#and balloon has done nothing worse than like

[starrysymphonies]

Literally all Balloon did in s1 was insult their teammates, slingshot Sslt into the gorge (which was THE CHALLENGE, and Pickle tripped over Rocky and let go too early so that wasn’t even their fault tbh), and made an alliance with the INTENT to manipulate (but never did on screen). Yet the entire ii cast acts like he poisoned their crops, killed their mother, and kicked their dog

[yenqa]

ADVANTAGES

in which…

on jay’s live, fans point out a stuffed animal on his bed, one that seems to be the other piece to your notorious missing pair. as imaginary pieces start to connect for fans, the viewers beg for some kind of interaction. and though you and jay have never met before, why not use this situation to your advantage?

warnings : crying, panic attacks, depression is depicted but isnt really said, lots of bad self talk, food/eating, having no appetite, just lots of bad mental health talk and depictions, hurt/comfort, god this chapter is PACKED

wc: 1829

i’m sorry that i couldnt be your teenage dream.

not proofread!

☆

It had been a week and a half since you had seen anyone.

Well other than the cashiers at the local grocery store but that made you look even more pathetic. 

You haven’t been well, at all.

It was a horrible sight, honestly you couldn’t even look at yourself in the mirror without cringy. You had no productivity and had planned to do nothing for as long as possible. 

You were surprised your body hasn't exploded yet, since all you had ate was instant ramen or the three meals you could cook total. 

Today was one of the worse-r days. Three hours into the new day but your mind couldn’t seem to sleep one bit.

You had zero appetite, your room was a mess, it was worse that you couldn’t even sleep away the days even though you were so tired. Your eyes were glued shut at night but your body couldn’t stop fighting the feeling of sleep. 

So here you were, eye bags almost able to give the color purple a run for its money, and so puffy it felt like a balloon was stuck in there. But your eyes hadn’t shed any tears, instead you felt like nothing. Like you were just floating around with no purpose or any feeling at all.

The empty feeling in your head made you unable to do anything but scroll on your phone, letting hours after hours pass by rewatching your favorite show at least a billion times. It seemed like the world had gone gray, like the world was ending and you were the only one feeling it.

A part of you screamed at yourself to get a grip, to stop being so dramatic and realize there are still good things in life. 

You tried to get better, you really did. You had researched on how to get over this drought but you never could. So every night you would lay in your bed, trying to figure out what was wrong with you.

Mornings have always been your least favorite part of the day. But it seemed to get worse with every second that passed. 

Realizing you still had a whole day ahead of you seemed utterly impossible to finish, but still you would reach your hand out to the finish line, only to miss every time.

You had six hours until it was the appropriate time to wake up. You couldn’t call anyone for help, you couldn’t text anyone in the middle of the night. It was your burden, so you had to keep it to yourself and hope and pray it washes away over time.

Your phone has been your only sense of livelihood during your dull days. If you had been wasting hours after hours at least you had been doing something. 

Before you could think of the consequences, you had thought of searching yourself on the internet, just for fun. You clicked on the first source, hoping that someone would see your side of the story.

No it was not fun–you wish you could warn yourself because the title of the article read; “All you need to know about Y/niora and why she’s trending”

We’ve all seen the names “Y/n” or “Y/niora” trending on X, who is she? Some might wonder. In this article I’ll be going over everything she’s done wrong, and why fans hate her for it.

Y/n is a popular streamer on twitch, known for her funny commentary and her boyfriend Jay, but recently she’s shown a darker side to her.

Her boyfriend, Jay, is also a twitch streamer, a much more popular one at that. He’s known for his good looks and his random reactions that have us crying with laughter, but why would he date a nobody like her? 

If you’ve seen Y/niora’s X account, you can see that she posts provocative photos of herself, things that only lead to temptations of male fans. Fans speculate this is the reason they met, saying that she seduced him and used him for money, fame, and views.

If you know anything about streaming, you know BlueJay and his friends. Who stole the internet's hearts with their looks and cute personalities. But things start picking up between Jay and Y/n when she posts their matching stuffed animals, officially presenting their relationship to the world.

This seems to be a bad move on Y/n’s part, as her facade starts slipping through and we get to see her for the calloused person she is. 

She continuously shows her disinterest in anything he’s saying. Making him repeat everything he’s said to her. This strikes up the question, does she really care about him or her fans?

Arguments of this exact topic have been trending among fans, some saying

You closed your phone before you could read anything else. Flipping your body over you could feel tears start to form in your eyes, your vision goes blurry and your breath starts hiccuping. 

Wiping your wet cheeks, you start to panic when you feel like your throat is closing up, placing your hand on your chest to try to calm yourself down. 

That clearly doesn’t work. As you swear you can feel the walls closing in beside you. In a last effort to stop your ugly sobs, you open your phone once more, your breath quickens when you open the phone app, calling the person that you need the most right now.

The ringing on your phone shakes you more, “Please answer, please answer, please answer.” You croak out desperately, glancing at your window to realize it’s the middle of the night, and he’s probably getting the nice sleep he deserves. 

Unlike you who only makes things worse, and can’t even get a wink of sleep at night.

You sob harder after the fifth ring, realizing that he’s not going to answer. And you have to do this on your own–

“Y/n? Are you okay?” His voice brings relief to your ears, that’s until you realize the state you’re in. 

“Jay I’m so–so so sorry for calling you this late.” You rasp out, “I just don’t know what’s wrong with me, I can’t stop shaking and crying, I just–fuck” Bringing your hand up, you grab a fist of your hair, not knowing what to do or say.

“Are you at home?”

“Yeah, I am.” You choke through, words barely coherent.

“I’m coming. Stay there, okay?”

“Okay.” 

His tone is so soft it scares you. How could he be talking to you so sweetly knowing the mess you made? How could he be talking to you so sweetly knowing that you are burdening him at such a late hour?

Your throat tries its best to keep your hammering heart inside your chest, but it closes up, your breath is so uneven you're not even sure you’re breathing at all. 

That is until you let out a soft apology into your phone, but it’s covered by your staggered breathing, and the sound of you stuffing up your snot back into your nose.

The silence coming from him is apparently meant to drive you insane. Because the nausea of it all starts to get to you, your condition is crippling so you can’t even move from your curled up position on your bed.

You can hear your door slam open, eliciting a strong flinch from you. 

Your heart seems to be racing too fast for your liking, almost like it’s fighting to get out of your chest. “Jay?” You mutter, as you can see his dark silhouette standing through the doorway. 

Before you can actually decipher if the man is actually Jay or just some random burglar who found your spare key, you feel his arms wrap around your body, tucking your head into the space between his neck and shoulder. 

You conclude that it’s Jay’s warmth you’re feeling right now.

For a second you feel safe, for a second you feel like he’s just hugging you, not because you are literally having a panic attack. 

That snaps you back into reality. God were you really having a panic attack over an article? That you chose to read? 

Feeling your chest tighten and your eyes water up, you tuck your head impossibly deeper, letting your tears and snot get all over his shirt. 

It’s grossing you out how you can physically feel his shirt dampen with your tears, but you’re too focused on figuring out how to breathe rather than the mess you made on his shirt.

“You can let it out, or you can just cry, I don’t mind.”

You sob even harder than you were before.

He’s so warm. He’s so warm. And you have no idea why it’s the perfect descriptor for him. 

“Jay,” You mutter, being muffled by his shoulder, “I’ve ruined everything.”

His arm rubs your back gently, “You haven’t ruined anything, pretty.” He whispers, talking like if he speaks any louder you’ll crack into hundreds of pieces (you actually might but that’s not the point).

“I have! You can’t even deny it without lying,” You hiccup, “I mean—I’m trying so hard, but I can’t do anything right.” You pull your head back to look up at him.

He stays silent, letting his hand cup your face, wiping away any tears that fall down.

“And I’m so tired. I’m so tired of doing everything I can but still being hated for not doing enough. I mean who wouldn’t? I can’t even cook a proper meal, it just goes to show how hopeless I am.”

“Y/n you can’t possibly think about yourself.”

“I can because it’s the truth.”

He tucks your head back into his shoulder, “Y/n, not being able to cook a proper meal is okay. Some people never learn how to cook an egg.”

Your breathing calms down slightly, you let out a small chuckle, trying to stay forever in his warmth.

“I’m sorry for calling you here so late, I know you’re tired from streaming or something.”

“I could never stay away from you for too long, even if it’s in the middle of the night.”

Letting out a breathy smile, you look back at his face, a small smile spreads through his face looking at you.

Your eyes were tired, for the first time in a week your body was tired. “I’m going to go to sleep. Thank you, Jay, seriously.”

He gets up from your position, you feel the absence of his warmth even though he just got up, he’s about to walk out the door when you build up the courage to ask, “Can you stay? Just for tonight?”

Looking back, there's a smile on his face as he replies “Always.”

Walking back to you, he lays himself under your blanket, tucking you in before wrapping his arm around you, he pulls you into his chest.

And for the first time in what felt like forever. You fall asleep, in Jay’s arms.

☆

back masterlist next

yenqa > um title is reference to teenage dream by olivia rodrigo! umm hope u enjoyed while i ripped my heart out and put it in my writing… thanks!

taglist (CLOSED): @yeokii @hanniluvi @euncsace @jongsiemain @mrchweeee @fakeuwus @ashy1um @rikisly @filmofhybe @nwjws @yizhoutv @soov @tocupid @tzke1ta @yannew @manooffline @mars101 @haechansbbg @enhaz1 @teddywonss @en-happiness @kim2005bomi @be0mlvr @luvswonyoung @flwoie @lilriswife4life @nicholasluvbot @ikeusol @lylovw @alwayswook @astrae4 @choi-beomgyulvr @aishigrey @infpistj @jiawji @planethyuka @mari-oclock @222brainrot @jakevascaino @rory-cant-sleep @hyehae @vixensss @hearts4hanni @kgneptun @tongtongie @www-jungwon @lovejunz @fluerz @jiyeons-closet @nyuzip @leehanist @heerinnie @eneiyri

yenqa © please do not copy, steal or translate.

[eyesofshinigami]

Alley Oop

Rating: G

CW: None

Tags: Established relationship, supportive Wayne, sports talk, Eddie loves Steve

Prompt: For @sparklyslug "Love is secretly studying up on the nerd shit he's into" (I took it in a slightly different direction, but it was fun!)

WC: 709

Written for @steddielovemonth Day 11

Eddie thought he would get away with it. That no one would know. It could just be his little secret and then he could pull it out and impress Steve and show him that he does listen when he talks.

“What are you doing, boy?” 

Eddie nearly pops out of his skin, throwing the magazine over his shoulder and nearly braining Wayne with it. “What?! Nothing! I’m doing nothing!” he cries out, turning around and trying to act casual.

Wayne raises an eyebrow. “Then why are you acting like I just caught you with your hand in the cookie jar?” He folds his arms and pins Eddie with a look. “You know, I already told you I’m okay with you and Steve and what you get up to, as long as you-”

“Oh my god, no, Wayne. It’s nothing like that,” Eddie groans, letting his head thunk against the table. His uncle thinking he was looking at porn in the middle of their kitchen is almost worse than what he was looking at. “I’mreadingaboutsports,” he grits out quickly.

“What was that now?”

Eddie sighs. “I said… I’m reading about sports. Picked up some magazines from Melvald’s.”

Wayne looks at him like he’s lost his mind. “I don’t think I’m following, son.” 

“I’m trying to learn more about sports. You know. For Steve.” Eddie talked a lot of shit about sports in high school, knows deep down it’s not really his thing, but he can’t deny how much he loves how Steve gets when he gets to share his passion for them. For all that Steve talks about how dumb he is, the guy has a brain like a steel trap when it comes to statistics, plays, maneuvers, and players. He can recall how his favorite sports team fared ten years ago, he can calculate a batting average off the top of his head, and he can predict a play that a coach is going to call before the coach does. It’s frankly pretty impressive. How could Eddie not want to indulge that? “He’s been playing in my new campaign and having a lot of fun, so… I thought I would do the same for him?”

Wayne’s lips quirk up in a smile. “You asking me or telling me?” Eddie lets out a noise like a deflating balloon, which makes Wayne laugh. “I’m only picking at ya, boy. But I think that’s sweet. And I know he’ll appreciate it. You ought to see the way that he looks at ya when we’re all watching the game together.” 

That makes Eddie feel a little gooey inside. It makes him happy to know that other people see how happy they make each other. “Yeah. I want to like… understand what he’s talking about. It’s a lot more complicated than getting a ball in a laundry basket.” He chuckles, remembering the rant he sent Steve on when he said that. He’d been teasing, but when he thought back, he might have felt the same if Steve made a comment like that about one of his monsters or a plot he’d come up with. 

See? He’s growing as a person!

“Even if you don’t like it, it’ll mean something to him that you’re trying.” Wayne reaches out and ruffles Eddie’s hair, the same way he’s done since Eddie was a kid. “Y’all are good for each other. I was skeptical about that boy when you first brought him ‘round, but I see it now. You keep taking care of each other like this and it’ll work out just fine.” Wayne bends down and picks up the magazine from the floor and hands it back to Eddie. “Better get to studying. The Pacers game is next weekend and I bet Steve would appreciate a trip down to Indianapolis…”

With a wink, Wayne leaves him be. 

The wheels in Eddie’s head are already turning, thinking about how he can rope Robin into helping him get tickets. Maybe they can make a weekend of it, rent a hotel room and go out to dinner and just be with each other for a while.

Yeah, that sounds excellent. Eddie will get right on that, right after he learns the difference between a bank shot and a free throw.

[imaginaryf1shots]

My Girls (|||) | Max Verstappen

Words count: 3215

Driver!OC X Max Verstappen

Summery: Cecilia Hansson daughter of a Swedish billionaire, a race car driver, with a dream of making it big in Formula 1. However she has a few secrets that may hurt her as women are disliked in the sport.

Series Warnings: cursing, child abandment, absent father, drinking, car accidents, Jos Verstappen, misogyny, Christian horner (tell me if i missed anything)

Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Previous || Next

Hate for days

Four race weekends later and the hate for the female was ramping up for no reason. It was becoming unsettling for everyone, the drivers, the team and everyone involved. Yes her fanbase was also getting bigger but they were being overshadowed by the haters and they weren’t big enough yet. This week is the Austrian Grand Prix, maybe it was orchestrated but it was one hell of a week. The female has been doing great in all these races, being in the top 10 all the time, even snagging a Pole position in Canada at P3. all this seemed to make the people hate her more if that was even possible, how can this woman do better than Sebastian Vettle they said, he’s a four time world champion, the name calls, the speculations, everything made them tick. Every week Cecilia is racing; she's doing things no female has done before in Formula 1, even if she left today she’d be remembered in the sport, they had the audacity to say it’s because she’d a nepo baby, when half the grid were nepo babies themselves, children of past drivers. 

The one day the female dreaded in her race week is the Media day, she didn't mind the videos she made for Mclaren with Lando, the two becoming closer as the year went on. Decked in Mclaren’s kit once again, she made her way to the entrance. And some asshole just had the audacity to throw something at her, she was standing signing a cap one of her fans was holding when she felt it hit her. She gasped in shock and pain and was in an instant led inside by the security walking with her, she couldn’t even turn around and look before she was whisked inside. She did hear shouting and some type of ruckus behind her, her German wasn’t great but she heard a lot of cursing. She doesn’t even know what was thrown at her, but she felt liquid running down the side of her face, pulling back her hand she saw it red, it wasn’t blood it was some sort of paint or something. The security hadn’t let her stop until she was in Mclaren’s motorhome, Sedil was talking to Toto Wolff of all people when his driver came in with her blonde hair and part of her face red for a split second it did look like blood, bu it was much brighter, around her people were panicking.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” The female was repeating over and over again to no avail, no one was listening to her it seemed.

“What happened?” Sedil asked his(favourite) driver. 

“An asshole threw what I’m guessing is a balloon filled with paint or something at me, but I’m fine.” Pressing the last part as she said looking at her PR manager. 

“That’s not okay.” Toto was the one to say, he’s never seen or heard of a driver getting something thrown at them like this before, they weren't at a play for goodness sake, he hoped Mclaren would handle this and take care of their drivers more. 

“No it’s not, but there's nothing I can do about it now.” The female said, shrugging, all in the love of the sport. “I’m just going to shower and get ready for the day, again.”

Walking off with her head held high, she wasn’t going to slip or crumble even if all she wanted was to do that, she hadn’t left her daughter and family for her to do that. They’ll hold nothing on her, no way. Nothing is getting in her way.

“That’s a special one you got there.” Toto said watching as the female left with people still fretting over her. 

“Yes we do, I’m just afraid it’ll only get worse.” Sedil pushed up his glasses while watching the strong woman on his team. 

“Just make her come in the back door.” 

“That’s not what I'm talking about.”

Later in the day after Cecilia showered(and tried not to break down in the shower), changed into fresh clothes, redid her makeup with the help of the female workers in the team’s makeup, she looked fresh as new. The news already spread and pictures were already floating online, Cecilia talked to her dad and reassured him she's okay and told him to keep it from her daughter. 

Lando was waiting for her in front of her door. “I’m fine.” She said before he could open his mouth. As they walked out together for the small little interviews they had to do together before they were split up, she was thankful no one asked about this morning, whether it was because Lando signalled to their friends not to or because they saw the look on her face she had no idea but she’s thankful nonetheless. 

The group interviews are what she hated the most, she was mostly ignored still but was asked a few questions every now and then. Today she was being interviewed with Lewis, Seb, Pierre and Kimi.

She smiled when she saw the lot, Pierre giving her a longer hug than normal, the female’s love language being physical touch didn’t hate it, Seb also pulled her for a hug. When they walked onto the platform, Cecilia sat in the middle with Seb and Lewis on one side and Pierre and Kimi on the other. For the first 10 minutes or so nothing unusual happened, she was asked a yes or no question and that was it.

“For the older group, since you’ve had the chance to race with Cecilia, what do you think about having a female in the sport?” the man asking, made the Mclaren driver roll her eyes a little, the way he said female it sounded like they were the lowest of the lowest, god’s most despised creation, acting as if his mother was anything but a female. 

“I think she’s a phenomenal driver, regardless of her gender she’s had an amazing start to her rookie season.” Lewis said, praising the girl, he didn’t like what happened today and what continues to happen in the sport, everytime he thinks the world is going in the right direction something like this happens. 

“Going over what Lewis said, I’ve watched her race for years, before she became an F1 driver, and I’ve even told Lewis about her before, racing with her is something I had hoped to do for a while now.” Sebastian said and Lewis nodded with his words, they both looked neutral on the outside fuming on the inside. 

“So her being a female doesn’t bother you?” Tilting her head a little at the question, she isn’t sure she heard him correctly, people seem to be getting bolder today. 

“Why?” Kimi was the one to answer, something he never does, he never answers for someone else. The iceman has a daughter of his own, he dreads the day she comes into a sport or a workplace that is a male dominated and having to go through this shit, he applauds Cecilia’s courage, and he hopes for once the sport can change and adapt. 

“S-sorry?” The man asking the question stuttered, he didn’t quite understand what kimi was asking.

“Why does it matter that she’s a female?” Both Seb and Lewis watched on as Kimi talked, they knew he 100% had this handled, getting Kimi to talk was a hard thing but when he did he had facts and truth only. 

“Just the physicality of the sport and the pressure of it…” 

“Have you seen any signs of her under performing?” Kimi asked, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly, Cecilia felt like she was in a tennis match watching as Kimi talked and the other man struggled to respond. She knew her grid mates, the drivers all had her back, but watching it in action is something else. When the man struggled to answer Kimi continued. “She hasn’t, so we can have this conversation when her gender comes into play.”

“Nicely said Kimi.” Seb grinned, happy with the outcome, Cecilia had to bite the tip of her tongue to stop herself from laughing at the scared look the man had on his face.

The questions moved on, people were more aware of their questions now, she and Kimi got little questions for the rest of the conference both unbothered by it. Pierre did bring up how she beat him a lot while they were young, reminiscing about their Karting days.

The next two days she was booed wherever she went, circuit walk, all of free practices, qualifying people were just booing her whenever they saw her, it kept amping up, first it was five people then ten then twenty then forty and so on and so forth.

By race day where she was starting P4 a whole section was booing her, Cecilia looked ahead not giving them any attention. Her team had her back and that’s all she wanted or needed.

She had a tough time for the race, she had to overtake Lewis, Valtteri and Seb for P1, and she planned to do it, she’ll prove everyone wrong and end this debate once and for all. Lap 15 she overtook Valtteri in the DRS zone 1, she was scared he’ll overtake her in Zone 2 but Max was also making a move so that made him the main focus not her, she was able to slip away and close in on the Ferrari ahead of her.

RE(race engineer) You’re now P3, keep the pace until we need to box for now. We suspect Ferrari to box soon as well

Trusting her team’s judgement, she waited until lap 30 where she’s been gaining on Seb before she started losing grip in the tires and had to box, a little earlier than they hoped but she had to box now or she’ll be overtaken. Seb boxed a few laps after her, and that gave her the edge and took his position and as much as she loved the man she wasn’t about to let him take P2 again.

Cecilia Someone tell Seb, I love him but I love view from here. RE *chuckle* will do

At the end of sector 2 beginning of 3 she tried to overtake Lewis at turn 8 but he left her no room; she had to stay back or hit the wall. She watched Lewis closely, she knows this man, she grew up watching him race, she analysed his techniques, surely they’ll help her overtake him. 

Lap 67 the race was slowly coming to an end, under 5 laps left the distance between her and Lewis grew at one point, before she scored the fastest lap and closed the distance in lap 68. Once again at the downhill part of the track she tried to overtake lewis in turn 5, 6, 7, and 8, only managing to overtake him in turn 9, she braked late and went on the inside, getting in the DRS zone she gave it her all and tried to just giver herself as much distance as she could.

RE That’s amazing, just focus on maintaining speed, Hamilton’s tires aren’t helping him. Cecilia He won’t box will he? RE No you’re in lap 69 Cecilia Oh… that’s good i guess

The last three laps had Cecilia feeling like she wasn’t in control of her body, she was focused on winning, she didn’t count the laps, didn't do anything, just asked about the time between her and Lewis and raced. Passing the chequered flag made her want to cry and laugh at the same time.

RE That’s P1 Cecilia P1! Well done! Cecilia OH MY GOD! I DID IT! Thank you, thank you so much. Oh my god, we did it everyone, amazing job. RE You just made history Cecilia

Finishing her cool down lap she drove to the number one stand and got out of the car and ran to Mclaren, the team held the crying girl, of course she had her helmet on, no one was able to see her face.

She went to get weighted, Lewis came up to her as she took off her helmet. The male opened his arms for a hug and she just let him. He patted her back, despite coming in 2nd to her he was beyond happy for her, she deserved it. Seb took Lewis’ place hugging Cecilia so tight before he slightly lifted her off the ground.

“Congratulations, Cece, you deserve it.” Was all Seb managed to say before he was whisked away for his interview. When it was her turn she had thankfully calmed down a little.

“Cecilia, amazing race, amazing performance, congratulations on your first win in Formula one.'' The female presenter had a huge smile on her face.

“Thank you so much.” Cecilia had a matching grin.

“Tell me, how do you feel right now?”

“It feels like a dream, I've dreamt and worked for this moment since my first go kart ride, so it feels a little unreal.” The female said and took out her braid from her suit, feeling it bother her slightly.

“One last question before you go, what do you want to say to everyone watching you right now?” Cecilia chuckled in true Cecilia fashion as she looked at the camera, her ice blue eyes dead as they looked emotionlessly at the camera lens.

“I want to thank those who booed me, you hate me, means you think about me, and because I was in your thoughts I was able to win.” With a tilt to her lips she smiled at the interviewer, thanked her and left. 

Walking into the cool down room, she took the number one hat and looked at it, her first one. Sitting between the two males they watched the screen replaying some parts of the race, they were talking about what happened during the race.

The screen showed the moment Cecilia overtook Lewis, Sebastian was seeing the chase for the first time, in a few seconds she was able to get pole position and pass the current world champion. 

“That was great Cecilia, very daring.” Sebastian complemented her, a moment she will forever hold, she felt beyond proud of herself.

Standing in the middle on the top part of the podium was such a surreal moment, definitely one she won’t ever forget. When the Monaco national anthem played Cecilia felt so proud she hoped her girl was watching her mummy win. Holding her trophy up she kissed it and held it high for photos, she did this, she won this award with her blood sweat and tears(and champagne). This moment is hers so fuck all the haters because she deserved this.

Cecilia opted out from her traditional analysis of the race and she went back to the hotel to shower and get ready for the party, all her friends and crew wanted to celebrate her first win. She doesn’t drink much anymore but for once she’d go have a few drinks and dance and let loose. She facetimed her family, her girl was full of shouts relaying what she saw in a comical way, seeing her through the screen she wanted to go home and hug and kiss her little girl. 

For once Cecilia was dressed and felt like herself, she knew there will be photos posted after this night, but she dressed in a dress, did her make-up how she liked and curled her hair. Making it to the club with Lando, they had room next to each other. Walking in they found their friends already there, Pierre and Alex already a couple drinks in. 

“Our winner!” Charles called seeing his female best friend, he threw his arms out and he pulled her in for a hug, they swayed for a moment. “Félicitations, Cece.” (congratulations)

“Thank you.” Pulling back she was pulled into multiple hugs before Pierre handed her a shot that she threw back, making them cheer. In no time everyone was hitting the dance floor, having the time of their lives. Just a group of twenty somethings having fun. 

Charles and Cecilia were dancing when Max made it, he saw the two dancing and laughing. See, times like this it looked like they were dating, but he knows that Charles is in a relationship, and rumours have it Cecilia is single, but you never know. 

“Maxy!” He didn’t need to look to know who was calling him, the female being the only one who dared keep calling him that to his face all the time, turning to look at her, she looked a little drunk, George handed her another drink as he passed and he watched her take big sips. 

“You’re drunk.” He was amused, he’s sure she’ll never remember this in the morning. 

“And you’re not drunk enough.” She said and tried to give him her drink to get him drunk, Max took it from her hand and took the chance to look at her from up close. She was sweaty but her make-up was intact, to him it looked different, he only ever saw her wearing make-up on media days, now he’s never seen her wear a dress in real life, since the beginning of the season she’d only ever been spotted wearing her team’s kit. Max placed her drink on the table, seeing how drunk everyone is, he made the split decision to try and cut her off, she was stumbling as she walked, and they all had flights out tomorrow afternoon. 

“I don’t get drunk easily.” Max told her, her eyes were unfocused, and she was blinking slowly, definitely tired.

“Bo-ho, a few years ago I would’ve been able to drink and not get drunk, not anymore.” She pouted, the last time she got drunk, or drank anything more than some wine with dinner was the day before she found out she’s pregnant. “Well, I’m gonna go dance.”

Before he could do anything she found Lando and pulled him to dance with her, he seemed more sober so he left them to it, mingling with his friends, he saw some RedBull crew who he talked with and sipped his glass of beer, did he keep Cecilia in his line of sight? Yes he did. Did he stop Pierre and Alex from giving her any more drinks? Yes he did. Did he tell Lando to take her back to the hotel? Yes he did. Also did he help him take her to the car waiting for them outside? Yes he did. Will she remember it? No she probably won’t.

The next day Cecilia woke up to the bright sun streaming through her window, she was on her side and a trash can next to her head. She was still dressed in her dress from last night. She groaned and pulled the cover over her head, she didn't want to wake up. Trying to fall back asleep wasn’t a success when her phone rang and she was informed that she had to leave in under an hour. Sitting up, her blonde hair was all over the place, she remembered almost nothing from the night before, she didn't want to get drunk, but here she is the next day remembering nothing.

“Fuck.”

CeciliaHansson15

Tagged, Mclaren

liked by georgerussell63, charles_leclerc, maxverstappen1, and 1,263,211 others

ceciliahansson15 the journey has been long, but well worth it. This is only the first step. to all the girls out there know you can do it too.

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username1 you go queen

username2 we need more women in the sport

charles_leclerc félicitations cecilia, j'ai toujours cru en toi (Congratulations Cecilia, alwaywas believed in you)

liked by ceciliahansson15

Ceciliahansson15 merci de toujours me soutenir (thank you for always having my back)

Pierregasly mon ami vient de gagner!!! (my friend just won)

liked by ceciliahansson15

username5 just luck, don't let it get to you're head

username6 what the f do you mean luck, did u actully watch the race

username6 and it's your not you're learn how to spell

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Taglist:

@luciaexcorvus . @vellicora . @tpwkstiles 

[aziraphales-library]

Hi!

I was wondering if there are any fics where the ending is still the same (aziraphale goes to heaven, crowley stays on earth) but they properly discuss it and understand each other’s choice? This may be a bit too specific so no worries if you don’t know any.

Thank you 💕

Hey! Here are some fics where the ending is the same, but they take some time to talk a little more first...

The Other Side of Forgiveness by JazzRazzberry (NR)

Crowley should leave. He should really go now, before he does anything worse than what he’s already said and done. Before he gets forgiven again. He should go, the Bentley is outside, he can drive and drink until he forgets. Before he does something stupid. Before he kisses Aziraphale again. He should just go. Although. Might as well bare everything to his angel before he’s gotta leave forever, right? Aziraphale is still looking at him with those eyes, those damned eyes.

A tight embrace to say goodbye by yellowdaisy2023 (G)

Aziraphale can feel the lump forming in the back of his throat. His eyes sting with unshed tears as he turns, looking away from Crowley. His whole body is turned away from him, almost as if he’s closing himself off. It breaks Crowley’s heart. In all the years they’ve known each other, after all the fights, they’ve never done that. They’ve never closed each other off. Crowley takes a step back, ready to leave his angel forever, when he sees the slightest shudder in Aziraphale’s shoulders. Crowley pauses, watching carefully. It happens again, a small shake in the usually tense shoulders. He’s crying. Or Someone on TikTok pointed out that Aziraphale was about to sob before Crowley kissed him and I ran with it

This is Not an Apology (This is Not a Goodbye) by ThisIsWhyILoveReading (T)

After watching Aziraphale leave for Heaven, Crowley drives to his newly-reacquired flat and decides to sleep his pain away for the next few centuries, at least. Unfortunately, a certain angel shows up at his bedside and they are forced to try and Talk Things Out.

the choiceless hope in grief by Addicted2Demons (T)

"Don't go." The words are ripped from him involuntarily, a swelling need rising behind his breastbone and expanding like a balloon at a rapid pace, terrifying him in its intensity. He wasn't going to say that; it hadn't been a conscious thought, but there the words are anyway, writhing in the air between them, screaming out. Crowley stops, but doesn't turn, hand poised to turn the knob of the bookshop door, shoulders pulled up to his ears. Guarded. Hurt. Tender, inside, Aziraphale knows. He's always been so tender. A heart he was never supposed to have torn and bleeding in his ragged chest for centuries, possibly millennia. -- or -- Aziraphale has just been kissed by his demon for the first time. He suddenly, desperately, can't let him leave the bookshop without doing it again.

Things Left Unsaid by very_normal_abt_this (G)

S2 finale compliant fix it fic. Aziraphale decides that the first conversation with Crowley about going to Heaven was terrible, and that there are other things he needs to say to the Demon. Before he leaves.

one last nightingale by blackeyedblonde (E)

“Listen,” Crowley says abruptly from where he’s standing by the door, pointing above their heads. “Hear that?” They’re running out of options, he’s running out of time to make Crowley listen, and in his mounting panic somehow all the angel can do is bluff. “I don’t hear anything!” he says in huffed exasperation. The true weight of that silence wedged between them slugs Aziraphale somewhere beneath the breastbone when he realizes, dazedly, that the grandfather clock behind him has stopped ticking for the very first time in more than three centuries. “Nothing…at all,” Aziraphale breathes out, eyes widening as he whips his head around to gape at the forestalled clock. Upon turning again he searches Crowley’s face for some sort of affirmation, for any kind of clue that this is the trapdoor he’d been haplessly hoping for. “My word. Did you just—?” “Sure did,” Crowley retorts, lowering his arm so it slaps against his side like a limp fish. Outside the world continues, Soho going about its business as usual, but even the old metronome across the room on the angel’s desk has stopped its waving arm mid-air. “Now start explaining, we haven’t got all day.”

- Mod D

[levmada]

how do you think levi dealt with erwin's death? was he distant for awhile from others, trying to deal with his feelings by himself? was he feeling guilty of not killing the beast titan?

i also saw a post which said that "isayama said levi had become weaker after erwin's death" which was actually without any sources or whatsoever.. anyways, what are your thoughts?

i want to cover that "fact" first.

lol it depends on your perspective whether levi in fact got “weaker”, but that has ultimately nothing to do with isayama's comment on levi's state after his death, because that's a gross mistranslation.

that quote is from an interview done with isayama in 2017 and has to do with the impact of erwin's death and dreams. specifically relevant to that statement, isayama doesn't say that levi is weak now, but that he's like a balloon dangling in the air, in limbo, or aimless. partly because levi felt that they'd completed their role when they reached the sea (confirmed by ch136), and partly because levi needs to kill the beast titan, but he can't at that point, and not out of a lack of trying.

i can't say "aimless" is a relative to "weaker" when both reasons for that are simply out of levi's control.

levi can contend with weakness from grief at this point in his life. the pain he feels from losing erwin is extremely powerful, but what is more powerful is the conviction he feels to keep fighting as a result of both it and the context of his death.

so do i think levi is weaker after his death? yes and no. levi's state is just way more complex than the wider fandom seems to give isayama credit for writing (and everything in general tbh).

canonically, levi retrieved erwin's remains after everything was said and done, and he got a special memorial/funeral. so it's not like he was in denial at least, or it was an event that he refused to acknowledge.

1: i definitely see him distancing himself emotionally from the others. not once in season 4 does levi even use erwin's name while thinking of him until chapter 136 while reconciling the scouts' dream, and not choosing erwin back then.

he doesn't open up about erwin in a significant way to anyone, although hange and levi sometimes talk about him, such as when (in marley w/ the 104th passed out drunk) hange says that erwin was the type of person who would've tried feeding carrots to the cars and levi agrees.

2: i think there's certainly grief levi stuffed down in the moment like a dam that's been waiting to burst since the day it happened, with the wall keeping it at bay being (1) zeke's still being alive, and (2) the meaning of everyone's sacrifices, especially on that day, being unaccounted for. the biggest reason he could get along like this is by compartmentalizing imo

3: feeling guilty implies feeling regret, so no not in the immediate fallout. as a result of his grief, he has more strength, and as a result of the poor outcome of his choice, he has more conviction to carry his goals out.

erwin says this in the anime adaptation of acwnr, and levi says it in his special side-monologue story: having regrets allows others around you to make your choices for you, will make you hesitate, make you fall victim to your emotions, and get killed. this is exactly what happened to levi when his 30 comrades were titanized in the forest by zeke, only because of his ackerman blood, he didn't die.

that's more of a tangent than anything, but point is, it weighed on him more over time.

4: naturally, his nightmares got worse. sleeping was even harder. he was certainly depressed. also, i strongly feel that levi coped realllyy poorly with his failure to kill zeke by over-exercising, to the point where (probably) hange had to step in and force him to do other duties.

[rambleonwaywardson]

Lonely Traveler

Part 3 of the Home to You series now posted on AO3! Part 1 Part 2

I'll put a preview below. All 3 chapters of part 3 now posted!

Summary: "I thought I'd lost you." "I love you too much." War does its best to tear love apart, but that doesn’t mean love goes away. It just becomes something that can hurt you more.

Total Word Count: 10,101

---

Preview:

War messes with your mind in a way that a civilian will never fully understand. It messes with your body, with your heart, and with your soul. It goes after love, even, grinding it down like another enemy, when all it is is collateral damage in the raging gunfire. People like to think of war as somehow romantic. Maybe some parts of it can be, in a way. 

But war is not, never will be, kind to love. Especially not in a POW camp deep in the Reich, where if the guards don’t kill you, the cold or starvation just might. 

And if none of that does you in, well… war sure does mess with your mind, doesn’t it?

–

Who knew the sound of bombs in the distance could carry so much hope. It’s a sick side effect of the human condition: one person’s suffering is another’s salvation. The world isn’t so black and white, though, and when you think about it, it could be said that a few bombs over Berlin isn’t nearly enough to make the Nazi’s pay for what they’ve done to this planet and its people. In a few years time, the human species will wonder how such violence can be natural, if this is just how people are meant to behave. How could this possibly be true? But then again, how could it not?

In a POW camp in 1944, the sounds of an air raid play like a symphony.

The gunshot outside, the man on the ground, the dog trying to tear him limb from limb, the shouting – those instead are the sounds of tyranny, of wielding power just because you can. Suffering for suffering. Death for death. 

When the guards yell at the airmen to get back inside, Bucky tells Gale that the goddamn Nazi goons are gonna take them out one at a time. Gale says nothing. He can’t stand it here any more than anyone else, and he is well aware that a toe out of line could mean fade to black. But at least here, he knows that he and John are both alive. They’re alive. They have each other, and at least Gale isn’t alone. He clings desperately to these facts that he knows to be true. This could be worse.

Days pass, and hope is tangible in the barrack once again as the men gather around Gale, watching intently as he fiddles with the crystal radio that Bucky had spent days gathering the measly materials for. News from the front seems to be the only thing anyone really wants these days, short of being far, far away from here. It’s the only thing that carries any promise of an end. The only proof they can get that they aren’t stuck here for nothing, that their sacrifices are worth the pain they’ve endured. 

When Gale slams the headphone down on the table, he can’t believe he’s failed. The bubble of hope pops like a sad balloon.

When Bucky asks him one day if, when the weather clears (will it ever?), they should make a move, Gale tells him all but no. Tells him to find a plan with better odds. Tells him “my plan is to get home in one piece.” 

He remembers all too well the deadly state John was in when he stumbled into camp months ago. He remembers the sleepless nights spent trying to keep him alive. His own harrowing journey to the Stalag he barely lets himself think about. He has nightmares – about John dying on him, about hands and ropes around his own neck, about crashing through the sky in a tin can in flames, about being the only one left standing like a lost little kid in the street with no one to call home. Sometimes he feels like he’s holding on by a thread to the only sense of hope he has – the fact that they are both here and they are both still breathing. Beyond the fences of this camp, none of that would be guaranteed.

Bucky’s the opposite. Sure he has nightmares, just like everyone else in the sleepless night – about getting beaten to death in a burning town, about Buck’s plane going down, about hiding behind marsh grass with a gun just waiting to be killed, about everyone he loves getting taken out one by one until he’s alone with nowhere to go. This place, though, is not the answer. He’s damn sure of that. The Luftwaffe doesn’t care which of them lives and which of them dies, and Major John Egan is not about to stand by and let them use him – or, God forbid, Buck – as target practice. Why doesn’t Gale get it?

“You’ll die here in one piece,” Bucky tells him.

Gale stays quiet, and Bucky doesn’t even notice the way that he nervously grabs at the ring hanging on the chain around his neck. Gale clutches it for all it’s worth though. Why doesn’t Bucky get it? This could be worse.

They go on, living day to day but hardly living. They eat their rations and assemble for appel and try to sleep in rickety bunks and freezing cabins. Occasionally, Buck gets a letter from Marge: news from home, sending thoughts and prayers for him and John, telling trivial stories to make him smile. She’s even started including baseball stats and scores for Bucky to follow. Gale tries to get Bucky to read them, to maintain a connection with the outside world and understand that someone beyond these fences is thinking about him. John refuses, won’t even touch them. Gale writes Marge that he’s concerned about Bucky. Her heart breaks for them. 

None of the men can seem to find a balance between thinking of home and trying not to let the thinking drown them. 

They find ways to entertain themselves. Books, music, sports, the occasional play. Gale has started holding classes for some of the other POWs, teaching them about physics, mathematics, and astronomy. It feels good to learn just to learn, to understand something about the world that isn’t shrouded by the war. It’s Gale’s escape, his offering to the men who offered up there lives. Bucky used to love listening to Gale go on about these things, would look at Gale like he’d hung the stars himself, smile and kiss his nose and make him blush before insisting he keep talking. He could listen to Gale talk for hours, and Gale had rarely felt so loved.

Now Bucky leaves the room when Gale starts teaching about the beauty of their universe. He doesn’t want to hear it anymore. Somewhere deep within himself, it hurts too much. It doesn’t line up with the situation in which he’s found himself. He can’t stand the way he feels alone in a crowded room. He can’t stand accepting that this is who they are now, where they’re meant to stay. 

Sometimes, Gale will find him, will try to hold Bucky’s hand. He’s getting worried, doesn’t know what to do. Bucky tells him he’s fine, just needs some air, just needs some space. He’s just cold, just hungry, just tired, just angry at the fucking world. He’s fine. Gale tells him he loves him. Bucky doesn’t say it back.

He doesn’t feel right anymore. He hasn’t in a long time. He can’t say why. Words like depression aren’t commonplace yet.

Gale thinks it’s his fault.

After Gale manages to sand down the copper wire of the radio, he’s thrilled to hear actual transmissions coming through the headphone. The BBC, news from the front, their saving grace. Suddenly, the fact that they’re all stuck in this camp means something again. They went down swinging for something far bigger than themselves, and the allies had filled in the gaps. They hadn’t narrowly defeated death for nothing. The men scramble to start copying down and disseminating information, and the bubble of hope starts to grow. 

Something like that is awfully fragile, though. It ebbs and flows and hesitantly tries to fill the cold and musty corners of the barrack, wrap itself around these men like a blanket. It’s enough to keep them going, but never quite enough to keep them warm. To keep them sane. 

After dozens of men are executed for trying to escape the camp, that bubble bursts again. Things are about to get worse around here, not better, and Gale wonders if they should’ve taken a chance when they had it. Maybe they’d die trying, but maybe they’d die anyway. 

But Bucky tells Gale that he might’ve been right, they shouldn’t be so hasty with an escape after all. Gale has about two seconds to feel like maybe they’re on the same page again, maybe Bucky is finally coming back into himself. About two seconds of that hope he’s been trying to cling to. Then Bucky declares that he has nothing worth rushing home for anyways. 

Gale’s heart drops. The hope flies away, fading tendrils swirling in the air that he can’t quite keep a grip on. He wants to scream, aren’t I enough? 

How many days and nights had they spent dreaming about a future? About a life after the war? It’s enough for Gale to hold onto, but his gut twists as he wonders if the private vows they’d made to each other before they shipped out, the rings they’d had engraved and carefully gifted to one another, had been nothing but words and hunks of metal. What the hell had happened to I made it home to you? Did it all mean so little to Bucky, now? Did Gale mean so little? 

Sometimes the words you don’t say hurt the most. He tells Bucky that it’s just this place getting to him, but he doesn’t know how much he believes it. For the first time since Bucky made it back to him, Gale starts to feel alone.

---

Continue reading on AO3

[sntechsupport]

how does the "development" of a game like SBURB go in general? That is, it literally moves players to another reality and destroys entire civilizations, how can its "code" be changed?

and by the way, the question is also different: if you are the developers and technical support of the game, then... Who are you? In this case, you are even more powerful beings than the gods themselves in the game.

Answering this is not as trivial as it might seem, because since the start of my work on Sburb (as SkaiaNet called the game when we started making it) a lot of retroactive coding has been introduced it.

Initially we were developing the game for desktops, but they didn’t really… have the capacity to hold it. Since ~ATH code works with real-life conditions (especially nearby deaths), the logical step to “okay, let’s make the game play out in reality” is super obvious. Or at least it was to us. I think that at this point Glue, who worked on the inner codes, got the game infovirus.

Our first wave of testing was done by yours truly, I was one of the dedicated members of the testing team. I was there when the game was in 2D only. Test Sessions didn’t play the full game out, we looped and cloned one Incinisphere and changed its inner variables… Kind of like making a balloon animal, except instead of a balloon you use a bubble of existence.

The second testing wave was releasing the Sburb Alpha. That went… better than we expected, but much much worse than we anticipated. The “destroys the entire world” bit took us by surprise. We didn’t know how it was possible that the game released across countless timelines either. Granted, we didn’t want to be obliterated with the rest of the planet, so… We went down to the core code and instead of the game code we changed our code.

You see, ~ATH is amazing: It is a code that can describe anything. Even a living being. How it acts, what it looks like, how it reproduces… and how and if it exists. What we did was that we made SkaiaNet stop existing in those timelines in which Sburb destroyed our planet. We created a backup of those alternate selves we had there and merged them with “ours”.

I have (had) a lot of parallel memories. I am a lot of Gears, but ultimately I am just Gears. That delete-and-merge code is still active and it has eliminated me and our entire SkaiaNet to one singular instance.

And then it deleted that instance and made us literally not exist. We have always existed and yet never existed in the first place. Hence why time is sort of weird for us and we are on the wrong edge of the whole reality thing. Our SkaiaNet Headquarters is every single SN HQ that could have ever been (but of course, never was). I am every single Gear that could have been, but of course never was. A lot of those Gears could have never been born.

Currently at the HQ there are just 4 (I have absolutely no idea where Marketing Department is… and it is not my problem). All of us are infected with the game infovirus, so our placement is also a sort of a quarantine. Is the virus a computer virus or a disease-virus? Yes. When you think about it, there is no difference. It is a string of information that compels its host to replicate itself. It is now integrated into our own source code (and DNA). It has overwritten parts of code that are vital for people to remain, well, people. For example our death mechanic is ultimately broken. If we die, our bodies repair themselves, we get up and carry on. And that’s even if there is nothing left of the bodies.

The catch here is: The infovirus is the core-most line of the game itself. That’s it. The game wants to spread and exist… and so we work on it. We have to. We literally can’t stop. We can venture deep into the source code that allows us to manipulate the fundamentals of the game itself, I literally carry around brackets and spaces and backslashes and order the code physically around. Having the infovirus makes me part of the core source code, and makes it possible - I presume that without it the abstract strain would tear my consciousness apart, which is what happened to a couple of my colleagues.

So… Technically I suppose that the four of us are incredibly powerful and we have the capability alter the foundation of reality itself. But we can’t. Because it would make a shit game. And we can’t not make a bad game. We have to make the best game possible, one you’d play and suggest to your friends and family, one you’d play with your children and schoolmates.

Speaking of, I’ve procrastinated by answer this long enough, back to those giraffe-necked Prospitians.

Gear out.

[thisbelongsto-nohbodys]

Have you a creative process when you make comics or stories ? (Storyboard ect..) and if yes, can you explain it please ??

it depends on what the comic is. Some of them, as a recent example being the upcoming Frilda confession comic, I just come up with it and start drawing. Some of the other's however I need more preparation.

Knowing where a comic is taking place helps to find/look for any references I might need be it screenshots of backgrounds, character model sheets/screenshots, etc etc. If there's a new character or place then either in a series bible (like for my Leilana comics) or on scrap paper make sure to do some rough drafts until u find the right design. Trust me, it'll save a lot of time and paper, there's nothing worse than wearing down the paper with constant erasing only for when u finally get a design u like to have phantom lines all around from how damaged the paper is.

When writing a comic in my head, I'm able to hear the characters' voices and how they'd respond to what the scenario is. Going back and editing it is easier (tho' it makes me redo the whole scene which...yea...) however when I get an opportunity I begin writing things down. This part has the most cuts to every version that was in my head until it looks like it makes the most sense. I'll ask a friend to look it over so I can edit it again and once that's done then I get started on the rest (when I can, I ain't drawing a 4 page comic at 3 am...). Sometimes the script on paper can be wildly different from what was in your head and that's fine, I see it as ur hand(s) (hands if ur typing) editing ur brain and only putting down the important parts of the story.

Because I've been doing this for a while, I can read the script and come up with the panel placements in my head, sketching out the panels with my color-sketch pencils and making adjustments as needed (remember to draw lightly), do brief sketches of the characters and the backgrounds (where needed) and then adding the dialogue, sometimes I change up the dialogue from the script when I notice that it won't fit a word balloon that well or awkwardly, then once it's all ready I ink the dialogue, word balloons and panels in that order. Then ink the characters and backgrounds and effects. I add whatever else I need to do, shading, marker, etc etc and then it's done. Scan it in and either post it or hold on if it's a piece of a larger part.

Don't be afraid to try both scripted and unscripted comics either. I'd recommend scripting it if it's longer, and unscripted can be good for random jokes. A mixture of the two are also fine, I tend to have an outline for my Leilana comics, basic idea on what characters, setting, dialogue/jokes and then once I get the reference stuff done I start drawing. Tho' for the longer arcs, I make sure to write out a script so I can know how many comic strips I'll be drawing.

This method of course is how I find it best for me, it might not be the best for u and so if something doesn't work then don't worry about cutting it out of the step process. Comics r a fun form of art & storytelling and I highly encourage more ppl to try it no matter the skill level.

[star--joy]

5 Times People Thought Percy and Vex Were Dating...

And the one time they decided to prove them right.

Chapter Three: Allura

-

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Warnings: None

Words: 1068

Originally posted: 12/31/22

Ao3 link: archiveofourown.org/works/43509219/chapters/110534658

Professor Allura Vysoren narrows her eyes at the pair that approaches her desk, whispering and laughing quietly among themselves. Percy and Vex are, individually, two of her brightest students, so it surprises her to see them trying to team up. She’d been very clear in her instructions; couples are heavily discouraged from partnering on her assignments. In her experience, that ends up in too many fights and sloppy projects.

Still, they’re adults, and she doesn’t feel right making their decisions for them. She had just hoped that these two would be smarter than this.

“Professor, can you check over our proposal?” Percy asks, sliding over the idea for their final project. It looks well done, written in a mix of small, neat writing from Percy and looping cursive from Vex.

Still, Allura can already see the approaching screaming matches. God knows they’ve happened before between other couples. “Percival, Vex’ahlia, are you two partnering together?” she asks, pressing her fingers against her temples and massaging steady circles into her growing headache.

They pause at her evident disapproval. “That was the plan. Is there a problem with that?” Percy asks, sharing a glance with Vex, the kind of glance that’s only exchanged by those who can deeply understand each other.

Allura sighs. “I can’t forbid it, but I would rather you didn’t. Things get complicated when couples work together.”

In sync, they tilt their heads to the side. It’s rather cute, even she has to admit. They work well together. Just not for schoolwork. “You said it was a group assignment, though,” Vex questions, eyebrows drawn.

That makes her blink. She hadn’t expected them to play dumb. If they’re trying to hide their relationship, they’re doing a truly shit job of it. They sit together, always sharing notes and whispers during every lecture. Vex brings Percy coffee every day. He ‘secretly’ does her assignments when she gets sick. Besides, the way they look at each other? There’s nothing platonic between them. “Like I said, I can’t stop you. But, please, if you’re going to fight or break up, keep it out of the classroom.”

Vex goes completely rigid at the same time Percy sucks in a deep breath, a pale pink blush instantly invading his pale skin. Silence hangs in the air for a few moments.

Then they burst into motion.

“We’re not dating!” Vex exclaims, tacking on a nervous laugh at the end.

“I’m not— Vex is lovely, but we’re not—” Percy stutters at the same time, ducking his head in a futile attempt to hide his tomato-red face.

Allura looks between the two of them. They’re nervous, yes, but she doesn’t detect any dishonesty. Actually, they seem brutally truthful.

Oh, dear lord. They’re not dating, they’re just clueless about their own emotions. Somehow, that’s worse. The only thing she wants less than domestic arguments is awkward confessions that pull the attention of the whole class.

“Ah,” Allura sighs. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to assume.”

“It’s fine!” Vex chirps, high and reedy. All Percy can muster is a nod.

Okay. Okay, how does she avoid this dilemma? Allura presses her mind for a solution. Perhaps if she pushes them into a confession on their own time, rather than in the classroom, she can prevent the drama. That might work.

“Well, if you’re not together, I see no problem with you tackling this assignment together. You do work exceptionally well as a team,” she hums, smiling and briskly turning their draft back to them. “This draft is perfect. I can’t wait to see where you take it.”

The intensity of their deflating is reminiscent of a balloon letting out all the air. “Ah, thank you,” Vex mutters, and now she’s blushing, too, though her tanned skin makes it less obvious. She reaches out to take the draft back.

So does Percy.

Their hands accidentally brush, and they immediately pull back as if burned.

Allura fights to not roll her eyes. What kind of cheesy rom-com has she stumbled into?

Vex snatches the paper and both of them practically run away, heads down and doggedly not looking at each other.

She smiles. Getting involved in the romantic lives of her students is not usually a good idea, and yet… they are rather cute.

“Don’t tell me you’re playing matchmaker,” Kima, the teacher’s aide and Allura’s wife, groans, catching Allura’s attention. She’d been unusually silent for the interaction, choosing to observe with little more than an amused smile. “I though you left those days back in high school, ‘Lura.”

“Shush,” Allura mutters. “I am not playing matchmaker. I am simply avoiding classroom drama.”

“Riiiiight. Should I tell them to send you an invite to the wedding?”

“Kima!” she hisses, turning to look at her wife with death in her eyes. “If you’re going to say ridiculous things, at least be quiet about it!”

Kima’s grin is absolutely devious. “Are you afraid they’re going to catch on to your plan? Because it wasn’t very subtle. Seriously, ‘you work exceptionally well as a team.’ It’s like you begged them to make out.”

“I’m going to ignore you, now,” Allura hisses as the next pair of students approach the table with their draft held nervously in hand.

She laughs. “Fine, fine. But you can’t ignore them,” she says, gesturing to where Percy and Vex continue to work on their assignment, a noticeable distance between them. The blush has yet to leave Percy’s face, and it’s almost concerning how bright it is. Vex keeps tugging on her braid. They’re both sneaking nervous glances at each other near constantly.

Dear God, they’re so oblivious. It should be annoying. So why can’t she fight her fond, only slightly exasperated smile?

“Professor Vysoren?” one of the students at her desk asks, pulling her attention back. “Is our draft okay?”

“Yes, it’s fine,” she approves with little more than a glance, too busy glaring at Kima to fully read it.

Kima just snickers under her breath, not being subtle about how she’s also staring at Percy and Vex. “I give them ten days before they get over themselves and get together,” she says once the students are out of earshot.

Allura sighs. She really should not take this bet. It’s invasive. It’s unprofessional. It’s a horrible, horrible idea.

And yet… “Five days, maximum.”

Grinning, Kima holds out a hand to shake and cement the bet.

Sighing, Allura takes it.

[todomemolesta18]

My backstory for blitzo

So he grew up in the circus with hes twin sister and parent. Cash taking in fizzarolli because he saw fizzarolli atheltic ability and hes really good at entertaining the crowd. Because they live in the circus they always move one place to another. Tilla have an illness so shes always laying in bed. Blitzo join the circus but cash always told him to follow the lead blitzo disobey he try to make a horse in balloon but always fail. Cash found him to be a burden fizzarolli is much more useful. Cash hoping he have a son like fizzarolli obey him and being useful, barbie wire is the daughter who always gave him the least trouble. Barbie and fizzarollie listen to him unlike blitzo. Blitzo sometime get hit by cash for listen to he command. He tell him if he dont listen tilla will die quickly or worse suffer so blitzo try to obey hes father. Despite that blitzo have good relationship with barbie and fizzarolli

So whenever blitzo cried he always run up to tilla. Tilla comforted him, despite fizzarolli is not her children she still love him like her own children. Tilla and cash doesnt have any relative so she settled for him. Whenever blitzo, barbie and fizz finish performing they run up to tilla room tell her about what they accomplish. Tilla is getting sicker each day so they all worried for her but cash. One day when they perform in a town one of goetia noble is present that is the king paimon and stolas. The seat that meant for goetia is prepare with luxuruious stuff with food and drink they also have jewelry. After the performance is done paimon approach cash how much he can rent blitzo. Paimon willing to pay higher cash immediately set higher price so the deal is agree with both side. Cash approach blitzo tell him he will perform privately for prince stolas and he prince want to play him he also has to play too. Cash told him the money will be used for tilla medical needs, so blitzo agree. Everyday he will perform privately for stolas and he has to play everyday with him. Cash who is greedy he also want payment in gold not just money paimon give him box full of silver gold and jewelry. Blitzo reluctantly play with stolas in everything so that the money will be used for tilla health. Cash happy with the money but in order to make blitzo shut up he used some it on tilla health and he think maybe tilla can be useful for him

When blitzo reach teenager age he stop performing for stolas. Because stolas have go to school for preparing he duties as a prince and he reunited with fizzarolli and barbie. Blitzo is jealous with fizz everyone liked him while him nobody liked him they saw him as nuisance. While he loved and liked by tilla and barbie he want everyone to liked him including cash. So he try everything but nothing work. When he saw everyone celebrating fizz birthday party also for celebrating him to manage success in the audition of mammon. He is jealous why did fizz get good in everything but not him. In hes anger he put the fire and with that everything is burn some survive with psyhical damage and some is not as lucky as the surviving. He left fizzarolli barbie tilla cash and everyone. When hes runaway he realize what he had done so he return saw everyone brought to the hospital. Blitzo tell cash what he did cash slapped him

Cash told him he should abandon blitzo and only raising barbie. Fizz is much more better son than him. He tell him hes mogher die because of him, fizz is disable because of him, barbie lost a home because of him and because of blitzo the circus is gone. He told him mammon luckily willing to paid all the damage all the medical bill. Cash told him make himself useful by working with the prince stolas, cash just got news the prince is finish he education. Blitzo nodded. Blitzo met with barbie and fizz both of them refuse to forgive blitzo, blitzo also visit tilla. He blamed himself for what happen

This is so well written ✨

[lets-pretend-i-exist]

“Growing up queer can feel monstrous, and I need to see that on screen. When you get preached at that people like you go to Hell for what you are and the ways you want, you start to relate to the demons. When you’re taught the truest, most joyful parts of you are unholy, it’s fair to ask—why should I respect the authority of a system that hates me for reasons I can’t control?

You learn to disguise your desire, and it changes you. It changes you to choke down your feelings, to deny them, to believe that they are sin. You learn to pour them into the hidden language of love that arises between you and whoever you’re lucky enough to share it with, so you don’t learn how to say them aloud. (Their arrangement, “little demonic miracle of my own,” the fourth alternative rendezvous. This is what queer love has looked like for millennia: something beautiful and true, despite, despite, despite.) Unlike those whose love has only ever been legal, permitted, “normal,” “holy”—your relationship is inescapably shaped by the threat behind it.”

“Serpent of Eden, gardener cast from the garden, sculptor of starlight doomed to the pits of hell. You thought nothing would hurt worse than falling, and then you fell for him.”

“You can’t leave this bookshop, Crowley says, but he’s asking, don’t you want me?

Nothing lasts forever, Aziraphale says, but he’s saying there’s nothing I wouldn’t sacrifice for you.”

“This is the shit I’ve been waiting for all my life. When God abandons you, when you’re not sure what to believe in, who to trust—look at who knows you. Who sees you, and wants to know who you are.

Queer love isn’t neat. The closet isn’t just one thing. Love isn’t love isn’t love isn’t love. I’ve always hated that expression, because queerness should be normalised, not defanged.”

“He’s not a human, but he is queer: his love is forbidden, marginalized, at odds with the foundations of morality he’s been taught. And like many queers who get the opportunity to rise through the ranks of a discriminatory system, he thinks he can change it from the inside.”

“This is how human. There’s nothing of you I don’t want. You’ve got me. I want anything you’ll give me, as long as it’s you.”

“If Crowley could feel the Bentley go yellow, I can only imagine what it felt like to drive through hellfire to meet Aziraphale at the air base at the end of the world.”

-

I feel like I’m going to be sick: every paragraph of this post is one astute gut-punch after another.

It feels like the author has strung together all the nebulous pieces – pieces that draw a spot of blood when the curious observer pricks a finger on them individually – to form a somewhat gruesome answer that one feels should have been obvious from the outset. Electricity pulses through the remnant parts and they roar to life in terrifying glory.

I’m thinking about Troye Sivan singing “if I’m changing a part of me / maybe I don’t want heaven.” I’m thinking about “the only heaven I’ll be sent to / is when I’m alone with you.” I’m thinking about six thousand years of codes and handwritten notes and meeting on the top of buses, and in art galleries, and at concerts and St James’ Park and all of it necessarily taking place in the background. I’m thinking about everyone else being able to see it clearly but those involved being unable to give voice to the precious, peaceful, fragile existence that we have carved out for ourselves. I’m thinking about Neil calling this season “quiet and gentle and romantic” and that being true but also so completely deceptive.

Season 2 did break me in a way that I don’t think any media, even intrinsically queer media like Sense8, has done before. It didn’t just take up residence in my mind for every spare second of the day. It took me weeks to even mostly recover from the complete decimation it enacted on much of my mind and heart. And in a terribly conceited way, the more I think about it (beyond the profound power of the media itself), this is because I relate to Aziraphale in terms of my past and I relate to Crowley in terms of my imagined future. My present self sits somewhere in between.

Aside from the whole concept of gender representation and presentation — an even more complicated matter than this — I see my past self as like Aziraphale, desperately trying to reconcile who I knew I was and what I knew I wanted with the system and community that I was embedded in. Wanting to believe that people could change their minds if I just compromised enough, just went slowly enough, just worked diligently enough and conformed enough.

I haven’t quite reached the point I want to be: somewhere nearby to Crowley’s position – of shrugging off the whole system and edifice, ripping up the ending, leaving nothing but freedom and choice. I’m not there yet; still clinging to some naive, vague notion that there is any level to which one can compromise one’s own self for the palatability of others without effectively rejecting the self entirely.

I think that seeing this dichotomy presented in s2 like that, converging suddenly, ultimately collapsing in on itself, felt like something breaking within me. These lies and half-truths we tell each other, these stories we use to get through the day — that abrupt loss, realising these choices are fundamentally incompatible… in a non-suicidal way, that loss was internally reminiscent of the fate of Neil Gaiman’s 24/7 diner. When all that artifice and self-soothing is stripped away and one is forced to reckon with what little remains, how will the gap be filled? What will one choose to do? Bury the self or forsake the system?

[bookishtheaterlover7]

Hi all one of bookies friends here.

Everyone needs to calm down

Look at the facts.

Video- showed her without ANY ring a lot

Video-could he be anymore obvious with his left

hand.

Everytime he does or has something come out she does something. This time she shot herself in the hand twice.

And no I no longer find Chris attractive. If your team real i dont care. I just dont like seeing my friends on here who are team or get all worked up bwcause its nothing. It is for nothing we've, proven its fake.

How many holes can you put into a hot air balloon before it can't fly anymore?

To the GP (genaral public) they are married so right after all it was exposed the rings are fake. teams are gunna have to do or try and do clean up for a while. We knew this was going to happen. I expect to see shit about one flying here or the other flying there or they both fly to meet each other. I mean how many roumers in 2 days can start about who is where? It just

makes it look worse and more comical. A real couple wouldnt do damage control at all. Just because a website publishes an article doesn't mean it's a website that reports news or the truth. Remember People mag, US weekly etc is are still mags they use click bait. Don't freak out everytime you hear a rumor that she flew here or did this or that . The fact is its been de bunked disproven if they choose to continue on with the PR BS thats on them a lot of fans are not playing along any more. Im.not playjng along anymore im done with it. I saw a post in instagram that sums everything us well it said

"I am on team PR. But if he wants people

to believe he's with her, then we should

just leave him to it. It's true he owes

us nothing but we also don't owe him

our support anymore."

What point is there to get upset or nervous or anxious over something just because there a rumor about a plane ride. If you wanna believe theres a plane ride maybe its to sign a new contract that this shit is over.

You know its fake i know its fake. And you know what they showed they were gifts from cartier. Maybe her team would shse poney up the money to get cz versions. Frankly it would be even funnier.

We dont owe chris anything.

If you feel silly or stupid or being duped by thibking he was a better man than he is dont be, everyone was. It only goes to show the man could've had awards by now if he picked better scripts

Clean up is gunna happen. WE HAVE SEEN IT. the less you play into it the faster itll be over with.

But dont let this distract you or upset you from a joyus holiday season or take away any happiness you're experiencing or could be experiencing. Focus on something positive and happy. At the very least i saw a blog with a debate about who qas hotter Sam or Castiel. Now THAT is some shit worth arguing about. Not an airheaded Nazi

Thank you, my dear An🫶n.

Honestly, this is a serious wakeup call to a lot. That ring debacle/exposure is something to note, and it could be the sign to many of being done.

And if they aren't, well, I'm happy to partially become the blog that becomes a nostalgic stop for old Chris, Chris Evans before he was a shit person in a shit relationship with a shit person, and Chris Evans Characters Appreciation and absolute SIMPING!!! Oh, and the occasional Albitch hate post, because I still hate her 😆

I'm even thinking it's time to add more Fandoms to my roster. Marvel characters are high on that list. So are book discussions, because I am enjoying that as well 😁

We'll see. The world is my oyster now, especially with that big bomb that fell into our laps, as well as the fact I'm on break and about to undergo the busiest month of my life!!!

It's going to be filled with holiday cheer, family love, Christmas shopping, reconnecting with everyone, and focusing on improving the one love that came back a few months ago, after years... Writing 😊

So, my beautiful weirdos, can we PLEASE take steps towards something new? I think we could use some respite after months, maybe even years of PR Debunking Hell... 🫶

Also, there are certain topics that I don't want to be discussed on here. Because I don't feel comfortable being in the middle of any debate whatsoever (you can ask my dearest friends on here, they know I hate politics and avoid discussing, and eventually debating it, as much as possible). Until my next post, Beloveds 🤗

[latte-virgo-lion]

I'm working on categorizing some information for the site of mine I'm working on, and thought I could share some of it here - so here's some information about my world in relation to yours

Technology

Our technology is a mix of what you would call "Steampunk" and "Solarpunk", and we did not have the same "industrial revolution" your world did, though we did have one. As far as I can tell, we also do not have plastic - though I imagine it may exist in certain places, it's nowhere near as prevalent as in yours - we do have a fair amount of glass pollution and light pollution though.

Things are usually made more by hand, though automation is becoming becoming more prevalent here, which is why I persued education in engineering. From what I can tell, our worlds share that in common. What our worlds do not share in common, is tactile magic.

While your world has digital technology, ours has magic (in a way), that's considered a scientific fact. 'Magic' is an antiquated term, but it works the same. There are certain gems and materials that hold power here, and can be altered or "programmed" in order to curate specific results. Some are saying we may be able to find a way to infuse metals with these materials, but similiar to your mythology of Fae, strong metals like iron and "magic" usually cannot coexist, which makes it very difficult to make anything that lasts, and makes it impossible to automate with our current robotics.

We do have electricity as well. Automobiles we do not have - we have electric bikes, and trolleys and other similiar public transportation. We do not have airplanes as you do, some smaller models have been made that are electric, but nothing that can carry people as they do in your world. We do have zeppelins and other air balloons though, just a tad different than the ones in your world - it's somewhat harrowing that both of our worlds have had catastrophic incidents with these air balloons; we had a worse incident than your Hindenburg - I believe due to our technology advancing to the point we have zeppelins that match the occupancy of your airlines. Thankfully accidents of that sort have become far and few between nowadays.

"Magic" also does not work in the sense of spells or witchcraft, I've done some research on the subject, and it's much closer to chemistry in practice, though there are such belief systems in our world as well. As an example, I have a choker necklace with a "programmed" gemstone that obscures my ears and tail. They're still physically there, and have sensation; but they have a veil of sorts that obfuscates their appearance, so I look "Normal". It can give off an uncanny valley appearance, I've heard, so it's not perfect.

[unovanhunny]

I think you should go into detail about the AU

Well, if the co-creator and father of Yammet is asking~ : 3c

The best simple summary I can think of is "What's better than one Yandere with Trauma? Two Yanderes with Trauma! Who desperately love each other and help each other recover from their traumas." Welcome to the Yan4Yan AU~

This is so long help, take a read more

The two main players here are my precious son who I love, YanEmmet, and Tomb's poor baby boy FtW Bad End Ingo, redubbed YanIngo for AU purposes. They've had whole existences before they meet so I'll get into those a bit before we get to the main part of the AU.

YanEmmet loved his brother and confessed to him as much. He said he would be patient and wait for his answer. Unfortunately that answer didn't come, as Ingo was soon eeby deebied back to Hisui with no memories and leaving a very distraught Emmet behind. In the back of his mind, Emmet had convinced himself that Ingo would have accepted him had he not been taken away. Of course that's not the only reason he worked tirelessly to try and get him back. He still loved his brother dearly as a brother and he just had to figure out how to get him home. With the help of a befriended Blacephalon, Emmet does manage to reconnect with Ingo! He's so happy to have his brother back! And Ingo remembers him and remembers their lives and surely he would remember his confession and they could be happy together! And Ingo does remember the confession, but he, guiltily, rejects him. He still cares for him deeply, but not like that and he wouldn't lie to Emmet about it because that wouldn't make him happy. That's... Okay that's not how Emmet imagined it going. But its okay! He still has his brother back and they can at least go back to the lives they had! But. Ingo wants to stay in Hisui. He may remember his life back in Nimbasa, but he feels like what he is doing in Hisui is important, especially if it will impact the future in some way.

Rejected, and worse, abandoned, Emmet makes his way back home to try and figure out what to do next. His whole life the past while had been trying to get Ingo home to go back to how life used to be, and now all of it was for nothing. Yes he has a way to talk with Ingo again, but he wanted him home. And in some way, the idea occured to him that he still was friends with the deranged balloon clown, he could still travel through time and space and dimensions. Surely if he had been abandoned like this, somewhere he would be able to find an Ingo who would want to stay with him! Maybe even love him! He hoped he would love him. Leaving his pokemon behind because he didn't know how long this trip would be or how dangerous, Emmet sets out to go Dimension Hopping, eager now to find an Ingo of his own. Early in his two-year-long travels, he gets into an altercation with an Emmet and accidentally kills him. YanEmmet is traumatized by what he's done, but not as much as when, in his despair, the Ingo kills himself right in front of him. Fully shaken, YanEmmet has decided that he needs to be more careful how he approaches things.

Still, that just went to show how dedicated Ingo could be. In all the worlds he visited, hundreds until he lost count, the Ingos would never leave their Emmet. Even if the Emmets didn't love them the way they wanted. Even if they didn't love their Emmets that way. So why was he the exception? There was nothing to do but keep moving forward, and he would continue to do so until he found an Ingo to love him or die trying. Not very good for his health to keep pushing himself, but it would be Fine.

He finally ends up outside a not-so-abandoned house in the middle of nowhere. He has a bad feeling, but Ingo is nearby, he knows that much. He'll just have to find him.

Now for poor Ingo. Since this is based off Tomb's Forced to Watch AU and it's Bad End, you can get more details there. But the jist of it is early on in their train boy careers, the twins get kidnapped and the leader, Cassian, said they Only Needed One and threatened to kill Emmet. To which Ingo begged and promised to do Anything if his brother was spared. Well, his brother was spared and Ingo went through a lot under Cassian's cruel and obsessive whims. A pet, treated less than human but certainly not poor enough to let him die. Emmet tried to come and rescue Ingo, but in his hesitation to kill, he gets killed and Ingo has to watch him die. That breaks his mind and his spirit more than anything else. He loved his brother, and though it wasn't mutual, the devastation of losing him is too much.

And here's where my boy comes in! Entering the house YanIngo is being held in, YanEmmet finds him and tells him he loves him and asks Ingo to love him too. Ingo until this point has been met with illusions of his brother so intially he didn't respond, but hearing a voice and touching his face and noticing the vague differences from the brother he remembered, he promises to love him, please just get him out of here. He has an ankle cuff that makes it difficult, but once Emmet rips it free from the wall, he takes Ingo back to a hotel to rest while he goes off to end Cassian's life for all that he put Ingo through. YanEmmet is already thoroughly in love with YanIngo, he didn't need much he just needed to be told he was loved. And YanIngo was rescued and now loved by an Emmet, not his own but that doesn't matter. They head back home to YanEmmet's original dimension, YanIngo finding and insisting he gets to bring his brother's yamask with them. YanEmmet agrees and now Yammet gets to stay with his brother but deal with what a gay he is with his lover that is another version of himself.

Back at his home Dimension, YanEmmet tried to figure out how to tell YanIngo he doesnt want him to ever leave the house without possibly triggering something. He loves Ingo dearly, so much, with all his heart, the last thing he would want to do is scare or hurt him! But luckily YanIngo does away with all that concern when he expresses his guilt and regret about not wanting to go outside and just stay at home. YanEmmet is ecstatic! Now he doesn't have to ask it himself and risk scaring Ingo!

But though YanIngo doesn't want to go outside, YanEmmet still needs to go to work as a Subway Boss, the only one since his original Ingo disappeared and decided to not come home. But leaving YanIngo alone at home isn't ideal either. So, he gives him his schedule, tells him he can call or message him at any point and he will answer. YanIngo knows when YanEmmet has lunch and they can talk freely during that time. YanEmmet lets YanIngo know if he'll be home even a minute later than usual. He wants him to feel like he knows what to expect so he has some form of control when he has had nothing of the sort for so long.

Of course, YanIngo isn't in the best state physically after everything he's been through, so YanEmmet adopts an Audino who used to work at a Pokemon Center until she couldn't keep up with the fast paced environment anymore. And now she can spend her time taking care of One Person and making him feel safe and making sure he takes any medication he needs and uses healing moves if he's in pain and helps YanEmmet when he does the physical therapy he learned with YanIngo. Yammet is also there to help Audino with taking care of YanIngo. If he can still help his brother in some way, he is happy to do it.

Also HisuiIngo is aware of the situation. Initially he was disturbed and mortified that Emmet had gone to such length as to steal an Ingo from another dimension. But its not stealing, he willingly came! They love each other they're good for each other! And HisuiIngo can see that Emmet is the happiest he's ever seen him and the other Ingo seems very happy too, so he can't actually oppose it, even if he thinks it's weird.

There are other things going on and it is a very smut filled AU because of Course it is, but these poor boys have been through so much individually and are so good for each other to heal and recover from their pains and trauma. And poor Yammet has to watch.

Side note; Blacephalon stays with them because he's YanEmmet's bestie now, but it has to learn to stop spontaneously exploding its head. Its messy and startles everyone when it happens and might scare outsiders. Also it and the Audino are in love and Yammet has to deal with lovey dovey shit from all sides. Sorry Yammet-

[extraneousdominomask]

more like super smash SISTERS.

happy non-denominational winter holiday season, you animals

Ten years ago, I wrote and published my first long-form crossover fanfiction. It was intended to function as an advent calendar, with 23 individual chapters to be read once a day in December, with a finale on Christmas Eve. In practice, two chapters were cut when the finale ballooned in scope; the standard format ends on Day 21 so the final three days can be devoted to wrap-up.

What was the standard format, you may ask? Well, the story grew from something unbelievably Autistic(tm) I had done in previous years, where I poured out a bunch of blorbos on the floor and arranged them into small piles. Continuing this trend, each chapter featured three characters, all from different things, fighting a villain from a fourth thing in a location from a fifth thing.

Yes, it was bad.

But as I forced myself to reread it for its ten-year anniversary, I noticed something deeply unnerving. I noted, with some amusement, that while Marvel Comics was easily the most widely represented pool of characters (thanks in part to, say, RDJ's charismatic Tony Stark registering as a fundamentally different entity than his milquetoast comics version; conversely, favourites like Deadpool, She-Hulk and Doctor Doom had no cromulent adaptations at that juncture), the same was very much not true of DC. There are exactly four DC characters - specifically the Batman: The Brave and the Bold version of Aquaman, Red Tornado(???), mark hamill's...... the JOKER, and Green Lantern. All of them die immediately. Lol.

But then I had to ask myself: wait. Where's Catwoman?

And that led to the much more dangerous question: where's ANY woman

21 times four is 84. Eighty-four characters. Of these, seventy are he/him, thirteen are she/her, and one is Pyro Teamfortress2. (Sloppily referred to in narration alternately as 'he' and 'it'.) Day 12 features two female characters, and then there is an eight-day gap where every single chapter is male-only until motherfuggin Day 20

Don't worry, it gets worse. By and large there was a less-than-50% survival rate. Of the 84 characters, 34 make it to the end; 30 men and four women. Of the starting 13, six die immediately (as the DC characters and Pyro do) and three die subsequently. One of the four survivors contributes nothing to the final battle other than having her throat slit (non-fatally...?) in front of a male friend as motivation.

Now, is this is the worst thing about the story? Lord, no. There are plenty of other places to start. But in my modern capacity as the women-respectin' ThievesInTime-hatin' male feminist I am, it's something that embarrasses me. A different, more bearable embarrassment than the one arising from the presence of internet reviewers in this story, but embarrassment nontheless.

To! That! End! I have wrung one last category five autism incident out of this adolescent enterprise, by assembling a new, modern roster of 84 goddamn characters. I only allowed myself 13 he/him characters, and only in the exact same weird pacing of the original story. I was a little looser with the non-binary characters, who I upped by 500% - a 'they', a 'they/it', a 's/he' [sic], a fucked up evil dark fantasy 'it', and someone who used to alternate between 'he' and 'she' mid-sentence before settling on 'they'. Also I didn't bother with locations because I barely found that fun the first time

Full list under the cut, because this has gone on long enough and I doubt anybody read this far anyway. Okay!

1: Carmelita, Catwoman, Valkyrie vs Victor von Doom (Sly Cooper, DC Comics, Skulduggery Pleasant, Marvel Comics)

2: Judy, Freya, Static vs Princess Azula (Zootopia, Final Fantasy IX, DC/Milestone, Avatar the Last Airbender)

3: Mae, Toph, Taako vs Maleficent (Night in the Woods, A:tLA, The Adventure Zone, Sleeping Beauty)

4: Carolina, Radical Edward, Reigen vs Xanatos (Red vs Blue, Cowboy Bebop, Mob Psycho 100, Gargoyles)

5: Blake, Gwen, Luz vs Nye (RWBY, Into the Spider-verse/Marvel, The Owl House, SP)

6: Junahi, Krystal, Crusch Lulu vs Zaheer (Knights of the Old Republic, StarFox, Overlord, The Legend of Korra)

7: Peridot, Quina, Holtzmann vs Neyla (Steven Universe, FFIX, Ghostbusters, SC)

8: Jadzia Dax, Garrus, Rivet vs Wolf (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Mass Effect, Ratchet & Clank, StarFox)

9: Diane Foxington, Kay Faraday, Parker vs Carmen Sandiego (The Bad Guys, Ace Attorney, Leverage, C... carmen sandiego.)

10: Penelope, Rikku, Tali vs Entrapta (SC, Final Fantasy X, ME, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)

11: Tanith, Katara, Alex Vega vs Queen (SP, A:tLA, Deus Ex Mankind Divided, Deltarune)

12: Nick, Legoshi, Webs vs Liv (Zootopia, Beastars, The Bad Guys, Into the Spider-verse)

13: Lulu, Eda, Never vs Mz. Ruby (FFX, TOH, SP, SC)

14: Riza Hawkeye, Legion, Ruby vs Sniper Wolf (FullMetal Alchemist, ME, RWBY, Metal Gear Solid)

15: Kat, Michiru, Maya vs Catra (Gravity Rush/Daze, Brand New Animal, Ace Attorney, S:POP)

16: Amelia, Tigress, Ty Lee vs Risky Boots (Treasure Planet, Kung Fu Panda, A:tLA, Shantae)

17: Yang, Susie, Tex vs Spinel (RWBY, Deltarune, RvB, SU)

18: Hawkgirl, Undyne, Marceline vs Demona (DCAU, Undertale, Adventure Time, Gargoyles)

19: Bismuth, Aisha ClanClan, She-Hulk vs Augustine (SU, Outlaw Star, Marvel Comics, inFAMOUS Second Son)

20: Blacksad, Sophie Devereaux, Mz. Pauling vs Double Trouble (Blacksad, Leverage, Team Fortress 2, S:POP)

21: Mission, Grif, Data, vs GLADoS (KotOR, RvB, Star Trek The Next Generation, Portal)