#>> pier edits sometimes

[stikybug]

Hey is something up with my Nil or is it just me -

[araneitela]

Me: Talks about the significance and intimacy (not automatically romantic, folks, but also there's an inherent romanticism) of hands, and touch and who you let into that space of comfort. Pinterest: Did you say hands? Here, we've adjusted your home feed you so that you. cannot. possibly. escape. them. you're. welcome. Me: I just wanted— what did I want, again?

... Did I end up rambling about anything but hands in my tags? Yes. Welcome to me, this is what you sign up for. Not my portrayal, not my writing, my tag rambles.

[unboundprompts]

Pirate Terms and Phrases

-> Pirate Lingo

-> A Pirate's Glossary

Batten Down The Hatches - tie everything down and put stuff away for a coming storm.

Brig - a prison on a ship.

Bring a Spring Upon 'er - turn the ship in a different direction

Broadside - the most vulnerable angle of a ship that runs the length of the boat.

Cutlass - a thick, heavy and rather short sword blade.

Dance with Jack Ketch - to hang; death at the hands of the law (Jack Ketch was a famed English executioner).

Davy Jones's Locker - a mythical place at the bottom of the ocean where drowned sailors are said to go.

Dead Men Tell No Tales - the reason given for leaving no survivors.

Flogging - severe beating of a person.

Gangplank - removable ramp between the pier and ship.

Give No Quarter - show no mercy.

Jack - flag flown at the front of the ship to show nationality.

Jolly Roger - black pirate flag with a white skull and crossbones.

Keelhaul - a punishment where someone is dragged under the ship. They are cut by the planks and barnacles on the bottom of the ship.

Landlubber - an inexperienced or clumsy person who doesn't have any sailing skills.

Letters of Marque - government-issued letters allowing privateers the right to piracy of another ship during wartime.

Man-O-War - a pirate ship that is decked out and prepared for battle.

Maroon - to leave someone stranded on a. deserted island with no supplies, typically a punishment for any crew members who disrespected the captain.

Mutiny - a situation in which the crew chooses a new captain, sometimes by forcibly removing the old one.

No Prey, No Pay - a common pirate law that meant crew members were not paid, but rather received a share of whatever loot was taken.

Old Salt - experienced pirate or sailor.

Pillage - to steal/rob a place using violence.

Powder Monkeys - men that performed the most dangerous work on the ship. They were treated harshly, rarely paid, and were expendable.

Privateer - government-appointed pirates.

Run A Shot Across the Bow - fire a warning shot at another boat's Captain.

Scurvy - a disease caused by Vitamin C Deficiency.

Sea Legs - when a sailor adjusts his balance from riding on a boat for a long time.

Strike Colors - lower a ship's flag to indicate surrender.

Weigh Anchor and Hoist the Mizzen - an order to the crew to pull up the anchor and get the ship sailing.

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[mapsthewanderer]

Maps headcanons -

The LADS boys

🧳 The Holiday Edition

Details: 2200 words of pure, comforting fluff—soft moments, warm feelings, and the kind of sweet daydreams we all need right now (especially after that main story update). Wrap yourself up in it like a cozy blanket. Take a breath, enjoy the calm, and be kind to yourself. You deserve it.

💜 Rafayel takes you to

🌊 Isla Holbox, Mexico

“I’m taking you somewhere the ocean glows, the sky forgets what time is… and the sand? It’s good at keeping secrets. Just like me.”

Tucked just off the Yucatán Peninsula, Isla Holbox is a barefoot paradise where cars are banned, flamingos strut through lagoons, and the sea glimmers with bioluminescence after sunset. Rafayel doesn’t call it a vacation—he calls it a reset.

You’ll know you’ve arrived when the ferry slows down and the island rises from the horizon like a dream. The air smells of salt, lime, and distant charcoal fires. Rafayel steps off barefoot, squinting against the sun, already wandering ahead with a harmonica in one hand and a small sketchbook in the other. Before the light hits too hard, he turns back, slips a pair of Maybach sunglasses onto your face—sleek, tinted, and probably worth more than the ferry itself. Then he pulls on his own matching pair with a lazy grin. “Now we look like trouble,” he says, already halfway down the dock.

🌴 Where You’ll Stay:

A secluded, modern beachfront villa wrapped in flowering vines, its wide glass doors always left open to the salt-sweet breeze. Sunlight spills across polished stone floors. The entire back wall opens straight onto a private pier, where steps lead directly into the ocean—clear, turquoise and endless. He swims there in the early mornings, trailing light behind him, then returns dripping saltwater onto the floors.

Refusing to cook, he takes you to a weathered shack near the shore, where the ceviche is served in chipped ceramic bowls, still cool from the ice. He takes one bite, leans back with a sigh, and mutters, “Tastes like the ocean never let it go.” Then he steals a piece from your bowl without asking—grinning like he earned it.

🐚 What You’ll Do:

Bioluminescent night swims: Just after dark, he takes you to the beach. You wade into still water, and every movement sets off an electric shimmer of light. Rafayel doesn’t speak—he just watches it like it’s holy.

Wander the street murals: Holbox is known for its street art, layers of color on cracked stucco. Rafayel critiques each one with a shrug, sometimes stealing an idea or two with a grin. “Pretty colors, no soul,” he mutters, then adds with a smirk, “Except that one… maybe I just like the curve—it reminds me of you.”

Hammocks: Long, lazy afternoons in hammocks—he insists you always share. You rest back against his chest, his hand slipping under your dress to rest on your thigh. He sketches with one hand, tracing the memory of you walking down the beach. Then he leans in, lips brushing your ear, and murmurs, “You looked so pretty backlit by the sun… I almost forgave humanity for a second.” His fingers trail lazily along the hem of your dress as the hammock sways gently beneath you. “You know, cutie…” he drawls, voice low and amused, “the sea’s warm enough… and no one’s watching. We could make a different kind of memory.” He grins, teeth flashing, eyes never leaving yours—“Unless… you’re shy now.”

🧡 Caleb takes you to

✈️ Interlaken, Switzerland

“It’s a place between sky and earth… quiet, steady. Even gravity feels gentler there. Thought we could use that.”

Cradled between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz and surrounded by the towering Bernese Alps, Interlaken is a town where the air is so crisp it feels engineered, and the stars seem within reach. It’s quiet, pristine, and high up—just how Caleb likes it. It reminds him of Skyhaven: elevated, distant, removed from chaos. But it also reminds him of simpler days—ones where you were close enough to reach without reaching for a weapon.

🏡 Where You’ll Stay:

A minimalist chalet perched just outside the town, where the windows stretch wall to wall and the fireplace is always lit (he’ll pretend it’s for your comfort—but it’s for his own warmth, too). He cooks for you here, though he insists on trying the local rösti and fondue at least once—grimacing at the smell of the cheese but finishing every bite anyway.

The shelves are lined with journals and dry biographies. He claims they’re for light reading, but you both end up ignoring them in favor of quiet evenings tangled up on the couch, listening to the fire crackle. At some point, he nudges your knee with his and says, “Loser has to cook tomorrow—first one to blink watching the flames.” He stares way too intensely, like he’s in a cockpit again, then grins when you finally laugh and look away. “Knew I’d win,” he says, smug as ever—then immediately pulls you closer like he hadn’t planned on letting you go, even for that.

✨ What You’ll Do:

Scenic flights over the Alps: Caleb books a private tour, but insists on co-piloting it himself. You see a real smile from him—aloft, above the clouds, where gravity is optional and time feels slower.

Hiking: He walks ahead in steady silence, only slowing when you fall behind. At the top, he stops by a pine tree and quietly carves both your initials into the bark. You tease him for it, and he just smirks—nudging the toe of your brand-new La Sportiva hiking boots with his own, like it’s not obvious he bought them for you. “What? You think I’d let you get lost up here without me?” Then, quieter, more serious: “Now the tree knows we were here. That’s binding, you know.”

Stargazing at the Observatory: Late at night, he brings you to a private viewing. He programs the telescope to your birth star. Then, without a word, he kisses you—like he’s been waiting years to catch his breath. His hand slips beneath your sweater, resting over your heartbeat like he needs to feel it to believe you’re real. “Pip-squeak… I kept looking up, hoping we’d be together again under the same sky.” He pulls you into a room and closes the door fast, like he’s sneaking you past the whole galaxy. His ears are a little pink, his smile just shy of cocky—but his hands are anything but hesitant as they find your waist. “This is probably a terrible idea,” he mutters, already leaning in, “but I’ve been dying to kiss you again since, like… ten minutes ago.” Then quieter, breath against your cheek— “And I’m not that patient anymore.”

❤️ Sylus takes you to

🏰 Sintra, Portugal

“Found a city carved out of myth and stone. Felt like ours. Secret. Sharp. Older than truth.”

Sintra is a town carved from fairy tales and nightmares. With its mist-drenched forests, winding stone paths, and gothic estates hidden behind ivy-covered walls, it feels like a place where time folded in on itself—and Sylus loves that. Old power breathes in this place, and so does he. It’s neither too sunny, nor too open. Here, the shadows know his name. He doesn’t visit Sintra—he returns to it, like something waiting for him never quite let go. Only now, he’s not alone. This time, you walk the paths with him—and the city seems to notice.

🍷Where You’ll Stay:

A centuries-old manor built into the forest hills, with high vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows that catch the dusk light like jewels. The air always smells faintly of candle wax, and red wine. The bedchamber fits the rest of the house: grand, shadowed, and meant to be lingered in. Heavy velvet curtains spill to the floor, half-drawn to let in moonlight through arched windows. The wardrobes, of course, are already filled—lined with Tom Ford velvet jackets and silk-lined Alexander McQueen evening coats in his size, and for you, bias-cut gowns by Iris van Herpen and delicate La Perla robes that barely count as clothing. Nothing sensible. Nothing simple. Every piece chosen like a promise he expects you to wear. There’s an underground wine cellar beneath the manor. You find a box there labeled only with your name. You don’t open it—until later, when he walks in, holding two glasses. Inside: a bottle of Colares red, aged and rare.

“Grown in sand. Impossible to tame,” he says, uncorking it. “Thought it matched you.” He pours a glass, eyes lingering on you—not the wine. “Complex, bold, with a taste that lingers. Familiar, no?”

🕯️ What You’ll Do:

Wander the ruins of Quinta da Regaleira: A castle that feels more maze than monument. Sylus walks ahead without a map, always knowing where to go—down spiral wells, through hidden tunnels, into chambers where crows perch. He teaches you how to read the symbols carved into the walls.

Attend a secret masquerade at a nearby palácio: He wears a sleek black half-mask with gold accents, sharp around the eyes. Yours is white lace, delicate, almost translucent—soft where he is all edge. When he pulls you close, the contrast looks intentional. It is. Someone asks you to dance, but before you can answer, Sylus appears at your side, offering his hand without looking at them. You dance once. Only once. He keeps kissing your neck between steps, his voice a low murmur against your skin: “You weren’t going to say yes… were you?” Then, lower, darker—“Good. I’ve got plans for you after this… and they don’t involve anyone watching.” His fingers trail up your arm, catching the strap of your dress. He tugs it just slightly—enough to make you shiver—then smirks without looking down. “Careful,” he murmurs, “this fabric’s begging to misbehave.”

Midnight horse ride through the forest trails: No lamps. Just you, him, and the echo of hooves. His coat flares out behind him like a shadow with its own will. When you try to kiss him mid-ride, he catches your chin with a smirk and mutters, “Bold move, kitten… but if you fall, I’m not catching you until I finish the lap.”

🩵 Zayne takes you to

🧊 Hokkaido, Japan (Winter Season)

“It’s quiet. Where silence speaks, steam curls into snowfall… and nothing’s in a rush to chase time. You’ll rest there.”

In northern Japan, Hokkaido turns into a quiet winter dream. Wide skies, frozen lakes, and natural hot springs tucked into snowy hills. It’s a place where nothing moves too quickly—perfect for a man who needs calm but can’t stand idleness. You arrive to soft flurries and pine-scented air. Zayne steps off the train in silence, adjusts his scarf, and takes your mittened hand like it’s instinct. He brushes a kiss over the fabric, like he doesn’t care if you feel it—only that he knows it’s there.

🎍Where You’ll Stay:

A secluded ryokan outside the city, with private onsen baths surrounded by snow-blanketed stones. Tatami mats, sliding paper doors, and dinner delivered in silence—steaming bowls of nikujaga, rich with simmered beef and potatoes, warming the space more than the heater. There’s only one futon, and though Zayne says nothing about it, he doesn’t hesitate to settle beside you.

Later, the two of you read side by side—your book, and in his hands, a freshly printed medical study he brought along “just to skim.” Eventually, he leans over and rests his head in your lap, the pages still open in one hand. You feel the shift in his breathing before the words stop. He’s asleep. You brush his hair back gently and keep reading, pretending not to notice the faintest smile on his lips.

❄️ What You’ll Do:

Onsen: The steam hides you both from the world. His muscles finally relax here, arms resting behind his head. When you move closer, he reaches for you guiding you gently into his lap. His hands glide beneath the water, warm against your back as he pulls you in, and he kisses you once—unhurried, sure, enough to leave your skin tingling despite the heat. After a long pause, his voice brushes your ear, low and steady: “You make it hard to stay composed.” Then quieter still—like it slipped past his guard—“I could get used to this.” With a quiet sigh, his fingers trace up the back of your neck. “You’re holding tension here,” he mutters like a diagnosis, thumbs already working at the muscles. “Cervical extensors are practically begging for intervention.”

Snowboarding: Zayne, practical as ever, is shockingly agile on the slopes. He helps you adjust your boots with quiet efficiency, double-checking every strap. The Gentemstick board? A gift. Custom-fitted, like it didn’t cost a small fortune. He barely mentioned it—just handed it over with a “You’ll need something better than rentals.” When you inevitably fall, he’s already there—brushing snow from your jacket with that rare, fleeting smile. The kind you feel for hours.

Stroll by the Otaru Canal: Lamps light the snow-covered path, their reflections dancing in the still water beside you. His breath fogs the air as he listens to your stories, his hand warm and steady in yours, thumb brushing softly against your knuckles. Zayne doesn’t say much—but when you pause, he gives your hand a gentle squeeze and murmurs, “Keep going. I like hearing you talk.” He buys you a cup of amazake and steals a sip, then another. “I told myself one sip,” he mutters, taking a third without breaking eye contact. “…That’s your fault.”

🩷 Xavier takes you to

🕊️ Hallstatt, Austria

“It’s this village… time sort of wanders, the mist forgets where it’s going, and even the silence feels warm. I think you’ll like it.”

Hallstatt is a lakeside village nestled in the Austrian Alps, where pastel houses cling to the cliffs and swans drift like whispers across still water. It’s small. It’s quiet. And it doesn’t ask too many questions. Xavier blends in here like a passing fog: strange, beautiful, unnoticed by most—except you.

He walks the dock with you in silence, fingers curled loosely around yours, like it’s the only tether he trusts. Sometimes, he glances out at the water, gaze distant—like he’s waiting for something only he’d recognize.

🚪Where You’ll Stay:

An antique guesthouse overlooking the lake, with creaky wooden floors and a perpetually sleeping cat that Xavier will definitely name something like “Commander Fluff.” The guesthouse is run by an elderly couple; the husband loves fishing, and Xavier quickly becomes his silent apprentice. The place is quiet, save for the ticking clock and occasional piano notes when Xavier thinks you’re asleep.

He tries to make breakfast—burns the bread, shrugs, and disappears into the main house. Thirty minutes later, he’s back with kaiserschmarrn, apricot jam, and fresh rolls, all neatly arranged like he didn’t just trade favors for it. You raise an eyebrow. “I asked nicely,” he says. Then, after a pause: “…And said I’d tune the piano.” He sets the tray down, takes your fork without asking, and adds—almost like he’s quoting someone—“They said it was romantic.”

🌫️ What You’ll Do:

Boat Drift on Hallstätter See: You rent a small rowboat. Xavier rows slowly, then lets the oars rest. You drift in silence until he suddenly says something ridiculous. “If I fall in and get eaten by a swan, promise you’ll tell people I went out heroically.”

Salt Mine Exploration: He insists on taking the oldest, least-trafficked tunnel. The air grows colder the deeper you go, the only light coming from scattered lanterns reflecting off salt-veined crystal. You brush your fingers along the wall—coarse and glistening. He catches your wrist before you can pull away, eyes dark with something unreadable. Without a word, he brings your hand to his lips and licks the salt from your skin—slowly, like he’s considering every grain. Then, lower: “I wonder,” he murmurs, mouth ghosting along your knuckles, “if the rest of you tastes like this.” In the next chamber, surrounded by silence and light fractured into a thousand gleaming shards, he kisses you—deep, consuming. When he finally pulls back, breath warm against your mouth: “You taste like the story this place tried to bury.”

Night Fishing: You do it together, lines cast in silence under the stars. You don’t catch anything, but he doesn’t seem to mind. At some point, you both drift off on the dock. When you wake, there are heater pads tucked under the blanket, warm tea in a thermos beside you, and a cashmere Loro Piana beanie pulled snug over your ears—one you definitely weren’t wearing when you fell asleep. Xavier is half-awake, blinking at the bird now perched on his shoulder. “Nap Assistant No. 4,” he mumbles, “brought nothing to report. Still… decent company”

——————————————————————————

I wanna be a provider

Garner you in silk like a spider

——————————————————————————

Writer’s note: Provider did things to me. This is the result, aka travel headcanons I’ve been working on since Even in Arcadia dropped. Feels so good to just drift away on a lil holiday with the boyos heeeh. (I’d love to try writing out Sylus’s full masquerade story someday because aaaa—it fits him too well, in my humble opinion lol). Okey then, thank you for reading 🫶🏻

[undercover-stories]

Jiang Cheng stans that are borderline fanatic love to try and prove he's sympathetic in the most basic superficial way possible and it is exhausting because they do so typically by simplifying the plot and the action of others. Especially Wei Ying's. The most recent one was how they equated to Wei Ying recklessly driving a car and accidentally hitting Jiang Yan Li and I do not have the energy to explain how

1) it's not just a gross oversimplification. It's a borderline malicious representation of the plot, even in a condensed form. (I don't think the OPs aim was malicious, but sometimes it feels like it) 2) How it puts Jiang Cheng in a passive position when he wasn't. Jiang Cheng wasn't a passive rider. Jiang Cheng is sympathetic because he's a man who suffered many losses and has not been able to deal with them in a healthy manner that allows him to move on but not because he's bad or evil or stupid. It's because generational trauma has taken its toll on him, and it dictates his actions because he's human and flawed. Trying to erase that by not allowing him to take accountability for his actions reduces the growth he goes through by the end of the book.

3) Jiang Yanli made an active choice to save her brother. She has agency. She wasn't a passive bystander. She was one of the few people in the story pre time-skip that had a wholly positive influence in Wei Ying's life because of her choice to love and forgive and accept in a way no one pre time-skip did. I genuinely don't think Wei Ying would have been the same person if it weren't for Yanli being there for him at Lotus Pier

Just stop making Jiang Cheng baby uWu. He's not, and frankly, he would be incredibly pissed off at anyone trying to make him into one. And put some respect on Yanli's name

Edit: the addition about Yanli was added after reading @starry-eyed-psychopomp tags. Great point.

[goodbuckcharlie]

The lake’s embrace | Luke Hughes

Summary: Jack’s neighbor and first friend in New Jersey outside of the team, has finally ran out of excuses to avoid going to the lake house. She has avoided going in the past for two reasons. 1) after a traumatic experience she has been afraid of deep water 2) she doesn’t get along with the youngest Hughes. But when shit hits the fan it’s Luke who saves her life.

Warning: near death experience, fear of water, childhood trauma/abuse, mentions of death.

Notes: This story means a lot to me as it hits close to home, also it’s the first story that made me actually sob while writing it, for that reason I have decided to do minimal editing.

The young florist is coming home from her normal 9 to 5 shift from her mother’s flower shop. She wouldn’t trade this job for the world. She loves listening to the stories her customers always carry in. From young men asking out their crush to the old woman buying flowers for her lover’s grave. Sometimes she grows green with envy as she struggles from a lack of romance in her life. She sighs to herself as she reaches for her keys in her purse.

“Max!” The girl knew what her neighbor wanted before he even made it to her door. She quickly remembers the excuse she had came up with in her room the other day in anticipation of this conversation. She regathers herself before turning in the direction of her neighbor. While she was just expecting to see Jack, she is surprised to see Luke there as well.

“Jack shouldn’t you be in bed resting?” Completely ignoring Luke who just rolls his eyes.

“No surgery can hold me down.” Jack flexes causing Max stare at him in disbelief. “Anyways you know what I’m here for, I’m not taking no for an answer this time.”

“I’m not sure I can go, I can’t just leave my mom empty handed at the shop.” She knows her mom can handle to shop with the help of her husband but as far as she knows, Jack doesn’t know that, or does he.

“Funny you say that,” Jack replied holding a smile that would rival a Cheshire Cat. This causes Max to quirk her head in confusion, “I went to the shop after you went home yesterday and asked your mom and she said that she will be fine and that you need time to relax.”

“I don’t know why you went through all of that when you know she’s just going to find another excuse not to go.” Luke pinches the bridge of his nose before looking at Max, “Look if you don’t want to go just say that so he shuts up.”

“Glad to see you’re still as pleasant as a melted popsicle Luke.”Max doesn’t know what came over her but as Luke rolls his eyes again she felt something snapped, “You know what, I’ll go. My mom is right I deserve to rest.”

Jack nearly leaps with joy. He quickly tells her all the details she needs to get ready for the trip before the brothers leave to their place.Max quickly lets herself into her place .

The time flies and the next thing Max knows, she on the pier of the Hughes Family lake house. She’s met a few….. characters as she would describe them. From Jack’s flirty friend Trevor to one of Luke’s old college team mates that for the record are way nicer than Luke. So far she has avoided going into the water either by staying inside with Ellen or claiming to be sunbathing. But much like her excuses to avoid coming to the lake house in the first place, her excuses on avoiding the water would run out sooner or later.

“Come on Maxie as much as we love looking at your pretty face from over here it would be better in the water,” Jack calls out from the water. Now Max was use to Jack’s flirtatious remarks so she simply ignores him and continues to read her book.

“Leave her alone Jack if she doesn’t want to get into the water then she doesn’t have to.” Both Jack and Max are surprise to hear Luke stand up for her.

“Awe Lukey finally got a soft spot for Maxie?” The eldest Hughes who met Max a few times before, teases Luke who is standing next to him by the grill.

“Fuck no she’s still annoying, I’m just tired of hearing Jack bitch and moan.” And just as fast as he arrived ,nice Luke was gone and was replaced with the normal hater Luke.

“Oh fight me you White crayon ass bitch,” Max flips Luke off while going back to her book. But she doesn’t miss the roar of laughter the plague the area in response to her comeback.

“I promise Maxie by the end of this week I will get you in the water.” Max ignores Jack’s seemingly harmless threat in order to keep her mind at peace but in reality her heart is racing at the thought of going in the water.

Max avoids the water for the next few days but of course fate wasn’t on her side.

It was the second to last day at the lake house before Max had to go back to Newark. She is back on the pier this time she is just talking to Jack who is telling her some childhood stories. Max had no suspicions of Jack’s plan until she feels herself being picked up from behind.

She looks at the culprit and sees a smiling Trevor who was looped into Jack’s plan.

“Trevor for the love of God I’m begging you, don’t throw me in that lake,” Panic fills Max as she tries pleading with Trevor. But the stupid boy doesn’t see the panic and laughs off her pleads.

“Sorry Maxie no can do.” Trevor runs to the end of the pier and before she knew it she was in the air falling down to her watery grave.

As Max hit the water, she was quickly thrown back into the memory of one of the worst days of her life.

Max loved water as a kid, growing up in Southern California, she was a classic mermaid loving girl. She actually dreamed of being a marine biologist. But one faithful day changed all of that.

Her father was rarely around in her childhood and for good reasons. He was an alcoholic with anger issues. So imagine her mother’s surprise to hear that Max and her little brother had been picked up early from school by their father.

The then 8 year old Max had no clue what was going on, but she was just happy to see her dad. What she didn’t know was the evil plan her father had. Now a lot of the small details are a blur to her , but she vividly remembers her father driving his car into the lake with her and her brother in the back seat.

Now she tried her best to pull her brother out of the water, but she was fighting against the raging current that kept pulling her back down into the water. The raging water and the strength she needed to save her brother was too much for her frail body and she ended up passing out from exhaustion before she could get out of the water.

When she woke up, she found out she was the only one to survive the crash.

Everyone head turns when they hear Max’s scream. It wasn’t a normal scream, it was one of pure fear. Everyone looks at the situation with confusion. Well everyone but Luke who run into action and runs to the end of the pier and dives in after Max.

Without thinking he grabs Max and pulls her to land.

“CPR she needs CPR.” Luke shouts panicking. Jack’s girlfriend, Sam, runs over to where Luke lays Max down at. Luckily Sam use to be a lifeguard and she has kept up to date on her cpr certification.

Luke leaves Max in Sam’s care before going over to his panicked brother. Luke shoves Jack.

“You should have fucking listened to her when she said fucking no Jack.” Luke shoves Jack even harder. “She can’t swim dumbass.”

“Hey it’s not his fault, she should have told him she couldn’t swim.” Trevor stands in between the brothers.

“No mean fucking no Trevor, she doesn’t have to tell us shit beyond no.” Luke now pushes Trevor, “You nearly killed her for what? Shits and giggles?”

Before anyone could say anything else, they hear violent coughing. Luke glares at Jack and Trevor once more before rushing to Max’s side.

“Luke? You saved me?” Max asks with a raspy voice. Luke simply gestures to Quinn who is holding a water bottle. Quinn understands and hands Luke the water. He helps Max drink. “How did you know?”

“About a month ago, I found you drunk in the hall,” Luke recalls.

Like had just came home from his late night gym session, when he sees a female figure sitting outside of his and Jack’s apartment door. He assumes it’s one of Jack’s weird stalker fans. But as he got closer he realized it was Max.

Now Luke has a crush on Max but the poor boy is a hopeless romantic. His failed attempts of flirting through teasing had came out ruder than he intended creating a bad impression towards Max. So when he sees the girl he likes, drunk at his door step he can’t help but be concerned.

“Max?” Luke puts down his gym bag when he hears the sobs coming from Max, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Lukey’s birthday.” This statement confuses Luke since his birthday wasn’t til September and it was currently April.

“No my birthday is in September.” He sits next to Max and she automatically puts her head on his shoulder.

“Noooo my brother Lukas.” She slurs her words, “I couldn’t save him, I couldn’t save my little brother.”

She tells Luke the story. Luke feels a mix of anger towards Max’s father as well as sympathy towards Max and her loss.

“I am such a bad person,” Max cries even louder, “If only I was stronger, my brother would have lived to turn 16.”

“Maxie it wasn’t your fault, you were 8,” Luke does his best to comfort the drunk girl, but he knows she probably can’t even hear him in her drunken state.

So he just holds her as she cries in the hallways until she passes out. He grabs her keys that were fortunately in her hands, and he carefully tucked her into her bed.

“God I thought that was a dream,” in that moment, Max think she would have preferred going back into the water than dealing with the embarrassment she was feeling.

“Awe you dream about me?” Max turns red and she quickly turns away from Luke, “Don’t worry I dream about you too, quite often actually.”

She snaps her head back at Luke in shock, “You do? But I thought you hated me.”

“I never hated you,” He says while running his hand in her wet hair, “I am just horrible at flirting.”

“Flirting? Why would you flirt with me,” She looks at Luke for a second before putting one and one together. “OHHHH, really?”

“Yeah unfortunately,” she shoves Luke with the little strength she has, “but we can talk about this later, let’s get you inside and warm.”

Luke picks Max up as the two ignore everyone else.

“Wait what the fuck you mean unfortunately? You fucking uncooked spaghetti noodle.”

[thatswhatsushesaid]

sometimes i have to remind people that JGS's a horrible and terrifying person. i sigh every single time bc people forget for some reason. is there anything you want to remind the fandom?

oh, many things lol. i suspect the people who most need to be reminded are not particularly interested in anything i have to say at this point, however, if they don't have me blocked already. but in short: yes! jin guangshan is a horrible person who ruthlessly takes advantage of jin guangyao's filial piety to further his own political agenda. he's the selfish, greedy, power-hungry villain that jin guangyao's detractors believe jin guangyao to be, and i think it's a fundamental misunderstanding of jin guangyao's character to state that he "becomes his father" by the time he comes into power. because that just isn't what happens, and there's no support for it in the text.

(edited to add: or rather, the "support" that his strongest detractors rely on to support their arguments falls apart under close scrutiny, because you quickly discover that when acting under his own power, jin guangyao chooses governance and moderation rather than greed and destruction. he's morally complex for sure, and willing to get his hands dirty and bloody, but he is not jin guangshan.)

to anyone reading this who feels tempted to say "but ray, the sex workers, the brothel--" please don't bring these crimes up if you're going to separate them from their emotionally charged catalyst, aka jin guangyao discovering that jin guangshan could have chosen to rescue meng shi from literal sexual slavery, but chose not to because "literate women are too much trouble." meng shi dies from her illness while languishing in poverty, when she did not have to; in jin guangyao's eyes, jin guangshan is his mother's murderer, and there is no one else in the novel that he loves more than meng shi (no, not even lan xichen!). do you hold wei wuxian's several month-long murder-torture bender of the wen sect disciples after the sacking of lotus pier against him years after it has happened and he is no longer vengefully murdering and torturing people? if you don't judge wei wuxian by the actions he takes 1) at his lowest, and 2) when he has been directly provoked into trying to protect himself, why do you choose not to extend that same grace to jin guangyao?*

* this is not actually an invitation to @ me with discourse on this post unless you're going to be normal about it. if you can't be normal, please save us both the time and energy we'd otherwise waste spatting with each other, and just, idk. go play the sims or something.

---

this post has been added to my dreamwidth meta archive here: https://thatswhatsushewrote.dreamwidth.org/1256.html

[ruru195]

Kiss, Marry, Kill

Boris held his camera steady, eyes gleaming with mischief as he sat in front of the gang. "Alright folks! It’s time for the Kiss, Marry, Kill challenge, Boris edition. And no, you don’t get to choose the names. I do."

“Oh no…” groaned Cuphead, already rubbing his face.

“Oh yes,” Boris grinned. “Let’s start with Bendy. Your options are: Goopy Le Grande, that fish who sells overpriced boots at the pier, and… your landlord.”

Bendy gagged. “WHY is my landlord even an option?!”

“Gotta choose, bud.”

“…Ugh, okay. Kill the landlord, obviously. Kiss the fish, I guess? She’s got standards. And marry Goopy, he's at least squishy and rich from suing a guy over jelly rights.”

“Ew,” Cuphead snorted. “You’d marry a puddle.”

“He treats people better than some real people I’ve met,” Bendy shot back.

“Next!” Boris turned the camera to Oswald. “Kiss, Marry, Kill: That dentist with the bad breath, Miss Chalice’s grandma, and the mime who follows you around sometimes.”

Oswald paled. “WHY IS THIS MY LIFE?”

Felix was already laughing into his sleeve.

Oswald sighed dramatically. “Fine. Kill the dentist, I still have trauma. Kiss the mime… silently. And marry Chalice’s grandma. At least she makes cookies.”

“Respect,” Boris said, nodding.

“Your turn, Felix,” Boris said. “Kiss, Marry, Kill: That one fashion critic who called your shoes ‘tragedy on feet,’ the security guard who’s in love with your ears, and a random sock puppet influencer.”

Felix blinked. “Kill the critic, no hesitation. Kiss the sock puppet, just for the bit. And marry the security guard. If he likes my ears that much, we might as well bond over it.”

“You’re too powerful,” Bendy whispered.

“Alright, Cuphead,” Boris grinned wickedly. “Last one. Kiss, Marry, Kill: Elder Kettle’s bridge club friend who flirts with you, the hotdog stand guy who’s always sweaty, and a sentient mop from your old high school.”

Cuphead froze. “Is it… the mop?”

“THE mop.”

Everyone leaned in.

Cuphead groaned. “Kill the sweaty hotdog guy, kiss the mop just to get it over with, and… marry the bridge club lady. She’s terrifying, but at least she bakes.”

“Gotta respect that logic,” Boris laughed, Boris’s camera was still rolling, and the chaos had only just begun.

“Alright, Mugsy! You're up!” Boris announced, aiming the lens at Mugman.

Mugman gulped. “Please be gentle…”

“No promises,” Boris grinned. “Kiss, Marry, Kill: The soda machine that always gives you the wrong drink, the singing ghost from the cemetery, and—” Boris paused for effect, “that overly friendly librarian who smells like glue.”

Everyone went silent.

Mugman looked horrified. “What kinda choices are these?!”

“Answer the question,” Bendy said, fake serious.

“Ugh—okay, okay! Kill the soda machine. I swear it’s personal at this point. Kiss the ghost, I mean… she sings in tune at least. And—ugh—marry the librarian? I guess? She reads out loud in funny voices.”

“Sounds like true love,” Cuphead teased, elbowing his brother.

“Alright, now for the mouse of the hour,” Boris turned the camera toward Mickey, who sat calmly sipping tea like nothing could faze him.

“Mickey, my man. Kiss, Marry, Kill: That one bootleg mascot who keeps impersonating you at theme parks, the overly buff rat that works out behind the movie theater, and Clarabelle’s extremely emotional cousin who cries at cereal commercials.”

Mickey choked on his tea.

Even Felix was wheezing.

Mickey blinked. “Wow. Okay. Uh… Kill the bootleg. I’m not dealing with identity theft today. Kiss the buff rat, but only on the cheek and only because I don’t wanna get crushed. And… marry Clarabelle’s cousin. I mean, she cries, but she’s got heart.”

“A lover and a gentleman,” Oswald clapped dramatically.

“You just don’t wanna die,” Bendy snickered.

Mickey winked. “Self-preservation.”

Boris finally stopped recording, looking victorious. “I love this game.”

“Let’s never speak of this again,” Mugman mumbled, covering his face.

“Too late,” Boris grinned. “Already editing it into a ‘Who’s the most cursed?’ compilation.”

[italian-lit-tournament]

Italian literature tournament - Fourth round + anticipation to how the final round will works (start Sunday 8 December - end Sunday 15 December).

Arnold Böcklin, Orlando Furioso, 1901, Museum der bildenden Künste, Leipzig.

👉 The official list for the Third Round of the Italian Lit(erature) Final Destination Tournament - First edition is here 🎉. Read the summaries of the first, the second round and third round.

👉 Same rules as the previous rounds: each pair has its link to the apposite poll to vote, that start to function when the poll start. Each poll have a duration of 1 week. Each poll is tagged with the name of the author featured so you can find it also with the search bar.

👉 + Announcement: as if you found, we're closing to the end of this tournament. As I said at the start, the major problem in the large number of partecipants was to achieve the exact ratio to end with 16, 8, 4 and then 2 final authors to compete. That aim was impossible to achieve; between the first list and your submission on the google form, I reached between 90/100 names and the options were two: or erase many of them to achieve the number 64, but I didn't want to do considering how many of the names were proposed by you and didn't seem fair, or adding more to gain 128 names, but the tournament would have been too long to manage and I wanted to end it before New Year Eve. With this, we are now not with 16 names but 12, it means that at the final round there won't be two author but three: the winner will be chosen with a new google form and the three options, one vote possible, and at the end there will be a podium.

👉 That's why I anticipated of one day the usual posting, with the start of the fourth round not at Monday 9 but Sunday 8 December: the six couples/polls will be published all the same day and just at the end of this round the next one will start the next day, from 16 December to 23 December, with the final round that will end between 30/31 December, and the final results (from the google form) will be posted at the start of the new year 🎉.

👉 As usual, if you want to make a post, a meme, write something about this tournament or whatever, you can use the common tags #italian lit tournament or #italianlitournament (with one t). I will check those tags sometimes and reblog from those: for now, I'll only post the polls from the tournament to not stop the flow, but maybe for the next editions there will be more different contents 👉👈.

👉 Every poll completed, the result will be posted in the same row - the winning author signed in bold. All the pairs have been sorted randomly.

1. Gaspara Stampa - Luigi Pirandello

2. Giovanni Boccaccio - Ludovico Ariosto

3. Eugenio Montale - Giacomo Leopardi

4. Umberto Eco - Italo Calvino

5. Pier Paolo Pasolini - Dante Alighieri

6. Gianni Rodari - Alda Merini

[bloomingapricots]

Eclipsing the Sun

Updated here first at AO3

Ending One Destiny’s Design, the best ending

Btw I edited chapter one a bit

Life | Destiny’s Design (here) | Threaded Fate

Chapter Two | Ending One | Destiny's Design

You slowly sat up from the mat you were laid on. You did not expect to survive your poisoning if you were to be honest.

“Oh, Xiongjie is awake!” A young voice commented, which you snapped your head to turn to look at.

“Oh my god.” you accidentally slipped out. “A-Yuan!?”

“Wen Duzhe,” you may or may not have screamed as you realized Lan Zhan was on the other side of your bed. As it turned out, you put yourself in a coma and missed the ending battle, as well as missed the discussion of what to do with the Wen remnants. Despite your contribution in bringing down a good majority of the Wens, there were many who called for your death, so Lan Zhan carried you to Yiling where the remnants of your clansmen are.

—

“Wen Duzhe!” Wei Ying ran up to you as you exited the hut you were staying at.

“Wei Wuxian,” You stated as you walked slowly toward Wei Ying.

“Wen Duzhe?” Wei Ying questioned as he slowed down after noticing your mood.

“W.e.i.W.u.x.i.a.n!” You are slowly repeating Wei Ying’s name. Wei Ying stopped five feet from you before slowly walking away from you. “You idiot!” you started chasing after Wei Ying when he started running from you.

“Wen Duzhe, why are you chasing me!?” Wei Ying yelped.

“Why, huh? I don’t know, maybe because you left me with your Sect!” you yelled your reply. As mentioned before, you had done the same stunt at Cloud Recesses before at Lotus Pier. But then Wei Ying had left with Wen Qing, leaving your unconscious self at Lotus Pier. Standing between Madam Jiang’s and Jiang Cheng’s wrath was Jiang Yanli as you befriended the girl back at Cloud Recesses. “Jiang Cheng did not like me back then, and he definitely does not like me right now!” You tackled Wei Ying to the ground and pinched his cheeks.

“Wait! Wait! Yield! I yield!” Wei Ying yelped as you started bonking his head with yours. “Please have mercy!”

—

You are in a meeting to discuss the future of the remaining Wens with Lan Zhan, Wei Ying, Wen Qing, and,

“It’s that A-Ning!?” You squealed and pointed at the fierce corpse that is your cousin.

“Duzhe-xiongjie,” Wen Ning mumbled. You may or may not have cried at your failure to save Wen Ning from becoming a fierce corpse. After crying from not only being unable to save Wen Ning from his fate but also breaking down from the heavy burden you had carried since transmigrating into MDZS.

“Feeling better, Wen Duzhe?” Wei Ying asked as he gently patted your back. You sniffed before replying,

“Not really, but I will be,” You sighed.

“Duzhe-dimei[4],” Wen Qing called.

“Yes?” You replied.

“I... I know you're in shock, but I must ask, how long did you plan that?” Wen Qing asked.

“... Plan what?” You replied. That is a too stupid response you thought, internally screeching. Wen Qing looked at you unconvinced and disappointed.

“You know what I mean,” Wen Qing now looked disappointed and upset, not the angry upset that often appeared on her face. But the helpless upset that you would sometimes see only when Wen Qing thought she was alone. A hand gently grabbed your right hand, and it was Lan Zhan who was holding your right hand.

“Wen Duzhe, it is not good to lie,” Lan Zhan too looked upset in his subtle way. He was even patting your right hand.

“It was surprising to see you appear at Yunmeng and then poison your own clan, a simple spread of powder that easily weakened your clansmen,” Wei Ying said. You internally sweated as Wen Qing was in front of you, Wei Ying was behind you, Lan Zhan was at your right, and Wen Ning was at your left. You are boxed in, you cannot escape from this conversation.

“At Gusu too,” Lan Zhan added.

“Duzhe-dimei, please,” Wen Qing pleaded.

“...” You sighed. “Alright, I give,” You begin to explain that since your preteens, you had always known that your sect leader was an awful person and that his sons would be too. So you plan to poison everyone but the children, the elderly, and the innocents. You researched and experimented on plants that at first would remain dormant, only to become poisonous by another plant mixed in.

“And you tested yourself?” Wen Ning asked, remembering your lab in a hidden cave.

“Yes,” You replied.

“Duzhe-dimei!” Wen Qing went to your left to clench at your left hand, Wen Ning moved out of the way. “You-! You went to the infirmary so many times I-I, was that the reason?“ She checked your meridians as you nodded your head. You felt Lan Zhan pouring his spiritual energy into you.

“As mentioned, the poison is two steps. Part one was a tasteless, undetectable, dormant poison that was to be ingested with food I helped prepare, and part two was a powdered poison that was to be inhaled. I have fed everyone who shared our sect leader’s ideology part one, and during the battles, I spread part two,” You snickered “Well part one was not technically a poison as it would not have gotten past the poison test tasters, hence why the poisoning process was in two parts,”

“Wen Duzhe, your golden core, and dantian. Even your meridian is…” Lan Zhan said.

“Even if someone survived, the poison will devour their cultivation.” You smiled an empty smile.

“Then-!” Wen Qing channeled her spiritual energy as noticed what Lan Zhan noticed. “How are you still alive!?”

“It surprised me too, to be honest. I had planned to die after taking down the forces in Gusu, but here we are,” You shrugged. You were then hugged fiercely by Wei Ying from behind.

“Y-you stupid- foolish- whatever!” Wen Qing sobbed. Better me than Wei Ying, as this was his place, you thought.

“Better me than you guys,” You said.

—

After being scolded and lectured with the promise of being hut-arrested to heal. Your group went on to discuss the next topic, the future.

“I think we should change our last name,” You suggested. “It would be good to separate ourselves from Wen to something else,”

“To what though?” Wen Qing asked. You gave a shit-eating grin and looked at Wei Ying.

“To Wei!” You cheerfully suggested.

“Huh!?” Wei Ying flinched in surprise, which meant jostling you as Wei Ying moved to your left, throwing an arm around your shoulder. Lan Zhan is still holding your right hand and channeling his spiritual energy.

“You did a lot for my family, Wei Ying, and I would be more than happy if we could become family,” You said.

“I don’t refute that,” Wen Qing commented.

“I would like that as well,” Wen Ning added.

“Ah, but then there are the more bloodthirsty cultivators. We probably need a clan to back us up,” You looked at Wei Ying and then at Lan Zhan. “Since Wei Ying is here and given that Jiang Cheng doesn’t like me..” You trailed off and the others got what you meant, Yunmeng Jiang is a no-go. “Lan Zhan, do you think you could convince your family?”

“...hm, I will make sure,” Lan Zhan replied.

“Don’t stick your head out for us too much, Lan Zhan. I do not want you to be in trouble,” You added.

“I want you to be safe,” Lan Zhan said.

“Thank you,” You had a dumb thought and since you were still very drained, you voiced it “Eheheh I had a dumb thought, even if we became Yiling Wei, Wei Ying is considered a traitor to the Jiang, and I don’t know, what if Wei Ying and I married Lan Zhan,” However Lan Zhan stared thoughtfully at you and Wei Ying. “Lan Zhan?”

—

“Huh,” Somehow, you are in Jingshi which has been decorated in vibrant reds. You too are decorated in vibrant reds, in the bridal wedding robes red. Wei Ying is also sitting next to you, in bridal wedding robes, on the bed decorated in red. In the Jingshi which has been decorated in red for a wedding couple, technically throuple in this situation.

“You alright Shen Duzhe?” Jiang Yanli asked, giggling, after hiding Wei Ying’s shoes. Since you were to be married to Lan Zhan and Wei Ying, you decided to change your last name to Shen instead of Wei like all your other relatives.

“...No,” You replied.

“This was your idea,” Wei Qing said after hiding your shoes.

“I, I was joking,” You whined. Wei Qing was about to respond but heard a disciple announcing that Lan Zhan was coming soon.

“Your groom is coming soon, time for us to go,” Wei Qing and Jiang Yanli quickly left.

“Wei Ying, how the fuck did we get here?” You asked.

“It surprised me, too. After our meeting, that fuddy-duddy went and got permission for marriage, to me and you,” Wei Ying replied.

“I expected Lan Zhan to marry you, but me too?” You questioned.

“Huh? Me? Why not you? I thought he would marry you,” Wei Ying replied.

“Well, even though Lan Zhan does get annoyed with you, there is a look of fondness in his eyes towards you from what I observed,” You explained.

“Huh? When we go night hunting together, he sticks to you constantly,” Wei Ying said.

“What? We are not supposed to go by ourselves, though?” You questioned. You and Wei Ying stared at each other, probably. Your red veil and his red veil are hiding your face from each other. Wei Ying lifted his veil to show his face then he lifted your veil to see your face.

“Shen Duzhe, what do you feel about Lan Zhan and what do you feel about me? After all, I’m married as the main wife and Lan-furen but you married as just a consort,” Wei Ying asked.

“I…” You pondered and thought deeply about your feelings. “I do like you and Lan Zhan, but you and Lan Zhan are destined to be together. I don’t know why I’m here,”

“...I want to sleep with Lan Zhan and you,” Wei Ying stated. 

“Huh!?” If your cheeks were any thinner, you might have blushed. Wei Ying made direct eye contact with you and he can tell you are flustered. The door to Jingshi opened and Wei Ying put back his veil and your veil as well. Lan Zhan was quick to find Wei Ying’s shoes and your shoes. Lan Zhan left Wei Ying’s and your shoes by the bed.

“Wei Ying, Shen Duzhe,” Lan Zhan called.

“Lan Zhan-er-gege~” Wei Ying replied.

“Ugh,” You replied in embarrassment. You begin to grow even more flustered, as now is the consummation. You internally questioned if you really were going to have a threesome. Lan Zhan stepped closer to you and Wei Ying. Taking off your veil and Wei Ying’s veil, you stared at Lan Zhan’s face, blue screening.

“Shen Duzhe,” Lan Zhan called. He was standing between your legs, holding you in his arms. You felt Wei Ying move to sit as close as possible to you, side-hugging you and laying his head on your shoulder. Your mind is too empty to think. Wei Ying chuckled near your ears and you shivered as his breath hit your ear. Lan Zhan moved his face close to yours but he ended up kissing Wei Wing over your shoulder. WangXian is kissing over your shoulder while they are hugging you.

“I think A-Duzhe needs a moment, how about you play with this wife first~“

[4]  Like how xiongjie probably means “older siblings” 弟妹 dimei would probably mean “younger siblings”

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I have not reached at any point, till now, of writing about kissing in any fanfiction

Next stop, ending Two Threaded Fate aka angst ending

[incorrectmhatweets]

More MHA plot bunnies:

Merfolk edition.

Aizawa works at a security company that sends out different people for different contracts and jobs. He gets sent to an aquatic testing facility for a three month stint. Everything seems above board, but one day he stumbles upon a lower floor that is full of captured/raised in captivity young merfolk. Sure, his job can be kind of shady sometimes, his boss leaving out details, but he prefers that so he can take a paycheck and not feel too much guilt.

After some snooping he finds out that the entire group of young adolescent mer, both an endangered species and also a very dangerous species, is set to be sent to another facility where they will be euthanized, as they are getting to the age where they are too old to be manageable for testing, though their bodies will continue to be used for science both before and during and after their deaths.

When people are chosen to take the armored truck that he knows will be loaded with mer, Aizawa offers to go, giving the other person he was meant to take them with food poisoning so he and he alone will be in charge of the truck. He takes it, knowing this will more than likely be the last thing he does but tired of his same old routine. At least his death will mean something, even if he is throwing it away for a species of creatures who would probably kill him if they met in the wild.

The company realize what he is doing when he deviates off course.

Soon enough he is heading for the nearest pier with his huge bullet proof truck, gunning for the edge, police and private military and helicopters on his heals.

He is injured in the crash, but doesn’t let that stop him from unlocking the back of the sinking truck, and breaking open a few to give them the best chance at escaping before causing a distraction and fighting the trained humans while the mer help eachother break free and escape.

He is dying and bleeding heavily while the last of the mer escape with minimal injuries, several attacking and shredding the humans that are trying to kill him and stop them. He feels webbed hands wrap around his ankles and pull him under and he knows he is going to die. Suspects that they don’t care to tell the difference between a human that is helping vs a human that is hurting after all they have been through in the labs. He understands as he is dragged deeper and deeper, his head splitting and air being forced from his lungs from the pressure.

Before lips press to his and more water is forced into his burning lungs and he just knows this is it. He can’t see which of the mer it is, it’s so dark his deep. He is still bleeding from a bullet he took for a mer he rescued. He feels lips over the entry wound and feels sharp teeth digging in and he would scream if he could. Why is he still alive?

Just as he believes he is about to pass out again he feels more pressure against his lips and more water is forced into his burning lungs. Sharp claws scratch along his neck and his ribs as he kicks and for some reason he isn’t dying but he wishes he was. He is thrashing, hands coming to his neck and mouth, feet kicking, eyes rolling back as a mouth presses against his again and more water is forced into his mouth, almost like it’s trying to give him CPR instead of forcefully drowning him.

And that’s when it clicks. And he thrashed harder because yes, he did save these adolescent mers, but he never planned to become one of them! He didn’t know that was possible! And if he becomes one of them, does that mean he has to continue caring for them, regardless of how little he actually knows about their kind and the ocean?

What about other, older Mer that reside in the deep? How will they take his presence? The mer may be able to force him into being able to breath under water by cutting gils into his neck and sides and forcing a biological change that makes no scientific sense, but he definitely doesn’t develop protective scales or a fin instead of legs, though he does start to form a telepathic mind link to his small school of mer. His class, he affectionately starts referring to them as in his mind. And while he will fight like hell to protect them, he is still a very squishy human compared to their still growing and still very powerful predator mer bodies.

And he is very much seen as nothing more than an intruder and a nuisance to the much larger, dangerous, downright terrifying adult Mer that find him and his class and want to take the adolescent Mer in and have them join their pod.

[itsdawnforyou]

Watching flux episode 2 war of the sontarans

I really shouldve expected the war to be.. against the sontarans.. like the name of the episode suggests. But I did go "well fuck" when they showed em.

I like this episode. I like how its three plot threads of the same... type? Enemy? Yeah.

Also omg slightly curly haired doctor my beloved (screaming inside over her)

"You have information about the doctor" "youre talking to her" AND THEN THE EYEBROW RAISE SHES SO PROUD OF HER SELF (insert me giggling kicking my feet, especially over that hair curl!)

"So much oppurtunity! And also!.... I wanted to ride a horse" LMAOO

Oh look! Its a stupid man going "im better then you!" At the doctor and dying for it!

The doctor: fighting sontarans and trying to keep the world from being taken over. Yaz: fixing time itself. Dan: filming a vlog at the docks.

You know, id get if someone thought Dan was the doctor. He also runs like a penguin with his arse on fire.

Oh there we go! Also very funny how they talked at the same time. Also "tempura" hehe. As someone with hearing problems I got you 1000% dan, id have done that too.

"Pan fried sontaran! Now im gonna WOK right outta here!" Oh I love him!! Dan never change. "Alright lads. I was just looking for the pier head" I LOVE HIM CAN WE HAVE MORE DAN?!

Swarm and azure are very beautiful crystal.. beings? Are they the personification of the flux?

"I need a pointy stick" HAHA oh I love her so much. "Did you just say 21st century" "shh she's talking!" Mrs seacole my beloved.

Also didnt mention before but HORRAY KARVANISTA!

"They were retreating!" Reminds me of the same line in 10's first episode.

"Sometimes men like you make me wonder why I bother with humanity" reminds me of torchwood children of earth "sometimes I think the doctor looks down at humanity and turns away in shame"

So when do I get to meet my own lupari? Is it lupar, singular?

OH GOODNESS OLD GIRL ARE YOU ALRIGHT?! What happened to you??

Oh god yaz and whats his name (im very bad with names, it took me half an episode to remember karvanista, I think his name is viskar? Edit; I have completely butchered his name, its Vinder) Have the entire energy of time inside them?! I mean, rose could barely handle the heart of the tardis for five minutes or so, I doubt they will be able to hold onto time itself more then a minute.

Was the doctor, the timeless child I mean, supposed to be mouri? Or, pre-mouri, maybe? Like was supposed to be trained to be one, fill one of the "broken" spots but slipped through time (and space)?

[irisbleufic]

Part 16 of Caldera; 1 out of 7 chapters posted. Just a beach interlude on Night Island before Armand, Daniel, and the ragtag coven leaves for London, equal parts reminiscence and intimate bickering.

Absurd, But Apt (NEW, 2024-09-24)

TEASER:

Sometimes Daniel forgets that Armand actually likes to swim. Once, he’d forgotten due to Armand’s memory edits in 1985, and recently, he’d forgotten due to how miserable Armand had looked after diving off Night Island Pier just to find the reliquary locket that he’d thrown there in a fit of grief, rage, and spite after performing the aforementioned memory edits. But tonight is a reminder, and he won’t forget again.

Treading water like this under the moonlight had been a favorite summer pastime in Daniel’s youth. Armand floats on his back nearby, staring at the sky with round, vacant eyes. Only their color gives away that he’s content, that marigold shade Daniel loves best of all.

[slashedgutz]

DATES ALPHABET; rhekker edition!

i just miss these guys so bad. here’s what (i believe) we could’ve had <3

A - Amusement Park / Arcade

the two go to Navy Pier one evening after work, during the winter when it's quiet, wanting the best games to themselves. coonor's desperate to show ava how to play all the games and all the crappy pier food from his childhood. however, ava surprises him with her hook-a-duck talents, to which he accuses her of cheating at (her response? "if you were a good surgeon, you'd understand.")

B - Biking / Brunch

they're both not big on brunch, so they only really go when claire and her husband invite them. they make sure to order very different options, just so they can steal from each other.

C - Candlelit Dinner / Cabin Getaway

100% on the candlelit dinner! connor books some fancy place in uptown chicago, just so he and ava can dress up for it. however, a last-minute surgery comes up and they have to cancel; to make up for it, ava snags a table on the hospital terrace, decorating it with candles. it may not be caviar and champagne, but some cafeteria food and just each other's company can make up for it.

D - Dinner Cruise / Drive-in Movie

they may not seem like the couple for a drive-in movie. ava forces connor to go, telling him it's "the only way i'll ever experience proper american culture!", to which he begrudgingly goes along with. let's just say that a lot more happens between them than just watching the movie..

E - Eiffel Tower / Escape Room

why wine and dine in chicago when you can do it on top of the eiffel tower? they both take furlough from work to go there for their second anniversary. it's a second take of one of their failed candlelit dinners, and it's better than either could imagine.

F - Football Game / Fireworks

when marcel hosts a 4th of july BBQ, they go together, hand in hand. it's the first time they've told their coworkers together, and whilst it doesn't come as a shock to some, they're all still supportive and excited. as the fireworks burst in the sky into pretty patterns, ava finds herself in connor's arms; everything is just perfect.

G - Gala / Glamping

gala dates happen quite often, mainly because of connor's social status. neither want to go, it's all for appearances. however, it is fun when they get home and get to rip each other's clothes off.

H - Hockey Match / Harvest festival

connor scores some pretty good tickets for his favourite team and decides to take ava. it's a decent game; of course it's great when your team wins, but what's even better is seeing your girlfriend in your sports sweatshirt.

I - Interior Design Expo / Italian Restaurant

when claire falls ill and is unable to attend an expo, the two take the invites from her. instead of taking it seriously and finding new retailer for D&R, they spend the day fantasising how they'd decorate a place they buy together.

J - Jacuzzi / Jogging

jaccuzis are a great way to relax, especially when your job is so stressful. although, connor does find it hard to relax when ava looks so good in her new bikini..

K - Kayaking / Kickboxing

when summer finally hits chicago, the two make a plan to go to the beach, where they go kayaking for the first time. neither are very good at it (both trying to be in control of where they go, which leads to their usual banter), but they do find some cool caves and crevices.

L - Lakeside Getaway / Live Music

when ava wins a trip away during a gala auction, they immediately take time off to go. it's only for the weekend, so they try and fill it with as many activities as possible. however, not a lot get done; it's mainly fishing, drinking, and of course, sex. but hey, who could want more?

M - Museum / Masquerade

Sometimes it's best just to spend quiet time with each other. he two walk around hand in hand, simply glad to be in each other's presence. it all makes a change from the business of Med.

N - Nightclub / Nine Pin Bowling

it starts off fun, but quickly escalates into a competition. there's no need for it - they just can't help but to bicker over who's the better bowler (spoiler; it's ava). maybe it's best not to go bowling when you're both so competitive..

O - Observatory / Orchestra Concert

it's another date they attend for the appearances, but they end up enjoying it more than they thought.

P - Picnic / Photoshoot

when the weather is good, they go for picnics in the park, stretched out on the blanket and enjoying being with each other, finally free from their stress of work.

Q - Quiz Night / Quiet Time

when molly's hosts a quiz night, connor and ava decided to team up with the coworkers. but what confuses everyone, though, is when they go on seperate teams - they tell their coworkers that they "don't want to scare you with our intelligence". everything goes well until the final round, when connor surprises ava with his knowledge on crappy reality shows.

R - Resort Weekend / Road Trip

it's a double date with claire and her husband, but it doesn't mean they have to spend every waking second with them. connor and ava go off to do their own thing, which includes a lot of typical couple activities.

S - Spa Day / Swimming

this ties into their resort weekend trip. it's a good day for them, finally feeling relief from the recent stressors at work. but it's hard to keep it PG-13 and not get caught.

T - Tiki Bar / Tango Lessons

this date happens as a re-do after ava misses connor's leaving party, but instead of celebrating someone moving on, they celebrate moving in together. it's gonna result in a massive hangovers the next day, but it's worth it.

U - Upscale Dining / Unplugged Date

sometimes it's better to just escape the real world (AKA electronics) and be with each other. whilst it could be reading or spending time with one another, they tend to lean towards coffee dates, just the two of them, not having to deal with their pagers going off or endless surgeries.

V - Valentines Day / Volunteer

valentine's days are the ones they go all out for; whilst they attempt to both have clear schedules, it never quite works out. so, it doesn't surprise ava when a bouquet of flowers turn up at work for her, or connor gets home to his apartment to find a new bottle of whiskey. it's the little things.

W - Woodworking / Weekend

weekends off from work are basically dates for them, and mean they can be as lazy as they want. sex in the morning, not getting up until midday, breakfast in bed. it's bliss for them.

X - eXcursions / eXpensive

of course it’s gonna be expensive! connor will go above and beyond to treat ava right up (which she loves). sometimes she’ll try and get the bill, but he always insists. neither are a stranger to expensive gifts either.

Y - Yacht Cruise / Yoga

for their third anniversary, they go on a cruise. but not just any cruise; connor rents one out so it’s just the two of them. it’s a great weekend away, even if neither of them are the best sailors (at least nobody dies!).

Z - Zoo / Zip Lining

they’re both animal lovers, so the Lincoln Park Zoo is sometimes a date. they both love reading the facts and seeing all the different animals. occasionally they’ll do the petting zoo; connor has his phone lock screen as a shot of ava holding a rabbit.

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[bookished]

( a collection of starters. adjust phrasing as necessary.) feel free to make edits to better suit your muse, but please don’t edit or add on to the original post ♡ if you like, please consider supporting me through tips

"Every time she sings, it starts to rain. It's like her voice is connected to the weather."

"He says he can paint portals to other worlds. Do you think it's true, or just a clever illusion?"

"The bookstore at the corner seems to change its layout every time you visit. Yesterday, I found a room full of floating books."

"There's a garden in the heart of the city that never wilts, no matter the season. It's like a piece of eternal spring."

"I saw a cat with eyes that glowed like stars last night. It seemed to be watching over the neighborhood."

"They say a white deer appears in the forest during the winter solstice, granting wishes to those who are pure of heart."

"Every year on the same day, the town is covered in a mist that makes everyone forget their worries. Have you felt its magic?"

"At dusk, the lake glows with an ethereal light, and sometimes, you can see figures dancing on the water."

"The clock tower chimes thirteen times every full moon. No one knows why, but it feels like a call to something."

"Sometimes, the wind carries the scent of flowers that don't grow anywhere nearby. It's like a breath from another world."

"The old man at the pier claims he can talk to fish. Yesterday, he told me about a conversation he had with a whale."

"She has a way of making flowers bloom with just a touch. I wonder what other secrets she holds."

"I found an old pocket watch that, when wound backward, shows moments from the past. What should we look for?"

"There's a room in the old mansion where time stands still. People say those who enter never age."

"Legend has it that the mountain holds a sleeping giant. During thunderstorms, you can hear its heart beating."

"There's a story about a hidden city beneath the waves, visible only during the lunar eclipse. Shall we go searching?"

"I bought this music box at a flea market, and every time it plays, I see glimpses of a different life."

"This old key doesn’t seem to fit any lock I've tried. I wonder if it’s meant to open something magical."

"Whenever she draws something, it comes to life for a brief moment. I've seen it with my own eyes."

"He claims to dream of future events. Last night, he dreamed of you."

"I found a trail in the woods that wasn't there before. It led me to a place that felt like a dream."

"There's a bridge in the village that, when crossed at twilight, takes you to another realm."

"She whispered to me that the stars are actually spirits watching over us. I believe her."

"The old lighthouse keeper says the light guides lost souls home. What if he's right?"

[loveandcare4aling]

Here is my yume OC for MDZS~! (Note: this OC is shipped with Jin Ling, so if you are a no sharing or isn't comfortable with oc x canon, it's okay to block me) finally posting him here and made an tumblr account since I just found out that there are many people who also make MDZS OCs in tumblr! I usually play with some friends in facebook and X only. But since it seems that there are also people who post oc x canon and MDZS OCs here, so I decided to post here too. enough with the intro, so I'll yap about my OC. Name : Jiang Lanshui (born: Chang Lanshui) Age at the time of the novel : 15 Gender : Male Height : 163cm Weapon : Handfan (I imagine his fan is more like 2ha's Xue Zhengyong's) Cultication path : Medical Cultivator Short Background Story : [son between one of Chang family's son and a redeemed prostitute in Yunping, Lanshui survived Xue Yang's attacks due to him living with his mother away from the sect as a commoner in Yunping (his father planned to move out from his sect to be with his beloved, but it never came true, alsofor HC sake I made the Chang family have 2 sons.) After his father went back to his sect due to emergency situation and never came back, his family's economy affected greatly. The only work Lanshui's mother had worked is in the brothel, and so in order to make sure her children could eat, she sold herself back to the brothel while Lanshui and his sister worked as a servant there. One day, his sister had enough and thrown a tantrum and ran outside the brothel. Lanshui as an older brother ran after his sister, unknowingly this act has saved his life from the fire that has engulfed the brothel when they got back. And so they are an orphan and homeless. Eventually his sister who is younger and thus weaker than him both mentally and physically passes away. Lanshui was also almost eaten by cannibals who was driven by poverty, if the Jiang Sect didn't saved him from misunderstanding of the people. (people start to go missing and they thought it is due to ghosts or demon so they asked the sect to eliminate the ghost... which there is ghosts around the area but they aren't the cause). After saved by the Jiang Sect, he met with Jin Ling and practically follows him everywhere until Lanshui gained enough health. Though begrudgingly, they became close. When Lanshui was about to leave the sect to go back to the street, Jin Ling, who lowkey didn't want to lose his already few friend, asked his uncle to check Lanshui's affinity to cultivation. After checked, he indeed have an affinity to become a cultivator, and so he entered the sect as a disciple + becoming Jin Ling's attendant while he is in the Lotus Piers. ] --- Other than MDZS timeline AU, I sometimes also draws him in modern AU and some other AUs as well. (I also enter him as MTSF oc as SaltedSnake's adopted son). And so some of the images I show next will be combination of many AUs.. not just the MDZS ancient china one.

his expression almost never changed drastically. Despite his cheerful facade, it's rare for him to show any strong emotions. (bro is already too tired) and so their dynamic in nutshell:

Also some extra illustrations I had made in past because why not show their dynamic further:

If I should describe their dynamic with existing ship/characters..... [EDIT] Y'all... watching nezha 2 made me realize they are more or less like FCU OuBing. (tbh Lanshui in my oriverse is alsoa dragon so... yea, a young master cultivator and his dragon yao wife) so anyway, thank you for coming to my TED talk