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madelynraemunson · 2 months

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mini series

GO BACK | NEXT LEVEL 🔒 | theme song: new divide - linkin park

player zero: level one

ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴍᴇᴛᴀQᴜᴇꜱᴛ ᴄʜᴏᴏꜱᴇꜱ ʏᴏᴜ — ᴀ ꜱᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇʀ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ ꜱᴜᴘᴇʀ ꜰᴀɴ — ᴛᴏ ᴛᴇꜱᴛ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠɪʀᴛᴜᴀʟ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ (ᴠʀ) ɢᴀᴍᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀꜱ ᴠᴇɢᴀꜱ ꜱᴘʜᴇʀᴇ, ʏᴏᴜ ꜱᴏᴍᴇʜᴏᴡ ꜰɪɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʟꜰ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴄᴛᴜᴀʟ ꜱʜᴏᴡ.

I remember black skies, the lightning all around me.

disclaimers: 18+, psychological thriller, blood, violence, sexual themes, swearing, reader interacts with the st characters, eddie falls for reader who goes by “zero/000, player zero”, reader’s gender identity isn’t specified but does have a vagina, unintentional plot divergence, upside down exists, vecna/001/henry exists, everything is basically canon until reader shows up… 😳, joseph quinn cameo at the end | pairing: eddie munson x reader x joseph quinn

a/n: enjoy everyone! i’m sorry this took so long to come out but i am committed to only releasing my best work to you guys 🩶 i hope you all enjoy level 001!!

[WC: 2.0k words]

“Player Zero…do you copy?”

🎮

By the grace of your headset, you begin to scan the dark, almost void-like, aperture that’s hijacked your surroundings.

“Copy,” you report back to James.

“Excellent.”

Everything around you is black, a noisy puddle sits at your feet. The room is crisp from the AC, and the props smell like rubber tires. And soon, with a push of a button, you will come face to face with the Mind Flayer, saving everyone from this ill-fated town once and for all.

You can’t believe this. What thousands will pay to do, you get to experience for free, having been one of the few selected to try out the new Stranger Things: Virtual Reality Game at the Las Vegas Sphere. (Not to mention, you're the biggest Stranger Things fan in your hometown and quite possibly the biggest Joseph Quinn fan in the state of Nevada).

Eddie's death left you completely shattered. He just fit in so well with the older members of the party that you were almost certain the Duffers would keep him around. But to your despair, alongside many others, they did what they do best and killed off another fan favorite.

But there was something beautiful that came out of Eddie's death. Because of Stranger Things 4, Joseph Quinn has been getting booked for acting gigs left and right, getting asked to come to fan conventions, and you were able to find a community on Tumblr who shared the same love for him and Eddie Munson, and with that notion alone, means the silly metalhead lives on through you guys.

Your dream is to meet Joe one day. You’ve been frantically saving up for the day you get to hug him and thank him for everything he’s done for you and others. Whenever that may be. Until then, all you could do is support his work and contribute to all of his supporting franchises. Much like this one.

“I can’t wait to tell all my mutuals all about this game,” you think to yourself.

James permits you to walk around in order to adapt to your environment. You’re already planning what to tell your friends based on your observations so far. But since pictures aren't allowed, your phone remains in your back pocket for the time being.

“Alright Player Zero,” your guide further instructs you. “You’re going to walk through the gate. And from there the game will begin.”

“And what if I need to pee?”

The comment earns you a chuckle from James. “That’s fine. You’ll just have to take your headset off and call out to me.”

James asks you if you have any other questions. You couldn’t help yourself.

“Will I interact with any characters? Like Eddie?”

“No Eddie unfortunately, it’s primarily the Mind Flayer,” James answers honestly. “Goal of the game is to fight the monster.”

“Understood,” you pout in disappointment.

“Hey but I’ll be surprised if you run into anyone though,” James laughs. “Tell ‘em I say hi if you do.”

Just then, a neon orange projection appears from the corner of your eyes, followed by some squelching noises that gnaw uncomfortably at your ears. And as you get closer to it, you can hear the shrieks of some very familiar, unearthly creatures.

“Walk through the gate now, Zero,” James instructs you.

You take a deep breath, a little scared at how vivid the graphics are but reassuring yourself that all of this is just a game.

“Walking,” you report.

Hobbling into the gate, the synthetic warmth massages your ankle as you squeeze your way on in. You land on the bottom tier, a floor below the floor you started on... one that you weren't aware existed until you continued to walk around.

“This isn’t so bad,” you mutter to yourself.

Just then, the noise around you cuts off and your headset broadcasts to black.

Tssssss.

Unsure whether or not this was part of the game, you continue to tread around the nothingness that is around you. Holding your arms out to keep your balance doesn’t seem to help, because the more you graze onto nothing, the more panicked you become.

This is odd. Where’s the Mind Flayer?

“James?!” you call out, your heart nearly beating out of your chest now.

Nothing.

Suddenly, obnoxious TV static overpowers your headspace. It’s accompanied by lightheadedness, the brightness of it all mercilessly stinging your eyes, and the high-pitched feedback noise that soon fills your ears is probably enough to make you go deaf for the day. Great, now you know why this is a trial run.

“James!” you hiss again quietly. “Anyone?!”

No response. You were never warned about this part. Was this even supposed to happen?

Absolutely frustrated now, you reach for your headset to get out of the game yourself. But to your surprise, you’re stunned to have gotten two palms full of your hair, and part of your face. There was no headset on your head. You’re walking in a void of nothingness, with no one around to help you.

“I need to pee…” is your final attempt to connect with somebody.

The ear-piercing, scratching sounds start up once again. This time grainier, louder. It continues for a while as you run around in a panic before halting to complete radio. silence.

“Wh-” you pant. “What’s happeni-”

JOLT!

“OH SHIT!”

You’re then met with an abrupt, devastating PUSH that sends you flying across the room and down — what you could only describe as — an endless black hole. Your hand clutches at your chest as an attempt to soothe yourself. You’re almost sure your heart stopped for a minute due to absolute shock.

SMACK!

In a millisecond, your body lands on a prickly patch that you soon make up to be loose straws of hay. Blending into the scenery now is that of a remote grass field, with the smell of fresh trees and newly cut blades of grass dancing around your nose.

You can’t think of any place in Las Vegas that would have a barren field like this. Nor can you think of a town nearby with this much of a Midwestern flare, this much empty — and grassy — land, and this much Kodak green undertone to its atmosphere. Unless…

It can’t possibly be. Are you in Hawkins?

You're standing around like an idiot trying to figure out how this could've possibly happened.

You knew this experience was 'all-immersive', but judging by the description, you were supposed to be taken to the Upside Down... and the backwoods by Reefer Rick's hideout was a long commute from. Was this Mind Fight going to be after-the-fact?

Trudging towards Reefer Rick’s now, you begin to think of other ways to get James' attention. But when you hear the faint voice of someone else coming from inside the abandoned lake house, suddenly getting out of the game becomes less of a priority.

“Eddie…” the familiar voice softly commands.

Eddie?

The voice you register belongs to no one other than Gaten Matarazzo, or Dustin Henderson in this sense. But that’s impossible, you think to yourself. James said that there were no characters in the game.

“We are on... your side...”

Oh, it’s this scene. Peaking through the door that was open a mere three inches, you're stunned to see the four dimensional manifestations of the characters you've grown to love right in front of your very eyes.

IMPOSSIBLE.

It's them. You almost stumble backwards when you see Sadie Sink and Maya Hawke alongside Gaten; and despite having their backs towards you, you know it is for sure them, and not some workers hired to play the part.

Your eyes travel to the corner of the room. Very much to your surprise, evident by the butterflies in your stomach, you're met with Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, and Joseph Quinn... the love of your life... in the flesh... your Eddie. Both characters are too focused on each other to even register your presence. If they are even able to see you at all.

You continue to be the fly on the wall while taking a few collected deep breaths. There's no way that they're in front of you right now. There's no way a whole SCENE from the show is panning out in front of you right now. Almost as if it's real time.

“I swear on my mother!” Gaten Dustin continues, trying to reason with Eddie so he can drop the knife and let go of Steve. He turns to the others for help.

“Right?! Guys?!”

“Yes, yes we swear,” the party clamors together in attempts to calm Eddie down.

“On Dustin’s mother,” Maya Robin attempts.

“Yeah, Dustin’s…Dustin’s mother…”

Keery’s voice is strained as he gulps in fear. Reasonably so, because there’s a knife pointed at his throat in this scene.

You clear yours at the doorway, causing everyone to deadpan to you in shock. So they can see you. And sure enough when this happens, that’s when your gaze lands on him. And his gaze lands on you.

It’s insane. It’s like you are looking Joseph Quinn in the eyes, but at the same time, it’s not him. It is literally — Eddie Munson. He's even more beautiful than you imagined.

“On Dustin’s mother?” you speak.

“Jesus, where did YOU spawn from?!” Gaten Dustin exclaims.

“Who’s that?” Sadie Max wonders.

“I…don’t know,” Maya Robin answers.

Immediately, Dustin runs to shield Eddie from your sight. But it’s already too late. And plus, Eddie’s eyes have already met yours. Studied yours.

“I’m…” you speak. “I’m here to help.”

You figured while James figures out what the actual fuck is wrong, that you’d interact with the characters. They’re right in front of you after all, and actually responding.

"I'm Zero..." you explain to them. "I'm not... I'm not from here, but I know a hell of a lot about this place. A lot more than you guys think."

“You know about what’s going on around here?” Robin inquires.

You nod. “And I know part of who is behind it all, and what we can do to stop him.”

"H...him?"

Eddie's timid stare pierces straight into you. It's enough for your knees to buckle, but you know you have to keep yourself collected otherwise the projections of these characters would probably freak out at you.

You hear a tiny thud sound against the wooden floor. Eddie has dropped the knife. Breathing a sigh of relief now, Steve sinks to the ground to gather himself. Meanwhile, a small circle gathers around you.

“There are… greater forces at bay,” you explain. “And it goes way beyond what you know about the demogorgons, the shadow monster, the Mind Flayer… There’s this... really powerful warlock…and a shadow that looms over him to do some really horrible things. And it’s not who you’d expect.”

“You know about those too?” Steve asks.

You nod. Eddie only seems more confused.

"A lot more than you know..." you warn him. "Trust."

"What else do you know about?" Dustin questions.

"I know about Eleven, and Will," you answer. "And how they're safer in California than here, but that doesn't necessarily exempt them from danger."

They all exchange looks with one another.

You can't help but look over at Eddie again.

"I know what happened to Chrissy," you say to him. He looks back up at you. "She's that nice girl from the middle school talent show, right?"

"I left her there," is all he says. He knows you understand what he meant by it. "I'm just a coward."

"You're not a coward, Eddie. Nothing you could've done could've prevented what happened at the trailer."

“Zero…” Dustin whispers to himself. Then he looks up at you with suspicion. Pointing an accusatory finger at you, he says, "How do we know you weren't sent by Hawkins Lab to spy on us?! You're a number after all."

"I'm not a number from the lab, trust me," you roll your eyes, slightly annoyed at Curly and his superstition. But it makes sense. "I don't even know Eleven, okay? Just think of me as... a guardian. From another universe. I think I was sent here to help you guys. I know how this shit ends, after all."

“How does it end?” Eddie asks you. “F-for us? For me?”

You turn to him in anguish.

“Not well, I’m afraid,” you respond honestly. “But if you guys are open to my help, I can get us out of this mess unscathed. Build up some leeway.”

You turn to Max who only seems to be backing further away from you. It's definitely in her character to do so, Maxine has always struggled to ask for help. But you know, deep down in those fearful blue eyes, she wants your help as much as she wants to run away from it.

"And we're gonna break you out of that curse," you say to her.

You're no expert on the laws of space-time, but it doesn't take a scientist to realize that you're in a different Hawkins reality. And knowing there are countless outcomes and experiences for existence, you can make this reality your own.

Which means, if you choose to stay in this 'game', and play the cards correctly, the Eddie standing directly in front of you has a second chance at life.

Now’s your chance to fix it. And experience an altered timeline. You don't know how this is possible, but it is. And after all, the Rule of Probability states, "the probability of an impossible event is Zero."

“If you guys want to save everyone in Hawkins, including Eddie and Max, you guys have to do EXACTLY what I say do you understand?”

taglist: @winchester-angel, @arthurcerverogf, @damon-loves-pie, @breezybeesposts, @swiss-mrs,@leelei1980, @skulliecadaver-blog, @katethetank, @mexicanfolklore, @ali-r3n, @nailbatanddungeon, @hugdealer, @wtflindsay, @yourdailymemedelivery, @kellsck, @kthomps914, @daydream-believer19

cyberpunk dividers from: @k1ssyoursister @sillycircus-decoarchive

#eddie munson #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson fanfiction #joseph quinn #joe quinn #joseph quinn fanfiction #stranger things #stranger things 4 #stranger things fanfiction #psychological thriller

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will80sbyers · 28 days

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I wish there was one of those realistic 360° virtual reality things online made of real pictures where you can visit the set of Stranger Things and go around inside the rooms of the protagonists and snoop on what they own and maybe they could add little info about how things were made and why it was put there in the background

#stranger things #byler

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fallatyourfeet · 1 year

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Faded Shadows (Alfie Solomons x Reader)

Summary: Alfie never could have guessed how things would play out after you virtually forced your way into his office.

Word count: 1205

Warnings: Swearing, lots and lots of it. Alludes to physical abuse. And the reader is a newly widowed woman.

A/N: Okay, so this fic started off with playful intentions, but quickly grew pretty macabre. I take no responsibility for it. It just happened. It's not my fault.

Please feel free to send me a message/comment/ask, I would love to know what you think.

If you like this, please feel free to visit my blog and take a look around! You can find my masterlist in my bio.

It was true. The people in Alfie’s neighbourhood were hardly known for their fine King’s English. It's fair to say the Camden Town tongue was a little rough around the edges and not shy of curse word or two. And Alfie’s ears were certainly no stranger to the odd colourful word slipping from the mouths of the women in his life. But never, as a boy, teenager or fully grown man had he heard such brutal language coming from such a sweet-sounding voice. If everyone around him swore like sailors, then the faceless voice causing a ruckus from somewhere outside his office, surely wrote the sailor’s dictionary.

Partly frustrated but mostly amused, Alfie dropped his pen to the desk and leaned back in his chair, listening to the string of words caught between the all the expletives. “Fucking let go of me you filthy c**ts, I’m gonna get in that fucking room one way or another... That bastard in there, had my bloody husband killed... and I wanna see his goddamn face.”

Alfie’s amusement dissolved, replaced by an audible sigh of dread as he mumbled under his breath, “Fuck... a bloody widow.” Yelling out to Caleb, he demanded, “Let the woman in would ya, she ain’t gonna let it go.” Standing up he moved to the side of his desk, mumbling to himself again, “Might as well get this over with.”

Coming through the door between two of his men, you ripped your arms from their grip, giving them the filthiest look as you did so. Your face was one of the sweetest things he had ever seen, but the look was so deadly Alfie had to hold back a chuckle. ‘You were a feisty one, weren’t you?’

Taking a deep calming breath, you smoothed over your dress. It was well worn and long out of fashion, but you were immaculate. You obviously didn’t have a penny to scratch together, but you took pride in yourself, making the most of what you had. And Alfie found himself warming to you already.

Running your fingers through your hair, you tamed all the locks that had escaped during your scuffle with his men, and finally looked at him. Your expression had lost almost all of its venom, nearly matching the sweetness of your beautiful features and he instantly felt a pang of guilt. One, for being the reason you were now a widow, and two, for finding a newly widowed woman so bloody attractive.

Lifting your chin in a show of defiance; or was it pride? you held his intense gaze, and if you felt a single ounce of fear, you did not show it. Either way, he thought to himself, ‘Hmph, beautiful and brave.’

Clearing your throat, you spoke, your words suddenly devoid of any of the foul language he heard spilling from your mouth just moments ago, “Alfie Solomons?”

With a nod, Alfie crossed his arms before him, “Yeah, that’d be me.”

Taking a step closer, you also nodded your head, your eyes never leaving his, “My name is Y/N Y/L/N, and your men murdered my husband, Peter, three days ago.” Alfie opened his mouth to respond, but you held a single finger in the air, a silent, but very clear gesture to shut him up. The moment he closed his mouth you lowered your hand, and continued, “Did they shoot him on your order?”

Alfie wasn’t quite sure how to respond. Sure, from time to time he lost a bit of sleep over the number of men that were tossed into shallow graves by his order. But the reality of standing there, looking into your expressive E/C eyes and taking responsibility for killing the man you loved, twisted like a burning hot poker in his stomach. He doubted he would sleep for months.

A moment of silence passed, and your expression shifted with a touch of impatience while you waited for your answer. Moving his arms from across his chest, he shuffled on his feet, his hands coming to rest at his hips, it was almost defensive, “Yeah, I did... He was becoming too much of a liability.” Alfie almost cringed at his words. Although true, they seemed too harsh as he heard them slip from his lips. His bluntness had never bothered him before but using it on you felt like a crime. Raising his hands in the air, he quickly spoke again, wanting to rephrase a little more tactfully, “I’m sorry, forgive my bluntness... but your husband-”

Taking him by surprise, you cut him off, “Stop. I don’t need to know the reason.” Alfie stood there, mouth open, completely unprepared for the words you spoke next, “You don’t know how many times I stood beside that drunk, good for nothin’ monster as he lay passed out on the bed, just wishing I was brave enough to push a pillow against his face.” Honestly, Alfie was at a loss for words, but you were not. Taking a step closer, you were almost close enough to touch. Searching your eyes, he tried to understand the gratitude they held, but he quickly understood when you spoke again, “I’m thankful he’s gone... but I’m thankful I didn’t have to do it myself... because I don’t think I could have lived with the guilt.”

And that was when Alfie saw them, the faded shadows across your arms... around the base of your neck... and along your cheekbone. The ghosts of bruises partially disguised by whatever powder you had covered them with. Suddenly, any worries he had about sleepless nights, dissolved. The only guilt he felt was for not killing the bastard sooner.

Words finally found their way to his lips, trying to lighten the rather heavy interaction, “Well, ain’t this a fuckin’ turn of events? I thought I was a goner when I heard you out the front of my office... Remind me to never get on your bad side, yeah?”

For the first time, you looked a little coy, “Ah... yeah sorry about the language. My mouth has a habit of running away with me when I’m worked up... and your men just wouldn’t listen.”

Alfie chuckled, “With a mouth like that, you fit right in around here.” Speaking the words flicked a switch on inside his head. This feisty little firecracker of a woman really would fit right in, and God knows he was drowning in paperwork. It was high time he could do with some help. If he was being completely honest with himself, the thought of having you close by pleased him in ways he couldn’t explain. And under his protection he could make sure he never had to see those horrible faded shadows across your skin again. He would make sure of it.

Moving back to his seat behind the desk, he gestured to the chair in front, “Why don’t cha take a seat Mrs Y/L/N, I’d like to make a little proposition... and if ya accept, those men out the front will have no choice but to listen to ya.” Resting his elbows on the desk, he leaned forward and asked, your answering smile, lighting up the edges of his heart. “How well do ya know your way around a typewriter?”

#alfie solomons x reader #alfie x reader #alfie solomons fanfiction #alfie solomons fanfic #alfie solomons #alfie solomons imagines #peaky blinders #peaky blinders x reader #peaky blinders fanfic #peaky blinders imagines

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corrodedhawkins · 2 years

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Role Play

Pairing: Joseph Quinn x Fem!Reader, Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

Content warnings: Graphic smut (minors DNI) language, role play, oral (m! and f! receiving), fingering, unprotected sex, praise.

“It went really, really well” he beamed. “We finally nailed down the perfect wig, the whole look is perfect”. He pulled out his phone and showed you a photo he snapped in his full costume.

Before you could stop it, you audibly gasped. You had never seen your boyfriend look like this before. You didn’t realize metal heads with long frizzy hair, a leather jacket and rings did it for you, but it definitely did. You felt ridiculous, getting turned on like this.

Joe frowned, “You don’t like it?”

“No! No I do, I do. Looks perfect for the character. I’m just shocked.” You felt your cheeks redden. “You look so…different.”

Joe studies your face curiously “You’re breathing a little hard there, sweetheart” he chuckles “Are you hot for Eddie?”

“No!” you immediately protest, face growing even redder. “I just-I”.

Smirking, Joe puts his phone down and wraps his arms around you. “I think you are babe” he whispers right into your ear, making you shiver.

You shrug him off, laughing uncomfortably. “Yeah sure, I’m so hot for a fictional character”. You start puttering around, tidying the kitchen counter.

In a lame attempt to change the subject, you ask what Joe wants for dinner. He takes a moment, debating whether he should let it go or press you on it. Finally, he sighs and answers, “Pizza. Definitely pizza. We’re celebrating.”

“Well a celebration definitely calls for stuffed crust” you say, relieved the subject has been dropped.

Joe smiles, pecking you on the cheek. “I like the way you think” he shoots you a wink.

A few weeks later, filming on Stranger Things season 4 began, and you graciously accepted Joe’s invitation to join him in Atlanta. You worked a remote job, which meant you could work from virtually anywhere. You spent your days working while Joe filmed.

One night, a few weeks into your stay in Atlanta, you got a text from Joe saying he would be filming late and not to wait up for him. You’d miss him, but this gave you the perfect opportunity to catch up on your guilty pleasure reality shows. You poured yourself a big glass of wine and took a long bath, setting up your laptop on the counter for you to watch while you soaked.

You were just stepping out of the tub when you got a call from Joe. “Hey babe, filming wrapped earlier than I thought, but I forgot my keys. Can you open the door for me?” You wrapped a towel around yourself and went to let him in.

You opened the door and Eddie fucking Munson stood before you. You didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Joe I-What are you doing?”

The man in front of you shook his head and chuckled. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. I know you weren’t expecting me. I’m Eddie, a friend of Joe’s. He’s tied up on set filming late and said I should come and keep you company”.

There were very few times in your life you were utterly speechless, and this was one of them. You stood there for a minute, staring up into your boyfriends eyes.

You were torn. On one hand, you were very into this. Just standing in front of “Eddie” was making you throb. On the other, you were embarrassed for wanting this. But Joe was clearly not judging you, right? He was giving you what he knew you wanted but were too scared to ask for.

“Sorry, I know this is a surprise. I can go if you want?”, he gestured to the stairs behind him, “I can tell Joe you weren’t up to hanging out.” He was giving you an out. If you didn’t want this, he would go and act like this never happened.

“Sure”, you moved aside to let him in. “I’d love some company”.

The second you shut the door, Eddie spun you around and pinned you against it. He leaned in, whispering “This ok?”. You nodded, letting out a shaky “Yeah”.

Eddie chuckled, moving your long hair away from your neck so he could litter it with kisses. “Joe told me all about you sweetheart. Told me how hot seeing my picture got you. He said he even heard you say my name when you were touching yourself. Is that true? Do you want me that badly?”

You let out a whimper, your face growing hot. You had indeed touched yourself thinking about Eddie, but you were sure Joe was sleeping and hadn’t heard you.

“Shh. None of that, baby. No need to be shy. He wants you to get what you want. And I’m what you want, isn’t that right?” Eddie spoke into your ear, his warm breath ghosting over your neck.

You shuddered, finally looking up to meet his eyes. “Fuck it”, you muttered, grabbing the back of his neck to bring him down into a desperate kiss.

Eddie immediately responded, his hands coming up to frame your face as he sucked on your bottom lip. The cold of his rings felt like ice against your heated skin.

“Jo-Eddie” you gasped, testing his name on your lips. He resumed peppering your neck with wet kisses, occasionally stopping to suck and nibble on your skin. “Can we…bed?”

Eddie hummed against your skin, as if he was weighing your request. Suddenly, he grabbed you right under your ass and hoisted you up, and you instinctively wrapped your legs around his waist.

After carrying you to bed, Eddie stripped you of your towel and laid you down. He tore off his jacket, vest, and Hellfire Club t-shirt before situating himself on top of you, laying between your spread legs.

You could already feel his hard cock grinding into your pussy through his jeans, seeking friction. You gasped, bucking up into it.

“Patience baby”, Eddie muttered, “I want to take my time with you”. He kissed his way down your neck and chest, groping one breast while he took the other into his mouth. You groaned, snaking your hand into his hair.

Eddie slowly kissed down your body before looking up at you for confirmation that this was still ok. You nodded, and he all but dove into your pussy. He used his thumbs to spread your folds, licking and sucking on your clit, then licking a hot stripe down to your hole. You whimpered, your pussy clenching down on nothing.

“Fuck. Fuck, Eddie”. You held onto his hair like a lifeline, bucking up into his mouth, grinding into his tongue.

Eddie hummed, making his way down to your hole once again. “You’re so fucking wet for me, fucking soaked”, he reached down to take off his rings, but you immediately stopped him.

“Keep them on, please” you begged. Eddie’s eyebrows shot up with a devilish grin. “So the rings do it for you, huh? Want to feel them when I stretch you open?”

You moaned, begging him once again. “Please give me your fingers, wanna feel them”.

Eddie obliged, slowly inserting a finger, teasing you at first. When you grunted and grinded down onto it, he chuckled and added another. He immediately hooked them into your gspot, setting a punishing pace. He leaned up and continued sucking and gently nibbling on your clit.

You yelped, the dual stimulation almost too much for you. Your legs began to shake, too far gone to even care. “Eddie. Eddie please”. You weren’t even sure what you were begging for at this point.

“I got you sweetheart” he promised, licking slowly over your clit. “You’re gonna cum for me just like this. Can you do that for me?”

You nodded frantically, feeling your release just out of reach. “I-I’m gonna cum. Fuck I’m gonna cum. Please. Please don’t stop”, you whimpered.

Eddie sat up, bringing his lips right to your ear. He continued finger fucking you, bringing his thumb up to rub incessantly at your clit.

“Come on baby, be a good girl and cum for me”. Your muscles seized and your pussy clamped around his fingers, eyes rolling back as you came. Eddie helped you through it, only stopping when you collapsed back onto the pillows, chest heaving.

“So good for me sweetheart. Such a good girl”.

Having been with you for over a year, Joe knew exactly what you liked, and he was using it to his advantage. Manhandling? Check. Dirty talk? Check. Praise? Check. He was pulling out every trick he could think of. You didn’t know if you loved him or hated him for it.

After you caught your breath, you reached down to his belt and quickly undid it, shimmying his pants down and off of him. He was so hard, cock an angry red, glistening at the tip.

Your mouth watered, all but throwing him down on the bed so you could get your mouth on him. You started slowly, teasing him with kitten licks to the head, swirling your tongue around it before quickly retreating.

Eddie groaned, bucking up to get you to take him into your mouth. You took pity on him, slowly sinking halfway down on his cock.

He immediately wound his hands into your hair, not tugging, but helping guide you up and down on his cock. “That’s. That’s so good baby. Your mouth is so good”.

You looked up at him, mouth stuffed full of his cock, and sank the rest of the way down. Hitting the back of your throat, you felt his cock kick and twitch.

Eddie threw his head back, finally tugging on your hair to bring you up. “Gotta stop baby. Your mouth is so good, can’t blow my load before I get to fuck you”.

He grabbed your hips, pulling you into his lap. You immediately wrapped your arms around his neck as he reached down and guided his cock into you. You both let out long groans, taking a moment to savor the feeling.

You rested your forehead against his, slowly rocking back and forth onto his cock. He grabbed your hips to help guide you, leaning down to catch a nipple in his mouth. You moaned and clenched down on him, causing him to bite down, quickly soothing it with his tongue.

You picked up your pace, bouncing on his cock, sweat practically pouring off of both of you. Eddie reached up and grabbed the back of your neck, bringing you into a heated kiss.

You panted into each other’s mouths, unable to focus on kissing for more than a few seconds at a time. You quickened your pace again, earning a loud moan from Eddie.

You could feel yourself getting close, your muscles beginning to tighten deliciously. Eddie felt your pussy start to pulse, asking “You gonna cum for me again sweet girl? Let me feel you cum on my cock”.

Your orgasm ripped through you, shaking enough for Eddie to have to reach up and grab you to steady you in his lap.

You came down from your high, slowing your pace to grind down on his cock to take him even deeper.

“Fuck” Eddie muttered to himself. He grabbed your hips, trying to guide you back to your quick pace. You shook your head and leaned down to whisper into his ear. “Don’t rush me” you gasped, grinding back down onto his cock slow and dirty. “I’m trying to savor this” you giggled.

He laughed, the movement making his cock nudge deeper into you. You both gasped, getting lost in the sensation.

Eddie gave you a few more moments to enjoy your slow and deep thrusts, until he couldn’t stand it anymore. He grabbed your ass, hauling you up until only the tip of his cock remained inside you before slamming you back down.

You screamed, grabbing onto his shoulders, leaving scratches in your wake.

“That feel good, honey?” He asked, starting to fuck up into you. “You like how my cock feels?”

“Yes” you screamed, not caring about the neighbors. Filming wrapped in a few weeks then you would never see these people again. Why not give them a show?

“Yes. Fuck, I-I fucking love your cock Eddie”.

A shit-eating grin broke out on his face and he mutters, “hold on” before grabbing you and pinning you to his front while he rises up onto his knees. He quickly leans down, bringing you to lay flat on your back. He hooks one leg over his shoulder, very nearly bending you in half.

You scream (again, sorry neighbors) and rise up onto your elbows so you can get enough leverage to rock down into his thrusts.

“You think I can get you to cum for me one more time sweetheart?” Eddie asks, reaching down to rub your clit. You jolt at the touch, so sensitive from your two previous orgasms.

“I- I don’t know. I don’t think I can” you whimper. Eddie shushes you, grabbing the side of your face to bring you closer. “I think you have one more in you. Why don’t you try for me, hmm?”

You nod, gulping in a shaking breath. You tried to relax into Eddie’s touch, but the dual stimulation was too much. He slowed, removing his fingers from your clit and slowly pulled out. “Wha?” You asked, confused he stopped.

“Get on all fours for me honey, want to try something”. You obliged, grabbing a pillow to prop your forearms on. Eddie slid back into you, increasing his pace slowly. “Touch yourself for me babe” Eddie leaned down and whispered, grabbing one of your hands to lead it down between you and the bed.

You touched your clit, once again jolting at the sensation. You unknowingly clenched down on Eddie’s cock at the sensation, making him let out a surprise gasp. “That’s it, let me feel you”.

“Too-too much” you gasped out, your fingers stilling on your clit.

You felt him shift behind you, hands suddenly gripping your ass and spreading you. You gasped, knowing exactly where he was going with this.

Joe had asked you to try anal about a month ago, and while it wasn’t high up on your list of sexual fantasies, you were curious and wanted him to enjoy himself. He was so gentle, slowly stretching you on his fingers. He made sure to make you cum few times before so you were completely relaxed. When he finally slid into you, he made sure you were ok, asking for permission to move.

As it turns out, you didn’t need much time before he was slamming into your ass, hands knotted in your hair as he pulled you back onto his cock with every thrust. Anal was…different. It was deliciously overwhelming in the best way. Joe in your pussy was amazing, but this? This made you almost black out from how hard you had cum that first time.

You hadn’t gotten a chance to do it again with his busy filming schedule, but clearly he hadn’t forgotten how it had made you cum quick and hard, and was hoping it would do the same now.

He leaned down and spat directly onto your hole, pulling out of you to smear his spit and your juices around with the head of his cock. “You’re dripping baby, don’t even need any lube”. He quickly tested your resistance with his finger, finding you so relaxed it sucked him right in .

“Jesus Christ baby. I bet I could just slip right into your ass right now and you’d be gagging for it, huh?” He was right. You nodded, whimpering out a low “please”.

He shuffled closer, holding his cock to your hole, smearing your juices around one last time. “Let me know if you need to stop”. At your nod, he slowly pushes in.

You groaned, feeling unbelievably full. You lifted yourself higher on your forearms and rocked back onto his cock, hard.

“Careful, don’t hurt yourself” he warned, soothing a hand down your back. You shook your head, continuing to all but impale yourself back onto him. “Not hurting me. Need it. Feels so good. Please fuck me. Please m-make me cum”. You gasped out.

Eddie immediately set a punishing pace, his balls audibly slapping against your ass. You were in sheer ecstasy, so close to coming already, and you weren’t even touching your clit.

You could feel Eddie getting close too, his rhythm beginning to falter as his grip tightened on your hips. “Come on baby. I can feel how close you are, gripping my cock so fucking tight. Cum for me babe, cum for Eddie”.

That did it. You seized, your pussy clenching down on nothing as you gushed. Your ass gripped Eddie’s cock so tight he tumbled over the edge himself. He ground his cock into you spurting rope after rope of cum inside of you.

You collapsed face down on the bed, Eddie right on top of you. You both gasped, letting yourselves slowly catch your breath.

Finally, he pulled out and rolled off of you, shifting so that he was laying at your side, your neck exposed for him to litter with kisses.

You shivered, still an utter mess from your orgasm. “So Eddie, huh?” Joe teased, his British accent back. You turned over and smacked him square in the chest. “I can’t believe you” you laughed.

“What was that? I think you mean ‘Thank you Joe, thank you for bringing Eddie home for me so he could fuck the shit out of me Joe. How can I ever repay you?’” You giggled, nodding your head in agreement.

“Fine, thank you. This was…amazing”. Your tone turned serious. He looked down at you, thumb rubbing over your cheek. “Of course, my love. I’m so glad I was able to give that to you”.

You shifted onto his chest, laying your head over his heart. You were starting to drift off when you heard Joe whisper, “You know, now that we’re into role play, there’s a Star Wars one I’ve always wanted to try”.

You groaned, seeing golden bikinis and space buns in your future.

Read on AO3

#eddie munson smut #joseph quinn smut #eddie munson #joseph quinn #joseph quinn x reader #Eddie munson x reader #Melissa writes

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mncein · 4 months

Text

zcp! : 01. when i get to heaven (half written) —

whoever, and whatever the stranger wants from minji, she totally looks like a creep. and the last thing she would want to do is meet the person. but she knew it was not necessary for her to judge so quickly.

so her plans of avoiding the unknown dropped off seeing that they're walking closer and closer. minji hurriedly posted a tweet, a sort of virtual prayer... in hopes of it helping the current situation that she'll be experiencing sooner or later in her life, just let her be.

you suck in a heavy breath, the feeling of overwrought flowing through your systems while you approach. it wasn't like you haven't gone through your ways of asking a girl for her number, in fact you have a lot of techniques, this girl just has an unusual effect on you.

you gently reach and pat down the wrinkle in the lower area of your clothing, assuming that you look presentable in the eyes of the worker, which was the entire opposite. you had your beanie on, a sweater, some baggy pants you didn't know that was in your closet, hands shoved inside your pockets, and a mask (that you don't know you wore either)? your whole body is nearly covered whole.

that leaves minji to wonder if the word 'cute' was right to describe you, considering the fact that she only had seen your eyes. without further comment, she puts on a smile. you unintentionally got lost on how she put on a grin, that someone else got first in the line, minji can't help but stifle a laugh.

"damn it..." you muttered under your breath. as a reaction, you crossed your arms as you waited in line in embarrassment, avoiding to meet the worker's gaze on you.

minji uncontrollably giggles at what she just saw. well, having a cute creep isn't actually creepy at all, is it? you had the same effect on her that she forgot about her work, and comes back to reality when the customer clears their throat.

...

as you headed home, a frown crept across your face. to your disappointment, there was no zero coke available, and to make matters worse, the friendly girl behind the counter turned out to be a bit of a karen instead of the customer. it was quite a surprise to find that what you thought would be a simple food craving turned into an encounter with someone, less pleasant.

OVERVIEW : oh no! it's not available at the moment ! but what were you doing in mcdonald's at midnight? it was the time where your midnight snack cravings kick in, you couldn't let that one slide; was also the same time that minji meets the most stubborn person ever, and got her manager called. in fact, rather than lessening your unspoken addiction with the beverage, minji recommends you an alternative.

TAGLIST (open) : @yoontoonwhs @haerinkisser @awkwardtoafault @yyxy27 @modanisgf @mym1na

SHARE : masterlist | previous | next

#kpop #new jeans #new jeans x reader #new jeans minji #minji x reader #kim minji #nwj.jazz.hits #nwj.zcp.smau

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spicybylerpolls · 3 days

Note

“Nobody does anything cool anymore, and everybody is afraid of everything,” Vinson Cunningham said in a recent roundtable about the death of the sex scene for the New Yorker. “We are in a decadent, post-excitement world.”

The widespread access to porn online, according to Cunningham, raised the bar for a sex scene from titillation to plot. It wasn’t enough to make people horny; a sex scene had to move the story forward or serve a stylistic purpose. Narrative momentum can in itself be a turn-on. As a teenager growing up online, I was significantly less interested in porn, which felt obviously fake, than in Youtube compilations and cuts of various sex scenes, which had the trappings of real characters, and thus real life. The scenes felt fascinating, shocking, spellbinding, adult. Maybe not actually realistic, but vibrant and vital, validation of my own capacity for eroticism. Sex is an essential part of humanity, sex scenes an essential reflection of the human experience. Perhaps the most frustrating element of this particular anti-sex scene argument is its fixation on a justification for sex on-screen, as if people wanting to have sex or wanting to be turned on is not character-driven or important enough. To deny the power of sex on-screen is to deny one of the core reasons to watch anything in the first place: desire, a basic human impulse and a gift.

from this article: https(:)//archive.ph/VqXbY

And as relates to byler and culture itself, another piece....

In a culture of convenience, where values are understood increasingly through their digital imprints, things feel nauseatingly 2D because they literally are. Marshall McLuhan predicted this a long time ago. [in the 60s with his 'the medium is the message' - a concept which relates to ST as a whole!] I’ve started thinking of this quality as sexlessness. I’m using sex here as a euphemism for the natural arousal that attends life in 3D, sexual or not. It is the antithesis of the gamified pleasure we pursue online, which has now infiltrated our values offline too. Consider beauty, which is today often understood as a set of objective, imitable, purchasable characteristics, rather than a quality experienced through movement, context, subjectivity, mystery, actual presence. When I think of the dominant trends of the last five or 10 years, most of them engender this same lack of humanity: personal branding; biohacking; virtual reality; reality television; fillers and filters; botox and plastic surgery; being extremely online; corporate activism; minimalism; cancel culture; labels for every type of person and personality... One way to view the irritating state of things is as a kind of collective sexual frustration. '“Nobody does anything cool anymore, and everybody is afraid of everything."'

The above is from: https(:)//haleynahman.substack.com/p/89-the-death-of-sex

I see this page has died down a bit but wanted to drop this for any deep thinkers out there, because it speaks to the wider issue and shows how spicy byler tumblr (and indeed byler tumblr, and by extension ST fandom and all fandom itself) is part of this wider issue of being engrossed in the kind of culture that removes you from visceral, realistic pleasures and what this might mean for society.

Can we expect eroticism from Stranger Things? Not in an arthouse way, I don't think, but i'm fascinated to see how they position themselves in the zeitgeist of gay media, conservative media, and media that is willing to portray sex - especially considering that the portrayal of sex could and would indeed have narrative purpose for mike and will. the duffers might just have set up one of the best stories to portray this experience, and redefine the entire genre if they can pull it off.

Always grateful for your thoughts and contributions to the spicy byler fandom (and the byler fandom at large), scrunchietown. It's so true that there's a general sexlessness in media, even as people try to complain that everything's too sexualized when that's not true, especially not in mainstream movies. Last summer there were a lot of people freaking out about the (pretty tame) sex scene in Oppenheimer! Perhaps there are more sex scenes in Max shows like Euphoria, but even so, I do think the Duffers have the opportunity to do something truly special and redefine the sex scene. Byler has the opportunity to be groundbreaking in so many ways!

"One way to view the irritating state of things is as a kind of collective sexual frustration."

Society if Byler helps to heal our collective sexual frusturation:

#spicy byler #byler #mike wheeler #will byers #no poll

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spicesweet · 3 months

Text

a (long ass) piece of advice 💌

if you've grown up without knowing what it's like to not have smartphones and social media ruling everyone's lives, you need to learn what your mind is like when it's offline. you simply have to. it's not optional, because if you never de-wire and disconnect your brain and body from it, you will get sick. you may already be sick from it but there's someone in your life saying that you're actually the problem. you're not! this situation is not your fault! but you need to give your mind the time and space to heal and to find out who you are when you're not online.

it's probably weird to say this while on Tumblr, but hear me out. when I decided to quit social media, I was out of Tumblr, but I was on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and I was a heavy user of YouTube and Twitch. lucky for me, Tiktok never got to my ass, but I escaped by a hair's breadth! if I hadn't quit around that time, I would've fallen down the rabbit hole for sure.

I had been using social media since the early days of Myspace, so of course life without it seemed impossible. it seemed literally impossible, as in, if I stop using social media I'll stop being a functional part of society, I'll be less than human. this wasn't really a conscious thought I had, but I eventually discovered that this was how I felt all the time.

still, I was sick. I was out of my mind with anxiety, I was depressed, I didn't really recognize myself anymore. I couldn't really tell if my thoughts were my own, and I felt so much pressure to be on top of every subject, every discussion, every debate, and not only be on top of everything but to be on the right side of every single story. because social media is binary: you're either right or cancelled. I was constantly paranoid that I would say something wrong and get death threats or stalked, both things that happened even though I had a small following. and the platforms were getting increasingly worse in terms of privacy, so my paranoia felt more and more justified.

so, right before the pandemic hit the world, I quit. everything, all at once. I just deleted everything, blocked the websites on my browser so I wouldn't visit them "by accident", just poof, gone.

and I stayed without any social media for 3 years, until I decided to come back to Tumblr last October (I think?).

it literally saved my life! or at least my mind. at first, withdrawal felt much like when I quit smoking, it felt like the days were empty and too quiet, too long. I constantly felt like the world was actually ending and I didn't know it because I wasn't getting anything from Twitter. I felt like I was invisible, because I wasn't constantly taking selfies anymore. and for months, I still felt like I was being followed by this big judgemental eye that was ready to pick up on whatever I said that wasn't on par with public discourse to destroy me.

I realized that having all that social media presence made me completely disconnected from my daily routine. I was in constant self-surveillance mode; never paying attention to my surroundings, always waiting for the next thing; I couldn't keep a conversation right because I was always distracted; I felt like I never had time for anything because my mind was always on the virtual side of life. suddenly I had hours and hours of free time available, suddenly I could just speak my mind without worrying about what strangers would think of it, suddenly I could give myself time to form opinions and even freedom to not have an opinion on something. I learned again what it's like to be bored, how to contemplate in silence, how to pay attention and focus.

am I saying you should quit everything forever? not really. but you need to do this experiment. you need to remove yourself from the virtual reality to find out who you are outside of it. you need to find your silence, your space, your path without this noise, this interference. so my actual advice is: delete or at least deactivate all your social media, all of it, for at least 6 months. in one semester, you'll have enough time to actually detox your mind, get over the withdrawal period and then start to listen to your time and space and re-learn who you are. and then, if you miss it, you can go back to social media, but then you'll go into it with a completely changed mindset. you'll be in control of it, you'll hold the reigns of your thoughts, you'll know immediately when you're in too deep and in need of a step back. you'll no longer be obsessed or even addicted to the virtuality of life.

I cannot emphasize enough how much this will change your life, and if you're like me, someone who knows no life outside of social media, basically, this is literally a matter of bodily and mental health.

I love you if you read this far 🤍

#flowerlog #mental health #self care #self love #self improvement #self control #self confidence #self compassion #self development #wellness aesthetic #wellnesscore #wellness girl #health and wellness #wellness #girlblogging #this is a girlblog #gaslight gatekeep girlboss

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blankwashed · 17 days

Text

(READ THIS FIRST)

The story has nothing 18+ except the female is an adult actress. That’s all.

In the dimly lit room of his cramped apartment, Toji sat hunched over his laptop, his eyes fixed on the glowing screen before him. It was a familiar scene, one that had become all too routine in his solitary existence. With each click of the mouse, he delved deeper into a world of fantasies and fleeting pleasures, seeking solace in the images that offered temporary respite from his troubled mind. As he was unemployed, he would spend less time going out and wouldn’t shower often. Unemployment loomed over him like a dark cloud, casting a shadow over his already fragile sense of self-worth.

Despite the chaos of his current reality, his thoughts often drifted to happier times spent with his wife, Fushiguro. Their laughter once filled the very room he now occupied, a testament to the love and joy they shared. But those memories now seemed distant, overshadowed by the emptiness that lingered in her absence. Outside, the world carried on, oblivious to the silent struggles of a man who had long since lost himself in the labyrinth of his own addiction.

After her passing, he didn't want to be around people anymore. Their home, which used to be lively, became quiet and empty. Toji felt like he couldn't handle being around others without her. So, he stayed inside his apartment all the time, avoiding going out or talking to anyone. Even simple things like going to the store to get groceries felt hard, and he felt safest staying at home where things were familiar.

As time passed, Toji found himself increasingly drawn to watching pornographic content online. It became a way for him to escape from the pain and loneliness that engulfed him after Fushiguro's death. He even took her name as his last name. The lewd images and videos provided a temporary distraction, numbing his mind to the harsh realities of his life. Each click brought a fleeting sense of relief, a momentary reprieve from the overwhelming grief that threatened to consume him. Before long, it became a habit, a cycle of seeking solace in the virtual embrace of strangers, while the real world faded away.

In his desperation for connection, Toji even began donating money to some of the porno companies, despite not having a job. It was a foolish decision. Each click brought a fleeting sense of relief. Before long, it became a habit, a cycle of seeking solace in the virtual embrace of strangers, while hiding from the real world.

There was one porn actress in particular whom Toji grew particularly fond of watching, Sola Aoi. Her presence on screen evoked emotions in him that surpassed the usual arousal from watching usual pornographic videos. She made him feel seen and understood in a way that was exhilarating.

Toji settled into his routine, preparing to indulge in his habitual escape into the world of online pornography. As he navigated through the familiar array of videos, his gaze fell upon a new upload from the actress he had grown particularly fond of watching. Intrigued, he clicked on the video, expecting another fleeting moment of distraction from his troubles. However, what he found was far more surprising. In the video, the actress made a startling announcement: she would be meeting with the viewer who donated the most amount of money to her.

Toji, blurry and consumed by desire, had donated close to all of his savings in his bank account before closing his laptop to sleep.

On the next few days as he was about to shut down his laptop and retire for the night, an email notification caught his eye. Curious, he clicked on it, expecting another spam message in his inbox. However, his jaw dropped as he read the e-mail.

It was a notification from the website hosting a contest, congratulating him on being the top donor and winner of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend a day with Sola.

Toji blinked in disbelief, reading the message over and over again to make sure he wasn't imagining things. It wasn't until he saw the confirmation details and the ecstatic comments from Sola that the reality of his victory sank in. He wasn't the best dad or even the best adult but hey, at least he won something.

Toji stood awkwardly before Sola, still reeling from the shock of winning the contest. Sola's bright smile put him at ease, though, as she greeted him warmly.

"It’s Toji, right? I can't believe you won the contest! You really went all out," she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with genuine excitement. Toji shifted uncomfortably, not used to being the center of attention from such a pretty and sexy female. "Yeah, it's... uh, unexpected, to say the least. I mean, I just did what I could," he replied modestly, scratching the back of his neck.

She chuckled, shaking her head in amusement. "Well, you definitely did something right. You were the top donor by a long shot," she pointed out, admiration in her voice. Toji shrugged, still processing the surreal turn of events. "I guess luck was on my side for once," he admitted with a sheepish grin.

Sola's gaze softened as she regarded him. "Or maybe it was fate. Who knows? But I'm glad you're here. I've been looking forward to meeting you," she confessed, her sincerity shining through while she was checking his well-built body out.

Toji's cheeks flushed at her words, feeling a warmth spread through him. "Really? I mean, I'm just a guy who watches too much porn. Nothing special or new," he replied, trying to downplay his own significance.

Sola chuckled again, shaking her head. "Don't talk so lowly about yourself, Toji. There's more to you than meets the eye. Trust me, I can tell," she assured him, a playful glint in her eyes.

Toji couldn't help but smile at her words, feeling a flicker of confidence stir within him. "Well, I do try. So, what do you say we make the most of our day together? Any requests?" Toji asked, his enthusiasm showed.

"You won the contest, so I'd let you pick sweetie," she winked at him, making him blush.

Sola had grace and charm, with luminous eyes and a warm smile. Oh how he wished that she was to call his.

As Toji glanced down at his own clothing, a embarrassment of self-consciousness washed over him. His attire, once acceptable for his former life as a sorcerer killer now seemed out of place in the presence of someone like Sola. There was no way she would date anyone with such outdated fashion sense. With a sigh, he realized that if he wanted to make a good impression to her and everyone else, he needed to change—starting with his wardrobe and perhaps even his hairstyle. Letting out a big sigh, he turned to Sola, clearing his throat nervously.

"Sola, I've thought about it," he began, his voice tentative. "I could really use your help with something."

She turned to him, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "Of course, Toji. What could I do to help you?"

Toji hesitated, feeling a flush of embarrassment creeping up his neck. "Well, it's just... I've been feeling like I need a change lately. You know, a new look. My clothes, my hairstyle... they're all a bit... outdated."

Sola studied him for a moment, a thoughtful expression crossing her features. "I see what you mean," she replied gently. "You know, Toji, people need to change for the better. And I'd be more than happy to help you."

Toji and Sola made their way to one of Japan's largest Uniqlo stores, the bustling energy of the city streets fading into the background as they stepped inside. Sola's eyes sparkled with excitement as she surveyed the array of clothing and accessories that lined the shelves.

"Toji, look around. They have everything we need to give you a fresh new look," she exclaimed, her enthusiasm infectious. Toji couldn't help but smile at her eagerness, feeling a surge of gratitude for her unwavering support.

"Well, in that case, the only thing I really need is you," he joked, a mischievous glint in his eye. A flush of pink crept into Sola's cheeks as she stifled a giggle, her laughter ringing out like music in the air.

"You charmer" she teased, swatting playfully at his arm. "Come on, let's find you something that'll make you look like a whole new man."she said while dragging his arm closer to the rack of clothing.

With Sola's keen eye for fashion, she effortlessly selected multiple outfits for Toji to try on. Handing them to him with a playful smile, she encouraged him to head to the changing room to see how they looked.

"Alright, Toji, time to look more handsome," she teased, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

"Go ahead and try these on. I can't wait to see how they look on you!" Toji accepted the clothes with a mix of embarrassment and curiosity, grateful for Sola's guidance in this unfamiliar territory. No woman has picked clothes for him since his mother did for him as a child.

As he disappeared into the changing room, Sola couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation, eager to witness the transformation.

Toji emerged from the changing room, adorned in the first outfit Aoi had selected, and the sight nearly took her breath away. The clothing hung on him perfectly, accentuating his features in all the right places.

Sola's jaw practically dropped in awe as she took in the transformation before her. "Toji, wow," she breathed, her eyes wide with admiration. "You look... incredible." Her voice was filled with genuine awe, unable to hide her surprise at just how handsome he appeared.

Toji couldn't help but feel a swell of pride at her reaction, his confidence bolstered by her words. Emboldened by her approval, he flashed her a shy smile, the warmth of her gaze washing over him like a ray of sunshine.

"I'm sure the rest of the ones I picked out for you would look as good as this one does. Come on darl, we need to get you a new haircut. You currently look like a homeless man, dear~" she snickered and took all the chosen clothing to the cash register.

He blushed at her comment and fiddled with his long grown straight black hair. She's right. It's been forever since he went to an actual hair saloon.

As Toji and Sola continued their shopping excursion she couldn't resist commenting on Toji's slightly unkempt appearance.

"Darling, we simply cannot let you roam around looking like a scruffy stray," she teased, her voice dripping flirateously. "I must take you to the nearest hair salon. Trust me, I know the hairstylist. He will work wonders on you! Your hair is positively crying out to be redone!"

Toji couldn't help but chuckle at Sola's comedic punches, a hint of embarrassment coloring his cheeks. Sola exchanged a knowing glance with Toji, her lips quirking up in a fond smile.

As Toji and Sora arrived at the hair salon, Toji couldn't help but notice the familiarity of the place. It was owned by Tamura, Sora's own friend. Stepping inside, they were greeted warmly by Tamura, who welcomed them with open arms. Toji observed as Sora and Tamura exchanged kisses on the cheek, a customary greeting that reminded him of the French. Despite knowing that it was a gesture between friends, Toji couldn't shake off the twinge of jealousy that crept into his heart. Shaking off his feelings, Toji forced a smile and greeted Tamura.

As Sora discussed with Tamura, the hairstylist, she asked him to give Toji a haircut that is suited with the current trends. Curious to understand Toji's style preferences better, Sora turned to him and casually asked about his age. Toji responded with, "23 years old." Sora couldn't help but feel a twinge of surprise at Toji's answer—he was a year younger than her. With a playful grin, she complimented him on his youthful appearance, teasing him about his good genes. Toji chuckled modestly, feeling a sense of pride at Sora's lighthearted praise.

Sora decides to make a playful suggestion to Tamura. "Tamura, let's give Toji here a haircut that will make him stand out when he goes out to flirt with the ladies," she says with a mischievous glint in her eye. "We want him to look his best, right?"

Toji chuckles nervously, feeling slightly embarrassed by the attention. "I'm not sure about all this flirting stuff, Sora," he admits with a sheepish grin. But Sora waves off his concerns with a laugh. "Oh, come on, Toji! You've got to embrace your single life while you can. Who knows, maybe you'll meet someone special," she teases, her words laced with playful encouragement.

As Sora suggests the haircut for Toji to stand out while flirting with females, Toji's mind drifts elsewhere. In reality, he doesn't care about attracting anyone else; his heart beats only for Sora. He wants to look his best for her, to catch her eye and make her see him in a different light. He's drawn to her in a way he can't explain, feeling as though he already knows all her personalities from watching her porn videos. But beneath the surface, he longs to unravel the layers of the real Sora, the one behind the screen. With a determination, Toji silently vows to seize this opportunity to get closer to her, to show her the depths of his feelings in hopes of winning her heart.

"I think he'd suit a middle-length wolf cut," Tamura says, placing his hand on his chin as he sizes up Toji, his gaze lingering on him like he's examining a specimen. Toji shifts uncomfortably under Tamura's eyes, feeling a bit like he's under a microscope. "A wolf cut, huh?" Toji repeats, trying to envision the style in his mind. Sora nods enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Yes, I think that would look fantastic on you, Toji! It'll definitely make you so hot!" she chirps, her voice filled with approval. Toji can't help but feel a surge of gratitude towards Sora for her support, even as his heart races at the thought of her admiring him with such enthusiasm.

After Toji's hair is styled by Tamura, he looks in the mirror and is stunned by the transformation. The middle-length wolf cut frames his face perfectly, giving him a rugged yet stylish look. Combined with his new clothes, he feels like a completely different person—a bad boy with a hint of charm. As he catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror, he can't help but smirk at the reflection staring back at him.

Sora's eyes widen in admiration as she takes in his new appearance. "Wow, Toji, you look amazing!" she exclaims, her voice filled with genuine awe. Sora’s heart was beating Toji grins at her reaction, feeling a sense of pride wash over him. With his newfound confidence, he's ready to take on whatever the night may bring.

As her eyes lay on the transformed Toji, she feels a flutter in her chest, a subtle quickening of her heartbeat. A sudden rush of heat floods her body, causing her cheeks to flush with warmth. She's taken aback by the intensity of her reaction, feeling a mixture of surprise and excitement swirling within her. Unable to tear her gaze away, she finds herself captivated by his presence, her thoughts consumed by the sight of him.

"Thanks, Sora. This was all because of you," Toji says with genuine gratitude, his voice filled with appreciation. With his newfound confidence, he feels more brave than ever, and he stands up next to Sora, prepared to express his gratitude with a hug.

As Sora was initially shocked by the embrace, she couldn't deny the pleasant surprise of Toji's cologne, which enveloped her senses in a comforting and familiar scent. However, as she eased into the hug, she realized that there was more to her reaction than just the cologne. Beneath the surface, she felt a sense of warmth and connection with Toji, a feeling that went beyond mere physical attraction. It was the sincerity and gratitude in his embrace that touched her heart, reminding her of the genuine connection they had formed. In that moment, Sora couldn't help but acknowledge that her fondness for Toji ran deeper than she had initially realized, sparking a newfound awareness of her feelings towards him.

Sora shook her head gently, her cheeks tinged with a soft blush. "It's nothing, Toji dear," she murmured, her voice warm with affection. "You were the winner, and I'm just happy to have been a part of your transformation." With a tender smile, she reached up to gently kiss his cheek, her eyes shining with pride and genuine fondness. "Let's head out now, shall we?" she suggested, her tone light and playful as she steered the conversation towards their next destination.

Sora's heart skipped a beat as Toji confidently took her hand in his, a rush of warmth flooding through her veins at the unexpected gesture. Despite the shock that pulsed through her, she managed to maintain her outward composure, offering him a small, albeit slightly shaky, smile.

"Hmm, where to now, babe?" Toji said with a smirk, his fingers gently intertwining with hers as if they were a couple. Sora's pulse quickened at the intimate gesture, her cheeks flushing with a mix of surprise and excitement.

Sora felt a flutter of anticipation in her chest. She hadn't expected him to take charge in such a bold way, but there was something undeniably thrilling about his confidence. With a sense of newfound excitement, she glanced up at him, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. As an adult video actress, she’s received touches of all sorts before but Toji…made her feel different.

"Toji, I..." Sora began, her voice trailing off as she searched for the right words. But before she could finish her sentence, Toji flashed her a mischievous grin, his eyes twinkling with excitement.

"I was thinking we could look at some clothes for you," he said casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Let’s see if our styles match,"

Sora's heart skipped a beat at his suggestion, her mind reeling with disbelief. She had never expected Toji to be so forward, but the thought of spending more time with him filled her with a rush of excitement. Despite the butterflies fluttering in her stomach, she managed to muster a smile, her cheeks flushing with a mix of surprise and anticipation.

"Sure, I'd love that," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. As Toji led her towards the nearest clothing store, Sora couldn't shake the feeling of warmth and connection that seemed to radiate between them. She couldn't help but feel that this was the beginning of something truly special.

#toji fushiguro #toji fushiguro x reader #toji x reader #toji fluff #toji fics #jjk x reader #jjk #fics

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mikhailwrites · 3 months

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Soaring Ever Higher - companion post

Hello!

I've decided to write this post detailing my motivations and explaining the realities of my fanfic crossover between Modern Warfare reboot and Ace Combat 7.

Do you need to read this in order to enjoy the story? No. Are you going to have better idea of what's going on and who's who (including Soap's new callsign being Trigger) if you do? Yes! And for those of you not familiar with AC, it might be a reason to play it, and I'll be very happy if you do, because it's a great game.

So, without further ado, let's get to it!

Jets are cool!

Let's start with obvious. Jets are cool. As-in, "one of the pinnacles of human ingenuity combined with unique and often genuinelly pleasing aestethics" cool.

There's also prestige and, obviously, a huge popculture cult surrounding Top Gun and being a fighter pilot. The fact that I've loved planes since I was a kid also played a role.

Soap or Trigger?

Trigger is a silent, faceless protagonist of Ace Combat 7. Now when I say he's silent and faceless, that doesn't mean he doesn't have a personality. This is mostly conveyed through the other characters (with the most prominent being his wingman Count and a mechanic Avril) that either talk to him or about him.

Trigger is an outstanding pilot, an ace, he's a daredevil but also has a strong moral compass. He owns his mistakes and does what is right. Since he's a fighter pilot, he's also very independent and can sometimes come off as defying.

Long story short, I think he has a lot in common with Soap. But since there's virtually no information about Trigger, it made most sense to me to create a crossover where Soap would take on that role.

That's how John "Trigger" MacTavish came to be. The "three strikes" on the tail of Trigger's jet, that's also AC thing but I will address that in the story, so... no spoilers.

So I basically took Soap off of 141 and made him the AC Trigger, including characters from AC that are now part of RAF, as is Soap. The rest of 141 stayed the same, but they are one Sergeant short. If only there was a character from OG MW that Activision deleted from the reboot, huh...

MW vs Ace Combat

There's a lot that MW and Ace Combat share, too. Of course, both deal with military themes, even though Ace Combat takes place in an alternate universe called Strangereal. Countries on Strangereal Earth are fictional but they are historically and politically mashed up from our reality. The jets, however, are 100 % licensed "real deal" stuff.

The similarities don't end with military themes. Most notable is an anti-war message. That is not really that strong in rebooted MW, but in OG, it was pretty clear. Ace Combat is very, very vocal about it's anti-war sentiments. While Ace Combat adores the "warmachines" it condemns their purpose. Think of Gundam or Metal Gear.

Ace Combat tells the story of war and combat through the eyes of individuals affected by it. Soldiers and civilians alike. That is a little bit closer to the rebooted MW that focuses on the individual characters way more than OG used to do.

So, all in all, both games give me kinda similar vibes of "it's cool to play soldiers and acknowledge the heroism of people fighting for peace and freedom, but killing is still wrong and war is in itself a crime against humanity".

And... that's it. Thank you for reading and if you're videogame music nerd, absolutely go dig that Ace Combat soundtracks (at least all the way to Agnus Dei from AC4) because that stuff is really good.

youtube

#call of duty #john soap mactavish #simon ghost riley #ghostsoap #soapghost #ghost x soap #ghost mw2 #ghoap #soap mw2 #ace combat #ace combat 7

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girlgroupshots · 1 year

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Last Christmas - Ryujin x Reader

pairing: Ryujin x Reader rating: mostly wholesome? word count: N/A scenario: A wholesome holiday with your girlfriend.

If you were being honest, you had no reason to believe that you’d get to spend time with your girlfriend this holiday.

It was a brutal reality but one you had accepted, if only to save yourself from getting your hopes up only to be ultimately disappointed. It was better this way. The two of you would be able to get together after the busy holiday season and exchange everything then, it was fine.

And while you told yourself that you couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of longing as you watched other couples walk through the snow covered streets hand in hand. It was a reality you knew would be scarce when you started dating Ryujin, and on most days it was fine. After all she always more than made it up to you. But the holidays were always a bit more difficult than usual.

“Is that seat taken?”

You had been about to open your mouth and tell the stranger that it was. A lie but a necessary one, you weren’t exactly in the mood for a stranger’s company. You wanted her company.

However, the words never left your mouth as when you turned from the window view to look at the stranger you were left speechless. She was wearing a knit beanie and a face mask but you knew those eyes anywhere.

“Babe?! What are you doing here?” you questioned, your tone giving off varying degrees of astonishment. You glanced around, checking if any of her handlers or bandmates were with her.

“It’s just me” she chuckled, seeing your response. “I got Lia to cover for me while I snuck out of practice to see you.”

Maybe it was the fact that you had just been reminiscing over the fact that you didn’t get to spend holidays together like a normal couple and was feeling particularly sentimental but you felt emotion welling up inside you and quickly hid your face from her view.

“Aw, babe,” Ryujin laughed, pulling your head against her chest. “Did you really miss me that much?”

“I didn’t think I was going to get to see you until after the holidays” you answered her, your voice slightly muffled against her hoodie.

Ryujin was quiet for a moment, merely holding you close. You wondered what could be going through her mind. After all, she was aware of the sacrifices you both made to make this relationship work. The fact that she was sneaking out to see you now was proof of that.

“I wish things were different,” she said, her hand stroking your back. “But you know I’ll always find time for you. Remember that face time the other night?”

Your cheeks burned red and you were glad to have it hidden from her view as it would’ve resulted in even more teasing. The face time in question happened the other night. It had been one of your virtual dates and had ended in Ryujin giving you very specific instructions as you touched yourself to her commands. To say it was a memorable event would be an understatement.

“Don’t bring that up here” you muttered, “Not when I can’t do anything about it.”

“Are you going to get frustrated?” she questioned, pulling back and tilting your chin up to look at her. You could practically hear the smug smile that was hiding behind that mask. She was enjoying every moment of this and you’d begrudgingly admit that you were too. She was honestly too good at teasing. “You know I can probably squeeze out a half hour. We could enjoy a coffee or…”

“Or?” your voice was just a hitch too hopeful and eager.

“Or you can get your Christmas gift early” Ryujin leaned down so that she was beside your ear. Pulling down her mask she bit at your earlobe for a moment before continuing in a husky voice. “I know you’ll love it.”

Your hands gripped her waist tightly as arousal shot through you. Yes, she was definitely too good at this.

“You know when you put it like that it’s not much of a choice.”

Ryujin leaned back, revealing her grin to you for the first time. It was a familiar expression that you’d never get tired of no matter how much she teased you. As you hurriedly gathered your things and Ryujin pulled you by the hand out of the coffee shop and into the snow you couldn’t help but think this might be the best Christmas ever.

#ryujin x reader #ryujin smut #itzy smut #itzy imagines #gg smut #gxg smut #girl group scenarios #ryujin imagines #its time for the holiday fics B)#even tho this is from last year ssh

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haunted-xander · 1 year

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The encounter with Mahiru was draining, both physically and emotionally. She felt a little bad leaving her cuffed like that, but with how hostile Mahiru was there was no other option. Calling Future Foundation for help would be far too risky. Not one to give up easily, Chiaki went ahead to the Main Course building to search for the other reported Remnant. Even if she can't save them now, she wants to at least see them.

As she approached the tightly locked doors, she felt a wave of sadness wash over her. It's been so long since I've been here... And to think that right now there's... ...I hope they get out soon. The feeling of helplessness isn't new, but just as unpleasant. Snapping herself out of it, she resolutely began searching around for any sign of the Remnant. She had no idea who it was, and as the school was important to all of them, it could really be anyone. ...At least I know it's not Koizumi-san...

Suddenly, she heard several footsteps all running around her, but before she could open her backpack and grab her pole a gunshot went off. It narrowly missed her cheek and had her on full alert, her eyes searching for the perpetrator. A woman wearing a Monokuma head cackled madly as she aimed her gun at Chiaki. The woman was about to fire again, but Chiaki had already grabbed her pole and smashed it into her stomach, making the woman stumble backwards and drop the gun. All the tension let loose as the entire mob charged towards Chiaki, each and every one getting struck by the pole as soon as they where within reach. Good thing I played all those VR games, huh... Swinging a real pole isn't so much different from a virtual one, just heavier...

The woman from earlier got back up and screamed as she launched herself at Chiaki. On reflex, Chiaki smashed the pole into her head and heard a nasty crack. Watching as the woman fell down with blood pouring out from her Monokuma helmet, Chiaki suddenly got a cold feeling. ...No, I didn't... did I? She's... still alive, right? I wouldn't... I didn't... There's no way... Not given the time to panic, the previously knocked out attackers slowly got back up and continued their assault. Fueled by panic and adrenaline, she showed no mercy. Her pole hit hard and she heard their bones break until they couldn't be broken any more.

By the time she was done the mob had become an indistinguishable mass of corpses. The adrenaline wore off and Chiaki was faced with the reality of what she's done. Holding her pole in an iron grip, she staggered backwards and broke out into a run, wanting to get away from her unfortunate victims. After a short while she fell down to her knees and stared blankly at the floor.

Soft footsteps could be heard approaching her, but Chiaki couldn't muster the energy to care. If it was another attacker she'd simply accept her fate. After what she did, she might as well deserve it. The footsteps stopped in front of her. The stranger knelt down and gently took her head in their hands and tilted her head up to look at them. Distantly, she recognized the serene yet off-putting smile, but didn't have the presence of mind to put a name to it.

"Oh my, look at you. What a despairing state you've entered, dear Nanami-san. Do you recognize me? It's fine if you don't of course. Trash like me isn't worth remembering. Ah, but you've always been so kind and considerate, haven't you? You always remembered me, Nanami-san." A soft yet breathy voice spoke quietly to her, slowly dragging her back into reality. "...Ko...mae...da...kun..." She was happy to see him, really. But the guilt from her previous actions drowned out any other emotion. "I'm... so so...rry... I couldn't... And now I... They're all..." She wanted to cry, but the tears just wouldn't come. Speaking became difficult as she could barely breathe over the sharp feeling in her chest.

"Oh you poor thing. I'm sure it hurts now, but don't worry! This deep despair you're feeling right now will surely blossom into a beautiful ray of shining hope! So don't worry... All this pain will be worth it. Besides... You don't survive the apocalypse by being kind. You'll have to kill eventually. There's no such thing as an innocent survivor. Don't worry, Nanami-san. I promise it gets easier over time."

"...Komaeda...kun. I'm... happy to see you... I mi...ss y...ou......." All the fighting and traveling of the day has completely worn her out, and she fell unconscious in Nagito's arms.

"...Don't worry, Nanami-san... I won't let you die. You'll become the hope that everyone needs... Someone worthy of the title of 'Ultimate Hope'... Ahaha... I look forward to seeing where your journey takes you next... But I suppose I should let you get some proper rest first, no?"

"Don't you think so too, Kamukura-sama?"

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mexreny · 2 months

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warning: if you don’t want to read a long vent about my thoughts on a fault in online communities that I’ve seen especially prominent in mcyt (and other), scroll down, stay safe and have a great day 🫶

this is just in general; and I’ve been thinking about this for a long time now.

I do not believe you can fully take the side of any accuser in the online space immediately, without question, anymore. or maybe it’s always been like this.

before you attack me, I will never, ever waver on my belief that supporting victims is always the right move- it is imperative that we uplift and encourage all people who have experienced all forms of abuse from someone to speak up when they wish to, and provide them a shoulder to lean on and a safe space to grow and heal so that others may come forward if they wish to.

emphasis on supporting -victims-.

with each brave person that comes forward and speaks a truth of their ordeal through abuse, mistreatment, assault- with each person that speaks up, you can see how many more brave people are encouraged to share their own stories in turn. And many are true, and thank god that people feel safe enough to share their traumas and experiences because of another person’s own courage.

but a disturbing amount of stories are not true. you cannot deny that this is factual, too.

think about previous situations (things may change in the lives and circumstances of these specific creators during or after I post this- keep this in mind, please before you attack me) and what happened with Dream, Cellbit, BadBoyHalo, Sapnap, Kwite, others. in these instances, people came forward with disturbing allegations on social media, and immediately, lots of support was severed for all these creators in their respective times. “always support victims,” we chanted. “always believe victims.”

now. innocent people’s platforms will forever be tarnished with doubt and fear from online communities due to lies. due to fabrications. due to people lying about victimhood as if it’s justified because you think a creator is annoying. or weird. or “gives you a bad feeling” despite never having once met them. lying about abuse, lying about experiencing despicable and disgusting trauma in order to gain what? support from strangers and virtual pats on the back while we typed with vindictive and horrified, betrayed fingers for the accused to kill themselves? when we condemned their actions on Twitter while refusing to read their response statement or listening to ANY SINGLE PERSON who found a hole in a story? in the same breath that we say we UPLIFT victims, we BURY an accused without ANY BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT without waiting for future evidence? I know, I KNOW, that I am not the only one who is starting to understand the harsh reality that this loving community of fans and creators worldwide is not perfect. justice is not always served to those deserving, and guess what? truth is not a virtue that all people seemingly possess. i know we want to believe any and all people who come forward with a serious concern or accusation about someone in a position of power and influence, who may have the full capability of harming more people- but you have to be realistic now. this is no longer as easy as “they MUST be telling the truth because who would ever lie about someone humiliating or abusing or harming them? who would ever stoop that low and cause an innocent human being to lose everything?”

lots of people. a shit ton of people. you are witnessing it with your own eyes.

in sum to my emotional blabber: please, as a fresh situation begins to unfold, and both parties have not spoken up, or released evidence that’s more than word of mouth, please, take a stance of neutrality. this is not a game of ‘how many evil famous people can we knock down today so we can make the world safer from predators?’ it’s the fact that there are LIVES being affected here. beyond streaming or videos, being even future job opportunities, to even personal safety of accusers, and the accused. if you are reading a Twitter thread, watching a stream, whatever, and you feel something off- a doubt- in a story, then don’t push it away because you are scared that you are a bad person for not believing without any fear an accuser. this is the reality now. you are not a bad person for seeing holes in stories on either side of a serious situation. and this one goes out to all the people who fake abuse and assault and mistreatment online (and in real life, but if you couldn’t tell, I’m getting specific.) with every fake accusation, with every lie that gets away with ripping apart a person’s online career, REAL VICTIMS ARE BEING HURT. REAL VICTIMS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE FRIGHTENED TO SPEAK UP BECAUSE YOU. ARE. LYING. BECAUSE YOU. ARE. A. NASTY. PIECE. OF. SHIT. BECAUSE YOU THINK IT IS FUNNY TO RUIN INNOCENT LIVES BY PLAYING A FAKE VICTIM. it is not a community’s fault that they will begin to lack the idea of running without question to support an accuser. IT. IS. YOURS.

#dsmp #qsmp #i tagged it because yeah. I want people to see this. you got me. but I know it’s not just me. and I’ve seen false accusations fly high here #and if you’re going to attack me in asks do it off anonymous. I’d like to see who my critics are

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giveamadeuschohisownmovie · 7 months

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Pitch for a video game:

A loose remake of the 1996 point-and-click game, “Harvester”. The game is remade in the style of choose-your-own adventure games, namely “Detroit Become Human” and “Life is Strange”.

You play as two main characters, Steve Mason (voiced and mo-capped by Finn Wolfhard) and Stephanie Pottsdam (voiced and mo-capped by Thomasin McKenzie), who are both suffering from amnesia. All they know is that they’re residents of the town of Harvest and they’re both getting married to each other. Harvest is a 1950s-style small town which is run by the mysterious Order of the Harvest Moon, which operates out of a giant castle-like structure called the Lodge.

For the first half of the game, Steve and Stephanie investigate the town in order to figure out what is going on. None of the townspeople believe they have amnesia and are all behaving rather strangely. What’s important here is that Steve and Stephanie keep getting into scenarios that’s forcing them to think a certain way. For some reason, Steve keeps witnessing acts of violence while Stephanie keeps getting “life lessons” from her parents and strangers.

For example, Steve witnesses the town’s police brutally beat up a homeless man while Stephanie watches as a girl her age is disciplined (paddled) by her teacher for talking about things that go against the town’s conservative nature. Although they’re not sure what’s going on and can’t prove it, Steve thinks he’s being desensitized to violence while Stephanie thinks she’s being indoctrinated by the town’s fascistic/ultra-conservative values.

The second half of the game has Steve and Stephanie enter the Lodge (a change from the original here is that both men and women are allowed to become members). Their goal is to reach the end of the Lodge in order to get some answers, since everyone in Harvest says that the Lodge and the Order knows all. This is where the game takes a massive left turn into surreal nightmare territory. In order to reach the end of the Lodge, Steve and Stephanie have to pass the challenges set up by the Order of the Harvest Moon, which continues the conditioning that both these characters have been receiving.

For example, Steve is forced to execute an old couple just because they’ve gotten too old to be members while Stephanie is forced to torture a doctor who was supposedly performing abortions. If the player chooses not to commit these horrible actions, they get reprimanded and run the risk of failing the challenge.

The big twist (if the player manages to get there) is that it’s revealed Harvest is a virtual reality simulation. It turns out, this is a dystopian future where the United States has become a fascist society and is at war with some unknown nation. Harvest is a form of governmental control over the population since its purpose is to warp the minds of “troublesome” citizens.

Steve is revealed to be a conscientious objector who avoided the draft while Stephanie is a left-wing activist who heavily criticized the government. Harvest was trying to turn Steve into a ready-and-willing soldier who wasn’t afraid to commit atrocities (hence the desensitization to violence). For Stephanie, Harvest was trying to force her to reject liberal/left-wing values and become a hardcore far-right fascist (hence the indoctrination to the town’s values). The game’s ending then depends on the choices you made in the game:

1) Steve and Stephanie are publicly executed by the Order (if both Stephanie and Steve fail the Lodge’s challenges before they can reach the end)

2) Steve either dies of old age inside Harvest or exits the Harvest simulation as a loyal soldier who can’t wait to go to war (only Steve makes it to the end)

3) Stephanie either dies of old age inside Harvest or exits the Harvest simulation as a fascist propagandist who renounces her original beliefs (only Stephanie makes it to the end)

4) Steve kills Stephanie and exits the Harvest simulation as a loyal soldier who can’t wait to go to war. (Steve accepts, Stephanie rejects)

5) Stephanie kills Steve and exits the Harvest simulation as a fascist propagandist who renounced her original beliefs (Stephanie accepts, Steve rejects)

6) Stephanie and Steve reject Harvest, which results in them living a long-happy life as a married couple inside the program. They then both die of old age. This turns out to be another program set up by the U.S. government, in case the subjects aren’t successfully changed (Stephanie and Steve pass, but reject Harvest’s lessons)

7) Stephanie and Steve leave Harvest and become the “perfect” married couple. Steve goes off to war and becomes a national hero while Stephanie becomes the ultimate propagandist. (Stephanie and Steve pass and accept Harvest’s lessons)

8) Harvest crashes due to the resistance movement storming the base and freeing Steve and Stephanie (secret ending, only unlockable if the player does certain actions)

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blazehedgehog · 1 year

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Physical or digital media?

I would be a 100% physical media person if I could help it.

There are too many stories of games getting delisted for licensing or whatever. A developer pays for a celebrity likeness or a top 40 song or a specific model of car and five years later, whoops! The rights expired! The game goes poof. It's like it never existed. Doesn't matter how good or bad the game was.

And keep in mind, even a bad game is going to be somebody's favorite, and they deserve a way to still experience it.

If you have a disc, that disc is forever (within reason). If it's a digital game, it gets deleted from that reality. Literally deleted. I bought Forza Horizon 3 on PC a few years ago because Microsoft had the foresight to warn people when it was getting delisted. And thankfully, the servers are still up, and Microsoft says they are, at least for now, committed to letting you redownload delisted games that you paid for.

But that won't always be the case, and it's already happening that some games can permanently disappear. The Wii Shop Channel is gone now. All those Virtual Console games, all those WiiWare titles, if you missed your shot to download it from Nintendo, it's gone now. Doesn't matter how much you paid. If you connect that console to the internet all you'll have is an error message. The clock is also ticking on the 3DS and Wii U eShops, which are slated to close at the end of this month.

Stadia, in its entirety, is gone. Most (not all) of those games are available on other platforms... but if you bought it on Stadia, you will have to buy it again somewhere else, and hope that one day, that too does not also go down.

There are always gestures of preservation efforts made by the community. And I'm thankful for those. The Wii Shop Channel is gone, but all of those games have been backed up by pirates years ago. Believe me, I'm no stranger to the methods used to play games like Castlevania ReBirth or Fast Racing League, which died on the Wii Shop and have never been ported anywhere else to this day.

But there are a lot of assumptions made in things like that which may not have practical solutions. Like, how many of you reading this blog have ever tried to emulate an original Xbox game on the PC? Microsoft only lets you access a small percentage of the Xbox library through their official backwards compatibility, but what if you want to venture outside of that?

It's not an easy process. Compatibility is a mess, system requirements are all over the place, and you have to get very specific dumps to even get the games to boot at all, assuming they can actually run. Yes, the data has been preserved, but it's not worth much when you can't do anything with it or need to spend $1500 on a PC good enough to run the emulation software.

It will always be easier to own the disc and throw it in the original hardware. A lot of Sega Saturn emulation still isn't an especially easy thing to run smoothly unless you have an above average gaming PC. I'd have to spend at least $300-$400 just to upgrade my system's CPU, but a couple years ago I spent $110 on a RetroTink2x Pro and I can hook my real hardware up to that just fine.

But even that's becoming it's own problem, because all of the greasy collectors have been moving in for years now and driving prices up on even the cheapest, most recent trash. The aftermarket is all but disappearing -- up through the launch of the PS4, it used to be you could find PS2 games for pennies. Now used prices seem to stay pretty much lock step with retailer MSRP (that's the price you pay for brand new shrinkwrapped games, kids). You might be lucky to find newer games on Ebay for a couple bucks off, but it's not like it used to be.

There are more and more and more stories about grifters like WATA coming in and "officially grading" retro games to be fake collector's items, leading to awful headlines like a copy of Super Mario 64, one of the most ubiquitous and common N64 games ever made, selling for a million dollars. That's like selling a bucket of tap water for a million dollars.

Buying physical is becoming a landmine because it's feeling like if you wait too long then you're at the mercy of scalpers and grifters and "collectors" who think they can throw a loose cart of Super Mario 64 up on Ebay and get $50-$70 for it.

A part of me wants to slap on a tinfoil hat and say that this was a plan. Ten years ago, the used games market was the enemy for a corporation like Microsoft, because it was a method to get dirt cheap games without any of that money going to them.

And though they backed off from that after it publicly damaged the Xbox brand, they are still pushing very, very, very hard to move everything to digital where the used games market does not exist. The next generation of Xbox after the one we're on right now probably won't come with a disc drive at all for how much they push the all-digital Series S in the marketing.

How do you hurry that along? Turn the used games market in to "the collector's market" where those old games like Halo 2 are much more expensive and much less convenient than just buying a digital copy of The Master Chief Collection for $20 on the Xbox Store.

And make no mistake, it is more convenient. Speaking as someone who has moved into smaller and smaller spaces over the last seven years, there comes a very real moment where you have to get rid of pieces of your life. Being able to plug a single box in and have my 18 year old Steam account with 1500+ games certainly seems a lot more comforting on the surface than having to lug five tubs of plastic cartridges and game discs around everywhere I go.

But what if the unthinkable happens, and Steam shuts down some day? I cannot reliably back up 1500 PC games. What if it gets stolen tomorrow and I can't get access back? Is convenient always better? Like, yeah, somebody could break in and steal my retro games, too, but that's a lot harder to do than breaking into my Steam account.

And this isn't even touching on the complications of ownership rights, and how certain businesses are trying to redefine what it means to be a "service" because that allows them to bypass the ownership laws meant to protect people like you and me.

The reality is, because of space, price, and availability concerns, I only really buy physical games if they're meaningfully important to me. And if they're important to me to own on a disc, I usually end up buying them digitally too, just for the convenience of digital. The Xbox 4 might not have a disc drive but I'll still be able to play the digital copy of Sonic Unleashed on it some day, while also being able to pop that same disc in my old 360, assuming it still works.

There are forces at work here and as always their goals are to take more and more and more of our money away from us. They have discovered a lot of great ways to do that. Buying physical is getting to be almost a matter of protest at this point.

#questions #anonymous #physical #digital #xbox #microsoft #gamepass #collectors #WATA #insane ramblings or perhaps the truth

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