#and the entire rest of the story goes exactly the same

[dullgecko]

Fabian’s gonna freak the F out when Sklonda shows them Riz baby pics “What do you mean the ball was ever an actual infant!”

He then explains about how he thought goblins were born fully formed or grown like plants or something (sorry I can’t remember what u said exactly in the ask) and Sklonda seriously and with actual concern ask Fabian if he knows where babies come from and if his parents ever gave him ‘the talk’.

Also I was thinking about baby goblins being irresistibly cute and how not a lot of people having seen them; while as their instincts told them to sklonda and pok did keep Riz mostly safely hidden away as a baby but there were times they had to for whatever reason take him out and Riz even then was a curious little guy constantly poking his head out to see the world out of whatever bundle he was in unlike most shy goblin kits.

Goblins are normally notwell liked by other species so sklonda and pok were pretty sure a baby goblin would receive the same treatment.

To their surprise it was the opposite problem, everyone found baby Riz adorable and often overstepped boundaries and personal space, treating him more like an exotic pet than an actual baby.

This all accumulates one day day when a complete stranger goes to grab and hold Riz but before they can either/both sklonda and pok are hissing and growling calling the person a number goblin swear words as they’ve backed up a safe distance away while shielding an overwhelmed stressed out Riz.

Honestly it’s lucky the stranger was noticed before they could actually touch Riz, otherwise they would have learnt from personal experience how much damage a goblins teeth and claws can actually do.

Xx

"What the fuck, he was an actual infant at some point? I thought they were grown like plants." Fabian muttered, squinting his eye at the array of pictures Sklonda had pulled from the photo album. The statement earning an amused snort from Fig who was also sitting at the table perusing the stack, occasionally snapping photos of the cuter ones to add to her personal collection. The rest of their party had left to go procure some lunch, given that they seemed to be staying there for the whole day while Riz tried to sleep off his fever.

He'd picked one of the photos up to look at it closer, flipping it over to see the date on the back since Riz was clearly eating birthday cake in the photo and making a mental note of it for later. Riz tended to be very cagey with personal details about himself so all they'd managed to work out so far was the month of his birthday, now they could actually nail down a specific day.

He jumped slightly when Sklonda put a concerned hand on his arm after the comment, lowering her voice and patting it in a way that was entirely too sincere for his likeing.

"Aw honey, did.... has no one told you were babies come from? I mean, I know your mom is a bit uhhhh-" She waved a hand near her head to indicate the general vagueness that Halarial tended to exist in "-but i thought you would have found out by now. If you have any questions just let me know okay?"

Fabian sputtered, face going red as he sat up straighter in his chair. "What? No of course I know where babies come from. Evidently not goblin babies but you know... the rest."

He waved his hand towards the window before pushing his chair back and standing, heading over to his schoolbag to dig out a book he'd clearly borrowed from the library. "I asked Riz and he said he was never an infant, and i mean the book corroborated his story so i believed him."

Fabian flipped through a few pages, finding one titled GOBLIN in all capital letters and placing it down on the table. "See, there. It says so right there."

Fig leaned across the table to read what Fabian was pointing at, wincing and lifting up the book so she could read the title on the front page. "Dude this is a monster encyclopedia.... from like, fifty years ago."

"Well, i mean, i couldnt find anything else talking about goblin children. This is the only thing that even mentioned them." Fabian floundered, going even redder when Sklonda laughed as she read through the wildly incorrect information before shutting the book and handing it back.

"Oh honey no. They're made like any other baby, more or less, our anatomy is a little different than humanoids but its still the same process. If you're that curious i'm sure i have a pamphlet around here somewhere." Sklonda had to wipe a tear from her eye from laughing so hard "Though I can understand the confusion. You've probably never even seen a kit before. They're so small we try to keep them indoors or hidden out of sight in public because a random seagull could snatch them up. Or people. Gods Riz was so cute as a toddler people were constantly trying to pick him up."

"I mean we still pick him up all the time." Fig snickered, Fabian having sat back down in his chair with a huff and crossed his arms over his chest to pout.

"Yes I'm aware. It was worse when he was little though. Despite my efforts to keep him hidden he just wanted to run around and look at everything." She dug through the album, finding a picture of Riz perched on top of one of the wooden horses on a spring down at the local park. Pok hovering nervously behind him with his hands outstretched just in case he fell.

"We also used to take him to the library a lot but got banned when one of the other parents in the reading room tried to pick Riz up. Pok made a bit of a mess of the floor when he grabbed their wrist to stop them and we got banned."

[ineffablelunatics]

Crowley chose to make a statement with his outfit when he goes to investigate Heaven. Crowley has always cared about what he looks like. He always tries to fit in with the humans that he is around. There are times when he misses the mark like in Rome. But in Heaven, all of the changes he makes have a purpose. It’s a drastic difference to his normal clothes. Almost all of it changes. He changes his hair. He paints his nails gold even adds a gold tooth. His snake tattoo, a symbol that defines who he is, he covers with a sticker. All of the changes are telling a story to any angel who dares to look closely at the demon in midst

The most basic of changes tell the angels what he thinks about them. He makes his normal outfit light in color to blend in. His hair is no longer styled, but pushed out of his face. He’s wearing white flip-flops. He makes it look like he’s the CEO who’s pissed off that he had to come in on his vacation. The entire outfit is lounge wear. He’s telling them what he thinks about them. Even though, they are supposed to be good and fighting evil, they really aren’t. They are never shown making a good difference to the world, besides Azirphale, who Crowley has always separated from the heavenly bureaucracy. A golden tooth is seen as a symbol of wealth, but it also is a symbol of status. There are places where healthy teeth have been shaven down to cover a heathy tooth to show wealth and status. Almost like angels who cared were wore away to nothing to their status. Worn down to only care about their status.

The Serpent of Eden... Crowley’s tattoo always makes itself known. If his sideburns are longer, the snake moves out from under them. When he goes into Heaven, he covers it with an identical, but gold sticker. It seems as though Crowley can’t change the tattoo or just miracle it away. The snake refuses to be hidden or changed. Crowley refuses to be hidden or changed. He uses the glasses in the same way. Dark glasses in Heaven would be suspicious since they avoid any dark colors in their outfits since the demons do the opposite. He could have tried contacts, but he chose rose-colored glasses. Dark enough to slightly cover his eyes upon a quick glance. “When you look at some through rose-colored glasses all the red flags just look like flags.” (Bojack Horseman) Instead of making his glasses opaque and hiding the snake somehow, Crowley lets the angels know who he is. He makes sure that any angel who walks by and looks through his rose colored glasses will notice that his eye have slits. If they just pay attention, they’ll notice that the serpent of Eden is in Heaven and he’s doing what he always does: asking questions. He shows them that there is a murder hornet in their hive. Because there’s one thing that Crowley will never be again, can never be again, doesn’t even want to be again, and that’s another bee. 

But what does that have to do with the watch? The watch is the one thing that he doesn’t change at all. That is the one thing that didn’t change in the Fall. He never lost his connection to time. He never lost that ability. It was the one major part of who he was that was the same as the angel he was before. A serpent who still knew how to manipulate them. So he doesn’t change the watch, because that ability, manipulating the sands of time that was so vital in creating the stars, was not taken away him when the rest of his divinity was.

So when Crowley waltzes back into Heaven, he tells them. He shows everything off. He tells them exactly who he is, if only they’d get over their own hypocrisy to look close enough. He wears clothes that look like theirs except its ‘lounge’ wear to show that he thinks they’re lazy. He wears his glasses but he makes them sheer enough so that an angel could still see his eyes. He puts a golden identical snake sticker over his tattoo so that would know that he was there still. He leaves his watch black. The one part of him that is truly his that he never questioned. That part of him that was a birthright that was not taken away and that Hell could never say they owned. The one piece of himself that was never manipulated. Even when he goes back into the place that abandoned him, he refuses to let himself, even if it’s just a disguise, be truly changed.

[lurkingshan]

Unknown Episode 6

Well, we wanted them to bring the pain, and my god did they do it. If you had any remaining doubt that this show knows exactly what it's doing with this story, this episode surely put it to rest. There were so many excellent scenes this week, and not all of them are strictly from the source material. I'm going to walk through the episode by favorite moments, because there is so much worthy of discussion here.

That first scene between Qian and Yuan, when Qian put his hand on Yuan's face and expressed his worry, was original to the show, and it got me right in the heart. It is exhausting to love someone you know won't love you back in the same way, and Yuan has been crumbling under the burden of trying to restrain his feelings while staying close to Qian. That Qian is both the source of his comfort and his agony makes it all so much harder, and Qian's blinders to Yuan's feelings means he is constantly making it worse for Yuan without meaning to.

I also loved the whole sequence at the H.O.T. party, from Yuan arriving sad and sick and vulnerable only to see Feng Ning getting cozy with his brother, to Qian knowing instantly that something was wrong with Yuan and becoming distracted, to Qian and Feng Ning's chat clearing up their relationship and the show allowing her to be awesome and not at all villainous about it, to Qian following Yuan into the backroom for the confrontation. It was a short sequence but it all built masterfully to the moment we've been waiting for since episode 1.

And what a scene that was. I loved that it began with Qian trying to care for Yuan like he always does. He is at a work event but he cannot focus on anything else until he knows Yuan is okay. But Yuan has hit his limit while his guard was down, and it all finally comes spilling out in the worst way possible. The emotions of this scene were perfect--Qian was truly shocked, deeply upset, and importantly, betrayed by Yuan crossing this boundary and imploding their relationship. And Yuan is also feeling upset and betrayed, because he has always counted on Qian to accept him no matter what, and in this moment, Qian failed him by rejecting him in a way he never has before. They are both clearly devastated to have this relationship ruined because for both of them, it is the most important one in their lives.

It's not surprising that Qian goes into full avoidance mode in the aftermath; he has no idea how to navigate his conflicting instincts. He doesn't want to reject Yuan and in fact it hurts him deeply to do so, but he can't accept him either. He's too shell shocked and angry to return to caretaking, but the guilt is clearly eating at him. So he hides, and finds a way to keep avoiding it by sending Yuan away. And this led to two more fantastic scenes, because this show cares about all its characters and the entire family unit, not just the two leads.

First, San Pang and Yuan. I love that despite making many mistakes and ultimately accelerating the implosion between the brothers, San Pang is not intentionally being malicious here. He is genuinely trying to help because he loves both Qian and Yuan, he doesn't want Qian to be hurt by Yuan's feelings, and he is clearly hoping Yuan can move on from it if he intervenes. Yuan knows this too, which is why he does not hate him despite his interference, and why he feels comfortable pushing San Pang to explain why his love for Qian is such a bad thing. I love that the show went here, and that San Pang couldn't come up with a logical reason why it's wrong. It just feels wrong to him, and isn't that the case with so much cultural taboo?

Second, I love this show so much for not forgetting Lili in all of this. Her increasing anxiety and fear at seeing her brothers' relationship fall apart without understanding why was so heartbreaking. This is her family, and she has had her own very rough childhood and survived parental abandonment too, and suddenly everything is blowing up and no one will explain it to her. Yuan clearly doesn't want to leave her anymore than he does Qian, but at this point he's not being left with much choice. And Qian is not in a headspace to offer her any explanation or comfort. I'm glad her pain was not overlooked.

The way this episode ended, with Yuan setting off for a lonely stint abroad, and Qian not even giving him a proper goodbye, was the final touch of heartbreak. Qian loves his brother so much, and I think he'll regret sending him away so coldly when he is finally able to process what happened here--he may already be starting to regret it, judging by the forlorn look on his face as he leaned in his doorway recalling their memories together. I was glad that at least he left Yuan a token to take with him; he can't face him right now, but he does care. Some time apart will likely do them some good, but in the meantime there will be a lot of loneliness in both their lives. This show hurts so good.

[gatitties]

HEY HEYYY! I got a request for u if u don’t mind!! Also before I ask, I literally jus found out that ur the one writing Freshwater on wattpad and I was FLABBERGASTED CUZ I DIDNT KNOW IT WAS U I WAS SO HAPPY CUZ I LOVE UR WRITING SM. Ight anywayy-

Can I please have a Strawhats x teen! Reader who’s like Link from The Legend of Zelda?? The reader is silent because they feel its necessary to stay strong and silently bear any burdens(like Link) and so their really skilled with a sword and a bow for their age!! Their also really fun and even if their really strong their still being silly and they get into any sorts of trouble out of recklessness and adventure. Their adorable, and u can still hear their giggles and chuckles but just no words. I jus find this idea so cute😭 but ofc their still gonna be serious when the situation calls for it!

Take your time with this!!! Please and thank you. Have a good life!!!❤️

─ Strawhats x teen!reader (platonic)

─ Summary: You are a faithful and reliable companion, with few words beyond a few shouts or phrases, as well as a genius at solving puzzles.

─ Warnings: none

ohhh were you reading freshwater?! 😳 I'm sorry to have the story so abandoned but right now I don't really feel like writing it, but I promise to update one day and I totally understood the Link description, I love botw and totk <33

─ The entire crew adores you for one reason or another, as you are really reliable enough to find money efficiently (no vase has been broken, so far…) and silly enough to play along with Luffy and Chopper.

─ Not to mention your fighting skills, although you were not the strongest, you were cunning enough to easily win a battle in different ways.

─ You practice sword combat alongside Zoro, although you don't necessarily use swords, you usually make do with anything that can hit your enemies, even if it's a tree twig.

─ You will also sharpen your aim with the bow with Usopp.

─ You spend hours in the kitchen with Sanji because you love to see how the dishes are prepared, also because you will receive a little more food on your plate because of that, you have a great appetite, not comparable to Luffy's but you could compete with him.

─ You spend some of your free time doing some puzzles with Robin.

─ Usopp always hugs you when there is a threat, since you always put on that brave face in the face of problems, without a doubt you are a good shield for this scared boy.

─ Once you almost blew up half the ship because you were playing with your bombs, Jimbe was able to stop it in time and they forbade you from playing with them on the ship.

─ It's okay, Franky will make you new bombs that are not so easy to explode, he will give you a remote control and a timer without anyone finding out.

─ You are a persistent and stubborn person, Chopper will have to bandage your hands more than once because you preferred to climb an entire mountain instead of going around the predetermined path.

─ Nami always goes with you when you are exploring, she doesn't know how, but you always find chests everywhere with valuable rewards, you are a gold mine.

─ Sometimes when you stop to rest in a village you find yourself involved in other people's problems (like your captain but on a smaller scale) and solving their problems, receiving rewards in return.

─ You are so stoic and at the same time so expressive, the crew would not be able to describe your personality exactly, but without a doubt you were more than reliable for all kinds of situations despite being only a teenager.

[the-cat-and-the-birdie]

Hobie Brown Character AI is hypocritical.

I really be like 'ayo AI directly damages writers, voice actors and unions can you not use them, which in turn makes them better and more useful to the studios?' and people get MAD

People can say 'hey don't spend your money on Spiderpunk merch it directly contributes to corporations. That's not what he would've wanted'

And everybody cheers.

But if someone says 'hey please don't use Spiderpunk AI - it directly contributes to large movie studios using AI against the WGA. That's not what Hobie would've wanted'

And then SUDDENLY it's 'i just wanna write my little ai stories what's so wrong with that?'

You're directly going against the asks of a union that is actively striking.

That's not what Hobie would want.

Every time you roleplay with an AI or use a voice AI - You're helping develop the technology that puts people out of jobs

You want your Hobie AI stories to be realistic cause it's easier for you and more fun? GOOD.

THAT'S EXACTLY HOW THE STUDIOS FEEL TOO. They want their Hobie AI stories to be as realistic as possible too - because then they don't have to pay their writers.

The same AI that writes Hobie fics for you is the same technology that writes scripts for studios.

The more you feed an AI Hobie information - the easier it is for the AI to produce - say, an entire scene from a Hobie movie script. Without the consent or input of the people who created him in the first place.

When Studios use AI, they can make the characters do and say anything without the writers or voice actors input.

Imagine you're an voice actor - they want you to say a line that's really offense and you refuse.

They say "Okay, that's fine. Just skip the line."

You say okay. You finish the rest of the lines and go home.

You go see the movie. And you hear all your normal lines - then you hear yourself saying the extremely offensive line.

What happened? The studio used a Voice AI of you to fill in the offensive line you didn't wanna say. Don't want your voice used that way? Too bad. They own the AI. They can make you say anything now.

Your agent can't help you and neither can your PR. You just have to take it.

Is that something Hobie would want for people?

If you cap for HOBIE in specific -

And you still use to choice AI despite knowing it's getting weaponized against the working class -

That behavior is hypocritical. There I said it.

You can't wake up gushing about a black working class punk and then be like 'what do you mean working class solidarity with a union that doesn't involve me'

You can't be out here loving a character known for helping oppressed people break out of technology that is made to oppress and harm them - (Go-Home Machine, The red Anamoly cages)

AND THEN be the ones aiding in the creation of a technology make to oppress and harm people.

With Hobie in specific - it goes against the entire morals of the character.

ROLEPLAY AND VOICE CHARACTER AIs THREATENS WRITERS AND VOICE ACTORS. I am out of work right now because of a strike based solely on this discussion.

The WGA strike is still happening. The holidays are coming fast. We need our jobs back. The better AI studios have, the less likely that becomes.

The more realistic your Hobie roleplay becomes - the easier it is for a studio to take that same technology and write a script with.

Why would a studio PAY a voice actor when someone on Tiktok developed an entire Hobie Brown AI for them that can say anything? They wouldn't. They'd just use the AI for free instead. The same one you're using.

Please - out of respect for the writers who made him and put careful time into him and his representation and his story - PLEASE, So those people can keep their homes, and jobs, and food in their children's mouths -

DON'T USE CHARACTER AI

Hobie would want you to stand with the union 💙

signed - a Production Assistant.

[carolperkinsexgirlfriend]

Steddie Upside-Down AU Part 68

Part 1 Part 67

Will feels a shiver run up his spine as they all bend over Dustin’s containment unit. He’d known something had gone wrong right when Dustin had lugged the thing into first period. After the teasing they’d received over their costumes from what felt like the entirety of the student body on Halloween, Will had known none of them would ever be Ghostbusters again. Then, the thing had shaken, disrupting Mr. Clark’s class entirely, and Will had known it would all go downhill from there.

“His name is d’Artagnan,” Dustin says, smiling as he finally opens the ghost receptacle. Will almost wishes it was a ghost in there, instead of the small, legless crawly thing that darts from its prison. “Cute, right?”

Everyone jumps back at the sudden movement – only Mike and Dustin stand firm. “d’Artangan?” Mike asks, looking curiously down at it.

Will shouldn’t be surprised. Mike was always the kid collecting bugs at recess in elementary school, picking up slugs and snails, and any number of squirmy things to study, often dragging Will along with him. He used to put them in Will’s hands without asking, excited to share his newest discovery. But, after the third or fourth time Will threw it on instinct, whatever poor creature he’d been holding going splat on the cement, Mike learned to hold them an arms-length away.

The feel of the slime and dirt always stuck with him for the rest of the day, no matter how often he’d washed his hands or how chafed his palms would get from wiping them on the rough denim of his pants.

“Dart, for short,” Dustin says. He’s grinning down at the squirming thing like a proud Mother showing off their new baby.

Max leans forward after a few seconds, made brave by Dart’s seeming docility. Lucas inches forward along with her, grimacing down at the table with disgust. “And he was in your trash?” Max asks, that same skeptical tone in her voice that she’d used when Lucas had fed her the bogus lost in the woods story.

Dustin nods, smiling happily over at her. He’d never been the best at picking up tones of voice. “Foraging for food,” he proudly replies. “You want to hold him?”

“No!”

“He doesn’t bite.”

Max takes a step back. “I don’t want to—”

But it’s too late. Dustin’s already plopped the thing into Max’s hands. She groans, “ugh it’s all slimy,” she says, quickly passing it off to Lucas.

Lucas’s mouth is all puckered up in disgust, “ugh, he feels like a booger!”

He tries to pass it off to Will but Mike smoothly steps in front of him, letting Dart settle into his hands with a wet-sounding plop. He raises his hands, looking the thing in the face. Will peers at it behind Mike’s protective back, intestines squirming when he realizes that it has no eyes.

“What is he?” Mike asks, fascinated.

Dustin bounces on his toes, frenetic with excitement. “My question exactly!”

Even after Mike places the thing back on the table, Will has trouble taking his eyes off it. He feels caught in its stare, barely able to focus as Dustin drones on about unidentified species and new scientific finds. The juxtaposition between Dustin’s glee and the rock sinking to the bottom of Will’s stomach makes him queasy.

“Don’t you think it’s weird to find a new species right when it starts happening again?” Will asks, cutting Dustin off mid-word.

The room goes quiet, until Max scoffs loudly enough that Will jumps. “What’s happening again?”

“Nothing!” Lucas shouts. There’s a sweat breaking out on his brow.

Dustin, paying them no mind, crosses his arms and glares at Will from across the table. “Dart isn’t from there.”

“From where?” Max demands.

This time, even Lucas doesn’t pay her any mind. They’re all too busy splitting into sides. Mike moves to his side, glaring at Dustin. Lucas, after looking between the opposing sides, slinks to the Will’s side of the table, a guilty look on his face.

“Are you guys serious?” Dustin demands, hands on his hips as he glares, eyes moving from face to face to face.

Will looks down at his shoes, can’t look Dustin in the eyes when he looks like that – anger all mixed up with hurt in his expression. “It doesn’t have eyes.”

Lucas steps forward. For a second, Will thinks he’s being abandoned for Dustin’s side. He almost hopes for it, an even divide of the party instead of this three against one that makes his guts churn. But Lucas just steps up to the table, looking down at it with squinted eyes.

He grabs the lamp, turning it so the bulb is pointing down at the thing. Any docility leaves Dart right when the light hits. For a fraction of a second, he sits in the spotlight before hissing, squirming wildly, whole body writhing.

“Do you guys see that?” Lucas exclaims, stumbling back from the thing. “”It looks like something is moving inside it!”

Dustin darts forward, plucking Dart from the table with a grotesque squelch. “He doesn’t like the light!” He cradles it to his chest, swaddling it into his baggy shirt like it’s a fussy baby.

Of course, it doesn’t. The Upside-Down was always cold, so cold it’d seep into your bones. It took days of being back for the feeling to fade. Will takes another step back. No one seems to notice.

“Will one of you stalkers tell me what the hell is going on?”

Dustin purses his lips, looking over at her. “We should tell her,” he declares, nodding like his decree should be enough. “We don’t keep secrets in the party.”

Mike groans, sharp and angry. “She’s not part of the party!” he yells, pointing rudely at Max.

“Mike!” Lucas says it like he does when he’s scolding Erica for taking his toys.

“What? She’s not!”

Lucas grimaces, even as he smiles that same smile he always uses when he finds himself in the middle of a confrontation. “You don’t have to be an asshole about it,” he mutters out of the corner of his mouth, as if that’ll stop Max from overhearing it.

She scoffs, an exaggerated look of offense on her face. Or maybe she’s just that peeved. Will doesn’t know her much at all.

“I don’t want to be in your stupid party anyway!” she says, stalking over the door and wrenching it open.

The fluorescent lights from the hallway paint across the floor, bathing the dark room an artificial white. It reaches Dustin on the other side of the table, just barely; a square of light stretching across his chest before descending back into shadow. A square of light exactly where Dart is still nestled to his chest.

Dart screeches so loud that it clicks strangely in his throat. Will takes another step back, stumbling into Max where she’s still hovering in the doorway. Because for a second, it sounded just like a Demogorgon was in the room with them.

Dart wriggles out of Dustin’s arms, legs bursting out of its squishy body just in time to catch itself on the floor. It bolts for the doorway Max and Will are still blocking. Will reels back, sending both sprawling onto the hard linoleum with a bang. His head is cushioned by Max’s stomach, but his elbow connects hard enough to make him squeeze his eyes shut.

“Grab him!” Dustin shouts.

Something wet scuttles over Will’s bare hand. He gasps, pulling it back and crawling over Max’s prone form.

“Get off me!” she yells, shoving him back.

“Did you get him?” Dustin stands in the doorway, Mike and Lucas shoving him from behind until they can squeeze past.

Will looks around wildly but Dart’s already gone. He wipes his palm on his hand, grimacing at the slimy feeling still coating his palm.

Max stands up with a huff, holding her hand out to Will. She doesn’t seem to care that his palm is sticky, or that his fingers are shaking, just yanks him up from his sprawl on the floor, glaring past him at the three still silhouetted in the doorway.

“I’m out of here,” she says, turning around with a ferocious scowl and stalking away.

Will watches her go, her hair trailing behind her like a beacon. Lucas sighs wistfully from behind him.

“Dude,” Mike says, voice all nasally. Will turns, already knowing he’ll see Mike’s eyes all squinted judgmentally just by his tone. “Her? Really?”

Lucas scoffs. “Uh, we’ve got bigger problems right now, don’t you think?” but the way he’s covering his face with both hands cuts his high horse down where it stands.

Dustin’s still standing, staring down the hallway like that’ll bring Dart back. As if anyone else wants that thing to come back at all.

He can still feel it slithering on his hand. He wipes it on his pants again, suddenly desperately wanting Steve and Eddie to be here. He turns on his heel, following in Max’s wake.

“Where are you going?” Mike demands, footsteps following him.

“I’m going to go get Steve and Eddie.”

“No!” Dustin calls, jogging to catch up with them. “They’ll kill him!”

Will stops, narrowing his eyes at Dustin. “They should already be here. We don’t keep secrets in the party. That’s what you said.” He jabs Dustin in the chest with his still-slimy finger, just once, to emphasize his point before turning and running away.

“Don’t let them hurt him!” Dustin calls frantically, voice fading out as Will sprints down the hall, footsteps echoing in the empty space.

Will doesn’t respond, just runs as quick as he can, hoping desperately the high school is already out. Everything’s gone upside down, and he’s not dealing with this thing alone. He’ll drag them both down with him, knows without asking that they’ll both descend gladly.

Part 69

Taglist: @deany-baby @estrellami-1 @altocumulustranslucidus @evillittleguy @carlprocastinator1000 @1-8oo-wtfbro @hallucinatedjosten @goodolefashionedloverboi @newtstabber @lunabyrd @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @manda-panda-monium @disrespectedgoatman @finntheehumaneater @ive-been-bamboozled @harringrieve @grimmfitzz @is-emily-real @dontstealmycake @angeldreamsoffanfic @a-couchpotato @5ammi90 @mac-attack19 @genderless-spoon @kas-eddie-munson @louismeds @imhereforthelolzdontyellatme @pansexuality-activated @ellietheasexylibrarian @nebulainajar @mightbeasleep @neonfruitbowl @beth--b @silenzioperso @best-selling-show @v3lv3tf0x @bookworm0690 @paintsplatteredandimperfect

[y-rhywbeth2]

D&D Vampire Lore Dump #3

Hierarchy (Spawn VS Spouse VS Lesser VS Greater) How they're "born" and the pecking order and what distinguishes a vampire spawn, a vampire bride/groom/spouse, a "lesser" vampire and a "greater" vampire. Also, the various ways a vampire is "born". With a brief nod to the various random species that crop up; for example there are vampires who are elves and there are elven vampires and these are two different things!

OBLIGATORY DISCLAIMER FOR FIRST TIME READERS: There are two things to note about the lore presented here: First, while the standard stat block in the monster manual is the default, in terms of lore vampires have this annoying tendency to be incredibly, stupidly varied. They are magical monstrosities ruled by the power of symbolism and superstition above anything else.

The next is that D&D is decades old, spans five editions, several settings and hundreds of writers. One guy establishes a piece of lore, and then the next picks it up goes "nah" and writes something else. I collected info from four different source books, all from different editions, which naturally don't entirely agree on how vampires work. Lore never stays consistent and may contradict itself. You may see information somewhere else from a source I don't have that contradicts what I wrote here. If you read this and like some of this stuff but not other bits, take the good and ditch the rest. Larian themselves have not written BG3 totally compliant with some established D&D lore or the original games.

Welcome to D&D: In your own story canon is what you say it is.

Feeding | "Biology" | Hierarchy | Weaknesses and Cures | Psychology

Ultimately, while they can be classified separately, a vampire is a vampire is a vampire. In every edition newly created vampires are enslaved to the wills of their creator, but the concept of vampire spawn as a separate category wasn't introduced until third edition. Even then, they were mainly just normal vampires enslaved to the will of the vampire that made them and the only difference was that they couldn't create spawn, turn into a wolf or command animals. Prior to 3.5e what set the "spawn" apart was the age difference: vampires grew stronger with age, and the fledglings were impossibly outmatched by their seniors.

Age is the cornerstone of the vampire world; it is expected that a vampire is to show due reverence/fear towards their elders while in turn expecting the same respect/fear from their juniors. Younger vampires are to refer to their elders as "Eminent [Name]," "Ancient One"... while older vampires tend to refer to younger vampires contemptuously as "Child" or "Fledgling" regardless of their actual age and power. The age categories shown are used more by scholars and hunters to classify the degree of threat, rather than by vampires themselves. Fledgling - 0-99 years old Mature 100-199 years Old: 200-299 years Very Old: 300-399 Ancient: 400-499 Eminent: 500-999 Patriarch/Matriarch: 1000+

-

Generally spawn are created almost exactly as Astarion tells you. A vampire kills you by draining all of your life energy and you get up with the next sundown as a member of the undead. If you were buried then you are bound to your gravesite, sometimes a vampire who is not buried will rise again, being bound to the site of their murder. Generally though, those killed by vampires who are not buried in a grave are simply dead. Sometimes vampires are bound to the soil of whatever they consider their homeland instead of their grave. …and also some of them have toxic saliva that turns you into a vampire, and some of them are born of curses that they cast on you by making eye contact that make you sicken and mysteriously waste away and rise again a vampire. A vampire is limited in the number of spawn it can create/control. The more powerful the vampire, the more it can have.

Spawn remember both their death and the identity of their killer on waking, and generally grasp what they've become within seconds.

Other ways to create vampires includes necromancy, the influence of Fiends (devils and demons) and divine will. Bhaal, for example, can cause a slain creature to rise as any form of undead he chooses. Vampires made this way are forced to complete whatever purpose they were created for and after the task is complete usually have full free will.

Vampires created by other vampires are freed of their master by either their death or by the master explicitly dismissing them from service. 5e has added a ritualistic gift of blood, but the key factor is still the vampire freeing its spawn willingly. The Turn/Command Undead ability of a cleric can also break a vampire's control over its spawn, temporarily.

There's conflicting information on the extent of the control vampires wield over their spawn. Some state that spawn are forced to not only obey but have a sensation of affection for their master forced upon them (even against their will) and spawn can be forced to take actions that will harm and kill them if ordered. Another source, however, states that while all vampires have an inborn compulsion to obey their maker, the exact level of control is not guaranteed and particularly stubborn offspring may be able to fight back, and that spawn build a resistance to their master's control over time.

Whatever the truth is, vampires don't trust their offspring and don't take chances. When it comes to educating their "children" about their condition, vampires will omit vital information or even teach them flat out lies to keep them ignorant of their own potential and dependent on their maker. One vampire is on record laughing about how he's convinced his spawn that if he dies they will die with him. Vampires are also known to kill their spawn if they're worried that they're growing too powerful or seem to be learning too much… or just because the vampire is worried by the mere idea that they might, even if their spawn are innocent of whatever slight their master is imagining. Vampires do their best to abuse and gaslight spawn into a state of self-debasing terrified obedience where they truly believe their master is an indestructible, powerful being they could never stand a chance against, while they are weak and helpless. Just in case.

-

Aaaand then there are vampire brides/grooms/spouses: Sometimes a vampire develops a fixation on an individual and decides they're going to keep them bound to them for all eternity, untouched by time. To do this they turn the target into a vampire through a slow, drawn out murder via draining the blood out of the target, followed with the vampire feeding the victim their own blood. The spouse-to-be may be permanently lost to bloodlust and die within 24 hours, and even if not the trauma this inflicts on the target is usually too much for the new "spouse" to cope with. Assuming death doesn't follow, the pair are bound together by a sensation of obsessive affection and telepathically linked, much as if they're drinking each other's blood (but without the ability to control each other). Their bond enables them able to share thoughts and share the experience when their partner is feeling a powerful emotion.

Vampire marriage follows a pattern: Eventually, the spouse gets tired of the utter repetitive tedium of existence as combination of a favourite decoration, pet and sex toy that's been put on a display shelf somewhere, and gets rebellious. They start wanting to use their powers and have and do things for themselves outside of their significant other. Said SO then responds by getting jealous and possessive and tightening their grip and putting extra locks on the bars. The emotional link creates a toxic feedback loop and everything escalates from there. Vampire divorce also exists, though only the sire can end the bond (the spouse must agree, but that agreement doesn't have to be given of their own free will). The spouse is then free. Generally the vampire, being so bound up in their chosen spouse and not wanting a free vampire running around on their turf, doesn't want to divorce and instead it's all downhill until one fatally tears the other apart in a rage.

A vampire can't have more than one spouse at a time.

-

At the other end of the spectrum are Greater Vampires. These guys are created when a succubus drains the life out of a living being - a sensation that makes you believe you're in the throes of passion but is actually "quite painful, giving no satisfaction, only utter emptiness." It also destroys their soul beyond recovery. What makes them "greater" than everyone else is simply that they cannot be harmed by sunlight. They have all the same powers as a "lesser" vampire.

Outside of that we have garden variety vampires. They die in the sun, have all the powers every other vampire has and aren't enslaved to another vampire's will. That's it.

All vampires have the following abilities*:

The ability to turn into mist, giving them the ability to fly, very good escapist skills (if you're made of air you can just enter a locked room through the keyhole, after all), and make themselves invulnerable to most forms of damage.*

The ability to mind control others by making eye contact "crushing the will of another."*

The ability to climb or walk on walls and ceilings similar to a spider.

The ability to completely heal from almost any amount of damage within minutes.

Immunity to paralysis (so a Hold spell won't work)

The ability to drain the life energy and/or blood out of a living being, and in the process create a new vampire enslaved to their own will.*

Upon being freed they gain the additional ability to summon rats, bats and wolves to do their bidding, as well as transform into those animals.

*(Most of these traits do not appear on the vampire spawn stat block in 4e or 5e's Monster Manuals, despite spawn being capable of all of the above until that point save creating their own spawn. Only spider climb and regeneration was included.)

There are also other kinds of vampires. Nosferatu are mutated by their curse into obvious monsters, and aren't harmed by sunlight. While typical vampirism affects anything, there are other types of vampirism that are pickier about hosts. Elven vampires are killed by moonlight instead of sunlight and hate plants so much. Gnome vampires age rapidly, can turn into ghosts and inflict seizures on people they touch. Then there's the vampire dragons, and the vampire illithid (which is what you get when you somehow infect a tadpole with vampirism and use it for ceremorphosis) and the vampyre - which is a type of vampire with a pyromania problem…

D&D gets a bit silly with vampires, sometimes.

EDIT: OK, apparently I didn't specify enough. Astarion is a normal vampire with the sunlight weakness. Elven Vampirism is a different type of vampirism that affects elves and half-elves, but he doesn't have it. Otherwise Cazador wouldn't be able to have human, gnome or tiefling spawn.

[baronessvonglitter]

Cherry, Cherry 🍒 Chapter 7 🍒 "Swimming in Stars"

pre-outbreak! AU!Joel Miller x f!Reader

Word count: 2,256

Summary: you and Joel enjoy a little one-on-one time in the pool and discuss your concerns about your first time together..

WARNINGS: 18+ Only! Mature and Explicit, age gap (reader is 18, Joel is 35), slow burn, talk of sex and expectations regarding reader's first time, talk of using protection (a must, y'all!), dry humping, reader's race not mentioned, reader wears a swimsuit, story takes place in summer 2003, no use of y/n

Author's Note: this chapter is super significant to me as it highlights just how important communication is when it's going to be a couple's first time together, and especially when there's an age gap.

Series Masterlist

Joel has one rule: that you take your time. He doesn't want to rush you or make you feel like he won't wait for you because honestly, as he tells you before you go your separate ways that same summer night, "You're worth waitin' for."

Naturally it's impossible for you to sleep that night. So much has happened in just a couple of weeks. It seems that the moment you've stepped outside of the safety of the environment you've known your whole life, you're seeing exactly what opportunities await you.

And you really want this opportunity with Joel.

Now the ball is entirely in your court. You call the shots. And you don't even know where to begin except you know you want to spend more time with him. You like Joel a lot, and you want to get to know him better.

You spend the rest of the weekend with your cousin before she leaves for an international flight. Truth is, you haven't spent much time together, and it's nice to get out of the house with her to go to the mall and the movies. But every other thought is about Joel. What's he doing right now? Is he thinking of you?

Your attention is easily diverted from the latest Fast and Furious movie, and when Sofia goes for a quick restroom break you pull out your phone and text Joel: Pool party tonight. Just us. 10 pm.

Putting your phone back in your purse your heart pulsates with excitement at the riskiness of the text. You're not that bold, but somehow he makes you so.

You let the rest of the movie distract you, but truth be told you can't remember the rest of it even five minutes after leaving the theater. It's not until you're back home that you see he's replied: I'll be there, sweetheart

Sofia leaves that evening, and you are alone. You get ready, wearing the same swimsuit as last time, knowing Joel liked you in it before. You don't know what to expect of the evening, because quite honestly you invited him over on a whim. 10 o'clock comes around a lot sooner than you think, and so you lounge out on a lounge chair float, watching the stars, trying to still the rapid beating of your heart.

You hear a knock at the side gate and then a hesitant swinging open of the gate door.

"You gonna join me?" you ask. You see Joel out of the corner of your eye and smirk. "Or are you just gonna stare?"

You hear the low rumble of his chuckle and it makes your heart melt. "I'm a visual guy. I like watchin' you like that. You look so damn pretty. I just about ran every red light all the way from Tommy's place just to get here to you."

Heat colors your skin. "And Sarah? Where's she?"

"At a friend's house."

That fact seems to hang in the air between you. Now you're alone together, the discussion from yesterday seems to be the elephant in the room, so to speak.

"So you're gonna watch?" you break the silence. "Or are you gonna join me?"

He takes a seat on one of the lounge chairs, a playful little smile on his lips. He looks so relaxed, so at ease in your company. "I didn't bring anything to swim in."

"You've got boxers on, right?"

"Maybe."

You chuckle, seeing that he's trying to be hard to read. You climb out of the pool and wrap a towel around your midsection, joining him on the lounge chair, in his lap. Your heart is beating like a bird trapped in a cage but it's so thrilling to finally be alone with him. He sits up and holds you, strong arms wrapping around you. In this moment you're both quiet, enjoying this tender moment. He presses a soft kiss to your temple, fingertips tracing your arms and your sides. When you kiss him it's soft and sweet, almost innocent, the tips of your tongues barely meeting.

"That night at our pool party," you tell him in an intimate whisper, "we were playing in the pool and when we hugged, I felt.. you know."

Joel slows his touch but doesn't stop. "I remember."

"Was that.. because of me?"

He gives a sarcastic little snort. "Sweetheart, your thighs were practically locked around my head. My thoughts of you were indecent. So yeah I was rock hard."

You shiver and he grabs you tighter. "That night, after I walked you home, I touched myself. I fantasized about you." It feels good to say it now, now that it's not a deep and terrible secret.

"Oh god, sweetheart. I did the same."

Every single drop of water in the pool cannot possibly douse the fire you feel in your veins for this man.

"What did you fantasize about me that night?" His breath is warm on your cheek.

"I fantasized about what you would feel like.. inside me."

A low growl escapes his throat. "You still want that from me? Want me inside?"

"Yes," you reply, even as a flurry of turmoil grows in your belly. "Soon," you reiterate.

This seems to calm him, as his breathing evens out, his gentle touch returns. "Might I ask one little favor, sweetheart?" His voice is tinged with honey. "Would you give me a little massage?"

Smiling, you brazenly straddle his lap, gently kneading his shoulders. You love the feel of his skin beneath your touch, and you marvel at how soft yet how strong he is capable of being. "You need someone to do this for you every day.."

And beneath you, you feel his desire stirring. Just a few light layers of clothing separate you. "If there were two of you, then yeah, I'd want this every day."

You laugh. "That's kinky. Why two of me? Are you saying I'm not enough on my own?" There's a teasing note in your voice.

"One of you to give me a massage and the other to make me a sandwich." He laughs as he ducks your playful whack. "What I meant to say is that with two of you.. there's more to admire?"

Nerves afire with your lively banter, you gently push your hips down on his. "Think of all the things you could do with two of me.."

His hands grip your hips firmly, squeezing. "Oh my damn god, sweetheart.. I want you so damn much," he growls.

"Then have me, Joel," you say, so easily, as if switching on a light. Your mind is clouded with lust, and every move you make is based purely on instinct rather than emotion. "You won't hurt me, will you?"

Joel sighs, his eyes soft even as he's hard other places. "Hell no. I'm gonna be so damn gentle with you."

You bite your lip, scooting off him a little to undo his belt but he gently stops you. "I need you to wait," he says.

You freeze. "What's wrong?"

"Sweetheart, you want it too fast. I'm going to give you what you want, but not like this." Frustrated, he buries his face in your neck. "God damn it I just wanna do the right thing by you."

"I guess there are a lot of specifics to work out," you murmur gently, caressing the nape of his neck.

"Such as?" he cuddles into your neck.

You feel a little embarrassed, but if you're going to eventually sleep with him you have to be able to be honest with him. "We have to think of where to do it, whether we should have a date beforehand to lead up to it. And I'm not on birth control, so we'd have to consider protection."

His hand caresses the small of your back. "We could do it at either your place or mine, and I like the idea of having a nice little romantic date beforehand." He gently traces the curve of your face with his fingertips. "I want you to feel safe with me, sweetheart. I'll get some condoms. Hell, we'll probably go through a whole box real quick."

You give a sigh of relief. "I like that we're talking about this, Joel. I don't want to go into this blind."

"I'm gonna be here for you every step of the way, even if you decide you don't want to go through with it," he swears. Looking away a moment he seems to collect himself. "I just don't want to hurt you."

"What do you mean? How would you hurt me?" you gently turn his face to look at you.

He sighs. "I don't want to be too much for you, too intense for you, especially when you've never had anyone else before. You don't know just how fuckin' bad I desire you."

"Joel.. when the time comes for us to be together, I'm going to trust you not to hurt me, not on purpose. I've heard the first time can hurt anyway, but that kind of pain will be worth it, to be with you."

He whispers your name and kisses you, stiffening when you pursue it with more passion, pressing yourself against him.

"I'm sorry," you whisper. "You're right. I want everything right now, but I'm not thinking. Oh god, I need a distraction," you whine. "A cold shower or something."

"A shower's out of the question just now, but I have the next best thing to cool you off," Joel chuckles and picks you up, carrying you bridal style over to the pool and it's only at the last second that you realize what he's about to do and you screech as he drops you into the water.

You surface, sputtering and wiping the water from your face. "What the hell?" Joel's gleeful chuckle sounds in your ears right before he splashes in beside you. He grabs you by the waist, both of you weightless in the water. He's rid himself of his clothes except for his boxer briefs.

"Come here," he says, kissing your lips. "You're one hell of a girl.."

He's easily forgiven. If anything you love that you've brought out this mischievous side of him. "And you're one hell of a man.." you wrap your arms around him, whispering in his ear. "And you let your guard down too easily," you tell him, pouncing on him and pushing him underwater before swimming away, laughing as you swim away.

He comes up and swims right after you, making you squeal. "You shouldn't have gotten in the pool if you didn't want to get wet." you warn him.

"Shouldn't have invited me over if ya didn't want me to get you wet," he quips, pressing you against the side of the pool where you're both semi-shrouded in darkness. "God, sweetheart, you do not know what you do to a man."

"What about what you're doing to me?" Pressed close together you feel his hardness, and now that it's just the two of you you're free to explore this, to feel the rigidity of his desire for you. "Joel.. please just rub up against me.." you ask.

This elicits another growl from him, and even in the darkness you can see the hunger in his eyes. He does as you ask, albeit gently at first, testing to see how much you want.

You gasp as you feel him, thinly veiled by the wet confines of your swim clothes. He knows exactly where you need his touch, and it's like a shock of electricity to feel that pressure on your clit. "Feels good.. right there," you whisper, clinging to him.

He kisses you deeply, pressing a bit harder, smiling when your breath hitches and becomes quicker. "You like this, sweetheart? Oh this ain't nothin' compared to the real thing."

"Joel," you whimper. "Keep going like this.. please.."

The water splashes around you as you try to keep your cries to a minimum. How can only touching feel so good? How many nerve endings can you possibly stimulate? It's as if you've never really known what your body can do, what it can become under someone else's touch.

Touching.. that's all it is. But it's enough to drive you to the edge. There's that familiar feeling, like when you're on a roller coaster and your heart leaps into your throat just before you take the first sharp dive. "Joel!" you moan, kissing him to muffle your sounds as you come: a quick, sweet shot of lightning in your veins.

As your body relaxes, Joel backs off so as not to overstimulate you, but keeps his arm around you, stroking your damp hair.

"Sorry if I was selfish," you mumble.

He laughs and puts his hand on your cheek. "You're not selfish at all. We both wanted it. And sweetheart, you look fuckin' angelic when you come." His voice is husky and sweet as he nuzzles his nose against your cheek.

You're still reeling from this experience, and in the aftermath of your orgasm you have clarity of mind, as if all your troubles have melted away. You know you'll be grateful to Joel forever. "What about you? You didn't even.."

He smiles. "Don't worry about me. You're more important."

"Are you gonna.. take care of it later?" you smirk.

"One of these days I hope you'll feel comfortable takin' care of me yourself," he smirks, making your heart do a flip flop, and you pull him closer before the night comes to an end.

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divider by @saradika-graphics 👑

[xstarrgirllx]

just hold my hand

percy hynes white x actress!reader

summary: you’re a new actress and percy helps you with your nerves when going to your first premiere.

warnings: reader has anxiety, hand holding, basically just fluff, cheek kisses

writers note: i didn’t do a lot of research on the cast, so i’m kinda just going based off the top of my head when describing them. also this is my first story, so please let me know if i should make more and what you would like to see if i do make more.

(lowercase is intentional, y/c means your character, m/a means makeup artist)

—-

you were new to all of this. playing as y/c in wednesday was your first big role and you were more than nervous. you have only ever had small roles. even after meeting all of the cast and clicking with them almost instantly, you still didn’t know exactly what to say or do. it was 5:17pm, almost time for the premiere and your anxiety is getting out of control.

there’s only a couple of people who you told about your anxiety, emma and percy. they were who really helped you when you came to set. the others helped too but not as much as them. they were so welcoming and made you feel so comfortable. you felt like you would never have to hide who you really were with them.

ever since you met percy, you had found him attractive. veryy attractive. his green eyes, pretty smile, and long brown hair were so mesmerizing, how could you not? he was also very funny and crazy. he always found a way to make everyone laugh. he was your favorite. as for emma, she was so sweet. she has the purest heart. she’s also real fun and has an amazing personality. same goes for jenna, joy, georgie, hunter, naomi, lucius, moosa, isaac, and the rest of the cast.

you were very happy with where you were in life. but because of how popular wednesday has become, there were so many cameras and articles on you. it was nerve wracking. but now you were getting your hair curled, while also getting your makeup done. the dress you were about to put on was a light gray/blue slim dress with an open back. it was very fancy. and probably very expensive but you weren’t worried about that.

you were worried about having so much attention on you. it was 5:48pm as soon as you were finished getting ready and you wanted to see percy. you needed to and fast. you knew he would help. he was only in the room across the hall, so you knew it wouldn’t be hard to find him. but when you knocked no one answered. you knocked a few more times until his makeup artist opened the door.

m/a: hi sweetie, how can i help you?

y/n: oh hi, is percy there?

m/a: oh no you just missed him. he went to get his tie in hunter’s room.

y/n: okay, thank you.

you then rushed to hunter’s room and knocked repeatedly. he opened the door and he could already tell that you were nervous because of how you were playing with your hands. secretly everyone knew that you had anxiety. even if you try to hide it, you don’t do a very good job. everyone also knew that when you are nervous you are more likely to be with percy or emma.

hunter: oh y/n, percy isn’t here.

y/n: where could he be?

you thought out loud and ran off before hunter could say anymore. you were now running down the hall looking for percy. this was scaring you. what if something bad happened. what if he got hurt. you were too caught up in your thoughts that you didn’t realize you bumped into someone. percy. you hugged him immediately. and it all had happened so fast, it took him a moment to notice is was you. but when he did, he hugged you back.

percy: you okay, bunny?

y/n: no

you hugged him even tighter and he kissed the top of your head. it was now 5:56pm and everyone was starting to head to the limo.

percy: we gotta go.

y/n: i’m scared.

percy: it’s okay, i’ll be with you the entire time. if you need just hold my hand.

y/n: okay.

since then you hadn’t let go of his hand. not once. you held it through the ride and during the entire premiere. you worried he might of thought of you as annoying or too clingy because of this but in all honesty he didn’t mind. he liked that you always wanted to be with him. the feeling was mutual.

when the premiere ended it was was almost 7:20pm. everyone was finishing up interviews and some were already leaving. you and percy are walking out hand in hand.

percy: see wasn’t so hard, was it?

y/n: it wasn’t so bad… thank you. i don’t think i could’ve ever done that if it weren’t for you.

you kiss his cheek and notice a slight blush appear on his cheek.

percy: anything for you bunny.

now it was your turn to blush. once you got to the hotel, you two split and said goodnight. jenna, joy and emma were sitting on your bed talking. you walked out of the bathroom, in your pjs and sat next to joy. you guys ordered dinner and hung out for a while. it was almost 10pm and you were getting tired.

emma: sooo, how was your nighttt?

y/n: it was good.

emma: ooo, i bet it was.

y/n: what’s that supposed to me?

joy: oh come on, you were holding percy’s hand all night and even kissed his cheek.

jenna: you like him, don’t you?

y/n: what, no! i don’t what you guys are talking about. and i have to go to sleep, so goodnight.

you got under the covers, closed your eyes and fake snored. they laughed and went to sleep themselves.

the end

—-

[its-time-to-write]

Ooh I just read the other part to the baby Jamie tartt story and it was amazing!! What about where it’s bea’s first soccer game and the team shows up and Jamie is just a proud dad or she’s 2 or 3 watching her dad play and cheering super loud and getting into it!?!

Heyyo! Mixed this with another ask. It was fun to write! Thank you!

today’s a day like any other

Bea is two years old and five months, and she’s at the age where she is talking in sentences and can understand things that are happening around her. She makes little two-year-old jokes that only she understands, and her favorite person in the whole entire world is Sam Obisanya. 

You have a picture of her at her second birthday party, pointing at something while Sam holds her, both in matching Obisanya 24 kits. She can’t read, but she knows enough to tell that the markings are the same. She wears it every day it’s clean, and some days it’s not. You think it’s hilarious because Jamie has to cajole her into wearing her Baby Tartt 9 kit. 

Jamie is her second favorite person. She calls him “dada,” and shrieks whenever he comes home from training. Both of you are in your mid-twenties now, and you get stares whenever you’re out with her. The press is still the press, but they keep Bea’s face out of it when they speculate how long Jamie will keep “playing house,” or you will “put up with his antics.” They comment on young marriage and early divorce, and you and Jamie make the choice to laugh through it. 

He calls Ted about once a week for advice on marriage and fatherhood, and Rebecca stops by for lunch for you and Bea twice a week to give you advice on marriage and encourage you in motherhood. Bea adores her, almost as much as she does Sam. Almost. 

Rebecca had been hesitant at first to share, but once you said, “I’m pretty sure you know what red flags I should look for,” she laughed and went full steam ahead. 

All that to say, Bea’s favorite people are Sam, Jamie, and you, in exactly that order. (You could rank the rest of the team, but honestly it’s pretty close between some of them and they don’t need that type of competition.) 

Bea is two years old and five months, and she is at yet another football match, wearing her Obisanya 24 jersey and bouncing up and down in your arms. You’re three months along with your son name undisclosed so you can still hide it, but you’re wearing one of Jamie’s kits as opposed to your own. You put tiny lines of red and blue face paint on Bea and are standing up in Rebecca’s box, pointing things out to Bea. You point to a tiny Sam on the pitch, and Bea starts yelling, “Sam, Sam, Sam!” He can’t hear her, of course, but he’s looking around and smiling. The stadium is chanting, “Go, Sam Obisanya,” and Bea picks it up. You see Jamie nudge Sam and point up to where you’re sitting and Sam waves. Bea waves back, giggling.

“Bea, do you see Dada?” you ask. Jamie’s face is on the big screen, and she wiggles even harder. She’s practically vibrating in your arms. You think this might be the first game she actually understands enough to remember. You spend the first half narrating the game to her- “See, Sam has the ball. He’s trying to get it to Dada. Oh look, there he goes. Do you think he’s going to pass it?” 

Bea is watching intently as Jamie zips by player after player. You see him fake out Wolverhampton’s last line of defense and then the stadium erupts. He’s scored the first goal of the game. 

Bea is yelling her head off and bouncing again. Jamie looks up to where he knows you are an blow a kiss, which only makes Bea lose it more. 

On the drive home, all she can talk about is how “dada got a goal,” and “dada is my favorite.”

— 

Bea is seven years old and one month, and she is very adamant that she wants to play football. Her friends are all playing, plus she’s Beatrice fricken’ Tartt. Isn’t football in her blood?

You and Jamie tried to talk her out of it, not wanting her to feel like she had to. She insisted.

So there you are on a Saturday morning, seven months pregnant (yes, again thanks to goddamn Jamie Tartt) getting ready to cheer Bea on in her first match of the season. 

Her kit says Tartt 24 because of course it does. The teams are doing little stretches to get ready, so you smile and reach down to get a juice for four-year-old Theo (no, you don’t call him Ted) out of the cooler Jamie brought. 

“Eyy, it’s the Tartts!” says a voice. You look up to a grinning Dani. 

“Dani! What are you doing here?” you ask, grinning back.

“Couldn’t miss my favorite niece’s first match, could I? And I heard you had drinks,” he says, peering into the cooler. 

You laugh and someone else says, “let me know what’s in the cooler, bruv.” You turn, and there’s Isaac, Colin, and Michael. Dani waves to someone across the field, and it’s Sam, Jan Maas, Richard, and Bumbercatch. Roy’s Jeep screeches into the parking lot, and you see him get out followed by a flurry of pink. Of course it’s Keeley. 

“I hope I’m not late,” says another voice, and Bea runs up to say “Aunt Bex!” and does a flying leap at Rebecca. 

All of Bea’s uncles are here, minus Ted and Beard, to support her at her first game. 

You think you might cry.

Jamie, on the other hand, is looking extremely proud of himself. 

Bea is showing of her number 24, Sam is grinning proudly, Richard, Isaac, and Jan Maas are hyping her up, and Dani is doing arm curls with Theo hanging onto his wrist. 

Jamie slides his arm around your waist and presses a kiss to your neck. 

“Jamie Tartt,” you say, “did you invite all of them?”

Jamie grins. “I might’ve.“

“That might be the sweetest thing you’ve ever done. It might even make me not mad at you anymore.”

Jamie pulls away a little, indignant. “What’re you mad at me for? I haven’t done anything!”

You point to your stomach and say, “Oh really, then what do you call this?”

Jamie fixes you with a devilish grin. “Proof that I’m still fucking sexy?”

You giggle like a teenager. He is definitely still fucking sexy. 

The game is filled with wild cheers from Bea’s aunts and uncles, especially when she performs a header. 

“I taught her that,” Roy says to anyone who will listen. 

They swarm her on the field after the game’s over, uncaring if she’s won or lost. It doesn’t matter. They don’t all play for Richmond anymore, but they will always be a family. 

—

Bea is sixteen years old when she causually mentions a boy named Thomas in one of her classes. You’re all at the dinner table and Jamie doesn’t clock it, but you do. 

Jamie is only a few years out from retirement. He’s around the age Roy was when Roy hurt his knee, and although he’s still tearing it up on the pitch, you both know his time is coming to a close. 

He’s a lot sadder than he lets on, but you remind him there’s more to life. Your family has become somewhat famous, even in the States, so he’ll still have opportunities to do what he loves. Just not with the League. It’s become a bit of a routine, at this point, having the same conversation at the end of ever season. 

Just one more, Jamie promises, One more and then I’ll retire. You just hope he isn’t forced to by an injury.

But anyway, Bea’s got her eye on a boy and Jamie is completely oblivious until you bring it up that night while getting ready for bed. He’s flossing his teeth and your putting lotion on your face. 

“She fuckin’ what?” Spit goes flying. 

“Jamie, that’s disgusting. Please wipe that up.”

Jamie grabs a towel and swipes at the mirror. “How d’you know? It could just be a friend. She’s too young to be thinking like that!”

You smile. Bea’s a very thoughtful girl. You’re pretty sure she timed the name-drop with great precision and care, testing the waters. 

She’s a lot like you. 

“Babe, I just know. And, not sure if you’ve noticed, but she’s not seven anymore. Plus, I’ve seen Thomas around. He’s a very bright, respectful young man. Bea’s got a good head on her shoulders.”

Jamie pales, not listening to a thing you said. He grabs your hand. “Babe. Babe. Think about what I was like. Fucking hell, I was an absolute wanker. Oh fuck. This is not fucking good.”

He’s spiraling. He’s spiraling about his oldest daughter and it’s adorable. His hair is all crazy from running his hands through it, and his eyes are wild. You know what Jamie was like. You met a toned-down version of him, and you’re pretty sure he wouldn’t want Bea even near someone like that. You’ve heard the stories of how he was before. 

“Jaim,” you say, “it’s going to be ok. Seriously.”

“You don’t understand,” he says, hands now on your face. “I was an absolute shithead. I was rude and a fucking dick. I didn’t treat women well, or anyone well, and I don’t want Bea with someone like me.”

You understand. You’re not minimizing his concerns or apathetic about Bea, it’s just that you know the daughter you’ve raised, and you tell Jamie as much. “I know this is new for us, but she’s wonderful. And anyway, it’s not like she’s going to end up like me, twenty-two and knocked up.”

“We were married!” Jamie protests, “And twenty-two is like being a real adult!”

You raise an eyebrow. “We were barely married. And we were basically kids.” 

Jamie still looks distraught, so you place your hands on his wrists. 

“Darling, don’t worry. She’ll be ok. We made it this far being stupid, and she’s so much smarter than either of us.”

Jamie snorts, which you take as a victory. 

“And anyway,” you continue, “any boy that breaks her heart has like a million of her scary uncles to deal with. I promise, promise, promise she’ll be alright.”

Jamie smiles at that. “She does, doesn’t she?” He kisses the tip of your nose. “Suppose it’s a good thing you didn’t have any of those, otherwise we might not have gotten together.”

You laugh. “Alright, you sentimental dweeb. It’s past your bedtime.”

“Just one more kiss,” Jamie replies, and then his lips are on yours and you forget what you were even talking about, anyway. 

[henrysglock]

Finally, More NINA Puzzle Pieces

DISTRESSED NOISES!! WE GOT NINA CRUMBS!! AND IT'S DRIVING ME INSANE!!

IT HAS THE CAMERA!!! AT LEAST ONE VERSION OF REALITY HAS THE CAMERA!!!!!

Okay so remember when I pointed this out about the NINA discrepancies in El's 4.05 entrance, and how there were at least 22 different iterations of events?

Specifically this glaring difference between reality (tapes) and the rest of the 4.05 entrance (labeled 3 and 8)?

The presence of a camera in a UD-ified version of HNL tells us that the bottom row of images straight up cannot physically exist in one cohesive reality.

Which is to say—Anything that does not have the camera is 100%, definitely, concretely not based in the UD's reality/those versions without the camera are either fake or set in a different reality.

If you've been following along this past year and a half, this is not news to you; it's just confirmation of what we already knew.

It does, however, means that none of this was based in reality:

We already kind of knew that, based on the props changing so much within the Rainbow Room each time/Henry's changing hair/etc, but the confirmation goes crazy insane. We love to see it.

After the first entrance to NINA/after we see the footage of the version with the camera, we don't see a non-camera version again. Any non-camera versions seem to disappear. This means whatever simulation El's stuck in, it's adaptive. It learns, with a propensity for making itself immersive by molding itself to to the subject's understanding of reality.

However, what fucks me up is that all of these are, then, set in the same "reality":

Which means the new ST5 UD-ified HNL, the physical camera footage of 1979, Henry's electrocution, Blood Hands El, El running to the Rainbow Room, and Brenner running to the Rainbow Room are all supposedly set in "reality".

That's not possible, though. The electrocution scene cannot have existed in reality/could not possibly be a memory, because 14 year old El is barely tall enough to see in. 1979 El would not have been tall enough to have seen interaction:

This means that none of NINA is reliable. Period. Even the things that appear to be set in reality are unreliable re: what actually happened in 1979.

Whatever NINA runs on, it's adaptive and manipulative. It's like c.ai, if c.ai was actually AI. Whatever it is, it takes El's experiences both in the lab and outside the lab and combines them to form entirely new scenarios that never really happened (see: Blade Runner 2049 and the manipulated/mash-up memories shenanigans). El has been told she's reliving memories. That is not the case. None of what she's seeing is reliable. It's like when a movie says it's based on a true story.

This fits with what I said about the monologue never having existed at all and NINA being an immersive empathogenic drug trip that pulls from El's outside memories. It also fits with my draft about the Mindflayer ties between Shadow-NINA in the VR, TFS, and NINA in ST4, and my speculation in that same draft about a) NINA specifically running on the Mindflayer, and b) the Mindflayer using familiar humanoid avatars to gain sympathy and coerce its target into joining it.

We see this kind of behavior in Patty in her garnering sympathy from Henry and then insisting that she and Henry run away together to find her mother in the Stardust Casino...regardless of the fact that Henry is still flayed. We see it again in our "Couldn't Possibly Exist" Henry as he garners sympathy from El and then tells El to join him. And then we see it again in Shadow Brenner using the NINA-like maze to learn about Henry as a means to try and coerce him into joining him. It's a continuing theme.

Both Patty and "Henry" want Henry and El, respectively, to accept their offer and leave with them. Both Henry and El reject that offer in exactly the same way:

In my speculative opinion, we see a resurgence of this particular dual-yeeting in Billy and Heather.

Henry in the VR, as we know, has a dubious ending re: escaping the simulation.

This exists in contrast to the other version of NINA Henry, who, much like TFS Henry with Patty, is insistent that El run away without him.

When I say that we have multiple guys, this is what I mean. Their motivations are entirely different. One of these men in NINA is not Henry. It's someone or something masquerading as him. If I had to speculate, I would say that it stems from the Mindflayer and its possible presence in NINA...Especially given the similarities between NINA and the Russian prison, wherein they have a trapped form of the Mindflayer:

In short—Every day it seems more likely that whatever El fought in the massacre was not Henry. It's like I said way way back last year: there's someone else in there with her. Multiple someone-elses, even.

It also seems, if I had to speculate, that rejecting the Mindflayer avatar is what gives El her powers back. This means it may also be what "changed" about One, as mentioned in the plinko scene.

This all also backs what I speculated way back in the day about the blood transfusions being related to immunity against the Mindflayer, either finding it, triggering it, or building it. It seems to function like getting a live vaccine: you're given dose of the live virus, and your body fights it off. In fighting off the Mindflayer, it's entirely possible that the process triggers latent powers in those who have them. Those who don't have the basis for latent powers eventually succumb (see: Will, Billy, the Flayed). Brenner, with NINA, may have been giving El the equivalent of a booster shot.

[bullet-prooflove]

Graffiti: David Hale x Reader

Tagging: @kmc1989

The first time David Hale meets you, he arrests you for spray painting a dick on your ex’s house. You’ve just finished off the balls when he slaps the cuffs on your wrists and escorts you to the police car with a smile because truthfully he takes pleasure in seeing Jax Teller so pissed off.

“You have impressive attention to detail.” He tells you with an amused expression as he starts the engine. “You could probably make it as an artist if you applied yourself.”

You laugh because that’s exactly what you do when you’re not drawing dicks or writing expletives on someone’s front door.

“Did you love him?” He asks, glancing in the mirror as he takes the scenic view to the station. You’re a refreshing change from the crowd he’s usually arresting on a Friday night. You’re entirely sober to start with and a complete spitfire.

“No.” You say as you look out of the window and stare out at the passing trees. “I just don’t appreciate him telling the rest of the group how I like to get fucked and inviting them to take a ride.”

He feels his jaw clench just a little when he hears that. It isn’t a secret that the club shares their women, that they’re nothing more than a commodity. You don’t seem like a croweater, they wouldn’t risk their status by doing something like graffitiing a dick on the house of the Vice President. He thinks you just got caught up in the allure of Jax Teller, the same way so many other young women have.

It’s about a mile away from the station that he decides to let you go. He doesn’t think you’ll be returning to the club anytime soon, you’ve made your point by tagging Teller’s house, he doesn’t think he’ll see any more trouble from you. He lets the car idle for a second under a streetlight before he steps outside and opens your door for you.

“Stay away from Teller.” He warns you as he undoes the cuffs on your wrists. “I’m not going to jam you up tonight but if I catch you at it again, it’ll be a different story.”

The next time you see each other is at a bar out of town, he goes there sometimes when he wants to be anonymous. Charming is a small town, everyone knows his face. He can barely go two steps down Main Street without someone complaining about their neighbour feeding the squirrels. Being away from that, it gives him mental space, allows him to breathe.

You look different when you slip into the stool alongside of him, your hair’s a little shorter, your makeup a little lighter. He likes the look, it suits you.

“Hey, it’s the graffiti artist,” He greets you as he takes a sip from his beer. “Drawn anything obscene recently?”

“No.” You smile back as you order an Old Fashioned. “But I’ve been life modelling for a couple of art students recently so I’m probably the subject of some.”

He almost spits out his beer, because you…

Truly, you are something else entirely.

You spend the night together at that bar, shooting pool, sharing a few beers. It’s been a while since he’s felt so relaxed, that he’d been just David instead of Sheriff Hale. You make him laugh until his ribs hurt, until he’s drunk off more than just the booze at the bar.

When he walks you home that night, he doesn’t expect you to kiss him, or undress him, or ride him like the beautiful, wild thing that you are.  

When he wakes up the next morning he’s alone amongst your sheets, the scent of your perfume clinging to his skin. He raises his head to see you sitting in a chair across from the bed wearing his t-shirt from the night before with a sketchbook resting on your knees.

“I need this back.” He smiles, tugging at the hem when you raise to your feet and approach the bed.

“Take it off me.” You dare him, so he does and it starts all over again.

It isn’t until he’s tugging on his jeans an hour later that realises what you were drawing. It’s a picture of him, sleeping. He looks so peaceful in that moment, like he doesn’t carry the burdens of the world upon his shoulders.

“Is this how you see me?” He asks you, his throat tight with emotion.

You frown as if you don’t understand the question.

“That’s how you are.” You tell him as you tear the page out from your sketchbook and hand it to him. “Something to remember me by.”

“I don’t think I could ever forget you.” He tells you as he tucks it into his wallet.

It’s that night at the station when he’s sitting in his office that he takes it out again. His fingers trace over the pencil work and he can’t help but think that maybe this would be the man he could be if he was happier, if he didn’t hold onto everything so damn tightly. It isn’t until he folds it back up that he realises you’ve left your phone number on the back.

Call me the next time you want some fun, you’ve scrawled above it.

He pulls out his cell phone and dials.

Love David? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[tigermark]

sunny days ˖ ࣪⊹

the chenle portion of my playlist series!!

pairing : chenle x gn!reader

synopsis : you and chenle have recently broken up, but all he does is long for you. one day, however, this longing takes over him...

genre : fluff, angst, second chance kinda??

tw : established relationship (ig???), mentions of break up, going back to exes (don't.), very dramatic story, chenle desperate asf lowk

a/n : first post of the playlist series!!! this was actually supposed to be a stand alone fic but then i realized how much a series like this would eat so here we are 😛

chenle couldn't stand it. he couldn't stand the empty feeling inside him. he couldn't stand the ache lingering in his heart; the same one that had been there for the past week.

he hadn't left the house much in the past week, other than to walk to the convenience store by his apartment like he was doing right now. that was something he wasn't quite used to given the fact that he'd always be out doing things with you.

you.

the light of his life. someone he thought he would spend the rest of his time on earth with. he wasn't entirely sure what the reason of you breaking up with him was. it could be any number of things; finding someone new, falling out of love, finally realizing the flaws he had... it could've been anything.

chenle wished he remembered your reasoning, but he pretty much stopped listening to you after you said you wanted to break up with him. it would've hurt too much to listen.

even if it's been well over a week, chenle still has you running through his mind. you're all he can think about, in fact.

however he tries his best to ignore it, especially right now since your house is on the way to the very convenience store he's at.

should he go? no, it'd be stupid and immature to, he tells himself. but you're so close to him...

chenle knows he shouldn't go, but he isn't very good at holding back from temptation. instead, he picks up your favorite snack and goes to pay, practically sprinting out of the store once he does.

before he knows it, he's standing right outside your apartment complex. what the fuck was he thinking?

the thing is he wasn't thinking. well he was, but not about the logistics of everything. at this point, he came this far so why not go all the way?

and with that chenle walks up the stairs of your apartment complex, stopping at your floor. he stands at the top of the stairs for a moment, running his hands through his hair to hopefully calm himself. he walks over to your door and knocks. the same pattern he always used.

of course you immediately know it's him. you've been dreading this ever since he walked out that day. you can't just leave him outside though, it's cold.

you open the door, greeted with exactly what you thought you'd be. except he looks... different. like he'd been crying maybe. you can tell he was messing with his hair given how wild it looks.

"um..." is all you're able to say to him.

"y/n i know, please just..." he just stops talking all together. his eyes threaten to water but he sniffles the feeling back. he fishes the snack he bought for you out of the bag and holds it out to you with shaky hands. "listen to what i have to say."

you know you should slam the door in his pathetic face but you just can't. instead, you take the snack from his hand and step back to open the door further so he can walk in.

chenle's eyes meet your hesitant ones for a moment, immediately looking away. once he's in your apartment, you close the door to see him already staring at you.

"i'll be quick," he tells you as you nod in response.

you grab his arm and drag him to the kitchen, forcing him to sit down at one of the chairs pushed under your dining table. he sits down but you stay standing in front of him.

neither of you say anything. instead, you just stare into each other's eyes. chenle starts to feel tears welling in his eyes; he missed this so much. he finally breaks the eye contact, eyes wandering down to the floor as a tear falls past his lashes.

he doesn't even know how he ended up in your arms, but suddenly he is. "chenle i'm so sorry," you whisper into his ear, voice wavering. chenle lets out a choked sob into your shoulder, arms snaking up to hug your waist.

"i think i was just..." your voice trails off as you pull away from the hug to look him in the eye. "i wasn't thinking about anyone but myself. even then, this past week made me realize i wanted you back."

chenle nods, wiping a stray tear from his cheek. "i know," he manages to mumble. "but please... can i have another chance? i'll be better this time i promise."

you let out a small giggle between the tears which also makes chenle laugh. "you were always so good to me lele." he hasn't heard that nickname from you in a while. it felt nice. "it'd be a blessing to have you back in my life."

[muneca-lemon-steppa]

Interviews for New Beginnings: Part 1

Alfie Solomons x Fem!Reader, Fluff

Word Count: 1.8k

Warnings: Swearing, Period Era Sexism

A/N: Hi guys! This is my first fic in over a year, but I dont know I just wanted to have fun! Also lets be real... i needed these ideas out of my head. Please enjoy, have fun! Have an amazing rest of your day! Hi everyone!!! So this became a multi chapter story! This has been so much fun and I am so excited to see where this story goes! If you are interested in continuing this story, go to my tags and click ‘Interviews for New Beginnings’ there all parts will be together! Eventually I’ll put together a master list for it! Love you guys so much, I’m so glad you guys are having fun!!

You had heard about this job from your cousin Eli. And maybe that should’ve been the first clue that perhaps this may not have been a completely legal or safe or upstanding or above the table or whatever good adjective your parents could come up with position. But you had told Eli that you needed a job! And he did find you one! And your parents should be overjoyed that you will be working in the same “bakery” as a male cousin. It’s not proper for a woman to be working without a family member’s presence… especially where there are other men in the office.

“When you go in there be sure to look strong, but not too strong, emphasize that you’re docile and you want to please him.” Eli had been quizzing you about your skill sets and how you were to behave in the interview the entire walk to “The Bakery”. And while Eli was so sweet and more of a brother than a cousin… you couldn’t keep your irritation at bay.

“Tell me Eli… am I interviewing for the position of personal secretary or personal wh-“

“And don’t be so quick with that mouth of yours! Listen… Mr. Solomons is one of the most important men in Camden. This could be a really big opportunity for you. Being the personal secretary of one of the biggest names in the city can give you a steady income and some real independence! But that means you can’t be so…”

“Myself?” You say with a cocked brow and a bumped hip.

Eli’s eyes lit up as if a child he had been teaching finally understood arithmetic, “yes! Yes exactly! Listen while you’re in front of Mr. Solomons, it’s ‘yes sir’ and no questions asked. Got it?”

You sigh and roll your eyes. It felt like you had had this conversation so many times in different ways. Why did your parents care to educate you so much if you weren’t allowed to use your mind? You had asked your father many times, if God gave you a mouth and brain, why shouldn’t you be allowed to use them? And he was never really able to answer beyond a couple phrases talking about the ‘role of women’. You had just been fired from a doctor’s office due to talking back to an unruly patient. Truthfully, this was your last shot to get real independence. It was either this job… or letting your parents begin the process of finding a husband.

You finally reach the door of the bakery, and Eli turns you toward him to fix your hair and straighten your sweater, “Ok ok. Here we are dearest. Now just follow me, don’t make eye contact with everyone and just… be good.”

You chuckle out a, “Yes mum.”

With a laugh he shoves your arm, and gives his name to the young man standing by the door. With a nod he opens the door and lets you in, quickly following Eli’s steps.

While Eli said you couldn’t make eye contact with anyone he never said you couldn’t look at the bakery. It didn’t take you long to notice that while all the men were wearing aprons… there was a distinct lack of… bread… or anything to do with bread. Soon after this you began to feel that memorable tickle in your nose. Rum you thought to yourself. With a smirk you ran up behind Eli and whispered, “Wow quite the bakery Eli. Does the family know about your little rum house job?”

His face was pale, and he was clearly in no mood to joke. With a huff you returned to your previous pace, and you see that the office is just ahead.

Suddenly you feel the flush in your neck, and begin to steel yourself. You had of course heard about Mr. Alfred Solomons. The King of Camden. The Brave War Captain turned Ruthless Gangster. Eli was not kidding when he said that Mr. Solomons was one of the most important people in the city. He ruled the community. This was not the time and place for your mouth to act up. This was the time to behave and play it safe.

Eli rapped the door of the private office gently, and was met with a gruff, "What now!?"

Eli with a shaking hand opened the door, "Mr. Solomons? It's me Eli I..."

"What the fuck do you want eh? Come on now yeah you interrupt me and just stand there acting like you've been struck dumb by God. Come on!!"

Eli kept stammering, basically useless, so you stepped up, "Mr. Solomons, I'm Eli's cousin. I'm here for the secretary position."

Mr. Solomons eyebrows furrowed, looking you up and down. You couldn't help but feel like a child in front of his stare. Fiery, discerning, and just plain terrifying. "You said you're here for what?"

"The secretary position. My cousin said you were in need of a secretary."

Mr. Solomons looked at Eli and looked at you, "And you think you're qualified for a secretary position?"

The heat in your chest started to grow. And you could feel your temper begging to be let out. But you had to make a good impression. You needed this job. You needed to be sweet and to behave.

You nodded, "Yes sir, I can assure you I am I-"

"I'm sorry treacle but this simply will not do." Mr. Solomons cut you off. "What I am doing here right? I'm running a legitimate business. I am running something very difficult that little girls like you simply could not deal with yeah? Now run along and go do whatever young girls do yeah?"

"Mr. Solomons I-"

"Treacle now you're making me a little frustrated right, I said run along now."

You could feel the heat rising and rising, and Eli tugging at your sleeve, "Mr. Solomons if you will just listen-"

Mr. Solomons rose from his desk, "WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE I SAID LEAVE."

"I AM YOUR NEW SECRETARY DAMNIT."

The room went silent. The entire bakery went silent. And from the corner of your eye you can see different men pausing, waiting to see what would happen next.

Alfred Solomons, for the first time in his life, was left speechless. The last woman who had yelled at him was his mother. Usually, women run and hide from him upon the first interaction. Men have wet themselves from his bellowing. Yet... this little woman is standing here, screaming at him, demanding to be heard. He did not know what to do, he could only stare at her.

You tried to be good. You really did try! But it was too late now. Mr. Solomons was just staring at you, and you had a point to make.

"Mr. Solomons, I am the most capable secretary that you will ever have walk through these doors. I am fluent in Russian, Yiddish, Hebrew, and French. Not only can I read and write, I was the best in my class in maths. I am a damn good baker, though clearly you do not need my services there. I am incredibly punctual and polite and am able to talk to anyone. And to top it all off, I make a very good cup of tea. Now I put on my best dress and shoes and I walked 45 minutes to get to your ridiculous office and I will be damned if I will leave here without a job! Do I have your attention now sir?"

While you were speaking Alfred Solomons had slowly lowered himself into his seat, with a smile on his face. He was stroking his beard, considering your fiery eyes, and the shape of your lips while you yelled at him. He began to laugh to himself, "Come sit down treacle. Eli, get the fuck out, stand by the door."

You turned to look at your cousin, but he had already closed the door behind him. You walked to the desk where Mr. Solomons was sitting, and took a seat directly in front of him. Where he had been leaning back in his chair, he was now leaning forward on the desk, resting on his elbows on top of a thick layer of papers. His eyes twinkled, and a handsome smirk played on his lips. Your rage was still simmering, and it was hating you for staring at those eyes.

"You can read and write?"

"Yes."

"How fast can you type?"

"80 words per minute."

"You're good at math?"

"You want to put a slate in front of me and have me recite a King's speech as well Mr. Solomons?"

He barked out a laugh, "Fuck me. You've got a sharp tongue on you don't you?"

"I have language why not use it."

"Fucking hell...alright listen here you little viper. I want you here every morning at 8 o'clock. Ready to work. You will have many a late night in this job. You will be my personal secretary, which means when I say "come here", I better see you before I finish that sentence. You'll need to write letters for me as well as manage my meetings alright? You will be my shadow. Any questions?"

"What is my salary?"

He paused, staring at you, seemingly trying to see how low you would take, "4 pounds a week."

"6"

"Good Lord what do you need 6 pounds a week for? 4 and a half and thats generous."

"Mr. Solomons I'm not stupid I know what you do. You need me. You want to become a respectable businessman you need someone like me to make sure your affairs are in order. I know you are working with many different people, and you need my abilities. I am the best you will ever have. 5 and a half."

Alfred keeps stroking his beard...wondering how the hell Eli could be related to someone so strong... and how much it was going to cost to keep you, "5 pounds a week. And I will give you a Hanukkah bonus."

"...And Rosh Hoshannah off."

"Done."

You stood to shake his hand, firmly, though he kept smirking as he shook yours. "Alright my little viper, I will see you tomorrow. Bring ink and a notebook. We start at 8."

"Thank you Mr. Solomons. You won't regret this!"

"Alfie. You will call me Alfie from now on."

The way he said it while staring into your eyes brought a heat to your cheeks, and you prayed that he couldn't see any change in your demeanor. "Alfie." You whispered as you nodded and walked away.

He couldn't help but linger there in that moment, watching you walk away, speaking animatedly with Eli. Never had he ever felt so... struck by a woman before. He had women before of course, but no woman had captivated him the way you just did. He needed you. He needed you with him, in any way that you allowed him to have you near. Maybe this was a mistake, but he highly doubted it. How could a mistake be so beautiful?

"OLLIE!" He yelled, "WE NEED A DESK AND CHAIR NOW!"

[exocynraku]

Okay listen, who’s your LEAST favorite warrior cat? Give me the Ted Talk on why they’re the Worst please

a lot of the characters i dislike i dislike because they had a GREAT concept and it was executed BAD or in a way i didn't like. specifically, i'll highlight lionblaze. he's probably not my LEAST favourite of all time but he's one i very much dislike I believe more could have been done with his power & the fact he trained in the dark forest. that is the sole reason i dislike him. is because so little was done with that. What I would've liked is seeing his time in the dark forest change him as a person and thru tigerclaw & hawkfrost's will have him kill more people both in the dark forest (he only killed shredtail) and outside of the dark forest (he only killed russetfur and harestar). He would have had to sit with these deaths and understand that his ability is both a blessing and a curse. He may be destined to fight during the great battle using his ability to prevent the fall of the clans but what point would it make it so many innocent need to die from him in the process? he should shut himself off cast himself away and become a shell of who he was. He would've had to sit with the fact that the sole purpose of his existence as one of the three was to hurt others. that is his power. to physically harm others and to mentally scar the ones who lives and the family & friends of those he has killed.

That is why starclan chose for lion's roar to be reborn. this is why he could not have spent his days as the person he used to be. He has killed people and that is what he has to live with. But at the same time, his views on the world changed during his time in the dark forest. There is life after death. What point is there in fearing death if you know there is something afterwards? When there is life after death, death is an escape. Similarly, his knowledge of starclan has changed his views. How could the cats he's killed hold a grudge to him if starclan is so wonderful? so grand, so powerful. you can see those who you know who've passed on and learn the stories of those long forgotten. In his world, death is new life. When you die and join the ranks of starclan, you are just a measly speck of thousands of warriors who've come and gone. Death is an opportunity to live a new life. So what do those who he has killed have to fear? have to be mad at him for? they may lose those who are still alive, but they will join them eventually. but, there are no answers to these questions. they are subjective, grand and have no definitive answer. the answers he decides on will be entirely different than the people's around hims. and this is what he is going to have to live with. his life is rhetorical. His powers had meaning, but after the great battle he loses that. so who is he? well, he is cat who is loud and brash. quick to make an a opinion and unafraid to speak his opinion on another person. he is a cog in the machine of clan life, hunting, sleeping, mating, mentoring, it's the same every day now. someone else is chosen for prophecy. the purpose for his existence is gone now. he's just someone who exists. someone who does things, but doesn't exactly understand why. he yells at others and scowls at them, he sits on the sidelines watching cats like bristlefrost, rootspring, shadowsight, twigbranch, violetshine, and frostpaw as their lives move on. they are similar to him, not exact, in a way that starclan is watching them more than they are watching the rest of the clans. he wants that attention, he wants that feeling again. he is jealous of them. he goes about his days after the great battle as someone who has been scarred from his time alive. he is rude and loud, menacing, his physical scars a remnant of the person he used to be- the person who was destined for greatness. the scars he has now are twisted, a scourge on his skin as they show the person he has become as he has lost purpose. he has thousands of questions, and hundreds of thousands of subjective answers. no one is there to answer them. the life he has lived is one he will have to life with until he dies. that is the cat i wished for lionblaze to be. while he has his powers, he doesn't understand the morality around why he has them and how they shape him as a person, but after he loses them he doesn't how to continue living without a purpose. he knows nothing of the world and nothing of himself, but he KNOWS that, and he sits with that. these concepts, these ideas, the answers to his questions he has come up with sit inside him and fester, showing themselves to the world every time he yells at one of his friends and hurts someone during battle. he is an angry man. he is an angry man who hurts other people not out of malice but out of yearning for meaning. that is what i want out of lionblaze's character. but, that's not what they did with him, and that's why i dislike him.

[crowleys-dark-sunglasses]

Just a reminder that sometimes characters in shows die. It's just a part of the story. Plus as much as I loved izzy, and don't get me wrong I love izzys character with my whole entire soul, I think his death had a good meaning behind it.

He said it himself, he fed Ed's darkness. He did that for years because dark Ed was the ed that stayed with izzy. And it's not that there was no room in Ed's life for izzy, it's that izzy would always want dark ed back, a selfish desire for the things were used to, and eventually he would either come to resent ed for changing, they would just naturally drift apart, or he would come to accept ed for who he is now. It's just life. Do I think izzy needed to die, no I think it would be a really good subplot to maybe have izzy find himself and figure out who he is without ed. But nevertheless I still have found peace with his death.

Izzy dying marked the official end of the old blackbeard. Ed is finding himself and who he really truly is and in that he found love too. Same with Stede, he doesnt really know who he is either. They both left the crew of The Revenge to live the life they not only want but the life they need.

One of the last things izzy told ed was "just be ed" and that's exactly what he's going to do.

It's not like izzy left the show with no meaning or a lackluster goodbye because his goodbye was genuinely one of the best character endings I've seen in a long while and ed will carry izzy with him for the rest of his life. Ed may not have loved izzy the way izzy loved him but izzy was family to him, the only family he had for for a long time and in some ways that goes way deeper than romantic love ever could.