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dykedvonte · 3 months ago

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If I was in charge of casting voice actors to Mouthwashing, I would play around with how the game make the player believe that Curly is the one who crashed the ship by casting an actor know for constantly playing villains as him, while Jimmy would be cast with an actor who constantly play heroes.

While I think this is interesting I think a point of the game is that Curly looks and acts like a guy who you couldn’t imagine doing what he did initially.

You get the glimpse of him in the past and while it does give some reasons why he might of done it, you can tell he still wouldn’t. Inversely, while we chalk Jimmy’s behavior and its deterioration on the stress of the situation we learn he’s always been kinda “unpleasant”. I think having like actors that portray that would make sense as it’s the whole joke and deconstruction of the “untwist”. We begin to mistrust Jimmy but we don’t have proof he crashed the ship until near the end.

If anything I think it’s stands more to cast Curly with a typical hero and Jimmy as just some guy. A big part of Jimmy’s character is that he’s supposed to be completely average and sorta plain in comparison to everyone but especially Curly. Despite what people want to say he is designed to look average; a 5/10 mediocre and that’s his biggest issue rather than being a complete failure. He’s just moving along another part of the formation. His job a bit overshadowed even as he’s not even the main pilot. Casting an actor who plays those Everyman common roles only to turn out the reason everything is so bad fits with the theme rather than the typical good guy playing bad role and vice versa.

I think having a typical hero actor for Curly is also very important for the reason he’s incapacitated. These actors are the biggest billed, a reason people go to see the movie so having him basically be cut out of the picture and it forced to follow some joe shmoe is pretty on par for the game. If anything casting Swansea as a typical villain makes more sense as the game winds him up to be more unstable or violent when it’s just not the case, the same with the idea of casting an actress that place ditzy roles for Anya only for us to see how competent she actually is. Not to drag it on but even Daisuke as an actor in mostly silly roles only to be tragic.

I think the casting should play with the idea these are the characters under the lens of a person who fundamentally does not understand them and sees their most annoying aspects to himself vs anything else. Curly is the typically hero to him, Anya some dumb nurse chick, Swansea an untrustworthy grouch and Daisuke some kid. It’s a nice subversion to have them played by those types but not fit the role at all.

#because I can only assume we also have Curly’s parts where we’d clearly see he’s not malicious at all #like the game never makes you try to distrust curly more so realize we put too much faith and trust #into Jimmy without thinking or giving excuses because we had no idea what he’d done until much later when it was too late #basically the viewers/players perception is supposed to have been the same as Curly’s regarding the pre crash events #but I think it breaks something by making Jimmy look heroic cause the point is he never is and that there are overt and subtle signs from #the beginning but it’s easy to overlook not because he doesn’t fit any of the bills but because he’s just under the radar #he’s average mundane normal enough and having a normalish guy turn out to be a monster #is so much more compelling because even then he is not like a hammy mastermind unrepentant villain #he’s a coward that refuses to acknowledge the consequences cause he can’t comprehend the guilt #so I think everyone should be played by the parts they portray as the story twists and untwists the roles already #mouthwashing #mouthwashing game #ask #anon

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myatlantispoets · 2 months ago

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Ik i sound like such a stereotypical straight woman rn but. How do i ask my bf for flowers without asking my bf for flowers

#i have like. a shitty history with the concept of getting flowers from your bf/asking for said flowers clearly and nively #by whuch i mean that the one and only time i did it we got into a fight abt it #personal #granted it doesn't rly mean as much as it used to to me mainly bcs my partner always tries to make me feel l9ved and heard #in a billion other ways. so most of the time i forget abt this topic #but then i remember and i'm just like...wouldn't it be nice tho? just once?#technically 2nd time around but i can barely count that one time (with ex i mwntioned above)#like with my ex it was also a matter of him proving that he gives a fuck bca deep inside i could tell he didn't #so i ended up pinning all of my subconscious fears and gut feelings abt the relationship on this one thing #that is acyually rly small and not necessarily proof of a healthy relatoonshop in the grand schemw of things #now it's more like...a bonus. but like. a very NICE bonus y'know #i wanna put flowers in a vase like my sister does #my uni colleagues said i should drop subtle hints like buying my own flowers and casually mentioning it to him #and sbit like that #but that doesn't work with me for two main reasons.#1. i'm not giid at dropping hints or being subtle. i either tell you or abt it or i keep it to myself (and the latter usually leads to chaos #it's a also kind of immature tho i can't rly jydge girls who do it bcs i've experienced first hand how hard it is to ask for smth and #be punished and then fear it's gonna jappen again even if u have no reason to believe that #and finally 2. my bf is neurodivergwnt. like this man didb't even get flirting for a long time. and not onky that but #he's not the kind of person who'd naturalky gravitate towards like. traditional gifts or gender roles if that makes sense #so it's not like he's gonna wake up one day and go oh i should get my girl flowers #it's been more than 3 months he would've done it by now #but if's been 3 happy months and i don't wanna seem ungrateful. for tje first time ever i'm truly in lovr and truly loved in return #don't i already have enough in this regard?#ugghhh....idk what to do #venting

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radlymona · 7 months ago

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How did people not notice this I’m losing my mind

#where’d that tweet thats like #every week I think maybe the dialogue in hotd should have been more subtle #and every week the audience proves me wrong #anyway ‘Rhaenyra as the embodiment of Targaryen exceptionalism’ truthers we won #f&b #and the worst part is #they think it’s like a genuine good thing #instead of a dark subversion #like the whole point is that she’s set up a chosen one #and will only end up a ruthless manic tyrant like come on

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mariocki · 6 months ago

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Funny Games (1997)

"Why are you doing this to us?"

"Why not?"

#funny games #1997 #austrian cinema #horror imagery #blood tw #michael haneke #susanne lothar #ulrich mühe #arno frisch #frank giering #stefan clapczynski #doris kunstmann #christoph bantzer #wolfgang glück #susanne meneghel #monika von zallinger #although it's been on my to watch list for a long long time‚ this is also exactly the kind of film that I'd never take any particular #effort towards finding‚ content to spend years saying 'oh yeah i really should watch that'. so I'm most grateful to @bimbobussy for taking #the initiative and providing me with a copy; years and years of interest in film and in horror have meant that i was more than familiar #with the plot‚ the layout‚ the fourth wall breaks‚ and that might have been something subconsciously putting me off getting round to this #but im really glad i did. what an experience. my prior knowledge didn't feel like a hinderence; instead it leant an awful expectation to #the earlier scenes‚ allowed for dreadful recognition of what was coming. and i still got played! the misdirection with the knife‚ dropped #in an early scene‚ the planting of a seed of an idea that's there just to be subverted‚ a blackly comic bit of sleight of hand.#Haneke fills the film with such subversions: it's in the 4th wall breaks‚ the first of which is brief and subtle enough to go nearly #unnoticed‚ but which build in defiance of audience expectation to become outright challenges to the viewer‚ a kind of accusation of #complicity in the horrors unfolding; and then again‚ those horrors: Haneke actually keeps most of the violence offscreen and for all its #reputation for shocking horror‚ you actually see very little; except for the aftermath of that violence‚ which we do see‚ which we're left #to sit with for an uncomfortably long time‚ another accusation perhaps‚ or simply acknowledgement that the worst can sometimes be for those #left behind‚ the witnesses and the mourners. something very like genius at work here‚ a troubling masterpiece on violence and its impact

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torgawl · 1 year ago

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"love should be warm... but to you, it's become a form of punishment"

#SO RAWWWWW #something about him being an orphan... something about him having killed for vengeance at a young age...#i don't know it feels like a more personal line than just speaking out of his beliefs on justice #he definitely knows what it's like to be hurt by people who should have loved you and left alone and uncared for #but more than any lack of sympathy he could feel for that man he genuinely hopes he changes for the little girl's sake and i think that's #a subtle way to show who he is and who he has become?! idk not coherent but i liked the trailer a lot #i'm excited to find out more about him through his quest #one of my favourite genres of genshin characters really is deeply traumatised cryo user and i think that's beautiful 😂#wrio 🤝 shenhe 🤝 kaeya = everything to me #but like can we talk about wrio being silly and warm and actually easy to talk to and how he doesn't hide the way he feels?#because it's so easy to close yourself after you go through those types of hard experiences but it's genuinely refreshing to see how #bright he is even if he can come across as cold like the little girl said we know that's not his demeanour #the fact he so openly admits he had a bad childhood and isn't able to trust people without any shame?? refreshing #i think he's just so easy to relate to and he feels incredibly dynamic as a character #i love him sm #genshin leaks #< because i talk about the voice lines and that hasn't been released yet

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spotsupstuff · 2 years ago

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i'm glad you enjoyed brandon F

little note about the uniform thing, the reason why he drags on a bit on that is cause he's a reenactor, 18th century uniforms are his insane obsession. he even jokes about it in the video i sent, saying "i'm finally back to my insufferable self!" when talking about the muskets

i don't blame him tbh, after watching his content for a while i had the realization that 18th century isn't like the romans, whose equipment we deduce through archeology, old sources and guess work.

like, the actual documents that standardized 18th century uniforms still exist and are not hard to access, i realized that after Brandon noted that his source was the fucking British Royal Library in London. ( i mean ffs there's literally photos of Napoleonic era vets heres a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npSru7xEzX8)

and i honestly think its relevant, because if a million dollar historical production didn't want to put in the effort to go to a library and get the official documents. then what else they weren't bothered to get right?

but Brandon doesn't just do historical reviews he also talks a lot about the history in general. like, why fight in lines? what were marines in the 18th century? the history of tactics. and what role did cavalry play in line warfare? for example

heavens bless people of utube that manage to get hyperfixated on one topic for basically their entire life and then proceed to make stuff about it for us to watch, right? it's a delight to listen to someone who actually enjoys the subject and their subject therefore basically guarantees the authencity of what they put out

oooh but yes, the concept itself of what we actually get to know about things in what manner is fascinating in on itself. so since i was small i had been very fascinated by chinese mythology and mythology somewhat comes along with other parts of the culture and so on. and you know how the chinese culture is one of the oldest in the world?

as a result i've somewhat grown accustomed to the numbers that are typical to the span of chinese history and now whenever i go look into the history of my own country i'm actually stumped over how recently certain things happened! then again you wouldn't believe how oppressed or manipulated slovaks had been across history. ain't that right -glares at hungary-

to what extent we know which culture's history is so wild. the ability for certain historical things to simply last is absolutely incredible (such as military uniform documents or musical pieces of 18th century). fun fact! there's still messages written in stone by the soldiers of the roman empire on slovakia's territory. right near Danube, i think, p sure i visited that

thank fuck for reliable sourcing and also thank u for that vid that's gon come in handy for clothing references at Some point, i can feel it

and you are absolutely correct, yes! it Is relevant! as mister Brandon has said, there's of course a certain leeway allowed when it comes to more kid oriented stuff, but i'll admit! i was surprised to learn that serious historical productions apparently put less effort into these kind of things than the sea beast did (i don't usually watch those kind of things, i'm very fantasy/sci-fi and cartoon focused)

this kind of muddling of history that may seem "insignificant" to money grabbing bastards really screws up the perception of the eras for people who don't really have the time or the drive to look into things themselves. it's annoying

oh while we are on this history stuff, i saw this originally in utube shorts, but Apparently they are making a netflix movie or smth about Cleopatra and they made her black?? which is weird, considering that Cleopatra was greek and all that stuff. like don't get me wrong, yes give silenced/less known cultures like black folk more space to present themselves and who they are but like don't do it in a way that heavily skews the history? why are you going out of your way to create misinformation that could heavily impact understanding of history by taking out an already famous (not poc) person instead of Actually making the space for historically important black people. like maybe why not make a movie about that one super rich king from the southwestern coast of Africa (i think) that crashed the egyptian economy twice by being just too damn generous. that would be SO much more helpful to black peeps' history than shoving a black person into the place of a white one

i swear films nowadays either lack soul, heart, spine or brain like 98% of time

#Spot says stuff #// long post //#gklsdmglk you say 'not only history reviews but also history in general' and then all that is listed is battle focused things #saying historical warfare is okay i wont get mad even if the current political things here would perhaps justify me to #ill keep him in mind when ill need help with battle research for a story or smth along those lines. wonderful to have a well sourced place-#-to get info from #i personally think its good to talk about these historical things includin stuff like the world wars. ever since i heard that some people-#-think that ww2 was not real i became of the opinion that it should be talked about more and not seemingly tabood by society in a rather-#-quiet subtle manner. on internet too. we have taggin systems and ways to warn those who dont want to see it. they can dodge it and-#-us? us that are okay should talk and joke. cuz then that creates Conversation n it prevents cretins out there who think all that suffering #-that happened is just some fabricated silly drama from existing #she is of the 15th century but lately ive been interested in joan of arc. if u happen to have smth on her id like to check it out!

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wheatstar · 1 year ago

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the thing about warrior cats that bothers me the most is that there are so many writing decisions that COULD be really interesting but i know the authors probably didnt mean it in that interesting way so instead i just get disappointed over and over again

#rot.txt #like sunbeam actually liking nightheart IS a problem for me but it could be interesting #in the way that shes grasping for companionship after blazefire and legitimately thinks he came to shadowclan for her #when in reality shes just an excuse for him a method to get away #but thats! not how its going to play out! and we know it. theyre endgame. and i hate it #there are actually a lot of things about nightheart that i think if improved on would make him actually tolerable #for one i think the pelt color thing should have been more subtle instead of his Whole Thing #also making firestar more of a mythic and revered figure so this pressure to be more like him doesnt come out of nowhere #personally i kind of think sunbeam and nightheart could be nixed entirely #just to focus on frostpaw. i think the isolation of one main character would drive home the “starless clan” thing #idk if that makes sense but it does to me #i DO really really like sunbeam though. i think shes so normal and funny.#also i have NOT read thunder yet im still getting through the slog that is shadow

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lemonyinks · 1 year ago

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In the professor au there was no real proposal.

Querl and Lyle had just graduated, and on the way home from the ceremony Lyle made a joke about them getting married, which turned into a serious talk about really do it, and then they agreed they eventually would.

it still wasn't an important goal for them though, so it wasn't for another two and a half years that they eventually got married. They also made a day out of going to get the rings and fake proposing to each other for a second time a few months before.

they just went right down to the courthouse to get married and only invited a few people last minute to be witnesses and then went out for dinner to celebrate.

#i also think it would have been funny if Jacques or Luornu got ordained jsut to marry them but thats assuming they #would remember to tell the two of them they're engaged #because in this au they jsut kinda #assumed everyone knew? they werent subtle but they also never said anything #and then they and their friends and family also assumed everyone knew #they probably were like “i guess i was the only one they didn't tell???”#i should probably make a tag for this #i will be talking about it more #losh #legion of super heroes #brainylyle #the joke btw would probably be like “haha this is when my parents got married we should also get married”#brainy “marriage is stupid who needs papers and a fancy party”#lyle “yeah true but tax benefits and also pretty jewelry”#brainy “...do we want to get married??”#lyle “....do we...?”#and then they did

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fatcowboys · 2 years ago

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need to reread the crows duology bc i have other criticisms but like some are based off my memory of the books and i dont know if im misremembering some bits

#like....... wary of the emphasis they are putting on jesper as a durast.#bc idk. i simply think his subtle use of his skills is far more interesting than if he started fighting like the lady they just fought #which. idk what direction they r gonna take it but so far there have been a lot of not in the book scenes of people being like #hey u should use this stuff more :) and idk. we shall see.#gotta pause bc dnd soon but. hrm.#june watches s&b

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devildairymilkfairy · 2 years ago

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#man im really tired of having feelings for him. i should really just keep my distance and go back to dating apps #i long for the connection we have and hate having to build up something brand new #but im really tired of feeling butt hurt everytime he sleeps with our roommate #like yeah we broke up over a year ago. and still casually do shuff. its just hard for me to turn off that side of my brain #i just want to feel loved and be held by someone without having to build the foundation all over again #ive been depressed the past few days because of it. i act irrationally and cant control my feelings #overall its better if i just let them fuck around and i try to find someone new. only problem is im anxious and not a good conversationalist #plus i hate messaging people over phone. too much anxiety abt what im saying and if the other person enjoys me or not #anyways it sucks seeing the subtle evidence that they went at it while i was away. i have no right to be upset but i cant help but think of #him as more than a friend. i cant and shouldnt but we had dated 6 years previously. its a bit difficult to turn that switch off now #dammit i guess tonight im gonna sleep alone again and try not to cry. whatever gotta get over myself and move on. have to stop only thinking #of my self and being so damn possessive all the time #ash rambles #fuck i feel worse now after typing all that out yippee..

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snekdood · 9 months ago

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omg you guys like zuko??? uhm... he literally grew up rich :/ hes uber privileged and has no significant problems bc of it too

#/s #about #y'see how stupid ya sound?#*has visible scars*#'yeah but like it probably wasnt that bad bc hes rich sooo 🙄🙄🙄🙄'#*was ostracized and abused by his family*#'yeah but like hes rich so its fine his problems are significantly less bad than ~MINE~ who you should really be paying attention to more #for sure for sure'#*seriously. the abuse can not be understated*#'yeah but was it as bad as me growing up being poor? no. of course im not reacting from a place of subtle jealousy. which is also #totally not a wild thing to feel rn about someone whos been severely abused bc hes rich so its fine and hes fine'#great job on your oppression olympics becky. you aced The Most Oppressed Person In The World test #oh except that you dont live in a third world country. but nevermind that #or that... the person im vaguing about specifically didn't also grow up w money.. just that their parent(s?) spent all the money on drugs #wow looks like we both ended up in financial decline huh. but im still like bad or whatever idk #oh and im still totally very very rich. its why i dont have a dishwasher. or enough places to store shit.#or that the apartment i live in is so old and shitty that somehow mosquitoes breed in here. yup. just living in the lap of luxury #because im just. so. darn. rich. 😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒😒 kys #vent

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ubeb0nes · 2 months ago

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Getting jealous as Sevika's girlfriend…

༇༇༇

Look, we all know this lady gets around. Brothel or not, she's big and she's strong and she looks good. She's gonna be pretty experienced no matter when you meet her and get with her.

But once you two are together? Oh baby, there's nobody more devoted. Even if she doesn't say how much she cares, Sevika always shows you what type of person she is. And loyal, she definitely is.

Go ahead and try to ask her- pettily, childishly- if you're not the only pretty thing warming her bed. She'll shoot you a withering look as she tells you with all the unshakeable affection in her big, guarded heart, "I haven't even looked at any other woman since we got together, you ass."

A love confession as good as any!

In truth, you know you don't have to worry about Sevi's eyes straying. You know it in your heart. But you know that still doesn't stop others from looking, or even talking to her.

And sometimes all the present conditions just make it far too easy for your most unfounded insecurities to seem all too real. The way she can be so careful, so guarded about showing you affection in public has been a sensitive issue between you two for a while.

I HC that she's not the type to have you perched on her lap while she plays cards with the guys or anything like that. She's too protective, too possessive herself. Why should anybody get to see you all pretty like that?

But perhaps more importantly, she doesn't want to treat you the same way she treated her more… casual partners. Whether that may be right or wrong, it's how she makes a point of how different you are from her past flames. You're not just some pretty thing to prop up (although you are her pretty thing). You're the woman she's chosen, and that chose her back.

Obviously, it doesn't always translate that way. Sometimes, it just makes her seem cold. Again, whether it's right or wrong.

Maybe you were feeling extra sensitive that night, maybe she was being extra detached, but it was probably the most opportune time for outside forces to make it worse.

You're sitting at the bar chatting with Ran to try and take your mind off things when you see, out of the corner of your eye, some bitch sliding up next to your woman with a whiskey tumbler in hand.

Sevika doesn't even look up as she takes the offered drink. Your brain honestly shuts off then, ignorant to the way when a hand slides over her shoulders and she finally looks at the woman, Sevika jerks away like she'd been burned.

It happens so quickly, and you were already feeling like shit that particular night that you don't even go to confront. Ran had been ready to wrangle you back from killing someone, so she's surprised when you just… leave. You storm out of the bar, not hearing the "shit, doll, no…" that Sevika mutters under her breath as she stands to follow you.

The glare she gives the girl could win awards. "You better hope she tells me not to kill you," she growls, jutting a finger in the girl's face before leaving.

The guys she plays cards with every week swivel on the girl once Sevika leaves, throwing their cards up and bemoaning the "goddamn homewrecker!"

You hear her call your name almost immediately after you're out the door. "Baby, stop, you know that was-"

"I know that was what?" Sevika stops in her tracks when you swivel on her. Her eyes are wide, taken aback by how firm your voice is.

…Where'd you been hiding that lower register?

"It was a mistake, I thought it was you-" "You didn't even bother to look!" "Yeah, 'cause I thought you were bringing me a drink like you always do!"

She doesn't push back against you too hard because she knows it's her mistake, dumb and unintentional as the harm may be. She lets you yell, picks out the deeper hurt from your words and the why.

And when you're done, and the tears start to well up, that's when she closes the distance. She wraps her human arm around your shoulders, hiding your vulnerability with a subtle shrug of her cape halfway over you.

"Listen to me, woman." She cups your face with her human hand, smirking slightly at the surprised laugh you let out.

"You're the only fuckin' thing I see. Okay? The only damn one. That won't happen again."

Sevika didn't ever apologize, not really. But she did make promises that she never broke.

"…So do you want her dead?"

"Nah. I can't even blame her, I'd homewreck too if I didn't already have you."

"Ha! Your call, doll."

#arcane #sevika #arcane sevika #sevika headcanon #sevika x reader #ubebones writing

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irisinluv · 5 months ago

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Isekaied as the Yandere Villain!? Pt 2

Part one

It was almost 2 minutes before I realized I was still dragging the crown prince behind me. I quickly dropped his hand and looked at him, not able to hide the embarrassment on my face. Listen- I’m committed to the bit. I WILL be the crazy jealous fiancé. But… I’m still human ok. I just dragged a full grown man down several halls and a flight of stairs while I spaced out thinking about how I’m gonna buy my cat premium wet food once I get back home to her.

It’s fine, I’m not flustered at spacing out about my cat, my characters just flustered because she’s been holding the hand of the man she’s obsessed with, that’s all!

“Well…. Did you still want to dine and take that walk?”

I expected him to scold me for my mistreatment of Cressida, grow irritated from me dragging him along like this. Instead, he chuckles and threads his arm in mine, and begins escorting me down the hall.

“Absolutely, have you dined outside by the roses yet? There’s this lovely pavilion that I am eager to hear your thoughts on.”

And that’s how I found myself under an impressive array of roses, all trained up and around a cozy dining area, creating a canopy of green and pink over an intimate tea table. The food was equally impressive, I had to keep reminding myself that the other me is used to this lavish lifestyle, to not gawk at the fancy tiny sandwiches and deserts.

“Well? Is everything to your liking? ”

I’m going off script here, how am I supposed to know how the villainess would react to a romantic scene like this?? If my “evil crazy” side isn’t supposed to be directed at him, and she’s usually kinda distant and unsure around him…. That means I should probably respond pretty curtly, polite, yet not really engaging. But…. I’ve already messed that up…. I guess I can be more genuine when it’s the two of us like this. He can think that this version of me is the facade, that I’m pretending to be pleasant, and then will start to see what a jerk “I” truly am when Cressida’s around. Besides…. I almost feel bad for the villainess. She really just seems like she was shy. Who knows- maybe, if given the opportunity, she really would have opened up more. It’s clear she loved the prince, and just didn’t know how to show it. So, with that thought, I made up my mind.

“It’s breathtaking! Roses are my favorite flower, and I’ve never seen so many kinds in bloom at once…. Plus the food and company leave little to be desired.”

There you go- slip in some subtle flirting! I’m not quite sure what time period this is supposed to be, but I get the impression flirting as bit more high class here, and I think I can have some fun with that.

“I’m glad, to be honest I was a bit flustered asking you to dine with me… you caught me quite off guard today, but in a good way.” He reaches his hand across the table and places it on my own, “I’d like to do this more often, you and I. I feel like the confines of our current arrangement have left us practically strangers, despite being engaged for several months already. I’m enjoying just being companionable with you, even if it’s just existing comfortably in the same room.”

Ohhhh, I know I’m the villain in this story but I can’t help but root for him- what a sweetheart! It’s so obvious he’s been lonely, I can’t wait for him and Cressida to fall in love and have a couple of kids that they��ll spoil rotten. And in the meantime…. Maybe I do have a bit of evil in me, because I’m going to selfishly enjoy this handsome man treating me to lunches under roses and reading in cozy libraries while I can.

“I know exactly how you feel your highness. Now, you mentioned a walk?”

We spent the afternoon laughing and chatting, and it felt nice to chat without worrying too much about my role. He asked me about that book I picked out earlier, and listened attentively as I caught him up with where I’m at in the plot. In turn, I asked about what papers he’s been signing, documents he’s been drafting, etc.

The only thing I had to do was send glares to any young ladies we passed, settling my hand on his arm possessively, and I saw their eyes widen and faces disappear behind fans as they whisper to one another. I can picture this illustrated in a manhwa- the nasty princess sinking her claws into the gullible prince… hopefully all these ladies will start gossiping and we can really cement this evil persona of mine now that Cressida’s here.

When we returned to our separate apartments, I explored my rooms a bit until servants came to get me ready for dinner, and I slipped back into the frigid bitch persona. The servant girls dressed me in a slightly stuffy gown, but I had to admit, I looked gorgeous. I sat stiff and straight as they did my hair, forcing myself to be the very picture of cold indifference. I then dismissively thanked them for their help, then sat there awkwardly as they stared at me like I was crazy.

Ohhhh shit…. The original story hadn’t prepared me for this. My character was a villain, yes, but a side character for the most part! How was she supposed to act towards her servants? I went over what I knew- the novel showed the villainess alone quite often, usually obsessing over Eric and plotting/stalking. It showed her with Eric, and how distant and awkward their relationship was when together. And then of course the numerous scenes with Cressida where the Villainess did all sorts of heinous things to the sweet girl. But… it never depicted her with servants, or even any friends or other nobles. Just… Eric and Cressida. Was other me not actually a bitch all the time? Am I being unnecessarily rude right now? Oh god I’m such an idiot.

The story is told through Cressida’s point of view- of course there’s more depth to my own character than I initially thought! The Villianess must be a misunderstood introvert! Unsure of how to act around her crush, she’s fiercely insecure and jealous of this new girl who doesn’t struggle the same way she does. When she notices the prince slipping from her grasp, she acts out against Cressida because she can’t bear to lose Eric!

As someone’s who’s worked minimum wage jobs and struggled with social anxiety most of my life, I try to be nice to the people just working to survive, but here I am acting like these poor women are the dirt beneath my shoe…. Ok. Um. Well they’re still standing there in shock, I can fix this….

“You really did a lovely job… my hair has never looked so gorgeous, you’re truly talented! And I think the prince will be very pleased with this choice of ribbon!”

There- I was nicer, and I brought it back to Eric, so I’m still the lovesick fiancé whose entire world is waiting for her in the dining room. I frowned as the servants scuttled out of the room with hurried excuses, all of them looking like they were about to faint. Damn it… I can’t believe I misread the relationship between us. I probably just ruined their night by being uncharacteristically rude. I’ve gotta learn their names next time…. Maybe ask them to help me eat some fancy pastries as an apology…?

I didn’t know it, but while I was lamenting how wrong I was about the Villainess’ character, the servants were all gossiping to the others about what had just transpired.

“You’re telling me she said THANK YOU!?”

“Yes!!! And then you should have seen how nervous she got! She just rambled, blurting out such a sweet compliment, and she even tied it back to the prince!”

“I had no idea how precious she was… I can’t believe I never realized she’s just shy! In a new place, all alone aside from her new fiancé…. Who I gather she’s got a bit of a crush on! Poor dear.”

“Ohh our sweet girl, I’m sure it must be hard bonding with the prince, when all you do is sit yards apart and hardly speak …”

“Well I may have some news about that… and it’s no wonder she was a bit flustered today, because I saw the two of them in the gardens today! They were both nothing but smiles- absolutely smitten with one another!”

“Such a lovely girl, and we never knew it all this time!”

Apparently, I had it backwards. The real villainess truly was a 2D, basic character. She was insecure and possessive over the prince, bullying Cressida half to remind her who Eric belonged to, half for the fun of it. But she didn’t let on to anyone about the true depth of her love for him. She didn’t gossip to her handmaid, didn’t ask the servants which dress he would like better. Simply acted as if they did not exist, hardly saying a word to them.

While I thought my blunt “thank you” was colder than they were used to, and then tried to smooth things over…. It was more words than they’d heard from me in the whole time I’d lived in the palace. They lapped it up and declared me their own shy little dove after that.

When I arrived to dinner, I realized why daily dinners weren’t exactly a bonding activity for the villainess and Eric. The table was massive, and only held two chairs, one at either end. It felt so…. Cold?

Eric had beat me there, and quickly stood up from his seat, waiting until I sat and a servant pushed in my chair to retake his own seat. He smiled at me and said,

“Good evening, princess.”

He had to project his voice slightly. It wasn’t like he was shouting or being loud, it was just the manner of speaking you use when talking to an elderly relative, clearer, and enunciating better so they could hear you.

I replied back, projecting my voice similarly, and found the conversation was, in fact, more awkward than it had been earlier. We ate our food mostly in silence, occasionally one of us would say something and the other would stop moving their utensils on their plate, listening closer as they ask,

“What’s that?”

By the time dinner was over and we each went to bed, I felt drained. I could have just been louder I suppose- but it’s so hard to keep up a conversation like that. I know we get along- we had chatted all afternoon after all. But some part of me realized it’s probably good to keep a bit of distance between us, even if I’ve rewritten things to be a bit chummier between the two of us. Cressida needs to swoop in and steal him from me… and my job is still to leave that room for her to do so.

It’s hard trying to be someone else, yet also making sure you lead the plot in the right direction- it’s exhausting! I feel like both director and actress!

It’s with this in mind that I launch myself into the softest bed I’d ever felt, and passed out. My first day as princess consort, the Yandere fiancé, complete.

While I was getting acquainted with my feather bed, Eric was speaking with the head waitstaff.

“Yes, tomorrow, would you mind adjusting the seating situation? I’d like for the princess consort and I to be closer together from now on. Yes, and ask my assistant to arrange my schedules like so, I’ve detailed it here. Thank you.”

At the same time, Cressida was recounting her run in with the prince and I to her handmaiden as she finishing unpacking and settling into her family’s guest apartments. Which, unbeknownst to me… was right across the hall.

Series discontinued- sorry my loves. Ik y’all wanted more but the good news is that I’ve seen several really talented authors picking up this idea and executing it wayyyy better than my sporadic mood writing ever could.

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drchucktingle · 1 month ago

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how are you human?

so many interesting comments and thoughts on my post saying buds should consider not coming up to strangers in marginalized groups and saying 'how are you a real person that actually exists?'. i will point out this: despite my VERY gentle tone a few buds said i was having a 'meltdown' for even mentioning it

others said i was being too serious for someone who is ‘not a real person’. so if you would any more evidence of what it is like to be a buckaroo like myself there it is. every day, autistic folks who may seem ‘weird’ are bombarded with messages and comments and implications that they are fundamentally not human beings

sometimes it is outright and blatant like the comments on last post saying ‘well why are you getting mad? you are not even real’ and sometimes it is in the very subtle ways that folks use language when they talk to us. there is huge difference between ‘how do you exist?’ and ‘i am glad you exist.’

anyway, something that i think many people who have not lived this experience dont seem to understand is i KNOW the poster who said ‘how are you a real person that actually exists’ probably meant it as a compliment. that is THE POINT of why i am taking a moment out of my trot to gently and anonymously let them know how it might feel to be on other end of something like this as a queer or autistic or otherwise marginalized buckaroo. it is obviously not their intent to actually hurt someone, so i am letting them know

maybe because queerness and autism are not physically apparent it is hard to explain, but imagine going up to very tall or very short person and saying ‘cant BELIEVE you are real’ as a compliment. not a great way to treat others. on my original post, an indigenous author chimed in with their own experience and feelings similar to my own. a woman who said she was very tall told her story. point is, while i do not have their experience, what i am saying has a universal thread for 'othered' folks

point is: i UNDERSTAND there is this sort of exaggerated or ironic (or maybe even sometimes very literal) language around fandom to say things like ‘how are you a human?’ to creators, but since it is not your intent to hurt, i think you might want to know how that feels to marginalized buckaroos sometimes.

obviously you can say anything you want. i do not hold it against you. also, if you think ‘oh no, did i say something like this to chuck at a convention? i am so embarrassed' then DO NOT WORRY i promise you buckaroo you are just fine. i present myself in a way that is unusual by definition, so i have pretty thick skin about this type of thing and a lot of patience. MANY buds start off thinking i am ‘a joke’ and then become fans over time and i am glad to trot beside them and prove love is real.

however there are other autistic or queer or marginalized buckaroos with smaller platforms who hear this just as much as me, so i think it is important to say it loudly and maybe together we can work on making a very slight shift in the way we speak to the ‘others’ in our lives

we do not NEED to let subtle dehumanization slip into our language. in some cases it has been called ‘micro aggressions’ but i think buds dont often consider what that means for COMPLIMENTS. ultimately, telling marginalized people YOU ARE SO AMAZING YOU CANNOT POSSIBLY EXIST may seem very fun and silly on the surface and for some folks it probably feels that way, but for others it can feel like a reminder of the broader doubt about their humanity. you can just say ‘YOU ARE AMAZING’ without the reminder of the many times autistic or queer or marginalized folks are told in a very serious and pointed way (like comments on the last post) ‘YOU ARE SO WEIRD THAT I HAVE DECIDED YOU ARE NOT REAL’

buckaroos can take this information and apply it to their interactions, or they can ignore it, that is totally fine. we are all trotting our own trots and proving love in our own way and thats okay bud, HOWEVER i feel like it is important to at least let folks know, even if that means getting told i am having a ‘meltdown’. i think it is important to have complex or difficult conversations if it will prove a little more love in the long run. THANK YOU FOR READING BUCKAROOS. i am honored to trot forward with you can tackle this kind of thing with you, and honored you buckaroos have created such an amazing space with me to pull apart these kind of feelings. THIS IS PROOF THAT LOVE IS REAL LETS TROT

#buckaroo lifestyle #love is real

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