#it’s actually so interesting thinking about this because the fact it’s so subtle you won’t see it

[ovaryacted]

Just the thought of Jack Abbot having a fucking hand tremor and not being able to do his job to his full capacity much like in Grey’s Anatomy when Derek hurt his hand after the plane crash and he couldn’t perform neurosurgeries for a while until he healed. I’m deadass sitting here thinking about it not trying to cry. I’m gonna say he was just having slight PTSD during the mass casualty incident and he was fighting to prevent having an episode because his brain is trying to trick him into thinking he’s still a combat medic. HE WAS JUST TIRED! HE NEEDED TO SLEEP! 💔 To the anon who noticed that and sent it to rue ( @oldermenfucker ) to gif, count your fucking days. John Wells, you will be dealt with.

[monotonesmile]

Hi wanted say thank you for part and I'm thinking requesting a RIse Donnie x from turtle reader and I'm thinking the turtle still be red ear and I'm thinking it be like opposites attract?

Opposites Attract

[Donnie X Fem!Turtle!Reader]

[Warnings: N/A]

[Fic Genre: Headcanons, Fluff]

[Notes: The purple autistic man, the urple turtle, dancey man. I tried, he’s the hardest for me to write.]

——————————————————

[First Meeting]

All Donnie had wanted to do was walk around the Hidden City underneath Manhattan, his brothers were exploring their own areas while he was walking around a small yet bustling shopping district, drinking some drink he bought at a stand, it was honestly delicious, no regrets.

Donnie was making his way through the small shopping area when he accidentally bumped into another person, causing his drink to spill, much to his dismay as he stared at the fallen cup, but when a voice took him out of his thoughts, he looked up to see another turtle, but definitely not one of his brothers.

The other turtle, who he already clocked as female, was apologizing to him despite the fact that he was the one to bump into her as he wasn’t looking when they collided, but she still apologized to him, which he had begrudgingly accepted the apology before quietly apologizing as well for bumping into her. Though he did lose his drink, which is annoying.

She had winced when she saw the spilled drink on the ground, rubbing the back of her neck, she offered to buy him a new drink because he spilled his and it was partially her fault, which Donnie didn’t really think about it much before agreeing, because hey, free drink, win win.

So, they head on back to where Donnie bought his drink, which was a little cafe, paying for his new drink and even buying him something to eat from the cafe, which Donnie didn’t mind, it was free food, and she was still be apologetic, so might as well indulge himself.

It was actually kinda nice to have someone to talk to while he was walking around the shopping district, she was actually listening to his rambling about his most recent inventions, even as the two separated and went their separate ways, he’s can think to himself and believe he had a rather nice time with her despite her more boisterous behavior, it was almost like a breath of fresh air away from his brothers and stress, maybe they’ll meet again.

[Falling in love]

Donnie is definitely slow to fall in love with anyone, he doesn’t usually experience many romantic feelings, so if he does actually end up falling for you, count yourself lucky because you are going to be in for one hell of a ride.

He honestly wouldn’t act much different after he realized that he likes her, nothing changes so it’d be very difficult to tell if he has a crush unless you know him really well, he’ll still act like the sassy and smart mouth that he is, but it’s the subtle things that shift when he ends up with a crush.

Some of the small details that change about Donnie is that he’d be even more interested in her hobbies than he already was, he’ll end up listening to her ramble about the things she loves for hours and he won’t say a word to make her stop. Another thing is that he’s more open to her outgoing and loud personality, his twin is about the same way, he’s used to the boisterous attitude.

But when it comes to finally confessing, Donnie is without a doubt, horrible at it as it requires him to show his true self to a person, and it is nerve wracking for him, even if he’s planned it all out, her outgoing and bubbly personality will always be jarring to him despite it being the main reason he feels the way he does, it makes him stumble over his word, but eventually, he gets his act together and confesses.

And is overjoyed, not that he’ll show it, when she returns his feelings and is just as flustered as he is about it.

[Dating]

Now onto the fun stuff.

Donnie is rather chill in a relationship, he doesn’t see any reason in changing how he acts just because you’re dating now, you already liked each other for just acting the way you usually do, why would you change it now?

Though, he’s definitely more open to being touched by her now, originally he would limit touch to a pat on the shoulder or the occasional brush against the shoulder, but now he’s happy to hold hands or her holding onto the sleeve of one of his hoodies, he doesn’t mind it much now, but he would still like his boundaries to be respected.

When it inevitably comes to confrontations, Donnie is perfectly fine letting her deal with it as she’s far more comfortable with speaking than he is, it’s not that he’s scared of confronting people, he just finds dealing with ignorant and immature people incredibly annoying and would rather avoid it if he can. So he just lets her deal with it.

Donnie actually enjoys having someone that will listen to his insane ramblings at three in the morning, Leo can only handle so much insomnia rambles, but now Donnie has a girlfriend that will happily sit up throughout the hours of the night listening to him as he tinkers in his lab, but even he knows that they have to sleep eventually, and he’ll let her pull him away from his work when he grows sluggish so they can go sleep.

He tolerates sleeping in the same bed together, he doesn’t mind it, sometimes it’s nice to have someone to wake up too, but he also wants to be alone some nights, and that’s perfectly okay, they both understand if one or the other don’t want to sleep in the same bed, she can sleep in her home or in the spare bedroom.

Congratulations, you are now subjected to his amazing dancing and music, you will be dancing with him, whether it’s fast paced or a slow dance, you’re dancing together. He doesn’t have the gamer tag of Bootyyyshaker9000 for nothing after all.

[General Romantic Headcanons]

Donnie likes to have his head rubbed like a cat, he will churr the entire time you’re petting him, it is one of the few times he’s really touchy, sometimes it’s just nice to feel loved, so pet the turtle.

He might ask you if you could check in his shell after a fight with a villain, or when he feels insecure about the scars left behind after the Kraang invasion, but it’s a big sign of trust from Donnie, he hates feeling vulnerable so be gentle and reassure him that he’s going to be okay.

He enjoys cuddling, he likes being held, it does not matter if you’re busy, he’ll plop down onto you if he wants attention, it’s something he and Leo share, but it needs to be on his terms, much like a cat.

——————————————————

[Masterlist]

[moonstruckme]

Hiiiiii mae 🥹 I have a prompt if you might be interested? First prompt not-anon, second request total 💃🏻

At work they play the radio and I heard in an interview that humans are born with only 2 natural fears: falling and loud sounds. Those fears are universal and the only things people are born fearing - every other fear is learned!

I couldn’t help but think of sweet Spencer explaining this when placating (or trying to placate) reader who is anxious/has a phobia/is feeling nervous! Hope it inspires something but no pressure xoxoxoxoxo love you long time

Hey babe, thanks for requesting!!

cw: public speaking anxiety, criminal case in court (case details not discussed)

Spencer Reid x fem!reader ♡ 573 words

You’re cold with sweat and trembling in your fingers when Spencer sits down next to you. 

“Hi,” he says. He sounds nearly as nervous as he makes you. His voice, you’ve noticed, is as gentle as his disposition, unchanging regardless of who he’s speaking to. And you’ve heard plenty of Spencer Reid’s voice throughout this case. 

You keep your arms stuck tight to your sides, wary of what you suspect to be atrociously large pit stains. “Hi.” 

“Do you want some water?” 

You take the bottle he holds out to you, not because you do want it but because you’re too nervous to contradict anyone about anything right now. You wonder if that makes you susceptible to suggestion. If so, that will probably not hold up very well in literal court. 

If Spencer’s dissatisfied with the tiny sip you take from the water bottle, he doesn’t say so. 

“You seem nervous,” he says, somehow both kind and matter-of-fact at once. “Is it because of the defense?” 

You shake your head, though that’s not untrue. The defense attorney is only one of the myriad of people you’re going to be expected to speak in front of in a few minutes. Your heart is a squirrel in your chest, scampering wildly

“I don’t really like public speaking,” you say. 

Spencer nods pensively. He’s good at this, at making you feel like he’s really absorbing what you have to say. You’ve wondered on occasion if it’s part of his training. 

“You know, it’s interesting,” he says. “There are actually only two natural fears that humans are born with; falling and loud sounds. Everything else is learned, we pick it up somewhere.” Spencer sets his elbows on his legs, slouching so he can see your face. He’s so handsome it’s unbearable. “Where do you think your fear of public speaking came from?” 

It has the makings of a personal question, but Spencer’s curiosity seems so pure it’s hard to hold it against him. 

“I don’t know,” you answer honestly. “It’s just always made me nervous.” 

Spencer’s mouth purses. “It might have been so early or subtle that you don’t remember. For a lot of people it comes from feeling like they’re going to be judged.” 

Your lip finds its way between your teeth without your permission, and when you look over Spencer’s gaze is knowing. 

“Everyone is here to judge the accused,” he says gently, “not you. You’re important as a witness, and we’re lucky to have you here, but no one is going to care if you mess up. Their job is to pay attention to what you say, not how you say it. All you have to do is tell the truth.” 

“Yeah.” You try to breathe in, but the air won’t settle in your lungs. “Yeah, okay.” 

“There shouldn’t be any loud sounds or falling in there,” Spencer goes on. If he wasn’t such a professional, you’d almost think he was joking with you. “So nothing’s going to hurt you. You’ll be okay, okay?” 

You glance at him again, and the profiler’s lips are curved in a small smile. You don’t know how he can do it, stay so good when he spends his whole day knee-deep in the minds of bad guys. But despite what he does for a living and all he’s certainly been through because of it, there’s a lightness about Spencer. It feels like peace. 

“Yeah,” you say again. “Thanks.” 

[777bae]

WINNING WITH YOU JAMES HAGENS

Summary :: James is relentless—grinning, pleading, pulling out every trick in the book to get you into a matching outfit for the hockey event. You refuse, of course. But when he wraps you up in his warmth, whispering promises and pressing soft kisses to your temple, resistance starts to feel impossible. (REQUESTED :: prompt 2)

Warnings :: kissing

Word count :: 1.4k

James has always had a way of getting under your skin, but not in the annoying way that people usually do. He knows exactly what to say and how to say it, how to get you to crack a smile even when you’re in one of those moods where you’d rather not be bothered. His charm isn’t the loud, in-your-face kind—it’s quieter, more subtle. It’s in the way he knows when you need space, and when you need him to just be there. And when he wants something, he has a way of asking for it that’s impossible to refuse, even if you know exactly what he’s doing.

That’s how it’s been with James. Over the years, you’ve gotten used to his brand of sweetness—his inability to let you shut him out, his relentless, puppy-dog persistence when there’s something he wants. The truth is, you’ve come to love it, even though you’d never admit it aloud. It’s almost like you’re his project to fix, and he takes it on like a challenge. The grumpy girl who won’t let anyone get close? He’s the guy who smiles through it, wins you over, and somehow always manages to soften you up.

Tonight, though, there’s something different in the air. There’s a certain spark of energy about him that you can’t ignore. He’s been talking about this hockey event for weeks, hyping it up like it’s the most important thing on the planet. It’s one of those high-energy, all-you-can-eat-in-the-luxury-suite kind of events that feels a little too extravagant for your taste. Still, you’ve agreed to go, mostly because he’s so excited, and you know he’ll make it fun no matter how much you try to pretend you’re not interested.

But tonight, you can tell there’s something he’s not saying. Something that’s been hanging in the air all evening, making you feel like you’re on the edge of a cliff, waiting for him to push you over the edge.

“Babe,” James calls from the bedroom, his voice breaking through your quiet solitude on the couch. You’re curled up in your oversized hoodie, scrolling through your phone aimlessly, trying not to get sucked into his excitement. But it’s hard to ignore him when he calls you like that—soft and warm, just the way he always does when he wants something. “I need your opinion on something.”

You sigh, glancing up. You can’t say you’re thrilled at the thought of actually moving from your cozy spot, but something in his tone makes you curious. You set your phone aside, the fabric of the couch soft beneath you as you push yourself up. “Hmm?”

You step into the bedroom, fully prepared for whatever nonsense he’s about to present to you. You know him well enough by now to know that when he looks like this—excited, eager, almost like a kid—it’s usually because he has a plan. You find him standing there, holding up two matching outfits, the kind of thing that makes your stomach twist into a knot of reluctance. One is a black-and-white jersey combo, the other a sleek, custom hoodie and scarf with your names stitched across the back. He’s smiling at you like he’s about to hand you the keys to a treasure chest.

“What do you think?” he asks, practically bouncing on his heels. His grin is wide, his energy so contagious it’s hard to ignore. “I was thinking we could totally match tonight. You’ll look amazing, I swear. It’ll be fun, we’ll totally be that couple.”

You blink, and for a moment, your expression freezes, the weight of indifference pulling at you. The idea of showing up to this loud, chaotic event, in a matching outfit with him, isn’t exactly thrilling. In fact, it sounds like your personal nightmare. Matching outfits are the kind of thing you only see on cheesy Instagram couples or at family photoshoots. Not on you. Not tonight.

You cross your arms, giving him the best skeptical look you can muster. You know you’re probably going to give in, but you’re determined to hold out a little longer. “I’m good with my hoodie, thanks.”

James doesn’t even flinch. Instead, he steps closer, his grin growing wider as he steps into your space, his hands gently gripping your wrists. The way he looks at you, with that unwavering certainty in his eyes, could melt any resistance you’ve got left. His face is inches from yours, and you can feel his warmth radiating against your skin. It makes everything feel like it’s in slow motion. “Come on, baby,” he says, his voice dropping lower, teasing and coaxing at once. “You know you wanna. You’ll be the hottest girl there, I promise. All eyes will be on us.”

You scoff, but you can’t help the flicker of amusement that crosses your face. The thought of matching with him—really matching—does have its appeal. Walking into that suite with him, proud and smiling, drawing every eye in the room. You can’t deny that it’s kind of a power move. Still, you’re not ready to give in. Not yet.

“I said no,” you mutter, trying your hardest to sound firm, even though a tiny part of you already knows you’re going to cave.

But James isn’t backing down. His eyes spark with determination, a mischievous glint dancing in his gaze. Without another word, he pulls you into his arms, wrapping you up in that warm, comforting embrace that’s always been able to quiet your thoughts. His body against yours feels like a solid, grounding force, and you can’t help but relax into it. His voice drops to a near-whisper as he presses his lips to the top of your head.

“Just one time, baby,” he murmurs, the words practically spilling from his lips. “I promise, you’ll love it. We’ll match, and I’ll be the happiest guy ever. We’ll show up and you can make fun of me all night. Just please?”

You feel your resistance start to crack. That quiet pressure in his voice, the way he holds you, the little bit of vulnerability you hear in his plea—it makes it harder than usual to say no. You lean into him, letting the warmth of his embrace seep in. You feel him press a soft kiss to your temple, his lips lingering there just long enough for you to know he’s not going to let this go.

It’s like he’s been waiting for this moment, knowing exactly how to break you down without being too pushy. He’s got that damn look in his eyes again—the one that makes you feel like you’re the most important thing in the world to him. And you know he’s been planning this, picturing the two of you together, smiling and laughing, living this little adventure of his.

With a sigh, you pull back just enough to look at him, trying to maintain your air of annoyance. But you know you’re fighting a losing battle. You can’t deny the way your heart warms whenever he looks at you like this.

“Fine,” you mutter under your breath, barely audible. “I’ll wear the damn matching hoodie.”

James’s face lights up like you’ve just given him a gift. His eyes widen, and his smile stretches even further, if that’s even possible. He looks at you like you’ve just made his whole day. He takes a step back, still holding onto your arms, but now with the excitement of a kid on Christmas morning.

“Really?” he asks, the joy in his voice impossible to hide.

You can’t help the small smile tugging at the corners of your lips. You cross your arms, trying to act unaffected. “Yeah, but I’m only doing this because you’re cute,” you admit, your voice barely more than a whisper.

James’s grin widens so much you’re pretty sure his face might hurt. Without missing a beat, he leans in and presses a quick kiss to your lips, this one lingering a little longer than the others. It’s soft, sweet, and the taste of victory is on his lips. His hands gently pull the hoodie over your head, and as you stand there, looking at him in his matching set, you can’t help but feel a sense of…rightness.

There’s something about this—something simple and silly—that you wouldn’t trade for anything else. James, with all his charm and persistence, has a way of making these moments feel special, even when you try to fight it.

“Come on,” he says, tugging your hand and guiding you toward the door. “Let’s go show them what a couple of winners look like.”

And as you step into the night, the matching outfits now your shared armor, you can’t help but smile. It’s moments like this—small, spontaneous, and filled with laughter—that remind you why you love him so much.

[dn-hc]

Can you do a story of their first fight, including what they are thinking and feeling

L Lawliet

The Fight: Over her retreating emotionally and refusing to explain why.

Context: She's clearly unwell. She's withdrawn, emotionally flat, and not communicating. L notices everything—subtle changes in tone, behavior, and facial microexpressions. He asks gently, even indirectly, but she responds with deflection or logic. Eventually, he stops asking—until she disappears to cope alone, possibly dangerously.

L’s internal reaction: “She does not trust me with her pain. I have failed to make myself a safe person. That is... troubling.”

But he doesn’t react emotionally. He observes. And when she returns—fine, intact, collected—he doesn’t yell. He simply states, flatly, “You vanished. That was not acceptable.”

What he’s really feeling: A mixture of helplessness and confusion. He doesn't know how to pull someone closer without using logic or leverage. He wants to say please trust me, but that would imply vulnerability. Instead, he tries to construct a behavioral strategy: what caused the retreat? What signals preceded it? How do I prevent recurrence?

What the fight looks like: Cold. Quiet. Tension through clipped dialogue.

L: “You do not get to remove yourself from the board without informing the team.”

It ends with distance. L doesn’t raise his voice, but he stops sitting close. Stops reaching. She knows he’s waiting for her to bridge the gap—and hates that he might never ask her to.

Light Yagami

The Fight: Over her challenging his self-righteous logic, especially in moral decisions.

Context: Light makes a sweeping moral argument about sacrifice for the greater good. She coolly points out the flawed logic, maybe accuses him of using righteousness to mask self-interest. She doesn’t shout—just dissects. And that infuriates him.

Light’s internal reaction: “How dare she frame me as manipulative. I know exactly what I’m doing. I’m protecting people.”

But her calm, surgical honesty forces him to confront the fact that she’s not emotionally attached to being right. She just is, and that makes her dangerous.

What he’s really feeling: Threatened. Not because he’s wrong—but because she sees through the emotional theater he uses to sway others. And he wants to impress her, not be exposed by her.

What the fight looks like: Sharp words. Passive-aggressive logic. Surface civility with violent subtext.

Light: “It’s easy to criticize from the sidelines. I actually do the work.”

Her: “And I’ve done it without assuming I’m the only one who can.”

Light: “So now you’re calling me arrogant?”

Her: “If the word fits.”

He walks out first. Slams the door. Then paces behind it, half-expecting her to follow. When she doesn’t—that bothers him more than the fight.

Mihael Keehl

The Fight: Over her refusing to react emotionally when he lashes out.

Context: Mello’s under pressure—maybe something happened with Near, or a lead blew up. He takes it out on her, verbally sharp. She doesn’t rise to it. She stays distant, quiet. Maybe even sarcastic. She doesn’t play his game.

Mello’s internal reaction: “Why won’t she hit back? Cry? Scream? Anything. Don’t just stand there like I don’t matter.”

What he’s really feeling: Powerless. Mello thrives on emotional exchange—intensity, passion, reaction. Her restraint reads as rejection. It hits a primal nerve: you don’t care enough to fight me.

What the fight looks like: Explosive on his side, ice-cold on hers.

Mello: “Say something, dammit! I’m not doing this alone!”

Her: “Then don’t do it at all.”

Mello: “I’d rather you hate me than treat me like a ghost.”

Her: “I don’t hate you. I just don’t fight dirty.”

He might throw something—never at her, just near. He leaves. Then texts her hours later, a single word, "Sorry.”

She doesn’t answer until the next day. It kills him.

Mail Jeevas

The Fight: Over her assuming he doesn’t care because he’s passive.

Context: She hits a breaking point. Matt seems too chill, too uninvolved, too willing to “let things play out.” She interprets that as detachment. Maybe she accuses him of not caring when she needed him.

Matt’s internal reaction: “That’s not fair. I didn’t want to pressure her. I thought space was what she needed.”

He’s not confrontational, but this hurts. She misread him, and he didn’t stop her from doing it. That hurts more.

What he’s really feeling: Shame. He wanted to be easy to be with, not invisible. Her words make him feel like a placeholder, not a partner.

What the fight looks like: Low energy, soft sadness. Not dramatic—just weary.

Her: “You didn’t even ask if I was okay.”

Matt: “I figured you’d tell me if you wanted to talk.”

Her: “Sometimes silence is a cry, Matt.”

Matt: “Then I missed it. And I’m sorry.”

There’s no yelling. But they both go to bed a little hollow that night. He leaves a note under her pillow the next morning. She reads it in silence.

Nate River

The Fight: Over her accusing him of emotional cowardice.

Context: She opens up—vulnerable, raw—and Near gives her nothing. Not cruelty, not rejection. Just intellectual response. Maybe even praise for her logical coherence. She feels dismissed. She tells him.

Near’s internal reaction: “It is not cowardice to refrain from feigning emotion I do not possess.”

But somewhere deep down, it stings. He knows he cannot meet her where she is, and for the first time, he wants to. That unfamiliar longing frightens him more than her accusation.

What he’s really feeling: Inadequate. Not intellectually—but emotionally. And it frustrates him.

What the fight looks like: Detached tone vs. piercing truth.

Her: “It’s like talking to glass. I can see through you, but I can’t touch you.”

Near: “That does not mean I do not hear you.”

Her: “Then why don’t I ever feel it?”

He offers her a toy the next day—something small, symbolic. He doesn’t explain it. She understands anyway. It's the closest he comes to an apology.

Misa Amane

The Fight: Over her going silent during Misa’s emotional breakdown.

Context: Misa’s overwhelmed—jealous, insecure, spiraling. She goes to her for comfort, but she doesn’t match her emotional tempo. She stays calm. Logical. Maybe too quiet. Misa interprets that as rejection.

Misa’s internal reaction: “You don’t love me enough to get upset. I’m falling apart and you won’t even flinch.”

She lashes out, crying.

What she’s really feeling: Terrified. Misa needs emotional mirroring to feel real. Her detachment feels like abandonment.

What the fight looks like: Highly emotional on Misa’s side. Minimal response from her girlfriend, which escalates it further.

Misa: “You don’t care! You don’t feel anything!”

Her: “That’s not true.”

Misa: “Then show me! Say something! Yell! Cry! Anything!”

Her: “If I cried, would that fix it?”

Misa sobs herself to sleep that night. Her girlfriend stays nearby, holding her hand loosely. She doesn’t leave. Misa notices.

[sleepingdeath-light]

relationship hcs ; lu guang

requested by ; mod / self indulgent

fandom(s) ; link click

fandom masterlist(s) ; here

character(s) ; lu guang

outline ; “dating hcs for lu guang”

warning(s) ; none, just fluff!

as far as boyfriends go, lu guang is probably one of the most reliable and loyal ones around. sure he has his secrets and his flaws, but he’s also more than willing to move mountains for you or put his life on the line if that’s what it takes to keep you safe

doesn’t really ‘do’ pet names per se and nine times out of ten will just call you by your first name, but he also won’t stop you from calling him ‘babe’ or whatever — just as long as you save the sappy/corny stuff (that he pretends not to like) for when you’re alone because god knows cheng and qiao will never let him live down being referred to as ‘honey bunny’ or whatever

prefers to sleep with you in his arms, either on his side with your head tucked under his chin or on his back with you curled up on his chest

he may be nicer to you than most people, but that doesn’t mean lu guang is above calling you an idiot when you’re acting like one. being his partner doesn’t suddenly make you exempt from his honesty, it just means he tries to be a bit kinder about his critiques than usual

very good at remembering all the small details about you that others might not pick up on at all — i.e. if you’re sensitive to certain textures in food then he’ll adapt his cooking and plating style to accommodate that (e.g. plating certain sides separately, cooking meats more thoroughly, etc.), if there are certain fabrics that make your skin crawl then he’ll start double checking the clothes he buys to make sure those fabrics aren’t brought into your shared home, if the smell of his body wash or cologne is too strong for you then he’ll swap them out for something more subtle, and so on

and don’t even try to think that any of this is ‘too much’ or ‘a bother’ or ‘a hassle’ to lu guang because he could never think about you that way — if he loves you (and he does) then he’ll do what he can to make you happy and comfortable

(even if you never outright tell him any of this out of the fear of being perceived as too sensitive or fussy or whatever else)

so, yeah, needless to say acts of service is a big love language of his — and, as such, he does greatly appreciate it whenever you go out of your way to take care of him (especially after he was shot and not exactly as independent as he would have liked for a while)

does occasionally get jealous but doesn’t show it as overtly as other men might — e.g. he just gets quieter and a touch more withdrawn, and he wouldn’t dream of lashing out at anyone unless they were actually making you feel unsafe or uncomfortable — but if you call him out on it after the fact he gets quite embarrassed and tries to deny it (yes, even if you only brought it up to comfort/reassure him)

pretty neutral about pda and will do whatever as long as he doesn’t think it’s over the top (and as long as he’s, you know, not actively trying to do his job). for example, hand holding while out shopping and you cuddling up to him when you’re sat side by side are fine, but you tackle-hugging up or jumping onto his lap at random is sure to catch him off guard and fluster him (maybe even making him blush) before he regains his composure and (lovingly) scolds you for it

the quickest way to fluster him is to kiss him on the palms of his hands or on the nape of his neck

aside from your lips, his favourite place to kiss you is the crown of your head — though admittedly it is a close tie between that and your cheeks

will tell you about his powers eventually, but in the interest of keeping you alive and safe for as long as possible he kind of just keeps putting it off — like he does with his other loved ones (outside of cheng xiaoshi… obviously)

[yours-etc]

old old old wip of mine! enjoy some greatwise!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Joyce always told him that one day, someone would come along and give him either a bouquet of flowers or a reason to smile, every day. Will gave up on that dream by the time he was eleven and realized he wasn't like most boys his age. Other boys his age didn't stare at their best friend and blush, they didn’t like other boys the way Will did. He learned to be okay with losing this dream, and with getting sucked into an alternate dimension, and fighting said dimension two more times, Will had accepted that love was just not in the cards for him. Joyce however, doubled down on her beliefs.

“You kids need some form of normalcy in your lives, Go out and kiss a boy Will! It won’t kill you”

And he thought California would be a fresh start, something new. Somewhere that he could kiss a boy, and it is okay, that he would be okay. And he did kiss boys, several actually. They just never felt right.

The first was James Thomas. James was a sophomore in band. He played the tuba. And that's where the interesting parts of his personality both started and ended.

Then there was Luke Taylor. He was the captain of the soccer team. 5’10” at best. He kissed Will under the bleachers during third-period biology lab. They were lab partners and were sent to look for samples of various plants on campus. Luke pulled him over to the bleacher and kissed him like he was mad at the world, and he probably was. James and a cheerleader named Lucy Miller started dating the next day. Will felt bad for Lucy.

Lastly, there was Gregory Grant. They kissed many times. Gregory was in Will’s history class. He was smart and listened to Will talk about his D&D characters for hours. He would have been the perfect boyfriend, he was the perfect boyfriend for three months. Nothing was wrong with Gregory, besides the fact that he wasn’t Mike. They parted with sad smiles and shattered hearts. Will cried for a month for what he did to Gregory.

Then the world decided to end again. He was fighting monsters thousands of miles away. Mike came to visit and broke Will’s heart. But he couldn’t dwell on it too long because, well there were bigger issues at stake.

The Byers-Hopper household moved back to Hawkins in the summer of ‘86. And Will joined Hellfire.

Enter Gareth Emerson.

Gareth was the exact breath of fresh air Will didn’t know he needed. The two of them were practically attached at the hip the second Will came to the first Hellfire meeting. It only took a month for Gareth to kiss him. It was sweet and soft and gentle.

It was during a movie night Steve was hosting for the party. The rest of Hellfire was invited because Steve thought that the kids needed to hang out with other people outside of school besides each other. Will knew it was because Steve and Eddie were together and trying to blend friend groups. It wasn’t hard to figure out, they weren’t exactly subtle. That and Will walked in on them kissing in the pantry last week. Will needed to get more water in the middle of the movie. He was sitting on the outer edge of the group so he didn't think anyone heard him get up and leave. He was filling up his cup when Gareth made himself known.

“You okay?”

It startled Will and made him drop the glass he was holding. Luckily it didn’t break, but that didn’t make it less embarrassing.

“Jesus you scared me,” He said picking up his cup from the sink and filling it back up again.

Gareth laughed and walked over to stand next to Will, “Sorry, just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Perfectly okay, just needed a refill,” He held his glass up showcasing the now re-re-filled cup, “I tried to sneak out so I wouldn’t disturb anyone.”

“Well, I would always notice when you're not in the room,” Gareth let out, then holding his breath.

“Oh yeah?” Will teased, “What are you a stalker or something?”

The curly-haired boy smirked, “Yeah, or something.”

Will didn’t realize how close to one another they were. Gareth’s shoulder was pressed to his and if he extended it pinky just a hair, their hands would touch. Will’s eyes dropped Gareth’s mouth, then shot back up to his eyes. There was something his the boy’s eyes that Will, could now confidently say was love, but at that moment was unreadable. He could however see that Gareth was thinking, trying to decide what to do next. He was chewing on the inside of his cheek slightly, a habit Will noticed Gareth had during D&D.

This gave Will the confidence to ask, “What are you thinking about?”

“What to do next.” The statement came quickly, and Will was shocked at the honesty.

He nodded and leaned into Gareth’s space a bit more “Want to share with the class what the opinions are? Help you make a decision?”

Gareth shook his head. He turned to cage Will against the counter. He wasn’t much taller than Will, but in that moment it felt larger than life. “No, I’ve actually decided what I'm going to do.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, I just hope it's the right one.”

“Well, you never know till you try.”

Gareth lets out a Mhmm and lowers his face till his nose brushes against Will’s, “I’ve been wanting to do this for weeks.”

Will raises his hands to rest on Gareth’s shoulders, they drag down a bit to settle on the boy’s flannel collar, “You still haven’t done anything yet-”

Gareth closes the distance between them, hands gripping the counter for support as he leans down. Will smiles into it and grabs his hands pulling them to rest on his hips, “Come on now, if you’re going to kiss me do it for real.”

And that's all the encouragement the older boy needs. His grip tightens on Will and becomes more confident in how he moves. The kiss is still soft and sweet, but there's the hint of what it could turn to, the want behind both of them.

Someone coughs behind Gareth and both the boys freeze.

“Ya know you should be careful where you kiss, you never know who's going to walk in,” Eddie's voice sounds from the darkness.

The light flicks on, “Come on boys you gotta be more careful than that,” Steve says walking up behind Eddie.

“Oh please I caught you two in the pantry last week, so don't even start with that,” Will says without thinking.

“BYERS YOU LITTLE SHIT!” Eddie laughs, “Alright well at least wrap it up before-” He never finished the sentence as Gareth launched himself at Eddie, the two metal heads chasing each other out of the kitchen and into the living room, bothering the rest of the crew.

Steve comes up and slings an arm around Will, “Come on baby Byers, let's make sure they don’t put a hole in my wall.”

Weekly double date nights became routine for the four of them. Drive-in movies, dinners at the local 24-hour dinner, or game nights in. It didn’t matter what it was, it just mattered that they did it together, it mattered that this was theirs. It was their little pocket of safety and happiness. Eventually, Robin got the courage to ask out Vickie. They quickly made 4 into 6 and their circle grew a little bigger.

The six of them keep their relationships not necessarily a secret, but certainly not public. They never outwardly told the party, but if they picked up on it they certainly didn’t make it known. They all knew the dangers of other people knowing, more people to slip up, and more people to accidentally tell the wrong person. It was better to be quiet in public.

Will did tell Joyce, and Gareth told his parents. And monthly family dinners became the new normal. It was nice to hold his boyfriend's hand in his house, to feel some form of normalcy, just for a moment.

The summer of ‘86 was a bundle of happiness for Will Byers.

[blackenedsnow]

Can I ask you to write headcanons for the Dudes on their s/o being a cat person and having a lot of cats at home (probably in their 30s). Knowing how Dude treats cats in the games, I think it would be interesting to see their reactions.

the dudes having a cat person s/o with lots of cats ; headcanons

WARNING: None

PAIRING: Postal (1) Dude x Reader, Postal (2) Dude x Reader, Postal (3) Dude x Reader, Postal (4) Dude x Reader, Postal (BD) Dude x Reader, Postal (Movie) Dude x Reader

NOTE: EVERY SINGLE DUDE OKAY LETS GO

P1 DUDE

P1 isn’t the most expressive person, but when he first walks into your home filled with cats, he doesn’t seem bothered by it.

He’s got a soft spot for animals in his own way, especially considering how they’re often the only living things he doesn’t lash out at.

He’ll silently acknowledge them, maybe giving them a nod as if they understand each other.

The cats actually help calm him down.

P1 has a lot of internal turmoil, and being around your calm and curious cats is one of the few things that grounds him.

He finds their quiet presence soothing, even if he never says it out loud.

He won’t actively seek out the cats for affection, but if one comes over and curls up on him, he’ll stay still, letting it be.

Over time, you might catch him absentmindedly petting one of them while lost in thought.

It’s subtle, but it’s a sign of his trust in both you and the animals.

P2 DUDE

P2 has been through some weird stuff, so the idea of you having a house full of cats doesn’t exactly faze him.

In fact, he seems oddly cool with it.

But, at first he does NOT shut up about how dogs are better

He secretly loves your cats, and you’ll often catch him joking about how your house has become a “feline kingdom.”

He’s the type to start naming the cats ridiculous things like “Mr. Whiskers” or “Claws McGraw,” and you’ll often find him playing with them using improvised toys.

There’s something about the fun of having so many cats that just fits with his lifestyle, and he’ll probably end up forming a bond with a few of them.

You might find him using one of the cats as an improvised something again, but only when he’s in a pinch.

He’ll definitely give them a good pet afterward and make sure they’re okay.

It’s part of his strange way of showing love, and he’ll treat them like royalty when he’s not in survival mode.

P3 DUDE

P3 has a bit of a different energy.

When he walks into your cat-filled home, he’s not sure what the hell to do at first.

He’s unsure how to approach the situation, because usually he's kidnapping cats.

Over time, he gets used to the cats.

He might roughly try to pet one, in a loving way, looking to you for guidance on how to handle them.

P3 will eventually start trying to “win over” the cats, bringing treats or toys in an attempt to earn their approval.

You might catch him quietly whispering

“Hey, little guy, you like me, right? You like me more right? Way more?”

He’s got an endearing side to him when he’s trying hard to impress.

P4 DUDE

The moment P4 steps into your home and sees all of your cats lounging around, he’s thrilled.

“Damn, look at all these fluffy little guys!”

He’s immediately down on the floor, trying to pet as many as possible and get them to love him.

He’s the type to instantly form a connection with your cats.

You’ll often find him with a few of them on his lap or one draped over his shoulder while he's napping.

He probably has ongoing conversations with the cats, acting like they’re part of the family and sometimes even asking them for advice when you’re not around.

Because he's dumb and weird. Duh.

Expect him to start spoiling them, sneaking them treats when you’re not looking, and building elaborate little cat forts out of cardboard boxes.

BD DUDE

BD’s reaction is one of sheer confusion at first.

He walks in, sees all the cats, and probably stares at them for a long moment.

“Wait… how many cats are there again?”

His sense of reality might be a little warped, but he finds the whole thing odd.

He’ll likely try to communicate with the cats in strange ways, meowing at them or mimicking their movements.

It doesn’t always make sense, but the cats seem to tolerate him, and he finds their reactions endlessly entertaining.

Despite his strange behavior, he manages to coexist with your cats, and they oddly seem to flock to him.

Maybe it’s because they recognize the energy he gives off, but either way, you’ll often find him surrounded by a bunch of your cats, all of them staring at him like they understand something you don’t.

MOVIE DUDE

He's SO gentle when it comes to these little guys.

He respects cats in the same way he respects you—creatures that do what they want, on their terms.

He admires their independence and sharp instincts.

He’s extremely protective of your cats, much like he is with you.

If anything threatens them—whether it’s a stray dog or an intruder—he won’t hesitate to step in.

He’s oddly defensive about them, as if he sees them as part of his new, makeshift family.

Unlike some of the other Dudes, he’s quieter in his interactions with the cats.

You might find him sitting in the corner, watching them with a small smirk on his face as they go about their business.

He’s content just being around them, appreciating their quiet companionship.

He really, really wants them to like him.

But he also doesn't wanna be attacked

So he's stuck.

[0viraptoraskblog]

Hello!! This is my first time requesting so I’m really nervous. But I was wondering what Strade, Ren and Lawrence would think if MC had a wheelchair and couldn’t walk? Or maybe even scoliosis (bonus points if they’re shy)? I’m sorry if it’s too specific! Thank you :)

Hello! It’s not too specific, don’t worry! And welcome to my ask box ^^

Strade- well, at first, you’re still getting tied to the pole downstairs— so you’re getting dumped on the floor. He’ll keep the wheelchair for a bit, just in case, but you’ll be on the floor just like everyone else. Strade is interested in people’s differences though! He’d definitely talk about it with you to figure out more about your condition. He is genuinely curious, but he also might use some of it against you in his ‘games’. Wherever on your body is weakest, he’ll target first. He might also test your legs to see if they feel pain/react differently since you can’t walk. If he’s feeling like teasing he may claim that it could ‘fix your problem’ even though you both know that’s not true. He’ll use your shyness against you too, but that’s kind of automatic when met with his straightforward personality. He wants you to speak up! And he knows a few ways to do that. If you had scoliosis, he’d definitely do something with your back, but only if he was ready for you to go. Working around the spine is dangerous and can easily cause paralysis or death, so he’d save it for last. Unless you live, of course.

Ren- Ren would definitely be the most accommodating. He’s very savvy with people and understands subtle signs of things. He also understands what it’s like to be down and out due to an injury, which is similar enough to having a condition that he wouldn’t ever judge. He would talk to you on the first day to learn about your condition and why you need a wheelchair, both so he can accommodate you and also so he knows what not to do (if you had problems with your legs, he may avoid putting the chain around your ankle). He would take care of you as best as he could and would make sure you’re comfortable! He may even be too doting; he’ll insist on helping you with things you can do fine yourself (but he’d do that with any MC, so it’s not necessarily personal. It’s not that he thinks you’re incapable, he just wants to help.) If you’re shy, he’ll explain how there’s no need— you should be proud of who you are, and the fact that you’re different. There’s nothing wrong with that. This will transform into the speech Strade gave him, which he briefly mentions in game. The point is, he supports you. Obviously if he’s leaning towards a darker path you won’t be excused from his torture, but it will probably be altered to better ‘suit you’ in your position.

Lawrence-Lawrence would be very interested in you. He’d still tape you to the regular chair most likely (he doesn’t know how to immobilize a wheelchair) but he would keep it nearby. When you wake up, he’ll try and ask questions to learn more about you, but he’s also touching you. Just running hands over your body, taking it all in— especially if you have scoliosis. He’s very curious about different body structures, especially those that involve bones. It might be a little creepy, but it’s his way of being endearing. .. he will probably cut it open like he does in game, though. Why would he pass up doing that with someone so special? He’ll appreciate your shyness, because the fact that you’re quiet puts him at ease. If he ends up keeping you, he’ll do his best to accommodate any needs— but he doesn’t know what he’s doing. His apartment is a little snug for a wheelchair, too. You’ll have to work together to figure things out. He might actually be comforted if you generally stay in one spot; less to worry about.

[lines-in-limbo]

Lily is absolutely flirting in Snape’s Worst Memory - but I think this is one scene that has dated the series and is easily overlooked if the reader is not a Brit of a certain age. Lily and James are bantering in that scene in the way that Beatrice and Benedick do in Much Ado About Nothing or the way that Elizabeth and Darcy have crazy sexual tension while she’s telling him that she hates him and that he’s the last person on earth she’d ever marry.

People don’t see it now because James’ approach has so many red flags that are widely acknowledged as red flags in 2024 that they see Lily’s responses as genuine disgust and dislike, instead of her getting drawn into his game because she’s interested. But it was obvious in 2003 what JKR was going for here. The implication is that Snape lashes out at her *because* he sees her half smile and her flirtatiousness in this moment, and properly realises for the first time that his ‘best friend’ is totally into the guy tormenting him in front of half the school.

None of this is to say that Lily wasn’t a) completely right to terminate the friendship and b) wasn’t overall a very decent person. But she’s supposed to be a pretty shit friend here - put any one of the trio in Lily’s shoes and imagine their response to the same situation and it becomes clear that her half assed, rather impersonal defence was indeed intended to be half assed. Now of course this is directed by JKR needing to keep the connection between Snape and Lily secret until the very end, but she makes this work retrospectively from a characterisation perspective in the Prince’s Tale by depicting a Snape who is difficult to be friends with and who doesn’t recognise what true friendship *should* be because he’s never had it, and a humanised (not a saint) Lily who’s been quietly realigning herself away from her difficult friend for a very long time without making it crystal clear to him what she’s doing. It doesn’t make her bad, it makes her a very normal 15 year old pretty, popular girl with all the positive traits that entails (confidence, vivaciousness, fearlessness) as well as the negative (thoughtlessness, a lack of empathy towards those less socially adept).

Thank you for your message, anon. 

I understand where you’re coming from, and while some people interpret the scene as flirting or as "laying the groundwork for their eventual romance," especially when viewed through the lens of classical literature and 'enemies to lovers' tropes, I see it differently. For me, attraction doesn’t automatically equal flirting. I do recognize subtle cues in Lily’s behavior that suggest she might be physically attracted to James, and yes, there’s some tension, but I wouldn’t categorize that as flirting. To me, flirting is intentional—a deliberate way to say, "Hey, I’m interested in you; let’s date.” That’s not what’s happening here. While Lily may have had some attraction to James, her intention certainly wasn’t to express that to him, particularly because his bullying and arrogance were significant turn-offs. This is consistent with the fact that she only began dating James in their seventh year when he supposedly "deflated" his ego and stopped bullying others. She valued the growth she saw in him, which made him someone she could consider dating at that point. (Whether he genuinely matured is another discussion, but I won’t delve into that here.)

I don’t deny that Lily’s conflicting feelings toward James might have influenced her defense of Snape to some extent, but to call her defense completely “half-assed" because she was supposedly “flirting” with James seems like a stretch. (Honestly, I’m considering posting the whole scene because it feels like people may have forgotten what actually happened or have only skimmed it.)

From an external perspective, Lily’s defense might appear somewhat weak or insufficient, especially given the severity of the situation. However, it's crucial to understand that this perception does not fully capture the complexity of Lily’s internal experience. Lily’s primary goal was to stop the bullying by publicly insulting and embarrassing James. She’s clearly trying to de-escalate the situation by first shouting at them, and when that doesn’t work, she takes out her wand, ready to escalate things if necessary. While it may not have been the most forceful defense, it was still a defense, and it clearly demonstrated her disapproval of their behavior. Initially, it even seemed effective, as James did perform the countercurse to the full body-bind curse. However, after Snape called Lily a Mudblood, she left, and James and Sirius resumed bullying him.

From an internal perspective, in my view, the primary factor influencing Lily’s defense was the state of her deteriorating friendship with Snape. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts and reblogs, their friendship was strained, and she likely had conflicting feelings about him. As you pointed out, she was gradually distancing herself from him due to his behavior. After years of standing by Snape, excusing his actions, and pretending everything was fine, Lily likely felt frustrated and betrayed. She was torn between her past loyalty to him and her current disapproval, making it challenging for her to respond more forcefully. While I do wish she’d done more (and she certainly could have), her feelings are understandable given everything that had transpired between them.

Regarding the notion that Snape noticed any "flirting," I respectfully disagree. Snape didn’t lash out at Lily because he saw her "flirting" with James or noticed any subtle expression. His focus was on defending himself from Sirius and James. Additionally, he wouldn’t have seen her expression since his robes were hanging over his head while he was suspended upside down:

"James whirled about; a second flash of light later, Snape was hanging upside down in the air, his robes falling over his head to reveal skinny, pallid legs and a pair of graying underpants."

The more likely reason for his outburst was that he felt humiliated and emasculated by James, especially when James said, "Lucky Evans was here Snivellus —,” as he let Snape down. That likely exacerbated Snape’s embarrassment, leading him to lash out with, "I don’t need help from a filthy little Mudblood like her." It seems like he was trying to regain some dignity, and the slur slipped out in a moment of anger and shame.

All in all, you’re right—Lily isn’t a saint; no one is. And while I’m not eager to compliment JKR the TERF, I do think she did a good job of humanizing her characters. Lily isn’t as fleshed out compared to other minor characters like James, and I do wish we’d seen more of her flaws. That said, her response to the situation, while somewhat imperfect, reflects the complexities of her character, which makes her more relatable and human.

While we may not completely agree, I appreciate your interpretation and opinion, anon. Thank you for sharing your perspective. 💫

*As a side note, I want to clarify that I’m not trying to excuse Lily for not defending Snape more effectively; I’m simply trying to view the situation from her perspective, as I do with other characters when analyzing them. Additionally, I want to emphasize that I’m not hating on Snape. Some people have taken my posts and reblogs about Lily as an excuse to criticize Snape, but that’s not my intention at all. I clearly identify as a "Snape defender" in my bio. Just because I’m exploring Lily’s perspective in SWM doesn’t mean I don’t also understand Snape’s situation. I have other posts dedicated to him on my blog.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

This Monster is a threat to the World. Art by Wefail.art

* * * * *

Toward a Theory of Civic Sede Vacantism

March 4, 2025 1:50 p.m.

For almost a year I’ve been thinking through an idea that now seems especially timely and relevant in the last six weeks. I think of it as a form of civic sede vacantism. The reference is, ironically, to a strain of hyper-traditionalist Catholic thought which held (still holds) that none of Vatican II canons or the successive Popes counted because they were heretical and heretics. A bit more complicated than that. But details of that really aren’t relevant for us. I just found the defining metaphor or concept helpful. The key is their idea that the papal throne was empty. That’s the meaning of the Latin phrase, sede vacante. My interest and concern with this grew out of my belief that civic democrats in the US have far too great an essentialism about the law and constitutional jurisprudence, especially under the corrupted federal judiciary as it now exists. It breeds a kind of fatalism and passivity which casts a pall over thought and political action.

I know I’ve thrown around a lot of big and perhaps obscure ideas. So let me get down to concrete specifics. In Trump v. United States last year the Supreme Court claimed that Presidents have wide immunity from criminal law after they leave the presidency. For many people this was an ‘everything changed’ moment. It did in effect end Trump’s prosecution. But now that’s the law, as so many people I know put it. Only it’s not. This isn’t a decision I disagree with. It’s simply wrong. I’m not going to rehearse all the arguments. To me, among all the other areas of flawed and disingenuous reasoning, we have the simple fact that the authors of the constitution knew precisely how to confer immunity on public officials. They did it with Congress. But again, I’m not trying to rehearse the specific arguments. Others have already made them on the particulars better than I can. I’m saying that we must disengage from the idea that this is what the law is. It’s not. These are fraudulent decisions.

Now, as a practical matter we are in a situation in which I think we comply with them. The alternative is the abyss. But it’s a practical decision.

Now, here is the point where people ask me, what’s the difference? You’re saying this isn’t actually the law or the constitution. But we still comply with it as though it were the law. What’s the point of that? Whatever this distinction is, who cares? That doesn’t matter.

But I think it does matter. We are living in a moment in which the system of legal, interpretive legitimacy has fatally broken down. It’s been in its death throes for a decade. Now it’s no longer operating at all. That throne is empty of anything that commands our allegiance or claims to legitimacy. If the Supreme Court decides in a few months that people born on American soil are not citizens it will have disastrous and immediate effects on many of our fellow citizens. It won’t mean that the plain and always understood meaning of the 14th Amendment changed. It will mean that the people who currently hold power have opted to rule outside the Constitution.

If the court says the President can, in fact, dismantle Department after Department, which Congress created, because the President holds some kind of indivisible sovereign power cribbed from an inter-war German far-right ideologue, that won’t make it so. It will remind us that we are in this period of interregnum in which we are grappling with a renegade, corrupt court operating outside the constitutional order as well as a renegade and lawless president.

Again, you may say this is some weird semantic distinction that has no real meaning. We’ve got bigger fish to fry. I respect that response. It’s a subtle distinction. But some semantic distinctions are important. We only understand the world through language. That is a profound reality about human cognition. The language we use in the present shapes how we understand the present reality and what possibilities we can see within it. We need to open up the cognitive space to understand the situation we are in and which our country is in. Fundamentally, it means grappling with the corruption rather than living within it, living within its ideas and ground assumptions and perforce being softly governed by them.

As I said, I’ve been mulling this for months. But I decided to write it out after I heard an account of a townhall meeting with Maryland’s senators, Van Hollen and Alsobrooks. As it was recounted to me they said many of the right things. But a key part of their message was we need to let the legal cases play out.

This is precisely the wrong message, the wrong understanding of the situation we’re in.

As we’ve seen over the last few weeks, the courts — even in their current degraded state — play a key, important role. But they’re just a tool in a larger contest that is fundamentally about public opinion. There are good odds the final decisions in the courts will themselves be corrupt and unconstitutional, at least in part. So it’s not that courts don’t matter. They do. A lot. But we shouldn’t be thinking we’re going to wait on what any court decides. That’s only a half step from waiting to hear what Donald Trump decides. I keep hearing right minded or semi-right minded people say, well we’re going to see if this stuff is constitutional. I reject the assumption. At the margins there are questions about what’s constitutional. We’re way past the margins. The fact that we’re operating way outside the express text and logic of the Constitution, and no president in history has thought any of this stuff was possible, is plenty to answer the question. We’re waiting to see if the courts will follow the Constitution. And there’s a good chance they won’t.

I’ve said this a number of times. We’re embarked on a vast battle over the future of the American Republic, in which the executive and much of the judiciary is acting outside the constitutional order. That battle is fundamentally over public opinion. We’re in a constitutional interregnum and we are trying to restore constitutional government. The courts are a tool. Federalism is a big, big tool, the significance and importance of which is getting too little discussion. But it’s really about public opinion. And that means it’s about politics. The American people will decide this. That’s what this is all about. Waiting on the courts is just a basic misunderstanding of the whole situation.

[Send comments and tips to talk at talkingpointsmemo dot com. To share confidential information by secure channels contact me on Signal at joshtpm dot 99 or via encrypted mail at joshtpm (at) protonmail dot com.]

[blues-valentine]

Hey! Seeing your tsitp posts on my feed, along with Amazon putting seasons 1 and 2 on youtube, I decided to watch the show. Long story short, I'm very surprised that so many Rinas seem to favor Jeremiah, since it's very obvious to me that the show is building towards a Belly/Conrad endgame (imo the show isn't even subtle about framing itself as their love story). Not sure what I'm missing that others are seeing, but I'm glad I'm not the only Rina who isn't against Bonrad (I ship it, but very lowkey haha)

One thing I noticed that I thought you might find interesting (though you may have already made this observation a while ago) is that when we get Jeremiah's voice over, he is always speaking of his love or longing for Belly as a comparison to his brother - this was such a contrast to how Belly would internally express her desire for Conrad. Like when they were in the theater and he speaks of how she's looking at him, he says he almost lets himself believe she sees him how she sees Conrad, while similar lines from Belly simply expressed a desire to be seen (by Conrad) as she always hoped he would. It's interesting to me, and does give some weight to arguments about Jere's interest in Belly being an extension of his internal rivalry with Conrad

!!!!

I won’t say it’s a huge majority, at least not here on Tumblr but in Twitter/X I was surprised to find out a lot of Rina shippers are deep into Jelly when it’s literally Portwell 2.0 narrative wise (and it’s 10 times worst because EJ was actually likable and their relationship would’ve been great under other circumstances). Like, Jeremiah is not only the detour that Belly’s settling for and the narrative couldn’t be clearer on that fact but one surprising thing to me is how they’re using the same exact argument against Conrad that they used to go all out to defend Ricky for. The situation with Gina in Season 2 from miscommunication was because Ricky was unable to be emotionally open due to his family situation. He was only able to really understand his love for Gina until he was ready to grow and heal himself. And with Conrad’s the same way but worse since he was grieving his mom. You’d think they’ll be empathetic of Conrad since they were foaming at the mount about being so smart and “having media literacy” and all that.

And it’s not even like “oh, I understand Conrad but don’t ship Bonrad” because ultimately is all about the setting and dynamic of a ship it’s just the hypocrisy — there’s literally a Rina shipper right now that says awful take after awful take you wouldn’t think they were a Rina shipper with the way it’s clear they are unable to get narrative plot. And feel the need to misconstrued Conrad’s plot that they know very well what it is for the sake of keeping the facade that they have been creating.

And everyone that has a little sense can see that the reason Jeremiah was “into Belly” aside from suddenly finding her attractive is because he wanted to one up Conrad because his rivalry about Conrad also involves Belly. And again, it’s so utterly ironic some Rinas aren’t seeing it (or they do but them shipping Jelly is ultimately about being attracted to the actor and not the ship itself). And like, they’re setting themselves up by shipping the loser team, like, it’s so easy to read the spoilers that have been out for 14 years.

[atsadi-shenanigans]

Valentine's Day Special

I did it! I got it finished! As a thank you to everyone who has given kudos and comments, and because Valentine's Day is coming up, here's a smuterific one-shot featuring: pegging, butt stuff, Astarion having feelings, Eleanor has dom tendencies she didn't know about, and Astarion getting nice things!

Rated a very, very E for smut.

Roses are red, violets are blue, blah blah I’d like to fuck you.

Or: Astarion bought a toy. Eleanor wants to give him a night he won’t forget.

“Legs up,” he says. “Pull your knees up. Better leverage.” You do. He leans back, bracing his hands on your knees. Moving himself so you hit his sweet spot ruthlessly. Another peek at you, pleasure painted over every line of his body. “Fuck me, Eleanor.”

The inn is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen. Two stories, shutters closed against the torrent, lantern light turning puddles and muddy streets golden.

You’re going to cry. Not that anyone will be able to tell in this storm. Poor Karlach has been hidden in a cloud of steam since the downpour began.

“Gods, I’m not taking another step unless it’s towards the front door of that inn,” Astarion says, voice pitched firmly into bitchy. “I am not slogging through one more minute of this filth.”

Filth being the inches-deep trough of mud the road has turned into. Y’all are coated up to the knees.

“A warm bed and a warmer bath would be nice,” Wyll says. And if Mr. Of-the-Frontiers “I’m used to sleeping on rocks” is saying that, you know everyone is thinking it.

“Fuck,” you say. Eloquent as ever. “We got gold, right?”

“Plenty,” Gale says. His hair keeps sliding over his face in rivulets of water. He looks like a sad, wet cat.

“Hope they got rooms.”

They have, in fact, got a packed-ass seating area, a handful of alcove bunks in a common area upstairs, and a single, small room with a modest bed (other travelers had the same idea when the storm hit).

Y’all’ve had a helluva day. Chasing down leads to some sort of bullshit or another. Half of y’all ain’t even here (Shadowheart, Lae’zel, Halsin, and y’all’s new friends had split off to go hunt down something else).

Which meant when y’all triggered a bunch of undead critters in the shitpile of some tomb, y’all had to do a lot more work to clean up. Astarion took the brunt of it after the two of you (again) got separated from the others.

He stands there, hair plastered to his skull, not an ounce of pink in his complexion (and looking grayer than usual). That’s when the idea comes to you.

“Y’all mind if me and Astarion take the room?” you say.

Ain’t no way to be subtle about it. They all know what you two are about. Especially since that goddamn newspaper came out (it wasn’t neither of y’all’s fault the fucking graveyard grounds keeper was a nosy sunuvabitch who both took his job way too seriously, and took off sprinting to the Faerun equivalent of a tabloid newspaper after catching a glimpse of you.) (You’d finished by then, which was probably the only reason Astarion hadn’t run him down and shut him up.)

They’ve known you two were a couple for a long while. They’d assumed you two had been physical for longer than you actually had been.

“Really?” Karlach says, still steaming. “After all this?”

Astarion says nothing, though his eyebrows quirk in mild interest. The bags under his eyes are more prominent, the color almost bruise purple. His eyes are duller. He looks more corpserific than he has in a while.

You started it, he seems to say. So you finish it.

“I just wanna take a bath and lay in bed, and all my clothes gotta dry,” you say. “We both’ve seen each other naked.”

Clever mischief glints in Wyll’s eye. He’s the most solid out of all of you’uns. The one with the most rigorous sense of morality. Usually plays the straight-laced folk hero.

But the man’s damned charming, and his genial good will hides a wicked sense of humor.

“All the bunks have privacy screens,” he says. “We’ll all be drying out our belongings.”

Gale says nothing. Just stares into the middle distance as he hikes up a section of robe to wring about a liter of water out.

Wyll makes a show out of checking out the common room and y’all’s fellow travelers. “In fact, I see other couples doing just that.”

“I’m not saying we’re gonna fuck, but if we do, you really wanna sleep right next to that?”

Wyll snorts and waves a hand, smiling. “On second thought, I think I’ll pass.”

Karlach pulls a face. “In public?”

“Y’all said they got privacy screens. And you didn’t have no problem walking around tits out during that heatwave.”

“Which beds did we get?” Gale cuts in. He used up even his much-improved magic capacity trying to get you and Astarion out of that fucking trap sinkhole. He can’t even do his presto-tation cleaning spell to dry himself off.

So you end up taking the key and heading upstairs, Astarion trailing after you.

Bath water is something you gotta pay for, in Faerun. The tub’s in the room, and you’re free to haul up however many buckets from the well outside yourself. But that’s a lot of buckets to drag up a flight of stairs, and the inn keep don’t let customers heat it up over the fire themselves.

So a good hour after you and Astarion settle in, you finally got a bath drawn and steaming.

“You go first,” you say.

Astarion sits on the bed in nothing but his drawers, wrapped in a blanket. He don’t get hypothermia—undead and all—but he does get real achy in the cold.

He gives you a small, tired smile, and lets the blanket (and his drawers) slide down.

You still ain’t super used to seeing a cock all bare. Not more than what your occasional forays into porn showed—so mostly just the part not currently buried in somebody. It hangs more forward than you thought it would. Also smaller than you thought it’d be (again, porn and both unrealistic standards, and flaccid ones are smaller).

You make yourself look away. But not before Astarion—ever alert and enough of a bastard to make that your problem—notices.

“See something you like, sweetheart?” Where once that line would have been pure, silken debauchery, his voice is calmer when he’s alone with you, now. Still carries a flirty lilt (he always does with everyone), but with less performance woven through it.

“Just curious,” you say. “And I like watching you—not creepily, I mean. Anyway, if you want a bath and then the bed—for sleeping only—I’m down for that.”

“Mmm,” he says. Steps into the water and hisses. He eases himself down slow. Finally sits and all but melts against the wedge of the wooden tub, eyes closed and head tilted back. “Yet you requested this little love nest for us. And that cunning mind of yours always has at least three ideas fluttering around.

Said with a wiggle of his fingers around his temple.

He’s got a long neck. Stretched out like that, his adam’s apple stands out. As do his bite scars.

“We really can just sleep,” you say.

Now he cracks one, red eye open. Tilts his head to better peer over at you. Swirls his hand in the water as he waits for an answer.

He’s being patient with you. Says you’re patient with him, but you can count on three fingers all the people you ever actually wanted to bed, and none of them ever got that far. It’s not an ordeal for you to wait. You don’t have any expectations for him in that department (which you suspect had been a huge relief for him, and one of the reasons y’all’ve worked out).

He does so much for you. He’s helped you work through hangups you didn’t even know you had. He’s saved your ass more times than you can count, directly and not.

“If you wanted,” you start slow. “And you can say no at any point. But, if you wanted, I thought we could take a night and I could learn, um. We could learn what you like better. Just you. Or, well, me focusing on you.”

His idle finger twirling stops. He stills, both eyes open now and fixed on you. He doesn’t say anything for a long moment. Doesn’t even breathe.

Then his lips part. His words stutter and he frowns. Then, “You want to give me pleasure.”

Every word slow and enunciated. Not…trepidation, exactly. And not quite disbelieving. He trusts you, he’d said. He’s just verifying for the sake of both’ve you.

“I’m curious,” you repeat, so deliberate and nonchalant it’s borderline teasing.

“Pleasure me how?” Astarion says. Once again, flicking at the bathwater.

Aaand the rest on AO3 so tumblr doesn't slap me.

[unlikeable-female-character]

I’m genuinely confused as to how Hugh is relevant to the Baldoni lawsuit. I think the mentions of him and Taylor are only because they’re such high profile celebrities and their names are being used by JB’s team for some kind of leverage. Because while Hugh was at the premier, he’s attended lots of events and premieres for his friends and peers. All that talk about nicepool but it doesn’t relate one bit to Hugh who was only in the scene and had nothing to do with the creative process behind it. What makes this his stranger is that I’ve not read of Shawn Levy being mentioned at all and since he was the cowriter and director of the movie it makes him more likely to have more “intel” than Hugh. It’s just weird that he’s being dragged into this and I personally believe he won’t be deposed and this is just smoke and mirrors.

Also those weird Baldoni supporters really don’t try to hide their subtle homophobia when they make insinuations about Hugh and Ryan being more than friends which is hilarious in itself but also if either of them weren’t straight, it’s none of our business and not a big deal at all.

Anon are you in my brain because I was literally thinking about this earlier! With all the tabloids currently losing their minds about Taylor and Hugh being subpoenaed any day now honestly it’s happening really soon!!!1!1! I did wonder why and why now. As you say, the only area Hugh could possibly add anything would be the whole ‘Nicepool is me and you’re really mean for pointing out how much of a douche I am’ thing. But as you rightly point out he was never part of the creative process so why the hell Shawn (as director, producer and co writer) and the other co writers aren’t being dragged into it is beyond me. The logical conclusion is that their names don’t have the same glamour and pull as TAYLOR! and HUGH! and so they aren’t being written about. Would be interested to see if Shawn is ever brought into it though - good luck to them trying to get one over on Marvel/Disney or expecting them to turn on the guy who gave them a billion dollar box office and who they’ve just given a Star Wars film to….

Hugh being at the movie premiere is nothing. Absolutely it’s not unusual for an actor to show up at a premiere for a movie they arent in. Unless he locked baloney in the famed basement himself then he’s just a guy showing up for his friends. Not a crime.

I honestly don’t think Hugh will be deposed either. Nor Taylor. I think this latest round of headlines is a distraction because of all the Doe subpoena lawsuit stuff that’s just come out and to try and shift the narrative away from the fact that Blake’s legal team seem to actually be three steps ahead of Baloney and his bunch at every turn. If - and I think it’s a big if - they do then I doubt that he would have much of use for either side.

The homophobia is rank. It’s one thing for Ryan and Hugh themselves to play up their closeness during promo or fans to ship them, it’s quite another to try and weaponise someone’s sexuality and use it against them. It’s definitely been something that has been heavily hinted at - I saw some IG stories where Klandace Owens was referring to Hugh as Ryan’s ‘friend’ (her quotes). It’s frankly lazy and boring and is just a continuation of the constant speculation about Hugh (despite him and Deb both saying he’s not gay, I guess the actual words people say just don’t matter anymore when The Internet knows better…)

[alexthefunniest]

Funniest mileven arguments to why byler won’t be endgame

I’m sorry if there’s any grammar errors or mistakes, I wrote this angrily at 2 am when I couldn’t sleep.

1. “Its the 80’s”- as if there isn’t any movies that have happy queer endings that were made/set in the 80’s, yall are just lazy and don’t want to actually do any research.

2. “It’s a Netflix original”- ok? And? Like we literally get a new mlm/queer show on Netflix every year, byler is a mlm relationship which Netflix has a lot of, young royals, heartstopper??? Are you guys ok?

3. “Cuz it’s too popular” - we already have over two queer confirmed characters in stranger things, the show that’s about fighting forced conformity ?? The show that focuses on nerds, losers and people that don’t ‘fit in’ ? And y’all find it so hard to see ur two main characters being gay? Read the room respectfully.

4. “It’s one sided” - if it was one sided they would make Mike tell Will he doesn’t like him in s3 and give Will a new love interest in s4 (it has been confirmed that there will be no new characters in s5 and that the producers want every character to have their ‘perfect ending’) Will believed he was a mistake and thought he wouldn’t fall in love, because he is queer so he most definitely will have a queer love interest and it will be Mike.

5. “Mike is in love with el”- is he tho? He never actually said he loved her to her face without the world and her life depending on it, he’s been pressured to say it twice and when she told him she loves him back the man didn’t look happy but conflicted.

6. “Mileven endgame” - it’s really not, the amount of symbolism that points to their downfall (such as everyone calling them the ‘star crossed lovers’ which are basically lovers deemed to fail, and more) is HUGE, they have too many familial parallels it’s insane, why parallel the it couple with family themes and relationships? Another problem I have with this it’s the fact that it’s very rare for the first ‘original’ pairings to stay together till the end of the show (like with Bob and Joyce or Steve and Nancy)

7. “Byler wouldn’t make sense to the plot”- watch the show again, just because somethings more subtle, doesn’t mean it’s not there, y’all will always say that about queer relationships but whenever u guys see a straight relationship in these subtle moments you jump into conclusions that they might end up together, it’s called being a hypocrite.

8. “Mike isn’t gay” - it’s what he’s been telling himself too, the guy was obviously made fun of and called slurs like Will, everyone already thought and knew their relationship was ‘special’ and everyone suspected something, that’s why Mikes own dad was surprised and said “our son, with a girl?” Also your so called straight Mike has a room filled with pictures and posters of buff men, he’s never shown any interest in girls or women (except el who’s been said, looked like a boy in s1) not to mention the first song on his official Spotify playlist being “small town boy” (yk the song about a young gay man running away from his homophobic small town??).

9. Mikes love confession- if u call that a love confession I wouldn’t wanna date u brother, he was pushed to say ily by Will, the same Will that was in the frame of Mike lying when he said that his life “started” when he found El in the woods, which was obviously a lie because Mike called El a weapon and said he’ll “send her back to pennhurst or wherever she comes from” after they found her, also if the love confession was honest why would El be still upset with Mike and not talk to him after??

10. “El wasn’t upset at Mike but was sad about Max” - me when I’m in denial, she wasn’t sad about Max until she found the coke bottle underneath her bed, then we get the flashbacks of her and Max having fun in s3, she wasn’t thinking abt Max before that, its called common sense and logical thinking skills.

11. “There would be no time for byler to develop in s5” - it might seem crazy what I’m about to say, they were literally childhood best friends and it’s been confirmed that Will had a crush on Mike since s1, they literally started to build their romantic relationship MORE in s4, with all the ‘[emotional, tender music playing]’ and parallels between byler and jancy, also even if they haven’t started to build their relationship up in a romantic way in s4, y’all remember how in less than a season Jonathan and Nancy slept together or how Max and Lucas got together in a spawn of a season (mind u they met in the same season). Byler knows each other since little kids and always had potential y’all are just in denial.

12. “Why make Mike queer” - why not? Do y’all actually believe that one of the main characters plot line is just about getting with the girl at the end? Even if it was (which lets be so fr now) why would Mike get with El from the first season (they kissed in s1 and basically u can count that as they’re together wtv) if that was his main goal as a character? Well written shows have something called a “character development” which the producers of st love apparently, so why make Mike just a bland character that just gets with the main girl character, and why have El date the first guy she ever met, I just think it would be very shallow.

That’s all, this was written in a silly way cuz it’s basically me talking to myself, it’s okay if u ship mileven I just really don’t like disrespectful fans that yell at bylers and call the ship disgusting, I don’t care about what who ships as long as we all just have fun and not yell at each other 🫶🏻

[who1ssheesh]

Xanxus brainrot

Note: I couldn’t even come up with a plot, I just wanted fluffy Xanxus. Hope you enjoy as much as I did writing this

Warnings: OOC Xanxus, nor proofread, English’s not my native language (ouch)

• Accidentally getting a promotion. Getting them way too often and being endorsed way too much. Going home and seeing Xanxus silent, which by the way is weird because usually this menace would have already said how dumb this is and your job is fucking dumb and you are du-

• Actually about “subtle”. No, he’s indeed not. But he thinks he is. And it’s funny that everyone in Varia thinks they are subtle, but you are the observant one. First several bouquets you got were flawless - especially calligraphic cursive handwriting (which now reminds you of Lussuria way too much). And then one time Xanxus fucked up so much, you got flowers with half of petals fucking burnt and the pressure is handwriting on the note so high it was almost ripped.

This dumbass got you flowers personally and still refuses to admit this.

• It’s funny how obvious he can be with small things. Usually he would call you dumb fucking ass and those flowers are dumb and the argument was dumb and you are du- but he stays silent. Xanxus doesn’t stay silence with the most sour face in the world. Xanxus shoots people, throws things around and shouts. He doesn’t stay silent and dart his eyes around the room.

Squalo has been shot several times after noticing this, but he thinks that was worth it cause that’s the funniest face his boss has ever had.

• That’s sad in fact. Xanxus thinks that’s…shameful. He’s bad in relationships. He’s bad with words, he’s bad with people. He’s been bad his whole life, in fact.

Just…just give him a smile, you know. You don’t even have to say anything, he’ll know it’s okay.

If you ever save one of those withered flowers - exactly the one he’s burned with his flame (and it smells like ashes to this day) or that angry written note with pen almost ripping paper, Xanxus will stop just for a moment - so quick, you won’t notice. He has always thought his heart to be frozen, but this time as if he heard a little crack. You manage to lose the most expensive jewelries he gets you, but you save that bullshit like your life depends on it, huh?

He tells you to throw this garbage away. You don’t.

• Xanxus finds you hilarious with your attitude though. The “she comes out in a dress so pretty and expensive, he falls in love even deeper” doesn’t happen. You walk out in a suit and your button shirt opened enough to see you boobs (which is dangerous around this horndog) and then you ask him to visit that pub near cause mafia black-tie events appear to be way too boring. You have probably fucked before running away to that pub

• Fun fact, Xanxus loves playing pool. A lot. No problem if you can’t, he’ll just stare at your ass to distract himself from your shameful attempts.

• Oh boy, will he appreciate you taking interest in his hobbies. Instant cupid arrow through his heart when you ask him to teach you how to shoot just like him.

• Kinda a curse and kinda on you - from now on Xanxus devour your life from you until you learn how to shoot GOOD. And he had high standards. At some point you will hate guns with passion

• He won’t be interested in any of your hobbies in return lol your loss deal with it. But if you are serious about something, he’ll gladly throw money in you he loves throwing things

• GOD WILL SAVE YOU if you accidentally appear to have a flame. Especially strong one (sky??? Even worse if it’s like Xanxus sky+smth??). Because he will devour the whole life from you to make you cool. He will show off you everywhere and everywhere. “Hey you see that one? This thing is mine btw”, so at least he will be proud….

• No romance in this relationship, your conversations sound like “Bitch I swear I’ll kill your family”, “NOT IF I KILL YOUR FIRST”

• Don’t get me wrong but…he thinks about children? Once in a blue moon. At those moments standing at the balcony at 4 am not even drunk thinking about wild shit. Would his life be ok if he never met Nono? That stuff.

• He wonders if his child gonna have your eyes, just like he has his mothers and thinks about it every time he looks in the mirror.

• Xanxus mostly thinks about it in a mocking way - he wants to be that cool badass dad everyone gonna be jealous of. He will teach his son (of course he wants a son) how to shoot his gun, he will laugh the first time this little shit comes home drunk.

• Xanxus has seen a lot. Also he has seen someone’s family being killed. Xanxus is not honest even with himself but he honest with one thing - it will break him. And it will break you first of all

• What if he himself dies? That’s a better option, sure (don’t get me wrong, he wants to die in a badass gunfight), but won’t his life repeat again in his son? He knows there will be people to watch after you both, even you yourself are badass enough (that’s why he dates you), but he doesn’t trust anyone with your life.

So no kids. But sometimes a man can dream, huh?

• My man is not jealous contrary to famous opinion. He likes to see anyone try to even approach you, unironically will find that hilarious. He is a bad influence and encourages you to act like a child - throw a tantrum, throw a drink at a poor fool, tell him you already belong to the bestest hottest man, and he will laugh out loud

• Wear his clothes. He will throw you out the window if you mention, but he starts buying too much clothing that he doesn’t wear. As if he does it for someone else, huh?

• You can hate varia members with passion but they without a joke are going to treat you with respect. You have THE character to keep in touch with their boss, that’s already a sign

• You’re so far gone you’ve probably once was so mad with Xanxus you tried to shoot him with his own gun. Probably ended with a sex marathon. Not that your tiny figure gonna be a threat to this big bear but hey, at least that’s hot

• Xanxus probably has a sweet tooth to this day. His mother could never afford candies, and Xanxus - being even a grown adult - sometimes acts as if he wants all the chocolate of the world.

He will shoot anyone who sees him devouring chocolates. You usually say it’s you when someone notices a pile of wrappers

• I’m talking from a big experience now: childhood in poverty is a trauma for Xanxus to this day and he tends to spend money on dumb impulsive shit. Please don’t encourage him, he’s already insufferable and Squalo has enough of a headache with his boss spending all the money. You appearing didn’t help actually

• One day you just gotta say your man that you don’t need expensive gifts or don’t like flowers, otherwise all the flowers of the world would go extinct. Like varia budget

• That’s his love language, he can’t show appreciation otherwise, don’t blame him?

Though with time he starts warming up to quality time together. He really enjoys your time at a shooting range, especially if you stars gossiping about Varia. At some point he even gonna start commenting your points. Hells, he even likes you just silently sitting in his office while he works

• A chair or a couch in his office, and everyone knows that’s where you’re usually are. Bonus point if there is your stuff all around

• Xanxus is a pig actually and makes a mess 24/7 (thank god he has maids) and it doesn’t bother him, but he will turn into a whiny baby if he ever stumbles in one of your things. Will burn it or throw out a window and have zero guilt about it.

• Has never had a nickname, so will be confused af the first time you call him Xus. Did you insult him? No? YES????

• Likes when you call him nicknames in public, has zero shame. Yes, he has a cool partner, losers. But like….badass ones, he has an image to uphold

• you wearing his feathers you wearing his feathers you wearing his feathers……….

•Xanxus has actually…never had a home. He can buy dozens of the biggest mansions a man can imagine, but that still isn’t home. Living with Nono was hell on Earth in his eyes and his mother he just doesn’t remember anymore after all those years. So the first time he hears your “Ugh, can we go home now?”, he looks at you with the most disgusted face he can make. You think you’ve done something wrong - you don’t see him till late night, when he comes utterly drunk (which means just a little more drunk than usual). But he just flops on a bed to you. “Shut up and go to sleep”. You obviously never get to actual conversation about this but everyone can notice Xanxus hurries back to you (he thinks he’s so subtle about it but this brute is not subtle about anything). He wants to go home.

• Maybe even seeing you around Varia headquarters at some point where you became comfortable around his guardians made something click in him.

Everything is its place. You’ve been the missing part of the puzzle

• It will take long years until someone notices how much their boss changed. Even throw an occasional smile.

• My man has never experienced love JUST LOVE HIM