#to admit that it isn't working out

[starcollectorsilas]

In regards to the soulmate detective agency, the sequel/spinoff to the (not so) perfect pair

I haven't updated the sda for quite a while, and while I was working on it, and do have a third chapter mostly written, I've made the decision to discontinue it for now. Every time I've tried to work on it I've ended up unsatisfied with the result and end up stressing myself out over trying to ensure it lives up to the original.

Maybe with the lack of pressure I'll find it easier to write it, and maybe I'll be able to pick it up again at some point and finish/rewrite it. I genuinely hope that I can revisit the premise at some point, since I had some rather interesting plans for how I wanted it to go.

I'm really sorry that I'm not continuing it (again, for now. I may pick it up again eventually) but it really isn't worth how much it's upsetting me and stressing me out to try and continue it. I hope it was fun while it lasted, and that if I ever do finish it, it'll be received well :3

[theresa-draws]

at least she's alive, at least she doesn't have to see what he's become, at least she hasn't given up on him

[itsmistyeyedbi]

I've finally got the time and energy to carry on with the rewrite and I am... stuck.

I've reached the part where I need to make the kiss obvious now, Zuri can't skirt around it anymore. Not in her own head, at least💀

The problem is, the body language that Zuri and Bobby exhibit is important to the dialogue they exchange and the kiss (especially since I'm writing around the "unwanted kiss" version in the books, I'll go into detail about that a bit in the tags) but a full on flashback isn't going to work with the way I've already written this.

So... do I just keep the dialogue and leave the details out and up to imagination? Or do I keep them by having the memory be in italics and split up between her current thoughts + anything else happening around her?

[alongtidesoflight]

i swear my stepdad is so illogical AND stubborn it hurts

[novelconcepts]

Do you ever just lay awake at night, turning over in your head the stark difference in delivery between Hewson's Van saying--steadily, unshakably--"it's just something that's happening to you...happening to us" and Cypress' Taissa saying--imploringly, whiningly--"this was not just my dream, this was our dream"?

Do you ever just turn it over and over, how often Tai tried to scare Van away, and how it only made Van set her feet more firmly? How Taissa's first love was this person who saw a problem fall into Taissa's lap, a problem that was quite literally trapped inside Taissa's body, and decided unflinchingly: No, that's an us problem now? How she refused point-blank to walk away even with blood in her mouth, how she flatly informed Tai "I'm never gonna be scared of you", and promptly turned a moment of pain into a declaration of love? And how this would etch itself into Taissa for the rest of her life? How she'd take these things that worked with Van--with the person Van was, with the bond they shared--and try so hard to run through an identical script with Simone?

Except Simone is her own person. A completely different kind of person. A person who hasn't been offered any of the context, any of the realities going on inside Taissa. So: naturally she doesn't respond the way Van did at eighteen--and will go on to do all over again in her forties. Naturally, she hears our dream as the excuse it is, not as a plea for connection. Naturally, she is scared away when Taissa pushes, and shouts, and begs. Because there isn't blood in her mouth, not yet, but there will be. And they have a son to worry about. And she isn't eighteen and a special kind of immortal, a special kind of romanticized. She's a grown woman with responsibilities, with priorities, with an understanding that you can't fix someone just because you love them. And Tai can't just perform a revival of the play she and Van had memorized twenty-five years later with a whole new performer in the works, and expect it to shake out the same.

Of course it doesn't work. But look at Taissa trying it. Look at Taissa trying to reframe her first love through a new lens. Trying to recast it. Trying to play it through again. Van taught her love was sticking out the blood, shaking off the pain, making a you problem into an us problem. Does it ever just eat at you, how tragic it is, watching Taissa try to shape her marriage around a woman who isn't even wearing a ring?

[al-mayriti]

going back to my roots (i got selected for oposiciones in la mancha)

[pixelatedraindrops]

Yuma Month: Day 23: Hand Holding

“The more I held hands with Halara…the more tired I became…”

Prompt based on yet another fic of mine.

[crossdressingdeath]

Y'know, I know they never would've done it but god damn the redemption ending should've failed. That should've been the bad ending, it would've been so good as a bad ending.

[nenoname]

always lamenting the loss of the stan+wendy crime bonding b plot.... it would've been so good for both of their characters.....

[stop-breaking-my-heart-telltale]

I played romance Louis/save Violet for the first time (and last) in my life some days ago and I really didn't expect the game to feel so different without him. Not is his absence only extremely notorious but to quote one of your old posts, the game won't shut up about him.

EVERY SINGLE TIME. They didn't mention Violet even half the times they did with Louis, and it just feels. Awful. Constant reminder that you left him get taken, that he's being tortured and traumatized. It really did hit different, I wanted to think about all the details for Violet's route but I couldn't. THEY KEPT BRINGING HIM UP LIKE OK !! I GET IT !! I KNOW, IM COMING TO HIS RESCUE

and in the end I ended up getting mad Violet suddenly forgot about his existence. I remember you talked about that a lot but since I hadn't experienced it I hadn't realized how bad it was.

When she didn't mentioned him even ONCE, not in the cells, not in the walk home back to Ericson, nothing.

But back to Louis– the game says Louis' name over and over and it makes me feel guilty and I don't like it

That route haunts my nightmares.

When I used to stream, we called the romance Louis/save Violet [+don't trust AJ] route The Despair Route.... you can probably guess why. You're right, the whole thing hits differently when you've built up Clementine's romance with him, only for him to be taken away. Plus, when you do that, your relationship with Violet isn't as strong so not only do you miss out on a lot of Louis content, you miss out on Violet content for not romancing/best friending her.

And yeah, the game will not shut up about Louis when he gets taken. It's actually so fascinating, because Violet doesn't get mentioned nearly as much, so that begs the question of why? Y'know? I mean, we can look at Louis getting captured and conclude that they keep reminding us about him so that we're extra hurt and guilty when we find him in the cells.

But then with Violet? Louis is the one who brings her up most of the time, except when Ruby pulls out her file. But it's odd that the others don't make more comments like they do with Louis. I think we are kind of meant to forget about her? Well, okay, not forget about her but like... The fact that they don't talk about her as much makes her feeling pissed off, forgotten and abandoned all the more powerful, no?

As for Violet forgetting about him, in my opinion that's just a genuine flaw with the writing... because Violet would ask about Louis. I've played her romance route. I believe that in my heart of hearts that she would, and when she doesn't, I'm like ?????

Sure, you can say she's got her mind on other things, or that Aasim already told her what happened to Louis so she doesn't ask when they're in the cells... except she would ask if he's okay.

They're different characters who react to things differently, and that's not inherently good or bad.... but you're seriously going to tell me that the only thing Violet's says to Louis is a sad little, "Lou..." when meeting up with him on the beach? and then she only makes a minor mention of him when talking about pushing people away on the walk home?

No, sir. I think not. I think that's an oversight, especially if you're trying to sell their friendship in her route.

But I suppose in her defense, if you're a Louis fan, you're more likely to be angry about it. We're used to Louis mentioning Violet and then to see her not do the same isn't great. Whereas a Violet fan who prefers her route is more likely to justify why and how it makes sense, y'know? In fact, if a Violet fan plays Louis' route, they probably get mad that she's "forgotten" about a lot prior to the cells so I suppose it balances out?

Also, can I add for both routes how much I side eye the fact that captured Louis/Violet say nothing about the other if they died on the bridge? I get they didn't want to be a downer on the happy ending, and that time has passed so they probably already mourned......... but c'mon. I know Louis can't verbalize but he can write, he can stand by Violet's grave, something. Violet could've said something. Listen, if you're gonna make me suffer through that, give me some of the angst I actually want.

[veryaren]

Hello! I'm quite new to the idv fandom, and I was wondering why luchinini is so popular among many? No hate or anything like that towards it, I'm just curious!

welcome. it is batshit in here be prepared. AS FOR YOUR QUESTION.... I actually don't know. for me it's the character dynamic. I think they fit together well as far as complimenting eachother. antonio is a romantic hedonist who lives to love and be loved. and luchino is. WELL. other than being a freak for reptiles. a logistical sort with a great curiosity and an even GREATER penchant for sating that curiosity. other people might have different reasons!!!!!!!!!! I just think personality wise they compliment each other well. It's popularity (i say that lightly) could honestly potentially be attributed to the fact they're both Italian. WHICH IS KIND OF FUNNY. a lot of ships are very random here anyway so I wouldn't be surprised lol

[dangerous-advantage]

(Image description below 'read more' line.)

[Image ID: A four-by-four alignment chart on a white background with text descriptions to the left and to the top of the squares.

The top left description reads, "seems like they'd be good at parenting." The top right description reads, "seems like they'd be bad at parenting."

Then, from the top down, to the left of the squares, the other set of descriptions reads: "excellent child rearing instincts," and "never trust them with a child in your life."

Each of the four squares contains an image of a different character. At the top left is an image of Lan Wangji of the Mo Dao Zu Shi donghua. He sits between the descriptors "seems like they'd be good at parenting," and "excellent child rearing instincts."

In the top right square sits an image of Wei Wuxian, also of the Mo Dao Zu Shi donghua. He sits between the junction of "seems like they'd be bad at parenting" and "excellent child rearing instincts."

In the bottom left square is an image of Xie Lian from the Tian Guan Ci Fu manhua. He occupies the square with the captions, "seems like they'd be good at parenting" and "never trust them with a child in your life."

Finally, in the bottom left square, sits an image of Hua Cheng from the Tian Guan Ci Fu manhua. He occupies the junction between "seems like they'd be bad at parenting" and "never trust them with a child in your life". /End ID]

[thebarefootking]

format borrowed from @gallusrostromegalus

[imagoddamnonionmason]

Girlllllllll you best know I wasn’t gonna leave you alone for 24 hours

I was wondering if you had anything figured out for your shadow company OC! Cause I’m excited to have my (new) girl interact with them!

lmaooo XD tbh I was thinking of more interactions between little Annika and Nadya, but I'll tell you about them later- MY SC OC!

Yes, so I have a little bit figured out for her; when she initially came about, I did have something else intended for her but then disliking what I had planned. Originally she was going to be English, being a Dog Handler in the British Army - I have since decided that I think I'd prefer her to be American (state has yet to be decided).

One thing I know is that she has a military background and her role was a dog handler.

I still need to do a lot of research, both in to Shadow Company itself (it's been a while since I've played MW2 either the og or the reboot) and into the real-life aspects of American military. I like to make sure that whatever I'm creating is as closely based on the 'real' of things as I can, with, of course, a little leeway given it is for a fictional narrative.

This is what I can say has been solidified info-wise for my Shadow Company OC:

Her name is Stephanie Wilde.

She joined the military when she was relatively young - leaning towards early 20s.

She was a dog handler (most likely detection, sniffing out bombs and the likes).

She actually left the military after a very bad mission - details are to be worked out.

She struggled to reintegrate back into civilian life and becoming a mercenary under Graves gave her more freedom than the military did.

She and Franca were friends during the campaign of MW2, until Shadows betrayed 141 and Los Vaqueros.

Like I say, she is very much a vague work-in-progress, as I decided that I didn't like her initial origins or backstory - since then, I have been plodding away at getting her figured out but she is a long way off being as established as my other ocs.

When I have something substantial, I will be putting something out about her, but I just don't have enough yet for it to be enough to satisfy me, if that makes sense!

I also don't have her shipped with anyone, like I do my other ocs, but she is besties with Graves. He gave her an opportunity to do something with her life after what happened to her and she is very loyal to him for that. They're good friends.

[phoenixcatch7]

Man I am just SO CONFUSED. About the time line of this game.

No one is telling me how long links been gone! Or how long the botw-totk timeskip was! They all just started selling my stuff again lol. I'm going to have to get everything redyed!

Me: hey random stranger! Lore dump? You look like a lore dumper.

Kindly npc: why hullo there, link ^^! My, I haven't seen you in a while since the calamity ended! I was so worried when they said you and the princess had gone missing! But it's good to see you're well.

Me: aw, thanks. How long has it actually been tho.

Kindly npc: ^u^

[daz4i]

oh thank god this moc is hard for everyone i'm not the problem this time.......