HMSquared

do you feel like a hero yet? | they/them | header by @samfosho

[hmsquared]

I had a wild six degrees of separation moment yesterday.

I’ve been diving into the Dragon Age franchise, and Varric’s voice sounded familiar to me. It was one of those things where I couldn't quite place it, but it sounded familiar. So I decided to look up who voices him. My jaw dropped at the answer.

Brian Bloom. AKA Central Officer Bradford in XCOM 2. I know that people give Central crap for how much he talks in that game, but he is my guy. So to see Brian’s name pop up again made me happy.

For bonus points: because I know this, I can hear bits of Central in Varric now. It’s subtle (Central’s voice is deeper and rougher), but it’s there. And it makes me like Varric even more than I already do.

[hmsquared]

I’m playing Dragon Age: Inquisition for the first time. I just started Act 2. Here are my thoughts on each companion so far.

Cassandra: A firecracker in the best way

Varric: Great Chest Ahead™️ (in all seriousness, Varric is my guy)

Solas:…why do I feel like he’s an eldritch horror inhabiting an elf body?

Sera: Bonkers, rude, and yet relatable to me

Vivienne: Ma’am, why are you turning out to be a bitch?

Blackwall: Rough around the edges, but I adore him

Iron Bull: A trans ally with a fondness for redheads? Welcome aboard!

Dorian: A better version of Gale Dekarios (I say that lovingly as a BG3 fan)

Cole: My maternal instincts are strong around him

[alwaysscreechingbasement]

[teashoesandhair]

This doesn’t include the best bit of the whole thing - she found the Twitter thread!

[black-feather-fiction]

This is like one of those romance novels where people bond over accidentally writing each other emails but better.

Like Pride and Prejudice but instead of the love interest getting dissed for his toxicity and then reforming, it’s just two people bonding over dissing a dead toxic asshole.

10/10 would recommend

[hmsquared]

According to Bethesda, we are getting:

A Fallout 3 remaster

A Fallout: New Vegas remaster

A new Fallout project by Obsidian

Shut the fuck up and take my money.

[moxleyrollins]

AEW: BEACH BREAK | 07.08.26

[hmsquared]

Say it louder for the people in the back.

[allelitewrestlings]

AEW DYNAMITE • July 8, 2026

[hmsquared]

Heeey! Welcome back, Willow.

[allthingswhumpyandangsty]

anon in my inbox said fanfic writers who wrote about dark and taboo topics were not “real writers” because of what they wrote about.

reblog if you believe anon is wrong and writers are writers, no matter what they write about. no matter how they portray these taboo topics.

reblog if you believe art can be about topics that are controversial, taboo or outright disturbing, and artists who create controversial, taboo or outright disturbing art are as valid as artists who create art of conservative values.

reblog to laugh at anon ♡

[ladyofwitheredroses]

Any person who writes is a real writer, there’s no right or wrong way to be a writer

[hmsquared]

I finished my replay of Detroit: Become Human. Overall, I adored it and had an amazing time. However, I was also reminded why Markus is my least favorite protagonist: I have issues with his route’s writing.

I felt like Markus’s personality after the junkyard wasn’t a natural progression of who he was before. Granted, he went through a traumatic event, and there was rebirth symbolism involved. But it still felt like his later headstrong personality wasn’t present during the initial scenes with Carl. I wish that we had either seen more of that beforehand, or that he kept his caretaker sweetness afterwards.

My other thing is, I don’t feel like North works as a love interest for a peaceful protest route. She’s always suggesting violent methods of resistance, and you lose approval if you don’t do them. Yet, it’s still fairly easy to end the game as her lover. I wish that Simon or Josh had filled that role in a peaceful route instead.

[hmsquared]

As a birthday gift to myself, I bought the PC version of Detroit: Become Human. I played it back when it was a PS4 exclusive (if I remember correctly, it’s the reason I got a PS4), but I haven't touched it in years.

The main thing I’m noticing: the anti-android themes hit a lot harder in today’s AI-filled world. It’s also resonating with me as someone part of several minorities hated by the Trump administration. I’m sure that people who aren't white like me would find even more impact.

The most unexpected thing so far? I’m noticing nuance in Todd of all people. Don’t get me wrong, he is still an abusive asshole (to put it lightly). But he doesn't feel as one-dimensional as when I first played this game in high school. I can see fragments of the man he used to be, who he could’ve been. I think it’s a combination of me getting older and confronting my mental health stuff. I have… sympathy is absolutely not the right word, but I have understanding now of how Todd got to where he ended up.

I had forgotten how gorgeous this game is. I always loved bits and pieces of the soundtrack, but the whole thing is hitting for me now. I’ll have to see if it’s on Spotify.

And finally, Lance Henriksen. Oh my gosh, Lance Henriksen. I loved him when I originally played this game, and I love him now. His performance as Carl is fantastic.

I’ve missed you, Detroit: Become Human.

[hmsquared]

I’m now playing Devil May Cry 4. So far, I have only one comment: I am eating quite well as a lesbian.

[scribefindegil]

I was in a long-term relationship that fell apart partially because I was ace and my partner was very much not, and every time we looked for relationship help we got told that I was the problem. Not just that a significant mismatch in sexual desire could be a problem in a relationship, but that it was My Fault, Specifically, for not being willing to suck it up and have a bunch of sex I didn't want. To my ex's credit, he cared about consent much more than any of the professionals we talked to and refused to pressure me even when my (lesbian, billed as progressive and pro-LGBT) therapist was actively telling him to.

But it meant that we had absolutely no help or support when we were trying to work on the relationship in ways that *did* value my autonomy. There's basically no advice for people who want to try to make a relationship where there's a big desire gap work that isn't "well you should just have sex anyway" or "just break up lol". And that sucks!

Sometimes breaking up is necessary, and that's what ended up happening with us because there were other reasons we worked better as friends, but there *should* be better frameworks for discussing what people want and need that don't automatically assume that one partner's feelings are automatically more important or valuable than the other's.

[geese-in-flight]

I was dating someone who wanted to be accommodating and work with me to figure things out but lacked the EQ to do so in any effective way. It was my first relationship and I was still figuring out what being ace meant for me. It’s been eight or nine years, but I still remember very clearly the moment I realized we’d been approaching the entire discussion as if my orientation was the problem to be solved, and that it would be equally as valid to say that hers was.

She was significantly less impressed with this revelation than I was, but I tried to hold on to it ever since (although obviously the real problem wasn’t either one of us, but the mismatch and the lack of tools to deal with it). I think it’s super important to remember that we aren’t the ones in the wrong while our theoretical partners are the ones in the right. I was surprised by how much I’d internalized the assumption and I don’t think I’m the only one.

[ineffectualdemon]

The other frustrating aspect of this is allo relationships will often have periods of time where libido does not match (I'm not derailing and this will swing back to asexual people)

Just after giving birth, during a family crisis, during a mental health episode, during health problems, during stressful periods at work

There are a lot of times when one person is horned up and raring to go and the other has no interest

And the solution often presented is that the person who is going through something should just put out because they are the problem instead of like...finding ways to engage in non sexual intimacy to reaffirm closeness

An asexual person is going to get 10x the amount of pressure and blame put on them and no advice on how non-sexual intimacy can help their relationships and if they get that at all it will only be to sell it as a bridge to sex they don't want.

I really hate the selling of intimacy as only equaling or facilitating sex. Intimacy comes in many forms and should be explored more by every couple as a non sexual act. And it the given importance it deserves. In fact I would argue if we as a society put more value on non sexual intimacy more relationships would be happier and healthier

And asexual people would stop getting shit for being themselves.

[the-haiku-bot]

And asexual

people would stop getting shit

for being themselves.

Beep boop! I look for accidental haiku posts. Sometimes I mess up.

[aoflameandco]

"You wanted to protect people. Now we can do it together"

[hmsquared]

I’ve started playing Devil May Cry 3. I am ALL on board the Dante/Lady boat.

Also, this game’s combat cutscenes are campy as hell, and I love it.

[hmsquared]

I had a funny Fallout: New Vegas moment the other day that I want to highlight.

I’m traveling with Boone, which means that enemies are highlighted for me. I saw what I thought was a Gecko off in the distance and decided to shoot at it. I ended up being too far away, which was a good thing when I got a bit closer. Turns out, it was not a Gecko that I shot at.

It was a Deathclaw.

I don’t usually talk to myself when I’m gaming. But in that moment, I involuntarily went, “Oh, shit.” Needless to say, we hightailed it out of there.

Also, Boone was very good and did not start shooting at a Deathclaw NEST I somehow ended up within spitting distance of a couple of minutes later. We calmly snuck by without issue.

[allelitewrestlings]

JON MOXLEY'S CINCINNATI HOMECOMING AEW DYNAMITE • June 10, 2026

[hmsquared]

Oooo, I bet that place was loud. Welcome home, Mox.

[hmsquared]

I’m replaying Fallout: New Vegas, which has led to watching some clips from the Fallout TV show.

I honestly normally don’t care about video game adaptations… but oh my God, the visuals are amazing. They’re genuinely faithful to the games. Seeing a live-action sign for The Atomic Wrangler blew my mind. And the Deathclaws! Aaaah, it’s all so good.

But my favorite thing that I’ve seen so far? My boy Victor. I know that a lot is possible with CGI these days, but Victor actually looks like himself. And he looks good! I can’t get over it.

Now I just need a live-action version of Liberty Prime. Then I can die happy.

[hmsquared]

I’m playing Fallout 3. Tranquility Lane is a Stepford Wives nightmare... And I fucking love it.