#Really inspires loyalty.

[theminecraftbee]

Cleo sighs, realizes she’s going to have to be the one to say something, and puts down a shulker box full of lava with an audible thunk. Across the room, Cleo watches the other members of the court look up at her. Good. They’re listening.

“So like, we all agree we’re worried about Ren, right?” she says.

“Worried about our king? Pshaw,” Scar says. “He’s the best king ever! This plan to elaborately protect the diamonds of the server behind our riddles three—”

“Ren and Bdubs aren’t here, Scar,” Cleo says. “You don’t have to pretend.”

“I am shocked and offended,” Scar says.

“Yeah, okay, I admit it—I’m worried,” Cub says, putting down his own redstone box.

“I haven’t been here the past few weeks? But like, yeah, he’s looking paler than usual. Also Scar are you sure you want to let me have this bow,” Joe says.

“Joe, there’s no one I would trust more.”

“Oh no.”

“Focus,” Cleo says. “Yeah. He’s pale? And muttering to himself. And I’ll admit, I’ve been planning on stabbing him in the back for like, ages. Never fully been on his side.“

“Who hasn’t been,” agrees Cub.

“I have missed so many meetings,” Joe says quietly.

“Anyway. The point is. For all I was planning on making sure he got deposed, cheating in our upcoming gauntlet—”

“Oh I want him deposed but I’m still going to do all the murder,” Scar clarifies.

“Can I have one important conversation? Just one?” Cleo says.

“No,” Joe says.

“Right. Of course. Silly me,” Cleo says.

The four of them work quietly at cleaning up the vault further. There’s still so much work to be done if they want it done by the deadline, and call it pride or hubris, none of them are going to skive off on it. They could. Cleo very easily could. She has a whole other escape room to be building instead of collecting mass amounts of lava to put on a parkour course. But—well.

“You aren’t wrong,” Scar says, finally. “I don’t think I’ve seen Ren sleep in—I don’t know how long. That’s not normal.”

“His eyes are a bit off,” Joe offers.

“The way he’s talking is wrong,” Cub says. “And I don’t know what to make of it. Don’t know what to make of it at all.”

“Okay, so it’s not just me. Good,” Cleo says.

“I feel like we shouldn’t be that worried,” Joe says. “He’s the king. Honestly, after the mess I went through trying to find legal food to eat the other day, maybe he’s also trying to subsist off of sugar? That’s not that good for a dog. Maybe he’s just…”

“…reaping what he’s sewed?” Cleo finishes.

“Hate to say it. Hate to say it,” Cub says.

“He did sort of have it coming,” Scar agrees.

Another long silence. Cleo fiddles with her redstone one last time. There is a stone in the pit of her stomach. Outside, there’s the place Bdubs is meant to build the final walls, the ones that will enclose the server’s diamonds. A black labyrinth, with a beast to guard the center.

Cleo sighs.

“I always did feel sorry for the minotaur,” she mumbles.

“Cleo?” Joe says.

“I was always going to backstab him,” Cleo says.

There’s a silence.

“He looks exhausted,” Joe says.

“I mean, we’re almost done,” Cub says. “No reason not to do our best. We’ve got this far.”

“You’ve got a point,” Cleo says. “We’ve got this far.”

They’re uneasy as they finish the vault, but call it whatever you will—they each do their best, and when they part in the evening, roles to play in hand and places to guard the moment the rebellion reaches the vault doors. Well, call it what you will. Cleo’s not bad at playing a part. That’s what she’s been doing this whole time.

That’s all she’ll be doing.

That’s all it is.

[skitskatdacat63]

Paul Atreides is sooooo T.E. Lawrence coded

[bisexualmindcabin]

Honestly I think Athena's wrong about Percy's fatal flaw. I think it's not personal loyalty, but trust.

A fatal flaw is supposed to be fatal, it's supposed to be your biggest weakness, and the worst ones are also your greatest virtue.

Percy doesn't actually ever lose something to personal loyalty: Athena said "you would burn down the world to save your friends" but the thing is Percy has consistently saved the world and his friends. Sure, Kronos gets Percy to go on the Sea Of Monsters quest by taking Grover, he gets Percy to go on the Titan's Curse quest by taking Annabeth, but Percy saves both of them and gets the fleece safely to camp ahead of him, and gets Atlas trapped again.

Even in The Lightning Thief, when he had to leave his mom behind to finish the quest, he did it. He didn't give Hades the bolt, or stayed behind, or even tried to beat Hades with it in exchange for his mom. If personal loyalty really was his fatal flaw, why is it something that he's had mastered since his first quest? And if he's so tied to personal loyalty, why did he change tracks on Luke so easily once the betrayal was revealed?

However, if it's trust, then it makes perfect sense: Percy values trust above everything else. If he decides he trusts you, it's like an on-or-off switch. He doesn't suspect Luke for a second, even tho he has plenty of reason, until Luke himself reveals the betrayal. Percy values trust above everything else: betraying him is the worst thing you could do to him, and it immediately severs any ties he had to you. He does it to Luke, he does it to Nico in The Last Olympian.

Percy wants to trust people, but he is not gullible or trusts easily. He just naturally wants to believe the best in people, and even monsters. He tries to trust that Polyphemus will let them leave without killing them, and he endangers himself, his friends, and the entire quest for it. He wants to trust the demigod he's just saved from death, Ethan Nakamura, and it costs him the final piece of Kronos being returned to his body. It costs him Annabeth taking a poisoned knife in the Battle of Manhattan.

He trusts, and time and time again he has that trust betrayed, but it also gains him some things. Ethan turns, in the end. Nico betrays his trust, and then gets Hades to join the fight to make up for it, which allows Percy to go up to Olympus. And in the end, he trusts Luke to kill himself on Annabeth's knife, and it's the right call.

[sysig]

Special Counseling (Patreon)

[helladventurers]

There's something funny to me about the fact that i liked age of calamity's interpretations of the events and characters from botw so much that that i was actually disappointed to see master kohga and the yiga clan show up as antagonists again

[electroniccollectiondonut]

when i started watching the terror i just knew my arctic blorbo was gonna be fitzjames because obviously. and then crozier came in with the one two punch of being a skilled, intelligent, caring captain and being in a waistcoat while he did it

[merlin-wolfgang-trades-hale]

One of my on-going project snippets. Avatar!Steve

“Why is Danny’s place still frozen?” Steve demanded as soon as he saw Duke. 

“Our water-benders are trying, but there is a limit to their ability,” Duke replied. 

Steve’s clarity was being disrupted by his worry over Danny, so he snapped, “Limit? It’s ice! They’re water-benders!” 

Duke often revered to Steve with the respect gained by his rank, in both military and as Avatar, as well as the respect he was born with as a McGarrett. But in that moment, he was an older Hawaiian native who gave a strict gaze as he reminded Steve of where they lived. “You have traveled far and seen many other places. Maybe it has escaped your memory that out of all the benders that live or visit our small islands, water is arguably the one with most restrictions and rules. Only a limited few water-bending masters exist here who are experienced with colder temperatures and ice or snow manipulation.”

Steve closed his eyes for a moment to collect himself before he opened them again and apologized. “Sorry, Duke. It’s...it’s Danny, y’know?” 

“I do. And I know that there’s no one else on this island who knows those ice bending restrictions better than him. Given how much flack he got in the early months of him being here. So I understand your concern...but these ice structures were created by Danny himself. They’re fortified with the strength that will take the Hawaiian August sun hours to melt. We can’t get inside yet.”

“Yeah, well...I’m here now. Let me work.” It was nearly a threat but it most certainly was a warning. Duke called off the benders and let Steve try. 

Steve has begun his water bending training but it was with the basics. Learning to alter the water’s temperature to make it freeze or unfreeze wasn’t anywhere near the curriculum. Didn’t mean he didn’t try. Except he was too angry because he didn’t want to be worried. 

So he stopped trying to water-bend the ice away and instead unleashed his fury with his fire-bending until he saw some of the ice give way before earth-bending a stalagmite to shatter it’s way through. 

I started thinking about world building rules and them being applied to different fandom. Implementing the Avatar bending to H50, and it made me think. Being surrounded by so much water, water benders are pretty dangerous. They always have a weapon, and if they’re mastered it enough the humidity in the air, even if there isn’t an obvious body of water, they still have access to it( never mind potential gangs and criminal organization potentially having Blood Benders). 

Then I was thinking, how much of the average tourist would a)not know a fuck shit about the proper water temperature a place, it’s plant life, and animal life need to remain stable? And b)would be assholes to try and make their own waves or bigger waves or retaliate against anyone or to show off? 

Beaches in an Avatar AU would have STRICT rules in place. Lifeguards might need to be specially trained to like a military level to secure the peace, ensure the safety of native plant and animal life.

Water benders, no matter the profession or life style they lead/live, if they’re in Hawaii they are limited to just water bending. Healing, yes...but when it comes to temperature control...there are like...two official water bending MASTERS who know how to turn water into snow or ice. And it’s become a thing where it’s just been like that for so long that no one really questions it unless they’re not from there. 

I made Danny a Water-Bender and with how winters are on the east coast, and because I personally headcanon Danny to just have a more affinity to colder climates, to him ice and snow are second nature. And because he came from a big city where younger water benders as young as 7-8 year olds make their first bit of chump change by offering to snow-bend the drive ways of little old ladies or get more allowance if they wake up and defrost their parent’s car...when Danny first came to Hawaii as he followed Grace, seen as an outsider with the element that may have the most restrictions, particularly in his specialty. It was hard but Danny learned to ‘control’ himself..aka adjust his mannerism. (He’s always in control. Just...things that were normal for him are a big deal on the island, but he has never been out of control of his element. Danny is also a Blood Bender and that’s why but it’s not knowledge anyone knows and he’s terrified of anyone learning)  

Steve has seen plenty of Danny’s power, potential, and most importantly his control. It’s why Steve chose Danny to be his Water bending master instead of the native Hawaiian born they wanted to assign him. There are also a lot of deeper feelings involved, so Steve hearing that Danny elsa fortressed himself means something is very wrong! 

but on like a lighter note, when they need something from Kamekona, Danny has bribed him with water-bending him x-lbs of shaved ice. 

[neometalmadness]

@loyaltied​: god this is so valid. writing a more villainous character can be fun but it severely limits a lot of the interactions you can have if the development away from it is out of the question. its why i write my metal as reformed

[[ LITERALLY RIGHT like obviously... zero disrespect for those who want to write a villainous character as they are, actually you have my UTMOST respect if you do choose to do so-- bcuz keeping on top of interactions like that is a very draining task for me personally, so 10000% you’re doing amazing always. but for me iiiii don’t want too many samey interactions, especially with how the rpc currently lacks some villain characters

i do like to leave room for threads where Neo is clearly the bad guy, bcuz he certainly isn’t opposed from taking such a position. but i also would like him to be SOMEWHAT approachable to most parties. (with a heavy lean into quickly trusting associates of Eggman, but again, haven’t had chance to write much of that so far</3)

most times that i have written Neo (over like. 4 or 5 blogs. over the past years. oops.), with a lot of mainverse development, he has eventually just reformed anyway which left some exploration of his negative traits limited sooo i am kinda leaving it vague this time. he can go either way, depending on thread, depending on muse, ygm.

also on this note. i do like to keep my mainverse consistent though but i found i haven’t found much of my footing as of yeetttt so i’m not entirely sure what i will keep as canon to his mainverse? i just know most of the time, you can talk to him without being attacked but he probably won’t appreciate the company dhdskafhs

[randomnameless]

uhm... so, I read your nickname glossary but I still don't know who Waldi & Baldo are... mind giving me another hint? 👉👈

They are the dogs Demonic Beasts Flamey is walking through the Holy Tomb (Jackie is the third one, but she's timid), but the evil lizard lady sends her delured minions to slaughter them :(

All jokes asides, it came from the sad realisation we had with @crushednugget that no one gives a fuck about the Demonic Beasts, they're nameless and importance less the second their creation (and the horrible process behind them) can be linked to Flamey, so why not give them names?

Because hey, during Chapter 10, Jerry died, but more important, we finally learnt that all those demonic beasts were people. And after playing SoV where Sonya's story is all about helping witches return to their former state, or live but not as mindless slaves anymore, the lack of care and consideration given to Demonic Beasts, especially the ones who were engineered by (for?) Flamey and pals is terrible.

So, instead of crying about it, why not laugh instead?

[wh0reforcoriolanussnow]

hii!! could i request a snow fic where she finds out she cheats on him and voluntarily tributes and hes trying to get her back? i loved the other fics!! I NEED MORE CHEATING SNOW FICS OMGG

Don’t blame me, love made me crazy. || Young President!Coriolanus snow x district!reader

A/n: Sorry anon I hope you’re not disappointed that I didn't fully write your request. I wanted Coryo to lowk suffer in this which is why I didn't dive into details of him getting her back. There is also one scene that is heavily inspired by a scene in the movie Priscilla! I also spent so many hours perfecting this and it was super fun!!!

Warnings: fem!reader, implied infidelity, toxic!coriolanus, manipulation, not proofread, if there's anything else pls lmk!

Wc: 1609

Divider by @firefly-graphics

The rapid clicks echoed throughout the hallway, the sound reverberating off the 12-foot-high ceiling walls. You walk with an eager stride, each step filled with anticipation as you take the familiar route to Coriolanus' office where he spent most, if not, all of his time cooped up in due to the upcoming hunger games.

There was a heaviness in your heart. You have always been the epitome of grace and composure, a woman who played her role in the political theater with finesse, albeit your brief upbringing in district 2. However, behind closed doors, the truth unfolded, resulting in you heartbroken and most of all betrayed. You couldn't ignore the letters that would pile up weekly, the gifts, all for him, from someone by the name Lysandra.

Not bothering to knock, knowing it would provoke a reaction from him, you forcefully swung the double doors open. There sat Coriolanus Snow, seemingly unbothered at your entrance. "Is there a problem?" An icy, impersonal tone carried his words, sharp and emotionless.

Your nose flared as you felt a surge of frustration, his lack of concern and emotion fuelling your anger. Besides, you had never stormed into his office unannounced before. Surely, he would question your sudden abruptness and, visibly, your anger.

Your voice, though filled with a trembling resolve, posed the question, "Who is she?" You hold a letter between your fingers, lifting it up to show him. He lifts his head up from his papers. "And why on earth is she sending my husband gifts and-and love letters?" You stammer, throwing the piece of paper with writing and a kiss—in the form of a lipstick mark in a shade of deep red—on his desk; your façade crumbling at your feet.

Snow stares at you before a scoff leaves his lips, leaning back on his chair. "You know how the people admire me, it's likely that whoever it is, she's simply passionate about expressing her feelings to me," Coriolanus shrugs. Your eye twitches at his response. Lies.

"Really? Well, Lysandra is ever so passionate about expressing her undying love for you," You recite the words from her letter as you watch a subtle glint of knowing in his eyes, "She's the only one who has described her so-called affection for you so intimately!"

As you question your husband's loyalty, an unsettling quiet settles around him. His eyes, cold and calculating, hold yours without a trace of vulnerability. The absence of words from his lips becomes a formidable response, leaving an ominous uncertainty lingering in the air.

His office echoed with a tense hush, broken only by a subtle tapping of his fingers against the armrest in a rhythmic patter. "For god's sake, Coryo. Say something! Who is she?" The slip of his nickname makes you swallow.

"I won't entertain your accusation. She's merely an admirer, nothing more! Have you finished exhausting yourself with this matter, wife?" Coriolanus seethes, abruptly standing up as he gathers his papers, opens his drawer, shoves them in, and slams it shut with such force that you swore you felt it in your bones.

"Is there something your hiding from me?" There was a tense silence that followed your question, Snow's features contorted with a mix of frustration and defiance. Avoiding eye contact, he clenched his jaw and emitted a sharp exhale. The air was thick with unspoke tension, revealing an anger that simmered beneath the surface.

"I have nothing to hide from you," He says calmly but you knew damn well there was anything but calmness within him. Annoyed and frustrated at the lack of information, you open your mouth again.

'"Throughout our entire marriage, I have done nothing but showed you how grateful I am that you chose me to marry, a district girl. You helped me build a reputation here in the capitol so that I would finally be respected, and now, I ask just one simple thing of you," As you speak your voice wavers slightly, revealing the depth of emotion behind your words. "Who is she to you?"

In mere seconds, Coriolanus storms past you, a blur of motion, leaving you momentarily bewildered as you blink, only to find yourself in the same spot. "Coriolanus!" You yell, spinning around as you follow him. "I've just had about enough of you for today y/n," He spat as he briskly walked up stairs, you following him. Servants who were around hurriedly walk pass, heads down.

He steps into your shared private chamber, adorned with decadent furnishings and overlooking the Capitol. He walks a couple steps before he just stops. His breath came in heavy, rhythmic waves, his chest rising and falling with urgency, leaving you standing frozen at the entrance.

"You know, I think you should go see your family for a little while," He turns around as you felt your heart drop. "What?" Your voice echoed with a helpless tone. "You heard me, I think your family has been missing you in the districts, go pay them a visit. Tell them how grateful you have been that I chose you as the First Lady of Panem, hm?"

He takes purposeful strides to the next room, filled from top to bottom with expensive, lavish pieces of clothing befitting both him and you. Coriolanus then pulls out a travelling trunk. The thought of you going back to district 2 sent shivers up your spine. You knew that everyone there now thinks of you as a traitor.

"What- No- Coryo, I'm not going-" Coriolanus cuts you off with a yell, tears forming in your eyes, "I think you should! Matter of fact, I'll help you start packing." A loud noise comes from the trunk making contact with the floor making you jump, a sob leaving your lips. The trunk opening as he starts aggressively pulling your clothes from the black velvety hangers, tossing them into the trunk.

"Coryo- please. Don't make me go back there," You fall to you knees in front of the trunk as your shaky hands remove the pieces of clothing from it. "Yeah, well I think a few months in the districts, away from your lavish life here, will make you realise how easy it is that I can send you back there." He forcefully takes your chin in between his thumb and index as your glassy eyes stare back at his icy, raging, blue eyes.

"Please, please don't send me back there-" Your beg becomes interrupted as he drops his grip on you and yells out the door, "Simon! Get the train ready now for Y/n to go back home!" He calls out to his assistant who answers out a "Of course Mr. President," You let out another sob as you rest your head on the pile of clothing.

Coriolanus glances over his shoulder, his breaths lingering in the air, he could hear your quiet pleas. There's a yearning within him, a desire to approach you and envelop you in a reassuring hug, to tell your that everything is alright and that forgives you. Yet, and unyielding pride restrains him, holding him back from acknowledging that what he was doing was wrong.

With one final look, he turns around, leaving you in a crying mess. Coriolanus was going to send you back to district 2 until the hunger games finished, then, he would come get you and hope that your time there made you ponder your actions, although he knew they were quite reasonable.

Your allegiance to your husband shattered when you were forced onto the train, Coriolanus stood a couple metres away from you as you squirm in the peacekeeper's grips. As you made your way back to a place you once called home, a quiet determination settled within you as you hatched a plan that would not only expose Coriolanus' betrayal, but also allow you to reclaim a piece of your shattered identity.

~

As the Reaping day approached, you made a choice that sent shockwaves through the carefully orchestrated world of Panem. With a steady hand, you inscribed your own name on a slip of paper and placed it in the glass ball, committing yourself to the Hunger Games.

On the day of the Reaping, the Capitol Square buzzed with anticipation, the districts, not so much. Coriolanus, very much unaware of his wife's hidden actions, stood in front of the dignitaries on the stage.

The customary ceremony began, the escort pulls a slip pf paper from the glass ball, announcing the male tribute who would face the Capitol's twisted version of justice.

As the tension mounted, the escort unfolded a slip of paper and read aloud, "Y/n Snow." A gasp rippled through the crowd, and Coriolanus's face contorted with disbelief. Time seemed to free as he processed the shock of seeing his wife's name called out. Surely there was a mistake.

The realisation hit him like a sledgehammer, and anger boiled within him, mixing with the shock and confusion as the crowd erupted in whispers. A woman of Capitol elegance was now standing among the district 2 residents.

You weave through the rows of people, maintaining a stoic expression. As you step up on the stage, your eyes land on the camera a couple feet away from you where you know Snow was watching back in the Capitol.

Coriolanus stared at your face and in that moment, he saw the resolve and defiance that had replaced the hurt in your eyes. The Capitol, known for its love of spectacle, witnessed an unprecedented turn of events. Coriolanus Snow, the powerful President, was rendered speechless as his own actions came back to haunt him in the cruelest twist of fate.

[carouselunique]

Here you go!

Bonus Explanations for the Elements:

I treat the Elements as the values being the same throughout it's just how the bearers choose to interpret those values is how they end up being defined. In a sense the original Mane Six and the Swap Six all have similar values but express them somewhat differently.

Roseluck: Element of Inspiration - Rose inspires others to be their best selves, she is inspired to strive toward her dreams through her friendships and wants to pay that forward.

(Element of Generosity - Rarity focuses on what she can give to others while Rose focuses on bringing out what one already has.)

Ditzy Doo: Element of Cheer - Ditzy always delivers a smile, a cheesy mail joke, a wing to lean on, a feathery shoulder to cry on so you can feel better, someone to remember you and make you feel seen etc. She makes others feel lighter and cheerier and that cheer spreads to others in a domino effect!

(Element of Laughter - Ditzy doesn't mainly focus on laughter the way Pinkie does because she believes not everyone needs a laugh to feel cheer. Pinkie is more of a clown type while Ditzy is, well, more of a motherly type)

Sea Swirl: Element of Trust - If you put your trust into Sea, she won't let you down. She is honest sort, even if you sometimes have to take a leap of faith that you aren't sure about at first. Sea will uphold your belief in her with a trustworthiness that makes you want to be someone that others trust as well.

(Element of Honesty - AJ treats her Element as a very literal value while Sea doesn't feel the need to say every true thing outloud, more that you know that she is someone who's words and actions you can inherently trust even if she isn't always literally honest.)

Ginger Gold: Element of Integrity - No matter what ambitions Ginger has, she will always have the integrity to stick by her friends and family and do the right thing. Her integrity and willingness to do what's right by those she cares for no matter what even at the cost of her own goals makes everyone around her a little more honorable in turn.

(Element of Loyalty - It's nearly the same here more just that in my head, Rainbow will be loyal to her friends because they're her friends while Ginger Gold will have integrity because it is something she believes one should just always have and by having that she can be loyal to her friends - not to say one is more noble than the other, that is just how they see it if they're asked to really define it.)

Sunny Rays: Element of Empathy - Sunny is, as her name suggests, as warm as the sun. She is soft and understanding and empathetic and seeing everyone as being worth a chance at being seen and their issues felt allows everyone a kinder view of situations.

(Element of Kindness - Sunny Rays sees empathy as different than kindness, especially as she develops. She can have empathy and not always be kind as someone might see it and someone can be kind but not understand the point of view through an empathetic lens and therefore be kind but not empathetic. Of course it's a struggle to balance how to be kind and empathetic or when kindness has to stop because you know it is hindering your understanding of a situation, etc.)

Minuette: Element of Friendship - Her friendship brought the group together and allowed them to share their best values with each other and her realization that you should make time not just for academic exploration and what we can discover but for the cultivation of emotional and social development and that we need our connections with others to be truly happy helps other realize what truly counts.

(Element of Magic - In my head, Twilight calls it Magic because she believes that Friendship is a form of Magic a flaw that shows up in the later seasons where friendship is treated as something inherent and almost religious in a sense? At least to me? While Minuette believes that the Magic comes second to the Friendship and can only occur if one works on Friendship and treats the Magic of Friendship as something you work at and feel more than it is literal magic.)

[mightbebobbie]

zosan inspiration hell: "wading in waist high water" by fleet foxes.

"and I love you so violent more than maybe I can do/now we're finally aligning more than maybe I can choose" are the lines that really get me, man

i absolutely love the dynamic where they know they love each other, indulging every once in a while and then ignoring it. they cannot become distracted, they cannot commit, they cannot choose and they cannot treasure the few moments they share alone. they are the wings of the future king of pirates, they have a duty they must prioritize no matter what, because their loyalty knows no bounds. but sometimes, sometimes they align… thank u sm for the ask and thank you for showing me such a beautiful song!

[freepassbound]

There’s a lot of truth in this article - and though sports is not a very popular topic on Tumblr, generally speaking, this problem is actually relevant to everyone.

Sports fans, of course, are screwed, because the race to lock up exclusive... What to call it? “Broadcast” is no longer accurate - but nor is “streaming”, since the deals aren’t just to stream, but to present it solely on a streaming platform... exclusive visual presentation rights is balkanizing not only whole leagues, but even fractionating some single leagues themselves into pieces.

I haven’t had cable in years, which means I basically can’t watch three of my local teams at all, my favored college football team about half the time, and their basketball team only sporadically. As a fan of sports in general, I’m limited to American football (which I barely tolerate in general) and whatever I can get from a broadcast network; I don’t get to see even most of the greatest spectacles in sport - the playoffs and championships: they’re locked behind the paywall of cable.

As the article notes, the visual presentation rights of live sport have become the focus of this feeding frenzy because they’re the last remaining thing that mass amounts of people will actually watch live - and are thus the best opportunity for advertisers to reach them, and so incredibly lucrative for the sports leagues.

Leagues will rake in the billions in the short term... but long-run, I can’t help but imagine that what’s happening has to eventually lead to the killing of this golden goose. Either fans will be put off and drift away immediately (as I have), or sports will balkanize their audience - being a multi-sport, or even multi-league, fan, will get harder, and thus rarer. Both ways the audience shrinks - negatively affecting precisely the reason everyone’s splurging on these rights.

Meanwhile, all the money spent on sports rights means less money available for content in other areas - and as the audiences for sports decrease, the decline in advertising revenue will just exacerbate that.

In the end... no one really wins.

[cyb3rtarot]

How You Love + Healthy Love Advice: Pick a Pile

Disclaimer + Important Note: “relationship” and love refers to ALL KINDS OF RELATIONSHIPS when not specified. Romantic, platonic, familial, etc. Readings are not replacements for professional advice. Don’t force a reading to fit!

pile 1 ✿ pile 2 pile 3 ✿ pile 4

✿✿✿

Pile 1 [moon, man, fish, mountain, sickle, clouds, bear, mouse, dog]:

Hi pile one! You could really like gifts or other forms of physical appreciation; this makes you feel important to others. This could be you giving gifts or getting them, but some of you aspire to dynamics where people freely share and give to each other to the point where one person may be seen as a provider or benefactor (your family could have been generous in giving to you or others?/upbringing could influence why this is important). Or, your presence brings abundance to those you commit to. You encourage people to follow their dreams, you make it seem like anything is possible. This is a way loyalty is demonstrated for you. Help, benefits, gifts, encouragement, etc shows the words someone says are real. You feel relationships should improve the lives of those involved; there should be indications as to how you’ve helped each other grow and move forward (at least physical experiences together at minimum). However, you may have found it hard to determine people’s true character & intentions with this mindset, or people feel this way about you. Some of you are the ones who like to take on that role of sharing wealth, making dreams come true (or you really wish you could). That makes you wonder if people are really loyal to you or just like what you do for them (or you have this fear of the future). Because when giving, you also give yourself.

You want to cut to the chase or get to the gist of it in relationships. If you like someone, you want to dive right in. So, you might be very generous (or expect generosity) with acquaintances who you want to know better, like buying them meals. You might not have known someone long before it feels like it’s been a lifetime. You're able to give pep talks and make people feel strong/inspired without knowing them for long.

Security is extremely important for you. There’s a deep seated/constant stress about trueness, faithfulness, loyalty. This pile is very quick to enter and exit lives, or cut people off. Or, for other reasons you find it difficult to maintain relationships over long periods of time (moving a lot?). It’s a wall put up for fear of loyalty, especially if your fears were proven true in the past by someone important. This could also be how your love feels—very fast, like becoming best friends with someone in two weeks, or entering a relationship three days after meeting. A few of you were the ones who were disloyal to someone important and then lost them, so now that regret backdrops your other relationships.

People may find you confusing and mysterious. On one hand, you desire to improve the lives of those around you and remain steadfast, but on the other hand your presence is ephemeral & transient. You have struggled with remaining loyal to the wrong people for too long (especially family or an abusive partner). You remedy feeling small by showing strength through others.

For some of you, the fear comes from a specific prominent male figure in your history. This person didn’t have a lasting presence,  or you associated their presence with anxiety & unsureness. Your desire to be true to others may be influenced by this yet your willingness to run is also influenced by it.

You help others overcome; you show them how to be strong when things don’t go right. People may find it hard to place what’s so magnetic about you, but it’s the underlying strength, a subconscious commitment to keep going if not a conscious one. 

Some of you go through periods of being far more focused on money or accomplishments rather than relationships; it’s hard to do the perpetual trust fall with others. But, you’re hopeful of good connections in the future. You’ve done a lot of work to begin healing. Even if you’re not sure how to navigate intimacy and still have anxieties, your pure and strong intentions can guide you. 

Your love is like a dream. You seem to spend forever in it, but when you wake up the memory is already faded. You respect yourself and others by recognizing when the dream is over.

Advice for Healthy Loving [Shine Bright Like A Candle, Clock Time rx, ]: 

SLOW DOWNNN DAMN! It’s like you're trying to run every red light in love to get to the destination super fast, but the destination is just like, an empty parking lot or something 😭 That’s how the message wanted to come out lol. You tend to race into things as if there’s a timer on you, like you need to get to the end right now! You need to know who this person is now, you need to understand everything about them now. In your mind if a relationship is meant to last then the pacing doesn’t matter, and if a relationship can’t keep up with your pacing then you might use it as proof that it wasn’t meant to be. But, you aren’t the only participant in this race! It’s like your speeding down the road cursing because you’re gonna be late but everyone else is standing on the side like this “😀?” You might get very jittery and antsy when people take a while to reveal what role they’re going to play in your life. Slow down, you can survive the slower stages of relationships (both getting to know someone and also working through issues) and be glad for it. You can get through it even if it makes you anxious. Some good things take time. The relationships meant to be in your life only grow more beautiful and complex when you let them marinate, and it also gives you a chance to be truly understood, seen, and appreciated. Somebody purposefully dragging their feet is a whole other issue than someone not having an instant, deep connection with you!

A select message for those that know you have been very self-centered in love: this stems from anxieties + fear about self worth & commitment that you need to work on to have more fulfilling relationships.

Extra Details: a brother especially younger (10 year old kid w/ freckles who smiles like the MAD mascot). Unclear relationship with a younger sibling—you feel familial responsibility and want to help them, but both don’t understand the other easily, particularly because of the age gap. Enduring, “boy crazy” (could be someone close to you), “sprinkle sprinkle,” relationships that started out of benefit or convenience, no BS, avoidant attachment style, upper middle class or rich loved ones, South Asia, Taurus N Node/ Moon/ Venus/ ASC/ 4th/10th house (Taurus 10th house could especially be someone else close to you), revenge cheating or revenge in general, not seeking new relationships right now because of one that’s ended, networking event, “forbidden” relationship or love interest, work relationship, violin/viola/cello, I hear “trust fall” again so that could be significant. Absent, anxious, or angry father, hanging out in someone’s house because it’s huge/nice (the friend group treats it like a mansion but it’s really just a big suburban house; McMansion?), living alone (may frequently visit & stay with family anyway), drummers, a friend group from high school, basketball, immigrant family, feeling anxious or lonely but just putting up with it, “people come and go but things…things are forever.” Touch starved?

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Pile 2 [cross, fox, bouquet, anchor, sun, mouse, book, key, coffin]:

Hello pile two! Your love is a warm beacon—a safe shore from ravages of the world. You know how the world hurts people, so you know how to provide real solace. You have wisdom. To others, it might seem like you always have a clever or unbelievable way to overcome things even when the odds seem impossible. You find small but sure ways to survive. Your love shines through the world and reflects off others just by you being yourself. It’s not that you’re some pillar of infinite strength. Most of you actually have a tendency of feeling down and maybe a lot of relationships that ended? So you might be like “huh” at what I’m saying lol. But you’ve been through so many things and actually learned the lessons or grew in your emotional intelligence from them, and now you naturally exude warmth towards those you love since you know how hard life is. 

You excel at reading others and understanding the situation at hand, so you find it easy to know things people like or what they’re going through. People are confused on how you just know or are able to do the correct thing regarding them lol. You strive to be a key that opens doors for others? You strive to make things better in a way others don’t fully grasp. This pile is the type to handle a situation for someone else before they ever knew what was really wrong (if you are spiritual this could include doing spiritual work for others, like protection, cleansing). You could be really adept at helping others through their own grief and anxieties; you help close chapters in other people’s lives (even if you struggle to do the same in your own. You could stick things out when the love or time for partnership has already ended, especially if you think the person will come around if they just understand you more).

For lack of better words, you guys have “baggage?” Just in a life has happened to you kind of way. A lot of you have gone through a major death or similar loss in life and this heavily changed the way you view & give love. You know this lifetime is finite and opportunities come and go, so you want to make the most of it. But, that very fact makes it hard for you to move forward, analysis paralysis out of fear of wasteful actions. You might bear a lot of strong grief that makes emotional vulnerability harder. You could feel like others don’t understand (or don’t want to understand) this part of you, they just see the effects of the “baggage” but don’t comprehend it in itself. Some of you have been treated like you’re hard to love or understand because of this, and you internalized it, so you just move through life with this assumption. A subconscious wall. But, this emotional history is the key to really seeing you as a person, it’s just that not all people are willing or capable. You shouldn’t despair over those people. It’s a blessing to not be bound with people who aren’t willing to bear witness to your reality, who can only be fair-weather loved ones. You & your love aren’t defined by how people treated you.

Some of you also have a secret or something that’s hard to open up about. You might have to be strategic with this info and who you share it with which adds another layer to why it’s hard to be seen by others. Others might have treated you like you were dishonest or crafty because of this, and you internalized that as well. Some people have info or history not everyone should know. As you trust and love yourself more, you alone can decide the appropriate time to share it. With the Sun and key under the fox, I feel like you want to be very open but others have seen what they want to see, not what you actually did? When I connected to you guys I got lover energy but people might not readily understand this about you due to things they’ve heard, seen, or think they know.

You may have gone through a phase where you tried to be more self-serving (or this is how people perceived you) but I don’t really get that vibe from you guys so I think it was/will be a temporary defense mechanism. Alternatively, you need to make sure your needs and desires are also being met instead of trying to be a saint.

A few of you could have strong beliefs or boundaries (religious, moral, etc). This either guides your love & relationships, or you need compatibility with those beliefs for a relationship to be long-lasting.

Advice for Healthy Loving [Keeping Up rx, Falling]:

How this pile shows their love can be very taxing. You are constantly doing all these things, big and so small no one else notices, to maintain the relationship and cover “deficits” you feel anxious about. Or, something related to emotional intimacy is a lot of hard work where you might’ve washed your hands of purposefully pursuing connections. This could be a way to keep control, by constantly trying to find anything that might go wrong or that can be improved/patched. The truth is nothing you do can make things 100% certain. You can balance the whole world on your head, think + do nothing else but the relationship, and the other person will still have their own agency. They’ll still find ways to surprise you. Don’t fight a war with free will (or your desires) or take on everything for your loved ones. They must also manage, grow, and learn from things. A relationship shouldn’t be 400% on your part only. Be smart, protect yourself, but loving others is vulnerable. It’s trusting them and building confidence in ourselves to manage if the relationship does end.

Not everyone you meet will be like the people you once knew.

Extra Details: easily distracted/you distract yourself to not think about things or fill your time while waiting for what you want? (ex, working extra but not because you care about the money or job, you just need something to pass the time), distracting others or redirecting the conversation so they don’t learn about you, pineapples? Sea animals, magazines or zines, creative, in love/infatuated or loves love. Fashion industry. Those that have gotten tarot or psychic readings before (or in other PACs), I wonder if anyone ever told you your energy is hard to read because I don’t think I’ve ever struggled to read a pile as much for no reason 😭 it was like a wall of confusing energy lol, stressing about people “seeing” or knowing you. Feeling like a burden. Some of you are mediums or channelers—if this resonates you receive knowledge through this which guides your relationships, but others don’t understand, so to them it seems like you’re using strange means to get info. You might use this to help others without them understanding as I mentioned. Either way, this pile is very intuitive or innately knowledgeable but it might’ve felt burdensome. Like knowing when things aren’t right, but you can’t explain it, so no one believes you, or you wish you didn’t pick up on things. Some of you have a son you worry a lot about, or this could be the deceased loved one you think about? If you call your emotional history “baggage,” you might feel better or more confident by calling it luggage instead lol This pile is close to me, even as I was struggling to read the energy I knew I could get it because it’s like me! Even if you think no one understands, there are people that do ❣️

✿✿✿

Pile 3 [woman, mountain, heart, stork, coffin, ring, stars, house, whip]: 

Hi pile three! This pile has a lot of childhood trauma or similar experiences that made it harder for you to experience healthy love. This could also be things that happened in the home or domestic sphere, things that happened with someone (especially a feminine figure) that had power over you, things that happened in that area of life where outsiders tend not to see. For some of you this is a long term [ex] partner or spouse? Regardless, those experiences created a huge blockage to expressing love, especially with yourself. It could be a tangible blockage, for example, you might still live somewhere you feel constrained? Right now, you’re entering a new era. There’s a transformation happening to the way you love. You’re in the beginning-middle of this where you feel you’re losing motivation or energy to heal. But, you want better things for yourself (you might have a deep wish or “fantasy” for more fulfilling love?), so you know you have to keep going. “Too late to turn back now” vibes. I’m happy for you guys! This pile should know you’re not going to be perfect just because you decide to heal. But, so much more life opens up. You guys have so much love, such a big heart waiting for YOU to find again. It’s not going anywhere, because it’s a part of you.

I don’t know who needs to hear this but your heart is not impure or tarnished because of what you’ve been through or the kind of person you became. Somebody has some kind of nagging feeling, like your love being less than, or the purity of the love you have has been lost? Purity is not something that can be taken away by others!

When you love, it is final and resolute. You make a strong, long-lasting choice to love. That person has a home in your heart. This can make it hard to leave unhealthy situations behind, you might even want to stay in relationships to prove you can keep loving someone unlike others? Or to prove others wrong? But it also makes your love valuable. “Honest,” I hear. You are not a fair-weathered friend; you will be there in every peak and valley with those you love. For better or for worse. Remember to also give this love to yourself! Because of this commitment you have, your love is very transformative in others’ lives. This aspect especially may help you heal—the commitment through thick and thin, and the grace with accountability you already hold for others.

You guys tend to be very harsh on yourselves. Or, you show love harsher than intended, especially if you’re frustrated that the person could do better. This directly stems from that traumatic or toxic environment mentioned, like defense mechanisms that are now automatic to you. A healthier manifestation of this is you can be sharp-tongued in a witty way, and your loved ones can count on you for more than empty flattery.

Because of your past or the kind of person you are, your heart is very guarded (and most of you prefer it that way). You hold on to your love and rarely give the real deal out. You might appear loving but it's hard to experience it on a deeper level. Other people might feel like they need to pass “tests” with you. They see you care, but they know there’s much more they’re not privy to. If your heart is a home, then people are free to mingle and stroll in the garden, but very few are ever invited inside the doors. You have to be special to get inside. That’s why you’re truly side by side with those who enter.

Advice for Healthy Loving [Power (Moon in Scorpio, 8th house), Such a Curious Dream rx]:

I heard “taking back your power.” This “curious dream” card is about being grounded and coming back to reality, but it’s in reverse. You guys may be getting discouraged; you feel pessimistic but confuse it with being realistic. Or, some of you feel “knocked down” a few pegs, like something was said that crushed the optimism you had. I don’t feel like this pile really gives away their power to others. But, there might be people or environments that hold a lot of space in your heart (not necessarily love)? You don’t rely on others to feel good but you might need to practice grounding methods or something similar because I feel like people are able to control your mood swings. This also applies to you sweeping yourself away in your own pessimism. 

Also, it might not be a person you give your power to but society, or a societal structure. There’s something larger than just one or a few people that has a hold over you, expectations or something about the physical society you live in?? Or an institution. And you need to recognize what this is so you can bring balance to it. I specifically feel like the answer is not to fight a struggle against it but to restore balance or go your own way. Which can include actually moving. Not brute forcing the system but still being subversive using tactical means—and ensuring safety. Another specific message, this dynamic might be mirrored in one of your interpersonal relationships.

In the middle of your transformation you can feel like “wtf am I doing here.” Healing is depicted as a beautiful path to serenity, and it is beautiful but often not in that way. It’s messy, harsh, a whirlwind. You hear these good things coming to people after healing so you set out on the path all enthused, and next thing you know you’re in the middle of a hurricane and don’t feel much better than when you started. That is also healing. It can be serene or it can be a hurricane. But in the messiness is where your transformation is. Idk if any of you live in hurricane zones but after it passes there’s branches and dirt strewn everywhere but a calm feeling too. If you guys have been feeling in the dumps, you might need to hold onto that feeling or image of the peaceful scene of destruction after the storm. Just because your path is messier or harder doesn’t mean there won’t also be serenity and “rewards” I heard. 

Extra Details: you might feel awkward or self-conscious, like you can socialize but you wouldn’t consider it in your top skills lol. Eloise Bridgerton. Likes reading. Dark/adult cartoons, horror, sci-fi, psychological genres. Seeing more dark birds than usual. Public transport, the power might’ve gone out while you were on a train/metro/subway? Courage the cowardly dog. A dark/melancholic time. Power struggles. An overbearing authority, maybe not overbearing in a typical way but their energy is overbearing. Like a guardian whose judgment has a hold on you, or someone/a group whose decisions affect your trajectory. More people in this pile who have guardians who are not their parents. You might give people a serious/stoic/dark vibe but I think it’s the way you carry yourself (like having RBF or wearing a lot of dark/“edgy” clothes). Most of y’alls inner personalities are not so serious or “stuck up” (people might see you that way?). Feeling tired all the time (not sleepiness but exhausted with life). Eye bags, dark circles, or lines. Seeing love as a choice you make every day rather than a feeling. Undertale.

✿✿✿

Pile 4 [tower, ring, heart, child, woman, tree, moon, garden, paths]: 

Hi pile four! When you love, it’s for forever and ever. It’s eternal, ride or die. You pour your love into people with the intention of them always being in your life, to grow old together. You might imagine you and your loved ones as old people together lol. There are a lot in this pile that highly value marriage and family/legacy building, though perhaps not in a traditional way. You might only want a perfect relationship or perfect dynamic and can’t be bothered with the rest (including friends and family), or you might romanticize relationships in a similar way. This pile is very choosy with who you love and you don’t need a lot of people in your life, you may even feel like just one person is enough. Though, I feel like if you wanted a large group of friends you could obtain it. Alternatively, you may have a lot of friends but very high standards for partners, so you haven’t had many if any. I mean this in the present time, as I feel it could’ve been the opposite situation in the past. Some of you might’ve been lonely children, but this only made you more resolute in what you seek. A lot of you guys have big plans for the future so that’s part of why you’re selective about giving your love, because you are considering long term goals.

Because you seek the most long-lasting love, you like having a lot of options lol. You don’t want to be constrained, rushed, or to lose your freedoms and time to the wrong situations. Idk why I want to say situations more than people; you might fear the consequences of being with the wrong people? Or people in your life have ended up in bad situations because of who they committed to and you don’t want to repeat that mistake. When you tie yourself to others you want it to be because you’ve seen many options, you’ve had experiences, and you’ve weighed pros and cons. Not because of a haphazard decision. You want to have freedom within love and commitment; you don’t want to feel regret or amiss. When someone doesn’t seek to change or constrain you, that makes you confident that they’re a safe place. Consequently, there are more people in this pile in their “have fun/live life” phase before getting into big commitments, and this can also extend to material things (career, house, car).

Outings and keeping plans are important for this pile. That doesn’t necessarily mean you go out a lot, but that when you do it’s significant for you. So, quality time and acts of service could be the main ways you show and receive love. Some of you also like to go out because this is how you will observe or bump into new people? Some of you are looking for something in particular. This could also represent part of why you need so much freedom in relationships; knowing you can go where you want and do things without being stopped by other obligations is important.

Of all the piles, this is the one who understands most deeply about the need to love oneself—and put oneself first when necessary. This is not to call you guys self-centered because I feel someone will interpret it that way 😭 There’s an extremely strong energy of commitment you give and you also are able to give this to yourself, whereas other people in their own journey may struggle with giving nothing to themselves.

This pile doesn’t seem romantic but I think most of you are totally hopeless romantics at heart. Even if it’s with close friends or family you could wish to be very mushy or affectionate with them.

It feels very important to be with people who make space for your inner child. Seeing that someone can bring out that part of you and make you still feel welcome shows that you can “put all your eggs into one basket,” that you can trust that person for the long haul. Those who want children in this pile find it (or will find it) very important to be with someone who they view as a compatible future parent.

Your love is a breeze billowing the sails of a ship at sea! You show other people what long-lasting, freeing love is like as opposed to love that holds one too tightly.

Advice for Healthy Loving [Painting the Roses Red sideways, Lead the Way sideways, You Can’t Go Back to Yesterday]:

There’s a few different things I’m getting. Some of you do things or live a certain lifestyle because that’s part of your image, but doesn’t really represent you. You might always act a certain way because that’s how you really were before, but now this lifestyle or personality isn’t as comfortable. For example, if you were always the single friend ready for a good time, maybe you continue to be this way even when there’s curiosity about getting into a serious relationship. Or people expect a certain behavior out of you, and you don’t want to disappoint them, or you feel like people are looking up to you/at you. Your advice is you can’t eternally embody past versions of yourself. You need to operate out of who you are in the present moment, not out of your judgment of what that may be, what you were, out of others’ idea of you, nor out of an image.

There’s also advice to focus on what’s happening in front of you instead of past incidents. Some of you restrict your behavior in a certain way based on past embarrassment or regrets. Like, you may avoid some relationships because of shame surrounding someone you lost in the past? Whatever your individual case, the cards being sideways are not suggesting anything is inherently wrong with your current actions nor that these are purposeful decisions you make. But, love grows when you live in the present instead of only operating out of mindsets from the past.

I also think some of you put on a certain attitude or air about your lifestyle or something you do? For example, acting like you casually date because you don’t care for commitment but maybe it’s also because you’re wounded over something. Or acting very happy-go-lucky at parties to cover up feeling sad. Many of you are in a position that influences others, so being a little more open or vulnerable with your loved ones can be a positive force amongst all of you. Especially if you influence a friend group, sibling, or social media following, as I feel like the actions you take can have domino effects or encourage people to take steps in their own lives. You can inspire people to be their true selves. I just keep getting this feeling that there’s some regret or shame about the past or in your motivations, but that you hide this feeling under something else. It’s a way to vent at or blame your past self, but forgiving and accepting your past self will allow more love and healing.

Extra Details: wanting children, so specific but if you’ve ever watched something with a time loop I feel you guys would be the ones going back over & over to save someone, or to accompany someone. Committed to work, social life, or cultivating your image. Traveling or going out a lot. Obsessiveness. Some in this pile have more of a struggle between wanting their freedom and wanting to settle, there’s this dualistic energy. For example you might’ve been very overtaken or obsessed with others before so you cope by being less attached, but might flip flop between the two? I also think there are more polyamorous people in this pile but I am getting people who might flip flop between monogamy and polyamory at different stages of life. Heavy or significant Aquarius, Sagittarius, or Taurus placements (you might have one singular Taurus placement but find it very major, Taurus 2nd house?). Multiple 11th house placements. You might talk slowly, beat around the bush, or use a lot of filler words to “soften” your delivery (for example, instead of saying your opinion outright you might open with “I don’t know, but I feel like maybe…”). I think you guys need some fiber in your diet or something 😭. You might like silly or “childish” humor (like yo mama or poop jokes). Anxiety when you think about the past so you immediately distract yourself. Content creator, influencer, “local celebrity?” I also heard “fashion icon” lol, might have or be curating designer pieces. That might also be why you like to go out, for the fashion scene or to show off your outfit. Blocked throat and/or heart energy. Wanting to be married + have a family since you were a child, or knowing what kind of relationships you wanted since childhood.

I sense some of you feel judged or chastised reading this but I’m not judging you lol

✿✿✿

[ystrike1]

My Beloved Oppressor - By 서사희 (8.5/10)

Having royal blood is a curse if you have no protection. A death sentence if the people are angry. Our protagonist isn't even a Princess. She is merely the daughter of a Marquis. She is also the only royal left, in a newly democratic nation. Her revolutionary husband is keeping her alive for some reason, even though he hates royal blood.

Annette Rosenberg was a pawn. A blushing bride. A pretty idiot. Her only real hobby and talent is useless. She was never strong academically. She was the perfect noble wife. Pretty, useless, and skilled at making pretty noises on the piano.

It was not her fault. She didn't know the men in power had pushed the people too far. She didn't know a revolution was brewing. Heiner Valdemar courted her and married her to spy on her father. Nothing more, nothing less. Now she is the last royal in the country, and people cry for her blood every single day.

Heiner Valdemar supported all of the death. He made the country better for the people, and he sacrificed her family to do it. He tells his stupid princess the truth. Her beloved father had child slaves. Child slave assassins and soldiers who died often. He was one of the only survivors, and he only survived because he was useful. A genius with a strong body.

His friends were fodder.

He did get revenge for them, and yet Annette Rosenberg is still alive.

He was a great actor too.

Annette Rosenberg truly loved him.

When the royals began to die out she trusted him wholly. She only, finally noticed his true loyalty when his love faded away. Yes, the second he stopped spoiling her. When he stopped drowning her in love she did two seconds of research.

She didn't randomly meet her husband.

He carefully planned their love and marriage in advance.

He's convincingly cruel.

He really is, but there's one problem.

She's not dead.

Everybody wants him to divorce her as well. Annette Rosenberg even asks for a divorce, right after the truth comes out. Anneli is another revolutionary. An inspiring political figure for the people. Annette Rosenberg is well aware that Anneli doesn't like her, but Anneli also doesn't love Heiner.

It's all politics.

She's tired.

She's tired of being afraid. Being the last royal makes her suspicious. Everybody thinks she's using blood money or spare child soldiers to stay alive.

The screwed up part is they're actually right. Heiner, a former child soldier, is protecting her as if she is his master. Not his wife. He doesn't even go near her most days, but he is personally in charge of her fragile security situation.

Other young nobles managed to escape tp foreign countries. A friend comes to pick Annette Rosenberg up, but Heiner won't even let her go then. This offer of freedom is a tipping point.

We see why she's not dead.

Little Annette Rosenberg was very cute. She played on her special pink piano with her special teachers, in her special dresses. She laughed in her ribbons, and she ran through the hallways.

She had an admirer.

Heiner Valdemar used to spy on her, in between deadly child soldier missions.

He wants to believe he's punishing her.

He wants to believe that torturing her with loneliness is his goal, but she's been his only love his entire life.

To him, the romantic part of marriage doesn't matter. Being her husband and fake lover was such a strange and twisted reward, after years of observation.

He doesn't want to let her go.

[fillinforlater]

Friends that can keep a secret

Male Reader x Jo Yuri (ft. two male friends)

Length: 3.500 words

Tags: foursome, gangbang, MMMF, drunk sex, seducing, a faux game of spin the bottle, making out, sharing a girlfriend, rimming, face fucking, double penetration, anal, spanking, rough sex, anal creampie, riding, cowgirl, protection, not_your_girlfriend!Yuri

TW: there are other male OCs in this and you fuck a girl in all her holes, I dunno, if you don't like that, feel free to leave

Inspiration: @breach12 for the request/prompt

(A/N: here is something I promised to write quite a while back. It's finally finished. I changed the prompt quite a bit, but I hope the person who requested it likes it (and y'all too))

“Should you knock or I knock.”

Daehwi grins and you roll your eyes. He can never make things easy.

“Dude, just fucking knock.”

You and your friends recently finished another semester in college. You really had to think, was it the fifth, the sixth, the—no, it was the sixth. It felt like forever since you enrolled in that university with it’s unimpressive name and even less impressive campus. In the end, you made it through this time without impressive grades or interesting stories, but maybe this is your ideal life.

Calm and uninteresting, at least to others.

Your friends are a bit different. On one hand there is Daehwi, the crazy one. He is like a wild animal, free from every and all constraints but a slave of his desires and instincts. He gets a lot of girls, hookups, relationships, break ups, scandals—nothing ever slows him down. No matter how stupidly crazy his ideas are, they always work out and in the end, even his grades pan out. Daehwi has either figured out how to live a perfect life or he is just insanely lucky.

But he is a good friend in time of need.

On the other hand is Junseo. He is one hell of a cutie-patootie, caring for every one of his friends, colleagues, even profs. No bad word ever comes from his lips and he is always punctual. Literally always. He trades loyalty for loyalty and is the perfect example for genuinity and consistency. It is only fair that he got the most beautiful girl as his girlfriend.

Junseo is a great friend, but sometimes Yuri takes up all his time.

Yuri is the rock star on campus. She can make the entire university fall on their knees by grabbing a mic and singing her heart out. She is talented, smart, gorgeous—the crush of many, until they find another girl to smash. Yuri was never ready for one night stands, and so it was only fitting that Junseo and her fell in love gradually. No hookups, just pure, romantic love.

Love without you. You watched from afar as your best friend fell in love with your crush. That crush on Yuri that everyone has at least once in their campus life, it still lingers in your heart. You have to suppress it almost daily, but it is a tiny stain on your otherwise good life. Suppress it for Junseo, especially today when you get to celebrate another successful semester at his place. 

"Oh hey guys, come in!" Junseo opens the door with a wide grin and a surprising pink hue on his cheeks.

"Yo!” Daehwi shouts until his chest vibrates. “We bought beer, let's celebrate—damn, did you start drinking without us?" Daehwi puts down the two six packs and starts to aggressively pinch Junseo’s cheek. You start to laugh as the two playfully fight like two lion cubs.

“I brought some snacks,” you shout and try to get their attention. Fun is good and all, but you’re still standing outside and the cold air is brushing past your sensitive calves. "I got them for you, but if you don’t move, I’ll eat them all alone."

The three of you finally make your way into the flat and onto the couches. You feel the good vibes radiating throughout the room and it only gets progressively better. The first step to make such a celebration unforgettable is good beer and surprisingly, the cans Daehwi bought (at least you hope that he bought them) are filled with it. You down two of them easily, Daehwi is already on his third while Junseo reaches for a Soju bottle to create an intoxicating mixture. 

“Damn, I didn’t know you got Soju,” Daehwi groans in ecstasy as he takes a swing straight from the green bottle. “Your grades must have been terrible.”

“Nah, it’s not that,” Junseo responds with a pout. “It's because this might be the last time we have a celebration like this.”

“Huh, how so?” you protest and get a handful of crackers into your mouth, not willing to accept that such a well-kept tradition would end tonight, without warning.

“It’s because, next semester, I’m done, so the party is gonna be bigger. And afterwards, with work and all, I don’t know if it will work out like this again.”

“Shit, life is really catching up to us.” Daehwi clicks his tongue and you can already see that his drunk, a bit more melancholic but still wild and direct self appears. After all, he can’t keep himself from downing liquor. 

“If only I knew,” you sigh, angry that you forgot that Junseo was already here when you started to study. He was always ahead and now he will be the first to leave behind college life and become a truly normal person. “I would have brought stuff to make this more memorable.”

Junseo grabs the hem of your shirt and there is this drunk grin on his face as he babbles: “Don’t worry, I have things planned.

“Yuri, dear, you can come in now~”

Honest to God, you forgot about her for a split second—you will never for the rest of your life. Yuri walks in, the walk of a supermodel. Her high heels clack on the wooden floor, her hips sway in that stupidly short miniskirt, her eyes sparkle when she winks at you. You’re staring everywhere at once, to the point your throat goes dry again and you quickly need another drink. Luckily, Yuri brought more Soju and hands you a bottle.

“Congrats on beating another semester,” she says with a saccharine smile that stuns you, glues you to the couch, all to the amusement of Junseo beside you. “You gonna take it or not?”

“Su-sure, thank you.” Grab the bottle like an idiot and drink from it like one. Daehwi isn’t any better, dry lips stuck to his can while his eyes are glued to Yuri’s back. She makes sure to stick out her ass for him to see the nice curve. The green plaid skirt is barely long enough to hide her cheeks as she kneels next to him, hands on the table, searching for crackers or chips.

“Yuri, you are gorgeous,” Junseo compliments his girlfriend with a wicked grin and Yuri responds with an expression so sly and sexy, you almost drop your bottle and spit out its contents. Those two must have been drinking before Daehwi and you arrived, otherwise they wouldn’t be so bold.

“Damn, what the hell is going on with you two?” Daehwi bluntly asks them, but all he gets are glances from the couple and a confused shrug by you. “I bet you two are drunk already. Better stop now before any accidents happen.”

“There are no accidents tonight,” Junseo says firmly and makes room in the middle of the table for an empty Soju bottle. “No accidents, no boundaries, no questions asked. Do you two understand?”

“Well, that is a question,” you try to respond with wit, but it’s quickly forgotten when Yuri spins the empty bottle.

“Whoever this bottle lands on gets to have a free wish—kinda like truth and dare, except everyone else has to accept the dare and what you want to do to them.” Yuri’s words have your mind rotating faster than the bottle; is she for real? No limits, no boundaries? No one will ask questions? Can you just—go for it? Ask her to love you for this one night—no Junseo, just you?

Your wish fades to black when the bottle stops and points straight at Junseo, who does not hesitate and grabs his girlfriend at the wrist. Blink once, blink twice and she already sits on his lap, right next to you, and he is ready to stick his tongue into her eager mouth.

“My wish is that everyone fucking loosens up and just watches.”

The most tense thriller could not be more engaging for you. To see Junseo fondle Yuri, her tight little body, her covered boobs, her flawless back, down to the edge of her skirt has you sweaty all over. All over, again, he doesn’t stop and goes for that long, blonde hair and combs it back. Yuri moans and her nails dig into the back of the couch. Then they go back to making out, provocatively loud and Yuri’s top almost slips over her boobs.

You’re not the only one starring. Daehwi gets into position behind them, and he shamelessly looks under Yuri’s skirt—what he finds must be utterly mind melting, because he quickly grabs the bottle and points it at himself. He clears his throat to get everyone’s attention and for a second, the silence is heavier than a black hole.

“I-it’s my turn.” Daehwi gulps, the couple pants. “Can I pull down your skirt, Yuri?”

“Sure, just let me get up.”

With a final kiss on the cheek, Yuri leaves her boyfriend’s lap and stands in front of the kneeling Daehwi. She reaches for his hands and places them on her hips. This was the final straw, the last chain that held back the savage animal. Daehwi roughly yanks down Yuri’s skirt; with every gasp, more of her lower body is revealed until—nothing but a skimpy thong. You get to see it from behind only for a second, because Daehwi immediately spins Yuri around to knead and lick her cute butt cheeks. 

You’ve only heard stories of Daehwi’s sexcapades, the endless rounds of loud smashing, of groaning, of cumming—you never knew he could become so feral at the touch of two small round buttcheeks. It seems to work however, Yuri is definitely feeling herself, hands in her hair, head thrown back as she moans profanities towards the ceiling.

Suddenly, the head of a bottle crosses your vision. Juseon has the green thing pointed at you, on eye level and you don’t let him even start his sentence before uttering your own wish. It’s a bit desperate, but totally accurate to your situation and pent up feelings.

“Yuri, I—I want to make out with you, o-on my lap!”

“Oh yes, for sure~”

Followed by the still manically kneading Daehwi, Yuri climbs on top of you and goes straight for your mouth. Her tongue, still glazed in liquor and tiny chips particles quickly turns into the most delicious treat you have ever had. Yuri engages the kiss, starts off what could have been an equal dance but she quickly succumbs to your sudden dominance. 

Call it a return to your monkey brain, anything but civilized. You fuck her mouth with your tongue, play with her hair lovingly while tormenting her slender frame with rubs and squeezes. Yuri’s giggles urge you on more, you become bolder, reach into the top of her bra—there is no bra, just bare tits to fondle and knead the way only Daehwi would, though he has transitioned to eating Yuri’s ass, thong pushed to the side. 

You’ve lost sight of Juseon, but who the fuck cares when you can stick your hands down to where the sun doesn’t shine and find Yuri’s pussy. She is laughably wet, her juices dripping on your finger while your teeth move to bite her collarbone. She moans and hugs your body, pressing herself further down your length which has been an issue in the tight confines of your jeans for way too long—

“Yuri,” Juseon suddenly shouts. “I think you’re the last one to make a wish.”

You pull out your fingers from those drenched folds and even Daehwi backs off from the feast that is Yuri’s ass. Everyone listens closely when Yuri finally gets her wish out.

“I want you three boys to finally get your cocks out and fuck them into my tight holes until I can’t walk anymore. Don’t think, just fuck me.

“I’m your semester trophy tonight.”

Juseon suddenly stands next to you, feet in the cushions of his couch and his pants meet them quickly. He whips out his cock and as if her lips were magnetically drawn to it, Yuri starts to kiss and lick over it. From tip to base, she does not leave out one spot. Equally sudden is Daehwi, who’s pants you can’t even see anymore, but his cock is clearly pressed against Yuri’s cheeks and then on the ring in between them.

To your surprise—not that you ever actively thought about it—their cocks are just average in size, maybe even below that. Yours might be bigger, but they get girls and relationships all the time—your thoughts shouldn’t become so weird, especially because you have already pulled out your own dick and begun to stroke it to the hardest it has ever been.

Yuri, while her face is getting fucked slowly, her boyfriend’s cock entering and leaving her lips, gently places an unwrapped condom into your sweaty hands. Good thing that they are prepared, because you of course did not bring something like this to what could’ve been a harmless party.

Harmless college parties? Yeah, no, who are you kidding. Just roll the plastic contraceptive over your hard shaft and then try to find Yuri’s pussy. Those hot folds, they are right there—further down. You rub along her midriff, navel, even her crotch but are unable to find it.

Yuri pops Juseon’s cock from her lips and smiles at you while her hand continues to lazily jerk the throbbing, wet thing. She reaches in between your legs and finds your thing poking her belly. 

“Should I help you?” she asks and you avoid her eyes in embarrassment—only for a second thought. Something draws you to their sparkle, lewd and thrilled, while she tries to adjust on your lap until— 

“Ah, fuck, Daehwi, wait!”

“Wha-what is it?” he asks with a somewhat annoyed growl, hands wrapped around Yuri’s waist, cockhead perfectly aligned with her asshole.

“Give me a second. I want all of you to thrust in me simultaneously. I never felt something like that.

“It’ll be great.”

You gulp when Yuri gets you to the entrance of her light pink cavern. This is it, the moment you’ve been waiting for for a long time—not really waiting, just dreaming of. Luckily, you don’t need to dream anymore and just focus on not exploding the moment you—

“Now, fuck, now.”

The signal sends your hips upwards in a thrust. It’s not a full thrust, only half of your cock fills Yuri’s insides. You couldn’t commit to all of it; you need to flex your thighs to keep yourself from cumming too quickly. Daehwi and Junseo do not seem to care about that: both went all in from the get go, filling Yuri’s mouth and ass to the brim with their dicks and their thrusts don’t stop. 

Daehwi’s rough, feral pumping gapes Yuri’s ass and you feel every second of it. He is on the other side, careless, just like in the stories from the countless one-night stands that loved his enthusiasm. This is not enthusiasm, more unbridled sexual desire. He chases his own orgasm every time her ass meets his crotch.

For Junseo it’s similar. He seems to really enjoy Yuri’s drool running down her chin, sometimes even stopping the thrusts just to spread it all over her face with either his tip or a finger. You totally understand why he indulges in the way Yuri looks, all messy and silly, but you’d love to hear her moan louder—you want to see the strongest kind of bliss on her features.

Instead of your own pleasure, you try to find Yuri’s spots and poke your cock against them purposefully. You’re a lot slower than the other two, but your stamina does not decrease at all. Unlike Daehwi, you don’t need any brakes to catch your breath. You just continue to fuck Yuri in this mesmerizing rhythm that has her humming on her boyfriend’s shaft.

“Is this good, do you feel good?” you ask her in between deep breaths, arms around her torso, while she finds stability on your shoulder again.

“Yesh, yes,” she mumbles as Junseo flops out of her mouth. You see him shaking, losing his mind when she starts to twist his tip with two fingers. “You can go faster, harder—don’t think of me. I’m just the reward.”

“Too bad.” Whisper in her ear. “All I can think about is my reward.”

Yuri’s expression shifts, like she is trying to challenge you, like she doesn’t believe that you really care about her, like she—and then she can only think of Daehwi again, who goes on another rampage in her back entrance, while covering her ass with hard spanks.

A tender pain on your lower lip when she bites it. You halt your thrusts, but Daehwi makes it feel like Yuri bounces and rubs on your entire cock. You hear both the guys scream profanities while your own profanities are stuck, unable to come out because of Yuri’s bite.

“Yuri, babe, I’m—” Junseo can barely stand. “I’m so close.”

“In my mouth?” she asks, cutely-lewdly.

“N-no, I want to… finish on your ass.”

“Great idea.” Yuri jerks his cock harder and starts to stick out her ass which seems to trigger another orgasm. Instead of politely asking, Daehwi just growls like a wolf to the moon and Yuri feels his thick cum flood her rectum. “Yes, fuck! Fill that ass, creampie me!”

Now that wasn’t cute at all. Just lewd. Lewd like her fucking face when Daehwi’s cock loudly pops out and Junseo sprays his cum all over those red buttocks. She looks thoroughly satisfied with all the white on her skin, in her hole—maybe she isn’t thinking yet of the mess on her couch, the carpet or on her clothes. 

“Fuck, guys, that was—

“Why haven’t you finished yet?”

Yuri looks at you, as if she expects you to just burst from the look in her eyes. No, she underestimates you. Your stamina is still going strong and your enjoyment of her cunt hasn’t diminished by a single percent.

“I-I can still keep going!”

“Really? Let’s see about that.”

As if you had fucked a million times already, Yuri’s riding and your upwards fucking synchronizes instantaneously. When she crashes down, all of your cock fills her hole and when she rises, you’re right at her entrance, ready to repeat what can only be described as heaven—an entry to happiness. 

But happiness isn’t a dominant emotion right now, hell, you don’t even want it. You just want Yuri and her snug pussy always around you, hot and milking you with that flawless texture. The pink thing should accept you the entire night and with how eagerly she slams herself down on your manhood, she wants it too. 

Maybe Yuri feels happiness, maybe that is your wishful thinking blurring with her mindless expression, mindless moans, mindless tongue that suddenly searches for yours and you engage in a tornado of kisses that leads to Yuri resigning. Her body is all yours now, yours alone, and she is begging to cum. Trophy this, award that, in the end she has her needs and you will fulfill them.

Hold onto her waist and like in the final battle of a video game, use all your knowledge and skill to stimulate the inside of her pussy. Nothing can stop you, not the cum from her gaping hole that drips on your balls, not her weight laying on top of you, not the shocked gaze of Junseo—he must have never seen his girlfriend get fucked so well.

“Fuck, I’m-I’m,

“I feel so good, don’t stop.”

Yuri’s whine feels like a victory. You know she will climax before you do. This is all you’ve ever wanted. After this, you can let your feelings for her die in peace. But for these last few thrusts, she is all yours. Her entire body and mind is occupied by you, and so you claim her with a gentle kiss and a not-so-gentle flick on her clit.

“Who makes you cum?”

“You! You, you make me—ah!”

That scream is so long, so good; she is so tight, so perfect. Yuri trembles, electric shocks of pleasure surge all across her body. Her cunt is so tight and hot, you don’t feel the condom anymore and release your seed into it with lazy pumps. Yuri mewls when she feels the hot sticky mess which sadly misses her hot, messy holes and instead sticks to your dick.

“Okay, fuck,” Junseo sighs and sinks onto the carpet. “That was hot, that was crazy.”

“I knew you’d like it,” Yuri weakly says, a bright but tired smile on her lips as she looks back to her boyfriend. She turns back to you, face in adorable scrunches “Lemme, uhm… clean up.”

“Oh, yeah.” You quickly try to get your composure, because you’re still balls deep inside her. “Fuck, sorry about that.”

“Don’t apologize.

Junseo can never hear that. He never will. And Daehwi is long asleep. Those following words are just for you.

“That was the best thing ever.”