#absolute perfection and had such good perfection i was sold on their first interaction

[and-you-found-me]

Anyway Lucajen and Athykiel are the superior WMMAP ships imo

[azzie-tangerine]

For Character Ask:

Susie: 7, 8, 12, 23, 25, 26 (freebie question is what would be her three closest friends out of the notable cast)

Magolor: 7, 8, 20, 21, 22, 23

Hooray lots of questions! This will be long.

Susie: What’s something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

I think Susie deserves to be a lil unhinged. It’s a very specific balance and one tip makes it something I dislike, but I love it when ppl make Susie a good person, just would also make lethal weapons. Would plan to torture her enemies but also go get her nails painted with the girls. Like I said, very specific balance.

Susie: What’s something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

The answer’s p obvious. Thanks to a mistranslation a lot of people make Susie heartless, a jerk, or do things I’d rather not say on this post. I hate that a lot. Is Susie perfect? Absolutely not. She has layers to her character however.

Susie: What's a headcanon you have for this character?

I have already shared a few headcanons, like her being a cyborg or a romance fan. Those are headcanons I adore. I also think that, like Taranza, she’s a hopeless romantic. She loves the idea of falling in love. She just doesn’t have a lot of time to do so.

Susie: Favorite picture of this character?

This one from the twitter. It's also my favorite Taranza picture.

Susie: What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

I don't think I felt much for Susie when I first saw her. Most likely because my first impression of her was... certain art. That traumatized me a bit. Nowadays, I love her. She has daddy issues and definitely a kill count. But she's also sweet and makes lil robot gifts for her friends. She's great.

Susie: What would be their three closest friends out of the notable cast?

I'm a big fan of the Star Allies Wave Three trio (that being her, Magolor and Taranza) all being close. So def them, Susie would probably also be close with Ribbon. Due to a shared interest in girly things.

Magolor: What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

Magolor's a pretty universally loved character in this fandom. So a lot of content of Magolor I end up adoring. If I had to pick a specific thing, I think him interacting with other characters (like trying to sell Elfilin or trying to teach Kirby) are my favorites. I love character dynamics!

Magolor: What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

This one doesn't irk me as much as the answer I had for Susie. I can handle this one pretty well. But still, it does annoy me when people either A. try to justify his actions and make him innocent lil blorbo, or B. Make him not learn a single thing from his mistakes.

Idk I like when characters are complex, so when fandoms simplify a character it can annoy me. This one's not as bad as Susie's though. If you see him as irredeemable or innocent I do not hate you! We can coexist and be friends.

Magolor: Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn't matter?

I think I said this before, but 100% Marx. They're both chaotic, they've both betrayed Kirby, and canon implies they know each other. I tend to get more attached to ships/character dynamics that have some canon backing, so I like Marx and Mags. Platonic, romantic, I don't care. I just think the grape and the cat are a fun duo.

Magolor: What's your favorite thing to do when you're writing for this character? What's something you don't like?

Magolor is probably my favorite character I've written. I love when I write his shopper side. Justifying why he sold his soul for micro transactions, announcing a sale before he disappears in Stuck With The Lor. Also writing him as a cat.

Idk if I hate anything about writing Magolor. He's a fun guy to write!

Magolor: What's something you like in fics when it comes to this character? Something you don't like?

I love it when other writers give Magolor a backstory or reasoning behind wanting the Master Crown. I'm a psych major, so when past affects a character's decisions in the present?? Peak. I did this in Stuck With The Lor too. Magolor hated being powerless as a kid, so he wanted all the power. Only for that to put him in the same position he was in when younger Only a lot worse.

Magolor: Favorite picture of this character?

I just really like the composition of this one. The colors, the hints of every phase of the final boss. I think it's one of my favorite Celebration Pictures in Star Allies (besides the Taranza one. You know which one I'm talking about)

[a-rum-of-ones-own]

Hi!!!

I’m currently reading A Cosmology of Blacks, Malfoys, and Assorted Individuals and just wanted to express how much I love this fic!!! Your writing style is so profoundly passionate and evocative. The way you describe the emotions and inner workings of Draco, his observations and interactions with others, and blend sensory details with atmospheric elements is so poetically done—I seriously can’t deal.

What spurred me to write this was the opening of Chapter 19:

“With their ancient, bony hands, they’d passed her golden bowls filled with brew of black cohosh. Narcissa, panting in the heated darkness of the room she was confined in, had gulped them down, red-dark liquid dripping down her chin and staining the near-translucent smocking of her nightgown.

Winds had battered against the curtained windows. The approach of an early summer storm. The air had been sweltering, hot, over-heavy with lightning that had not yet discharged.”

LIKE UGH…MINDBOGGLINGLY BEAUTIFUL. SERIOUSLY. It’s so viscerally described that I feel like I’m transported right into the room.

I’m trying to consciously pace myself through the remaining chapters because I don’t want to catch up ;( but could you recommend some books that inspired you to write this fic, or even books that influenced your writing? I would be eternally grateful (high-key already am just for the existence of this fic).

I am so thankful to have stumbled upon this gem. You are sosososo talented; I am truly in awe and can’t wait to read more of your work! xxx

Heeey! Thank you so, SO much! I had so much fun writing that scene with the midwives - I cannot resist including scary old ladies and weird little arcane rituals of womanhood in everything I write, lol. I'm a total sucker for it. Give me a scary old woman who may or may not be a morally grey agent of The Dark And Mysterious Powers of the Great Beyond, and I'm sold.

YES, I do have book recs! Fic-writing is, for me, an opportunity for total stylistic self-indulgence, and there are absolutely influences! In general, Cosmology takes a LOT of influence from gothic writing. That entire theme of a house/manor/castle as a pseudo-living thing, the curses of our ancestors coming back to haunt us, ghosts of the past (both in literal and non-literal form), that's all just plain gothic, and I LOVE writing and reading that sort of stuff. Jane Austen's first novel, Northanger Abbey, is a fantastic gothic novel and/or gothic parody, and it's a shame it's not read more widely. It's definitely her first - it's not as absolutely refined as the big names like Pride and Prejudice etc - but it's the one I love the most. There's a proper mystery plot, a cursed house, a romance, a haunting - it's just great.

If you're not a Jane Austen girlie, a HUGE influence for me is Donna Tartt, especially The Secret History and The Goldfinch. If you're into that ornate, atmospheric, scene-setting writing, both will be right up your alley - The Secret History has a bit more of it (and is, imo, the better one to start out with), but they're both just amazing. One day, I want to be able to write like Donna Tartt does. She's the OG, she's the GOAT, she's perfect, she's probably my favourite contemporary author.

Also: Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House. It's one of my absolute favourite books, but (warning!) it's not literary fiction or romance, it's very much the story of a haunting. If you're absolutely not into horror, stay clear. Similarly, The Perfume by Patrick Süßkind is BEAUTIFUL, but absolutely not a romance. I've only read it in the original and can't vouch for any translations into English, but judging by the reviews, the sheer VibesTM seem to come across even in translation. The original is one of the best books I've ever read, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for something truly unique. I've also recently read V.C. Andrew's Flowers in the Attic for the first time, and found it really good in that gothic sense, but mind ALL the trigger warnings on that one. I don't deal well with graphic depictions of more realistic violence/abuse, especially if it involves kids (stylised/fantastical and implicit violence is fine, but anything that reads too 'real' and 'logically possible irl' doesn't agree with my stomach), and it's got some of that. I skipped a page or two, but still found it a prime example of Southern Gothic.

Thank you so so much again! I hope to get the next chapter of Cosmology out soon!

[lazyyogi]

Master Mala Maker: Sandalwood Blues

Mantra meditation will always have a special place in my heart. It was the first kind of meditation I ever practiced and it was the first spiritual practice that triggered a totally unexpected awakening experience in me.

Some of my writings on mantra meditation:

Initiation into Mantra

Introduction to Mantra Meditation 1

Introduction to Mantra Meditation 2

Given this gratitude for mantra (and my affection for tactile toys), it comes as no surprise that I really love a good mala, also known as prayer beads.

A mala is used to count the number of times a mantra is repeated in a meditation session. Since there are a finite number of beads in a mala, it also serves as a timer for the meditation. After the meditation, the mala can be worn around the neck, wrapped around a wrist, or kept in a pocket. Whenever the day's events threaten to unbalance you, the mala can then act as a touchstone, helping to touch base with the awareness cultivated during your practice.

There are many styles of prayer beads. Variations include the number of beads in the mala, the materials of the beads, the colors of the cord, whether or not to have knots between the beads, and any ornamentation of the guru bead with or without a tassel.

Over the years, I have acquired a mala now and then from a variety of makers. Recently I discovered a truly exceptional maker and I would be remiss not to share his business with you all.

It all began when I was searching for a sandalwood mala on etsy over the summer. I had seen sandalwood malas before, selling for around $30 or so. So when I discovered similar appearing malas selling for over $100 at Sandalwood Blues, I was a little confused. Until I learned, unsurprisingly, that most "sandalwood" prayer beads sold are counterfeit, in a sense. Authentic Mysore sandalwood is relatively endangered, is only harvested in small sustainable batches, and as such is rather costly. It is so prized because of the exquisite natural scent that emanates from the wood.

I was suspicious but also intrigued. Was there really that big of a difference? Well, I bought a sandalwood mala from the shop and to my surprise, it was very unlike the other "sandalwood" prayer beads I had seen before. The grain of the beads was much finer and smoother while the fragrance was unmistakable. It was one of those things with an undeniable difference in quality.

Impressed, I went back to the Sandalwood Blues shop to see what else they had. And that's when I saw they had chikna rudraksha.

Rudraksha are seeds that are traditionally used as beads for malas in India. They are my absolute favorite when it comes to material. They look like little brains and, over time, the highest quality rudraksha beads will darken, harden, and take on a shine. It is like the mala transforms with love and presence. Chikna rudraksha are the highest quality of rudraksha seed. If you held a chikna rudraksha and regular rudraksha mala in your hands, you would immediately discern the difference.

So of course I bought a rudraksha mala from Sandalwood Blues as well.

It. Was. Perfect.

The only other place I had found similar quality beads was from a Hindu spiritual supply company based in India. And if I am being honest, I actually felt these were even higher quality than the Indian company's.

At that point, I was sold. This kind of attention to quality at a reasonable price is just incredibly rare in this day and age. So when I had the idea for a custom mala as a gift for my girlfriend, I reached out to the shop owner, Jarek. Just when I thought this shop couldn't impress me more, interacting with the owner and creator took it to another level.

Jarek is a kind and abundantly knowledgeable craftsman. He responds to every message the same day, often in a matter of minutes. What's more, he really understood my vision. I realized that once I conveyed what I had in mind, I could leave a significant amount of the decision making up to him and trust his process.

The mala was perfect, a gorgeous pearl and rudraksha mala that really blew me away. And when I wanted another custom mala for my Kriya Yoga practice (depicted at the top of this post), I went straight back to Jarek.

From now on, he is my go-to master craftsman for any prayer bead questions or needs. He demonstrated such superb quality in both his materials and constructions while also displaying an intuitive understanding of his customer's needs.

I always feel that people and businesses whose love and passion inspire them to go above and beyond need to be shared with others. Especially when they are masters of their art.

It makes me so happy knowing Jarek is out there making these magical creations that both support spiritual practices while adorning the practitioner with the symbolic fruits of their practice.

May his work contribute to the peace, freedom, and happiness of all beings in all worlds.

LY

[miscellaneouscolorfulthoughts]

First of all, I've absolutely loved the fic, I love how you write them interacting with eachother. Secondly, I'd love to hear more about your lube research because from what I've gathered Vaseline was invented in 1872, but it became a popular lubricant in the mid 1900's and the first comercial lube was invented in 1904.

Thanks for your fic!

I full body CACKLED at this ask 🤣 thank you for liking my fic! It means the world to me that people are liking it!

As for the research…

I am no historian by ANY means, so I just waved my hand around some technical things and made up a rhetoric for myself:

If one person from this couple is a more seasoned veteran on being gay, he’d know more about **things**

Said person is not rich (by the era standards) but he’s probably got good connections in a community that is marginalized and persecuted (meaning, they’ve got each other’s backs and would help out with almost anything, to their abilities)

Probably has had more than 1 partner in the past so it’s trial and error, practice makes perfect, and experience mixed all together

Taking all of this into consideration… while yes, petroleum jelly was **just** invented but hadn’t actually gained a popular status in the market, what were other historically known substances used prior to its invention?

Oils.

And Henry could probably get his hands on some better quality ones (both by his presence as a photographer and how alluring people used to find that profession [ie. payment through services or favors/products for **explicit** photography]). So think, more than the cooking olive oil or oils you’d find in a kitchen, he’d probably have access to things like clove oil or even hemp seed oil. Maybe even GOOD quality ones that come from outside England (importing them would’ve made them wayyy more expensive, but if poppy sold for cheaper than bread, surely some seller would sell nice oils for a more affordable price).

… or they could’ve easily raw-dogged it and used saliva.

[ndostairlyrium]

Fanfiction Writer Bingo 🎲

Tagged by @greypetrel ✨ thanks dear ;; also for your input!

Edit: @shivunin I just noticed your tag, thank you so much ;; 💛

Before developing some of the slots, I'm quoting what @greypetrel wrote about the central statement, which is one of the reasons I asked for her opinion:

FanFiction is an actual literary genre as much as anything that gets written and read by other people. It's niche and it's for free, it doesn't mean it's inherently bad. "Fan Fiction" shouldn't be a synonym with "Poor writing and lack of originality"... Or no fanfiction would ever be published and sold millions of copies, am I right? ;) ("But some FF is pretty bad.". Yes, but so are published books. Publishing comes with editors and translators, authors are not alone and yet I could give you examples of published books that are just good to be used for decoupage.)

For me it was totally one of those "ooh, that makes sense" moments one has when reading something they never thought about. Both here and privately she put things in a way that makes absolutely sense and I wanted to highlight it ;; hope you don't mind having this reposted <3

Anyway!

I'm not an elder in whatever fandom space but I do have both a livejournal and a ff.net account lol and I still hold gently in my hands my efp account - if you're italian and into fics you know that site don't lie a nonna >> *buca palloni*

I tried to post on wattpad last year but I'm afraid I'm too old for that site :'D even if it has some cool personalization features.

I did roleplay! A lot, actually! it was my personality trait for a while lol VtM was a big fave <3 I even wrote a small short story instead of an actual backstory for the character I never had the chance to play ;;

Everything I write is 100% self indulgent << never doubt that!

Whatever you see going on in my tags here on this blog, I do that too on comments most of the times. Dude, I edit my comments twice before posting because they're filled with "aaaa eeeek uuuughhh"s :'DDD also they're full of gifs and memes << I'm an annyoing commentator (is that english? lmao) I really should restart reading and commenting fics now that I'm officially on holidays ;;

I do have three unfinished projects. Unfortunately, one is like... To be fair, I'm still bitter about how I handled it, because it's that fic that "deserves more attention". Deserved it, actually, and I forced myself to remove it because the fact that it had few interactions and it wasn't well received even within my mutual's circle was giving me severe anxiety. I took it way too personally <<' Now, I must thank and praise @underneathestars here because if it wasn't for her support, I wouldn't even have posted the final chapters of the first part. That was an "I wrote it for fun, I wasn't having fun" type scenario, basically. I was in a bad headspace and now that I'm less demanding with myself I'm starting to having much more fun writing ;; it took me a while to figure out that I don't need to be perfect in something I like to do in order to enjoy it and now I'm legit having the time of my life with the one I'm posting :'D

Sorry for the rant lol

Blank and tags:

I'm tagging: @underneathestars (ofc &lt;3) @sparatus @demandthedoodles and I see everyone else had been tagged lol so whoever wants to do this, consider yourself tagged

[thekinkyleopard]

Interview with a Ship

A Couple’s interview with

BlyFry

Decided we would kick off this month’s couple interview with our newest editions! Freya and Blythe! @aller-geez Owns Freya 🥰

Alright girls! First question!! Who is the more flirty one out of the two of you?

Oh, most certainly me, Freya is a mess when it comes to flirtations, 🤭 but gosh it surely is adorable when she tries. 😍

Bly 🥺 That’s not fair…I don’t have as much customary knowledge as you for, flirting. I spent the first few centuries of my existence just watching over people, so flirting was something I’ve had to learn through Blythe..

if I’m honest! 👉🏻👈🏻

Awe, that’s so very sweet though, we love learning through our partners!! Question 2! Who would win in a game of hide and seek?

Probably Freya, Im not very patient and I don’t rather enjoy the anxiety that comes with having to stay quiet and still 😬🫥

I would have to agree, as Blythe gave me the training of a lifetime while I was still her Angel. Trying to keep her safe AND avoid being seen definitely kept me on my toes ૮₍ ´ ꒳ `₎ა

Question 3, Who is more codependent?

We’re a bit both codependent I’d say, she risked heaven, I sold my soul….pretty….equally obsessed with one another when you look at it from an outside perspective 🤷🏻‍♀️

-giggles- exactly! Not everything is a competition, you know~ ( ⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝)

Question 4, Who is more willing to compromise?

Me, most certainly. Blythe is a bit more on the stubborn side 🤭

What? I am not! I am super agreeable, and I am always willing to compromise for you! 😩

Sure you are Honey, sure you are 😌

Question 5, who is the more picky eater?

I’ll eat almost anything you give me, unless it has cheese. I hate cheese. Can’t stand the smell, texture or taste. 🤢

I’ll try anything once but the food here is so bland… so I guess that means I’m the picky eater, then, huh? ૮˶´ ᵕˋ ˶ა

Question 6, What makes you worry about the other?

I worry, that someday her choosing me, will eventually take her away from me…and that day, if it were to ever come…I better learn how to slay a God….

My biggest fear is that one day she will regret selling away her soul to spare my fate… she was so young, with so much potential that my stupid decisions took away… -clears her throat and wipes away a single tear from her eye- anyway! We don’t like to think about those kind of things~ ૮₍ ˶•⤙•˶ ₎ა

Question 7, Last question! What is your favorite feature on your partner?

Her jaw, hips, inner thighs….her ass…collar bones…oh my god her ti-…breasts…*clears throat* I’m a big fan. 🫠🤤

Oh gosh, there’s so many good answers here… it’s gotta be a tie! Her gorgeous silver eyes when the sunlight hits them just right… It’s like watching someone smelt platinum, just fascinating and absolutely beautiful at the same time; an art form~ But of course, I can’t forget about the perfect shape of her lips, even the little pout she gets on them whenever she doesn’t get something she wants… -winks at Blythe with a giggle-

And that’s all the questions we have for today! Thank you ladies for indulging with us, and for everyone who takes the time to interact! 😘🥰

[svankmajerbaby]

my very long winded thoughts on episode two of chucky season 2

summary: better than the first episode but still leaves me cold when comparing it to season 1. funnier moments interesting developments and new characters dont fully compensate for the weird pacing and things being mostly setup.

the biggest issue for me so far is definitely that the first season was such a solid 8, and this one is kind of like a weak 6

i thought we would have more of the new characters, at least to establish them better and have a feel of their personalities. but sister ruth (freddie lounds!!!!!!!) made me miss ms fairchild big time, and the detective looking for nica and his interactions with tiffany made me somehow miss gladys from season 1 (the funny "high as a kite" lady, the woman who chucky gave the razor apple to on halloween night and who later was the realtor who sold tiffany the old ray house). i think even the tied-up guy back at the hotel had more of an attitude than these new faces. i dunno if thats a casting thing or a writing thing tbh. the previous episode had ended with an interesting note regarding that boy trevor, but he was absolutely nothing in his only scene here. lexy keeps saying hes evil hes awful but we dont get anything specific (”life a living hell” this and that, i need details), so it feels even more like just talking and no real outcome

nadine is a sweetheart though. i really like her and how she is so drastically different to the other three main kids, even though putting a kid in a catholic boarding school for kleptomania (what a letdown of a backstory tbh) when theres others who were sent there for blowing up a kid with a homemade bomb feels.... a bit weird. but whatever, what do i know. i just hope she gets something to do besides hang around the main three, bc otherwise the feeling that she will only be around to be killed by chucky for some quick emotional impact is not going to go away.

i!! actually loved!!!! that one scene in class with the teacher talking about hieronymus bosch, along with that projection it gave me big hannibal in florence vibes and i loved seeing jake talking about art, even if it was just a quick thing. im really curious about the religious aspect of the season, beyond the aesthetics, which so far seem to be the only way it really impacts the story. i think it was a missed opportunity to not make any of the three kids catholic/religious, especially either jake or devon (not even super religious, just a mention of being baptized or having been raised in a christian household), since that would intersect very well with issues of guilt which feels like its going to be a running theme for jake in particular. having him feel guilty for everything that happened so far (which makes perfect sense and his two little breakdowns were very well done i think) and not really have anything to do with the religious environment feels like such a waste.... especially with how interesting it could be to acknowledge fully how devon sawa is once again portraying a sort of paternal authority figure, continuing with his authority role as logan and lucas. maybe its just too subtle for my thick skull, maybe its something they will build towards as the season goes on, who knows

i really really really hope devon gets more to do in the rest of the season. jake has his guilt, lexy has her drug addiction, and devon... he feels so lightweight compared to the other two. i love him so much, hes a sweetheart (and i think he would accomplish what i think?? nadines role is meant to fulfill) but having him just be the emotional rock for jake in this season is not enough, nor is it to keep the previous seasons tug of war with jake regarding their relationship and whether theyre good for one another. i was all episode hoping hed come up with some interesting info on the school and with charles lee rays childhood in it or something..... devon is a smart one, he made the important research and came up with the trap in season 1, and i wish the series remembered that, like it remembered that jake is an artist at heart

really dumb thought but im kinda glad that in the scene with nica and chucky talking inside her head we didnt get like a gollum/smeagol, david-hasselhoff-as-jekyll-and-hyde-the-musical thing (not that fiona dourif wouldnt be able to pull it off); i liked that it showed them as two separate entities even in her own body. probably not the intention but i always like to see nica in some way in control of herself and it makes absolute sense that in that discussion with him she would conceptualize him as a being apart from her. i do think we will eventually get a pretty hammy “shifting” scene and it will be probably a little bit cringe even if its fiona’s wonderful acting

i liked seeing nica trying to manipulate tiffany to leave her alone with her chiding her for wasting money, it was believable but also just clumsy enough of an effort to show shes really getting desperate and that tiffany is still smart enough to realize when shes trying to get her to do something. tiffany as a whole has been feeling just a little too.... dumb? in some way? especially with how little care she put into even properly lying to that detective. like i know its meant to be funny.... but i dont want the comedy to come from tiffany being clueless or dumb. shes ditzy and a bit naive but never dumb

and also i really didnt like the opening credits with the portraits. what the heck was that. i know its a detail and im petty but that was so lazy why didnt we get like crucifixes or sth else, even if it didn’t fit super well it made more sense than those silly production images of the doll and of fiona floating around...........

most of all i feel like stuff IS happening in each episode (here theres the interesting thing with the doll doing recon and taking those pictures?? for some reason???? and now chucky and nica working together to break free and get revenge) but its nowhere as tightly structured and well built up to as in the first season. im thinking of how every scene added a little more to the characters and the environment and the dynamics and how it juggled a whole bunch of plotlines masterfully, while here i think we might have. three. if we count devon and jake, and lexy and nadine as separates. and theres still this feeling of waiting for something else to happen, of building up to something, instead of a constant succession of impactful events. i hoped first episode was all setup even if it wasnt super well conveyed, and this episode too felt most of all like catching up and setting up possible threads. it got better after the halfway point but it still feels like a slow climb. thinking it will eventually get better isnt much of a comfort to me when i can easily remember how much better season one was

[strangefellows]

Two different fandoms and I know in general but I'm curious about the details, Cu and Emet?

First impression

Emet: God my reaction was basically OH GOD, NO when he popped up the first time because I'd been so burned by Ardyn's treatment and how he was mishandled in XV, and Emet giving me Ardyn vibes nearly immediately triggered my panic button of NO I DON'T WANT THIS AGAIN. I did NOT want to like him and get fucked over again.

Cu: Hot! Hot guy! Oh, Cu Chulainn, I know him! He's my dad's favorite myth hero! My dad and I watched UBW together, so he was pretty hyped to see Cu, and though at the time I didn't know as much about him, I thought he looked pretty cool and I'm a nut for Irish/Celtic mythos, so I was intrigued.

Impression now

Emet: MY LOVE MY DARLING, YOU BASTARD MAN. I can tell you the exact moment I gave in was in Amaurot, during Hyth's little speech about Emet when they had a nearly frame-by-frame perfect recreation of an Ardyn scene (the bit where Emet's walking down the street shot in dif angles) and it hit me that Ishikawa was not going to do me dirty like Tabata did, and I just went "oh okay I can safely love him". He's fantastic and one of my favorite FF characters now but also FUCK YOU FOR LEAVING YOU ABSOLUTE BITCHLORD

Cu: I LOVE HIM SO MUCH [sobbing] his interactions with Rin and Shirou in UBW were what sold me on him completely, he was just so warm and friendly and teasing, and so clearly a loyal badass, and his death scene absolutely destroyed my ass, and then I read about myth Cu and screamed a bit because he's SO COOL, and then FGO ruined me further. He's incredible.

Favorite moment

Emet: "You've committed the cardinal sin of boring me." is one of them for sure, but also Literally Everything In Elpis. The moment when you go in as a DPS and this motherfucker is a DRK.

Cu: Absolutely destroying Kirei in UBW, CasCu wrecking Corrupted Emiya's shit in the Fuyuki Singularity anime, every single time in my FGO file this absolute Irish cockroach has been my last man standing and saved the entire fight for me singlehandedly, my love my darling.

Idea for a story

Emet: YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED YOU BITCH; anything like that I guess, but also let me see more past shenanigans.

Cu: God, IDK, myth stuff? Chaldea shenanigans? Let this man have a damn nap?

Unpopular opinion

Emet: ....I'm not sure what's unpopular or not anymore? It's hard to say.

Cu: I absolutely fucking despise the "Oh no, you killed Cu!" joke, it's not funny, mildly insulting frankly, and it needs to knock it off. He has plenty of comedic potential without him needing to be lol-murdered every five minutes. The comedic abuse angle is awful. (On a less salty note, I don't ship Cu and Emiya, though yall do yall XD)

Favorite relationship

Emet: EmetAzemHyth OT3, obviously! Though Emet and non-Azem WoLs is fun to explore too, his relationship with them.

Cu: Besides how much I fucking adore the BFF relationship I've written between him and my Fujimaru? ALL ABOARD THE GOOD DINGHY SS CUROBIN!!!! Though CuGil is a fun secondary ship, and like I said for Gil, the Cu+Gil+Emiya friendship trio is delightful.

Favorite headcanon

Emet: I like the idea he has some sentimental feelings towards the Garlean Empire (its people specifically) despite everything, and it would kinda break his heart to see it as of EW.

Cu: Trans Cu thanks very much. Also I headcanon a VERY DIFFERENT version of events regarding Aife and Connla's conception that I won't talk about here, but I do prefer my version given Cu's stated personality. (Also I like thinking he was actually pretty loyal to Emer despite the flirting, he doesn't seem the type to actively cheat, regardless of what's said his personality doesn't to me seem the type.)

[mistmaya]

Finally got around to watching Puss and Boots: The Last Wish… my head is incredibly full of (extremely positive) thoughts that I just have to unleash on the internet. **INCOMING SPOLIERS**

The premise of the movie already held plenty of promise- a hero down to his last limbs, the classic humbling of an egotist. In this case, a cat on his last life. It´s a set-up that´s honestly quite easy for writers to embrace with a straightforward theme: don’t take life for granted. So Dreamworks could’ve settled for the basic and still produced something pretty good but they did. Not. Settle.

Rather than a slow decline towards a humbling, Puss becomes vulnerable within the first 15 minutes when he encounters Death. From there, his identity-burial and trip to retirement set up the story for not just a lesson on appreciating what you have, but also what you can have if you’re willing to change for the better. It´s sweet, and it gets better with the introduction of Perrito.

Ngl, I was a bit skeptical about El Perrito when the movie began. I’m not a fan of perfect gag characters who simply exist for forcing life lessons upon the main characters and a quick laugh. El Perrito could’ve been one of those guys, but he absolutely wasn’t thanks to the way the writers walked the fine line between taking him seriously and as a joke with excellent balance. The scene where he comforted Puss through his anxiety attack was such a fantastic way of not only acknowledging the tangible effects of mental health issues but also the value of mental health care. (Go therapy dogs! <3) Also the humor drawn out of his backstory was absolutely foul in the best way. I probably busted a lung when he started cussing out the Bears.

Speaking of comedy, Big Jack was an unexpectedly hilarious villain. He really reminded me of how refreshing it can be to have a bad guy without a complex backstory, just some grade A asshole who’s never going to be satisfied even if he’s lived the most privileged life. We’ve got plenty of those assholes out here in the real world so its plenty of fun watching their downfall. Loved him and Jiminy´s interactions.

I already knew from the trailer and plenty of tweets that the animation was going to be impressive, but man, there’s nothing like seeing it in person. The fight sequencing was extremely creative and fun from the start. (Puss vs the Sleeping Giant absolutely had to have been inspired by Attack on Titan and we love to see it.) The detailing form Puss´ goosebumps to Goldí´s necklaces made the whole viewing super immersive. And man. The aesthetic choices (like holy cow that one red and black scene were Puss was running from Death in the Cave of lost souls??) were basically perfect. Pretty, intense, the whole package.

The romance between Puss and Kitty was just zesty enough to not be cringe. Tension, pining, sweet interactions… I’m sold. A solid found family with Perrito, but we can’t forget the most lovable and heart wrenching family: Goldi and the Three Bears. The sibling dynamic was both very real and hilarious to watch. But more importantly, Goldi’s gradual realization was a super engaging side plot that added a great parallel to puss. 10/10.

As for Death… goosebumps man. That wolf whistle was chilling- you can’t help but get the same raised hairs as Puss. A damn good take on the Grim Reaper archetype. Everything about him from his design to his lines had me running mental laps in the theater.

Overall, it’s such a relief to see Dreamworks genuinely valuing creative animation and powerful storytelling- they´ve been changing the game ever since Spiderverse came out. They didn’t really have to put their heart and soul into this movie seeing as it´s already part of one of the most cherished franchises ever made, but they did! And the fact that the movie was rooted in earnest passion really shows!

[shannananan]

Incomplete list of 2023 TV & Movies - I’ve been adding to this list all year without any revisions passed initial reactions. 2023 really served loads of anticipated adaptations, sequels and original content. It felt like we were truly in a sweet spot of beautiful things put to film. 

Starting in chronological order of when I saw each, and yes, i know there’s still ones I missed.

--

January - The Legend of Vox Machina Season 2: 9/10 Chroma Conclave, Kaylie, Matron of Ravens, surprising amount of Pikelan

February - The Last of Us: 9/10 Im new in town so going into this show at face value has been a delightful horror

March - Shadow & Bone Season 2: 7/10 Writing went out the window in episode 7 or would have been higher. Would have been lower if Crows weren’t cast in actual perfection

April - Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves: 10/10 Truly the most fun at the theatres in years. 

May - Queen Charlotte: 9/10 i was not prepared to sob uncontrollably for a solid 20 minutes

May - Guardians of the Galaxy 3: N/A  I can’t properly assess this movie. I was in an absolute horrible state the day I saw it and given the themes of the film, I sobbed for nearly two hours straight. Did I enjoy it? No. Is it an incredibly written and acted rage-filled magnum opus? Absolutely. 

June - The Little Mermaid: 7.5/10 Surprised how delightful it was. Eric & Ariel’s chemistry was excellent, the changes gave the characters more depth. Detracted points for the Scuttlebutt Rap.

June - Across the Spiderverse: 15/10 Perfection and then some. 

June - Nimona: 8/10 What an absolutely refreshing delight

July - Dragon Prince Season 5: 7/10 Lost me in the first half but damn that pirate arc came thru

July - Barbie: 10/10 Perfection, no notes. The first absolutely sold out movie theatre experience in years and the entire audience was in pink. S U B L I M E

August - Good Omens 2: 8/10 ... 9/10 so long as we get a season 3. (December update: Okay we did it kids)

August - Oppenheimer: 8/10 Wonderfully executed. RDJ snapping up that Supporting Actor award. Excellent twist and beautiful all around. could’ve shaved about 40 mins off. 

August - Heartstopper 2: 7/10  saccharinely sweet in the best way, i think i am just a bit too elder millennial for high school shows now

August - Red White & Royal Blue: 6/10 (upon rewatch with the girlies - 8/10) Are parts of it cringey? Yes. Are parts of it surprisingly lovely? Yes Perfect girls night rom-com. 

August - Strange New Worlds: “Those Old Scientists”  13/10    “Subspace Rhapsody” 15/10 Perfection. No Notes. 

September - One Piece Live Action: 8/10 I’m new in town with no previous interaction with the anime or manga (beyond osmosis from friends) and it was an utter delight

September - Blue Beetle: 7.5/10 Honestly a fantastic origin superhero movie. If it had come out before Superhero movie fatigue and hadn’t gotten lost in the strikes, this is a solid movie. They got the family dynamic RIGHT. 

October - Book Extra: Percy Jackson & The Chalice of the Gods: 10/10 can’t even be mad that it was short cause more books are coming

October - Podcast Extra: Strike Force Five: 9/10 Going into Episode 5 innocently before any lore had been built around has got to be the hardest I’ve laughed at any media for over an hour for a long time. i had a headache afterwards

October - Our Flag Means Death Season 2: 8/10 My perfect show isn’t perfect anymore and that’s okay. MVP of the season was blackbeard’s wig 15/10

November - The Marvels: 6/10 I really really wanted to like this movie. The weight of the MCU brought it down and muddied the screenplay into something mediocre rather than letting it lean into a genre film. I will give it props that the use of Memory healed something in my soul that fundamentally broke during Cats (2019). 

November - Killers of the Flower Moon: 9/10 The horror is in the slow, quiet, mundanity that stretches through the entire film. with impeccable performances by Lily Gladstone and Robert de Niro. It is not a comfortable or easy watch and I absolutely understand the Indigenous critique of the film and that there is space for layered discussions. 

December - The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes: 9/10 Having not read the book and not revisiting THG series since it’s cultural zeitgeist, it was amazing how easy it was to fall back into the world. This film carries a different kind of dirtier grounded authenticity that hits closer to the world we live in right now than the later stories in the world. The interweaving of music is masterful and no one is doing it like Rachel Zegler right now. A villain doomed by his own hubris, paranoia, and drive for power, this was an incredible origin story 

December - The Boy & The Heron: 9/10 When the movie ended i just sat there thinking “that was one of the most beautiful things ive ever seen”. Did I understand all of it? No. And thats okay. Esoteric, whimsical, emotionally driven by grief and a child trying to understand mortality. It had all the Miyazaki hits: funky lil round friends, mouth-watering food, the most unhinged lil grandmas, a beautiful world doomed for destruction, a weird little man, a highly competent badass lady, and the most existential questions about existence. 

December - Percy Jackson & The Olympians (so far): 9/10 With only 3 episodes released before the end of the year - it’s incredible. PJO fans are winning. Jason Mantzoukas is perfect casting. The trio have so much chemistry. I would die for Grover, Aryan is killing it.

December - Honourable Mention: Silver Skates (2020): 12/10 Stumbled onto this Russian movie on Netflix and It. Has. Everything. You want Six of Crows and Peaky Blinders on skates? You want Russian-knock-off Tom Holland? It’s serving Anastasia/Titanic/Moulin Rouge. The cinematography is stunning. My heart would not stop racing. 

[verymuchablog42]

i just got home from one of the greatest lives performances i've seen to date. i saw arlie and the wrecks at zydeco and the entire experience could not have been more perfect.

unlike the other shows i've gone to seen, i actually was familiar with arlie and had been wanting to see them in concert so bad, so when i saw that they were touring with the wrecks i nearly fainted.

i actually had the pleasure and privilege of seeing the wrecks in june during their "better than ever" tour. it was my first time seeing them live and it absolutely sold me on the band. i was also introduced to girlhouse (another group with which i fell in love) through them.

anyways, of course i bought the ticket to go see them when they would be near me, it was something of a perfect line up. i was completely unaware of what the venue would be like until i got there. the last time i saw the wrecks they had sold out a split-level popular denver venue that could fit over a thousand people. i was expecting something along those lines.

zydeco was tiny -- a bar, the stage and a couple hundred square feet of standing space. everyone was packed in like sardines, but there were still significantly fewer people than the denver show. the ceilings were probably just over 7 feet tall and the barrier in front of the stage was more of a fence than a wall. it was perfect. the crowd had such great chemistry and the entire performance was so intimate. i was less than fifty feet from the stage despite the fact that i hadn't shown up particularly early or pushed particularly hard to be at the front. nick and i made eye contact and he smiled at me during infinitely ordinary (still trying to process that experience haha).

i nearly lost my voice from all the screaming. i called my roommate to tell her i was on my way home and could barely talk. it was incredible.

arlie was breathtaking. some groups have a stage presence that is well built -- the artists know how to interact with the crowd, how to keep them engaged, etc -- much like the wrecks's stage presence. nick knows how to tease the next song for maximum cheers and when to break for banter or storytelling. other artists have a stage presence that comes from pure magnetism. arlie did very little outside of say "hey, this is our band, arlie" and "okay, this is the next song," but they had the crowd wrapped around their fingers. the build up to 'too long' and the face melting guitar solos in 'barcelona boots' were impossible to look away from. the saxophone freestyle that layered into a cool intro for the next track literally had the audience holding their breath. even despite the technical difficulties the group faced, when their set was up the crowd started chanting, begging for arlie to do an encore. as if they were the headliners and not the openers. because arlie has found a way to generate awe and raw attraction simply by being onstage and playing their songs. it was unlike any other performance i've ever seen and i cannot wait for the day when they are the headliners and i am screaming "one more song" at the end of their set. until then i will continue to listen to blackboard.edu on the daily and treasure the fact that i was able to witness such an incredible show.

there will definitely be more to come about this particular concert, but i am exhausted from jumping around for nearly two hours, so i am going to post this and go to bed. good night all!

[koulakoukoula2003]

Potential Writers that don't post their stuff cuz they lack confidence

don't

lack

confidence

I know it's not that simple but

HEAR ME OUT

Fanfic is a fanmade work that you're not getting paid to write and publish, ok? No one's paying you, you waste your own free time on it. And since no one's paying you to write fic, THEN YOUR FIC DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT

If it was an original book that you'd publish THEN SURE it must be perfect, but if it is fanfic, you gain absolutely nothing from it (except maybe psychological satisfaction cuz writing fics FEELS good) IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT (imma scream this way too many times).

Listen to me, people don't care about quality anymore. We're not in the 50s when you had to write esays that sound like fucking Shakespeare.

Oh? did you notice that 'esays' over there? Did you also notice that 'did' in the previous sentence where the 'd' should've been a capital 'D'?

I rushed to write and I made those mistakes, SO WHAT?! DID THE WORLD END? No, it didn't, cuz most of you didn't even notice it, and the rest of you don't even care.

That's what readers think about (the majority at least) when you make grammatical and vocabulary errors in your fic.

YES, PEOPLE DON'T CARE ABOUT QUALITY. People don't know how to appreciate nor how to recognise quality. The standards have dropped DRAMATICALLY. They've dropped in music (most ppl think trap is music), arts (some dude stuck a banana on a wall with fucking ducktape and sold this for 3 million USD or sth), literature (50 shades of grey). The standards have dropped, you don't have to sound like Shakespeare anymore.

So yeah, go ahead and write your ideas. There's so much trash in the internet rn, no matter how bad you think your writing is, somebody has definitely already posted something worse out there.

And you're most likely a non-english native speaker, so what? I learned English writing fic. My first fic was so fucking badly written, but it still got around 1 million readers and is still getting more!

I know people who are English native speakers, but even they fuck up their own language (which btw is the easiest language in the world).

Oh??? So you're one of those ppl? WRITE, WRITE, WRITE. You'll never improve unless you practice, and you can't practice if you don't WRITE. How do you expect to sound like Tolkien if you don't work hard and practice by writing?

Start WRITING.

You may have the most amazing ideas in your brilliant head, but if you don't write them, and if you never post them, then no one will ever know about them. You have gifts to give to the world. Don't starve the world of what you have to offer.

Write, write, write. You have nothing to lose. Your confidence is ALREADY low, your self-esteem is ALREADY LOW, you literally have NOTHING to lose. Just write.

Afraid of being criticized? Lemme just remind you that whoever criticises you YOU'LL NEVER MEET THEM IN YOUR LIFE.

That's what's great about the internet, everybody you interact with online, you'll never, ever, ever meet them. So what if they tell you your writing sucks? You.don't.care. It's that simple. You write because it makes you feel good, now, because a few mfs don't like your writing, THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT to tell you that your writing sucks and I will explain you why.

Do they pay you to write this fic????? No. Fanfiction is a free work. So, they have no right to have demands like "noooo you shouldn't have done this" or "BADLY WRITTEN, 0/1O" like FUCK OFF if you don't like it DON'T READ IT, MF

BUT, when you get critique like "that sentence needs a comma" or "you could've put this word here instead" THAT kind of critique is IMPORTANT.

DON'T GET OFFENDED when you get that kinda critique, ffs don't be a crybaby, you NEED to improve. Even if you are fucking Tolkien, you NEED to keep improving. Keep adding new words in your vocabulary and for the love of God, learn Grammar cuz English grammar is the easiest there is. Get.better. You can't stay stagnant.

If you don't get criticised by complete strangers, you'll never learn what you do wrong! If you give your mom, your friends, your bf/gf/x to read your fic, they're gonna tell you that it's great, it's amazing because they love you. But strangers show no mercy. They are brutally honest. They have absolutely nothing personal with you. They'll simply tell you what you do wrong. Let them point out your mistakes and better yourself accordingly.

That's what progress is. Do that, and in five years, you'll have improved so much, your confidence will be in the highest heights, and you're gonna look back at your first fics and you're gonna be like WHAT KINDA GREMLIN WROTE THIS lmao

If you don't try something, you'll never discover your potential.

So what if you fail completely to learn anything? Did the world end?

Try harder.

[erodasfishtacos]

could u please do like a harry x youtuber/influencer!reader and like lots of fluff🥺

Hi bubbie! Here you go :)))

Word Count: 4k

Warnings: Language

Harry was panicking. His mum and sister were going to be here in less than two hours and he’s burnt the eggplant parmigiana he had worked tediously on. 

He grabbed what he had left in his fridge - ground beef, shredded cheddar cheese, and a little bit of bacon. 

It was the type of foods he usually strayed away from so sometimes when his shopper would bring this stuff home - he’d avoid it and admittedly sometimes it would go bad sitting in the fridge.

The singer pulls up YouTube onto his phone - hoping something would come up when he typed in the ingredients on the search bar.

He clicks on the first video by cookingwithnofucks. A chuckle at the name as an advertisement plays.

A cute, bubbly girl appears on screen in a beautiful modern kitchen. She has a shirt on that says ‘fuck the patriarchy and eat pizza’. A high ponytail and minimal makeup.

“Okay - today we’re making a cheeseburger casserole,” the girl chirps, “It’s a heart attack in a dish but it’s so fucking good.”

Harry finds himself smiling as he crinkles his nose - it sounds absolutely disgusting but he’s intrigued more by the girl on the screen.

“Shit, I forgot to introduce myself. Hiii, if you’re new - I’m Y/N and I do cooking shit. Subscribe to my channel and all that jazz,” she titters while cutting open her beef package.

Harry follows along step-by-step, shaking his head as she doesn’t describe the instructions nearly well enough and is generally all over the place.

It’s a fucking cooking channel and at one point the meat starts burning. She just laughs and says, “s’just a little crispy!” 

The casserole turns out looking even better than Y/N’s to be honest. It’s done in just the right amount of time for him to shower before his family arrives.

He makes sure to subscribe to her channel - eyebrows raising when he sees that she has 16 million subscribers.

Harry wanted to spend longer, looking at her social media but there was a fixed time so he locked his phone and went to get ready.

**

Anne - always the sweetheart just tells Harry that the casserole is delicious even as a bit of grease runs down her fork from the fatty meats.

Gemma wasn’t as kind, grimacing at the casserole and remarking, “You truly are turning into an American, huh?”

**

Laying in bed that night, Harry swipes back onto YouTube. Going back to the page he just subscribed to - under a pseudonym. He clicks on another video.

“Uh, okay. So I’m cooking...fuck, it’s called unicorn bark. It looks like a magical animal puke but it looks delicious so we’re going to try it.”

Harry realizes he’s been watching this girl cook for nearly an hour. Different videos from desserts to dinners.

She curses like a sailor, fucks up almost every recipe, and makes a mess everywhere. But she’s smiling and talkative which makes him quite memorized by her.

**

“I hate editing,” Y/N groans, letting her head fall dramatically against the desktop. Her best friend and dog looked at her oddly.

“I keep saying you need to hire someone, you stubborn bitch,” Laney retorts, clicking through her Instagram feed.

“Fuck off,” she tells her friend with no real heat. The video was almost fully edited - how to make spicy as fuck jalapeño poppers.

There is a calm silence for a while until Laney gasps, “Holy shit.”

“What is it?” Y/N asks, not really caring as she clicks her mouse to trim a segment.

“Harry fucking Styles just followed you on Instagram and Twitter!” Laney shouts, her dog - Rufus popping his head up in confusion.

Y/N looks at her friend to see if she’s really serious and sees no signs of deception. “Oh my god,” Y/N replies. She loved Harry Styles in One Direction and as a solo artist - a fangirl if you will.

Y/N was a well-known influencer and has run in the circles of many celebrities. She’s even met Liam Payne but she’s never been able to bump into Harry.

Her alerts tell her it to be true, she swallows as she looks back up at Laney, “He dm’ed me.”

“Open it! What did he say?” She squeals, squeezing herself on the chair next to her, peering over her shoulder at the phone.

Y/N is a bit nervous, trying not to have a mini aneurysm as she opens the message thread.

HarryStyles: Hello. Just wanted to let you know that your cheeseburger casserole recipe saved my ass last night. Cheers x

“He’s totally coming onto you,” Her friend states instantly, bouncing excitedly - she also had a bit of a crush on the singer.

It takes the two of them a minute to cool their shit before Y/N manages a reply.

Y/N/LN: Well I guess it’s only fair. Your songs have made a few of my nights much better. I’m a bit of a slut for Fine Line.

Harry laughs behind his screen at the cheeky reply he gets back. He’s usually never this forward - especially on social media where he likes to fly under the radar.

HarryStyles: Well if you fancy my music that much, I totally love for you to come to a show. I’m performing in New York City in two weeks.

“This has to be a joke, right?” Y/N sputters to her friend, eyes wide at the invite to a concert she already had tickets to.

Y/N/LN: I’m not going to lie, I already have tickets to the show. However, I don’t have any backstage passes to meet the man of the hour. Do you know someone who can hook me up?

It does wonders for Harry’s narcissism to know that she already had tickets for his concert. Was he really going to do this? He hasn’t met up with some like this since his One Direction days.

He had to remind himself - she may just be friendly and take this as a totally casual interaction. Which would be normal, Harry really shouldn’t be so infatuated with someone he’s watched cook on social media.

HarryStyles: I think I can arrange that. Shoot me your number? I’ll have them sent digitally to you with instructions on how to get backstage.

Y/N is a bit dumbfounded at how fast they agreed to meet up. A harmless backstage tour - he could just be a fan of hers and totally not interested, right?

**

Over the next few weeks, they never really stop texting. Harry sends her pictures of the recipes he copies off her channel - that usually always look better than the original. He sends her clips of him goofing around during tour rehearsal. FaceTimes her when he’s finally home for the night.  

She sends him videos of her watching Harry Styles Best Moment Part Five. A few photos she snaps throughout the city of him on billboards and buildings, in Times Square. YN facetimes him when she’s frustrated with filming or watched a sad movie.

It didn’t make sense to either of them how seamlessly they’d clicked - especially without meeting. They were a perfect balance for each other. Harry - laidback, organized, level-headed. Y/N - eccentric, all over the place, adventurous. 

Jeff had told him that he’s been gaining media attention from his social media interactions with Y/N. They like each other’s photos, begin following each other’s friends, and comment goofy things on their posts.

“Listen, I have a great idea,” Y/N begins - which Harry learned is never good. “You should film a video with me sometime.”

Y/N knew she was going out on a limb and instantly regretted the questions she’d been building the courage to ask for days when it’s quiet on his end. There’s static for a moment and Y/N needs to fill the silence.

“It was - I was just, uh, I know you’re probably too busy. I was -“ She stutters, embarrassment flooding her.

Harry cuts her off, “I’d love to.”

“Yo-you would?” She asks timidly. Was she really going to have Harry Styles in her apartment? If so, should she take down her poster?

He laughs sweetly, “Why do you sound so surprised? I can’t wait to come to New York, love.”

Y/N giggles, “Not the fact that you’re performing in front of a sold out crowd at MSG? I don’t think seeing me will top that.”

“I’ve been looking forward to meetin’ you in person since I came across your channel. You so lovely,” Harry replies, his voice a little softer but more serious.

“I’m nervous,” Y/N admits, picking at a thread in her jeans.

“Me too,” Harry murmurs, despite not wanting to admit it - he wanted her to know this was new territory for both of them. He didn’t want her to think that this was something that he did often. But a little too prideful to admit it’s the first time he’s ever done something quite like this.

“What if you don’t like me?” Y/N whispers, she...well she didn’t compare to the models he’s been seen with before. She’s regretfully fell into the rabbit hole of looking up his past flings and relationships.

Harry barks out a disbelieving laugh, “You can’t be serious, darling. I’ve been gone for you since I saw you burn that ground beef.”

**

Harry was having a bad day - scratch that. An awful one. He tried to go get coffee at eight in the morning and got bombarded by fans, he left the shop without even ordering. They followed him back to his car and it took him fifteen minutes to pull out.

His favorite Mickey Mouse Gucci suitcase he was bringing along on tour had busted. The zipper unraveling and the trim falling off as a result. It was a one-of-a-kind.

Then he’d been stuck on a Skype meeting about tour merchandise with a group of business partners for the last three hours - all he wanted was a fucking nap.

When Y/N’s contact vibrated across his screen, he’s itching to answer but declines as he needs to give these people his attention.

When she calls again, Harry feels a prickle of annoyance. It’s not even at her - to be quite honest. It’s just the shitty day and everything’s piling up.

He always got like this before he kicked off a tour - stress level maxed out and his ability to handle minor incidents nearly shot.

I’m busy

Okay! Sorry, just have a super exciting surprise for you, bub! 

I really do not feeling like talking. I’d rather be left alone.

Oh, alright. Hope everything’s okay! Do you still want to facetime later?

Harry leaves her on read because he doesn’t want to slip up and take out his frustration on her. He’d been known to do that and he didn’t want her to think he was anything but besotted with her.

**

Y/N feels a little hesitant as she begins the uploading process to her channel. The red loading bar told her it’d be twenty-minutes before it’s going to be posted to her 16 million subscribers - one of them being Harry himself. 

Twenty-minutes for her to back out and cancel the upload. She starts having doubts about it when Harry never replies to her text which is unlike him. 

She takes Rufus out to avoid staring at the loading screen with unnecessary anxiety and uneasiness.

**

Harry is just getting home from a business dinner with the touring company’s management team. The tension and anxiety from today piling up on his shoulders and he just wants to call Y/N and crash in bed. 

He tosses his keys in the little bowl in the entry and kicks off his dingy white vans to the side. His phone dings with an alert from Gemma.

You two are the literal cutest ever. It’s quite gross.

Harry slides onto a stool in his kitchen, confused by the text message before she’s sending the link to him.

Fine Line Inspired Cupcakes!

Harry isn’t quite sure why his heart starts pounding furiously in his chest. A sinking feeling in his stomach when he realizes that this was probably the surprise she was excited about.

He clicks on the thumbnail.

“Hiiii, it’s Y/N. Okay, well today we are going to bake some Fine Line inspired cupcakes. And if you haven’t listened to the album - get your ass out from rock you’re living under and stream it on Spotify!”

She has her hair down in long, waves and a loose cropped shirt that says TPWK in rainbow embroidery.

Harrys mouth is dry and he can’t take his fucking eyes away from the screen. 

“Soo, I was thinking the first batch would be cherry flavored? ‘Cause he has a song titled ‘Cherry’. Let’s start there. First - I need to find my measuring cups.”

In true Y/N fashion, she scours her kitchen - cussing and yanking stuff out of her neatly organized cabinets before huffing and storming off to the side.

She comes back into view, a little frazzled but smiling when she holds up the ring of plastic measuring spoons, visible bite marks notched into the material.

“My asshole of a dog had a little snack,” Y/N shows the camera before shrugging, “Let’s get this shit started. Okay, you’re going to need one cup of sugar - no wait, two? I can’t read my fucking handwriting.”

Harry’s absolutely enamored by this scatter-brained, giggly girl who manages to produce cute blue and pink cupcakes that very vaguely resembled his album cover. His heart felt a million times too big for his chest.

He was enraptured for the entirety of the thirty minute video without taking his eyes away once.

To be honest, he hadn’t felt this way since his last relationship which was over a year ago at this point.

It’s not even a thought as he’s requesting a FaceTime with Y/N. 

She answers after a few rings. She has a green face mask painted on her nose, chin, and forehead with gold eye masks under each eye. She is so fucking ridiculous it’s not even funny. 

What is even more ridiculous is how gone Harry is realizing he is for her. She was quirky, unfiltered, carefree. If he was honest - he hadn’t met a girl like that in a very long time - especially a well-known influencer.

“Hi! How was your day, grumpy?” Y/N asks brightly, making a goofy face as the mask begins to tighten and crack on her skin. Not holding the earlier conversation against him and deciding to just move forward. She understood how stressful it can be.

“M’sorry. I was a bit grumpy,” He admits, “I loved your new video, darling. Did you make those just f’me?”

He can tell she’d be blushing if her face wasn’t covered, a bit bashful as she mutters, “You already know I did it for you.”

“You’re too sweet to me, only six days until we meet,” Harry replies, voice taking on a slow, lazy drawl. 

“Six days,” Y/N repeats, eyes crinkling as she smiles with excitement.

**

“Is this outfit too much?” Y/N panics. Even though there’s literally nothing she can do about it - they’re already walking towards the backstage entrance of the massive arena. It’s still about two hours until the show starts but Harry requested her to come earlier.

Laney sighs, “For the millionth time, you look fucking sexy and Harry’s going to want to rail you right when he sees you.”

Y/N shoves her lightly with a faux annoyance as they meet up with a burly man who’s blocking the entrance to the backstage hallway and rooms.

She gives him their names and pulls up the passes on her phone before he’s nodding with any expression and letting them pass.

They’re not quite sure where to go from here so they begin to wander down the long hallway toward what looks to be the main area that people are milling about.

Y/N is nearly on the ground when someone rounds the corner without looking and walks right into her. Both of them let out huffs of air as they collide and attempt to stabilize themselves.

But there are large hands grasping her arms and holding her steady. In typical Y/N fashion she’s already cursing, “fuckin like a brick wall, look out next time.”

Then she’s looking up to Harry staring back down at her with an amused expression. He doesn’t let go of her and instead tugs her against his bare chest. He’s warm and a bit sweaty - like he’d just worked out. He was only in a pair of thin, running shorts, nike tennis shoes, and a little clip holding his hair off of his face.

Y/N can’t help but wrap her arms around his waist, returning the embrace and amazed by how right it feels to be in his arms. Her face tucks right against his collarbone and it’s like they’d known each other for years.

Pictures and videos don’t do this man justice. He’s gorgeous - sharp edges and dark inked skin. Tall and muscular but dimples that are carved in his cheeks. 

“Nice to meet you, m’Harry,” Harry rumbles, removing one hand from Y/N’s shoulder to reach out his hand to her friend.

Laney shakes his hand before asking, “Laney. I’ll leave you two lovebirds be. Where’s the food?”

Harry chuckles against Y/N’s wavy hair, “Down the hall to the left.”

Laney’s trailing off without another glance, she was very food motivated despite her skinny frame. Also not wanting to intrude of the very personal first moments of their meeting.

The popstar pulls back to look down at the girl he’s fallen for in mere weeks. She’s as beautiful as he thought she'd be - if not more. He can’t help himself, “Would it be too forward to kiss you?”

Y/N smiles widely, running a hand along his jawline, “I’ve wanted you to kiss me since you stayed up on FaceTime with me until two in the morning as I cried after watching The Notebook - despite me seeing it a million times.”

Harry ducks forward to press his lips softly to her, large hands come to cup the side of her face as they connect. He’s so gentle as he moves his mouth against hers. In true Y/N fashion, she’s bold and has no hesitation slipping her tongue into his mouth.

He’s so fucking in love with her. It doesn’t make much sense - it’s definitely not logical but he’s realizing that’s okay.

“Oii, get a room!” Someone shouts from down the hallway teasingly.

Harry flips them the middle finger and pulls back, pink lips swollen and puffy, dimples on full display, “Let me take you out to dinner after the show, darling.”

“You going to wine and dine me, Styles?” Y/N giggles, unable to contain the pleasant warmness he’s spreading through her body. 

“Mmm, have t’make sure you’ll want to keep me,” Harry murmurs happily against her lips once again, pressing kiss after kiss to her to make sure she’s real, “Definitely want to keep you.”

Y/N bites teasingly at his bottom lip, hand planted on the soft but firm skin of his stomach, “You’re never getting rid of me, hope you know that.”

“Was hoping you’d say that, now let me introduce you to my band.”

                                  -- ---- ---- -- 1 year later - -- --- --- --

“Hi bitches! Today is a super special day. We have the one, the only Harry Styles filming with us. I know that’s not really that special since he’s on here all the time with me. But we’re celebrating our one year anniversary!” Y/N smiles, bumping hips with Harry who stands dutifully next to her. 

Anyone viewing can see the absolute heart-eyes and adoration he has for the girl standing next to him. He’s still as lovestruck and gone for her as he was the first time they met. Harry’s fans were thrilled - for the first time in years, he’d opened up again.

They weren’t very public on social media beside’s tagging each other in memes and posting the occasional picture. Y/N was constantly uploading cooking videos from wherever in the world she was with Harry on his tour, she’d also begin making vlogs about different foods she’s been experiencing.

---

“Okay, so here in Peru - they’re known to have this really fucking spicy beef with noddles. So obviously, I’m going to make Harry try it first,” Y/N laughs as she props the camera up on the side of the table on a napkin holder.

Harry - who has a concert in a few hours - frowns at the steaming dish in front of him, “Darling, I don’t want to try it first. It’s going to burn my mouth. Not gonna be able to sing.”

“You’re sucha baby sometimes,” Y/N rolls her eyes, slurping up the noodles with her fork while making a silly face at her boyfriend. She pulls back, straight-faced, “It’s not hot at all. Tastes amazing, though.”

Harry takes that as an initiative to shovel a spoonful into his mouth. It only takes half a moment until his taste buds erupt in fiery flames from the spices, “You bloody little brat, y’tricked me! It’s so fuckin’ hot!”

Y/N smiles widely, laughing much too loudly in the restaurant when Harry chugs the glass of water next to the plate while glaring at his love. “I’m sorry, s’just to easy with you, lovie,” She replies, leaning over the table to press a kiss to his lips. 

He’s a sucker for her and kisses her right back despite his mouth being an inferno. His heart was on fire for her and that burned much more intensely.

---

“No, love. The instructions say baking soda, not baking powder. They’re not the same thing,” Harry sighs, attempting to read her scribbled, sloppy handwriting. She’d already spilled milk on half of the paper.

“S’interchangeable, right?” Y/N hums, cracking an egg into the bowl and Harry automatically knows to look to fish out the eggshells that’d she’d let slip in because she sucks at cracking eggs but always wants to do it.

Harry reaches over her, grabbing the vanilla extract and a teaspoon, “It’s not, baby. Lemme do this real quick.”

“Will you make me a grilled cheese after this?” She asks, nuzzling into his side and wrapping her arms around his waist as he finishes adding the wet ingredients to their bowl. Harry stopped questioning her thought process a long time ago.

Harry swipes his finger into the mixture of icing off to the side and rubs it right onto her nose, cackling at her pout and squeaking when she pinches at the fleshy skin of his hips. She in turn dips her finger into the sugary cream and pops it right into her mouth.

Harry eyes darken, watching her lips purse as she sucks off the icing. It was a dirty move on Y/N’s part and she knows it. It has her boyfriend dragging an icing-covered thumb along her collarbone before leaning down to slowly lick up the sugary trail with his tongue.

When Y/N slides her fingers into his hair and lets out a pretty moan, Harry’s standing back up, trailing over to the tripod and saying into the camera, “We’ll be back after a little commercial break,” and is then turning off the record button.

It takes little to no time for Harry to have Y/N’s bum on the countertop, mouth on her neck, and hand in-between her thighs.

And when they finally posted a very edited final cut of the video - well there may be a couple of fans who notice the how flushed Y/N is halfway through and a lovely purple mark on Harry’s neck that wasn’t there in the beginning of the video.

[frostedfaves]

Naive (1)

Masterlist

Pairing: demon!Wanda Maximoff x fem!reader

Summary: Of all the humans Wanda has met, you’re suddenly her favorite.

Warnings: 18+ ONLY, dark!fic, demon things™️ (be warned that this shit will get much darker in the future), subtle hand kink (don’t @ me)

A/N: special shoutout to the anon that inspired this fic series, I hope you enjoy this weird combo of AOU x IW Wanda. also if you have any previous knowledge of demons, throw it out the window before you read this because I guarantee that things will not add up here lmao

-

Wanda’s favorite thing about interacting with humans is her effect on them.

Walking through a crowd is fine. She’ll brush a few shoulders and rattle a few unsuspecting adults, flash solid black eyes at kids that either stare or scream. It’s temporary and brings a bit of fun to an otherwise dull day.

The real joy comes from direct contact. Wanda travels miles away from her apartment building, choosing different stores, restaurants and cafés just to keep things interesting. A new cashier each time. She’ll have an air of friendliness about her that isn’t exactly fake; she finds most humans to be charming, despite their fragile minds.

“Will that be all?” Roy--according to his name tag--asks with a grin and Wanda nods in response. “Okay, your total is $21.14. You can just swipe or insert your card in the machine there.”

Wanda inserts her card carefully, complimenting the decor as she waits for the transaction to be completed. After returning it to her wallet, she flashes a soft smile at Roy as he hands her the receipt, purposefully brushing her fingers with his. As his skin makes contact with one of her rings, she notices the goosebumps rising along his arm and hears his breathing pattern change.

“Roy? Everything alright?”

She hears the concerned voice of a coworker as she makes her way to a table to wait for her meal, already seated by the time Roy coughs in an effort to collect himself.

“Yeah, just feeling off I guess. I’ll be fine.”

A chuckle falls from her lips as she watches the poor cashier attempt to return to his previous state of mind, finding the urge to smile and wave when his eyes cut over to her. His voice trembles when he calls her name and he stands as far away as possible when she approaches the counter to grab her order.

“Thanks for everything, Roy.”

Sensing that he’s startled enough without it, she keeps her other tricks hidden in her sleeves and simply walks away, holding her laughter until the doors close behind her. A good meal with a side of human interaction, her absolute favorite.

-

The next day brings Wanda to a bookstore around lunchtime. She takes a minute to browse the aisles, taking an exceptionally long time lingering in the section harboring books on angels and demons. The stereotypes amuse more than upset her like they used to in the beginning.

“Is there anything I can help you with?”

Wanda turns to make eye contact with the employee behind her, about to ask a question for the fun of it when a laugh catches her attention. Her gaze redirects to the café counter straight ahead, and a warm feeling washes over her when she hears the laugh again.

You’re genuinely entertained by the elderly woman purchasing a bagel with exact change, and Wanda manages to catch the end of the conversation as she draws near.

“Safe to say, I haven’t worn the blouse since that day.” She bids you farewell with her bagel and receipt in hand, eyes twinkling as she observes Wanda on her way past. “You have such bright and beautiful hair, dear.”

“Thank you,” Wanda responds with sincerity, attention locked on you while approaching the counter. “Hi.”

“Hey,” you greet her with a voice much calmer than the one you use with most of your other customers. “What can I get you today?”

You watch the orange haired woman turn her head to study the items behind the glass, taking the time to do your own inspection. You admire the dark red jacket that covers most of her torso, gaze lingering on the multiple rings hugging her fingers that seem to be smoothing nonexistent wrinkles in her dress, almost in a nervous fashion. It brought you a bit of comfort, assuming that she was affected in the same way.

“What do you recommend?”

“Oh, well…” You walk over to open the glass case from your side of the counter, naming each item as you grab it. “I usually have this pretzel that’s stuffed with spinach and cheese and this brownie. I can heat both of them for you, if you’d like.”

“I would love that,” Wanda responds in a grateful tone, placing a bottle of water on the counter after taking it from the fridge. “And I’ll also have one of these incredibly overpriced waters.”

You begin her order with a laugh, and she watches you ring everything up with the speed and expertise of a seasoned employee, wondering how she’d gone this long without running into you. The total price is brought to the digital screen just before her card is inserted, and she takes the time to quickly slip her rings into her pockets while you’re taking the pretzel and brownie over to the miniature oven. The last thing she wants to do is scramble your brain before she even gets the chance to explore it.

“Here’s your receipt,” you announce while giving Wanda the slip of paper, your eyes lingering on her hand for a moment before looking at her again. “Your food should be ready soon.”

“Okay, thank you…” Her sentence trails off as she searches for your name, the letters rolling off her tongue with ease when she finally locates it on the apron covering your chest.

“You’re welcome…” You trail off in the same fashion and she catches on quickly.

“Wanda.”

“You’re welcome, Wanda,” you repeat as you hand her the water bottle before she can walk away.

Less than two minutes later, you approach the table she’s taken over with two small ceramic plates and a sheepish grin.

“I should’ve asked if you were going to stay a while, but I can grab some bags if you need to go.”

Wanda shakes her head with a laugh as she takes them from you, startling you when she doesn’t react to the excessive heat radiating from the dishes.

“This is perfect.”

She takes her time with eating, and your attention is drawn to her between customers, grateful that she’s too busy with her phone to notice your stares. On the other hand, Wanda’s mind is filled with thoughts of you. What you look like when you think she can’t see you glancing over, what you smelled like when you were close. The nerves, the kindness, the desire to learn her name despite her being just another customer to you. She knows that you noticed her missing rings, but she’s already prepared with a cover story. A two minute conversation has her dying to pick your brain more, learn your habits and become more familiar with your body, beyond a simple brush of your fingertips. She already wants you to herself, just the way you came, without her interference for now; that’ll come later.

A good meal with a side of human interaction, her absolute favorite.

-

Despite Wanda leaving an hour before your shift ended, she lingers in your thoughts on the bus ride and walk home. You find yourself recalling her kind smile, fidgeting fingers and the scent of her perfume when she passed you on her way out, and you’re so deep in your memories that you end up colliding with your apartment door.

“That’s not going to get you inside any faster, dear.”

Your cheeks burn as you face Ruth for the second time today, the first time being earlier when you sold her a bagel.

“I know, Ruthie,” you respond sheepishly as you pull your keys from your pocket. “Is everything okay? You’re usually in bed watching a cowboy show by now.”

“I’ve been waiting for you to come home so I could talk to you.” She checks to see if the hallway is empty before opening her door and waving you over. “Come on, quickly.”

You scurry into the apartment behind her, taking in the scene before you while she locks the door. Having visited her before, you know she keeps the television at a higher volume, but it seems louder than normal.

“I know I might seem like I’ve lost my marbles, but I wanted to warn you about that woman you saw today....The one with the bright hair.”

“You mean Wanda?” you question, eyes widening when she nods. “Warn me about what?”

“There’s something off about that Wanda, if that even is her real name.” She snatches her arm out of her robe and brings it closer for you to see. “I’ve had these chills since I brushed against her earlier. Something’s not right with her. How do you even know her name? I’ve never seen her before.”

“Hey, it’s okay,” you assure her as you help her slip her arm back in the sleeve. “I only know her name because we were having a friendly conversation and she used mine. I was just being polite to someone I’ll probably never even see again.”

“Just be careful,” she pleads as you head toward her door again, and you offer your best attempt at a relaxed smile.

“I’ll be fine, Ruthie. Get some rest, okay?”

You hear her lock the door behind you as you make your way back to your own apartment, rushing through the process of unlocking the door and securing it once you’re inside. As much as you don’t want to let Ruth get you worked up over a stranger, you can’t help thinking about the odd little things you noticed earlier. 

It isn’t unusual for someone to linger after buying food or drinks from your counter, whether they have homework or even just a phone to keep them busy. Wanda seemed to be waiting for someone the entire time, and you remember hoping that she wasn’t on a date, despite not wanting her to be stood up. But she simply slid her phone in her pocket and departed with a friendly wave as if nothing had happened.

You especially remember her waving at you with those ringless fingers, and wondering silently where the intricate jewelry had disappeared to. Obviously you just assumed that the rings were tucked away on her person and not dumped in the trash, but she doesn’t seem like the type of person to give up on her accessories in the middle of the day. Part of you--a part that you didn’t dare to address--wondered if she’d emptied her hands to send you a subtle sign. No, that can’t possibly be it.

Sleeping proves to be difficult with so many unanswered questions floating about, but you eventually give into the act. A few hours later, you peel open your eyes when you think you hear something in the room. The digital clock that sits on your bedside and serves as an alarm and occasional radio reads 3:34am, and you’re just about to close your eyes again when you hear another sound. You raise your head to turn toward your closet, and a scream is trapped in your throat as you catch sight of a figure in the shadows.

The next time you wake, the sun is out and your alarm is blaring on the nightstand beside you. Your gaze flickers over to the closet as you reach out to silence it, your heartbeat dropping slightly when you don’t see anything other than clothes. Deciding that you must’ve been dreaming, you shake away the fearful thoughts and head to the bathroom to start getting ready for another day of work.

The only thing you haven’t decided on yet is whether you want to see Wanda again.

[ablazenqueen]

Tagged by the lovely @dribs-and-drabbles!

~ Reveal your watch & rewatch drama list ~

Currently Watching (listed alphabetically):

2moons2: It’s been kinda meh so far, the main couple bores me, 50/50 chance I’ll drop it.

Beyond Evil: (Not a BL.) I mean, it’s a murder mystery. What more can I say? I am, of course, obsessed.

Carmilla: This one’s very different than every other show on this list - it’s Western, it’s a web series, and it stars a primarily female cast (and an nb character!) and a lesbian couple. It’s so good, I absolutely love it! I binged the first season in a night and just barely started on the second.

Colour Rush 2: Just started this one but it seems like they’re exploring the world and its inherent crimes rather than the romance, which is something I’d wished they’d done at the time of the first season, so I’m cautiously intrigued.

Kinnporsche: Admittedly… I haven’t been too happy with this one the past two eps? I’ve fallen a tiny bit out of love. That said, the acting in KP is, as always, absolutely spectacular, as is the cinematography and fight choreography. Maybe the next few episodes will change my mind.

My Secret Love: I really don’t know what to make of this show. The principal shipping her students and blackmailing them into making shipping content is incredibly uncomfortable, especially because it’s played off as a joke. But other than that… dare I say I’m kind of enjoying this show? The secret relationship side couple is by far my favourite part, I’m not necessarily sold on the other pairings yet but I don’t actively dislike them yet either though so there’s that. We’ll see.

Old Fashion Cupcake: I can’t explain why I’m so in love with the first two eps of this show. Something about the dynamic between the leads, the quick and sharp dialogue, the fact that not a single interaction feels without purpose, the fact that they’re both so instantaneously likeable? I’m super excited for more, the teaser for this week looks like A Lot.

The Gifted: Just started this one early this week and I haven’t had much free time so I’m not very far in but I’m absolutely loving it so far! Intriguing plot, good suspense, loveable characters, I’m pumped!

Triage: Okay, listen… I try to be careful with declaring whether a show is worth watching or not until it’s done airing but this show has yet to fall short of perfect and it’s written and directing by the folks who did Manner Of Death (tied with Bad Buddy for my all-time favourite BL). So… let’s just say that if it continues as it’s been going and sticks the landing, my two-way tie for favourite BL is going to become a three-way tie. I could rave about this show for days. The characters, the plot, the mystery, the pacing, the main and side couple, both of which are very loveable (a rarity in BLs), the friendships, the way that every single little thing turns out to be important. Currently, I could not recommend this show enough. I put this list alphabetically for simplicity’s sake but this show is currently my favourite on the list.

Rewatching:

I just introduced one of my best friends to BL dramas so we watched (rewatched, in my case) Semantic Error together. I’ve also rewatched what’s out for Triage three times with various friends, if that counts.

Looking Forward To:

Gap the series. Vice Versa. And… admittedly not much else as far as upcoming shows go. Which is probably not a bad thing, I have a to-watch list a mile long. I plan on starting Kamisama no Ekohiiki and First Kill soon. (Also I’ve heard that they might be adapting another novel by the author of Manner of Death and Triage, which has me foaming at the mouth.)

Tagging: @soulfalleninbuttland @arisprite @mygeekcorner