#I typed it out so it has to be true right?

[lovebyeler]

a rant on mlvn & their shippers. inspired by this post i saw on twt

one thing i noticed about mlvn fans is that whenever bylers point out a fact that is objectively true, either confirmed by the cast/producers or is said explicitly in the show, the first thing they do is call us names and deny it.

as much as i dislike mlvn, i see how someone could ship it by seeing it closer to the way they're portrayed in the show; a sort of puppy crush turned into push-pull relationship whose sides need to be truthful to themselves & understand each other better to make it work. i could see the appeal in this type of dynamic and if this was how they actually saw mlvn.

however, my main problem with mlvns is that instead of seeing them for what they are, they portay them as an example of somehow perfect couple - they'd rather twist words said in the show than admit that they're a troubled pair. they romantize the version of mlvn in their head instead of looking deeper into the show & will make fun of you if you do that.

the "and i knew right then and there [...] that i loved you" fragment of mike's monologue has been proved to be a lie multiple times from multiple sources. they would have to retcon things established in season one for this to be true. mike never was shown to like her from the start, he just happened to be the most empathetic one from the party and only started liking/crushing on her later (depending on your interpretation). besides, the show quite literally makes fun of love at first sight & the writers said they don't believe in it as well. and in the said tiktok screenshot, it's not bylers theorizing even - it's literally what finn has said.

you could still believe that mike loves eleven while lying & exeggarating things in the monologue so he could save her. that's sort of romantic as well if you want to see it in that light - he's willing to be fake to save her, however eleven is mad at him for that reason, and then lesson of mlvn in next season would be that you don't need to lie in order to save your relationship. but wait, wouldn't that be a repeat of season 3 & 4 where it was shown not to work regardless? 🤔 besides, i could still see how someone could possibly defend this.

but no, they cling to that damn monologue like it's their bible. they themselves exeggerate their love instead of just looking at them like it's a regular relationship. they downplay their lies, their problems for the sake of shipping it. at this point i'm starting to wonder if they ship it cause they actually like their dynamic or do they ship it cause they like them together visually?

that's the biggest difference between bylers and mlvns for me. bylers look deeper into their negative side of their ship, pick apart their flaws yet this doesn't dismantle their relationship but support it. why won't mlvn do the same when they have a bunch of that going on their ship as well? if we see proof by analyzing byler fights, can't they do that instead of downplaying them? unless deep analysis won't help mlvn... which is possibly the case. that's why they choose to ignore it. but that's another topic. i think i'd still appreciate them more if they actually tried, though.

anyways, that'll be the end of my long rant. it's ironic to me how much byler shippers are called delusional because they dare to analyze the show when mlvn's whole ship is build upon false romantized image of it, don't you think?

[francislangdon]

omg. if you have the time. we decide to play a game of chicken together which leads to one thing or another AU

“I think Dr. Langdon is flirting with me.”

Samira turns from her charting, scanning Mel’s face before shaking her head and starting to type again.

“He’s not,” Samira says, “He’s married, Mel. He talks about his wife all the time.”

“Not to me,” Mel mutters. “I’m pretty sure he is.”

“You’re probably misreading the signals.”

“I…” Mel stutters. She has been known to do that. That’s why she wanted to bring it up to Samira. “…Guess you’re right.”

Married men don’t flirt with women who aren’t their wives. Mel knows this the same way she knows everyone waits until they’re twenty one to start drinking.

Langdon swings by their desks then, she can sense him coming. A weight hits her shoulders and it’s his hands gripping onto her, solid. Mel tilts her head up into his body, resting against his chest.

“Hey, babe, you wanna take a look at the guy in North 5 with me?”

“What happened to him?”

“Mandolin accident. Guess how many fingers he lost.”

“Most people just lose one.”

“Most people,” he agrees ruefully, “But guess how many this guy lost.”

“Three?”

“Cut the fingertips off of all five, sweetheart.”

Mel winces.

He pulls her up out of the chair. “Over under three that we can reattach?”

Samira pipes up, “Under.”

“Someone’s a pessimist. What do you think, baby?” He’s standing so close his chest is touching her back.

Mel tries to catch Samira’s eye, but she’s disinterested, focused on the computer. “Um, over? I guess.”

“That’s the spirit,” he pushes her towards the hall.

“I know where North 5 is.”

His hand stays on her back. “I know.”

“I think Dr. Langdon is flirting with me.”

Collins continues to stitch the laceration on their patient’s leg, but her eyebrows raise in a way that Mel can tell means she’s paying attention. “Why would you say that?”

“Um, he’s been calling me terms of endearment. And he touches me a lot? More than normal, I think. Oh, and he brought me breakfast this morning. It looked homemade.”

“Langdon’s pretty impulsive. He probably gave you his leftovers.”

“What about the touching?”

“Yes, he’s very tactile. Like a big puppy, really.”

“Is he tactile with you?”

“Ha! Not likely.”

Mel’s brow furrows.

“Dr. Langdon is married, anyway.”

“I know that.”

“You’re a great doctor, Mel, one of our best residents.”

“Thank you.”

“He’s just playing favorites. Robby does that too, sometimes.”

“…You don’t think there’s any reason I’m his favorite?”

“No.”

“Okay,” Mel says awkwardly.

The curtain to the room opens then, Langdon’s head popping up. He winks at her. “What do we have here?”

She shifts uncomfortably, wondering if he heard their conversation before he walked in.

“Belligerent drunk,” Collins says, “Had to knock him out so I could suture him.”

“And it seems like you’re doing a fine job. Can I steal Mel?”

Collins hands her over without a second thought. “Go ahead.”

“Great.” Langdon tugs Mel out of the room by the wrist.

“What did you need me for, Dr. Langdon?”

He shrugs, “Dunno yet. Let’s go find something interesting.”

“I think Dr. Langdon is flirting with me.”

Robby slowly closes the drawer he’d been digging in, a packet of nicotine gum halfway to his mouth. Mel had caught him in between cases. He’s a good teacher, albeit very hands off. Mel’s spent a latent chunk of her shift trying to catch up to him.

“Okay…?” Robby trails off.

Mel’s hands flex. “Do you…”

This is embarrassing.

“Do you think that he is?”

“Flirting with you?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

Mel wants the ground to swallow her.

“Langdon’s been on his best behavior since coming back.”

It’s true. He’s sharper now than he was before, she thinks, more attuned to the needs of the ED. Robby has been trying to wrangle him back into his role as the heir apparent.

“I think he was smelling my hair the other day? It was hard to tell. We were talking by the lockers and he just leaned in.“

“Langdon would never be inappropriate with any of our residents. He knows better than that.”

“I’m not accusing him of anything I just—”

“Good. If he’s not bothering you then we have nothing further to discuss,” Robby houses a few pieces of gum and shoves the rest back in the drawer. “C’mon Dr. King, we’ve got patients waiting.”

Mel takes the dismissal.

She shuffles over by the board to see what needs done, but Langdon’s standing by the ambulance doors, waiting for something to come in.

“Mel! Motorcycle accident coming in five. You in?”

She can never refuse him.

“Attagirl,” Langdon grins. He slaps her ass and gestures to a trauma room, “Go get gowned up, baby.”

Mel jumps at the impact, blushing, stealing a few glances back at him as she goes to follow his directions.

“Dr. Langdon?”

He pulls himself away from her lips, “Yeah, Mel?”

“Have you been flirting with me?”

“Little bit.”

He retracts his thigh out from between her legs. There’s a wet spot where she’s been grinding on it.

“Honestly, I thought you’d chicken out before we got here.”

“I wasn’t sure,” Mel says, lips kiss-swollen. She glances at the obvious erection in his pants.

“I thought I was being pretty obvious.”

“I’m not good at social cues.”

“Ah,” Langdon says, “Alright, let me be more direct.”

He shoves her up against the wall again, kissing her intently, the press of his hard length into her thigh undeniable.

[directdogman]

I recall you mentioning which Pokemons corresponded to Dsaf characters, and since I've recently been playing pokemon X, I'm now wondering the same with dialtown characters like Mingus, Roger or EVERYONE ELSE

I wrote an idea for a DT gym leaders + elite four roster for DT ages ago. Sure, I'll bite.

DT GYM LEADERS (in the order of when you face them with some pokemon from their own personal fully evolved teams):

Jerry (Normal): "Strategy? You ask me about fucking STRATEGY?! I have VERMIN Pokémon, you understand?! I should be glad the kids who challenge my gym aren't after my JOB. This is DEGRADING. They GAVE me these dirty birds and rats, ya understand? I didn't ASK for this damned type! So many SICK DOG POKÉMON." (Favourite move: Rest. Has a 2 teams of Stoutlands. I'm sure he has others too.)

Randy (Flying): "Well, my Pokémon are kinda like me. Fr-Fragile. So, my go-to strategy is to hit hard and as FAST as possible before my opponent can shatter my delicate bird team to smithereens! Mathematically, it's gotta be better to hit FIRST!

...Y-Y'know?" (Favourite move: Brave Bird, probably has a Pidgeot, Swanna, Cramorant, Crobat)

Oliver (Steel): "Yo! My pokémon are BUILT for ROBOT FIGHTS and they're made of METAL, so they're sturdy as SHIT. I usually just go nuts and go on an all-out offensive using the gnarly and expertly assembled movesets of yours truly! I'll get to throw everything I have at you while you can barely chip away at my pokémon's metallic armor! Watch OUT." (Favourite move: Heavy Slam, has a Steelix, Skarmory, Magnezone, Aggron)

Karen (Ground): "My pokémon are tanky and have diverse movesets. I utilize field moves. The rest of the world simply does NOT have what it takes to harness the true power of dirt-horse." (Favourite move: Fissure, has a Mudsdale, Dugtrio, Krookodile)

Bigfoot (Grass): [serene ape noises] (Favourite move, Cotton Guard. Has a Simisage, Rillaboom, Shiftry, Abomasnow)

Gingi (Poison): "these ones are the only pokémon out of the awful birds and rats and such that i dragged home that decided to stick around. they seem to enjoy me tent" (Favourite move: Gunk Shot. Has a Muk, Koffing, Garbodor)

God (Psychic): "Personally, I like creepy pokeymen. You know the kind I mean. Mr Mime, Hypno, those freaks. They're my PEOPLE. Why do I keep these strange beings around me? It's to psych you out, you see. All types have weaknesses, making the question of which type is best almost meaningless. So, why not pick Pokémon that deal psychic damage to your opponents? Aha! See? It's psychic-damage. Get it? Like the gym name. Frankly, I just have these guys on-hand because it means that I have a LOT less people showin' up at my gym. I really just see this job as an obligation. Hell, I'd rather be in bed right now. Cancellation is better than Obliteration, that's my motto! Anyway, got any Prize Money?" (Favourite Move: Dream Eater)

Mingus (Dark): "You FOOL. Do I have to SPELL IT OUT for you?! The key to success is simple: Pick a supreme type. Assemble a team of heavy-hitters. It's better if they blend into shadows easily. (I am a sinister person, to be clear!!!) Each of my Pokémon have diverse, punishing movesets which were carefully constructed to inflict status conditions and erode an opponent's stats in battle. Horrible Pokémon that will PUNISH you for daring to face me. If you wake me up in order to fight you at the stupid gym the Pokémon League Confederation FORCED ME to set up here at Town Hall, I WILL fucking END YOU." (Signature Move: She's being dead serious right now. I say cut your losses and see give the Orange league a try instead. She has a Liepard though. Of course.)

ELITE FOUR:

Stabby + Shooty (Bug): "Yeah, look, okay. Steel and dark slots were already taken when we applied to be a part of the league. We were GONNA ask for Ghost, or maybe Poison, but Mingus said we'd be a waste of an Elite Four slot and people would throw things at us if we had the expectations that a cooler type would carry. We didn't wanna get hassled, I mean, we're only here so Mingus can keep an eye on what's happening at the League..."

"So, we let her choose the bug type for us. Was she right to set us down this mediocre insect path? We'll be fucked if we know." "Hey, even if this insect stuff was all for nothin', it still wasn't a total waste. I had a rockin' good time out in the forest, collectin' bugs with my bro, and no cat can take that away from me!" "Bro…" (Favourite move: Megahorn. They have a Pinsir, Ariados, Scizor)

Billy (Fire): "I wanted dark, but the cat got to it first. So, I said to myself: "Okay, Puss Puss. You take the dark type and you see what happens. I'm going to make you WISH you'd let me have a large crow instead of a host of animals who were bred specifically for arson." (Signature move: Fire Blast, he has a Houndoom, Charizard, Darmanitan)

Norm (Rock): "All o' my critters are equipped to deal with anythin' that's thrown at us. We've got diverse movepools, emphasis on attack AND speed. Quick on the draw, ready fer anythin'. Solid like a rock." (Favourite move: Stone Edge (which always hits), has a Rhyperior, Aerodactyl, Archeops, Crustle, Tyranitar) CHAMPION:

Callum (Pre-erasure) (Dragon): "You're wondering which type to expect from the Pokémon League Champion? Why, I won't put my name to ANYTHING that isn't to the quality this here country DESERVES, no-siree! My administration's gonna give you nothin' but the BEST, folks! Why, that's right! There's REALLY no topping the Dragon type! Pokémon associated with stories of leadership and Revolution! All of my Pokemon specialize in hard-hitting and devastating attacks like Hyper Beam and Solar Beam, designed to obliterate would-be threats and act as a complete deterrent to any would-be challengers! Trust me: If I getcha, you're gonna FEEL it!" (Has a Haxorus, Hydreigon, Tyrantrum, Frapple)

Crown (Post-Erasure) (Ghost): "I-Is the war over yet? I can't get a signal-" (Favourite move: Destiny Bond) (Gengar, Chandelure, Cofagrius, Dusknoir)

[thewretched1999]

── .✦ i'm not in love, so don't forget it.

a/n: this is inspired by the song. i had it on loop while writing....god i lovelovelove vergil...ghhh ▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||||| cw: none! it's all just fluff. wc: 1k

When Dante finally showed up again with Vergil in tow, he felt like a mystery to you. 

It seemed on the surface that he was nothing like V, who was so open and honest about everything when it came to you, from his thoughts to his feelings, all were whispered and confessed in the dark expressed with flowery words and shown through poems he’d come to associate with you.

Vergil wasn’t like that.

For the first few weeks he barely even looked your way, and when you tried to make idle conversation with him it felt like talking to a brick wall until he’d take his leave to go demon hunting with Dante as if they hadn’t spent months doing just that every damn day. You somehow didn't take offense because V’s words always rung in your head.

It was hard to forget about the man that you came to care for but even after he’d long been gone, replaced by a man in blue who’d treated you so coldly in the beginning--those feelings didn’t waver, merely adapted.

To your benefit, Vergil’s frigid and callous temperament didn’t last long. His front melted away rather quickly, actually.

Despite being nothing like V. Vergil couldn’t keep away, couldn’t force himself to forget the nights he’d spent with you as V, curled up on the ratty couch reading poems when there was nothing to do, but he couldn’t quite let himself accept that the love you had for him was still there.

He didn’t really know what to do with these feelings either. Couldn't decide whether to bottle them up or let himself explore them thoroughly this time, without the worry of his time running out.

Only when you two were alone would he let himself indulge in you just a little.

Some days he’d avoid you like the plague and on others he’d cling to you so tightly, never saying a word unless you tried to get up and leave when you thought he was asleep, and when he does open his mouth to speak all he mutters is a;

“Don’t.”

Before letting the room fall into silence again, keeping you crushed against the couch with your only option left being to let your hands run through his hair gently. At least until he senses Dante or Nero on their way. Only then does he shove you away and pretend like nothing happened.

Vergil says he doesn’t love you, but he lies to himself and to anyone who’ll ask. When his hand finds yours he’ll ignore the puzzled look on your face, when he holds the door open for you he’ll say it’s because he has manners. (He shuts the door in front of Dante, so you don’t know how true that is.)

…And when he takes you out under the guise of a hunt to slow dance with you in the forest, leaving only the fireflies and the stars above to bear witness, he won’t say anything at all.

It’s peaceful, when you two come together like lovers who’ve known each other for lifetimes, how he cradles you close to him so delicately, but it’s all so so confusing, his hand stays faithfully on the small of your back, whilst the other holds onto yours tenderly, most would never take Vergil for a romantic, but you know better.

“You didn’t have to bring me this far out.” You murmur, slightly pulling away from where you’d had your head resting against his shoulder to look up at him, to see how his eyes sparkle with something soft underneath the moonlight, pupils dilating before he looks away.

You smile. He was so obvious. 

“I thought it was a lovely place.” He mutters. He’s right, you suppose, it’s gorgeous, serene. 

“How did you even find this place?” You ask, his hand squeezes yours softly, and like always, it’s him who presses his forehead against yours.

“Does it matter?”

“No.” You hum. “I guess not.”

You pause, and something else piques your interest.

“I didn’t take you for the type to dance.” 

Vergil's lips press into a thin line. “I don’t.” 

Yet the way he moves so gracefully with you to the song playing from the little radio he’d brought quietly says otherwise, speaks as if he's done it for years. You don't poke fun or prod though, at least not yet, simply hum as if it were the most interesting thing you'd heard.

“I’m special then?” You ask teasingly, just to hear his answer.

There’s a ghost of a smile on his face, you know for everything Vergil is, everything he was, underneath all the ice he’s a man in love, you half expect him to deny it but he surprises you.

“You are.” He says.

You stay silent for a moment, wondering if you’d heard right, before you beam, grinning so widely and laughing so softly in disbelief he knows it’s not meant to mock, it’s why he doesn’t make a fuss.

“You admit it.” Your hand unravels from his only because he reluctantly lets it, rewarded when he feels the warm pressure of your hand as it comes up to cup his cheek gently, in which he leans into your touch almost instantly. Needy man.

The silence washes over you both again, but this time it’s not heavy with denial or unsaid words, only the calm that comes with acceptance and a new beginning. 

When he doesn’t look away from you, doesn’t deny that yes, he does feel something for you, something he’s yearned for all his life—you lean in to let your nose brush against his, his breath ghosts against yours, mingling for just a moment until finally his lips meet yours.

He doesn’t hide the affection he holds for you, it’s all consuming and heartachingly tender the way he lets you lead—and how wonderful it is to be reminded that you still feel the same. As if your feelings for him would have ever changed.

While yes, you may have loved V, you adore Vergil.

[fairykukla]

So you're having trouble getting a certain fabric to move smoothly through your sewing machine.

You *could* be experiencing a maintenance issue, but unless Something Very Bad happened, you probably don't need major service. I'll discuss service tips in a future post, so stay tuned.

The following fabrics can cause issues.

Lightweight silk

Lightweight polyester that you call silk

Satin

Stretchy stuff like Lycra or spandex

Stretchy stuff like T-shirt or sweatshirt knits

Bulky fabrics

Upholstery fabrics

Vinyl/leather (vegan leather is vinyl. Pleather is vinyl. It's either animal hide or vinyl.)

Sequin/Rhinestone/glitter fabrics

Fabric plus wadding/batting/squishy stuff in between(quilts, pre quilted fabrics)

Cuddle fabrics (Minkee, Flurr, ultra soft velour)

Velvet, velveteen, velour

So many layers

Matching striped or plaid patterns.

All of these items are special. They all require special treatment.

Here's the equipment that can make these easier to work with:

A Walking Foot. You need one. Everyone needs one. Your machine feeds fabric through by pulling on it from below with a mechanism that "walks" along, upside down. So the bottom layer is being pulled through, and we hope for the best on top. A Walking foot provides that same feed on the top, right side up. So the fabric is being drawn through the machine from both the top and bottom at the same time. Good for: almost everything on the above list I believe it was originally designed for machine quilting but mine has carried me effortlessly through fur Santa suits, Minkee projects, slinky, slippery fabrics, and more. Bad for: Some velvets because the wide foot can crush the velvet. Price: $30-50 USD, sometimes more for deluxe or proprietary versions.

A Non-Stick Foot. (Also called a Teflon Foot.) This foot will look very similar to your regular presser foot, but the bottom will have a non-stick coating. Great for: leather, pleather, vinyl, oilcloth, laminated fabrics, applique with adhesives. Price: around $15 USD

Straight Stitch Foot (And straight Stitch plate.) this foot has a single small hole in the center needle position. (Some of them are also 1/4" feet for quilt piecing.) Perfect for: slippery, lightweight fabrics, small pieces, and stretchy/knit fabrics that get pushed down into the machine. Price: around $15 USD.

A Roller Foot: if you can find one for your machine, these are a great option. Similar to a walking foot in application, this foot provides a smooth rolling bar as the top pressure, so that the feed mechanism can more easily push the fabric through. It's not as bulky as a Walking foot, and usually snaps right on to the machine like your other basic presser feet. Perfect For: leather/vinyl, small items with batting, straps on tote bags, crunchy fabrics with sequins. Price: $25-20 USD

A Special Technique: Ok, so sometimes even with the right needle*, the right foot, and the best creative intentions, you're still struggling. You might want to research how to work with that unusual fabric you got from Joann's on sale:

Sequins, beaded fabric, fabric with rhinestones: in the areas where you intend to sew the seams, get out a seam ripper and carefully remove the sequins, beads, or rhinestones from the fabric. This is how the pros do it. (If the items are "set" with metal fasteners, use pliers or a flat screwdriver to bend the prongs and remove both the stone and the setting.) Price: Your Time

Laminated fabrics: this is the *other* type of sequined fabric. The kind where the sequins are just reflective plastic bonded directly to the fabric. This stuff truly is The Devil. A Teflon Foot can help, a Teflon needle can help, or you can *try* to pick off the sequins. What I wound up doing was using a permanent fabric glue to glue the seams with this fabric, and see the linings. (Line it. Trust me. That texture is also The Devil.)

The above advice also holds true for other chonky, crunchy fabrics, btw. I like Fabri-Tac for gluing seams. I made Rocky Horror costumes that lasted years using this method. Price: around $10 USD for a bottle. Note: keep it sealed up in a ziplock bag.

One Final Note:

For the love of all that is holy, stop pulling the fabric through the machine.

Forcing fabric through the machine is bad for you, bad for the machine, and bad for the needle. Don't reach behind the foot, and don't let your hands go past the foot while sewing. Sit upright in your chair, control the fabric from in front of the foot, not behind it. Many people either pick up the bad habit from someone else, or learn to sew on a machine with feed issues, and wind up pulling the fabric through the machine because they can't get it to feed properly.

Correct hand posture illustrated below:

The needle goes down, the feed goes down. The needle comes up, the feed moves the fabric forward. The needle goes back down, the feed goes down. (See gif below in slow motion.)

You. Can't. Match. This. Pattern.

If you're pushing/pulling on the fabric, you're pushing/pulling on. the. needle. while it's in the fabric. If you break a lot of needles, and/or if the hole in the needle plate has a lot of scarring around it, I'm talking directly to YOU. Hands in front. Let the machine do its job. And if it struggles to do its job, give it the right tools.

Happy Sewing!

*Needle information can be found on my previous post:

[buckevantommy]

"Exhaustion" for type it Tuesday?

this is what happens before the hurt/comfort bath scene fic.. 👀🛁

It's been a week since Bobby's funeral. Eddie's gone back to Texas, at least for now, and Tommy came over for dinner. Because that's something they do now.

As friends.

As whatever Evan needs.

He gave Evan some space to make some calls while he took time cleaning the kitchen—

When a commotion down the hall has him rushing to Evan's bedroom to find him in a state of distraught, teary-eyed and on the brink of hyperventilating.

"Evan–"

"Everyone.. leaves me.."

Tommy's battered heart snapped in two the morning he walked out. The pieces cut into him as he watched Evan break down on that monitor and they're pressing into lungs, trying to carve out of ribcage to be closer to Evan.

"My parents.. Maddie.. Eddie.. Bobby.." Evan's breathing is harsh and too fast, his gaze unfocused as he shifts on the carpet, phone clenched in his hand.

Logically, Tommy knows the losses he speaks of aren't all on the same wavelength: Maddie is in his life now, his parents are making a concerted effort last he knew, Eddie chose to put his kid first, and Bobby..

“..You..” Evan gasps out, and it takes a second for Tommy to orient and realise what he's saying.

He snaps out of it and rushes to Evan's side where he's crumpled between the dresser and the closet, looking smaller than Tommy's ever seen him.

“Evan..” He can't help his hands going to steady Evan's shoulder and gently guide his jaw up. “I'm here– I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere.” It's true. There's simply no way he could walk out of Evan's life again, no matter what they are to each other.

No matter how closed off Evan's been since the funeral, how he didn't seem to trust Tommy with the vulnerable parts of himself anymore - which is fair enough.

It's almost a relief to see behind the facade Evan's been holding up for everyone, not just for him, even as he lists forward and collapses against Tommy, lets himself fall apart in Tommy's arms.

He wants to be this for Evan, be here for him like this. It's a heartbreaking honor, and it's been so surreal: watching Evan seal off his emotions, this man who Tommy has known to always wear them on his sleeve.

Evan fights briefly between pulling away and pushing closer into Tommy's space, smashing his face into Tommy's chest as ugly sobs tear through him.

Tommy holds him tight as he garbles out something that sounds like, "Please don't leave."

The remnant shards of Tommy's heart turn inwards and scrape him up for good measure.

He drops a kiss into Evan's curls. “I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart.. I'm right here.. I got you.. I got you..”

It's a promise. Tommy holds him, gently rocking him through the heaving sobs until eventually they quiet into hiccups and sniffles, breaths slowing and evening out. Tommy rubs a soothing hand up and down his back.

"Bed?" Tommy asks, exhaustion likely setting in.

But he surprises Tommy, shaking his head and muttering, “Bath?” into damp fabric, breath warm over his clavicle, voice wrung out from grief.

“Of course. C’mon.”

Tommy helps Evan to his feet and together they stumble towards the bathroom. Tommy gets him seated, slumped on the closed lid of the toilet while he sets about filling the tub.

He helps Evan out of his shirt as his grip falters and muscles struggle to cooperate, and it earns him a greatful look, eyes red-rimmed and wide with sadness.

Evan plants a hand on Tommy's chest, fists the fabric a little to steady himself as he lowers himself into the tub, Tommy's hand ready to catch him if he needs it.

There's no more he can do so he turns to leave as Evan sinks into the water–

"Stay," comes Evan's voice, scraped raw and quiet but sounding so determined. It's not a question, it's a demand.

Tommy looks back to see Evan staring at him, need laid bare.

So, Tommy pulls up the little stool and takes Evan's hand where he's reached over the edge of the tub. "Okay."

[bluescreenvirus]

addressing sugarydeceit's claims against chaosblast ❕

*cracks fingers*... heh.. okay... lets get right into it (im so tired.)

"chaos used kiwifarms as a source of information and excuses it."

nah, what happened was that chaos had been sent the kiwifarms by someone as a possible place for evidence of its other bad behavior. we were not aware of the nature of the site, nor who the creator of the thread was. we took a quick glance and pretty much concluded that the site was a shitty, 4-chan esque incel site that was vile. chaos never used the site for any of his evidence and hasn't touched it since.

now, for the dm conversation, it's lacking a bit of context. bill (chaos' headmate) had been talking to sugarydeceit for a while by the time kiwi was brought up, and it was talking in circles and trying to entrap him with very "waffles v. pancakes" type arguements. bill's reference to the kiwifarms was referring to how sugarydeceit cannot completely dismiss screenshots of its own posts as invalid evidence just because bad people are the ones who archived it. we didn't use any of the screenshots in the kiwi as evidence due to the nature of the site though, it was just bill making the right point at the wrong time.

"chaos has never addressed the kiwifarms claims to the public"

sighs. yes we have! chaos and i have actually addressed this to the public multiple times now! this would be about the third time maybe? you can see in these screenshots below we make our stance very clear on it at seperate occasions:

chaos ALSO apologized directly to sugarydeceit for simply looking at the article, and while his tone was frustrated cause it was actively blackmailing me, the apology was geniune. (this full convos and context of the blackmailing can be seen in the "blackmailing" section of the document.)

"chaos got information from its rapist"

this is not true AT ALL. my assumption is that sugarydeceit is possibly talking about the time a user chaos and i had never seen before vaguely mentioned a "victim" of sugarydeceit's. unfortunately, in a later reply in which chaos was never notified of, the person offhandedly mentioned that this "victim" was really sugarydeceit's rapist "liebe." when chaos had the reply that he hadn't seen pointed out to him, he immediately ceased any interaction with this person and it never went past this reply chain:

(notice the lack of a like + reply on the post mentioning liebe, vs the like and reply on a later reply. chaos still isn't sure of why that happened.)

other individuals who had hurt sugarydeceit / associated with liebe had also attempted to interact with us, but we were not friends and once again ceased any interaction upon hearing they have associated with the rapist. we would NEVER want to associated with disgusting people no matter how much we may hate sugarydeceit.

we have also apologized for these accidental interactions publicly in the past as well:

(this tweet was also in the context of it actively gaining the support of freakycarers, and it trying to dig up evidence of chaos' time being abused in the zcp, which i why i was so upset with it.)

i'm gonna reblog this w/ a part two. because i'm on mobile and it only allows 10 photos per post 😪😪

[ilikekidsshows]

Had a Marinette fan yell at me for saying a dread the day the show will have Marinette use Adrien's amoks to control him "for his own good"

They yelled she would never do that and then got even angrier and said that I'm just a salty misogynist who wants to f*ck Adrien when I pointed out that I lost any hope for Marinette not doing it when she didn't even try finding an alternative solution to risking to kill him in Weredads. They said that Marinette did nothing wrong cause she was trapped in a "metaphorical mental cage" and that she deserves to put her own safety first even if it requires sacrifices. She allegedly has nothing and no one, never had and clearly never will, so whatever needs to be done by her to get through the this hell she was forced into she's perfectly in her right to do.

At that point, I was just laughing. Marinette stans are on another layer of unhinged. What they are unabashedly describing is a VILLAIN. Not a victim. You talked about how you believe that one of the 4 years olds you teach was negatively affected by the way Marinette is written. But can we talk about how having been a Marinette stan in this fandom in the last 5 years or so also 💯 set alot of Mari fans on worse paths due to this having happened in their adolescence?

Say however you want that "oh they will grow out of it one day and know better", but long-term fandom participation during adolescence absolutely contributes to the shaping of one's belief system, sense of self ect. This cannot just be acknowledged when the fandom participation resulted in something GOOD, it also has to be said when the consequences are BAD.

Don't misunderstand me, it's not just Marinette stans this applies to. I'd say every type of stan ended up worse due to having been part of this fandom in the last years. But for Chloe stans, Adrien stans, Alya stans, and the others, they were actively forced to accept that the show isn't on their side and they have to look for their media fulfilment somewhere else. Nowadays, as far as I can tell, stan blogs that salt on Marinette are often pretty much just remains of their former hyperfocus or emotional investment that the show ended up having beaten to death. They are side blogs and people say in em that they have long expanded their media diet but Miraculous is simply a case they specifically remain upset with for whatever given reason.

With these other stan blogs I feel like I can put faith in most of them having gotten a more diverse media diet after s4 and s5 that serves to better balance out the negative effects their participation in the ML fandom had on them. But I can't muster up that same faith for Marinette stans.

They've had no reason to seek refuge in other pieces of media cause Miraculous has stayed on their side all this time. Not to mention that expanding their media diet would lead to them seeing the show's (or Marinette's) bad writing for what it is. I to this day wonder how much Marinette stans limited their own media diet and particularly on female empowerment just cause they didn't want their Marinette bias to be challenged. Remember, we're talking about kids or young adults in their adolescence here. They will absolutely double down on what kind of representation they wanna watch when they put their minds into it, just like biased adults. Age isn't the deciding factor, it's the determination of not wanting your world view challenged.

And Marinette stans were the ones who even went so far to write the vast majority of the Maribat and character bashing fics which the show still backs them up for by not even asking them to face CANON anymore. Then yeah, forgive me for singling Marinette stans out as the ones who may actually be coming out of this as true red flags. Other types of stans can at least list solid and consistent reasons for what ruined the show and Marinette to them. May it be due to morality or simply other story telling priorities than prioritizing the main character all the time. Even if I think some of their anger towards Miraculous and Marinette looks sus, I can still see how of that is gonna be the case when they engage with a good piece of media that gives them what they were promised.

But interacting with some Marinette stans makes me question how they can possibly be watching ANYTHING else if they are convinced that Marinette is how a main character should always be prioritized in any story for it to be good. You cant tell me those Marinette stans actually watch anything else, or at least anything else but their special niche.

Long story short, Astruc says being a Chloe stans is a red flag, but I'm so much more wary of Marinette stans.

---

Yeah, the “all Marinette critics are misogynists who wanna fuck Adrien” defense. We’ve all seen it and the Maripologists continuing to use it just proves how they are literally just repeating the words they’ve seen some other Maripologist use with no thinking of their own. Generative A.I. user -ass behavior 

“Marinette deserves to put her own safety first” is such malarkey. Marinette was so unbelievably safe, she'd just easily whooped the asses of both the Akuma and the people she had under her thrall. Killing Adrien in such a zero-stakes situation was completely unjustified, no matter what “mental cage” the apologists invent for her. Unless they mean Marinette's tendency to objectify Adrien and see him as an object, I can see that as a mental cage, but I don't like how it makes it sound like Marinette is the victim herself instead of her committing human rights violations for no justifiable reason.

Also, like, I just had another anon telling me that the Maripologists are making posts like “What if Marinette accidentally mind controls Adrien while holding his hand, poor Marinette!” They’re making posts about how Marinette will eventually overwrite Adrien’s free will too, but the instant somebody posts about it without going ���poor Marinette!” on the same breath it’s unreasonable conjecture. Wild.

Oh, yeah, long-term fandom exposure does influence how we behave towards other people. Like, back when Steven Universe was really popular, so were these “anti-blogs”, group blogs whose members dedicated themselves to hunting down and harassing people engaging in fandom behaviors (mostly ships) that they didn't approve of. These blogs always ended up imploding very quickly due to infighting because these people became that awful when their negative behavior got constant positive reinforcement in their community.

Maripologists are no different from these anti-blogs. Sure, they’ve branded themselves after “loving” a character instead of hating certain types of fans, but this “love” manifests as chasing down and harassing people who are critical of Marinette, aka people engaging in fandom behaviors they don't approve of. And they get positive reinforcement for their negative behavior from other Maripologists for “defending Marinette from salters”, and the show through it catering to them.

I usually wouldn't blame the source material for the fandom’s bad behavior, but, in the case of Miraculous, the waters are really muddied because I can see why this show specifically has this kind of fandom outside of “all fandoms have rancid parts to them”. As you said, the show basically rewards them for having such stunted compassion that they can extend it to only a single fictional character, because fans of any other character practically get punished. But the Maripologists take it even further when they project every excuse in the book onto this fictional character while treating real people like cartoon villains.

I talk a lot about the child audience because, as a teacher, I care about what media teaches children, and, as I said, I’m in a position to see what kind of real world damage this show can cause to the small children it is marketed towards. But, you are correct, Maripologists probably grew up on this show and have now aged out of the target demographic, or fixated on this show as a comfort show, and can't move on to better media that would teach them what better media looks like because Miraculous keeps going, and, when it's on hiatus, the fanworks keep coming. There's constantly new Miraculous for them to focus on so that they never have to challenge themselves or their views. They project onto their protagonist and think that making sure they have as easy a time as possible and never feel uncomfortable is the same as putting their “safety” first.

Maripologists are the epitome of “go outside and touch grass”. Go check out other shows. Read a book every once in a while, even if it’s “just” a graphic novel. The act of reading enriches your thinking and is the best exercise for your brain. It doesn't have to be long or a masterpiece as long as it gets you reading. Get out of your comfort zone or get stuck in a rut. But Maripologists have been in this rut for years, it's going to be really hard to break that habit to check out what's going on with Miraculous constantly, and they probably aren't even motivated to do so. After all, the show hasn't utterly disappointed them yet.

[confusionism]

One corner of his lips curls up as he lets out a short exhale. “Kinda far from East High, though, don’t you think?” Not just from the severe lack of reds all over the facility, but the fact that they’re plenty of miles away from Utah. He doesn’t know how to feel about the way he knows a silly thing like that. Or that the cheesy, ceiling-to-floor banners of the players aren’t only a thing of movie magic.

There is, however, actually something special about walking through the entrance for the first time. Aiden can see it clearly in his guests’ eyes. Especially Anna’s dad. Francesco Ricci, decked out in head-to-toe blue gear, looks like the latest recipient of a Make a Wish package. That’s the look right there, Aiden thinks. He had been no exception to the rule many moons ago, on his very first official day as an assistant manager. The ink on his contract was fresh, still wet, and he knew that his mind would never be able to make full sense of the wonder in the road ahead.

Looking back on it all now, watching and listening as Anna makes a point to emphasize the team’s runs since his arrival, he still stands firm with that amazement.

Aiden nods back. “We’re making history.” Extra emphasis on ‘we’ as he tilts his chin toward the newest addition to the collection of colors: a single photo taken from the celebratory dinner at the end of the last season. Fresh off their second year in a row win, the guys stand proudly alongside other staff members and team associates alike. And wouldn’t you know it? Aiden and Anna are right at the center, beside one another.

Next time — maybe in a few weeks, if all goes according to plan — he’ll make it look like they’re actually celebrating the team’s success together.

First comes the hard work. Spending time with the Riccis has been more than just ‘nice,’ but chatting them up can only get the team so far, and with every passing minute, he crosses off more and more names on his mental roster, one for each voice he can hear echoing from the other side of the hall. One in particular, as loud and obnoxious as ever, has him nodding back.

“Good call. I heard the weather’s gonna bite today—” unusually warm for this time of the year, “—but you’ll be a lot more comfortable up there.” Not to mention farther away from a certain player’s antics. Aiden fishes out his office keys and hands them over. “Case it gets too hot,” he explains, and it’s with a squeeze on the back of her hand that he means it’s an escape in any context. He seals it with another little kiss on Anna’s cheek. Then, an easy smile toward her parents. “See y’all on the pitch.”

If one observed close enough, they’d see the little pops to Aiden’s steps. Anticipation? Something like that— an eagerness to burn the energy in his tank, the eagerness for the game, and the chance to work out the kinks in the team’s strategy. The press has often called Chelsea a ‘well-oiled machine,’ yet it’s no secret that the recent weeks have brought somewhat of a wrench between the cogs.

It needn’t be named; it is making a scene the minute Aiden strides into the locker room.

“Yo, coach. Is it true? What do you mean I’m not on the list for MVP?”

Aiden sighs and rolls his eyes, all in one go. He manages to usher everyone out the doors in good time, but there’s no mistaking that the atmosphere is still charged by the time he and his would-be ‘star player’ hit the green. It’s the type of sight that would catch anyone’s attention sharply, especially if there were mics hooked up to all involved.

It's telling that Anna doesn't flinch, nor does she fill the car with nonsensical conversation during the drive. Perfectly happy to focus, offer a small laugh or two, and even a quick "Ramon is the next big thing on the pitch and on the fashion scene." at a red light. Because that's just what Aiden does, and who he is; he fits with the Ricci's. Capturing minds and hearts with his practicality and spirit, that she's sure she catches her dad mouth a 'he's lovely' when their eyes catch in the rearview.

Least she can do is keep them moving, without one hiccup beyond a too-hard pull at the parking brake. Proudly smiling at Aiden Fitzgerald, Manager on the plaque at his designated parking spot. It's not the prestige of a private spot that gets her (if it was, she'd be marveling at Leo's audacity to negotiate the top spot for his red Ferrari). But the pride of being where he is, achieving what he has.

"You guys are in for the full, Chelsea experience now. Also, this place is spotless--" A pointed look at her mom, who couldn't believe that Aiden's pristine kitchen rivaled her own. Glancing back at Aiden, she hums; "Only if you need to head in, babe." No strings attached, while Anna begins leading the foursome to the entrance.

"Getcha head in the game, and all that High School Musical stuff." Not discounting the focus it takes, rather giving it some pep. Besides, she could totally see a viral TikTok with the team doing a High School Musical cover.

Note to self - text the PR head.

Regardless, she gets them started. First, in the grand and not-so-hallowed halls of the recently renovated, Chelsea lobby. Taking great care to show off the pictures of the cups, and a few of Aiden in the early years of his career. Anna squeezes his hand extra tight, to say she's proud. She's just about to bound towards the training facility, when she stops.

First thing she sees is Ramon, mid-selfie in a green tracksuit she helped pick out. A couple of the guys are circling around the water jug, waiting to fill up their bottles. Bailey a few steps behind, cell phone to his ear, with the goofy smile that says he's on the horn with his Mrs. She almost prances over, until she hears Leo's voice booming from the locker room.

"Um," and critics say she couldn't act. For all her nerves, she casts a quick look at Aiden. They needed to handle this strategically, too. Because the Ricci's may know about Leo's infamous and controversial move to Chelsea, but seeing him in the flesh? He may be able to take her dad, but Mama Ricci is a proper Italian badass. "We should, um... Head up? Watch the practice from up top?" So long as she can squirrel her parents away, before the hurricane that is Chelsea's worst player comes around.

[izzy-b-hands]

yoooo as of posting my fill for AU-gust Day Two ‘fiber arts’ I’m at 49 fics written for OFMD! (not counting the extra lil ones I published on here that haven’t been posted to AO3 yet, and will, eventually just. is a slog trying to find them in the blog backlog, but EVENTUALLY)

Anyway, that means I’m v excited to see if I either Day Three will be my fiftieth fic!!! for OFMD or if I’ll wind up finishing an unrelated draft first (I have one I’m plugging away at that I am only giving the title and main ship of for the sake of Fun and Mystery: ‘Single Serve Blueberry Brownie’ and rizzy) and THAT might be No. 50!!

That aside, here be the link for Day Two! Wee John POV of the messiest wedding planning in existence (for that moment at least, Mary/Doug) going down at his and Frenchie’s wedding salon/shop after he’s ALREADY put out one bride’s fire for the day. Stede is also there, having a bad time until suddenly it isn’t anymore (Ed/Stede.) Overall ship is Frenchie/Wee John but nothing explicit or NSFW going on for anyone in this fic, aside from the NSFW levels of stress and less than kind behaviour towards each other that weddings can bring out in people lmao.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/49062529

[snogfairy]

"people shouldn't draw or write crowle-" sounds like a skill issue I love male Crowley I love female Crowley I love femme Crowley I love trans Crowley I love genderqueer genderfuckery genderfluid Crowley I love nonbinary Crowley I love Crowley spindly thin with broad shoulders I love Crowley with curves I love Crowley in a dress I love Crowley in a suit I love crowley with big bazoonga boobs or tiny boobs or no boobs I love Crowley with perky tits and a dick i love crowley with a vagina I love Crowley with a penis i love crowley with a tdick I love Crowley with a boy pussy I love Crowley with snesises I love Crowley with barbie-smooth nothingness I love lesbian Crowley I love gay Crowley I love virgin Crowley I love experienced Crowley I love asexual Crowley I love sexual flirty Crowley I love awkward blushing Crowley I love long haired Crowley I love Crowley with a shorn head I love Crowley with any hairdo at all bc they're all HOT I love Crowley with earrings or black fingernails or pointy teeth or horns or none of these I love Crowley with a snake tattoo on his cheek chest arm or ass I love Crowley no matter in which incarnation at all as long as the hair is FIERY RED but actually I also love blackhaired book crowley idgaf just go wild it's what Crowley would want

[wonder-worker]

Wild how we know that Elizabeth Woodville was officially appointed to royal councils in her own right during her husband’s reign and fortified the Tower of London in preparation of a siege while 8-months pregnant and had forces gathering at Westminster “in the queen’s name” in 1483 – only for NONE of these things to be even included, let alone explored, in the vast majority of scholarship and historical novels involving her.

[hanakihan]

Howl’s moving castle AU with Dantès as Howl, Salieri as Sophia and Jalter Lily as Markl—

[heartbeetz]

I NEED to get back into oc f/os. I just remembered my old casino themed anthro shark guy. He never got a solid enough ref sheet (or lore, really) for me to feel comfortable making him one of my f/os but maybe I should remedy that at some point. Big Jack.........

[ghoulodont]

i feel like the popular image of paranoia is looking out a window peeking through the blinds like hmmm thats suspicious and while it certainly can look like that i feel like that doesnt really capture the thoughts or the mindset or the reasoning of it, to the point that it took me kind of a long time to recognize my own experience of paranoia. for me its like everyone is being very hostile to you and i just accept it as reality without question. the looking out the window seems very passive and observational whereas when im paranoid im actively defending myself. im fighting back and being confrontational and accusing people of trying to harm me. and its hard to even notice im doing it sometimes

[divinekangaroo]

I do really like the idea that Alfie and Tommy fucked and had their deep and meaningful connection in a world where Tommy also has all his on-screen deep and meaningful connections. And that they're happening at the same time, not as serial-monogamy. It's satisfyingly messy.

Tommy's intense mental comparmentation of his experiences as well as his transactional framing would certainly lend itself to him getting one thing from Alfie and another thing from Grace or Lizzie, as he does with Jessie, with sex workers, seeing no issue or conflict with how he feels for any of them at any point in time. Because they are not the same and do not intersect and won't even encounter each other in any way.