#i started thinking about the logistics of this for one (1) second and got a headache

[callsigns-haze]

Are You Kidding Me?

Pairing: Xaden Riorson x reader

After the war ends and Xaden is cured, you find out you're pregnant and quietly start preparing for the baby—until one innocent look at a onesie has you spiralling over the size of baby heads. Xaden tries to comfort you, but mostly ends up laughing as you dramatically mourn your future labour. Still, in the middle of all the teasing and ridiculous threats to name your child after Tairn, there's no mistaking the fierce love growing between you both—and not just for the baby.

⚠️ Content Warning: This story contains light-hearted pregnancy humour, dramatic groaning over labour fears, affectionate teasing, and excessive banter between deeply in-love idiots. Mild mentions of childbirth logistics and one (1) emotional moment that may cause unexpected feelings. Proceed with snacks and emotional support dragons.

You stared down at the tiny onesie in your hands, the fabric soft and dyed in a rich midnight blue—almost the same shade as Sgaeyl’s scales when she told Xaden he should try to convince you to rest instead of running combat drills.

It was adorable. The little snaps, the embroidered gryphon, the hood with tiny horns. You’d melted the second you saw it in the little market in Aretia and bought it without thinking.

Well, you’d bought five of them. In different colours. With matching mittens.

You were beaming when you got home—until, about five minutes later, curiosity ruined your bliss.

You glanced down at your bump—just the softest swell under your tunic—and then looked back at the baby clothes on the bed. More specifically, the size of the neck holes. Then your gaze dropped slowly to your legs.

“No,” you whispered. “Absolutely not.”

You picked up the onesie again, holding it by the shoulders and squinting like somehow it was the fabric’s fault. You paced back and forth in the bedroom you shared with Xaden, muttering calculations under your breath, comparing your hips to the fabric like a madwoman.

“This thing’s head is bigger than my—oh gods,” you wheezed.

The door creaked open behind you. “I’m almost afraid to ask,” came Xaden’s voice, amused and warm.

You turned around slowly, holding the onesie out like evidence of a crime. “Do you know how big their heads are?”

His brows rose, then furrowed. “...The babies?”

“Yes, the babies, Xaden.” You gestured wildly to the onesie. “Their heads are this big. This is supposed to come out of me. I don’t think I thought this through.”

He blinked, clearly trying not to laugh. “You… measured?”

“I’m thorough.” You shot him a glare. “Did you know this? Did you know how huge baby heads are?”

“I—” he choked, covering his mouth with his hand. “I mean, I figured you’d read a book or something?”

“I was too busy surviving a war and making out with a six-foot-five former venin duke to read a book about biology.”

That did it. He laughed—loud, full, head-tilted-back kind of laugh. You scowled and smacked the onesie against his chest. He caught it before it could fall and looked down at it, then back at you.

“You already bought clothes,” he said, voice softening as he reached for your hand. “You’re really doing this.”

You sighed and let him pull you into his arms, pressing your cheek against his chest. “Yeah,” you whispered. “I really am.”

He kissed the top of your head, his palm warm as it splayed across your back. “I guess I should start researching baby head dimensions.”

You groaned. “Don’t ever say that again.”

He chuckled. “Deal.”

It started as a low, guttural sound in the back of your throat—one of those dramatic, from-the-depths-of-your-core groans that turned into an actual wordless wail as you flopped face-first onto the bed.

“Uuughhhhhhhhh,” you moaned into the sheets. “This is not what I signed up for. Why did no one warn me? Why did you not warn me?”

Xaden just stood there with the baby outfit draped over one hand, brows raised, trying his hardest not to laugh as you buried your face deeper into the mattress and let out another prolonged, muffled groan.

“I fought wyvern,” you whined into the blankets. “I stared down quadrant leaders. I survived First Year and my mother. And this—this is what’s going to break me?”

Your voice cracked halfway through, which only made Xaden finally lose it. You heard him snort, then cough like he was trying to hide it, which only made you groan louder, full of despair and betrayal.

“You’re not helping!” you shouted into the mattress.

“I didn’t know I needed to warn you about...head circumference.”

You just groaned again.

Drawn-out. Dramatic. And utterly defeated.

Xaden tossed the onesie onto the bed and moved toward you, that smug little smirk playing at the corners of his mouth—the one that meant he was enjoying himself far too much for a man who didn’t have to physically push a tiny, big-headed person out of his body.

“You done?” he asked, crouching beside the bed and brushing your hair back from your face.

You shifted just enough to peek at him with one narrowed eye. “Do I look done?”

He laughed under his breath, resting his arms on the edge of the mattress so he could lean in close. “You look like you’re trying to mentally relocate your uterus to somewhere with a back door.”

“That’s not even funny,” you mumbled, flipping onto your side with a grunt. “There is no door. There’s no way out. Just this one tiny, horrifying tunnel.”

Xaden tilted his head, brows lifting. “I mean… we could always call a healer—”

“Oh my gods,” you cut him off, throwing a pillow at his head. He caught it easily, grinning now.

“You’re so lucky you’re pretty,” you muttered.

“I know,” he said smugly, tossing the pillow back on the bed and climbing in next to you. “But you’re stuck with me either way. And we’re stuck with one very well-endowed baby skull, apparently.”

You flopped back onto his chest with another groan, this one slightly more resigned than the last. “It’s not fair. Why is the head the biggest part? Why not feet? Feet I could deal with.”

Xaden was stroking your back now, trying and failing not to laugh again. “Feet would be far less aerodynamic.”

You hit him. Gently. But still.

“I hate you.”

“You love me.”

“I love you,” you muttered, pointing at his chest, “but if I go through twenty hours of labour and this kid pops out looking just like you, I’m going to make sure the entire quadrant knows who’s responsible.”

Xaden smirked, tugging you tighter into his arms. “Let me guess… huge head, dramatic flair, stupidly good hair?”

You squinted up at him, deadpan. “And an ego that can’t fit in a gryphon's saddlebag.”

He grinned, leaning down to kiss your forehead. “We’re gonna be fine.”

You sighed, curling closer to him. “You’re damn right we are. But if this baby’s head is bigger than yours, I’m naming them after Tairn.”

Xaden froze. “You wouldn’t.”

You grinned. “Try me, Duke Riorson.”

Xaden was silent for a beat too long.

You looked up at him slowly, brow raised. “What, are you picturing it now? A tiny little baby with a full head of dramatic, windswept black hair screaming its lungs out and breathing shadows?”

He blinked. “I was actually picturing Tairn’s reaction when he finds out. You know he’s going to think it’s a compliment.”

You snorted. “He would. That smug, oversized lizard.”

Xaden’s fingers drifted down to your stomach, his palm warm as it rested against the gentle curve there. His voice dropped lower, more thoughtful. “Still can’t believe there’s someone in there.”

Your smile softened despite yourself. “Someone who already has your stubborn streak, I’m sure.”

He chuckled. “And your ability to terrify an entire room with one look.”

You shrugged. “I learned from the best.”

A quiet settled between you—comfortable and full. Xaden kept his hand over your stomach like he could feel something already, even though you were only just starting to show. He didn’t say anything, just watched you, eyes softer than you’d ever seen them during a debrief or a strategy meeting.

You nudged him lightly. “You okay over there? You’re looking at me like I’m going to break.”

He blinked, then shook his head. “I’m just thinking. This time last year, I didn’t know if I’d ever get to have something like this. With you.”

Your heart gave a painful, stupid little thump. You reached up to cradle his jaw, brushing your thumb just beneath the scar on his cheek.

“You came back to me,” you whispered. “That’s all that matters.”

“I’m never leaving again,” he said fiercely. “I don’t care what position I hold. I don’t care what anyone expects. You and this baby—you’re my only priority.”

You were about to say something sappy and heartfelt—and maybe tear up a little—when the baby onesie beside you caught your eye again.

You narrowed your eyes at it.

Xaden noticed. “...Don’t start.”

“I’m just saying,” you muttered, “I should probably start stretching.”

He groaned. “Gods help me.”

You grinned wickedly. “Oh, you’re not getting out of this. You’re the one who did this to me.”

Xaden raised a brow. “Pretty sure it was mutual.”

You scoffed. “I didn’t order a baby with a melon for a head.”

He laughed, and you buried your face in his chest again, trying to muffle your wheezing. You could feel his heartbeat beneath your cheek, strong and steady.

Yeah, you were going to be okay. Even if you were about to give birth to a tiny version of Xaden with a boulder for a skull.

You were so in love, it was actually disgusting.

A/N: I take requests but they probably wont be posted until the summer!

Comments, thoughts and reblogs would be really appreciated

Credit to @empyreanevents for the divider

This fic is for my beautiful wife @thelov3lybookworm

[strewwwberry]

I just read this: https://archiveofourown.org/works/65016871

And now I'm taking it further and thinking of a "Shen Yuan somehow knows literally every dangerous person in at least china and at most, big named people globally due to being #rich kid that's just kinda there, but also knows everything about everyone" au

Anywho lets start with the logistics of how and why Shen Yuan (modern au) knows so goddamn much!

And coz I'm not a pussy (/j do whatever you want, you not a pussy for doing shit differently) my reasoning ain't gon be "he's nice, #mothervibes"

(But he is mothering dwdw)

and I am a pussy in that as real and well done as it is I cannot STAND his internalised homophobia, so in this au he got drunk and kissed a guy in college, and freaked out and came out within the next year thanks to a stubborn sister who's fed up with his bullshit and one SQH who’s here for the ride

(also in this au he was a shut in in middle to high school, went through a red pill phase, and was dragged out of his coffin in college which ended up being a purifing and liberating experience of finding out ✨people don’t give a fuck about you or anyone else (usually)✨ especially tired young adults who just found out what a mortgage is and trying to survive on instant noodles and expensive coffee they cannot afford at the best of times)

Anywho back to the topic, he knows #everythingabouteveryone because he is nosy A.F. Mixed with learnt how to code and did a lil hacking during his shut in years coz he watched the matrix once and he was just like “ooohgg strange computer numbers”

Like teenage boys do (I’m serious Ive heard at least 5 stories of guys who have gone through this exact childhood experience with varying success)

And because of this whenever he meets anyone EVER for 1 full conversation (incredible I know, a singular convo? Scary /srs)

And immediately digs up everything he can find which usually ends with him digging up dirt and yada yada

Now, how does he even get the chance to have these convos with powerful, rich, dangerous #wattpad male lead people?

This is mainly because of the fact he HAS to go to those rich people meet up parties, usually entailing rich people and “up comers” tryna gain connections, but can also delve into high up criminals tryna make connections with the tax evading sorta rich which is most definitely at least some of SY’s family

(The one thing about his life we actually know about apart from having a younger sister and two older bros, is that he rich rich so ima take that and run)

Before we carry on, here’s my idea for how the “business” is set up (can be skipped but I thought so hard to write this so feel bad for me and let me guilt you into reading :D)

Dads side: great great grandparents grew up modest, not rich not poor, just in a loop of sorts, and decided to run a restaurant together, over the next generation (great grandparents) would expand with more restaurants, and the next (grandparents) would go further into hospitality with a hotel company opening up, and then his father and uncle would go to upkeep all of this.

Mums side: grandmother(GM) was an anesthesiologist, grandfather(GF) worked in pharmaceutical, they got married and decided to open their own pharmaceutical company, which GM was (rightfully) worried about as she got paid really well (becoming an anesthesiologist is rough and tryna transition from that to pharmacy is a massive risk and can be a downgrade payment wise) but she did so anyway in the name of ❤️love❤️ and apparently power of love worked coz now they rich rich coz of it; mum, her 2 older sisters, and younger brother would go to carry on the pharmaceutical business

Mum and dad met at rich people gathering thought hey you kinda cool and joining would only make us richer! Marriage of convenience that worked well enough!

Sy’s oldest brother and second oldest where fighting for dad and uncles business in hospitality coz they thought it would be easier (highlight thought, easier or not it’s still not easy lmfao) and their father wanted one of the boys to inherit his stuff anyway (older bro won and hired his younger bro as second in command out of both care and pure spite), and their mother had already decided that when they get a girl she’s inheriting the pharmaceutical company (angsty time for familial pressure 🤭 and suddenly sy’s weird relationship with sexuality and gender is being unraveled verrrryyyyyy slowly)

Anywho back to sy, he’s the weird 3rd son not involved in any inheritance so his parents want his gain connections to try and figure out where he can go and still live comfortable (in normal people terms, rich rich with a literal house in his name fully paid off and literal servants despite it being (checks notes) 2017(?))

And because of this he’s going around meeting; newly wealthy people, old money people, big named people, and, you guessed it, dangerous mofos (dangerous in a sort of this business is totally not a cover for a loitering drug money scheme for triad gangs😄!)

And the reason he knows shit? Mans is stubborn he decides if he wants to find out this persons shit? He’ll find out even if it kills him (he says not realizing how literal that statement can be until he’s in too deep)

And I’ve lost my train of thought so imma make this part 1 and link next part below

1 <here

2

[bullet-prooflove]

Ok I've got 1. Kimball Cho x reader. A ring, Gelato, and the leaning tower of pizza (or any other landmark you feel comfortable writing about) if not landmarks then maybe a cat.

Tagging: @kmc1989 @caitlinrosa @mcfriggingonagall @kniselle @aiko24k

Break - Cho and you discuss your past relationship.

The Necklace - Cho realises you still wear the necklace he gave you.

It’s Rigsby’s gelato that reminds Cho of the trip to Italy, the one the two of you had planned to take in the fall. The plan was to drive up along the coast from Naples to Pisa. You didn’t believe that a building could actually lean that far and not fall over. He’d found your disbelief endearing at the time, he remembers hiding his smile behind his coffee cup as you tried to work out the physicality of it using paper cups from the water cooler.

He'd bought the ring not long after that. It was something simple, silver with a small trio of diamonds that cost most of his paycheck.

The plan had been to propose somewhere along that trip up the coast. There was a spot he’d come across when he was stationed out there with Special Forces that he knew was absolutely perfect.

It’s a few of months before the vacation that everything goes to hell. He gets hit by a car, injures his back. You put the trip on hold because it’s a bigger problem than the two of you thought. He starts popping pills to get through the day and before he realises it’s an addiction.

The wake up call comes when he almost kills you. His team is supporting yours in the field when he falls sleep behind the wheel of the car. He doesn’t hear the radio call go up or the logistics of the operation. He doesn’t know you’re walking into danger not until the gunshots erupt through the air, jerking him awake.

He’s the first one that gets to you. You’re lying in the dirt, blood seeping out in the soil as you splutter and choke. You’ve been shot twice, your vest caught the first one but the second scattered the Kevlar plate woven underneath the material.

It’s a flesh wound he’s told in the aftermath, the plate took most of the impact. He’s starting to come down at that point, craving the pills. He thinks about leaving the hospital, just for a couple of hours to score because the pain is radiating up his back and it’s getting hard to think. It’s at that moment he acknowledges he has a problem.

You’re barely out of intensive care and all he can think about is the drugs.

He doesn’t deserve to be your husband, he doesn’t deserve to be anything to you, not until he’s kicked this.

He breaks things off that night.

“I’m not the man you think I am.” He says because he’s too damn ashamed to tell you the truth, that he’s the reason that you’re in this hospital bed.

He flushes the rest of the pills after that, goes to physio for his injury instead of using the quick fix. He attends narcotics anonymous meetings, gets clean.

When you return to work you won’t even look at him because he’s nothing to you now, nothing but the man that broke your heart.

Love Cho? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[honeytama]

Make Your Move - Chapter 1

Noah Sebastian x Reader x Matt Dierkes

Fic Masterlist

A/N: Very excited to begin my first long fic! Enjoy <3 I'd love to know what you think. I have an idea of how long it will be, but maybe I’ll have more ideas as we go on.

Fic Summary: Having known Matt for a year already, he knows your talents and hires you as his assistant for Bad Omens' upcoming tour. You’ve had a crush on Matt, your friend, and now boss. However, his good friend and your celebrity crush, Noah, takes a liking to you the second you step through the door. What happens when your feelings develop? What happens when they find out? You only hope your heart doesn’t break trying to care for two others.

Content and Warnings for Ch. 1: Fluff, mention of sex toys/masturbation, all of my works are 18+ only

Word Count: 2.7k

Matt called the other day.

“Y/N, do you happen to have plans from June 3rd to July 7th?” He asked.

You remember him asking you, but at that moment you didn’t even process what he had said before responding, “Whatever you need, I’m all yours!”.

You rolled your eyes at yourself. He was cocky, overly flirtatious, and arrogant some of the time, but he had an effect on you that didn’t waver.

You wanted every moment to be around him and didn’t consider the amount of responsibility he would put on you in the upcoming months.

It’s the beginning of April and you agreed to be Matt’s assistant tour manager on Bad Omen’s summer tour. Their full tour route has already been posted online and fans could begin buying tickets by the end of the week.

Today, you have to meet with Matt and the band for the first time to discuss tour logistics. Tour production, mixing, and lighting were nothing new to you, but you'd never gone on the road before, let alone with a band you'd never met… in person, at least. You're a Bad Omens fan– big time.

Matt and you have known each other for a year having met while you were on a walk. His dog, Zeus, had got off-leash and sauntered on toward you. It was fate the way the world brought him to you. He thanked you for grabbing Zeus’ collar before noticing your Bad Omens merch.

“I like your shirt,” he nodded at your chest with a smirk.

“You're their tour manager,” you said with wide eyes.

“Among other things,” he smiled.

The man had you wrapped around his finger starting that day.

You two exchanged numbers and have been hanging out and talking ever since. It was your favorite to go on walks with him and his dogs when he was home from tour. He flirted with you and with every hand touch and compliment it made your affection for him grow. However, you knew he was a ladies' man and decided to keep your feelings secret early on.

Now, he’s your boss.

—

The walk from your car to the door of the studio felt a mile long. The beat of your heart thumped in your ears as you thought about how your first meeting would go.

Would they like you? Would you do well or make a fool of yourself? Would they notice you had a crush on Matt? Will they just think you're his puppy to play with on tour?

These thoughts made your stomach lurch and nearly convinced you to dial Matt to call in sick.

Nevertheless, you wanted to prove yourself to them, so you put on your best smile and turned the door knob.

You were immediately met with a packed room and heads turning to meet you.

“There she is!” Matt exclaims while leaning against the long mixing console. “Everyone, this is Y/N. My new assistant.”

“Hell knows you needed one,” Folio gets up from the couch on the side of the room and goes to shake your hand.

“I’m Nick,” he points to another guy in the corner in a rolly chair, “he’s Nick, too. So, it’s ok for you to call me Folio.”

Nick, Nicholas Ruffilo as you know him, gives you a smile and a small wave before returning to his laptop screen.

“That’s Jolly,” Folio points to a rugged man sitting on the rug on the floor next to the coffee table.

“Nice to meet you, Y/N,” he smiles.

“And this is Noah,” Folio walks over to Noah and pats his shoulder.

“Hey,” he waves.

How can he be even hotter in person? You thought.

Being a fan of the band already, you had already attached their names to their faces, and Noah’s was your favorite. You thought he was attractive and started to develop a bit of a celebrity crush on him when you discovered the band, but once Matt came into the picture you thought it best to ogle over someone tangible. Now, Noah is really in front of you and you hope your fan feelings won’t make things complicated.

“Nice to meet you guys. I’m such a fan,” you say, professionally.

“Oh! You’re a fan! Matt, you picked a good one,” Folio grins.

You make your way across the room toward Matt to hug him. You couldn’t help feeling eyes on you from the direction of the couch, but your conscience convinces you to ignore it.

Matt embraces you before telling you to take a seat in the rolly chair beside him.

“Alright, my friends,” he claps. “Now that we’re all here, we have a lot to do. Y/N, I sent you our to-do list, mind getting that out for me?” Matt nods toward the laptop in your tote bag.

“You’re already giving orders? It’s day zero,” Nick whines.

“Treat her like an equal, man,” Noah is lighthearted, but his face says “Don’t do this right now”.

“Guys, I’m kidding,” Matt groans and pulls out his phone. “Ok, so we need to source crew, talk to management about who else is on the bill, create video wall graphics, arrange a setlist, mix intros for each track in the setlist… plus lots and lots of other shit.”

You smile across the room to Noah and mouth, “Thank you”.

He winks at you before looking down at his notebook and beginning to take note of Matt’s list.

Matt continues, “Noah, do you want to finalize the setlist? We can work on some other stuff while you get that done.”

“Actually,” he raises his head from his notebook to make eye contact with you, “I would love to have Y/N’s opinion on what I have so far.” He faces Matt, “She’s a fan and it would be nice to have some insight from someone else who enjoys our music.”

“I like that idea,” Matt agrees.

“Yeah, that sounds fun,” you say excitedly. Time to prove yourself, you thought.

“Sweet,” Noah says. He gets up from the couch with his notebook and pen in hand. “We can go out to the patio,” he nods his head at the back door of the studio.

You grab your tote and fix your outfit before following Noah to the door that he so chivalrously holds open for you.

“After you,” he smiles. “Let’s take a seat on the bench.”

The atmosphere completely changes as you can hear birds chirping and cars driving down the nearby highway. The back patio is covered with a finished, wooden awning and it faces a small yard with deep green grass and vines that trail up the fence surrounding the studio. Being here with Noah, alone, it felt like a dream.

You take a seat next to Noah with around two feet in between you. Your heart flutters watching him flip through the pages of his notebook as his hair falls into his eyes.

“There it is,” he announces as he tucks his hair behind his ear, only for it to fall again to his temple.

Noah hands you his notebook and on the open page is a list of songs. Some of them are scratched out and then rewritten, while others have question marks next to them.

“I hope you can read my handwriting,” he says sheepishly.

“I like your handwriting,” you smile, hoping to ease him. Why was he nervous? You thought.

You read aloud,

“Artificial Suicide,

Nowhere to Go,

V.A.N,

Glass Houses,

The Grey,

Never Know,

Limits,

IDWT$,

Like a Villain,

Just Pretend,

The Death of Piece of Mind,

Concrete Jungle,

and Dethrone.”

“This is perfect,” you gush. “The fans will love this show. I know I will.”

Your praise earns you a toothy smile from him. “Are you sure there is nothing you would change? You can be critical. I can take it,” he leans in urging you to say anything.

“You–,” you blush, “you forgot to add my favorite song.”

“What’s your favorite?” He’s still so close to you, yearning to hang onto every word you say.

You reach across his lap to pull the pen out of his hand. His gaze follows your hand to his notebook. The pen is brought to the page of setlist ideas and at the very bottom, you scribble If I’m There.

Noah laughs and rubs the tops of his thighs. “Really?”

Taken aback by his reaction, “‘Yes! What do you mean, ‘really’?”

“Hey,” he smiles with his hands up, “it’s a great song. I know the fans love it…” He holds up his forefinger, “But, one, we haven’t played it live in forever.” He holds two fingers to you and laughs, “Two, you put it as the third encore after Dethrone.”

You laugh along with him. “Fine, no If I’m There for the fans I guess,” you tease. “I just was thinking about when you and Jolly did an acoustic live stream during quarantine and played it. The song means a lot to me and your voice sounds amazing in it, of course,” you admit.

Noah bites his lip and fixes a steady gaze on your eyes. “Thank you, that means a lot. Maybe you’ll share with me what it means to you sometime?”

“Sure,” you nod.

“How about, when we’re on the road and you’re feeling down,” he looks off to the yard, “you say the word and I’ll play the song for you.”

“Just for me?”

“Just for you.”

“Why?”

“I want to sing it again; the song means a lot to me, too,” he looks to you.

–

“Matt,” you call out, “am I going to be feeling down when we're on the road?”

It was now almost two months later and the first show of the summer is in two days. This morning, Matt is over at your apartment helping you pack for your first tour trip. You have to leave to meet everyone at the tour bus to pack everything up and head out by noon.

“Feeling down,” he pauses, “like, sad? Where’d you hear that?” He comes out of your restroom with your travel bottles and extra toiletries in his arms.

“It was a passing comment that Noah made when we first met. I’ve been thinking about it ever since,” you look down at your suitcase on the bed.

“I’m sure he didn't mean to freak you out. But,” he opens up your mini bag to set everything inside, “yeah, it can get lonely.”

“Aw, you get lonely?” you tease. “Then, I’m glad I’ll have my best friend on the road with me,” you smile at him.

“Yeah, me too,” he smiles back at you, “Noah and I are going to be hanging out a lot.”

“Fuck off”, you flick the brim of his hat. Letting out a sigh, you ask, “Do you think I have everything I need?”

“Lemme see…” He hunches over your suitcase and rummages through the piles of clothes. It’s a minute later that you realize that he’s probably putting his hands all over your underwear. “Y/N.”

“What?” You ask. He’s still hunched over, unwavering. “Matt, what is it?” You repeat urgently.

“What are– Why do you have these?” He turns around to you holding your palm-sized vibrator in his left hand and your pink, five-inch dildo in his right.

“Matt!” You reach forward trying to grab them, but he pulls back. “Oh, my God!”

“You can’t bring these!” He yells waving around your personal items.

“I can do whatever I want! Give them back!” Your cheeks feel red hot as you try to reach for your things being held above his head.

He looks down at you with fire in his maple eyes. “You’re going to be staying on the bus with us. When did you think you were going to use these?” He laughs, and you hate it when he’s right. Honestly, you questioned why you even bothered to pack them, too.

“None of your business, Matt,” you huff letting your arms down, defeated. “I just thought, like, what if we got hotel rooms at some point during the tour and I could blow off some steam.”

“And, you thought that you’d get a room to yourself?” Matt laughs, annoyingly. He hands you the toys and you throw them into the bag in frustration.

“I have to room with you boys the entire month?” You whine. “How am I supposed to change my clothes?”

“You’ll have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable,” he shrugs his shoulders. “I don't mind if you change in front of me,” Matt smirks.

“You would like that, huh?” You jab.

“Y/N, watching you change would be my favorite show; better than any Bad Omens set, and I’m great at my job,” he taunts.

“You’re gross,” you scoff.

“You love me,” Matt relaxes on your bed.

He’s right, you think.

–

The sun was out again outside of the studio. You reminisce about spending time with Noah on the patio two months ago, and there were only a couple of days you spent alone time with him since then. Each time, you try to brush off the sense of guilt you have when Noah looks at you with his almond eyes; Matt is still unaware of the celebrity crush you had on his friend. Even though Matt isn't yours, you still liked and knew him first and it made it feel wrong to give Noah the attention you did.

Though, there’s no time to focus on that now. Today is your first official day of being Matt’s assistant and assistant tour manager for Bad Omens.

You met everyone: crew, the other touring band, Bad Omens, and Matt outside of the studio where the tour trailers and buses were parked. With your suitcase by your side, you kept track of everything on your iPad. You instructed where everyone was meant to be by the first show day and took inventory of all gear kept in the trailers.

And then after forty-five minutes of organization, everyone was ready to load onto the buses.

“Alright,” Matt calls out, “crew and our other band, you'll be in the first bus. My guys and Y/N, we’ll be in the second. Decide on your sleeping arrangements. Let’s go.”

“You ready?” Folio comes to your side.

“Yeah, I’m excited,” you answer.

With that, you load onto the second bus, and you’re astonished at the sight before you.

The bus is long. There’s a kitchenette with cabinets as you enter and a TV hanging above the entrance of the bus. After the kitchenette, the bus is lined with smooth, black leather couches and one small table for dining. There's a sliding door that separates the bunks from the rest of the bus; six beds total, two sides of the bus set with three bunks on top of each other. After the bunks, there is another sliding door that can block off a room with a leather couch that lines the walls of the bus. The back is decorated with pillows and twinkly lights from which you can see.

“Y/N, take your pick of bunk. I’ll sleep near wherever you choose.” Matt suggests.

You choose the second bunk on the right side of the bus. Matt chooses to sleep above you and Folio follows suit below you. As everyone is settling in, Noah trails in last.

He’s left with the second bunk on the left side of the bus, right across from you.

“Hey, neighbor,” he smiles as he puts his backpack in his bunk.

“Noah,” you blush while unpacking your blanket, pillow, and plushies onto the bed.

Matt finishes unpacking his sleeping gear and leans against the wall to address all of you, “Now that we’re back, I just need to remind everyone about the rules of the bus.”

Nick groans from his bunk near the floor.

“Well, actually, y'all know there’s only one rule,” Matt maintains eye contact with you. “No pleasuring oneself or another on the bus.”

Oh, my God, you think.

"I hate you", you silently mouth to Matt.

Beside you, Noah chuckles and crosses his arms. Turning to look at him, his cheeks are pink.

Did Matt fucking tell him something? You thought.

Matt raises his eyebrows at you. “Driver! Let’s roll.”

[cer-rata]

Cerata's 2024 End of Year Artist shoutouts! (part 1)

Okay so this year was the first time I'd really participated in fandom in over a decade, but I'm truly glad I did because I met a ton of great people, and even got to work on projects with some of them. So I wanted to put all of the cool visual art that I've received last year, whether it be art trade, commission, part of an event, or...fanart? Because that happened somehow?

Anyway, there are a number of other people that I worked with last year, but a bunch of that art started near the end of the year, and as such is not finished yet, hence why this post will be two parts, one now, and the second when everyone else finishes up.

No particular order, all of these artists are great, and lovely people, so do go check out the rest of their work and tell them how cool they are, yeah? Also, some are currently open for commissions, so keep an eye out for that.

(Also, this is my first time trying to do ID text, so bear with me if they're a little rough, despite being a writer, I hate words?)

So first we have @fiyaharts with a lovely illustration of a number of the my favorite Krypton and Krypton-adjacent children. Shadi is lovely to work with and fast to the point where it spooked me a little bit, go off girl.

Next we have two pieces from my favorite Evil Woman Apologist, @vivictory-draws, one of a divorced Barbara and Kara being totally normal about it, and the other of my child and blorbo that haunts my waking hours, Conrad. Love N to death, which is why I haunt her with threats of commissioning Joker/Desaad Yaoi.

...Maybe for the next list, who knows...

So next we have the art created for the last @womenincomicsminibang (which is going to be returning with a reverse bang in a few months, keep an eye out on that.)

The lovely and evocative cover was done by the talented @breakingthespacetimewall, and the scenes of Cassie trying and failing to get her life together were done by the wonderful @soop-jpg

Working with them was a pleasure and honor, and their dedication and kindness really helped me through finishing that fic, and I remain incredibly grateful for that.

The first person I worked with this last year, and the one who really helped solidify the core of a lot of my projects, @nicodrawings drew a glorious cover for my mania-induced first longfic, and also a character reference for the aformentioned disordered young man who haunts my waking hours. She's a professional through-and-through, with wonderful instincts and great communication. She's also working on a fan-comic project of her own that I think is wonderful and am excited to see continue.

I lucked out and was paired with the super chill, super talented @byeara on my first fan project ever, and they hooked me up with this super fun and detailed cover for the fic I wrote for that one kon-centric minibang. I loved working with them, and would love to do so again, logistics willing.

This jerk @vnekey made me cry by drawing really sweet, totally unexpected fanart for that mania-fic I wrote. I'm still a little speechless really, I'd never gotten fanart of any sort for any reason before, and to receive something so lovely as the first thing really touched me deeply, and honestly kept me writing through some rough patches.

...Fight me!

My first ever art trade! Kind of! @spider-jaysart is super sweet and supportive and made my...second biblically (is there a Source bible? Are there religious Coluans?) cursed son and his hapless, frankly narratively cursed best buddy look so precious that they ALSO made me cry, can we stop that actually--

Speaking of my cursed son and his narratively cursed Kryptonian, @spicy-apple-pie created this really pretty piece that's...a number of weird deep cuts smushed together into something really specific, but neat if you have the context, which nobody does :3

She was so wonderful and patient and I really enjoyed seeing her run with her inspiration, the Kryptonian mural is super neat and not something I would have ever come up with on my own.

@mediaraiz Is really stylistically flexible, and their "Blob" style really scratched that itch I had for something cute and playful, and they were so game in taking on a larger project, and then went above and beyond in making my lanterns looks truly special.

Finally (for now), @riverdeansart drew a sweet little scene of two horrifyingly stressed totally fine spacebros chilling and chatting about how everything is completely okay!

I was super vague about this one and Dean did a great job getting the vibes right anyway, and with haste.

...So yeah, that's if for now! I'll circle back in a bit when I'm forced to let more artists out of my basement everything else is done!

[ace-of-bass]

Can I ask how you went about starting your ace/aro group? How did you find people? I would love to do something like that in my area but have no idea how to start. I looked at making a group on Meetup but that's pretty expensive.

Yeah! I started with my friend who's also ace, so it helped that there were two of us. The main things we had to work out were where to meet and how to advertise. She booked a room at her non-religious "church" for Tuesday nights, and we made a flyer that we hung up around town in coffee shops and such. Our main advertising, however, was tabling at the local Pride. Our first year we had, like, a stack of our fliers and didn't even get our own booth - we shared a booth with the Bi+ Visibility group.

Our first meeting was the week after Pride, I think, and we had maybe 7 people show up? That whole first meeting we wrote up a group agreement of "rules" for the group and discussed logistics of how to communicate. Everyone there had Discord so I took down people's usernames and started a Discord server. For the next month, I posted a list of topics in the Discord and had people vote for which we should discuss. Things like "dating as an ace/aro person or opting not to date in a world obsessed with dating", "figuring out your identity", "coming out", etc. That meeting we just had a discussion about that - everyone saying what they wanted when they wanted. Basically we'd rinse and repeat that once a month and people kept coming. We had a holiday party in December and a Palentine's party near Valentine's Day. The group kept growing slowly but steadily, primarily through word of mouth.

The next year for Pride we got our own booth, which was our biggest expense (around $200), but we got a lot more people interested too. That year we made buttons in the ace and aro colors that said things like "I'd rather have garlic bread" and got ace/aro colored stickers online. We gave the first sticker/button away for free and asked for a donation if you wanted more than one. Year two was basically the same as year 1, just with more people. Eventually we added a second monthly meeting as we were pushing 20 people at each meeting which meant it was hard for everyone to have a turn to talk.

Last summer we needed to raise money if we were going to continue tabling at Pride (and we were thinking of incorporating as a nonprofit which takes money) so we held a benefit show. I play music so I got my band and two others to play, and several of our members do comedy so they did standup sets in between the bands. We got a percentage of the door as well as donations from that which meant we had an actual budget. Mostly we just spent that on the Pride booth and supplies for our crafty members to make cooler merch though.

We also ended up getting asked to table some other queer-friendly events at the history museum, which we did. I'm not sure we gained any members from that, but some of the more gay/lesbian centered queer orgs were introduced to us and (sometimes) to asexuality and aromanticism so that was cool.

Basically my advice to someone wanting to start a group is

0.5) Find someone to join you - doing this is easier if you have at least one other person to share the load. If you don't already know someone who's aspec, just be prepared to ask someone to step up pretty shortly after starting.

1) Find a place to meet. Libraries are a potential but aren't always open in the evenings. Churches are alright but might drive away non-religious people. I'd say a queer-friendly coffee shop might be your best bet.

2) Make some fliers and go to Pride (or another well-attended queer event/locale). Hand them out to people and invite them to the group.

3) Host your first meeting. You can either do what we did and decide on rules or just jump into talking about being aspec.

3.5) Create a way to keep in touch with people so you can tell them when the next meeting is happening.

4) Host more meetings, adjusting as necessary.

[unremarkablehouse]

Scully’s Hot Date Ch 3

R / NSFW | S6 | WC 3.011 | AO3 | ch 1, ch2

Summary: The final installment of this story as Mulder and Scully meet up for dessert.

Notes: sorry for the delay, big thanks to @sagan-starstuff for providing much needed proof skills. Tagging: @today-in-fic @improlificinsarcasm

Scully looked at the time on her microwave, he was late. It had been 63 minutes since they’d said goodbye in the FBI parking garage, ample time to throw Derek out of a moving vehicle and make it back to her place to take things to the next level. 

Scully had used the time to get ready; cleaning, showering, shaving her legs, putting on nice underwear and picking out pajamas that were a little sexy without trying too hard. She’d opted for a tank top with skimpy pajama shorts, and now with Mulder being almost 4 minutes late, she was second guessing everything. Scully checked her freezer and was disappointed to find that it was devoid of ice cream.

Chewing on her lower lip, Scully began to wonder if it was too late to just hide. Maybe she could move out of state so she wouldn’t have to face the embarrassment over Mulder standing her up. Scully started trying to work out the logistics of starting a new life in a new town with an apartment that always had ice cream in the freezer, when she heard his knock. 

Taking her time to open the door Scully contemplated pretending not to be home, but couldn’t resist looking through the peephole. Mulder had changed and was wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt, his hair was wet and he’d obviously shaved. She watched him shift his weight anxiously from foot to foot, looking every bit as vulnerable as she felt. 

He knocked on her door again and this time called out, “Scully, are you there?” 

Scully immediately opened the door and caught Mulder off guard. For at least five seconds Mulder was frozen in place, the synapses in his brain had ceased to fire, and for the second time that night she had to click her fingers to bring him back down to earth. The pajamas had rendered him speechless, and Scully giggled at his exaggerated response as she guided him into the apartment. 

“Mulder, it’s late,” Scully said, crossing her arms to let him know he wasn’t off the hook. 

“I got dessert,” Mulder said, holding up a plastic bag with a pint of Ben and Jerry’s. 

Following Scully into the kitchen Mulder watched as she inspected the ice cream.

“Chunky Monkey, nice choice,” she said grabbing a single spoon from the drawer. 

“It’s your favorite,” Mulder said with a smug smile, watching Scully walk over to the couch with her spoon and the pint of ice cream. 

Making herself comfortable on one side of the couch Mulder seated himself awkwardly in the middle of the couch and waited for Scully to make the next move. From her peripheral Scully watched Mulder fidget and she knew he was working exceptionally hard at letting Scully set the pace for the evening. Scully opened the ice cream lid and scooped out a spoonful for herself, giving an exaggerated moan as she ate it, taunting Mulder by not sharing. Mulder didn’t care if she ate every drop of ice cream in the world so long as he got to hear her moan like that a few more times. 

“So what took you so long,” Scully asked, doing nothing to hide the pout in her tone.

“I’m sorry, Derek threw up on me so I had to shower before I came over. I didn’t want to show up here covered in someone else’s bodily fluids…Again.”

Scully laughed and fed Mulder a scoop of ice cream from her spoon which he took gleefully. It was hard to stay mad at him when he brought ice cream and had a valid reason for being late. However, Scully didn’t want to make things too easy for Mulder, she was enjoying seeing him squirm. 

“Mulder, out of the almost six years we’ve worked together, why did you pick tonight to ask me out?” 

Scully let Mulder think about his answer while she ate another scoop. 

“Because I’m an idiot-“ Mulder answered cautiously, watching Scully to see if that was the right response. Scully scooped more ice cream and motioned to feed it to him but at the last minute put it in her own mouth. Mulder caught on to her plan too late and was unable to wrestle the spoon away from her mouth in time, so he pushed his own mouth onto hers.

It was an odd sensation, the chill of the ice cream with the warmth of Mulder’s mouth, his tongue playfully battling hers over sweet chunks from the ice cream. Pulling away with a big smile Mulder declared “ice cream tastes much better like that.” 

Feeding Mulder his own spoonful, Scully put her hands on his neck and kissed him right as he took his bite. Unfortunately, Scully wasn’t as smooth as Mulder had been and the kiss combined with the full mouth of ice cream made Mulder drool. They broke away laughing, Mulder was an adorable mess and sat patiently as Scully cleaned him up. Grabbing the tub of ice cream off the coffee table, Mulder motioned for Scully to let him feed her. Mulder had intended to tease Scully, to pull the spoon away at the last minute, but the way she was sitting there with her mouth slightly opened, looking at him expectantly was too sexy to deny her. Placing the ice cream carton down, Mulder hoisted Scully up onto his lap as he pulled her in for a deep kiss. The feeling of her numb tongue gaining sensation as Mulder’s tongue gently prodded it drove Scully wild and she enthusiastically pressed her body against his. Mulder grabbed Scully’s ass, adding stability as they bucked into one other, the clothing barrier forgotten as they got lost within each other. Sucking Mulder’s lip, Scully bucked into Mulder’s lap faster, his hard cock working magic against her clit. Rubbing hard against Mulder’s large dick, Scully was amazed at how intense the pulse between her legs was aching and felt the electric spark of an orgasm rise within her. It had been decades since she had gotten off from essentially dry humping someone, and Mulder’s firm body and plush mouth had taken her a lot further than her Prom Date.

Nuzzling Mulder’s neck, Scully craved the feel of his skin against hers and suddenly all these clothes felt too much. Scully abruptly stood up, and Mulder immediately whimpered at the loss of her body, giving her a confused and bewildered look. 

“Why don’t you put the ice cream in the freezer and meet me in the bedroom,” Scully said with a seductive smile. 

Mulder was surprised at how fast his body moved given all the blood was located in his lower extremities, but he managed to get the ice cream in the freezer and the spoon in the sink in time to intercept Scully as she was making her way to the bed. Grabbing her from behind in a bear hug, Mulder pressed his cold fingers onto her exposed skin, eliciting a giggle and struggle. Forgetting that Scully was a Federal Agent who excelled at hand to hand combat was a mistake because as Mulder moved down to tickle her more she was able to use her hips as leverage and flip him onto her bed. It wasn’t a graceful maneuver, Mulder landed with a thud and his body sprawled a little awkwardly, but when he recovered from the shock he found himself laughing. Scully joined him, lying horizontally across her bed, getting pulled into Mulder’s side as they both continued to giggle. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever laughed this much while trying to put the moves on someone.”

“Oh, you’ve got moves Mulder?”

“Just because I haven’t used my moves in a long time, doesn’t mean I haven’t gotten any.”

Scully rolled away from Mulder, propping her head up on her hand to face him.

“How long is awhile,” Scully asked, her gaze steady and her voice firm as if she was interrogating a suspect. Mulder found it sexy, moving a hand to rest on her hip, he was pretty certain that Scully would have no qualms applying some light torture to get answers from him. 

“My head and my heart have been filled with you for so long. The last time I had sex with someone else was when you were taken. I was in a bad place and it just happened, I’m sorry Scully.”

“We weren’t together, you don’t have to apologize,” Scully said, running her hand across his cheek and caressing his face. The tone of the evening had switched gears, they were no longer in the midst of a hormonal haze- although the strong sexual undercurrent remained. There was an intimacy growing as they talked, it seemed to be making their sexual charge more intense than before.

“I thought of you during, but the whole experience wasn’t great. She died soon after and it messed me up for a long time. I tried to keep you at arms length because I don't think I’m strong enough to handle the pain of losing you.”

Touching her forehead to his Scully pulled Mulder’s body closer to her, his leg slipping between hers as their bodies intertwined.

“I don’t want to lose you either, but whether we take this next step or not, losing you would hurt just as much.”

Mulder kissed Scully lightly in agreement. 

“Very true, and I am tired of pretending I don’t want to be with you. You’re my favorite person.”

Scully hummed in agreement as Mulder slipped his tongue into her mouth, his body remaining in place as they slowly kissed. As the long kiss ended Scully felt her stomach flip and gasped at the way he made her feel. Kissing along his jaw, Scully tugged at his shirt, helping Mulder remove it. 

Scully’s hands roamed the plains of his firm muscular body as she lavished kisses over his chest.

“It’s been a long time for me too,” Scully said in between kisses. She felt Mulder’s body tense up and she knew he was uncomfortable at the thought of her with anyone else. 

“I don’t need to know-“ Mulder said, a pained look in his eyes. Laying her body flat on top of his, Scully brushed some hair off his forehead and kissed his nose as Mulder’s hands wrapped around her body to keep her close. 

“Mulder, it’s been only you for a long time now, maybe longer than you,” Scully said, rubbing her nose against his. 

Mulder had always thought of himself as an acquired taste, someone you settled for when there weren’t better options available. It boggled his mind to hear that Scully had been holding onto feelings for him as well. Mulder’s heart felt overwhelmed and he let out a deep breath in awe as he felt himself unable to hold back- his only recourse was to kiss her. 

Mulder was not willing to move an inch away from her mouth, which was inconvenient as Scully tried to remove her pajama top. With some effort she finally maneuvered it off, only for Mulder to move his head so he could bestow kisses on the tops of Scully’s breasts, his hand deftly unclasping her bra in the process. Turning them both over so that he was now on top, Mulder braced himself with one hand while the other explored Scully’s supple breast, kneading the sensitive tissue with a groan. Kissing her neck and collarbone, Mulder felt the goosebumps rise on her skin as he firmly rolled her nipple between his fingers, her moans of assent encouraging him further. Brushing his tongue over the turgid peak of her nipple, his hand found its way into her pajama shorts, her hips jolting at the contact of his finger lightly skimming her panties. With a firmer touch, Mulder traced up and down her pussy eliciting a whimper until his hand slipped under the elastic and made contact with her warm cunt. 

The sensation of Mulder gliding his fingers in rhythmic patterns over her clit and through her folds was almost electric. Taking the Lord’s name in vain more times than she cared to count, Scully pulled Mulder’s head towards hers, tugging at his plump lip with her teeth as he continued to finger her. 

Mulder felt the heat of Scully’s hot breath as she panted, her hand clenched around his wrist as she was reaching her crescendo. Bucking into his hand, Scully’s body arched with pleasure, taking Mulder’s breath away. Locking her eyes onto Mulder’s, Scully felt her stomach flip again at the knowledge that it was him bringing her to orgasm and the intensity of her release multiplied. 

Scully panted as she caught her breath while Mulder moved his hips between her legs, sucking her clavicle, grinding his hard cock against her throbbing pussy. Scully’s whole being was overcome with a desperate need for more, using her feet she attempted to push Mulder’s sweat pants off simultaneously squirming to remove her own pajama shorts and panties. Mulder quickly assisted Scully in expediting the removal of the last of their clothes, pressing his naked skin against hers once finished. The warmth of their flesh pressed together, their mouths fused as one was a revelation. Neither of them were strangers to sex, but the level of comfort and intimacy they felt with each other exceeded anything they’d ever known before. 

The warmth of Mulder’s body pressed against her own felt like the most natural thing in the world, as Mulder’s cock glided effortlessly through Scully’s wet folds. Every so often the head of Mulder’s cock would bump against her entrance, causing Scully to gasp and writhe when it moved away again. The forth time it happened Scully snapped and she knew she had to get this man inside her immediately. Without breaking their kiss Scully placed her hands on Mulder’s shoulders and pushed on him, motioning for him to lie on his back. Mulder rolled over as soon as he felt Scully push, and she was impressed by how responsive he was. Scully instructed Mulder to scooch up so she could ride him and he quickly complied with a laugh. 

“What,” Scully asked as she maneuvered herself into position. 

“You’re just cute when you say scooch,” Mulder said, peppering her face with kisses while Scully rolled her eyes at him.

 “Mulder, I will shoot you again,” Scully warned as she slowly lowered herself onto his cock. Any smart assed reply Mulder could have made was lost as his breath hitched, bottoming out inside of Scully, her pussy contracting and giving a delicious ache at the stretch. Wrapping her arms around Mulder’s neck, Scully embraced him tightly as she waited for her body to adjust to his size. 

“This right here is all I need,” Mulder whispered to Scully. Content was not a word Scully would ever attribute to Mulder but for the first time since they’d met it almost fit.

Placing her hands on his shoulders for leverage Scully began to lift herself up and rock back down hard on his cock. The pace was slow but powerful as Mulder lifted his hips to meet her downward strokes. Their bodies moved together as if they had always done so, a steady rhythm punctuated by moans of pleasure. Neither of them tried to change the tempo or chase their own release, an unspoken agreement to just enjoy the experience of being together and to make it last as long as they could. 

Finally, Mulder broke the spell when he rolled his hips as they met Scully’s, his pelvic bone brushing against her clit. Soon Scully’s need to come became desperate as she artlessly slammed her body down on Mulder’s cock harder and faster, digging her fingernails into his shoulders. Scully growled with frustration as her body cried for her to be filled beyond the bounds of which she could physically attain. 

“What do you need,” Mulder asked as he pushed himself to keep up with Scully’s punishing pace. 

“More. I need harder, and, God, more,” Scully breathlessly panted in reply. 

Mulder deftly repositioned their bodies, laying Scully on her back as he pounded into her. Without any conscious thought, Scully lifted a leg against Mulder’s shoulder, allowing his cock to plunge deeper into her cunt as he rapidly pounded against her. Lost completely in the sensation, Scully’s body was filled to the brim and within a dozen hard strokes she found herself engulfed in ecstasy. Mulder continued to fuck her on a primal level while Scully remained completely adrift to her intense orgasm. Unsure how long she had lost consciousness for, Scully came back to earth in time to see Mulder squeeze his eyes shut and curse at deity he didn’t believe in, his body jerking into hers. Scully grabbed Mulder’s ass, pulling him closer to her just as he started to come inside of her. His movement and pressure reignited Scully and her pussy began to spasm and contract from deep inside her, pushing her body to another release. 

Spent and exhausted they both laid motionless on the bed, a flood of endorphins pumping through their bodies. Finding Mulder’s hand, Scully gave it a squeeze, anchoring them both together. 

Mulder’s frustrated grunt broke the moment and Scully felt obliged to ask what was wrong. 

“I was just thinking, the words ‘I love you’ suddenly seem woefully inadequate right now.”

With a giggle Scully agreed, “I’m really grateful you didn’t say you were thinking about Bigfoot.”

Mulder gave a laugh at her teasing, “no, I only think about Bigfoot during sex, Scully.” 

“On that note, I’m going to use the bathroom,” Scully said, shaking her head with amusement. 

As Scully moved to get up she was intercepted by a pouting Fox Mulder, wanting a kiss first. Giving Mulder a proper kiss, Scully marveled at the way kissing him could still take her breath away despite all they’d done. 

“You’re right, it’s definitely inadequate,” Scully announced, moving away from Mulder. 

“Ok, but let that be the only time you describe anything as inadequate in the bedroom,” Mulder joked, earning him a middle finger from Scully that he cherished.

“Nice Scully, I bet Derek wouldn’t flip me off,” Mulder mumbled to the void. Mulder would have felt bad for the guy but he was too damn happy to be with Scully, and he’d thrown up on him earlier. 

Crawling back into bed, Scully snuggled herself into Mulder’s side. 

“You know, I think I just had the best blind date in history,” Scully said with a smile. 

“Do you think Derek will ask us out again,” Mulder asked, feeling Scully’s eye roll through the dark as he drifted off to sleep.

[the-badger-mole]

In the debate between pro-aang-kill-ozai and anti-aang-kill-ozai. Which side are you on and why? If it's the anti then did you like how it was done or do you picture something else?

I think I've mentioned before, but I am not inherently against Aang not wanting to kill Ozai. Some of my favorite heroes have a no-kill policy. I don't even mind the lionturtle solution itself. What I didn't like was how it was handled. There was plenty of time to address Aang's reluctance to kill before the second to last episode. I can think of three points in particular where it would've been thematically appropriate and given Aang's bland, two-dimensional character some depth.

First, right after the siege at the Northern Tribe. Aang may not have technically been the one who killed all those Fire Nation soldiers, but it couldn't have happened without him. You would think that someone who is both committed to pacifism and also the one the entire world is relying on to end a war that people have been fighting and dying in for a century wouldn't just be able to shrug off what happened. Aang did, though. Didn't even cross his mind when he was whining about people expecting him to kill Ozai.

What should have happened was the next season should've opened with Aang grappling with what happened and his part in it. He should feel guilty about it, not because he was actually wrong, but because it should feel wrong to him. Then, Katara and Sokka should comfort him and tell him he did nothing wrong. Build it up that their word are comforting him a little, then drop the bomb when they start talking about how cool it was. How amazing it was to see all those soldiers running in fear for once. How relieved they are that so many of them died. Then have Aang snap on them about the sanctity of life. He needs to be angry and hurt, and this should be the point where he decries the powers of the Avatar. He'd call himself a monster, and maybe he would call Katara and Sokka monsters, too. Then they (probably mostly Sokka) would argue with him that they aren't monsters, they're just trying to survive, and the Fire Nation is a threat to be taken out. This would be the first time it's brought up that Katara, Sokka...the entire world expect Aang to kill Ozai. I think it would be perfect as a season 2 opener. Season 1 was light and goofy, and Zuko was their biggest immediate threat. The siege raised the stakes, and season 2 should continue on that rising. Aang should also have started looking for another solution here. In the library, Aang should've asked Wan Shi Tong if it was possible to end the war without more violence. We should've seen Aang coming to terms with the fact that the world is suffering and he is the one they are looking to to save them. One thing I think the Harry Potter movies in particular did well was that shift from goofy and whimsical to darker and more frightening (as far as kids movies go) as the story went on and the stakes got higher, and the danger felt more real to the characters. Aang never gets that realization. He has moments when the danger feels real, but he's goofy and whimsical for pretty much the entire series until the plot of an episode needs him not to be.

The second place they should have brought up his reluctance to kill was DoBS. This really should've been a no brainer. Aang was loosing sleep over facing Ozai. He had his anxiety about losing- though not really what losing would mean for his friends and the world- but he didn't even consider what winning would take. If DoBS had been successful, there's no way Ozai would've been able to be taken alive. Logistically, killing him would've been the easiest, safest option. You mean to tell me no one brought it up? No one asked Aang how he was planning to take Ozai out? No, instead we get Aang proving he knows what enthusiastic consent looks like and taking away his excuse for what happened later, but nothing about Aang weighing his personal beliefs against the needs of the world. That training montage and confrontation that he has with his friends in the second to last episode should've happened here. This should've been when his tendency to run away should've been challenged, too, because half a season before he was crying about how he abandoned the world again. Now his instinct would be to run, but his friends would challenge him, calling back to that moment. They could demand that he present an alternative to killing Ozai. I don't think any of them would object to him living to stand trial, but Ozai is a rabid dog, essentially. He needs to be put down. Aang's got nothing, but not for lack of trying. When he tells his friends about all his efforts to find a non-lethal way to defeat Ozai, they are unmoved. They are at the doors of the Fire Nation, and now is not the time to be indecisive. He has to go face Ozai. And he's probably relieved when the plan fails. This whole situation would have the added bonus of skipping that first Kataang kiss because no way would Aang want to kiss Katara after her insisting he terminate Ozai with extreme prejudice.

The third place Aang's no-kill policy should've come up is TSR when Zuko asks him what he's planning to do when he faces Ozai if he's so against killing. This should scare Aang, and it should be his focus for the rest of the season. He should be more withdrawn from his friends, because with all the training he's doing (and he would still be training on all the elements because he's not that good at any of them), talks about the most efficient way to kill would be unavoidable. Katara might actually try to teach him bloodbending. Toph would just tell him that a big rock is just as effective as some fancy bending move. Zuko would be warning him about his father's ruthlessness and cunning. This would be where Aang looses his patience with his friends and insists that he's a pacifist and Ozai doesn't deserve to die. This would piss Katara in particular off because by this point, Aang knows what happened to her mother. He would get an earful about how Ozai's plan is to do to the Earth Kingdom what his grandfather did to the Air Nomads and how he's going to let millions of people die because of his refusal to kill one. Now, Aang can take off, only instead of just running away from his friends because he doesn't want to hear them anymore, he could be making one desperate last ditch attempt to find a solution that both ends the war and keeps him from having to kill Ozai. EIP could still happen in this circumstance, but instead of getting mad that he's being played by a girl, he would focus more on how eager for his death the Fire Nation is. That would come up in the argument about killing Ozai.

Now, for the lionturtle. I'm about to blow some minds. I have been vocal about my hatred of the Lionturtle/Rock of Destiny desu-ex-double team, and I do still hate it with a passion. However, as a concept, I don't mind the lionturtle. This is a fantasy adventure. You expect a bit of magical intervention. What I wanted was Aang grappling with this problem for more than half an episode. I wanted him working on a solution the entire time, starting from right after the siege. I wanted to see him take initiative. To actually think about the problem. Maybe have him specifically looking for the lionturtle. Then when it shows it, it could be because it knew Aang was looking and decided he was worthy of a meeting. Aang could still have his meeting with his past lives, and that could still go the way it did. Then the lionturtle could speak up. Instead of poo-pooing the idea of killing Ozai, it could agree that it was the most effective way to make sure that the war would end. Then, when Aang is despairing that he'd wasted all that time trying to find a different solution, the lionturtle could offer the spirit bending. But it would have to come at a cost, and it might not work the way that Aang hoped. Now Aang has to make a choice. Sacrifice something for this spiritbending ability (I'm thinking he loses his airbending, because it seems poetic) that might not have the outcome he's hoping for, or give up his pacifism- one of his few connections to his heritage- and kill Ozai. He chooses the spiritbending. Instead of the conveniently placed rock, Aang would actually have to give up his attachment Katara. I think he would be half-way there, having finally realized how little he understood her. He "loved" her because she was pretty and took care of him, but he's come to realize there's a lot more facets to her that he hasn't gotten to see because they don't fit his narrow view of her. He also understands what Guru Pathik was trying to tell him about one person not being able to replace everything Aang has lost, and he realizes how unfair to her he had been. He still loves her, but as a friend and caretaker. This will actually lead to a deeper friendship between them. Aang defeats Ozai without killing him, but now he has to deal with the loss of his airbending, which only now does he realize was a much of a connection between him and his people as his beliefs. He still has spiritbending. He can still airbend in the Avatar State, but he's effectively cut off a limb to keep his integrity. He will go the rest of his life wondering if it was worth it, especially after Ozai goes to trial and is sentenced to execution anyway. The effects of that on his children could be explored in LoK.

TL;DR I don't have a problem with Aang not wanting to kill Ozai. I just wanted to see him deal with it before the last minute. I think the show would've been better for it, and Aang would've been a more interesting character.

[mavcancees]

Have you by any chance taken a look at r/dwt2 recently? I'd really like to hear your thoughts on the posts over there about Dream's interactions (or lack thereof) with the fanbse rn and the big content drought. I think you always have realistic outlooks on this stuff and it would definitely help some people on here that I know are trying not to feel too down about it. (100% /nf)

hello dashboard

this is the longest post i have ever written. remember, this is how i personally see things. you don't have to agree with all of it or at all. still, long as fuck. you have been warned

i do not use reddit and i especially don't visit spaces that are a vent melting pot. not something i want to encourage by giving it clicks

however it is a topic i do have thoughts on, of various kinds, so walk with me on this one. i believe the position is in right now is 1 - one he hates, 2 - one he was forced to be in and 3 - one he's too afraid to get out of

you can understand my second point easily, i don't think there's any argument about it. if it was up to him, the current state of his content would not be like this, not talking quality, but in the general lack of it. he had to reorganise his life around october 2022 to the point he considered quitting. that's not an easy thing, logistically an otherwise, and for dream out of all people to have even think about it, it must have been a tremendous feat to get out of that spot mentally. then he could not make usmp happen. dealing with the hate. gumball. releasing the video. these aren't things that he could predict, and did shape the timeline of content release

i don't want to say i feel a bitterness about it from him, because he's not a bitter person. but when he talks about the things that weren't, i do feel that sad yearn, the-one-that-got-away-esque vibe in the conversation. which is completely understandable, because those are his projects he put time thought money and love in. and then he gets the carpet pulled, and now we're here. i feel people forget that a bit you feel sad about all the content, imagine him. we knew about usmp for tops 3 or 4 days, he had been working on it for months. empathise with him a bit and understand this is not a place he wants to be in either

my general "critique" of him regarding the situation is the third point. i say fear, i don't exactly know if that's what it is, and just as above, i understand why it would exist yes, obviously the face reveal and meeting fans and having the parasocialism hit you in the face changes a lot. i understand, say, walking back from his "Stans" video, i understand walking back on the nsfw, i get those things. but we're a bit past that point now, where denouncing that parasocialism is turning into what i see as becoming the cc he has said he doesn't want to be

and i say this as someone that has been around for a WHILE. he has in the past spoken negatively about the path he is taking. the cc that's removed from his audience, the famous guy that has all his accounts managed, the creator with the over scripted, over hyped, removed of all spontaneous dynamic content that ends up either underdelivering, or not delivering at all. ( note here, i don't think dream will ever underdeliver. not in his dna. simply describing that general persona )

he's not there yet, at all, but he's edging close enough where people are starting to feel uneasy about it. some quietly, some in an understanding tone, others demanding and demeaning. and i feel at every step of walking down this figurative path, my first and second points ring very loudly. he doesn't really want this, he never asked for any of this. he has been forced into this position. but now he's on this weird stasis chamber of sorts, not fully in it but also doing nothing to get out ? i see the absolute love he has for music. i see how much he loves minecraft, and his fans, and the weirdness of it all. but he's alienating himself from it and not particularly putting up any sort of fight. not even raising his voice. nothing at all

no snapchats no tweets no likes no replies no streaming no casual popping into a friend's stream. and i am happy for him ! let me make that super clear ! taking time for himself, chilling, doing things in private. i'm glad he has that space now, and he's enjoying a life he very much could not have for years

but the very overwhelming, and genuinely new type of quiet makes that uneasiness i mentioned before grow exponentially. this isn't a quiet we're used to, and i have been through many. i am personally fine with it, i am not the one to demand content, i can simply do something else. but it does worry me he's kind of just taking the punches, and is taking them so much to heart he has removed himself this much from the public, in a seemingly unnecessary fashion. and here's the real issue for me on that third point, and where that worry comes from, and maybe in part curiosity ?

he's sure of what he's doing. at least it appears that way. i don't see all the puzzle pieces, and i am concerned at the picture they paint. is he scared ? is he tired ? is he waiting it out even more ? should i be concerned ? is that maybe too parasocial, or am i just so put off by the change of scenery and the lack of explanation for some of these changes ( like i said, i understand some, but others seem out of left field ) , it that it makes me reasonably worried

still. i get it

i criticize some of it, because yeah, i am selfish, i want the content creator that i have been following for five years to be, at least in part, the one i subscribed to. i want some content, any content, at all

i also understand the road to here was not the one neither of us expected it to be, and it changed him more than it changed me

i am a passive onlooker of his life, and i have no right to make demands to what he gives me access to. i only can complain as much as it is appropriate, which is vocalising my feelings of missing him, because he has given me a piece, and now i don't quite get why it's gone. previously he would have told us why, now it's dead lining

but it's his life. it's his time. it's his piece. and it's his choice. he can do with it as he pleases. i can be unhappy. i can have issues with it, i can worry. i can demand explanations. i am not entitled an answer. the second people understand that last part, they will have a much better time dealing with the quiet

i miss him, i really do. i understand why he's gone. i don't approve of how far he's taking it. but that doesn't fucking matter, because whatever the reasoning is, if he is doing it this way, it's for a reason that's enough to him. and i'd say, we have to trust him with his own life

[rat-beastard43]

Hey hey if you still want moodboard requests do you think you could do a Regressor Moon with Caregiver Sun board? Moon's "Merry go round broke down 🥺" Voice line in HW2 really got me. He babie.

EEEEE!! I HAD SO MUCH FUN WITH THIS ONE!!!

Have some free Head Cannons too, as a treat :3

~Can we just pretend that there's an au that this is all possible and we don't question logistics~

- he absolutely has a Snorlax plush that has a very loving home in his arms or by his side at all times

- he's a cranky boy!! Very hard to please unless you know the few things he'll always enjoy

- which is hard because not even he knows what he wants/needs half the time

- I'm placing him at 18-32 months (1 1/2 - 3)

- generally can and will sleep ANYWHERE

- one time Sun found him hanging from his wire completely limp and Sun freaked out bc he couldn't reach him, he had maintenance get him down and Moon was just snoozing away

- Suns an anxious caregiver, especially with Moon. After everything that Moon went through with the virus Sun is scared he's going to start being harmful again.

- it really upsets Sun when Moon has one of his mini tantrums and his eyes flash red for a second. Moon can usually see that Suns getting riled up and puts his fussing on pause. (side note take away the regression/tantrums and this happens a lot in our system, Sun needs a break 😭)

- not a paci kiddo but he definitely takes those teething keys by the ring in his mouth and just shakes his face as fast as possible to get The Good Shakey Noise™

In this au that I'm creating just now as I'm dotting these down, they're both flips. So says me. Let me know if you want CG Moon and Lil Sun HCs!!

I just want to say, I got permission from both Sun and Moon to post these. I've felt really weird about posting any writing from my head mates sources so I like to get permission first, I will say that Moon doesn't actually regress.. he wanted that known lol

Agere Board was made using Pixart- free on apps store

Original art of Sun and Moon belongs to @/shandzii but it was found on the app

If you want to request an Agere Board please read the green portion of my pinned post!

Thank you for reading! Stay safe bubbas!! <3

[fandom-gt]

FANDOM: MCU

REQUESTED SUMMARY: ”This story would be set in an MCU alternate universe where tiny people are viewed as pets/toys for normal-sized people. During a gathering at the Stark cabin, Peter and Steve are accidentally shrunken with Pym Particles in a lab accident (testing an invention Peter made for Steve). They make it to the living room after everyone else has left and are soon found by Tony and Pepper, who think they're normal tinies and believe Steve and Peter left the party early. Pepper ends up claiming Peter for herself, picking him up and heading for her and Tony's bedroom to "break him in". Tony promises to join his wife later, opting to play with his new toy by dropping Steve into the front of his underwear.”

CHARACTERS: Peter Parker, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Pepper Potts

WARNINGS: Unaware, Noncon, Entrapment

COMMISSION TYPE: Full Page + 1 Add-On

——

So, there stands Peter Parker on the most mortifying day of his life, face in his hands, feeling about an inch tall – like, emotionally, but also… physically, because he is actually about an inch tall. And so is Actual Captain America, who stands just a few inches (Millimeters? What scale is he supposed to use in this situation?) away with his hands on his hips in that ‘I’m not mad, just disappointed’ pose. Peter can feel his insides shriveling up, he can feel his soul leaving his body, he is a husk. A teeny, tiny, spidery husk.

“Look… I don’t mean to knock- whatever it is you accomplished here, Pete, but- uh…” Steve starts, and Peter starts shaking his head immediately, desperately holding up his hands, waving them around to try and cut him off.

“No- no, no. Mr. America, I mean- Mr. Rogers-”

“Steve,” Captain America corrects, for the millionth time.

“Mister Steve, this is not how it was supposed to go. I swear, I’ve tested this like a million times, and it worked every single other one. Like- so many times, one hundred percent success rate, I don’t understand how- it was only supposed to do the shield, but I-” And then the lightbulb goes off. “Ohhhh…. Oh no. I think it’s the serum in your blood, I didn’t factor that in, I think it’s an adverse reaction- oh, crap. Wow, that’s actually so cool, if you think about it, that means it’s probable that Pym particles are a derivative of-”

“Pete,” Steve calls, patient but stern, dragging his sporadic attention span back on track. Low-key, he’s got to wonder if anybody ever had this kid tested for ADHD. If they get out of this, he’ll make a mental note to talk to May about it.

“Right. Sorry. Um- the good news is, it should be totally reversible. The bad news is, I think we’re gonna need to get Mister Stark, because I don’t- I don’t think I can do it like this. The logistics just aren’t… you know. Possible.” He shrugs helplessly, and Steve sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose and resigning himself to a good twenty to forty minutes of jokes at his expense from Tony.

“Alright. Well. The good news is we’re both durable, huh? It should be mostly safe, as long as we stay sharp. Let’s get to the living room, grab Tony’s attention, and then you can explain what happened, alright?” Steve says with all the confidence and reassurance that comes naturally to him, leaving Peter in a kind of starstruck celebrity awe for a whole two seconds before he awkwardly salutes.

“You got it Mister Captain America, Sir!” Peter calls back cheerfully, despite Steve’s sighed insistence to call me Steve for the million-and-first time. Pressing the issue feels like a decided waste of energy and time, so instead the pair of them set off at a brisk sprint. It’s a good thing they both have so much stamina; covering this much ground as a normal person or even a normal tiny would’ve been absolutely exhausting and it would’ve taken forever.

They slip beneath the lab’s door frame a little too easily; it towers over them like a monument, and only cements their diminutive status when they wriggle their little bodies flat beneath the half-inch gap. By the time they make it down the hall and into the living room proper, it seems the guests have just filtered out.

They’re treated to the sight of Pepper calling out a polite goodbye, and shutting the door behind the last person. The heavy sound of the wood slamming and door latching reverberates through both of their ears, causing them to wince and wither in on themselves just a little. By the time this is all over, they’re both likely to have a pounding migraine – though not, perhaps, for the reasons they might expect.

Subsequent rhythmic booms echo around them again. This time, it isn’t doors, but rather footsteps. Heavy, expensive shoes slamming down one after another, rattling the ground beneath their feet, and Steve only has time to think about how he’s glad he doesn’t get motion-sick anymore before the shoe itself finally slams down directly in front of him, making him stagger back instinctively. A mile above them, Tny stares down at the pair of them, spotting them instantly on the white rug.

“Oh, thank god,” Steve sighs, waving his arms over his head. “That was easier than I expected.”

Tony’s voice rings out, deep and echoing, bassy and slow and utterly surreal to their ears, “Hey Pep, look what somebody left behind. A couple of party favors.”

For a moment, Steve really thinks Tony’s screwing with them – right up until Pepper’s loud, clacking heals cause the ground to quake in her approach, and they too slam to a stop in front of the tiny pair. She stares down at them without recognition, and unlike her partner, she isn’t the type to joke like this.

“Aw, they’re cute,” she coos, trailing her hand along Tony’s expensive suit for a moment. “I think we earned them for hosting, don’t you? I like that one more.”

Peter’s eyes go wide as those enormous blue orbs fixate on him, and it occurs to him a split second before it does Steve – they’re too small to see. Their faces, their features, they must be blurry and indistinct to anybody that doesn’t have senses like him and Steve have. Especially if the person staring down at them has been drinking; and nearly everyone at the gathering certainly had.

“No- wait, Ms. Potts, it’s me, Peter-” he calls out frantically, watching her perfectly manicured hand descend to pluck him up off the carpet. Her fingers squeeze him gently, or at least he’s sure she thinks it is, but it’s still strong enough to knock the wind out of him and leave him wheezing too hoarsely to call out to her anymore.

“I’m gonna go break it in. Do you wanna join me?” She asks as she rights herself, slipping her high heels off her feet and settling her pantyhose-clad toes on the soft carpet. Tony’s lips quirk up and then he, too, ducks down, snatching the last remaining tiny up from the floor. Unlike Pepper, Tony doesn’t bother bringing his any further than his waist.

“Sure, I’ll be there in a few minutes. You go ahead. I wanna play a little first,” he says, and Steve can only stare forward in horror as Tony pulls his waistband back and, without ever bothering to look at the tiny’s face, drops him into the cavernous pit of his designer underwear.

[daresplaining]

hi! long time admirer of your blog! is there any particular reason why matt (specifically) pretends he's dead when something goes fucked up in his life? is it as a result of trauma or a past experience 'cause i have yet to figure it out myself. thanks in advance! hope you're having a wonderful day!

Hi, and thank you!

That's a really interesting question. To my memory, Matt has never psychoanalyzed himself on-panel about this, so I suppose it's up to us.

The short answer is that each faked death tends to be tied to the specific circumstances that surround it, as well as Matt's state of mind at the time, but there are noticeable patterns. (I'll do a quick run-through of The Deaths of Matt Murdock, but here's a more comprehensive (though not quite up-to-date) overview for anyone unfamiliar.)

His earliest faked deaths were more about pragmatism than anything, and had to do with protecting-- or simplifying-- his secret identity. His very first, of course, was "killing" Mike, which he presented as just being a matter of convenience. The Mike identity, while fun, had outlived its purpose and was starting to cause Matt trouble in his relationships with Karen and Foggy, in addition to just being a tiring logistical nightmare. (Also, Mike was cooler than Matt and that just wouldn't do.) There wasn't much forethought to his decision, he just encountered a situation in which Daredevil (Mike) would be in danger and suddenly thought, "Hey, what if he died?"

Matt (thinking): I just thought of something! ...The nuttiest idea I've ever had! But, if I can pull it off...it'll end my triple-identity bit...forever!" Daredevil vol. 1 #41 by Stan Lee, Gene Colan, John Tartaglione, and Sam Rosen

Matt's second faked death came about when supervillain Starr Saxon discovered his secret identity. This threat to his double life brought out feelings of resentment that Matt had been harboring toward his civilian identity since issue 1. In these early years, in an effort to hide his powers and superheroics, Matt turned his mild-mannered alter ego into an exaggerated caricature of a blind person, played at being helpless, prevented himself from acting on his feelings toward Karen Page, and dialed down his personality. He believed that this was necessary, but he also hated it and found it stifling. Added to this was his overall bitterness toward the ableism he had experienced since his accident, and the sense that the world around him viewed him as helpless (Matt mentions in an issue shortly afterward that his least favorite sentiment is pity). Thus, at this point, he saw the Matt Murdock identity as a prison, and the Daredevil identity as liberation, and so he grasped at the idea of faking his (Matt Murdock's) death not just as a way to counter Starr Saxon's threats, but also as an opportunity to finally rid himself of an identity that he actively disliked.

Matt: "My problem isn't Daredevil--and never was! It was always Matt--the blind lawyer--the hapless, helpless invalid! He's been my plague...since the day I first donned a costume! Then, let Matt Murdock no longer exist!!" Daredevil vol. 1 #53 by Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Gene Colin, George Klein, and Artie Simek

Fortunately, Matt largely got over this resentment after he stopped putting his different identities into such rigid boxes. He does occasionally give up one or the other of his identities from time to time, but we don't see him actively killing an identity out of hatred again. Which is...certainly a positive sign in regards to Matt's overall mental health.

Instead, in the decades since the Starr Saxon incident, Matt's faked deaths have tended to revolve around two vital needs: the need to escape from something horrible in his life, and the need to protect his loved ones. Sometimes it's more of one, sometimes it's more of the other. In the Nocenti/JRJR run, Matt screws up real bad by cheating on Karen Page (at this point still recovering from her drug addiction and very fragile) with Mary Walker. Matt gets nearly killed by Typhoid Mary, wakes up in the hospital and learns that Karen has discovered his treachery. He finds himself at a crossroads, hating himself for the betrayal, hating the violence in his life and the seeming futility of everything he does, and feeling unable to cope, he abandons his civilian identity, vanishes from the lives of the people who know him, holds a symbolic "funeral" for Matt Murdock, and runs off upstate.

In the Chichester/McDaniel run, Matt ends up with a convenient body double in the wake of a major secret identity scare and decides that it would be best to fake his death in order to protect his loved ones. The only person who knows he's still alive is Maggie, his mother, because Matt goes to her for name suggestions for his new civilian alter ego (she ends up suggesting "Jack").

Maggie: "Oh, Matt, thank god you're alive!" Matt: "No 'Matt', Maggie. Not anymore. That's become a dangerous name for anyone too near to me." Daredevil vol. 1 #325 by D.G. Chichester, Scott McDaniel, and Christie Scheele

After becoming a full-on supervillain in Shadowland, Matt again decides that it's "for the best" if his loved ones think he's dead, and he vanishes off to New Mexico. In this case, the only people he allows to know the truth are Elektra and Ben Urich. Then there's Matt's memorable, utterly bonkers deal with the Kingpin in the second volume of the Waid/Samnee run after his, Foggy's, and Kirsten's lives have been ravaged by one supervillain attack after another:

Matt: "My offer is this: You guarantee the safety of my people, and the identity bell gets unrung. Think of it as a perverse twist on witness protection. Everyone--Foggy, Kirsten, everyone--will be told I'm dead. Meanwhile, you'll give me a new name and identity known only to you. You'll get back the secret you paid for. You'll oversee the plastic surgery so that only you recognize the face. Hell, even I won't see it. Hell, graft the mask to my skin. I won't care." Fisk: "But you'll still be Daredevil." Matt: "That way, you'll always know where I am. How to use me even when I don't think I'm being used. And how to, at any time, take anyone or anything away from me that you don't want me to have." Daredevil vol. 4 #16 by Mark Waid, Chris Samnee, Matthew Wilson, and Joe Caramagna

And then, of course, we have our most recent example, in which Matt coped with the chaos of his recent life and the violent death of his brother by using Mike's corpse as a body double and fleeing the city to go fight ninjas with Elektra.

What's interesting about these faked deaths is the gap between the reasoning that Matt offers himself versus the actual reality of what he is doing. Each time, Matt is convinced that his loved ones will be better off, safer, even happier if they think he is dead. And of course, this is not based on nothing. Matt has suffered tremendous loss, and has brought great pain into the lives of the people in his orbit. He lost his father. He accidentally got Elektra's father killed, and then later had Elektra herself die in his arms. He contributed to the circumstances that led to Heather's suicide. One of his villains killed Glori. Another killed Karen Page, and nearly killed his mother. Yet another put Milla in a psychiatric hospital, possibly permanently. His brother just literally died in his place. Foggy's life has been in danger more times than I can list. Matt's story has a towering body count, and he carries that grief with him at all times--particularly in circumstances when his life is in shambles, when enemies are closing in, and when those around him are in the crosshairs or have just survived being there. Of course Matt would think that everyone would be "better off" without him around. In the purest, most practical sense, he's probably not wrong. And so, when he lets his loved ones think he is dead and tells himself it's for their own good, I do think he genuinely believes it.

But of course, that also isn't entirely true or realistic. Sending the people who care about him into mourning again and again is not protecting them. And when you really look closely, it's obvious that Matt's most frequent reason for faking his death is the same reason he clings so strongly to the Daredevil identity despite the pain it has caused him: escape. When Matt feels stressed, under pressure, unable to think, or powerless, he can always put on that suit and hop out the window. And when Matt's world is falling apart and he cannot cope at all and doesn't know what else to do, he abandons his life. He escapes into a different identity. He leaves. In his head it's for the people he loves, but it's clearly also for himself. And as frustrating as this coping mechanism can be as a long-term Daredevil reader, I also love it for how incredibly human it is.

With all of this said, though, I think the funniest answer is that Matt inherited some kind of when-in-doubt-fake-your-death gene from his mom.

[beesmygod]

today is webcomics day. i am bea and i make "A Ghost Story" - part 3: sketch 1

ed note from the future: this got long. its going mostly under a readmore for everyone's sake. and i didnt even finish sketching, just trying to explain what is going through my mind while trying to sketch. look, if i write down my process in exhausting detail people will realize im completely insane. this is a net benefit to anyone trying to interact with me in the future who thinks i can be reasoned with. community service. thank you for allowing me to post this shit lol

hmmm. giving up on the first few panels for right now. here's what i'm thinking about as i sketch this:

too many of my panels were talking heads or constantly relied on one point perspective. i have been trying to work against this for a while with mixed results. sometimes the result is so bad i have to scrap what i did and start over but sometimes it's "good enough for TV"* and i hit publish on it. no risks, no reward after all. can't get better if you don't try.

in this first panel, i have two people having a back and forth conversation through a weird magic hole in the floor/wall. maxine is laying on a couch with hole right above her head. homestar runner will demonstrate what i mean:

however, there are logistical problems with maxine that homestar runner doesnt have. maxine's right shoulder is dislocated, so she can't lay on that side, or any side that would put pressure on the joint. im realizing i don't actually know what position would be most comfortable in her situation or how she would instinctually arrange her body to avoid pain. i start looking up videos from physical therapists on how they recommend patients sleep for some ideas.

also i start looking up what women look like sleeping on couches. how does the human body fold up. because this isn't it.

anyway, this was my first effort with the first panels.

for reference, the last page ends like this:

the top left of the sketch would have been the hopi clown back on the shelf with the "camera" tilting above it to reveal maxine. while this keeps the relevant object from the previous page in frame as a piece of connective tissue between updates....i'm struggling to fit the second character in. the one talking from the hole. maybe there's still hope for this? it's not terrible. initially i nuked it but maybe i can make this work.

fuck! she needs a pillow or two to make this work. this video is right, that DOES look naturally comfortable compared to the standard fetal position that would pull the affected shoulder inward. i didn't draw any pillows into the stupid establishing shot of the office bc its not the kind of couch you are expected to sleep on!!! this is a man's business office!!! i thought i was so smart!!

basically every couch comes with decorative pillows though, and the shot of the room didn't include the wall the "camera" was up against. my 2-point perspective failure might have paid off here lol. if i can establish that the second character is talking through the hole, he can use his rayman hands to reach across the room and get the pillow for her. it can be part of his personal campaign to show maxine he means her no immediate harm. the pillows were just out of frame. lurking. ok let's try it again. uhhhh after i eat some lunch

---

*my friend kelly had an anecdote from working in animation that im going to retell badly from memory. her boss would take the work she labored over to meet by deadline and would laugh at it, saying "ah, its terrible! but good enough for TV". and while extremely mean, he had a salient point: it never has to be perfect. it just needs to be good enough to be seen. sometimes i seriously think about this anecdote when im dissatisfied with my own art. it's bad. but it's good enough for tv.

[pankowcrumbs]

Summer Romance X Calum hood

Chapter 3

MasterList

5 Seconds of Summer Masterlist

Chapter 1. 2. 3.

Christmas came and went in a blur of laughter, warmth, and love. Meeting Calum’s family had been nothing short of magical. They welcomed me with open arms, making me feel like I belonged. But as the festive season drew to a close, the shadow of another goodbye loomed over us.

The night before Calum was set to leave for Los Angeles, we sat on the porch of his childhood home, wrapped in a blanket as the cool Sydney breeze swept over us. The stars above seemed brighter, almost mocking us with their distance—a reflection of what was about to happen.

“I hate this part,” Calum said, his voice low and filled with emotion. “Every time it feels harder to leave.”

I leaned my head against his shoulder, my heart aching. “It’s because we keep getting closer. Saying goodbye feels like tearing a piece of ourselves away.”

He turned to look at me, his dark eyes shimmering in the moonlight. “Y/N, I’ve been thinking about us. About everything. I know we’ve been making this work, but… I hate the distance. I hate not being with you every day.”

My chest tightened. “Calum, I… I don’t want you to go either, but your life is in LA. Your music, your career—it’s everything you’ve worked for.”

He sighed, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “And you’re everything I’ve ever wanted. But I don’t have an answer yet. Just… promise me we’ll figure this out together.”

“Always,” I whispered, leaning into his embrace.

The next morning was a whirlwind of emotions. At the airport, Calum held me close, his arms wrapped around me as if letting go would break him.

“I love you,” he murmured into my hair. “Don’t ever forget that.”

Tears streamed down my face as I clung to him. “I love you too. More than words can say.”

As he walked away, I felt an ache so deep it seemed to consume me. Watching him disappear through the gate was like losing a part of myself.

Six months passed. Six long months of phone calls, video chats, and messages. We tried to bridge the distance with technology, but nothing could replace having him by my side. I poured myself into my music, using the pain of our separation to create something meaningful. It helped, but it didn’t fill the void.

One quiet evening, as I sat at my kitchen table, the doorbell rang. Frowning, I got up to answer it, wondering who could be visiting so late. When I opened the door, my heart stopped.

There he was. Calum, standing on my doorstep, holding a small box in his hand. His eyes were filled with a mixture of nervousness and determination.

“Calum?” I breathed, my voice barely audible.

“Hi, love,” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Surprise.”

Before I could say anything, he pulled me into his arms, kissing me with all the passion and longing of the months we’d spent apart. When we finally pulled away, I stared at him, my mind racing.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, my hands still gripping his jacket as if afraid he might disappear.

“I missed you,” he said simply. “And I have something to show you.”

He stepped aside, gesturing toward a car parked at the curb. “Come with me.”

Curiosity got the better of me, and I followed him. We drove in comfortable silence until we reached a quiet neighborhood on the outskirts of the city. Calum parked the car in front of a charming house with a white picket fence and a garden bursting with flowers.

“What is this?” I asked, stepping out of the car.

He took my hand, leading me to the front porch. “It’s ours. If you want it to be.”

My breath caught. “Ours?”

He nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. “I bought this house for us, Y/N. I… I want to be with you. I don’t care about the distance or the logistics. The band is slowing down. Michael’s about to be a dad, and Luke and Sierra are thinking about starting a family too. I realised I don’t want to spend my life chasing something if it means being away from you.”

Tears welled up in my eyes as his words sank in. “Calum, are you serious?”

“Dead serious,” he said, pulling the box from his pocket. He dropped to one knee, opening it to reveal a stunning ring. “Y/N, I’ve known for a long time that you’re the one I want to spend my life with. Will you marry me?”

I stared at him, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst. “Yes,” I whispered, then louder, “Yes, Calum, I’ll marry you.”

He slipped the ring onto my finger before standing and sweeping me into his arms. We laughed and cried, holding onto each other as if the world around us had disappeared.

Planning the wedding was a whirlwind of excitement. We decided on a small, intimate ceremony in the garden of our new home. Family and close friends gathered to celebrate our love, the air filled with laughter and the scent of blooming flowers.

As I walked down the aisle, my heart swelled with emotion. Calum stood at the end, looking more handsome than ever in his suit. When our eyes met, I saw nothing but love and devotion.

The ceremony was perfect. We exchanged vows that brought tears to everyone’s eyes, promising to love and support each other through all of life’s challenges. When Calum kissed me, it felt like the beginning of a beautiful new chapter.

The reception was a joyful celebration. Michael gave a heartfelt toast that had everyone laughing and crying in equal measure. Luke and Ashton played an acoustic version of our favorite song for our first dance, and we danced under the stars, surrounded by the people who mattered most.

Life after the wedding was everything we had dreamed of and more. Calum kept his promise, commuting to LA when needed but always returning home to Melbourne. We built a life together, filled with music, love, and laughter.

One evening, as we sat on the porch of our home, watching the sunset, Calum took my hand.

“Thank you for saying yes,” he said, his voice filled with emotion.

I smiled, leaning my head on his shoulder. “Thank you for choosing me. For choosing us.”

As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, I felt a sense of peace and contentment I had never known before. Calum was my home, my heart, my everything. And as long as we were together, I knew we could face anything the future held.

[listerbirdloml]

this was probably from ages ago but some fun asks for you; favorite lister headcannons? [I]

OOH idk man i’m shit at head cannons ALSO THIS WAS SAT IN MY DRAFTS FOR AGES IM SO SORRY I THOUGHT I POSTED IT

- well in my mind i always read him with a northern english accent and i’m not sure why. i know he’s from kent like Rowan + Jimmy but he just gives off northern vibes idk. and after learning that his dads scottish i can also see him using lots of Scottish slang terms.

- i think he’s a slag for a bit of pop too. Britney, Ariana, Taylor, Reneé, you name it. he gets a bit embarrassed though so he turns off his AirBuds when he wants to listen to girly pop music. he has the widest music taste out of the ark, so his Spotify wrapped is always mental. he posts them every year and not once has the same song appeared in his top listened to

- ik he’s not like blonde blonde but i think his natural hair is a lot darker but he’s been dying it blonder since he first met Jimmy and Rowan. when the ark are on hiatus he lets it grow out to his natural colour for a bit.

- he tried to grow a stache one time but Rowan shaved it while he slept. Also he didn’t know how to shave when he first met Jimmy and Rowan, so Pierro taught him. Pierro also taught him how to tie a real tie rather than use a clip on one.

- Joan LOVED lister. she would always fuss over him when he would come over. When he’d come round he would help her in the garden, but really he was terrible and Joan would always have to fix his mistakes. when he told her about how he and his mum would listen to albums together when he was little, she began showing him her collection of old records from when she was a teen/young adult. when she died she left Lister a few of his favourites. Lister keeps them hidden at all times so when he was hosting parties there was no chance they’d get damaged. after they stopped having so many people over Lister kept them displayed in the living room.

- i think that before he and Jimmy got together he had healthy and fun relationship with someone unrelated. it’s not anything ridiculously serious but it helps him see what he should realistically be looking for and what he deserves. it’s not like he’s using the person though, and he actually really likes them. they eventually end things amicably though, and stay good friends.

- it says on the WIKI article alice wrote for him that he has three half siblings. as far as i can think there’s no canon information about them other than that, so i like to HC that they are all from his dads second marriage and they don’t talk much since Lister hasn’t been to visit his dad in years. the ages are;

1.) Lister (19-20)

2.) a sister who’s like 17ish, she’s super embarrassed about the whole ark thing and is reluctant to rebuild a relationship with him again when he reaches out to her post IWBFT, because she remembers how he used to constantly fight with their dad when he’d come over for christmas / two weeks in the summer holidays. when they do start to reconnect and get closer she helps him bond with their dad too. (maybe she’s called Maya?)

3.) a younger brother who’s 13ish and a total TWAT. they look really similar and he’s just like how Lister was in school but he’s hilarious and really admires Lister. somehow he’s stupid smart though, even if he’s class clown. i think he reaches out to Lister when he’s still in the hospital after the incident. i also think it would be funny if the younger brother’s celebrity crush was Jimmy but his image of jimmy is completely shattered when he meets him properly. (i call him Brodie in my head)

4.) his youngest sister who’s like 7 who barely remembers lister but once they get closer she has him wrapped around her little finger. he almost bought her a horse once but Jimmy and Rowan had to remind him that a 7 year old who lives in a city centre can not logistically look after a whole horse. (i think her names Eilidh)

- the ark move from the flat into a house just outside london and he makes sure they all have a room so they can visit whenever they want to.

- after getting to know them better, he gets really close with Angel and Juliet. the three of them and Bliss have “girls” nights in the arks flat. when Listers hair grows they teach him how to pleat it. he gets really good and when he starts seeing his half siblings again he pleats his sisters hair for them)

sorry idk man i yapped a bit 🤷‍♀️

[theambracer88]

911 Rewatch (Sorta; My ramblings (WIP))

🚫Possible Spoilers IF You're Planning On Watching And Haven't Yet!🚫

It has been a hot minute since I've seen the show. I've watched an episode here and there ( not in order) and figured since season 9 is a go, I'd rewatch the series. Figured I'd post some thoughts and if you guys and what not as I watch the series. Just realized I can do this on Tumblr after I've already watched the first two episodes.

I forgot how much of a himboy sex addict Buck was. He's one of my favorite characters now (as I've stated, I've seen bits and pieces (been spoiled, not that I mind spoilers) so I know he gets better. All the characters do? Maybe, but God he's so cringey (at least the first episode. Not sure about him yet through the rest, but he seems to at least be trying? Maybe? At least he didn't try to get with Abby (yet). I do like that he does wear his emotions on his sleeves (feeling bad for not being able to save someone) but I feel like that'll get him in trouble someday 🤔

I'm not 100% sure as I've only seen clips and little snippets of Buck as a bi man, but this Tommy that broke up with Abby. Is this the same Tommy as Buck's Tommy? 🤔 I'm pretty sure I saw something on TikTok where he's talking about it, but I'm not 99% sure.

I feel bad for Chimney. He just wants to do more. I hope they let him do more in the future

I forgot about the May storyline. T_T I'm so glad she's doing better, but damn, this is heartbreaking to watch. I hope Athena doesn't blame herself (which I know she probably will)

Ok, just want to reiterate (this storyline with May. With Athena and Michael being questioned as good parents, cps ><)

Also, can I just say? I love Chim, but he's lying about who he is to impress a girl. Thank God for Maddie (in the future)

"Do you think I'd be a good father?" Jee Yun (sp) and their future baby (which only reason I know she's pregnant again is because of tiktok) would agree that you are.

Chim not knowing Bobby's family is dead? wait, was that a recent thing that happened? If so, Oh boy >< but either way, that's on Bobby, but Chim was out of line ><

Holy shit, I forgot the rebar thing happened so early on >< fucking hell, Chim. ><

Tommy being mentioned again. Is he already gay at this point and they don't add that in until the storyline with Buck?

I forgot Chimney was in a coma. -_- honestly? I feel like this should've gotten a big storyline like Buck's (when he was struck by lightning -_-

Ok, Athena. Rescue the Leonard Hoffstadter (sp) lookalike as well as the rest of the plane from the big bad airport security. You go girl

Bobby T_T I know he's going through it (even if it doesn't tell us why til second season, but ><)

I know Abby has her issues (leaving Buck behind with the hopes that she'd return) but she's a good woman who wants to make sure the message of the dying got to the right people

Ok, I wasn't expecting the Bobby breakdown this early. I'm not ok -_- (I may or may not be tipsy at this point -_- Also, Is this when we find out what happened to his family? I thought it wasn't til the second season?

OMG, where did Abby's mom go??? ><

Ok, first off, Buck finally meeting Abby? Cute (even if it doesn't last)

Second, Bobby Nash, you did not murder your own freaking family. That was an accident. Accidents happen and (I'm not going to get into it because of logistics but ><)

Ok, I can see why he blames himself, but people under the influence >< I just ... no words

Ok, Bobby. Introduce us to you

Also, why did I like Abby & Buck at season 1? They're most likely the same age difference than my mom and I (my mom did have me at a younger age, so 15 years which still >< I'm like @_@

Not me forgetting about the psycho women in season 1 valentine episode and not Buck choking -_- His whump (am I weird that I like seeing Buck go through it?) started here

Question. I haven't really payed attention, but does Chimney still have that scar from the rebar? Just curious because I've got a scar (granted, I've had 6 open heart surgeries before the age of 7) that while faded hasn't disappeared, so I guess his scar could have faded depending how long it's been between season one and season 8?

Honestly? Buck being good at delivering babies makes so much more sense. Thank you Bobby.

I forgot Hen wasn't always faithful to her wife. I hated this story line, but I also don't like how it disappeared -_-