#I mean my standards for what's casual are probably way too high I mean I wouldn't consider myself very much of a beatles nerd

[doctorweebmd]

so there's this post floating around about like, feeling like an outsider even in a group of outsiders and i almost reblogged it being like

'aha i do that'

except. like. i know exactly why that happens, and its 100% my fault

i just have trouble maintaining relationships because i'm a poor communicator. that's been the case since high school. i dont really initiate conversations or remember to text or call people. its not from a place of indifference or anything like that - i'm sincerely an 'out of sight out of mind' kind of person.

i can not talk to and not see someone for months or years but my feelings for them don't change. it doesn't bother me if people dont check in on me or don't hang out with me or don't text me. i still like them. unfortunately that is not how 99% of the population communicates. people (rightfully) assume that when someone doesn't initiate conversation or hang-outs or doesn't check in on you, that they don't care about you. for me, thats not the case at all. like if i like you and consider you my friend, you are ALWAYS my friend. i would do anything for you and would be more than happy to talk/see each other/support you/etc. its just the day-to-day communication that i really struggle with. but thats how most relationships form - regular, consistent communication.

i've gone through periods of extreme guilt for this where i sincerely try, and make new friends, and re-connect with texting and phone calls and hanging out more often but inevitably something happens, i get busy or i forget and suddenly all this time passes and people think i dont care anymore. unfortunately that's not the case whatsoever - time is kind of abstract to me and i dont understand that while my feelings don't change, others feel more distant or abandoned.

and i've really hurt people in my life like that. friends that i've known for many years from high school/college are a LITTLE more forgiving because they know i'm just 'like that' but still. it does hurt people. like i haven't spoken to my dad in probably at least a year - not because i dont love him, but because of that same reason. he doesn't reach out and i forget and it just steamrolls because he gets hurt, doesn't reach out because he thinks i'm intentionally 'ignoring' him, and i continue to forget, and its just this viscous cycle. i haven't talked to my grandparents in months. my mom knows better and texts me every week or so, but it still hurts her that she has to reach out so regularly. she also plays these games where she sees how 'long' it takes for me to remember to reach out. a lot of people in my life have done that. its like i'm being tested on something without ever being told its a standard test, ya know? i'm always destined to fail it because i dont know how long is too long. at which point will the time and distance be unacceptable? i still dont know the answer.

and i think it makes me come off as a really heartless and callous person. its made me kind of keep people at arms-length because i know i'm not capable of being a part of most people's lives. i have perfectly normal and pleasant relationships with my coworkers and all that, but i'm generally not close with them. and i can see the confusion, because we hang out and i'm pretty normal or whatever and we have fun and then they don't hear from me for months and they're like 'uhhhh.... okay? so i guess you don't like me?'

i do. i just have different relationship maintenance standards than others i guess. so i just overall avoid being around others just because i know i'll disappoint them. it is what it is but it really is sad, in a way.

[kleftiko]

do you know this cut dating show where they put two people in a box for 12 hours for a blind date? would you be able to write a drabble about hawks x reader in this setting, i just thought it was cute 😩

❦ 12 HOUR DATE

cw: none, this is fluff

okay so i watched an episode and the only thing i can think of is the box being so god damn small 😭 his wings too big for this got dang box

intro—

"hi, im y/n." you nod your head to the camera, knees tucked up to your chest.

"and i’m hawks," he throws up a casual wave and smile, body mimicking your pose so as not to get into each other’s personal space.

not like that was really an option, what with how small the box is. the first thing hawks does is shake your hand, warm and rough palms clasping yours, before the both of you return to your own corners.

"are we ready?" the producer calls, and you two give a simple nod. "any questions?"

"are my feathers allowed to leave the box?" hawks (thankfully) asks, the red wings brushing against you involuntarily.

"uh, yeah, sure, they can do whatever," is the answer. "alright, three, two, one..."

 

hour 1–

"i don’t have any siblings." he answers your question. "id like to think i was the best outcome, though."

you breathe out a laugh. "what’s it like being a hero?"

he makes a face, and you can’t help but genuinely giggle.

"that’s too deep a question," he smiles. "next!"

 

hour 3–

"i wanna—just—like starfish." you say.

"starfish?"

you nod, bent arms lifting to the sides as you attempt to raise a leg, "starfish. it’s so cramped, i need to stretch."

it seems he understands what you’re saying. hawks grabs his jacket and shuffles to the back wall of the box.

"here," he goes, "you take this side, i'll take here; we can stretch out a bit."

it’s not much, but the stretch of your legs as the two of you face each other is a bit relieving. you can even slide your back onto the ground, your legs bending to accommodate. you both attempt to get comfortable, back against the floor and eyes to the ceiling.

"not really a starfish—more like an inchworm." he says this and wiggles his body. you can’t see it, but the foot that nudges you and the sounds he makes erupt a laugh from your throat.

 

hour 5–

you two are nearly shoulder-to-shoulder, legs stretched towards the camera. hawks’ fingers are picking at the fur lining of his jacket, your own coat stuffed to the side.

"what’s your… favourite kind of… kiss?"

you cock your head, taking note of the pink on his cheeks and his lack of eye contact.

"you mean like..." you couldn’t help wanting to tease him. "cookies and cream?"

he snorts loudly, throwing his jacket in your face out of embarrassment as you cackle and catch it.

"shut up! you know what i mean!" to be dramatic even further, he scoots to the other side of the box, ignoring your laughing.

"i don’t think i do," you admit. "how many kinds of kisses are there?"

"at least—like—two."

thinking about it, you don’t notice that you start folding his jacket; it's thick and warm, perfect for the cold wind he probably flies through every day.

"probably standard forehead kisses." you shrug and place his coat beside yours. "what about you?"

he bites the inside of his cheek slightly, not giving you an answer. after a beat, you raise your eyebrows.

"have you never been kissed before?"

 

hour 8–

"my name is keigo, by the way." he whispers.

there’s no need to speak loudly; the two of you are lying side by side, bent legs knocking into each other softly as your heads are using his jacket as a pillow.

"keigo…" you test on your tongue. "that’s nice; i like it."

he chuckles halfheartedly and says, "that’s good; i like your name."

"thanks, i got it for my birthday."

the two of you turn your heads to face each other, the proximity not really bugging either of you anymore. your gaze focuses softly on his eyes, admiring the colour and sleepiness in them from a lack of movement.

you hold up your hand, and he smiles before giving you a high-five.

 

hour 10–

now you’re on your stomachs, your coats used as pillows as you watch outside the box. his feathers are barely visible in the camera, but it can capture your focus as you follow them zoom all around the room. partials of a few bunching together reveal shapes, and keigo’s ramblings about straw houses allow anyone to understand he’s telling the story of the three pigs.

both your faces are filled with content and childlike wonder as you watch the story. arms shift into one another as you point somewhere.

 

hour 12–

heads are resting on each other’s shoulders, exhaustion apparent on both your faces, and your mouths are silent. all four hands are up as you see if either of you can lower just your pinky.

"my left just won't go down." he mumbles, and you let out a half-hearted ‘that’s what she said’.

he flicks your forehead, and you both laugh.

"it’s gonna be weird leaving here now." he admits. "all of a sudden, you won't be here."

"is this stockholm syndrome?" your hands rest on your lap.

he admits, "maybe."

 

outro—

"so, how was it?" the producer asks behind the camera.

keigo has his coat on and his wings spread as he gets to stand once again.

"definitely new," he says. "and weird."

"do you think you’ll see them again?"

he shakes his head with a grin. "hell no—never—they were so—"

"—you can get bubble tea by yourself then!" your voice sounds far away from the camera as keigo laughs.

"wait!" he calls as he disappears from the shot, his voice now drowning out as he chases after you offscreen. "i don’t know where the place we’re going to is!"

[webslingingslasher]

https://www.tumblr.com/webslingingslasher/746437065634463744/i-think-bc-peter-is-so-much-more-affectionate-with

she is such a princess

i can picture her talking to some friends and she’s like ‘you mean… your boyfriend doesn’t worship your every step?’ ‘give you a hundred kisses for simply breathing?????????’

and she’s gobsmacked like she goes to tell peter and he’s just so smug like yes…….. i spoiled u JDJDJDJS

*the people's princess!!! cleaning out my inbox!*

'you know sadie?' a gentle hum pulls from peter's throat, he focuses on you while he chews on a random bag of fruit snacks. 'her boyfriend is a total loser, you should hear some of the things she tells me. and it's all super casual too! like it's normal for your boyfriend to hate you!'

'her boyfriend hates her?' you take a gummy and nod. 'he calls her a bitch anytime she does something he doesn't like, he always has something to say when she eats anything, and he called her a slut for answering a text from her boss, who's a woman by the way!'

peter wants to throw this piece of shit around so he can see what it feels like. 'so then i told her about some of the things you do for me and she rolled her eyes and said i was 'high maintenance,' like it's unachievable to have a boyfriend who treats you like he loves you.'

you take another fruit snack, he always saves you the reds. 'and another one, penny? she's the one dating the reporter guy?' peter makes a weak connection, he's heard the name before.

'remember when you brought those flowers to me last week when we were all hanging out? not you, but me, penny, sadie and mason?' peter nods and shifts you on his lap, you sink in even further.

'so she asked me if we got in a fight or if i was mad at you for something and i told her no, you always buy me flowers just because. so, penny tells me ahmed only ever gets her flowers when he's trying to make up for something and sadie told me you're probably cheating on me.'

peter feels his mouth open a little, 'what? how the hell did she-' you stop him, 'mason called her an idiot and told her to stop projecting.' you give his cheek three kisses in a row.

'so, thank you for loving me and being kind and patient and just a total sweetheart because i had no idea how bad it could be out there.' peter had set a standard he didn't know existed, no matter what, he'd be the better boyfriend.

'thank yourself, cherry. you're easy to love... and spoil.' 

[kikyan]

Yandere Octavinelle Headcanons

TW/CW: Dark content up ahead!! Yandere content specifically, mentions of abuse, manipulation, violence towards the reader, mental instability, etc. Proceed with caution! 

Mini side note because of the comment (that is now deleted or either I’m blocked) from my Savannaclaw Headcanons. This is yandere content, granted a quick glance at all my headcanons and other pieces by creators, you’ll see how different everyone’s interpertation and writing is different. Not every yandere content out there is yandere simulator. I don’t think all of these character is gonna pick a weapon and start going to town on half the cast. I like to focus on how they’d be in a relationship, how they’d react, and what I think they are capable of. So no, a lot of my content doesn’t have someone stalking their S/O and killing potential suitors but that doesn’t mean it’s not yandere? Sorry it’s just that I tried adressing it but I guess the OP blocked me, oh well. Enjoy!! 

DISCLAIMER:  These are my interpretations of his/her/their persona and none of these is 100% accurate. I don't condone any of these actions in real life and all of this is purely fictional and should be taken as such! Underage characters will ONLY  be given SFW headcanons, please respect this decision!

Banner made by @herestrish​! Pls don’t steal! 

Azul Ashengrotto 

Long overdue headcanons, but I shall deliver. Azul is complicated. I think all of Octavinelle is complicated because I can see them acting in two different ways. Azul was bullied for being overweight and it had an impact on his character. He worked hard to get people to see him as someone for his abilities rather than his appearance, even if the means were shady. Post over blot he still has some insecurities, but he doesn’t shy away from them and chooses to face them head-on. As for his yandere type, I can see him as a very manipulative person (no matter what) but I can also see him as very overprotective and clingy. 

I’m torn between seeing him as someone who loves his S/O but clings on to the fear that someday they’ll leave him. Resulting in him trying to strike a contract with you without you knowing until after you try to leave him (if you do). He’s confident and prideful, but just like his over blot, he’s horrible at handling his emotions (he just like me fr).  The manipulation at first isn’t anything too extreme, just casually bashing others to bring himself up. “He won’t pull his weight on the project, I’ll help you”, or “He’s bad news, nothing good from hanging out with them.” Little by little he’ll limit who you hang out with, and what you do, and he’ll build himself up as the ever so reliable and helpful Azul. 

Overprotective, almost all of them are tbh. He cares for you, genuinely. He just can’t express himself truthfully, he might see the relationship the same he’d see a deal. He holds himself to a high standard, the type to never break a sweat in public but deep down panicking the whole time. He’d probably have the Leech twins be your bodyguards from time to time and they’ll agree for the most part. It’s interesting to see what Azul finds intriguing about you. Besides, it’s amusing to see Azul care for you in his way, even if he gets embarrassed and fumbles the bag. Cares for your education and your reputation! 

This is where it gets me, I’m not quite sure how this happens. If you meet Azul and you guys develop a relationship, kudos! If not, he might strike a deal. I’m conflicted because I see Azul as someone who cherishes the type of relationship where they get to know each other and see their true selves, but I also see him as the type to be afraid of that. He’s worked tirelessly to build himself up but if he confessed to his S/O and they said no, I don’t think he could ever recover. To avoid being hurt, he’d probably use shady means to get his S/O. This is where he might strike a deal. He’ll catch you in a shady deal, an embarrassing situation, etc. He’ll use it as blackmail, forcing you into a relationship with him. He’s not that clingy though, don’t mistake him. He’ll wave it off as a business deal, it benefits us both so what do you have to lose? It’s confusing really, Azul doesn’t seem to care (if you happen to go down this route only) so why did he propose this deal? If his S/O just can’t stand it and proposes to cancel whatever deal they have that binds them to him, he’ll snap. 

He’ll cry, reverting to his crybaby self. He’s so insecure he can’t stand the idea of your rejection. He’s clinging, begging you to reconsider. He’ll do anything you ask of him just please, please don’t leave him. He’ll rewrite a contract, he’ll show affection, he’ll give you anything you want just don’t say that. Don’t even think of leaving him. It’s quite a sight really, you never thought the same man who once held himself up so high is on his knees begging for forgiveness and to make it right. This is why he’s a bit complicated, I feel like the very manipulative ‘read the fine print’ man suits Azul, but at the same time, he’s a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Granted you’d have to push his buttons a lot for that to happen, but it’s a possibility. 

In terms of scale, I want to say it’s a 6/10. His contracts are where he gets you hence why it’s a bit high. The contact that he can use to steal any ability you have is quite a tricky one. He’s powerful, and he knows how to use it but it doesn’t help much when he’s not so great himself. 

Floyd Leech

Run. No kidding, as a yandere the Leech brothers are fucking scary as all hell. I want to start and say this, in normal general relationship headcanons do I see the Leech brothers as genuinely loving their S/O? Yes of course, but these are yandere headcanons and while it’s not impossible don’t hold your breath. As yanderes, these brothers are out for blood. They’ll share similar traits with a few exceptions, I see Floyd as being clingy, possessive, and sadistic. 

The leech brothers don’t see their S/O as a partner for now, they’re only a pet for now. Floyd would be clingy in the sense that he sticks to you like glue. He’s always there, whenever you think you have privacy, you don’t. While they both act like gum stuck to the bottom of your shoe, Floyd is that gum that’s visible but won’t come off. Meaning, you see him and know he’s coming, just that you can’t stop him. He’s always there, meaning the torment never ends. He drives people away, nobody comes to your rescue because nobody wants to mess with him. 

He sees his S/O as a toy. While both want to see your reactions, what makes you tick and you’re there for their amusement, Floyd is restless. As long as this doesn’t interrupt Azul’s work, don’t count on him for saving. He’s sadistic, he wants to hurt his S/O. At first, we’re under the impression that he doesn’t know what's wrong and that he just needs to be talked to. It spirals when you notice that he does know what he does and fully intends to continue. The type to push you to the cafeteria floor and then ask, “Is everything okay? Don’t get my shoes dirty shrimpy. . .” He hides behind that fake concern and laid-back persona. Any ‘accident’, I can assure you is not one. Your report that you worked tirelessly on is suddenly missing? Your project is in ruins? You didn’t finish your presentation? All of Floyds doing, he simply enjoys seeing you in uncomfortable situations. He smiles when you make eye contact with him mid-scolding from Trein. He offers false condolences when your project is broken, earning praise for being so concerned for you. What a nice friend isn’t he? 

Despite all his flaws, he doesn’t let anyone mess with you. He rather be the cause of your suffering. Possessive in the sense that you belong to him. You don’t belong to anyone else, your face of sadness? He’s the only one meant to see them. Your faces of anguish and frustration, he’s the cause of it and he lives for it. You can go ahead and tell someone and they’d respond the same, “Sure Floyd is eccentric but he’s not evil, you sure you’re not just making it up?” Anyone who does believe you aren’t strong enough to go against him. On the yandere scale, he’s a 10/10. He’s dangerous, if you haven’t caught his attention, run. I also want to add, that their S/O is mostly going to become stress relief. They’ll be on edge with any sudden mood shifts because they already know that they’re their go to stress ball. The Leech brothers are not the best, they’re VERY dangerous. 

Jade Leech 

Don’t bother running, you won’t get far. His are manipulative, obsessive, possessive, and sadistic. The issue with Floyd is that he makes his nature apparent, Jade conceals it. Quite frankly, Jade is scarier because he’s unpredictable. He’s seen as a super reliable and respectable person, very professional. The type to take on extra workload if needed but professional enough to stand up and know when to say no. He’s the manipulator of the two, he has a way with words that makes you genuinely think he has your best interests in mind. Masquerading his true intentions behind his smile. 

If you’ve ever seen Drrr!!, he reminds me a lot of Izaya. The type to observe you in difficult situations to see what kind of person you are. How do creatures like you work? What is your design? You’re quite a fascinating subject. He loves to see how you react to any situation. He’s quite obsessive, he wants to know anything and all there has to do regarding you. Often stalking you or inviting you out to the monstro lounge to observe you. Down to how you hold your glass he’s invested. He knows your likes and dislikes, your phobias, your friends,  your social life, and what goes down at your dorm. He needs to know after all to create your life trials. 

He’s possessive. Unlike Floyd, he lets others do the tormenting for him. Though he still believes your expressions are his alone, he would rather stay in the shadows to keep up his reliable facade a bit more. You’re his, he doesn’t like sharing and Jade makes that quite clear. The moment anybody wishes to get close to you he’d get rid of them. Either feeding them lies about you or simply scaring them away. He’s sadistic, he wants to hit you where it hurts. While Floyd prefers physical pain, Jade prefers mental pain. He enjoys the little things that bring you anguish. The betrayal of a friend, watching everyone turns against you, rumors destroying what little reputation you have left leaving Jade as your only companion. 

To add more to both, they see their S/O as a form of entertainment. They have no means of leaving you or letting you leave. The only way I can see their S/O leaving is if they got too boring. They stopped fighting. They no longer had any fight left in their eyes but while Floyd would be the first one to suggest leaving you, I think Jade would still find use. They want to light the spark. The torment stops, even for a while and you suddenly think all your efforts have paid off. Finally, they lost interest but what a scary sight it is to see them waiting for you ready to continue their torment. As far as the yandere scaling, I say Jade is an 11/10. Floyd is a danger, yes, but you already know he is. Jade hides that part of himself until he’s ready. You won’t know when he’ll strike. Both are true to their nature, suffocating. Their presence alone makes you stop breathing, they’re just too much and at some point, you start to think that maybe it was better if you met the eyes of somebody else. 

[half-dead-writer]

matt x reader🤤🤤🤤🤤i luv him sm

Tysm for the first request! I think it came out a bit lukewarm but eh- generally I took some creative liberties with his character but tbh which writing doesn't?

Matt in a relationship headcanons

character: Matt / Mail Jeevas (Death Note) words: 424 reader: gender neutral warnings: none

𝔯𝔲𝔩𝔢𝔰 + 𝔤𝔢𝔫𝔢𝔯𝔞𝔩 𝔪𝔞𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔱 / 𝔇𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔥 𝔑𝔬𝔱𝔢 𝔪𝔞𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔱

he gives me a night owl vibes so it'd probably be best if you are one too

be prepared to see him at 3 am play video games or working on something, it's just something he won't change cuz it works best for him

he doesn't mind if your active time is during the day though, generally he'll try to be quiet not to wake you up if you live together

you can even nap next to him doing something if his work won't disturb your sleep

very low-maintenance boyfriend

you wanna cuddle? come on then

you want space? alright, he'll be doing his own thing nearby

doesn't mean he's not affectionate though

when he's not busy (or just bored) expect him to randomly crawl up to you for attention

it doesn't matter what you're doing, now he's your problem

play with his hair, he loves it

might be a bit stubborn or grumpy when lacking food though, but to be honest, who isn't?

fortunately he's not picky with food, his usual meal probably consists of an instant soup, energy drink and a cigarette

if you can cook, he'd be ecstatic

his house is a mess, if it bothers you he would clean it up a little before you come but don't expect miracles

he's a smoker, so his usual smell would probably be cigarettes or weed, get used to it

he's not against bickering, teasing and joking around, so preferably someone who isn't stuck up (at least not to him)

I imagine his standards aren't high when it comes to his partner - he would appreciate just anyone who can stand him and his shenanigans

not much of a romantic, he's more of a casual dating type

that includes going on dates - probably wouldn't offer to go on one, but if it's something you value, he'd be happy to take you out somewhere

cinema or some restaurant (McDonald's) is his definition of "romantic", but a cozy movie night in his house would be his first thought of spending quality time with you

I imagine he'd be pretty open with his love for you, but again, in a casual way

light pecks, some hug here and there, generally just being around you would be enough for him

others would probably assume you're a pair of best friends if not for the sporadic kisses

wouldn't really use pet names, preferring to use your name instead

unless he wants to tease or get something from you

"Babe- my love, my dearest... could you pass me the remote?"

[klausinamarink]

Prompt: “new beginnings” (discord drabble from STWG) | ao3 link

a day late since I’ve been working on other stuff but also a gift to the amazing @pearynice! hope your birthday was awesome

-

Despite being a Tuesday, the tavern’s gotten busier as the hours inches towards the evening. Eddie feels the headache coming as more patrons demand beers their way. The strong stuff, they always request, even though Eddie’s been serving in this place for nearly five years and he still has no fucking clue what that’s supposed to mean.

There’s some prep shuffling onstage but Eddie doesn’t turn around to check. Very few so-called musicians in this place make him peek over his shoulder. The ones that do turn out to be disappointing.

Turns out that playing Master of Puppets to distract a horde of interdimensional demobats that would later chew out half of your body can set up high standards in music. 

“Hey, Quinn,” Jessie, one of the other servers, calls him, “clean up the tables, would ya?” 

Eddie nods, grabs an empty container, and goes over to collect the abandoned drinks. When he rounds to the third table, Eddir hears the mic being tapped before the mediocre singer of the night speaks.

“Hello, folks, my name’s Joey and I’m happy to share some of my original songs with you.” 

Eddie pauses. His brain is rattling with recognition. But for some reason, he cannot place where or why that voice sounds so familiar.

“Hopefully, someone I’m searching for is here today.”

They clear their throat. Starts playing on the keyboard. It’s slow and melancholic like a lullaby. Then-

“I can’t stand the storms when it flashes red. It just shows how much they hate the sun.”

Eddie slowly turns around, hands gripping the container’s edges so tight that it probably cuts his fingers. 

But none of it matters more than the sight of Steve Harrington onstage.

It doesn’t look like him. But it sure as hell sounds like him. But Eddie can’t be sure of that either because he had heard Steve talk, not sing like an angel. 

“I grab my bat and run to your side. Like an avenging angel, but all I earned was the loss of my wings. And maybe my tears too because I sure can’t cry anymore.”

For once, the tavern has fallen silent. Everyone is captivated by the long-haired stranger exposing his broken heart so casually. All the while, Eddie is stunned.

The longer he listens to Steve’s song, the more difficult it becomes to hold back the tears in his eyes. It brings him back to the day when the government suits told Eddie and the entire Upside Down crew that not only Hawkins will be scrubbed off the Indiana map, but they would be given new identities and homes somewhere in the country. On any other day, Eddie would’ve been avid. But instead, he stared at nothing and nobody as everyone’s cries of protest and outrage faded into static in his brain. 

Eddie had looked up once. His gaze had landed on Steve, who looked like he was either seconds away from snapping the closest suit’s neck or seconds away from bursting into tears. Eddie had wanted to follow the internal plea to walk over to Steve and hug him. Maybe whisper some comfort in his ear that the Party would still find contact. But he hadn’t - he was still too shocked and tired from his healing injuries to even get up.

That was the last time anyone had seen or spoken to each other.

“The storm continues. I keep walking, the bat in my hands. Hoping to-” Steve brings his gaze up, eyes flickering through the crowd. 

And, like a magnet, they land directly on Eddie.

Eddie is half a room away from the stage but he sees the exact second of Steve’s expression changing from painful reminiscence to disbelieved shock. Eddie himself feels his heart stopping mid-beat, unable to move or even try a silly wave back. 

The crowd applauds, mistaking Steve’s silence as the end of his song. It’s by then that Eddie hurries outside. 

-

Eddie’s on his second cigarette when the side doors swing open. He expects the manager Ripley to give him shit again, but it’s only Steve with his keyboard slung over his back. 

Steve stares at him again. When the door closes with a click, he says hoarsely, “Hi.”

“Hi,” Eddie greets back.

They both stare at each other, taking in the sights. Eddie had long cut his hair short and kept his curls trimmed behind the ears. Steve’s hair had grown (as if it wasn’t already long when Eddie last saw him) and appears to be sun-bleached. Even their clothes got reversed; with Eddie wearing polos (as per tavern guidelines) while Steve’s clearly taking denim vests and a darker palette. 

Eddie expects the change. But it still hurts him somewhere that yeah, it’s been six years. 

“Sorry, it’s weird to see you without long hair.” Steve breaks the silence, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. 

Eddie laughs, “Well, when you got a name like Joseph Quinn, you gotta try and look like the guy.”

Steve raises his eyebrows, “That’s what they renamed you?”

“Yep,” Eddie nods solemnly, “But I’m still Eddie Munson at heart. What’s yours?”

Steve looks away, a blush rising on his cheeks. “It’s terrible.”

“Dude, you literally introduced yourself as Joey just now.”

“That’s how terrible my government-mandated name is!”

“Tell meeee!” Eddie starts poking at Steve’s ribs, making the other man burst into laughter. Steve grabs onto Eddie’s wrists, stopping him just inches from his face. Eddie catches his breath, unable to stop himself from briefly glancing down at Steve’s lips. He sees Steve doing the same, even licking his lips.

“I got a trailer parked in one of the lots nearby.” Steve says softly. “If you want-”

“Yeah.” Eddie’s voice catches in his throat. He swallows and says again, “Yeah. Of course.”

They walk together, forcing themselves to keep their hands at their respective sides. Eddie’s heart pounds in his chest as they arrive at Steve’s trailer, a Winnebago that’s smaller than the one Eddie had hotwired for him years ago. The moment they step inside, Eddie lurches forward and pulls Steve into a sheering kiss. Steve moans and grips his hands on Eddie’s hips while Eddie tangles his fingers into Steve’s hair.

Eddie lets Steve take him apart first, squeezing his hand tight as Steve whispers sweet nothings to his skin. Then Eddie flips them over and does the same to Steve, telling himself to go slow even though Steve is urging him the opposite. After they’re both spent, they stay in each other’s arms, gulping down air and tears. 

“I never thought I would see you again.” Eddie confesses quietly, tracing nonsense patterns between the tiny moles and rough scars on Steve’s arms. 

“I couldn’t just live this new staleass life without seeing everyone again. Even if it would take me decades to find them again.” Steve’s eyes are soft and sad as he stares into Eddie. He has a finger circling around the puckered scar on Eddie’s cheek. 

“So you go around the fifty states singing on the keys hoping to see one of them at a bar?” Eddie asks.

Steve huffs, “This is my side gig. But yeah, I guess you can call that wishful thinking.”

“Where did they send you?”

“Oregon. Too wet there.”

“That’s what he said.” Eddie can’t resist saying, earning a playful flick on the cheek. He hears himself turn somber when he asks, “Did you find anyone from the Party?”

“Robin in ‘88. She was in New York.” Steve smiles, undoubtedly proud to reunite with his platonic soulmate. “She refused to let me leave for a whole year.”

“Good for her. Who else?”

Steve falls silent and shifts his gaze up to the ceiling. “I haven’t found anyone since. Probably because I’m too dumb-”

“Don’t even say that.” Eddie cradles a hand on Steve’s cheek, tilting him to face him again. “You’re not an idiot, Steve. You should give yourself credit for actually finding Robin and me, even if it was dumb luck with me.” He wipes a thumb underneath Steve’s eye as a tear trails out. “Besides, it’s the government’s fault for thinking they can separate us all forever.” 

Steve gives a wet laugh. “So much for new beginnings, right?”

Eddie presses another kiss on him. One on his lips, then two more where the twin moles lay on Steve’s cheek. “Not if we keep searching together.”

Steve stares at him. His eyes go wide before they soften. “Together?” 

“And ever.” Eddie confirms. Steve makes a small disbelieving voice before leaning in to kiss Eddie, holding them together as long as they can.

It tastes like a vow.

[mamamittens]

Weird thought, would modern cooking kill Thatch?

Like, I'm not saying he's a bad cook or anything! Clearly, he's very good at what he does and is, in fact, so good he appeared to be visibly keeping Whitebeard healthy past his prime with cooking alone. So like, health wise, he's gotta be top class shit.

But I mean... he's on a boat? All the time??? And there are just... some things that you can't keep for long at sea. Especially with so many people to feed. While I imagine they have a hella food budget, there's no way they have bales of herbs and spices laying about. I mean, look at this?!?

Doesn't look dry at least... but this is a lot of food that's just being eaten wholesale that's definitely not being spiced like we can expect/afford to today. Realistically, Ace just swallowed a whole hunk of plain bread, what seems to be a weird turkey leg, a slice of ham, and a hunk of roast. Not a speck of seasoning in sight.

I'm not even sure they could keep a steady supply of all the 'additional taste enchancing ingredients' for months at sea, even without Ace's black hole stomach hoovering it all up.

They're definitely not picky at least, so they've got that going for them I suppose. Can't be too bad but, honestly, Ace grew up eating spitroasted croc he hunted himself, so his standards aren't exactly sky high either.

So, what I was just having a silly little laugh to myself about my favorite pie, whip cream Oreo pudding pie (god it's so sugary, you cannot have more than a humble slice and this is from someone who unironically likes gallon sweet tea with almost four cups of sugar in it). And I realized that the amount of sugary decadence would like... send Thatch into a coma. They'd probably think it's fucking disgusting it's so fucking sweet.

And I'm not particularly crazy about spices--I'm actually a little bitch about them. So while Thatch probably has tasted and made some delicious ass dishes, there's no way most of them reach the casual level of 'overdone' modern food tends to be. Especially considering the double deep fried nonsense the southern USA is known for. You just can't reach that level of indulgence in a buffet style meal regularly for +1,000 people several times a day. It's literally only possible with modern convenience and insane cashflow to keep that up.

Kinda makes me wonder if canon Thatch would be horrified at the array of flavors we've made, the horrific food combinations, and culinary monstrosities. Both of the 'you can't eat at everybody's house~!' and 'holy shit this is actually amazing, may I please have more?!?' varieties.

He'd definitely be curious but like, there are so weird ass flavors. Had vinegar and sea salt chips once that tasted like I decided to deep throat Poseidon in his purest form, it was so aggressively salty. Novelty shit and genuine 'there are people who live and die by this particular brand of bat shit flavor'.

Idk, I guess it's just a funny thought.

[steddieas-shegoes]

just the king

for @strangerthingsocweek prompt 'favorite tropes'

rated t | 1,576 words | tags: only one bed but with a twist, steve and meg are so bitchy, high school sleepover vibes except they're both grown ass adults

🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️

Meg was so used to staying in hotels by now, she hadn’t even considered the fact that someone would have booked her and Steve in a room with only a king bed.

It was pretty standard to just always get a room with two beds. She never even asked, really, it’s just what they always got.

Except now.

Steve looked over at her, scowling and incredibly unamused.

“When I agreed to bunk with you for the next few nights, I didn’t think it meant literally sharing one bed,” he said.

Meg tried not to take it personally. Robin went home for her parent’s 25th wedding anniversary and the band had tons of interviews set up over the next three days that basically left Meg and Steve to their own devices.

They agreed sharing a room made sense since the guys would be coming and going at weird hours and neither of them liked being alone for too long.

But Meg was rethinking that right now.

“I can call the front desk. Maybe they just assumed we were together or something,” Meg shrugged.

It was nearly 11 at night, and they’d been busy all day, so their patience was hanging on by a very thin thread. Meg didn’t wanna snap on him and she knew Steve didn’t wanna snap on her.

“I’m gonna change while you do that. I can feel my jeans making me meaner.”

Meg snorted as she walked to the phone by the bed.

She dialed down to the front desk and spoke casually for a moment with the woman who checked them in.

“So, our room is a king and we kinda need two beds. Any way we can be switched? I can pay more if we need to,” Meg saw Steve nearly fall while changing his pants out of the corner of her eye and tried not to laugh.

“I’m so sorry about that, ma’am. Um, I don’t see any doubles available.”

“Any suites? I will pay.”

She heard typing and clicking, but already knew what the answer would be.

“Unfortunately, I only have king rooms available. I can check with our sister hotel a few miles up the road, but I do believe they’re fully booked for this weekend due to the concert.”

Meg groaned, but didn’t want the woman to feel bad. “Okay, I understand. Do you have any kings? Maybe my friend could just get his own room.”

Steve looked over at her and shook his head. “It’s not that serious. I mean you don’t take up that much room. We can manage one night and maybe something will be available for tomorrow night.”

Meg thanked the woman on the phone – May maybe? – and hung up, turning to Steve.

“If you kick me, you’re going to the suite with the guys and you get to deal with them getting back at three in the morning and having to leave again at seven. Bet they won’t even shower.”

They both grimaced, realizing that was probably true. On press junkets and tour date weekends, they rarely had time to shower if they wanted to grab a couple of hours of sleep. The smell was…not good.

“I’ll put pillows between us,” Steve offered.

“But then how will we cuddle?” Meg pouted.

“You’ll just have to make do,” Steve rolled his eyes as he went to the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. “Heard from Robin yet?”

“No,” Meg answered, changing into her comfy clothes while he was in the bathroom. “She said 16 of her cousins showed up uninvited. I’m not sure if she’s dead or if she’s just doing damage control.”

Steve looked around the bathroom door with bubbles covering his face. “16? I thought she only had three.”

“She thought she only had three. Apparently she has about 50 second and third cousins who decided to make themselves a part of the celebration.”

“Jesus Christ.”

Meg walked into the bathroom to start on her skincare routine, smiling to herself at how much Steve sounded like Eddie. It shouldn’t be surprising; They were attached at the hip and apparently had been long before Meg even met the band.

They continued getting ready for bed in a comfortable silence, Steve’s phone playing a playlist almost certainly put together by Eddie on a low volume.

And then they both looked at the bed.

“I claim by the air conditioner,” Steve said. “I get hot at night.”

“Oh I know,” Meg said. Robin had told her how often she woke up next to Steve sweating because of his body heat. “All yours.”

They kept the bathroom light on, door cracked open just enough for a tiny glow to break through to the room so it wasn’t pitch black. Neither of them commented on it, neither of them needed to. Steve didn’t like not being able to see a little in an emergency and Meg wasn’t going to deny him his comfort.

“You know, I don’t remember the last time just the two of us hung out,” Steve said quietly as he turned to her in bed. “Been a while.”

“Yeah,” she answered. “At least six months or so. Miss me?”

“Kinda, yeah.”

One thing about Steve was he was honest, sometimes heartbreakingly so.

“You did?”

“Yeah. I mean, obviously Robin is my platonic soulmate, and Eddie is my actual non-platonic soulmate, but I think you’re probably a soulmate by proxy or something.” Steve smiled. “Or at least one of my best friends. Kinda wish we had more time without everyone else.”

“Is this the King Harrington I’ve heard so much about?” Meg teased, pushing on his shoulder. “Your charm is pretty impressive.”

“Is it? It barely works on Eddie anymore so I figured I lost my touch.”

They both laughed. “You think it doesn’t work on Eddie? He wrote an entire song about being charmed by you. Literally called it King of Charm.”

“He writes about a lot of stuff.”

“Yeah, and all of it is based on truth. You think I don’t know what Tied Up is actually about?” She could see Steve blush even in the darkness. “Or the new song?”

“New song?” Steve perked up at that. “They recorded it?”

“Mhm. And we are all sworn to secrecy on it so don’t even try,” Meg closed her eyes pretending to be trying to fall asleep.

“You’re seriously falling asleep after that.”

Meg opened one eye and grinned. “You should too. Busy day tomorrow.”

“I don’t have fuck all to do tomorrow. I’m not in the band,” Steve huffed.

“Oh, I just figured you’d wanna be there for the first performance of the new song,” Meg sighed. “But I guess I could give your ticket to a fan or something.”

“Shut up. They’re performing it tomorrow? Before releasing it?” Steve sat up in bed. “Tell me what’s so special. Why are they doing this?”

“I can’t. You should go to sleep.” Meg turned away from him, smiling to herself when she heard Steve muttering under his breath. “Steve. Sleep.”

“Meg. Awake.” Steve reached over and turned the lamp on. “Does Robin know?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t she tell me?”

“Sworn to secrecy.”

“But that doesn’t count with me!” Steve looked like he was one second away from getting out of bed and pacing the floor. “You have to tell me.”

“Steve, if you ruin this for yourself, you’re gonna be very mad. Trust me.”

“He promised he wouldn’t write about the lingerie thing. He promised. If I hear one word about the way the red lace touched my thigh, I’m gonna divorce him,” Steve crossed his arms over his chest.

“Uh huh. Well, it’s not about lingerie. But that’s all I’m saying about it,” Meg double checked her alarm to make sure it was set properly.

“Well now I can’t sleep.”

“You can and you will. Gotta look rested for tomorrow.”

“For what?”

“Eddie.”

Steve took a breath in like he was gonna argue, but decided against it. He laid back down in the bed and groaned.

“Fine. Fine. But you all are on my shit list. I don’t trust any of you.”

“Okay, bud.”

“And I don’t appreciate the attitude.”

“I know.”

“And you’ll never be on the receiving end of my charm ever again.”

“Oh, however will I cope?” Meg snorted. “Go to sleep.”

*****

When Eddie performed the ballad he’d written for Steve the next night, followed by a proposal on stage, Steve gave one look at Meg before crying through his yes.

Meg had Robin on Facetime, both of them crying while watching everything.

“God, he’s insufferable. They’ll be so happy together,” Meg said.

“Hey! Watch it. That’s my soulmate,” Robin said between sobs.

“I woke up in soaked sheets from his sweat. I deserve to complain a little,” Meg sniffed. “And at least tonight he gets his own room with Eddie.”

“You act like it was torture.”

“I’d just much rather be sharing a bed with you, Robbie. You land at ten in the morning, right?” Meg walked away from the side of the stage so she could hear her better as the band started playing their final song.

“Yes and I promise to cuddle in bed with you and not sweat,” Robin said. “Except a little maybe. You do owe me for three missed nights.”

“Oh, baby. We’ll have to change the sheets before we even go to sleep when I’m done with you.”

[cadybear420]

Cadybear's MC Wardrobes: Jo Hunter, ILITW. Featuring some edits by me!

How this series goes: With each book, for a MC I'm invested in, I'll assess each of their in-game outfits. How much do I like or dislike the outfit? Is this something that suits my MC's style, or does it make me go "My MC would NOT wear/own this"? And for the outfits that my MC would not wear or own, how would I alter or replace them? I'm not going to use screenshots from the actual game because I can't be arsed. Also I want to use the different sprite expressions to express how my MC would feel about each outfit.

I like to think this is a good opportunity to elaborate on my MCs' dress styles, and show off some edits :D

Now it's time to give the spotlight to the wardrobe of a different MC from Evie! Let's see how the outfts of ILITW live up to her standards!

Ch 1: Pajamas

I like them, they suit her. Tank top and sweatpants are perfect for her.

Verdict: Part of Jo's wardrobe. Keep it as is.

Ch 1: "Paint it Black" Premium Starter Casual Outfit

This outfit is pretty stylish. But for Jo, it's probably a bit too much, as much as she loves a good rebellious look. Plus she would noooooot like that short skirt. With very very few exceptions, I don't think she'd care for dresses or skirts unless they were maxi or floor length and fairly loose.

Verdict: Not quite a part of Jo's wardrobe. Maybe save some of the jewelry pieces, but ditch the rest.

Ch 1: "Da Bomb" Free Starter Outfit

Sooooooo PB has this terrible habit that I really hate where whenever they give the f!version of a GOC character (usually MC) an outfit with a cool/tough-looking jacket, they almost always have to pair it with a crop top. Looking at you: Cas Harlow, ID MC, Channing Lowe, TH:M MC (double offender), HSS:CA MC, KND MC (even though she's genderlocked but still), Kaine Bell. I mean, it's pretty par for the course for GOC character outfits in general, but it's especially annoying in this particular case.

I wouldn't mind it so much if they did the same to the m!versions, but of course they don't because "wimin must show skin beecuze wimin sexee, must be sexee because wimin, but mehn can not show off thighs or hips or tummi beecuze mehn being sexee in ways that aren't about muscles and strength is ghey, har de har har har".

I know I already bitch about this issue a lot, but I bring it up because you can expect me to de-croptopify each of these sort of outfits whenever they come up.

Of the four starter outfits, this is the overall style I find the most fitting to Jo's character in the ILITW timeline: a tough but chill "cool guy". Luckily. not only does the cropped part not really show in the dialogue window, but I also don't have to spend diamonds on it. So I can in good faith use the outfit in the game.

Verdict: Only partly in Jo's wardrobe. Alter by lengthening the top, then use as her default casual outfit for ILITW.

Here's the outfit in Jo's style. This is her official casual outfit for ILITW.

Ch 1: "Sweater Weather" Free Starter Outfit

It's a decent outfit, but again, Jo does not like skirts that are higher than maxi-length and are form-fitting.

Even that aside, the overall style isn't quite for her.

Verdict: Not quite a part of Jo's wardrobe. Save the belt, but ditch the rest.

Ch 1: "Rock N' Roll High School" Starter Outfit

Everything about this one is awesome (the shirts especially), except for the short shorts. I think the tights do improve the look, but still, it's just not her thing. Guess PB decided if they couldn't have a croptoppified tough f!outfit, they'll make it shortshortsified instead lul.

Verdict: Only partly in Jo's wardrobe. Alter by replacing the shorts and tights (and save for ILB/ILW).

Here's what this outfit would look more like in Jo's style. This is what I think would be her casual outfit in ILB and ILW.

Ch 8: "All That Glitters" Premium Outfit for Britney's Party

The dress fabric? Very nice. The heart choker necklace? Cute, though it's not quite Jo's favorite style... but she probably wouldn't be against wearing it. The purse addition? It looks very stylish, and is a very unique touch for a Choices outfit too. The dress length? Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

Verdict: Only partly in Jo's wardrobe. Alter by turning the dress into a top and adding pants.

This is how the outfit would look in Jo's style. Though I think she'd also be fine with going to the party in her regular clothes like everyone else does.

Ch 12: "Lovely in Lace" Premium Homecoming Dress

Definitely not for her at all.

Verdict: Jo would not own this. Ditch it.

Ch 12: "Coming Up Roses" Premium Homecoming Dress

God I love that shade of pink. I think Jo would like it too. I do think the net-looking thing around the chest is a bit odd, but overall it's a neat dress. And it meets Jo's skirt criteria perfectly.

However, it feels a lot more like a prom dress rather than a homecoming dress. I'm gonna headcanon she wears this for senior prom. With also maybe a little addition...

Verdict: Part of Jo's wardrobe. Keep it as is (but save it for prom headcanons, and maybe add some form of blazer to it).

Although she wouldn't mind the dress as it is, she'd prefer it with a blazer. She likes wearing formal/suit jackets over long dresses.

Ch 12: "Casual-Tee" Free Homecoming Outfit

Apparently some people found this ugly. IDK why. I quite like this style of top, and I find it fairly fitting to Jo's preferred style for homecoming.

Verdict: Part of Jo's wardrobe. Keep it as is, and use as her official homecoming outfit.

BONUS ROUND: Unused Underwear

Definitely one of the better f!underwears PB has given us. Personally I like it, but Jo on the other hand isn't really a panties girl.

Verdict: Only partly in Jo's wardrobe. Alter by replacing the panties.

Here's the underwear in Jo's style.

ILB: Stealthy Hoodie

Unlike Evie's 2 outfits in HSS:CA, I don't think it's worth it to make a new post just for this one outfit Jo wears in ILB.

Anyways, I like this outfit, it's cool. Looks very cozy.

Verdict: Part of Jo's wardrobe. Keep it as is.

[sweetlikehoneystingslikeabee]

Can I have a penguin party ask for an S/O that is his sugar baby? What's that dynamic like and what do the penguins expect from them?

"Sugar Baby" Penguin Party Ask

First penguin party ask 🥳 Ohhhhh my god I finally get to write for Burton penguin. He's fun! Gross bird (affectionate).

Tw: sugar daddy/sugar baby dynamics, NSFW 🔞

Batman 2022

Quintessential sugar daddy relationship. You pretty much just need to hang off his arm when he requests, be available for events, and be down for those calls when he needs to relax.

"Relax" is usually his cock down your throat or you bouncing up and down on his lap. Lots of messing around in public, sometimes stealing your panties- He's downright cheeky when he's in a mood.

He likes your company. Doesn't have a particular dress code other than "shows off your assets." The only thing he tries not to involve you in is direct business.

This isn't because he thinks you're not tough or smart enough for it, but unless you wanted to get serious, he likes keeping your relationship light and fun.

He will buy anything your little heart desires. Clothes, jewelry, textbooks, obscure gacha game shit- you earned it. Expect gifts, especially if you spend most of your "allowance" on what he considers responsible things (higher education, rent, groceries, etc).

To be clear, I don't personally like daddy kink, I do not write for it BUT. He would be the most into being actually called Daddy if that is your cup of tea.

Gotham

Least likely to have a sugar baby, but it could happen with the right person. The right person being someone who can put up with all his neurotic, control-freak bullshit.

His sugar baby can't be stupid. Let's be honest, he wasn't crushing hard on Edward just because he's pretty. What this means is any fake cutesy whiny baby voice for stuff is an instant turn-off. Or playing dumb.

His sugar baby is going to wear what he wants them to wear. In truth, it's actually not that bad- not too exposing or skimpy. Definitely black with accent colors to match him. Probably a collar or choker since you're official.

Oh yeah, you're official. He doesn't do casual well. Very jealous and even if you're not in a true romantic relationship, you probably shouldn't date anyone else just in case.

He has a very base set of rules on how to behave that he expects you to just know. Break rules at your own fucking peril. He gets off on sexual punishments. I'm talking leashes and not being allowed to cum.

Really, if you're sweet, complimentary and genuine with him, he will melt like putty in your hands. He'll get you whatever you want as long as it's within means. Stroke him off while kissing his face and he'd probably kill someone for you.

Burton

You should possibly rethink your life choices on this one. Maybe.

Look, I'm not saying you can't be a sugar baby to him, but just because you CAN. doesn't mean you SHOULD. but hey I'm not your fuckin mother.

Sex on demand, pretty much anywhere. He used to live in a sewer/abandoned zoo, he doesn't have high standards on where it is and is not okay to fuck. And you'll be fucking a lot. He's got a fingering trick to show you...

Don't be shocked that he's not shy having sex in front of others. If anything, it's a turn-on for him to show you off.

He likes skintight clothes that show off every single curve and bump on your body. You got it, you should flaunt it. That or fluffy and soft. Definitely cutesy.

There's times you have to think on your feet around him given his business, but honestly? He kind of likes you playing dumb with big fluttering eyelashes and all you want is him. It makes him feel good.

He kind of just tosses money at you every once in a while, or you can just ask? Like, you can tell him what you're going to spend it on, but honestly, he doesn't care.

You make his day a bit brighter, make him feel handsome, and ignore the way he eats. Its all a good transaction and he figures you've done your part of the deal.

Sometimes... sometimes he wishes it was real.

Arkham

Ice, ice baby- you are going to be high end fashion and dripping in jewelry. Huge fur coat (or faux if you have some kind of thing about that, he says), always warm for the Iceberg Lounge. You LOOK expensive.

Even as a sugar baby, you're representing him, his image. He wants you to look like you've just walked out of one of his prized "collection" tanks. A treasure no one else can have.

You need to be tough to be in his orbit. He's sweet to you, of course, but he will murder and maim in front of you like it's nothing. You can have moments of weakness, but if he thinks you can't stomach it, sorry luv, but you're just not cutting it. A final check and a goodbye.

He's going to judge you if you spend your allowance money on stupid shit. In his mind, it should be useful or going towards things you know he likes (read: lingerie he likes to surprise him.) If it's school in particular, he wants to know your grades.

He's surprisingly the least sexual of the penguins on this list. Part of it is age, part of it is he's busy. You're a status symbol of a family legacy long lost. If he likes you enough, he'd probably consider paying you to have a baby to continue the Cobblepot name.

He'd marry you too, of course. But the way he says it is all very transactional. He doesn't expect you to feel anything for him, so it's better for him to not get too invested emotionally.

It makes it hard to connect with him outside the events he takes you to and the times you are physically pleasing him. If you can, though, you'll find he's very fond and protective...

[reyescarlos]

still trying to formulate this exes to lovers story, but this is something i managed to put together this week. thanks for the tag @sunshinestrand and @reyesstrand 💜

None of what he’s sharing his necessarily new information, but it feels like a closer look.

“My parents almost didn’t let me go to UT because of how bad things had gotten in high school. They wanted me close to home. But I promised them that I would be alright being away from the city, that it was probably a good thing that I was getting out of New York altogether.”

TK sighs, his head shaking ruefully.

“And I was good for all of freshman year. I fell into a good group with Paul and Nance. I was active in the club and with baseball. And it felt like…finally, I was doing right, living up to my parents expectations and my own standards too, you know? I felt like a different person. I was proud of who I became.”

Carlos remains quiet, but engaged.

“And then sophomore year rolled around and I met you and it was like…,” TK bites back on his lower lip and looks at his ex as the memories flood him.

He’s brought back to the day at the club fair, seeing Carlos for the very first time. It had honestly felt like the ground had shifted beneath his very feet. It went deeper than a surface level attraction even though TK couldn’t say why in that moment. Some part of him simply knew that there was something about the boy standing before him that was different, that had the power to change everything.

Carlos looks to be holding his breath now as he waits for TK to continue.

“I met you and it felt like the universe was rewarding me. Out of the blue, it brought this truly incredible guy into my life. Someone that I felt safe with immediately. It was scary, but exciting the way it felt like I’d always known you. I knew, so early on, that I could give my heart to you. But I also worried what could happen if you gave me yours.”

Carlos is quiet for a moment and TK doesn’t rush to fill the silence. He lets them sit with his words and all the implications and meanings that could be derived from them.

“Do you ever regret us?” Carlos asks, so casually as if he’s talking about something so mundane.

TK snaps his head towards him at once.

“Never,” TK says fiercely. “I regret my actions and how things panned out, but not our relationship. Not for one second.”

TK’s heart sinks as he ruminates.

“Do you regret us? After everything that’s happened?”

Carlos shakes his head.

“No.”

It’s a simple word but, in Carlos’ tone, there’s so much conviction. 

“Things might not have gone like I would have hoped, but I’m grateful that we even got the chance to be together at all. That was a gift.”

Carlos searches his eyes for a moment before he continues.

“You were my first love and I’m glad that it was you. I wouldn’t trade that in for anything.”

TK sighs softly in relief. He wishes he could ask the question Carlos’ words inspire.

Could you ever see us trying again? 

tagging: @welcometololaland @rmd-writes @marjansmarwani @tailoredshirt @maxbegone sorry if you've all been tagged before or don't want to be! im so out of the loop on these things these days 💕

[aberooski]

Question. Zane is like

Very Edgelord but kinda snaps out of it later on. I'm trying to find some kind of balance or at least something that'll be kinda like an "Oh shit" moment for him. I'm having trouble with him because it's either "would he throw an insult?" Or "is he being too nice?" Any advice?

Ooh okay hmm 🤔

I've run into this myself not having much experience personally writing Zane. He's a difficult one to get a grasp on in my experience because of how complex he is.

Of course context is important, like what stage of edgelord Zane is at because especially if he's full Edgelord Supreme anything that could shake him would have to be pretty big and drastic.

Finding Zane's middle ground is tough honestly, I know exactly what you mean. The thing I've found to keep in mind is that Zane has a disconnect between his emotions and his ability to express them that was probably created during his time training at the dojo with the cyber legacy as a kid. And how that translates especially to Syrus is that he acts kinda as a disciplinarian almost, like a demanding mentor with high standards than a brother, but Syrus hasn't grown or developed as a duelist or within himself enough to be able to achieve so Zane's tough on him and ultimately unfortunately exhibits abusive behaviors, but also you can see hints in the first season that he does care and is trying to look out for Syrus in his own weird, very detached sort of way because it's the best he can do. It takes extreme situations for him to be able to align his heart and his head concerning his ability to express his care for his brother.

For example back in season 1, Camula threatening to sacrifice Sy'd soul if Zane defeated her. Or in season 3 Sy could've been killed by the Doom Dozer had Zane not stepped in. And even then in those situations he's fairly casual about it. He's still kinda distant all things considered but less so than usual.

I guess if I had to boil it down, my main advice is that no matter what, Zane is an emotionally distant, closed off guy even when he's expressing any genuine concern. He's more of an acts of service guy in terms of expressing his feelings, and he's a tough love kinda guy. He's harsh and doesn't sugarcoat or anything like that. Unless someone is actually dying or in a situation where they could, he's not gonna be very soft or nice without an undertone of harshness to it. If that makes sense?

[banghwa]

No hate to jimin, I love him to death, but I do find him quite boring too, music and stages aside cause they are always great. I find it funny that people call him it boy and he’s always number 1 in that influence ranking or whatever that is, when he doesn’t care about social media and his style outside the stage is quite basic (not every clothing ofc, and there’s nothing wrong with basic, i’m a basic myself). And I think part of this high standard people put him is due to the way his solo stans see him, not to be patronizing but I think a lot of them only see him as this sexy guy and don’t care about one word he says or sings, as long as he’s making numbers and being their it boy.

right like. like i don’t necessarily agree with all your point like his styling - i think jimin has a rly fun and leisurely sense of style that’s yeah not super flashy but he knows how to dress and what looks good on him - but like. jimin is one of my biases yes but im also rly comfortable admitting that he’s BASIC as HELL and that’s FINE. he’s the It Boy of my heart but the guy obviously seems to want as little social presence as possible. hes never on social media, he keeps his private life to himself, he doesn’t share what he’s into save for the very rare occasion he shares something offhandedly. n there IS this weird expectation and assumption of casual and continued social presence from fans that simply isn’t there….. like sure he has the influence of what would make an It Boy but that really only comes from how popular he is rather than any remarkable or sustained presence. and again, its totally fine! privacy and normalcy are obviously things that are really important to him. this too i think goes back to what jimin has spoken abt on his relationship with fame and identity and whats reflected in most of his work so far. and like. i don’t wanna be a downer and pretend i know anything about what he thinks. but if it were ME putting my all into my work like he does and the only thing my fans took away from it was a minimal interaction i had with my coworker and how it was proof we’re fucking or smt or every time i went online i see ppl talking about how ugly they find me like YEAH i wouldn’t want to share much about my life on the internet either and id probably have a really warped and fractured sense of my personhood. idk its very much in the same lane of kpop stans claiming their fave is buff or has an ass like he DOESNT he doesn’t and its OK you don’t need to lie to urself …. why not pay attention to the stuff that they actually do or the way they actually are instead of treating this like fanfiction. i think some fans DO need to be patronized tbh bcs the way they view their faves is itself patronizing even if they might mean well.

[basedkikuenjoyer]

So apparently I have hit a milestone while going full bore on my bullshit. There’s fifty of y’all now who decided you were getting enough out of this blog to follow along, and that’s mildly neat. Didn’t really expect that. We’ve had a lot of fun talking One Piece and other anime so I dunno, wanted to do something to mark the occasion and letting y’all know a bit more about my tastes seemed like it could be a lark. Shouldn’t be a shock that One Piece is my favorite anime/manga franchise...so here’s the rest of a top 10! No particular order, whys under the cut. Beyond that, consider me open to lightly personal asks for a bit too, just if you were curious.

TOP LEFT - Ranma 1/2: Okay...confession time. Eiichiro Oda is not actually my favorite mangaka. He’s pretty much only given us One Piece and there are several questionable aspects of his style. As a person and professional, I adore Rumiko Takahashi. Inuyasha was a huge deal for me as a teen. Mermaid Saga has been a fun recent read. Maison Ikkoku is one of my next big purchases planned. But Ranma, Ranma guys...it’s a stone-cold classic. Boy cursed to take the form of a cute girl when doused with water gets involved in a web of romantic pursuits stapled to bizarre martial arts competitions. It’s so silly, it’s honestly pretty smart when it wants to be. Fun shonen with a backdoor to maybe, just maybe giving young men a little empathy about what the girls in their lives are dealing with. This kind of blend is why Takahashi is such a goddamn legend and manga pioneer. Team Shampoo for life.

TOP MIDDLE - YuYu Hakusho: Yeah, it means more to me than Hunter x Hunter. This was one of the most important anime series for me to stumble across. Adult Swim back in the early 00s. It’s what showed me there was a much cooler world of more mature anime out there. Kurama was also a first anime crush and that sparked a lifelong love for plant-based superpowers because that’s probably what I would have if we lived in a cooler world. This is as infinitely rewatchable to me as The Simpsons or King of the Hill, and it even got more meaningful given my boyfriend and I bonded over it early in our relationship.

TOP RIGHT - Paranoia Agent: Another 00s Adult Swim classic, but one it took me a while to properly sit down and watch. I’m...generally a little too squishy for the truly screwed up anime out there but this one I could handle. And I love it. Especially as an adult that has had moments I wish a “Lil Slugger” could give me an out from day-to-day problems. “Happy Family Planning” is such a friggin masterpiece. Same with the most kickass lady in the series talking the monster down. I can’t recommend it easily because it does get into things like suicide casually, but man is it so good at what it wants to do. So short but it leaves such an impact.

MIDDLE LEFT - Kaguya, Love is War: I needed one episode of this to know it’d be a favorite. It’s a silly little high school romcom that has no business being as good as it is but I love every minute of Kaguya and Shirogane’s wild ride. That ending? Facepalmed because it was obviously the only way those two could end up of course. But I also love this series for being willing to be real, calling out gendered double standards and talking frankly about sex in a way that never feels inappropriate. But more than anything it’s a riot! The English Dub just makes me like it more for the headcanon this is all a story Brook is making up to kill time.

CENTER - Stop!! Hibari-Kun: I’ve talked about this one before. Shonen romcom where the everyboy lead is pursued by the perfect girl...who happens to be trans. It’s funny, heartfelt, and so ahead of its time in so many ways. Not to mention the fashion! It’s a cool series made cooler by it’s unique place in manga history.

CENTER RIGHT - Nana: Hey! It’s another one Oda namedropped! I remember being so excited when Shoujo Beat magazine had it’s run here in the US. Had a subscription for issue 1 and let it run for two years. So fun getting that in the mail as a teen even if my Mom groaned about it every time. This was their flagship and it isn’t hard to see why. A very real, even kinda gritty story about early adulthood. The odd couple roommates but the conflict isn’t really as much about them fighting. It’s about women supporting each other and finding their way together. And like Kaguya, it doesn’t shy away from some real problems women that age might have to deal with, even if they’re unsavory to discuss.

BOTTOM LEFT - Revolutionary Girl Utena: Trippy, weird, gay as hell, and has a good point by the end. I just adore everything about Utena. It flew over my head when I was a young teen watching it, but I still enjoyed it. Going back later though, I think this might be one of the smartest anime I’ve ever seen. Only problem is you can’t really describe why it’s awesome without spoiling it. But even little tricks like burying massive twists in clip show episodes...awesome. If I made a manga, this would be the main influence.

BOTTOM MIDDLE - Cardcaptor Sakura: Catch you catch you catch me catch me daaaatte... I’m so glad I got to see this as a kid Sakura’s age. It was always just such a comfy show as a kid. Tomoeda is the type of small town I wish I could have grown up in instead of Biblethumping and letting everything go to shit because all the adults cared about was phony moral outrage. Aside from that though, an almost perfect example of a Magical Girl series. Solid gay rep for the time too which I enjoyed. I say “almost” though because goddamn do I hate the Rika/Mr. Terada side of it. Too far CLAMP, even with the anime reining it in.

BOTTOM RIGHT - Fruits Basket: I was a fanatic about this manga when I was about 14-15. Then it came back with the anime adaptation it always deserved! It’s so hard to pin down what makes Fruits Basket so good, ostensibly it’s just kind of a reverse harem romcom. But its so heartfelt and unfraid to be comfy and sweet. It also gave me Ayame to salivate over. Between him, Kurama, Izo, & Cavendish...I think I have a type.

[ina-nis]

"Meet me in the middle," says the unjust man. You take a step towards him, he takes a step back. "Meet me in the middle," says the unjust man.

I’ve been thinking about this, as I feel I’m “stuck” in the last step of recovery from AvPD, because of all these uncomfortable feelings that, somehow, don’t compare to the deep and old loneliness.

I prefer the loneliness.

Its pain is familiar, predictable and, obviously, doesn’t depend on anything or anyone else.

I understand my high standards and very strict filters with which I navigate social spaces don’t quite work in my favour - I’m probably missing many opportunities to connect!

At the same time, from watching and experiencing, people seem to want an easy love, something stress-free, and that’s what causes piss poor communication and absolutely awful issues down the line. Relationships are not always easy and they definitely can be really hard for someone mentally ill.

I want an easy love too, something stress-free, who doesn’t?

Now... who’s willing to put on the effort for that to happen? Because these kinds of connections don’t manifest themselves into existence. It takes work, sometimes a lot of work.

I take a look at my opportunities for connections and it’s a lot of really annoying things, really unfulfilling things and uhh... I’m supposed to settle for that and work through it - after all, there’s no perfect relationships and no perfect partners, etc - but 10 out of 10 times, I follow my guts (I try not to rely on that too much, considering trauma and stuff) and end up dodging a bullet.

No, thanks, I prefer very much to stay and remain single if the alternative is an absolute dogshit relationship. At this point, the bare minimum for me is communication, and that seems like an impossible feat for others.

I will not beg for scraps of attention, I will not deal with a relationship where I’ll not feel prioritized because of other person’s job or something (if all you have time for is work, I don’t want that for my life, even though I understand people might not have a choice. Well, I do, I’ll choose my full-time loneliness over a part-time relationship), I will not feel safe in a connection with someone in a established relationship (like I said a million times: I’m not fit to be a backup plan, a secondary or a convenience), I will not feel safe in a casual relationship either, the list goes on...

Things I have talked about exhaustively, things I kept second-guessing myself and thinking that, maybe, I’m being too harsh and that’s why I’m still single and don’t have local friends etc... and then I fact-check everything just to have the reassurance that, no, I’m not asking for too much and it’s not like I’m being unreasonable. I have needs and things I wish to do, I want for something to go a certain way, it’s not wrong or a bad thing.

Why are the compromises always so one-sided?

Why is it always on their terms?

Why when I speak up and put all these issues on the table, that’s too much and I’m being too difficult?

“I want to get better” means I want to get better relationships too. Half-assing anything never worked, why would I expect that to work now, when I know better and I’m not willing to put up with crap?

Why is it me that has to step on their level? Why can’t they try to make an effort to get on mine?

Why am I the one supposed to meet the other in the middle?

Hmm...

I prefer the loneliness, really.

[kyogre-blue]

@captainadwen

wow!!! thank you  so much!!! this has taught me that i.... iiiii... i need more characters hahaha. but thank you!

In the Genshin meta, there are some 4 stars that everyone swears by and there is a reason for that. The simplest way to Get Stronger Teams is honestly to build them, try the basic teams they work in and then get more expensive 5 star updates for those team. 

The generally discussed strongest 4 stars: 

Bennett: Heals and gives a very powerful ATK buff when you’re in his circle. The meta crowd swears by him, though in my casual experience, it can be difficult to tell when he’s doing something because all numbers look the same to me. Still, a flexible, always good option and stapled to Xiangling, if you use her. 

Xiangling: The standard all pyro DPS get compared to. I hate using her, but the results of National team (Bennett+Xiangling core, plus Xingqiu or a hydro alternative, and a flex slot) are hard to deny. For other people. I’ve never been able to get it to work. 

Xingqiu: Arguably the most used and versatile character ever. You want to run a pyro DPS? Xingqiu is the go-to option for applying Hydro so they can vape. You want to run taser? Xingqiu brings great personal damage, great hydro, and even damage reduction and some chip healing. You want to run freeze? Xingqiu is right there. 

Fischl: The current meta won’t shut up about how great she is with Dendro, but she’s also just generally good. Great personal damage, generates particles, almost no field time, even snapshots. Most taser teams will run her, and she’s a great flex pick too. 

Beidou: Very good in 2+ targets, and the other half of the usual taser core. Only problem is getting her burst back up, but pairing her with Fischl helps a lot. 

Sucrose: Groups enemies, good swirl damage, and her ability to share EM with the team is very important once you start doing reactions. Also, obviously, a VV holder. Nearly any reaction team can use her somehow. 

Not to be generic, but building them helps a lot. By building, I don’t even mean high investment. Generally, I only bothered getting the right main stats on an appropriate set/weapon and called it a day. No one has proper crit ration, but everyone sure has way too much ER. Nonetheless, it works. 

Aside from them, Rosaria and Diona are considered good and flexible. I use Rosaria with Kaeya when I want to do freeze, but I’ve never been able to get much mileage out of Diona. It does come down to personal preferences. 

You probably already know, but starting from a general team template also helps a lot: 

Pyro DPS melt/vape: The classic. Pick a Pyro DPS, pair them with Xingqiu someone to apply Hydro or Cryo and then stuff in some supports. That sweet 1.5 reaction multiplier will do heavy lifting for you. 

Taser: Hydro+Electro, maybe some Anemo for flavor. There are so many numbers. Who is doing what? No idea, but somehow it works out. 

Freeze: Tired of enemies running around? The solution is here. Generally, freeze is carried by a strong Blizzard artifact set, where you can forgo building crit rate in order to stack more crit damage. You can also amplify damage via stuff like Mona Omen extension, Kazuha, Shenhe, etc. Not the most powerful, but still perfectly workable. Fun fact: I use a super scuffed freeze on 12-1 sometimes. It works. 

You can also get good mileage out of Dendro by using it to buff a 2 Electro DPS core (eg Keqing+Fischl), or else with Budgeon/Hyperbloom where you just stack EM on the triggering character (I use Kuki, but many electro and pyro can be repurposed for this). Bloom variants in particular are carried by EM, character level and the reaction, so you can skip a lot of building. 

Good luck!