Tumgik
#i haven't written him in ... so long
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🔪 (Gueulemer, because internal Patron Minette is tasty)
send 🔪 to put a knife to my muse's throat and see how they react
They made odd dancing partners: one broad and hulking, the other slim and nimble. Gueulemer had to hold back so as not to hurt Montparnasse.
A bit of pain, couple of bruises here and there... There was no harm in that. You had to learn how to take a punch. That was important. But Gueulemer had no taste for violence.
Montparnasse was different. He had the hunger of a growing boy and could always eat. Even if his eyes were bigger than his belly at times, his hunger had taken him this far. And he was no fool.
The feeling of cold steel against his throat made Gueulemer freeze. After a moment, a surprised snort escaped him.
"Not bad," he admitted in his voice like a faraway rumble of thunder.
Years of stares had taught Gueulemer to stare back, stare better, stare until they looked away.
People always stared, but they did not see.
People were like shadows — easier to see when you did not look at them directly. Gueulemer knew this and avoided staring when he wanted to see.
When you wanted to see, faces were traps, eyes the worst of all. Movements, he had found far more reliable.
He made an exception for Montparnasse, watching closely, a glimmer in his eye.
It had been a mean trick well executed. By the time Gueulemer had realised he had been duped, it had been too late.
A large hand wrapped around Montparnasse's slender wrist to force some space between blade and bare skin.
"Now put that down," Gueulemer growled. "I don't need a shave."
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paarthursass · 9 months
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Baldur's Gate 3 Companion!Tav Ask List
What if your Tav was a recruitable companion, instead of the main character? (contains major spoilers for the game, and for some dark urge runs as well)
General
Where can your Tav be recruited?  Are they first encountered on the Nautiloid, or in the Nautiloid crash region?  Or are they not recruitable until a later act?
Do the other companions have special comments or reactions upon recruiting your Tav?
Does your Tav have any comments or advice when you recruit other companions?
What sort of general actions raise or lower their approval?
Are there any instances where your Tav can permanently leave the party, depending on player character actions?
Do they have any secrets that can be revealed?  What are the prerequisites for this secret coming to light?
Do they have their own personal quest that spans the course of the game?  Can it take different branching paths depending on the choices the Player Character makes?
What do they say when the Player Character asks them to stay in camp?  How about when the Player Character asks them to come adventuring again?
Does your Tav have any escalating conflicts with one of the other companions, like Lae’zel and Shadowheart’s knife-fight?
Are there any unique NPCs associated with your Tav that can show up during the course of the game?
Are there any moments in the game that trigger unique dialogue for your character? (Like Gale’s anecdote about the barfight after you save the goblin prisoner) 
Story Specific
How does your Tav advise the player character when it comes to the Dream Visitor?
How do they advise the player character on Raphael?
How do they react to Astarion biting the Player Character?
How do they react to the Player Character letting Abdirak whip them?
How do they react to the Player Character taking their first tadpole power?
Will they stay with the Player Character regardless of siding with the goblins or the tieflings, or is it possible for them to leave the party permanently?
What can they be found doing at the tiefling/goblin party?
Do they have comments on who the Player Character chooses to spend the night with? 
Do they have unique dialogue if the Player Character lets them die when they steal the Blood of Lathander?
How do they react if the PC licks the dead spider in the Gauntlet of Shar?
What do they say if the PC tries to force them to go up on stage with Dribbles the Clown?
Is it possible for your Tav to be kidnapped and replaced by Orin?  How is Orin's deception revealed?  How do they react to the PC rescuing them in the Temple of Bhaal?
How do they react to the PC either allowing Astarion to ascend or convincing him to spare the 7000 spawn?
How does Tav react to the PC becoming a mind flayer?  Can they offer to become one themselves?  Does their reaction change if they’re romanced? 
How do they react when the Dark Urge first reveals their amnesia and murderous thoughts to them?
How do they react to the Dark Urge killing Alfira?
If romanced, how do they react to the Dark Urge trying to kill them in Act 2?
Romance
Is your Tav a romanceable character?  Are there any specific requirements to romancing them?
Does your Tav need to be flirted with to start the romance, or will they approach the PC themselves if approval is high enough?
Are they a polyamorous or a monogamous option?
Do they have a special romance scene at the tiefling/goblin party?
Does the romance have different branching paths, or just one route to take?
How do they react to the player character breaking up with them, or choosing another character over them?
What questions can Zethino ask the PC about Tav in the Love Test? 
If they’re poly, do they have a reaction to the PC engaging in a relationship with Halsin?
How do they react if the PC has sex with Mizora? The Emperor?  Haarlep?
Will they join in with the PC and the Drow Twins, or no?
What are Tav’s plans for the future?  Do they propose to the PC, or is marriage not something they’re interested in?
Free space! Share anything from your companion!Tav au!
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yoosungisbabie · 8 months
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on call - day one
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welcome to Jumin Week 2023! I know I've been gone for a long time, but this event always manages to bring me back. I hope you all are doing well, and I hope you enjoy all the works that will be shared during this wonderful week!
@juminweek2019
jumin x mc
rating: T - for teen and up audiences
prompt: free day!
warnings: female pronouns used for mc/reader ♡
word count: 3,266
ao3 link
“I just got out of the shower,” she finally said, making Jumin falter even further. His mind stuttered, multiple questions surfacing as he blinked quickly. “What does that have to do with this?” he wondered aloud, unable to stop himself before he could even think through his own question. She sputtered out a tense laugh, the noise tickling his senses even though he was on high alert. “Jumin, I’m na— I’m not…clothed? Gosh,” she sighed, and Jumin blinked quickly, shaking his head to clear his mind. Of course that was what she meant.
°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。
Jumin slowly twisted his pen closed, placing it back in the pen cup next to his monitor. He let his eyes scan over his paperwork and the correspondence pulled up on his computer, assessing whether or not he could consider his task done.
Just as he decided he was satisfied with the outcome, his phone began to vibrate violently in his pocket. It was rare that clients or business partners dialed his personal phone during working hours, so he reached into his suit’s inner pocket out of curiosity.
Flipping it over in his hand, he felt his eyebrows raise at the caller ID. His fingers twitched, and he hesitated for a brief moment before he accepted the call.
“Hello, MC. I’m at my office, but I have a moment to take your call,” he said, unable to help the small smile that began to spread across his lips.
“Hi, Jumin,” she sighed, sounding less than pleased. His anticipation to hear her voice chilled into concern, his posture tightening minutely.
“What’s wrong?” he asked immediately, disregarding any questions in his mind about why he felt so panicked.
“Oh, nothing!” she replied quickly, pausing and letting out another breath. “I just, um…” She pulled the phone away from her face to clear her throat.
“I need help with…something,” she spoke slowly, sounding very unsure. The whole situation had him unsettled, and he immediately stood from his chair, placing a steadying hand on his desk.
“What is it?” he wondered sternly, running through a mental checklist of personnel he trusted.
“I forgot something in my apartment, and I…can’t get it,” she continued, her voice strained.
“Are you injured? You sound like you are in pain,” he said worriedly, pressing his lips together as his mind raced.
“No, I’m fine, but um,” she clarified, calming him only slightly. “I forgot my towel.”
“No problem. I can send someone over immediately,” he said, pushing his chair aside and beginning towards his office door. “What instructions would you like me to give them?”
“No, you don’t have to— I mean,” she started, taking a deep breath. Jumin hesitated where he stood, waiting for her to continue.
“I just got out of the shower,” she finally said, making Jumin falter even further. His mind stuttered, multiple questions surfacing as he blinked quickly.
“What does that have to do with this?” he wondered aloud, unable to stop himself before he could even think through his own question.
She sputtered out a tense laugh, the noise tickling his senses even though he was on high alert.
“Jumin, I’m na— I’m not…clothed? Gosh,” she sighed, and Jumin blinked quickly, shaking his head to clear his mind. Of course that was what she meant.
“And you’re in a first-floor apartment,” he continued quietly, pushing his hair from his forehead. He tried to ignore the way his cheeks had warmed or the distracting route his mind was taking.
“Right, and I just need someone to grab my towel or even some clothes,” she sighed, sounding relieved that someone finally understood her predicament.
“Please send me your address. I will be there within 15 minutes,” he said decidedly, buttoning his jacket closed with one hand and pulling open his office door.
“What? Jumin, you don’t personally have to come, I just thought—“
“Nonsense. There are little to no staff members I would trust with this task,” he said as if his assistance was the only solution to her problem. In actuality, there were many more solutions that didn’t interrupt his workday, and he knew it.
“I suppose,” she relented, and he exhaled with finality, motioning to Jaehee as he strode past her.
“Okay, um. My towel! It’s in the laundry basket on the couch in the living room. I think,” MC said, and he made a mental note as he stepped into the elevator.
“And is your apartment door unlocked?” he wondered, hoping that her unprecedented entrance into the RFA had taught her even a little about prioritizing her safety.
“Oh. No…” she muttered, and he couldn’t hold back a crooked smile. Imagining her befuddled face brought only one word to mind. Cute.
“I’ll call a locksmith to meet me at your apartment,” he smiled, hearing her inhale quickly just before he pulled his phone away from his ear to multitask.
“No, it’s okay! I have a hidden key,” she provided, making his eyebrows furrow.
“I would suggest that you remove that in the future, but surprisingly, it will solve some of our problems today,” he said after a moment of thought. Unexpectedly, she cursed quietly, making Jumin pause as the elevator doors opened.
“I’m so embarrassed,” she sighed. Jumin placed a hand against the door of the elevator, holding it open for a moment longer while he listened.
“Why?” he wondered, glancing around the parking garage until he watched Driver Kim pull forward to where he stood.
“I did something as dumb as forgetting my towel, and you’re going through all of this just to help,” she muttered. He could hear the way her lips were pouted through the phone, and it made him all the more anxious to render aid and arrive to her quickly.
“Humans can be very forgetful,” he offered, pulling open the car door and sliding in smoothly. He pulled his phone away from his face to put it on speaker, copying her address from their private message thread and forwarding it to Driver Kim. Putting his phone back up to his ear, he continued.
“I once forgot a client's date of birth during a business meeting and could have made them extremely uncomfortable,” he began, pulling his seatbelt over his lap and buckling it as the car pulled away.
“Luckily, I remembered not a moment too soon that they were born on August the 7th, and I redeemed myself. Not that they knew I had forgotten,” he said, raising his eyebrows as he heard her begin to laugh.
“I didn’t realize I was being funny,” he said, more to himself than to her. She caught her breath, giggling once more before responding.
“Thank you for cheering me up, Jumin,” she said warmly, making him reevaluate what he had said to her. Was that what he’d done?
“I’ll let you go now, but please arrive safely,” she said before he could reply, and he cleared his throat, nodding to himself.
“I will,” he agreed, hearing her hum in contentment.
“And thank you, again,” she breathed, chuckling lightly. He hesitated, fighting the inclination to answer her gratitude with dismissal, wanting to say that it was nothing. It started a strange sensation in his chest as he realized it wasn’t that he didn’t mind helping, but that he wanted to.
“I’ll be there soon,” was all he could say in reply, slightly disappointed in himself when he hung up instead of waiting for her to say her final goodbye.
The car ride there was all too short and much too long as he drowned in his own thoughts. Was he the first person she had called? Did this kind of thing happen often? What other things was she forgetful about? Who else would she have reached out to if he were unavailable?
Once they arrived and he stepped foot outside of his vehicle, Jumin tried to keep his thoughts clinical, focusing on the task at hand and not the way it was making him feel.
He entered the lobby with one of his security guards, glancing at the attendants behind the desk briefly and nodding. They gaped at him in silence as he walked to the elevator.
Once they arrived on her floor, Jumin instructed his guard to wait for him by the elevator doors. He then felt his heart begin to beat in a way he wasn’t quite familiar with. It only persisted as he approached her apartment, his chest feeling tight and warm in an almost uncomfortable way.
He double-checked the number on the door just above the peephole, pausing when he realized that she hadn’t told him where her hidden key was. Scanning the area, he hesitantly reached to feel along the top of the doorway and tapped lightly on the dusty surface until he bumped the key with his fingers. Pulling it down to eyesight, he frowned, wondering why she would put herself in danger in such a way.
He knocked thrice, pausing briefly before pushing the key into the lock and turning it until it clicked. Pressing his lips together in anticipation, he slowly opened the door.
“Please excuse me,” he spoke softly, stepping inside and taking the key from the lock. He closed the door behind himself, looking around quickly.
Her apartment wasn’t very large, but it was decorated in a way that confirmed without a doubt that she indeed lived there. It felt refreshing, with colors that reminded him of her and open spaces, and he could see little touches that were undoubtedly hers. He felt some of the tension in his chest fade, placing the key down on the table near the door and thinking of all the security measures he would like to talk with her about.
Looking down, he instinctively began taking his shoes off. Once he had, he glanced around for a pair of extra slippers for him to use, finding only a small pair of pink, flowery ones. He slipped them on, feeling the back ends hit his heels and wondering if he should just continue in his socks. Feeling strangely apprehensive, he stepped further into her apartment in her slippers, reminding himself of the task at hand.
“MC?” he called out, scanning the apartment to find where she could be. He noticed a closed door as he stepped through to her living area, nearly bumping into the back of her couch. Remembering her instructions, he looked down to see a basket overflowing with clean laundry sitting on the couch. He paused, seeing undergarments in the basket as well as towels and clothes. As carefully as he could, he picked out a blue towel, managing to lift it from the basket without disturbing anything else.
He folded the bath towel over his arm, glancing back to the door where he thought he was hearing movement from.
“MC? It’s Jumin,” he said, wondering why his jaw felt stiff.
“Jumin?” she called out from behind the door, making his eyes widen. He forced himself to take another step forward, clearing his throat.
“Yes, it’s me,” he replied, stopping a few paces from the door.
“Thank goodness,” he heard her sigh. His relief quickly turned into gripping tension when the doorknob began to turn. His eyes widened briefly before he shut them tight, turning his head and making sure he still had the towel.
“I have your towel here,” he spoke, his voice coming out strained. He heard the door open, feeling the humidity from the shower rush out to meet him.
“Thank you so much, Jumin,” she said, a smile of relief evident in her voice. He couldn’t reply just yet, taking the towel and handing it out toward her voice. When he extended his arm fully, his hand bumped hers, making his eyes fly open before he could even think.
Luckily, it was only her forearm that was extended past the door. She felt around blindly until she found the towel, his hand lingering in the empty air as he watched her close the door.
“I really appreciate it,” she reiterated, her voice muffled. “I can’t thank you enough, really. I feel so bad that you came all the way here.” He composed himself again, picking a small, blue string from his sleeve with shaky hands.
“It’s no bother at all,” he said loudly enough for her to hear. “Is there anything else you need while I’m here?” he found himself asking, his hands tensing at the thought of making her uncomfortable or overstaying his welcome.
“Oh no, not at all,” she answered quickly, her voice moving farther from the door.
“Alright, then I’ll be on my way,” he said, sparing another glance at the door before starting towards the exit.
“Jumin!” she called, startling him. He rushed back over to the door, his hand lingering just above the metal of the doorknob.
“Yes? What is it?” he pressed, resting his other hand against the wood of the door.
“Do you have time to stay?” she wondered, surprising him so fully that he was silent for a moment.
“Stay?” was all he could get out, his mind racing much too quickly.
“I haven’t seen you since the party, so if you would give me just a minute to get dressed?” she asked, making his eyebrows furrow together. She just wanted to see him?
“O-of course,” he nodded, backing away from the door just a bit.
“Unless you’re busy?” she prompted.
“I have time,” he responded quickly, feeling his thoughts bouncing around uncontrollably.
“Okay! Please make yourself at home,” she said, her smile present in his mind as she spoke.
Jumin stepped fully away from the door, ignoring the way his phone began to buzz more and more often in his pocket.
He took another look around, glancing at the large windows that looked out over the courtyard of the apartment complex. After a moment, he reached up and pulled just the sheer curtains closed, hoping that would make her feel more at ease.
He was drawn towards her television that was mounted on the wall, seeing a plethora of framed pictures on the console beneath it. Scanning each one, he stopped when he landed on the group photo of the RFA that had been taken at the party. It had taken a few minutes to get everyone in one place and to get a picture that everyone was satisfied with, but the picture she had framed was not the final picture they had all decided on. Instead, she had chosen one where everyone was bickering about where to stand, how to pose, and what Luciel should and shouldn’t be doing. He hadn’t gotten to look through all of the photos taken that day, but this still in particular felt like something he needed to have for himself. In the photo, he noticed that his gaze was focused on MC completely, and the expression he was wearing was not one he believed he’d ever seen on himself.
The door opening behind him startled him out of his thoughts, making him jump and turn to look. He turned back around just as quickly, seeing MC begin to step out in just her towel. His hands trembled slightly, the tips of his ears feeling all too warm.
“Nearly done, sorry! Just grabbing some clothes,” she explained, the soft sound of her feet against the wood floor disappearing down the hall towards what he guessed was her room. He was glad he hadn’t wandered in that direction.
Opening his eyes slowly, he focused his thoughts on the photo in front of him once more. Although the party had been less mundane than in the past, the only thing that got him through was seeing MC flourish in that party hall. Apart from looking stunning, she was kind, friendly, and wildly charismatic that night. It was a miracle in motion for Jumin, and it was truly a shame that they hadn’t seen each other since that night.
He turned away from the photo, hoping to distance himself from the surge of emotion that was building in his core that he couldn’t name. She stepped out of her room just then, looking excited to see him as she lit up with a beautiful smile.
The wave of emotion he’d tried to elude washed over him almost painfully, freezing his muscles in place. He was unable to stop the thoughts rushing through his mind, pressing his lips together as he mentally formed a very concerning one.
Is this what love feels like?
He didn’t know what romantic love meant, he only knew that he had decided never to engage in it. Whatever was happening to him right then didn’t feel wrong, but he also couldn’t quite put a label on it. He just knew that he wanted to keep seeing her, no matter what it meant.
“It’s so good to see you again,” she grinned, moving quickly towards him as he tried to regain control of himself. He felt his lips pull back into a smile, his shoulders relaxing and his hands losing their fists.
“Likewise,” he breathed out, watching her blink at him with wide eyes.
“I don’t mean to keep you long, I just…” she started, dropping her smile and then immediately turning her lips upward into another one, almost as if she too couldn’t help herself. “I wanted to see you,” she finished quietly, completely unaware of the way her small admittance made his heart stutter in his chest.
“Anytime,” he nodded without hesitation, watching her meet his eyes in confusion.
“I know how busy you are,” she said, raising her eyebrows for him to agree.
“Anytime. Really,” he repeated, thinking to himself that no matter the issue, he would drop anything if she was the one who was calling. He watched as she pulled her eyes from his and met them again multiple times, her smile growing timid. He blinked, taking his eyes from her and wondering if he was making her uncomfortable.
“Thank you, again,” she said to break the silence, bowing to him and making him frown.
“There’s no need for that,” he said quickly, taking a step forward and drawing her attention down to the ill-fitting slippers on his feet. She grinned, straightening up again and softening at him.
“You’re very kind, Jumin. I admire that about you,” she continued. He felt himself reaching to adjust his cufflinks, signaling to himself that he needed a change of scenery or he would more than likely do something he would regret.
“MC,” was all that left his lips, making her smile falter and the air grow thick around them.
“Well, I shouldn’t keep you. Please get back safely,” she smiled, wringing her hands together. He nodded, breaking eye contact with her and turning himself towards the door.
“I hope to see you again soon,” he said, seeing her shoulders move towards her ears from the corner of his vision. “I have many topics I’d like to discuss with you. Such as security,” he continued, trying to shift his mind away from the precarious edge at which he’d found himself.
“Security?” she repeated, watching him bend down to place her slippers back where he had found them. Stepping into his shoes, he hummed in agreement.
“You never told me where your key was,” he continued, raising an eyebrow at her and watching as her lips tightened in chagrin. Before a moment had passed, her expression broke into laughter, making another effortless smile stretch onto his lips.
“I’ll be more careful,” she chuckled, taking the key from the table and turning it over in her hands. He nodded, feeling his sternum buzz at the thought of returning to her apartment in the future.
“I’m counting on it,” he said softly, bowing slightly before he opened the door and stepped through. She let it close behind him, not saying another word.
Jumin couldn’t help but linger by her door, his back to it as he convinced himself to keep moving. Once he finally found it in himself to do so, he started back towards the elevator and pulled his phone out, checking his calendar for his next available free day.
~~~~~
hello! thank you all so much for reading!! I have been absolutely not on tumblr at all, but like I said, I can't stay away from Jumin Week <3 if you enjoyed this, please consider liking and reblogging! it really means a lot to me, especially if you leave a note in the notes or in your tags!
again, thank you so much, and I hope you all have a great day!
Mel x
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lime202 · 2 months
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A Match Made in Hell
Vox hears of Alastor’s post-extermination survival, and goes to the hotel to prove it for himself. He also aims to discuss the increased disturbance of radio waves that have been coming from the radio tower. He is not worried over what the meaning of the signals are… He only plans on discussing them professionally. Overlord business, that’s what it is.
(feat. Charlie being an aggressive matchmaker to see her Voxal ship come to life.)
(This is radiostatic/radiosilence crack treated seriously. I’m not sure what I was aiming for with this. Enjoy.)
Vox is standing in front of the entrance of the hotel, contemplating turning back. From the last time he had seen it, it was run down, dilapidated, and hardly able to be called a functional facility. There have been many refurbishments, with it being nearly twice as tall and grand.
He is only here for business.
The Princess of Hell opens the door.
“Hello—” She extends the “o” before cutting herself off. “An overlord!” 
He gives her a fake smile. “I need to speak with someone.”
There is a beat of silence.
“Oh? Would this someone happen to be the Radio Star?” Charlie asks curiously, and Vox is made to believe that she had witnessed the whole… escapade from a few months ago.
There was a quick flurry of anger at the thought of Alastor causing the docile Princess of Hell to not even bear an ounce of fear in front of him. But, it vanished when he caught onto the implication of Alastor being alive and well.
“A Star is an awfully generous title, for him…” Vox mutters.
“Well, it is part of his title. Although, it seems as if you have a more… personal relationship with this Alastor. Maybe, your- well… friend?”
Vox scoffs at the accusation.
“Absolutely not, the radio and the television overlord are not friends.”
Vox is bemused, impatient, and unwilling to confront any sentiments the Princess decides to spew.
And, now she is holding a clipboard - when did that get there?
“You sound.. like you two have some kind of history together…”
Charlie is looking through some sort of file on her clipboard, making slight notes.
“Not necessarily. I'm simply here to remind him to get off my turf and to have a quick chat,” Vox answers dismissively, automatically plastering an artificial smile on his face.
“Hm,” the princess hums and notes something more. A spark of irritation makes way through the TV demon’s circuits. “So you’re here to ‘talk,’ nothing else?”
There seems to be an investigative soundtrack droning from the vintage television from inside.
“This is nothing for you to be concerned about, your highness,” Vox replies smoothly, now beginning to associate her with some of the more invasive reporters that he occasionally runs into. “Will you lead me to him so we can get this over with? Business calls.”
Charlie looks up from her damned clipboard (—Vox is able to make out childish drawings of Vox and Alastor). There seems to be an amusement in her eyes.
“Well first, let me ask a few questions. If I deem you as not a threat, I’ll take you straight to him!” Charlie says, now acquiring a more regal accent, then crossing her arms in a failed attempt to appear serious.
Vox does not understand her insistence. Her laughable character results in only a mixture of pity, mild amusement, and impatience. He knows Alastor is only hosting the hotel for his own entertainment—everything he does is for entertainment, even if it’s at the cost of someone else—
“Even if it happens to escalate into a fight, he would be able to handle himself, anyway. Your little hotel will be just fine.” Before it inevitably falls, Vox wishes bitterly.
“Oh, I’m aware he can handle himself. I’m just wondering if you can handle him, sir.” Charlie gestures towards him, and he sees the now reddish light of his screen reflect on her face.
Through grit teeth, he responds: “I can handle myself just fine, thank you, your highness. It's not like we haven't fought before. He just needs to learn to stay in his place, and I'll stay in mine.”
She steps forward, continuing to block his way into the hotel.
“How often have you fought before?”
“Again, that does not require your concern.” The edges of his smile begin to feel tired from strain.
There is another moment of silence, and Charlie’s eyes narrow.
“I believe it is! You two fight each other regularly without confronting your feelings. As Princess of Hell, it’s my job to make sure that hell is running correctly, so I need you to be honest!”
She says it confidently, as if the overlord in front of her were simply some fool. Clipboard hugged against her chest, Charlie leans closer to Vox, making the comment unnecessarily personal.
“Feelings? What in the world are you implying?” He sputters. “Have you never seen overlords deal with each other before?”
Charlie is still leaning close to him when she asks:
“Do you, by chance, fancy the Radio Overlord?”
“Absolutely not.” He answers immediately. “I hate—loathe him. And those feelings are mutual. So, I advise that you tell me where he is or I'll find him myself.”
His television screen becomes a rosy hue, embarrassed and angered by the condescension of her smile. His sensors take notice of a vague fragrance perfume from the limited distance.
Then, she steps back, still watching his face to make an impression of his emotions. Although it was good for his brand, he found himself increasingly (and uncomfortably) aware of how there were more than two million pixels highlighting his every change in emotion. Alastor calls him easy to read.
“You hate him?” Charlie asks, stupidly.
“Is that not what I said?” Then, taking advantage of her disbelief, Vox brusquely enters and pushes past the princess—courtesy be damned. He only planned on meeting Alastor, not satisfying the Princess of Hell.
“Hm… but— what if I told you he has feelings for you?” She giggles boyishly, as if she had not walked Hell’s ground for practically two centuries.
Regardless, Vox continues to walk past her, trying to find a way to the hotel’s radio tower. Alastor does not have any sort of affinity for Vox. He had made that clear nearly a decade ago.
“Then I wouldn’t believe you.”
Charlie steps in front of Vox.
“What if I could prove it?”
Vox buffers for a quick moment before reminding himself of the absurdity of the situation.
“Then— I wouldn’t care!” He stops in place. “I’m not here for anything personal.”
(But if what she said held even the slightest bit of truth, then the TV would want nothing more than to rub it in his face and reject him brutally. But, that’s not what he was here for.)
Charlie, almost in response to his afterthought, continues.
“I think you do care.” She leans close again, like she had at the door. “Your screen looks conflicted anytime I bring him up!”
The bluntness of the statement seemed almost unfitting of her character. Vox always saw her to be a little less aggressive in her pushiness when it came to other people—perhaps his cameras had not picked up on her more ruthless edge, or maybe she simply wanted to humiliate an enemy of Alastor. He has no time to deal with this.
“Fine. I’ll just leave and come back another time, since you keep spewing out fatuities.”
Vox turns to leave. He could just find Alastor another time when he was alone.
“Wait—” Charlie grabs his arm with a surprisingly strong grip. “You can’t go” –she spins him around– “I want this to be sorted out!”
“Just because you want something, doesn’t mean it will happen,” Vox says with a personal bitterness. “How sheltered are you?”
Perhaps if there were an audience, he would compose himself a bit more for his image. But, it seemed that the hotel was just as empty as it was before, despite all the refurbishments.
She ignores the insult, continuing: “What happened? Did Alastor reject your advances? Or was he just oblivious to them?”
Vox’s screen flickers before he replies.
“I don’t need your interrogation. Are you going to let me leave or are you going to lead me to him?”
She ignores his question.
“I bet he was oblivious to your feelings… And here you are. Stubborn and alone.” She looks into his screen for a moment and grabs his arm harder, holding firm with a tight grip. Vox can manage to see a softer sympathy in her eyes. “If you don’t have Alastor, who else do you have?
Vox is made uncomfortable with her sympathetic hand on his arm.
“I have a business to run. There were never "feelings" in the first place. I'm just here to remind him that he should have stayed away.”
Charlie seems to perk up at the response.
“Oh? Is that it? You’re just here to prove something to him? Prove to him that you have power—prove your worth to him? You don’t think that you meet Alastor’s requirements?”
Vox's screen expression sours as he forces his screen back to the typical blue. 
“Alastor has no effect on me. He's only inconvenient when he gets in the way of me collecting souls. Stop persisting with these moronic ideas. Are you going to show me where he is or not?”
He attempts to pull away once more, but Charlie seems dissatisfied.
“I’m gonna make you see. I’m not letting this potential relationship go to waste!”
Charlie starts pulling the overlord more firmly by the arm towards the radio tower. Vox sputters disagreements as she guides him, only falling silent when he notices they are standing outside the entrance to the tower.
The princess of hell begins to call out: “Alastor, I’ve brought you a visitor!”
Vox can hear Alastor mumble out a frustrated response. At that, she continues.
“Alastor, Vox is here! Vox! Your special business man is here–”
She is cut off when Alastor steps out of the room, with a slightly annoyed look on his face. He looks at Vox, then back at Charlie. Then at Vox again when he begins to retort:
“We are not friends, I am here for a professional conversation and just want to finish what was started earlier.” 
When Charlie releases him, Vox crosses his arms, looking at Alastor expectantly. Alastor’s eyebrows raise with indifference.
“Hm, well, that’s a shame. I was hoping for some entertainment, considering how… boisterous you are.”
Alastor looks over at Charlie, who is practically bouncing up and down. Then, she approaches the Radio demon, giving him a few hushed whispers.
Vox does not know what she says, but Alastor seems to accede to her words.
“Oh, fine…” He focuses his attention back to Vox. “What is it?”
The overlord freezes in place, not actually expecting Alastor to be open to his presence. He hasn’t been able to see him in person for years. He didn’t really think he’d get this far, to be honest. Before he could be caught staring, he stumbles over his words.
“Uh–well—your radio waves are getting in the way of mine. It’s distracting. Keep them somewhere else!” 
An flustered spark of electricity comes from one of his antennas. He is still irritated by the conversation earlier, and now he simply spoon-feeding Alastor more ways to humiliate him. Alastor easily catches onto Vox’s obviously unprepared excuse, giving him a mocking expression.
“You do know how a radio tower... works... right? It’s supposed to be for everyone, it was built for the public radio broadcast!” 
The condescension of the tone makes Vox more irritated.
“Televisions use radio waves also, of course I would know. Why do you think I'm annoyed in the first place? You're the one causing the interference.” There was no interference, but Alastor didn’t need to know that.
Alastor scoffs.
“I own half of the radio wave spectrum!” He puts his hands on his hips and leans forward. “And your television frequencies are on another set of radio waves! We’re not conflicting to one another, and they’re being broadcast for the public for heaven’s sake!”
Vox internally retracts at how miserably his excuse landed.
Alastor sighs. “I can't believe my time is being wasted on this.”
Trying to get the last word, Vox gives a huff. 
“Fine, this "discussion" is over then, since you're so mature.”
There is a beat of silence. Then another. Vox hasn't left yet.
“Of course, someone has to be if you can’t—”
Alastor stops mid sentence as he notices Vox just staring at him intently, as if the television were expecting something else.
In the silence, Vox turns his eyes away. “What?”
Alastor suddenly looks confused, and a little annoyed. “Did you... come here just to see me?”
Vox bristles. 
Well, with Alastor's face hidden in the radio, Vox had not been able to see him for years. And, after hearing of his survival, he would end up being a little curious as to what Alastor looked like in person. Despite this, he denies it and turns around immediately.
"No." His screen beams a bright pink as he leaves, and he makes sure to accidentally step on the clipboard that Charlie dropped earlier as he makes his exit.
Alastor just watches him walk away, a bit confused. But, the edges of Alastor’s smile do curl up somewhat at the first meeting with his old friend. His failures were always the most charming.
Charlie still stands next to him, seeming to examine the side of his face as his thoughts play out. Alastor faces her.
“I’m not sure what you were trying to achieve, Charlie,” Alastor says, his smile somehow feeling like a scowl.
He crosses his arms, and Charlie mumbles a small apology.
“I just felt… I needed to help him. To help you.”
Alastor does not respond.
Vox leaves the hotel, somewhat annoyed but mostly satisfied. He has no answers, but Alastor isn’t gone. Charlie's drawing crumbles in his hand as it turns into a fist. Alastor isn't gone, just yet.
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compacflt · 4 months
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question: how do you find your research/sources? yours and dancing disasters' icemav fics are so inside baseball i love it, but how do you go about doing research?
I just read a lot & google stuff I don't know & am curious about. not that hard to start learning. and in terms of reading I've been interested in military history & milfiction my whole life. mostly related to the US army, actually--im extremely new to naval history and naval literature; all of that interest was driven by top gun. I've also been fortunate enough to visit a lot of the places I write about--ive been to Pearl Harbor a couple times & San Diego MANY times, for instance, and I've toured a few aircraft carriers and military bases. I've also finally bitten the bullet and kinda shifted my career path towards aerospace, so I've been learning a lot just by working in the aerospace & defense sector/spending a lot of time with people who do.
that's obviously not to say that I am somehow Educated in all this stuff. im pretty open on this blog about me being young & naive & wrong much of the time about how the real world works. so, you know, a lot of shit I just Make Up according to my preconceived notions of the military & the world.
here is my recommended military/navy reading list, some fiction and some nonfiction.
someone also asked recently if I had read anything good in the last 6 months--yes!! three new additions to my reading list: a) Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain. So goddamn good. If you have to read only one novel about the Iraq War, make it this one. It's more about America than it is about Iraq. b) Redeployment by Phil Klay. This one is a collection of short stories about Marines in Iraq, written by a USMC vet, talk about inside baseball. Crazy amounts of jargon in here, basically a "to-google" list. won the national book award which idk if it deserved, but it's good. c) No true glory: A Frontline Account of the Battle of Fallujah by Bing West. currently reading this one, really well done so far, talks a lot about how fucked the US strategy was in Iraq with Fallujah serving as a metonymy/case study for the war itself.
again... this is all mostly close-quarters-combat (infantry) literature, I really am not that interested in the navy/Air Force that much outside of top gun lol
though I did recently remember that in early 2022, before I was into top gun, I read "Wingmen" by Ensan Case, which is actually a gay US naval aviator romance set in WWII published in 1979! it's really authentic and kind of sad, obviously, since it was a 1940s navy gay love story published in 1979. I don't actually think Wingmen influenced how I wrote wwgattai or how I think of TG/TGM but I just remembered that I read that book in February 2022 and going "oh my god they were wingmen" so maybe you might find that book interesting.
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ghosts-loofah · 1 year
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A little thought I had while I was picking up Christmas gifts, and abruptly left, completely abandoning my Christmas shopping in order to come home and write this. No warnings, just fluff. ♡
You and Ghost have been in a relationship for quite some time (I imagine 2 almost 3 years.) The two of you met after you had joined the 141, and seemed to easily find companionship in one another.
You and the rest of the 141 return from a mission that was rough, but at the end of it you all come out victorious. Although tired, and desperately needing some rest, everyone is out on the tarmac, people talking amongst themselves, celebrating their victory.
Ghost steps out of the plane last and is met with Price. They stand and talk for a few minutes, but as Price is talking, Ghost pick up on the sound of your laughter. His gaze moved to look over Price's shoulder where he sees you chatting with Soap, Gaz, and some other soldiers. Soap is carrying on with his usual banter, causing everyone in the group around him to laugh, including you, your hands clutching your stomach, helmet now removed, strands of loose hair creating a curtain over your face.
Ghost is a man of few words. During your time together as a couple, he had yet to say those three words. The thought of them alone was completely foreign to him. He even worried that eventually, you would get tired of his inability to vocalize his feelings, but all this time you stayed. You held each other at night, helping the other through the bad, sleepless nights that would end with tear-stained cheeks. If he was ever injured you'd run to his side, risking your own life in order to save his. You never forced your feelings onto him. You gave him space when he would ask for it. You would lend an ear if he needed someone to talk to even if it were a rare thing for him to ask for. You did everything at his pace, and that seemed to not bother you in the slightest. He could never understand why you did it, and why the thought of it kept him up at night. Why he felt a fluttering feeling in the very pit of his stomach when all of these things came to mind.
But as he stood here now, watching the way your lips curled into a gentle smile, lips parting as you spoke to your comrades, he felt the puzzle pieces slip into place. His heart rate picked up, practically begging to jump out of his chest. The edges of his mind burst with a ferocity that leaves him breathless, the answers to all of his questions suddenly bombarding his thoughts like the crashing of waves.
He loved you.
And he could see, with the way you turned your head, eyes sparkling from the setting sun as you met his gaze, that you loved him too.
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riverswater · 7 months
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ohh i wanna know about the scene you'd write the abusive louis (love that guy) fic for! pretty please? your brain has the best ideas
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Re: this ^
Harry/Louis, 1.4k words. Tw for general abusive relationship crappiness and thoughts of domestic violence
The sheets are soft under him – washed the day before. Jasmin and white musk. The taste on his tongue is pleasurable as well, sharp mint. A grumble rises next to him. Louis doesn’t turn around, doesn’t play out his part. No point in it: the room is dark, Harry is drunk. Drank five cocktails and an unspecified number of shots, and Louis knows his boyfriend is not a smart guy, but sometimes he wonders what his goal is. Louis never brings him home with careful touches or gentle words, not anymore, Harry must know by now. But, still, he gets intoxicated to the point where he is a danger to himself, and Louis has to leave the party early. Play the part in front of other people. Human mask on, Louis mask on. Whoever that is, he dislikes him as well. Spineless, helpful, loyal. Boring.
He’s sitting with his back to the wall, and he is bored. He will leave the room as soon as Harry dozes out, maybe could leave now, already, while he still whines and turns around, foul breath and sweaty skin, but Louis doesn’t want the risk of him vomiting in his sleep or something. That would be boring, too. He’s not done with him.
Once he’s out, he’ll call Zayn, maybe, or maybe he’ll just hit the town. Saw a guy, the other day: tall, blonde. Slender. His number is still untouched. He could–
“What did you say?”
The room is silent. The air still.
“I–” Harry splutters, wails, sighs. He doesn’t turn to face him, but he curls on himself, pushing his back closer to Louis’s legs. Louis instinctively moves his limbs back. Harry is sick, he always is after a party. Tomorrow morning he will vomit the second his eyes will open. Luckily, Louis has a morning class, and won’t be required to assist him.
“I said,” Harry’s voice is a rogue whisper. Too much vodka. Louis finds him nauseating, at times. “Sometimes. Sometimes, I wish you’d hit me.”
So he didn’t hear wrong.
Interesting.
Louis relaxes back on the mattress, laying on his side, propped up by his left elbow. The lamppost light filters in, and he can make out the lines of Harry’s curls, his nose, part of his cheekbone. His eyes are closed shut, his brows knitted. Louis grins.
“And why is that?” He’s pushing, he knows it, but Harry has been eating out the palm of his hand for months now. He hasn’t called his sister since Louis told him to, back in January. He has fainted twice, only during this last semester. Niall hasn’t tried to contact him in weeks. He’s all his.
“You…” Harry lingers, stops. His eyes squeeze more, his lips curl. “Maybe. Maybe if I had bruises.” He dries his forehead with the back of his hand, harshly, uncoordinated. “If. If you cut me, or something. If I had signs. Maybe. Maybe people would notice.” He spits out the last part of his sentence, holds his breath, and pushes his face on the mattress, hard. Louis hopes he won’t drool. He changed the sheets yesterday.
Louis waits. He knows there is more. Harry has always been one for the dramatics.
“And. And,” he repeats with emphasis, as if that conjunction is meant to mean something by itself. “And if they’ll notice. If they’ll know. Maybe they… They’ll try to. Warn me off. And be by my side. Make me see who...” he doesn’t finish the sentence.
Louis finds it almost sweet how he can’t bring himself to say it. Not in the dark, not with his back to him, not while drunk. He’s his. All for him.
Harry whispers, his face still shoved onto the mattress: “Maybe then I would understand. I would be able to… I would. To leave you.”
Louis hums, considering. He throws his head back, face to the ceiling, and imagines it.
Not now, no. Harry is too drunk and pliant. No fun in that. He couldn’t even bring his hands up to cover his face. Maybe after one of Louis’ afternoon classes, when he comes back home and finds him with his feet (socks off) on the coffee table. Harry hasn’t done that in a long time.
He would march to him, rage oozing off his frame, grab him by his shoulder and cloak him in the face. “If I had bruises”, Harry said. So they would have to be visible. On the jaw, maybe. His teeth would cut the inside of his mouth, maybe he would bite his tongue. He would spit blood after a single hit. And then, and then… The terror in his eyes. The tears – Louis knows he would cry immediately, he would beg, he would apologize. And Louis wouldn’t care. It's almost tasty to picture. He would throw him on the floor, kneel on either side of his hips, or maybe with one knee on Harry’s chest, pinning him down, and hit him again. And again. He can almost smell the iron in the air, feel the tick, viscous liquid staining his knuckles and his work shirt.
He could destroy him, he knows that. Harry is so weak. A gust of wind could push him to the ground. It wouldn’t be special, to do that. There would be no skill, no thought, no planification. He could break his teeth, crack his bones, carve him, even, isn’t that what Harry said – “if you cut me”. And still, it wouldn’t be interesting.
He has no curiosity about hitting him. He knows how it would go. Harry wouldn’t even try to defend himself. He would paint himself as a martyr and let it happen. Boring.
He rolls his head back, looking at his boyfriend again. Harry’s face is now resting on his pillow, his eyes open and vacant, staring at their bedroom door.
“You know what I think,” Louis tells him. He can hear the smirk in his voice. “I think you wouldn’t leave me. Even with broken bones.”
Harry shuts his eyes and draws a quick breath in. Tucks his face in his own chest.
“I think”, Louis continues, moving closer to him, his lips inches away from Harry’s right ear. “Oh, wait. I know that much. You wouldn’t leave me. Even if the whole world was on your side. You know why?” He grins in the dark. Harry’s breath is quick, shallow. Louis leans in even closer, whispering: “Because they already are. They tried to warn you, I know they did. But you came back to me. They’re on your side, alright, but you? You’re on mine. You’re not leaving me, bruises or not.” Louis’ smile grows a tad more. He’s all teeth.
It’s risky to be this open, but for all purposes and intentions, he’s talking to a wall. Harry is incoherent. He would have never let himself say any of that shit if he had any spark left in his brain. Louis can breathe. He can take his mask off and breathe.
“And the best part?” Louis continues. There’s a hint of laughter in his voice. “You know as much. You love me. You don’t know how to live without me anymore.” Harry is shaking. Louis is not sure he’s still breathing and doesn’t care. “So, this fantasy, where some other swings by and saves you… it wouldn’t work. You want this. All of it. You want me.”
Louis scoots down on the bed, not wanting to bolt the scene anymore. The sound of Harry’s panic fills the room. Louis remains still, arms down his sides.
“You won’t remember this tomorrow,” he says to the dark. “And if you do, I’ll call you crazy. Crazy. How can you think so little of me? You know I love you. You know I’d do anything for you.” He hums. “You’re my boyfriend, I love you. You know that,” he says that last phrase in his sweet voice, the one he uses in front of other people, the one that sends girls into fits of awwws and I wish my boyfriend was that sweet with me. “Say it. Say what you know is true.”
Next to him, Harry is still trembling, quick gulps of air at an irregular pace.
“Harry.” His sweetness is gone.
Harry stops breathing. Louis waits.
“You love me,” Harry murmurs, sleepy. Satiated. “You’d never hurt me.”
Louis grins. “Good.” He’s not bored anymore.
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rosalind-hawkins · 4 months
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What Do I Ship?
Don't mistake this for a tolerance or tier list. I will read and write ships that aren't even on this list, or write ships from the secondary list sometimes, this is just to give you a general sense of the stuff I mainly support/think about and in what capacity. Might be updated periodically. Ranting and comments in the tags.
Re: the Mokuba ships, I only ship them in non-problematic ways, where either the Kaiba brothers are ageswapped, making Mokuba the same age as the rest of the main cast, or where they only get together far post-canon where Mokuba's an adult. We cool? Cool.
Primary Ships
(things I can/want to create content for; this does not include every ship I've ever written, just the ones I care about/are currently engaged in writing/plan to write multiple fics for, or ships I just stan in a way that I know it'll never end)
Euroshipping (Kaiba x Ryou)
Puppyshipping (Joey x Kaiba)
Mumbleshipping (Kaiba x Ryou x Duke)
Teaseshipping (Joey x Ryou x Kaiba)
Snareshipping (Joey x Duke)
Trustshipping (Kaiba x Ishizu)
Polarshipping (Joey x Mai)
Blueshipping (Kisara x Kaiba)
Mizushipping (Kisara x Priest Seto)
Minorshipping (Ryou x Duke)
Mastershipping (Duke x Kaiba)
Puffshipping (Joey x Ryou)
Sweetshipping (Ryou x Mokuba)
Wintershipping (Mokuba x Amane)
Rollshipping (Duke x Ryou x Joey)
Secondary Ships
(things I will read but I don't write {much, or anymore, in some cases} for one reason or other)
Wishshipping (Joey x Yugi)
Powershipping (Kaiba x Marik)
Graceshipping (Ishizu x Ryou)
Doubtshipping (Kaiba x Ryou x Marik)
Petshipping (Duke x Kaiba x Joey)
Axisshipping (Kaiba x Siegfried)
Angstshipping (Ryou x Marik)
Irateshipping (Marik x Joey)
Buddyshipping (Joey x Tristan)
Heartshipping (Yugi x Ryou)
Fragileshipping (Yami Yugi x Ryou)
Changeshipping (Duke x Marik)
Logicshipping (Priest Seto x Priestess Isis)
Gemshipping (Ryou x Thief King Bakura)
Thiefshipping (Yami Bakura x Marik)
Candleshipping (Kaiba x Ryou x Yami Bakura)
Antagoshipping (Kaiba x Yami Bakura)
Corruptshipping (Priest Seto x Thief King Bakura)
Stoicshipping (Kaiba x Priest Seto)
Shimmershipping (Duke x Mokuba)
Guardshipping (Kaiba x Roland)
Senetshipping (Ishizu x Duke)
Angelicshipping (Ryou x Rafael)
Mercuryshipping (Kisara x Kaiba x Ishizu)
Entrepreneurshipping (Duke x Kaiba x Siegfried)
Unnamed (Aigami x Marik x Yami Bakura)
Scholarshipping (Kaiba x Ishizu x Ryou)
There's also plenty of random unnamed poly ships that I want to play around with in one-shots, usually a combo of my top six fave characters.
#rose talks#my ships#ship list#creating this post just to link to it in my pinned post. don't mind me.#i might add a third section called “i just think they're neat”#what happened with thiefshipping is that I worked really hard on a one-shot for it and was pretty proud of it#but then it got like no attention and i figured my characterization must have been way off#so i didn't try to write it again after that#i wrote a lot of Marik one-shots a long time ago but I don't think my characterization of him was actually that good#that's why i haven't really written him outside of Rock Bottom in a long time#if you put kaiba ryou duke joey marik in a jar and jumble them all up and pour 2 or 3 of them out. i ship anything that comes out.#almost the same if you replace marik with ishizu but i don't see her and joey working out (unless maybe to gang up on kaiba)#currently intrigued by the idea of kaiba/ryou/ishizu and i would call that scholarshipping if the name wasn't already taken#also just discovered mercuryshipping and i think that would be so fascinating#i think guardshipping can easily be problematic but it doesn't have to be. i think it can be kinda sweet if done right.#re: the mokuba ships i've had someone tell me that shipping child characters with anyone is gross EVEN IF you age them up and um no#every adult ever is an aged-up child. that's how life works.#i'm so much more interested in mokuba as an adult than as a child anyways. just purely from a character perspective#because damn. who knows what this boy will become. ya know? it's about the potential
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beedreamscape · 1 year
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I think what is missing with 4-sided Dive that Talks Machina had was a third party to have those character discussions with. It's not the same with a fellow PC. Also someone with interviewing abilities, sometimes I feel like they meander so much.
And I do like to watch them talk, I do watch old episodes of AWNP, fireside chat, etc, but for discussing the game/campaign I think the mechanics of it muddles with the flow.
I personally feel no value is added from the tower of inquiry or the cup questions, though I don't mind the game playing at the end since at this point who had their curiosity satisfied can simply leave, but answering while playing which they tried doing at least once I watched didn't work at all.
Edit: Btw when I say no value is added I mean the format (being in a cup, pulling from the tower) and not the questions themselves.
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osachiyo · 6 months
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i'm finally adding jouno to this multiple character thingy I'm working on rn, it'll be my first time writing for him so don't judge too hard if he's ooc 🙏🏽🙏🏽
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luunarmoon · 2 years
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Imagine the day when Dainsleif will finally be able to sigh with the relief, his curse still makes a noise, but it became so quiet and unnoticeable.
Warm wind combs his hair. The sun is about to rise, finally not so hostile as it used to be.
Loving hands are gently patting his back and pulling him into a hug. Lips putting a light, barely perceptible kiss on his forehead. Whisper that causes shivering all across the injured body, touches that are able to heal.
The so long desired feeling of home.
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animecreator3000 · 1 year
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Every time I rewatch some episode of Boueibu HK I wonder again how the staff even planned this season. Like. Almost nothing meaningful happens with the characters
TLDR the characters with the most developement in HK are the monsters
Kyoutarou is there as a complete contrast to Yumoto while keeping the battle speeches so his characterization doesn't make much sense. Nanao is mere fujoshi bait. Taiju and Taishi have random bits of dialogue that hint at possible arcs for s2 but not enough to tell us what it really is. Maasa has an unfinished arc in his episode, where supposedly he's putting fatty butter in his cookies to make everyone else overweight because he resents Ichiro not defending him when they were little, but then his friends tell him it's fine and then he can move on??? This would work with Ichiro's theme of not wanting to be immature or dense anymore, except they only ever used this theme as a gag (misunderstanding the meaning of whatever the others have said) or to straight up humilliate him (ep4) and continue treating him like a stupid baby. At the end of the season Maasa and him have made peace somehow and that's it. Ata gets in my opinion the closest thing to a complete arc, even if it's just staring angrily at Kyoutarou for ten episodes, then explaining his problem while fighting him and finally getting his apology and reconcilliation. At least it's something. And poor Ryouma is just there to be the butt of a few jokes about how he lets Nanao and Kyoutarou use him, be in a couple of cute shippy scenes, and also for Ata to completely dismiss him from the flashbacks to the point where if they had first met in high school nothing would've changed.
The relationships barely have developement either. Love had anime episodes and manga chapters dedicated to the different close friendships solving their conflicts and becoming closer. There were also many instances of seeing how close the Hakone brothers-defense club and Beppu brothers' relationships were, and even though they didn't have any conflict between themselves, they made them strong sides for the final fight. Yumoto didn't get a character arc but through the entire anime he was revealed to be strong, considerate, forgiving and mature, willing to kindly befriend the Beppu twins for his brother but not let them walk all over him; contrary to how he was presented in the first episodes, like a stereotypical magical girl protagonist. Anyway in HK there's no meaningful conflict between any of them besides Kyoutarou and Ata. Taishi and Ichiro argue constantly but don't show to genuinely like each other after all like IoRyuu or EnAtsu did. Ichiro and Maasa never make any progress to be together again, Maasa hints once at liking Taishi and nothing comes from it, and Nanao and Taiju have the most artificial friendship in the cast that I just do not understand. They just ran an ice cream shop once with again unexplained success and make sassy remarks at each other ever since. And I guess Karurusu and Furanui had a bit of developement thanks to Kyou and Ata in ep12. Idk about the aliens, this time it's like they didn't do it completely well but also not as bad as with the rest of the cast. Maybe bc they didn't appear as much as the humans in most of the episodes
I'm realizing now that a few of these complaints are related to Nanao acting weird
Idk where to put this but I'd like to point out Kinshiro's principles of halting the fight with the Battle Lovers as soon as he finds out that the s1 conflict was set up for a reality show and actively defending them from an attack because they're Binan students, despite still not having received his apology from Atsushi. Ata might've done the same if the HK finale's events had gone in the same order (travelling to Honyalaland to fight Wao, then Kyoutarou apologizing to Ata), but he doesn't feel as a character as deep as Kinshiro in that sense bc they didn't really show him to be in other ways.
Love feels more like an actual group of people while HK feels like they were filling in friendship group roles or something
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4ngel-inc · 4 months
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I MISS CHUUYA ᰔ
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defensivelee · 2 days
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peak hansijoost dynamic is when bentinck decides that maybe keppel does deserve william, after all. lot of ways to interpret that all on its own
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galitzinegf · 3 months
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alex wants to start a recreational softball team and he convinces all his friends to join but they're short two people so nora recruits pez who recruits henry and they're off playing against other teams and alex is so good at it like it's as if he's not even trying but henry struggles a bit more because even though he's relatively fit and athletic, softball is not like polo At All and his game sense is shit and he hates the stupid game anyway fuck you pez but he can't just quit and stop showing up because that would mean alex would stop bringing him out to a field once a week to give him personal coaching and pointers and getting behind him with hands on his hips to teach him how to swing and that would truly be a tragedy
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imgoingtocrash · 2 years
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So, now that I've watched the first three episodes of Andor...
Everybody Lives!AU Cassian takes Jyn and/or Rogue One in general to meet Maarva fic, right?
Maarva tells embarrassing kid/teen stories about Cassian and she sees how much Rogue One has changed him fic, right?!
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