#the madeline stuff is also v interesting

[libraryleopard]

Third book in the Scapegracers trilogy (releases 3/26)

Sideways's magic has been restored & their hoping to get through the rest of senior year with their coven (and perhaps avoid confronting what will come after), but the broader witch community convenes to put Madeline on trial for stealing another witch's magic, Sideways knows they have to get involved

Meanwhile, more witch hunters are also gathering in Sycamore Gorge for a memorial and tensions begin to come to a head

Explores justice, punishment, and redemption–how should Madeline be punished for crimes? And who gets to decide?

The coven must also grapple with their end imminent separation at the end of high school as the four of them try to figure out their future paths in life

At the same time, Sideways navigates a growing romance with one of their coven members

Also some great twists that add stakes/recontextualize things we thought we knew

Fierce & queer & snarky & complex

Nonbinary butch lesbian main character, Chinese American bi love interesting, Black sapphic side character, nonbinary side character, femme lesbian side character

[sknolls]

This is just gonna be me talking a bit about a Celeste mod I made, like, 2 years ago and why I think it's probably the most interesting map that I've made.

One trend I've noticed with Celeste mods is that whenever the difficulty goes up, mappers like to make their screens super long. I'm, like, the exact opposite. When I set out to make really long screens, I tend to also prefer turning the difficulty way down. Meanwhile when I crank the difficulty all the way up, I like making stuff that's barely RTA viable but then the screen is, like, 10 seconds max. In fact, the single hardest screen I've ever made in a Celeste map is literally only 4 seconds of gameplay.

Another thing that's kinda funny is I think when I go all out of difficulty, I tend to just make maps with multiple solutions to most of the screens because I'm like "well every solution requires the player to hit a one-pixel window, so.." Like, you could see two different clears of Floating Oil Rig and notice that both players are approaching each screen a little differently.

For the sake of comparison, here's a few different Full Clears of the map. Also some of them have Madeline get Double Dash on the final screen. The reason for this is because 1.4 broke the map and it took me a really long time to fix the issue (Yoshi was the one to contact me about it and I basically needed someone else to break into my Gamebanana account because I got locked out of it due to disuse and not remembering which email I had attached to it).

Peja's Full Clear run:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WItJnsE0Ncs&t=1s

Notnot's Full Clear run:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CBC6n_vd0ro

DrIvanKO's Full Clear run:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bgmgBCtIhgI&t=105s

Yoshi's Full Clear golden run:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XfXKkU1DGzA&t=86s

It was really interesting seeing how all these players approached certain parts of the map differently. And none of these look quite how I play through the map. Some strats were intended others were not but because of the map's nature, it's not super obvious what is what. And what also makes this interesting to me is that it made me wonder why did each player solve each screen the way that they did? Like, how aware was each player of the alternate solutions to each screen? And how much of their personal affinities with each tech or personal approaches to playing maps translate to their clears?

Like, with Yoshi's clear, you can really see how skilled they are at creating their own set-ups from the map. Since their clear is a golden, they're gonna value consistency above all else. But it's also interesting how they seem to prefer giving themself extra corner jumps over having to hyper or wallbounce whenever possible. They're probably the player listed here that looks the most comfortable with pixel perfect tech and I'd guess has a better understanding of Celeste's and modded mechanics than anyone else. Like, I didn't realize Factory Helper spikes worked slightly different from regular spikes (even tho it's used in the level design for Berry 4) and Yoshi is definutely the most comfortable player in abusing that fact. Probably the point in Yoshi's run I found to be the most interesting was room 2 checkpoint 1 where Yoshi decides not to take the wallbounce into the bird and instead opts for another corner jump. I really want to know if that was because they found the corner jump easier or if they were showing off.

Peja has the most unique clear out of the bunch, performing several strats that I haven't seen anyone else go for. In particular their clear of checkpoint 1 and berry 1. I get the impression from watching this that they're the type of player prone to overcomplicating rooms. They also look very comfortable dashing up and then corner jumping as they use that set-up a lot. Most telling is during Berry 3 where it's actually set-up so that from respawn you can always make the corner wallbounce by just dashing up, and they still went for the dash up corner jump approach. I also think it's funny that they cut out the Berry 2 troll.

DrIvanKO was the first person to fullclear the map (to my knowledge). I also think it's funny that they got hit by every Berry 2 troll. They also just didn't see the super in screen 2 checkpoint 2 (I remember them saying that to me). I think they might've also asked for the solution to the final berry. So I really get the impression that this player tends to play maps with one inflexible solution and they'll try to force it to work until it does. They also seem like the type of player who likes cheesing maps. I also like how to reach the final berry, it looks like they didn't even try to make the jump and just went for the respawn trigger (there wasn't actually a respawn trigger unless I forgot or something).

I like how notnot's the only one who went for the reverse wavedash in screen 1. It's interesting that notnot seems to opt out of a lot of the set-ups, especially ones that slightly slow down the pacing. I wonder if they just didn't see them or just prefer the approach of die fast try fast.

All of this was more or less unintentional. The stuff I was pulling from when making the map had a lot to do with how much I love corner jumps. Corner Jumps and Wavedashes are definitely my two favorite techs in the game because they both make you rethink what you know about the game and open it up in a new light. They both let you get away with doing things that straight up should not be possible. So, with this map, a lot of what went into it was the feeling of doing something that should be factually impossible. Or that feeling of outplaying the map's developer. Some variants in play were caused by players finding strats that didn't occur to me while others were a result of me noticing them and deciding "well, both strats get across the same feeling and are equally bullshit so there's no reason to edit it out." But it wasn't really something intentionally designed into the level. What I was not anticipating was how expressive every clear feels. Like, I get excited to see any new clear of the map. Partially (mostly) because I made the map and seeing ppl play it makes me happy, but partially because I want to see how that person went about clearing the map. And there are definitely some ways through the rooms that none of the ppl here went for (like, the way I prefer to clear room 3 checkpoint 1 looks different from everyone else's clears of it, which sort of reflects how I went about making the map where it was less me designing an experience for the player and more me going "is that a thing you can do? one way to find out lol"). Idk, I just really like watching TAS and making the player feel like they're doing TAS things sounded fun.

But yeah, I've actually been making quite a few GM maps lately that I haven't published or technically finished. It's been interesting. The other day, I started a Theo Smuggle Gravity Map, kinda on a whim. I've always really liked Theo Crystal gameplay where you have to juggle Theo with your dashes. Vinculum reminded me "or right Dream Smuggles are a thing" and I was kinda curious how Gravity Helper assets interact with carryable objects and I've really been enjoying the Gravity Helper maps. There's this interesting distinction to how Theo Crystal reacts to dream hypers depending on whether you buffer your inputs. Also I think it's fun testing the player's ability to perform complex tech while upside down because it forces the player to adjust their muscle memory. Plus having two separate entities fucking about with Gravity looks really cool. Like Gravity is Dead and You Killed It. I get the impression that this map will have a lot of divergent strats because I'm using the same approach to variance as FoR where I'll acknowledge "yeah that's a thing you can do but it's also about as cursed as the intended solution" combined with the intended solution not being completely obvious.

There's this City map where I was messing around with the way Zip Movers and spikes interact strangely as well as asking the player to do more complex things with demo dash. Main thing atm is deco and berries. Tho I'm thinking I might want to just release all the GM maps together in a lobby or something. I could make a cute little hateside that contains ungodly bullshit that no one asked for <3.

There's this Celestial Resort level that's mainly designed around asking the player "can you corner jump while under mild pressure?" I'm not very good with cycles, so the cycles are kinda minimal. I'm sort of at a loss for how to best design this map just because I'm really disinterested in cycle gameplay but I'm still trying to make a GM Resort level. Which I'm sure will result in either a really interesting or really underwhelming solution.

And the final GM map I've been tinkering at is this Old Site level that uses the Viv Helper Dream Spinners. Atm development is paused because that entity isn't compatible with Lönn, so I'm sort of just waiting for the Helper Mod to update. Probably the more interesting part is the last two screens where I made a go at combining cracked GM bullshit with open-ended gameplay. Is it fun? Unlikely. Will that stop me? No.

But yeah, experimenting with cranking the difficulty all the way up has been a lot of fun and really interesting as of late.

[wlw-mess]

Madelaine and Vanessa are so precious 😭

[pseudomenudo]

I have decided to create a challenge for Pride Month.

Let’s all reflect on the things that have shaped and affected us as LGBTQ+ individuals. I challenge you to answer this question: What’s an LGBTQ+ (theme/symbolism/mentions of LGBTQ+ anything!) song, movie, piece of art, book, poem, quote, ANYTHING, that you like? Why do you like it? Feel free to share it all in your response to this post!  Even YouTube vids, spotify links, whatever! Anything that shows us your fave stuff regarding LGBTQ+. I’ll go first. 

POETRY:

A poem by my favorite poet Walt Whitman: “Though biographers continue to debate Whitman's sexuality, he is usually described as either homosexual or bisexual in his feelings and attractions.” (reference: https://bookshop.org/books/poems-9781519702807/9781519702807)

Song of the Open Road:

Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,

Healthy, free, the world before me, The long brown path before me, leading wherever I choose. Henceforth I ask not good-fortune—I am good- fortune, Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing, Strong and content, I travel the open road. The earth—that is sufficient, I do not want the constellations any nearer, I know they are very well where they are, I know they suffice for those who belong to them. Still here I carry my old delicious burdens, I carry them, men and women—I carry them with me wherever I go, I swear it is impossible for me to get rid of them, I am filled with them, and I will fill them in return. You road I travel and look around! I believe you are not all that is here, I believe that much unseen is also here.

A large part of my sexuality and my freedom to express my sexuality healthily is thanks to Walt Whitman. Not only did he save my life once, he helped me understand myself.

ART:

As for art. Frida Kahlo was a great inspiration for me in terms of female sexuality, loving both men and women, and thinking of sexuality as more than sex and attraction. I also have a strong desire to become a mother one day, as she did. I am also terrified of infertility, as she was.

“While many maintain she had sexual relationships with both men and women, what is true is that she considered sexuality as something that went beyond mere intercourse. It spoke of creation, life, and, of course, her wish to conceive and become a mother. This obsession was a constant in her life and was beautifully immortalized in the bright shapes and colors of her canvases.” (reference: https://culturacolectiva.com/art/frida-kahlo-sexuality-paintings)

TW: Blood, nudity, infertility, hospital bed, childbirth

MOVIE:

TW for the movie: sex scenes, some sexuality, use of the n word, drug use, brief violence, and language throughout.

I very much enjoyed the movie Moonlight. Not only was it filmed where I live, I also went to a showing for it near the place it was filmed. When it came out, I was overjoyed, and loved the themes it showed in the movie. The element of water has always been a recurring one in my own life. Moonlight handles difficult topics, such as incarceration, death, prejudice, racism, homosexuality, toxic masculinity, growing up in poverty, familial relationships, homophobia, AIDS, father-son relationships and dynamics, black culture, how black gay men are viewed, love and relationships, separations, machismo, anxiety, etc. in a beautiful, graceful manner. The main characters father is from Cuba, and speaks of black people and black culture in cuba. This is something that isn't spoken of as much as it should be. The afro-cuban culture in cuba is important, and a part of Cuban people's history and ancestry. As a Cuban woman, I was proud to hear about the experience the father shared, not necessarily because of the experience itself, but because people will hear it and learn. Things must change. Many of these themes are things I struggled with in my own life. I felt a sort of kinship with the movie and its characters.

Have some clips of the film:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D0T4ivCsF4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6yMItXePG8&ab_channel=T-Manfilm

MUSIC:

I think I heard this song when I was around eleven years old.  I think so many people know it already, it's very popular, but it was the first song I heard that really expressed feeling love for someone of the same sex. When I tried explaining to my mother how I felt inside, in terms of my sexuality and attraction to the members of the same sex, I showed her the youtube video of the song. It was a very interesting experience lol. Some lyrics I felt I related to were:

"Mother looking at me Tell me what do you see? Yes, I've lost my mind Daddy looking at me Will I ever be free? Have I crossed the line?"

And

"And I'm all mixed up, feeling cornered and rushed They say it's my fault, but I want her so much Want to fly her away," 

Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/track/4bJygwUKrRgq1stlNXcgMg

Music Video: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mGBaXPlri8

QUOTE/BOOK

A quote that recently touched my heart was:

“In the darkness, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk. Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood like a hundred golden urns pouring out of the sun.” from The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

When I read this, I thought, “This is what matters when you are with the one you love. This is all that should matter.”

Have a summary of the book from Goodreads.com (one of my favorite websites for organizing my books. If you want to follow me there, send me a message or ask and I’ll give it to you):

“Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart.”

And that’s it for me! I challenge ALL OF YOU to continue this and share your own. Feel free to reblog this and tag your own friends and mutuals to complete this challenge! Let’s share with each other the beautiful pieces of work that have inspired us as members of the LGBTQ+ community. 

[badwolfrunning]

Family & Bonds AU Headcanons

I an dabbling in a couple of AU’s currently. Primarily what I have posted is a Family and Bonds AU titled....Family Bonds. (original. v crafty. wow.) Anyway, lengthy post under the cut.

I shifted the family tree from Bonds in order to accommodate the incredible characters designed by middlewarnersibling in Family to be the Warner trio's parents, and I love that story line for them. 

In Bonds, it seemed odd that Bosko would some how not notice his lover's aging or just how she managed to keep all three kids a secret, but I figured, one was totally possible and that one child was Slakko, their father from Family. So it goes like this:

Oswald and Ortensia have a daughter named Odelia. 

Odelia has an affair with Bosko Warner

Culminating in middlewarnersibling’s character Slakko Warner. Odelia still never tells Bosko and before the baby arrives, Bosko’s bleeding heart brother, Kokko offers to marry Odelia so the baby at least appears “legit.” 

So Kokko becomes the Warner trio’s legal grandfather.

According to Family, Slakko meets Ophelia, a cat toon who sings and dances. They hook up and reluctantly wind up in a shotgun marriage and eventually all three kids are born.

Yakko is approx 5-6 years older than Dot and 3 years older than Wakko, putting him solidly in the middle. 

Their birthdays are all in different seasons; I have decided Dot is mid-late June, Wakko is early October and Yakko is January, so their age gap gets all wonky at certain times of the year.

Babs and Buster were actually about 14/15 respectively at the launch of Tiny Toon Adventures which makes them both a couple years Yakko's senior. 

I also think it makes for an excellent joke about Yakko always gunning for older women.  

(For future reference, yes this makes Buster a solid 7 years older than Dot.) 

The rest of the primary Tiny Toons crew is pretty much on par with the exception of Hampton and Dizzy who I headcanon as younger by about a yearish. 

(Why yes, Yakko and Dot both have deep seated parental trauma, why do you ask? Wakko does too but it uh....comes out in a different way.)

I headcanon an interesting arch for Slakko which involves something of redemption? In Bonds while Bosko is on the hunt for the Warners he finds this other Warner and decides to see if he has any information. Slakko is living alone in a bit of a shite apartment and mostly keeps to himself and has been ok at staying out of bigger trouble. So when Bosko and his boys arrive at his door he's suspicious and ready to make it a fight if he has to. But there isn't much of a fight; Bosko demands to know where the trio is, Slakko honestly has no idea but Bosko doesn't believe him. The weasels and whomever else Bosko brought as his cronies beat the shit out of him but he holds true to his story.

So Bosko finally believes him. More or less. He doesn't want to have to come back here so he decides to make sure that Slakko can't ever 'see' his children again and has whomever's with him hold him down and burn his eyes with dip. So Slakko's left blinded, injured and probably should be dead but he's not.

Yakko remembers that his folks hardly ever reported an injury or used a hospital unless they absolutely had to. So, close to the end of the show Yakko finds out his father actually used medical services and decides to figure out how to get himself listed as an emergency contact. Not that he intended to ever come to assist but more so that he can make sure to be notified of anything particularly fatal. In Family, he lamented that he never got to say goodbye to their mother and as much as he disagrees with him, Yakko never wants to miss that chance again. So, post Bonds, he ends up finding out about Slakko's sudden blindness and discreetly, not to the knowledge of Slakko or his sibs, decides to help out. Just this once, is Yakko's reasoning.

Um....some cute things I headcanon....

I kept Wakko's diabetes....not cute but like, it's more light hearted than that other stuff tbh

Also not 100% cute: Babs continues to go to therapy to address things like depression and PTSD but it takes some....convincing for Yakko to see someone again. Especially after being made to on the lot. But after a particularly bad night he agrees to give it a shot. 

Basically, they coax each other through episodes and have learned to spot when they're each using coping mechanisms in harmful ways and call each other out on it. They make a fantastic team.

They also don’t totally shy away from the conversations with their daughters. They introduce what’s appropriate and with their age gap that can be tricky.

They both also have a very....interesting time being parents early on. Babs is waiting to see if she'll feel what her mother must have felt that made her leave them in a huff and Yakko's struggling to come to terms with the fact that there was nothing wrong with him, his father just never wanted them. Basically they're looking for when another shoe will drop but it won't because they don't just love their kid, they wanted them. 

They got to make a choice their parents didn't.

I do have fankids for Babs and Yakko, both girls, both named after powerful women in art and history. Lucille Ophelia and Jacqueline Madeline. (If any of you know the Madeline namesake I will be impressed AF)

Lucille very strictly goes by Lu, call her Lucy and you die (unless you're Wakko. This kid plays favorites and he is it.) and she is a handful of a teenager. Sharp tongued and sharp witted.

Jackqueline, or Jackie, is 5 years younger and is so naive and sweet it hurts and she is Daddy's Girl capital D. Yes, at first they figured she was just masterful at the cuteness game like Dot was but as it turns out, she's got that Wakko style innocence.

Babs jokes that she's clearly actually Wakko's kid. (There is absolutely no possible way for that to be true. Which is why it's funny instead of suspicious.)

They have both watched Animaniacs and Tiny Toon Adventures and just to piss off her dad, Lu says Tiny Toons is her favorite.

Skippy, like Dot, had a dance focus and so, in a few years' time, she's gonna run into him on the set of a music video. That'll be fun!

Babs and Yakko have pissed of more than one director for going off on what appear to be essentially joke tangents but it's actually the two of them attempting to out do each other until there's a clear winner. They are both spotlight hogging, competitive lil shits.

It's Babs' idea for Wakko to try fronting the band he's in and his bandmate get stupidly jealous and steals his girl....oops.

Dot is stupidly beautiful and very much lovable (wow. shocking.) And some poor poor blue bunny is gonna fall face first into a sitcom level affair....and since he can't tell either of his best bros about it he ends up drunkenly calling Babs who just laughs her ass off the whole time.

Yakko can play chess in his head. Like...he doesn't need the board. He can just keep track of the pieces. (Honestly, having to be so damn smart is a complex brought on the physical and verbal abuse from his father.)

Wakko....honestly, as smart as he can be and as righteous as he is, he has that Warner independence streak something bad after touring. He tries a bit much and ends up starting a fight with someone and long story short, he's caught with that twink stuff from Family (unfortunate name tbh basically, think crack.) 

Yakko is obviously beside himself and Dot is more or less oblivious as she's at university at this point. Basically, shit hits the fan and the brothers split. 

Dot tries to keep in touch with Wakko but he severs the connection from both his sibs.

Wakko does get clean. He also falls in love with a remarkable human toon named Jesse.

He’s also still friends with Foghorn, who is actually a pretty great support in all of this.

I headcanon Wakko as demi homosexual.

Much to her own surprise, Babs LOVES being a mom. 

Yakko struggles with partnership. A lot of what goes into being a parent are things he’s already experienced and he has a hard time NOT being a know it all and actually partnering with his wife....it’s a fun dynamic.

Yakko also still has a crush on Max Goof that he SWORE he was over but after seeing him at random very much IS NOT.

It's not just Wakko making horrible choices btw. Sorry this was meant to be the cute stuff....uh....

Both Yakko and Wakko walk with their sister at her wedding (told you things will circle back!)

[mayclair]

also, i need more book recs so just give me whole list and i won't mind, i just need something to read

this turned out longer than it was supposed to be oops

percy jackson and the olympians — rick riordan (five part series that you should read because percabeth <3 but seriously it’s v interesting how he uses old greek myths and (sometimes unintentionally LMAO) parallels them to the events in the books)

the raven cycle — maggie stiefvater (rich kid and his three friends go on a quest to find a dead welsh king and make friends with a tiny feminist and her family of psyhics along the way need i say more)

the folk of the air — holly black (when i say it’s the best enemies to lovers i have ever read i’m not kidding but there’s a lot political stuff intermixed with the fantasy parts so a lot of people don’t rlly like it)

these violent delights duology — chloe gong (romeo and juliet retelling set in 1920s shanghai guaranteed to rip ur heart out of ur chest and stomp all over it)

red, white, and royal blue — casey mcquinston (bisexual son of the american president falls in love with the prince of wales and chaos follows)

if we were villians — m.l. rio (six theater kids trying to find out who murdered their one friend in their fancy actor college but make it dark academia with marauder vibes<3)

heartstopper — alice oseman (graphic novel where nerdy gay kid falls in love with rugby jock and it’s just . So Fucking Soft)

legendborn — tracy deonn (amazing book based on arthurian legend by a poc author that discusses a lot of v important racial issues also it has a shit ton of plot twists i love it so much)

the seven husbands of evelyn hugo — taylor jenkins reid (retired 70s movie star evelyn hugo tells the secrets behind her seven marriages and reveals who her true great love was and it’s just so heartbreaking 10/10 will ruin ur life)

the song of achilles — madeline miller (achilles and patroclus’ entire story on how they went from strangers to friends to lovers that will make u sob and regret u ever read it<3)

also!!!! check the tws before reading bc some of them have quite a lot lol

[sidereusimber]

Wahaahahah congratulations!!!!on 200 followers!!!

New moot so I wanna know many stuff about you like what kind of music do you like to listen or your favourite books and films.

Everytime you like my posts my heart goes : ✨💟💗💞💖💕💚❤️💙💟💖💞💜✨

Ok so about the celebrations:

III I'll say I'm short ( yes it's my personality trait) and have a hard time talking to people but once I feel comfortable I don't stop talking about literally the things I love whether it's a movie I watched months ago or an amazing character that I'm in love with (platonically) from a book. I enjoy dystopia and contemporary fiction. You'll also notice that I have earphones plugged in 24/7 because I love listening to music. ( that was a slight exaggeration but you get)

V I'm really interested for this one tho

Thank you so muchh <33

(also a bit random but your layout is so prettyy)

Tbh my music taste is all over the place. So pop along with artists with dark academia vibes like Hozier, Lorde, Bastille etc. etc. and Classical music like Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Debussy. Also artists like Grandson, Sam Tinnesz, Sleeping At Last along Japanese trap (I really like the way it sounds 🤍) and anime soundtracks. Also some K-pop (mostly BTS, Stray kids and Sunmi).

and my recently read authors are Madeline Miller, Donna Tartt, Brandon Sanderson and M.L. Rio

Now tell me all about you!! 🤍 What kind of music do you listen to and your favorite books, TV shows, films and anything else you wanna tell.

Here's the palette!! Hope you like it!

Name : Aethra (Brightness, Splendor, Clear sky)

And the handwriting analysis:

1. Your UZ (Upper zone) is very small with most UZ letters (b, d, t, etc.) not even reaching into it and your handwriting is average in size. This implies that you're self-reliant and realistic as well as more practical than imaginative and you can make do with most situations and circumstances because of your adaptability and balance of mind. You tend not to get caught up in your emotions but you can be a bit defensive. You're also likely to lack understanding of your goals, self image and the impression you wish to make.

2. You write in straight line without being too rigid to stay on the baseline which implies you're composed, order and emotionally stable (at least at the time of writing this)

3. Your handwriting is vertical (i.e no slant) which means that you have a head over heart attitude and while you're open to new experiences, your response tends to be cautious and controlled. You can come across as detached or uncaring. You work well in emergency situations and are quick on your feet. You tend to look out for yourself and you probably have a dry witty sense of humor, which is charming in its own right

4. Your letters (i.e a single letter of yours for example 'a') are not narrow and they're edging towards wide (circled in green) which means you are generous with yourself and give yourself time and space to grow while your words are close together which means your introverted and like your space. Your handwriting has a good rhythm and quality i.e the height, pressure and pacing is well balanced which reflects inner harmony.

5. Your writing is generally arcaded (purple) which means you are a bit of a traditionalist and want to preserve what's already been established and while you can accept change, it must be gradual. You be authoritarian at times and tend to offend with the lack of emotion.

6. Your handwriting contains a lot of cross symbols (orange) which means you’re practical, methodical and stubborn and you have difficulty communicating your own needs as well as understanding those of others and sometimes you might self isolate out of the fear of losing yourself to others.

Images from Handwriting Analysis by Karen Amend and Mary Ruiz

[ciphertext-x]

LGBTQIA+ books!

Pride month is coming up, and my eyes are peeled for more LGBTQIA+ books! In the meantime, here’s my current list. I haven’t read all of these, in fact I’ve only read a small portion of them, but all of them are either queer-centric, or have side characters representing. For the ones I’ve not read myself, my info comes only from what I’ve heard other people say! Also, I’m not necessarily saying that all of these books are good, but they have that representation we so crave!

If you know of any more, feel free to add them!

Long post, so rest is below the cut. Links go to Goodreads so you can read more info, but I’ll put some keywords along with them along with any trigger warnings I know of.

Adrift by Isabelle Adler The main character is gay OR bisexual, OR it may be that someone is gay and someone is bi. I haven’t read this one. Sci-fi, action, adventure, aliens, pirates

And I Darken by Kiersten White One of the main siblings is gay. YA, historical fantasy, romance, royalty, war, diverse

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (most of Sáenz’s stuff is queer) Both main characters are gay. YA, romance, 80′s, Mexican-American, homophobia, hate crime, injury

Ash by Malinda Lo Main character is bisexual. YA, romance, fantasy, Cinderella retelling, fairy, hunter, royalty

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon A side character and the temporary object of the main character’s affections is gay. YA, urban fantasy, sci-fi, dystopia, London, clairvoyants, gangs, supernatural race, enslavement, violence, abuse

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan Main character is gay. A side character is a transgender female. YA, contemporary, romance, high school

Boy Meets Hamster by Birdie Milano Main character is gay. His best friend is a bisexual mixed race chubby girl. One of his love interests is black. Teen fiction/middle-grade, contemporary, romance, summer, disaster gay, homophobia, ableism, holiday park

Breaking His Spell by Foster Bridget Cassidy The main character and the prince are both gay. Fantasy, romance, Sleeping Beauty retelling, immortality, royalty, fake relationship, dragons

Captive Prince by C S Pacat The main character is a pleasure slave to another man. Historical fantasy, dark romance, adult, slavery, sexual assault and non-con, royalty, war

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell Main character is bisexual. His male love interest is gay. YA, humour, fantasy, romance, Harry Potter, vampire, wizard, enemies-to-lovers

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black Main character’s sister is bisexual. YA, fantasy, royalty, politics, fairies, murder

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer Main character’s brother is gay and in a relationship with a black boy. YA, contemporary & fantasy, Beauty & the Beast retelling, royalty, politics, disabled main character

A Darker Shade of Magic by V E Schwab One of the side characters is genderfluid. The prince is bisexual. Fantasy, parallel worlds, war, smuggler

The Deadly Nightshade by Justine Ashford One of the main characters is asexual. Sci-fi, futuristic, dystopia, war, gangs, humanity, violence, friendship

Dragonoak by Sam Farren Main character is a lesbian. Fantasy, adventure, knights, dark magic, secrets

Draw the Line by Laurent Linn Main character is gay. YA, contemporary, illustrated, homophobia, hate crime, Texas

Enemies Like These by P K Gardner Not sure about this one, there’s not a lot of information out there about it, but it’s tagged LGBT everywhere. Sci-fi, superheroes

Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire One of the main characters is asexual. One of the main character’s is transgender. YA, fantasy, mystery, murder, boarding school

Fourth World by Lyssa Chiavari Both main characters are asexual. One is demisexual. YA, sci-fi, dystopia, space, planet is dying, aliens

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee Main character is bisexual. YA, historical, romance, Europe, roguish passions, responsibilities

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan Main character is a lesbian and gets into a romance with another girl. YA, historical fantasy, romance, politics, rebellion, demons, concubines, sexual assault, abuse, Asian-inspired

The Gloaming by Kirsty Logan Main character develops romantic feelings towards another girl. Fantasy, magical realism, mermaids, romance, Scotland

Good Angel by A M Blaushild Main character is AroAce (and there’s a host of other queer rep). YA, fantasy, university, heaven and hell, angels and demons

Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky Main character is a very young transgender girl. Middle-grade/teen fiction, contemporary, identity, school

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert A lesbian couple appear in the second half of the book to assist the main characters. YA, urban fantasy, horror, fairytale, mystery

Heels Over Head by Elyse Springer Main character is closeted gay. His love interest is gay. Contemporary, new adult, sports, diving, water, opposites attract

Hello World by Tiffany Rose & Alexandra Tauber Main character is asexual. Sci-fi, thriller, hacker, human data chips, human trafficking, corrupt corporation

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera Main character is gay. YA, contemporary, mental illness, sad, death, grief, romance

I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson One of the main characters is gay. YA, contemporary, romance, siblings, drifting apart

The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Sáenz One of the main characters lives with his adoptive gay father. YA, contemporary, Mexican-American main characters, loss, grief, identity

Just Juliet by Charlotte Reagan Main character is bisexual. Her love interest is a lesbian. YA, contemporary, romance, high school

The Last Chronomancer by Reilyn J Hardy Main character is AroAce. One of the side characters is genderfluid. Fantasy, adventure, curses, supernatural creatures

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann Main character is asexual and biromantic (and black). YA, contemporary, romance, college, Japanese love interest

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers One of the main characters winds up in a lesbian relationship with an alien who is pansexual. One character uses they/them pronouns, but is not explicitly non-binary. YA, sci-fi, space opera, adventure, running from the past, aliens, war, racism, found family, Dwarfism, Artificial Intelligence, romance

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M Danforth Main character is a lesbian. YA, contemporary, conservative character, religion, conversion therapy?

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera Main character is either bisexual or gay. YA, contemporary, romance, sad, suicide, homophobia, depression

More Than This by Patrick Ness Main character is gay. YA, sci-fi, death, afterlife, mystery, dystopia

Noah Can’t Even by Simon James Green The main character and his best friend kiss and end up together in the end only after a lot of soul-searching. Teen fiction/middle-grade, contemporary, romance, comedy, high school

Nocturna by Maya Motayne At least one queer side character (this book is very new, so I can’t find details) YA, fantasy, dark magic, Latinx-inspired, loss, abuse

Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst Main character is either a lesbian or is bisexual. YA, fantasy, royalty, arranged marriage, assassination

Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta & Cori McCarthy Main character is pansexual, she has two mothers. One side character is genderfluid. One side character is gay.  YA, fantasy, sci-fi, King Arthur retelling, racially diverse, disabled side character, space, interdimensional travel, war, politics

Our Bloody Pearl by D N Bryn The siren character is non-binary (they/them) however it’s noted that humans can be non-binary too. One character is asexual. One character is a lesbian. Fantasy, pirates, romance, mermaids, steampunk, sci-fi, New Adult, found family

The Pardoner’s Tale by Morgan Ferdinand Main character is asexual. Urban fantasy, paranormal, vampires, werewolves, exorcist, monster-slayer

Peter Darling by Austin Chant Main character is a transgender male and gay. His love interest is gay. Fantasy, romance, historical, Peter Pan retelling, pirates, NeverLand, fairies, merpeople

Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert Main character is gay.  YA, contemporary, adoption, anxiety, mental illness, grief, suicide, Asian-American characters

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman Bisexual (and biracial) main character. Her best friend is gay and demisexual. I’m told that MOST characters in this book are LGBTQIA+ and that includes asexual! YA, contemporary, identity, diversity, friendship, mental illness

Release by Patrick Ness Main character is gay. YA, paranormal, thriller, mystery, contemporary, sexual assault, drugs, murder

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness Honestly don’t know about this one, but I hear it does have something. YA, fantasy/sci-fi, superheroes, Chosen One

Showers Flowers and Fangs by Aidan Wayne Main character is a gay transgender male. His love interest is gay. YA, urban fantasy, romance, mythical/supernatural creatures (mainly fairy, vampire, and witch), menstruation, abuse

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli Main character is gay. YA, contemporary, romance, high school, Love Simon, blackmail, Tumblr, secret identity

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Main character is in a relationship with another man. Historical, Iliad retelling, Greek mythology, war, Gods and Goddesses

Stake Sauce by RoAnna Sylver Main character is grey-aro-ace, transgender, and gay. One of the side characters is AroAce. A few are in a polyamorous relationship. Literally all side characters are queer. YA, urban fantasy, vampires, mental health, disabled main character, PTSD, chubby vampire, chronic pain

The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson Main character’s female best friend spends the book crushing heavily on another girl. One of the minor side villains is gay and has a boyfriend. The main character’s mother (a queen) reportedly courted another girl in her youth. YA, fantasy, romance, royalty/politics, arranged marriage, depression, PTSD

Teeth by Zaya Feli There is an MLM romance. Someone is asexual. YA, historical, fantasy, Vikings

These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch One of the three main characters is gay and in a relationship. YA, fantasy, politics, religion, royalty, botanical magic, pirates, steampunk, PTSD, secrets and lies, trust, racism, ignorance

They Both Die At the End by Adam Silvera One of the main characters is described as queer. The other is bisexual, and Cuban-American. YA, contemporary, romance, sad, death, speculative fiction

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli Main character’s sister is a lesbian. YA, contemporary, romance, chubby protagonist, high school, crushes

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson The main character is gay. YA, sci-fi, aliens and abductions, the world is ending, suicide

We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia The main character is in a lesbian relationship. YA, politics, spies, school, Latina, dystopia

What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera Both main characters are gay (one of them is Puerto Rican). A side character is bioromantic asexual (her exact words). YA, romance, contemporary, humour, summer, disaster gay, first time

Wicked Like a Wildfire by Lana Popovic One of the sisters is in a lesbian relationship. YA, fantasy, forbidden love, secrets

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan One of the Wills is gay. YA, contemporary, humour, coming of age, friendship

[survivormontenegro]

Episode 1: "I'll either flop hard or finally fucking win so let's see how this game plays." - Ian

season starts in t minus eleven minutes and I'm SO READY TO FLOP WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

give me an idol thanks

Hi!!! Im back on tumblr survivor omg I thought I would never return cuz I am so inactive on skype but here I am with the best hosts ever seamus and drew even tho seamus bullies me... This time now that I actually have some experience I hopefully wont be first boot and can play better rather than be a sheep LOL

So far I like my tribe, Ali and mitch are prob my favs so far both kings

The only people I have ever heard of before is willow one of my bffs from FB orgs and jones bc shes jones but both on the other tribe so hope I can meet them at swap or merge!

But apart from that no clue who these ppl are, kinda nice tho and refreshing since on fb its always the same people so this should be fun

Bro we got 2 sandwich artists. And a sandwich related challenge. If we don’t win I’ll be mad

Okay so right now I don’t know anyone or anything what the fuck. This is so different from zwooper everyone is here to play. Right now I’m getting good vibes from Caleb and I think I’m gonna make him my go to. I know Noah on the other tribe but I know he doesn’t like me and I really don’t like the way he plays games. I heard Jamarcus was in this game but I guess not :(. But yeah so this is gonna be one wild ride!

submitting this before i forget/decide not to do a video on it: 

http://bit.ly/2ZoKSiK <- Jason’s First Impressions

Hie Montenegro,,, im here,,, and full of existential fear!! I wanted to do a full video cast assessment but my phone storage truly sucks on this night at 3:00 am and I have shit to do tomorrow so :) gotta write!! Myfeelings!!!! David - has said Hewwo when we were revealed and vanished. Hopefully he can deliver in a comp Bc rn he’s kinda irrelevant :( holding out hope tho Willow - queen of being busy,,, we talked in pms but for like a minute,, she knows some of my friends from an FB game I watched her play tho! So that’s SOMETHing, but not a lot. I’ve heard not the greatest things about her social game in the past tho, so I’m not shocked rn Evan - I think I’ve actuallh played w him before assuming this is the same Evan from  erinsborough? Big shrug, he was inactive that game tho and would’ve striked out if we didn’t vote him,,, hopefully things are different tho? His picture is Gavin from DP and I appreciate it greatly,, Tom - I just got off of a 5 hour call w him and he seems really chill!? Haven’t talked in pms yet or anything so hopefully we can do that soon? But he seems like a great dude!! His dog is super fucking cute too. JJ - I think of my entire tribe, he’s the epitome of extra. He has 50 fucking sugar gliders like??????? Ma’am?????????? Also he’s from tengaged and MORE IMPORTANTLY he knows keaton apparently!! So,,, probably a crackhead knowing my luck w Keaton. He’s very outgoing and friendly tho and definitely seems like someone i COULD work with,,, but I wanna see how everything plays out, Caeleb - adopted him as my grandson. Bc he called me his grandma. He seems like a sweetie pie it’s his first org ever though so go him!! Hopefully grandma can take him under her wing hehe Mo - literally one of my first close friends in the community,, an angel whom owns my heart, I feel like he’d wanna work w me but I’d never know fully until we prove our loyalties yk? So I’m also holding out hope for him,,, king. Alex - I love him!!!? So much???? He said he stans me I love him sm Bc I remember stanning  him when I first started playing Bc he’s all I’d heard about art in the community lolol but I’m v excited to actuallh play with him I fucking called him being here :) Jules - my love my light we just clicked real quick, she’s legitimately an angel whom I adore??? It’s her first survivor game I’m rooting for her. But ya I’m exhausted so that’s it for now UwU gn bois

okie I feel like I should do a cast assessment of my tribe, just as a starter. my opinions will like 1000% change so this is by no means final but woo I'll go with this! 

In general... this cast is... pretty good? Like I was very very worried since I'm so annoying that everyone that hates me would reappear for this season, but I think(?) only like... one person in the cast would dislike me/gun for me for preseason stuff. Anywho:

Benj: Okay he seems super super nice! Like he seems really friendly, we have a lot in common already and I think since we are both in weird timezones we could work really well as allies! He seems super like chill and would work with just people he seems to get along with, so I feel like... that could be a real potential alliance in the future ahhh!

Ian: Ian I haven't spoken to all that much yet (he was towards the end of the cast reveal) but he seems really really chill! He has also come 2nd twice which is something I can relate to, so maybe we will be on a similar page as players? 

Jared: Okay first fellow newbie. We haven't spoken much or had the chance to really like have a good conversation so far! I feel like since its 12-8 for newbies, maybe its a good idea for us to group up tho, idk if it can happen since at least for me, I haven't really connected to the newbies as much?

Jason: He is so so fun! Like I've really liked talking with him so far, he was on the CAH call yesterday and was getting along with Julia which is really good too, since I defo wanna work with them both!

Julia: A QUEEN. okay I was very worried seeing her on the cast reveal since both times I've played with her, I've voted her out very very early.... BUT, she seems interested in wanting to work with me and I'd love to because such a wild time, and I feel like... me and her strengths/weaknesses can kind of counterbalance in a way that'll work really well! She could always be playing me, but tbh... its what I deserve anyway, and I'd LOVE to see her do really well this season.

Madeline: I really like her! I've spoken to her probs the most of the newbies and she seems really nice and social which is super good! I feel like she'll fit in for a while and have quite smooth sailing

Michael: I'm sure he is great, but we haven't really.. been able to talk all that much? I feel like if I had to predict who would go if our tribe lost, I'd... probably say him?

Mitch: omg this cast is so big I'm not even through my tribe AHH. anyway mitch was on the first cast reveal like I was. I get ok vibes from him, he seems like... he is here to play the game hard which makes me nervy, but hopefully I can like fudge that to my advantage?

Noah: okay he is super fun, I feel like... our conversations have been very dry, but also that its 100% my fault. idk the ability to be interesting just kind of _dropped_ out of me but I'll try and redeem that today

okay the other tribe I'll just skim through and do the ones I know:

Alex C.: he seems like a king! I've been in VLs for seasons he has been in, I feel like he will not like me but I'd love to meet him!

David R.: okay he will 10000% not remember me, but he was in my first season ever! he was very inactive and his only like... confessional was about me being annoying KJSLDAD which is maybe a.. bad sign! lets see how it goes this time

Jones: She seems SO nice! I have been in VLs with her before, and she seems so so so nice! I'd love to play with her down the line, but I think she is also probs here to WIN which is scary.

Jules: A LEGEND! I love Jules, would love to work with them if possible! They're probably the person I am closest to pregame but can hopefully keep that hush hush...

Mo: a king! I hosted him for his first season, and he was SO much fun. I feel like he has gone off me, but I'm super excited to see how he does!

Tom: he is... probably the biggest problem for me in the cast? Like he was in the only season I won, and saw me play a snake game which I do not intend to play like this time? But I feel like if he still dislikes me (which he might), he could like... tell people how snakey I was! I would love to like work with him if he wants, but I feel like he wouldn't trust me at all KASDLF

Willow: A queen! I haven't spoken to her in ages but used to around her first season a lot! so so nice.

Yeah so overall thoughts on each tribe:

Durmitor: Almost everyone I knew preseason was on this tribe, which is probably to my advantage, that'll hopefully help out in like... a swap situation? Worried about Tom but am cautiously optimistic about Willow/Mo/Jules! I feel like this tribe is gonna do very very good on challlenges which... AHHHH i don't wanna go to tribal

Budva: Okay I really like my tribe! I get the best vibes from Benj, Julia & Jason who are all people I'd love to work with! I think(?) I could be okay for now, like I feel like I've already got some good ties, and that there are other people that would go... before me... maybe? Its probably only like 2 rounds on these tribes so I maybe don't even need to last that long aksfda

Ugh honestly why am I back and like... I DON’T ANYBODY HERE? Nicole G is my spirit animal.

Well except for Jason and Julia. I do know them as well as Alex and Rob. Basically I don’t know anyone post chamonix and I feel like a fish out of water. I’ll either flop hard or finally fucking win so let’s see how this game plays.

My tribe is idk, quiet? But like we called and played cards against humanity which was fun but like idk Anau and Monte Rosa were just more active and fun and all.

Julia - fellow oldie, I might work with her since she’s quite social and all. Witchcraft and all.

Jason - I wanna work with him because 1) oldie 2) fellow runner-up and 3) he knows josh. And if my TS career hasn’t proven me wrong, people who I play with who know josh are a huge BOON to my game so yeahhH

Benj - he seems nice. He lives New Zealand so we will probably be the only ones awake at our respective time zones so that can be grounds for something :D

Ali - seems nice as well. We talked about the weather and all so that was fun.

Mitch - we had a short convo so idk him very well to get a good read on him.

Jared - We only started talking now so we will see hmmm

Michael - I’m 50% sure he’s a robot. Just because he sends messages like a robot but I could be wrong. Idk it’s hard to get a read on him but we talked some and I hope he is good at challenges

Madeline - She told me she was a returnee but the wiki says she ain’t? What is the truth. Seems nice?? Idk

Noah - we haven’t talked

Tbh this is probably the most quiet starting tribe I’ve been on. Nicole G is my sprit animal btw 

(hi plss add this to the first confessionals i sent) Asya - haven’t talked to her as well. But she did briefly joined the tribe call

Here's a Video Confessional that details what’s on my mind:

America I think I fucked myself over on this one. I told JJ and Tom last night that I got 155k in sandwich stacker the last time I played it and now I think they’re expecting me to recreate that score?? And like,,, do better?????? But it turns out I’m unexpectedly very busy today and I can’t even do it when I get home Bc I’m not gonna have a laptop to play it on,, so I fucked myself over on this one chief. Not only am I most likely not doing this challenge, but I set myself up to look like a challenge threat!! When I can’t even back it up???? Love that for me :)

okay so I've now had a chance to talk to pretty much my whole tribe more which is fun. I LOVE THEM ALL AND REFUSE TO EVER. GO. TO. TRIBAL.

So my favourites atm are defo Julia, she is SUCH a legend, and her hex powers will carry us to success. I'm also really liking Benj & Jason on a personal level, they are super fun, and like chill on a game level which I really like!

Of the rest, Jared approached me to work with me which AHH exciting! But it was kind of unprompted and outta nowhere, so I'm worried he could play a bit too hard too fast, so will try and keep an eye on him. Madeline is super fun, I'm really liking talking to her, and I'm more reassured about working with my fellow newbies now, since Jared/Madeline I'm really liking! Michael is super sweet, he sent me this long nice message about how to pronounce my name which was super sweet, I haven't spoken to him too much yet! Noah I've spoken to the least, he is my biggest ??? so far, which ahh but I'll figure that one out. Mitch is quite quiet but I really like him! Ian is a king!

AHH I LOVE EVERYONE THIS IS A PROBLEM. I always do this where I make friends with everyone and then have to betray someone every round. I'm determined to pace myself this time. Julia is my Number #1 rn, she approached me first and I think we are a great balancing pair. I also really like Benj/Jason, would love to maybe be in a bigger alliance with them? Jared I'm like... apprehensive that he is gonna play really hard, but also wanna work with him. Those are probably my top four rn? I'd then put Madeline/Ian on the next level, Mitch the level below and Noah/Michael on the bottom level as my biggest unknowns!

otherwise this challenge is so demonic, and one day I will get revenge on seamus for making us endure this. I think I'm doing pretty good, and like... can't face the bread anymore, so will probs stick with my score. I really don't wanna go to tribal so hope my tribe can pull this out wooo!

Hi it’s Mo, I’m the dumb bitch who thinks he needs a Gatorade after walking up a flight of stairs. At the moment I’m feeling very distressed because I sat outside for a good hour or so and some mosquitos decided to take it upon themselves to go to town on my legs. But game-wise I’m feeling very comfortable on my tribe. I think I made some good connections on the tribe call last night and I got to know everyone really well and literally I have no complaints about anyone at the moment. They’re all super chill. My biggest fear is letting them down so I’m doing my best to get a good score on sandwich stacker.

Wow It's great to be back and not know like a single soul! I will kms because of that! Also wow my boss sprung a double on me today so I didnt get to talk to anyone! In the first 24 hours! I love this for me! Im on call right now so hopefully I can do SOMETHING and get good with people!!

So I have yet to do a formal confessional but let me just tell you my tribe is so cracked and I love it. I'm gonna give y'all my thoughts on the players of my tribe because why not. Ok so first off we have Julia. Julia is so cracked but I LOVE HER. She is the good luck charm of the tribe because she is involved in witchcraft and honestly I find that hilarious. Then we got Ali. He seems super sweet but I have yet to get to know him well. I think he has been in the tumblr community for a while but I'm not sure because im not in that community (whoops). Jason and I have meshed pretty well together over the love for the cowboy emoji, Madeleine seems like an easy number for me, and same for Jared. I think if we ever go to tribal I might try to connect us three with Benji who I also think I can trust really well. Then we have Ian and Noah. Honestly my conversations with them have been pretty awkward??? Idk if that is just because they are busy but like I don't rly mesh well with either of them. Then there is Michael who literally talks like his username: A Big Blue Robot

someone literally said they were worried that me being so into astrology would influence how i viewed other people and i told them that it wouldn't but the tea is it will, try to stop me

Heya its me. Rookie here on survivor Montenegro. Never played before. Kinda nervous. I'm trying to keep it light and airy with my chats with all the tribe members, because I don't want them thinking I'm trying to create drama too early. They seeeeem to like me and I think I really like them too. Evan kinda has latched on to me, and I like having an easy go to for talking shoppe, but he's super paranoid and thinks he has no shot at this. Even said that everyone else is fully bonding without him. And thats fine of course, I can handle supporting him especially if it seems like a surprise friendship, but his scaredyness might be rubbing off because its making me a little afraid that people are talking shoppe much more than they're letting on with me. Alsooo, low key a tiny bit annoyed with how much we love to call. Like y'all are nice but it seems to be the same person (eyooop) every time and the same person talking in the tribe chat. hehe peace out

hi okie i would've filmed a video confessional, but i look DISGUSTING so you will have to settle with type type typing!

so lots is happening REAL fast and my head hurts so i need to talk it out. We won reward which WOO, and the reuben sandwich also gave me 3 free checks for bridge steps for the idol so GOOD NEWS. I also used it to build trust with Benj & Julia, and told Jared who kind of put me on the spot and asked me about it (more on Jared later).

So I now have my chart to map idol progress titled 'Bridge to Terebeth-idol' and I'm using all the info I get to slowly get an idea of idol progress, the idol is MINE and I'm determined to play it WRONG. otherwise, I'd love to see Benj or Julia get it, love 'em both.

Anywhomst back to Jared. he is VERY forward with game stuff and is like... going 0 to 100 waay too quick, and its making me and Benj nervous. We are both going to keep an eye, I could see Jared burning out quite quick akdlfas. For the rest of the tribe, I really really like Jason he is such a king, Madeline is super nice but I think quite quiet so could potentially go if we lose. Michael is great at challenges, but his social game is a bit ahh (he like.. told Julia she would be a target for making a mistake in the challenge akjsdfaslfladfjla). Noah I really like, but we are kinda out of sync with timezones which is no good. Mitch filled in for me in teh challenge so I owe him bigtime.

ANYWAYS. this is already waay too long, the summary is WOO JULIA AND BENJ, woo (at a slightly lower volume) for Jason and Jared. Love the hosts, loving this game so far, only thing I'm not loving is sandwiches (unless they are reuben sandwiches asjdklfa).

Okay so little recap of the first night on Montenegro Durmitor Beach.... I really felt worried! Like from the first impressions and the intro's I thought okay i have nothing in common with any of these people, this is going to be so hard to get in a safe spot and go far in this game!

After jumping on call with the likes of Jules, Jones, JJ and Mo I felt a little bit safe as they were laughing at some of my jokes and i felt like i could contribute to the conversation which is nice. I really tried my best in this sandwich stacker challenge to show the tribe that i can perform in flash games and help win immunities for future rounds so it gave them a reason to keep me and potentially the stronger players on the tribe would want to add me to an alliance...well i mean that didnt happen but hey who knows its only day 2

So i recognised that JJ was from Tengaged and i had played with him a little bit whilst on that site so i tried to connect with him and make conversation with him and that dramatic little boy decided to drop his vocabulary and use his silly little boy one word responses which wasnt very uhm reassuring. HOWEVER I feel like over the past 2 days JJ and I have formed some sort of bond and i believe its mutual that we want to work together and help each other out in this game. MY ONLY CONCERN about working with JJ is that I dont want to be seen as in a duo with him so him and me need to stop bullying each other on calls and staying on tribe calls when no one else is on them. He helped me out in the idol hunt as well so he is already giving me some information showing he is down to work with me

Okay so overall i feel like my tribe is full of very big personalities and thats concerning a fight will be had for majority i reckon.

Jules: She is so nice, and we connect pretty good, i know she is one bad ass game player though and definitely a threat down the line so keeping her on my side is beneficial for now and hopefully if she does become seen as a target i can use that to my advantage and she can be a meat shield.

Mo: Mo is cool and chill to talk to, we dont really speak that much on pms however i want that to change i get a very loyal vibe from him so yeah something i am willing to explore

Willow & Evan: They both have similar standings with me in this tribe, i feel like they both want to work with me, Evan has said he does and that he gets a good vibe and wants to work with me which is good and i feel like willow is also leaning towards that as well. The only issue with working with these two is they arent very big personalities so i will be targeted before them however i feel like they could be very loyal. Its going to be hard to integrate them into a large alliance unless one of them start because others will be closer to people that isnt them.

Alex: So Alex is a weird one for me, he seems super emotional and honestly someone i just cant really relate to or connect with. I may be wrong but thats my first impression of him, he seems to be all up in Jules/Jones grill which is something i will have to keep an eye out for.

Jones: Jones is a big big big big threat i think everyone on this tribe can already tell this woman will be hard to get out, socially she is impressive and she said she is pretty good at challenges as well so........i'm just going to try and act really dumb around her and make her believe that im willing to work with her till the end as a loyal sheep. However for now i would like to work with her (even though probably everyone does)

David: Well i mean he is like not active very much, he came on call and i have a fear of drag people and he is a drag people so i hope he doesnt rock up to tribal in drag because it is a serious phobia..... wouldnt mind if he went first just because we dont really talk!

JJ: already spoke about him

Caeleb: Everyone is very nice in this cast but i feel like caeleb is a little bit uhh reserved, i feel like hes a little shy at the moment but i think he can be a gem to work and play with. Idk what type of player any of these people are so just gotta test the waters.

All i know is that this tribe is ready to play....and play hard so survivors ready: game on bitches! #STAYLOWANDGOGOGO

Oh wow this twisty twist twist, hate it!! So anyway now that we have to go to tribal Idk who the heckie to choose to vote! The only people I feel like I have absolutely no connection with so far are Evan and Caeleb, everyone else ive at least talked to a bit?? Jules is cool (also havent talked to her that much) Mo and Jones are the people ive talked to the most so far and I really wanna work with them I think, we will see DREW YOU HAVE MESSED ME UP

This twist is very fiendish and I love and hate it!! More stress ensuing the more fun for drew hmmm

Anyway, right now I want Madeline gone. I feel she’s not putting her all into this game and in the challenges. Plus she told me she was a returnee but the wiki says otherwise grrrr

For now I think I’m gonna work with Julia and Jason. Might also wanna work with Benji and Ali. Ali is very intuitive because he noticed that it’s important to keep any voting plans under wraps because if word got out of the plan and we’re not actually going to trial, oh hell will be loose!!

So far Julia and Jared are eyeing Madeline as a target and I am here for it! She may have sealed her fate by like going to sleep at this hour but let’s see! She might be faking it lol

Okay fuck you guys for this twist my anxiety is running RAMPANT I know everyone is gonna wanna Vote me for being the youngest I hope you all die and literally choke on your own liver. Anyways my day has been GREAT, thanks for asking!! I feel confident with my comp performance, so hopefully they choose to keep me in?? If not it was nice knowing you guys except Johnny

Oh this- this is terrible. I did so bad on my sandwich tray thing even though at the time I was like IM FUCKIN SPEEDY GONZALEZ WERE GONNA WIN and I scored like 48 but then I find out that everyone else scored somewhere in the 90’s and now it’s just kinda... fuck.

Blind Tribals? What kind of tomfoolery is this. Im surprised my tribe came up with a consensus of voting off someone this early even though we still have a full 24 hours. I was fully prepared to take charge but I guess I don't have to anymore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cax7k6-mA-A

^ Video confessional not letting me post tho

So everything has been like a legit clusterfuck and I see this tribes dynamic starting to play out. I think socially I have done my job and excelled. I would say I feel as if I have established a good personal relationship with most of my tribe members except two of them- Madeleine and Michael. Both of them talk very little and it's honestly very frustrating for myself. Not to mention Michael last night sketched me out very bad after we had finished playing the role call part of the immunity. So I had found an error that I had made, and it scared me and I thought I could talk to him about it. I was like, well I hope this doesn't put a target on my back. He responds with this: we can make sure you won't be. will just take some work. Hold the damn phone. It will take some work? Why would it take work period? It just freaked me out so I went to Jason and I told him about it. Jason made me feel more comfortable and I decided to tell him that I trusted him and I was on board with him. So after immunity is done, and the whole blind round twist is revealed I decided to go and talk to basically everyone on the tribe. But Jared stuck out the most to me. He is playing the most aggressive game at this point which I respect. Also, forgot to mention, I trust Ali the most. 100% Ali will be my ride or die person this game. So nothing will come in between the bond we share. Jared decided to throw out Madeleines name out. And I am totally okay with this. He also subtly hinted that Michael would be a good option. But lets be real, I am not a fool and I will not make a big move this first round. This is a tribe of 10 people, not 6 like I'm used too in my prior TS I have played. It is more difficult to rally all the numbers. So this would be the exact reasoning behind my social game I am playing at the moment. I have Jared than tell me he wants to work with Ali, Benj, Himself, and I. This, I can enjoy. I don't have to struggle to protect from this alliance I knew Jared was bound to create, and I didn't have to suggest to include Ali, possibly exposing my relationship with Ali to Jared. On the other hand, I have Ian and Jason who I feel like I can trust in this game. I proposed to Ian I would not vote him out this round, and he said he would do the same for me. I tell Ian that I trusted Jared and we could possibly work with him, and that Madeleines name is being thrown out as the vote. Ian was vague with answering me about working with Jared which sussed me out. But Ian later tells me he wants to work with Jason, Himself and I. So this puts me in TWO potential alliances already in this game. Literally fuck this twist. I am glad my social skills have finally paid off and I am seriously learning from prior mistakes I have made in my orgs from being too abrasive, being too loud, being rude. I had such little self awareness of the way I communicated with people. I would talk and be this extremely social girl but I always left a bitter taste in people's mouth because of how I said things and I had no clue. So I am playing this better game and it is totally opening up new opportunities and all these people I can work with but on the other hand, puts me at a serious disadvantage. If this tribe will be an ultimate flop tribe which I am seriously hoping is NOT the case, I am going to disappoint someone. And that is how you become a target and lose all the hard work you have built up. So even though socially I am totally preforming beautifully compared to my prior three tries at TS, and strategically I wouldn't say anything about that I mean.... it's the first few days of this game. I would say competition wise, or the more physical part of the game I need to get it together. I'm hoping I can motivate this tribe into playing extremely hard for the immunity wins because who freaking knows what could happen? In the best case scenario, I would love for immunity to be brought to my tribe. This would mean that for the next round the target would probably remain the same, and I don't have to get so worked up about who is the new target of the tribe.

https://youtu.be/qsjQtYfiCec <- Video Confessional; Not letting me post

Editors note - I think I’m 80% sure my name’s not going around Bc I think everyone’s under the impression I got us the win for the flag making? Big shrug

Damn this twist has really screwed things. At this point in the game I have some strong (I think) alliances. I'm worried that I have put a target on my back for playing too hard though, and it might be all for not if we find out we won immunity.

https://youtu.be/RR4BRMFKjDU <- Another video confessional that won’t embed lol

What the fuck is this twist like okay sure, tumblr survivor is generally fucking stressful like a pig getting choked im always trying to gasp for air.....this season i am the pig on the spit roast just deceased. I'm a nocturnal pig throughout this game i guess because tribal planning starts like 6 hours ish before tribal and the last 2 hours is the most important and that would be from 4-10am so no sleep for the weak i came to win

https://youtu.be/sarbjplslHk <- Another video confessional that won’t embed

SO I think at the moment my closest allies are Tom & JJ which is a relief because I was intimidated by the two of them at first. The plan for now is to vote for David due to him being the most antisocial out of the bunch. He’s talked to me quite a bit actually but apparently he hasn’t talked to some of the others that much.

The first few days of this game has been really fun. I'm enjoying to get to know everybody, and just dicking off on tribe calls all the time. So far I've really enjoyed looking at Tom & Alex, they're definitely the tribal eye candy.

It seems as though I've gotten myself into a really cute alliance consisting of Alex, Jones, and Jules. A group I've definitely enjoyed talking to the most. I think it'll really work in my favor.

Tom is really fun to talk to, he's giving me truthful information on what planks have been good and bad in the idol search. Which is nice, but it might be a cultural thing, but I can't tell if he likes me or not!?? There's too much sarcasm in his voice.

Mo & Caeleb are really nice, they've both talked to me on a pretty shallow level so far, but I'm enjoying them a lot.

Evan, David, and Willow have been fairly MIA. Evan is on a vacation, so I'm impressed by how much he truly has been able to contribute to the tribe.

As far as the vote goes, I'm debating between Willow, and David. Alex, who I'd really like to work with, really is pushing for David to go home, but David is better at comps, and a less dangerous social player, he hasn't talked to anyone. Whereas Willow is being a social butterfly in everyone's PMs. Seeing that she made runner up in one of her seasons is also a little bit scary.

This twist is scary, but considering my last ORG, its exciting. I felt like my downfall was not being able to forge game relationships with people because I was the last person to attend tribal. Winning every tribal immunity all the way up to the final 13 / 21. Once the merge hit, every time I tried to talk strategy, the person I was talking with would run, and tattle to the person I was trying to target instead of listening to what I was saying, because they had forged game relationships at prior tribal. Being forced to go to tribal regardless of the outcome of immunity should help me solidify game relationships much easier.

I have one question for the twist. WTF DREW???

Right as we found out that both tribes had to go to tribal, Evan was immediately concerned that his name was being thrown out. The boy needs to calm, but I think our connection is really strong and honestly he's fun to talk to. Today though, most people I have been talking to have said David which is perfectly fine, he barely had talked to me at all so I am happy to be a tribe player and vote him tonight if nothing changes. I think people are starting to make connections all around. I really like Willow and have like an on and off thing with Mo and Jules. Tom is the first person to let me in on the vote, and JJ said he'd work with me and not vote me tonight, BUT Tom and JJ and Jones are always in the calls and that's making me nervous they'll have a longterm close bond that could be disastrous if it turns into a Monica, Jervase, Tyson type thing. Also I don't fully trust JJ he's good at talking to everyone. I have my eyes and ears open and I'm just trying to get as much information as I can at this point in the game.

okay I have thoughts and they are 100% NEGATIVE.

so dua lipa cave can CHOKE, i hate this twist so muchhhhh, its gonna give me an aneurysm. I just feel bad, I don't like voting people out and this makes the process so weird and awkward.

Okay like tonight, Madeline is... seemingly going home? And I'm so so sad, she is super sweet, but I think everyone was reluctant to throw out names except Jared who was super, super gung ho about Madeline leaving? Jared is stressing me out akjsldfaf, he is so forward and aggressive as a player, and I can kind of see him burning out and dragging me down with him asdfklaf.

Otherwise, I'm really liking working with Julia, she is super fun and a really savvy player, I hope our alliance can do super good long term! Otherwise, Benj is SUCH A KING, he is so friendly and fun, and we are like really on the same page for game stuff? Those are the only two who its not negotiable, on my watch they are going NOWHERE.

for the rest? I really like Jason, he is just super mellow, like I think if I had to make a winner pick for the season, I'd probably say him? I vibe with him on a personal level woo, could be an ally down the line. Michael I tbh expected to maybe be first boot, but he seems to have unexpected connections! I really like him tho, he is super sweet, its no biggie that he is staying? Mitch/Ian kind of fall into the same category, I really like them but I've not spoken to them... all that much, but I really like them!! Noah I really haven't spoken to too much, and if we do go to tribal tonight, I'd probs want him to go next (Mitch also threw his name out for this round, so it seems I'm not alone on that?).

I feel REALLY REALLY bad about Madeline JKLSADFLSAJFA, like already our tribe is being meninist we do not stan, but also she is so nice. I feel bad and kind of blame Jared for her going grrrr.

Okay I'm gonna wrap this up, hope we don't go to tribal tonight, Madeline stays and we WIN till merge WOO WOO WOOOOOO!

omg also julia is already at #46 for the idol her MIND! i hope she gets it, that'd be iconic. I feel like she must be working with someone to get that far already, maybe Jason? like the host, i need to (nancy) drew and investigate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRd_z6-ycno <- another non embeded video confessional uwu

Lol idk where this girl came from but Madeline’s a mess.

She vanished after the twist reveal because her “WiFi getting shit down” then suddenly she’s strong arming me to vote Mitch

Sweaty, compared to you I’ve actually interacted with Mitch over the course of this 4 days unlike you.

She claims she’s got Julia, Jason and Noah but I know where they’re really at. If we are going to tribal Madeline’s gone!!

okay tribal is (maybe?) in 6 minutes and I have THOUGHTS:

1. Madeline is make me so nervous, she like says things in the tribe chat and its like AHH idk how to respond, I'm being so obviously shady and its INCREDIBLY clear I voted for her, but idk what to do or say asdkjflsafafjdaf

2. Benj is a king, we are like... on the same page a lot, and someone I wanna go super far with!

3. Madeline gunning for Mitch is weird because... she is targetting him for past placements, when... Ian literally made FTC twice akjsdfslafsa like wut? Also I am screaming at her like saying Mitch isn't denying that she is going home in the tribechat, when she is voting him? I'MMMMMM

4. If I go home, it's been super super fun, and first boot is a cute placement! Benj  & Jason have both been first boot before, and I love 'em both, so am joining a great club!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgF_VAczF2g <- Another non embeded video confessional

[sablelab]

Covert Operations - Chapter 5

 DISCLAIMER: This is a modern AU crossover story with Outlander and La Femme Nikita. LFN and its characters do not belong to me nor do those from Outlander. This is a complete work of fiction and as such is an entirely fabricated tale created in my imagination.

There may be some suggestive chapters (S) and scenes of a violent (V) and or sexual nature (NC-17) through the course of this story.

Manip by ... @sassy-lover stuff

SYNOPSIS:  As Jamie Fraser’s team returns to Section One after a successful mission, Claire Beauchamp is taken to her new digs in Hong Kong.  

 CHAPTER 5 On their return to Section One after their mission to the South China Sea, James Fraser stood at the entrance of the airlock in Van Access as his team Rupert Mackenzie and Geillis Duncan filed past him. He tacitly acknowledged his team as they walked down the Van Access corridor and made their way to Munitions to return their weapons to Murtagh Fitzgibbons, Section’s munitions master and weapons expert who would check off the borrowed weaponry he had supplied to them for this mission. Despite being called in on a moment’s notice due to the emergency situation that had arisen in Hong Kong, the mission had run smoothly and the team had performed well. Jamie had briefed them en route providing the mission profile to the team members on their PDA’s as they’d departed Section for Hong Kong. It was to be a quick in and out, collect Intel and return to Section One. He’d needed to do this to see the dynamics of the group he had chosen and to gauge their initiative to how they reacted under pressure for the pending Rising Dragons’ mission. James Fraser was pleased with his new team’s field mechanics and how they had carried out their mission profile. Operations also stood to the side waiting for James and his team’s return. He cast that look Jamie’s way that said he needed to debrief ASAP. “Madeline’s office … thirty minutes.” Then he briskly walked away. Jamie just blankly acknowledged his superior’s directive and once Rupert and Geillis had disappeared from sight he turned in the direction of his office to prepare for his debrief. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Ever punctual, James Fraser strode toward Madeline’s office with the purposeful gait that distinguished him as a man of confidence and Section One’s top Level 5 operative. He knew that the mission had been successful and the Intel Birkoff was examining at the moment would provide further leads to their terrorist target Sun Yee Lok and the Rising Dragons. If it substantiated that they were indeed responsible for the deaths, it would prove just how widespread their influence was and the means to which they would go to achieve their ends. The Rising Dragons were dangerous … very dangerous and the quicker he got to Hong Kong to keep an eye on Claire the better. The fact that she wasn’t on the flash mission felt strange, but she had her orders and was on a commercial flight to Hong Kong as part of her undercover mission. The doors to Madeline’s office quietly opened and Jamie stood resolutely, hands clasped in front of his body. With guarded eyes he watched as Madeline attended to her orchids totally involved in her horticulture of the delicate plants while Operations sat at the table in his second in command’s office. Glancing his way when he saw him standing on the threshold Operations indicated, “Come in James.” Continuing to examine her plants and without facing him Madeline asked. “How was your visit to the South China Sea?” “Brief.” “How did your team hold up?” “There were no incidents.” Operations joined in. “Where are we with the Rising Dragons? Did you collect any Intel on the bodies?” ‘Yes.” “And?” “Birkoff is going through what we recovered from the junk.” “Good,” Madeline intonated as she intensely studied her plants while removing any sign of bugs on the stems and any dead leaves. Pragmatically Operations asked, “And what do you think, is it their work?” “It's possible.” “Permission to re-profile the mission sir.”

“Granted. Let me know when you have something definitive. Oversight wants a quick turnover on this one.” “Of course.” “And Mackenzie and Geillis Duncan?” Madeline asked offhandedly. “They work well together.” “Good. Stay close to it. ... ” The conversation between Madeline and Jamie had taken place without any eye contact whatsoever. Her total absorption of her plants seemed to be of paramount concern to her; however, his answers were pleasing and Madeline was well satisfied. “Yes.” “That will be all James. I will expect your full debrief on my desk as soon as possible.” Operations stated. Placing one foot behind the other, Jamie did a one hundred and eighty degree turn and strode from her office without a further glance at his superiors. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Operations looked at Madeline while stating the obvious as he engaged the communication channel into Systems. She nodded her tacit approval. “Fergus?” “Yes sir?” “Any progress on the Intel from James and his team?” “I’m working on it sir.” “When you have something patch it through to Madeline’s office.” “Yes sir.” Turning towards Madeline he stated, “James’ team performed well.” “Yes.” “Have we heard from Claire?” “Not yet … Fergus will contact her when the others are in transit.” “Good.” Their conversation was interrupted by Section’s computer genius Fergus Claudel. “Yes Fergus?” “It appears that the Rising Dragons are indeed responsible for the deaths on the junk.” “They haven’t taken responsibility for them though.” “The signature calligraphy is authentic and the modus operandi is definitely theirs.” “Anything else?” “I have found out some Intel on the woman.” “Well … what is it?” “She is the daughter of the Canadian ambassador to China. Her name is  Annalise de Marillac ” “Hmm? … Interesting.” “Mr Claudel process this Intel. A background check on her father the ambassador may be necessary.” “Yes Sir.” “Good work Fergus,” he stated and disconnected communication. Turning towards Madeline he changed the subject and said, “Looks like we’re going to have point eight surplus in personnel this month.” “Yes.” “Where would you like to allocate?” “Housekeeping. The attrition has been high there.” “Done.” When Operations left for the Perch, Madeline once again pottered around her plants dismissing for the moment what had just transpired in her office. Her first task was to complete caring for her orchids then she would routinely and meticulously analyse the mission tapes and debrief records of what had transpired in the field.

Meanwhile  ... back in Hong Kong Angus Mhor sped off like a bat out of hell on the multi lane motorway heading from Lantau Island toward Kowloon peninsula on the Chinese mainland. They travelled some distance before crossing into the tunnel to Hong Kong Island on the southern side of the harbour facing Kowloon, then on exiting the freeway they merged in with the local traffic. The ride along Causeway Bay was invigorating with a steady stream of taxis and double-decker buses clogging the busy road. It was easy to see how one could get bewildered and enthusiastic by the convergence and contradictions of a Chinese city with multi-Asian and Western elements. Hong Kong was simply dazzling with a distinctive blend of East and West in a dynamic, cosmopolitan city. Claire’s first observations were that Hong Kong was an amazing place, full of energy, life, new smells, sounds and amazing sights, a place that once visited was one you could not and would not forget. She looked out of the window at the tall buildings with daily wash hanging from so many windows, never ending shops lit up with a heady mixture of neon light signs and busy with customers, hawkers selling their wares on the pavement, and the hustle and bustle of the endless crowds of people. Claire felt the excitement of the distinctive blend and dynamic melting pot of East and West in this vibrant city … a city coming to life as dusk fell over the capital. Hong Kong had diversity juxtaposed with sophistication. It was electric. Despite the real purpose of her visit to Hong Kong, Claire decided to pretend for a little while on the journey to her destination. She breathed in the sights and sounds of Hong Kong as Angus made their way to the apartment where she would be staying. Hong Kong was an exciting city with plenty to offer. Claire knew it was a mecca for shopping and was a proverbial shopper’s paradise for designer label clothing to electronic gizmos. Hong Kong had it all, but unfortunately she was not here to sightsee or shop. She was here on a mission … tracking down the leader of the Rising Dragons, the elusive Sun Yee Lok. Under other circumstances Claire would have been exuberant at spending a holiday in such an exotic location … but that was not to be. Angus Mhor’s voice echoed in the car as he attempted to make conversation and break the silence that had settled over them. “Have you been to Hong Kong before Miss Beauchamp?’ His question roused Claire from her daydreams of normalcy. “Call me Claire please … and no I haven’t, but I’ve read all about this amazing place.” “Well I’m sure if you were here under other circumstances you would have a wonderful time. Hong Kong has so much to offer the visitor.” “Yes I can see that.” They continued in relative silence as the car sped along in the traffic. Angus weaved in and out of the multitude of cars on the road like a Formula 1 rally car driver, the adrenalin pumping through his veins at the thrill of the ride. Claire watched the traffic and realised that everyone in Hong Kong seemed to drive like this also. They nearly collided with a pedestrian trying to cross the road. As Angus blasted his horn repeatedly, he swerved around the person; nevertheless the car mounted the gutter in the process as he tried to avoid a collision. “Sorry about that,” he said as he righted the car and continued along the one-way street. Claire breathed a sigh of relief looking back at the individual standing in relative safety near the curb. “Does that happen a lot?” She inquired apprehensively. “What?” “People playing Russian roulette with the traffic?” Angus laughed. “Yes unfortunately it does. One takes their life in their hands in Hong Kong I’m afraid.” “So it would seem … I must remember that.” Claire replied evasively. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ It was not long before Angus passed by a large open park located in the heart of the city and the imposing but impressive buildings comprising the Pacific Place Apartments came into view. He slowed the car and pulled into an underground parking lot then turned off the car’s ignition. Turning towards Claire he announced.

“Well … we’re here.” Getting out of the car, Angus opened her door and collected Claire’s luggage from the trunk. “This is a very prestigious area Claire … the Australian Federal Police must be paying for your accommodation … it’s a little pricey here.” He smiled at her enviously. “Yes they are … it’s all part of the exchange programme.” “Wow! Good for you! I hope you enjoy your stay here then.” “Thanks,” she replied warming to her newfound friend. They took the elevator up, exited on the fourth floor and walked along the corridor until they came to Apartment 412. A wry smiled passed Claire’s lips.  What a coincidence, she thought as a wry smile bowed her lips at the uncanny similarity of the corresponding number of this Hong Kong apartment to her one in Glasgow. Taking the key from his pocket Angus passed it to her and Claire excitedly opened the door.  They entered and Angus Mhor placed her belongings in the entrance foyer. “You’ll love the view Claire. Hong Kong is Cantonese for "fragrant harbour" you know and it’s simply dazzling during the day or night.” “Okay Angus, you’ve won me over … I’m sure it is much, much nicer than Sydney Harbour.” Sharing a look and noticing the twinkle of mischief and teasing in his eyes, Claire burst out laughing. Angus joined in then left her to freshen up and to get acquainted with her new lodgings saying that he would return to pick her up in an hour’s time. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Xiao Zheng’s phone rang on his desk just as Mei returned with the coffee and files he had requested. Closing the folder on Claire Beauchamp that he had been reading, he bellowed into the receiver. “Senior Superintendent Zheng here … Oh! It’s you Mhor! What’s up?” “Nothing Sir. I have just left Miss Beauchamp at her apartment. She is currently orientating herself with her new premises and freshening up. We should be at headquarters within the hour.” “Good.” Replacing the receiver in its cradle Zheng summoned Mei Ling once again. “Yes Sir?” “When Claire Beauchamp arrives show her to my office immediately.” “Very well Sir … is that all?” “For the moment …”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ to be continued

 Should you wish to access the other chapters of this story … https://sablelab.tumblr.com/covertoperations

 Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed my crossover story. xox

[chroma-imp]

2,7 and 18 please :))

2: top 5 books of all time?

this is really hard, I guess I’ll just ignore series for this one to make it easier on myself

1. This Is How You Lose the Time War - Amal El-Mohtar, Max Gladstone

2. Circe - Madeline MIller

3. Vicious - V. E. Schwaab

4. Uprooted - Naomi Novik

5. Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandel

7: is there a series/book that got you into reading?

I’ve always been really into reading (since I learned how to anyway) so I have literally no idea. Definitely nothing stuck with me as like Theee book/series that hooked me. I guess I’ll be stereotypical and point at Drachenreiter by Cornelia Funke just because it’s one of the first books that stuck with me and also I love dragons :)

18: do you like historical books? which time period? 

I like them conceptionally, but I haven’t actually read one I really enjoyed. I think my issue with it is that if it’s about interesting historical events, I’d much rather read an actual historical account than fiction, so that only leaves me with historical fiction that’s about people just vibing. I guess time period-wise I’d like victorian era stuff or earlier, or maybe 20s/30s America? Most emphatically I’m not someone for WW1/WW2 fiction. Literally anything else, please

[missfinefeather]

Nindies Direct 8.28.18 thoughts

Okay, we had a short direct this morning, so I might as well watch through and give my thoughts! Bullet points again instead of a full liveblog as I don’t want to spend hours on this. I doubt this will be as long as the Smash Bros direct liveblog from earlier this month as this direct is much shorter and I may not have much to say about a lot of the games showcased.

Predictions... I dunno, more Undertale? I saw a thumbnail for a Shovel Knight thing, so Shovel Knight?

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHzsecqX-zU

Anyways, reactions after the break!

1. Hello Kirk Scott! Never seen you before!

Hyperlight Drifter

2. Hyperspeed? Not sure if I’ll play it, but I love the art style! That terminator thing is freaky! 0.0

3. Ooh! Nice attack! Just chuck swords at them...

4. Hyperlight Drifter Special Edition? Is this a port? Well, hope fans of that are happy!

Towerfall

5. I thought Towerfall was going to be a Tower Defense. That is definitely not a Tower Defense! xD

6. Oh! from the makers of Celeste! Definitely their style!

7. Hmmm... not sure if the game is right for me... I mean, maybe, I dunno...

8. Oh, only local multiplayer. Pass. I don’t have real life friends. xD

9. Madeline is a good addition! ^^

Treasure Stack

10. Interesting looking little puzzle game, I guess!

11. Though really, I love the concept of playing tetris with a little person and a grappling hook! That’s pretty clever! ^^

Zarvot

12. ...friendship amongst cubes? I mean... it worked for Boxboy I guess.

13. Oh, so we’re on a quest to cheer up a friend? I guess that’s worth throwing myself into life or death scenarios. I’ve seen worse reasons to do so, tbh!

14. ...okay, birthday present is a bit better. God, is that friend going to be moved!

15. I somehow like the sound of “Origami Thunderdomes.” The way he said it was funny! xD He was really getting into it!

Mineko’s Night Market

16. Some sort of cat thing?

17. Got a very stylized look to it! Protagonist is very cute! ^^ Which matters to me for some reason.

18. What the hell? At first it felt like a collection of minigames and stuff, but suddenly we’re avoiding government agents! 0.0

19. Hmmm... I’m not sure what that was! In some angles, it feels like Animal Crossing, but the agents make me think there’s actually a plot here. Also, the ending reminded me of Totoro!

20. Game peaks my interest, I might need to look into it!

21. Oh, heh, they were just going to explain it anyways xD

22. So it’s a story based adventure! :O omg, now I’m really curious!

23. Lots of cats! :OOOO

24. So far off! Oh well...

Samurai Gun 2

25. And immediately lost interest xD kind of a jump from the last one!

26. Ooh! The cutscenes are incredible, though! It’s like looking at old Japanese art!

27. Oh, that was a comic book that releases with the game... Well, still a cool addition! ^^

Bullet Age

28. My god, you could have a nuclear armageddon story in anything these days.

29. Ohh! Okay, this game looks kind of impressive! Nice implementation of weapons! Different locations are nice! ^^

The World Next Door

30. Woah! Holy crap! 0.0

31. Well, this game blasted me with a whole lot of interesting! Those are some pretty awesome monster designs! And that mask is pretty cool! God, even that title is incredible! :D

32. Oh, puzzle battles, I don’t know how to feel about puzzle battles... I mean, then again, maybe I could wrap my head around it enough to not die?

Level Head

33. Ummm... wow, that’s... Okay! Is the protagonist a speaker or...

34. I could see the game being fun! Though I’d imagine it being hard as balls.

King of the Hat

35. Nice pun!

36. I like the art, and it’s a creative concept! That princess character is the best! Though, it seems like it’s exclusively local multiplayer so...

37. Hahaha, the little stories were charming! ^^

Untitled Goose Game

38. I think I saw a little bit of this before...

39. I really hope the final title is “Untitled Goose Game”

40. Ah, so it’s basically a much more down-to-earth Goat Simulator, where you’re the goal is to fuck everything up instead of that being a side thing like in goat simluator.

41. “The Goose is Loose!” ...how is that not the title?

Nindie Montage

42. Hoo boy, I’ll just comment on the ones that jump out at me.

43. A lot of action games, they tend to blur together.

44. Undertale September 18th! :O Finally a release date! Was that announced already? This feels like an odd place to announce it if it hasn’t...

45. Jackbox Party Box: Is this basically Warioware? Would be funny if a Warioware clone made it to Switch before WW can! xD

46. Dragon: Marked for Death; I’m so predictable... If it was a dude at the helm, I would have written this off as a mindless action game. But look at me, suddenly interested. Siiiiiiiggggghhhh....

47. Light Fingers: This looks trippy! 0.0;

48. Super Brothers: Sword and Sorcery EP; I still haven’t played the original one... I need to, I mean I could re-download it now if I wanted to...

Into the Breach

49. Okay, some sort of Real Time Strategy game. The Switch could use one of those.

50. Wait, this game has Time Travel? Or was the commander just being sarcastic? Maybe this game is super meta or something like Undertale.

51. Well, I’m glad RTS fans have that ^^

I commented way more than I thought I would! xDDDD

I think the game I’m looking forward to the most is Mineko’s Night Market. Though I am also very curious about The World Next Door and Untitled Goose Game!

Well, thanks for joining me! ^^

[emilyjunk]

EMILYJUNK’S 2017 POP CULTURE REVIEW (2/?)

BOOKS 2/2

The Miseducation of Cameron Post - Emily Danforth: aw i loved this book... it was wonderfully gay, and perfectly sad, and delightfully funny. the characters were likable and flawed and lovely. a classic lgbt book for all u gays out there, but also beware some tw. it does deal with heavy stuff including half the book taking place at a conversion therapy camp. also it’s being made into a movie and i’m v excited for it

The Whole Thing Together - Ann Brashares: yeah i started reading this because i adored the sisterhood of the traveling pants growing up and i’ve always liked brashares writing. after i finished reading this i was really surprised to see the reviews for this book were so mixed... i personally thought it was funny and the concept was so cute and interesting, but after reading the reviews i did later agree with some of the negative ones and realized the book had some issues. however i still enjoyed reading it immensely and i loved the characters although i hated that IT MADE ME CRY!!! haha. i’d recommend it, but i also would recommend reading it critically.

IT - Stephen King: Jumped on the bandwagon with this one and honestly? for the first 80% of the book i was like wow this has become one of my favorite books ever and then in the last 20% i was like hmm nevermind i kind of want to put it down but i’ve just read a billion pages and i will fucking see this to the end. can i pretend the ending was different? anyway king never ceases to amaze with his writing... i love his style and i loved all my kiddos in this book, especially richie lol

Shadow and Bone - Leigh Bardugo: Wanted to see what the deal with this series was since everyone on Tumblr is obsessed with it. I found it an interesting and good read, but didn’t see all the hype about it. I’m gonna read the second one once it’s available at my library and see where it goes.

Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty: So yeah i started reading this because of the HBO series coming out, but I kept reading it because it was amazing and I fucking loved Madeline lmao. I watched the series after and let me tell you... the book is a million times better and that’s saying something because I loved the series. But the book is more complex in dealing with class issues and some of the domestic abuse conflict that happens. also the series lowkey made me mad at madeline and i was like how dare you do this to her but anyway. please read

The Nowhere Girls - Amy Reed: i literally dont have words for how much i adored this book. the characters were amazing. you get a queer mexican girl, an autistic rape survivor, and a chubby religious girl who bring the girls of their school together in the aftermath of some shit happening. there is so much discussion about the nuances of sexism, rape culture, victim blaming, homophobia, the constructs of virginity, white feminism, ableism, and more. this book wasnt perfect but it looks at its imperfections and calls them out and honestly please read this it made me cry and i loved it so much. standout book of 2017 for me. 5 fuckin stars

[cadysu]

tell me about your kokuyo gang headcanons pls and thanks

Let us talk about my children the Kokuyo Gang aka Mukuro, Ken, Chikusa, M.M., and the rest but not Chrome because Chrome is a member of the Vongola Family and was kicked out. :^) EDIT: NO FRAN BECAUSE THIS POST GOT TOO LONG GOMEN.  I’m going to do a paragraph or so segment for each character I think with some canon facts mixed into headcanon so have FUN!

Mukuro- Mukuro has a lot of canon info already so this is gonna be on the shorter part. Mukuro is a little shit kjasnd Mukuro enjoys reading of all types- from picking up a magazine to novels. He is also very spiritual- yes his powers have ties to the levels of Hell, but I can see religion and belief systems being topics of interest for him. He’s extremely up to date on politics (less in a “wow politics is interesting” and more as a study of people. He watches to see the corruption, lies, and abuse of power. And let’s make it pretty damn clear that if he had nothing better to do/ there was no effort to it, Mukuro would 10000% be okay murdering those people in cold blood because he can. I feel like a lot of people forget Mukuro is a villain (antihero but still a villain too). On a less serious side of everything though- Mukuro can also be very laid back and playful. He pampers himself (spa day with M.M., glass of wine FRUIT COCKTAIL, video games with the rest of the gang, etc.) As serious and scary as he can come across, he is still a teenager. A teenager that is fully aware of how bad the world can be, but also in a bit of a chuuni-bubble where he feels this one man illusionist wrecking machine can take over everything and his only obstacle atm is the Vongola Family. 

Also Mukuro strikes me as someone who would enjoy David Lynch movies. I mean I’m not projecting my love of Twin Peaks on him, but watching Twin Peaks made me think he’d enjoy it a fair amount. :T Or at least Fire Walk With Me.

Ken- SMELLY BOI. I love Ken. Ken may not be the smartest, but do not call him stupid! He just works things out differently. Ken can pick up on small things that many people miss due to his keen observation skills; his sense of smell, hearing, and vision are all heightened compared to a normal human being. He can almost “sniff” out illusions if they’re not very well done and he is a natural at catching someone in a lie. Ken canonically hates bathing but I can also see him being grubby in general- he doesn’t floss as much as he should or clean his ears, he has dirty nails, runs around barefoot a lot- stuff like that. Ken doesn’t eat his veggies either. He’s like that one tumblr post where Chikusa is the “Do you feel guilty when you dont eat vegetables/ only junk food for awhile and you need healthy food to feel better?” “Idk Kakipi I’ve only had soda and gushers for 3 days and I feel fine” “Ken...no...” That is Ken. Ken has a huge fear of doctors/dental offices in general, but I think one of the biggest things that he’s scared of is anesthesia and needles, even though these things are supposed to help. Seeing tanks of nitrous or the small plastic mask to go over one’s mouth and nose really drive up his anxiety. Only Chikusa and Mukuro can really calm him down and convince him everything will be okay. Even if the doctor is Verde/ someone he has developed a degree of trust, he still cannot control his PTSD. Ken hates wearing suits and he doesn’t really like getting new clothes either- not so much anything against new clothes, he just likes wearing the same smelly shirt 5 days out of the week if he can. Also, not a set in stone headcanon, but I can picture Ken being colorblind.

Chikusa- Chikusa is such an overlooked character aaah- Okay first off- Chikusa is not as smart as Mukuro, but smarter than Ken. He sometimes reads or peaks into the books that Mukuro is reading, and he does try to continue his education however way he can. There actually isn’t a subject he really dislikes, but Ken and M.M. tease him for still doing things like homework or reading the old textbooks they have despite none of them going to school. Chikusa is also one of the only few in the house to do chores: cleaning, cooking, making Ken take a bath, grocery shopping, etc. He can also do small sewing/stitches for mending holes and he learns small skills relatively quickly as long as they aren’t too complex. Despite his extreme loyalty to Mukuro and rarely seen without Ken tagging along, Chikusa is a very independent person. Introverted, but independent. He spends his time at home playing video games and listening to music, and when he needs to leave, he just goes out. Chikusa is a better functioning adult as a teenager than most adults LOL (minus the fact he has no bills to pay). Chikusa tries to save his allowance money but usually gives some to Ken for whatever small reason like a few extra tries in an arcade game, some junk food or comic, etc. He never brings it up or asks for money in return but sometimes sighs with reluctance. If he really doesn’t want to, he’ll say no, but there’s usually a reason (”Ken we need real groceries. I’m not eating gum for dinner.” “I need to replace my headphone cord” “I have a crack in my glasses” etc.) Opposite to Ken, Chikusa tries to have really good hygiene. The only thing that truly bothers him is that he can’t wash his hair as much as he’d like, but he covers it with his hat and possibly dry shampoo from M.M. if desperate.

Chikusa is ambidextrous. :v

ABOUT THE BARCODE- Okay so another person I rp’d with had the headcanon of Chikusa being a twin and the barcode being a way the Estraneo kept track of them, which I thought was fucking genius. Screencaps and manga scans show he didn’t have that tattoo as a kiddo/pre-Mukuro rampage, so technically it isn’t accurate, but it’s a thought nonetheless. I do consider the barcode a tattoo and not drawn on/temporary/birthmark/etc. I still like that idea as an honoring thing. Like if he had a twin who they marked but the twin died during an experiment so when they were out of there he did it as a we-will-never-be-apart thing.M.M. - MY DAUGHTERU. God M.M. is such a good character but people snub her because she’s a “bitch” and a woman (I say that because when Mammon is greedy it is cute but when M.M. is greedy she’s bad. Same with her attitude! If a male shounen character acted that way he’d be like, a princely type. So yeah I think a lot of M.M. hate comes from people who don’t respect women :T) 

ANYWAYS I genuinely love the idea of M.M.’s name/design/background having a small reference to the book series of Madeline. PROBLEM HERE IS I HAVE TWO HEADCANON BACKGROUNDS FOR HER AND I LIKE BOTH SO HERE THEY ARE: I headcanon her real name as Madeline, and the she was sent off to a wealthy all girl’s boarding school as a child. She lost her parents at a very young age and inherited a small fortune, but had nowhere to go. She would stay and live in the boarding school until school was out, and then stay with an estranged relative during the breaks. However, she quickly started staying at “friends” homes instead as her limited family did not look after her or have any interest in her actual well being. THE OTHER VERSION VERY SIMILAR BUT INSTEAD OF BEING WEALTHY SHE WAS VERY POOR AND SENT TO A WEALTHY SCHOOL. The idea of her either being a poor young girl who got a taste of riches and fucking took it or the idea of a young girl who grew up wealthy but was surrounded by people who wanted what she got made her be a lot harder and did a fuck you all I’m M.M. and I get what I want. I love both those ideas and I can see them both working as a background. Both M.M.s’ see how the capitalism really runs the world and the main difference is one just had to work a little more to get rich while the other had less of a struggle but equal amount of determination. M.M. learned quickly that she was rather “pretty” to men and with money, she wouldn’t have to run to anyone or need help from anyone.

To earn money, she started as a small petty thief and moved on to grander schemes quickly. M.M. was a talented shoplifter and would pick up on things she could sell off to the girl’s in school, and then for the big money she knows how to blackmail people and get dirt on anyone. A cheap disposable camera and risky photos can ruin a person’s life. A little bit of alcohol is all it really takes for someone to make a horrible mistake. Also a lot of alcohol can make someone pass out and lose all the money in their wallet. Although she never liked the business, I can see M.M. knowing the fastest cash she could make would be to sell drugs to other girls. A little coke here and there. Think of that post making fun of the group of white boys vs. hipsters with the caption “Who would pay more for weed?” M.M. knows who and knows how to convince them “this is some really rare good stuff that I stole from my parents~ Yknow it’s imported from Amsterdam~” or “Hey I heard you want to lose weight, yknow I know how you can be the thinnest girl in school~” M.M. is resourceful and cunning and she can and will prey on someone’s insecurities for money. M.M. has been arrested and does have a mugshot, but this was in the beginning of her thieving days and she was released later that night. She also may or may not have tried to seduce her guard(s). Also despite her flirting and knowing what she CAN do, she has never gone into sex work. She hasn’t met a man or woman who can afford her. She’s a virgin but she’ll lie about it/ leave it ambiguous just to see what pays more. :T

Now a lot of this all applies to her before she joined the Kokuyo gang. Mukuro had heard about M.M. when seeing her mugshot in a trashy gossip magazine. A young, pretty and precocious teenage girl with a natural talent of stealing? No family really known/ totally independent? Why not try and get her in your growing gang of misfits. She was hesitant at first, but Mukuro, in Verde’s own words, is extremely charismatic. Plus she finds him cute and really saw promise in his plans. She hates Kokuyo Land because of how dirty it is, and actually bothered to have her part of the hideout remodeled for her liking (a nice bed, a vanity in her room, a throw rug over the damaged floorboards, etc.) She managed to turn abandoned and run down into “shabby chic” but she’s hoping she can get it to a more Versailles tier one day. 

Not to bring up Twin Peaks again but after watching it I definitely get Audrey Horne vibes out of M.M.

M.M. has the highest education of the Kokuyo Gang and has actually has a very good understanding of chemistry. Her main passion though is music and she genuinely loves to play her clarinet in her room for fun. 

OTHER CHARACTERS!:

FUN “FACTS”:

M.M. is a Sephora VIB Rouge member and makes fun of people who have to shop at Ulta (except she does shop at Ulta when no one is looking.)

Each member of the Kokuyo Gang has a preferred fighting video game and main. (SIDE NOTE: I don’t play enough fighting games to be familiar with every character’s play styles in all games so these ideas can easily change) Mukuro- Mortal Kombat (I only played MK1 for genesis and MKX which I suck at but I can see him playing Scorpion and beating up Johnny Cage repeatedly), Ken- Tekken and probably mains Kuma (Ken can definitely tap the buttons fast enough for those combos), Chikusa- Street Fighter as Ryu/ he keeps things very classic (But usually he plays whatever Ken wants to play, so I can see him maybe playing a lot of Yoshimitsu),  and M.M. is Soul Calibur as Ivy, who is definitely 100% not overpowered. Also Fran plays Smash bros. and he’s probably a Mewtwo spamming lil shit. Or Metaknight.

Chikusa’s likes to go inside Tower Records and Mandarake stores, but rarely buys anything because of his limited finances.

They didn’t have cable until Verde moved in and would sometimes watch daytime television. Local news, daytime soaps, public tv anime, etc. Sometimes they rent videos for a night at home, or sneak into movie theaters with a little illusion help.

NONE OF THEM HAVE GONE TO A DOCTOR OR DENTIST (except M.M. and Fran when he was at his granny’s) because of their past trauma. When Team Verde was formed, Verde did a health assessment but has been unsuccessful at making any of them see a dentist. Especially Ken- but Ken does take better care of his channels.

i have so much more to type but oh fuck i went on sorry chi jkdsfnaksdfn

[matthewlance]

the makeover montage

Characters → Matthew Lance / Madeline De Witt [ @madsdewitt ]

Location → Clothing Store

Time Frame → A few days after Madeline asked Matt for advice with Oliver

Matthew waited around at the store Madeline texted him to meet her at, growing anxious since he wanted to get this over with

Madeline rushed to where she was supposed to meet Matt and smiled when she spotted him. “H-Hi! S-Sorry I took so long. I g-got caught up in a job.”

Matthew arched an eyebrow when Madeline arrived. “It’s fine. It’s not like I have better things to do.”

Madeline nodded her head and walked towards the store. “So wh-what am I supposed to do first? Like do I-I need more revealing clothes?”

Matthew followed behind, way behind so no one got any ideas of the two of them, and shrugged. “Don’t have to be revealing. Get things that make you feel confident when you wear them. Things that will make photographer boy drool, also.”

Madeline turned to Matt at what he said, making her roll her eyes. “I sh-should just dress as Princess Leia then,” she muttered and walked inside. Although Maddie was a model, most of the clothes she wore whenever she had an event was chosen to her by her stylist. Looking at some of the dresses, she then picked a few and turned to him. “Wh-What about this?” she asked, showing him a dress that hugged her body and showed some cleavage. “Wh-What d-does Kara wear?”

Matthew rolled his eyes at what he assumed was some nerdy reference before sighing when Madeline brought Kara up, keeping his attention on the dress. “Kara wore–wears–pretty revealing stuff. Mostly around me or when she’s going out. She wasn’t–isn’t–afraid of showing off her body.”

Madeline nodded her head. She knew that talking about Kara was something Matt didn’t like, but she couldn’t help it as she wanted to know what type of clothes she should wear. “So sh-should I not be scared of sh-showing off my body? I-I mean I’m not exactly curvy. I-I look l-like a twelve year old b-boy sometimes.”

Matthew sighed and gave a shrug. “Madeline, this is mostly about you feeling and acting confident to show Oliver a new side of you. To make him want you doesn’t always mean dress practically naked.”

Madeline sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “O-Okay, s-so I’m going to get these dresses then,” she mumbled and walked over to the cashier and quickly paid for her things. “H-How do I get my confidence. C-Can you p-pretend to be Oliver while I practice?”

Madeline joined the chat 3 hours ago

Matthew furrowed his eyebrows as he watched her go off and paid. “You’re not even gonna try those on?” He questioned, gesturing to the dresses. “How do you know you’ll feel sexy in them? I’m also offended you’d ask me to pretend to be Oliver.”

Madeline sighed when he asked if she as going to try them on. Letting the cashier know she was going to, Maddie then walked towards the changing room. “O-Okay, I’ll go t-try them one.” Slipping into one of the changing rooms, Maddie made sure the dress fit her before she stepped out. “What d-do you think?” she asked, tugging the dress down when it rode up a little.

Matthew followed her again, leaning up against a wall while Madeline changed. Once she was back out, Matt looked her over. “Do you feel sexy in it?”

Madeline looked down at her dress before looking at herself in the mirror, bitting her bottom lip. “I-I g-g-guess so. Do I look sexy in it?”

Matthew shrugged as he continues to look the brunette over. “Sexier than you did before.”

Madeline frowned at his comment before going back into the changing room to try on another dress. “What a-a-about this one?” she asked him. “I-If I were to dress like th-this in front of h-him. H-How do I act?”

Matthew rolled his eyes before sitting down on one of the seats. “I’m a better looking Oliver. How do you think you should act seeing me for the first time wearing that after what happened last time?”

Madeline frowned as she tried to figure out how she should act. “I-I mean I g-guess I would a-approach you with a smile. A-Ask you how you a-are and move c-closer to you. Is th-that how y-you act?”

Matthew exhaled deeply at the brunette. This was going to be harder than he already assumed it would be. “Sit down, Madeline,” he said, gesturing to the seat beside him with his head.

Madeline did as she was told and quickly sat down on the chair beside him. She could sense how frustrated he was getting. “Wh-What?”

Matthew watched the girl sit down and once she did, Matt sighed, licked his lips, and adjusted himself so that he could lean over a bit closer to her. “You look very nice in that dress,” he began, his eyes wandering over Madeline’s body before they moved up to meet hers. “You know, you really have no reason to be nervous or unsure. You in that dress…” his voice was softer and he reached over to touch the dress, making it seem as if he were feeling the fabric. “You walk into any room in that dress and all eyes are on you. That alone should make you feel like the sexiest girl in any room. Oliver won’t be able to stop staring. I know I can’t.” At this point, Matt had moved even closer where there was barely any space between their faces.

Madeline watched him nervously as he started to speak. Maddie could feel her heart racing and herself starting to sweat when she noticed his eyes wandering her body before her eyes widened as he touched her dress. “Wh-What are you d-d-d-d-doing?” she asked him in a nervous manner, her stutter becoming worse. Trying to back up a little, the things he was saying was starting to scare Maddie as this was not the Matt she knew. As far as she knew, Matt held no interest in her so him doing all this was starting to make her panic. Her eyes widened when he then moved closer to her, their eyes meeting as the space between them diminished.

Matthew remained quiet, noticing the look in her eyes before he reached up to grab her chin softly. His gaze flickered between Madeline’s lips and her eyes, intentionally building up the tension, but before things got any further, Matt quickly snapped back as he pulled away and cleared his throat. “And that’s how you flirt and create sexual tension. It’s not that hard. If I can do it with you, you can certainly do it on him.”

Madeline felt her cheeks start to heat up as he reached over to grab her chin. She nearly flinched at the contact, trying to figure out what the hell Matt was doing. There was no way he was interested in her right? He can’t be. There was no freaking way Matt was interested in her; the boy made it very clear. Her eyes followed his as it flickered to her lips and Maddie started to think things she definitely should not be thinking about. Getting lost in what Matt was doing, her cheeks heated even more before she started to feel something wet dripping down her nose. Her jaw dropped when he then pulled away and schooled her on flirting and creating tension. Realizing that Maddie was starting to get a nosebleed, Maddie looked away from him and cleared her throat before she cleaned her nose. “I-I-I-I hate you s-s-s-s-so much.”

Matthew had leaned back in his seat, smirking a little to himself at the way Madeline reacted until he turned back to face her and noticed the blood running down her nose. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Madeline wanted to just have the ground swallow her up as he asked her what was wrong. “I-I get nosebleeds. It’s n-not my fault. I don’t kn-know how to control it,” she admitted.

Matthew stared at the girl with a nearly disgusted looking expression before shaking his head and moving even farther away. “Yeah, don’t do that around Oliver. That’s not attractive at all.”

Madeline grabbed her purse and pulled out a tissue and cleaned herself. “Y-You got too close to me and y-y-you made me so freaking nervous. Please d-d-don’t ever do that again.”

Matthew scoffed, narrowing his eyes at Madeline. “I made you nervous? Or did I get you a little hot and bothered there? Oh my god, do you get nosebleeds when you get turned on?”

Madeline looked at Matt shocked when he asked her if she got nosebleeds when she was turned on, making her shake her head like crazy. “N-No! I d-don’t do that. I-I sh-should know. I’ve been t-t-turned on by O-Oliver before! It j-just happened b-because I was v-v-very nervous and scared and y-y-you’re not allowed to do that to me again!”

Matthew made a disgusted face, unable to stomach the idea of Madeline being turned on by Oliver. “That’s… gross as fuck. Did you bleed more or less from your nose than what you did just now?”

Madeline frowned at what he said, making her glare at him as she cleaned her nose. Once it was cleaned, she got up and tossed the tissue into the garbage bin. “I b-b-bled a whole r-r-river,” she said dryly and narrowed her eyes. “I-I w-w-wasn’t turned on by y-you.”

Matthew stood up and shrugged, stuffing his hands inside his pockets. “Sure, Madeline. Sure you weren’t turned on by me. Just like you didn’t just have a nosebleed.”

Madeline scoffed and narrowed her eyes at him. “I d-d-didn’t get t-t-turned on by you!” she said a little too loudly before blushing when she realized people could have heard her. “I-I don’t th-th-think about y-y-you that way at all.”

Matthew still didn’t believe what Madeline said. “Yeah, sure. Whatever. Anyway, what I was trying to say before you started to bleed all over the place due to your hormones, was that that’s how you flirt and whatever.”

Madeline blushed even harder at everything he was saying, making her huff before shaking her head. “I w-w-wasn’t bleeding all over th-the place. Y-You’re not my t-type at a-a-all.” Chewing on her bottom lip, Maddie then huffed. “C-Can I try?”

Matthew looked at Madeline with furrowed eyebrows and a small curious tilt of his head. “Try? Try what? What I just did?”

Madeline nodded her head as she looked at her friend nervously. “Y-Y-Yes. Can I-I try it on y-you?”

Matthew was skeptical, but ultimately sighed and gave her a small shrug. “Sure. Did you want me to sit or is standing okay for you?”

Madeline looked at him with surprise when he agreed to do it. She definitely wasn’t expecting it. “S-Standing I guess? M-Maybe we should g-get out of the store f-first?” she suggested.

Matthew narrowed his eyes. “Why? What’s the difference between here and out there? Are you going to walk out with the dress?”

Madeline walked towards him before placing a hand on Matt’s shirt and her hand grazing over it for a second. “I-I-I was hoping that we could b-b-be somewhere more private incase s-s-something else happens.”

Matthew stared at Madeline as she walked over and built the courage to place a hand on him. His lips slightly pursed to the side, a little impressed at what she was trying to do. Matt cleared his throat slightly and arched an eyebrow. “Something else?”

Madeline: shrugged seamlessly before looking around. She then looked at Matt with her lips slightly pouted before she slowly nodded her head. “Y-Yeah, y-y-you know somewhere more private…” Madeline trailed off with a mischievous grin.

Matthew had to give it to Madeline, she was really trying here. “Do you think you can handle going somewhere more private?”

Madeline looked away for a moment, pausing with her answer to make it seem as if she was thinking. “Why d-d-don’t you see and find out?” she urged him, leaning a little closer to him to give him a better view of her cleavage.

Matthew tried to hold a straight face as she spoke, clearing his throat when he noticed that she was actually giving him a view of her cleavage. Now that was something he thought he’d never see. “Is that all you’ve got?”

Madeline furrowed her brows at his question before she then sucked in a breath and started to move closer to him. Madeline only stopped once her body was pressed against Matt’s and she smirked. “L-L-Like I said, we sh-should go somewhere m-m-more private if y-you want to see wh-what else I got.” With shaky hands, she then moved it down until they were resting on top of the waistband of his jogging pants.

Matthew stared wide eyed at the girl before backing away, grabbing her hands and placing them at her sides. Admittedly, he was starting to feel a little uncomfortable, but he had to say that he was impressed by how far she was willing to go to prove herself. “Okay. Okay, you pass.”

Madeline grinned when Matt pulled her hand away and backed off. She couldn

Madeline grinned when Matt pulled her hand away and backed off. She couldn’t help but feel rather proud of herself that she had actually gotten to him. “G-Good enough th-th-then?” she wondered curiously

Matthew shrugged as he began to walk towards the exit of the changing rooms. “It’s gross being so close to you, but I’m sure Oliver would have bust a nut by now, so you’re good.”

Madeline frowned when he spoke badly about Oliver, making her follow him out the changing room. “J-J-Just admit th-th-that I seduced you. That’s a-a-all you have to admit,” she urged him. “A-A-And please don’t s-s-say gross things about Oliver l-like that. I-I’m sure he’s seen b-b-better things, like his r-roommate.”

Matthew scoffed and rolled his eyes, not bothering to look back at her. “I wasn’t seduced. I was getting grossed out. Don’t let it get to your head, Mormon.” It wasn’t until Madeline started to defend Oliver that he looked at the brunette. “Just because he’s seen better things doesn’t mean he wouldn’t have exploded all over himself. He seems like the type to have that happen often.”

Madeline huffed when he talked about being grossed out. She knew that Matt would never admit if he was turned on and she doubted that he was turned on by her but she was still rather frustrated it didn’t seem to work. “Wh-Wh-Whatever,” she muttered and shook her head. “I-I’m sure he’s n-not like that a-a-a-at all. You w-w-w-were probably like that o-o-once.” Walking towards the cashier, Maddie then started to pay for the clothes she wanted to buy.

Matthew laughed at her, shaking his head at what she was saying. “I would be offended if it weren’t so funny you’d think I was ever like Oliver. Also thank you for agreeing with me that he is probably like that. At least you’re not delusional.”

Madeline looked at Matt with slight anger before paying the cashier and following after Matt. “Th-Th-That’s n-not what I meant at all!” she exclaimed and shook her head. “Y-Y-You know what I-I-I mean. You’re j-j-just a creep who has s-s-sex way too much. Y-Y-You do that m-m-more than you breathe.”

Matthew walked towards the exit of the store and shrugged. “Having sex isn’t being creepy. You saying that just shows off how much of a virgin you are.”

Madeline shook her head at Matt. “There’s n-n-nothing wrong with b-b-being a v-v-virgin. I’m j-j-just waiting f-for someone that I c-c-can really connect with,” Maddie explained. “c-C-Can you honestly s-s-say that you don’t r-r-regret some of the p-p-people you slept with?”

Matthew stared at Madeline, pausing for a moment before looking away. “Well, yeah. Not every sex encounter was good, but that doesn’t mean I regret liking sex.”

Madeline scoffed. “I’m not s-s-saying that y-y-you regret liking s-s-sex, I’m just s-s-saying that d-don’t you wish you w-w-were a little more selective so th-that things are m-m-more different when y-y-you’re with someone you actually c-c-care about?”

Matthew rolled his eyes at the girl. “Sex is just sex. It doesn’t always have to be this magical journey. Yeah, with some people it’s better than others and other times it sucks so fucking bad. But sex is just sex for me. It doesn’t have to be some deep shit.”

Madeline answered back. “B-But d-don’t you just get tired of it? D-D-Don’t you e-e-ever just want to be w-with someone and just a-always experience th-that magical journey?” To a degree, Maddie understood that sex was just sex for some people, but Maddie wondered if people ever just got tired of just sex and hoped for more. “I j-just w-want to experience it w-w-with someone who m-m-matters to me b-because wh-what if th-the person I’m with i-isn’t gentle?”

Matthew stopped walking to face the brunette. “If I got tired of it, then I would stop. And for a while I did, but… Like I said, sex is just sex for me. It’s not the same for everyone. Clearly,” he said, gesturing towards her at his last word. “Oliver looks vanilla as fuck, so I’m sure you’re safe there. Or whatever. If you manage to get into his pants, that is.”

Madeline followed suit and stopped in front of him as well. “W-Would you t-trade all this t-t-to just get to stop and b-be with one person? Did y-y-you stop b-because you g-g-got tired of it or d-did you stop b-b-because you realized th-that just s-sex isn’t all th-that great?” Maddie asked curiously and cocked her head to the side. Feeling a little discouraged when he talked about Oliver, Maddie then ran a hand through her hair. “I-I-I was close, w-with a model,” she pointed out.

Matthew looked away. “I stopped because I’m not a cheater and didn’t feel the need or want to cheat on Kara,” he said, stating it as if it should have been obvious to Madeline. “Yeah, and you should have gone through with it. What a missed opportunity for you. Do you have his number?”

Madeline crossed her arms against her chest. “B-B-But why d-d-did you give it all u-up for her? B-Because you w-w-wanted something more w-with her? B-Because it was d-d-different with her? Th-That’s what I want,” she tried to explain. Madeline shook her head. “H-He stopped t-talking to me a-a-after I left him at m-my apartment and I w-w-was close with Oliver once too. It a-a-almost happened.”

Matthew rolled his eyes. “Look, sex and falling in love with someone are two different things. Sex doesn’t only have to occur when feelings are there. Sometimes you just need some sexual relief,” he explained before arching an eyebrow. “So you don’t still have his number?”

Madeline sighed in frustration. “B-But I w-w-want sex and f-feelings to be there. It’s h-h-how I want it to be,” Madeline explained before running a hand through her hair. “I w-w-want sexual r-relief with s-someone that I l-l-like.” Madeline then shook her head. “I-I do have his n-number.”

Matthew scoffed before laughing, unsurprised that she would be this type of girl. “Whatever gets you wet, I guess,” he said with a small shrug. When she revealed that she stil had the model’s number, Matt gave a smirk. “Maybe you shouldn’t keep your options limited here then.”

Madeline rolled her eyes at the blonde before sighing. “S-S-Sorry not everyone c-can d-d-do meaningless sex. D-Don’t y-you miss meaningful s-sex?” Madeline rolled her eyes again when he told her to keep her options open. “I-I want t-t-to try with Oliver first.”

Matthew was more than ready to head home now. “Whatever. Are we done here?”

Madeline nodded her head and looked at her clothes. “Y-Yeah w-w-we’re done. Th-Thank you.”

Matthew began to walk. “Alright. Bye, Madeline. Don’t forget the condoms.”

Madeline narrowed her eyes at the mention of condoms, making her shake her head. “S-Stop that. Bye!” she exclaimed as she started to walk off to the opposite direction.