#aggressive marketing TOO aggressive i'm sorry

[rawbones]

sorry to be a killjoy but i’m already sick of the barbie movie and it’s not even out yet lmao

[revasserium]

to the lighthouse - Zoro and what guides him home

10. to the lighthouse

zoro; 2,320 words, opla!zoro, the fluffiest of fluff, straw hat!reader, established relationship

summary: you just wanted to buy some apples; now complete with a prequel right here

a/n: aggressively adorable, truly -- i have no excuse for this okay. i'm just so freakishly whipped for opla!zoro pls dont look at at me

zoro has never been great shakes at directions (navigation has always been more nami’s thing, and he knows his place in the world), but he’s never needed a compass to find his way home. once, he might have. once, he would’ve wandered and wondered forever and ever, believing the great unknowns of the world to be his compass rose, the horizon his true north, but not anymore. because you see, he’s grown since then — he’s gotten bigger, stronger, more ruthless, more deadly. but he’s gotten smarter too… if only just by a little bit.

he’s learned since then that home doesn’t have to be a place, that it can just as easily be a person.

or, in his case, that it could be both.

“warn me, the next time you plan on getting kidnapped for ransom, would’ya?”

there’s blood on his headband and blood on his shoes, but he can’t quite keep his voice as gruff as he’d like, even as he hauls you bodily onto the deck of the going merry, scowling as you kick your feet in a feeble attempt to get him to let you go.

“it’s not like i was trying to get kidnapped! i was getting apples from the market!”

“yeah, in broad daylight, in a giant port town where all our faces are plastered across wanted posters! even i could’ve told you that’s a bad idea.”

you yelp as he dumps you unceremoniously onto the kitchen’s large wooden table, mumbling to himself as he beings to rummage through the drawers for a first aide kit, slamming cupboards as he goes.

you fold your arms, unable to stop the grin from tugging at your lips.

“did you… just call yourself dumb?”

zoro whirls around, color blotching into his cheeks as he glares, “i — f — you know what i mean!”

he whips back around and slams a drawer so hard the handle breaks; he swears even as you start to laugh, wincing and clutching at your stomach, the skin of your side tender and growing more so by the minute.

“o-ow! don’t make me laugh! it hurts!”

“serves you right… stupid… parading around… not paying attention…”

he slams the first aid kit onto the table next to you, roughly swatting your hand out of the way as he gingerly lifts your shirt to inspect the damage.

“i’m fine —”

“you’re not fine, and quit squirming. i’m not chopper so if i fuck up, it’s your fault.”

you press your lips and hold still, hissing as he carefully dabs at a rather large gash between two of your ribs.

“and i wasn’t parading… i mean, my face isn’t on a wanted poster yet so…”

zoro spares you a single look before going back to his work, “yeah. yet.”

you deflate, inching forward slightly to make his job a bit easier as he continues to clean your wound, his touch now so much gentler than anyone might give him credit for. you watch him with soft eyes, trail the tracks of his fingers as he fumbles with the alcohol soaked cotton pad, daubing at the raw red of your skin. you wondered if anyone who hunted him from his picture on a wanted poster would recognize him now, his cheeks flushed, his brows lightly furrowed, his eyes sharp and steady as tried his best not to hurt you.

“there,” he says, his voice short and rough as he presses his palm over a strip of clean gauze, sealing it in place. he pulls back to admire his handiwork, looking as pleased as he might’ve been if he’d just decapitated an entire infantry’s worth of men without drawing a single sword.

you gingerly tug your shirt back down, your skin feeling much warmer at the places where he’d touched, his palm-print burning like a brand along the expanse of your ribs. you gulp and clear your throat.

“sorry… i — i didn’t mean to.”

“save it,” and then, when you wince at his tone, zoro sighs, scratching at the back of his neck as he leans up against the table next to you, “i know you didn’t. i was just…”

and it’s his turn to pause, to clear his throat and look away.

“sanji… sanji wanted apples for the curry he’s making tonight,” you say, kicking your feet, your eyes trained on the tips of your shoes as they swing up and down in succession — right, left, right, left, right —

“apples in curry? ew.”

“he said they’re the secret ingredient! and — apparently, the better the apples, the better the curry, and it’s — well, it’s fall so they’re in season right now, and nami said this island is known for their apple orchards so i thought — maybe if i went to the market on the first day i’d be able to snag the best ones —”

he cuts you off with a kiss, swallowing passed your surprised squeak before your eyes flutter shut, your lashes tickling his cheeks like moth wings. you can almost taste his satisfied smirk when your fingers curl into the front of his shirt to tug him closer.

“you’re rambling… you only do that when you’re nervous.”

you bite your lip but zoro presses his thumb to your chin, tilting your head up till he meets your eyes.

“why’re you nervous?”

“i — i’m not —”

“hm. you’ve always been a shit liar.”

you try to tug your head away from him but his grip is strong, his other hand casually resting below your waist, his fingers pressing into the soft of your hips, holding you in place.

“it’s… nothing…” but he’s right. you have always been a terrible liar, even worse to the people who know you. and god does zoro know you.

zoro’s grin goes wolfish as he cocks his head, eyeing you as a hunter might his prey, “pretty little liar though… i gotta say,” he drags his thumb along the bottom of your lip, pushing against the plush of your mouth, his eyes going dark as he watches the way your breath hitches.

“but even pretty little liars deserve to be punished, don’t they?” he leans in, breath hot by your ear, his words chasing shivers up and down your spine. you fight back a whimper, knowing that if he were truly to pin you there, there’d be nothing you could do to escape him.

“unless… you wanna tell me the truth?”

you let out a shuddering breath before sighing.

“w-we — we wanted to — to throw you a birthday party.”

zoro pauses, his darkened gaze going wide for a second before he pulls back, visibly confused.

“b…birthday? uh — that’s not till november —”

“i know but… who knows if we’ll be docked by then, and… your favorite season is autumn so…” you shrug, voice small even as you try to duck and hide the blush rushing up into your cheeks.

“so… you went to get apples… for my not-birthday birthday dinner?”

“i mean — your favorite food is rice and… curry goes the best with rice, right?”

zoro lets out a breathy laugh, his hand falling to press against your other hip. but before he can say anything else, sanji’s voice echoes in from just beyond the door before it swings open to reveal sanji, with his arms full of groceries and usopp close behind him, nearly running into sanji’s back as he comes to an abrupt stop at the sight before him.

“darling, did you manage to get those apples? y’know if we’re really gonna make this curry, it’ll have to stew for a good three or so hours — oh — my apologies… was i interrupting something? decide to give the lucky man an amuse bouche before his main course tonight, yeah?”

you groan and try to tug away but zoro merely quirks an eyebrow, seemingly unphased.

“why’re you putting apples into perfectly good curry?”

at this, sanji rolls his eyes and hoists the groceries on to the kitchen table next to you, casting zoro a scathing look.

“look man, i don’t question your sword-swinging and you don’t question my cooking, alright? now, if you’re really thirsting to know — the sweetness in the apples gives texture to the curry as it stews, and that’s what makes it so damn delicious when you pair it with the rice, got it?”

zoro scoffs, his hands still planted firmly on either side of your hips even as sanji starts to pull out all the varied ingredients for the meal. behind him, usopp is juggling an impressive number of liquor bottles as he tries to slot them into the drinks rack.

“yeah. we’ll see,” and with a single arm, zoro hoists you from the table and sets you down on the ground next to him, guiding you from the kitchens even as sanji shoots you a salacious wink.

“you’ll be singin’ to a different tune when you’ve had your first taste, moss-head!”

zoro doesn’t grace that with a response, steering you out of the kitchens before yelling for usopp to toss him a bottle of something good over his shoulder.

later that night, when the party is in full swing, he finds you by the carved white railings at the darkened head of the ship, eyes trained on the far horizon. behind you both, luffy is standing on a barrel, belting some old drinking song while nami laughs and sanji swings chopper in a strange, uncoordinated two-step.

“hey,” he says, bumping your shoulder with his.

“oh! hey…” you cast him a smile as he takes another swig from his nearly empty glass.

“why aren’t you —” he jerks his head back towards the swinging, dancing, laughing crew.

you bite back a smile, shrugging, “i was just… thinking.”

“oh. well, that’s not good.”

you slam your shoulder into his but he barely moves, chuckling.

“today… when you saved me from those kidnappers… how’dyou know where to find me?”

you turn to look at him, and for a second, the question almost catches him off guard. he stares at you, as if unsure himself how to answer before he grins, his eyes slipping from you out towards the darkness beyond as behind you both, sanji starts in on a showtune in a warbled language neither of you can understand.

“actually, ‘m not sure… i just… had a feeling.”

you blink, “you… had a feeling?”

“yeah like… y’know when uh — turtles and stuff always know how to get back to the beach where they were born?”

your eyebrows slowly migrate up your forehead this words as you stare at him, dumbstruck.

“zoro… you’ve gotten lost on a straight road before —”

“shut up! it’s not — it’s different though… i dunno how to explain it, but i just… i just knew. something — something wasn’t right and i knew i had to find you.”

and even in the relative darkness, you can see the color seeping into his cheeks. you let yourself laugh, glancing down at the half-finished drink in your own hands.

“i’ll… i’ll always find you.”

you look up at his words, his voice so much softer than you’re used to, the words so much more tender. you look up to find him watching you, his gaze soft and warm, sweet and molten.

“even if it takes me forever… i’ll… i’ll always find my way to you.”

and you wonder if it’s the alcohol, you wonder if it’s the darkness gifted by the moonless night, the prickling light of a hundred thousand stars winking above in the velvet sky.

you nod, raising your glass in quiet acceptance of his words, of this solemn vow that you know he’d never make without the intention of honoring it until time itself has breathed its last.

you clink your glass against his.

“happy birthday.”

zoro laughs, shaking his head, “can’t believe you’re making me celebrate two months early.”

“we can throw another party when its your actual birthday.”

“yeah — just promise me you won’t get kidnapped again.”

you laugh, shaking your head, “as long as you promise that if i do… you’ll be there to find me.”

zoro raises his glass to his lips, “i’ll drink to that.”

you toss your own drink back, feel the burn of it work it’s way down your throat, the fire settling in the pit of your stomach as zoro tugs you by the hand back to the heart of the party, where nami screams and throws her arms round you, pulling you into a suffocating hug and sanji nearly trips over trying to refill your glass.

zoro grins, laughing as luffy wobbles and nearly smashes into the main mast. he lets sanji refill his drink; he lets luffy pull him into a unwilling sea shanty, everyone swaying left and right with the uneven rhythm of the drowsy sea.

and he realizes, not for the first time, though it still sometimes comes as a surprise — that there’s no place he’d rather be. because you see, for zoro home is both a place and a person — the place is here with his crew around him, the ocean beneath them, the world sprawled out like a map at their feet.

and the person… he looks up across the raucous merry-making to catch your eye, to catch a breath of your bright, bell-like laughter — he’s never been more sure of anything else in his entire life that the person… is you.

opla!zoro requests r open LOL (literally idk if i will write anyone else but him at this point but EY if u got a req....)

[thesunisatangerine]

against all odds (to wait for you is all i can do) – part five

alexia putellas x photojournalist!reader

warnings: explicit sexual content, angst (i'm sorry)

(a/n in the tags) [parts: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve]

word count: 3.2k

Today’s the day you were going to talk to Alexia about it. 

You had about two weeks left of your additional three weeks and with each passing day, your stay in Barcelona was drawing to a close and Alexia knew it, too. During the period of time you’d gotten to know her to now, Alexia’d put in the same effort in trying to get to know what you did outside of sports photojournalism. You’d told her, of course, and even showed her photos of your previous photojournalistic coverage, although you’d kept the more graphic ones away from her.

Despite the fact that she had jokingly tried to convince you to stay in sports photojournalism, Alexia had been nothing but supportive of your job. The thing was, she just didn’t know yet what it was you’d be returning to: you just got word that you–among other colleagues–were bound to head over to a conflict zone in a region going through civil unrest and military aggression. But it wasn’t like the thought never crossed your mind. 

Sports photography had been a welcome reprieve from the violence and depravity that came with human conflict, a typical scene to witness while on the field. And although unplanned, Alexia had played a part in your enjoyment with this side-project–so much so that it was on top of your list for alternative careers down the line. Be that as it may, you knew deep down that you wouldn’t trade your current career for anything else. 

This was what you wanted to talk to Alexia about. Well… among other things but you wanted to ease her into the conversation with a home-cooked meal and a gift. Even though it was difficult to do with Alexia around, you were able to finish making the latter a few days ago. The gift was something similar to the one she gave you: a bracelet with the colors of the flag of your country and instead of a diamond, you used a small, silver, hollow rectangular charm to represent you and your camera. And with that dealt with, you only needed to grab the ingredients for the former which brought you out to Mercat del Centre on this fine Barcelona highnoon. 

With paper bags of groceries in hand, you were thinking of grabbing something from that sushi place you’d passed on the way to the market but just as you turned the corner, you saw three women walking ahead a few paces away with their backs turned to you. 

They were all wearing matching tank shirts, shorts, and ankle socks but the one with the cap stood out to you and instantly, you recognised it to be Alexia. Knowing that and from the Barcelona matches that you’d been to, you recognised that it was Mapi and Patri flanking her. 

Excitement filled you immediately although you wondered for a second what they were doing there until you realised that Estadi Johan Cruyff was only a few blocks away. The instinct to call out Alexia’s name and reach out for her didn’t go unnoticed by you but you managed to stop yourself in time before you accidentally did.

The both of you never really talked about where the both of you stood and there was no clear label for the nature of your relationship. If someone had asked you this when you just met her over two months ago, the answer would’ve been clear; it was merely physical with a dose of infatuation. Now, it was more than just sex to you: you wanted her in every possible way, you wanted to know and to be known by her, you wanted to be the person she’d tell about the most mundane of things to–to be the person she’d allow to fall for her because you already know you were on the brink of falling. So apart from your job situation, this question was the other half of the conversation you wanted to have with her.

Though you meant to go to the same direction, you didn’t want to risk Alexia noticing you not because you didn’t want her to or that you were afraid she’d ignore you–no, you just didn’t want to accidentally interrupt her time with her teammates. She’d come to you later anyway so you’d just tell her about this then. You were just about to turn around when something in their conversation got your attention. 

“So, Ale, are you dating that photographer?” Patri asked, her question oozed of mischief. 

“What photographer?” Alexia replied with a flat tone.

Mapi snickered. “You’re too smart to play dumb and when you do it on purpose you just sound stupid.”

For that, she got a punch to the shoulder from Alexia but Mapi only giggled. 

“Fine, fine. And, no, I’m not.”

“Oh, come on, Ale! If she’s not, then why does she always take the best photos of you? Right, Patri?” Mapi whined.

“Exactly! Oh, remember those matches when you weren’t even on the pitch? And the way she always looks at you after a match? I’d say that’s something!” Then as if she just had an epiphany, Patri’s eyes widened, hand clapping over her opened mouth. “Wait! Unless…”

Patri didn’t even need to finish her sentence, her suggestive tone was enough to communicate what she meant by it and your ears burnt at the implication. 

“Oh, shit. Are you, you know?” Mapi exclaimed, finally catching on, eyes just as wide as Patri’s. 

“Keep your voices down, assholes,” Alexia growled in annoyance then she grumbled something you couldn’t quite hear. In response, the other two women just laughed.

“Love you, too, Cap,” Mapi said in a saccharine tone.

Alexia sighed. “Okay. Yes. Are you happy now?”

The other two women hooted and patted Alexia on the back.

“Ha! I knew it!” Patri exclaimed.

“Do you like her though?” Mapi’s question stilled your breath as you anticipated Alexia’s answer.

“No,” Alexia shook her head and she shrugged. “She means nothing to me.”

“Ouch! Not even considering dating?” 

“I can’t deal with that right now.”

“Damn… So does that mean she’s one of your girls, then? And here I thought you finally stopped.”

“I’m not even going to answer that.”

You didn’t hear anything after that. Alexia’s words rooted you to the spot and you watched as the three of them walked on. 

She means nothing to me. She’s one of your girls. She means nothing to me. She’s…

Those same words echoed in your mind in a ruthless cycle but what stuck to you the most was the way Alexia said them. You’d never heard her that cold… that detached. Your hands shook, a chill ran up your spine and you shivered while the world blurred in front of you.

You brought a hand to your eyes and felt warm tears on your fingers.

Oh.

And without even asking you got the answer to your question. 

––––––

The moment Alexia stepped foot into the house that night, you grabbed her by the lapels of her jacket and pulled her down for a searing kiss. She gasped in surprise as you pushed her against the door and you took that opportunity to deepen the kiss, your fingers now tangled in her hair while your front was pressed firmly against her.

It wasn’t enough.

You bit and tugged her lower lip before you nipped a path along her jaw down to the base of her throat where you sucked at her pulse point. Her muscles responded and rippled beneath your palms when you traced their lines along her sides and stomach under her shirt while Alexia gasped and moaned from your touch. 

It wasn’t enough.

By the time the both of you reached the bed, you’d stripped Alexia off her clothes. She landed on her back on the bed when you pushed her, gasping as she did so, and you immediately crawled on top of her. Wasting no time, you sucked and marked the expanse of skin in front of you: her neck, her chest, her breasts, her stomach. You nipped and bit as Alexia writhed and keened beneath you.

It wasn’t enough. 

When you felt her large hands along your sides trying to tug the hem of your shirt to strip it off you, you grabbed her wrists and pinned them on either side of her head–a rejection to her offer, one that you never thought you’d do around Alexia. But just the thought of being completely naked made you shudder, and not in a good way. So you pressed a bare leg against her core to distract her to which Alexia keenly responded to by arching against you while her wetness burnt like a brand against your skin there. 

It wasn’t enough. 

When Alexia cried out your name while your fingers worked deep in her core, neck straining and muscles tensing, the pit in your chest only seemed to yawn wider and dug deeper. 

It wasn’t enough. 

When Alexia clung to you as she dozed off with her soft breath caressing your clothed stomach, tears burnt in the corners of your eyes as you watched her glow in her slumber, so peaceful and beautiful. Emotions bubbled in the base of your throat, a string of words coiled themselves tighter around your tongue, but something else burnt in your throat that you found difficult to swallow. 

In your desperation to get closer–to make Alexia forget about whoever else that she was sleeping with–you’d used sex as a tool for possession not for intimacy, and the streak of shame that that knowledge left behind pained you more than you could ever thought it could. You weren’t like this. This wasn’t a person you wanted to become, especially when it came with Alexia.

But… you wanted more.

You wanted so much more. 

But wasn’t this what you already convinced yourself of? Deep down, you knew all too well that this was too good to be true–too good of a love to be yours. 

You brushed away a lock of blonde hair from Alexia’s temple, admiring the strong slope of her nose, the fierce slant of her eyebrows, the gentle curves of her eyelids, the elegant bow of her lips. You soaked as much of her as you could because this would be the last time you’d be able to see her like this.

It was a blur, the journey back from the marketplace to the house earlier today, and your mind was a cacophony of words but a single thought was in clarity: you needed to leave. So the moment you got back, you did two things: you emailed Derek and booked your flight home.

There were no details included in the email you sent to your brother as to why you were coming back early–it was extremely unprofessional but an apology was the only thing you could come up with. You’d never not seen a project through to the end no matter the circumstance but this was different; you felt as though you were more equipped to navigate mortal peril than this dance with Alexia so leaving was the only option. 

Tomorrow at midnight, you’d be gone, two weeks ahead of schedule. You didn’t know if Alexia would get here tomorrow before you depart but that was a question for then. For now, you would allow yourself to savour this moment when Alexia was still right here beside you for the final time.

You brought one of her hand to your lips and pressed a light kiss against her knuckles.

A line from a poem fleeted through your mind.

these, our bodies, possessed by light

––––––

Everything was already packed by the time early evening came and even though the caretaker was scheduled to come early tomorrow, you  made a point to check around for anything important you might have forgotten and to ensure you’d sufficiently tidied up after yourself. Finally satisfied, you went downstairs and just after you ordered an Uber to take you to the airport, a knock came to the door and the door handle turned.

Shit.

“Hey, the door’s unlocked! Look, I didn’t know what you wanted to eat since you didn’t text me back so I just grabbed us some–”

Alexia’s voice floated into the room and as she passed through the doorway with her bag of takeaways in one hand, she stopped in her tracks as she saw you and your luggage. Then her face turned cloudy, concern and a question in her eyes.

Her hair was still damp, cheeks still flushed from training, and you longed to reach out to tuck that loose hair behind her ear but instead, you clenched your fists at your sides as you watched her mouth open a few times before she seemed to finally settle on what to say.

“Is… everything alright?” She regarded your luggage for a moment longer before she met your eyes again.

“Yes.” 

It was only one word but your voice trembled nonetheless, and you hated that it did. Alexia’d must have heard something in your tone because her brows furrowed even further as understanding began to seep in. 

“You’re–” Alexia’s throat bobbed, “you’re leaving now?”

“Yes.”

As each second passed, you could see the way Alexia’s walls began to climb.

“You said it’s not until after two weeks–” 

“I lied.” 

At that, the remaining warmth in her eyes flitted away and left her hazel eyes flat and cold. Then she scoffed, hurt clear in her voice when she asked, “were you even planning to say goodbye?”

A heavy silence settled in the air; an answer in and of itself. You could feel the distance between the both of you widen as the moment stretched on, the air so thick from tension it hurt to even breathe. Then a notification from your phone disrupted the quiet and it gave you an excuse to divert your eyes from Alexia’s.

Your Uber just arrived. You sent the driver a quick message to wait, that you’d pay them for the time, before you faced the music again. Clearing your throat, you moved to get the paper bag addressed to ‘Ale’ from the counter–the one you originally planned to leave by the door once you’d left–then you stood just out of arm’s reach from Alexia and offered her the bag. 

“Before I forget, here.”

Alexia’s eyes bore into yours before she eventually dragged them down to the bag in your hand. She placed the takeaways beside her feet before she grabbed the bag in your hand, her fingertips brushed against the skin of your knuckles and you fought the urge to flinch away.

You watched as she peered inside and you bit your lip as you hoped she wouldn’t see the pictures and the letters you wrote; it was bad enough she got here before you left to begin with, how much worse could this get if she saw them in front of you. Oh, how you wouldn’t be able to handle it.

Once she stuck her hand inside to grab something, you held your breath. Then you saw the way her jaws worked at what she found inside. She lifted it enough for you to catch a glimpse of it over the edge of the bag: blue and scarlet, her Barcelona jersey. 

Alexia sucked in a breath, ragged, before she breathed out with a trembling voice. “Oh.”

“I did promise I was going to return it.”

She looked up at you, her eyes now glazed over and you were sure with the way your eyes burnt that yours were just as red. 

“Why?”

There were so many ways you could answer her question, the words because I could fall in love with you were poised at the tip of your tongue but you bit it off before they could slip out and leave you more vulnerable than you already were.

“Because… it was fun while it lasted. No strings attached, right?” The words sounded so cruel to you and immediately, you wanted to take them back. To reduce those moments with her and the memories that were now permanently a part of you to a passing fling felt abysmally wrong. You wanted nothing more than to step into her embrace, to tell her how much she’d come to mean to you, to tell her that you could fall for her if she’d just let you… but you never really had a chance did you? You knew that now and you couldn’t keep pretending you didn’t want more. 

Alexia’s jaw worked again as her chin quivered, her tongue skimmed over the corner of her lips, a habit you noticed she did when she was upset–whenever she wanted to stop herself from crying. 

“Is this it, then?” She whispered the question and at that, a tear fell down your cheek.

“I guess it is.” 

And in the silence that followed, as if guided by an invisible force, your hand began to reach out for Alexia but your presence of mind came back to you and you quickly retracted it. Instead, you grabbed your two bags and began to head out the door. You passed by her and you were already a few steps away when you heard Alexia speak.

“Will I ever see you again?”

You knew she knew the answer to it; you knew she wanted you to say otherwise.

You didn’t turn back when you said, “goodbye, Alexia. Take care of yourself.”

––––––

The flight back home was nothing short of a fever dream: one minute you were at Barcelona-El Prat Airport nursing your head in one of the bathroom stalls as you cried, the next your plane was touching down at your home country’s landing strip. 

Derek was there to pick you up and he looked like he was about to bombard you with questions but upon seeing the state of you, his gaze softened, brows furrowing in concern and there–in place of your business partner from a moment ago–was your brother. 

He pulled you into a tight hug and you closed your eyes revelling in his comforting scent while you willed yourself not to cry. Although his arms brought solace to your aching heart, the ones you longed to hold you belonged to someone who was a thousand miles away. 

Over the next few days following your arrival, you ignored everything and went off the grid, deleting the social media apps on your phone lest the temptations would convince you to check how Alexia was doing. So instead, you busied yourself with catching up with your mother and your friends, and buried yourself with work while Derek hovered in the background, protective and concerned but respectfully giving you time to come around and tell him what happened. 

You told yourself you would–that it could wait a little longer. But you never got around to it because the next thing you knew, you, Gilda, and Jones were on air to the conflict zone for journalistic coverage. Once your plane landed, the current malaise from your personal life seemed infinitesimal for it was nothing compared to the afflictive catastrophe of war. 

[pigcowboys]

Hi boo(i hope that was not too cringe)! Could you pls do a percy jackson, enemies to lovers! story? Like in everyone in the Camp knows their hatred against each other but then they get send on a quest together and end up kissing each other to disguise their quest?!

I would really appreciate it!

Have a good Day!

pairing: percy jackson x gn! reader (2nd pov is used but someone does say 'chick')

summary: much to your displeasure, you find yourself on a quest with the one person you hate the most.

warning(s): BICKERING. mutual pining (they just don't know it yet.), kissing, swearing, enemies to lovers.

a/n: IT WASNT CRINGE DWW HAHA, i tried my best!! school starts for me pretty soon so im trying to write as much as i can before i have to go back.. (also im sorry abt the images i dont know whats going on with my computer.)

you hated them, everyone of them.

that wretched camp and it's obnoxious staff oh, and don't even get you started on that stupid oracle. she set you up! they all did.

gods, why of all people did it have to be him?

perseus jackson - most of the time shortened to just percy jackson, maybe even peter johnson at times. what an ass he was.

believe it or not when you first came to camp half-blood you had actually taken a liking to him. he was cute, full of energy and full of endless bravery, your exact type.

you weren't sure when it begun, your hatred for him, that is. it kind of just..started. when? not sure. your exact guess must've been that one valentine's day when he accidentally sneaked the last muffin at breakfast. yeah, that must've been it.

to be honest though, you didn't need a reason. you just did, and you weren't exactly quiet about it either. from the day you started to hate his guts all his advances to be nice to you were met with a glare or a huff. sometimes you'd just straight up walk away from him.

so, it basically didn't take him long to send you back the same glares or huffs or even the smallest mutter of 'geez, not this chick again..' everyone hoped the feud would dissipate, that the two of you would grow the fuck up and call a truce.

too bad their prayers didn't help.

infact, you were pretty sure that even if the gods themselves came down from olympus and said 'get along or die right here' you'd pick the latter in a heartbeat.

so, when you'd initially been called into chiron for some 'great news' you'd expected him to tell you that percy had finally decided to leave camp - or that you'd won the lottery. fuck, you wished that was it.

"hey, stay on your side, bucko!" you said, nudging percy to the side aggressively. "i'm not on the market, especially for you."

"can you be serious for second!" percy snapped back, his eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "we have to prove to chiron that we can do this." he turned back to face the front. "or...we're in for another lecture."

"i wouldn't mind, really," you grinned. "i've perfected the art of sleeping with my eyes open."

"if only you could perfect the art of silence.."

you glared at him.

the two of you were submerged underwater at the moment in one of percy's bubbles. chiron had asked of you to go to queens in order to do..something? you didn't really pay attention to chiron at the time - besides, you were thinking about drowning yourself in the nearest lake when you'd heard the percy going on the quest with you in tow. the only thing you could remember was that it was super important to not let anyone see you.

something about the appearance of two demigod children to monster being dangerous? you weren't sure why he thought the things wouldn't be able to sniff you out anyways.

the bubble wasn't even your idea to be fair. you'd suggested just taking the train, as it much easier but percy disagreed - as usual. said it would be quicker to just swim over via bubble transfer and although you wanted to disagree, you settled on the idea that the station at this time would be packed as hell.

so you bit your tongue and allowed yourself to be trapped in a bubble with percy for about a half an hour or so.

"ugh, how much longer..?" you asked, adjusting your clothes uneasily. the bubble wasn't by any means uncomfortable just..kind of warm? weirdly enough. percy didn't spare you a glance only opting to shurg his shoulder slightly as he focused on the vast ocean in front of the two of you.

you glared at him from your spot in the bubble, uncomfortably crossing your legs as you turned away from him, jumping when you realized a never before seen fish was staring into your soul from outside the bubble. it wasn't a surprise to you to see the fish, percy was the son of poseidon, you expected him to go full aquaman one day and pull up to camp half blood with a stream of wild dolphins and squids.

still, the beady little dead eyes scared the shit out of you. and in your natural knee jerk reflex, you moved back, inching into percy and bumping his shoulder. he turned to face you with a distasteful look, face contorting in confusion when he noticed the small school of fish now gathering.

your face morphed into one of uncomfort as you gazed at the tons of fish that seemed to spawn out of nowhere. "uh..can you call your friends off?"

percy seemed to share a look with the fish, a look of embarrassment flashing over his face briefly as he glared at them intensely. you looked on at the exchange in silence because, was he really talking to fishes? the fish eventually scrammed after a while and you and percy were back on your way. silence fell over the two of you before you spoke up suddenly.

"i didn't know you spoke fish.."

"drop it."

"i think we're here." percy annouced as the bubble started to drift closer to shore. were you guys there? you weren't sure at all. you were just happy to be out of that bubble - the close proximity was making you break out.

you were in fact there, somehow. and it was by then it hit you that this was a quest - a really important mission for a demigod and since it was assigned to specifically you and percy, it meant you had to deliver.

your duo walked towards the city, looking around for any suspicious looking civilians or any sign of irregular activity. it would've been an easy task to scope out the objective of the mission if it wasn't for percy's loud breathing.

seriously, you could hear him practically breathing down your neck as the two of you walked. him and his stupid big nostrils - you couldn't focus.

"mind breathing a little less loud?"

percy blinked at you. "these requests are starting to get literally concerning." his face contorted in confusion. "how the hell does one 'breathe a little less loud' ?"

"they not be percy jackson."

"that wasn't even english??"

you were about to say something else smart when a couple of people ahead caught your attention, they weren't inherently weird looking but, you got this vibe from them - that they weren't completely human. your mind raced as you looked around as nonchalantly as you could.

there were people here. to your right, 2 parents and their one hyperactive son who clawed at the ice cream in front of him with his tongue, a bright smile on his face and to your left a group of younger looking teenage girls who were chatting brightly. most likely about hair dye because their highlights were so bright they were giving you eye cancer.

you thought fast. pulling percy by his wrist as you dashed down the street, rushing into the nearest store slash tourist attraction you could as you pushed him into the corner roughly, looking behind you to see if the people had followed you.

he gave you a completely surprised look, slight annoyance forming on his face as he exhaled heavily. "is there any reason you felt like dragging me into this.." he looked around, eyes landing on a random cowboy hat that was situated on a hook in the corner of the place. "slightly..cool place?" he finished, grabbing the cowboy hat and observing it curiously.

"i saw them, well - i think i did.." you mumbled out, looking around erratically as you watched out for any signs of being followed. percy quirked an eyebrow at you.

"the IRS finally caught you orr.."

"percy, this is serious!" you exclaimed, growing slightly embarrassed when the store owner shot the two of you a look. you smiled at the owner awkwardly, ushering percy into a corner with your hand.

"look, i'm pretty sure i found the guys we were going here for." you said, still stealing glances behind you. "i saw them..just now, when were walking."

"did they follow us?" percy asked, more seriously now.

"i'm not sure," you frowned.

percy thought for a moment before speaking once more."they wouldn't do anything with all these humans here - we just have to make sure we blend in."

"and how do you suppose we do that?"

percy grinned at you, reaching over to grab another hat that was right next to the one he'd picked up earlier.

you grimaced, who's idea was it to put you two together?

"do you think we lost them?"

"nah, we definitely still need the disguises."

the two of you were situated on the street currently, attempting to look as normal as possible. though, it was pretty hard to with these stupid cowboy hats percy insisted the two of you had to wear. claimed it would be "inconspicuous" but in reality it was extremely, eye catching.

you figured he just wanted you to wear it so he could laugh behind your back about how utterly foolish you looked. it didn't help that he'd picked out the hat with the corniest design for you - and it was bedazzled.

you let of a huff of frustration. "can we switch? this one's too big on me., i'm half blind here, man."

"you'll live," percy reassured. "besides, it's better if they can't see your face."

"what's the use? they'll just sniff us out eventually."

percy shot you a look. "you're no fun."

you opened your mouth to say something when percy's face changed as he locked eyes with something behind you. you barely had time to react when he pulled you into a brutal bear hug, turning you away from whatever it was that was behind you.

your muscles tensed as your face started to burn with embarrassment. a "what the fuck, percy?" was muffled into his shirt as you felt the presence of the monsters nearing closer. your heart sank to your feet as realized how near they were really.

"whatever i do.." percy whispered in your ear. "just promise you won't be too mad."

"what're you talk-"

and then before you knew it, you'd lost your lip virginity. i mean, it wasn't the worst first kiss story you'd have to tell people. boy kissed me in order to distract the bloodthirsty monsters that were tracking us down! wow, how romantic.

in all honesty, you knew percy just did what he had to do. you knew he just had to keep you to keep your disguises up. that was probably the rest why you leaned into the kiss, hands coming up to rest on his chest as his brutal bear hug eased into more a gentle hug, his hands moving the hold your hips.

the kiss had to look real - romantic. that's why you pretend to be so into it that you let out a satisfied hum. you weren't sure if the monsters had moved on from the two of you, you weren't even sure if you were safe at all in the moment. but, it was starting to get hard to think as your mind swirled with various conflicting thoughts that stemmed from your actions at the moment.

percy broke the kiss, his eyes gazing into your curiously as he removed his hands from your hips slowly. you removed your hand from his chest, pulling away gently. your eyes searched his own for any sign of discomfort or disgust as you started to grow weary of the fact he'd just stolen your first kiss.

yet, you were surprised to find that there was none - just confusion and surprise. you tore your eyes away from him, clearing your throat. as you fixed your outfit. "i..i think i saw them go somewhere over there." you pointed at the secluded alleyway not too far from where you and percy stood. "let's go - we can get the drop on them."

percy stared at you for a moment before nodding, slightly dazed and following you towards the alleyway silently.

the ride back home - or should you say float back home was silent, as it always was. though, something different seemed to be hanging in the air this time. a feeling of awkwardness that was mostly unnatural to you and percy.

you wanted to ask about it - the kiss, why did he do it? why was that first thing he came up with? why did he lean into you slightly? why did the world seemed to stop for a second when your lips met and most of all whyyy the hell did you want it to happen again?

you stole a glance at percy. the two of you were a few feet away from each other, on opposite sides of the bubble. maybe you were going crazy or something but did percy look..good? you swore it was just because of the mixed feelings you had about him being your first but you couldn't shake the thought about how beautiful he looked in the moment.

okay, something's not right.

"do you wanna talk about it?" you blurted out suddenly, shifting positions as you leaned forward slightly. percy turned to look at you, he wasn’t annoyed nor angry, not even suicidal. he looked, enamored — and slightly caught off guard by your question.

"talk about what exactly?"

your eyebrows furrowed. "you kissed me, percy jackson." you pointed at him accusingly. "and you liked it."

percy blew a raspberry, a slightly surprised look on his face. "what makes you think i liked it?"

you paused. had you read something wrong? you thought about dropping the idea but thought against it, deciding to die on that hill. "because your hands somehow found their way onto my hips," you started. "and your lips pursed — and your heartbeat picked up little by the little the longer it lasted."

you crossed your legs, inching away from percy as you gave him a small frown. "and..you looked at me weird." percy's face was flushed as he looked at you silently from his position on the other side of the bubble.

"how did i look at you..?"

you glanced at him. "like you didn't want to drown me in the lake and leave my body for the fishes." you joked. "like..you didn't hate me."

"i don't hate you."

your head spun towards percy, your eyes widened comically. you opened your mouth to say something but the words were caught in your throat. percy analyzed you before speaking once more.

"i don't think i ever have, it's just - you're very annoying." percy sighed. "and it sucks because you're more attractive than you think you are." you stared at him in silence. your heart pounded in your chest as you gulped.

"do you like me?"

"do you like me?" percy repeated with emphasis on the me.

you laughed, inching towards percy on the other side of the bubble. "i do." you stopped in front of him, a warm smile on your face as you watched a smile break out onto his face. "i like you too." he whispered, staring at you quietly before leaning forward slightly to test the waters.

you instantly took the bait, leaning forward as well as you locked lips with percy one again. a bolt of lightning shot through you as you leaned into his touch, placing your hand on his shoulder as you climbed into his lap. percy seemed more than happy to have you there, his hands coming to rest on your hips so he could keep you steady.

you broke the kiss, hands slithering around his neck as you looked down at him with a small smile. you were about to say something when your attention was brought to the sickly sight of a line of fish outside the bubble once again. you yelped in surprise, stumbling back slightly and if it wasn't for percy's grip on you, you probably would've busted your ass.

percy looked behind him, slightly annoyed at the presence of the fish. it lingered for a bit longer before dashing off reluctantly. at which point, percy turned to you with a frown. you eyed him curiously.

"what?"

"he's going to tell everyone about the '2 demigods getting it on in the bottom of the sea'. "

[colorful-white-ideas]

I'm really scared cause Nosferatu is getting hates now because of Bill, people say he's not a leading man and his movies are all bombs at the box office. They also say his career is over cause of The Crow and that's why till now we didn't get any update of him being involved in anything cause noone wants to work with him. They say Nosferatu is gonna be the next box office bomb remake cause Bill destroys anything he's in. Some said Bill's filmography is awful and he has to chage his agent and his team, even some people said he's a nepo baby and his dad helps him to get roles.

I want to cry. Pls send help 😭😭😭😭😭

My best answer to that is they all can go to FUCK THEMSELVES.

And I say this not as a Bill fan but as someone who likes good movies , he is a good damn actor. People who hate the new crow movie and criticize Bill are only whining about his look , they don't say anything else besides that so blinded by hate , they dont see how good his body language was , the control of his eyes , the good voice control he had for the emotional scenes... Just for example the scene where he finally puts the make up on . It's so powerful how he transmits the self hate , pain and agony for what he has become.

The box office issue is not because people decided not to go to see it , those die hard crow fans are giving themselves too much credit. Their fandom is minuscule. It was the terrible lack of promotion from Lionsgate that caused this. That company played dirty to BKW and did the bare minimum for The Crow , the amount of comments I've seen of people saying they didn't know the movie was out ... Is frankly upsetting.

It didn't reach all the cinemas either , and as with BKW , they are withdrawing the movie from small cinemas after the first weekend. The marketing around these movies was horrible. Promoting The Crow as a remake was the first nail in the coffin and it took them TOO DAMN LONG RELEASE THE PROMOTIONAL INTERVIEWS.

Lastly what is wrong with all the movies he participated in ? They all look good to me. The best of all ( for me) was The devil all the time and people SLEPT on him , his work there was 10 times better than Pattinson. ( Sorry not sorry)

His career will do more than fine. Locked will be shown in the TiFF in September, Nosferatu in December ( we are like 4 months away, almost nothing)

Haters can suck a dick and shut up for once.

I won't even say sorry for being this aggressive. All the hate The Crow 2024 is getting , out of pocket, got me in my last nerve. Fuck them all.

[artemis-moonsilver]

Opinions No One Asked For™️: Palia NPC Edition

Auni: I love this kid. I want him to think of me as a cool older sister or cool aunt. I bring him bugs every chance I get

Ashura: I want him to be my dad. Genuinely love him. Serious contender to be my Shepp

Badruu: He really turned the puns up to 11. I love him. Also want him to be my dad. And possibly my Shepp

Caleri: I wasn't too sure about her, but after getting to know her, I feel like we have quite a few similarities. Definitely want to be her friend. Could she be my Shepp? 👀

Chayne: I find him so calming. He also feels dad-like to me. 100% want him as a support figure/father figure regardless of who I choose as my Shepp

Delaila: Love talking to her. Really want to get to know her better at this point (but 100% want her to win all the prizes at farmers markets/festivals)

Einar: Absolutely adorable and I love him. Only platonically tho. I will give him as many Gils and shiny rocks as he wants

Elouisa: I wasn't sure at first, but I LOVE her unhinged theories. I want to be her best friend. I will investigate all the paranormal things with her. Contender for my Shepp. Girl let's go ghost hunting

Eshe: So snobby. So bougie. So bitchy. I wish she could be my Shepp 😫 (if only because it would be entertaining)

Hassian: First impressions? What an asshole. After some time, I am...intrigued. I want to figure him out. I want to know why he is the way he is. Also fucking love Tau, the gooodest boi

Hekla: Honestly... she freaked me out a little for a long time. I'm slowly coming around though

Hodari: Listen, I get it. I see where you all are coming from. But man's just not my type 🤷🏻‍♀️

Jel: Oh Jel, my beloved. I'm not exactly subtle about it. This man is my husband. Sad, skinny, pathetic, dramatic, goth guys are My Type™️. Would marry him like, yesterday 🥀😫🪡🖤😍

Jina: At first I wasn't sure, but the more I talk to her, I'm like, "Jina, my bestie." I'm a PhD student. I feel you. Also, WOMEN IN STEM, HELL YEAH!!!! I have a feeling we're gonna be great friends

Kenji: Not a fan of your extremely privileged life ("Have you tried inheriting property?" 😐😐😐) or the invasive chapaa situation... but I also don't dislike him as much as I thought. I feel like he's playing a role he doesn't really want to, but still enjoying/expecting the high life for little to no effort

Kenyatta: She should be my best friend. I was put off at first, but she is the coolest. I see quite a few aspects of myself in her

Nai'O: I feel like he's the sweetest boi ever. I'm both like, "He deserves better than Kenyatta" and "Kenyatta is good for him." Perhaps the most wholesome NPC

Najuma: I also want to be the cool older sister and/or cool aunt that she never had. This kid is a badass and smart as hell. I wish my friendship with her was better already

Reth: This man. I love him. I'm not sure if it's platonic or romantic yet. All I know is he's one of my favourite NPCs to talk to. He's funny, he's flirty, he's got a Tragic Backstory™️. I'm here for this soup boi whether he wants it or not

Sifuu: Two words: Bad. Ass. It's a crime that we can't romance her. I really want to ask her to be my Shepp, but I'm not sure it's a good fit

Tamala: I'm sorry, Tamala besties, but I just don't like her 😭 I really wanted to like her so bad, but her aggressive flirting paired with her unwillingness to consider me a friend/equal just rubs me the wrong way

Tish: Absolutely beautiful person. I want to be her bffl. That is all

Zeki: Crime Cat, my beloved. He is the most entertaining Shepp option (imo). He's got an eye patch, a gold tooth, and shady practices. I find him amusing. I want him to like me. Share his (dubiously acquired) riches with me. Please accept me into the black market. I won't tell, but I can't promise I'll participate (I probably will 👀)

[chocsra]

"Birds in the House of Flies."

15! Chuuya x gn! asa mitaka! reader

A/N: genuinely sorry but im gonna have trouble posting since tests are a BITCH DAMN, im sorry if u sent a request itll take some time thank you guys 😭 ALSO SORRY AB THE ONE BED TROPE THINGY IM STILL WORKING ON IT WILL BE POSTED TMRW . also asa mitaka is like the only character i kin besides shoko 😭 thank uuuu for the request 🙈

content: based off the building scene in csm, oneshot, slight angst?, pre-relationship, holding hands 🥺, ooc, mentions of suicide, mafia chuuya, civilian reader, slight crack, fluff mentions of girl once

"Fuckin' hang on!!"

Those three words echoed loud in the cold air admist the darkness below your figure, each passing second felt more like an anomaly than the present taking over it's future. A dark whirling pressure pulls you down more, a completely dark void which surrounded you fully, an emptiness that induced fear, unknowingness, it was uncanny.

Despite the dreading pull along your feet, the same body parts you hated for walking - it walked you to your worst and hated places, it held you up when you would much rather decompose in the filth of your bed, something clung onto your hand and held you up even when the only vision you see is a complete reflection of your thoughts, empty.

Sometimes, you hated touch - that was a lie, you hate touch. You hate it when you get a hug that held no value, you hate it when others send warmth to your body, your cold, without any second thought. However, the hand that held yours somehow felt like holding a mug of hot tea, like intaking hot soup relaxingly burning down your throat.

The warmth that held you was a boy, you noticed the ivory complexion laced upon his warm hands, a different feeling than when he was wearing cold, leather gloves. "Dude- you gotta be shittin' me.." a husky voice sighs from the other side, hands deeply clung onto your own in a gravitational pull.

"I'm okay with falling! Just let me go.." you mumble, now you wouldn't have to meet expectations, or feel the dread of waking up ij the morning. You watched as the ability you were trapped in completely used your greatest fear against you; the dark.

You weren't sure how you got into this situation, when you were younger - some people were gifted with special abilities that defy science, yours was no different; but instead of joining an organization to be against or with humanity, you lived your life as somebody normal would.

Only now, your ability got sold for a high price on the black market, not only do criminals desire your skill, but government workers too; strangers from fucking hell. You were taken into the backropes of the Port Mafia, reigning from Yokohama, Japan; the wish was to transport you back to Yokohama in one piece, fuifilled by a trusted mafioso, Nakahara Chuuya.

He was like any other boy your age, he was a nice guy, actually; just in the wrongest, most immoral line of work, at the ripe age of what, sixteen?

And to you, a normal student, the normalization of superpowers was pretty crazy. Nakahara Chuuya was a shithead that showed you of that, he was chill but aggressive, moral but immoral, small but incredibly strong?

"No way I'm lettin' ya go, you're fuckin' crazy!!" he shouts, pulling your limp body up from the void, you pensively look down at the endless pit, reminicing moments where you were at peace. "I'm not crazy, you are! And stop fucking swearing!!" you scream back, dangling yourself and grasping onto the leather sleeves of his jacket.

"You stop fuckin' swearing!"

"Nuh-uh!!"

A heavy silence filled the void, and the sudden tug from his hands. "The ability uses your darkest fear against you, why the hell did you willingly fall?!" the boy shouts back, a little crack in his voice emerged, causing you to lower your eyebrows in slight embarrassment. "Because why would I keep living and fufill expectations I never asked to recieve?!" you answer, eyes flitting to every corner possible in that dark void, a star, a light - no, only his hand. "You can't be serious - I get it! Life is a bitch, doesn't mean you hafta kill yourself!" he argues, pulling you upwards as you dangle your body weight down.

"I am not killing myself!" you hiss, listening as Chuuya retorts with a scoff. "Yeah, you just let yourself fuckin' fall." he chews on his bottom lip stressfully, "Think of all the amazing shit you can live for; dogs, puppies, smoking!!"

"Gross!! Don't you know how much damage that smoking causes your lungs?!" you shout back, the sleeve of your uniform cuffing onto your held up arm. "Fine - alcohol!" Chuuya clicks his tongue, trying to find out luxuries of life. "That's disgusting! The blurry lines between a social drinker and an alcoholic are extremely thin!" the boy tightens his grip in annoyance, "What the hell do ya even like?! Parties?"

"Parties are a mix of sweat and loud noises that give me migraines! Not everyone is a fuckin' gangster, y'know?" the redheaded boy sighs begrudgingly, attempting to pull you up. "..I don't know what girls like, clothes...?" you pause and rub your temple with your free hand, "Just let me go already! Nobody has it worse than me!"

"Fuuck!" Chuuya groans at your dismissal, "I'll tell ya what I'm living for - I saw weird shit until I woke up in the real world when I was like 8?! Now there's a God living inside me!!" you grew silent, ".. I'm not your therapist!" you stammer, causing the boy to hiss. "[Y/N]! Let me help you so I can find out about the past I've never had." you bit your lip torn, hearing as the void went silent.

From the minimal interactions you shared with the ginger, his actions always seemed barricaded, as if he were put behind glass his whole life. And from his story, it seemed pretty right. He's far too loyal with that mafia, and blames himself for the short coming of his old organization. 'Nobody has it worse than me!' rung through your mind, god, how you internally facepalmed. You hated being touched, but you were sort of touched; and as selfish as you were, or are, you had to dress another morning successfully waking up.

"..Or else Ima call the God - O' grantors, of dark dispa-"

"Fuck! You can help me, alright?!"

[sea-of-dust]

Making chocolate for Lyney!

N:I had an idea to wrote catching yugioh protags at a part time job. Might finally fix that yugioh hole in my ml

Event link here

Running around Fontaine without him attached to your hip was hard enough, but trying to hide something too? He's gonna make a GREAT plot for drama. The markets lights bright enough to keep you awake dim enough to not burn them entirely. Buying the ingredients were quite easy, if you would have gone in the morning he would have known the very instant he saw what you bought, maybe even just knowing where your going, he'd make it aggressively obvious he knew too. This was a surpise he's not going to rub your cheek and smirk while stating how much he adores you. Flirting and neck/cheek kisses will not make chocolate!!

He'd 100% get giddy noticing you make chocolate, that's probably when he'd get the most chaotic, in the kitchen of all places. "It smells of chocolate you don't happen to be making any?" "Whaaatt totally not what?" You try to block it from his view even when he moves perspective. "It's obvious it's there" smirking he jokingly reaches for it. "Nooo, it's not" "hehe" without a sweat, he kisses your cheek. "Thank you." "for what?" Your mind officially going blank "for making me chocolate" he kisses you again "you and I both know it's not for you" "and if it is?" "Then you wouldn't be making so much of an effort to hide it" Your heart skipped a beat from how well he knew you. "You'll get them when they're done..." smirking he kisses your neck "I know they'll be amazing" you know he'd never let you finish those choclates without a pickup line or god forbid getting the urge to cuddle right in the middle of making them.

The daytime nightmare of your boyfriend knocked you out almost as soon as you saw your bed after putting away groceries. He WILL be the first thing you see outside your door. "Y/n!" He tries to peak through your peep hole. Unfortunately, there's no such thing as a reverse peep hole, unable to see anything he waits by the door, as soon as you open it his eyes light up as if filled with energy. "Just intime ma chérie, I was wondering if you'd like to run some errands with me" "oh" rubbing the back of your neck trembling before your next words "I'm a bit busy today" "that's unfortunate, maybe next time then" "I'll make sure of it" you kiss his cheek before waving your goodbyes and closing the door. You knew it would have bothered him for the rest of the day if that kiss wasn't there to soften the blow

Trying to read the instructions the clerk had given you, you got to work, melting,mixing, and pouring into chocolate molds, using your cryo vision to freeze the chocolate after being molded. After that, you prepare the box, using the jumbled decor, you decorate the inside of the box, then the outside. When the chocolate finally solidifies you take it out the ice and wrap them in individually

When the day came, you had to hype yourself up, a bit nervous he might outwardly dislike it, you gulp, going into one of his shows. As soon as you appear in the crowd you, he smiles widely, his glare softens seeing your bashful face amongst the crowd. As soon as the show starts, he does his usual tricks, ones you've seen and almost have gotten to know how he does them, yet are still amazed by eatch sight. Near the end of the show the crowd seemed to almost take a bit of the street despite them not being that close to it. Gracefully he pulls out cards "we've had fun dear audience but I'm afraid I must go" the crowd simultaneously awies in disappointment "not to worry I'm sure we'll meet again" cards suddenly fly in the air disappearing the magician and his assistant, a card landing near you with his face printed on it. "Hold that box tight" holding it tightly suddenly, you feet a tug at your waist, the runaway magican dragging you away with him. "I'm sorry I couldn't go with you yesterday" "No worries" gripping the choclates tighter you interlock the hand on your waist with your own letting yourself run with him. "Sometimes I wish I can go into those cards" "only magicians can ma chérie" "Lynettes tea cup can do magic?" he laughs loudly "that's not what I ment"

As soon as you guys stop, you hand him the box. "They may be a little crushed but" swallowing down you look at him with frail confidence "this is for you" huffing a bit he opens the box, fidgeting with your fingers, you watch him twirl a piece in his hand "what's this?" "Choclate" your mind races with what ifs what if he says he hates chocolate, what if him and Lynette judge you for the rest of time? You watch him take off the wrapper, slowly popping it into his mouth. You try not to look at him as he does, afraid it might be so bad he physically repluses. Without hearing a thing, you feel chocolate trace your lips. "They taste amazing ma chérie, thank you" without giving it much thought he kisses your newly chocolate flavored lips "I'll have to try my hand at this one day" he kisses you again "we should cook together too" lazily wrapping his arms around your neck you point to Lynette calmly ignoring the whole thing. "We should make these together next time, you might be able to catch me grocery shopping" you tease pulling his hat to cover his eyes.

[the-froschamethyst4]

I Live for the Chase

➤Day 5

𖤐Pairing: Wolf! Alejandro x Bunny! F! Reader

𖤐Pronouns: She/Her

𖤐Warnings: Smut, NSFW, chasing, language, P in V, mentions of blood and gore, aggressive behavior, simi-public, biting, teasing, dirty talking, slight choking, eating out, fingering, a bit emotional at the end

𖤐Summary: Y/n is an innocent bunny who always goes to the forest to collect wildflowers to make flower arrangements but what happens when she gets caught by a large wolf

—————

——————

In a local bunny village, bunnies alike farmed their carrots and getting ready to head the flea market to sell their crops. This bunny village was mainly known for its carrots.

A cute bunny girl Y/n came walking out of her home, she was heading to the forest, she goes to this forest to collect wildflowers to make flower arrangements to sell at the flea market.

Her parents sold carrots, and she sells wildflower arrangements. She picks windflowers, black-eyed Susans, butterfly weeds, common yarrow, yellow monkeyflowers, rose vervain and common sunflowers. She would collect around 25 to 30 each to make as many arrangements as she could.

She smelled a common yarrow, loving the scent of it. But what poor little Y/n didn't know is that she is being stalked by a big hungry wolf, who was blending in the bushes just a few feet behind her.

She stood up and turned at the bushes the wolf was in a saw pretty purple flowers. She smiled and bent down in front of the bush and picked them.

The wolf saw red in his vision. He jumped out from the bush and pinned Y/n to the ground, she struggled against his body, trying to use her legs to push him off her.

"HELP! HELP! PLEASE! LET ME GO!!" She begs.

He licks his sharp teeth, and brought his fangs close to her neck. Her small white bunny ears fell down.

"Please, please, don't eat me, Mr.Wolf," his forehead fell to her shoulder.

"Mr.Wolf, seriously?" He said, looking back into her eyes.

"What? You usually like that," she teased him, wrapping her arms around her neck.

The wolf picks Y/n up, her legs wrapped around his waist. He licks his teeth again before attaching his lips to her neck and gently sucking on her neck.

"I have to go make my arrangements, Alejandro."

"I know but...why not some fun?" Her eyes widened; she knew what 'some fun' meant.

"No, Alejandro, I'm so tired, I can't run from you," she said as he placed her back on the ground.

"Just enough to get your blood pumping, mi amor, your heart beating will give you away, and I'll find you quickly, and it'll be done and over with, come on..." he said.

"No, I don't want to," she whines.

"I'll give you a 5-minute head start."

"Alejandro-"

"Go," he said. Y/n pouts and looked at the way she was going to run, and Alejandro stared down at her.

She bolted deeper into the forest and pushed past the tree limbs; she saw where there was a wall of thorns blocking her way. She went another way to the river and ran through it.

She saw a cave in ducked into for a little bit. She heard rustling in the bushes just outside the cave. She knew it was Alejandro. She stayed quiet as she watched outside the cave seeing Alejandro walk by.

She listened to the bushes start moving far away. She popped her head out of the cave and looked around.

"Really this is the best you got, bunny?" She heard Alejandro just above the cave, he jumped off the caves roof and Y/n started to run again but Alejandro on her tail.

She ducked through the bushes trying to lose him, but he was quicker and has done this way too many times to know her patterns of movement.

She tried to lose him and then she felt her tail get grabbed making her stop.

"OW!" She stopped and turned to him. He picks her up and slams her back against a nearby tree.

"Sorry, but it was the only thing to get you to stop," he said as his lips attached to her neck again, she could feel his sharp fangs just scrap against her neck making her wince.

"A-Alejandro," she moans.

"Come on now," he flashed his fangs and attacked her neck, biting at her neck definitely leaving some puncture wounds. Blood trickled down her neck and he licked it from her neck.

He has bite her before, and has left marks and blood, she was almost use to it in a way. His nails slightly dug into her hips leaving marks behind but no blood.

"A-Alejandro, please, I-I need t-to go make m-my arrangements," she whines.

"Those can wait."

"N-No, please e-expect me to b-be there and s-sell m-my arrangements," she moans.

He starts to now start tearing off her cute little dress. She whines when she felt cold air hit her bare skin. She pushed against Alejandro's hand as a way to get him to stop, but he didn't, he grabbed her wrist and pinned it to her side.

"Don't you fucking dare," he growls.

"P-Please," she cries.

He smirks hearing her cries. He bit her neck again and moved her from the tree on the dirty ground. Her knees were covered in dirt now, her hands covered in dirt now. Her dress was ripped and had mud on the fabric of it now.

Alejandro didn't care that she was getting dirty, he was going to fuck her in the woods like the wild animals they are. Her face was on some leaves and mud, she felt disgusting. Alejandro, he didn't care, her ass was up.

He smacked her ass earning a soft moan from her lips. He licked his lips and bent down and licked between her folds. She moans and grips the dead leaves under her.

"Ah~" she moans.

He groans as he heard her soft moans escape from her lips. He smirks and then shoved three fingers inside of her. She gripped the leaves as her knuckles turned white.

She moaned at the feeling of his tongue and fingers inside of her, she felt dirty not because she's on the muddy ground but because she's being fucked in a forest where if people could, they could see them.

She then tried to muffle her moans with her hand, but Alejandro moved his mouth and leaned closer to her ear still pushing his three fingers inside of her.

"Don't hide those moans of yours, bunny, keep going, I wanna hear them, they're so cute, come on now," he said as she did remove her hand and moaned when she felt his hot mouth back on her clit, licking between her folds and his tongue flicking at her bud.

"O-Oh my god," she moans.

Alejandro moved his mouth again and started to mess with his pants pulling out his dick and sliding it in with no warning. He removed his fingers and now started to thrust inside of her, she moaned and squirmed under him.

He smacks her ass a couple times earning a soft moan, he got close to her neck and started to bite her again. This time when she bleeds, he let her bleed, not licking it clean or anything.

"God...if I didn't fucking...like you so much...I would fucking kill you...right here...right fucking now," he grunts as he thrusts a little harder making her moans a little bit sound like she was choking instead.

Alejandro just chuckles at her. "God you're such a bad bunny...being fucked by a wolf...someone...who is looked down upon your kind...what would everyone else think huh? Cute Y/n bunny being...fucked by the bad wolf..." he teased.

"T-They...would n-never know," she responds back.

"They better not," he growls back before slamming into her a lot rougher.

She moans a buries her face into her hands as she moans against them and they soon become loud again once, he smacked her ass again.

"Cum, bunny," he growls as she felt herself get tight.

With one more thrust she came on his lower half. He smirks and licks her folds. She sat up and looked over her shoulder at him.

"Ahh~ one more," he says.

"Ale-"

"But you run like this," he says.

"I'm tired and I'm late for the flea market."

"Who cares," he rolls his head back.

"I do, that's how I make my income, Alejandro."

"Oh, I know...but who cares, bunny..."

"I'm not running anymore, Alejandro, I'm going back home," she said as she stood up and started to walk back to the village.

"Huh? Hey, bunny, bunny, I'm joking, I'm kidding, I know the flea market is important to you...I'm sorry for being rude and mean about it, I know it's your income," he tried to get her attention, but she was focused on getting back home.

"Now, I have to change and throw this dress away, it was my favorite."

"I'll buy you a new one."

She ignores him.

"Hey, look at me, bunny, look at me," he gets in front of her, holding her shoulders.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, okay."

"I know, but I have something to do...I'll see you later, Alejandro," she said as she grabbed her basket off the ground and headed to her house and quickly made arrangements and got a new dress on.

Alejandro was leaning against, a tree outside her house and watched her from afar. He watched as she left the house and quickly headed to the flea market which Alejandro followed her.

Y/n found an empty spot and saw the line that was waiting for her. She quickly handed them out and got her money. Alejandro leaned against a wooden pole watching her.

His eyes watched as everyone looked at Y/n with kind eyes. Except one. A guy was flirting with Y/n and Alejandro felt rage through his veins and eyes.

His hands clenched into a fist, he turned into his wolf, his wolf was a pretty honey color, and he made his way over Y/n.

The bunnies around him all shuddered in fear as he made his way to Y/n and stood behind her and the male bunny in front of her shuddered with fear. He didn't take the arrangement but ran away.

"Huh?"

"Hmmm~ Y/n?" The bunnies trembled in fear as Y/n turned a saw a big honey dire wolf.

"Alejandro, what are you doing here?"

"Y/n, do you know this wolf?" The Mayor of the village came walking to Y/n and the dire wolf.

"I...I do..." she said with her head down and her ears down as well.

"You know how we feel about wolves."

"I know, I know."

"Sir, with all due respect, why the fuck does it matter?" Alejandro said as he changed back into his normal self.

"Because you guys are PREDITORS! We try to survive from you guys for years, and here you are in our village, and you know one of our own...you should be ashamed of yourself, Y/n for knowing such a BEAST!"

"I am not ashamed of anything, I love him!"

"YOU CAN'T LOVE A BEAST! ESPICALLY ONE THAT KILLED US FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS!!"

"We changed over those hundreds of years."

"No, you haven't, if you could, you would have waited for the right minutes and you would have killed Y/n."

"Never," he growls as he steps to the mayor.

"YOU SEE! YOU SEE! WOLVES WITH NEVER CHANGE!!"

"You're right we won't..." he grabs Y/n and looked down at her. "Follow my lead." He whispers.

"Oh shit," she whispers back.

He turned back to the mayor and changed into his wolf, he 'attacked' Y/n and dragged her out of the village and into the forest. As the bunnies chased him out.

He let her go and viewed her neck.

"I'm sorry," she was shaking as he apologized for grabbing her roughly.

"I'm okay...I can no longer go back home..."

"That's fine, you get to come live with me then, mi amor," he licks his teeth.

[melefim]

Swearing in Dead Boy Detectives: Episode 5- The Case of the Two Dead Dragons

Episode Overview:

50 total, 14 different words said by 12 characters.

Charles: 2 Shit, 1 Bloody, 1 Bloody Hell, 3 God, 1 Prick, 1 Knob, 1 Tosser

Crystal: 1 Fuck, 4 Shit, 4 God, 1 Pussy, 1 Dick, 2 Screw

Jenny: 2 Fuck, 1 Ass

David: 1 Fuck

Niko: 2 God

Litty: 1 Ass, 2 God

Kingham: 1 Bitch

Maxine: 2 God

Brad: 2 Fuck

Hunter: 1 Fuck, 1 Shit, 1 Bitch, 1 Hell

Maren: 5 God

Twitchy Ritchie: 1 Fuck, 2 Shit, 1 Dick

Swears Per Character:

Charles: 10

Crystal: 13

Jenny: 3

David: 1

Niko: 2

Litty: 3

Kingham: 1

Maxine: 2

Brad: 2

Hunter: 4

Maren: 5

Twitchy Ritchie: 4

Uses Per Word:

Fuck: 8

Shit: 9

Bitch: 3

Ass: 2

Hell: 1

Bloody: 1

Bloody Hell: 1

God: 17

Pussy: 1

Dick: 2

Prick: 1

Knob: 1

Tosser: 1

Screw: 2

Lines:

Charles: I'm also bloody angry.

Crystal: Holy shit!

Hunter: Cops say it was alcohol poisoning at this party, but that's BS.

Niko: OMG it's…

Charles: With that prick demon and her missing memories, she isn't keen on starting anything.

Litty: Oh my god.

Litty: Is it the mystery of smelling like a grotty-ass fish?

Kingham: Little salmon-breath bitch.

Litty: Oh my god!

Crystal: Oh god. Cash and condoms. Thanks.

Maren: Brad was my boyfriend. God, I miss him so much.

Maren: God, I shouldn't have left.

Crystal: Oh, no it's porn, it's all just porn. Oh my god.

Twitchy Ritchie: They were dicks who treated people like shit.

Charles: Oh, bloody hell.

Crystal: Deep down, guys that make gay jokes are always the biggest pussies.

Twitchy Ritchie: The fuck is this?

Twitchy Ritchie: She got aggressive, making threats and shit.

Jenny: Oh my fuck.

Hunter: What the hell?

Crystal: Because all nice guys give their girlfriends date rape drugs to screw with their future.

Crystal: You walk around acting like the sun always shines, and then you lost your shit while beating the Night Nurse. Edwin and I are walking on eggshells around you instead of just saying 'what the actual fuck?'

Jenny: It wasn't my finest moment, but the guys at the fish market can be real assholes.

Maren: He was always bitching that Brad got him hooked on Adderall.

Maren: And oh God, they, they… ugh, they humiliated him any chance they got

Maren: Oh god I… I almost did it to you.

Crystal: I am really not sorry the world is short two toxic dickheads.

Charles: I've got some heavy shit that I need to sort out. I get it. Just… God, I really wanted them to be good guys

Crystal: Well I guess all three of us lost our lives to boys who went too far. It's a really shitty thing to have in common.

Maxine: God, I've always done this.

Maxine: I mean, I have to use my imagination to fill in the rest. Like… like what your pillow smells like. Oh god, I can't wait to smell it for myself.

Jenny: What the fuck, Maxine?

Crystal: Hey Jenny? Hey, what's with the fl- Holy shit.

Niko: What's happening? Oh. Oh my god.

Charles: You tossers really hurt some people. You were cruel just for the shits.

Hunter: Oh, fuck that, you whiny little bitch.

Brad: It's a fucking tragedy that we died, okay?

Charles: God, you knobs really don't get it.

Brad: What the fuck does that mean?

Charles: Oh god, I'm worried that maybe I'm like Brad and Hunter.

Crystal: No boy is screwing my life up.

David: I'm a demon! And I always get what I fucking want!

Crystal: I can't keep him out of my head. God, he just keeps coming, I don't… I don't know how to stop him. God, what if I can't?

Notes:

Charles’ “I’m also bloody angry” at the start of the episode is the same clip from the fight with the Night Nurse, remembered as part of Crystal’s nightmare.

Jenny almost has another one- it looks and sounds to me like she was going to say ‘bullshit’ at the end of her “I will take my wine and murder documentaries over this bu-“ but was interrupted by Maxine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More Dead Boy Detectives Swearing Posts:

Masterlist

Swearing by Episode

Swearing by Character

Swearing by Word

All Swearing Posts

And if you like lists of things like I do, you can check out my other Dead Boy Detectives ones here!

When Charles’ Shirt Colors Change

George Rextrew’s Edwin comic inspo board

Full soundtrack with timestamps

Moves, Incidents, and Cases Masterlist

First pass at finding where the songs in the score are used- full post with timestamps in progress

[clockys-soul]

Just wanna make sure sorry for the second ask, but I've saw people have ocs for your story and I'm wondering if I can make a character or two?

If so do you have anymore info on Bloodreapers, Light reapers and Snow reapers.

And any information on the things like Thunderborns, Frostborns, ect. Like is there bloodborns 🤔

I will also take as much info about the story as you will give me

No need to apologize! Im always open for questions!

And yes you may absolutely make some characters! I’m always happy to see that.

One thing is very important to know about the world I’ve created:

"There’s a legend that says that if one is meant to ride a dragon, rider and dragon will always find each other."

This applies to all creatures that can be tamed too.

A good way to figure out if you are meant to bond with a certain creature is to check if the creature shares your eye color, if you share your eyecolor it means you share your soul color so a soul bond is possible! Not everyone gets to ride dragons though, even if they wish to.

Here’s the Bestiary page on Bloodreaper Wyverns! Im gonna change the design a bit (just the head and not much so no worries, it’s still accurate). There’s all kinds of info in that text! None on taming one though and just like all other Wyvern breeds you cannot simply tame an adult, taming adult Wyverns is impossible as you’d be killed before even getting a chance to get close. So what to do? You need to acquire an egg! Some buy them off the market (which isn’t good as that usually means dragon hunter killed the parents and took their eggs (dragon hunting is illegal). Maybe you happen to stumble upon an abandoned hatchling, but hatchlings are fierce even if they are young. Bloodreapers do not have a breath attack and Bloodborns are in in fact not a thing! Lesser Wyverns such as Bloodreapers do not posses a connection to an Elemental (Fire, ice, Lightning, Sun, moon).

Now the second rarest Wyvern species! Lightreapers are very rare and also very strong, they are cousins of the Fire elemental Wyverns (Flame/Fire/Ember/Ash and Magmareapers) and so are Nightreapers!

Lightreapers are Greater Wyverns! Their usual coloration consists of a mainly white body with yellow to gold wings and gold accents! Males will usually have markings on their crests (like a triceratops for example) and have a brightly colored throat (this is a trait all male Wyverns share) males like most other Wyverns are also bigger but less aggressive than females.

Lightreapers are only found in the desert areas of a continent! They are considered holy steeds to the Temple of Solis' Members! Some members ride Lightreaper Wyverns or Lightstalker Drakes.

Some Known Lightreapers and their riders:

Aurum (first recorded Sunborn Lightreaper)—Imera (first recorded Sunborn human)

Whiteray—Liora Solar (mother to Aelius Solar)

Daylight—Albus Luminos (Arch Priest of the Temple)

Zenith—Aelius Solar (father to Elaine Solar)

Meridian(oldest current living Lightreaper)— Soleil aka the blind Sunwalker (mother to Elaine Solar)

Solis (this century’s Sunborn Lightreaper) — Elaine Solar (this century’s Sunborn human)

Snowreapers are relatively docile compared to other Wyverns but still aggressive enough that going near one will end in death.

Some known Snowreapers and riders:

The white Warden of the North (a Wild, elder female Snowreaper living in the mountain ranges in the north of Achaios.) —riderless

Northwind (half Hailreaper; oldest living dragon on Archaios)— Hebe Duratus (deceased)

Snowwing — Cailleach Duratus

Rimewing — Meili Duratus

Blizzard (this century’s Frostborn; half Frostreaper)— Boreas Duratus (this century’s frostbornn father of Skadi and Aquilo)

Frostbite (night/blood/snow/Frostreaper hybrid) — Skadi Duratus

Snowfall (night/blood/snow/frost) — Aquilo Duratus

Hope any of this made sense and I’ll post some more on my story!

[piglet26]

Reylo. Sorry, but it's not abusive

Star Wars is not selling abusive relationships to young girls nor conditioning them into aspiring to them. Reylo is not propaganda from disgruntled single middle aged woman. It wasn't promoting abusive relationships when Luke still found love for his father despite Darth Vader cutting off his hand. Luke fans, young and old, were not attacked as being dumb or needy for liking Luke or how he viewed his father. It damn sure wasn't considered abusive when Anakin choked Padme and she still held hope for him in her heart. Or, that Obi-Wan still held a love for Anakin despite everything Darth Vader had done. Then there was Reylo.

Being a Reylo is not something I feel I need to defend. Let me love what I love in peace. That's what I believe. I did not actually see any of the sequel trilogy until after it was concluded. I was not on any fandoms during the rollout and marketing for the films. Thank God. However, I have gathered enough to understand it was horrible how Reylos were being regarded. It was beyond patronizing. I'm not new to fandom, hell I've been on soap opera fandoms for quite some time and believe me that's a savage space, but wow.

I want to clarify some of the feedback against Reylo and reaffirm why it's such a compelling pairing. Further more, I regard it as an compelling attribute to the Star Wars universe that only added to the franchise.

Now I've seen the domination of woman twisted up and called romance (see Twilight and 50 Shades of Gray), but I don't think people understand WHY those relationship were as such. Rey, on her own, is one of the strongest and most badass female leads to ever appear on the big screen. Despite people thinking she doesn't have a personality she is a resourceful, tough, innocent, loyal, hopeful and strong. She has agency unlike Bella Swan. She is not sexualized by Kylo Ren unlike the 50 shades girl. Her gender is neither a hindrance nor an advantage. She has the agency to save herself, but she is also saved.

Which is really one of the main issues. There is the patronization of Rey as a character, the people who like her and the people who like the pairing. While those 50 shades of gray books didn't buy themselves rather than listening to why Reylos liked the pairing they were told why they did and then dismissed. Or, there's the men that wanted Rey to be with Finn because Finn was the "nice guy" who they identified with.

Rey doesn't need a love interest - not all heroines need love interests, but why does it imply she's weak if she does have a love interest? Heroes infamously have a female counterpart which helps make them viable. It doesn't make them any less interesting as an individual.

Kylo Ren and Rey are NOT a couple but instead representatives of opposing sides in a war. This is the most important part. From the get-go they have an intense dynamic. Both have had visions and dreams of the other and they recognize something in one another. Kylo Ren did kidnap Rey, however, if you consider fighting your enemies “abusive” or interrogating war prisoners as “domestic violence”.............well, that is odd.

As quotes about them

What if your soulmate in the Force was your enemy? Circumstance, pits them against each other, but the Force bonds them together. They understand each other almost from a point of view of fate. And yet, fate has made them enemies.

While Kylo Ren is fascinated by In the moments of the interrogation, gender and sexuality have nothing to do with Kylo’s actions. J.J. made the conscious choice to show us the same scene twice (Kylo Ren interrogating his enemies) so the audience can spot the differences between the two. Sorry J.J, you trusted people too much.

We're able to see very clear aggression and abuse come from Kylo Ren for Poe. He has zero interest in him personally. He needs information and he will get it. The force and his ability to read someone's mind is a tool within his disposal. Now why isn't Poe's interrogation considered sexual assault?

"You know I can take anything I want" HE CAN READ HER MIND! He's not talking about raping her for God's Sake! He asked her to freely provide information and she didn't want to. However, he has a tool to use against a girl adding his enemies - a tool he'll use if she doesn't want to snitch. She knows this he already read her mind - so why not give the information freely?!

Rey also invaded his mind, so did she mind-rape him too?

The line that fans almost never seem to talk about in The Force Awakens is when Kylo says to Rey “Don’t be afraid, I feel it too.” What did he feel? The best I'm able to understand is what they felt was their force dyad igniting or fulfilling.

Ren becomes personally invested in Rey. Not with her cause, or her affiliation with the Resistance, but with her and what he wants from her.

“Kylo chased Finn and Rey outside Starkiller Base to fight them! He threw Rey against a tree!” Well she was going to shoot him..... I would've thrown her against a tree to save myself. His issue in that moment was Finn. Finn was the "traitor" in questioned and his unfinished business. They fought, but really it was a dueling exercise. Kylo Ren wanted to test her skills and her powers. If he wanted her dead there was a convenient edge to push her over, hell he offered to teach her. Rey was the one to go ape and almost kill him.

Again, I'm not implying that they aren't messy - they are. For literary nerds this is why they are a compelling heroine/villain. Ultimately one will greatly affect the other. The tension in between them is why it's great.

Ben Solo, least we forget, is himself an abuse victim. This is canon. While Kylo Ren has learned abusive techniques, they are at war. Applying abusive characteristics to a fictional character in a war setting without any attempt to incorporate the story is bizarre. Why was he able for the first time to stand against his abuser? Rey. He couldn't stand up for himself but he stood up for her. Ultimately, Kylo Ren wanted to 'break the wheel" that's what he claimed. If he was honest, he'd admit he had no clue of how to do that.

Most abusers are charming and irresistible when you first meet them. Ben has NEVER dishonest with Rey about who he is. Rey is very aware of the horrible side of him and even refers to him as a monster. He affirms her accusation that he is a monster.

During their force bonds because of the nature of the bond Rey is in a position to hear him out and try to understand how he became the monster he is today. When she learns that he didn't become this on his own, that Luke, his parents and Snoke contributed to his downfall she had hope in him. It's also important to make the distinctions that when she has a vision of him, it's as Ben. It's like a bipolar personality. When Kylo Ren goes all Darcy marriage proposal - she reject him. She rightfully spurned him when he resorted to cruelty to sway her to his side. Rey turned down Kylo as long as he was the ’bad guy’, and only kissed him as Ben ’the good guy’.

“He only wants to use her for her power.” Oversimplification that Rey is actually guilty of. Kylo Ren is lonely and within Rey he finds not only an equal but the most intense emotional connection he's ever had. The most intense connection she's ever had. Let's not forget they are probably both virgins. Then they are in each other's head. That's intense. When Kylo makes his plea to Rey it's out of not only loneliness but truly wanting her for her.

Also, Kylo doesn’t say he wants them to rule together as “master and apprentice”. He wants Rey to be his empress, his queen which is what Rey means. He’s literally proposing by offering her the entire galaxy. Ultimately Reylos see them as two equally powerful archenemies dedicating themselves to defeating the other but also find themselves strangely drawn to each other in ways they might not want to admit. Then two soul mates on the other side of a conflict.

This is built on the idea that hate itself is a sort of twisted form of love. It is, or, rather hatred is born from things like fear, pain, betrayal and love. Their connection is complicated. One minutes they last out at one another and the next they lean into each other. People can regard this as toxic. Others, like myself, regard this as the gray side of love. Reylo represent the yin yang of the force. The light and the dark craving each other and finding themselves frustrated.

Notice how many hero/villains find themselves telling others that only they are allowed to kill/harm their nemesis, in a subconscious effort to protect their nemesis from others. And they may also get strangely jealous when their nemesis fights other people.

Other people give this argument because they believe the popularity of antiheroes in media is a sign of society’s moral decay. The First Order for all we know is not a fascist society. We have no idea the ideology of the First Order. We know their clothing was inspired by the Nazis.

Red String of Fate: the two connected by the red thread are destined lovers, regardless of place, time, or circumstances. This magical cord may stretch or tangle, but never break

Kylo Ren and Rey BOTH want to be together, believe in the other, but are held back by their individual idea of what means. How is that abusive?! Maybe it's back to thinking little girls won't be able to understand the complexity of Reylo. Huh, well little boys can understand the complexity of Batman and Joker. If little boys are smart enough to realize the difference between fiction and reality and are able to watch a love/hate relationship between a good guy and a bad guy, I’m pretty sure the girls can handle it too. Rey has hope and belief that Kylo Ren can be good, she won't stay by his side while he's doing bad.

What is Reylo? In a way. Iconic

[petitelepus]

Hello! I saw that requests were open and decided not to miss my chance. Can you please make a story about Slave!Gyomei x reader. Perhaps the reader suffers from loneliness and because of this decides to find a reasonable interlocutor.

Summary: You're lonely and somehow find yourself in a Slave Market, looking for something you're missing.

Warnings: Slavery, Slight Torture, Cigarette Burns

A/N: Slave!AU, Demon Slaves, Gyomei Himejima, Gender Neutral!Reader

Part 1 - Part 2

Living alone had its ups and downs, you kinda knew it before you moved out on your own. You were independent and could leave a bar of chocolate on the table without fear of someone like a dog or another human eating it… But it also meant that you had no one to share that chocolate, your comfort treat, with.

Speaking of chocolate, you were running low. You got your bag and headed out and get some more.

After an hour and one grocery stop later, you were on your way back home when you noticed a flyer stapled into a utility pole. Normally you wouldn't pay them much mind, but this time the bold letters caught your attention.

'SLAVES ON SALE'

You blinked as you read the headline again and again and something small lit inside you. Hope? Maybe a slave would be your answer? Someone who would need to depend on you, someone who wouldn't leave you, and who would keep you company when you would feel down?

You couldn't believe yourself or your legs worked on their own and… Against all odds, you went to the address that read on the flyer. You were actually in this huge warehouse, a Slave market, looking at the different kinds of slaves they had there…

But as you were looking at them, you took a look at their prices and came to the conclusion that you wouldn't have enough money to buy one, even if some were in the sale.

Well, looking never hurt, right?

"Looking for a slave?"

You took your words back, simply looking got you in trouble. You turned to look and saw a man grinning at you. You wondered briefly who he was, but then you realized that he must have been the salesman. You smiled nervously as you nodded, "Y- yeah, but I'm just looking…"

"Just looking?" The man raised an eyebrow at you, "Not buying?"

"They are actually… A little too pricey for me… Sorry…?" You felt a little ashamed to admit it, but sometimes it was the best way to escape from an unwanted conversation.

"I see," The salesman nodded, before pointing at the backdoor behind him with his thumb, "I got something back there that might interest you!"

"Oh, I couldn't-!"

"I insist!" The man laughed, "We don't want our customers leaving empty-handed and unsatisfied!"

You really weren't sure if you should follow him, but how did it hurt to take a look? So you nodded meekly and the man smiled brightly as he took you to the backroom… And you nearly gagged when you smelled the air in there. Heavy with iron, you recognized it as a scent of blood.

"Pardon the smell but we keep the… Let's call them cheap slaves in here." The man said and you frowned as you looked around, seeing all the different Demons in cages… And they all looked absolutely awful. Starved, fearful, aggressive…

You were curious, you had to ask, "Why are these Demons cheap?"

You could have asked why they looked so awful, but you didn't dare.

"There are hundreds of different reasons." The salesman said, "The main reason is that they aren't perfect. Fuck, I'm going to be honest, some are plain awful and just waiting to be put down but according to laws, we can't just throw them out and let the sun take care of them. They say it's inhumane."

The man dug around his pockets, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. You frowned as you watched him inhale the cancer smoke and then spit on the ground, "I call bullshit. These things are alive only to serve us."

Okay, you did not like this man, like, at all. All of sudden, the earlier charming salesman was gone, and in his place was this greedy money-loving bastard. He was awful and you wanted to get away from him as soon as you just possibly could but-!

"Namu-Amidabutsu…" You heard a deep voice chant quietly and you turned to look and saw a Demon chained to the wall. Unlike him, other Demons were strictly in cages, but you soon realized why he was chained. This Demon was HUGE.

"Ah, looking at the big guy here, huh?" The salesman walked next to you and you swallowed nervously, "Ah, a little?"

"Honestly, this thing is a huge piece of shit," The man grunted as he took a drag of his cigarette, "Fucker is blind as a bat!"

"Blind?" You repeated, confused. Didn't Demons heal, no matter what happened to them?

"Shouldn't he heal or something?" You asked and the salesman groaned, "For some reason, it doesn't heal like other Demons."

You couldn't help yourself, your curiosity was caught, "Why?"

"Beats me." The man shrugged, "Could be that it was born that way. Either way, it's damaged goods and no one wants it."

"Oh…" You didn't know what to say. The man frowned, "Look, people want Demons because they heal. People can fuck them up and no matter what they do, Demons heal."

You nodded, and the man stepped forward towards the chained Demon. You blinked, confused but then he grabbed his cigarette and held it up so you could see it.

"Observe," He nodded, and then he pressed the cigarette's burning tip against the chained slave's arm. You covered your mouth so you wouldn't scream out loud in shock. The hideous hiss as the tip burned the slave's arm and the smell made you absolutely horrified and nauseous.

The slave didn't seem to react to pain at all, but your body moved before you could even realize it.

"Stop that!" You cried out as you jumped forward and smacked the salesman's hand, sending the fucking cigarette flying. The man looked at you and fucking laughed, "Easy! I'm just showing you! Look!"

You grounded your teeth together as you looked and sure enough, there was an angry-looking red spot on the slave's arm. You felt so sick and angry. This man was a monster, and you knew you couldn't leave this poor blind slave to his mercy!

"Okay!" You cried out and the salesman looked at you, "Okay?"

"How much?" You asked, much to the man's confusion, "Huh?"

"How much is he?" You repeated the question with more details. The salesman looked at you, no doubt surprised and then he grinned, "You want a blind slave that can't even heal?"

"Is there a problem?"

"No. I don't care what you want to do with a defective slave like this. Whip it, burn it, or fuck it, choice is yours."

You let out a sigh you hadn't realized you were holding in. You felt relieved, but it was short-lived.

"Though, now that I think of it…" The salesman rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "I guess someone could like a Demon that they can mark as much as they want…?"

Oh no, you didn't like that idea, not at all.

"I already told you, I'm buying him…!" You grunted as you dug your wallet out of your bag and showed the twisted evil man your bank card, "So how much?"

The man grinned and took you to the front room where he would charge you and you followed him there… Little did you know, the slave you were about to own had been listening and observing you the whole time…

After some paperwork and generous payment, you were a proud slave's owner, though, you didn't feel so proud… You looked at the papers in your hand and sighed as you slipped them into your bag. Time to get your slave and take him home with you.

The earlier salesman who managed to overtalk you into getting this Demon disappeared as soon as you had paid, but he returned soon to the front room with your new slave following close behind him.

Jesus, the Demon was even bigger when he was standing upright!

He was wearing some old tarp as if it was a raincoat to shield himself from the sun and you took notice that his wrists were tied together with a rope. The salesman was holding onto the end of the said rope as he led the blind Demon to you.

"Here you go! You're the proud owner of a slave now!" The man laughed as he handed the rope to you and you gave him a small nod, trying to get this over and done with, "Thanks…"

"Remember! No refunds!" He laughed as you turned and left the Slave Market with your new Demon…

It had taken some time to gain his ownership and the sun was already setting when you left the warehouse full of slaves. You could sense and see people staring at you and your Demon as you walked down the streets.

You glanced at your slave with a small frown, "I'm sorry, we will be at my place soon so hold on just a little longer…"

The Demon nodded quietly and you sighed as you continued walking, all the way to your small apartment. You went out to get chocolate and you came back with a Demon. What a day.

When you got back home, the Demon stayed by your doorway while you closed all the curtains so he wouldn't get burnt by the sun even by accident. Once you were done you grabbed a knife from the kitchen and made your way to the Demon so you could cut down the ropes around his wrists.

"Just a second, don't move…" You whispered gently, "I have a knife, but please don't fear, I'm not going to hurt you…"

The Demon nodded quietly and you took his hands and cut the rope. You frowned as soon as the pieces of rope fell on the ground and you saw the angry red marks on his wrists. That stupid salesman had tied the poor Demon's wrists together too tightly.

"Your wrist…" You whispered sadly as you put the knife away and gently turned his hands in yours so you could see how hurt he was.

"I think I have some cream that should help you…" You thought out loud quietly and suddenly the Demon's hands turned and he grasped your hands… So gently, you didn't know a Demon as big as him was able to be that gentle.

"Namu-Amidabutsu… Thank you for your concern, Master…" He said and you blinked stunned by how deep his voice was, but it fit him perfectly.

"Are you-?" You were going to ask when you noticed that he was actually crying! You couldn't help yourself, you panicked, "A- Are you okay? Did I hurt you? Why are you crying? I'm sorry!"

"Please, don't panic." He said as he gently squeezed your hands, "I am fine."

"But you're crying?" You asked and he nodded, "I am."

"But you aren't hurt?"

"I'm hurt, but it's nothing I can't handle."

"That… That's not good." You frowned as you squeezed his hands back and then pulled him inside from your apartment's entrance and into your small living room. You helped him to sit down on your couch and while it was a pretty big couch, he made it look small.

"I don't want you to be in pain," You said and he blinked as he looked in your direction with his milky white eyes, "I… I understand."

"Good," You nodded, "Stay here, I'm going to get something for that nasty burn on your arm and your wrists."

The Demon nodded and you quickly went to grab the first aid kit from your bathroom and returned to the Demon just as quickly. You put the kit on the couch and moved to pull the old stinky tarp off from the Demon, but you froze for a moment when you saw the rags he was wearing.

Old, ugly, stinky, and way too small for him. They looked like they were made from some old burlap. You would have to buy him something proper and clean to wear.

"Just a second…" You said as you threw the tarp aside and got out everything you needed to disinfect his wounds from the first aid kit.

"You know how to treat wounds?" The Demon asked curiously.

"It's surprisingly easy." You nodded, "But I did take a first aid course. One can learn a lot there and it looks good when applying for a job."

"I see."

Could he?

"This is going to sting a little," You warned him and he nodded, praying under his breath as you made sure he wouldn't get any infection and then you proceeded to clean and bandage his wounds. Oh, how many scars he had… He must have gone through so much, and just imagining it almost hurt you.

While you worked, you could almost feel like you were being observed and when you looked up, you saw him looking in your direction, even if he was blind.

"And we are done!" You nodded, pleased with yourself and the Demon nodded as he carefully traced the bandages around his wrists, "Thank you, Master."

"You're welcome." You nodded and the Demon turned to look at you and despite his tears, he was smiling, "I knew you were a good person the moment I heard your voice."

"How? I mean, what told you that?" You asked and the Demon nodded, "You never addressed me as an object but as a person. So far… I haven't heard anyone talk to us Demons that way."

"That's because you're living beings also." You replied honestly, "And I hate seeing others in pain or hurt."

"Then… Why did you come to that Slave Market?" The Demon asked.

"I…" You frowned as you thought what you should say. Tell the truth or lie?

"I… I don't know, I…" You pressed your lips tightly together, "I saw a flier, and I…"

"You?" He asked gently and you sighed, "And I guess… I was lonely?"

"I see…" He nodded and you frowned, expecting him to dismiss you and tell you that it would pass and everyone felt that way sometimes. That you should go out more and speak to more people so you would not feel so lonely. No one seemed to understand that it wasn't that easy…!

But instead, he started crying, "You're a good person, Master. I can tell you mean me no harm."

You blinked, stunned and you looked at the Demon who was smiling so gently at you. You couldn't almost believe what you were hearing, he was actually on your side!

You kept looking at him, trying to find even the smallest hint that he was lying and just saying what would please you, but all you saw was a genuine sweet smile.

"You're staring, Master." He said suddenly and you blushed, feeling caught like a child with the cookie jar.

"H- How could you tell?" You asked and the Demon nodded, "I can see… In my own way."

"Oh, cool!" You nodded and then you realized something, "I'm sorry, I forgot to ask your name!"

"It's alright." The Demon gave you a small smile, "My name is Gyomei."

"Gyomei," You nodded with a small smile, "You have a very nice name. It fits you."

"Thank you." He nodded, tears streaming down his face as he pressed the palms of his hands against each other like he was praying and hung his head, "If you allow me Master, I will take away your loneliness."

"You…" You were stunned, "You really think you can do that?"

"I don't think." He nodded, "I know."

You may have been crazy or desperate or Hell, even both, but you believed him and little did you know, it would be the best decision in your life.

[hourglassfish]

A (long) Aside on 1:7 and 2:10

There are two responses to 1:7 and 2:10 that always quietly horrify me.

The first, and you know, I'm writing a multi part series on it, so it's no mystery - is that Sydney was arrogant/a brat/ couldn't hack it/ wrong to walk out, and that the situation as a whole was her fault. Nah. She was right to walk out, the biggest failure of that episode is not fucking pulling the breaks when Richie gets stabbed. The workplace has gone from dysfunctional to dangerous, she has been responsible for that danger, the perpetrator of it, and she is right to leave.

little bit of an asshole but i love you so i don't care

Carmy sees Syd saying she's going to stab Richie (as she holds her knife to his chest!) while they're up in each other's faces (with Richie goading her) and he does... nothing. He tells them to shut the fuck up and make giardiniera. At this point they needed to be separated! One or both of them needed to cool off. We've seen Syd bodily put herself between a fighting Carmy and Richie. A little reciprocity would have gone a long way here.

It's wild to me that people think that Carmy was justified in his anger and aggression towards Marcus and Syd and ignore that he is aggressive to Richie also! Richie, typically one of the more confrontational characters in the show asks him to calm down, to cool it. That so many viewers so quickly and uncritically accept Carmy's narrative point of view, even while the show actively challenges it confirms something that has been in the culture a long time: that we are much more used to excusing and aligning ourselves with abusive behaviour, than we are at challenging and refusing it. That people - many of whom have received this kind of behaviour themselves - want to defend it, makes me so, so sad.

It always hurts me a little that in 1:8 Tina tells Carmy that if he 'tries that shit with her, she'll fuck him up'. It's a fun line! But I'm sorry, no she won't. He screams at her too, while chucking bowls around and Sydney's words in 1:7 clearly hurt her. Tina categorically did nothing wrong. She doesn't deserve that shit. But at the end of the day, she is a middle aged Latinx woman and a mother, and so her tolerance level has to be higher. She needs that job! Shedoes not, as far as we know, have a father she can live with rent free, she does not have youth and the promise of exploitable potential to offer to employers in an ageist job market, she does not have CIA qualifications or a CV full of ‘serious heat’.

Carmy. holds. a. position. of. power. over. these. people. He is their boss, not their manager, and he owns the place, mob loan or no. He has the power to sack them all, to cut their hours, to cut their wages; thus the impact of that power extends not just to them, but also to their children and families. Louis being present in Review is not just to add an obstacle, it's also a reminder of those stakes.

Carmy has influence in the fine dining industry, regardless of whether that social and cultural capital is respected at The Beef or not. The very same oppourtunities that he provides them with in season 2 are things he could also lock them out of if he so chose. Any analysis of 1:7 that ignores this power is flawed from its root. When you are a boss, this power is ever present. One of the few things you can do to alter your boss's behaviour is to withdraw your labour. It's not the only option you have, but everything else is at their discretion, or mediated by lengthy, expensive legal processes.

yeh, i hate this

Carmy knows this, even if you don't! It's why the apology he gives Marcus - which Marcus does not ask for - is so heartfelt. Carmy has been on the receiving end of what that power, wielded cruelly, can do. He does not want to do this to others. We see him talk to staff with respect even while he endures horrid abuse in a flashback. We see him teach and explain himself, we see him listen and invite feedback - ‘say more’. His commitment to being a good boss is sincere, that kindness is in his bones.

The second thing people say that makes me want to die a little inside is that Carmy bought getting locked in the fridge on himself, that he deserved it in some way, and that getting locked in the fridge was him abandoning Sydney.

Oh my god!

He does not have a diagnosis yet - so anything we see is an interpretation. But it feels explicit that Carmy has panic disorder, and perhaps generalised anxiety disorder and CPTSD from both his workplace experiences and his childhood. A couple of things that he says and does suggest ADHD, or some other neurodiversity. He is not very careful with himself, and does not recognise these things as treatable problems (Richie says he experiences anxiety and dread, Carmy's response is 'who doesn't' - wince, cruel to Richie, cruel to himself - vomiting everyday and crying out of nowhere are presented as something 'loads of people do' to Sugar. Tumblr loves to send people to therapy, but I just want to send this man to do a basic google search of more than fun tbh). But they are debilitating for him, especially at work.

What happens to how we read Carmy's behaviour when he is presented as someone with an untreated disability, and absolutely no support plan in place? Does he still get his just desserts at the end of the season?

The fridge thing is a bit clumsy, I think. It's silly that over the space of three months, no one at any point just takes that job off him as a priority, or at least makes it something where Tony will call the restaurant, not Carmy specifically. It is unrealistic that there would not be some kind of back up safety lock inside the fridge. But you know, they're characters in a TV show, it also does not take two people swivelling around on the floor to tighten the coat hooks on a table (LOOOOOOL) - it's realistic until its not.

But, you know, it's doing a thing, several things - it's Chekov's gun, isn't it, it's the tangible impact of the lapse of focus that Uncle Jimmy is constantly trying to warn them about.

He wanted to cry here so bad!!! It makes me laugh every time

But umm... guys? What happens to him on that night is so, so horrible. They're a chef down, they're running out of forks, Richie's giving him shit (and Carmy is so susceptible to Richie giving him shit), Marcus and Syd are being all weird. He thinks one of his abusers (Donna) might come, or that she might not come and there will be emotional fallout from that. He thinks he sees his other abuser (Evil Joel Mc Hale) - and he's triggered. He goes in the kitchen and yells, but Syd pulls him back in. Then he goes into the fridge, partly to do chef stuff, I'm sure, but also partly to fucking get his shit together aaaaaand he gets locked in there! He has a panic attack! In a fridge! That he is locked in! And the people he loves most in the world, are the other side of that door, and for five minutes, an eternity in panic attack time, they ignore him! He has no clue what's going on! Last time shit hit the fan, two of his staff walked out (he's still not over Syd walking out cus they never talk about it properly), another one got stabbed and all these new ones are 'emerald green'. And he still thinks evil Joel Mc Hale is out there!

My loves, that shit is the stuff of nightmares! I know he tells himself that he bought this on himself but can we please! stop! uncritically! accepting! his narrative! point! of view!

I don't think anybody on screen recognises that a panic attack is what he's having. That's not their fault. None of them have seen him have a panic attack! They don’t get to see inside his head like we do (which saves them from a lot of R.E.M.) He is locked in the fridge, they just hear the bear banging on the door of his cage! It's not even in the language of the show at this point (though i am curious about how and when Richie came to get his Xanax). But that's what's happening. The team are fine. They do great. He has a terrible, terrible time.

My support worker found 2:10 deeply triggering - and her reason for this, she said, was that a lot of her job was supporting people with panic disorders who are leading teams, and seeing that moment coming, the moment where the panic crashes headlong into their role as leader. Part of her role is anticipating it, and trying to turn it around before they reach the point of no return. And as soon as Carmy thinks he sees Old Boss, he's gone. His body is in flight or fight, and he is alone with that. He can’t show up for Syd at that point, he is in his equivalent of the trenches.

This is also what is happening in 1:7. Somehow his response is often framed as a) rational or b) just an asshole - but it is so outsize to the situation, and to who we know him to be most of the time (quiet, kind, thoughtful, sensitive, BITCHY), that we know it has to be more than that.

None of this is helped by the fact that Carmy's panic attacks are... well they're kind of ugly! His meltdowns are aggressive and shouty, on the edge of physical violence, in an industry where people behave like that because they can. It is hard, parsing through that to the triggers, and fears, and panic beneath. It's scary! It asks so much of people to see that and want to help, not run away. But that is where he's at.

I do not have language for how much I hate how physical he gets with Marcus here, it is deeply upsetting

I have an access rider, to help me work well with people, and to help them work well with me. My mental health turns up in every job I do. All the time. Has done for years. It can make me unreliable, uncommunicative and absent. It can mean that people have to step up sometimes in ways they weren't anticipating. And one of the things the rider asks for is 'Good Faith' - a belief that I have not shut down because I'm an asshole, but rather because I have some unhelpful coping mechanisms that I am trying to work my way out of, that my triggers are real, not excuses for laziness or an expression of lack of care, that i will give as much as I can when I can.

Syd and Carmy are beginning to work towards this - Carmy says over and over again that he doesn't want to be shitty. Claire fucking muddies things, because I will not meet you skiving off to see your girlfriend with good faith fam. That shit he needs to be held accountable for. Dropping that envelope was a perfect Richie job, I'm still pissed about that. But being locked in the fridge... there's way more going on there.

The idea that Carmy should, and will, leave the culinary world keeps coming up in various metas. But... the problem isn't cooking? I think Carmy loves cooking, still. I think he likes being part of a team, and wants to be good at it. I think he likes teaching, and he is good at that. I think he likes picking the right silent plates and having his CDC in Thom Browne. I also think he likes being there a lot and being absorbed by his job.

The problem is that the workplace he is in is not one that is set up to his needs right now - it's not set up so that he can rest enough, so that he can eat well, so that he can exercise, or whatever he needs to do to help him manage his brain and nervous system. It's not set up so that if he is triggered, he and his team knows how to keep going with the service *and* not abandon him to the worst of his brain.

Ohhhh it's bad

Carmy ignoring Claire's call and not calling Tony feels bizarre stripped of the context of his panic attack that morning. But we know that anxiety and panic and executive dysfunction take simple things and make them insurmountable. It's not about Sydney in that moment, or even really about Claire*, and self sabotage feels so weighted with judgement when I think about what those frozen moments feel like from the inside. And I've had my diagnoses for 12 years! I've been doing that work, the long slog of trying to make sure my employees know enough context that my MH doesn't fuck up their day, whilst also maintaining my own dignity and right to privacy.

The disentangling of symptoms from personality traits is so hard - fuck ups from trauma responses, what was preventable, and what might have happened even if you did everything right. I never want to lose sight of compassion for Carmy, and the reality of how long it takes to break those cycles.

I also never want to stop seeing the power that he has over the people that he works with, and how, unfortunately, one of the responsibilities of leadership is that you have to be trying to get your shit together, you have to know yourself, and know how your baggage, combined with your power could be creating harm. It’s hard, but there’s not way around it. It is essential that he gets the support he needs, and puts the measures in place that means that he can also be vulnerable, not just for him, but for the team as whole. The power and the lack of framework together are so very harmful for everyone.

makes for delicious tv though 😉

I think a lot about the ticket machines in The Bear. I'm not thinking about them as a former line chef, cus I'm not that, I'm an artist and writer, that waitressed for a while (while a lot of chefs did a lot of coke out back!) and The Bear is fiction, not a documentary. Those little tickets are used for so many things. They're the sound of pressure. They're where a bunch of intrusive thoughts get flashed up on the screen. They are the presence of tech and of speed and alienation. They are the gap where two human beings, one asking for food, and one cooking that food, become consumer and producer. They are a presence of the machine in the workplace, and they stand in for Marcus's machines in McDonald's and for Evil Joel McHale and for financial failure.

One of the things that capitalism demands is that we always listen to that machine. That when we are making a choice, between the people stood around us, who we work with daily, who we live massive chunks of our life with, and the demand for production for go go go - that we choose the latter, even if it harms the former. That we open for service, even though one of our oldest friends just got stabbed. That we prioritise getting the service turned around on Friends and Family night (the easiest night of the year to go out, pour more wine, and say service is a little delayed, but we've got this), rather than maybe asking Fak or even Claire, to come and talk to Carmy through the door, as well, make sure that he's OK. That we just keep going.

And there are so many really important reasons to do that! Keeping going is how we learn and grow, it's how we make sure that we can pay the bills, how we provide beautiful experiences for customers and guests who are more than consumers to us.

But at some point, we have to ask at what cost. When do we stop and make different? When do we try something else, make new systems, that work for us?

A moment - a small, tiny moment - of triumph for me, is when Richie and Syd turn the table around. So rather than one person, facing the tickets alone, with their back to the kitchen as they yell out orders, the person on Expo faces in. yes they can see the tickets, but they can also see the people they are working with. They can see stress, and worry and joy. They can see how hard they are working. They can see that they are not alone, not just in a promise before service, but during service, when you need that connection most.

My hope is that Season 3 will have more of them making these decisions - ones that lean into seeing each other, where their relationships keep growing, and they build a system where the love and care they have for each other is truthfully at the heart of it.

Richie is not my bag, that's just for me, personally, but I get how much he means to others, and he's beautiful here.

*Man, I do think the romance subplot was a bit of a misstep. Pop always feels like such a waste of the audience's time, time not spent with Ebra and Tina, time spent on a presentation of romance that has been done to death and is never especially satisfying. Truncates a lot of empathy for Carmy. Boo. Hiss.

[andreas-river]

Is there a possibility you could do something with ghost and the reader or y/n has Tourette’s, pretty please 🙏🏻 (you can make it depressing idc, love your work)

Simon "Ghost" Riley X GN!Reader

Words count: approx. 1k

Warnings: angst, fluff, tourette's syndrome, hurt/comfort, it can be read as gn!reader because of no body description.

Disclaimer: nothing at all, just this: never judge a book by its cover.

A/N: and here's your request! Sorry it took so long, but I wanted to make it good, these things are not easy and I wanted to make some researches too about this, I hope I met your expectations! And thank you <3

════════════════════

Living with Tourette Syndrome has never been easy: you were the outcast, the one who made people laugh, the class clown. Even being diagnosed with the disorder didn't help with the constant wave of strange looks, ignorant teachers, people who underestimated you, or even those who said you were faking a neurological disorder.

The only luck you had throughout your childhood, adolescence, and adulthood was your mother, who immediately mobilized to find the best doctors, neurologists, and therapists, despite the countless financial problems and the complicated life you were used to.

With time, your situation improved: the more aggressive tics were easier to manage with the help of doctors, and the most common ones were simply the turning of the neck and certain hand movements - clenching the knees with the hands, making them into fists, or simply raising them in the air.

But the real change came when you bumped into someone on your way home from work, but you never expected to be confronted by a man with a mask covering his face - except for his eyes. You quickly apologized and returned to your steps.

And from then on, you saw him everywhere: at the usual coffee shop you went to every morning, at the market in the center of town, and on the street every night when you came home from work. Involuntarily, he found his way to your heart, and when you began to think about trying to talk to him, you found yourself looking into his eyes again, wondering if he could sit at your table since everyone else was taken.

You had gladly accepted and from small, casual questions like "What's your name?", "Ghost, yours?", your conversations grew longer, curiosity grew, as did the eagerness to get to know someone so mysterious, who actually called himself "Ghost". Only after a few weeks did you learn the reason for his name, why he always seemed alert and had his face covered.

It was three? four o'clock in the morning maybe, when someone rang the door of your house, and when you found yourself in front of someone you knew but had never seen like that, you found out the truth about what Ghost was doing. An SAS soldier, one of the best. And there he was, standing in front of you and on your doorstep, asking you if he could take refuge at least for that night.

Since that night, something happened between you two: you don't know why, or how, but you found refuge in his presence, and even if you didn't know what he think, he felt the same as you.

It was during that night that you both talked about each other, sitting together on the couch, talking about Tourette's syndrome and how you had to deal with it since you were a kid, then telling you his job, that he kills people as a living, that he has only one family - his team, and how that night ended up at your house.

And when he thought that you were scared of him after he revealed who he was, he remained surprised at how you were smiling at him, totally unfazed by his words.

"You kill bad people." you said, while your body was constantly crossed by the tics.

He simply nods at you, surprised how you looked so natural, so calm even if he had to tell you the truth, carefully watching your body.

"How does it feel?" he asked, hoping you would understand what he was referring to.

"I'm lucky. It's not that bad, others with this syndrome experienced worse. But I'm getting better, people are helping me."

And he observed how you smiled all the time, realizing how he never stopped for a second, how he never thought about how others suffered, and sometimes it was because he overthinks too much, everything overwhelms his mind and his body, imprisoning him inside a cage, struggling to find a way out.

But you can't control what people think, realizing this every day of your life.

It happened again, you and Ghost were both outside, showing him where you used to go to school, even if the majority of the memories weren't the happiest: but you wanted to show him everything about you, the good and the bad, and even if he was holding your hand, he didn't care if you squeezed him tighter, or when you uncontrollably moved it.

He held you, never leaving your side even if people were eyeing you for your strange behavior.

"They don't understand, aren't they?" he suddenly says, his eyes fixed on the couple that was judging you from afar, making them squirm in their place from his menacing glance.

"No, they don't-"

"There's nothing wrong with you, you got it?" he interrupts you, now turning his full attention to you. "Let them swim in their ignorance, let them watch, let them say whatever they want. But you know. You have to remember, always," he gets closer, realizing only at that moment that he had lowered his mask from his face, showing himself for the first time. "That someone is here, with you."

You almost froze when he makes his lips touch yours, his lips softer that you expected, warmth spreading all over you at his delicate touch, appreciating you, loving you in a way that no one had ever done.

[notyouraryang0dd3ss]

Having a #1 Song doesn't mean SHIT anymore! It doesn't mean the song is a hit.

Let's be so serious rn. Nobody knows any of her damn fault track that keep charting. I asked my mom to name one song of hers and she could name "Shake it off."

Smooth Criminal went #7 in the US.

Remember the Time went #3 in the US.

Heal the World went #27 in the US.

They don't care about us #30 in the US. But it still went viral on tiktok. A song that is almost 30 years old!!

Thriller the song also never went to number one, but ask people to name one Halloween song they gonna name that song.

And what is more impressive, having 1M EAS the first day or still selling 1M EAS 15 years after your passed and more than 20 years after you dropped an album. Longevity is quality. 1M first day sales she's gonna sell that much for years. Hell, she be lucky if she even sold 50k in a year in 30 years.

5 music videos of his that are made in the 80's and 90's are about to have 1 billion views this year.

Billie Jean still gets 1M daily streams on Spotify.

I'm sorry if you aren't an Mjfan and I bring him up but he's the best example I can give you also because Swifties keep comparing her to him.

If people don't like the song they won't keep listening to it. And if Taylors song just stay in her fanbase and they just massstream her shit. Nobody is gonna know this song in 20 years.

Because what is the last hit Taylor Swift had that was known to the general public? Anti Hero maybe? Cruel Summer?

And something that is also funny is that, Remember when her drunk self got on stage and snatched the grammy from Celine Dion and didn't even look at her.

And people were pissed and her team was quick on working getting a picture with her to mend the damage.

Celine Dion has 5 Grammys and Taylor Swift has 14.

But they knew that Celine Dion got more respect from the GP then Taylor will ever have. And that is something you cannot buy. And they know if someone wins out of pure talent or just because of favourism. And let's be real. Most people know these award shows are rigged and they don't care about it.

Like when RollingStone came out with that fuck ass best singers list that put Taylor at #102 and excluded Celine Dion. People were mad that Celine was included but Taylor was.

Or just recently they also called her the better Adele. Nobody from the GP was like oh yeah that is true.

I mean they can try to name her the Queen of Pop in one of the award shows alà Michael Jackson style, but it's not gonna work with her. When he got that name people actually agreed and they still do. Outside Taylors cult nobody will agree with that.

Taylor's Team is aggressive with the Marketing and pushing these numbers onto us because they know outside of it she has nothing to offer. Her talent isn't marketable. Her singing and dancing isn't that impressive. The most marketable things about her career are her wealth and business success. Have they ever talked about her performance while she is on tour. What is so impressive what she does on stage? No they just keep talking about the money she makes.

No I completely get why MJ is a relevant comparison here. Swifties do keep comparing TS to him and for that alone they need to collectively get their asses beat. But you used good examples and I just want to applaud you for that

& you’re right, I can’t name a single vault track. Every time I’m exposed to her its against my will through my recommended (and its usually so out of place too because i watch really weird video essays).

Charts truly don’t reflect cultural impact because Drunk in Love by Beyoncé never went #1 and neither did Toxic by Britney Spears but both are super well known. Anti Hero is probably the last single to go #1 but I genuinely felt harassed by that song 😭 its sooooooooo bad

Yes! The vocal trinity—Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston—have done SO MUCH for music and all have less than half of Taylor Swift’s amount of Grammys. Celine and Mariah each have 5 and Whitney has 6.

I didn’t watch the Grammys this year (forgot to) but I heard about the Celine Dion incident I was SHOCKED because the audacity of this woman! Her entitlement shows in everything she does and she’s really starting to believe her commercial success makes her a better artist.

THE ROLLING STONE LIST WAS BULLSHIT. THEY DIDN’T INCLUDE JENNIFER HUDSON EITHER! Their definition of a “singer” was soooooooo bullshit too like that magazine’s merit has gone down so much in the past 20 years it should be regarded with way less status and credibility. And who tf called TS better than ADELE?

You’re right, her moniker will be chosen by the general public (probably from a viral tweet/tiktok/etc).

And she needs aggressive marketing because she really is a below average musician in all respects! She has her songwriting but she should’ve just been a hit songwriter (like Estelle Dean) not a singer. What makes her marketable is very “ordinary” image—which makes her relatable to “every girl, like me and you” 🙄 her soft voice really creates an intimate atmosphere especially with her vulnerable (but superficial) lyrics. She has to be friends with her fans for her success to work. Because there is no way you can justify her being regarded as a “god” the way people do with Beyoncé and MJ otherwise.

🎯 with the Eras Tour coverage. No one ever references or cites a particular jaw dropping vocal performance or dance number. It’s always the amount of wealth she’s generating.