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misshoneybee · 2 years

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⟣ 𝐼. 𝑊𝐸 𝐿𝐸𝐴𝑅𝑁 𝑇𝑂 𝐿𝐼𝑉𝐸 𝑊𝐼𝑇𝐻 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝑃𝐴𝐼𝑁 ⟢

Part II: These are the Hands of Fate Part III: You're My Achilles Heel ( each part serves as something of a soft reboot so it’s not completely necessary to read parts i and ii first, but it’s strongly recommended! )

❧ Summary | Being Tony Stark's goddaughter, Maggie Hall should have known better than to believe that her life could ever be normal. After half of the universe was snapped out of existence, she moved into the Avenger's Compound to assist in repairing the havoc that had been wreaked on the world, but she never could have known what was to come when Steve Rogers walked into her life. In the midst of the chaos and tragedy, the last things that she ever expected to find were friendship or love but maybe every cloud had a silver lining...at least for a while. Falling in love isn't always easy—it can be quite cruel, really, but the result only makes it more worth the pain, doesn't it?

❧ Genre | Romance, angst, fluff, drama, minimal smut (in this part), mostly canon-compliant story-telling

❧ Pairings | Post-Infinity War!Steve Rogers x Original Female Character, Minor Original Male Character x Original Female Character

❧ Wordcount | ~ 67.3k

❧ Overall Warnings | Mature content, explicit language, canon-typical violence/injury, themes of mental illness (depression, anxiety, ocd, ptsd)

❧ Author's Note | I have reduced the number of chapters in this by combining some of them although, the content is unchanged. Likewise, the spotify playlist reflects the original twenty chapters. Also, I've dropped Easter eggs for the plot ahead through allusions to Taylor Swift lyrics throughout the story, so have fun with that.

❧ Disclaimers | Dividers are by firefly-graphics. If you are a minor, or do not have your age in your bio, and I catch you interacting with this, you will be blocked. If you believe you were blocked unfairly, send me an ask with your url to resolve the issue.

⟣ 𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑃𝑇𝐸𝑅𝑆 ⟢

i. My Kingdom Come Undone ii. Pourin’ Out My Heart to a Stranger But I Didn’t Pour the Whiskey iii. The Devil’s in the Details But You Got a Friend in Me iv. You Drew Stars Around My Scars But Now I’m Bleeding v. The Way You Move is Like a Full-On Rainstorm and I’m a House of Cards vi. Hold On to the Memories, They Will Hold On to You vii. So Dust Off Your Highest Hopes viii. If One Thing Had Been Different, Would Everything Be Different Today? ⋆ ix. Did I Close My Fist Around Something Delicate? Did I Shatter You x. This is Me Praying That This Was the Very First Page

⋆ denotes sexually explicit material. minors, dni.

⟣ 𝐿𝐼𝑁𝐾𝑆 ⟢

❧ Original Character Biography ❧ Series Masterpost ❧ Masterpost ❧ Playlists ❧ AO3 ❧ Wattpad

#steve rogers series #steve rogers #steve rogers smut #steve rogers fanfiction #original female character #marvel fanfic #original character #mcu fanfiction #marvel fanfiction #mcu fanfic #steve rogers x oc #steve rogers x reader #steve rogers x original character #steve rogers x original female character #maddie writes #maddie's masterposts #misshoneybee: mosaic broken hearts #completed fic #mine

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wangshuus · 3 years

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time is an illusion | venti

pairing: venti/gn!reader

genre: angst+fluff

wc: 1.4k

summary: time was never an issue to the bard until you stepped into his life.

note: this is my venti summoning post. i’m emptying my wallet. please come home!! i wanted to do this concept for zhongli but v e n t i summoning. if anyone wants a zhongli version, tell me and i’ll consider. also idk what the hell i was writing i just brainrotted and slapped on whatever but please take this as my offering ;’)

lightly proof read, please excuse any errors

fic below the cut.

On the surface, Venti is known as the happy-go-lucky bard, his tunes travelling through the wind to be shared with all who care to listen but behind the easygoing facade of the joyous bard, there lived a lone Anemo Archon. Venti has been alone for as long as he could remember, encountering the few that would stay little longer than others. He is one to be appreciative of his encounters with others but most of the time, he took these encounters very lightly, keeping a form of distance between everyone despite his welcoming and carefree nature. In truth, there was always a small fear that bubbled within him at the thought of getting close to mortals. His memories served as nothing but a bittersweet reminder of the times he spent with those who he held close and although the thought of them makes him flutter with joy, he had to remind himself that they are nothing but memories now.

The Windborne Bard is free-spirited, following the winds wherever they led him and one fateful day, they led him to you. He remembers the first time he encountered you, a peaceful soul that roamed around the lands of Mondstadt, finding your figure gathering Cecelias around Starsnatch Cliff, an area ways away from the city that you resided in. He went up to you that day, striking up a conversation about the pretty white flowers that littered the cliff. From that day forward, both your fates had intertwined in a way that Venti never would’ve expected.

The two of you both sat underneath the large tree in Windrise, the leaves shielding you two from the beaming rays of sunlight. The bard strung the string of his lyre that formed a lovely tune that ended up lulling you to sleep as you rested your head on his shoulder. After your first encounter, you and the bard had formed quite the close relationship, so much so that you became his partner, his companion and his joy. As much as he loved to think about how you were his, he couldn’t help but think about the way your mortal self could so easily slip between his fingers.

For so long, the concept of time was something that Venti needed not to worry about. He had lived through so much of it and he had so much of it to live through as well so it was never really on his mind too often. It was only after he met you that time became somewhat of a concern for him. It was no secret that time was unforgiving to all, even the Archon himself. He’s seen many things come and go within his lifetime and for the most part, he’s had no problem with letting things go when the time comes but his heart hurts with the thought of letting you go. He didn’t want your smiles, your voice, your laughter or anything about you to become a memory to him. He didn’t want you to become nothing but a mere memory.

He felt your form stirr awake as his shoulder felt lighter when you straightened up and turned to look at him for a moment before speaking.

“Hey what happened? Is something wrong? You stopped playing.” You softly spoke out, your voice a bit groggy from your nap.

Venti hadn’t even realized he had gotten so lost in thought that he had stopped playing.

“Ah, I’m sorry for waking you dear but worry not, there’s nothing to fear.” He cheekily said with a small grin quickly forming on his face to cover up the underlying somber look he had when he was unknowingly lost in thought.

“Ah-ah don’t give me that. I know that look you have when you’re actually thinking about something serious. A penny for your thoughts perhaps?” You spoke.

“Just… thinking about the future you could say.” He softly spoke out. You frowned at his words and tone of voice.

“Venti, you know we’ve had this conversation about the future before. Need I remind you what we’ve talked about?”

“Yes I’m aware and I know. It is hard not to think about from time to time though.” He spoke again, setting down his lyre in the spot beside him. Your hand going for one of his own and lacing your fingers together. You begin to speak again.

“Everyone’s perception of time is different and I’m sure you’re greatly aware of that fact. Y’know, time feels like an illusion sometimes?” You said. Venti gave you a questioning look.

“There are times where the present feels like the only thing that exists. Everything in the now is the only thing to exist since by definition, what we consider to be the past and what we consider to be the future is nonexistent. The thoughts of the past and future are merely an inaccurate depiction of what the present was like and what it will be so virtually, they don’t exist, right? That’s what some people might think. It seems rather cruel to think about time like that, especially if time were to make a good thing end.” You trailed off.

“Ah I’m rambling but that’s besides the point. I find myself to be the kind of person to live in the present but I don’t wish to disregard the existence of the past and future rather, I’d like to enjoy the moments and time we have together now since those are the times that I find are most precious to me.” You said as you smiled softly at him before continuing.

“It’s ok to think about what happened in the past and what will happen in the future but don’t let the worries of the two override the now. Let’s live in the present together so we don’t have to worry about what happened or what’s going to happen.” Your hand gripped onto his a little tighter.

“However, if there ever does come a day where something unfavourable happens, don’t fret. I like to believe every moment and event is fixed in time and is all equally important, even if we cannot directly experience any of it again. If our time and experiences become something of the past, they will remain forever, unchanging, perhaps timeless is a better word to use. I wish for all those experiences and the feeling felt within that time to stay as true as the time it happened, even if it becomes only a memory. Nonetheless, I’ll continue to love you in every lifetime I have because I can’t imagine loving anyone else but you, even in a different life.” You stated before going in to place a soft kiss on the side of his cheek.

The bard’s eyes were glossed over as he felt like he had to hold himself back from letting the waterworks fall from your heartfelt words. Your hand gently grazed one of his cheeks as if you were ready to wipe away the tears if they were to begin falling.

“My, I’m so sorry. Don’t start crying please.” You wailed out as Venti chuckles.

“It’s ok my dear, though it’s hard not to cry. Your words felt so sincere, but for you, I’ll try.” he said as he chuckled more to suppress his tears.

“Don’t cry over me. Especially if I die because I’ll personally come back and haunt you.” You jokingly said before peppering his face in light kisses. In that moment, the soft winds kissed your own cheeks as the two of you basked in each other's presence.

Though Venti’s memories may not be the happiest, and his fight with time still ensues, he promises to himself that that’ll you and your moments together will shine brightly like the stars in his memories. He’ll bring down the arm that keeps himself at a distance to everyone else and pull you into his life. He’ll never regret loving you because you blessed him with the joy of being loved in a way he never thought he’d feel in his life. You will be the one that remains timeless and eternal in his memories, and he’ll continue to love you for all his time, again and again.

---

The wind blew gently as the bard made his way up to the very edge of Starsnatch Cliff, looking beyond the view before averting his attention at the area below him at his feet. He sat down, beginning to strum a soft tune on his lyre, the music being carried with the winds as the tune went on.

“We will happen again and again.” He sang softly to the grey stone in front of him with your name carefully engraved on it with fresh Cecelias decorating the patch.

“You and I will always be back then.”

this part doesn’t exist. aint seen a thing.

also cookie for anyone that knows the song ref 😌❤️

#genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact fanfiction #fanfic #fanfiction #genshin impact reader insert #genshin venti #gi venti #venti x you #venti x reader

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genshin-impact-updates · 3 years

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Version 2.0 "The Immovable God and the Eternal Euthymia" Update Details(Part 2)

For Part 1, Click Here

V. New Quests

1. New Archon Quests

Archon Quest "Chapter II: Act I - The Immovable God and the Eternal Euthymia"

Archon Quest "Chapter II: Act II - "Stillness, the Sublimation of Shadow"

◇ Beidou's Crux Fleet is almost done with their supply and preparation work in Liyue. As promised, the fleet is ready to take you through the thunderstorms to Inazuma.

The Traveler never stops for long. Now is as good a time as any to embrace destiny and set sail for the land engulfed by storm and tempest... The nation of "eternity"!

◆ Archon Quests "Chapter II: Act I - The Immovable God and the Eternal Euthymia" and "Chapter II: Act II - Stillness, the Sublimation of Shadow" will be permanently available after the Version 2.0 update.

◆ Archon Quest "Chapter II: Act I - The Immovable God and the Eternal Euthymia" Unlock Criteria:

• Adventure Rank 30 or above

• Complete the Archon Quest "Chapter II: Prologue - Autumn Winds, Scarlet Leaves"

◆ Archon Quest "Chapter II: Act II - Stillness, the Sublimation of Shadow" Unlock Criteria:

• Adventure Rank 30 or above

• Complete the Archon Quest "Chapter II: Act I - The Immovable God and the Eternal Euthymia"

• Complete the Kamisato Ayaka Story Quest "Grus Nivis Chapter: Act I - The Whispers of the Crane and the White Rabbit"

• Complete the Yoimiya Story Quest "Carassius Auratus Chapter: Act I - Dreamlike Timelessness"

After the Version 2.0 update, the Unlock Criteria for certain quests will be adjusted as follows:

● The Unlock Criteria for Archon Quest Chapter I: Act II will be adjusted to Adventure Rank 25 or above (originally Adventure Rank 29 or above)

● The Unlock Criteria for Archon Quest Chapter I: Act III will be adjusted to Adventure Rank 28 or above (originally Adventure Rank 35 or above)

● The Unlock Criteria for World Quest "Bough Keeper: Dainsleif" will be adjusted to Adventure Rank 28 or above (originally Adventure Rank 36 or above)

● The Unlock Criteria for Archon Quest Chapter I: Act IV will be adjusted to Adventure Rank 28 or above (originally Adventure Rank 36 or above)

*Of which, the level of monsters in Archon Quest Chapter I: Act II will be adjusted to Lv. 30 (originally Lv. 35). The rest of the adjustments made are adjustments to the player's Adventure Rank for the Quest Unlock Criteria, while other Unlock Criteria and quest rewards remain unchanged.

2. New Story Quests

Kamisato Ayaka's Story Quest "Grus Nivis Chapter: Act I - The Whispers of the Crane and the White Rabbit"

Yoimiya's Story Quest "Carassius Auratus Chapter: Act I - Dreamlike Timelessness"

◆ "Grus Nivis Chapter" and "Carassius Auratus Chapter" will be permanently available after the Version 2.0 update

◆ "Grus Nivis Chapter" and "Carassius Auratus Chapter" Quest Unlock Criteria:

• Adventure Rank 30 or above

• Complete the Archon Quest "Chapter II: Act I - The Immovable God and the Eternal Euthymia"

*The "Grus Nivis Chapter" and "Carassius Auratus Chapter" Story Quests will not require a Story Key to unlock.

3. New World Quests

◆ New World Quests: "The Art of Horticulture," "Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual," "A Strange Story in Konda," "Sacrificial Offering," "Hayashi of Tanuki in the Forest," "Cleansing Defilement," "Yougou Cleansing"

"The Farmer's Treasure," "Hiromi's Watch," "Gourmet Supremos, Assemble!," "The Gourmet Supremos: The Seashore Strider," "The Gourmet Supremos: The Deep Divers," "The Seventh Samurai," "Tatara Tales," "Sakura Arborism," "Dreams of Sword Art," "Orobashi's Legacy," "Fate of a Fighter," "Gazing Three Thousand Miles Away," "Treatment on the Island," "Sinister Instruction," "Yae Publishing House's Invitation," "Chisato's Letter," "O Archon, Have I Done Right?," "International Travel Log," "Home Lies Over the Ocean," "In Another Land," "Battle of Revenge," "The Gourmet Supremos: The Importance of Eating Well," "The Gourmet Supremos: On the Road," "Pizza From Another Land," and "The Ritou Road."

VI. New Monsters

Pyro Hypostasis

◇ Elemental creatures who protect themselves from incoming attack with their durable shell.

Has two states: Ignited and Extinguished. Extinguishing it with the right elemental reactions will give you an opportunity to strike.

Located at Kannazuka

Perpetual Mechanical Array

◇ A strange, alien machine.

They say that it is a war machine left behind by a nation that has already been destroyed. Composed of several different parts, it can adapt to its combat environment and employ a variety of attacks. It can even split and summon several different kinds of Ruin Sentinels.

Located at Narukami Island

Nobushi: Jintouban, Nobushi: Hitsukeban, Nobushi: Kikouban, Kairagi: Fiery Might, Kairagi: Dancing Thunder

◇ Samurai who have fallen into banditry.

They possess highly advanced martial art skills but use these well-honed skills for banditry, making them dangerous enemies.

Ruin Cruiser, Ruin Destroyer, Ruin Defender, Ruin Scout

◇ Various bizarrely-shaped machines that have taken different forms and functions.

Legend has it that they were war machines left behind by a nation that has now been destroyed. The design of these ruin machines has greater value in the study of biomimesis than the more common Ruin Guards.

Fatui - Mirror Maiden

◇ A Fatui mage from Snezhnaya who can command a Hydro Mirror in battle.

Willing to do anything to achieve their goals, they are the stark opposite of the dignity indicated by the title "Maiden." They definitely will not let their prey escape from the Hydro Mirror created from a Delusion.

In addition, monsters such as Electro Hilichurl Grenadier, Electro Samachurl, Crackling Axe Mitachurl, Electro Abyss Mage, Thunderhelm Lawachurl, and Electro Whopperflower have been added.

VII. Other Additions

● Gameplay

1. New Special Weapon Wish Mechanic — Epitomized Path

· Once you have charted a course towards your chosen weapon, you will obtain 1 Fate Point upon receiving a 5-star weapon that is not the one that you chose. You can obtain a maximum of 2 Fate Points.

· Once you have accumulated enough Fate Points, your next 5-star weapon will be the one you chose through "Epitomized Path."

· Your Fate Points will be reset upon obtaining an "Epitomized Path" weapon during this "Epitome Invocation."

· If you do not choose a weapon, wishes will not accumulate Fate Points.

· You can change or cancel your selection. This will reset your accumulated Fate Points.

· When this "Epitome Invocation" ends, your accumulated Fate Points will also be reset.

2. Adventurer Handbook - The Commission Quests: Region Selection feature has been added for commissions

3. New Gadgets:

Seed Dispensary: A special container obtained from Madame Ping. According to her, this dispensary has the power to "generate seeds"... That is to say, it can create the seeds of various plants according to their special traits, which can then be planted within the appropriate fields within your Serenitea Pot.

Red Feather Fan: Use this to increase Gliding Movement SPD by 30% for 30s.

Electroculus Resonance Stone: A stone that can be used in Inazuma to search for nearby Electroculi.

Electro Treasure Compass: A handy tool used to locate nearby chests in Inazuma.

Memento Lens: A mysterious lens. If you view small fox statues with this lens, you can find things that were not there before.

Mini Seelie: Viola: A memento from the Lost Riches event. Equip it to obtain a mini Seelie companion.

Artifact Strongbox: Gladiator's Finale, Artifact Strongbox: Wanderer's Troupe, Artifact Strongbox: Bloodstained Chivalry, Artifact Strongbox: Noblesse Oblige

4. New Crafting Bench Function - Mystic Offering

Consume a certain amount of 5-Star Artifacts to craft an Artifact Strongbox that contains a 5-Star Artifact

5. New Riches of the Realm and Creatures of the Realm added in the Realm Depot: Redeem the Furnishings "A Path of Value: Luxuriant Glebe," "A Path of Value: Orderly Meadow," "A Path of Value: Jade Field," "Sub-Space Waypoint" from the Riches of the Realm. Exchange seeds and other materials obtained through the Seed Dispensary from the Creatures of the Realm.

6. New Recipes:

○ Inazuma Shimura's: Egg Roll, Mixed Yakisoba, Miso Soup, Tonkotsu Ramen

○ Inazuma Kiminami Restaurant: Tuna Sushi, Tricolor Dango, Tri-Flavored Skewer

○ Street Food Stall: Dry-Braised Salted Fish

○ Complete the World Quest series "Gourmet Supremos" to obtain: Onigiri, Sashimi Platter, Sakura Tempura, and Crab Roe Kourayaki

○ Complete the World Quest "Gazing Three Thousand Miles Away" to obtain: Imported Poultry

○ Obtain the following from the Inazuma Reputation System: Konda Cuisine, Rice Cake Soup, and Butter Crab

○ Complete the Kamisato Ayaka Story Quest to obtain: Sakura Mochi

○ Kamisato Ayaka's specialty: Snow on the Hearth

○ Kaedehara Kazuha's specialty: All-Weather Beauty

○ Yoimiya's specialty: Summer Festival Fish

○ Sayu's specialty: Dizziness-Be-Gone no Jutsu Version 2.0

7. New Achievements such as "Mortal Travails: Series II," "Challenger: Series IV," "Meetings in Outrealm: Series II," "A Realm Beyond: Series III," "Inazuma: The Islands of Thunder and Eternity - Series I," and additions to the "Wonders of the World" category

8. New Namecards:

○ "Inazuma: Sacred Sakura": Reach Sacred Sakura's Favor Level 48 to obtain.

○ "Travel Notes: Grand Narukami Shrine": Reward obtained via the BP system.

○ "Kamisato Ayaka: Folding Fan": Reward for reaching Friendship Lv. 10 with Kamisato Ayaka

○ "Yoimiya: Auratus Spark": Reward for reaching Friendship Lv. 10 with Yoimiya

○ "Sayu: Muji-Muji Daruma": Reward for reaching Friendship Lv. 10 with Sayu

○ "Inazuma: Kamisato Crest": Reward for reaching Reputation Lv. 4 (Inazuma)

○ "Inazuma: Raiden Emblem": Reward for reaching Reputation Lv. 7 (Inazuma)

○ "Achievement: Gate": Reward for completing all achievements under "Meetings in Outrealm: Series II"

○ "Achievement: Traversal": Reward for completing all achievements under "Mortal Travails: Series II"

○ "Achievement: Stone Dragon": Reward for completing all achievements under "Challenger: Series IV"

○ "Achievement: Full Bloom": Reward for completing all achievements under "A Realm Beyond: Series III"

○ "Inazuma: Kujou Insignia": Reward for completing all achievements under "Inazuma: The Islands of Thunder and Eternity - Series I"

○ "Celebration: Wondrous Calculation": Obtained from the "Theater Mechanicus: Stage of Wonders" event

9. New Animals: Pale Red Crab, General Crab, Violet Ibis, Marrow Lizard, Crow, Kitsune, Bake-Danuki, Electro Crystalfly

10. New Materials:

○ Yumemiru Wood: Cut a Sakura Tree down to obtain

○ Maple Wood: Cut an Amur Maple down to obtain

○ Aralia Wood: Cut an Inazuman Cedar down to obtain

○ Otogi Wood: Cut a Otogi Tree down to obtain

11. Spiral Abyss:

Updated the monster lineup on Floors 9 – 12 of the Spiral Abyss.

Floor 9 Ley Line Disorder changed to:

• A Plasma Field will be generated at the edge of the challenge area once the challenge begins. While within the field, characters will be hit by a lightning strike once every 5s and take Electro DMG. The area covered by the field will gradually expand as the challenge proceeds.

Floor 10 Ley Line Disorder changed to:

• There will be a Leader amongst the opponents present in each challenge on this floor. Its Attendants will also be present to provide it with enhancements and protection. Each Attendant will increase the Leader's Element RES and Physical RES by 10%. The Attendants will restore the Leader's HP every 12s, with each Attendant restoring 5% HP. When there are no Attendants, the Leader will not have any of the above enhancement and restoration effects.

Floor 11 Ley Line Disorders changed to:

• Pyro DMG dealt by all party members increased by 60%.

• Cryo DMG dealt by all party members increased by 60%.

Floor 12 Ley Line Disorders changed to:

• Energy Tides are present in this challenge. They will switch between Elemental High Tide and Elemental Low Tide in 10s cycles.

• During High Tide, a large amount of Elemental Particles will be generated when a character's attack hits opponents, restoring 10 Elemental Energy. This effect can occur once every 2.8s.

• During Low Tide, all characters in the party cannot gain Elemental Energy.

Starting from the first time that the Lunar Phase refreshes after updating to Version 2.0, the three Lunar Phases will be as follows：

Phase 1: Shattering Moon

When an active character's Elemental Energy is fully charged, the DEF of opponents hit by the character's Normal, Charged or Plunging Attacks will be decreased by 7% for 10 seconds. Max 5 stacks. Each stack has an independent duration.

Phase 2: Brimful Moon

When an active character obtains an Elemental Orb or Elemental Particle, the character will unleash a shockwave that deals DMG to surrounding opponents. This kind of shockwave can be unleashed once every 4s.

Phase 3: Stalwart Moon

After unleashing an Elemental Burst, the ATK of every character in the party will be increased by 20% for 10s. Max 3 stacks. Each stack has an independent duration.

● Audio

1. Adds voice lines that will trigger when a character is at low HP.

2. Adds Japanese voice-over for some characters.

● Character

Adds new character combat voice-overs under characters' Profile > Voice-Over

● System

1. Adds some prompts for loading screens

2. Adds Barbara's outfit "Summertime Sparkle" to the Outfit Shop.

[Part 3 will be posted in a few minutes.]

#genshin impact #genshin impact updates #official #genshin impact news #genshin impact 2.0 #there's a part 3??? guess that's how you know this is a big one

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misc-headcanons · 4 years

Note

heyyy I (hopefully) finally got a chance to make a request! uuhh I don't wanna be greedy and ask for a full on scenario, but could I maybe get a short little thing about Basil Hawkins flirting with a lady-reader through a fortune telling session? ://0 thank you v much! (if it's a completely uninspiring request you're more than free to pass on this since I haven't seen you write anything else for him, and maybe you'll have more fun with something else filling my request slot)

(Commissioned by @supernova-hcs-art ! Tysm, this is my first-ever commission and I'm very excited about it 😚)

Hawkins/F!Reader: Expression

Word Count: 1426

Basil Hawkins was a hard man to read, even to those closest to him. Whether he was happy, upset, scheming, or simply looking off absent-mindedly in the distance, he naturally kept his thoughts and emotions behind a stone-faced mask. Normally, he didn't view this as a problem; the less emotion he showed, the more he was recognized as a cold and calculated man that was not to be trifled with. When it came to a certain matter though, he hated just how difficult it was to broadcast what he was feeling: ____.

She was captivating in every way, always managing to make his mouth a bit dry and his pale skin the subtlest bit of pink just by speaking to him. He hoped that telling her how he felt would put him at ease, but he'd never confessed before; hell, he hadn't ever felt attracted to someone like this outside of a platonic appreciation of beauty or personality. Not only that, but he didn't want to overwhelm her by confessing out of the blue when she had no idea of what he was really feeling, thanks to that stoic expression of his. No, he needed to be subtle about this. And when ____ had asked him if he would give her a tarot reading, it seemed that fate had given him a golden opportunity.

Hawkins silently opened the door to his private cabin and let ____ inside to sit at a large circular table in one corner of the room. She marveled at the intricately painted art on the wooden table's face, which was a beautiful dark blue that was speckled with gold and silver stars, a brilliant sun, and a crescent moon across from it. It blended in perfectly with the rest of Hawkins's room, with its iridescent crystal statuettes and shards, indigo curtains, and the heavy-yet-soothing smell of incense smoke and lavender. "So," she remarked, turning to face Hawkins with a smirk. "This is where the magic happens?"

Hawkins shut the door, ignoring how white his knuckles were when he gripped the handle; how did she make his heart race like this with just one glimpse of her face? "It's...not exactly magic," he replied, walking to the chair opposite hers and taking his deck of cards out of his coat pocket. The familiar tingling of his fingertips as he held the cards eased some of the giddy anxiety in his chest after he'd heard her laugh at his response.

"Fair enough," ____ replied, settling into her chair and running her fingers over the image of the sun in front of her. "This is where the 'interpretations based off of probability and dozens of varying factors' happens." She watched Hawkins expertly shuffle his cards, admiring how graceful his movements were as the cards flipped through his slender, gloved fingers. "Is there anything I need to do? Just so you can get a better reading from me?"

Hawkins pursed his lips slightly as he had the idea to try flirting with her for the first time, just to subtly let her know how he felt about her. "Performing a tarot reading for someone I'm already familiar with doesn't require much," he replied. "And...we are very familiar with one another, are we not?"

____ shrugged and nodded. "I'd say so," she replied casually. "When you're fighting and traveling the seas together in close quarters on a ship, it'd be hard for us not to become close with each other."

Hawkins's face remained unchanged, but internally he felt a twinge of disappointment; apparently he'd been too subtle and indirect with that approach. He'd have to think of something a bit more bold. His attention turned to the cards, and he set down the shuffled stack in the center of the table. "Cut the cards with your dominant hand, please," he instructed. ____ complied and when she reached out to pick up the cards, her fingers brushed against his. Hawkins felt much warmer under his ruffled shirt collar, and he gently pulled down his neckline to try and get some relief.

____ noticed this and raised an eyebrow. "You're warm, too? It is kind of muggy in here," she remarked, setting the cut neck down to pull down her shirt a bit as well. "Might be the incense, though."

Hawkins was externally cool, but internally screaming. He wasn't the kind of man to luridly gaze at a woman at the first sign of showing extra skin, but...she was right across the table from him, pulling her neckline down; it was in his direct line of sight, dammit! His eyes quickly snapped to the cut deck and he picked up the card on top to begin arranging a tarot spread. "This will be a simple Celtic Cross arrangement of the cards," he began, laying the first card down.

____ peered down at, leaning forward a bit with her elbows on the table "This card describes your overall personality," Hawkins said. "The Queen of Wands: Passionate, creative, courageous…" He glanced up to see her reaction as he trailed off. "Beautiful…"

Hawkins saw ____'s eyebrows raise ever so slightly, and the corners of her lips turned up a bit. Their eyes met for a moment, and Hawkins quickly shifted his gaze to draw the next card. "What is crossing you, or simply what you're dealing with at the moment," he continued, clearing his throat a bit. "The Page of Cups usually indicates a message, one of love or happiness, or good news."

____ bit the inside of her cheek. "Hmm. Would wanting to confess something count? Or maybe…" She glanced sideways for a moment. "Maybe wanting someone else to say something to you?"

"Depending on the message, that could be what the card is referring to," Hawkins replied, wondering what--or who--she could be referring to. Hopefully as he continued the reading, he could get more answers. "What crowns you…"

He set down the third card, and ____ let out a small laugh at the image of the Lovers in front of her; she covered her mouth as she grinned at the image of a young couple embracing each other. "Oh my god, you've got to be kidding me," she sighed, looking across the table at Hawkins with a playful smile on her face. "I knew it, I knew you knew."

Hawkins tilted his head to the side and furrowed his brows; the knowing look in her eyes and mischievous smile confused him, and he felt as if he were hearing an inside joke that he didn't actually understand. "I...don't follow," he replied, not used to feeling completely lost like this.

____ pointed down at the cards. "The cards," she replied. "You didn't 'shuffle' them, you set all of these down to get me to say it first. I mean...really? 'A message of love', 'passionate', and the LOVERS card?" She held up the card between her fingers and waved it back and forth.

Say "it"? Say...what?

____ shook her head with a smile and rolled her eyes. "And you've still got that handsome poker face of yours, even after you got caught," she sighed. "I was always so nervous about admitting it, just because I wouldn't know how you'd take it. I mean, I didn't know if you'd feel the same way; I know that expressing yourself like that isn't your strong suit."

She set the card down in front of Hawkins and purposefully brushed her fingers against his before resting her hand over his own. When he saw the warm color in her cheeks, the way her eyes shined as she looked at him, and felt her fingers touch his…the realization of what she was saying slowly dawned on him. The only changes in his stoic expression were the more noticeable spots of pink on his cheeks, and how his normally heavy-lidded eyes widened to the size of saucers.

____ gently laughed again, surprised to see that for such a cold-and-collected pirate, Hawkins seemed to be floored by the smallest of touches. She already thought he was handsome, but now he was comically adorable. The color in his cheeks intensified, and she gently squeezed his hand. Hawkins regained his composure and was hesitant for only a moment before awkwardly squeezing her hand in reply. When he saw how her smile widened a bit, he felt the lovesick tightness in his chest from before fade into a warm and pleasant feeling. She definitely wasn't the only one whose fate was currently crowned by the Lovers...

#one piece #one piece scenarios #one piece scenario #hawkins #basil hawkins #mine #commission #female s/o

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sexyrasputin · 4 years

Text

“I’ll make dinner,” V said, walking into the apartment after Matteo. They had come from different places. He’d had some business meeting, and she’d been hanging out with Dex and Luca since this was her day off. She still hadn’t really talked to Rome in over a week, and while V was sad about it, she knew it was for the best. Rome had a lot of growing up to do.

“No, you don’t have to,” Matteo insisted, turning around with that suave smile. “I can cook or we could order food.”

V raised an eyebrow. “I love cooking. You know this, right?” She’d always loved it. As a kid, when her mom was teaching her how to cook, she had professed dreams of culinary school and Michelin starred restaurants. Her parents had quickly extinguished those wishes.

“Yes, but you’re my guest.”

She needed to stand her ground. Greg was always telling her to put up boundaries, right? Maybe this wasn’t a key boundary, but she wasn’t going to impose on Matteo even more. She already (still) felt bad about him sleeping on the couch.

“I’ve been here for a week, sleeping in your bed. You’ve been on the couch because of me for a week. I don’t even live here.” Yet. They both knew it was a yet. V actually had to catch herself, since she knew it so strongly. No, they had to be just friends. Or at least try for that for a little longer. “Let me pay you back, okay?”

Matteo’s face was unchanged for a few moments, but she could tell (somehow) that he felt a little bad about her feeling like she was imposing. It was probably the subtle shrug of his shoulders, probably subconscious.

“Okay, but I’m helping.”

Grinning, V grabbed Matteo’s hand (without realizing it) and dragged him over to the kitchen. It was only once she’d dropped his hand to scavenge through his fridge that she realized what she’d done. But she couldn’t help it! Being with Matteo, being around him, it was so easy. He had a comforting, soothing presence, and it wasn’t because of his effortless charm and eloquence. No, Matteo just had the effect on her, the same effect he’d always had. The one where being around him just made it easier for V to find a reason to be happy.

Even with the furious blush on her cheeks (thank you, refrigerator, for hiding that), V had a happy smile. Matteo made her happy. Then again, Mark had made her happy at first. So had James and Alex.

V was scared to even think this, probably since she wasn’t used to feeling this way, but this was a deeper, truer happiness.

Maybe Fate didn’t have it out for her after all.

“What did you find in there?” Matteo asked, dragging V back to a happy reality. Her smile didn’t dim.

“You’ve got chicken breasts, some good cheeses, and a few other things. How do you feel about chicken Parmesan?” She didn’t pull her face out of the fridge; the blush had to go away before V could do that.

“Sounds delicious.”

With the blush still fiercely there (V couldn’t exactly forget how nice it had been to hold Matteo’s hand), V pulled out the ingredients and started handing them to him.

“I’ll help you get the ingredients.” Matteo’s words were close to her ear, and V realized that he was standing right beside her. As in, she could feel the heat emanating from his body and knew that if she turned around, she’d practically be on top of him.

How on Earth were they going to stay as just friends when he was so warm, so caring, so genuine, so helpful, and so much more? Not to mention his cologne, a woodsy smell with a little bit of something citrusy. She’d need to find out what cologne he used so she could make sure he never ran out.

But V really wasn’t sure how she was going to keep her friendly distance.

“Thanks,” she whispered. Neither of them were moving to get what they needed. It took V a few seconds to realize that he was waiting for her instructions. Duh.

“Grab the chicken and whatever cheeses you can find.”

Matteo reached around her, his arm moving against hers to grab the food. Her breath caught in her throat when his fingers brushed against hers. Her grip on the fridge door tightened.

This really shouldn’t have been a big deal. It was just a brush of skin against skin. But something about Matteo, that same thing that calmed her, excited her to be around him. And now that she knew her future would always include him? That he’d be hers inevitably? V didn’t want to wait for the future to happen. She’d been crushing on Matteo for half of her life. Couldn’t she just turn around and kiss him right then?

As much as she wanted to, V couldn’t. She had to keep her distance (as much as was possible) until she knew she was ready.

Except she sort of felt ready now. But that was just the attraction and the mate bond, not reality, right? She really hoped it was reality. She also knew she really had a good chance of being wrong.

Matteo stepped back, allowing for V to (disappointingly) breathe normally again. She finished grabbing the other ingredients in the fridge (namely the eggs for the breading) before turning around and heading straight to the counter next to the stove. V didn’t make eye contact with Matteo, but she could see in her peripheral vision that he had a cocky grin on his face. Not the irritating cocky, but the happy, proud grin. He knew exactly what he was doing to her, and he liked it.

V couldn’t lie; she liked it, too. She also hoped that this tantalizing excitement, or at least the emotions and feelings that came with it, would never go away.

////

“You really do love cooking, don’t you?” Matteo asked with a chuckle, bringing their plates back from the breakfast bar to the sink. V shrugged, a smile (that had been on her face basically all night) still fierce.

“When I was a kid, I wanted to be a chef. I was gonna be the best Italian cook the world had ever seen, even better than a Tuscan grandmother in her nineties.”

Matteo chuckled, sending bolts of pleasure through V’s heart. She made him laugh and smile. That was a pretty great feeling. Making Matteo as happy as he was? It made her happy, too. Also it boosted her self-confidence. Which reminded her why she needed to not fall into his arms just yet, as appealing as it sounded. She needed to learn how to base her self-worth in herself, not in how others reacted to her.

“That sounds like Elena’s dreams,” he noted, speaking of his younger sister. Considering how the girl couldn’t keep her salt and sugar straight, V was pretty sure she’d never make it as a career chef. But things could change.

“I’d be happy to teach her some stuff, you know.” She hadn’t expected this from herself, but it was true. Matteo’s siblings would eventually be her in-laws. She knew them somewhat well considering the closeness of their fathers and their brothers, but V wanted to get to know them better.

“She’d really enjoy that, I think.” He set the dishes in the sink and started to rinse them off. V busied herself with putting the chicken Parmesan away. They only had pasta and sauce leftover, since she’d only made a few chicken breasts. Even though she’d been cooking since she was smart enough not to touch a hot stove (so about age 6), V still couldn’t measure out the right amount of pasta. It was so variable, so she wasn’t sure she’d ever learn.

“You’ll have to have her come over. Your other siblings should come over at some point, too. I want to get to know them better.” She smiled over at Matteo, who had a brilliant smile lighting up his face.

“Maybe you and Elena could cook dinner for us, as long as she doesn’t get near the sugar and salt.”

V laughed loudly. Her throat burned in memory of the salty hot chocolate, but that only made her laugh more. “I think that would be really fun.”

She put the Tupperware full of pasta into the fridge, replacing where the eggs (she’d used the last of them) had been.

“We’ll need to get more eggs, soon. We used the last of them for dinner.” Another blush covered V’s cheeks, albeit much less intense this time. She’d said “we” as if she lived with Matteo. She didn’t live there. Not yet. But she would be eventually, and with how well everything was going, V was hoping sooner rather than later.

“I have time to go grocery shopping tomorrow. You should come with so you can get whatever we need for other meals.”

V turned to face him, her smile devious. “So you’ll let me cook dinner for you again, then?”

Matteo chuckled again. “As long as I can help, you’re welcome to cook for me any time.”

Her grin kept growing and V stuck out her hand for him to shake. “Deal?”

Matteo shook her hand firmly. “Deal.” He was slow to pull his hand away, but so was V.

Again, how on earth were they going to stay just friends?

#mafia mates

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crestartist · 6 years

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Black v Red: The Blood War

The following is the origin story of the Black and Red Diamond characters:

The Legend of the “Blood War”:

Black Diamond vs. Red Diamond

10,000 years ago, the colony of Earth was founded by its original master, Black Diamond. Legend states that when White was born from the remnants of a star, Black was formed from the endless darkness of a black hole. Twin founders of Homeworld and its people, they are yin and yang, Life and Death. Soon came Yellow, Blue, Pink and Red Diamond, and each contributed her own to the creation of a new society on the barren planet. All the while, Black too had mothered her own creations as well, who lived in the shadows, waiting to destroy it all. In the burgeoning Gem culture, however, even destruction and death held a purpose in their society.

In reality, Black was not a god, but a vampire. Made of darkness, she could not be nourished by light like her bright sister, but instead found a source of energy from within their own children. Like the story of Kronos humans would later create, Black Diamond would eat Gems; specifically, she would feast on a Gem’s “blood”, the life-giving fluid that formed the gem originally, still encased in the hardened shape itself. Black’s fangs could penetrate the surface and dissolve the solid core back into its liquid state. This actually proved useful to the Diamonds, to effectively eliminate their flawed or obsolete creations. Like the dreaded human monster she would inspire, the Diamond could also make slaves of those she did not completely kill. This is what she did to Black Pearl, the first and only Gem Ghoul, her master’s strong and obedient puppet.

Black Diamond’s cruel and fearsome reputation grew as the Diamonds decided to expand their empire. Black’s army, “The Crystal Skulls”, were brutally efficient killers, eliminating an organic planet’s population sometimes within days. They were led by the skeletal visage of Obsidian, and included the lupine Howlite, the chiropteran Bloodstone, arachnid Sphalerite, the demonic duo of Sulfur and Brimstone, and the deceitful Black Sapphire. As her death march continued through the universe, the vampire’s arrogance grew as well. She ruled Homeworld through fear, even from her fellow Diamonds. Despite her unquestioned tyrannical superiority, Black had never claimed ownership of a Gem colony, until the eon’s long imperial conquests had entered the Milky Way galaxy, and the invaders discovered the resource rich planet of Earth.

Earth was populated by a unique, primitive and superstitious type of intelligent organic life, human beings. Black Diamond and her gems developed a particularly sadistic interest in the primates’ developed sense of fear. Feeling like her own horrific playground, the Death Diamond quickly staked her claim of the new colony. Feeling invincible, Black defies procedure and instead focuses on exploiting the emotions of her new conquests rather than preparing the planet for a Gem colony. She and “The Crystal Skulls” run rampant across Earth, inciting chaos and fear so great, it is passed across generations of humans, inspiring the myths for legendary creatures like werewolves and demons. When details of the chaotic rebellion reaches the Diamond Authority on Homeworld; courtesy of Pink’s feline spy, Tiger’s Eye, the sisters were incensed. Made livid by her open defiance, Blue and Yellow decide it’s finally time to take action against the elder Diamond. White is indecisive, conflicted over the thought of destroying a fellow Diamond, and twin at that. Yellow Diamond then seizes command, and declares war against the monstrous Black Diamond. Truth be told though, her sisters still regarded the vampire with fear and had some doubts whether their own gems could defeat the army terrorizing Earth. That’s when the remaining Diamond Authority calls upon an unlikely hero, Red Diamond.

Red was known as the “Blood Diamond”, and was the youngest and smallest of her brethren, a complement to the compassionate yet child-like Pink Diamond. She held little authority because of this, and thrived on Homeworld in the capacity of a spiritual healer, especially for those injured by Black and her nightmarish creations. With the addition of Red’s own enlightened soldiers, “The Vermillion Vanguard”; led by the Dragon warrior Cinnabar and including the original water elemental, Coral, Yellow knew Red had the greatest chance of resisting Black, after White herself. Like her close companion, Pink, Red Diamond felt inferior to her elder sisters, and longed for a chance to prove her power. Believing the attack on Earth to be that moment, the Blood Diamond eagerly accepted the task, despite an overwhelming fear of the Death Diamond’s reputation. Knowing that the fate of the empire laid on her diminutive shoulders however, that fear swiftly transformed into rage and hatred, and the first war for Earth; later known as “The Blood War”, began.

Though not as lengthy or memorable as the Rose Quartz Rebellion that would follow in the coming millennia, the conflict between Black and Red Diamond still left an impact, most prominently on the human population, who became both witnesses and casualties. The arrival of “The Vermillion Vanguard” and their equally monstrous, yet heroic members, further ignited early humanity’s imagination, inspiring the stories of not only more monsters, but gods and saviors that would be passed through to written language and beyond. Stories of struggles with overcoming impossible odds against seemingly immortal foes, fallen soldiers rising from the dead and legions of monsters spreading chaos and destruction being challenged by figures coming down from the sky. For centuries, Death and Blood were blind to all the ramifications being wrought by their endless struggle, fueled by power and rage. Observing it all from her base, White Diamond’s personal struggle became overbearing. She was torn by her feelings of loyalty and love for the Diamonds and their Gem children, and by her logical and strategic side that begged for her to prevent the loss of the highly valuable colony. The current generations of Homeworld still believe that the mental conflict became so great within her, that White would never be the same. In her madness, she decides it is time to end to the war, permanently.

White Diamond dispatches her ultimate warrior; the archangel fusion of the angelic solder White Quartz and the brilliant yet fierce metallic alchemist gargoyle, Silver, Angel Aura Quartz, to use her power on the Earth gems. In what the humans would later interpret as “Final Judgement”, Angel Aura’s power spread over the battlefield, shattering those who were corrupted by the hand of Black Diamond, and sparing those who selflessly risked their lives against them. The shining Quartz’s attack did not spare the Diamonds themselves either. Black and Red were not shattered, but rather rendered inert, robbed of their physical forms and conscious thought, buried by the ravages of time.

The survivors; Cinnabar, Coral, Spessartine, Pigeon Blood Ruby and Hematite, who are better known as the mighty fusion Sunstone, Red Phantom Quartz, Tiger’s Eye and Orange Sapphire, would all find renewed purpose and occasionally new forms, on Homeworld. Even though not all survived to the current era, their stories and reputations remain both on their original planet and the organic Earth that still stands nearly unchanged to this day. Ultimately, the Diamonds as well would not be forgotten in either place. After being hidden for millennia, both the inactive shapes of Red and Black Diamond were uncovered by humans in the twentieth century. Renowned for their beauty, the handlers were unaware that remnants of the Diamonds’ powers remained, and the aura of the gems would affect their lives. The small Red Diamond earned the moniker “The Red Shield”, and is known for its continuing protective abilities, while in contrast, the Black “Orlov Diamond” gained infamy for causing tragedy and misfortune. Only on Homeworld do their true origins remain spoken, serving as a warning to those who defy White Diamond.

#GEMSONA OCTOBER PROMPT #fanfic #steven universe #black diamond #red diamond #horror #halloween #the blood war #black v red

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warsofasoiaf · 6 years

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Throwback to my first ask, but given your Ulysses write up, worth asking about another Avellone mouthpiece...what are your thoughts on Kreia? If memory serves correct, Avellone stated that he hates Star Wars outside of the initial trilogy, and Kreia was his metacritique of the SWEU and the force in particular. I seem to recall you saying you aren't too fond of the SWEU either; do you agree with any of her critiques?

Avellone quote you can post for context if appropriate: “Also, as much as the nature of the Force frustrated me in some respects, Kreia was the personification of that frustration – the fact that some arbitrary force would feel the need to “correct’ the human species at times with mass slaughter in Episodes 1 through 3, and the hypocrisy of the Jedi that took place in IV and V. I’ve never really forgiven Ben Kenobi for his lies in Episodes IV and V, and Kreia definitely echoes that”

So a bit of a correction. It’s not that I’m not fond of the SWEU, I just never really got into it outside of the two KOTOR games and I can’t answer questions that get really in-depth into the lore simply because I lack the requisite knowledge. I have a friend who’s very big into the EU, especially when it comes to Darth Bane and the Sith, he’s the one I bounce Star Wars questions off of. The original trilogy was admittedly very slim into worldbuilding and the prequels and new trilogy handled fleshing it out with all the grace of a drunk lobster performing surgery.

Anyway, I find Kreia an immensely fascinating character, a bit of an extension of the Bioware Closed Fist philosophy of Jade Empire into the Star Wars canon. Kreia specifically deals with questions of destiny that I find quite fascinating. Anakin is the destined one to bring balance to the force, is that really fair for the people who suffered through all of that so that the Chosen One could save the world? Kreia herself is quite monstrous, but some of the concepts expressed are quite fascinating. Kreia is a rejection of the destiny tropes of the Force and of fantasy in particular. She hates the Jedi and the Sith for their codes.

The Jedi are self-annihilating, it even says so in their code. With the exception of the second tenet: “There is no ignorance, there is only knowledge,” all of the codes of the Jedi specifically are about denial of the self. There is no emotion, there is no passion. There is no chaos, there is harmony seems fine, it is a denial of frustration and anxiety, but it is inordinately passive. Harmony isn’t achieved or sought, it is simply present and the Jedi accept it, there is zero agency to a Jedi’s life. All of this is emphasized in their final tenet: “There is no death, there is the Force.” The Jedi isn’t even living and so cannot die. Eternal, static, unchanging. I actually plan on talking about this with @poorquentyn when we discuss The Last Jedi on Monday regarding the failure of the Jedi, Kreia hits this right on the nose.

However, the Sith are inherently unstable, not to mention the other atrocities they commit. The Sith Code revolves around domination, every tenet except the first and last ones revolve around domination and victory in conflict. I gain power and through that strength and through that victory. Sith last only as long as they dominate, which creates an inherently unstable structure as everyone tries to murder their way up the ladder while the masters crush those beneath them who show too much potential. Heck, it’s a wonder that any master even takes on an apprentice given the lifecycle of the Sith or why they would empower them with the most secret teachings. The final tenet is fascinating: “The Force shall free me,” which means that only through the Force can you be free. You are still shackled by this Force, still shackled by destiny. There is no room to make your own fate, the Force is above you still, which is a repudiation of the rest of the Sith Code focused upon dominance and mastery. Kreia also shows that the Sith have no future just as the Jedi do.

So Kreia is a phenomenal exercise in writing, and Avellone even offers players a way out when he offers the line: “Or perhaps these are the excuses of an old woman who has grown to rely on a thing she despises.” Avellone was self-aware enough to know that just putting his rants for an entire game might annoy a bunch of people, so he preloaded Kreia with her own refutation, people who wanted Kreia to just shut the hell up were given the chance to add that refutation to everything else that was said. That line adds weight to the players who already said she was wrong, because now they have the character accepting such a thing is possible.

Thanks for the question, TBH.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

#star wars

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malpabo · 7 years

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[Op-Ed] Shinhwa and Shinhwa Changjo 2: “No given time”...a 20th anniversary that is created together

No matter how much trust has been built up between Shinhwa and Shinhwa Changjo, it will be a lie to say that they have never experienced any crisis. There has been many moments in the 19 years where the value of mutually dependent relationship they have each protected needed to be re-examined. There have been times such crises has been due to themselves and also times where it was due to the environment.

Amongst which, the most dangerous and difficult to accept situation is the former. When Junjin escaped a life-threatening accident, when Andy couldn’t be part of their 4th album’s promotions, when they couldn’t use the name “Shinhwa”, Shinhwa and Shinhwa Changjo wasn’t greatly shaken by it. In fact, they supported each other and created a strong presence.

However, little things make waves in a calm ocean. Just like how family members are greatly hurt by insignificant things, Shinhwa and Shinhwa Changjo, having independently created their relationship, have experienced numerous upsets in their 19 years.

But, this isn’t the fault of anyone. An idol provides a service and the fandom consumes it and because of that, the emotions experienced is different. To put it simply, provision and consumption, because they are fated to be on different positions, understanding and consideration for each other is necessary in order to bridge the gap.

Shinhwa and Shinhwa Changjo have steadily worked hard to bridge that gap. After their military service, Shinhwa has released a new studio album every year and held concerts, and each album had a different concept and genre. Feedback from dissatisfaction over the concerts are immediately reflected in the next day, and if they are criticised for having the same setlist, they will either add a new performance or change the arrangement.

If the fans want them to appear on variety shows, they have done so, and they have also tried communicating through Naver’s V-live, a media that’s different from the past. They also instilled faith when they say things like “We are eternal”, “We want to continue till the day we die.” In order for their title to not just be “longest-running idol”, and to let fans feel pride because of that, they have showed a passion that comparable to their junior idol groups.

For the fans, they too have adapted to the different methods, such as strategising streaming times, buying albums, and have worked hard sending text messages, in order for Shinhwa to win on music shows. They regularly go for music shows and concerts, and shook their fan lights. They silently stayed by Shinhwa’s side during tough times and provided consolation.

A singer’s future is not created simply by the existence of a fandom, neither does a singer’s future unfold by itself simply through the existence of the singer. Similarly, for Shinhwa and Shinhwa Changjo, because they have both worked hard, and that is why it is an unchanging truth that they have been the best at overcoming limitations as a singer-fandom relationship.

Shinhwa doesn’t say that the long-running of the team is due to themselves. Neither do they unconditionally give the credit to the fans alone. This is a result that could be achieved only because they have leaned on each other and passed through time together. For Shinhwa to exist till the end, everyone must make it with the same goal.

Now, the formula of “Shinhwa = long-running group” is a given. In reality, each year they spend together rewrites history for the music industry. However, the more that is the case, the more there is a need for them to remember to “not lose the preciousness from being tricked by familiarity.” Just like how the time spent till now was not easy, they did not arrive at their 19th anniversary simply by doing nothing. The same goes for next year’s 20th anniversary. There is no time that is a given.

In their 13th studio album, there is a song “Like A Star” that Lee Minwoo penned the lyrics for while thinking of the fans, and it goes: “There’s definitely no separation for us, we’ve been protecting it till now/All the trials are pages of stories to flip through”, and “Stars in the night sky/I shine because of you/Brighter than anyone”. They cannot forget about “each other”. Shinhwa’s future is made by Shinhwa and the love from the fans.

sr: FNNews Translation by malpabo.tumblr.com Please take out with credits.

#shinhwa #eric #lee minwoo #kim dongwan #shin hyesung #andy #junjin

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zainhashmi18 · 7 years

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SALT LAKE CITY — Luke Skywalker, long considered the hero of the Star Wars universe, is being accused of the going to the dark side in the next film, “The Last Jedi.”

Speculation about Skywalker’s fate have circulated the internet since news broke that the Star Wars series would return with “The Force Awakens” in 2015. Theories ballooned when Skywalker didn’t say a word in the entire film. A long-running theory says Skywalker went to the dark side in “Return of the Jedi.”

With two trailers and a handful of movie posters now out, internet users are speculating once again about Skywalker’s fate.

https://twitter.com/starwars/status/917570021018046465

And a lot of evidence points to Skywalker, like his father before him, joining the dark side.

The first and most apparent piece of evidence begins with the movie’s posters. As tweeters have shared, Skywalker sits alone in the backdrop of the poster, much like Darth Vader did in the original trilogy posters and how Darth Maul did in “The Phantom Menace” and Vader did again in “Revenge of the Sith.”

The villain is always in the back on the cover, right? Wait...what?!? Luke! from StarWars

https://twitter.com/Amillerbiller95/status/917557430233350144

Fans also pointed out how the new “Last Jedi” poster shows Darth Vader’s mask.

“The discovery of the figure has opinions from the Star Wars fandom on the internet split. Some fans think it may have been done intentionally in order to represent both the light and dark sides. Others think that some fans are looking too far into the art and finding an outline of something that isn’t there,” according to FanFest.

Hamill humorously poked fun at the speculation of his dark side turn in a tweet.

The villains are always looming at the back... until they get the chance to loom on the front of a box of #KyloCrunch. 😋 #1stOrderOfBusiness http://pic.twitter.com/QIKNjW9ps9

— @HamillHimself (@HamillHimself) October 15, 2017

And Hamill also joked in an interview with Empire that he would love to play Skywalker’s evil twin.

“It’d be great because you could maybe not reveal its Evil Luke until the real Luke shows up,” Hamill said. “We could watch this guy undermining the good guys secretly — maybe even killing a supporting character out of everyone’s sight, so they all go, ‘What’s going on? He’s crazy!’ And then, of course, the good Luke shows up.”

As The Inverse reported, Lucasfilm seems to be pushing the dark side twist, too, seemingly creating the idea that Skywalker will have to choose between the dark and light side of the force.

But as Ben Child of The Guardian posits, there is good reason to think that Skywalker really has turned to the dark side. Aside from the poster speculation, Child cites two factual pieces of evidence that make a good case for Skywalker’s turn.

For one, he pointed to the often-repeated story that JJ Abrams joined the new Star Wars films when Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy asked him to answer the question, “Who is Luke Skywalker?”

Unlike Han Solo, who remained relatively unchanged between the original trilogy and “The Force Awakens,” the writers may have decided to totally switch up Skywalker’s character and beliefs to breathe new life into the franchise.

The other reason actually connects back to “The Empire Strikes Back.”

There’s a scene toward the end of the film when Skywalker ditches his training with Yoda and Obi-Wan, choosing to save his friends. Both Obi-Wan and Yoda warn Skywalker about the dark side.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZNLA7t-gIY

“But, if Luke really should fall to the dark side, the tensions of the original trilogy are enhanced, and those moments in which our hero impulsively opts to ignore the advice of his mentors could take on new significance,” Child wrote. “There has never been any real payback for the Jedi knight following the impulsive decision to leave his training partway through and fly to the defence of his friends in 'The Empire Strikes Back.' But if Skywalker finally succumbs to the dark side, that oversight might be both retrospectively explained and given lasting significance.”

Still, it's unclear if Skywalker turned to the dark side. It could be a marketing ploy from Lucasfilm or fans may have truly figured out a great twist ahead of time.

Guess we’ll have to wait until “The Last Jedi” premieres to figure it out. Dec. 15 can't come fast enough.

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balladetto · 5 months

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reasons to cup a face / always accepting / @gloryseized ( Shion )

GROUND, during a moment of intense emotional stress, the sender gently takes the receiver's face in their hands to ground them until they're calmer again.

It happens in snapshot moments.

As he registers the feel of a palm between his fingers, somehow heaving against him without toppling him over, Kane opens his eyes. He blinks — blinks again, and the inside of the Temple of Time comes into focus: a muted colour to the light that pours in through its stained glass windows as if the very air has mildewed. There's a silence here that unnerves him. He realises, at once, three things.

Kane is in a body he does not recognise but knows, deep down, is his.

He is holding onto someone he does not recognise but knows, deeper down, is his brother.

This is a Dream. Which is different from a dream, 'cause this is the type — the only type — he can still vividly recall after waking, like echoes bleeding into reality. He's been getting these recently.

Almost as though he's been waiting for these things to connect, the likeness of Shion wrests his hand from Kane's. He steps away. He's— so tall like this, figure looming, shadows on his face that can't be cut through, but so is Kane; so is the form he's been warped into, and they are two brothers divided by a space that shouldn't be making his breath quicken so hard.

"I promise," Shion's image signs, a bold declaration with bold movements, and Kane — for the same reason he knows without recognising — wants to scream at him. What are you promising? Do you have any idea? You can't promise me something like that. You can't promise me something you've already broken!

Don't leave me!

The quiet stretches. He can't move. He's stuck in a moment he doesn't know how to break out of, hand vainly outstretched and wide eyes pinned on a face he can't see. His skin feels one touch removed from splitting apart the way his heart feels one nudge off from falling over the precipice of some knife's edge, yet he aches anyway, willing to be ripped open if it means his brother will be there.

His brother will not be there.

Kane watches in helpless horror as Shion turns, boots tapping out a decisive farewell march. He's distantly aware of the little light following after him — Navi, it takes a second to place, blue and a perfect fit and so out of place at the same time. They're going ahead without him, approaching the pedestal made for the sword on Shion's back, and Kane is struck with such a sudden desperation that his body, frozen as it is, trembles. Convulses.

Stop, he can't cry. Don't leave me, he can't plead. It's only when his brother raises the Master Sword high, about to return it to its resting place, that the stone Kane's trapped in releases him. He stumbles forward — forces himself to keep stumbling forward, throat strained raw as he calls for his brother, but he can tell— he's too late. He's too late. The Dream stills, suspended on knowledge he can't look away from—

Kane wakes up to arms binding his hands to his sternum and a hot face pressed into the back of his neck.

For a second, the change thoroughly dazes him. He blinks, capturing nothing, and in its span: the world rearranges itself. Pain flares from his chest, throbbing in time with the harsh, too-fast breaths strangling him. The night is lit by firelight, casting a dim glow over cave walls and along the things in a campsite for two travellers. With how sticky his nose and cheeks and eyes feel, he thinks he's probably been crying. His brother is here.

His brother is here.

"Shh-ii—" he starts, and finds he won't complete the name.

Shion jerks against his side, inhaling so sharply it sounds like it'd hurt before hurriedly pulling away from where he's curled around Kane. The motion has him nauseous with a fear carried over, snatching at a forearm the right size with hands the right size, but his brother isn't— isn't going away. He moves until they're facing each other, gaze searching for Kane's. This up close, he can trace every contour. He can delineate every crease, put an emotion to every feature — helped by a nearby fairy's shine. Yellow. Tatl.

He— lets go. "Shion," he shakily, unnecessarily, forms with his hands. It's too cramped for brother to be signed well, so he repeats it again, and again, and again. The shape falls apart further each time, until it's little more than his left hand knocking atop his right.

Don't leave me. Don't leave me. Don't leave me. If he could carve this into his skin so Shion can see and understand it when his voice and fingers are as useless as they are now, he would. And maybe some part of him really tried, maybe that's what the twinges running along the lengths of his arms are, but— his brother has never needed Kane's words to know what to do.

Shion holds him gently. Carefully, palm and fingertips assured in their own tenderness. He presses a different message into the skin of his cheeks, the answer to all that goes unsaid but not unrealised.

Don't leave me, Kane begs with a bitten lip, heaving shoulders, and a weird, awful certainty that he'll be ignored.

I'm here, Shion swears with circling thumbs, eyes that reflect his twin's pain, and a steady, near irremovable warmth.

Kane's voice trips over an ugly sob. He pushes his hands over his brother's, drinking in the touch with an overwrought exhaustion, and tries to match his breathing to the slow cadence of that terribly profuse love.

( What a strange Dream, he will later think as they drift back to sleep. A strange fear, he will correct, squeezing-hand-in-squeezing-hand. Shion would never leave him. )

#gloryseized #* gloryseized & kane / if i'm alive‚ my brother can't be dead.#( hi. i'd say sorry for the length and sorry being obsessed with them but. i'm really not sorry at all #[collapses on my face] HILARY. HILARYYYYY I AM SHAKING YOUUU #touching on what we discussed re: memories of adult timeline kane crossing over to child timeline kane #i imagine the tailend of those memories comes mid-mm so that's great!! that's so cool!! [bursts into a puddle]#also thinking about how kane would not develop the intense touch aversion grasshopper does. esp @ his brother. and god. GOD.#eternally emo over these two thanks 😭😭 TRULY THANK YOU FOR SENDING THIS IN!! )#* lionheart / ic.#* lionheart / answer.#* ic / para.#* v / stars of unchanged fates.#ask to tag /#long post cw

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robertkstone · 7 years

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One Week With: 2017 McLaren 570GT

Confession time: it was my first instinct to dismiss the McLaren 570GT out of hand, before I ever laid my grubby hands on its rockin’ teal-blue body. There were good reasons. McLaren blew away all of us at AUTOMOBILE with the stellar 570S, enough to win a 2016 All-Star trophy, and I thought it was just perfect out of the box, thank-you-very-much. A slightly softer car that’s slower off the line and easier on the coccyx? Who needs that when the 570S is already so well balanced?

I underestimated the 570GT, but I’m not too proud to admit I was misguided. Although the grand-touring-oriented Brit appears almost pointlessly similar to its 570S sibling while being both slower and more expensive, Woking’s tweaking of the formula yields surprising results. Like the 570S, the 570GT offers a positively wondrous driving experience, while its small but thoughtful conveniences made me all the more willing to not only get behind the wheel, but stay there for longer stretches.

So how is the 570GT sausage made? The signature feature is undeniably the 7.8-cu-ft rear luggage rack, accessed via a sideways-hinged glass hatch. The frunk ahead of the seats remains, but with the added space, I had no trouble filling the GT with two small suitcases, a medium-sized duffel bag, and a backpack. There’s a simple button to pop the window ajar, but when I reached to swing it open, it was reasonably hot to the touch, which I wouldn’t be thrilled with as an owner. It also feels like there’s a lot of expensive bodywork between your luggage and that opening when it comes time to loading the ol’ girl up. (I did it very slowly and with beads of sweat running down my neck.)

Inside, there’s more than enough real estate for a weekend getaway to the Hamptons, Monaco, or wherever else the lucky few who buy McLarens fancy killing time. The window (framed in carbon fiber for rigidity) spans much of the roof above your head, filling the cabin with light, and making the snug cockpit feel considerably more open. McLaren treats the glass with an 18 percent tint as well as a sound and solar radiation absorption film, but on a hot sunny day I felt myself roasting a bit more than I remember during my drive last summer of the 570S, at least before the A/C had a chance to run for a minute or two. (McLaren added a special Low temperature setting for fast, maximum cooling when you hop in.)

The trappings of luxury are there, as they should be in a car that costs north of $200,000. Luscious hand-stitched Nappa leather lines the interior, lending a more calming and less sporty atmosphere than in the Alcantara-trimmed 570S. Parking sensors are standard, along with an electric-motor-operated steering wheel, heated seats, soft-close doors, and a fantastic eight-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system. It’s not as flashy as a an AMG GT inside, and the center screen is clunkier to manage than the system in say, a Porsche 911, but there’s a clarity and simplicity to the interior that strikes a positive chord.

Compared to the 570S, the GT is a subtly more pampered kick in the ass. The twin-turbocharged 562-hp aluminum V-8 lurks unchanged beneath your Prada bag and carton of Cubans, still mated to the same quick-shifting seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The 0-60-mph sprint slows from 3.1 seconds to 3.3, but that’s nothing worth getting upset about. Ninety-five percent of the pit-of-your-stomach lurch remains and while the scrumptious whistle and high-revving shriek of the engine are fully present under hard acceleration, thanks to exhaust adjustments it’s much more civilized when you’re not tempting fate.

McLaren includes the same suspension setup as the 570S, complete with adjustable dampers, but it’s tuned to be 15 percent softer up front and 10 percent softer in the rear. Combined with the bespoke Pirelli tires designed to transmit less road noise, the GT is a quieter and perhaps more polished road-missile than the stiffer S model. I even felt a tad more comfortable over choppy pavement and expansion joints, when I remembered to stop hyperventilating. More noticeable is the two percent slower steering ratio, which allows for more relaxed inputs. The precision is still there when you want to tear up some pavement, but McLaren dialed back the uber-responsiveness during normal driving – a subtle yet most welcome refinement. Wise, too, was the decision to switch to a smoother and more streetable lightweight iron braking system instead of carbon-ceramics.

I gave the 570GT a fond farewell and a well-earned tip of the cap when it was time to hand over the key. It’s still one hell of an exotic sports car that quickens my heart in a way that the Audi R8 doesn’t, and with looks that the by-now unremarkable Porsche 911 Turbo must envy. And while the 570GT in no way diminishes my devotion to the stupendous 570S, a week behind the wheel was a learning experience. When McLaren can make a car that’s every bit as emotional and thrilling, but will make drivers want to spend even more time behind the wheel and on weekend getaways, I can’t chalk that up as anything other than a win.

2017 McLaren 570GT Specifications

ON SALE Now PRICE $201,450/$210,400 (base/as-tested) ENGINE 3.8L DOHC 32-valve twin-turbo V-8/562 hp @ 7,500 rpm, 443 lb-ft @ 5,000-6,000 rpm TRANSMISSION 7-speed dual-clutch automatic LAYOUT 2-door, 2-passenger, mid-engine, RWD coupe EPA MILEAGE 16/23 mpg L x W x H 178.3 x 82.4 x 47.3 in WHEELBASE 105.1 in WEIGHT 3,296 lb 0-60 MPH 3.3 sec TOP SPEED 204 mph

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jesusvasser · 7 years

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One Week With: 2017 McLaren 570GT

2017 McLaren 570GT Specifications

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jonathanbelloblog · 7 years

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One Week With: 2017 McLaren 570GT

2017 McLaren 570GT Specifications

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eddiejpoplar · 7 years

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One Week With: 2017 McLaren 570GT

2017 McLaren 570GT Specifications

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balladetto · 5 months

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reasons to cup a face / always accepting / @gloryseized ( Shion )

LIFT, sender gently cups the receiver's face and lifts their chin so the receiver is looking up at them.

It takes a heavy intention for Kane to ignore the rustle of the front curtain being drawn aside. He twitches on instinct, head turning just the slightest, before he remembers he's supposed to be Very Upset right now and coils into a tighter, stonier lump on his bed.

"Go 'way," he tells his brother, 'cause only his brother would have the guts to approach Kane as he is right now. Well, that and he's the only one who gets to enter their house without needing to announce himself. Even his footsteps are recognisable — tha-thump, tha-thump — and Kane feels his shoulders involuntarily unclench from where they've hunched up around his neck.

Still, he holds onto the anger that's been simmering in the arch of his brow and under his fingernails since he stamped up their ladder. "M'not...sayin' sor-ry," he preemptively huffs, just in case Shion's here to make him be nice. Kane doesn't wanna be nice. Not to Mido, who doesn't deserve any apologies from him for anything — even hitting him and causing a fight — when he was being a stupid little weed.

He shouldn't have worried, really. Shion may not have been there when it happened, no doubt hearing the story from others, but this is his brother. A hand lands on his shoulder, gentle and sympathetic. It's such a Shion thing that Kane has to deflate at it.

"He...was bein'...mean," he mumbles, glare turning into something sadder as he stares at the wall. Mean doesn't even feel like the right word for it. Mido can get prickly, sure, but there was a bite to all his mocking this time that practically barrelled over the line of annoying and into genuinely hurtful — worse that half of it was aimed at someone who wasn't there to defend himself. Kane has only had six years of experience in handling emotions, much less Big Ones, and loves his brother very much. Pouncing on Mido had seemed like the best thing to do.

Fingers press against his exposed cheek, patting lightly, before they trail down to cup his chin. Shion pulls. Kane lets him. The look that greets him as he turns gets a corner of his lips to start tugging upwards, and the smile is fully complete when he sees what's being held in the other hand.

Forget him, Shion says without saying anything. Kites, freshly made with how big and green the core leaves still are, promise a much better time than being Very Upset. Kane laughs, soft, and follows his brother's hand the rest of the way out of their house.

#gloryseized #* gloryseized & kane / if i'm alive‚ my brother can't be dead.#( this wasn't supposed to be so long but we were setting up context and he would not shut UP. the little brat fskjdlf #ended up going with early childhood oouhhhh 🥺#which did not fit with the initial idea i had with kites but i did not want to scrap such a cute concept + you were vibing with it so!!#i hope this is okay!! fluff after the Hurt we put them through <3 thanks for this hilary!! )#* lionheart / ic.#* lionheart / answer.#* ic / para.#* v / stars of unchanged fates.#* intermission / queue.#long post cw

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