#they and their ros balance each other out well

[cuerue]

i actually think it’s kind of funny that my canon dragon age protags have a pattern of “someone more serious/someone more carefree” pairings, and they take turns being a serious/carefree one too

[bitchimasnake-sss]

simple agreements ft. roronoa zoro!

anon asked "secret relationship w/ zoro". hope you enjoy your meal<3

set-up: you and zoro have only one thing in common: you loathe each-other. well, no, not really. another thing you have in common is how perfectly you ruin each other. his calloused hands mold you into his little plaything and your wicked moans are his demise. good luck fucking around my dude👍 [note that this drabble is set before the reader and zoro start dating!!] warnings: sex, so much sex. nsfw thoughts include blowjob, cunnilingus, shower sex, fingering, exhibition kink (slightly), creampie, lots and lots of porn logic too because why not buddy?

💚 there was nobody on this ship that you loathed more than the first mate. his cocky ass, his tendencies to think he was better than you and his massive dick ego. didn't help that your older brother sanji hated him too. but that's the exact reason why this felt so right. his weight was heavy against yours, his hand on your mouth to drown down any moans and sighs that fell past your pretty lips and his shy grunts against the shell of your ears. the swordsman pressed his chest to yours, trapping you between his towering figure and the wall of your shower. water droplets cascaded down his sculpted back, making their way over the ridges and scars as his dick abused your cunt. a harsh roll of his hips and his abs glided deliciously against your clit, making you shudder in pure, unfiltered ecstasy. "zo-zoro ngh fuc-" your muffled moans got trapped between his calloused palms and the sound of the shower running. it was all so lewd, so unbecoming of you.

the way his hand came off your mouth, trailing downwards your soaked body to support your hips. the way his mouth was on yours, chapped lips drinking up any wayward whimper you offered. the way you tipped your head upwards and he sunk his teeth against your collarbone, a mark to be kept hidden from the rest of the crew. "fu-uck, shi-" he snuck in a grunt. his pelvis smacked against yours and you caught your lips between your teeth to hold back the pornographic moans. he let out a airy chuckle, leveraging his abs to tease your pulsating clit with every hard back and forth of his cock against your throbbing cunt. his face dropped down into the crook of your neck, hot air hitting your cold skin in desperate pangs. with every shuddered hit of his cock, you found the coil in your gut tightening. with every tease against your puffy clit, you found your eyes rolling backwards and your pussy clenching automatically against the thick girth you were currently being split on. "zo-Ro- hah fucK FU-" your voice climbed up octaves and he found his needy lips against yours again, a silent request to keep quiet. his pace grew desperate, cock sliding in and out of you mindlessly. like goddamn animals in heat. with a particular sharp bite to your bottom lip, your vision went white. and he pulled out just to finish on your inner thighs, the white so beautiful against your skin. "fuck, zoro." you panted, breathless as you slumped against his broad chest. your cheek nestled against the scar that ran on his torso and he supported your figure through the jitters of his own aftershocks. after moments had passed in bliss, he finally lowered you downwards to the ground. you balanced your weight against the wet, tiled wall. zoro dropped his face forward, letting it nestle into the crook of your neck before whispering, "i forget just how much i love that fucking pussy." "how can you forget when we do this practically every third day?" you hummed, teasing, "but yeah, dick's not half bad." he raised his head upwards, lips curled into an amused smirk, "you should shower. i'm gonna leave before that shitty cook comes looking out for you and catches me fuckin' his baby sister." you pinched the taut skin of his bicep, throwing him a nasty look, "don't talk smack about sanji, asshole." but he just shrugged and walked away. before walking out, he looked back at you, giving you a rehearsed look, "my room tonight. after everyone's fallen asleep, yeah?"

💚well, you and zoro weren't an item. or friends with benefits. atleast that's what you had convinced yourself because godfuckingdammit he fucked good, but he was such a headache. he would always find ways to annoy you, to push your buttons, to raise your hackles. but both you and the mosshead had reduced it to only one simple equation: you guys fucked when you were horny and went back to the normal after that. simple as that. except nobody knew. so, you were just sneaking behind everyone's back. sometimes, when you were on your way to shower, zoro sneaked in, fucked you against those walls and left you to your own devices once he had seen the milky white against your skin. other times you were sprawled on his bed, choking down on moans as his nose teased your clit and his tongue dove into your wet folds, pulling out orgasms out of your convulsing body. one time, the crew was out to explore the town, and you sneaked in on him, waking him up with the feel of your mouth on his dick. as i said: simple equation of giving and taking, limited to closed doors and sleepless nights. it was not more than that.

💚but now the swordsman was crossing that line, trying to take you all for himself in front of everyone. you had docked next to a barren beach island, and it was your captain's idea that you should all have a campfire. the entire crew was huddled next to the fire, lounging on sunbathing chairs (robin's favorites) that they had brought down from the deck. despite your brother's loud protests, nami had dared you to sit on zoro's lap on of the chairs after playing an impromptu game of truth or dare. she claimed "it would be hilarious." but you knew that she knew that you were both fucking around. and naturally, she just wanted to make you and zoro squirm. eitherways, nami had persisted and zoro had given in after much tight-lipped remarks. you gave him a sorry smile as you dropped your body weight on him. your plush thighs were set aside on one side as you were perched on the swordman's lap. but his hands found your hips, his touch so familiar yet distant, and he re-adjusted you such that you were now straddling him. thighs on either side of him, you leaned back onto him. and you could feel the light thump of his heartbeat light pangs of air across the back of your neck. as seconds turned into minutes and minutes into hours, you found your body growing hot. found your hips shifting on their own, trying to tease, to coax out any fucking reaction out of him. but, behind you zoro had closed his eyes, the soft rise and fall of his chest so achingly familiar. and now, you were stuck with a animalistic feeling churning in your core, ready to be satisfied by his thick fingers. after much squirming and practically no reaction from him (other than a half-hearted erection poking against your wet slit), you huffed in defeat and focused on the crew. your eyes swept over the scene in front of you; robin and franky talked among themselves over something. brook sung as luffy, chopper and ussop put on a dance performance. nami was helping sanji cook something on the grill. but none of it was good enough to take your mind off your weeping cunt, the slick dripping out and latching onto the cotton underwear as a desperate cry for relief. you pressed your hot core against his clothed tent and pressed down. a silent plea. do something, please. but ofcourse, zoro, ever the (not) gentleman just groaned lowly, not even bothering to crack open an eye to see your crumbling state. and you had to take matters in your own hands.

💚you had given them all a half-hearted excuse, telling them "i'm not feeling the best, i think im gonna go lay down." just to sneak into your room and buck your hips wildly against your own palm, trying to feel something. your gate was pushed back and you quickly pulled your hand out of your shorts, acting as if you were asleep. "quit actin'." the swordsman quipped up, amused, "i know you're not sick. what? hiding away from the crew to come fuck yourself? that's a bit desperate, isn't it?" "i wouldn't have been this desperate had you not been so unresponsive." "oh?" he raised an eyebrow, his larger hands grabbing you by your wrists and taking you outside, "come on then." "wha-t? zoro?" you tried to ask but he brought you out to the deck instead. he pressed your front against the railings, making you peer down at your crewmates instead. it was well into the night and on a moonless night as the one today, you are zoro were practically hidden in plain sight. the crew was unassuming, they were dancing and singing and you found sanji looking upwards at the ship every now and then, possibly wondering about you. "zoro?" you whispered again but he pressed his back to you, forcing your skin to touch the cold metal. he kissed away at the goosebumps that painted your skin, his hands trailing down to cup your ass and squeeze it. his breath was hot on your shoulder, "i'm sorry," he mumbled in mock distress, "did i ignore you too much?" bringing his hand to your front, he slipped it past the waistband of your shorts. feeling the wet patch on the fabric, you found his lips curled into a feral grin against your skin, "ah? so fuckin' wet already?" "pl-please," your words had lost all resolve, dissolving into the cold night air. he pressed an open mouthed kiss on your shoulder, travelling up to your neck as his index finger pressed down on your clit, "please what?" "—please fuck me" "awh, so fucking desperate." he cooed in your ear as his hands pulled down your shorts and panties down in one swift go. the night air was too rough on your exposed, sensitive pussy. zoro pressed his hand over your core, "not so soon, let's have some fun, yeah?"

💚"nghh- fucK fuck fuck" you bit down on your lip, eyes glistening with unresolved tears as his fingers pumped in and out of you. his other hand was teasing your clit, abusing the bundle of nerves to deliver your third orgasm. your body jerked, shivered, burned under his touch. and you spoke hoarsely, "zo-zoro stop, stop please." he licked a clean stripe up your neck, nibbling on the lobe of your ear, "why would i do that?" "they're gonna- he-hear me —ngh shit." your knees bucked as he pushed his fingers in and out of you faster. your eyes fluttered shut, mouth agape and chest heaving, "i-i'm gonna cum, i can't." "come on, one more." he huffed as your walls spasmed around his digits and you came undone on him once more with a silent cry lodged in your throat. you slumped forward, forehead glistening with sweat and words barely a coherent audio. and then, sanji looked up again, straight at you somehow, "HEY!" he yelled from below, "YOU OKAY? FEELING ANY BETTER?" your eyes widened at the possibility of your brother seeing you get ruined at the hands of his crewmate but when sanji gave you a genuine smile and yelled up, "SHOULD I COME UP AND LOOK AFTER YOU?", you realized he must not have been able to see zoro behind you. zoro who ran his palm up and down your body till he saw fit. zoro who had apparently caught onto the fact that sanji can't see him. zoro who was dragging his cock against your quivering cunt as gathering your sweet juices at his tip. your breath got caught in your throat and any words you wanted to say to sanji got locked there. but zoro egged you on from behind, cooing softly, "answer him." his tip teased your overstimulated pussy, "if he comes up, he's gonna see you get fucked like my personal fucking slut." that made your voice return to your tongue. "NO! DON'T COME UP!" you yelled back at sanji, voice weak and worn out, "I'M O-" and zoro decided it was a great time to sink his cock into your velvety hole, "OH- OKAY! I'M OKAY." sanji looked up at you skeptical and so did the whole crew. you gave them a smile (which wouldn't have been visible in the night anyways) and yelled back, "YOU GUYS ENJOY OKAY? I AM JUST GON-ah ah- GONNA OBSERVE FROM ABOVE! KIN-DA TIRED IS ALL!" all while zoro dragged his hungry cock into you, pounding into you at an animalistic pace. it's a miracle that the crew went back to what they were doing although sanji casted dubious looks on your wrecked figure every once in a while.

"zo-zoro" you whispered slowly, once you were sure they weren't looking at you, "don't, they're gon' they're gonna see." but the idea of getting caught, the idea of the entire crew seeing just how well you took his dick made him go insane. it made him move faster, harder, almost in a way that had you crying out for any god to get salvation. his hands dug into the flesh of your hips, "let them see, hah— i wanna show everyone what i've done to their pretty, little girl. turned her into a fucking whore— fuck, my whore." and he fucked into your spasming walls harder. you came undone on his cock, your throbbing core clenching and squeezing down on him till he lost sight of himself. his breath grew ragged, hands dug harder into your flesh as if to seer himself there, his thrusts became more and more erratic till he found himself spilling inside your abused hole. zoro stumbled forward, slumping against your back. his dick still stuffed inside of you, his hot fluid still trapped inside you. "hah-shit." the swordsman panted and you breathed hard along with him, finding some comfort in the way your rapid breaths aligned. he pulled out of you and zoro moaned quietly at the view of your pussy fluttering around nothing as the milky fluid travel down your thighs. he whispered, so low you could barely hear him, "you're so fuckin' gorgeous, fuck." and then, he found himself picking you up in his arm and taking you to the bathroom. you looked up at the swordsman and drunk in his features. the sweat beads cascading down his neck, his reddened bottom lip (possibly from stopping himself to make sounds) and his furrowed brows as he looked down at you. he asked, "what?" "nothing." you shook your head. a grin made it's way onto his face, a devious idea brewing in his head, "what do you say, round two in the shower?"

a/n: oh my, i woke up and wrote smut first thing in the morning, how wonderful :); [the plain divider by @viixcyre and flower one by @plutism]

[yuri-is-online]

TD anon here, I do feel you on the "torture" scene with Taiga, I didn't want my last ask getting any longer lmao.

While the scene definitely made me squeal, for me personally it was undercut by the emotionally charged scene that happened immediately after with Romeo lmao. It's exactly how I felt with Frostheim too, being excited over the dance with Jin, and then immediately after we get the cigarette kiss scene with Jin and Tohma LOL. But it only makes sense, MC has only just showed up at the school, not enough time to bond, and honestly with these kinds of joseimuke games I don't have much expectations of interactions between the cast and MC so in TD she's already much more involved with the whole comic thing anyways.

Eating the Like Dove raw... was really a raw scene lol. He seems to be attracted to blood for some reason? Since he paused when MC's cut started bleeding, I think he was about to lick the blood tbh.

And yeah I do wonder if his shoddy memory has anything to do with his deal's cost. Another vibe theory time, I feel like his fear of the Like Dove might've been... ingrained in him somehow? Maybe he had a run-in before but can't remember it. The reason why I think this is because when MC met him alone, when she reminded him that she was the Honor student, his response was "Oh no wonder I didn't kill you on the spot", he literally forgot about her but his body/instinct made him aware she's someone he's not supposed to kill.... if that makes sense?

He feels like an even bigger enigma than Towa, I'm curious to know what's going on in his head in the moments he goes eerily quiet. Not to mention he's the poster boy of the game, has to be a reason. Luca feels more in line to be the poster boy but it's Taiga...

I enjoyed Haru's drunk spiel about how helpful MC is lol. Also my eyes going wide when Rui said he wants to know what she's made of too... what does that mean....... I need more Rui content, I love his blatant flirtations lol. I got a campus event with Rui, Haru and Romeo in the bar before I even read the chapter, their unexpected friendship is very cute ngl.

(sorry in case this is sent repeatedly, smth wrong with my net atm)

Generally speaking I have found tumblr doesn't post or send things twice but it sure as hell reblogs them with the same tags 42 times making me look like some sort of freak

for me personally it was undercut by the emotionally charged scene that happened immediately after

Yeah I get this. The cigarette kiss with Tohma and Jin took me off guard, but that was mostly because I thought this was an otome game? Come to think of it I don't think we've had confirmation of the whole joseimuke v otome game thing beyond the existence of the like dove and individual character affinity... Well and that when this was announced it was supposed to be an otome game. I know that the otome games subreddit has been having some, shall we say spirited? Discussions lately about how players feel about ros getting into relationships with each other. The general opinion was that a lot of times the ro x ro relationships feel more fleshed out that the ro x mc ones, and I agree. I actually stopped writing something I wanted to be an otome game because the story started shaping up to be more about the mc's mentor than them, and I personally do not think that is very fun. People do like laid back mcs, they do not like mcs who have no place in the narrative, and some writers aren't good at balancing that. TDB mc is doing pretty well when it comes to interactions with the main cast compared to something like Twisted Wonderland if what you want is explicit romance, so far it feels like Season 1 of og Obey Me! from what I remember of that game, so we'll see.

I didn't get the same level of intimacy from Romeo and Taiga as I did Jin and Tohma? But I think that's because in both cases I thought the like dove had appeared before Romeo got there and was talking to Taiga and the second scene made me think Taiga was angry at him for interrupting his "fun." Whatever that "fun" was going to wind up being because yeeeeeah he seems like he has a blood kink of some sort. I think he was going to suck on it and bite her a bit, but licking seems like a logical first step and less influenced by what's wrong with me. Like I said over here the scene with the Like Dove fascinates me... it says more about Taiga than any other character in the game that we get to see the dove twice and that when given the chance he shoots and eats it... if that isn't a metaphor for denial and emotional repression then I am not sure what is.

he literally forgot about her but his body/instinct made him aware she's someone he's not supposed to kill…. if that makes sense?

YES. I wanted to talk about this but it sort of got into conspiracy theory territory and my answer was getting long. I don't know if anyone remembers, but waaaay back in Book 1 when mc tries to escape the school she isn't able to get anyone's attention. It's like they don't see her, is that because of her curse or is it because of preventative measures put in place by the school? I want to lean towards the latter because it makes more sense BUT I also want to be delusional and say that it's part of mc's curse. There's something about Taiga's instinctual fear of the Like Dove and his comments to the mc that make me think his body knows her but his paranoia and memory issues keep him from knowing it.

This is just me writing fan fic... but Taiga is technically the first ghoul you meet. He is the poster boy of the game, he is the first person to bring mc into the main loop and tell her there's a spy. I want so badly for him to have known her at some point but to have been robbed of his memories... Romeo seems to think he is trying to forget stuff on purpose "gone off the deep end" and "escape reality" are both things he says to describe him though granted that last one was due to a misunderstanding about what Taiga was trying to do with the anomaly. Something real bad happened last year, something I feel like Taiga doesn't want to acknowledge unless he can get revenge on whoever caused it. I mentioned in another post, but I sort of want MC to have something to do with Clementia and that's why she's there at the dorm beyond it just being empty due to the clash. (I do get why Luca isn't the poster boy; he's not a dorm captain and those seem to be what the game wants to push. well them and towa lol)

Haru and Rui

Rui is a bar tender who is described as being "popular with the female students" probably because of how flirty he is ha. I love his dynamic with Haru and Romeo, just a barman and his two favorite customers shooting the shit and trying to relax. Rui is cursed to kill whoever he touches, so I think he wants to talk with MC more because he can relate to her in a very unique way. And he got gate kept from doing so by Haku in book one so he's extra curious now. I have his SR so I'll put him on my homescreen for a bit and see what voice lines I can shake out of him. For the little bit I did have him there he called him and mc "curse twins" which I thought was very cute. In a dark sort of way. The entire section at the Obscuary bar endeared me to all three of those idiots.

But especially Haru. He called Peekaboo his child this chapter too ;-; he's such a good dad. I wonder if he is going to show up next books at all? Or if it's going to be like the previous books and we'll instead see Taiga and maaaaybe Towa? Since he's friends with Zenji. Nothing to do but wait for May 0-0

[florencetypemaniacs]

Now that you mentioned that the RO's have reactions to MC dating one of them... What would they think of MC dating Owen? Especially an MC that is always nice and of a sunny disposition.

I appreciate the ask! Omg, the thought of Sunny!MC × Owen is just too cute for me!!! 🥺

💛 Marcel

Marcel would be so happy for Owen. Owen is one of his dear friends, so for him to find love is heartwarming to Marcel. 

I could see Marcel watching MC, who, as always, has a sunny disposition on their face, being followed by Owen and just smiling to himself. 

🧡 Margaret

Happy but confused, MC and Owen are so different, so how do they make it work? 

But as soon as Margaret sees Owen with MC, she can tell something is different about him, and it is a good difference that she just can't help but grin. 

💙 Rosemary

Not surprised. I mean, Owen and Rosemary are close, so she would imagine that Owen would need someone to balance him out. 

She would make some sly comments about MC's sunny attitude being good for the bedroom. Who doesn't like optimism? But deep down, behind the teasing, she would be glad that Owen has found someone to fall in love with again and wishes him all the happiness. 

🩵 Tai

Tai would just shrug; it wasn't any of his business; however, he would be a little concerned about the consequences this union could have when dealing with the demonic court and their jobs as a whole. 

There are rules in place for a reason, and while Tai would never admit this out loud, he would be devastated if something happened to Owen and MC due to some feelings that were left unchecked. 

💚 Zane

As of right now? Zane couldn't care less about MC's relationship. Well, that's not true; he could use MC and Owen's feelings for each other against one another to reach his goals. 

But if/when MC forms some kind of friendship with Zane, he might make a comment like...

"You two are like strawberries and cheese. You guys shouldn't mix, but you do...." 

[girlfromthecrypt]

Okay so i already lost my mind alil during Sawyers route. But i truly did love the update!

I will not even mention that i already told you i didn't trust your damn hide and seek game....

It was great!

I loved every RO interaction tho Flo is just the sweetest most lovable dude in the history of IFs. I love him so much. He leaves my poor MC speechless alot. And him coming to save the day was kinda hot ngl.

I loved all the effort you put in with the kids interaction it truly is a reflection that this isn't just a romance game or a creepy let's freak out liz game. 🙄

But it's also about the kids and they are just the sweetest. I love how you wrote the whole bullying scenario. God i deal with alot of those and you wrote it so well! And the kids all shine and i love how they have such different personalities and that it actually differentiates and shows when you read about them.

Sawyer was....sawyer.... idk. I can't say anymore about them other than they are gunning for Flo's top RO spot

I also love all the effort you put into the special moments with each RO and the kids and especially just the tattoos. Those were so dope and alot of effort. Shut up. Don't say it was nothing 😒

The game really is becoming a great balance of fun, romance and creepiness... i always try to ignore the creepiness until I'm telling some creepy voice to fuck off and that they can't join but that's just a regular update with u at this point. 🙄❤️

Lol so is "let's freak out liz" a whole genre, or...? xD

Yeah I recently had to work with a bunch of elementary school kids in kind of a similar setting to the one I'm writing about (I may or may not have known I would be doing this for a long time and it may or may not have inspired me to write Such Happy Campers in the first place) and it was EXHAUSTING but damn, did it give me some fun ideas for SHC. Kids are so... weird and silly and they're ALWAYS fighting. So yeah this experience has convinced me even more to make the campers stand out.

Also, a lot of the stuff I write into SHC relates to stuff I've seen and common experiences from my friends and family and me growing up. And venting about school system.

And no, I won't even say the tattoos were nothing. That shit was so. Damn. Extensive. Especially for something that's probably not gonna come up again. I'm convinced that it was worth it but ayyy it was a lot.

Btw I'm really really glad you're still enjoying this game and that you still love Flo (and also Sawyer hehe) and thanks for always writing these long asks I love them!!

[infamous-if]

this could be controversial but do you think any of the ros in the cast (or non ro cast if you have someone!) could theoretically be good together romantically (outside of the obvious valenreign lmao) and if so who 👀

Seven and Rowan. Or Seven and Jazzy. They were pretty close. Seven and Jazzy had some special connection going on back when they were all friends (platonically/also not as strong as Seven and MC) Seven and Rowan hung out a lot! And were super close.

Orion and Victoria, they approach affection and love VERY differently but I feel like that'd balance them out.

(I kind of ship Victoria and Seven pls don't kill me)(they will never happen i don't even think they talk to each other much in the story. do they? we'll see.)

( I ship MC with Seven the most (as well as the other ROs) due to their history but if MC didn't exist...)

Rowan and G lmao I can see that too. There's actually a deleted scene in which Rowan tells G: "im in love with you" when G comes backstage before the winners are announced. Victoria's reaction is basically like "yeah u and everyone else, get in line" while G's ego is exploding. Honestly...I should've kept it lmao

Orion and August would be funny. Sebastian and G too, but realistically Sebastian and Victoria would be a great pairing.

Devyn and Victoria would be sweet.

Oh, can't forget my favs: Avina and Seven LMAO

[thealogie]

q&a report q&a report (late but better than never) q&a report i didn't catch quiiiite everything in detail but i did my very best

we got: dt ros watt (malcolm) jatinder singh randhawa (porter) cal macaninch (banquo) casper knopf (fleance, the kid actor) alasdair macrae (musician, murderer) annie grace (gentlewoman, musician) and i think? kathleen macinnes (singer)

the last three people all shuffled in a bit apart from each other after the round of everyone introducing themselves by name and character was already over so i'm not sure i caught them all accurately. i'll refer to people by first names

during the introduction round i think casper started introducing himself and got kid applause so the audience ended up giving every single person a sped up little round of applause like a cute lil call and response rhythm between introduction - applause of very specific short length which was kind of funny. the cast joined in for each others as well and everyone made funny faces while applauding.

most questions were asked by the moderator

question: What did you think about the production when they first heard about it? cal was confused but intrigued. a lot of "not sure how it was going to work or feel like". when david and cush got on it the binaural audio wasn't yet firmly part of the concept but he was intrigued by the approach through trauma and how that affects the macbeths' relationship.

question: Wow was it for them with the binaural audio knowing the experience is different for the audience? what do they think? dt: we don't quite now how it comes together. the sounds are all cued off us actors, not the other way around. all i know is without Laura we would be fucked! (Laura = live sound mixing person) ros: we never quite know how it sounds for the audience, we were able to put on headphones and experience scenes we're not in in rehearsal, but i want to watch the whole thing! the cue speakers have some stripped down sounds and music that are relevant for the actors. but the audio choices enabled us to create intimacy jatinder: i think it makes the audience better able to relate to mental health struggles and trauma, giving what happens in the characters heads into your heads and relate it to your own experience. i think everyone here in the room has some of their own experiences with mental health and… voices in their head

question to the musicians: how does your work add to the concept and experience? kathleen (i think mostly, but the other musicians might also have weighed in): music enables us to place the text in a very Scottish place, but without getting in the way of the text. The headphones make it possible that it mixes with all the layers, balancing between music, sounds and lines is possible thanks to the technology. you can have loudly, energetically played music but then mix it at a level where it doesn't interfere with lines, when usually you would have to play quietly to let the text come through, which creates a different atmosphere. kathleen: i was advised to sing when nobody is speaking and turn that to humming when somebody is. so it was also very useful to have the glass box and always see what is happening on stage.

question about the porter scene: how did that come to pass, especially making a more modern version out of it? jatinder: decided together with max to just play it and see where it goes, starting with improvisation and then fleshing it out. there was an interest in finding a modern equivalent to the original jokes that audiences would perceive in a similar way as audiences back then would have related to the original jokes. the scene purposefully takes a bit of the intensity out - basically an emotional intermission in the middle of this really intense and dark journey. but my job was also in the end of the scene to bring the audience back into it.

question to david: What makes you come back to the big parts? dt: Well, Max had a good idea and I like Max. I liked the idea of the themes of PTSD and child loss and I like the donmar warehouse. i performed here 20 years ago, which is remarkable because i'm in my mid twenties right now! (laughs all around). there's something a bit magical about this space and doing an olympic event of a part like this one in this intimate of a space.

audience member question to Casper (kid): What is your favorite bit of the play? casper: my favorite bits are the murdering… or the attempt to murder. (laughs all around) But no, seriously. I like scenes where I'm not being killed and I'm having a conversation with someone that's not about death. different cast member (not sure who): -Is- there even a scene like that? (everyone laughs) dt, turning to Casper kind of conspiratorially: My favorite bit every night is the audience's reaction to your neck getting broken. (raised eyebrows, nodding to the audience with a wide grin) That's always something.

audience member question: Do you notice the audience being different in any way with the headphones compared to your experiences in other plays? different cast members answer in bits and pieces (sometimes i have a vague memory who it was…) ros: with the headphones sometimes people are louder, sometimes i feel like you are more connected and zoned in on us! maybe because you don't have the opportunity to talk to your neighbor maybe… somebody else: i feel like it's very quiet and there is somehow less coughing than usual. (laughs around) i don't know why that is!!

audience member question: What other productions of macbeth influenced this one: [here be the the answer part with david's ian mckellen impression, see the other post] musicians (i think annie): we came straight, literally no break, from the RSC's macbeth production so we really had to empty our brains. there was no break in between, but the music is very different and Max's vision also very different, so we really had to unlearn parts

audience member question: The physical theatre stuff, the witch swarm, how did that come about? ros: We really tried to think more of what would be a physical representation of the voices in somebody's head. Everybody in Macbeth's life is watching, taunting, staring at him. It was always more about the intention of the movement, what these voices want to do to him and less what the movement itself is.

THANK YOU for transcribing all of this. I love getting an explanation for what the swarm of witches were meant to represent! It really did feel like a dance/feeling more than a literal scene and it’s fun to know that was sort of the intent. (Also the neck snapping bit - I also loved the audience’s reaction to that every night.)

[iced-if]

Care to share some facts about the ROs?

Of course. I've actually already shared a fact about each of the ROs in the moodboard, but I'm not against sharing some more about them!

----------

Anuman - They can sketch, really well. They first started it out of curiosity from watching forensic artists, but it's slowly became a way to sketch out any intense emotions and desires they keep under lock and key.

Zhong - Afternoons are their favourite time of day, especially when it's sunny. However, instead of planning excursions to go on, they'd rather spend that time lazing around or napping.

Ramirez - They know how to hold five young children at the same time, balancing two on each arm and having one sit on their shoulders. Of course, the children have to be light enough in order to be carried like that.

Lambert - Has a habit of chewing when their nervous. This includes not only their lips, but their clothing. A lot of their hoodies tend to be frayed at the ends of the sleeves as a result.

Moore - Often copies mannerisms with the person they're talking to when they're really focused on what the other is saying. It's a habit they picked up from childhood with people they care a lot about.

[breachverse]

Breach: Chicago War Zone - WIP Update 13 - 20th of December 2022

What's this? Another update less than a month apart?? Has Christmas come early?!

No, no it hasn't come early… But this update has.

Update 13 has been released! Chapter 2 Part 2 for both routes have started all the way up to the first chance of a downtime. Though you can't hangout with anyone or train your skills, or visit the shop, at least the chapters have started. :sweat_smile:

Breach: Chicago War Zone (Updated)

DEVELOPMENT LOG#13 (20-December-2022)

(B2.1.1.22.12.20)

Alpha - 13

Squashing them bugs and fixing them typos

Added main links to Breach page

Added randomization change option to chapter settings

Added checks display change option to chapter settings

Added maps to Show Stats menu (Look in the phone menu)

Fixed heist planning not sequencing correctly

Started Chapter 2 Part 2 of The AA branch

Started Chapter 2 Part 2 of The FBI branch

Reintroduced dual wield system

Alpha - 13.5

Added route indicators on the Show Stats screen

Added additional lore information in the Show Stats screen

W.I.P.: Chapter 2 Part 2 of The AA branch (23%) W.I.P.: Chapter 2 Part 2 of The FBI branch (23%) W.I.P.: AA Hangout (9%) W.I.P.: AA Store system (25%) W.I.P.: FBI Hangout (9%) W.I.P.: FBI Store system (25%) W.I.P.: Stat screen upgrade (30%) COMPLETED: Chapter 2 Part 1 of The AA branch (100%) COMPLETED: Chapter 2 Part 1 of The FBI branch (100%)

Word Count: 637,822 words including codes (Last update was 593,471)

I personally did not expect to be able to finish another update of this size this quick, but here it is. I've finally gotten most of my affairs in order just in time for Christmas and New Year.

My head and stomach hurts but lately I've been given a ton of motivation to continue writing so, here we are. Around 44 thousand words overall. Not too bad considering it's only a month apart.

There's not really much news, since the last update was only a month ago, but, as for myself personally, I am fine. I'm still dealing with a ton of family issues and trying to juggle work, rest, and self care. But, I think I've found a good balance. I hope…

I did the head count of the hangouts, and, well, there's going to be at least 51 hangouts, if I'm doing 3 hangouts for each character. That is currently 17 total ROs, not including future ones. Also not included are the 3 side jobs for each route (Except the independent route)

So, in total, on top of the main story, which is 16 chapters in total for both The Archangel and the FBI route, PLUS 2 chapters for the Independent route…

Breach: Chicago War Zone will also be getting 51 hangouts with all the different characters, with three hangouts per character (Including the trio). You'll be able to romance 17 characters, as well as go on 6 different side missions to unlock special sets of weapons, armor, and gear at the TWO stores available in the game.

… Yeah, I uh… I've… dug a hole for myself here.

But, it's not like I'm gonna stop writing, so, here we go!

Much love!

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

Link to the CoG Forums post

I also have a Discord server!

[dropout-if]

Hi! The last asks got me thinking about a poly relationship with mc x liv x kai. I know you already said that liv isnt going to be a full romance, so I was thinking how a hypothetical poly between the three of them would look like and I'd love to see your opinion about it 🥹

I have to admit I did think about it! I was really tempted too. It would have to be a V poly (Kai and Liv dating each other would just not work out) btw.

A hypothetical poly between them would be a headache for MC, I think gksngn

Kai and Liv live a very free-spirited lifestyle. They move around, rarely settle down at a specific location for too long, party a lot— they're a mess together. And they like it that way, but it's not entirely healthy for either of them. The only reason Liv and Kai's platonic/sexual/friends-with-benefits relationship works so well is because they adore each other to the moon and back. Just not romantically.

The thing that sets Kai and Liv apart, and the reason Kai is a RO, is their (eventual) willingness to balance a life that makes them happy with a committed relationship (and how these two manage to merge as they grow).

Liv isn't willing to change. She's happy with the way she's living, and so she would probably want her relationship with Kai and MC to be open. Then, she'd eventually grow tired, her feelings would... stop, and she'd ask the two of them to be just friends with her again. Liv is an amazing friend. She's also a very fickle girlfriend.

[nadinebrooks]

Here is the link to my masterlist.

Your Best Friend

Harry: Gryffindor, halfblood, same year

Neville Longbottom: At first it seemed like an unlikely pairing, but at the same time it just made sense. You had such an outgoing and bubbly personality while Neville was more introverted and kept to himself. You two perfectly balanced each other out. The two of you met the first day you arrived at Hogwarts. Once the hat placed you in Gryffindor, you sat down by him and promptly introduced yourself. Whenever people made fun of Neville, you were always there to stand up for him. He didn’t need to say it, but you knew that he was thankful to have you there when Draco was feeling particularly mouthy that day. You were able to bring out that fun and energetic side of him that had been longing to come out while he was able to bring you back down to earth. 

Ron: Ravenclaw, muggleborn, year above

Hermione Granger: It was no surprise to anyone that you and Hermione became quick friends once you had gotten talking to each other. At first Ron was a little hesitant to officially introduce the two of you once he became romantically involved with you. Ginny told him that there was nothing to be worried about. She knew that the two of you would get along pretty well. A lot of the students at Hogwarts were always comparing you two which could be a little annoying sometimes. Sometimes you joke about how she should have been placed in Ravenclaw with you. Even though you had never expressed this out loud to her, you did question why the hat hadn’t placed her in Ravenclaw. You had also wondered what that would be like - having your best friend in the same house as you. Even though you two were similar in the academic aspect of your lives, you were completely different in almost every other way. 

Draco: Slytherin, pureblood, year below

Blaise Zabini: You two practically grew up together. He knew you better than you knew yourself. You didn’t even have to say anything and Blaise already knew what you were thinking. He was good at finishing your sentences and even better at giving you advice. Even if that advice wasn’t something that you wanted to hear. But he didn’t care. He had never been one to sugarcoat things. Your family was surprised when you had taken an interest in Draco rather than him. Contrary to popular belief, you and Blaise had never been romantically involved in any way. Most girls stayed away from him because they thought he was into you. It was the same for you; most guys avoid you too. From time to time Draco did get jealous, but the both of you told him to get over himself. 

George: Slytherin, halfblood, same year

Angelina Johnson: George loved the idea of two of the most important women in his life being close friends. At first Angelina wanted absolutely nothing to do with you. Slytherin weren’t known for having the best reputation at Hogwarts and you completely understood where Angelina was coming from. When he asked Angelina to spend some time with you, she told him off and stormed away. There was no way she would hangout with a Slytherin if she could help it. But as she was thinking about it, she realized she had never heard a bad thing about you. Whenever she saw you walking around the castle, you were always smiling at everyone. She started noticing that in the classes you took together, you would go out of your way to help anyone that needed it. You would help classmates study for Herbology exams and practice wand movements for Transfigurations. Angelina was a little confused as to why you had been placed in Slytherin. She could see you in any house but that one. When she asked Geoge about it, he just shrugged and said that’s what the hat wanted. One day George had gotten tired of Angelina coming up with excuses as to why she couldn’t spend some time with you. So being the sneaky redhead that he was, he managed to trick Angelina and lock her in the same room as you. An hour later, he came back to let her out. He expected the room to be completely silent, but he was met with the two of you giggling so hard that she had tears streaming down her cheeks.  

Fred: Gryffindor, pureblood, 2 years below (same as Trio)

Ginny Weasley: Ginny Weasley was a friendly girl and had lots of people who she considered her friend. It was an honor for Ginny to call you her best friend. You were a little more on the quiet side so it was harder for you to make friends. Even though you were a year older than Ginny, it felt like she had taken you under her wing. Before you and Fred started seeing each other, you mentioned staying at Hogwarts during Christmas break, but Fred refused to let that happen when he knew that his mum was more than willing to have you at their home. At the Weasley’s house, you found yourself lodging in Ginny’s room. Ginny said it was like pulling teeth to get you to talk to her, but eventually she managed to break through that exterior shell. And once she did, the two of you were inseparable. Ginny noticed the looks that you and Fred gave each other when you thought that nobody was watching. She absolutely adored you and practically begged Fred to ask you out on a date. You brought out a side of Fred that she had never seen before and she couldn’t wait for him to make you a Weasley. 

Cedric: Hufflepuff, muggleborn, same year

George Weasley: At first you two didn’t really get along. You thought that both of the Weasley twins needed to take life a little more seriously. The reason that they were at Hogwarts was to get an education so that they could get a job after school and contribute to society. However, you soon realized that neither of them were looking to get that traditional job like most wizards. Cedric did find the twins entertaining so he would often hang out with them during his free time and drag you along. At first you did your best to avoid them to keep from getting annoyed. Everyone seemed to love them, but you weren’t sure why they rubbed you the wrong day. Late one evening, after a Quidditch game where Gryffindor beat Slytherin, the twin threw a party. Cedric brought you along and after a couple of shots of fire whiskey, you found yourself dancing on a table with George Weasley. George taught you how to not take life so seriously. You can’t change how people feel about you so don’t try. Do what you love and be happy. 

[themuse-if]

Another 20 (or so) Questions with Ro Sawyer

Interviewer: Welcome to another installment of our character interviews, where we dive deep into the lives and minds of our favorite cast members of The Muse. Today, we have the dynamic Ro Sawyer with us, the frontperson of The Rebel Rejects. Ro, thank you for joining us. Could you start by telling us what made you want to pursue music?

Ro: Hey, thanks for having me! Music has always been my way of expressing myself, you know? First I started out just playing the guitar at about 7, I had a lot of energy as a kid and my parent’s thought that music would be a good way to channel it. Then slowly as I got older and had more experiences I started writing lyrics and discovering my voice. The Rebel Rejects came together at just the right time, like fate or something. We clicked instantly, and making music with these guys is everything I've ever wanted.

Interviewer: That's awesome! How would you describe your art, both musically and personally?

Ro: Our music is raw, unapologetic, and full of energy. It's a mix of old school punk, pop punk, and alternative rock with a touch of poetry. Personally, I see myself as a storyteller. I like to paint pictures with words and melodies, creating something that isn’t just full of abstractions, something that people can actually relate to.

Interviewer: How do you want to be seen by others, both on and off the stage?

Ro: I want people to see me as authentic and fearless, both in my music and in my life. I’m brimming with confidence and I’ve never been afraid of going after what I want. I hope to inspire others to be unapologetically themselves.

Interviewer: And how do you want your art to be seen by others?

Ro: I want our music to be a form of liberation, a soundtrack for those who feel unheard or misunderstood. Our music sets out to make people feel like they can take on the world and tackle all the pleasure and pain that life throws their way.

Interviewer: What's your latest obsession, musical or otherwise?

Ro: Lately, I've been obsessed with creating logos and merch for the band. T-shirts, pins, stickers, tote bags. I’ve just been trying to really solidify our image, and good merch is a great way to do that.

Interviewer: Describe your best friend(s).

Ro: I have two of the best friends anyone could ask for, and we all balance each other out so well. They’re fun and loyal, and we share such a great passion for music, which lets us fully support each other's dreams. We share everything, from music to clothes to late-night adventures. They're my rock, and I couldn't imagine my life without them.

Interviewer: How would you describe your ideal partner?

Ro: I want whoever’s by my side to be able to understand that wild, crazy, sexy Ro Sawyer is just who I truly am, that it’s not just a façade. I need someone who can understand me and isn’t afraid of being with someone who craves the spotlight. I need someone wild enough to crowd surf at my show, someone who wants to dance in the rain. Just passion, a lust for life! I can’t be with someone who is completely vanilla, I need more.

Interviewer: What was your first kiss like?

Ro: Honestly my first kiss couldn’t have gone better. I had a crush on my friend Leo and we started going out in our sophomore year of high school. On our third date we went to the movies, and let’s just say our hormones were ragging and the movie quickly faded into the background. Good thing we were in the back row. *sly wink* That first peck rapidly went to third base. *cheeky grin*

Interviewer: Always so hot and heavy with you. *playful eye roll* Moving on, have you ever been in love?

Ro: Yeah... I think maybe I’ve been in love. *long thoughtful pause* Or maybe just infatuated, I’ve never felt real heartache so I’m not sure I can really say I’ve been deeply in love.

Interviewer: When was your last relationship, and why did it end?

Ro: I haven’t had another exclusive relationship since Leo. He was great and we were great together, but I’m extremely open and fluid. When I mentioned opening up our relationship, he was understanding but it wasn’t something he wanted.

Interviewer: I see does that mean you only do open or polyamorous relationships?

Ro: I think that every relationship is different. Depending on what feels right I think that I could be completely monogamous. I will say that I do really enjoy being in more open relationships though. I have a lot to give, and I'm open to giving and receiving from one or multiple partners.

Interviewer: Very interesting. What's your ideal Friday night?

Ro: Playing a gig with The Rebel Rejects, of course! There's nothing like the energy of a live show. After that, maybe going over to De’s place just to hang out, and eat some of their dad’s amazing food.

Interviewer: What's the last song you listened to?

Ro: "Rebel Girl" by Bikini Kill. It's a classic that always gets me pumped up and ready to rock.

Interviewer: How do you behave in a relationship?

Ro: I think that I'm pretty consistent in all of my relationships. I really love to build my partner up and make sure that they know exactly how I feel about them. I'm also super needy like I neeeed physical touch. *winks at the camera*

Interviewer: Do you approach those you're interested in or let them come to you?

Ro: I'm definitely more of a go-getter. If I see something I want, I go after it. Life's too short to wait around for things to happen.

Interviewer: What is your biggest pet peeve?

Ro: People who are boring...I know it sounds harsh but it's true. I'm not saying someone has to be on 100% of the time but I can't really hang with someone who is completely dull.

Interviewer: What do you notice first about a person?

Ro: I could lie and say something cute like their energy or their eyes....but truth be told it’s everything. If I notice them I give them a long once over, from head to toe. *gives the interviewer a long look up and down*

Interviewer: *hides behind notecards* Alright I have to ask the question on everyone's mind. Have you ever gotten involved with one of your band member... romantically of course?

Ro: *sly smirk* I bet you'd love to know exactly what we all get up to after practice. *runs hand through their hair* If you're asking me if we've dated each other then the answers no. If you're asking me about whether or not we've fooled around...well I don't kiss and tell. *shrugs*

Interviewer: *gives them a knowing look*

Ro: *bursts out laughing* Oh who am I kidding! Have you seen Jo and De! Have you seen me! None of us are tied down and we spend A LOT of time together, things were bound to get at least a little physical.

Interviewer: *clears throat* Alright final question, what did you dream about last night?

Ro: You know now that you mention it, Jo and De were there and they were waiting for me in a hot tub...

Interviewer: *blushing so intensely* Ok I think I know where this is going and I'm gonna stop you there. Thank you so much for coming in today Ro this interview has been very *deep sigh* enlightening.

[glowyjellyfish]

Currently working to set up my Ubermega Test of Time. It helps that I already had an Ancient/Classical downloads folder prepared, but it does NOT help and in fact hurts that I used the method of “shove several old downloads folders together and then delete whatever doesn’t fit the theme”, because that leaves me with WAY too much junk. Especially if I am going to have multiple societies advancing at different rates, potentially getting very far ahead—I need to keep this downloads folder SMALL so I have room to add some stuff from later eras! So that’s been a little project. I cleared a fair amount out, but still have tons more. I’ll probably just bite the bullet and delete all alphabet soup from this downloads folder—most of it is gonna just be medieval anyway! I’ll check with DDO first, and see if it will help me find and eliminate orphans. I will probably need to get rid of a lot of medieval stuff that I once thought maybe might work in the Classical era, too.

Other than that, it’s going well. I gutted Belladonna Cove, Desiderata Valley, Pleasantview, and started Bluewater Village but got a crash so I decided I was done. The rules I came up a while back with involve everyone starting out living on the same lot, for the community aspect, but I quickly decided that won’t work for these premade hoods that start with 20-25 sims. So I consolidated families a bit and combined a few households, but am leaving them mostly in separate camps of the standard 8 sims or less. For the first era, my sims will only be allowed to plant seeds they dig up, and are not allowed to make more seeds from the harvest—they are hunter-gatherers just learning the concept of agriculture—but for each gardening badge the sims of one culture earn, they get one random Sun&Moon crop that can be planted in the next era, and unlocking a number of those is one of the two achievements to advance from a hunter-gatherer band to a horticultural tribe. I also have some plans to assign climates to each subhood and limit crops based on the climate, but I will have to make sure it’s balanced with the unlocking rule.

I’m also planning to play very Maxis-Match, with only Maxis-made supernaturals (well, and a Multi-PT mod so that alien descendants have a little more diversity and a less insane family tree, and keeping hereditary supernaturalism). So in this world, the Summerdreams will just have their elf ears and be normal sims. I MIGHT start the Cordial sisters as witches right off the bat, but I haven’t decided. I also am debating whether to rope the Picasos into Desiderata Valley and make Jessica and Sophia Jocque be sisters. DV really does need a couple more sims.

Currently, my plan is to have all the excess bin sims and college sims be a pool for when I need new sims—a subhood has run out of marriage options, some ROS event I haven’t figured out yet brings in a new family, or a Roman Empire needs some slaves to bring back from random conquest. That is, the bin sims that are not already attached to a particular hood. The Burbs are going in Pleasantview, all the Capps are going in Veronaville, etc., but the Ottomases and the Newsons might be in trouble. I’m also going to try to keep each subhood fairly isolated through Band and Tribe stages, and start outside communication in the Chiefdom stage. (Oh, I am splitting the Ancient aka the Neanderthal era into three mini-eras, Band, Tribe, and Chiefdom, which segues more neatly into the Ancient/Roman era.) I think the ideal scenario is for the society that first developed into the Classical era to conquer the other subhoods, only for barbarian invaders from the last unconquered subhood or, possibly, from the sim pool, to take advantage of the empire’s crumbling decadence to bring it down—but that doesn’t leave a lot of room for a New World to be colonized down in the Renaissance. If I can swing the former, then the remains of the sim pool could be used to create the New World at the beginning of the Renaissance. Maybe I’ll save the college sims for that? Obviously I still have a lot to think through—luckily I have been tinkering with my own ideas for Test of Time variant rules for years, it’s just a matter of figuring out what appeals to me to actually play, and paring down a lot of wild ideas into one system.

This should not take terribly long to set up, since I’m not remodeling any lots. I just need to pare down the downloads folder a bit more, finish gutting each subhood and sticking the sims in lots, give them all Ancient makeovers and traits, set up each lot—really not planning complex builds just yet, they will start with tents and hammocks—and throw together some Hunting Grounds and Water Hole type lots. Easy peasy.

[coeluvr]

What are the Ro’s relationship to each other? I’m guessing Helios and Hunter get along but what about everyone else?

Hi, Drakona! Thank you for the ask. 💗

In this I'll talk about their relationships with each other before Soarine officially comes to Rosea as an envoy (if I say what their relationship is like after that I think it'll get into spoiler territory). This got very long.

• Fadiya and Helios

They have a positive relationship and are in frequent contact, as Fadiya often visits Helios at his office to spend time with him and Hunter. Helios sees Fadiya as a sister, and the two of them have a close, familial bond that is evident in the way they interact with each other. Whether they are chatting over tea in Helios's office or laughing and sharing stories, Fadiya and Helios always enjoy each other's company.

• Fadiya and Hunter

These two are very close despite the differences in their personality. Though they frequently argue and bicker, their bond remains strong. In fact, Hunter is likely one of Fadiya's closest friends, second only to MC. Fadiya often relies on Hunter to fend off unwanted attention from others during balls and parties and they are happy to help.

• Fadiya and Soarine

They're polite to each other but don't have a relationship beyond that since they don't see each other often. Additionally, Fadiya doesn't particularly like how insincere Soarine seems, which also contributes to the distance between them. Their interactions are limited to social events like balls and parties, where they encounter each other among the invited nobility of other kingdoms.

• Fadiya and Vincent

They have a cordial relationship but not particularly friendly. They don't see each other very often, which seems to help maintain a certain level of politeness between them. In the past, he was often unkind to MC and despite the fact that he has since improved his behavior and stopped being mean to MC, more like stopped interacting with MC altogether, she has struggled to fully trust him and let go of the anger caused by his past actions.

• Helios and Hunter

They have known each other for many years, having grown up together, and as a result they have a deep understanding of each other. They balance each other out and complement each other's strengths. They are comfortable and relaxed with each other, able to joke and tease in a way that shows a strong emotional connection. They care about each other deeply and are loyal friends.

• Helios and Soarine

The two have known each other since childhood and have always gotten along extremely well. They used to see each other every few months, either at royal events or when Soarine visited Rosea, and would exchange letters when they were apart. Norazaan siding with Vesphire in the war caused a rift between them and Rosea but Helios and Soarine remained in contact through letters and maintained their friendship.

• Helios and Vincent

Vincent was Helios' first friend, they've known each other for very long, this shared history has given them insight into one another that goes beyond surface level, and they have a deep understanding of each other's personalities and quirks. They have a strong bond and are able to confide in each other about their hopes, dreams, and struggles. In many ways, Helios and Vincent are like brothers, and their friendship is one of the most important and meaningful relationships in their lives.

• Hunter and Soarine

They don't know each other very well and their only link to each other is Helios. Despite this, it seems that Soarine and Hunter have a somewhat playful dynamic but their relationship is not particularly deep or meaningful, as they did not have much of an opportunity to get to know each other before Soarine comes to Rosea as an envoy.

• Hunter and Vincent

Their relationship is a somewhat complicated one. While the two seem to have a somewhat contentious dynamic, often bickering and disagreeing with each other, both Hunter and Vincent are deeply protective of Helios and have a strong loyalty to him so they try to get along for his sake. They may not always see eye to eye, but it is clear both of them have a deep respect for each other.

• Soarine and Vincent

Their relationship is kind of unexpected and interesting. Despite coming from different social backgrounds and having relatively little in common, the two have always gotten along well and interacted with each other frequently during their childhood. They didn't contact each other during the years unlike Helios and her unless it was at balls and parties but they seem to maintain a positive relationship.

[kusin-tisdag]

Seeing as I am not allowing myself to continue playing the Johanssons until I have bought Lovestruck - well, I went and created another family!

Meet the Stafford-Price family!

I consists of Anna Stafford (22 years old) and Diane Price (20) , their daughter Elaine (just turned 1) and dog Chiquito.

Anna and Diane knew each other when they were kids, back in Henford-on-Bagley. Anna's family still live there but Diane's mum moved after few years. Diane doesn't know her dad and joined her mum on her different moves and adventures (she lived mostly in San Myshuno).

Diane's mum eventually bought a house in Tomarang and she and Diane used it as a sort of vacation home.

In the meantime, Anna grew up in Henford-on-Bagley with her family, growing crops and tending to animals. However, she was always better in the kitchen than in the garden. She moved out a few year's ago to start working at a restaurant in San Myshuno, ran into Diane and they reconnected.

Realizing that they wanted to be together they quickly ended up with a baby, a dog and Diane's 'vacation home' - given to them by Diane's mum.

Diane's mum still lives in San Myshuno (when not travelling) but comes visiting now and then.

The girls do find family life a bit overwhelming, but hopefully they'll find a balance between being responsible adults and still only in their 20's!

I will probably post them a little, they have been great fun to play even if I have hardly played even their first week. We'll see if I play them all the way to elder-hood!

Stats - and their house - under the cut!

Anna and Diane aren't a complete match, and they will have to work on their relationship if it's going to hold all the way to retirement. Anna wants to work with food (her LTW is eventually changed as she starts to open a food stall) and Diane is a blogger!

Elaine is a very sweet baby and Chiquito is a silly dog <3

I also put their home up at the gallery. The gallery version is very basic - mainly walls/layout and some furniture. I tried not to use CC, don't know if I managed?

Anyway - we all love a spacious one-floor home so here it is! Made for a family that loves to be outdoors; there's a pool, there's a garden and there is room for outdoor play for the kids!

Fin it in the gallery, it's called Ro Kaya Rockside rebuild, my ID is kusin_tisdag!

[naminethewriter]

You're Not Alone

Chapter Four: All Together

Masterpost | First | Previous | Next | Ao3

Remus is finally here! This is the fourth chapter to my gift for @edupunkn00b for the @sanderssidesgiftxchange! Only the epilogue left now 🥰 Enjoy!

Summary: Logan, Janus and Remus are celebrating their first Christmas as a married couple but a snow storm strands both Janus and Remus elsewhere, leaving Logan home alone. Knowing that the situation will trigger their husband, Janus and Remus need to find a way home.

Content Warnings: Reference to Flashbacks and Panic Attacks

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

Logan and Janus hurried over to the door and threw it open. In front of them stood their husband, Remus, in full skiing gear, his hood off and glasses pushed up into his hair. His fist was raised to continue pounding on the door. As soon as he saw them, Remus grinned.

“Logie, you’re okay! And Jan-Jan made it home, too!”

“Indeed I did, but how did you? The airport’s over an hour away!” Janus exclaimed, staring at his husband in disbelief.

“I skied!” Remus declared proudly, holding up his skis with a grin.

“Have you gone completely insane?! That was far too dangerous!”

“Oh yeah? How did you get here then, huh? I don’t see your car!”

“That- That doesn’t matter right now, you –“ Janus sputtered but was interrupted by Logan pulling him back inside and making room for Remus to enter as well.

“Both of you stop. You each did something incredibly stupid but you’re here now and Remus needs to get inside.”

“Thank you, Logie bear, I knew you would understand.”

“Do not start with that, I am furious with both of your disregard for your own safety,” Logan huffed. “Janus, please get a few towels, I’ll help Remus undress.”

“Well, aren’t you forward, starlight?” Remus giggled and wiggled his eyebrows at him. Logan gave him an unimpressed glare, while Janus disappeared down the hallway.

“I will not engage in any sexual activity with you until I am completely certain that you are not suffering from hypothermia.”

“Boo!” Remus pouted. “And I’m fine, it was a good workout! I’m actually sweating more that I’m freezing.”

“Considering the possible symptoms of hypothermia, that is not as reassuring as you think it is.”

Remus just shrugged, not in the mood to argue further and letting his husband fret over him. They worked together to get Remus out of his wet clothes and Logan had to admit that Remus didn’t seem to be the least bit cold or hypothermic. Still, he had Janus towel him off while he brought the wet clothes to join Janus’ to dry. When he got back, Remus was already wearing fresh clothes and making grabby hands at him from the couch.

“Where’s Janus?” Logan asked him as he let himself be pulled into Remus’ lap.

“Making us more tea.” Remus buried his face in his husband’s shoulder, he had missed him and Janus dearly during his stay in Germany. “You smell good. Love it.” Despite being used to Remus’ antics, Logan couldn’t help but flush.

“Thank you?”

“Y’ welcome.”

They stayed like that, cuddled together until Janus returned with three steaming cups on a tray.

“Remus, have you contacted Roman yet?”

“Oh shit, you’re right!” Remus suddenly lunged towards where he had put his phone on the coffee table, almost sending Logan to the ground, but he managed to just keep his balance. Before he could chide his husband, Remus had already started a video call with Roman.

“So, you are alive, you giant oaf!” was the first thing Roman said as the call connected. Janus sighed and sat down next to Remus and Logan slid off his lap, sitting on the other side.

“Sorry, Ro-bro, but I literally just got here.”

“You seriously went all the way back to your house?! You’ve been gone for over four hours!”

“Well yeah, but I got there, didn’t I?”

“You are the most idiotic, reckless person I have ever met. How have you managed to survive this long?! No, better yet, how have I not died of one of the ten thousand heart attacks you have caused me over the years???”

“Well, it’s good to see that you haven’t lost your sense of dramatics over the holidays, Roman,” Janus commented dryly.

“You! As if you’re any better! Do you know how worried Remy was about you? Huh? Or Patton? And all you send us is ‘Got home. Talk to you later.’ That’s it?! No explanation, just a fucking text message, Janus!”

“I needed to take care of Logan; he was my priority!”

“I was fine –“

“No, you weren’t.”

“Still, I was fine as soon as you came here, so we could have –“

“I’m not here to listen to you fight!” Roman interjected loudly through the phone. “I just want you to remember that there are other people you need to contact.”

“That is a valid point, thank you Roman,” Logan said before either of his husbands could object.

“We could just add them to the call,” Remus shrugged and moved to do so without waiting for the others’ opinions. Janus didn’t stop him, just sighed.

“This is going to take a while, I fear.”

~~~

Janus turned out to be right. Remy and Patton, as well as Emile and Virgil who happened to be home and present for the call as well, lectured Logan’s husbands for a whole half hour before the topic moved towards the twin’s vacation. But because his husbands and him were exhausted from the day’s events and all eight of them would meet up the next day if the weather allowed, Logan cut the call short after that. Everyone agreed that they should get some rest and wished them a good evening.

When Logan glanced at the clock, he could hardly believe it was only 4pm.

“I need to prepare dinner,” he realized out loud.

“Oh, hell yeah, I was looking forwards to this!” Remus cheered, hugging Logan enthusiastically.

“Yes, I would love a good meal right about now as well,” Janus agreed. “Should we help you, dear?”

“I appreciate the offer, but may I propose that the two of you take a shower first? I believe you have warmed up adequately and we can rule out hypothermia as a concern. That will also give me time to set up the kitchen the way I need it and you can join me there afterwards.���

Janus reached over Remus to grab Logan’s hand and established eye contact with him.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright if we leave you alone for that long?”

Logan wanted to wave him off, say that he was fine but one look at not only Janus’ but also Remus’ expression told him that he needed to show them how confident he was that he would not have another breakdown. So, he squeezed Janus’ hand and smiled.

“Yes, I am certain. Knowing you are in the house as well as keeping myself busy with cooking will prevent another flashback from occurring.”

Janus studied his expression for a moment but when he found no trace of a lie, he smiled back and nodded.

“Okay, then we’ll leave it to you. Let’s go, Remus.”

“Uh! Can we bathe together?” Remus laughed, chasing after his husband. Logan chuckled, watching them go before heading into the kitchen to start on the planned dinner.

~~~

Everything was great before and during the meal. Logan could prepare himself and the kitchen properly before his husbands joined him and cooking together turned out to be very fun. Remus even followed all of his instructions without trying to ‘spice things up’. The entire time the kitchen was filled with either soothing chatter or comfortable silence. Remus told them about his time in Germany and Janus and Logan filled him in on what had happened at home.

It was after they finished dinner and the following clean-up that Remus got very restless.

“Bescherung!” he called, excitedly jumping up and down. “Time for presents!”

‘Bescherung’ is the German word for the gift giving part of the Christmas festivities and happens on Christmas Eve rather than the morning after. In Germany it’s not Santa Claus that brings the presents, but the ‘Christkind’, the Christmas child. It’s a tradition that Janus and Logan had adapted to after they started dating Remus, both finding it to be calmer and less stressful than doing it on the morning of the 25th.

Neither of them were morning people after all.

“Not that I am opposed, but do the two of you even have presents prepared?” Logan asked. Janus usually kept his at Patton’s until the day of, so they were most likely left in the car and Remus is known for preparing gifts last minute, so he probably bought them in Germany and left them with Roman.

“I don’t have all of them, but I made sure to bring at least one for each of you!” Remus grinned proudly.

“As did I,” Janus spoke up. “It felt wrong to not have something in case we did manage to all make it home after all.”

“Great! Then let’s get to it! We all give each other one gift now, the rest we’ll do tomorrow.”

“Very well, I suppose that is fair.”

“Yes, something small since Remus and I couldn’t transport the big things.”

“I will fetch something appropriate for each of you,” Logan agreed and left for his study, where he had ‘hidden’ the presents for his husbands. Both Janus and Remus would be able to find them easily if they so wished, but they had learned over the years that it brought Logan great joy to see their reactions on the day, so they refrained.

Logan is the last to return to the living room a few minutes later. The wrapped packages before Remus and Janus were quite a lot smaller than his, and there were smaller presents he could have chosen, but he was too excited to see their reactions to his choices to wait for tomorrow.

He placed them on the coffee table and took his seat on the couch next to Janus. Remus had opted to sit on the floor, shaking excitedly.

“Me first! Please!”

Janus chuckled.

“Go ahead, Muse.”

“Funny you say that, because you two were the muses for this!”

Remus handed both of his husbands two slim, very light packages. They carefully opened them, and Logan could only stare at the cloth in his hands while Janus gasped.

“Oh, Remus, they’re beautiful!”

In his hands, Janus held a new set of gloves. Black with a yellow, two-headed snake embroidered on the back. It’s the logo Janus had created for himself in school. Without touching, Logan couldn’t be sure of the material, but he believed that it was either silk or something similarly soft.

While Janus hugged Remus and said his thanks, Logan’s eyes wandered back to his own gift. A tie, as black as Janus’ gloves, but with the Tardis embroidered on it. Dr Who was his favorite TV show of all time, a sentiment he shared with Remus.

“Thank you, Remus, it is wonderful,” Logan commented with a smile, showing the tie to Janus who had returned to his place on the couch.

“And you haven’t even seen the best part!” Remus grinned. “Turn it around! I technically wanted to do that for both of you, but I couldn’t really stitch anything on the inside of Janny’s gloves without it showing on the outside, so I gave up on that. I could add it to your hat, though.”

What Remus was referring to was two small, stitched additions to the inner folds of Logan’s tie. On one side was a date, their wedding date to be precise and the other a sentence that read: Jan and I love you. Always.

Logan’s eyes started to water. He tried to say something, to express how much it meant to him, but the words wouldn’t come out. Instead, he stood and tackled Remus into a hug and kiss.

Remus caught him easily and held him close until he let go of his own.

“Thank you.”

Logan’s voice broke, still crying. Remus smiled and wiped his tears away.

“Of course, starlight. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Well, now I feel left out,” Janus spoke up from the couch, arms crossed and pouting in a very obvious fake way. Remus cackled, gently pushing Logan off of him to reach for something.

“Sorry, Snakey. I have a peace offering for you if you want?” He held out a plastic bag with something brown in it that was immediately snatched away by Janus.

“You’re forgiven.”

“Honey waffles?” Logan guessed, knowing they were Janus’ favorite.

“Sure are. Authentic Dutch ones too. One day trip over the border mainly to get them. I got another two packs with my other luggage.”

“If that’s so I might be able to get one at least.”

“I wouldn’t count on it,” Remus giggled, watching Janus happily munch on the confectionary. Logan watched as well for a moment before giving Remus a kiss on the cheek and moving back to the couch.

“If you’re not too busy eating, wanna continue, Janny?”

Janus blushed, swallowing the last remains of the waffle and putting the rest of the pack aside. He cleared his throat before speaking which threw Remus into a giggle fit.

“It will be tough to follow you, but sure.”

The packages Janus handed out weren’t the same shape as Remus’ had been. Logan’s was similar to the one he had received from his other husband, though a bit heavier, but Remus’ was bulkier.

Pulling the wrapping away, Logan found a set of bookmarks, all on the thicker side, and as he looked through them, he found different constellations, from the Zodiac to less well-known ones as the Hydra. Turning them around revealed text that described the location of the constellation, as well as when it is best seen in their state and where it originated.

“Thank you, I will make good use of them,” he said, smiling at Janus who nodded, satisfied.

Remus, meanwhile, had ripped his gift open, read the little card attached to what was inside and then immediately shoved the object in his mouth, chewing on it happily.

“And I suppose that is it’s intended purpose?” Logan asked.

“Indeed. A chewing bracelet that is a bit more inconspicuous that his other chewelry.”

“Well, he seems to be enjoying it immensely.”

“Yes,” Janus hummed fondly. Logan smiled, watching for another moment before he pulled the bigger gift of his two into his lap.

“This is for you, Janus. Please be careful with it, it is fragile.”

“Thank you, darling, I will be.”

Since Remus seemed to still be focused on his new stim toy, Logan watched his other husband open his gift instead of handing out the other one. As he promised, Janus carefully pulled open the taped folds of paper, rotating the heavy thing in his lap with a steady hand. Soon he revealed a beautiful, glass chess board.

“Oh, this is just wonderful!” Janus exclaimed, drawing Remus’ attention. “What beautiful craft! And the pieces!” Janus had opened the drawer that contained the figurines and examined them closely.

“Uhh, fancy!” Remus said, leaning close but, wisely, refraining from touching.

“I love it, Logan. Thank you,” Janus said, earnestly. Logan blushed.

“Well, there is something more on the bottom. It seems, Remus and I had similar thoughts this time around.”

Janus raised a brow and carefully placed the black bishop he had been examining back into the drawer, closed it and then slowly turned the board around. On the bottom was an engraving of each of their names and their wedding date. Janus traced the letters and smiled fondly.

“Truly a perfect gift, thank you so much, darling.”

“I am happy that you like it,” Logan said, blushing. Having his gift be called perfect made him feel very good.

“What about me!” Remus demanded, practically buzzing on the floor. Logan chuckled.

“Of course, Meus. Here you go.” He handed him a gift bag that Remus immediately dumped out over his lap. It was an assortment of different color hair dyes as well as a card that Remus snatched up quickly. His eyes widened as he read it.

“You’re serious?!” he exclaimed, staring at Logan.

“Yes.”

“You’ll let me dye your hair? Any color I want?”

“Any color we can agree on. And only one.”

“Fuck yeah!” Remus cheered, jumping up and throwing himself between his husbands, pulling both of them against him. “I love both of your gifts so much, thank you! I can’t wait to see what else will come tomorrow!”

“I agree,” Janus hummed, adjusting his position to be more comfortable. “You were both very thoughtful and I am so happy to be here with both of you.”

“So sappy!” Remus teased before pressing kisses against Janus’ hair, ignoring his protests.

“While I can’t say I am happy with how you two got here,” Logan interrupted, making both of his husbands freeze up, “I couldn’t imagine spending this day without both of you. Thank you.”

“This calls for a cuddle pile!” Remus laughed, joyfully, and pulled both his husbands even closer. It wasn’t the most comfortable position, but there was nowhere Logan would rather be.