#but then again i think both of them would rather have people talk bullshit than about either of their Actual love lives so. whatever

[sillystappen]

A story of a prince who failed to become king being used for Daniel rn on tiktok is feeding my brainworms so… MAXIEL STORY PITCH

In this kingdom every region has a prince. Of course a prince is not royalty, rather a candidate trained to be. Then those princes have to prove they are worthy of becoming king through trials. These trials have 5 stages, starting with intelligence, then resourcefulness, then empathy, then physical, then a final test between the top 3 of which is always different every year. The only time there are two candidates from the same region are a King and another prince.

The winner of the trials is pronounced king and ruler until the trials recommence the following year. The current King, Seb, has been ruling for 4 years and Daniel is his protege. They come from the same region after all. In his first three years Daniel doesn’t progress very far in the trials, usually being outranked by more popular or more experienced candidates.

Then Seb announces he won’t be competing in the trials and steps down - making Daniel the sole representative. That year, he does a lot better than he thought, only getting knocked out pretty early on in stage 4. The new king is now Lewis and the extra prince is some guy called Nico. This repeats for the next year until the following one Nico and Lewis make the final two together and Daniel joins them as the third. He doesn’t know how the fuck he managed it but he’s thrilled and to see people in the stands wearing his colours of Navy just means the world.

He also sees his trainer and mentor Christian talking with a blonde haired boy behind the armoury but decides to think nothing of it.

Daniel ends up out of the final stage pretty quickly and watches and Lewis and Nico practically tear each other apart. Nico wins but only stays king for a year, realising this is not what he wanted at all.

During that year, Daniel finds out the blonde boy is Max and that they’re going to start training him so he can be the next prince when Daniel does become King. Max is a bit cold and twatish at first but slowly opens up to him and accepts Daniel’s help. They strike up a good friendship and work well together.

Then Lewis regains his crown and passes a rule that 2 princes from each region shall be able to participate. Which means Max can compete alongside him. Daniel is excited.

Daniel once again gets 3rd and Max skyrockets to 4th, missing out by only a fraction. It sucks but Daniel is so proud of him, emotions swirling in his chest.

They stick together a lot during interviews and training, even just hanging out together during breaks and it’s nice. Max is just so lovely and beautiful and Daniel wishes one of them was a woman so he could just kiss Max no problem. But alas.

Max however, doesn’t have those same reservations and kisses him where he has Daniel pinned down in a field after a sparring session. And gosh it feels amazing and perfect.

“We can’t tell anyone - we’d be banned, stripped of our titles, or worse.”

“I understand, Maxy, it can be our secret.”

Max is the sweetest thing to ever enter Daniel’s life. They do have a relationship, as unconventional as it may be, and it’s one of the best things ever. They agree to keep what happens in the trials separate, and try their hardest even if they have to face each other.

But of course, it happens. During the physical trial Max pulls a stupid double move on Daniel and ends up forcing Daniel’s blade into the both of them - putting them both out of contention and having really shitty but not deadly stab woulds in their thighs.

Max, of course, argues that Daniel is at fault because he “moved quickly into his space” which is a load of bullshit and Daniel lets him know that. They don’t talk to each other after that, not for Daniel’s lack for trying after a few days, or even train together. It’s effectively a break up as they couldn’t keep what happened away from their relationship. Daniel is devastated and so hurt that Max won’t talk to him… that he stops. He doesn’t tell anyone other than Christian and just quits.

In fact, Max isn’t sure if Daniel is training at all. Christian introduces this new guy Sergio to be the second prince and Max asks, finally, what happened to Daniel.

“He quit Max. Came up to me and said I’m done, find someone else to replace me.”

“Why?” Why did he quit. Why didn’t he tell me. Why did he disappear after the incident last year.

“Said he couldn’t do it anymore, and that he found something more important than being King but lost it. Doesn’t have the heart anymore.”

And Max doesn’t understand what that means. What could be more important than fighting to be king? It was their livelihood, the ultimate goal.

Max continues to compete and Sergio proves a decent second prince and really helps out when it’s them and Lewis in the top three. Max ends up winning and immediately gives Sergio a top position in his court as a thanks. He also offers Lewis a position saying that his insight would be incredibly valuable. Lewis actually agrees and the two of them form a rather unlikely friendship through mutual respect.

He doesn’t hear from Daniel. He thought he might, if he finally won, but he didn’t. It worries him because he doesn’t even know if Daniel is alive. He hopes he is but it’s been 3 years. He only allows himself to confront it when he’s alone at night, tracing the scar on his thigh from Daniel’s sword.

He keeps his crown for the next year. Sergio stays in his court and Lewis turns down his offer, saying that there’s something more important for him than this.

“The power, the wealth, it’s all great. But after a while Max, the novelty wears off and you’re left with what is truly important. That’s why we don’t have a long term ruler Max. Nobody good would want to be.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You wouldn’t. Not yet. Maybe soon though.”

“Can I still ask you things from time to time?”

“Sure Max. Come visit if you need me. We’d be happy to see you.”

Max doesn’t question who we is but he assumes it’s Lewis’ family. He has spoken of them often in the past year after all.

It’s during the third year of Max’s reign that it clicks. He sees Sergio with his wife and thinks about how he would give his crown to be like that with Daniel. And shit, Daniel. Oh how he loves Daniel. How he misses Daniel more than anything. But Daniel has gone, without a trace.

He thinks about changing the law so that men can be together and not shunned for it. Especially when two young boys from an old slightly run down region make their way to the castle and ask for his help because they have been exiled for their relationship. He gives them a room in the castle and makes sure they are treated well. He of course asks Sergio for his support on the matter who gives it easily and the next day it’s passed.

People had mixed opinions but the majority of the princes, even a couple old kings (Seb, Kimi, heck even Nico) showed support and this quieted the protesting crowd.

Max had hoped that Daniel would maybe show face but he didn’t. Max didn’t want a public call, god that would be far too embarrassing. ‘Hey remember that guy I trained and competed with 5 years ago, I am desperately in love with him and need to find him in the hopes that he feels the same.’ Yeah no that ain’t flying.

Instead he goes to Lewis. He travels alone and discreetly, leaving Sergio in charge of things in his absence. He find his house situated alongside a teal river and knocks. He is very surprised to see Nico Rosberg open the door.

“Uh hi I-“

“LEWIS, MAX IS HERE! Come in mate, make yourself comfortable.”

Max comes to learn over a very nice (vegan) dinner that Lewis and Nico are a thing but their trial fight nearly ruined them. Nico dropped out and retired because he didn’t want to be king when it meant he lost Lewis. Lewis took a little longer (and Max kicking his ass) to realise that too. Max is of course happy for them but…

“Why are you telling me this?”

“You and Daniel weren’t just friends, were you?”

And fuck that’s… Max grips the scar on his thigh through his clothes.

“…no.”

“Odds are Daniel didn’t want to end up hating you and couldn’t stand to let those trials tear you apart. Probably thought it was easier to just walk away.”

And Nico doesn’t sound speculative. He sounds certain. Lewis agrees.

“Especially if he didn’t see a way to repair anything at the time.”

Max can’t bring himself to say anything. He remembers Daniel’s attempts to talk to him but he shut him out - too angry to do anything.

“Help me find him, please.”

Nico and Lewis smile and tell him to go to the fields back home, the same one where they got together. When Max arrives there he notices that there’s a small house on the field, tucked into a patch of trees that was never there before.

He knocks on the door. It swings open and

“Max?”

“Daniel.”

"What are you- how did you-"

"I still love you. I'm so so sorry that it took me so long to finally find you. I would've done it sooner but you disappeared and I had to fight and be king and- nevermind. I love you so much and I haven't stopped thinking about you. And more than that, I am sorry about our fight and pushing you away. It's the biggest regret of my life."

"Max..." and Daniel kisses him and it feels just as magical as the first time, and even better than when he became king for the first time.

Daniel feels complete for the first time in his life. He knew he never needed to be king but he somehow has one in his hands. He relishes the feel of Max's skin and lips against his own and how Max babbles about how much he loves and missed him.

Daniel tells Max he forgave him long ago and where he has been in the meantime, visiting a couple different regions before coming back and building a house here in the hopes Max may find him.

Max traces Daniel's matching sword scar and asks "why didn't you find me if you wanted me too?"

"Was sure you'd moved on and didn't even want me around anymore. I definitely couldn't try to be king when I wanted you so much, it would've killed me to hurt you again. And, I didn't want our relationship to fall apart under the pressure of it all. I mean, it did, but not in a way you would never come back to me."

"I'd never not want you around. And I'm not letting you go again."

Max eventually has to return and Daniel comes with him. The people of the castle often see Daniel with Max's crown on his head, nestled among his curls. After all, Daniel may not be the ruling king but he's definitely the king of Max's heart.

[dungeons-and-dragon-age]

mister nr. one suspect for any and all new rumours, got anything to say to this?

[snekdood]

Your impulse to believe every last bad thing people say about a guy and then if that guy is victimized by those people or the people who spread the rumors you dont even try to look into if thats even the case, you just assume hes bad by default-- yeah thats incredibly unfair to guys who are victims of abuse.

[aphrogeneias]

more than seven minutes — one-shot

pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader

summary: after you spend nearly a week completely avoiding your best friend, he takes matters into his own hands. and if that means locking you into a room with him until he makes you talk, then so be it.

word count: 2.6k

warnings: smut (+18), fluff, friends to lovers, forced proximity, love confessions, mentions of a sex dream, dry humping, oral sex (f receiving), hand job, dirty talk

author's note: another reupload! this is the only steve fic i've ever written, or rather, the only one i started and finished. not sure if i really write steve that well, but i tried <3 this has a part two and will be uploaded soon too.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Don't you trust us?"

From your left, Robin's faux exasperated tone had you throwing her a mean side-eye. Her girlfriend, Vickie, on your right, giggled, "I don't think she does, Rob."

It wasn't that you didn't trust them. On a normal day, you would trust those two with your life, but given the circumstance you recently put yourself into, you couldn't help but be suspicious.

They'd found you hiding — or trying to, at least — at the back porch during another one of Tina's house parties, which were getting more and more boring to you, but you needed an escape, and cheap beer with some questionable company would have to do it. 

You were sitting with another one of your friends when Robin and Vickie, appearing seemingly out of nowhere — confusing you immensely because they'd be two people you wouldn't expect to find at Tina's on a Friday night — took your plastic cup from your hand and pulled you by the arms to follow them.

Dragging you along, each one linked to your arms from both sides, passing in between the crowd of bodies gathered in the living room, occasionally having to push a drunk jock out of the way, and guiding you up the stairs, into the upstairs hallway. They moved fast, the people around you passing by like a sea of blurred faces.

You were thrust forward when you reached one of the doors, and were pushed inside by Robin, who flashed you an apologetic smile, shrugging, "I'm sorry!"

"Robin!" Yelling over the loud music that bled through the walls, you could hear giggling from the outside, as well as the sound of a key being turned in doorknob. Your heart raced as you slowly realized what was happening, "Vickie! What the fuck?"

You knew who was behind you without even having to turn around.

Taking in your surroundings, you could tell it was a guest room, untouched by the madness going on downstairs and in the hallway. Sitting on the neatly made bed, above the soft pastel bedding, Steve Harrington looked like a kicked puppy, brown eyes following your every move from where you stood, still at the bedroom door, unsure of what to do.

He was the first to break the silence, "So… now I have to resort to kidnapping you in order to have a conversation with my best friend?"

Leaning back into the cold wooden surface of the door, you tried to sound as unbothered as possible, knowing very well you were about to crack. "I wouldn't call that much of a kidnapping. Your henchwomen are a little too clumsy for that."

When Steve didn't answer you, merely raising an eyebrow, unamused, you tried again. "So, uh… what is this, exactly? Seven minutes in heaven? You know this isn't seventh grade anymore, right?"

"No, if it was seventh grade you would still be talking to me and not acting all weird for a whole damn week and not telling me why!"

"I'm not acting weird…"

"Bullshit! You are avoiding me like the plague and I need to know why."

You weren't avoiding Steve.

At least, that's what you had told him the first time he confronted you about it, almost a week ago. He had showed up at your house, unannounced as always, with a new film he knew you'd love and a bag of popcorn and candy, walking in as if it was own place — and it was, in a way, more of a home than his own has ever been. You made up an excuse about how you were sick and didn't want to get him sick as well, ushering him out of the house with an apology and the promise of a raincheck on your movie night.

After that, he'd been calling you, asking what was wrong and why were you avoiding him, and you couldn't bring yourself to tell him the truth. You'd told him it was nothing, you were sick that day, then you were busy, and then… you were running out of excuses.

The truth was that you couldn't look your best friend in the eyes anymore.

Sighing, you looked down at your feet, shuffling in place, "It's nothing, Steve. I'm just confused about… something, but I promise it has nothing to do with you. You did nothing wrong, it's just, just a thing that happened." You stuttered.

There was a shift in the air, the tension dropping in the atmosphere as Steve's expression lightened, suddenly focusing entirely on you. He rose from his place on the bed and walked over to you, his body crowding your personal space. 

"Hey…" You felt a hand gently hold your chin, forcing you to look at him, warm brown eyes searching for yours. "I'm not mad at you, okay? I'm just worried. We used to tell each other everything and now you're acting like this and I don't know what to think."

Overwhelmed by Steve's closeness, his smell and the heat of his body invading your senses, and his hand moving to cradle your cheek, distracting you from gathering your thoughts, you close your eyes as you lean into his touch. "If I tell you, do you promise you'll stay not mad at me?"

"I don't think I could ever be mad at you, Y/N."

With a deep breath, you walked away from him. The nearness, the feeling of his hand on your skin brought you vivid memories of the exact reason you were pushing him away.

"Ihadasexdreamaboutyou."

"A what?"

"A sex dream! I had a sex dream about you and I'm embarassed enough as it is, okay? I know it's weird, but we can't really help what we dream of, you know? It's like our brains produce images using the faces of people we know but it doesn't necessarily mean anything…"

"I get it! I get it, you don't need to explain yourself, I promise." Steve interrupts your rambling, you're still avoiding making eye contact with him, but you notice a light shade of pink take over his face. Silence fell over the room, both of you still trying to come to terms with what you'd just confessed.

"What was your dream like?"

He was closer now, you realized. There was something different in his eyes, a look you'd never seen before — far more intense, pupils blown wide. An electric current grows between you, like a live wire, ready to explode. It didn't help you stop thinking about the Steve in your dream, looking up at you with those same eyes, hands hungrily exploring your naked body.

It was all you could think about in the past few days — and then, there he was, warm and real, right in front of you, your Steve.

"Steve…"

"Please? I'm curious. It can't be that bad."

Turning around, you stared at the wall instead of having to look at him, feeling flustered all over. "I don't remember a lot of the details, but, uh… I think we were on my couch and we were… I  was riding you, I think." Letting out a nervous laugh, you gathered the courage to turn again, pretending to not be affected, "Crazy, right?"

"Not that crazy. Coming from you, I was expecting something a little more shocking." 

You laughed earnestly then, feeling some of the tension leave your body. "Yeah. Screw you, Harrington."

Steve started taking a few tentative steps forward, and instinctively, you took some backwards, until your back hit the wall behind you. Leaning in, those same dark, hungry eyes lowered to your lips, and down to your cleavage — you felt vulnerable under his gaze, but not uncomfortable. It felt right, even though it made your skin prickle. "Can I ask you one more question?"

"Yeah." You breathed out.

One of his hands trailed along your waist, keeping you still as the other rested beside your head, on the wall. This was a line you'd definitely never crossed, even with Steve being as affectionate as he was, always keeping at least one hand on you. Not even in the many times you'd shared a bed and woke up tangled in each other. This was different, heavy with anticipation.

"Did you… touch yourself… thinking about this dream of yours?"

It felt like your head was spinning. Despite yourself, you drew in a sharp inhale, "Do you really need to know that?"

"Only if you want to tell me." His voice was gentle, much more restrained than the wild look in his eyes, barely keeping himself together. "But something tells me you do."

Steve wasn't blind to the effect he had on you, especially up close, where he could feel your heavy breathing, watching the way your body responded to his. Throwing every caution you had out of the metaphoric window, you finally looked him in the eyes, bringing him closer, and resting your hands on his broad shoulders.

"What if I told you that I did? What if I told you that I had my fingers inside of me thinking about how good it would feel if I was bouncing on your cock instead? How would it feel to have you run your hands all over me while I do it? Is that what you want to hear?"

Like the cat who got the cream — or the guy who got his best friend to confess how badly she wants to fuck him — he smirked, now holding you with both hands around your waist.

"Any chance you want to make that dream come true, baby?" 

"If King Steve is offering, who am I to refuse?"

"Shut up."

Snaking a hand up your back, raising a chill up your spine, and holding the back of your neck, his mouth descended on yours with a deep kiss. It started clumsy, all teeth and uncoordinated hands, two friends who dared cross a line they'd never return from. Steve took control, then, leading you towards the bed, and laying you on top of it, his hands never leaving your body as he climbed on top of you.

"You should have told me about this earlier. Could've helped you out, you know." He said, in between kisses, descending his mouth to your jaw, and down to your neck, his tongue eliciting tiny gasps from your gaping lips, "You were driving me insane."

His hands travelled under your shirt, after yanking it from under your skirt, finding your covered breasts. Too eager to feel you, he felt you up over your bra, squeezing and caressing his thumb over your nipples. Between Steve's hands and his kisses, you were left breathless under him, seeking whatever release you could get, grinding your hips against his thigh, which was resting between yours. You could feel your cotton panties cling to your wet folds, slick with desire.

"I think you're the one driving me insane here." You whined, biting his lower lip and dragging it just slightly. Steve's eyes darkened above you, and you felt his hands lower, slowly, to the hem of your already bunched up skirt. You watched as he sat up on his knees and removed his polo shirt, revealing his broad chest, and feeling the sudden urge to run your hands over the tuft hair and the smattering of freckles covering it.

"Consider it payback, baby."

They stopped at the waistband of your underwear, and stilled, as he asked, brown eyes as gentle as ever, almost whispering, "This okay?"

"Yeah. Please."

Lowering his head, he left kisses over your thighs as he brought the fabric down your legs and off your body, his hot mouth leaving a trail of small teeth marks and spit that warmed you to your core. There was an underlying devotion in Steve's touch, a reverence he always treated you with — like you were something precious, something worthy of praise. It set you alight under his expert fingers, running over the soft skin of your parted thighs.

Wasting no more time, Steve licked a long stripe over your weeping slit, flattening his tongue. You dropped your head to the pillow beneath you, not being able to stop the moan that rose on your throat. One of your hands reached to grab his hair as he alternated between flicking his tongue over your clit and sucking on it, groaning into your pussy like he was enjoying it just as much as you were. His strong hands grabbed your thighs and pulled you further into him, burying himself into you, his nose touching your clit as he delved his tongue into your hole, fucking you with it.

A litany of moans filled the room, along with the filthy, sloppy sounds of his mouth devouring your pussy. You felt delirious, skin burning and grinding yourself shamelessly into his mouth, meeting his movements. 

"Isn't that better, honey?" He teased, bringing a finger down to your entrance and into you, stroking your walls in a torturingly slow pace, making you pout as you kept moving your hips, "Better than fucking yourself with your tiny, little fingers? You could have had this instead of hiding from me."

Mumbling something incoherent, you could barely keep your thoughts together as you felt him add a second finger into you, pumping them faster this time.

"Louder. Let me hear you."

"So much better. You feel so good, Stevie, so fucking good. Please don't stop."

At that point, you didn't care how whiny you sounded. Steve didn't seem to care either, shifting between your legs to wrap his lips around your clit again, matching his languid thrusts as he curled his fingers inside of you, building up the tension in your core, your pleas of "faster, please!" rising from your lips.

He obliged, looking at you with hooded eyes. You meet his gaze as you cry out, feeling your orgasm hit you like a wave, crashing into you slowly, and then all at once. He keeps his fingers moving as you ride it out, breathing heavily, and running your hand over his messed up hair, much gentler this time.

"C'mere, baby." You called, voice a little weak from exhaustion. Steve leaned over and you met him halfway, supporting your upper body into your elbows, and kissed him. Deep and slow, savoring the taste of his tongue, still stained with your juices, making you dizzy with uncontained lust, and, quite frankly, an overwhelming feeling of possessiveness, as if you had just marked him as yours.

After spending years watching him pine over Nancy Wheeler, and throw himself into date after meaningless date, it felt only fair.

Not you'd ever admit this to him out loud.

Distracting him with your kisses, you manage to take control, flipping him over, and mounting him, straddling his hips. Steve doesn't stop missing you, however, bringing his hands to rest over your hips and guide you to grind your exposed pussy over the tent on his jeans. You could almost feel him pulsing under you, bringing a new jolt of pleasure through your body, making you run your nails over his chest.

Quickly undoing his belt, and his zipper, you bring his pants down, just enough to free him from his boxers, feeling his length warm and heavy in your hand. He pants under you, his eyes rolling back as you tease him with your fingers, lightly, before running your thumb over the delicious vein on the underside of him, all the way to his already weeping head.

Before you could do much else, you heard a hard knock on the door, followed by barely hushed giggles.

"Are you still alive in there? Do we need to call the police?"

"Go away, Buckley! Jesus." 

Steve groaned at Robin's interruption, running his hands over his face, flushed with frustration. You release him from your hold, chuckling a little at his outburst. Leaving a kiss to his nose, driving his attention back to you, you ask "Your house isn't too far from here, right?"

"Yeah. Your point being…"

"I think we should take this party somewhere a little less crowded."

Humming deep inside his chest, Steve leans up, pecking you on the lips, "Now you're speaking my language."

[soukokumychildren]

Short stories part two in comin' guys! Idk how much I've made since the last one, so here goes-

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Chuuya: I can't fuckin' hear ya! Kunikida: Well, fine, I'll come clos- Chuuya: IM TOO BUSY NOT LISTENIN' TO YA

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Tachihara: My disguise is flawless! Chuuya: Oh yeah? does not know who this guy is What does it look like? Tachihara: brandishes his signature band-aid Chuuya: Raises brow Tachihara: puts it on Chuuya: jumps like a cat HOLY SHI--TACHIHARA?! WHERE IN THE EVER LOVING FUCK DID YOU COME FRO-

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(Chuuya doesn't like people touching him)

Chuuya: choking on carrots Someone random: I know the heimlich, I know how to help! Chuuya: frantically yelps NO! dies

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Fukuzawa: All I ask is for you to hug them. Chuuya: looks frantically at Shin (I will not give them the high and mighty title of Soukoku) Y-you're kidding. Awkward chuckle. Fukuzawa: Fatherly raise-eyebrow look. Chuuya: Eheheh…eheh…oh come on… Also Chuuya: Slowly looks to Shin and specifically looks at Akutagawa Atsushi: Awkwardly raises arms Chuuya: Stumbles over, tries to raise his arms to hug them both and pulls away last second Nope. Nope. Can't do this. I'd rather vomit. I actually can't look at his face. Jogs over to where Dazai was while watching from the side-lines Dazai: Chicken. Chuuya: Oh shut up, dumbass. You would have killed them had they touched me. Hiss.

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Dazai: Wanna see a magic trick? Chuuya: takes a moment before he understands Oh shit- Atsushi: OOh, sure! Dazai: grabs Chuuya before the avian can escape Guys, c'mere!~ Chuuya: DAZAI NO-DON'T YOU DARE YOU SWORE TO ME- Kunikida, Ranpo, Kenji and Yosano: Wander over grudgingly except for Kenji Chuuya: Fuck fuck fuck fuck let me go- writhing and flapping his wings but iTS NO USE Dazai: Watch, guys. Scratches the back of Chuuya's ear Chuuya: Takes a few seconds of silence but then bursts into a ball of aggressive purring Yosano: Oh my god. Kenji: ✨ 0 ✨ Kunikida: O_O Ranpo: Trying so hard not to laugh Atsushi: QMQ W-w-wh-wha- Dazai: Tehdahh!! Chuuya: Fuck--purrr---you shitty--purrrrr--DAZAI--PURRR somehow gets away with wings flapping in his wake as he runs to the bathroom Also Chuuya: Oh my---purrr---fucking god. That shitass promis-purrr..purrr.. F u c k. I'ma revoke the keeping him alive policy, I--purr--swear to GOD-

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Chuuya: "Fuuuuuck you." Dazai: "Fuck you!" Chuuya: "Fuck me, then, coward!" Dazai: "Sure thing you needy little shit!"

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Bram: There used to be a plethora of werewolves during my time. Such things were most common.

Chuuya: …Hmmmm. I can kinda like…get you something as close to a werewolf as I can.

Bram: Please do, I'd be most grateful. It has felt like a millenia since I've last encountered such a common kind that seems so terribly uncommon in these parts.

Chuuya: Disappears, and from the distance: Yo, Atsushi!

Also Chuuya: drags Atsushi by the scruff back to Bram and throws him on the ground like a sack of potatoes Here he is. He's more of a cat though, really. But he's still got the moon shit goin' on.

Bram: This pathetic mongrel? Looks mildly disappointed

Chuuya: Yeahhh, I know. This guy sucks, but he still got the semi-werewolf going on.

Bram: Do you perhaps have anything more than this…creature?

Chuuya: Er..unfortunately….no.

Atsushi: …I have ears, you know. Still on the ground

Chuuya: Pretend you don't and let the adults keep talking.

Atsushi & Bram: …

Atsushi: Screw this. Sits up and walks away

Chuuya: grabs him by the scruff again He's just a tad stubborn. If he turns into a full tiger under the full moon, do you think that'll help?

Bram: Sigh I suppose…there's certainly only one way to find out.

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Dazai: Addressing Chuuya’s parents your son calls me daddy too ^^ Chuuya: DAZAI WHAT THE FUCK—

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C: Don't make this worse. D: Define worse-

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Chuuya: You’re bullshitting me so hard right now. Dazai: …. Chuuya: claps hands great, when do we start?

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Chuuya: a cowboy? Eh…I’m not big on riding horses. Dazai: but you’re big on riding me? Chuuya: huh? Dazai: Stupid shit eating mischievous look Chuuya: gets it oh—OH FUCK YOU—

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(Opinon: This one is shit)

Chuuya: tries making a nest Dazai: not helping Chuuya: Dazai, ya ass, come here and help! Dazai: but I’m disabledddd Chuuya: oh fuck off. We’ll see how disabled ya are when I make you carry all the shit we’re gonna get from the store. Dazai: blinks since when are we going to a store? Chuuya: since now. Get the fuck moving. 20 minutes later at a department store (I think)

Dazai: Y’know, you remind me of the stereotype I heard on the internet. Chuuya: mmmm? Dazai: where women have a knack for comfort in bed, so they have an exorbanatly large amount of pillows and blankets? Chuuya: comes close and hisses Ain’t my fault that I’m half dragon and in need of a nest! Fuck off about the subject or so help me, damnit!

….so the nest was built afterward, and Dazai served timeout in the corner for 20 minutes instead of snuggling with Chuuya in his new nest

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Chuuya: twittering Dazai: listens to him and knows he's saying something but doesn't know what Atsushi: joins on the conversation, growling and snarling to Chuuya Chuuya: twitters and whistles back Dazai, feeling jealous: You guys have a secret language now!? No fair!!

~~~~~

(Part 2 kinda)

C: Starts twittering to Atsushi A: Growls back to him to start the conversation A few minutes later…. C: Gasps and comes out of animal speak "YOU TAKE THAT BACK!" A: "Nuh uh!" D: Quickly comes in and grabs Chuuya before he could whack the shit out of Atsushi C: "LEMME GO!" D: "Chuuya calm down-" C: "That mother fucker is going to FEEL MY WRATH-"

----------------- (This could be either counted as au or canon, but here's a funny short anyway)

D: I'm gonna fuck you, Chuuya. C: You mean fuckin' kill me, right? D: …. :) C: You…mean fuckin' kill me….right?

--------------

Chuuya to Dazai: Here, hold this gives him his gloves and ring Chuuya: Goes over to Clthulu HEY SQUIDDY! Clthulu: Turns around by jamming its tentacles into the earth and spinning its massive body towards Chuuya Chuuya: I hope you glued those tentacles on tight. Oh grantors of dark disgrace, do not wake me again. Corruption insues

---------------

Chuuya: I identify as an asshole. Grins and puts hands on hips Dazai: And I identify as the dick. Chuuya: … Dazai: … Chuuya: Gets it OH YOU DICK- Dazai: Case in point ;D

-- That's caught up to the most recent ones! Enjoy :))

[lizzychanstuffss]

i’ve had this fic prompt floating around in my head for while now and can’t stop thinking about it hnnngg

okay so i’ve seen a couple fics of Astarion being protective of the reader, but what about the reverse? i wanna see Star’s durge/former durge partner—if he lets them—go full guard dog mode on whoever is stupid enough to pick a fight or be rude to him. both of them know that the other is fully capable of handling things on their own but that doesn’t stop them from wanting to protect each other.

gender neutral tav/durge/reader please? if you decide to write it that is ^-^

have a nice day/night!

So the very large fic I am still working on has both of these in it but because I am also a sucker for fics where Astarion gets scary dog privilege from durge I will also do a shorter one for that! :3

Atarion x Durge!Tav GN

Spoilers for act 3 (also be warned this is super self-indulgent in regards to a certain drow scene)

CW: canon typical violence

BOOM

The explosion was jarring to say the least and startled everyone in the party. Although that was quickly shaken off by seeing who exited the house causing your eye to twitch with anger.

"HOT! HOT! HOT!" The drow spoke as she casted a healing spell along with brushing off some of the ash staining her clothes, you had hoped to never see the bitch again but here you are staring at her face to face...and wanting to rip it off.

"Oh my silks-" 

"No no noooooo! We are leaving. I am done with your bullshite woman" You say and begin to walk away, your party stared at you slightly confused. As it wasn't like you to just walk away like this even with people you hated. Although Astarion caught on to what was happening rather quickly.

He grabs your hand before you can walk off whispering in your ear. "If you are doing this for me...well thank you but just talking to her won't kill us." You looked at him, your brow darkened.

"And if it does?" Voice no more than a whisper as you two had the private conversation.

"Well death never stopped me before. I don't know why it should now." He says slightly teasing you, as it seemed like this wasn't as serious to him as it was to you. 

"Astarion....I just think this might not be wise for me to be around her." You gave him a knowing look.

"If you do anything stupid I will simply pull you away before you hurt anyone....besides maybe she'll actually have something useful to tell us who knows." His words gave you pause, but the man knew you better than you wanted to admit. You could tell in the back of your mind that if you didn't at least ask about it then it would continue to gnaw at the back of your mind, so without further ado you turn around and step up to Araj.

"Alright sorry about that...are you okay?" Sighing as you speak, there is a noticeable amount of disgust behind your words. 

Brushing off your reaction to her, "I'm fine, but I think you'll like what I discovered...your blood has proved to be the breakthrough that I have needed in my research" She smiled, a shiver ran up your spine, and it wasn't pleasant.

"Oh and I see you brought the heartstop-" 

"If you say anything about Astarion or ask him to bite you again I will gut you." Your gaze is intense and shocks her a bit but all she can do is laugh.

"Why do you care so much? He's just your charge." At this point you had heard enough. "Besides I was just going to offer, not ask, what's the harm in that?" You could tell she was taunting him as well as yourself.

"Listen if you want to keep talking about him like he's not here then we’re leaving" You crossed your arms and she just pouted like a child who was told that couldn't have any more candy.

"Fine- Let's discuss your blood then, it's quite powerful and is exactly what I need to continue my research, but there is one more step I need you for actually...if you would come inside we can discuss it more." Turning away before you can give her an answer, just rolling your eyes before starting to walk to her door and feeling a particular vampire's hand squeezing yours. 

You give him a smile and step inside her destroyed home, looking around at all the wreckage. Carefully stepping around the destroyed surrounding as you were now all inside she then turned to you. 

"Alright so what was so important you needed me to come inside, and make it snappy my patience is wearing very thin Araj." 

Giving a fake smile she continued "I have a potion that will be able to unlock the latent potential of your blood. I admittedly have no clue what it will do to you but it should be very powerful." 

You think about it, but Astarion pipes up a disgust in his voice, "If that is her potion I am smelling, say no, all she's offering is pain and I don't want to see you hurt" Taking his words into consideration you answer her.

"I'm going to have to say no, I trust him more than I do you." You give her your own fake smile and then start to walk away from the obviously annoyed woman.

"You're listening to a vampire spawn really!?" She scoffs "First you defend him and tell him he's his own person...then you refuse to convince him to bite me" You could hear her rolling her eyes and you stop walking to the door. At this point it's just you and Astarion inside the building and you can feel an anger rising in Astarion, and yet he’s just trying to walk out of the building, but you can't take it anymore.

Turning to Araj you look her over, "If you say what I think you're about to say I highly suggest you rethink it...." Your threats are not thinly veiled in the slightest, not that you really intended them to be.

"What, he's just a sl-"

You grab her by the throat silencing her, causing Astarion to turn back, staring at you. He doesn't say anything, but you manage to catch his eyes with your own and then in a few moments there are words exchanged but nothing is spoken and it's simply ended by a nod on his end. That simple yes was enough to know what you were asking but also giving permission to do this on his behalf. He didn’t need you to do this for him, but he wasn’t going to pretend he didn’t like when you got like this so without further ado he stepped back to enjoy the show.

You produce a knife from your pack and without a thought you shove it into her stomach, twisting it causing the drow to cry out in pain. You're enjoying this more than you want to admit. Yet it doesn't make you feel disgusting like the other times you've enjoyed violence. Your hand stays steady on her throat squeezing it until her cries were nothing more than gasps for air as she slowly faded away in your terrifying grasp.

Soon enough though she was nothing more than another corpse. Astarion placed his hand on your shoulder, it was a gentle touch as you slowly came to your senses turning to him after dropping the corpse of the drow.

"I'm sorry...I just couldn't stand how she was talking to you, I tried my best to hold back but" 

He kissed your forehead gently with a smile on his lips, "It's alright, my dear…besides I enjoy a bit of occasional bloodshed in defense of me." His lips are a soft comfort to you, you almost looked away back to the body but his hand directed your chin back to him. He keeps his hand there for a bit and you fall into his touch kissing his palm a little smile making its way to your lips. 

"We should probably clean this up shouldn't we?" You ask him, and he gives you one of his classic smirks.

"Well, we don't have to do anything~" He gets a little cheeky with his words and you can't help but roll your eyes playfully. Taking a note from him though the two of you walk out of the house closing the doors behind you and looking at your other companions you give them a smile.

Shadowheart and Lae'zel just look at you deadpan saying nothing figuring it was better just to not ask at this point. You shoot Astarion a smile as your group heads back out into a city.

[hazbin-a-helluvamagines]

Bee, Ozzie (+ Fizz, if you wanna) and Loona with a shy, human male S/O who has metahuman abilities, specifically time manipulation (controlling the flow of time, such as speeding it up, slowing it down, moving it forward, moving it back, etc) and time alteration (changing the time around an object, either inanimate or living, and making that object into a different thing entirely, with living things still retaining their sentience, but are unable to move)

Sorry if this is long and/or hyper specific.

Ozzie + Fizz, Bee, and Loona with a Shy, Human Male S/O with metahuman abilities

Both Asmodeus and Fizzarolli think you're extremely cool! They're both really sweet to you, though. The last thing they need is for you to have a panic attack on them!

"Fuck, you can mess with time?! That shit's pretty scary~!" Fizzarolli would tease playfully in a sing-song voice.

"Can you show us how it works, baby?" Ozzie would ask you. Of course, he'll understand if you say no or refuse. He's just happy to give you the opportunity to talk about yourself.

Since you're shy, they'll be the first to open up all sorts of doors for you to interject your opinion into things, too. Plus, with you being human, Ozzie in particular would be incredibly protective of you.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?! I'll destroy any motherfucker who tries to hurt my boyfriend!" Ozzie would shout after someone had been harassing you. And Fizzarolli would quickly join in.

"Yeah, our boyfriend is wayyyyy too good for a piece of shit like you," he'd say in that smug tone he always used on people he didn't like and wanted to taunt.

Honestly, they'd both want to kind of see you snap. You've earned it dealing with all the bullshit in Hell. Change that Karen into a pot or something, and let her be in agony stuck that way for the rest of her life in Hell. Or age her so much that her husband won't ever want her again (as if he even does now- 🤭)

A wholesome pair, certainly, but with their darker, more mischievous sides!!

They'll probably bring you to Ozzie's with them so they can better keep an eye on you. After all, they don't want to watch anyone try to hurt you without being able to stop it.

No, Ozzie learned his lesson after OOPS with Fizz-

Oh boy. You're in for a treat with our lovely Queen Bee.

See, it isn't necessarily that she's mean about you being shy, it's just that she doesn't quite understand it. After all, she's a total party animal, she can't understand people who don't enjoy getting scrappy and having fun!

She'd be the type to first offer you drugs to help you loosen up, insisting she can get you anything that your heart desires.

"C'mon, babe! Alcohol? Sugar? Fentanyl? Ketamine? Oxy? Chardonnay? Come on, anything you want, just lemme know! We gotta be ready to tear this shit up together!"

She's only being playful, of course. She's trying her hardest to understand, she really is. Once she understands it more of an aspect of your personality, rather than a problem she needs to fix, she's a lot more chill.

"Hey, hun, I know you're not really a fan of socializing at my parties. Wanna go to a private section of the place and just chill with me?"

She's also so sweet, she'll offer you any accommodations you may need! Comfort foods? No problem! Cuddles? You got it! Her attention? You don't even need to ask!

She's a lot less focused on your abilities than some of the others. But still finds them really cool, although more for just messing around!

"So are you telling me you could totally turn that plant over there back into a seed?! Yeah! Do it! C'mon, show me, babe!"

Probably finds it really hot how powerful you are, actually.

The Gluttony Ring is a lot more chill, so she's a lot more comfortable leaving you by yourself as a human there than in, say, the Lust or Pride Rings. Most everybody in Gluttony is sweet.

After all, nobody would really want to get on her bad side, anyway.

And yet, if you approached her with any sort of issues... i.e., someone tried spiking your drink, someone spilled a drink on you, you're being made fun of, etc., out comes the monstrous Bee form. It's their own fault!

"Which of you fucking bitches tried some shit on S/O?! I'll fuck you up so hard that not even all the ketamine in the world will numb your stupid ass!"

It's honestly amazing how protective someone normally so chill can be when their S/O is human.

You're shy, male, have powers, and above all, are human?! Oh no, no, no. Don't ever let her dad find out, he will be at your house the same day-

Aside from that, she pretends not to care much about your abilities. After all, she's more interested in you, not what you can do. And she finds your abilities impressive, and something she'll secretly record so she can remember how cool it was, but she'll avoid bringing it up. She never knows if it's a sore spot for you, after all.

Since you're shy, she'll take it on herself to tease an embarrass you in public, but only playfully and as much as you're comfortable with. All you have to do is say the word and she'll stop and never do it again. Kisses to the cheek, pulling you to sit on her lap (or vice versa), sickeningly sweet couple photos, you name it, she's already on it, most likely.

Of course, only she's allowed to do it. Anyone else who tries is already basically a goner, because they're going to be unrecognizable by the time Loona is done mauling them- Who's to say Hellhounds aren't loyal and devoted?

With that said, if someone ever messed with you,

She's pretty chill with you, though, just acting very normal and a little more sweet. Not quite as abrasive as she is toward Blitzø, for example.

"Hey, S/O. There's this thing coming up in the Greed Ring next week. Wanna go? You don't have to, it's just an idea."

Since you're human, and she both lives and works in the Pride Ring, which is full of sinners, don't expect to EVER be left alone.

She can't risk one of those awful creatures getting their hands on you and hurting you! No, she'll be at your side 24/7, insisting you call her just to be able to leave your house for the day. It may seem overprotective, something that apparently runs in the family, but she just doesn't want to see you get hurt.

"C'mon, S/O. I promise it's not personal. But Pride is full of shitty people with shitty personalities and shitty crimes that got them sent to this shitty place. 'Kay?"

She does care, even if she doesn't always show it all the time. <3

[websterss]

A PIVOTAL FATE — LOKI LAUFEYSON

SUMMARY: Just as Frigga tried, you attempted to talk to Loki to try and reassure him about the damage done on Midgard. You and his mother were the only ones who saw the greater good in him when everyone else declared him a monster.  

WARNING(S): Angst, mentions of dying  

WORD COUNT: 1,697

PAIRING: Loki Laufeyson x fem!Reader  

A/N: I hope you enjoy it! While I work on requests, enjoy some of my own works I wanted to put out there! Feedback is always welcomed!

MASTERLIST

They say love in its truest form, only happens in fairytales, stories told by dreamers, stories conjured up from hopeful thinking and wishing. The type of love that is too good to be true because it is...

The type of love people warn the ones falling in love about. Trying to save them the hassle of getting their hearts torn in two. Yet that person falls or the person they shouldn’t, and it becomes either the best thing ever or their biggest downfall.

Yeah...well, they forgot to mention that would become your reality. A typical tragic love story in the making. One that the TVA made sure would happen and continue to let happen because, to them, it was the flow of time.

It was your glorious destiny, and it was utter bullshit, to Loki at least.

“I thought I told Mother I wanted no visitors.”

“I think you can make an exception for me.” You entered past the barrier surrounding his cell. Your eyes roamed around the space finding that the things you and his mother requested to be brought to him were in use. You hummed quietly to yourself as you stepped closer to the table of stacked books and found the one you wanted him to read. He was reading it. The giveaway away...the bent corner of a page. “I hope you have found everything to your liking.” You set the book down and clasped your hands behind your back. Walking towards Loki who refused to meet your gaze. 

“Are you real?” His head shifted up only the slightest. He was hopeful. 

“You know better than to question it, my love. I cannot project myself like your mother.”

“Are you real?” He asked again. He needed that reassurance. He needed you to be physically present before him rather than a projected image of yourself. 

You simply smiled fondly, bringing an arm out from behind you. Making a grabbing motion towards him. Loki’s eyes met your stretched-out hand and felt a pull. His own body moved before him and before he knew it his palm smoothed onto yours. You carefully watched his hard demeanor change. The once brooding hard stare he had was replaced with sudden relief. His hand slid up your palm, to your wrist, to hold onto your upper arms, to finally caress the side of your face. 

“I’m real. I’m here.” Loki simply nodded. Though it wasn’t nearly enough to bring his guard down.

“How long?”

“Not long.” You closed your eyes, wanting to relish in the touch and presence of your husband. “Your father adores me enough to appease any wishes I may have, but he is the king after all. No amount of time he gave will suffice as enough.” You frowned, uneasy.

“Then let us not waste any more of it. Here.” Loki brought his other arm around you, gently pressing your head on his shoulder. Holding you close. 

“I’ve missed you dearly.” You breathed in his scent. Basking in his embrace that you felt was absent.

“We vowed till the end of time. Now that I spend time thinking about it. It does sound a bit absurd. There are about an infinite amount of worlds. Universes even!” Your eyes grew. “There’s a balance. One cannot simply live forever.” You shook your head. “I’d be a prune by then!”

“I’d love you even then.” Loki dwelled in the moment of your happiness.

His heart swelled when your eyes flashed, unsettled, weary. Breaking the trance you both in.

"It is not fair. Why must I be punished, I understand their precaution but I simply cannot do without you. Your father has offered me one visitation per every full moon. He wishes for you not to gain a big head. By limiting our time with one another, you'll learn to realize how you are to answer for your actions...I am with child!" You gasp, not feeling strong enough to hold it in. After the King announced your one day per the moon to visit him, you couldn't bear the idea of keeping it from him.

"You...what?" Loki glanced down at your stomach.

"We are to be parents..." You mustered a quick laugh as tears began to fill your eyes. "We have been blessed!" You brought his hands up to place them upon your dress. You tilted your head in hopes of gathering a reaction from him. "Please say something..."

"If I'd known...I wouldn't have gone to such lengths."

"Yes you would have...you were angry. But I'd eventually would have worked to grant you forgiveness. Just as now." You were torn from the inside, thinking of the days ahead of you, the moons that would pass, the various days, minus the one where you would be without him, where he wouldn't stand by your side and care for you as he'd done so before. The bedridden sickly days didn't sound so appealing knowing you'd go about them alone. "Perhaps if I tell the King, he'd grant us more days. Surely he would, yes? He wouldn't be so cruel to keep apart parents in waiting. Surely not my Loki, yes?" Your chest began to rise and fall heavily. You were panicking, and he was solely broken by the heart.

"I don't think he would, my love." He cupped the back of your hair and laid you against his chest. Your head was positioned over his heart.

"I couldn't keep such news to myself. I found out during your sentencing."

"Who else knows?"

"Your mother, your brother..." You trail off, feeling him stiffen underneath you on his bed. "I did not feel like keeping him unaware. He is my family as well." You remind him. "They are it, and us."

"I fear my mother may bring the news to my father. To sway him."

"I would never beg for something more than your releasement."

"Don't strain yourself, my love. I will be living well, and situated here for a while, I'm afraid."

"I will murder the King if you are not by my side the day of the birth." His chest rumbles with laughter upon your declaration. "I do not jest."

"Settle yourself...I would rather die than miss it." He peers down at you. "I am pleased you told me."

"I am well now, knowing that you know of it." You lean upward and peck his lips. Your lips clashed sweetly and slowly. Time was never granted for you both, that's how it always was in your younger years. One would be pulled away, one would be occupied, one had princeling duties, while the other helped her mother in the markets. You both were constantly on limited time and always would be.

You pulled apart when a rasp against the walls appeared. Thor. He sought to be the one to look over your visitations. You had thanked him for it. The King allowed you mere minutes with your beloved. Thor granted you double the amount. He knew he and Loki butted heads on occasion, but he knew his brother's love for you ran eternally.

"I do not wish to part." Your lips tremble.

"We have the next full moon, remember." You nodded solemnly at him.

"The days will drag, they will feel never-ending." You pout.

"Think of them as one day closer to being here with him." He leans in to kiss your temple.

"Til the next full moon..." You reach forward to cup his face for another kiss.

"We will have it always..." Loki pulls away. Allowing you to stand and collect yourself. But before you go you reach upwards your neck and unclasp your flower necklace. He begins to protest as you place the item he gifted you in his palm.

"So the days won't drag on for you. A happy reminder."

"You always are in my heart. I don't need a token to remind me of it."

"It'll be our trade then. A game of such. I want it back next full moon with a paraphrase of your latest book. Something for us to look forward to."

"I deem it only fair to do the same then." He unclasped his bracelet you had gifted him one solstice. "So the days won't drag my love." He pecked you one last time and sent you on your way.

"I love you my Loki."

"I love adore and love you both." The notion of mentioning you and your unborn child warmed your heart. You left him that night, content and with a smile on your face.

One he'd never see again.

-

"I love you, my Loki.""I love you, my Loki.""I love you, my Loki.""I love you, my Loki.""I love you, my Loki."

Mobius held his nose as the video replayed again and again. He hadn't known how many times Loki replayed that phrase, but it didn't change the fact that he was still in denial of your death.

You had been with his child, and now you were simply gone.

"Loki-" Mobius interjected his inner turmoil.

"She can't be gone..."

"She is Loki, and in every universe. She suffers the same fate and the same ending. That will never change."

"Why not!"

"It's a pivotal event in the timeline. If she hadn't died that day then it would have caused a branch out in the timeline. We must allow the timeline to flow in its designated and orderly manner. Any slightest change in the timeline, something as small as someone deciding to go left instead of right, will create a catastrophic disaster."

"Why wife's death is not pivotal, nor should it have been!" Loki could no longer hold his anger. "She was good, pure, and held the kindest heart. She was my other half, and now you say that's all she'll forever be. A pivotal event in a timeline!"

"You can't change her fate, Loki. I'm sorry." Mobius sympathized with the variant.

Loki pressed his back against a wall and slid down. Placing his head in between his legs. Lost in the thought of your laughter, your smile. Things he'd never experience again. He broke as the first sob rumbled in his chest.

[manicpixiefelix]

The Cattons and Reader were definitely in attendance for the wedding in Crazy Rich Asians 💍

Ooft the absolute role reversal tho, because I love the Cattons, but I don't think they're important enough outside of the UK to warrant an invite. Like yes they have land and a title, but the guest list includes billionaires and Princesses of entire countries, you know? Elspeth, James, and Venetia unfortunately do not get an invite, but are well aware of the event, of course.

Farleigh gets an invite because I believe that he genuinely became friends with Colin (the groom) and Araminta (the bride) during Oxford (despite his well known crush on Nick Young), and because of his tangential attachment to the reader. Felix gets an invite for a similar reason, but mostly because they want to skip the formality/possibly insult of just assuming he would be the reader's plus one. because the Reader is The Big Name to get invited from their Group. The kind of invite that makes their parents call them and tell them "if you don't go your grandfather will be rolling in his GRAVE" when they literally don't even call at holidays or birthdays.

Farleigh showing his own weird selfish kind of caring as he advises Reader and Felix not to bring Oliver along - "you think our family is bad? They will eat him fucking alive, and leave you lovesick bastards with only bones; if you love Oliver as much as you claim, you won't subject him to Colin and Araminta's wedding festivities bullshit" (Oliver is Right There when he says this btw; he's also very offended, you've all been together for ten years, he knows how to handle rich people bullshit by now)

Manifesting Farleigh & Rachel Chu friendship btw. He absolutely fucking adores her and does tell her about his crush on Nick from 10 years ago, but is genuinely so happy for them and stands with her against all the over the top Rich People bullshit and mind games.

Also Farleigh, Cousin Oliver, and Peik Lin power trio.

(also Cousin Oliver ends up l rather enamored with Your Oliver, thinks he's so charming and cute and novel. Everyone here calls your Oliver 'Ollie' to distinguish.)

Also this got SO MUCH LONGER than I intended holy shit I love this and I just wanted to talk about you and Ollie and Felix and the Crazy Rich Asians AU, so it's under the cut;

But again I just want to see that role reversal of absolutely everyone who's anyone who's part of the wedding knowing who Reader is but no-one knowing either of the boys on their arms (very occasionally someone will recognise Felix, but it's so rare). You prepare for parties back home, and often abroad if you have to, but you have always shrunk away from any kind of spotlight or acknowledgement of your true status. Felix has seen it once or twice when you were still teenagers, but it wasn't at big events. Never on this scale.

"Oh, surprised to see this," Cousin Oliver, with Rachel Chu's arm tucked in his by the bar in the Young's home, Farleigh practically draped over his shoulder while they're both drinking martinis and giving Rachel the family gossip, has spotted you, Felix, and Ollie. Farleigh snorts. Rachel, confused, asks what's surprising, "didn't think they'd show their face...s here."

"Who are they?" Rachel asks directly this time, watching Eleanor, Nick's mother approach you, and you give her a warm smile, which she barely returns with her handshake, though it's more than Rachel feels like she got.

"A representative of one of the family's oldest international friends and business partners, and our second biggest controversy of the events to come, of course behind you snagging the crown prince, dear," Oliver says with a wry smile, taking another sip of his drink before he pats Rachel's hand.

Across the way, all three of them watch Ollie grab Felix's attention to fix his bowtie, and both of them appear to talk quietly together for a moment, Felix's hand on Ollie's arm, who rests his free hand atop that in a fond familiarity. Every so often they glance at you, the way you're glowing with confidence as you speak so easily to the icy matriarch, both of them with such adoration and pride in their eyes.

"Tell me you're kidding," Farleigh rolls his eyes, finishing his own drink, but Cousin Oliver's insistent.

"The elusive sole heir to the Y/L/N multi-national media and technology empire? Who has managed to evade real publicity for decades until now," Oliver turns his head just barely to raise an expectant eyebrow at Farleigh's disbelief, "bringing two little boyfriends to the biggest event in our part of the world in recent history?"

Farleigh orders another, much stronger drink after that. Least of all because he's never in his life heard his cousin referred to so dismissively as the 'little boyfriend' of anyone.

Yeah.... Honestly apart from Elspeth and Sir James, obviously, you'd never made it entirely clear Exactly how big of a deal your family is.

So its the first proper time Farleigh, Felix, or Ollie has seen you embrace your true status and all that comes with it, allowing yourself to be confident and eye catching and flex your status and well honed event preparatory skills on a whole other level.

They got a little taste of it in the week before you all left, as you had pulled all three of them in at various times to talk about their wardrobe for the time that they were there. You'd hired a tailor to come to the house and ordered not only custom suits, but even tailored casual wear, an entire wardrobes worth of clothes for every single one of them that would be sent directly to the hotels you'd be staying at while there. They barely needed to pack a thing. Not only were the clothes of expensive material and quality, and fit perfectly, but you'd absolutely nailed each and every one of their styles and requests. The fact that you hadn't even mentioned money, simply said that all the clothes were theirs, for the event and forever if they wanted them, and Elspeth and Sir James seemed a little startled by the gesture when Farleigh and Felix told them, that gives a hint of not only what you're worth, but the expectations and eyes that will be on you at the event.

And they are. Everyone's eyes are on you, and you meet each and every gaze without flinching. You know everyone and their business. You are truly a sight to behold. This is the first time Felix genuinely understands what people mean when they say he's like the sun; the effortless charm and warmth and confidence you exude at all these events is Oxford!Felix but tenfold.

(however it does take a toll on you; after a lot of the big events you tend to get incredibly clingy and can become semi- or even entirely nonverbal, sometimes shutting down altogether. do I low-key headcanon the reader as neurodivergent because I am and can't really write neurotypical characters? YES. the point is Ollie and Felix learn very quickly that the minute other people can't see you all, usually once you're all in the car on the way back to the hotel, you'll be clinging to one or both of them. they understand how much this is effecting you, but very quietly are endeared and a bit amused by how much you clearly hate being seen as The Sun, the Most Important One in their relationship dynamic)

(also to make up for this, on days when you can just chill out and go sight seeing, or spend time with Nick and Rachel, or Colin and Araminta, in ways that are far more low-key, your real dynamic shines through. Felix and Oliver will take the lead (Oliver's grown much more confident and comfortable within your relationship and his place in this rich people's world to interact and form genuine bonds and connections with the people around you and Felix) and you're happy to just relax and trust them and enjoy genuine conversations.)

(Rachel Chu was incredibly intimidated by you when she first met you, but is shocked to meet you again in a low-key environment, and realises she enjoys your company far more there. Also she and Oliver have a weird fondness for each other. No-one quite knows how they get along so well despite their "common" upbringings, which are otherwise vastly different.)

But also the reader being able to properly let go and not give a shit about their reputation or how they're meant to act at Colin's bachelor party. Them being so ready to lose their mind, and them being so grateful to Nick's cousin Eddie for throwing it all together (and unfortunately not noticing that Colin and Nick aren't having a great time... But they get to have their little helicopter chill bros getaway, Ollie, Felix, and Reader get to enjoy the party barge with everyone else). Cousin Eddie being a creep but Reader matching his energy -

Eddie, drunk and definitely high: you guys actually all get freaky together? you gonna fuck on the party barge or what?

Reader, also drunk and definitely high, half draped on Felix who has an arm around them, his cheeky smile pressed against the crook of their neck, they also have one leg on the ground and the other kicked out over Ollie's lap, both his hands holding their thigh, giggling to himself: (faux offended) EDDIE! ... We obviously already have!

Ollie, leaning forward to grin conspiratorially, and pull your other leg into his lap: this is just an intermission, my man.

[reader and Felix burst into giggly laughter alongside Ollie but also the three of them are quickly becoming possibly too handsy for how many people are around..... Tho there's very few sober people, and even less who really care, anyways....]

cousin Eddie learning that the controversial threesome of the event is getting fucked up and kinky with each other on his party barge:

lmfao why do I think Cousin Eddie is unironically their biggest supporter. He's a little creep but he's not judgemental of them, that's for sure.

Also, for the record, Farleigh too is having the time of his life on the party barge. Good for him.

Oh my god how could I forget Astrid tho omg. Astrid is the other #1 Felix/Reader/Ollie champion. Also in the past decade she's kept in touch and genuinely very close with them, so she is well aware how much this is all overwhelming the reader. As much as they love Ollie and Felix, because of the stark difference in their standings, they have to constantly be On around the boys in these social settings, because it's what's expected of them. Astrid is the only person the reader feels like they can, for lack of a better phrase, hide behind in these settings, because she occupies a very similar space to them in the social hierarchy, but is so clearly more comfortable in her role within it. Well it's close enough that the reader tends to go semi-verbal around Astrid and defers to her if they're in a conversation together with other people. Ollie and Felix know it's a coping mechanism but they still feel kind of weird about it.

There's literal press outside of the wedding; flashing cameras, news reporters, paparazzi and everything. You kind of feel like you're going to be sick when they call your name. Your full name. Your only solace is that it's not your dead name. People desperate for your attention. People desperate to seperate you from Ollie and Felix - nobodies to them; lessers. But you hold your ground, even if your heads spinning and everything feels a bit too loud and fuzzy and bright -

"You don't print my name without theirs; you don't print my image alone," your voice holds firm, "Felix Catton and Oliver Quick." Oh fuck you're definitely on the verge of throwing up. There's so many faces and names around you that you know, that you've memorised in case it came to this; it seemed unnecessary at the time, but you were the heir to a multi-national media empire, you wanted to know local faces and talent could be linked back to you and your family.

"So you're making a statement?" a particularly nosy journalist with a cameraman in tow shoves a microphone into your face. Before making the statement, you confirm who she was filming for. Felix and Oliver both try defending you against the smug journalist, but she focuses back on you, hoping to have caught you in a moment of weakness, "so you and your family are happy with -"

"The fact that I love two people? That I have for years? Yes;" the sudden firmness of your voice genuinely surprises her, but before she can go, tail between her legs, you reach out for the microphone, "we're less happy with the thirty-two percent decrease in your viewership in the last quarter since your defamation lawsuit settled out of court. You have a prime-time spot; where's your damn integrity?"

The journalist looks like you kicked her dog in front of her. As you take both Ollie and Felix's hands and head inside, you hear her sulkily demand the camera turn off, that they're done for the day.

But oh man, the wedding itself -

Reader, Felix, Ollie, and Farleigh all sit in the back row, and are just awestruck by everything about the event. Because Christ it's beautiful. Also you all know there's been some upset with the Youngs surrounding Rachel Chu, but she shows up looking so beautiful, and she gives you all a warm smile when she glances back from her bold seat beside the princess to smile at you all.

"This what our wedding's going to be like?" Ollie whispers as you're all asked to rise for Araminta's entrance, and water begins to ripple down the aisle while you're all holding up the delicate firefly props you'd been given before the ceremony. Felix, on your other side, laughs softly, having caught the question, and you can't help but grin.

Also one last thing; please imagine the three of you slow dancing at the reception, but it's so stupid and cheesy, because it's all three of you at once, well aware that you all look silly, just swaying back and forth and trying not to step on each other's toes. Ollie is in the middle. None of you can stop giggling and talking about how lovely the wedding was.

"They look so happy together," Rachel murmurs, genuinely endeared by the sight of you three on the dance floor, despite others disparaging looks that you're clearly ignoring, to Farleigh, having run into him for just a moment.

Farleigh sighs, and bites back every single snide comment that rushes through his head at once, rolling his eyes, though Rachel doesn't see.

"They are."

[missmagooglie]

The promo for next week is what made it clear that Buck is regressing regressing. All that bullshit he's suggesting to Chim? All those proposals that Bobby (correctly) said were just a list of potential calls?

That's Season 1 Buck talking. That's Early Abby Days, pre She Needs You To Step Inside With Her Buck who wants love and romance but doesn't know what it's supposed to look like. That's a version of Buck who isn't ready for something quite so grown up.

Our Buck, Season 6 Buck, knows better than that. He knows Chimney and he knows Maddie and if he stopped and thought about it for half a second he would realize that a big showy proposal isn't right for them. He'd realize that the right approach is something more personal, more intimate. It's Chimney sitting Maddie down and saying, 'we both know there are plenty of reasons we "should" get married, but let me take a minute to make sure you understand the reasons I want to marry you', and giving Maddie space to express all the reasons she's hesitant rather than putting her on the spot with something public that pressures her into saying yes without a conversation.

Buck's been different since the lightning strike, sure. It was a big event, it had a profound psychological effect. But I think the bigger issue here is that Buck has been growing and changing and maturing for the past 6 seasons and he hasn't had a chance yet to properly acknowledge that to himself and update his self-concept. I think the reason we're seeing Buck regress so hard is because he's consciously trying to act like "the same old Buck", but his understanding of "what it means to be Buck" hasn't kept up with the growth he's been doing.

At the gravesite, Buck says he feels like Natalia "really sees him" - which, let's be real, is an insane thing to say about a person you've just met on a good day. And he's saying it to Eddie, who the writers have made abundantly clear is the one person who most sees Buck and understands him and has seen his growth and his insecurities even when others don't.

But the thing I think Buck is getting from Natalia is actually the opposite of what Buck thinks he's getting from her. When Buck says "she sees me", he means "She only sees this me. She doesn't know the man who died, just the man who woke up again."

And while there is some value in that, mostly in allowing himself to be his "now" self without worrying about how it might or might not align with his past self, I think Buck also needs someone who can help him understand that those two versions of himself are closer to each other than he thinks. And the version of himself he's trying to be for the sake of everyone else (ie "the same old Buck") is not the version of him that his loved ones lost at the top of that ladder.

The lightning strike changed Buck - after all, how could it not? And Buck, being someone who is so used to being left behind, is naturally worried that changing who he is will cause the people he loves to leave. But that isn't something Buck needs to be afraid of, because he's been changing for a long time now and he has people who love every version of him, and will continue to love every version that comes next.

And I keep thinking about that choice to have Christopher fall asleep on the couch just like Buck did, the way it puts Christopher and Buck in the same category for Eddie - that category of "family" and "home". Because Christopher is changing too. He's growing up. The man he is going to slowly become is not the same person as the boy he is now, and it is understood that while some of that growth might be painful it is normal and natural and to be expected. And there is not a single direction in which Christopher could grow that would make Eddie love him even a little bit less.

When Buck realizes that Eddie loves him the same way? That there is no version of Buck that Eddie will not love with his whole heart? And when he doesn't just realize it, but actually believes it?

That's the endgame, baby.

[buttercuparry]

Now that I have slept on it, I feel like I can talk about Ming. I don't really have anything new to say that others haven't said before, but this is just me assembling my thoughts. So it is kind of long

Ming has issues. He has issues that he has never worked on and it manifests in the worst possible way, especially when he feels jealousy. He is used to throwing money at people and them complying to his wishes- he had someone prepare a separate van for him during the ad shoot, people on crew seem to comply to his wishes regardless of what it would mean for the project, he is sure that he can make the new guy act as an escort for him- so you know the usual entitled rich guy stuff but now notched up higher.

Like I said, Ming as a person hasn't changed. And the show isn't trying to have an argument against that either. Rather everything that's happened in the "after" scenes reiterates that while his affections have found a new home, there has been no personal growth. There won't be any redemption- it is what it is.

There also won't be an escalation to Ming being a full on sadist. He isn't a character from Strangers From Hell, he isn't Hannibal. There is nothing of that sort. If anything, he is just like every other abusive and overbearing partner in a relationship. Only in shows like Marry my husband, we get to see the female lead overcoming them, but here we have our protagonist get back with Ming, because something works by the end I guess. It is a standard BL and it will stick to its format and people who are enjoying this show, know all of this and watching it for what it is.

So I don't have a problem with all the "romantic" scenes. I don't think the show is deliberately trying to make you feel sorry for Ming- it is going only as far as it needs to get Joe back into accepting him. So it is more for Joe, the character than about the audience.

Now in the storyline this means that we have Ming who is very reserved around other people, talking only as far as to give an order and that's it. I don't think most characters see the worst of him and it is because he just isn't bothered about anyone outside of those he considers important. So he will be considerate and kind to May. He will give Tong the respect of a brother in law as per the culture that's common to so many Asian countries and he will be his most hateful self with Joe.

I think Ming does suspect that both these people are the same person. We have seen the preview and even this episode starts with an interrogation about the date of the accident and if Joe dreams about anyone. So in Ming's head there is something going on that's no less than a plot of an action movie. Maybe memory loss and plastic surgery...really who knows, anything except for the soul transmigration.

So we see the Ming who locked Joe up in jealousy and the Ming who would have forced himself on Joe out of jealousy. This remains the same. The only difference here is Joe, and he is done with Ming's bullshit. He is done with Ming questioning him about Tharn. He is done with Ming questioning him about working with Sol and what not. The contract Joe entered was about having sex with Ming, which is why he said " I am your dog, aren't I. Come on ask me for the paw then" So basically you bought me for sex, force yourself on me then, I can't do anything about it. But not this...he didn't sign up for this jealousy when he thinks he is once again a Tong stand in.

I will be honest. I do not empathize or sympathize with Ming. I cannot get behind the rhetoric of him being a hurt, broken boy. He drove his lover to death because of his jealousy ( he accepts this), mourns this but then does something horrible to the guy he suspects having some connection to his dead boyfriend because of jealousy.

My question is when the truth is revealed- what happens then? Because Ming wouldn't suddenly turn into a new leaf. So would they be having a conversation? Or would this be something hanging uncertainty over the relationship for eternity.

Or

Would Joe be into it, if he realizes that all of this has been for him and not Tong...

( I know, I know, no need to boo at me for the last line- I am just thinking out loud here).

[starpirateee]

WAITWAITWAITWAIT YKNOW HOW SPANKOFFSKI IS A POLISH NAME

PETE OR TED OR MAYBE BOTH SPEAKING POLISH AND CONFUSING THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM

JUST LIKE, THEY HAVE A PRIVATE CONVERSATION OVER THE PHONE THEY DONT WANT OTHERS TO HEAR SO SPEAK IN POLISH TO EACH OTHER AND WHEN TEHY HANG UP EVERYONE AROUND THEM IS LIKE WHAT THE FUCK??????

god im insane about themmmmmm

Anon this is really funny in concept, the size of your mind is insane && I just hope I can do it vague justice

The major problem for Ted on most days was that his phone tended to ring in the most inconvenient of places, at the most inconvenient of times. another major problem was that he often got so engrossed in… Whatever he was doing in the office that he forgot that he and Pete ran on completely different schedules, because his brother was still three months from graduating high school.

He'd been bunking off for the past half hour, and had been talking to Charlotte in the break room, trying to work out when a good time to see her again would be. Everyone who knew them tended to avoid the fact that she was blatantly using him as a fallback option because her husband couldn't— or wouldn't— give her what she wanted. People like Paul and Bill tended to ignore it, only because Sam was doing the same thing across town, with one of the Beanies' baristas, and one of his coworkers… Never at the same time, mind, but Zoey Chambers seemed rather unapologetic about it, so Paul and Bill had managed to work it out as fact.

Still, it was weird to see Charlotte with Ted. Because, at the right angle, it almost looked like Ted genuinely cared about her, and wanted to keep doing what they did to get her away from the thought of her husband for a while. That, of course, had seemed like enough total bullshit that nobody bought it, but they left the two of them to their well needed privacy when it came down to it. Only two people knew they were spot on with near enough everything they speculated about.

Ted leaned against the water cooler, sporting a little more confidence than would surely be allowed in a situation like this. Charlotte wasn't having a terrible day, and that meant it was that little bit easier to talk to her. Less Sam to think about… How did that bastard end up with a woman like her? And why was it that her situation was that bad that he was an upgrade for her?

He was going to think about an answer to that question, but his phone started ringing in his back pocket, vibrating way too dramatically against the cooler.

"Jesus christ-" He stood up a little straighter, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "Sorry, Charlotte. One sec, I swear- hello?"

"Hey, Ted."

That was a voice he'd recognise from anywhere. Pete, once again working off his own time and perhaps completely overlooking the fact that Ted still had an hour at work.

For the sake of clarity, Pete checked his watch and drew the realisation that the holidays were over last week, and Ted was back on office hours. His brow creased, hoping he wasn't interrupting anything then realising there wasn't really anything to interrupt in his brother's work life. "This a bad time?"

"Oh, hey, Pete. No, you're good, I wasn't doing anything anyway…" Ted went straight back to lounging, aware that Charlotte was now trying not to eavesdrop but didn't really have anything better to do. "What's up?"

Pete chuckled. "C'mon, when are you ever doing anything? You don't do shit! Especially not at work!"

"Hey! I do shit! I get paid to do shit, don't I?"

"… Do you even know what department you work in?"

It was a genuine question, and would've accounted for Ted's genuine laziness and reluctance to do any of the actual work he was sent… If Ted hadn't prepared for this exact eventuality several months ago. He'd made sure to pay enough attention in a Monday meeting to at least account for what depeatment he worked in, and what that department pretty much required him to do. He didn't have to work constantly anyway, and that was the best part. His main job was just… fixing the problems everyone else had, when they had them.

"Sure I do. Tech support!" He imagined the defeated expression that flashed across his brother's face, and laughed to himself. There were too many people around him to make the point he was going to make next without getting mobbed, so he leaned in a little closer to the phone, a smirk playing on his lips, and muttered, "Czuję się, jakbym był jedynym idiotą, który faktycznie się zakwalifikował… (I feel like I'm the only idiot who's actually qualified…)"

That prompted an unexpected laugh out of Pete, who was clearly around other people too, because he tried to cover it up. "To wiele mówi (that says a lot.)" He returned once he'd stopped laughing. The two of them had stopped questioning the other's occasional slip into their own version of mostly fluent Polish. They used it to their advantage, to have private conversations in public, or sometimes in reverse when they were around the Polish side of their family. More things could be said if there was the added bonus of nobody overhearing, and that way of thinking had helped Pete out on a few occasions.

Ted cracked a smile. "Ty jesteś gówniarz- (you're a little shit)" He managed to bring himself back into the conversation they were supposed to be having, before he and Pete managed to lose it like they always did, lost in the jesting and the back and forth that just seemed to get better with every phonecall they had. "You didn't call to insult my supposed lack of work, did you? What's up?"

"Can I drop by the office and pick up your keys? I must've left mine on my desk this morning… Took me till third period to realise they weren't in my pocket…" Pete turned from the phone to mutter something- a goodbye, perhaps- towards someone else, and Ted found it vaguely amusing that Pete had retaliated to his complaint when he was with friends.

"You left after me this morning…"

"The front door locks itself, don't worry about it."

Ted faltered, and then nodded. He'd figured that by accident once when he accidentally locked himself out after forgetting his own keys, and he had to wait in the foyer for half an hour like an absolute fool for Pete to show up after his study session. "Fine. You know where the back entrance is, don't you? My car's parked out there, you should recognise it."

"That hunk of shit? I'd recognise it anywhere,"

"Do not slander my car!"

"C'mon, Ted, you've had it like, twenty years! And it hasn't gotten any better in all that time…"

He was going to ignore for now the seemingly increasing pile of problems that it seemed to have every year. Wings that needed replacing because they'd rusted so hard last year, numerous little engine faults… And the suspension was probably shot after all these years… It was a hunk of shit, sure, but it was _his_hunk of shit. "You just wait till you get your own hunk of shit, we'll see who's laughing then!"

"I'm- I'm getting close, I can see your car. Thanks for this, by the way…"

"Yeah yeah, don't mention it, Pete. You better not lose 'em on your way home, I know what you're like…"

"Dupek. (Asshole)"

"Tak, też Cię kocham… (Yeah, I love you too)" Ted chuckled before Pete hung up on him with a scoff. He rolled back his shoulders and stood up from the water cooler. Charlotte tilted her head, and it dawned on him that she'd probably heard all of that. He shrugged. "My brother. Useless bastard left his keys in the apartment… Hold on just a moment." He flashed her a quick smile and sauntered out of the break room towards the lift at the back of the office. Charlotte didn't have the time nor the space to question the constant little jumps in language that may well have happened on both ends, because Ted was gone before she had the chance to think about it at all.

[cookinguptales]

The ingenuity of Armand and Louis's relationship was a deliberate choice. That's why Daniel always calls them out on their forced shit. And their actors said they made the scenes dry on purpose.

Yeah, I figured. Louis in particular gets verbose when he's trying to distance himself from his actions and feelings, though Armand is more than willing to meet him on that level. They speak much more plainly when they're letting themselves actually feel their emotions. I think it feels safer for them (again, particularly Louis) to talk about their memories like they're literary fiction rather than real life. It lets them abstract their experiences rather than confronting them head-on. I think I'd even go so far as to call it a form of dissociation they use to avoid their own trauma.

(That tendency is really just made worse by Armand's ability to literally delete traumatic memories from Louis's mind. Any time he gets too close to actually dealing with his memories and emotions, Armand can make that go away.)

Like, I think the two of them managed to live for decades indulging in that form of avoidance, mostly because the people who would have called them on their shit in the past were dead.

Both Santiago and Claudia played that role for them in the past, I think. That said, both of them kind of had a tendency towards the dramatic that sometimes made things worse, lmao. (Which... is also why Lestat is a non-starter in this conversation.) Claudia was very willing to tell Louis to shut the fuck up when he was getting too in his own head, but I think that because she was so emotionally invested, sometimes they built off of each other instead of her managing to actually deescalate his histrionics. Santiago is pretty willing to skewer both Louis and Armand, but again, he's always got to make a show of it.

Daniel is dramatic in his own way, but... I guess I would say he seems to live for the reveal? And perhaps the destruction of illusion, whether it's his own or someone else's. (I guess he's kind of the anti-Santiago in that way? Santiago seemed to love to couch his criticisms in illusions and metaphor, but Daniel doesn't have the patience for any of that at all.) That makes him a good choice for him to just shut down the bullshit without getting too mired in it himself.

[butmakeitgayblog]

I have a "What if" question that might sounds stupid, but I could totally be dumb and didn't catch the answer.

I'm reading your CI snippets and more specific the Bet pt. 2, they're kissing (beautiful moment) and Lexa tells Clarke that she has always wanted her (my heart is a puddle, great) but in the snippet where they fight because of CC (Cunt-Costia) Clarke actually ask a really interesting question: what would have happened if Costia never broke up with Lexa?

And yes, Lexa is super soft and vulnerable in her answer and she told Clarke (one of my favorite moment of ALL times, among all the ff I ever read) that she wouldn't survive losing Clarke (and that's why I think she'll be livid when Clarke does that accident with her car) but she never actually answer the exact question.

She told Clarke that right now she doesn't need to doubt their love because she would never cheat on her because she really loves her (and we know how much does that mean) and she couldn't image a life without her because she wouldn't survive it, but what if Costia never left?

Oo I love a good If/Then

Ok so, realistically, if Costia hadn't broken up with Lexa, they absolutely would've gotten married.

Raven was not lying that the two had been talking about the idea in the not-entirely distant future. And Lexa meant what she said when she told Clarke that she had been happy enough with Cos. Enough at least to choose that path for herself once upon a time. With Costia she was safe, and that's exactly what she wanted at that time. A wife who she more or less loved, who she was generally fond of and got along with, and who she was sexually compatible to. She had no real vulnerabilities with Costia. They had the same circle of friends, Costia had her own wealth and status that only helped amplify Lexa's own. Cos was exactly the kind of girl everyone expected Lexa to end up with, and she was perfectly fine with that.

She probably would've been unfaithful, but not because Lexa isn't a one-woman woman, but rather because eventually she would've felt bored and unfulfilled. Tho that would've been an understanding between them. Costia keeps whatever lovers she feels like having to herself, and Lexa would do the same. They'd be the quintessential Old Money marriage of two people who were together for fun, status, and convenience, with all of the usual bullshit that came along with it.

It would've been a shrewd marriage. A safe one.

One Lexa could never get hurt in.

Clarke would've kept going exactly how she was. She would've eventually straightened up enough to follow her father into finance and investment, and hated every goddamn minute of it. She would've kept on "not doing relationships" and left an even longer string of men and women in her wake. Her life would've been more or less unremarkable, nothing exceptional, beyond being a pitbull in her chosen profession. She would've been extremely successful, but lonely, and still entirely convinced she wasn't worth being loved.

They would've drifted even further than they were to begin with. Lexa - settling into her own little life of nonstop work and playing the doting wife, in between fucking her mistresses after hours and picturesque weekends with the in-laws in the Hamptons. Clarke - drowning herself in work and money, weekends of sex and top shelf bourbon. No calls, no Christmas cards, no visits home to check on the parents. Neither ever really acknowledging that the other one existed, much less having any kind of contact.

But when their parents pass?

When that evil bitch and the dipshit both go?

Meeting again at the funeral?

That'd be the moment that everything changes.

Because Lexa sits next to Clarke at the service smelling like the most intoxicatingly delicate cologne Clarke's ever smelled in her goddamn life. It's feminine, but muskier than she remembers the girl having smelled like so many years before. More mature. She thinks it suits her. But fuck, Lexa's still all legs and sharp jawline and those eyes that just scream of danger. The poutiness of her lips is really hard not to stare at when Lexa sits there so bored it's like she could fall asleep.

There's something comforting in knowing that, even after so much time and knowing how Lexa had spent the years playing house, she still sees through the bullshit fakeness of all this. Just like Clarke does.

What Clarke wouldn't know is that Lexa would've chosen that seat entirely on purpose, though she would've told herself it was just in the interest of annoying her estranged stepsister. Not because the sight of Clarke in her skin tight blazer and short skirt made her heart jump up into her throat like she was 17 again. Not because Clarke looks like the epitome of money and sex. Or like she doesn't give a fuck about the fact their last ties to their old lives are finally 6ft further out of their minds.

A few whispered jibes and morbid jokes to follow a few predictable insults would have them smiling. Because some things never change, even when so much else has.

And those insults would turn into plans to meet for coffee and coffee would turn into a lunch. A lunch spent actually talking like adults. Like strangers, but not quite, who are actually taking the time to get acquainted. Catching up about where they've been (despite them both vaguely knowing through the grapevine in one way or another) and what they've been doing. Who they've been doing. Comparing notes and unfortunately shared notches on their individual bedposts, though that subject dies quickly in lieu of just shameless flirting.

Because some things really never change.

That lunch would become lunches, would become meeting up whenever the hell they feel like. Visits to each other's offices and dinners spent behind closed doors, just the two of them locked away. All it'd take is one wrong look and the exact right thing to say, one too many touches that linger, and they'd be shamelessly fucking on every surface that would hold them.

Except unlike the trysts and flings they've had over the years with others... it's never just sex. Never. Not with them. And Lexa admits that one night, after months of lunches and dinners and stolen trips away together that they each blame on work, when she really realizes just how deep in fucking trouble she is. When she admits that this was why she didn't let anything happen when they were younger.

Because everybody has always been just everybody.

But Clarke?

She's Clarke.

That's when they both realize Lexa needs to find a really good divorce attorney. And that Clarke needs to get the hell over her fear of commitment.

Quick.

[unhappy-last-resort]

I want to talk about Asimov. Specifically theorizing/analyzing his character. I will be talking about some of the newer chapters as I have done everything except CH 18~19, a few of the side stories, and CH 25/Everglowing Justice, I will not be saying anything from CH.26/Cradle Parade, but I will mention a small detail in Noan's Heartlock trial from his Arcade.

When you first play the game, Asimov, Hassen, Nikola, and Celica act more like exagerated versions of themselves rather than actually BE themselves, something you find out very quickly as you play the game more (like the next chapter you talk to them again).

I would say Asimov is probably the first character I started paying a lot of attention to in the game, it became especially obvious during CH 14/Imprisoned Sight that Asimov has something, some ambition or goal that both keeps him going and keeps him "in line". Asimov is described in the game world as being a heartless scientist when in reality, he's just an autistic man who cannot be bothered with diplomatic and time wasting bullshit. He wants to do the science in a way that will not hurt people (specifically constructs) and that's all he cares about.

I always found his care for trying to be careful with constructs to be both relieving and interesting. In comparison to the other NPC's of high political standing, he's the one who seems to care from a place that's more personal than just "I work with them daily". I will say that likely Hassen is the same, but he seems to come from a place of grief whereas Asimov feels like resolve to me.

I initially thought that Asimov's approach to people and work are the way they are because he hadn't loved before, but then I thought what if it's because he has loved before? What if there was someone in his past that he cared about deeply who got caught up in the consequences of early construct programs or something else related to Kurono? It doesn't even have to be that he was In Love™ with someone, it could be a close friend or a family member.

I also don't think Asimov is a completely pure intentioned character. One moment that I haven't stopped thinking about is during Wintry Shackles is at the very end, where the Commandant makes a deal with Asimov and he hesitates before agreeing, the text reading something along the lines of "Asimov grasps his hand in yours. His hand feels cold."

That last line haunted me after I finished that chapter, it's some foreshadowing of his character to something we likely haven't seen before and it genuinely caught me off guard because I had largely labeled him as someone of decent moral standing that you could trust, and in the chapters following- specifically CH 24/Chaos Unsnarled, I wondered what "cost" these favors are going to have for the Commandant later down the line (this is also reminding me of an extra story in Noan's Arcade Amina where he says the "cost hidden in freebies is usually steeper")

Idk I'm just rambling atp, but it has me thinking thoughts, especially after this recent chapter.

[helmarok]

I love your champion Petra art so much so I have a fun question: How do you see Romeo convincing Petra (or Jack) to be his champion during their training? Because they were both VERY reluctant to go and I think Romeo would be smart enough to realize that “hmm a willing champion is a better champion so I need to convince them that this is a good thing.” I’m very curious to hear your thoughts. :] Would he offer them something, prey on insecurities, etc?

thank you for asking this... in my universe, petra is champion, so i will focus on her. but i will give my idea for what it was like for jack too.

for petra, romeo would prey on insecurities. petra was the first one to know romeo's name because he said "we're friends now, call me romeo". now when he brought her to the terminal space, he tried to talk with her. though she tried to attack him multiple times he kept trying to convince her... talking about how alike they are, how he had friends once who abandoned him for "their people" just like jesse was abandoning her for beacontown. he tried to make a point about how people in her life just leave her behind but him and petra can be friends forever, and he throws petra into one of her memories as a kid to relive it. petra tries to convince herself he's just messing with her and romeo offers to show her what her friends say about her when she's not around. romeo shows axel and olivia talking about how needy petra is, jesse telling lukas that they feel trapped with her, that theyre afraid to leave her because she's angry and aggressive. jesse telling jack that they'd be more than happy if she left town with him.

and none of this stuff is anything her friends have actually said- romeo again is just making shit up. but petra doesn't know this, she genuinely thinks because romeo is all powerful that he was able to see their conversations and that this is the truth, this is honestly how her friends see her. at this point shes broken over this but not enough to want to be his champion, so romeo is like how do you not get it, your friends dont want you nobody does but me, and he opens a battlefield and turns into jesse and starts talking a bunch of shit and fights her, she knows THIS is just romeo and not the real jesse but it still hurts to hear his words knowing the real jesse honestly thinks this way.

romeo stops the fight because he senses a disturbance in the sunshine institute, so he teleports over and petras by herself. and when he teleports her to the battlefield, shes crying. jesse immediately tries to run over to her to check if she's okay and she thinks he's romeo trying to jump her again so she gets scared and swings at him lol. so thats the background behind that picture. when she realizes its the real jesse, she feels terrible and tries to help him but gets zapped by the gauntlet.

now for jack... if it were him, i think romeo would go with threats. like, if it were jack as soon as romeo shows his face again he'll demand to know what he did with petra. and romeo will be like "oh i just sent her to my inescapable prison" and jack gets pissed off at this and starts going on about how hes not gonna be romeo's champion, how romeo is a monster and he'd rather just be killed than serve him, and romeo's like well okay if that's the attitude you're gonna have then i guess we'll have to try something else. and then shows jack petra and nurm in the sunshine institute, and he's like "if you refuse to become my champion, i will have them killed in front of you" and then jack is like "bullshit" and romeo snaps his fingers and the two of them are zapped a bit and jack is like WOAHHH OKAY OKAY ILL DO IT

now i really prefer the champion petra route because i think its sooo good for the narrative, and in the final battle when romeo tries to make jesse feel guilty about their friendship with petra getting rocky, ITS SO COOL. i love this game and i love making it more dramatic than it already is