#this time i'm not dreading getting orders because it's all already made!! and that's awesome!!

[mildmayfoxe]

this is so exciting the last time i did a giveaway was when i had my *tsy in college when i was drawing shit on CERAMIC MUGS and making LEGO JEWELRY (another lifetime) and the giveaway reward was a commissioned mug and i never ever made it for the winner. sorry to that person. but i'm not 20 and going through a bad breakup and trying to graduate college OR making shit on demand anymore. this time it's fun and i'm way better at running my business

[imhereforscm]

My lady, may i request a story with my beloved Louie? I and little demon are headed to our cousin sister's wedding. She is generally nice but she sometimes forgets that not everybody is lucky enough to find her true love and get married at such a young age. She and her mother are going to ask me a thousand questions about my life which is pretty annoying 😣 Can i please get some comforting words and advice from Louie?

Thank you 💗

"Proud"

Genre: comfort/fluff

Warnings: none

A/N: HAVE FUN QUEEN!!! >:DDD🎀🌹💖🌹💖🌹💖❤️❤️❤️❤️ YOU'RE AWESOME AND PERFECT!!!🎀🎀🎀🌹🌹❤️💖💖❤️💖 I know at times we may feel like we won't find someone, but I believe there's someone for everyone. I love you!!🎀🌹🌹🌹

Standing in front of the mirror, you fretted, your nervous expression and fidgeting hands standing out against the beautiful dress you wore.

Weddings were happy unions between people, because they truly loved each other in order to take that step. Not to appear imposing and shame others. Unfortunately though, many people didn't seem acknowledge that simple thing.

You breathed in deeply and rehearsed inside you the answers you'd give once the dreadful questions pierced you like arrows, craving nothing but to drain information from you for the sake of feeling superior.

You sighed and after taking your bag, you stepped out of your bedroom, where someone dear to you was already standing there.

He looked you up and down and then smiled. "You look absolutely lovely."

"You think so?" Your lips curled upwards as well, his genuine compliment making you smile and forget about your troubles for a moment.

He hummed in agreement and walked up to you and with a hand around your waist, he pulled you close to his body. "Of course I do." He kissed your lips sweetly and you closed your eyes, savouring his kiss. "You always look beautiful to me. Even when you don't think so."

Your blood rushed to your cheeks and you smiled, chuckling softly. "Oh, Lou..."

He pressed a kiss to your temple and rocked you in his arms, as if slow dancing with you.

You laid your temple on his shoulder and let him sooth you, before your sister got here to pick you up for the wedding.

"You seem troubled."

"How could you tell?" You asked, peering up at him.

"I know all of your expressions." He spoke softly. "So I know when you luck even a little light in you."

You stared down at the floor and laid your head back against his shoulder as you continued to slowly sway around the room, dancing to a silent song. "You're right. I'm not feeling fully alright."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

You nodded. You could always rely on Tauxolouve, he never denied you anything and never would. "I'm a bit troubled for..." You pursed your lips, thinking your words before uttering them. "Well, the bride and her mother are going to ask me a thousand questions about my life, which is pretty annoying...!" You finished with a rather audible sigh through your nose. "She is generally nice, but she sometimes forgets that not everybody is lucky enough to find her true love and get married at such a young age."

"I see how it is." His arms tightened around you a little. "People can sometimes forget that one's happiness should exist to make them whole and not to brag about it to others and make them feel like less."

"I just wish I could avoid those questions." You said with a hint of melancholy in your voice.

"I think you should answer honestly and proudly." His feet led the way and you continued slow dancing in the room. You were in a dress and he wore his wishes uniform, which made you feel like a princess and he was your prince, coming to whisk away the negativity from your life. "You're not leading a miserable life at all. You have a sister who loves you and you love her, you have things you love, dreams and you're a beautiful person inside and out. Not everyone gets to meet their one true love at a young age, but that doesn't mean they'll never find that person. Maybe some need more time, but that doesn't mean they're less happy than those who have."

Your feet halted and you looked up at him, your eyes regaining the light they lacked earlier at each new word he spoke.

"Each person has their own pace and that's completely fine! Enjoy what you have now and everything else will come one day." Tauxolouve leaned in and kissed your cheek, his nose brushing against it as he pulled away. "I promise you, you have nothing to be ashamed for."

"Thank you..." You breathed and you waited in anticipation, watching him lean in and he whispered against your lips.

"I didn't do anything." His lips fit perfectly with yours, like they were crafted solemnly for that purpose. "Thank me when I marry you."

You sucked in a breath at that and he chuckled. "Now now," He said, hearing your sister's car pulling up outside. "go and have fun. And be proud of who you are."

[apocalypticavolition]

Let's Finish (re)Reading the Hobbit!

Well, here we are folks. It's been fun rereading this book; last time I read it was before the Dark Times. I think it's pretty goofy, but most of Bilbo's adventures are pretty fun! Let's wrap this up, shall we?

Next day the trumpets rang early in the camp. Soon a single runner was seen hurrying along the narrow path.

No word as to how heavily armored he was to dodge Thorin's temper.

“I gave it to them!” squeaked Bilbo, who was peering over the wall, by now in a dreadful fright.

Bilbo, what on Arda are you doing with this confession?

“Never again will I have dealings with any wizard or his friends. What have you to say, you descendant of rats?”

Well Thorin, you're not wrong. Unfortunately, you've learned an incredibly valuable lesson too late and will soon die for having dealt with them.

“Get down now to your friends!” he said to Bilbo, “or I will throw you down.” “What about the gold and silver?” asked Bilbo.

Seriously it's hilarious that they're all standing in the presence of the ultimate corrupter of free people and all they can do is squabble over a bunch of shiny rocks. It's also hilarious that Bilbo's gotten to the point where he can answer death threats with demands for payment.

“Be off!” called Thorin. “You have mail upon you, which was made by my folk, and is too good for you. It cannot be pierced by arrows; but if you do not hasten, I will sting your miserable feet. So be swift!”

Every messenger in Laketown hastened off on a quest to find mithril armor to avoid dealing with Thorin's lethal temper.

The dwarves are exceedingly strong for their height, but most of these were strong even for dwarves.

Well they'd have to be, sneaking around all through the night in steel mail.

These were, in fact, precisely their plans (for the raven-messengers had been busy between Thorin and Dain); but for the moment the way was barred, so after angry words the dwarf-messengers retired muttering in their beards.

Bard gets points for not shooting any messengers. Seriously Thorin, wtf? Why is this your only move?

But he reckoned without the dwarves.

Thranduil: thwarting literally everyone within a mile's radius whether he means to or not.

Alas! it has come more swiftly than I guessed.

"I didn't think that the goblins would get here for another half hour! I was gonna do some fireworks and seem really awesome!"

Then they learned of the death of Smaug, and joy was in their hearts

Good job, Gandalf. You were all, "I'm worried that the Necromancer is gathering power and making a serious move. Smaug is a potential ally and too dangerous to be left alone, so I'll take him out. Absolutely nothing bad will happen, or my name isn't Gandalf" and you forgot that just because that's what hobbits call you doesn't mean it's actually your name.

“To the Mountain!” called Bard. “To the Mountain! Let us take our places while there is yet time!”

And then Thorin shot them all and the goblins took the mountain. The end.

A magic ring of that sort is not a complete protection in a goblin charge, nor does it stop flying arrows and wild spears; but it does help in getting out of the way, and it prevents your head from being specially chosen for a sweeping stroke by a goblin swordsman.

Silly Tolkien, I'm pretty sure he spent two or three hours being super cinematic while Legolas sniped fifty thousand gobbos while wearing hover boots!

Already many of the goblins were flying back down the river to escape from the trap; and many of their own wolves were turning upon them and rending the dead and the wounded.

Ah yes, the old expression, lie down with wolves, don't wake up at all because you're in their stomach. This battle is where it came from!

They had forgotten Thorin!

It says a good deal about the battle strategy of everyone involved in this battle that thirteen extra combatants turned the tide of war.

Down, heedless of order, rushed all the dwarves of Dain to his help. Down too came many of the Lake-men, for Bard could not restrain them; and out upon the other side came many of the spearmen of the elves.

Isn't this the sort of thing that loses battles? Not an expert so I'm genuinely asking.

...and poor old Bombur, and Balin and Fili and Kili and all the rest come to a bad end...

At this point I'm trying to remember the last time the Professor or Mary-Ann were mentioned by name. I want to say it must have been several chapters ago.

Gandalf, too, I may say, was there, sitting on the ground as if in deep thought, preparing, I suppose, some last blast of magic before the end.

Probably hurriedly revising his latest draft of Hobbit Facts in the hopes that the ravens would ensure its survival.

“The Eagles!” cried Bilbo once more, but at that moment a stone hurtling from above smote heavily on his helm, and he fell with a crash and knew no more.

Guess Tolkien was more of a Rolling Stones fan.

There was no call and no echo of a song. Sorrow seemed to be in the air.

We've gotten too serious for song now that we're past the battle.

You would have been numbered among the dead, who are many, if Gandalf the wizard had not said that your voice was last heard in this place.

"They aren't dead if you can still hear their voices, that's a Hobbit Fact!"

"That's an everyone fact."

- an unseen exchange between Gandalf and Balin.

Since I leave now all gold and silver, and go where it is of little worth, I wish to part in friendship from you, and I would take back my words and deeds at the Gate.

I'm gonna be honest, this is such an abrupt turn over such a dangerous artifact that I don't even buy it as a deathbed revelation. Gandalf gave him the Wormtongue treatment while Bilbo was out.

So they too had gathered in great numbers, under the great Eagle of the Misty Mountains; and at length smelling battle from afar they had come speeding down the gale in the nick of time.

Note that the Eagles only get particularly involved in this brouhaha because it starts on their home turf. This is one of the many parts of the answer to that all important, "WhY dIdN't ThEy JuSt FlY tHe EaGlEs To MoRdOr?" question.

In that last hour Beorn himself had appeared—no one knew how or from where.

"Yeah this situation required multiple deus ex machinas to resolve so I'm not even gonna TRY to explain all of them, y'know?"

“I am sorry. I mean, I should have liked to see them again,” said Bilbo sleepily; “perhaps I shall see them on the way home. I suppose I shall be going home soon?”

Yeah bro, the book's almost over. If you don't get home soon, you don't get home at all!

“May it bring good fortune to all his folk that dwell here after!”

Wish granted. Unfortunately, anyone who leaves is cursed, just ask the Moria expedition.

In the end he would only take two small chests, one filled with silver, and the other with gold, such as one strong pony could carry.

It'll be a miracle if that pony survives the week judging by everything thus far.

“If ever you are passing my way,” said Bilbo, “don’t wait to knock! Tea is at four; but any of you are welcome at any time!”

And the neighbors would be very uncomfortable about it, the racists.

“May you ever appear where you are most needed and least expected! The oftener you appear in my halls the better shall I be pleased!”

AKA, "I don't ever expect to see you again."

Beorn indeed became a great chief afterwards in those regions and ruled a wide land between the mountains and the wood

I gotta say that Tolkien seems way more into Beorn than his story exactly has room for. Dude ends up being a king despite having a very minor role and no real justification for being in the ending at all.

The Tookish part was getting very tired, and the Baggins was daily getting stronger.

There's really only so much adrenaline that you can burn through before you're ready for a nap.

It was on May the First that the two came back at last to the brink of the valley of Rivendell, where stood the Last (or the First) Homely House.

Rivendell is apparently a metaphor for communism, which is quite odd considering all the feudalism we just spent the last chapter celebrating!

The stars are far brighter Than gems without measure, The moon is far whiter Than silver in treasure; The fire is more shining On hearth in the gloaming Than gold won by mining

Again we're just outright stating our themes here, though I suppose Elrond not actively sitting Bilbo down and explaining the moral of the story to him means this is subtle for a kids' book.

It appeared that Gandalf had been to a great council of the white wizards, masters of lore and good magic; and that they had at last driven the Necromancer from his dark hold in the south of Mirkwood.

Even ignoring the color confusion, there's not really a council of white wizards at this point. Gandalf and Saruman are still for the cause at least nominally but Radagast has fucked off with his rabbits or what have you and the blues have been stuck in a plot hole for the last few hundred years. Galadriel and Elrond aren't really wizards, but of the many things you can fault the films for, their being the rest of the council isn't one of them because there's literally no one else.

“It would be well indeed,” said Elrond; “but I fear that will not come about in this age of the world, or for many after.”

Dramatic irony! On an elvish timescale, this is rather like saying, "This border gate between Austria and Hungary won't make much difference. The Iron Curtain will divide Europe for centuries to come," and then watching the Berlin Wall fall three months later.

“Well, Merry People!” said Bilbo looking out. “What time by the moon is this? Your lullaby would waken a drunken goblin! Yet I thank you.”

Two songs in one chapter! Tolkien is really making up for lost time here, and for all the serious chapters. It really is a shame he died before the rap battle, or he could have had his cake and eaten it too.

After a week, therefore, he said farewell to Elrond, and giving him such small gifts as he would accept, he rode away with Gandalf.

"Thanks, but I already have a ring."

So they put the gold in bags and slung them on the ponies, who were not at all pleased about it.

At first I was surprised they made it this far, but then I thought about it and I've decided that clearly the original return ponies died on the way and they had to borrow some from Beorn and then those died right outside Rivendell so they had to get more, because seriously the survival rate of ponies in this book is the worst.

Coming to a rise he could see his own Hill in the distance, and he stopped suddenly and said:

Tolkien really likes songs about roads. Song number three!

There was a large notice in black and red hung on the gate, stating that on June the Twenty-second Messrs Grubb, Grubb, and Burrowes would sell by auction the effects of the late Bilbo Baggins Esquire, of Bag-End, Underhill, Hobbiton.

Thanks for leaving a note for him, Gandalf.

The people who had got specially good bargains at the Sale took a deal of convincing; and in the end to save time Bilbo had to buy back quite a lot of his own furniture.

And since Gandalf pointed out he'd need the gold two pages ago, fucker knew this would happen. He just wanted to waste money for fun.

His coat of mail was arranged on a stand in the hall (until he lent it to a Museum).

It was actually stolen and he never could get it back, even with the ring and six of the dwarves and some poor sap that Gandalf lent them, because Museums in this part of the worldl give up absolutely nothing.

If Balin noticed that Mr. Baggins’ waistcoat was more extensive (and had real gold buttons), Bilbo also noticed that Balin’s beard was several inches longer, and his jewelled belt was of great magnificence.

Best dwarf for being the only one to show up this late in the story I guess. Goodbye Balin, I'll miss you most of all!

And so ends The Hobbit, with Bilbo deciding to write a book like all good literary characters, most of the distinct dwarves dead, Balin still being awesome, Bombur presumably having gotten stuck in an archway because haha fat jokes, and Gandalf moving onto Bree to torment the innkeeper or maybe Dol Amroth to help Adrahil II get laid or whatever else he did to prep for the sequel.

It's a good story, but man is the pacing weird. I also get the impression Tolkien hadn't quite figured out battle scenes yet, or wasn't quite comfortable relating them to kids (either out of generally wanting to preserve innocence or just bad memories), since we're specifically removed from the climactic fights first by distance (Smaug) and then time (the Battle of Five Armies). The Lord of the Rings is one of the great novels of our time (ignore how publishers made it 3), but its prequel is nowhere near its level. Disappointing, but unsurprising.

I'll be taking a little hiatus as my life collapses, but after that I'll start up either rereading Lord of the Rings or perhaps reading (minus the first book, which will be a reread) some Robin Hobb. We'll see what happens!

[6ad6ro]

!!! nintendo direct spoilers !!!

honestly i could sorta care less about anything that was talked about for the first half besides mario robot soccer. it looks kinda cute (also front mission remake seems cool even if i prob wont play it).

but then it got to chrono cross and i started cryin. the rumor seemed like such an obvious lie, so i was so surprised n happy! and the inclusion of radical dreamers makes it extra special. fingers crossed that this could hint at a chrono trigger remake. or a chrono 3. regardless it looks great and i think some ppl are really sleepin on how big a deal it is that square is finally acknowledging chrono again.

after chrono cross was announced it was hard to come down. i just loveddd this direct. kirby continues to look good. tho it really is obv the spiritual successor to mario 3d land, so it doesn't wow me at all sorry.

the live a live remake, on the other hand, DID wow me. like what the fuck. i just never expected it? and it looks REALLY GOOD. like i'm probably def gonna get it. so cool! just... wow.

klonoa was another awesome surprise. like the sheer number of remakes/ports/sequels of true classics was starting to het out of hand. just what the fuck. klonoa is so cute n good n i'm excited.

i think i might be out of order at this point (blame shitty news sites for always neglecting details), but the portal stuff was cool. but it also confused me! why is valve putting out games on switch right as the steam deck releases? maybe they just really don't want to make nintendo think they're trying to compete??? kinda silly since the natural competition is unavoidable. but!! it's still cool? idk.

i sorta can't believe we're getting another wii sports? the aesthetics looked hideous at first but i'm warming up to them. idk i think the series was always rly good, tho it'll be hard to justify spending $60 or even $30 on it. regardless, it's another cute game to play w family n drunk friends etc.

getsufumaden looks like it could be neat if it wasn't bein made by konami. assuming this is like a mobile game on console. also i think this was announced earlier? idk i just wanted to mention it.

the metroid dread update... i wanna pay respect to it. even tho i honestly couldn't give a single shit about an edgelord tryhard mode? i think it's a neat idea to include it alongside a "beginner mode". this is how you do it!! it pleases everybody. to anyone saying "why?" like just this isn't FOR you. it's so that everybody can play no matter how casual or deranged. i wanna see more of this kinda stuff. a great way to address the like single complaint about the new metroid. bravo.

earthbound. listen. it's awesome. including mother 1 too is also awesome. should this have already been part of the service a while ago? yes obviously. is this one of those "only exciting because nintendo is so witholding so our standards are in the dirt"? most definitely. but it's still cool. for some reason nintendo neglects mother, much in the same way square neglects chrono. it's another one of the best snes (and nes) games ever made that was weirdly missing from the collection, so i'm glad it's finally here.

speaking of which... why the fuck didn't they bring chrono trigger to the service? wouldn't this be the perfect time?? unless... LOL don't make fun, but this is another reason i think they might be doin a chrono trigger remake etc? i'm just sayin!

ok last game i cared about (and no it isnt xenoblade, even tho that series is obv cool i'm just not invested yet): mario kart. and i GET why some people are complainin that it's just dlc. i really understand... in theory. because u know what? i felt the same way about smash ultimate at first. i was like "what the fuck this is just dlc for an old game so why aren't they actually making a full NEW game instead???

but smash u ended up being one of my fav games ever. it was really cool to have such a massive amount of content in a single, solid game engine. and that's more what this feels like. AND it's only $25 instead of $60. i mean it's like 50 new goddamn tracks. that's silly. and awesome. i needed an excuse to go back and play more mario kart anyhow. i'm super happy about this tbh.

i think the only real critique i have is that we won't get the last mk dlc until 2023? stretchin it out much??? nintendo kinda has fallen completely into the "online service" method of release and i genuinely hate that (like why is wii sports getting golf way later just finish the game idiots)... but besides that? good direct. great direct. way better than it shoulda been considering they once again didn't show ANY info on zelda lol. we... we aren't gonna get that game until like 2023 huh. 😅

[arqinnovations]

10 things that I want from FF7 Remake 2

Some of these are a given, but just for fun, others are a bit of a long shot. Spoilers abound, so turn back now if you're still making your way through Midgar as we speak. In no particular order:

Jessie. I'm going to be honest, it took some self-restraint to not make this a 10 things I'd like to do to see from Jessie list. One thing that Remake did incredibly well was flesh out the Avalanche crew, and Jessie was undoubtedly the one who benefited the most, going from ponytailed plot device to forward and fiery courter of Cloud. I absolutely dreaded her inevitable death scene, and nearly jumped out of my chair at the suggestion that she may have actually survived this time around. I won't ask for a pizza and chill side quest, but I would be thrilled to just see her alive and well in the next chapter.

Gold Saucer. It's not a question of if it'll be in the game, but of how it will be presented. I'm expecting that a lot of love and care will be put into this locale, and I want everything: Chocobo racing, roller coasters, a beefed up haunted house, battle square, a potential date with a pissed off Barrett...all of it. Saying that I'm excited to see an updated Gold Saucer would be a massive understatement.

Open world. Or not. I'm fine with either. I remember how massive the FF7 world seemed to me as a kid while playing the original game, and I just can't see how something of that size will scale to the table that Remake has set so far. I loved - loved - roaming forests and taking long road trips with the boys in FF15. But Remake has a completely different world with different stakes. While the idea of a free-roaming epic is indeed attractive, there will inevitably be other games that have done an open world on a far grander scale, and it'd almost be a shame to see Remake try to draw from Skyrim when the reality is that it doesn't have to. Midgar was linear in nature and it was still beautiful and felt massive in its own way. I'd be fine with a series of mostly contained villages and towns with the second installment.

Playable Turks. This one falls into the long shot category, but you can already feel how badly the creators are itching to turn the Turks into good guys. We know that this timeline has forked off into a direction different from the one that we grew up with, so perhaps we can get a few missions with Reno and Rude running point? I'm not holding my breath, but it would be awesome.

Bahamut. And not just one, I want all three back. Vanilla Bahamut, Bahamut Neo, and Bahamut Zero! Heck, give us even more. Omega Bahamut! Ultima Bahamut! Bahama Bahamut! Nobody goes into battle without a Mut!

No more squiggly dust ghosts. Yeah, enough of those guys. I can go as far as to say that I appreciated what the Whispers provided the story, but now that our heroes have apparently ripped through the threads of fate and are playing with a freshly shuffled deck of cards, I could do without seeing them again.

The Highwind. I don't think there's any doubt that we'll be seeing the Highwind, given it's importance to Cid's character and the fact that the airship becomes the party's main mode of transportation towards the latter half of the story. What is in question is to what degree players will be able to control the massive aircraft. While we had the ability to manually fly exactly where we wanted to in the original, there's understandably some doubt as to how this will work in Remake with the game's open world status still very much in question. I'd bet on control being limited to the bridge of the ship with the option to select predetermined destinations from a world map. And I'd be fine with that. Just give us that sweet Highwind music.

More of Rufus in action. Seriously, look at that pimp. A character this cool deserves to be seen in battle more than once.

And less of Zack. Assuming he's alive and well in this reality, I could go without seeing too much of the guy. The original FF7 was such a fantastic story about life and identity because Zack passes on and symbolically entrusts his hopes and dreams to Cloud (who somewhat hilariously takes things way too literally). That story doesn't work quite as well if Zack is just hanging around being...uh, alive and stuff. And if he is, what has he been doing all this time while Aerith was getting harassed by Turks every day? Swell guy, that Zack. Or are we to assume he's alive, just not in this reality? Honestly - and it might just be me - I thought the reinsertion of Zack into the fray was one of the few missteps Remake made.

Aerith has a chance? Square knew what they were doing when they opted to establish a new timeline. I'm not saying that Aerith surviving would make the story better. On the contrary, I'm not sure if it works at all without Sephiroth jumping in and making her into an Aerith-kabob. What I do know is that there's now some definite intrigue to that moment, and they've effectively put all the suspense back into a scene that we had assumed would end in a familiar, heartbreaking fashion. It's a smart move, regardless of what eventually does happen.

[meet-me-onthe-equinox]

I'm gonna ask for 6. Family Reunion and 50. Birthday party! Either one or both if you feel like it! :) Thank you!

Here is number 6 ^-^ This probably isn’t what you expected, so I’ll make up for it with the Birthday Party one, promise. 

For those of you who also sent prompts, just know I haven’t forgotten ;)

Reunions

[AO3 Version] [Ask for more prompts]

Pawnee, 2053

Another chill ran down Natalie’s spine, as it usuallyhappened whenever she decided to drop by her brother’s house instead of meetinghim at some random diner. Well, at least she wouldn’t have to pay for both ofthem this time… which she never minded, but watching him that broke wasextremely saddening. Yet, despite his lack of money, Jack might as well beliving somewhere nicer, like their parent’s old house, or that cabin in thewoods they’d purchased so long ago. Why, then, had he had to choose thecreepiest, bleakest neighborhood to live in?

‘‘Because that’s what Jack does,’’ Nat muttered toherself.

The sound of her own voice calmed her a bit. Plus, itwasn’t like she was the only one talking to herself in those dark streets. Abearded, dirty man approached her with an empty needle in his hand and asked ifshe was a nurse.

‘‘I’m not. Sorry,’’ Natalie answered sincerely. Whysomeone would want to be jabbed with a needle was beyond her. Those things werescary. ‘‘I’m just a kindergarten teacher,’’ she shrugged. ‘‘But I could takeyou to the hospit-’’

‘‘NAT!’’ a familiar voice called from across thestreet.

The girl looked up and smiled when she saw Jackrunning towards her. He was wearing one of those silver pants that hadn’t beenfashionable since 2049, and a wide, sleeveless shirt that made him look like abasketball player, except it was covered in paint stains instead of the usual squadnumber.

‘‘Hey,’’ Jack said, putting an arm around her waist andmaking her spin. As if he was in a rush, he pushed her a bit so she would walkbeside him, away from that guy that apparently wanted some more. Some more of what?‘‘What are you doing here?’’

‘‘Just looking for you. Wait, we should help that-’’

‘‘Well, you could’ve just called,’’ he interrupted. ‘‘Idon’t like you coming here.’’ Jack walked faster as he spoke, his arm stillaround Nat’s shoulders.

‘‘I did! But David wouldn’t answer. You should getyour own phone.’’

‘‘I hate talking to people. About things. Especially onthe phone.’’

‘‘I know,’’ Nat sighed.

Not long after, Jack swerved to the right, andsuddenly that place seemed a lot less menacing. There it was - the shabby,wooden house he’d insisted to move into only because…

‘‘C’mon,’’ Jack let go of her for the first time sincethey’d met that afternoon. ‘‘There’s an awesome sunset today.’’

If there was anything good about Jack’s spooky place,that was the roof. It was easily accessible from one of the northern windows,and from there it wasn’t too dangerous to get to the west side of the house. Atleast not with your brother’s help. Sitting in silence, both siblings watchedthe orange sky before them as the crickets started to chirp.

‘‘So,’’ Natalie broke the ice a while after, ‘‘thereason I wanted to talk to you is-’’

‘‘I know. And I won’t.’’

‘‘But, please,’’ she begged. She almost made that voicethat would always work back when they were kids and she wanted a bit of hisdessert, since he hadn’t been caught giving Grumpy a marvelous haircut. ‘‘Youknow how important this is to mom. Do it for her at least.’’

‘‘Yeah, but it’s pointless!’’ Jack almost shouted. ‘‘Allthose people we barely know, just talking shit about how great of anentertainer dad was… He was much more than that.’’

‘‘I know.’’

‘‘We had enough of it last year,’’ Jack grabbed aloose tile and tossed it frontwards. ‘‘Plus, I live here, I can go whenever. AndI can only really talk to him when it’s just us.’’

‘‘I’m just saying… Mom really wants to see you. Shemisses him every day, and now… Now it’s just us.’’

Natalie let the silence in again. Sometimes that wasall Jack needed in order to ponder things and make decisions. Just silence andtime, and of course she could give him that.

‘‘When is the stupid thing?’’ he asked as the last redportions of the sky turned blue.

In any other situation, Nat would have smiled.

‘‘Next Saturday, 10 a.m.’’

‘‘Ugh, why so early, though?’’

‘‘Mom doesn’t sleep much ever since…’’ she sighed. ‘‘Thinkabout it as a family reunion or something. You can always ignore the others.’’

‘‘Okay,’’ Jack scoffed, looking at her like he wouldn’tever look at anyone else. And then he tousled Nat’s blonde hair, something thathe knew very well she hated.

‘‘Stop!’’

‘‘It was already messed up, anyway,’’ he mocked.

‘‘It’s not messed up, dumbass! It’s curly!’’

‘‘Whatever.’’

He gave her the widest smile. Jack’s smiles were asrare as volcanic eruptions, but to Natalie they were twice as warm. Even if hehadn’t agreed to go to their father’s memorial, that grin would have made hertrip all the way from Washington worth it.

‘‘Hungry?’’

‘‘Starving,’’ she reached for her backpack to get herphone.

‘‘You make the call, but the pizza is on me.’’

‘‘But-’’

‘‘Don’t worry,’’ Jack rolled his eyes, just like Aprilstill did sometimes. ‘‘I made a pretty good deal out of my last painting.’’

This time it was Natalie who smiled wide. She neverunderstood his art, but she’d always been positive someone smarter wouldsomeday.

‘‘That’s awesome.’’

Jack pursed his lips and frowned, dreading acompliment that Nat never uttered. She knew him well enough not to. Instead,she grabbed her phone and waited for the waiter’s hologram to appear. If noneof Jack’s crazy neighbors shoot it, the restaurant’s drone would get there inno time.

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Since I'm supposed to be such a gamer, I'm really intrigued by this extensive list of video games you like. Like... after Lucas Baker, I really wanna know what else (and who else?!) is out there that I'm missing out on. Feel free to give as much detail as you like, also take your time because it's not like I'm gonna be finished with RE7 and Outlast anytime soon. Thanks!

 Thank you for asking, Waffle. I’m going to list some unconventional interests, as far as male villains and such go, and then I’ll add some of my favorites horror games for you at the end since some of them are just too damn good even without something dubious to obsesses over. Possible spoilers, but I’ll try to limit them to minor things.

Outlast’s Eddie Gluskin: Probably, my favorite villain from Outlast, after The Twins. His obsessive desire to make himself a wife is as sympathetic as it is batshit insane. He’s a real family man, has a great haircut and bow tie. If it weren’t for the blood and gender mutilation he’d be a real catch. You’ll meet him soon…

Outlast’s Twins: I’m not sure if they have another name or not, but these two really want to eat you and hang major dong throughout the whole game. The swinging dick is enough to either put the player off… or pique their interest. My interest was piqued. There’s no fandom for these guys, which sucks. Maybe I’ll write something awful for them one day.

RE7′s Lucas Baker: This fucker needs no introduction. Genius mastermind, sociopathic tendencies, probably a virgin and has an accent close enough to my boyfriend’s that I get weird feelings daily. Plus, he loves birthdays! I bet he’d be great at parties.

Silent Hill 2′s Pyramid Head: I wondered if I should include him or not because it goes without saying most of the people that will see this are already familiar with the manifestation of sexual deviancies and repression. He rapes Mannequins, has a long tentacle tongue that smacks the shit out of you and wears an apron of human flesh. Gotta love the dedication.

Fallout 3′s Charon: Not for the faint of heart, ‘cause of the whole zombie-face thing (he might not even have a dick if you think about the fact that he doesn’t have ears or a nose anymore) but he’s six and a half feet tall of ghoulish bodyguard. He’s available to both good and bad karma players because he’s loyal to anyone who holds his contract. The dude pretty much communicates in grunts and questionable insults thrown at enemies. He’s awesome.

Fallout 4′s Hancock: He’s a drug addict, a ghoul without all the insecurities and the Mayor of an anarchist town. The dude stabs a guy just for trying to extort caps off you the first time you walk into his town. First impressions am I right? His romance veers into sticky romance a bit too heavy for in at times, but he’s still a fucking badass and that radiation-torn voice is fucking hot.

Fallout 2′s Myron: It’s not creepy since I was a teenager when I played this game. This little shithead genius created the ultra addictive wasteland drug Jet, pretty much solely so he could barter for prostitutes. He’s a horny, greasy asshole and my favorite companion in Fallout 2. I sorta wanted to strap him to the Highwayman and put him in his place.

Gears of War’s Locust: They come in many forms/races but the grunts were always my favorite. When a town would get decimated it was usually these beasts that got sent in first, kidnapping people in spades. I always wanted to read something devious about these guys but never could find anything. 

F.E.A.R.’s Paxton Fettel: I fucking loved this guy to the point of trying to write my own messy fic about it, but I couldn’t figure out how to make the sex work with him. Maybe I’ll pick it back up someday. He’s a mama’s boy, bloodthirsty and look at that face! He’s a monstrous and methodical human in the first game and, even after surpassing that in the second game, manages to still be just as menacing. Any more and I’d spoil the game, but it’s a great FPS with solid horror elements.

Dragonage 2′s Arishok: Yeah, his design in the game is a bit different than the CGI trailer, but he’s no less menacing. The Qunari in DA is an interesting race. Though they are very hard to write for considering they don’t have sex outside of procreation unless they’re Tal-Vashoth, which are essentially deserters of the Qunari way of life. This bad boy is the head of their military and his horns… dear god. 

Skyrim’s Borkul the Beast: I’ve had a thing for Orc’s and Orc-like races since Lord of the Rings… and Borkul is probably my favorite. He’s a self-appointed guard in the Cidhna Mines with skull face paint and he’s fucking massive. Your character is stuck in a prison mine, weaponless and part of the quest to escape is get this fucker to let you in to talk to the head prisoner. How, oh how can you convince him to let you through? Better break out the knee pads…

The Darkness’ Jackie Estacado: The nephew of a crime boss and ex-assassin. He gets possessed by The Darkness on his 21st birthday and everything after that is just one big cluster fuck of blood and angst for poor Jackie. He’s a tragic character, good with a gun and has monsters that come out of his back to devour gang members, so… he’d be an interesting lay, to say the least. It’s also a great game, same with the sequel.

The Evil Within’s Ruvik/Rubin: He’s a bit edgelordy at times but he’s got the hood, scars, and disposition of a madman. Also a genius in his own way, if not very sociopathic to the point of keeping a brain alive to submit it to needle pokes of torture, stimulating the different lobes to give the disembodied brain the purest kind of dread. But he’s also obsessed with his sister (not sure if it’s incestuous or what) so he’s got some emotions left at least. It wasn’t the game it was cracked up to be in my opinion, but it was still a fun playthrough.

The Evil Within’s Safe Head: A diet Pyramid Head, but he’d no less brutal. No rape from what I could see, but he’d got a meat hammer and he has the added advantage of being able to snap his own neck in order to manifest himself in any place where there’s another safe just laying around. He’s tenacious and at certain points, there’s more than one of him. He made me feel things other than fear a few times.

Dead Space’s Isaac Clarke: First of all, I wish they’d never unmasked him. Secondly, his whole course of action is to find out what happened to his wife on one of the mining ships. He’s not a fighter, although you wouldn’t know from looking at him, he’s an engineer and his gun is a laser cutter. If you like survival horror and sci-fi, this is the game to play. Say what you will about the third game, but I enjoyed all of them.

Aaaand, that’s about it. I’ve got a soft spot for Bioshock’s Splicers, Alice: Madness Returns’ Carpenter, Metro: Last Light’s Pavel Morozov, and Silent Hill 3′s Valtiel.

If you run out of stuff to play, let me know. I have other horror (and horror-like) games to recommend that don’t necessarily contain drool-worthy villains. Thanks again for the ask, this was a challenge and a blast to put together. Hopefully, this post doesn’t crash people's browsers/apps. It wasn’t short.

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Can you give a short peptalk/advice for someone trying to write fic? I'm scared what people will think, and I'm also nervous about making it too cliche or taking it places that have already been... I'm in the mad max fandom (Slit 5ever) and I like writing flawed OCs. Do you write for yourself or for what people will like? How do I write?! Hoooowooooo. I ask bc you seem to write a lot of great quality very quickly and I want to do that too :>

Damn. Well, firstly let me say I’m flattered that you’d ask my advice. It’s very humbling being asked for tips on something you enjoy doing. Also, LIZARD KING FOR LIFE! - now that that’s out of the way here are some tips, if you can call them that.

I gained confidence in my writing after making storyboards for a local magazine. I wrote my first book in college which I won’t mention because it’s…not great, but doing storyboards helped me visualize scenes in a way I’d never done before. It might help to treat a story sort of like that, running it through via panels instead of writing it out as an outline. It gives you a loose idea of what you have planned and provides a framework without keeping you stuck in a box. It also might help you set up an atmosphere. Everyone loves it when they can see the story unfolding before their eyes as they read and that requires details like sights, smells and visuals applied to the mundane at times. 

On OC’s: After writing Mary Sue’s people tend to do a full 360 and write the dreaded Edge Lord - it’s that drunken detective, with a checkered past and you can’t like him except he’s the main character and you have to in order to finish the story. Both variants aren’t fun to read. Find a middle ground. I know writers that just make a list of traits and make sure there’s an even balance of good and bad. Even evil characters have some good in them, and most good characters have bad. Also, feel free to think of people you know and mold them to fit your stories. No one will ever know, and it’s kinda fun to take your frustrations out that way…or lust or whathaveyou.

It helps to reference the laws of physics as well when writing an OC. What’s believable and what’s ‘outlandish’? If your characters short and stout, she’s going to hide when chased as opposed to run away from danger.

As for how I write - I sit down at my computer and just write. Sometimes the best stuff just happens organically and then once you’ve ‘exorcised’ a batch, go back and re-read it. There are going to be lots of mistakes, especially ones you’d never imagine making unless you were really in the moment, just letting your creativity flow freely. You’re also going to rewrite between 20-75% of it, but that groundwork you made is going to be the foundation for something that feels less scripted and more enjoyable to read.  

For people or for yourself? - Unless you’re writing a prompt for someone or a publisher, write for yourself and even then write for yourself first and then go back and make that fit if it’s for someone in particular. Constraining yourself never brings out the best in anyone, in any medium. Catering to someone else just makes your writing feel generic at worst and not something you’re excited about at best.

On cliches: A lot of people like a bit of ‘cheese,’ a cliche of sorts, with their books, movies, and art. But if you’re trying to avoid that sort of stuff it’s as simple as narrowing down your cliche, finding the opposite and making those two opposing forces find common ground. Use that common ground when faced with a cliche and you usually won’t have any trouble with them.

On being scared: It never hurts to have people to show your work to as well. I didn’t feel comfortable showing my fanfiction to people, but didn’t have trouble when it was supposed to be published, which is silly when you think about it - they’re both personal, and yet a lot of fanfiction writers feel ashamed of showing what they’ve written to others. Feedback is good, and even when it’s not, it keeps us from worrying too much about what others might think. There’s always going to be someone that won’t like it or think that this one situation you wrote wasn’t great, but there’s also going to be at least one person who’s going to love it.

As a side note. When you’re enjoying yourself and not worrying about getting each sentence right the first time, writing becomes as easy and stress-free as watching a movie or reading a book yourself. Write at your own pace, and when you’re passionate and enthralled with the visuals in your head you’ll look at the clock and realize you spent all day writing! It’s a weird, guilty-pleasure of a feeling and it’s also awesome.

I don’t know if this helps at all, but if it does and you’d like someone to bounce stuff off of. I don’t mind one bit.