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miaclemeverett · 2 years

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Summary of Dream's livestream with Techno's father if people can't or are unable watch:

youtube

Most importantly, please support Techno's family and the Sarcoma Foundation by buying merch here: (You can also donate directly to the Sarcoma Foundation here)

Dream is streaming with Techno's father & staying with the family

Techno's father met Skeppy, for the Sarcoma Foundation Gala he asked for Skeppy's favorite video with Techno and Skeppy said it was the "skeppy tries to troll me but i troll him first" video

Techno's father has been intentionally pulling up memories and stories of Techno's whole life which was "a speedrun" and full of joy and happiness, rather than just focusing on the last week

When Techno and his younger sister were diaper age, she fell down the final 2 steps of the staircase (completely fine) and while their father was trying to explain to their mother what happened, Techno walked in and said "baby fall down CRASH"

The first message that Dream sent to Techno was trying to Trojan horse his way into Minecraft Monday by playing with Techno. Techno's reply was "maybe next time" and Techno kicked his ass in Dream's first MCM. Sapnap thought Techno was overhyped but then Sapnap watched the next Techno MCM and changed his mind

Techno's father didn't really watch or understand Minecraft, he watched Techno 1v1 tons of people without losing any hearts and asked him "Do the other players even know you're there?"

Techno vs. Dream $100k duel: Techno's father never saw him stress about anything in his career except for the duel. Techno's father was competitive on Techno's behalf like "who is this green smiling man gaining subscribers faster than my boy?!" Techno texted his dad as soon as he knew it was at least a tie and he couldn't lose.

Dream saw Techno release "death merch" and thought that was the coolest, most Technoblade thing he had ever seen

Techno's entire family loved the "no one took the news harder than my health provider. they're the real victim" joke

Dream did an elbow reveal in honor of Techno

Techno's father made a joke to Dream about getting ready to do his (Techno's father's) own face reveal

Techno's father made this joke: "This video today is sponsored by cancer, without which this video would not have happened" and Dream called him an idiot

Techno's father thinks Techno would have done a proper face reveal. There were a couple of months where doctors were saying the next step would be to amputate his entire arm and shoulder. Techno joked that it was going to be the most epic elbow reveal ever and that they'd "traumatize millions." Techno's father was as positive as he could be without being fake and he got Techno a present ahead of the surgery (which never ended up happening), a 1st edition printing of Hemingway's "A Farewell To Arms."

Dream and Techno teaming in MCC: This is when they really started becoming friends, before that they had been more rivals/frenemies. Techno also never said or joked about giving Dream his first MCC win.

Techno was whitelisted for way longer before he actually joined the server, back when it was just a few people (Tommy might have asked him to whitelist Techno).

Techno had a Minecraft account called "Whitelisted" when he didn't want to be recognized, just to make the joke "You can't do this if you're not whitelisted"

Techno's dad has GOTTA tell dad jokes

When Techno was young, he would always talk to his dad about being a gaming Youtuber and Techno's father would tell him "no one would want to watch someone else play a video game" lmao

When Techno was young and he'd be building for hours in Roblox and they'd have a power failure, Techno would complain to his dad about all of his work being wasted and Techno's dad would say "all of that PLAY wasted"

Techno talked to his dad about what circumstances would lead to him face revealing, he would have wanted it to be funny and memorable but he never had a clear plan for it

Techno had a front bedroom with a TERRIBLE desk. Techno's dad told Techno to come to the studio to pick out any chair he wanted, Techno went into his dad's office and picked his dad's chair LMAO. Techno's dad offered for him to work on a soundstage because their house had horrible acoustics but Techno said "eh." At 2am when the family was trying to sleep they'd hear him screaming and yelling, it was so annoying when it happened but so painful when it stopped

Techno's dad would text him a meme and Techno would call him a loser, he'd ask him to watch Hunter x Hunter together. Techno couldn't eat without watching TV at the same time

Techno's dad sometimes sees posts on Reddit and his instinct is to send them to Techno. Techno's dad has come close to making a reddit account, he said hello and thanks to Techno's subreddit and he reads their posts a lot when he can take it.

Techno's dad knew Techno had a big audience, but he didn't and still kind of doesn't understand how he meant a lot to people in ways that have nothing to do with PvP or funny jokes. He's proud of Techno and grateful to everyone. The executive director of the Sarcoma Foundation told Techno's family they haven't seen anything like this before with regards to fundraising, she told them that a little kid ran a lemonade stand and raised $150 for the Sarcoma Foundation in honor of Techno.

Techno's dad: "If we do the call-to-action (to donate to Sarcoma Foundation) 10 times, I should get 6 of them" (referencing Techno beating Dream in the duel 6-5). Dream: "I see where he got his humor from"

There has been a refresh today of the merch store so GO BUY THE MERCH!!!! Techno didn't like when there were delays in people receiving merch, so you can only order when it's in stock so GO BUY NOW

Dream will be signing some unreleased merch concepts to include as an extra in some orders

Techno's father thanked Dream and he appreciates everything Dream did for them, he also loves Skeppy

Dream wants to get everyone together and do a massive fundraiser

#cancer #technoblade #Youtube

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wilwheaton · 11 months

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I’m not ashamed, and I never have been. I entered sex work and the world of adult films with enthusiasm and positivity. When I signed with Vixen Media Group, a leader in luxury adult content, to be the face of the Deeper brand and to collaborate with famed female director and performer Kayden Kross, I saw a bright future with award-winning projects. Finally, there could be films of the highest quality that also had the hottest sex and could bridge the worlds of adult and mainstream. Why hadn’t the mainstream allowed this before? Why are they in charge of making sure that porn is seen as a lesser medium? And that no one has any talent other than fucking, which, by the way, is a talent in itself. [...] Someone once told me that if you’re happy and someone keeps trying to scream that you aren’t, they’re the ones who look insane. And it’s true. When I began this journey, I had no master plan. It was simply me, finding myself over the course of countless months and years and decades. It didn’t start out as a career choice or some calculated move, although if you weren’t paying attention along the way and just saw the headline “Rachel from Boy Meets World Does Porn” you might assume that was the case. I find it sad that that assumption is built into our cultural narrative, but it also drives me to speak out louder.

The Art of the Sex Tape—And Why I Didn’t Need One

I respect and admire Maitland Ward for living her life authentically and for refusing to apologize. She’s an inspiration to me.

#sex work is work #this blog respects sex workers

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man-down-in-hatchet-town · 3 months

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Hey, you!

Yeah, you!

Do you crave more ✨canon queer stories✨ in your fandom experience? Are you begging for more major character representation that you don’t have to headcanon for yourself?

Then have I got the kickstarter for you!

The Tin Can Bros (a comedy trio and makers of live theatre, digital sketches, webseries, you name it! You might know them from all the work they’ve done with Starkid—founding Tin Can Brothers Joey and Brian played Ron and Quirrell in A Very Potter Musical) are launching a brand new season of projects, most of which contain QUEER MAJOR CHARACTERS AND THEMES. These guys have got gays, they’ve got lesbians, they’ve got trans and gnc characters, they’ve got wholesome first love and Hannigram levels of fucked-up toxicity. It’s a whole cornucopia!! They’re planning to produce work in Los Angeles, NYC, London, Edinburgh, and Adelaide, but there will be digital tickets so you can watch where ever you are!

We’ve got:

-Two Rocky Horror-style concerts of the cult-hit, spy-movie parody musical Spies Are Forever. Gay protagonist who will sear himself into your heart! Seriously, his relationship with fellow spy Owen will emotionally destroy you for at least seven years.

-A concert of the developing musical This Could Be on Broadway, which follows a group of high school kids putting on a production of The Matrix: The Musical (not a show in real life) in their theatre department. A bunch of the central kids are canonically some flavor of queer, and there’s a central, very sweet lesbian romance that includes a trans character. She’s played trans actress Esther Fallick, who also worked with TCB as a consultant to make the character and show as authentic as possible. Seriously, if you want to see a trans teen thriving in their own skin, this is the show for you.

-An Edinburgh Fringe Fest production of The Solve It Squad Returns, a Scooby-Doo parody that follows the parodic versions of the Scooby Gang when they reunite as fucked-up adults to finally confront the almost-twenty-years-past traumatic murder of their dog Cluebert. I promise it’s funnier than it sounds. Esther, the Velma-esque super genius, is gender non-conforming and identifies with they/them pronouns. They also have a girlfriend WITH a boyfriend!

-A workshop reading of the QUEER SCI-FI TELEVISION COMEDY PILOT Intelligent Life. Unlike the other projects I’ve mentioned, this one is new to the TCB fans, but will follow a pair of ex-boyfriends forced to survive together in an extra-terrestrial colony. From the sound of it, there will be plenty of queer supporting characters as well. This frankly sounds like it could be tumblr’s dream show, and it’d be great to support its development.

-The Great Debate—a live comedy game show where comedians debate silly things. While this obviously won’t have narrative gay rep like the other projects, it will showcase gay talent (at the very least, Tin Can Brother Corey will participate in every show) and may include debates involving queer topics.

-Gross Prophets, in which three wannabe gurus/cult leaders lead a seminar on the path to enlightenment. This is a completely new stage musical so I honestly don’t know if it will contain any queer characters or themes. But the TCB queer track record is pretty good!

Guys, I’m so genuinely so excited by this season. But all this awesome queer art won’t happen unless we get their kickstarter funded. And they need our help! So let’s get fundraising!!

TLDR; Comedy group Tin Can Bros are attempting to fund a season positively filled with queer stories and characters, and they need help! If you want to support the creation of queer theatre and the development of queer TV, consider checking them out and giving to the kickstarter!

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hayatheauthor · 7 months

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Crafting Authentic Child Characters: From Toddlers to Tweens

When it comes to writing captivating stories, it's not just about the plot or setting—it's about the characters that bring your narrative to life. Among those characters, child characters hold a special place.

Child characters, when done right, can hold a special place in your readers’ hearts. Think of YA series like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson- these books featured eleven and twelve year olds but their captivating tales and realistic characteristics drew us in. However, when done wrong, child characters can often ruin immersion and make readers feel annoyed due to their unrealistic representation.

In this guide, I’ve decided to explore the different pubescent age groups you often see in literature alongside tips to help you craft authentic child characters.

Understanding Toddler Characters

The toddler years—a phase characterized by tiny tots exploring the world with wide-eyed wonder. Writing toddler characters can be a delightful yet challenging task. These pint-sized adventurers, typically aged 1 to 3 years, are bundles of curiosity and emotion.

Characterizing Toddlers

Toddlers are known for their limited communication skills. Their vocabulary might consist of a few words or adorable gibberish. They often express themselves through gestures, facial expressions, and body language. Embracing their simplicity is key when bringing them to life on the page. Toddlers view the world with fresh eyes and uncomplicated hearts, finding joy in the little things like chasing butterflies or playing with bubbles.

Portraying Toddler Dialogue

When writing dialogue for toddler characters, simplicity is the name of the game. Toddler speech is basic and straightforward, often composed of short sentences or one-word responses. Capturing their enthusiasm is essential. Toddlers can be highly expressive, so use exclamation marks and enthusiastic language to convey their excitement. It's all about experiencing life's wonders, one small step at a time.

Writing toddler characters offers an opportunity to explore the world through innocent eyes and infuse your story with their unique brand of wonder and emotion.

Toddlers In Flashbacks

I would like to quickly mention that people don’t retain most of their memories from their toddler years, so if you’re trying to create a plot point surrounding a situation your character witnessed as a toddler it is important to consider whether a child that age would realistically even remember such an event.

Capturing the Essence of Children (4-7 years)

Children aged 4-7 are often brimming with creativity, curiosity, and a penchant for storytelling. Think back to times when you used to mix up shampoos in the bathroom to make ‘potions’ or create weirdly intricate plots for your ‘house’ games.

Characterizing Young Children

At this stage, children are developing rapidly, both physically and cognitively. They have an eagerness to understand the world around them, which often leads to a vivid imagination. Their capacity to believe in the extraordinary—whether it's magical creatures, talking animals, or hidden treasures—creates a wonderful opportunity for storytelling.

Young children are naturally curious and possess a boundless well of energy. Their interests can be diverse, ranging from dinosaurs and superheroes to fairies and space exploration. To capture their essence:

Highlighting Imaginative Play: Young children often engage in elaborate make-believe games. These imaginative adventures can be a goldmine for character development.

Embracing Curiosity: Encourage their inquisitiveness about the world. Show characters asking questions, seeking answers, and discovering new things.

Crafting Dialogues and Actions

When crafting dialogues and actions for children aged 4 to 7, it's important to consider their evolving language skills. Unlike toddlers, who may struggle with pronunciation, characters in this age group can typically speak properly. This means they won't say "sowwy" for "sorry" or "wuv" for "love."

Embracing Storytelling: Children this age love to narrate their adventures and dreams. Use storytelling within your story to reflect their imaginative nature.

Curious Questioning: Show characters exploring, asking "why," and expressing wide-eyed wonder. Utilize their questions and observations to drive the plot or reveal new information.

Navigating the World of Pre-Teens (8-12 years)

Many captivating young adult series begin with characters in their pre-teen years, allowing readers to witness their growth and development throughout the books. This is because writing characters in this age group, typically aged 8 to 12, offers a unique exploration of budding independence and the influence of peer relationships.

Your characters are no longer seen as little kids but at the same time don’t have the freedom associated with adolescence.

Characterizing Pre-Teens

Pre-teen characters are in the process of discovering their identity. They're developing a sense of self and often begin to assert their independence from parents or caregivers. While their childlike innocence remains, they're also exposed to a wider range of experiences and emotions.

These characters may show an increased interest in friendships, hobbies, and their expanding world. To capture the essence of pre-teens:

Embrace Growing Independence: Pre-teens may want more autonomy in decision-making. Explore their budding independence as they take small steps toward self-reliance.

Peer Relationships: Friendships become more critical during this stage. Show characters navigating the challenges and joys of making and maintaining friendships.

Crafting Dialogues and Actions

When crafting dialogues and actions for pre-teen characters, consider their evolving perspectives and emerging voices:

Balancing Childlike Wonder: While they're growing up, pre-teens still retain their childlike curiosity and wonder. Don't shy away from showcasing these traits.

Beginning Adolescence: Pre-teens may start experiencing pre-adolescent changes. This could include minor mood swings, increased self-awareness, and curiosity about the world's complexities.

Tweens: Balancing Innocence and Growing Up (13-14 years)

As we move forward into the world of tweens, we encounter characters aged 13 to 14—the age where innocence meets the beginnings of adolescence. Crafting characters in this age group offers an exciting opportunity to explore the challenges and interests of this transitional stage.

Characterizing Tweens

Tweens are on the cusp of adolescence, and their experiences reflect this delicate balance between childhood and growing up. They're often navigating the complexities of middle school, peer dynamics, and a burgeoning sense of self.

Tweens may still possess a childlike wonder, but they're increasingly exposed to more mature themes. To capture the essence of tweens:

Emerging Independence: Tweens may desire more autonomy and may challenge authority figures as they assert their individuality.

Peer Influence: Friendships take on even greater significance. Characters in this age group may grapple with peer pressure and the need to fit in.

Crafting Dialogues and Actions

When crafting dialogues and actions for tween characters, consider the delicate balance they strike:

Retaining Childlike Charm: Tweens often have endearing quirks and moments of innocence. Don't lose sight of these traits.

Exploring Pre-Adolescence: As they begin to encounter the complexities of growing up, characters in this age group may exhibit curiosity about more mature topics while still experiencing occasional moments of youthful naivety.

Writing tween characters allows for a captivating exploration of the liminal space between childhood and adolescence, where they teeter on the brink of exciting self-discovery.

Creating Memorable Child Characters

Now that we've explored the unique characteristics and development stages of child characters, it's time to discuss how to craft memorable and well-rounded child characters, regardless of their age.

Developing Distinct Personalities

Each child character you create should have a distinct personality, just like any adult character. Think about their likes, dislikes, fears, and dreams. Are they adventurous, introverted, mischievous, or kind-hearted? Consider how their personalities align with their age group.

Character Growth and Development

While child characters start with a certain set of traits, they should also experience growth and change throughout your story. Whether it's learning important life lessons or maturing in their outlook, character arcs are just as relevant for children as they are for adults.

Examples from Literature

To better understand how to create memorable child characters, let's turn to some examples from literature. Take, for instance, Scout Finch from "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. She's curious, brave, and compassionate, making her a beloved child character who evolves throughout the novel.

Or consider the character of Matilda from Roald Dahl's "Matilda." She's an exceptionally bright and resilient child character who learns to harness her unique abilities.

These examples show how well-crafted child characters can leave a lasting impact on readers.

Crafting Authentic Child Dialogue: Dos and Don'ts

Writing dialogue for child characters can be both challenging and rewarding. It's important to strike the right balance between authenticity and readability. Here are some dos and don'ts to keep in mind:

Dos:

Capture Their Perspective: Remember that children see the world differently. Describe events and surroundings through their eyes. Use simple language when necessary to reflect their understanding.

Embrace Authenticity: Children may use slang, colloquialisms, or unique phrases. Incorporate these sparingly to add authenticity to their speech.

Show Growth: As your child characters mature throughout the story, their speech should evolve too. Gradually introduce more complex vocabulary and sentence structures.

Reflect Emotions: Children express emotions openly. Use dialogue to convey their feelings, whether it's unbridled enthusiasm, innocent curiosity, or the occasional temper tantrum.

Don'ts:

Avoid Stereotypes: While children may display certain traits based on their age, avoid falling into clichéd stereotypes. Each child is unique, so give your characters depth beyond typical traits.

Steer Clear of Exaggeration: While child characters can be quirky and funny, be cautious not to make their dialogue overly cute or exaggerated, which can become grating to readers.

Limit 'Baby Talk': Especially for older child characters, avoid excessive use of baby talk or mispronunciations unless it's essential to the story.

Don't Oversimplify: While simplicity is key, don't underestimate your young readers. Children can understand complex emotions and ideas if presented in a relatable way.

By keeping these dos and don'ts in mind, you can create dialogue that feels authentic, engages young readers, and adds depth to your child characters.

Crafting authentic child characters can be a fulfilling journey for writers. Whether you're depicting the innocence of a toddler, the imaginative spirit of a young child, the evolving personality of a tween, or the budding independence of a pre-teen, these characters can add depth and heart to your stories.

Remember, each child character is a unique individual with their own quirks, dreams, and potential for growth.

I hope this blog on Crafting Authentic Child Characters: From Toddlers to Tweens will help you in your writing journey. Be sure to comment any tips of your own to help your fellow authors prosper, and follow my blog for new blog updates every Monday and Thursday.

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks?

Are you an author looking for writing tips and tricks to better your manuscript? Or do you want to learn about how to get a literary agent, get published and properly market your book? Consider checking out the rest of Haya’s book blog where I post writing and publishing tips for authors every Monday and Thursday! And don’t forget to head over to my TikTok and Instagram profiles @hayatheauthor to learn more about my WIP and writing journey!

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slitsfordan · 19 days

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Slime in Slime (2024): An Analysis

Dan and Phil could’ve chosen literally any craft for the fourth installment in DanandPhilCRAFTS, and they chose slime. Surely this has to mean something, right? Right.

For any young person in 2015-2017, slime should bring back memories. It was everything and everywhere. Literally every single time I hung out with friends, they’d want to make slime. The use of slime in DanandPhilCRAFTS, and the age group of the majority of their fans, forms an association to this time period. 2015-2017 also happens to be when The Amazing Book is Not on Fire and Interactive Introverts were created, and one of the peaks of the DanandPhil™️ brand. It also happens to be around the time DanandPhil crafts was birthed. By calling back to this era in a craft video, and using the slime for ritualistic sacrifice, Dan and Phil are acknowledging the harm of the DanandPhil™️ era personas and the phandom perceptions. By pouring the slime into the fire, Dan is firmly establishing this era as a thing of the past, representing the authenticity of Dan and Phil in this new era.

Slime also has a clear connection to Slime and Sadness Cinnamon Rolls. This video shares satanic imagery with the craft videos, of course (Lucifer Lester moment) but the theme of authenticity is also present. The way Dan acts as Sister Daniel in this video was the largest display of gender nonconformity and horniness by Dan and Phil at this time. Halloween baking and authenticity also brings us back to Monster Pops, and the aftermath: the post-baking universe. This marked a shift in Dan and Phil’s content, where they began to cut less gay shit and horny shit from their videos (like Dan’s fake orgasm during the video). If you really wanted to, you could even consider post-baking to be the beginning of the softlaunch. Both of these are events in which the horniness of Dan and Phil’s content was ramped up, and honestly the slime video has so much phallic imagery with the knives, but it’s also a representation of less censorship (if you’d like to call it that) by Dan and Phil.

Through both of these associations to slime itself, Slime invokes moments in Dan and Phil’s history where their performing personas were dropped in favor of a more authentic representation of self, like when Dan and Phil drop the craft channel personas to perform the ritual. This does, of course, connect to their coming out, and the handholding in Slime- slime as an object is connected to their authenticity, and so is the video Slime.

#dnp #dan and phil #phan #danandphilcrafts #dan and phil crafts #amazingphil #daniel howell #slime

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geekcavepodcast · 1 year

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Agent Elvis Teaser **Graphic**

Elvis as a double agent? Seems legit.

Sony Animation and Authentic Brands Group’s Agent Elvis was was created by Priscilla Presley and John Eddie and developed by co-showrunners Mike Arnold and John Eddie. Titmouse animated the adult animated series. Matthew McConaughey stars as Elvis. Tyler Bates and Timothy Williams composed the music and original score.

Agent Elvis hits Netflix in March 2023.

#agent elvis #elvis #matthew mcconaughey #sony animation #authentic brands group #titmouse #priscilla presley #john eddie #mike arnold #tyler bates #timothy williams #netflix #TGCLiz

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mysweetlixe · 4 months

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24 Hours: Day in the life |Felix|

Summary: In the dazzling world of fame and fashion, "Vogue" offers an intimate glimpse into the extraordinary life of Y/N, a globally renowned sensation, and her equally charismatic boyfriend. For 24 hours, the documentary captures the couple's captivating daily routine, blending glamour with authenticity.

Words: 580

M.list

The gentle rays of the early sun peeked through the curtains, creating a cozy aura around Y/N as she sat at her vanity mirror, brushes and palettes spread out before her. The room was filled with the hum of excitement, as today was no ordinary day. Vogue, the iconic fashion magazine, was shadowing Y/N for a day in the life of a successful YouTuber. Her subscribers knew her for her insightful lifestyle vlogs, engaging beauty tutorials, and occasional glimpses into her personal life. Today, they would get an even closer look.

Y/N carefully applied her makeup, blending shades with precision as the camera crew from Vogue captured every stroke. The room buzzed with activity as stylists and assistants moved around, ensuring every detail was perfect for the shoot. As she focused on her makeup, Y/N felt the familiar warmth of Felix's arms wrapping around her waist. His presence, a constant comfort, made her smile.

Felix pressed a soft kiss to her cheek, "Good morning, beautiful."

"Morning, Felix," Y/N replied, turning to share a quick kiss with her boyfriend. The Vogue crew snapped photos, capturing the intimate moment between the couple.

After finishing her makeup, Y/N moved on to selecting an outfit for the day. Felix, ever the fashion-forward companion, offered his opinions on various choices. Their playful banter and genuine affection were a joy to witness for the Vogue team.

As Y/N prepared for the day ahead, Felix took a moment to film a short greeting for his fans. Stray Kids' fans were eager to catch a glimpse of the group's activities, and Felix never failed to deliver. The duo's collaborative energy shone through as they exchanged friendly banter on camera.

The day unfolded with a series of events that showcased Y/N's and Felix's diverse professional lives. Y/N took Vogue behind the scenes of her YouTube studio, sharing her creative process, brainstorming sessions, and the meticulous planning that went into each video. Felix, on the other hand, offered a peek into the world of a K-pop idol, taking Vogue to the Stray Kids' practice room and giving insights into their rigorous rehearsal schedule.

Lunchtime provided a brief respite for the couple, and they chose to spend it in a quaint cafe near their workplace. The Vogue crew discreetly captured stolen glances, laughter, and shared secrets, creating a narrative that resonated with their audience.

The afternoon continued with more adventures – from Y/N attending meetings with brand collaborations to Felix participating in a photo shoot for a magazine cover. The chemistry between the couple was magnetic, drawing viewers into their dynamic world.

As evening approached, the Vogue team followed Y/N and Felix back home. The couple shared their nightly routine, cooking a simple dinner together, playfully arguing over the best way to season the dish. The genuine love and companionship they exuded were heartwarming.

The day concluded with Y/N and Felix snuggled up on the couch, watching a movie as they enjoyed each other's company. The Vogue crew discreetly captured the couple's quiet moments, emphasizing the authenticity that made their relationship so relatable to viewers worldwide.

With the closing of the front door, the 24-hour journey with Y/N and Felix came to an end. The Vogue feature highlighted the couple's individual successes and their ability to balance demanding careers with a loving relationship. It was a testament to their authenticity and the genuine connection they shared, making Y/N and Felix not just idols to their fans but inspirations for anyone navigating the complexities of life and love.

#stray kids x reader #stray kids imagine #felix x reader #felix #straykids imagines #felix imagines #stray kids felix #felix imagine #skz imagine #skz imagines #skz x reader #skz felix

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absolutebl · 2 months

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Hello, hi.

Next week is Cherry Magic's last episode and I'd like a suggestion as to what to watch next. Since last year I've watched some shows that I've enjoyed to different degrees. So far I've vibed more with the Japanese ones and only have watched two Thai shows: step by step and cherry magic.

I definitely like cherry magic more but I'd like to watch some more Thai bl, as I can see they're very popular, but honestly I don't know where to begin. I don't know if mentioning my favorite shows would help?

Old fashion cupcake

Cherry magic (JP)

I cannot reach you

Semantic error

Thank you so much in advance 🙌🏽

This is a perfect question for me!

I think you're vibbing more with Cherry Magic Th because it's following the original yaoi so closely, so it's def more JBL feeling story than it is ThBL.

Okay so your favorites are:

Old Fashion Cupcake

Cherry Magic original

I Cannot Reach You*

Semantic Error*

You've named some of my all time favorites, and 2 of my VERY few top 10s*. (For more of my top 10 JBLs, try here (pre 2023). For my top 10 KBLs, those are here. And my top BLs of all time are here.)

But you want Thai recommendations?

Before I start, off script, seek ye Seven Days. It's my favorite JBL of all time and it's absolutely amazing and very special. It's in two parts and worth every effor to try to find. Here's me talking about it.

First, let me triage some connective tissue.

It seems like you like soft and gentle BL. (Try this cozy list.)

You like JBL so that means higher filming standards and certain aura of authenticity.

Also a lower heat level.

Okay, here are 10 Thai BLs I think you should try, in order...

10 Thai BLs to try if you prefer soft Japanese BL

1 Until We Meet Again (YouTube)

UWMA is, without question, a work of narrative genius with a powerful and cohesive romantic backbone and stellar performances. It is (to date) the only Thai BL that I’ve rated a 10/10 predominantly on the basis of story structure. That said it is also very well cast (and it’s a BIG cast), with solid production values, and enduring pair branding and a softness and complexity that should appeal for a JBL stan. More of my feels on this on here.

trigger warning on the original trigger

2 I Feel You Linger in the Air (iQIYI or grey)

I truly loved this time travel romance. IFYLITA is an exquisite BL, from filming techniques to narrative framework (much like Until We Meet Again). Steeped in history and family drama it edges into lakorn AKA soap opera. This is an elegant and classy BL… from Thailand which normally doesn't even try for classy. The main couple (both as a pair and individuals) were excellent, particularly Bright (Yai) whose eye-work acting style is a personal favorite of mine. Pity about the ending. Oh it wasn’t that sad but it wasn’t great either. However, JBL isn't noted for sticking the landings either. Full review and discussion here.

3 My Ride (Gaga)

Thai BL grew up with this little pulp (the first ever to make my end of year top 10). It’s a truly lovely and special little show featuring the extremely rare pairing of sunshine/sunshine (AKA a cinnamon roll couple) plus mature explorations of relationships using one of the softest, sweetest and most innocent friends to lovers vehicles. Kindly, overworked doctor meets broken-hearted motorcycle taxi driver in an “other side of the tracks” slow burn romance. The support cast is excellent, making for great friendship groups and family dynamics. With honest queer rep that adds to, but doesn’t impede, the story, and genuine conversation about the nature of class, wealth, and classism, not to mention communication, honesty, and respect for boundaries, you can’t go wrong with this show. Full review.

My caveat with this one is, like Step by Step, it is a Thai pulp which mean production values will not be up to Japan's standards. So if you bounce hard off the style of the first few 2 eps, it doesn't get better, so drop it and move on.

4 A Tale of Thousand Stars (YouTube)

With great casting and cinematography this drama nods at BL tropes but manages to elevate them (and itself) with a strong mature story concept about a spoiled rich kid who gets a heart transplant and becomes a rural teacher in order to pay out survivor’s guilt. On the way he falls in love with a local park ranger and contends with his own classism and escapist tendencies. Everyone seemed to perfectly suit their roles and GMMTV made the most out of its stable. Combined with excellent production (and post production) values, 1000 Stars is without question GMMTV’s most mature, charming, and smart BL series. I think it should go down as one of the top BLs of all time. I feel safe recommending this one to friends and non BL watchers.

5 He's Coming to Me (YouTube)

Boy and ghost boy fall in love, must solve ghost’s murder. Peak pining but also pretty tame, features my favorite sweet but important coming out sequence. The third in my precious triumvirate of unbeatable Thai BLs, that are only nominally BL because the story, acting, and production values are so good. (others are UWMA & 1k*)

You don't mention any PNR or high concept, but I still think it's worth giving this one a try.

6 Moonlight Chicken (YouTube)

I enjoyed this complicated little show, even though it’s spectacularly messy gay with lots of shrapnel and authentic pain. I thought the leads (EarthMix from 1k*) turned in their most compelling performance to date. But it was GeminiFourth (My School President) who stole my heart. That said, the most interesting central relationship was that of Jim & Li Ming, their father-son angst mixed with evident affection made me tear up. This was more slice of life than it was BL, but it ended happily so I’m not mad at it. Full review here.

It's not as soft as you like, but you might try it anyway, because it is Very Good.

A note if you watch this and enjoy GeminiFourth, you could try their BL, My School President. I chose not to explicitly rec it to you because it's VERY Thai Bl with lots of comedy and slapstick, and you named prestige JBL and KBL (which are the anthesis of this). Taht said, MSP has no more or less than Japan's Cherry Magic, so you might enjoy it.

7 Make a Wish (grey)

An odd pull but I'm going with it. This PNR (from noted Y-novelist Sammon - Manner of Death & Triage) about a doctor who can see the dead and strikes a bargain with a wish-granting irreverent tree angel - naturally they fall in love. The Thai afterlife is incredibly bureaucratic but I enjoyed the premise and the unfolding of the story (it’s not predictable but still satisfying and with nice little twist). I like that the doctor is just gay af and has a fag hag bestie and everything. The cast is excellent but the comedic stylings could feel too overblown and tonally off. (But again no more than something like Japan's Cherry Magic.) It had sad parts and did make me cry but is ultimately happy with a great sex scene, good smiley kisses, and all the agency.

8 Bed Friend (YouTube -cut version, iQIYI - v high heat)

You didn't name My Personal Weatherman (a great high heat JBL from last year) but if you want to try some Thai-style high heat, this is your best bet. Office frienamies transition a flaming hot one night stand into a f-buddy relationship that is built on a puppy/cat dynamic (and kinks into it at one point). Our puppy is loyal, smitten, and protective with endlessly longing eyes, while our cat is snarky, prickly, and deeply damaged (ALL THE TRIGGERS). NetJames give lovely high-heat with excellent chemistry and tuned-in performances of surprising depth, the story ultimately fails them at little as it waffles and went off the rails. But that's a Thai BL thing. Full review here.

Triggers include: child abuse, attempted rape, family abuse

9 The Eclipse (YouTube)

This is a good show but the cast is excellent and the leads are absolutely flawless, which elevates it beyond just good. We got a nuanced and multifaceted burgeoning relationship: philosophical (and socio-political) conflict contrasted to moments of empathy; flirtation contrasted to moments of genuine affection, plus plenty of angst. This narrative is less about love than it is about courage and tenderness. However, near the end the pacing was off and the plot frustrating. Still, this is an enjoyable watch, with a finale that features verbal consent and a fun blooper reel.

10 Love By Chance (YouTube)

Okay I dithered a lot over this last one and finally chose this. Because in an intro to Thai BL you should have at least one trail by fire and that's bound to be a MAME offering.

AePete’s meet cute is one of the best ever put on screen. They are just so genuine and soft with each other, it’s hard not to love them from the first moment. All the best Thai BL tropes deployed (and there are a lot of them) are earned honestly by the narrative, including the seme/uke dynamic (such as it is). The characters are unique as this is a poor/rich pairing, where Ae is tough & scrappy, caring & protective, and probably demisexual, while Pete is timid, shy, lonely, and out gay (with his peers). The language is also glorious with Pete using formal (even old fashioned) register, while Ae is entirely rude. You can train your ear for Thai high & low registers with this show (in fact, it's why I started learning them). As surrounding characters point out, they shouldn't work together, and yet they're very much wonderful when they are together.

HOWEVER: You watch LBC for the mains, ignore the sides (trigger warnings), and don't bother with any of the follow ups and you'll be fine. AePete will remain in your heart for a really long time. They are still one of my all time favorite couples. Also (still) two of the Thai BL industry's most famous actors.

For those who are wondering, yes the last contender was, indeed, Bad Buddy. But I chose LBC purely on the basis of softness.

There it is.

I hope I have picked some winners for you and please loop back around and let me know how it goes?

I really want to know if any of these worked for you, this was such a fun challenge.

(source)

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ca-suffit · 2 months

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This antiblack campaign the fandom just tried to kick up again (to avoid talking about the real issue with Nalyra) reveals how powerless they're starting to truly feel now.

They don't have many users left to vilify so they're putting people on blocklists who are brand new (I was here 3 days lol) or not even really in the fandom. That looks goofy and desperate but then it keeps going. DMing strangers to say "the truth" isn't about racism and "talk to me if you really want to know about anything." Everyone's reblogging those blocklist posts now and adding large commentary suddenly, when before they often fully sat it out. They're doing this in a group to look like they have larger numbers and are "revealing" there's a "big secret bullying problem"....except nobody believes them. Because there's plenty of accounts who are out here saying this shit straight to their faces and they pretend we all don't exist. All of this group has to manufacture drama solely because they just don't want to talk about harmful shit they actually do.

Neil has to make an antiblack statement she made suddenly be about antisemitism towards her, Nalyra's antiblackness is "actually" fans upset about shipping and "what's REALLY coming" in S2, showmey0urfangs is always happy to show up with her dumb screencaps and villain monologue nobody asked for so she can make her everlasting outrage about popular black fics and "feminized" Louis sound deeper than it is, Virginia suddenly cries about IRL issues and wants to leave the fandom because she wants to distract from the Nalyra receipts, Keybearer accused another black fan of trolling people and getting accounts suspended on twitter in 2023 when a Marius fan eventually confessed to it and his eternal shame for that means now every black fan except him is a bully (despite nobody talking about this ever anymore except him), chicalepidopterare mocks a black fan for blocking her "because I thought we were supposed to talk about racism" and then poorly tries to frame any retaliation against her to look like bullying ("see, they're misogynistic, they're bullying my art, they're mean for disliking these ships!").

To quote Claudia here, "You must think me an idiot." And the big cherry on top is also how none of these losers can stand to hear any mention of race....in the fandom of the show that nonstop talks about race. They're using very basic (and meant in a gentle, loving way) teasing of Jacob as proof that black fans are racist against Jacob too, black fans hate Jacob's white wife. People hate Lestat for being white too (what?). They can write crap meta all day about Lestat letting Louis "rape" him and only white victims (Lestat) being real victims to the evil black and brown "true" manipulators (Claudia, Louis, Armand) but gentle teasing from black fans about Jacob's haircut is the real racism. Okay lol. Care to tell us again why you think Delainey's Claudia looks "less innocent" now then? This 3D chess you think you're playing isn't playing how you think for anyone else.

I also notice that afaik there's not a single black American in this group. Idek if there's many Americans of any kind in the group. It's been a lot of shaming to black Americans specifically though, again from the show that's focused on black Americans....by people who aren't black Americans.

"There's people pretending to be black so it's okay to keep hating this whole group." It's not enough you already nonstop shit on black fans as it is, now you have to try to angle it as if none of this could be authentic in the first place. Vile behavior. For what? Tumblr isn't even a platform that pays you for whatever clout you have, so really what is the point here. In a small ass fandom on top of it. Some of you have pretty grown kids too, this is extra sad. It makes all the jumping through hoops to coddle Lestat's behavior make sense though, if you're the same kind of person yourself. Anyway, maybe you don't actually know everything because race exists in the real world beyond how Anne Rice wrote about it in her useless books! You make books written by a racist white woman your whole personality and guess what your outlook on life is going to be.

It's been really pathetic to especially watch any fans of color move more to this extreme bullying side as time has gone on. It will never pay off to promote white fandom ideals. These accounts you're trying to cuddle up to aren't even that big. The fandom outside of the tags actually has much more popular posts, supporters, and fics...although that's also half of what this all is actually about, fic numbers. Again, these are grown adults obsessing over this. We could have a whole different fandom if this group didn't exist and keep wanting to gatekeep everything and be the only people who get praise about anything.

It's no surprise that people who worship Anne Rice have major ego problems themselves. It's been fucked up to deal with but the good thing now is that big egos have big collapses eventually and that's what we're starting to see happening now. People are sick of you and able to see through your basic ass manipulation techniques. People just want to have a fandom, they're not here to worship fans who want to be dictators. Nobody is here for your fragility, losers.

#fandom racism #iwtv fandom #amc iwtv #iwtv #interview with the vampire

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hungwy · 10 months

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So for the last few hours I've been looking into the intellectual history of those "12 Jungian archetype" mandalas like above. You'd assume by name that it was Jung who even thought up this wheel of personality types, but it's not.

A psychoanalyst by the name of Carol Pearson released a book in 1986 called "The Hero Within: Six Archetypes We Live By", a work which combined Jungian archetype theory with Joseph Campbell's monomyth theory, building up six archetypes (the Innocent, the Orphan, the Wanderer, the Warrior, the Martyr, and the Magician). Now, Jung does identify a few archetypes in his works, but from skimming Jung epubs I can't really find why just six archetypes would be justifiable for Pearson through Jung. She states in this book that "Although quite a large number of archetypal plots may be available to us, most do not influence our development as much as these six." Like okay... where do they come from? Since these six correlate much better with the fantastical themes of Campbell -- who admittedly I don't really know too much about -- maybe the answer to what decides six archetypes specifically (rather than say four or five) is within his work.

Anyway, about five of these six archetypes were later integrated into her 1991 book "Awakening the Heroes Within: Twelve Archetypes to Help us Find Ourselves and Transform Our World" (note that we've doubled our archetype count). It's in this book that Pearson gives archetypal pairings: "Security" is made up of Innocent and Orphan, "Identity" has Seeker and Lover, "Responsibility" has Warrior and Caregiver, "Authenticity" has Destroyer and Creator, "Power" has Magician and Ruler, "Freedom" has Sage and Fool, which creates a nice and equal basis for the circular mandala structure of the archetypes we have now. But I don't think there are any mandalas in this book, just tables. Well, so far so good, we are now at twelve archetypes, and they are grouped up in a certain way, but we don't have them positioned just right yet, and are missing the core of our mandala. But Pearson has other work to consider.

In 2001, she collaborated with Margaret Mark for "The Hero and the Outlaw: Building Extraordinary Brands Through the Power of Archetypes" to produce "the first system for the management of meaning", coining the idea of brand stories by way of Pearson's Jungian and Campbellian influences. It's interesting to note that they also explicitly link consumer motivations with Maslow's theories of motivation (which is related to his hierarchy of needs). This is where the Stability/Control and Risk/Mastery axes are transformed into the four core terms of the stereotypical 12-archetype mandala (but you'll see below that I think she had the idea for this probably before this book with Mark).

In 2002 or 2003 she collaborated with a guy named H.K. Marr to create the Pearson-Marr Archetype Indicator (PMAI). Apparently they had worked on this test together for "several years", so this was almost certainly being produced at the same time or even before Pearson's marketing/branding work, so it's hard to say which came first.

All that said I still haven't found out how exactly this mandala has come to be. The mandala form is obviously Jung-inspired to begin with. The 12 archetypes as presented certainly come from the PMAI test. The four core aspects/archetypes come from Maslow's motivational axes, which as far as I can tell was only integrated in her 2001 book with Mark, so whoever made the mandala must've been aware of that work as well. I don't know. Nothing's been answered and I have more questions than when I started. But it was fun

#not even sure if any of this was clear. ill probably edit when i wake up

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xofanfics · 5 months

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Lost For Words - Part III

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV

Genre: angst, fluff, smut 🥺🤗🥵

Pairing: Reader x Kun // Reader x Taeyong

Word Count: 2.9k

Summary: You have the best boyfriend you could’ve asked for. Things take an interesting turn as you befriend your new coworker, exploring the blurred lines between friendship and something more.

“Introducing "ElysianGlow" – a prestigious international beauty brand poised to revolutionize your entire beauty and skincare ritual. With its European elegance and a mission to cater to every facet of your beauty journey, ElysianGlow stands at the forefront of luxury. As it sets its sights on the vibrant Korean market, this brand promises to bring an unmatched fusion of cultures, innovation, and indulgence to your daily beauty regimen…”

It was the last presentation of the day and you were exhausted. After hearing so many speakers, being exposed to so many new products, and taking in so much information, you felt a little overstimulated. You’d all been taking notes all day as you saw interesting things your competitors were doing.

Your team dipped out a little early, in the hopes of avoiding the herds of people trying to exit the convention center at the same time. Outside the venue, Valentina said, “Good job, everyone. I saw a lot of you taking notes today. I want to do a larger meeting sometime next week or the week after to discuss our takeaways. I think that there was a lot of useful information we can use in our global marketing plans.” She smiled with a nod. “Anyway, I was thinking that we should go back to the hotel, freshen up, and then head out to get dinner?”

There were nods and murmurs of agreement, so David looked down at his watch. “It’s 5:09 now, so how about we meet in the lobby at 6:15PM. Who wants to be in charge of finding a restaurant?”

Hina waved her hand excitedly. “I can find a place!”

Valentina raised a cautious eyebrow at Hina, recalling the last time that Hina had chosen a restaurant. “Let’s try to keep it under three dollar signs this time, yeah?”

You and Hina took advantage of the time you had to freshen up before dinner. You began rummaging through your suitcase, tossing two dresses onto your bed. Hina, on the other hand, sat cross-legged on her own bed scrolling on her phone, ready to give her opinions as needed.

Your phone buzzed on the dresser, and you picked it up, recognizing your boyfriend's contact name popping up on the screen.

"Hey," you said, balancing the phone between your shoulder and ear as you slipped out of your pants.

"Hey, how was the first day?" he asked. “Are you finished now?”

"It was great!" you replied with enthusiasm. "We all have a bunch of ideas. Valentina said we’ll have a meeting next week about it, so I’m excited to share.”

You could practically hear his smile through the phone. "That's great to hear. I can’t wait to hear all about your ideas when you’re back at home. Do you have dinner plans for tonight?”

“Yeah, Hina is actually in charge of looking for a place,” you said, glancing at her. “Hopefully she picks somewhere good.”

Hina stuck her tongue out at you and laughed, bringing a chuckle out of you as well.

“Okay, well, have fun at dinner. And if you’re going to be drinking tonight, don’t forget to drink a lot of water.”

"I will," you promised, feeling a rush of warmth for your supportive boyfriend. You tossed the phone on the bed and pulled out a dress from your suitcase.

An hour later, the group gathered in the hotel lobby, ready for a well-deserved dinner outing after a long day. Hina had strategically chosen a Thai restaurant within walking distance.

Upon arrival, the restaurant's ambiance whisked you away to a far-off tropical paradise. Intricate wooden carvings adorned the walls, vibrant textiles draped from the ceiling, and the scent of spices filled the air. The decor was a seamless blend of charm and cultural authenticity, making you feel as though you were on vacation.

With everyone seated, Valentina seized the moment and confidently ordered a round of drinks for the table. While they excitedly waited for their alcoholic beverages to arrive, they decided to order appetizers to try and share. A few moments later, the drinks arrived, following a clink of glasses and the chorus of cheers.

David placed his drink down on the table and clapped his hands together. "Now that we're not at the conference anymore, let’s talk about something other than work for a change…" Laughter rippled through the group as everyone welcomed the idea.

A few more drinks later, your steaming plate of drunken noodles made its grand entrance to the table. The thick rice noodles glistened with a rich, dark sauce, topped with tender slices of chicken, colorful bell peppers, and vibrant Thai basil leaves.

Kevin, your jovial coworker, leaned toward Taeyong, who was sitting across from you. "Hey, Taeyong," he teased, "I saw you talking to that pretty girl at lunch earlier. Who was that? Did you get her number?"

Taeyong's cheeks tinged with a slight blush at the sudden question. "She was pretty," he admitted, his voice carrying a hint of bashfulness. He glanced in your direction to see if you’d react, but you were reaching across the table for a leftover spring roll instead. "She told me that her name was Ari and she works at one of our competitors. But, uh, I didn't get her number."

"Yeah, Taeyong, maybe you should date the competition so we can find out their secrets," said Valentina with a laugh.

Kevin couldn't resist but add, "Honestly… I'm surprised you don't already have a girlfriend.."

Hina playfully agreed, "Definitely, Taeyong, you've got the looks. Sorry, Kevin, but he's got you beat."

Kevin nodded with a chuckle and said, “That’s fair.”

Taeyong found himself lost in contemplation, wondering if it was time to move on, given your existing relationship. Everyone seemed to enjoy their evening, unaware of the thoughts swirling around in his head like a storm. He went back and forth with his emotions, unsure of where to go from here, as the possibility of a future without you weighed on his mind.

* After dinner, the group ended up splitting up. Some of your colleagues decided to call it a night, retreating to the comfort of their hotel rooms and call it a night. Those who still had some energy left decided to head out for a night on the town, determined to make the most of their time in Incheon. Before the group split in two, Valentina issued a gentle reminder about the early morning conference session, a subtle hint to keep the night's festivities in check.

Among your coworkers in the group, and a relatively new addition to the team, Seolyun stood out as the point person for all things social media. She was the person who always seemed to have a recommendation, whether it was a new restaurant opening up, a trendy pop-up opening, or a cafe hidden in the backstreets.

In no time at all, she found a trendy bar not too far from the restaurant. The bar had two floors, along with a rooftop. Each floor, according to the reviews, had a different vibe. And the rooftop seemed to have an amazing view, which was perfect for taking pictures.

You could feel the lively energy on the first floor as you entered. While you waited for your friends to get their IDs checked, you took a look around. Laughter and conversation filled the air, in combination with the beat of electronic music that had quite a few people up and dancing. People were engaged in animated conversations, clinking glasses, and sharing smiles. It seemed like the perfect place to start on a night out.

As you walked up to the second floor, you noticed a subtle shift in the vibe. Here, the mood was more intimate and relaxed. The decor took on a cozier, lounge-like feel, with plush seating arrangements that were great for deeper conversations. The music, while still upbeat, had a more gentle feeling and allowed for more conversation over dancing. The lighting was dimmed, casting a darker and more romantic aura. It was an ideal spot for those looking to enjoy time away from the loud music and actually have a conversation.

As you all ascended the stairs to the rooftop, the night breeze welcomed you, carrying the pulsating rhythms of music and offering a breathtaking view of the city's twinkling lights. The ambiance was mellow, with cozy seating arrangements and soft lighting, perfect for unwinding. Interestingly enough, the roof wasn’t the most crowded area, and there was more than enough room for everyone to get comfortable at the bar.

Kevin insisted on shots, saying, “Look how beautiful it is out here. Nothing says a night out like a shot of tequila!” Despite a groan or two, everyone accepted Kevin’s idea of taking shots.

“Cheers!” you said, a moment later, clinking the small glasses with your colleagues. You gulped down the liquid fire with more ease than you thought.

As Seolyun finished her shot, she said, “Let’s go dance!”

Taeyong, while certainly up for a night out on the town, wasn't quite in the dancing mood tonight. Instead, he chose to linger on the rooftop, where he could savor the serene night view while sipping on a glass of whiskey.

He gazed out into the city, taking in the twinkling sky above. He took a sip of his whiskey even though he had no business mixing light and dark liquor. I’ll be fine, he decided. Even though he and the others were in Incheon for business, he was having more fun than he’d had in quite some months. Living in Seoul without many friends had been a little hard on him, but he felt a little less lonely during the week while he was surrounded with his coworkers. And he felt less lonely when he was with you. He felt at ease when he was with you. Despite your unfortunate relationship status, he enjoyed platonic moments with you. Being friends with you was better than nothing at all, he thought.

In his peripheral vision, he saw someone sit down but he didn’t bother looking up, as he was enveloped in his thoughts. Suddenly, your voice filled his ears and interrupted his thoughts. “The view up here is something else, huh?” He turned and the corners of his lips curled into a small smile as you settled beside him on the couch.

“I’m enjoying it,” he said, taking another sip of his drink. “I thought you wanted to dance?”

"You know, I wasn't really feeling the music down there," you admitted with a soft laugh. "But it looks like the others are having the time of their lives, so I thought I’d come back up here and keep you company.”

The two of you started talking, just some lighthearted conversation. A few moments later, Taeyong shook his head. "Sorry - where are my manners? Did you want another drink?”

You glanced at his nearly empty glass and then back at him, a thoughtful expression on your face. "I think I'm good for now," you replied, a faint smile touching your lips. "I'd hate for you to see me too drunk."

Taeyong chuckled softly, his gaze lingering on your face. "I wouldn't judge you," he assured.

As you continued to talk, Taeyong found himself getting lost in your eyes, your presence, and the way you laughed at his jokes. His heart raced as he realized how much he had grown to like you. At this point, he could feel the tension building, an almost magnetic force that he had never experienced before. It was a potent mixture of desire, guilt, and admiration. He knew he was getting close to the danger zone and he found himself unable to deny the connection that seemed to pull him closer to you with each passing moment.

Unable to resist the pull between you two, Taeyong leaned in and kissed you, his lips meeting yours in a tender, sweet embrace. It was a moment of surrender to the intense connection that had been building, a silent acknowledgment of his desires. A few seconds later he pulled away, realizing how crazy all of this was. He’d lost his mind for a moment, he concluded.

Your eyes met, just for a moment. Time seemed to stop as you gazed deeply into his eyes. In that moment, Taeyong��s senses were completely taken over by you. He could only smell the faint scent of your perfume. He could only taste your lips. He could only see you.

But just as Taeyong was about to voice his apologies and regrets, the unexpected happened. Your lips crashed into his once more, igniting a wild, uncontainable fire of longing and desire. In that moment, nothing else mattered – not your boyfriend, not the complications of being coworkers – as you both gave in to the irresistible pull of passion. Lost in the kiss, you and Taeyong allowed yourselves to be swept away, indulging in a connection that defied all logic and reason.

The intense chemistry between you and Taeyong became an undeniable truth that neither of you could ignore.

***

You woke up in the morning, before your alarm. You recalled the events of the previous night and, of course, that amazing kiss you shared with Taeyong. It was wrong, you knew, but something about it just felt so right.

Kun [7:31AM] Good morning, beautiful. Hope you had fun last night! Enjoy the rest of the conference today ❤️

As you looked at the good morning text from the man that was actually your boyfriend, you couldn’t help but feel incredibly guilty. You had a man who loved and cared about you, yet you’d had the audacity to kiss another man.

What was frustrating you the most was that you hadn’t even ever thought of Taeyong that way. You found him attractive, yes, but everyone found him attractive - even Kevin. He was a physically attractive looking man - simple. But you didn’t have to cross that line with him and you did anyway. Then, to top it all off, you kissed him on your own. After that first kiss, you should’ve stopped. Unfortunately, something came over you and you initiated that second kiss.

Should you tell Kun? You wondered. No, you thought, he’d never forgive you. Should you break up with him? Was that too much? Was leaving him just running from the problem?

Should you set a boundary with Taeyong? Should you tell him that it can’t ever happen again? God, but you liked it! You liked it so much and you wanted more of it. That was the problem.

You’d never felt tension with Taeyong before. You weren’t sure if it was because the two of you had been drinking or if it was because it was an intimate setting. Maybe it was because you hadn’t really had many moments to be alone together like that. You didn’t know. All you knew was that you could almost taste his lips on yours.

Hina’s alarm started going off, bringing you back into reality. You almost wanted to tell her, but that would just bring up unnecessary questions and drama. So, you decided that you were going to leave it alone all together and do your best to act normal and keep your cool.

After successfully avoiding Taeyong during breakfast and most of the morning programming, he caught you during lunchtime as you were grabbing a water bottle. He lightly grazed your hand and, as you turned to face him, he said, “Can we talk?”

“Uh, yeah,” you said. “Sure.”

Taeyong led you out of the cafeteria and upstairs to the second floor. This floor was quiet, as everyone was downstairs eating. You followed him into a random room where he closed the door behind you. The air seemed to crackle with unspoken tension.

Taeyong took a deep breath, his eyes filled with a mix of vulnerability and longing. "I can't stop thinking about last night,” he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper, “and what happened between us...”

Your heart echoed his sentiments, a mixture of desire and inner turmoil. "Taeyong," you began, a sigh leaving your lips, "I can’t stop thinking about it either.”

“What do we do?”

You let out a frustrated sigh. “I-I don’t know. I have a boyfriend and I care about him. Things are just…complicated.”

Taeyong nodded, his understanding gaze never leaving yours. "I don't want to complicate your life," he said, his voice soft but filled with yearning. "But I don’t know if we can just ignore this."

Taeyong came a little closer, pulling you into his arms. In his embrace, you felt safe, as if the world outside ceased to exist.

Unable to resist any longer, your lips brushed against Taeyong's, igniting a longing that had been building up inside you. But you both knew the complications of your situation.

With a whisper, you said, "We should get back..."

Taeyong let go of you, reluctantly and eyes still filled with longing. You needed to leave. If you looked into his eyes any longer, you might just kiss him again. As he watched you leave the room, the connection between you remained, an unspoken promise that the chemistry you shared would continue to pull you closer, even if the path forward remained uncertain.

***

General Taglist: @to-all-the-stories-i-love @sweetnspicy-noona

Lost for Words Taglist: @ridinjuyeon

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thesims4blogger · 29 days

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EA has announced two new Sims 4 Content Updates for April and July!

The first Sims 4 Roadmap is slowly coming to an end, and EA is letting you know about their last bit coming in April!

The new Sims 4 Content Updates, scheduled first for April and then July 2024, are all about adding better representation of Black hairstyles and visual features. In a yet to be released blog from thesims.com, we’ve discovered that there’s going to be two drops:

24 new color combinations for two existing Hairstyles (April 2024)

New locs Hairstyle (July 2024 Content drop)

How The Sims and its partners are expanding diversity and representation in gaming

Maxis teams up with Dark & Lovely and Danielle “Ebonix” Udogaranya to help more players see themselves in games

Here at Maxis, inclusivity is one of our key values. We know that inclusion matters, and we aim to ensure that everyone feels represented—not just in our games but also in how we work; it’s ingrained in the very culture of our studio.

So when we got the opportunity to work with both legendary beauty brand Dark & Lovely and multi-award-winning gaming content creator and DE&I advocate Danielle “Ebonix” Udogaranya, we leaped at the chance. The result is “Play in Color,” a campaign and documentary that shines a spotlight on the importance of authentic representation in gaming.

For much of the history of the video game industry, authentic representation and features of people of color and other marginalized communities have been significantly underrepresented. These groups have made up a substantial segment of the gaming community from the very beginning, but games have often dramatically underrepresented Black hairstyles in particular.

At Maxis, we’ve been grateful for the chance to help make progress toward better representation through in-game releases. This includes Vitiligo skin features; updates to Townies, in-game characters, incorporating different backgrounds, regional features, and skin tones to match their story; and collaborations with our extensive community of talented creators. Our updates give players of The Sims the resources to create characters that look like them and tell stories that reflect their lived experiences - but there is so much more room to grow.

This is why we’re so pleased to be collaborating with Dark & Lovely and Ebonix to help draw attention to both the progress being made and the need for continued improvement. To start, we’re supporting our partners with the launch of this campaign that includes a documentary video showcasing the voices of Ebonix, The Sims 4 teammates Senior Creative Director Anna Huerta and Assistant Producer Kaelah Smallwood, and Taireek Simms from the Dark & Lovely team who are helping to drive this progress. Take a look:

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Next, building on previous collaborations with Ebonix on in-game features like skin tones and nail options, we’re working with the hair professionals at Dark & Lovely to introduce 24 color combinations across two existing hairstyles in April 2024, inspired by the company’s newest color Immersive Bolds collection.

Then, in a free content drop, we'll introduce a new locs hairstyle that’s also developed in collaboration with Dark & Lovely and available to players in July 2024.

“Ebonix has paved an instrumental path towards greater representation in The Sims through her many years of dedication and work, from her first piece of custom content being a dashiki, to her many diverse and detailed hairstyles offered to the community,” shares Anna Huerta, Senior Creator Director, The Sims 4. “We’re thrilled to be teaming up again to have her as a key part of this campaign as we showcase and advocate for the importance of Black hairstyles in our virtual worlds as much as our real one.”

We’re also extremely excited about the inclusion of one of our own The Sims 4 developers in the campaign. Kaelah first got her start in the video game industry by creating mods for The Sims as a player. “Being very involved in the Sims community,” she says, “I started to notice that there were things fans were asking for that would really make whole groups of people feel better represented—so I decided to figure out how to do it!”

That wasn’t a simple process, of course. Not only did Kaelah have to teach herself how to create mods, but she also had to overcome the practical effects of the aforementioned lack of representation in the industry. “Growing up I always thought that working on video games would be amazing,” she says, “but I never really thought it was possible for me, since I didn’t see many people who looked like me making them. Seeing the diverse group of mod creators for The Sims made it all finally seem possible.”

One notable member of that group, in fact, was Ebonix herself. “Dani’s mods were some of the first ones I downloaded!” Kaelah says. “At the time there weren't many hairstyles in the game that really connected with me, but her mods let young Sims have the same little twists and braids that I had growing up—which is such a huge deal for representation.”

Now she’s able to continue the work of representation within the Sims team itself. “I started making mods,” she says, “all because I wanted to add more diversity and inclusion to the game. So helping make sure that The Sims is actively working to bring diversity and inclusivity to all players is a really big deal to me.”

Of course, this work is ongoing. There will never be a point where we’ll say, “Diversity accomplished!” We will continue to improve however we can. “At every step of the process, we’re thinking about ways to make the game more inclusive and diverse,” Kaelah says. “Because everyone should be able to see themselves in their Sims.”

#news #the sims 4 #ts4 #sims 4 #Youtube

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redactedgender · 1 month

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songs i associate with redacted audio characters - speaker edition

!! CW FOR MENTIONS OF ADDICTION, UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, AND AARON & ELLIOTT'S BACKSTORY !!

this is gonna be exactly what it says on the tin. there'll be some explanations under the cut for what im doing w this!

to keep it brief, im giving each of the characters under the cut three songs from my playlists of them, and go into a little detail on why i chose them/have them in their playlists. sounds simple, right? i'll also be including links to the songs if you want to add them to your own playlists!

with that, let me explain what the fuck is up shjdkfdsh

so a bit of context: i grew up writing karaoke fanfics on wattpad, which if you don't know, were reader-submitted requests for specific characters to sing songs within a short story, mainly in a group setting at karaoke. this has made me extremely specific with music and assigning them to characters, along with finding "singing voice-claims" for characters. so, i have some credentials when it comes to this stuff fjdhsgshjgd

with that explanation out of the way, onto the fun! one of the songs listed for each of them will be their svc (singing voice-claim), except for gavin, because i'm still working on finding his svc (i am leaning towards dpr ian for him though because... don't go insane. yeah)

if that all makes sense...

let's go!

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gavin

horns - bryce fox

; so this is the song i used as the title for my big ol' gaviant smut i wrote (shameless plug shhhhh). this song is just so gavin, especially season one gavin. the sex appeal that oozes from it, the way the singer wants the subject so badly even if he knows she's bad for him. like, s1!gavin wasn't a bad guy, but he was kind of morally ambiguous in a way that could be read as toxic. however, as freelancer's relationship with him deepened, we learn that he values consent and being authentic, something other concubi don't. what can i say, i like good character growth.

human - dodie

; this was one of the first songs i put on his playlist, and for good reason. this song, to me, is freelancer singing this about and to gavin. it's about connection, it's about wanting to see what the other person is like under the persona they've created. this song is what happened when freelancer began learning about gavin past the "sex daemon" persona, but its also what happened when gavin learned about freelancer and how they were more than a "jack-of-a-trades mess of a human". listen i love the two of them so much.

sweet tooth - scott helman

; a more recent addition to my playlist, this one also makes a lot of sense to me. this song is about addiction, and while gavin like, literally needs feelings of desire to live, it also can be said that he probably has had an unhealthy relationship with sex in the past. i also just really like this song. but i think gavin has healed a lot of his attitudes towards his fellow concubi, with freelancer's help and of his own personal efforts.

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elliott

dream boy - waterparks

; we have reached our first official svc! awsten knight of waterparks is my elliott svc. does this is really match my face claim for him? kinda? i had this svc waaay before i had josh hutcherson as elliott actually. but, to talk abt the song itself, i mean. c'mon now. it's literally elliott to sunshine. the vision in my brain is that elliott sings this at karaoke before he and sunshine get together, but are definitely both pining hardcore for each other. there's something about the playful flirty energy of this song that reminds me of elliott in the best way imaginable. he's just a little dorky, what can i say!

wasted summers - juju

; i like some angst! im not all fluff and humor and smut. i appreciate a good angst now and then. my brand of angst is just kind of specific. you'll see that in a sec. but this song just reminds me of elliott and aaron for obvious reasons. how aaron grew up too fast cuz of their parents, how aaron felt jealous and angry over elliott telling him and their mom about magic, how elliott told sunshine he's the protective type because of how he grew up (side note i have many thoughts abt elliott & blake and protection vs possession if anyone would be interested lmao). their relationship just makes me go a bit insane /pos.

still got it - troye sivan

; ALRIGHT THIS REQUIRES A BIT OF AN EXPLANATION. so i basically have a whole mv planned in my big ol' brain around this song, and around the concept of: what if scorpius' memory erasing worked for longer? what if elliott genuinely thought, for a bit, that he and sunshine had a bad breakup, but that he still loved them? and still "wanted them back"? only to then have the memories, the real ones, come back in a flood of sensory overload and horrible realizations? see? i like angst. :]

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porter

brutus - the buttress

; first things first, i dont support this band due to their transphobic comments. that being said, this song is incredibly porter-coded. "my whole life you were a teacher and friend to me / please know my actions are not motivated only by envy" - like this is just about will and vincent. i don't have to explain further.

we don’t have to dance - andy black

; porter's svc! i liked this song for him cuz i imagine treasure is the first person in a loooong time that porter has actually wanted to stay around, even though he's so used to these one night stands and passionate scenes. and even though he really likes treasure, he still goes back to the old him: offering just to dance, just to fuck, just for this to be casual.

car lights - james marriott

; so i have a little headcanon that porter's maker was someone that porter was dating in secret because he (maker) was the kind of guy who would say homophobic things in front of others, but would end the night with his tongue down porter's throat (or something like that). this song is about that kind of experience: worried you're about to be caught despite it feeling so fucking good. also, this song just kinda slaps.

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lasko

stutter - marianas trench

; this song just makes sense, not just in the fact that lasko stammers and stutters a lot when talking (especially when he's excited, god hes adorable) but also in that lasko is basically a hyperverbal autistic/auDHD person who constantly talks even when they don't have the energy to do so (totally not projecting what) and i think that's representation we don't always see. also, imagine him finding this song and dancing to it? yeah.

eraser - ricky montgomery

; lasko's svc! does this surprise anyone? actually it might. i love ricky montgomery so much, his debut album is one of my favorite pieces of music out there and i think he's such a talented artist. his range and subject matter in his songs always screamed lasko to me, and ricky's vocals just match lasko so much. this song is about being socially awkward, which like. yeah. i have like four or five ricky songs on my lasko playlist which is really funny actually hgjkfdhsdh!

my mother wants me dead - carolesdaughter

; lasko "mommy issues" moore anyone? yeah this song is that. i know i could have gone for the mitski mommy issues, but something about lasko tells me his mommy issues are like rage. like, as much rage as lasko can have towards a person. the damn fam and their mommy issues. this song also plays into my hc that lasko used to smoke before starting at D.A.M.N., picking it up after the inversion, and then quitting again once he started healing and met coworker.

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guy

fallin’ for you - r5

; as you all know by now, ross lynch is my guy faceclaim. and while i love the driver era (a kiss is also on my guy playlist, it is in fact the best tde song), ross' voice during the r5 era actually suits guy a little more to me if im being honest. also, its a hc of mine that guy's family did music, but guy had a really bad falling out with his parents and it kinds ruined things for a while. r5!ross's vocals are higher than now, since this was during the disney era, but this song is just too perfect to me not to use for guy.

30/90 from tick…tick…BOOM!

; i mentioned this in my face claim post, but i had andrew garfield as my guy face claim because of this song from the movie. it's just like literally guy tho. we know guy's a writer, we know how writers are. as a writer myself (not professionally), "30/90" is more than just representation of someone wanting to peak before their past "the right age"; this is about creatives wanting to make something that will last longer than their life, and that just screams guy to me. i don't think he wants to be famous, but i think he wants to have a legacy of media he creates last longer than himself.

honey - troye sivan

; listen. "something to give each other" is my favorite album from 2023, and most of those songs remind me of one redacted character or another, so if there's a lot of songs in my playlists from this album, shush. anyways, this song is an obvious choice for guy since it's titled "honey", but if you listen to it, it actually is a pretty sweet (eh? eh??) song. it's about falling for someone and wanting to be with them, and since its a fandom wide hc that guy probably fell in love with honey upon first meeting them, this plays into that idea. look i just love how much of a simp guy is for honey, what can i say?

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if i have any more energy to do more of these i will, but my spring break ends soon so we'll see. also, i managed to make height charts for redacted audio characters & listeners if anyone would wanna see those (they would include my listener oc's). also, if you have any songs you think fit the bois, i may open my asks again if you want to send those to me :0

#redacted audio #redacted audio headcanons #dog.txt #gavin #elliott #porter #lasko #guy

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