#we're sticking with four options

[essektheylyss]

Okay, I've finished The Backyard Bird Chronicles (absolutely delightful book, highly recommend) and set my book goal for the year at one book a week. So in an effort to actually finish books rather than just start many of them, I've decided to outsource my decision-making process.

Of note: I'm planning to get through all of these in fairly quick succession regardless. I've been working on the first two for ages and just have not gotten all the way through. Lastly, I have the whole trilogy for each of the three that are first books (LotR natch, Ambergris, and Machineries of Empire), so finishing those will probably add the quest indicators for book two to my mental map.

Also I don't plan to run a poll for every book, but I do get decision paralysis about which book to read, especially when it comes to my outsized fiction pile, so hopefully this will help.

[thornheartfelt]

We get part A of the breeding and genetics exam tomorrow. Finding out what species it's going to be based around, and three hours to research and write down whatever information we think we may need for questions that may come up. So in other words I am channeling the spirit of Mor.din to pass this thing in January.

[derinwrites]

How can I make money writing fiction?

I'm gonna be straight with you. There is no guarantee that you'll make enough as an independent writer to make it worth your time. You very well might -- I make a liveable wage as an independent writer -- but many don't. Most writers I know also have a job. And luck plays a big part in it.

If you're interested in going forward in spite of this, you have two main options for monetisation open to you, and you are going to have to pick one. I call them the sales model and the sponsorship model, and you are going to have to pick one.

The sales model involves writing stories and selling them to readers. You can put books up on Amazon or Smashwords, sell them direct from your own website, enlist the help of a traditional publisher to handle that for you and let them decide where to sell, whatever -- the point is that your money is made from the sale of books to readers. If you go with a traditional publisher, you're using this model (though they will give you some of the money ahead of time in the form of an advance). Most indie authors also use this model, publishing through draft2digital, Ingram Spark, direct through Amazon, whatever. I've never relied on the sales model and can't give you any advice on how to do this, but Tumblr is full of indie authors who probably can.

The sponsorship model involves soliciting small amounts of money from various readers over time. This is ideal for web serials, and it's what I use. I use Patreon, which is designed specifically for this purpose, but you can use other sites such as ko-fi. This model involves providing regular content for free, with bonuses for those who support you.

"Can't I do both? Sell books and have a Patreon?" You absolutely can! I know several indie authors with a Patreon. I sell my completed books as ebooks and will eventually sell them as paperbacks. But your time and attention is limited, and so is your audience's, and you're going to have to half-arse one of these in order to have enough arse to whole-arse the other. You're going to make a lo of decisions that benefit either the sponsorship model or the sales model, not both. So pick your primary income source early and commit.

I can only advise on writing web serials and using the sponsorship model, so I'll go ahead with that assumption. If you want to make a liveable wage doing this, not only will you need luck, you'll also need patience. This is not a fast way to build a career. at the end of my first year of doing this, I had one single patron, and they were a real-life friend of mine. When I reached an income of $100/month, I threw a little party for myself, I was so happy. It had taken such a long time and was so much work. I reached enough to cover rent/mortgage after I'd been doing this for more than four years. It's a long term sort of career.

Here are some general tips for succeeding in this industry, given by me, someone with no formal training in any of this who only vaguely knows what they're talking about:

Have a consistent update schedule and STICK TO IT

The #1 indicator for stable success in this industry (aside from luck, which we're discounting because you can't do much about that) is having a consistent update schedule. Your readers need to know when the next chapter is coming out, and it should be coming out regularly. Ideally, you should have no breaks or hiatuses -- if you're in a bus crash or something, that might be unavoidable, and your readers will understand if you tell them, but if you're stopping and starting a lot for trivial reasons, they WILL abandon you. You can't get away with that shit if you're not Andrew Hussie, and I'm pretty sure Andrew Hussie doesn't message me for career advice on Tumblr. If you find you need a lot of hiatuses to write fast enough then you're updating too often; change your schedule. A regular schedule is more important than a fast one (ideally it should be both, but if you have to pick between the two, pick regular).

2. Pay attention to your readership, listen to what they want from you

Your income is based on a pretty complicated support structure when you're using the sponsorship model. this model relies on people finding your story, liking your story, and continuing to find it valuable enough to keep paying you month after month. This means that your rewards for your sponsors should be things that they value and will continue to pay for ('knowing I'm supporting an artist whose work I enjoy' counts as a thing that they value, to my great surprise; there's a lot of people giving me money just for the sake of giving me money, so I can pay my mortgage and keep writing for them without needing a second job), but it also means supporting the entire network that attracts readers and keeps them having the best time they can with your story -- being part of a rewarding community. Because this is advice on making money, I'm going to roughly divide your readership into groups based on how they affect your bottom line:

sponsors. People giving you money directly. The importance of keeping this group happy should be obvious.

administration and community helpers -- discord moderators, IT people, guys who set up fan wikis, whoever's handling your mailing list if you have a mailing list. You can do this stuff yourself, or you can hire someone to do it, but if you're incredibly lucky and people enjoy being a part of your reader community, people will sometimes volunteer to do the work for free. If you are lucky enough to get such people, respect them. They are doing you a massive favour, and they're not doing it for you, but to maintain a place that they value, and you have to respect both of those things. My discord has just shy of 1,300 members and is moderated by volunteers. I'd peel my own face off if I had to moderate a community that large. If you've got people stepping up to do work for you, you need to respect them and you need to make sure that they continue to find that rewarding by doing what you can to make sure that the community they're maintaining is rewarding. Sometimes this means taking actions and sometimes this means staying the fuck out of the way. Depending on the circumstances.

fan artists. Once you have people drawing your characters, writing fanfic of your stories, whatever, treat these like fucking gold. Give them a space to do this, and more importantly, give them a space to do this without you in it. Fanworks are a symptom of engagement with your work, which is massively important. They are also a component of a healthy community, an avenue for readers to talk to each other and express themselves creatively to each other. Third, fanworks act as a bridge for new readers. When readers share their art on, say, Tumblr, it can intrigue new people and get them into the story. Your job in all of this is to give them the space to work, encourage them as required or invited (I reblog most TTOU fanart that I'm tagged in on Tumblr, for instance), and other than that, stay the fuck out of their way. These people are vital to the liveblood of your community, the continued engagement of your audience, and the interest of your sponsors. Some of the fan artists will be sponsors themselves; some won't be. Those who aren't sponsors are still massively valuable for their art.

speculators, conversers, theorists, livebloggers, and That Guy Who's Just Really Jazzed For The Next Chapter. Some people don't make art but just like to chat about your story. These people are a bedrock of the community that's supporting your sponsors and increasing your readership, and therefore are critical to your income stream. Give them a place to talk. Be nice to them when they talk to you. Sometimes, they'll ask you questions about the story, which you can choose to answer or not, however you feel is appropriate. They'll also want to chat about non-story-related stuff with each other, so make sure they have a place to do that, too.

that guy who never talks to you or comments on anything but linked your story to ten guys in his office who all read it now. Some of your supporters are completely invisible to you. You can't do anything for these people except continue to release the story and have a forum they can silently lurk on if they want to. But, y'know, they exist.

If you want to focus on income then these are, roughly, the groups of people that you will need to listen to and accommodate for. You can generally just make sure they have space to do their thing, and if they want anything else, they'll tell you (yes, guys, paperbacks will be coming eventually). Many people will fit into multiple groups -- I have some sponsors that are in every single one of these groups except the last. Some will only be in one group. A healthy income rests on a healthy community which rests on accommodating these needs.

3. If you can manage it, try to make your story good.

It's also helpful for your story to be good. Economically, this is far less important than you'd think -- there are some people out there writing utter garbage and making a living doing it. Garbage by what standards? By whatever your standards are. Just think of the absolute laziest, emptiest, hackiest waste-of-bandwidth story you can imagine -- some guy is half-arsing that exact story and making three times what you'll ever make on Patreon doing it. And honestly? Good for him. If he's making that much then his readers are enjoying it, and that's what matters. Still, one critical component of making money as a writer is writing something that people actually want to read. And you can't trick them with web serials, because they don't pay in advance -- if they're bored, they'll just stop. So you have to make it worth their time, money and attention, and the simplest way to do that is to write a good story.

This hardly seems mentioning, since you were presumably planning to do that anyway. It's basic respect for your audience to give them something worth their time. Besides, if we're not interested in improving our craft and striving for our best, what are we even writing for? I'm sure I don't need to tell you to try to write a good story. The reason I list this is in fact the opposite -- don't let "I'm not a good enough writer" paralyse you. The world is full of someday-writers who endlessly fuss over and revise a single story because it's not good enough, it's not perfect, they're not Terry Pratchett yet. Neither was Terry Pratchett when his first books were published. If you're waiting to be good enough, you won't start. I didn't think Curse Words was good enough when I started releasing it -- I still don't. I started putting it out because I knew it was the only way I'd get myself to actually finish something. I don't think it's all that great, but you know what? An awful lot of people read it and really enjoyed it. And if I hadn't released it, I'd have been doing those people a disservice.

Also, it taught me a lot, and based on what I learned, Time to Orbit: Unknown is much better. If I'd never released Curse Words, if I hadn't seen how people read it and reacted to it and seen what worked and what didn't, then Time to Orbit: Unknown wouldn't be very good. And it certainly wouldn't be making me a living wage, because it was the years writing Curse Words that started building the momentum I have today.

And Time to Orbit: Unknown as it is today has some serious problems. Problems that I'm learning from. And the next book will be a lot better.

So that's basically my advice for making money in this industry. Be patient, be lucky, be consistent. Value your community; it's your lifeline, even the parts of it that don't directly pay you. And try to make your story as good as you can, but make that an activity you do, not a barrier to prevent you from starting.

Good luck.

[wayslidecool]

arabic numerals ranked from worst to best by their potential as the lens in new year's glasses

#10: Seven (7)

seven is a very awkward number for a lot of things, and new year's glasses are no exception. its weird angular shape leaves no opening to put a lens in, and unlike the next entry, it's too wide to comfortably squeeze between lens in the second and fourth digits. and the impressive thing about 7 is that this is a number with plenty of writing variations, and yet i can't think of a single one that makes it an efficient lens! sorry 7. i think you're the best number for a rating scale, but that's about it.

#9: One (1)

the 2010s were a rough time for new year's glasses, huh? coming off the high of the 1990s and 2000s, people were determined to make the 2010s work, but that's a tall fucking order. the saving grace of 1, and the reason it's above 7, is that it's skinny enough that you can slide it between numbers and use the fourth digit of the year as the lens, but the fact you have to resort to that is only further evidence of how much 1 sucks at being the lens.

#8: Two (2)

two is definitely a tier above the previous two entries. it's an interesting and versatile enough shape that you can mess with it to try and make a viable spot for a lens, what with the upper loop and lower angle, but i feel no matter what you try, you always gotta make some concessions. like, you have enough to work with that a talented enough designer can make something that works, but usually the result is more "functional" than "good".

#7: Four (4)

now we're getting into numbers that could actually make for passable lenses. i mean, check it out! we have a closed loop here and everything, that has GOT to count for something! what makes me put four relatively low on the list is that with its right-triangle shape, i can't imagine it being a very comfortable shape for a lens, especially with how much ends up sticking out and downwards. still, a vast improvement over the previous three entries, even if it's basically just a worse 9.

#6: Five (5)

i feel like depending on what you prioritize in new year's glasses, these next two entries could end up going below the previous one, but personally, i think the not-closed round loop feels like a more practical spot for a lens than 4's closed-but-angular loop, y'know? so what if the loop isn't closed, it still mostly surrounds your eye, and feels generally passable to me. this is a number that wouldn't inspire the idea for new year's glasses, but certainly works now that the idea has been established.

#5: Three (3)

three is basically the same thing as 5, and i could even see some people putting it below 5, since 5's loop is a bit closer to being closed than either of 3's loops. that being said, 3's dual-loop is ultimately what gives it the edge to me. it ends up feeling more versatile to me. i feel the bottom loop is generally the correct choice, but just having the option of the top loop as well really helps it out. either way, after suffering through the 2010s and 2020s, i expect the 2030s to be a welcome breath of fresh air.

#4: Nine (9)

now we're getting to the really good ones. i mean, the 1990s are when the trend of new year's glasses started! if this number was good enough to kickstart the trend, then clearly it's a good number to put the lens in. having a closed round loop really goes a long way, it turns out! what puts 9 below the next three entries is the tail. having that swoop down towards your face feels like it'd be a bit uncomfortable, and this issue doesn't crop up with the next three entries. still, 9 is a trailblazer and its place in the New Year's Glasses Metagame needs to be respected.

#3: Six (6)

if 9's only issue is the tail getting all up in your face, then what better way to solve that then just turning it upside-down? it might just be me, put having it brush up against your forehead feels much, much less intrusive than having it brush up against your face. and plus, it can give the impression of a raised eyebrow! bonus! the 2030s-2050s are going to be a refreshing breath of fresh air following the awful new year's glasses of the 2010s and 2020s, but the 2060s are going to be a true new year's glasses renaissance.

#2: Eight (8)

hey, so remember how i put 3 above 5 since i felt the double loop made it a bit more versatile? well now imagine that, but both loops are closed. 8 makes for such a good lens, it's a little surprising we didn't see new year's glasses in the 1980s (i'm guessing having two of the same number is more inspiring than two different numbers?) either way, eight isn't content to give you just one closed loop. it'll give you a second closed loop right above. (or below!) 8 is a versatile number with many options, and i hope i can live to see the day we see it in new year's glasses. a true stand out in its field.

#1: Zero (0)

still, even with all the good years ahead, it's hard to ignore the fact that the best years are sadly behind us, with the 2000s being the absolute pinnacle of new year's glasses design. i mean, come on. a single loop with no frills is basically what glasses designs default to already, so using the middle two zeroes as the lens for glasses? impeccable design. the 1990s were good enough to kickstart the trend, but the 2000s were good enough to make us want to brute force the 2010s and 2020s. if that's not the mark of a good design, i don't know what is.

sadly, it's likely we'll never see design this good again. the next year with the middle two digits being two zeroes is 3000, and while we might be able to execute double-zero designs at the turn of each century, they'll end up looking weirdly lopsided in the process. i believe humans are hubristic enough to try and brute-force bad decades, but multiple bad centuries? forget about it.

oh well. happy new year

[becausegoodheroesdeservekidneys]

Hey,

I don't know if you're the right person to ask, but I wanted to try.

I've just been broken up with for the first time after two years together. We live together.

Right now I feel as if I'm dying. The emotional highs and lows are exhausting, and while I know I will probably be alright and I also have exams next week. I don't know how to focus on studying while my life feels like it's falling apart. I wish I could just take a week and surround myself with people to get away from this horribly empty, desperate feeling.

Oh, mate, I'm so sorry. Break ups actually launch you into a grieving process, so it's no surprise it's throwing you for a loop. Terrible timing before exams, too.

This is all going to be fairly broad advice, because I don't know your exact situation, but:

Given these timings, I would say that right now, you're kind of entering emergency mode. You're going to need to find time to process the break up, but until next week is over, you don't have time yet. So, first of all, is staying elsewhere for a week an option? Do you have friends you can stay with for that time, for example? Can you negotiate with your ex so you stay elsewhere for a couple of days, then they do, just to get exams out of the way? If this is an option, it's worth taking - it'll be a lot easier to handle both pressures if you can.

If not, I'd advise being a bit canny about how you structure your time. I'm assuming you're in university atm, and unis (over here, anyway) have late night/24 hour computer/study rooms. You can't stay in one, sure, but make use of it. You'll be able to focus far better on revision for exams in an academic space where you aren't surrounded by memories of your ex, and right now, you need to give yourself the best possible chance.

You know when you personally focus best, but studies suggest it's an hour or so after we wake up, whenever that is for you. If this is true for you, make a routine - in the morning you get up, get yourself ready, go to uni and study. Use whatever system you like for this (more in a bit). Plan one fun activity to go and do later, though - this could be a movie, dinner with friends, a nice walk, a few hours video gaming, whatever. Take the time to do it. Make sure you plan it in the morning, so you have something fun to look forward to later. This is an important step not to miss. Your brain needs the nice endorphins right now.

Study tips:

Rally friends and classmates. We're a social species - we learn better together. Test each other with flash cards, teach each other sections of material, just be next to each other while you both study.

Learning styles are a myth in the sense that people don't just fit into one style, but they are true in the sense that there are different ones and your brain will like some and not others. Find out your favoured blend, and then use the study techniques recommended for them.

Use Pomodoro! Study for 25 minutes, break for five minutes. In that break, physically get up and walk around. After four Pomodoros in a row, take half an hour break and do something fun. This is a good online timer to help you stick to it.

All of those are about engaging your brain as much as studying. But the other two pieces of advice:

Firstly, if you don't already know how and you're able to do it safely (i.e. you don't suffer from disassociation), try mindfulness/meditation. If you're finding the grief is intruding into your brain and you need to focus, do a five minute mindfulness session, then carry on.

And secondly: tell your student services. Tell them that you're mid-break up, still living with your partner, and you're worried about exams next week. Ask them what systems are available to help in case you do badly as a result. Tell your lecturers (or at least , whichever lecturers are relevant) the same.

The reason for this is to establish a safety net for yourself. When we have exam boards as lecturers, if a student's profile comes up and it's full of low marks or fails, the first question I get asked by the Academic Office is "Did they engage with us about the issue?" And if I can say yes, that student gets far more leniency.

Hopefully some of that is helpful. If you want to chat in a bit more detail, feel free to DM me. Good luck! And I hope you find peace soon.

[galactic-knightmare]

The tADC fam but BUGS

...I had the sudden urge to draw Hollow Knight stuff but I'm still hyperfixated on tADC, so the solution? CROSSOVER ...which is weird. I'm usually really not into crossovers, and I don't generally like them all too much, but for some reason my brain thinks their Cool with tADC?? and I end up thinking of lore and stuff for them?? idk man my brain is. going through something lmao. AAaaannyway, lore n' stuff under the cut!

starting wiiiiithhh Kinger! :

Since Hollow knight doesn't have computers- or they do? I have no idea how to describe Monomon's lab. so instead he's kinda like a scientist but not? whatever it is that Monomon is. big brain boi.

Anyway he worked with Monomon and the Pale King on creating the vessels, but had no idea exactly what they were- he thought they were just going to be like the kingsmould- just mindless machines that are shaped like bugs. he did not know they were essentially the king and queen's kids, which were being experimented and killed en mass. So naturally, when he found out, he was pissed.

So when Hollownest starts falling after the failed sealing of Radiance, he ends up accidentally finding a surviving vessel, albeit a strange one. he ends up kinda loosing it due to guilt and stuff, so we end up with our beloved Kinger we all know and love (just fluffier and a bug)

Queenie :

Queenie is a retired Wasp warrior in this, having either come from a different Kingdom, or the arena of fools. She ended up acting as a guard for hire, and ended up meeting Kinger and becoming a sort of extra guard at Monomon's lab where they were working. One thing leads to another and eventually they end up married.

Aaaand now we have two options for this- the Angst Option, or the less Angst Option.

the Angst Option is that, like how she abstracted in the series, in this AU she ends up with the infection, and either dies completely or ends up with her infected corpse hidden inside a locked room in their house. very depressing and stuff.

the non-angst option is that she got injured pretty badly while defending their home from some Infected bugs, and ended up bedridden, so she doesn't leave their home that much anymore, thus why you don't generally see her.

aaand now Pomni! :

Pompom is one of the three known survivors of the Deepnest tribes. (the others being Hornet and Midwife, four if we're counting that unknown weaver we see at one point) She's stuck as a lone hunter, usually sticking to greenpath since there's more things to hunt. eventually she meets Kinger and they end up befriending each other. as scatterbrained as the moth is, he's one of the few non-infected beings around now, so she's happy to have some company now.

despite coming from a family of weavers, Pomni really isn't fond of weaving. She's somewhat like Hornet, with preferring battle over words. despite how quick to attack she is though, its mostly due to nervousness. they can't attack you if they've already been stabbed. outside of battle she's the Pomni we all know and love- nervous and anxious to an extreme.

While she's fond of Kinger (and Queenie in the non-angst version) she's got mixed feelings with the weird Vessel that lives with the two. More often than not, she ends up either wanting to slap him or hug him. the two usually end up on patrols around Greenpath together, although hardly any hunting gets done during those.

Aaaand finally my beloved boi, Caine :

He's the vessel! obvs. but something went a bit wrong. either he got into something he shouldn't, or he ended up experimented on by someone else. (or maybe he just had a brief encounter with a grimmkin that decided yes, this smol pale child shall now have some of my powers for shits and giggles). Either way, he's ended up as a hybrid of the two, with the raptor-claws, tail, and facial markings of a Grimmkin, but the spikes and everything else of a Vessel. The grimmkin glow/nightmare energy however is a liiittle fucked for some reason though, since it's blue and green instead of the normal red.

either way, he managed to escape the void unlike most of the millions of vessels, and ended up in the care of Kinger (and Queenie) eventually. He usually follows the two around like a lost puppy, though since meeting Pomni, he's started following her around too. he steers clear of Hornet obviously- his bio half-sister scares him (as she should- we all know how she handled vessels before Ghost)

Hes also unusually short for a Vessel, and a Grimmkin honestly. he's not that much taller than Ghost, who's still in the child-stage of a Vessel. his tail also isn't fully right either- instead of the spiked tail of a Vessel or the Scorpion tail of a Grimmkin, it instead doesn't even have a tailtip, and is instead constantly leaking soul/nightmare energy. Its concerned Kinger greatly, but theres not much he can do about it.

He's also not genderless like other Vessels- or he is, but prefers he/him. or hes a gremlin like how I picture Caine, and is technically in a way genderfluid? idk how to describe my son lmao

[arthenaa]

Can't think right, too tongue-tied, It must be love | GOJO SATORU

5+1. 5 times Gojo Satoru's confessed to you through his cryptic love language and one time you've had enough.

note: fluff. crack. idiots in love. not proofread cuz im bz w commz. it's gender-neutral. based on experience cuz i like projecting myself into my writing. (if my clients r seeing this, im so sorry i just have to get this off my head or else i will explode) listen to the playlist for immersive reading (its actually part of the story! but its optional if yall prefer silent environments and prefer to listen later hehe)

story playlist:

01: Gee by Girls Generation

"Hey, check your dms."

He nudges you with his elbow—quite rudely if one might add but you've learned to deal with Satoru's little quirks after years of torment. Who wouldn't if you were subjected to concealed torture under the guise of tumultuous hiiiiiiii's, heyyyyyyyy's, and the occasional heavy ass arm around your neck that he keeps leaning on with his fucking weight because he claims, and you quote, "we're besties."

He's annoying and yes, you've since learned to desensitize yourself with his entire existence completely.

However, there are still times when he's managed to surprise you despite all the years of experience you've worked hard and traumatized (exaggeration, yes, but it's Gojo?) yourself for.

"Did you just send me Gee by Girls Generation?"

He looks up from his phone, the circular sunglasses drooping down with the raise of his eyebrows. He glances at you before looking back down again to his phone.

"Yeah?" He replies as if you shouldn't be asking him in the first place. You blink at him in confusion. "Reminds me of you."

"What?" You furrow your eyebrows. "Gee .... Reminds you of me?"

"Yeah," He responds with no hesitance. Somehow, this makes you squint your eyes at him.

"Are you trying to get something out of this?"

"No?" He raises his eyebrow before chuckling, raising his hand to gently bump his knuckles against your forehead. You flinch back at the sudden gesture.

He tilts his head with a smile. "Listen to it on the way home."

There's a pause of silence as you look at him with wide eyes, the phone screen dimming down with every second you leave it untouched. He then purses his lips, shrugs, and slips his airpods in before waving and wandering off to Geto who had just come out with Shoko from the convenience store with a bag of ice cream.

You furrow your eyebrows in confusion as the two erupt into laughter—Gojo swinging his arm around Geto in the process. You see Shoko turn towards you, an unlit cigarette stick hanging from her lips.

"Y/N!" She calls before nudging her head over. You sigh as the two walk on ahead, too immersed in their conversation to wait for the two of you. You walk over to Shoko as she waits for you with her hands tucked within the pockets of her sweatpants.

Shoko gives you a once-over as you take another peek at your phone. This is just him fucking with me probably. Surely.

"What's with you?" She asks with a drawl of her voice. She adjusts the cigarette with a roll of her lips.

You pocket your phone with a quiet sigh, eyes boring into the back of Satoru's head. "Nothing. Let's go."

02: Super Shy by New Jeans

The next time it happens is when your phone is connected to the Bluetooth speaker in the common area. It was a peaceful morning really, lounging in the kitchen bar, and drinking your coffee while listening to Laufey surely was one way to pass the time.

There weren't any missions for the second years and so you had the place all to the four of you.

You take another sip, eyes drowsily blinking as Bewitched by Laufey plays beautifully in the surround sound speakers that the school funded at the awful behest of Gojo Satoru. (Of course, he gets his way around the administration because they have no choice) It has its use despite how it was taken but past is past and you just want to snuggle yourself deeper in your oversized hoodie, the feeling of a fresh shower, a cup of coffee, and music.

Just as you took another sip of your drink, you heard padding of footsteps descending the stairs from the boys' side of the dormitory.

You turn your head to see the new addition to your peaceful morning only to let out a sigh at the sight of Gojo Satoru yawning, scratching his stomach, then finally turning towards you with a slight surprise—all in that order.

"Y/N," He greets, voice riddled with sleep as he waddles over to you, encasing you with his arms around your shoulders and head against your neck. "'m so sleepy."

"Satoru," You take a sip of your coffee, unbothered by the weight on your back as he almost completely nestles his weight on your body. "You're early."

He has half a mind to take notice of the soft tunes coming out of the speakers as he digs his face into your neck. You stay unbothered to his sudden need for physical intimacy as you place down your coffee to grab your phone.

He raises his head from your neck, chin on your shoulder as he notices your prolonged silence—presumably, distracted by something else. Turns out, he was right as he watched you rack through your playlist for a song to change to.

Taking the opportunity, he snatches your phone swiftly and pressing the search button to play something else entirely.

"Hey!" You complain as you grab his wrist when he tries to dodge your attempts to get your phone back. You force it down to your range of vision as he begins to search for whatever song he wants to play for the morning. "Please don't—"

"Too late," He grins, pressing Super Shy by New Jeans. Soon enough the playful beats of the song surround the area and he's back to his usual giggly and energetic self. He hugs you close and tight, shifting your body back and forth to the beat.

It's too early in the morning and you don't have the energy in you to stop this assault.

"Can you stop?" You whine as he gathers you tightly in his arms, cheeks mushed together, your arms pressed against your chest, and his face buried against your hair.

"Why?" He drawls out the last syllable with an annoyingly cute tilt of his voice. You want to body slam him to the floor. "This song reminds me of you though!"

There he is again.

You're not too sure if you should question it when he's holding this much energy in the morning. He tries to sway your body back and forth to the song and you could almost feel your stomach empty its contents when Geto finally comes to your rescue.

"Satoru!" Geto's voice reaches the kitchen with ease as he stops by the entrance and shakes his head. "Get off Y/N before they die, would you?"

"Fine," Satoru lets go of you reluctantly before trudging over to Geto who comforts him with the promise of making him breakfast. You send a thankful glance to Geto who gives you a sympathetic nod.

You let out a sigh. Your coffee has gone cold and another song from New Jeans' album plays on the speakers

You suppose interrogating Gojo can wait.

03: Love Lee by AKMU

Your eyes glance up from your phone to glare at the winter wonderland-haired boy sitting on one of the chairs to the far right of the classroom. He balances himself on its hind legs with his feet perched up on the table as he continues to type on his phone.

Few seconds later another ding alerts you of a notification.

There's a huff of laughter from his side of the room, presumably from your conversation. You let out a sigh, tucking your left hand in your pocket to cup around for your poor tangled earphones.

"Did he send you another song?" Shoko peers from your shoulder at the open conversation tab of you and Satoru's messages. You grumble in response as you pull the offensive knotted wires from your pocket.

The brunette heaves a sigh as she plops down to the seat next to yours. There's about an hour left before Professor Yaga bursts through those doors and disrupts your moment of reprieve. It's better to just make most of your time now.

You press on the link, leading you to your Spotify app as the song pops up on the player.

"Love Lee?" You say loudly enough for Satoru to hear amidst his conversation with Geto. "Really?"

"You say that as if AKMU isn't godly," Satoru retorts with a raise of his eyebrow. Suguru chuckles beside him, coughing into his hand as if to hide his laughter.

"This is the last time, Satoru." You comment as you slip one earphone to your ear. The blue eyed boy rolls his eyes.

"Is it so bad to send you songs that remind me of you?"

"I said, last time."

He raises his left hand and mimics talking in a mocking demeanor with a close and open of his fingers and thumb. You glare at him shortly.

You press play and the song hums a soft melody with its lowered volume within the speakers of your earphones. Shoko glances at you and then Gojo before shifting her body towards your armrest and resting her arms on it with her chin perched on top.

"He's not gonna stop is he?" Shoko asks with a soft smile on her lips. You glance down at her, hand coming up to brush a stray hair away from her face.

"He's just being Gojo," You retort with a sigh. You twirl a strand of her hair within your fingers. "He'll get bored soon enough."

Shoko stifles a giggle from her lips causing you to raise an eyebrow.

"Sure," She says with a roll of her eyes. You don't like her tone.

"Why'd you say it like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you don't believe me." You frown deeply. Shoko glances down at your phone and then at you.

"You said he sent you D.O the other day."

"And?" You raise your eyebrow at her in confusion. You're not sure what to make of what she's saying but the steady gaze of Shoko's eyes on you somewhat makes you nervous.

"Rose," She adds as if she's trying to prove something already obvious. "Rose by D.O. Then he sent you Love Lee today."

"Yeah, I know?" You sound out the last syllable with a careful tone. Shoko eyes you once more before shaking her head.

"You're hopeless." She grumbles, opening the window to her side and lighting a cigarette. You furrow your eyebrows at her sudden frustration.

"What the hell does that mean?"

04: Only by Lee Hi

"It's good, I promise you!" Gojo flashes you with his cerulean blue eyes that seem to get shinier by the second. You feel uneasy under his stare as he tilts his umbrella to shield you further from the rain.

The two of you are walking to the Samgyupsal place that Shoko suggested eating out at. It had been a while since the four of you gathered in one place— You and Ieri often paired out in reconnaissance missions while the other two were sent to more physical curse-related operations. It wasn't exactly easy to find the right time to catch up but with luck on your side, the four of you coincidentally ended missions on the same week. Currently, You and Gojo have woken up late from an afternoon nap and decided to go there together. The other two had already left a few minutes earlier.

Bad news, it had rained on the way there. Good news, your umbrella was with you.

Since the walking Burj Khalifa had a taller physique and a longer arm, you gave him the role of keeping the both of you dry from the rain.

Your only problem right now though is that Satoru's doing his thing again.

"I thought I told you that last time is the last time?" You shoot him a stern look as he tries his best to give you his mimic of puppy eyes. Well, as much as he can with that sunglasses of his.

"But this one's really good though?" He pouts. "If you like Laufey, you'll like this one. C'mon, please?"

He pulls out one of his AirPods from his right ear before holding out to you. You give him a defeated look as he grins at you cheerfully.

You put it on with reluctance as he pulls out his phone to scroll through his long-ass playlist. You could only get a glimpse of it with how he used the scroll bar you couldn't even see with the amount of songs he's jam-packed in that collection of his. You ought to teach him the importance of sectioning his music, you suppose.

He then finally lets out a noise of victory when he's found the song he's looking for. Soon enough, piano instrumentals begin to play and the mood suddenly shifts to a mellow vibe.

Your chest huffs with recognition as Lee Hi's voice fills your ear with carefully woven melodies and detailed harmonies.

"Only?" You turn to him with a soft smile playing on your lips. He glances down at you with a smile as you both walk to the beat of the song.

"See?" He says. You look up at him with the subtle sway of your head to the addictive flow of the tune. "You like it."

"Of course, I do," You retort with a scoff. "It's Lee Hi."

"Yeah, yeah," He rolls his eyes before licking his lips as he turns to face the street once more. "I meant this. You're starting to like it, I can see it on your face."

You halt your footsteps, causing him to stumble as he tries to shield your body causing a few of the droplets to splash the side of his arm. He stares at you with wide eyes, awaiting your response.

"No I don't."

"You do."

"I don't."

"You do, though?"

"Nope."

"Okay, you don't." He peers at you with raised eyebrows as if he's waiting for you to say something else entirely. You furrow your eyebrows at him.

"You don't get to reverse psychology me, Satoru."

"Not even once?" He raises his pointer finger with a pout of his lip causing you to slap his hand away.

"No!" You put your foot down on this conversation because you know if you don't, Satoru's just going to start to defy until he's going to get what he wants. "Point is, I don't and you can't keep sending me songs for whatever reason."

"I literally sent you them because it reminds me of you."

"You sent me Sour Grapes in the midst of shitting."

"Okay?" He shrugs his shoulders high as if that shouldn't be enough to convict him of murder or something. "That was one time! I told you after that it reminded me of you though?"

"Yeah, like I would want someone to tell me that when they werejust having explosive diarrhea in the dormitory toilets."

"You're kinda mean sometimes you know that?" He huffs as his shoulders droop. In this lighting, he looks like a puppy ripped off its precious treats. You prevent a smile from blooming on your lips.

"It's my charm," You wink at him. He flushes under your watch. At the embarrassed flush on his face, you let out a few chuckles—admiring the way the redness of his cheeks spread to his ears.

"And, cut!"

Your moment gets cut off by a loud clap mimicking a clapperboard. You both turn toward the culprit as Shoko stands with her hands outstretched in front of her and clasped against one another.

"That was a wonderful shot. I'm sure you'll get Couple of the Year at the KBS Drama Awards." Shoko smiles as she tucks her hands in her coat. Your face flushes and soon enough you duck out of the safety of the umbrella with hands outstretched to grab at Shoko. The girl squeals as you chase her inside.

Satoru on the other hand doesn't come in for a minute and a half.

05: Signal by TWICE

"You're keeping a playlist?"

Geto chimes in as he rests his chin on your shoulder. It's the weekend, the day is free, and there's nothing to worry about so you and Geto are in the comforts of the common room in your shared dormitory, playing about 5 rounds of Valorant since 12 in the afternoon.

You glance at Geto who peers into the list of songs. They're mostly Korean pop (He's that obsessed okay) ranging from Girls' Generation to AKMU to TWICE then a couple of NCT, SEVENTEEN, and even Mamamoo. He reprimands you to not lose them buried and laid to waste in your messages because he says, 'I sent them so that means they're carefully thought of and that also means you have to remember them because I said so!'

You responded with a smack under the head and an array of curses you jumbled together in an attempt to scare him off.

It didn't work.

"He just sent me Signal by Twice." You groan as you add yet another song to the lengthy playlist that you only just curated a few days ago. Your eyes take a short glance up at the computer screen with the waiting time on standby as your match queued up in competitive.

Geto pulls away from your shoulder and gives you a raise of an eyebrow.

"Okay, I'm just going to be real with you because all of this is physically making my bones hurt and I'm not even in my twenties," Suguru heaves a sigh. "You've got to be that fucking dense if you don't get that at all."

Suguru looks at you as if you've just murdered his precious 2-year-old Chinchilla named Tiana. You stare back at him with the same intensity.

"You and Shoko have been saying the most cryptic shit—Should I have assumed something?" You retort with a furrow of your eyebrows.

"Should you not have?" Geto doesn't want to be the one to relay whatever Satoru's thought process is but this just has to be one of the most blatant shit he could come up of. He thinks the problem is the fact that it's you.

(To be fair, Gojo's never serious about anything unless it's curses, sweets, or the photocard album collection he has of Huh Yunjin piling on his shelves.)

You throw your hands up in the air and make a series of wild gestures that Geto would’ve laughed at if it weren't for that vein almost popping out of your head.

"Damn, my bad if I didn't get the memo?" You claim with sarcasm, your shoulders are raised and your hands are too busy making circular motions and random movements just to make a point. Damn, Suguru's really trying not to laugh. "Should I have broken down every single writing process, thought, idea and symbolical allusions that these songs went through or something?"

"That's too much of an exaggeration but not technically," Suguru responds with a smile. "It's really just common sense."

A ding from your phone cuts off your conversation causing both of you to peer down at the screen of your phone perched on your knee.

You conversation with Gojo opens and a realization comes next.

You press on the link and immediately takes you to your Spotify. Your breath hitches.

"He sent me Must be Love," You blink slowly before glancing up at Suguru. "He sent me Laufey."

The two of you look at each other before your hand pulls up the live lyrics from below. Soon enough, you confirm your thoughts. Suguru purses his lips as he peers down at the song playing. He scrunches his nose. Oh my Lord, he's cringe.

Suguru repeats your words with a sigh. "He sent you Laufey."

+1 : Must be Love by Laufey

Finding Gojo was a piece of cake (No it's not).

The boy's always wandering about and Principal Yaga's complaints about his absences always left the three of you grappling at whatever possible evidence that might lead you to grabbing the collar of his shirt and dragging him back home.

It was a problem, sure, but it didn't take long with careful observation that Gojo always visits one or two sweet shops regularly when he's craving a cavity or his frequent quiet spots around campus that no one seems to even consider because everyone just assumes that the almighty six eyes user will not subject himself to the cramped and dusty space just to stream and vote on Mnet.

This time, it was easy—too easy that he's actually just in his room because it only took him one glance from Shoko staring into his soul as he tried to sneak out again for him to go back into his room with his tail tucked between his legs.

So yes, you think it's a piece of cake (It's not).

"Do you like me?"

You barged into his room, and marched up to the foot of his bed as he screamed like a little girl with you glaring down at him. He pulls his covers up to cover him even though he's fully clothed. It would be funny if you weren't fuming right now.

"What the fuck?! Privacy?!"

"Yeah, whatever," You roll your eyes before shoving him your phone with the playlist on screen. "Do you like me? Answer the question."

Satoru looks at you with wide eyes and disheveled hair as he peers down at your phone then back at you.

"Can this wait? I still have to watch another episode of Leniverse—"

"Wait, my ass," You snarl as you push him back flat on his bed causing him to squeak before climbing in and encasing him with your leg on each side of his hip and your arms beside his head. You peer down at his terrified eyes but flushed cheeks with a determined look on your face. "Did you hear me complain about you playing me Super Shy the other day? Or fucking Signal?"

"What's wrong with New Jeans?"

"Nothing's wrong with them, it's you who's fucking weird," Your fingers grip the sheets as your breath falters. "Sending me songs as if I'd get that shit."

"... I did say it reminded me of you ..."

"No shit, Sherlock? you think I'd waste the time to assume things?" You deadpanned. Your cheeks flush as you look down at him with pursed lips. "Say it."

His eyes glance at the expanse of your face, admiring your soft little imperfections before raising his hand to move the hair blocking the light from your face. There's a moment of silence before he smiles at you.

"Hey," He starts off light and cups your cheek. "Look, I'm just gonna make this simple for you. You've got two choices—"

There's a certain familiarity with the way he's trying to normally recite the words. You furrow your eyebrows at him. "Are you ... Are you reciting Mina's intro?"

Gojo flashes you an uneasy grin before closing his eyes as he hits his head back against the pillow in frustration. "I didn't expect to confess today. Give me a break."

"So you resorted to that?"

"You didn't exactly give me a chance did you?!" He complains, tone raising defensively. "Acting like you own the fucking room— Which you don't by the way! I'd have you know that my family funded this dormitory so technically I own it. You can't barge in like that! What if I was naked? Or masturbating? Or worse, looking at my Mark Lee pc collection?!"

"I'm not sure as to what the basis is when it comes to ranking those things from least to worst but—"

"Ah Ah Ah!" He sticks his palm against your mouth causing you to be cut off from your response. He continues off on a tangent. "I'm not done! You also so blatantly mounted me at my most vulnerable moment and didn't even let me speak when you tried to interrogate me about my feelings. What if I suddenly just kissed you if I succumbed to my raging hormones!?"

You stare, deadpan as he continues to ramble off.

"After all the work I did," He whines. "The songs! The careful deliberation—"

You tug off his hand with a harsh pull. "There was no careful deliberation with sending those songs because you just fucking sent them for no reason at all!"

"What do you mean?! They all have one thing in common! I told you it reminded me of you!" He argues back. You're both shouting and arguing at each other whilst still in that damned position and you both could care less with it when this is happening.

"You weren't exactly specific, were you?! How the hell am I to even perceive that when I don't know what I'm looking for?!"

"It's right in your face, Y/N!" Gojo exclaims. "All of them are about love. All of them are about liking someone. I can't stress it enough that I basically just sent them to you in different fucking fonts."

You gape at him from your position above as his face completely submerges in a sea of red.

"My bad for being so fucking cheesy! Don't give me that look because Suguru told me he cringed to oblivion when he heard Love Lee. My mental capacity is at an all-time low right now so my shitty ass K-POP playlist will have to do." He delivers one last chance to defend his dignity before letting out a defeated sigh. "So yes, I do like you. Happy?"

There's a pause of silence as you look down at him with a steady gaze. You were already aware of it the moment this idiot delved into your side of music. Sure, you had half a mind to at least understand why he was doing it in the first place but Gojo was skilled in being Gojo. In being himself.

Serious in certain things but not all. Arrogant, selfishly unselfish, and just outright an asshole in a good way. You're not really sure how to assume things when there weren't any reassurance that you could in the first place.

He was too good in being a friend and now as he peers up at you through his beautiful white lashes with the nervous flush on his cheeks, you're suddenly sure about something else.

"If you're not going to say something, can I please just watch Leniverse and wallow in miser—"

"Shut up, Satoru," You whisper as you lean down on your elbows and press your lips into his. He lets out a shaky gasp at the feeling of your lips against his. He responds with ease, encasing you in his arms as he pulls you down to completely rest your weight on top of him. Your hands make way to cup his cheeks as you kiss him deeper with a tilt of your head. He follows your lead quietly before softly pulling away at the slight loss of breath.

You two look at each other with a certain daze in your eyes from the kiss, gaze darting back and forth from your eyes to your lips. He licks his lips (your eyes carefully following the motion).

"You're an idiot, y'know that?" You cut the silence off with a tender smile on your lips as you rest your chin on his chest. "You could've just told me you liked me like y'know, a normal human being?"

Satoru rolls his eyes with a grin. "I'm not exactly normal, am I?"

You nod with careful consideration. "You have a point."

There's a pause of comfortable silence as the two of you gaze at each others eyes before Satoru feels for his phone under the covers. You watch him as you lay your head on his chest, watching as he pulls up his playlist and begins to play the last song he sent you.

Laufey's vocals soon echo in his room and the soft sounds of the guitar accompaniment creates a mellow vibe between the two of you.

"Thank you," You whisper, reaching up to place a chast kiss on his lips. He smiles at the peck of your lips. "I did love it. If it's not obvious enough, I do like you too."

Gojo chuckles with glee as he pulls you to rest beside him in his arms.

"Okay, enough of that. Let's make out now." He pulls you close with a pucker of his lips. You angle your head back away from his assault with a laugh pouring from your lips.

"Stop it!"

"Fuck wait, gotta set the mood—"

"What are you— Why the fuck are you playing White Tee—?! Get off Satoru or I will body slam you into wet concrete. I swear to God—"

"What if?"

"You're sick in the head."

"Thanks, I call it love."

a/n: I was gojo in this and i often sent my ex random ass songs with no context at all and she'd always be like ? HAHA we're just friends now and I still send her stuff and now she knows to put it in a playlist whenever I do it <3 neways hope yall enjoyed this. first time writing Gojo! so mb if it was a lil ooc, had to just get it off my chest and project through his character. teehee. also the playlist serves as actual part of the story! yall can imagine its gojo who curated it for u hehe. have a great week ahead yall!

update: someone sent me who i'd think gojo's ult group is,,, if it isnt obvious from the fic its lesserafim 🫶🫶 he's an avid huh yunjin pc collector but he also listens to other groups like girls' generation, IU, and a sprinkle of nct bc noise core is somehow so like him 😁☝️‼️

[atwas-gaming]

People who complain that Sonic's character is "static" must have never played Unleashed or Black Knight. Or they did, but they didn't understand them.

I think one of the reasons why Unleashed and Black Knight are such fan favorites and stick in our memory so well is because the entire theme of both games is about taking Sonic out of his element, taking away things that he has relied on for so long- speed, jumping, spindashing, boosting, homing attacks- taking all those things away from him, and seeing how he does.

And he still shines. Even without all the abilities that he has relied on throughout his entire life, he still manages to beat the Big Bad.

(Please note that I haven't finished either game yet and I'm just drawing from what I've been spoiled on.)

As the werehog, Sonic is not able to curl into a ball at all (we're ignoring the mobile games for this post), and his greater height and weight, probably due to a larger bone structure, as well as heavier, thicker fur, keeps him from being able to run as fast or jump as high as he's used to. He now how to resort to fighting styles he has never used before, including several forms of martial arts (aided by his Dark Gaia-powered stretch abilities). Perhaps the most unusual of all is how he has to get down on all fours to run.

In addition, Sonic describes his werehog form as "pretty ugly." Sonic thinks of himself as good-looking, and this is a part of his personal identity, which is part of why he was upset that Amy didn't recognize him (no matter what feelings he may or may not have for her). The werehog form also seems to be physically uncomfortable and taxing on Sonic's body due to the heavier weight, as the werehog idle animations include Sonic stretching in an exaggerated way and forcibly rotating his shoulders (motions I, myself, have learned to use after years at a desk job that has ruined my neck and upper back). Sonic's idle animations also include him being jumpy and looking around every few seconds- basically, the werehog never fully relaxes.

All in all, Sonic is very uncomfortable as a werehog, and prefers not to be seen in this form. But the reason why is not fully evident until he thanks Chip for protecting him and keeping him from turning evil. To this, Chip replies, "I haven't done anything, Sonic. You're too strong to lose yourself."

On top of this, Amy doesn't have a problem with Sonic's appearance. She still loves him. Tails also doesn't care what Sonic looks like. Neither does Professor Pickle. Neither does ANYONE. Even if they're startled by the werehog's appearance at first, they all seem to go, "Oh, it's just Sonic. This is just what he's like at night."

The entire story of Unleashed was about Sonic coming to realize that he is not who he is because of what he looks like or how he is built.

Black Knight takes this a step further. In Unleashed, Sonic wasn't able to run, but he was still able to use his body as a weapon. In Black Knight, Sonic can run again, but nowhere near as fast as his normal speed. All of Sonic's abilities to fight with his body are stripped from him, and he is forced to use an actual weapon, instead. And Sonic hates this. He even says it: "I wish I didn't have to use this dang sword!"

Sonic has never used a weapon before in the games (as far as I am aware, anyway). His weapon has always been his own body: his feet, his fists, his whole body via spindash and homing attack. Now he's having to train himself to fight with something outside of his own body. This requires not only the creation of new muscle memory, but also a complete shift in the way his brain processes information to fight. He always has the option to just crumble and say, "I can't do this, it's not what I'm used to, I give up." He never does that. He complains a bit at first, but eventually rises to the occasion and excels at swordfighting.

Please bear in mind that I haven't ever gotten past the King Arthur battle. I presume Sonic is forced to kill him, and then I believe there's another half a game after that. But so far, it seems that Sonic's character arc in Black Knight is about him learning that he is not who he is just because of what he can do.

What makes Sonic Sonic is not what he looks like or what he is able to do, but about who he is inside. Sonic is someone who cares, someone who is strong, someone who doesn't give up, someone who sees a difficult situation and, no matter how much of an inconvenience it may be, turns it around and finds a way through.

[whxtedreams]

Chapter 6: A Fragile Existence

Blood Runs Thicker than Water - Joel & F!Reader (Platonic DBF!)

Summary: Four years after the outbreak, you're travelling through the new world with you dad.

Word Count: 3.6k

Tags: reader age: 8, violence, death, fear, typical outbreak emotions and actions, swearing, separation, reader isn’t a helpless kid, Joel goes feral off screen.

Series Masterlist - Main Masterlist - Read on AO3

PART II

THE RAIDER AND THE GUILT - 2007

Chapter 6 - A Fragile Existence

If nightmares had music, it would sound like the storm that rages above you.

The wind howls, the rain lashes your skin and the thunder roars. Each sound blending together in an eerie melody that infiltrates the very core of your being.

Your small hand is held firmly by your father's, guided along the cracked concrete surface as you trail behind the rest of the group. The road is paved with fractures and blemishes, bearing the scars of time and destruction, yet it remains a path that you navigate together.

The roar of thunder pierces the air, sending vibrations through the very foundation of your being, creating an unsettling symphony that echoes the fear reverberating within you as you clutch the torn green sweatshirt two sizes too big for you. The ground trembles with each thunderous clap, almost as if mirroring your own internal turmoil. Your heart races in response to the primal force of nature, each strike of lightning illuminating the darkness with a fierce brightness, only to plunge everything into a deeper, more ominous shadow once the brief flash subsides.

The storm had made its presence known overnight, settling into an unsettling, overcast morning. To your father's dislike, the group had decided to press on, disregarding his concerns about moving through the city under such unfavorable weather conditions. Frustrated, he had lashed out, hurling expletives and curses, calling them reckless and ignorant. Yet his protests fell on deaf ears as the group's decision overshadowed his worries, leaving him to begrudgingly swallow his concerns as they braved the storm-ridden city.

Your father had sat you on a log at the edge of the makeshift campsite. He sat beside you watching the others rush about. Their urgency palpable as they hastily packed up their belongings, preparing for the journey ahead. You, on the other hand had long ago abandoned unpacking, knowing well the need to be ready to flee at a moment's notice. The constant state of readiness had become second nature to you, a reminder of the fragile existence you now navigated.

Shoes always on and tied tight as you slept.

The pattern was familiar to you, a cycle repeated time and time again. The group would accept you and your father, allowing you to travel with them for a while. But inevitably, after a few weeks, doubts would set in, and those who once welcomed you would now question your presence. It became a predictable journey, as you never managed to stay with a group for longer than a month, making it impossible to remember names or faces when every encounter seemed fleeting.

Your father leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper as he shared his plan with you. "We stick to the back of the group, and once we're outside the city limits, we slip away, head out on our own,"  He kept his voice low, careful not to attract the attention of any wandering ears that might overhear his instructions.

“You got your knife?” He asked and you pulled it from your belt to show him before securing it back safely.

You had asked your father why he didn't suggest leaving right away, doubting anyone would notice your disappearance. Your eyes followed the clumsy movements of the group, witnessing someone drop their bag's contents, scattering them in the mud. Confusion mingled with frustration on your father's face as he surveyed the scene, clearly weighing the options in his mind.

Your father sighed heavily, his frustration evident as he witnessed the group's behavior. "Cities are dangerous," he reminded you, his tone filled with concern. "It's safer for us to travel with a larger group. It'll be easier for us to slip away if we encounter any trouble." His hand found your shoulder, gently pulling you into a side hug, a gesture of comfort and affection amidst the uncertain circumstances.

"The only trouble we'll encounter are these stupid fuckers," you grumbled quietly, your eyes scanning the disorganized group before you with a mix of annoyance and disbelief.

His eyes gleamed with amusement as he playfully chided you, shaking his head slightly. "And what have I told you about that language?" he teased. A chuckle escaped his lips as he jokingly threatened, "If I had soap right now, I would wash out your mouth." He punctuated his remark with a playful shove, his lighthearted gesture indicating his attempt to alleviate the tension.

"I wish you had soap, you stink," you remarked, wrinkling your nose in exaggerated disgust. His eyes widened at your retort, a mix of surprise and amusement evident in his reaction.

Your father's playful shove sent you toppling off the log, and you landed face-first into the mud with a startled shriek. Mud splattered across your clothes and face, adding another layer to your dirty appearance. You couldn't help but burst into a fit of laughter as you tried to wipe the thick mud from your face, your amusement outweighing any irritation.

With a smirk, you threw mud from the ground at your father.

Every ounce of laughter had faded as the crumbling city looms before you, casting an eerie shadow over the once cheerful atmosphere you shared with your dad. The mood shifts dramatically, the change palpable as if crossing that invisible line brought with it a sense of foreboding. The once-cheerful air turned heavy and uneasy as the reality of the city's dangers became more real, dampening the earlier lightheartedness.

Your father's eyes dart around anxiously, scanning the surroundings with a watchful gaze. Every noise and movement seems to catch his attention, causing his head to turn incessantly. His sweaty palms and quick breathing betray his inner tension, a clear indication of his nervousness. You cling tightly to him, feeling the unease that radiates from his tense form.

A shout from ahead disrupts the howling storm, its sound swallowed by the gale. The group comes to a halt, and your father swiftly shields you, positioning himself protectively between you and the approaching figure. A woman emerges from an alleyway, her hands clutched at her stomach, a desperate plea for help escaping her lips as she reaches out to the group, pleading for their aid.

Your thoughts race as you recall the name of the person rushing towards the wounded woman in the alley - Jack, you remember. Your father's reaction, marked by muttered curses and rapid eye movement, conveys his growing sense of unease and apprehension. He appears to be on high alert, scanning every corner of the street, anticipating potential danger lurking in the shadows.

Your voice trembles as you call out through the relentless rain, seeking reassurance from your father. "Dad?" you cry out, your panic evident in the urgent tug on his sleeve. In response, his gaze turns toward you, and you're met with a disheartening sight - the sorrowful look in his eyes betrays the fear he had worked so hard to conceal.

Your father's urgent cry rings out above the chaotic sounds of gunfire and screams. "We gotta run," he hollers urgently, his desperate plea piercing through the chaos of the alley. Your eyes snap back to the group, where the once wounded woman now holds a gun, firing at Jack who collapses onto the ground. The unfolding scene is a terrifying sight, as more people brandishing weapons emerge from their hiding spots.

The iron grip of your father's hand around your wrist tightens into a bruising hold as he forcefully yanks you away, urging you into a sprint. The adrenaline surges through your veins, heightening your senses as your legs strain to keep up with his pace. Fear drives each stride, fueling your determination to flee from the unfolding chaos behind you.

Your vision blurs as tears mix with the relentless raindrops cascading down on you. The alleyway becomes a maze as you dart into it, only to glance behind you as you hear the sickening sound of the group's demise on the street. Fear grips your heart as heavy footsteps draw nearer, their presence a sinister reminder of the impending danger. The echoes of bullets striking the slippery brick walls send a shiver down your spine, mingling with the sound of your own desperate screams reverberating throughout the winding alleys.

Your father hastily locates a potential escape route and forcefully kicks open a door, propelling you inside before reluctantly unclasping his grasp on your wrist and drawing his firearm. In a moment of urgency, he drops to his knees in front of you, his heavy breaths mirroring your own panic. His hands cradle your face with an intensity that speaks volumes, holding your gaze firmly as he locks eyes with your frantic gaze.

"You run," he pleads, his voice firm and commanding. Yet beneath the stern words, there's a hint of desperation. His desire to keep you safe shines through his steely expression. But your defiant head shake tells a different story, the love and fear interwoven into your expression, refusing to budge from his side. The sound of approaching footsteps and shouts serves as a chilling reminder that time is of the essence.

Your tear-streaked face stares up at him, your voice shaky with emotion as you firmly declare, "I'm not leaving you, dad." Your fingers clutch onto his arms, anchoring yourself in the fleeting sense of security he offers. A sob wracks through your body, the weight of the situation pressing down upon you, and your father pulls you into his chest, wrapping his arms around you. In that embrace, all the fears and anxieties pour out, finding solace in his protective hold.

His grip on your shoulders tightens as he pulls you off him, his voice filled with a mix of determination and vulnerability. "I'm right behind you, baby," he assures you, his weak smile unable to conceal the trepidation in his eyes. "You keep running and don't look back," he urges, desperation lacing his words. "Promise me you won't look back, no matter what you hear." In that moment, his plea hangs heavily in the air, the weight of his fear for your safety echoing through the tense silence.

“Dad-”

His voice rises, breaking the fragile silence as your father's desperate plea echoes in the air, "Promise me!" His grip on your shoulders tightens, his gaze filled with intensity as he gently shakes you, his voice quivering with anguish.

Your voice catches in a sob as you echo his words, "I promise." The pain of separation is evident in your trembling voice, mirrored in the tears streaming down your face. With a mix of love and determination, your father gazes at you one last time, his eyes filled with a bittersweet resolve before he gently pushes you away, standing up once more.

His voice blares like a siren in your ears as he bellows "Run!" The urgency in his voice is unmistakable, and you instinctively spin on your heels. Tears fly from your cheeks as you begin to sprint, knowing that the sound of your father's voice may be the last you hear it.

As you crawl through another gap in the wire fence, a curse escapes you as the rough edges catch on your sweater, causing yet another tear. Though the storm has subsided to a soft sprinkle falling from the sky, the ominous sounds of shouts and gunfire continue to drift from the distance, hinting at the dangers that lie in wait. Despite having put several blocks between you and the hostile group that attacked you, the lingering sense of unease remains as you press on.

As you struggle to wipe away the caked mud that clings stubbornly to your skin, you let out a frustrated huff and lean against the wall, feeling the rough bricks against your back. The impact of your head hitting the wall is a testament to the exhaustion that seeps through your bones, and a wave of weariness washes over you. Just for a moment, you tell yourself. Just one brief moment to rest, to clear your mind before pressing onward. The adrenaline that had fueled your escape begins to subside, leaving you feeling drained and vulnerable in the deserted backstreet.

Your eyes fixate on a broken sign swaying in the breeze across the street, marking the location of a pet store. Deciding it would be a safe spot to rest, you summon what remaining energy you have, pushing yourself away from the wall and moving across the deserted road. As you reach the entrance to the pet store, you reach for the knife at your belt, grasping it firmly in preparation for any surprises that may await you inside. The anticipation courses through you, leaving a sense of unease mixed with determination as you step into the unknown confines of the abandoned storefront. 

The chime of the bell announces your arrival as you push open the door, causing you to roll your eyes in annoyance. It seems that every single store has a bell to signal newcomers, and you're growing tired of its relentless presence. As you step inside, the sounds of the city outside fade into the background, replaced by the eerie silence that pervades the abandoned pet store.

The sight of lifeless animals behind the glass cases evokes a mix of pity and discomfort, and you try to suppress the emotions that surface. Resolutely, you push forward, forging a path through the store. As you reach the back, you hesitantly push open the door, the creaking noise it emits adding to the already eerie atmosphere.

The room is illuminated by a soft glow, with sunlight creeping through the window as day breaks through the night, casting a faint luminescence on the surroundings. What captures your attention, though, is an unexpected sight - a light bulb hanging from a string on the ceiling, gently swaying in response to an invisible draft.

That’s strange, there’s no wind?

A searing panic shoots through you as you're suddenly blindsided, hands wrapping around your mouth, effectively silencing your cries and effectively cutting off your air supply. Your body instinctively stiffens, adrenaline flooding your system as you fight against the unexpected assailant.

Your teeth tear into the flesh, a desperate attempt to defend yourself from the unexpected attack. Simultaneously, you bring your leg up, planting a powerful stomp on his foot. A guttural groan escapes the man behind you as he stumbles back, releasing his suffocating grip on your mouth. "The little fucker," he curses, his voice filled with surprise and irritation.

In a swift motion, you spin around, brandishing your knife and slicing it across his chest. He lets out a cry of pain and instinctively kicks you backwards, sending you stumbling into the room. Quick thinking leads you to kick the door shut as you land on your back to buy yourself some time, trying to create a barrier between you and the hostile stranger.

Your breath catches in your throat as panic floods your system, causing a wave of unease to wash over you. You force yourself to your feet, desperately trying to regain control over your breathing. Drawing upon the knowledge your father bestowed upon you, you steady your breaths, willing yourself to remain calm. With determination, you shove a fallen chair under the handle of the door, silently hoping it will buy you precious time to find a means of escape.

Your heart skips a beat as the door begins to shake and the chair creaks under the relentless battering, signaling the futility of its defense. Acting on pure instinct, you swiftly push away the strands of hair plastered to your sweaty face, your body propelled in a frenzied dash toward the window.

Their voices filter through the crack in the door and a woman's voice chimes in, tinged with the unmistakable undercurrent of mockery. She chuckles as she addresses the other assailant, her tone dripping with derision. "What happened to you?" she taunts the man, her voice carrying a hint of amusement.

The man's annoyed growl fills the air as he kicks the door in response, his voice laced with irritation. "Little shit had a knife," he mutters, the anger evident in the force behind his kick. Desperation claws at you as you spin back toward the window, attempting to pry it open. However, your efforts are met with resistance, the window stubbornly refusing to budge. In frustration, you bang your fists against the glass, the fear within you swelling as the seconds tick by.

The distinctive chime of the door echoes through the air once more, announcing the arrival of further assailants. Your mind races, desperately scanning the surroundings for something, anything, that can aid in shattering the glass barrier before you. A fallen brick amidst the rubble cascading from the damaged wall catches your attention and you quickly grab it, a flicker of triumph seizes your emotions as you clutch it in your trembling hand.

Chaos erupts in the adjacent room as a heated argument escalates into the eruption of gunfire, its echoes reverberating through the air. Realizing there's no time to waste, you swiftly hurl the brick through the window, shattering it into fragments. Without hesitation, you hastily retrieve a piece of wood and begin frenziedly slamming it against the remaining shards still clinging to the broken windowpane, determined to create an opening large enough to squeeze through without cutting yourself.

Just as you prepare to climb through the shattered window, the door behind you explodes open with a jarring crash, signaling the end of your desperate escape attempt. A shout rings out through the chaos, followed by the thundering footsteps that approach at a rapid pace. Unrelenting panic grips your throat as a hand snatches your foot, exerting an iron grip and forcefully yanking you back into the room.

Your voice rises defiantly as you howl, "Get off me!" In a desperate bid to break free, you miraculously manage to land a solid kick to his face. He lets out a pained groan, frustration palpable in his response as his grip tightens on your wrists, seizing control over you. He violently flings your knife across the room, its metallic clatter blending with the chaotic symphony of sounds. The man is uttering words, but his voice is swallowed by the tumultuous roar of your own screams.

The touch of a calloused hand on your face surprises you, as it feels inexplicably gentle against your skin. In your frenzied screams, the dichotomy registers, and you stop abruptly. With a sense of confusion, you open your eyes, your heart still racing from the adrenaline-fueled panic that consumed you moments ago. 

"It's me," he exclaims, his eyes locking onto yours, pleading for recognition. A note of urgency tinges his voice as he tenderly pushes aside the strands of hair that cling to your face. "Baby, it's me."

Time seems to stand still as the oxygen leaves your lungs, rendering you momentarily speechless. A sense of disbelief washes over you, wondering if this is a cruel trick played by your mind, if his face is merely conjured up by fractured memories. In this surreal moment, you entertain the possibility that you're already in the afterlife, and he has come back to guide you. But the gentle rise and fall of his chest, the undeniable sign of life itself, confirms your reality - he's alive, and it's truly him.

“Joel?” Your disbelief transforms into a tentative hope as his name escapes your lips in a whispered question. As he rises to his knees, your struggles come to an abrupt halt, freeing him from your desperate attempts to break free. In this moment of ceasefire, your eyes meet his, and the tension that had gripped you melts away, replaced by the mutual relief mirrored on both your faces. His chest rises and falls with the weight of his own labored breaths, a testament to the intensity of the struggle.

The image of his battered form burns itself into your mind - his body a canvas of smeared blood and dirt, his soaked hair clinging limply to his face as blood drips from him. Despite the mess that surrounds him, there's an undeniable familiarity in his presence. No matter how beaten and bloodied he may be, the unmistakable essence of Joel remains intact, a glimmer of recognition flickering through the turmoil.

It's him, Joel, kneeling before you, battered yet unbroken.

With sudden urgency, you push yourself off the ground, rushing into his embrace. His arms encircle you with a powerful and desperate hold, as if he fears that you might disappear if he lets go. His grip tightens, holding onto you as if his very existence depends on it.

His words, spoken gently into the crook of your shoulder, hold a soothing promise. "You're alright, princess. Everything's alright," Joel reassures you, his voice a balm to your frightened heart. He pulls you closer, nestling your head against his chest, his own head resting upon yours as he slowly rocks you. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat seems to steady your own racing pulse, serving as a grounding presence amidst the whirlwind of emotions.

As your eyes slowly flutter open and rise, they are met with the gruesome scenes that surround you. The room across from you is marked by a stark display of violence and devastation. Your gaze falls upon the splayed bodies, their limp forms spread lifelessly on the ground, starkly contrasted against the backdrop of sticky blood that drips silently down the walls.

With gentle and soothing motions, Joel's hand begins to stroke the length of your back, offering a comforting presence. Your gaze remains fixed on the still form of the dead man, his lifeless eyes staring back at you as blood drips from the hole in his neck. Joel's voice breaks the tense silence, whispering reassurances once more. "Everything's alright." The repetition of his words serves as a soothing mantra, a lifeline that grounds you in the face of shock and terror.

You’re not sure if he was telling you or himself.

Click here for Chapter 7 - Comming soon

Notes

I had way too much fun wrirting this. It's been a while since I wrote anything within the outbreak so it's nice to write scenes in this world again. I havent written anything like this since The hardest part is who we are and it's been a while since i wrote anything for that series. Since the year is 2007, reader is around 8 now - a 4 year time jump. also looking over joels shoulder to see what he did, yikes.

Next chapter Sneak Peak!

And now in this moment, as he cradles her tightly in his arms, a tear runs Joel’s face. The bittersweet feeling of contentment washes over him as he gazes down at her, the sight of her clinging to him echoing the memories from years past. He realizes that his tumultuous journey, marked by the shadows of guilt and the weight of his past transgressions, has somehow led him back to his girl - his reason, his purpose. In this tender reunion, everything he's done, both good and bad, suddenly seems worth it, leading him back home to her, breathing and alive.

If you want to be tagged, please comment on the masterlist for this series and I will add you. If you want to be taken off, please DM so i don't miss your request.

Every comment, like and reblog means the world to me. please let me know your thoughts about this, i want to ramble about this story so much.

tags: @sunandmuun , @rain-soaked-sun, @frootloops1213 , @samarav , @geralallfandoms , @joelmillersblog , @severussimp

[homestuckreplay]

Mommy Issues: The Flash Game

(p.388-390)

Page 388 is our first interactive Rose page! I guess p.138 could technically count, but it's the first where we can see her! It's also an iteration on p.90, where John Strifes with his dad. I've been looking at these pages side by side (yes, with the music layered on top of each other), and the animation in Rose's page is both longer and more complex. Even the idle animation - what's happening when you don't click any buttons - has more going on, with Rose doing two separate youth rolls and Rose's mom reacting to attacks, interestingly even when Rose isn't doing anything. Perhaps she is very used to this

We then have four options to choose, compared to John's two. They follow a pattern - the more attack-based moves (shown in Sburb green) begin with AG (Aggress and Aggrieve) - the new one, Aggrieve, is also the name of Rose's theme music that she plays on the violin (p.222) and gets featured here. The more defensive moves (shown in blue) begin with AB (Abjure and Abstain). These are actually Latin word roots, with 'ag-' meaning 'to' or 'towards', and 'ab-' meaning 'away' or 'from'. In the internet age where it's very easy to look up definitions and origins of words, I love that Homestuck is linguistically dense like this, and it doesn't stop it from being accessible to people who are younger or don't have advanced educations.

brief discussion of each of the four options below the cut!

So, these options! 'Aggrieve' is Rose's attack with knitting needles (her kind abstrata) just like John's 'Aggrieve' was a hammer attack - and in both cases, the opponent parries with their own weapon. John's dad almost certainly uses cakekind, while Rose's mom uses... boozekind? beveragekind? martinikind? which gives her incredible possibility for molotov cocktails if she was ever facing down a more formidable foe. It's again a more complex animation than John's, which I think speaks both to Hussie gaining confidence with the flash medium, and to Rose being more experienced with using the knitting needles and with fighting her mom - we learn on the next page that this is a 'daily quota' for Rose's mom.

'Aggress' appropriately becomes 'Passive-Aggress' when we try to select this option. Rose sticks her knitting needles into the broken power socket above the bronzed vacuum cleaner and attempts an 'empty suicide threat' which is some very strong imagery, and honestly a way more manipulative gesture than just passive aggression. We don't see a reaction from Mom, which implies again that this is a daily occurrence, and emphasizes more than anything else so far (in my opinion) just how unhealthy this relationship is. If your kid is making suicide threats, even if what they're trying wouldn't work, even if you think it's "for attention," you should get them some help. What I'm saying is that Rose needs a tentacle therapist of her own.

'Abjure' results in a Guardian Rubric, which for John's dad was 'coddlebrand'. This is from 'coddle' - 'to treat indulgently,' and 'brand' - 'to burn a mark upon with a hot iron', which is really evocative of how John reacts to his dad's coddling, and I think shows us that we're still seeing the fight from John's perspective, even though his dad is the primary actor. In the same way, Mom's Guardian Rubric is 'ironic indulgence', because Rose interprets all her mom's actions as ironic, whether or not that's her mom's intent.

Rose's mom gives her a beautiful pony. Like. For no reason. She brings a living animal into the house, one that requires a lot of skilled care and attention. And it's just a gift she gives her daughter on a whim on a random Monday. I think this shows Mom as a negligent parent far more clearly than any of Rose's words do. If Mom has bought a pony presumably without setting up a stable or learning how to take care of one, it's easy to believe she did the same with Rose - deciding to have or keep a child without understanding how much work went into that, or being willing to learn.

Rose is as resistant to the pony as John was to the cake, but in both cases, they eventually accept the gift. John does this reluctantly because he sees this as the only way to end the strife, while Rose does this after the strife is already over. She creates an illusion of reluctance, but the heart above her head on p.390 suggests that she actually likes this creature. I think Rose is an animal lover in general, someone who'd describe herself as liking animals but not people. She obviously loved her childhood cat a lot and likes this pony too, but overall finds it much easier to acknowledge liking a creature if it's not something typically thought of as 'cute', such as Fluthlu.

Ponies are most commonly an interest of young girls, and the addition of a pink heart and bow make this a very traditionally feminine gift. The same is true of the Pretty Princess Doll on the couch. I think Rose knitting the princess doll an eldritch head and arms is very queer coded, as she twists typical femininity into something less societally approved. I can't wait to see if she does something similar with the pony, maybe swapping out her pink ribbon for something darker and spookier.

The final option is 'Abstain,' another Guardian Rubric. This one is 'ironic negligence,' where Rose's mom offers her the martini to drink and Rose parries with a bottle of water, and as discussed above I don't think it is ironic. I was wrong in an earlier post where I guessed that alcohol was off limits to Rose. It looks like she's been offered alcohol, maybe often, and has responded by being Extremely Straightedge. Maybe she only drinks water and won't even touch kid-appropriate drinks like juice and soda. I think it's not uncommon for children of heavy drinkers to make an effort to not fall into those same patterns, and I also think that Rose intentionally tries to have opposite opinions and behaviors to her mom (even while she's not always successful) and the combination of these two things easily lend themselves to a hardcore water drinker.

Just like in John's Strife, we get to choose which options to click, in what order, and how many times, but we can't win the fight for them. John as the main character had to do that for himself (with some help from the player). In Rose's case, there's no win condition at all and no real goal for either of them. They fight for a while, and then it ends, and they return to their previous activities - Mom doing very real and unironic housework, and Rose leaving the house angrily. John and his dad had conflicting goals they were trying to achieve, but Rose and her mom were fighting for sport because this is a primary way they know how to interact - something to keep in mind for both relationships.

I like seeing the animation get more advanced in Rose's strife - it gets me really excited for something similar with Dave and GG - but honestly nothing in this page beats the sick ass moment where Dad clicks on the lighter and then the music starts playing at the moment all the candles catch fire.

[strange-destinations]

Kitty can I please request the Mysterious Benedict Society squad (all of them, not just the main four) as to ''who will survive castle dracula''?

(......I initially meant ''the Benedict twins and Rhonda and Number Two and Milligan and SQ'' when I said ''all of them,'' but ngl a hilarious bonus question is ''if the ten men got trapped there too what chaos would ensue'' so I'm gonna add that on as well XD)

sigh, here we go. @canyourfavesurvivecastledracula, tell me if you want me to stop tagging you.

Overall, I don't think many of the characters in the Mysterious Benedict Society series have a really huge belief in the supernatural regarding vampires and things that go bump in the night.... but then again, a lot of the plot revolves around a machine that influences everybody with subliminal psychic messages, and also there's a toddler who's inexplicably naturally psychic. And everyone pretty much takes all of this as 'a bit strange! But okay, I'll believe it!' So in general let's assume a baseline of, 'sure, vampires, why not' from the entire cast.

okay, let's go kids first. That's right, we're subjecting children to the horrors of Castle Dracula.

Reynie Muldoon - is very much a Jonathan Harker-like kid to start with, actually. May accept the crucifix out of politeness. Most likely to be able to hold Dracula's attention in conversation. I feel like Dracula is like Mr Curtain in a lot of respects, and the vibes between Reynie and him would be similar. Many tense, charged games of chess may occur. I believe in his ability to survive the psychological torment, because he's got a hell of a strong will, but I don't believe in his physical ability to escape. Either the GFs get him or Dracula himself does.

Kate Wetherall - would accept the crucifix, not out of any particular politeness or religious belief, but just because you never know when you might need a handy cross-shaped trinket! Into the bucket it goes! Least likely to hold Dracula's attention, she's way too ADHD and not really the sort of person who'd interest him apart from being an adrenaline-filled bloodbag. MOST likely to stage a daring escape using the contents of her bucket, which Dracula will not be able to steal or throw out the window because of the crucifix handily concealed within. Most likely of all the kids to survive this.

Sticky Washington - oh boy, Sticky. His encyclopedic knowledge of vampire lore will probably give him a bit of an edge... but not much. Sticky on-his-own isn't brave enough to go exploring/sneaking around extensively unless things get really dire. And Dracula himself would scare the shit out of Sticky to the point of near-nonresponsiveness, to the point where I don't think Sticky would seem that interesting to Drac after a while. Would a photographic memory and lots of vampire trivia help him survive? Probably, for a while. Would it help him escape? Probably not. Sticky's only sticking around in Castle Dracula for a little bit. Also Dracula would smash his glasses 'by accident' as a power play.

Constance Contraire - grumpy toddler showing up to Castle Dracula?Cool, it's basically vampire DoorDash! ...would be Dracula's first thought - before he realizes that she's psychic. Constance doesn't have a lot going for her, all things told. She's not particularly physically able, she's obstinate and stubborn and not a great conversationalist, I doubt she'd take the crucifix out of that same stubbornness, and also she'd compose some really unflattering slam poetry about Dracula, Dracula's castle, Dracula's girlfriends, etc etc etc. Escape isn't really an option here. It would all come down to a battle of wills between Dracula and Constance.... which I'm not sure Constance would win, on her own. Sorry, the baby's dying here without help.

To nobody's surprise, the Society would be able to survive Castle Dracula if they were all trapped in it together, and in fact that's an incredible fic idea that I don't have time or energy to write. However, on their own... they're just a bunch of kids. They're not going to do so great.

What about the others?

Mr Benedict - is most certainly accepting the crucifix, but his good luck ends there. Everything about Castle Dracula is designed to heighten anxiety and make your emotions go into overdrive. And it's definitely not a good place to go around falling asleep in random places because you get upset or overwhelmed. The moment Dracula twigs to the narcolepsy situation, Mr Benedict's pretty much fully screwed. The one thing that might save him is the fact that he's an incredibly intelligent and brilliant man, and Dracula might want to pick his brain a bit.

Mr Curtain - would most certainly NOT accept the crucifix, he's too proud for that. Assuming he somehow manages to get his wheelchair up the mountain - or going by TV!Curtain, where he doesn't have a wheelchair at all - he's immediately going to set about trying to strike up a business deal with Dracula to expand his global reach. Either the Count kills Curtain, or they make each other worse and everybody else is going to have a bad time. It's kind of up in the air on that one.

Number Two - has an incredible advantage over literally everyone else here in almost never needing to sleep. I don't think she's going to be especially happy about it, but having the full run of the castle during the daytime despite Dracula's best efforts (and, if we go by the TV show, being a completely unhinged force of destructive chaos) is going to mean that she'll probably manage to sneak out using an inventive and clever strategy.

Rhonda Kazembe - I can't think of anything that gives Rhonda more or less of an advantage than your average person - would probably take a similar approach to Number Two in escaping, with a bit more social skills re: talking to Dracula.

Milligan - doesn't need a crucifix. Beats up Dracula singlehandedly and throws him out a window because he left Kate down in the town and promised he'd be back for her. Does the same for the vampire GFs, no problem, not even a moment of hesitation. Rips up his own clothes to fashion a rope to climb down out of the castle, treks by foot all the way down the mountain. Rocks up to town several weeks later, heavily injured and looking awful but still alive.

SQ - there's no easy way to say this: SQ doesn't have anything at all going for him in this situation. He is, unfortunately, not particularly smart and not particularly agile. He's a great artist, but that's not helpful here. I think he's just a handy snack to Drac unless someone shows up to help him.

[sergeantgoggles]

I said it on Twitter, but I'll say it here, too:

CX-2 and Future Projects Speculation

I know we're all like, "It's Tech! It has to be!" But I'm keeping my options open, and I'm sticking to my crack theory that it's Fives.

Consider what we know: They're seemingly unphased by seeing people that they should recognize. It doesn't seem to jog anything or trigger a reaction. All they care about is the mission.

We know that DBB made it a point to say that Tech finished his mission, but Fives never got to. His mission objective wasn't complete.

(Also, pretty wild that every time CX-2 has shown up, Echo has conveniently been gone.)

We also know now that Echo doesn't consider himself as part of the Bad Batch anymore. Why make that distinction if it isn't important. Paired with the knowledge that the series ends on 5/01, I think it's a more than fair speculation that there will be an Echo and Rex show, and what better way to tie in the plot of TBB than having one of the main antagonists turn out to be a former member of the five hundred and first? Maybe we're not meant to know who CX-2 is yet because he's going to play a much bigger role in a follow-up series with Rex and Echo.

And honestly, how poetic would it be to have Fives and Echo go out together?

Also, let's add the bonus layer of Cody still being MIA. The four of them together again trying to take down the Empire would be the best chef's kiss.

[datvtranscripts]

A Warden’s Best Friend Pt. 1

Warden Contacts

Davrin Masterpost

Signs and Portents Masterpost Previous: A Familiar Dagger

After traveling through the eluvians, Rook and Harding walk through some desert canyons in the Anderfels.

Harding: Wardens Evka and Antoine answered our letter. They're willing to talk.

Rook: In the middle of nowhere?

Harding: Where the First Warden won't notice. But if they don't listen…

(Explosion)

Rook and Harding rush ahead to the source of the explosion, where there is a dead darkspawn and a pair of Wardens standing over it.

Evka: Ah. Your distraction worked. Could have set it when we were farther away.

Antoine: Désolé. I didn't say it was a good plan.

Rook and Harding approach.

Antoine: Ah! You made it!

Origin dependent dialogue:

Grey Warden Rook [1]

Non-Grey Warden Rook [2]

1 - Grey Warden Rook → As a Grey Warden, you’re friends with fellow Wardens Evka and Antoine.

Rook: Antoine. Evka. It's been a while.

Antoine: Yes! And Harding, it's good to see you again.

Evka: I hear you've been causing problems.

Dialogue options:

Affable: That won’t bother you. [3]

Sarcastic: The First Warden exaggerates. [4]

Stoic: I’ve been solving them. [5]

Sad: And I need your help. [6]

3 - Affable: That won’t bother you. Rook: And you two haven't? Evka: We don't make problems. Antoine: We just fall into them. Evka: What's the latest? [7]

4 - Sarcastic: The First Warden exaggerates. Rook: I'm trying to stop it. Not my fault the First Warden has a stick up his— Evka: And you wonder why he doesn't like you. Antoine: He barely likes us. What's going on? [7]

5 - Stoic: I’ve been solving them. Rook: More like solving them. Rubs people the wrong way. Evka: So what's the latest? [7]

6 - Sad: And I need your help. Rook: Solas, the ritual… ever since I left, it's all gone wrong. Antoine: Then we'll fix it. Rook: Or die trying? Evka: That's the deal. What happened? [7]

7 - Scene continues.

Rook: It's the elven gods. They're real and they're changing the blight. Darkspawn too. You must've heard of D'Meta's Crossing. The blight there was unlike anything I've seen. And it hit too fast. Whatever comes next, it's bad.

Antoine: A change? Manipulation could explain it. We've been looking into oddities with the blight ourselves and… it's altered. I can feel it.

Rook: Then you believe me?

Evka: You're a lot of things, Rook—and a good Warden's one of them. You wouldn't lie about this.

Dialogue options:

Affable: That means a lot. [8]

Sarcastic: You two are my favorites. [9]

Stoic: Then what’s next? [10]

8 - Affable: That means a lot. Rook: Thanks, I… just thanks. Antoine: We're with you. Now, let's see what we can do. [11]

9 - Sarcastic: You two are my favorites. Rook: I'd lie about a lot of other things, but… thanks. You're the best. Evka: (Chuckles) You've got our help. No need to suck up. Antoine: I'll take the compliment. Harding: So what now? [11]

10 - Stoic: Then what’s next? Rook: All right. Good. So what do we do? Antoine: We make a plan. [11]

11 - Scene continues.

Evka: If the blight's changed, we need our Order. The First Warden likes us more than you, but that's not saying much.

Antoine: If he thinks what happened to that village was an aberration… A further hunch from Evka and myself won't win him over.

Rook: We need more proof.

Evka: If the darkspawn are changing, Davrin might help. Even among Wardens he's known as a monster hunter. He got pulled on a mission. Not sure what, but it's farther into the mountains. We can get you a rough location.

Antoine: I married someone with good advice. You find Davrin, and we'll keep after the blight.

Dialogue options:

Affable: Sounds like a plan. [12]

Sarcastic: This is great! [13]

Stoic: No time to waste. [14]

12 - Affable: Sounds like a plan. Rook: Got it. Stay safe. Antoine: You too. Evka: We'll see you soon. +Harding Approves Scene ends.

13 - Sarcastic: This is great! Rook: Three Wardens. It's more than we had yesterday. Antoine: The best three for chasing the unusual. And soon four if you find Davrin. Evka: Let's make it happen. We'll see you soon. +Harding Approves Scene ends.

14 - Stoic: No time to waste. Rook: Then let's get moving. Nothing gets better while we stand here. Antoine: (Laughs) Then let's make things better. Evka: We'll send word if we find something. +Harding Approves Scene ends.

2 - Non-Grey Warden Rook Antoine: Harding. We meet again.

Harding: Antoine! Evka! You look well.

Evka: And you must be Rook. Heard some colorful things about you.

Dialogue options:

Affable: Thanks for showing up. [15]

Sarcastic: I’m not surprised. [16]

Stoic: All true. [17]

15 - Affable: Thanks for showing up. Rook: I know. But you showed up anyway. Antoine: Well, your letter was… desperate. Rook: Uh, Harding? Harding: What? Aren't we desperate? Evka: Let's hear what you've got to say. [18]

16 - Sarcastic: I’m not surprised. Rook: Yeah. I get that a lot. Evka: I can imagine. Antoine: What have you come to talk about? [18]

17 - Stoic: All true. Rook: And they're all true. Evka: And you want what from us? [18]

18 - Scene continues.

Harding: The elven gods are changing the blight. Darkspawn too. There was a village. D'Meta's Crossing. They overran it with the blight in a snap. We saw the aftermath.

Rook: Whatever they're planning, it's bad. And if it involves the blight, we need Warden help.

Antoine: A change? Manipulation. That could explain… but… (Frustrated sigh)

Rook: You believe me?

Antoine: That the elven gods are here and… It's a lot to accept. But we've been looking into oddities with the blight ourselves. It's… altered. I can feel it. And your story…

Evka: A lot lines up.

Dialogue options:

Affable: Please. We want to help. [19]

Sarcastic: You’ve got to trust Harding. [20]

Stoic: Then do something about it. [21]

19 - Affable: Please. We want to help. Rook: Whatever you've heard from the First Warden, we're trying to help. Evka: Yeah. We're getting that. [22]

20 - Sarcastic: You’ve got to trust Harding. Rook: Exactly. Besides, even if you doubt me—you know Harding wouldn't lie. Harding: That's not a reason to—I mean, I'm not lying. We're not lying. Evka: We know. The question is what to do next. [22]

21 - Stoic: Then do something about it. Rook: Then make the rest of the Wardens see it. The world won't wait for your stubborn boss. Evka: (Laughs) Some of the rumors about you were true. [22]

22 - Scene continues.

Antoine: If the First Warden believes that village was an aberration, or that it did not happen as you say…

Evka: We're not exactly the First Warden's favorites. Your word and our theories won't win the whole Order.

Harding: So what do we do?

Evka: If the darkspawn are changing, Davrin might help. Even among Wardens he's known as a monster hunter. He got pulled on a mission. Not sure what, but it's farther into the mountains. We can get you a rough location.

Antoine: I married someone with good advice. You find Davrin, and we'll keep after the blight.

Dialogue options:

Affable: I appreciate this. [23]

Sarcastic: You won’t regret this! [24]

Stoic: This Davrin better be good. [25]

23 - Affable: I appreciate this. Rook: Thank you. Both of you. Evka: You can thank us if this works out. Antoine: Travel safely. We'll be in touch. +Harding Approves Scene ends.

24 - Sarcastic: You won’t regret this! Rook: I can do that. And you won't regret helping us. Antoine: (Laughs) Bonne chance, Rook. Evka: We'll be in touch. +Harding Approves Scene ends.

25 - Stoic: This Davrin better be good. Rook: Fine. But this Davrin better believe us. Antoine: We wouldn't send you up a mountain for someone who won't listen. Evka: We should get moving ourselves. We'll be in touch. +Harding Approves Scene ends.

Next: Monster Hunter

[legendofmorons]

Lost at sea (Colors)

This is 2nd place in my 100 follower event for @twistedfairytalefantasy

Pairing: Colors x reader (background Four x reader)

Rating: T

Summary: When you discover that your boyfriend is able to split into four people, it's stressful for all five of you. But it's okay, you're sticking together.

Warnings: Overprotective brother,

Other: I'll come in and fix the formatting in a week or so. If I missed anything, please let me know.

-------

Today has not gone at all how anyone planned. From your brother coming in and being rude towards Four to you getting dragged into one of Wind's best to date shenanigans.

The words your brother said still circle the colors' head.

'Worthless.'

'Not even close to goof enough.'

'A two bit shill who will leave you.'

Obviously these words aren't true but they hurt. And even if they aren't true they feel true.

With Red and Green are fully convinced your brother is right, the only real option is to get to somewhere private and to split.

Blue and Vio argue vehemently the entire way back to the room that your brother is wrong. That his opinion doesn't matter as much as yours does.

That you chose them which makes them worthy of you. After all who's a better judge of what you need and want than you yourself?

The colors really weren't expecting anyone to come into the room until much later. Which is why they're in this predicament. You had found them- and understandably had a little freak out because realistically this is strange and unusual.

Hylia could only save this.

Or maybe it's not gonna be so bad?

You've always been accepting of them before.

…….

The colors had split, each of them having an issue which of course gave them a splitting headache.

The entirety of the argument they'd had with your overprotective brother spinning in their heads.

Your brother is right though, they're not good enough for you. They keep hiding the main secret they have from you.

And it's not like you could just accept this. That would be too much to ask, even from you.

You- who have always accepted them wholeheartedly… even if you don't know about the colors.

You've never hurt them on purpose. And you've always defended them- even if they didn't believe it.

Just the thought of you finding out and hating them is enough to send them spiraling.

Red and Green both sit down on the bed they had taken for themselves.

Blue and Vio sit on your bed.

All four seem displeased and the conversation has only just started.

"We have to just ignore him." Blue says, arms crossing. "(Y/n) chose us. That's more important than anything their brother said."

Green is still frowning, "But family opinions can matter a lot to people!"

"Besides… It's not like (Y/n) knows about us. They didn't actually choose us. They chose Four."

"We are Four." Blue counters evenly, "They absolutely chose us. They just don't know everything yet."

"And what about when they find out?" Vio asks, gaze narrowing, "We're not exactly normal."

"So? No one we're traveling with is."

"So you want us to just be optimistic?" Green asks, "I know (Y/n) wouldn't let our secret slip…. But it seems like a tall order to expect them to still want anything to do with us after they learn about us."

"But I think-" Red starts, only to be cut off by the door opening with the loudest creak.

Uh oh. They'd been so preoccupied they hadn't heard anyone approach. Of all the possibilities they hope it's Time or Twilight- those two are the least reactive.

Your face is the first thing they see.

Uh oh.

You slam the door shut, eyes narrowing as tears still gather in them from the previous experience.

Your brother's words about your boyfriend running your mind. You know he thinks he's helping but you wish he hadn't.

Hearing him tear into Four when the man wasn't around to defend himself upset you. And while normally you'd tell anyone who pulled that to shut up- you have a harder time with family.

You do know your brother was looking out for you in your own way. But the argument that ensued was exhausting.

You don't feel guilty though. You feel justified in setting your brother straight. He'd obviously lost his whole rocker.

You wipe your eyes quickly, setting yourself right.

Blue and Green both share a look, dreadful and resigned.

Vio watches, knowing it's too late to re-form into their original form. He chooses to have faith in you the way you deserve.

Red just sighs, shoulders slumping with the action.

You haven't seen them yet, the shared looks of panic between the colors stay unnoticed.

You finally look around, eyes blowing wide as quarters when you see four men in different colored tunics.

At first glance you thought one was Four- but these men are near identical.

"Who are you?!" You demand, hand reaching for the sword on your back.

That action alone is enough to upset them.

But then they process your words. And they're softening as they try to figure out what to do to help.

Your voice is entirely too accusing for the colors- they've never heard you so untrusting of them… But you've never seen them either have you?

"Wait!" Red calls quickly in an effort to keep you from attacking them. "It us- we're uh- Four!"

"Uh, no you aren't." Your voice is confused- but you hesitate a little.

Your hand hovers as if frozen beside the grip of your sword.

That’s reassuring at least. The colors share a look. They can work with this- at least to talk you out of fight mode.

Their voices- it still sounds like Four. And they all look impossibly like your boyfriend.

This is so weird.

Could they be telling the truth?

"(Y/n)." Green says, "This isn't how we are. wanted you to-"

"Shut up and let them think." Blue says with a glare.

Red looks thoroughly offended but when he opens his mouth to respond Green sets one hand on his shoulder. Effectively silencing him.

Vio just watches you, taking in everything you do and say. Trying to make a game plan. (Not that he knows what game you're all even playing.)

You take in the scene before you, confused and considering yelling for one of the boys. Because what in the name of Hylia and her sisters is this?

You narrow your eyes, but you can't find anything to disprove their claim…

They look remarkably like Four- the same features and hair. The same expressions you're famous with paint their faces- each of them having a separate look on their face.

Wait…

Four's sword…

The four sword-

Oh.

Nothing named like that is ever just named that.

That can't mean that-

The sword probably multiplies a person?

Maybe it splits them?

Who knows? Not you.

This is already giving you a headache.

You let out a slow sigh, trying to wrap your brain around the new ideas and information presented to you. The scene before you doing nothing to ease your brain.

"Uhm- not to be overbearing- but are you okay?" Green asks, tilting his head.

You let out a sigh, relaxing a little as you drop your hand back down.

Obviously they aren't going to attack you right now. And if they're being honest they're Four- or well versions of him.

You can't imagine Four ever hurting you on purpose.

Huh.

Well then. You're probably safe aren't you?

You can relax then.

"I'm fine. This is- a lot." You say, trying not to let your own confused panic flood your voice.

"We're sure." Vio says, his own gaze stuck to you. He can tell you aren't handling this as well as you want them to think.

"So… You're all Four?"

"Parts of him." Red explains with a shrug, "We're all one of his major parts."

You nod along, trying not to let your expression give away your unsure panic.

"Oh… well it's nice to meet you?"

"We already know you." Blue says sharply something almighty about it. Well- maybe not almighty- more cocky. Yeah, that's the word.

It's endearing almost- Four always seems so calm and gentle. It's nice to see a version of him proud.

It's well deserved after all. Being a Chosen Hero, a blacksmith, this latest adventure? More than deserved.

"Well I haven't met you. Have I?"

"No. You haven't." Vio says, his tone anything but revealing.

"I'm Green! The Cranky one is blue!"

"Oh- that makes sense."

"I'm Red!"

"Hi. Does that make you Purple?" You ask, eyes falling to Vio.

"No. I'm Vio."

"Oh- that's short for Violet then? Pretty."

"Violence." Blue pipes up helpfully.

"Oh. Huh. That's- something else." You say, unsure what you're expected to say or do in response to any of this.

Like seriously. What in the name of the stars are you supposed to do?

One good outcome is this gives you a whole new thing to focus on than anything your brother said.

And this- well you're invested in where this goes.

"If it would help we can re-fuse?" Green suggests.

"No. It's fine- I just really wasn't expecting this today."

"Or probably ever." Vio says with little more than a glance your way.

"I can't say I did."

"Who would? Freaked us pretty good too." Green smiles, "Are you sure you don't want us to-"

"No. It's fine. I promise. I'd really love to get to know each of you."

"Ooooh come sit with me!" Red grins as he seems to bounce in place on the bed.

You look at Red, and feel guilty even as you hesitate.

Is it rude to sit with one of them over the other?

That's something to figure out later.

"He doesn't bite." Vio says with a tilt of his head.

"I do." Blue says with crossed arms.

"Please don't bite me?" You say the phrase more of a question than a statement.

"I won't bite you. You're ours." Blue says, sounding as if this should be totally obvious.

"Okay. Thanks… I think."

You walk from where you've been standing just inside the room to sit between Green and Red.

Red sets his head against your arm happily, smiling up at you.

"You're so pretty, (Y/n)." Red says with a giddy look.

Green just laughs.

"You're reacting better than we expected." Vio says from the opposite bed.

"Thanks. What did you think I was going to do?"

"Scream and run?" Green suggests.

"Hate us." Blue says with a straight face.

"Why would I ever hate you? You're all parts of Four, aren't you?"

"We are." Vio says with a sigh. "But this isn't exactly something people support."

"Then they're just dumb." You say with your arms crossed, "Though I would have hoped you knew me better than thinking I could hate you."

The look you toss around at your boys is chiding enough without anything else.

Your boys?

Makes sense.

"(Y/n)," Green says, "Look around you. You're dating four people."

"So? If I understand right I've been dating you for this whole time."

"Well-" Blue starts, only to fall short.

What does he even say in response?

"Exactly."

"I told you they would be supportive." Vio says as he gives the other three a knowing smirk.

"We were just worried." Green says, "What else would we expect?"

"I don't know." You say, eyes looking around your boys again.

You take to the new information better than anyone else could have ever expected.

You decide within an hour that you should take the colors on solo dates when possible too.

After all, you're dating all four of them.

You want to act like it!

"I still don't think we can all sleep in one bed." Vio says firmly.

"We can if you let us try!" Red insists, borderline jumping.

"Or we could sleep on the floor." You offer from beside Blue.

All four men's heads turn to you, any arguments forgotten as they once again are reminded how wonderful you are.

"You're so smart." Red says as he looks absolutely smitten. He might as well have actual heart eyes.

"Of course they are." Blue shakes his head.

You can feel your face flushing a little, worries and issues of earlier already gone for now. "Thank you."

"Let's get the floor set up then. I still have bruises from yesterday's fiasco." Green adds as he starts clearing the middle of the floor.

"Don't remind me." Vio groans, moving to help Green.

You just wince in sympathy, trying not to remember the mess that was yesterday's ambush.

You and the colors disassemble the bedding and use extra blankets to build a sleep area that you should all actually fit into.

It's after you get everything set up that you feel at peace fully. The moonlight streaming in from the window the wall boasts.

Laying in the middle with two of your boys on either side.

Red and Blue both fall asleep quickly, their faces endearingly peaceful.

"I tried telling them you'd accept us." Vio says from his spot at your left.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because having four people that make up your boyfriend is weird." Green says from behind Vio.

"It's not what I expected. But I'm not going to just ditch you guys over something I didn't expect."

"Thank you. That means- a lot." Green says softer, sounding soft and fragile.

"Of course. Besides, if I was gonna ditch you guys for anything it would be for being out of my league."

"You, my dear, are a sap." Vio says as he sets one hand on your shoulder.

"Thank you for noticing."

"Hard not to notice. " Green smiles soft as you've ever seen.

"That's what I'm usually going for. I can't have you thinking I care less about you than I do."

Green looks like he's falling in love with you all over again. His smile is all too smitten and you swear to Hylia that his pupils are turning into actual hearts.

Vio just squeezes your shoulder fondly. His own face betrays his love for you.

You drift to sleep, all five of you assured that you're safe and happy together. That everyone in the room trusts each other.

Each of the colors knows in their heart that you- (Y/n) (L/n) choose to stay with them even after finding out everything.

…….

You wake up the following morning to all four of your boyfriends in a dog pile of sorts atop you.

Vio is clinging to you on one side while Green is sideways across your legs.

Blue has set his head on your chest.

And to top it all of Red has his arms wrapped around your stomach, his head resting atop it.

Well, as cold as last night was, you didn't feel it.

You smile softly, reaching up to stretch your arms as you admire the way they all look in their sleep.

You'll do your best to make sure they all know individually and together how much you love them.

And you can't wait to get to know them better.

Especially not when you find yourself playing twenty questions with them as the day goes on outside without any of you. The laughter and smiles you get are all worth their weight in golf and then some.

[hughesybear]

Canucks thoughts 11/09/2024 (I was at this game! photos & video along with thoughts below cut)

It was certainly an exciting game, even if it wasn't exciting for my team! I borrowed some jerseys from a friend, and I think they're cursed, because every time they've been worn to a Canucks game the Canucks have lost. We're hoping that they can be redeemed this season!

My brother was at this game, and he's pretty new to hockey so I was explaining a lot of things to him. Somehow he got the Oilers and the Canucks confused and started clapping when the Oilers opened the scoring, despite the Canucks wearing the black skate and me wearing a black skate jersey right next to him and us having watched the Canucks warming up in the black skate for 15 minutes. This man is 21 years old. He also correctly observed that “Quinn seems like a low-key dude,” so I showed him the video of Vinny failing to hype Quinn up on the bench lol

I took so many pictures and videos, but I focused mostly on Petey and Quinn. I'm glad I got to witness Petey's best game of the season so far (first multi-point game!) and a Petey goal :)

Petey and Quinn had a moment (pictured below) where they were both down on one knee facing each other looking around, and I also got a video of them practicing one-timers and saucer passes:

One last peteyquinn moment before my actual thoughts:

Let's look at the positives first! This was Petey's best game of the season by far. He was exerting more of the control on the game that we've come to expect from EP40, and he was uncorking slappers and wrist shots that had much more velocity on them (he had his first 90+MPH shot today!). For the first time this season that I've noticed, he was getting offensive zone deployment over Miller (who got more defensive zone deployment), which is a pretty good indicator of how Tocchet is feeling about his two 1Cs during any given game. Each game there are more steps in the right direction, and more signs that he's climbing back to the player we know he can be. Both sides of his two-way play were on display this game. He made a stellar play in front of his own net reading a pass to McDavid and poking a sure goal off his stick, and his work in the offensive zone, some welcome flashes of chemistry with DeBrusk, and his notoriously strong hand-eye coordination led to the 3-1 goal that felt like it should have been a turning point in the game. Right after that, his line had another strong shift which the third line (aka Life Line 2.0) was able to build off of, pulling off some nifty passing to scramble the Oilers' defence and leave Hronek wide open in the slot for the 3-2 goal. See what happens when you apply consistent offensive zone pressure, Canucks? Why can't you do that regularly?

That's pretty much it for the positives. I miss Brock Boeser dearly, and it looks like the Canucks do as well. Tocchet chose to run 11F and 7D for this game, which resulted in lines shuffling around and very little consistency for the Canucks to build off of. Apparently it was because one of the defencemen was dealing with something and Tocchet wanted to have a good PK, which I suppose I understand if the other option was having Juulsen, Desharnais, or Brannström in a top-4 role, but it still hurt the Canucks IMO. They struggled to establish a consistent, heavy forecheck, and the lack of pressure in transition led to the Oilers being able to break the puck out of their own zone way too easily. The Canucks' forward group should have feasted on a bottom four that looks like Stecher, Dermott, Emberson, and Kulak, but alas.

Miller especially struggled without his longtime linemate, registering a 16.67% CF% and 4.44% xGF% 5v5. When he was on the ice 5v5, the Canucks were outshot 0-8 (and out-attempted 3-15). Yikes. He's most likely playing through an injury that kept him out of most of the preseason, but that doesn't excuse what he does on the Arvidsson goal that makes it 3-0 Oilers. Quinn smoothly enters the offensive zone with possession and drops the puck to the right side where Miller and Garland are supporting the entry. However, instead of making the safe play and helping the puck get through to Garland who's right behind him, Miller bats it straight into the middle of the ice for no reason, where four Oilers and zero Canucks are waiting to turn the play the other way. Instead of backchecking and tying up Arvidsson, which he was in the best position to do so, Miller just sort of gives up on the play, which you really can't do if you're the centre on your line. An unhindered Arvidsson skates right into the slot and puts it past Lankinen. Miller's play is due to receive more attention soon, especially since it's starting to become reminiscent of his play during the first half of the godforsaken 2022-2023 season.

It was another night where the Canucks struggled to effectively defend the guts of the ice, and defenders were puckwatching instead of finding bodies and tying up sticks. I was actually explaining icing to my brother, and was talking about how Juulsen had iced the puck, when Juulsen left Perry open for a tap-in. rip. Not much else to say other than they need to clean their in-zone defence up again, and focus on keeping the chances to the low-danger perimeter.

Overworking Lankinen was always a concern, since he's never had a starter's workload in his career, and this game seemed to have confirmed that. After the 5th Oilers goal, Lankinen started letting in some uncharacteristic softies, leading to Tocchet's first Canucks goalie swap that hasn't been injury-related. Šilovs' SV% has risen above .800 on the season because he stopped four shots, which is kind of hilarious.

It feels like the coaching staff wanted to get Šilovs some more action before a possible game on Tuesday instead of repeating the mistake of sending him in against the Devils after not playing for two weeks, which is why Šilovs played a game for the Abby Canucks today. He was solid - the only goals scored against him were off cross-seam passes that the big club has barely permitted this season, and he had a .920 SV%. With that win, he has his first win of the 2024-25 season! That's pretty unfortunate, but he could have an opportunity to get his second one very soon with the big club.

Let's end on a positive note! By scoring on that meaningless power play at the end of the game to cut the Oilers' lead to 7-3, the Canucks accomplished four things:

Inflated their power play %

First Petey multi-point game since March 23

Made the Oilers tied for worst penalty kill in the league (-15 goal differential)

Made Skinner have a sub-.900 SV% in the game

If moral victories are a thing, petty victories are too. Hopefully the Canucks can redeem themselves against Alberta teams at home in their rematch against the Flames on Petey's birthday!

[gaystims]

How to make headcanon GIF's

What you will need

VLC media player

A video/edpisode/series/ect of the character you're making headcanons for

EzGif

Photopea

What you should probably have (not required)

A VPN

The whole series of whatever you want to GIF

An Adobe account so you can use Abobe express

A hard drive (this shit takes up a LOT of space, especially if you're batch downloading a series)

Now that you have all the basics let's get started!

Step one: Choosing a character

Obviously this process will vary from person to person, sometimes a headcanon is hard to prove with canon, sometimes it's easy.

For this we're going to go easy so we will be making GIF's of Maomao from the Apothecary Diaries displaying autistic symptoms.

She's basically a cat so this won't be too hard (does anyone else remember the autism cat or am I just old?)

Step two: Downloading the source

This can be a difficult process and (while I'm more than happy to help) I won't be sharing where I download anime from (Loose lips sink ships) although a quick google search into how to torrent anime will work.

Anyway I have the whole series downloaded for this, it's much easier to do the whole series.

Step three: Cutting the video/finding a scene to GIF

Best way to do this? Get your autism glasses on and pick up on all the details that make you think this character is autistic.

For me, one of the 'signs' is the way Maomao is obsessed with poisons and herbalism, so a good scene for me to GIF is when she's allowed into the doctors medicine draws.

But how do you clip a scene from a whole vedio?

Simple, you record the scene you want to GIF with VLC! Just hit the red dot (circled in red here) and let the scene play out!

I would personally allow a few seconds before the specific scene and a few seconds after to play, because sometimes the video can glitch.

Step four: Making the GIF

Next you'll need to go to EzGif and upload the clip you made, if the clip you made is too long you can use Adobe Express to trim it.

When your video is uploaded (it can take a while sometimes) you need to trim the length to the closest second that shows what you want to GIF, then you need to edit the GIF size so it's not too big for tumblr.

Here are the measurements we use!

Hit confirm and now you have a GIF!

Step five: Cropping and trimming

At the bottom of your GIF you should see a row of options of what to do with it.

Personally I would crop the GIF first and then do frames because frames takes longer to load larger GIF's.

To crop I hit the square option and drag out the edges, then process the GIF. Then I hit frames and press skip for any frames I don't want in the end GIF.

Then save it.

Step six: Adding Text

Now you will need Photopea where you will need to open the GIF.

I have a file saved for the text so I can copy and paste what I want it to say so it looks the same, for you though you need to type the text out.

Hit the text button (red) and then type out what you want it to say, change the font with the blur circled and the outline/font color with green.

I personally use a rainbow overlay for the text because I'm ~fancy~ and the autism symbol is mostly represnted as a rainbow.

Step seven: Exporting as a GIF

After typing out what the scene represents, you need to save the GIF.

Go to File > Export as > GIF

Step eight: Repeat eight times

And then you stick them all together and make a board

This is the finished GIF set for this tutorial!