#but shes older than me so i always expected her to be smarter than me

[smellyprincetm]

i feel so embarassed about my body and my eating habits whenever im with my sister, cause we used to eat loads of stuff together and share the same size, but now we cant anymore simply cause i lost weight and avoid food at all cost

[igotanidea]

Not enough: Anthony Bridgerton x reader

(Part 2 to too much)

„I am so terribly sorry for the inconvenience I might have brought on you with my sudden appearance-” she started while walking inside the place of her destination or, to put it more bluntly, after fleeting from her own house upon not-so-subtle fight with her still-husband.

„Y/n! Nonsense my dear, your presence is always welcomed here.” she heard in response and for the first time since the argument she managed to look into the eyes of another person as well as take in the scene in front of her.

Oh dear lord!

Her timing couldn’t be more wrong.

Apparently the only person who was missing from the widow viscountess Bridgerton household was the queen herself, since not only the lady of the house alongside with all her unmarried daughters were enjoying the afternoon tea, but - to Y/N’s very well hidden terror - the duchess and lady Danburry were present as well.

„duchess.” Y/N bowed in the most polite manner she could even though her knees were shaking „lady Danburry.”

Act like nothing happened.

Behave like a lady and not like a little kid, who came her to pour all her worries and tell on her husband who happened to be mean. The last thing she needed was for everyone to talk about her nervousness and giddiness. None of those ladies would be easily fooled and most definitely not lady Danburry with her nosy nature and piercing gaze.

The point was to visit her favourite sister-in-law Eloise who- luckily - were free of any marriage troubles and gain some perspective but that scenario flew away with the gentle summer breeze faster than Y/N could think.

And now she would be kindly invited to join the tea and the respect for widower viscountess alongside with the obligation to the higher positioned duchess (even if family) would forbid her from declining.

„Y/N.” Daphne sent her that tiny, quite shy smile that didn’t calm the nerves even in the slightest. Yes, the duchess was one of the most polite and subtle person in the society, but she was also happily married with another baby on the way.

„Viscountess Bridgerton.” the oldest, lady Danburry on the opposite was known from her sharp tongue and straightforward attitude. That one did not pull her punches.

„My dearest Y/N.” Violet Bridgerton, the mother in law stood up from her place and hugged the girl close. Obviously she was the most open one with her emotions. And the simple warm welcome made Y/n feel a bit strengthened to the point when she even gave a little smile. Tiniest, but honest and still visible.

„Is Anthony with you my dear?’

„Unfortunately my husband is absorbed with the matter of the household today.” Y/N explained, taking a seat next to Violet. „I was rather confused with all the men’s affairs, which brought me here.”

„confused?” Eloise, of whose presence everyone seemed to forget scoffed from her book „You are way smarter that Anthony is, Y/n!”

„Eloise!” her mother friendly scolded her second daughter

„It’s true mama!”

„Even though-’

„Did you come baring notices by any chance, viscountess?" lady Agatha cut into the family exchange innocently taking a sip of her tea, those sharp eyes of a predator glistening

„Notices?”

„Yes viscountess, notices. It;s been a fair amount of time since the marriage, surely something should happen soon between two people who are lucky enough to be in love as much as yo and the viscount?”

Oh...

Oh, she meant that kind of notices.

„May this be so, Y/n?” Daphne asked seeming uncharacteristically brisk. „shall we expect?”

„I certainly hope she won’t be burdened with the heir to the title any time soon--”

‘Eloise!”

„Is it the only purpose of a woman to be obedient to a man and give him children?!”

All the four older woman in the room went quiet and Eloise realised she might have had said a little bit too much. Not only for the lady but in general.

„I suppose our dearest Y/N would love to become a mother and bless us with the little boy or girl, am I correct?”

Of course I would love to, Violet.

I would love to.

Unfortunately so it happens your oldest son refuses to even speak or look at me, let alone performing his so-called marital duty. Which is even more tragic, since I became one to him. Here is the essence of my existence - forever being reminded of the burden I put on his shoulder with storming into his life.

Obviously those thoughts were something the newest viscountess Bridgerton could not form out loud.

„I shall send the regards to my husband ladies. Certainly will not omit to inform him of the expectation placed upon us both.” was the only thing she managed to say with confidence before her voice broke and she covered the sudden wavering by reaching for the sweet placed on the nearby platter.

„Oh my dearest Y/N, it’s no obligation!” Violet seemed quite hurt by the words spoken by her daughter-in-law „Regardless - a child is always a miracle that-”

„Maybe Y/N wouldn’t have to worry about it, if Anthony were taking more interest in her rather than spending time with Benny and Colin.”

„Eloise!”

„It’s just a simple observation! Benedict and Colin are still bachelors, even though the ladies of kind are sharpening their claws for them both, considering the fact the viscountess title is not longer available. Nonetheless, neither of them seem to be interested in taking in marriage-”

‘Eloise!” Violet called upon her daughter once more

„Perhaps if they weren’t spending their times in the club, effectively convincing Anthony to go with them--”

‘Enough, young lady!”

„But-”

„Enough Eloise.”

Y/N went pale at all the words spoken. Not because of their truthfulness, but due to the fact that the word already got out. This was a calamity she was trying her best to cover up and now her favourite member of the family announced them to the world, not thinking about the possible consequences of aforementioned action.

„Y/N, are you quite all right?” Daphne was the first one to take some action „that sudden pallor cannot be good for you. Shall we take a walk?”

Naturally the little stroll around the room will be something to make her feel better. Luckily the most perceptive Eloise noticed the torpid expression on the viscountess face and, not giving her sister any chance to press the matter further, vigorously explained that Daphne certainty meant an actual promenade outside on the manor grounds and that was something y/n was more than delighted to engage in.

Presenting a perfect opportunity to actually indulge in a meaningful conversation not regarding children and submission due to a woman.

***

On the other side of the city Anthony didn’t even notice his wife’s actual absence.

How could he, when she was always present and vivid in his mind, leaving him with her image in front of his eyes even when she was away from him.

Y/N’s face and silhouette, her smile and her resonant, joyful laughter were forever carved in his mind, ever since the day she laughed at him at the lake upon their first meeting, through the first moment of stolen forbidden intimacy, up to the moment looked into her eyes while vowing to love and to cherish her.

His beautiful bride.

His beautiful wife.

Strong willed, hot headed, always having an opinion of her own and doing things her own way, capable to charm everyone with the cheerful character and most natural humor and intelligence.

All the traits that could not be bought by any of the obedient, quiet and shy ladies from high society.

All the traits that put him under her spell and made him want to spend the rest of his life with Y/n.

Only with her.

And he didn’t want to fight, he wanted the same kind of marriage his own parents were joyful to share.

It was all so perfect, until the moment those bright memories got covered with storm clouds of how he behave towards her.  

Not that the viscount gave them much thoughts, too lost in his own meaningless settlements that were not due till the fore-coming month.

It was easier this way.

Forgetting about all the words he said int he moment of anger and of fear (if not mere terror) of his own emotions.

Emotions that, unfortunately, refused to be closed in a hard shell of harsh, obsessive behaviour and being ignored.

Once let out, they wanted to run free.

And oh, so they did, causing the viscount to feel dizzy and giving him palpitations.

All the marriages had their bad moments.

It was impossible to continue for years keeping the same flame that started years ago.

The wife was supposed to be obedient and comply with her husband wishes, especially not bothering him with her presence and whimsical needs or fairy-tell beliefs.

A lady was a diamond in the crown but a wife became a part of the estate, of the livestock. Forever in her husband’s hand to rule.

He was the the man.

He was the viscount and before he met her she was just another long-forgotten by admirers débutante desperate to--

No.

No this was not true and as much as it would be comfortable for Anthony to dwell in all those thoughts, his heart was still in the right place giving him a very clear signal it was time to stop justifying his previous action. Those were the foundation for a very unstable and fragile house that could be blown away easily.

Maybe it wasn’t that his emotions were too much. Maybe it was that his heart capacity was not enough to contain the amount of affection he held for his one and only.

His Y/N.

And he couldn’t have that.

He had to find her wherever she might have been.

He had to fight for her and make it all right.

Even if that meant getting back on his knees, making a scene straight out of those unrealistic romance novels ladies loved and putting it into practice.

„Where on earth is my wife?!” he yelled to the servants, opening the door to his office, his voice loud enough to make the walls shake.

I’m coming for you, my viscountess.

My love.

***

It's not over yet!

Edit: part 3 : almost there

@pietrawebster @chrissisheadisinclouds @fuzzym4m4

@gloomysel @urfavnoirette @dd122004dd @milkbummm

@bevstofu @taniasethi @syraxnyra @cat-lockwood @pr3ttyfac3jaelyn

[dvchvnde]

excerpt; best friend's dad | John Price x Reader infidelity. age gap.

He breaks your heart in Greece. Cuts a jagged line down your middle. Spills your wet, sticky blood over the Naxian marble outside of the Temple of Apollo with just a handful of words.

(fitting, you find: you've always considered your aimless pursuit to his heart some bastardised delusion akin to Icarus chasing the immovable sun—)

And you suppose it's kind. Or as gentle as a man like him could ever let himself be. Still gruff, surly. But you've always loved the sound of his voice, haven't you? That sarky growl reminding you of classic muscle cars, American-made; the low, gritty purr of an old Mustang. Enough to make you shiver, even as he's shaping it around these awful, cutting words. It makes you heart flutter, enraptured as he speaks like he's ripping a bandaid off.

Except that now that wound is being filled with salt. Acid. Cauterising itself from the friction burn when the gauze is wrenched off your skin. A permanent scar right in your sternum. A gaping hole spilling all the ugliness out. You wonder if he cares that it's being slashed across his shoes—no sandals, he griped when you teased him in the airport; I hate the feelin' of sand between my toes—that this madness inside of you is finding a home on the hot pavement, rotting under the summer's sun.

"m'thinkin' about marryin' her."

The her in question is ten years older than him. Pettily, you wonder if this is to compensate for the fact that he's nearly two decades older than you. An obscene age gap, you know. But—

It's Price.

Your best friend's dad. The man you've been in love with since you were sixteen. Falling all over yourself after a dumb boy broke your heart, and he offered to drive you home, silent the whole way there before he stopped, a block away from your house, and told you that boys weren't worth your time. Boys. Boys—

Not men.

Foolishly, you let yourself hope. Let yourself become the very thing they talk about in TikTok videos lambasting age gaps and silly little girls who let older men run them into the ground. Why would a man his age have any reason to be interested in a girl yours? Sickening. Disgusting. You're being lead stray, groomed. But you clung to it still, even as you thumbed through the comments on those videos and found pieces of yourself lying among the rubble.

You've always known what they say about girls like that. And you were just delusional enough to believe that you were different somehow.

And now—

"Gettin' older," he grouses out, and you wonder if she finds the ornery lilt to his cadence as comforting as you do. Or if it rubs her all the wrong ways. "Might be time to settle down."

Shamefully, you wish he'd say, but maybe you can convince me otherwise, climb into my lap, and eat this decision from between my teeth until all I see when I open my eyes is you.

But that's not the John Price you know. Mr Price. Single dad. Widower. Untouchable.

Mr Price who sees you for what you are—smarter than them, he'd said when you broke down in his Bronco after a softball game where everyone, your best friend included, went to an afterparty that no one invited you to.

Quiet, thoughtful, even when you spent the evening afterwards (the fight hashed out between your best friend and you; i'm so sorry and me too) thumbing through old vinyl records he kept in his basement, listening to the classics that kids your age just didn't understand, so why the fuck do you?

Weekends spent bonding over golden cinema (movies just ain't what they used to be; there's no romance anymore, it's all so—vapid; you don't talk like a kid; i've never considered myself one, do you? he didn't answer. you didn't expect him to). Listening to music older than your dad. Niche jokes and texts that read like I saw this and thought of you.

Your fault, of course, for thinking you could trick him into loving you if you played your feelings through Johnny Cash, Vashti Bunyan, Fleetwood Mac, and Smokey Robinson. An impossibility you know now.

Mr Price who knows you. Who sees through the thin skin you wear and into the heart, the core of you. Who must have known since you called him in the pouring rain to pick you up when you got too drunk to drive home. A house party in the suburbs. Waterlogged flats he told you to toss.

Said nothing at all when you apologised with your head pressed against the foggy glass. You never told him that your sorry, Mr Price was for kissing a boy and wishing it was him.

But he must have known.

open book. pages spilling out. silly little girl with your heart cupped in your palm—

So he knows. Has known. Hindsight says this is him letting you down gently before you get any ideas about forever with your diploma tucked into your chest like a shield. A trip to Greece with your best friend and her dad to celebrate the rest of your life looming over you like a thundercloud. Your eye slanting sideways, glancing yearningly back at him.

sorry, but no. look the other way—

And you think fine, fine, whatever, so long as this doesn't hurt anymore—but what comes out is, "oh."

What follows is this:

He says he's thinking about marrying her with his hands tucked tight under his arms. He tells you he wants to settle down with his chin tucked against his chest, four lines rucked across the pinch of his brow. An emphasis, perhaps, on just how serious he is.

You taste salt in your throat. Sand between your toes. The sun blisters against the thin straps of this pretty blue dress that match the melting sapphire of his burning gaze. It's heatsickness, maybe. Or just all the years of want building and building, festering and growing, until it can't climb any higher—forever reaching for god that won't spare you a glance—and—

falling down around you. wings of beeswax and bird feathers.

Solemn, he says, "it's what I should do."

(i saw this and thought of you—)

Your fingers knot into the soft cotton of his dress shirt, pulling the fabric taut between your knuckles until it peels back from the seams, curling between buttons.

You've had too much to drink. Whiskey sour. Scotch neat. Somewhere along the walk to the temple, you snatched a puff of his cigar, the nicotine blooming between your teeth. Head full of cotton too thick for you to think. To retreat.

In the morning, when he refuses to look at you, you'll blame it on the drinks. On the sun. On being young and dumb and untouchable under the Greecian sky.

Daddy issues, you can shrug. You have the diagnoses from every single TikTok psychologist embedded between your teeth. See, mine never loved me and now I'm taking it out on you—

But right now, you kiss him.

Or maybe—

Maybe he kisses you.

It's a mess in your head. Everything turned upside down, all askew because when your lips touch his, he shudders. His chest rumbles under your fingers, expanding with the sudden inhale as he breathes you in. Deep. Takes you into his lungs—all salt-slick, and sunburnt—and groans low in his throat, all want. All heat.

He should push you away. He's your best friend's father. Two decades older than you. Dating another woman who's so far removed from the person you are that she might as well be a different species. Mature. Stoic. Poised. Graceful.

The perfect antithesis to you.

Everything about this must be ringing shrill in his ears: abort, abort, do not engage. He should push you off.

And he does.

After a moment of your greedy, unpractised kisses pepper along the bristles hanging low over his lips, he makes another sound. Angry. Whitehot. His hands slip free from the damp prison of his armpits and latch tight onto you. Thick, hirsute fingers curling over your upper arms, and pushing, shoving—

Your back hits the marble pillar. The air in your lungs punched out.

But when you try to siphon more balmy air into them again, you find an obstacle in your way.

His mouth.

Searing, blistering. Slanting hungrily across yours, devouring. Intense, dizzying. Your head cracks against the wall when he shoves his thigh between the silken softness of your inner thighs, blanketed by the dress that made him swallow when he first saw you in it, eyes darkening like a storm.

(bit short, ain't it? he'd groused, and your friend slipped her hand into yours with a huff. stop being such a dad, dad—)

It slots there now like it's owed the right. Thick thigh spreading yours apart on a gasp, a groan. Corded muscle pressed taut to the seam of you that burns hot. Melted wax. Dripping against his leg. He must feel the way he liquifies you, turns you into putty. It drags a sound his chest. The misfire of an engine.

"Fuck," he breathes, all teeth. Salt. He should be saying, no, stop. go back to your hotel room, and we'll pretend this never happened, silly girl. But he pulls you closer instead, his hand looping around to cradle the back of your tender head in the cup of his palm. A small comfort as he delves his tongue between your teeth. "Makin' me lose my goddamn mind—"

The words are growled against your mouth. You taste the tobacco-smoked fury between his teeth when they sink into your lower lip. Angry, maybe, that you're making him do this. That you had to be who you are, and despite that, he kisses you like you're not.

"Price," you whine, arching into his chest when he pulls at your bottom lip still caught between his teeth. Skin tender, bruised. He ruts into you at the sound, nearly purring. You feel it then. The hard press of his thickening cock against you. Mindlessly gyrating against your hip. The turgid length proof of his desire. His want for you. All you. "Please—"

He folds himself over you. Tucks you into the bracket of his chest, his arms. His fingers are iron bars on your skin, holding you tight to him. Unwilling to let go. His hand on your crown; his fingers gripping your thigh, hiking it up his waist. It's good. Better than all of your meagre fantasies combined. You've wanted this since you knew what want was. When he wandered into the kitchen the morning after a sleepover with a towel slung loose around his hips, his hand scrubbing the damness from the wet tangle of his hair, spilling them down his neck where they disappeared into the thick bed of hair on his chest, his belly.

He paused in the doorway when he saw you sitting at the island, eyes wide and drilling holes into his chest.

"Shit," he'd cussed, gruff and mean with sleep. "Didn't think—"

But you did. Over and over again. With your face pressed against your pillow, fingers shoved into the sticky wetness leaking out of your cunt. Thinking of him. Wrong. Wrong. Terrible—

Dad bod, your friend said with a cluck of her tongue that afternoon. And you feel it under your fists as he heaves. As he eats you alive, whole. Because kissing John Price, Mr Price, is a whirlwind. A maelstrom.

He devours. He conquers. He owns.

He licks into your mouth, petting over your tongue, your teeth, until you can't remember anything else except the tobacco and whiskey tang of him. Heady. An elixir you want to sip from for the rest of your life. Damn him—

He tells you he's thinking about marrying someone else. Then whispers, ash-soft, against your chin that he can't get enough of you.

Grunts, "you need to go," as he sinks his teeth down, hard, into the throbbing skin of your pulse. Laying claim as he slowly comes to.

The coarse hair of his beard rubs your flesh raw when he buries his face into your neck. You can feel the thunder of his heart against the knob of your wrist. The heat of his skin burning through you.

"Fuck," he rumbles again, and you know this time it's for good. Ironclad. But the remorse is paperthin. "Shouldn't have done that, should have—"

"I want you," you whisper through bruised, kiss-bitten lips. "I want you so bad. I loved you since I was—"

"Don't."

The sweat beading along his hairline smears across the naked arch of your shoulder and neck when he moves; a shallow shake of his head. Muted and small. Heavy with reluctance.

The man who meets you when he pulls back is frowning with wet, red-stained lips. His eyes are hardened sapphire reinforced with unbreakable obsidian. There's no inch to move. No cracks to squeeze through.

"This—" he swallows. You hope he tastes you still. Whiskey sour. Scotch neat. The drag of his cigar, the one he coached you through, scoffing when you choked, when you cough. You hope he runs his tongue over his teeth and tastes nothing but you. "This shouldn't have happened."

You don't say anything. Can't. The words are staining his lips.

You nod, slow. Cautious. He tells you he's marrying someone else. Thinking about it. Says this shouldn't have happened—

But he holds you like he can't bring himself to let go. Fingers clutching, clenching tight around you. Possessive. Greedy, even he as he slowly unspools from around you. As he pulls away, scouring his hand down his face with a deep, ragged inhale. Rough, worn fingers digging into his jaw until the knuckles under a dense cropping of umber hair turn white, nails pinking under the strain.

"This isn't—"

You nod again. Soft and slow, but you let your tongue flicker out, chasing the smoke drying on your swollen lips. It stings. The burn makes you think of him. Of his hot, heavy hands on your skin.

His eyes drop down to follow the slip of red that teases out between your teeth, blackening as they trace the new wetness left behind. You can feel him twitch against your thigh.

Your name is a broken snarl trapped in the thick of his throat. You've never heard it like that. Never. It does something. Lights you up from the inside out. Supernova in his arms. Icarus burning, crashing down to earth—

Catch me, Apollo—

He pulls away instead. Detaches from you with a heavy groan, as if the distance that now sits between you hurts him just as much.

The silence is broken by the sound of the crowd just beyond the pillar. You can see the moment it settles over him in the flattening of his eyes, the erasure of all affection that bloomed bright in blue. The terse set to his shoulders. The distance, the space, that grows and grows and grows—

He clears his throat. Mr Price once more. Untouchable. Off-limits.

"You should go," he says, and there's not an ounce of give in the rough flatline of his voice. Fixed. Firm. "You should go back to your hotel room. Come on. I'll call you a taxi."

"And you?"

He sucks in a breath through his nose, nostrils flaring. "Don't worry about me. Just—go back to the hotel room. We can—we'll talk in the morning."

"Where'd you?" She asks when you crawl into bed, the starchy sheets rubbing against your sunbitten skin.

There is a deluge of things you want to say. Things like—

I'm sorry. I love him. I—

can't let go.

"I think I just got my heart broken," you say instead, and wonder when the tears are supposed to come. At the wedding, maybe. But right now, you just feel numb. Empty.

The bed creaks when she rolls over, facing you in the dark. "Really? Didn't know you were, you know, foolin' around with anyone."

"I wasn't. It's—" your dad. But you can't say that, can you?

There's something painfully nostalgic about loving a man you're not supposed to want. A man who cannot, should not, want you back. An unrequited love in a foreign land. Unconsummated in the summer's heart. Sticky, bittersweet heartbreak.

Or, that's what it's supposed to be.

They are not John Price, though. Your best friend's dad. And they didn't kiss you back—

But he did.

And you think it's the worst thing he could have ever done.

[steddieas-shegoes]

safe like a pinky promise

for @steddielovemonth prompt 'love is protection'

rated m | 2,744 words | cw: alcohol, steve is drunk, minor violence (mostly just the threat of violence) | tags: protective eddie munson, protective steve harrington, post breakup, getting back together, exes to lovers

####################################

In hindsight, Steve should’ve been smarter about coming to this bar alone.

He’d only ever been there with Eddie and his friends, and while they weren’t the most popular, people knew not to mess with them or anyone with them. Without their protection, without Eddie’s protection, Steve was kind of asking for trouble.

Especially when he showed up already drunk, causing a scene at the bar in the middle of Corroded Coffin’s set.

He’d been having fun, or trying to, at his house with Robin. But when her parents called and insisted she come home, she left him with a buzz and a loneliness he couldn’t do anything else with.

He missed Eddie. He’d fucked up so bad and now he had to miss Eddie forever. Or maybe not forever. Maybe if he just showed up to support him like he used to, maybe if he bought him a drink and asked to talk, maybe if he kissed him in the bathroom and asked him to come home with him…

The bar was packed, way busier than it ever had been before. Most of the crowd was younger, but definitely older than Eddie and the band. He could see some older guys in the back corner and the regulars at the bar.

The room was spinning as he tried to get eyes on Eddie. He just needed to see Eddie.

Eddie was on stage, the poor lighting doing a shitty job of making him look like the star he was. Steve would need to talk to the owner about that soon. His boy should shine.

Well, he wasn’t really his boy anymore, or ever. That was the problem.

Steve had run. Despite Eddie always insisting that he was a runner, Steve had been the one to book it the moment Eddie wanted things to be more serious.

Even Robin told him it didn’t make sense. Steve was the commitment type, craved permanence from someone in a way that most people their age didn’t even think about.

The moment Eddie offered that to him, he left.

He regretted it every moment since.

Eddie’s voice filled the bar, the drums and guitar of his bandmates loud enough to make the walls shake. It was all Steve could focus on.

He didn’t know how people were having regular conversations right now.

“‘Scuse me!” Steve yelled to the bartender, who was pouring a beer from the tap. “Did you guys not know they were playin’ t’night?”

He could kind of register that he was slurring his words a bit, but couldn’t do anything about it. He hadn’t been drunk in a long time, he forgot the way his head buzzed when he was.

“They play every Tuesday night, son. Why?” The bartender handed the beer

Steve wasn’t usually an asshole, not anymore. If he was, it was unintentional.

But this was about to be very intentional.

“So you just expect them to sing on a dark stage?” He managed to not slur too much that time, wanted to express how serious it was that Eddie wasn’t getting the right treatment. “How’s he sposed to be a rockstar?”

The bartender crossed his arms, unamused at Steve’s questioning.

Steve didn’t care. Eddie deserved better than a half-assed attempt at a bar.

“He’s so good! And you don’t let him be.” Steve wasn’t sure if that made sense, but the bartender seemed to get it.

“Listen, kid. I dunno who served you before you got here, but you’re not gonna cause a scene, alright? Just go get some fresh air and wait for your friend.”

“He should have better lights!”

A man at the bar stood up and took a step towards Steve. “Hey, you heard Ernie. Go get some fresh air before you do somethin’ stupid.”

Steve should probably listen. Robin would tell him to listen.

The bar was suddenly very quiet, the music on stage paused and voices of people nearby so quiet Steve couldn’t hear what they were saying.

Why was he even mad?

He looked over to see Eddie on stage, looking around the room with his eyes squinting.

Right, the lights.

“He’s gonna be famous someday and it won’t be because you helped. Maybe you should buy a-” Steve felt his stomach turn. Shit. “A um.”

The man across from him mistook his stumbling over words and fists as a threat, and before Steve knew it, he was pushed against the wall by the bar.

“You listen here, kid. Don’t know why you showed up already so drunk, but you best leave before this turns into a serious problem. Ernie does these boys a favor lettin’ them play for tips at all. Start causin’ a scene, they won’t be able to come back, ya understand?”

The hand balling up his shirt was large, and the man’s face was red with anger.

Steve never backed down from a fight though.

“If nobody stands up for them, they’ll just keep playin’ for free. This place doesn’t even get people like this unless they’re playing.”

Just as Steve closed his eyes and expected a fist to the face, he was released and fell down against the wall. He looked up to see Eddie, guitar slung over his back, talking to the man who was holding him against the wall.

He couldn’t really hear what they were saying, too distracted by the way Eddie’s curls framed his face. They were always perfectly messy, falling in a way that would probably look terrible on someone else. But it was Eddie, and everything looked good on Eddie.

“Steve?” Eddie’s voice brought him back to earth and he suddenly realized the entire band was standing behind Eddie, and all eyes were on them.

“They don’t even know you’re a rockstar, Eds,” Steve whined. “I tried to tell ‘em and they thought I was gonna be a problem.”

Eddie waved the guys away, handing his guitar to Gareth before leaning down to help Steve to his feet. “C’mon. You’re drunk as shit.”

Steve couldn’t really argue with that, and arguing would maybe make Eddie take his hands off of him, so fuck that. Eddie’s hands belonged on him. 2+2 was four and Eddie’s hands should be on Steve.

“Eddie, they don’t even turn the lights on!” Steve fell against his chest, mumbling into his shoulder. “No lights!”

Steve breathed in Eddie’s scent, sweat and body wash mixed up just right to drive Steve crazy.

But Eddie didn’t do it to drive Steve crazy, not anymore. Not since-

“Did you drive here?” Eddie asked, luckily keeping his arm wrapped around Steve as he guided him out the front door.

“No. Walked.” For some reason, he felt chastised, like maybe Eddie was disappointed in him, but he didn’t know what for. Maybe drinking? But Eddie liked to let loose sometimes too. It wouldn’t be fair of him to judge Steve for finally letting go a little.

“You walked? From where?”

“My house.”

“Steve, that’s three miles away.”

“Is it?”

Eddie pulled him to the back of his van, leaning him against the back doors and taking a long look at him.

“Does Robin know you walked here?”

“She isn’t in charge of me, I don’t have to ask for fuckin’ permission-“

“Get in the van.” Eddie tugged him to the passenger door, opening it for him and waiting for Steve to get in. “Do you need help?”

“No. I can do it.”

Which was a lie, and they both knew it, but Steve was not about to admit out loud how little control he had over his own limbs.

It became clear the moment he tried to step up into the van and his foot missed making contact by a solid six inches. He would’ve fallen flat on his face if not for Eddie’s strong arms wrapping around him and lifting him into the passenger seat.

Eddie closed the door and got into the driver’s seat, not even turning the radio on as they drove. They were heading in the direction of the trailer park, not Steve’s house, and Steve tried not to feel smug about it.

“Why did you come tonight?” Eddie finally asked, his knuckles turning white against the steering wheel. “Why are you drunk? And why did I have to rescue you from getting another concussion?”

“I just miss you.”

It was simple. That’s what it all boiled down to.

Steve missed Eddie, missed being able to just show up for him when he wanted, missed playing with his hair when he was asleep because that was the only time he sat still enough for him to do it. He missed the way he kissed the freckle closest to his ear when he was trying to calm him down after a nightmare. He missed making him laugh.

“Steve, you-” Eddie sighed and turned the radio on. “You can sleep it off and I’ll bring you home in the morning.”

“I don’t wanna sleep it off. I don’t want you to ignore me.” Steve crossed his arms, protecting himself from whatever words Eddie would throw at his chest. “I want you to miss me too.”

The turn into the trailer park was silent as Steve’s words surrounded them.

When the van was in park in front of Eddie’s trailer, he turned to Steve.

“I do miss you. I miss us.” Eddie wouldn’t look at him, but Steve could tell he was trying not to cry. “But I can’t talk to you about it until you’ve slept this off, okay? Whatever you’re feeling now might be gone in the morning.”

The adrenaline wearing off was enough for Steve to feel pretty sober, but he could still see double and the van felt like it was still moving under him, so he knew he was too drunk to have the conversation now.

“But in the mornin’?” Steve’s head felt heavy.

He was reaching his least favorite part of being drunk, the exhaustion phase, where every movement felt like it was in slow motion but the world around him was speeding by and his body felt numb. He closed his eyes as he waited for Eddie’s response.

His eyes shot open when he felt Eddie’s finger brush against his pinky.

“In the morning, we’ll talk. Pinky promise,” his pinky wrapped around Steve’s, squeezed, and didn’t let go.

Steve looked down at their joined pinkies, thought about how something so small made him feel so safe, and nodded once.

Eddie helped him inside, one arm around his waist and humming a song Steve vaguely recognized as they walked down the hall to Eddie's room.

“Couch?” Steve asked.

“Don’t want Wayne to wake you up when he gets home.”

Steve was helped out of his shoes and jeans and tucked in on his side of the bed.

He curled up under the blanket, breathing in the scent of Eddie’s shampoo on the pillow.

He drifted off to the warmth coming from Eddie’s side of the bed and the sound of Eddie humming that familiar song.

******

“...need ya to be careful, Ed. He really did a number on ya last time.”

Steve blinked his eyes open as he processed Wayne’s voice on the other side of the door, a voice he hadn’t heard in months. A voice that used to be warm and comforting for Steve from a person who placed his trust in Steve to not hurt his nephew.

“I think I did a number on him, too.”

Steve’s head was pounding, but not in the way of his usual migraines. He hadn’t been hungover in a long time, but he was quickly reminded of why he hadn’t bothered to drink in so long.

“I’m headin’ to bed. Be good to each other.”

Steve heard Wayne’s bedroom door close and Eddie’s door open. He didn’t pretend to be asleep, even though it would have given him at least another few minutes of soaking in this feeling of being Eddie’s before things turned sour. He looked at Eddie, who stood at the edge of his bed, his fingers curling around a loose thread of his blanket.

He was nervous.

He hadn’t been nervous when Steve broke his heart, he’d just been angry.

He hadn’t been nervous when they first kissed, he’d just been ready.

But he was nervous now and Steve knew that meant he needed to lead.

“Hey.” Steve’s voice was rough, more than just the usual morning rasp from disuse. “Can we talk in bed?”

They were known to have nightly talks facing each other in bed, sometimes still sweaty and breathless from sending each other over the edge, the honesty easier when the outside world felt far away.

Eddie must have recognized Steve’s intentions as he got under the blanket, facing him in bed with a nervous smile on his face.

“Hey,” Steve said again, barely more than a whisper.

“Hi.”

“Sorry about last night.” Eddie shrugged, but Steve pushed on. “I shouldn’t have gone to the bar at all. But I definitely shouldn’t have caused problems when I got there. I’m sorry I made a scene.”

“It’s alright, Stevie.” Eddie’s hand was inching closer to Steve’s between them. “Why were you drunk?”

“Robin and I were hanging out and she kept trying to bring up how I haven’t tried going out at all since-” Steve breathed out. “Since I ruined everything with you. And she said if I wasn’t gonna make it right with you, I should at least try to find someone who might make me happy. And I didn’t know who would! It was you for so long and you’re the only person who could make me that happy. So when she left I went from drinking a couple beers to drinking a few shots of the whiskey my dad didn’t take with him. And then I just…missed you.”

Eddie’s hand finally found Steve’s, his fingers curling against the back of his hand.

“I always miss you, but it was worse when I was alone and drinking. I was drunk enough to think walking to the bar was a good idea, which it clearly wasn’t-”

“I dunno about that. You’re in my bed again and that’s not all bad,” Eddie interrupted, a small smile threatening to break out into a much bigger one. “We aren’t doing anything else, but can I kiss you, Stevie?”

“Please,” Steve breathed out.

It had been four months, two weeks, and one day since the last time Eddie kissed Steve.

But this kiss felt like no time had passed at all, like they’d pick up exactly where they left off before Steve ruined it.

“You’re thinking too hard,” Eddie said against his lips, opening his eyes to see what was going on. “What’s goin’ on?”

“I’m just sorry that I let myself ruin what we had.”

“Sweetheart, listen to me.” Eddie cupped his face in his hands, forcing eye contact. “You did screw up. I can’t lie and say you didn’t. You had every chance to talk me through what was going on in your head and work it out in any other way, but you didn’t. That hurt me, but it also hurt you. And I should’ve tried to talk after. I shut you out and didn’t leave much room for you to make it right. That part is on me.”

“It wasn’t up to you to-”

“No, it was up to us and we’re young and stupid and have no idea what we’re doing so of course we’re gonna fuck up. We can love each other and still be stupid sometimes. But maybe next time we won’t forget that we love each other, huh?” Eddie kissed the tip of Steve’s nose. “Do you still have those thoughts?”

“Which ones?”

“The ones telling you that you can’t have someone who makes you feel safe.”

Steve looked at the only person on earth besides Robin who ever made him feel truly loved and protected.

He thought about how his last words to Eddie before last night had been spewed in anger, but were born of pain and mistrust in his own ability to be loved. He thought about how Robin told him the only way to be loved was to just let it happen, even when it was scary.

“I do still have them, yeah.” Steve leaned in to give him a kiss on the lips, soft and slow. “But you’ll protect me, right?”

“Every day, sweetheart.”

[princesscolumbia]

Star Trek Captains, A Review and Categorization

Star Trek is a show about a Neo-military organization that has rank structures, ships, and fights wars, so naturally there's plenty of captains to talk about, but for this post I'll be highlighting specifically the main cast captains, in something resembling chronological order. (But, I mean, this is Star Trek, so even that's kinda up in the air)

Captain Archer

That Guy who had to hand crank the warp engine up-hill both ways in the blinding ion storm. We don't need no stinkin' Prime Directive! Remember The Alamo Pearl Harbor 9/11 Florida! But...uh, maybe don't be dicks about it, not everyone who looks like the ones responsible for that thing we're never going to forget actually wants us dead. Got transformed into an alien, got possessed by another alien, slept with a couple more. Never got pregnant, though (that was his chief engineer)

Scorecard

Ships commanded: 1

Wars started: 0

Wars ended: 3

Times on screen naked: 1

Nazi facilities destroyed: 1

Category: Grampa

Captain Pike

Midlife crisis? What midlife crisis? Everything's fiiiiine. Now eat something, it'll make you feel better. I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed. Number One, don't tell me I can't adopt more kids, I don't care that they're from the future they're mine now. Besides, we've already got a whole ship-full, what's two more?

Scorecard

Ships commanded: 2

Violations of the Temporal Prime Directive: -3 (yes, it's an irrational number, we're talking time travel, people!)

Musical Numbers Participated While On Duty: 3

Hair: Really Great

Category: Dad (or DILF if you swing that way)

Captain Georgiou

You will be captain when you can snatch the stone from my hand.

Scorecard

Ships commanded: 1

Protege's who required a redemption arc: 1

Awesomeness: Transcendent

Category: Gone too soon, also, MILF who can kick your ass

(Edit: Courtesy of @cheer-me-up-scotty for pointing out an oversite on my part)

Captain Burnham

Cosplays as a Vulcan 'cause she's jealous of her adoptive brother. Accurately called an audience-stand-in-self-insert-mary-sue (shut up, Star Trek fandom invented the Mary Sue, it was a term coined by women fans, so shut up!), but by season 2 she actually gets interesting.

Scorecard

Mommy Issues: Has a subscription

Moms: 4

PTSD inducing life events: Like, all of them

Ships commanded: 3

Mutinies led failed: 1

Category: That One Cousin who married surprisingly well and made something of herself in spite of all expectations

Captain Kirk

Golden retriever energy, would be the Useless Bisexual Himbo if he didn't have so much game. Probably smarter than he lets on. Polyamory King and certified Alien Fucker. Boyfriend is a half-space-elf, main sometimes-girlfriend will go on to create the deadliest super-weapon ever built by humans by accident.

Scorecard

Number of Klingon Bounties on his head: [CLASSIFIED]

Number of women he's slept with: [CLASSIFIED]

Nazi regimes toppled: 1

Number of times he should have had a test that determines if you can stick your dick in it that got named after an upstart from that other science fiction show instead: 1

Ships Commanded: 3

Ships He's Stolen: 3

Category: Slut(affectionate)

Captain Kirk (the other one)

Golden Retriever that got left behind when his family moved away and had to lead a ragtag team of a crotchety older dog and a wet cat on a journey...

No, wait, hold on...

Right! That's the one!

Scorecard

Times he should have been kicked out of Starfleet: At least 4

Ships commanded: 3

Ground transport destroyed: 2 (that we know of)

Number of middle fingers given to Admiralty: 2

Category: Bad Boy

Captain Picard

You know that guy who you see going to the library all the time and always seems to have his nose in a book and always seems to be telling people off for breaking the rules and doing dangerous shit? You'd never know it but he used to be That Guy in college who got, like, ALL the girls and is going to be the Hot Grampa that you don't know how he has that much game, but he got it.

Scorecard

Ships lost in the line of duty: 2

Number of times he married and then estranged his best friend's wife who named their son after her dead first husband: 1

Number of toxic omnipotent and omniscient boyfriends who are obsessed with him and spends their spare time playing with ponies: 1

Category: Inexplicable Sexyman

Captain Badass Sisko

The Cool Dad with baggage. He's got game, but he's got priorities as well, and DON'T mess with his son or you won't even exist anymore to regret it. BLM before it was cool. Led a civil rights riot two centuries before he was born. Space Jesus who can make the best jambalaya you've ever had. Fought and won a war, punched a god, then became one.

Scorecard

Civilizations saved: 4

Native Cultures Treated With the Respect They Deserve: Many

Times He Bent the Rules so his CMO could get some nookie from a Cardasian spy plain, simple tailor: The counter broke

Successful black-ops assassinations completed: 1

Category: BAMF

Captain Janeway

THE single most decorated captain in Starfleet history. Successfully dropped the hammer on dozens of petty tyrants, oppressive regimes, roaming mass murderers, and the Borg. What Prime Directive? Your Mom. Also, probably slept with your mom, that's how much she is the Domme-est of Dommes. She told the Borg to use the safe word...and they DID!

Scorecard

Borg Daughters: 1

Times she told the Borg to step off: 3 (or 4...or 5? Honestly, with the time travel shenanigans it's hard to know for sure)

Nazis she's personally shot: 1

Category: Mistress, but it's "Ma'am" to you

Captain Freeman

She's angry AND disappointed! She's just as good as all the other captains in the fleet, and the good ones know it, but all the rest? They see "cali class" and assume all they're good for is the jobs nobody else wants. But jokes on them, because thanks to that attitude her crew are the flippin' Jacks and Jills of all trades and are more capable of fixing AND fucking AND "fucking" shit up than damn near anyone else!

Scorecard

Times the ship has nearly been destroyed but she and her crew got through it: ...uh...how many episodes are there? And then there's the times that get casual mentions that we never get the details on!

Daughters who should probably be captains now if they were at least a LITTLE more respectful and didn't actively try to piss off Admirals: 1

Times the Cerritos has had to be rebuilt to the point it might as well be called "The Ship of Cerritos Problem": At least 4

Category: Your mom...get back here, I'M NOT DONE TALKING TO YOU!

Captain R'El

Cinnamon Roll, just let m'boy into Starfleet! He just wants a home and a family! I'd like to see full-grown captains who can keep up with half of what this Best Boy is capable of!

Scorecard

Number of species his genetic code is made up of: All of 'em. Even the GODDAMN Q!

Number of Janeways he impressed the socks off of: 2

Quality of his Janeway impression: Bad

Number of Ferengi he out-Ferengi'd: 1

Nazis punched: Give him time...

Category: Teenage Boy Who's NOT GOING THROUGH A PHASE, MOM!

Should I do Captains Shaw and Seven? How about Alternate Timeline Tripp or Future Chakotay? (Going too far down that rabbit hole will eventually lead to Imperial Kirk and Captain Spock from the movies.) Let me know in the comments.

Next Post in this series

[rafesgoldrings]

Okay so we got jealous Rafe…but what about jealous trophy wife reader. Let’s say an older woman, one Rafe’s age, starts stopping by the office because she’s thinking about doing business with him. She starts getting a little too friendly with him and it makes reader a little upset since she’s so much younger. One day the woman and Rafe go into his office for a private meeting and reader goes in and drops to her knees and starts sucking Rafe off so the lady gets the hint

OH MY GOD?? The gasp I just gusped (I also hit the text limit writing this and if that doesn’t say anything about the obsession I have with trophy wife reader and Rafe, I don’t know what will😭)

 You didn’t like her. Didn’t even have to speak to her to know that she was an insufferable cunt who was up to no good, the way she stared you down with that irritating smirk and gave Rafe fuck me eyes told you what you needed to know. Part of you was already insecure enough being with Rafe, he was older, smarter, and a hell of a lot more successful and experienced than you, now this stupid older woman, closer in both his age and success, was here making moves on him. You had no doubt he loves you for who you are, despite the age gap and success level differences, but that didn’t stop you from seeing red each time they spoke. You really did try to keep yourself collected in order for him to secure this business deal, he’d told you how important it was to the company and you weren’t trying to fuck that up for him. But when she walked into his office alone, him following shortly after, that was your final straw. You’d stormed towards his door, red bottoms that your husband bought you echoing prominently in the room, before opening it and storming inside not bothering to close the door behind you. “Baby? What are you doing here?” Rafe asked with a nervous chuckle, he was so close to securing the deal and getting rid of the woman before you’d stormed in. The man wasn’t an idiot, in all his years of being alive and working in the business he’d seen women just like her. The ones that would flirt and sleep their way into a deal, that’s why he’d always reject her and remind her he was a happily married man, it just didn’t deter her at all. You said nothing to him, just walked over in front of him and sank to your knees, unbuckling his belt and undoing his business slacks before pulling his cock out and stroking it with your hand. You’d made it a point to exaggerate your wedding ring, all the diamonds shining brightly against the fluorescent lights above you. His hips would buck into your hand and you sent her a smirk from across the desk. A big look of ‘see how he responds to me. he’s mine, fucking back off’ loving the look of unease she gave you. Her jaw slightly clenched and breathing becoming increasingly more rapid as she grew more irritated. His hand instinctively flew to your hair and pulled it in a makeshift ponytail, moving your head so your mouth was lined up with his cock. You’d stick your tongue out and place it flat against his tip, slowly pushing more in until his cock was hitting the back of your throat before wrapping your lips around it and sucking. The small whimpers he was making mixed with the feeling of being watched made you more eager to keep going, hands moving to play with his balls and moaning around his cock like he loved you doing. Your fellow employees could easily see and hear everything, but nobody would say a word. You could have them fired within seconds if they dared, and they wouldn’t say a word to their boss knowing he could make their life hell, so they opted to mind their own business. The woman cleared her throat, alerting Rafe to her presence again, and raised her brows like she expected him to tell you to stop. To her surprise, he just mumbled a quick ‘sorry, where were we?’ you still on your knees sucking him off under the desk. Each time she’d speak to him, you sucked harder, squeezed his balls harder, so he’d let out a loud groan of your name and remind her of her place. The deal would quickly come to a close right as he came. Thick ropes of cum coating your tongue and throat, you kept sucking him dry. It wasn’t until he physically pulled you off that you stopped, turning your head to the side just in time to see her walk out of his office and shout “thanks for doing business with my husband! next time keep yourself in line yeah?” the taste of him still fresh on your tongue. He’d pull you up by your throat into a sloppy kiss. “That was so fucking hot baby, want to fuck you on my desk” he’d mumble on your lips, striding over to the door to close and lock it before returning to you, bending you in half over the desk and pushing your skirt up so that he could have his way with you

[deathbxnny]

♧◇♡♤ --- ♤♡◇♧

Hello! I've never requested on your acc before but I've seen many of your works and wanted to give a request.

How about the Stellaron Hunters or the Astral Express Family with a child!reader who's like Ray from The Promised Neverland?

If you had never watched it before, Ray is an orphan from GraceField orphanage, and he's one of the smartest children there. He's very introverted and apathetic, so he mostly spends time reading books instead of playing with the other children.

Like I said before, he's very intelligent and a good strategizer. His plans often catch people off guard, but they do work.

And in the anime/mangga, he's pretty suicidal and tried lighting himself on fire. ( He was quickly stopped because [insert character] caught the match before it hit the floor. )

P. S. Yk Stellaron Hunter anon? They're my older sister 💀

-----♡

A/N: Omg hello! It's so nice to see even siblings enjoy my work enough to request something, so thank you for the request and the information on the character! Also greet the Stellaron Hunter Anon from me!<33

Content: TW!ATTEMPTED SUICIDE, child reader, platonic relationships, angst, hurt/comfort, parental/sibling figure characters

Reader has no set pronouns!

((Not fully proofread))

-----♡

》Kafka

Kafka noticed right away, that there was something different about you. You were quiet and reserved, often keeping away from everyone to read your books alone. You weren't sociable and disliked anyone talking to you outside of work related things. You intrigued Kafka alot, especially as you at least seemed to tolerate her. Not that you had much of a choice, with her being your assigned caretaker.

With that said, she often praised you for your intelligence. You were alot smarter than you let on and whilst your plans were a little unique, they still always worked out perfectly in the end. She'd always stand there smiling smugly at those who doubted you too, knowing full well that your plans would work.

One thing she did miss though, was your disinterest in being alive. So it came to a shock to her, when she saw you attempting to light yourself on fire. She never expected it and so she moved fast to stop you from doing so. Kafka quickly pulled you into her embrace, unable to say a word, as she just rubbed your back whilst you cried. You were too important to her to die and ever since that day, she made sure you'd never be alone again either. You had her, after all.

-----♡

》Blade

Blade didn't mind how introverted and quiet you were. In fact, he preferred it, as it meant that you wouldn't ask much of him or annoy him either. You both enjoyed to keep everything to yourselves and only interacted when it was necessary. But this didn't mean, that Blade didn't keep his eyes on you.

He was secretly very impressed by your intelligence and skills, often wondering how such a child could come up with these elaborate and unique plans, that always worked flawlessly. It made him develop huge trust in you and your abilities, going as far as to even ask for your opinion whenever it's needed first. Despite your age, he still respects you.

One thing he definitely found off about you however, is that you were always so apathetic, which he found odd for a kid your age. He often questioned why that was, which would just earn him an indifferent answer. But he didn't need one, as your actions spoke for you. He was quick to shut your suicide attempt down and stop you from trying anything ever again. He isn't good with emotions and doesn't want to live himself. But you still had a chance at a good life and so he'd make sure, that you would have one.

-----♡

》Silver Wolf

Silver Wolf understood how you felt and often left you alone as a result of it. Or at least, visually alone, as she was usually still nearby somewhere to make sure you were okay. She eventually got close enough to you through your interest in books and her love for video games, which made you two practically inseparable. You were both indifferent and mostly introverted, so you got along well.

You always aided her during missions, coming up with elaborate and unexpected escape plans, whenever Herta was close to discovering you two. She also taught you how to hack or code, as you were very intelligent and learned fast. She'd always acknowledge how proud she was of you with a head pat and a snack she gave you.

But even so, she still noticed the darkness that manifested within you over time. She knew your indifference came from a sadder, lonelier part of you and that it was only a matter of time, until you truly had enough. And so, she always stayed close by, stopping anything that even looked like an attempt at your life with ease, whilst acting all natural, despite her aching heart. But you at least knew, that you could count on her.

-----♡

A/N: I hope this was alright! Thank you again for your request!<33

[sapphic-agent]

I will say confidently that MHA has done this. It has given me a lot of ideas for my own story. It also has a lot of inspo from Avatar: The Last Airbender as well, but it's still it's own thing. I will say, as a treat. Here's a Momo rewrite!

Momo, as said before, grew up with rich parents. I'd also like to believe for this rewrite she has like older siblings. For the reason why Momo feels so inadequate is because her classmates have so much going for them, her siblings are so much smarter and wiser than her, and her parents aren't... around that much. She doesn't feel good enough, and she just wants to show that SHE can be that good enough.

I'd say she'd still have that same fight thing with Shoto and Aizawa, some things tweaked here and there but still the same. As the show goes on, I feel like it would be interesting to show a different side of the field when it comes to how quirk society treats certain people. Momo is up on the ladder. Very wealthy. Her parents have extreme expectations for her, and she has to be perfect. Grades, social life, clothing, etc. She gets compared a lot to Shoto and her siblings, which can be apart of her arc and why it affects her so much. Also a reflection of Japanese society of always having women to be perfect, prim, and even her parents basically forcing her to be like a perfect housewife for her next "husband." But Momo doesn't wanna marry or fall in love with WHO her parents want her to be. Maybe she realizes during school she's a lesbian or bisexual or w/e sexuality. She is not quite as knowledge, but very open to learning. She and Jirou get close, and meets her family. Her family is so kind and supportive, and what a family should be. She feels conflicted. For Shoto parallels, Shoto comes from a well off home, but a not so good family life. Even throw a parallel to Toga who went through the same thing. Ochako also grew up dirt poor, but has loving parents. Momo learns about a loving family IS, and I feel she would try to reconnect with some of her adult siblings, and it goes well. Rocky, but well. Shoto getting the courage to stand up to his own dad. It makes Momo think, Momo's parents in this, aren't as accepting of the LGBTQ+ , but are quiet about their judgements. Momo and Jirou's romance is a slowburn mainly because MHA takes place within one year. But, tbh, in my rewrite of MHA the final battle with Shigaraki is when all of Class 1A are like in their 4th year of school. By then, Momo and Jirou are dating. But if we're sticking to the canon timeline, there's hints of it. But Momo stands up to her parents about this and doesn't take their shit anymore. She's her own person. She's her own hero. I'd also like to imagine Momo also becomes a foil to Toga. Because in this rewrite, they have quite a lot in common, and is also present in the whole Toga V. Ochako show down. She would become a part of the Dekusquad, and be like a 2nd defacto leader. Also, in this rewrite, Midoriya, Iida, Ochako, Tsuyu, and Momo go to Shoto's house, and not just Bakugo and Midoriya. Momo is very confident and becomes a great leader, and hero. Lemme know what you think!

Weird way of proposing, Anon, but I DO.

This is all I've ever wanted for Momo. Substance, drive, ambition, ALL OF IT IS SO PERFECT. And it also feels very true to her character. So many Momo rewrites make her entirely different (seriously, when people make her cold and snobby it really turns me off because a big part of Momo's character is that despite being rich she has a generous and kind heart), this one takes what's good about Momo's canon characters and enhances it. Horikoshi wishes he could write women half as well as you.

Please keep cooking🔥 If you ever make a fic I'll be the first one to read it

[poppybros-jr]

Dazor:Hey, Cosmo. I was wondering how you feel about your siblings? Uh- Good luck in the tournament.

…I mean, sure. I’m more than happy to talk about my siblings. I’m not sure why I started talking like that, to be honest. I’m very sorry, it won’t happen again. Just… get comfy, ‘cause I’m the fourth of five siblings so this might take a while!

@a-stardusted-sky

WARNING! This ask is a very long one, and it also delves into more serious territory than usual, so it goes under a cut. Content warning for mentions of divorce, parental emotional abuse/estrangement and childhood trauma resulting from the disappearance of a sibling.

Also tagging this as propaganda because we’re getting into backstory. @kirbyoctournament

Firstly, Stella! My twin sister! She hatched half an hour before I did, and we joke that it’s so she could be there to help me out of my shell. Because that’s what she still does even to this day!

We used to perform together under Stella’s name, using our identical looks to pull off a ‘teleportation’ trick. We were only kids at the time, so that was the only trick we did in the whole show. It got boring pretty quick, and I didn’t like that I didn’t get to have my name on the posters, but I was scared to say anything. Stella wasn’t, though! A couple of years ago she said she wanted us to be a proper double act, and that if I didn’t get recognition for my skills she simply wouldn’t perform. It worked! I actually figured out I was a boy not long after that, so I’m really glad we don’t have to be perfectly identical anymore. She’s trying to encourage me to perform solo, too, but I don’t have the same charisma she does, so I don’t know if I can do it as well as she does.

I’m really glad she’s my big sister. She’s the most supportive, kindest sister ever. And the most fun! She can be a little annoying sometimes with how excitable and silly she is, and sometimes her energy wears me out, but I’d never want her to change. She’s the best. Like a ray of sunshine!

Celeste is the baby of the family. She’s very shy.

She was only little when Marx ran away, and our parents apparently decided to use her as a… do-over, I guess? Our mum especially wanted her to be everything Marx wasn’t and put a lot of pressure on her to fit her expectations. But Celeste really didn’t like performing, so she got more and more quiet… We’re staying with our aunts at the moment because of our parents divorcing, though, and she’s starting to feel much better. She’s trying out different things to find something she likes. She seems very interested in the production side of the circus, like music and lighting. I think that no matter what she does when she grows up, she’ll do amazing. She’s really smart! Much smarter than I was at her age!

She hardly ever talks, but she’s an absolute sweetheart, and if anyone tries to hurt her I will DESTROY THEIR LIFE. :)

Since we live with our aunts now, our cousins the Poppy Bros are like our honorary siblings!

Poppy Bros Sr (Pop for short) and Poppy Bros Jr (Poppy for short) are the owners of the circus! Well, Pop is. Poppy will co-own it when they’re an adult. Poppy is also part of the Star Allies and helped out with that whole mess with the weird shadowy heart things a few years back! I want to join someday too so I can help protect Popstar!

Pop is a great boss. When I was a little kid I thought he was intimidating, but he’s really just a big softy! He’s always asking me how I’m doing and listens to all my ideas. He’s very understanding if I’m not feeling well enough to perform or get stage fright, and he never pressures me. I don’t know him that well, though, since he’s a lot older than me.

As for Poppy? I like them! After Marx ran away, they stepped in to be our older sibling since he couldn’t do it anymore. They still look out for us even now! They stand up for us whenever we need backup and they always have time to hang out with us. They were best friends with Marx before he left, so it must have been very hard on them at the time, but they always put on a brave face. I respect them a lot! They’re still a massive nerd who’s obsessed with bombs, though. They specialise in confetti firework bombs that look really pretty! If I count Pop and Poppy as my siblings too, that makes me sixth out of seven instead of fourth out of five.

Did I remember everyone? I feel like I’m forgetting someone… Oh, right! This jerk.

I’m gonna put this out here right now, okay? I do NOT condone the crimes Marx committed. He did some really bad things! That is not okay. That said, I’m talking specifically about my own relationship with my big brother, okay? Okay. Here we go.

I think Marx is a great brother. He’s not much older than me and Stella, so we were very close growing up and we still are even now. Some people are surprised to hear that I’m close to Marx, ‘cause most of the time we spend together, we’re either insulting each other or daring each other to do gross or dangerous things. I think those people have never had brothers.

It hurt a lot when he ran away. Stella and I both knew he wasn’t happy. He got into fights with our parents a lot and was always causing trouble. But we tried very hard to help him feel better. We played with him all the time. After he left, we thought it was our fault for not trying hard enough, but after he came back to Popstar he told us it wasn’t. I still feel bad about it sometimes, though. He doesn’t live with us anymore because he doesn’t want to be around our parents, but our aunts take us to visit him as much as possible.

Sometimes I still have bad dreams that he ran away again and died, or turned into a monster, or other bad stuff. It’s scary. I usually call him when that happens so I can talk to him. He doesn’t care if I call him in the middle of the night. He doesn’t sleep much anyway. And then the next time I visit he gets me donuts. The kind with the blueberry jam filling that I like.

He’s definitely not perfect. Not even close. Sometimes his insults get too mean. Or he’ll play a prank on me that upsets me. But he always says sorry and tries to make it up to me once he realises he hurt me. That’s more than what some people will do. I’m scared of a lot of people, but I’m never scared of him.

I do think he’s a stinky loser with a face like a Scarfy that got stuck halfway, though. :)

…

…

…

… Okay, that was definitely everyone! All of us are accounted for! Thanks for the question, Dazor, and I’m sorry I kept you so long. Here, take an ice lolly with you! You get first choice!

[seo8inn]

Don’t let me go | Minghao

She was still the same stupid girl she was back then. In the face of this boy — man, she still felt weak in the knees. She knew it: her heart had always ever been his.

SHE hadn’t really expected to see him after. Not for a few years, at least. It was better not to hope.

And she was right. Though she’d watched and admired the person she always knew XU MINGHAO would grow to be on TV screens (glittering, bright, bigger than life), she felt like she’d lost that part of him that was always only ever hers. The boy (rather than the man,) who smiled at her under the summer sun and the way his cheeks had become flushed like persimmons.

So when she sees him now, it’s a little bit strange. It makes her giddy, really. Half of its anger, but for the most part it’s desire. He smiles, eyebags under his eyes. “It’s been a long time, Ying.”

She hates his tone and the way his smile looks polite and practiced. She feels like he’s still an ocean away. Although he looks the same, she couldn’t reach out to touch him. (He doesn’t really belong to her anymore.)

She gives him a small smile. They talk for a bit, walking along the streets, mostly polite ‘How’ve you been doing’s and ‘I’ve been fine’s. Here’s what she realised: there wasn’t really anything left to talk about anymore. Not about school. Not about life, because his life was now so vastly different and bigger than she could ever really comprehend. (As we grow older, we grow apart)

And then it’s funny, because it hits her, and she begins to tear. Like, fully, tears falling from her eyes. Concerned, he stops in front of her, leans forward to push her hair back and wipe her tears away, which would have made her fifteen-year-old heart melt into lovesick puddles.

(She wonders if he ever knew how he made her feel through these seemingly simple gestures he always did. She wonders if he always knew and did them anyway. It hurts to think about.)

“Hey, what’s wrong? You can always talk to me…”

But she really couldn’t, because how was she meant to tell him to go back to Korea and leave her alone, and how she’d just let go of him, and how she hated him for ruining things for her like that, and that after all these years, he still looked at her with such intensity she had to look away, and that she’s never really moved on, not really. She was still the same stupid girl she was back then. In the face of this boy — man, however much he’d changed, she still felt weak in the knees. Her heart had always ever been his.

—

“You’ve changed, you know.” He laughs, and her heart sinks. She’s upset. Because she had changed. And some part of her wanted him to know it. That she wasn’t the simpering fool he’d left behind. But then again she didn’t. Didn’t want him to see her, to look deep enough at her to be able to tell. (For that would mean he’d probably be able to see through the other things she tried to hide.) For the most part, she hated herself for being so concerned with what he’d think of her in the first place.

She was older now. Old enough to know not to want him anymore. She was old enough to know that he would always be out of reach, or understand that he had left her! And that was awful, and that she should hate him, really. But she was also old enough to know she couldn’t. That her foolish heart still remained the same, even after all these years, after all this pent-up resentment.

“Don’t we all?” She says. There’s some hate and yearning laced in her tone. It’s so bitter and sweet. And of course he saw right through it all, always so much smarter, always one step ahead. She hated it.

“Why do I feel like you’ve got something against me, kid?”

[cloveroctobers]

black mascara — EZ REYES

A|N: in honor of the season 5 trailer, I had to write a little something. This one will actually be small since I don’t have too much to go off of in writing this but I can’t lie and say I’m not a little fired up! So get comfy.

GIF BELONGS to: @dailymayans

·˚ ༘☄. *. ⋆ ·˚ ༘☄. *. ⋆ ·˚ ༘☄. *. ⋆ ·˚ ༘☄. *. ⋆ ·˚ ༘☄. *. ⋆·

“See that crave for power…that’s seeping through your pores is exactly what’s gonna get you killed, Ezekiel.”

“…if that happens to be the case, I hope they know their prayers well because I’ll still be here from beyond the grave.”

She did not know this person that she sat face to face with. She didn’t even know what that statement means. Majority of the time Hadiza kept out of The Mayans business, despite the fact that her older brother Franky interacted with them from time to time. She knew Ezekiel way before he decided to join the club and although she’s seen the Mayans around town, she didn’t have much of a opinion when the man first brought the idea to the table a week before his release.

Now she wished she would have.

Back then she trusted that Ez knew what he was doing.

This Ezekiel was not the man she used to know.

Hadiza had a feeling this would happen, that as soon as Ezekiel got into the president’s chair, a whole new level of danger would be unleashed. She saw the shift in Ezekiel throughout his time in the charter happen gradually, that her worries started to keep her up at night. The lack of sleep even proposed her to talk to Felipe about it, who simply listened and still had faith in his baby boy until Gabby came around.

Which was kinda foul the longer she thought about it. Was her word really not good enough when she’s been around? She’ll have to take that up with Felipe at a later time, respectfully.

She’s known Ezekiel since high school…it’s been years since they stepped into their adulthood. However a good portion of Ezekiel’s youth was ripped away from him the night his mother died.

Yes people change…but not like this.

Hadiza was beginning to think that a piece of Ezekiel died with his mother that day but what could she say about him now? So much has happened since then and He wasn’t the same—sure it was foolish to think that he would be completely healed from that tragedy but the light in his pretty honey eyes, did not reflect what was beyond them or what was on the outside.

“So that’s it then,” she raised her shoulders, “you’re gonna waste your life away for reckless shit? You’re better than this Ezekiel.”

“What do you exactly expect me to do? This is the duty that I’ve strived for. And you’re looking at me as if we didn’t know it would always end up being this way. I know you didn’t think this shit was rainbows and daisies, you’re much smarter than gabby in that sense.” Ezekiel bit, yanking a cigarette from his pocket.

Hadiza shook her head, “speaking ill of the dead…somebody that you killed and claimed to love like she was just nothing to you. I’m not feeling this. Or you.”

“There’s the door, fucking use it,” Ezekiel flared his nostrils as he pointed at the exit, “you’re the one who came here trying to preach to me what I’ve already heard. And what I’ve told myself before back when I was weak. What? you thought shit was gonna change because it’s coming from you? I’ve got to be smarter than that, especially when it comes to the club and nothing you can say to me right now…matters.”

“Then what does, motherfucker?!” She was on her feet now, “greed? Selfishness? No wait. I got it, your ego.”

The man lifted his shoulders, not needing to say anything more or seemed to be the least bit phased by the irritation that was showing in his long-time friend’s frame.

“Going after the sons—

“I don’t want to hear it.” Ez glared, “I’ve seen enough wars to not fear a damn thing. Don’t you ever question: Where does fear get you, diza? Look in the mirror. Everybody pays a price with the cards they’ve been dealt.”

The woman chewed down on her bottom lip in annoyance, “and just how much are you willing to lose?”

“That’s something I’ve got to reflect on in my own time…but you’re here.” Ezekiel kept his eyes trained on the woman, puffing on his cigarette.

Before Hadiza could lose the courage she said, “Fuck your subliminal and fuck you.”

“We’ve already done that, remember? With Sofia watching in the background. I think the message then was very clear and something you should thank me for.”

That was so low and disrespectful, considering that Hadiza had a moment and went to someone who she thought cared about her well-being. At that time she just received the news that her fiancé wanted to break off the engagement after cheating on her with a co-worker and the first person she went to was Ezekiel. He was the first person she thought about and felt complete with—a mistake on her end, sure but she wasn’t expecting him to have company other than Sally.

The smirk that was on his lips was smacked right off by her hand. However that did not stop Ez from yanking on her wrist and getting into her face.

Anyone was fair game at this point.

This she knew deep down.

He could end it all, right here in this trailer.

What made her any different?

Did he even love her anymore? Or was she just another ploy in the way Ezekiel floated around life now? Hadiza was not part of the club so why was she becoming collateral damage?

“You don’t get to come here and think our friendship and reminiscing about the old times, or guilt trip me about Gabby, would stop me or save me from myself. That’s not your job, never was amor. Sorry I couldn’t live in your fantasy of being a good ol’ friend to you anymore. But that’s life, so either continue standing by and keep your mouth shut or take a walk and don’t look back.” Ezekiel gritted into her face and that hurt more than him squeezing her wrist.

The black ink dripped down her brown cheeks as she hissed, “you’re done to me.”

And this she hoped she meant. She couldn’t stick around and she knew Ezekiel was pushing her to do so but ultimately it was her choice. Her eyes stung from the makeup as she clenched them closed, fighting away the memories of their teenage years: watching Ezekiel love Emily, having intense debates over literature in class and outside of, him being there for her first heartbreak and attempting to get angel to drive him to the asshole who broke her heart house to egg it and piss on their front doorstep, to Marisol Reyes encouraging her to keep loving her son the best way that she knew how…

“Good,” Ezekiel breathed into her face, shoving her fist back down her by her sides.

He broke eye contact after awhile since she no longer had any words for him. He placed the cigarette back to his lips as he slouched back on the couch. Hadiza swiped the mascara from the bags underneath her eyes, deeply inhaling and battled with herself on what to do or say.

The words fell empty just like the relationship she once had with the man she called her best friend.

She sniffed as she snatched up her bag, making sure she had her keys before she took her exit. The door to the trailer opened on her way, revealing Sofia who easily picked up on the tension in the home. Her dark eyes shifted between the pair but Hadiza patiently waited for the wavy haired woman to get out of her way.

Ez pressed his elbows into his knees as he grunted, “What is it, Sofia?”

If Hadiza continued to be foolish she would have tried to believe that the tone of his voice was telling her something, besides him being an asshole. That perhaps he didn’t truly want their friendship to end but that’s the difference between the two, she didn’t have to be selfish.

“Um, you’ve some company. Bishop and Tranq are outside.” Sofia informed as she stepped into the trailer with Sally.

Ez quickly got to his feet, putting his cigarette out in a nearby ashtray and brushed his shoulder by Hadiza as he left the trailer. Sofia easily picked up on the woman taking a sharp breath at his actions but didn’t speak on it.

It didn’t take the most intelligent person to understand that something transpired between the two. Their relationship didn’t threaten what she had with EZ and in a way, Sofia actually thought it was beautiful. How their relationship didn’t appear to be transactional or circumstantial. How simply being next to each other was enough for them. Or it used to be. Yet Sofia wasn’t naïve to think that it would last with the new propositions EZ took on.

Sometimes that’s just the way life worked out and the sooner Hadiza figured that out…maybe she could protect her heart a bit better.

It was a little awkward as Hadiza had to collect herself, hand on the trailer’s door before she went outside. Sofia wasn’t one for words and she wasn’t sure anything she could say would provide comfort for Hadiza either. After what happened right here in this trailer, weeks ago, it’s not like the two had the chance to really talk about it.

They didn’t have to but it seemed like Hadiza always had a lot on her mind.

Thankfully for Sofia, Hadiza pushed the door open, not sparing her a glance, either placing herself on autopilot or trying her best to ignore her presence—it didn’t bother Sofia one way or another as Hadiza left the home.

“See you around then,” Sofia muttered, taking a seat on the couch, after the door clicked shut behind Hadiza.

Her long legs kicked up the dirt as she passed by the group of men on the side. She couldn’t get away from the place fast enough, feeling her heart being squeezed with each step she took.

“Hey,” Tranq started to call out to the woman but it was almost as if she heard nothing while she shoved herself into her car.

Bishop’s eyes were back on EZ as his eyes briefly burned into Hadiza’s retreating form. He just knew the Reyes brother fucked that up and it’s a shame because he was fond of the girl, despite her having a connection to a pig. Of course he never fully trusted her (by no fault of her own) but she was kind enough whenever she rarely showed up to club.

He kept it silent but he knew his body language did enough talking for him as EZ focused back on him.

“Tonight is the night, round everybody up.” Ez ordered, stalking off and daring a glance at Hadiza’s car and over his shoulder as he stood on the steps of his trailer, while she backed off the lot and sped away, eyes solely on what was in front of her and not what was left behind in the rear view.

Ez swallows down the small lump that wants to form in his throat but that wasn’t important right now. He had other things to tend to and Hadiza was no longer one of them.

Instead of running back, she ran to her mother’s arms who was less than thrilled to see her baby this upset over a man who she trusted to be good to her child.

Later Hadiza found herself in her mother’s hands again when she received the devastating but expected news from Angel Reyes on her door step. She broke down in the doorway right in front of him and she knew the eldest brother couldn’t handle that amount of heartache that he also shared, despite him placing a kiss to the top of her head and leaving her with one of EZ’s dog tags, he left her with the woman who gave her life to deal with the weight of the lost on his own.

Hadiza then sent a letter to Felipe a couple of days before she decided to take her life elsewhere, away from all that Santo Padre showed her. She wasn’t sure if there would even be a funeral or memorial but she had to get out while she can still stand.

Antigua was always a place Hadiza wanted to visit and now she can say that she lives here comfortably.

She left her mother on the front deck to get them a refill of her famous rum punch that was leftover from her mother’s house party yesterday night. Hadiza was humming to herself in solitude until she heard her mother screaming out to her from outside.

The woman did not hesitate to race around the house with a bat, ready to fight off any Osprey’s that decided to invade their property again. Hadiza held her breath as she yanked open the door, eyes wild as she searched for her mother on the deck.

“What is it, ma?” Hadiza exhaled, seeing her mother sitting up on one of the wicker chairs.

Her mother nudged her chin towards the front and Hadiza cautiously took a step towards the railing. A few of her fingertips rested on the banister as she leaned over a bit, looking over at the new found community they both settled into. It was quiet as usual, air warm, seaweed scented, and fresh.

She wasn’t sure what had spooked her mother until her eyes settled down by the cars parked along the curb. Her eyes moved to the left a bit and she had to rub at one of them to make sure her mind wasn’t playing tricks on her. It tended to do that the first couple of weeks she settled in the country. Lately she’s been okay. A figure stood by a identical golf cart (that they had in their driveway) that was parked right behind Hadiza’s car, fitted cap on their head as their hands held onto a mobile device.

Her throat went dry before she could even muster up and ask if she could help the person locate who they were searching for…because she knew it was him before those honey eyes looked up at her.

“Ezekiel.” She shuddered, feeling her mother get to her feet behind her, like the DJ Khalid meme, almost like she wasn’t still healing from the last Osprey attack two weeks ago.

Her mother also gripped onto the banister, “Oh hell no. I rebuke this demonic spirit, get away from here!”

And tossed the freshly watered plant at Ezekiel who side-stepped the assault.

“Hey, Mrs—it’s just me!”

“I know! Aren’t you supposed to be dead, you bastard?!” She yelled back.

Hadiza whispered at the woman, “Ma, please.”

The woman humphed, folding her arms as she waddled back to the chair, already aware how this would go.

Hadiza pointed the bat at Ezekiel, “wait right there.”

“Not if you’re gonna beat my ass.”

“I’ll think about it by time I get downstairs.”

Hadiza’s mother cackled at that, knowing she raised her baby with some sort of sense.

Hadiza couldn’t tell you how she felt but the brain fog was kicking in. She weeped over this man too many times just for him to be here in the flesh, like they all didn’t experience the hell he indulged in back in Santo Padre.

Her mother was right to think a demon was standing in front of their home. The anger Hadiza directed at EZ after receiving the news of his death was like no other emotion Hadiza’s had before but she found peace in Antigua.

She halted at the front door, noticing EZ fumbling with his fingers after the phone disappeared from his hold. Hadiza took her time going down the few front steps, crossing through the grass and down the slope to the gravel.

The man looked up at her approach, carefully reaching up to lift the cap from his head to mess around with the brim of the hat as Hadiza moved closer but almost not close enough.

His eyes immediately went to her head, noticing that the mountain of coarse hair that she had was long gone into a buzzed style now.

He smiled, “you finally did it huh? I know you’ve been eating ‘em up more than ever out here.”

And she couldn’t stand it, her eyes scanning the old yellowing of bruises and cuts on his face, puffing out a laugh at his compliment as she almost collapsed into his arms, bringing his body so tight to hers that he thought he would break her rib cage but he followed through with the same actions.

Her chin buried into his shoulder, one of his hands around the small of her back, and the other cradling the back of her head, he heard her sob against him and he couldn’t be more apologetic.

When they pulled apart, she held onto his face analyzing the marks on his skin before she inflicted her own attack on his lower half.

“Hey! Ow!” A good whack to the top of his head, made Ezekiel stop taking the hits as he gripped her wrists again.

Except this time was different, his touch was much more softer.

“I’m sorry okay. I’m sorry for filling your head up with doubts and making you believe that I didn’t give a shit about our friendship. When quite frankly—no pun intended, you’re the best got damn thing that’s been in my life.” His hands slipped into holding her hands into his own large ones.

And the way he was staring at Hadiza, let her know that this was the old Ezekiel she had missed. It was the spark in his eyes that made her feel safe, given what he got himself involved in.

He could see her mind spinning with questions, the corners of her eyes damp with tears.

“What did I say to you when we first became friends?”

“…’jalapeños on these nachos are missing and I make better ones than these whack ass ones you’re eating.’” Hadiza actually thought about this.

Which made a goofy grin appear on Ez’s face and he shook his head with a sigh, “yeah I think I did say that but after that? I said you’re stuck with me if you choose me. It would always be Kiel and Diza for life, remember?”

It was ironic that he wanted to think back when he basically was rude as hell to her about this in his trailer months ago. The bitterness was still in the pit of her stomach but the higher road wanted her to be happy that this man, her best friend, Ezekiel Lorenzo Reyes was very much still alive.

Hadiza wasn’t sure how the fuck he did it but here he was, wiping away her black mascara before holding her hands in his again.

A small smile appeared on her lips as she peered down at their hands, lifting their conjoined hands up to place her lips right on the back of his hands. Ezekiel let out a breath he wasn’t aware that he was holding.

“For life.” She repeated, staring at him underneath her eyelashes.

He nodded his head, not breaking eye contact as she pulled the necklace from around her and placed it back on Ezekiel where it belonged. He glanced down at it, a new wave of emotions hitting him as he realized a piece of him was always with the one woman he deeply cared for.

“Let’s get inside.” Hadiza told him, as he leaned over to place a kiss to her full cheek.

She turned, her hand still resting in one of his hands as he reached for the fallen bat with the other, “think I might need this if I try to give your mom a hug.”

Hadiza laughed, “Baby steps, Kiel.”

“That’s fair.” He answers from behind her, letting her lead the way to her new home.

Perhaps now here in the Caribbean, they had the chance to create a better life, a better friendship together with no more black ink or blood spills blinding the way.

·˚ ༘☄. *. ⋆ ·˚ ༘☄. *. ⋆ ·˚ ༘☄. *. ⋆ ·˚ ༘☄. *. ⋆ ·˚ ༘☄. *. ⋆·

Continue along with my anthology works that were written during the spring season here.

[xinimartsy]

It’s a mobile game made for the Japanese audience not foreigners. They will never make Belle or any of their MCs change and be strong. It is different with Switch games where MCs might be that way. You should look for games made by Americans or something because it will never change, it is just a cultural difference

Oh, I know, anon. While I do complain about little things that make me feel iffy, I greatly enjoy the games and believe me, I do not expect astounding writing from a mobile game. The game is harmless fun and so are my critics towards it.

Though I do disagree on the front that it's a cultural difference and more of a general genre thing, because there are plenty of ocidental visual novels in which MC falls in the same damsel in distress category, while we can see from anime, manga and dramas that Japan is no stranger to strong female characters.

Mai herself, from Cybird's Ikemen Sengoku, for example, she insisted in working on her craft and making her own money despite Nobunaga guaranteeing her easygoing life, in most routes she picked up some skill from her suitor, she learned medicine from Ieyasu in several routes, learned how to ride a horse, learned negotiation in Mitsuhide's route, she even rode a horse into the battlefield to butt heads with an unhinged Kenshin in one of his routes. Yes, she had to be saved several times, but they never made her look inappropriately clueless (there were things that were logical that she didn't know and things that she knew, like everyone else), she never paled in comparison to her suitors and was always witty within her own capabilities. She never had to master the blade or become stronger or smarter than the warlords to be strong, she brought her own qualities to the negotiation table, and at least I hardly ever felt helpless or like the MC was unbearable while playing, actually, she's my favorite specially cus of her snark hehe

Emma is not all bad, tho, I think it very much depends on the route. In Clavis' route, I particularly find Emma delightful, because since they want to portrait Clavis as being, well, eccentric, they gave his Emma a more grounded personality to contrast his, while making her brave and adventurous enough to keep up with Clavis' bullshit. They exaggerated aspects from the character to emphasize the other, which in this case works, Clavis' weirdness vs Emma's common sense and their willingness to meet halfway through for each other.

But that same tool doesn't work in routes such as Jin and Chev. In Jin's route they wanted to emphasize his maturity as an older man who fooled around a lot, so they made Emma uncharacteristically innocent and almost childish. And in Chev's, they spent half of the word count telling us that Chevalier was a genius instead of showing us, and whenever they did show it, that was done by dumbing everyone, SPECIALLY Emma, down as to emphasize his geniality, making characters uncharacteristically dumb, not understanding basic concepts that they should very much understand, only so Chevalier could basically spell it out for them, call us "fools" and have everyone in game in awe of his geniality while us as the player feel unsatisfied cus, duh, that was the logical answer, are all these characters really THIS dumb?

Therefore, rather than "cultural differences", I think what we're seeing here is just.... Well, lousy writing.

[tenebriskukris]

Oshi No Ko Chapter 156 - My Thoughts/Analysis

This manga certainly has some incredible pacing. Incredibly horrible, I mean. Spoilers for Oshi No Ko Chapter 156 below. 

Mem-Cho and Frill? Sure, I’ll bite. Let’s see what these two are up to. Surely there aren’t any hanging plot threads that were established in the last chapter as pressing matters. Cutting away to these two better have some relevance to the greater plot or I’m going to riot. 

Mem’s popular enough to have media people stalking her? That’s somewhat of a surprise. I was expecting something like this to happen after Kana got caught with Shima a few arcs ago. After figuring out that the new B-Komachi was vulnerable to media attention I’m surprised that something like this was only happening now. 

This talk about celebrity culture and such is so hamfisted it’s kind of amazing that the manga gets away with it. It doesn’t have the writing chops to justify just slamming that info out on a plate as often as it has. I understand it has to do this to convey some of the more technical aspects of the industry to the average viewer but the way the manga does it in this chapter so far lacks more than a bit of finesse. You’ve basically set up Frill in this chapter to be the mouthpiece of this industry infodump without giving thought to the prior scene. 

The world is becoming an increasingly difficult place to protect the private lives and peace of celebrities. It’s one of the downsides of fame, if you ask me. When a person reaches a certain amount of popularity there’ll always be people who want to find that new scoop and dig up some more info. In a way, it’s surprising that Mem is only focusing on her secret getting leaked to the public now instead of a few dozen chapters ago when B-Komachi was getting more and more popular. But that’s the fate of side characters in this manga, I suppose.

But…my age though. Of course, Mem is smarter than Kana in this aspect. A scandal that Kana tripped into is worse than Mem lying about her age all this time. It’s arguably even expected in the industry from what Miyako had mentioned to Mem before all the way back in the start of the manga. She’d certainly lose fans by doing that but it wouldn’t be as dealbreaking as Kana stumbling onto a potentially career ending situation.

This kind of suspicion is what spoils your heart the most. That’s just how being a public figure and content creator is these days. Mem is fortunate that most of her friend group were her friends first and then her coworkers second. Personal grievances and chasing fame and stepping into controversy can break these kinds of relationships faster than sending a hasty tweet on a social networking site. 

But Miyako always protects me with all her might. Miyako best mom as usual. It would be a lot nicer if we were to actually see Miyako protect Ruby from people rather than infodump it to us but at this point the manga is more than content to speedrun through important bits of the story to get to the ending.

So isn’t it wrong of you to apologize to us? Ruby, I think the words you’re looking for are “We should be the ones apologizing to you for putting you in this situation”. Funny to see that both twins’ communication skills need a little bit of work. There isn’t anyone to blame for this situation—both Ichigo Productions as well as Mem herself were completely fine with employing Mem despite knowing her age was higher than what she portrayed herself as. This was a secret that couldn’t be kept under wraps forever. It’s just fortunate that Mem has now carved out a decent fanbase for herself before her secret was threatened. 

Huh, we’re being thrown straight to Mem admitting that she’s older than she looks on a livestream. Might’ve been worth exploring this plot point a few dozen chapters back instead of throwing it at the reader during the final arc. As with so many plot points in this manga, it lacks a hell of a lot of setup for a much greater return.

A self proclaimed college girl? Wonder if she’s actually going to try to attempt to get into college or is this just another facade. It’s funny because Mem herself also poked fun at Kana and herself a few arcs ago for not being able to go to college in the first place. With the Japanese college workload I’m not sure it’d be possible to continue being both an idol and a student but if there are high schools that cater to up and coming stars then I suppose it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility.

Oh Mem, being defensive of her age. Never change. 

Offense is a good defense. Not sure how accurate this is to real life, but the ebbs of the Japanese entertainment industry likely differ in some respects from how it’s done in other countries, so I can’t comment with any degree of certainty on how this situation would actually work in real life.

That was a very cute chapter. Short and sweet. Any time we get to see these side characters shine is a treat. They were very sorely underused during this whole bloody series, in my opinion. We barely got any insight on so many of the side characters that showed up for the movie arc who were basically there to deliver short one liners and look pretty. Giving them screentime at the last arc of the series definitely isn’t the way to go—especially with what happened in the last few chapters.

Of course, I’ve been avoiding the elephant in the room for most of this chapter. We just got finished with a massive revelation in the last chapter with Hikaru and Nino and now we’re cutting away to a Mem chapter??? Objectively this chapter was about on par with the average Oshi No Ko chapter—in which there’s nothing wrong with it but a couple of nagging details that could’ve made a so-so chapter look alot better—but the timing of this chapter is just blargh.

This chapter could’ve been so easily placed before the timeskip that was mentioned a few chapters back. It would’ve kept the pace of the movie arc that was already starting to wrap up and give the reader a better sense that time was passing before we were thrown towards that massive flashback. As it stands now this chapter is symptomatic of one of the manga’s main issues. It’s inability to keep both its pacing and atmosphere steady.

After the revelations that were sprung on the reader last chapter, there are plenty of plot points that were needed to be touched on. Aqua and Ruby talking about current events and dealing with the DVDs—surely that has to be relevant enough to be shown on screen. Aqua and Akane both independently pegging Nino as Hikaru’s accomplice. Hell, even Hikaru himself dealing with Ai’s last wishes and the aftermath of the movie. As nice as it was to see the side characters get some spotlight, now is absolutely not the time to be touching on them after what we got in the last chapter. 

We deal with some of the most emotionally draining chapters of the series and then set up what is essentially a side character as the new villain of the series—and the next chapter after that is what is basically almost filler? It kills the atmosphere and the pacing of the chapters before it in a way that feels too much like driving a vehicle into a gutter. Again, this chapter would’ve been completely fine if it was placed before we got the Hikaru-Aqua confrontation and before the movie timeskip.

The counterargument here is that this chapter is meant to serve as a break after all the excitement that was present during the last chapter. Which is a fairly weak argument all things considered, since it is the final arc of the series. By this time most if not all of the lingering plot threads should’ve been tied up and all that remains are a couple of key reveals that determine what happens when the pieces all fall. If there are any reveals left to unveil, then they should’ve been sufficiently hinted at beforehand. What is needed in a final arc to set these characters onto a predictable but narratively satisfying joyride to the finale and keep that ride going without breaking stride. This chapter fails miserably at that.

Wrapping up the plot points of these side characters isn’t worth disjointing the pacing from the main plot. As much as I love to see Mem waddle about in this half baked world, it definitely wasn’t worth this distraction from the main event when we’re so close to the finish line. 

[creative-kny-fics]

Hi! May I ask for a tickle headcanon for uppermoons and rui and enmu? Ty

leafyanon

Sorry for taking so long! I had to think hard about this! (I was also talking about this with @mystwrites , so!)

(Some data is inspired by their BDA- and how they would use it to tickle)

1. Enmu (LowerMoon 1):

💤 Ler: 60% - Lee: 40%

💤 Worst spots: Hips, armpits, sides, knees and calves

💤 Like almost most kizuki, he loves to be tickled.

💤 His favorite lee is Rui. Although he knows that after Rui has rested, he will be tied with his nets and will suffer Rui's revenge.

💤 Give his hips a jab and he'll scream. But if he's off guard enough, he'll jump too

💤 He doesn't mind accepting that he loves being tickled, but he also has a limit that he would like others to respect. But judging by how he acts with them when tickling them, he doesn't always succeed.

💤 He loves to put some to sleep and give them a dream in which they are tickled. He hasn't told them, but the kizuki have noticed and chased him to scold him.

💤 He also usually does the above with himself. Rui and Douma are the only ones to know.

💤 If you tickle his armpits, he will fall to the floor and start laughing and rolling around while kicking and putting his hands on his belly.

2. Rui (LowerMoon 5):

🕸️ Ler: 20% - Lee: 80%

🕸️ Worst spots: Neck, belly, belly button and toes

🕸️ Rui is definitely equal to a child, we could even say that he is more ticklish than Akaza

🕸️ He doesn't mind being tickled, it always encourages him and he feels free because during those moments he doesn't have to worry about his 'family'

🕸️ But you do have to respect when it is enough for him, otherwise he will cut you with his strings and leave angry from there.

🕸️ He trusts Akaza, he is like an older brother to him. That's why he almost always sits on his lap and says 'tickle me!'

🕸️ His BDA helps him a lot when he wants to get revenge or just bother someone for a while UpperMoon

🕸️ He is quite skilled and precise in his movements. If he tickles you somewhere and you show him your sensitivity, he will immediately stay there until he decides to change places or stop.

🕸️ He likes to play at hunting his victims, usually Akaza, Enmu or Douma his victims.

🕸️ His lers constantly are: Daki, Douma, Akaza and Enmu. Also Muzan but he rarely does it

🕸️ He will play 'itsy bitsy spider' with you. What did you expect?

3. Kaigaku (New UpperMoon 6):

⚡ Ler: 90% - Lee: 10%

⚡ Worst spots: Armpits, thights and neck

⚡ He is someone difficult to catch. You have to be faster or smarter than him

⚡He hates them. He will curse you and hit you if you try to tickle him anywhere else that doesn't make him squeal.

⚡ He can't say 'tickle'. He will always be referred to as 't-word'

⚡ His constant ler is Kokushibo. He hates that his sensei justifies himself with 'it's part of the training session'

⚡ If you manage to tickle his armpits, you are guaranteed victory. He will be unable to defend himself because he will be too busy cursing you.

⚡ It's pretty easy to make fun of him or get him to raise his arms. It is enough to tell him: You are probably not as good as you think, to make him angry and expose his worst spot

⚡ He hates them, but blushes and squeals easily when they tickle him.

4. Daki (Former UpperMoon 6):

🎀 Ler: 65% - Lee: 35%

🎀 Worst spots: Waist, sides, hips and thighs

🎀 Daki still has the mentality of a little girl, so it's easy to tickle her.

🎀 She doesn't hate them, she just hates screaming and looking so weak in front of the other UpperMoons

🎀 Her obi is her best weapon. She usually holds her victims' wrists, ankles or waist and lets her nails do the rest of the work.

🎀 I think it's obvious who tickles her the most. Gyutaro is always 'bothering' Daki and tickling her when she is talking to Muzan or doing something important.

🎀 She allows only Douma, Gyutaro, Rui, and Enmu to tickle her. Also to Akaza but he doesn't do it since he considers it a lack of respect towards her.

5. Gyutaro (Former UpperMoon 6):

☠️ Ler: 85% - Lee: 15%

☠️ Worst spots: Neck, lower ribs, behind his knees and knees

☠️ Daki is the only one who used to know that Gyutaro was ticklish until she was so angry with him that she ended up confessing to Douma about it.

☠️ He only allows Daki, Douma and Rui to tickle him. He still has a hard time accepting Enmu, but he doesn't hate him, he sees him as another little brother.

☠️ He HATES that they always play 'itsy bitsy spider' on his ribs

☠️ Sometimes he asks Douma or Daki to tickle his neck. It's not a sensitive spot but it's one he can handle. He would tell Rui but he feels like he would tell someone and he doesn't want to be embarrassed.

6. Gyokko (UpperMoon 5):

🐟 Ler: 100% - Lee: 0%

🐟 Gyokko isn't ticklish, no matter how hard you try. The only thing that will make him laugh is your silly attempt to make him laugh.

🐟 Is it a ler? Yup, Gyokko is an expert at that, it's not for nothing that he has multiple arms

🐟 Does his BDA help him? It definitely does, he can lock you in one of his vases and torture you by suffocating you with your own laughter.

🐟 He thinks that dying asphyxiated by laughter is a very little-known but quite intriguing expression. He knows no mercy in using hunters to get these 'works of art'

🐟 The UpperMoons hate that BDA, it's quite tedious, but they prefer that to touching it (then they can smell fishy and they don't like that idea 🤣)

7. Nakime (New UpperMoon 4):

🪕 Ler: 0% - Lee: 0%

🪕 Don't try to tickle her, you will completely regret doing it

🪕 Nakime hates physical contact and always stays away from people.

🪕 If someone tries to get into her business she will do 2 things: Either she will hit you with her biwa or she will make you fall all over the infinite fortress and try to crush you.

🪕 Nakime could be ticklish? It is probable

8. Hantengu (Former UpperMoon 4):

😰 Ler: 0% - Lee: 0%

😰 Ok, if I'm honest, I don't think the original version of Hantengu is ticklish. But their clones are another story

😡 Sekido: (Ler: 60% / Lee: 40%)

😡 Worst spots: Knees, armpits and calves

😡 If you try it, you'll probably regret it.

😡 He HATES them with all his soul

😡 If you manage, by sheer luck, to tickle him. Start running and begging because he won't rest until he makes you pay for your lack of respect.

😡 Will he laugh if you tickle his worst spot? Yes, he will. But when you're done tickling him, he'll kill you

😡 Seriously, don't try to do it.

😥 Aizetsu: (Ler: 15% / Lee: 85%)

😥 Worst spots: Belly, armpits sides and knees

😥 He's the baby of the group-

😥 He is usually the target of continuous tickle attacks from Karaku and Urogi.

😥 He's usually sad, so the excuse: You looked sad and we decided to cheer you up! It's the excuse he hears the most

😥 It's easy to make him laugh, you don't need much. Just a few squeezes on his belly or touching his sides will be enough to make him squeal.

🤣 Karaku: (Ler: 90% / Lee: 10%)

🤣 Worst spots: Armpits, neck, lower back

🤣 It's the second one you can make laugh easily

🤣 Urogi, Sekido and Aizetsu usually get tired of Karaku's 'joking' behavior, so they team up and give him a 'real reason to laugh'

🤣 Always fight with Urogi over who is the best 'ler'

🤣 You can tickle him in the air and he will be laughing

🦅 Urogi: (Ler: 80% / Lee: 20%)

🦅 Worst spots: The inner part of its wings, sides and armpits

🦅 He has ticklish wings-

🦅 He is the biggest ler of the group. If he has both arms occupied, his wings will help him

🦅 He always gets involved with Karaku to tickle Aizetsu and try to tickle Sekido. They also have tickle fights

🦅 He always makes sure that whoever he tickles is slightly off the ground so that he can kick desperately and beg to be put down.

9. Akaza (UpperMoon 3):

🥋 Ler: 25% - Lee: 75%

🥋 Worst spots: Armpits, hips, belly, sides and thighs

🥋 Don't let him fool you, he can curse you, scream, ask you to stop during the first seconds, but he LIES

🥋 He hates it when someone discovers his 'taste' and his first instinct is to hit her/him or hit them or rip their head off (Douma)

🥋 Blushes and gets embarrassed easily when someone makes fun of him

🥋 He only has certain people he allows to tickle him. They are: Rui, Enmu, Daki, Gyutaro, Kokushibo and Douma (he hates to admit it but he enjoys his presence)

🥋 He's going to huff and puff almost the entire session. He may also growl and, if you're not careful, bite or kick you (be careful).

🥋 He pretends to hate them but LOVES raspberries, especially on his tummy and neck.

10. Douma (UpperMoon 2):

❄️ Ler: 90% - Lee: 10%

❄️ Worst spots: Ears, neck, armpits, hips and knees

❄️ Douma is definitely the one that takes the position of 'ler' among the UpperMoons

❄️ Douma always takes advantage of the fact that he has long nails to behave like complete shit towards his victims.

❄️ You're not going to fool him with 'I'm happy now!'. He won't stop until he has you crying or screaming on the floor.

❄️ His BDA is always helping him. If he is prohibited from approaching anyone, which is mostly Akaza, he will create miniatures of himself that he will send to tickle his victim.

❄️ Do you try to escape from him? He will freeze the floor and make you slip and fall until he gets closer to you

❄️ Baby talk. He's not going to waste the opportunity to remind you how vulnerable you are to him, he'll make fun of you so much that it will make the tickling completely worse.

11: Kokushibo (UpperMoon 1):

🌙 Ler: 65% - Lee: 35%

🌙 Worst spots: Neck, back, back ribs, knees and hands

🌙 It's not easy to knock him down, don't try to get close to him and try to tickle him

🌙 He won't refuse to be tickled, but you must ask for permission to do so.

🌙 He has a love/hate for back rubs. It usually tickles him but he is good at hiding his reactions.

🌙 If you tickle him without his permission, he won't let go until you pass out or he's satisfied with his revenge.

🌙 Douma and Akaza are the only ones who know, but his hands are also ticklish. Just gently tickle him there and he will be laughing and asking you to stop (he hates attention)

🌙 He has already admitted that he likes tickling. So he can't say 'I hate them'

[simpforchuchu]

Hi! I was wondering maybe some HC’s on dating Tsuji or Shibaman would be?

Tsuji | General dating hcs

a/n: Hi, im always happy to write for my fav boy 🥺💕 Hope you like it 🌸

Sorry for the grammer or spelling mistakes.English is not my main language so...

Thank you and love you 🥰

Warnings: not much just usual hnl things

 

* Although most people think of Tsuji and Shibaman as like twins, their characters are pretty different.

* Tsuji is quieter, calmer and smarter than Shiba.

* Also stronger.

* But still, I'd say he's also a bit crazy, although he usually chooses to listen everything first

* He is a very cool character with his hair style that he changes frequently and his unique style

* He has a cool vibe, he seems like a bit of a shy person for being cool

* Crazier than Shiba in fights. Doesn't get angry quickly but can be pretty tough

* He's also quite loyal. We all know that Shibaman and him were with Todoroki from the very beginning and they never left him alone.

* No matter how tough and wild he may seem, I think he is very kind hearted, soft and funny to those he loves.

* For him, I think someone between would be great, rather than someone too serious or too loud.

* Someone who is calm but knows how to have fun, is not afraid to say what she thinks, helpful and cheerful.

* I think Tsuji is quite introverted and not showing his feelings. So he'll be grateful for someone who understands him without he tells

* He's pretty big and tall, so it doesn't matter to him whether you're tall or short, fat or slim.

* I don't think he is afraid to take the first step. But I think when he likes someone, he'll hide it for a while and want to be sure.

* Like I said, he's a weird man so it's not easy to figure out who he likes or him

* Not being silly or excited around the person he likes, he is pretty cool about it

* If you confess first, that's okay too. I'm sure he'll be a little nervous if he doesn’t expect this, but he won't be rude to you.

* I think he would be quite happy with someone he believes truly loves him.

* He is a simple guy

* He will walk with his girlfriend home every night and listen to how her day was along the way.

* Gives me a very good listener vibe, even if he doesn't comment much, he's a good listener

* He's okay with physical contact, always holding his girlfriend's hand or his arm on her shoulder

* I think he's a little shy. So not a PDA fan. But he loves the sweet kisses you give when you tiptoe

* He likes to embarrass you but he doesn't go too far

* Your comfort is always his priority.

* His girlfriend is his second best friend.He wants Shibaman and her to get along well. Because Shiba is like his brother.

* I definitely think he'll introduce his girlfriend to Todoroki and Shibaman's older sister. He cares a lot about their opinion.

* I think he can cook well. Sometimes he makes you a meal and comes to your school and gives it to you.

* He really likes to make you feel like a princess because he thinks you deserve the best

* I think he feels strangely insecure ,so I feel like he'll be happy when you compliment him

* He changes his hairstyle often and can do a couple style with you if you want.

* He likes to working with music. I think he is interested in digital music. And he’ll be pretty happy teaching you how to make a new beat.

* He loves your arms wrapping around his neck when he carries you on his back.

* I don't think he'll mind if you want to put makeup on him. Someone who can do masks and makeup with you when you braid his hair

* Good with remembering the special days

* He's not very good with words but he does everything to make you feel his love.

* He usually has clothes that are oversized and pretty big for you but he finds you pretty cute when he sees you get lost in them

* He wears your hair tie on his wrist, I can imagine him playing with it or the necklace you gave him when he misses you

* Like I said, he's not the type to talk about his feelings much, but he talks with Shiba about you often.

* You changed him a little. He now thinks twice before getting into a figh

* He definitely doesn't want you to see him when he's hurt. He won't even tell you about it.

* Not someone to judge you when you cry. When he sees your eyes watering, he will hug you in his arms and quietly stroke your hair until you relax.

* Definitely big spoon, he's huge so he likes to hug you tight in his arms

* I don't think he is very knowledgeable about your period, so he often asks you what you need and wants to help.

* I don't think he will be afraid of anyone or anything easily. But he is quite afraid of harming you. That's why he always wants to protect you

* The thing he fears most is that one day he will hurt you unintentionally or you will be afraid of him. That's why he doesn't want you to see him fighting

* If you belong in their world, he never wants you to see him lose control even you are fighting beside him

* He may be cold to many people but always in his most natural way around you.

HnL taglist : @straysugzhpe @tiddly-winx  @satraninalane @thatpoindexterpixy

[royalberryriku]

You know, I also want to rant about my anger of "girls are smart and take care of the boys" and "boys are annoyed at insufferable smart girls" trope but I think that's enough anger for one day.

I will say though, if someone pokes me about it later on, I may or may not actually remember to write an analysis of Hermione Granger from Harry Potter and Annabeth Chase from Percy Jackson to delve into how and how not to write smart female characters.

Actually, damn I can't help myself:

Yes, I know I have a bias against JKR for her opinions in general (there are many I disagree with), but the way Hermione was handled and demeaned through the books and parts of the movies is so infuriating and blatantly sexist, and then comparing that with Annabeth who is only treated as mean because she was literally hostile to the main characters at first as a child of Athena to a child of Poseidon to gain her mother's attention and whose fatal flaw is pride is so clear. Because, despite being the same type of trope, she was still was respected by Percy and Grover the entire time rather than be othered for no other reason besides being a "stuck up know it all" as a girl who likes books and is smart and that was it, then constantly the butt of Ron and Harry's jokes and then apparently okay with it and didn't mind being belittled all the time. There was no basis to pretend she was mean and horrible (she wasn't, she was just smart) or arrogant (again, yes she's proud but that's not a reason to be so damn disrespectful especially when she's smart and actively right about something and is really just called arrogant for being loud about being smart if anything, she's not even self absorbed or anything). There is a difference and it shows. And yes, the way strong women in Harry Potter were handled vs how strong women in Percy Jackson and various other books are handled also shows a very strong bias to the idea that "women are strong because they're smarter than boys" and "boys are naturally always stronger than girls" which is bullshit.

Compare with the fact Grover is not physically strong at all, but he can use nature magic and music, he can think, he is smart and knows certain topics even the others don't because he's older, the fact that Clarisse is literally one of the strongest fighters in camp, a girl, not because she's smart but because she's a physically strong daughter of Ares and Annabeth is strong because she's smart and wise, but they don't cancel each other out as better or worse, just two different ways for women and girls to be strong.

Sexism has a basis in Harry Potter's characters, it's there and present all the time and not really addressed, just a part of how each character is written; Ginny is strong but not as much as the boys, she has to go out of her way to be treated as such even as a tomboy, Luna is only strong because she's smart, so is Hermione, so are most of the female cast, whereas the boys are often shown doing physical tasks and being strong in them, even the weakest of them are shown to be generally stronger. Boys who are clever are shown to not be as smart as the girls generally are, the boys who don't meet physical expectations are clumsy and othered. The girls who aren't as smart are absolutely othered and the boys are always, generally, shown to be the ones making stupid decisions that have to be "fixed" by a girl who known better (usually Hermione or Ginny). Whereas in other narratives such as Percy Jackson, again, it is very clear that being a girl or boy wasn't a defining part of their character, just a thing that's there and while, yes, Annabeth is part of that trope, it's very clear that she's a unique case for one and also not the one taking care of the boys all the damn time. If anything? Grover is the one doing that. Hell, even Nico is shown to be smarter than he is physically strong and more powerful in the sense of his connection to his father than any "boys are dkb and brawny". Sex and gender doesn't make them who they are; their abilities and ideals do.

That's my biggest issue here, it's not a simple "oh so clearly Hermione is a bad example but Annabeth is a good one", it's that women in general are treated very different and talked about on different terms. There's a basis a to why Annabeth is the way she is but other girls aren't, why she was hostile at first, why she acted arrogant, why she's proud and what she is even proud in. There's specifics, there's reasons and connections to her story and the plot. But Hermione? She's smart. Therefore she's arrogant, apparently, when she voices her opinion from a book. What specifically makes her arrogant? Talking loud and proud about what she knows. Yes, she wants to be better, yes she wants to be strong. Because she's Muggle born and raised, you know, Just like Harry? Who was raised ignorant of magic and also wants to prove himself? Why is Hermione the only one called arrogant when she is only as proud as Harry, if not less later on as The Chosen One deal gets stuck in his head? I'm not saying he doesn't face consequences or is never called out for it, but I am saying that he is never socially ostracized for it. He's never seen as too much, but Hermione is just by default of being smart and being too open about it. If it was critised as sexist, a theme even, maybe I could be more sympathetic but it's just. Not. It's just shown as okay and a part of how the world is and even that it's somehow correct; that it is arrogant for a girl who's smart to talk up too much when clearly the boys known better but oh there's also stupid and need her to mother them? For some reason? Yeah that pisses me off, especially when you could have a reason for it at least. But nah, Hermione Granger's crime is trying to fit in too much, trying to catch up, trying too damn hard because we all know girls are supposed to shut up and take care of men silently while lot pretending they know too much. And yes, that was sarcasm.

The problem is that, again, with narratives like Percy Jackson or Six of Crows or Deltora Quest or any other thing in existence, it's not that every single female character is only useful as a someone to set the boys straight, but Ginny, Hermione, Luna all had that same damn role. I want more for women, I want more behind a caretaker who is chided for talking too much about her damn well earned accomplishments. And you know how wasn't chided? Annabeth fucking Chase. Not once did the narrative claim that her arrogance was built on anything false, that she was a know it all, just that she was smart and he used it and yes she was fucking right and everyone acknowledges it. Percy does, and he's not an idiot he's street smart and knows shit. And he actually doesn't hassle her for it, he doesn't go over to Grover and whisper "what a lunatic" for the crime of wanting attention and affection which apparently was a crime for Hermione trying to fit in. The same acts, different treatment that's the whole freaking problem.

Anyway that was enough of that, uh, please support strong female characters who are well written and not treated badly by the narrative. Also indie authors and new upcoming authors! Especially the ones who treat their characters the same regardless of gender!