#so there's be one with a bar in the desert. one of a campfire in the woods and a flannel. one of an overgrown building in a jungle

[girlscience]

Mad that I don't have easy access to a printer because I want to make silly little collages for Bright and Murphy

[daddy-deathslinger]

Hello! I had this idea for a while and what about Caleb Quinn x gn reader who does crochet? For example, Caleb sneaks up into survivor campsite (because he was bored idk) to watch and listen to other survivors and sees reader crocheting something, what looks like his red bandana. Later in trial they wear it and when reader ends up as the last one Caleb just has a little chit chat with them? You know, little talk between artist with weapons and artist with yarn?

If you want you can add other killers! And even reader crocheting specially for them (⁠^⁠^⁠)

Hi there! What a cozy request, I hope you like what I came up with! 🤠

The Deathslinger/Caleb Quinn x GN!Reader - “A conversation between artists”

The desert sun was warm as always, shining its last rays of light over the Dead Dawg Saloon. Caleb was alone, as always, sipping on a glass of whiskey at the bar. He let out a frustrated sigh as he put down the drinking glass on the bar, a little harder than he had meant to. What was the use of this godforsaken place? Sure, he had all the alcohol in the world, he had his weapons he could work on, but he was alone. Always alone. And he got so bored sometimes. Between trials he just sat here at times, just thinking of everything and nothing. He knew he needed something else now, something to perk him up. And he had thought about it for a while, maybe it was time to put plans into action. So without further ado, he downed the last of the whiskey, grabbed his hat from the counter and got up from the chair.

“Here goes nothin’...” he muttered to himself as he ventured out from the saloon and into the evening outside.

The trees were tall and the forest dark. Nothing like the warm desert Caleb was so used to, but he urged on his quest nonetheless. Navigating through the dark woods proved to be a bit difficult, especially since he didn’t really know where he was going. He just hoped that somehow, if he really wanted to, he’d find it. The survivor camp. They weren’t allowed to hunt outside of trials, but hunting was not on Caleb’s mind now, either way. And when he finally could see a faint light behind the trees, he knew he had gone the right way. Very carefully, not making any sound, he sneaked a little bit closer to the light. It was the campfire, and sure enough, sitting around it were some survivors. Caleb could hear them talking quietly to each other, discussing things and laughing occasionally. He decided that he was close enough, and hid behind a big tree, peeking out a little bit to get a good look at the survivors. There were seven of them, all sitting cuddled up around the fire for warmth and comfort. Some were talking, two apparently kissing, but one survivor caught his attention almost immediately. You, sitting a little bit away from the rest, holding something in your hands. It appeared to be two long needles and some yarn. Caleb had seen this handiwork before, somewhere in his childhood. It was called crocheting, if he wasn’t mistaken. But what were you working on? Caleb peeked out a little bit more from behind the tree, trying to get a good look at the handiwork. Was that… a bandana? A red one, it must be. A bandana just like his! Caleb couldn’t help but let out a little grunt of amusement, luckily no one seemed to hear him. That bandana looked way better than the old rag he was wearing, he thought to himself, and a little smile crept upon his lips. You were talented, no doubt. Caleb remained like that, observing, listening, studying. He didn’t know how much time passed, he was completely lost in the everyday business of the survivors, especially you. It brought him some form of comfort, just standing hidden in the shadows and observing. They didn’t know he was there, they weren’t afraid. They talked about trials, life before this, made jokes about the killers, they lived their new “normal”. With a little sting in his heart, Caleb remembered what his “normal” looked like these days. Hunt, torture, kill. Speaking of, he could feel a trial coming up now. He always felt it in his bones somehow, the call of the Entity. He should get back to the saloon, get ready.

The trial went to shits. Caleb didn’t manage to kill anyone. The map of this trial had been the Red Forest, as Anna called it, and it had been dark and damp. Caleb didn’t do well in a dark and wet forest, especially not when he had to hunt for prey. His eyes weren’t what they used to be. So, naturally, they all escaped, save the last one. The last one was hiding somewhere, probably looking for the hatch since Caleb had a pretty good view of both the gates. Caleb tried to find the hatch as well, and he searched inside the hut first. Nothing there, but just as he was about to leave the hut to go back outside, he saw something moving in the dark corner. A person, the last survivor! He turned around to face them, gun ready. Then he saw that it was you that he had caught. You were wearing the red bandana you had crocheted earlier, how could Caleb not have noticed you earlier? You had frozen in your spot, arms up in the air in a defeated pose. Fear was plastered all over your face, but Caleb knew he wasn’t going to hurt you. So he lowered his gun with a chuckle, seeing confusion on your face now. 

“Ain’t nothin’ to worry about, I ain’t gonna hurt you”, he said.

You didn’t speak, you just stood there, eyeing the gun carefully. Caleb put it down to his side to show you he was serious, and you seemed to relax a little. Caleb pointed towards your bandana.

“That’s neat handiwork right there, that is. Couldn’t ever hold a needle myself, but you seem to have mastered this thing.”

You looked at your captor, furrowing your eyebrow a bit. 

“T-thanks”, you eventually said, seeming to relax even more now. “It didn’t take me too long to make this one, I’m planning on making a sweater next. I only need to find more yarn somewhere.”

“Where have you found such nice, red yarn to begin with?” Caleb pondered, and you gave him a shy smile.

“I kind of stole it from the Thompson house. Found it in a drawer upstairs.”

Caleb chuckled and shook his head slightly.

“Old Max Jr ain’t gonna need that yarn for anything, you help yourself!”

You smiled, tucking a bit at your bandana. Then you pointed towards the Redeemer. 

“You made that one yourself?” 

Caleb nodded, trying not to sound like he bragged too much. 

“18 meter long chain, polished everyday. Harpoon travels at 40m/s when fired. Got a wheel right here to reel the prey back in and-”

He stopped mid sentence. What was he doing, explaining to you how he captured you and your friends and eventually killed you? But you didn’t seem bothered, in fact you seemed interested.

“Love the engravings on the handle”, you said, peeking a bit closer at the gun. “You’re really skilled at this, you know!”

Caleb felt some sort of warmth inside his chest, probably pride. 

“Always need something to work on, you know”, he said. “Gotta keep them hands busy.”

You nodded.

“I’m the same! I loved crocheting before… before all this, so finding that ball of yarn at the Thompson house was really a happy moment. I just wish I could find more yarn somewhere…”

Caleb pondered for a little while.

“Have you searched through this place thoroughly? I could have sworn I saw Anna tinkering with some yarn one time…”

Your eyes lit up with excitement.

“I haven’t searched as well as I’d like to, no. This hut, for example, has some adornments on the walls that point towards yarnwork.”

Caleb grinned at you and waved with his hand.

“Well, go on then! Go search for your ball of yarn, I’ll hold the hatch if I find it.”

You didn’t seem to need convincing, giving Caleb a grateful smile before turning around to begin searching through the hut. 

[meraki-yao]

RWRB Cut Scene: Texas Campfire Scene

Partly in honour of today being the anniversary of Alex's speech, here's a ramble about another deleted scene: the Campfire scene

This promo still of the scene is the cover picture of the movie on prime

In the final cut of the movie, namely the released version that we got, we get the campfire scene as part of a montage in the speech, but unlike running through the V&A as the sun rises or the forest kiss, I don't think this scene was originally shot as a montage, but as a full scene that got cut for some reason

Henry's Instagram account posted a photo of him from that scene, and he credited Nora as the photographer, so I'm guessing Nora was in this scene. This also suggests that this is an ensemble scene, which might be part of the reason it was cut, but also means it would have been a longer scene, I'm guessing 2.5-4 minutes. (which, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH) also Henry posted this the same time Alex posted a photos from the karaoke bar, so I think that counts as confirmation that the campfire is part of the Texas holiday

We don't actually have any context about this scene other than it's most likely part of the Texas holiday: Is this the equivalent scene of the gang in the books chilling when June plays the guitar and Henry and Alex make out (P256-257 of the original print, where "Alex is so in love that he can die" came from, and Holy fuck does Taylor bring that single line to life)? Are they having a barbecue? Or is this just a campfire? We don't actually know at all

Date wise I'm curious: the final release of the movie almost made it seem like it was literally two days: day 1: arrival -> volleyball -> hammock reading -> night at the bar ; day 2: conversation with dad -> Lake -> Henry runs away. Given the campfire is also a night scene, I think this means there's an extra day in the holiday sequence

I can't find the GIF for the montage used in this scene in the speech, but God I love that moment. It's almost like the reverse of the Paris pillow talk: this time Henry's talking about something he's passionate about, and Alex listens

Actually on that note, I wonder if that's the reason it was cut: maybe they tried out two different scenarios of Alex's "God I love him" epiphany, one here and one during the karaoke, and decided that the karaoke worked better for whatever reason. Just a guess, but either way I do really, really want to see this scene

I wonder what Henry/Nick is saying in the scene. He looks so happy talking about whatever it is. If I'm right about this being a full scene, then it's most likely scripted lines, but I could be wrong, which in that case, there's also the possibility of that being Nick ad-libbing in character or ... just Nick, which... is a whole other kind of ... wow. Either way, I really want to hear what he's saying

I swear sometimes I wanna grab Henry by the shoulders and shake him because HOW DID YOU NOT REALIZE HE LOVES YOU TOO??? Oh my God, Taylor's fucking performance, the man is drinking in every sight and sound of Henry like a man lost in a desert. He looks like he's two seconds away from proposing on the spot. I look at how Alex looks at Henry and I want to cry from the sheer amount of love there is in his eyes. What the fuck.

Although I'm confident that we're getting more content including deleted scenes in the future, even just from a studio profit perspective, I'm not confident in them releasing everything we want, and so here I am once again screaming for another deleted scene and a DVD with everything

[sailingshellsgames]

The Revamped Demo of chapters 1-7 is up! (+ chapter 8 alpha now available on patreon/ko-fi)

You can play it here! Reminder: this is a revamp so there's no new chapter, but there is new content (see below for a list of what's been changed/added/removed)

If you're interested in chapter 8's alpha, you can find it on Patreon and Ko-fi! (along with a bunch of other content)

And as always, thank you so much for playing! If you're someone who likes hugs, then I'm sending you a big one! 💞

What's new in chapters 1-7:

Additions:

General

Introduction of auto-success more.

More weird dreams + strengthening of the subplot around what MC sees in them.

Introduction of the dream journal mechanic.

More dialogue choices throughout the entire demo.

More descriptions of environments: MC's living quarters, the Den Compound, desert terrain around Leas, and city architecture.

Rearranged the stats screen and added clarity for MC's reputation among the Fey via an opposed pair bar.

General editing (word choice, etc.)

Chapter 1

MC's favored weapon can now be a bow! 🏹

Choice added to set MC's skin color.

A few more dialogue choices around MC reacting to the vision Keo has in Chapter 1.

Clearer explanation of MC agent backgrounds. Each now comes with explicit statement of what stats will be increased upon selection.

Chapter 2

Option to specify MC's tattoos. There are 4 pre-designed options, or you can design your own! (or choose no tattoos, if that's not your cup of tea). This includes the ability to add/remove/modify tattoos via the stats screen.

Chapter 3

Define how MC and Keo became friends.

Relatedly, more content setting up the fact that MC can't remember the agent found dead in the warehouse in Chapter 2.

Virano and Adaan mini-catfight (is it me, the author? am I the drama?)

Bug fix where a character already in the room would enter that room.

Chapter 4

A new dream.

Conversation around Virano's family's role in the nobility.

A little bit of Fey-weirdness around the Ashaad.

Conversation around the campfire with the team, mentions some of why Wren came to Leas.

Chapter 5

An explanation of Chapter 4's Fey weirdness that kind of just raises more questions, but does answer at least one of them.

Chapter 6:

A new dream.

Determining which of the three paths to take in the wilds is now a skill check.

General editing.

Chapter 7:

Yet another revision of the waterfall dream/flashback scene. This one's taken so long to get right, but I'm finally happy with it. Victory screech.

Moved Wren's reason for coming to Leas into the main story, so the choice option that explored that on their date now allows MC to dig in to learn a little more.

More dialogue choices in the scene where Keo's heritage is discovered during Lasan (if it didn't happen in the wilds).

Another choice in Wren's date going into the legend behind Lasan more, and a little about Wren's family.

Removals:

Keo no longer goes into seeing the magic in a vision. Removing this was part of a consolidation effort on my part. Tldr; I had too many side plots and needed to scrap some of them. Keo still has a reason for wishing to pursue the magic, if MC tries to refuse Rin. I actually like it a lot better now, which is a happy coincidence.

In Chapter 7, going to the wilds to see Keo's mother is no longer an option. Don't worry: everything I wrote for it will be used in book 2 :) But for book 1 it created a weird imbalance where the three options were so different they didn't converge well back into the main route.

Removed the ability to give Virano a sample of the magic or not. With all the other potential endgame outcomes, this got scrapped to consolidate things. I was finding it didn't really have a meaningful impact on the larger story despite reading like a major plot point, so in the bin it goes.

[bullet-prooflove]

Counting Stars - EZ Reyes x Reader

Tagging: @annetje @infinity-mars @danzer8705 @im-just-a-mississippi-girl @est1887 @the-wandering-lunatic @alwaysachorusgirl @anime-weeb-4-life @vannabanana1995 @multifandomloversworld @camelia35 @queeniesdiary

You’re just a girl who owns a bar on the outskirts of San Padre when EZ meets you. A beautiful girl, who gives him a smile every time he sees her, one that he feels a connection with from the very second you meet.

Everything in EZ’s life is complicated, this thing with the DEA, the MC, Angel and his father, but you are easy. You’re a breath of fresh air, so fierce and free. You don’t answer to anybody but yourself and EZ finds that invigorating. You say what’s on your mind and you mean it. There’s no duplicity, no games, there’s just you.

He hasn’t even kissed you yet, but he knows he’s falling. He lays awake at night in his trailer, and he wonders what you’re doing, if you think about him too.

One night in the desert, he’s drinking beer with Angel when he looks up at the stars and feels an ache in his chest. He wishes that it was you he was sitting with sipping beer, you in his bedroll beside the campfire, making love underneath the night sky.

He wonders what you’d sound like, if you’d taste as sweet as he imagines on his lips, if the glimpse of the tattoo he’s seen between the line of your jeans and vest top extends even lower. He wants to learn your body as intimately as he knows his own, he wants to spend hours exploring you, bringing you climax over and over again until you’re ruined underneath him, until he’s the only man you think of when you close your eyes at night.

Angel tells him to get it out of his system.

Tap it and go.

But EZ knows it would never just be one night, not with you.

He wants all of your nights and all of your days too.

He wants everything you can give him.

Love EZ? Get added to his tag list!

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[lakemojave]

Land of Shining Stars 1

It scooped a drink into its canteen. The creature’s back ached as it hunched down to the oasis, feeling its spines crack and falter as it coiled to meet the ground. It was just getting used to this form--or rather, awareness to this form it had always had. When the first scoop barely filled half the canteen and inflicted unnecessary pain, it instead slithered to its fleshy belly, then crawled forward to fill the waterskin to the top, then to take some sips for itself. The water was cool, clean, flushing the gravel out of the creature’s throat.

Night had done strange things to this fellow. For most of its life, it acted on instinct, acted to eat and sleep and survive on the Plateau, like anyone else. When the sun finally set, though, it grew cold: cold unlike anything it had experienced. Without the warmth of two suns on its scales, it found itself shuddering, scared and still under shining stars. Fear was not unknown to the creature, but this was different, more profound. It was not scared that in its paralysis, it would succumb to the teeth of a predator or the guns of a traveler--no, it was scared because the mere loss of free action deprived it of something essential to its lived experience, one that it did not hold dear until this very moment.

It decided then that it was suited to a different style of living than it lived before. This was an ambitious prospect on Moapa, where living beyond survival was less of a pretty dream and more of a fool’s fantasy. At the very least, it would fight for survival with the same vigor as before, if only to attain a picturesque, stimulating life filled with beauty and thought and all the other things emerging in its purview.

The desert was quiet that night. The creature heard the chirping of crickets and howling of coyotes from beyond the light of the bonfire. The moon shone bright, casting a pale glow over the brush, the cacti, the red sand, cutting out a horizon of mountains, dunes, trees and a stretch of a whole lotta nothin’. In a rare stroke of fortune--or misfortune, hard to say--the creature could see a distant glow and the traces of smoke off in the distance, to the east. It was rare, on Moapa, to find another traveler who would agree to simply share the quiet space together, especially in the danger of night. No shots exchanged, no negotiation for safe passage--just mutual, comfortable distance.

The creature would get distracted by the stars. There were so many, such a bright and brilliant display of wonder and impossibility. To think this many stars lay just behind the light of the Falling Sun, that the night sky would offer such light without suns--what did the Legend say? Did anyone even consider what the sky without suns would look like? Was this spoken into being in campfire stories or drunken bar ravings, like all things out here?

The creature didn’t know. It just kept counting.

A leg of venison roasted over the creature’s fire. It was a large, long-burning bonfire that burned bright and loud for all across the desert plain to see in the dead of night. It was, however, quite warm by now, and cooked the venison quite nicely. In days past, the creature might have simply caught the beast, killed it, then ate it raw. Pure sustenance, no enjoyment, craft, or transformation. It was still new to this concept, this cooking, so all it had done was put the meat in contact with a fire. Still, it found this process engrossing: the tedium in the preparation, the experimentation with heat and cooking time, trimming excess fat and bone before consuming the roast. Lately, it even found words for the gratitude it felt, how thankful it was that it had food to eat and a fire to keep it warm: words for something it always knew, but never thought.

While the meat cooked, it returned to the pool. The moon and fire were bright, and it could see its reflection in the pool. It brushed its fingers through its long, tangled hair, and let it fall to its left--no, its right, better that way. Out from its belongings, it pulled a hat and coat it appropriated a few days before. The coat was a little too large for the curious, scaly thing, but the hat fit its head just fine. It returned to the pool to admire its reflection one more time. Two of its four arms shook out from under the coat, but the other two fit through the sleeves well enough, and with one of the two arms, the creature adjusted the hat, tipping it to and fro and making various expressions with different positions, imagining itself as gruff bandit, stern sheriff, friendly farmhand, and charming renegade. It smiled, blushed, giggled, and clasped its hands over its mouth in embarrassment. It was a silly thing to do, but it was happy.

Bang.

It heard the shot before it felt the pain, at first. The smile vanished from the creature’s face, right before it felt a wound bore through its lower abdomen. It looked down at the wound and saw blood seeping from its chest, dripping down to its tail. It clutched the wound, then curled into the ground--slow and lurching, as the pain started to come in--and shivered, feeling itself bleed. Its vision blurred.

Death. That was the most likely outcome. You get shot in the chest alone in the desert, you die. Everyone knew this, least of all emergent consciousnesses like the creature’s. Even before its current state of thought, it was always afraid of dying. It was never, however, afraid of dying like this. It was alone, off in the wild, where no one would find its body until days later, much less anyone who cared enough for the creature to give it last rites. It didn’t even see who took the shot, or where they came from--though they thought they saw a muzzle flare to the north, not east, where the second campsite lay. It wouldn’t even know why it was dying. It shed a tear as it curled up one last time, for one last taste of warmth and comfort.

It heard a rustle in the bushes. It weakly raised its head to look.

Bang.

-----

The horse was in no place to be a picky eater. It had recently done a great favor for its rider and her companion, who in return went out of their way to hunt down a bear of considerable size for the horse to feed on. After that tremendous act of generosity, its rider compelled the being to resort to scraps. She and her companion needed decent food much more than the beast--which is why the roast venison turned out to be a pleasant sight for their hungry eyes.

The Auran crouched solemnly over the creature’s body while their companion carved the meat.

“Now, Chipper,” the companion said, after several minutes of silence during their approach and search of the campsite, “Why did we shoot it?”

Chipper inhaled, shut its eyes, then exhaled. They answered, “Anyone awake in the dark by their fire is ready and willing to hurt you.”

The companion nodded. “Good answer, kid. Here,” She handed Chipper a slice of venison. They took it in their talon to eat. They simply looked at the overcooked meat, hesitating to bite.

“You don’t really think that, though,” the companion concluded by the kid’s silence.

“No,” Chipper answered, eyes shut. “I really can’t, Tannis.”

Tannis sighed. “Yeah,” she said, “Me neither.”

“But you do. You still choose to,” came a voice in their heads.

“Dog,” Chipper said aloud, gently, “Not now, okay?” The horse nodded, then resumed eating the dead snake creature.

“I know you know all this stuff, Chipper,” Tannis said, “I ain’t tryin’ to patronize or…traumatize, I suppose. I know how hard it is to think this way, though, ya get me? Especially if you--if we--are tryin’ to make a better place here. We gotta understand why we lived this way, and what we wanna change, right?”

Chipper nodded. “I know that. Doesn’t make killing random folks any easier.”

“It’ll stop soon. Someday soon.”

“Yeah, someday soon. But in the meantime, could we try to kill them less…painfully? You hit it in a bad spot.”

Tannis bit some venison, then walked over to inspect the body. It noticed the first shot. “Aw, hell. Sure. No mistakes next time.”

Chipper smiled at their friend. “Aim gettin’ sloppy, ma’am?”

“You stop that,” Tannis laughed, lightly punching their shoulder. “It’s dark.”

“Your eyes have had plenty of time to adjust.”

“And so’s your attitude.”

The two smiled. They shared a bite to eat, then left the campsite and its reptilian occupant. There was another campfire to check out.

-----

In a place far, far to the east, one could not see the Falling Sun. Something about the curvature of Ribben, the Waking World, rendered it invisible in that part of the world, except for a faint glow on the western horizon. That region enjoyed full moons and starry skies, and a pleasant and temperate climate with fair seasons and cool summers. Traders from the west always seemed to dread their journey home, enjoying their respite from a constant state of daylight. Strange folk from further east, beyond the seas, would arrive occasionally, and become ecstatic when the sun set and the moon shone bright. It was a paradise for people who never knew of only one sun.

Everything changed though, that day, when another sun rose in the east.

Read the rest here

[streetkid-named-desire]

okay here is sally's actual appearance

she and nika yankovich met in dogtown at a bar where nika was drowing her sorrows about her dead brother and they are not in love bc they hate each other but also they are but also not really its like just a sex and murder thing

sally has a side piece named sandy. this is her long term thing, they do bonnie and clyde shit together. sandy is a blonde bimbo and works at the same strip club as sally.

sally of course despises bea and bullied her in camp mercilessly and got the burn scar on her face when bea shoved her into the campfire (already mentioned that part)

sally left the cohen clan, joined raffen for a bit, got tired of the desert and joined maelstrom in night city. she hates bea and her past life SO much that she tried to ultra rebel and become a white supremacist but all the actually racist raffen knew she was jewish and made fun of her #failgirl

there are rumors she has a collection of severed dicks preserved in jars but they could also just be synthetic replicas she put in jars as like part of her weird home decor but im not gonna ask to test one for dna are you?

[lost-technology]

Smoke

Tri-Tober Fanfic shorts Prompt 29: Ghost Setting: Trigun Maximum Summary: In spent cigarettes and campfires, a familiar face appeared. Prompt 29: Ghost Smoke Vash had his little vices, as most people do.  He drank too much (even if his Plant-metabolism would keep his liver from ever failing from it), ate way too many fatty, fried, sweet and carb-loaded foods (his beloved donuts and pizza, although, again, his Plant-metabolism and something about his powers unique to him would keep him from ill-effects).  He flirted way too much sometimes, although it rarely had any positive effect (and he wasn’t nearly as interested in sex as people took him for). One vice that he never took up was smoking, although he’d been around it enough.  He was in a bar, boredly nursing a stale beer and trying to ignore the stink of an off-brand cigarette in his nose.  There was a cigarette-butt in an ashtray on the bar, left behind by someone who’d staggered out to go home a few minutes ago.  It was lonely here, the only other soul around being the bartender, who was washing glasses in the back.  Vash tiredly watched the smoke curl.  He blinked rapidly when he thought he saw something.  He wasn’t getting enough sleep lately. He could have sworn he’d seen a man in the smoke – a familiar coat, a sharp nose and hard edges.  The image itself seemed to be smoking.  Vash shook his head and the image was gone.    The next night, Vash left town and chose to camp in the desert.  He watched the smoke curl up from the campfire.  Again, an image formed.  He was definitely tired.  “Hey there, Needle Noggin’.”  Vash jumped about three feet back.  He looked at his whiskey flask.  It was still full, he hadn’t touched a drop.  He rubbed his eyes.  The image was still there.  “Just checkin’ up on ya.  Been watchin’ ya the whole time.  You did good, Spikey.” “I’m hallucinating, aren’t I?” “So what if you are?  You don’t really think you are, do you?”  “You can’t be talking to me.  You’re dead.”  “Of course I’m dead.  If I had a body, I could kick your ass for leavin’ everyone all alone again.” “I’m never alone… the girls, well, they’ll be popping up any day or hour now.  They haven’t stopped chasing me…with the cameras.” “You don’t exactly keep your promises, do you?”  “I’m pretty sure that I’m just dreaming this.” “I’m not so good at dream-walking.  That’s her expertise.  I like your lady.  She seems to think you’re a bit of a doofus, too, but she loves ya.”  “So, what are you here for, Wolfwood?” “Just to let you know that I might be dead, but I’ve never left.”  Vash sighed deeply, knowing dream or reality, this would all be gone in the morning.  He took a swig from his flask.  He then smiled at the smoke from the campfire. “You can keep haunting me for as long as you like.” 

[grimmwolf]

Here’s my werebeast playlist. The songs relate to my life as a werebeast; where I’ve been, who I’ve met, cultures I was exposed to. It’s extremely culturally inclusive, if you look hard enough 😂

Antwhos, introoooduciiiingggg…

“The Werewolf Who Loved Music”

🐺🪗🐺🪗🐺🪗🐺🪗🐺🪗🐺🪗🐺🪗🐺🪗🐺🪗

In this life, I believe I traveled very far and wide. Always running from something, or someone, I presume. Hunters, perhaps. They always knew my kind was out there. That I, was out there. I was well known. They knew my dark coat well. I was hated very much, always leaving claw marks on everyones’ roofs, I suppose. But I knew how to survive. Until one, fateful night, of course… I always found I belonged in these places, and considered them all my homes. Too bad I had to leave all of them behind…

Ps. This life took place in the time range of the beginning of the 1800s to mid century 1850s-1870s. Pre Industrial Revolution to Industrial Revolution ish, America time.

The most prominent places I remember being was in the south. Places like New Orleans, the Bayous, the swamps, Virginia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas, etc.. The Cajun and Zydeco music, the Cajun French language, and the seafood. The banjos, fiddles, harmonicas, and rag on pianos. It wasn’t all that happy all the time, though. It was a time of work all day or you won’t survive. In the working lands, it was very depressing, at times. The men worked all day as the wives took care of the house and children. Miners, lumberjacks, engineers, sailors. They worked tirelessly from dusk till dawn. I respected them very much. I would always visit the bars at night, singing tunes with them at happy hour. Folk songs and shanties galore. Letting them forget the work, even just for a few hours.

Arizona, Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Guarma, Guatemala, Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico, etc.; that’s where all the Latin, Mexican, Spanish and such music in the playlist comes from. I remember listening to the Mariachi bands play at bars, pubs, saloons. On the streets, in the desert, in their home towns. They were everywhere 😂 I remember taking part in Fiestas and having such a good time with everyone. Well, I did that everywhere 😂 The trumpets, trombones, tubas, drums. The voices singing the words to each and every song. It was all so lively. Well, everywhere was 😂 Except for the occasional sad guitar. Beautiful, and full of emotion. They sang for their wives, children, families and friends. It always made tears come to my eyes. Sometimes I’d find myself wandering into the desert, coming across the occasional lone rider. We’d sit at a campfire for a time, talking, sometimes flirting, before it was time to leave again. I couldn’t give a whole lot of trust to anyone, though I’d know I could survive if someone were to attack me. I just always wished I could trust people, though.

I also remember French music. Accordions, mostly. I’ve lived in Paris, France, for a while, maybe surrounding areas as well. I remember looking out into the city, climbing and crawling on the rooftops. Well, I did that everywhere too 😂 But I distinctly remember the apartments, the lights, the open windows on balconies, and watching and listening to everyone chatting, singing, or dancing in their homes, with or without their loved ones. I roamed the streets at night, frequently, in my human form. The music was beautiful, people dancing and coupling up. I had always longed for a special someone, especially at moments like these. This is one of the places I interacted the most with others like me, I think. They would always find me on rooftops, they knew my routes, just like everywhere else. I was quite popular with them, though, I preferred to keep my distance. But, they always knew where to find me. I had my hideouts, I remember this one in Paris. It was in an old abandoned apartment, I kept to the the attic room, with an open windowed balcony, and a beautiful view of the city. Sometimes I’d keep pets, dogs and other animals I found were homeless, or in need of a mother. I couldn’t risk my babies getting eaten by a hungry male werebeast. No, sir-y.

Oh, and I can’t forget about the bagpipes, of all things. Some were in the south, migrated there from Scotland. Some fiddles I heard in the south were from Ireland, as well. New Orleans had the majority of foreigners, heard Mariachi, sad guitars and accordions there as well. But, I’m talking about bagpipes now. Gosh, I loved them. I even tried learning how to play, I was so in love with them. I failed. Hard. It was difficult af 😂 I don’t even know how I got to Ireland and Scotland at the time. Maybe I took a boat from Canada or something. I’ve always had a connection to these places though, probably from being part Irish and Scottish myself. I guess the Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Or something 😂 I remember walking out into the foggy hills in the morning mist, it was always so…serene. I ventured far and atop every mountain I could find. This was the most peaceful place I found myself in. Yet, someone still had to find me. Be it the occasional courting werewolf, following me around everywhere, or a hunter. My demise…

And I don’t remember where this was. It might have been some other place in Europe. London, maybe. Or maybe somewhere in the country, surrounded by woods and mines and railroads. I was living in this village-like place for a while, very dark, very eerie. They were much less advanced than my time elsewhere, still using torches and and oil lanterns and such devices like that. The hunters here were plentiful, unfortunately. So angry, aggressive, violent. They played dirty. I think this was the earliest place I remember being. Then, traveling to a place similar to Louisiana.

I wasn’t always alone, though. There were always a couple of other werebeasts nearby, either locals, or I was followed by courting males. I never came across any females, though. Strange. This one werebeast though, he was different. I felt a special connection to him. I don’t know if we ever became mates, but he was just always there, with me. As if he were protecting me, as if he were my guardian.

Agh, enough outta me. There’s still much more to share about my life as this werebeast, but I feel this is good for now. Ciao~

🐺🪗🐺🪗🐺🪗🐺🪗🐺🪗🐺🪗🐺🪗🐺🪗🐺🪗

[greensparty]

Album Reviews: Will Butler + Sister Squares / The Replacements / The Breeders

What a week this is for album releases! I was lucky enough to review special re-releases from The Replacements and The Breeders and a the new solo project from Will Butler, who left Arcade Fire last year!

Will Butler + Sister Squares Will Butler + Sister Squares

album cover

Arcade Fire co-founder Will Butler is the younger brother of leader Win and he was often overshadowed by Win. After recording last year's Arcade Fire album We, Will announced he had left the band. While he was still a member of Arcade Fire, Will released his first solo album Policy in 2015 and it was just as good as some of Arcade Fire’s albums. I named Policy my #2 Album of 2015 and I was lucky enough to see him live in 2015 just before the album’s release (read my review here). His 2020 album Generations was the next best thing to an Arcade Fire album during that time. Now he has put together a new band Will Butler + Sister Squares and their new album Will Butler + Sister Squares drops today from Merge.

Butler (center) and the Sister Squares

The Sister Squares feature Jenny Shore, who is Will's wife, and her sister Julie, and their childhood friend Sarah Dobbs. Rounding out the group is Miles Frances. You get the sense that there's a camaraderie that lends itself musically. All of them have known each other for a long time and it shows in their music. Very similar to Arcade Fire and Will's solo work, there is a strong dance-rock sound here and some of the band members do dance as well. As for how good this is in terms of Will's discography, it's going to take a lot more listens. In addition to his phenomenal work with Arcade Fire, he is also an Oscar-nominated composer for his work with Her (read my album review of the Her soundtrack here), and he's already released some solid solo albums. Policy was so surprisingly outstanding that it raised the bar pretty high for Generations and now with a whole new band the bar is pretty high as well. They are a very tight unit and there's some bangers on this album for sure. Definitely put this band on your radar!

For info on Will Butler + Sister Squares: http://www.butlerwills.com/

3.5 out of 5 stars

The Replacements Tim (Let It Bleed) Edition

new 2023 box set

There was the Alternative Nation of the 90s, but before then there was the college radio scene in the 80s that was the blueprint for 90s alt-rock. Among the most influential of 1980s college radio darlings was Minneapolis's The Replacements. They emerged out of the MN punk scene in the late 70s / early 80s, but their music evolved over time to be more than just punk. After a few albums on the indie label Twin/Tone (notably Let It Be), they signed to Sire and their major label debut was 1985's Tim produced by the late great Tommy Erdelyi AKA Tommy Ramone. It is often considered to be the band's best album whenever you see Best-Of lists. I actually discovered the band around 1989/90 before they broke up in 1991. But as I was getting into Westerberg's solo work, I worked backwards and got into The Replacements (strange but true). One of my desert island all-time favorites is 1987's Pleased to Meet Me, a perfect album from start to finish. While there was a brief 'Mats (as they are known by fans) reunion from 2012-2015, there have been a great deal of anniversary editions and re-issues of their classic albums in the last few years. The box set Tim (Let It Bleed) edition is being released this week.

The Replacements circa 1985

This actually marks my first Replacements review. I've been lucky enough to review bassist Tommy Stinson's Bash and Pop album Anything Could Happen and their 2017 Boston concert as well as his recent Tommy Stinson's Cowboys in the Campfire album Wronger. What's interesting about this album is that it's album that came right between Let It Be and Please To Meet Me. Wow - what a run of three incredible albums that was. The band (and some fans) have remained unhappy with the mix of the Tim album that Tommy Ramone did. Now with this new box set, it is getting a serious overhaul. Legendary producer Ed Stasium, known for his work with The Ramones, has done a 2023 mix of the album. (Full disclosure: I do know Ed Stasium and he is super cool!) Ed was close friends with Tommy Ramone (who died in 2014) and produced some of his work with The Ramones, has done a multi-track remix of the original recordings. In a way this is one last collaboration between the two! I want to state for the record that I never had an issue with the original 1985 mix, even if the band did. Ed's mix is different than the original and it's out and out amazing! The box set has Ed's 2023 mix on vinyl and CD. Then CD2 is a 2023 remaster of the album. CD3 is rarities and unreleased tracks. Some of them are cool, like the demo and early versions of "Can't Hardly Wait", which finally appeared as a finished version on Pleased to Meet Me. CD4 is a full concert they did at Cabaret Metro in Chicago on Jan. 11, 1986. As if all of this weren't enough there's a booklet with photos and liner notes from 'Mats biographer Bob Mehr.

Bottom line: I out and out loved the original album, so naturally I'm in Music Geek Heaven with this box set. Ed's 2023 mix and the epic liner notes make this worth re-buying for old fans and new fans too! Hey wait - getting rid of the old copy you have and getting this new one would make this a wise, well, um, Replacement!?!

For info on Tim (Let It Bleed) Edition: https://rhino.lnk.to/TimLIBE

4.5 out of 5 stars

The Breeders Last Splash 30th Anniversary Original Analog Edition

album cover

Remember that time The Dandy Warhols had a song called “Cool as Kim Deal” about wanting a girl as cool as Kim Deal, the legendary founding member of The Pixies? Maybe The Dandy Warhols were trying to show off their hipster cred by name dropping her. Or maybe they were stating something so true: Kim Deal is pretty much one of the coolest women in alt-rock...and that is saying something! The Pixies are legends, but her side project with her twin sister Kelley, The Breeders was where she really let loose in an amazing indie rock sound that incorporated elements of low-fi, surf rock, garage, and even country. Their 1990 debut Pod was so well received, the group got back together with a new lineup (Tanya Donnelly was out, Kelley was in). When the album Last Splash dropped in late summer 1993, I was getting heavy into indie rock and they were all over WFNX at the time. “Cannonball”, the first single was unlike anything else at the time. A surfadelic pop nugget about “the bong in this reggae song”. The music video was directed by a young Spike Jonze and Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth and we actually played it on my cable access show The Eric and Mike Show in 1994. At school, I traded a CD I didn’t like (can’t remember what) with a kid who had Last Splash and only liked “cannonball”. The album knocked me out. “Saints” is the perfect summer song start to finish. “Do you Love Me Now?” was a great love song. “Drivin’ on 9” was a great country song in the old-school vein. The whole album is all killer, no filler. In the years that followed, the Deal sisters have occasionally come back together with new lineups and done an album or tour. I was lucky enough to see them perform on a taping of Last Call with Carson Daly in Aug. 2002. Then I got to see them do a free concert at McCarren Pool in Brooklyn in July 2008 and it was awesome! In 2013 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Last Splash the line-up on that album including drummer Jim McPherson and bassist Josephine Wiggs toured. That went so well they recorded together and released 2018's excellent All Nerve (read my review here) and I actually named it my #1 Album of 2018. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Last Splash a new remastered edition was released today.

The Breeders circa 1993

In 2013, the band released a 20th anniversary edition LSXX that included B-sides, demos and live recordings. For the 30th, there weren't as many bells and whistles. However, the band remastered the original analog tapes (thought to be lost) and they did discover two long lost tracks that are on this release: "Go Man Go", a track that Kim Deal co-wrote with fellow Pixie Black Francis, and "Divine Mascis" a version of "Divine Hammer" sung by J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. Around the time "Saints" had been released as a single, WFNX played a version of "Saints" that was produced by Mascis, so I'm happy to hear there was another collaboration the band did with him.

Bottom line: much like the The Replacements' Tim, the original release of Last Splash is one of my all-time favorites, so it's no surprise that I loved this release. But the sound here is excellent and those bonus tracks are worth getting.

For info on Last Splash: https://thebreeders.ffm.to/lastsplash30.owe

5 out of 5 stars

[scarletooyoroi]

"You have to turn your head sideways, but that one there is the head of the Iniquitous Baptist." Dehya points up at the sky from where she and Thoma lie on a blanket atop one of the man cresting hilltops that dot Inazuma's skyline. Their campfire burns nearby, keeping them warm as the temperature dips and Dehya tugs her thick new cloak over herself as a makeshift blanket. She likes stargazing, and she likes finding the shapes that are so familiar to her, but in a different part of the sky. She likes it here.

She likes her company, too.

"Took me ages to remember that it's 'baptist' and not 'bastard'." She laughs, remembering her father's surprised face when she, much too young to be using such language, had repeated the wrong title aloud. She'd heard it outside a bar one evening when her father had gone inside for a drink and left her out front, bored, unable to go inside with him. A group stumbled past her talking about taking on some bastard or other, not even the Baptist, and the association clicked in her mind.

She lets out a soft breath and turns her head to the side to look at Thoma. "He's tough, but I bet we could take him. Maybe someday, if I drag your ass to the desert. Lots of neat ruins there to explore. I bet you'd love it."

What they had planned was spontaneous in nature. Times, restrictions, all of that freely cast to the wayside as they saddled up the appropriate gear for a time all of their own. Thoma's own contributions being the freshly finished picnic meal tucked within. Why not when a slew of daily commissions made it hard to even catch dinner? Even then, with as much energy as they hold, the indoors simply weren't cutting it.

Not when Dehya's particular hobby had them comfortably huddled together. Aside from the barrier of cloak between them, they were virtually hip to hip, gazes brightened with resolution and curiosity focused on the heavens above.

"No kidding... Before I hadn't even considered you could catch the view of them above, the stars sure aren't picky." He mentions with a modest chuckle. Taking her advice had led his perception to be mildly altered, switched up just enough to let him foresee the odd blight that managed to be angled within the skies. That taunting visage of one of the stronger vanguard's of the Abyssal forces being distinctly reflected. It nearly made his heart jump from his chest!

"Well I'll be, Dehya, I think I'm actually seeing it concretely." The way the stars made their sharp imaginary arcs from each other, as if appraising their craft with mute beams of light.

"Wha--? Pft!" Just after he finally seized the view! Within moments that abrupt ~bastardization~ of the name caught him with a haymaker of humor. His laughter bouncing free as he almost knocked that head of his to her shoulder. Finding a way to make those demonic apparitions seem a little less frightful was a power he can appreciate. As a martial artist, he's learned just how valuable it is to also balance fear and belief, to keep all reason sound for when one's life was on the line.

Doubly so for the sort like Thoma, who had a heart too kind to ever leave the bitter route of innocent fates.

Amidst the mirth that brings a golden form of sanctity to his heart, that subtle mention hadn't escaped his attention, leading to those eyes briefly going wide for a fleeting second. Propping his head up onto an arm, he'd situate onto his side, all so a particularly curious look could focus on the Flame Mane.

"Telling me that's been an idea rolling in your mind? Having the two of us bump against Teyvat at large?" The fact she ever considered it leads to a joyful feeling increasing in vibrancy. By now the curve of his lips fixed into a smile that she often earned, this one considerably more sensible as playfulness and honesty alike felt fitting. Now what exactly should he be going with?

"I've been considering it myself. Not just a break of time from Inazuma, but seeing what's out there. The thought of having our kinda spirits and steady arms breaking new ground? I can't help that feeling of getting a little excited."

A sensible stir of energy settles in the air between them, and as it stands, it's wholeheartily welcomed. The opportunity to watch as the grace of the moonlight and the flickering stars adding that holy sort of glow to her figure--

Thoma knows he can certainly get lost in that.

"I'd like to see your home with you."

@svnsworn

[acourtofquestions]

EoS Chapter 59 & 60:

(Per usual the spoiler bar of safety ;-)

Establishing a new rule: Aelin is allowed to do what she wants & we just keep calm & follow her (even into battle with bad odds because haven’t we learned by now?) — if this woman jumped off a cliff ITS FOR A GOOD REASON and she calculated the distance, water depth, or covered it in marshmallows so it’s fine by all means follow her *coughs* looking at you AEDION (& in the rule of slap bets Aelin is now allowed at least 1 “I TOLD YOU SO”)

The opening interaction for Aelin & Ansel is absolute gold (why have I not been using bullet points that auto type😂)

Rowan calling them HIS cadre

Aelin is the definition of that hive/mega mind meme thing because HOW DID SHE THINK OF THIS THAT LONG AGO (also the fact she trusted Ansel after all this time… but also somehow it’s only like 2 years?)

THE LETTERS

“The country of my friend Celaena Sardothien, who did not forget it, even when she was in the Red Desert; and who did not stop looking north every night that we could see the stars. There was no greater gift I could offer to repay her than saving the kingdom she did not forget. And that was before I got her letter months ago, telling me who she was and that she'd gut me if I didn't assist in her cause.” — SEE SHE NEVER FORGOT PEOPLE OF TERRASEN AND AEDION GIVE THE GIRL A BREAK (also “friend”🥹 she knew the 2ONE minutes & Rowan did too😭 & that talk when he asks🖤 her compassion doesn’t get enough credit for how much she understands)

“Assassin-turned-Queen” — my favorite kind of women (this includes Lysandra cause she has the vibe😂)

“Aedion didn't know who to be more furious with: Aelin, for not telling him about Ansel of Briarcliff and the gods-damned army she'd quietly ordered to sack Melisande and seize its fleet, or himself, for not trusting her. For demanding where their allies were, for implying all that he had in those moments before the ilken attack. She'd just taken it. He tried not to bristle. He hadn't even contemplated the Wastes as an ally. Perhaps that was why. He would have told her not to bother. He was her general-prince. Rowan was her consort--or close enough to it. And yet she had not entrusted them with this.” — Aedion thank you for finally owning up to THAT mistake … yeah you should’ve trusted her buddy

And yeah she did just take it and not fight because throwing that in your face would’ve endangered you and she is not petty or naive enough to risk it bud

Also him calling Rowan her consort😂 (also for the record “General-Prince” Rowan is also a legit Prince by technicality (much like you) so he’s not just a Prince of consort FOR THE RECORD)

Which witch was it?

“And Aelin remembered the story the assassin-turned-queen had once told her, whispered atop rolling desert sands and beneath a carpet of stars. A childhood friend--eaten alive by an Ironteeth witch…” — this quote is somehow so peaceful and so horrifying with imagery all in one, like one second we have rolling sands and blankets of stars and cozy campfire vibes and the next just straight up horror story ghost campfire

“A voice like death” — hell yeah she did😉 (I don’t even know what that means I just love Manon😂)

“The Last Crochan Queen” — sounds like a song I would’ve sang in 8th grade choir before the holidays… but now is just me humming the last great american dynasty on repeat😅😂

WHERE IS ABRAXOS???

“Red wine” hair color you say… like Bryce…??? (While I know very little about Crescent City the little I do know includes that character description)

The fact Rowan knows who Ansel is immediately because he HAS heard ALL of Aelin’s stories🥹

KASIDA IS BACK — YAAAAAASSSSSSSSS

They had time!!! Finally!

Lysandra just being the worlds cutest snuggly cat🥹 for everyone that’s ever been like isn’t it odd that she’s scratch her friends head lemme tell ya legit one the most accurate descriptions of gal pal interactions😂; the amount of days bestiegirl comes over after work and ends up half collapsed on my couch, flopping her head onto my lap (which means she wants me to play with her hair & braid it😂) while we drink (or more frequent make tea / wait for take-out) as we recount the day is HIGH🤣

ANSEL TRIED TO HELP CELAENA😭 (the amount of people that came to save her from Endovier & she never even knew… it’s just so healing… and a slightly horrifying/hop-giving emphasis that however this ends she has friends that will be there for her & with her & come for them & show up in war… hopefully😅😅)

Not the Ansel/Dorian line😂🤣

At least someone got revenge on the Melisande liar form TAB who Aelin sold Kasida to (for Sam😭) only to find out SHE was EVIL (I’m really glad Karma came😅💖)

The fact Lysandra knew exactly where Aedion would go

The fact he’s learned to recognize her smell even though it’s really impossible because she’s always shifting (it’s giving Kanej)

The way he can read her many masks (same with Elorcan… and all the ships… even Manorian)

"The fear of loss ... it can destroy you as much as the loss itself."

"I do enjoy it, you know. This--whatever this is."

Double Aedion points for once again finding the words someone has needed to hear for a lifetime and healing trauma in one beautiful sentence (I love him man)

I KNEW HE HAD BI WIFE ENERGY (or I guess technically Lysandra has Bi wife energy for Aedion) anyways REPRESENT (also the line about the Bane🥹🥲 I need a whole book explaining those years & these characters we’ve never met but will hopefully save the day)

I miss the days of adventure too Lysandra

Him saying his last not because the world is ending but because all roads end with “I’m going to marry you Lysandra” (a very Rowaelin way to say we’re gonna take time because we’re determined to have it so we’ll live like it and will it into being)

He had no intention of wasting each glorious moment in one go. Of wasting any of the moments that fate had granted him, and all he wanted to show her.

Every stream and forest and sea in Terrasen.

“To see Lysandra laugh her way through the autumnal circle dances; to weave ribbons around the maypoles in the spring; and listen, wide-eyed, to ancient tales of war and ghosts before the roaring winter fires in the mountain halls. All of it. He'd show her all of it. And walk onto those battlefields again and again to ensure he could. So Aedion smiled at Lysandra and brushed her hand with his own. "I'm glad we're in agreement, for once." — IM GLAD WE AGREE FOR ONCE

KNOW THIS CONVERSATION TOO MANY QUOTES TOO MANY FEELS TOO MUCH I LOVE THEM ALL UR HONOR (and I’m scared my food eggs are all in one basket or ship i guess because literally all the ships are on the same ship and I’m glad cause separation is dangerous esp. when half of them kinda might/wanna kill each other but also like if this ship sinks I AN AFRAID CAUSE TITANIC DONE ME WRONG)

Titling CHAPTER 60: HELLO MANORIAN!😂😉 … and enjoying my last few days before it all ends up in flames... or lack thereof as some energy restoration would give me hope with our FIVE HUNDRED ilken killing queen (still not over it)… so let’s all also drink & tell stories? Why not😅😂🤣😂🤣

NAMELESS IS MY PRICE (dammit)

A living god — yep. (help surprising songs… false god is so them😅😂😭😉)

"Because she made a bad choice, trying to heal a wound she couldn't ever mend. Trying to avenge the people she loved." — IM SCARED OF THIS LINE — but also when he asks & she answers (she really is remarkable).

“Rowan, still kneeling, looked upon the world spread at her feet.” — THIS SENTENCE SHOWS SO MUCH

“To give my offspring not one kingdom to inherit, but as many as the stars." — always a sucker for star lines

I’d follow you even then😭 — “She would bring music and books and culture, wipe out the corruption festering in corners of the earth” — I mean he has a point though she’d be a good dictator (it’s giving Leslie Knope/Ben Whiotte/Fitzsimmons line vibes lol)

All hail our empress Aelin

The detail down to the red hair

WHAT WORDS AELIN??????????

"Sometimes I wish I knew every thought in that head, each scheme and plot. Then I remember how much it delights me when you reveal it--usually when it's most likely to make my heart stop dead in my chest."

“But despite his words, despite everything, he looked so ... happy. So perfectly content and happy to be there, kneeling among those maps, the lantern down to its last dregs, the world going to hell.” — ROWAN WAS HAPPY FOR ONCE — “The joyless, cold male she'd first met, the one who had been waiting for an opponent good enough to bring him death ... He now looked at her with happiness in his face. … She took his hand, gripping it hard. "Rowan." The spark died from his eyes.” — The spark DIED — WTF KINDA LINE IS THAT? WHAT DID SHE SAY (it can’t be the mate thing that should make him happy? Or not dead? AGH) Aelin don’t you dare have a plan! No-no I’ll keep calm and trust Aelin (but Sarah not so much😅) — promise or fear? HoF parallel or full circle—IDK U CANT JUST LEAVE ME LIKE THAT

Why do I keep on reading Lorcan as Lucien? And don’t even get me started on Lochan😂

THANK YOU DORIAN I KNEW SHES NOT DEAD I BELIEVE IN ASTERIN

Her describing him as winter mornings😭

Wait is Manon the iron to his magic to keep him from going insane and dying like most with his power level?

What is he waiting for? It’s Maeve isn’t it! Dammit don’t be true!

ITS TRUE FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKNOOOO

[hayishmandy]

HayishMandys Castaway Challenge

Mods I use (Not Required)

-MC Command Center - used to debug getting the ray gun and all its upgrades.

-Use Shift Ctrl C and type money 0  to set funds to $0

Packs I recommend

Island Living - This pack really is a must have for this challenge.

Get To Work - For Ray Gun

Cottage Living - For Livestock

Strangerville - For Crashed plane object that you sell parts for money.

Your once millionaire sims’ private jet crashes and you wake up on a deserted island with only a few scraps and your wits to guide you. How will you survive? How long can you make it? Will you ever get off the island?

Rules

Start with bad traits.

0 Money to start.

Start with a single sim. (Wearing tattered/messy clothing/hair).

Your Sim cannot leave their island/lot until you have a canoe. Along with max skills in both fitness and handiness.

Can only plant in grass/dirt (Cannot plant in sand).

Once your sim gets a workbench they can start building on the island.

Every sim day you can only build 1 wall/1 foundation square etc. Wallpaper and flooring swatches can be added with the daily allowance.

You can't go to Buy Mode until you acquire a workbench.

Unless you need to place items from dice rolls, to sell plane parts, or get daily crate objects.

You have to make most of your furniture using the workbench before replacing with new/“found” furniture items.

After Day 3 a new crate will wash ashore everyday. 

Roll Dice to decide if you get to keep what's in the crate or if it washes away.

Odd roll means you missed it and it floats away. 

Even roll you keep it and get a basic item to keep or sell. (I recommend using the ray gun from Get to Work to use to get a randomly generated object everyday.)

Must learn knitting to get new clothes. Every item you knit can be traded in to change 1 article of clothing on your sim

Skill Rewards: 

Every Level 5 Skills you can trade in a new trait (switch bad traits with good)

Once your Sim reaches these skill levels they can unlock…

Level 2 Fishing - Campfire

Level 5 Gardening - Can now buy a chicken coop 

must start with chicks. 

Once reach adulthood and produce eggs then you can get a cow/llama

Level 5 Handiness - Knitting Basket

Level 7 Handiness - Trash Can

Level 5 Charisma - Access to trading post (once you can sail)

Level 5 Cooking - Can start learning herbalism

Level 5 Fitness - Can begin learning to scuba diving

Enough Rules Let's Get Started!

Roll the dice three times. Each number is a random object you salvaged from the wreckage. You can only have 1 of each items, so roll again if you get the same number you rolled before:

1: a bar

2: a tent

3: a cooler

4: a fish trap

5. a candle/lantern

6. a “friend” (Object to keep you company)

Lot - Your Island

I recommend using the island lot in Sulani.

Start with an empty lot. (Besides the objects you acquired by rolling dice)

You can place a few “wreckage items” on the lot like a crashed plane wreckage from Strangerville Pack, and some random crates.

.

Day 1: Roof over your Head: You need a shelter. Salvage (Sell) one of the plane parts (but not the engine), and roll the dice: D20

Rolled Even: Hey, there is some useful stuff here! 

Rolled Odd: Feh, It's all useless garbage! You lose the money earned from selling the part.

Day 2: The Hunger games: You're low on food, better go get some. Raise fishing skill 2 levels up. Prize: A campfire

Day 3: Floatsam Ahoy! A crate with supplies washed up on a beach! Roll the dice once, and you get one of the items listed in the getting started section If you already have all items you can randomize crate using simray.

Day 4: Basic Engineering: You try dabbling in the inner workings of your wrecked plane, to get a better understanding of mechanical skills. Order your sim to watch the engine, then roll the dice:

Rolled Even: You get a workbench and sell the engine.

Rolled Odd: You clumsy Fool! You botched it! Try again tomorrow. Reroll Sell the Engine, and remove the money you gained.

Day 5: Getting your sea legs! It's time to get yourself some workout! Just swim in the sea to increase the Fitness skill by 2 points: 

Day 6: Pest Control! You discover a plant that when burned, deters all the nasty creatures plaguing your island! light the campfire, and play with it, then roll dice:

Roll Even: The smoke successfully scared away all the spiders, snakes and bats! You remove the Creepy Crawlies lot trait.

Roll odd: This weed is useless! Nothing Happens. Try again another day.

Day 7-9 Rest Day

Day 10: Avast! Thar be Pirates! One day, you scouted the island, when you saw a group of shady looking thugs. Pirates! You hide behind some bushes, and observe them. Roll the dice ye landlubber!

Roll even: You quietly watch the corsairs, as they bury a heavy chest on the beach. When they're gone, you dig out the chest. It's full of cash! you get 1000 simoleons!

Roll odd:  You step on a brittle twig, that snaps loudly. You run for your life! The pirates are now alert of your presence, and decide to bury their treasure somewhere else.

Day 11-12 Rest Day

Day 13: A Siren's Song: You think you've gone mad from all this sun, but you see a beautiful mermaid waving to you. As you approach them, they challenges you to a singing contest! They gives you all day to prepare though. Raise your singing skill by 2 points to impress them! Prize: The mermaid gives you a map to a sunken treasure. You get 500 simoleons. Befriend the mermaid and someday they will invite you to their secret grotto.

Day 14-15 Rest Day!

Day 16: A Curious Critter: One morning after as you wake up you start to hear rustling coming from the bushes. Looking closer you see its a Cub! Its mother seems to have abandoned it. So you go to pet the cub. 

Roll 20 - you are instant friends for life!

Roll 11-19 - The cub seems nervous but warms to you.

Roll 2-10 - The cub is hesitant but maybe with time it will grow to like you.

Roll 1 - The cub get scared and runs into the bushes never to be seen again!

Day 17-18 Rest Day

Day 19  I Am A Voyager! If you’re Lucky You've saved up enough money to buy supplies and make a Canoe. Once built you can now sail out and explore the surrounding islands. (Max Fitness and Handiness Skill to sail canoe). May only visit 1 area a day.

Spend the next week visiting new households around the island (1 place a day)

First Day Setting Sail: Foraging! Go out and expand your garden. Find and add at least 5 new plant types to your garden.

Day 20: Green Thumb! You were never much good at scavenging to eat. But it would seem luck was on your side. After befriending the mermaid they decide to send a friend your way. A mysteriously green sim who seems to know a lot about plants and seem willing to teach you a thing or two IF you can impress them…

They give you a gardening book and tell you to improve your skill by 1 point by the end of the day. If you succeed they will reward you with a seasonal plant pouch or your choosing.

Bonus packet of your choice if you finish the entire book!

Day 26: Planting Roots! You’ve traveled far and wide and now it's time to find love! Visit all households to find a local beauty. Only select available sims wear a special jewelry item that lets you know they are single. But beware if you choose a Sulanian they have special customs and traditions you must go through before marriage!

No Kissing Before Marriage

No Woohoo Before Marriage

No Babies Before Marriage (Punishable!)

Must go on 2 Chaperoned dates

Must ask parents for permission. Then you can consult the village MatchMaker

Once Partner has been selected you must choose to elope or have a proper wedding ceremony. 

Eloping is taboo in Sulani and will bring your family shame and no dowry. 

A Proper marriage ceremony brings good fortune to the married couple and a dowry payment of $1500 is given to the household from the bride's family.

Proper Wedding Day Traditions!

Bride dresses in their best and is adorned with a flower crown. Groom wears a traditional flower necklace to represent a love in bloom.

Bride and groom must process down isle. The Cheif or matchmaker should officiate the wedding.

A Special tea but be drunk by the married couple.

Serve food and cut ceremonial cake.

Dance together.

Castaway Challenge Chapter 2!

Starts once your sim has married regardless of day.

Try to reset seasons to start in spring.

No longer will you go day by day but now with the extra security of a partner on your island you go by seasons. (weeks if you don't have seasons)

Now that you are 2 sims you can do double the work! Every day you can now build 2 segments a day so long as both sims have level 5 in handiness. This increases by every sim you add to your household that has level 5 handiness.

2 Level 5 handiness sims = 2 times as much building per day

3 level 5 handiness sims = 3 times as much building per day (etc.)

Once Your Garden has been established with at least 15 different types of plants you can take away the simple living lot challenge

Pregnancy in Sulani: No matter what time of year your baby is coming, pregnancy is an important event and right of passage for the women of Sulani. Mothers hold high respect in the village. Once your sim becomes pregnant it is expected for your sim to follow these traditions.

No pregnancy tests!

Don sacred pregnancy jewelry. 

Once you discover you are pregnant you must go visit the village shaman to receive a special herbal blend.

It is traditional to also receive a fertility massage at this time.

You must swim in the ocean every night as a sign of respect to the fertility goddess of Sulani.

Childhood in Sulani: For children finding your path in life is very important. It is this path that will help contribute to the strength of the village as you grow. Once you pick an aspiration as a child you should try to complete all the tasks.

If your child sim makes it the end of their aspiration before aging up your family gets 

Teens in Sulani: By now hopefully your child has selected their path in life and can now really start building out the role they want to have in the community. Its time to 

Spring

Any babies born in this season will be rewarded the Calm Baby Trait

Love is in the Air!: Spring brings new life to the island. This is the season most living things expand their families! Spring can also increase the chance of multiples…

Roll a 3 dice to see how many babies your sim will have.

Planning for the Future: Now is the time to focus on expanding your garden. Plant at least 5 new crops in your garden (Can be duplicates).

Summer

Any babies born in this season will be rewarded the Sunny Baby trait.

The Festival of Fish!: Summer in Sulani is the best time for fishing. Every year the locals throw a festival hosted by the village Chief. During this event focus on fun in the sun activities, eating fish dinners and most importantly FISHING!

Catch 10 Fish in 1 day - Receive 100 simoleons

Catch 15 Fish in 1 day - Receive 200 simoleons

Catch 20 Fish in 1 day - Receive 300 simoleons

Market Day: Make sure you are preparing for Market day! Bring your best to sell at the market!

Last day of Summer:   Your sim decides to go take a long walk on a nice beach. While walking you see a cruise ship floating not far from the shore. A wave of excitement fills your sim. This could be their chance to get off this island and go back to their millionaire life with all its luxuries. The temptation to leave all the hardships of the island is almost too much to bear… What do you do?

Leave this island behind! I'm done here! I want my luxury life back where everything was easy and i didnt have to work this hard. You run to where the cruise ship is docked and stow away on the boat. Leaving all the friends you've made and family behind. You’re sure they will be fine without you… They’ll probably just assume you drowned.

Stay. Life on the island may be hard but you've grown attached to your life here and the friends you've made. For a moment you think about running to get your family so they can go with you but the cruise ship looks like it's about to pull away. There wouldn't be time. Plus you know your spouse would never want to leave their home. You smile and sit down on the sand. Deep down you know you don't want to leave your home either. You watch and wave as the ship pulls away and disappears into the horizon.

Fall

Any babies born in this season will be rewarded the Cautious Baby trait.

In this season a strange child may wash upon your shores. Will you take them in?

Roll 20 You share an instant bond with this Castaway child and take them in. They have a good trait.

Roll 10-19 You feel sorry for the child and decide to open your home. After all, what could go wrong? They have a neutral trait

Roll 2-9 You take pity upon the child and reluctantly bring them into your home and have little to no bond with the child. They have a negative trait.

Roll 1 You take one look at the Castaway child and scoff. You can hardly take care of your own family as it is. You pass them along to the next house, but not before the child steals from you for being so cruel…

The Bonds That Bind Us: Fall in Sulani is a time to remember those that assist us in our daily lives. Take this time to get together with friends and share a meal you prepared in honor of these bonds that bind us.

Prepare a main dish (Fish is traditional)

Prepare a desert

Prepare a bread dish

Tragedy Strikes! The day before fall ends a volcanic eruption starts a devastating fire at your house. Luckily you and your family was away enjoying the day. But the damage is done and nearly all your belongings and house is gone. 

In the wreckage you are able to find Wilson and a few sentimental items.

Lucky for you a friend allows you and your family to come stay with them for a while.

While you are gone the village comes together and builds your family a beautiful home as a thank you for all you’ve done since coming into their lives. Being there for your neighbors is at the core of Sulani beliefs. The house isn't perfect and is lacking many basic furnishings but the walls are strong.

Winter 

Any babies born in this season will be rewarded the Intense Baby trait.

Winter Solstice: After the tragedy that brought you closer to your village you want to thank your friends by hosting a party with all your closest friends. You combine local Sulanian traditions with the ones you remember from your childhood.

Put up a tree and have your family decorate it together.

Sing carols

Sit together for a feast

Play games

[sailingshellsgames]

Demo news ✨

I've been working a lot on chapters 1-7, and will be re-releasing them soon! (It's on ko-fi now for $1 and up, for those who want it now 😀)

Below is what you can expect in the new version. I hope you enjoy it, and that it serves as a good hold-over while I finish the game's last two chapters! The re-release will launch on 3/25 for tumblr, and on 3/28 everywhere else.

Notable Changes

Additions:

General

Introduction of auto-success more.

More weird dreams + strengthening of the subplot around what MC sees in them.

Introduction of the dream journal mechanic.

More dialogue choices throughout the entire demo.

More descriptions of environments: MC's living quarters, the Den Compound, desert terrain around Leas, and city architecture.

Rearranged the stats screen and added clarity for MC's reputation among the Fey via an opposed pair bar.

General editing (word choice, etc.)

Chapter 1

MC's favored weapon can now be a bow! 🏹

Choice added to set MC's skin color.

A few more dialogue choices around MC reacting to the vision Keo has in Chapter 1.

Clearer explanation of MC agent backgrounds. Each now comes with explicit statement of what stats will be increased upon selection.

Chapter 2

Option to specify MC's tattoos. There are 4 pre-designed options, or you can design your own! (or choose no tattoos, if that's not your cup of tea). This includes the ability to add/remove/modify tattoos via the stats screen.

Chapter 3

Define how MC and Keo became friends.

Relatedly, more content setting up the fact that MC can't remember the agent found dead in the warehouse in Chapter 2.

Virano and Adaan mini-catfight (is it me, the author? am I the drama?)

Bug fix where a character already in the room would enter that room.

Chapter 4

A new dream.

Conversation around Virano's family's role in the nobility.

A little bit of Fey-weirdness around the Ashaad.

Conversation around the campfire with the team, mentions some of why Wren came to Leas.

Chapter 5

An explanation of Chapter 4's Fey weirdness that kind of just raises more questions, but does answer at least one of them.

Chapter 6:

A new dream.

Determining which of the three paths to take in the wilds is now a skill check.

General editing.

Chapter 7:

Yet another revision of the waterfall dream/flashback scene. This one's taken so long to get right, but I'm finally happy with it. Victory screech.

Moved Wren's reason for coming to Leas into the main story, so the choice option that explored that on their date now allows MC to dig in to learn a little more.

More dialogue choices in the scene where Keo's heritage is discovered during Lasan (if it didn't happen in the wilds).

Another choice in Wren's date going into the legend behind Lasan more, and a little about Wren's family.

Removals:

Keo no longer goes into seeing the magic in a vision. Removing this was part of a consolidation effort on my part. Tldr; I had too many side plots and needed to scrap some of them. Keo still has a reason for wishing to pursue the magic, if MC tries to refuse Rin. I actually like it a lot better now, which is a happy coincidence.

In Chapter 7, going to the wilds to see Keo's mother is no longer an option. Don't worry: everything I wrote for it will be used in book 2 :) But for book 1 it created a weird imbalance where the three options were so different they didn't converge well back into the main route.

Removed the ability to give Virano a sample of the magic or not. With all the other potential endgame outcomes, this got scrapped to consolidate things. I was finding it didn't really have a meaningful impact on the larger story despite reading like a major plot point, so in the bin it goes.

[chorusfm]

Daniel Donato – Reflector

The sophomore set from alt-country up-and-comer Daniel Donato, called Reflector, is a colorful collection of songs that are brimming with lush textures and shimmering guitars. From the vibrant opening bars of the song “Lose Your Mind” to the closing, near 6-minute opus of “Dance in the Desert Pt. 2,” Donato leaves his musical blueprint all over this record that showcases his unmistakable talent. The Nashville-based singer/songwriter describes his new record as “Cosmic Country” and it fits well within the same realm of artists like The Lumineers, Lord Huron, and the crisp ,country twang of Zac Brown Brand. When speaking on his new LP, Donato shared, “I think ‘Cosmic Country’ is a tale as old as time, really. It’s yin and yang in a musical form. It’s three chords and the truth, and then on the other side it’s exploration and bravery. I really went through a lot of years of grinding, and still am, to achieve this sound which is a vehicle for my personality, and the personality is a vehicle for my soul. So (Reflector) is more that than any other record I ever put out.” Daniel Donato is quickly climbing the ladder of notoriety on Reflector. Other standouts like “High Country” and “Dance in the Desert” highlight Donato’s unique ability to tell stories using just his voice and guitar to take the listener on a thrilling ride into the cosmos. The bass groove of “Double Exposure” accentuates Donato’s vocal range and ability to turn the track on its head at the drop of a tasty guitar riff. My personal favorite in the set, “Halfway in Between” is a great pop/country song about being in the middle of your own thoughts, and I connected with the lyrics. The middle section of the LP never sags under its own weight, with the Bluegrass-esque “Till The Daylight,” the raucous electric guitar-driven “Sugarleg,” and the campfire groove of “Hard To Tell” is bound to make you tap your feet along to the beat. Daniel Donato is basically showing off when you get to “Loco #9,” a song that conveys his brilliance as a songwriter and performer. Other late tracks like “Weathervane” continue to tell vivid stories through Donato’s colorful guitar parts, and mark an artist willing to step directly into the spotlight to make an impact on the music scene. --- Please consider becoming a member so we can keep bringing you stories like this one. ◎ https://chorus.fm/reviews/daniel-donato-reflector/

[jeriafterdark]

The Ring Saga - Part 1/4. The Moment that made me believe in JunZhe/LLD

Part 1 : My Treatise on the idea of CP, JunZhe / BJYX, and Homophobia

Part Two - link will be updated as I post

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five Nov 28, 2022

In order to get my mind off of the absolute drama of the state of the community right now, I’d like to write a treatise on the validity and loveliness of JunZhe / LLD; welcome to my TED talk. This will come in FOUR PARTS.

LONG POST AHEAD!---

Important note for new followers: welcome! This is all speculation/CPN (cp fiction), it's impossible to know for sure that these actors are together unless they willingly come out themselves. And considering the environment in c-ent and China, homosexuality isn't exactly welcomed, so there's that.

I only present my view and what I've gathered, and I try to maintain an accurate account of events even if that sacrifices it being fun to read, so be forewarned! My sudden zzh appreciation posts just pop out tho so I'm not perfect ok?

1. My initial skepticism about JunZhe/LLD:

Initially, after I finally believed that BJYX/YiZhan (Wang Yibo/Xiao Zhan) was real, I highly doubted that their story could be replicated again. If you are unfamiliar with their story, I recommend rainbowsky’s blog / accio-victuuri’s blog. Anyway, in the back of my mind I knew that lots of LGBTQIA+ people exist in the entertainment industry in every nation, and it must also be true in China as well. And people fall in love on set all the time, they get into their character, they find chemistry in each other, they get together, and that’s that. Well, I figured since it happened once already with WY/XZ, how likely was it to happen again in ANOTHER danmei adaptation so soon between the lead actors?

I also would like to note that I’m usually not in any overseas fandoms so the idea of CPF (couple fans) was completely foreign to me. I see that many people treat CPF’s as some kind of delusional fans who just want two men to boink? But the treatment of CPF’s by a lot of solos / general public seem very homophobic to me, as someone from a country whose LGBTQIA+ communities are allowed to exist and maybe even thrive (of course there are exceptions, etc). In my eyes, CPF’s are just ordinary fans who recognize when two people have quite a clear romantic connection. And in our case, I don’t even believe that we’re just CPF’s, that we’re fans who “ship” two people - I think we’re just fans who support a real couple.

1.5 Homophobia in entertainment and the hurdle same-sex couples must pass

People fall in love all the time on set. Straight or gay or queer people.

However, we do have homophobia in entertainment. Oftentimes heterosexual couples are assumed to be the default of any “normal” relationship (this is often coined as a part of "heteronormativity"). Thus, any interactions between a man and a woman are “naturally” seen as romantic, and normal, and thus accepted. And so the bar for a man and a woman to actually be seen as romantic and in a relationship is extremely low. They can brush elbows and give each other the side eye - and audiences would be gnawing at their bits shipping them, and no one would be doubting it.

(Ex) I will cite the famous “Brangelina” cp - Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who both divorced their current partners to be with each other after meeting on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. The tabloids were on fire with their relationship, in which they spent a lot of personal time together + appeared in each other’s space all the time. Sound familiar???? Everyone assumed they were together, honestly, I was a teenager at the time and even I knew lol. (Of course they ended up divorcing after like over a decade, but that’s an aside).

On their falling in love on set:

Del Prete[assistant director] remembers one night, after filming in the desert, Jolie and Pitt stuck around in lieu of returning to their hotel, built a campfire and spent the night in their trailers. "It was a little more than a working relationship," he added. "You don't really see those flirtatious type of things."

Gertz also noted an obvious friendship. "You definitely saw a back and forth ... just an easiness about people that have not spent a lot of time together," she said. "Or, you know, just an easiness when you have 150 people in the crew around you dissecting every part of the scene, and you still have a fun camaraderie, a banter, that you’re able to maintain."

^^^ All of these things are typical of people who fall in love - it happened to Brad Pitt/Angelina, Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo, and here - Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan (do you know of the 'One Rainy Night' story? where they spent the night in ZZH's trailer?)

Here are 5 couples in C-ent who fell in love on set (heterosexual cp's), maybe their CP fans also got a lot of hate, I wasn't in the fandom at the time, so I wouldn't know. But it's readily accepted, and they actually announced their marriages after falling in love. A luxury our boys don't have.

1.51 - Queer Old Hollywood and Lavender Marriages

Because queer people didn't have the luxury of being out and proud, they had other means to shield themselves from retaliation and persecution, i.e. the lavender marriage.

Queer actors and actresses have existed since... acting began? If I were to go back, we can compare current c-ent to Old Hollywood (1920s-50s).

You may have heard of Hollywood's Hays Code, which outlawed any "sexual perversions" in motion pictures, in which homosexual relationships fell under. But did you know that the early 1920's actually were very accepting towards queer relationships? The "Pansy craze" swept the world, people were out and gay and dancing and dressing in drag, even straight people. The film Manslaughter (1922) was the first film to show a kiss between members of the same sex, and it was only in the 1930's when the code started to be enforced and homosexuality was forbidden. Universal Pictures actually put in provisions in actors' contracts, "morality clauses," that made sure they were straight! And if not, then they'd lose their livelihoods, so if anyone felt any gay feelings, they'd have to resort to other options. I.e. the Lavender Marriage. (This video is fantastic on this history)

A Lavender Marriage is a type of marriage where both partners are of the opposite sex, but are gay / lesbian. It's a marriage of convenience, meant to be a shallow shield against outside eyes, so each partner could pursue their own lives privately under the guise of already being in a heterosexual marriage. Many famous people were speculated to be in lavender marriages: Rudolph Valentino (who got married a few times and divorced his wives after a few years, and whose wives actually got married to him to hide their relationships with their girlfriends lol).

(Natacha Rambova / Rudolph Valentino - they're both gay)

Judy Garland famously married Vincenti Minnelli, an openly gay man in New York. She later even advised her only daughter, Liza Minnelli, to marry gay men because they make the "best husbands." The fact that he was gay was an open secret! If you had any gay feelings, people in the business knew, and they were fine with it usually as long as you weren't too ~in your face~ about it, or too public with it.

Cary Grant also famously lived with his "roommate," Randolph Scott, for more than 10 years and cycled through 5 different wives. They had many many many pictures of them shown in fan magazines, promoting their "cp," their "best friends" and "bachelors" image.

Yes, the CP-branding does extend all the way back to Old Hollywood. They'd write about their favorite recipes, so women at home could practice those recipes in the hopes of marrying these men. Their studio knew of these photos, taken by a gay photographer, actually, and stressed that the photos not be too gay. Just enough. Anyway, even after all the CP promotion ended, they still stayed in touch and lived together.

Interestingly, Chinese people have a version of this called Tongqi (同妻) or " tongfu (同夫) is another neologism for men who have married lesbian women."

See how gay Old Hollywood was? And how queer current Hollywood is? Do you really think that it's that different to C-ent? Queer people exist everywhere, in all eras. And the fact that they were gay/bi/queer was an open secret.

1.52 Current C-ent is similar to Old Hollywood

As you may have seen, current c-ent is on a censorship mania. After WOH aired, rules were enacted to basically ban dangai dramas, or anything that's deemed too queer. We know that if it weren't for censorship, like the Hays Code, we'd probably have gotten a WenZhou sex scene / kiss scene / nude dual cultivation scene.

In terms of actors, there are also a few famous personalities in c-ent whose sexual orientations are open secrets (I can't say who bc ofc it's unconfirmed, but if everyone and their mom knew Rudolph Valentino, a famous and highly popular actor, was gay, then is it that farfetched to assume that people in the entertainment business also know? And that they don't really care, or are even happy for their friends/ colleagues?)

Even straight actors kept their relationships a secret and had CHILDREN (Andy Lau, HK). Maintaining image that you're single is important for keeping up a fanbase and fan-following, as c-ent and Old Hollywood have assumed. (It makes the whole JunZhe obviousness even better because clearly they know how many fans they stood to lose by being close, but they didn't care).

In addition to that, there are still lots of studios who take advantage of actors, young and old, and sign them without properly giving them backing or just working them to the bone for x amount of years (ZZH's old studio, where he sustained a knee injury and was encouraged to work anyway and permanently injured his knee / GJ and his first signings where he was scammed). (in the US, contracts can be broken at any time but the studio can still have a "sunset clause" where they'll receive x amt of royalties for a time).

Now that I've established that queer people exist, and how open secrets were a thing in Old Hollywood, and how current c-ent is similar to Old Hollywood in that queerness = bad, queers = exist, we can move onto JunZhe.

2. JunZhe and SHL/WOH

In the case of WOH/SHL, they went ALL OUT in showing how absolutely gay for each other Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing are. And in the BTS, these two are EVEN MORE in love than on-screen.

And in interviews and promotions, Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan both support each other so much, and are almost UNCOMFORTABLY in each other’s personal space. They are constantly touching, giggling at each other, looking at each other, sneaking a peak, smiling lovingly,

like - there’s a certain level of internalized homophobia (we all have it due to the world we live in, don't worry) that makes people deny that this could be anything but “bros” or “bromance.”

But when you apply these interactions to a man and a woman? If a man and a woman were to act in the same way that they do? One constantly holding onto things for the other (concert), instinctively reaching out for each other if one is falling (Happy camp), brushing each other’s hair away from their eyes (every second of WOH BTS), staring at the other’s lips while they talk (Ace Actress interview, WOH promotions), brushing shoulders in every interview (everywhere), casually holding onto one other’s waists while they cross paths in a cross-promotion (Tom Ford promo), just IMAGINE THAT. With a man and a woman, most wouldn't doubt that they’re something more than “friends.” I don't do these things with my friends. Like. AT LEAST, one must acknowledge that these two are flirting.

BUT SOMEHOW, when it comes to two men, or two women, they are dismissed as just “close friends,” or the dreaded - “roommates” stereotype lol. Now, the caveat is that it is detrimental to a person’s image in CN media to be out of the closet, so I understand if people deny them their love on that… but as I've said above, these aren't really secrets? Everyone in your industry knows that you're queer. And they're fine with it. They literally cannot go around blabbing everything because their careers are also on the line, and they don't want to make enemies. They just have to put on a façade according to the Code.

Why not just acknowledge that their actions are more than friends, respect what they show to the public and support them in that endeavor? Or at the very least, leave the CPF’s or fans who acknowledge their relationship alone - just cuz one couple is gay doesn’t make your world explode. It took a lot, like a LOT of evidence to get over my own internalized homophobia (even as a decidedly queer person), that these two men can’t be in love, they’re not allowed so it must just be friendship and closeness and then omg did they really say that to each other, and then why are they always touching each other, and etc etc down the pit I went lol.

3.The Significance of THE RING:

Normally, idols and stars in c-ent wear jewelry that they either 1) own themselves or 2) are sponsored to wear during red carpet / premieres / photoshoots etc. If they were still working and have a dedicated fanbase, they also would avoid wearing rings on their ring fingers. They have a vested interest in the obtainable ‘bachelor/bachelorette’ look, so that their solo fans can have the fantasy that they, one day, may be able to be with them and thus continue to support their idols with the $$$$$.

So it is quite rare for two seemingly single bachelors to start wearing rings on their ring fingers. And we know they were single because Ma-jie, the chief producer of WOH, specifically only chose single actors for the leads of Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu. I know all of this from other fandoms, and it’s just rational to assume that in order to continue your lucrative career in entertainment, and to cater to your solo fans, you must maintain the “available” facade. SO, BOY WAS I SURPRISED WHEN I SAW THOSE ENGAGEMENT RINGS.

Part Two: The Rings to Rule Them All (Queue'd for tomorrow, Apr 23, 2022)

As a sidenote, BJYX also has a lot of CPN (cp "fiction" or unconfirmed observations) revolving around rings. It's actually shown that XZ does wear a ring around his neck, whose outline can be seen in a lot of impromptu videos or photos. For more about them and their ring, check here. So yeah, rings are a thing. I mean, they're a thing for het couples, so why wouldn't they be for gay couples?

Now that I've laid the ground for the Ring Saga, let's get to it in the next part!