#we live and die together. we're all connected. it's beautiful

[chromotps]

The thing about Ace/Sabo is that the ship is less about them being brothers but more like them sharing a childhood friendship? That had the potential of becoming something more in the future. Except it didn’t, for obvious reasons. And yeah not everyone’s a fan of that, but people also like the raised by wolves/son of a noble dynamic they had as children. While I agree Sabo does kind of feel like he was stuck to Ace&Luffy as an afterthought, with a piece of chewed-out gum — his existence doesn’t… I don’t know, feel out of place? I also enjoy how kinda tragic his character is, and how he carries that tragedy with him? In the form of Ace’s devil fruit (Sabo also canonically hallucinates and there was an instance where he admitted to hearing Ace’s voice, during his fight with Burgess? so yeah, not everyone’s cup of tea again but I’m a huge fan of hurt/comfort so having a character go through a psychotic depressive episode because of the insane guilt he feels? Just, yeah. Plus there’s something really poetic about him literally eating Ace’s DF and still considering it „Ace’s powers” etc) and the way I see Sabo/Lu is through Ace/Lu (and partially Ace/Sabo) anyway. Because Sabo is trying to fill out the role of an older brother/friend for Luffy that he’s well aware is impossible to fill — because nothing ever will be the same for Luffy. Nothing or no one could even come close to making it up for Ace’s loss to Luffy, and Sabo knows he’s kind of a cheap copy of that (figuratively and literally lmfao, as I know people have been calling him low-budget Ace), but still he tries to? And the fact that Luffy is technically his only remaining family (or at least someone he willingly considers family). And I kind of see it as a parallel to how Ace’s approach to Luffy changed after Sabo’s „death”? Because Sabo was the „kinder” brother, the nicer one, the smarter one, it was usually him who took Luffy’s side whenever Ace was annoyed with him? And the one who explicitly asked Ace to look after Luffy — which then was one of the direct reasons why Ace changed the way he treated Luffy, forced him to be more patient/learn to love and eventually led to Ace willingly becoming the „older brother” figure for Luffy. I’m in no way trying to convince you to like Sabo, don’t get me wrong!! I’m just trying to show an example how Ace/Sabo isn’t necessarily brotherly either (like, I don’t know, Sabo/Luffy seems to be?). And it’s just that while I’m first and foremost a huge Ace/Lu enjoyer I also think Sabo did have a significant impact on their relationship both before and after Ace’s death.

((!! sorry i took a while to reply! i made that post before work on Friday and then got slammed until just now fdghjgk)

the odd thing is, I mostly agree!! I think I had to vent bc i saw ppl (a few specific sabo fans haha) on twitter acting like luffy would feel nothing toward ace but be obsessed with sabo. and, lol, no. but what YOU said makes total sense. like, yes, Ace + Sabo definitely has a different, more involved feeling to me than Ace & Luffy. I've had some ships in the past that fit the raised by wolves/runaway noble trope... the charm of the noble feeling like "this is the only person I feel like I can really be myself around" and the wild one thinking "i like spending time with this noble—they're tougher/kinder/funnier than i gave them credit for" AND/OR "society has always rejected me, but this 'cultured' person accepting me heals that pain a little bit"—all of those things are really charming.

Maybe if we'd seen more about how ace and sabo became friends, or if there were more emphasis on sabo's acceptance being what helped ace's anger (instead of, just from how i saw things, it being mostly luffy's unconditional warmth toward ace that did it?) then I'd personally be more feral about that dynamic, haha. But it's like you said, I guess it all depends on what we each connect with. I dont find tragedy alone compelling... I'm depressed enough already as it is LMAO!! if I think too hard about how viscerally sad Sabo only remembering Ace after he'd died is, my brain just shuts down. But I've got really good friends who would EAT THAT UP. Like, yeah, it is beautifully poetic... hahaha now i'm laughing thinking about my friends who were really into Hamlet and Romeo & Juliet finding out about Sabo & Ace and being obsessed, ahaha (they're not so into One Piece tho, only jjk... at least, for now!! 😈)

it's hard to put into words, but there's something about Sabo being a revolutionary vs. ace and luffy being pirates, that kind of explains why my brain sees A+L as very very very different than A&S or L&S. But like, that's just my brain and how my heart likes to focus on characters with really codependent relationships/dreams/themes, hahaha...

#also if we're talking tragedy #so many people have said it better than i ever could but #the beauty and drama of marineford #i live in denial and usually like imagining a timeline where ace was severaly wounded but lived through it #but canon #gosh #ace dying in luffy's arms bc luffy was in danger and he had to protect him #and he only had to protect him bc luffy was too weak from fighting his way through hell for ace #the love was there and it mattered and it didn't change anything but it mattered etc etc i'm WAILING #i don't know i'm bad at explaining why one of those tragedies makes my brain feel things and the other one doesn't quite as much #i wish i could express it better!!! sometimes i'm so frustrated with how i feel like i'm not really getting across the point i meant to #ace had been looking for that love his whole life!! he died KNOWING he had it!! (also like i didn't mention whitebeard here but #all that love ace received being the exact reason he had to turn back....) #and luffy!! luffy knowing he mattered to ace so much--ace loved him so much--he would die for him.... #and going forward with that rock-solid certainty that he's loved in the new world #i'm going to fight a traffic sign. i'm at a loss. #ANYWAY i don't know if this was interesting or annoying as an answer but....... hopefully it was at least a little fun? #and if we just connect with different things in one piece then--not too surprising #with how big the story is!!! #the beauty of fandom etc etc different perspectives coming together and all that #meta #op #asl

[inkskinned]

okay yes it's often bad and hard and sometimes i am so anxious my whole body feels like it's vibrating but also at the same time the gps took me a different way on my drive and i got to see more of the river than i usually do and yesterday the sun was still above the horizon after 7pm and that was amazing and the whole sky turned an orange-gold like how they try to make ice cream taste; you know, one of those evenings that just tears you open no matter how jaded you get. it's warm for the first time here and people had lined up against the water just to stand outside and watch the sunset

and yeah it's tax season no i haven't done mine yet but when i mentioned it offhand in a single side-comment three days later my friend sent me a list of helpful tips and followed up to see if i'd need help on them

there's this parking lot for a walking trail near where i live and one of the two google reviews is my actual favorite: love it here. there were so many beautiful parking spots but sadly we could only take one. and no this person isn't going to go viral and probably the only people navigating to this spot are extremely local - but there's something so precious to me about someone taking the time to write something that will make strangers in their community laugh, even though there's no way for me to tell them good one! directly

yes i am not doing well sometimes i'm doing even very-badly but recently i have been given enough breathing room to say okay, this situation is bad, but then it will be over, and you will be moving onto the next thing and it's true that i need to get groceries and pay rent and argue with my health insurance but it is also true that in the absolute stress and anarchy of my life today someone recognized my dog before they recognized me and was so excited because "they tell everyone about the greyhound in the area and didn't get a picture before so can they take a picture now please"

in class we all stand in a circle and are all grown adults and for a moment while the teacher is figuring something out, we all hold hands, just to be silly and connected. for no reason at all at 8pm on a thursday my friends and i start breaking out the dance moves to high school musical. my coworker gchats me during a meeting about the book he recommended to me and i'm enjoying reading

i help a high school set up for a star-themed dance and while putting up streamers i find graffiti that says if you're reading this, i love you, and we're both going to get out of here right next to fuck everyone, live out of spite, don't let the fuckers make you die. on the bridge where i walk my dog someone has written i love you and on the sidewalk in chalk someone has written i love you and on the side of the water tower someone has written i love you

at the bottom of a text post an internet poet says - i love you, i love you, i love you. i've never met you, i love you because you exist and we exist together. and isnt that enough for now. just for this moment, i mean. like, if you just close your eyes and breathe - somewhere, across this world, i love you, because you're here with me.

#writeblr #pos #i am actually not doing well at all but the spring is bringing hope back at least lol

[tokiro07]

Undead Unluck ch.197 thoughts

[Rider Kick!!!]

(Contents: speculation - Haruka, thematic analysis - life)

Tozuka, we need to talk about your sense for chapter titles. It's "ready, get set, go" not "get set, ready, go." Maybe it's different in Japan?

Anyway

HARUKA DEVELOPMENT!!!

Seeing that Haruka's soul is still her child self from her original backstory, I wonder if we'll be seeing a flashback of how her tragedy was averted. Given Isshin XII's statement that Haruka's heart hasn't matured, my supposition last week that Fuuko's soul resembling her appearance from when she just joined the Union symbolizes that she's the same person at heart seems to have been correct. The shape of a person's soul is a reflection of who they are; Andy is an old soul, Fuuko is a member of the Union, Lucy is a free spirit, and Haruka is a scared child. Cowardice has been a core trait of Haruka's the entire time, and while this arc seemed to suggest that she'd grown out of that between loops, this moment implies that just because she's braver doesn't mean that she isn't scared

Presumably the circumstances of her becoming Unbreakable contributed to her soul taking that shape, a moment in her past that she can't move on from. I doubt her father died the same way this time if at all, but even if it was just the shock of seeing her grandfather die of natural causes, I could see that rooting Haruka's heart in a particular time. It would also be interesting if Tozuka uses that plot point to elaborate on why Haruka got into cobbling, what inspired her to make that choice specifically, and how her relationship with Top developed after she saved his friends. I don't know if that's a story that Tozuka is interested in telling, but it's one I'm interested in reading, for sure!

The other major element of this chapter was Isshin XII's advice to Haruka. "Use the power of those who never merely live and die." Therein lies the thesis statement for this arc and possibly the entire series: "[humans] never merely live and die." We aren't alive just because blood pumps through our veins (Victor's original view) or because we have thoughts in our heads (Andy's original view); we're alive because we can form connections, because we can leave an impact on the world, because we can create

A beast lives on instinct. A beast kills and eats to survive and breed, and one day dies so that something else may feed and survive. As UMA Beast said, beasts do not desire coexistence. I would argue that they don't desire anything, their biology simply compels them to eat and procreate, even if they don't have what we would call an "understanding" of the purpose of their actions

A human, though, can eat to survive, but doesn't have to. Eating can be a purely utilitarian experience, just a way to fuel up the body for the next day, but people don't typically do that. People cook, they maximize the taste of the dish as well as the nutritional value if they even pay attention to it in the first place, and they partake of their meals communally. We do understand the purpose of eating, but that purpose is of secondary concern to anyone outside of a life-or-death scenario; instead, the priority is to enjoy our meals, whether it's through the company we keep, the flavor of the dish, or even simply the joy of creation

And that, I think, is where Unbreakable's true power comes from. Unbreakable isn't slapping two scraps of metal together and calling it a shield, it's an artform, a craft that one dedicates their life to, the culmination of skill and pride passed down for generations. It's not enough to simply know how it works; watching a knitting tutorial on youtube isn't enough to create a beautiful quilt, you have to understand the materials and the tools and the techniques intimately

There's no pride or craftsmanship in Beast simply growing Unbreakable armor. Does a tortoise build its own shell and take pride in it, or does it simply happen to grow around an otherwise oblivious reptile? As I've said a thousand times, Undead Unluck is a series about "the proof of a life lived," and the mastering of an art, the inheritance of a legacy, is just another in a long line of angles that Tozuka has chosen to tackle this theme from

Haruka's new Unbreakable, seemingly able to reconfigure her armor to match someone else, suggests that she has achieved that mastery and pride. Unbreakable is not about rigid conformity to one shape, it's about the ability to adapt to the scenario; "the reed which bends in the wind is stronger than the oak which breaks in a storm." Beast has no understanding or appreciation of the effort that forged Unbreakable itself, much less the armor it creates, and thus does not have the pride nor conviction to allow for it to be flexible or adaptable

Beast has Unbreakable, but he does not have the spirit to create. Beast devalues that which proves that one has lived, and that will ultimately be his undoing

Until next time, let's enjoy life!

#undead unluck #fouryearsandananime #4y1a reviews

[mdhwrites]

Amphibia's Ending is SOOOO Much Better Than People Made Me Believe

So I remember back in S2 when I watched "A Day at the Aquarium" expecting to be upset about the finale like a lot of the people I'd followed were when the finale came out. After all, with them being so close, why would they choose to leave? Could they really justify them just dropping the stones and moving on from these bonds they made?

And... That's what the story wants right then. But it was an assumption built off of false impressions that I want to talk about because the ending is REALLY smart in making its points. But to talk about an ending, I feel like I should bring up its beginning. This isn't always necessary but Amphibia actually includes what is effectively a primordial sin. A first failing that causes everything to happen.

A scared girl who is told that change is coming and that she must give up those she is closest to finds out that with some magic, she can make it all go away.

NEVER is this portrayed as having been the right thing to do. NEVER is the show about justifying Marcy's decision. Instead, the show's entire purpose... Is about letting go. It's about how the experiences we keep from others are more important than keeping those people beside us. Otherwise, controlling people, forcing them to be like you, the goals of Sasha and the Core, would be painted as correct. Chances to be together forever, doing whatever they want and never having to change.

So it ending with the trio having to say goodbye to the connections they've made is kind of the only way it COULD have ended. First is the fact that neither Sasha or Marcy would have accepted Anne dying at the start of the series. Anne would never have been willing to take such responsibility or sacrifice. She wouldn't have been willing to embrace such a painful change, just like how early on in the series she rejected the frogs and their culture outright.

And here is where we get my first misconception. I thought Anne was straight up given her second life for her deeds or because she made a deal that she'd be willing to be god if allowed to live her life. This is as much on me as anyone else but can we talk about the brilliance of Anne's resurrection? She's only saved to become a god. Theoretically, turning down the position is choosing to die again. It doubles down on how Anne has accepted change, no matter how dire. She even has good reason because like the Core said "Full of heart but dumb as rocks." She's made PLENTY of mistakes in this season, even as we've gotten to enjoy what a resplendent person she's grown up as. The fact that she's willing to admit that is beautiful, especially for any coming of age story.

And it's a good argument. One full of the sort of wisdom a god needs. So this bored cat of a god likes it. Likes it enough that without giving Anne a choice decides to let her get some more training before coming back to work for him. It's keeping in line with the explanation that he gave for the stones. He was CURIOUS about what mortals would do with ultimate power and was disappointed for TEN. THOUSAND. YEARS.

And here we get misconception two which I think is much more on the fandom. No one DECIDES to put the stones away. No one decides to cut off the worlds from each other. Hell, on the human side of things, one could argue that it's not closed, they just need a better power source since the music box just uses, well, music. No, the stones are gone because someone more powerful than them is tired of their trouble and removed them.

And so we're right back where we began. Having to be told to say goodbye and that you don't have the time to do it how you might. Yes, they technically have a choice to stay but let's actually talk about if any of them actually have a reason to want to be there.

ALL of the newts have only ever used Marcy (even when Yunan and Olivia save her, it's explicitly because of her mind, not because it's the right thing to do) and it took until she was STABBED for any of them to actually care about her with even basic humanity. This is not her world. And yes, her parents will force her to leave things behind but A: At least they were honest with her! And B:... Running from that choice hurt so many people before. Why would she choose that now? Why would she choose to suddenly claim to have learned nothing and considered herself right to have stranded them all there by stranding herself now?

Sasha may have made great connections but the point for her character is to give up control and prestige. She could live in this land as a hero and general, leading how things will be shaped, potentially in her image even... And it doesn't even cross her mind. She probably knows she has a lot to set right back on Earth. Besides, you know, there's just the basic fact that being literally the only human here would be a bit of an existential problem. It would still would also mean running away from finishing the work she needs to put in to become a better friend and mend the rifts between her, Anne and Marcy (I'll get to the ten year gap, bear with me).

And finally Anne. She has her parents to go back to. She does still prefer life on Earth, even if she came to love Amphibia. Hell, the fact that she does clearly prefer Earth, as showcased in S3A, actually makes her sacrifice MORE impactful because she's not doing this just because it's her home. She's doing it because she cares and because of the connections she's made.

But just like she was with the core, she is brave enough to say goodbye. Just because someone isn't right next to you doesn't mean they've left you. Honestly, in an age of constant communication, I love that. A reminder that you can take your time. You don't have to talk every day, do things together constantly, etc. like that just because you can. You are still your own person with your own life but you can carry the support and love those people gave/give you even when you're not face to face.

And so rather than run from change, they admit it's painful, they cry, they celebrate, they joke... And then they're gone. There is literally no better ending for this story than that.

It even follows through with the epilogue. Marcy, Anne and Sasha were codependent. S3 actually reinforces a lot that their negative traits are still there, or have new ones related to each other, even as they've grown. Anne still can't say no to people she cares about like with Sprig's Birthday and Give a Frog a Cookie. She still can't entirely trust that Sasha isn't self serving like in Sasha's Angels. She has scars that will take time to heal and change, just like she pointed out to Marcy in New Wartwood.

Sasha though has a whole NEW heap of issues though. She's gone from being controlling to subservient. Anne says jump, she'd say off what. She is terrified of making the same mistakes twice. She is constantly trying to seek forgiveness. That is NOT a healthy place to be as a person and it's almost entirely wrapped up around Anne. Them deciding they were okay with just staying in touch, rather than being on top of each other... is actually great.

Marcy doesn't have as much to say but she moved... And she figured out how to handle the human realm like she did Amphibia: Alone. Who she was and how to be herself rather than relying on Sasha and Anne or needing them.

But was ten years necessary? I mean... Kind of actually. If Anne STARTS the series turning thirteen, she still has this school year and 5 more to finish for primary school. Then since at least two of them sought degrees, you have four more years where Sasha and Anne might not have even been in the same state, let alone the same town, and Marcy MOVED. She literally couldn't come back unless the fates decreed until she was 18 and she might have chosen to persue an artistic degree so there's another 4 years for her.

Then one year after college to settle in, get the money for trips, etc. like that and... Yeah, ten years sounds about right because life's a bitch. Almost like that's one of the lessons of Amphibia. But as it also says: Those bad times don't need to be only bad. You never know what will come back to find you and be better than it ever was.

So yeah, I'm definitely not just in the camp that the Amphibia ending is good but that it almost couldn't be improved. Small things, mostly pacing wise, maybe but thematically and how it does those beats? Not really. Not when this is so focused on one goal.

And I'll take dedication to your concept over giving the audience a simple, happily ever after ANY day.

======+++++======

I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead. If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

And finally a Twitter you can follow too!

#Amphibia #Amphibia Finale #sasha waybright #marcy wu #anne boonchuy

[tamelee]

Hiiii 🥰 If yin HAD to choose some couples for the Next Gen which one would you choose? Personally I think Shikatema was a okay, but I don’t have any ideas for the others

Hi!~💕 Oh uhm-

No one really, I'd be happy to eradicate it all.

Obviously Naruto and Sasuke should've figured their shit out. Both internally and externally and then say; take it or leave it' to the entire village and system. You either going to get two gay-men leading the village and a new system because their bond was the entire answer against war or nothing at all and then just... die ig while Naruto sleeps his years away and Sasuke is stuck in a damn tree 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

Otherwise.... (aka, 'Boruto' meetings be like;) Shitpost (don't take me seriously);

Naruto and Gaara although it probably won't last long. Naruto'd probably settle for some black-haired girl and make her cut her hair so it reminds him of Sasuke if he squints really hard and doesn't think about it and covers his ears, oh wait-

Charasuke and Dark Naruto, fem version. Menma and Zetsu. Since non of it is Canon anyway, Sasuke and his pet lizard from the filler story. They seemed to have an 'okay' connection, yeah? Well, ShikaTema is fine, it's understandable and predicted. I don't even know who Kiba, Shino, Lee or Choji are with lmao. I can look it up, but... I really don't even remember :') I think one of them is with the Kumo girl, right? Sai and Kumo girl would've been better though. They can argue about loyalty and stuff. Wouldn't she kinda think it was hot how he stopped her fist from plunging into Naruto's 'refusing to talk about Sasuke's face?' That's the extend of their development, but it's 'Boruto', the bar is low here. Or.. if we ignore the homophobia for a second, Sai and Gaara. I mean whatever. Size matters obviously to Sai and Gaara had huge bde before his questionable haircut (no I don't think him becoming Kazekage made him weak) and I also don't think Gaara's lack of expressive emotion currently would be too overwhelming for someone that doesn't understand them much. Not a lot of energy in that relationship though but Gaara is very beautiful to draw let's be honest but the lack of eyebrow does make it challenging. Or Sai and Deidara. A bit difficult because one isn't there, but still, just throwing it out there. Or even Kankuro would be good. Gosh, Sai has so many options... and then he ended up with someone he thought was ugly ;-; (Ino is very beautiful though so he's wrong, but still.) Idk, I think Kiba should've married a cat-girl or the blonde one from Kumo. Lee should be with someone that appreciates effort especially now that his effort is proven absolutely worthless -.- and is seen as a loser again which destroyed the poor guy. Well, I wouldn't have minded Tenten, but... GaaLee 👌👀? Aren't they both single fathers? Or? Idk. Maybe Sai Gaara and Lee together, why not. Throw the Shi guy from Kumo in there also, he kinda looks like blonde Sai. Even Naruto thought he was handsome as he used him for inspiration for his sexy reversed harem Jutsu.  Actually, Tenten and Kotetsu would've been a good surprise. It makes no sense Canon-wise and I don't think it even works age-wise, but I approve otherwise and they're both weaponized. I rhyme and reason. Ino and Suigetsu. Okay, hear me out. He can water all her plants. That's all, that's it. Sakura and Kankuro? I mean, by 'Boruto's low standards, they could've made it work and they'd even have history. And fine, even Sasori could've been interesting a little. Or that girl from the Sound from the beginning. Or the guy. Or Kimimaro. Or Kabuto. We're not too difficult here, pick one, but I guess some are dead though. Everyone but Sasuke ffs. Obviously Neji should've lived. Well I'm okay with Tenten or even Lee, but it doesn't make too much sense to me. Actually, let's ship him with Haku for no other reason than them looking good together. Or Neji and Juugo, maybe Juugo'd be able to set the bird free iykwim. I'd say Hinata and her beloved 'Oro-chan'. (Yes she called him that in some novel.) Both creepy as hell. Except one of them is somewhat likable and it ain't Hinata. But age-wise that doesn't work. Or, maybe someone can make her a Mecha Naruto, that's a bit more appropriate. Not much, but still. I'm sure she has the money and I don't think she really minds because she knows Naruto as much as she'd know a robot version of him. I see no difference there. OR, Kankuro's puppet. That way she can always walk next to the one she 'loves' as it follows her anyway with some basic puppet training and have the sentimental wood around for comfort when she reminisces about the time she thought Naruto wasn't gay. No need to be shy either as it doesn't say much. Then Naruto can visit tree-Sasuke in peace without a creepy face glancing up at him from behind it only to be ignored anyway. 

Or maybe a lousy Daimyo because we can't have any less than a Hero or royalty for the princess, of course. CHOJI ACTUALLY should've married the daughter from the ramen stand. Idk her age though.. Or the owner of the BBQ restaurant? If he didn't already. Or, it would've been good if there was a younger version of Tsunade, I think they'd get along. Akamaru and one of Kakashi's dogs- sorry, Ninken. I think Pakkun is too old maybe. Idk what he's into. Maybe Punpun? Am I missing anyone? Oh lmao, Shino ;-; He would've been good with Fu, Jinchuriki of the 7-tails, the flying bug thing. Guess that's not possible either, but we can't have them single and focussing on the world either so... we gotta create imaginary filler babies somehow. Karin with that other guy who emphasized with her during her confession-thing. I mean, what other reason do you need. That's true love right there.  Kakashi and Shizune? Kakashi and Iruka? Kakashi and Gai? Kakashi and Genma? Kakashi and Obit- oh no. Kakashi and secret-ANBU waifu? Kakashi and actress of the movie adaptation of his ero-novel? Kakashi living his best aro life?

I mean, we could always create a card game if you will and match whatever comes up first. There'd be no difference really.

#asktamelee #shitpost #don't read any of it #sarcasm #don't open #I had too much caffeine

[erosofthepen]

dwavern holidays: discuss

bro loving the freedom and creativity this brings me

okay so dwarves all have their maker, Mahal, whose Aule right? im not fact checking right now so correct me if im wrong, but dwarves don't really treat their maker with a typical religious pursuit, its more like "oh yeah he's there he exists we go to him when we die ig" and thats that, theres no priests or religious rites or anything, so i assume their holidays aren't centered around him either.

also dwarves live a much longer time than humans do, so im also gonna assume that their bigger holidays aren't annual either. like maybe they're every 3 years or every 5 or 10 years, or they're in accordance with celestial shit. but the thing that gets me about celestial holidays is that dwarves are creatures that roam below the earth, the caverns and caves are their home, not the stars and the heavens, so holidays that come around every few years or so make more sense.

this brings the question of what exactly would dwarves celebrate then? we know canonically they have Durin's Day, an annual holiday that signals the start of the new year, however, i feel like besides new years, their holidays would be in accordance with the things dwarves value most. This includes smithing, crafting, mining, the riches of the earth, feats of strength, and value of close friends/family, greater than any treasure. Some dwarven holiday ideas i have are listed, with hc's around each of them.

Durin's Day- the dwarves new year. Not a huge holiday, but a nice short one, like one night of festivities. I feel that most celebrations would be more family/small group centered with this holiday, maybe a small feast and some form of dancing and music. This holiday is mostly focused on the improvements in development from one year into the next, and just a last way to celebrate before going into the depths of winter. The New Years was proclaimed by Durin the I, and has since been named in his honor.

The Fire Festival- this has been stewing in my mind for a while now. every 5 years, for two whole weeks, a huge display of dwarven craftsmanship and skill is celebrated and admired, with dwarves of all different crafts in relation to fire presenting stalls of their best works. We're talking smithies, glassblowers, candlemakers, you name it. Its a celebration of the fire that produces such great works of beauty. and the outfits... bro the outfits make this festival. everyone is decked out in reds, oranges, blacks, blues, and yellows, and positively dripping with gold and gems. the make up is usually charcoal or some sort of bright/shimmery pigment, and the hair is done in so many braids weaved with different ribbons and precious metals. fires are constantly lit, with one giant fire pit kept burning continuously throughout the entire festival, and fireworks are set off on the first and last days (we know dwarves can make fireworks from balin in the hobbit). the food is superb, with a lot of spicy main menu items and citrus and bold sweet fruits imported, and the dishes are prepared almost artfully. music and dancing play a huge part, and some dancers spend years leading up to the festival to try to capture the movements of the flame in their steps. its a bit like coachella except much much better.

Meragel (or feast of all feasts)- this whole holiday would probably occur every 25 years or so. It is, as the name implies, a feast to rival the gods. Like this is a week of feasting the whole community takes part in, and everyone eats at least the first meal together in a great hall or a large open space. A large array of meats, ales, wines, whiskey, breads, sweets, grains, root vegetables, spices, fruits, and cheeses are brought to the many many tables, and every group brings a dish (or several). This feast i feel, is explicitly a time for family and friends who love each other dearly to meet up and talk of their lives. people will travel many miles for an opportunity to connect with their loved ones again, and what better way to bond than over a delicious meal? side games and music are to be expected, though whether or not people will be able to dance depends on their ability to hold their liquor.

Rites of Strength- physical prowess and power are very important in dwarven culture, and this whole holiday is an event specifically for that. typical dwarven sports games (i wholeheartedly believe they'd have some version of rugby but as a rugby player im biased), lifting, wrestling, sparring, some form of rock/discus throwing, any shows of skill involving weaponry, and most importantly, a display for younger dwarves to prove their worth going into adulthood. I'm thinking this holiday would be around every 10 years, since that's a good window for older teens and young adults to be showing off their skills. One huge challenge is set up, with all the younglings competing against one another over the course of a moon cycle to become a champion (a new challenge is presented twice a week, and over the course of these challenges the number of competitors decreases based on skill alone, until there is one remaining). The prize for the youngling in the end is Honor and a Hefty purse of gold. Dwarves will travel to the nearest village/city of the head of one of the 7 dwarf families for the competitions, and while the challenges are ongoing it gives the adults and wee pebbles opportunities to have good rough fun with one another. also hc'ing that dís was the champion during her tournament.

Exhibition of the Sciences and Arts- dwarves have a deep love of creation and making sense of things, and science and art are so deeply intertwined that dwarves have a celebration for the two of them together. haven't thought about the time for this one, but possibly every 3 years? not sure. anyways, architecture plays a huge part in this festival (its probs the most perfect combination of the two fields, and we all know how dwarves love their geometric halls), as well as practices of logical medicine (throwing this in there but im thinking dwarves have logical medicine that they know for fool-proof physical healing and illogical medicine that is like groovy witch-craft reading signs and superstitious stuff), carving art, mathematics, acting, singing, writing, and so on so forth. its a knowledge share and a place where intellectuals feel most at home, and isn't so much a party as it is a nerd expo. super fascinating and interesting though, and a great place to find talented scientists and artists for commissions and job opportunities.

The Craft Trade- a huge market that comes along every two years where crafters display their wares for about 2-3 weeks, during the summer solstice. i feel like this would be a huge display for potters, weavers, quilters (i hc that quilters are widely respected in dwarven culture), textile merchants, tailors, cobblers, jewelry makers, spice traders, bakers, ect. its a mesmerizing and amazing place, perfect to trade and buy gifts. It's also considered good etiquette to bring food to the sellers, as dwarves are notoriously protective of their works, and they don't wish to risk leaving their stalls for too long during the day. a lot of pop up entertainment is around, from buskers to party tricks and games.

On Weddings, Birthdays, and More- Weddings are kind of a huge deal in dwarf culture, bcs you only marry if you find your One. there can be years of preparation going into a wedding, and while the actual ceremony and creation of the marriage contract (canonically, dwarves are obsessed with contracts) lasts only a day, the feast, even without the couple present, will last for a week at least. the families/friends of both parties are present and taking their well deserved break from preparations. On birthdays, the day of birth is most joyously celebrated. trusted friends and family are invited to celebrate the successful birth of another dwarf (its a long and rare process for dwarves to be born, celebration is almost a necessity) and the gifts presented to the child are spectacular, as well as the feast in the child's honor. Full birthday parties are held maybe every 30 or 50 years, and probably the largest party will be a dwarf's 100 and 200 year party. annually, not a whole lot of special emphasis is placed upon a birthday, maybe a favorite meal and small gifts given by your closest companions. afterall, when your lifespan is nearly 300 years, annual birthdays grow tiring.

welp my wrists are tired and im slouching like a shrimp, but i had so much fun writing this!!!

#asks #dwarves #dwarf #dwarven holidays #dwarf holidays #the hobbit #the hobbit dwarves #tolkien #tolkien dwarves #dwarf headcannons #the hobbit headcannons #the company of thorin oakenshield #thorin #fili #kili #dwalin #balin #bifur #bofur #bombur #oin #gloin #ori #dori #nori #fanfic #the hobbit fanfic

[theresattrpgforthat]

I'm looking for a game about reuniting with family after a long time apart.

A character who became separated and is only recently regaining her memory is going to reconnect with a family she hasn't seen in almost 5 years.

Something good for 3-5 players that can be played in an hour.

THEME: Reunion.

Not gonna lie friend, this one is very specific. This is what I’ve got.

Houses of the Sun by Night, by Emily Zhu.

These are 13 houses of the underworld that the sun passes through at night.

These are 13 minigames you can play in specific situations, during your other games or on their own.

This is how the dead come back to life.

Houses of the Sun by Night is a series of mini-games that can be used to play out specific scenes within an already-established game. The prose written for these pieces is beautiful; the thirteen scenarios are meant to be played in specific scenarios, such as when your characters are involved in a chase, or when the world is about to end.  I’ve noticed that the first mini-game is titled Remembrance, and the last one is titled Return. Either of those might fit for the scene that you’re looking for.

Divisions, and Binary Stars in an Endless Sky, by a.fell.

you are a group of travellers who have found themselves separated by time, and distance, and the world. you want to go home. you don’t know where home is. you don’t know where you are.

you’ll not be playing together, although you’re sitting together. you are each alone, where you begun, until you begin to find each other.

Divisions is described in the blurb above; it’s GM-less, setting-agnostic, and is inspired by Alone Among the Stars and Together Among the Stars. Players will use a deck of cards and a single-sided die to tell the story of found family. This is designed to be a play-by-post game, but you could potentially play it in person as well.

Binary Stars in an Endless Sky is designed to be two-player, but can include more players. It’s a game about chance encounters that uses dominoes as a resolution mechanic, and was designed as a lead-up to Divisions. If you have a specific scene or scenario that you want to play out already, you might not need to check out this game, but if you want to set up a story so that a reunion makes sense, you might want to check this game out.

Love Will Still Remain, by Lady Tabletop.

We're chained, and when everything changes our love will stay the same

We're chained, and when everything else goes away, our love will still remain

The connections we make with others, and ourselves, follow us throughout our lives like ghosts. We are shaped by them whether we like it or not.

Love Will Still Remain is a game for 2-4 players about love, loss, change, and connection. It is inspired by Brandi Carlile's The Firewatcher's Daughter.

Participants play as a group of people who have encountered each other throughout the course of their lives. They find themselves all together once again after some time apart. Throughout the game, they reflect on their lives and especially their relationships with one another, good and bad, and trace the paths that have led them to the current day.

This game might be able to reflect family, not just friends. You will navigate through five phases, using tokens to indicate the kinds of connections you want to build. The game also comes with a few examples to give you a little bit of inspiration in case the well is dry.

#asks #game recommendations #indie ttrpgs #dnd #tabletop games #reunion #emotional games

[funtheysaid]

TTPD is about IWTV

(Part Eight)

This is a thread connecting Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles to Taylor Swift’s most recent album, The Tortured Poet’s Department. Part One will be linked at the bottom, if you want to start from the beginning.

15.) The Alchemy

Executive decision: This one is about Lestat and Louis finally getting their shit together and going back to each other.

“This happens once every few lifetimes”

“These chemicals hit me like white wine”

“What if I told you I'm back?”

“The hospital was a drag”

“Worst sleep that I ever had”

“These blokes warm the benches”

“We been on a winning streak”

“Cause the sign on your heart said it's still reserved for me”

“Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?”

16.) Clara Bow

This one is for all of ‘em. I like the idea of paralleling “fame” with being chosen to receive the Dark Gift. Just like a small town girl who never thought she’d see the big city, I think the vamps would never have imagined their lives to turn out the way they did.

The allegory of vampirism and fame is really interesting to me. Being chosen to receive a gift that so many desire and, yet, so few receive. A gift that feels more like a curse once you have it. Beauty and aesthetic being a cornerstone to your existence.

Are you seeing the vision?

Also, Lestat’s rockstar era fits nicely into the context of these lyrics as well.

“All your life, did you know you’d be picked like a rose”

“No one in my small town thought I'd see the lights of Manhattan”

“Promise to be dazzling”

“I'm not trying to exaggerate”

“But I think I might die if it happened, die if it happened to me”

"You look like Stevie Nicks in '75, the hair and lips”

“Crowd goes wild at her fingertips”

“You're the new god we're worshipping”

“It's hell on earth to be heavenly”

“... Dazzling”

Part One: https://www.tumblr.com/funtheysaid/749134183115456512/ttpd-is-about-iwtv

fin.

#amc iwtv #iwtv season 2 #iwtv loustat #iwtv s2 #ttpd taylor swift #ttpd era #louis de pointe du lac #iwtv armand #daniel molloy #devils minion #lestat de lioncourt #queen of the damned #the tortured poets department #the alchemy #the alchemy ttpd #clara bow #clara bow ttpd #iwtv x ttpd #claudia iwtv #devil’s minion

[septembersghost]

I genuinely adore their relationship to be honest. Like can you imagine after having a heavy public life like Taylor but then you have one person that is extremely.........normal. You wrote a poem about me? You're a genius. You love me? Already knew that. They think you're a man eating evil witch? Doesn't matter. Wanna drink beer with me? Like her confidence while saying all you wanted was sweet nothing, my baby loves me like I'm brand new,you and me forevermore is sooo beautiful. I want that oneday

same. 💗 can i say something unbelievably soft and sappy from my little hopeless romantic heart that i've been thinking about at length since midnights was released?

their relationship is one of the most beautiful love stories, and lives in a very unique sphere because of the type of person and songwriter taylor is. i cannot think of another real love that has been charted across multiple works from an artist and told to the audience in such a vulnerably honest, touching way. she's let us hear that. she's let us in on those moments she's chosen to share, and every piece fits into this tapestry she's woven of how her life has blossomed with him. she's shared some very tough moments about how damaged she felt and how she maybe didn't even know how to let a gentle, genuine person into her life, how to accept that love, and she's exposed a couple of times where she thought she'd nearly lost it, only to be met with compassion. it doesn't mean he's perfect, he's a human being, she's a human being, they both mess up and make mistakes and have fights, but the foundation they've created is so solid and the love they prioritize is precious and true. they've worked together to make that last. it doesn't require a certificate to make it true, it doesn't need outside approval - and the not needing that is part of why she's been able to openly share with us, i think. taylor has always been a heart-on-her-sleeve girl, it's part of why we love her and feel empathy for her, and her writing about him has this irrepressible trust and softness and confidence in it that's gorgeous (ding!) to hear her express.

i cannot fathom what it would be like to live with the weight and scrutiny of her life, the cruelty and mistreatment she's endured from many sides. she is remarkably resilient, and yet still says she's "too soft for all of it," and tbh that makes me admire it even more. she hasn't lost her softness and her authenticity even though she's had to fortify herself. when she said, "i want to still have a sharp pen, and a thin skin, and an open heart," she has absolutely kept that. i'm so glad that through the tumult and hurt and noise, they found one another, and she has someone who supports her and loves her as the woman she is, in such a normal way, which is the sweetest thing someone whose life is otherwise quite abnormal could find.

i feel like we haven't talked enough about the connection between "midnights" as a title, and when she wrote, "i want your midnights" on new year's day, which is all about the exhale, the simple moments together.

i stay when it's hard, or it's wrong, or we're making mistakes. with every guitar string scar on my hand, i take this magnetic force of a man to be my lover, my heart's been borrowed and yours has been blue, all's well that ends well to end up with you. barefoot in the kitchen, sacred new beginnings that became my religion. i once believed love would be burning red, but it's golden. one single thread of gold led me to you. all these people think love's for show, but i would die for you in secret. we live in peace, but if someone comes at us, this time i'm ready. when i was shipwrecked, i thought of you, in the cracks of light, i dreamed of you, it was real enough to get me through, but i swear, you were there. everyone's up to something, i find myself runnin' home to your sweet nothings; outside, they're push and shovin', you're in the kitchen hummin', all that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothing. you knew the entire time.

everyone deserves a love like that, and it's been so beautiful hearing about it and seeing her shine within it.

#anonymous #letterbox #I AM EMOTIONAL #i love them so much #taylor swift #joe alwyn #midnights

[rec-diary]

About time I watched this.

And oh lord, how beautiful it was.

About Time is one of those movies that does not try to be anything more or less than what it exactly is.

Plain. Simple. Nice.

Boring?

No, because while we have time travel, this is not that kind of a time travel story. And while we have love, this is not that kind of a love story either.

This is a story about making the most of your time by finding pleasure in the mundane, the everyday. The things you and I take for granted, only to miss sorely when they have gone.

The male and female leads get married quickly, and we move to the essence of this movie - family connections, and how precious the time you have with your loved ones is. This idea is brought out in Tim’s character development, in how he changes his purpose for traveling back in time as he moves through time. From finding a partner for himself to trying to keep his family together.

It’s also full of the little things, The dad’s Olympic commentary. Tim doing the same with his daughter. Mary walking down the aisle to Tim’s song of choice, which she doesn’t care for, but does it anyways for him, who she cares for deeply. Tim and Roger’s friendship. Strolling along the beach with your father. Kit Kat being overly affectionate.

I was mostly smiling throughout this enjoyable experience (so much that my face hurt, mind you), except for the part when my hyper-imaginative brain theorized there’d be some drastic alteration from all the time traveling that he wouldn’t be able to undo and he’d die a broken, old man, full of regrets and hate for life.

Which begs the question: is it the tailoring of moments to suit the other person that make them perfect, or does the perfection of moments arise from the inherent awkwardness of human interactions? Because both make for fond memories. After their technical ‘first time’, while Tim thinks it could have been better, Mary thought it was lovely, even though it had been clumsy. But she clearly has a better time when Tim redoes it.

So if one could travel back in time but only to the extent of affecting the choices that shape one’s life, would one do it? Would you redo the little moments that defined experiences so that everything fit in this neat little portrait of life you’ve painted for yourself?

"We're all traveling through time together, every day of our lives. All we can do is do our best to relish this remarkable ride."

Every little moment is connected, and changes ripple across timelines. Saving Kit Kat results in Tim’s daughter never being born, but more importantly, it means true change has to come from within.

A tiny nitpick would be that females in the family don’t get the time travel gene. While I understand it’s not supposed to make sense in the sci-fi way, it’s rather unfair to the girls. Wait, is it the presence of a penis that makes one time travel? It would have been hilarious if they traveled through time by imagining where they wanted to go while holding their dicks.

Anyways, I digress.

There’s something a bit iffy though.

In the timeline where Tim helps with the play, he does not meet with Mary organically. He forces their meet-cute and uses information that he should not know but does from the time hopping to get their spark going. While we see how Tim and Mary complement each other remarkably well as the movie goes on, time travel or not, the way he doctored their first meeting to be perfect gives us this slightly tantalizing conclusion: that you really can make someone fall in love with you with enough data of the right kind.

Now how to splice some time travel genes in us, Narcissus?

#movie #romance #comedy

[healingheneree]

See you again - Tam

Dear Henry,

I haven't written to you in a while because I haven't been emotionally stable enough to write thoughtfully but you deserve to know what's going on in my mind now that I've "cleared the air." 

Yesterday was my rock bottom moment... I took the day off and cried in bed the whole day. I finally had the meltdown I needed to properly grieve & close this chapter of our lives emotionally. What hurts most beyond everything we've discussed is that I'm losing my best friend who I share everything with... and I know it's needed at this time but it doesn't mean it hurts any less. You think I don't care or love you - and despite the pain and hurting and trust broken - I will always. I just can't look at you the same without it hurting. So yes we do need to take a break, focus on the boys, and create the space to heal. My heart is still broken in a million pieces as I work to pull myself back together... and yesterday was evidence of that. I feel broken, alone, and unseen... and it was the recognition that I've felt this way for so long - years quietly WITH YOU - that I didn't tell a soul or recognize. And it's not that I was unhappy the entire time... it's just those emotions were never addressed and stuffed away by little things to numb and suppress it. 

I don't want to rehash any more of the past because it is what it is... I just want you to understand that it's not that what you do isn't good enough. It is. It's the drug I always can lean into... but there are things you do that hurt me deeply that's inexcusable. Since finding out what happened last Tuesday, I feel like NOW I have even higher mountains to climb and it fucking sucks... and at this fork in the road, I have to continue to believe, choose, accept, and learn to be ok that there will always be judgment and hate for my choice of moving forward, choosing myself first, and leading with my heart. It breaks my heart and goes against my values but I believe that I deserve happiness - and so do you. 

The hardest part in all of this is not wanting to hurt anyone in this journey and being with your parents the other night broke my heart. What caused the deepest pain for me yesterday was feeling how sad dad is deep down. I know what dad needs and I'm sad I can't play that part for him anymore if it's too much for him. So yes it is hard... in addition to the reality of us being single parents which is extremely hard mentally, spiritually, emotionally. And I wish it were different because the boys need us both but not in this way where the cycle just creates more pain and hurt. 

Henry, in the end, you will always be the love of my life and soulmate in this lifetime. And even though we are closing this chapter of our lives, that doesn't change how amazing our life was and how connected we'll always be. Despite what's happened... I will always cheer you on, want what's best for you, and be here... space is needed so we can heal properly and be better parents and truly become who we've always been <3 

As my tattoo says, love is INFINITE & FREE.

Song: Can You Help Me - Usher 

"Girl, I put your love up on a shelf And I guess I just left it to die Now we're not together 'Cause I hurt you too many times"

Song: Too Good at Goodbyes - Sam Smith

Song: Starts with Goodbye - Carrie Underwoood

It's not goodbye - it's a see you later <3 let's heal and be better people.

Love always,

Tam

--- Here is what I wrote after my solo trip to Muir woods:

Tonight, I am reflecting on my self-love journey through Marin county, humbled and grateful to be here. 

I ate lunch underneath the beautiful redwood trees and felt it’s welcoming presence to just be. In doing so, my intention became clear: I’m here to reconnect and explore. As I walked the unpaved path through Muir Woods to higher grounds, my inner child giggled with joy. This is what it feels like to play on Earth again. 

I could hear my soul speak clearly: Tam, you will feel enough when you accept yourself as you are. You are truly a loving, passionately curious, vibrant, wise, and playful soul. Your gift is to hold unconditional, loving presence for people to reawaken to their soul’s purpose. Elevate will be born through vulnerability, imperfection, and being 100% authentic. 

When I got to the top of the mountain, I finally cried. I made peace through a short reiki session to honor and close that chapter of my life because I knew I needed to let the Universe know I was fully ready to let go. As I did, the feeling of unconditional love washed over me and reminded me that there are different forms of love that could exist. Letting go is one of them. 

I ended the night with a solo dinner at Picco and met an entrepreneur that helped me unpack what unconditional love could be:

[lockoutkey]

This is spiraling out of control and I love it but I think we can make it spiral more by expanding on the SBI family that was started SO

In every age, Philza seeks the souls of his sons.

His eldest, The Blade of The War God, became a champion not long after Beef came into being. With the first war, there was of course a first master who stood above the rest. In each life, the skills he honed in his previous came naturally to him. In one age he spoke of war and its arts, bringing victory after victory. In another, he killed a beast of half man and half bull. In the same life he accompanied his youngest brother to the underworld to steel its queen, and sailed upon the ship captained by yet another champion. The life after that, in a war for the fate of Ilias, he wounded his own patron.

Philza had to fight hard with Beef to convince him to give his chosen just one life without struggle.

The middle child fell in love with the salmon goddess who swims up the river styx, and so nothing but old age has ever held him down. In each life, he's fought to bring down tyrants and pretenders to help the people, but the river corrupts and too many times he's come back changed, mad and power hungry. Such was his life as a prince of walachia. Only after much pleading from Philza was Sally convinced to let The Son of the Dragon pass on in that final lost battle.

The final child has all the grace and attitude of a raccoon. No grace and feral that is to say. Such is the mind that is required to decide to 'kidnap the goddess of the underworld because we're wife getters!' Such audacity did get the Goddess's attention, not romantically if course but she made him her champion all the same. After leaving him to be trapped in the underworld for at least a few decades. Each life she comes to bother him over small things when she has time off. The youngest doesn't have a blessing and they both know he wouldn't accept one, but she does give him gifts every once in a while.

Philza has three champions for sons, and although he doesn't like what the gods put them through, part of him couldn't be more proud.

Philza fell for the goddess of punishment when he was just a crow. She was terrifyingly beautiful, towering over the humans as she gave them the treatment they deserved. He circled, watching the chaos from high above. She saw something in him, and spoke to him. They grew together, Philza learned, and their love grew with them.

Techno was the first demigod to be born. The pantheon was in an uproar. Punishment had found a loophole in the ban, and Philza was an immortal hybrid. They had a child they would protect till the ends of the earth.

Xisuma called upon Vintage Beef. The god of war was to take away the child and use him as a victor in every life. Technoblade would be a warrior in every reincarnation, always fighting a useless war only to die on the battlefield.

The second demigod, upon being born, brought less interuption. They already had a way to deal with them. Nihachu, the goddess of love, cursed him to love the styx goddess, Sally, for all time. But cursed love corrupts, and Wilbur went madder with each lifetime, obsessed with finding his one true love once again.

The last demigod, Tommy, was ignored by the pantheon. Why bother with another mortal. Tommy lived every lifetime waiting for something to come for him, but he could never figure out what. Only the god of innocence, Tubbo, felt a connection to the boy. Both young, both wanting love, friendship, a family. Tubbo watched over Tommy, guarding him from the gods wrath as they caused chaos over the land. The soul bonding of a god and a human is a force to be reckoned with.

#technoblade #philza #tommyinnit #wilbur soot #sbi au #sleepy bois inc #cryptid roomies au #key asks #wildcardjoey

[tsukiyadori]

Nikurashii Kare (Utsukushii Kare 2) Sample Lines Translation

I was a bit curious how it continues after the drama adaption of Utsukushii Kare. (Tales of actually ongoing relationships are very rare out there, after all.) So I peeked into the novel's official content summary, free sample pages and drama CD PVs on youtube.

And...

(Spoilers, obviously)

From the official summary:

"I won't commit any foolishness to drag Kiyoi down."

Some lines from the first drama CD PV:

Hira:

"The supreme king, Kiyoi has been dating me for half a year and would even grace me with trying to live officially with me. There can't be bigger happiness. I can't do naught, but thank God for His careless mistake."

"A mere human such as me, am I allowed to be so happy?"

"They say the amount of happiness of one man is decided beforehand."

"The amount of happiness of living with Kiyoi is easily exceeding any unhappiness until now."

"In other words, I might have already fallen into a sphere where it wouldn't be strange to die any time."

"That's why I've come to think that I need to live like I could die any time with no regrets. It's the first time I felt this positive since I was born."

Kiyoi:

"WHAT ABOUT THIS IS POSITIVE?!

"My boyfriend is gross."

"He thinks that dating in and out itself is like a mistake in God's chain of command, so whenever he proceeds a conversation, he will always do it on the premise of breaking up."

Hira:

"Keeping this beautiful dream in my chest, I shall spend the remainder of my life quietly like a hermit. Aaah, Kiyoi, thank you for all the beautiful memories..."

Kiyoi:

"Being too happy with dating me, he surely thinks that he's used up all of his life's fortune and came to the conclusion that it wouldn't be strange to die any time."

"He treats a person like a piece of art of the stars in the night sky."

Hira:

"In other words, I and Kiyoi and have not connected even in millimeter. We're living in different dimensions. That's why the stars shine all that more brightly."

Kiyoi:

"I'm not aiming for the skies or anything. I just want to date normally. Even so, this guy..."

Woman:

"Kiyoi-kun, are still going on with your lover's bragging?"

Kiyoi:

"IT'S NOT LOVER'S BRAGGING!"

Some lines from the second drama CD PV:

Hira:

"Me, a loner from the lowest caste, has been dating Kiyoi for half a year; he who is as brilliant as the glittering stars in the night sky, "

"Finally, divine correction work has begun..."

"Kiyoi you and I, due to a lot of things this month, we have to separate."

Kiyoi:

"Hah? What do you mean "separate"."

Hira:

"This wondrous paradise, we must leave it."

Kiyoi:

"To hell with that!"

Hira: "Ehueh?!" (Gasping sounds of being scared)

(Rest of that sample clip has some talk, that relatives of Hira's are coming back, and they need to get out, Kiyoi interjects that this is no reason for them to separate. They could just rent a new place together. Includes more of Hira's antics of how this is too heavenly and everything must be a divine mistake, Kiyoi inviting him for some spice, clearly feeling comfy in their "nest", and Hira contemplating that he loves Kiyoi to the point of death and "doesn't want to return him", even if he might be trampled over or beaten up, he wants to hold him in his hands and makes pleadings to what powers may be that they grant him his wish.)

Me: .......

Uh. Huuuh.

I think I'm eye rolling. Or maybe I even have a virtual hand on my virtual temple.

Not that I expected that everything suddenly is all smooth and fluffy or anything between the two. But this sounds a lot like part 2 is basically a repeat of the first part, just without the youthful innocence of teen confusion? Sounds a whole deal more exhausting, because now Hira should know better, at least on a book smart level, but looks like his worshiping and self-negating antics rather got worse instead. (At least compared to drama levels.) And Kiyoi may have now realized he needs to ask questions (that he doesn't like to ask) to get to know about what the hell Hira's thinking, but that makes it all that more of a test of patience with this utter communications disaster. And then his pretty legit qualms even get dismissed as tsundere-bragging. Poor guy.

(The free sample pages even have a color page quoting a scene from well close to the end of the novel, where Kiyoi has yet to stress again, that Hira's not looking at a God, but just him.)

Not sure, if I need this. It feels like that beautiful milestone from the last episode just gets, maybe not utterly erased, but effectively nullified for the most part. Hira saying that their dots haven't even closed in onto another even 1 mm is somehow just sad.

(In case the second novel isn't actually essentially cloning the dramatic arc of the first part, then these ads are doing a terrific job at not indicating this whatsoever.)

(Also pretty much realizing, how I'm invested in the show mostly on grounds of the drama's qualities of direction, acting, how it shortens the novel's wordiness (going by the sample pages) to more poignant crispness and how it does a lot of those "show, don't tell" flavors. Can't say that the drama CD performance is wowing me at all, nor does the novel's non-dialogue narrative or artwork draw me in.)

(Now I'm conflicted if I'd even want a second drama season...)

#ramblings #utsukushii kare #my beautiful man #nikurashii kare #my hateful man #novel #drama #drama cd #jdrama #translation #english translation

[julyarchives]

Baby, pull me closer || (M)

If you had ever believed in soulmates, it was because of Jo Jinho. When you were just hanging out at a bar with a few coworkers on a Friday night, the last thing you expected was to be confronted with your past.

→ A/n: Jinho x Female Reader

→ Genre: Angst; Smut

→ Words:  3K

→ Contains: Exes to Lovers; some angst; Talk about feelings; Break up.

→ A/n: We might have gotten carried away with the word count 😅 but we hope we could live up to the request! Thank you again for the anon who did it! We hope you all like it 🥰

If you had ever believed in soulmates, it was because of Jo Jinho. You two met in High School and were inseparable since day 1. He was your prince charming, the love of your life, your ride or die. Your life with him was a fairytale, and you caught yourself wondering so many times how lucky you were to have him in your life. You two worked hard to get into the same college and the time you spent there only made your connection stronger, and you knew it in you that you were his forever.

Which only made the break up more painful.

When you were offered the scholarship of your dreams, your first instinct was to go running to him and share the news, so you could celebrate together. But it was only seconds later that you stopped to think about everything that it would implicate. Jinho’s dream job required him to stay in the city and you would never want to be the person to make him give up everything for a relationship. You were selfish enough to put your goals first, but not selfish enough to rip him out of his.

So, after a lot of thinking, you made the most excruciating decision of your life.

“What do you mean? You can’t possibly be serious. You’re joking, right?” Jinho asked, voice trembling and tears pooling in the corner of his eyes.

The lump in your throat almost took your voice away, but you quickly swallowed it, convincing yourself that this was the only right decision.

“I told you, Jinho, I just don’t feel anything anymore. This relationship won’t work if I’m not in love with you. You deserve better, and it’s best if we break up now so you don’t get any more hurt. I don’t want to hurt you, Jinho.”

“Y/N, please” His tears fell freely now. He held you close by the waist, fists curling around the hem of your shirt “Please, don’t say this. I don’t believe you.”

He leaned his forehead against yours, and you closed your eyes, trying -and failing - to hold back your own tears.

“Please” he whispered

His lips grazed against yours and you let him kiss you, tasting the salty tears that were completely unrestrained by now.

“I’m sorry” was the last thing you whispered before leaving without looking back. Completely heartbroken at the sound of him calling your name in between sobs.

That’s why when you hear his voice calling your name again, almost 2 years later, you almost couldn’t believe your ears.

You were just hanging out at a bar with a few coworkers on a Friday night, the last thing you expected was to be confronted with your past.

“Jinho?” you turned around, knowing who you would see.

You always thought Jinho was the most beautiful man you’ve ever seen, and it is not like you haven’t checked his social media after the break up, but nothing had prepared you for the way he looked in front of you.

So much had passed, so obviously he looked way more mature than the last time you actually saw him in person, with traces you couldn’t see over a photo, but adorned his face like it had always been there, and only complemented his charming self.

The suit and glasses added to it as well, but what made your heart stop was the smile. It was like traveling back in time, to when you could see him everyday in comfortable sweatpants and loose T-shirts, playing guitar by the window of his apartment, the golden dawn light shimmering on his skin.

Your daze was broken as he approached and you tried to find anything to say at all, but it felt like you forgot each and every word in your own language.

“Hey” was all that came out of you, and you cursed yourself mentally for being a grown ass woman acting like a teenager again.

"I did not expect to see you here." he said, a confused look on his face

"Yeah, I live here now." You offered a smile, but you were actually nervous thinking how living in this city is basically what broke you two up.

"Nice to know I'll have a familiar face around! I got a job here now, I just moved in"

"Really?" You were surprised "congratulations on the new job"

"Thank you" He smiled in return, eyes turning into crescent moons "since we're here, would you like to grab something to drink? I would love to catch up with you"

You always thought of getting in touch with Jinho over the years. Every time you thought of him or checked him online, you thought of texting. What actually stopped you was the thought that what you did was unforgivable and he probably hated you after you ignored the many times he tried to reach you after you told him you wanted to break up. The last time you saw each other was when you went to return his stuff, and get yours' from him, and that did not go well. You two barely looked at each other and you don't ever remember saying anything, but you couldn't forget how heartbroken he was.

It threw you completely off guard when invited you to catch up because you expected him to hate your guts. But then again, it was a long time ago, he probably was over it, like you were. At least you thought so.

"Sure, why not?" You answered shyly.

He led you both to a table while your coworkers grinned at you, and you silently shushed them.

The conversation started a little awkward, both of you walking on eggshells to avoid the "ex" subject. You caught up eventually, and you were glad to know that he actually achieved the job he always wanted and was very focused on his career, and he was happy to know that the same happened to you.

Before you two realized, the conversation was flowing easily, and you were laughing together and messing with each other, feeling like nothing actually changed between you two. The connection was still there and you honestly felt happy about it.

When the bartender warned about the last call Jinho offered to share a cab home with you because it was already late, and you gladly accepted it, just so you could stretch the time spent with him.

"I'm glad we ran into each other" he said like he could read your thoughts.

"Me too, I'm having a lot of fun." You admitted, you two reaching the front door of your house.

"I gotta be honest, though, I thought we wouldn't see each other again." He said with a half-smile "the way that things happened with us…"

"Yeah, I know…" you gently interrupted, too embarrassed to bring that up "But I'm happy to see you, really. I didn't even see the time passing."

"Right?" He agreed "it ended too fast."

"I might have a bottle of wine we can open if you would like to come in" your mouth ran faster than your brain, and you felt really stupid for asking that like you were pushing some kind of limit there.

You felt a little more comfortable when he didn't take long to make up his mind and accepted your invitation.

You entered your house and kicked your heels off to the side while you heard Jinho closing the door behind himself.

Out of a sudden, you felt too shy to look at him, so you kept yourself busy with other stuff.

You tried to take your coat off, but the collar got caught in your necklace's chain, and you simply couldn't undo it yourself.

"Here, let me." Jinho promptly helped, gently untangling it.

He went further and pushed the coat off of your shoulders delicately, his fingers grazing on your bare skin exposed from your sleeveless dress. His knuckles ran all the way down your arms and you were too aware of his body next to yours, goosebumps rising on your skin when his warm breath hit the back of your neck.

"Please tell me you don't have a boyfriend." He whispered, his fingers grazing on your waist while he stood behind you.

Your breath got caught in your throat and you knew the implications of that question. You also knew that what he was suggesting, you wanted just as much.

"No, I don't." Your voice was just a barely audible whisper

You almost couldn't finish your sentence when his grasp on your waist tightened and he spun you around, pulling you closer to him, chest to chest, and his lips didn't hesitate to find yours.

Your body reciprocated him in a reflex that comes with a habit, like you never were not used to having him holding you like that.

The kiss was hungry and desperate, your hand messing his hair while he explored every new curve of your body, grasping for any skin he could find.

Jinho pressed you against the wall, trapping you in between the surface and his body. He wrapped one hand around your leg, lifting it up and squeezing up the hem of your dress, his kisses trailing down your neck.

"Fuck, I wanted to do this since I first laid eyes on you." He whispered against your ear before sucking a spot just under it.

All you could answer was a breathy moan, leaning your body to press harder against him.

You took your time exploring his body and couldn't help but notice that his muscles grew stronger as you grazed your nails on his toned chest.

He grinded his hips forward, and you could already feel a semi-hard growing in his pants, the thought of it making you clench in anticipation.

You chased after his lips again, never having enough of it, nibbling at the plump bottom lip that you always loved

"Bedroom?" You whispered in between kisses, your breath already heavy.

Jinho only nodded eagerly, and you held his hand while walking down the hall.

As soon as he figured out the way he was all over you again, backing you up until the back of your knees hit the edge of your bed and he didn't stop kissing you as you both settled on the soft mattress, every touch of his was very rough and commanding.

He kneeled up and you watched him discard his shirt carelessly, the sight making your mouth water. You bit your bottom lip, admiring his body, and he smirks proudly.

Next thing you know he's grabbing you by the hips and pulling you closer to him, making you slide down the sheets and yelp in surprise.

"You've changed" you addressed his manhandling with a naughty tone to it.

"You have no idea" his husky voice hit your ears like music, a tone as mischievous as the grin on his lips.

He pulled your dress up, off of your body, and you followed his lead without hesitating. Your panties were next and soon enough your hands were opening his fly and button, only letting go so he could get his pants and boxer off.

Jinho kissed you again and you moaned. You didn't think you'd ever need him this much again but you could feel your body trembling for him with only kisses. He pulled away and stood there, heavy breathing, eyes focusing on your every detail.

"I never thought I'd have you like this again", he seemed so sincere that made your heart ache.

"You do now", was all you could say before his hands were all over you. Gently caressing from your shoulder to your thighs, his strong hands guiding your legs to be around his waist.

"I don't think I can wait much more. '' Jinho didn't seem pleased with himself, staring at your chest instead of your face. You could see his hard shaft twitching whenever your skin rose up in goosebumps to his touch but the wetness between your legs was not any better.

"Please…".

Before you could say anything else, Jinho was already touching you, hands firmly grasping your breasts and squeezing, playing with your nipples while slowly grinding against you, his dick moving easily against your folds with how slick you were.

He groaned when you moved your hips back, hands exploring his toned chest and arms, touching all parts of him you could reach. You missed him so much that all these years apart only made you desperate to have him.

You were the one who moved lower and grabbed his member, smirking when he groaned lowly. You guided him to your entrance without a word, knowing you wouldn't be able to say anything. Jinho thankfully went along with it, letting go of your breasts and supporting himself with his hands on top of you while slowly entering you.

It felt like the world stopped. He felt so good inside, filling you up completely. Both of you moaned, his forehead leaning against yours. When he moved, you couldn't stop looking at him, his intense eyes and mouth open, his arms flexing from the movements, his hair already messy. Jinho was perfect and you wished you never let go. Looking back into his eyes, you could see he was watching you just the same and soon enough he was moving intensely with you, never breaking eye contact.

Everything started so easily and so intimate but even then it surprised you when you realized you two weren't just going on a nostalgic casual fuck. Jinho was making love to you, moving gently but also hitting your spot perfectly, his muscles flexing in the most delectable way. Your hands rested on his waist, caressing the skin as much as you could while you both moved, too deep in the moment to realize you didn't let go of each other's forehead.

It didn't take long for you to feel the fire burning hotter inside of you, the pleasure being too intense, and feeling a white-hot shock through your body. Neither of you said anything, your moaning, and heavy breathing filling your room in the most sensual way possible. One of your hands moved to his chest, right above his heart and his eyes widened. Jinho picked up his movements, chasing his orgasm as yours took over your body, making you arch and move closer to his body.

Thankfully you had recovered seconds later, just in time to see, and feel Jinho climaxing, his eyes squeezed shut and a low deep grunt falling off his lips beautifully. He laid gently on top of you and kissed you again, deep and longingly. When you pulled back, you couldn't help the bright smile you gave him, a soft giggle falling off your lips at the feeling of him in your arms again. Unfortunately, Jinho only half-smiled back and your guts twisted.

"I think we need to talk".

You could only manage a small "yeah", your smile died down. You pointed at the corridor, getting up after his nod. You didn't take long in the bathroom, too anxious to hear him out but also dreading what was about to come. You picked a sweater from the bathroom that surely wasn't supposed to be there and came back to the room.

Jinho was laying down in your bed, boxers back in place, and had half of his body covered with your comfy blanket. He was fidgeting with the hem of the blanket and you knew he was nervous as well.

"I felt cold, I hope you don't mind", he said with a shy smile.

"Of course not", you said, moving to lay with him under the blanket. He moved until he was laying on his side facing you, you mirroring his position.

"So", you both said at the same and that got a nervous laugh out of both of you. You motioned for him to go first.

"Why?", Jinho said, looking into your eyes. "Why did you leave me back then? Be honest this time, please".

"I-", you froze. You knew he'd say something about that but why was he so sure you lied? "How do you know I was lying?"

"We were perfect, Y/N", his voice was soft, his eyes gleaming. "We were in love and we fit perfectly together. You made me believe in soulmates, I felt like I would spend my life with you. And I know you felt the same".

"My scholarship", you said bluntly. "I couldn't have you give up your life for my dream and I knew you'd do it. I couldn't let go of my dream scholarship but I could never let you jeopardize yours".

Jinho closed his eyes briefly and breathed deeply slowly. Your eyes were filled with tears suddenly, a lot of feelings coming back at once. Regret, love, sorrow, how you missed him.

"I don't know if I feel relieved or even more hurt", he chuckled but you both couldn't see the humor. "I mean, I was sure you loved me but you were so hurtful that I was starting to believe you never actually even liked me".

"No!", you sit up quickly, eyes wide. "I thought it was the only option but I never stopped loving you", you blurted out.

"You… what?"Jinho sat up too then, slowly but surely.

"I know I made a mess and hurt you, but I always loved you when we were together, loved you when I broke up with you and… I honestly think I never got over you completely".

Jinho moved as if he could scare you off at any second. He slowly lifted his hands, thumbs wiping away the tears that fell. It only made you want to run. You had hurt him so much and even then he was taking care of you.

"I'm here now. I- I don't think we can go back to how we were even if we tried. It hurt too much and I don't think we are still the same person we were", he moved until his face was inches away from yours. "I feel the same and always did. I want to heal, I want to help you heal too".

Nodding, you moved to kiss him and sighed in relief when kissed you back.

"We can be friends", you said, lips moving always completely against his. "We can learn about each other again, I can redeem myself", you finished the sentence with a small kiss on his lips and he laughed.

"Friends that may kiss?"

"Friends that definitely will kiss".

#ksmutclub #jinho #smut #exes to lovers #jinho x reader #jo jinho #pentagon jinho #pentagon imagines #pentagon imagine #pentagon scenarios #pentagon #kpop pentagon #pentagon smut #kpop scenarios #kpop scenario #kpop writing #kpop smut #kpop angst #kpop story #kpop fanfic #kpop

[nuclearnerves]

INCOMING VAMPIRE AU THOUGHTS

Don't mind me I'm finally getting the ideas I had on this shit out so I can actually go forward with developing it as an AU. It's my usual mixup of fps protags, Gordon Guy and John, but I'm starting with Gordon as the Vampire and Guy as the Vampire Hunter.

absolute beast of a wall of text under the cut

What If Being A Vampire Literally Sucks All The Time Forever like chronic pain sucks. like THAT level of sucks. Like Here's what I was thinking of. Being a vampire isn't just "being alive forever but you need to drink human blood" It's like Oh man I have some lore you look at vampires and their main thing is that they're blood suckers right so lets start with a corpse dead body. cadaver. no longer with us. just some rotting meat. The brain needs oxygen as fuel. The blood supplies the oxygen through blood. The blood is pumped through the heart. The blood is made by your bone marrow. You die. Your heart stops beating Blood stops pumping Brain no longer has oxygen to think marrow stops making blood thats standard! Now, becoming undead, as a vampire, is a little more complicated. The long and short of it is: your body is FIGHTING ACTIVELY to be alive against all odds and wins every time (immortality), but it hurts the whole way

I have the gist of it. It's like. Your heart stops. By all means, you should be dead. but the magic kicks in, and you're still thinking. Your brain is still sending signals to your muscles to move. But using what oxygen to move? whats burning in you? You don't know but you know it's just enough to get to your next meal. So you ferociously eat something, and then find you can't swallow. You can't make saliva. You barely have the energy to chew, and once you DO get something in your stomach, it immediately comes back up. Why can't you feel your pulse? What's going on? You're out of options so you figure you might as well just lie down and die. You're too tired to keep going anyway. So you do, you lie down, and you close your eyes, and you quietly hope that death is as peaceful as sleep. You realize you've actually been moving around without breathing, which makes sense because you can barely flex your diaphragm for more than a shaky wheeze. How are you thinking with such little oxygen? But as you fade from consciousness, you can feel something in you, and it's so upset, it's crying, it's filled with grief, and you instantly can tell it's your skeleton. It's your bones. You're distraught down to your marrow. You're dying. You're dying! Your heart stopped and you have no more blood! You need blood! You need blood to move! To breathe! To think! You try to breath deep again for the voices in your bones, trying to comfort them, to sooth them with the repetitive motion in your lungs, trying to fill yourself with anything but grief, but they keep wailing. We make the blood, our creation, our child, what we put all of our work into is gone! gone! gone! We need it back! Anything! All of it! Find it! Bring it back to us! We're hungry! WE'RE HUNGRY!

and once you find yourself too exhausted to listen, to think, how badly you wish just to die already to cease hearing this wailing, you find your body moving without you. And it's hungry and it's searching and it's crawling on all fours and it misses its beautiful red life that made it feel so full before and it needs it back, and the next thing you know you're desperately grabbing anything with blood in it and shoving it in your mouth in a desperate attempt to sooth this cry for life, you don't want to die, you don't want to die, you worked so hard to keep up this body and craft it and LIVE with it and you're not going to go, and even when you try, even when you try to lay down and die, your body refuses, it takes the reigns, and it keeps up the work itself with or without your help. And it's not until your stomach is full and your teeth are stained and you feel a pulsating burning in your bones that you snap back awake, completely conscious, just fine. You're lucid, you don't feel any more pain. Everything around you is dead and drained and messy and your heart still isn't beating. but you can breathe now and holy shit you guess you literally need to kill to survive and the less you eat and the more you starve yourself the worse it gets when your body finally decides to take recourse.

my idea was like. "the vampires curse is actually stored in the bones, thats why the teeth get so sharp and also theres a connection between blood and bones with the creation via bone marrow" its literally like i was sitting there thinking "no no no, whats it like to be a vampire. what neurosis would you develop. How would you panic? What are common mistakes beginner vampires make" which, by the way, gordon is a beginner vampire

so now you gotta factor, what blood lasts for how long? how long can you go between meals? not only that, but what creatures satisfy the urge? How long can you go avoiding human blood? Does it work like drugs where you develop a resistance to the high, or is it like food where it will keep you moving until you eat again? How the fuck are you gonna get your hands on blood? Can you just eat raw meat? Does that count? and thats where im at lol

OKAY now. now thoughts on beginning scenes of vampire au

So my idea was this Doomguy is a vampire hunter independent and one of his buds says that some freak scared and almost attacked his daughter when she got too close to his old abandoned laboratory up the hill and hes like “he might be… you know… a problem. if you needed a lead” and guys like yeah i fuckin hate the undead ill kill this dude so he busts into old lab space and sees so many dead animals its actually mostly Bones and pelt that hes seeing piles of feathers etc so hes like yeah this is all telltale signs of vampire uhhh hes introduced to gordon SOMEHOW im not totally sure of the details but the working idea i have is guy falls into a trap gordon devised that restrains him suspended in wire or something and gordon like. limps/stumbles into the room and this dude looks haggard he’s breathing heavy, his cheeks are hollow, he’s bug-eyed and shaking while looking at this massive wall of meat in his trap and he bares a bunch of hideous teeth and grits them and looks like hes really struggling with somethin... Like if these dudes don't know each other then Gordon might give in and try to drain Guy, and Guy would absolutely do anything in his power to turn this new vampire into ash, im thinking the inclusion if g-man as a coven leader can fix both issues.

i like the idea of guy falling into gordons trap and gordon thinking about what to do with him before gman shows up and whisks gordon away for a “meeting” while complimenting him on his good work catching the most feared vampire hunter in the country and gman just leaving guy suspended in wires that he has to fight his way out of. Instant situation defuser.

Guy ends up needing to take care of other monsters before going back to Gordon, and he DOES plan to go back to gordon, because no vampire is a good one, especially not one associated with the fucking head of a coven, but next time he sees Gordon, Gordon helps him out of a scrape by attacking and draining a combine who was going to take Guy out or something and escaping before Guy can catch him, or otherwise seeing Gordon do something good with his insane undead powers and like, the third time he meets up with him is when they can actually talk, and Gordons fuckin SO haggard, he’s not even fighting back and he’s even going as far as to say “just make sure theres nothing of me left when you’re done, I don’t want anyone else getting hurt”

Side Note: Guy has a bunch of scarring on his body from dealing with vampires, cops, ghosts, werewolves, anything violent that kills people. I'm playing with the inkling of an idea that he has Divine Blood in him, so that any time something undead bites him or tries to drink his blood, it burns. We'll see.

Side Note 2: now i really like the idea of the combine actually being an organized faction of vampire hunters that are WICKED crooked and exploit people for all their worth in exchange for their “safety” when they kill a vampire They’re essentially loansharks and Guy fucking hates them and hates the name theyve given to vampire hunting

Side Note 3: You've probably noticed that I haven't said anything about John yet! He's in this too. His species is a surprise but I need to get to him later I have an idea for where he came from (Cortana too)

I still need a good reason for Guy to not instantly kill this vampire, if not it's just gonna be "Gordon Freeman escapes the countrys best vampire hunter like a seventh time" every time they meet and they end up being rivals. And it gives Guy enough time to look past the whole "undead monster" thing and start looking at the "Oh this dude figured out how to fight his ridiculous craving for blood in a way more humane than most and is actually staying out of peoples way and keeping to himself. Guess he's not that big of a threat but I still need to keep an eye on him in case he loses it. Turns out he's got a family (Probably Alyx, Eli, Issac and Barney) who's been lookin for him and cares about him as well, don't wanna hurt them". I like the idea of them ending up needing to team up to take out undead together.

And that's what I got so far!!!

#freeguy #gordon freeman #doomguy #vampire au #freeguy117

[neopoint]

!! you studied ecology:00 that is one of the majors i was interested in studying ^^ it's such a cool science, i would love to hear about your favorite ecology topics!

i did yes, one of the majors in my double major was ecology/evo bio! it is such a cool science i'm happy you're interested in it, i definitely do recommend taking some courses even if you don't pick it as a major ^v^

i have so many favourite topics honestly!!! other than just the idea of all living things being more closely tied together and reliant on each other through ecological relationships than people think like that post said bc that's def my top one, i think one of my other favourites that i took a course for was physiological ecology, because it was so fascinating to see the very specific ways in which physiological processes in organisms are matched with their environment, and in the current day, how environmental changes can be incompatible with certain physiological adaptations. a case study animal that we looked at in that course that i wrote a short article on (and one that was also one of the mascot organisms of my first ever course in that major that we're all required to take lol) is the american pika - they're actually thermal specialists and well adapted to a cold narrow alpine niche, but that niche as you can imagine is disappearing with climate change as temperatures go higher and higher, and there is only so much they can move upwards in altitude in search of cooler temperatures because mountains well... end

they have a super high metabolic rate and they're actually a part of the lagomorph family (rabbits) which was so shocking to me because i assumed they must be a rodent of some kind!!!!!!!! they lack the distinctive bunny ears because longer ears radiate out more heat so they have tiny ones and a super round body to conserve their heat 🥺 in the summer months they usually find cooler spots under talus rock formations to avoid overheating, and in cases where they're unable to find cooler temperatures, they literally will die because they cannot form a metabolic response in high temperatures and the heat stress is too intense even at a temp as low as 25C (which is also like #me bc i hate any temperature above 23). this means that they are becoming an endangered species unfortunately, and we also learned about so many other types of specialists that have gone or will go extinct as the face of the environment changes rapidly under anthropogenic causes, because the rate at which we change things is much much more rapid than the rate at which species genetically adapt to their surroundings, and they are often way more specifically adapted to a niche than ppl would expect so they can't just move. that niche also includes other species that they've coexisted with and not just the physical environment, the removal of one member of the system can cause collapse of other species too, even just looking at trophic levels and predator-prey interactions on a rougher scale (which also starts to go into behavioural ecology). everything in the natural world is connected in so many ways!

okay i was gonna try to talk about some other topics and maybe link a few papers but i think i rambled enough already JGFJSFSHBSDFF im so sorry 😭 i love healthcare too obviously but i miss learning about this stuff quite a lot. i just think it's beautiful how every creature is made for where it lives and also incredibly tragic that we disrupt ecological processes the way we do when indigenous groups were able to live as members of these environments in harmony for so long. anyways probably a boring rant to anyone else but i promise ecology is actually really really interesting!!!!!!

#thank u for asking.... i enjoyed getting to talk about it <3 #asks #kuzuhaz