#and we’ve got a long way to go with unpacking how we see people of different races

[faithfromanewperspective]

can’t wait for the everlasting debate ‘but doesn’t feminism mean you treat women the same so if you’re gonna hit people you can hit women’ to turn to other marginalised groups too. like if it’s okay to call a white person a stupid white bastard we wanna treat people of colour the same right—

[jarofstyles]

Leather & Lace

Hello my angels and welcome to Leather and Lace!!! We’ve got a very cute 3 parter (I’ve finished writing it) coming in for you guys. We love a good grumpy x sunshine and couldn’t help ourselves writing another one. Please leave us feedback! We love to hear from you

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Wc- 8.2k

Warnings- oral sex, praise kink, soft Dom h, opposites attract, cum play/swapping

---------

“How can you be this happy in the morning?” Harry grunted, hoodie pulled over his head as he sat down next to a bubbly Y/N. Her couch was comfortable but it didn’t make up for the fact that he was at her flat at 8 in the morning. 

“It’s not that early, lazy bones.” She hummed, tucking her legs under her as she sat down on the other side. “Thank you for coming to help today, by the way. I know you don’t like getting up early.”

He really didn’t, was the thing. He hated it. Harry only had so many days off and after working a long shift bartending last night, the very last thing he wanted to do was help someone unpack in their new flat. He’d rather claw at concrete than be awake right now, rather eat a raw egg, rather go through tattoo removal. If it was anyone but Y/N he would have laughed in their face at the mere ask. 

But it was her. It was twinkly eyed, pouty lipped, warm hearted Y/N who had asked him a week in advance and promised him a bagel with cream cheese and an iced coffee for brekkie, whatever he wanted for lunch, and ‘whatever he wanted in general!’. Little did she know he was going to say yes anyway, considering he knew he couldn’t say no to her sweet little ask with her smaller hand on his tattooed arm and wide eyes peering up at him. He wasn’t someone who liked to do things for many people without there being some sort of monetary gain, but this was different. 

Y/N had somehow latched herself onto one of the grumpiest bastards in the area while she herself was one of the sweetest girls he’d ever seen. Rarely spoke a mean word of anyone (except when they hurt someone close to her), went out of her way to help anyone who needed it and always wanted to be a shoulder to cry on. He’d seen her take money from her own wallet to cover someone’s bill when they were short, even seen her rush to help an elderly man across the street. It got her into trouble sometimes which was why he was glad that he’d been the hip she’d chosen to attach to. 

Their first interaction had been him sitting in the courtyard of their uni, listening to music under the tree. He’d had his sketchbook in hand, doodling in between classes when he looked up to see a girl with a pretty yellow bow in her hair offering him a cupcake because he looked ‘sad.’. He had been sad, actually, but that was pretty much his normal resting face. He’d tried to blow her off but she’d taken a seat next to him, introducing herself and telling him about her own day to ‘distract him’. He hated to admit that it worked. 

From then on, she popped up everywhere. At first he’d been a bit worried that she was following him but it truly was a coincidence. Y/N had found her way under his skin, wriggled her way into that cold heart of his and made it warm up just a little each time she came around. At some point she’d become a daily fixture in his life, her texts lighting up his phone with emojis and telling him to meet her at the cafe or the library- and for some reason, he followed.

“Mmm. Know y’wanted me here to see me get all sweaty. If y’wanted to see my tats and muscles so badly, you coulda just said so, Sweets.” He smirked, watching her eyes widen. So easy to fluster. 

“No! Stop teasing me, s’not nice.” She grumbled, poking his knee with her socked foot. She’d chosen lavender striped ones today. “I don’t have a lot of strong friends, you know that. Niall’s comin’ by after work to help you put the bedframe together and move the books from the car. Besides, I’ll let you sleepover and everything after we’re all done. I know you loveeeee my bed.”

He did. But more than anything he liked laying in said bed with her. Harry had a hard time admitting he had begun to gain feelings for the girl but deep down he knew he did. He liked that she insisted on cuddles, curling her leg around his and nuzzling her face into his chest, or even better yet the crook of his neck. Loved when she’d sleepily ask him questions about his life and tell him facts about her own. She resembled a tiny kitten while sleepy, insistent on getting all of the pets and attention. 

Harry had decided he wasn’t the relationship type after his last girlfriend had cheated on him with his old best mate- but meeting Y/N had reminded him of the die hard romantic that laid underneath the surface. All the hard work he’d had piling up bricks on top of his red, bleeding heart had seemed to be consistently excavated by the pastel wearing girl who still enjoyed the fairy lights he used to see online in those aesthetic bedroom photos. It scared him a bit at first. Even now, he was nervous about the idea of getting closer to her than they were now because her heart was a tender and precious thing and he didn’t necessarily trust himself not to hurt her- but then again, he knew he’d do miles better than anyone else could. He’d spent the time learning about her as the months went by, listening to her drawl on about the pinterest boards she made, her dream finds she always looked for at the thrift stores, her least favorite reality TV contestants, which pastries she found to be too dry at the cafe and which had the best level of moisture, what blankets she liked, every little tidbit he had stored away in his brain to use at a later date. 

No one would be as protective of her as he would be, which was why lately he’d been entertaining the thought of perhaps moving past the point of no return and trying to see if maybe, possibly, perhaps.. They could be more. 

It had come with a lot of deliberating but he’d come to understand that if he failed, Y/N wouldn’t caste him to the side. She’d never in a million years abandon him like he feared, which only gave him more motivation to go for it though… He was still biding his time. He had to let her get settled here before he shook up her life a bit more. 

They were opposites, the sweet girl and him. Harry was quite literally the bad boy cliche of everyone’s after school special’s dreams. His hair was long and curled, brushing his jaw. He went for darker clothing, usually his ripped black skinny jeans and a band tee but sometimes more eccentric with some silk and leaving his tits out when they went on a night out. His nose had a simple black hoop, his nails painted and chipped though this week they were a bubblegum pink, a la Y/N’s expertise. His body was hard from the gym he liked to frequent and inked, only getting more every month. He wore the occasional eyeliner when he felt spicy. That was only the physical things. 

Sometimes he wondered why she felt drawn to him, as she said. He was dark and moody with a darker sense of humor. Somewhat of a pessimist, he expected the worst from people and tended to stay away from them the best he could. The opposite of a social butterfly, he only usually went out in the past for a drink or to get his cock wet, never for the pleasure of interacting with people. Even then it was rare considering he did quite well in the hookup area being a bartender himself. 

Harry often wondered how and why she felt the pull to be around him and why she felt so at ease in his presence but he figured it had to be that he’d knocked the lights out of a bloke in her philosophy class who’d been riding her ass. He’d made the wrong decision of cornering Y/N at a party Harry had been dragged to, touching her a bit too much and not listening when her smile became thin and she backed away from him after giving a rejection much too polite than the man deserved. There had been no hesitation in laying him out, tugging Y/N into his side and demanding she stay with him for the rest of the party after she insisted she didn’t need to go home. 

Funnily enough she’d been a hit with his own small group of friends, everyone also feeling the same sort of kindred protection over her. Not many people were genuinely warm and fuzzy in the way she was. 

Y/N was… She was the sun, she was a cinnamon roll fresh baked on a sunday morning, she was a kitten sprawled in a sunbeam. All the good things, he could find a way to relate them to her. That probably should have been the indicator he had feelings for her far sooner than he’d ever let himself admit, but she had taken the time to crack him open. 

It was hard to stop thinking about what made her both his opposite and so special. Harry dwelled on how soft her clothing always was, both in color and texture. She liked those pastel colors and fuzzy cardigans, hair bows and those signature mary janes with the tiny heels. Lip oil as opposed to lip gloss because it was ‘too sticky’ but still dragged all his attention to her lips and made him wonder if it really tasted like tangerine like it smelled. 

Her touch was gentle and tender, cautious at first but as soon as she got the go ahead, she showered you in attention. At least, she did to him. Brushing stray hairs out of faces and wiping crumbs off cheeks, she had little sense of personal space once granted permission. She’d been mindful of his distaste for touch at the beginning but once he’d leaned into it, the girl had no qualms about straightening his shirt or leaning into his form, hell- there had been a few times she’d helped herself to his lap when there was no other seating option. Usually that was when she was tipsy considering she would most likely be a little shy sober, but that was something he enjoyed. 

The light to his dark, he doubted anyone else could make him feel the way she could. Hence why he was up after only getting 4 hours of sleep, sipping the coffee she’d gotten him. There was little he wouldn’t do for a hint of her smile. 

—--

“Babe, you’ve got t’make a decision.” Harry said gently, placing the large mirror down and leaning it against the wall. 

“I know, I know but… It’s bad luck to have your mirror facing your bed.” She wrung her fingers together. “I’m sorry, H. I know I’ve been a bit of a pain in the rear today. I promise m’not trying to, but It’s my first place and I just want it to be perfect.” Her head looked down, making his heart squeeze. 

God damn it. Leave it to her to make him feel like he’d kicked a puppy. Sighing, he tugged the bandana on his head back into place and approached her, placing his hand on her shoulder. “M’not upset with you. Promise. I just think you’re overthinking it a bit.” Her superstitions did tend to make her feel a little squirrely sometimes and he knew it.  “We’re gonna make it look perfect. Incredible, even. Reckon the magazines will be calling you up to feature you, but we can’t just have a freestanding mirror slab.” He’d picked it up for her off of craigslist just a bit ago. Even if it wasn’t a dodgy listing, he wouldn’t let her go on her own. That’s how people got kidnapped. 

“Ugh, I know.” She groaned, flopping into his chest. Never mind it being sweaty, she rubbed her nose between his tits and let out a tired groan, her hair smacking his chin. It’d been tossed up in a very messy bun that was a bit lopsided but made her look doubly as cute, though he didn’t tell her that. “Why don’t we mount it to the back of your door then? Not facing your bed, or another mirror.” 

He could almost hear her brain going as she mulled it over before he felt the nod against his chest. “That will be good, I think. I love that idea.” Y/N had been going back and forth over design choices with him all day as if he had a clue about interior decor, but he had appreciated her caring about his opinion nonetheless. “That can be the last thing we do. Niall’s fucked off somewhere futzing with the books so we can eat after that’s done.” 

The thud of his heart against her ear was steady as he gently ran a hand over her shoulderblade. “What’s on the menu?” 

“Think we’re ordering pizza because I know m’too tired to cook which means you lot have to be too.” She chuckled, finally prying herself out of his chest and blinking up at him.”Then we can go to bed.”  He was thankful her ear was away from his heart so she couldn’t hear the way it stuttered. You’d think after sleeping in her bed a multitude of times that he’d get used to the sound of that sentence but it still did him in every time. 

“Okay. I can run and pick it up after I mount this to the door if you call it in.” He knew she wouldn’t want to go. It was visible on her face how tired she was and it melted him internally. He knew that she’d be a little snuggly menace tonight and fuck if he wasn’t looking forward to it. “Gonna run into the pharmacy t’grab some body wash for here, if thats okay?”

“Course it is.” She beamed at the suggestion, making him happy that he’d even brought it up. Y/N used to suggest he sleep heer a lot before and he’d refuse, thinking she was just trying to be polite- but she really did enjoy him staying with her. “I liked the pomegranate one you used last time, just sayin’.” Patting his chest she moved from his grip, heading to grab her phone. “Normal for you?”

“Yeah, love. Same as usual.” He rubbed over the achy spot in his chest that she’d left by pulling away, looking forward to sleeping tonight so he could feel it fill back up.

—-----------

Harry had grabbed the pomegranate bath stuff. He’d grabbed the whole line, actually, the shampoo, conditioner, body wash and some sort of ‘skin buff.’ Whatever that was. 

Y/N had squeaked as he showed her, along with a pack of the makeup wipes she usually used and he’d steal. He’d figured it was about time to be the one to buy the replacements. “Ah! And you got the face mask I like.” Her eyes were wide and bright as she bounced on her toes, smacking a kiss to his stubbly cheek before looking back down at the holographic packaging. He’d hoped he had gotten the right one when he’d seen a sale on them when on his way to the check out counter. It was worth the little bit of money to feel her lips for a moment. “Thank you, H. You’re the best, as usual.” 

“The hell am I?” Niall scoffed, wiping his hands dry after washing them. 

“You’re great too, but he got me the face masks I like and they usually sell out. So he’s a bit higher up in points today.” She placated him, brushing past him to put them in the bathroom. “Harry, plate up the pizza, pretty please!”

As soon as she had disappeared, Niall shot him a look. “When are you two gonna make it official?” He whispered. “The heat eyes bouncin’ off the both of you is sickening at this point. She’s turned you soft.” 

Harry settled with a glare, placing two slices on the paper plate and sliding it over to him. “Eventually. Her whole life is shifting. Can’t do shit right now without rattling her.” It was the first time he admitted or even hinted at having feelings for her besides point blank telling anyone who came around that she wasn’t available. Y/N didn’t know he did that though. 

“Thank fuck you don’t still have your head up your arse. I was worried you’d never admit you’re gone for her.” He faked wiping sweat off his head making the other man roll his eyes. “She’ll be happy, H. You don’t have to worry about her rejecting you. Just go on and do it. She talks about you like you hang the moon every night at this point even when you aren’t around.” 

A weakness he’d spotted, Harry stood a bit straighter before leaning in. “She does? What does she say?” Oh, he hated how desperate he sounded to hear the answer but the fluttering in his stomach made him insisting on finding out. 

“Oh, how thoughtful and kind and generous you are and how you’re the best person she knows, all of that. She stares at her phone and waits for texts from you when she comes out and you’re working, gets these huge smiles or giggles when you do. or tries to get everyone to move the party to your bar.” 

That last part, he’d hoped for. He liked the idea of her wanting to be physically close to him and suggesting everyone come and see him, but knowing she did the same thing he did when waiting for messages from him soothed a piece of him. He wasn’t alone in it. It was hard sometimes for him to decipher her behavior considering she was genuinely so friendly with everyone and he didn’t want to flatter himself and think it he was special… but apparently he was. 

He didn’t have a chance to answer when Y/N glided from the bathroom, finding her spot on the kitchen barstools. “What did I miss?” 

“Nothin’, Babe. Just chatting shit.” He murmured, sliding her a plate with her pizza of choice on it. “Figured we’d go to the grocery tomorrow, yeah? It’s a bit sparse in here with the food.” He had the next day off and intended on spending it with her. They’d made lots of progress today and had 80% of the place unpacked, but he knew she liked those restocking videos online. “Think they’ve got those organizers back in stock.” 

“Oh!” She gasped.”Yes, you genius. I’ll need your help though, strong man. I like the one trip wonder.” It was a tease considering she knew Harry hated making multiple trips up with bags. 

“Lucky for you, you’ve got a lift now and I’ve got that collapsible wagon.” Reaching out he gently flicked her nose for being a brat. “So we won’t have t’worry about that.” 

—-----

Y/N was either very oblivious or a tease. Harry could never fully figure out which one. 

He sat on her bed, messing with her telly when she emerged from the shower in her little cotton shorts and one of his shirts. It was one he’d just been looking for last week, actually, an old Iron Maiden one with a few holes in the collar area. Unmistakably his. The faded gray complimented her skin, looking extra cozy on her as her powder blue plush bunny slippers flopped against the ground and she made her way to her skincare desk. 

“You little thief.” He grumbled from the bed, leaning against her headboard. “I was searching everywhere for that last week.” Though he had narrowed eyes she would know he was only teasing. 

“You left it with me, remember? I ended up packing it so I wouldn’t forget it but… It’s super comfy.” She smiled guiltily at him, spinning in her chair. “Is it okay if I wear it? It still smells like your cologne and it helps me sleep sometimes…”

Ah, a shot to the heart. 

Y/N didn’t know what it did to him to know he was an aid in good sleep. That it both made his heart stutter and his cock throb at the sight of her wrapped up in his clothing like she had all the rights to it. Like he was her boyfriend and she liked to wear it to remember him. Her scent had a similar effect on him, leaving it in his sheets when she stayed over,  “Totally okay, lovely.” He smiled gently. “M’just teasing you. Though it does wonders for my ego to know you like my cologne that much.” 

He knew he was making her a little flustered considering she didn’t look right at him, but he thrived off of that. Knowing he made an impact on her like that made him feel just a bit more confident that she felt similarly to him. There was no answer from her, but he wasn’t done with her quite yet. Standing up with a groan, he made his way over to her little makeup and skincare set up, placing his hands on the back of her chair. “What are you putting on your face?” He asked curiously, looking over her head to the products she had neatly organized.

“Well, first I wipe with one of these toning pads.” She opened the little tub, using a tiny pair of clear tongs to grab one. “You don’t want to be sticking your fingers in there and potentially making them all dirty so it came with this little thing. You give it a few passes over your t zone.” She showed him as she did it, Harry watching diligently in the mirror. 

“Mmm. Then what? You’re always doin’ all of this fancy stuff to your face. Figure that's why your skin is so pretty.” He let his fingers fiddle with a few strands of hair. 

“Thank you.” She said sheepishly, picking up a smaller tube. “Um, I use this undereye cream to help with puffiness and brightening. Its soothing. I apply it with the smallest finger though, because while I’m not afraid of wrinkles it’s the weakest fingers and the skin under your eyes is more delicate.” 

Huh. “Didn’t know what.” He was actually learning something from this. 

“Mhm. Why do you think I tell you to go gentle when you use the makeup remover?” A smile tilted up one side of her lips a bit further, eyes focused on the mirror in front of her. She pretended not to notice the slight shiver he gave her when he leaned down, letting his face get more level with hers- but he did. He noticed anything he could. “A-And then I use some vitamin C stuff for brightening, a serum and a cream. I use the little fan to make it dry faster so it isn’t sticky.” She pointed to the mini pink fan he’d always noticed. He’d just assumed it was for when she got hot. “Do you… Would you like me to use some of it on you when I’m done?” 

She sounded hesitant to ask which he understood. Not a lot of the guys in their friend circle would want that, but he wasn’t that insecure about himself that he’d say no to someone pampering him. Especially not when it meant Y/N getting close to him. “Sure, sweets. I’d love that. Reckon my skin needs it.” 

“What do you usually do with it?” She asked curiously, meeting his eye in the mirror. 

“Makeup remover, wash my face, that cream you left at my place if I remember.” 

“It’s not fair you have the skin you do.” She huffed, shaking her head. “Cruel, actually.” It kind of was. He got long lashes too, which she always complained about. “Go and wash your face first, heathen.”

Harry let out a small laugh before going off to do that. Returning with a fresh face, he stood in his prior position, watching her finish up the routine before holding the fan closer to her face to finish it off. It was an interesting process he hadn’t paid much mind to before, but then again, she didn’t bring every single thing to his place either. 

After putting her hair up in a claw clip, she stood up from the plushy chair and motioned for him to sit down. He did as asked, feeling her residual warmth as she lined up the products for them. “Okay, so we start with the toner pad.” She gently pushed him to lean back in the chair, her face coming closer to his as she delicately swiped it over his cheeks and nose. He was getting an up close look at her, noticing the scar near her eyebrow and a few spots on her face. It made him warm up a bit, being able to see her so close when she was awake. Usually this level of observation was reserved for when she was asleep. “Oi, keep your head up.” 

“Sorry.” He laughed, avoiding the impulse to move the chair back and forth. He liked to swing on it at times. 

“Wait- how about this.” Without giving it much thought, she gripped the chair and swung it over to turn his body to the side, helping herself to straddle his lap. “This seems a little easier, no?” Fingers gently tipped his chin up, eyes focused on her motions. 

Harry’s breath had disappeared. No longer available, he felt her sitting on top of his thighs, innocent as ever as she went through the motions. Tender with her movements and pressure, she was treating him like porcelain while giving him a little makeover. He should be focused on how nice the products felt on his skin, but his mind was elsewhere. 

She smelled amazing, as usual, but having it this close up was a little hard for him. Yes, she sat on his lap before- but not in his shirt, with her thighs on display and tiny little shorts. She didn’t straddle him before either, didn’t let his mind wander to places it shouldn’t. All his energy was focused on trying to ensure she didn’t feel the stiffy that was quickly growing in his pants. 

“I can’t believe how good you’re being for me, H.” She whispered. “No whining or anything.” Her smile was soft as she wiped the serum over his face. “You’re so pretty.”

Fuck. He swallowed thickly, trying desperately to not let his cock construe those words into the filthy praise kink he had, but it appeared to be a bit too late for that. She had no idea what she was doing to him and he didn’t want to be a perv, but god damn. If the girl continued, there would be no denying that he’d cream his damn pants. Being pet on, feeling her brush his hair off his forehead while she stroked his face and adjusted his position to where she wanted… He was only so strong. “Thanks.” He murmured, trying to keep his composure. 

“Of course.” She beamed, seeming pleased. “I’m surprised you’re letting me do this, but you’re full of surprises.” It seemed like she didn’t know the battle he was facing internally, which was his goal, but that was soon to be ruined. “Hold on a second.” Shifting slightly on his lap, she stood up momentarily before sliding further up. “Sorry, I was falling down a bit-” 

Harry hadn’t meant to, he really fucking didn’t. But she sat right on top of him, squirming a bit. Giving his dick a bit of friction, making his hands grip her hips and sit her down hard to stop the movement. He couldn’t open his eyes, couldn’t face her as he heard the hitch in her breath. “Fuck, I’m sorry. Sorry, I didn’t- I promise m’not being a creep or anything.” He winced. “Just been a while and uh-” 

“Hey, it’s okay.” Her voice rang out, fingers brushing through his hair. “H, look at me. I’m not mad.” Of course, her words were sweet and syrupy, going right to his dick yet again. Y/N had no fucking idea how much she effected him, how many times he’d thought about her in this positon and how guilty he felt that he’d turned a sweet moment into something like this. “C’mon. You don’t need to be embarrassed.” 

He took a moment before opening his eyes, looking at her face. Studying it, making sure she wasn’t uncomfortable. Her hand cupped the side of his face, a slight pout on her pretty lips. Y/N didn’t seem upset about it, seeing as she sat still and could most definitely feel his cock under her. He could feel her cunt over him, hot through the fabric and he was doing everything in his power to be fucking normal. 

“There you are.” The tables had finally turned. Harry was the shy one in this moment and Y/N was the one seemingly not freaked out. “It’s a natural body function, H. I know you’re not some kind of perv. I sat on your lap, remember?” She soothed his nerves. “Besides, I’m flattered. Was beginning to think you thought I was some kind of troll or something.” The smile kicked up on her face, but his frown deepened.

“The fuck? Why would you think that?” Brows furrowed, he didn’t like that she thought he didn’t find her attractive. He called her pretty quite a bit. 

“Well, I’m not your type. You go for all those tattooed girls with the bad ass attitudes, which is cool cause I think they’re hot too but… I’m all soft and squishy, y’know? I like the soft things, kinda the opposite of you so I just thought I wasn’t someone you’d be attracted to. M’nothing like what you go for.” She didn’t seem offended by this, rather stating it matter of fact- but Harry couldn’t believe how wrong she was. He had to wonder how long she thought this. 

While he was secretly pining after her, she was thinking he was going off to get blowies by the girls that flirted with him which, sometimes he did. At the beginning of their friendship, he tried to stave off those feelings for her by getting someone else underneath him, fucking away the frustration but he learned fairly quickly that none of it did much when his mind was on someone else. It’d been months at this point. Sure, he liked a bit of flirting to boost his ego, but that was only when Y/N was preoccupied. 

“Well, you’re wrong.” He said sternly. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Dunno where the troll idea came in when m’always staring at you.” He scoffed. “No more of that bullshit. Wouldn’t be hard if I didn’t think you were stunning. Trust me.” In fact, she was the only thing that got him hard these days. Thinking of her mouth, her thighs, her tits, her ass, anything. Even her hands, for fucks sake. “Don’t ever doubt how beautiful you are t’me. Pisses me off.”

“Sorry.” She bleated, pouting back at him. “I didn’t mean to. It’s just.. You call me pretty but I never would have thought you meant it like that. I like that you let me cuddle you and stuff so obviously I know you aren’t repulsed by me but, I dunno.” She swallowed, looking down at his bare chest. “I’m sorry for getting you… if you’re uncomfortable.” 

God, he was mucking this up wasn’t he? He shook his head, letting his thumbs rub over her hips as he softened his face. “No, sweets. Don’t apologize. S’not a big deal, I’m not mad at you. Just don’t like the idea of you thinking poorly of yourself. You’re fucking stunning.” So stunning that his cock was still hard under her. “I’ll go take care of it when we’re done, but no more squirming. Okay?” Squeezing her, he tried to rectify the situation. “No more fussing.” 

“But…” Y/N’s lips twisted slightly, sliding her hands down to his shoulders. “That’s not fair.” 

Harry blinked a few times, looking her over hesitantly. “What d’you mean? I’m okay, pet.” 

“Well, It’s my fault that you’re like this.” She protested. “I can fix it, if you want. Haven’t given too many blowies before, but I can take instruction pretty well.”

Harry truly thought he was dreaming for a moment, his face hot as she gave him an innocent look. Like she meant it, though it slightly embarrassed her for not having a lot of experience. But feeling her shift on him clued him back into reality. This was real. “You- You don’t have to do anything for me, Y/N.” He was holding on by a string. “You didn’t mean to do it. It’s not your responsibility to get me off just because my cock’s got a mind of his own.”

Y/N huffed again, shaking her head. “I want to. Can I?” Her face shifted slightly. “You’re not making me do anything. It would make me feel better If i could take care of you.” Her eyes met his. “I mean it. Promise.” 

And god, if Harry was a stronger man he’d lift her off his lap and insist on taking care of it himself. He’d explain that it could make lines blurry and he liked her a bit more than a friend and they’d have that talk. But he wasn’t a stronger man, and she rolled her hips on him again with a hum, making his head fall back when she repeated the action. “Fuck.” He whispered under his breath. “As long as.. As long you’re sure. I don’t want you to regret it or anything.” 

“I won’t.” She peeped. “I like making you feel good, Harry.” Her face seemed brighter as she watched him nod.

“Go on then, sweetheart.” He sighed. “I’ll show you what I like.” 

Never in a million years had he expected her to be visibly excited, slipping off his lap and on to her knees in front of him. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Eyes looked up at him with curiosity, hands running over his thighs as she waited for direction. He’d dreamt of this so many times, stroked off in the bathroom to this very mental image to get his load out quicker. His cock pulsed inside his sweats. This was really happening. “M’not wearing briefs under these.” He warned, pushing the waistband down as he slowly tugged himself out of the pants. His hand was slightly shaky ass he gave himself a squeeze at the base, a soft hiss leaving his teeth when her hand covered his own. 

“I’ve only done it a few times but…” Her eyes widened. “Yours is the prettiest I’ve seen.”

And fuck if that didn’t get him going. Harry took pride in his dick, as a lot of men did, but to get that compliment was better than anything else. His hair was normally trimmed shorter, but it had been a while. It was groomed a bit at the base, his happy trail leading up his stomach. “Thank you.” He mumbled, removing his hand and letting hers take over. Y/N was eager and that much was obvious, feeling her give him a few strokes as she shuffled closer in between his spread thighs. “I- I probably won’t last long. I wasn’t lying, it’s been a while.” And he’d imagined her in this position so many times that he was programmed to get off to it quickly. 

“That’s okay. You’re quite big so it’ll be better for my jaw.” She giggled. Fucking giggled while her thumb rubbed over the slit, making him shudder. He’d always imagined she’d be much more shy in this situation, but again he was proven wrong. “What do you like?” 

Honestly? He could cum just like this. Her stroking him slow, looking up at him with that pretty little face. Splatter her pretty face with pearly strings leaking from the slit of his cock, let it drip down her cheeks and chin. But she wouldn’t like that answer. “I’m okay with anything you give me, but I… I like to hear you.” He swallowed, a shaky exhale leaving his nose. “And uh, a bit wet. If that’s something you’d like.” 

Y/N looked like she was taking note, nodding at his words. “I want to know what you like, m’okay with anything.” She smiled. “I knew you had to be big cause.. Y’know you’ve got the energy. And I’ve felt it a few times when we cuddle, before you wake up. It’s just different to see it.” Y/N leaned her head on his thigh, continuing to jerk him off. “I’ll probably choke a little bit, cause you’re the biggest I’ve taken. It’s okay though, I’ll be fine. I’ll pinch your tummy or somthin’ if I need a second to breathe.” 

Who the fuck was she? Y/N had never, ever shown or hinted at being filthy in her life, but here she was. Talking about choking on his cock. He throbbed in her hand, making her eyebrows raise. “You liked that. Noted.” Leaning forward, she kept eye contact with him as she dragged her pink tongue from the base up to the tip, letting it sit there for a moment before she pulled away, giving him a few more strokes. “You can show me what you like too. Don’t be shy about it, H. I want you to feel good.” 

Harry nearly lost it as he watched those gorgeous lips purse, spitting right over the tip. It slipped down his length before her hand caught it, stroking and spreading it over his cock. Filthy, filthy things filled his tongue immediately, but he tried to pace himself. “Fuck me…” He whispered, gently gathering her hair in his hand. “I didn’t know you had this in you, gorgeous.” It nearly bowled him over. “Can you.. Take it in your mouth. Suck the tip for me. I want to see that.” 

Normally, he had no problem being a cocky, arrogant man. He was dominant most of the time with his hook ups- but Y/N wasn’t just a hook up to him. She was special. He didn’t want to do a single thing to potentially fuck this up. He wanted her to like this, to see how much he liked it too. She had no problems following instructions, the man watching as her lips stretched around the tip and dipped down a bit as she suckled on it. A soft hum left her mouth and vibrated over him as he curled the hair around his fist, making him groan. “Yeah, jus’ like that, angel. Fuck.” He kept his eyes on her as she bobbed shallowly, taking moments to rub her tongue over his leaking slit. “You’re so good, so sweet t’me. Can’t believe you’re doin’ this.” 

Y/N pulled off the tip, lips wet as she peered up at him. “I’ve thought about it before.” She whispered, lapping over the side of his length. “Wanted to see your cock. I knew it’d be pretty.” 

What the fuck? Harry’s brian felt fried, completely caught off guard by this information. Sure, he had thought maybe once or twice she was teasing him but it wasn’t often. Y/N was just so sugary sweet and kind, a slight air of innocence, and… Now she was telling him she’d thought about sucking him off before. “You have?” 

“Mhm.” She stroked him a bit firmer, the slick sound of her hand around his wet cock getting louder. “I heard.. Heard rumors and felt left out. You like me the best but you never asked me to do anything.” Rubbing the tip over her pouted lips, Harry was shocked yet again. 

“Cause y’mean more to me than any of the other people.” He swallowed. “Too fuckin’ sweet. I like you the best, you’re right but.. You’re my sweet girl. Didn’t want t’use you for anything like that. Would break my heart if I hurt you and you’d not want to see me again.” 

“What if I wanted you to use me?” She asked, peering up at him with those eyes. They drove him absolutely mad. “I know you wouldn’t hurt me unless I asked, H. You’re so good to me… I just want to be good for you too.” Taking the tip back into her mouth, she pushed herself down further and he felt his stomach clench. It took him off guard, feeling the hot mouth take him down and bob herself against him, a soft hum vibrating over him. 

“Oh- Fuck.” He let out a broken groan, leaning further back into the chair. “You are, baby, you fucking are. Hot little mouth… shit.” She whimpered around his cock at his words, sucking a little harder as her hand stroked the rest of him. She liked that. “What is it, hm? Like when I call you baby? When I tell you how perfect you are?” His words got a bit darker. He was slipping into another headspace and Y/N seemed to be coaxing it on. 

She did a half ass nod, not pulling off his length as she continued. Harry wouldn’t have guessed in a million years that she’d be a greedy girl like this, but he was incredibly thankful that she was. “You are. Such a good girl, so gorgeous with your mouth stretched around my cock. Didn’t know you were gagging for it, baby. Should’ve told me.” He chuckled darkly. “Wouldn’t have wasted my loads in the shower before comin’ t’bed with you. Could’ve pushed into your needy mouth and let you swallow it down.” 

Y/N moaned around his prick, eyes watering slightly as she looked at him. He’d never seen a better sight. “You’re so beautiful, angel. So pretty. Didn’t know such a filthy thing could have you lookin’ even more beautiful.” His throat felt thick as his cock throbbed in her mouth. “Fuck, you don’t even know how many times I’ve thought about it.”

Y/N pulled off, panting slightly as webs of saliva connected her mouth to his cock. “How much?” Her voice was a little hoarse, but he could hear that she was desperate to know. “You- You could have. I don’t want you to waste it anymore.” There was the tiny bit of shyness coming back in. “If umm, if you think  I’m good enough at this. I’ll do it.” 

“Fuck me, baby.” His thumb wiped over her spit soaked lips, breaking the threads of spit as he caressed her cheek. “All the fucking time. S’the only thing that gets me off.” Confessions he hadn’t thought he’d be saying so soon, let alone before he’d ever kissed her, spilled from him. “You’re doing amazing. More than good enough, too fucking good for me.” He couldn’t believe she was offering. “You sure you want t’be the one to take care of it?”

“Yes, I want it. I don’t want anyone else to do it.” She pleaded. “I’ll be the best for you. Just- you can tell me and I’ll suck you or, or anything you want.” Harry tested it, gently pushing her head back towards his prick- which she immediately took back in her mouth. The perfect, wet heat bringing him back to that filthy place in his head. 

How could she think he could ever say no? She’d been his weakness since she brought him over that damn cupcake. 

“Oh, sweet girl. Anything?” He cooed. “Dangerous thing to promise me. Don’t want anyone else to do it either.” His breathing was getting harder, trying not to thrust his hips up into her mouth and make her take it all. Sure, she’d probably do it, but he still felt the need to be delicate with her. “Take a little more for me, baby. Just like- there, there you go.” He praised, mouth falling open as she did exactly what he wanted. “Gonna make me cum.” 

This felt a million times better than rubbing one out in her bathroom. His legs were near vibrating, the wet sound of her mouth taking him down and the clicks of her hand stroking his spit soaked cock filling her bedroom. This was the last thing he’d expected was her on her knees for him tonight and part of him wasn’t convinced it wasn’t a wet dream, but he was thanking whatever higher power that was up there that his sweet girl had a dirty side to her. One he wanted to be the only one privileged enough to see. 

“In my mouth.” She gasped, pulling up for a moment. “Want to taste you. Please?” 

How could he ever tell her no? 

Pushing her back down on his cock, he let his hips rise up and shallowly thrust into her mouth as she moaned around him, drooling down her chin and letting him use her the way he needed to get off. The best part was knowing she was enjoying it so much. It was a miracle he’d lasted this long already, but he attributed that to shock. She was dirty, his sweet girl, choking slightly on his cock as the tip hit her throat, but she made no move to want to stop. 

His last straw, though, was feeling her hand over his balls, whining around him as he let out his deepest groan yet. It was sloppy and messy and so fucking good that he felt lightheaded, tummy hot and legs weak as he felt himself approach his end. “Fuck, jus’ like that, your fucking mouth is perfect… fuck, fuck, fuck, baby- M’gonna cum, gonna cum, gonna-” His voice failed as his head fell back, lifting his hips as his cum began to pour into her mouth. Ribbon after ribbon coating her throat, pulling back a bit to get it on her tongue while she worked him through it. 

He didn’t realize he had so much in him, but perhaps it was just Y/N that made him cum this much. This hard. His ears rung a bit, curses leaving his mouth as he watched her mouth open and hand stroke him to see the pearly mess on her tongue. At the last little bit,he used his grip on her hair to tug her up to his face. 

“C’mere, sweet girl. Share with me, don’t be greedy.” holding her face while the other had her hair, he pulled back into his lap and her mouth to his and groaned as she licked over his tongue, sharing the remnants of his load with him. It was something a bit nasty and deprived, he knew, but Y/N merely moaned back, her clean hand curling around the back of his neck. 

The kisses slowed from frantic and hot, to softer, slow and sweet. Pecking her lips over and over again, her whimpers melted into giggled as he untangled from her hair, sliding his hand under the shirt she had on to get some bare skin on his fingertips. “Sweetest thing, most beautiful girl.” He murmured between kisses. “Thank you. Best I’ve ever had.” 

“You’re jus’ saying that.” She whispered, though the smile was difficult to wipe off her face. Obviously she liked praise just as much as him. 

“Nope. Mean every word.” He confirmed, rubbing his nose over her cheek. “Thank you, baby. Felt so damn good, can’t feel my legs now.” Harry’d never felt like this after a blowie, both in his legs and the fondness he felt for the girl. If there had been any doubts about his feelings for her whatsoever, they were shattered. He was so far gone for her, it was pathetic. 

“Good.” She smiled, feeling the kiss to his cheek. “I need to finish your skincare, though. So tuck yourself back in, cause m’gonna do that and then brush my teeth again. Though.. I can tell you’ve got a good diet. Tasted nice.” 

Though Harry knew cum never really tasted good, he was chuffed that she hadn’t minded. Even more, that she hadn’t minded indulging in sharing with him. “M’not selfish, I need to help you too.” He reminded, though she merely shook her head. 

“I’ll take a raincheck. M’so tired now, and I want to enjoy it fully.” Pecking his cheek in return, she picked up the moisturizer. “Think you need a lip mask too. Thankfully, you’re in the right hands.” 

Harry was sometimes a selfish lover with hookups and he could admit that, but with Y/N he never wanted to be that way. He wanted to make her feel good, but he could wait. It only made him anticipate it more- there would be a next time. 

“Okay, sweets.” He chuckled. “Do whatever you’d like.”

[wh0re43van]

Baby Fever pt2 (Evan Peters X Reader)

Summary: After returning your niece to her home, you and Evan go back to your own house to start you own family ;)

Word count: 1.8k

Warnings: smut, unprotected sex

Pt1 Pt3

A/n: I was going to throw a daddy kink in here, but I’m not too sure if that would be a turn off for people?? Let me know what you guys think! As always thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy!

Ellie ended up staying with us for close to a week, but fortunately, her grandmother is doing much better. Andrew has come home to take care of Ellie while his wife stays to take care of her mother.

We pull into Andrews driveway, returning his daughter and all of the presents that Evan insisted we buy her; I figured out why Ellie likes her uncle so much now. He bought her every single one of the Monster High dolls because he loves how her eyes light up every time she gets one.

“Thank you guys so much,” Andrew yawns as he pries a whining Ellie out of Evans arms.

“No! No! I wanna stay with them!” She screams and kicks her feet, her new sparkly paw patrol sneakers- courtesy of Evan of course- glinting in the morning sunlight peaking through the porch.

“Now that’s enough Ellie. I know your uncle has spoiled you, but it’s time to come home and unpack now. You’ll see them again soon,” Andrew explains with little patience. He looks exhausted.

“Not fair!” Ellie cries crocodile tears as Andrew opens the front door, ushering her inside.

“Let us know if you need anything else, man,” Evan smiles, pulling his brother into a hug.

•

•

After parking his car in the garage, Evan walks around the vehicle to open the door for me.

“Well, that was an exhausting week,” I smile as I step out onto the concrete. “I can’t wait to go to sleep,” I yawn as Evan opens the door to our house. I love Ellie dearly, but Evan has got to learn to not wind her up or give her soda before bedtime.

“We have one last thing to do before you have your nap, my love,” Evan chuckles before picking me up bridal style, carrying me off to our bedroom. He lays me on our unmade bed onto my back, crawling on top of me, placing a tender kiss on my lips.

“Ev,” I giggle. “Don’t you want me to shower first? It’s been like two days,” I say slightly embarrassed, knowing exactly where this is heading.

“Now what’s the point of that?” My husband asks in between each kiss he peppers down my neck and across my collarbone. “You’re just going to have to shower again once I’m done with you,” he raises his head to look into my eyes, making me blush a bit. I just giggle and wrap my arms around his neck, pulling his lips back to mine. We’ve been together for years, yet I still get butterflies every time he kisses me. His rough hands still leave goosebumps on my bare skin.

“Lets get this off of you,” he says softly, tugging on my oversized sweater. I lift my hands so he can pull it over my head, I lay back down as he scans my bare torso up and down. His eyes still glinting with adoration the same way they did the very first time we were intimate so long ago. His large hands softly slide over my hips and up towards my breasts.

“You’re such a work of art,” he says lowly, still simply admiring my body. “Y/n, you’ve truly made me the luckiest man alive,” he places a kiss on my nose, then pulls his black t-shirt over his head. I quickly pull his lips back to mine, desperate to taste him again.

“I love you so much Evan,” I swoon against his lips, entangling my fingers into the curls on the back of his head. Evans hands find their way to my breasts, as he works his lips passionately on mine. I trail my hands down his back to pull him closer to me, needing to feel his skin on mine. With our chests pressed flush together, I raise my feet up to the waistband of his sweats, pushing them down his legs. This earns a chuckle from Evan as he pulls away to further remove the pants and his boxers.

“That was kind of impressive,” he grins as he scoots further down the bed.

“Thank you,” I giggle while he pulls my leggings and underwear off. Evan settles between my legs, placing them on his shoulders before grabbing my hips to pull me closer to him. He uses a finger to spread my slick up to my clit, taking a moment to cherish the sight of my dripping core. “So pretty,” he says to himself before licking a strip from my entrance to my bundle of nerves, where he stops to kitten lick.

“You always make me feel so good baby,” I hum as I melt into his touch. His expert tongue works at my clit as he pushes two fingers into me, curling into the perfect spot, making me moan out his name. I feel him smile against me as he picks up speed. His fingers pumping into me at just the right pace, curling into my g-spot every time as he sucks and laps at my clit quickly creates a knot in my stomach. The room is filled with the sound of him pumping in and out of me and my loud moans as my legs begin to shake on either side of his head.

“Do you wanna cum for me, baby?” Evan smirks

“Yes,” I moan. “Please-fuck,” I squeal as my walls throb around his fingers. With Evans tongue hard at work and a steady pace I feel myself unravel. The unholiest of sounds leave my trembling lips as I release into his hand over his face. The orgasm courses through me, leaving my skin tingling. Evan crawls up to press a very wet kiss on my lips. He never wipes my release off his face, wearing it with pride as it drips down and beads in his beard.

“You taste so good baby,” he pants through the rough kiss as he wedges himself between my legs again. “I can never get enough of you,” he groans against my lips. He instinctively reaches to our nightstand to retrieve a condom.

“Have you changed your mind?” I giggle. He raises an eye brow then quickly realizes the reason for tonight’s event.

“How could I forget,” he chuckles lining himself up with my entrance, using his thumb to rub my clit. “I get to cum in this perfect pussy,” he groans against my lips making my stomach do a flip. He pulls his head back, gentle grabbing my face to look at him. His eyes pierce mine as I feel him slide in slowly, more gentle than usual, but so much more erotic. A low groan leaves Evans throat

“Fuck you feel so good,” he breaths, still staring directly into my eyes, his nose almost brushing against mine. his hand moves from my jaw to my hips so he can hold me in place while he bottoms out inside of me, making me arch my back and curl my toes.

“Oh my god Ev,” I moan, loving how deep he fills me. Evan sits up straight so he can properly thrust into me, pulling my hips flush to his every time he pushes into me, making sure to bury every inch of himself into me.

He begins to pick up speed, getting more desperate every time he rocks his hips into mine. He brings a thumb up to my mouth, pulling his lip between his teeth as I take it into my mouth, swirling my tongue a couple times.

“Atta girl,” he smirks, his eyes glancing back and for the between my own and my mouth. He removes his thumb, using it to draw circles on my clit. The extra stimulation is exactly what I needed paired with the sight of my god of a husband pounding impossibly deep into me, his curls bouncing in sync with his thrusts, his head thrown back in pleasure as he hits the deepest parts of my body. The way his veins pop in his hands and arms as he grips onto my hips for dear life, and his moans. Fuck, his moans. The sounds this man makes as he’s buried inside of me could bring me to an orgasm all on their own.

“Fuck,” I squeal, my voice trembling. Evan moves his head to look down at me, smiling at the sight below him. “Goddamn you fuck me so good,” I praise as I feel myself nearing my second orgasm. “I want you to cum in me Ev,” I demand. “I want to feel your cum inside me while I cum around your cock, please baby,” I whine as I begin to pulse around his throbbing dick. Evan groans out a ’fuck’, reaching up to grab my face again.

“Look at me baby,” he growls, “look at me while I fill you up,” he brings his face so close to mine that his hair brushes my forehead as he rams himself as far into me as he possibly can. “Fuck!” I scream- much louder than intended- the curse punctuated with each thrust. Evan groans lowly as he shoots hot white cum against my cervix as I release around him, our intimate eye contact broken as mine roll back into my head while he mercilessly fucks his seed deeper into me. Evans thrusts slow and he releases his death grip from my face. I lay panting below him, a sweaty mess as every inch of my body trembles. I feel almost as If I’m floating.

Evan kisses my forehead then pulls himself out of me, scooching down to examine the mess he’s made inside of me.

“Fuck,” he groans at the sight his cum dripping out of my swollen pussy. He looks up me between my legs. “This is a really good look for you,” he smiles. I don’t even want to move my mouth to speak, still riding on cloud nine. “Lets get you cleaned up sweetie,” he chuckles. Picking me up bridal style, carrying me to the bathroom.

He sets me gently onto my shaky feet so he can draw me a bath.

“I love you,” I say, meaning every syllable of the sentence. He turns, flashing his dimples before picking up my hands to place a gentle kiss on each.

“And I, you,” he brushes my hair behind my ear.

As I sink into the much-needed bath, Evan asks,

“So, when can we take a pregnancy test?” making me giggle.

“We have to wait a couple weeks, Ev,” I smile.

“Oh,” he looks a bit disappointed, then after a beat he smirks. “I guess that means we’ll have to do that a couple more times until we can test,”

“I think that’s exactly what it means,” I laugh.

[superiorsturgeon]

Camping Date

Pyrrha: *wearing a backpack, climbs to the top of a small hill overlooking a wooded valley* Aaah…! I just love going for a hike in the mountains like this!

Pyrrha: Isn’t the fresh air and scenery just lovely, Jaune?

Jaune: *struggling slightly to keep up* Phew! Yeah, it’s pretty cool! You really like coming way out in the wilderness, huh? 😮‍💨

Pyrrha: Oh, I simply love it…! The beautiful landscape, the fresh smells, and getting away from it all with my boyfriend…! 😊

Pyrrha: …especially getting away from certain people…! 😤

Elsewhere in the wilderness…

Paparazzo #1: *clothes torn and covered in mud* Damn it, Pyrrha Nikos is hard to keep up with…!

Paparazzo #2: *trying to repair damaged camera* I thought I saw something red through the trees, but it turned out to be a bird and it attacked its reflection in my lens!

Paparazzo #3: *looking over map* I don’t get it! We saw her take this trail with the blonde kid, but we’ve been hiking for miles with no sign of anyone! I’m not even sure if we’re still in Vale!

Back with the Arkos couple…

Pyrrha: …heh, heh, heh…try to interrupt my romantic weekend when you can’t even find me…! 😈

Jaune: *shades his eyes* Oh, wow! You can really see for miles up here! I’m going to start setting up camp!

Pyrrha: That sounds lovely…! I’ll go gather some sticks for a fire! 😊

Jaune: *bends over to start unpacking tent*

Pyrrha: *slyly stealing glances at the Arc booty while gathering wood* Yes, just you and me by a campfire under the stars, you cute blonde knight…! 😏

Paparazzo #4: Pyrrha Nikos! Oh, gods, I can’t believe I finally found you!

Pyrrha: Oh, for the love of…! 🤬

Paparazzo #4: I got separated from my coworkers and turned around a bit. Can you tell me how to get back to the base camp?

Pyrrha: Oh, well, I suppose I could do that…

Paparazzo #4: …and as long as I have you here, can I ask you a few questions about your partner?

Pyrrha: *shoves a compass into his hand and pushes*

Paparazzo #4: AAAAAAAaaaaaaaa…..*slides down cliff*

Pyrrha: *calls over the edge* If you head east now you should reach the road in about ten hours or so! Watch out for the bears…! 😊👋

[sunflowergraves]

Unpacking Will Solace’s Character

I’ve seen a lot of Will Solace hate since TSATS and it’s really starting to bother me. As a person that relates heavily to Will’s character, it’s upsetting to see him get bashed across the internet, especially considering we’ve never actually gotten to know his character. Personally, I feel like a lot of people are basing his character around headcanons and fanfiction (which I am guilty of) and were disappointed when he wasn’t who we saw him as. 

It doesn’t help that the only time we got to see Will’s POV it was short and through the eyes of others. He’s also not this big hero like all the characters in the PJO universe. His powers aren’t that strong, he’s not a prophecy child, and his talents are mediocre. Will is the most human demigod we’ve ever been introduced to. I can understand why his character doesn’t feel multi-dimensional compared to everyone else, but in my opinion, he was fleshed out very well. 

Yes, there are a few things I was disappointed by. I wish they talked about Will’s past more and his grief over his dead siblings. I wanted him to have his own weapon, even if it was an old bow he never used or a lyre like Apollo used in TOA. But I will always love that they changed him from the calm, collected counselor healer to an anxious, depressed, self-doubting person because it fits him so well. How could he not feel these things after losing friends and family? After being abandoned by everyone around him? Or being forced to take on the caretaker role of the entire camp because he was the only one left? 

I’m going to continue this down below, so if you don’t want major spoilers for TSATS, don’t continue reading. Also this is long as hell in case you just want to skim. 

Every time Will was mentioned in the books, it was from someone else’s POV and it was a few lines at best. 

Will has always been described as the cool, relaxed, go-with-the-flow type of guy. He was the person with a level head and knew exactly what to do. But guess what? Underneath that cool exterior was an anxiety riddled people pleaser who threw himself at every problem because that’s what he was told to do. The Apollo cabin was always the head medic team. After Lee and Michael died, Will was basically thrust into that position of power. He was trusted to take care of his younger siblings, trusted to take care of the entire camp. If he let them down, it was going to cost lives. Of course he’s going to be scared and nervous, but he can’t show that. Would you want a doctor with shaky hands and sweat running down their neck? Would you want to be taken care of by a person who doubted and second guessed themselves out in the open? 

As someone who was given a lot of responsibly and forced to grow up at a young age, I completely understand this. You want to try to make everything better for others around you, you get scared when you fuck up, and you HATE when people can’t rely on you. That’s why you will never show how scared you are to fuck up. You will never let people get inside your head because if they can’t rely on you, what good are you? Breaking out of the role that everyone else gave you because they trusted you is scary and hard. 

Nico is probably the only person who knows what Will really thinks. Will trusts Nico with his anxiety and overthinking because he’s comfortable enough around him to show that side. He knows he doesn’t have to Mr. Hero in front of Nico and that’s such a precious and important bond to make with someone. 

Will was valid for being whiny and irritated for most of the book. 

First, Will has ANXIETY. If you don’t know what it’s like to live with anxiety, count yourself lucky. It feels like your thoughts are attacking you constantly. It’s like an uphill battle between rational thought and absolute chaos. I can’t get in my car without thinking of all the ways I could die before I buckle my seatbelt. Imagine going to SuperHell for the first time in your life! Not only that, but people told Will constantly that as a child of Apollo he was basically fucked. The three strongest demigods that made it back almost went insane! Of course Will is going to be upset, irrational, irritated, and uncomfortable. 

In TOA, he voiced several times how he thought it was a bad idea and that he really didn’t like it. This is not a new thing for Will’s character at all. For him to be willing to cross a line he had made concrete shows that he loves and cares for Nico. But that shouldn’t mean he isn’t allowed to be uncomfortable. 

Second, for anyone saying he could have stayed at camp instead of going has never sacrificed their comfort for someone else. There are so many instances in my life where I went way out of my comfort zone because I knew my friends/family wanted me there. Did I complain? Hell yes. Did I still do it? Hell yes! If Will had said, “Nico, I can’t do this and I refuse to at least try,” I would have lost so much respect for his character. Instead he sucked it up, even when he was already practically dying before they got there. 

Three, Will was worried about Nico. He’s never experienced Tartarus, he’s never been to the Underworld. While Will has definitely faced his share of demons, he’s never stood in Nico’s shoes. So when his boyfriend is having vivid nightmares and hearing voices, he’s going to try and rationalize it for Nico because that’s what he has done his entire life. Will is the “healer.” He is supposed to fix things, not let them traipse off to hell like it’s a vacation spot. 

Four, this is a 15 year old. Fuck, even now at the ripe ole age of 20, I’d still be shaking in my boots terrified at the thought of going somewhere that is practically a jailhouse for the worst creatures in creation. Will has little to no experience on the field (He ran from six guards without even trying to pull out a weapon. The worst thing he’s ever said to his enemies was “anemic loser” and didn’t even want to kill Octavian. Every battle before that he had an older sibling to look up to and care for him). So yeah, I’d just be a tad bit nervous and annoying.  

Will asking Persephone how to love someone from the Underworld was honest and raw. 

This scene broke me in ways I can’t even describe because of how real it felt. If you’ve ever been in a deep and caring relationship (friendship counts) you should understand. Like Persephone said, love is something you choose and it’s complicated and messy even for people who were practically made for each other. For Will to ask how to love someone from the Underworld shows that he is actively choosing to understand and love Nico. 

I get that most people interpret Will’s lines as “How do you love someone so filled with death?” but really he’s asking how do you love someone who acts like he doesn’t want to be loved? How do you love someone that pulls away from your light no matter how desperately you try to give it them? How do you love someone who hides parts of themselves from you? 

Will is a healer, he fixes things. It’s not until this scene that Will realizes the only thing Will needs to fix is his perspective on Nico. That darkness and hurt and trauma is okay. It’s also a scene where Will realizes he doesn’t have to force down his own trauma anymore. 

Will loves Nico and it’s so obvious he scared to lose him. He thinks he’s weak and broken and incapable of helping Nico escape his trauma. His insecurities shadow him and he’s confused about how to navigate this relationship because he thinks he needs to be the leader. How can he lead if Nico won’t let him? How can he help when he doesn’t know how? Persephone’s scene was Will’s chance of finding guidance from someone who could understand exactly what he’s thinking

People in their late 40′s still can’t get relationships down. Why are we pushing unrealistic relationship ideations on a 15 year old who doesn’t even know who he is yet?

Will was not useless. 

Sorry that the relationship duo isn’t Mr. Badass and Mr. Badass 2.0. Will not being a fighter is refreshing to see because honestly I’m quite tired of seeing badass couples in every book/movie. Not everyone is strong and powerful and super awesome. Will is a nerd that likes healing people. Why isn’t that enough? 

“He’s described as having muscles,” “He’s a field/combat medic,” “He fought in the wars,” “He carries people all the time,” “He trains with the Apollo cabin.” Okay and? I was raised to work hard and protect myself. I work out and I know how to use a bow and knife. Does that mean I want to? No. 

I’d also like to point out that almost everyone in camp is described as having muscles. You kind of have to when your life motto is Try not to die or get eaten. Also they train on lava walls, jump eight foot pits, and weapons. I get a little bit of muscle going on my silly little walks, I’d be fucking jacked if I was actively training. 

Second, Will has never once been described fighting monsters/demigods. I don’t doubt that he’s had a few encounters, but the boy practically specializes in RUNNING AWAY. He’s a feral little animal that finds injured demigods and sprints them away to the medic center while occasionally bashing monster heads in. He’s strong because he needs to be, not because he wants to be. Strength also doesn’t equal battle prowess. 

Not to mention, he hates killing! He didn’t want to kill Octavian despite Octavian being the actual worst. He runs away as a distraction even though he had weapons on him. He got upset when Nico threw Sherman Yang out of the chariot in TOA. Monsters are different, but monsters are also scary. Will is terrified of demon pigeons, you really think he’s willingly gonna go one-on-one with anything bigger than his pinky? 

I’ll admit, I hated that he didn’t have a weapon in Tartarus. I thought it was really stupid and out-of-character because my anxious ass would have loaded up. Still, it was kind of funny when they described Will bashing rocks over monster’s heads during their fight with Nyx. 

My final point for this: Will was Nico’s support system and that was the point. Will knew he wasn’t going to throw hands with anyone. He went because he knew Nico needed him even when Nico told him to stay. Will was going to trek through SuperHell with the love of his life and hold his hand to remind him that he was loved. Will wanted Nico to know that he’d literally go to Hell and back for him and that’s what mattered. 

Nico didn’t ask Will to be the Hero. Nico states several times that the reason he loves Will is because he wants to heal and he’s so stubborn to find the good in everything. And that’s exactly what Will did. He offered support, care, and reminders. He was going to understand and love Nico, even through the darkest parts of his life. 

Will is one of the best support systems in a PJO couple duo. 

It makes me incredibly sad to see people call Will toxic when he gave his entire life to support Nico. I won’t deny that he complained a lot and said hurtful things and that he occasionally belittles Nico’s feelings. But Will didn’t know he was doing those things. He thought he was helping Nico navigate his PTSD. How is someone who is still emotionally developing his own character supposed to know how to take care of someone else’s? 

Will also clearly showed love and affection towards Nico. He met all his friends and was polite to them even when they looked scary. Will risked his life several times before they got to Tartarus and still insisted on continuing. Built a Minecraft house for his boyfriend and left him a KitKat bar because he knew he would feel fatigued (also Will brought KitKat bars, meaning he was already thinking of Nico’s health beforehand). He tried to be useful by scouting ahead because he felt like he was being a burden on Nico. He kissed him, called him silly nicknames, hugged him, respected his boundaries (asking to hold him instead of trying to comfort him immediately), and oh yeah, went to Tartarus when he was obviously quaking in his flipflops. 

He also helped Bob when he had no idea who/what he was, comforted Nico when he was beginning to lose hope, acknowledged his mistakes and admitted he needed to try harder, realized he didn’t need to fix Nico and that his boyfriend was perfect the way he was, and learned that Nico wasn’t going to leave him. 

Love is complicated. Love is something you choose. And Will chooses to love Nico. Also for everyone saying a year is long enough to learn/realize these problems already and have them solved, you need to take the rose tinted glasses off. I’ve been with my partner for almost four years, and I’m still learning things about our relationship. We argue, we don’t always meet eye-to-eye. Our own trauma and experiences surface and it gets difficult. But do we just call it quits and throw everything into the trash? No. We talk, we problem-solve, we come back and try to understand each other even if we don’t know how to do that. A year is nothing. A year is puppy love and excitement. It’s like your favorite movie on repeat. All the problems are ignored because you don’t want to see them yet. 

So for a pair of 15 year old's who just came to terms with their sexuality, I think that they are doing pretty damn good at this love thing. 

Anyway, that’s all I really wanted to say. Even though we’ve had Will for years, we’ve never gotten to know his true character until now. It’s raw and weird and doesn’t fit the mold of Will Solace, son of Apollo we all created him to be. You can still hate his character or whatever, I’m not going to try to change your mind. But don’t hate on everyone else who loves him and loves this book. 

[ateezreactionsandscenarios]

Thousands of miles away.

Pairing: Song Mingi x Reader

Genre: Angst, Fluff

CW: None.

Word Count: 2545

Summary: Going away for uni resulted in you and Mingi breaking off your relationship thinking it would be the easier thing to do for the both of you. You were wrong. Neither of you got over the break up and seeing each other again when you return home brings back old memories, memories you don’t want to have to stay in the past.

Part of StayTeez Trope’pril

Prompt List         Series Masterlist       MasterList         Buy me a Coffee

Walking down the street you continue to take in deep breaths of the Seoul air, happy to finally be home. You’d been away for 3 years with university and now with no more work to do and graduation over with you were finally free to go home. You’d missed everything about Seoul so much so you asked your cab to drop you off a few streets away from your apartment, even though it meant lugging everything you own behind you, you didn’t care the breeze hitting your face as you walked felt like a warm blanket of comfort.

You had a slight spring in your step as you walked past the all too familiar buildings but a sinking feeling started to weight on you, you were home, yes, but you were missing one vital part of your life, your boyfriend, now ex boyfriend. The thought of having to see him again hurt you, it wasn’t like it was a messy break up but that’s what made it so much harder for you.

You and Mingi had a mutual break up. The day before you were flying out for uni was the day you called it quits, the distance was going to be too much for the both of you, being thousands of miles away from each other. You knew he wasn’t going to be happy and you didn’t want to hold him back so breaking up seemed like the only option. It was a mess of tears and long hugs and you both swore you’d remain friends and you have in some way, but your main communication with each other had been through the group chat you had with the rest of your friends. 

Stepping into your apartment you took a moment to throw your things to one side and look around the space you truly called home. A small smile crept onto your face as your eyes scan every tiny detail, the small stain on your couch from where Yunho had spilt his spaghetti one night, the cabinet door that was still slightly hanging off that you never got around to fixing and most of all the photos you had scattered over your fridge of your friend group, all the guys you called your brothers...and Mingi. 

Just as the memories of your time with Mingi started to come flooding back your thoughts were halted when your phone went off.

[4:23 pm] Baby Bear 🐻: TOUCHDOWN!!!!

[4:23 pm] Baby Bear 🐻: Welcome home y/n!!!!!!

Your mood brightens upon seeing Jongho's text, seeing how he was clearly excited to have you back and how despite you being away for so long your friendship never changed.

[4:25 pm] Y/n: Thank you Jongho, I've missed you guys so much.

[4:26 pm] Baby Bear 🐻: Well lucky for you we've decided you're coming over tonight, call it a welcome home party.

You weren't really up for partying, you'd just come off a 10 hour flight and lugged your bags halfway across the neighbourhood so the thought of being around a load of drunk people wasn't something you found tempting.

[4:28 pm] Y/n : Jongho, as much as I appreciate that I'm really not down for a party, I'm so tired.

[4:28 pm] Baby Bear 🐻: Party was probably the wrong word to use, we just want you to come over and hangout for a little while, we've missed you and we just want to say welcome home.

Your heart swelled, you couldn't say no now. As much as you'd love to unpack, have a shower and lay on the couch all night you knew they missed you just as much as you missed them, so a few hours wouldn't hurt. You quickly drop him another text telling him you'll unpack and shower then make your way over.

Jongho was the first one to meet you at the door, greeting you with the biggest smile you’ve ever seen and a hug, which really took you by surprise. The others were sat in the living room cheering as you walked inside before each getting up to greet you with a hug. 

“It’s so good to have you back.” San beamed giving you a tight squeeze.

“Never leave us again, got it?” Seonghwa warns, waving a finger in your face.

“The kids too much for you to handle on your own Hwa?” You laugh looking around to see Yunho’s offended face.

“I’ll have you know I’m a hoot.” He pipes up defensively earning a giggle and a nod from you.

“I know you are Yu, I’m only playing.” 

You were about to start catching up with everyone until Mingi walked in from the kitchen. Your heart fell to your feet when your eyes landed on him. He hadn’t changed a bit, still the gentle giant from before with such a welcoming smile. You wanted to push through everyone to run over to hug him and never let go...but you both weren’t like that anymore, he may not have changed but your relationship had and it hurt. 

The room fell silent, the others looking between you and Mingi not knowing what to do or say, the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. You and Mingi didn’t say a word to each other but some how you both knew what the other wanted to say, it was like you were having a telepathic conversation only you two knew about. Seonghwa cleared his throat breaking the two of you out of your trances.

“So...pizza good with everyone?” He asked waving his phone as everyone nods in agreement.

“Pleeease, I’m starving.” Wooyoung whines, and just like that the atmosphere was back to normal, everyone laughing and taking a seat.

It wasn’t long before 4 large pizza boxes turned up, Hongjoong running to the kitchen for plates and Yeosang placing the boxes on the floor in front of everyone so they could all help themselves. This is what you missed the most the last 3 years you’d been gone, yes you made friends in uni but none of them were like the guys, you couldn’t sit in the middle of the living room floor, pizza boxes everywhere and talk shit for hours. This was home.

“Y/n, you need to tell us, what was uni like, is it the same as it is in the movies?” Hongjoong asked with a mouth full of pizza.

“Well I guess it depends, some people get the movie experience, all the parties and such but for me not so much, I did go to a few parties but not that many.”

“Ah stuck in her books like usual.” Yeosang quips, giving you a little nudge.

“Yeah a lot of my time was spent studying, at one point I was so close to dropping out but I knew I had to stick with it.”

“And now look at you, you have a degree in history, we’re proud of you y/n we really are.” Seonghwa says smiling at you like a proud mother making you melt from his sweetness.

You were about to tell them more stories about uni until you got distracted, almost jumping out of your skin when you felt something brush against your arm making you yell out in surprise.

“San you got a cat and didn’t tell me!?” 

“Oh yeah sorry, y/n meet my fur baby Byeol, she’s not usually like this with people she doesn’t know so she must like you.” The Siamese chirped at the sound of her name before running over to San to nuzzle her face against his hand.

“She’s adorable San, but I’m still mad you didn’t send photos of her.” 

The rest of the night consisted of everyone telling various stories, catching you up on all you missed, but the whole time you couldn’t help but steal glances at Mingi, you tried to be discreet but he caught you from time to time, but that’s okay, you caught him too. It was like you were both secretly taking in the other’s features, like you wanted to permanently burn them into your memories.  

With food finished and conversation lulling to general chit chat you decide now is the time to take your leave. You didn’t forget about the chore of fully unpacking and getting settled back in. 

“I’m gonna head out now guys, I’ve still got a lot of unpacking to do.” You announce getting to your feet and having a quick stretch before you were tackled onto the couch behind you as Wooyoung and Seonghwa dive onto you pulling you into a hug. 

“Come on guys, lets not break her on her first day back.” Hongjoong laughs patting the other two on the shoulders coaxing them to get off you. Back on your feet again you’re swarmed by the rest of them, getting dragged into the centre of a big group hug as they all say how much they’ve missed you. 

 Grabbing your bag you say your last goodbyes as you head out the door, smiling to see how they all piled in the doorway to be able to see you off. You were halfway down the corridor when you could hear someone running towards you, turning back to see who it was you were met with Mingi.

“Mingi...hi.” You say a little surprised.

“Can I walk you home?” 

“It’s okay, you don’t need to do that for me anymore...remember?” You reply hanging your head slightly, not wanting to meet his eyes.

“I know, but it’s dark, I don’t want you walking home alone and neither would the guys.” There was no use in you arguing about it since he was already following you, walking not to close as to make you uncomfortable but not too far away so it looks like you weren’t walking together.

“Okay then I’ll let you walk me home...thank you.” He gave you a small smile in return and continued to follow you in the direction to your apartment.

The walk home was short and you dare say a little tense. Neither of you spoke a word the rest of the way, only exchanging glances now and again just like you’d been doing all night. You wanted to talk to him, about anything, but the words were always caught in your throat as your mind drifted back to how things used to be between you and how they’re so different now.

“Do you want to come in for a bit?” You ask, stepping up to the door of your apartment building. Mingi looked at you with a stunned expression, he wanted nothing more than to spend more time with you but he didn’t know if he should.

“I don’t want to intrude.” 

“It’s fine really, I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t okay with it.” You chuckle. Mingi nods and steps up to the door with you following you inside. Walking through the building Mingi kept looking around with a hint of a smile on his face as he thought back on all the times he’d been down the same corridors and how everything still looks the same 3 years later. You couldn’t hide the smile that grew on your face too when you noticed him. 

“Please excuse the mess, Jongho didn’t give me much time to unpack.” You 

You both step into your apartment and his smile fades quickly. His eyes scanned over the bare apartment, it was something he wasn’t used to, the space was usually filled with your laughter and warm smile but now it just looked cold. 

“What’s up?” You ask turning to see the glum look on his face.

“Hmm, oh nothing, just the place looks bare, I’m not used to it looking like this.” He sighs in response taking another look around. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know that wasn’t what was bothering him. You give him a look that tells him you’re not happy with the answer and pull him over to the couch to talk properly.

“Mingi, what’s really going on?” He’ll take a shaky breath, trying to push down all the emotions that want to spill out.

“I wish things were different.” He started. You had a feeling where this was going and you wanted more than anything to hear how he was feeling.

“For the last three years I’ve been kicking myself for being such a coward. When you were leaving and mentioned us breaking up I thought it would have been the easier option for both of us, no anxiety over if the other had moved on or not, the loneliness, all of it, I thought it would have been easier...I was wrong.” He stops for a second, a tear falling from his eye for it to be quickly wiped away as he tries to keep a strong face.

“I should have said no, I should have made the effort to keep you, but instead I agreed on the so-called easy way out.” You slide your hand over his, holding it lightly while he squeezes yours in return. The feeling of your hand in his again felt like old times.

“It wasn’t easy for me either Mingi, I got on the plane that day knowing you weren’t going to be there when I landed and you weren’t going to be there when I came back either.” You start to sniff away your own tears but fail miserably as they start to trail down your cheeks.

“You know y/n....Seeing you again brought everything back.” Your heart stopped for a second as you brought your blurry, tear filled eyes to look at Mingi.

“It brought back all the good times, all the memories of us, all the feelings I thought were gone...they all came back the moment I saw you again.” The raw emotion you were both feeling took over him, not giving you a second to even utter out a squeak before he crashed his lips into yours. 

In that moment it was like the last three years never happened. You kissed each other just like how you used to, pouring every once of love and affection you had for each other into the kiss as your lips moulded perfectly together, just like they always had. 

Wrapping your arms around his neck you pull him impossibly closer to you, not wanting to let go of him ever again. The need to breath was creeping up but you didn’t care, if you died from lack of oxygen all because you were too busy kissing him then you’d be okay with that, you’d rather go out that way than have to let him go again. 

Mingi was the one to break the kiss, breathlessly smiling to himself as he sees you lean into him, chasing his lips for more. This is what he’d been missing all those years, the way you’d look at him with full adoration, like he was the only one in the world. He brushes a stray hair behind your ear before holding your face in his hand.

“Do you still have a place in your life for me?” As the question left his lips he could feel his stomach tie up in anxious knots hoping you don’t turn him down.

“Still? Mingi you always have a place in my life, even when I was away you were all I thought about.” That was enough confirmation for him. His lips met yours and this time it didn’t seem either of you were breaking it. He had you back at long last, back where you belonged, with him in his arms. Home.

Tag List:  @stardragongalaxy   @kpopjust4u @whatudowhennooneseesyou @8tinytings   @jenotation @grim-adventures58 @owjohny   @ker1   @tinkerbell460   @haylstoney   @scuzmunkie   @halesandy @multihunbun   @kodzukein   @maskedmochii   @woosannie   @hellomingi

[softpadawan]

Where's the nsfw stuff?

Sigh.

I was going to ignore this ask, but then I decided this is a perfect opportunity to unpack one of the bigger problems creators are facing in fandom today, namely entitled consumers (not fans) of their work, who expect a constant stream of new content without giving anything in return. 

Let’s begin with this simple formula: if you like something an artist has created and want to see more of it, then you should:

Comment on and publicly bookmark the content (AO3)

Reblog the content (Tumblr)

In other words, anon, you have to support them. You’re going to have to put in a little effort, which isn’t asking much considering the much greater effort it takes authors and artists to make the content you enjoy so much. 

Likes on Tumblr don’t do shit; reblogging is the only way to be seen. Private bookmarks on AO3 don’t do shit. Comments make an author’s day, even one liners like “I really loved this” or a keyboard smash with a little heart on the end. A simple “thank you for writing and sharing” is a great way to endear yourself to an author. 

How long does it take to leave a 4-word comment? A few seconds? Reblogging a post takes literally one second, maybe a few more if you add some nice tags (yes, we see those too). To compare, how long does it take an author to plot, draft, write, edit, and post a 5000-word story? Or an artist to draw a fully colored and rendered piece of art? NSFW art can take even longer, because finding the right pose and drawing anatomy is more challenging. 

Almost all of us creators have jobs or education or health issues or real life obligations that prevent us from being able to devote all our free time to writing or drawing. They are our hobbies, the things we do to unwind and give our lives a little zazz. Many fan authors and fan artists receive no financial compensation for their work. They make it for free and share it with others in the hopes that their creations will be enjoyed by others and people will send them a little feedback about how much they liked them. That is the only payment some of us get. 

Do you know the difference between a consumer and a fan, anon? A consumer is someone who takes and takes and never gives back, someone who follows an artist on social media without ever interacting with them, who never reblogs or retweets that artist’s work, never comments, but only clicks the “like” button and moves on, and then later wonders why that artist has stopped making art for X thing.

A fan is someone who is enthusiastic and supportive, who will leave a few positive words when they can, who reblogs and comments. A fan is thankful, and so are we creators when we find people like this—we’ve got a live one, boys! Many of them become our friends, and we go on to have epic chats and brainstorming sessions and share ideas, which in turn generates more art than there would have been without this friendship. 

This is the heart and guts of fandom itself. This mingling and sharing, this love fest between artists and authors and gifmakers and photoeditors and fans who can’t do any of that but love to see the stuff their friends make, and they hit that reblog button and leave comments and click that little heart when they’re making a bookmark on AO3 to show just how much they loved it.

We creators see that. And it validates us. We’re not alone! Someone out there enjoys this thing as much as I do, and holy shit they reblogged it too! And now other people are seeing it! Asdf;lkjs;ljdf;lsajd

If creators never receive feedback or have their work shared, then they have no idea if their audience is enjoying their work. Or if they even have an audience. If you don’t engage and interact with creators, very few of them are going to create more stuff. Why should they? They have no incentive beyond whatever love compelled them to create in the first place.

If you want writers and artists to keep creating the content you enjoy, SUPPORT them. Reblog. Comment. Bookmark. You never know if you’re going to make someone’s day—or a new friend.

[blu-joons]

When He Realises That You’re The One ~ Stray Kids Reaction

Bang Chan:

There was almost a frown on Chan’s face as he pulled up outside your apartment after having you at the dorm for a week. All whilst you packed, he was fine, but suddenly knowing that goodbye was looming was uncomfortable for him.

You were a little agitated too, but Chan particularly was struggling to deal with knowing that he was about to head back to the dorm without you there, something that he was definitely starting to get used to.

Once the car stopped, you reached back to where your bag was on the back seat. “I’ve had the best week staying with you Chan.”

“Let’s not wait too long to do it again,” he murmured in reply to you, “you know if I had it my way I’d be moving you into that dorm today and never let you go again.”

“One day,” you tried your best to reassure him, “unfortunately you’ve got seven other people we need to be considerate of.”

“I know,” Chan reluctantly agreed, “but after this week, I can’t wait until the two of us have a place of our own Y/N.”

“Me too, I can’t wait for that too.”

Lee Know:

After yet another long and busy day, your presence was the only thing that Minho needed. His smile hadn’t been as wide as it was for a long time as he saw you waiting for him, excited to see him on stage again.

It was a secret you had kept for quite some time, keen to surprise Minho. You never failed to support him, show up when he least expected you, but at the same time the times when he needed you.

You could feel the relief in Minho as soon as he pulled you into a hug. “Surprise,” you laughed, resting in against his chest.

“I was just thinking about you earlier,” Minho gently chuckled in reply to you. “I really didn’t have much motivation for this show today, it’s as if you just knew.”

“Maybe we’ve got some sort of sixth sense,” you joked, “I must just know you so well now, I know when you need me too.”

“I can’t wait to perform tonight now,” Minho chuckled, “in fact, I think that I just love performing in front of you.”

“And I love being in the crowd too.”

Changbin:

His smile was wide as a knock at the studio door came, glancing back to see you staring back at him. As ever for him, the butterflies came, his stomach knotted as he saw the bags that you held whilst opening the door.

The gesture may have been small, but as ever it seemed to touch Changbin. The way that you cared was something that he never ignored, and definitely something that he never took for granted at the same time too.

His eyes lit up as you began to unpack the bags that you brought. “I thought seeing as you’re working so hard I’d stop by.”

“This is exactly what I needed,” Changbin sighed, grabbing one of the containers and bringing it in front of him. “Did you really bring all of this for me?”

“Of course,” you smiled, “I had a feeling that you wouldn’t be taking care of yourself properly, and I was definitely right too.”

“I’ve been so busy,” Changbin explained, “I guess I’m just lucky to have you here taking care of me instead.”

“I try my best to do just that.”

Hyunjin:

His eyes watched you carefully as you moved around the bedroom, completing your routine to a tee, just like you did every night. It was normal for you both, a norm that made Hyunjin feel content, and incredibly settled.

He never imagined himself being able to relax, to lay down in bed and feel at home. You seemed to just get him, know how to make him click and make even the simplest of things feel like a rush for Hyunjin.

You couldn’t help but laugh when you turned around and noticed Hyunjin watching you. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Just because,” Hyunjin whispered, not quite realising that he was staring. “It’s just funny watching you concentrate and get yourself all sorted for bed.”

“I’m not doing anything out of the ordinary,” you responded, shaking your head across at him, “you’re so weird.”

“Weird for you,” he replied with a chuckle, “maybe that’s why I can’t help but smile, you make things normal.”

“You definitely sound like you’re sleepy.”

Han:

It wasn’t a particularly funny joke that Jisung told, and yet for some reason you reacted. You couldn’t help but laugh, knowing it wasn’t that funny either, somehow Jisung still just found a way to tickle you.

The smile on your face was all that he wanted to see, especially knowing that he was responsible for it too. The constant comfort and warmth that he got from your smile, whether he was funny or not, he adored.

Once you had stopped smiling, you finally looked across at Jisung properly. “I don’t even get why that was so funny.”

“It’s funny because I told it,” Jisung smirked, knowing exactly what you were like, “I bet if anyone else had told that joke, you wouldn’t have reacted.”

“You’re probably right,” you agreed with him, “you just find a way to always get my funny bones, like it’s so easy for you to do.”

“That’s because it is,” Jisung smiled, “that’s why I know we work so well together, we make each other smile.”

“You’re definitely right there.”

Felix:

You were distant as you scrolled through your phone, the only thing that came from you being the odd snigger that came from you as you watched a couple of the videos that came up in your suggested feed.

You were completely unaware of Felix’s eyes watching you as you scrolled, unaware of the smile on his face or the colour of his eyes as he admired your laughter, knowing that it was a sound that he’d never tire of.

When you found a moment to pause, your eyes looked across at Felix. “You should watch this video, it’s so funny Felix.”

“What is it?” He asked as you moved across the room to sit beside him, his arm immediately wrapping around you. “It must be funny to tickle you.”

“Anything tickles me,” you sniggered in reply to him, “but I still don’t think that anything makes me laugh as much as you do.”

“That’s because there’s no one that I enjoy making laugh as much as I enjoy doing so to you,” Felix smiled in reply.

“You’re getting so soft these days.”

Seungmin:

A chuckle came from Seungmin as you showed him the banner that you had made in preparation for the concert. You were desperate to find a way to make sure that he would be able to spot you in amongst the crowd.

What you had come up with was perfect in his eyes, but as he saw the efforts that you went through, he knew he didn’t need a banner to be able to spot you in the crowd, he was always drawn to you.

You held it up above your head, showing Seungmin how you would be. “Do you think this is eye catching enough for you?”

“Just you is eye catching enough for me,” Seungmin laughed in reply, “but this is the perfect way for me to make sure that I end up finding you in the crowd tomorrow.”

“Will they let me in with it?” You then asked, “they won’t think I’m some crazy superfan that they need to have security watching.”

“No way,” Seungmin responded, “because I will make sure that all of them know exactly who you are tomorrow night.”

“I’ll be your biggest fan there.”

I.N:

The smile on your face was everything that Jeongin needed as exhaustion began to get the better of him. Somehow you just seemed to find the way to make him smile, without even realising that you had been doing anything to help.

It was instinct for you to be there for Jeongin when you noticed his tears beginning to fall, and whilst normally he was left all alone, having you there and listening to the things that you said was exactly what he needed.

The feeling of your hand against his cheek was what brought Jeongin back into the room. “Are you feeling a little bit better now?”

“I am,” he whispered, slightly taken aback by how comforted he felt by having you in front of him, never realising until now what it was that he needed all along.”

“Things will get easier at work you know,” you continued to try and reassure Jeongin, “they work you hard because you’re so good.”

“You’re right,” Jeongin agreed, a gentle chuckle coming from him too, “you always know the right things to say, don’t you?”

“I try my best to be helpful.”

---

Masterlist

[itsclydebitches]

Nitpick November

Okay, this is an ancient nitpick now and I’m like 95% sure I already ranted wrote about it in a previous year, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Why oh why didn’t we learn what Ruby bought at the gift shop?

This is a fantastic, lighthearted moment in an otherwise depressing Volume! It shows off the characters’ personalities in a natural way, helping to distinguish what will quickly become a fairly homogenous group! Ruby is spending her money (Qrow’s money?) buying gifts for her teammates. Weiss thinks it’s all a waste of time (getting annoyed over inconsequential dolt stuff to hide how anxious she is about returning to Atlas). Yang is actually acting like a sister, getting playfully mad that Ruby won’t say what she got her and making a grab for the bag. “You’ll have to wait and see~”

Except Yang - and the audience - never get to find out what Ruby chose for her. It’s like a domestic Chekhov’s gun, but the included element is actually inconsequential. You wanted the story to follow up on a question it posed, one another character expressed enthusiastic interest in? Lol don’t be ridiculous.

The fact that RWBYOQ seem to have lost all their luggage (except the bike) and never comment on that is downright weird to me. Yang rants about gaining a “defenseless old lady,” but not that they presumably lost whatever was in the 9+ bags they were traveling with.

Which, given that they expected to have a nice, leisurely, day long ride into Argus on an otherwise dangerous quest, most likely includes things like dust and weapons supplies. You know, the important stuff a huntress would miss when suddenly stranded in hostile territory.

Give us a bonding moment where Ruby tells Yang what her gift was in an effort to cheer her up. Add tension to their travels by limiting the means with which they have to defend themselves. Hell, give a meh, but technically believable line about how gee golly gosh, we sure are glad everything we were traveling with was up front with JNR. I’m sure they’ll have it all unpacked at whatever safe house we’re heading towards. Oh look, there we go. Here’s your gift, Yang!

As always, the most annoying part is that RWBY’s nitpicks are, often, not actually nitpicks. The show forgot Ruby’s shopping spree in the Argus train station. Okay, big deal. Problem is, the show forgot everything else that happened in the station too.

Like the letter Qrow sent to Ironwood, the one that goes a long way towards explaining his increase in security (among every other justification) and providing the group with a means of entering Atlas if they just show a little patience. It would be real silly for our conflicts to revolve around entering the city + the group’s cliff-hanger shock at Ironwood defending his Kingdom + then seguing into total suspicion of the general when Qrow started the Volume with a letter that boiled down to “Things are awful and if you get this first, oopsies, things likely got worse and you’re on your own.”

Or, a revision:

“Dear James,

Things are really fucking bad right now! Worse even than you’re hearing and definitely worse than is safe to say over mail. So we’re coming to you. Trains are faster than letters, so if you get this first then, uh, something bad probably happened to us? Like, I don’t know, we got stranded in the woods with apathy-inducing grimm. Or something. Just tell your people to be on the lookout for wandering huntsmen because you’re smart enough to realize that getting this letter before we show up is a #BadSign.

You and I, we’ve had a playfully antagonistic, but ultimately respectful relationship over the years, which is why I’m warning you ahead of time. I look forward to resuming our partnership. I definitely don’t plan to become so randomly suspicious of you that I try to live in Atlas as a fugitive, then return your hug, then lie to you for weeks, then trust you again, then decide you need to die for my own stupidity. That would be wild, right?

See you soon!

Love,

Qrow

P.S. I bet Ruby bought you something at the gift shop. She’s a nice kid and would definitely want to thank the guy who gave her beloved sister a state-of-the-art arm, helping to bring her out of the depression that Ruby then had intense guilt over leaving her in to hunt a power-hungry murderer. Something to look forward to!”

[secretgamergirl]

Actually, ALL the things you’ve picked up from TERFs about trans people are blatant lies, not just the things from after you caught on to what ridiculous hatemongers they are.

So the other day I saw someone talking about a piece of media that chose to indicate a character was trans by having that character’s bedroom decorated with some trans pride stuff and one of that characters parents’ having a little solidarity pin too to show that we’re going for “cool little fact you might not know” and not “tragic secret” with it. Responses to this had a lot of trans people cheering because hey that’s some nice clear cut representation, in a way that’s both totally unambiguous and realistic, while avoiding all the stupid crap cis people try when they go for positive trans representation like having a characters go around telling everyone their deadnames or casting people in drag or whatever, BUT there were also a ton of people responding to this, and not just bigots either, just absolutely losing their minds and bending over backwards to think of why a cis character would have a bedroom full of trans pride stuff, because the idea of this character they liked and thought was cool being trans just was not compatible with some unexamined BS or other they’d all internalized. So... let’s unpack that maybe?

So, trans people have been around for as long as people have been around. We’ve been over this plenty of times. Have a quick little video of things you can go look up if you need a refresher though.

It’s not impossible that transphobes have also been around forever, here and there. It’s baked into colonialism where like, we have the term “missionary sex” because creepy zealots went all over the world threatening and blackmailing people to only have sex in that position and they call it their “mission.” And there was the whole attempted total eradication of us by the nazis and all. Typically though these seems to come across in this very openly right-wing authoritarian “the very fact that you exist contradicts the collection of weird fantasies I need to believe to avoid the reality where I’m a pathetic idiot.”

In the grand scheme of things, the TERF approach of going “oh I’m actually a real bleeding heart feminist scientist who cares about children and the environment and it just turns out that when you really look at the data that I totally obtained through the actual scientific method and didn’t just completely pull out of my ass and counting on nobody ever asking me for sources unfortunately says trans people are baby-eating rapists with hulk powers who have infiltrating every position of power and influence, honest!” That one’s relatively new.

I’d hope that these days, it’s easy for most people to see through that. Like yeah, the real hardcore fascists will pretend to believe such propaganda is on the level in order to help push through new kinds of discrimination and rationalizations for violence, but anyone with a functioning contest and critical thinking skills isn’t generally too far away from seeing how these people just talk like the nazis they are when they aren’t actively drafting propaganda pieces, or there will be some virality to something like this-

...or this...

... or one of those “Parker Posie” videos where she’s just like cheering at a crowd of armed nazis and encouraging them to go on killing sprees, and when you see that stuff you hopefully go “hmm... maybe the violent people who can’t stop talking about showing porn to toddlers aren’t on the level, and I shouldn’t trust their completely unhinged claims that the trans mafia are kidnapping children and replacing their genitals with grenade launchers or whatever.”

But that kinda relies on “being extremely online” and seeing the weird violent fantasies juxtaposed with the propaganda pieces citing the made up studies and such. And while this is a relatively new approach like I said, that’s relative to... the whole history of humanity. This particular tactic got started around the 70s or so, and back then, you absolutely didn’t see the terrifying mask-off moments. For that matter, you didn’t see the absurd propaganda pieces either. They didn’t really have the means to get those out to the public like they do now.

So the main way people used to get familiar with this sort of thing was, some foaming at the mouth bigot writes their big scaremongering screed and gets it printed in some unscrupulous magazine or whatever. Then some screenwriter looking for inspiration stumbles across that and goes, “ooh, I can sensationalize this weirdness to make this exploitation thriller I’m working on feel like it’s grounded in something,” and tada, here’s half a century of movies and TV filtering the absolutely bonkers propaganda and convincing the average person a typical trans woman is like a linebacker who just busted out of a mental institution treating some weird multiple identities time-sharing a single body disorder caused by Some People Are Just Born Crazy Syndrome who then immediately put on a slinky black dress and started murdering women to steal their pituitary glands to make love potions and maybe also skinning them to make bodysuits, then seducing men so they become gay or something.

Anyway, that’s all exactly as made up as the grenade launcher thing. Trans people don’t have weird brain problems, aren’t sex weirdos, aren’t serial killers, aren’t crossdressers, or any of a dozen other lies that were taught to you as facts your whole life. Please get over all that nonsense conditioning and reach a point where you understand there is no inherent conflict between being trans and being a tiny acrobatic girl with cool hair or whatever. That’s a weird thing to be unable to square in your mind.

[thebibliomancer]

Essential Avengers: West Coast Avengers #18: Lost in Space-Time, Part Two: TIME WAS...

March, 1987

Trapped in the OLD WEST -- it’s a SHOWDOWN -- up against the WILDEST OUTLAWS of the 1870′s!

Dangit, Englehart! You just wanted to do another cowboy story, didn’t you?

This man just can’t get enough of cowboys. He crammed one into the Celestial Madonna Saga aftermath too.

At least this trip to the olde times seems to have a more colorful cast and no Kang. I hope no Kang. I’m still Kanged out from that big Kang story that had all the Kangs.

Anyway.

Last time on West Coast Avengers: Hawkeye decided to recruit Firebird for the West Coast Avengers and took the team to go look for her. Instead of her, the team found some desert themed villains and their boss Dominus. Dominus tricked the West Coast Avengers into stepping on Dr Doom’s time machine and sends them back in time to get them out of his hair.

Meanwhile, Hank Pym stayed home to try to kill himself but Firebird (actually she’s calling herself La Espirita now) shows up and stops him by telling him the good news about Jesus. I’m exaggerating a little BUT ONLY A LITTLE.

See?

Over a two-page spread specifically to annoy me, La Espirita unpacks her less Jesusy argument in favor of life.

Although, Bonita has gotten even more into Jesus while she’s been off-page.

She tells Hank that he’s not a failure and she knows because she studied the Avengers’ files!

The coolest Avengers adjacent people are the ones who do the homework.

She points to his discovery of the Pym Particles, how he became Ant-Man, how he mastered robotics and invented Ultron-1.

Uh, hey, Bonita? That’s a bit of a sore spot?

And Hank argues that all of his accomplishments are so far back that he hardly remembers those days. He sidelined science to make superheroism his main goal and then he blew it!

La Espirita: “There’s always hope! Maybe you just didn’t do it right!”

Hank Pym: “‘Didn’t do it right’?! I did it four different ways!”

La Espirita: “But you tried to be a type of hero not in tune with your nature! You must try to be a hero as you are!”

Hank Pym: “What? The Amazing Lab-Man?”

La Espirita: “No! But use your skills as god gave them to you! Don’t try to be an Avenger like all the others! Be unique because you are unique! I came back to this compound to see the Avengers -- but I’ll stay to help you reclaim your life!”

Oh, so I guess she wasn’t just lurking in the bushes waiting to play guardian angel.

If the West Coast Avengers had waited a day, Bonita would have come to them and they wouldn’t be going on a cowboy adventure.

Makes you think.

And she’s given Hank a lot to think about too. When he protests that she doesn’t even know him, she replies “you’re a child of god, Hank -- as are we all!” and Hank throws down the gun and starts crying.

Now the healing can begin, I guess?

This is a weird subplot.

I guess I should just be glad that comics are mostly background radiation religious because otherwise I’m half expecting Hank to come out of this born again. Even though that’s not Bonita’s religion.

Anyway, the West Coast Avengers got sent back to cowboy times, right?

Well, they don’t know that yet.

They’ve just arrived in the stereotypical desert and are trying to get their bearings/having a breakdown.

Iron Man: “We’ve stopped!”

Wonder Man: “But when -- and where?”

Mockingbird: “Yes -- when? This could be prehistory! This could be any time -- there’s no way to tell in this desert! S.H.I.E.L.D. trained me in hard science, Clint -- not time travel -- !”

She’s been pretty chill about her life being comic book ridiculous but this is where she draws the line.

Hawkeye disagrees. This is all a perfectly logical chain of events to him! Which he ‘proves’ by recapping the previous issue.

Y’know, chased those four desert themed villains to a cave, met an alien spy, stood in a specific spot, sent back in time.

Nothing overwhelming there!

Mockingbird: “Oh, thank you, honey -- I understand everything now -- !”

But what she’s really thinking, in a thought bubble is: Maybe when I’ve been an Avenger as long as he has, I’ll think a story like that is logical -- but I doubt it!

Anyway, thank goodness they have Tony Stark, Iron Man, here to something something time travel!

Iron Man: “Well, any machine that Victor Von Doom can build, Tony Stark can operate -- so let me have a look at the controls -- ! Sure... there’s the temporal displace... the V.B.L. link...”

Cool technobabble, Tony.

Wonder Man Simon Williams gets annoyed with Tony here for JUST ASSUMING that he’s the only science guy here! Dangit, Simon used to science too! Sure, he seemingly hasn’t done any science in years and instead of getting back into science, he decided to become an actor but HOW DARE they not ask Wonder Man to do a science thing!

Wonder Man: They all ignored me when I was a coward, but now that I’ve gotten self-confidence, and Hollywood stardom -- Wonder Man’s getting tired of playing a supporting role!

So when Tony declares that the time machine is broken so that it can only go backwards in time and is skeptical about whether it can be repaired, Simon jumps in declaring he’ll take a look at it.

Wonder Man: “Let me take my turn at it, Iron Man! Simon Williams gave Stark International a good run for its money once!”

Iron Man: “ -- Until Stark International put you out of business -- ! Sure, Simon -- be my guest!”

Haha, ouch, Tony!

Still annoyed that Simon dissed the original Avengers and indirectly called you old, huh?

Before Simon can start trying to science harder than Tony, the West Coast Avengers hear a YA-HOOOO! beyond a nearby ridge. A YA-HOOOO! that Hawkeye recognizes.

Hey, it’s the Rawhide Kid, the Two-Gun Kid, and Ghost Rider (but not the motorcycle guy)!

So now the West Coast Avengers know they’re in the Old West. Handy that there were a bunch of cowboys around this specific middle of nowhere.

These specific cowboys are even engaged in very cowboy activities when the Avengers spot them. Hawkeye even suggests that the Avengers hang back and just let them cowboys cowboy.

Rawhide Kid kicks ass despite being a shortie, Two-Gun Kid shoots three guns out of three guys’ hands, and Ghost Rider lets himself get shot so the bullet can pass harmlessly through him.

Just normal, typical cowboy activity like never actually shooting bullets into a person.

After the... uh I don’t know if they were bandits or what they were up to but they sure get chased off. And while watching them go, Two-Gun spots the (West Coast) Avengers and gets really excited.

He gallops his horse forward to greet his “pard” Hawkeye.

Hawkeye catches his old pard up on what’s up with Hawkeye. Now there’s two whole Avengers teams, Hawkeye is leading one, and he married Mockingbird.

Iron Man is pretty excited to meet the Rawhide Kid because he’s read alllll the dime novels written about him!

Rawhide Kid: “G’wan -- who’d wanna write about a cowpoke like me?”

Steve Englehart holding up his hand, jumping up and down excitedly.

Anyway, Two-Gun exposits that in the Olde West it is now 1876, three years after the last time Hawkeye was back in past times and two years after Two-Gun went back to the past after getting his fill of the future/present.

And he explains that those dudes they were just fighting were robbing a stagecoach and working for several gang leaders who are the cowboy equivalent of supervillains.

There’s Iron Mask, the man in the iron mask who is invulnerable because he’s wearing an iron mask.

I don’t see how it matters. These good cowboys don’t seem to shoot anybody in the body anyway.

There’s Hurricane, a quick-draw guy in a snazzy shirt.

The Rattler, who brings the power of acrobatics to Old West crime.

Red Raven (yum?) who can fly thanks to a flying harness apparently made by I dunno some First Nations group or other.

Doctor Danger, Owner of Magnet.

And a guy who calls himself the Fat Man, who has a boomerang.

They were apparently inspired somehow by the stories of the cowboys and Avengers assault on Castle Kang.

The Sinister Six these ain’t. Hell, they ain’t even the Legion of Losers.

I do appreciate that their “powers” are kept within the realm of cowboy action. But Rattler and Red Raven (yum) break the aesthetic by having costumes indistinguishable from modern superhero/villain tights. They needed something more of the time period.

I imagine these outlaws having powers like “owns a magnet” is why Wonder Man is excusing himself from the plot. Iron Man could already mop up this whole group on his own; having Iron Man and Wonder Man would be over over kill kill.

So Wonder Man is going to fly off with the time machine and take it to the local blacksmith to help him repair it because he’s very sure he can do a better job than Iron Man can can.

(Part of the reason why Wonder Man thinks he can do a better job is that Doom’s time machine was invented around the time Simon Wonder Williams was in business with Williams Manufacturing. Sure, Simon hasn’t kept his hand in the science game but maybe that’s an advantage? Because Tony is probably getting himself confused by knowing about later technology. Except you’d think the time machine would be ahead of its time since I’m pretty sure that in the 60s, THE TIME MACHINE WASN’T A COMMON TECHNOLOGY.)

Anyway.

Since Wonder Man is going to be working on the time machine and the West Coast Avengers don’t have anything better to do, Hawkeye decides the team will help take down the Sarsaparilla Swilling Six, or whatever they call themselves.

Iron Man agrees with the decision on the basis that it will keep their minds off being TRAPPED IN THE PAST FOREVER.

Tigra volunteers to ride with Rawhide Kid and immediately starts flirting, to his consternation.

It’s going to be later revealed that he’s gay. That’s not relevant but I just remembered it. He gets a Marvel MAX miniseries.

Mockingbird rides with Ghost Rider But The Cowboy One Not The Skeleton Man.

Hawkeye rides with Two-Gun so the two pards can catch up. They’re good pards.

And Iron Man flies ahead to see if he can spot the outlaws. I don’t know how heavy his armor is and I don’t know if he can ride a horse but anyway they’re out of horses.

He’s uneasy about being trapped in the past but he’s actually more uneasy that Wonder Man will show him up by fixing the time machine where Tony couldn’t.

Iron Man: “So much for being the more mature member of the team!”

Hey, admitting it is the first step. To something. I dunno.

Anyway. Pard catching up.

Two-Gun is in a weird state. He wasn’t happy in the future/present because there was just too much strangeness for a simple cowboy like him. But after seeing all the wonders of the future/present, the year of 1876 seems... boring.

Hawkeye asks if Two-Gun would want to try the future/present again but he’s just not sure.

Tigra continues to flirt with Rawhide but he pays some compliments back, wondering why Two-Gun came back to the past/present if the future had women like Tigra.

Annnnnd.

Ghost Rider is being weird.

After being taciturn the whole time, he suddenly decides that Mockingbird is a goddess.

Oooookay.

Ahead of the riders, Iron Man has lost the fleeing outlaws. He chides himself for subconsciously assuming that cowboys are primitives because they seem to have outsmarted him.

Iron Man doesn’t think that he’ll be able to find them on his advanced sensors because men and meat without advanced technology doesn’t give much to detect but he tries anyway.

And his sensors ping something big and subterranean. Ah ha, thinks Tony, this is probably related to the outlaws clearly.

So he flies back to inform the others because:

Iron Man: “[The cowboys] should take the lead at the end, anyway! It must not have become permanent, since it didn’t make either the history books or the dime novels -- but just as Kang inspired this era’s ‘super-villains’, Two-Gun’s adventures with us have planted the Avengers’ spirit in this arid soil -- and this is one Avenger who wants to nurture that for all it’s worth!”

Tony be like well nothing we’re doing here is notable because I would have heard about it.

About an hour passes between Iron Man meeting with the others and telling them what he detected and Rawhide tracking the outlaws to a likely cave.

The West Coast Avengers plus cowboys charge in and see.... everyone.

Whoops. That’s a lot.

As the flying guy that flies, Iron Man immediately confronts Red Raven who is also the flying guy that flies.

Except, as far as I can tell, Red Raven is only a flying guy that flies. And Iron Man is walking, flying armory.

So Red Raven, a guy who doesn’t do anything except fly, has a bunch of dudes lasso Iron Man and try to drag him to the ground. Because this is cowboy times, of course, there’s lassos.

But Iron Man, who is a walking, flying armory, pulls back on the lassos and starts whipping around the army of lassoin’ mooks.

Hawkeye brags that Iron Man is the weakest member of the team and starts blowing up other mooks with his exploding arrows.

But he finds his arrows yoinked away by... DOCTOR DANGER, OWNER OF MAGNET!

Even Hawkeye, man who uses archery to be an Earth’s mightiest hero, thinks this is a ridiculous character concept.

And then Fat Man, owner of boomerang, knocks Hawkeye’s bow out of his hand with his boomerang.

Then Two-Gun shoots Fat Man’s boomerang to bits. Which. I guess. He’s just a guy now. He’s not even carrying an actual gun.

Doctor Danger, owner of magnet, tries pulling away Two-Gun’s two guns. And he also yoinks another arrow from Hawkeye.

Or Hawkeye let the arrow go because its one of his gas arrows.

Hawkeye pulls another one of his patented arrow based hoodwinks! Classic Hawkeye!

Meanwhile, Iron Mask grabs Mockingbird to use her as a hostage.

Geez, Mockingbird. He’s in a metal suit. He cannot be stealthy.

But Ghost Rider rides out of the shadows to save her.

Tigra squares off against Hurricane as he quick draws and fires at her feet. But she just dodges away because REFLEXES.

She dodges right into the grasp of Rattler but she shreds his costume with her claws and then hurls him at Hurricane, knocking them both out.

Wow. Tigra and Hawkeye knocked out two of these jokers each. And Mockingbird got captured. She is not doing well.

Oh and Iron Man rips off Red Raven (yum)’s wings because Red Raven is a man with the superpower of equipment based flight and owns a gun and has nothing else going for him.

Iron Man hasn’t even had to use his repulsors!

Granted, these are villains that are leveled to cowboy heroes. This is like rolling into the starting world in a video game with endgame heroes.

Iron Mask: “This can’t be happening! These -- these ringers have helped the kids best all my men! But Iron Mask is never caught unprepared! I’d hoped not to use him -- to keep him secret for my assault on the territorial capital -- but now -- Come forth, my secret weapon! COME FORTH!”

Haha what?

So Living Totem is from a 60s Rawhide Kid comic so he’s definitely in the idiom of this general cowboy times adventure, I guess.

But like.

Why?

Also: does he naturally look like this or did he decorate himself like a totem pole as camouflage when he was stranded on Earth?

In his original appearance, Rawhide Kid assumed that he was trapped underground by medicine men but I don’t know if he was just wildly speculating. Either way, this guy was buried underground but was freed when a silver mine Dug Too Deep and unleashed this hidden fun stuff.

Have no idea how Iron Mask convinced a giant alien that hates humans to work for his gang but there we are.

Anyway, Living Totem brags that he’s invulnerable to anything of Earth but that doesn’t stop the Avengers from collapsing a cliff on top of him.

To cap things off, this big boy was what Iron Man’s sensors detected.

Two-Gun and Rawhide drag the entire captured gang and gang leaders to the town jail.

I seriously doubt that the jail has enough cells for all of them but it lets Two-Gun feel accomplished.

And the Avengers West Coast assemble over at Boom-Boom’s smithery where Wonder Man admits that welp actually an old west blacksmith can’t actually help him repair a time machine.

Dangit, the irony of the situation is that the replacement parts they really need are transistors and even though Iron Man loves transistors like they’re his own children, the ones in his suits just aren’t the right type!

I actually do miss Iron Man talking about transistors whenever he did anything.

And the thing of it was the he did that because transistor revolution started in 1959, several years before Iron Man was introduced. So it was the big new technology and comic writers don’t often understand the big new technology except that it can be peppered through a story for flavor.

So if Iron Man was invented today, would his armor be crypto powered? God I hope not. Transistors were actually useful.

Anyway.

Two-Gun is right on hand to try to soften the blow of being stuck in the past.

Two-Gun Kid: “Hawkeye -- I know this seems like terrible news, but you’ve lived here before! If you have to stay, I’ll do everything I can to make you and your team happy!”

There’s really a deep friendship between these two pards.

Anyway, Wonder Man isn’t ready to give up yet.

Sure, the time machine is half-broken. Which is to say, it’s half-functional. It’s stuck in reverse so why not go further back in time?

Hawkeye: “HUH?!!”

But Wonder Man’s got a Wonder Plan.

They can’t go back to the present but they can go further into the past... say to the time of Ancient Egypt where Nicer Rama-Tut ruled?

As a refresher: Rama-Tut is just younger Kang and he was a dick who fought the Fantastic Four. But then Kang got old and tired and in a very Kangish way decided he hated himself at a different point on the timeline.

He gave up conquest and returned to rule Egypt, presumably without having to conquer it. Anyway, he was a cool guy give or take being a god-king ruler of a land that required at least some force to maintain power.

So if the West Coast Avengers show up, he’d probably totally fix the time machine! Because he’s a great guy, Older, Nicer Rama-Tut is!

Ghost Rider objects that this is a really dumb idea that could strand them LOST IN TIME FOREVERRRR but Hawkeye is going to do it anyway. Because giving up without trying ever reckless idea just isn’t the Hawkeye way.

Ghost Rider keeps objecting but Mockingbird tells him hey glad he’s concerned but Hawkeye said they’re doing the reckless plan so they’re doing the reckless plan because he’s the chairman of this wacky team.

Wonder Man proposes that the team try going back one hundred years first as a test before trying to go all the way back fifty centuries. Just to make sure they can control the time machine.

But when Wonder Man activates the time platform and it starts building up power, Ghost Rider goes wild.

He bonks Mockingbird, slings her over his horse, and rides off with her.

Ghost Rider: “Mockingbird must not be lost! The goddess must remain with the ghost!”

Hawkeye tries jumping off the time platform after his wife but Wonder Man and Iron Man hold him in place because “energy-flux” would tear him apart.

And I imagine having half of you in one century and half in another is probably bad for homeostasis.

Two-Gun and Rawhide realize that they’re going to have to go after Ghost Rider to rescue Mockingbird. Even though they have no idea how they’re going to reunite Mockingbird and Hawkeye even if they DO rescue her.

What a mess.

The Avengers -- and the PLOT -- have been split between three different centuries!

Hank Pym and La Espirita are still doing stuff in the 20th century. Mockingbird is having further mandatory cowboy adventures in the 19th. And the rest of the West Coast Avengers are on their way to the 18th!

Dammit, time travel!

Follow @essential-avengers​ because I don’t have an essential-west-coast-avengers tumblr. Like and reblog? It’s up to you.

[jcmarchi]

Is AI going to upend the face of gambling? - AI News

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/is-ai-going-to-upend-the-face-of-gambling-ai-news/

Is AI going to upend the face of gambling? - AI News

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AI has made some – to put it mildly – big changes in our world in recent years, and although nobody can say for sure what it’s going to do next or what kind of impact it’s going to have on many aspects of our lives, people are eagerly looking out for those alterations (some with slight trepidation). What does it mean for those who love the buzz and thrill of the casino world?

Precise predictions are, of course, challenging to make, but it’s likely that AI is going to make major alterations soon to the way the gambling world works. Now, we’re going to caveat the whole article by reminding people that AI is a long way from perfect at the moment (and that’s generating some serious concerns and major complaints), but it’s also pretty powerful and has a lot of potential… so let’s unpack that!

What’s AI Already Doing?

You might (or might not) be surprised to learn that AI is already doing a lot of work in the online casino; it’s responsible for a whole lot of the computing that goes on behind the scenes (where, let’s be honest, most players aren’t looking), and it helps casinos across the planet function effectively, ensuring their games work – and work well.

We all know that AI doing a lot of the legwork when it comes to making online games play – it’s got to be able to respond effectively to player behavior, make intelligent decisions, and present even the best players with worthy opponents that can test their skills. And does it do so? Yes… staggeringly well at times.

AI does some other major jobs too, one of them being to analyze player behavior for both safety and personalization reasons. In terms of safety, it’s got some hard-hitting advantages: it can learn how an individual player generally behaves when gambling online and look for discrepancies that could indicate fraud is occurring. The account can then be paused while an investigation takes place – potentially saving players from losing large amounts of money to scammers! Sounds pretty good to us.

Next, AI bumps up the relevance of offers and bonuses, again by watching what players do online. They’ll note what promos and deals you click on, respond to your preferences, and create offers that have been honed to exactly match your tastes! This is a great way to enhance the casino experience for players; you’re not just getting any old offer in your inbox, but a proper, useful offer that aligns with the games you play and the things you like (well, most of the time; we all know this isn’t perfect yet!).

The new power casinos have to analyze player behavior can also lead to better regulations and more responsible gambling, creating win-wins for everyone involved.

What’s Coming Next?

Next, let’s turn our sights to that exciting horizon, and the anticipation of what we might see in the future. Well, firstly, it’s going to become better and better at playing games, as mentioned above – the more we train AIs, the better they become at their various tasks. So even the games where they currently don’t excel are likely to become better in the future.

We’re also likely to see better graphics hitting the scene, as AIs improve their ability to generate images well. Got a favorite online live poker game, for example? The graphics might already seem swish but wait until a few years down the line… they’ll be unbelievable, especially if they get coupled with VR at some point! We’re looking forward to seeing how Australian online casino games (and other casino games, for that matter!) develop as time passes.

Their player analysis is likely to improve too. We’ve all laughed at how bad computers seem to be at predicting our likes and dislikes at times (we’re sure you’ve experienced that moment where you get a dozen ads for a product you’ve already purchased, for example), but it is getting better… and we don’t see that trend going away any time soon. Of course, the more data the AI has, the better its predictions become, so it’s likely that casinos are going to bump up their focus on customer loyalty even more, which is no bad thing. It often leads to increased offers and bonuses to encourage you to stick with them, and nobody is complaining about that!

It’s hard to predict what else may come out of these exciting trends, but one thing is for sure: this isn’t slowing down or going away, and we’re expecting to see some intriguing developments in the next few years as more and more companies adopt and invest in AI. Casinos are just one small element, but they’re a fantastic example of where AI is now and what we might see coming as time progresses!

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.

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[pred1059]

Runaway Wind Chapter Twelve

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Maleficent’s return had definitely rattled everyone in Hollow Bastion that wasn’t a heartless. But out of all of them, Ventus had become the most panicked. Much to Leon’s annoyance, “Listen, calm down. What exactly is this keyblade you’re worried about?”

Ventus paced, unallayed by Leon’s cold comfort, “χ-Blade. It’s a keyblade made from pure light and pure darkness. It’s the only way to access the true Kingdom Hearts. It’s what people fought over in the Keyblade War long ago.“

Naminé’s eyes widened as she heard the explanation, “χ-Blade. You and your friends fought Xehanort to stop it from being made before you got separated.”

Aerith shook her head. “That’s quite a bit to unpack there. I suppose that if Maleficent wanted such a weapon, gathering the Princesses of Heart wouldn’t be a bad place to get pure light.” 

Yuffie nodded, “So Maleficent might be trying to gather the princesses again to take another shot. Where do you think she’d be going?”

Ventus looked to the skies. “She used to be doing her work in a world called Enchanted Dominion. I’ll head there to see if I can stop her.”

Naminé stepped forward. “I want to go with you.”

He seemed surprised. “Are you sure? I’m the one that brought Maleficent back. I ought to be the one to deal with her.”

“That doesn’t mean I can’t help. You’re the one who showed me the power.” She held the cards in her hand. “And we’ve been stronger together with it. I know that if we work together...we might be able to stop her.”

“I…” Ventus trailed off sighing. “I know we’d have a better chance together. But I don’t know what else to do without giving her too much time.”

“Alright then, I’ll come with you.” Everyone turned to look at Yuffie. “I mean, you said it yourself Cid, I’m only distracting you with most of the heartless gone. If you want me out of the way, it’d probably be better if I went along with them. I might not have a keyblade, but neither did Goofy or Donald and they were alright with Sora. Besides, I could probably give Naminé some tips.”

Ventus considered this, while he wasn’t quite as panicked as before, he was still a bit unsure. “I’m not sure we can all fit on the glider.”

Naminé nodded sadly, “Right. The two of us can just barely stand on it.”

After a moment, Cid sighed, “Fine, I guess you can take my ship. Yuffie, you know how to fly it right?”

“Yessir!” She saluted.

“Now remember. If it comes back in pieces it comes out of your wallet.” He glared at the Ninja, who seemed nonplussed waving him off. 

“Relax. I won’t bring it back in any worse condition than you would. Anyway, you just parked it near the front right?” With Cid’s annoyed grunt and a nod she turned to head out. “I���ll see you guys there!”

Aerith walked over to the girl in white, kneeling down to look her in the eye, “Naminé, before you go. I want to teach you summoning. If we had more time I’d be able to go more in depth, but since you’re all in a hurry I’ll just go over the basics.“

Naminé was a bit surprised “Are you sure I’d be able to pick it up just like that?”

“You seem to have a handle on using those figments. I think you can pick up a simple summon easily enough.” Aerith reached into her bag and held out a small gem, glittering in the sun. She passed it over to Naminé, “Hold it in your hand, can you see the being it calls out to?”

“I...think so…” Like a lost memory, the shape was there. Wild and longing to run free. She just needed to make it real.

“Then reach out, and say its name.” Aerith encouraged.

A name? Of course, it’s name gave it definition. Gave it form. Slowly, one came to her. “Chocobo?”

In a flash, a large yellow bird with small wings and long legs appeared. It studied the young summoner curiously. “Kweh?” Slowly, she raised a hand and began to stroke it’s feathers, the bird preening at the attention before vanishing. Naminé looked to her hand, and saw a green card with an image of the bird on its face.

“You see? You’re a natural.” Aerith said proudly. 

“Thank you!” Naminé gave a small bow. She turned to Ventus. “Alright. I’m ready to go!”

Smiling, he turned to Leon and the rest. “Don’t worry. We’ll put down Maleficent and be back before you know it!” and went with Naminé down the stairs.

Cid finally began to relax a bit, “Not happy about lending them the ship, but with the kids gone I might be able to get some work done.”

Suddenly, a small flash of light, and a person sized cloud of smoke appeared. The group on the balcony quickly grabbed their weapons. “Ah! Finally!” Only to relax as they heard the voice. “So good to see the castle without so many heartless.” The cloud dissipated, revealing a very old man in blue robes, with a brown suitcase.

“Good to see you too Merlin.” Cid grumbled.

Axel watched Xigbar usher the rookie into the dark corridor towards the Enchanted Dominion. Larxene, lounging in the drab couch, looked over to Saïx, “So, any chance I might be able to get in touch with Marluxia? See how he’s doing?”

“He is currently preoccupied with his own work managing Sora. It would be wise not to distract him.” The man intoned. The air twisted and a Ninja and Assassin appeared, each moving towards their masters. “It would appear that you two have your duties to attend to.” 

Nothings where whispered in the way that only made sense to the recipient. Once finished, Axel shrugged. “Guess I get to go see what Maleficent’s up to after all. Ventus seems dead set on taking her down.”

Larxene snorted, not bothering to move, “Don’t you mean we?”

“Correct.” Saïx spoke, “You will both need to ensure that the keybearers do not meet an end at Maleficent’s hand. We would prefer not to lose them at this juncture.”

Larxene raised her eyebrow, “Don’t we have more keyblade wielders? You know, I could just grab Naminé and we could go make Sora our puppet pretty quick. No need to waste time protecting an idiot that wants to rush to his death.”

Saïx’s glare did not waver, “This is an order from Xemnas himself. The keyblade wielders are to be protected so that they may gather hearts for us.”

“Fine, fine, whatever the boss wants then.” With that, Larxene rose up from her seat.

Axel gave a mirthless chuckle, “Well, this’ll be interesting to explain to Xigbar.”

“As well as to your new friend?” she asked as she opened a new dark corridor.

The assassin shook his head, “Friend? That’s a bit much, isn’t it? I’m just making sure they don’t cause trouble for the Organization down the road.”

“Yeah, guess that’s as much as we get.” And so the two departed into darkness, leaving Saïx to look out the window toward the dark sky. Gaze fixed toward the gathering hearts beginning to take shape.

“Though it may not have begun as we envisioned it. Soon we shall have all we have sought for. The key, and the kingdom.”

Vexen appeared from the portal, “Well, things are progressing well with the data integration, though I’m having some issues with the basic personality.” However the Academic’s entrance went unnoticed by its inhabitants. All of them focused on the crystal ball. “Are you still watching the princess? If we captured her, she might be useful as leverage.”

Marluxia grimaced. “She has a keyblade.”

“A What?” Vexen was incredulous, “When? How?” 

“Almost as soon as we were able to pinpoint her location.” Zexion elaborated, “As it stands, she has been making her way through the heartless on each floor. Though I doubt she knows the direction she must take.“ 

The academic shook his head, “How could she even be wielding it with any proficiency? Our reports indicate she has no combat capability.”

“Neither did Sora, and he was able to defeat Ansem.” Marluxia was focused on the girl in the crystal casting a flame to defeat yet another heartless. “And we also know that she was able to hide her heart in his. Perhaps she has gained some knowledge from her time within? Or perhaps this is the strength of a Princess of Heart unleashed by the keyblade?” In the projected Image, the princess threw her keyblade into her enemies, having it return to her. “She might prove useful.

“I will test her.” Lexaeus broke the silence, and everyone turned toward him.

The schemer raised an eyebrow, “You’re certain? We might be better served having Vexen take the opportunity to analyze her.”

The stalwart shook his head, “He is busy with one replica. It would be unwise to ask him to work on another. I will determine if her power has merit.” And so he vanished into darkness.

Kairi took a moment to catch her breath and lean on one of the pillars. Unfortunately, there was very little she could do to take her mind off things. All she could see were halls upon halls of endless marble. It made for a rather monotonous journey through this floor. But if it was for Sora and Riku, she could go on. Ready to move again, she ran down the corridor, arriving at yet another room. Fortunately, she could see the doorway on the other side of the room had a set of stairs. “Finally, I can make some progress. Hope the next floor looks a bit better.”

Suddenly, the doors slammed shut. “Kairi, Princess of Heart.” a new voice spoke. And between her and the door, a dark portal appeared. One that vanished, leaving behind a mountain of a man in a black cloak looking down at her.

“How do you know my name?” She held her keyblade ready. She could tell from his hardened eyes that this man was here for a fight.

“We know much. We have been watching you in this castle. The keyblade you possess has power. But is it enough?” He raised his arm, and in a flash, summoned a colossal tomahawk that he hefted to his shoulder.

She settled into the stance she had gotten used to fighting through the heartless. “It’s plenty enough to help me save my friends.”

He raised his foot, and brought it down in an echoing stomp. Immediately, the path behind Kairi was barred by a pillar of rock. “I am Lexaeus. Number Five of the Organization. Show your might or prepare to die.”

[rose--coloredboy]

2021

June:

June 13th:

you’re upset that i got a job without talking to you about it first?? i don’t need your permission

Notes: Every year we've been together you've mentioned that I could stay home and keep up on the house and taking care of the pets, while you worked. It was the ideal situation and I loved it. You've always promised that you'd never hold it against me, but if we needed the extra money, you'd ask me to work. You swore up and down that you'd buy me the things I needed, and that we'd save up and do some fun things. Once we moved back to Baker, stuff got kinda rough and I had to work. First at Cenex, because you weren't getting paid enough. You got a better job in time though and told me a little over a year since I'd started that I could quit because we'd finally "caught up" and could afford for me to stay home. A few months after that, hours got short, and you were offered to go work with your family in North Carolina the first time, and you were seriously considering it. The plan was to leave me here for a few months so you could work and save up and get us a place, so I got a job at the hotel. You got mad at me for getting the job without talking to you first. I'm still my own person, and have my own life, I truly did not think I needed permission

_________________________________________________________

October:

October 30th:

you fucked alexis

    Notes: This one shouldn't even need notes but I wanted to go over some things that I thought would be common sense. You swore up and down you hated her and thought it was the worst idea in the world or her to move in. You kept asking me if I was sure about it, and I told you I was because neither of us were making enough money to meet rent, though you swore we were. If we were my boss wouldn't have had to pay our one and half months of missed rent. Anyway, finally I got it through to you that it'd be alright and we'd be fine. Long story short you left Billings and came back. You weren't even home more than a couple nights. You were home one night. After the first night, I had to go to Billings with my mom to a doctors appointment. I asked if you'd wanted to come with but you wanted to stay home to unpack, I guess. One fucking night I was gone. You fucked her and messaged me like it was no big deal. Somehow in your twisted way of thinking, I guess you thought the reason I was moving her in was to join our relationship??? I don't fucking know. You acted like it was what I wanted. I mentioned a couple years ago about being polyamorous, and your first thought even then was to bring her into it. Which didn't work out. Obviously. When I left you in July, I told you that if you wanted us to work, you'd have to be okay with me being polyam, because I wanted a girlfriend, eventually. You said that was fine as long as I was sure that was what I wanted. So then you go and fuck your ex girlfriend under the impression that her of all people would be a girl I'd ever want to date??? Not to mention that I'm sure you don't even see this situation as you having cheated on me. You'll say it was in the name of mistaking it as a polyam thing, but you'd be wrong. In every polyam relationship, the number one thing that will ever make it work is communication. You make sure every single person in the equation knows what's going on before it happens. You did not. You cheated on me. I never once ever made it clear that I'd ever be comfortable with you having sex with especially Alexis. Sure she said I had joked around with her but one, since when is it ever a good idea to actually think that she's telling the truth about anything? Two, jokes are just that. Jokes. You cheated on me. You don't like me talking about it because apparently it makes you feel like shit? How do you think it makes me feel. I'd have never ever betrayed your trust like you did mine. Never. You get weird when I mention hanging out with Trista, and have made "jokes" that I'm gonna cheat on you with her. I'm not the cheater here. You've got the guilty conscience. She's a woman I dated for no more than a couple weeks. It was never serious. It was never anything more than us holding hands a single time when we went to Miles City together once. She's married. I'm married. I'm loyal, I swore to you I'd be with you and only you, and now after you've cheated, you joke about how I'm gonna do it? Sure. You wonder why things haven't been the same but I can't talk to you about it like any normal human being because every single time I've ever tried to talk to you about anything you throw another unnecessary fit and it turns into yet another fight. I'm done. 

_________________________________________________________

December:

December 6th:

“IM TIRED OF FIXING SHIT” you SCREAM on your way to fix a shower door that you broke 5 minutes prior.

    Notes: Another kind of self explanatory one. You break things, then complain about how you're always fixing shit. Stop taking your anger out by smashing things and throwing things, and you probably wouldn't have this problem.

December 10th: 

    You were gone for work for three days, probably in Terry. You have barely been home for around two hours and the cat is nowhere to be seen. Mind you, like the rest of the pets, he's afraid of you when you get angry. Which you were, so of course he's going to be hard to find. You yelled at me for losing him. You were storming around shouting to me and Alexis saying "One of you FUCKS must have let him out!!" He was found. Hiding. 

    Not too much longer went by before you started freaking out because Kat and/or Zach weren't texting you back about plans you guys had to hang out. You swear they hate you and they're ignoring you. You never took into consideration that they are both human adults with their own lives who do their own things, and probably just got caught up with something. I can't remember now, but I'm almost positive that this specific time, they had fallen asleep and taken a nap. 

    Later that night you bitched at me for not watering your plant. Before you leave town you always tell me that you're going to remind me to water your plants because I don't have the memory to. You know this. Doesn't matter. You forget to tell me, I forget to do it. I had gotten you a Venus Fly Trap for Christmas and you yelled at me and said "don't get me anything you can't take care of." At least I get you things. You're welcome.

December 25th:

we opened gifts at your parents house. couldn’t even act the least bit interested in the gifts i was ecstatic to have gotten. no happy memories. you were annoyed the whole day.

December 30th:

YOU put the spray bottle in the closet, which i was unaware of. You told me to water the plants i told you i couldn’t find it.

“YOURE the only one who moves it.”

“YOU need to get another spray bottle for the dogs.”

“I just don’t know how you could lose something so big!”

you lose more shit in a week than i do in months shut the fuck up. your hats?? those are big? you lose them all the damn time.

Notes: I really just don't even have the energy to summarize these last few ones but you get the point. 

[ilikepipecleanerswitheyes]

hot (lukewarm?) take/another howard sisters essay:

cassie and lexi have both wronged each other yes, but it’s silly to criticize them individually/argue about who the better sister is. both have been abandoned by their father and only have their mother, who is funny yes, but is not a good mother at the end of the day.

she constantly sexualized cassie from a young age and did the exact opposite with lexi which made her feel detached and unworthy. suze was more interested in being a cool mom/friend to the girls than actually emotionally being there for them in a time they clearly needed emotional support. lexi taking on a caretaker role despite being the youngest doesn’t come from no where.

lexi had to step up because she was told she was the competent one from a young age, which can come off as a compliment for sure, but placing those burdens upon a child is actually extremely tiring and dangerous. that’s why cassie’s line telling lexi she’s “never lived” or “taken risks” hurts so bad. that line makes me feel bad, not just for lexi, but also for cassie. these sisters have diverged on such different paths that their definitions of living and risk taking differ as well.

lexi has been there to support her addict friend right after her very own addict father left her. lexi poured herself into her studies. lexi’s definition of living is trying to remain level headed to keep the family afloat. meanwhile, cassie gets to be the center of attention and be emotional while lexi is expected to keep her problems at bay for the sake of the family. this type of bottling up is dangerous and leads do extreme resentment as we’ve seen with the play.

cassie’s definition of ‘living’ is getting into relationships and falling in love, something her mother instilled in from a young age because she was attractive. and cassie’s definition of ‘taking a risk’ is getting with nate. people clown on cassie for saying that, but is it not also sad that that’s literally all she thinks she’s worth?? cassie has been quite embarrassing this season, but no woman deserves nate.

these girls senses of self worth and perceptions of the correct ways to deal with their feelings stem from a lack of attention/care for both of them. we can go back and forth writing the same takes on either how “the play was bad” or “cassie’s the villain of s2”, but at the end of the day i think ppl are expecting too much normalcy out of two teenage girls who have went through a great deal of largely unaddressed trauma.

i don’t want s3 to be “gOoo queen lexi ended cassie”, i wanna see lexi admit to herself that aspects of her play stemmed from resentment. i love our girl lexi, but i also want healthy lexi and i think her unpacking the issues with the play will make for really good character growth for her. cassie may realistically only be able to find a support system in lexi because she’s the only one who understands the extent of her childhood trauma.

i don’t know how well sam can write the relationship between two women, specifically sisters, but i seriously want lexi and cassie’s dynamic explored more, especially after how s2 ended for them. both of them are gonna be horribly depressed for diff reasons in s3 (nate ending things w/cassie and fez in prison), so if possible, i’d like to see them be there for each other instead of growing more distant.

(sorry this got long but @littlehoward’s amazing fic kickstarted me to go on another rant about these two because the takes i see on them drive me mad)

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

I'm sorry but i'm addicted to our boy Spamton- I have a little unique request here. So this takes place where Spamton just moves in the Queen's mansion, he meets the reader and immediately falls for their kind words and gestures. Weeks pass, and he goes to see them, but catches them talking and hanging out with Swatch.. He gets really jealous to the point of changing his style to match Swatch's

"Oh [y/n]! Have You Met Our Newest Guest?"

"Uh, I don't believe-"

"He's An Interesting Addison Who Made A Big Name For Himself! Ohohoho!" Queen laughed joyously, pausing to sip her glass of battery acid. "I Wonder How He Got So Rich...No Matter. As My Peon, I Order You Greet Him......Whenever It's Convenient For You."

"Sure thing. I'll go now." With a respectful nod, you set off to the mansion's guest chambers to meet this newcomer. You've lived here for a long time--and somewhat reluctantly since Queen decided to make you one of her peons one day. But life was actually pretty good.

It wasn't like you had anything better to do, so if she needed someone to help her with plans that..didn't seem all-that urgent, you'll offer your assistance. She let you stay in the mansion for free and never made you do anything if you weren't feeling up to it.

For a tyrannical ruler she was rather kind.

Yet you didn't wanna take advantage of her hospitality, so you'd just listen to whatever she says. And if she wants you to meet this celebrity as part of her endless lists of requests, then you'll happily oblige. But you were eager too since you've seen his face on TV a lot. It felt like an honor.

After wandering the corridors of deactivated puzzles, Mona Lisa-esque portraits, and meticulously-placed pottery, you finally arrived at the guest rooms. You hummed a small tune as you passed by each one, stopping when you noticed one door was open.

Peeking inside, you saw the Addison still setting up things. A phone was tucked between his shoulder and ear as he moved a box whilst rambling to whoever was on the other end of the line.

"Yea! I promise I won't let you down, okay? Soon I'll be bigger than ever before! I know I'm already a big shot but....haha, yeah, I shouldn't get carried away. Okay. Right..we'll discuss more of this tomorrow. Thanks!"

After hanging up the phone and returning it to the receiver, he finally noticed you and smiled. "Hey, hey! Haven't seen your face around here yet. But surely you know mine, right?"

"Yeah." You smiled, not wanting to shy away from talking with him. "Spamton, right?"

"Everybody's favorite number-one rated salesman!!" He laughed. "It's good you know me..'cuz soon ALL of Cyber World will know my name! It's a pleasure to meet you...?"

"[Y/n]. I'm one of Queen's peons." You shook his hand politely. The energy that radiated from him was so bright. Just as much as his pearly smile was.

Stepping inside, you glanced around at the luxurious furniture. He definitely got the higher-class rooms, with the addition of a large window that showed the neon green meridians that stretched across the night sky. It was certainly a beautiful view to fall asleep to. "Need help unpacking?"

"Oh--sure!!" At first Spamton seemed surprised by your offer, but he nodded. "If you want, be my guest. And while we unpack, I gotta ask you..how's it being Queen's peon?"

............

Weeks passed, and you've gotten to know Spamton more and more. You realized he was actually a sweet down-to-earth guy all around. Although he was on the phone a lot, he'd make time to hang out with you, so you two became fast friends.

He was truly living the best life. Posters of his car advertisements were littered all over the city, and the Swatchlings attended to his every need. Though one thing was hard to admit, even when it seemed like he had it all:

You were his only friend now that everyone else is intimidated by his status--as they would shy away from conversing with him--and the Addisons, well, abandoned him out of jealousy.

Obviously that made him worry about driving you away, especially when he's on the phone nonstop. But...the fact you've been so kind to him in every word and gesture, treating him like a regular person and not some untouchable celebrity, was quite endearing. Most admired him for his products, not his personality.

Your kindness made him fall for you hard and fast, ever since day one. He wasn't sure if this was a good idea; to let it get in the way of his business.

But what the hell? He was a big shot! He can afford to go a bit bigger and take more risks. Living in this mansion with someone who loved him would be the perfect dream.

There was a much bigger dream that his valued caller insisted he focused on, but that can come later.

So this morning, Spamton set out to find you to address these feelings once and for all. Yet he was rather nervous. Addisons were most confident in selling products, not so much...everything else. But he didn't wanna back down. He kept smiling no matter what.

As he checked inside the color café that he usually frequented, he saw you eating at the table. He noticed you weren't alone but with Swatch, talking and...

Laughing with them?

And just like that, his smile faded much like his hope.

Of course, the head butler had their ways to swoon people. He tried not to think of it as anything more than just their personality. It's just their way to entice returning customers.

That's all...right?

Spamton ducked behind one of the displays, listening in on your conversation to determine if he should proceed or not.

"By the way, we've known each other for a while and..I've always wanted to ask you something.."

"Yes? What is your inquiry?"

He held his breath. This is exactly what he feared. Knowing that you've been here longer, it's obvious you'd be closer to that damn bird-

"Your outfit."

Then he exhaled shakily, relieved. 'What are you getting so worked up for, idiot?' He thought in the back of his mind, but he continued eavesdropping.

"Did the Queen make it or give it to you? It's very stylish and really makes you stand out from the other Swatchlings."

"Ah, in fact I decided this look for myself." Swatch chuckled softly, raising a wing to adjust their glasses. "The tailor did marvelous work with my vision: black suit, tinted glasses. Very fashionable, is it not?"

"It is. I like it a lot."

"Why thank you. I see why our Lady Grace admires you. Just for that compliment, I'll give you a discount on any of our products in the gift shop."

"Should be every day if you ask me." You joked, earning another chuckle from them.

Seeing all of this and the way you two spoke like close friends was a jab in Spamton's heart-shaped object. 'So [y/n] likes people who stand out? Well I can stand out, too..' He thought bitterly as he stormed out of the shop without either of you knowing he was there.

Why should he settle with being a blank-slate Addison like the rest of them? He didn't consider himself one anymore.

Today, he told his valued caller, he was gonna be a whole new person.

It would help him get closer to both of his dreams, but there was only one on his mind now.

............

Later that night as you were getting ready for bed, you heard a knock at the door. You huffed in annoyance, assuming Queen needed you for something.

She had a knack for disturbing you at ungodly hours. But knowing better than to ignore her, you went to answer the door anyways-

To some strange black-haired guy in a black suit and white turtleneck sweater.

"Hi, um...can I help you?"

"[Y/n]? It's me."

"....wait....Spamton?"

"Yeah!" The salesman laughed, throwing his arms out and making a pose. "Whatdya think of me now?"

Perplexed, you looked him up and down. He ditched the lime-green pants, instead wearing white trousers. And his hair was slicked back. But what was most peculiar about him were his glasses, tinted with pink and yellow lenses.

Had you not known any better, you would've thought Swatch suddenly shrunk and became robotized.

"Cool but..you kinda look like Swatch a little bit. Was that on purpose?" You mused.

"...haha....yeah uh..funny story. Um.." He dropped the act, losing his trademark grin as he wondered how to explain himself and this sudden transformation. You could tell he wanted to talk inside the room, so you let him in and shut the door.

"I don't recall Queen mentioning any costume contest-"

"It's not a costume." He muttered, uncomfortably rubbing his hands together as he looked at you with sadness. "This is who I am now. The new me."

"..huh? You serious?" When he nodded, you frowned slightly. "I'm confused. You don't look like an Addison anymore-"

"That's the point...! I...I don't wanna be associated with them anymore. I decided to stand out, y'know? If you're gonna be a big shot, ya gotta stand out from the crowd!" He forced a laugh that sounded rather glitchy.

You didn't buy it. It wasn't like him to do this out of the blue.

"Spamton, why imitate Swatch of all people? And why out of the blue like this? I mean..I don't mind if you like their style. But I didn't even recognize you until you spoke."

Try as he might, he couldn't make any better excuses. So seeing that he was cornered made him finally admit his jealousy, overhearing your conversation with Swatch while he was browsing--when he really wasn't, but he didn't wanna come off as creepy.

His voice glitched further due to stress, accidentally blurting out some kind of...flirtatious term as he explained how much you meant to him since day one.

You weren't sure if he meant to say "hot single" on purpose. Though you were flattered that such a famous guy like him...actually had a crush on you, an ordinary Darkner who just fetched the Queen's stick wherever she threw it.

You found it hard to believe he thought of you that way..so you kept your own feelings buried. So to see that it's mutual was a relief, and it made you smile.

Spamton, on the other hand, was stressing the hell out. So much so he didn't even see your smile. He just saw himself being stupid the more he rambled on.

It was such a stupid, stupid reason to get insecure--to the point of changing his entire appearance without warning. All because you were friends with a butler who was doing their job???

How selfish can he get when he already had everything he wanted and more?

When he did acknowledge your small smile, he thought you were holding yourself back from laughing. But you had every right to laugh and call him a joke for thinking this will get your attention.

As he finished talking, he could see your smile fade and huffed. He waited for you to tell him how stupid he looks and to go back to being the plain old Addison you met.

Instead of ridiculing him you...hugged him?

At this point you were sitting on the bed together. Of course yours wasn't as massive as his was, but it was big enough for you two to share.

"Spammy, I'm flattered you like me in that way but...you didn't have to do all of this to get my attention. I promise there's nothing going on between Swatch and I. We're just friends. They're not replacing you or anything."

"I know, it's just.." Taking off the glasses, he set them aside before hugging you tightly, head buried in your chest. "I don't wanna lose the only person in this damn place who makes me feel like myself. Who loves me for me, not my success. And...I-I felt like I had to change something about myself to make sure of that."

"Well..you don't need to change anymore. I love you no matter what you look like."

He blinked, his face turning as red as his cheeks.

You could sense his embarrassment from the way he tensed up in your arms and chuckled, patting his hair softly. "Just..don't feel pressured to change for me..or anybody for that matter, okay? Or at least let me know if you're gonna change things up again."

"You don't think..I look stupid or creepy like this?"

"No. Honestly you look pretty handsome. Black hair suits you well."

Hearing those words made him breathe a small sigh of relief. He nodded and hugged you tighter.

His new looks were staying for good.