#Honestly I can never find flaws in anything

[theerurishipper]

This is the first time I've ever been prompted to actually post something, but what was that battle.

I looked forward to this for a while, and it fell short of my standards by a long shot. It wasn't bad, I enjoyed it well enough, but these are supposed to be the strongest trainers in the world. Why are they getting one shotted, or two shotted? Steven was built up as this awesome trainer who was kicking Alain's ass in TSME and this is how easily he goes out? I know that Ash is strong enough to beat him but it wasn't shown well, at all. The Masters Tournament and JN in general has a huge problem with the battles being stiff and lacking in creativity. Every now and then we have some gems, but other than that? The same formula of Ash being cornered and overcoming it, with one shots galore. This is no different. Lance vs Diantha and Iris vs Cynthia were so much better. And the battles were good in the beginning of the series too, but as it went on it became so formulaic and uninspired. And what happened to the animation? It's so stiff sometimes. I'm not impressed.

(Are the battles so bad because they're trying to be like the games? Because Goh is Pokemon Go, and so... is Ash gonna emulate game style battling now? I don't know).

More on JN in general under the cut because I'm a coward.

I won't say that JN is a bad series. But it has a lot of issues with its pacing. Why are we getting two Chloe episodes in the middle of the M8? Why didn't Chloe get any focus before this other than a few, admittedly well written, episodes? Why didn't we see Ash's rise through the other classes? There are only 3 characters to focus on ffs, it shouldn't be that hard to divide episodes between them. Sun and Moon had so many and yet even characters like Mallow who were a bit neglected had a strong character and focus. At least she appeared as a main character. Chloe doesn't appear in half the episodes though, so...what? And dont get me started on Project Mew. Good concept, bad execution. How many episodes did we even get on that? We spent no valuable time on it, and the episodes were so boring. Horace and Gary as rivals is a good concept but the episodes feel so far apart that I forgot what it was. It's good development for Goh, I guess, but is it? My feelings on Project Mew are conflicted and my most positive response is that it just bores me. And Team Rocket are a shadow of their former selves. They don't catch pokemon, instead they use that stupid machine. The one redeeming quality of Team Rocket is that they really love each other and that they really love their pokemon. And it's been taken away from them, so why are they here? It's nice to see them supporting Ash, but they've lost their essence.

Not to say that JN is bad as a whole. Every series has its strengths and weaknesses. XY had a Gary-stu Ash and he was boring, Serena didn't have much going for her either. It lacked great characterisation. Sun and Moon didn't know how to handle so many characters and its comedic timing needed work (this issue was resolved though, I can't criticize Sun and Moon too much, I'm sorry). And JN, to its credit, has very strong character writing when the character is given a chance to be written. As a whole, Chloe's arc sucks but the individual episodes are very good. Goh is honestly a well written character and has many good episodes that help him develop in a natural way. Admittedly his development is rushed but it is still solid. You can see how much he's grown and learned from Ash. But I'm not a fan of sidelining Cinderace and Inteleon after their evolution.

If you took any one episode of JN without context and watched it, you'd probably like it, other than a select few. The episode with the girl and her Cleffa was on par with Sun and Moon's episodes tackling the same subject. The episode with Goh and Drizzle was really good. The Alola episodes were amazing, as expected. JN does well with the worldbuilding and this is the first series that made me feel like there was a whole world of pokemon. The world feels alive and the characters feel real, and they have certain moments that actually made me think, that is, I feel like they actually have some complex thought processes which I didnt really get from other series (except of course Sun and Moon). The companion returns feel natural and their character and dynamics with the new cast feel natural too. Where they are now shows their growth and the way they are used as mentors for the new cast shows how far they've come. I think JN has a lot of good and natural interactions between characters too. I'm not a huge fan of how Gary has been doing in the series, but that conversation with Goh in 113 about why he's in Project Mew if taken by itself is pretty good.

But we shouldn't have to take it alone. And I can't say that all the returns got good treatment either. Iris got outstanding treatment. Her character was handled well, she mellowed out more which showed her growth, she was allowed to be part of the M8 as Unova Champion and go toe to toe with her idol Cynthia. Dawn too got a good return with her appearing in many episodes and being able to show off how far she's come with her dynamic with Chloe and being like a mentor to her. Lillie and Gladion got a beautiful end to their journey that began in Sun and Moon, and Sophocles got a good episode too. Gary is fine too, his character is well incorporated. I wish he interacted with Ash though. Paul was done well, with him clearly having changed a lot and grown. Greninja as a mentor to Lucario was well done and they nailed his character and his power. The cameos are great, I love the distinct battle styles they gave each Champion, but... Alain.

Fuck that, they massacred him. I'm not even Alain's biggest fan. I like him, and I was looking forward to seeing him, but not a huge fan. And even I think they ruined him. I don't mind that he didn't battle Ash. But I wanted him to be shown the respect he deserves, and he was given a mere half episode to shine and then demolished to show off Leon. I get why, but they could have treated him better. Alain is no pushover either. But this highlights the main problem with JN, great ideas, poor execution. JN has ambition but falls woefully short most of the time. I respect the writers for being bold enough to try this new formula but they didn't pull it off. JN is really not a bad series and it keeps me excited but not for the quality of the episodes. In no way are they bad but I'm more excited for the spectacle of nostalgia than for anything the series itself has done. I'm fond of this season because it gave me fanservice. I got companion returns which were done reasonably well, some nice episodes, the game champions duking it out in a tournament, Alola rights, and basically everything I love about JN is because of other seasons.

Again I will say that JN isn't bad. But it's not good either, and watching it after something like Sun and Moon feels like a downgrade. Sun and Moon had its own flaws as did every season, but JN has some that even I can't really overlook anymore. It's no Black and White, but it's no Sun and Moon or XY either. It's... there, it's reasonably enjoyable, it had some great ideas that excited Twitter, but it fell short of its own hype.

I really want to love JN. And for a while in the beginning, I did. I still like it, but it's not the same. Maybe after a while I can look back at the good and enjoy it for what it is. I've done it before with other series once I've accepted whatever happens. But the fact that I have to is sad. I'm not mad, just... disappointed, I guess.

[theminecraftbee]

Jimmy notices Scott sitting near the edge of the Ace Race launch. They’re both on the practice server; it’s a good place to hang out. Gets away from the kinds of lives they live elsewhere, even if Jimmy figures the one he’s got right now is good enough. Scott’s here a lot, Jimmy’s found; it’s probably some combination of whatever the weird messenger thing he has going on with Noxite is and the number of other lives he’s lived. Jimmy bets it’s just quieter here than, like, he doesn’t know, he’s heard something about pirates?

Anyway, he’s always down to say hi to Scott. Also, Scott looks—strange. Diminished feels rude. Not preening like a peacock? No weird ethereal glow? It can’t be that the romance has worn off, it never really did, not all the way, Jimmy’s always seen him as sort of made of lace and marble and beautiful things from the beginning and even now that they’re like, friends friends, it’s just—

Jimmy plants himself in the grass. He can’t find a poppy, but he can find a dandelion. Close enough?

“Flower for your thoughts?” he says cheerfully.

Scott looks up. He laughs. “You can’t be doing that, Jimmy. We’ll get double-married. I already have too many husbands, you can’t be on there twice.”

“I think I can marry my flower husband as many times as I want,” Jimmy says.

“We barely even do a romance anymore.”

“Well, excuse you for not being a romantic.”

“Me? I’m not the romantic? Me?” Scott says incredulously.

“Well I don’t know how it would be me,” Jimmy says imperiously. He pauses, huffs, and sits down next to Scott. “I mean, we can do romance if you want. Hadn’t done that the last few lives because, you know, work better as friends right now, but I can totally wow you. I can, uh. Uh. Make… chocolate? No, I can’t do that, actually, don’t hold me to that—”

Jimmy pauses.

“Scott,” he says.

“No, keep going,” Scott says weakly.

“Have I done something wrong?” Jimmy asks.

“No, no, it’s just—sort of being a messenger god, I get a feel for things, and—it’s gonna happen again soon, Jimmy.”

“Oh, okay,” Jimmy says. They both know what they’re talking about. “I’m absolutely gonna win this time, just so you know.” He says it with all the false bravado of a person who’s mostly just hoping he doesn’t die first again. This time, this time, this time. He’ll do it by his own merits, though; he’s not sure what he would have done if Joel had actually gone through with the halting plan to die for him that he’d told Jimmy about last time. Probably crowed on happily about it, honestly, but with needles in his stomach the whole time.

Scott hasn’t responded yet.

“You don’t have to worry. You’re way too good at this. Constant finalist, now that you don’t have me weighing you down,” Jimmy tries.

“I shouldn’t talk about this with you,” Scott says.

“Rude,” Jimmy says. “We’re husbands at least twice over.”

“Yeah, but do you ever regret it? Don’t you—don’t you regret it?” Scott bursts out. “Don’t you ever wake up and—and you weren’t good enough to protect them and you’re not good enough to be loyal to and frankly you aren’t good enough to follow the rules either and, and so you’re just constantly winning. And you aren’t trying and you just think, if you’d just—if you’d just fucking slowed down, figured out how to protect—this is stupid. I’m proud of Martyn. Got him to win, at least. I can’t regret him winning. I wouldn’t have wanted anything else. I never have. Forget I said anything.”

Jimmy stares.

“I don’t regret it,” he says, and he’s surprised to realize he’s telling the truth.

“Not even for all the mocking?” Scott says.

“I mean. Wouldn’t have teamed with Grian and Joel if…”

“Oh,” Scott says. He stares out over the practice server. Jimmy cannot guess what’s going on in his head. No matter how many lives they’re friends, husbands, lovers both star-crossed and casual, enemies, and friends again in, Jimmy has to admit, Scott’s kind of a closed book. It’s one of the character flaws he has to make up for being perfect at everything else.

It’s part of what makes him Scott.

“I don’t regret it,” Jimmy says, almost more urgently.

“Oh,” Scott says again. “I do.”

Jimmy’s not sure what to say to that.

He’s never been good enough at winning much of anything to understand that kind of regret, is the thing. Blessing, curse, whatever else, he just…

“Sorry. I’ll be better tomorrow. Not normally the kind of person for this stuff,” Scott says. “It’s not that I’m not confident, it’s just…”

That, though. That, Jimmy can understand.

He scoots closer to Scott.

“Let’s race. I’ll totally beat you so badly. I was watching CPK do skips. And, I don’t know about you, but…”

“Yeah, you’ll hit those in your dreams,” Scott says. Neither of them move to stand up, though. They remain sitting shoulder-to-shoulder, watching other participants jump off the launch. It’s nice here. Quiet. A place apart from all the lives they live. Jimmy wonders if that’s why Scott’s here so much. Jimmy might have to show up too; that’s what increasingly old friends are for, he figures.

[ladyloveandjustice]

I'm responding to a post regarding Marcille having conservative views about gender role, linked HERE (which I also responded to in the replies, but it's an interesting enough topic I want to make my own post). I think that post's point about not sanding off characters' flaws is good, but I do think the reasoning for Marcille is missing something.

I honestly don't think Marcille wants men to be masculine and in strict masculine roles. Look how femme (and long haired) the guys in the Daltian clan are and she WORSHIPS them. If you interpret the person she sees in the succubus bit as male, they are extremely femme.

She just wants human men to look like male (and female) elves, which means androgynous. Kui said the clothes elf men and women wear don't look super different, they all wear simple, pretty outfits and all look pretty. I do think female elves are expected to be slightly more femme and male ones can be a bit more masc (see Otta being mistaken for a man) but there's still an androgyny to everyone and appearance wise, both men and women have long hair and wear clothing other races would see as feminine.

(Elf men and women also aren't very different physically, as seem here in the canary genderbend where they switch sexes and literally look exactly the same. Boobs are given or removed and that's it)

Remembering elf beauty standards makes a lot of Marcille's opinions make sense.

Remember that she was super shocked Laios didn't look similar enough to Falin and exaggerated his masculine qualities to a unflattering, buffoonish degree in her mind, implying she finds them unattractive? She thinks Falin should wear feminine things and have longer hair because elves do. Laios having long hair is weird to her because he's not androgynous like she thinks he should be... so she just thinks it clashes and does nothing for him. I don't think she would care if Laios wore a skirt or something.

We don't really see her ever exhibiting any regressiveness about gender roles outside of people's appearances, and you'd think she would if it were about that right? She never says anything about gender roles in the story. She never says Falin shouldn't like bugs or be how she is because she's a girl, or that Izutsumi should act more feminine. Significantly, she also tells the guys in her group that the should pay as much attention to their hair and appearance as she does, rather than going "of course men don't understand hygiene and hair!" Or even bringing up gender at all.

Marcille does definitely have some regressive opinions and prejudices though, as seen with the orcs. She's a mess, and not seeing Falin's discomfort with femininity and imposing her own values is a serious flaw.

And she and Falin definitely have very different interests, with Marcille valuing all thing femme and Falin not at all being interested, and Marcille is repeatedly disappointed she can't share stuff with Falin (see her in the makeup comic) ...but Marcille loves her anyway, I agree completely on that.

She's a complex, flawed character, but I think my interpretation is not only valid, but makes a lot of sense with what's been shown in the manga.

[wetsocksinbed]

shit people need to hear about COD:

Ghost isn’t some broken uwu boy. Infantilising assault victims is demeaning and disrespectful

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, König is extremely overrated for a character that only appears as a playable operator and not as anything in the campaign

You’re allowed to ship whoever you want, it’s a free world, but throwing a tantrum when people say they don’t ship GhostSoap or Korangi, and calling them homophobic (I’ve seen this too many times at this point) is disgusting and you’re essentially stereotyping us LGBTQ individuals as aggressive and pushy when it comes to queer ships. The characters of Ghost and Soap are canonically coded to be like brothers, and you need to stop thinking that a headcannon is the same as real cannon

Stop replacing Gaz with König, it’s giving ✨racism✨

Alex, König, Farah, Alejandro, Rudy and Horangi are not part of TF141, stop including them in it?????

König and Ghost are canonically enemies and wouldn’t have each other on speed dial just tag your fics as OOC at this point

the entirety of the Call of Duty franchise was coded for straight white “alpha male” boys who live in their mothers basements, stop acting like it’s anything more than that. You won’t find the representation you’re looking for in it and honestly with the way it’s headed at the moment, I don’t think you ever will

we can tell if you’ve never played the games based on how you write the fics. You don’t have to be a game fan or player, but at least do your research on the characters you’re writing about before you hit “post”

Makarov and Graves are terrible people and shouldn’t be idolised. Before you tag me with your “let people do what they want” let me remind you that Graves is canonically racist. @mockerycrow made a good post about why Makarov is a shit person and I recommend you read it

All of the characters have their flaws. Ghost, Soap, Gaz, Price, they all have done bad things. Price is known to commit war crimes if it means getting the mission done

König having social anxiety doesn’t mean he’s a broken husk. You can function completely fine with the disorder if you can find a way to distance yourself from who you are as a person. Say, like, constantly wearing a mask? I promise you that the Austrian soldier wouldn’t be a sobbing mess because he got looked at funny

Also, he is only obsessed over because of his mask and the weird obsession people on this app have with infantilising people with trauma and mental illnesses (see first paragraph regarding Ghost)

The way some of the fans obsess over the actors is uncomfortable and genuinely creepy. It’s like this generation thinks that anything behind a screen isn’t real and can’t feel anything. They’re people who act. They’re not the characters you play.

feel free to add more to this, I’m tired and sick and wanted to rant

notes:

don’t attack me with the “yeah but not me” shit. Obviously I don’t mean everyone.

this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the games the way you want, it just means don’t fucking police it and gatekeep it and expect everyone to accept your interpretation of it

[takeme-totheworld]

The thing about Aziraphale is that he doesn't actually have to be a precious cinnamon roll who never did anything wrong in his life in order for me to love him and relate to him as a character.

I love him because he is flawed and messy and doesn't always get it right, because it's all in ways that I personally find deeply sympathetic and relatable (and sometimes vicariously upsetting or cringe-inducing, look he just makes me feel a lot of feelings okay).

We talk about how Crowley is the fandom's disaster puppy and that's why we love him, but let's be real, Aziraphale is just a different breed of disaster puppy.

Is it victim-blaming to say this? I sure hope not, because I also relate heavily to the specific brand of shit he's been put through. I look at him doing some of the things he does and I go "Oh YIKES but also I've totally been there and I get why he's acting like that."

That dichotomy, that gray area, is where my love for Aziraphale lives. I like him flawed. He can be flawed and fuck things up without being 100% The Asshole, Actually. And seeing him that way has helped me to love the flawed and messy parts of myself more, which is honestly an extremely big deal because I grew up being inculcated with exactly the kind of intense black-and-white thinking that he so often falls prey to, where if you have one (1) single flaw, or even several—you know, like every person who ever existed does—you are Officially The Worst and should be constantly ashamed.

[cre8inghavoc]

What are friends for?

Note:

This is my first ever post, so please be kind! I've been working on this piece for a few days, and there will be more parts to come, but it may take some time to complete. The story will also include text messages between you and your friends (SMAU). I'll do my best to maintain a good length for the story, but there may be some shorter parts. Also, I'm new to this, so there may be a few errors, but I hope you enjoy the story! :)

Status: ongoing!!

Updates: Whenever I can, no set date.

WC: 2756

Description: Characters are aged up. Y/N's stuck in a toxic relationship with her controlling boyfriend, feeling lost and doubting herself. Now, she's facing a crucial choice: stay put or find the courage to break free and reclaim her independence. Pairing: megumi fushiguro x FEM!reader

Genre/Warnings: [18+] This story contains toxic boyfriend, cursing, name calling, self-doubt/hate, angst, breaking up, post-breakup, alcohol, drunk moments, new friends, dating!au, college!au, no curses!au, dark humour, dark jokes. SMAU.

Your friends have been telling you to leave your boyfriend for months now. They warned you about him, about his manipulative, controlling, and narcissistic nature, which contributes to his toxicity. They keep pointing out his flaws – how he always wants. No. NEEDS to tag along wherever you go, how he tries to control what you wear and who you hang out with. And don't even get started on the name-calling and arguments that seem to happen like every single day. But despite all their warnings, you find yourself wondering if maybe it's just his way of showing he cares… it was all out of love wasn’t it? If he didn’t care about you he wouldn’t act the way he does… 

Right…?

You're constantly caught in a loophole of conflicting feelings. On one hand, you can't help but notice the red flags they've been waving in your face. But on the other hand, there's a part of you that wants to believe there's genuine love behind his actions. He loves you?

Right…?

Still, you can't help but question: does all this make him a "bad boyfriend"? Sure, he's not physically abusive, but his mood swings leave you feeling like you're walking on eggshells. As you grapple with these thoughts, you can't help but wonder where to draw the line between love and toxicity.

"Y/N!"

You snapped back to reality as Maki's voice cut through your thoughts, finding yourself now parked in front of Yuta's house, a 15-minute drive from your own.

"Are you okay? You've been lost in thought the entire car ride here," Maki asked, a mix of concern and confusion evident in her tone.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I was just thinking about the exams coming up," you replied with a forced smile, though it didn't seem to convince her entirely. Luckily for you, she didn't question further. 

You made sure to silence your phone before heading out, knowing the argument that would likely occur with your boyfriend over your plans with friends. It wasn't news to you that he disapproved of your friendship with Yuta and Inukami, despite having plenty of female friends himself. Hypocritical isn't it. But today, you decided to take a stand. You were tired of the never-ending arguments and his controlling behaviour. It felt like you couldn't say or do anything without setting him off, and honestly, you were fed up with it.

You felt it was the right decision, even if it meant facing another argument later. You were determined to spend the day enjoying yourself with your friends, and if that meant upsetting him, then you were willing to deal with the consequences. After all, arguments had become a daily occurrence between you two, so what harm would one more do?

You didn’t quite know where this newfound confidence had come from. Normally, the thought of upsetting him would send shivers down your spine, making you hesitant to go against his wishes. But today was different. You were reaching a breaking point, tired of his behaviour and the constant strain it put on you. Mentally, you were drained. Ever since getting together with him, you'd been affected with a sense of unhappiness, a feeling that even your friends had picked up on. All they wanted was to see you happy again, but it felt like an impossible challenge to break free from his control and spend time with them. He dictated every aspect of your life, and you were beginning to realize just how suffocating it had become.

He felt like a never-ending storm cloud, hovering over you wherever you went, casting a shadow of negativity that left you feeling drained and miserable. It was as if his presence drained your strength, both physically and mentally, until you were left feeling defeated. You knew deep down that the only way to find a “cure” was to get rid of him, but it was far from simple. If it were that easy, you would've done it long ago, at the first signs of trouble.

Believe it or not, he wasn't always like this. That's why you were drawn to him in the first place. But as time passed, things only seemed to deteriorate. A part of you held onto hope that he would revert to the person he once was—caring, supportive, and loving. Yet, as months turned into nearly a year, nothing changed. If anything, it only seemed to worsen. 

Why? Why did he change? Was it something you did? Was it your fault? Did you somehow fall short? He always made you question your self worth. He made you believe that this was what you deserved—that you deserved to be hurt, to be broken. He convinced you that you weren't worthy of more.

You and Maki entered Yuta's house, using the spare key you both had. It was a common practice among your close group of friends; you all had keys to each other's homes. After all, you practically grew up together, so there was nothing unusual about dropping by unannounced.

Inumaki and Yuta greeted you warmly as you entered the living room, where they were too focused on a video game. As the hours passed, laughter filled the room, followed by playful teasing and occasional cussing at each other due to the intense gaming moments. You all talked about life, ate your favourite meals, and for the first time in a while, you felt a sense of happiness return. It was as if you were reconnecting with the positive, joyful version of yourself that had been buried beneath the weight of recent struggles.

"I'll be right back! Just need to use the bathroom," you announce before grabbing your phone and heading off.

"Do you want us to pause the movie?" Yuta offers, showing his consideration for your absence.

"No, it's okay! Keep watching, I'll be quick," you assure them with a laugh as you slip away.

Time flew by, and before you knew it, it was almost 9pm. Your peaceful day took an abrupt turn when you saw multiple missed phone calls from no other, your loser of a boyfriend. 

**5 MISSED PHONE CALLS AND MESSAGES BETWEEN Y/N & BF**

Luckily, Maki, Inukami, and Yuta were too engaged in the movie to notice your lengthened absence. However, tears welled up in your eyes as you read the messages, feeling the weight of self-doubt creeping in once again.

"I’m just a bitch. That’s all I am. I'm nobody," you muttered to yourself, your eyes red as you struggled to contain your emotions. You couldn't afford to show weakness in front of your friends. This shouldn't affect you, you reminded yourself. You knew this was coming, so why did it hurt so much?

Knock Knock

A knock on the bathroom door interrupted your thoughts. "Hey, Y/N. You okay in there?" Maki's concerned voice broke through your internal chaos.

Fuck.

Of course, Maki sensed something was wrong. She had picked up on it the moment she picked you up. She wasn't one to pry, though. She respected your privacy, and if you didn't bring up the issues first, she wouldn't force them out of you. That's why you cherished her friendship so much—she was the best friend anyone could ask for.

You wanted to tell her, you really did, but you knew all too well what her response would be, and frankly, you didn't want to hear it—not today. All you wanted was to be with your friends, to immerse yourself in their company and forget about your troubles, if only for a little while. You didn't want them worrying about you or your mental state. So you took a deep breath and plastered on a smile, hiding all the negativity like you always did.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I was just on the phone with my mom," you said, forcing a smile as you opened the bathroom door, only to be met with Maki's skeptical expression. Her raised eyebrow spoke volumes, questioning your excuse without saying a word. But she didn't press further. Instead, she offered a soft smile and placed a comforting hand on your back.

"You're missing the movie. We decided to pause it when you didn't return after five minutes. Come on, let's go," she said gently, leading you back to the living room.

You both made your way downstairs and settled back onto the couch, resuming the movie with the others. After a few minutes, Yuta stood up from his spot and took a seat beside you, leaning in closer to whisper in your ear so only you could hear him.

"Hey, I know you haven't been feeling your best lately, and I understand why... But I want you to know that you can always talk to me. To us. We're here for you, no matter what." he whispered, his words causing your heart to stop for a moment. A soft smile spread across your lips as he leaned back, his eyes meeting yours with warmth.

"Thank you," you replied softly, leaning your head against his shoulder as the movie continued. Resting on each other like this was a familiar gesture among your group—it was something you all did since childhood, a sign of trust and comfort. So when you leaned on Yuta's shoulder, it wasn't a romantic gesture—it was more like seeking comfort from an older brother figure. Your friends have always been there for you, caring and supportive, much like older siblings would be.

Finally the movie finished, with the time now showing 11:16pm—it’s very late, thank god you guys had no classes scheduled for the next two days.

"It's getting late, Y/N. Are you ready to head back?" Maki asked, her expression soft with concern.

Before you could answer, Inukami jumped in with a hopeful tone, asking if you guys could stay a bit longer. You could tell he was really loving the reunion, bringing back memories of all the fun times your group had shared in the past… just like before you got into a relationship. 

"Yeah, come on, Maki and Y/N! We haven't had this much fun in a while. It feels good for the group to get back together again," Yuta chimed in, his gaze shifting between Maki and you. The collective attention turned to you, though you knew it wasn't intentional—they subconsciously understood that the decision rested with you, or rather, with your boyfriend's expectations.

Even though it was late, the idea of going home to an empty house, knowing your boyfriend would be out, doing who knows what, filled you with dread. You knew it would only trigger more overthinking and anxiety so with a reassuring smile, you decided against it. Tonight, you didn't feel like going home, and that was perfectly okay.

"Fuck it," you thought, smiling back at them. 

"Why don't we have a sleepover?" You ask, breaking the silence. Their eyes widen in shock, the suggestion catches everyone off guard. It's been a while since the last sleepover, back before you started dating your controlling boyfriend. They've tried to organize some since then, but you always declined, due to your boyfriend's disapproval.

Of course. Typical.

Their initial shock quickly turns into smiles and nods as they exchange glances before turning back to you.

"Let's do it!" Maki says with excitement.

All of them cheered in excitement, and the lively conversation continued throughout the night until exhaustion finally led to all of you drifting off to sleep on Yuta's spacious and comfortable couch. Despite the cozy setup, you found it hard to sleep as your mind continued to race, clouded by thoughts of him once again. Unable to find peace, you quietly slipped outside to the backyard, just to get some air.

Yuta awoke shortly afterward, noticing your absence. He got up from the couch, careful not to disturb Maki and Inumaki and began searching the house, half expecting to find you sleeping in his room. But you weren't there. He started to slightly panic as he considered the possibility of you leaving without informing anyone. How did you get home? Was something wrong? Why would you leave without saying anything?

As his mind rushed with worry, Yuta made his way to the backyard door and spotted you sitting on the stairs. Leaning against the door frame for a moment, he gathered his thoughts before joining you outside, silently taking a seat beside you.

"Hey," Yuta says as he settles beside you.

You jump at the sudden sound, caught off guard by his unexpected presence. "Omg, Yuta," you playfully shove his shoulder, "don't sneak up on me like that."

"Sorry," he chuckles softly, "didn't mean to scare you."

"What are you doing out here this late?" he questions.

"Couldn't fall asleep so I decided to get some air."

"Something on your mind?" He asks with concern.

I smile at him. "No."

"Come on, Y/N. I've known you for years; you think I can't tell when something's on your mind..."

You both sit there in silence for a moment before he speaks up again.

"Is it—"

"Mhm. But I don't want to talk about him. I'm here with you guys today, and that's what's important. Not him," you state, trying to change the conversation away from your boyfriend.

Yuta gives you a reassuring smile and nods, but then an awkward silence settles between you. It's unusual; conversations with your friends usually flow effortlessly, so why does it feel so difficult now?

After a moment, you decide to break the silence.

"Yuta..." you begin hesitantly.

He meets your gaze with a soft look. "Yeah?"

"I'm thinking about breaking up with him, you know," you confess.

Yuta's eyes widened in shock, a spark of excitement shining in him. As your best friend, he genuinely cares about your well-being and wants what's best for you. They all do, and they know that leaving your boyfriend will bring out the best in you, bring back the real you.

"Really?! How come... I mean, I already know why, but I'm just curious after all the times we've mentioned it to you, you never really pa—"

"Yuta," you interject, giggling at his enthusiasm.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking, and being here with you guys today reminded me of the times we used to have together before him and I got together. And honestly... I haven't felt happier and more relaxed in a long time until now. It's like when I'm with you guys, I'm constantly smiling, laughing, talking, and I never feel judged. But with him, I feel so... miserable. I don't even remember the last time he and I actually talked and had a laugh together. It's always arguments, and he's the one who always starts them over nothing."

Yuta places a comforting hand on your shoulder and gently wipes away the tears on your face. You hadn't realized you were crying. You tried your hardest not to cry for months, but while telling Yuta how you felt, you couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Shhh... it's okay, Y/N. I'm glad you feel like yourself when you're with us. You deserve so much better than that jerk," he reassures you, his words bringing a sense of comfort.

He never fails to make you laugh.

"Thanks, Yuta," you say gratefully.

"Hey, what are you guys doing outside?" Maki and Inumaki mumble sleepily as they stand at the door.

Yuta grins mischievously and glances over at them. "What's with that ugly grin?" Maki jokes, prompting laughter from everyone.

"MAKI!" you all shout in unison, teasing her.

Yuta can't contain his excitement any longer. "Y/N is planning on breaking up with her boyfriend!" he blurts out.

If Maki and Inumaki thought they were awake before, they're definitely wide awake now. They exchange shocked glances between you and Yuta, repeating the gesture several times. You can't help but smile; despite the gravity of the situation, you feel a sense of pride. Proud that you've finally gained the courage to do something you've been wanting to do for months.

"You're not messing with us, right? Because I swear to god Y/N, if I find out yo—" Maki begins, her voice tinged with concern.

You cut her off before she can finish her sentence. "I swear I'm not messing with you guys. I'm going to do it tomorrow night."

Yipeee!! Go Y/N!!! finally we've all been waiting for this moment.

im currently working on the next part so please be patient!

Also, thank you so much for reading!

[nothorses]

I think there's a Thing where any transphobia known to be against a transfem gets called "transmisogyny", which is fine I guess, but idk I feel like transmisogyny is supposed to be the word for the Specific Type of oppression that trans women face, not "transphobia that in this case is against a trans women". Does that make sense? Like if somebody misgenders a trans woman and that's it, that isn't anything more specific than "transphobia", right? Like if somebody were to call me a faggot, I wouldn't consider That transandrophobia simply because I Am a trans man, I would just think of it as generally anti-queer. Does that make sense, or am I misunderstanding the terms transmisogyny, transandrophobia, etc?

No I think you're right, and tbh I think it's a manifestation (and a really good example) of the "identity = oppression" framework a lot of folks are operating under in these conversations.

It's not something anyone really says out loud, but I've noticed it as a pattern in certain circles; mostly a lot of primarily young, online queer circles.

It's the same framework that, imo, spawned "Transmisogyny Exempt/Transmisogyny Affected" (or "TME/TMA") in which one's identity is directly equivalent to the oppression they experience.

The logic goes: If you identify as X, you experience anti-X oppression. If your identity is not X, you do not, and cannot, experience anti-X oppression.

This is also where we get, like, "misdirected misogyny" as a concept: the logic is that trans men* do not identify as women, therefore they cannot experience oppression meant for women.

Or "slur discourse": if you do not identify as X, you do not experience anti-X oppression, you have never been called this anti-X slur, and therefore you cannot reclaim this anti-X slur.

A lot of other gatekeeping arguments follow similar logic, as do a lot of arguments against acknowledging "transandrophobia" (or anti-transmasc bigotry as a specific concept). Personal identity is understood to be directly equivalent to experiences with oppression, and trans men's identities are thus broken down into their two parts, and assigned corresponding experiences:

Trans experiences

Man experiences

Even understanding "trans man" to be a third identity, with additional, unique "trans man experiences", creates a lot of friction within this framework: a lot of the unique "trans man experiences" we talk about arise from interactions between transphobia and misogyny. But misogyny must be woman-only; our experiences with misogyny are considered incidental, or "misdirected".

If we consider identity to be directly equivalent to oppression, then what, exactly, could these unique "trans man experiences" be?

In this framework, they can only ever be the combination of "trans experiences" and "man experiences"; and "man experiences" cannot contain any unique "man oppression" (unless all men are oppressed just for being men), so "trans man experiences" can only ever be "trans experiences".

When people say "transmisogyny" to refer to any and all oppression that impacts trans women, it's because they understand identity and oppression to be one and the same. Trans women's experiences with oppression cannot be understood as complex & nuanced interactions between different systems of oppression- they are always considered transmisogyny, because the person experiencing them is a trans women, and the oppression of trans women is called "transmisogyny".

It's a reductive and honestly immature understanding of how identity and oppression interact with and relate to one another, but I find it really helpful to understand it when breaking down the flaws in arguments like these ones.

*Some trans men (as well as other transmasculine people) can and do identify as women, and this logic is often applied to transmasculine people as a whole, which erases those folks as well. I'm just not sure what the most accurate term to use here is, honestly.

[bluetintcore]

nsfw alphabet ᥫ᭡ patrick bateman.

synopsis ˒ in which i walk you through the ropes of sex with our favorite psychopath!

pairings ˒ patrick bateman x fem!reader.

warnings ˒ SMUT; pure filth; mentions of murder; mentions of knife and blood play; mentions of bondage; mentions of cheating; mentions of an axe; i think that may be it!

word count ˒ 1,4k

note from me ˒ thats my leg btw ;) creds to gif owner!

a = aftercare (what he’s like after sex)

first of all, he’s smart and he knows what women want. he knows that they want to be loved and treated after sex, so he’d do just that to keep you whipped. he’d run you a nice bath and he’d even join you if you wanted. he’d wash your hair and body and he’d press loving kisses to your neck while doing so. he’d even carry you back to bed.

b = body part (his favorite body part of his and yours)

patrick is a little overly cocky, he knows he’s attractive. so if we’re being honest he really doesn’t feel he has any flaws, but if he had to choose his favorite body part would probably be his arms. he loves how defined his muscles look, he often finds himself flexing into any mirror he comes in contact with. he’s obsessed with himself.

on you, it’d have to be your thighs. he’s a big thigh guys. he loves how smooth they are and how your muscles flex when you walk; never fails to make him yearn for you. while fucking you, his go to to grab would be your thighs so support him. your thighs are his main hype man ngl.

c = cum (anything to do with cum)

he really likes to cum inside you. he just thinks it’s so warm and comforting. but he’ll honestly cum anywhere you want him to. your face, your belly, thighs, etc. but his all time favorite is inside.

d = dirty secret (a dirty secret of his)

he has 1000% fantasized about murdering you mid sex. like he’d be fucking you and then out of nowhere he’d pull out an axe and go all psycho on you. of course, that’s a secret for a reason. you’d never know that.

e = experienced (how experienced is he? does he know what he’s doing?)

oh abso-fucking-lutely. this man is a total fucking womanizer. he knows exactly how to charm and hit all the right spots because he’s hit them many times before on other women.

f = favorite position (goes without saying)

surprisingly, he really enjoys missionary. he likes to look into your eyes so he knows he’s making you feel good; it’s something of a confidence booster for him. but he also really likes giving you back shots. however, he’d be open to trying any position.

g = goofy (is he more serious in the moment? humorous? etc.)

he’s serious. you would never catch this man cracking a joke during intimate times. in fact, if you even cracked a joke he’d probably look at you like you just said the most terrible thing. he doesn’t think sex should equal humor, and he prefers to be serious. and he would like it if you were serious too.

h = hair (how well groomed is he? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

i think even before he met you he’d be big on being completely shaved down there. having a ton of hair makes him feel dirty (not that it is). so 99.9% of the time he would keep himself completely smooth.

i = intimacy (how is he during the moment? is he romantic?)

he can be, if he really loved you. most of the time he prefers to keep his mouth shut BUT if you’re lucky he may call you beautiful and tell you how amazing you feel. but that’s on a good day.

j = jerk off (masturbation headcanon)

you know, i don’t see him being the biggest masturbator. if he was horny, he’d come to you. if you didn’t want sex, he’d find someone who did; it’s as simple as that. but don’t be sad, at least you were his first option!

k = kink (one or more of his kinks)

obviously bondage. he’d love having you tied up and helpless as he had his way with you. he’s also into knife play and blood, ironically. as said before, if you weren’t comfortable with this he wouldn’t force you; because he’d find someone else who would.

l = location (favorite places to do the do)

he’d be okay with anywhere in his apartment. his bed, his couch, as long as he’s comfortable he doesn’t really care. to be completely honest, i don’t even think he’d have sex anywhere other than his apartment. anytime the two of you go out it’s always “let’s go back to MY apartment”. guess he just feels more comfortable there.

m = motivation (what turns him on?)

you getting hit on by other men. obviously you can’t help that and he knows it, but it’s the feeling of one upping those men that want you. after all, he’s the one fucking you every night; not them. so anytime you two are out and about if you get hit on he immediately wants sex.

n = no (something he wouldn’t do)

be submissive. during sex he is ALWAYS the dominant one. i feel like being submissive would absolutely obliterate his ego and that would seriously fuck with his head. so, if you’re a switch sorry about your luck because you’re a soon to be permanent sub.

o = oral (preference on giving or receiving, skill, etc)

he prefers receiving but he would never dismiss going down on you. he’s amazing at it, too. however when going down on you he’d never let you finish, he’d have you so close but right before you cum he’d stop and say, “i still have to fuck you.”

p = pace (is he fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

never in a million years would patrick bateman have slow and sensual sex. he doesn’t like sex if it isn’t his way and that’s rough and fast. MAYBE on your anniversary he’d be soft and sweet but probably not even then.

your relationship with patrick revolves around him let’s be real.

q = quickie (his opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

they’re not his favorite. but since he doesn’t go outside of his apartment for sex, he’d never really have to worry about them.

r = risk (is he okay with experimenting? does he take risks?)

as long as it doesn’t completely beat up his ego, he’ll do it for you. it’s the least he can do. surprisingly, as much as he may fantasize about hurting you, he never actually would. he might try spanking, but that’s as far as he’d take it.

s = stamina (how many rounds can he go for? how long does he last?)

he can go about 5-6 rounds throughout the night, 3-5 on a bad day. he usually lasts about 25-30 minutes.

t = toys (does he own toys? how much does he use them? on you or him?)

i don’t really think he’d be a big toy guy, honestly. he’s all about you and him intimacy, not a toy. probably laugh in your face if you brought it up to him. he may use a vibrator on you, but that’d be it.

u = unfair (how much does he like to tease?)

he does tease you, but not for a very long time. he’ll tease you for the first few minutes of being intimate and then he’ll stop and just fuck you. mostly because i think he gets extremely needy too.

v = volume (how loud is he? what kind of noises does he make, etc.)

not a moaner at all. he’s too focused on what he’s doing to put effort into making noises. when he’d cum he’d let out a groan, but other than that he’s mostly silent other then loud pants.

w = wild card (random headcanon)

while he may not be the most vocal person during sex, he loves hearing you talk dirty to him. like tell him how good he feels and how nobody else could ever fuck you this good and he’d be absolutely over the moon. it always got him in a good mood and going.

x = x-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

he’s BIG. he’s about 6 inches while he’s soft but 8 when he’s fully hard. it’s pretty thick too, and a long vein runs under the bottom and comes up just on the top of his shaft running over his tip. it’s pretty perfect ngl

y = yearning (how high is his sex drive?)

excruciatingly high. you’re always in constant pain because this man never gives you a break (with your consent ofc). he has to have sex with you at least once a day or he has a hard time functioning. so dramatic patty

z = zzz (how quickly does he fall asleep afterwards?)

he always waits until you fall asleep until he decides to go to bed. it’s kinda creepy, but you never asked about it. so after you go to bed, he’d follow right after you.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - It's 2024 & I'm talking about TayNew... really?

(They pretty much told us all to sit down and shut tf up, 'cause they got this. AND THEY DO.)

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

Feb 2024 Wk 3

Ongoing Series - Thai

Cherry Magic (Sat YouTube grey) ep 9 of 12 - I broke. In my defense, it was Monday, I needed comfort, and TayNew were right tf there. Ya know what? They are great in this show. It's a great adaptation. I might like it more than the JBL live action. You know why? Really, honestly WHY...?

That was a PHENOMENAL KISS. Those boys did Thailand fucking proud. They did fandom a solid. Thank you OGs for reminding us how it's done. I was getting used to SloppyHot. And SloppyHot has its place, but that TayNew rooftop kiss was a top tear class act. It was tender and sweet and respectful and joyful. It was eye work and breath work and years of practice. How very far BL has come while still staying so much the same. TayNew - I salute you!

(Read all about distribution issues here.)

The Sign (Sat YT) ep 12fin - we waiting, I guess? Bah.

Cooking Crush (Sun YT) ep 11 of 12 - The recipe book thing was so damn cute and I love a claiming. YOU KNOW I LOVE A CLAIMING!

In fact, I love OffGun.

I love food based BL.

I adored seeing a reboot of "the infamous dragging". 

But I don’t love anything else about this show. Sigh.

1000 Years Old ep 1 of 12 - Finally we get our gay vampire BL from Feel Good Bangkok. Stars Shane (My Engineer) and fresh face Opal, directed by Champ (2gether). It’s kind of odd but enjoyable. A group of teen UFO seekers find a vampire instead. Opal looks a bit like a mix between Newnu + Leo (VIXX) - so cute + edge. Also, nice to see Shane again on our screens after so long. 

Finally, I like the subtle (and sometimes not subtle) presence of ghosts permeating this show. Do the friends know she's there? Do they know she's dead? Is the existence of paranormal accepted but not that of aliens? Or are the two combined? Is this lazy writing or just fun world building? Who cares! It's enjoyable.

For Him (Thurs iQIYI) ep 12fin - the nail painting bit was very cutie queers and I've not seen it done in BL before, so that was nice. For some reason captions never dropped for me on this last episode, but it didn’t really matter. Not much happened and I understood everything anyway.

Quick pitch?

From the people who brought us Unforgotten Night based on a y-novel, about a young man nursing a heartbreak who has a one-night stand, but the other boy didn't want it to end. This turned out to be a pulp that wasn’t half as good as it should have been and even less memorable, but not terrible. 5/10 DON'T BOTHER unless you're v bored

City of Stars (Fri iQIYI) ep 3 of 12 - Oh it is such a pulp: the acting is not good and the script is terrible. Of course, I’m mildly enjoying it. Very good dream kissing. There's something appealing about these main characters - I think it's the moot crushes. We rarely get to see that. These days everything feels very one sided, this... isn't.

A Secretly Love (Thai WeTV) - Khonprot, a third-year hazer of the engineering faculty, has a secret crush on Pluem, a tsundere fourth-year head hazer. Over the years, he's seen Pluem cycle through girlfriends. Recently, after a public breakup, however, Khonprot thinks maybe a boy has a chance.

I tried but I can't get into my WeTV account anymore and I'm way too lazy to figure it out. I'll catch it grey if I can, since I've rebooted the bootlegging side of my BL life for Cherry Magic anyway.

So this show may stay in this section, or I may bump it down to "it's airing but..."

If anyone is watching it, let me know if it's good?

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Love For Love's Sake (Korea Weds iQIYI) 7-8fin - Ugh it was GREAT, despite some pretty telling flaws. I ended up feeling like some of the filming was amateurish (very overworked low angles - director's first feature, I assume), and the narrative is a little disjoined and on the nose, AND the subs are clumsy (which I don't expect from KBL) BUT I still loved it. (FYI - I wouldn't be so harsh on a BL for this kinda thing except one from Korea.)

Quick pitch:

This isekai-based KBL is about a man who must win a game by convincing a reserved teen outcast to fall in love with him. Of course, that teen represents himself and his own unhappiness. Like many queer narratives, this show is actually about self worth, trust, and found family, and it is VERY on the nose. But I don’t expect subtlety from my BL and I enjoyed it's truly lovely redemption arc and earnest performances. While I found the narrative a touch disjointed with overworked filming angles and poorer than average captions, this is certainly much better than early KBL in terms of consistency of tone, script, and immersion. Highly rewatchable and charming, which counts for a lot. 9/10

Trigger warning for suicide depicted.

Perfect Propose (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 4 of 6 - Gosh, it’s so lovely. But I do just constantly want to give them both hugs. 

AntiReset (Taiwan Fri Viki/Gaga) ep 4 of 10 - Oh look, Taiwan has created yet another BL where I spend most of the time watching it grinning like an idiot. Surprise surprise. The pet name thing was fucking adorable. Also Taiwan once more proving they come by their "kings of kissing" title honestly. I mean to say. In a week of good kisses this one was just... WOW.

On the other hand, some of the underpinning themes are starting to v worry me (ownership, consent, age), and we only just got started, and I don't trust this production company so... I have concerns.

But also... YAY KISSES!

(I'm made of weak moral fiber.)

Although I Love You and You AKA Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 6 of 10 - Like many other shows on this list. I just enjoy it the most when the two leads are on screen together. So this episode was kind of lacking because they were apart for most of it. I also am starting to agree with the tone of the plot, that maybe they ARE better off as friends not lovers. (And I'm sure I'm not supposed to want that.) Oh Japan, must you?

My Strawberry Film (Japan Gaga) ep 1 of 8 - Oh it’s good. In the arthouse lane so don’t expect sweetness & light or an HEA. If there’s no cartoon aspect to a JBL, there’s usually no joy. But it is certainly good. Teens uncover some old film and a mystery around a pretty girl. The background music is wildly annoying (and rarely in the background). 

It's Done

What Did You Eat Yesterday Season 2 AKA Kinou Nani Tabeta? Season 2 (Japan Gaga) 10 eps - will binge when I have any spare time. 2024 is crazy busy for me so far.

The Servant and the Young Master - from Vietnam, it's on YouTube. I will give it a try when I have a window of time.

Began Beginning (Myanmar YouTube) - A Burmese BL? @heretherebedork vouched for it, so I will give it a watch.

7 Days Before Valentine (Weds WeTV) - Gave me Luminous Solution vibes have decided not to watch.

It's Airing But...

Dead Friend Forever (Thai iQIYI) - rumors are it's interesting. I'm waiting to know how it ends.

Ossans Love Season 2 (Japan Gaga) - 5 years later, will anything have changed? This is Japan so… probubly not. I won't be watching this. I disliked Season one and actively hated the follow ups. No thank you.

Playboyy (Thurs Gaga) 14 eps - Dear Playboyy, it's not you, it’s me… I hate you. You’re about as deep (and as palatable) as a shot glass of cum. While I'm sure you’re someone’s kink, you're my weakest link. Goodbye. I DNFed this at ep 5. Frankly I'm impressed with myself for getting that far.

Time the series (Tue Gaga/YT) 10 eps - dropped it at ep 4.

Next Week Looks Like This:

2/24 Unknown (Taiwan Youku) 12 eps - Older brother tough guy breadwinner looks after his sister and defacto adopted little brother. Little bother falls in love with him and is sent away after a stolen kiss. But when he comes back…

Sam Lin has a cameo so even if I wasn't already excited, I'm in. We should be on our guard though, Taiwan will occasionally go edgy, dark, and sad... this could go there.

One assumes GMMTV is filling in the BL time slot with something queer on their YT Channel after Cooking Crush ends, they gonna lose subs if they don't. But I've not been paying attention to the chatter so I don't know which of their line-up it will be. I think G4 are filming/off radar now, and Earth is in that het noona thing? Plus they gotta sort out the IP for MIx-Up and Ossen. So it won't be one of the announced adaptations. They'll hold My Golden Blood for the high season, so I think it'll be one of the lesser known lead-outs. Wandee or Only Boo maybe? But they only just started filming those. Are we getting our long awaited GL? Anything else left from 2023 that I forgot about?

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

Two crawling kisses from Thailand this week. Now this is a fetish I didn't know I had. Turns out, we love this one! (*waves hand in air* I speak for all of us now.)

Cooking Crush

City of Stars

Possibly the best tsundere to cinnamon roll pivot we've had in a long time.

Also the best asshole to KING pivot. Could we have a whole drama staring this character now? Please?

And finally our sunshine learning to love himself.

SIGH. what a lovely show.

And a good SMILEY kiss from a KBL.

And then some cute cuddles? Korea is spoiling me these days. I'm catching expectations now. What's next? Japan learns to kiss in their light BLs? Ha! I kill me.

(All Love for Love's Sake).

(Last week)

[girlwithwolftatoo]

Hey! How would the moon boys react to fem!reader? Cupping their face in her hand out of the blue?

Weather is more than appropiate for fluff stuff <3

Moon Boys + Reader cupping their face

Marc Spector:

The most reluctant of three. He craves for signs of affection but won't react positively to it at first.

Your hands holding his face makes him feel... weird, a little vulnerable, a little childish. Consider most of his childhood and adolescence he didn't get much love.

"Drop it" he murmurs, but he's not serious. Won't take your hands off, won't turn away, he just struggles with his own feelings.

Little by little, he breaks. He sobs with an expression of embarrasment, as if waiting you'd find it ridiculous or stupid (which of course, isn't the case), and may kneel down as you still cup his face, all defeated and tired.

Listening words of reassurement and compassion is the best for him. Feeling you trust him and love him despite any mistake or flaw gives him the self-confidence he lost so long time ago, and the fact you don't judge him is even more important.

"I'm sorry, I... I know I'm not good foor you..." "You never say that again, Marc. It's a lie. You're good, for yourself and for me"

Steven Grant:

You probably caught him in the middle of a crisis or a panic attack, mumbling so fast his accent becomes thicker and you can barely undestand what he says, and once you put your hands on his jaw...

"What are...? Ohhh that feels better, yes..." he murmurs as soon as the warmth of your hands relax him almost immediately.

May close his eyes just to enjoy your spoils, even will accept to sit and, perhaps, a little massage on the shoulders (he's very ticklish so be careful).

Little by little, his tangled mind takes a straight trail of thoughts, and he vents everything in a more calmed tone. It's not just the flesh to flesh contact, it's the fact you're there, listening him, what helps him to recover quick.

Chances are he may reccomend to take a nap together, just to be sure he'll wake up in a better mood, or simply make some tea for you and him as a gesture of appreciation for what you did.

"Honestly don't know what would I do if you weren't here, love"

Jake Lockley:

For this case I can imagine two scenarios: one, Jake returning early in the morning, all tired and moody, or two, you having to approach Jake to calm him down since he's losing a little his temper and probably about to do something hideous.

If it's the first case, Jake simply walks in, dropping his jacket nd mumbling something about being sick of everything. Once your hands reach his face, he sighs almost in relief, as if he just entered a hot bathtub.

"I'd wish I could spend night here with you instead of outside more often, bonita" he complains and groans like an exhausted dog, allowing you to rub his face. A soft smile appears in his lips, and you know he's back to normal again, like a spell.

The other scenario sounds dangerous, but not because of Jake. As soon as he feels your presence right next to him, something in his mind sounds an alarm and he stops anything he's doing. If you'd got hurt during his watch, he would never forgive himself.

"Jake, Jake!" anyways you need to call him out to be sure he's paying attention. "It's okay, mi amor, it's over". Just a single hand will do, and he cups it into his own hand, gently squitting his eyes.

"Perdóname, princesa, I just... had a bad time" he murmurs, grabbing onto your hand as if he'd never let it go.

[deerspherestudios]

Hi! I played your game and really, really like it, I am a huge fan of slow burn - combined with Yandere too? That's kinda rare nowadays, haha. Thanks for making it and creating Mychael, I love his design. Two questions: How many days are planned to be playable in the full release?

And

Since in just one day Mychael feels very friendly towards us (according to a post you made with where his feelings are based on a meter) does that mean he's very clingy??? Like, in just one day he feels like our friend. What little effort and words will it take for him to go from crush, to love, to whatever yandere thing he might be??? Like, is he okay??? Should I be worried???

This guy? Clingy? Nahhh. Nothing to worry about, anon :-) 🍄❤️

As for the game, long (!!!) answer below cut: might be spoiler-y might be not.

For context, here's the post mentioned above.

I'm still not sure how many days it will be, but it's definitely ranging between 4-5 days. Granted it'll be a while before the game is finished finished but I think progress will pick up as I complete assets that will be reused. I'm writing Days 2, 3 and 4 simultaneously (anyone who writes can probably relate to wanting a specific thing to happen in the story but dread writing up to it, so I skip around in order to keep my motivation and interest up)

As for relationship progression, slow burn usually means a long time passes before anything develops. But this is a VN and I'm a solo part-time dev so the scope still has to be small 😔 That said!

Mychael, as a person, is quite solitary in nature; he likes being alone and you'll find out why. He does however desire company and he's only realized just how pleasant having someone around can be (hence his reaction for the Bad Endings in Day 1 if you wish to leave/run away)

Although I'm not a fan of the 'you do one (1) nice thing any decent person would do and yandere is already head-over-heels for you' trope, I do have to make use of it but, drip-feed style? You grow closer to Mychael as you hang out with him and do little things that he appreciates. (Honestly I just realized I'm describing the typical visual novel experience just without the yandere beginning-- go! figure!!! /lh)

Example: the first thing that boosts you to immediate friend status is your willingness to accept his physical looks, something that's never happened to him before. (I know my artstyle makes him a yassified pretty boy but imagine genuinely meeting a sentient creature in real life with patchy green skin, a dextrous tail and four blinking pitch black eyes, I think I'd freak too haha) Little things like that mean a lot to him and motivates him to prolong your stay.

In a way, the MC is written to be more kinder and open-minded (at least outside of Bad Ends) than the sweet/sour personalities that come in a VN, so (for narrative AND coding purposes) I can't really diversify it much. I hope that's okay ¯\_(; v ; )_/¯ If Mychael met a more grouchy/mean MC on Day 1 he'd probably not be as attached. He'd just save you, feed you and send you home when you ask hahaha. Of course this will change as he gets to know you better, at that stage he'll be willing to overlook your flaws like any upstanding yandere

Phew this was a lot to dump in an ask but I did wanna explain my vision for the game! I enjoy yandere VNs as an escape fantasy, but it's common they start out with the yan already being invested in you or fall for you too fast!!! if that makes sense. I'm interested in yanderes in the aspect of how love (romantic or otherwise) starts from innocent affection and spirals into dark obsession!!! It's also compelling as to why a character is so devoted to someone, in this situation the MC, and I wanna write the kind of person Mychael would fall for. And personally 'love-at-first-sight' as a reason just doesn't do it for me 💔

(Disclaimer!!! I'm not saying my game is any more original or better than the other wonderful yan VNs in the works, but hopefully with Mychael as a character I can deliver that 'slow-burn-and-yearn' storyline I'd like it to be. As my itchio profile says: I make games I thirst for in secret but are sadly lacking around the internet 💔 )

Thank you for the ask!! :-D

[portraitofariel]

So I wanted to expand upon this post I made earlier with the following statement:

Claire isn’t done with Carmy. In fact, I’d argue she wants him to fight for her attention—just like she did for him.

Throughout her scenes with Carmy, there is a theme of “trying to get him to do things/open up/talk more/be present” etc.. And when he does open up to her, their conversation centers around him. He has no interest in getting to know her on a deeper level, nor does he take her on dates. Everything is done on his timeframe/at his apartment. No gifts, no outings, no romance.

This may be up for contention but I personally don’t think Carmen is shy at all. I think he’s reserved with people he isn’t wholly interested in or who he doesn’t find compelling.

And how do I know this?

One word: Sydney.

From the very beginning, anyone with eyes could tell there was chemistry between them. The way he looks at her, watches her, waits for her, and talks to her denotes a level of interest beyond colleagues. It was clear from early on that Carmy was taken with her.

He has a fascination with trying to please her, despite his misgivings about Michelin Stars and even back in S1 - the to-go’s fiasco. He’s infinitely more experienced and seasoned in the kitchen than she is but his attention to cultivating the restaurant in her image is surprising, and honestly beautiful. Several times over the course of both seasons, I asked myself why is he doing all this? He seems miserable lots, if not most, of the time until he’s around Sydney. The fire reignites in his eyes with her and he even modeled interior of the Bear based on her notebook.

The relationship Carmy has with Claire isn’t meant to be permanent. It always had an expiration date and it’ll reach it next season.

The two gifs above are interesting parallels to each other. There’s this innate, childish awkwardness about Carmy and Claire that looms over their scenes together. The conversations don’t flow naturally or in a way that eludes to a deep connection. It’s hollow. It’s him needing favors and her being too willing to do them for a man she barely knows.

While his relationship with Sydney isn’t without flaws, they challenge each other in a way that is necessary for progress and growth. There can be no love without conflict. Love is in fact all things: it’s scary, passionate, intense, difficult, exhilarating, and troublesome. Anything less isn’t love—it’s limerence.

More than anything, Claire wants Carmy to choose her … because he never actually did. My prediction is he’ll call her but she won’t answer. Then after the grand opening, she’ll reach out and they’ll get back together. Homegirl will start making her presence really be known at the restaurant (joining them for family dinner/picking him up/etc” and she’ll notice the perplexing tension between him and Sydney. This will lead to internal questions and eventually she’ll confront him about it. This confrontation will lead to a fight and they’ll break up for good.

[snailsrneat]

Yandere Epel Felmier Headcanons

-----------------------------

-----------------------------

Ooooh boy

If he becomes your yandere I feel sorry for you

Epel doesn't really understand his feelings for you fully

All he really understands is that around you his body gets weak and his heart beat rises a lot

In short you make him feel inferior, and he doesn't like that one bit

He despises the way you make him feel.

And he definitely shows his distate for it constantly

He finds that bullying you makes him feel better. Makes him feel superior.

He always makes sure to point out any sort of flaw on your body or clothing, and laughs when you give him a dirty look

He always makes sure to seek you out. Even when you started avoiding him, he kept on actively trying to find you.

He especially loves you give him angry reaction, it adds fuel to his flame.

"Hey nerd! Why do you keep running from me? You scared? Think I'm soo terrifying that you can't even come face me?"

For awhile he thought he hated you, despised you, that was until he saw how close you and Jack were.

You and Jack decided to have lunch alone together outside instead of inside.

Epel had been looking for you, as he always was. The moment he saw you and the wolf-boy sitting so close, your faces less than an inch apart, his body filled with the most intense rage he's ever felt.

Rage so intense he started to physically shake.

Epel stomped all the way back to his dorm room, slammed the door shut, and started to throw the biggest fit in history.

Epel knew that Vil was going to yell at him but he couldn't care less right now, he needed to get all his anger out.

Once he's done with his temper tantrum he sits in the middle of his room, thinking.

Mostly thoughts about you, he could never stop thinking about you.

You with that dumb smile, you with your stupid pretty eyes, you and your shiny hair..

He can't deal with all the emotions going on in his head, but he can realize one thing.

He wants you to be his and he'll do anything to have you.

From that moment forward Epel becomes a lot less rude, he still makes snide remarks from time to time but he's way nicer to you than before.

He still constantly seeks you out too, but it's welcome this time around.

"Hey nerd! You wanna go eat at the monstro lounge after school? Just you and me."

Eventually when you guys get close enough to eachother and you start to open up to him he makes sure to keep notes of everything in a secret dairy he has.

Honestly he takes a lot after Rook.

He keeps notes of your deepest darkest secrets, fears, trauma, literally anything he deems useful blackmail.

Once you guys get close that's when all of your other friends start to get distant.

You don't understand what happened or what you did to make them not like you all of a sudden but you get lonely pretty quick.

Good thing Epel is there to keep you company.

"They did what!? Oh no, don't cry. They never deserved you anyways. I'm still here, remember? I'd never leave you."

He's so extremely possessive he can't let anyone be close to you but him.

He'll even make sure you get a schedule change and everything.

Now you're with him in every class, he couldn't be happier.

If you start failing some classes? Oh don't worry about it Epel can give you his notes.

Even if you start to oppose him and want to get away, you can't.

Why?

Well cause if you do then he'll get upset, and once he gets upset that's when he brings out his pen.

He doesn't want to do this but if you keep threatening that you're going to leave, what else can he do?

Now look at what you did to yourself, all bruised and beaten.

We were so happy then you tried to leave and now look.

"It's better for you to stay here with me. Without me you're too weak to fight even the smallest amount of magic."

"You need me."

[pacifierbby]

CHRISTMAS BISCUITS ✧  ; - mm x reader

➺ navi

* ੈ✩‧₊ mason and reader baking cookies for their families Christmas dinner however it didn't end up the way it planed and more of it went on them than it did in the bowel

a/n ➣hello my loveys! since Christmas is coming thought i make a story of mason baking cookies with reader i really do hope you are all enjoying your days loveys cant believe 2023 is nearly ending but another year for mason content and stories! please lovelies give me feedback on my stories it really does help me a lot with my next up coming stories much love

word count ➣ 1,7k

warnings ➣ mm fluff,kissing

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ you and mason was settled on your sofa the fire crackling away that mason turned on a minuet ago the logs beside the fireplace that mason cut down a few hours before the TV above playing a Christmas movie that you seen 100 times before your phone on your lap scrolling down through pinterest pulling up snowmen cookies "we should make these" you said showing mason your phone diverting his attention away from his phone to yours "you know i cant bake for shit right? did you not watch that video" mason laughed slightly making you giggle a little " i remember but it be fun plus we can bring them over to your mum's house tomorrow for the dinner " you said you always wanted to bake with mason from that video to be honest you did find it cute how confused he can be but you never brought that up and honestly that will forever stay with you and only you "alright my love come on then lets do it but first lets match our jumpers so we can take a photo together" jumping up from your couch clapping your hand very lightly since it was 9 pm at night and you didn't wanna wake your neighbors up. rushing upstairs, grabbing your Christmas jumper that you bought earlier for you and Mason. him already wearing his because he wanted to see how it fits.

Walking back downstairs your kitchen staring back at you from your living room mason already looking through your cupboards slowly walking into the kitchen wrapping your arms around his waist making him jump slightly "what you doing" kissing his neck lightly" looking for the pans and stuff" mason turned around wrapping his arms around your waist you moving your arms around his neck. mason kissing your lips ever so slightly " well it wont be in their" you giggled lightly letting go of his grip shutting the overhead cupboards and opening the bottoms cupboard doors grabbing your pans and oven trays placing them on the counter top mason watching your every move already knowing this will be a long night yes he cooked before but its always gone terribly wrong. one time he accidentally burned a pan and after that his mum wouldn't even let him touch anything cooking related "what do you need now my love" mason asked not wanting to just stand like a spear part "can you bring me the eggs and the baking soda you should know where the eggs are and the baking soda is in this top cupboard" mason rolled his eyes opening the fridge door grabbing your eggs and the butter placing them next to you . walking to the cupboard, placing his hands on your back, opening the cupboard, grabbing your baking soda that was thankfully at the front, placing it next to the butter and eggs "alright whats next?" wrapping his hands around your waist like you did to him moments before. already having the things you need on the counter top.

Putting the butter and the sugar in the large pink bowl "can you crack them eggs i'm not very good at it the egg shells always end up in the mixture" you said quietly that was one big flaw when you always cooked you always ended up cracking the eggs and the shell with it so you always end up taking ages to bake because your taking so long taking the egg shells out but thankfully mason was the pro at doing it so when it came to baking everything you always asked mason to crack the egg's. mason nodded grabbing the egg from its packet braking it perfectly adding the yolk into the mixture you adding the vanilla extract and the baking powder "alright lets do the next part" grabbing your new whisk that your mother bought you " do you want to do it" looking at mason making sure he joined in with everything which he nodded "alright" passing him the whisk watching him very warily "alright before you turn it on make sure that-" not getting time to finished your sentence mason already turned it on the mixture spilling outside of the bowel going onto his jumper " the whisk is in the bowel" you finished your sentence laughing a little grabbing it off him not wanting all the mixture to go all over your kitchen.

Alright lets do the next step looking down at your phone skipping to the next steps mason sighed behind you "i told you this is going to be a bad idea" his arms crossed around his chest like a toddler making you giggle once again "its okay mistakes happen plus i'm having fun anything with you makes it more memorably kissing his lips ever so slightly which he instantly kissed back. moving away both of you mincing each others reactions you will forever love his kisses it will forever bring something to your heart turning towards the bowel "okay" you said looking back at your phone completely forgetting what it told you to do "woo this is the fun part" rolling up your jumpers sleeves up mason doing the same behind you confused on why your so excited "alright come behind me" your hands already in the bowel. waiting on mason turning your head around to his eyebrows wiggling "not like that you freak" laughing at his little innuendo his arms coming behind you his hand placing on top of yours his soft skin and his warm hands leaving yours toasty "follow my lead" putting your hand in the mixture softly playing with the dough threading it with your hands mason repeating your actions his on the other side of the bowel. bringing his hand out from the bowel, a small mixture dough at the bottom of his finger placing the batter at the bottom of your nose laughing a little. "Mason!" You squealed, grabbing the batter, putting it on his cheek. Going back to the mixture, mixing it together, making it as dough. "Put the flour onto the counter top, but please watch the bag it's broken." Mason being the clutz he his drops the flour all over the floor and onto the both of you "oh mase" you said looking at the floor then back at him his Christmas jumper not looking so Christmas with the mixture of the flour sticking together. Mason looks down at the floor with a small pout on his face. Bending down, grabbing the bag from the floor "thankfully we still have some left," you mumbled, placing the last bit off flour onto the tops. Opening the draw, grabbing your rolling pin, and holding it out to Mason. " Come on, my love, you can do the rolling part." feeling slightly sorry for him. Maybe he is right? Maybe he shouldn't of baked at all. Mason taking the rolling pin out of your hands and putting the dough onto the flour.

Walking towards your oven, putting it to the right temperature, making sure Mason was okay with the rolling and doing the technique correctly, which he was turning the kettle on grabbing two mugs from your cupboard with hot chocolate putting the amount of scoops you need in the mugs waiting for the kettle to boil moving over to where mason was stood looking at the dough "alright we can start cutting out our shapes" grabbing the circle biscuits cutter cutting the dough into small circles placing them on the baking tray making them into small snowmen mason doing some himself "you should go on bake off" mason laughed looking at you and your hard work that you done together "wont say much about you" giving him a kiss on his cheek which he turned around making your lips pressing onto his "that's what happens trying to be a smart bum" tapping your bum lightly, hearing the kettle pinging behind you "alright lets place these in the oven and have our hot chocolate" already walking over to your oven placing the tray in the steamy hot oven putting the timer to 15 minuets. Mason pouring the hot water in the two mugs adding the milk "come on my love lets sit down for a sec" walking into the lounge your TV still playing the movie mason placing your steamy mugs on the coffee table "well at least its not all over our kitchen "looking at his mess that he created".

The oven pinging from the kitchen tells you that your cookies were done baking. you and mason cuddling on the couch like where you started off your hot chocolate settling in your systems getting up grabbing masons hand come on my love decorating time pulling mason off the sofa dragging him into the kitchen throwing him your oven gloves "you grab them while i grab my already made icing and please make sure you take them out slowly i know much clutz you are" taking the icing out of the fridge. mason rolling his eyes behind you placing the hot oven tray on the counter tops walking over to him kissing his cheek "i'm sorry but its true and don't roll your eyes at me" confused on how you noticed that but thinking maybe that's just women intuition for you. you being too interested in your decorating the biscuits not noticing Mason starting at you "What?" you asked confused why hes not joining in " i just love your concentration face i love it" he softly spoken grabbing the other icing packet starting decorating his own snowmen making you blush a little still getting used to his small compliments. feeling a cold thing at the bottom of your noise, knowing Mason did it again this time with the icing. walking over to where he stood, putting some down his back. "What the hell, that's cold!" Mason shouted you, smiling while watching him struggle getting it out of his jumper. him stopping looking at you bent over slightly laughing at your actions, him slowly walking over, putting the full tube of icing down your neck. you copying his exact actions your cookie decorating completely forgotten about, and that was the last time you and Mason cooked cookies together.

[mareagirls]

hi! if you’re still taking requests could you do a peter or remus one where the reader is shy and someone makes fun of that (like in a super backhanded way) and peter or remus hear and defend her?

when i say this is months overdue, i mean months and months and months :') sorry for not writing it sooner! this is all over the place and i kinda hate it but i rly wanted to try writing remus rip :') i hope it's alright! I'll check for mistakes later <3

“You okay?” Remus nudges your shoulder gently with his own as the two of you make your way up Sirius’s drive.

“Yeah. I’m a little nervous about meeting your friends though.” You give him the truth because you’ve never been much good at lying to Remus, and he's always been far too intuitive for your liking.

The boy pulls you to a stop outside the front door. If you listen closely, you can hear music playing inside. Laughter maybe. 

You gulp, pulling your sweater around you. Remus looks at you patiently. His hair is falling into his eyes, you notice. You fight the urge to brush it up.

“It’s just… I’m not good at talking to new people. What if they think I’m weird? They might not like me.” You’re not fishing for compliments, you never are, doubting yourself is almost like second nature. Remus shakes his head before pressing a firm but gentle kiss to your hairline.

“Sirus and James love you, honey. They don’t mind that you’re timid.” The boy sounds truthful, and honestly you have no reason not to believe him. Remus’s closest friends have been nothing but kind to you since you first met them. 

“And so what if someone doesn’t like you?“ he continues. “That’s their problem. I like you. I think you’re absolutely lovely.” Remus, takes your hands in his and massages tiny circles into your skin. 

You try to internalise his words, do you best to weed out all the anxiety you’re feeling and make space for his comforts instead. 

Still, uncertainty lingers in your chest at the prospect of meeting all of their other friends. Remus must sense it because his hands come up to cup your face gently and you lean into his touch

 “My quiet girl,” Remus murmurs, and there’s so much tenderness in his voice that you think you might die from it. “You’re just a little shy is all. It’s not a flaw.” 

You soften some more at his words and Remus squeezes your hand. “If it gets too much at any point, you just let me know and I’ll make up an excuse to leave.”

“Okay,” you murmur.  “I will.”

But you think to yourself that you won’t be doing anything of the sort. Remus has been talking about this get together that Sirius organised for weeks, and it's been ages since he's seen some of the people invited. The last thing you want to do is take him away from them. 

You walk to the door behind Remus, happy to let his body shield yours as you enter. His hand gives yours two short squeezes. 

I’m with you. It’s unspoken, but it’s there.

James and Lily open the door before Remus can knock. James is grinning from ear to ear, all teeth, a lazy arm slung over his girlfriends shoulder.

“Moony!” He pulls Remus in for a crushing hug. “We thought you’d never show up!”  His attention shifts to you as he peers over Remus’s shoulder. “And you brought Y/N! Even better!”

Remus smiles at his friend and you find yourself smiling too. James’s enthusiasm is infectious.

Lily moves forward to hug you. You've only met her a couple of times, but she's always been sweet and friendly. You hug her back.

"Thank god you're here," she whispers, conspirational. "The boys have been doing my head in."

James gasps, appalled. Lily just smacks his arm.

You're about to reply to her, when, a loud squeal reaches the four of you. 

“Remmy! It’s been ages!” 

You look up to see a girl you don’t know making a beeline towards Remus. When she reaches him, she practically drapes herself over his shoulder. Remus, polite as ever, gives her a short hug before untangling himself and pulling his arm back to his side. 

“Hey Maisy. It’s nice to see you.” He places an easy hand on the small of your back, nudging you forward ever so slightly but still giving you ample time to stop him if you don’t want to go. “This is Y/N. She’s my girl.”

My girl. My girl. My girl. You go warm at the sound of the petname, something giddy and sweet blooming in your chest at the way he’s presented you. You offer Maisy a small wave, feeling braver than usual. “It’s nice to meet you.”

For a split second, Maisy looks as if she’s swallowed something sour as she looks at you, but the expression is gone in an instant and replaced by a sweet smile, doe eyes. You wonder if you’ve imagined it.

“Sure, nice to meet you,” she’s speaking to you, but her attention is trained on Remus. Before you can do or say anything else, Maisy reaches between the two of you once more and grabs hold of Remus again, trying to pull him further into the house.

"C'mon, Remmy. We've got to catch up! I haven't seen you in ages! Dorcas and Marlene will be so happy to see you again!"

Before Remus can ask you if you'd like to come too, you shuffle next to Lily and smile up at him. You don't want to take him away from his friends, and you know that if your expression starts to give away how anxious you feel, Remus will spend the whole night by your side. You don't want his friends to think you're clingy.

"Go, Rem. I'm with Lily."

Lily loops her arm through yours and nods fiercely. "I'll take good care of her."

Remus catches your gaze one more time before Maisy drags him off, a question in his eyes.

Are you sure?

You give him a resolute nod.

"I'll see you in a bit."

Then, he's being whisked away, and Lily is pulling you in the opposite direction towards the kitchen.

-

You find Remus in the living room a while later. The party has died down and by now, it's only James, Lily, Sirius, and Maisy left. Remus is sitting next to Sirius murmuring something quiet to the other boy who laughs out loud. Your heart warms when you realise he's left a space for you on his right hand side.

You sit down, leaning against him ever so slightly - a moth to the loveliest flame of all. Remus turns to face you.

"Hey, sweetheart." His hand comes around your shoulder as he speaks like it's muscle memory. "It's not too loud, is it? I know this lot can be rowdy sometimes."

"No not at all," you reply honestly. "I'm having a really good time. Lily is so so nice."

Remus looks over to where the girl in question seems to be teasing Sirius about something. There's nothing but affection in your boyfriend' gaze as he looks at them.

"She really is."

"Are you having a good time. Rem?"

Remus response is earnest, "I hadn't seen some of these people since we left school. It's been real nice to catch up."

James walks in then, phone in one hand, notepad in the other. “I’m ordering pizza," he declares. "Who wants what?"

He looks at you you first because you're the closest. "Y/N? What do you feel like having?"

You're not prepared for the anxiousness that blooms in your chest at being put on the spot. Beside you, Remus lets his hand brush absentminded patterns on your arm. It's grounding. His tiny way of trying to reassuring you - he knows you struggle sometimes with unexpected choices, especially under pressure. You love him more than ever in that moment.

“Can I- please may I have a moment longer?" You manage, words coming out in a tangle. "If that’s okay. I’m really- I’m sorry I just haven’t decided yet-”

You’re rambling, you realise, but Remus bumps his knee against yours and the world shifts back on its axis again.

“Sure,” James smiles easily. “I can come back to you.”

You breathe in a sigh of relief - centered by by the feeling of Remus’s gentle hand against your skin.

“Everything okay, dove? We can share a pizza if you'd like.” 

He says it quietly whilst Lily and Sirius tell James their orders, but you catch it regardless, shooting him a nerve-wracked smile back. Before you can respond and tell him that you'd like that a lot, another voice grabs your attention.

Opposite you, Maisy has finished telling James what she wants. You think she rolls her eyes when she catches you looking up at her.

You try to give her the benefit of the doubt - she and Remus are friends after all - but when she yawns and loudly proclaims how hungry she is, you can't help but feel like it's aimed at you, or more explicitly, how long you're taking to choose something.

James, bless his heart, waves her off, “I’ll place the order in a second. Y/N, have you decided what you’d like yet?”

“No- I’m sorry-... I don’t mean to hold everyone up- I’m really sorry-” Your palms start getting sweaty with panic as you feel eyes on you. The urge to get yourself out of the situation as soon as possible growing stronger by the second. Remus saves you.

"Y/n and I will share a margherita."

And it’s as easy and simple as that. You don’t envy Remus, but you do sometimes find yourself wishing you could replicate a fraction of the quiet confidence he carries himself with.

James nods and finishes writing it all up. Maisy seizes the moment of quiet.

“Ugh, finally. Remmy, you didn’t say your girlfriend was so quiet.” She smiles at you, but there's not a shred of warmth behind it. “She's like a little mouse.”

Silence. Your heart thunders against your rib cage and you find yourself wishing for the sofa to swallow you up. Out of the corner of your eye you see Lily open her mouth to say something, and even Sirius sits up from his slouch, indignance splayed over his face. Before either of them can step in, your boyfriend speaks. 

“Maisy, stop.” 

Remus’s voice harbours a sharpness that you don’t often hear.

“What?” Maisy looks around, confused. “I’m just saying what everyone’s thinking. She’s not exactly the chattiest. Poor thing can’t hold a conversation to save her life, and we’ve been trying to order pizza for ages now-”

“You’re being rude.”

Your stomach churns at Remus’s appalled tone and you reach out blindly, searching for his hand. Remus takes it, but his eyes don’t move from Maisy who is, for once, speechless.

His tone softens a little when you squeeze his fingers. You’re not good around tension.  

“You’ve barely even spared her a glance since we got here.” 

Maisy looks has the nerve to look indignant as she flattens her skirt out primly. When she realises that no one is going to back her up, she grabs her things and makes her way out in a huff, muttering a quick whatever. Lily glares daggers at the back of her head, but Remus barely pays Maisy any heed, his eyes on you instead. Noticing how tense you've become, Sirius, James, and Lily are kind enough to talk amongst themselves. 

“I’m sorry, dove,” Remus shakes his head. “I thought she might have gotten better after all these years. She shouldn’t have spoken about you like that, you know that right?”

In all truth, you’re not sure how to feel. You're overwhelmed, definitely. Feeling slightly to blame for what's just transpired. It’s nice to be defended, but part of you hates that it had to happen in the first place. You probably would have let Maisy keep walking all over you if Remus hadn’t stepped in. 

“Hey,” he nudges your chin up from where it’s dropped against your chest. “Eyes up here, honey. “

You force yourself to look up and see nothing but patience and concern in his gaze. 

When you press your hands hard against your warming cheeks, his eyes soften even more and he reaches out to clasp your fingers in his. 

“What if she was right, Rem?” you whisper, wide eyes darting to where his friends are still chattering to each other and then back to your boyfriend. “I was holding everyone up.”

Remus is shaking his head before you can apologise again. 

“No, sweetheart. She was out of order. I should have said something sooner. I’m sorry I didn’t. I'm sorry I let her drag me away earlier."

You want to tell him that you don't hold any of it against him. That you wanted him to have fun and see his friends.

Remus doesn't seem to mind at all when you don't. You'll have chance to talk about it more later, when it's just the two of you and you're less overwhelmed.

For now, he simply tucks you under a protective arm. The rest of the night goes on without a hitch.

[dotster001]

May I request Savanaclaw and Octotrio in Twisted Earth?

I can request a part of Twisted Earth but with the octotrio (u know Octavinelle dorm)? Please. I really love your work!! 😩

Twisted Earth Part Three

Summary: Octavinelle/Savannaclaw x gn!reader. They're real, you're the game.

A/N:The people have spoken! I'm so happy you guys like these 🥺 I got these two requests, plus one other that included Savannaclaw all within the course of three hours of eachother. Also! Thank you guys for 800 followers!

Part One Part Two Part Four Part Five Part Six

He downloaded the game after it started to gain popularity. He was doing research, because as it was making its rounds around NRC, he realized he could have a themed night in the lounge, and make the big bucks.

He plays it between clients in the VIP room. Once the room is empty, he'll subtly pull out his phone under his desk. If Jade or Floyd come back in unexpectedly, he'll be like, "What?!? I'm not doing anything!" And throw his phone. ( The twins do it on purpose now, they think it's hysterical)

He corners the market on merch. The devs don't really release their own merch, so he's making the big money! But it's all under the table. No one but the twins know that Octavinelle is the leading producer of Twisted Earth Merch. (They have Tshirt making parties when stock is low. It's so wholesome)

He likes you a lot. He likes that you're a flawed character. You're not perfect. And because of this, he thinks you'd help heal his broken parts. For now, he'll live vicariously through the game…but if a certain horned fae were to request a contract that would help bring you to life, he'd be hard pressed to refuse.

He has terrible luck. He has put real money in the game and still never gotten any of your cards. It's infuriating. 

He downloaded it because it looked fun. But he gets bored quickly, so he only plays every couple of months. (This is usually when he over hears someone talking about how they love you, and he gets angry that someone would try to steal his shrimpy, so he rage plays for a week)

Has incredible luck. He'll do a single pull, and get the card he wants. Then he won't even take care of it. It just sits in his collection. Again, infuriating.

Has a t-shirt of you, but it's literally just a meme about you that someone put on a Tshirt. It's so cursed, but he loves it.

You look so squishy! And he bets you'd be so short compared to him if you were real! And if not, he could climb you like a bean pole! He wants to squeeze you so bad! You'd let him if you were real, right? And you wouldn't let anyone else squeeze you? Cause that would be very mean. 

Destroyed his phone when that one character admitted they were in love with you…. He's only allowed to play under supervision now.

He's a scientist, first and foremost. If all the school is interested in something, it's his job to play it, and find out why. Honestly, he's probably the one who suggested a themed night to Azul.

He finds you fascinating. If you were real, he'd probably just watch you. He doesn't need to interact, he just wants to see what you're doing. Rewards you for good choices with a custom made terrarium.

He named one of his mushrooms after you, which is the highest honor he can bestow. (You can't tell me he doesn't name his mushrooms) One time, Floyd was ready to throw all the terrariums out in a rage, but finding out one was named after you (but not being told which one) he left them alone.

He has decent luck. But he doesn't have to focus super hard on his collection, since he can just use Floyd's.

(He believes he'd just watch you if you were real, but after that character admitted they loved you, he went on a six hour rage hike.)

He got tired of getting ads for it, so he downloaded it to make fun of it. Then his eyes met yours and…..well, you get it.

He won't ever admit how much light the game brings to him. But sometimes when Ruggie wakes him up, and he logs into the game, he can make out the softest smile on Leona's face when you greet him.

He very heavily debated getting a body pillow. He knew he'd use it too, because of how often he cuddles his pillows at nap time. But he could never pull the trigger. He thought it would be too far.

He likes to think that you would care about him, not his title or his magic, him. And in turn, he would spoil you like you deserve to be. You'd want for nothing, just be his cuddle buddy for a few minutes longer.

He has the SSR basic card for every character except you. He has all your regular cards, sure. But no matter how many hundreds and thousands of pulls he does, you just won't come home. Not that he cares. Gacha is a stupid system anyway.

He rarely has the time to play. Honestly, he doesn't even really play at all. It sits on his phone, and is never opened. But he makes up for it by watching videos online, checking out fan forums, and reading fan fictions and theories.

He didn't even get to meet your character in the game before he got too busy to play. But he read a fanfic called y/n x workaholic reader, where you helped the reader with their work, and then pampered them afterwards. He loved you ever since.

He doesn't think merch is a good use of his hard earned money. But should he ever strike gold, there is one plushie he has his eyes on that he would love to just squish all day.

At this point, he's read so many fanfics, that he's pretty sure he wouldn't actually enjoy the canon story. But he'll leave it on his phone for now. He can't bring himself to delete it.

Downloaded it when he heard all the Savannahlaw guys going on and on about their favorite characters. He wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Surely, every character couldn't possibly be…oh. Oh yeah every one of them is very pretty.

But he finds you the prettiest. He isn't sure why. Maybe it's that glint in your eyes, or the way your hair sits just the way he likes it, or the jacket your character wears. He doesn't know what it is. But you're the prettiest to him.

He won't spend money on this. He thinks it would be a waste. So he's lucky that he has two of your SSR cards. And both of them have stories where you persevere and show everyone you are stronger than you look, physically and emotionally. It just proves that he was right to pick you.

For some reason, he always imagines how things would be if you were real. He'd want to have soft domestic moments with you. Maybe you'd both brush each other's hair. Maybe you'd cook together. Maybe you'd do chores in the same room. He imagines you two could say very little, and be happy that you are both just in each other's company.