#but if nothing else. you know they're probably going to make stupid decisions with it now because of this

[oveliagirlhaditright]

I'm just... I'm so angry at Square Enix right now, for them blaming Final Fantasy XVI for their loss of shares.

I could get into it, but I'm trying not to: I'm trying to breathe and calm down.

But I worry that this might not bode well for Square Enix's future, perhaps, or at least the future of the Final Fantasy series. *bites nails*

[berryz-writes]

You're mine, sweetheart

Summary: Theo cheers you up after a shit day

Theodore Nott x reader

Pansy looked me up and down, hate simmering in her eyes. She scoffed "Don't tell me that's what your wearing. You look like an absolute slag"

After being best friends with her for our first few years and realising how toxic she really was I had tried to keep my distance from her but she didn't get the hint and instead liked to comment on each and every thing I did. Of course the comments hurt me but maybe after the years they just didn't hurt as much. Maybe I was immune now. The dress I had chosen for this nights party was a short green dress, something to celebrate our Quidditch win but of course the dress didn't live up to her expectations. What was really annoying was she wore a similar dress just a few weeks back but according to her I was the one who looked like a slag.

"I think it looks nice Pansy"

I turned to my mirror and applied a light pink lip gloss that was almost finished because of the amount of times I had used it. I couldn't be bothered arguing with her tonight. I wasn't about to let her ruin my mood.

"I bet you tried finding the shortest dress in that store"

I rolled my eyes "What are you on about?" I was getting tired of her stupid, annoying comments.

"You know exactly what I'm on about. Don't think Theo's gonna fuck you after this, honey. Your just like all the other desperate bitches at the party"

I gritted my teeth together and put my lip gloss down trying to appear as unaffected as I could. "Fuck off. Jealousy isn't a good look on you"

I walked past her, tears forming in my eyes. Before I could leave she made sure to mutter "Once a whore, always a whore". I let my feet carry me outside to the warm summer evening where the sun was setting. I walked around the lake trying to blink away the tears so my makeup wouldn't be ruined. Was there any point of going to the party? No, probably not.

I sat down on hill, the freshly mowed grass making a soft carpet for me to relax on. Me and Theo had sat hear many times before whether it was to have a late night snack or to miss lessons. It was a comforting place.

I sat there until the sun set and soon it got darker. Almost too dark. My thoughts had cleared now. My tears no longer trying to make an appearance. Maybe I could join the party. Just because one person was being an ass didn't mean everyone else would be.

As I was contemplating on whether I should stand up or not someone cleared their throat behind me. I raised my wand instantly expecting...well something scary I guess.

It was in fact Theo holding a small golden lantern. I didn't bother standing up and instead waited for him to flop down next to me.

"My favourite person isn't going to congratulate me on my performance today?" He placed the lantern between us so we were both bathed in a warm orange light. I could just about make him out, his features looking almost worried.

"You were good." I said. I didn't have the social battery to talk to him right now even if he had done nothing wrong.

He smiled at me "I know. What's up with you? Your usually dragging me to parties but instead your...well from my point of view it looks like your mourning your rabbit"

I let out a small laugh. Even at times like these he could make me laugh. "I just don't understand. Why is it so hard for some people to be nice?"

Theo shrugged "They're probably insecure. Or jealous."

"Yeah. Probably"

We sat in silence for another few minutes before Theo stood up stretching out his hand to me "Come on, sweetheart. Your the life of the party. It's no fun without you"

I stood up and handed him the lantern instead "You can be the life of the party tonight. I'm tired"

"Don't let someone ruin what you want to do. Y/n you love parties. You've never missed one. Unless you really are tired, I'll respect your decision and walk with you to your room"

I contemplated my options. I could do what I really wanted to do which was go to the party and enjoy life with my friends or I could get cosy in my bed and feel like a coward for the next week. He was right. No one got to influence what I wanted to do.

"Your playing truth or drink with me then"

He grinned at me "Whatever you want, sweetheart"

As we walked back inside the castle from a more hidden entrance Theo made sure to hold my hand because apparently he "didn't want me to trip and get hurt". Whatever the reason was it didn't stop butterflies from forming in my stomach.

I had to blink at the sudden brightness of the corridors, the light finally letting me see Theo clearly. He had dropped my hand and instead was surveying me.

Theo's eyes took their time on inspecting my outfit, hungrily devouring the way the dress emphasised my curves. He finally brought his gaze up to look at me, his eyes slightly darker than usual "You look absolutely divine"

I smiled at the compliment "If you weren't my best friend, I'd say you were flirting with me"

He raised an eyebrow "Maybe I am. It's quite hard not to when my best friend is so fucking gorgeous" My cheeks heated at his words, my dress feeling a little too tight all of a sudden. I think I needed to sit down after that.

He extended his arm so I could wrap my hand around it. "I can't wait to tell everyone we're dating"

I paused. What did he say? "If that's ok with you" He added hastily.

I thought about what he said. Had I always imagined what it would be like if Theo asked me out and we weren't just best friends anymore? Of course I did. Every single second of every single day.

"That's fine with me"

He smiled again, a small dimple appearing in his left cheek "Then it's settled. Your mine, sweetheart. And I'm yours" 

[ohisms]

✱˚｡⋆ ↪ 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐀𝐖𝐍 𝐏𝐓 𝟏.    (  a collection of  dialogue prompts originating from pt. 1 of twilight: breaking dawn. adjust as desired.  )

you probably saved more lives than you took.

that's what i told myself. but they were all human beings.

i saw what i was, & what i was capable of.

why are you telling me this tonight?

i know i can do this. let me tell you why: because you did.

so this party ... will there be strippers?

i'll meet you at the altar.

what did i say about beauty sleep?

sorry. bad dream.

weddings – they bring everyone together!

oh my gosh, you're so beautiful!

it's your first family heirloom.

no – ! no smudging my masterpiece!

just don't let me fall.

we were just saying how pretty everything is.

you don't think it's too much?

i hope you'll be happy, [ name ].

well, i plan on getting drunk.

they're serving up some pretty fancy champagne, can i get you a glass?

what's a wedding without some family drama?

uh, i'd like to propose a toast!

i know things. like how to hunt somebody to the ends of the earth.

it's an extraordinary thing, to meet someone you can bare your soul to.

i've been waiting ... what seems like a very long time, to get beyond what i am.

no measure of time with you will be long enough. but let's start with forever.

'kind' is my middle name.

dance with me?

where have you been? we were going to put your face on a milk carton.

it's weird to back on two legs again ... in clothes.

gotten out of practice with the whole human thing.

you'd think i'd be used to telling you goodbye by now.

you're not supposed to be the one crying, [ name ].

this is how i'm going to remember you.

because what, soon i'm going to be dead to you?

tell me you're not that stupid.

i mean, it's really none of your business.

people are probably missing us, let's go back.

wear a hat. sunscreen ... take care of yourself.

everything's packed & ready to go.

you know this will always be your home, right?

go on, you don't wanna miss your plane. wherever it's going.

i am nothing if not traditional.

you want to take a look around?

i could use a few human minutes.

how badly are you hurt?

[ name ], i can't tell you how sorry i am.

now i'm sort of pissed off, actually.

i mean, it was amazing for me.

that's what you're worried about?

last night was the best night of my existence.

let me make you breakfast.

i mean, being any kind of happy is better than being miserable.

my period, it's late.

i think that i'm pregnant.

i'm begging you, i'll do anything.

listen, just give it to me straight.

we've been researching legends, but there isn't much to go on.

this is none of your business, dog.

[ name ], you've gotta do something.

it's not his decision, it's not any of yours.

look, [ name ], i need you to do something for me.

you'll get what you always wanted. to kill me.

you don't fool me.

i can see what that thing's doing to you.

and when you die, what was the point?

listen to me, [ name ], please. don't do this. live.

i know how this ends, & i'm not sticking around to watch.

don't you even care that it's killing you?

we can't allow it.

every human will be in danger.

we have real enemies to fight tonight.

you will fight with us, [ name ].

i wasn't born to follow you, or anyone else.

don't worry, they're not following us.

what do you think you're doing here?

i'm not kidding. get out of here.

is that an order? you gonna make me bow down, too?

are you really ready to fight your own family?

if it's the right thing to do.

do what you want.

man, i can smell them from all the way out here.

go away, [ name ]! i can take care of myself.

did [ name ] send you?

we won't be the ones to break the treaty.

you've done us a great service, [ name ]. thank you.

i know they're out there somewhere.

you know you can't stay here.

you don't even like me.

i don't have to like you, i just have to follow you.

being unwanted isn't exactly a new thing for me.

look, i'll stay out of your way. i'll do whatever you want.

i'm gonna do a perimeter run.

[ name ], tell me. it's alright.

i can't stop it, & i can't slow it down.

i can't live without you.

you decided this on your own.

i have no other way to see it.

it wasn't an idea, it was a snide comment.

your pulse is already getting stronger.

i'm sorry i've been so angry.

i've left you alone in this.

they won't hesitate, you will be slaughtered.

this really is a family. as strong as the one i was born into.

how's the new family working out?

stay focused, keep your heart beating.

i won't kill you. that'd be too easy. you deserve to live with this.

[thisapplepielife]

Written for @corrodedcoffinfest.

Got You Good, Kid

Day #15 - Let's Talk About That | Word Count: 1000 | Rating: T | CW: Language, Smoking, Mentions of Unplanned Pregnancy, Eddie Being a Bit Lot of a Dick | POV: Gareth | Pairing: Gareth/OFC (Off-Screen), Background Steddie | Tags: Modern Day Setting, Road Manager Steve Harrington, Eddie and Gareth are BFFs, But Gareth's Keeping Secrets, So They're Fighting, Fucking Interviewers, Fucking Paparazzi, Fucking Eddie

Gareth adjusts the mic on his collar. Beside him, Eddie's fidgeting, Jeff is texting and Goodie's head is tipped back like he's sleeping or counting the ceiling tiles. 

It's the usual press junket. The same ten questions they all answer, over and over again. It's a goddamn bore. 

"One more question," the journalist says. 

She turns her iPad towards them. It's a picture of Gareth, standing on a sidewalk, a lit cigarette in his hand.

Yeah, he smokes when he's stressed sometimes, sue him. 

"Any comment?" 

Eddie leans forward, looking more closely, "Yeah. Don't smoke, kids."

Everybody laughs, and Gareth thinks that's it, until the reporter swipes to the left and another picture fills the screen. Eddie's not looking at the screen anymore. Now, Eddie's looking at Gareth.

Steve comes in out of fucking nowhere, "No comment. We're done here."

And they are. The room is cleared, and they make a quiet trip back to the hotel. 

Only after the door closes, does Eddie wheel on him.

"What the fuck is going on? Did you get a girl pregnant, and what? Just not tell any of us?" 

Gareth quickly looks at Steve, and Eddie doesn't miss the flick of his eyes.

"Oh, you're fucking kidding me. Steve knew? Before me?" 

And Gareth can't really determine if Eddie's mad that he's gonna be a dad or that Steve knew before he did. 

"He's Steve. He manages everything. I was waiting until the tour was over to tell you."

"Are you with her?" Eddie asks. "Is this why you've been bailing on us?"

"We're taking it slow," Gareth answers. He likes her. Could love her. But they agreed to focus on this first.

"Yeah, looks real slow to me."

"And I haven't bailed. I haven't missed shit."

"Eddie," Steve says, trying to rein Eddie in before he's too revved up.

Too late.

"How goddamn stupid are you? She got you good, kid."

Gareth clenches his fists, instantly mad, because that's not true. Not at all. He doesn't think this was some scheme to baby trap him and milk him for money. Corroded Coffin is famous, but they aren't so rich and famous that he'd be a mark for that kind of plotting. 

He had a one night stand, and she got pregnant. She told him. They made the decision together to proceed.

"That's not fucking true. The condom didn't work." 

"That's convenient. She probably poked holes in it."

"Well, it was mine, so..."

Eddie just stares at him, before finally saying, "Mark my words, because you're definitely getting an 'I told you so' when you're nothing but a checkbook and never see this kid."

"Eddie," Steve warns, and Eddie turns on him.

"And you? Not telling me."

"It wasn't for me to tell," Steve says, calmly. Because Eddie can't ruffle Steve's feathers, not like he can Gareth's. Steve won't allow it. There's no steamrolling of Steve Harrington by Eddie Munson.

"She looks like she's about ready to pop! How long have you known?" Eddie demands. 

Gareth's known for months. He just didn't know how to tell Eddie, because Eddie would be worried about the tour, the album, and everything else that affects Eddie. 

Gareth knows Eddie loves him, but Eddie still thinks he's a kid that needs tending to, even if that hasn't been true in years. 

"A while."

"Where does this girl even live?"

"She's a woman. We're both over thirty, yet you're acting like I preyed on a groupie."

Steve interjects, "I'm in contact with her dad, he's a lawyer. We're getting the parenting plan hammered out so Gareth can co-parent."

"Co-parent a kid from where?" Eddie repeats.

"Omaha."

"Omaha. That's great. Convenient for us all." 

"Well, it's centrally located," Steve offers. They both ignore him.

"She probably sold those pictures. No paps were in fucking Omaha."

"I think it was probably a fan…" Steve trails off, trying to bring reason to an unreasonable fight.

"I don't know what you want me to do, Eddie. I can't unring this bell."

And, honestly, he doesn't want to.

"You were smoking near her. Good job, dad."

"Did you see her when I was smoking? Fucking no. Because she wasn't there yet. Goddamn. You judgmental asshole."

Eddie huffs dramatically, "This is a fucking mess. If Steve wants to help, that's fine. But I'm not."

Gareth nods as Eddie storms off, and he'll come around. Gareth can't have a kid Eddie won't have anything to do with.

This'll blow over. It has to.

But Eddie's still mad. Weeks later. After the show, Steve's waiting with a smile, "You're having a baby. Wheels up in an hour."

"Oh shit," Gareth says, "too early?"

"No," Steve says, "just unwilling to consult the tour schedule. Already rude, just like you."

Gareth laughs, and runs towards the dressing room to shower. He passes Eddie without a word, but tells Jeff and Goodie the news.

Eddie pretends he doesn't hear, and Gareth can't dwell on the fact that he's losing his best friend. Has maybe already lost him. 

His daughter is coming, no matter how Eddie feels.

And an hour later, when Gareth is climbing the stairs of the borrowed private plane, Steve is the one behind him. Jeff and Goodie, already on board. 

The plane is crawling across the tarmac, when Goodie speaks, "Hey, wait, there's Eddie."

Sure enough, Eddie's on one of those little carts, being shuttled by airport staff, arms waving.

They must radio for the pilot to stop, and Eddie eventually slides into the seat next to Gareth.

"So, we're having a baby," Eddie says, and that's enough of an apology for now, because he needs Eddie.

There's a beat, and then Eddie asks, "Are you sure it's yours? You've never been early a day in your life."

Gareth laughs, "I'm sure. She must get that from her mom."

Eddie smiles, "We're having a girl?"

Gareth nods.

Eddie leans over and kisses Gareth's head, "Sorry, I'm late."

It's okay. Gareth thinks he's right on time.

If you want to write your own, or see more entries for this challenge, pop on over to @corrodedcoffinfest and follow along with the fun! 🦇

Notes: Lord, I think one was edited and changed and fiddled with the most to stay at 1000 words but say everything I wanted to say. Take away ten, add twenty-seven. Rinse, repeat. There was a whole flash-forward at the end that just had to go for word count reasons. But just know. It works out, for all of them. ❤️

[sordidmusings]

Switching Up Roles - Part 1/2 (Buggy x Reader)

A/N: So the request got insaaaaanely out of hand cuz I can't shut the fuck up about this stupid clown 🙃 In the future I gotta have requests ask for headcanons, full fic, or headcanons with drabbles in the future so I can put a cap on my brain lol I had also been wanting to write Switch!Buggy learning to embrace the sub part of himself. I wanted to get part of it out and the set up cuts off pretty cleanly here. There is a taste of smut in it, but it stays with the style of the exposition for the most part instead of really delving into it.

Word count: ~1760 (The draft is at 8100 rn 🧍🏻‍♀️)

Warnings: afab!reader (no pronouns), switch!reader, switch!Buggy, NSFW, p in v, creampie, they're like probably too into each other, Buggy leans towards opla Buggy, I have a propensity to just keep sentences going man

I hope you enjoy a taste and thank you for your patience 🙏🏻

Part 2

~ ~ ~ ••• ✦✦✦ ••• ~ ~ ~

You’d always had a hunch about Buggy. It started with little things like how his grunts and moans would sometimes slip in and out of something more whiny and breathy. How the look in his eyes would turn from something rabid and devouring into something desperate and uncertain. Maybe he was just more comfortable using the whole range of his voice than most men. Maybe that look just came from the insecurity in him that you were constantly trying to wring out with every lingering hug and reassuring whisper.

Speaking of those, he drank them up like an addict. Now, it’s not like you think it’s abnormal to enjoy soft touches and sweet words; everyone wants those from their partner in one form or another. The thing is, Buggy seemed to hang on those words with extra ardor. He’d focus on you like nothing else existed. He’d twist and turn both himself and his comfort zone in order to receive them. Whenever he accomplished something, whether it was as big as defeating a new enemy or as small as making a new joke, he would turn his face to seek you out like a plant’s leaves reaching to feel the sun. He’d go to you whenever he was uncertain. Difficult announcements were made with you within arm’s reach, vital decisions were made with you sitting thigh to thigh, and battles were fought with the two of you back to back.

Despite his status as captain, Buggy was always following you. Of course, he was the one in charge, the one who gave orders, but you were the one for whom he would change those orders or redirect his path. When you entered a room, he was the one to go to you. It was only on rare occasions that he’d order you to him like an owner would a dog. His calls for you were greetings, that is if he wasn’t getting up to lead you in himself. Buggy did know how to demand but he preferred to handle you with invitations. 

Even so, you were well versed in Buggy leading you to touch or lay where and how he wanted. The extending months of your relationship have been filled with the two of you pushing and pulling at each other, empty of any thoughts and aims other than the need you had for each other. He has growled out commands and desires, expecting you to do just as he asked and he fit the role of manhandling you into a compliant sub very well. There were times when it seemed to be just that though - a role. Not every time; the more starved for your body he seemed, the more he’d take you just how he wanted. Now that you were months in and the pent up “what if”s were easing into the new joy of deep connection, his need for your body settled to hunger while his appetite for connecting to You became insatiable. Being able to allocate more time to exploring each other let latent behaviors break through the frantic way that you two tried to consume one another. Buggy had always aimed for your pleasure, hitting steady bullseyes, but now he was consciously seeking it and looking for new avenues to sate you and file them away for the future. He gained the clarity to observe while he was flooding himself with you.

You also noticed that with this change of pace came his need to chase your movements. You don’t think Buggy was even aware of the way he would lean his body towards you no matter the time or place, the way he would follow your lips whenever you pulled away, or the way his body would seek out your hands and happily mold to their movements like you were an artist working with clay. There was the way he seemed almost relieved when you would guide him. It appeared that he savored the time to unload the responsibility of decisions onto someone else but he had never known anyone he could trust to give him that peace before.

You understood that need. The rush you got when you only had to think of pleasing him and then hearing him tell you how good you were at doing just that? It was euphoria all on its own. It had you feeling like you knew in your core that you were doing something right and that you were making your love feel good - feel proud and happy. While you enjoyed partaking in it yourself, you had no problem taking control to give that to Buggy. Honestly it was a dynamic that was sounding tastier by the day. Seeing him act out of need for your direction and approval made you crave it more each time. You were eager to see him when he loses himself in the role of being what you want. You’re positive he’d take to it well; all you want is him after all, but now that he’s given pieces of himself to you, you want all of him. You want him to expose his needs to you, right down to the core of his desires, so that you could feel the thrill of holding that trust and vulnerability. You want to prove to him that he is always safe with you and that you can fulfill all that he wants and more.

One night a few weeks back, you got the final evidence you needed to feel confident labeling him as a switch like yourself. It was one of the few times Buggy was letting you ride him when he was close (he seemed to be embarrassed of the way it would pull out higher pitched moans from him, no matter how you complimented them), and he had let himself fall further into acting without thought than he usually would beneath you. His typical grapple with composure was replaced by him melting into bliss, leaving you a Buggy who was slack-jawed, glassy eyed, and trembling. You could still feel some hesitancy in the way he kept making his eyes focus on you even when they wanted to roll back or the way he would reign in his volume after a particularly (and deliciously) loud moan. His hands still went through the motions of guiding your hips, but this time your hips were pushing into that heavy grip instead of his hold directing the bounce and grind of your body on his.

Even though the feeling of his cock splitting you open and rubbing deliciously from your clenching entrance to the deepest stretch of your cunt left you struggling for thought, you were determined to keep an eye out for his tells that he would try to flip you back over. Whenever Buggy blinked some focus back into his eyes, you leaned down and captured his panting mouth in sloppy kisses. His eagerness to feel your swollen lips and teasing tongue made it easy to kiss his mind back into a blur. When he planted a hand down and sat himself up, you tightened your core to clench down on him and changed to the heavy grinds that made him weak with the way he could feel every hot, plush inch of you gripping him. He fell down to his elbow, but when you followed him to nibble at his ear and fill it with moans, he lost all his strength and collapsed back on the bed.

You kept at it because you needed to cum on top of him. The promise of a body shaking orgasm always came to you in the squeeze of your thighs around his waist, the grind of his pelvis on your clit, the way you could change your angle to have the head of his cock massaging whichever spot felt the most electric in the moment. It took hold of your mind with the way you got to look down on him spread out beneath you while he looked up at you with that desperate face. You could see how steeped he was in pleasure and need from his furrowed brow and shining eyes. Buggy always fell into the most beautiful, incoherent mess when you were the one leading him. His long blue hair spread out wildly, the few strands sticking to his face bringing out his pink flush. His gorgeous eyes, highlighted by stripes of blue makeup and long fluttering lashes, glistened up at you. His painted red mouth looked all the more tempting with how his kiss-wet lips parted for him to gasp in air and breathe out moans.

With little warning, Buggy sobbed out an overwhelmed, “Fuuu-hah-huuuuck,” and the next thing you knew strong hands yanked you down and he trapped you close in an iron grip. His forehead dug into your neck and his humid breath tingled down your chest. All you could feel, hear, smell was Buggy - so much burning skin, jumbled curses, lingering sea salt. His hands scrambled on your back, pulling you closer like he needed it to live, and amidst all the sensation you felt his cock pressed tight into you, twitching heavily with each wave of hot cum it pumped into you. It shoved you immediately far over the edge and you curled into him, squeezing and shaking and grabbing and gasping. You got what you were promised and your body shook, letting you get extra jolts of friction against his still pulsing cock.

The come down was slow and lethargic with the two of you molded to each other and unwilling to leave the moment behind. Your breaths eventually slowed while you both enjoy giving and receiving little trailing touches. Your brain was high from the intense orgasm and the building joy that you can finally open the door on this aspect of your relationship where Buggy lets himself submit.

That is, until he ruins it. 

Both of you were too tired to say much of anything through the swift cleanup and release to slumber. You didn’t think anything of it, because it wasn’t the first time it happened. You did start to catch on to Buggy’s avoidance when he would find convenient ways to dance around the topic or disappear when you were leading up to it. It became unquestionable when he started to run out of clever escape routes. The final straw was when you approached him with an “I wanna talk about the other night” and he did a 180 with a panicked “forgot some captain stuff for the thing” yelled back to you. So you let it drop. For a time.

You spotted your opportunity just over three weeks after you’d dropped the subject. Buggy continued to slip around you for almost two of those weeks, approaching you with the same caution a child would when entering a haunted house on a dare. He held the same nervous excitement and insatiable curiosity too. The whole time, you pretended that you hadn’t noticed. You were well practiced in the art of playing blind; Buggy wore his emotions on his sleeve whether he wanted to or not, and he loved that you would let him pretend some of it didn’t happen. Even though he knew you sometimes played it to your advantage and still let most of your comments and cackles out during his outbursts and foibles. He just paid you back for those with his own tricks and teasing and all’s fair in love and war.

You knew not to strike right away. You needed to reaaaaally let him settle back into normalcy between you two so that The Incident wasn’t on his mind. Not that you’d been able to get it out of yours; you were endlessly replaying the memory of him being seized by instinct and impulse so violently that he clung to you like he could never be close enough while you made him cum so hard that his dick felt like someone was jolting a toy inside you. Whether the imagery came to you on purpose or involuntarily, it always had you squirming and looking for some way to get off.

Today had been especially filled with that memory, but luck was on your side, finally ready to reward you for your patience. Buggy had been getting a bit exhausted recently, prepping the crew, the ship, and everything on it for a risky raid happening next week. It would be the culmination of a few months planning, and he had been running himself ragged making sure that everything would go smoothly. And, when it didn’t, there was a backup plan and at least two more backup plans for that one. 

He had been seeking rest from you more than interaction the past few days - falling asleep almost immediately after getting back to his room late, giving you long hugs where he’d close his eyes if only for a minute and let you hold up some of his weight, scarfing down his food so he could power nap with his head on your thigh while you finished your own meal. If he was doing something that only needed one hand, he’d send the other to you so he could have the comfort of your touch and the pick me up from feeling your occasional squeeze on it. He had to find and stop you the time you decided to massage his overworked hand, because the relaxing feeling had him zoning out through full conversations.

All that to say, the man clearly needed someone to force a break on him and take care of him. Just as clearly, Buggy was needing that care from you so much that he was allowing himself to seek you out in ways that he (wrongfully) feared would annoy or drain you. His exhaustion outweighing that sea-sized insecurity of his was the cue you’d been looking out for. If he really didn’t want to be submissive to you then that’s fine, but you’d be damned if it was just his own negative self-talk keeping the two of you from feeling that way again or from bonding even closer with another dynamic to exchange trust and affection. After all, that act of trust being met with affection is one of the best ways to chip away at his self-doubt and self-loathing.

~ ~ ~ ••• ✦✦✦ ••• ~ ~ ~

More to come - hope you enjoyed 🤍

[siddyyyyyyyy]

University Romance

Johnny 'Soap' McTavish x female!Reader

this is part two to: University Romance, part three

Wc: ~2.1 k

warnings: none, no y/n used, 'crazy' chemistry professor Soap, Johnny and Reader are about the same age, the name of the university is fictional

summary: You and Johnny are two professors at a university, and he often catches you working late in your office. Also, you're just really good friends and there's probably more to it.

a/n: a lot of cringe in here and just yapping, I'm pretty sure I will make a third part to it and see how it goes. Have fun!

Redcrest High Academy, Wednesday 9:00 AM

Okay... maybe, hopefully, they haven't heard of these ridiculous assumptions from his students. First semester, they're still pretty young, stupid, and still have to get used to being in a university. Of course they will assume something like this, their frontal lobe hasn't even developed completely yet, has it? Is it even such a big deal to be mistaken as a couple?

»Stupid boom box...« Johnny mutters under his breath, making you confused at the same time.

»Carl, boom box; he asked if we were married. And I'm pretty sure he is the one who came up with all these rumors.« He adds, clarifying your confusion and making up a theory at the same time.

»Oh, so we should just have a talk with him, and then it's done.«

»No! It's too late!«

He surprises you by taking this situation so seriously. There must be something else.

»Okay, that's a bit dramatic, don't you think?«

He sighs out dramatically once more and throws his head back, eventually taking you by your shoulders and shaking you lightly.

»You don't get it! Soon, everyone will know, and I don't-«

The door swings open and, Kyle stands there, papers in his hand while his other still holds the doorknob. You're both looking over to him, Johnny having a rather stressed expression on his face. Kyle looks between the two of you, staying still in his spot while the silence stretches out.

»Am I interrupting something?« The physics professor breaks the silence, a faint smirk on his lips. Johnny almost squeezes your shoulders in a death grip before he lets go, being still a bit out of the wind.

»No! Of course not, what's up?« He answers almost too quickly and puts his hands on his hips, focused on Kyle and trying really hard to pretend nothing happened.

Kyle takes a small step back, closing the door just a tad bit but keeps his eyes on you both.

»I can also come in later if I was a bother. No worries.« He clarifies, earning a look from you both. He waves the stack of papers in his free hand, ready to just close the door and leave from the lack of response from the two of you.

»Wait, no, Kyle— you can just give me the papers and...« Johnny steps to him and takes the papers, glancing down at them before he looks to Kyle once more.

»Do you think we're married?« He asks, having a serious look on his face while awaiting Kyles answer. Kyle smrik widens, pretending to think he meant him and Johnny, instead the two of you.

»Aren't you guys something?« He asks back and points between you both, making you look away and regret every life decision that led to this. Johnny's eyes widen, a heavy sigh leaving his lips as he dramatically puts his hand over his face.

»Thanks, Kyle.« Johnny mutters before he closes the door right on his face. He looks back to you, seeing you still feeling mostly confused about the dramatics of Johnny, and why he seems to be more exasperated than the first time he learnt about the sun exploding in about five billion years.

You sigh out softly, talking in a calmer tone.

»Why are you so upset about this? Did I miss something, or are you really just dramatic?«

He looks to you and tries to find his words, placing the stack of papers down on his desk before he leans against it.

»I just don't get why they think we are a couple... I mean, sure, I check up on your lectures sometimes and talk about you; I make sure you don't fall asleep in your office or overwork yourself, we spend our breaks together... But that doesn't mean we're married.«

You listen to him but get hung up in his words, holding your hand up for him to stop rambling.

»What did you just say?«

»We spend our breaks together?« He guesses, making you shake your head and ask again.

»No, before that.« You wait for him to repeat his words, being unsure if you heard him right.

»That I make sure you don't fall asleep here? What is it that I said?«

He makes you roll your eyes at him as he guesses again, putting both hands up and gesturing to him more impatiently.

»No, before that.«

He purses his lips, unsure if he should say it again or just somehow ignore the question, realising he said too much earlier. His lack of response makes you cross your arms and silently demand him to answer you finally. Johnny relents a moment later, sighing out sheepishly as he rubs the back of his neck.

»Okay, okay, I talk about you in class, but that has nothing to do with this.« He finally admits and leans back against his desk more while avoiding eye contact. It seems like you have got him caught in something, and this explains a lot. You don't even want to know what other stuff his students have assumed, but you are also curious about what exactly he talks about in his lectures, considering he should be teaching them chemistry.

»Just- okay... Maybe that's why your students assume that.« You sigh out, having no motivation to be upset about him. At least there's someone to blame now, and it's Johnny. »And maybe you should actually teach them about chemicals instead of... whatever you are doing.« You add to, making him rub the back of his neck. It's clear he feels embarrassed if not ashamed about it. Maybe he was this dramatic all the time, because he knew he is at fault. But then again, he doesn't make sense as he said he doesn't want anyone to know.

»Look, let's just say nothing about it. Everything is normal for now, no one suspects a thing. But if your fathere finds out...« He takes a deep breath and shakes his head faintly. »He's gonna kill me.«

He finishes off, once again with fantastic dramatics.

»Wait, what about my dad? I thought you two were good friends.«

But before he could answer you, the bell rings and signals the beginning of the next lectures. He ushers you both out of his office, guiding you back to your lecture hall, since it's next to his, waving you goodbye before stepping into his class.

He's strange.

Once Johnny enters the lecture, he is greeted by the many faces of his students and one particular student speaks up. Before he could say word though, Johnny puts his hand up to silence everyone.

»I'm not gonna answer your stupid question, but we're gonna make coloured fire!«

----

Office of your own, Wednesday 8:53 PM

It took you exactly four coffees to stay awake and distract yourself from today's events. And completing your work early on again. Your students are going to be happy to receive their assignments back early, but will probably feel concerned too. Also, you're staying late in your office again, on accident. But now that your work is done and there's nothing else to do before the next day, you decided to look through your old pictures back from your early twenties.

It felt nice just studying and living at your parents house at that time, where you weren't plagued to actually do adult stuff. But the memories are nice, seeing how much fun you had most of the time, how different your style was, the fun things you could do with your friends... how lovely Johnny stared at you? Is the caffeine catching up?

You go on that picture again, your whole friendgroup from the different classes of the university at a park, it being sunny, and making the photo look even more nostalgic. Another look at Johnny confirms his stare. Whenever he isn't occupied with something in these photos, he is most likely looking your way with a soft, almost fond, expression.

A rhythmic knock pulls you out of your train of thoughts, looking to the door that opens up. Again, Johnny walks in, most likely to force you out of this room once more.

»Wow, that's a big stack of papers. Did you do all this?« He points to all the work you've done today on the desk, approaching you at the same time.

»No, the friendly poltergeist did it.«

He smiles at the sarcastic response and huffs out amused. Once he's close enough to your desk, he leans arms against your desk, inspecting the papers. While he does that, you go on to sort through them once more, standing up while doing so.

He watches your hands work, helping out a bit at the same time. Eventually, the stack of papers are neatly sorted out, going into your bag for the next lecture.

»Damn, I look good... looked good, at least.« He speaks up, eyeing the screen of your computer while leaning over your desk a little more. It seems like you forgot to turn your computer off as he came in, quickly closing the tab with the photos now. He groans as you closed the tab, looking back to you.

»Why'd you have that open? For motivation?«

He tilts his head at you, waiting for your answer, with a subtle smirk.

»Did you know dentures used to be made out of dead soldier's teeth?«

You try to distract him, it working as he blinks and grimaces at your fun fact. He leans off your desk and you take the opppurtunity to finally turn your computer off. Johnny takes a small breath, pointing at you with his finger.

»I really wish I didn't know that.«

----

Redcrest High Academy, Friday 12:02 PM

Johnny has thought a lot about you. Since he saw these pictures on your screen, he can't help but think back to your college and university years. It was fun being in that friend group, there was always something to laugh at and the hangout's were truly something else. He lost count of how many drunk black-outs he had already, how many times he pulled all-nighters to study, and how many times he tried to ask you out. If he only had the courage... if he weren't that hesitant, he is sure you two were indeed married by now.

But he remembers that time his friends and him hung out at your place for the first time, just before your university years as students started. Your house was rather big with two floors and a back yard. At that time of the summer, you used your back yard to grill and hang out at. He can remember how surprised he was when he saw how pretty it was, not having expected much. But that positive surprise surely died down quickly when your dad came by to help with the grill.

He looked intimidating then, a few inches taller than himself and looking rather rough. But then again, that small scare flew by once your dad introduced himself and finally smiled politely.

John Price, or 'mister Price' as how he calls him, even now. He knew he'd need to make a good impression on him and didn't drink as much as usual, trying to talk to your dad a little more. Of course, it was that same evening when your friends found out about his profession, or at least just knew that he was an SAS-soldier not too long ago. A captain as well.

At that point, he knew he probably had no real chance with you. He knew, if he fucked up, there's a whole SAS-team after him. So, he settled on just being good friends with you, mostly because of your father and his own fear of rejection.

Your father, on the other hand, befriended himself quickly with Johnny, having chatted about explosives most of the time in that same evening. He was sure Johnny and your friends were nice, not having anything against those.

You invited Johnny over more frequently, having had late study sessions, talking with your father about different stuff, and also more grill parties with your friend group. You could say your father became more fund of Johnny with time, having made more jokes and teases than necessary about you two.

»When are you marrying, son?«

He really wanted to ignore that question the first time your father asked him that. But he couldn't, and really tried his best to find the correct answer to it, but also not lie.

»We aren't together, sir.«

John waves a dismissive hand at him, huffing out lightly.

»Please, I've seen how you look at her. Don't waste your time before she finds someone else... and stop with the formalities. I told you that already.«

After a small pep talk from your father, he had some more courage to be closer to you, but still not enough to ask you out.

For some reason, it was harder than it looked like.

Even now, as your both fully grown adults and working together, he can't just walk up to you and propose something as a date. But now, with everyone thinking you are engaged, it might be the perfect oppurtunity to finally ask you out.

a/n: wow, again a cliffhanger, who would have thought!1!1! I hope you enjoyed it, I'm working on two fics right now, so I can't say when the next part is coming out. Probably soon.

[explosionshark]

Lets see, for the shipped ship I wanna know about Buffy/Faith and uh... for the don't ship Sevika/Vi or Buffy/Angel.

Okay so Buffy/Faith I just answered here

For the others...

Buffy/Angel - okay I do ship them actually. Another one of my With Caveats opinions

Ship It

What made you ship it?

I mean they ARE canon. Out of all of Buffy's canonical boyfriends, I like Angel the most. Like, just as a character I like him the most and when it comes to storylines I also like his romance arc (or at least its impact) the most

What are your favorite things about the ship?

I looooove two things about it and they go hand in hand - 1) they make huge, indelible impacts on each other and completely alter the trajectories of each other's lives 2) it's fucking DOOMED

I love the tragedy in it, I love how it's always going to be a wound that never heals right 🥰

Like, for real, they inspire so much good character growth in each other, but it's that growth that makes them fundamentally incompatible. I'll elaborate below

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

This is probably unpopular among true Bangelheads but like I said above I like that it's doomed. I don't think they should ever get back together. I think it should always hurt a little bit, but by any measure, a real attempt to be together again would be a huge backslide for them both with catastrophic results. Beyond the curse aspect even, I think they're fundamentally incompatible and "I Will Remember You" is a brilliant showcase of why - Angel will, on some level, always feel compelled to make decisions on Buffy's behalf if he thinks they're in her best interest. Whatever appeal Buffy ever found in that "well-intentioned" paternalism early on, you can see she was already chafing against it by the time they broke up for good in season 3. There's no way she could deal with it later after being fully in her own power for so long

Sevika/Vi

Okay I agonized over this a little too. I think I could switch my answer up by my own metrics and ship it based on the "wouldn't that be a fucked up and interesting thing to happen to Vi" but ultimately I think I'd rather soapbox about Sevika for a moment lmao

Don’t Ship It

Why don’t you ship it?

Okay I wanna be clear that I'm not REALLY a hater. I think Sevika is hot as hell and I absolutely get why people want to ship her with various women. But here's my fundamental issue

There's a lot I can get over or forgive a character for, a lot of fucked up shit I can accept and even enjoy as part of a character's dark past or a conflict in an enemies-to-lovers ship but the thing IS if we're taking this seriously Sevika did fully rock up with Silco's murder squad fully prepared to kill children that she knew.

Like, full stop. She was an ally of Vander's, hung out in his bar, she knew his kids. And they were YOUNG, too. I get that it's gritty, mob land rules shit, you have to take out the whole family to sell Silco's lie about Vander abandoning Zaun, but that's still child murder. That was Vi's family! I don't think she'd ever get over that

What would have made you like it?

Well. Sevika not partaking in the child murder plot. or making some kind of gesture or attempt to wiggle out of that part, showing some remorse, maybe.

Despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it?

As I said above I don't think that there's NOTHING here, I just think it's really fucked up. I could ship it in like. A whumpy way. If I wanted something painful and toxic for Vi to angst over, an extremely unhealthy feel-bad hookup with the woman who betrayed your family as an act of self-harm would do the trick. But honestly there are so many other ways to hit Vi with hammers and she's so sad already I think I'd reach for something else first

Also, okay, fine. It would be hot. It would be crazy stupid hot, we all know this. Sevika could fold Vi up like a lawn chair and regardless of the ethics of it all, that's hot

[mdhwrites]

You've said before how you feel about Luz abandoning the Isles when they needed her because she refused to try and fix it. I think it's said that she genuinely believed she would only make things worse so she thought she needed to take herself out of the way? Are my memories faulty?

Okay so I'm going to start with a scenario to make my point clear because you're not wrong... But you also are.

Let's say you're assigned two partners for a science project. You decide the best way to split the work up evenly is to have one person do the research, one person to write up the conclusions and one person to do a lot of math for the calculations you'll need. You each state your strengths with one saying writing, one saying research and the last saying, "I like math."

However, a week passes and you are struggling to finish any it because you've gotten none of those calculations for it back. When you push, the person goes, "Well sure, I like math but I suck at it. As such, my calculations would have been wrong. That would have caused you all problems so I decided the thing that made the most sense would be not to do anything at all." The project still needs to be done though and the majority of the work has been done for them. As such, now you and the second person have to work your ass off to do what your third member cannot while they contribute nothing but they promise they feel really bad about it and they're okay taking a C if this ends up making the project fail, even though their actions would have gotten them an F on their own.

Luz likes to make decisions. She essentially never consults ANYONE on what she should do and half the time someone tells her, "Don't do X," she goes ahead and does it. This also constantly gets other people in trouble and gets her in trouble because she is really bad at making decisions. And yes, with helping Belos free the Collector, she admits that she made a terrible mistake and that she makes a lot of mistakes. Her literal statement on this is that she'll finally listen to her mom and learn from her mistakes by staying in the Human Realm. Permanently.

Do you potentially notice a problem here though? Yeah, my thoughts have NEVER stopped at "Luz left a planet to die because she wanted to stay home." No. I always do mention that she claims part of her reasoning is because she makes stupid, rash decisions on her own that hurt others but then she goes ahead and makes a stupid, albeit with implied a LOT of thought, decision ON HER OWN that will hurt people.

Do you know a great way to avoid making a mistake? Asking someone else if it's the right choice to make. Or hey, just decide you don't need to lead anymore. If your decisions are the problem then let someone else make the decisions. But... Then Luz doesn't get to do the fun thing she likes to do. She actually has to listen to other people and maybe do things that aren't her number one option because her first choice would get people hurt. That isn't what Luz wants. Luz doesn't want to actually grow or learn or get scolded for her mistakes. Otherwise, she wouldn't CONSTANTLY LIE ABOUT EVERYTHING.

So instead... Why not just let them suffer the consequences while she stays home and lives in peace, her problems in a far off fantasy realm that she never has to think about again? People always like to say she's giving up so much but what is she actually giving up? The fantasy world? You mean the one that's currently ravaged by a child god and has a populace that she assumes will hate her? Yeah, that's hardly something to give up. The chance at friends? Too bad Thanks to Them shows people who are very interested in being her friend and also Yesterday's Lie showed there are people like Luz who would probably be willing to be her friend. What is Luz sacrificing by deciding to just sit at home with her loving mom and live a normal life?

So why grow? Why learn? Why try to do better? When you can do nothing. That's what Luz wants to do. She wants to just stay home and do nothing, even as that means condemning an entire world, bare minimum at least a continent, which includes her found family and friends, to death. Her claims of trying to do better are nothing but excuses so she can have a clear conscious as she allows thousands upon thousands to be enslaved and tortured.

So yes, she SAYS that she is doing this because she doesn't want to make things worse. The problem is that there are plenty of ways for her to still have even attempted to help without having to make the decisions she's afraid to make worse but those options would require more work and require her not to be the star. And none of this, even if this is the most expanded version of this point, is missing from those past blogs because they also talk about how she claims to have a problem making decisions and yet still makes this choice entirely on her own.

Because she isn't learning. She's just deciding that some broken puppets are a small price to pay to keep getting to do whatever she wants. It is an excuse, end of story. See you next tale.

======+++++======

Sorry for so many blogs about this. It's admittedly to me a very important point because it's the moment Lumity dies. It's the moment that Luz's character can never recover. It's the moment when the TOH fandom became genuinely horrifying when it comes to mental health as THANK GOD no one has tried to refute this with "She has depression" because yes, that will get you blocked if you try to tell me that. I am disabled by depression and I understand lives still matter. I understand I'm not supposed to lie, CONSTANTLY. I understand basic ass morality, unlike Luz. And in this moment, there's no turning back for her, let alone after For the Future when she doubles down on how selfish her desires are.

I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead. If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

A Twitter you can follow too

And a Kofi if you like what I do and want to help out with the fact that disability doesn’t pay much.

[2bitedust]

I'm so tired of being multiple people. I don't like acting out when I'm embarrassed because I like learning from my mistakes and being mature about them or being the bigger person I don't like when my writing style changes all of the time from bigger and more formal words to "omg!!! Cool!!! :333" I know a little bit of who is what. I know that Andrew uses bigger words and likes to be the bigger person. I know Reno likes to act out sometimes and I don't want to have to take the responsibility for that when he does because I don't want to be him and I'm not him. I don't like it. I don't like when I am him. But I'm worried about what It means for me when I'm not him or anyone else because I'm nothing on my own. I'm worried that I'll get hurt in the process or that I might even stop existing or stop being around. I'm probably selfish. I don't even like existing. They told me their names or I gave them one to keep track of their specific behavior that I viewed as separate from myself so they're officially not me and shouldn't have to pretend like they are. And now that I know those who I thought were a part of myself are not I don't know what is me or who I am but I won't ever be given a chance to figure it out if I hold on to them. I just need to figure out how to let go of they'll let me. This is such a headache because I feel like I misinterpret a lot, what if my perception of who they are is so different. My head hurts. I shouldve been sleeping right now but I can't. I thought I should post this rant here because I know some of you notice the difference from when I change how I text, to when I go from "I love and respect everyone and everyone should feel safe here and positivity yaddah yaddah" to "I hate these specific people and let me argue with you or post a whole rant on why people who have this opinion are wrong actually." I don't think my opinion is important, I don't like being negative.

And I think it's great that people hold different beliefs than me because people being different from eachother is really cool. It's not a mood thing. I wish it was but I know it isn't and honestly I didnt even notice when this happened before I just thought it was annoying that I couldn't act one way all the time. I heard that changing your personality for others was something that some people did and I was like "okay, me I guess. I do that." But I always saw everything, inconsistencies, me not liking how I act after I do as myself as a whole. Who am I if I'm not whole? Maybe I'm just overexplaing emotion but you shouldnt feel like you act like a completely different person when your emotion changes you shouldn't always feel like "why would I do that. I'd never ever act that way if given the choice." Or just always feel stupid and have regrets like I wasn't actively there making the decisions. Unless that's changing emotions is just how it's supposed to be and I don't know because my sense of whats supposed to be normal or how I'm supposed to act is just gone because of this.

Tumblr is the only place I feel like we can somewhat be separate and the fact that someone wants to delete it because we feel embarrassed of the things we say is not right. I want it to get deleted but I feel like I don't always have control of that, like I just do things that I don't want to and regret them.

[marastriker]

List of Gripes I have with Wembley Starlight Express

No one can skate. And I mean this, no one is stable or confident on their skates. StEx alumni just saw the show recently and have corroborated this same sentiment.

You keep putting these poor kids who play Control in danger around people who can't skate! I am worried they're going to get hurt at any given moment!

That being said, the kids are also annoying as hell, I personally prefer when Control is a voice from above and not an actual actor.

Everyone does not need to be British, especially the UNION PACIFIC ENGINE? UNION PACIFIC IS AN AMERICAN COMPANY.

Pumping Iron and Uncoupled sound absolutely ridiculous in British accents.

Also introducing GB as a union pacific is hilarious when she looks nothing like one

Female GB is also. A Choice.

Why was it necessary to change I'm so beautiful to I'm so pretty? What was the point? It does not carry the same weight or rhythm. She sounds stupid as hell saying it too

Costumes are bulky and awkward, which probably contributes to no one really being all that confident on the skates.

The inflatables during AC/DC was the dumbest decision on the face of the planet. Who approved this.

Electra and components are giving......Aryan Race 😬

Which, speaking of the inflatables, would not be great if they were pointing in the opposite direction. I know they're supposed to be lightning bolts, but-

I actually want to choke Dinah. She's so annoying. She used to be my favorite coach, and Wembley made an absolute mockery of her. Especially making fun of the southern accent she's had in previous productions. That really is in the nail in the coffin for how much they treat her as a joke.

Acting overall not good, ngl.

Singing needs some god damn work. You do not have to belt every fucking line, GB.

Pearl is. Like an anime girl. /derogatory

Hate that most of the costumes are a copy paste, all the freight looking the same, all the engines looking the same, all the components looking the same. They all have the same silhouettes. Which is not good character design, despite having different colors (except for the components lol). If it makes sense for a group, sure, but I have a feeling Gabriella Slade just got lazy doing this thrice over.

You make all these new characters and now the narrative doesn't make sense anymore, congratulations! You put more work into shoehorning Hydra into the plot than any of the other freight. The engines have zero personality or unique traits. The only characters that are "new" are the ones that aren't really new: Belle and Tassita. There was a groundwork for them from the 2017 workshop. Everyone else was thought up within 5 minutes.

This isn't exhaustive, just cause those are the things that bother me the most that I could think of off the top of my head. I truly am so disappointed with this whole production

[sweetmariihs2]

tw: mature content (nothing explicit)

my onceler au is like. onceler is now greedler and he's very rich so he thinks he can do whatever he wants and offers money to one of the thneed models called lana to be his personal girl. she hates him because he destroyed her town (greenville) and she's only working in that hell of a business to get enough money to leave, so despite hating him a lot she accepts it cuz she wants to leave asap. the story starts weird and a bit awkward. but for me specially it gets funny cuz while they interact lana notices that he's absolutely desperate for company (she's like "wtf why is this annoying ass guy venting with me about his job we were doing dirty stuff five min ago") and after time while she still doesn't support his stuff she starts to enjoy his company and him as a person so it's a love/hate thing. they go to parties and casinos and have sex and tons of fun together but then she remembers he's like destroying everything she loves atm so she hates him. onceler also gets angry at her cause lana is always against his business so they argue tons of times. but as people they really like eachother and like their company. things get funnier when onceler starts to care too much about her and cant bare the thought of her not being w him anymore so he knows he's in love but also knows that lana hates him and keeps paying her again and again to be with him or else he thinks she'll leave. and lana is also in love with him but then she remembers he's an idiot who's paying for her to sleep with him and is begging for her approval all the time probably because he doesn't want to lose her as his personal girl so she is sure that she'll leave him when she get enough money. they are so stupid because they refuse to communicate. onceler likes her but doesn't want to seem vulnerable in front of her/doesn't want to lose her so he keeps paying for her presence and affection while lana is pissed at him not only because of thneed inc but because she thinks he's seeing her as an object and she refuses to deny his money since it's easy and she "doesn't like him anyway". they are ridiculous. I love making them argue and get pissed at eachother because they refuse to be honest and seem to be arguing about the same topics while in fact he's saying something and she's arguing about something entirely different that his words left open to interpretation cuz he can't admit the truth to her and vice versa. the story is so simple cuz it's onceler with a thneed model oc I made but they're so fun because they're stupid. I need to make more drawings and visual interactions of them because I don't have enough.

I have a full post telling about this story but I changed a lot of stuff in the story and still need to update the post.

if you clicked in 'reading more' you want to read more so take the rest of the story

eventually the public media and paparazzi pressed them too much so they kinda started fake dating to prevent their image from getting dirty and only months later they actually confessed and started really dating. by the way at that time onceler lied to lana that he was taking more ecological decisions and it looked kinda real so lana trusted him 100% for some time. while everything was sweet onceler tried to balance his relationship with his growing fame and money so instead of looking for a way to solve the problem he ended up being negligent (I won't stop biggering) cuz he got distracted and overwhelmed by everything else that was happening in his life and let the resolution for later. canon onceler event happened and lana got absolutely heartbroken. pissed heartbroken I mean like hysterical anger. everyone left him so he left the town and when lana started to miss him months later she went after onceler just to find out he was nowhere to be seen (people said he ran to a far city or country nobody knows). Lana even tried to leave Thneedville but came back because she was too stuck in the only memories she had of him, which was the town and the places and the people. She got very depressed :( and started searching for guys who looked like him in bars, started smoking even tho she hated his cigars but missed him too much and scrapbooked a whole book with pamphlets newspapers and interviews from that time when they were dating and when he was famous. eventually Lana got better and even though she hated him for what he did she got older and understood he was too young and stupid to deal with responsabilities that big (a company that big with attention everywhere while managing a whole city at 25??! he was faded to fail). after the ted events she reunites with the old guy and they start to hang out again and fall in love and date as a cute elder couple. because they're dumb and couldn't communicate for 50 years

I was using no punctuation to seem like I'm talking a lot and very fast but it looks like I just don't know how to write. And the post didn't ended up short like I planned. Well 🤷‍♀️

[physalian]

On Establishing Authorial Intent vs Character Voice (Specifically, in tragic queer characters)

Coming in hot with another controversial topic.

There is probably a better way to phrase that so what I mean is this: Your book’s message and your characters’ decisions don’t have to match, and if they don’t match, and your protagonist has a very polarizing personality or makes very controversial choices, unless you state otherwise, your readers are going to assume that your character is your mouthpiece.

In other words: If I write, say… a gay man, as a cis, female, queer author, and I write him suffering during the AIDS epidemic, and I write this gay man fitting every single harmful stereotype possible. I write this character that is everything Fox News wants you to believe about gay men and AIDS.

But in the last ¾ of the book, the man has an epiphany with Therapy Speech where I, the author, reveal that I’m not actually a homophobe out to punish my protagonist and perpetuate these stereotypes, and my agenda is not, in fact, to bring the queer community back decades because people are stupid and won’t get to the end of my book to realize that…. Whoo boy, I have f*cked up as an author.

—

Have I dropped enough heavy-handed hints that I read a book that did exactly this? Not a gay man in the 80s, but a queer character nonetheless. Now this was a book that I had to finish. If I didn’t have to read it, I would have quit about ten different times throughout for a variety of reasons, not the least of which being very stiff writing that wasn’t engaging. The actions and thought processes and arc of this queer character were so insulting, so harmful, so off the mark, it was horrifying.

I stopped reading for a day and I’d already drawn all my conclusions and was not very nice in my feedback, but I had to finish it so I did, and the book addressed all my criticisms within the last 100 pages, out of 367.

Meaning: Anyone else would have actually quit and taken away from the book exactly what I did—that this was homophobic propaganda. “Oh but if you just make it to the end-”

Nope, not good enough. I read for entertainment and the book did not hold my attention. I need no more excuse to drop it for something better than being bored, and yet I held on through some nightmarish representation.

So.

How not to do this:

You are completely free and welcome to write unhealthy representations of any minority (why you would if you’re not that minority and not out to make a mess of things baffles me). Not every character has to be smart and well educated on proper representation. They don’t have to be a perfect Mary Sue that makes no mistakes and has no controversial opinions and does absolutely nothing that could hint at being problematic. That’s not what I’m saying at all.

Rather, that character can go ham, but you, as the author, must establish as quickly as possible that all of that is the character talking, not you. Whether it’s a queer character or POC or heck just a woman.

Have a dissenting voice (I like to call them harbinger characters) that serve as the author mouthpiece and is ignored and dismissed by the Problem Character. Harbinger says what the audience is thinking through the flavor and color of a character (so it doesn’t read as super preachy), trying to warn the character about the path they're taking, and Problem Character very cleary doesn’t give a damn about what they think. Critically, the narrative makes sure you know that the Harbinger is correct, and PC is wrong.

Have the PC acknowledge early on that what they’re doing is wrong, minimize it, argue against it, and attempt to justify their own behavior anyway. They know they’re the villain, essentially, and they just don’t give a damn.

Have an equal and opposite healthy character to counterbalance all of PC’s terrible choices. Different from the Harbinger in that they’re less obvious about their place in the story and just living life as that positive representation.

Give the PC a “descent into madness” where they start out a healthy person and through dramatic, understandable, tragic circumstances, they’re forced into this role that they’d never thought they’d succumb to.

Have the PC horrified at their own state of being but too hopeless to think they can escape from it. Have the PC know exactly how harmful they are, to themselves, to other people, and just convince themselves that it won’t get better, that they’re too weak or too afraid or too selfish, whatever.

Because I just rewatched these movies and they’re fresh on my mind, I’m going to use Caesar from the Andy Serkis Planet of the Apes movies. Caesar is your Jesus/Moses archetype: The Martyr. This is the paragon good guy leading his people out from oppression into the blessed lands of freedom. This is the guy with unshakable morals and a compass that points unfailingly North. He is the inspiration to the rest of the cast on how to act and how to be a good, healthy, moral, respectable person. He alone takes on the punishment meant for the group and is literally crucified, he could not be a more obvious paragon and Jesus figure of goodness and purity.

Until he isn’t.

Caesar’s “descent into madness” comes after humans murder his wife and older son, amidst an ongoing war that’s taking a toll on the ape community and his own psyche as they continue to lose numbers and ground and apes defect to the human side because of the villain Koba—Caesar’s foil.

He becomes everything he sought to destroy and his friend points out that he’s become Koba in all but name and his actions inevitably lead to his death because he is so consumed with revenge that he doesn’t escape the climax of the movie when he has the chance, and suffers a fatal injury. Caesar acknowledges this and basically says, “I know what I’ve become. I have to do it anyway. I can’t escape my own rage.”

All of this is believable and understandable and tragic. He was realistically pushed to these horrible ends by the story and we saw what it did to him.

The book I read had the Problem Character flip a switch because they were horny and thought another character was hot.

—

But once again I was faced with an author taking on far more than they were qualified to write, having a protagonist who identifies as a minority that already suffers enough prejudice and misunderstanding—a minority that the author themselves is not part of.

So once again because this keeps happening: You can and should write minority characters. You should not write the suffering of these minorities if you did not live it, because their suffering is not yours to profit off of and you will almost inevitably do it wrong.

[leiakenobi]

norstappen + mutual pining

this one turned into norstappen with past fwb maxiel, hope that works for you nonny (from this prompt list)

About two things, Max is absolutely certain:

1.) Way back when Daniel first went to McLaren, he advised Lando against fooling around with his fellow drivers.

2.) Daniel said it because of Max.

It's not even because things went properly bad between them—not the way Max knows it has for other drivers, before. It just got weird. But that was enough, wasn't it? Their friendship has never quite been the same. One time, a very drunk and sweaty Daniel even leaned his face in close to Max's and shouted over the pulsing music in whatever club in whatever country they were partying in that, "I wish we'd never fucked."

Max doesn't know how he put it to Lando, if it was something they had a proper chat about or if Daniel just said it out of the blue, all off-handed and direct. He might care, if he thought it would make a difference.

It doesn't matter, though. Either way, it has Lando blinking at Max, his eyes dark and a little wet and his gaze flickering to Martin and the girl who's got his full attention, chatting him up on the other side of the booth.

"I need some air, I think," Lando says.

Probably Max should let him go off alone, considering that they were just sitting too-close and Lando's hand was half on his own thigh and half on Max's while they talked about how much of summer break still lies before them, beckoning Max and Lando both toward reckless decisions that, in reality, have long been on their minds.

Yeah—if Max were a little more considerate, he might think about how that is what made Lando squirmy and he'd let him go away. Instead, he thinks of the heady ocean breeze blowing across the rooftop bar and he can suddenly think of nothing better.

"I'll join you."

Lando's a grown-up; he can always just say no.

His focus flickers to Max's mouth for an instant. There's an unmistakable flash of pain in his eyes, but then he softens. Wanting. "Yeah, alright."

Thank you, Max doesn't say.

They don't even bother to tell Martin where they're heading.

*

The thing is, Max had also decided after Daniel that he wouldn't cross the line again. Part of him still thinks it's the worst thing he could do.

But that part is difficult to listen to with the way Lando is leaning against the barricade at the edge of the roof so that he can look out over the city. His hip is cocked and his hair is twisting in the wind and he's looking unburdened in a way that few people have ever seen him, and all told, it makes it impossible not to want him.

"It's fucking freezing up here," Lando says, as though he's not the one who suggested they come. He also doesn't make a move to head back toward the elevator.

Max glances down at himself and smirks. "I'd offer you my jacket, but."

Lando looks over just in time for Max to point out the Red Bull logo on his chest. He laughs at once.

"What a gentleman."

Max really would have offered, even if it weren't something Lando could never be caught dead in. But he thinks Lando likes him more for the fact that there could never be anything real about it anyway.

"Maybe that means you can also be honest with me about something."

Lando's focus is on the bright lights and the water in the distance, but Max casts him a bewildered look anyway. "I'm always honest."

A smile tugs at Lando's lips. "You'll get what I mean."

Max swallows sharply. "Okay."

"I'm thinking about doing something really fucking stupid." Lando twists his entire body toward Max and looks at him head-on, but Max suddenly can't move a muscle. He leans with his elbows on the railing and blinks at Lando with as much certainty in his expression as he can muster. "Do you think that's okay?"

All Max can think about is the way Lando's breath felt across his cheek while they chatted in the booth downstairs, while his fingers splayed just a little onto Max's thigh where no one else in the club could see.

"Yeah," Max says, and it may be the truth but it doesn't mean he's not a fucking liar.

*

Really, the reason Max wishes Daniel hadn't said anything to Lando is that he doesn't like when things are only indirectly his fault. He'll bear the burden of responsibility with a nod and a smile when he deserves it. Earns it.

Once they stumble into the rooftop restroom, Lando covers Max's mouth with his own and backs him up against the sink, and it's then that Max tells himself it'll be different this time. It sure as hell feels – has felt – different, in a lovesick and overly sentimental sort of way that Max has tried, in vain, to attribute to a simple pride in Lando's successes.

But if it's not different? If it all goes wrong?

"That's nice, Lando," Max sighs, groping absent-mindedly for Lando's curls and tugging as his eyes flutter shut.

If it all goes wrong, Max will bear it like a champion.

[erio413]

✨ UNHINGED WRITER GAME: CHAOS & CRAFT EDITION ✨

a tag game created by @maul-of-shame . I don't know if I can answer everything, 'cause some questions are really specific! (Thanks @sealinredshoes for tagging me! But I didn't think I'd have to think so much tonight!)

1./ If your writing had a scent, what would it be? Bonus points for weird answers (e.g., haunted lavender, burning VHS tape, library dust and daddy issues).

Probably the smell of my dog and cat, just behind their ears (I'm asked for something specific, so I give something specific!), and when a candle has just been blown out, mixed with the outside air rushing in through a window before it rains.

2./ What does your writing taste like? (e.g., strawberries and gunpowder, over-steeped tea with secrets, blood and fondue).

There is an Eastern European Christmas tea that is made with apple, cinnamon and cloves mainly, it's my comfort drink, I often did it before starting to write, plus the one-hour cooking leaves a sweet smell in the apartment for several hours. It's a very specific taste that I associated with writing.

3./ Your writing style walks into a bar. What drink does it order?

It would be too anxious to dare to go in. It would stumble and try to start its entrance again hoping no one saw him. And if it succeeded (after observing people do it) it would probably just have an apple juice.

4./ If your writing was a weather event, what would it be? Hurricane? Soft drizzle? Biblical plague?

The moment before a storm. When the air is heavy, when breathing becomes almost complicated, and you feel the rain before it has even fallen

5./ What song or sound effect would play every time you hit “new document”?

'Everybody wants to rule the world', when I still have the determination and believe that I will succeed in writing more than 3 chapters :')

6./ Which trope are you physically incapable of resisting, no matter how many times you’ve written it?

Doomed character <3 (I love torturing them and then killing them, but it's okay, they want to die!)

7./ What’s one trope you love writing but would absolutely roast in someone else’s fic?

I have no idea, I try to write what I like to read.

8./ What’s a red flag in your writing that you refuse to stop doing?

A lack of description. I tried to get rid of this red flag, but I can't do it, so I'll keep going and deal with it later.

9./ What’s a green flag in your writing that you are smugly proud of?

It's a complicated one. Maybe the way the characters interact with each other ?

10./ Do you write like a god descending from Olympus or like a raccoon in a trench coat trying to pass for human?

Like a 8 years old thinking she can write like a god.

11./ Do your OCs know they're in a story? If so, which one of them would threaten to beat you up?

No, but I think (I hope!) they would like me, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that no one tries to beat me up.

12./ Which OC would try to unionize the cast? Which one would betray the union for a single grape?

Kay (the main character of my story) would try to unite everyone! Even if it kills her.

Erio is definitely the most loyal but also the one who could betray everyone for something stupid. He is old (more than a century), plus the accumulated traumas make it hard to know what could make him betray everyone. He's my little time bomb <3

13./ You’re now legally required to write a crackfic of your WIP. What’s the plot?

They would all find themselves locked in a space like a basement, gymnasium, ballroom, etc (pick your poison) and they are forced to discuss and solve their problems to get out.

14./ What would your WIP be called if it were: A Lifetime Movie, A 2000s emo album or A Pinterest board title?

I guess it would be :

- The day i accidentally joined a rebellion (not really what happen, but Kay sees it that way)

- when the nightmare ends

- lesbian knight!!

15./ Your antagonist now has a pet ferret that influences every plot decision. What happens?

Nothing changes, EXCEPT she kills people more easily to protect her baby ferret, she takes no risks, safety comes first

16./ Your favorite OC is now your therapist. What advice do they give you and are you okay?

So... My favorite OC is based on many of my traumas and I can't see myself posting the advice he would give me online. BUT I would feel so much better after talking to him!

17./ Your writing style is now a cryptid. What’s its name and where is it most likely to be spotted?

Technically, and I say technically, dinosaurs are cryptids (the category of relict populations), so it would obviously be a trex, or maybe an allosaurus, I love them so much! So more towards Asia, or Europe for the allosaurus.

I choose them especially because they are seen and represented as super predators, monsters reduced to their hunger, their teeth and their victims. But they were just animals, taking care of their children, playing with each other, protecting each other, looking after the weakest and the injured (as the skeleton of the trex Barbara proves). That's what I want my writing to represent. No matter the horrors, the traumas, there is beauty. Not everyone will tell about the beautiful things you've done or how you ended up doing horrible things, but those who truly love you will take the time to discover it.

18./ Who in your WIP would join a pyramid scheme and why?

Erio, because he would find it funny and then try to destroy them.

19./ You have to pitch your story to a medieval peasant. What do you say?

The story is at the stage of "I have three people I'm trying to get things to happen to in a way that I like" so it's not really going to be possible to answer

20./ If your writing was a disease, what are the symptoms?

Fever, eye irritation, lung problems and the best: ✨chronic pain✨

21./ Which of your WIPs would be most likely to summon a demon by accident?

The only one I have, and I don't even have a name for it :)

22./ What moment in your story is so self-indulgent you considered cutting it but kept it in because you’re a goblin?

Several of the scenes with my favorite lesbian couple! They're important to me, not for the story, but who cares?

23./ Which of your characters would flirt badly and with great confidence?

My main character, because she is inspired by me (except I don't really have the confidence, but she does!)

24./ Who would do well on a cooking competition show? Who would burn cereal?

The best friend of my main character, William, he really knows how to cook! And Kay would burn cereal (yeah, still inspired by me)

25./ Have you ever killed a character for dramatic effect only and then immediately wrote them a ghost scene or dream cameo because you missed them? (Be honest.)

Nope, when I kill someone, I want them dead and everyone destroyed, no consolation, even for me!

26./ What do you overuse like a man possessed? Em dashes? Vague poetic metaphors? Eyebrow quirks?

Pain ? I don't know if I use it too much but it's definitely a main theme in all my stories (both physically and mentally). It made me realise that I am always, like ALWAYS, stopping my main character from ending up with the one she loves... I think I have to go deal with some trauma, I'll be back.

27./ Ever write a metaphor so wild even you had to take a lap? Share it. Or a cursed simile.

Maybe? I don't really know, I have a really bad memory and I don't reread what I've written (that's why I spend my time starting my story again rather than going over what I've already written on it)

28./ Which character is 100% an accidental projection of your darkest impulse or deepest trauma and you just let that happen, huh?

Kay and Erio, the main character and the... Er... I don't know but he is important!

I wrote Kay with the purpose of showing my childhood self, who suddenly became disabled, that she could still be a main character. So Kay has my physical problems (and the traumas that go with them). Erio has all the others, so family, friendship, sexual, romantic, and other traumas.

29./ Lastly: if your writing had a warning label, what would it say?

Please understand that I don't understand what I wrote or why. Enjoy✨

I don't know a lot of people but @caliwolf84 and @tituboum you can participate if you want!! (Everyone can participate! Please, seize this opportunity to talk about you OC!)

And I don't know if I still thank you @sealinredshoes ! Do you know how long it took me to answer and how much I questioned myself?! (Just kidding, I'm really honored that you tagged me! <3)

[alicepao13]

Please tell we can still do something to change their minds about John? Anything????

First of all, they seem to be set on it for now, I mean the days are passing, and if they stick on those filming dates the chances get smaller sadly. Or they have something else in their stupid mind that I can't possibly fathom. Cut costs and bring him later to close up the season? No idea (I also can't imagine how much more than another actor he could possibly cost them, he surely wouldn't be getting what he got back in season one but it also would never be an amount that would make the production non-feasible, much less all of a sudden, plus no one starts cutting costs from the head). But any of the ideas that I've tried to come up with are stupid.

Anyway, we would need a really big amount of comments and e-mails. I want to be frank, none of what I saw as far as comments are concerned (I don't have access to their e-mails obviously) impressed me. 200-300 comments on Instagram in the few posts that followed the last episode? That's peanuts. I wasn't much on Facebook before but I don't think the number is that big there either, not to mention that every few comments some idiot parrots the AI videos that say that all is well and John Reardon will be back, which really doesn't help. And since their socials are now managed by a social media handling company, I don't know how much of the backlash gets back to Shaftesbury. That's why I talked about sending e-mails.

Probably nothing comes back to CityTV via the Hudson and Rex socials. I need to point out again that these are separate entities and I doubt CityTV interferes with Shaftesbury's creative decisions because they probably don't care. But they do care about money and good reputation, which is why it would have been nice to have a fandom willing to make themselves heard, instead of... this.

Failing that, you can just not support the show. And let them know of that. E.g. were you planning on watching live? Let them know you won't watch it again. Were you planning on buying merchandise? Let them know that you won't be doing that anymore. That's money, they listen to money. Did you ever get a subscription on CityTV Plus? Go to CityTV and let them know that you will unsubscribe. Go to Amazon Prime and let them know as well. Let them know the reason, they ruined the show and forced out their lead actor (that's what we're sticking with until we hear otherwise). They're not even willing to be loyal to the people who brought them money all these years, we don't owe them loyalty.

[jungkoode]

Hey Kiki!! First of all, I can finally see your blog again on the app! Second, let me ramble about your writing!! We finally had the newest KGP chapter and the wait was so worth it!

Jeon: the audacity of this man, he's being funny now, huh? Provoking? Sir let me shut up! I can't wait for their mission, I know it's gonna be a serve.

Sope: the chaos of these two, I love them!!

V: he's up to no good and I'm equally curious and terrified, especially worried for our girl Yunjin! Girl's self preservation instincts are clearly not kicking in!

Chaewon: Flower 🥺. It seems like she's struggling with some big trauma, my heart clenched for her.

kiwi boy: I like his calm, no bullshit demeanor, and I can't help but wonder how much he knows. I don't think that Jeon shared anything, but this man might have picked more than we know just by watching. Also, I know that we're biased because we know, but sometimes our two idiots are not exactly discreet as they think they are.

JM: I like his gentle aura, but he also worries me...meaning, it seems like V has him wrapped around his finger, and if he's as affected as I think he is, he might make unwise decisions.

FMU sneak peek: ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Shy Jungkook? During a day at the museum?! I need it like yesterday!

I wish I were more articulate because there is so much that left me wondering, but the picture is still blurry, and I don't want to torture you more than necessary with my scattered thoughts. Hope you're having a nice Easter weekend babe!

HI FLOWERRR!! So happy you can see my blog again! I was like "am I shadow banned?? do people HATE ME NOW??" (spoiler: probably, but that's not why you couldn't see my blog lmao)

Let me internally scream about your analysis because AHHHH:

Jeon: THE AUDACITY INDEED. Our boy discovered personality and humor at the worst possible time. Like sir?? You wanna be all playful and flirty NOW when you're about to go on a stealth mission together?? The sexual tension during that mission is going to be UNBEARABLE. I'm already cackling thinking about them trying to be professional while flashbacks of that tent keep popping up.

SOPE: I giggled like a maniac writing their bickering. They're literally two sides of the same coin—both super capable but also absolute CHILDREN when they're together. I love how they just naturally devolve into this weird competitive frenemies dynamic every time. J-Hope threatening to sew a live rat into AD's stomach is peak medical professional behavior, obviously.

V: OH GOD I'M WORRIED TOO. Like, on one hand he's just being his classic manipulative self, but there's something more sinister brewing there. And about Yunjin—don’t worry too much about her, she thinks he’s hot but she’s not stupid, Y/N is not constantly praising her perceptive skills for nothing. 👀

Chaewon: I'm in love with her character development. She's this badass Chief who will literally murder for her girls, but she's got her own trauma lurking. That frozen moment at the cooking station was just a tiny glimpse into her past. There's so much more to unwrap there...

Kiwi Boy: THANK YOU FOR APPRECIATING TAKAMA!! I didn't expect to love writing him this much. And you're spot on—this man observes EVERYTHING. He probably knows more about what's going on in Kkangpae than anyone else just through sheer attention to detail.

JM: You've pinpointed exactly what makes him interesting (and concerning). His gentle lake energy is so soothing, but there's this subtle undercurrent of something darker—especially around V. That dynamic is fascinating to me because it's so complex. Like, is he wrapped around V's finger? Or is he one of the few people who can actually influence V? OR BOTH??

FMU MUSEUM DATE: I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS! They’re both so stupid and so silly but you’ll see some soft sides and them becoming less guarded around each other ever so slowly and it’s so frigging satisfying ugggh.

Your thoughts aren't scattered at all!! I love how you picked up on all these little details and dynamics. It makes my writer heart so happy. I've laid so many tiny breadcrumbs throughout these chapters, and seeing readers notice them is literally the best feeling ever.

Hope you're having a fabulous Easter weekend too! I'm currently oscillating between writing and staring at my wall questioning my life choices, as one does. 🤪​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​