#you can't hide the fact that there is no ambience here

[cinnibunbear]

The New Update

First of all, I want to say I think the quantity of stuff they're adding is fine, especially since the updates are coming smaller and more frequently. HOWEVER, the stuff in the update, specifically the pale forest one, is boring.

First of all, looking at the content by itself that I like: the wood is good, the vines are fine, and the carpet is ok. I've always liked the concept of white wood, so it's great that we're getting that, and I imagine other people will really like the wall thing that the pale garden carpet does. I like the creaking; it's a really interesting concept and some very cool design. I've heard it said that the spawning functions with the heart and everything is useless in single player, but I think the fact that you can spawn-proof an area of the creaking is great for if someone wanted to build a house there! Plus, outside of single player, the pranks are kinda nice, if not really top-Notch. I also like that there'll be ambient noises during the night. That's cool.

Now for the content that I don't like (that we've heard of so far): the leaves, the grass and the ambience. The fact that the leaves and grass are so similar in colour, and that that colour is GREY honestly sucks, especially since the wood is already grey. I think the biome would look interesting and actually kind of spooky if they made either of these white, or added some much darker tones to any of the new blocks/textures, but as of right now they haven't, and it's boring. The grass especially. It's like a worse version of the mountain grass, which in fact has its own sort of charm (tho imo it is (was) the most boring). The ambience overall I kind of already adressed. This is going a little into what has been said by the presenters, but the pale gardens being 'eerily quiet' will likely go unnoticed, since there's no sound everywhere else half the time. I think the only time the player would notice is if music is playing and it fades out as the enter the pale gardens. That would be cool, especially if it picked up again when they left. But otherwise, it's just kind of this boring greyscale biome with no contrast.

Now going onto how the update contradicts the words of the presenters: the presenters say that it will be 'eerily quiet' (adressed earlier), and that it will be 'spooky', as well as using other words to the same effect. They also showed some reference pictures that they used as inspiration for this biome.

The weeping willows, very pretty, very mystical.

Spanish moss, look how cool!

Now look at the result:

Now, I do want to point out that they evidently didn't want the trees to actually be willow trees for some reason "this gives this drapy feeling without being willow trees", but I feel like the biome could have really benefitted from them just using the shape of willow trees. Instead of looking spooky but pretty, ominous but mystical, the tree shape they've opted for is the dark oak, which is robust and towering. They've given the biome a feeling of being a little packed in, a little claustrophobia, with hardly any frills. Of course, there are some. Let's talk about those. The new vines and moss blocks are far more grey against the already grey grass, which gives the biome an extra element of complete dullness as the new elements look the least visually appealling, which they evidently are meant to be (the presenter describes them as 'pretty' in the day time). What I'm looking right now is a shy, bland biome. There is hardly any personality other than that it doesn't want to be looked at. There is no whimsy, because everything is in solid, clumped together shapes. There is no eeriness because everything blends together with their colours so easily. This biome needs colour, and it needs more shape. For example, the dark oak forest has peonies that help to bring in both colour and shape variation from the ground level, and the giant spruce forests have boulders that complement the rich colours of the rest of the ground. The pale garden has flat grey carpet on the flat grey floor. This is boring! And I'm mad about it!

I'm aware that this biome will likely undergo some development before its official release, so I really, really hope that the Mojang team also sees these issues and does something about them, because a biome called The Pale Gardens deserves more than a monotone FOREST with the most boring greenish-grey vines you will ever see. I want to be excited about this biome, but as of right now I think that if I were to see this biome in game I would only ever go in to get wood and saplings on the outskirts before scurrying away from this greyscale horror of a biome as quickly as I can.

[peppermintquartz]

The second time Tommy meets Philip and Margaret is not under the best of circumstances.

Maddie is wrecked with worry, Jee is confused about why her daddy can't sleep at home and why her Uncle Buck isn't here, and Tommy himself is approximately three broken Kit-Kat bars from completely snapping.

So when the Buckley parents show up at the hospital, Tommy is not in the best of moods.

"Why are you here?" Margaret says when she sees him, instead of asking "How's my son?"

"Because I'm waiting for the outcome of the surgery," Tommy says, pretty curtly, but after fourteen hours following a full shift he is about to keel over. He's seated right now, having no further energy to pace, with his elbows on his knees, his head aching from the fluorescent lights and endless activity all around him, and his heart steeled against the worst possible outcome. "I mean, it's certainly not for the ambience."

"Maddie called and told us that Howard and Evan were in the building when it collapsed," Philip says before Margaret can react to the sarcasm. "We wanted to be here for Maddie."

"For Maddie, of course it's for her," Tommy says, and he is so beyond sick with worry that he can't force aside the irritation nor hide it with civility. "She's gone home with Jee-yun. I promised to keep her updated. If you're looking for her, I suggest doing so tomorrow morning when she's had hopefully at least an hour of sleep."

Margaret glances at the light above the operating theater doors and wrings her hands. "How long has it been? I can't bear this."

Tommy doesn't even look at his watch anymore. "Fourteen hours, thereabouts. Howie's just come out two hours ago."

A whole building. A three-storey building. Howie was on the top floor, so he was freed from the rubble first. Evan was on the ground floor. The 217 and the 124 had been on the scene, Tommy flying five casualties from the wreck directly to hospital, one of whom was his friend. All the while he had to internally battle the screaming need to claw apart the debris, with his bare hands if necessary, to get his Evan out of there.

Philip hugs Margaret. "He'll survive. He's always done so, since he was a kid. You know how it is with him. Scrapes and cuts and falls. He'll come out of this without trouble."

"I can't bear waiting here," Margaret whispers again. "You know I don't like..." She shuts her eyes and shakes her head.

"I know, I know it feels like it's Daniel inside, but it isn't."

And Tommy loses it.

Logically, he knows that Philip is merely trying to reassure his wife. Logically, he knows that they are trying; the mere fact that they are in hospital to check on Evan and Howie is a statement that they are trying.

Every other part of Tommy, however, explodes with incandescent rage.

"Daniel? Daniel?! Evan's in there, fighting for his life, and you can't even focus on that?" he spits out. "The only reason why I am even talking to you is because you made Evan. You brought him to this world. And you don't deserve him. Every day I see how much he loves, how openly and how bravely he loves, and to know that you both treated him the way you did... And now you come here, to the hospital, and you talk about being here for Maddie and, and thinking about Daniel, instead of your son who could've died today!"

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Tommy realizes that he's on his feet, his fists clenched, towering over two older persons who are shrinking away from his six foot two frame. Suddenly drained, Tommy licks his dry lips.

"Go see Howie," he says in a low voice. "You probably can't go in yet, but find out what you can to tell Maddie."

Philip clears his throat. "You'll let us know when Evan is out?"

"I'll call Maddie." Tommy sits again and stares at the wall opposite. Green. Dull, lifeless, bland hospital green. He hears the Buckleys walk away. "Philip, wait."

"Yes?"

"Sorry about the outburst. Also, you're supposed to call him Buck. Remember that."

Philip sighs again. "Of course. We'll see you later, when Ev- Buck is out of surgery."

[homelanderbutbig]

His Very Own All-Star Chef (G/T Homelander x Reader)

810 words. Pure fluff. Homelander is 8 feet tall. Reader is non-descriptive. Established relationship.

You made soup and he likes soup.

It's been a quiet evening for you, cooking dinner alone in Homelander's penthouse. You have the day off today, so you thought you'd try making a new recipe, something special. You are thankful Homelander put the large pot on the stovetop for you before he left for work this morning, as it's far too heavy for you to lift by yourself.

You've had a peaceful day by yourself preparing a hearty beef and vegetable soup, making triple the recipe called for as you are aware of how much Homelander can eat.

Regardless of having a state-of-the-art custom kitchen, you know for a fact he's never cooked a day in his life, preferring to have his food catered by the Vought chefs and brought up to him. But he is deeply touched by you taking the time to cook homemade meals for him, even though during the first instance you didn't make nearly enough to satiate his hunger. You've since learned to adjust the recipe sizes to make sure he always has enough to eat, and in turn he always makes sure to shower his very own all-star chef with his most fervent praises.

Standing up on a set of steps, as Homelander's kitchen is too tall for you to reach on just your feet, you add in the final seasonings to the soup as it nears completion. You're enjoying the relaxing ambience, listening to the soup bubble as you stir on autopilot, hoping that your dinner tastes as good as it smells.

Suddenly, you jump as you are startled by what feels like a brick wall behind you. There is a laugh coming from above you as the 'brick wall' expands and contracts from the jest. You sigh as you look straight up, seeing Homelander grinning as he gazes down at you, although his face is slightly obscured by his pecs.

"How many times have I asked you not to sneak up on me like that?" you attempt to scold him, even though you can't hide the smile forming on your face. As annoying as he can be sometimes, you are always happy to see him when he comes home from work.

"I couldn't help myself," he chuckles, as he rests his big ungloved hand on your shoulder. "You're so cute when I scare you."

You place your hand on top of his, wrapping it around his fingers. Away from his penthouse, he very rarely takes his gloves off as he prefers not to touch the undeserving outside world. But when he is alone with you, he adores feeling your gentle touches on his hands, and returning his affections by caressing every inch of your face.

"And what do we have here?" Homelander asks, leaning down a bit closer to you. He is all smiles as he smells the air, closing his eyes while he takes in your hard day's work. Your efforts that were all for him.

"It's a beef and veggie soup," you tell him, still stirring the pot with your other hand. "It's a new recipe, I've been busy chopping all day. I'm not sure how good it turned out though."

"Well, it smells great," he says as he moves his hand from your shoulder to your thighs, lifting you up to his chest. You weigh absolutely nothing to him, but he loves to feel your body cradled in his arm with your head up close to his own.

"Hey!" you squeal as you are abruptly brought up into the air, giving him a playful swat on his pecs. "I can't finish cooking from up here!"

He can't help but laugh. He is so fond of how you do such simple things to remind him of his humanity, how easily you bring him back down to earth after a grueling day of being Vought's supe poster boy.

"I think it's done babe," he smirks. "Here, let me see."

He reaches down and grabs the pot with his free hand, completely unfazed from the strong heat on his bare skin. After one last smell, he brings the pot up to his mouth to take an ample sip. He tilts his head back as he swallows, his eyes closed while he licks his lips, savouring the soup you made special just for him.

"Is it good?" you question, even though you're pretty sure you already know the answer.

Opening his eyes, you spot the sly expression on his face as he brings you in for a kiss. Homelander kisses you so warmly and softly, letting you taste the soup on his lips. When he finally parts, your noses are still touching allowing you to feel his deep breaths dance across your face. You can see how dilated his pupils are, his fluttering eyes solely focused on you, on how much he loves you.

You take that as a yes.

[hbojoel]

imagine richie and reader having a secret relationship and hiding it from everyone at the beef and maybe carm or tina become suspicious and try to catch them out !!!!

god i LOVE hidden relationships so much i'm gonna eat it up every time... i hope u like this thank u for asking🫶🏼🫶🏼

richie x gn!reader blurb below :)

its not that he wants to hide you or anything, in fact it's the opposite, he would parade you around town on his arm if he had it his way - but he wants to save you from all that incessant teasing and sidelong glances that you'll get from everyone at the beef.

but people start noticing. he's taking more smoke breaks but when carmy runs out and asks to bum one off him, they're not even half gone and richie's suckin on those like candy normally. carmy takes stock of it and tucks it away in the back of his mind for later. t's noticing it too - and soon enough the two of them are gossiping about it over prep, getting syd and marcus and sweeps involved, even ebra at the window.

richie feels that shit and starts BUGGING out . like's so paranoid and all the shit he'd been trying to save you from is at him the second he walks through the fuckin door and he just. loses it one day during the lunch rush. like "i don't know what the FUCK is up with everyone but come the fuck out with it or i swear to god i'm gonna get violent"

syd keeps looking up at him and smiling and then looking away. marcus has his hands up in surrender and is fighting back laughter. t's coming up behind him laughing unabashedly and clapping her hands. "congratulations, papa!"

richie's face is screwed up in confusion and he's getting angrier by the second. "the fuck are you talkin' about?"

"your new lover," marcus calls from the corner.

"my lover? yo, i don't know where you're getting that shit but mind your fuckin' business about it, okay? heard?"

syd's laughing now too. "you're so obvious about it, richie."

there's hollering and clapping before richie raises his hands and shouts "alright! alright, fine, i am... seeing someone. and no you do not get to meet them cause you're all fuckin wired just hearing about it already. they'll come around when they're good and ready and everyone better act right or we're never coming here again."

they all relent and there's the comfortable ambience of chatter through the doors, knives on cutting boards and oil sizzling in pans before tina sidles beside him at the counter. she bumps her hip with his. "all shit aside, i'm happy for you, baby. it's good that you're not all alone."

richie can't even fight back the grin that splits his face. maybe you'll be meeting his family sooner than he thought.

[qiwoomi]

iii. care for you

series masterlist main masterlist prev next

The office is filled with silence, except for the constant clattering sound from the keyboard. Though, Alhaitham's peaceful ambience is ruined when a blonde haired man with a half updo hairstyle barged into his office without notice.

"Here's your coffee. You should really hire an assistant soon, I'm tired of having to buy you drinks all the time." Kaveh intervened, placing the cup on his desk.

The Chief Operating Officer's eyes are still glued to his computer, subconsciously ignoring his friend. He reached for the cup to take a sip, as Kaveh slammed his hand on the mahogany desk. "Ugh, can't you see that I'm busy right now?" Alhaitham grimaced.

"I won't leave unless I hear a thank you."

"Fine, thank you for the coffee Kaveh."

"It's insincere," Alhaitham immediately turned his gaze towards him, his eyes narrowing, "...fine I'll leave, geez. What got you so worked up this morning."

Kaveh left instantly, as Alhaitham facepalmed.

Truth is, you have been in his mind ever since last night. For the past few days, he has been quite observant of you.

It piqued his curiosity, because every time he came back from work and you're fast asleep, he would always hear you screaming. He ignored it however, thinking that maybe you're suddenly awake and decide to watch a horror movie. Which is... quite illogical for a man who always use logic above anything else.

It is until, he heard your scream for three times in a row every night that he decided to check on you. Even though he made a rule himself to not enter each other's room, he's still concerned.

The sight of you crying is still as clear as day, as well as the fact that you both hugged that night- it feels illegal to be that close to you.

Alhaitham is usually not the type to care about what other people thinks, but it's otherwise when it comes to you. Most of the time, he's more self-conscious around you.

As for now, he's only hoping that you don't remember what he did last night.

When the clock strikes five, Alhaitham didn't waste a minute to pack his things up and heads out of the door of his workplace, actively avoiding any coworkers who dare to approach him with more works. He can deal with them tomorrow.

He languidly walks to the parking lot, quickly entering his car. He sits for a moment, while loosening his tie.

Alhaitham decided to pick you up today. Entering his keys, he immediately drive to your college.

Last night's predicament never once left his mind. But, as embarrassing as it is for him to enter your room without your consent, his goal is to at least know what had been bothering you.

You might not notice however, the man had always been watching out for you.He had noticed it all. He noticed every little thing that you do. From head to toe, even.

When you brought up about divorce to him, he's surprised.

To his dismay, even the most intelligent and prominent figure of the Akademiya University that is known to have mastered several languages can't even describe what he feels.

Though, he would rather hide it than letting the world know. He feels a surge of responsibility through his body, which is stronger than before— which is why he ends up pulling up in front of your school. While mindlessly tapping the steering wheel with the car windows rolled down.

He's looking out for any possible friends of yours, to ask where have you been.

Unbeknownst to him, you had taken a day off. Alhaitham didn't even realise the slight furrow on his brows, as he drove away and went straight to home.

Since it's your grandma's birthday, you decided to visit her grave. You placed down the bouquet of red tulips, as you sit down. The atmosphere was quite, the thoughts inside you the only thing that is keeping you company.

It was only after a short while before you decided to go back.

Entering the passwords, the door opened as you stepped in.

You are suddenly greeted by a smell, the apartment being engulfed by an aromatic and pleasant smell— which of course comes from the kitchen.

"Oh, you're finally home. Where have you been?" Alhaitham turned to see you clad in all black attire.

"...Ah, I went to the graveyard then I stopped by a convenience store." You replied awkwardly. His eyebrows slightly raised. "You didn't tell me you took a day off. I stopped by the school to pick you up." He finished, as he returns to cooking.

"Sorry, I turned my phone off for today," You paused for a while, waiting to see his reaction before continuing, "Um, anyway... about last night I'm sorry. I guess I just watch too much movie that they started appearing in my dreams..."

Silence. Is he ignoring me?

Alhaitham turned off the stove, lifting the pan with fried chicken rice before dividing them into two ceramic plates.

"Come sit. I made dinner."

You hesitantly make your way towards the dinner table, slowly sliding the chair (you don't even know why you did that) as you sit across of Alhaitham. Not before placing the plastic bags filled with snacks inside for you to munch on when you're studying. The man before you then hands you a set of cutlery, a glass of water and not forgetting to put a box of tissue between you both.

You muttered a small thanks to him, to which he only nodded as you start eating.

Your eyes widened at the taste, absentmindedly nodding to yourself as an approval. His lips quirked up for a moment, which you failed to notice.

"Ahem. I noticed that you look unhealthy than usual. Do you want me to arrange an appointment to a doctor? I know someone you can trust."

"Oh..! Aha, no need. I already had contacted Dr. Baizhu... I have an appointment with him tomorrow."

He paused for a while, as if contemplating if he should tell you to cancel the meeting and choose another doctor instead.

"...I'll go with you. Just incase." You look up at him, taken aback at the offer, "I don't have any work tomorrow so you shouldn't worry." He lied.

Alhaitham then stands up, collecting your finished plate and his as he put them in the sink. Leaving no room for you to object his advances.

taglist: @odevote118 @levisbebe @hitomi-inaru @no3hg3nshin @thetwinkims @tanspostsblog @kaoyamamegami @iamfakeu @starlightauralis @mmm-alhaitham @klementime @makimakimi @itonashi @crowbird @changgchangg25 @haengezoe @0r093hf74hf8460 @catjsjs @ezraiix @hakunonn @lady-makima @ninjakuko @fluidfandoms @ragnvdnr @chishiyawifesworld

author's note: finally an alhaitham pov and slightly jealous alhaitham (tho he won't realize it) 🤭 just a heads up, but I can't reply to comments at all :( i owe you guys a double update tho since i can't post yesterday

© @qiwoomi

est. 070323

do not copy, translate and repost my work.

[skyboxeye]

Capturing the ambience of Virtua Fighter 3

This popular fighter was revised a few times before being expanded and released as VF 3 Team Battle on both Arcade and Dreamcast. We'll use the Supermodel emulator to run the former version, as it offers superior visuals and sound.

Disabling music

What ultimately worked was a secret button combination: hold Start just before the stage loads, during 2-player matches. The required timing is somewhat tricky; it helps to stagger two presses across your controllers.

Alternatively you can visit stages with Dreamcast's practice mode, where music is always disabled. But as mentioned earlier, I found that Arcade offers higher-quality audio.

VF3 official soundtrack

The official soundtrack also uses a few seconds of ambience to introduce each stage track. In fact, it features some stage sounds not audible in-game (only in Sound Test) such as drips on Cave and creaks on Raft.

Hiding the HUD: Supermodel

For a robust solution, we can modify Supermodel's rendering code. Inside CRender2D::PreRenderFrame, introduce logic such that we don't draw layer 0 inside the Above3D rendering section.

Also, while you're inside the code, ensure layer 3 is skipped inside CNew3D::SkipLayer. This avoids drawing this strange red triangle:

Hiding player-characters

I discovered that Supermodel meshes are grouped into higher-level entities called nodes. Also, it turns out that Virtua Fighter 3 stages always use the same nodes to model fighters. Therefore we can tell Supermodel to skip rendering nodes at chosen indicies to skip drawing characters.

Most stages only use nodes 2 and 3, but there are a few exceptions:

Great Wall: 1P is nodes 2-3, inclusive. 2P is 4-5

City: 1p is 3 - 15. 2P is 17-29

Stream: 1P is 2-5. 2P is 6-9

Cave: 1P is 11 - 23, 2P is 24 - 38

Running the game

We can reduce some friction by entering Free Play mode, where credits aren't required.

Visiting levels

Hold start while selecting a stage to load its alternate visuals/music. VF3 stages also have a third variant for Dural encounters.

Camera angles

We can cycle through camera modes (standard, first-person, overhead) by pressing Start in single-player modes. While you can't move the camera directly, it zooms to frame our fighters as they move, so we can space them out to get our desired angle.

Widescreen and framerate

Model 3 machines output at 57.524hz, which you can enable using the -true-hz launch option. Otherwise, Supermodel will default to 60fps, with a correspondingly small speedup in game speed.

Widescreen for Model 3 games is a multi-faceted topic. Supermodel automatically adjusts the rendering aspect ratio so that 3D elements appear correct. I've found this render-layer approach can lead to unwanted culling on other emulators, but I didn't notice any problems here.

What's less straightforward is rendering 2D game elements, such as backgrounds. You can leave Supermodel to draw these tiles at their original aspect ratio, or tell it to stretch them using the -wide-bg option. Since these elements are supposed to scroll with gameplay, and designed appear at a certain scale/position, these two options offer the best fidelity to what the developers intended.

Custom background scaling

We can apply our own custom scaling using some post-production. First, change Supermodel's glClearColor to a chroma key-friendly hue (e.g. magenta) and edit CRender2D::PreRenderFrame or prevent calls to CRender2D::RenderFrameTop. This combination will give us background-free footage, onto which we can then apply the relevant texture with our the scaling of choice in post.

I obtained VF3's background textures by dumping them from the Dreamcast version.

Here's a proof of concept - note the magenta fringes around the palm trees due to imperfect filtering:

Bonus: Debug mode

Hold Punch + Kick + Guard + Escape, and then press Start, to begin the game in debug mode. In debug mode, our inputs are printed to the screen. The advanced debug controls of VF2 either don't exist in VF3, or require a currently unknown button combination to access.

We can also enter debug mode in 2-player.

Appendix 1a: Failed approaches to disabling music

The arcade machine's service menu offers a "Sound Balance" option, but it doesn't disable music as I'd hoped. Perhaps it merely adjusts certain mixing parameters.

Moving on, I found that Supermodel has a launch option for setting music volume:

Supermodel.exe ROMs\vf3tb.zip -music-volume=0 -input-system=xinput -wide-bg

However this doesn't effect on VF3, nor does pressing Supermodel's keys (F9/F10) to adjust music volume, because these options don't apply to the way VF3 implements music.

Appendix 1b: Creating custom SFX mixes

The service menu also includes a Sound Test. This allows us to play, and therefore record, sounds in isolation. We could then mix them via the sound editor of our choice to create a replica of what's heard in-game.

Appendix 2: Failed approaches to hiding player-characters

I first told Supermodel to skip mesh draws at random, which revealed that a character is in fact made of many meshes. This suggests that skipping character rendering using this method would be difficult, if not impossible.

Not quite ready to give up, I tried passing ENABLE_DEBUGGER=1 flag to the Make command in hopes of getting more info (i.e. the mesh indices of the two characters). Looking in code, I found a SUPERMODEL_DEBUGGER definition that's likely supposed to reflect it. But, compilation failed with ENABLE_DEBUGGER=1 for various reasons - maybe I was doing something wrong, or perhaps the feature is no longer maintained.

Appendix 3: Hiding the Dreamcast HUD

On Dreamcast, we can supposedly do this by holding X and then press A while the game is paused. But I found this only partially hid the HUD - if we wanted to capture Dreamcast, it would be better to load a completely transparent version of the HUD using Dreamcast emulators' custom texture loading features.

Dreamcast also has the HUD hidden until just before Training Mode gameplay starts - offering an opportunity to grab a HUD-less screenshot. However, as mentioned above, Dreamcast's visuals differ enough from Arcade that we can't overlay these captured stills onto our Arcade footage.

For a somewhat absurd approach, we can use Dreamcast emulators to dump VF3's background textures and then use those as an overlay onto our Arcade footage. However this will only work for stages without any geometry intersecting the HUD. And of course, these dumped textures are unshaded and may not match the way they are drawn in Arcade. Note the visible seam in this proof-of-concept:

[crashingmeteor3]

FUN FACTS ABOUT DOORS 2! HERE WE GO.

This part will feature the entities I didn't cover in part one, I hope you enjoy reading these random facts. Because I certainly did. And again, credit goes to the DOORS wiki.

UPDATE: This part will not cover the New entities that arrived in the Hotel+ Update, there's not much information/trivia on them. But they will get their own part later on! I started working on this before the update.

Eyes deals 10 damage every tick/second(?), meaning it would take 10 ticks (or less, if you have less hp) for them to kill you if you stare at it.

When you go into the next room, Eyes disappears, when they begin to disappear you can look at them without taking damage.

Altogether, there are 38 Eyes on Eyes. They are also sort of shaped like an eye. Which is pretty neat.

Eye's badge description "Last chance to look at me" is a breaking bad reference.

Eyes has an unused jumpscare, it looks like this.

It is possible to look at Eyes without taking damage! In the glass rooms as long as you're on the other side of the glass, Eyes can't hurt you! (I don't know how to call it or describe it, but it's the room where you have to crouch through the hole in the glass/window to get to the next door.) Does this mean if you wear glasses or something like that you can't take damage from Eyes?

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Timothy is the only harmful entity that can't kill you, because of this, it's really just a jumpscare entity, similar to Jack and Shadow because Timothy only takes 5hp and if you're lower than that he takes less.

Timothy has a son, Timothy Jr.

It's unknown if Timothy is an entity or just a normal spider, which is funny. Timothy could be holding back, for now...Or just an average spider. Who knows?

Timothy can have either green or red eyes, with the green eyes appearing in the lobby and in its UGC items.

There are not many facts about Timothy, sadly.

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You know Halt is in the next room when the lights flicker for a longer period than Rush and Ambush's flicker.

After escaping the hallway, you can go back to loot the hall, if you took damage you should find enough bandaids to restore your health. (Edit: This was before the update, you can no longer do this.)

You can't hide in the hallway, as Halt will still damage you if you do.

Halt was originally named Shade.

If you stay in the hallway long enough, the ambience will increase in pitch before going silent.

Halt has the same ambience as Eyes, but it is pitched lower.

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There is a Screech Plushie in the Lobby, this is a reference to the Screech Plush campaign.

Before the Hotel+ Update, Screech wouldn't spawn in a room after Rush broke the lights, however, now Screech can spawn in a darkened room.

The idea of Screech came from a nightmare Redibles had a week before the release of the game.

The description of Screech's crucified achievement is a reference to Shrek 2.

The description is; "Could you not be yourself for 5 minutes?" Crucifying Screech will stop it from spawning for 5 minutes.

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Glitch is the only non-canon entity in the game.

However, in the update, El Goblino claims to have seen someone similar to Seek but purple, most likely referring to Glitch.

Glitch acts as a failsafe, it used to have another job of teleporting players who are behind the rest of the group, but that job went to the new entity, Void.

Glitch can appear in both the Hotel and the Rooms, making it the only entity capable of that, but this is probably because Glitch is non-canon.

According to Redibles, Glitch can do whatever it wants to because it's not canon to the game.

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Hide will only not attack in Rooms 50 and 100, however, once the library door opens, Hide will appear again. Hide will be in Room 100 until the lever is pulled.

Originally the Player was supposed to have claustrophobia, but this was changed and Hide was created instead.

Hides physical form is up to player interpretation according to Ghostly_Wowzers.

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Window's file name is 'Sally,' leading to it being a joke in the community and some people calling the entity Sally.

Window is one of four entities to appear in the lobby along with Timothy, Seek and Screech.

Before the Update, Window and Guiding Light were the only entities that didn't attack the player in any way.

It was thought Window was a reference to the Smilers from the backrooms, however, it was confirmed this is just a coincidence.

Ghostly_Wowzers does not see Window as a true entity.

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The Guiding Light helps the Players in many ways, such as:

Highlighting the door in a Dark Room, along with highlighting the key if there is one.

Highlighting the room key even in light rooms. (as of the Hotel+ Update)

Highlighting important objects and emitting a sound from them, examples of this are books, code paper for the library, the breaker and breaker switches and room keys.

Highlighting the correct Doors in the Seek Chase, and the correct gap to crouch through.

In the puzzle painting rooms, Guiding Light will make the frame outlines on the walls to help Players put the paintings in the right place.

Highlight items from a dead player for others to pick up.

Giving the players advice for the entity they died from. Along with providing encouragement.

Appearing in the Electrical Room as the Rift, which you can use to store items for the next run.

The Candle lets you know when an entity (e.g Rush or Screech) is coming.

The crucifix traps entities and keeps them away for a while.

The Rift can only hold one item, the Rift will disappear if you take an item out and don't put another in.

The Candle and Crucifix do not work in the Rooms because the Guiding Light isn't there. They will feel lighter when held, but because of this, the candle won't go out.

The Guiding Light was named by the community, its name comes from the background music of the death screen.

In the library cutscene, the lamp falls over, distracting Figure, it approaches the noise and avoids you. You can see blue sparkles coming from the lamp for a moment, meaning Guiding Light knocked over the lamp to create a distraction so the players don't die.

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Hopefully that's everyone, as I said, the new entities (Dupe, Snare, Void e.t.c) will have their own part.

Fun facts about DOORS 1

I like looking through the DOORS wiki and finding cool, funny or just interesting stuff. I'm sick right now so what better thing to do is to tell people the facts about the hit Roblox game Doors that I enjoyed the most.

I found everything on the DOORS wiki, so credit to the wiki and the people who worked on each wiki for the entities I will talk about.

This part features Ambush, Jack, Shadow, Rush, Seek and Figure.

Ambush was originally supposed to be a jumpscare entity like Jack and was called a 'Mobble' but this was changed.

The first version of Ambush's design looks similar to Jack, but was red and had a similar face to the current design. The second version looks like a tadpole, in my opinion. What interests me is the change from red to green, wonder what inspired that.

Ambush's scream is a Shepard tone, which means the pitch is randomly generated. Ambush is the only entity (for now) that uses this.

Ambush appears and kills you infinite times if you exploit the game, this is probably a well-known fact but I do find it interesting that Ambush serves as the anti-cheat entity in the game. If you were to ask me I'd expect Glitch to fill in that role.

Someone asked if Rush and Ambush have working circulatory systems, to which Redibles replied, "If it bleeds, you can kill it... I've personally never seen them bleed." What does that mean? I have no idea. But it's interesting to wonder if any of the entities can truly 'die.'

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Jack can appear as early as Door 1, which can possibly make it one of the first entities you could encounter if you hide in a closet in that room. But I doubt anyone would hide in a closet in the first room since the entities usually appear after Door 5.

Jack can only spawn in a room when Rush/Ambush are present if the next room is open, because of this it is advised to not open the next door unless you have to. But sometimes you can get unlucky like I did. All the hiding spaces in a room were taken so I went to the next room and Jack scared me and got me killed.

The description for Jack's achievement is 'Ooga Booga' which is a meme, I question why that's the description but oh well. Probably did it for the funny.

Jack (and Timothy) will most like appear on the future floors.

Are Closet Jack and Hallway Jack the same Jack? Who knows. Are there multiple of every entity? Again, who knows I kind of doubt it.

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Shadow is a jumpscare entity, like Jack. And has the same chance of appearing as 'Hallway Jack' with a 1/2000 chance.

Sometimes when Shadow appears a white rectangle will show up instead, this is because Shadow didn't properly load in, this happened to me when I encountered Shadow for the first (and only) time. Shadow only spawns for 1/2 a second so it makes sense?

If Shadow appears in a dark room, sometimes it can make Dark Rooms brighter, however, the room will still be a Dark Room so Screech will still spawn and GL will highlight any keys and the door.

Guiding Light, Window and Shadow share some similarities. They don't have official names, and they will never have achievements.

Window and Shadow will probably remain as Easter Eggs, but Ghostly_Wowzers has said Shadow will probably have a future use.

Shadow's original design was removed because it violated Roblox's Terms of Service as it looked like it was attached to the ceiling and it was hanging.

Shadow's asset name is Creepy_Dude.

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Rush will be slower the more players there are, which is probably so people have more time to hide. If this wasn't a feature, in those 12-player games having everyone survive would be very difficult.

Rush spawns more the further you are into the Hotel, I think Rush can spawn again after 2 doors sometimes. It's not mentioned how often Rush can spawn though.

Rush will pull an Ambush and bounce back after hitting a locked door in the room where you have to go through the vents. However, there is a chance Rush will go through the door and will still go through both sides of the room.

Rush's particles are from the decal 'Vines' made by Dinotooth009, however, the colour was changed to Black to fit Rush's design.

Rush's design was inspired by an image from "The Smiley Company" (the channel has been terminated by Youtube)

Rush can make other entities appear after rushing through the room, the main examples I think of are Eyes, Jack and Shadow.

Rush had its audio changed/fixed, and so far it is the only entity with this issue. But it has been fixed since January 11th.

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Seek is regarded as one of the main antagonists/bosses of the hotel (Along with the Figure). Since, unlike the rest of the entities they are guaranteed to spawn in certain rooms. For Seek, it's rooms 30-40 and 80-90.

Seek's chase sequences happen after the fourth door after its eyes start appearing. (i.e seeing eyes at door 35 will cause the chase to occur on door 39)

Seek doesn't chase the players but instead runs to the next room and kills anyone behind it, this is to prevent players from making a loop to get behind Seek.

The first chase lasts for six doors, and the second chase lasts for eight. The later the chase occurs the better in my opinion so you're closer to Door 50 and Door 100.

The player will move on their own even if they don't press anything, preventing the players from hiding in closets during the chase.

Other players will become invisible to make things run smoother, this also happens in Halt's Hallway. However, items they hold will still be visible. This can be helpful for new players to follow you through the chase.

Seek will scream if it gets close to a player, which can be used as a signal to notify players that Seek is close.

In multiplayer, you can stand behind, in front, or even on top of Seek if the other player(s) move ahead, luckily you will teleport to the usual starting point after.

Seek was the first entity created.

It might be canon that Seek is watching the players all the time during their time in the Hotel.

Seek's Eyes are optical illusions to make it seem that the eye is watching you wherever you stand.

Seek could most likely form a mouth if it wanted to, according to Redibles.

Redibles also said Seek hates Seek-chan and whoever posts about it.

Seek can shapeshift into anything, but it will always be imperfect.

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The Figure is the main antagonist (at least for floor 1).

Its achievement description "Careful not to make a sound!" is a reference to the song "We are Number One." from Lazytown.

For some reason, Figure can emit light from its mouth.

As most people know, the more books you collect, the faster Figure gets. It's possible to outrun Figure if you have 0-2 books. But you can use vitamins to outrun it if you have more than two.

The Figure will roar every time it completes its loop, but it will also roar if it detects a player.

Make sure everyone exits the library at the same time, or else Figure will hunt for the remaining players at 2x speed. The exit door only closes if everyone is out of the library.

Figure will kill you even if it doesn't notice you when you touch it, try not to get stuck in the same row as it because it'll be guaranteed death unless you somehow manage to get away without alerting it.

Inside the Figure's model, there is a sound called "Awesome." When played, it makes the "Oh my god" Meme sound.

Figure has the most achievements related to it, those three being the achievements "Sshh!" "Rock Bottom" and "Expert Technician"

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[curiousconch]

Chase You / Chase Me (Pt. 1)

Part 1: Burning on the Edge of Something Beautiful

Catch up here: Series Masterlist

Chapter Summary: Alex finds herself personally affected by the Rothswell case and Gabe attempts to find out why.

Book/Pairing: Choices - Laws of Attraction / Gabe Ricci x MC (Alex Keating)

Words: 1.8k+

Rating/Warnings: Mature (16+) / implied sexual content, alcohol consumption

Disclaimer: Most of the characters as well as some dialogues belong to Pixelberry. I am merely borrowing them.

Wednesday Evening at McGraw Byrne

Back from a day in the courts, Gabe stepped out of the elevator and into the halls of McGraw Byrne. Eager to finish the day's work, he passed by the break room where he unwittingly heard something that made him instantly halt.

"Did you see how clammed up Keating became when you asked her that question?" Gabe heard Vanderweil's deep voice.

"Actually, I sensed something irked her during the ride back. Seems like I did strike a chord," a serious female voice replied, which Gabe presumed was Sinclair's.

He made the assumption that the line of conversation was about their visit to the Rothswell's mansion. Earlier that day, the law firm's major client Philip Rothswell, demanded that they see to the whole Lydia and Joey situation. So Gabe and Sadie instructed the associates to go see the young heiress, trying to give the firm more time to create a more solid strategy than playing family counselor.

When they were placating Rothswell, he noticed how Alex fidgeted in her chair as she listened to their client. The way her body pulled up every defensive stance in the book full with meaning.

Seems that what he just overheard confirmed his suspicions. Something was bothering Alex Keating. And like all things Alex, it piqued at his curiosity.

It irked him that he did, more than he was willing to admit. Seems like even as trivial as office gossip, as long as its about her, Gabe is guaranteed to take notice.

Hastening his strides, he continued on to his plush new office, the setting sun coloring the wood furnishings with a hue of orange. He tossed his briefcase on the khaki couch, his leather soles padding on the clean white carpet. Loosening his tie, he crossed the room towards his desk. He took off his coat, hanging it on the rack nearby and turned to face the glass walls which offered a much better view of the concrete jungle below.

His mind whirred as he rationalized with himself as to why he was so invested with Alex. He initially chalked it up as a familiar, primal response to her... attractiveness. Yet as he watched her emerge from every pressure test and challenge he and Sadie gave her, he can't help but root for her.

It's not just that. After a long time, Gabe wanted to be near someone. He wanted to hear what bothers them, their goals, even their history. A level of interest he never exhibited to his usual carnal pursuits.

She stirred up something sleeping within him, something he willed never to return.

Consumed by the thoughts of her, Gabe finds himself glancing at his Rolex and hatching a guise to know what made the mighty Alex Keating got so worked up about.

**

Sometime later, uptown New York

"Alex... Have you ever had someone like Joey mess with your head? It's not about smart or stupid," Gigi had asked.

Alex poked her fork at the piece of chocolate soufflé as her mind whirled back to the ride back to the office.

"I'm not buying you any more of that Riesling if you wouldn't even bother being a worthy companion," Gabe teased, before downing another glass of scotch across her.

Her head immediately perked up, breaking free from her introspection. Alex forced a smile in response.

"As if another glass would make a dent in your indomitable fortune," she leaned back, trying to hide her thoughts under the façade of her sarcasm, rolling her eyes at him for added effect.

The two find themselves in a swanky New York restaurant, its upscale interior design worthy of the five star Yelp rating. The sleek tables and gray scandinavian chairs made Alex grateful that her wine red dress fit among the crowd. With a private booth overlooking the city lights and the delicious gourmet food served, she did not regret accepting Gabe's dinner invitation to meet a client.

Her mind decided that more work and Gabe's company was a great way to distract herself from the nagging of her memories, and it didn't hurt that the senior partner was easy on the eyes.

And when the supposed big shot canceled at the last minute, Alex completely saw it as a win.

"Something bothers you." Gabe suddenly articulated, breaking her from her contemplations.

Alex's brow arched in reply, as Gabe stated it like a fact, not as a question.

Crossing her legs under the table, she folded her arms across her chest.

"And why does that concern my pretend-boyfriend, hm?" she interjected, hoping to evade his interrogation.

"You're not the only astute one in this booth," Gabe let his eyes trail across her defensive stance the second time today.

Throughout the course of their meal, the heat between them simmered as well as the flow of their usual banter. Their chemistry was palpable, convincing even the waiter of the restaurant. The cocky man was certainly redefining the phrase hot and cold for Alex. He quickly and easily shut down her attempts to flirt, pulling back when the temperature between them reached a boiling point.

But Alex was more surprised, pleasantly so, when Gabe briefly opened up about his past and the vague explanation of why he's still not settled down.

She sensed the current trajectory of their conversation was what Gabe planned to have all along.

But now, as she swirled the remaining expensive liquid in her glass, trying to decide whether to put her guards up or to just give in, she couldn't deny the uncharacteristic softness in his gaze. It was magnetizing, making Alex want to fold and drop her pretentions.

She watched him as he seemed to eagerly anticipate for her retort, a half smile lingering on that pretty mouth of his.

Alex knew he won't push her if she didn't want to, yet a part of her wanted to share the heaviness that weighed on her shoulder since meeting Lydia Rothswell. Of how much the teenager reminded her of her old, naïve self.

She's been trying to rack her brain for a reasonable explanation for her growing desire to introduce herself to Gabe more than she'd allowed the string of men that she had trysts with. Despite her continuous self-denial, her gut is telling her that Gabe wasn't like any other she crossed paths with.

Making up her mind, she decided to let the door open. Maybe just a little.

She sipped her wine beckoning some needed courage, wishing that she ordered something stronger.

Taking a deep breath, she began, her eyes fixed on the view behind him.

"Since you were wondering, my otherwise impeccable track record is stained by one mistake," she paused, finally turning her gaze to Gabe's waiting eyes.

"Like Lydia, I trusted the wrong person," she continued. "I... risked everything and got nothing."

Gabe's mouth twitched ever so slightly, sensing a fluttering in him because of Alex's candor. There was no trace of the witty comebacks he'd grown to see in her, only vulnerability.

And somehow, he adored her more.

He watched her as she bit her thumbnail, an action greatly contradicting the fiery personality she projected in front of everyone else.

Alex gritted her teeth as she fought back the overwhelming emotions as she stopped herself from revealing more than she's prepared to. Not yet, not tonight, she thought.

"But I woke up from that nightmare, solemnly swearing to myself that I wouldn't repeat the same wrong decision that almost railroaded my whole future," she concluded, determined not to expose herself any further.

A hush fell between them.

Alex raised her head to meet the eyes of the man that made her walls crack, expecting to find intrigue. Instead, she found a subtle look of understanding.

It's as if it was telling her that he knew. He knew every pain and every hurt that she wanted to just forget and bury inside a box, never to be opened again.

Just because for him, pain was a familiar companion. That like her, he too, has been through hell and back.

And while she relished under his attention, her breath slowed, letting herself be trapped within the depths of those reassuring brown eyes. Alex thought nothing can make her drop down her guard, but Gabe's next actions proved that there's still more he can do to break down her walls.

Without thinking, Gabe reached for her hand and took it in his, skimming his own thumb on her knuckles in an attempt to comfort her. He smiled warmly at her, expressing a gentleness that she never thought he was capable of.

It made Alex's heart skip a beat.

Even Gabe seemed to slowly enter the same daze, unable to veer away from Alex's unguarded view. Any remnants of his resistance, leaving him. He found himself leaning in, lured by the heady scent of her perfume - a mix of coffee, vanilla and jasmine. An unexpected combination that enticed him more to her.

For a few moments, their world stood still, as if they were on the edge of discovering something that all their lives they subconsciously sought.

Something more than any flirtation or any pursuit for lustful pleasure. Something more...

"More drinks, Gabe?" a familiar voice broke them from the temporary oasis that they pulled themselves in.

All of a sudden, they were sucked back to the reality of their actual surroundings. The noise of other patrons of the restaurant, the soft ambience of the lights overhead, and the fact that he was her current boss, and that she was under his professional supervision.

Gabe turned to James, their waiter, and refused the offer nonchalantly, and instead asked for their check.

"We should head back to the salt mines, the stack of work on my desk probably hasn't gotten any smaller since we left," Gabe casually said, erasing any trace of what just happened between them. Alex silently agreed, following his queue by checking her phone for emails.

The trip to the lobby was wordless, as well as the wait for their ride. Up until Gabe opened the door of the town car, not following Alex inside.

"Aren't you coming?" Alex inquired, briefly confused.

He cleared his throat, his expression stoic before he answered her. "I think its best if we part ways here. I wasn't kidding about needing to head back to the office," he paused, a look of contemplation in his eyes before it softly shifted to that of sincerity.

"You, on the other hand, should go home and get some rest. Partner's orders."

Alex couldn't help but smile. "Whatever you say, Gabe."

"Careful, Alex. I just might hold you to that promise one of these days," Gabe replied, the usual playfulness evident in his tone.

And with that, the door closed and the car pulled away.

But as Gabe watched the vehicle fade out of his sight, his phone pinged for an email. Glancing down at his screen, he saw the name of the sender, prompting him to open it in haste.

The message contained a single statement: "I found what you asked me to look for." An attachment was included.

When he opened the file, he saw a picture of a younger version of the woman he just parted from.

And a look of recognition passed over his face.

Author's Notes: This is getting a little canon divergent, though I'm just expanding their dinner conversation and using the intimate setting provided in the original book.

Tags: @adiehardfan @pixelnutrookie @starryjieun @fucking-random1 @choicesficwriterscreations

Thank you for reading! Let me know if you want to be tagged or removed on succeeding installments. If not, please reblog or comment, I'd really appreciate it!

[maxrev]

Fluffy ask for Jon/Kaidan for you: walking on the beach (or the pier I suppose) while holding hands with their fingers laced together. (sorry, I can't get enough of these two!)

These guys I swear...short prompts don’t exist. They took this and ran with it and Kaidan had another surprise in store. I apologize for any mistakes or if something doesn’t make sense, I was...exhausted and probably overedited it into a mess lol. Anyways, hope you enjoy and thanks for the ask ;)

           ___________________________________

Where Palm Trees Sway

It is the heart always that sees, before the head can see - Thomas Carlyle

A breeze blew in off the ocean, warm air against hot skin. Jon was wishing for the cool breezes back home but he wouldn’t trade this moment for anything. 

"Doing okay?" 

He looked over, drinking in the sight of Kaidan wearing board shorts and nothing else; his fit, muscular body on display and an easy smile on his lips. While they actually lived on the beach, a bit warmer climate sounded like the perfect get away. A chance to bask in the sun and enjoy each other without the distractions of their friends and city life; even if the city wasn’t terribly large. The small, quiet resort they’d chosen sat in a protected cove of an island with miles of beaches, both busy and peaceful. A few were off the beaten path, providing a calm and restful ambience. 

The ocean waves provided a relaxing accompaniment to their unhurried pace as they meandered down the stretch of sand. This beach, the one with their bungalow, was secluded; a couple of families with young children, a few couples enjoying the solitude as they were and one lone group of teenagers engaged in a mostly quiet game of frisbee. 

They walked near the water where the aqua colored waves rolled lazily onto shore, the crowns of foam drifting softly over their toes. Seagulls floated nearby on currents in air, cawing loudly, sometimes drifting closer inland hoping for a tasty morsel tossed to them. Out at sea floated a handful of colorful sailboats. A picture perfect day, much the same as the brochure still on the table back home. Just as advertised. 

A little way down the strip of sand Jon could see a young mother trying to teach her little boy how to fly a kite and just past the two of them was a single vendor selling drinks, ice cream and shaved ice, the shiny cart shaded by a bright, colorful umbrella. 

"Yeah, I'm good." Kaidan reached for his hand and they continued their walk, comfortable in the peaceful setting, no need to fill the silence with words. He knew Kaidan was just checking on him. 

Before they'd left their bungalow, Kaidan had stared in astonishment when Jon stepped out of the bathroom without a shirt. He'd quickly hidden his surprise, though. For Jon to go out in public without one was a monumental step. 

Of course, it helped having Kaidan by his side offering support. Being on a sparsely populated beach didn’t hurt either. Less people to observe his scars up close, fewer children to terrify. As soon as the latter thought crossed his mind, a kite came crashing down in front of them, the little boy racing towards it frantically as fast as his little legs could go while his mother called out to him. It was as if he never heard her. 

Jon froze as the boy skidded to a stop in the sand, right at their feet, at a loss for what to do. 

Instinctively, he turned to hide his scars, knowing as soon as the boy's eyes landed on them, he'd run back to his mother, frightened and screaming. Leaving his shirt off had been the absolute worst idea he’d ever had. He’d struggled with it over and over and now wished he would have worn one; his usual long sleeved tee. Being hot and sweaty was preferable to the fear snaking up his body, rooting him to the spot. He held his breath, waiting for disaster to strike. 

“Jon...hey, Jon. I’m here; it’s going to be okay.” 

Jon didn’t even hear him. 

The boy gazed at the crashed kite, a lone tear escaping from the corner of his eye to roll down a chubby cheek, smeared with what looked like chocolate. Dark brown curly hair blew free in the breeze. 

The world faded away when the boy gazed up at him with wide brown eyes, full lower lip quivering. Jon was sure any minute he’d begin to wail and the wailing would turn to a howl when he finally saw Jon's scars. 

"M-m-my k-k-kite," he stammered in a tear filled voice. He pointed at their feet, in case they hadn't already noticed. But all Jon noticed was the boy's arm, his kite completely forgotten. The arm aiming at the kite was horribly scarred, all the way up to the elbow. The shimmering big brown eyes locked on Jon’s. How do I talk to a child?

Kaidan moved between the two, sitting on the backs of his legs, toes digging into the sand. He smiled at the child, “Let’s check your kite and see how it looks, okay?” 

The boy sniffled, wiped a hand under his nose, and nodded. His mother caught up to them just then wrapping her arms protectively around his shoulders. Breathless, she apologized, “I’m so sorry he’s bothered you.” To her son, her voice was soft and gentle but firm, “Levi, you can’t run off like that without me, okay? And you shouldn’t bother these nice gentlemen.” 

He twisted, trying to free himself from her protective hold, turning to look up at her, “But my k-k-kite! I h-h-had to c-catch it!” He explained in a tear soaked voice. Levi looked back at Kaidan who held the kite, carefully smoothing it out and untangling the string. It appeared to be intact. “Is it okay? Can I f-fly it again?” 

The epitome of patience as always, Kaidan nodded and smiled, gently reassuring him, “I think it’ll fly again. Here you go.” He handed it over, the chubby hands grasping for it with a look of wonder, tears evaporating as if they’d never been. “Thank you!”  

The boy’s mother smiled at Kaidan, echoing her son, “Yes, thank you so much.” 

She glanced over at Jon with brown eyes the same color as her son’s. Her gaze slid over his scars but without shock or disgust. Before she could turn him away, Levi’s glance landed on them as well. Jon tensed, anticipating the inevitable explosion but to his surprise, it never came. 

Levi stepped closer, reaching out. His mother grasped his hand. “Levi!” she reprimanded, “You can’t touch someone without their permission.” 

Crestfallen, he looked ready to cry again. 

To his surprise, Jon said, “It’s okay. I don’t mind.” By the intake of breath at his side, Kaidan was surprised as well. 

But Levi turned the tables on them all. “We have matching scars! Do you wanna touch mine, too?” 

The matter-of-fact question rattled him so much, he couldn’t manage to answer. Levi deflated...until Kaidan reached for Jon’s hand, snapping him out of his trance. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind, right Jon?”

“Uh...sure,” he spoke with more conviction than he felt. 

Reaching out with tentative fingers, ashamed of how badly his hand shook, Jon gently let his fingertips glide over them, losing himself in the touch and feel of someone else’s outward trauma. The scars were marled with raised ridges, thin rivers of pale pink in the sunlight. The boy giggled and Jon snatched his hand away, the spell broken.  

Hand still shaking, he started when a warm hand slid around it and squeezed. Kaidan. 

The boy giggled, "That tickled!" 

Inspired by the courage of the small boy before him, Jon sat in the sand so he could be on the same level. "You wanted to touch mine, too, right?" 

Levi nodded, extending his hand but then pausing and looking up at his mother. Realizing the suggestion may have been too forward, Jon looked up at her. She’d been watching them, her son's earlier tears seemed to have found a home in her eyes. Blinking several times, they glistened with unshed tears. She gave her consent to them both with a nod. 

Levi needed no further urging, touching Jon’s scars. It still took every ounce of strength he possessed not to flinch or pull away when those tiny fingers traced every inch of scarred skin. So far no hysterics and as Levi continued to explore, Jon felt his fears ebb away, like waves going back out to sea. He lost himself in the wonder of the child before him, filled with bravery and the absence of doubt. No thought to how the outside world would view him. Jon hoped those values remained through his whole life. 

"They’re all...ribbly," Levi told him. 

"Ribbly, huh?" At the boy's emphatic nod, he chuckled, "I suppose they are." 

"Levi, we need to go." 

The boy gave a very adult sigh, garnering a chuckle from his mother and Kaidan, before leaving. Following his mother back down the beach, he suddenly turned back to Jon, gave a shy grin and wave, turned back and began to run, tossing a ‘bye’ over his shoulder. Their bodies became smaller until they took a path into the trees and disappeared. 

Still trying to wrap his mind around what had happened, he was startled when Kaidan spoke up, "You okay?"

He stood up and brushed the sand off his legs, using the action to get his emotions under control. "Sure, I'm good."

The words were true. Actually, he felt more than good. Never comfortable around people after the mission which had given him the scars and more than a little terrified of their possible reaction, he found himself a little poleaxed by the whole scene. His present fears put into perspective by the naivete of a child. He was smart enough to know moving forward wouldn't be so easy; he still had quite a few giant hurdles to jump over. But it was a start. Doc Chakwas would likely give him one of her knowing smiles when he relayed the story to her. 

"Want some shaved ice?" 

Sounded wonderful. His throat was dry from stress and the sun hung high up in the sky since they'd left their bungalow. The air was hot, humid, and wet. "Yeah. Blue raspberry if they have it." 

Kaidan walked to the vendor while Jon waited, not quite ready to endure more scrutiny of his scars. He came back with two paper cups; blue raspberry for Jon, lemon for him. "Here you go." 

Jon took it, spooning out a bite. Cool and refreshing. "Mmmm, perfect." 

Kaidan quipped, "The ice or me?"

Not missing a beat, Jon leaned over and kissed him thoroughly, "Why, you, of course." 

Kaidan looked at him and laughed, "Your lips are already blue." 

"Guess you'll just have to clean them off then." 

"Mmmm, I'd enjoy that." 

Jon took another bite and licked his lips, making sure they were blue. Kaidan nudged his shoulder, causing them both to stumble and nearly drop their paper cups. He felt happy and content even as exhaustion crept over him from the encounter with Levi. A good outcome but he hadn't noticed how on edge he'd been throughout it all. 

"Ready to head back? We’re on island time now. We can nap if we want to." 

It was almost scary how Kaidan could read him so easily now. Sneaking a sideways look, Jon couldn't tell if Kaidan meant he wanted to take one as well, though he didn't look tired. In fact, he looked like he could spend the rest of the day running around the island. It almost wasn't fair...except the nap was calling him and Jon was powerless to resist its pull. 

"Yeah, a nap sounds good." 

He barely remembered his head hitting the pillow. 

Jon awoke to gauzy curtains swaying gently in a warm breeze coming in from the beach. Their bungalow sat close by, the glass doors to the bedroom taking advantage of the beautiful sunsets and warm, westerly zephyrs. Unwilling to move, he remained in bed, content to enjoy the view out the windows. 

But then the bed dipped behind him and he turned to find an even better view; Kaidan must have taken a nap as well. The sleepy-eyed, tousled-hair look was infinitely more appealing then what he’d been looking at outside. 

"Hey, there." His voice was deep and raspy with the remnants of sleep. Jon could get drunk on that voice. 

"Hey. Looks like you napped a bit too." 

"Yeah. Read a bit before I followed you down the same rabbit hole." He stretched with a yawn, Jon admiring the play of muscles as they moved under his golden skin, a tad darker after walking in the sun. "I'm going to take a shower, then thought we could take a walk before dinner." 

"Shower sounds great but what is it with the constant need to walk? Thought we were here to relax," he grumbled. 

"Oh come on, it’ll be a nice evening stroll. Help you work up an appetite.” 

Voice muffled against the pillow, he countered with, “I can think of better ways.” 

“Oh, so can I but we have plans. Ones I can’t change.” 

With a heavy sigh, Jon flopped out of bed and followed him into the bathroom. Not usually the one to instigate sex, he nonetheless tried to take advantage, but Kaidan’s ‘plans’ didn't include shower sex. 

And damned if it didn’t have him more than a little curious about what those plans were.

Freshly showered and dressed island style, which for them meant barefoot and shirtless with cargo shorts, Kaidan walked outside, calling back over his shoulder, "Lets go. We can watch the sun set as we walk." 

Dazzling white sand, warm from a day in the sun, was soft beneath their feet. The fronds of the palm trees swayed gently against a sky turning golden with the glow of the sun, just beginning its descent towards the horizon. 

Kaidan reached for his hand, lacing their fingers together and Jon felt a comfortable peace steal over him for the first time in...well, ever. He gazed at their hands and knew he wouldn’t change his life right now for anything. 

Before leaving the resort area, they stopped to purchase a couple of drinks; colorful, frozen, fruity things with umbrellas in them. They even came in a coconut shell. Jon drank his too fast through the straw, getting a brain freeze for his trouble. 

He stumbled, Kaidan grasping his hand tight and pulling back, trying ot keep him from falling. Jon looked down, surprised to see seashells in the shape of a heart. “Hey, look Kaidan. D’you see this?” 

“A heart made from seashells. Wonder who made it?” 

“I don’t know but someone was creative. I hope the tide doesn’t wash it away.” 

“It would be a shame, wouldn’t it.” 

There was something different in his voice but Jon couldn’t figure out what. Before he had a chance to mull it over, Kaidan pulled him forward. A few meters further and Jon saw a heart drawn in the sand. Surprisingly, it remained untouched by the waves. Inside it had been etched the words - once in a lifetime love. 

“Another heart. Someone went to great lengths to let them know they’re loved.” 

“Yeah, they sure did. Kinda reminds me of our message bottles, you know?” 

Jon gazed at him steadily, “Yeah...I suppose so.” 

Could it be Kaidan? No, there hadn’t been time for him to get away and do all this. 

They strolled at a relaxed, leisurely pace. Kaidan sipped slowly at his frozen drink while Jon had already finished his. 

Out of the blue, he asked, “You ever think about what you want to do with the rest of your life?” 

Jon gazed out over the ocean, watching as the sun began to color the underside of the white clouds floating lazily across sky in pastel hues of blue, pink, lavender and orange. The colors reflected in the ocean, all melding together in the current. He took a moment to think about Kaidan’s question. What did he want to do with the rest of his life? 

“I...I guess I haven’t, really. Have you?” 

“Well, I planned it around a career I thought I’d have the rest of my life. Spent the last thirty plus years focusing on one specific goal. Guess I didn’t really think about or plan beyond it.” 

Jon nodded, “I understand. Same thing for me, I suppose.” 

“Then, just like this,” he snapped his fingers, “it’s all gone. How do you start over? Where do you go and...with who?”

“With...who?” 

“Yeah...with who. I mean, I’ve never had a serious relationship before, guess maybe I’m choosy or...or patient--” Jon snorted and Kaidan bumped him in the shoulder with a quiet chuckle. 

“Patient, huh?” The laughter left his voice, “You are patient, Kaidan. Endlessly so.” Almost embarrassed at what he was admitting, his words were quiet, almost lost in the surf nearby, “ I mean, you have been - you are - with me.” 

Dusk had begun to fall in earnest and Jon wondered why they hadn’t begun to head back for dinner. Kaidan was quiet, not exactly out of the ordinary, but he seemed unusually introspective tonight. 

“I think what I want - something I’ve never truly found - is a deeper relationship with someone I...care about.” 

Jon swore his heart stopped for several seconds before it began beating again. Kaidan...was...he cared about someone? Rattled as his thoughts were, the one his mind latched onto was…’not me.’ 

“You...” his voice cracked on the single syllable and he coughed, tried again, “you care about. So, what you’re trying to say is--”

Kaidan stopped and turned to face him, never letting go of his hand, stopping Jon’s flow of words. He hadn’t noticed they were in a clearing. Tiki torches glowed softly in the dark, the sun finally having tipped over the horizon. 

A canopy had been set up over a single dining table set with plates and glasse. Next to it were covered serving dishes, a bucket full of ice to keep a bottle of champagne cold. Lights were twined around the canopy, adding to the glow of the torches. A radio played music softly. The scene was stunning, beautiful and Jon was thoroughly confused. 

At least, until he saw a heart drawn in the sand in front of the canopy with the words Love for a lifetime. 

He wasn’t sure what was happening, though it became clear rather quickly. 

Kaidan went down on one knee, “Jon, I love you with all my heart. After all the time we’ve been together I’ve realized I don’t want to spend the rest of my life without you.” Pulling a ring from the pocket of his shorts, he held it up. “Will you marry me?”

Stunned into silence, he stared at the ring, up at Kaidan, back to the ring. It was incredible: Trimmed in gold on the top and bottom, in the middle was a double row of waves in white. 

Mind crowded with thoughts, he knew Kaidan was getting more anxious with every passing second. Why would this man, so...so perfect, want to spend the rest of his life with...him? He was broken. Oh, he loved Kaidan, had realized it months ago, but never expected he’d want to stay and would just move on the day his endless patience finally ran out. 

But it hadn't and he was still here, right now...waiting on an answer. 

"Hello? Jon?" 

He searched the anxious brown eyes, saw nothing but honesty and love. 

"Yes, Kaidan. I will." 

A song came on and Jon thought the lyrics were perfect: 

I'm diving into the deep end

And I'm not scared, I'm not scared

And I've been way over my head

And I'm not scared, I'm not scared, no **  

** Daughtry - Deep End 

[ldyinblckmsk]

Always the extra, never the lead

Pairing: Bakugou Katsuki x F! Reader

Genre: Angst

Words: 1.8k

A/N: Hey, guys! I'm back hoho serving another angst (if you squint your eyes lol). I hope I broke your heart or makes you feel pain or sad coz that's what i wanna make you feel while you read my piece oftrash. This plot is plaguing mah mind. Also, the title sucks lolololol I can't think of anything argh!

Enjoy :)

It's funny how people cheer themselves up by thinking that they are the main character of their own story. You think that it's  ridiculous to give themselves a fake hope while the fact that the cycle of their story doesn't change anything. They'll never be the protagonist, no matter how hard they try to be one.

That's why you gave up, right. You settle yourself to be just a bystander, watching the main roles act their piece under the big spotlight. Watching the man you love entranced by the stare of the girl he likes. See, it's not you. Because, after all, as much as you wanted to be the Cinderella or Snow White or any other damnsel in distress, he'll never be the prince that will save you. You're just an extra.

Confess your profounding love to him? You already thought of it and considering the consequences of it, you're just a coward who didn't want to jeopardize the only relationship you had with him. You're fine with being his bestfriend. At least, you still have an excuse to be at his house until midnight just hanging out with him. You can still wear his hoodies  and imagine yourself acting like how the other girls did to their significant other.

That until she came.

He spent less time hanging out with you. He rarely even talks to you and ask if you're still breathing. As if all of a sudden, every memories you spent with him vanished like a bubble when the narrator introduced his leading lady. Of course, you were jealous, infuriating to be honest, she stole your man, the ash blond you were crushing since you laid your eyes on him. And the thing that makes you go insane is the fact that you don't have the right to be angry because he's not yours to claim.

The only thing you can do is sit there and let yourself drown in pain. Pretend that you're fine with the set-up and act normal. You didn't want to mess up the play, don't you?

Fine, my ass. You're not a masochist.

They're still not together, that means she's not his either.  They're still at the phase of knowing each other, so you still have a chance to confess. There's no way that they already fall in love with each other that fast.

Here you are in his room, laying comfortably on the silky sheets of his bed, staring at the ceiling. You just invite yourself to his house.

"Hey, dumbass! Are you even listening to me?" His voice snapped you out of trance. "I'm sorry. I got a lil dizzy for a sec. What were you saying?"

"You alright?" The hint of concern on his voice didn't go unnoticed by you and you just cherish this moment that way you always do. Your breath hitched when you felt his cold hands touch your forehead, his other hand on his comparing your temperature. The small act of friendship makes your blood rush to your cheeks.

"Geez. I'm fine, Katsu." You rolled your eyes at him, swatting his hand away. As much as you want to prolong the skinship, you didn't want to make yourself become a flustered mess. "Now, what were you saying?" You propped your head with both hands under your chin, as you roll on his bed now laying flat on your stomach.

"I said are you coming with me this Friday night. We're just going to eat." You looked at him suspiciously. For a second, your heart triumphs.

"Wow, you already want to see me again."

"Tch. Just say yes or no, idiot." You chuckled at his scowling face. "Just admit that you missed me, grumpy-chan."

"You're a pain in the ass."

And just like that, you didn't have any decent to sleep as you were so excited for Friday to roll. Whatever plan he has, you can't help but to think that it's like he's asking you to go out with him. Ignoring the second line he said, you let yourself dive in fantasy.

It's Thursday and you're still conflicted on what to wear, you asked for help of your friends. Surprisingly, they agreed to help you right away without raising their brows and questioning you about the date with the 'mystery man'. 'Cause they already know who it was, just from how eager you look.

Your love for the blond isn't news to them. Being classmates and friends for almost three years, they already knew how your mind works though they didn't really know how frenzy and complicated the wires in it. They just know the surface of it.

"How about this?" Mina showed you the haltered red dress that ends just above your knee. You decided on it right away which makes your friend shakes their head at your eagerness. After that, you're just casually having fun, giving you advices and tips on your so-called date from their experience.

You saw him leaning on his car, permanent scowl on his face while constantly checking his phone. You eyed him from your position, awe struck at the ravishing aura he oozes. The white dress shirt he's wearing highlights the muscle he workrd so hard to built. He looks so clean and sinful at the same time.

"There you are, grumpy-chan!" You walked towards him slowly, smacking his back as your usual greeting, smile plastered on your face with the hint of blush spreading on your cheeks. You watched him stunned for a while, eyes roaming to your body. "About fucking time. Let's go."

You were surprised when he opened the door for you but you just shake it off. He's gentle, seems like his careful with his actions.

He glanced at you for a moment before he went inside the car. His heart went wild when he saw you. He thought you looked prettier when you dressed up. He always saw you wearing baggy shirts that's why when you showed up with that tight dress he malfunctioned for a bit. You looked bold and sexy like a predator hunting its prey, quite opposite from the girl he's pining. He shakes the thoughts of you away as he began to drive.

Akiya is full of sunshine and rainbows. She's sweet and looks vulnerable like an antique dishware that needs to be taken care of. And he has the great urge to protect the quirkless girl. Funny, how he was so bully to Deku being quirkless and  here he was falling for one.

He was so upset to himself when he found out his stupid affection to the girl. Their constant talking amd bubbly personality made it possible to like her. But everytime he's with her, his mind straying away to your well-being. He knew that you have feelings for him but he didn't dig further because you're not vocal about it. With how much his time was spent with you, he cared deeply for you. He loves you, of course, but it isn't like kind of love you felt for him.

After sorting out those endless thoughts, still, his adoration for Akira weighs more than your friendship.

That's why he's inviting you to dinner with him.

The anxiety is bubbling up inside you. The look on his face screams that there's something going on inside his head that you're not ready to unravel. Call it instinct but something feels odd. The ambience around you doesn't suit your guts. You're beyond happy that you're having a good time with him but there's this unsettling feeling that's eating your inside.

Is this what you think it is?

He's the one who initiates the conversation first, sensing the awkwardness in your table. Feeling blue, you just answered him with nods and short words. Clenching your jaw as you forced yourself to smile naturally. It's not really that difficult for you to do it since you are good at hiding.

The dinner was served and you just sat there, eating in silence. You don't dare move your eyes from your plate. You felt him checking on you for the nth time of the night then followed by a sigh.

You fucking knew it. Your grip on the knife was tight while slicing the tender beef. You're silently praying that you'll have the control of your emotions tonight. The night is still young but the 'date' is nearing to end. 

"Y/n, just don't fucking talk and listen to me." His hand combing his spiky hair in frustration. He didn't know how to break it to you without hurting you. "What's with the serious talk, grumpy-chan? It's not like you, ya know." You laughed.

"I said I'll do the talking, idiot." You rolled your eyes at his remark."You know Akiya, right?"

"Uh, yeah, she's the girl you like, right." You said with an obvious tone in your voice, smiling, almost seemed like you're teasing him. Almost. Because the bitterness you felt left a hint on your voice.

Silence. No one dared to speak. Not because of your last statement. It seems like gods are not in the mood to heed your prayer as you desperately trying to stop the tears that you didn't know were already falling. You inhaled deeply, calming yourself down, slowly accepting your defeat.

You were the one that breaks the eerie silence. "So, you two are already together. Is that what were you going to say to me? Or is there anything el–" 

Oh.

Realization strucks your chords. How can you be so fucking simpleton? A small laugh leaves your mouth while nodding your head crazily, new batch of tears forming in your eyes. He only watched you, confused.

"Oh my god! You fucking knew it. Am I right?"

"Y/n–"

"I'm a clown. You knew I love you yet–" You laughed again. People gaze at your direction, feeling pity at your state. You are mess right now.

"What the fuck are you talking about? Yes, I knew it. I knew your feelings but your my bestfriend for fuck's sake!" He raised his voice, bloodshot eyes lingering at your form.

As if like you flipped your switch, you looked at him with blank eyes, no emotions were found as you speak to him. "Is it entertaining? Is it funny to watch me make a fool of myself? Am I stroking your ego when I looked at you with fucking heart eyes huh, Bakugou? Tell me."

"That's why I'm fucking talking to you right now. I want you to stop it. I need you to stop loving me because I can't reciprocate it...I love Akiya."

"I know! Don't fucking rub it on my face. I know it. I already knew it! Okay? And yet here I am still fucking hoping that there's still a chance." You're desperately trying to sound fine, wishing for your voice not to crack. "I-I'm still fucking praying that I wish it's me. Why the hell it can't be me? Why, Katsuki?"

No, you're not going to break down in front of him. That will be last tears you'll shed. You shut your eyes tightly, regaining your control over your emotions. You didn't spare a glance at him, looking yourself at your mirror while retouching your make-up. You grabbed your phone, texting Mina to pick you up while you're talk to him. "Just so you know, I'm not going to cut ties with you. If that's what you're worried about. I'm still your friend, dropping the 'best'."

You looked up at him, eyes meeting his for the last time. You saw his pained expression, clenching his jaw when he looked away.  You get up, ready to leave. "Another thing, next time when you reject someone don't do it over a fancy dinner. That just gives them a false hope and that's fucking painful." You chuckled.

Bitter smile plastered on your face,  you prepare yourself for the conclusion of the story. Walking to his side, you bend to him while placing a kiss on his cheek, whispering your final dialogue as the side character.

"Goodbye, grumpy-chan."

[a-yarn-of-purple-prose]

I spent hours writing a Genshin Impact fanfic yesterday because I had a sudden (sfw) image involving Razor. Somehow I have written about 3000 words and still haven't got to that scene, however I have written a Diluc scene that I like very much.

Here, have at it, I promise you it hasn't been beta read or actually spellchecked. It also hasn't revealed its name to me:

*

Lumine liked camping near Statues of the Seven for the ambience - it was an ever so peaceful a place to sleep - but of course the eventual healing helped. So she left Paimon to light the campfire while she took the a short walk to the statue and payed her respects to Barbatos. As she opened her eyes and checked that the bruises from the day's combat were gone, she had the distinct feeling of being watched. The Traveller turned slowly, not calling her sword yet but already in a fighting stance. A calm, cultured voice greeted her.

"I'm terribly sorry if my presence startled you, Honorary Knight, I was simply unwilling to intrude upon your prayers." The red haired arrival said, standing a few steps away, like he had been there all along. If Lumine weren't already aware of Diluc's alternate identity as Mondstadt's vigilante, she would have been impressed with his stealth.

"Master Diluc, hello. I didn't hear you arrive." She said, returning to a more relaxed stance.

"You seemed lost in thought. Any interesting commissions bringing you here?"

"No, not that." He seemed interested in her pause, so she pressed on. "Were you looking for me? I'm open for commissions. For tomorrow, I mean. I have a, hm, previously appointed engagement for this afternoon."

"Oh? And would this engagement be your fortnightly game of hide and seek with Razor?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." How he knew of that is beside her, but Lumine did her best to keep her surprise from showing. There was something about Diluc that reminded her of things long forgotten and brought out her manners. It took her conscious effort not to fall on full etiquette.

He just nodded in response. "Then please, be careful to put out any fires before leaving your camp. It's dry season and the wind carries flame very well around here."

"I guess you'd know." She said, before realizing that, yes, he would know. They were a stone's throw from Dawn Winery. She had no idea how Mondstadt's land was divided and if there were any other landowners around. They were probably trespassing. "Oh no. Are we camping in your land? Is that fine? Should we move?"

A shadow of a thought crossed his face at this, some conflict Lumine did not had time to understand before he was once more impassive. "That is not needed. Just be cautious." Then he walked a few steps before turning again. "I'm sure the Honorary Knight doesn't need reminding, but your title grants your freedom of the land."

So he couldn't kick them out even if he wanted. Lumine ponders over the idea of leaving in her walk back to camp, then discards it. After all, she does have freedom of the land.

"Hey, Paimon, how you feel about sheep?"

"They're yummy. Not many around here, though. Why?"

"Nothing, just thinking about things from other worlds."

"Paimon thinks you missed a great show!"

"I did?"

"Master Diluc came around to check who was camping. You should have seen him all dashing in his horse!"

"I saw him. Talked to him, actually. Wait, horse?"

"Yes!" Paimon said, doing her excited little joy dance. "A white horse! He was like a storybook prince!"

"Damn, I can't believe I missed that. He gave me his cold face routine."

"Paimon thinks that's a terrible waste of a pretty face."

Lumine laughs at the description. Not because pretty is the wrong adjective for Diluc, but because it is very correct, but he would probably be mortified hearing it. "Anyway, I should be going. Don't want it to be too dark when I come back."

"Okay! I'll hold the fort!" Paimon said with a mock salute.

"And, please, don't set fire to the forest." Lumine said before leaving.

Paimon acted hurt, her face a pantomime of horror and disbelief. "Paimon would never!"

"It's what your prince in a white horse asked me to say!" Lumine said. Her laugher was still ringing through the skies as she deployed her glider and rode the wind down into Wolvendom.

[monochromatic-stardust]

@accidental-ambience

MOMMA! You showed me a neat thing, and I did RESEARCH! So... Story time!! (Because we love TIL moments and facts, right?) Well, I guess more history lesson than story time or TIL because it's a bit long. Sorry.

So my thought through this video was "is the master woodworker Japanese? This seems VERY Japanese..." due to something undefinable in the designs and techniques, but NO the Master Woodworker is Kagen Sound, an American man in Colorado, who is "recognized as a Friend of the Karakuri Creation Group, the world’s only puzzle box guild, and remains the only member of this group to be of non-Japanese origin (as of June 2017)" which is amazing. (Karakuri is another type of puzzle, and occasionally puzzle boxes, but that's not the research here.)

And while various pages give me various histories on the origins of puzzle boxes (and other things like rings and necklaces etc with hidden compartments, so on and so on) the styles commonly known, used, made, and seemingly displayed here in this video, these days seem to stem from the Himitsu-Bako (Personal Secret Box) style that originated in the Hakone region of Japan somewhere between 100-250 years ago depending on records of which stage of the puzzle box you're talking about, where the finest Japanese puzzle boxes still hail from, utilizing Yosegi-Zaiku (mosaic woodwork in geometric shapes, making use of the vast variety of trees in the area and the color of the wood) and Zougan-Zaiku (a traditional Japanese artform in which elaborate pictures or scenes are made from inserting very thin pieces of inlay of the surface of the puzzle box, things like mountain lakes, Mt. Fuji, and flying geese and is EXCLUSIVE to the Hakone region) marquetry that elevated these into what we know today, though they first had more common, humble roots.

It seems the VERY first incarnations of these boxes, Ito-bako (ito could mean thread, or young, I can't seem to get a solid translation as Ito is also a surname, but it could basically mean sewing box, or childproof box), in Japan were just meant to hold odds and ends, needle and thread were the most common, so as to keep children away from things that they could hurt themselves with.

Then as they became larger and more elaborate in design and complexity of solving, they started to be called things like sikake-bako (trick or device box) or tei-bako (clever/wisdom/idea/intelligence box). At this stage they were a popular souvenir for the tourists who visited the famous Hakone hot spings. And aside from being a destination spot in its own right, it was also among a very well-traveled and popular travel route between Tokyo (Edo, at the time) and Osaka, so PLENTY of people passing through and encountering these creations. So the carriage bearers were making a little extra money on the side by making and selling either, or both, marquetry items (small handicrafts including trays, chests, etc) in tea shops around Hakone (since the area is known for a massive variety of trees, and thus different colored wood). They also made these trick boxes to sell so their travellers could hide valuable paperwork, money, precious or valuable items from highwaymen inside. Since you needed to know the sequence to open the boxes, they were usually just overlooked as little wooden ornaments, nothing special. (Particularly because at this time the puzzle boxes were still fairly plain and unadorned.)

Now remember those original utility purposes? Turns out once people really got exposed to these a lot of different types of folks from all walks of life were going "gods above and below, that's as useful as it is clever, and we LOVE clever, useful things!" Because holy crow, talk about an INFINITE number of uses these things could have beyond being used to amuse tourists or keep little ones safe from stabby needles, right?

So these boxes started to be developed by workers and fishermen to keep their tools safe from theft or curious children, samurai and daimyo (fudal lords, sometimes referred to in English as warlords) or other high ranking people would use these boxes to send secret messages, or for travelers to protect their belongings as only those who knew the 'trick' or 'secret' would be able to open it. And because Japanese culture truly believes in elevating everything to its highest potential, the story of the humble ito-bako's journey doesn't stop there.

Himitsu-bako in its modern incarnation started to take its form in the Meji era in the 1800s where there are three artisans who are credited with the creation of what we know as the Japanese puzzle box, Ohkawa Takajiro-san, Okiyama Tatsunosuke-san, and Kikukawa-san. They're the first official Master Craftsmen for this artistry, as they're the ones who figured out how to take the plain puzzle boxes and apply the Yosegi-zaiku and the Zougan-zaiku artwork to them. (Which, just based on my reading today, all I can say is DAMN.)

This is two entirely different, highly complex, skillsets combined into a single form. First you have to make the puzzle box, picking the wood, drying it properly, then designing and assembling it, testing the movements, mechanics, and making sure it can't be cheated every step of the way. Then, they can apply the Yosegi-Zaiku or Zougan-Zaiku artwork to them. (I'll get to what those art forums entail in a second.)

Himitsu-bako boxes use 'sun' and 'steps' as descriptors/measurements. Sun being the traditional Japanese measurement, referring to the physical length, one sun being approximately 1.2 in or 3cm. The most common sizes for the boxes are between 3 and 6 sun in length. So a "5 sun" box is about 5.9in or 15cm in length.

As for steps, the moves needed to open your Personal Secret Box, the average range is 4 to 66 steps. (I read that the box with the most ever recorded number of steps had 1536 moves! Bigger boxes are harder to perfectly construct, so they generally don't.)

So when a Himitsu-bako is constructed correctly, perfectly, then the steps must be followed in the perfect sequence or it won't open. The sequential order can be linear or linear (meaning, here, that after the first step the second step isn't necessarily immediately obvious) and to confuse people further, just because there are more steps, it doesn't mean it will be harder to open.

Now onto the art styles that elevated the Himitsu-bako to its current form.

Having access to the large variety of trees, and thus the color of the wood, available in Hakone, skilled craftsmen would make moseic styled patterned blocks using (usually geometrical) the shapes and color varieties to make the desired design. The pieces would be glued together (and held in a vice to make it solid and as close to seamless as possible), which is the Yosegi-zaiku style basis.

After the pieces are glued together, thin layers are shaved off and then applied to the Japanese puzzle box or other artform.

Zougan art is a traditional Japanese artform in which elaborate pictures or scenes are made from inserting very thin pieces of inlay of the surface of the puzzle box. Some of the more popular scenes include Sansui (mountain lakes), Mt. Fuji, and Tobizuru (Flying Geese). The inlay is done by first chiseling out the desired shape from the box and then inlaying the area with another wood. This artform is exclusive to the Hakone region of Japan. 

Most Common Woods Used in Japanese Puzzle Box Marquetry:

White - Spindle Tree, Dogwood

Yellow - Wax Tree, Lacquer Tree

Light Brown - Japanese pagoda tree, cherry tree, Zelkova Tree

Dark Brown - Keyaki-jindai

Gray - Honoki (Magnolia hypoleuca)

Black - Katsura-jindai

AND NOW YOU KNOW A THING. Because I went and read like 15+ pages about these things.