh-god-is-she-having-a-panic-attack-again-just-kiss-her-you-dummy and more of this-is-what-a-college-student-forced-to-come-home-for-the-holidays-special-sitcom-epidose-feels-like. From the really awkward meetings with your old high-school friends (or did you date them? or were they crushes?), to the adults hounding you with questions about your future, or your family wanting to uphold a certain image around people. It's a party we've all been to, it's the kind we wish we didn't have to stay...

And Karen, our favourite anxious lesbian, does too. From the start, she warns the player she does not want to be here, really does not find having to engage in small talk (especially with people she's lost touch with), and actually wishes being anywhere but at this party. It is awkward to interact with people you knew (or more than knew) some years prior but with who you have lost contact (life...), finding how they have (not) changed, and how they've been fairing compared to you.

During the span of an evening, you meet (again) Emily, a trans woman (out of the closet then?) who helped you in Pageant to win (kinda) said pageant; Miri, your best-friend, who tagged along for the party because she did not want to be at her family's party* and became the social butterfly you could not be; and Aubrey, your high-school rival, who seems to still be doing just as well with her Harvard education, her Harvard boyfriend**, her probably-perfect-looking Harvard life... You also get to roam around the party daydreaming nihilisticly about the state of the world, hide in the basement to watch a MCU movie and be cringe to your brother, stuff yourself with food*** to temper with your imminent anxiety attack, play some mahjong and lose badly, hide in the bathroom and take selfies sending your into some self-loathing, play some games on your phone****... *the reason is pretty unclear, even with the option of confronting her. **who the fuck brings up the election topic on a New Year's party?!?!?! The gall of that man... ***which of course, I did... ****that one is hella meta, since you can play IF games AND a Pageant-like dating-sim

Whatever you do (especially your interactions), you are constantly reminded of your shortcomings from the past and how you let your anxiety cause the dwindling of your relationships. Your past haunts your every move and your every thoughts, and being in the presence of people from your past makes it all the worse for your mental being.

Half-way through the game, you sit down to have some dinner, forced at the kids-but-not-really-kids table where all your (former?) friends are interacting. It is very awkward, with Aubrey forcing everyone to introduce themselves as if they were having some sort of team-building meeting, her boyfriend forgetting about the No-No-Conversations (Politics-Religions...)... You can choose to participate in the conversation, eat, or listen, but no matter what happens, you will leave the table before the meal/conversation is over, leaving the party as well to go for a walk.

This is where things get interesting. Emily asks whether she can come along, and agreeing or not will give you very different outcomes. The latter will find you wallowing about your loneliness and how devoid of human connections your life is (much due to your own actions), while the former has a more hopeful and levelheaded conversation (leading possibly to a relationship...). With each still, and throughout the whole game, Karen goes on an introspection about the seemingly importance of human interaction, how easy it is to fuck up things, and the transactionality of relationships, all wrapped in a nihilistic and fatalistic bow (everything goes wrong, even if you do the right things).

Even if this sounds all depressing, it strangely is not. I found myself giggle at some passages*. The dry self-deprecating humour is honestly hilarious (especially the Narrator's comments). At any moment, I was expecting a laughing track to cue. Or maybe I was just playing this with a strange mood... * You have committed CRINGE. Kevin may not remember this, but you will. don't worry, game, I will remember...

The game is also very meta about what it is trying to convey. From playing a dating-sim game within an essentially dating-sim game, to the commentary on human interactions being comparable to dating-sims in the optimisation of [emotions/variables] to get the best possible outcome through a sequence of actions we hope is the correct one while we play a dating-sim where the sequence of choices can be optimised to get that "good ending", the story and the gameplay play quite interestingly on each other to get those points across.

Still, unlike other works from Autumn, while I enjoyed myself playing it, it didn't have the same impact on me. I didn't click as much with it as her other games, and felt a bit unsatisfactory? by the end of the playthroughs. The game has some strong moments, especially the part outside of the house, and some funny moments during the roaming around before dinner/before the countdown, but at other moments, it felt hollow. Maybe it is because of your limited agency in the way you interact with others or act, since Karen is an anxious and socially awkward person who has a hard time expressing her feelings and thoughts. Maybe it is because some of the characters you interact with and the way you defined your previous relationships don't feel as fleshed out (Miri and Aubrey comes to mind*, especially compared to Pageant or even Emily). Or maybe it is Karen's blasé look on dwindling and lost relationships that ticked me** that only allows her to have superficial contact with people (aside from Emily). Or maybe it is the more fragmented type of different gameplay/mechanics that didn't work as well as the Storylet format of Pageant***, or the more linear work of GG and the war. Or maybe because the end was a bit too abrupt... *I was wondering if you could choose to have had a relationship with either of those as in Pageant, but you can only with Emily **was it because the game called me out of doing the same as Karen did to some friends from school? Who knows... ***yes, it's bad to compare games that are inherently different...

There is a wonderful sentence from the post-mortem that really encapsulate the vibe of this game, and strangely reminds us of the hope Karen feels just before returning to the party... and this is where I will be ending this review: The past is inescapable, but the future is not entirely determinate.

There is still time...

Some loose points:

Dendry has some really interesting customisations, from the addition of backgrounds to extra assets in form of character portraits, putting the game in a strange text-only choice-based/visual novel limbo.

The conversation bits, especially the dinner between the gals, have such BPH vibes, which is not surprising, since his work is mentioned in the influence for this game. (with the character portraits style and the formatting of the dialogue with the colours (though the grey for Emily was a bit hard to read).

I really liked the inclusion of the Chinese characters in the dialogues in Chinese. This was only included on the first few lines in Pageant (continuing only in italics), but this really helped distinguished better the conversations in English and the ones in Chinese.

As with Pageant, some choices are worded in a way to form a full sentence or complete a thread of thoughts. I liked that.