#we should instead be enjoying life and making art and seeing our friends

[loganthrives]

Weird to me that people think rich parents don't abuse their kids. Honestly of any parents they're probably the worst for it.

I know I grew up with privilege but I also grew up being told how expensive I was. Anything I needed I was made to feel guilty for needing it. Like, the privilege is inherent in that I had food on the table every day and new clothes to wear for school once a year, I had a school to go to and an allowance every week, but the cost of that was being screamed at if I ever wanted anything nicer. Being guilted for existing and having normal childhood needs on a daily basis.

And fuck asking my parents for money for anything. I learned early that that was a great way to give them some measure of power over me - either they would demand it back saying I didn't deserve it or expect me to do something for them in exchange for it.

When I was eleven years old I told my spawnpoint that I wanted a job. She laughed in my face because she thought I was being a dumb kid, but I figured out that if I made my own money then they couldn't tell me how I would be allowed to spend it (they were always telling me how I was allowed to spend my allowance). Even when they were giving me money for me to spend on my own recognizance, it was still my dad's money and if I bought myself something frivolous with it I was wasting it.

I essentially moved out at fifteen and claimed my financial independence early. I needed money from them one time since, when I was jobless and the rent was coming due, but I made a point of paying it back and then some the minute I could so that they couldn't attach any strings to me. They actually got angry with me for doing that. They tried to push back or pretend like it was a gift, but I knew their fucking game and I wasn't going to play it.

I never let them cosign for me for my first credit card or first apartment. I didn't even let them pay for my college. I did all of those things by myself. It was harder to do but I was determined.

I feel like all the emphasis on how expensive I was as a kid made me hypervigilant when it came to my finances. They never taught me anything re: money - I had to teach myself. I was made to be afraid of debt and used to severely scold myself for buying anything I considered a luxury, from nice food to some knicknacks from the dollar store. One time in my new apartment I accidentally dropped my dinner on the floor and had a full meltdown over the wasted food and what it cost.

I've had to do a lot of work to undo the abuse. Telling myself its okay to have needs. To give myself permission to have nice things, and to buy the nicer version of something because I like it more. To give myself little treats here and there not as a reward but just because. To be a little in debt so long as I have a plan to pay it off. I still struggle with detaching my self-worth as a person from my financial success or how good of a job I have, but I'm still working on it. Everything in my life has had a dollar value attached to it in some way or another and that's frankly traumatizing.

So like, yes, I have privilege. I grew up in a suburb in the upper-middle class. My dad made six figures in the 90s as a software dev. We had a roof over our heads and food in our mouths and were white. But privilege can mask abuse. Privilege and abuse can overlap - they're not mutually exclusive.

Don't assume that just because someone has privilege that its always been sunshine and roses their whole lives. Everyone's life experiences are different. If the only thing you can see when you look at a person is their privilege or the dollar value in their bank account, then you're not really seeing people are you?

As a kid, when your parents are poor, you're poor. If they don't have money, that means none of you have money. But if someone's parents are rich, that doesn't necessarily mean the kid is. Sometimes rich peoples' kids aren't rich kids, they're just some rich freak's exotic pets that can talk but aren't allowed to.

[lurkingshan]

why do you continue to watch gmmtv shows when you clearly don’t enjoy them?

This is the kind of rude, cowardly anonymous ask that I would typically just delete, but I’m in the mood to be generous so I will respond and use it as an educational moment.

I have to start by rejecting your premise. I enjoy plenty of GMMTV shows. My favorite Thai bl of this year is Cherry Magic Thailand. I wrote quite lovingly about it on this hellsite for 12 weeks. I was also a big fan of Cooking Crush and The Trainee this year, Kidnap is giving me joy weekly, and I’m currently in the midst of a really interesting discussion with people far more mature than you about Peaceful Property. GMMTV is also responsible for some of my all time favorite Thai shows including Bad Buddy, 3 Will Be Free, Midnight Museum, Theory of Love, Moonlight Chicken, and Dark Blue Kiss, and many more besides that I liked a lot. You don't know me. You have made the mistake of assuming that because you’ve seen a small fraction of my posts about specific things, you know what I think about all kinds of things. But as my beloved departed grandfather loved to say, when you assume you make an ass out of u and me. 

So with that out of the way, let’s get to the real question underneath your logical fallacy: why don’t I keep my mouth shut instead of posting about the flaws I observe in these shows? There are a number of reasons for that.

First, I am extremely open about the fact that I am interested in the art and science of narrative storytelling, and I often post about it from a critical lens. This is all in the pinned post at the top of my blog, but I doubt someone with your lack of manners bothered to look there before sending me this ask. 

Second, I don’t believe in the popular fandom idea that all meta discussion of shows should be positive and centered on stanning for actors or pairs and their shows. That's a fine pursuit for folks who enjoy engaging with media that way, but I personally find that boring and intellectually empty, and have very little interest in it. I like to learn from the things I enjoy, and you can't learn if you're not willing to think critically about why something in a story may or may not be working.

Third, my favorite thing about watching media is discussing it with like-minded people, and the way to find like-minded people is to share your honest feelings about what you're watching. I have made some of the best friends of my life by posting my unfiltered thoughts about whatever I'm watching in various social media spaces, and having people come and say "hey, me too" or "I don't quite agree but what an interesting thought." We connect with others through sharing our thoughts and feelings. If you censor yourself in fandom spaces, you will not find your people.

Fourth, on the specific topic of GMMTV: they are the largest and best resourced ql-producing studio in the biggest ql-producing country, and part of a giant media conglomerate that controls much of the media in Thailand. Their shows matter in terms of the influence they have over the rest of the industry, and so the messages they send with their shows also matter. I will never ignore them completely even when I choose not to watch some of their shows, because where they go, the larger ql industry follows. When I see a trend in their shows that is harmful, like, say, the repeated use of marginalized identities for marketing their shows that they then disrespect in the way the stories are executed, that needs to be pointed out and examined, and I am hardly the only one doing so.

I'll end by asking you a question, anon: what did you hope to accomplish by sending me this ask? Unlike many of the other folks who have been engaging in critical discussion with me over the last couple days, you had nothing constructive to say. You didn't put forward an interpretation or share your own feelings, you didn't contribute to the collective analysis process, and you didn't offer any commiseration or even a clear disagreement with anything I said. From where I'm sitting, your only intent was to attempt to shame me for speaking. You will never be successful at that, and it's a pretty ugly impulse that you should examine in yourself. When you find yourself being awful to real human beings because you can't manage your emotions about fictional media, it's time to think about what you're doing here. I hope you'll reflect on that, and take good care.

[angelpink610]

You guys wanna know when the things I wished for, hoped for, visualized and manifested actually started to appear to me, to become my reality? When I understood and learned how to ENJOY THE PROCESS!

Let’s yap a bit… ;)

Us as immediate people in an immediate society end up focusing entirely on the results, we only see the things we wish for as results, as finish lines. What we fail to do is see the start line and the path that leads to the end.

I don’t want to sound corny, but it’s really all about that Hannah Montana movie song “The Climb”. We only think about how fast we will get there, how life will be when we get there, how happy it will be when we get there. Well, here’s the thing: if you’re not happy and grateful throughout the way, don’t even expect to be happy on the finish line. Our goals are not essentially what make us happy, they’re proofs of our capacity and work. What actually makes someone’s life happy and amazing, is the way that person behaves and conditions their mind WHILE chasing all of these dreams. It’s all about your methods, it’s all about your feelings, your reactions to the world, the way you act towards people. Don’t think you’ll be happy and achieve the greatest things when you live your life and answer to the world bitterly, in a rush, not paying much mind to it.

I know this is obvious, but just so that no one is confused and comes for me after: I’m not saying every day is going to be incredible, I’m not saying that you’re not allowed to be sad, angry, uncomfortable, jealous, disgusted. These are all perfectly normal and human emotions, and everyone should feel them—it just shows you’re alive. This concept of being 24/7 happy and grateful and “Oh my God, everything’s incredible all the time” it’s just not sustainable nor healthy (+, obviously, not real). What we should do, instead, is allow these emotions to be felt, and then act upon them understanding why they’re there and how we can soothe them, or make them a little less strong. For example, understand where your anger comes from, is it truly someone’s fault, why are we feeling it. Not block it, not try to stop it from being felt—but understand it. And then, after thinking (even meditating, if you like) about it, let it go, and let it be felt still, if you think it’s the right thing. Don’t ask too much of yourself always, sometimes we really just need to scream for a second on our pillow or shed a tear in our room. It’s perfectly alright and also healthy!

Have fun, make friends, create good memories with these friends, study, live your life to the fullest. Meet new people, go to new places, discover new music, books, art, movies that make you feel something. Laugh with people you love, create memories through pictures, do some risky things, you don’t need to always be so careful about everything. Some lesions make us stronger. And while you’re doing everything else, manifest your dreams, work towards it, put in the effort, visualize, believe you’re worth and destined for that, acknowledge you already have everything you need to get there and that, actually, you are already there.

Learn to actually live your life on the way to your dreams, not just survive the path. When you look at life with gratitude and love, life looks back—and you’ll feel it.

As always, you’re free to agree or disagree with me on the various topics I talk about. It’s my own experience and the way it’s been for me. Feel free to also share your stories on comments and/or reblogs! I’ll love to see it.

That’s it for today’s yapping session. Love, Seiko ♡

♡ borders credit: @anitalenia

[zukkathirst]

Hi everyone, thank you so much for taking part in the Zukka Thirst NSFW weekend! As promised, here is our masterlist of amazing fanworks created for the weekend, and we wanted to put them together here one easy post for clicking!

Before I begin we just want to thank the creators who took part - this was a fun weekend to run and we hope you had fun too, and that you enjoyed sprinkling a little bit of spice into our Zukka hotpot!

We've popped the list under a read-more to save dash space, but under the cut you'll find a compilation of all the great stuff that came (😏) out of the weekend. Each work comes with its own individual warnings and tags on it, so please read before scrolling down - or if in doubt, browse the AO3 collection instead! We've also included links to the promo post(s) for each piece on tumblr if you'd like to reblog directly from the author or artist. And obvious caveat - all these creations are not worksafe!!

And without further ado... the fanworks!

Title: Blowjob Creator: @umossu on tumblr | 1mossplease on AO3 Summary: They blow each other :-) Links: AO3 Preview:

Title: Just Get On Your Knees (Say Pretty Please) Creator: @erisenyo on tumblr | erisenyo on AO3 Summary: Zuko has a crush. Detective Wang Fire is on the case. And Sokka--Sokka might have a few questions, too, once he gets past how fun it is to see Zuko so flustered. Links: AO3 | tumblr promo post Preview:

“Don’t worry, love,” Sokka tosses over his shoulder, smirking as Zuko’s heat licks up his back. “Second place is still good enough to get your dick w—wait. Mine?” Zuko tumbles Sokka onto the bed. “Yours?” “You said mine doesn’t have posters.” Sokka shoves his loose hair out of his face, rolling onto his back just in time for Zuko to straddle him. “Meaning yours. Your—crush? You have a crush?”

Title: A Primer on How to Make Tax Codes, Trade Taffirs, and Asset Management Sexy Creator: Escyn on tumblr | Escyn on AO3 Summary: NSWF art inspired by Erisenyo’s Lessons in Proper Asset Management Links: AO3 Preview:

Title: high-strung Creator: @ranilla-bean on tumblr | ranilla-bean on AO3 Summary: Sokka gives Zuko a maths lesson. Links: AO3 | tumblr promo post Preview:

Sokka’s eyebrow rose. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. What was he up to? Zuko’s breath hitched; his fingers dug into the lotus silk of his robe. He had never quite managed to become immune to Sokka’s charms. A playful brown hand reached into the bag and pulled out— Well, Zuko wasn’t sure what it was.

Title: Piercings Creator: @umossu on tumblr | 1mossplease on AO3 Summary: Zuko gets ALL the piercings. Sokka approves. Links: AO3 Preview:

Title: Enhanced Interrogation Creator: @watertribe-inventor-guy on tumblr | Fishstick_LBT on AO3 Summary: It's dick. The advanced interrogation method is Fire Lord dick. Links: AO3 | tumblr promo post Preview:

Title: Nice Contrast Creator: @aimrwv on tumblr | AIMRWV on AO3 Summary: Suki mentions Sokka’s involvement in an underground movement for sexual liberation within the Fire Nation and Zuko wonders why his closest friend had never bothered telling him about it.

He finds out the "hard" way. Links: AO3 link Preview:

“Sorry that I wasn’t super excited to talk about my less conventional sex-life with a happily married straight man who also just happens to be the Fire Lord and – wait – my employer.” Sokka said, the bite behind his words was clearly for show but Zuko decided to play along.   “Employer” He snorted. “Do you really think that I treat anyone else in this palace like I treat you? I can assure you you’re the only one of my employees who is allowed to sit on my private balcony and share carafe after carafe of this nation’s finest wine with me. That’s how I treat friends, Sokka. And also, I think, as the regent monarch, I should know about underground movements in my country.”

Title: Cooling down (and heating right back up again) Creator: Escyn on tumblr | Escyn on AO3 Summary: NSFW art inspired by SyciaraLynx's Married Zukka Banging it Out Series Links: AO3 | tumblr promo post Preview:

Title: Zukka Thirst Weekend Creator: @shesmykindofboi on tumblr | chibicthulhu on AO3 Summary: Drawing for zukka thirst prompt event on tumblr, literally the first nsfw art I’ve ever done. Fun! Links: AO3 | tumblr promo post Preview:

Title: up with the sun Creator: @dickpuncherdraws on tumblr | dickpuncher420 on ao3 Summary: Sokka wakes up feeling frisky. Links: AO3 link | tumblr promo post Preview:

Title: Unfulfilled Needs Creator: @baileynono on tumblr | baileynono on AO3 Summary: Sokka and Zuko come to the realisation that they desperately need to fuck. However, there are only very few moments where the Fire Lord won't be interrupted. Links: AO3 | tumblr promo post Preview:

“So, mighty Fire Lord, how has this evening been treating you?” Zuko scrunches up his face. “I didn’t escape a bunch of nonsense to hear you spout some more.” “Oh, please. You love it even when I talk all fancy to you.” Sokka receives a glare and a squeeze on his shoulders as Zuko very pointedly avoids his face. “Come on, I asked you a question! How has this evening been?”

Title: Doodles that embarrass me Creator: blu3berrydraws on tumblr | Blu3berry on AO3 Summary: this is a dump for spicy sketches that ill never finish or refine all of them are NSFW ! They feature nudity and sexual acts ! Links: AO3 | tumblr promo post Preview:

Title: Jockey Creator: @umossu on tumblr | 1mossplease on AO3 Summary: Zuko gets pounded into the bed Links: AO3 Preview:

Title: Zukka Smut Compilation Creator: @ash-and-starlight on tumblr | Summary: A place where I can gather my nsfw zukka art, starting off with entries for the Zukka Thirst Weekend over on Tumblr

1) Frotting + fem!zukka 2) Hickeys + modern au 3) Spooning 4) Blowjob + t4t zukka 5) Rimming + a scene from ranilla_bean's "in flammam flammas" Links: AO3 | tumblr promo post 1 | tumblr promo post 2 | tumblr promo post 3 Preview:

Title: golden apple of my eye Creator: @glycopyrrolate on tumblr | aiyah on AO3 Summary: Sokka has a fantastic idea. Zuko obliges. Links: AO3 | tumblr promo post Preview:

But what if? Stupid ideas mean stupid decisions. Sokka’s the type of guy to think about stupid shit when he really shouldn’t. It usually comes back to bite him in the ass.

Title: hit the back Creator: @dickpuncherdraws on tumblr | dickpuncher420 on ao3 Summary: Zuko knows how to treat her girl right. Links: AO3 | tumblr promo post Preview:

Title: helping hand Creator: @ranilla-bean on tumblr | ranilla-bean on AO3 Summary: Sokka wears Zuko like a glove puppet. 🤜 Links: AO3 | tumblr promo post Preview:

Back home, they had, well, objects for this. All sorts of lewd things not meant for polite eyes that they could cram out of sight into all sorts of holes. At Kuei’s palace, they did not. But Sokka was looking thoughtful. “Wait… We might not have our toys, but…” He held up a hand and waggled it. “We could improvise?”

Title: Zukka Thirst Event Creator: @arandin-art on tumblr | nekoppi on AO3 Summary: My art participation to the Zukka Thirst Weekend. Links: AO3 | tumblr post Preview:

Title: You are going to carry that weight Creator: Escyn on tumblr | Escyn on AO3 Summary: Smutty mostly art that took on a life of its own. Ft. Sokka as a cowboy, Zuko as a samurai, scruffy middle-aged men looking for a second chance, and a non-insurmountable language barrier. Links: AO3 | tumblr promo post | tumblr promo post 2 Preview:

"When my lover left me for another man, I, ah, killed both him and his new lover. I felt much, how do you say it, lighter? Yes, lighter." The stranger peers at Sokka though his lashes, golden gaze assessing what Sokka can only guess is a look of utter bewilderment on his face. Heartbreak had driven Sokka away from the only home he ever knew, to a foreign land with only his flask and a letter of introduction to a cattle rancher to his name. The letter had lead him here, on a train to the middle of nowhere, the Eurasian plain flying by. The flask had him spilling his guts to this unsuspecting stranger. A stranger who maybe just admitted to murder, whose pretty pink lips demand all of Sokka's attention, he wants them wrapped around his-- "Would doing that also help you?" Sokka sputters, moving the flask away from his lips. Coughing, he feels the low alcohol buzz in his stomach transform into something hot and churning. So many questions, but only one passes his lips. "Dude, what the fuck is wrong with you?"

Title: Zukka Thirsty Weekend Creator: @chiptrillino Summary: Collection of drawings for the characters sokka and zuko, based on the prompt bingo from the zukka thirst event on tumblr. Links: AO3 Preview:

Title: Fuck me Juliet Creator: @umossu on tumblr | 1mossplease on AO3 Summary: Zuko is horny and Sokka is saying something. Then Sokka is horny, and Zuko is saying something. Then they're both talking. Then they're fucking. Links: AO3 Preview:

The moonlight shines only on Sokka's right side: one eye, bluer than the ocean spirit, stares back at him. Zuko forgets to breathe for a moment. When Sokka's fingers slide down his neck, it brings him back to his senses, and Zuko asks, "Can I–" They're kissing. 

[twosoulss77]

I don't know who needs to hear this, but you are allowed to have a favourite ship, canon or not, out of a particular show.

Shipping is just a way for artist and what not to explore different dynamics, or even their own. That’s why I believe we should let people enjoy what they like, without forcing our own image of a certain spectrum into them. Especially cause shaming those people, for trying to explore their identity through art, might cause actual harm to them or cause them to not enjoy doing what they like anymore, bc of hateful comments from someone who hides behind a fake identity to hate on a fictional ship, which in itself it’s a very sad and pathetic way to live, but just cause your life is miserable doesn’t mean you need to make others people’s life miserable you know. Go touch Grass when you feel like being a dick!!!

As an AroAce fellow with no desire for a sexual relationship, I applaud and adore all those people making content of my fav husbands, let it be a fics smut or just normal fluff, I love it all SO MUCH Hazbin Hotel ep 5 changed my whole chemistry, and Say what you will about radioapple / appleradio, but I will always be entertained by the idea of Lucifer angrily doing acts of kindness for Alastor because it's what ‘Charlie would want’, and Alastor being a stupid ‘Bambi’ and try to wiggle himself out of it at the beginning, but then realise that he actually doesn’t mind the king of hell company at all. Both slowly growing to actually tolerate and maybe even like being around the other. Exchanging snarky remarks in a more playful way, playing music together, telling dad jokes, hating on the same delusions glorified iPad …like there is so much potential there that it’s crazy how much it pisses people off. It might be cause I am a sucker for Enemies to Friends to Lovers, but by God if that isn’t the best trope.

I know there will be some smart people out there, that are gonna be like “Alastor is ace”, but so are half the people who ship him!!! I hate when people make assumption on us, on who and how we want to love. I might not be interested in participating in sexual stuff myself, but that doesn’t stop me to explore my own ace-spectrum with these two characters, who if they wanted to could and would kiss each other, Cause for one I says so, I have the power to make that happen *insert hysterical laugh* And second It was confirmed that Alastor is a repulsed Ace, but would also be down to date someone if they were strong asf, (Confirmed in a stream, take that with a grain of salt) still makes this ship more possible than others.

Al being Aroace, doesn't mean he can't date or have sex, he's just not all that interested in it, but that could also derive from the fact that he hasn’t found the right person yet, so it doesn’t feel important to him yet. (fun fact aromantic wasn't the part of my struggle accepting that I was aroace it was actually accepting I was ace bc of my hyper sexual tendencies)

Also Alastor being aro just makes radioapple infinitely more funny to me, or any relationship with him for that matter. He is just this 7 feet tall demon with zero interest in romance, but always managing to find himself having beef with someone, possibly a guy, and act like he is either about to kiss or kill him XD

I really needed to get this off my chest and I absolutely mean every thing I said in here. Everyone has their own likes and dislikes, but you'll be surprised to see how much happier you will be when you stop focusing on what other people are doing and instead focus on what you like.

Thanks for listening 😊💜

[superprincesspea]

Courted by the Dragon

Chapter 9 - Favour

Aemond Targaryen is both the cause and witness to the greatest humiliation of your life. You would rather die than see him again. Yet summer at court and the precipice of civil war have other ideas.

Masterlist

Warning - This chapter contains canon typical violence.

~~~

The summer tourney brings competitors from as far north as Deepwood Motte, to as far south as Sunspear, but none have set more tongues wagging than Aemond Targaryen.  

According to Maris, he never usually partakes in any tourneys, yet he was partaking in this one, and there was hardly a lady at court who did not dream he would ask for her favour. 

But not you. You were only glad you’d not had to endure his company since Helaena’s name day. Though Maris could not say the same. 

It had been three days, and if she did not spend more time with Aemond, then he could never fall in love with her, and that just wouldn’t do. 

So, with the royal summer quickly drawing to a close, she had begun to beg your father to extend your stay for another two weeks. Enough time, in her opinion, to secure a prince.  

But Borros Baratheon was not borne for the life of a courtier and, from what he’d seen in the Red Keep, his daughters would all find far better matches with his banner men instead of the ‘pompous arses at court’. 

Still, despite his feelings on the Red Keep, he was pleased enough when a scroll arrived just before the joust was about to begin, inviting your family to sit in the royal box at the behest of the queen.  

Ordinarily you would dread such an invitation, but knowing Aemond would be preparing for the tourney elsewhere, meant you could be quite comfortable with his family instead of crammed into the stands with everyone else.  

Though if you were completely honest, you weren’t exactly looking forward to a spectacle of blood and violence, and the idea of men charging at each other with giant sticks was a little absurd.  

But you could enjoy the ceremony of it all. With the horses dressed in house colours, countless banners flying proudly in a blue sky, and all that well polished armour.  

Some of it was like a work of art, so distinct and detailed. The only place you ever saw armour like that was at a tourney, where it was designed for intrigue instead of practicality. Though you think practicality should really be the main thought behind such things.  

Still, you’re excited to see it and you’ve wondered, more times than you'd care to admit, just what Aemond’s armour will look like. Practical or beautiful.  

When you enter the royal box, excited to see the crowd which has been making so much noise, Queen Alicent stands and, though you’re expecting her to greet your father, she bypasses him in favour of you .  

“Lady Baratheon,” she says warmly, taking your arm in hers as though you’re old friends, before she leads you to sit in the chair beside her. 

You can only imagine what your family must think of this, yet its only Maris who’s desperately trying to catch your eye, her gaze so forlorn. 

“Why have you abandoned our Cyvasse games? I’ve missed them terribly,” Alicent says, and you’re taken aback. You’d never really thought your games were anything more than a distraction until court resumed. 

“Forgive me, your grace,” you bow your head, “I thought perhaps you were in no need of my company when the hunt returned.” 

She laughs kindly, “so you will leave me to play all my games with Aemond, when you have seen what a devil he is? I am quite in need of your help if we are to conquer him.” 

You meet her eye and laugh, but your laughter is uneasy compared to hers. “I believe it will take more than a few days to conquer his grace.” 

She looks thoughtful, “will your father not extend your families stay?” 

“We are all eager to return home,” you say, though it is only you and your father who wish to return to Storms End.  

Alicent does not hide her disappointment, and you’re not sure why you feel so guilty except you do. As though you’re letting her down in some way, yet you haven’t made any promises at all. 

“I’ve never visited the Stormlands, but we have a palace there. Summerhall, you have seen it?” 

“I have not, your grace.” 

She seems surprised. “Aemond stayed there in the spring. I thought perhaps that was where he had met you.” 

Your face feels hot, flustered. “Met me?”   

“Yes, you knew him before you came to court, did you not?” 

You lick your lips, your throat suddenly feeling far too dry for words, “no, your grace.” 

She seems surprised again. “When my son returned from Summerhall and suggested we invite your family to court, I thought perhaps he had made a dear new friend .” 

You try not to react, but you are reacting, your mind reeling, your cheeks burning even hotter than before. 

“Perhaps he met my father?” you say, feeling pleased to have thought of some reasonable explanation when she is looking at you with the shrewd expression she usually reserves for her son. 

“Perhaps,” she leans even closer, so there are no prying ears in your conversation, “but he does not look at your father, or indeed any of your sisters, the way he looks at you .” 

If a dragon could swoop from the sky and eat you alive, you would thank it for the pleasure, but you’re not that lucky. 

Of course Aemond looks at you differently , you think nervously. You’re the only one in your family who was stupid enough to be naked on a beach! 

But you can’t say that to the queen. In fact, you cannot even bring yourself to say anything at all and, perhaps, in saying nothing, you tell her everything she needs to know.  

Then the games begin. The fanfare sounding, two men riding into the forum, but you can hardly concentrate. Your heart is pounding so hard you feel it might burst from your chest. 

“You may sit with your sisters,” Alicent says, her voice making you startle, and you stand, knowing it will be rude for you to leave without at least looking at her. 

But when you turn to her, the knowing smile on her face makes you nervous all over again. 

“You should be at the front in case someone asks for your favour,” she adds as though she hasn’t said quite enough.  

You curtsy politely and cannot return to your sisters quick enough. 

Someone . You know she means Aemond, but the idea of him asking for your favour seems absurd. It’s too bold and far too romantic. 

Aemond might be insanely arrogant in most regards, but he was also painfully reserved. He didn’t dance, hardly smiled and, if that wasn’t enough, the only time he was mildly tolerable was when you were alone. 

In public, he was so unreasonably rude and certainly not the type to ask for anyone’s favour, least of all yours. 

He might have suggested your family come to court, but you were certain that was only to allow him the pleasure of tormenting you face to face. Except , the stack of books in your chamber had no bearing on torment but you could not think of that now.  

“What did the queen say to you?” Maris demands before you’ve even taken your seat.  

“We spoke of Cyvasse and... Summerhall , she said Prince Aemond likes to stay there sometimes.” 

“He does?” Her face lights up, excited by this new information, and you can see the very moment fresh schemes begin to cloud her mind instead of more questions.  

Cassandra says nothing. Yet the way she looks at you makes you feel uneasy, as though she's on the verge of asking something far more probing than Maris had.  

So, you do your best to ignore her, glad when the crowd grows far too lively for easy conversation, leaving nothing to do but watch with sickening fascination at the whole spectacle. 

Aemond’s match is last, and his competitor is a man named Lord Glover who you have never seen before, though he is very hard to miss.  

“He is a beast,” Maris exclaims, and she’s right. He’s so tall and broad shouldered, you almost think he should be carrying his horse and not the other way around. 

As he approaches the royal box, he removes his helmet to reveal soft brown curls and a friendly, open smile.  

He bows his head to the Queen, then her children, before his attention turns to you and your sisters. 

“I would have come South far sooner if I had known of all the beautiful ladies they hide at court,” he says, forcing his horse to a stop and, even from where you’re sitting, you can see the pretty colour of his eyes, like moss in the rain.  

“You hail from the north, Lord Glover?” you ask, intrigued by all the stories which had always described it as some dangerous and mythical place. 

“Almost as far North as you can go before the wall, but do not hold that against me.” 

“My sister likes windswept places,” Maris interjects with a playful laugh, and you find yourself blushing at the way his smile burns brighter. 

“Well, in that case, may I have the honour of your favour and your name, my Lady?”  

Without thinking, you catch Alicent’s eye, and her stare is quite fixed as you rise from your chair, holding your handkerchief.  

You’d almost forgotten to bring it and take care to ensure the wonky cornflower is hidden from view as you tell him your name and begin to tie it around his lance.  

But before you have finished, the noise from the crowd grows more excited, and you glance over Lord Glover’s shoulder to where Aemond has rode into the forum.  

Wearing all black with a horse as dark as his armour, his helmet tucked under his arm. A sensible choice, you think. No garish pieces and made for battle instead of pageantry, though he seems to enjoy the spectator's cheers well enough, slowly lapping the ground before his eye finds you.  

You glance back down, finishing the knot on your favour, trying only to feel the softness of Lord Glover’s mossy gaze, instead of the ice which burns from Aemond’s. 

Then he takes your hand, “may I have your first dance this evening, my lady?” 

You can’t help but return his easy smile, excited by the prospect of a man who has not been corrupted by Aemond. “You may, Lord Glover, and good luck.” 

Seeming pleased with your answer, he presses his lips to the back of your hand, and your heart does a little leap when his finger grazes across your wrist.  

“I shall look forward to it,” he says, with one last smile, before kicking his horse into a trot just as Aemond approaches the box. 

“Your little sister seems to have hedged all her bets on the loser,” he declares boldly, looking at Maris.  

“You have fought Lord Glover before?” you interrupt, annoyed by his arrogance. 

“No,” he twists his head towards you, “but I do not play to lose.”   

You think of your Cyvasse game and feel even more annoyed, “nobody plays to lose, your grace. I’m sure Lord Glover is anticipating his victory with as much enthusiasm as yourself.”  

Aemond’s jaw tightens, his lance sliding up to slam on the rail beside you, but you don’t startle. You hold firm and perhaps, if you were thinking more clearly, you’d be thinking this entire exchange is another one which is far too familiar.  

But somehow, it's like everyone else doesn’t exist, just you, the prince and yet another disagreement. 

“His victory?” He says and you can hear the distain in his voice as plainly as you can see it on his face, yet you prod him. 

Looking towards Lord Glover with a smile, “I can certainly see no reason why not.” 

“Your favour, Lady Baratheon,” Aemond commands and your eyes snap back to his, but his attention has turned to Maris.

She hops up from her chair, her cheeks flushed and her handkerchief waving in the air with all those delicate little stitches. 

This is everything she’s wanted for weeks, yet you cannot bring yourself to smile for her as you sit back down. Your chest feels too tight, your shoulders rigid.  

You were so certain he wouldn’t ask anyone .  

Yet he was asking her, and perhaps if he was being sweeter, you might have been more concerned about the acute pang of jealousy which struck the moment she jumped up from the chair.  

But Aemond is being Aemond. There’s no romance, no kiss of the hand. His mouth is a hard line, his attention elsewhere.  

He doesn’t even see the way Maris is smiling or how her fingers are trembling with excitement as she knots her handkerchief into a bow.  

It's all so perfunctory to him, and you forget about your own feelings, whatever they are, because you cannot stand the way he’s ignoring her.  

Why did he even ask?  

Can he not see how much she adores him?   

If you were Maris, you would scrunch the handkerchief into a tight ball and throw it at his stupid head. 

Yet Maris is still smiling and it's you who reclaims his attention, his eye dark and dangerous as he pulls the helmet over his head. 

Fear seizes control of your veins and you’re not sure if it's for Aemond or Lord Glover. But the size comparison really is alarming when they’re at either end of the arena. 

Glover is well over 6 feet tall, his arms like sturdy branches of a tree. It's difficult to imagine a scenario where he could lose. Yet you cannot underestimate Aemond, nor can you bring yourself to watch.  

Your eyes squeeze shut the very moment the horses begin to pound the earth, and it's only a few seconds, before the sound of splintered wood cracks through the air like a clap of thunder.  

There’s a thud, the high whinny of a horse, followed by the sharp metal draw of a sword. 

You force your eyes to peel open, one at a time, to find both men dismounted and circling each other with their weapons in hand. 

Glover charges, his sword clashing heavily with Aemond’s shield, and only then are you certain it was the dragon who’d been unseated.  

Aemond seems to favour his left leg, holding his arm tightly into his ribs before his sword raises to meet with Glover’s next attack.  

With every clash, you shift closer and closer to the edge of your seat, time seeming to move more slowly than it had in the previous fights. 

More than ever, you’re wondering why in the world anyone would ever do this?  

Aemond leaps forward then back, tricking Glover into thinking he’s going to attack. So, when Glover swings his sword, Aemond isn’t there. Instead, he strikes the giant knight in the side, toppling him over like the felling of a great tree. 

“Finish him!” the crowd shouts but Glover is surprisingly agile, rolling beneath the jousting fence to give himself space to manoeuvre back onto his feet. 

If Aemond wasn’t injured, you’re certain he would have followed him, but he uses the time to regain his own strength before they clashed again. Shield against shield, thrashing until Aemond’s crumples in his hands and he throws it aside. 

Glover uses the opportunity to thrust his sword towards Aemond’s chest, forcing the dragon to duck and weave, a thing that cannot be easy given his injury. Yet he does it so flawlessly, as though the pain is nothing to him. 

Glover’s next strike is even harder and, though Aemond brings his sword up to meet it, he cannot repel the attack. Instead, Glover presses his weight into the sword, forcing Aemond to his knee.  

By now you’re leaning onto the railing in front of you with both hands and the crowds are calling, “finish him,” yet again. Though you’re uncertain if the words are meant for the Prince or Lord Glover. Yet the distraction proves in Aemond’s favour.  

Glover is too busy enjoying the taste of victory before it has really touched his lips and, as he revels in the cheers with the dragon at his feet, Aemond springs free, slicing his sword up and under the giant Lords Helmet. 

The move is so quick, your brain barely has time to register it, and, for a moment, they both just stand there, leaving you to wonder if the sword had hit him at all.  

Then Lord Glover folds in on himself, a thick stream of blood hitting the dirt just before he does.  

You gasp, the sound completely swallowed by the deafening ovation of a bloodthirsty crowd, as Aemond removes his helmet and throws it to the dirt.  

His lip is busted open, his hand clasped against his ribs, but that does not stop the smile on his face as he turns to the royal box and finds your horrified expression. 

You shrink back into the chair and Maris leans in with a smug grin, “and he won with my favour.” 

You don’t answer, your gasp has seemed to drain all speech from your throat, and it doesn’t return until some hours later.  

~~~

[howtowhumpyourhiccup]

July Break Bingo, 6.

Let's Make A Horror Movie!

Summary: July Break Bingo 2024.

Set in a Modern AU. One lazy day, the twins approach their friends with a suggestion.

Warnings: /

Rating: Teen and Up

Dead Dove: No

Words: 782

Prompt: Hardcore

Fandom: How to Train Your Dragon

Characters: Hiccup, Astrid, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Fishlegs, Snotlout, Heather, Dagur

Pairing: Hiccstrid

Author’s Notes: This was a fun little thing to write. Once thought of turning this into a short fic with multiple chapters, but I ran out of time with the JBB challenge.

Enjoy!

-XOXOX-

“We’re going to make a hardcore horror movie!” Hiccup and his friends all gathered at Hiccstrid’s house and that’s what Tuffnut blurts out just as the previous conversation died down. What was it about? Well, no one can remember, not after that news.

“Ah, you what?” Hiccup asks, perplexed.

“No, notus, we!” Ruffnut emphasizes, her arms wide to gesture at the entire group she sees before her. It’s not just the twins who will be making this horror movie, but all of them.

Everyone sits outside by the pool. One would think that owning a home with three bedrooms and a pool would be super expensive, especially in this economy. But on the island of Berk, housing prices are still reasonable. Not that Hiccup coming from probably the richest family here doesn’t help.

“And why would we help you out?” Snotlout asks, dressed in speedos. He lifts his sunglasses to take a look at the twins with his signature judgmental look.

They’re all dressed in some type of swimwear. Two pieces, one pieces, speedoes or trunks. All but Hiccup and Fishlegs, who are both wearing a shirt because of different flavors of insecurities.

“Uh, because it’s an awesome idea and we should all totally join in! We already got a storyline!” Tuffnut states, feeling around for the notebook he and his sister have been writing in for the past couple of days. Briefly, he forgot he doesn’t have it on him because he left it in his jeans.

“Look at us and tell me we aren’t the perfect people to make one,” Ruffnut crosses her arms in a brief moment of smugness as she bathes in the genius of their idea.

Then she turns her attention to the rest. “Snotlout? Total jock!”

“Psh, Snotlout? Really?” Dagur asks incredulously. He feels like he would make a much better fit for that role.

“Heather? Look at her hair!” Immediately, there’s a storm brewing in Heather’s eyes. “Give her some ghostly makeup, make her peek around a corner, pull her hair in front of her face and you have the perfect ghost woman. Drenched catlady if we throw a bucket of water on her!”

Heather crosses her arms, not sure if she’s more offended or more flattered. She has a good singing voice and she can play a couple of instruments, why can’t she just slap some music together for their movie idea instead?

“Fishlegs has the perfect build to be a knife or chainsaw wielding maniac from the 80s!”

“Hey, that’s not true!” Fishlegs protests. He could never be a maniac who wields weapons of any kind.

“Ruffnut and I are obviously the producers and the writers and… You know,” Tuffnut takes over from his sister.

“And what about me?” Hiccup asks, perhaps feeling a little bit left out. He likes horror on occasion, mostly in the months from September to November, dubbed the “spooky months” by their group. One of his favorites include “The Thing,” even though he’s quite squeamish. He’s a fan of practical effects.

“Our creative team, duh!” Ah yes, the creative team composed of only one person. “We’re going to need practical effects and you always nail your Dreadfall costumes!”

That he does indeed! Last year, he decided to go with a classic; the zombie. Together with his artistry and after raiding the local art store, he put together something that looked life-like. The year before that, it was the legendary Lycanwing and it was a group costume then.

“Besides, you’re tall, skinny and freakishly flexible, you would be amazing as the monster!” It’s Ruffnut’s turn to continue. Provided he get some acting lessons, of course.

“You’re not seriously considering this, are you?” Astrid asks, recognizing that glint in his eyes. They’re both sitting on the same plastic lounge chair. Hiccup looks back at her, taking a sip from his soda can with a straw. He just likes the challenge, that’s all.

Oh, and dressing up, of course.

“Can I ask Toothless to join us?” Hiccup asks, wondering in his dragon’s stead.

“Hiccup!”

“Astrid? Total final girl!” And as suddenly as those words roll off Ruffnut’s tongue, she’s not so opposed to the idea anymore.

“I think you would make a great monster, Babe,” she tells her fiancé who laughs at her change of heart.

“So do you guys actually have an idea already?” Snotlout asks, splayed out on the floor next to the floor. It’s warmed by the sun. “Cause you’re just kinda throwing several different ideas into the group.”

“That’s because we have several different ideas, Snotman!”

“Several different great ideas!”

Several different great ideas indeed! And their friends will hear each and every one of them.

[liesmyth]

My friend is going to Rome next Feb for her birthday and she's super excited, is there anything you'd recommend that a) she absolutely has to see or do (including food places) or b) she should absolutely NOT do (either because its overrated, underwhelming or just socially bad etiquette)? Unsure if the country of origin helps but she is English and doesn't speak a lick of Italian

a) absolutely should do: walking tour of the city centre. Just book a free half day in your schedule and do some sightseeing! The last time I showed a friend around we walked like Colosseo > Fori Imperiali > Campidoglio > Piazza Venezia > Trevi > Trinità dei Monti > Piazza del Popolo > St Peter Square, took our time and just wandered around it was FUN. Also: make a list in advance of museums / sites she wants to visit and get online tickets to skip the queue. There are way too many museums in Rome to visit comfortably (I live here and legit have a spreadsheet to keep track of museums I want to see when there's an exhibit of whatever.. we're talking like dozens) so just pick a few and enjoy really looking at the art instead of rushing through. If she's in town on a first Sunday of the month, some of them are free. If the weather is nice (and tbh it should be decent in February!) she could visit the Villa Borghese park + IF she likes hiking, I really like the old Appian way for a midday walk when it's sunny.

Gelato places. Also this cemetery if you're a goth.

b) do NOT do: Ok I do joke about tourists a normal amount being someone who lives in a tourist-heavy location but actually! there's no wrong way to be a tourist. Like, no matter what you do some locals are gonna think you're a bit cringe or be annoyed because they're late for work and you're sightseeing on the bus. Who cares!! I think your friend shouldn't worry about faux passes at all. Live her best life! THAT SAID I would avoid tourist traps like plague. The Gelatist near Trevi Fountain? MY GOD GO AWAY.

Also. Lot of people who visit Rome complain about pickpocketers. This is way less of an issue for locals who take public transit more often. tldr, IMO this is less of a "Rome" specific issue and more of a "big city" issue. If your friend is not used to city living just like... watch out where you put your things. Every time I see a tourist with their phone hanging from their back pocket I want to cry. Put your (her) phone and wallet in a zipped up front pocket or in a bag you have on your lap on the metro! Stuff like that idk.

[mystictf]

Welcome to Columbia

Avengers x Reader (AU)

2.7k Words.

The sprawling campus of Columbia University thrum with the vibrant energy of thousands of new students milling about, backpacks slung over shoulders, chatter filling the air with eager anticipation. An array of tables lined the main quad, each one presenting opportunities - from academic clubs to social groups - capturing the essence of student life waiting to be explored. 

You and your friends step onto the campus, feeling the palpable buzz around you. The sun shines brightly overhead, casting a gold hue that makes everything seem more alive. The sense of possibility hangs thick in the air, electrifying and invigorating. “Welcome to the adventure of a lifetime, team!” Natasha announces, pumping her fist with energy as she gazes at the mix of enthusiastic freshmen scattered about. “This is our time to explore!” “I’m ready!” Wanda replies, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Let’s hit up the clubs first. I heard there’s a creative arts union sign-up meeting, and I’m determined to get involved.” “I’m all for it,” you say, feeling the thrill of camaraderie and shared ambition. “We should definitely see what they have to offer.” As you traverse the busy pathways, Clin nudges Sam playfully. “What do you think - should we start our own sports team? I hear dodgeball is making a comeback.” “Dodgeball? Honestly, I can’t believe you’re that confident!” Sam laughs, shaking his head. “I think we should join an existing team, not just create one. I’d rather play basketball where I can actually score points instead of getting pegged by a ball.” Steve chuckles, chiming in, “Count me in for basketball! But let’s not forget about the importance of team spirit. I’ll lead the pep talks; that’s as far as my sports career should reach.” Laughter echoes through your group as you weave through the throngs of students, spotting various tables promoting clubs that pique everyone’s interest. The enthusiasm is infectious, the air buzzing with youthful energy. 

The chatter quiets as you come across the table adorned with colourful posters, displaying “Join the Arts & Performance Club!” Natasha and Wanda exchange excited glances. “This is it!” Wanda exclaims, pulling Natasha toward the table. “Let’s sign up.” You watch as they engage with the club representatives, animatedly discussing their ideas for art projects and performances. Meanwhile, you and Bucky linger nearby, enjoying the uplifting atmosphere. “Have you thought about what you want to try?” He asks, leaning in closer, his voice warm and inviting. “I’m not entirely sure,” you admit, your heart racing slightly at the proximity. “Everything feels so new! But I definitely want something that lets me express myself, maybe even try something I’ve never done before.” Bucky nods thoughtfully, his gaze piercing and attentive. “You’ll find the perfect fit. There’s no rush; we have plenty of time to explore our interests. And I’ll make sure to cheer you on.” As they finish up at the arts tables, the group reconvenes, and Clint declares, “So what’s next? I say we scope out the gym. I need to get a feel for where I can dominate the competition.” “Good idea,” Sam agrees, snapping his fingers. “Let’s get a workout in before the orientation events start. Besides, I need to see how much weight I can lift before my ego starts to deflate.” 

With infectious enthusiasm spreading through the group, you all head toward the expansive sports complex, where the gym looms with its modern architecture and gleaming facilities. Excitement mounts as you step inside, the smell of fresh wood flooring and rubber mats filling your senses. Bucky turns to you, mischief glinting in his eyes. “You up for a little competition? Let’s see who can run a lap the fastest.” “Challenge accepted!” You reply, rising to his friendly challenge. “But don’t be surprised when I win!” The promise of playful competitiveness pulls you both into action, and with that, you dash towards the running track, laughter trailing behind you. With a cheer from your friends echoing in the background, you take off with Bucky, your heart racing both from the exertion and the joy of this shared moment. The thrill of not only competing but doing so together sends sparkles of happiness rushing through you. As you sprint around the track, you glance over at Bucky, who smiles back at you, his determination evident but also an undeniable lightness that speaks of the ease of your connection. Together, your group encourages each other, gently laughing and teasing, creating an incredible sense of belonging. By the end of the day, as you all collapse on the grassy patch outside the gym, breathless and exuberant, a shared sense of accomplishment settles over you. Orientation day not only introduces you to the essence of the university but fortifies the bounds of friendship that have deepened so significantly since you all arrived in the city. 

As you all lie sprawled on the grass, basking in the sunlight and catching your breath, Natasha glances over at everyone with a satisfied smile. “I can’t believe we survived our first day and even got through a workout without collapsing. This is definitely a solid start.” Wanda, propped up on her elbows, nods eagerly. “I loved how we all tried out different activities. It’s fun to see where everyone’s interests lie.” Clint stretches out his arms, letting the cool breeze wash over him. “Yeah, but I think we should stick to team sports. Who wants to do dodgeball when we can just annihilate each other on the basketball court?” “Why do I feel like we’re going to end up with more ‘friendly fire’ incidents than actual teamwork?” Sam teases, snickering as he lays back down, eyes turned toward the sky. “But whatever you say, King of the Court.” Bucky chuckles, tossing an arm casually around your shoulders, his warmth radiating through you. “Looks like we’ve got our own little squad forming - The Avengers of College Life. We’ll be unstoppable!” You feel a thrill at his words, the camaraderie wrapping around you like a cosy blanket. “I love it! But we need shirts - matching shirts, obviously - because what’s a team without some aesthetic?” Natasha shoots you a playful wink. “If we’re doing matching shirts, mine has to say ‘Badass’ on it. I mean, we all know that’s the most realistic description of my character, right?” “Yeah, and I’ll have ‘Sidekick’ written in giant letters,” Clint quips with a mock-serious tone. “Because even legends need a little help from their friends.”  As the laughter settles, a comfortable silence envelops the group. You take a moment to appreciate the scene, your heart swelling with gratitude. Here in the heart of New York, surrounded by people who accept and uplift you, you can truly be yourself - open, honest, and free.  The joy radiates among you as Bucky leans closer, his voice low and teasing. “You know, the gym is nice and all, but I think I’d prefer to do our workouts in a different setting every so often. Like, hiking or maybe hitting the beach when summer rolls around.” You laugh, light and airy. “Are you asking me to workout with you outside of the gym? Because that sounds like both a challenge and a promise.” “I’d say both,” he replies, his smile warm and inviting. “It’ll be fun. And don’t worry; there’ll be plenty of ice cream or pizza involved as a post-workout reward. Essential for recovery, you know.” “Now you’re speaking my language,” you beam, excitement bubbling up at the thought of outdoor escapades intertwined with time spent with him. 

As the afternoon inches toward evening, Steve glances at his watch and sits up, gathering the group. “Alright, Avengers, time to get moving to our next orientation session. They’ll be talking about campus safety and student resources. Important stuff, but we’ll get through it.” With a collective groan and a light-hearted agreement, you all rise together, brushing off the grass and gathering your belongings. The rhythm of your friendships pull you forward, and you feel invigorated as you head toward the lecture hall. The day ends on a high note, filled with laughter and plans for further adventures. As you walk side by side with Bucky, surrounded by your friends, you realise that this new beginning is about more than just university; it’s the start of a beautiful journey together, woven with the threads of friendship and love. As night falls and twinkling stars begin to dot the sky, you can’t help but wonder what other surprises await on this path that you’re now walking hand in hand with Bucky and the rest of your Avengers family. You feel ready to embrace whatever comes next, together. 

The rhythm of college life settles in comfortably as you and Bucky slip into the routine of classes and study sessions. The first week is exciting but undeniably exhausting, filled with new information and navigating campus life as neat stacks of textbooks line your shared study space at McBurgers. The diner is bustling, filled with students who share your ambition and drive. You and Bucky slide into your usual booth by the window, the afternoon sunlight spilling across your textbooks and papers. As you pull out your notes, you spot Wanda and Natasha entering with determined expressions and a variety of snacks in hand. “We come bearing fries and wisdom!” Natasha announces dramatically as she approaches the table, setting down a platter overflowing with golden fries. “Perfect timing!” You exclaim, smiling as Wanda joins you, her arms wrapped around a few art supplies and her own bustling notes. “We could definitely use both.” The study session kicks off as you dive into discussions about your class materials. Bucky and you sit shoulder to shoulder, often exchanging brief glances and smiles that signify understanding and connection. It’s comforting to know you’re both facing the same challenges together. “I can’t believe how much reading we have in our English class,” you say with a slight groan, flipping through a particularly dense textbook. “How do they expect us to absorb this much in one week?” “It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” Bucky mutters with a teasing seriousness, making you chuckle. “And besides, it always helps to keep the study snacks flowing. 

As laughter and discussion fill the table, Clint and Sam burst into the diner, their energetic banter instantly drawing attention. “Guess who just outran the campus squirrel in a foot race?!” Clint announces triumphantly, grinning like he’s just won an Olympic gold medal. Sam shakes his head playfully, catching up with the group. “He’s exaggerating. It was more of an accidental jog to avoid it. Don’t let him fool you.” What ensues is a play-by-play of Clint’s hilarious encounter with the infamous campus squirrel, both amusing and absurd while keeping the lively energy in the diner vibrant. “Remind me never to challenge you to a race, Clint,” Wanda laughs, rolling her eyes as she reaches for a fry from the pile. “I don’t want to be caught off-guard by any squirrel ambushes.” “Trust me; you want to be on my team in case of a squirrel attack!” Clint interjects, winking mischievously. “I’ll protect you with my legendary dodge moves.” “More like your legendary snack stealing,” Sam quips, causing everyone to erupt in laughter. Just as the stories and laughter die down, Steve strolls in, his casual demeanour as welcoming as ever. He spots the group and comes over, a cheerful grin lighting up his face. “I thought I’d find you all here. Ready for the study wars? I literally just left my fitness class - perfect way to refresh my mind, right?” “Welcome to the Brain Trust,” you say, gesturing to the table. “We’re tackling the mountain of assignments together. Join at your own risk!” Steve chuckles and settles down next to Clint, already flipping open a textbook. “You know I’m always in for some study fun. What are we tackling first?” “Literature,” you reply, gesturing to the readings laid out before you. “The material is dense, but if we pool our brains together, we might just survive.” Bucky leans in closer  to you, playful determination in his eyes. “And if all else fails, we’ll summon the power of fries, pizza, and… special sauce!” With everyone laughing and the friendly banter flowing, the lengthy study session suddenly feels less daunting. Each morsel of knowledge seems easier to digest with your friends rallying around the table.

As the hours slip by, the discussions fluctuate between academia and carefree moments. Natasha and Wanda brainstorm event ideas for the new arts club while Clint and Sam continue their antics, making quips that keep spirits high. As the study session draws to a close, the group begins to chat excitingly about ideas for a mini road trip. “Alright, road trip time!” Natasha proclaims, standing up dramatically and drawing everyone’s attention. “We need to plan a weekend adventure to explore what’s around the university - maybe hit some hiking trails or check out that cute little town nearby?” “I’ll drive!” Sam exclaims, a spark of enthusiasm in his eyes. “I’ve got a reliable SUV that’ll hold everyone. Plus, I bring snacks as handouts for the trip!” Bucky leans closer to you, grinning. “I’ve been waiting to try the fries from that diner we passed on the way here. It’s supposed to be legendary.” “Remember, this isn’t just about the food,” Wanda reiterates, her expression earnest yet playful. “It’s about creating memories together - road trips are perfect for that!” As the excitement builds, you glance around at your friends; their faces light up with anticipation. You can’t help but smile, thinking about the spontaneous adventures that lie ahead. “Okay, how about we all pitch in ideas for where to stop?” You suggest, feeling that familiar rush of enthusiasm. “We could hit the hiking trails in the morning, maybe have a picnic, and then explore the small town afterward. It would give us a taste of everything.” “I’m totally in for this!” Clint says, his eyes gleaming as he leans forward. “But we have to set some ground rules… like no one is allowed to be boring! If anyone starts talking about a lengthy assignment, then they have to do the next round of snack runs.” “Deal,” Bucky agrees, feigning a serious face. “In the spirit of fairness, we should also have a punishment for anyone who complains that they can’t do something because they’re too tired. It’s a road trip! Pure adventure!” “Adventure!” You echo, laughter erupting once again around the table. The group easily starts bouncing ideas and laughing at each new suggestion - what snacks to bring, playlists, and which scenic spots to visit.  As the banter unfolds, Natasha notes, “Let’s also make sure we take some good photos. This is going to be our documentation of fun times in college!” “Right! The legendary moments of our college life,” Steve says, nodding in agreement. “And don’t worry; I’ll make sure to be the designated ‘team photographer’, so no one ends up missing from the memories.” With the details of the trip feeling like it’s coming together, you watch as your friends throw playful jibes back and forth, the camaraderie evident. The sound of laughter and the thrill of potential exploration fills the air; you feel a renewed sense of joy, a stronger bond with those around you. 

As you wrap up your study materials and prepare to head out, the collective energy among the group is eclectic with anticipation. “So, how about we set our road trip for this weekend?” You propose, taking a quick breath. “We should finalise the plans tonight in our group chat!” “Agreed! We’ll figure out all the last-minute details in the group chat,” Bucky adds, glancing down at his watch. “Hey, we should probably get going before the diner gets too crowded.” Standing up and gathering your things, you feel the warmth of community settle around you, realising that with every shared experience, whether it’s studying, planning adventures, or simply laughing together, your bonds are strengthening. The crew makes their way toward the door of McBurgers, the lively chatter from your table still echoing in the air like a sweet melody. As you step outside, the evening sky is painted with vibrant hues of orange and purple, a beautiful canvas for your night ahead. With your friends close by, you take a moment to revel in the joy of this new chapter - college, friendships, and adventurous road trips - knowing you’re ready to embrace whatever comes next. And as Bucky walks beside you, bickering playfully about who will be in charge of the snacks for the trip, you can’t help but feel incredibly grateful for this life you’re building: one filled with laughter, love, and unforgettable adventures.

[goatskickin]

Not a question, more appreciation! Thank you for having so much amazing and appropriate clothes for elders! I have always struggled finding nice stuff for them!

THANK YOU

uh I had more to say about this

When making elder cc (mostly EF but I’m looking to do much more EM stuff too, yay grandpa), I do try to highlight shapes and choose patterns, that - to me - scream: “I’ve lived a good long life. I’m not 21 anymore and I don’t want to be. But I’m no schlub.”

All About Style has always been a huge style inspiration for me for grandmother fashion. That site’s EF clothing was the perfect mix of quirky, fashion-conscious and matronly-cool clothes. Judie had immaculate taste! There’s a reason her cc was beloved, even after years of play.

Much of existing elder cc is on alpha meshes. Those are fine and good! But I feel like elder sims need to be dressed in ‘bulkier’ stuff. It just makes sense to me. There’s tons of older elder CC that I see and like the idea of, but it’s painted on a mesh that is little more than the base EF/EM body shape on top. Idk, skintight sweaters on grandma or grandpa just kind of give me the willies. 😵‍💫 It’s not realistic either.

Plenty of elder cc is also Maxis match. Perfectly fine! Love those shapes way more. There are lots and lots of age conversions that look great on elders. But, I feel like our elders deserve more than a copy and paste of what we already have on offer for adult sims. So, I retexture those age conversions. The clothes just need to be stuffier, with more mature colors and patterns. Just, have more of a mature “vibe”.

On a more tinfoil hat note (lol), I think some simmers do not like to play elders at all, and that has everything to do with fearing age itself. And not having a worthy selection of clothes for them, that too. 😂

But I mean, there are mods to skip elderhood entirely. And a clothing mod to make elders have the standard AF chest instead of a sagging one exists, and that has existed forever. It’s like one of the oldest mods out there! And a mod to make them not have the “elder” walk. All things to make them less “oldpersony”.

Elders are thought of as being boring or unimportant sims, something to avoid, unappealing. I think that says way more about how people feel about aging themselves. But I think it’s much more freeing to embrace and enjoy a stage of life that I’ll face myself.

TL;DR: thank you

And let me know who I should look to next for style inspiration. I’ve already gained inspirash from: the Golden Girls, the oracle from the matrix, Eartha Kitt as madame Zeroni in Holes, probably anything Stevie Nicks has worn recently, anything Judi Dench has worn as M in the Bond movies, André Leon Talley (rip), Sag Harbor, Eddie Bauer and Squaw Valley sweaters and long skirts from the 90’s, what Diane Keaton is wearing in any movie, any era, Guinan from Star Trek: Next Gen (slay, the colors especially), thinking if it would look good on current day Jane Seymour then go for it, my friend whose mom is a high school art teacher, a sprinkle of Mrs. Doubtfire, a sprinkle of Miranda Priestly, and of course, anything Prue Leith wears.

[duckprintspress]

Fandom Lexicon: B

Last week, we debuted our long-in-the-works Fandom Lexicon by sharing the terms we’ve currently got logged under the letter “A.” We got a few suggestions and updated it, and now we’re back with the second installment. Let us know if you spot anything we’ve erred on or any terms we’ve missed that you think should be included!

Note: future updates will not update this blog post, but will update the main Lexicon page in our webpage Resources.

Lexicon Terms Beginning with B (read more!)

Babygirl: A term used to refer to an adult character, almost always a cisgender man, that the speaker thinks is cute despite (or perhaps because) of questionable and/or pathetic behavior. Read more about the term “babygirl.”

Baihe: Baihe is the Chinese term for wlw books.

Bang Path: Refers to when an exclamation point is used to separate a character’s name from a defining trait, usually (but not exclusively) when referring to different versions of a character. Example: Florist!Kirk or Human!Castiel. Originates from classic email structure where exclamation points were used to denote how a message should be routed. Read more about bang paths.

Bashing:1. Action: Hating on characters, people, media, or themes that one does not enjoy. 2. Photo bashing: Combining multiple reference photos to create one cohesive image

BB: Abbreviation, stands for “big bang.” See Big Bang.

BDSM: Abbreviation, stands for “bondage, domination, and sadomasochism.” An umbrella term for individuals who engage in bondage, discipline, domination, submission, sadism, and/or masochism in their lifestyles and/or community and/or platonic or sexual relationships. Read more about BDSM.

Bechdel Test: A test for assessing the extent to which women are represented in a work of fiction. The work passes the Bechdel test if 1) the work contains at least 2 women, 2) and the women talk to each other, 3) and their conversation is not about a man. First depicted in a 1985 comic called Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel. Read more about the Bechdel test.

Beta: A secondary gender term used in works with Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamics. While the specifics are up to the writer, betas are often characterized as lacking the physical and hormonal features that differentiate alphas and omegas from each other, thus making betas the closest to real life humans in terms of appearance, capability, and mentality. See Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics.

Beta Reader: Someone who provides feedback on a completed, but unpublished, written work. The particulars of what betas do depend on the individuals, but common tasks include providing feedback on plot, pacing, and characterization; cheerleading; proofreading; and editing for readabilty, consistency, and other issues. Read more about “beta reader” as a general term.

BF: Abbreviation, usually either for “boyfriend” or “best friend.”

Bias: In K-Pop fandoms, bias is a term that refers to a fan’s favorite idol from a given group. Read more about the term “bias.”

Bias Line: In K-Pop fandoms, having a “bias line” instead of only a “bias” refers to having multiple, joint favorite idols from the same group. See Bias.

Bias-Wrecker: In K-Pop fandoms, a bias-wrecker is a fan’s second-favorite idol, one they like so much that this second-favorite could supplant the favorite and therefore “wreck” the previous bias. See Bias.

Big Bang: A collaborative creation-oriented fandom event in which authors write fanfictions to fit a specified theme, typically no less than 10,000 words in length (events focused on shorter works are often referred to as mini-bangs); artists then choose the work they want to collaborate on through an anonymized claiming process and produce at least one but typically 2 or more pieces of art for that fic. The fic and art are then published and shared by the event runners and/or creators on a pre-scheduled day. Read more about big bangs.

Bingo: In fandom spaces, typically refers to a fandom event in which a “bingo card” is created with a different prompt in each square, and artists/writers/other creative types create things to meet those prompts. The creator gets to select which prompts they fill. They get a “bingo” if they manage a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line of prompts, and a “blackout” if they make something for every prompt on the card. Typically creators are required to make something new and unique for each square, but the requirements for these creations are usually much less strict than for bangs (sketches and mini-fics versus fully completed art pieces and lengthy fics, for example.) Usually fandom bingos use 5 x 5 square grids (25 prompts total), though sometimes 3 x 3 (9 prompts total) or 4 x 4 (16 prompts total) are used instead. Read more about fandom bingos.

Bird App: A moniker for the social media platform formerly known as Twitter (now X).

Bishie: See Bishounen.

Bishie Vision: When a bishounen character is introduced in a Japanese anime or manga, they are often shown with flowers, sparkles, rainbows, or other diaphanous decorations around them. This is called “bishie vision.”

Bishounen: Bishounen is a Japanese term for an especially beautiful young man, often in shoujo or shounen-ai manga. Read more about bishounen.

BL: Abbreviation for “Boys’ Love.” See Boys’ Love.

Blacklist: Oxford dictionary: “a list of people or things that are regarded as unacceptable or untrustworthy and should be excluded or avoided.” Many websites and/or browser extensions offer blacklisting functionality that enables users to block out text that includes specific terms, hides posts that include those terms, etc. People use blacklists to avoid content they don’t wish to see for any reason.

Blorbo: A person’s favorite character. Originated as “blorbo from my shows,” from a post by Tumblr user thelustiestargonianmaid, but can be used to refer to characters from other media sources. The original post has been deleted. Read more about “blorbo.”

BMP(file format): Abbreviation for “bitmap.” An image file format.

BNF: Abbreviation for “Big Name Fan.” An individual who is well known within their fandom (and occasionally outside it). Read more about the term BNF.

Boff(-ing, -er): Boffing is a type of Live Action Roleplaying (LARP) where people use carefully constructed foam weapons to enact fights and battles. A boffer is a person who participates in boffing. Read more about boffing.

Boomer: Short for “baby boomer.” Use is almost always derogatory. Read more about the origin and use of “OK Boomer” as a meme.

Bottom: 1) The recipient of penetration. 2) The submissive in a D/s relationship. 3) In shibari, the person being tied up. These uses are often conflated but are not actually synonymous.

Boys’ Love. A Japanese manga genre focused on romantic relationships between male characters. Often abbreviated BL. Sometimes conflated with yaoi and/or shounen-ai, but also commonly used as a distinct and separate sub-genre. Read more about the BL genre.

BRB: Abbreviation for “Be Right Back.”

Britpick: Reading a written work that is set in the UK to check for linguistic and cultural references that someone in that setting would use and that may not be familiar to someone not from that setting. While [otherculture]pick terms are also in use, Britpick is the most common. For example, britpicking might flag spelling (e.g. color vs. colour) or language choices (e.g. vacuuming vs. hoovering). Read more about Britpicking.

BroTP: Abbreviation for “Bro True Pairing,” a humorous alteration of the term OTP, or “One True Pairing.” A platonic pairing between two characters. Canon sibling relationship not required, nor must the characters be male. See also OTP (below, pending).

BTS: Abbreviation for “behind the scenes”; can also refer to the K-Pop boy band Bangtan Boys. When not referring to the K-Pop band Bangtan Boys, BTS most often refers to “behind the scenes,” as in footage, images, recordings, and other material taken behind-the-scenes of a show, concert, movie, etc., showing the performers when they are not acting.

Burn: A specifically directed insult; the act of directing specific insults at a target.

BYI: Abbreviation for “before you interact.” On many social media platforms, people will include a “before you interact” statement in their profiles or on their Carrds, including information about what people should know and/or be okay with before they follow or interact with the person who wrote the BYI.

[khaleesiofalicante]

Dani can I ask for some advice please?

I started writing a fic in August and I've written almost 10k words in it since. I've been posting it on a03 and the comments have been very kind and warm. But I'm really struggling to find the time, energy to go back to it to finish it.

I've got a rough outline that does tell me what's gonna happen in the story but I struggle to go back to writing even when I actually start writing it is half decent. Idk why but it feels like I wait for someone to tell me I'm absolutely shit at it constantly( this happens with everything in my life tho because of my anxiety but it's very very very manageable now)

What can I do to be consistent with writing because I went to a place with a friend and I got this idea for what could be a book that I'd like to potentially develop as well. I'm getting stuck in a loop of postponing it and I don't like it.

I do live a very busy and full life but I think I could make time for it if I didn't have to fight with myself when I could do it.

First off, congrats on hitting 10k words! That's awesome, and it sounds like you're doing great!

If your struggle is finding time, don’t beat yourself up about it. I used to feel the same way and often wrote chapters instead of sleeping or eating. I deeply regret those times and I wish I could've done differently.

There’s no story that’s so important that you should compromise your health for it. If you think you can carve out time despite a busy schedule, that’s fantastic! Establishing a routine can definitely help. Try allocating writing time for yourself; sometimes it’s easier to be flexible (like setting aside 30 minutes for writing each day) rather than sticking to a strict time frame (like 8:30 to 9:00).

If you're feeling unsatisfied with your work, remember that this is something every writer experiences, and it really does suck. The truth is, we can't know if someone won't like or hate our writing unless they read it. So, the only solution is to put it out there and see what happens.

Here are some things I tell myself when I feel the same way:

Even if it feels bad, not 'everyone' will think it’s bad. There will still be people who appreciate what you write, and that’s worth pursuing.

Not every story will resonate with everyone. Look at other works out there; some people dislike certain popular authors, while others adore them. Not all art appeals to all people. You will find your audience, but you need to keep writing. You can't connect with your readers without putting yourself out there. It takes courage, but I have faith in you.

Consider this mindset (I'm trying this with my original book): Let’s say nobody likes it and everyone thinks it’s terrible. Why should we view that as a failure? Instead, it could be an opportunity to reflect on why your content isn't resonating and try a different approach. If people don’t like what you create, maybe it just means you need to explore a different angle.

But that’s for later. The first step is always to put words on paper. For people to decide whether your work is good or bad, it needs to be written first. Ultimately, it only matters if you enjoy the story you’re telling. If you love what you’re writing, it’ll be a little easier to keep going. So, keep seeking out the stories you want to tell. The anxiety may always be there, but it will become more manageable with time. I promise!

[god-mouths]

i wanna hear about,,,, literally any of ur guys actually i love hearing abt ur guys :] if thats too vague pick me a guy and tell me about their inspirations/how you came up with their stories/designs/traits!! i think your stuff is so fascinating and i wanna know how that rotates in ur brain

OOOG…. Thank youe…. I’ve realized a few patterns in how I tell my stories lately so I do want to go over those! I’ll be using yvette my buddy my pal to demonstrate this because he’s the best example. ( later edit : Actually I have more stuff to talk about I’ll number it)

1. I’ve noticed a ton of my story material is based on how the people around us or our surroundings effect us. The cycles and whatnot. For yvette he starts out as a yellow blood and, in trying to forcefully change the oppression imposed on him from his surroundings, actually sort of just continues it by killing a close friend of his. That friend ends up haunting him. Teed hee

Idk if the pictures will come across well since I’m on mobile but to break down this specific piece the colors used on REPENT and the tapeworms in the back are actually the colors of his old psionics before he did all that mad scientist crap to change himself. OLD ART!! AUGHH AU AUGGHH

Is it a little stupid that he changes his own blood color? Yes. But homestuck as it’s own is so beyond stupid that I can do whatever I want I’m a scavenger a critter.

But by changing his blood color yvette essentially locks away his psionics (there must be something very specific to yellow blood to make the psionics work to me) siphoning them off into the trident he wields. He can’t get rid of ALL of his original blood, so the yellow just stays dormant. Should he choose to use his psionics in this new state he’s made for himself he risks fucking up his organs even further.

Anyways it takes a human child with the same exact problems as him to realize Heyyy…..maybe what I did and have been doing is a little fucked. Which it was. But it was the only thing he could have done, in his eyes, because the alternative was getting hooked up to a machine for the rest of his life.

At the end of the story (? Fan venture?) he does break out his psionics again which causes the blood to mix. He’s redeemed but he’s not nearly as cool anymore. Big bummer

2. colors always mean things more often than not in my art. I am a “why is the curtain blue” type of asshole, and I love to do it. For instance in MATSC green is for heaven and blue is for hell, but they have more than just that meaning. Green is confinement and being trapped and whatnot, while blue is freedom. Still kind of iffy on what purple means but it may mean the same as green. We’re figuring it out. In LEM I’m also still working on it, but blue is a mainly bad color there while orange is instead the signifier of good things. As for paradigm shift it’s more of a character-to-character basis. They all get their own specific colors. I loveeee colors colors colors :)

3. I LOVE writing villains. It is my personal goal with every villain I write to see how genuinely horrible I can make the villain as a person and still get people to enjoy reading them. It’s so fun, I mean it. Like the type of guy that would absolutely stump tumblr’s famous reading incomprehension. I love it I LOVE IT

4. This isn’t about my stories overall, just one, but I finally finished the first draft for act one of paradigm shift which I am PSYCHED about. I sent it out to a few people for feedback- only a select few people, though. If it were any other story I’d send it to a wider range but it is IMPERATIVE that my buddies that experienced max first hand when we were little 12 year old kids doing stupid roleplays get to see it first. They know him very well, and Vice versa. I’m so excited. (Air horns) (yippee sound!)

[raw-law]

I forgot to explain when I woke up. It is quite personal, it's faintly based on my parents, the line about the color mostly had to do with my parents not actually knowing anything about me despite when I was 9 or so. I warn suicide for the next part

This is. Also mostly inspired by my thoughts on suicide. It's not as if I'm actually going to do it, but I catch myself thinking about what I would do if I did, where to hang myself, what things I would give my friends and what I would tell them ect. But I am, ultimately, too scared off death and the afterlife to do anything.

The part about hating myself is based on my dad, mostly. He's very vocal about what he thinks they should do Transgender people, which is sending them to mental hospitals and other things. And I think you get the point. I might try doing something similar again (heavy on might).

I feel like I should say thank you? I wasn't expecting compliments, nor do I know how to take them

-☾

L:

ahhh.. a lot of these were what i was thinking when reading the poem, i just didn't know if i'd be correct.

i can certainly understand all of those thoughts. i'm sorry you have to deal with them at all. but i am glad you were able to turn it into something like this instead of acting on any of them. and i'm honored that you were willing to share something so personal too. it really did make a nice poem.

i know you said "heavy on might" and everything, but i really do suggest writing more if the last one helped you. i know it at least helps me explain most of my emotions, and it could probably even give you some ideas for other non-poetry writings, like those characters you've shared. use it as like... brainstorming, maybe? if that makes sense.

either way, the more you write, the greater the possibility of making some really beautiful things. oh and, get used to compliments. i like art, i like analyzing art, and i'll be damned if i have to sit and witness an artist quit doing what they enjoy because they didn't get the analyses they deserved.

Light:

Oh, that's indeed interesting! And I can see it now...it wasn't quite what I had in mind, but now that I know, it makes a lot of sense.

First of all, thank you so much for sharing something so personal with both of us, and the rest who'll be seeing this. I want you to know that I really, really appreciate your trust in us. Thanks for that. It definitely isn't easy.

Secondly...I am very sorry that you had to go through that. No-one deserves something so terrible to happen to them. Just know there is absolutely nothing wrong with being trans, though some people might try to convince you otherwise. You are who you are, and other people don't get to have a say in that (unless what you're doing damages society, which it definitely does not in your case). Hang in there; I promise you'll find your people, people who truly love and support you no matter what, one day.

And you should keep writing! It really does help with coping with things in your life, and it feels very therapeutic to just get it all out on the page, doesn't it? It's a wonderful hobby to foster; it'll follow you a lifetime.

Anyways, you don't need to 'know' how to receive our compliments. Just know that we love your work. Happy writing, and have a great day!

[silver-rings-and-rabbits]

I've just finished chapter 9 of Open Heart Second Year and wanted to share my thoughts at the halfway point (ch 10-11 are another world entirely). It's a long post and probably repeats all the arguments that have been made since the original release...but I'm gonna post anyway.

When Second Year started, I couldn't decide which romance route to take. I genuinely restarted the first chapter several times, but EVENTUALLY I settled on Ethan. And...I got bored. He was there all the time and I just didn't feel anything like I did in book 1 (the opera scene had me in a chokehold for a while). Meanwhile, Raf had apparently broken up with MC and had a new partner which was leaving me intrigued on how it would go (sweet naivety before I saw the ch 10 draft). So during the first hiatus, between ch 8-9, I replayed the whole lot for Rafael.

The difference is stark. For two people who aren't allowed to be together, MC and Ethan sure ended up spending a lot of time alone together. They sure held hands a lot. MC sure had a lot of extra flirty dialogue. Yet Rafael appears briefly every couple of chapters to talk about how he would risk his life for another (I should have seen the signs sooner) then disappears back to his new partner that we still know nothing about. Most of the pining for Rafael was in my imagination and personal interpretation of the scenes.

Players were willing to justify this with 'Ethan is our boss' and 'we work on the same team so obviously they will spend time together'. Bryce and Jackie are our best friends or partners, Jackie is our freaking ROOMMATE and we don't see them at all?

Furthermore, we have two brand new characters in June and Baz and barely spent any time with them because Ethan had to be front and centre. I would have happily spent diamonds to get to know either of them one-on-one. But no...

An idea: instead of Ethan having a professional diamond scene every chapter (patient's house visit, visiting the art gallery, making a pictagram account), this is where June or Baz come in. Especially if Ethan also had a personal diamond scene in the chapter. Open Heart was popular because of its diverse cast after all (including Ethan, yes, but there was someone for everyone in book 1).

FURTHER furthermore, one of the 'plots' of this book was MC teaching their own intern, Esme Ortega. And we had a diamond scene to take her with us on Diagnostic work, a diamond scene to mentor her around six chapters later, and...a few quick scenes of MC giving her some work to do. That's it. Because even though being a mentor is part of MCs job, it's not nearly as important as Ethan's screen time.

I've played all four romance routes, and obviously Ethan's had the most content (his romance route v platonic route is night and day!!). Raf's route was completely empty to the point where it made sense to me that MC was in the hospital with Ethan all the time because they didn't want to spend their free time sitting at home nursing a broken heart. But Bryce and Jackie's routes had no reason for that. There's almost no reason to play the chapters without them and it's no surprise their fans started dropping away. All the signs pointed to one LI being killed off, but the other two didn't have anything to hope for either so why stick around?

Chapter 8 is the baseball game and we get to spend time with Bryce and Keiki, AND practice baseball with some friends. Probably the most friend group content we saw since the chapter 5 music festival. I enjoyed being rude to Landry (again, my MC is too stressed and upset at this point to spend energy being nice to him) but I didn't like how my response to him determined how the two sides interacted. Just because I'm rude to Landry doesn't mean I don't want to meet Sienna's med school friends at Kenmore. We then get to go back with Ethan for dinner or go home alone. I don't suppose it would have killed PB to put some kind of friend group scene in as an alternative? They did in book 1...

Chapter 9 is where the emotions really pick up as we have Kyra's cancer getting worse. Man, I love well-written angst. When MC is overwhelmed and has to calm down in a supply closet they are discovered by...June. Who at this point is becoming the villain (despite the fact this plot line would have only made sense if you were romancing 1/4 LIs).

Another idea: we get to choose which LI discovers us, just like in book 1! We could have a rare moment of softness with Jackie because it kills her that she can't help the situation. It could have been the catalyst for Bryce to look into radical gore-tex surgeries as a last resort. Or we could have had a painful heart-to-heart with Rafael, maybe MC being standoffish because he's their ex or open and desperately wishing Raf could comfort them as before. The possibilities are endless, but we can't waste time (or money) on those guys.

Speaking of Rafael, this is the infamous chapter ending:

Like a punch in the heart. But possibly what hurt more was the fact that chapter 10 opened with - of all things - a time jump to a few days later with the Senator coming to Edenbrook!! Because that's the Diagnostic team which is the only thing that matters! In fact, Rafael isn't mentioned until around two thirds of the way through when the narration - of all things - casually mentions that he is in fact moving to BRAZIL. More fool me, I thought he was just moving to another state, but no. Another freaking country. There is no way that would have been an easy conversation, especially on his romance route, but it's yet another conversation that happens OFF-SCREEN for the reader to be hastily informed later.

Book 2 began with a recap that omitted Rafael completely, despite the fact his superhero complex was going to be 'plot point' of book 2. Luckily he does appear in the next recap but this scene has been retconned with him saying 'I'm moving to Brazil' (if I remember to get a screenshot of that later, I'll post it).

PB tried to justify all this with 'Open Heart is a mature story...exploring themes of heartbreak and loss' (and some players will still believe that), but it never was. If it was, we would have seen the break-up between MC and Rafael, we would have been able to talk with Raf about his suspension in detail and how it was affecting him, and we would have SEEN THIS VERY CONVERSATION. But all the resources went into Ethan and his parents, Ethan and his morals, Ethan cooking a chicken.

I get it, he was a big moneymaker. I myself contributed once upon a time. But that doesn't justify throwing out the rest of your characters. (My school sold out my year group to get some money, and in doing so lost all credibility with a generation of girls). Like I said before, Open Heart was good because of ALL it's characters that we had grown to love and PB now wanted to chuck those out. Unless a LI had absolutely 0% interest, you write for them or you don't put them in the story (and we all know where that leads us: single LI books). Why alienate Bryce, Raf and Jackie romancers when, for all you know, they might be Sam Dalton's biggest fans? (The biggest book I can think of that was releasing at the same time as Open Heart). This whole thing was a stupid, stupid decision by PB and it has nothing to do with Rafael.

I hope there were people on the OH team who knew this was a bad idea from the start. I hope the higher-ups started sweating at the reactions to Sora and the ending to chapter 9, and I hope the smart ones on the team felt unbelievably smug about being right.

[snat-snailcat]

I had some stupid epitome this past weekend. Like, it was an obvious train of thought that just hit me so much harder.

In a more walkable part of town, where some streets were closed off to allow only bikes, so that pedestrians could move about freely, I was amazed at the number of restaurants on the block filled with people. It was a Saturday, so of course people would be out and enjoying themselves! But after living in US Suburbia for the past few years (and most of my childhood), there was something incredible about three different coffee shops, all locally owned, sharing the same block with each other, a number of bars, bistros, art galleries. And I thought to myself, "How are they all staying in business?"

Because in my hometown, we would often see a cute little shop go up one summer just to be gone by the next- so many businesses start up and fail, it's just a fact. But then the train hit me-

If I was only spending, say, 20% of my monthly income on rent, I could afford to not cook every meal. Not just eat out at fancy places - I could afford to just pick up dinner of my way home. If I had enough to not stress about groceries, I would actually think about going places with friends more! All these people enjoying themselves as I walked and contemplated things made me feel like everything I wanted was so, so close.

I can't think of the last time I did something as simple as going bowling, or minigolf- activities that aren't luxuries at all really. These are just things that people of any bracket should have the means to do every few months. When is the last time I paid to see a movie? Or take a class? When is the last time I was able to actually let myself do something that cost just a little bit of money? Probably Ren Faire, and that's once or twice a year.

I hate capitalism, I hate profit motives, I do. But if someone wanted an economy like this to work, surely they would see that everyone in that economy needs money in order for it to function. If people can't afford to buy dinner on their way home, that's another restaurant that can't stay open. If everyone is pinching pennies because groceries take up the majority of one paycheck a month that doesn't go to rent, then it's no wonder why they wouldn't be visiting the local bowling alley or whatever.

Again, it's not a new idea whatsoever, but it had never struck me so hard.

Economists be blabbing on about the oncoming recession and the various versions of economic stagnation paired with extreme inflation. But they ignore the fucking mammoth in the room- under the current system, people require money to survive, and when survival is difficult, they are going to use less of that money on things seen as extraneous. We prioritize our rent and our food, because we need those to live, and things like going out and enjoying life are tossed to the side. And it could be so simple! If you want to keep this system where money has to move around in order for it to function, give people some money!

And if it's too hard to write a check to every person, it can start at taking less money. I spend about 45% of my monthly income right now on rent. 15-25% goes to groceries and household items. about 10-20% between student loans and car insurance. Imagine if only rent was capped at 20%. Suddenly I have enough every month to support another café on my lunch break instead of making my own beverage, and I can interact with people. Suddenly I don't feel like a melon baller has been used on my stomach every time I stop to pick up dinner somewhere. In this dream world, I can tip a barista an extra $2-3, and everyone else can to (tipping culture is stupid but that's another rant). That's another few dollars in the pocket of a worker, of a local business owner, and it moves around.

There's a joke among artists who sell at cons/fairs/markets about the same $5 that gets passed around. Someone goes to my booth and buys a sticker, and I turn around, same bill in hand, to buy from them.

It is just nice to imagine a world where we can do that. Where we all can have enough extra to offer to buy someone their breakfast, to repaint our rooms or finally replace a broken piece of furniture without feeling guilty at the cost. To host people over without feeling like you need to ask them to contribute because you're barely scraping by, and where they bring something anyways, not out of obligation, but because they also want to share in what they have.

Didn't mean to hijack a post, but it's just been on my mind. What if we did just give everyone that money. Forever. It literally could not cause anything to get worse.

there have been 774664 studies on basic income and the results of every single one have been “wow! we gave people money and literally everything improved! crime rates are down! the actual sky is bluer! my (the researcher’s) wife decided not to leave me after all!” but these have all been short studies, just a couple years. i think what’s really missing from the field is a proper long form study, with a broader, bolder demographic, to really get us those numbers we need. a truly diverse study pool like, say, everyone. forever