#{and Francis <3 they deserve each other}

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Miriam Hopkins (Design For Living, Trouble in Paradise)—miriam hopkins had great range as an actresses, truly a woman who could play a passionate outburst for either dramatic or comedic effect and sell the ever-loving hell out of it. she's wonderful in the witty and sophisticated comedies she made with ernst lubitsch, great examples of movies that could never have been made after the hays code; the frothy musical comedy the smiling lieutenant where she plays a naive princess who accidentally gets betrothed to maurice chevalier, the polyamory classic design for living where she gary cooper and hot vintage shadow king fredric march are a throuple, and the ineffably exquisite comedic masterpiece trouble in paradise in which she and hubert marshall are sexy jewel thieves trying to con sexy rich lady kay francis, but will emotional complications ensue???? watch to find out!!

Dorothy Dandridge (Carmen Jones, Porgy and Bess, Island in the Sun)— The first Black actress to ever be nominated for best actress, Dorothy Dandridge was a groundbreaking actress who deserved better. She started her career as a singer, being put in a song-and-dance duo with her sister by their stage mother, and singing in soundies (I highly recommend cow cow boogie, it's adorable), proto-music videos. She started appearing as a featured singer in films. Her star was on the rise and she soon became a star solo performer. She continued acting, but had limited options because she refused to do stereotypical roles. She finally landed a starring role in Bright Road in 1953, but it was the movie Carmen Jones that truly cemented her as a star and sex symbol. Not to sound cheesy, but she literally sizzles on screen. You can't help but understand how poor Harry Belafonte gets caught in her trap, just look at her. This is the role that got her that Oscar nom. She didn't win cause I mean #OscarsSoWhite, but she was a sensation and continued starring in films, despite troubles in her life (including a shitty director bf who fucked with her career and a traumatizing pregnancy/delivery). Outside of her filmwork, she was also an activist, fighting against racism. She left behind an amazing legacy, and continues to inspire many actresses to this day (including also very hot first (and only) black woman to win best actress, Halle Berry).

This is round 3 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Miriam Hopkins:

64.media.tumblr.com

She is an incredibly charismatic and versatile actress who brings a certain captivating je ne sais quois to each and every one of her roles that makes her impossible to ignore. Her pre-code films were considered quite risqué, with her part in a thrupple in Design For Living, and some saucy scenes they had to cut from Jekyll and Hyde. She also had a strong career in early television, so good that this queen literally has TWO Hollywood Stars, TWO!! One for TV and one for Film

Also she is Gorgeous, capable of being the girl nextdoor and also a stunning blonde bombshell. She's not as well known as some golden-age Hollywood stars but she's really incredible and I recommend everyone watch her films

In Trouble in Paradise she plays a pickpocket who flirts by stealing from her criminal boyfriend and I fell in love

Linked gifset

She's got this sly slouchy confidence that just draws you in. Almost no one wore 30s fashion as well as her

queen of the pre-code era. often her roles were of carefree, flirty and lighthearted but intelligent women. famously in the movie where she was part of a fredrich march/gary cooper throuple.

We all know that Design for Living is THE pre-code movie and she is so iconic in it. Her eyes are everythingggg. Also everyone look at her in a suit in She Loves Me Not please

A Frequent collaborator of Ernst Lubistch, Miriam Hopkins like up the screen in her comic roles, as is especially sexy in her pre-code performance in Design for Living; probably one of the first movies to showcase a coded polyamorous relationship. She toes the line between adorable and sexy, and had the acting chops to back it all up.

Dorothy Dandridge propaganda:

Beautiful actress and hand-working and talented singer, she's especially notable for the number of firsts she accomplished such as the first African-American woman to receive a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and the first African-American woman to appear on the cover of Life magazine.

Dorothy Dandridge was a classic Hollywood triple threat, singing, dancing, and acting with the best of them. She was the first African American nominated for an academy award for Best Actress for her role in Carmen Jones and she was just jaw-droppingly beautiful.

this og of black film needs no introduction (star on the hollywood walk of fame anyone?), voice of an angel, heavenly features, just an overall stunning lady :)

Look at her!!! She is so unbelievably charismatic in Carmen, it’s insane. Her chemistry with Harry Belafonte is off the charts, and every time she puts another outdoor [sic] on it’s like ‘oh god this is a whole new level of stunning’ 🥵. She was so so talented, when she’s on screen I genuinely dare you to tear your eyes away from her. Deserves to be known so much better but due to Hollywood racism and a tough personal life she didn’t make it as big as she should have done. She’s incredible.

First Black actress to be nominated for the Oscar for Best Actress! Was the first choice for the role of Cleopatra that went to Elizabeth Taylor (we were ROBBED).

[lsd-astronaut]

Hello!! I hope you don’t mind me asking but could you do a fluffy Crowley x Demon!reader x Aziraphale fic (or headcanons)??

Maybe something like what it’s like all being in a relationship together?

(Also if it’s not too much to ask can the reader use a cane to walk around? Maybe because of something relating to when they fell and became a demon? If not that’s okay!!!)

First of all, I love you and I could kiss you in the mouth right now. I’VE BEEN SAYING FOR AGES THAT CROWLEY WOULD HAVE CHRONIC PAIN BC OF THE FUCKING FALL. I refuse to believe for one moment that you can fall all the way from Heaven, land on the ground and be all “hey guys i’m fine!”

Aziraphale x Demon!Reader x Crowley

Please like and reblog<3

Warnings: chronic pain, but nothing else, this is just good old fluff

• You were an archangel along with Crowley, with the same obligations in making the cosmos✨ so you both met Aziraphale at the same time

• When Azi told you both that the project was destined to close in a few thousand years, you were the one that proposed to fill a complain to God (and crowley seconded you)

• Cue a war and a Fall later, Crowley and you are in Hell, but in different departments so you don’t see each other much

• In fact, you didn’t see Azi and Crowley for the first time since the Fall until the crucifixion of Jesus

• You stood beside them in silent reverence to this poor soul lost for all of humanity

• “What sort of mother would wish this fate upon her own kin?” Crowley and Azi turned to you with confused expressions (although Crowley gained a lot of respect for that comment hehe)

• After some idle conversation, and Crowley convincing Aziraphale not to just smite you right there and then, you three decide to traverse the world

• Centuries pass, and Crowley and you stay around humans (you love their way of living, and he likes children so everyone wins)

• You like to read everything you can get your hands on, to Crowley’s chagrin

• “Now I have two bookworms. What have I done to deserve this?”

• It’s circa the year 1000, in the new continent that these curious people called Vikings have discovered, when Crowley and you decide to experiment a human thing that you had wanted to try for a long time

• Your first kiss is messy, and there are more teeth than anything else; besides Crowley insists it feels slimey

• However, she can’t help but to accept he got a bit aroused by it

• Practice makes better, as they say, and so you do

• Although you spend the most time with Crowley, your relationship with Aziraphale also evolves throughout the years

• The “we have a mutual but I still don’t like you” to “maybe I do care about you” pipeline, if you want

• You take him to all kind of food places and bookstores, and he warms up to you a lot

• Introducing him to classical music was your proudest moment, and also the pettiest as Crowley had crossed you a bit beforehand

• The first time you kiss Aziraphale (or rather, he does), is one time you both were a bit tipsy during a masquerade ball in Paris in the 18th century

• He is a bit unexperienced but he gets the hang out of it really quick

• The three of you “confess” to each other in 1941, after the magic show fiasco

• Crowley looks nonchalant but you can see behind his eyes, he was worried sick he would be separated from both of you

• You make sure to give him extra cuddles that night

• Fast forward to 2008 and you work in Warlock’s house along with Nanny Ashtoreth and Brother Francis, you being Warlock’s governess (like this is the fucking 1800s or smth lmao)

• It is at this time that the two of them notice you limping a bit every day after all chores have been done

• You insist that it is nothing and that you are perfectly capable of walking

• However, Ashtoreth happens to see you during one of your bad flares

• She immediately helps you to sit down on the bed, and looks at you expecting an explanation

• Her no-nonsense glare deters you from making up an excuse so you tell her the whole truth

• When you had fallen, you hadn’t landed correctly and had broken your legs on impact

• Miracles hadn’t done the full job and so you had been forced to endure the pain of the bones repairing themselves not quite right

• You had learned to mask the pain after centuries of practice but some days were just worse than others

• The next day, Ashtoreth gifts you a cane adorned with a snake head with little wings

• You proudly use it every day forward

• After the Second Coming, the three of you go to live in South Downs, finally able to be yourselves together

• There is still so much stuff to learn about everything, but you’re immortal and you are not alone, so why the hurry?

• As the sun sets on the horizon, you lean your head on Aziraphale’s shoulder as he reads one of Jane Austen’s books, and Crowley’s head is on your lap, already snoring softly

• You will be okay

I just wanted to say, I’m sorry if this is not what you asked for exactly as it is my first time writing for these two and I haven’t written either in two years so I feel I’m very rusty. I forgot ab the chronic pain until almost at the end, and I talk more about the history of you relationship than the actual relationship in itself lmao

Still, I hope you like it!

[agaypanic]

Omg I’m obsessed w ur writing! I’m back on my Francis brainrot lol

Could u do a Francis Wilkerson x reader smut where she’s the baby sitter who he’s secretly dating and they let her stay for dinner and then after they have sex?

Keep Your Voice Down (Francis Wilkerson X Reader Smut)

Masterlist

Request Something!

Summary: You’re the Wilkerson’s go-to babysitter, able to handle any of the chaos the boys throw at you. But you’re Francis’ favorite for other reasons.

A/N: i <3 Francis brainrot. Warning for unprotected sex, wrap it before you tap it. AU where Piama doesn’t exist. As usual, bc it’s smut i’d love some feedback, no matter how much of it i write it doesn’t get easier lol

CW: p in v intercourse, slight praise kink, begging, thigh riding, dirty talk, unprotected sex (WRAP IT BEFORE YOU TAP IT), semi rough sex

***

You had been the Wilkerson’s favorite, and sometimes only, babysitter since you were 15. It had happened by complete accident. You had become friends with Francis before he got shipped off to military school. He had invited you over one day, and in a rush to get to work, Lois put you and Francis in charge of looking after his brothers. When she and Hal got home that night, you were serving dinner to the boys and somehow convinced them to take baths afterward and go to bed at a reasonable time.

The rest was history.

When Francis got sent away, you started babysitting more to help the Wilkersons out. They usually couldn’t pay you much, but you didn’t care because you got to hang out with boys that were basically gremlins, got free dinner, and when staying overnight, you’d always call Francis.

But the best days were when he was home for a weekend or holiday. It was hard because he was always away, but your friendship developed into a relationship when he came home for spring break one year. It was a little surprising that you’ve been together for so long since you rarely got to see each other, but you made it work. It was significantly easier when he got a job at the Grotto because a lot of his good pay went towards visiting his family, and secretly you. Secretly, because his family didn’t know you were dating.

“Mom, I like Y/n and all. But I don’t understand why we still need a babysitter.” Reese followed his mother around the house while she prepared for dinner.

“You do know I can hear you, right?” You laughed as you sat at the kitchen table he stood beside. 

“No offense, but I’m sixteen. Having a babysitter is ruining my rep.”

“Reese, when you show enough responsibility to prove to me that you don’t need a babysitter, Y/n will stop being your babysitter.” Lois groaned, clearly done with this conversation.

“Mom, if we did that, Y/n would be my babysitter until I die.” You laughed at his seriousness. 

“What’s so funny?” You leaped out of your seat from the voice. Francis stood on the step bordering the kitchen, grinning at the three of you.

“Francis!” You squealed, running around the table to launch yourself into his arms. Working at the ranch must have been a real workout for him because he caught you with ease, not stumbling an inch from your force. “What are you doing here?”

“Otto gave me the week off, said I deserved it for all the work I’ve been doing. So I decided to come up to visit.” He pecked your cheek before setting you down, which seemed to be in a friendly manner. But you knew better. You stepped away so the rest of his family could say hello to him, even though you wished you could have him all to yourself right now.

“Are you on the clock?” He asked when everyone gave him space. You shook your head.

“Not really. Your mom’s here, but I’m keeping an eye on the boys every now and then. I’m staying for dinner, though.” Francis nodded as he listened, and then smirked. He leaned in to whisper in your ear, a hand on your hip.

“Maybe after dinner, we can have some dessert?” You felt your cheeks heat up. Although he whispered so no one else could hear, his tone was bold and seductive. You cleared your throat, trying to regain composure.

“I think I’ll need some convincing.” You responded before walking away, out of his hold, to help Lois with dinner.

You didn’t need any convincing. With how long it’s been since the last time you saw Francis, it took everything in you not to drag him to the bathroom for some quick relief. But you knew that if you held out on him long enough, the end result would be amazingly worth it.

He made sure to sit next to you during dinner. He did nothing at first, putting food on your plate like a good friend would. Casually making conversation with everyone while you ate. Part of you thought he forgot about your little exchange. 

But then, in the middle of dinner, he put his hand on your thigh. It was so surprising you almost choked on your water. Thank God there was a tablecloth to cover his actions. Above the table, he wasn’t even paying attention to you, too engrossed in a conversation with his father about something ranch related. You would’ve been hanging onto every word. You loved listening to Francis talk passionately about anything. But below the table, his hand was reaching the apex of your thigh, gripping it deliciously hard.

“Are you okay, Y/n?” Dewey asked from his place across from you. You cleared your throat, a hand discreetly moving to Francis’.

“Yeah, Dew-Dew. My drink went down the wrong tube.” You grabbed Francis’ wrist, and before you could pry it off you, even though you wanted to do the complete opposite, he brushed his finger against your clothed core. He smirked, drawing his hand away while you took a deep inhale. “Now, keep telling me about that piano competition.”

You insisted to Lois that you help her with the dishes after everyone had finished eating. Surprising to her, Francis offered to help you, saying he wanted to catch up more with you. You talked about everything and nothing, washing and drying slowly to prolong your conversations. 

As everyone started trailing to their beds, you bid them all good night. You made sure to smother Jamie in kisses before he was taken off. Being a baby, he barely gave you trouble and was, therefore, your favorite Wilkerson to babysit.

You waited for the click of Malcolm closing the door to the boys’ bedroom. When you heard it, you finished the last dish and handed it to Francis. 

“I can’t believe you did that.” You dried your hands off and looked at him. He had a stupid smirk on his handsome face.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He dried the plate and set it down before turning to you, leaning against the counter with crossed arms. Francis stared you up and down, lip caught between his teeth.

“Oh, please.” You laughed, moving to the living room. He followed behind you. “You knew what you were doing.”

“Just missed you, that’s all.” His hands were on your waist, turning you around to face him in his hold. He leaned in closely, nose bumping yours. A hand slid down to squeeze your ass. “Is that such a crime?”

Francis’ words always had such an effect on you. You’d be flustered one minute, not knowing what to do with yourself. The next, it was like you had become feral, grasping and clawing for any piece of him. He kissed you with such vigor that your knees went weak. Francis led you backward, not stopping until you were pinned between him and the wall. He nipped at your lip and your breath hitched, the pain feeling so good.

“Francis, your whole family’s here.” You whispered while your boyfriend trailed kisses down your neck.

“Then I guess you’ll have to be quiet, won’t you?” He asked, pulling back to look you in the eye. You could barely meet his gaze, eyelids heavy with lust. A hand set against your jaw, tilting your head up to look at him. “You can do that for me, right baby?” You nodded, but he clicked his tongue. “Words, Y/n.”

“I’ll be quiet.” You whispered. Francis grinned.

“Good girl.” He kissed you again, the hand on your jaw creeping to the back of your neck. Francis’ words of praise made you wetter than his actions. You squeezed your thighs together, searching for some kind of relief. You couldn’t take the waiting anymore. “Need some help, baby?”

“Please, Francis.” You whined. He made quick work of unbuttoning your pants, yanking them down to pool around your ankles so you could step out of them. He dragged his hands up your bare thighs, leaving goosebumps in their wake. You kept begging and pleading, making sure your voice was low.

And then he brushed his fingers right against your most sensitive spot. You clamped a hand against your mouth to muffle the moan that escaped you.

“Don’t worry, baby. I’ll take care of you.” Despite all the time apart, he found your clit easily, playing with it like a button, begging to be pushed. He pushed his knee forward to separate your legs, bringing you down to grind on his thigh. You gasped, rutting your hips against him with Francis’ help. He pulled you back and forth, continuously teasing your clit.

“God, Francis, please.”

“What do you want?” He locked eyes with you again, refusing to let you get shy with him. “Come on, baby, what do you need? Just say it, and I’ll give it to you.”

“Your…” A particularly rough thrust against Francis cut you off. He smirked down at you.

“How can I give you what you want if you don’t tell me?” Francis knew exactly what you wanted. He just liked to be an asshole. Probably payback for you not giving in to him earlier. 

“Your cock.” You whimpered. “Need your cock, Francis.” He grinned.

“See, was that so hard?” He asked condescendingly. Before you could roll your eyes at the tone, Francis grabbed the back of your thighs and lifted you up. You wrapped your limbs around him tightly to not fall and to keep him close to you. Keeping you up against the wall with one hand, Francis used his other to unbuckle his belt, tugging his pants down just enough to pull himself out of his boxers. He was hard against your thigh, so close to where you needed him most. 

Francis pulled your panties to the side, showing off your pussy to him. He almost groaned at the sight, a sight he missed so much. He grabbed hold of himself, rubbing himself up and down, too agonizingly slow for your liking.

“Francis. Need you so bad.” You ground your hips down, and he got the message. After rubbing his tip through your folds a few times to gather your wetness, he buried his cock in you. You dug your nails into his back at the sensation. He filled you to the brim; the pain of him stretching you felt so good.

Francis didn’t take any mercy on you. He immediately started fucking into you, your head falling onto his shoulder as he turned your bones to jelly. You began to moan at the feeling, but he brought a hand to your mouth to stop you.

“Gotta be a good girl for me.” He panted. “Gotta be quiet. Fuck.” It took everything in you to follow his commands. Francis pistoned in and out of you hard; you don’t know how you contained yourself. “Jesus, you feel so good, Y/n.”

“Fuck, Francis.” You whined against his hand, throwing your head back against the wall while arching your back. He took his hand away to rub your clit, continuing to pound in and out of you.

Francis could tell you were getting close. You were practically squeezing the life out of him, clawing at his back and shoulders, gnawing at your lip to keep quiet because you wanted to be good for him.

“You wanna come, baby? I bet you do.” He teased.

“Please, lemme come, Francis.” You begged, gasping as all his attention on you brought you closer to the edge. “Please, I need to come so bad.”

“Okay, okay.” He shushed you, furthering his assault on your clit while leaning forward to suck at your neck. “You wanna come? Come. Do it.” His words pushed you over harshly. He had to keep you against the wall with his body, the hand previously holding you up now silencing you while the other helped you ride out your high. His thrusts started to become sloppy. “Oh, fuck.” 

Francis reached his peak as well, coating your insides. His thrusts slowed to a stop as you both caught your breath. You gained enough energy to grab his face, bringing him to your lips.

“I missed you.” You whispered after a deep breath. Francis grinned, kissing you again.

“I missed you too, honey.”

[ncdweller]

We visited the Agricultural buildings at the local fairgrounds yesterday. There was an arts & crafts sale in one of the buildings.

But it was a Kodachrome day outside, but alas, without Kodachrome.

If you look closely at the stable photo (last one), you will see a black object just above the yellow extension cord. That’s a cow/steer. All by itself.

In another building there were some pigs, also by themselves, but at least they had each other.

In other news. This town has three (3) Thai restaurants. We had lunch at one of them.

I did not get photos at the concrete statuary place. They had St. Francis (obligatory), but with a grotesque, malformed face. But that spot deserves a whole nother post.

[morgenlich]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love❤

also gonna tag @council-of-beetroot since she tagged me also lol

going 2 be sharing the ao3 summary + first few paragraphs of each since i've seen ppl doing a few different things with this meme lol

in really no particular order:

1) last light (gen fic w multiple ships, rated E)

just some desperate people trying to survive with (and sometimes in spite of) each other.

The lightbulb overhead flickered almost imperceptibly, emitting a faint hum just at the edge of Tolys’ hearing. Sighing softly to himself, he drummed his fingertips on the windowsill anxiously, ignoring the cup of now-cold tea beside him as he tried to focus on the fat snowflakes tumbling lazily from the sky to the streets below, where they melted almost instantly. The little village slumbered on, cradled to the east by a forest so dark and dense even Tolys was wary of it; its shadow loomed in the gloaming, and he wondered, not for the first time, what creatures might be prowling there. Darkness fell swiftly, the handful of streetlamps doing little against it. There was little threat of an air raid so far east, though there was still an uneasy feeling in Tolys’ stomach. Even so early in December, few people wanted to deal with the cold; those who braved it shuffled quickly toward wherever their business was and otherwise left the streets to the night. Tolys imagined most of the residents would be readying for dinner then, preparing to settle in for the evening…. Somewhere in the distance, a dog barked. A woman held her child’s hand as they crossed the street. On the corner, a couple of officers stood, lighting their cigarettes. You’d almost be forgiven for forgetting there was a war on, were it not for the tanks lurking in the shadows.

2) like they do in babylon (rusliet, rated E)

for the past several nights, russia has been calling lithuania to his study to talk and drink with him, and lithuania doesn't know why--until russia kisses him.

This is a bad idea, Tolys thought, as though that hadn’t been the appeal of it an hour ago. “Would you like some more wine?” Russia asked as he refilled his own glass. “I—please. Yes.” He bit his lip and held out his still half-full glass, willing his hand to be steady while Russia topped him off. He couldn’t bring himself to sip at it, though it was a vintage certainly deserving of that treatment; he wished only to calm his nerves, he was numb to any sensation but the buzz of anxiety running through his body, and if Russia thought anything of the gulp he managed to swallow, he gave no indication of it. Russia was sitting sideways on the sofa, one foot tucked under his leg, absentmindedly swirling his wineglass as he watched Tolys. His violet eyes were full of some emotion that Tolys couldn’t—or perhaps, simply didn’t want to—name. The deep yellow silk of the cushions glistened faintly, catching the light of the dying fire before them. Tolys focused on the dancing flames and took another drink of wine.

3) plein air (frapol, rated T)

[summary is just part of the same excerpt i'm using here]

Yawning, Feliks rolled onto his side, propping his head up with one hand and reaching for a grape with the other. Francis, his billowy white shirt hanging off his shoulder, gently brushed a stray lock of hair behind his ear. “More wine?” he asked. Feliks shook his head; Francis shrugged before pouring himself another glass, and the two lapsed back into comfortable silence, lounging on the old blanket Francis had brought with. The Mediterranean stretched out before them, glittering like a sapphire, the horizon obscured by midday haze. Barely perceptible waves lapped at the brilliant white sand, their murmuring the only sound other than the occasional breeze, hardly strong enough to lift their hair. Pale cliffs sheltered the beach from the rest of the world; earlier, they’d provided shade, too, but the sun was almost directly overhead now, and the only shade offered came from a sun-faded parasol propped up behind them. Feliks didn’t mind; the warmth of the sun on his skin was more than welcome after so many months stuck in the cold, or indoors…. It had been Francis’s idea to head south for a bit, and it had been his suggestion that morning to spend the day at the beach. “You need to rest,” he’d said, “and the warm air will your lungs good.” Feliks hadn’t complained—he was sick of Paris, and the warm air did make it much easier to breathe…he’d missed the sea, too. It’s the wrong sea, though, he thought. It was such a brilliant blue he still wasn’t quite sure he wasn’t hallucinating it, and Francis had brought the sweetest wine he’d ever tasted, grapes and berries and a melon all so ripe they were practically bursting, it was just the two of them…and yet. Vivid memories of searching for shells and amber when he was younger, alongside…. No, it was pointless to dwell on that.

4) heartlines (lietpol, rated M)

feliks learns to be a little more comfortable with himself around tolys.

Feliks took a deep breath, smoothing his skirt—hoping it would wipe the sweat from his hands in the process—before timidly placing his hand on the doorknob. He had been so confident that Tolys wouldn’t judge him until that moment, just before showing him. He was suddenly glad he’d decided against wearing makeup—that would have been far too much, he was sure—or maybe the fake earrings would be where Tolys would draw the line—instinctively, his hands flew to his ears to pull them off— He took another deep breath. He’d seen men in perfectly masculine clothes wearing earrings, this was fine. Anyway, Tolys is the one with hair past his shoulders, he thought. Clenching his jaw, he grabbed the handle, still not turning it. The best thing to do was just get on with it—either Tolys wouldn’t care, and this worrying was for nothing; or he would, and it was best to just get that humiliation over with. He could feel his hands growing slick again; he grimaced. Couldn’t he at least act confident? He’d done all sorts of crazy-ridiculous-stupid things without a second thought, why should this make his lunch want to come back up? He rolled his shoulders to adjust his posture, then opened his bedroom door before he could talk himself out of it.

5) midnight rendezvous (ruspol, rated E)

Feliks wants to blow off some steam, and Ivan is willing to help. Part of my whump/smut combo "bingo," the prompt was "spanking."

Feliks made his way through the darkened halls of Russia’s estate, wrapping his blue satin house robe tightly around himself as though it would stave off the cold. Winter had well and truly come, the oppressive cold leaking into the house through cracks in the walls and gaps in the windows. Had there been lights in the hall, Feliks was sure he’d be able to see his own breath. At least it was a clear night, and still; the nights where the wind shrieked as it hurled itself against the walls were by far the worst, and Feliks was not entirely convinced the old manor house they had all been stuffed into would withstand another winter after this one. The overwhelming smell of cheap perfume clung to him as he walked. It was annoying, to know the house well enough to be able to so easily avoid making the floors creak in his wake. Well, if he was going to be stuck living with Russia, he might as well get something out of it.

[floralcrematorium]

Could you do 📚, 🏠, and 🔥 for the Hetalia ask thing? Oh and in honor of rare pair week, 💘?

Thanks for the ask!!

📚 What part of the webcomic/manga is your favorite? Could be a single strip, an event, a character arc, etc.

Hands down, it's the furby strips. I love furbies. And we got what? 3 chapters full of them?????? My discord and spotify profile pics are of furbies from the strips lol. I need to draw England with my horrible Princess Diana furby from my storyboard class lol

🏠 Quick! You now live in a mansion in the middle of nowhere and you've got your choice of three nations to live with. Who do you choose as your new housemates and why?

Francis -- Are we really that surprised with this one? We're gonna cook, draw, and then he can judge me for my fashion sense. I'm an adult who still shops at Hot Topic and he's not gonna like that Listen, it's the only place I can get edgy pants in plus sizes

Yao -- This man deserves more love and appreciation. Like with Francis, we can also cook and draw! I would also just love to talk to him. I want to hang out with him so bad. Like you don't understand. I don't know why he's been a longstanding favorite of mine but I admire him and wouldn't be irritated by him like I would be by many other characters.

Kateryna -- Ukraine's jumped up on my list of favorites in recent years. Like with Francis, when I write for her I take the bits and pieces I like and elaborate on them while I find a way to rebuild the weaker aspects of her character. I think she deserves to catch a break -- she's always been the one others rely on and she deserves to be Pampered and Appreciated. I think she's also got hobbies that I'd like to have more experience with (gardening, general outdoorsy activities/fitness, and textile arts). I also imagine her being a similar clothing size to me, so having a dress up kinda day would be really fun!

TLDR: Francis, Yao, and Kateryna because we have hobbies we can do together

🔥 Are there any popular/widely accepted headcanons you don't like?

Gonna be real with you on this one, I don't know what widely accepted headcanons are floating around these days other than if Prussia is a loser virgin vs chad sex god. I don't care about the spicy side of things because I just have zero interest (✨Asexuality✨), but I guess I'm on Team Loser Virgin because I think that's just really silly

💘 What's the most obscure pairing you've got a soft spot for?

Sigh. Framano.

It entirely has to do with the RP I have with someone. That's what introduced me to it. I was unsure how I felt about it at first, but it quickly grew on me

You will see rare pair week content from me, I just don't know if I'll be able to get it out during rare pair week. I've got a majority of part one written, so maybe I'll save part two for after rare pair week? Let's see.

I think this ship can go one of three ways. A: two people unexpectedly brought together and are uniquely positioned to deal with each other's baggage. B: horrible toxic codependeny. C: stubborn assholes gifting each other more and more expensive wine to one up the other. They are constantly competing

Hetalia Asks

[veganthranduil]

20 questions for fic writers

Tagged by @fieryphrazes, whose answers I enjoyed reading so much!!

1. How many works do you have on A03?

102

2. What is your A03 word count?

1,017,012

Oops.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

I have written Terror fics almost exclusively for like four years, with some MASH in between. Right now I'm back at a Pacific Rim fic I started in 2016.

4. What are your top 5 fics by Kudos?

i have called you by name (Good Omens)

never seek him, defiantly, at night (The Terror)

The Notion of Respectability (The Terror)

Gambling Man (Les Mis) (this one is so funny to me. happy eleven-year anniversary to my child)

flightless bird (dumb, wild, and free) (Good Omens)

5. Do you respond to comments?

Yes!! I am slow but I love responding to comments. If you tell me your thoughts on my fic, you unlock extra analysis rambling in response from me.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

This is so hard... I think it's a tie between Robofitz and the one where Francis cheats on his wife with James? But honestly my MASH sports medicine AU deserves a shoutout here too.

7. What is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I'm going to say it's the one where the entire Franklin expedition survives (because there was only one bed), for maximum happiness.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Sometimes I get comments where the intentions of the commenter are not quite clear to me. I just delete & move on!

9. Do you write smut? If so which kind?

Yes & all kinds?

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest crossover you've ever written?

i have never!

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I have had people ask, but my policy is that any translation of my work should only be up on Ao3, and the people who were asking had been planning to put it up on other fic sites. So not to my knowledge.

I have translated a fic that I wrote from German into English though! It even tries to simulate the formal/informal pronoun switch.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, but I've always wanted to!

14. What's your all time favorite ship?

This is hard... I don't have favourites... but I will say Fitzier if you make me choose

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I have so many of those in my folder. Let's not speak of those.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I really like worldbuilding, in the sense of giving characters a politically & socially coherent world to inhabit. I think I am very good at that by nature of my training & academic expertise.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I struggle most with differentiating between internal monologue & external actions. Like, I am constantly reminding myself that not all characters are telepathic and understand each other's actions.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I have written both an Expanse AU that used Lang Belta with translations, as well as a Weimar Berlin AU for Fitzier that just straight-up used German without translations. Languages are fun! Put them in more things!

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Transformers lol... or I guess Star Wars, but that was not published anywhere

20. Favorite fic you've written?

Past Sins, my James Fitzjames gets blackmailed fic.

I'm tagging @pianodoesterror and @laissezferre!

[froggywritesstuff]

Perfectdolls headcanons

pairings: Jane Doe/Penny Lamb x Ocean O'connell Rosenburg

warnings: swearing, mentions of anxiety

fandom: Ride The Cyclone

A/N: i'm projecting myself so much onto these two it's not even funny

Ocean is such a nervous wreck before she and Jane start dating

even when they do start dating, she gets really insecure, thinking that no one should ever date her and that she doesn't deserve Jane, but it's nothing Jane can't fix with some sweet words of encouragement

they both have very different music tastes, but they constantly listen to each other's playlists and love it just because the other one likes it. like, Ocean's least favourite song could be Jane's favourite, and it'll completely change her perspective of that song.

but they both absolutely love chloe moriondo's music, and listen to her music 24/7 together

Ocean gets really anxious and tries to hide it, but Jane always knows, and holds her hand and rubs her thumb over hers to calm her down

they braid each other's hair during sleepovers

yes they have sleepovers

Ocean definitely buys her and Jane matching pyjamas for when they have sleepovers

FOREHEAD KISSES

Jane texts Ocean almost every second when they're apart, letting her know the smallest details about her day, and Ocean can't help the wide smile spreading on her lips

i feel like Jane could just. pick Ocean up. and she does it at the most random times. 

Jane, losing at Monopoly: I'm leaving. and I'm taking Ocean with me. *carries Ocean away*

Ocean: I was winning!

or alternatively, the choir will just be having a conversation, and Jane just picks Ocean up. there's a second of silence, before everyone continues their conversations like normal

one of them will just absentmindedly start playing with the other one's hair, and they're just so used to it they don't even notice until someone asks about it

if Jane starts crying, Ocean starts crying too because she feels bad, but she quickly tries to wipe her tears away and tries her best to be there for Jane

Ocean will always be wearing something from Jane's wardrobe, they pretty much just share clothes at this point

this is sort of unrelated, but Ocean listened to Little Miss Perfect from Write Out Loud and cried for like, ten minutes 

Jane texts in all lower case with minimal grammar, while Ocean texts with pretty much perfect grammar and punctuation

Ocean does the wordle first thing in the morning and sends her score to Jane, while Jane normally waits until twelve to start, and she’ll guess a word, get stuck for a few minutes, do something else, realise she needs to finish the wordle, do another guess, and that cycle repeats and she normally guesses it around seven pm.

JANE HUGS OCEAN FROM BEHIND AND RESTS HER HEAD AGAINST HER SHOULDER

Space Girl by francis forever and chloe moriondo is THEIR song

Jane, texting Ocean at 3am: would you still love me if i was a worm ?

Ocean: If you were a worm would you still love me if i wasn't a worm?

Jane: i hope i don't ever turn into a worm

Ocean: Go to sleep <3

buy me a coffee <3

[fitzyshusband]

So I recently came home to find a lovely package of bsd Volume 11. It single handedly is my favourite volume of all time, asides from around 3/4 to 10 (aka Guild Arc). The obvious reason is, well Fitzgerald: my name isn't Fitzyshusband for nothing.

To nobody's surprise, this is my Fitzgerald Ramble: (I've decided to add images between like each convo so you don't have to feel overwhelmed with so many words)

(Apologies if there's any spelling errors I've not proof read this...yet)

Were going to name the chapters 'Fitzgerald's rising' collectively because that's the name of the Anime episode (I watched the anime first before reading the manga). One thing the anime fails to accomplish is establish a deep personality and completed story for Fitzgerald. I noticed there was so many more little convosations and scenes in the manga that the anime took out that quite frankly should've stayed in. I know budget wise and from a business stand point nobody really wants to see Fitzgerald they're more focused on the major characters such as Atushi, Aktagawa, Ranpo, Fyodor, tw Dazai, Chuuya because those are the fandom Favourite (not mine personally, asides from Fyodor and ranpo, but I can see why they're liked so much).

What is so good about Fitzgerald rising is that it draws in so much from The Great Gatsby that it stimulates my brain and makes me giggle and kick my feet and feel overwhelmingly happy emotions. I haven't really looked into many of the other characters but I do believe that Fitzgerald is one of the only characters that has his book referenced so much in a way that you have to actually be aware of the plot of the Great Gatsby to know.

To briefly summarise the plot of The Great Gatsby, Nick caraway is the cousin of Daisy who is married to Tom Buchanan. Nick moves in beside a truely amazing house and meets the owner Jay Gatsby. Gatsby and Daisy are past lovers, because Gatsby has to go off Daisy ended up being with Tom. Gatsby got all his wealth and everything he has to win Daisy's love and attention, to which he does before she caves in and decides she should stay with Tom. This all ends in Gatsby dying (murder) and showing that nobody asides from Nick actually cared about him.

I'm bad at explaining so I hope that this somewhat helped.

Now, onto the symbolism with Fitzgeralds Rising.

First of all, T.J Eckleburg is a character in the Great Gatsby. His name is on a billboard with two peeping eyes, owning the 'eyes of god'. In BSD, It's Tom Buchanan who owns Eyes of God and Eckleburg is merely the enjineerer behind it. I like that Tom Buchanan is seen as an asshole and horrible man in bsd because he definitely is in The Greag Gatsby. I'm also glad that Tom Buchanan meets his demise to Fitzgerald (Gatsby) because its the opposite of what happens in the actual book.

I'm not the only one to agree that Fitzgerald is the only character deserving of the book that everyone is like hunting for. Not only is his reasoning family orientated but he shows signs of caring for others, despite John Steinback saying he doesn't care. I think there is a darker side to Fitzgerald, this would be in line with the Authors life as a whole; raging alcoholic with a very messy life, often making a fool of himself and evenchually dying alone. I don't believe this should be an outcome for BSD Fitzgerald because I think I wouldn't be able to recover mentally, but I do enjoy the idea that Fitzgerald is alone.

It sounds twisted but from a character development stand point its such a good concept. This man that is Extroverted, known to be very big and have all this wealth; a lovely wife, so many good things that most people don't have, but deep inside he has this lingering loneliness. This is so apparent because although he is surrounded by so many people his more impactful scenes are one on one or one on two. Francis V Atushi when he walked in on Francis Phone call, it has such a big impact because it gave us his motivation to why he does everything he has.

Fitzgerald rising is very much him one on one with other people, we see more of him and he's such a like cool character. His friendship with Louisa ,though people assume is very One sided, is so much more than what people assume. Fitzgerald recognises Louisa's intelligence, he gives her the space she needs to use it and although she obediently does as he says she's so happy doing it. He knows this, otherwise he would value her so much. One detail I overlooked until I read the manga was Louise's ability. It isn't one that enhances her intelligence, its one that slows down time. Her plans are all based on what she knows and her predictions are always right.

Louisa is on par with Ranpo and because she is so overlooked people fail recognise this.

Fitzgeralds rising is the recognition that Fitzgerald holds people he cares for so highly that you could argue he values others more than himself. Everything he does is for other people, something Gatbsy always did, and to simply call him a character that lacks connections with others is a clear mischaracterisation.

Don't get me wrong, this can be countered with Lucy easily. He dropped her almost instantly and even says that Fitzgerald can discard people easily, yet she still got to stay working for Francis until she betrayed him. Only then does he fully discard her. He knows that everyone has a purpose and he helps them find it, he's had Louisa by his side so it's no doubt that she's been able to research all this and tell Francis what people are good for and he does exactly that.

He gives people purpose.

Fitzgerald rising makes me yearn for more Fitzgerald content, which we do get in the form of Francis vs Nathaniel and Atushi seeking help from Fitzgerald, sure he guild trips Atushi into agreeing to get Yosano to heal Margaret because she's the only person to stop Nathaniel. Yet, his actions comes from a place of protection.

To make me love Fitzgerald and BSD even more would be adding Nick Carraway and Earnest Hemingway because quite frankly I would explode and die and cry and giggle and sob and go absolutely crazy. There's so much to explore with these two potential characters, Nick being someone who admires Francis and can be hired into the new guild and Earnest being a counter to Francis, the potential is endless.

I would expect that if they chose to add Nick, then Fitzgerald would be meeting his end: going off The Great Gatsby.

If they chose to add Hemingway, then I would expect that he would either be just another person wanting him dead. He would probably be teaming up with John Steinbeck to expose Francis. This would introduce us to a darker side of Francis, a side that has only ever been mentioned and not actually seen.

There's so much more I could talk about, like the wedding ring and the possible theory that Zelda has died or divorced Francis and how that links into Author Fitzgerald. The relationship between Fitzgerald and Hemingway that has hints of homosexual feelings: Who would be the Daisy equivalent because Tom Buchanan is a Canon character to BSD, T.J Eckleburgs role beyond just being someone Fitzgerald saved.

However, I have a tenancy to ramble so much nobody can even recognise or remember what I started of saying in the first place. Therefore, I will leave it here.

My final words: Fitzgerald needs more recognition and to be seen beyond funny money man.

[venndaai]

2, 5, 9, 11, 12, 20 for Robin/Lymond :3

2. What song fits your pairing the most?

You were so right when you picked Easier Than Lying.

5. Favorite canon moment of them?

It's so hard to pick, but I think it's gotta be the steeplechase. This brief, tiny glimpse at a potential partnership that could be something joyful for them both, but was already doomed from the start.

9. Favorite aspect of them/their relationship dynamics?

The way that they're both insane and deserve each other. The way they make each other better and also way worse. The way that one of them is the author's beloved Mary Sue to end all Mary Sues and in QP he gets a love interest who is the last person anyone would want to date and they get the most dramatic crazy tragic romance I've ever read.

11. If they aren’t a canon pairing, how would you get them together?

This really depends on what you mean by "canon" and "together", because one easy answer is "prevent O'Liamroe from walking into that room for another 30 seconds," but in terms of like. Getting them to confess feelings and hang out in a declaredly romantic fashion, as we've discussed, I want to rearrange things so Lymond gets to Robin at the end just in time to save him but the near-loss prompts him to talk about his feelings for once. Then Robin has to hide out at Sevigny for a while because he's still an outlaw, and Lymond is there too for a bit and they banter and bite their way into bed together.

12. If you had to take them and plunk them into another fandom, what fandom would that be? Why?

I don't know what fandom particularly, but I think they deserve to be in fantasy or science fiction. ...I never got far with the Vorkosigan books, but something like that maybe- the French court would work pretty well as a decadent space empire court.

20. What made you decide to ship them?

So Robin fully stole my heart during the cheetah fiasco, and I started shipping it in the sense of loving Robin's disaster feelings during the steeple chase, but the ship didn't take over my heart and mind until the reveal that Lymond had known Robin was the assassin ever since the cheetah and had been going to extreme lengths to try to save and redeem him. Robin is the most pathetic unappealing garbage man in 1500s Europe, and Francis Crawford of Lymond, God's Specialest Sexy Princess, who generally does not hesitate to kill people who get in his way, decided he was going to risk it all over and over for this garbage heap human being. And that was so beautiful I couldn't help but fall in love.

[walker-extended-universe]

WIndy Rewatch: 1x03

This episode gives me so many feels. Just like the show <3

This episode is really the calm before the storm that really picks up in 1x04. The characters are all still poking at each other and we're still learning the basics. There's so much we don't know and a million questions, some of which we still don't have answers to.

Things that Hit Different:

Kate waits .05 seconds before looking through Abby's things and finds nothing <3 Keep trying queen

Calian is so fucking soft with Abby I can't

"What if he finds out who you are? You could be next." Tom KNOWS who she is and has for a long time and it's scary to think that the only reason she's even here to puzzle this out is because he doesn't want her dead

Abby's risking everything for her dead husband and tbh we need more wives like that in the media

Tom and Gus are so interesting in this episode. Gus doesn't trust Tom one bit and he's not hiding that. Meanwhile, Tom is trying to sus out exactly who Gus is and keeps giving him all these little tests. Is he trying to find a weak spot? An ally? A reason to make Gus fight for the Davidson? Or a reason to eliminate him from the equation?

It's so early on but even here I think we see Taza trying to push Calian towards leadership. Insisting that Calian should lead the meeting with Francis and telling him to own up to his duty to his people..... I love it Taza believes in him so much <3

Lucia! :D Hoyt doesn't deserve her but I believe in him he can do better and be worthy one day

Hoyt and Calian are also so interesting in this episode because they don't like each other. They're only working together for Abby and they can play civil in front of her but the second they're alone they are at each other's throats. And it's really interesting because Calian is normally so soft spoken and less prone to violence but he's so aggressive with Hoyt and almost castrates him on a whim. I wish we'd gotten to see more of this side of him it's fun

"You have it in you to be good." "....Okay FINE." best writing give this show all the awards

Kate and Kai's banter at the restaurant is fun and I love them and I need them to kiss soon please

I know the Sullivan sister issue got resolved a little too quickly for some people but I mean, at the end of the day, it was either get their shit together or go broke and homeless. That's a fake it til you make it situation if I ever saw one

KATE. IS. NOT. SUBTLE.

"He's a lucky man yo have you in his life for so long" - Hoyt to Jacob's father. I've shed too many tears over Hoyt not having a dad already show!

Tom calling Abby "Abby" this soon feels wrong. I'm glad he sticks to Miss Walker most of the time.

Also! HE KNOWS WHAT SHE DID!!!! He knows it! And she knows what he was trying to do and she probably knows that he knows what she did! And they talk around it and she plays it off and he doesn't call her out and he gives her that damn smile like he wants to banter with her every day. It's so soft! And he shouldn't be soft with her because she fucked everything up but also that's what made him fall in love with her in the first place!

I'm still so fascinated with why Abby had an issue with Kate having a gun. There are so many other things they could've used to make her suspicious of Kate, but they chose her gun. I suppose it's just a cultural thing, given that Abby grew up in Boston high society. It's still odd to me.

Another banger of an episode. 10/10.

[caixxa]

A1,A 2, B6, B9, BASICALLY ALL OF THE C QUESTIONS! PLS I WANT TO KNOW! (if you feel like responding lmao) thank you, love you and hope you are having a really nice day! <3

Sorry that it took so long to answer! I had a hellish day and we live on almost opposite time zones, so.

A1: When did you start reading fanfiction?

Summer 2016, after Euro 2016. As an adult, well past 30, I rediscovered the fun of being A Fan.

A2: How did you find your first fic?

I googled, learned new search phrases to google until I found the stuff I really liked. I think the first searches were like "Gareth Bale fan fiction" and the really effective one that I think finally led me to Ao3 (I have no idea what the first sites were) was more in the way of "Cristiano ronaldo gareth bale m/m slash" lol. I read only as a guest user for months, I didn't make my own account until I wanted to write and post my own work.

B6. What is your favourite story trope? Why?

Friends to lovers with sexual exploration on the way. Seductive younger man developing in a twisted power balance/imbalance relationship with an older man. Stuff with sexual tension and a vibe of something forbidden.

B9. Who is your OTP?

I'm such a multi-shipper! I always say it's Aho/TT because they are soulmates and the Finnish connection and two cherubs who share a brain on the ice and fly together and are stupid codependent bros. But I've come to think that the true OTP is Sepe/mentors and authority figures. I came to that conclusion when I heard on the Canes Corner podcast that in his first interviews, he always mentioned Ron Francis, and I couldn't but nod along. Of course he did. A franchise legend who drafted him, of course. He still mentioned him on the Siim Liivik podcast like last summer, you know. He loves Rod, he loves Pekka, he loves Justin Williams, he was so into Burns being traded to the Canes. He's a fireball on the ice but off the ice, his daddy kink can be seen from SPACE.

THe C section:

What trope are you tired of reading? Why? Self-harm or suicide as a romantic plot point. It should be self-explanatory, I detest all variations of the trope where romantic counterpart saves the protagonist from shit they should figure out with themselves first, especially if there is a "love as a miracle cure" element to it. I feel similarly about th "you deserve better, let me save you from your abusive relationship by making you mine". No. If this happens from a base of friendship and they develop love later, that works, but falling in love as a cure because The One Sees Your Beauty When Others Don't is yucky. Elaborate proposals in front of an audience gathered specifically to celebrate the occasion as peak romance is so weird too, maybe I just don't get American wedding culture. (These tropes are more present in m/f imagines than m/m rpf, tho)

What word or expression always makes you cringe when you read it? "Too" when it's supposed to be "to" is the only one of those that I often see in fic writing, but in general, "Their" when you mean "They're" or "it's" for "its" when native speakers do it... IT'S YOUR OWN LANGUAGE! HOW CAN YOU NOT GET THE EASY ONES RIGHT?

Is there anything that makes you nope out of a story? What is it? Double spacing between each paragraph. I know that it's mostly because the Ao3 rich text editor doesn't copy/paste google docs right. I will have to be REALLY drawn into the story and want to read it really bad to struggle through that.

What thing that fandom loves do you actually kind of hate? Why? Hockey fights. They're so unnecessary, they're just an example of the American fixation on violence and vigilante justice. It's okay to me that hockey is a rough game, cross checking and body checking is absolutely fine by me, but dropping the gloves.. it's such a stupid, primitive thing to do. Hockey does fine without it. I know this is unpopular bc y'all love violence. I see all the wrestling posts y'know, and all the "hot" tags in hockey fight posts. *points at all directions, staring judgementally*

What character that fandom loves are you just kinda “meh” about? Why? Hockey players: Anthony Beauvillier. This is just about his looks, I don't see what most people see, he looks so plain to me.

Is there anything in canon that made you want to quit the show? What was it? Why did you hate it? Are we still talking hockey/sports because all i read is sports rpf? Well, I used to like F1 but Ihave very little interest in it now. I just don't think that a motorsport that is done on vehicles for no other use than driving on these extensive tracks made of concrete and asphalt just for it is just gross. In rally, there is at least something organic (lol) and relatable. Also, the last Cristiano Ronaldo fic I read was after his transfer to Juventus, after that I think he's made a fool of himself.

Who is your NOTP? Sepe/Seth Jarvis, Sepe/Jordan Martinook. I think it's bc I have zero attraction to the other guy haha, plus Jarvy only gives me goofy little brother vibes, not ship vibes. Also, Cressi was the big ship when I entered football rpf and I could see the two superstars, rivals, el clasico etc etc intellectually but I just sensed no chemistry between cr7 and messi whatsoever so it's always been kinda NOTP for me.

What is one plot twist you wish people would stop using?  Do all the plot twists your heart desires, man, writing is supposed to be fun! But what I said in C1 counts here too.

What show did you really try to watch, but you just couldn’t? This happens with all the shows. I watch a few episodes but can't find the time to finish them. I also skipped a lot (most) of NHL games last season because I need to sleep.

What book could you just never get into, no matter how hard you tried? I don't try hard with my reading, if I don't like the book I quit. The hardest I've tried was probably War and Peace which I read so slowly that I eventually forgot what had happened before and kinda drifted off it after maybe 20%.

Thank you for the ask and have a super duper fine summer!!

(the ask game post is this)

[tinfairies]

Hi there! No clue if you’re still interested in out OP oc’s but here’s mine.

Atlas is a 19 year old pirate, about 6’3”, fluffy brown hair, honey colored eyes, pale skin and freckles. Their parents were both pirates and they grew up at sea. They were taught how to run the ship by their dads Max Jacobs and Francis Jacobs, and they looked up to their dads like they were celebrities. Max and Francis were good people and stole food, clothes and medical supplies to hand out to poor towns, orphans and just whoever needed it. Atlas loves spending time up in the crowns nest and no one else could climb the rigging as fast as them. However, happy times can’t last. At 11 years old the marines caught Atlas’s dads and held a public execution for them, one that Atlas had front row seats to watch. They went on to be the captain of their dads crew and they’ve been running the ship since. Atlas goes around helping people just like what their dads did. They has a severe hatred for marines because of what they did to their dads that day, since they didn’t deserve it at all. So you can imagine their surprise when they meet Koby and fall head over heels for him. (There may have been a week or two of pure denial). Atlas has no sense of direction whatsoever and is not able to sleep no matter how much melatonin you give them.

I’m working on some more of the details and I’m working on a drawing of them! Will share if wanted!

Also, ignore the haters Tin. Your writing is incredible!

I WANT ALL THE OC SOUP OMG

Atlas deserves the world

Also Koby and Altas are both shocked that they fell for each other

I need to see the drawing when it's done!

I'm working on my other OC, Leviathan too. I now have 3 OP OCs... Oops

[spiralsublime]

I made a playlist for what could be a Jukebox Musical for the main trilogy of Lord of the Rings, with only Mitski songs. Below the read more is a track list explanation. It has been updated to include the newest album that Mitski dropped this week!!!

Please bear witness to this insanity <3

BOOK ONE – Fellowship of the Ring Part 1

Track No. 01               There’s Nothing Left              Laurel Hell

Bilbo is the beginning of our story. He has the ring of power and is being crushed by it with time. Gandalf enters on his birthday and pushes Bilbo to finally give up the Ring, thus its power and its curse. He hands it over to his nephew, surrendering it to him.

Track No. 02               Francis Forever                       Bury Me at Makeout Creek

Frodo had already lost his parents and now his guardian has vanished on him. He is told by Gandalf after some time that he must take his own adventure, that it could be something that changes the world. But he never wanted that life, he just wanted to live a kind life with his friends and family. He wanders the Shire for some time until he is finally spooked into taking his actual trip.

Track No. 03               Townie                                    Bury Me at Makeout Creek

Bree’s Party scene came to mind. It is one of the last times that any of the Hobbits have a true chance at liveliness. They drink, sing, dance, and enjoy themselves for the last time. Then Frodo accidentally slips on the Ring, shows himself, and meets up with Strider. The path from there is no easier.

BOOK TWO – Fellowship of the Ring Part 2

Track No. 04               Shame                                     Retired from Sad, New Career in Business

Shame is one of our repeated tracks. It harkens to the call of the Ring. It is in Rivendell that the Ring is first shown not only to the Council but also to Bilbo for the first time in years. It causes Bilbo to lash out and tempts multiple of the Council members. This feeling will follow through the musical as the Ring calls to others.

Track No. 05               Heat Lightning                        Laurel Hell

Another Bilbo track! After Frodo makes the announcement that he will take the Ring to Mordor, Bilbo has to realize that his story is over. He is no longer the main character, instead, he must watch his closest family member takes a trip that could decide the fate of the world.

Track No. 06               Pink in the Night                     Be the Cowboy

Rivendell holds a lot of rough time; however, it is also when some big romantic moments likely occurred. Samwise sits by Frodo’s side and then demands to follow him. Aragorn and Arwen intertwine before they must part for the rest of the story. It is a time many likely think back to.

Track No. 07               Remember My Name             Be the Cowboy

Aragorn is the man of many names. Everyone knows him throughout Middle Earth, but each with a different title. In his final moments in Rivendell, he begs not only himself but Arwen to remember him as he is now. He wants to be at peace and to have her be as happy as she could be.

Track No. 08               Liquid Smooth                        Lush

Arwen deserves her own track, and here she is: Making a choice to love a mortal, who is running directly at his fate. She does not know how it will turn out, but she has accepted that her death is inevitable.

Track No. 09               A Burning Hill                        Puberty 2

A big time jump here. This song is for Gandalf. He “dies” in Moira while fighting the Balrog. He then has to realize that he has had his part to play. He is within and outside of this war, and now he must face his own death and then his rebirth. This rebirth is when this song has its reprise.

Track No. 10               Because Dreaming Costs Money, My Dear                RfS, NCiB

Following the loss of Gandalf, everyone involved has to shift around. The grief that comes with such a great falling pins them all in different ways. They can smell the mines of Moira, the soot of the Balrog clings to their skin. The time they have to breathe is even shorter as they must continue moving.

Track No. 11               Fireworks                                Puberty 2

Aragorn was used to not being the leader of a team. He enjoyed helping. However, at the fall of Gandalf, he is forced to step up as is his fate. He forces his feelings to lock down until much later, when he can finally relax, though he can’t imagine such a time. He must be the leader for his Fellowship, no matter how overwhelming it is.

Track No. 12               Two Slow Dancers                  Be the Cowboy

Gandalf and Galadriel had known each other for centuries. They had learned to trust in one another, and (in my heart) love one another. This song points to when Galadriel is told about Gandalf falling. She doesn’t know how to exist in a space without him, she hadn’t expected him to vanish. Even when he returns, they leave together for the Undying Lands. Their magic waning as they diminish to the west but remain themselves.

Track No. 13               Thursday Girl                          Puberty 2

Still with Galadriel in Lothlorien! Frodo looks to Galadriel and begs her to take the Ring from him. He grows closer to his fate, but he grows more wary in the same time. He doesn’t know the right path any longer, and it chokes him.

Track No. 14               The Deal                                 TLiUaSAW

This song comes up twice in this playlist as well. The first is when Frodo meets Galadriel and tries to sign the Ring off to her. She has her own moment with the Ring, but Frodo was ready to sign it and the power of it away. He walks through Lothlorien and tries to release some of the fear, not knowing just how heavy his soul will become.

Track No. 15               Valentine, Texas                      Laurel Hell

They leave the safety of Lothlorien and head for the grand space of Argonath. A space where Aragorn continues the path of shucking off the cloak of a ranger. He feels lost in the city that called to him. He feels lost in himself. But he desperately tries to find himself in the same breath.

Track No. 16               Shame                                     Retired from Sad, New Career in Business

Shame’s second arrival on this playlist obviously deals directly with Boromir’s betrayal. It calls to him and drags him to break.

Track No. 17               Humpty                                   Retired from Sad, New Career in Business

The betrayal of Boromir is a short-lived moment. As he stumbles and is knocked free from the glamour of the Ring, he is forced to realize how far he has fallen. Boromir held himself as a man of honor, who could only be Good, and to realize how temptation had caught him… He feels shattered by it. He calls after Frodo and then rushes to find the others.

Track No. 18               I Will                                       Bury Me at Makeout Creek

This is another of our reprises. Samwise Gamgee chases after Frodo who rushed to the river to take his leave alone. Sam gathers himself up, clenches his jaw, and follows. The fellowship had fallen with Boromir’s betrayal, but Sam would not let Frodo hold the Ring alone. All he wanted was to keep Frodo safe.

BOOK THREE – Two Towers Part 1

Track No. 19               Goodbye, My Danish Sweetheart                   RfS, NCiB

Boromir’s final words are to Aragorn. He speaks of his failings while looking upon the face of the man that would rise to replace him if he had lived. His final resting is laid upon his hands. Aragorn could have told of the mad man that fell to the Ring, but he is resolved of his sins at the hands of his King.

Track No. 20               Abbey                                     Lush

The Ents are a species that were born to avoid hastiness. They do not rush, they do not fuss. They wait. They trust few and defend themselves. They remember the lost Ent-Wives, they remember their friends who have lost their mobility. Then Saruman wakes them up. The Dark roars, and they match.

Track No. 21               A Burning Hill                        Puberty 2

A mentioned above the Reprise of  A Burning Hill, where Gandalf has returned cloaked only in white. He has been given his new task, he gets to his feet and rejoins the Three Hunters.

Track No. 22               Once More to See You            Puberty 2

Upon their travels, Gimli and Legolas had grown far closer. Following Legolas’s defense of Gimli to the Rohirrim, they both have become even more aware of each other. Even with just Aragorn and Gandalf as the only witnesses, the desire to keep what is growing secret burns their skin.

Track No. 23               A Horse Named Cold Air        Be the Cowboy

Theoden has not been himself for quite some time. The poison of Wormtongue lives in his head and spurns his skin. But even trapped in the echo of his mind, he wanders. He thinks of the young king he once was, a young king who ran free. But when he returns, he realizes he had never gone anywhere.

Track No. 24               Real Men                                 Lush

This song deals with Helm’s Deep. It is both the mixed feelings of the men and boys who have been conscripted possibly to their death. But also from Eowyn’s perspective, as she craves to be involved with the battle.

Track No. 25               Brand New City                      Lush

Think of this as a spiritual successor to Arwen’s Liquid Smooth. This is of the elves who join those at Helm’s Deep. This is not the love-based hope, this is a more rash sensation. They desire to feel alive, but it is a terrible question of understanding death as an option.

Track No. 26               Come into the Water               Be the Cowboy

Another successor! The feelings from Once More to See have grown and bloomed. Now, Gimli and Legolas, as they wade through the waters that the Ents have let in, must face their connection. They both thought of each other in battle, and now they must accept how short their time may be.

Track No. 27               Should’ve Been Me                Laurel Hell

Eowyn calls to Aragorn to try and begin a romantic coupling. But the trouble of that, Aragorn sees himself in her. His love of Arwen stays supreme, but he nearly feels bad for how much of his own troubles seem to match those within Eowyn. He wishes her luck.

Track No. 28               My Love Mine All Mine                     TLiUaSAW

Eowyn meets Aragorn and falls in love with the idea of what he is. She lays her heart at his feet and he turns away, unaware of his previous connections. But even as he leaves her, her love remains her own. She feels lost and alone, but in this moment, she can hold that love to the moon to try and ease herself.

Track No. 29               Pearl Driver                             Lush

This song is for Saruman and his voice. He had relied so heavily on being the advisor, on being trusted. But the end of times have come for him. He has lost his army, his control. His voice is meaningless.

Track No. 30               Blue Light                               Be the Cowboy

This song may not be anyone’s favorite for this jukebox musical. But the feeling of it connects to the vibes of Pippin post barely brushing the Palantir when he craves to see it again. But the longer the song goes on the more uncomfortable the feeling of it gets, mimicking Pippin’s harsh shock.

BOOK FOUR – Two Towers Part 2

Track No. 31               The Only Heartbreaker           Laurel Hell

Frodo knows he is struggling with the Ring, but Sam stays at his side through it all. It adds to his self hate that with every step, he knows he is hurting Sam while he feels out of control. Sam who is ever patient and kind. Frodo can’t imagine a way out of this anymore.

Track No. 32               Nobody                                   Be the Cowboy

Honestly, just imagining Gollum singing this about the Ring made me lose my mind.

Track No. 33               Washing Machine Heart         Be the Cowboy

Faramir gets introduced to the story, and immediately he begins discussing not only his fallen brother but also the lack of love from his father. He feels worn down. He continues his thorough fight, but it isn’t something he connects to. He sees how the Hobbits look at him, seeing his brother, just as his father had his whole life.

Track No. 34               First Love/Late Spring            Bury Me at Makeout Creek

Even in hell, as their bond grows tighter to one another. They take a moment to talk about the future. A world where people beg to hear the story of Frodo, of Sam. The stress and fear of this adventure has bound them even closer, but now they are sure of themselves in this single reprieve.

BOOK FIVE – Return of the King Part 1

Track No. 35               Class of 2013                          Retired from Sad, New Career in Business

Faramir comes to speak with his father for the first time in a while, knowing that his brother is dead. Instead of comfort, his father berates him and basically sends him out to die with cruelty in his words. Faramir closes his eyes and goes, but the beg to have comfort in the moment still in his chest.

Track No. 36               Stay Soft                                  Laurel Hell

Faramir rides to battle. He feels like his heart is still too soft to be a good and detached leader. His father showed his choice, and now Faramir is without. He goes to the battle and then immediately nearly dies. <3

Track No. 37               Bug Like an Angel                  TLiUaSAW

This song feels very much like Merry and Pippin following their separation. They went from singing and drinking together to suddenly being apart after promising to stay by each other’s side through hell. It is so easy to imagine them apart, having a moment of reprieve before their own battles.

Track No. 38               Star                                          TLiUaSAW

This song is obviously about Aragorn and Arwen. It comes about during the time among the dead when Aragorn has a moment where his life flashes before his eye. He needs to remember his love, even if he dies in this moment, that love still hangs around him.

Track No. 39               Door                                        Lush

Denethor has lost his mind thanks to the constant use of the Palantir, he looks at his own son’s face and prepared to kill himself and his own son. Love to him is equated to the same violence that he is prepared to inflict.

Track No. 40               Working for the Knife             Laurel Hell

Among her men, in secret, Eowyn carries Merry with her. She feels exceptionally lost. She knows she must fight to defend her home and family. But she is not allowed such freedom. She feels like she must rush forward endlessly, trying to push for more outside of the role she was trapped in.

Track No. 41               I Don’t Smoke                         Bury Me at Makeout Creek

This song to me feels like the mix between Denethor trying to kill Faramir, the guard losing his understanding of his own role to save Faramir, and also the battle of the orcs where Eowyn faces the death of her uncle and the Leader of the Nazghul.

Track No. 42               I Bet On Losing Dogs             Puberty 2

Aragorn arrives, helps save the day against the Orc attack, but the final battle is not through. He rallies the troops for their final stand, knowing that they may not truly have a chance to win this. Still, his men agree, and they stride to the grand gates, unsure if they even have a chance against this endless evil.

BOOK SIX – Return of the King Part 2

Track No. 43               Francis Forever                       Bury Me at Makeout Creek

With their struggles, Sam feels like he is gripping sand. And then Frodo is taken. He first prepares to try and carry the load himself, trying to be the hero that he doesn’t feel like he is. But then he puts all his energy into trying to find Frodo again, deep within the Orcs’ tower.

Track No. 44               I Will                                       Bury Me at Makeout Creek

Sam follows Frodo step by step through hell. He fears that Frodo is losing himself and he so dearly doesn’t want to lose him. He prepares to do all in his power to keep Frodo moving, until they can go home and he can truly help Frodo rest. Frodo is everything that he cares about now. But he feels like Frodo is pulling from him with each step. He’s terrified.

Track No. 45               Geyser                                     Be the Cowboy

The Ring’s strength is endless. It echoes in Frodo’s head daily, but he tries to push through those thoughts, focusing on Sam, on his promises. Frodo feels ready to explode, to lose himself to the strength of something so much bigger than himself. But he doesn’t. Not yet, hopefully not ever.

Track No. 46               I’m Your Man                         TLiUaSAW

This song is lovingly from Frodo perspective on the walk to throw the Ring. His soul grows heavier, he snaps at Sam, and he hates how he has become but he needs to get there and Sam will not leave him.

Track No. 47               Shame                                     Retired from Sad, New Career in Business

The Ring finally succeeds in its mission. It calls so dearly to Frodo that he loses himself to its thrall. He takes the Ring up, shivers beneath its strength and prepares to throw everything away for it. After carrying it for so damn long, the strength of it echoes through his skull, through the mountain.

Until it is bitten off of him and he struggles to be aware and sees Sam above him.

Track No. 48               I Want You                              Retired from Sad, New Career in Business

The mountain crumbles. Sam carries Frodo to what he can only hope is safety. He stays by his side, desperately trying to get Frodo to keep his eyes open. He looks up and begs for someone to save them, unsure if he will ever find his way home after all.

Track No. 49               The Deal                                 TLiUaSAW

This is the reprise of the song and it is placed lovingly after the throw of the Ring. This time, Frodo’s soul is at its heaviest. He wanders the world as a specter. He goes home with the Eagles, he has Sam by his side. But his soul will always know the weight of the Ring.

Track No. 50               Heaven                                    TLiUaSAW

Faramir looked upon Eowyn and felt that there was finally someone that understood him. In this peak of hell, where darkness may win any moment, he chased to connect to her. Together they found one another and suddenly that darkness didn’t feel so impossible.

Track No. 51               Everyone                                 Laurel Hell

Eowyn considers her life as she stands by Faramir’s side. Her eyes burn, she struggles to breathe. But in the moment, as darkness swells before her, she faces it with a dread-filled confidence.

Track No. 52               A Pearl                                    Be the Cowboy

Frodo deals with the aftermath of the war sitting on his chest. Even as they return to the Shire, the war is never truly over. Seeing the war making it to the Shire, Frodo knows he has never had a Safe space. Every night, he returns to the nightmares of the time before. He tries to stay open to Sam, but it is so hard.

Track No. 53               I Don’t Like My Mind            TLiUaSAW

Frodo feels insanely lost in the aftermath of the Ring. He has Sam, he has a family that lives in his own home, but there is an emptiness there. With the echo of the Ring, every year, he feels like he is losing more time. If he did not actively have something to keep him busy, he doesn’t know what might happen to him.

Track No. 54               Square                                     Retired from Sad, New Career in Business

The time has come. Frodo tried quite hard to settle into the Shire once again, but he can not. He loves Sam, he loved the time they had together. But the Undying Sea is calling for him, the hope that it could bring him a peace that he hasn’t been able to catch in so long.

Track No. 55               I Guess                                    Laurel Hell

Frodo and Sam had been side by side nearly all of Sam’s life. They had been bound by life and death, through heaven and hell. But Frodo’s decision can not be swayed. Watching the ship begin its journey, Sam ponders who he may become and what memories he would desperately cling to.

Track No. 56               The Frost                                 TLiUaSAW

This song is actually slightly post the main story. Sam sits in the Shire, in the home he had shared with Frodo along with the rest of the family he built. But now, Frodo is gone and Sam must go on. He sits by the window and watches time go by for some time.

[acemapleeh]

sending more because i want to give you something to do <3

who cooks normally and nicknames for each other for ameripan + how often do they fight and what would they do if the other was hurt for fruk pretty please !!

So both Alfred and Kiku love cooking and sharing their food with the other. The problem lies in that Alfred tends to overcook. A lot of his love language is making sure his friends, guests, and loved ones are well fed. He's used to Matthew, who, can eat almost as much as Alfred can when he's in a certain mood. Kiku eats in much smaller amounts, preferring to snack more throughout the day and eat smaller meals. Alfred loves Kiku's cooking and finds a lot of comfort in his meal prep and the flavors he uses. So Kiku tends to cook more often between them, knowing the proportions will be better. Alfred is still learning to cook in smaller batches and that he doesn't need to prepare all of their favorite foods at once every time Kiku comes to visit him.

Alfred is more prone to giving nicknames. ‘Keeks’, ‘babe’, and ‘darling’ (southern drawl included free of charge) are the most common and just depend on where they are or the situation. Kiku usually just refers to Alfred by his first name, that alone is intimate enough for him. It was a huge deal when it shifted from ‘Jones-san’ to ‘Alfred-san’ to dropping the formal ‘-san’ and just calling him ‘Alfred’ in private. I’m unsure if another honorific would take its place in an intimate setting as ‘-kun’ doesn’t feel entirely correct so, more than likely, he’ll refer to him by his first name with no honorifics.

Let’s talk about Arthur and Francis again because I have thoughts about them for days. When Arthur finds Francis hurt, the man too weak to hold himself up, bleeding alongside the defeated man of battle, he’ll scoff at his adversity. He’ll likely give him a kick while he’s down, wait for him to get up to fight back. But Francis doesn’t, he engages in their usual banter but it’s weaker than normal, the words not as clever. Arthur continues to try to rally him up but he can see the gashing wound that Francis is so poorly trying to cover with his hand. They keep talking, about whatever philosophical nonsense Francis has in that muddled brain of his. Arthur knows if he can keep him talking, he can try to either get the bleeding to slow or they both wait for death to come.  Francis sees Arthur topple over the side of his ship but as he leans over the railing, the signs of their naval battle quieting, he does not see Arthur resurface. He could hear his men starting to celebrate, their second won battle at sea in this war but his sight is still trained on the water. He goes in after him. To die at sea, to sink to the bottom of her waters was truly a terrible fate to suffer. Not even Arthur deserved that. Francis finds him quickly, bubbles floating to the surface as the last of his air leave his lungs. Arthur’s unconscious form is in his arms when he breaks the surface. The waves are unsettled as they’ve been this whole fight. Tossed over and under again, the sea carries them away from their vessels and onto the shore. It’s hard to tell how much time had passed but Arthur is still pale and the water hadn’t entirely removed evidence of the bloody wound at his chest. Francis kneels in the sand and attempts whatever he can at getting the wound to start closing. Death doesn’t linger long, Arthur is soon coughing up seawater and back to his usual self. He’s questioned why he was saved, why Francis wouldn’t leave him, to let the sea take him. ‘Oh, Angleterre,’ is the only reply before their lips are together and Francis doesn’t care that Arthur’s blood is staining his shirt.

[ciceroprofacto]

I can't understand Alex in chapter 16! Why did he push John away, when John was finally ready to take the relationship to the next level. Why did he shove John after he kissed him in the forest?

Hell'a great work!

I kinda hate explaining scenes because I really want them to speak for themselves, but I get it. there's a lot going on there and it's mostly in body language which makes it a little harder to read.

so since it's been awhile, a quick romance arc rewind:

chapter 3: Alex makes a sexual advance towards John which John feels too guilty and ashamed to accept. John offers friendship instead which Alex rejects outright.

chapters 4-8: they have tension over the fact that John holds himself back from his own obvious sexual desires towards Alex, and Alex holds himself back from his emotional desires towards John.

chapter 8-9: Alex admits he wants to be friends and be more vulnerable with John, but John is grieving and doubting his own emotional capacity to be the kind of friend Alex needs.

chapters 10-11: Alex leaves camp and falls ill. news comes to camp that he's dying, and John is so affected he realizes- yes, he cares deeply about Alex- too much not to try and be what he needs.

chapter 12-14: John takes care of Alex while he's recovering. doing so lets John be physically-affectionate in a way that's chaste enough that he's unashamed about it, but it's often so sensual and romantic, it confuses and frustrates Alex who can't help but read it as more- as a desire that matches his own.

chapter 15: John insists that he wants to be partners (not lovers), but he continues flirting despite Alex's request that he stop. when the Baron von Steuben comes to camp and behaves openly-gay in a way that obviously frightens John, Alex struggles (and fails) to be patient with him and give him the benefit of the doubt. when Alex seems to be trying to move on from their back-and-forth, John realizes he doesn't want to let him.

So, in chapter 16, we have Alex subtly trying to wreck their friendship because John keeps breaking his heart and he doesn't know how to deal with it in any way other than a scorched-earth policy. John knows he's doing it, but that doesn't stop it from hurting, and when it hurts, he retaliates in kind. John also knows he kind of deserves it because Alex was never wrong about his desires, but Alex is being petty and vindictive about it.

so you get these two men who know each other way too well trying to hurt each other in their effort to express that the other is hurting them. it's a game of homophobic chicken.

the scene in the woods is them bringing the issue to a direct confrontation to end the passive-aggression, and I need you to understand that John's being downright cruel in this interaction:

Alex tries to directly address the Steuben issue (John's internalized homophobia), but the attack misses its mark because John's been hiding the full picture of his physical relationship with Francis and then John pulls out that detail as a 'gotcha'. he proceeds to mischaracterize the reasons that Alex has been pulling away and avoiding him (as if he hadn't been leading him on and ignoring his repeated requests not to flirt and tease him), then he accuses him of trying to guilt him into sex, rubs it in his face that he was wrong about why he's been hesitating to get with him- (when Alex didn't know the details about Francis because he was keeping it secret!), then- when he digs into Alex's issues with vulnerability- Alex tries to fight back by pointing out that John's been anything but clear about what he wants and he's been keeping secrets and that's what causing these issues. to that, John finally starts getting at what's actually been hurting him: Alex's lust feels like a way to avoid true vulnerability with him.

when John puts it that way, Alex is a little offended that John hasn't noticed that he's genuinely trying to be more open. so, John challenges him to prove it by kissing him.

and that's where the conversation shifts entirely to their body language.

since John's just impressed the issue that his lust feels fake, Alex kisses him chastely and tries to keep it chaste. but, everything John's doing communicates 'this is what desire feels like from someone that loves you'. to which Alex's body language communicates holy shit, holy shit!! I'm so overwhelmed!

so yeah. when John pulls away from that laughing at him he's kinda being a huge dick...