#whichever one's more accessable to me in the moment

[caccry]

watched the hobbit. I adored him.

[ram-bles]

genuinely need more 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴𝓼𝓾𝓴𝓮 headcannons 😭🙏

daisuke x reader | 🔞 headcanons

⚠️🔞 MDNI

# : gender neutral reader.

[ more dsk nsfw hcs : 🌺 ]

🌺 switch! soft/service dom. maso sub.

🌺 Vocal wise:

★ Sure, he can get loud and noisy. Rambles alot when he's super turned on.

★ No, but imagine sneaky quickies. It's either he's so focused on pleasing you that he ends up panting against your ear or he's so noisy that he has to have his mouth on you to keep himself quiet.

★ Moans ranges from those low-ish ones if he's trying to be quiet to squealing. Something about him having high-pitched moans makes sense to me.

🌺 dacryphilia

★ cries when overstimulated.

★ if you cry though, he'd feel bad and stop to make sure you're fine. if everything's fine, he'd probably go crazy over how you look after crying.

🌺 these specific scenarios (feel free to switch around w t!daisuke or whichever it's very general);

★ smearing precum over the other's lips like lipgloss.

★ this one's for Daisuke specifically (but it can be vv) probably into that porn thing where they show the cum inside their mouth before swallowing.

★ light pussy slapping. bonus if they're wet enough that the slick clings onto the other's fingers. He'd get so lightheaded over it.

🌺 definitely into lingerie (or cosplay). that thong daisuke fanart has me in a chokehold.

★ skirt stays on during sex.

★ doesn't have to be you. he'd wear it instead if you're uncomfortable. something about easy access has him going.

🌺 marking

★ I hc him with sharp canines and snaggle teeth.

★ his canines are crooked so it's obvious whose bites are on you.

★ loves marking and being marked. if you tell him not to leave any on you, he'll probably accidentally leave one or two.

🌺 mess

★ oh that boy is messy.

★ loves seeing his cum all over you and spilling out of you.

"Oh no! Here let me help you keep it in!" His thumbs spread your hole open for a moment just to admire his work before he guides his tip, scooping up his cum and pressing himself back into you. You call out his name with a tone that was warning him. "Can we go again, please?"

★ likewise, he'd want your mess all over him too.

[simplynims]

Polycule D.A.M.N Crew Headcanons

Was going through @polydamnory posts for the D.A.M.N polycule and it's inspired me to write down some of my own headcanons for these guys. Enjoy!

Dear and Damien are both the chefs of the polycule, Dear is probably the most trusted person to cook in Damiens kitchen unsupervised.

Huxely likes giving extra hugs to his partners whenever they're stressed out about something but it's really just an excuse to pick them up and drag them away from their laptop/whatever they're working on so they can get some proper rest. Has done this on both Damien and Freelancer when they both desperately needed a break from cram studying especially if the usual pleads to take a break don't intially work.

Dear has magic hands where whenever they run their fingers through their partners hair, they all melt at their touch. They turn to pudding as soon as those head rubs happen. They've actually helped a lot with migraines that Freelancer and Damien have.

Gavin, Freelancer and Dear have competitions sometimes to see who can fluster Lasko up more in one day. They all think he's adorable when he's choking on his words and trying to come up with a coherent sentence after mercilessly being teased. So far Gavin and Dear are neck in neck with these challenges.

Speaking of Gavin and Dear, Dear I feel like is someone who doesn't get flustered often which Gavin sees as a personal challenge to fluster them up whenever he gets the chance. Dear finds Gavin very cute whenever he tries to and flirts right back with that same energy.

This is more of a personal headcanon but from tallest to shortest it's Huxely, Dear, Gavin, Damien, Freelancer, and Lasko.

Lasko manages to get everyone into DnD and the polycule tries their best to schedule at least one session a month depending on their own schedules. Lasko usually DMs but Dear also DMs so Lasko can have a chance to play too. Gavin and Freelancer both shamelessly flirt with the DM no matter who it is and whenever it's Lasko it usually throws him off for a good minute or so.

Lasko gets cold very easily so he usually goes to Damien for cuddles when he's feeling extra frosty. Damien doesn't mind and likes having Lasko in his lap while he works if it keeps him warm.

Following up with that headcanon, Damien gets Lasko a shit ton of warm clothes, blankets and socks so he can wear em around the house around fall and winter because of how easily Lasko gets cold.

Freelancer smacks all their partners asses equally and with accurate precision.

Huxely I feel like would be a really good gardener for vegetables and fruits, Dear helps him with growing them. Every few months when certain fruits are in season, they bring em back to share with the polycule and make desserts outta them. Dear makes some killer peach cobbler, apple pies, strawberry pastries etc outta them and there's usually nothing left by the end of the week.

Gavin likes to playfully push Damiens buttons. Right when Damien looks like he's about to blow, Gavin kisses him and it gets to Damien every time lol. Gavin finds it highly amusing.

Freelancer likes giving gentle love bites to all their partners, it's not sexual all the time but whenever they're cuddling one of em or hugging them they have specific spots they like to go for.

For example, Freelancer likes giving love bites on Huxelys and Dears chests. For Damien it's his arms and chests if he's the bigger spoon while cuddling. For Gavin and Lasko it's their necks or arms, whichever is more accessible at the moment.

Dear most of the time is really good at hiding their emotions whenever they're stressed about something or just feeling sad in general but Huxely can pick up the signs pretty quickly. When it comes to his partners he's very observant and can tell when somethings off with any one of them and that includes Dear. Cuddling sometimes turns into a good cry sesh depending on how severe whatever is affecting Dear is.

Freelancer I headcanon as a little bit of a goofball and loves making their partners laugh, it's a wonderful feeling to see nearly all of the polycule wheezing and laughing at their stupid lil jokes and they take heavy pride in it.

[hauntedhokage]

Day 30: Blood/Gore/Costumes

Geto/F!Reader/Gojo

summary: a halloween party goes wrong while you’re getting railed on the balcony by one of your boyfriends. He just won’t tell you which one he is until the game has ended

word count: 1.7k 

content warnings: established poly relationship, predator/prey dynamic, mentions of murder/bodies, knife play with reader being cut,

They had chosen to wear matching costumes, both dressed like the serial killer from the popular horror movie that had come out recently and Shoko’s party had been the perfect place to debut them for your busy Halloweekend. You’d opted for a sexy cat costume, planned with Shoko to be a cat and mouse duo that Gojo had loved from the moment you mentioned that being the plan. Geto was a bit wary of how much skin the costume showed, but eventually your pout and reminder that you were very much an adult had him backing off to let you do your thing. He’d be with you all weekend anyway, so if anyone got too close he’d handle it - there was nothing a good punch to the face couldn’t fix. 

“See, Geto, we look so hot,” Shoko teases when your trio enters her house, something that you know has Suguru rolling his eyes behind the mask as Shoko pokes at both of their chests to make sure she got the right one. “Now let’s go drink.”

You’re not sure when you get separated from your boys, but you’re happy to relax out on the balcony with Shoko and share a cigarette as you escape the house that was way too hot. The alcohol and mass of body heat had begun to be too much, which had her leading you out to get you some fresh air after Haibara had pointed out that you were looking like you were unwell. 

“Alright, pretty girl, let me find one of those goofs so they can get their little drunk home.” The comment has you nodding, agreeing to stay put at her request so you’d be easier for them to find. 

“Hey,” you hear one of their modulators a few minutes later, and you turn to smile at whatever one you’d gotten to come get you. You’d sobered up a bit, so you have no issue when gloved hands come to rest on your sides that were left uncovered by your skimpy costume. “Feeling okay, baby?”

“Yeah,” you murmur, letting him back you into the railing to trap you. “Wanna fuck me in your costume?”

“Thought you’d never ask.”

You don’t like that you can’t kiss any part of him due to how covered he was, but that doesn’t stop you from undoing his belt and reaching into his pants to his already half hard cock and smiling up at him when he sighs. You’d already been fucked by them earlier in the evening before leaving for this party, so you only needed to get him ready - something that doesn’t take long as he grinds into your hand. You’re pushing his pants down a bit when you feel he’s ready, and he’s pushing your bodysuit to the side before ripping at your fishnets to get the access he needed before lining up his tip with your entrance. You were already wet, the costumed sex and voice modulator turning you on more than you’d thought it would, which makes it easy for him to push into your waiting hole with a groan. Your hands grip his jacket, feeling something damp but you’re not concerned since somebody probably just spilled their drink on him. He’s pushing you up against the railing, using that to help support you while bringing your legs around his waist. Your arms move to wrap around his neck, pulling yourself flush against him and again feeling that damp feeling but still not caring since the way he was driving you onto his cock had cleared your mind of everything but him…whichever one he was. 

“Fuck, I love you,” you whine into his neck, the breathy chuckle in your ear sending a shiver down your spine that had you clenching around him. “S-so much.”

There’s an order for you to hold still, your back being pushed against the railing so much it digs into your spine uncomfortably. The pain doesn’t matter to you at all when his hips pound into yours at an unrelenting pace, working to chase both of your individual orgasms. You’re letting out broken moans each time he bottoms out, tears welling in your eyes at how good he was making you feel. 

“Love your sweet pussy s’much,” he grunts, squeezing your hips tighter. “Fuckin’ perfect.”

What sounds like a scream from below has you turning your head in concern, hand on his chest making him stop for a moment as you ask if he had also heard that. It sounded kind of like someone was in pain, if you were a decent person you’d at least check to see if they were okay. 

“Someone must be having as much fun as we are. Let’s not interrupt them, baby.”

You nod at his suggestion, looking back to him as he starts again, gloved fingers digging into your hips hard enough that you’d be bruised but you couldn’t be bothered to care. Not when he was fucking you like this on Shoko’s balcony. And you truly couldn’t tell which one of them this was, he was using terms of endearment that they both would use so you couldn’t narrow it down that way. But you didn’t necessarily care, you knew it was one of your boys and the one who wasn’t fucking you right now would take what was his as soon as he could. 

“Gonna cum inside me, baby?” you ask, pressing your forehead against his mask and smiling when you hear him tell you that he was. He was going to fuck you full, make you keep his cum inside you all night until you left this stupid party and he got to have you again. Mentions of an Eiffel Tower being in your future have you shuddering, and your walls tighten around his length at the idea. Taking them both was always such a treat.

“Be good and cum for me, alright? Get my cock all wet and creamy, and let ‘em all know you’re getting fucked good out here. Maybe he’ll get jealous and come join us for another round.”

“Shoko would kill us.” You decline the offer, holding him tighter as you feel that white hot feeling in your core. “Gonna cum.”

“Me too, gonna fill my lil pussycat.” 

And he does, his hips stuttering in their pace until he’s still, and you feel him pulsing inside you as he cums inside you. A couple strokes to push it deeper inside, ensuring there was evidence when the other came to take his own share of your body. 

“Fuck, I love you princess,” he mumbles, carefully resting his mask against your forehead. It’s as close as you’ll get to a kiss while he was in costume, since he didn’t want to give up the game that was you not knowing who he was. 

It’s when he sets you on your feet, taking a moment to make sure you were steady before fixing his pants, that you look past him into the house only to see someone lying on the ground by the glass door. What looks like blood has pooled beneath them on Shoko’s wood floors, and you’re looking up at him in concern. 

“Babe, do you know what’s happening?”

“Probably just a prank, honey. It is Halloween.” 

The answer is satisfactory enough, and you take his hand so he can lead you into the house. A gentle nudge of your foot to the ass of the prankster gets no response, so you joke that he can give up the game since he’d been caught. It was odd that there wasn’t even an amused laugh at being found out, but commitment to the bit could be respected as you walk through the house. 

A decision you’d regret as you see more bodies laying on the floors. 

You turn around to where your boyfriend should be, only to see him missing. 

“Suguru!? Satoru!?” Your call is only met with silence, and you feel the tears burn at your eyes as the fear truly settles in. “Ha-ha. Come on assholes, I’m ready to go home since everyone wants to act dead.”

“Who said they were acting?” 

You swear your heart stops, and you finally catch sight of the blood on your hands before you look down and see blood had transferred onto your body. So whatever had been on one of their costumes wasn’t a drink at all, but…

“Oh, my god.”

“There you go, pretty girl. You always were smart.”

You want to throw up, the bile rising in your throat but you don’t have time to do that now. He was taking slow, predatory steps towards you with a knife in hand, already dripping blood. How many people had he killed before he’d gotten to you? How could he, in any sort of mindset, fuck you on the balcony while covered in the blood of someone else? How many people had he sliced through before getting to you?

“Oh, look at you babygirl. So scared,” he coos, watching as your bottom lip trembles as you continue to take steps backwards. “Show me how pretty you are when you cry for me.”

“E-even Shoko?”

“And listening to her and Haibara scream was the good part,” you hear behind you, but you don’t bother to look over your shoulder. You knew who was there, knew what was going to happen when the hand grips your waist and the knife is put against your throat. 

“Who is who?” you ask, feeling your back get pulled flush against the chest behind you. You’d be covered in blood by the time they were done with you, and most of it wouldn’t be yours. 

“Does it matter, princess? You fuck us both anyway, right?” The voice behind you has you squinting as you try to figure it out based on the tone, but the tip of the knife pressing into your throat to create the smallest of punctures to make you bleed has your mind pulling a blank. It didn’t matter who was who, you supposed, considering you did sleep with both of them. They both chose to do this, did it matter which one covered you in blood?

But you knew better than to be truly scared, they wouldn’t lay a finger on you more than they already had. 

After all, you were their alibi. 

“The modulator is creepy; turn that shit off, both of you.”

“No fun,” Satoru whines from behind you, and you hear the rustling of his mask behind you so he can kiss your cheek. “But let’s get you home so I can fuck you. Suguru always has all the fun.”

“Okay but I can’t believe you fucked me covered in blood. It’s never going to come out of this bodysuit, asshole.” 

“It’s getting set on fire tomorrow anyway, we’ll replace it.”

[raainberry]

Nighttime Serenade

« Silly Series - 14 »

Sana x gn!reader

Fluff

synopsis - quiet nights and cuddles, doesn’t get better than this

wordcount - 664

A/N - rain got me inspired, not proofread bc its late i can literally feel the bags coming to life under my eyes. enjoy!

The slight panic Sana felt when you shifted your body on top of hers… Her sleepy eyes were suddenly wide and alert as she thought about you leaving her embrace.

It was a frightening possibility. It had barely been an hour since you’d sneaked into her arms in search of some comfort after a long day, but it was getting late. If you wanted to get to bed, she’d understand although she wouldn’t be all for it.

Your presence, the warmth and love you gave her were things she missed all day. She hated when your free days didn’t line up, leaving her alone with only thoughts and cravings with your name on them. The hours between your lips on her forehead in the morning and your soft, gentle kisses on her cheek in the evening seemed to stretch into infinity.

Tomorrow was her turn to leave you behind for the day. She liked to think your clinginess tonight was motivated by that thought. She hoped the small strokes of your palm, the delicate touches of your fingertips against her skin was a way for you to appreciate the few hours you had left in her company.

Her eyes kept looking up at the time displayed right underneath the TV, and she had to hold herself back from laughing at her own behavior. How much more obsessed could she be… You were in her arms, as close as you could be, yet she was already missing you.

Her gaze slipped away from the screen to find you every once in a while. The sight of your head resting on her stomach put a smile on her lips. She couldn’t see why nor how it could be as comfortable as you claimed, but she’d never complain. Easy access to your hair, random kisses, your soft breathing against her skin whenever her clothing allowed it… why would she complain?

A small hum resonated from your chest as her fingers gently pulled on a few strands of your hair, brushing them out of your eyes. The gesture alone could put you to sleep if she did it long enough. That was exactly what you wanted to avoid, but it didn’t mean you wanted her to stop.

So you focused on the TV, suddenly remembering about its existence.

The variety show you’dsettled on out of laziness to switch channels turned out to be more perfect than anything you could have willingly picked. Entertaining enough to share a few laughs, each other’s favorite sounds, but not interesting enough to make you forget about this moment you wanted to cherish.

Sana’s occasional giggles caused your head to bounce a few times, and as much as you loved to see her happy, came a time where your comfort just wasn’t negligible.

You lifted yourself off of her, unknowing and oblivious to her dismay as you went to find rest against her chest.

Relief washed over her when she realised you weren’t going anywhere. She bit her smile back at the familiar feeling of your hair tickling her neck, and her arms wrapped themselves around your back. A sudden surge of love pushed her to squeeze you closer, and your view on the screen was now blocked as her cheek was squished against your forehead.

“I love you.” She mumbled, her voice just above a whisper. You smiled at the words. You couldn’t get over them, no matter how much she said them. Whichever way she let them out, whenever she let you know, they seemed to have the same effect on you.

Warmth, from your chest to your veins. One that put your heart at ease. Your mind at peace.

“I love you too.” You sighed out, content and hopeful of the words making her feel the same way.

Sana smiled at the serenity you’d granted her, and pressed her lips on top of your head in a soft peck before training her eyes back on the TV.

Hopefully the night hours will take their time, stretch out as much as the day’s had.

[redflagshipwriter]

Hi, it's Tim (just Tim) Chapter 4

Masterpost

Tim paid cash for a mid range hotel room. He had to use his ID, so the odds weren't zero that it was eventually going to be found when the hotel registered their current guests. But there was nearly infinite data out there. Not even Barbara could monitor every upload in real time.

Kon was hovering a nervous centimeter off the ground behind him when Tim swiped the door open. He flicked his eyes down pointedly and raised a single eyebrow. Subtle much?

“Thanks,” Kon said, apparently misinterpreting that as an invitation to enter first.

Ah well. Tim walked in second and surveyed the room. They'd been given a two queen setup. He gave the one near the window a disdainful look. Like he'd be caught dead directly under a viable entrance. That was just begging for some dickbag to shoot a bazooka at you, like what happened to that one mask creep a couple weeks back.

Kon plopped down on the bed by the window and posed, crossing one ankle over his knee.

“I thought you were going to get supplies so we can stay in?” Tim said, knowing he was ruining Kon’s attempt at seduction.

Kon stared blankly for a moment and then flipped up in a way a human never could. “That's right. What do we need?”

“Two boxes of poptarts, two pizzas, a pack of bottled coffee- I'll write down my preferred brand.” Tim ripped off the first page of hotel stationery and started scribbling out his list. Hmm. He looked at it and made some changes so that Alfred would be less upset at him. He wrote ‘vegetable’ before pizza and added “bottled water”. Tim looked over his list once more, frowning slightly in concentration. He was hoping to hole up here for 24 hours or until a bat came and dragged him out, whichever came first. Would this be enough food for Kon?

“How much do you eat?”

“Uh-”

“Daily calorie intake?” Tim clarified.

Kon blinked at him. “I eat until I'm not hungry, man.”

Tim sighed. “Make sure to get some things that you like too,” he prompted. He moved over to where Kon was still hovering over the bed and folded the paper into neat quarters. Kon watched curiously as Tim stepped to the edge of the bed and leaned over slightly to tuck the paper into his jacket pocket.

Then he dug his wallet out of his back pocket and did some quick calculations. “Use the blue-green card,” he decided. “PIN is 8516, if you need it. How fast can you fly without a human passenger?”

Kon rattled off numbers.

Tim nodded decisively. “Good. Can you use the card like, two cities over? Make sure to stay off of camera,” he clarified. “So my family doesn't spot you and realize it's not me.”

He took a moment to consider how Bruce would react if he thought Tim was missing and someone else was accessing his money.

Hmm. Tim frowned. “Be really careful to stay off camera,” he amended. He reached around and put his wallet in Kon’s back pocket. “I think that's all.”

He was going to have a hell of a time explaining this and paying for it. Tomorrow.

“Okay,” Kon said, strangled. He was gone in a blink.

Tim took the time to do a proper check of the room for surveillance equipment and any biohazards. It came up clean, or clean enough, considering it was a hotel room. He plugged his phone in on the bedside table without turning it on. It was just a burner but Bruce would check for it eventually. He didn't need to make it easier.

Knock knock

Tim heaved himself up silently and padded to confirm if it was Kon without a key, an assassin, paparazzi, or (worst of all) Dick.

It was Kon. He opened the door.

“Thanks man.” Kon breezed in and started unloading bags at high speed. Tim watched his teammate open up the mini fridge and start packing in coffees. He smiled. Then Kon started putting in vegetable puree style juice. Tim frowned. A bunch of bananas and “What even is that?” Tim complained. “A potato? You brought a potato?”

Kon gave him a piteous look. “It's a mango, Tim.”

Tim crossed his arms. “I don't see why we need it,” he muttered suspiciously. It still looked like a potato. He knew all about potatoes. Maybe Kon just ate raw potatoes like a- like a chicken or something.

“Why…” Kon smiled in disbelief and shook his head a little. “You don't have to eat it. You might like it, though.”

He chose to keep his thoughts on that to himself.

Kon let out a delighted laugh anyway and floated over, dubious potato still in hand. “Don't be so grumpy, baby,” he crooned.

Tim huffed. “I am not grumpy,” he lied. “I am just rightfully suspicious of unidentified produce in my vicinity-”

“I identified it,” Kon pointed out. He leaned down and brushed hair off of Tim’s face. “I promise it's a mango. Let me give you a taste?”

Ugh. Fine.

Kon rightfully took his posture as agreement. He looked under his eyelashes coyly as he peeled some skin off- and okay, that didn't look like a potato. Tim relaxed a little. Kon brought the mango up. Tim leaned towards it but Kon brought it to his own mouth and took a bite, releasing a sweet scent into the air. He swallowed. He put the mango down and crowded into Tim.

Oh. Tim realized where this was going. He smirked up at Kon and trailed his fingers up the bigger boy's biceps. God, they were enormous. When Kon leaned down, Tim lifted his face to match their lips together.

They were soft and- weirdly big. Tim wrapped a hand around Kon’s neck to pull him down more firmly so he could explore the new feeling. Was that how it just felt to kiss someone with bigger lips than yours? He licked the bottom one and dug his fingers into Kon’s scalp. Kon sighed and slid his hot hands around Tim’s back. Fuck. Tim pressed back into them. The one spanned the back of his whole waist and the other was splayed over both of his shoulder blades. Fuck.

Unfortunately, Kon took the movement as asking for an end. He broke the kiss and took a step back, eyes hazy. Tim let his hands drop to his sides. “How was the mango?” He asked, husky.

Tim had to take a moment to process. “I have no idea.” He squeezed his hands into fists. “I didn't notice that at all.”

Kon preened.

Ah. Tim frowned. He should have realized that would fuel Kon’s ego. “Are you hungry?” He checked.

Kon blinked. “No, not really.”

“Good.” Tim fisted the lapels of Kon’s jacket. He pulled in to get Kon off balance– and Kon let him. Tim pushed back. Kon went backwards onto the bed with pure confusion on his face. Tim swallowed a laugh and crawled into Kon’s lap. He knew he was making the smug expression that Stephanie had hated in bed, but Kon didn't seem put off at all. “Can I?”

Kon swallowed. “Y-yeah.”

[ember-owlet]

hi, i'm just getting to learn about agere, and i'm a little anxious, i wanted to know if you could write something for mel as a cg?

a/c: absolutely firelight! thank you for your patience. i'm so glad you've been trying to learn more about age regression! speaking personally, it is a wonderful coping mechanism and i really hope this brings you some form of comfort on your journey. (/gen) this was an absolute treat to write and create the moodboard for as i don't see as much mel content in the arcane fandom, much less for elora in the agere tag and i hope to provide as much as i can. ʚ♡ɞ 

dynamic: gn!regressor! reader x cg! mel medarda x babysitter! elora

reader is referred to as: darling, little one, sweetheart, and my love. mel is referred to as mommy.

content warnings: descriptions of anxiety from reader and moments of overstimulation/overwhelm ((stay safe little firelights, you can always come back to this when you're ready))

"Now now darling I'll only be gone for a short while." Mel swept her hand across your cheek and slid down to your chin, giving you a slight tap with her slender finger to the very tip of your nose. Your caregiver had reminded you that she was going away to a council meeting for the majority of the day. "Elora will be here to provide you with anything that you'll need." Mel would look over to reveal the presence of her assistant, the woman giving you a slight nod of acknowledgment and a shy wave as to not startle you further. "You'll be a brave little one for me, won't you?" Despite the thousands of ways you wanted to beg her to stay, you knew that her work was important to her, but being without your caregiver for so long presented a new form of unease. Before you could protest further the door had already locked into place, the sound of the great marble echoing in the open air. Elora adjusted her posture before straightening once again, "I think it's quite a lovely day to go outside, don't you?" She paused, stretching beyond where you stood to retrieve your comfort plush off of the floor, eyeing the other toys and miscellaneous gifts scattered aimlessly, noting to have the place cleaned and organized before Councilor Medarda's return. "And, maybe if you feel up to it I heard there was a lovely spot near the marketplace to find a new outfit for you and your stuffie." Shuffling you weighed your options, and though it would have been wonderful on its own to stay inside and let the thoughts of missing your mommy persist, a day out couldn't hurt? The extravagant doors swung open again, much more persistent than when the two of you had exited the room moments prior. You had no idea where to go, but the overwhelming urge to curl up and cry overtook you as the room spun with you in place. You quickly launched yourself into bed, your ears tickled with the strain of picking up every beat and sound around you. Elora moved with ease throughout the room, resetting the environment to make it as quiet and calming as she physically could. Despite your best efforts, the town square was bustling with activities, unexpected noises, and situations you weren't prepared for. It was too much, and without Mel around to help it didn't take much for the churning in your stomach to become unbearable. The only other person present that brought you a sense of familiarity was now down to a side sitting position. "Hey sweetheart.." she cooed at the edge of the luxurious bed, guiding a pillow and blanket beside you, unrolling the silk should you need easy access to it. "Take as much time as you need. I let Mel know about the situation and she'll be here as soon as she possibly can." she spoke almost in a whisper, the pen in her hand being flipped between each finger back and forth. Her eyes flipped through the tiered bookshelf that rested not too far away from your bedside. "How about I read to you until she gets here. When you feel ready, pick whichever one you like while I get you something to drink." Time was lost in the countless titles that graced your collection, and through small sniffles, you gathered the energy to select a few. You draw a hand lovingly over the worn copy of The Short Tales of a Fox and Their Warren. You loved the way your mommy would effortlessly paint the images of the once lonely fox and how, after discovering another lone rabbit out in the forest, would create a warren of their own. You clutched the book tightly in your arms, another exhale to calm your restless mind. Elora poked her head gingerly into the doorway, the warm, freshly sweet scent of chamomile lingered in the air. The cartoonish mug stood tall and proud contrasted to the elegant tray. Elora bent down to hand you the heated vessel. "Drink slowly, it's still a bit hot." You took short but wide gulps of the tea. It was just what you needed and you exhaled deeply as it warmed your aching body.

Swaddled together in your bed she finishes, "And then, the once lonely fox smiled. For they knew that though this newfound family was different in many ways, they had finally found what they had been looking for: A place to belong. The End." She motioned to close the book, letting the spine crackle before it set into place. She looked down at you; rather fond of the way you clutched onto her side as you slept. Suddenly her attention was taken to the doorway, smiling at the sound of the approaching (and all too familiar) hasty footsteps. "Perfect timing. We had just finished storytime. They finally felt safe enough to rest." she greeted Mel with a gentle nod, sliding herself out of the bed to let the frazzled woman swiftly replace her position and slink into your arms. She looked around at the spotless room and sighed in relief to the peaceful atmosphere. "Thank you Elora. As always, you have done wonderfully. Tomorrow morning please have the rest of the day scheduled in my absence. I think I've had enough excitement for one day." She leans over, brushing aside the strands of hair that fell over your face. Already striking each event from the list, Elora bids the councilor a good evening and closes the door behind her. It didn't take long for you to feel the golden bangles around your mommy's waist, slowly bringing yourself to meet her gaze. "I missed you; so so much mommy." You whine, holding her tighter and burrowing your face deeper into her. She chuckles, wiping the dampness from your cheeks and placing your soft friend in your arms. "I missed you too. You did so well today, my love. Come, let's get you freshened up and ready for bed."

[tadpoles-and-daydreams]

still alive!! and a small photodump bc why not.

I was down for the count for a while, but I'm finally slowly reintegrating myself into society again lol. Connecting back to my spirituality and major parts of my life, etc. etc. and part of that has, weirdly enough, been going back to playing... a specific video game. I know but hear me out- sky COTL is one of my favorite games, a daily task of mine, and I wasn't doing it while I had COVID (just letting my friend drag me through dailies like a sack of potatoes.)

So today I spent like five hours in the little meditation island area that's going away today (so glad it's going to become permanent in the future!) because I knew that when I left it'd be gone and I wanted to take photos. And, while I didn't really feel his presence at the time because I'm feeling disconnected at the moment, I.... feel now as though the reason I like this photoset is because of Apollo. Maybe Loki, too. Something about taking these pictures, even in a game, felt very sacred and it's immediately become my favorite in-game photos I've taken.

So, I guess this is considered an offering to whichever of my deities wants it, have a bunch of photos of my skykid dancing in the sunset :D

I might post more sky cotl photos sometime, it holds a special place in my heart. Plus, photography is something I've always loved and wish I could do- but going out and taking photos of beautiful scenery, of people that I have to direct and ask to pose certain ways, etc, isn't accessible to me. So instead I take photos in sky and it connects me to a part of myself I don't often get to tap into. ^^

[truthinlifetarot]

How To Access Your Best Self

How to Pick a Pile? Some of us focus on the image that seems to call to us most, some intuitively choose regardless of picture. Don't overthink it. Choose whichever pile you feel called to. It may even be more than one!

Gif credit: @userscully

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Pile 1: Take a moment. Make a wish. Instead of thinking about how improbable that wish is and how many tedious things would have to happen in order for it to come to fruition, just throw the wish away. Let it go like bubbles on the wind. Like it's not even yours anymore. Your biggest problem is overthinking and negativity. You have to fix that.

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Pile 2: Judge yourself as worthy of being who you want to be. For most of you this will mean taking physical action towards your goals. This action will bring you over a threshold that holds you back. In judging yourself, see only the good parts of you that make you smile. Yes, there are parts that need improvement, but we aren't looking at those right now.

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Pile 3: Treat yourself as royalty and someone worth love, riches, and everything else they want in this world. Use your hands to create what you want. Think of all the small things that your best self would know, or do. Make sure you know those things. Make sure you can do those things. Your future self is ready to be here, but certain steps need to be taken first.

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[saviourkingslut]

Hi! I saw that you mentionned scrivener in your latest post and I've been meaning to try it. Is it good? I'm a one-doc-per-chapter kind of person so I wonder if it would work for me.

hi, sorry for the somewhat late reply, i wanted to include some screenshots to make my explanation a little clearer but didn't have the energy to sit down for it properly before now. if you're a one-doc-per-chapter writer i definitely think you should consider it! scrivener's most important feature, i think, is that it gives you:

the opportunity to split up your writing any way you want, whether per chapter, per scene, or even per paragraph...

...but all your writing is always within immediate reach, and you can restructure it whichever way you want.

to make that a little clearer, i've included a picture from my own work. scrivener is mostly geared towards creative writing, but i use it for my dissertation and that works very well too. this is the general interface, where you can see i've been writing an introduction:

scrivener's most important feature, to me, is its 'binder', which is this bit:

at the top, you'll see 'draft' - this is the entirety of the project you're working on. in this case, that's my dissertation. underneath, you see a little book, called 'introduction' - that's a main part of the draft. and underneath that, you can see a couple of folders and documents. that's all the different parts of my introduction. you can create as many folders and put as many different documents in those folders as you want. what i find incredible about this, is that i have an overview of all my topics, and that i can switch between all my different topics without having to open different documents OR put all my shit in one big document, which always makes me lose my way completely. and if i feel like restructuring my text? well, i can go to the binder, and drag the texts to another spot there.

since you like to work by chapter, you could just structure your binder like that in a way that works for you, but you'd still have access to all your other work if there's ever a moment when you need to refer back to it. or if you're working on multiple chapters at the same time, you can just switch between them.

something else that has helped me a lot is the 'research' part of the binder:

the 'research' part is meant for you as a writer to put down all your resources - your pdfs, your images, whatever you're using as reference while you're writing. now, because im writing an academic text and need more references than the average (fan)fiction writer, im using zotero as a reference manager. instead, im using the reserach folder to store my writing plans so i can reference and update them there. you see that 'reorganisation' folder there: it's also where i store my texts when i notice that the current structure is not working at all and i need to start over - but in such cases i don't need to write all the text itself from scratch again. this way i can keep everything within easy reach and copy-paste in the same document (you can split your screen within the program, and work in two documents at once).

what's also great are the tools. in programs like word or google docs you'll find some of these, but not all. as you can see, the first symbol leads to a sidebar where you can put a synopsis for the specific text you're working on, and it lets you add notes. the second one lets you add bookmarks to your text, like texts or references you want within reach immediately. the third one lets you add specific metadata or tags. the fourth lets you make snapshots; scrivener saves all your work immediately, but if you're about to make a big change, you can create a snapshot and roll back to that if it's not working out after all. finally, there's the comments, which speak for itself. all the way down the bar you'll also see that you can label texts ('no label' here, there's a colour system) and note what part of the writing progress this part of the text is at.

what i personally like very much is the bar at the top that now says 'opening 2.0'. you can see a light blue bar at the bottom of it: that indicates my writing progress. you can set a writing goal in number of words for your project. for my entire 'introduction', that's 8000 words, and as you can see im nearly there. if you hover over the 'opening 2.0' bar, it'll shift to show you the number of words you've written AND the number of words you've written in that specific writing session like so: 7300/8000 | 345. what i like is that it counts the actual words written - if i've deleted a sentence, my count goes down again. that's useful for me because i tend to think 'oh i've written so much today' while all i've been doing is tiny edits for 2 hours, but not actually put down more words.

there's MUCH more that scrivener offers, but i can't explain it all here. they offer a free trial for 30 days, and it comes with a practice document that explains all the features to you by making you work in the program. id recommend giving that a try if you're interested! the program is expensive (it cost me 70 euros) but it's absolutely been worth it for me. i used to have long-ass documents with half-finished paragraphs and snippets of thoughts and sentences all over, and this has helped me structure my texts more easily while also not cluttering my workspace with loose thoughts and ideas because i have more places to put them now.

[touchtranscendslanguage]

Update and Fae Story Recommendations

First of all, I want to thank everyone for being so patient with me. This year has been A Lot. Sadly, I don't know when I'll be able to continue writing Touch Transcends Language. I don't think it will be any time soon.

In the middle of the year, a dear loved one was diagnosed with terminal cancer and died soon after. It took me a while to recover from that.

Recently, just when I was getting into writing again, another loved one who has had many health problems throughout the year and whom I have been helping care for was also diagnosed with cancer. We have high hopes that it isn't terminal (medical science is on our side) but it's a shock and at the same time we found out my loved one had another significant setback in health. It's important I be here for this person and other family members, so that's where my priorities are.

As far as writing goes, it's just not that important compared to everything else. I'm writing what I can, when I can which means I'm gravitating towards whichever of my WIPs feels right in the moment. Lately that hasn't been TTL and I don't know when it will be again.

On a much lighter note:

It has been brought to my attention that some of you may be in the mood for more fae stories! I have read quite a few Sanders Sides fae fics and have three recommendations for series in the fandom that I think everyone should absolutely read!

I also have a recommendation for a book duology that has nothing to do with Sanders Sides that I think you guys would love. It does not get nearly enough attention, in my opinion.

For Sanders Sides fics:

Love and Other Fairytales by SoDoRoses is, of course, a classic that many of you have probably already read. You can find it on AO3 if the link doesn't work. It's a poly love story about a human who was gifted a siren's voice by his fairy godmother, a witch who grew up hunting fae, a changeling who was raised by humans, and a faerie prince who was cursed to sleep for a hundred years. It's wonderful and if you want more smut you can find plenty of it for the story under one of the writer's pseuds! The main series is also available here in podfic form!

(Un)Wanted by TheAsexualofSpades is another classic! You can also find it on AO3 if the link doesn't work. It's a platonic story about a very traumatized human who is chased into a faerie garden. The fae there see how hurt he is and take him in, helping him heal physically, mentally, and emotionally. It's very sweet with lots of hurt/comfort. And if you contact the writer on tumblr you can pay to get it made in book form (which I have, it's worth it!)

Wasteland, Baby! by things-we-used-tc-share is an amazing fic I found more recently that is not getting the attention it deserves, likely due to a glitch that makes it so that you can't access the series page, but you can go through the fics one after the other. The link is to the first fic in the series which is called In The Woods Somewhere (in case it doesn't work and you have to search for it manually on AO3). It's about a human who falls in love with a fae prince, a witch, and a siren. Except, is he really human? You'll have to read to find out! The series itself is thirty-four parts with a few extras tacked on after and is well worth the read!

This last recommendation isn't a fic, it's the first drafts of two books and it's on the writer's Patreon. It's dirt cheap, though: only four dollars a month to get access to both completed first drafts of the books and the one currently being worked on! (I swear this isn't an advertisement, I just really love these books)

Try All By Fire 1 & 2 by Linked Soul are absolutely incredible. Just. Holy shit. I've read them so many times. The weird girl of the human village grows up visiting the asshole fae criminal forced to protect her village to pay for his crimes. As time goes on they slowly grow on each other. Unfortunately, their friendship leads to various people accusing her of being a witch. She has to face her fears and grow as a person to defend herself from these accusations. This summary doesn't do the story justice, but there's only so much I can say without giving spoilers! I promise it's amazing with incredible world-building and characters!

[gamereign]

❛  you can forget about being friends with me.  ❜ //for whichever one of my muses you'd like to interact with.

            𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐂𝐄 :   prompted   /   𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐒 :   accepting !

𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐁𝐄 𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐅𝐔𝐋 ,   should elicit an explosive response at the intersection of   ENRAGED   &   wounded ,   but the only response yuugi gives for a considerable stretch of time is a   tiny puff of air   gusting through his nostrils .   HE DOESN’T EVEN LOOK UP AT KAIBA ,   electing instead to continue shuffling his cards between daintily thin fingers adorned with an array of   𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 . 

          it isn’t that he knows kaiba doesn’t mean it   ━━━━   CONTRARILY ,   HE KNOWS HE VERY WELL   MIGHT ,   or that he at least  wants to .   rather ,   it’s that yuugi already knows the reality that underlies this situation .   when one has spent enough time   DRAWING CLOSER   &   CLOSER   to a man like kaiba seto   (   or perhaps his   𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 ,   for there may not   be   any other man like kaiba seto   )   they may develop a talent for reading the   FINE PRINT   of his character .   over the years ,   yuugi has .   thus ,   he is   astutely aware   that kaiba doesn’t like that ;   that he would much rather   REMAIN UTTERLY ILLEGIBLE   to those around them as it ensures him the upper hand in any given interaction .

          finally ,   violet eyes raise .   the moment yuugi looks away from his cards   &   gazes into the   COLD DEPTHS   of kaiba’s listless blue eyes ,   the more confident he feels that he understands kaiba as much as he thinks he does .   it would be silly if he didn’t :   for all they’ve been through ,   the amount of times they’ve stood both   AT ODDS   &   AT EACH OTHER’S SIDES ,   there’s only so much of himself that kaiba can hide .   atem would say the same ,   though as time goes on ,   yuugi only finds himself   increasingly unsure   if his conscience is solely his own ,   or if his long - gone partner has enough of a lasting influence for it to be as if he   𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐍’𝐓 𝐋𝐄𝐅𝐓 𝐇𝐈𝐌 𝐀𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐋 .

          though he knows kaiba likely    DOESN’T WANT TO SEE IT   (   &   maybe ,   some   MISCHIEVOUS   part of him is inspired by that   ) ,   YUUGI SMILES AT HIM .   soft lips curve sweetly ,   but with some extent of   CONVICTION   gleaned in these years of coming into himself more ;   it’s a disarming expression ,   but scripted subtly between the lineaments of his   youthful face   is something   𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 .   he wonders ,   then ,   if this understanding of theirs goes both ways  ━━━━   IF KAIBA CAN READ YUUGI ,   TOO .

          “   you were the one that invited me here ,   kaiba - kun ,   ”   he utters simply ,   words slipping easily past his simper .   the   ‘ here ’   he references is pointedly vague  ━━━━   whether it can be defined as   THE COMPANY AS A WHOLE   or exist on as small a scale as this   NOT - SO - SMALL OFFICE ,   yuugi doesn’t elaborate .   “   besides ,   i haven’t said anything about us being friends .   why does me being nice to you seem to bother you so much ,   sometimes ??   ”

          beams of light pour in from the tall windows ,   which boast a view of domino accessible to   no one else in the entire city .   naturally ,   yuugi’s gaze trails off toward the skyline ,   EVEN IF KAIBA IS ,   ADMITTEDLY ,   FAR MORE FASCINATING .   “   is it because you think i want you to be the same way to me ??   ”   he asks ,   almost giggling at the thought .   he can’t even imagine that .   “   i don’t expect that at all .   maybe it’s hard for you to believe ,   but not everyone is trying to get something out of you   all the time .   ”

          yuugi pauses ,   reconsidering those words .   MAYBE THAT’S NOT ENTIRELY TRUE .   he doesn’t know much about the corporate world ,   but from what little he   has   experienced ,   𝐁𝐄𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐋 .   “   well ,   i guess i can only speak for myself ,   ”   he says ,   an amused airiness about his tone .   “   i’m  not trying to get anything out of you ,   kaiba - kun .   ”

[throughtrialbyfire]

Fic Author Self-Rec!

tagged by the lovely @mareenavee , thank you so much!! <3

tagging @dirty-bosmer @orfeoarte @gilgamish @umbracirrus @totally-not-deacon @v1ctory-or-sovngarde @thequeenofthewinter and YOU!! no pressure to participate, and if you haven't written 5 fics, feel free to just talk about whichever ones you have!!

Rules:

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love!

i'm going to paste each fics summary, and then go on my tangents!

An Inner Sanctity

Two months after attempting to utilize the Eye of Magnus and gain it's power, Ancano wakes up in an unfamiliar cottage, being cared for by the very person he intended to destroy. Navigating their strange and new dynamic, the Thalmor agent finds he may be offered second chance at life, but whether or not he takes it is another story.

this fic is a huge work of exploration into what indoctrination can do to someone who has never known any different, and how that can affect things as broad as worldviews and as personal as one-on-one dynamics with people. it's also partially catharsis-fic, as giving ancano some of my own mental and physical issues and dialing it up to 10000000000% is a hell of a lot of fun. i love seeing that old man suffer and then earn his rise from the ashes. plus, using athenath in a fic where they cant rely on the other two of the trio - as this is in an AU i call the "athenath solo run" - forces me to think of how they would handle situations on his own. spoiler? not too well.

it's on a hiatus at the moment despite having a pretty long backlog, i just don't have the motivation right now to edit and write more for it, but that definitely will change in the future, because i really love exploring ancano's psyche and how he begins to grow and change.

also the fic title comes from the song "Twilight" by Bôa, while that doesnt have anything to do with the fic, i loved the line "you give me an inner sanctity", sooooo <3

The Mark You Left

Two scientists realize, upon losing contact with Dr. Richtofen, that they are truly alone in the aftermath of their actions.

i don't have 5 fics for TES, so have my singular CoD Zombies fic as well! i've had a special interest in the ultimis timeline of CoD Zombies since uhhhh 2011? maybe? sometimes it lays dormant for months and then all of the sudden i think about it daily, especially the dynamics between Dr. Schuster, Dr. Richtofen, and Dr. Groph. so, i wrote this as a bit of a loveletter to a fandom i no longer am part of, but still have a lot of fondness for. it's a quick read that hits on this concept of ultimate betrayal in the aftermath of literally betraying someone else for that person. two people dealing with that, processing that, and what they'll do in the wake of all of this.

the title for this fic comes from the song "Birds" by BENN, who used to make CoD Zombies-based songs before rewriting/redoing them for his own original work!!

Portraits Under Forgotten Suns

A collection of short one-shot fics done for TESFest 2023. A werewolf in his cage, a Bosmer alchemists' first memory, a Dunmer mage's quiet contemplation, a humble keeper's last look at the place he's called home, a sailor's fate at the wreck of the Brinehammer, and an Altmer bard's fond summer memory.

as it says on the tin! its a series of one-shots i initially published to tumblr, then moved to Ao3 to make them more accessible and have a ready archive of them! i loved working on each of these, getting into different perspectives, and figuring out how to convey the narratives of the characters i worked with. i liked writing up details of my dragonborn trio's pasts, too, and the story for "Forgotten/Devotion" was a hell of a lot of fun, getting to pull the wreck of the brinehammer into a fic!

If by Sun and Moon I Swore

With the Empire's victory in the Skyrim Civil War, Hadvar has been quietly readjusting to regular life. When an old friend turns up at his door, that quiet he'd hoped for comes to a halt.

i love hadvar/ralof with all my wretched pining heart okay. i cannot deny this pair has a vice grip on me! and working with them, two soldiers touched by war on opposite sides who once had something (in this case, used to be (and still are) in love), can be something both so tragic and so healing. pulling this pair back together, giving them some form of comfort, even if it's brief, is such a joy. i have intentions of writing more for this couple in the future, but that's likely going to be a while. still, i'll be sure to let you guys know if i do get around to it!!

this fics title is from "Like The Dawn" by The Oh Hellos! its my quintessential hadvar/ralof song for sure <3

Cycle of the Serpent

Surviving Helgen by the skin of their teeth, three elves find themselves tossed into the middle of ancient legends, a civil war, and a hell of a lot of problems. They may all have different reasons for being in Skyrim, but if they have any hope of reaching their destinations alive, it lies in learning to trust their strange new companions… no matter what. From the ruins of Helgen to the plains of Whiterun, from the seas of Solitude to the grim frost of Winterhold, and everywhere sprawling beyond, the unlikely trio will find that being chosen by Akatosh is more than they've ever bargained for. And with their own histories crawling back, and secrets slowly spilled, the trio may find that there's little they can do to escape the cycles they've made.

this longfic is… a huge undertaking. "An Inner Sanctity" focuses on two very flawed people coming to love one another. "Cycle of the Serpent" focuses on three very flawed, extremely fucked up people learning to trust one another and face whatever fate awaits them together, even when that trust is tested, even when the world is cruel, even when trauma batters and bruises them in the current and then rises up from the briny depths of the past to tug them back down beneath. it's about sustained and sometimes self-fulfilling cycles of hurt, anger, and sometimes vengeance, and it's about love and joy and companionship and friendship that lives within it all.

in short, this longfic is one of my biggest undertakings in a very long time.

i started this as a bit of a joke. the idea of there being more than one LDB was a fun idea, and then i created three elves, and those three elves gave me their family histories and their childhood friendships and their previous travels and how it changed them all prior to helgen and i went… yeah i can't just not write this and go insane about it. these three and their various methods for dealing with situations, their triumphs and defeats, and how they bounce off one another became so organic and real to me that i feel continuously pulled to keep their narrative going. this story forced me to write my first ever combat scenes (posted the snippet of my second ever real combat scene tonight!) and learn how to navigate keeping it within TES lore, while also breaking out of some of the stale writing in skyrim itself. i have plans to rewrite/overhaul entire questlines and characters to give them more life, and i've got dozens of OCs lined up - at least one of whom is hinted at within the first chapter. i have this story and these characters arcs planned out, and they do get particularly grim at points, but i never want this story to go into "there is no hope" territory. there's always hope, it just lies in learning to break your own cycles, even if it feels like it may kill you.

the title of this fic was taken from the song "Pillar of Na" by Saintseneca, i very heavily envision emeros as the first verse, athenath as the second, wyndrelis as the third, with the fourth being all three of them, and the fifth (the "eternal, eternal, eternity round…") being a sort of ensemble of all the places and people they've touched in their lives.

woooooooooooooooo!! that was long-winded. thank you for listening to me ramble on these, and thank you so much again for tagging me, mareena!! i hope everyone is having a lovely wednesday/thursday!! <3333

[river-in-the-woods]

I’ve just begun studying the Tao (as a philosophy) and I’ve had this feeling I might also need to study Buddhism as well. There’s been moments I feel like the two paths intersect, but provided different perspectives of the same, or, similar picture.

As a Buddhist practitioner, would you say Taoism and Buddhism are two sides of the same coin?

Ah, how are you finding it?

I wouldn't say they're two sides of the same coin. More like they are siblings who have shared experiences, but are also individual and complete in their own right. Both Taoism and Buddhism have philosophies that engage the intellect, as well as their respective social, political, cultural and spiritual aspects. My impression is that they tackle life's issues with slightly different mindsets. Different perspectives, as you say.

I'd encourage you to study both if you have the interest, but I do believe they ultimately lead toward the same thing. Being kind, wise, honourable and skillful, with vast knowledge of the world and deep understanding of themselves, and the will to elevate others – these are qualities of both the Taoist sage and the Bodhisattva.

The thing is, I am a practitioner, not a scholar 😄. I see the value in philosophy and lore insofar as I can understand it and put it to use. If you talk to me about philosophy, I will ask you how it can be used in everyday life.

In that regard, I would say Buddhism is a lot more accessible than Taoism. By and large, Buddhists seem to have a much greater interest in outreach, in spreading the teachings and holding events and gatherings worldwide. With Taoism, one has to invest a lot more time and resources to go beyond a reading list or making offerings at a shrine.

In any case, I encourage you to supplement your learning with action and practice, with others to guide you. These are not only philosophies to be studied, debated or understood only intellectually, but also semantically, experientially. They are meant to engage mind, body, heart and spirit, all.

What you do not learn in the textbook, you will learn from reflection, practice, and engaging with your community. Whichever you choose to pursue should be the one that inspires you to live more fully.

[wistfulwisp]

The introduction of the Psyche-Locks! I love it! It brings that interrogation gameplay out of the courtroom which is super fun, I think it’s great and I’m glad to see the Magatama in my inventory for Bigtop, so I know it’s something they continue to use. They took some getting used to, especially when you couldn’t solve them right away, but I really enjoyed that it brought more interactive gameplay into the investigation. The presenting of profiles is also a fun addition, though honestly I’m not used to being able to access that so I keep forgetting it’s there :( my bad.

One thing I will say I didn’t love about this case, and I swear I feel like I’m gaslighting myself even as I’m writing this but… I feel like this case didn’t have the same sort of spunk that the other cases have had thus far? By that I mean I felt like it wasn’t as comedic and absurdist as the other cases have been. The ending of this case was by far my favourite part, just the ending reveal was extremely ace attorney core — just when I thought I had it all figured out, it throws me a giant curveball and I totally ate it up. But, a lot of the investigation portions felt kind of stilted to me. It felt a little more meandering and had a little less personality than some of the other cases did. Now, I played this case at a busy time for me, so I’m really not sure if my personal life was playing into my perceptions at all. But, I think if it’s something that’s in game… a large portion of that actually has to do… with Phoenix.

All of the games, you’re stuck in phoenix’s head. And I’ve talked before about how much I enjoy Phoenix as a character — he’s realistic but open to new people, intuitive but empathetic, emotional but logical. He’s someone that’s really easy to get behind, and has had great character development moments in the past (such as in Turnabout Goodbyes, which I’m sure I’ll stop mentioning eventually). However, I found that in this case a lot of those qualities were kind of lost? Not completely, but I found his humorous comments kind of bordered on mean-spirited sometimes, and his inner dialogue didn’t have the same enthusiasm that it normally does. My theory is that either this was a) intentional Especially with the situation he’s in right now, this type of character shift would be completely in character. He’s lost both Edgeworth and Maya in not a long period of time, and that would wear anyone down. or b) unintentional Remember when I said that I was surprised Maya was leaving and how the Phoenix monologue would sound without someone to banter off of? Well, we kind of get that here, and without a side character to make comments or balance out Phoenix’s realist perspective, it may make his dialogue come off as more cold than it actually is. I’m not entirely sure. Or, I’ve gaslit myself entirely. Whichever one. Regardless, I do think that this kind of interferes with the arc of defending someone and believing that they are truly innocent until proven guilty. Phoenix has a great way of displaying his passion for the stories of others through both his courtroom defense and also his interactions with other characters, but I honestly didn’t see much of it here.

[krsonmar]

Okay you know what I don't have Spotify and I haven't found a way to post fan playlists with annotations that I like yet so guess what here this is in a text post with links like how we used to roll on Ye Olde LiveJournal

This is my OFMD S1 playlist. Loosely follows the season plot. Here we go:

1.) Come Sail Away by Styx

Because duh like why have they not used this in official promos yet but also very call-to-adventure and with vibes of midlife angst

2.) Fraud by Jonathan Coulton

Every playlist needs some JoCo because there's JoCo for every occasion. Fans debate about what this song is about--I think it's very plainly about imposter syndrome as it relates to the creative process--but here I'm applying it more generally to the feeling that everyone can tell you're faking it. In other words, very early-season Stede.

3.) Royals by Lorde

INTRODUCING BLACKBEARD

(Also I did not know until looking this link up just now that Lorde is also a Kiwi! I am out of touch.) 4.) We're Going to Be Friends by The White Stripes

This song always breaks my heart (in a good way) with its sweet tale about childhood innocence and ease of making fast friends. When I was making this playlist, this track made me think of Ed and Stede's ease of "falling into friendship"...because making a new friend who gets you really can be another kind of falling, just like romantic love, can't it?

5.) My Favorite Things by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes

Pirates like nice things, and they don't ask for what they want...they TAKE IT!!! This is a cover of the Sound of Music song, but made appropriate for the anarchy of a raid by this aptly-named punk rock band.

6.) You're My Best Friend by Queen

I had to get some Queen in here, and this song has always hinted at a slightly-more-than-just-two-friends dynamic to me. The French talk about all kinds of relationships as involving some type of seduction, not just sexual or romantic ones, and for me this track evokes Ed and Stede falling deeper for each other.

7.) Heathens by Twenty-One Pilots OR the cover by Boston Manor

I realized when I was constructing this list to put on my MP3 player (yes, I still have one, can't you tell by now that I'm old-school) that I don't actually own a copy of Heathens by the original band (and yes, I still buy and…ahem…otherwise own copies of the music I like). I did have access to the metal cover off of Punk Goes Pop vol 7, and I think the rawness of that version fits Ed's moment to Stede of "You were always going to find out what I am" quite well. Whichever you, the listener, prefer, I think this is an appropriate spot in the playlist for Stede to be reminded that Ed does have a history, and they are all, after all, pirates.

8.) The Ship Song by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

I love how we all, as a fandom, seem to have discovered this song independently of each other but because of this fandom. And what a fantastic, devastating song it is! It's not just about a relationship that crashes and burns, it's about your own ideals, dearly-held illusions, and self-respect going right along with it. And how it grows to be predictable. I don't really understand the concept of "a good cry", but if I did, I think this song would do it for me.

9.) I Crush Everything by Jonathan Coulton

The second requisite JoCo song of the playlist. This one is literally about a giant squid that hates itself, but I defy you not to be smacked viciously about the head with the Kraken vibes of it.

10.) You've Got To Hide Your Love Away by The Beatles

We've all been there. The fake-it-til-you-make-it "I definitely am doing better now :'-)" phase of a heartbreak. This is Ed's floral nightgown being hidden away and replaced by black eyeliner and kohl; this is Stede's determination to grit his teeth and return to the life he hated and now no longer can even fake his way through. The Beatles always knew what they were doing. (That said, as a note, this is about to be four kinda downer songs in a row on this playlist, and the order does matter, so since the next and last heart-wringer is about to roll up, if the tear-jerkers are getting to be too much for you by this point of the playlist, I suggest omitting this one. The Fab Four will understand.)

11.) Samson by Matthew Luke Sandoval

This is a cover I found on YouTube of the Regina Spektor song, sung with such beauty, emotionality, and earnestness by a male vocalist with an angelic voice. The cover is over 10 years old at this point, and it looks like this guy suffered an apartment fire a little while after uploading this video and ended up not getting his singing career off the ground like he would have if this world knew any sense of justice. I tracked a copy of this song down to a mostly-defunct MySpace page and if my Google-fu is accurate, Mr. Sandoval still lives in NYC and is now an accountant or CPA of some type. I hope he hasn't truly given up on his singing dreams, but sometimes doing so makes life more liveable, so I get it if he has.

That said, this song about the bittersweet regret of knowing a relationship just wasn't going to work although it was magic while it lasted seemed appropriate, especially those famous, poetic lines about "the history books forgot about us". Apply that to a fictional reimagining of a man who history knows more as legend than as flesh-and-blood fact, and his protegee, a starry-eyed would-be adventurer, and how they both went down in flames along with a golden age of rebellion against a vicious status quo, and this tender dirge for a love that couldn't be, sung with a masculine vulnerability, gains a new layer.

Yes, I am very proud of this selection.

12.) Beyond The Sea by Bobby Darin

Okay, time to scrape you up off the floor and wipe your nose. Here's a blanket and a cup of something warm. This is, AFAIK, the original version in English of this song (although it was originally written in French), and it has the right musical and lyrical cautious optimism to not only ease you up out of that Pit Of Despair I just put you in, but also to suggest the wistful hopefulness of knowing you'll see your lover again soon, it's just a matter of waiting until the tides and currents and the sea winds align to bring you back to each other. I compiled this playlist earlier this year, and as of this writing we are 10 days away from season 2 premiering, so I am of course conjecturing and self-soothing somewhat here. That said, it's a romance, we know they'll get back together!!

13.) My Favorite Things by Sarah Vaughan

I call this The "Maybe The Nice Things We Wanted Were Actually Feelings and Relationships All Along" Reprise. Another gentle healing song, one that makes me think of cautious but eager reunions and teary-eyed reconciliations.

14.) Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix

This show loves to use purple imagery to show when Ed is falling more in love with Stede, and while the show creators have said they're thinking more along the lines of Prince (and I declare, right now, before all maybe four of you reading this, that I want to bet actual real-world student-loan-paying money on Blackbonnet's canon reunion scene being set to Purple Rain, you saw it here, mark my words, etc.) if the very last scene of the show doesn't have our boys sailing off into the sunset set to the most famous misheard lyric in rock history, what are we all even doing here?

*****

Would love your thoughts or reactions, I haven't shared a fan playlist before, so I'd love any and all thoughts including things like YOU HEARTLESS BITCH NOW I HAVE TO REAPPLY MY MASCARA or anything else you please! :-) ❤