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sinner-sunflower · 1 month

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P.2 HH Lucifer-centric AU 10/?

STORY 1, PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, PART 4, PART 5, PART 6, PART 7, PART 8, PART 9, PART 11, PART 12, PART 13, PART 14, PART 14.5, PART 15, PART 16, PART 17, PART 18, PART 19, PART 20, PART 21, PART 22, PART 23, PART 24, PART 25

Notes at the end!

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Lucifer should've known that even in his sleep, his torment would not stop.

He should have been wiser, but exhaustion dulled his senses, making him lower his guard.

He thought that maybe, maybe, the universe would give me just this little moment. And at the beginning he really thought that. He felt weightless. Like he's not the Morningstar, the fallen angel, the King of Hell, the Sin of Pride, a father or a lover. Like for the first time in a millennia, he simply existed.

So forgive him for his surprise when darkness swallowed his dreams before he could savor them fully.

Roo: Hello, fallen. Been a while, hasn't it?

Lucifer: Roo.

Roo: Don't look at me like that. Our deal is still in effect, you know. I can't do anything more than this even if I wanted to.

Lucifer: You saying you want to do more then? Like harm me?

Roo: Ugh, you silly creatures, always so pessimistic. Can't someone just chill and have fun?

Lucifer: I highly doubt the root of all evil and chaos embodiment just wants to 'chill'.

Roo: Believe what you will, fallen. I am many things, but I am no liar.

Lucifer: Your sister surely is.

Roo had to laugh at that.

Roo: Yin in every Yang or so they say.

Lucifer: What? You're telling me you have good in you?

Roo: I would think the fact that you get to keep your soul was a sign in and of itself.

Lucifer: That's less than the bare minimum.

Roo smirked and rested her head on her hand, a gesture that grated Lucifer's nerves. He couldn't help but think he should take a page from Adam's book and wipe that shit-eating grin off her face.

Roo: Had the old man never told you to not look at a gifted horse's mouth?

Lucifer: Enough. Why are you really here?

Roo: If you must know, I merely wanted to ask how you are doing! After all, meeting The Fates must have been quite the experience.

Lucifer: You were looking?

Roo: I wanted to see if my vessel works well. It's not my fault I can see everything you see, hear every thought you think, feel every pain you wish never happened but also desire to inflict onto yourself. I wanna ask, does your pity party ever stop?

Realistically, Lucifer knows that Roo is messing with him; she was deliberately provoking him, reveling in his inner turmoil. She's luring him in, and he's taking the bait.

There's a creeping cold that's getting worse the longer they talk. He thought nothing of it at first but he's now starting to feel it under his skin.

He's well aware of the threat in front of him but doesn't mean he's not going to bite back with force.

Lucifer: I think you're forgetting who delivered the final blow in the first war. You know, the blow that led to your defeat?

Roo's nonchalant and playful facade cracked just a bit that Lucifer knows he struck a nerve.

Lucifer: Hell, shouldn't you be more thankful to me? Without my actions in offering the fruit to humanity, you wouldn't have gained the power you so desperately craved to rise again. And now, here you are, benefiting from my influence once more.

The Sin of Pride couldn't fathom where this sudden surge of confidence came from, but he refused to cower any longer. Roo had expected him to tremble in fear, to bow before her as if she were someone superior to be revered on.

He's sick and tired of everyone assuming he should be the one on his knees, begging for mercy.

Lucifer: How are you the root of all evil when I'm the one who started sin. You should be worshipping me! Now that I think about it, in some twisted way, I was your creator-

His mockery was short lived when the dreamscape glitched and suddenly it wasn't Roo in front of him; it's The Root of All Evil.

Laughter erupted from the shadowy figure, a grotesque sound reminiscent of a rabid hyena's. Refusing to be intimidated, Lucifer continues to put oil in the fire.

Lucifer: Bringing out the big guns for a little comment? Insecure much?

He's bullshitting at this point but damn him if he's going down without an ounce of victory. He also thinks he's lucky to have said as much at all.

The abrupt stop of laughter sent an involuntary shiver down his spine, and then gravity seemed to solidify around him, pressing down with an oppressive force.

Push.

Michael: All you had to do was listen.

Push.

Lilith: You're exhausting, Lucifer.

Push.

Charlie: He's defending this hotel! How come he could have faith in me but my own father can't.

Push.

Y̵̛̞̝̳̥͍̏͛͊ö̴̼̭̜̖́͗̒͝ü̴̩͚͆͑ ̵͎̉̒̄̄ả̶̭͈͍̟̳ṙ̵̡̲͙̼͎è̸̮̳̲̊͂̔̍ ̴̠͔̯̘̬̑͝s̵̜̪̗̯̚è̴͇͌̇ṅ̷̘̝̀t̶̛̹̝̄͘ẻ̶͓̱̬͔̅̉ͅn̵̥̽̋̌̓ĉ̴͜e̶̯͇̤̺̤̅̀̅d̵̝̰̬̗̋ͅ ̶̝͕̩͇̱̎̋͝͝ẗ̶̢̊͠õ̶̡̦͖͒̈́̍̍ ̸̧̏F̸̧̬̪̂̋a̸̞͈͍͇̔̓͘͜l̶̬͙̤͈̝̑̕l̵̼͂.̴̱̘̣̽̏̕͜

Lucifer screams. But instead of despair, he feels anger bubbling within him. What the hell is happening to him? He's been snapping more. Why did he snap at Michael? Why did he tell him that he can't wait for Heaven to be destroyed? He never wanted that. All he wanted was to give Eve free will. All he wanted was to love Lilith. All he wanted was for Charlie to be safe. All he wanted was for everything to STOP!

Roo: What's the matter, little devil? Never seen real evil before?

The cold is becoming unbearable now. The lake is frozen and all the greenery had been turned into crystals, consumed by the creeping frost that made them look like solid darkness.

Lucifer gritted his teeth, feeling the chill seeping into his bones, threatening to overwhelm him. He refused to give Roo the satisfaction of witnessing the King of Hell tremble; regardless if it's in fear or not.

Roo: Let me show you just how good of a person I can be.

Then she's suddenly up on his face and brings a finger to his forehead.

Lucifer can feel Roo's corruption going further inside him and at the same time, a lot of somethings are coming out. It must be his remaining divinity because that's the only reason he can think of on why his Father's tether is screaming and clawing at him.

He feels himself choke from everything happening all at once but he can't move. Roo has him locked in place and he never felt so helpless.

'Am I going to die here?'

No. Roo said that she won't be the one to deliver him to his demise. Nevertheless, he thinks that this is it.

Roo: Remember these words, fallen. A message from The Fates that you did not get to hear.

Charlie. He wants Charlie.

Roo: With the first soul's ascend, all began to unfold.

Tears begin to form in The King of Hell's eyes. Be it from the pain or fear, he doesn't know.

Roo: It will end at a star's fall, as the threads have foretold.

Michael! Where is he?! He promised Samael he'll always protect him!

Roo: Trumpets will sing, as the sky recites a prayer.

'Father. Help me.'

Roo: An instrument of Heaven shall come down and be the devil's slayer.

He struggled to remain conscious; he fights to stay awake but he can't even move a finger but his efforts were in vain as he collapsed to the frozen ground, utterly drained. Through hazy vision, he can see Roo staring down at him with a gleeful smile.

Roo: See you soon, my fallen~

He wakes up to the smell of Marigolds.

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In Nifty's voice: How was that?!!

You have no idea how long I spent making that rhyme prophecy thingy.

As always, your kind words and actions are greatly appreciated!

My DM's are always open for theories and introspections <3

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x-liv25-jamieswife · 1 month

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short taylor swift playlists for each tig character - avery

i'll make playlists for other characters too cause i found this really fun. here are some songs that really remind me of avery (there are others so i might add some later). some are her and jamie songs and some are just her. i felt like doing some short explanations (that might not make sense bc it's midnight for me) so here they are :)

#1: who's afraid of little old me? when i first heard this song, i immediately thought of her. it would take ages for me to explain it all (which i will do in another post), but, in the song, taylor mocks her haters, and tells them that she is what the world (her old record label, haters) made her and that, because of this, they shouldn't be scared of 'little old her'. people tend to downsize her and her struggles, and this song addresses that. this all just screamed avery to me. the media was so horrible to avery when she first inherited the money and underestimated her. the media judges her for being what they want her to be (if that makes sense. if avery were different, haters would still hate her)

#2: the smallest man who ever lived: now this song is about an ex partner, but if we remove all of the more romantic aspects of this song (so if we take the song's concept), i can't help but think of avery and her father/tobias/sheffield grayson. her father was never there for her and treated her like crap. tobias put her in a position where she was most likely going to die and used her. sheffield did horrible things to her too. i imagine this song being her confronting them (sort of).

#3: i hate it here for this song, there isn't necessarily something that screams avery to me, but it is a song about escapism which i feel is something avery did a lot growing up the way she did to get away from her problems, and the struggles that came with poverty. i think her method of escapism was games.

#4: you're on your own, kid: avery, before inheriting the money and meeting the brothers, had always been alone. her only friend was older than her and moved away, her sister wasn't very present in her life, and her mom died when she was 15. i think the rest is self-explanatory.

#5: long story short: this song fits her a bit more loosely, but the concept really resonates with avery (i think). it's a song about how, despite taylor being villainized and hated on by the media (during the kanye situation), she was still able to survive and get through it. with the amount of judgement and hate avery got after she inherited the money, i think this song suits her.

#6: the last great american dynasty: this song is about a woman who inherits her late husband's holiday house and the judgment she received because of it. people accused her of murder, of being mad, etc. this is literally avery's song bc people also accused her of shady things.

#7: the man: i think this is sort of self-explanatory. the song is about sexism and how she would be treated differently if she was a man.

#8: dress: an averyjameson song because why not. very sensual, sultry, and just very averyjameson. i always think of them when i listen to the song.

#9: call it what you want: very cute love song that i think suits aj perfectly. it's about not caring what the media has to say about your relationship bc all that matters is that the two of you know the truth.

#10: wonderland: lyrics scream averyjameson. this song suits them almost perfectly. i will be making a full analysis of this song to them someday. i really don't know how to explain this without writing a 347204 page essay so just listen to the song (let's just ignore that this song is about a toxic relationship though...)

#11: i knew you were trouble: avery when she first met jameson. one of taylor's most popular songs. i think this is self-explanatory.

#12: the lucky one: a song about the negative impact the media can have on someone. it's about this girl who had it all, but over time, got tired of the hate and escaped to a life of solitude. i think this somewhat applies to avery. although i don't think she'd disappear, i do think she'd someday start laying low.

#13: nothing new (ft: phoebe bridgers): i can never listen to this song without thinking about avery. it's a song about fearing the future and what will become of you. someday, you'll become old news and people will cast you aside. i think this fits (future or even present) avery. we know she has some self-worth issues, so i don't think it would be far fetched to say that she might think of herself as some sort of toy that will someday be forgotten by not only the media (although i don't think she'd mind), but also by jameson, and his brothers.

#14: sparks fly: full analysis here. i already made a longer analysis, but it's basically a song about falling for someone you know might be dangerous but not being able to stay away. to me this is the aj song.

#15: never grow up: i think the title is self-explanatory. i feel like avery would look back at her younger self wishing she'd never grown up because then she'd still have her mom. kind of a sad way to end this playlist, but i just went in order of album releases and tracklist numbers so..

hope you liked it if you listened to it <3. i had a lot of fun making this.

#the inheritance games #jameson hawthorne #avery grambs #grayson hawthorne #nash hawthorne #xander hawthorne #libby grambs #maxine liu

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manasseh · 29 days

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'덜' vs. '미만' 차이 파악하기

// difference between 덜 vs. 미만

@zzzzzestforlife asked me about the difference between '덜' and '미만' in Korean! Both can be translated as 'less', but they're not used in the same way! Wanted to properly write it out this time :)

I thought for a bit about how to explain the difference logically, but let me give some general examples first -

__________________

덜 :

덜 매워 - it's less spicy (than / compared to before OR to this other thing) 덜 개진대 - its gonna be less loud (than / compared to now)

[ Bonus: It can also be used to mean 'less than fully', although that's not really relevant rn - 덜 익은 과일 - unripe fruit 덜 깨웠어 - half asleep / not fully awake ]

You can use 덜 after N-보다 to mean 'less than' compared to something else or to how it was before. 작년보다 덜 팔렸어요 - we sold less than last year 1000₩보다도 덜 줬어 - they gave me (an amount) even less than 1000₩

__________________

미만 :

Basically the '<' symbol. 40 이상 45 미만 - >40 but <45 *45 미만이면 45가 포함 안 돼요 - *It's under (<) and not including (≤)

It's usually some variation of COUNTNOUN + 미만. Some common usage with examples I've come accross recently:

가우량이 평균 미만 - below average rainfall 1년 중 6개월 미만 - less than 6 months of the year 15세 미만 입장불가 - no admission under 15 years of age 80점 미만 - a score under 80 points

"10장 미만은 안된다고?" - "They said it shouldn't be under 10 (pages)?" (my peers, confused about assignment criteria) "순간 집중력 1분 미만.." - "attention span of under a minute..." (under a fellow uni student's post)

[ Bonus: You can also use it with people. Usually in slang, meaning either 'shorter than x person,' or more commonly 'not living up to / not as good as x person' 현지미만은 다 조용히 - anyone whose not Hyunji shut up 현지 미만 잡 / 역시 현지 미만 잡컷 / 현진 미만은 다 별로 - anyone less than Hyunji is a loser / is nothing to me ]

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Now to actually explain the difference in words!!

덜 is used to indicate a lesser amount, degree, or intensity in comparison to something else or changed from before.

미만 on the other hand isn't comparing as such, just more directly about the idea of being under a certain threshold, like, simply about the subject being in that range less than a specific number or value.

[ Bonus : This example from before : "I was given less than 1000₩" where the English translation could be the same for both -

"1000₩보다 덜 줬어," can mean that something was given less than 1000₩, comparing the amount given with the desired or expected amount. "1000₩미만 줬어" 'they gave me an amount under 1000'. no comparison, that's just how much was given.

Both in one sentence for good measure: 이번 달 평균 강수량은 작년보다 덜 내렸지만, 예상한 양의 50mm 미만이에요. - The average rainfall this month was less than (compared to) last year, but it is (a given amount in a range) below the expected 50mm. ]

#korean #langblr #korean vocab #korean langblrs feel free to ask me for more of these!!

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ignis-writes · 2 years

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By Chance, By Choice

Summary: Summary: Will Syverson and y/n find love during hard times in an alliance made to keep the peace? (im bad at summaries)

Pairing:mob boss!Logan Syverson x female reader

Word count: around 1.7K

Warning: mob and stuff like that, mentions of fight bloodshed, arranged marriage. angst, fluff, and hardcore smut in future parts

A/N: This chapter is just an introduction to the universe from the reader's pov. English is not my first language and this fic is Not beta'd like everything else on this page. So look out for obvious mistakes

Image credits: Pinterest

Even if u don't like this, please comment, would be a great help to improve

*No permission is given of reposting, copying my work or ideas and parts from it and claiming it as your own*

Arranged marriage AU -

Mob Boss AU

Chapter 1

The Engagement

An Arranged marriage? It sounded ridiculous and impractical. But belonging to a mob family that had been around the blood business for so long, I've heard it often, especially around my eldest brother's marriage. Back then it felt like an alternate option if tinder doesn't work, but right now I'm close to no option.

From a third-person perspective, It was like, everything was handed to me on a silver plate, and to a point it was true. Being the daughter of an influential man, and being raised in a wealthy family I did not have many struggles compared to an average person. But the problem with the silver plate is that it comes chained to your arms. This chain essentially limited my freedom to choose many things for myself, from where I studied to what I wore. And now who I married.

So when my father casually broke the news of this proposal at the dinner and asked for my opinion, I was not surprised. And by the looks exchanged between my brothers, Jude and Milan, It was clear that I shouldn't have a bad opinion for starters. This was not a proposal but a promise, a promise made on my life without my knowledge or consent. A promise put together by two mobsters for god knows what purpose. A business agreement? A peace treaty? I was yet to find.

The Syversons were a familiar name in the underworld. The man I was supposed to marry was Logan Syverson, the old Don's younger son and only heir since the passing of his father and the murder of his elder brother Richard. Richard's death created a series of shootouts and gang wars which led to a fiasco that called for immediate negotiations and peace. Plus Syverson shared his high school and college days with my second brother, so they were pretty close even after all these years. This is all I knew about the man I was supposed to marry and his family. Still, I got ready to meet him and his family since my father had way too much hope in this alliance and he even went to the extent of thinking we would make an excellent couple. That was the clue, father wasn't just wagering a business deal, he wanted to "join the families " or whatever it meant.

____________

The night before my engagement to him or my first time meeting my future husband, I couldn't sleep and had mixed feelings about him, about the marriage, and its aptitude for building anything more than a peace treaty between 2 groups of influential people. I wondered if I will like the stranger of a fiancee. A part of me feared it was probably gonna be another faux excuse for marriage, like Jude and Catherine. Even though they were lovely individuals with much kindness and love in their hearts they didn't work well as a team. On the other hand. I had my parents and their extraordinary bond to look up to. They loved cherished and respected each other and set a great example for their 4 kids to follow. Once I heard Uncle Benjin say they hit the jackpot when it came to an arranged marriage while toasting to the well-being of their relationship on its 25th anniversary, that was 10 years ago when I was 15.

I kept tossing and turning in my bed for a few more hours so I went down to the kitchen to grab a drink, maybe if I had enough alcohol to doze off my system, I could fall asleep. Stupid thought actually, I was more likely to stay up if I drank. So I opened the fridge instead, to find ice cream. There was always some ice cream in this fridge. When I was around 5-6 used to sneak out with my brother to get some sweets past midnight, but pappa would catch us. He was never mad at us once he even joined our Lil ice cream adventure with his own share of choco chip cookies dipped in a warm glass of milk. It was our lil guilty pleasure. But this time for a change I saw my mamma, she stood by the kitchen window looking out into the vineyard.

"Mamma? "

"Oh honey, you can't sleep either? "

"yeahhh. I'm glad I have company, maybe a lil ice cream would help?

"sit down you, I'll get the ice cream"

she turned to the fridge in a hurry before I managed to turn up the lights, and a tear? Was she crying? For what???

Knowing my mom, if I asked she would get annoyed further so I didn't ponder it any further. We sat together with the ice cream and talked about the past, not anything serious but all the silly stupid things I and my brothers did as kids, and giggled at some really awkward memories. We purposefully avoided talking about that time when pappa got shot and we had to move away for some time. After all, weren't trying to send away any hopes of sleeping tonight, and when silence fell again I asked.

"ma, I don't know what it is but you know you can talk to me, right...…"

"Oh it's nothing honey, it's just " her eyes were damp again.

"It's just I always felt like you never liked this lifestyle, the constant fear, instability and everything bad that came with the money and power… *sigh * I didn't get to choose who I married, but fortunately I married a good man. Together we made a family brick by brick. It was not easy, we took it slow and steady. Had to pretend at some part, had to turn a blind eye, forget and forgive but the efforts were mutual, we fell in love with each other.

But for you, I hoped better, like you could choose your life, your husband, and ever since your pappa came up with this proposal I had this impending feeling that like you would have chosen to marry outside this society if it was your call. Even cut all ties with this dangerous world and move out to somewhere peaceful, and…and normal. So yeah..." She wiped another drop of tear and continued "Im sorry we had to lock u right back into this world where mothers start every day with the fear of not seeing their children and husband ever again... it's terrible, really"

For a second I didn't know what to say, but I couldn't leave her in the silence either so I said, just for the sake of saying anything

"Oh mamma, you don't worry about that for a moment. I am your daughter, I will not just let somebody's arrangement decide the course of my life. And about getting out of this world, I was born here but never a part of it. Always a bystander to whatever went on in the name of the "family business" always a wallflower. I hated it of course, by trying my best not to see too much, not to let it bother me. my life was good so far ma, it will be good in the future cuz it was and will always be my decision to keep my happiness. So My marriage will be good, or I will make it good. " I said smiling

No matter what I said, no matter how confident I sounded It was confusing, the hour was late and my mind was still wandering but after a few minutes with mamma, I felt like I could nod off for a while.

__________

The engagement went well, well…not uneventfully well. I wore a simple pink dress and waited in my room, Catherine was there to help me calm down my nerves. She said she knew him, not well enough but she said he wasn't a bad guy maybe it was true, maybe it was true. Maybe she just wanted me to calm down. When pappa led me to the hall he was silent except for the kind smile he offered me but his face was optimistic.

The hall was decorated in pink and white flowers and laces. The delicate sound of the piano kept humming a familiar tune. Not many people stood there, just his family, the closest of his friends, and mine. He was already there when I walked down the stairs, he must have seen me first because when I spotted him his eyes were already on me. Damm, he was handsome.

Some part of me wished I could meet him sooner. But another part of me was still a bit anxious. Finally, we got engaged, shook hands, and talked a bit....a lot. He was taller than I expected and well built. His eyes were many hues of blue with an isle of brown.

'Cute. My kids are gonna have those eyes' I caught myself thinking. wait, what???? I met this man 5 mins ago and I was already planning kids and their eye color. There is seriously something wrong with me.

As soon as the crowd around us took off to socialize with others, he asked me if he could get me a glass of champagne. Sure he might have noticed me not standing still and shifting weight from leg to leg. So we sat down by the balcony and he got me my glass. The fact that he served in the army as a captain back when Richard and his dad ran the business was new to me. He asked if I was okay, with this... This means the marriage and him. He was a good listener, he let me talk and paid attention. He seemed friendly and polite. Altogether a nice guy but still a stranger. Some part of me hoped this sweet demeanor was not just an act.

My parents and his mom's brother, ( who first approached my dads with this proposal) were in a hurry to get us married so the wedding was fixed 2 weeks away from the engagement. Wow. It was too fast, and I was quite stressed as it was. The ceremony would be a gathering for the so-called superiors of the mob world. I would be able to call my best friend Vivienne, that's it. No one else. But what intimidated me was the haste around getting this done, why this rush, were they preparing for something else? The silence and the haste surrounding the engagement and the wedding gave me an eerie sensation, one strong enough to wonder if I was walking into a trap.

Or Maybe I can walk into a fairytale.

I went to bed replaying the conversation we had. It felt comforting, but not enough. I wanted to see him again, talk to him, and dance with him. That night I fell asleep quicker than I expected with a silent smile upon my face and a hopeful warmth filling my soul.

'It's gonna be alright ' I told myself

#henry cavill #captain syverson #mob!boss syverson #mob au #captain syverson fanfiction #henry cavill fanfic #chris evans #arranged marriage

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gren-arlio · 6 months

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Ah, another 2 parter. Welcome to Part 2 of Episode 2 of Season 2 of Waku Puyo Translations.

(That's a lot of 2's.)

Hello everyone, it's the guy with Kempf calling Olwen a stupid bitch banner here, back at it again with translating a funny video game. Ain't that fun? Sorry for the delay, with tests going on, a super big assignment, and of course, English class, I haven't had too much time to finish these. Also I've had an illness for the past 5 days and that's been kicking my ass. Hope you understand.

As stated prior, this is Part 2 of Episode 2, because Arle's route has so much text from the information booth that its super hard to put all of this stuff in a very timely manner, thus making two parts. Thankfully, a delay still means this gets released, just in a weird time. With it, I bring this part.

Here's the link to the video:

youtube

Timestamps:

Sasori Midboss: (10:39, defeat at 13:00.)

Info Stuff Again: (13:25 through 15:15, with extra Momomo stuff)

Draco Boss: (17:28, defeat at 21:08)

Draco Revisit: (23:17)

Finally, this episode will be done. And with this, I hope you enjoy.

Major Edit:

First off, I want to thank Eudae for this. They told me about this and I frankly wanna thank them for it. Here's their Nexus page for their info:

I messed up a key gameplay mechanic. With the major mistake, the mechanic is NOT called pinning, but storing an item inside of a bottle, Ala a fairy from Zelda. The effect I explained is still the same, where inside the bottle, the item doesn't wear down, but the correction had to be made.

Second, Weathering as a name. I took the name literally, which I shouldn't have. In reality, gameplay mechanics wise, it's more like an item wearing down, ala...Zelda again. The effect is still the same, but the names itself are wrong.

Third and more minor, the item for bottling up items is actually called the "Bottling Wand" or an overly long "Put-it-in-a-jar Wand" rather than a pinning stick. Fixes have been made, and once again, thanks Eudae.

Sasori Midboss:

Arle:

Huh? You're...

Sasori Man:

How are you? I'm Sasori Man.

Sometimes I'm a mysterious mogul, other times I'm the informant working behind the scenes, and sometimes I'm the deadliest assassin of them all...

Arle:

???

Sasori Man:

Well, I'm busy with stuff, so shall we get right into it?

Arle:

What? I'm fighting you now? Alright then, I won't lose!

---

Defeat: (13:00)

Sasori Man:

You're a good one, you win.

I'm going back. Goodbye.

Arle:

He's gone. Let's go too, Carby!

Carbuncle:

Gu!

----

Info Booth Again:

(So with this, back to menu nonsense. The player clicks Bulletin and the order goes:

To You Who Has Obtained the Grimoire

Momomo Store Reopening <- 2

Fire Mountain

Water Paradise

Starlight Stage

Identification Recommendation

Trap Warning

Pinning Recommendation <- 1)

"Bottling" Recommendation:

Sasori Man:

How are you doing today?

Arle:

Oh, Heya. What can you tell me?

Sasori Man;

Well, you see, I have a lot of work to do.

So let's get right into explaining.

Arle:

O-ok...

Sasori Man:

Arle, do you know why food rots?

Arle:

I believe if an enemy attacks it, or a trap.

Sasori Man:

Yes, that's right.

If you eat rotten food, you'll have a horrible stomach ache, so be careful.

Arle:

Alright then.

Sasori Man:

Along with rotting, another issue is the item wearing down.

Arle:

The item wearing down...? Oh, the thing that makes items worse.

Sasori Man:

Yes. For example, a Medical Herb becomes an Ordinary Herb, and Medicine jusg becomes Water. That's what I mean by wearing down.

Arle:

The effects of the item dissappear too...that's rough...

Sasori Man:

Whether it rots or wears out, eating spoiled food is incredibly painful.

Arle:

Yeah, it sure sounds like it.

Sasori Man:

...Well, I have wonderful news for you!

Arle:

Aren't you really excited all of a sudden-

Sasori Man;

There's a way to prevent such problems.

Arle:

What? You're serious!?

Sasori Man:

They call it "Bottle-clogging." (For now, I'll keep this name based off the info given.)

Food and other items can be kept safe with the bottle...with no worries at all!

The bottle protects the item from incoming attacks!

Arle:

Wow, that's amazing...

Sasori Man:

You can also bottle up items like herbs and the sort.

Of course, even when bottled up, the item can still be used normally.

Arle:

So how many items can I bottle up?

Sasori Man:

All you have to use is an item called the "Bottling Wand".

They're dropped in dungeons occasionally, so you'll find one if you're lucky.

Arle:

A bottling wand... alright, so I CAN protect my items!

---

Momomo Store Reopening:

Bulletin Board:

The numbers of items in Momomo's store and gone up a bit. So come on in and buy even more stuff.

(You can then find him in Fire Mountain...but the player just sells items when he says welcome.)

-----

Draco Boss: (17:28)

Arle:

Oh, you were at the entrance...

Draco:

Ah, you've finally arrived!

...Hm? Do you have a Grimoire?

Arle:

Grimoire? I don't have one.

Draco:

Well...guess I have no other choice then.

If you want to clear this room, you're going to have to get through me!

Arle:

What? What is this, a beauty pageant or something?

Draco:

Hmpf...I thought you'd never be able to match my beauty...

...Wait, no! Not here... (As in, this ain't the place for this nonsense.)

Arle:

So are we going to play Puyo Puyo then?

Draco:

Hehehe, I can make 5 chains...

...No! This is a proper fight!

(In defeat, she just says Gao 3 times.)

----

Draco Revisit:

Draco:

Gao!

Arle:

It's you again...

Draco:

I have to say, you're much stronger than you look.

Arle:

Huh? I do?

Draco:

I need to train myself, so I'm here to get even better!

Arle:

Eh? Is this place good for training like that anyways?

Draco:

Hm? I mean, you can always enter the attraction again, but it'd be hard to get out of it.

Oh, and I see that you have red orb, take good care of that.

If you forgot to ever grab an orb, don't worry, they'll still be on the 10th floor.

Arle:

Alright...thanks.

Draco:

Alright then, cya.

Arle:

Yeah, bye!

-----

And with that, Episode 2 is properly done. Hopefully the 3rd one isn't as long.

Next time I'm here I'll most likely be doing an Extras episode. But with that...

Adios.

#Youtube #madou monogatari #puyo puyo #japanese translation #sega #waku waku puyo puyo dungeon #arle nadja #draco puyo puyo #draco centauros

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stranger-nightmare · 2 years

Text

regular pinned post / navigation

𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞’𝐬 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐒𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 !! 🎊🎉

hi my lovelies! it's my birthday in a month and I wanted to host a lil event! it’s been a minute since I had a sleepover, and especially since my last one had to be cancelled due to personal reasons, I really wanted to have a do-over. I’m also nearly at 7k followers which is absolutely mind-blowing to me so it’ll be a lil celebration of that as well, maybe I can even actually make it to 7k in time for my actual birthday but we’ll see!!

this sleepover will consist of two parts; 'writing requests' and ‘send me things’, please see below for more info on each part <3

general info;

the actual sleepover will take place from Mon 25th July to Sun 31st July, with my birthday being on Weds 27th

due to the contents of this sleepover you must be 18+ to interact / join in; if you’re under 18 you shouldn't be anywhere near my page to begin with

if you would like to request some writing from me please start sending them in as soon as possible so I have the time to get them done before the actual sleepover week

all writings, asks, and posts related to the sleepover will be tagged under #hope hooray

rules for writing requests;

IMPORTANT: writing requests are now CLOSED!!

please read before sending me a request, thank you

I will only be writing short drabbles and headcanons, nothing too long

I will only be writing for characters that I have never written for before / have not written a lot for

because of this rule Druig, Matthew Murdock, Bucky Barnes, and Eddie Munson will not be available for requests bc I have already written for each of them quite a few times

here is the list of characters I write for and who you can request something with

if there’s someone not on my list that you’d like to request for please feel free to ask and if I do know of them I might be able to do something for you, but I can’t promise

I will be writing a limited number of requests (somewhere between 10-15 depending on how I get on and how many requests I actually receive)

the requests I choose to write will be picked depending on what I like the most / what gives me inspiration, it will not be a first-come first-served basis

I will also choose my selection of requests to encompass as many different characters as possible, so I really do encourage people to pick a variety of characters from my list!

please do not get upset or angry if I do not chose your request, it is nothing personal, it’s just about what I feel most inspired to write

you can send me your own idea for a request or you can choose from the following prompt lists if you’d like

hurt / comfort prompts | fluff & smut & angst prompts

you can pick multiple prompts if you’d like, but it’s preferable to have no more than two mixed together, at most three

angst and fluff will be written with gender neutral reader, unless otherwise specified

any smut requests will be written with female / afab reader

all other rules for making a request can be found here, including the limits of what I will and won't write

send in writing requests!!!

send me things;

just some fun things to enjoy at sleepover that aren’t to do with writing!

80s songs questions

any other questions (personal or fandom related)

fuck, marry, kiss / kill (you can choose)

this or that (make me choose)

how many shots (would it take me to sleep with a character / celebrity)

simp with me (send me all your thots on our favourite characters / celebrities)

tell me your headcanons (sfw and nsfw welcome)

ask for advice

tell me about yourself and I’ll ship you with a character (please specify if you’d like to be shipped with someone from a particular fandom) CLOSED

ask about my previous and / or my upcoming works

literally send me whatever you want, just come say hi!

send me things!!!

(no pressure) tagging some of my beloved mutuals: @siempre-bucky @mothdruid @buckspumpkin @inklore @clints-lucky-arrow @serendipityrogers @mushroomlupin @bemine-bucky @sapphireplums @greenorangevioletgrass @n0agranger @xcatnapsx @alloftheimagines @ohcaptains @imgonnaragnorockurshit @fluffyprettykitty @wannabevampire @mrsmooneyshouse @chaoticvigilantes

p.s. my darling moots if you don’t recognise me it’s bc I used to be waspswidows, I had a name change hehe <33

#hope’s birthday sleepover #sleepover #send in requests #send me things #hope hooray

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aelaer · 11 months

Text

writing update yay

Write Every Day June was a smashing success. Even on days I really wasn't feeling it due to being tired or having a crappy day (which definitely happened more than once), just rereading the part before the section I was about to write helped get me in the mood to go.

On the first and possibly the second day I wrote for a one-shot that likely won't see the light of day for ages, but the rest of the month was dedicated to Fic 5 in my series which I'm pretty sure I'm calling Above the Shadows. The fic doc was at 57k when I started this month, and in the wee hours of July 1st it's at 96k, so 39k new words (probably more as I deleted a lot of notes too, but many of those words are more notes so it evens out).

This is by far the most success I've had in writing for one piece of fiction in a month. I completed NaNo once by accident writing for Whumptober 2019, but that was across 31 fics. The other times I was recording how much I was writing in the past was 29k for a July NaNo back in like, 2010, and then last August for this same fic where I wrote a bit every day and got about 20ish-k done then.

As for actual fic progress, well, this month had me finishing the mostly-complete 6 and 7, fully writing out chapters 8-11, writing an interlude, mostly-completing 12 and 13, and writing a handful of pages for 14. Though throughout this whole process items kept being put in and events kept on being shifted to a newly labeled chapter, leaving the chapter count to grow ever larger.

If I had to guess (and again, it's definitely a bit hard to guess), I think the final chapter count is going to be 18-19 full chapters (which are like 5k-8k a pop) and 2 shorter interlude chapters. And I think at 96k, about 7k of that is just notes and A/Ns, so I really have 89k of fic. Looking at what scenes I have past the current chapter 13, and if I keep it to 19 chapters at 6.5k average I'm maybe... 2/3rds done with the fic.

I'll have a better idea once I have 14 and 15 solidified, I think.

Unfortunately I can't continue Write Every Day trends with July as most weekends I'm going out of town this month, including a whole jaunt to Comic Con. But I'll do my best to write each day on the weekdays I'm in town.

As for publishing, I am seriously considering a slow rollout to start with publishing a chapter like every 3 weeks at around the 80% mark which honestly, I'd really hope would be in August if July's as successful as last August. It'd give my beta plenty of time to work too on the last chapters, and by then I shouldn't suddenly stumble into a plothole that needs to be fixed 10 chapters previous. Then once everything's done it'd change probably to once a week.

So yeah! We'll see what life brings. But I'm crossing fingers to have something public by the end of the summer if I go the slow rollout route.

#my writing #update #fanfic

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jouliejihan · 1 year

Text

𝑳𝑶𝑽𝑬 𝑶𝑵 𝑨𝑰𝑹! - hueningkai × fem reader

𝑺𝒀𝑵𝑶𝑷𝑺𝑰𝑺: When Y/N and her eccentric friends decide to host the 'Love On Air' podcast, they think they can heal the heartaches of all HYBE Uni students. But when love begins to bubble up behind the scenes, Y/N finds herself at the center of a messed up love triangle. While she tries to save broken hearts, a shy student, Hueningkai, does everything to win her heart. With clumsy dating advice, accidental encounters and a chaotic podcast, will love triumph or end up in a hilarious mess?

"Tune in with us guys, cause Love is On Air!"

TAGLIST (open, send ask or comment to be added) @full-sunnies @unh0ly-dr3am3r @enhacolor @mackjestic @beabeanice @beoms-sugar

previous • masterlist • next

4 - heart on track

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: ANS: Dorm Room Request

Dear Kim Y/N,

We hereby inform you that a vacancy has opened in one of the rooms in our dorms. It is on the 2nd floor, room 47. The key is in our storage room, please pick it up to speed up your move. If in doubt, look in my office.

Yours sincerely,

Park Jiwon, Dean of HYBE University of Media, Technology and Arts

⊹⊱•••《 💗 》•••⊰⊹

Y/N was immersed in her Excel spreadsheets, trying to find inspiration for the next episode of Love On Air. Sitting in her bedroom in Jay's apartment, she alternated between analyzing data and constantly playing soft Seventeen songs, trying to find that much-needed creative boost. She tried to resume the last song from the beginning before it ended, in an attempt to let her ideas flow, however, the ideas seemed to escape her hands, she typed a line in her spreadsheet, but it erased it, she tried to stipulate a time for each segment, but some she thought took too much time, others that it was insufficient, leaving her frustrated in this way. Y/N sighed and decided to take a break. At that moment, Jay knocked on the door.

"Noona, can I come in?"

Y/N paused the music, removed the headphones and allowed Jay to enter. The two sat together, discussing the progress of each segment of the podcast. Jay offered his support and contributed his own ideas, bringing a fresh perspective to the project. She opened Excel and showed him her work. At the top of the spreadsheet was a merged cell with the title: "Love On Air Schedule." Below it was another one filled in with the week of the broadcast and its time, 10 P.M. And in the final line, filtered columns with each day and its respective time, all painted with the pink palette corresponding to the page on Twitter, however, the only ones that were filled in corresponded to the moments of the first transmission, when she told her experience during her 2 th week at HYBE Uni, Beomgyu's gossip and closing at 10, 10:15 and 11:15 PM respectively. Other than that, all the others were empty, so Jay knew exactly what was going on.

"Couldn't think of anything?"

"No." she sighed "We didn't get any messages in our DM so it's harder to think of everything."

"I think we can start by changing the start time, why did you choose 10 PM?"

"Because that's when I'm most productive."

"It's an idea, but nobody listens to a podcast at that time. It explains why your listenership is so low."

"So what do you suggest?"

"Usually peak listening times are between 6 AM, 5 PM and 12 PM, but since our classes are in the morning, the best time for us would be between 12 PM."

"That's when we have our lunch break and when our afternoon colleagues arrive! Jay, you're a genius!"

His face reddened with his friend's praise, but he thanked her, so they changed the time of transmission in the spreadsheet, leaving now, the subjects for each time, but in this topic, she still had difficulties, fortunately, Jay was there to clear your doubts.

"First of all, a brief introduction to the podcast shouldn't be missing, with you or more anchors. 10 minutes for that alone is enough."

"And then?"

"How about song requests? It's great for our listeners to get in the mood."

"I love this idea! But how many will we take per day?"

"It depends on how many stories and advice they send us, but since this is the first week, we're going for 20 minutes for song requests."

So he continued to contribute his own ideas, bringing a fresh perspective to the project.

However, hunger began to tighten, and fatigue began to set in. She rubbed her eyes, feeling the weight of exhaustion. Jay noticed and suggested they take a break to eat and get some rest.

"Noona, I think we need some time to recharge. Let's get some snacks and then you can take a nap right here before moving into the dorms."

She nodded, feeling grateful for his suggestion. He took out his cell phone and opened his delivery app.

"Want something to eat, noona? It's on me."

"No Jay, I can't take it!"

"But I insist! You deserve it!"

"Alright!" she grinned "Then I'll go for some tuna kimbap with cola, you?"

"Don't worry, there's plenty of ramen here, but I'll take your order first, okay?"

Half an hour later, the two were sitting on the living room floor, enjoying their snacks, to break the ice, Jay introduced a new subject, praising his friend's dedication.

"Did you make that spreadsheet?"

"I did." she smiled as she took a sip of her cola. "I have this habit of organizing every detail of the day into lists or spreadsheets, so I can feel productive and have more pleasure in following the routine."

"Not all people have that kind of mindset, you know? That's one of the things that makes her so special."

"Thanks, Jay."

When the two finished eating, they threw the disposable packaging in the trash and she went straight to her room, wearing his blue Snoopy pajamas with plaid pants of the same tone and laying down on his bed. After getting into bed, Jay remained beside her, knowing her habit of falling asleep listening to her Seventeen playlist. Carefully, he placed the headphones in his ears, turned the volume down a bit, and picked up the music where it had left off.

Peaceful melodies filled the room, enveloping her in a serene atmosphere. Jay put the dolphin plushie he got from Jake in her arms, knowing it would be comforting for her.

Before leaving, Jay leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, wishing her a good night's sleep.

"Sweet dreams noona, I'll miss having you here."

With a gentle smile, he left the room, leaving her to rest in peace. Seventeen's songs continued to play softly, enveloping her in a peaceful atmosphere as she drifted off to sleep, feeling protected and supported by Jay's comforting presence.

⊹⊱•••《 💗 》•••⊰⊹

Y/N was excited to finally settle into her new room in HYBE's dorm. However, her excitement turned to frustration as soon as she set foot in the room and was faced with a chaotic mess. Wet towels on the bed, dirty tiger-print clothes strewn across the floor, and misplaced gym gear.

She couldn't believe the decayed state of the room and, without hesitation, started to clean up the mess. She was determined to make the environment pleasant and orderly. However, her mission was cut short by a surprising encounter.

As she was folding one of the T-shirts, the bedroom door slammed open, revealing a visibly irritated young man. It was none other than Kwon Soonyoung, her new roommate.

"Ya, what are you doing?!"

"Cleaning up this mess! Who can stand living in a pigpen?!"

"But no one gave you permission to go through my stuff, girl, get the fuck out!"

"Fuck no! I'm your roommate so you must live by my rules!"

"I can't believe I'm forced to live with a controlling freak who doesn't understand the concept of personal space! It's unacceptable!"

"And I can't believe I have to live with a pig that feels good living in its own filth! It's unbearable!"

The discussion intensified, with Y/N and Soonyoung exchanging heated words. The tension and stress of the situation built up in loud screams that drew the attention of the entire hallway, an entire crowd formed at the bedroom door, causing her to finally get tired.

"You know what? I don't need this shit! I'm done trying to be polite and living with someone who devalues shared space. Bye!"

She pushed through all those people and slammed the door hard, the sound echoing throughout the hall. She felt a mixture of relief and frustration as she left the room, leaving Soonyoung behind.

In the heat of the moment, she didn't know where she was going to go, but she was determined to find a solution to this untenable situation. She knew she needed a more harmonious living environment to fully enjoy her college life at HYBE.

Still furious from her argument with Soonyoung, she was determined to find a place where she could calm down. As she walked down the hall, her mind was still seething with frustration, causing her not to pay much attention to her surroundings.

Unintentionally, she bumped into someone coming from the opposite direction.

"ARGH, C'MON YOUR RASCAL! Oh…" Y/N's face flushed and her voice trembled.

Joshua, who had just been hit by the sudden scream, was momentarily startled and confused. He looked at her and then his surprised expression gave way to a mixture of embarrassment and nervousness.

"Oh… Hi. Y/N, right?"

"Yeah. How do you know your name?"

"From Love On Air. I saw some tweets in my timeline and then…"

"Oh my god! I hope you don't think I'm a pathological liar!"

"Why would I think that when I barely know you?" he snorted

"I'm sorry! I'm such an idiot!"

He shook his head, a shy smile creeping across his face.

"It's okay. It happens."

The two were silent for a moment, feeling the tension of the situation and the presence of the past that enveloped them. Joshua looked more embarrassed, remembering the rumors spread by Beomgyu and broadcast in her podcast's 1st episode.

Noticing the uncomfortable atmosphere, she tried to diffuse the tension with a forced smile.

"Well, I guess... let's try to forget about this disastrous encounter, shall we? After all, we have a university life ahead of us."

"Yeah, definitely. Let's move on and leave the past in the past. Good luck!"

She nodded and the two went their separate ways, each carrying with them the memory of that brief but embarrassing encounter. But when realization hit her, she realized the mess she'd made.

"Shit! I forgot to ask his name!"

A/N: Bold of you to assume that I WOULDN'T bring our gentle sexy to the team...

... when Lee Youngji spilled the tea right before I wrote the 1st chapter!

A/N ²: You had ONE JOB, Kim Y/N 🤦🏽‍♀️

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jusdisslotus · 2 years

Note

Commadore, if your gonna a little petty bitch, about your seeing red comic shit show, as someone whos planning to EVENTUALLY criticise tbatf's shitty comic-

Tbatf's shit is better than yours. Their art is shit but at least it's easier on the eyes. Their story is awful and cliche, it wasn't even the first "edgy red leader" story, I've been in the fandom forever has. I was HERE when Tord was still here, when Edd was alive, and there were TONS of red leader edgelord content. I was one of the ones with better genetic "Tord's an asshole".

Do you realize how bad you'd have to be for me to consider tbatf to be a better option? which, the plot is basically that it has no plot. Just a lot of running around in circles, considering the plot it sets up itself to supposedly have or interesting lore (none of which is about main characters all about ocs) before dropping it to go chasing its own tail again?

The fact that some of the official crew likes this shows deeply, as it's clear that tbatfs writing ability is rubbing off on them, the beach episode was basically that issue but it's an animated show. I don't have high hopes and will garunteed Jon Lopez will find a way to sneek in a reference in the up coming confirmed wtfuture 2, which I don't have high hopes for anyways.

Side track: wtfuture 2 won't focus on red leader, and will mostly like focus on wtf Matt did at the end of wtfuture 1 and then generally reversing it, maybe past Edd/Tom and feature Edd/Tom/Matt teaming up. Or a sequel with future edd trying to kill past him again. Maybe they'll address monster tom, maybe. Chances are they won't full on tackle the issue. But don't expect red to get a lot of attention beyond a vague Easter egg. I don't trust them to do anything actually interesting, I don't hold the writing that high in regards.

But honestly, CCP, I much rather read tbatf or any other generic shitty Wattpad fanfiction than your comic. Your comic just feels like like it belongs on watt with other 10 year olds ideas and that's an insult to 10 years and preteens considering Edd started eddsworld when he was 15. To say children can't make decent content would be hypocritical. But it feels like trying to hard, and it comes across as cringe.

I guess that's what happens when you buy too hard on on how the end makes Tord out to be the devil and most evil character when Matt's done worse on mutiple occasions and the fandom (tbatf included) boils him down to incompetent idiot man child, despite the literal threat he's outted himself to be, and why you realllllyy shouldn't insult him. He's forgetful, not stupid. Let's be real.

Any story line that hinges on making Tord hella sympathetic because he's just UwU misunderstood is doomed to fail and turn out horribly, because by the shows he's logic's he's not misunderstood and Matt's somehow not evil and an idiot.

If you really want me to go page by page in-depth, allow me, but the results aren't charming, and do not favor you in the slightlest, my dear. I'm more than willing to give your game a roll of the dice though.

Just leaving this here cause it’s a lot

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smute · 2 years

Text

SO YOU WANT TO COLLECT CLASSIC BOOKS...

So here it is! (almost a year later lmao)

My collectible classics "masterpost"!!!😌 🗣🚨🤯

Splain it!

When I say "collectible" classics I'm talking about any ongoing series of reprints of classic (English-language) titles with a cohesive design. They should look good on a shelf and (ideally) be made to last a lifetime. I'm not talking about rare, antique, or limited editions, or books that are expected to appreciate in value.

I'm focusing on collections of classic works of prose fiction (some classics are nonfiction; poetic and dramatic texts are often published in separate collections), i.e. texts with a timeless appeal, texts that have been in print for a long time, and that have been recognized by critics and readers as "must-reads". Very often, these texts are also considered to be part of the English literary canon.

I'm rating each series on a scale of 1–10 and the final score is based on nothing but my extremely correct opinion. I'll do my best to explain all the pros and cons but I don't have a strict rating system or whatever. Just vibes. 🤪

What I care about:

1. Paper: You don't start a classics collection with books that are gonna turn brown and crumble to dust after 15-20 years. That's why you want acid-free paper. Some publishers even use expensive "archival" paper. (There is no set definition but it generally means that in addition to being acid-free, it's made from pure cotton fibers rather than wood pulp, and without optical brighteners.) Normal acid-free paper goes a long way though. It's used for most hardbacks today anyway, so you shouldn't expect anything less from a collectible edition. I personally prefer paper that is neither too coarse nor too smooth. It should also be durable and neutral in color.

2. Binding: There are many ways to bind a book but for the purpose of this ranking we only have to worry about two (okay, three):

Perfect binding (glued binding): The leaves (1 leaf=2 pages) are folded and gathered in signatures (sections). The signatures are combined into a single textblock, the folded edges are sanded off, and the whole thing is glued directly to a flexible cardboard cover. This type of binding is cheap, it produces a very even result (hence the name), but it is not very durable. It's used for pretty much all paperbacks.

Case binding (sewn binding): With case binding, the leaves are also gathered in signatures, but they're sewn together. The finished textblock is usually reinforced with a backing material along the spine (ideally fabric; sometimes paper) and attached to the hardcover (case) via end papers. That means the text block can move independently from the spine and, when opened, all pages will lay flat. This type of binding is much more durable and it's the preferred method for (high-quality) hardbacks. Many case-bound hardcover books will have additional features like endbands, ribbon bookmarks, and protective dust jackets. This used to be the preferred method for binding books and it is still considered the gold standard but, as you can imagine, it is much more expensive than perfect binding.

I'm not a pressman so I'm not sure about the terminology, but I've noticed many hybrid variations in between these two methods. For example, some paperbacks consist of signatures rather than single pages, but the textblock is still glued directly to the cover. This prevents single pages from falling out, but over time entire signatures can come loose. Some books have sewn signatures while others use staples, and so on and so forth...

Due to their very limited lifespan, paperbacks are not the best choice for a collection... generally speaking. However, they are ubiquitous, affordable, and many people genuinely prefer compact paperbacks over clunky hardcover books, so I've decided to include both kinds in this list.

3. Content: Many texts have been altered significantly over the course of their publication history, and the most common editions aren't always complete editions. Ultimately, it's a matter of personal preference—like theatrical releases vs. director's cuts. I'm not normally a snob about abridged texts but if your goal is to build your own little classics library, I think it makes sense to stick to complete and unabridged editions. Abridgments aside, most publishers choose their editions very carefully and put a lot of thought into commentary, footnotes, and background information. Some prefer to stick with the most popular versions of texts, others print less common editions. Some want to make texts accessible, others want to stay as close to the original as possible. Some editions include just the original text, others feature introductions or even extensive annotations and additional critical material.

4. Design: should look good innit

Please keep in mind that I'm rating these books with regard to their suitability for collectors specifically.

So here goes! 👁👁

Penguin Classics [3/10]

a.k.a. Black-spine Classics. Books from this series are truly ubiquitous and, in my experience, they tend to accumulate on their own lmao. The series offers a huge selection of nearly 2,000 titles, but as standard paperbacks they're not made to last. They're very flexible and feel good in the hand, although the print quality varies. The paper texture is okay but it's pulpy and not acid-free. Black-spine Classics generally include useful introductions and other supplementary materials.

Pro: literally thousands of titles to choose from, good price, good size, very flexible, okay look and feel, minimal design, additional materials

Con: paperback, black spines crack quickly and don't look very nice on a shelf

Penguin Modern Classics [2/10]

Another huge selection (1,200 titles) that covers more recent texts. They're affordable but, unfortunately, very cheaply made (see below). The discoloration is truly BONKERS—the paper edges yellow super quickly. Very pulpy and definitely not acid-free. They feel aw-FUL.

Pro: same as above

Con: somehow even less durable than the regular Penguin Classics

The Penguin English Library [2.5/10]

I have quite a few of these, but they're not any better or worse than other Penguin paperbacks. The covers are beautiful—very understated and somewhat timeless—and the paper is very flexible and feels quite good compared to other Penguin editions. But it's still not great (see below).

Pro: looks, paper (although not acid-free)

Con: limited selection (126), standard paperbacks

A note on Penguin paperbacks:

All Penguin paperback series suffer from POD disease (POD = Print-on-demand). POD is often used for backlist (=older) titles and titles that are out of print. Thanks to POD, such titles can remain available for a long time after their initial release but since POD uses digital printing instead of offset printing, the quality is absolute dogshit*. The paper used for digital printing is softer and kind of spongy compared to regular books, the text is gray rather than black, and very fuzzy due to the lower resolution. You could achieve the same quality with a photocopier. Personally, I've noticed it the most with the English Library and Modern Classics editions. On some pages, the text blocks are crooked and off center, and some people online have even complained about MISSING PAGES lmaoooo... anyway.

*(I mean that Penguin's POD books specifically are dogshit. Some digital printing methods can produce excellent results.)

Penguin Clothbound Classics [2/10]

Again, a decent selection of nearly 100 titles with absolutely gorgeous covers and a very cohesive design, but made from thee worst materials. The coarse linen fabric feels absolutely gross, the stamped-on decorations basically rub off instantly and the colors fade SUPER quickly. (You can buy a brand new copy, take off the barcode sticker, and the fabric underneath will be several shades darker. The color fades THAT quickly. And yes, the sticker will also take off the decorative pattern.) They're relatively cheap for hardbacks, except they're not actual hardbacks. The have glued bindings with a hard cover, so... the worst of both worlds: stiff spine AND stiff cover. The paper is bright white and feels cheap in the hand, although it is on the finer side, and (as far as I can tell) it is not acid-free. They look really nice on a shelf but if you actually want to read your books, they're terrible. I have no idea why these are so popular.

Pro: hardcover (with glued binding not sewn), original design

Con: they seem affordable, but for glorified paperbacks wrapped in shitty linen they're actually still overpriced

Vintage Classics [5/10]

Another imprint of Penguin. (What isn't?) Vintage Classics look and feel just a little bit nicer than other Penguin paperbacks imo. They feature actual cover designs rather than stock images, but they're still not particularly durable. They do, however, have a few author series with gorgeous covers made from thicker cardboard, e.g., the Austen series or the Woolf series.

Pro: the author series if you're looking for some nicer paperbacks

Con: same as all the other paperbacks

Virago Modern Classics Designer Collection [3/10]

These are very similar to the Penguin Clothbound Classics—beautiful decorative patterns (printed on paper so at least they don't rub off) and the same awful glued-bindings-with-hard-covers-situation. I only have one of these and it's so goddamn stiff it won't open more than 90°. It's pretty much unusable. Also worth noting: they feature some good introductions.

Pro: price, cover designs

Con: small selection, poorly made

Everyman's Library [10/10]

This is one of my favorites. I personally collect the Everyman Classics / Contemporary Classics. The Classics include ancient and non-Western classics, and there are separate collections of Children's Classics, Pocket Classics, and Pocket Poets. EL was founded in 1906 and the current design has been around since the early 90s. EL offers one of the largest selections of hardbacks on this list with new titles being added on a regular basis, and given its century-long history and enduring popularity it'll probably be around for a long time to come. It's an excellent option if you're thinking about starting a collection.

The production quality is unparalleled in this price segment—sewn full-cloth bindings with a rounded spine, ribbon bookmark, and a dust jacket. The fabric feels fantastic and the paper quality is superb. I have no idea how these are so affordable. They could go for 50 or 60€ and still be a great deal. They're color-coded by period and other criteria, but all titles share a similar design and look great together. They also include extensive introductions and additional information.

This series absolutely deserves 10/10 points, but if we're nitpicking... I guess the design may be a little too uniform and understated for some? They're elegant books with a timeless look but they're not exactly jaw-dropping lmao

Important: Most titles are printed in two locations, under different ISBN numbers. The US versions are printed in the US by Berryville Graphics, while the UK versions are printed by GGP Media in Germany. Everything mentioned here applies to the UK versions only. The US versions are glued and the print quality is so bad that people have returned books because they thought they received a counterfeit. If you're buying in person you can simply check the edition notice to see where the book was printed, but if you're buying online you may have to do some digging to find out which exact ISBN to get.

Pro: fantastic quality, very good price, huge selection, future-proof, unpretentious design

Con: differences between US/UK versions

Barnes & Noble Leatherbound Classics [7/10]

First of all, these things are huge. They are indeed bound in leather, if you consider bonded leather (fine leather scraps mixed with polyurethane on a paper backing) to be leather. The sewn binding seems sturdy, the pages open flat, and the gilt edges (foil, obviously) are among the better ones out there. They have a more classic look with faux hubbed spines (horizontal ribs that help strengthen the binding; purely decorative in this case), and the covers are embossed with foil print. Afaik they use acid-free paper, which also feels very smooth. For their price range (20-40€) the quality is decent.

The series includes some interesting omnibus editions (several titles by the same author in one book) and anthologies, but due to their size and weight you basically need a table or bookstand to read them. They're mostly just great shelf candy. I mean... look at this.

Pro: Big and beautiful, decent quality at a moderate price

Con: Not very user-friendly, made from cheap materials

Barnes & Noble Flexibound Editions [4/10]

Interesting combination of sewn bindings with flexible rubber covers. Ironically, the text blocks feel stiffer than the leatherbound titles. The paper is kind of dark and it feels coarser than other B&N editions. I personally can't stand the texture of the rubber covers and the material tends to attract lint and dust. There are some interesting designs but due to the strange plastic material they just look tacky imo.

Pro: flexible covers if you're into that, moderately priced

Con: unremarkable design and overall quality, small selection

Oxford World's Classics [6.5/10]

Another big selection of several hundred paperback titles. These are definitely better than anything Penguin sells, but what really makes them stand out is their content. As one may expect from a university publisher, they often use less common editions of famous classics, and all of their titles include a ton of additional materials from introductions and annotations to bibliographies, illustrations, and even glossaries. If you want to start reading classics and are interested in supplementary educational materials, these are a great place to start.

Pro: huge selection, low price, focus on scholarship

Con: standard paperbacks, not particularly beautiful or durable

Oxford World's Classics Hardback Collection [3/10]

What a tragedy. I'm a big fan of the minimalist look, but they're similar in quality to the Penguin Clothbound Classics. They use the same glued bindings (wtf?) and the same cheap fabric on the covers. The paper is unusually thick but it still feels very coarse and pulpy. Their unique design makes them stand out, but due to the poor manufacturing quality, I can't recommend them at all. Of course, these also include extensive introductions and additional commentary from renowned scholars, just like their paperback counterparts.

Pro: minimalist design, supplementary materials

Con: cheaply made, small selection

Canterbury Classics (Leatherbound) [4/10]

They're very similar to the B&N Leatherbound Classics, except they don't look as nice. Not a fan.

Pro: (bonded) "leather", okay quality at an okay price, classic look

Con: big and clunky, boring covers, exactly like the B&N Leatherbound Classics but without any of the redeeming qualities lmao

Chiltern Classics [5/10]

A lot of people seem to love these (???) but I can't really make sense of them. They're on the smaller side, with embossed cover designs, lots of foil print, gilt edges, ribbon markers, and sewn bindings. For some reason, however, they're printed on stiff, satiny, semi-glossy paper that you would normally use for pictorial content, and the books feel like a brick in your hand. I personally don't like it at all. The weight of the paper alone makes them feel quite premium, but it also seems to put more stress on the binding. (One of the two titles I own is already falling apart.) I don't think that they're deliberately cutting corners or that the books are cheaply made (although they use paper instead of fabric as backing material), but some of their ~very interesting~ design choices simply do not translate into a better product.

Chiltern's mission statement promises "the most beautiful classics ever published" so their main focus seems to be on aesthetics. Their titles don't include introductions or any additional commentary, and they don't provide any information on editions/versions of the texts used other than "they are unabridged" lol. Tbh it's hard to find ANY sort of information—about the company, the materials, the editions, the production process, the founders, where the books are printed, ANYTHING. It all feels very gimmicky.

All I know is that Chiltern Publishing was founded in 2018 and that the first Classics were released in 2019. The current selection is small, but growing (I assume). But with such a young publishing house there really is no guarantee that they'll still be around in a year or two.

Pro: pretty, heavy, pretty heavy lol

Con: small selection, no info on anything, glossy paper (unless you're into that)

Macmillan Collectors' Library [9/10]

Another favorite. The quality is comparable to the Everyman Classics, but they use very thin paper that is strangely white. And when I say strange I mean it's BRIGHT white. They're bound in light blue fabric (love it or hate it) with gilt edges, endbands, and a ribbon bookmark, and they come with beautiful dust jackets. Very unusual nowadays: the fabric cover underneath actually has an embossed pattern, so they look good with or without a jacket. They're travel-sized, so the text is on the smaller side, albeit very sharp. The overall quality is fantastic.

What makes MCL books stand out from the rest is their editorial quality. The collection includes more classics from otherwise underrepresented writers, and most titles also feature detailed introductions commissioned specifically for this series. As naive as it may sound, it seems as if MCL is one of the few series whose main purpose is not just to squeeze some cash out of old titles. It feels much more measured and.. meaningful (if that makes sense lol).

Pro: excellent selection, great quality, small size

Con: the paper is very white, small size = small text

Norton Critical Editions [6/10]

These are standard paperbacks printed on 30% recycled paper, but in terms of content, they're a fantastic option. No other series provides such a breadth of supplementary materials. Most texts are fully annotated and include hundreds of pages of criticism.

Pro: focus on scholarship

Con: paperback

Honorable Mentions:

The Folio Society

Illustrated editions, high-quality hardbacks, high price point.

Calla Editions

Dover's premium imprint, facsimiles of famous editions rather than original designs

Knickerbocker Classics

Heard good things but cannot speak to the quality since they're kind of hard to find where I live.

Thomas Nelson Seasons Editions

Beautiful hardbacks with laser-cut dust jackets. Collectibles in the classical sense: each edition is limited to 10,000 copies.

Easton Press

Really fucking expensive.

(Not an exhaustive list, obviously.)

#this post has been sitting in my drafts for ages and tbh im sick of looking at it dhjshdjhfjdhc #plus i think its long enough as it is #so here you go #no one asked #but idk maybe someone will find it helpful #&

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