#this route and some of the other new lines really call to attention the difference between Skeptic and Paranoid
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Is it possible to share some details of how you're rerouting the floor vent through a cage platform? I was expecting to have to do that soon myself, so a reference would be really appreciated...
Yeah, totally! Sorry I took so long to respond. I wanted to get photos of the process and it's been slow-going with all the other things needing my attention.
You can buy a product kit called a toeductor that is specifically designed to route a floor vent through the toe kick under a cabinet. All you need is a jigsaw to cut an appropriate shape hole in your cabinet toe kick. This is best for a low-profile solution.
I, however, wanted a maximalist approach so I did it a little differently. Also I don't have a jigsaw. Also I'm not an HVAC professional so I might have donked this up. Maybe have a professional do your stuff instead of flirting with disaster like I do.
Process and pictures under the cut!
Supplies:
Foil tape for ducting
Duct clamp (optional)
Decorative register that fits on your platform (I went with a 4"x8" rectangle)
Magnetic register screen (optional)
6" flexible duct (I needed about 12" length, your mileage may vary)
Universal register box with flange, 6" duct opening and whatever size your decorative register is (mine is 4"x8" to 6")
Universal register box without flange, 6" duct opening and whatever size your existing floor register is (mine is 4"x10")
Drill and drill bit to make holes
Tool to cut the hole for your register
File to smooth the edges of your register hole
Scraper, if needed
Goof-Off or Goo Gone or whatever cleaner you have that takes off adhesive residue, if needed
Vacuum with hose, if needed
First pop off your old floor register. It should just pull right up. Look down in the floor hole and try to remember the last time you vacuumed in there. Find yourself unable to recall. Feel ashamed. If it's a new house for you, wonder if the previous tenant ever vacuumed in there and decide privately to yourself that they probably didn't. Get the shop vac and really get down in there, knowing realistically that this may be the last time you ever do so.
Assess the existing foil duct tape inside the register. Is it gross and crumpled into sticky wads, or is the seal still good? If needed, scrape off the old tape, clean off any residue, and re-tape any seams with the foil tape to make sure there are no air leaks. Leaky HVAC lines mean you're losing heating/cooling to the crawlspace under your house and that's $$$ literally going into the dirt.
Once your existing floor hole looks good, fit the un-flanged universal box over the existing register box and tape them together inside and out with the foil tape. Be careful, register boxes have sharp edges! Make sure there are no cracks or unsealed seams. I forgot to take pictures of this part. Sorry.
Fit the end of the ducting over the end of the register box. Again, tape around the outside and tape inside for a firm seal.


Now use the flanged universal box to determine where on your platform you'll be re-routing the vent. I'm doing mine in a door for ease of access, but it's personal preference. Place yours wherever works for you, so long as the duct isn't being obstructed and you have good air flow. Use a marker to trace where the hole for the outgoing vent will be. I'm using a PVC platform so I drilled holes along the line I traced and then cut between them with a hand saw. If you have a jigsaw, please use that instead. Clean up the edges with a file or sandpaper as needed.



Attach the flanged universal box to the inside of the hole you made. Use small screws or tacks or 100% silicone sealant to adhere the box to the inside of the cabinet. Seal up any seams with tape to prevent air leaks. You may at this point choose to use a duct clamp instead of foil tape, so that you can more easily access the inside of the duct if you find yourself needing to adhere the register to the box. Attach the other end of the 6" duct to the flanged universal box and tape or clamp it in place.

If you're using a screen like I am to prevent unauthorized snake walkabouts that detour into the HVAC system, pop your decorative register apart and sandwich the screen inside. I had to snip the edges of the screen to make it fit the clips that hold the register together. Do what you gotta.


The decorative register should slot right into the universal register box. If you don't seal it in place, you can pull it out at any time. I did find that the register is a bit heavy, as it is intended for use on the floor, and it fell out of its vertical mount easily. I opted to silicone it in place and use a duct clamp on the ducting and register box as described above.

My register looks slightly crooked in this photo, but in reality it's only because the hole itself is actually slightly crooked. Big sigh.

And we're done! Survey your work, knowing that some HVAC professional somewhere is looking at this post online and slowly shaking their head in horror at the atrocities we have committed.
#snake#snakes#reptile#reptiles#reptiblr#welcome to the house of snakes#snake room#janky construction with OMG Snakes
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Lil' analysis of the Rufus/ Elena scene crumbs in Rebirth
I'm doing this for fun but organize my thoughts and keep tracks of things I've noticed about them while also giving some food for thoughts if there's people interested in that ship.
Here's i'm gonna analyze the scenes.
I will later write about design & symbolism , their arcs, their personnalities, relationship & how they perceive each other ,what Rebirth add to the rest of the compilation as well what road can we can potentially expect for the story of Rufus & the Turks in part 3 in general.
The Mythril Mines scene:
Here, we get get a great way to establish her character. Elena is the one who is curious and asks questions while the others try to not think about their orders much. As someone new, she also has an unique POV as the mysteries unfold in front of her.
It's also a great way to show that her superiors don't tell her everything, which may cause problem in the future as Elena is a self-righteous & rather independant person who sometime disobey orders.
They also did a great job showcasing her ruthless side & also sublty hint what drives her.
The helicopter scene en-route for the Gold Saucer with Palmer:
Here, Elena is shown being not scared to use Rufus' authority to shut up a member of the Board. Despite the space program being shut down, we still have to remember that Elena is a new employee & that Palmer is her senior by decades & used to be a friend of Rufus' father. Despite the hierarchical difference, Elena's is pretty assertive for a new employee & doesn't hesitate to borrow Rufus' authority to have Palmer stop complaining & contesting Rufus' decision to send him there in a sassy manner.
The Gongaga proto-relic sidequest:
After you're done with one of the Gongaga VR mission in the Turks facility, Elena is shown without hesitation ushering Rufus & him acknowledging her. We see that she's not scared of him & both of seem to have a respectful & cordial relationship.
I noted the interesting composition of the shot tho.
First, they didn't have to animate this. They could just had have Rufus says his line about the player performance & then leave. But they still wanted to showcase that little moment between the two of them for some reason.
Second, the way the camera zoom-in on them while putting Rude on the foreground but almost push him out of the frame as he's watching them, as if the devs really want you to pay attention to that interaction.
Third, Elena is the rookie. Thus the one who should address Rufus directly should be her seniors. However, Rufus & Elena address each other directly, with the latter talking to him confidently.
This also happens right after we see Rufus complaining about Tseng wanting to assign him bodyguards & saying he didn't need any so you would expect he would be annoyed that the babiest Turk would try to usher him away or have him ignore her. We saw how he can get with Heidegger in Remake not calling him "Mr.President". But he doesn't.
Fourth, it's clear here there was a whole switcheroos between roles due to Reno's jpn VA passing away.
In this mission, Rude & Elena address you as if you were Reno (Rude call you partner & Elena reffer to you as "senpaĆÆ" .
Reno however, already has a lot of experiences after all this years working for the Turks. My guess is that originally, those VR missions were destined to Elena.
It makes more sense, to prepare her to what the Turks' life is. VR Rufus is also already president too. If you do well during that mission, Rufus is willing to offer you whatever you want. Would that mean he made such proposition to Elena at one point? (is this how she got her pink gun which has strangely a white belt on & black buttons & is studed with diamonds?)
The flight to the Gold Saucer with Rufus:
During that scene, we're shown that Elena is curious & independant, making her a great intelligence officer material. The second she learns about the Promised Land, she decide to study the subject in the hopes to understand it better & the significance for Shinra. She then admit that it was actually a good idea to let Aerith run around so they can follow her.
It immediately switch from her to Darkstar waking up & curiously looking at Rufus. People who played the game in english however may have missed out an interesting audio detail: In the japanese dub, you can understand the reason why Darkstar woke up as you can hear Rufus do his signature (satisfied) "hmph" and him chuckling to himself while looking at window. It's even more audible in the french version as well.
D waking up & looking at Rufus curiously make it feel like it's an unusual occurence. Maybe he's just thinking about something & laugh to himself but it's also likely the game is implying Rufus was silently listening to her.
It's interesting because he is rarely framed that way. Most of the time he's the center of the room & the conversation, leading it. He addresses his employees & doesn't give more info than what's necessary. Even with Tseng, he often has his back to him & only turn around when he needs to make a point or when something intrigue him.
Added to that, letting Aerith go to follow her was Rufus' plan. Elena basically indirectly complimented him, which could be the reason why he's chuckling to himself. We never got to see him reacting this way to someone until now. For comparison, Heidegger compliment him when he decide to fire Sister Ray during chapter 4 & he didn't get any reaction from Rufus. But he's seemingly happy to get Elena's approval?
The chapter 12 tussle & rumble with Elena, Rude & Rufus.
For a start, we have to talk about how stupid this plan is as the Turks & Rufus could have just stolen the keystone, either by using Rufus'authority or burglarize the place while Dio & Avalanche were looking away. Rufus didn't also have to be there. Shinra is on the brink of a war but he instead decide to go on a trip ( it probably took a least 1 or 2 days for them to go from Midgar & reach the GS) I may have my speculations on why he's acting this way tho.
Rude, Elena & Rufus have beef with Avalanche so we can assume they went with that plan to settle their grudge by beating the shit of each other. However, the plan at first seemed to be for only Rude & Elena to fight, not Rufus. During the battle, you can hear Rufus calling Dio. It's a scripted event that only happen when you stagger Rude or Elena during the second phase of the combat (and there's chances it is Elena due to her weaker constitution). Did Rufus get protective of the Turks, which is what pushed him to suddenly participate?
Then there's the scene where he appears in the arena. While the duel between Cloud & Rufus is the main event, it's interesting to note we just have a quick zoom out on Cloud's face to show his reaction while it lingers more on the Turks & in particular Elena. There's a quick scene where Tseng calm down an excited & likely worried for his master, D. Then it switch to Elena asking what he's doing. Rufus notice her as his head turns toward her.
Elena is the most on focus while Rude in the background is blurred.
And we get this kind of smile from Rufus who's still looking at her while waving to the public. He looks softer than usual.
Then his face immediately switch to this when he turns to Cloud.
He answering her by making a show of himself. And then it's switch again to an annoyed & worried Elena. Once again, she's the point of focus while Rude is blurred.
Rufus then tell them to go join Tseng. And here we can see that he's addressing Elena (when he should address Rude) directly as his eyes are turned toward her & then turns back to Cloud while Elena can't help herself but emit a defeated sigh.
Here we're seeing that she stays herself around Rufus, trying to contest his decisions & everything. Not scared of him & not scared to show her annoyance at her boss' dumbass behavior.
Added to that, Cloud is seen asking the two party members who fought with him until now to leave him for that 1 on 1 fight. One of these two party members always turns out to be one of his love interests.
Once again, we're shown he actually pays attention to Elena, thought Rebirth is actually not the only time this happens. That whole exchange remind me of that moment between Reno & Rude in TKAA:
Which could explain as well Rude's reaction to Cloud being like "oh, poor you!" when Rufus is revealed to be alive in Advent Children. The game weigh even more on the idea that Rufus is emotionnally immature and insecure. Like Evan.
And Rufus' attitude is pretty Evan like in the way he takes risks while Elena is often compared to Kyrie by the fandom. Elena & Kyrie are fierce, morally ambiguous women who cause trouble to their group but also can be shown to be level-headed at times. Kyrie also chide & tries to confront Evan about his reckless side. Both of them could almost be considered as darker versions of these two characters. If the brothers have similar tastes in term of potential partners, wellā¦
I think it's also interesting to note that Rufus is far more pissed about losing than during the first duel in Remake, added with Cloud poking at his insecurities.
The departure to the temple of the ancients:
This is a really interesting scene as it's a great way to show the group dynamic & Elena's potential importance after the company's crumble post- Meteorfall. Here, Elena is shown openly critisizing Rufus' decision to send them & a nice chunk of the army to the Temple of the Ancients, knowing the risks.
Rude, Reno & Tseng are shown being fine going along with whatever orders Rufus give them while Elena has her doubts & interrogations and rightfully so. Sending so many people there is a reckless move & she ended up being proven right. ( I could go on a tangent on how Elena could be a great partner to him due to the way she questions things. There's a difference between loyalty & sycophanty. And from the first scene with the Board or even Sister ray, what he needs is loyal people with enough backbone to challenge & give him the right advices. Which is what Elena represents)
However this were my beef with the english localization is coming in & how people who rely on it may have missed some nuances to the whole exchange:
In the eng version, she goes on how Rufus accompagnying the expedition is a bad idea but on brand with his character.
However in the jpn & french localization when Rude tells her Rufus is coming with them, Elena ask what he means & Reno says it's expected of him/it's not surprising. Elena says it's dangerous but that also that she doesn't dislike Rufus' decision to come with them, which is peak tsundere attitude.
While I think her eng VA did a great job overall, the direction also constantly make her sounds aggressive, even during moments when she's not.
So yeah the first version is just a statement on Rufus' behavior.
The second version give nuance on how Elena perceive Rufus. Yes, it's dangerous for him to do that but it also help her settle down a bit. She likes the fact he is participating in this.
It's also a great way to show why he has so much sway with the Turks, as Reno, Rude & Elena enjoy some of thrills that come with the job and Rufus is the same.
The compilation always frustrated me with the way their relationship has interesting tidbits but was often glossed over. I was surprised with the way Rebirth depicted these two as I considered myself lucky if we actually got them together in the same frame but we instead got a few interactions & them reacting to each other in a way that is pretty informative about their own characters but also how their dynamic would work.
It's pretty close of the interpretation I had always had for Ruiri/Rulena/Rufena: the type of ship that belong in the power couple category, similar opposites who challenge each other in a way that support them due to their strong personnalities & position while navigating thru their professional & personnal life with a fun dynamic to boot.
#cb's rambling#rufus shinra#elena ff7#elena#elena of the turks#ff7 rebirth#ff7 rebirth spoilers#ff7r spoilers#ruiri#rufena#rulena
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(Resend because i got the order wrong aldjfakfj)
Hey there! So you know the official art of Ralsei titled "Floralsei" where he's surrounded by flowers? I've been interested in the possible symbolisms behind these flowers and wanted to share a bit of my analysis with you haha. (I know there's a chance that merch isn't canon, but we also get "Weird Route" foreshadowing through the Line Stickers, so who knows? ĀÆ_(ć)_/ĀÆ)
In the picture, I think we can identify several flowers such as 1. "Red Roses", 2. "Lily of the Valley", 3. "African Violet" , 4. "Hibiscus",5. "Snapdragons" and 6. "Forget-Me-Nots". (link to pic: https://imgur.com/a/NXAs1jv) I'll try to list the symbolism of each one hereā¦
"Red Roses": These flowers are placed prominently in the center, forming Ralsei's scarf and adorning his hat. While they appear as dark pink in the artwork, I interpret them as representing red, especially considering Ralsei's default scarf is called the Red Scarf. Red roses are traditionally associated with romantic love, which aligns with Ralsei's one-sided affection towards Kris.
"Lily of the Valley": This flower symbolizes purity, happiness, and sweetness. It carries diverse symbolism and is often used in various settings, such as weddings and religious ceremonies, to convey messages of hope, purity, and the joy of new beginnings.
"African Violet": (I'm not entirely certain about this, but the shape seems to resemble the flower in the picā¦) This flower signifies loyalty, devotion, and faithfulness. In addition to representing faithfulness and fidelity, African Violets can also convey admiration and respect, especially when given as a token of high esteem.
"Hibiscus": Often associated with beauty, femininity, and delicate charm, the hibiscus is known for its stunning appearance and vibrant colors. It symbolizes delicate beauty, youthfulness, and a sense of joy.
"Snapdragons": These flowers embody both deception and gracefulness. According to legends, their unique appearance with "dragon mouth" shapes can represent deception, while others view them as symbols of grace and openness. (Deception seems particularly fitting considering Ralsei's mysterious nature and the secrets he keeps from Kris and the others.)
"Forget-Me-Nots": These flowers serve as a clear reminder of the phrase "Don't Forget." (It reminds me of Ralsei's Line Sticker where he's depicted singing "Don't Forget.")
Let me know if I made any mistakes, and I would greatly appreciate any feedback you have!
Oh, I didn't actually know about this! Some Ralsei fan I am, lol :P It's very pretty though, I've just seen that it's a print on a T-shirt, which I'm now sorely tempted to purchase because of how good it looks! Thanks for bringing this to my attention, it's appreciated :)
Moving on to your analysis of the different types of flowers... there's not too much I can really add here I feel - flowers and their meanings are sadly not my forte. However, a lot of the meanings you transcribed here do definitely relate to Ralsei and his character. Of particular note is the Snapdragon and its allusion to "deception" - as you rightly state, our favourite fluffy boy is definitely withholding crucial information from everyone, both about the plot at large and his own character.
You know what else caught my eye, actually? I'm just checked because I wasn't sure if I was misremembering, but Lily of the Valley is actually poisonous, and can cause skin irritation if touched directly, and its berries can cause serious harm or even death if ingested. It's a stretch, but applying this to Floralsei (what a name, by the way!) you could perhaps posit that whatever secret he's keeping, it's so dangerous it might cause irreparable damage if it were to ever come out. Or perhaps it's a warning - he may be pretty, but get too close and you'll get hurt.
With that said, however, I don't actually think Ralsei is secretly malicious or anything like that. My current theory is that he's not telling us stuff for two reasons - one is that he's directly serving the narrative by revealing pieces of vital information at critical moments in the story, as evidenced by the dramatic reveal of the Roaring and the Titans JUST before Berdly creates a new dark fountain in the cyber world; and the other is that he is trying to protect his friends from information that they might find distressing, and/or won't be relevant to them unless the worst case scenario happens (which it's obviously gonna... but I digress).
I'm sorry I couldn't really add any more to this discussion, because it is quite fascinating! I'd be quite interested to see what others think, if any further insight can be provided on this topic!
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Fandom: Extraction/John Wick crossover
Pairing: Esme Drummond and John Wick (platonic)
Face claims: Rachel Bilson and Keanu Reeves (obviously lol)
@tragiclyhip @munstysmind @themaradwrites @thebejeweledwatercat @youflickedtooharddamnit @secretaryunpaid @kmc1989 @karimac @asirensrage @residentdormouse @alisbackalleybbq @theesirenteller @ninjasawakenedmystar @mrsmungus
AFTER THE CUT:
Smiling, she raises her mug to her lips. āIāll say it again, Jonathan; youāre a really good friend.ā
āAnd about what you brought upā¦the whole ābusiness proposalā that never wasā¦ā
āLetās not revisit that, okay? Itās not one of my finer moments. It was humiliating as hell. Iām still embarrassed. All these years later.ā
āI didnāt say no because I was against it. In theory. Had it been another place, another time, another life, I would have gladly helped out.ā
āI canāt believe I ever thought it was a good idea. Recruiting a friend to help out like that. I know I always wanted to be a mom, butā¦ā
āI was flattered. That I was at the top of your list. And had things been differentā¦had our lives been differentā¦I wouldnāt have thought twice about going along with it. I just wanted you to know it was never about you; why I said no when you brought it up. It wasnāt because I was disgusted or thought less of you for asking. And I know youāve probably thought it for years. That you were out of line.ā
āI was, though. I was completely out of line. Itās a crazy thing to ask of someone. But thank you; for setting my mind at ease. Itās nice to know I wasnāt the issue. At least not in a bad way.ā
āIt wasnāt a good situation. With both of us being caught up in this life. Even if youād walked away, I still would have been knee-deep in it. And that isnāt who you would have wanted to have a kid with. Someone like me. All the enemies Iāve made. Thatās why I said no. Because you deserved so much better than that. Better than me. And I knew that guy was out there. Somewhere.ā
āWhatās the saying? āAllās well that ends wellā? Had we gone that route, I never would have met Tyler. Which means I wouldnāt have Millie. And I wouldnāt give her up for anything. Sheās the best thing thatās ever happened to me. Aside from her dad, of course.ā
āAnd as far as this being a good friend? Being there the other night, all the help Iām giving now. I guess in a way, I feel owe you.ā
āNot The High Table stuff again. I thought we agreed; itās all water under the bridge.ā
āI was thinking of something more important. Moreā¦personal.ā
Esme smiles up at him. āHelen.ā
Wick nods
She returns to looking at the window, drink clutched in both hands as fingernails repeatedly tap against the porcelain of the mug. āShe was one of a kind.ā
āShe certainly was.ā
Theyād met in a coffee shop in Brooklyn, strangers living in nearly identical brownstone apartment buildings within a block and a half from one another. Two women living very different lives; Helen, a famous and world-renowned photographer, and Esme, only six months into working under The High Table. Frequenting the same cafe twice daily, their busy schedules, sought-after skills, and expertise had made anything more than warm smiles in greeting and simplistic, minor chit-chat impossible. But they had been paying attention; learning each otherās standing orders and one often treating the other. A rather simple gesture that means so much; signifying a door left open when it came to a potential friendship.
Fate intervened three months into āknowingā one another; both finding themselves at the receiving end of some well-deserved downtime. An extremely rare occurrence of clear schedules that allowed them to stop, breathe, and take in the world around them. Helen was already seated when sheād spotted Esme stepping through the front door; calling out a greeting and then flashing that brilliant smile before gesturing to the various offerings on the table. It had been the start of something so beautiful; both surrounded by the sea of humanity that ruled over New York City, yet never feeling more alone. And theyād spent hours in that cafe; drinking countless cups of tea and coffee, sampling various desserts, and lamenting about āsingle girl lifeā in The Big Apple. Thereād been o talk of their respective careers; instead, theyād chatted about their hometowns and large yet fractured families.
After that, theyād prioritized meeting every morning, whether at the cafe, each otherās favourite breakfast spots, or even for jogs through Central Park. Helen quickly became not only her best friend, but a sister figure. Only four years separated them, but at times Helen had seemed so much older; wise, learned, brimming with positivity and always prepared with the perfect advice for any situation. Ad sheād been more of a sibling to Esme than any of her blood relatives had ever been; suffering through even her very early years with five older brothers that lived to torment her.
āI think about her all the time,ā Esme swallows around the lump of emotion sitting square in her throat. āEven now, after all these years. She was my first friendā¦my ONLY friend...here. Outside of the circle, anyway.ā
āItās hard. Making any connections beyond all this. Most peopleā¦regular peopleā¦wouldnāt understand. Why we do what we do.ā
āIām right in the middle of it all and most of the time I donāt even understand it. And I know it sounds horrible; to say Iām at least glad she was gone before I left the city and moved to Prague. Had she been alive, I donāt know if my heart could have taken it. Saying goodbye.ā
āShe thought very highly of you. Always had something amazing to say about you. She valued your friendship. She would tell me that you were the sister she never had. Say how she would have given up all four of hers for one of you.ā
āShe was an incredible woman. Just so beautiful and so talented. And she was so perfect for you. You were perfect for EACH OTHER.ā
āAnd thatās why I feel like I owe you. Because you were the one that brought her into my life. I got a chance at normal because of you.ā
āIt was merely a blind date. I just thought youād be good together. And you were. You were so good.ā
āHelen was the best thing that ever happened to me. I never thought Iād get away from this life. I thought it would always be ālive by the gun, die by the gunāā. It never occurred to me that I could have anything more than that. Or that I even deserved to.ā
āYou sound so much like Tyler. The number of times he used to question the same thing; whether or not he deserved having me in his life. When really, itās always been me that hasnāt deserved him. And considering five years agoā¦what I did to himā¦how badly I hurt himā¦I honestly donāt. I donāt deserve him. He should hate me. Not want anything to do with me. Yet here he is.ā
āHe loves you. Just as fiercely as he did back then. If not more. And thereās an extra layer to that now. Youāve made a human being together. Heās a dad again. How could he ever hate you? Youāre the mother of his child. You talk about Millie being the greatest gift youāve ever been given? I bet heās thinking the same thing.ā
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Firstly, when you get this, you have to answer with 5 things you like about yourself, publicly. Then, send this ask to 10 of your favorite followers (non-negotiable, positivity is cool) š
It's kind of funny I get this today, cuz I've just turned 20 and I'm genuinely proud of myself for making it another year and in a general upswing at that. Thank you for sending me this ask :)
1) I'm a good person, this is important to me because whenever I'm having bad anxiety/depression my brain tries to convince me otherwise (even though it's not true). There was this time I was in New Orleans with my Dad & youngest brother, we were going to Audubon Aquarium but I wanted to bring a sketchbook so we went to a Walmart. Except I had routed us to a Walmart in a dangerous part of town so my Dad wanted to get in and out as quickly as possible. We were rushing past this older man and his kid/grandkid who was in one of the electric carts and I didn't want to cut right in front of him (like my Dad had just done) and also didn't want to lose my Dad (it was very busy) so I cut to the other side and accidentally knocked some clothes over. I felt really embarrassed to have to now hold the man up but I apologized to him and hung the clothes back up. He ended up getting in line behind my Dad and was like 'you've raised really good kids' and talked to him about how my youngest brother has said excuse me when darting in front of him with my Dad and how I had cleaned up after myself and he doesn't always see that with other kids. I swear not every bullet point will be this long, but this is a good reminder for myself so, yeah, good person
2) seeing as this is going up on my art blog, it might be weird to not mention that I like how creative I am! I have tried a bunch of different art things, am a video editor, a writer, I enjoy photography and am not half bad at design, I will learn the bass guitar someday (I've been learning it for four years now :), and so on. Being creative is one of my favorite things to do and be
3) if I care about you then I will do what I can to help and be there. This was kind of instilled in me by family, as they say 'no matter what you've done we will try to help,' or what I hear more often is 'just give us a call if you need anything' but I know it's true for me too. When I was living with my Dad I wasn't allowed to have people over if he wasn't home but there was a time when my best friend had messaged her group chat that she needed someone and was worried about being alone and immediately I told her she could come to my house and she did and I comforted her until she felt better. And my Dad never found out but I wouldn't feel bad if he ever did because I was just doing what I could for a friend
4) speaking of I'm also very protective of the people I care about, I've got a lot of brothers and friends I worry about. This can be a bad thing sometimes cuz it also means I tend towards suspicion at times, but I still like it about myself.
5) I think I make people feel invited and involved. I pay attention when someone is talking and try not to let others talk over them. I'll invite people to go to things with me (when I am going to things anyways). Even when I don't know a person super well or don't necessarily like them I try to make them feel welcome cuz I don't want anyone to feel ignored around me
I don't know that I have 10 followers! But I'll find people to send this to, thank you again for sending it to me :D
#hopefully there aren't a bunch of spelling mistakes#ask game#answered asks#ask meme#it's good to be kind to yourself#q&a
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Match Villains: A Twisted Turn in Puzzle Games You Didnāt Expect

When you think of puzzle games, your mind probably conjures up soothing colors, maybe some gems, or even a smiling king asking you to match three. Match Villains, on the other hand, takes a wildly different routeāand I respect that kind of guts.
Developed by Good Job Games, this mobile title doesnāt just slap a quirky theme onto an old formula. It leans hard into its aesthetic, delivering a match-style puzzle experience where youāre sorting out cartoonish crooks, sketchy suspects, and full-blown baddies. If that sounds weirdāit is. But thatās exactly why it works.
At its core, Match Villains is a typical match-three-style puzzle game, but with layers of thematic flair and personality. Each level requires you to clear the board by grouping together sets of similar-looking villains. These arenāt your standard, sterile tokens. Theyāre expressive little hooligans with sunglasses, grimaces, striped shirts, and the kind of exaggerated swagger youād expect in a cartoon crime spree.
The visuals pop in the best way possible. Everything is clean and exaggerated in a style that feels intentionally over-the-top. The animations are slick, and the UI is minimal, which helps keep the focus on what mattersāmatching the right scumbags as quickly and efficiently as you can.
What makes Match Villains stand out in the ocean of puzzle games is how it injects humor into the gameplay loop. The level progression is peppered with cutscenes that donāt take themselves seriously, showcasing each villainās absurd personality. Itās a game that knows exactly what it isāridiculous and funāand leans into it.
Mechanically, the game plays it safe, at least in the beginning. Youāre introduced to the match-three basics: tap to group three identical characters, clear the board, and rack up points. But just as you start getting comfortable, Match Villains throws in extra rules. There are time limits, board restrictions, boss levels, and even occasional puzzle twists that require specific orderings rather than just random groupings. This constant injection of new mechanics keeps things feeling fresh even after several sessions.
In terms of difficulty, the curve is fairly gentle in the early stages. Youāll breeze through the first 30ā40 levels without much trouble. But after that, it starts to require more strategic thinking. This isnāt just a game where blind tapping will save you anymore. Youāll need to plan ahead, save combos, and pay close attention to unique villain traits. For seasoned fans of puzzle games, this makes for a nice, gradually increasing challenge curve.
Monetization-wise, Match Villains follows the freemium model. Youāll find optional ads, in-app purchases for power-ups, and extra lives when you inevitably run out. The game doesnāt shove ads down your throat, thoughāat least not in the early hours. And most importantly, the ads you do watch are voluntary and tied to specific rewards. That kind of restraint is rare in mobile puzzle games, and I appreciate it.
What really drew me in wasnāt just the gameplayāit was the tone. Match Villains has a voice, and itās not afraid to be weird. It treats you like a co-conspirator rather than just a player. The puns are bad, the villains are goofballs, and the music bounces with just the right amount of chaos. This isnāt just another match-three time filler. Itās got personality.
In a market oversaturated with polished but soulless puzzle games, Match Villains manages to make an impression. Itās a rare mix of smart level design, goofy aesthetics, and bite-sized narrative moments. I wouldnāt call it groundbreakingābut I would call it refreshing.
If youāre the kind of player who enjoys quirky mobile puzzle games and doesnāt mind a little visual absurdity with your strategy, this game is worth your time. Whether youāre playing in line at a coffee shop or trying to unwind before bed, Match Villains provides just the right balance of challenge and charm.
And honestly, thereās something oddly satisfying about matching petty criminals until they explode off the screen in dramatic flair. Puzzle justice? Maybe. Or maybe itās just a solid, stylish game that knows how to have fun with its premise. Either way, Iām here for it.
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Day 35.5: Flagstaff zeros
After having breakfast with the family, it was time to start knocking items off my list of tasks for the day. This started with an inventory of my resupply box and food left over from the last section. I had a bit of a surplus, as the mileage differences between the AZT redline and Flagstaff Urban Route meant I had sent myself a bit more than I needed. A good problem to have, but still requiring attention. The next segment should be 109.4 miles, which will take 5 days at 22 mile days, or 5.5 days at 20 mile days, rather than the 6.7 days Iād planned based on redline mile markers at 18 mile days.
After inventorying, I packed up 6 days of supplies to have a bit of a buffer. Water sources arenāt amazing in the next section, so it is possible (though not super likely) I might need to cut a day short to camp closer to a source and then do a long day the following day. I also included some surplus coffee and Liquid IV packets.
Next, I prepared for my errands on the town. I double-checked the list of gear I planned to purchase (including a new fuel canister, a replacement pair of socks for one of mine that were developing a hole, an better dirty water storage container, some thin paracord to replace tent stake pulls, and other minor items).
Iād been using a smartwater bottle as my dirty container, which worked well for a while. However, it was developing lots of lines from repeated squeezing and the pressure caused by it, and I didnāt want it to spring a leak on me. It also had a narrow opening which made it difficult to get water out of shallow sources (which I expect to encounter many of in the remainder of the trip). I intended to get a 2 liter CNOC bag, which solves most of these problems and has the correct threading to mate to my water filter.
Speaking of which, I also had to give my filter a good backflushing. The muddy water Iād used in the last section had slowed the flow significantly, and this would be best to do with unlimited potable water. While it had backflushed clean on trail, I had forgotten that the filters usually need some percussive maintenance during backflushing to shake out loose debris. Once I did this, it took about 30 minutes of backflushing in the hotel sink to get the water to run consistently clear! Hopefully this solves my flow rate problem.
Next, I headed downtown to the knot of outdoor gear stores. A day pass to the Flagstaff bus system was only $2.50, and ran almost exactly where I needed to go. I dropped off some of my surplus items at a hiker box at the first store, but I couldnāt find the water bag I wanted.
I tried some of the other stores (including one that was ostensibly an outdoor gear shop but really only sold expensive, status-symbol brand clothing), having no luck until the fourth and final one I tried, Peace Outfitters. This place was awesome, with super friendly and knowledgeable staff whoād been thru hiking before. They even had some of the smaller specialty items I had assumed Iād only be able to find online. They didnāt mention it, but I think I also got a 10% discount for being a thru hiker. Great experience, nice people, wish they were my local gear shop.
After this, I made some phone calls to catch up with other family, and made my way over to the grocery store to pick up some fresh watermelon and a few other items Iād been craving. I couldnāt find cheesecloth here, which one of the guys at the shop had suggested as a prefilter for my water.
After this, I headed back to the hotel to drop off my things, then to the bus again to go see a movie. I had gotten a ticket to Drop, a thriller/mystery that ended up being pretty good. Not great, but entertaining. Afterwards, I checked out another grocery store by the theater and successfully located some cheesecloth. Then I retired to my hotel for the night, aided by a large Hawaiian pizza.
The next morning, some trail acquaintances and I had debating leaving as a group, but I was still feeling very tired and decided to take a second zero day. This one had many fewer chores, and consisted mostly of chilling in the hotel room and napping intermittently. I took a trip to the grocery store for more economical dinner materials (microwaveable 90 second packets of rice and beans), but otherwise stayed in most of the day.
Tomorrow, Iāll cross MM 600 and start my approach to the Grand Canyon, which should take somewhere in the realm of 5-6 days. From there it will be almost exactly 100 miles until the Utah border and the end of the trail.




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Due to several sleeping errors, I forgor
My day was alright outside of my stomach waking me up after 3 hours of comfy sleep, and then me falling asleep for a little too long on the couch at work, which is why I don't think i'm gonna have a new kanji for today. I'll probably just practice some other vocabulary and keep hammering in the first half of my katakana
Like I'm always saying, I dont want to vent here but like, its part of my day ya know. And I'm not upset as I write this its just thoughts in my brain. Btw did you know that overexplaining yourself is an autistic trait? Anyway, I've been thinking about my brain and its problems because my partner has a new work friend who is also autistic, but her and I followed different paths. She seems to be on the Naruto Uzumaki grind of saying exactly what she means and is thinking at all times. The barrier between her and other people made her more forward and blunt, which is probably good. I however went the conflict avoidance route, where I got tired of trying to be understood so I've just spoken less and less over the years. I used to be very social but lately I'm going whole days saying almost nothing to anyone
Its largely because of the specific people I'm around every day, cuz my mom doesnt care about whatever the fuck I'm doing in Onimusha or Splatoon. I've learned what stuff people outside my fixations would be equipped to find interesting. My mom listens, but I dont want to waste her time or bug her while shes working with stuff that isn't relevant to her. And my brother is the most equipped to have conversations with but he's also on a different autism wavelength that seems to be becoming incompatible with mine. Like earlier today I said I was getting really tired of him and our friend being so fuckin negative about everything all the time and then like 2 minutes later he said I was a bitch for paying attention to what skills I have on in Monster Hunter. Something just ain't lining up in our conversations
BUT, thats all to say, my response to that comment wasnt to push the point further, instead I just stopped talking. Because I've learned that he in particular seems to have lost the ability to argue or discuss in good faith when it comes to specific topics. And because of that I sit there and filter everything I think about saying. I have a thought about something in the Splatoon DLC and before i say something I think "my brother doesnt like Splatoon anymore so at best he'll ignore me and at worst I'll get into an argument about whether or not skills are stupid"
So you the reader at this moment may be thinking "this sounds like a problem with you and the 3 people you talk to every day" and you'd be right. But this learned silence has got my ass unsure how to speak in general, so idk how to make new friends or how to interact with old ones. Its quite the pickle oh yes
Again this is literal hashtag thought posting, I'm not trying to complain but this is just stuff thats been on my mind since like January. And now this new friend that my partner has made me think damn I couldve just pivoted into an assertive style autist but I assumed a defensive posture. The human mind truly is fucked and full of terrors
But all that shit aside Dungeon Meshi is amazing, the whole crew is great. I am concerned that I'm getting incorrect localizations on their names cuz i'm reading it on manga dex. So I've just been calling the hobbit Chalk. I'm on chapter 15 now I think. Kensuke is my MVP right now I love that little guy
And finally the moment youve been waiting for yes its true I only have 4 weapons left to go in Side Order. I was spoiled on the name of Eights pallette weapon and it didnt tell me anything but it made me want to get it as soon as possible to see what the fuck it is
My partner also brought me a big sammich at work and it was good. I lob her

Peace and Long Life
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THIS WHOLE THING IS A CURSE ! , jimen shouted , and for a moment , link stalled . that photographer had been convinced of that too . . . the boy blinked , for a moment STILLED . ( he'd seen that exact skeleton key too . at the expo . . . ) then the rubber sole of his shoe scraped over stone as link kept jimen at a distance . backing away with jimen's every step forward . they slowly circled in parallel , and link kept his route further inward firmly in his sight .
AND YET ā LINK FOUND HIS attention drawn back to that blade of his . jimen had summoned it just like that . like the most natural thing in the world . ( HE PROBABLY ACTUALLY STOLE IT . ) link's jaw set , pressing into a long , thin line . ā well , i don't . ā CURSES OR STORYBOOKS . . . it didn't matter . maybe in some other story jimen could call himself blue - eyed posy . and maybe in some other story link could be a hero . THIS WAS A JOKE AND LINK WASN'T LAUGHING . because if even hope was a hoax then WHAT DIFFERENCE DID IT MAKE ?
well ā link's eyes met zelda's . looking at her was like prodding at a tender bruise . ā . . . maybe it would have made something of a difference .
ā . . . you're really in on this ? ā he asked her , softer . his ears dipped lower as a new , tired pain pulsed between his temples . he didn't want to fight with either of them . he didn't want to argue with her most of all . STILL LINK STEELED HIMSELF FOR IMPACT ā a wary vigil for the inevitable . prodding : ā what ? did that ā director whatever offer an internship for this ? ā
@silentaura
Sora skid to a stop as the phone crashed to the ground and spread through the temple floor. His eyes darting from the phone, then to Link, then back to the phone. "Really?! You coulda hit me!" Sora called out before shaking his head and stepping toward Link again, this time cautiously.
"Because we know you're innocent! And we're trying to help!"
Sora was exhausted. The constant running he and Zelda had been doing was taking its toll, but there was light at the end of the tunnel.
"Link, look!"
Sora summoned a unique blade with the shape of a skeleton key to his right hand with a shimmer of light.
"My name isn't Jimen! My name is Sora! This-This whole thing is a curse! You have to trusts us!
@windsofcourage
#ć ic . ćā history has its eyes on you .#silentaura#silentaura / o8.#liightaga#liightaga / o5.#ć event . ćā untold stories .#ć act ii . ćā untold stories .#(he's sooooooooooo)
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Gall of a Gryffindor {Sebastian Sallow x GN!Gryffindor!Reader}
Introduction: This one was actually a request!
āCan you write something with a Gryffindor reader? I always see for the other houses but havent seen anything specifically with gryffindor. Something among the lines of a gryffindor he can finally tolerate witty banter like thatā - fromĀ cloudroomblog
Heads up, I went a bit off script from the game so some dialogue might be different and things may seem a little out of order. So sit back, relax, and have fun with it. š
Word Count: ~ 2,900
Warnings: Kissing
Authorās Note:Ā Iām definitely open to requests if anyone wants to throw them my way but no pressure haha. They just might take a while since I only like to work on one story at a time and really let myself head cannon, blasting music to throw myself into it.
Songs (if interested):
So Hot Youāre Hurting My Feelings - Squirrel Flower Cover
Dark Red - Steve Lacy
When Iām Small - Phantogram
Black Out Days - Phantogram
The castle was endless. You knew you were in for a challenge finding your classes with how large it was, but at that point it was ridiculous. You were convinced new rooms were being added every day to throw you off, which probably was happening if you thought about it.
As you were walking one way, you thought back on the directions you were given, and promptly turned on your heel to go the other way. But then you thought back again and realized you probably werenāt in the right area to begin with. You summoned your field guide and scrambled to look at your map, finger tracing the page to find some sort of route. The look on your face clearly gave away you had no idea where you were going and Sebastian Sallow rolled his eyes at you from afar.
āIt would be a Gryffindor who was the late bloomer.ā Sebastian cracked and laughed along with some fellow Slytherin students, not caring if you heard, maybe even hoping you heard. He glanced back at you and saw you were no longer fumbling with your field guide, but instead you were looking right at him. You didnāt seem bothered, quite the opposite actually. You were smirking at him like you were amused by the joke too.Ā
You looked him up and down through your lashes, gave a little hum, and went back on your way. He stopped laughing and swallowed thickly in his throat. He snapped his attention back to his friends and tried join back in on the laughter, but all that came out was a nervous chuckle. He glanced back over his shoulder and watched your form walk away. What was that?
-
He found the two of you had charms class together, and couldnāt help but stare as you walked in. Your hustling around the castle had made your cheeks flushed and given your uniform a disheveled look, robes falling off one shoulder slightly. Observing your state and thinking back on how you looked at him earlier made him shift uneasily in his seat.
Natty had called you over and you went to sit by her side. When you sat down, you gave her a thankful smile and then your eyes roamed to take in the classroom. Your gaze landed on Sebastian and his eyes darted away in hopes you didnāt catch him staring.
Iām just a little curious about you is all, nothing to get your hopes up over.Ā He imagined himself telling you if you had caught him staring.Ā
Professor Ronen had the class go outside for that dayās accio lesson, putting you on the spot. In your first introduction to the Summonerās Court board, you furrowed your brows together, fully focused on getting the spell right. Sebastian felt a little flame catch fire in his stomach. You make a cute face when you focus, big deal.Ā He cleared his throat, having felt it suddenly go dry, and kicked at the grass at his feet.
Then Professor Ronen called up Natty to play you in an official game of Summonerās Court. The way you laughed with her and seemed to have so much fun effortlessly had him rubbing the back of his neck. As the class went on and you were getting invested in the game, you loosened your tie and unbuttoned the top of your shirt a little, revealing a bit of your collar bone. Sebastianās eyes glazed over, his thoughts taking him somewhere he shouldnāt be going in the middle of class.Ā Oh no. He made himself think of Madam Scribner and that seemed to bring him back.Ā Alright, thatās it. He needed to avoid you at all costs.
-
āHello Sebastian.āĀ
Sebastian glanced up from his book to see you smiling at him sweetly, maybe even a little mischievously.
āHello.ā He eyed you with suspicion and tossed his book to the side, the two of you had never spoken outside of class before. Why were you coming up to him then?
āI heard a rumor that you like to go to the restricted section of the library.ā You lifted a questioning brow, taking a step closer to him.
He shifted his gaze away from you. āThat so?ā What was going on with him? A Gryffindor was not making him nervous like this.
āOh yes. And I was hoping, if it was true, you could take me next time you went.ā You took another step towards him, causing him to take a step back and hit his back against the wall. He was trapped. He tried to play off the awkward position as if he had wanted to lean against the wall, folding his arms and looking down to the floor.
āSay it was true... Youād really be okay with breaking the rules? Being a Gryffindor and all.ā
āWell, this could be life or death. So, maybe I can break the rules just a little.ā And people called him a flirt.
A thrill shot through Sebastian and he finally met your gaze again. You were giving him a look of you in or out? It made him panic slightly, this aura you carried of showing interest yet still having one foot out the door.
āMeet me outside the library tonight. And tell no one.ā
You raised your eyebrows slightly at him, then gave a small nod of your head and left without saying anything more. Sebastian released a breath he didnāt realize he was holding. He hated that he felt a bit exhilarated at the thought of impressing you.
-
Teaching you the disillusionment spell and getting the key to the restricted section went a lot smoother than he thought. It was as if you didnāt need him there at all. He could have told you everything you needed to know and you would have handled it yourself. But in the end, it was best he came along so he could browse the restricted section some more himself.
āWhat kind of book are you looking for any way?ā He asked as the two of you walked along the shelves. Free to talk without having to whisper now that you were passed the prefects, Madam Scribner, and some monitoring ghosts.
āIāll know it when I see it.ā Was all you said, brows furrowed as you carefully looked at each book you passed.
He rolled his eyes at your cryptic answer and went back to inspecting the books himself. Though, the act was actually making him more agitated. He hadnāt realized how often he had been down there until he found he wasnāt stumbling across anything new.
Sighing and looking away from the books, he glanced over to you. There you went, making that face you always did when you were focusing. He thought back to the day he first saw it. Then he started to think about how you loosened your tie and unbuttoned your shirt. His eyes dipped subtly to your chest then, noticing you did the same to your uniform that night too.
āIām not having any luck here, Sebastian. Is there any more to the restricted section?ā
Sebastian darted his eyes away and made it seem like he was thinking intently about your question. Just as he had composed himself and was about to answer, the giant set of armor near the two of you fell apart and crashed to the floor. And out came Peeves.
āWho have we here? Sebastian Sallow and his new little friend, out exploring where they shouldnāt be. Naughty Naughty, youāll get caughty.ā He taunted.
āPeeves, donāt you -ā Sebastian warned, but Peeves flew off in the direction of Madam Scribner anyway.
āIām going to tell! Iām going to tell!ā The poltergeist sang.
Sebastian growled.Ā āBlasted Peeves! I got to go stop him or at least get to the librarian with a good excuse for all of this.ā
You grabbed his wrist before he could leave. āHow do I know you wonāt go to the librarian and blame it all on me?ā
The feel of your hand was hot on his wrist. āWhy would I do that?ā
You let go of him and crossed your arms. āAre you telling me youād take the fall? How very, dare I say,Ā Gryffindor of you that would be.ā
āOh donāt flatter yourself. I like having friends who are in my debt. Now go, good luck in your search.ā Casting the disillusionment spell on himself, he was off, the feel of your hand still lingering on his wrist.
-
With one more detention added to his record and a brand new fifth-year now in his debt, Sebastian laid sleepless in his bed that night, his thoughts swirling with you. There was something about you that, though he couldnāt put his finger on it, drew him in like no other.Ā
Merlinās sake, you were a Gryffindor. That was usually enough to make him annoyed with someone already.Ā But now? Not only was he tolerating a Gryffindor, he was aching to be with said Gryffindor at all times it seemed. He found himself eager to impress you, standing up a bit straighter whenever you entered the room, and disappointed whenever you werenāt around.
Alright, heād admit it to himself at least. He seemed to have developed a crush on you. But he didnāt let himself freak out about it too much. Crushes were flimsy, maybe all he needed to do was get you out of his system. After all, the two of you had barely interacted with each other. He might have just put you on a pedestal in his head and needed to bring you back down. But how would he do that? Maybe he could take you on a date without letting you know it was a date? Heād have to disguise your outing as something unromantic.Ā
Crossed Wands popped into his head. That would be perfect! You had held your own in Defense Against the Dark Arts so it wouldnāt be a shock to invite you. Though he was taking it easy on you, he felt you knew what you were doing with a wand. He could partner up with you for a few rounds, and then who knows? Maybe youād stumble a bit and embarrass yourself so badly heād have no choice but to lose his crush on you. He at least hoped youād knock yourself down a peg or two in his mind.
It was settled then. Heād invite you after class the next day. It was a great plan.
-
Bringing you to Crossed Wands was a horrible plan, and had backfired on him spectacularly. You were a natural duelist, and on top of that the two of you were a dueling dream team. The way you seemed to make it look like a dance made his neck and ears burn with blushes. At one point you had asked if you could compete in a few rounds by yourself, taking on all your opponents with ease. And down he went, falling even more under that spell you seemed to cast on him so effortlessly.
At end of that dayās Crossed Wands session, you ran up to Sebastian and thanked him profusely for inviting you. Your cheeks were flushed and you were glistening in sweat. He felt like he was being tortured.
āDonāt mention it.ā His voice was strained.Ā āYouāre a natural, it seems.ā
It was as if you were on some sort of dueling high.Ā āIām so eager to learn more spells for this. Do you think you could teach me anything? The faculty is taking their time with me, and I donāt think I can bare to wait.ā
He had never seen you so excitable and passionate. He always thought you were coolheaded about things from what heād seen. Yet, it was only making you more endearing to him.
āI might be able to show you a thing or two.ā He tried to avoid eye contact and began thinking about his quick escape out of there. He needed to get away from you fast.
āSebastian, this was amazing. Glad you werenāt too ashamed to fight alongside a Gryffindor.ā You jested.Ā āI think I made you look rather good today, no?ā
āRight... Sorry I tease you so much about being a Gryffindor.ā
āItās alright. Maybe I like getting teased by good looking Slytherin boys.ā You gave him a quick wink.
Sebastian almost choked.Ā Did he hear you correctly? He tugged at the collar of his shirt, feeling hot all of a sudden.Ā āPardon?ā
āOh relax, Iām just messing with you.ā You laughed and playfully pushed him. As you began to walk away, you called back to him,Ā āAnd donāt forget, I still owe you for the library.ā
āHow could I forget?ā He replied just loud enough for himself to hear. He rubbed at his forehead, annoyed at how the day ended up for him.
-
What in Merlinās name was he doing? He had become so eager to be alone with you under the guise ofĀ āshowing you new spellsā, that he invited you to the undercroft. Ominis would kill him if he found out. But he couldnāt think of a better place. And watching you make that face when you focused helped put the thought of an angry Ominis to the back of his mind.
āYouāre getting it. Seems you got the wand movement down. And donāt forget, the incantation isĀ āConfringoā.ā
āConfringo!ā You recited, and a blast of fire left your wand, setting the nearest candle fixture ablaze.Ā āAh! Look at that!ā
Seeing you master confringo so easily and your excitement over it flustered Sebastian. Then to make things worse, you ran up and threw your arms around him. āOh, thank you thank you thank you, Sebastian!ā Pulling away slightly, you beamed up at him, āThis is exactly the kind of spell I want to learn.ā
He could only stare back at you. The air felt so thick, he couldnāt speak. Without thinking, he pressed his lips to yours. You were initially taken by surprise. But it didnāt take long for you to register what was happening and start kissing him back.
His arms wrapped around you tighter, hands slowly moving up your back. You opened your mouth slightly, wanting more of him, and he took that opportunity to bite at your bottom lip. The act made you feel light headed in the best way, and you were relieved Sebastian had such a strong and sturdy hold on you.
He walked the two of you back until you were up against one of the pillars in the undercroft, pressing his body more against yours. You could only continue holding him with your arms wrapped around his shoulders as he held you securely in place. He turned his attention to your neck and you couldnāt stop the gasp that escaped your lips.
āWhat's gotten into you?ā You asked breathlessly, yet a pleased smile graced your lips.
He pulled away, breathless himself, and couldnāt pull his gaze away from your mouth. āI-I wanted to kiss you is all.ā Still holding you in his arms, he leaned in for more and you met him eagerly. His hands moved to your hips where his thumbs began rubbing in small circles. Being with someone like this was uncharted territory for the both of you, but it was thrilling all the same.
One of your hands moved down to grab his tie and pull him closer, the feel of it excited him. His eyes shot wide open realizing where this could lead and he had to pull away. āWe have to stop.ā He placed his forehead against yours, squeezing his eyes shut.
āWhat? Why?ā You asked as you went after his lips with yours.
He kissed you back briefly, allowing himself to enjoy how soft your lips were just a little longer. But the feeling of his insides constricting reminded him why he needed to pull away again. Be a gentleman, Sallow. It was inappropriate, too soon, and in the undercroft of all places? This couldnāt happen.
He let you go completely and walked a few feet away, rubbing his hand down his face. He glanced back at you as you were straightening out your uniform and he had to look away again. He couldnāt help but relish in the fact that he was the one that caused you to become so disheveled.
āWell, now what do we do?ā You asked.
Still unable to look your way, he gave a breathy laugh.Ā āWould you like to go to The Three Broomsticks for a butter beer with me this weekend?ā
āYou mean on a date?ā This was the most unconfident he had ever heard your voice.
āYes.ā He answered, finally able to look at you again.Ā āA date.ā
āI would love to.ā The two of you stared at each other, smiling sheepishly as if he wasnāt just kissing you senseless against the pillar. Grinning and looking down at your shoes, it hit you.Ā āOh no, I have to go.ā You began speed walking to leave the undercroft.Ā āI promised Poppy I would help her with something.āĀ
Sebastian wanted to reach out and stop you but he made himself let you go. Before you were out of sight you looked back at him with a soft smile.Ā āThree Broomsticks, donāt forget.ā And then you were gone.
He let out a chuckle.Ā āHow could I forget?ā
#sebastian sallow#sebastian sallow fanfiction#sebastian sallow fluff#sebastian sallow x reader#sebastian sallow x mc#sebastian sallow x you#sebastian sallow x gryffindor#sebastian sallow x gn
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Azure Gleam Ch 7
Man . . . my "only use one unit" thing is really going to make this . . . interesting. . . .
STORY
Man, I use Dimitri, Rodrigue, and Dedue. And now all 3 are gone. Nooo. Whyyyyy. That's ok. I'll just grind Ingrid, Sylvain, and Felix up a few levels if I can't catch them up bc Dimitri's MIA. If I can just give them a few levels, we'll be good lol.
So Sreng caused trouble, but not as much as it sounded like. Relief that Sylvain's dad is ok.
Yeah, they're luring Dimitri into something, aren't they? Cornelia? Is this why Dimitri's MIA? Story stuff.
Shez is like let's go Felix. I agree.
Unless this soldier is a liar.
Love seeing Felix get to call shots for real though.
Sylvain's like we have to get to Dimitri. Felix says Dimitri manages to give him a headache when he's not even around, lamo. Accurate. The Dimilix is strong in this one and I'm not angry about it.
MAP/SIDE BATTLE
Yep, like I thought, Rodrigue, Dedue, and Dimitri are gone. But I CAN level anyone up to 30 where Dimitri is, so I'm fine. I'll just give Shez and co a little boost. Plus, it's a good excuse to use Felix, Ingrid, and Sylvain a bit. Mercedes too.
"King Awakens" is the chapter name. Looking forward to this. Something is obviously about to go down. I'm worried though. This is obviously a parallel to the AM chapter where Dimitri retakes Fhirdiad in AM, so what happens this time then?
Kinda torn about this. Some of me wants it to be another "Dimitri the good king" kinda moment, like a big positive growth thing going on for him. But another part of me wants Dimitri's proper villain arc. But I just don't see that happening unless they killed off Dedue and Rodrigue, but if that happened, I would've gotten more comments. Either way, I'm stoked about this.
Petra's thoughts on Sreng is interesting, esp since she called it peace between Brigid and the Empire despite her not willingly being there.
Man, I feel there is just so much more going on in this route than the other two, with Miklain, the mystery of what's happened to Dimitri, drama with Sreng and the Empire that's a consistent threat (and not like what just happened in GW).
Duke Ifan sounds like a badass, people are like "no way she'd let someone invade." I wish we'd get to see her, but since she's a woman she won't get a unique face, that's reserved for Dads only.
Felix's dialogue was interesting. It starts like he's repeating one of Dimitri's lines about the dead and ends with him understanding and sympathizing with Dimitri more now that he knows what it's like to lead.
I'm really interested to see where this leads for those two. I'm so happy Felix is getting all this attention. Man, my Dimilix heart is loving AG so far.
Of course it's Cornelia and the Western lords. They're the reason we haven't heard from Dimitri :(
So that bitch threatened the people and Dimitri surrendered to protect them ššššš Of course he did.
But if they haven't heard from Rodrigue or Dedue, that means they got away. Gilbert is probably ok too.
Will Dimitri still have two eyes after this? Or is he going to get one taken out again ššš
Shez is so worried ššš
Felix called him "our fearless leader" that's not the first time I don't think. You know, I'll take that over boar.
So we'll be doing the prison break this time. Cornelia better not have hurt him unlike last time. Or that this doesn't cause him to "snap," because this is like the only route that's different so far. I love that story line, but I want something new.
Oh, Dimitri. I wish he would just behead Cornelia. He could crush her head with his hands probably. You know the only reason he's not is to protect his people ššššš
Rodrigue and Dedue are trying šš Don't worry, Felix, Shez, and everyone are coming.
She's boasting that she'll hang Dimitri in front of all of them. God, I can't wait to kill her. And get Dedue, Rodrigue, and Dimitri back.
I reallllly am dying to see this reunion. Felix is going to let Dimitri hear it lamo.
Lamo, Dimitri's like "I almost appreciate such bald faced sadism." Cornelia's like "such flirting."
She's also like "you deserve this for reforming things." What a bitch.
You know Dimitri is probably blaming himself for this. For pissing off the Western lords, who are unquestionably awful. Someone get in there before he gets too far into his own head šš Well, someone other than Cornelia, who sure loves to gloat. She's so evil. I love it.
Dimitri gets all the best villains Cornelia (hammy fun villain) and Edelgard (interesting, personal, complex villain) are wayyyy more cool than "exists" Nemesis and CF!Rhea (Rhea is awesome, but my God they made her one-dimensional in CF). Not gonna lie, though, it would be nice for Dimitri to get to punch TWSITD as a whole out on purpose and hoping this game will let him.
Catherine just mentioned Shamir. Is her girlfriend showing up soon? Please tell me they have supports in this game.
Poor Ashe's like "our King is suicidal." Poor dude can't catch a break this game.
Sylvain's ready to lecture Dimitri about his recklessness. Good.
SYLVAIN & MERCEDES B SUPPORT
This is their only one. I'm bummed.
The boys and girls are flirting!!
Mercedes is engaged? To someone from Gautier? It's just her father again.
Mercedes has no interest in this guy. It would've been pretty funny if she got engaged to some random guy lol.
Mercedes is a confirmed heart breaker, getting tons of proposals.
Sylvain just proposed to Mercedes lamo. He's offering to marry her just to block anyone else so Mercedes can live how she wants. š
HOW THE FUCK IS THAT THEIR ONLY SUPPORT ššššš
They had, 1, 1 support, and it was a better romance story than most novels. ššš
The background music was so romantic too.
Guys, I propose all the Blue Lions just enter a poly marriage together, then I won't have to ever sort out all my ships.
SHEZ & INGRID B SUPPORT
So far just talking about some mercenary crew. Shez's old captain used to be in there.
This merc was super loyal to a noble and would help out with even farming and building stuff. Wonder where this is going.
Shez's whole point to this was telling Ingrid no one is tied to their role and can do what they want. The whole Ingrid struggling with being a noble and knight.
Oh, cool! Ingrid's grandmother knew Tobias. Nice tie in.
SYLVAIN & INGRID B SUPPORT
Oh, this is their first one!!!
Sylvain brought up someone acting up and Ingrid suspects Sylvain is talking about himself lamo. He's not.
Ingrid is just satisfied as fuck, because Sylvain now has to deal with someone like she used to have to deal with him, lamo.
Sylvain feels pressure to feel like the mature one of the group. Ah, that's cannon!!! Everyone always suspected he felt like he had to be the older brother to everyone.
Ingrid is just soaking this in. Queen deserves it.
Awww, Ingrid said she would've just abandoned him if she was really miserable and actually seemed to enjoy covering for Sylvain, on some level.
Basically the whole "we aren't kida nymore. We've grown up, hunh." Stuff. I love it. This is why you end up loving all of the Faerghus Four. Because they all build off each other soooo much.
HAPI & BERNADETTA C SUPPORT
Bernie's bug hunting. And when Hapi talks to her assumes Hapi's trying to kill her for no reason. So typical. Bernie is this close to being a good character is the game took her seriously.
They both enjoy carnivorous plants. I think Hapi just likes eating them though lamo.
Yep these two are not having the same conversation.
SHEZ & MERCEDES B SUPPORT
They worked together, and now are having a tea party together. Shez wanted to go out to eat. But Mercie is a lady of class and wants tea.
Mercie likes her sweets.
Ohhhh, Shez's mom incoming. The treats reminds Shez of something her mom used to make.
Sounds like Shez's mom lived the #cottagecore life, picking food from trees to make and living in a forest.
I think Mercie wants to live in the past days. She asks if Shez wants to and seems like she misses living with her mom ššš
Mercie. No. Why do all your supports get the sad face?
SHEZ & SYLVAIN B SUPPORT
Sylvain's studying magic hardcore. Probably to try and fix the Crest only gets access to super weapon thing.
Also gets to be the Sylvain is actually smart support.
Oh, classic fantasy trope, learning how to weaponize fireworks. Mat Cauthon says hi, Sylvain.
Sylvain's out here about to invent guns to Crests are useless. Empire, you guys are up shit creek if Sylvain invents guns, lamo.
I want guns, AG only route where everyone gets guns and this game ends realllllll fast.
Miklain and Sylvain have different moms?
Sylvain admires Sreng. Good. That's promising for the future.
Oh, Shez is actually smart! Recognizing that when the king shows power (lends Sylvain's family soldiers), then everyone else loses power.
Sylvain loves the Kingdom šššššššššššš he's like "he's a half-frozen stretch of dirt, but it's MY half-frozen stretch of dirt. And only home I've got."
Eat shit every "Sylvain makes so much sense in CF" person.
SHEZ & ASHE B SUPPORT
More Shez's mom talk. She thinks her mom was weird and mysterious.
Mystery mom was really smart, knew a lot, and knew magic.
I'm glad some of these are actually about Shez. Helps flesh her out so much. I actually really like Shez.
Awww, Ashe is going to help Shez investigate. Because he knows how it feels. Poor baby looked for info on his parents and couldn't find much. ššš
Blue Lions need a "sadness incoming" warning on all their supports, ISTG. Or maybe I'm just way too attached lamo.
Ashe is willing to visit the village with Shez in the future to help her find her mom.
This was so fucking wholesome, guys. šššššš
SETETH & FLAYN B SUPPORT
I cannot believe they don't have an A support. Whyyyyy?
Seteth is like "Flayn, you're making yourself useful! How dare you!"
Man, it's weird hearing her call him brother.
Ok, I'll cut Seteth some slack. He's terrified Flayn will fall into an endless sleep again. Poor dude. Right when he lost his wife too.
This support would be so confusing to someone who didn't play Houses.
šššššš Flayn is afraid of sleeping because of this. Poor, baby.
Oh, finally! She called him father šššššš
Poor baby Flayn just wants peace.
They're also so scared of what will happen if they lose the war. Oh, God, I can't keep playing Edelgard's route.
"If I lost you, I'd love the very meaning of my life." - Seteth to Flayn.
Flayn's like I'll eventually grow up, dad. lol. But she won't leave him all alone.
Don't worry, Seteth. I will literally never leave you supportless.
MAIN BATTLE/STORY
Hyped for this one, guys.
I don't want to deal with Cornelia's weapons, ugh.
RODRIGUE AND GUSTAVE ARE OK šššššš Ifan is alright too. She sounds badass.
But what about Dedue? And Dimitri?
Man, Rodrigue is such a badass.
Western Lords aren't alone. Let me guess, TWSITD? And those two are creating a diversion?
Annette told Felix off, lamo. Saying they need to go help them out. But Felix just wants to rescue Dimitri.
But they know Dimitri won't leave the prison until the people are safe.
Ashe mentioning Dedue. All the points. šššššš
See Felix take command like that does things to me.
Dedue and Rodrigue!!! They're back ššššššššš
Cut scene in the middle of a battle.
Dimitri's like why did you show up. Idiot. He won't leave though ššššššššš He's too worried about the people. Plus, he's Dimitri, so.
He's like Idk if I die. Dedue is like shut the fuck up, Dimitri. ššššššššš "I will not allow it." (is what he actually said and holy hell in a deep, badass voice) Dedue just told Dimitri off. Good. So now we know that Dedue can and will push Dimitri around if need be.
And then hand holding a spear. Because that's not suggestive.
Oh, badass Dimitri in the cut scene. And Dedue got a moment.
OMG. Guys, is that fanservice? I think I just got fanserviced.
They somehow made it Dimilix and Dimidue in the same scene.
Ok, but this game has been serving Dimilix, but can we note Dimitri didn't take Felix's hand? Dedue had to like storm in and put his hand over Dimitri's and force him to pick up the weapon? And it was DEDUE who made Dimitri change his mind? Felix got to lead the mission. Both getting the spotlight.
Guys, like, I need to rewatch that like a thousand times. Because we also can't skip the Dimitri and Dedue being complete badasses afterwards shots.
DIMITRI'S BACK. I CAN USE HIM AGAIN. Ohmygod I forgot how strong he is. 37 strength. WTF Dimitri.
Margrave Gautier just showed up. Holy hell this is epic.
Wait, Cornelia just talked about tearing Dimitri's eyes out. Does this confirm that bitch took his eye in Houses?
Dimitri finished her off with Atrocity. Seems fitting.
Cornelia's like don't kill me! Or the truth will never be known. Dimitri's like ofc, bitch.
So Cornelia arranged most of the pieces of the Duscur. So glad Dimitri's finally getting to ask all these questions šššššš
Edelgard knows what happened to Patricia? Or is Cornelia blowing smoke?
This bitch is about to warp, ugh. Though, that means I get to kill her again, so not too upset.
Man, is AG really going to focus on Dimitri discovering the truth about Duscur and fighting TWSITD because if that's the whole plot . . . I'm so happy ššššššššš
But like, why does Dimitri get the whole new plot? Edelgard and Claude are getting crumbs. Oh well.
Dimitri, Rodrigue, and Dedue have rejoined you. Helllll yesss.
Dimitri ready to go after Cornelia. But Felix saying to chill.
Ohhhh Felix got words for Dimitri this time. He's yelling at Dimitri for taking on too much by himself. Calling Dimitri out for not listening.
Ingrid's like, Felix stop. Felix isn't listening.
Dimitri just called killing Rufus "murder." Like stawp. Dimitri, it's self-defense at that point. I swear to God Dimitri would find a way to blame himself for cancer ššššššššš
He didn't choose any of this šššššš
He wants to take all the guilt for Edelgard's and Rufus's and TWSITD's actions. Baby, no. šššššš
Felix is telling everyone else to tell Dimitri to knock it off lol.
OMG, I'm so glad for this scene. They're all telling Dimitri not to shoulder everything alone. šššššš Guys, this is the missing scene from AM that I was desperate for.
Guys, this route is like 10000000x better than the other two.
I need to write some kind of hybrid AG/AM route.
Cornelia's in pain. Good. She's getting the Western lords whipped into a frenzy lamo.
And you know what, no Byleth or Jeralt! I'm so fucking tired of them showing up every. single. battle. Good on AG to knock that off for at least 1 chapter. It gets fucking old.
God, this chapter. I'm going to be thinking about this for a long time.
Man, I really am tempted to just drop the other two routes and only play AG. ššššššššš
xxx
#azure gleam#fire emblem#fire emblem three hopes#three hopes#three hopes spoilers#azure gleam spoilers
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if you're taking ideas for harmless drabbles, i'd love to see one of bucky on one of those dates he mentioned and reader's shenanigans. if you aren't, feel free to ignore this!
a/n:Ā are we really going to let a word limit define what a drabble is? is the vibe and spirit not enough? i say this bc this is 5.7k words long im so sorry. also hey thank you to everyone who piped in with their knowledge of violent geese and how apartment security works in new york!! also thanks to my bbyĀ @spiderrpcrker for reading this and telling me to publish this bc i wasnt going to fkjghfkj
warning: swearing, bad luck, dates, frustrated bucky, anxiety, mentions of gore but like only a sentence
hereās my ko-fi if youād like to support my writing <333
Catch up with the rest of the series here: HarmlessĀ Masterlist
Bucky returns only two weeks later. His mission lasted longer than expected and all he wants is to lie down and sleep for forty eight hours straight.
āFRIDAY?ā he mumbles, kicking off his shoes. His jacket had already been discarded by his bedroom door when he walked in.
āYes, Sergeant Barnes?ā
āHow are ya?ā He doesnāt miss a beat in asking, even though heās exhausted.
āAs good as ever. Did you have a successful mission?ā
āIf by successful you mean one sprained limb instead of two, then yeah.ā He wasnāt really cribbing. His ankle was already starting to heal anyway and it was worth the roundhouse kick to a Nazi's face. āDo I have anything scheduled for this weekend?ā
āYou have a meeting on your calendar scheduled for this Saturday.ā
āCould you send a text to Y/N and ask if we can push it to the next day?ā His muscles feel sore and God, he could definitely use a hot shower but all of that becomes secondary the minute he feels the sheets under him.
āWould you like me to reschedule the other one as well?ā
āWhatās that?ā He opens one eye in confusion.Ā āThereās another one?ā
āItās on Sunday. Youāve labelled it ādateā.ā
Ah, fuck.
āWould you like me to change it?ā FRIDAY never sounds like sheās judging him, which is nice. It also reminds him about how she, as an AI, canāt judge him, which is a rude wake-up call to how he doesnāt have friends.
āNo,ā his voice is muffled against the pillow, āno, let it be. Where is it again?ā
āYouāve only specified diner, Sergeant Barnes.ā
Public space, daytime, plenty of escape routes. Good on his less delirious self for selecting a diner.
āThanks, FRIDAY.ā Now that heās a little more relaxed, he can feel himself slip in and out of consciousness.
āOne last thing," her automated voice commands his attention again. "Y/N replied. She says sure and to take care.ā
āYay.ā Not even a second later heās out like a light.
____
āDid you bring me any souvenirs?ā Is the first thing he hears as he marches into your lair.
āWhat could I possibly get you?ā
āA postcard, a t-shirt.ā You donāt look up from your tinkering.
āDecapitated finger, used bullets,ā he continues, ācement blocks.ā
āEw.ā You snap the lid shut on the thing youāre working on, spinning around on your chair. "That's not nearly romantic enough."
āThatās all youāre going to get from a Russian underground bunker.ā He does a mini jog up the stairs of the platform to where you are.
āDoes the finger have a ring at lea- oh hello?ā You raise an eyebrow at the sight of him. āYou look different.ā
He peers down. The outfit was still all black. As always.
āNot your clothes, dummy,ā you interrupt, making him look back at you. āYour face. Whatād you do?ā
He unconsciously raises a hand to his cheek.
āDid you wash your face? Is that it?ā you squint at him. āHas it been a few months since the last time?ā
āWow, youāre so funny,ā he drawls sarcastically. Ā āTop tier comedian right there.ā
āNo wait, itās the beard.ā You snap your fingers in realisation, completely ignoring his comment. āYou trimmed it.ā
āSo what if I did?ā He leans on your table.
āYou going somewhere?ā you ask, elastic snapping against your hands as you remove your gloves.
āItās none of your busi-ā
āHold on a second.ā A sly smile begins to make its way onto your face. āAre you going on a date, Bucky Barnes?ā
His comeback dies down in his throat. That didnāt take you very long for you to figure out.
āIām right, arenāt I?ā You look smug, to say the least.
āShut up.ā A ray of light glistening distracts him. He traces it to the thing you were working on earlier.
āWhere are you guys going?ā You cross your arm across your chest, a small smirk on your face.
āWouldnāt you like to know?ā Itās a silver box, engraved intricately with swirls that, when he observes carefully, looks like a skull. Wow, terrifying.
āIām literally asking you.ā
āWhat are those?ā He shifts the conversation towards a more productive angle instead.
āEvil in a box and some other stuff.ā You shrug offhandedly. āIs it a lunch date or just coffee?ā
āLike Pandoraās Box?ā
āA discount version, sure,ā you confirmed impatiently. āStop changing the topic, listen to me.ā
He tilts his head, waiting for you to continue.
āDo you need a chaperone?ā The sincerity in your voice for such a bullshit question has him scoffing.
āGood God- no, I do not need a chaperone. Iām 106 years old, I can go out unsupervised.ā He reaches over and plucks the box off your table.
āSir, youāre a geriatric."
āWhat are those?ā He points to a few ray odd ray guns.
āMinor stuff you donāt have to worry about right now.ā
He shakes the box in his hand. āWhatās gonna happen if I open this?ā
āVery bad things,ā you whispered ominously before your volume returns to normal. āHowād you meet this person? Online?ā
āSheās Natashaās friend.ā He turns the box over, seeing a small latch at the side. āWhat bad things?ā
āBad luck and misery. Donāt play with it, itās dangerous.ā You pull the box away from him. āAw, is it a blind date?ā
āWhy do you care so much?ā he shoots back, tugging the box back towards him.
āJust lookinā out for you, Bucko,ā you huff, adjusting your grip on your device. āNeed to keep my favourite senior citizen safe.ā
āI have a vibranium arm.ā Whose force he could use to grab the box once and for all, but wasnāt. āI think Iāll be fine.ā
āWhat if she has one too, huh? Then what?ā
āShe doesnāt.ā As far as he knows, heās the only one alive with a metal appendage made out of the strongest metal in the world. That could very well change by tomorrow but he's keeping the title for now.
āBut what if she does? I swear to- stop trying to take the box!ā You pull a little more forcefully, but he doesnāt relent.
āI want this to get over before this evening.ā
āWhat timeās your date?ā
āWhy do you care?ā Heās sure anyone who saw the dumb tug-of-war you both were playing would just automatically assume he was an absolute manchild, not an Avenger.
āBecause.ā You donāt explain further. āTell me what time your date is, you weirdo.ā
āFive oāclock, now let go.ā
āFine,ā you say, suddenly loosening your grip. Clearly, it doesn't make much of a difference since he isn't struggling to keep his balance from the sudden loss of force.
āFine.ā He clears his throat, straightening up.Ā
You donāt say anything. He doesnāt either.
A putrid smell creeps into his nose, one all too similar to spoiled milk and decaying seaweed. He has to physically stop himself from gagging.
āHave a good day.ā You smile and lean far back. Too far. It looks like you're almost going to fall out of the chair.
Through the tears that are threatening to line his eyelids, he looks down at the box whose latch you somehow managed to lift, leaving the box open.
āWhat the fuck is this?ā He coughs, swatting at the air in front of him to clear it.
āI told you; bad luck in a box.ā
āYou canāt scientifically create bad luck, thatās bullshit.ā He tosses the box back onto your table. You watch it slide past you, not making any effort to stop it. āWhat is it really?ā
āIām not lying.ā You pull open a drawer, brandishing a small table fan that you set down beside you. āIf you open it, youāre going to have terrible luck for the day.ā
He glowers at you when you turn the fan on, forcing the fumes back towards him.
āBesides, thatās all I was doing today.ā You kick your feet up. āSo you can leave now.ā
He doesnāt care if youāre lying about not having anything else to do today. You could burn down the world if you wanted to but he needs to take a stupid shower. Again.
āYouāre the fuckinā worst.ā He tries airing out his shirt, hoping that the smell would dissipate as soon as possible.
āHave fun on your date, sarge!ā you encourage him as he stalks out of the lair. āRemember to wrap it befo-ā
He turns it into a sprint before you can finish.
____
Six hours later and heās absolutely convinced he fucked up.
He isnāt used to having his weekends free.
He realises that this is the first time in months that heās actually stepped out of the Tower for something that wasnāt directly mission-related. He should probably get some air. Touch some grass. See the sun.
His shirt thankfully manages to rid itself of the odour from the dumb box so he didnāt have to go take a shower. With nothing much planned and a few hours to spare, he heads to the coffee shop instead.
Itās a small place, bustling and alive with a crowd of people. They have a little bookshelf that usually is full of books donated by patrons, free for anyone to read.
The barista smiles at him. The coffee costs more than his high school education. He awkwardly smiles back.
Heās not a regular, but theyāve seen him enough times to know that he usually asks for black coffee in a to-go cup, later adding a sugar or two according to his own taste. They're nice to him, occasionally throwing in a cookie or something on the house. He can't tell if it's because of the Avenger status or the sizeable tip he leaves.
He picks up a random book from the shelf, fully intending not to read it but to just sit there and think. The book acted as a shield for his resting bitch face, resting murder face and his resting rage face. More often than not, a good combination of the three.
He sets the coffee down at the corner table he manages to nab in a quick second, along with the two sachets of sugar.
āIs this seat taken?ā Someone asks from beside him. He earnestly shakes his head in a ānoā, gesturing for them to take it.
They give him a quick thanks and drag the chair away from his table.
He does a quick overlook of the book he picked up.
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot.
Well, now heās too anxious to put it back. YA fiction it is.
He reaches for the sugar while glossing over the summary. He reaches a little further when it doesnāt come to his hand immediately, blindly running his fingers across the table.
Bucky peeks over the book, eyebrows knitting together when he notices that theyāre missing.
He was sure he picked it up.
He looks underneath the table. It wasnāt there, neither under his seat. Strange, but okay. He picks up the book and the cup, walking back to the station to grab two sugars.
This time he makes sure to tuck it into his pocket, double-checking before going back to his table.
Which was now occupied. He wanted to groan.
His mind automatically reverts back to the box from that morning.
āCome on,ā he scoffs quietly to himself. It was a coincidence. āGet yourself together.ā
āA seat at the counter just cleared up,ā the barista from earlier offers when she sees him standing in the middle of the store.
See? Good luck.
He shoots her a grateful look, venturing over to the barstool to take his place. Itās not the most comfortable, but then again, he wasnāt planning to stay there for very long.
He empties the sugar into the coffee, stirring slowly before opening a random page in the book.
He takes a long sip, ignoring how hot the drink was.
He chokes immediately. Because either he was losing his mind or his order had somehow got switched from āno sugarā to ādiabetes in a cupā.
He takes another small sip and his face immediately twists in disgust. Definitely too sweet. The sweetener he added only made it worse.
He catches the eye of the barista. She looks on in concern.
āIs everything okay?ā
Fuck.
Heās not one to make a scene. He just wants to live as imperceptibly as he could.
āYep.ā The sweetness sticks to the back of his throat. āAll good.ā
He just closes his eyes and downs the rest of it without thinking twice, trying to hide the grimace in his face. He gives her a weak thumbs up. She doesn't look convinced.
He leaves the shop soon after, hands shoved in his pocket. Maybe he could go sit by the lake at Central Park, watch the clouds. It reminded Bucky of the lake in front of his hut in Wakanda and the hours he'd sit in front of it, feet dipped into the water as his goats fed. He misses it.
He makes a sharp turn at a corner, still thinking about his options when his ankle abruptly twists under him.
He stumbles rather ungracefully, almost hitting the ground, but manages to save himself through the newly built up immunity he has towards falling thanks to all his encounters with you.
His gaze lands on his hardcore combat boots. Their laces had come undone.
Now he just knew that was horseshit. He always double knots them; they had never loosened in the past before.
The box.
He shoves the thought out of his head, crouching down to tie them again. He tugs on them to make sure theyāre secure before standing up again.
Central Park is a few blocks away but heās glad he didnāt bring his bike. The weather was rather nice and the wind in his hair felt good.
He wanders around the park for a while, looking for the lake. He pauses at a board with a map of the park on it, assessing how far it was.
Once he's ascertained which path to go towards, he turns on his heel to go.
He fucking trips again.
āAre you serious?ā he says furiously under his breath. āCut it out.ā
Heās half-convinced that he should tie it around his ankle like a sexy lace-up set of heels. He ties a triple knot this time, glares at it until heās sure itās fine and checks to see if anyone saw him humiliate himself.
Only a person on a nearby bench who looked like they were passed out drunk, given that their hoodie and sunglasses clad self was slumped over.
No witnesses. No 'You won't BELIEVE what the Winter Soldier did! Critics say it's his biggest blunder yet!' articles the next day on social media.
He manages to make it to the lake in one piece and no more falls, partly because he keeps his eyes fixed on his shoes to ensure no fuckery occurs.
There are a few people rowing and plenty of others lining the bank at scattered locations. Thereās a mom and her kid at the place he ends up. She sends him a small smile in greeting and he returns the favour.
Thereās a secluded bench that he takes a place on, letting out a small sigh. If he ignores the traffic and the skateboarders and the people in general, itās actually kind of peaceful.
There are geese and their little goslings swimming around the water close to the shore. Maybe he should have brought some birdseed. Or kale.
The kid beside him is busy fashioning something out of leaves, only occasionally erupting into giggles when it doesn't pan out. His mom watches him fondly, pointing at twigs he could use. Everything seems kind of picture-perfect and his body automatically relaxes, easing further into the seat and closing his eyes for a second.
Until there's a large splash and loud distressed honking. He whips his head around to find the same kid staring straight ahead at the goose with a wide grin. His mother curses quietly, picking herself up off the ground and grabbing his hand, half chastising him for throwing something at an animal and half urging him to walk faster.
The goose turns to Bucky. With no one else to blame for the sudden attack, it logically launches itself at him. His smile drops.
He gets up in a rush. The dumb bird nearly comes for his head, but he deflects with his metal arm.
āI didnāt even do anything.ā He swats at it swiftly, trying not to cause any real damage. The goose, understandably, does not speak English.
He flinches when one of them bites at his knee. He can punt it to the sun but he doesnāt want to.
āStop that.ā He sticks his hand out to shove the stupid thing away, retreating back to the road. āJesus, why are you so aggressive?ā
Among the barrage of feathers showering on him, he prays his damn shoelace doesnāt unravel as he shields his head with one arm, the other fending himself while he moves hurriedly away.
The goose honks angrily at him. He scowls at it, not exactly pleased with the reminder that these fucking overgrown ducks were constantly bloodthirsty.
It doesnāt leave him alone till heās significantly away from where he was sitting. He wants to call it profanity but thatād probably piss it off more.
The box and its effects were definitely starting to feel real.
Fuck it, no more day out for him. The best plan he can think of is to just go to the diner heās supposed to meet his date at.
The waiter greets him with a courteous nod, which Bucky can only imagine was the best he could muster when a dishevelled 200-pound man walks in covered in goose feathers and irritation.
He won't admit that heās too scared to eat lunch at this point because he canāt rule out food poisoning. He spends the next two hours on his phone playing Fruit Ninja and plucking feathers that accented his all-black outfit.
Several glasses of water later and a second before heās about to beat his high score, someone taps on his shoulder, breaking him out of his concentration.
Motherfu-
He clenches his eye shut, inhaling deeply before turning around.
āJames?ā
āHey, yeah, thatās me.ā Bucky almost falls over the table with how fast he stands up, clearly underestimating his size. āLeah?ā
āHi.ā She smiles and he finds himself smiling nervously along with her.
āHi.ā He steps out to pull out her chair for her and she laughs. "Nice to meet you."
āHow long have you been waiting here?ā she asks while setting down her bag.
āAround ten minutes.ā He clears his throat to hopefully hide the fact that he was lying through his teeth.
āJust give me a second, I need to tell my friend I reached,ā Leah pulls out her phone and he nods.
āAnother glass of water for you?ā The waiter seems less enthusiastic about Buckyās 8th refill.
āYes,ā he answers, hoping he doesnāt call him out on it, āplease.ā
āYou must be really dehydrated."
Bucky turns to look at him slowly. āI like the taste.ā
He canāt really blame the guy. Buckyās been there for hours without ordering anything solid, just leaching off their free water and complimentary bread basket.
āSo, James.ā She tosses her phone back into her bag, leaning forward on her palms easily. āTell me about yourself.ā
He had rehearsed this a million times. He could do this.
āI, uh,-ā
āMenu?ā Okay, so someone clearly had a vendetta against him.
āThank you.ā She takes it with a smile.
His morning debacle with the coffee flashes through his mind. Suddenly the idea of a diner didnāt seem so smart.
However, sheās already placed her order and George is standing beside him expectantly, daring him to ask for another glass of water, so he places his usual order and hopes that your stupid bad luck thing wore off.
He quickly learns that his date is laid back, and it isnāt hard to fall into a rhythm with her even though sheās the one asking most of the questions.
āHowād you meet Nat?ā Is his attempt at one.
āShe used to come in for lunch every week at the place I work.ā Leah leans back in her chair. āShe can really handle her alcohol.ā
Heād be worried about Nat day drinking if he didnāt know about her complete inability to get drunk. She might as well have been downing glasses of lemonade.
āYeah, sheās-ā Intimidating, scary, cool ā-really something.ā
āShe mentioned that you like movies.ā Ā He definitely spends a lot of time watching them. āYou got any recommendations?ā
Itās easier to figure out how different things are or how much he missed out over the years through them. Heās glad he sat out the early 2000s, judging by their fashion sense and hairstyles.
He's watched several movies over the past few months, a few of them critically acclaimed and others who were just there for the cult following.
But now everything goes blank and the only thing that he can remember are the biopics made about Steve that were somehow hilarious for gifting him the mental image of Freddie Prinze Jr. dressed in the stars and stripes, and highly distressing for the number of historical inaccuracies. Contrary to popular belief, Stevie did not, in fact, consider running for president after he took up the shield, nor did he start his own bar chain.
He canāt nameĀ Oh Captain, My Captain starring Channing Tatum as his favourite movie on his first date and hope to make a good first impression.
āDespicable Me was kinda fun.ā He wants to kill himself. āI mean, itās the last one I saw.ā
Her face twists in mild disgust, but he can tell it isn't ill-intentioned. āIt's a good movie, but God, that just gave me some intense flashbacks to my auntās Facebook page. Donāt think I can look at a minion ever again.ā
He sniggers with her. He doesnāt know what the context is.
Heās a little awkward, and he can definitely tell he isnāt the most open book but she laughs at some of his attempts at jokes. Thereās a distinct discomfort he has lingering at the back of his mind prodding at him, telling him over and over again that he isnāt ready for something like this. A warning bell, asking him to leave as soon as possible because he was in a dangerous situation.
He remembers what his therapist told him about breathing and remembering that the resources he had available were greater than his anxiety and he tries to get out of his head. It takes a few minutes of acting like he's fine but he manages to do it.
Other than the one time he scalds his tongue on the coffee but played it off with a pained smile, shoving down thoughts of your stupid invention, things actually went okay.
It was nice, even though they decided by the end that it was better if they both gelled together better as friends. It lifts the strange fear he feels and he can hear Dr. Mendoza say she's proud of him for taking this step before spending three hours psychoanalysing why they decided to stay platonic.
Bucky promises to visit her sushi shop with Nat soon and she says a bottle of sake awaits him for a drinking game. He doesnāt have the heart to tell her that Nat and he share the same tolerance for alcohol.
He makes sure to leave George a tip. A big one. Itās the first time he sees the guy smile the entire evening.
Heās waving goodbye to Leah outside and he thinks that maybe it was a good end to the day and that things actually turned out fine.
Until he turns around to leave, only to have someone walk straight into him with an iced tea.
The cold comes as a bit of a shock, making him jump slightly. He stares at his shirt, using his fingertips to pull it away from his body.
The person melts into a series of apologies immediately, offering to dry clean his shirt but Bucky just forces a shake of his head and says itās okay even though he can feel the sugar making the shirt stick to his chest. Goose feathers and iced tea. Was there anything else that would like to attach itself to him?
His fists clench and his teeth grit and he has to physically control himself from sprinting to your lair because God knows what else is in store for him and he didn't want to add in any way.
The door to the lair is locked. Fuckinā brilliant.
When no one answers after minutes worth of waiting, he fishes for his phone and realises that maybe two hours of Fruit Ninja was not the best idea, especially on a phone known for having shitty battery life.
Thereās roughly 2 percent left. By the time he opens his app to give you a call, his phone screen goes black.
He groans. Heās desperate at this point and under any other normal circumstances, he would have never, ever considered doing this.
But ten minutes later heās outside your apartment building. Youāre aware that he has your address; no doubt that it was in the SHIELD file he had gotten, and he knows that you know but it was still weird.
The buzzer has your last name listed next to it. Heās sure that heāll break it if he keeps pressing it at this rate but he really needs you to let him in.
āWho the fu-ā your voice comes through the intercom.
āIām sorry for showing up like this, my phone died and I couldnāt reach you,ā He breathes out as soon as he hears you. āBut I need you to fix this.ā
When he doesnāt hear a reply, he wonders if the thing actually worked. Heās about to start pressing it again-
āBucky?ā You sound a little surprised to hear him. āYouāre at my house. Why are you at my house?ā
āI need you to fix whatever this is.ā
āWhat are you- fine, Iām buzzing you in,ā your voice, initially confused soon trails off into something more dismissive.
Thereās a soft click from the door, allowing him to push it open. The elevator is already on the same floor as him so he just uses that.
The elevator goes up a floor or two. His feet tap restlessly against the carpeted floor.
The lights turn off and everything comes to a standstill. His foot stops tapping.
He should have known. He should have fucking known.
Thirty seconds pass. Heās still in pitch darkness with the elevator showing no signs of moving.
In fact, heās resigned to his fate. He sits down on the ground, only one step away from completely laying down and hoping someone finds his body here someday.
Itās six minutes of plain silence. He might as well get comfortable if heās going to get stuck here for the rest of his life. Did he change his will? Does he even have a will?
Thereās finally a whir. He thinks that maybe heās going to plummet to his doom as the perfect end to this day, but then the light switches on and it starts moving upward.
It stops at the floor with a ding. He doesnāt get off the ground, only eyes the door wearily. With his luck, it wouldnāt open.
But it does and within a second heās on his feet, scrambling to get out before it changes its mind.
He remembers your door number, basically charging down the hall to get to it.
The door is white and the paint is starting to chip off it. The handle itself is dented in a few places and he wonders if it was your fault or someone else's.
His knocks are rapid, agitated even. He doesnāt stop until he hears your loud shouts telling him to cut it out.
āWhat the hell were you doing, trying to break down my door?ā It swings open, revealing you in your pajamas. āHavenāt you done that already? And where were you, Iāve been waiting for like, ten minutes.ā
He honestly feels bad for showing up uninvited and highly flustered. He canāt imagine itās a pretty sight either. "This bad luck shit- fix it. My whole dayās been fucked up.ā
āWhat are you-ā Your eyebrows knit together in confusion, taking in his appearance.
It takes you a second to realise what heās talking about but when you do, your face settles.
āHow was your date?ā You lean against the door frame, arms crossed over your chest.
āReally,ā He glowered at you, āthatās what you care about?ā
āYes.ā You nod. āDid you have fun?ā
He hesitates. āI guess?ā
āWas she nice?ā
āYeah.ā Where was this going.
āGood, Iām happy for you.ā The smile on your face is genuine. āLook at you go, Casanova.ā
āWe agreed to be just friends, but thatās not the point here. Y/N,ā he whines. āI have a mission next week, I canāt afford to fuck up. My whole day was off and I donāt want it to carry over.ā
āYour whole day?ā you questioned, standing up instead of leaning against the wall. āBuck-ā
āJust fix it.ā
āOkay.ā You lift your hand up, extending it towards his face.
He waits for you to do something.
You flick him on the forehead.
āThere,ā you declare, going back to your previous position. āyouāre cured.ā
What.
He says exactly what heās thinking.
You laugh. āDude. I was fucking with you.ā
Huh?
āWell, actually maybe just like, three things and then I got bored.ā
Heās confused.
āYou know,ā you begin when he doesnāt reply, ātaking the sugar packets, switching your coffee order when you were looking under the table, took your place when you left, the shoelaces.ā
āThe shoelaces?ā
āYeah.ā You nod. āThatās the other ray gun you saw this morning. Unties your shoelaces. I stopped after that because I thought you figured it out.ā
His face scrunches in puzzlement.
āI mean, you looked right at me and told me to cut it out.ā
He racks his brain about what you could possibly be talking about before it hits him. The hungover person on the goddamn bench in the park.
āYou were the one in the hoodie and sunglasses.ā
āI just followed the Avengersā code of disguise.ā You shrug. āTurns out it kinda works. Also teleportation. So helpful.ā
He forgot about the teleportation. That's why you could do all of it so fast without him noticing you were even there.
āWhat about the fucking geese?ā
You pause for a second. āThe geese?ā
āAnd the elevator.ā
āWhat the hell are you talking about?ā The confusion on your face is apparent. āWhat geese and elevator? I have no idea what youāre saying right now.ā
āEverythingās been a mess today,ā he grumbles.Ā āI donāt know whatās real or not.ā
āI swear I had nothing to do with it other than what I mentioned.ā Thereās indignation on your features that quickly gives way to delight. āHoly shit, did I just accidentally invent portable bad luck?ā
āOkay-ā his palm finds its way to his forehead in exasperation, ā-then what the hell was the smell?ā
āWhat smell- oh, the one from the box?ā
He nods briskly.
āSecretions Magnifique.ā You snorted. āItās a perfume. The worst rated one I could find.ā
āPerfume?ā
āWith notes of milk, seaweed and sandalwood.ā
āIt wasnāt an inator?ā
āNo, it wasn- did you get vibe checked by a goose at the park?ā You stifle a laugh when you notice a stray feather on his thigh.
āWhat does that even mean?ā he asks in despair.
āI can see why it attacked you. You got bad juju.ā You raise an eyebrow. āMaybe if you stop staring so much-ā
āSo I just have shit luck.ā Is that a fucking relief or even worse?
āWell,ā you begin but decide not to continue.
Even with all the irritability masking it, you could see that he genuinely was just not having a good time.
āWait here a second.ā
You leave him at the door. He shifts his balance and sighs, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. He still had to walk back to the Tower. Maybe he could grab a slice of pizza along the way since he skipped lunch.
āOkay, here.ā You return with a large glass of water. He only looks at it. āItās just water, I promise. You look like you ran a marathon."
He takes it from you sceptically, pushing away the urge to sniff at it. Itās gone within a few gulps.
You wait until heās finished to point at his arm. He draws his eyebrows together, but you only curl your index finger and beckon for him to give you his hand.
He reluctantly extends it towards you.
āDonāt laugh,ā you warn him, taking his metal arm. āThis usually helps me.ā
You tie a small bracelet around his wrist. It has a few beads, which he realises represent the colours of the solar system.
āKeep that for good luck.ā You pat it gently after securing it. āI think you just had a bad day; those donāt last very long. Do you want to charge your phone before you leave?ā
āUh-ā The braceletās pretty, the colours shine against the dark vibranium. ā-no, Iām good. Iāll just leave.ā
āOkay. Anything else I can help you with or will you be fine?ā
He narrows his eyes. āYouāre being suspiciously nice.ā
āIām not evil all the time.ā You huff. āMy hours are in the morning.ā
āOkay.ā
āOkay.ā
āOkay,ā he says again. āIām gonna go then.ā
āSee you next week.ā You give him a little wave. āIād say break a leg on your mission but knowing your situation...ā
He scoffs. āThanks.ā
You make a move to close the door when starts walking down the hallway towards the exit.
He adjusts the beads slightly so he can see them better. The Earth one has glitter in it. He thinks itās cute.
āBucky.ā
He turns around.
Thereās a hint of a smile on your face.
āTake the stairs.ā
He doesnāt have to be told twice.
Next part
#bucky x reader#bucky barnes x reader#mcu fic#bucky fic#bucky barnes fic#bucky fluff#bucky barnes fluff#bucky angst#bucky barnes angst#harmless fic#winter soldier x reader#Winter Soldier#bucky barnes#bucky
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I swear I'm legit not trying to stir drama here, this is just an anecdote I find really funny and it's pretty topical with the new hbomberguy video about plagiarism. So I'm gonna be real light on names and whatnot.
But, since this does prompt me to realise it's been eight years since this event, I'll give some context for the sake of people who weren't there at the time:
I made a Minecraft series called Yokai Temple, in which I established a rural Japan-inspired village called Yokai, using the mod Ancient Warfare to drive a lot of the automation through different villager mobs running around doing such.
Since the villagers were also valid targets for most of the same monsters as players, this necessitated a thorough understanding of the mod and wider modpack, as well as just how Minecraft works in general, in order to build the village in such a way that it didn't get wiped out every time there was a Blood Moon (a night you can't skip where mobs spawn in Huge abundance wherever possible). I had automated main gates that would close each night after everyone went home, connected to an obsidian-lined outer wall that meant Creepers had no chance to get through, along with thorough street and indoor lighting to prevent spawning inside the village, and just in case I set careful patrol routes for multiple heavily-armed guards to catch anything that managed to sneak through.
It was a nice build, a fun series, and it got a meaningful amount of attention. I look back on those days quite fondly. Close book for me.
Then, a while later, a friend of mine (who is wonderful and deserves no blame for what happened next) got to talking with the now-very-deservingly-disgraced creator of what became the video series Rule The World, and showed them my videos as a way to say "hey here's a mod you could do a series on, here's someone else who did that".
To its credit, Rule The World wasn't a total duplication. It completely ripped out the dutifully-researched aesthetic of rural Japan and just used a generic Medieval Europe look, which played to the creator's experience with timelapse builds of such. Where I got my community involved by letting them submit unique theme-appropriate skins for the villagers and told the stories of what happened to them post-finale in the close of the series, they just shoved in a bunch of skins from other creators and used them ad infinitum.
What remained was the intensive use of Ancient Warfare for automation purposes, but they clearly didn't actually understand the nuances of the mod. Everything was ground level, open plan, which meant that there was nothing stopping any mob from getting to every single villager. And whilst they did eventually amass a sizeable militia of villagers for defensive purposes, they deliberately fenced said militia inside of their own barracks, unable to do anything to actually defend the settlement. Every time a villager saw a monster, they'd flee to the ground-floor open plan church, along with everyone else, with the monster following behind.
Now, by sheer coincidence of just how things went around that era, I happened to be part of the build team enlisted by a different pair of creators on the same server as Rule The World. I was even present during a recording or two involving its creator. Which meant there was nothing stopping me from wandering over and reviewing their work.
Not that I really had to, because the build we were working on was nearly a kilometre away from their settlement and every single time a Blood Moon would hit while we were building, the screenshot above is a sampling of what would quickly flood the chat.
All of which serves as a Beautiful object lesson in why, ethical problems aside, you shouldn't plagiarise: Because you won't understand why it was done that way in the first place, and you will make huge mistakes because you don't understand it.
building on the flux buddies server during a blood moon is always fun.
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[CN] Gavinās Car Repair Date
š Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for a date, 修车ä¹ēŗ¦, which has not been released in EN! š

[ This was released on 13 August 2021 ]
Beneath the blue skies and white clouds, the meandering road stretches towards the mountaintop, and the roar of the engine is incessant.
A light-hearted melody flows slowly within the car. Since weāve already heard this song many times, Gavin and I find ourselves humming along to the music softly.Ā

Gavin: Are you tired? I could drive next.
Sitting on the front passenger seat, Gavin turns his head to look at me.
MC: Iām not tired. Iām filled with energy right now~
I shake my head, gripping the steering wheel while my gaze focuses on the front.
Gavin and I had originally planned to go on a vacation in a neighbouring city today. However, sudden changes at work caused my vacation to shrink to half a day...
As such, Gavin suggested that we should change our plans to a drive, and that heād take me to this mountain route he often drives on.
MC: Iāve already watched you driving down this road a couple of times. Iām more or less familiar with this route.
The corners of my lips curl upwards slightly, feeling the fresh breeze brushing my cheeks, along with the comforting and pleasant sensation it brings.
MC: I can now understand why you like going on a spin here. The feeling of rushing among the mountains feels really carefree.
Hearing this, Gavinās lips hook into a smile.

Gavin: If you like it, we could come here often next time.
MC: Sure. But Iāll be the one to drive you, okay?
I speak with a teasing tone, and Gavin chuckles softly.
Gavin: Why not?

While weāre talking and laughing, a strange sound abruptly drifts to our ears. My brows furrow. Gavin also senses the problem.
Gavin: Letās stop the car.
I nod, bringing the car to the side before stopping.
Gavin walks over to the front of the car, then opens the hood. Bits of sunlight filter through the leaves, casting a mix of light and shadows on his face.
MC: Should I call the insurance company?

Gavin: No need.
Gavin purses his lips slightly, then waves casually.
Gavin: The spark plug just needs to be replaced. This carās pretty old, and it hasnāt been maintained much. Itās a good time to give it a thorough check.
MC: I see...
I glance at the long mountain road. Even if we were to head down the mountain now, thereās still a great distance between us and the city...

Gavin: Itās fine, thereās no need to worry.
As though seeing through my thoughts, he gives me a smile.
Gavin: There happens to be a shop Iām familiar with nearby. Since weāve been driving for such a long time, we could head there for a short break too.
Gavin places his warm palm on the top of my head, rubbing it gently.
Gavin: In short, it isnāt a huge problem and we can continue driving. Letās get in.
-
Halfway up this secluded mountain, Gavin stations the car outside a shop which looks pretty old. After getting off, what enters our vision is a tightly shut roll-up door.

Gavin: The boss might have headed out.
Gavin calls out the bossā name several times, but doesnāt receive a response. Instead, the sound of barking drifts over.
MC: This is...
Gavin: It belongs to the boss.
Gavin takes out his phone and dials a number. At the same time, he strides towards a flowerpot at the side, retrieving a key from underneath.
Gavin: Iāve told the boss about our situation. He says we could head into the shop to repair the car ourselves.
MC: Ourselves?
I mumble in slight confusion, watching as Gavin lifts the roll-up door.
Before I can get a clear glimpse of the shopās interior, a figure leaps out.
??: Woof woof!
A brown puppy circles around Gavin excitedly, nuzzling against him affectionately.

Gavin (voice clip here): Long time no see, Bean Bun.
Gavin squats down, patting its head. Then, he points at me.

Gavin: This is Big Sis MC. Say hello to her.
MC: Nice to meet you, Bean Bun~
I bend down. When Bean Bun sees me, the affectionate energy disappears instantly, and it hides behind Gavin timidly.
MC: ...Iām feeling a sense of dĆ©jĆ vu. Why are these dogs only close to you?
I pout, my tone laced with envy. Gavin chuckles softly.
Gavin: Itās just a little afraid of strangers. Once it familiarises itself with you, itād naturally stick to you.
Watching as Gavin carries the puppy up with ease, I canāt help but ask curiously.
MC: Do you come here often?
Gavin: I guess so. I often go on drives on the mountain, and got to know the boss here. Iād drop by occasionally to modify cars with him.
Gavin places Bean Bun down, then gives me a slight smile.
Gavin: Thatās why Iām more familiar with this puppy.

After saying this, he gets up and drives the car into the shop. I scan my surroundings in curiosity.
All of a sudden, a few photographs on the horizontally striped wall draw my attention-
The photographs feature customers of the shop with their beloved cars. Stepping closer, I find one figure particularly familiar...
MC: !
MC: Gavin, your photo is here too!
Pleasantly surprised, I point at that photograph. The Gavin in the photograph is even more youthful than he is right now. Heās leaning against the car, his amber eyes filled with unruliness.
This isnāt the only photograph. Next to it, there are several photographs of Gavin checking or fixing cars. However, they appear to be candid shots.
There are occasionally photographs of him looking directly into the camera. His brows are always furrowed slightly, reluctance written all over his face.
Thinking of the reasons why he was forced to have such photos taken, I find myself bursting into laughter.

Gavin: Cough...
An unnatural cough drifts to my ears softly. Without realising it, Gavin has come over to stand behind me.

Gavin: I once learnt how to repair cars from this boss.
He follows my line of sight, sweeping a glance at the photographs while explaining.
Gavin: But heās very strange. He didnāt ask for fees, but just wanted to take some photographs of me to stick on the wall of the shop... he said that his business would be better this way.
Hearing this, the smile on my face grows even wider.
MC: Looks like this boss has pretty good taste. He knows that he canāt let this dashingĀ āmodelā slip by~ If only I had such photographs of you...
I say this enviously while scrutinising the photographs on the wall. Gavin stares at the photographs of the youthful version of himself, and seems to understand my words differently.

Gavin:Ā āSuchā photographs?
MC: Mm!

Gavin: You could take a few photos later.
In a nonchalant manner, Gavin shifts to stand in front of me, and just so happens to block my line of sight.

Gavin: Stop looking. My skills from back then are far different from what theyāre like now.
He arches his brows slightly, taking my hand in his.
While looking at the person in front of me, I find myself laughing aloud. A sudden realisation strikes me.
MC: Wait. You mentionedĀ ācar repair skillsā... So other than motorcycles, you can repair cars too?
My eyes widen in astonishment.
In these photographs, Gavin is always driving a car. Even though I already knew that he can modify and repair motorcycles, I never thought that four-wheeled vehicles were an easy feat for him too.
Probably due to my exaggerated expression and tone, Gavin chuckles.
Gavin: Why are you so surprised? I had an interest in it, so I tried learning a little. It isnāt anything serious. Although cars and motorcycles are two different types of vehicles, the principles behind repairing them are more or less the same.
Gavin says this calmly while retrieving spare parts for the replacement from a cupboard at the side. I support my chin with a hand, eyes focused on him.
MC: You seem to know everything.
Gavin: Thatās an exaggeration. Itās just a hobby.

With a faint smile, he walks towards the car while carrying the tools. When he walks past me, he taps on my cap gently.
Gavin: It wonāt take long. Itād be fixed really soon. You can sit at the side and take a break for now.

After saying this, Gavin rolls his sleeves up to his elbows, revealing his contoured arm as he uses the tools seriously.
I watch on fixedly, realising that I rarely see this version of him. As such, I smile while shaking my head, moving a chair over and sitting down next to him.
MC: I just want to stay here. This is the first time Iām watching you repair a car for real. I want to protect this best observation spot~

Gavin chuckles softly, and doesnāt insist otherwise.
In the next second, something seems to occur to him. He stops in the midst of opening the hood of the car, then casts a glance at me.
MC: Hm? Whatās wrong?
The corners of his lips hook upwards slightly, a gentle light overflowing in his eyes.

Gavin: Erm, MC. Could you help me out?
Hearing Gavinās suggestion, I nod hurriedly.
MC: Of course I can. How can I help?
Gavin tilts his head crookedly and ponders over this.
Gavin: Could you hand me tools?
MC: Only handing you tools...?
Seeing that Iām slightly disappointed in this task whichĀ doesnāt require much skill, Gavin smiles as he grabs a clean apron from the rack and ties it on me.
Gavin: Itās inevitable to get grease on you when repairing cars. Youāre dressed really nicely today, so donāt get yourself dirty.
The sudden closeness in proximity causes me to soften my breathing. I cooperate by lifting my hands, then sneak a peek at Gavin from my peripheral vision.

His eyes are lowered, and his expression is serious as he ties the ribbon of the apron into a knot. His warm breaths gently brush against my ear.
I blink and nod, my voice turning soft.
MC: Understood. In that case, Iāll be Officer Gavinās little assistant today~
I say this with anticipation, and very soon grow accustomed to this new role.
While Gavin changes into his work clothes, I purchase two bottles of iced water from a nearby stall. After returning, the both of us take out the necessary spare parts and tools from a work cabinet.
Just as everything is going smoothly, a crisp sound drifts from the side, as though something has fallen to the ground.
Twisting our heads to look, we realise that BeanĀ Bun, who had been drinking water obediently at the side earlier, has moved over to the car, pawing at the tools on the floor.
Gavin: A spare part probably fell underneath the car.
As though punishing it, Gavin rubs BeanĀ Bunās head. Then, he leans over to look below the car. He supports himself on the body of the car with one hand, attempting to reach for the spare part which rolled underneath the car.
Looking at his tall frame and the amount of effort heās exerting, I canāt help but chuckle.
MC: Iāll do it.
Without waiting for Gavinās response, I squat down, reaching out to feel underneath the car.
Gavin: ...do it slowly.
A large hand is lifted up, carefully protecting my head.Ā
After feeling around the darkness beneath the car, my fingertips suddenly bump into something icy cold.Ā
MC: Got it!
Seeing how happy I look, the corners of Gavinās lips lift into a smile.

Gavin: Looks like having an āassistantā around is much more convenient.
He takes the spare part from my hand.
Gavin: Iāll have to trouble you again later.
MC: Mm, leave it to me!
Gavin removes his cap. After using a hoisting jack to prop the car up, his movements are nimble as he burrows underneath the car.
In the meanwhile, I tidy up the tools that BeanĀ Bun had messed up earlier. Occasionally, the crisp sound of clanking metal can be heard.
BeanĀ Bun: Woof!
After a moment, I hear a sudden sound.
Turning my head over, I spot Bean Bun wagging its tail, running towards the car.
MC: Wait, BeanĀ Bun!
Worried that itād disturb Gavin while heās repairing the car, I attempt to pick it up. However, Bean Bun manages to evade me nimbly again and again.
In the blink of an eye, it slips underneath the car. I hurriedly bend down, looking underneath.
MC: Bean Bun, come here...
My voice abruptly halts, and my line of sight is involuntarily drawn to the image before me-

Gavin is lying on the ground, his gaze focused as he makes replacements to the car.
His head is tilted upwards, revealing his sculpted lower jaw. A droplet of sweat slides off his face, plunging into the collar of his slightly open shirt.
Despite the grease and dirt on Gavinās face, it does not minimise his dashing spirit at all.
Bean Bun: Woo...
Bean Bunās bark returns me to my senses. Itās currently lying at the side, looking at Gavin a little pitifully. Itās as though it wants Gavin to play with it.
I wave at Bean Bun, pretending to look stern.
MC: BeanĀ Bun, come here. Iāll give you delicious, delicious food!
BeanĀ Bun: Woo woo...
Gavin: [laughs]Ā Itās okay, he wonātĀ disturb me.
Following the sound and looking over, I realise that Gavin had stopped his work at some point of time, and is currently looking at me with a shining gaze.
My face flushes, and I avert my eyes while using this opportunity to pick BeanĀ Bun up, who is stuck to his side.
MC: Reporting to Officer Gavin - Iāve successfully kept this Little Rascal under control!
My dead seriousness tickles Gavin to laughter. He plays with BeanĀ Bun while itāsĀ in my arms.

Gavin: Mm, not bad. My assistant is indeed competent.Ā
After this, he continues with the work on hand, just that the smile at the corners of his lips curls at a greater angle than before.
Gavin: MC, stay here and talk to me.
MC: Mm, sure~
I blink, then retrieve a small electronic fan from my bag at the side. I point it towards Gavin, wanting him to feel a little more comfortable.Ā

Gavin: Come to think of it, do you know why I wanted to learn how to repair cars?
I look at him with curiosity, and Gavin continues.
Gavin: When driving, Iām the first person who can understand the overall situation of the car. To me, fixing the car myself is most convenient. Also, I can make detailed adjustments based on my own preferences. It takes a little more time, but the process is very interesting.
Gavinās tone is gentle as he speaks, the corners of his lips lifting involuntarily.
Seeing the bright lights in his eyes, I feel a certain part of my heart being stirred.
MC: So thatāsĀ the reason why you like modifying and adding new coats of paint to vehicles? I know how that feels.
I nod while chuckling softly.
MC: Whenever I finished my handcrafts in the past, Iād draw all sorts of doodles on them... It was akin to leaving a mark belonging exclusively to me on the things that I liked.

I mumble to myself, not noticing that Gavin has paused in his movements. After a moment, he slides out smoothly from underneath the car.
Warm yellow sunlight lands on Gavinās face, smoothening his sharp edges.
My heart stirs slightly. Supporting my hands on my kneecaps, I bend over to ask him a question.
MC: Are you done repairing it?
Beneath the mottled light, Gavin lifts his eyes to look at me, arching his brows.
Gavin: Not yet. Thereās still the final step. Iāll need your help.
He pulls me over to him. Amid the hot and dry air in the surroundings, Gavinās scent and the smell of engine oil blend together.
Gavin places a tool in my hand. Together, we screw the spare part I had picked up earlier.

Gavin: Done.
His scorching breaths land on the nape of my neck. I turn my head, watching as a large patch of sunlight spills on Gavinās back.
Scattered dust floats in the air, reminiscent of mayflies as they land on the car, which has already been covered with a layer of dust.
The person in front of me has a bright and clear smile which is even more dazzling than sunlight. I blink gently, tugging on Gavinās hand and swinging it to and fro.
MC: Gavin, thereās something else I might be able to help you with.
-
āSplash...ā
I retrieve a towel from the pail, leaning over and meticulously wiping the car which has already been rinsed once.
In the next moment, Gavin stands behind me, grabbing my hand.
Gavin: Itās best to start from the roof of the car. That way, we wouldnāt have to wipe and wash it again. Like this.
MC: Mm...
I cooperate, standing on my tiptoes. Due to our difference in height, I find it a little strenuous.

Gavin: [laughs] Let me do it.
While saying this, Gavin takes the towel from my hand.
I nod and turn around. Only then do I realise that weāre only a finger away from each other.
Stray hairs on his forehead sweep against the tip of my nose, and I can see each one of his eyelashes distinctly.
Warmth climbs up my cheeks gradually. Just as I plan to slip out of this tiny space, my wrist is suddenly tugged on.Ā
MC: A-arenāt you washing the roof of the car...
Lifting my head, I see an imperceptible smile flashing past his eyes.

Gavin: Before washing it, I have to ask for aĀ ārewardā from my little assistant.
After saying this, he leans down, cupping a hand against my ear.
Then, he leaves a gentle kiss on my lips.
I hold my breath. The only thing I can feel is my slightly increased heart rate.
-
On this scorching summer afternoon, the whirring fan moves continuously, and the sunlight along the horizon turns from a dazzling gold into a warm yellow.
Without even realising it, weāve already wiped off all the soap bubbles on the car, and the body of the car is as shiny as the surface of a mirror.
MC: Done! Is Officer Gavin satisfied with this little assistantās performance?
I turn my head towards Gavin excitedly. When I see the white soap bubbles on his face, I laugh aloud.

Gavin: What is it?
Under Gavinās confused gaze, I turn the sprinkler to the lowest level, then head over to Gavin.
MC: Donāt move.
I dab some water on my hand, wanting to brush off the soap bubbles on his face.
MC: Gavin, squat down a little.
Gavin: Mm, okay.

Gavin nods in understanding. Following my instructions, he bends down. In an instant, his sculpted face draws close to me.
Beneath the gem-like and dazzling sunlight, the beads of sweat on his skin reflect light, causing me to be slightly engrossed in the sight.
I brush off the soap bubbles on his face gently. A damp yet soft sensation drifts from my fingertips. Gavinās eyelashes quiver slightly at the touch.

Gavin: ...are you done?
I turn my head, realising that the tips of Gavinās ears have turned an unnatural red.
MC: ...nope. Thereās still a little bit on your nose.

Suppressing my laughter, I continue caressing his outline, deliberately leaning in closer.
Gavinās breathing seems to become heavier. His eyelashes quiver slightly, before his eyes open right in front of me.

Gavin: [breathing noises] ...
Our breaths mingle with the heat waves of midsummer, and our eyes reflect each otherās faces clearly.
After a short while, Gavin seems to react. His lips move, as though heās about to say something. However, two crisp barks interrupt him.
BeanĀ Bun: Woof! Woof!
BeanĀ Bun, who has been neglected by us, releases unhappy sounds of protest. It hops up continuously, pawing against Gavinās leg.
MC: Sorry sorry, we seem to keep forgetting you today.
Lowering my head, I pat Bean Bunās head.

Gavin: [sighs] ...

As though not wanting my attention to continue getting diverted by the puppy, Gavin suddenly carries me in one swoop, placing me on the car as he looks directly at me.
Gavin: I havenāt answered your question from earlier.
MC: Huh?
Gavin leans in close. I have a clear view of the smile overflowing in his amber eyes...
Gavin: Iām very satisfied with theĀ ālittle assistantāsāĀ performance today.
The faint scent of sweat and the fragrance of soap meld into my breaths. Only after listening to him do I recall the question which was interrupted earlier.
Despite the smile surfacing on my face, I pretend to be dissatisfied while speaking.
MC: Is that all? Officer Gavinās assessment seems a little superficial.
Gavin laughs. He lowers his head to nuzzle the tip of my nose while he continues.
Gavin: This is how satisfied I am.
After a long while, he draws away from me slightly. With an upward tilt of his lips, he reaches out to leave white soap bubbles on the tip of my nose.
Gavin: [laughs] ...there you go. Now, the both of us have soap bubbles on our faces.
Watching as the smile deepens on his lips, Iām in a daze for a few seconds. Then, I recall how I had toyed with him earlier.
MC: Gavin, you did that on purpose, didnāt you?
Gavin: Mm, this is a counterattack.
Gavin admits it with ease.
MC: I didnāt expect Officer Gavin to launch such a childish counterattack.
I canāt help but laugh. Gavin looks at me, happy warmth reflecting in his clean and clear eyes.
He lowers his head, leaning his forehead against mine affectionately.

Gavin: MC, what you said earlier was very accurate. When thereās something I like, Iād want to leave my exclusive mark on it.
With his gaze, Gavin traces the contours of my face. Along with the warm breeze, his tender words land in my ears clearly.
Gavin: Which is why, over here...
He tilts my chin upwards gently, his voice softening.
Gavin: Let me leave a mark.
The scent belonging exclusively to Gavin wafts over. A soft sensation seals my lips shut.
MC: Mm...
Without giving me any time to react, Gavin rolls my breaths in between my lips and teeth in anĀ overbearing manner.
The sound of disordered breaths dissipate at my ears. I support myself weakly on Gavinās arms, feeling as though the temperature of my surroundings is rising.
After an unknown period of time, Gavin releases his hold on me. His arms remain tightly wrapped around my waist.
I pant slightly, allowing my breathing to regain some composure. As though Iām unwilling to admit defeat, I lean over towards him, giving him a light peck on his chin.
MC: ...Gavin, me too.
I stare at Gavin, my fingers caressing his outline before sliding down slowly, stopping at his chest.
MC: On you and your heart... I want to leave even more marks belonging exclusively to me.
The light in Gavinās eyes stir for a moment. Then, he brushes aside the hairs on my face, pressing his lips to my forehead.
Gavin: MC.
I hear him calling my name.
Gavin: Actually, you already did thatĀ since a very long time ago. You did it effortlessly.
Reminiscent of a gust of summer breeze, his voice brushes my heart, filling it with a sweet emotion.
I wrap my arms around his neck, feeling the mingling of our interlaced breaths as they melt into the rapidly increasing temperature of the surroundings...


Gavinās Post: The breeze on the mountain is really comfortable. Next time, Iāll bring Sparky here.
MC: I want to learn how to ride a motorcycle from Officer Gavin!
Gavin: Sure. MCās private lessons will begin next week.
Minor: Bro Gavin, can I tag along?
-
Gavinās Post: The breeze on the mountain is really comfortable. Next time, Iāll bring Sparky here.
MC: Can we drive down different routes next time?
Gavin: Sure. Until you have your heartās content.
Minor: Bro Gavin, can I tag along?
-
Gavinās Post: The breeze on the mountain is really comfortable. Next time, Iāll bring Sparky here.
MC: Sparky: Iāve fallen out of favour.jpg
Gavin: Itās okay, Iāll coax it when we get back.
Minor: Bro Gavin, can I tag along?

š§ Phone calls: FirstĀ l Second
š§ Translated comic based on this date: here
š§Ā Support the cafe by dropping by the tip jar!
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Ever get so upset you make a Tumblr account to vent?
I havenāt even listened to The Penumbra Podcast yet but itās on my list because itās insanely popular and the cosplays Iāve seen are hot as hell (A+ to all the cosplayers Iāve seen youāve done great work). Now, with the recent news surrounding the podcast, Iāll wait till itās done if I ever do get into it. Iām Asian and part of the LGBT community but Iām not nonbinary so I canāt say much about the trans represention in the art but I wanted to add my two cents on the matter as a person of color and someone examining the situation from the outside. Also, before I get deeply into it, Iām not the only person of color with opinions on this matter so if people have their own frustrations and criticism with the racism in The Penumbra Podcast and/or the new artist they hired, definitely listen to them too. These are my own personal opinions, and Iām sure other people will disagree and thatās fine. Weāre all going to have different views on this so bear that in mind. Also, feel free to correct me or add anything if Iāve missed some information. Hereās a great breakdown of the whole situation for those that donāt know what happened. Finally, I was very hesitant to post this, but I felt it was important because I make a statement at the end on how race should be presented in a podcast format so if you are interested in making a podcast and want to have a diverse range of characters, please skip to the end to read those thoughts.
Iāll start off by saying, Iām not even that upset with the new artist that The Penumbra Podcast hired. I know that statement alone is controversial but I don't personally know them, and Iām not going to judge who they are as a person by a few pieces of art theyāve made. They are the least of the problems that I have here. Since the announcement and the backlash, Iāve been scrolling through the artistās Instagram account and I can tell why people find the designs offensive, but Iām also comparing the designs to the artistās other work, and I honestly believe thatās just their style. Theyāve exaggerated the features of just about every character theyāve made, regardless of race or gender. From what Iāve seen the sharp angles and overly round curves in the anatomy that make some of the characterās features more jarring are how they prefer to draw. Iām sure theyāre capable of drawing more realistic proportions but for the most part theyāre art aims to call attention, be bold, and create distinguished features. Not inherently a bad thing on its own.
And yeah Iād understand the issue if this were a scenario where the artist heard how these characters acted in the podcast and thought āhey, obviously this character is a black woman because they are super strong and therefore must have big muscles, no other woman could look like thatā or āhey, this character has to be Asian because they act super seductive sometimes better draw them as such.ā But from my understanding the race was already decided by previous official artists and a general description of the characters were already generated by the audience, similar to how The Magnus Archives leaned towards drawing scrawny Jon with black, greying hair and dark skin. The new artists couldnāt really change those features even if those features arenāt described in canon because a depiction that strayed too far from popular fandom interpretation would make the characterās unrecognizable to the fanbase.Ā
I think the reason this became such a big issue for most people is because the new Penumbra artist used their exaggerated art style when making these characters and people of color and nonbinary folks already see themselves drawn as these exaggerated caricatures all the time (with those images being used to further discriminate against them). Iām sure the artist didnāt mean for their art to be offensive, but that of course doesnāt change how it was received.Ā
According to some, the poses and expressions the artists chose did not fully represent the characters entirely and only served to further perpetuate harmful stereotypes, and Iāll have to take their word for it because I still havenāt listened to the podcast so I have no idea how the characters act. But again much of the criticism is based on the one line-up and doing a deeper dive into the artistās work I managed to find artwork that was much less offensive. Here some art where Vespa is depicted in a non-violent pose and one where Vespa is in a threatening pose but not an overly violent one. Here is Peter drawn in a non-seductive pose. Hopefully, the artist truly does keep the criticisms in mind as they work on the new official art. Iām just not the type of person that wants to get the pitchforks out and cause this particular person to lose a job they seemed really excited about over their old character line-up, especially when that person is also part of a marginalized group.
Again, thatās just my opinion on that particular artist. Those who are offended by their art are still valid in how they feel, and the artist should absolutely take their criticism to heart to better how they represent the characters.
What Iām more upset about is that I think The Penumbra Podcast should never have released official art for their characters in the first place and thatās their mistake that they refuse to own up about. They have made it clear that the story was never meant to portray characters of colors, a fact emphasized by the fact they hired mostly white actors from the start. They only started releasing art of the characters to get a profit. And the thing is they know what they did was wrong. All I had to do was search Penumbra Podcast racism and there is a note on their website saying that they archived some old official art.
āWe have discontinued all Penumbra merchandise that uses the original character designs, and in the meantime, any profits on the sales of that merchandise will go to the For The Gworls project. We also realize that the depiction of these characters as POC, while not appropriate for us to use in our marketing and merchandise, has nonetheless become personally meaningful to many POC listeners. For that reason, and because we do not wish to distance ourselves from our mistake, we are keeping these images on our website for archival purposes. Though we do want to make it clear that many of the main/featured voice actors are white and that we did not write the characters to represent any specific POC experience, you are, as always, free to imagine these characters in any way that you like.ā
I went to their shop and they still sell posters and pins with the characterās faces on them, but they are donating it to a good cause so hopefully that stays the same. However, I still find it a little uncomfortable that they are still selling character merch and have plans to continue selling character merch. They have no right to dissuade the fans that already found representation in the characters, but they also have no right to profit off the representation that was built, regardless if they made the story.Ā
Letās compare this to another piece of popular media. I love Avatar the Last Airbender and, I liked the ATLA voice actors just fine but there should have been more people of color doing voice acting behind the screen too. The voice actors for that show were mainly white too, however, the creators knew that they would be making poc characters. Thatās what makes the difference. Did they still choose to go with mostly white voice actors? Yes. Could they have done better and pay more people of color? Also yes. But Iām not as furious at them because they did their research on the cultures they were basing the ATLA world off of and intentionally gave us a show where Asians could see characters that looked like them represented on the screen. The Penumbra Podcast did not do any of that. Again, they openly admitted that it was never their intention to make the characterās people of color when they made the podcast so that goes to show no research was made to properly represent specific cultures. The color of the characterās skin in their official designs therefore became more of aesthetic choice rather than representation, and it wasnāt even their aesthetic choice to begin with!
Race isnāt a color you can just throw onto the character because you feel like it. So I want this to be a lesson to anyone that wants to make a podcast: if you want to include poc characters please do some research into the cultures you plan to represent the way you would with any other form of media. Just because the audience canāt see the characters and just because itās harder to smoothly introduce the characterās appearance doesnāt mean youāre allowed to be lazy on how you present the characters. Do research before you start writing the first episode and take the time to hire poc actors. Hiring poc actors is actually the least that can be done to show representation. Also, since the audience cannot visually see the race of the characters on a podcast and it canāt typically be described the way you would in a book, youāll have to be creative. Itās not my job to say how, but my suggestions would be, before the fans come up with their own image of the character, you need to establish race in the first few episodes or release character profiles on a website so that the fans know you canonically intended the characters to be of a certain race even if you arenāt able to mention it in the actual podcast. If you are unwilling to do any of these then the best route is to avoid stating race at all and allow the audience to build their own representation into your form of media. However, once this happens, you are not allowed to profit off popular fan interpretations. You lose all rights to create official art or images of the characters. You cannot use āwe have a diverse cast of charactersā when you market your story. It doesnāt matter whether you created the content or not, you did not create the representation for those minority groups.
Itās one thing for fans to build their own inclusivity into a form of art like a podcast, but itās another thing for the creators who never worked to make the representation happen to take advantage of the representation that the listeners built for themselves. Thank you for attending my TedTalk.
#the penumbra podcast#podcast#race#the magnus archives#diversity in podcasts#diversity#tpp#tpp fanart
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10 Lessons on Realistic Worldbuilding and Mapmaking I Learned Working With a Professional Cartographer and Geodesist
Hi, fellow writers and worldbuilders,
Itās been over a year since my post on realistic swordfighting, and I figured itās time for another one. Iām guessing the topic is a little less āsexyā, but Iād find this useful as a writer, so here goes: 10 things I learned about realistic worldbuilding and mapmaking while writing my novel.
Iāve always been a sucker for pretty maps, so when I started on my novel, I hired an artist quite early to create a map for me. It was beautiful, but a few things always bothered me, even though I couldnāt put a finger on it. A year later, I met an old friend of mine, who currently does his Ph.D. in cartography and geodesy, the science of measuring the earth. When the conversation shifted to the novel, I showed him the map and asked for his opinion, and he (respectfully) pointed out that it has an awful lot of issues from a realism perspective.
First off, Iām aware that fiction is fiction, and itās not always about realism; there are plenty of beautiful maps out there (and my old one was one of them) that are a bit fantastical and unrealistic, and thatās all right. Still, considering the lengths I went to ensure realism for other aspects of my worldbuilding, it felt weird to me to simply ignore these discrepancies. With a heavy heart, I scrapped the old map and started over, this time working in tandem with a professional artist, my cartographer friend, and a linguist. Six months later, Iām not only very happy with the new map, but I also learned a lot of things about geography and coherent worldbuilding, which made my universe a lot more realistic.

1)Ā Realism Has an Effect: While thereās absolutely nothing wrong with creating an unrealistic world, realism does affect the plausibility of a world. Even if the vast majority of us probably know little about geography, our brains subconsciously notice discrepancies; we simply get this sense that something isnāt quite right, even if we donāt notice or canāt put our finger on it. In other words, if, for some miraculous reason, an evergreen forest borders on a desert in your novel, it will probably help immersion if you at least explain why this is, no matter how simple.
2)Ā Climate Zones: According to my friend, a cardinal sin in fantasy maps are nonsensical climate zones. A single continent contains hot deserts, forests, and glaciers, and you can get through it all in a single day. This is particularly noticeable in video games, where this is often done to offer visual variety (Enderal, the game I wrote, is very guilty of this). If you aim for realism, run your worldbuilding by someone with a basic grasp of geography and geology, or at least try to match it to real-life examples.
3)Ā Avoid Island Continent Worlds: Another issue that is quite common in fictional worlds is what I would call the āisland continentsā: a world that is made up of island-like continents surrounded by vast bodies of water. As lovely and romantic as the idea of those distant and secluded worlds may be, itās deeply unrealistic. Unless your world was shaped by geological forces that differ substantially from Earthās, it was probably at one point a single landmass that split up into fragmented landmasses separated by waters. Take a look at a proper map of our world: the vast majority of continents could theoretically be reached by foot and relatively manageable sea passages. If it werenāt so, countries such as Australia could have never been colonized ā you canāt cross an entire ocean on a raft.
4)Ā Logical City Placement: My novel is set in a Polynesian-inspired tropical archipelago; in the early drafts of the book and on my first map, Uunili, the nationās capital, stretched along the entire western coast of the main island. This is absurd. Not only because this city would have been laughably big, but also because building a settlement along an unprotected coastline is the dumbest thing you could do considering it directly exposes it to storms, floods, and, in my case, monsoons. Unless thereās a logical reason to do otherwise, always place your coastal settlements in bays or fjords.
Ā Naturally, this extends to city placement in general. If you want realism and coherence, donāt place a city in the middle of a godforsaken wasteland or a swamp just because itās cool. There needs to be a reason. For example, the wasteland city could have started out as a mining town around a vast mineral deposit, and the swamp town might have a trading post along a vital trade route connecting two nations.
Ā 5)Ā Realistic Settlement Sizes: As Iāve mentioned before, my capital Uunili originally extended across the entire western coast. Considering Uunili is roughly two thirds the size of Hawaii Ā the old visuals would have made it twice the size of Mexico City. An easy way to avoid this is to draw the map using a scale and stick to it religiously. For my map, we decided to represent cities and townships with symbols alone.
Ā 6)Ā Realistic Megacities: Uunili has a population of about 450,000 people. For a city in a Middle Ages-inspired era, this is humongous. While this isnāt an issue, per se (at its height, ancient Alexandria had a population of about 300,000), a city of that size creates its own set of challenges: youāll need a complex sewage system (to minimize disease spreading like wildfire) and strong agriculture in the surrounding areas to keep the population fed. Also, only a small part of such a megacity would be enclosed within fantasyās ever-so-present colossal city walls; the majority of citizens would probably concentrate in an enormous urban sprawl in the surrounding areas. To give you a pointer, with a population of about 50,000, Cologne was Germanyās biggest metropolis for most of the Middle Ages. Iāll say it again: itās fine to disregard realism for coolness in this case, but at least taking these things into consideration will not only give your world more texture but might even provide you with some interesting plot points.
Ā 7)Ā World Origin: This point can be summed up in a single question: why is your world the way it is? If your novel is set in an archipelago like mine is, are the islands of volcanic origin? Did they use to be a single landmass that got flooded with the years? Do the inhabitants of your country know about this? Were there any natural disasters to speak of? Yes, not all of this may be relevant to the story, and the story should take priority over lore, but just like with my previous point, it will make your world more immersive.
Ā 8)Ā Maps: Think Purpose! Every map in history had a purpose. Before you start on your map, think about what yours might have been. Was it a map people actually used for navigation? If so, clarity should be paramount. This means little to no distracting ornamentation, a legible font, and a strict focus on relevant information. For example, a map used chiefly for military purposes would naturally highlight different information than a trade map. For my novel, we ultimately decided on a āshow-off mapā drawn for the Blue Island Coalition, a powerful political entity in the archipelago (depending on your worldās technology level, maps were actually scarce and valuable). Also, think about which technique your in-universe cartographer used to draw your in-universe map. Has copperplate engraving already been invented in your fictional universe? If not, your map shouldnāt use that aesthetic.
9)Ā Maps: Less Is More. If a spot or an area on a map contains no relevant information, it can (and should) stay blank so that the readerās attention naturally shifts to the critical information. Think of it this way: if your nav system tells you to follow a highway for 500 miles, thatās the information youāll get, and not āin 100 meters, youāll drive past a little petrol station on the left, and, oh, did I tell you about that accident that took place here ten years ago?ā Traditional maps follow the same principle: if thereās a road leading a two dayās march through a desolate desert, a black line over a blank white ground is entirely sufficient to convey that information.
10) Settlement and Landmark Names: This point will be a bit of a tangent, but itās still relevant. I worked with a linguist to create a fully functional language for my novel, and one of the things he criticized about my early drafts were the names of my cities. Itās embarrassing when I think about it now, but I really didnāt pay that much attention to how I named my cities; I wanted it to sound good, and that was it. Again: if realism is your goal, thatās a big mistake. Like Point 5, we went back to the drawing board and dove into the archipelagoās history and established naming conventions. In my novel, for example, the islands were inhabited by indigenes called the Makehu before the colonization four hundred years before the events of the story; as itās usually the case, all settlements and islands had purely descriptive names back then. For example, the main island was called Uni e Li, which translates as āMighty Hill,ā a reference to the vast mountain ranges in the south and north; townships followed the same example (e.g., Tamakaha meaning āCoarse Sandsā). When the colonizers arrived, they adopted the Makehu names and adapted them into their own language, changing the accented, long vowels to double vowels: Uni e Li became āUunili,ā LehÅ e Ähe became āLehowai.ā Makehu townships kept their names; colonial cities got āEnglishā monikers named after their geographical location, economic significance, or some other original story. Examples of this are Southport, aāyou guessed itāport on the southernmost tip of Uunili, or Caleās Hope, a settlement named after a businessmanās mining venture. Itās all details, and chances are that most readers wonāt even pay attention, but I personally found that this added a lot of plausibility and immersion.
I could cover a lot more, but this post is already way too long, so Iāll leave it at thatāif thereās enough interest, Iād be happy to make a part two. If not, well, maybe at least a couple of you got something useful out of this. If youāre looking for inspiration/references to show to your illustrator/cartographer, the David Rumsey archive is a treasure trove. Finally, for anyone who doesnāt know and might be interested, my novel is called Dreams of the Dying, and is a blends fantasy, mystery, and psychological horror set in the universe of Enderal, an indie RPG for which I wrote the story. Itās set in a Polynesian-inspired medieval world and has been described as Inception in a fantasy setting by reviewers.
Credit for the map belongs to Dominik Derow, who did the ornamentation, and my friend Fabian Müller, who created the map in QGIS and answered all my questions with divine patience. The linguistās name is David Müller (no, theyāre not related, and, yes, we Germans all have the same last names.)
#enderal#dreams of the dying#worldbuilding#resource#writeblr#writing tips#mapmaking#cartography#illustration#realism#writeblogging#novelwriting#writing research#research#writing
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