#until I FIND I5

[mrfangirlapocalypse]

IM LOSING MY MKND OVER THIS SNSJEJXH

[rillils]

written for round 5 @stuckybingo, square I5 - Looking after each other wordcount: 1411 pairing: Steve/Bucky additional tags: fluff, kidfic, general silliness, slice of life, dorks in love, dorks in love + their baby

Steve never believed in sunscreen, no matter how many times he got the hide scorched off of him. Used to just sit there and let the sun fry his skin, seemingly content to suffer through all the pretty stages of a sunburn, the blistering and the peeling, the stinging and the itching.

The serum just gave his stubborn ass one more excuse to walk outside in all his dumb, unprotected glory.

“You know it’ll have healed by tomorrow anyway,” he would shrug in the face of Bucky’s reasonable worry. But oh, how he’d hiss and cuss through gritted teeth, Later That Same Day, when Bucky inevitably wound up spreading cool aloe over his poor, neon-bright shoulders, the shade of them a hot raw pink that’d probably get them both sued by Mattel sooner or later.

“Fuck. Fuck. I always forget how bad it gets. How do I always forget how bad it gets.”

And it would take a herculean effort for Bucky to refrain from saying ‘I told you so’, but refrain he would; he’d simply smooth his aloe-covered fingers down to the small of Steve’s back, where the tan line made his creamy-pale asscheeks stand out like two (somewhat flabbergasted) halves of a moon, and he’d lean over to whisper-kiss a fond, “Dumbass”, against the crown of Steve’s head.

* It was fatherhood that flipped that particular switch for Steve.

Already within the first few weeks of her life, Sarah Barnes-Rogers managed a colossal feat which several people, including her very own namesake, had been fruitlessly attempting for no less than a century: knock some sense into her father.

That summer, they brought their five-month-old baby to the beach for the first time, and suddenly Steve’s baseline shifted from a glaring zero, to at least three separate bottles of sunscreen tucked in his backpack at all times – and he wielded them as dramatically and determinedly as King Arthur pulling his sword from the Stone.

“Never thought I’d see the day,” Bucky teased while Steve re-applied lotion on their daughter, and then himself, for the third time in one morning, the delicate scent of coconut wrapped around them like a gentle cloud.

“Protection is important,” retorted his husband, always 101% ready to rise to the challenge, even when it was ridiculous degrees outside and the average human felt distinctly like warm ice cream oozing, slow and tragic, towards an indecorous end on a sizzle-hot curb. Sarah wriggled excitedly in his lap, her pudgy little body slippery like a newborn dolphin.

“Important for you, too? Really? I thought you were gonna heal by tomorrow anyway.”

Steve glared at him, mouth pouting with growing intensity within the neatly groomed frame of his beard.

“We lead by example,” he said petulantly, and since he couldn’t exactly stomp away – at least not with all the dramatic flair required by such indignity as Bucky was willfully subjecting him to – he settled for looking away instead, fixing the hat over Sarah’s ears to keep his hands occupied. Stubborn, mulish smartass. Bucky was sure he’d never loved him quite so ardently as he did in that moment.

He leaned between their loungers and smacked the loudest kiss on Steve’s coconut-scented cheek, not bothering (oh, not too much) to hide his smug grin. “Good.”

*

Now, all things considered, it’s no wonder that Sarah’s grown to be such a sunscreen enthusiast.

The second they hit the beach, she wants nothing better than for Papa to help her get coated in the stuff, from head to wiggly toe; and once the procedure is complete, she’ll scuttle off at lightning speed, drop to the ground, and – to Bucky’s endless horror – roll about until she’s got every bit of her greased-up self nice and caked in sand. Sand which they'll still find sprinkled in every corner, crease and crinkle of every towel, bag and piece of clothing they own for a couple of months at least, but what is parenthood if not self-sacrifice?

Before she gets to that, though, Sarah has her own self-appointed job to do.

She plucks the bottle from Steve’s hand and, as per their private ritual, manhandles him into lying on his belly, announcing with her sweet, recently tooth-gapped smile, “I’ll do your back!”

Steve always indulges her with a smile of his own, and lets her climb onto the small of his back, ready to surrender himself to Sarah’s loving, if somewhat fierce ministrations.

For once, though, she doesn’t simply smear the lotion around with her usual excitement. On the contrary, she holds the bottle up and squeezes it meticulously, her brow scrunched up in concentration as she works with slow, strangely deliberate moves.

It’s only after a minute or so that Bucky really sees what she’s trying to do; and by then, her masterpiece is all but complete. The sight of it makes his heart clench with unexpected fondness.

“Daddy! Daddy, can you take a picture? I wanna show Papa, please!”

He takes one look at her hopeful little face, at the blond curls falling over her eyes, the sun-kissed freckles already crowding the bridge of her nose so early in the summer, and there’s no way in hell he’d ever even dream of saying no.

“’Course, baby,” he says, reaching for his phone with no further ado.

“Show me what?” Steve pipes up, twisting his neck to try and peek over his shoulder. “What’re you guys doing back there?”

“Nuh-uh,” Bucky tuts, pushing Steve’s head back down to rest atop his crossed arms, “you stay put for a second, doll. Can’t ruin this shot. Alright, here we go.” The camera clicks softly, once. “Hm. Nope.” Twice. “Eh– almost.” Thrice. “Ha! There. Perfect.”

He helps Sarah down from her perch on Steve’s back, very, very careful not to smudge her precious work, then hands her the smartphone. “Go ahead, baby, show Papa what a good job you did.”

In her eagerness, Sarah all but shoves the phone right in Steve’s face, with a squeal of “Pa! Look, look!”, watching him expectantly.

It’s there, on the screen, that Steve finally gets to see it. A message just for him, spanning almost his entire back, spelling, in Sarah’s wonky six-year-old handwriting, “I LOVE YOU PA ♥”, big squiggly heart included.

Steve doesn’t breathe for three whole seconds; and when he starts again, it’s with a soft, awestruck, “Oh.”

And it might be the stark light, or the warm breeze, or the scent of ocean salt in the air, but when he props himself up on his elbows to look at their daughter, his eyes have a familiar, watery shine to them. One of his strong arms wraps around Sarah’s middle and pulls her in, and he plants a kiss on her forehead, smiling all the while. “Love you too, munchkin. It’s beautiful, thank you so much.”

“Yah!”

Satisfied with the feedback, Sarah can finally run off to fulfill her destiny as a pocket-size sand monster. Steve gazes adoringly after her, then lifts his big, gleaming puppy eyes on Bucky, looking about as lovestruck as Bucky’s ever seen him in the last ninety-five years or so.

“Buck,” he says, soft and just, just on the cusp of choked up. How anyone ever thought they could teach this guy not to wear his heart on his sleeve, Bucky’ll never understand.

“Yeah, big guy. I know. I know,” he soothes, hovering close to place a sympathetic kiss on the swell of Steve’s bicep. “Listen, I’m gonna ask a dumb question here.”

Steve blinks up at him, curious.

“Do you maybe want me to fix your back for you, so you don’t actually burn to a crisp?”

And see, the truth is, he already knows the answer. He knows it with even greater certainty when Steve sinks his face in the crook of his own elbow, half laughing, half groaning, and a hundred percent utterly defeated.

Of course not. Of course he’s gonna lie directly in the nearest sunbeam, and let himself bake there until the words are branded onto his skin, pale white on Barbie-box pink, no matter how short-lived they’ll be.

“Yep. Called it.” He gives Steve’s bicep a gentle pat-pat, knowing that in about ten hours, even that will make Steve hiss with unrepentant, self-inflicted pain - and possibly loving him just that wee bit more for this tiniest of derring-do’s. “I’ll make sure to grab some more aloe on our way home.”

[ms-demeanor]

I didn't know MicroPCs were a thing until I read your post and now I'm super interested! I didn't think getting a "desktop" was possible for me since I don't have the space/money for a big tower, but this might be a game changer. However, I don't know which ones are good? All the ones I'm finding on Amazon are brands I've never heard of with few reviews.

Okay so you're looking for the micro form factor, not necessarily a micropc (which sometimes means a self-contained pc in a sealed case for bargain basement prices that, generally speaking, I would want to do a lot of testing on before I'd trust one.)

Sticking with the big 3 brands again you'd be looking for the Lenovo Tiny line, the Dell Micro Form Factor, and the HP Mini desktop.

These are, generally speaking, business machines and have a higher entry price than your average desktop. However, they are also easier to upgrade than a laptop so as long as you start with a decent processor you can get lower specs on the RAM and the SSD and upgrade them at a later date.

You can also look for open box and manufacturer refurbs if you want to save some money. Desktops are a better option for refurbished computers than laptops, and business desktops are generally pulled from environments where they saw light duty. If you - or anyone - is going to look at refurbished computers I think you should still look for the specs described in the inital post but it is even more important than with a new computer purchase to pay attention to the generation of the processor; you absolutely don't want anything more than a few years old - as of now, August 2023, I wouldn't buy anything older than a 10th-generation i5/i7 processor in a refurbished device, and if it was a 10th gen I'd have a heavy preference for the i7 over the i5.

But you may be able to get some savings simply by looking for older gen processors on new devices - here's a very reasonably priced dell with great specs and a 10th-gen processor that is new in box. ($670 for an i5-10th gen, 32GB RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a Pro OS).

And if you have a VESA mount monitor, there are all kinds of brackets that are available online and compatible with pretty much all extra small form factor PCs for about $15-$40.

[syntia13treeman]

Case 16.01

CAT1RB1565-30102023-25032024

what I think happened in:

Case 16.01, the case of "The Inked 4eart" or "RIP your heart out, Madam E".

Today we have a little bit of social media drama. More specifically, a tragedy in 5 acts.  

Act 1, October 2023 (Halloween Eve)

FADE IN Enter stage left: Our protagonist – Madam Elecrum. She's a self-proclaimed ubergoth, and a lifestyle/beauty influencer, who'd apparently build her online persona by throwing fistfuls of trendy words and phrases at a bubbly / happy base to see what sticks.

Enter stage right: Our antagonist – Ink5oul (we've met before). They do magic tattoos and occasional grave robbing (it's for research). Their online persona is: 'I'm too cool for you. Loser.'

Madam E, long time Ink5oul fan, gets a tattoo (her 'heart's desire') done by her celebrity crush. For "free". (It's never free). Like we've seen before with Daria, she has no control over the design, and process is so painful she passes out.

Act 2, November 2023

The effects of Ink5oul's tattoo kick in fast, and they seem to be translating Madam E's popularity to a perpetual 'happy high'. Enamoured with her tattoo and tattooist, Madam E tries to start a relationship. It seems very one-sided, no matter how you look at it.

Act 3, December 2023

Ink5oul decides to find some fresh inspiration underground (again) and tries to manipulate Madam E (by questioning her self-image as 'goth') into doing the dirty work for them. Namely, digging up some graves. When manipulation fails to work, they resort to threats, which go right over Madam E's head (to be fair, if you don't know about their magic, 'I'll break your heart' is just a turn of phrase). Regardless, she does the smart thing and bails.

Ink5oul goes ahead with their grave-robbing plans anyway.

Then Madam E does the dumbest thing so far, and instead of going to the police or forever holding her peace, she blabs about the incident online.

Act 4, December 2023 cont.

Ink5oul retaliates with their own call-out video, among other things accusing Madam E of their own crime. And even though M.E. said the truth and I5 is lying, they have the power of larger fanbase and magic ink behind them. Things go poorly for Madam E. Being cyberbullied by enraged mob is bad enough, but the tattoo makes it so much worse, translating the 'hate' into physical pain (and injury?). M.E. still clings to her persona, but cracks are plainly visible (and full of fear). Ink5soul stans continue doing their worst, up to and including setting her place on fire.

Act 5, January 2024

Madam E is admitted to a hospital with some unspecified 'heart problems'. In her very last video her persona has gone out the window; she is scared and hurting and painfully honest as she begs for the pain to stop. As she begs for her life. I can only assume that the hate campaign is still going strong, since her condition keeps rapidly getting worse, until the cumulative effect rips her heart out in the most literal sense. I can only guess what was put down as cause of death on her death certificate.

FADE OUT

Here lies Madam Electrum. She was survived by her cats and her parents (now living together). So let's talk about the person who killed her.

Ink5oul, tattoo artist/influencer/streamer/grave robber. The Magic Ink Pal. Talking points:

They dig up old graves to study old tattoo's (are they a die-hard fan of Oscar Jarrett, or Sutherland Macdonald, or any old ink master in general?). I wonder if 'studying' takes form of 'looking at them for inspiration', or 'looking at them to learn new symbols and techniques used in them', or 'cut them out and frame them and hide them in my studio to get their power flowing through my space'. Or 'siphon their power through some other arcane means'.

They summon (potential) accomplices by sending them location in 3words code (which was a cool thing to learn about, ngl). I get it, why use rot13 when number 3 is so much more universally significant?

Their art is at least partially based in alchemy (that's how Daria found them – researching alchemy symbols; and there were some symbols incorporated into her paintbrush tattoo. They might have been in M.E.'s heart tattoo as well, we never got a description). I wonder if the symbols are the 'meat' of the tattoo, the things that carry the power, and the rest of design is just window dressing to keep the recipient happy, or are they equally important. They are significant for the people who get them for sure: Daria's paintbrush vs M.E.'s heart vs Ink5oul's floral snake (???).

Power of their art (as we've seen so far) was focused on appearances/image. Ink5oul is referred to as they/them even by a chronically off-line stranger in ep. 11, so there must be something going on with how they appear to others that conveys their non-binary-ness. (mind?) Daria hated her physical appearance, and was given power to change it. (body?) Madam E was living for her online image, and was bound to it so that it would affect her in ways beyond usual. (Feeling great when popular, getting ill and dying when hated and bullied). (soul?)

They occasionally offer tattoos for free or at a discount (both Daria & M.E.); ostensibly in exchange for views it gets them on live-streaming. I wonder if there's more behind that. Are they creating a magical debt, some kind of obligation they can later exploit?

The moment when they threatened Madam E. to 'break her heart', I at first thought they meant that being the creator of the tattoo, they had some kind of direct power over the person who received it. But with the way things went, I think it actually was that they knew how the tattoo worked, and they knew they had more than enough pull online to tank her reputation and send a tonne of hate her way, which in turn, through the heart tattoo, would hurt her and, very literally, break her heart.

I wonder if they actually know what they're doing (have full knowledge of how their craft works) or if they are experimenting. Maybe they once copied some symbols from an old book, just becaue it looked cool, noticed that things started happening, and are trying things out ever since. What will happen if I put this symbol next to this symbol? What if I arrange them this way? Wait, let me take a peek at how Oscar Jarrett did it. Oh, interesting. But what did it to? Must copy to a living person and see how it goes for them.

[lillywillow]

College Days

Summary: Your college life wasn’t anything like you expected

Written for: @the-slumberparty

Words: 3431

Squares Filled: I5- College, O2- College AU, G3- Video Games, I1, First Date

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Female Reader

Warnings: Drinking, mild language

To say you were nervous on your first day of college was an understatement. This big city campus was a far different world to the quiet country town you grew up in. Nervously, you made your way to the door rooms that were to be your home for the duration of your stay. You were about to open the door when someone beat you to it from the other side. The person who walked through was a tall, handsome blond man with kind blue eyes and a charming smile.

“Hi, you must be one of the new students. I’m Steve. I’m the RA of this dorm building. I’ll show you around.”

You introduced yourself and Steve took you through to the room you would be using. Steve left you for a few moments to let you settle in.

As you were getting unpacked, a young woman walked in and placed her stuff on the other bed.

“Hi, I’m Wanda. You must be my roommate,” she smiled, extending her hand to shake yours.

You shook her hand and introduced yourself, exchanging a few pleasantries before heading downstairs to the common room for orientation.

…

Steve explained everything you needed to know about dorm life, from rules and regulations to maps and any other useful information you might need to know. Once he was finished, you headed to the dining to where you could smell someone was cooking dinner. You headed into the kitchen to see if you could offer assistance to whoever was in there. Poking your head in, you spotted a curly haired male tending to some kind of sausages in a pan.

“Do you need a hand?” you asked.

The cook turned and smiled at you.

“Oh, hey. I’m pretty much set for cooking but you could help me dish them up. I’m Bruce, by the way.”

You once again introduced yourself and helped to put the sausages into the buns.

“What kind of hotdogs are these?” you questioned, noticing their odd colour.

“Tofu dogs. I’m vegan, you see. I know that most people don’t share my kind of diet but I wanted to share something with you guys, if that’s okay.”

Well, you did come to college for new experiences.

You helped Bruce bring out the tofu dogs with a few condiments and met with more of your dormmates. After a few more introductions, you all sat down to eat. As you took the first bite, you took a few minutes to assess the flavour. It was… not great. The texture was… interesting to say the least. There were a few moments of awkward silence before Sam stood up.

“Where’s the takeout menu?” he declared.

“Sam…” you began.

Okay, so it wasn’t the best tasting the you had but that didn’t mean putting Bruce down after he tried so hard.

“No, I can admit defeat. I confess, I must not have used a decent brand. Guys, order what you’d like. Dinner is on me tonight,” Bruce announced, handing out menus to a local takeout place.

And that was your first dinner in your new home.

…

The next morning, you got up bright and early, ready to start your new college life. Classes didn’t start until Monday but the weekend gave you a chance to find your way around the school and perhaps get to know your dormmates a little. As you made your way downstairs, you noticed a group of people in gym gear doing stretches.

“Hey, guys,” you greeted.

“Good morning, Y/N. We’re about to go for a jog. Would you like to join us?” Steve offered.

On the one hand, the thought of doing all that exercise first thing in the morning sounded like a nightmare. On the other hand, it might be a good opportunity to know the grounds a little better and get to know some of your dormmates a little better. You briefly considered your options before ultimately deciding to go with them. They waited for you to get ready before they headed off.

Steve, Bucky, Sam and Nat were much fitter than you were but went a little slower for your benefit. That was, until the boys started getting a little competitive. Then it became a contest between them on who could run circles around each other. Nat just rolled her eyes and kept her pace to match yours.

“Wow… they’re pretty fit… aren’t they?” you puffed.

“Don’t sell yourself short, Y/N. You’re doing a pretty good job at keeping up,” Nat smiled at you.

“Well… I try,” you tried to smile back and hoped it didn’t come out as a grimace.

“You should come to yoga with me. Classes start this Thursday,” she offered.

“I’ll think about it,” you replied, watching as Steve ran his third lap around with Bucky on his heels.

“Don’t say it!” Sam screamed.

“On your left,” Steve grinned.

…

After your jog, the group made their way back to the dorms.

“Hey,” Steve greeted.

“Hi!” you replied, taking a great big swig from your water bottle.

“You were pretty good out there,” he smiled.

“Thanks… nowhere as good as you though…”

“I’ve been doing this for quite some time… I would have liked to stay back to talk with you some more but I tend to get a little… competitive,” he admitted with a sheepish smile.

“Don’t worry about it. Nat kept me company,” you assured him.

“That’s good… Well, I would like to talk with you some time to see how you’re getting on. If you need anything, just knock on my door,” he softly smiled, heading up the stairs to take a shower.

You couldn’t help but smile to yourself. Steve was pretty cute and watching the way he climbed those stairs; you did notice he had a pretty nice butt… Was it possible he could be interested in you? Well, it was possible but the way he was nice to you could also just be a part of being the house RA. You would just have to wait and see.

…

The following Friday, you had completed your first week of classes. As you got home, you saw some of the others setting up some sort of drinking game.

“Guys, how many times do I have to tell you this is a no alcohol building?” Steve sighed.

“Don’t like it, don’t watch,” Clint replied, continuing his set up.

Steve grumbled and headed up the stairs.

“Y/N, come join us!” Tony offered.

“I’ll just put my things away and I’ll be right down,” you assured him.

You went up the stairs to put away your stuff and noticed Wanda sitting on her bed reading.

“Hi, Wanda. They’re about to start playing a drinking game downstairs. Would you like to join us?”

“Thanks for the offer, but I can’t drink with my meds. You have fun though,” she smiled, returning to her book.

“Okay. I’ll let you know how it goes,” you smiled, heading back downstairs.

To your surprise, you saw Steve had returned and was sitting with the rest.

“Steve? I thought you weren’t going to play…” you stated.

“I decided that I should probably be here to supervise,” he replied, although he didn’t seem all that happy to be involved.

“That’s the spirit!” Tony grinned, patting him on the back.

You took your place and the game began. It started out as a game of Never Have I Ever which somehow morphed into a game of Truth or Dare. Tony by far had the most shots, followed by Natasha and Clint. You and Steve only took a few sips on occasion which probably prompted the change in games. They made up a rule that if you failed to complete an action, you had to take a shot.

“Okay, Y/N. Truth or dare?” Tony slurred.

“Uh… dare?” you sheepishly chose. Either way, you knew you were in trouble.

Tony grinned wickedly.

“You have chosen… poorly. I dare you to…”

Your heart hammered in your ribcage as you mentally prepared yourself to take the next shot.

“Kiss Steve!”

Steve’s face turned red and you felt butterflies in your stomach.

“Really, Tony?” Steve huffed.

“Yeah… You need a little action to remove that stick up your-”

“Tony!”

Tony raised his hands in defence and suddenly, all eyes were on you.

“Well? What’s it gonna be?” Tony asked.

“You don’t have to do anything… I won’t force you,” Steve muttered.

Was it the alcohol or did he actually sound a little disappointed?

“I’ll do it…”

The three others all whooped while Steve looked even more flustered. You walked over and draped your arms over Steve’s shoulders and he wrapped his arms around your waist.

“Last chance to back out,” he breathed, giving you some more time if you wanted.

You crashed your lips to his before you lost your nerve. His lips were warm and smooth against yours. Steve pulled you a little closer to his body. You had kissed a few people when you were dating in high school but this one… this one felt perfect. You were so lost in the kiss; you barely noticed the cheering from the others. Slowly, you and Steve pulled away from each other. Steve smiled warmly at you then blushed as the hollering continued.

“Alright, you lot. Game over. It’s late now, get to bed,” he ordered.

“Boo. Let’s keep playing,” Tony whined.

“No, no more drinking. Bed now.”

“I’ll help carry him. The drunk dead man lift is a two-man event,” Clint said, helping Steve pick up Tony off the floor.

You and Nat made your way back to your own rooms. Trying to be as quiet as possible, you made your way to your bed but unfortunately, you were a little tipsier than you thought and tripped over something, making a clatter.

“Y/N?” Wanda sleepily voiced.

“Sorry. Did I wake you?”

“It’s okay… did you have fun?” she yawned, sitting up.

“Yeah… I, um… I kissed Steve…” you admitted, feeling your face heat up.

“So… How was it?” she pried, starting to form a cheeky grin.

“It… it was nice…” you smiled, still remembering the warmth of his lips and his body.

“Are you going to go for it?”

“I don’t know… Steve has been pretty nice to me but what if that’s because it’s part of his job… still… I’m pretty sure I felt something when we kissed,” you dreamily sighed.

“You never know if you don’t try,” she encouraged.

Her words gave you thought as you prepared yourself for bed. It’s not like it would be a bad thing if you got in a relationship in college and Steve seemed a pretty nice guy… You would have to wait and see.

…

Over the next few weeks, you really got the hang of your college routine. For the first quarter, you were just feeling your way around to see courses you liked best before you could fully commit. You were also starting to make friends. In your Theoretical Astrophysics class with Professor Erik Selvig, you met Darcy Lewis. She was really smart and a lot of fun at parties. She was also a good friend; the kind of friend that made sure everyone was having a good time but more importantly, everybody got back safely (even if she was in a different dorm building than yours). Not that you went to a lot of parties. You much preferred staying home and talking with your new best friend Wanda. Not only was she your roommate but she was in your psychology class, working to get a doctorate. You also started hanging out with the others and getting to know them. They all noticed the sparks between you and Steve and either encouraged or playfully teased you both about it.

One afternoon, you were studying in your room when there was a knock on the door.

“Hey, Y/N. You busy?” Steve asked, poking his head through the door.

“Hi, Steve. No, I’m not busy. What’s up?” you asked.

“I’m falling behind in grading these papers for my TA job and I need a hand. Would you mind?”

“Sure…”

You stood up and made your way over to Steve’s room. The truth was, you were actually pretty tired from staying up late last night playing your favourite game Barbarians of Altron. The boss you faced was pretty tough so you and your guild fought hard until it was defeated. You really wanted to take a nap but you also thought this would be a great opportunity to spend some time with Steve.

“Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it,” he sheepishly smiled, handing you a stack of paper. “It’s pretty easy. All you have to do is follow the guide.”

You took your place next to Steve and set to work. At first, all that could be heard was the sound of shuffling paper and the scratching of pens. After a while, your thoughts got the better of you so you decided just to maybe get to know him a little better.

“How did you get so far behind? I know you’re the type of guy to get things done as soon as possible,” you pried.

“Oh, the boss battle went longer than I thought. Damn thing was hard to beat…” he sighed.

Some pieces started to fall into place in your mind.

“That wouldn’t happen to be the boss battle in Barbarians of Altron last night would it?”

“It was… how did you know?” he asked, feeling a little self-conscious.

“I was in the same one! I’m SheildMaiden94!”

“You’re ShieldMaiden94?! I’m TheNomad1914!”

“No way! Your strategies are legendary!” you beamed.

“Thanks! Although last night they weren’t working so well…”

“Oh, don’t worry about last night. That guy was a pain,” you assured him.

Steve grinned at you and continued working while he chatted while you did the same.

“So, how long have you been playing for?” you asked.

“Since high school. Bucky got me into it. He goes by WinterWolf_17. What about you?”

“Also, high school…”

The pair of you continued discussing your favourite battles and items while you graded and before you knew it, the task was completed.

“Thanks for all your help, Y/N. It really means a lot to me,” he smiled.

“You’re welcome. I look forward to the next raid,” you smiled back.

Steve grinned and escorted you back to your room. As you closed your door, you couldn’t help but smile. You had always admired your guildmate for his leadership skills and action in battle but knowing the man behind the character… felt like something was meant to be.

…

By the time winter came around, you and Steve had bonded over your love of Barbarians of Altron but that was only the start. You got to know more about one another. You told Steve that you had almost narrowed down your field of interest and you learned that Steve was taking a few art and history classes. He showed you some of his beautiful works from his life model studies.

Time had flown by so fast. Before you knew it, winter break had come. As much as you wanted to go home for the holidays, you just couldn’t afford to travel but you still called them to let them know how you were going. Most of your dormmates had gone home, except for Steve. He stayed behind to finish a project he was working on. Once you finished your phone-call, Steve came to check on you.

“Hey… how’s it going?” he gently asked, walking into your room after knocking.

“I’m okay… I just miss my family. This is my first time being away from them this time of year,” you sniffled, wiping away a few tears.

Steve came to sit next to you on your bed.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

You smiled softly at him and began telling him all about your family. Steve listened as you told him the traditions you would uphold and the antics certain family members would get into along with funny stories from years gone by and by the time you were finished, you were feeling a lot better.

“How about we go downstairs, make some hot chocolate and watch some classics?” Steve suggested.

That was how you spent that festive season; cuddled up to Steve watching holiday movies under a blanket and sipping hot chocolate. You felt so safe and warm in his arms.

…

After the holidays, you and Steve were closer than ever. Your conversations became deeper and more meaningful and every movie night, you would cuddle up together but it wasn’t until Valentine’s Day that things were made official. Steve had told you how much he admired female artists throughout history so before Valentine’s Day, you bought a book about them, covering everyone from Augusta Savage to Artemisia Gentileschi. Taking a deep breath in, you knocked on Steve’s door. He smiled and let you in.

“I’m so glad you came by,” he beamed.

“Well, I… I have something for you…”

You presented your neatly wrapped gift to him. Steve opened it, taking great care not to rip the paper and smiled when he saw the cover of the book.

“This is beautiful,” Steve marvelled, admiring the gorgeous artwork.

He smiled and flicked through a few pages before placing the book on his desk.

“I have something for you too,” he confessed, handing you his present.

You opened yours and were instantly in awe. It was a framed drawing of you and Steve as your characters for Barbarians of Altron, back-to-back and engaged in combat with some unknown enemy. You couldn’t help but smile at it.

“I love it, Steve. Thank you so much…”

“It… it’s not much… Y/N, I like you a lot and… well… there’s a Frieda Kahlo exhibition happening in a gallery nearby and I was wondering if… you would like to go with me.”

“Like a date?”

“Yeah… That is, if you want it to be… I feel like we’ve gotten so close this term and I just… Am I misreading things?”

Steve was so cute when he was flustered. You decided to put him out of his misery and kissed his cheek.

“I’d love to go on a date with you, Steve,” you smiled.

Steve grinned and together, you worked out a time to go out.

…

The next night, you met up with Steve after Wanda and Nat helped you pick an outfit. Steve complemented you, making butterflies swarm in your stomach and held your hand as you headed to the gallery.

The exhibition was absolutely amazing. There were some of the artist’s works on display along with those of her husband, Diego Rivera, some of her beautiful dresses, photos and videos of the couple along with signs explaining the history of Mexico in Frieda’s time. The whole display was on loan to the gallery by a private collector. As you passed paintings, Steve went into detail about the brushstrokes, techniques and symbolism that went into a work of art. You weren’t entirely sure on everything he explained but you loved seeing the ways his face lit up when he was passionate about a subject.

After walking through the whole gallery, Steve bought you a Frieda inspired necklace made by a local artist at the gift shop before you grabbed dinner at a nearby café. As you ate, you discussed the exhibit and class life. Once you were finished, you walked back to the dorm.

“Thanks for taking out, tonight, Steve. I had a lot of fun,” you smiled.

“I’m glad,” he smiled back. “I was hoping I could take you out more… as my girlfriend that is…”

You crashed your lips against Steve’s. He was caught off guard at first but slowly kissed back. You could feel the love and passion in the kiss and when you pulled away to breathe, you both had dreamy smiles.

“I would love to be your girlfriend.”

Steve smiled and kissed you again, unaware you were being watched by your friends inside. Of course, they would give you a bit of a hard time but they were so happy you were finally together. You couldn’t wait to start the next stage of your college life with this wonderful, kind man who stole your heart from day one.

[sparkagrace]

14th February by @sparkagrace

steve x bucky | G | 810 words tags: ca:tfa, established relationship, valentine's day, secret relationship fills: @allcapsbingo: I5: promises | monthly mission: secret valentines

It's not the Valentine's either of them had planned for, but the one thing they've learned is that there's very little they can control in the middle of a war. Nevertheless, Bucky wants to do something to mark the occasion now that he and Steve will be spending it together, even if it's the the middle of the forest a stone's throw away from Paris.

It could still be romantic.

The idea comes to him when he spots a cameo necklace in an old antique shop. He doesn't have enough money, but through a series of well-thought trades (his cigarette rations and coffee) he manages to secure it before they move out of the city.

It's hard to find time alone once they make camp, but when it's just him and Steve by the campfire while the rest of the Howlies are out on an evening patrol, he pulls out the necklace hastily wrapped in brown paper and string and shyly hands it to Steve.

"It's for you," he says, somewhat redundantly. He can't watch as Steve carefully - even with those new big fingers - unwraps the package and peeks into the box. "Happy Valentine's."

Steve doesn't say anything, maybe for a full minute, but eventually he manages to find his words.

"Like my ma's."

"Yeah, like hers. I know it's not exactly the same, but-"

Steve presses a kiss to Bucky's lips: impulsive and quick, but still solid and true.

"Thank you. She made me promise never to lose it and now it's in some box in New York..." Steve worries his lip and Bucky knows that feeling of missing home. Of wondering if they'll ever make it back. Wondering if it'll still be home if they do.

"When we get home, we'll make sure to keep it safe. 'Til then you can have this one," Bucky assures as he takes hold of Steve's free hand and squeezes gently.

Steve nods and grins, a kiss pressed to their joined hands. Then he untangles and reaches for his pack, rooting through the contents until a small stack of letters appears.

"I may have taken advantage of my new rank to pull some strings," he confesses, handing Bucky the stack. "They got here last week and holding onto them has been killing me. I wanted to wait until today."

Bucky recognises Becca's handwriting instantly. Her girly loops on that expensive correspondence set that he had gifted her when she turned eighteen three years ago. When things were different.

The letters are thicker than the ones he's used to receiving, but when he opens it, it's easy to understand why. There's photographs folded into each of the notes from his parents, Becca, even his grandparents. Some of the photographs are older: a family portrait they took on his twenty-first birthday, him and Steve as kids, Sarah Rogers on her last Thanksgiving with the Barneses... precious memories of a life that he's been missing.

There's a handful of new photographs too. There's the Christmas just gone with their grandparents - older now but still there, still safe. There's also a picture of Becca with an hand looped around the arm of a tall guy, and Bucky makes a face at Steve as if to ask 'who is this?'

"I asked her to send some stuff over that you might like. I made her promise not to tell you. I wanted it to be a surprise."

So this is why Becca's last letters were so short. She was keeping all the big updates for Steve's gift.

He tries reading the enclosed letters, but he only makes out half a sentence ("...hope Steve is keeping you safe like he promised...") before his eyes mist over and he knows it's too much to read right now when the Howlies could come back at any minute. He'll read them tonight before bed so he can concentrate. So that he and Steve can share in the messages written to them (because they've always been a them and he knows Becca would be writing to Steve as much as to him).

"Thank you for doing this for me," he chokes out. "I love you."

Steve clutches the cameo necklace in his hand as if to express the same sentiment.

"Next year we'll be back home. I'll make you candlelit dinner," Steve promises. "That'd be nice for Valentine's, huh?"

"Yeah, Stevie. That'll be real nice."

They both look up when they hear a twig snap somewhere and Dum-Dum's gruff voice approaching. Bucky tucks the letters away in his jacket and Steve safely deposits the cameo in his pack.

The rest of the night is spent around a campfire and among good friends, but Bucky catches Steve's gaze a few times, photos and letters from loved ones nestled against his chest, and feels his heart warm and safe.

It's not such a terrible way to spend a Valentine's Day.

[oozingantfarm]

yo, you like thri//er movies! do you also like horror movies in general? (also any good recs?)

- @cutthroatcarnifex

Hhave you evr 5een "The Crew Of A Space Freight Get5 A My5triou5 Di5tre55 5ignal, Inve5tigate5 And Find An Odd Egg 5akc, Which Hatche5 And The Newly 5prung 5pace Bea5t Latche5 On To The Face Of A Hairy Crewmembr, Before Quikcly Dying. Hhour5 Latr, During Dinnr, The Bear That Got Face Hugged 5tart5 Convul5ing, And A 5mall 5rpentine 5pace Bea5t Br5t5 Forth From Hi5 Doe5 A 5cream, Fukc5 Up The Plate5 And Bowl5 On The Com5umption Platfrm, And U5e5 It'5 Youth Scampr Away. Tthe Bea5t Then Proceed5 to 5hed It5 5kin And Grow To Above Avrage Height, Killing Off The Crew Until Only One Troll Remain5, But The Troll Manage5 To The E5cape 5huttle Before Detonating The 5hip, A Move Which 5he I5 Legi5lacrated For In The 5equel: A 5u5pen5e And Horror Film"? Iit'5 pretty good. Mmy lu5u5 5topped allowing me to watch it aftr I rewatched it for night5 on end.

[marvelrarepairbingo]

Summer has come to an end but that doesn't mean that the fun has to as we wind down the hot summer nights with some great submissions below from our latest round of Marvel Rare Pair Bingo. Enjoy all the great submissions under the cut!

Title: Cupcakes and Gunfire Author: Wolfsheart Card: MRP-001 Square filled: B3: Fake romance turns real Pairing: Scott Summers/Bucky Barnes Rating: Mature Warnings: Referenced Loki/Tony Stark. Mission Fic, Undercover Missions, Undercover as Married, Undercover as a Couple, Three Team Pile-Up, Team Up, X-Men + Avengers + S.H.I.E.L.D., Snark, Snarky Tony Stark, Humor, Friends to Lovers, Homophobia, Hydra (Marvel), Flirting, Birthday, Birthday Cake, Birthday Sex, Blood and Violence, Fights, Fist Fights, Blow Jobs, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Sex, Fairy Godfather Tony Stark, Endearments Summary: The X-Men, Avengers, and S.H.I.E.L.D. team up to bring in a Hydra problem that has somehow managed to go even more extreme than Hydra's usual villainy. The mission required a mutant, and that happened to be Scott Summers, and Bucky to go in undercover as newlyweds, and for Scott to reveal himself to be a visible mutant at the right moment. Of course, they'll have plenty of back-up, but until that moment, and even after, the two unlikely partners will find it very easy to play their parts. Until it's no longer just acting. Word Count: 16840 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49728154

Title: Beside my bed I keep a bottle of dreams Author/Artist: Chaoticgardenbread Card #: MRP-029 Square Filled: I5: in the back of a police car Pairing: Logan/Pietro Maximoff Rating: Teen Warnings: N/A Summary: Basically, how Quicksilver and Wolverine might’ve met in an alternate universe. Word Count: 3933 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49855192

Title: Some Other Day, When You’re Sober Author: endlesstwanted Card #: MRP-031 Square Filled: N5: Blanket Fort Pairing: Michelle Jones/Riri Williams Rating: Teen Warnings: University, Drunkenness, Sharing a Bed Summary: MJ accompanies Riri to a bar on a Friday night, and after rushing their way out there hours later, she makes sure her friend is as best as he can. Word Count: 1811 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49295332

Title: Friends, Boyfriends, And The Thing In Between. Chapter one: The Thing In Between Author: endlesstwanted Card #: MRP-031 Square Filled: B4: Condoms are fun Pairing: Justin Hammer/Tony Stark Rating: Mature Warnings: Roommates, Implied Sexual Content, Developing Relationship, Miscommunication Summary: Tony and Justin are nothing more than roommates but fuck-buddies. Unfortunately for them, Rhodey also thinks they’re dating. Word Count: 1369 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49336132/chapters/124496929

Title: I Can Take You To Heaven And Back Author: endlesstwanted Card #: MRP-031 Square Filled: I5: Three wishes Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Joaquín Torres Rating: Explicit Warnings: Daddy Kink, Porn Without Plot, Marking, Aftercare Summary: Joaquín is excited to meet Daddy tonight, but when he sees Bucky’s reaction to discovering one of his sex toys, the evening takes an unexpected but exciting turn. Word Count: 6751 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49566676 Title: Glow in the Dark Author:  Blizzard_Fire Card #: MRP-032 Square Filled: I1: Panic Attacks Pairing: Bruce Banner/Mantis Rating: Teen Warnings: Panic attacks, night terrors, angst, canonical character deaths from start of Infinity War. Hurt/comfort, angst, sharing a bed. Summary: Bruce has a night terror aboard the Guardians' ship. Mantis helps him through it. Word Count: 807 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49151035

Title: Uber Hero Author:  Blizzard_Fire Card #: MRP-032 Square Filled: I4: First Job Pairing: Jennifer Walters/Katy Chen Rating: Gen Warnings: Meet Cute, Humor Summary: Jen's Uber driver drives scarily fast, but she's also pretty cute. Word Count: 1873 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/48839263

Title: Horny Author:  Blizzard_Fire Card #: MRP-032 Square Filled: I2: Magical Trouble Pairing: Bruce Banner/Thor Rating: Explicit Warnings: PWP, Succubus, Friends to Lovers Summary: Bruce is a succubus in need of a meal. Thor is happy to help out a friend. Word Count: 4487 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49406485

Title: The Worst Brother in the World (Nexus Ch 6) Squares Filled: DLBHQ Weekly Challenge, Bookish Week All Caps Bingo (AC1051): B3, Music Bucky Barnes Bingo (B038): Y3, Book Club Marvel Rare Pair Bingo (MRP-051): G4, Confession in a desperate situation Any Fandom Fluff Bingo: B2, Family Pet Author: ibelieveinturtles Fandom: Marvel Pairing: Darcy Lewis/Bucky Barnes Rating: T for language Tags/Warnings: Notting Hill AU, Bookshop AU, Movie Star AU Summary: After the excitement of his morning, Bucky shuts himself away to do the accounts in peace, and not dwell on all the embarrassing things he’s done today. He’s going to treasure that peace once he unmutes his phone. Word Count: 1884 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/43963620/chapters/125757670

Title: Legendary Lost & Mythological Found Collaborator(s): MuffinEngineer86 Marvel Rare Pair Bingo Round 2 Card No. / Name on Card: MRP-058 / Muffin N2 - Creepy Housekeeper Pairing / Ship(s): Darcy Lewis/Brock Rumlow Rating: T Warnings/Triggers/ Major Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Daisy - Symbiont, Crete, Labyrinth, lost, talk about getting children, minotaur, a creature of legends, found, chocolate, cursing, verbal fighting Summary: Walking back the way he came, Daisy held his nose in the wind and sniffed. He found her trail, but it ended suddenly. The only thing he could make out was her glasses on the ground next to an old stone with a strange glyph, looking like a maze, carved into it. “Fuck.” “Ouch.” Darcy rubbed her butt, looking confused around the dark room. One minute she walked under the bright sun of Crete with Daisy, and the next, the ground beneath her feet opened and swallowed her up. Word Count: 1044 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49330948

Title: Steam Train (Holiday Hangover: Chapter 10) Collaborator(s): MuffinEngineer86 aka. Muffin Marvel Rare Pair Bingo Round 2 Card No. / Name on Card: MRP-058 / Muffin N5 - What the hell was that noise? Pairing / Ship(s): Darcy Lewis/Steve Rogers/Brock Rumlow Genre: Canon divergence, humor, romance Rating: M Warnings/Triggers/ Major Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, polyamory, triple agent Brock, train driving, crack taken serious, fantasy, dreaming, sexual references, kinks mentioned Summary: Darcy never thought she would enjoy steam trains. Okay, she didn’t enjoy the trains, but her men were having fun learning how to operate one. Brock and Steve loved trains, and she had (with Tony’s help) found a place that gave you the steam train engineer experience. Her nerds not only dragged her with them, no they dressed accordingly. She had to admit they looked good in the train driver uniforms, dirty thoughts good. Word Count: 1153 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/44305264/chapters/124924105

Title: Stitches and Biscuits Club Snippets - Chapter 6: Operation “What shark, Tony?” Collaborator(s): MuffinEngineer86

Marvel Rare Pair Bingo Round 2 Card No. / Name on Card: MRP-058 / Muffin G1 - Nightmare fuel Rating: Teens and Up Pairing / Ship(s): Darcy Lewis & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Frank Castle, James “Bucky” Barnes & Darcy Lewis, James “Bucky” Barnes & Jack Rollins, James “Bucky” Barnes & Cameron Klein Genre: Canon divergence, humor, crack Word Count: 1027 Summary: “Dr. Lewis, if I may interrupt. Sir is very uncooperative. I think now is the perfect time to initiate the plan “What shark?". Sir refuses to stop his current project. He hasn’t slept for fifty-three hours.” Jarvis’ voice sounded out of the club room’s speakers as Darcy and club members discussed the newest edition of the “Hot Stitches” magazine. “Yes!” Peter jumped up, all eyes on him. “Peter!” Darcy looked at the youngest club member with a raised eyebrow. Warnings/Triggers/ Major Tags: attacked by creature, fatigue, jump scare, pranks Additional Tags: canon divergence, Jeff - the land shark, pranks Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45356182/chapters/125381350

Title: They Could Never Be the Same Author:  ABrighterDarkness Card #: MRP-065 Square Filled: G4: Unwanted Transformation Pairing: Steve Rogers/Thor Rating: Teen Warnings: Age Regression/De-Aging, Tony Stark POV Summary: The situation at hand being a magically-miniaturized Steve Rogers who had hardly spoken a word but followed either Thor or Natasha around like a tiny shadow ever since they’d been released from Medical. SHIELD medical were, of course, every bit as shocked to have the Avengers show up en masse to deliver an apparently four-year-old Captain America to get checked over. Word Count: 1234 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49102462

Title: A different celebration Author:  Annie Card #: MRP-066 Square Filled: B1: All Hallow’s Eve Pairing: Wanda Maximoff & Clint Barton (Friendship) Rating: Teen Warnings: All Hallow’s Eve celebration, candies, costumes, trick-or-treat. Summary: Wanda discovers how All Hallow's Eve is celebrated with Clint's help. Word Count: 595 Link: https://nekoannie-chan.tumblr.com/post/724994281784377344/a-different-celebra

Title: Motel Stays Author:  Mizz Card #: MRP-068 Square Filled: O1: There's Only One Bed Pairing: SamSteve Rating: Explicit Warnings: N/A Summary: Both Sam and Steve have fallen into Rut while on their great American Road Trip and enter a new phase of their relationship. Word Count: 2532 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49735576

Title: Tea and Sympathy and Seeing Too Much Author:  rebelmeg Card #: MRP-084 Square Filled: Free Square Pairing: Peggy Carter & Phil Coulson, background Pepperony Rating: Gen Warnings: humor, references to snogging, SHIELD buddies, Peggy is awesome Summary: In which awkward SHIELD agents have tea and deal with seeing too much PDA. Word Count: 1514 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49121254

Title: If this is what we've got, then what we've got is gold (Chapter 5) Author: stormxpadme Square Filled: Sexy days of Summers | University AU --- Warren Worthington III --- Outdoors Pairing: Scott Summers/Warren Worthington III Rating: Explicit Warnings: N/A Summary: In which Warren invites Scott to a luxury trip on a family yacht for spring break. They find ways to kill the time.Word Count: 4320 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49075156/chapters/125569558#workskin

Title: Moments like These Author: scottxlogan Card #: MRP-131 Square Filled: Spring Fling: Yay we survived! sex Pairing: Scott Summers/James “Logan” Howlett Rating: Teen and Up Warnings/Tags: Fluff, Cuddling & Snuggling, Post-Coital Cuddling, Getting Back Together, Reflection, Implied Sexual Content, Feelings Realization, Adult Content Summary: After the battle is over Logan and Scott take some time for themselves where Logan's quiet reflection leaves him feeling closer to Scott. Word Count: 597 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49851079

[thessalian]

Thess vs Budgeting

I'm not exactly bad with numbers; it just takes me a little while to do the working out of these things. Which I guess is good for my love of D&D, and is also good for budgeting. Because dear gods do I need budgeting. Because, much as I hate to do it, I need to replace Gilmore.

Gilmore is my PC, by the way. My combination gift for Christmas 2018 / birthday 2019. So ... yeah, there are issues. I'm running i5 and i7 is minimum requirement for Silent Hill 2 (or at least, some sites say that but I'm going with what's on Steam, since I figure they'd know). Also ... well, the big issue is that Microsoft is going to stop supporting Win10 in October 2025, and Gilmore won't run Win11. So I need a PC that runs Win11.

Please note that I do not want to run Win11. However, I also do not want to be faced with a massive security issue next year. Plus, let's face it, this machine is over five years old - or, more to the point, I got it five years ago and it wasn't exactly the gold standard then. That's a lot for a computer.

What all of this has meant is that I've had to run the numbers. All of the numbers. With variables that I had to sort out midway through everything. So it's basically kind of algebra. Ish. If you squint.

So here's been my thought process and search terms of late:

Can I just replace the CPU? No, because my motherboard won't support a new CPU.

Can I just replace the motherboard and CPU? Well, at that point, you might as well replace the whole fucking computer because the price isn't that different.

Do I need to worry about a graphics card? No, because I got a new one of those fairly recently and it's way better than the CPU/motherboard that are at least five years old.

Will a custom-built PC tower save me any money whatsoever? ...Not really, no.

Can I plug a graphics card into a machine with integrated graphics? After a little bit of searching, it seems yes. They've all got extra PCIe slots, and the graphics chip just won't do anything if a graphics card is plugged into one, so ... cool.

Can I plug a graphics card into a mini-PC? Apparently you can with some, because they have extra PCIe ports, but it's finding the room in the case that's the problem. Unless I want to Macguyver a solution to the whole thing, probably not, no.

Why the fuck are Intel chips so much more expensive than Ryzen chips? No fucking idea, but the reviews don't seem to show that much difference, so I'll take the budget version.

When do I need this by? Can it wait until Christmas? I mean, I don't really want to play Silent Hill 2, or to potentially try Veilguard, running on the minimum in terms of processing power - if it'll even work on an i5 chip, which is doubtful. So before October would be ideal. Also I really don't want to ask for another combination Christmas / birthday gift from the parentals again this year. I just did that last year, plus my stepfather gets very pernickety about computer stuff since he used to be an IS manager and somehow thinks he still knows more about what I need or want than I do.

So that's the various bits of instinctive maths I've done to get the base information - what I actually need. Then I had to go hunting through the options. Eventually, I found a thing that is suitable to my needs when hunting through the list of places that refurbish computers. The options on Amazon were cheap but ... rubbish, frankly, and eventually I found a nice little refurb place that was able to sell me what I needed at a ... mostly good price. Not as glorious as Gilmore looks-wise, but what do I need that for, honestly? Best part is that this one comes with a DVD drive. I can just watch my DVDs on my new computer! Whose name has not come to me yet but will. Anyway, doesn't completely break the budget but is going to have me being veeeeeeeeery careful this month.

Maybe it's about time to break out the Baldur's Gate 3 perfumes. For a very small client list, mind you. I don't have the spoons for anything as big as Scent of a Warden got for awhile.

Not sure what to do with Gilmore. I mean, beyond gutting for parts. Not that there are many, honestly - I crammed in a few myself, but Gilmore is one of those machines designed for looks and not exactly for ease in upgrades. Thankfully the new box is apparently designed to be upgraded, partly because it was built and refurbished from spare parts in the first place. As for the Shiny Case ... well, there are recycling spots that can deal with that. I don't think a very old i5 chipset machine will particularly go on eBay, after all.

So ... yeah, budgeting. I'd feel bad for upgrading just for two games, but I'm not, really - I'm upgrading as a security measure too. Believe me, I'd be happy to stick with my Win10 machine. I don't want Win11. Everything I have heard about Win11 is awful. But I guess there isn't an option at this point. Assholes. Cramming their ad-riddled, AI-driven bullshit into my machine.

[oldworldwidgets]

1-5 for teddy & 6-10 for lilah for the fallout ask meme !!!

Teddy

1. Which Fallout game are they from? New Vegas!

2. Which faction(s) did they join and which did they destroy? Why? He belongs to the Great Khans and, after he meets Arcade, the Followers. He destroys the fuck out of the NCR and the Legion. The NCR because of Bitter Springs (it was personal to him) and the Legion because fuck em.

3. What is their S.P.E.C.I.A.L.? S9, P1, E4, C9, I5, A2, L10

4. Give us a summary of their backstory. Oh great heavens. A very short summary: He was raised Mormon on an NCR ranch with his four older brothers and one younger sister. He got fed up one day, burned the ranch down (only he, his sister, and one brother survived), and became a drifter. Ran odd jobs, most of them ethically questionable bc they paid best. Eventually linked back up with his sister who pretended she didnt know him, then his brother who was in rehab with the Followers. He stayed at the Fort and was heart eyes with Arcade, but his brother was homophobic to them so Teddy left, causing his brother to OD the next day. Joined the Khans and stayed there for a few years before Bitter Springs happens. After that, he became an outlaw and basically hunted NCR with the Khans until he’s paid by the Mojave Express to deliver a pack of cards (Courier Three) and is shot by Benny (he got it wrong the first time). Events of the game happen, he pursues independent Vegas, then retires and lives a happy rancher life with Arcade afterward.

5. What’s their full name and does it have a meaning? Do they have any nicknames and how did they get em? Theodore Dawson. It doesn’t really, it just feels cowboy to me and I like the idea of a big mean man named Teddy. It does have a meaning in the context of his siblings though. Their names are Benjamin, Levi, Jacob, Noah, and Hannah; Theodore (named after his father) is the only name not found in the Bible.

He has a few “nicknames” that are just derivative of his name. When he’s young, he goes by Theo. When he’s a drifter, he goes by Dawson or Daws. After he finds his brother, he goes by Teddy (Arcade gives him the nickname). His bestie Amantis (@odd-ball-out’s courier) also calls him Bear.

Delilah

6. What’s their sexual, romantic, and gender orientation? Do they feel comfortable telling other people? She is a cis woman who is not attracted to (sexually or romantically) anyone. I guess rigidly she could be considered aroace, but really, romance is just something that she doesn’t prioritize, and sex has been completely ruined for her because she only knows how to use it to get what she wants.

7. Do they have any mental illnesses? How do they cope? Miss girl has PTSD from domestic abuse something terrible, but she copes by… uh… motions to her entire personality

8. Do they have any medical conditions? Is medicine/ treatment available for them? She is anemic, so she’s cold all the time and bleeds a lot if she gets injured, but there’s not much she can do about it in the wasteland. Just has to keep warm and avoid injury.

9. How much do they care about their outer appearance? What’s their “beauty routine”? How often do they shower/ bathe? She cares very much about her outward appearance because it’s really her bread and butter. Her whole theory of survival would be moot if she wasn’t hot enough to seduce people into giving her caps/info, buying chems from her, and underestimating her in gunfights. She doesn’t need to shower unusually often because pretty lady doesn’t like to get her hands dirty, but she maintains great hygiene for wasteland standards.

10. What do they fear the most? I don’t wanna say she’s fearless bc that’s not necessarily true, but there’s very little that phases her. She should be terrified of abandonment, but she intentionally keeps people at length so they can’t abandon her (which is… another problem entirely). Realistically, I guess the answer is that she’s most afraid of people she trusts getting angry/violent with her when she would never expect that of them.

[stuckybingo]

Stucky Bingo Round-Up #15 (January 15th - 21st)

Don’t forget to fill out the submission form to be a part of the round-ups and to get your bingo badges!

Stucky Bingo January 2023 Round Robin by Politzania, Sivan325, j_snow_writes, buckybarnesdeservestobehappy, cherriontop, TrinityDay Square filled: Adopting a Pet Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Established Relationship, adopting a pet, Tooth-Rotting Fluff Summary: Steve still didn’t think that actually adopting a cat was a good idea. After all, with the kind of jobs they had, they could get called away at a moment’s notice and be gone for who knew how long -- and who would take care of it in the meanwhile? Steve had mentioned the problem to Sharon, who not only was less than sympathetic but made the situation worse by waiting until Bucky was in earshot to say, “Hey, I think Nick’s cat had kittens. You guys should adopt one of them!” Format: Medium oneshot (1000 - 5000 words)

I Wanna Live in the Hidden Parts of Your Skin by voylitscope Square filled: G3 - Claiming Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: porn with feelings, canon divergence, fluff and smut, friends to lovers, romance Summary: Sometimes, Steve looks at Bucky across the floor of their apartment or in the middle of the sidewalk, and it's not goddamn fair how good Bucky looks. It's not fair how Steve, who's spent his whole life fighting with his lungs for air and his heart for a steady beat, sometimes looks at Bucky and his breath and pulse are wrong for reasons that aren't his lousy health at all. And ever since the day with the purple ink, Steve can't stop thinking about people being canvases, like the models at that exhibit. Steve keeps thinking that Bucky'd be the most stunning canvas a guy could ever ask for. (Or: Steve and Bucky discover a kink in 1940. They find a reason to come back to it 80 years later. ) Format: Long oneshot (over 5000 words)

Don't interrupt a bride on her wedding day by Angelicalslayer Square filled: G4 - Oblivious to lovers Ao3 rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Weddings, Friendship, Strangers to Lovers, Romantic Fluff Summary: Wedding days should be filled with kisses and declarations of undying love. Just not to the bride when you aren't getting married to her. Or: Steve confesses his love to his long-time best friend, but ends up finding it a different way than he expected. Format: Medium oneshot (1000 - 5000 words)

Hanukkah by Sivan325 Square filled: N3 - Free Square Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: pre-war, Jewish Buck Barnes, Orphan Steve Rogers Summary: Steve watched as James’s dad lit the shammash, and then turned to ask him, “Would you like to light the first candle?” Format: Short oneshot (300 - 1000 words)

Since you are, everything that was is now something new: chapter one by endlesstwanted Square filled: B3 - Crack Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply, Recreational Drug Use, Light Angst Major tags: Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Developing Relationship, Bucky Barnes Recovering Summary: Snippets on how to be wooed by two super soldiers, a guide by Sharon Carter. Step one: feelings exposure. Format: Short oneshot (300 - 1000 words)

Dear Bucky by Laevateinn Square filled: I5 - Letters Ao3 rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply, Canonical Character Death, In which I mean this is set between Avengers and CATWS Major tags: platonic or romantic, Sad, Angst, Cemetery, moodboard Summary: Today I discovered a band I’m sure you would have loved. It’s called PostModern Jukebox. Funny name, right? It was a recommendation from Natasha. You know Natasha, I told you about her before. Format: Short oneshot (300 - 1000 words)

Cat + Mistletoe = Disaster by Laevateinn Square filled: Adopted square Dec - Mistletoe Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Fluff, Alpine, College AU, Mistletoe, cat shenanigans, banter Summary: Steve and Bucky had only been Alpine’s parents for a few weeks, but she was already giving them grey hair. Format: Short oneshot (300 - 1000 words)

I Know You Don't Think I Can Do This by singthebeginningofmoana Square filled: O3 - Looking After Each Other Ao3 rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply, talk of fighting Major tags: Mild Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Captain America: The First Avenger Summary: Bucky comes to Steve's aid during a fight. Steve is too stubborn to be grateful. Format: Short oneshot (300 - 1000 words)

Since you are, everything that was is now something new. Chapter 2: Space sharing by endlesstwanted Square filled: G2 - New York Ao3 rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: On the Run, Trust, Sharing a Bed Summary: Sharon welcomes Bucky and Steve to her old place in New York while they're on the run. Format: Medium oneshot (1000 - 5000 words)

Fragments by @Andrea1717 Square filled: G4 - Link: Frottage Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Alternative Universe - Canon Divergence, Explicit Sexual Content, Memories Summary: Bucky collects more and more memories of his past life. Format: Medium oneshot (1000 - 5000 words)

Into this night I wander (It's morning that I dread) by hanitrash Square filled: G3 - Red Skull Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: Rape/non-con, Tentacle Monster Red Skull, non-con, oviposition Major tags: bottom steve, steve is having a Very Bad Time, hurt no comfort, steve whump Summary: Steve gets captured by HYDRA and learns more about Johann Schmidt than he ever wanted to know Format: Short oneshot (300 - 1000 words)

[camelots-daffodil]

MERLIN BINGO MASTERLIST

Wow! When I got my card in February I thought I would fill out 1 or 2 prompts, max. Anyway, I ended up with 13 fills (11 of which were fic) and 3 bingoes!

Thank you so much to the Mods at @merlinbingo for all their hard work and the effort they put into running this event- no one could do it better!! It was so fun and I can’t wait until next year!

Anyway, my fills are all posted below the cut! If any pique your interest, I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did writing them!

**All fills are ‘no archive warnings apply’ EXCEPT I1, I2, & I5, where ‘archive warnings may apply’ (though very loosely, I can’t think of any tw that need listing)

M1: Hatred - Morgana Pendragon GIF Set

Julyrical Bonus Badge

M2: Heart Attack - How Many Are There?!

Ship: Merlin & Leon, Merlin/Arthur

Summary: Heart Attack (Noun): What Leon is going to get if Merlin keeps revealing these big ass secrets.

Rating: G

M5: Competitive Idiocy - At Least Out Loud I Won’t Say I’m in Love

Ship: Merlin/Arthur

Summary: Merlin and Arthur are fighting, and its driving everyone in Camelot insane. Tortured, the Knights get to meddling, and when that doesn't work, they leave it to Morgana.

Rating: T

A4: Misunderstandings - For You, For Me

Ship: Merlin/Arthur

Summary: Taken captive by a slaver with slightly deranged tendencies, Arthur claims that he is his consort and in order to save Merlin's life. Their captor decides he wants to test the strength of Arthur's love for his supposed consort.

Rating: T

A5: Cuddling & Snuggling - Holding onto You

Ship: Merlin/Arthur

Summary: There was only one bed

Rating: G

G3: Free Square - Knights of Camelot: Just Add Water

Ship: Gen

Summary: Merlin was expecting Arthur to rise up out of the lake eventually. What he wasn’t expecting were the Knights of Camelot popping out of random water sources wherever he went, one by one.

Rating: G

G5: Under A Spell - The Kissing Fever

Ship: Merlin/Arthur

Summary: It's spring time in Camelot and you know what that means... love is in the air! Only Merlin thinks that there might be a little too much of it when everyone in the land seems to be unable to stop themselves from kissing anyone near

Rating: T

I1: Selfless - Love in a Time of Dragons

Own Goal Bonus Badge

In Progress

Ship: Gen

Summary: Merlin is not only the boy who lost it all, he's Emrys. Dragonlord, prophesised, fated. One Side of a coin. After Merlin loses everything, he needs to find something new to live for, at least for the time being. The thing? Dragons.

Rating: T

I2: Imprisoned - I Slithered Here From Eden

Ship: Morgana/Gwen

Summary: While she's imprisoned with Aithusa by the Sarrum of Amarta, Morgana dreams only of Gwen.

Rating: T

I5: Protective Arthur - No One Hurts Merlin

Ship: Gen, Merlin/Arthur

Summary: Merlin, Arthur, and Leon are captured while on a quest, by a woman claiming to have a way to identify Emrys. The way? Poison.

Rating: T

C1: Canon Divergence - Happy For You

Ship: Arthur/Gwen, Merlin&Gwen

Summary: It's Gwen and Arthur's wedding day, and Merlin and Morgana have their hands full. Gwen misses her family, and Merlin comes through for her.

Rating: G

C2: Music - BBC Merlin Love Theme Notation

Treble, B-Flat Minor

C5: Pillow Fight - 5 Times Merlin Didn’t Say it + 1 Time Arthur Did

Ship: Merlin/Arthur

Summary: Just as the title says - Merlin is being a tease and not saying something... Arthur is desperate to find out what it is. He's also desperately in love.

Rating: T

[firespirited]

Graphics card has my computer working again. That’s a massive load off my back. I’d been stalling on whether to reinstall my programs and settings until I was certain this was the issue.

I love this computer, it’s a big ol coolermaster tower with a motherboard chosen for its ability to upgrade. Right now it’s an i5 3.20 with 24gb of ram but I can upgrade to i7 or more (which would be $300 for the chip) and another 8gb of ram. It needs an SSD which will be my next investment and I also need to swap my hard drive and turn it into an external media drive as it’s getting old. Eventually. Right now I’m just basking in the fact that it all works.

I’m on the tail end of day 3 of autoimmune mess. steroids running out of my system and a bone deep ache-hunger like every cell is suffocating from the exhaustion. It’s an odd sort of stomach deep hollow feeling with a hint of dread. Really not helped by news of the world and elon’s twt leaking onto tumblr.

Mostly did candy crush clone (Cookie Rush I think) while my body couldn’t do much except eat itself but did get some doll stuff done. Robecca and Venus are de-glued ... and just so gorgeously designed. I’m still as tickled as when they first released.

It really makes me happy when people find out about Monster High, fashion dolls but they’re monsters? Or shadow high: fashion dolls but they’re fantasy colours? like ^___^ I know right!

Will post photos of doll stuff when i’m done choosing and installing editing software.

[luxuriousmalfoy]

HP Saffics Femslash February Bingo Masterlist- zeddmarker/luxuriousmalfoy

Click here for my full Femslash February Masterlist Spreadsheet.

It was so fun participating in all the February daily challenges that I did! Thank you to @hpsaffics for hosting this bingo in particular, some of the prompts really challenged me!!

In the beginning, my goal was to keep each ficlet under 500 words. As you can probably tell, some of them (I'm looking at you, MILF) developed brains of their own. I hope you've enjoyed these daily postings!

Without further ado, my bingo masterlist:

B1: First or Second Person POV

You Meet the One | Katie Bell/Alicia Spinnet | 200

Planning a field trip for your class, you are enamored with the woman who works at the museum.

B2: Post-Hogwarts

MILF | Astoria Greengrass/Narcissa Malfoy | Explicit | 2,717

Astoria is faced with past hurt and temptation when she agrees to go on a family vacation with her best friend—and his mother.

B3: Part-Creature Character

She's a Butterfly | Cho Chang/Fleur Delacour | 200

When she met Fleur, she had met her butterfly—flitting from person to person but never resting, not really.

B4: Next Gen Character

Lily Luna in Lights | Lily Luna Potter/Genderbent!Lysander Scamander | 121

Lysandra gives Lily a pep talk before her first sold out show.

B5: Fluff/HEA

Starting Over | Marietta Edgecombe/Hermione Granger | 959

At her first guitar lesson, Hermione runs into someone who reminds her of past mistakes.

I1: Outsider POV

Meddling Sister | Millicent Bulstrode/Astoria Greengrass | 465

Daphne knows what has to be done in order for her sister and her best friend to get together.

I2: Microfic or Drabble

Cloud Watching | Marlene McKinnon/Dorcas Meadowes | 100

Dorcas takes Marlene cloud watching.

I3: Established Relationship

Jet Lag | Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley | 100

Wide awake from jet lag, Luna pesters her sleepy girlfriend.

I4: At Least One Archive Warning

Only One Way | Pansy Parkinson/Ginny Weasley | Mature | wc

They say there is only one way out of a place like this.

I5: Marauders Era Character

All My Life | Lily Evans/Hermione Granger | 115

Hermione confronts the girl who’s been present on every birthday, but has never aged.

N1: Inter-House Relationship

Camping in the Garden | Astoria Greengrass/Ginny Weasley | 100

Astoria and Ginny enjoy a night camping in Ginny’s backyard.

N2: Lightning Gen Character

Hit Me With Your Best Shot | Hermione Granger/Pansy Parkinson | 884

Hermione forges an unexpected bond with her biggest competition at the quiz bowl tournament.

N3: Free Space

Keeping Company | Andromeda Tonks/Molly Weasley | 897

With their husbands drafted to war, Molly and Andromeda decide to live together.

N4: POC Character

Preserved in Amber | Lily Evans/Dorcas Meadowes | 272

Lily accidentally reveals the sketch she drew of her lab partner.

N5: M/E-Rated Fic

unshackle me | Genderbent!Lucius Malfoy/Genderbent!James Potter | Mature | 609

Jay Potter has a mission to accomplish, but the sight of her former lover changes her plans.

G1: Angst/Dark/UHEA

Too Good For Me | Luna Lovegood/Pansy Parkinson | 200

A one-night-stand leads to a difficult goodbye.

G2: Hogwarts Era

French Daydream | Katie Bell/Fleur Delacour | 382

Katie doesn't think she will ever get another chance to talk to Fleur, until a lost shawl re-ignites her hope.

G3: Muggle AU

So We Meet Again | Daphne Greengrass/Luna Lovegood | 413

When Daphne starts going to a new cafe, she is taken with the barista.

G4: Canon Divergence

just forget the world | Astoria Greengrass/Ginny Weasley | 440

Astoria finds herself comforted by the person she's always admired.

G5: Inspired by Another Work

twin flames | The Great Gatsby | Mature | Astoria Greengrass/Pansy Parkinson | 1,574

When Ron moved next door to the biggest party spot in Godric's Hollow, he never expected it to turn his worldview on its head.

O1: G/T-Rated Fic

Cake Heist | Cho Chang/Fleur Delacour | 200

A late night mission for cakes is derailed.

O2: Poly Ship

I Love You | Katie Bell/Angelina Johnson/Alicia Spinnet | 380

Three different girls with three different journeys to love.

O3: Canon Compliant

I Misjudged You | Lavender Brown/Padma Patil | 300

Padma spent her adolescence hating her twin's best friend for stealing her away, but maybe Lavender wasn't so bad after all.

O4: Founders Gen/Golden Gen

The Things I'll Do | Poppy Pomfrey/Pomona Sprout | wc

Pomona attempts one of Poppy’s favorite pastimes.

O5: First Time

Cliff Jumping | Pansy Parkinson/Ginny Weasley | wc

Ginny convinces Pansy to go cliff jumping.

[averagereviews]

Starfield and the problem in general

Intro

Hello fellow gamers out there in the galaxy. This will be my first ever review I done in the first blog I ever created so dont expect much there, but there is just so much fustration piled up in me about the gaming industry, that I have to write it out of me.

Disclaimer

First thing first, there are far worse games out there than Starfield, but this game was the trigger point that made me do a blog, so I will make a honest review from the game. I will only focus the problems here, as official platforms are not highlight them out enough, and since I did not played the game I cant say much about the story either. My review is based on what I seen from Youtube and other streaming platforms so if you want to hear an in depth version, you might look somewhere else.

But hey, you did not play the game, how can you do a review about it, you might ask the fair question. Well my answer to that, you dont taste poop either to know its gonna be bad. I will belive to my fellow gamers that this game has some potential and has good moments, but generally it is another product that was not created with a soul, with the desire to be good.

Technical issues

First of all lets state the obvious, this game was in development for 5-7 years. In 5-7 years they came out with a core game that can be done in about 30 hours, if you focus on the main story quests only. They used the same engine as they are using since eternity and was out of date already at the time of Fallout 4, so it shows its mark on bugs, glitches and on performance as well. While the game runs on a steady 30fps on consols, the PC version suffers a lot. With an upper mid range setup like an I5-10400F+RX6700XT and 32GB ram + an SSD the game barely runs at 40 fps on ultra at 1080p during city walk and gunfights. This is just ridiculus to say the least, while better looking games like CP77 and BG3 or RDR2 runs way above 60 fps all the time. You might think that it may be my system that is weirdly not compatible with the game, but even better rigs suffer from this.

What is more funny in a bad way, that Todd Howard said in an interview, that they put a lot of effort into optimalization and that you may need a better PC to experience this game to the fullest. I dont know about this guys, for me its just feels as a big fat lie onto my face, as said before, better looking games runs better than this. Its not ugly or anything but more like a buffed up Fallout 4 in space theme. Here is some examples:

While you may find better looking areas, your major part in the game will live with this.

Lazy work

Another point I would like to highlight is the use of AI. It was a bad idea back then at No Man's Sky and it was certanly a bad idea here as well. They put 1000+ planets into the game that was generated by the AI depending on where you land on the planet, and most of the time its barren, empty, lifeless. It feels like they gave out the order to the AI, to use these assets on planets and create 1000+ of them. What you can find on them are most of the time rocks, some creatures put into the area randomly and without any real purpose. And yes I admit, if you would travel to 100 planet you would probably find rocks and barren lifeless areas, but as a gamer its boring. It may be fun and interesting for the first couple of times, but it gets boring to the eye very fast. What I would love to see is more planets with life on it, more vegetation, more creatures, better and meaningfull stuff on the surface or marks of a fallen civilization. And we might see this later like 7 years or so just as in No Man's Sky was very bad at the start and they hammered it until it became a good space exploration game. As of right now however this game is without a soul. Also the harsh reality why they do not changing the engine they use, because they know they can create a base game, with a lot of empty suff, and then rely on modders whom will do the hard work and fill up the empty or missing elements for free. They say its a gamer/modder friendly attitude, but its just about saving money and resources which is unacceptable in my book. Create a good game then let the modders live out their hobby, but do not rely on them to make your garbage playable while only you profit on it.

Marketing vs Reality:

This game was marketinged as a very good space exploration + RPG game where you can freely explore hundreds of systems and planets and find interesting stuff on most of them. While on reality this game restricts you from exploring, since you cant land manually on a planet just everywhere (like in No Man's Sky for example), but you have to choose your landing location from a planet view, then loading screen, and you are there in your 4x4km barren field that you can explore with some point of interest you can visit on foot (Because if they would give you wehicle, then you would realise easier that how small the area they let you "explore") These point of interests varies between "kill some pirates, or creatures", "explore this cave with 3 loot nodes inside" or "scan this or that" "Explore the lab" type of activity. Again maybe the first 10 will be interesting, then why would I want to do stuff like this for hours? Where are the crypt like systems that Skyrim offered with full of interesting puzzles? Where are the npcs that did something in previous games around you? Where are the secrets you can discover? Where is the wilderness? Where is life? Its a game its not a space simulator that offers you the same kind of experience you would do in real life. It should be full of fantasy to sell itself. Again it was marketinged like this and not as "Empty planet viewer simulator 2023"

And after all of this, we arrived to the real problem that is not Starfield's only fault. Its the era where we live and what we get for our money. Im sure some of you have much better gaming rig than me and you dont even have to care what you spend on your 70-100 bucks, but there are people, whom like to do gaming and has to think twice where they put their hard earned money. And this game with many others in my eyes are not worth the full price. The general problem is that developers are probably forced to make the games to deadlines that are way too short. I accept that creating an AAA game is not 1-2 years now, especially if you want to make it uniq in some way. Developers are pushed to their limits, they dont have enough time to create something that has a soul nor they have the time to test the games properly looking for bugs and glitches, and they rely on technologies like FSR and DLSS to avoid the need of optimizing. All because the publishers are not gamers, they only looking for money, they dont care about you people. They put a lot of investment to marketing/false marketing to generate hype, and when they got their paycheck they are happy and get the conclusion, they can sell games this way too, why bother with all the details and polishment? Fanbase will always buy it, defend it, as I encountered this with Starfield too. I asked people, what makes Starfield better than even Fallout 4 if it has so many flaws and missing elements? They could not give me a correct answer. All they said it has a good story and ship and base building is very fun, and modders will make this game better anyways, so I will belive them that story may be better, but again its not up to the modders to polish a game or make it playable, interesting, especially not for free even if this was the general case with Skyrim, Fallout series in the past (except that those games had more content by default than Starfield). In other cases I was immediately banned from some forums for said reason "I was trying to generate flame" Well if asking the hard questions is flame generation then yes I was doing that. Is this what we will get from now on? That companies will sell their leftover soul for more money and the gaming industry will only have 2-3 games per 10 years that are really outstanding and was created with passion? What are your toughts about this? Tell me in the comments below.

[maochira]

u dont need to answer this if u want but im genuinely curious on why u dont write for sae or rin?

I explained this twice a while ago and I'd link the posts, but I can't find them rn so I'll explain again

I don't like them. Writing for them was fun/interesting because I could do it in a way that makes them likeable to me. But because they're popular I got a lot of requests which lead me to burning out from writing the Itoshi brothers because I'd much rather write about characters I actually like instead. I know nobody forced me to write all those requests but at some point looking into my inbox and seeing another Itoshi request was,,, upsetting.

The requests I got for them were also kind of boring and repetitive. I didn't get inspired anymore. Mainly just "Itoshi brothers and reader doing [activity]" or something like that. Or "Itoshi brothers with reader with [personality trait/specific thing they like/etc.]"

Also, there are SO MANY Itoshi x reader fics already and more coming from others. I remember counting them during summer and sometimes it were 5 a day or even more,,, I felt (still feel) like I'd "bring more sand to a beach" (that's how I described i5 to a friend) because I just felt unnecessary writing for the Itoshis as well, when there are so many fics already and I'd much rather spend time writing for characters I like, especially ones who barely get fics.

I'd much rather leave writing Itoshi fics and headcanons to people who actually like them. I was neutral on the Itoshis for the longest time but as more time passes by I start disliking them more, honestly. They're just not the type of character I like at all and their sibling conflict has gotten boring to me even in fics.

If I ever return to writing them, probably only own ideas and no requests because I'm afraid of how many requests I'd get for them again. And I'd only write them as siblings because familial stuff is my main thing on this blog and there are other people writing enough romantic stuff already (I know some people write sibling stuff for them as well but as I said, that's my main thing on this blog so maybe I'd do it if I get ideas).

Also, if I write for them again, I needs it to be something deeper. No more "Itoshi brothers and younger sibling doing [activity]" or a random scenario happening, but instead a series with deeper meaning like "Until the mirror breaks" that I wrote a while back.