#come up with a common tag so i can blog it you menaces!

[tiny-huts]

The speed at which I am blogging bitches who put X reader stuff in the bg3 tag

[tortoisesshells]

For the Writer's Would You Ever: is there an AU for Customs & Duties (or another work!) that you'd like to write but haven't gotten the chance to yet?

Writer's Would You Ever?

Yes, absolutely! There's a completely ludicrous F.allout 4 AU that I maintain makes a lot of sense: it's still Boston, there's still skullduggery, they're still accidentally-on-purpose ruining each other's lives. There's just ... vastly more lasers and radiation damage and mid-century pop than there is in the original version.

Under the cut, because. well. I want to maintain a modicum of decorum on this blog.

(The cliff notes version of FO4 is. uh. Well. Imagine a world where post WWII western powers went all in on nuclear power, and then that October 23rd 2077 the world ended when the US and China blasted each other and everyone else off the face of the earth in a single day of nuclear war. With me? okay. Boston, 2287: ambient radiation is down, the Minutemen are trying to come back from the brink of organizational extinction after the Quincy Massacre, a mysterious organization called the Institute is kidnapping Commonwealth residents and replacing them with synths (functionally, lab-grown humans, many of whom don't actually know they're synths) to an unknown purpose, a similarly secretive organization called the Railroad is breaking synths out of their captivity within the Institute, and the B.rotherhood of Steel (a quasi-hereditary (except when not) military organization descended from a rogue Army unit (it's a long story) that believes that all advanced technology is too dangerous for civilians to control and that they must, therefore, take control of it for the common good) has rocked up to Boston in a giant metal zeppelin named for Arthurian legend. I mention this because B.oS ranks, too, take their cues from Arthurian lore and chivalric orders. They tend to think that anyone or anything that's not human-born human is inherently dangerous and tend to shoot first and ask questions later.)

Nellie's still a widow, still has two kids and a total unwillingness to look her bereavement in the eye and make peace with it ... she just also has a two-headed cow named Aunt Abigail, a mostly-two-hundred year old fishing boat that's held together with duct tape and goodwill towards man, a mutually beneficial scavenging-for-repairs relationship with the robot crew of USS Constitution, and a new-to-her solar panel array which is promptly stolen requisitioned by the new-in-town B.oS. So begins her mutually antagonistic relationship with the asshole tin-can Paladin Norrington, which is not improved by the B.oS's (non-canonical) attempts to confiscate the moonshot rockets from the Constitution's crew, and the deteriorating relationship between the Brotherhood and the Commonwealth on the whole.

I have written a snippet here and there, but here's the longest, mostly coherent bit:

The next time  Paladin Norrington saw Elinor Treat was at Fort Independence, sitting against the massive stone walls with a minuteman's laser across her knees and her usual cap drawn down over her eyes. Training day, the General (another short, tired woman) had said, and the exhausted residents strewn about the courtyard certainly seemed to back that up. "Elinor," he said, a little uncertainly, and when she did not reply, he called her name again. "Oh, it's you," she said, cracking an eye. "I didn't recognize your voice without your helmet. Come to pay me, have you?" "No," he said, startled. "Disappointing." She closed her eyes again, looking like she'd fall asleep in a moment. Feeling like an idiot, he said he wasn't expecting to see her here, so he had nothing to pay her with. Elinor snorted, accidentally whacking herself in the face with the barrel of her gun, before coming sighing and grumbling to her feet. It wasn't an impressive sight, but she managed to convey a kind of understated menace, even when she had to crane her neck a bit to glare.

I will furthermore add my tags from one of those "the last character you wrote for in the last video game you played: how are they doing?" - D.anse is the in-game B.oS companion and, slight spoilers, his dogmatic adherence to protocol does not save him:

#i DO think you could swap jimothy for danse. i do think the arcs of ' man defined by his rank and military prowess gets fucking bodied; #by realizing the organization he serves objectively sucks and is going to be the actual death of him and furthermore; #is willing to let that organization do it because of Reasons. ' are actually pretty similar. #that said. the more important thing is jimothy encountering Rocket Powered USS Constitution and the Nautical Robots; #I think he would enjoy himself immensely. or die of apoplexy. either way. #customs and duties aus

[projectmei]

Pinned post. Hello.

• Project Mei is one of my old theories from 2016 in which I was trying so hard to guess what was that DNA pattern on Meiko’s digivice and why Meicoomon was special. This blog goes with that idea of Meicoomon being a human-made digimon for an experimental program in order to create their own Chosen Children/Digidestined to fight any digimon menace. In this document here you can find the complete plot I’m using as background for this sideblog.

• Status: Rebuilding main acc + working on a few things so low activity for a while (if you urgently need me check @beginningobserver or @digitalgate02 -- both here or on bluesky.)

[interest checker form] ← i'm testing this method, so please fill it if possibly.

※ Use the tags on this post to access other areas of the blog. ※ follows come from @variouscolors

※ Rules below:

• I do not expect people to roleplay anything as it is in the document. However I’m not against whoever decides to join me and add more details to it. I’m keeping the link to my AO3 document just as some guide about this AU and Muses.

• Please refrain from adding ▽ clout or hating on my portrayal of this character. I won’t allow any of those here, and you will be blocked.

• The main blog’s rules are also valid to this blog. Please respect them or refrain from interacting with me. Also please be 20+ to follow this blog since I don’t feel comfortable with minors. SFW but might contain adult language.

• I go with JP terminology & names, but I’m totes fine with dub names. If you start a thread with them, I’ll tag along with it. But if I’m the one starting it I’ll go with what I’m used to. Portrayal based of JP and BRPT versions. Sorry I have zero knowledge about the US dub.

• Usual common etiquette – No hatred towards people’s religions, sexual/romantic orientation, gender (or lack of), PoC, ethnicities, etc. I won’t hesitate to block if needed.

• I don’t have interest in shipping btw, but if ever end up shipping someone with Meiko, it will be with Taichi only. Because I like the idea, and I’m not very fond of that Mimi’s portrayal (however if you portray Mimi based on Adv/02/Kizuna I’m game.)

※ Name's Ni and pronouns She/They • I'm 20↑ and i like to make AUs for everything.

[ckret2]

Do you have any headcanons about the Hazbin's (minus Charlie) lives back when they were alive?

I scrolled through all 42 pages of the hazbin tag on my blog and literally every one of my premortem headcanons are about Alastor and Sir Pentious lmfao

So sure! Want an entire novella about my headcanons for Sir Pentious's backstory?

For Alastor, I can offer:

a traumatic toddler experience

his mother observing him with ghosts as a child

Alastor working with demons (funny)

Alastor working with demons (creepy)

Alastor and his asexuality/aromanticism (mostly postmortem but it has some premortem flashbacks)

Alastor with friends in the 20s trying to explain he does not get horny

a fic that didn't ACTUALLY happen but that demonstrates my headcanons for how he works with demons

And moving away from fics and on to tumblr posts!

For Alastor:

Alastor fought in World War I

another WWI post

headcanon about how he died (I've since changed my headcanon—hunting accident rather than manhunt—but the position's the same)

excerpt from one of the fics above about Alastor's first kiss

early headcanoning on Alastor's relationship with the queer community in life

Alastor saw but didn't learn the lindy hop in life

Alastor's accent makes people (in this case Sir Pentious) think that he's upper class when actually he's just had theater training

Alastor's family tree comes from a mix of socioeconomic backgrounds and before he died he achieved fame but not fortune

Alastor does not feel broken/insecure due to being ace/aro and never has

what people in Louisiana thought of Alastor as a radio host

what did Alastor look like (and Sir Pent)

Alastor only saw 10% of the Golden Age Of Radio and that's fucked up

fun fact when Alastor was on air radio stations weren't "just news" or "just (one genre of) music," a single station would play music and news and soap operas and sports etc

random links of queer history, 1920s gay culture, slang, and NOLA history

Alastor's mother grew up while Sir Pentious was menacing the US and she has very vivid memories of living in fear of him, and also she doesn't know her son is a cannibalistic murderer

Alastor wore glasses in life and only switched to a monocle in death

Alastor was never identified as a serial killer and there's probably unsolved true crime documentaries made about his killings (and these documentaries unknowingly use a recording of the killer's real voice, a clip from a news broadcast where Alastor read about the killings on air)

check out how hyped this newspaper in the 20s was for radio like goddamn

Alastor listened to radio all day every day

more 1920s research links

very loose overview of New Orleans race relations 1890-1920

how NOT to write about Voodoo

reminder that "alastor did magic in life" is a headcanon until we SEE him using magic before he died—also "Voodoo" is a religion not a magic power

how Alastor avoided getting caught as a serial killer

I doubt Alastor was famous enough for queer historians to have discovered he existed, only niche radio broadcast historians know about him

Alastor was raised to be courteous to (respectable) women, but not to genuinely see them as equals in a modern sense

1920s hair facts and headcanons on Alastor's hair

scene from one of the above fics of baby Alastor being haunted as shit

Alastor is a hedonistic thrill killer not a mission-oriented killer

his killing method was shooting from a distance, like hunting game

Alastor was kinda psychic in life and his psychicness interacted with radio signals

this includes developing a hella accurate sense of time

Alastor's always been hella into Mardi Gras

here he is in a ridiculous Cajun Mardi Gras costume

how the Great Depression probably affected Alastor

Alastor feels 0% empathy for other people but 500% empathy for fictional characters in musicals

For Sir Pentious:

he was so infamous that today he's a common character used in historical fiction in the same way that Victorian-era historical fiction commonly uses Queen Victoria as a character

(and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle references him in a Sherlock story)

(and he really did call himself Sir Pentious in life)

(and every character who lived after him had to study him in school, including Vaggie writing a paper about him and Alastor was cast as him in a school play)

(and now let's talk about historians dying and meeting the people they studied in Hell)

he has a son who's probably now in heaven

Sir Pent is trans

no seriously he has a son

Sir Pent has a chain of deadnames he used before settling on "Sir Pentious" and all of them are snake puns

one of Sir Pent's chosen names

based on Victorian sexual mores Sir Pent probably got kinda homoerotic with some dudes

this is just big Trans Sir Pent energy

what did Sir Pent look like (and Alastor)

I don't think Sir Pent used a wheelchair in life (but do think he had to for a while after he died)

Sir Pent is Pussyeating World Champ no I do not accept arguments

Sir Pent and his wife were very loving until his wife went "nope, you're planning world conquest, that's too evil for me"

he rigged his clothes to self-combust so he could choose death if he was ever on the verge of capture

his wife was named Helena and here's why

this is his self-destruct binder/corset

the one headcanon everyone shares

Sir Pent ain't Jack the Ripper

And there's a ton more headcanons on @dontasktheradiodemon my Alastor ask/RP blog but listen, I just went through 42 pages of one tag and it's 3 a.m., I'm not going to comb my roleplay blog for every premortem headcanon I've ever mentioned about him over there. It includes stuff like "he did deliberately shitty horoscope readings on air" and "the first time he summoned a demon he was on the Western Front and also coming down with Spanish flu so he's not sure how much of the ensuing chaos was real vs fevered hallucinations or how much was the Germans' fault vs the imp's" and "he lived a few years in New York and did drag."

These are not the only headcanons I have. These are just the headcanons I've been asked about or made time to type down. (And not counting all my postmortem headcanons. Or the premortem headcanons sprinkled into postmortem fics.) Feel free to ask me for more. Ideally with a topic you'd like to hear about; otherwise asking me "do you have any headcanons?" is like walking into a library and asking "do you have any books?" Gimme a section to start with.

[dweemeister]

Kiss of Death (1947)

When 20th Century Fox put together the pieces to launch a production of film noir Kiss of Death, the picture was to be a vehicle for leading man Victor Mature. Mature had impressed Fox’s chief executive, Darryl F. Zanuck, in a supporting performance as Doc Holliday in My Darling Clementine (1946). Zanuck wished to reward the Fox contractee with a starring role, buying the rights to the film’s story with Mature in mind. But no one at Fox expected what would happen next: an actor debuting in his first film role would overshadow Mature. Kiss of Death marks the cinematic debut for Richard Widmark, best-known at the time for his Broadway work in pleasant, romantic comedy roles. For his first movie appearance, Widmark – and I don’t write something like this lightly – provides one of the most terrifying debuts in film history. This is not to downplay the performances (of Mature, Brian Donlevy, or fellow debutant Coleen Gray) or the filmmaking, but Widmark’s performance alone make Kiss of Death – directed by Henry Hathaway, from a screenplay by Ben Hecht and Charles Lederer – an essential film noir.

After a failed jewelry store robbery on Christmas Eve, ex-con Nick Bianco (Victor Mature) is offered leniency from New York City Assistant District Attorney Louis D’Angelo (Brian Donlevy) if Nick can provide the names of his accomplices to the robbery. Against all common sense and in the belief his accomplices will take care of his wife and daughters, Nick refuses. He is handed a twenty-year sentence in Sing Sing. Several months into the sentence, he learns that his wife has committed suicide following a rape by one of his accomplices* and that his daughters have been handed over to an orphanage. Former babysitter Nettie Cavallo (Coleen Gray) divulges this news to Nick, who then indicates his desire to cooperate with the ADA. In an arrangement agreed to by D’Angelo and Nick’s lawyer, Earl Howser (Taylor Holmes), Nick becomes a jailhouse informant and is given the possibility of an earlier parole. While serving as a jailhouse informant, he will encounter Tommy Udo (Widmark) – who, eventually, uses any means at his disposal to keep Nick silent about his plans and partners-in-crime.

The film also stars Mildred Dunnock (appearing briefly in one of the most memorable scenes in any film noir), character actors Howard Smith and Millard Mitchell, and only the second credited film for eventual star Karl Malden.

Before commenting on how the performances heighten what could have been your run-of-the-mill film noir, Norbert Brodine’s (1938’s Merrily We Live, 1949’s Thieves’ Highway) cinematography and J. Watson Webb Jr.’s (1944’s The Lodger, 1952’s With a Song in My Heart) editing are superb. One only has to watch the opening moments of the film to witness the benefits of their collaboration. The failed robbery scene is a textbook example of economical filmmaking. Webb’s cutting neither lingers nor moves away too rapidly for the audience’s comprehension. Brodine’s strategic placements of his camera and use of blocking – of Mature, the supporting actors, extras, and the production design – ratchets up the tension, suggesting without any words how little room for error there is in this operation. Small details such as what level an elevator is on allow the audience to agonize – however much we do not want to see this robbery succeed – over the robbers’ wasted seconds. In Kiss of Death’s tensest scenes, this mercurial combination splices into moments that will shock and unnerve. Kiss of Death is an ideal counterargument to black-and-white film’s uninformed naysayers but, more compellingly, an entry point for film noir novices.

When complemented with Richard Widmark’s performance, Kiss of Death becomes horrifying. Widmark’s face often sports a toothy half-grin that only serves to intimidate. To make matters worse, as Tommy Udo, his staccato snigger accompanies a grin belying a man unhinged, delighting in his sadistic and psychopathic ways. Udo’s disconcerting voice and manner of speech reveals a character as slippery as a soapy eel. The way he tells a cop prodding for information that, “I wouldn’t give you the skin off a grape,” comes laced with dismissal, menace, and even playfulness.

It is difficult to watch the harm Tommy Udo brings to others. But Widmark is so convincing in the role, it is impossible to keep one’s eyes off of him. If you are aware about the basics of the Hays Code, you can easily guess Tommy Udo’s fate. But beyond the scope of the film’s narrative, the character inspired certain men in American colleges and universities to form Tommy Udo clubs or fraternities. These clubs and fraternities codified Udo’s disgusting male chauvinism – as if colleges and universities needed any more such behavior. It is a magnificent about-face from Widmark’s Broadway roles at the time; his actual off-screen persona (by all accounts, Widmark was one of the kindest people in Hollywood and was known to apologize for any hurtful words or behaviors he performed while in character on a film shoot); and many of the upstanding roles he would play later in his career.

Though outshone by Widmark, Mature strikes the balance of being a former hoodlum and caring parent. His physical acting cannot hide his character’s violent past, but – akin to his performance as Doc Holliday the previous year – there is ample room for melancholy and remorse. Mature pairs well with Coleen Gray, whose innocent demeanor recalls her later performances in Red River (1948) and other film noir projects.

Speaking of film noir, most noir is set in an urban environment and filmed on a soundstage. Kiss of Death is no exception to this rule, but a decent portion of the film was shot on-location in New York City and numerous interiors do not feel as if shot on a soundstage. The Bianco family home has a riverfront view in Queens and the interior and exteriors of the Chrysler Building (where the opening heist is filmed), Criminal Courts Building, Sing Sing (Hathaway had Mature and Widmark go through a simulation of convict processing to help them embody the mindset of a prisoner), among other locations. Quotations from the main theme of Alfred Newman’s score to Street Scene (1931) bolsters the authenticity of the film’s New York environment. In terms of backgrounds and production design, there is little sense of artificiality that might have emanated from an all-too-obvious soundstage. Hathaway’s direction posits Kiss of Death as documentary-like without ever quite crossing the lines of fiction and non-fiction. In combination with the performances, these decisions, in aggregate, elevate Kiss of Death from just another film noir. No disrespect intended to the esteemed and prolific screenwriters, Ben Hecht (1932’s Scarface, 1946’s Notorious) and Charles Lederer (1940’s His Girl Friday, 1960’s Ocean’s Eleven), but this was not their most original screenplay – ideologically, structurally, or in terms of character development.

Other reviewers have noted how Tommy Udo might have been influenced by the Joker from the Batman comics. Some go further, claiming that Widmark was a fan of Batman and based Udo’s persona on the Joker and that actor Frank Gorshin based his portrayal of The Riddler in the 1960s Batman television series on Udo. There are no primary sources to confirm any of these claims. If any prior narrative media influenced Widmark’s performance, I cannot confirm any such claims however convincing, on the surface, they might be. The provenance of the influences of and by this performance remains a mystery.

Kiss of Death derives its power almost solely from its performances and nail-biting action. The latter is almost entirely accomplished with slower and/or less motion than one might expect. It is another tribute to the editing’s manipulation of space and time that segments featuring a steady walk, a seemingly ordinary dinner table conversation, or a character sitting alone in darkness watching the movement across the street can leave viewers with wide eyes and goosebumps. Kiss of Death may not stake a claim to being one of the best examples of film noir. Yet through its incredible performances and dramatic ferocity, it will leave impressions that will jangle even the most composed viewers.

My rating: 8/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. Half-points are always rounded down. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found in the “Ratings system” page on my blog (as of July 1, 2020, tumblr is not permitting certain posts with links to appear on tag pages, so I cannot provide the URL).

For more of my reviews tagged “My Movie Odyssey”, check out the tag of the same name on my blog.

* Actress Patricia Morrison (1943′s The Song of Bernadette, 1946′s Dressed to Kill... but better known for her stage performances) was cast as Nick Bianco’s wife. She filmed both the rape and suicide scenes, but both were cut in the final print. It is unknown who – Hathaway? Kohlmar? Zanuck? – made this decision. But I imagine that the Production Code Administration, applying the Hays Code which forbade such depictions, might have been instrumental in forcing Fox to drop the scenes.

[waiting4inspiration]

Just Try XXVII (Alpha!Bucky x Omega!Reader)

Summary: You indulge in your cravings that come with your pregnancy. HYDRA finds you and have plans that include you and your pup

Warnings: I’m so sorry… I promise to make it up to you in future parts…

Just Try Masterlist II Marvel Masterlist

Throwing the cupboards in kitchen open, you stare into it for a moment before slamming them shut and turning around as you let out a frustrated huff. Placing your hands on the curve of your back to soothe the dull ache, your eyes scan the room as you bite you chew on your lip. 

“What are we hungry for, little one?” you question, stroking the bump pressing tightly against your shirt. Quickly turning around again, you reopen a cupboard from before and your eyes land on a bag of unopened nachos. Grabbing it roughly, you slam the cupboard shut and rip the bag open.

Taking one bite, you place the bag on the counter and turn to the fridge when you feel like something is missing. Seeing a tub of chocolate mousse, you pout as you grab it and turn back to the bag of nachos as you open the tub. Taking a nacho, you dip it in the mousse before placing it in your mouth. 

Moaning at the taste, you repeat the action and lean on the counter as you keep shoving the combination in your mouth. Your eyes lift as Tony walks into the room and he stares at you in amusement. Your mouth is filled to the point where your cheeks are puffed out like a chipmunk. “What are we eating?” he questions, clapping his hands together as he walks forward.

You growl at him as you grab the food possessively against your chest. “Don’t you dare come between me and my chocolate mousse nachos,” you sneer, trying to sound domineering but the words come out as a murmur because of the food stuffed in your mouth. 

Tony chuckles at you and makes you smile, pacing the food back on the counter. “Nachos and chocolate mousse, huh?” he questions, standing by your side as you place another nacho in your mouth. “Is it any good?”

“It tastes like heaven,” you mutter, keeping your eyes on the tub that’s quickly running out of mousse. “I never thought I’d enjoy this combination, but I really do,” you giggle, glancing up at him with a smile.

He smiles brightly back at you as he turns to lean against the counter. “Well, I’ll be sure to add it to the list next time we need groceries,” he states, a blush spreading across your cheeks as you take another bite. “You and Barnes gonna find out what you’re having?” he questions as you lift the almost empty tub to scrap every single drop of mousse out. 

“Yep. My mid-pregnancy ultrasound is coming up and we’ll be able to find out then,” you beam, placing the last chocolate mousse covered nacho in your mouth. 

Tony shakes his head as you turn to throw away the empty tub and packet. “God, it feels like it was yesterday when you told us,” he says as you turn back around to him. “And now look at you,” he smiles, glancing down at your bump. “Pregnancy really suits you.”

“Because I’m an omega?” you tease, pushing yourself away from the counter with a small giggle. You start to walk towards the door before turning back around to Tony. “If anyone asks, I went out to get more chocolate mousse and nachos,” you inform, smiling at him as you start to walk back. “I won’t be long.”

Parking the car in the massive parking lot, you start to make your way toward the store. Place a gentle hand on your bump, something stirs inside of you making you feel queasy and unsure. A strange scent fills your nose and you start to walk faster. Hearing heavy footsteps behind you try to match your pace, you quickly turn around to see who is following you. 

The moment you turn your head, your body slams into some and knocks the air right out of your lungs. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see where I was going,” the alpha man says with his voice laced with a Russian accent, steadying you by placing his hands on your arms as you look up at him with huge eyes. 

Sighing in relief, you shake your head and run your hand through your disheveled hair. “No, it’s okay. I just thought that someone was following me,” you chuckle, quickly glancing behind to confirm that no one is. “Probably my hormones driving me crazy,” you joke, moving to pull your arms out of his grip.

The man only holds you tighter making your eyes snap up at him. “I would feel much better if we had a look at you. Make sure everything is alright with your pup,” he says, his eyes slowly traveling down to your stomach before returning back to your face.

You cringe at the sly smirk on his face and whine as his greasy scent invades you. “I’m fine. You don’t have to do anything,” you whisper, struggling against his grips as your heart flutters in your chest. 

“Oh, it wasn’t a suggestion, omega,” he chuckles as he harshly spins you around and shoves you towards a car. Placing a hand over your mouth as the door open, he pushes you into the car before closing it behind him.

He says something to the driver in a foreign language before pulling out a piece of cloth. Tieing it around your mouth, the car jolts forward as the alpha tightly wraps another piece around your wrist. “If I were you, sweetheart, I wouldn’t struggle too much,” he sneers, pulling out a gun and placing the barrel against your stomach. “Wouldn’t want to do something you’ll regret.”

Your body goes limp at his words and you push away from him. Leaning against the seat, you lower your head in submission as he lets out a domineering growl. Tears roll down your cheeks as you press your bound hands against your bump, praying that the team soon notices your absence and that they find you before anything bad happens.

Back at the compound, Bucky walks around trying to find you. Your scent of disappeared and it’s slightly worrying. Considering that it’s so strong right now, he’d be able to smell you from the other side of the compound with walls and passage between you two. 

But now, it’s as if you had never been there in your life (except for the scented blankets and the nest in the room). Walking into the common room, Bucky sees the team gathered around in a tight circle and can smell sheer panic in their scents when they’re eyes land on him. “Where is she?” he questions, his hands clenching at his sides as his heartbeat starts to pick up.

Tony stands slowly, clearing his throat as he rubs his hands against his jeans. “She- uh- was craving something and went out to go get it,” he starts to explain before hardly swallowing a gulp. “That was about half an hour ago.”

Bucky’s face shifts into a red shade as his eyes turn dark. “You let her leave here alone?” he shouts, taking a menacing step forward which makes the team jump to their feet. 

“The store is two minutes away. I didn’t think she’d need a freaking bodyguard to just go grab a few things,” Tony shouts back, making Bucky growl at him.

Wanda steps between them and forces them back with her powers. “Fighting isn’t going to help us find her. So, stop acting like idiots,” she sneers, glancing between both of them as she slowly lowers her hands. 

Bucky’s phone rings loudly and he quickly pulls it out. “It’s (Y/n),” he sighs, answering the call and quickly placing the phone to his ear. “Doll, where are you?” he asks, his face falling when he hears your sobs on the other end of the call. 

“I didn’t know that you had such a sweet, pregnant mate, солдат,” a man says, his voice thick with a Russian accent. HYDRA. Bucky glances up at the team with panic drowning his eyes. “You know, this will be the first pup to be born with the super serum in their blood. I can’t imagine how powerful they will be.”

Bucky’s jaw clenches as he grinds his teeth together. “What do you want?” he growls into the phone, Nat shifting in her spot at his tone. It’s enough to make even the toughest alpha uneasy. Steve whispers something in Tony’s ear, making him nod his head before quickly moving across the room.

The man chuckles and moves on the other side. “Straight to the point then,” he jokes, taking a deep breath which is followed by you whimpering. He’s smelling you and it’s driving Bucky beyond crazy. He’s so close to going feral, hanging onto sanity by a thread. “I want to breed an army. And what better omega than the one right here in front of me. It only makes things better that you’re her alpha. Two perfect candidates.”

Bucky gives an animalistic growl as he turns his back to the team. “What makes you think I’ll let you turn my pups into mindless killers?” he sneers, gripping the phone so tightly it might break any second. 

“Because I make the rules here,” he sneers back. The sound of a gun clicking over the phone and your panicked whines makes Bucky’s blood run cold. “I’ll give you 24 hours to think about it. Hopefully, I won’t have to kill such a sweet omega.”

Just like that, the man ends the call. Bucky pulls the phone away from his ear and glares down at it. “Tell me you traced the call,” he speaks with a low voice, slowly turning around to Tony on the other side of the room who has a proud smile on his face. “Where is she?”

Tags: @rororo06 @tephi101 @chameerah @flokidottir-imagines-br @marvelmenappreciation @momc95 @lucille-lovely @ben-wyxtt @spaghettirogers @bookwormmads @veganfangirl5 @wonderlandsdecay @kissakatterna @thewinterwolf @captainamericasbeard @kulteule @collette04 @satellitespidey @marvelgirl7 @bxxbxy @summernykole @ek823 @buckaro0 @gracethegeek9902 @oldspirit @classyunknownlover @sasunarushiita @thelostallycat @animegirlgeeky @brokensunflowersworld @mishameadows @hennessy0274-blog @kxttykatmichael @artemis629 @buckaroobarnes28 @redhairedfeistynerd @mrsalh32611 @3dsaunt @benegrido @lokilover-39 @kat-the-oddity @rainbowkisses31 @amis123love @only-good-sensation @lemondropirwin  

[twinfanfics]

The tale of the three head beast. The marching fishes (20/21)

WE ARE BACK!! 

Fandom: Digimon GoT au.

Charaters: All the choosen children from Adventure, 02, Tamer and sometimes Frontier. 

Ships: Taiyama, Joumi, Daiken, Takary, TakatoxYuri, RikaxRyo . . . 

Second part of the tale of the three head beast series, you can read the first part The chosen children Here and here, or look for the tag  3t3hb  on this blog.

Resume: Three years had pased since Taichi won the hand of princess Sora and both get crowned King and Queen of the living land, now they must faced the duty of the monarchs, but the King is must worried about cover his affair with the royal guard. The war started on the Honest Island, does the King Joe would manage it?. Mean while at the other side of the sea Takato and Ruki stronger their forces.

And you can read all past chapters of the marching fishes in the links below or in AO3

ACT 1. ESCENE 1: THE RAIN

ACT 1. ESCENE 2: THE WILL  

ACT 1. ESCENE 3: THE TRIP

ACT 1. ESCENE 4:THE SON

ACT 2. SCENE 1: THE ARRIVAL

ACT 2. SCENE 2: BROTHERHOOD

ACT 2. SCENE 3: MOTHER | **warning suicide attempt**

ACT 2. SCENE 4: THE BATTLE OF THE IKKAKU ISLAND

ACT 3. SCENE 1: THE INTERROGATION

ACT 3. ESCENE 2:  DELIVERY

ACT 3. ESCENE 3: RED DRESS

ACT 4. ESCENE 1:TRIAL

ACT 4. ESCENE 2: THE SAINT QUEEN

ACT 4. ESCENE 3:THE SPY

ACT 4. ESCENE 4: INTRUDERS

ACT 4: SCENE 5: THE BROKEN SWORD

ACT 5: SCENE 1: THE WIDOW

ACT 5: SCENE 2: WELCOME HOME

ACT 5 : SCENE 3: FAITH

ACT 5: SCENE 4: LIONHEART  (Chapter after the cut)

“Why?” the old man ask as soon as the knife penetrate his skin, the surprise take all the strench that remains on his body, he didn't fight, he didn't scream, he just repeat “Why?” 

But Henry didn't answered  to his corpse, he left the room of his former allie as quiet as he entered, he has a fair mision, not good or noble, but fair. 

Kill the spies, prove his loyalty, serve the King 

The death of the counselor was  scandalous; a member of the court stabbed on his own bedroom;  all the castle shake with fear, everybody talked about the  silver knife nail over the body and the beautiful symbol engraved on the handle: a  flower with diamonds as petals, the symbol of the light 

The king was there when Henry inspected the room, he, the trusty adviser, the wiser; the one in charge of investigate his own crime, Takato really was that naive, kill him would be so easy. 

To be fair, Henry had not be his first choice, Takato instanly search for Ruki, but she denied it, is the work of a coward  she said pretending to know nothing, what an amazing liar. 

Gallant lick the blood of the carpet before it could be clean it and  the Lion buried the body and burn all of the gathering. 

In all the palace no one cried the dead of counselor as the Queen, such a crime was no common on Piramide, they were used to fights at coliseum, the honor to die with your opponent in front of you; but for Takato, raised on the old temple, a childhood on the cult, killing on the dark was expected; he fails at comforting his wife. 

The lion carried her around the castle, throwing suspicious and curses to anyone who come closer, doing the job he had done all his life: be the champion of the Queen.

 “Is the work of your enemies your majesty” Henry Wong asure kneeling in front of the King and Queen 

“How?” Takato tried to look compose and fails “How did they surpass our defenses?” 

“and why him? “ Yuri  as usually asked the questions that Takato would never ask “Why send an  from a old man when the Queen and KIng live in the same castle?” 

“I don't know” he standed up and spoke calm and slowly   “But i promise i will found out” 

“Tenemos que prepararnos” the queen continues “we must reinforce the castle, bend the guard…” Lion was beside her, nodding with his head after every order 

“Momantai” 

“Excuse me?” 

“Momantai” he repeat “Is mean no te preocupes” he turns to Takato “Not to worry” 

“How i cannot be worried if a man is killed in my own castle” Yuri yells, send wàs so little,he could take her down with no effort; The Lion standed up.

“Because that man was a target” still serene he continues “ just think about it, someone entered the castle and only attack an old council, not you or the King, my guess is that is personal, not only that, my thought is that no one really break into the castle, it was an inside job” 

He felt Ruki eyes over him, the entire court gasped, the queen sobed

“the guards saw nothing, the lock was not forced, there was no sign of a fight, the murderer was someone the council knew, someone he trusted, the murderer is a member of this castle, probably a spy from the light” 

The gasp became a scream, and the sob became tears 

“And you tell me not to worried about it?” 

“Gallant is with you all the time,  the Lion protect the Queen, and now that we are aware of this spy he or she would not be able to act without been caught”  he bow “Momantai” and excuse himself out of the audience. 

“Are you out of your mind?”  Ruki follow him  “what is wrong with you?” 

“the best lies are the ones who begins with the true” 

“Don't mess with me Wong!” she come closer “just tell me who the others spies are and i would handle it! this is way out of you control!” 

“Wong!” another figure run to them 

“Hide”  

“I don't take orders from you!” 

“Just do it!” and very much to her regret she obeyed

“Wong!” a man approached to him, he was sweating despite the cold weather “Wong! we need to talk, the counselor! what you said¡” the man searched for a safe place to speak “ are we in danger?” 

Ruki recognized him as one of the guard

“listen” a little tremble on his voice, subtle and fake “my hope is that whoever is behind this crime would panic after my declaration, I only act by the command of the alchemist” 

“Did you speak with him?” both men whispered but Ruki was able to listen  “What did he said?” 

“What I need to know, I told you, I merely  follow his instructions” one hand over his shoulder “I trust in his guide, if my purpose is to die for the light, then it will be” 

The man become a young boy at his words 

“Yes, yes of course” he mumble “I, i think the same, i just… im use to the life in this city” 

“Are you coming outside of the light my friend?” 

“No! of course not, im sorry for bothering you is just.. i have doubs” 

“Doubs about the true of the light or about our lider? 

 the fear on his face was enough  answer

Ruki come out of her hide at the same time he running away 

“Nervous men make stupid mistakes” 

“Dont lecture me” she was not convince “this is gonna explode in your face, let me help you” 

“You are helping” he sigh “The king would recognize your murder technique in an instant, I´ll do it, one by one until the last one snap” 

“or you…” 

“I´m calm” he breath, exasperate “I´m in control” even when he was thinking in a millions ways of break her neck

Ruki look at him with her big menacing eyes “Koushiro train you well” 

“I never told you he was my teacher” 

“You didn't have to” but she pause, as  if she was afraid “don't forget why are we doing this, our goal” and she look back at the throne room, the King smile as he talk and welcome the audiences, the light shine over Takato crown making him look almost divine “Only a child of the sun must reight over the living land” 

“For the glory of the house of courage” 

 “For the glory of the house of courage!” she repeat, hoping that he knew what he was doing, hoping that trust in him would not be as disastrous as it was trusting his teacher.

That night the archers of the wall shoot the guard who tried to escape at the middle of the night.  

Two days later one of the maids  throw herself from one window 

One of the gardeners was found floating on the south fountain one week later 

His work was almost done, one last victim and it would be over. 

He called him to met on the garden at dawn, at diference of the others this time they will fight, Henry will won, then he will drag his corpse to the King chamber claiming that he was the perpetrator, ending all doubs over his persona and bringing peace at the castle. 

The last spy  appear at dawn, as planning,  sweating and at the edge of tears, the oldest sidesman of the castle. Henry feel the rush on his blood, still he remains calm. 

“My friend” he said with a smile, barely controlling his excitement “i´m so happy that  you come to me in this our darkest moment” 

 “I´m sorry” he barely whisper,  something was wrong

Another figure emerged between the leaves, tall as a three, strong and proud, The lion looked at him as you can only see the traitors 

“se terminó Wong” he roar 

“Dear light” he turn to the old man “What had you done?” 

“The right thing my friend” his grind was peacefully but twisted “ the right thing” 

 “You…” Henry rush   “You old snitch” 

“hard words on the mouth of a spy” the Lion was still there, with his old chain and ball “I didn't want to believe it” 

“but is true” the sideman step back as he talked “ Wong is the one who communicate with the great alchemist, he had been an informant for him since before the King even married our queen” 

“As same as you!” 

“but he come to me with the true, he regret his past  and swear the rest of his life in favor of Piramide” 

“I´m in favor of Piramide!” Henry need to thing faser, “I´m purging all the light of this city” 

“All except you” 

“That was not...!” 

“Liar!” the heavy chain hit the floor, Henry need to act, The lion would not fail a second time. 

He need a strategy, a way out, he need to focus, to think, he would not follow into dispair; the firmest tree is the only one that can stand the storm 

“I´m not following the orders of the alquemist…” he said trying to stay calm 

“You called this man to murder him, just as you had murder so many others, you attack them from the back and  set them up as accidents, rejecting the honorable pat of a true warrior, do you denied those crimes?” 

“No, but listen…” if only he could explain 

“You lied about your loyalties, you share the secrets of the crown with their enemies” 

“I´m loyal to the king!” his plea sound empty “My only concern is the safety of the King!” 

The lion speak since his hearth “And i only live to protect my Queen” 

The queen, the fragile girl who cried with every dead, and those tears where his sentence, the Lion would kill him for bringing pain to  the monarch 

Even then, he keep breathing, he search for an exit, a distraction, an opportunity 

But then he hear the laugh of the sideman, his bitter utterly obnoxious laugh, suddenly it's fill all his thoughts, all his mind, the mocking of a buffon; he didn't care for the King, or the Kingdom or the magic or the Courage, he was a man manipulating the true to his benefit; Henry get mad at seen at him, not for the imminent death but for how much he could see himself in that elder. 

The calm before the storm was over. . . 

“Wong! Henry stop!” The hand of Ruki hold his wrist, he drop the chain and the ball fall to a pool  of blood,  his eyesight was blurry, his coat was dyed red, to his right the inert body of the old man lay on the ground “What are you doing?” 

What was he doing?

Breath… breath…  he remains  himself and stand up, the ground feel warm, under him layed another body, in horror he saw the lion heads crush on the floor, more than fourteen stabs on his back, with total security injuries perpetrated by his hand

“It's dawning, come on Wong, we have to clean up this disaster”

“Its to late” he remain inmobil, perplexe by the unspoken crimes, soon screams shocked the wind around him, the life in the palace begins early. 

A monster roar, the King was near and he was covered in rot and violence, he did not stand the storm, he was the storm. 

“Run!” Ruki commanded at the same time that she throw over him a dark water.  And what else he could do. 

Henry jumped and ran the faster, the monsters of the King would smell the blood and start follow him at any second. But they didn’t, Henry saw the dark shadow of Ruki colecting every drop of blood that fall from his body. The warrior didn´t stop until the water of the sea had cover him to head to toe. When the shadow of Ruki let him he stayed under the ocean, hopping for the salt water to clean his concience and clean his doubs. He noticed that he still had the heavy weapon of León on his hand, it was drowing him at the deptest of the blue. Henry colected his stregnth  and get out of the water.

The King watch horrified. The corpses of Leon and the old coin advisor were on the floor. There was blood and human parts all over the place. 

“It must had been an ugly battle” Ruki said 

“What?” Takato asked incredulous “Why León would fight an old man?”

“He was obviusly hidden his force, but they kill each other, that is clear” Ruki spoke with force and saw how Takato believed her “we found our killer”

“What?” the child repeated

“One of them was the killer and the other his last victim” 

A heartrending scream cut the conversation. 

Takato turned over himself and hold his trembling wife. 

“León!” The Queen cry and scream as she fallen over the corpse of his protector. 

The King hold her. The three sauros get together and howl. Ruki commanded the guard and get shure to clean everything. 

The murders stopped and for three months the castle cover its standar of black. The Queen stopped to cry a week after the body was buried, but she wasn’t talking anymore. The King hold her hand and talk to her, but her eyes failed to look at him. 

The Queen versed over herself and The King versed over her pale Queen. 

The throne of Piramide was weak.

[nixie-deangel]

This may seem like a lot but I'm new to the Coldflash/Coldwestallen fandom and was wondering if you had any recs? (Also your aesthetics are so pretty and I love your blog theme wow)

Thank you so much! And it’s no trouble, I love gushing about my fave fics/writers. Just, uh, remember you asked for my babbling on this!

So damn, do we have some AMAZINGLY talented creators in this fandom. We are truly blessed! 

So pretty much anything written by @coldtomyflash, @crimsondomingo, @asexual-fandom-queen, @robininthelabyrinth, @katyakora, @lotusvalkyrie and @coldflashwave-baby. Some other mentions would definitely be @amuletgays, @sophiainspace, @meowitskatmofo, @sugar-haus, @stillnotginger10, @niennavalier and @pheuthe. 

I’m missing so many great creators (I know I am) but I think this is a pretty good list for a newbie for the Coldflash/Coldwestallen fandoms.

Some of them are multishippers (like myself) but Hades, all are worth checking out, even if its not Coldflash/ColdWestAllen. 

Below is a, uh, pretty good reading list to check out. 

Coldflash:

Out Cold. - Captain Cold’s plan for a bit of fun with his nemesis results in more than he bargained for when a head wound from dashing to Flash’s rescue leaves him without any memories of who he or The Flash is. As Barry nurses Len back to health, both of them quickly start to hope that he never remembers being Captain Cold as the attraction they feel for each other turns into something more without the pitfalls of being enemies to stand in their way.

AU with everything having happened up to the Season 1 finale, except Eddie shot Eobard instead of himself, killing him, and the singularity didn’t happen.

Cover Up. - Lisa drags a disapproving Len down to The Flash Tattoo Studio to watch her get a tattoo, but during her session, Len becomes drawn to the artist, tattoo artist extraordinaire Barry Allen. After seeing the amazing job he does on Lisa’s one-of-a-kind tattoo, he decides to chance asking Barry for help covering up a secret he has, one that he wears on his back, underneath his clothes, and speaks of every foul thing his father ever did to him.

(AU with some nods to canon. Mention of Lisa dating Cisco. Barry has his speed force powers…maybe. Len’s story line is pretty much the only one that stays truest to form. Just for visualization purposes, Lisa’s about 25, Barry’s about 27, and Len’s about 32.)

Tumbling Together. - When Barry and Len discover that they’ve accidentally become neighbors, they learn to navigate their new living situation amongst misunderstandings and a surprising amount of common ground.

AKA the fun-as-it-comes Neighbors!AU which turns into a Pretend Relationship!AU filled with tropes, hijinks, and some vague notion of a plot.

Would You, Could You. - A High School AU Series. 

The Flower That Blooms In Adversity (Is The Most Rare And Beautiful Of All). - When someone falls in unrequited love, flowers begin growing inside their body, gradually killing them. The flowers go away if the love becomes returned or if a surgical operation removes the flowers. However, surgery removes not only the flowers but the feeling of love itself, and Barry has never been willing to give that up.

Bad Day? - A homicide involving a trans woman puts Barry in a painful place at work, and with himself. He doesn’t expect to find comfort from Leonard Snart, of all people, no matter what feelings Barry may harbor for the other man.

There’s a Menace In My Bed; Can You See His Silhouette. - When The Flash is put under the influence of a metahuman’s heinous lust power, Captain Cold ends up caught in the crossfire.  (Heed the Tags)

The Good in You (the Bad in Me). - Before Starling and before the particle accelerator, Barry meets Lisa and Leonard Snart.

In which Barry makes some unexpected friends, inadvertently launches a promising criminal career by accidentally starting a few (literal) fires, and maybe starts to fall for a certain overdramatic thief.  (WIP)

Shovel Talk. - Barry warned him that people might try to give Len the shovel talk, now that Barry had decided to bring his and Len’s year-old relationship into the light. Len never said he was going to be nice about letting them.

Love Me. - A meta-human with Cupid-like powers whammies Barry to fall in love with the first person he sees. Just his luck it happened to be Captain Cold.

(“He hasn’t let go of me for almost an hour,” says Len, focusing his steel on Cisco, who shrinks considerably.

“’Cause I love you,” says Barry beside him, his teeth gleaming as he grins. He tries to kiss Len again—god, the seventh time?)

Realm of Darkness. - Barry was a young god craving chaos and Leonard was the deadly king of the Underworld seeking peace.

A Hades/Persephone AU with powers/Greek Mythology

Maybe Somewhat Out Of The Ordinary. - “That’s not a wolf,” Barry told Cisco, pretty convinced except for the small voice in the back of his mind that had been screaming at him for the past four months that there was a predator very close by. “That’s my dog.”

Hokey Religions and Ancient Weapons. - May the Speed Force be with you.

A Week on Rogue’s Mountain. - Leonard Snart has organized a special Christmas-time retreat for all his closest pals. Unfortunately for Barry Allen… there’s a secret Santa auction, and he’s on the block.

ColdWestAllen: 

What We Become (Depends on What Our Fathers Teach Us). - Family dinner at the West-Allen house, featuring Leonard Snart in the role of Not-A-Father.

What Brings Us Together. - After a brief encounter with a mysterious stranger while on vacation, Iris found herself with an unexpected souvenir. Luckily, she has Barry there to support her. She never expected to run into that stranger again. To be fair, Len never expected to find out he was a father while on a morning coffee run.

I’m Covered in the Colours (Pulled Apart at the Seams). - It’s a common misconception that people can only see in black and white until they meet their soulmate.

When Barry Allen is born, he’s only able to see the colour red. When he meets Iris West in Kindergarten, she gives him yellow. When he meets Leonard Snart thwarting an armoured car robbery, he gives him blue.

Should’ve Known Better. - Seven sexy roleplay ideas that Barry, Len, and Iris came up with together…that were not good ideas.

Really, their lives would be so much easier if they weren’t all such sticklers for accuracy.

I Don’t See an Easy Way to Get out of This. - Iris and Leonard go to unspeakable lengths to stay alive. Barry gets caught in the fallout, and it’s a beautiful disaster.  (Heed the tags)

Cold Truth. - Christmas may have been the first time they met, but Iris has known Leonard Snart a lot longer than she thought

All I See Are These Strange Tides. - Empathy causes more problems than you might think.

In which a struggling teenage metahuman meets her heroes and attempts to give them the best reward she can think of: happiness.

(Also, not to toot my own horn, but you can also check out my writing here.)

If you check them out, don’t forget to leave a comment, as well as some kudos!

[celebrate-the-clone-wars]

I’ve been seeing this question floating around and I personally felt it would be important to address...

Should Padmé Amidala have been cast as an Asian woman for the Prequels Trilogy?

The important thing to think of when determining the answer to this question is that it is a matter that is more than just a preferential choice. Of course, the answer and the question are now hypothetical since the movie is already a thing, but it’s still worthy of discussion.

Also, this isn’t necessarily a critique on Natalie Portman herself as much as it is about questioning the creative decisions behind her character by the Casting Director -- Robin Gurland, the Concept Artist -- Iain McCaig, and the Costume Designer -- Trisha Briggar, specifically for The Phantom Menace. And let’s not forget the man at the helm -- George Lucas.

Now, the main reason why I feel it is relevant to bring these people to light is because it is very clear that they all share one common trait -- they are all white. A relevant fact because, however unintentional in the hiring process, having a room full of white people creates a lack of perspective which can forward careless work practices involving things they are not familiar with. By things, I mean specifically cultures they are not intimately familiar with.

You have people who find themselves trying to create the scifi feel of the foreign and the unfamiliar -- they see cultures that are fascinating and beautiful and feel inspired. But that’s when things get dicey. After all, if a white person is not actively looking for it (as it is not an active part of their life to worry about), how will they understand what can be potentially disrespectful or not for the poc cultures they borrow elements from?

Which brings us to remember that...

Cultural Appropriation: Historical Context is Important

One thing that can determine whether or not cultural appropriation harmful is when the people borrowing from the other culture possesses historical baggage in which they have a history of taking from those people to begin with.

This is why white people wearing Native American headdresses is considered immediately harmful. Even without the added context of the fact that the headdresses are being misused and disrespected, the fact is that white people have had past transgressions stealing from Native Americans with consequences that still exist today.  

So, what is the historical context involving Padmé Amidala and her wardrobe?

I’ll get there, but let me explain a few things first involving the development of her noteworthy red dress ensembles when we first see her (ok, Sabé lol) on the throne and later in the movie.

When looking at FORCE OF FASHION: QUEEN AMIDALA’S THRONE ROOM ENSEMBLE, an article that is posted on the Star Wars official site, you see that they talk about the Behind the Scenes work on Amidala’s main wardrobe in TPM and the inspirations revolving around that.

[The] design borrows the striking reds of traditional Chinese regality and mixes it with the complex, beautiful golden designs of Korean and Mongolian wedding dresses...”

“[the] massive headdress strongly recalls that of a traditional Mongolian wedding...“

“Here in this galaxy, the white make-up and red dotted accents on Amidala’s cheeks resemble the Yeonjigonji, a style of make-up used by brides in traditional Korean weddings...”

The issue here isn’t that they take inspiration from multiple cultures as much as they pick and choose, mix and match certain aspects of wedding wear that is worn from those cultures and put them all into one style of dress to emulate a certain aesthetic. 

Intent and the tradition become changed and disregarded for the fiction that is played in the story. The context is lost and it is then displayed towards an audience where many do not know the original origins. It all sums up to what they intend: to portray an alien culture.

To move forward creatively in this way -- taking bits and pieces of a culture mainly for the aesthetic while disregarding the meaning and symbolism -- is to assume that these cultures have interchangeable traits that can be taken and altered at whim. And that’s simply not the case. Cultures are not to be treated the same as arranging a flower bouquet. Especially if it comes from cultures that belongs to people who are still alive and thriving, to which their culture is an active part of their livelihood and identities.

Which brings me to talk about....

Orientalism, Why it Sucks, and How it Affects Us Now

It is during the 19th century that there was a spark of interest and fascination with the the far East for the British Empire. With the modern technologies that allowed for travel across oceans, it made things steadily easier for foreigners to meet and explore new cultures and people. It was a time of learning built on curiosity and would escalate and devolve when findings were taken back to British civilization. Stereotypes and a disdain for foreigners would fester among the white populace despite them hypocritically finding fascination in their art.

It should also be remembered that during this time, the West had already been introducing “western practices” to other cultures, which included drugs and weapons. The one specific thing I’ll reference is the “Opium Trade” being started in China and how that thoroughly crippled the nation -- causing millions of addicts but also a wealth of trade/commerce in which Britain thoroughly benefited from.

So, on one hand, you have the white people taking artifacts and treasures back to their land for the aesthetic. On the other hand, we have those same white people ruining the people they are stealing from and taking advantage of their misery (often caused by said Imperialistic white people) for money.

And all of the art of these people from multiple cultures: Middle Eastern, Asian and North African would be put under the giant umbrella to be referred to as “Orientalism” that would inspire a time of thievery, gaudy misunderstood imitations, and an even worse mistreatment of the people of those cultures. 

To them, these “people of the Orient” did not have any valuable distinction other than the fact that their works were foreign, fascinating and beautiful.

It didn’t matter to them that these cultures existed on their own and possessed a long developed history that determined who they were as people. To the colonizers and thieves, they were all the same -- to be stolen and furnished in homes as trophies. 

They picked which assets would be considered valuable about these cultures by taking these beautiful culturally important things out of context.

And this, is the historical baggage that I consider when I look at the cultural appropriation that is Padmé Amidala’s regalia and the fact that white people were behind the conception and designs. It’s not a matter of the negative cultural appropriation being intentional or not, but rather, from their situational ignorance, they acted unknowingly and created something potentially offensive to those of Asian descent.

They took beautiful features, but left behind the significance and cultural symbolism. They have unintentionally removed the Asian people from the designs despite it originating from them.  

It’s one thing to be inspired, but a creator needs to understand that when you are inspired by any culture, you have to bring forward the people as well. 

A good example of this would be the Avatar: The Last Airbender series and how they were inspired by multiple South and East Asian cultures but did not remove the Asian people from the story at all. They also kept all the clothing designs faithful to what they based off of (no mixing and matching certain aspects into one clothing) and kept the context for wearing them proper (ie. they did not design regal wear based on wedding attire as though it were interchangeable).

But does this mean that we hate Padmé and everything and everyone involved with her design? 

Not necessarily, but at the same time we shouldn’t excuse it. 

When it comes down to it, it is always important to acknowledge what can be done better to improve in future works. Action needs to be taken but...

Remember that when problems are being pointed out about something you like, no one is telling you not to like it anymore.

Rather, it is important to discuss all creative media, old and new, and work towards actively thinking on how they can be improved. For example, it is these kinds of discussions and acknowledgements that have brought the majority to accept that racist caricatures like Mr. Yunioshi from Breakfast at Tiffany’s are unacceptable in current modern media.

So, the question isn’t just “Should Padmé Amidala have been cast as an Asian woman?” Unfortunately, though we know that it would have been definitely more respectful considering the thoughts behind her costume, there still lies the issue of white creators being in charge of the costuming and design of Naboo and approaching it in a way in which did not actively involve actual Asian creators in their development process.

So, consider asking: “What should we do for similar characters like Padmé in the future?” What should we do when a character’s identity is based on an Asian culture for aesthetic? 

What should we do to make sure future creators and developers will take more careful measures to be respectful in their portrayals of new fictional creations?

How does a creator make something original and exciting without ostracizing what it is inspired by in real life?

If you got this far, thank you for reading. This has always been one of those things I’ve had strong feelings about. I don’t normally write essays about the Clone Wars or Star Wars, but this was just one of those moments where I felt I couldn’t ignore the discourse. As always, our blog is open for discussion and questions. Going to tag @diversity-instarwars​, you are welcome to add any thoughts you may have on the matter.

[getinthefunvee]

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GENERAL INFO

❔ #getinthefunvee

❔ semi-private:  will generally only write with mutuals, but very happy to meet new people.

❔ exclusivity:  is pre-pubescent and used as a cliquey gatekeeping & ostracising mechanism 99% of the time. I do not practice character or ship exclusivity; I will side-eye you if you do, and I will not tolerate it on my dash, and I will lay the verbal smack-down if I see you using it to bully someone else. I've been playing with some muns for nearly 5 years, and at least one for more than a decade; if anyone was going to be an exclusive, it would be those friends, but exclusivity = possessiveness and it's really, really not the way to roll your adult relationships. Note: if you choose to make me your exclusive Tony for any reason (ie, if you generally hate Tony interaction and want to avoid it, emotional safety reasons, whatever) please give me a heads up. Please be aware that, as stated above, I will not do exclusivity in return.

❔ basic etiquette:  human decency is expected. Do not attempt to god-mod (it's so 90s), force-ship, engage in pass-aggro nastiness, harassment, or any other asshattery. Thanks.

❔  Personals et al are very welcome to follow and 'like' RP posts and to reblog non-RP content. Please don't reblog RP threads you aren't participating in; it's creepy, and I will call you out on it.

❔ multi-muse, side & personal journals:  I will not follow you back if you run a multi-muse blog or RP from your persona that heavily features muses from fandoms I’m not familiar withl; I really need to limit dash clutter in order to be able to focus. (ADD & autism are gr8 that way.) That doesn't mean I won't RP with you on your multi-muse blog, and I'm very happy to RP with side blogs, but I will not RP with personals.

❔ OCs, female characters, obscure canon characters:  This shouldn’t need to be said, but: Yes please! I look for fully-formed characters whose creation you've put thought into; this goes for 'popular' canon characters in equal measure.

❔ crossovers:  Please check with me first to make sure I'm familiar with your fandom.

❔ cut your replies:  Please cut your replies & repost asks as new posts when replying. (note: this is not the same as 'read mores'; I'm happy to explain the difference.) I will not follow you if you never cut your replies.

❔  You must have rules or, at the very least, your age stated somewhere on your blog. I will always read your rules before interacting, and I ask that you please do the same.

ABOUT THIS BLOG

❕  est Dec 2012

❕  21 or over for intermittent content which may not always be tagged; I will generally not play with you if you are under 21 as I may not be comfortable writing certain content [because I'll feel like a dinosaur]. I will not RP with anyone under 18 years old, regardless of thread content or your geographical location's 'legal age.' This is not up for discussion, though I'm happy to explain the legal ramifications (for you and your RP partners around the world) of lying about your age. tl;dr I'm not going to jail so you can have smut. Thanks.

❕ safe space:  This blog is fiercely inclusive. I make a point of avoiding ableist or bigoted language and terminology. Please come talk to me in chat or send an ask and tell me if I screw up. note: If you ever need to talk about anything, or if you're having a really bad day, I'm here for you & wouldn't want you to feel alone. Seriously. Come talk to me. I do have chat set to mutuals only thanks to the huge influx of spam messages I was getting, but you can always unfollow me after we’re done talking (I won’t be upset) or send me an ask if that's easier.

❕ triggers:  I will tag genuine triggers when asked (please don't conflate squicks with triggers). I don't have any triggers, but I prefer not to see child abuse, domestic violence, incest, or pregnancy on my dash; if you regularly include that content, I will generally unfollow. Please see below for a comprehensive list. Triggers will be tagged 'triggery thing tw' and added to the tag dump post.

❕ formatting:  usually no fancier than small text +/- 66x66 or 100x100 icon (depending on the size you use), but I will try to match your style. If you need any special formatting to make it easier for you to read, please tell me. I'm very happy to comply.

❕ pre-established relationships:  I'm happy to discuss these.

❕ readmores:  used rarely, but will always use for explicit dubcon/noncon content & graphic stuff.

❕ memes:  generally mutuals only but will always be tagged as 'mutuals only', so if you don't see that, feel free to interact. I do my best to observe reblog karma but don't expect you to; it's all good.

❕ open posts:  will be tagged clearly; generally open only to mutuals, sometimes character-specific (will specify in tags).

❕ shipping:  multiship; not ship exclusive. Shipping is dependent wholly on muse interaction and never guaranteed. Tony is demiromantic and pansexual; he may or may not be open to poly setups depending on verse. He's experimental, inclusive, and flexible. Got a kink? Bring it. BDSM? He'll want to know your safeword. Three/four/eightway? He's probably into it. That in mind, I'm on the ace spectrum (see below) so mature-content threads aren't going to be that common and will generally, though not always, fade to black.

YES PLEASE

✅  duplicates, multiple 'canon' realities, AUs, cross-fandom, What Ifs

✅  crossovers, especially within Marvel & DC

✅  AUs: love, love, love. Give me your tropey coffee shop AU; better yet, give me your research-worthy Mesopotamian AU, time-travel AU, etc. I'm utter trash for Sentinel!verse (and if you don't know what that is, come at me).

✅  plot-development, complex characterization

✅  conscious, intentional, creative abuse of grammar/syntax

✅  any gender identity/lack thereof; sexual orientation/lack thereof; neurodivergent characters; disabled characters

✅  LGBT, non-cis/het, POC, or other minority versions of canonically white cis straight Christian etc characters

✅  female versions of canonically (cis)male characters

✅  dark, edgy, angsty themes up to and including psychological & physical torture, abuse, and character death

✅  complex and conscientious portrayals of trauma and mental health issues

NO THANKS

❎  self-insertion (omnipotent manic pixie Gary-Stu/Mary-Stu characters make me cringe)

❎  pages of ooc

❎  pages of graphic porn

❎  you RP nothing but smut of a variety that squicks me, such as (below) and don't put it behind readmores: - A/B/O, especially if it involves 'mating'/'breeding', pregnancy (esp cis male or cis female pregnancy), etc. Really major squick; - BDSM that uses an abundance of misogynistic language like 'slut'; 'daddy/mommy' themes; pet play; romanticising unhealthy abusive relationships ('50 Shades of Nope' comes to mind) by framing them as consensual BDSM.

❎  consistent grammar/spelling errors (note: ignore if English isn't your primary language; I’m happy to help if that’s something you want, and I speak a few languages so I might be able to RP in your language)

❎  lots of family/baby/child content

❎  'child of'/'sibling of' & non-canon family member/friend characters

❎  anthropomorphic, furry, or 'real people' characters

❎  SuperWhoLock, anime

❎  gatekeeping, canon-snobbery, constant negativity

❎ erasure of any minority group (ie male versions of canonically female characters; suspiciously white FCs for canonically POC characters, etc)

❎ messianic anything; proselytizing

ABOUT THE MUN

✩  ari (aka kai), 30s, London (GMT)

✩  working in medicine, re-qualifying for med school entry; usually not around much Tue-Fri due to work (replies are sometimes queued & I'm usually happy to do short stuff like texts during the week)

✩  thoroughly spoken for; married to cap.co.vu (but thanks for asking *fingerguns*)

✩  introvert:  very social at times (I tend to 'read' as an extrovert), but I need more distance when out of social energy. Feel free to ask me about this. I will love you forever if you respect the need for space, and will not like you very much if you insta-pounce 10x daily when I've gone quiet.

✩  jewitchy = unrepentantly jewish + low-key hedge witch (observant Reform/Conservative Jew; dash of pagan)

✩  grey-a + demi, greyromantic, as impossibly flirty as Tony Stark

✩  ADD, autism (psa: you can be super direct with me), major depressive disorder, EBS (epidermolysis bullosa), mild anxiety (when out of social energy)

✩  sharp-spoken, sharply-dressed, stickler for punctuation, polyglot, menace to society, method RPer, (mostly) good human being, guaranteed at least 80% carbon-based lifeform, will use elbows on the Tube, well-travelled, great ass (thanks, yoga!), hearts horseback riding, BDSM, dismantling the patriarchy

✩  ask box is always open, Discord available by request, IM/chat is gr8

If you feel like it, send me your favourite trope as a way of letting me know you've read these. I'm not going to ask for any sort of specific symbol, codeword, etc to prove it, but I will presume you have and act accordingly. If you feel compelled to acknowledge any specific parts that jump out at you or query something that doesn't sit right with you, we'll probably be bffs.

[fromherlips]

the secret gift exchange - a brooklyn boy drabble

hope you guys don’t mind getting introduced to a few characters a bit early before the story is posted! this is just a little insight into their lives, so i hope you enjoy the kind of sneak peek into the story with a canon drabble. <3

There were few people in their circle of friends that would willingly go shopping with Rowan. Even her best friend and roommate Dominique refused to go to any store besides their weekly trip to grocery shop. Even a trip to Duane Reade was risky and required at least twenty minutes of browsing, hemming and hawing over whether or not she should pick up a load of new drugstore beauty products to try out. For the blog, of course. That was always her excuse whilst shopping and nobody could argue.

With the promise of a nice lunch, Rowan managed to convince Niall to go holiday shopping with her on a Saturday afternoon. A few days prior, they were lounging on her couch while Dominique was out of the apartment on a date with her boyfriend Liam. Niall was a few beers deep, distracted by the movie that they’d somewhat agreed on watching (though Rowan spent most of the time copy-editing her blog posts for the next week to ensure there were no errors and everything was linked properly).

While he was relaxed and his guard was down, Rowan took advantage and asked if he would tag along so she could pick up gifts for her family when she went home for Christmas. She watched him hesitate, his mouth agape while he surely tried to think of any excuse to give to get himself out of it. Before he could say anything, Rowan then reminded him that he had blown her off the week before for a date, leaving her to attend an event alone. Reluctantly, he agreed, but at least he showed up at her apartment the morning of their shopping excursion with a smile on his face, albeit a forced one.

“Why are you even buying gifts?” Niall asked, incessantly touching items on the shelves as they walked through Anthropologie. “Can’t you just re-gift some of your PR samples?”

“That, Niall, would be rude,” Rowan scoffed, picking up one of the monogrammed mugs. “I don’t re-gift the products I don’t use. I happily give them to friends and family without any ulterior reasons.”

Niall pouted. “I never get anything,” he whined.

“I’ll give you some skincare next time,” Rowan commented, staring at the mug in her hands for a few more seconds before placing it back on the shelf. “You could do with a little bit of a routine.”

“You already have me on a routine!” he argued, no doubt furrowing his brows at Rowan. Her back was faced to him as she examined a different mug that was eye level with her on the shelf. “I cleanse, exfoliate, and do those dumb masks too.”

“Do you use your serums and moisturize?” she asked, smirking before she even heard his loud groan. “I’m only joking. Niall. Your skin is great. I’m just helping you try to prevent any early on-set aging. I’m merely trying to keep you glowing and youthful forever.”

Rowan jumped when she felt the back of Niall’s hand smacking her in the back of the shoulder. She craned her neck to look behind her, narrowing her eyes at Niall while he grinned back at her. “You’re a menace,” she finally said, walking away from the mugs to a new section of the store. “C’mon, I need to get some bits for my sisters.”

“All of them?” Niall asked, his footsteps not far behind Rowan’s.

“Just Chloe,” Rowan replied. “Kennedy and Fallon are a bit too young for Anthro.”

“What about Sammy and Porter?”

“Porter is still going through his gaming phase, so I’ve already ordered four games to the house for my mom to hide,” Rowan explained. “And then I have another order with some cool joggers that he and Sammy basically live in.”

“What’d you spoil Sammy with?” Niall joked. Rowan didn’t have favorite siblings, but Niall always teased her that her brother Sam was her favorite. She’d deny it, of course, but she couldn’t lie that she was closer to Sammy than the rest of her younger siblings.

Rowan mumbled something under her breath, trying to avoid answering the question. She had spoiled Sammy, but she hadn’t gone as over the top as she could have. Rowan had, admittedly, started to go a little overboard for the holidays and birthdays in the prior couple of years. She was torn between feeling lucky and not wanting to diminish all of the hard work that she had put into her blog she started as a hobby her freshman year of college as her creative outlet and digital diary.

“I only got him a hoodie and sneakers,” she finally said, realizing Niall wasn’t going to take her silence and mumbles as an answer.

“Was that the Supreme hoodie that I saw in your room the other week?” Niall asked. Rowan didn’t answer, merely nodding while she sorted through a rack of blouses. “You’re a generous older sister.”

“He’s my brother,” Rowan replied. “I know gifts aren’t important, but when I can’t be with them all of the time, I have to do something.”

“You could call him more,” Niall pointed out.

Rowan winced, her hand freezing as she grabbed onto the shoulder of one of the shirts. “You know my schedule, Niall,” Rowan mumbled, letting her grasp on the top loosen on the top before she turned on her heel and away from the display. Rowan wandered through the store with the bridge of her nose pinched between two fingers, keeping her head down while she tried to find an isolated corner.

“Rowan, come back,” Niall said, keeping his voice as low as he could so he didn’t draw attention to them. They found themselves sandwiched between a display of doorknobs and a dish towels, face to face even if Rowan spent more time staring at her feet. “Rowan, I’m sorry.”

She shook her head, trying to snap out of her mood. “No, no, it’s fine,” she assured him, letting out a long sigh before she looked at him. “Sorry, it’s just…I must be tired, that’s all.”

“Alright,” he said. “Do you want to stay here?”

“I’m not seeing anything for Chloe,” Rowan replied. “I think that I’ll be able to find something for her at Bloomingdale’s. And if I can’t, then one of my girls there will!”

Niall snorted. “Alright Rowan, well at least we tried here,” he said. “Where else do we need to go today?”

“Just a few more places,” she replied. “I need to get more gifts for Fallon and Kennedy, a couple of more things for Dominique, and one little thing for Liam.”

“Already picked out your gift exchange present?” he asked. “It’s next Friday, you know.”

“Of course I know,” Rowan replied. “I’ve had everything for my gift exchange since I found out who I got.”

“Really?” he asked, raising his brows. “Who’d you get?”

“As if I’d tell you,” she replied. “It’s supposed to be a secret. All I’m going to say is that I knew exactly what I was going to get when I found out who I got.”

Niall furrowed his brows, lines creasing deep into his forehead. “Louis told me who he got,” Niall complained. “Why can’t you cave?”

“Because I cherish the element of surprise when it comes to gift exchanges, especially when that was rule number one,” Rowan replied. “Now stop pouting and maybe if you’re lucky, you can help pick out outfits for some upcoming blog posts.”

“I thought we were gift shopping?” he asked.

“I deserve gifts from myself, too,” Rowan replied with a casual shrug.

***********

Rowan stayed up until three o’clock in the morning working to ensure that her schedule after noon (or at least two) was free to clean her apartment for the gift exchange. Other than the usual group of Niall, Rowan, Dominique, and Liam, Rowan had also included their favorite bartender from the pub near her apartment. Louis, a few of her blogger friends that had gone out quite a few times with the group, and her main photographer Harry. It made the whole secret element of the gift exchange that much more exciting, expanding the pool of possible gift-givers.

Beyond tidying the apartment and clearing it from all of her props from a few photo spreads she set-up throughout the apartment for various posts about interiors, Rowan had the exciting task of adding decorations. She and Dominique kept the decorating to a minimum, mostly because Rowan preferred simple gold and silver motifs and tiny touches through home décor. But for their miniature party, she scoured Etsy for as many cute and crafty décor pieces she could find, filling in the gaps where her normal decorations lacked.

Dominique and Liam were going to pick up the food when they both got out of work, Harry was bringing his camera to capture the moment, and her friends each offered to make some kind of dessert or drink (no doubt as an excuse to do a post about it, an ongoing joke every time they got together). All Rowan had to do was make sure that the apartment was ready to host the gift exchange and holiday party before everyone dispersed to go back home with their families or significant others.

She had festive music on the set the mood while she put the finishing touches on the apartment before everyone arrived. There was about an hour until Dominique got back and two until everyone would start to arrive (assuming they wouldn’t come late, which was also a common occurrence). The music drowned out the silence, Rowan’s go-to to make working from home more tolerable. This was no different, the soft hum of music filling the gaps where Dominique’s chatter or their favorite television shows would be. Sometimes she put on shows that she’d seen a dozen times just so she could hear familiar voices, but that was typically when she was absolutely swamped with deadlines and didn’t have as much leniency with her free time.

Dominique and Liam added the finishing touches to Rowan’s set-up when they got back to the apartment, giving her about thirty minutes to get ready. She rushed through her foolproof ten-minute makeup routine, leaving her hair in its natural wavy state to avoid the hassle of trying to curl it. She’d had an outfit picked out since she suggested the gift exchange party, pulling the garish red turtleneck sweater dress from its section in her closet. It complimented her opaque black tights and white and silver embellished statement headband, one that got her called Blair Waldorf every single time she wore it.

Rowan was in the middle of choosing a lipstick color when she heard a knock at her door. Before she could even turn around to respond, she heard her door creak open followed by footsteps on the hardwood floor. “Dom?” she asked, plunging her hand into her lipstick drawer to find a suitable shade of red.

“Sub?” Niall replied, cackling at his own joke. Rowan rolled her eyes, continuing on her hunt rather than turning around to face him. “Whatcha doing?”

“Looking for lipstick,” she replied, pulling out two of her possible choices. She held them up towards the light, examining which would be the perfect match for her dress. “Which one?”

Niall took a few steps forward, squinting his eyes to look at the two tubes of liquid lipstick that Rowan chose. “Well, don’t you always complain that these ones dry darker than they look?” Niall asked, pointing to the tube in her left hand. “I like the one on the right anyway.”

“Thanks, Niall,” Rowan replied, turning around to put the losing lipstick away. She sat down in front of her vanity, scooting closer to the mirror so she could apply the lipstick precisely around her lips. Neither of them spoke as Rowan perfected the edges, ensuring that there wasn’t a line out of place. She used her hand to fan her lips after she applied a second layer, waiting for it to dry before she let her lips touch.

“The apartment looks great,” Niall said, sitting down on Rowan’s bed while she fixed her hair in the mirror. “I’m assuming it was partially for the blog?”

“I do things that don’t have to do with the blog, you know,” Rowan scoffed, rolling her eyes at Niall’s reflection in the corner of her mirror. “I just wanted to spread the holiday spirit a little more, that’s all. Jerk.”

“Not sure how Santa is going to feel about the name-calling, but to each their own,” Niall said, pushing himself off of her bed. “I’m going to go keep Liam company because you know how he gets when there’s a lot of people that he doesn’t know.”

“It’s only a few girls!” Rowan argued.

“It’s eight girls,” Niall corrected Rowan. “They’re all very sweet, but I think Liam would appreciate the extra familiar face.”

Rowan sighed. “Thank you, Ni.”

“Of course, Row,” he replied. “Now come on, can’t spend your gift exchange party in your room.”

In retrospect, having eight of the girls over along with their usual group was probably not the greatest idea. It made the gift exchange a little more thrilling, but fourteen people crowded into the apartment in the presence of alcohol made things a little hectic. Rowan felt like she was on her feet the entire time, trying to clean up and organize while everyone else mingled. The first time she sat and chatted for more than a few minutes at a time was when they finally decided to gather around in the living room for the main event: the gift exchange.

Everyone went around in a circle, choosing the boxes or bags from the middle with their names on the tags. It was fun watching everybody’s reactions, especially to who got the gift for them. It involved a lot of squealing and hugging, acts of pure excitement that nearly caused four wine spillages on Rowan’s carpet. Niall was one of the last people to go, leaving Rowan’s knees knocking together as she sat on the couch across from the chair he was sitting in.

Rowan chewed on her bottom lip as she watched Niall open the small box. She knew what was in the box, of course. She was the one who’d spent far too long trying to pick out the perfect wrapping paper for the gift. Or rather, the fake gift. She abided by the $50 limit, filling the box with new strings, picks, and a book about Bruce Springsteen that he had been eyeing in the bookstore two months before. But she also knew that there was a note attached inside written in her sloppy attempt at calligraphy that told him to hang around after everyone left for a fourth part to the gift.

Niall tilted his head to the side as she folded the note back up, tucking it behind the cover of the book. Rowan merely shrugged when he looked across the table at her, turning to her right so she could see what her friend Marisol got. She could feel his stare on the side of her face, but she ignored him for the time being, trying to remain blasé about the entire situation.

After everyone got their presents, the party seemed to die down. The girls started to leave one by one, hugging Rowan tightly before they exchanged wishes for a happy holiday and vague plans for the next time they would hang out. Even Dominique and Liam left, choosing to spend the night at Liam’s apartment before they split up for the holidays. Niall was the last person to leave, busying himself by picking up glasses from around the living room and kitchen, dumping whatever liquid was left in them before placing them in the dishwasher. Rowan was scrubbing down surfaces and mopping up some of the muddy snow that had melted near the door from people’s shoes.

They worked in silence as if they were too scared to acknowledge the note in Rowan’s gift to Niall. Sometimes they just functioned better in silence.

“Rowan.”

She looked up from the kitchen table where the food had been laid out, quirking her brows at Niall as he leaned against the closed dishwasher. “What’s up?” she asked, her hand stopped mid-wipe, hands clenched around the cloth.

“Not to sound greedy, but what was that note about?” he asked.

“Oh,” she breathed out. “I suppose the apartment is clean enough now. C’mon.”

She abandoned the cloth in the center of the table, motioning for Niall to follow her down the hall to her bedroom. She wrung her hands together, hiding her nervousness from Niall. It was silly to be nervous about giving him a present, but she could easily imagine his reaction. It didn’t seem fair to not treat Niall the same way she’d treat her family. She didn’t see him as a brother, not like she saw Dominique as a sister, but he felt just as much a part of her family as her actual siblings did. It seemed wrong to not do something extra for him, especially during the season of giving.

“Rowan, please tell me that you’re not going to wrap a bow around yourself and declare yourself my present,” Niall commented, stopping in her doorway while Rowan continued to wander inside her bedroom.

“Oh my god, get over yourself,” she groaned, spinning around to flip Niall off. “I should revoke your final present.”

“Row, what you got for me was plenty,” Niall said, leaning against her doorway. “I don’t need anything else.”

“I know,” she replied. “But I couldn’t help myself and I think you’ll like it.”

“Rowan, what did you do?” he asked.

She shrugged, sitting down on the edge of her bed. “Check inside my closet,” she said, pointing towards the set of doors to her right. “Look, I’m leaving to go back home in two days and I wanted to make sure you got your present before I left, that’s all.”

Rowan wiped her sweaty palms on the comforter, her knees jittering in anticipation as Niall walked from the doorway to her closet. Dominique would’ve told her it was an impulse buy if she had known that Rowan got it for Niall. She was shopping on Broome Street between meetings when she wandered into Rudy’s Music Shop between Isabel Marant and James Perse. Her eyes locked on the guitars in the window and all plans to shop for herself disappeared.

She spent nearly an hour talking to a few of the employees to try to find the best option for Niall. She told them what he usually played, what he did, and what he’d probably want. She tried to recite some of his exact quotes about his guitar, but it wasn’t her strong suit. They’d all settled on the Martin Black Smoke with a bigger body, the clear winner out of their final three choices. Rowan didn’t care what it cost or that she’d somehow have to lug the guitar from the store back to her apartment in the Upper West Side after her meeting. She could instantly see it on display in Niall’s apartment, a guitar far different than the few he already had. He would say it was too much, but she shook his reaction out of her head as she told the employees that she’d take it.

“What the?” Niall asked, clearly spotting the guitar case sitting on the floor of her closet. “Rowan, what is this?”

“Just open it, Niall,” she said.

She swallowed the lump in her throat while she watched him kneel down, anticipation setting in as she heard him fumbling with the lock and closure on the side. The hinges creaked quietly as Niall opened it, slowly revealing what was hidden beneath the top of the case.

“Rowan…” Niall breathed out. “This is too much.”

“No it’s not,” she replied. “I hope it’s okay. I try to listen to you when you talk about guitars, but you’re just so much better at musical knowledge than I am. So I asked the people at Rudy’s to help and I spent like an hour in there but that one really seemed like one that you’d like so–”

“Rowan,” Niall interjected, keeping her from rambling further. “This guitar is amazing, but I can’t take it. I know it must’ve cost a fortune and it’d be wr–”

“Niall,” Rowan sighed, sliding off the edge of the bed until her feet were flat on the ground. “This is my gift to you, my best friend and favorite musician.”

He snorted. “You have some shit taste in music,” he commented.

“Hush, my music taste is just an impeccable as my taste in handbags, shoes, and coats,” Rowan replied, walking up behind Niall so she could flick him in the back of the head. “So it’s okay?”

Niall shut the top, locking it back up so the guitar was secure in its case. He stood up slowly, turning around on his heel so he was finally facing Rowan. “It’s incredible, Row,” he said, locking eyes with her. “I…don’t even know what to say.”

“That’s okay,” she replied. “I’m really happy you like it and I cannot wait to see you playing this at your next gig.”

“Are you my official biggest fan now?” Niall joked.

“I’ve always been your biggest fan,” she replied. “This isn’t a recent thing.”

Niall pressed his lips together, immediately wrapping his arms around Rowan. He hugged her close, making it easy for her to tuck her chin into the crook of his neck. She could feel his arms squeeze tighter around her waist, holding her closer for a moment. “Thank you, Rowan,” he murmured as he let go, taking a step back. “I…just thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Niall,” she replied. “Can you stay tonight or do you need to go back to your apartment?”

“I have tomorrow off, I can stay,” Niall replied. “Plus, I’m not going very far for the holidays so no packing necessary.”

Rowan snorted. “Another Christmas in Brooklyn for Niall and Maura,” Rowan commented. “You two are always more than welcome to go across the state to spend Christmas with the Walshes.”

“I’ll keep that in mind for the…sixth year in a row? Does that sound right?” Niall asked, his lips curling into a smirk.

“Shush, I’m just trying to offer my obnoxious family to you,” Rowan replied. “Just for that, I’m picking the Christmas movies we’re watching tonight.”

“Is that what we’re doing?” he asked.

“It’s a few days until Christmas, of course that’s what we’re doing,” Rowan replied, rolling her eyes at Niall. “Now c’mon, I know exactly which one we’re going to start with.”

[hot-mysticc-mess-blog]

RFA Reacting to MC afraid of horror movie

Fun fact:  before I made this blog, I spent three solid days scrolling through the mystic messenger headcanons tags on Tumblr. This was a super common prompt and, as I live for scaring myself with horror movies and creepypasta, I had a TON of fun writing this!

Yoosung

The couple cling, and scream and hold each other on the couch

Sometimes, MC is the calm one, cuddling him up against her chest to keep him safe from the imaginary horrors on screen.

Afterwards, they’re both traumatized, alone in the dark as the credits roll

But also hungry, and grown adults 

MC musters up the courage to sprint across the hall and turn on the lights so she can go to the kitchen, only to get there and stare at the cupboards doubtfully

Yoosung approaches to check them

 But his legs are shaking

“No, it’s okay Yoosung, I’ll check it”

“No I have to check it, I’m a man! I can take care of you!”

“But you’re scared!”

“Am not!” He’s terrified

He checks the cupboards in the end, and also the bathroom so MC can pee safely before bed

He offers to come in with her, but she insists she’ll be okay

They take turns waiting outside the door for each other and talk through the door to make sure everything’s okay

And death grip each other’s hands as they lean down to check underneath the bed together

When they finally make it into bed, they cling tightly to each other to will any monsters (or nightmares) away. 

Jumin

Jumin, for his part, remains dutifully focused and silent during the film while MC cuddles into his chest and shrieks at every scare

It’s almost like he’s trying to be polite to the film he is watching alone in his own home

He is

Does not understand the fear of something so obviously not real

But definitely notices the way MC keeps looking around, and over her shoulder, and up at the ceiling vents. 

“Did you not want to watch the movie?” He asks

“No I did! It’s just-” Her gentle cuddle on his arm has become more of  a death grip. 

“Are you frightened? It’s just a movie, my love.”

“No, I’m alright Jumin. I know it’s just a movie.”

He believed that for all of two seconds, until Elizabeth clawed at her cat tree and she startled so badly she nearly fell off the couch. 

He holds onto her to keep you from tumbling onto the floor, pulling her to him and resting her head on his chest. 

“Nothing is wrong. You are perfectly safe.” His comforting skills could use some work, but MC cracks a small smile 

“I know, Jumin. I just —”

“If you still feel unsafe, I will have the guards do a sweep of the house for you.”

She tries to protest, but Jumin already has five burly men going through every nook and cranny of the apartment.

Legitimately tells them to look for monsters or signs of hauntings. She’s fairly they aren’t experts on hauntings (though with Jumin you never know) but boy do they try. 

They even shine their flashlights up into the vents.

MC can’t quite make eye contact with the guards as each one reports there is nothing in the house, monster, murderer, or otherwise. 

“Do you feel safe now, my love?”

“Yes, I do.” And also embarrassed

Zen

Zen was the one who picked this movie

And let me tell you, he was living every time she clung to him during a jump scare

Nothing makes him feel more manly than protecting his Princess from benign things

Except she doesn’t get up from the couch when the movie ends, watching the credits roll with wide eyes

“Are you going to go pee, babe?” She always pee first thing after movies, like clockwork. 

“No, I’m fine.” She insists

“Alright, I’ll be right back. I’m getting water. Do you want some?” 

“No, thanks.”

He slips off the couch for a moment, leaving her alone for a couple of minutes. When he comes back, she hasn’t moved an inch, at least not until he brushes up against the couch and she whip your head around to stare at him, wide-eyed and ready to run. 

“Are you still scared?”He asks gently. He feels a little bad now. “You know I wouldn’t let anything happen to my princess.” 

“I’m okay, Zenny. I know you’ll always keep me safe,” She smiles up at him and gather the courage to go to the bathroom. As expected, there are no demons in the shower waiting to attack her. The happy couple brush your teeth, moisturize, and go to bed. 

She wakes him up at three in the morning, near tears after a nightmare, and bury her face in his chest

He grumbles and groans at first, until he realizes what’s going on

Now he feels very bad

“I didn’t know they affected you so much. I’m so sorry, jagiya.” 

He showers her in apologies, showering her in soft affectionate kisses as he promises never to make her watch another horror movie again

Then he strokes her hair until she falls asleep

Jaehee

“Won’t that frighten you? How about we watch The Jalapeño Topping Was Pretty Spicy again?”

“It’s supposed to be scary, that’s why its a horror movie. Please, Jaehee?”

She agrees and they sit on the couch together. It takes all of ten minutes before MC has practically crawled into Jaehee’s lap, quietly willing the protagonist to not make their next stupid and dangerous decision. 

“Is it too scary? Do you need to turn it off?” Jaehee whispers every time MC seem especially frightened during the movie

For the most part she seems outwardly unaffected, just cradling MC in her arms without complaint, though a couple of jumpscares startle her too. 

After the movie, Jaehee gets right up to start cleaning up movie snacks, only stopping when MC won’t let go of her arm so she can wash the dishes. One look at her girlfriend’s terrified face and she sighs

“I told you it would scare you, MC. Come on, you can help me wash the dishes”· 

 She spares the lecture, scaring oneself into doing more chores seems like enough of a punishment

 Sighs in mild irritation when MC wants her to come into the bathroom with her

But she does come in      

And cuddles MC extra close that night in bed

      “Sweet dreams, MC.” I told you so

Saeyoung/ 707

Very composed during the whole movie

 Casually agrees with all of her anxious comments and “don’t go in there!”s 

Sometimes he even offers ‘helpful’ suggestions to the cast

“Should’ve gone out,” pauses as another character is brutally murdered, “…the window.”

She’s snuggled against him and wrapped in a blanket the entire movie, all the way until the credits finish rolling

Saeyoung never flinches, not even when MC startles or squeezes him so hard her nails dig into his sides (what else is agency physical training for?)

He gets up and turns the lights on for her afterward with a quick hop

“It’s your bedtime!” He announces brightly, crossing one arm over his chest and bowing forward, gesturing grandly down the hallway. 

Saeyoung cares deeply about MC getting enough sleep, despite his habit of living on caffeine. 

“And yours,” she points out. 

“Ah, but first it is time for my midnight snack.”

Reluctantly, she heads off to the bathroom, with the promise that he will join her in bed after a few minutes. His ‘snack’ is most likely going to be him shoving a few Honey Buddha chips into his face while he checks over the security logs and whatever other projects he won’t tell her about. 

She accidentally slam the lid to the toilet, startling herself into a loud shriek. The movie must have left her jumpy. 

Frantic footsteps speed down the hall and Saeyoung bursts through the door, worried until he notices nothing seems wrong.

His face quickly morphs from surprise into a smirk. Oh, here comes the teasing

“MC, are you scared?”  She can see him from the mirror coming up behind her, fingers wiggling in his most menacing impression as he nears a ticklish spot between your ribs 

“Saeyoung!!” He doesn’t stop until she’s giggling frantically and takes her moment of distraction as an opportunity to sweep her up into his arms. 

“Don’t worry. 707, Defender of Justice, is here to keep you safe! My patented Ghost Busting Technology™ will keep all ghosts off the property!”

“And what about demons?” She giggles into the crook of his neck, fear all but forgotten as he carts her off to bed.

“I will have the fire sprinklers rigged to spray holy water tomorrow.”

[tanuki-kimono]

Japanese folk tales #44 - Underground

For anon who has requested a spider story: I hope you’ll like it!

Find my tales tagged here or visit my blog for both english and french versions.

Wish me to cover a special youkai or subject? Contact me, I’ll try to accommodate ^^❤️

Once upon a time, before Japan became Japan, the lands were divided between many many clans. Wars were fought, and over time one of them, the Yamato clan, slowly rose to power.

The Yamato were known to be fierce and merciless. People said their king was a direct descendant of the Sun goddess, and blessed by heavenly light, he always emerged triumphant of all battles.

Wars after treaties, alliances after weddings, the clan spread its influence around. In the new territories, peasants humbly bowed their heads down before their new rulers. Most of the times, common people only shrugged, whispering:

–  One chief or another, what difference will it make to us?

Yet, not all were ready to give up their lands so easily.

At the marches of the growing kingdom, by the Katsuragi mountains, the bold Yamato warriors shivered in fear. Surrounded by eerie mist, deep and everlasting, their troupes faced an enemy like they had never met.

Swift shadows in the forest, piercing shrieks in the night, creatures haunted the area. Sentinels, voice quivering, reported they had witnessed strange human-like silhouettes with long, long limbs, or maybe even tails, coming from nowhere.

Ferocious, tenacious, their invisible enemy harassed the Yamato. One had never come back from the river, another had disappeared from his bed without a sound. Often patrols would scatter to the four winds in sheer terror of what lurked around them.

Men got more and more nervous as days passed by:

– How can we fought a war without any battles? We are but soldiers: only a chaman could counter those demons!

Their chief tsked angrily and roused his men:

– They are no demons but only woodsmen in disguise, playing with your minds. Our conquest has been long overdue: this region must be taken! Today, we’ll force them out of hiding and beat them once and for all!

Grumbling, the warriors took their weapons, none of them happy with this mad command. But an order was an order and that far away from home, the men took comfort in keeping with one another.

The troup carefully entered the sinister mountain slides. Their hands tensed on their clubs and swords hilts, the foot soldiers kept throwing anxious look around, ready to fight – or flee.

Slowly, they crossed the forest, yet the creatures remained unheard and unseen. And soon, the ghostly trees grew scarce, slippery rocks and tricky crevasses taking their places.

The chief raised a hand and ordered:

– We’ll rest here a moment. No fire, and no noise, keep your eyes sharp.

The troup sighed in perfect unison as they settled down. It has started to rain and the bleak scenery was everything but homely.

Something white moved, a hundred feet away from them.

A soldier started and elbowed his companion: a woman was gracefully darting from rock to rock like a mountain goat, her long hair billowing madly behind her like a banner in a storm.

The chief followed the mesmerized gazes of his men, and jumped to his feet:

– You! Wait!

The woman froze and turned. She had a striking tanned face, yet her beautiful eyes were full of hatred. A strong distaste blurred her features as she frowned. Without answering, she started to run.

The commander barked:

– Do not let her run away!

All the warriors got up as one and chased after her, stumbling like toddlers over the wet ground.

The woman was fast, throwing from time to time mocking smiles at the men behind her. Soon, she had reached a rock shelter. She bowed at her pursuers, a wolfish smile on her lips. Then she disappeared, engulfed by darkness.

The warriors arrived panting at the cave’s mouth. And simply stood there, dancing on their feet, unsure. No one dared to cross the threshold: ahead of them was only pitch black dark, heavy and menacing.

Their chief snorted and yelled:

– You are all cowards! Bring up light and follow me!

And they entered the cave. And went down, down, down.

Inside, the air was milder yet still humid. The make-up torches casted a flickering glow upon smooth stone walls. All around the terrified troup, shadows moved as if they were alive beings. A clear laughter rang in the deep, feminine, entrancing.

A soft caress touched the men’s skins. One tried to scream, another to flee. But not a sound was heard, not a move done. In the low light, they realised they were now all covered in soft, glossy white threads.

Clicking steps echoed in the dark. And suddenly the creature appeared.

The woman had nothing human anymore. She had long, long pairs of limbs ended by claws, and her now wide mouth showed large ivory mandibles. On her face, shone eight eyes, red as the darkest blood.

– Here come my little trespassers. You think you’re brave, boys, fighting for your king? This lands are mine and mine alone.

Cocoon in silk, the warriors started to wiggle, in a mad attempt to escape the monster. But threads held strong and the more they struggled, the more their prison tightened.

The creature hissed and pounced. The chief was the closest to her, in an instant she had torn his head off.

A torch fell down. In a flash, the silk web caught fire.

The creature hissed as the men, freed from their bonds, started to screamed. Crazed by the blaze, disoriented by smoke, the monster pounced again. A frenzied soldier closed his eyes and raised his sword, striking blindly.

In a loud, wet noise, the woman’s head rolled to the ground. Instead of blood, the gaping wound freed hundred and hundred of writhing shadows.

None stopped to check if she was truly dead or not, nor lingered to take a closer look at those shadows. In total disarray, the men fled to the surface, disheveled and breathless. And without missing a beat, they pushed a big boulder, sealing the mouth’s cave forever.

Years and years passed in Katsuragi, and the Yamato clan finally successfully settled in the mountains.

But, behind closed doors, old soldiers, and their children, and their children’s children never stopped whispering about the people of the caves, those eerie beings that lurked below. Only waiting to take back what was once theirs.

Notes:

Many tales and stories, under pretty words and strange monsters, underline real life events. It’s the case with today’s youkai, the tsuchigumo.

Tsuchigumo (“ground spider”) was a nickname given to people who refused to submit to the budding imperial power of the Yamato clan during Kofun/Asuka periods. Those rebels clans are thought to have lived in troglodytes habitats, like caves or earth mounds, which could explains how they gained that name which also means “those who live underground”.

Overtime, tsuchigumo came to be used literally, the renegades of old becoming human-like spiders, bloody and dangerous. Later tales depicts emperors (like Jimmu) and nobles (like Minamoto no Yorimitsu) slaying those beasts, a mythical way of stressing the victory of civilisation against chaos. State propaganda is definitively not a new thing!

[pictures sources: 1 / 2 / 3]

[softcorehippos]

Just Ask - Part 10

Pairing: Steve x Reader

Summary: "The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” You think, after being alive for this long and leading an team of superheroes, Steve Rogers would’ve perfected his communication skills, but apparently, when it comes to women, he just likes to assume, and that is never a good thing.

A/N: Last part before the epilogue! I hope I don’t frustrate you guys too much HAHA. 

Part 9

You stomped your way up the lobby of a building you never thought you’d step into in a million years. If the gigantic “A” on the side of the building didn’t intimidate you, the sight of Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow sure made you weak in the knees.

The conversation you had with Bucky, further confirmed the fact that despite being the well-respected leader of the Avengers, Steve Rogers is a massive idiot. You couldn’t believe that all the shit you went through, all the sleepless nights worrying about what you might’ve done and the times where you can’t even focus on work because Steve was plaguing your mind, it all stemmed from one misunderstanding.

It infuriated you to no end, just how stupid the two of you were being and the thought of how this would’ve been solved in a second if only someone had the guts to ask what was on his mind.

You talked yourself out of this a million times, saying to yourself that you don’t want to be the psycho girl who blew up on a guy in public, but you had been waiting for weeks, second-guessing and doubting yourself when in reality, you like him and he likes you. You weren’t going to wait any longer, not after you know what you know.

“Excuse me?” You kept your distance from the ex-Soviet spy but put on a brave face.

Natasha turned around, staring at you up and down with a confused expression.

“Can I help you?”

You gulped. “Uh yes, do you know where I can find Steve Rogers?”

She narrowed her eyes at you. “Who are you and what business do you have with Steve Rogers?”

Your eyes widened and you took an involuntary step back. “Uh, I’m his neighbor? I just need to talk to him about something really important.”

Natasha’s menacing look instantly disappeared and a wide grin appeared. “You’re the girl?” She asked.

“Huh?”

“You’re the girl Steve’s been moping around about?”

“I–Huh? He talked about me?”

Natasha shrugged. “Not really, I just figured that it must be a girl thing for him to get all mopey like that.”

You didn’t know how to respond so you just had your mouth gaping open, staring at Natasha and processing what she just said while looking like a massive idiot.

“Come on, let’s find him.” Natasha smirked, grabbing your arm and practically dragged you into the elevator.

You nearly jumped out of your skin when you heard the AI talking in the elevator, asking Natasha which floor to go and give you the clearance you needed. The two of you didn’t talk the entire way up, you were too busy thinking about what to say to Steve and Natasha was too busy holding back laughter over the fact that you were fidgeting like a nervous wreck.

“Here we are, I’m sure he’s either in the common room or his room. Let’s try the common room.” She yanked your arm once again, forcing you out of the elevator.

Once you step foot inside, you were instantly mesmerized by how expensive and sophisticated everything was. Tony Stark may be a lot of things, but one thing for sure, the man knows his stuff.

“Hm, he must be in his room, I’ll–“

“Y/N?” You snapped your head to where the sound originated and saw Steve standing by the archway.

“Steve.” You greeted the man in a clipped tone.

“Well, then, I’ll leave you to it.” Natasha said melodically, smirking her way out of the room.

“Wh–What are you doing here?” He rushed his steps to you, looking around the room and over his shoulder.

“I tried looking for you at the apartment but you weren’t there, you haven’t been around lately, so I thought I’d try you here.”

“Uh, is everything okay?” Concern was displayed across his face.

“No, Steve, everything is not okay.” You sighed. “Is there any where we could talk? In private?”

He hesitated for a second, but nodded. “Yeah, sure.” He led you out to the balcony where the afternoon wind greeted you, prompting you to pull your flannel shirt closer.

“What’s wrong?” Steve asked, leaning his elbow against the balcony railing.

You took a deep breath and stared at the man in front of you. His blue eyes were boring into yours, nervous and uneasy.  The anger and frustration that you bottled in was gone, instead, you were filled with nervousness.

“Okay, before you say anything, let me just say that I know what you’re going to say.”

You chuckled. “I’m sure you don’t.”

“Oh, I think I do, and to make things easier for you, let me just admit that, yes, I am freaking out and it’s not you, not at all. It just whenever I see you, all I think about is your twins and how I’m not a good fit for them.

“I know, I know, I’m thinking way too far ahead but I just, I don’t know what I’m doing okay? I really like you but I don’t know how this is going to work out. I mean, they don’t even like me!”

You were biting the inside of your cheek so hard to keep yourself from cackling right then and there. The look on his face was adorable and you wished that you could just stop him and take a picture.

“Are you done?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, first you are a massive idiot. Second, they’re not mine.”

Steve stared at you as if you’ve grown two heads. “Huh?”

“The twins? They’re not mine. Scott is my big brother, so the twins are my niece and nephew.”

“Wh–What?”

You groaned. “I am not a mother, Steven. I’m single and very frustrated right now.”

When you thought about how things would go down, you expected something explosive and dramatic, followed by an extremely long overdue kiss. What you did not expect was to have Steve just stare at you like you have a dick growing out of your forehead.

So you took matters into your own hands and did it yourself.

You brought your arm to Steve’s neck, pulling him rather harshly, crashing your lips onto his. A muffled noise came out of Steve’s throat in surprise, but thankfully, after a few excruciating seconds, Steve realized what was going on and brought his hands around your waist, pulling you close.

You reluctantly pulled away when you felt a little lightheaded from the lack of oxygen. “Everything clear?” You panted.

“Crystal.” And he dove right back in to a searing hot kiss.

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