#he has a gender you don't need to go looking for her ''real gender'' or what ever the fuck

[muzsmoux]

Reviewing tgcf characters because I have thoughts

I finished S2 recently and I need somewhere to put my not exactly hot but like warm (?) takes because it's taking up too much storage space in my brain.

🤍 Xie Lian 🤍

It's a good thing I'm not into guys because if I was I would be on my knees for this man in every sense of that expression and his pet menace to society would mince me up like garlic.

So I'll try to be brief about my overflowing feelings about him. Xie Lian is the best main character I have come across in a WHILE. He's the embodiment of compassion and kindness. And also a cold blooded murderer. A babygirl. A father figure. A terrifying martial god. A silly little guy. A pathological liar. The most genuine man you'll ever meet. He's everything, and Hua Cheng is 100% valid in his obsession. I'm right there with him.

Rating: 10/10

❤️ Hua Cheng ❤️

Idk if we ever figured out who wrote My Immortal but I'm pretty sure we have our culprit.

"Hi my name is Hua Cheng Crimson Rain Sought Flower Red-Robed Ghost King and this is my evil weapon of death E-ming. I've killed soooo many gods with it!! My dark power is I can summon storms of BLOOD and SUFFERING. I have my own scary city of DEMONS and they all love me and think I'm HOT but I only want my BOYFRIEND who's the only REAL GOD so STOP FLAMING HIM YOU POSERS-"

Needless to say I love him. Being the 8 time winner of the Loverboy of the Century Awards with unbeatable records in the yearning olympics is truly a remarkable feat.

Rating: 9/10

(Bonus: E-ming. Cute little guy. Likes his stepdad more than his real dad. Not afraid to show it's feelings even if it makes it look like a muppet, 10/10)

🧡 Feng Xin & Mu Qing 🧡

Tweedle dee and tweedle dum gets a shared rating because they would hate to be grouped together like that and that's funny to me. Their dynamic is great, they're good characters, I wasn't sure which one was which until midway through the second season. But then also I have a pair of 7yo twin cousins who I still can't tell apart despite them not looking even a slight bit similar so that might just be a character flaw on my end. Oops.

Rating: 7/10

🩵Shi Qingxuan🩵

I'm doubling the rating because she is best boy and best girl at the same time. I love that I can use any and all pronouns for him because he's literally a pride parade personified and therefore all of them are correct. You don't get that type of chaotic fun just anywhere.

He is truly living my dream, presenting as whatever gender they want depending on what's more convenient and/or funnier in the moment. Super useful, for things like gathering intel and terrorizing Feng Xin by being a woman.

And I personally think we should crown her the new emperor. She'd look significantly better on that throne, with her Barbie-like radiance and flourishing Kenergy.

Rating: 20/10

🖤 Ming Yi 🖤

Listen, I hate to say it because I like a sunshine x grump moment as much as the next gay but he's just... not giving what he thinks he's giving. Everyone is whispering ominously about him having some dark devastating secret but MY point is no matter how big his boobs are in his female form, Shi Qingxuan could do better. I'm sorry. She really could.

Rating: 4/10

💙 Lang Qianqiu 💙

Just an honest man with good intentions and a sickass fucking sword. He did NOT hesitate to attack the infamous Crimson Rain Sought Flower on SIGHT and I respect a quick decisionmaker, even if it shows some himbo tendencies. He also has the same distinct energy as Fred from Scooby Doo.

Rating: 6/10

💚 Qi Rong 💚

He's got some odd dietary and moral choices going on. Definitely. But he's just such a fun villain!!! Being Xie Lian's nr 1 source of migraines SHOULD make me like him less but I'm sorry, every time he was on screen I was LIVING. He would do numbers on reality TV. Someone put this guy on Kitchen Nightmares, I need to see him 1v1 Gordon Ramsay.

Rating: 7/10

🌚 Jun Wu 🌚

He has his emperor status & DILF card going for him but something about this man just ain't right. If he came to a party I was attending I would cover my drink is all I'm saying.

Rating: 2/10

🔥Pei Ming🔥

I don't know much about him besides he had that one shady empolyee or whatever (could not hear the plot over the deafening sound of Hua Cheng's yearning) but I'm partial to a good manwhore character. The thought of people praying to him like "Hugh Mungus, who art in heaven-" really tickles me.

I know he's probably straight but I headcanon him as at the very least bi-curious because you can't be that hot with that much game and not use it for evil. (That evil being causing large scale gay awakenings among his soldiers.)

Rating: 7/10

❓Pei Xiu❓

Unreliable, unimportant, unattractive, unemployed.

I remember not a singular thing about him besides fucking up Xie Lian's daughter's life and also being on my last nerve from the jump. If you're going to be evil at like least be memorable about it, you know? You can't be a bad person and a bad character at the same time. Pick a struggle.

Rating: 1/10

📚 Ling Wen 📚

I heard she committed some war crimes but honestly if I had to do an entire realm's tax returns by myself AND teach Pei Ming how to read (I refuse to believe that man is literate, just look at him) I would want to rage on occasion too. I hope she has a hot wife waiting for her at home to give her massages after carrying the whole system on her back all day. It's what she deserves.

Rating: 8/10

Thank you for reading!! Opinions might change once I read the books but as of now this is it. Remembering everyone's names has been a journey and a half so this post is sponsored by @kirstenly 's character cheat sheet go look at it! and everything else too!!!

[transmascrage]

Video by ErinInTheMorning on TikTok

[Transcript (there's captions on screen but in case you can't turn on audio):

Erin: "File this one away for the transgender history books, whenever they write about our history; today Lindsey Spero, a trans man, stood in front of the Florida Board of Medicine, which was about to vote to medically ban all gender affirming care for trans youth.

He stood there to deliver his testimony, he delivered a little bit of it, but then he took the remainder of his testimony time to stand there and inject his hormone therapy in front of all of them in stunned silence, and then he turned around and raised his fist. Watch this."

Lindsey: "My name is Lindsey Spero, I'm 25 years old, I'm a resident of St. Petersburg, Florida. I'm also transgender.

I am someone who was subjected to treatments that have been questionable, that were mentioned by people like that woman who came up and spoke, I can tell you for a fact that her child is going to grow up hating her.

I'm sure you've heard many stories that sound like mine already, over the last few months my trans siblings and family members have stood before you, put their hearts on full display and vulnerable pleaded with you to listen to our stories and perspectives.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has condemned your actions and our federal government has spoken out against the actions you seek to take regarding the necessary health care for trans youth.

I could stand here and tell you about the times I attempted to end my life because I didn't have access to gender affirming care but I know, I know you don't care. I see you sneering at us while we come here and talk to you.

Instead I'm going to take the rest of my time to demonstrate the sacred and weekly ritual of my shot in front of you, in this body.

My medication is life saving, I will use HRT for the rest of my life, your denial of my need for this medication, doesn't make my existence as a trans person any less real.

I will be giving myself my subcutaneous shot in my stomach. If you have a needle phobia, please look away."

Lindsey injects his T-shot in silence, helped by another person who passes him a needle and the testosterone in its vial.

After finishing, he raises his fist and turns around to the audience.

Lindsey: "Tomorrow and forever."

The crowd cheers and a few people get up to clap.

Erin: "That, that is what I'm talking about! Good job Lindsey! This is the kind of resistance that matters!"

End transcript.]

(As a sidenote, it seems that Lindsey identifies as nonbinary, not necessarily (or exclusively, anyways) as a trans man. Some articles identify him as transmasc but all of his socials state nonbinary.)

[strangerstilinski]

𝙞𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙖 𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨

𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

word count: 2.5k warnings: none really, fluffy ending, steve is kind of a dick, mention of alcohol, gender neutral reader (pls let me know if i missed anything) based on that scene in tasm where peter spins gwen around to kiss her — with just a dash of enemies to lovers

It should go without saying that Steve Harrington is the bane of your goddamned existence. If the two of you aren't at each other's throats, it typically just means that you're both doing your best to pretend the other doesn't even exist.

And, sure, maybe it drives you a little bit insane that he seems to get along just fine with every person in your friend group except for you. It was like you pushed buttons that Steve wasn't even aware he had.

Nancy finds the whole thing amusing, says that Steve's clearly so in love with you that he doesn't know how to handle it. Eddie swears that Steve looks at you with hearts in his eyes, though any time you've caught his stare those ‘hearts’ tended to look a whole lot more like daggers. Argyle and Robin both insist that love and hate tread a very thin line, and eventually, a little push will have the two of you stumbling head over heels into each other's waiting arms. Johnathan tends to stay out of it, but then, he doesn't really need to say anything, because you've seen that look he gives you when he catches you looking a little too long at the moles dotted along the length of Steve's throat, or that stubborn lock of hair that tumbles over his brow bone, or the way his tongue pokes out and his eyes narrow cutely when he's concentrating-

You hate it. You hate Steve. Even now, you swear you hate him, regardless of the way you shamelessly ogle the curve of his bicep when he reaches across the back of the sofa to drape his arm loosely behind Robin's shoulders. You've accepted it. At this point, allowing yourself to admire his stupidly handsome physique was merely reparations for being forced to put up with him on a near-daily basis. Compensation for the never-ending bad attitude that he seemed to direct solely at you.

“Does anyone hear that?” Steve's voice speaks louder than your own suddenly, effectively cutting you off even though you'd been in the middle of a sentence. His eyes meet yours for just a brief second before his gaze is moving elsewhere, “It’s like, this annoying buzzing sound?” He's sitting up a little straighter following his interruption, brows drawing together like he's listening intently for something.

His sudden line of questioning has thoroughly derailed your train of thought. The longwinded story you'd been regaling to the group about a customer at work is cut short, the words dissolving on your tongue as your try to work out what on earth Steve is referring to. Until his interruption, you hadn't heard anything.

“What are you even talking abou-”

“There!” He cuts you off once more, “There it is again! Did you hear that, Robs?” The fingers he nudges into his best friend's ribs makes her squirm away with a deep laugh.

“Are you seriously implying that I'm the-”

“God, you are hearing that, right?” Steve interrupts with an irritatingly pleased grin on his face, “Like nails on a chalkboard-”

Though Robin's laughter isn't actually directed at you, your face burns hotly anyway. A pity-filled smile graces her lips when she meets your gaze after escaping the wrath of Steve's tickling, and the boy's chuckles of amusement only serve to make you grind your teeth together in irritation.

“Real mature, dickhead.” You snap, snatching up the beer you'd set down on the coffee table when Eddie had actually asked you about your day a few minutes before. “I was in the middle of a story.”

“Yeah, no offense, honey, but I don't think any of us were that invested hearing you talk about the ‘big tip’ that some douchebag with a hand tattoo left you.” Steve grumbled with a roll of his eyes, “If your stories weren't so boring, maybe we wouldn't all be sitting here hoping for a hole in the earth to open up under us just so we don't have to keep listening to-”

“Steve, c'mon man-” Eddie tries, though his voice is drowned out by your own.

“Jesus, do you have to be such an asshole all the time?” You snap in Steve's direction.

“I'm just saying,” Steve shrugged, “Probably the only reason he left such a big tip was because pulled the wrong bill out of his wallet. It sure as hell wasn't 'cause of your shining personality.”

“What, and just 'cause you're a jackass that means no man could ever possibly find me appealing?” You bite back.

“Yeah, well, your pretty face doesn't quite make up for your constant need for attention.”

“My need for attention?” You scoff incredilously, beer slamming back down onto the tabletop in front of you as the rest of your friends seem to fade even further into the background. “You're the one who can't stand when the focus is on me for ten fucking seconds.”

“Well I don't care if some prick hit on you at work-” Steve argues, “So, I guess, if that makes me an asshole-”

“It does, as a matter of fact,” You interrupt easily, “Because I'm constantly listening to you whine about your conquest of the week, and I'm able to do so without acting like a fucking-”

“Careful,” Steve hums, cocky little smirk reemerging on his lips, “You're sounding a little jealous, there, honey.”

“Oh, fuck off.”

“'S my house,” He returns just as quickly, “How 'bout you fuck off.”

The blood in your veins is full of fire. Your face is burning with rage and your eyes prickle traitorously with frustrated tears, because that customer from your story? That was the highlight of your day, because the rest of it had been a fucking disaster.

You'd slipped on freshly mopped floors and dropped an entire table's drink orders. You'd been forced to finish your shift with sticky, soda pop-soaked socks squelching wetly in your shoes with every step. Your boss had given you shit, even though it was one of your coworkers who had failed to put out the wet floor sign in the first place. You'd burned yourself on a hotplate, twice. And then, after all that, you'd had no choice but to take an ice-cold shower before heading over to Steve's house, because the hot water heater in your decrepit apartment building was apparently broken. Again.

“Y'know what? Fine.”

You're already rising to your feet, wiping the palms of your hands down your jeans to dry the lingering condensation from your beer. You blink furiously to push back the tears that had been pooling at your waterline, shaking your head at the ridiculousness of the turn in your evening.

“Wha-” Steve is watching you with something like concern in his eyes now, “Wh-Where're you goin'?”

“I'm leaving,” You announce, gaze steadfastly avoiding where Steve has removed his arm from around Robin's shoulders so he can sit at the edge of the couch, like he's planning to rise to his own feet at any moment. “I, um. I'll talk to you guys later.”

There are protests from everyone, but you don't bear them any mind. You're already turning on your heel and moving toward the entryway with hurried steps. The front door slams shut behind you before you've even gotten your jacket all the way on. You've still got one arm still struggling to find the hole of your sleeve when you hear the door swing back open behind you.

“Hey! Wait up.”

Steve's voice does make you slow where you've begun to move down the driveway, though you don't turn around. Your steps finally come to a stop when he calls out to you again.

“C'mon, honey wait, wait, wait-”

You blow out a frustrated breath as he finally catches up with you, your arms crossing over your chest like that might somehow put up a physical barrier between the two of you.

“I really don't want to do this with you, Harrington. Alright?” An air of defeat laces your words, one hand coming up to rub at the headache that’s begun to pulse between your brows, “Just.. Not tonight.”

You move to step around him and the heel of your boots click against the pavement once, twice. But then something hooks into the belt loop on your jeans and you're tugged back around. You lose your footing at the unexpected shift in momentum, knees wobbling unsteadily for just a moment before you're twirled back around to face him and then your palms are meeting a firm chest.

The adrenaline has your brain whiting out for just a moment, any and all thoughts screeching to a halt. There’s warmth seeping into your palms from beneath Steve’s tshirt. The racing of your own heart in your ears drowns out the distant sound of laughter and the opening trailers of a movie rental coming from inside. Your eyes are level with his chin, wide gaze locked on his lips as they quirk up at one corner with his gentle smirk. You’re still standing pigeon-toed between his own larger feet, a little off balance but held firmly in place by the wide hand splayed across your waist.

“I'm sorry.” Steve says quietly.

It’s only been a second or two since he dragged you back into his space, and to your surprise, his head dips, just a fraction. Steve brushes his nose against your own, a gentle stroke that sends butterflies in your stomach fluttering wildly. The cool mint clinging to his breath fans out over your face smelling of the gum he’s always chewing and smacking obnoxiously, but the scent this close is intoxicating. The hand he brings up to cradle your jaw is intoxicating. The loose flap of leather on his watch that tickles at the side of your throat. The way he’s leaning in-

The passion he kisses you with, from the moment your lips touch, is intoxicating. It's all-encompassing. You can’t think, and you’re not sure you’re even breathing, but his lips are moving in unhurried synchronization with your own. Your knees are weak. You’re gripping the material of his shirt in your fists just for something to hold onto, but Steve’s arm is curled tight around the curve in your spine now to hold you steady.

His tongue brushes against your lips, licking softly at the seam of your mouth like he's asking for permission. The desperate sound that crawls up your throat at just that quick brush of his tongue nestles in the depths of Steve's brain where he files it away for later. He hitches his arm even tighter at your waist, pulling your stomachs flush until your chest heaves against his own.

Your head is a little fuzzy when your lips separate long enough for you to take a breath, and you’re gasping comically in an effort to fill your lungs. Steve’s quiet chuckle meets your ears, his hand sliding back from your jaw to cup the back of your neck.

“You kissed me.” The words fall from your lips in a whisper of disbelief. Your eyes are still closed, lashes fluttering against the tops of your cheeks. You’re terrified if you open them even a crack, the entire scene will suddenly fade away around you like some kind of dream. The airy cadence of your voice is partially due to your surprise, but also thanks to the far-too-easy grace with which you've been spun and manhandled and swept entirely off your feet.

“I did,” Steve agrees just as quietly, “I did do that.”

His forehead meets your own as your eyes flutter open and he simply holds you there for a moment, nose dragging across your cheek before he presses another quick kiss to your lips. His head tilts, thumb stroking soft over the side of your throat before his mouth finds yours again, and again. These kisses are different — casual, tender, sweet and unhurried. Like he’s kissing you just because he can.

“You-” Is all you manage to get out before your words are silenced by his lips slotting between your own, but you carry on with barely a pause as you click apart once again, “Y'r still doing it.”

“Mhm.” He hums easily, the sound rumbling beneath your hands on his chest.

“Why-”

Kiss.

“Are you-”

Kiss.

“Kissing me?”

Steve’s breath mingles hotly with your own in the narrow breadth of space between your parted lips, “D’you want me to stop?”

“No. Hell no.”

And there's that perfect smile of his. Straight teeth make an appearance as his lips quirk up at the corner, a breathy spearmint scented laugh that sounds a little too relieved for the casual coolness that he's clearly trying to give off. His mouth opens like he's going to say something, but no words seem to come. Lips parted, throat bobbing as he swallows around the heavy silence weighing down his tongue.

He looks so pretty like this, you think. The light shining above your heads catches in his brown eyes, caramel sparking with flecks of gold and green that you've never noticed before, but you're sure you'll never be able to forget the sight of it now. You're still sharing breaths, faces so close that you can't avoid watching the way his full lashes blink at you dumbly. As if he isn't the one who spun you around and pulled you close and effortlessly gave you the best kiss of your entire life. As if, maybe, he didn't quite expect to make it this far, and now he's at a loss for how to proceed.

You release his shirt from your fist, the fabric crinkled and stretched with how tight you'd been gripping it, only to slide your hand up the back of his neck. The tip of his nose catches the bottom of your own, lips brushing faintly while your hand finds a new home in his hair. The soft strands tangle between your fingers when you give it a gentle tug and push up on your toes to draw yourself impossibly closer.

“If I'd known kissing you was all it took to shut you up, Harrington, I would've done it ages ago.” Your quip lacks its usual bite, but it breaks the silence between you, and it also seems to break Steve out of whatever spell he'd fallen under.

His tongue pokes out to wet his lips as he searches for an appropriate response, “Maybe we'll just have to keep kissing then.”

You find yourself swaying just a little on your feet at the way his eyes flick slow back and forth between your own, “Maybe we will.”

When his lips descend on your own again, it takes ages before he lets you back up for a decent breath of air, and even then he parts from you with obvious reluctance. You're both breathing heavy, lips a little swollen and shining wetly. Steve's expression has a warmth that you realize you've never actually seen directed at you before. Steve smiles at you, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and suddenly all you can think about is what Eddie has said a hundred times over.

It’s like there are hearts in his eyes.

[shooting-love-arrows]

A villian yandere? Not like those cartoon villian but the one that actually make the reader feel fearful, not because the villian is physicaly scary or something but the villian is so cunning, sly and manipulative like the knave from genshin or fyodor from bsd

𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐄! 𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐍

PAIRING: 𝐘𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞! 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 x reader (gender not mentioned/specified/implied) TW. manipulation, isolation, holding reader against her will, stockholm syndrome, dark yandere, flag so red my eyes hurts, unhinge, yandere behavior. A/N: Inspired by manhwas I've read so far. I'm on a roll guys. I didn't expect it to be this long too but man, he's one crazy creation.

𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

Who isolates you to the point of insanity. It is widely known humans are social creatures and we need social interactions. However, 𝐘𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞! 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 used this fact to his advantage. Knowing that after a while people go mad when they don’t interact with other people, he decided to do just that. At first his manipulation is subtle: hidden suggestions about who is right to hand with and who's not. Little yet meaningful words weaved between innocent sentences. Then when he saw his tactics working, he began to get bolder. As the group of people becomes smaller (thanks to him) 𝐘𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞! 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 starts to outwardly say they aren't people you should associate with. They are a bad influence and did you know they said this and that behind your back? Real friends don’t do that! He doesn’t do that! That's when comments about how you don't need anyone but him, who always stays by your side and was right about what he told you, each and every time. Your family isn't safe from his doings either. He never fails to drive you away from them. Suddenly they are people who lead you on and make a fool out of you. A black sheep of the family. You just had to see! Before you know it, you are completely alone with only him to talk and listen to.

"I'm just looking out for you like a best friend should be doing." 𝐘𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞! 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 wanted to vomit when he said those two, blasted words.

Who snaps and ends up locking you up. Now that you're completed isolated and you happen to start living with him, he locks you up. In a bedroom with a bathroom attached who only has necessities and nothing you could harm yourself with. You can bang, scratch and kick at the door all you want but those doors won't budge. 𝐘𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞! 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 is fully prepared. Those doors were expensive but it was worth it. Those locks could be opened by him and the material it was made of could not be so easily destroyed without certain tools you didn’t have. And you're yelling, begging and crying? It is like music to his ears. He'll often sit at the door and listen to you, basking in your voice, and when you're quiet (either pass out from exhaustion or too tired to continue), he'll pick up from where he ended the last time, manipulating you again. His sentences are repetitive and he wants to drill those into your head. He'll tell you how no one is looking for you, how he's all you need, how he'll take care of you and so on...

"Those people want to hurt you. I am doing this for your own good. If you want, I can bring you something? I was thinkng about tamagochi! They are so cut, aren't they?"

Who has to show you some tough love. 𝐘𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞! 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 didn’t expect you to realize just how much he loves you. That’s why he tried to be an understanding partner and be forgiving towards your rash and childish tantrums. But he has his limits too. For example, he notices how you don't eat meals he oh so lovingly has prepared for you. If you don’t want to eat, then he won’t force you. He just doesn't bring you food for the next 2-3 days. Only water. And on the fourth day, he'll bring you a proper meal again. Of course, like he expected, you ate it all. See? It’s not hard to act your age. You don’t see it but 𝐘𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞! 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 smiled in glee when he saw an empty plate. It's a good sign!

"I'm relieved you like the food I prepared for you. I cooked it for the first time but when I saw the recipe I knew you'd like it."

Who you grow to not only fear and love. He is your captor, the one who took away your freedom and cut all ties with society, who manipulates you and ends up breaking you. Who you feared, despised and cursed like he was the source of all evil. But the longer you stayed in the little room that became your whole world, the lines between hater and love began to blurr. Not that you realized it. At some point something switched in your brain and although you feared him, you began to ponder over his words. Maybe he's right? After this period of time, no one ended up looking for you. No one cared enough to do so. And you do only have him. He always makes time for you, brings you delicious meals, and sometimes even gifts you a little trinkets when you act good. Not to mention you live in a nice bedroom with a bathroom too. He never touched you without your consent or forced you to do anything. You could make a choice to bathe whenever you want, pick one of the books he brought you and read and so on. Your brain was suggesting that he is a caring best friend who takes care of you and protects you from all those monserts that want to hurt and bring you down. Soon enough his actions made your heart speed up.

"I knew you'll love me..." 𝐘𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞! 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 teared up when he heard your confession. It was worth the waiting becaouse now he can bulit a perfect life he always imagined having with you. "I love too. So, so, so much sometimes it hurts."

All of the published posts on this account/blog belongs to @shooting-love-arrows. I do not consent to my works being: translated, stolen, published or reposted on this and other sites. Likes, reblogs, comments are highly appreaciated. Thank you.

[theloveinc]

any hobie and/or miguel icks? 😟

whoever sent this: thank you + i ADORE you. i hope you don't mind i'm switching up the formatting/style a it in comparison to my older icks... shorter list, more detailed <3

(warning: some fem terms used at the end, such as “mama!”)

-

Miguel O'Hara

- This guy... has some long ass toenails. Type of toenails that poke you at night in bed, and tear holes in his socks.

It's maybe somewhat related to the claw thing he's got going on? Has a lot stronger and faster-growing nails than the average person... but the real problem here is that he's TERRIBLE about clipping them. Claims it doesn't bother him even remotely and that you're the one overreacting when you ask him to... but hardly anything gets through to him about it. You probably even offer to do it for him one day, thinking the offer of a foot massage would sway his thinking and that it'd actually work... but he fought you on that just as easy...!!!

...which is how you came to the conclusion that you have a man who'll even argue w/ you over toenails. Petty boy.

- Miguel is also tired 24/7. AND yeah, it's pretty hard to be un-sympathetic towards that, but he's tired in the... I'm-gonna-prioritize-this-one-last-email-over-saying-goodnight-to-you way. Which gets real irritating when you're asking him to help you out w/ anything, like cleaning up or answering a question or JUST HAVING A DAMN CONVERSATION W/ YOU and he's using "I'm tired" as an excuse when his response is shitty or distracted.

Like one of those stupid guys whose always squinting at their damn iPad when you ask what he wants for dinner... which is ironic given that he'll get snippy at you for not giving him your full, entire attention whenever he wants it. Type of man to start picking imaginary lint off your head when you're simply trying to finish up a text before engaging him so that you aren't distracted.

- Odd about Lyla. Not that he loves her or anything, but she'll like pop up to give him updates about whatever even if you're MID-MAKEOUT session and he won't change that setting. Pulling away from your lips all pouty and squinty only to glare at his watch for thirty seconds before trying to go right back into kissing you.

No. No sir.

(Lyla will also always say something to or-but-usually-and about you, which... Okay, she's an AI and doesn't Get It... but it's still weird because it feels like someone you don't know just walked into the room.)

- Picks his nose when he's too busy to find a tissue, and forgets to sanitize his hands after. Denies this when you tell him.. but you've witnessed this multiple times (he's weirdly kind of whiney for a dude and lazy for a workaholic LOL).

Hobie Brown

- Lovely boyfriend because he doesn't give a crap about your appearance or the idea of needing to "look nice" for a man... but also stupid, nuisance boyfriend because this means he doesn't give one hoot if you try to get all gussied up for him. Nags you about wasting time getting ready because he doesn't need you to do all that instead of just saying "THANK YOU, YOU LOOK NICE." Even probably complains about you feeding into gender stereotypes or w/e when you do something like shave your legs or pluck your eyebrows😭

You try to talk to him about this, ask if he even cares that you tried to look nice, and he skirts around admitting it because he has an argument for everything. "'oughta know I think you're pretty either way"-ass when you just spent an hour trying to look all good for him.

- Tries to share the most obscure music with you... which is like, sweet in concept, but weird when it actually happens since it's never like a generic love song but an eleven minute underground jam session.

Which isn't to say he has bad taste in music, usually it's fine if not fantastic... but you try to tell him you don't want to listen to some dude's first draft of himself banging on a drum set for a full album and he's like: "tsk."

HOBIE. TSK??? FUCKING TSK????????? WHAT ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE LIKE????????

(He'll also use his to get out of listening to your music. Claiming his "inconsistency" is why he liked your playlist yesterday but not today. Stop!!!)

- And you know I gotta say it, he's a punk, after all: absolutely refuses to clean his favorite leather jacket, and it smells RANK. He's genuinely sentimental about it, though... and if you even try to bring up cleaning it somehow (even if very gently), he's acting like you betrayed him. Goes through the five stages of grief over you asking him not to wear it on one of your dates, and teases you by TALKING to it:

"Mumma didn't mean that, jackie. She just doesn't understand our lifestyle, does she?" while giving you a (lighthearted) stink eye.

[inkskinned]

i. about 2 weeks ago, i was told there's a good chance that in 5 or so years, i'll need a wheelchair.

ii. okay. i loved harry potter as a kid. i have a hypothesis about this to be honest - why people still kind of like it. it's that she got very lucky. she managed to make a cross-generational hit. it was something shared for both parents and kids. it was right at the start of a huge cultural shift from pre to post-internet. i genuinely think many people were just seeking community; not her writing. it was a nice shorthand to create connection. which is a long way of saying - she didn't build this legacy, we built it for her. she got lucky, just once. that's all.

iii. to be real with you, i still struggle with identifying as someone with a disability, which is wild, especially given the ways my life has changed. i always come up against internalized ableism and shame - convinced even right now that i'm faking it for attention. i passed out in a grocery store recently. i hit my head on the shelves while i went down.

iv. he raises his eyebrows while he sends me a look. her most recent new book has POTS featured in it. okay, i say. i already don't like where this is going. we both take another bite of ramen. it is a trait of the villain, he says. we both roll our eyes about it.

v. so one of the things about being nonbinary but previously super into harry potter is that i super hate jk rowling. but it is also not good for my mental health to regret any form of joy i engaged with as a kid. i can't punish my young self for being so into the books - it was a passion, and it was how i made most of my friends. everyone knew about it. i felt like everyone had my same joy, my same fixation. as a "weird kid", this sense of belonging resonated with me so loudly that i would have done anything to protect it.

vi. as a present, my parents once took me out of school to go see the second movie. it is an incredibly precious memory: my mom straight-up lying about a dentist appointment. us snickering and sneaking into the weekday matinee. within seven years of this experience, the internet would be a necessity to get my homework finished. the world had permanently changed. harry potter was a relic, a way any of us could hold onto something of the analog.

vii. by sheer luck, the year that i started figuring out the whole gender fluid thing was also the first year people started to point out that she might have some internalized biases. i remember tumblr before that; how often her name was treated as godhood. how harry potter was kind of a word synonymous for "nerdy but cool." i would walk out of that year tasting he/him and they/them; she would walk out snarling and snapping about it.

viii. when i teach older kids creative writing, i usually tell them - so, she did change the face of young adult fiction, there's no denying that. she had a lot more opportunities than many of us will - there were more publishing houses, less push for "virally" popular content creators. but beyond reading another book, we need to write more books. we need to uplift the voices of those who remain unrepresented. we need to push for an exposure to the bigotry baked into the publishing system. and i promise you: you can write better than she ever did. nothing she did was what was magical - it was the way that the community responded to it.

ix. i get home from ramen. three other people have screenshotted the POTS thing and sent it to me. can you fucking believe we're still hearing this shit from her when it's almost twenty-fucking-twenty-three. the villain is notably also popular on tumblr. i just think that's funny. this woman is a billionaire and she's mad that she can't control the opinions of some people on a dying blue site that makes no money. lady, and i mean this - get a fucking life.

x. i am sorry to the kid i was. maybe the kid you were too. none of us deserved to see something like this ruined. that thing used to be precious to me. and now - all those good times; measured into dust.

/// 9.6.2022 // FUCKING AGAIN, JK? Are you fucking kidding me?

[grison-in-space]

Currently rereading Eric Flint's 1632 and reflecting on just how influential Flint was to me and my approach to both praxis and politics as a teenager. I found Flint when I was about thirteen or fourteen, around the time I found Pratchett I think, and he's left an equally wide thumbprint on my soul. Isn't that the most wonderful thing about stories, that people you've never met can help shape our adult selves? Mother of Demons I often recommend for its SFF worldbuilding--Flint built a species with at least four genders, only some of which are reproductive, and associated "normal" sexual orientations, and then proceeded to write in a textually intersex character and queer the hell out of it.

1632, though, is the one where a little West Virginia town in 2000 gets picked up and dropped in the middle of Thuringia, Germany in the eponymous year--right in the middle of the Thirty Years War. The local United Mine Workers of America chapter plays a major role, particularly its head.

As I write this I'm listening to the scene where the little town of Grantville, having admitted after a few days that they are probably not ever going home, is crowded into the high school gymnasium listening to the mayor lay that reality out and suggesting an interim council to help the town set out a sort of constitutional convention so they can work out what on earth they're going to do moving forward--especially since there's a bunch of displaced refugees collecting in the forests nearby. Sensible of them, really; the Americans murdered the shit out of the local soldiers that displaced them, on account of how the shaken mine workers that went out to figure out WTF happened not being super down with suddenly running into a bunch of fuckheads raping the locals and torturing people to find out where their valuables might be. After that, said Americans proceeded to retreat into the town boundaries and gibber quietly to themselves. I would go lurk in their woods, too.

Anyway, the mayor sets up this proposal, everyone agrees, and a CEO who was visiting for his son's wedding at the time steps forward and says: look. I know how to lead, and I'm probably the most qualified person here. I lead a major industry corporation effectively and I did that after my time as a Navy officer. I put myself forward because I'm qualified. Now, we're going to need to circle the wagons to get through the winter, tighten our belts, but we can get through this. We can't support all these refugees, though; we'll have to seal the border so they can't bring disease--they're a drain on our resources we can't afford--

and the UMWA guy, he gets really mad listening to this. There's this Sephardic refugee woman he's real taken with who got swept up in the town first thing, and she's sitting in and listening; he's thinking about throwing her out, thinking about how much she knows about the place they're found in, and he's furious. But he gets a good grip on his anger and he marches up and he says, look. This dude has been here two days and he's already talking about downsizing?! You're going to listen to this CEO talking about cuts, cuts, cuts? Nah. Trying to circle the wagons is probably impossible, it's stupid, and if you think my men and I are going to enforce that, you can fuck off. That proposal is inside out and bass ackwards. We've got about a six mile diameter of Grantville here; how much food do YOU think we're going to grow? How about the soldiers wandering around, do you think we're going to be able to fight armies off on our lonesome? Look at the few refugees we already have in the room, they'll tell you how those armies will treat you! We could do it for a while, the amount of gun nuts here, but so what? We don't have enough people to shoot them! Not if we're going to do anything else to keep us going! We have about six months of stockpiled coal to keep going, and without another source or getting the coal mines working, we're screwed. We have technical strength but we don't have the supplies or resources we would need to maintain it. Those refugees? They're resources. We need people to do the work we will need to keep ourselves. The hell with downsizing; let's grow outwards! Bring people in, give them safety, see what they can bring to the table once they've had a moment! He invokes: send us your tired, your poor!, and the CEO yells in frustration: this isn't America! so he yells back "it will be!"

And of course everyone cheers. I love Flint for many reasons but he is unapologetic about affection for the America of ideals--ideals, he freely admits, that are often honored in the breach rather than the observance, ideals that are messy and flawed, but nevertheless ideals that can work to inspire us to become the best version of ourselves. For Flint, history is as valuable as a source of stories to inspire ourselves as it is a repository of knowledge, and on this I tend to agree with him. We must learn from our moments of shame but equally we must learn from moments that show us how to be our best selves.

It's been twenty three years and the text is now an interesting historical document in its own right, hitting points and rhythms in beats that are sometimes out of place today. It's not perfect. But the novel contains a commitment to joy and to emphasizing the leaps of faith and understanding that regular, everyday people make every day to try and support each other that I routinely try to match in my writing.

Anyway, one of the strengths of the novel, I think, is its gender politics: it's a very ensemble kind of novel, lots of characters, and it's preoccupied with positive masculinity in a lot of ways. There's a lot of these hyper masculine characters--Mike Stearns perhaps more than anyone else--and--and...

... And Flint's characterization of Stearns, as he sketches out who the man is--his pivotal American leader, ex boxer, working class organizer, big man.... well, it lands equally on "he is delighted and astonished to find a local woman who quickly assesses how the cushion of air in tires works," and "he considers who to set up a Jewish refugee in the middle of Germany up with and he thinks to ask the Jewish family he grew up with to host her and her ill father because he thinks she'll be most comfortable there", and "he views people as potential assets rather than potential drains." A younger man asks him for advice on whether to pursue a professional sports career because of the boxing and he says no, you're in the worst place of not being quite good enough and you'll blow out your knees without accomplishing safety. He frames that interaction such that he allows his own experiences to make him vulnerable and invite the younger man to understand when a struggle have worth it.

It's actually a really deft portrayal of intense masculinity that also makes a virtue of a bunch of traits more usually associated with women: empathy, relational sensitivity, the ability to listen. As a blueprint for what a positive masculinity can look like, vs the toxic kind, it's very well done. I think sometimes when we look at gender roles in terms of virtues, and when masculinity is defined in terms of opposition to femininity, people get lost by arguing that virtues assigned to one gender are somehow antithetical to another gender. In fact that's never been the case: virtues are wholly neutral and can appear in any gender. What the gender does is inflect the ways we expect that virtue to appear in terms of individuals' actions within their society.

Gender isn't purely an individual trait, basically; it's a product of our collective associations. Two characters with different genders can display the same virtues and strengths, but we imagine them expressed in different ways according to our cultural expectations around gender. And I just think that's neat.

[oftidheard]

oop coryo x reader where reader is his gf before the lucy gray thing and lucy kills her at some point (she’s not a tribute) which is why he hates lucy and why he turns evil

i tweaked this a little because i love lucy gray and don't want to fall victim to villainising the canon love interest, hopefully it still works ♡ general warning as always for just coriolanus himself, as well as blood & death. + gn reader because gender descriptors never came up

❄ i turn into dust, but you never stop trying ㅤ⠀coriolanus snow x reader ㅤ⠀↳ 1.1k ↳ angst ↳ gender neutral

your swift footsteps approach coriolanus once you see that his tribute has wondered off to get a proper look at the arena, just as your own has. he notices you almost immediately — he's always had the uncanny ability to know even just when you've entered a room — and meets your eyes.

a moment later you're stood close to him, a hand reaches for his own accompanied by desperate whispers.

"you need to convince lucy gray to ally with sol," you beg, having broached the topic with your boyfriend earlier but always ended with the same fact that he was certain lucy gray would not cooperate with such a plan; allying with the frail girl from district five.

"she'll never survive on her own, but she's not useless, coryo. no one else will want her, but with lucy gray she'd be safe."

coriolanus takes a breath, wrapping his hand around yours in a slight comforting gesture, his eyebrows furrowed and mouth barely downturned, in thought.

he knows, deep down, that if you asked enough, that if you started to cry and he had to watch tears roll down your cheeks; he'd give in. even if it was just a lie, even just to falsely promise you something so you aren't vexed late at night. he knows he'd do it, for you, but he also knows you're not going to make a scene about this, nor rest the fate of your relationship with him on whether his tribute assists yours.

coriolanus sighs and ghosts a finger across your jawline, "i've already asked her," a lie — he truly believes there's no point in an endeavour he knows lucy gray will reject, "but i will again," a truth. if you're lucky.

you let out a deep breath and nod, your worry still causing you to lean back and forth on the balls of your feet and remain unable to control the river of overthinking running through your head, but coriolanus's presence is starting to calm you down.

your head meets his chest for a moment as you try to reassure yourself that everything's okay, his thumb running over your hand quietly, and the shield the two of you have created around yourselves drowns out any other worries. you only lift your head seconds later when the real world floods back in and you give him a small smile — ingenuine, but a sign to say that you'll be okay.

you turn around to walk further to the centre of the arena, crossing the bold designs to where you see sol on the outskirts of most of the other tributes, who appear to be forming teams and deciding enemies. you just hope until coriolanus talks to lucy gray again, that the others simply view your tribute as too weak to be a threat. that feels like the only way she could have a chance at this rate.

your shoes echo against the ground, and you catch other mentor's conversations in passing as you quickly pass the centre of the arena displaying a welcoming smile to sol — who's now noticed your return — when you feel a shift.

you register the rumbling in your chest before your recognise that your feet are no longer on the ground, that you've been flung through the air.

all there is now is the ringing in your ears and the dull thud of your head hitting the ground, the tingling feeling running down your spine and the numbness growing in your right leg.

it's like you have all the time in the world as you force yourself to sit up, like you're stuck in slow motion and if you were to stop and smell the roses for a moment, the world would let you take the little break until you're ready to face your fate again.

not far behind from where your hand searches the back of your head for traces of blood, and your brain slowly starts to register the speed of your heartbeat in tune with the sounds of screams surrounding you, lies coriolanus.

his mind is overcome with the need to survive, up until the moment lucy gray frees his body from beneath the pillar and his eyes flicker across the arena only to land on you; leant over your still trapped leg, almost surrounded by flames ready to swallow you.

his breathing grows ragged not from the physical exertion nor the growing clouds of smoke; but from the realisation that if you don't free your leg within the next blink of an eye, the carnage will claim you, and you'll die.

coriolanus doesn't consciously make the choice to step further into the destruction — if he were thinking logically, if he couldn't see the blood flowing from the back of your delicate head, he'd probably turn and run; save himself. but his feet keep drawing him towards you.

debris is still falling around him as he picks up the pace on his shaky legs, when a hand from behind grabs his wrist, immediately trying to furiously tug him back.

coriolanus turns to find lucy gray behind him, hair amess and eyes wide in terror, her lips moving as her pull on his arm never ceases, but he cannot hear a word she says.

he yells something to her not even loud enough for his own ears, something that screams of you, that you're dying just steps away and the longer he stands here the quicker you'll succumb.

lucy gray's eyebrows furrow in recognition, but still she gestures to the exit and pulls on coriolanus's arm. he shakes his head, and tries to pull away against the weak girl who shouldn't even be a match against himself.

but as he tries to run, something roars above; a crack like lightning followed by the roof almost caving in.

this throws the pair back, still upright but unsteady, and blocks coriolanus's view of you in a flash.

his attention is far too focused on the debris that separates you from him, to even begin to fight against lucy gray's force again.

he finds something inside him take over, and his feet run quick with lucy gray until they reach the gates of the arena. but even as he runs, coriolanus's mind fixates on the warm hand of the girl beside him and how her touch all of a sudden disgusts him. the firm hold of the girl who can't not have seen your body slowly losing its life just ahead of her, the girl who is more than perceptive enough to know you meant something to the boy.

lucy gray is the girl who in some nauseous way is the reason you aren't running out of this arena with him now. lucy gray is the girl — if even for a moment that coriolanus will undoubtedly soon bury away deep where it cannot affect him — that he no longer feels the overwhelming desire to keep alive.

coriolanus thinks, as he and her survive the fray, that he wants lucy gray baird dead for what she did to you.

[thechekhov]

Chekhov Reads Dungeon Meshi: CH47

I would like to thank Ryoko Kui for this.

I really love how, despite being antagonistic with Chilchuck, Izutsumi seems to like Marcille and him the best out of all the rest.

You know they're Japanese pancakes with that amount of air padding them out.... 😂

You know, it's interesting because if I remember correctly, taste is the oldest sense we have. Basic organisms surviving in water needed to be able to taste the environment in order to allow it to move away from acidic water, or dangerous environments. So it's curious that their taste is no longer working while their other senses remain.

....sounds like it was maybe less of the...power.... and maybe more of the fact that his old childhood friend was growing old?

....... y'know. Just suggesting...

To fight a trainer with a powerful pokemon, you must first capture a powerful pokemon yourself.

AIEEEEE~

I was JUST about to say "man, this kid seems to be a genuinely good leader! His people don't fear him and he has a good head on his shoulders. I sure hope nothing bad happens to him!"

And here we are.

Oooooh a forest? Or one of those water places.

Update: One of those water places. A cistern.

Her charm wore off! And now she can experience unspeakable horrors of being known in a vulnerable state.

Someone get this poor man some google maps.

Laios, why do you look.... less than thrilled with this information?

Oh, his Fixation Sense is tingling, that's why.

Oh? Rare Senshi moment of stubbornness?

Mayhaps even.... A BACKSTORY?

When the party is in Analysis Paralysis and the DM says 'roll initiative'

Marcille is taking this Crazy Future Girlfriend thing to all new highs.

Is he afraid of birds? Or lions? Or both? What is happening here? It makes no sense. It would be delicious! Senshi, stop that's like 60 kg of chicken wings, easy!

BONUS:

Here's the thing. They aren't like, twins necessarily. But I do think that Falin, while she's just as weird as Laios is, makes herself approachable to people. She cares about ghosts as beings, instead of seeing them only as a scientific anomaly.

But other than that.... honestly I feel like Toshi wouldn't fall in love with a female Laios either.

Marcille and Falin being MORE likely to go out to the dungeon as women makes sense somehow. Though I am amused at how femme-leaning all elves are naturally.

I think these gender twists are all pretty surface level but given that it's a conversation the party has in real time... I get it.

[burning-academia-if]

Burning Academia

Demo Updated: January 19th, 2024

Current Word Count: 41.3k (w/code)

Demo | Pinterest | F.A.Q. | Navigation | Bonus Content | Spotify

You never thought you'd go to college, due to your circumstances. But you especially didn't dream you'd be forced to attend the prestigious Vales Grove University after being attacked by wraiths in their library. What started as a visit to a long time friend, ended with your hands burned, your innocence questioned, and the startling realization magic is real. To apologize for what's happened to you, or more accurately, to keep an eye on you, the Headmaster himself offers you enrollment with all fees waived. With no real choice in the matter, you become a student, and try to ignore the suspicion everyone throws your way. Besides, you have worse things to deal with. Like how you've started to attract ghosts and other dead things, or the fact that there is a very living thing inside your head, waiting for you to lower your guard and take control. And most pressing of all, managing your obligation to a family that hasn't been such a thing in years. Tread carefully, if the ghosts don't devour you, the university certainly might.

Customize the MC; gender, appearance, personality, etc!

Romance six questionable love interests, or not!

A morality system which changes how your story will go. Do you belong to the day, the night, or somewhere in between?

A complicated family, which you've been shackled to your whole life. Will you ever be able to escape them? Do you even want to?

Survive college, your job, and attempt to not have a quarter life crisis.

Avoid getting devoured by all the things that go bump in the night.

Retain your free will.

Dawn: The world has never been kind, but that hasn't stopped you from giving up. You'll run through the night and embrace the rising dawn. A path of becoming hope.

Day: There's light in the world, if one only knows how to look. As long as you hold on, the light will find you, too. A path of finding solace.

Dusk: All you've known is suffering, and you won't stand for it any longer. Regardless where that leads you, or the choices you need to make to save yourself. A path leading to freedom.

Night: There's no hope here, not as things stand. You'll change it all, even if you must stand in the darkness. A path of destroying everything which has sought to destroy you.

More simply: Dawn/Day: traditional good paths, Dusk: anti-hero path, Night: "villain" path

Rook Bellerose [M]: A "best friend" you've known for almost a decade now. He's never let you get close even after all this time. He's the king of jokes and immaturity, but after the events which led to your enrollment at Vales Grove, something's changed. Maybe it's the guilt, or maybe it's the mask finally slipping.

Beck Castro [M]: Rook's detested roommate, although you aren't sure why. He's the kind of guy who likes to hear himself talk, and he's pretty good at it. He can captivate a room or get himself out of any situation. For whatever reason, he's taken a keen interest in you, and has offered his help for whatever you might need.

Rhea Windsor [F]: The Headmaster's daughter. Everyone who talks about her often complains that she's the traditional prim and proper young woman one would expect from a Headmaster's daughter. However, the more you talk to her, the more you realize she's the exact opposite with a dorky personality and a streak of clumsiness.

Zoe Ripley [NB]: A loner who hides in the library to avoid people. They saw what went down the day you were forced to attend Vales Grove. Despite their prickly attitude, you get the sense they aren't a bad person, and despite how they act, they've never refused to help you. If anything, you seem to be the one person on campus who doesn't get on their nerves, professors included.

Lars Angel [M]: The most exhausted person you've ever seen, and that's saying something. He's a grad student, and one you keep running in to. He can't stand you, and you can only guess at why. With a sharp tongue and a bitter disposition, he tries his best to avoid you. Too bad you both keep running into each other. It looks like fate has other plans.

???[M/F/NB]: The thing which haunts you. You have no idea how the two of you got connected, but you can feel it in your blood, organs, neurons, synapses. You know it's evil, you know it wants to consume you, but tell me? Has anything ever cradled your soul so gently before?

Poly Route options:

Beck/Rook [triad]: Dawn or Day Path

Rook/??? [triad]: Night Path

Rhea and Zoe [V]: Dawn or Dusk Path

[RO Portraits]

CW: Gore, violence, parental neglect, emotional abuse, parental abuse, alcoholism, depression, classism, mtc

RO Route CWs (contains spoilers): Read here

[ncis-nerd]

Natasha winking at you in a meeting

grey november au

-You were new to the building. Steve hired you to listen in on their meetings and take notes.

-After one of many arguments of who said what, Steve finally caved. He agreed to get someone who they vetted well to keep track.

-Now it was quite obvious you were younger than the old agents but it didn't stop the Russian spy from stealing glances at you.

-You'd be in the kitchen making coffee and turn around to the red-head inches away from you.

-Startled, you jump, nearly clashing into her. "Sorry dear, didn't mean to scare ya" she hummed, catching you in her arms.

-"O-oh, it's okay Miss Romanov, I really should be getting back to my work." You rush out of the room. Why was she everywhere you went? You could swear she was following you. But she won't do that...Would she?

-Later that day, Steve called an emergency meeting. Something about their enemies plotting a heist and they needed to stop that.

-You took your usual spot next to Steve, across from Natasha. You put your computer down on the table.

-"Alright, now that we have everyone.." Steve babbled on. You were just focused on typing. Documenting everything that was said.

-Steve stops talking for a second. You look up, Steve says "We will have Nat go in, she is the best lookin and our only chance at distracting the guard."

-You looked at Nat with doe eyes. Could Steve really do this? Why was Nat always the one who had to do their dirty work? Seducing the gross older men.

-Nat met your eyes and gave you a wink. Upon seeing your frown, she gives you a comforting smile. But you go back to your duty of typing.

-After the meeting is over, everyone has left. Well, except you and Nat. You were still typing but you're about done now. As you're getting up to leave, Nat grabs your arm.

-"Wait." She said, looking at you. You turn around, confused because Miss Romanov never makes you stay back. Did you do something wrong?

-Nat could sense your anxiety and sees you fidgeting nervously with your hoodie string. "Don't worry. You're not in trouble hun. Just wanted to make sure you're okay. You seemed upset in the meeting?" Nat question.

-You sighed "Miss Roman-" "Call me Natasha" the spy cut you off. "Natasha, it's wrong for them to treat you like this. Like- like you're just a pretty woman they can use to distract creepy men who can't keep it in their pants." You pouted, holding her hand.

-"Pretty? You think I'm pretty hm?" She teased. You were still frowning. She sighed, realizing this is what was bothering you before.

- "Okay, detka. I'll be honest with you. In this field of work, unfortunately most people will want you on missions just because youre a woman. I do lose a bunch of opportunities because of my gender but if I can help the planet then I think it's worth it." she says in a more serious tone.

-Softening her gaze when you ask her why she doesn't just quit. "It's not that simple, love." She sighed, wiping a stray tear that escaped your eye.

-You don't register you're crying until the older woman pulls you in. Embracing her warmth, she holds you close and strokes your hair. She closes her eyes, trying to remember this moment.

-That you are real and you care about her.

A/N: new possible au?? what we thinking? want more of this storyline?

taglist: @ssa-shaylam @madamevirgo @radcherryblossompainter @midastouch013 @dumbasslesbi @krystallevine @ellieromanov @midastouch013

[werewolf-witchboy]

Druig X Eternal! Reader

✨ (Gender Neutral) ✨

No Warnings.

After many years of being split up, the Eternals must come together as a team again. Nobody seems to know where you've been all these years, so they've gone to the one person who might know of your whereabouts...

Little did they know that you're a lot closer than they thought.

"You have given me a lot of bad news in one go, my lady." Druig's tone is a lot less welcoming after he's been told the horrible truth.

"You and (Y/n) are the main parts of our big plan. We need you both to get through this." Sersi explained again. "Will you help us?"

"We can't find (Y/n)." Ikaris cut to the chase, obviously not ecstatic about needing Druig.

"All of us have searched across almost the whole planet." Sersi subtly encouraged Ikaris away from Druig, sensing the tension already rising between them. "All of (Y/n)'s favorite countries, every area we've had somekind of special or significant moment, we've even asked elders who've written many books about (Y/n). Found not a trace of where they could possibly be."

Drugs arms stayed crossed. "I don't think it's my business to just give out personal information like that." Once his fellow Eternals showed up, his peace was interrupted and he now has a headache.

He knows he told them to "make themselves at home," but he didn't expect them to drop all of this shocking news on him about their true purpose as Eternals, and then interrogate him about your location.

"Do you all remember this forest? Beautiful." Druig walked around the room with his hands clasped behind his back, trying to make small talk and steer the topic away from (Y/n). "It was the last place that we all lived together." His tone held some sorrow at the memories.

"I've protected these people for 20 generations now. From the outside world, and from themselves."

Druig towered over Kingo's valete, Karun. "Your kind, my friend, you will be responsible for your own extinction one day. Don't you think?"

Karun looked a little intimidated, but he answered honestly.

"I think that we must learn from our mistakes and do better, sir. You must not give up hope."

Druig did not seem to like his answer, expressing so by possessing Kingo's valet and proceeding to throw his camera against a wall, thoroughly frightening Karun and pissing off Kingo.

"Oh, where is your sense of humor Kingo?"

"You are not a god. You know that right?"

"How ironic. Kingo, the movie star."

"I've directed some things too."

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"Some internet content..."

"How many views?"

"I don't do it for the views-"

"Let's go. He's waisting our time." Ikaris started heading towards the door.

"We need him and (Y/n)." Sersi tried to reason.

"Ikaris!" Druig stepped in front of the taller man's path. "I missed you."

Druig was really pushing it right now. "Are you not gonna charm me or threaten me?"

"There's a third option if you'd prefer that."

"It must be heartbreaking to find out that you're not mothers favorite." Druig taunted about Ikaris not being the next chosen leader.

"I'm sure she'd be real proud about what you've been up to." Ikaris always seemed to fall for the psychic's taunting.

"Druig, this is serious." Sersi tried to butt in once more.

"I'll tell you what's serious." Druig's voice got louder as he seemed to get more annoyed.

"I've just been told that I was sent on a suicide mission for the past 7,000 years, and that my entire existence is a lie." He looked Sersi in the eyes. "So excuse me for not giving a shit about your plan right now."

Athena stepped forward, brushing away Gilgamesh's hand that attempted to stop her from engaging in the conflict. She'd been quiet this whole time, but nobody else seemed to be getting anywhere with the stubborn psychic.

"This is very important. Everything will be lost if we can't stop the celestial birth. You have to admit that we've all gained somekind of admiration for humanity. Not only will the humans be gone, but so will all of the memories we've shared on Earth. Our memories with each other." Athena turned away from the rest of the Eternals, only addressing Druig when she said her next line, hoping that she'll strike a chord in him. "Your memories with (Y/n)."

Everyone was silent.

Druig let out a heavy sigh, but before he could even open his mouth to say anything, the large wooden door creeked open slowly.

"Hey Druig, I-"

Silence still hung heavy in the room amongst the Eternals, but this time it was shock.

There you stood, slightly different from the last time they've seen you many years ago, but still you. It all made sense now, why you were nowhere they searched, even though they've literally checked everywhere.

Your voice got caught in your throat as soon as you entered the cabin filled with your old friends, whom you may also have been technically hiding from.

"Uh...bad timing." Druig's voice rang in your head. Your panicked eyes met his from across the room.

"Holy shit." Kingo was the first to speak up. "(Y/n) has been here with Druig the whole time?!"

You let out an awkward chuckle, not knowing how to reply.

"What have the two of you even been doing here together for all of these years?!" Kingo's arms flailed in the air dramatically, obviously annoyed that all of their searching was for nothing.

"Actually, don't answer that question." Sprite put her hands up when she saw the look you and Druig exchanged.

"Ohmygosh-" Ikaris pinched the bridge of his nose in disgust.

Confused, Kingo looked back and fourth between everyone. "Wha- I wasn't even aware the two of them are a thing."

Everyone turned to look at the man in purple with expressions that read "really?"

"Are you telling me that I'm the only one who didn't know?!" Kingo was still going on about it. "(Y/n) is too kind and cute for Druig!"

You couldn't help but laugh behind your hand as Druig rolled his eyes, fighting a small smirk.

You had to admit that you missed your family.

"Well I for one honestly don't care where (Y/n) has been this whole time. I'm just glad to see them again!" Gilgamesh stomped up to you and scooped you into a big bear hug, fits of giggles escaping you as he squeezed your breath away.

Laughter eventually erupts from everyone, the atmosphere a stark contrast from how it was only 5 minutes ago.

When all was settled down again, Sersi sat you down and told you everything...

The tragic death of Ajak, your wise leader and mother figure.

How your purpose is to keep a planet happy and thriving just to destroy it by creating a celestial.

How all of your memories have been erased countless times, because you've killed planets and birthed celestials countless times.

By the end of it, you were a sobbing mess. You've always been a little more sensitive than the others, so this obviously deeply soured the peppy family reunion mood you were in.

There was no question that you were going along with Phastos's plan. You wanted to keep these memories that you've spent centuries cherishing, and you wanted to watch humanity grow so much more.

When you declared your certainty about going with them, Druig was dragged in by default.

Wherever you went, he went.

You did the same for him when shit hit the fan in Tenochtitlan and he left.

You knew you'd miss the little civilization that you and Druig have helped create, but it'll still be there after you've saved the planet. When it's all over, you can go back with Druig and continue waking up next to him every morning to start a busy day of harvesting crops and handwashing laundry.

For now though, it's back to Olympia.

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

"Well, look who it is!"

"Didn't think you'd be so glad to see me Phastos." Druig remarked with a smirk.

"I'm not. I was talking about (Y/n)." He brushed past the raven haired Eternal to embrace you.

Makkari elbowed the psychic, who had been grinning like an idiot while watching (Y/n).

"You look like a lovesick puppy." She signed.

Druig rolled his eyes, but his grin never faltered.

"Well, I for one, still can't believe it!" Kingo's appeared on the other side of Druig.

"I've never seen this man smile bigger than that annoying smirk." Kingo playfully leaned an arm on Druig's shoulder.

"I've also had the displeasure of seeing them kiss like 50 times during the time spand of getting here from the Amazon."

"You're just jealous." Makkari joked.

"What?! No! I get tons of babes! I just don't have the time for a committed relationship." Kingo stuck his nose in the air.

You tried not to smile while listening to your friends tease Druig. You continued pretending to pay attention to Phastos's rambling about a new invention idea.

Druig's eyes caught yours.

"Get me outta here!" He pleaded in your head.

"We just got here baby." Your voice is always so gentle and soothing in his brain. Even though he's begging to leave, he doesn't mind staying as long as you're here.

"Alright. You definitely owe me one, love." A smug look dawned his features as he affectively ignored the two Eternals babbling next to him.

You felt your ears and cheeks blush, going thankfully unnoticed by Phastos.

You are going to do absolutely anything to make sure that you both come out of all of this alive and well. There's no way you could possibly imagine a lifetime without Druig.

[rookflower]

seeing nightheart arguments again as with every asc release so once again, a reminder that when people say "nightheart's arc (or that of any other warrior cats character for that matter) is sexist", 99% of the time they are not calling the character, themselves, within the universe, a misogynist. nightheart in the books does not hate women. liking nightheart is not misogyny. what IS sexist there is the choices the authors make when they are writing a character. because at the end of the day, the characters themselves are not real.

in nightheart's case, at the start of his story almost every female character in his life (sparkpelt, finchlight, squirrelflight, lilyheart, myrtlebloom, etc) was written as being needlessly cruel to him, in spite of their own characters, and the male characters in his life (bramblestar, alderheart, bayshine) were written as far kinder or more reasonable towards him. the issue was not the FACT people were being mean to him, but the blatant trend and malicious gendered stereotypes going on with how it was handled.

"but they've been redeemed by Thunder! they're all being nicer to him now!" yeah, but isn't it super fucking weird that it was written like that in the first place? that finchlight changed personality like the weather when she should have been a prominent enough character to have an established one, that sparkpelt needs to redeem herself for absences in squirrelflight's hope and tbc that were unfairly out of her control and were not even considered an issue until now it's convienent to make her son sad, that squirrelflight was treated as antagonistic and cruel over asking her adult grandson to do some chores or whatever?

"but that's the author's fault, not the character's!" the character is not real though. he doesn't have feelings that can be hurt, what is there are the words on the page, and a lot of people will look at a character's arc rather than imagining them as a real person or making up headcanons to fill in gaps. there is also nothing wrong with people disliking a character you like. that is always going to happen forever.

"so are you saying i'm sexist because i like or relate to nightheart?" no, nobody is saying this. nightheart is an insecure angsty young adult protagonist in a tonally silly book series who has a complicated relationship with his family and gets into relationship drama, of course a bunch of people are going to latch on to him, and there's nothing wrong with that. i know a ton of nightheart fans. people criticising him is not a personal attack on you or anyone.

"you're looking into this too deeply" man this is warrior cats tumblr, what are any of us doing here. sometimes engaging critically with a text is fun. sometimes, texts have genuine flaws and harmful biases within their writing and it's useful to learn to identify and analyse them. warrior cats is not and never will be peak literature and i don't think anybody expects it to be but that doesn't mean people aren't allowed to take critical approaches to it on anything more than a surface level.

[spidybaby]

Begin Again | Part Five

Summary: I've been spending the last few months thinking all love ever does is break, burn, and end, but when I look at you shining eyes, I watch it Begin Again.

Warnings: cursing.

A/N: Hello loves ❤️ thank you so much for being there for me on this journey, I'm so thankful for all the messages, the comments, the likes, and the reblogs. I'm so thankful for all of you who supported this story. I really hope this ending is worthy and you liked it 💛✨️

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Extra One Shot

"Un hijo?" (A child?) He asks confused.

You can hear your dad scuffing like the whole situation was funny to him.

"Pedro," you walk slowly, getting closer. "Dejame explicarte" (Let me explain)

"This is what you were talking about?"

"Por favor." You grab his arm. "Let me explain everything to you. Just not here."

You push him slightly, not wanting to have that conversation in front of your parents.

"Y/n," you mom calls for you. "Por favor, dime que vas a volver. Tenemos que terminar esta conversación." (Please tell me you're coming back, we have to finish this conversation)

"Es enserio?" You scuff. "Adiós." (Are you for real? Goodbye.)

You close the door and walk over to where Pedro is standing.

"Can we go back to your place?"

"Cómo se llama?" (What's his name?) He asks, you can tell his trying to control himself.

Pedro is known to be a calm person, a very cold head one.

But you knew him from the inside, and you know that even with all the patience that he has, when that runs out, it's like a bomb. You can run, but it's not going to help.

"Por favor, no aquí." (Please, not here)

He unlocked the car doors. And without even looking at you he enters the driver's side.

"Pedro," you say as you do the same as he. "Please don't hate me."

He laughs. But not that funny laugh that you loved, this is a dry one. No emotions.

"Vamos a ir a mi casa y no te vas a ir de ahí hasta que me cuentes todo." (We're going back to my house, and you're not leaving until you tell me everything) "Seat belt on."

The way he's driving is scary. But you're can't find the courage to ask him to slow down.

When he parked outside of his house, he turned the car off, hands you the keys, and got out slamming the door.

"Mierda."

You compose yourself before following him. The door is open for you.

"Quieres apurarte?" (Can you hurry) He says from his front door.

You nod slowly, closing the door behind you and walking inside. He sits on the couch, hands hiding his face.

It's not like you're afraid of him. You don't have a reason to be, no matter how mad he was at you, he never laid a hand on you.

"Polo," you say sitting next to him. "His name is Polo."

He sinks further into the couch. He wants to scream, but won't do it.

"He's six months old and has so much of you."

"Six?" He interrupts you. "That means you."

He's mentally doing the math, realizing that the last time you were together was when you got pregnant.

"I found out because I passed out and ended up at the hospital, I was so confused." You say honestly, done with the lies and hiding things out. "Elena asked me if I was going to tell you and I was, believe me I was."

"But" he interrupts.

"But then I saw the tweets about you with that girl. You took her to tenerife with you. It was like a piece of reality. You were living your life and having fun, and I was depressed and crying myself to sleep to the memory of us."

"I can explain."

"You don't have to." You cut him off. "We were over, you didn't know."

"Ella no significó nada" (she meant nothing) even when you told him not to explain, he needed to. "She was just there at the right time. And I was such an idiot."

"You're not. I was the idiot here. When I find out about the gender I wanted to tell you, I was done with the whole angry part. But my mom persuaded me into thinking I was going to be fine, that if you wanted, you would have been there and I was heartbroken, I was pregnant and alone. I just said yes and moved on with my life. Paulo and Elena tried to get some sense into my head, but mom always told them off. Now I know why."

The silence falls between you. No one knows what to say.

You wanted to keep apologizing for not thinking straight and letting the jealousy overpower you.

He wanted to be mad at you, but he couldn't blame you for your decisions. If he were you, he would probably have done the same thing.

"Polo" he says after a while.

You smile at him, nodding, "es una bolita de amor, definitivamente un González." (He's a bundle of love, definitely a González)

"Polo," he repeats. "Is that the name you had on your list since you were a kid?"

"Yes" you laugh remembering the list. "The top one."

"Dios, amo su nombre." (God, I love this name)

"Se lo puse pensando en ti." (I named him thinking on you) You confess. "Not because of that list."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember that trip to Ibiza?" You look at him with a funny expression. "Well, we had our first pregnancy scare after that."

"Joder, claro que recuerdo" (fuck, of course I remember) he laughs. "Fer went to the market to get us the pregnancy tests. Elena was lighting up candles and we were locked in the bathroom."

"Elena, did what?" You laugh confused. "Why I never knew that?"

"You were shitting yourself, "Pedro, my mom is going to kill me. I'm living in the streets if this came back positive." He imitates your voice in a very not accurate way.

"Okay, first of all," you point one finger out. "I don't sound like that. And second, I was panicking, okay?"

"To be fair with you, I was panicking too"

"You weren't, you started saying that if I was pregnant we could elope and move together"

"I was optimistic."

"Well, how did that go?" You joke. "After we found I was not pregnant, you took me to drink as a celebration. You got so drunk that you were saying a lot of dump stuff. But you said that you wanted two kids with me, a boy named Polo, to keep with the PG initials from your name and a girl named Georgina."

"I still want that" he says looking at you. "We just need to fight again, give it time and boom baby Gio"

"Don't you dare," you laugh again. "It's not easy to be pregnant. It's so scary, you feel everything differently."

"Why you tell me? I can't become pregnant"

You scuff, even on the worst times you can easily talk to him.

"Perdón, Pepi." You take his hand. "I know I can't take back the time and the memories, and I regret that so much. I was stupid and let all the anger and jealousy get into that. I dont want you to hate me after this."

"I won't. I can't hate you, I love you" he brings your hand to his mouth, kissing it.

You stayed there for a while, enjoying the gesture, enjoying not having to worry. Being yourselves again.

Suddenly you get up from the couch. Pulling him up with you.

"Ven conmigo." You grab your purse from the coffee table in front of the couch and walk quickly to your car.

He doesn't question your actions, following you outside.

"Get inside." You close the door of his house, pushing him to the passenger side. You drive fast but not crazy like he did.

"Where are we?" He asks, undoing his seat belt and getting out like you did.

"Ven" you extend your arm for him to take your hand. "You need to meet someone."

With the other hand you take your keys and open your door.

"Elena" you call.

"In the room."

"Wait here."

You rushed to the room. Elena is laying down with Polo. She has a face mask on.

"Why are you back so early? We were expecting your walk of shame in the morning, verdad bebé?" She asks, checking the time.

"Pedro está en la sala." You say so casually. (Pedro's in the living room)

"Qué." She yells.

"Callate" you say closing the door.

"Callate tú." He whisper yell at you. "Ya lo sabe?" (He knows?)

You nod.

"Me muero," she sits on the bed.

You both look at each other. You nodding and she was surprised.

"Y que esperas?" She asks. "Ten" (and what are you waiting for? Here)

You took your baby into your arms.

You thank her and turn to the door.

But you can't seem to open it.

"Y/n?"

"I'm fine." You answer. "I just, need minute."

"Cuál minuto ni que nada, ya tuviste seis meses, shu fuera." (Minute my ass, you had six whole months, shu, get out)

She opens the door lightly, pushing you outside and closing the door after you're out.

"Okay." You breathe. "Mi amor, vas a conocer a alguien muy especial." (My love, you're meeting someone really special)

You make a mental note to thank Elena for keeping Polo awake.

You walk slowly, swaying Polo.

Pedro was focused on a picture. It was a picture of Polo right after being born.

He has caressing the glass.

"Pedro."

His head snaps to your direction.

"Joder. Es él?" (Fuck, it's him?) He puts the picture down. "Sorry, language."

You laugh, nodding at his question.

"Polo," you grab his attention, turning him so he can be face to face with his father. "Este de acá es Pedro." (This is Pedro)

You notice the tears in Pedro's eyes matching the ones on yours.

"Pedro, this is Polo."

You get closet to him.

"Hola Polito"

He can't help but to sob. You were right. He looked so much like him.

"Quieres cargarlo?" (Do you want to hold him?)

He nods smiling.

You carefully instruct him on how to hold him.

But he was a natural, hugging him tight but careful not to hurt him.

"He smells so good." Pedro says out of the blue.

You can't help the laugh.

"Bueno, mami lo bañó bien." (Well, mommy gave him a nice bath)

He changes the way Polo is laying on his arms. He wants to appreciate his face.

His hand caresses his face. The child in his arms has his eyes only on him.

"Polo, él es tu papi."

"Papi" Pedro repeat. "Fuck, that sounds so good."

Polo grabbed Pedro's finger, and Pedro kissed his little hand multiple times.

"Eres hermoso." He kisses his cheeks.

You took a step back, searching for your phone. You needed to capture the moment.

You take several pictures, not wanting to forget this moment.

"Mami va a estar tan emocionada." He says, looking at you. "Fer y mi padre." (Mami is going to be so excited, Fer and my father)

Pedro take your hand pulling you into his arms.

"Dios, no sabes cuanto te amo." (God, you have no idea how much I love you) He says, kissing your head. The moment being interrupted by Polo fussing. "A ti también, hermoso" (I love you too) he kisses his cheek now.

"Ay que lindos se miran." (Aww, you guys look so cute like that) Elena says while she takes a picture.

"Where are you going?" You ask her, she has her night bag in one hand.

"Well, Einstein. Obviously, I'm not ruining the moment, plus I don't think you're making Pedro leave Polo's side any time soon. So I'm leaving so you can be together."

She air kissed you both and left.

"La tenemos que hacer madrina." (We have yo make her the Godmother) Pedro laughs

"She already is."

"Puede mi hermano ser el padrino?" (Can my brother be the Godfather?)

You nod excited.

"You heard that, hermoso?" He says to the baby. "You have a Godfather now."

"Actually, he has two."

"Paulo?" He asks smiling.

"Yep, he'll fight me if I took him out of the list."

"It's okay, two is better than one."

"Let's go to my room" you say noticing how Polo is yawning. "Mister here needs to sleep."

"Can I stay?" He asks.

"Will you leave if I say no?"

"No"

"Okay, but yes you can stay."

"Pedro, I'm here." Fernando yells.

When Fer called Pedro to find out the details of the night. Pedro invited him over for lunch.

The idea was for him to know the truth and to meet Polo.

"Coming." He yells back.

You can tell he's nervous.

"Oye, cálmate, es tu hermano." (Hey, calm down, it's just just brother) you hug him. "Everything's going to be fine."

"Yes, just Fer."

"Do you want me to got say hi to him while you calm down?" You ask noticing the anxious body language he has.

"Can you?"

"Yep, so take a breath and you two can meet us downstairs."

You hand him the baby.

"Another thing," you say before leaving the room. "Polo will start fussing if he doesn't see me for a while, specifically since it's almost his feeding time. So you better hurry."

"Joder, me pones más nervioso." (Fuck, you're making me nervous)

"Bye." You say closing the door.

You walk downstairs, finding Fer looking at his phone uninterested.

He's sitting on the couch, his back to you.

You walk silently, wanting to scare him. Something you used to do to each other.

"It's not going to work." He says once you're close to him. Back still facing you "Your perfume gives you away."

"Ay, por favor."

He laughs and turns his face to you. You hurry to his side and hug him.

"Te extrañé como no tienes idea." He says kissing you cheek. (I missed you like crazy)

"I missed you too, Fer."

"So you two?" He asks raisins his eyebrows.

"We are working on it."

"Please do, he needs you."

"I need him too."

You can see Pedro walking to where you to are slowly.

"We have something to tell you."

"Fer." Pedro calls, his bother turn his head to him.

Fernando wants to ask, but he can't.

"Este es Polo." You say standing next to Pedro.

"He's our son."

Fer is trying to say something but he's short of words.

"I know, I just find out too." Pedro jokes. "Ven tio, you have to hold him."

Pedro handed the baby to a very shocked Fer. He's looking at the baby and back to his brother

"Why is he so fat?" He says in a judging tone.

You scuff and Pedro laugh.

"Excuse me, he's not fat." You say taking the baby from him. "He's well fed"

"He's fat," he corrects you. "He's like a brick. You fed him rocks or what?"

Pedro is laughing his ass out.

"Don't listen to your tío, mi amor." Pedro says once he stops laughing."The fat one is him."

"Tío Fer." Fernando says. "That actually sounds good."

"Right?" Pedro says,"yo dije lo mismo cuando Y/n le dijo que yo era su papi." (I said the same thing when y/n told him I was his daddy).

"Damelo, I need to hold him one more time."

"Don't judge him."

"You look like daddy." He says to Polo. "But you're lucky. You have some good genes from Mommy."

"Hey, that's mean."

"Shhh, I'm bonding over here."

You hug Pedro while Fernando is talking to Polo. Telling him all the things he can teach him.

"One down, we have two more." You say.

"Si me andaba cagando del miedo con mi hermano, no me imagino con mis padres." (If I was hyperventilating with my brother, I can't imagine with mom and dad)

"I still think you're just fat, but if your mother says you're "well fed", okay."

"Okay, give me my kid back."

You were currently at his parents' house in Tenerife. He wanted them to find out as soon as possible, so he suggested taking a quick flight back home.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" You ask before he exits the vehicle. "Y si hablas con ellos primero?" (What if you have a chat with them first?)

"No sé" (I don't know)

"Pepi, it's okay."

"But it's not. What if they get mad? What if they stop talking to me? What if we had to tell Polo his grandparents are far far away?"

"Pedro, your parents are not going to be mad at you." You stop his rambling. "If they get mad at someone that will be me."

"Why you?"

"Did you really just ask that?" Fer ask.

"Okay," he puts his hands in the air. "Well, we have to go now, you can't stay here alone."

"You didn't think this through, Huh."

"Well, in my opinion." Adrian, Pedro's cousin, "She can wait here while Fer and you talk with your parents."

"Fer as me?" He asks, confused. "Wait, I don't want them to yell at me."

"Well I don't want them to only yell at me."

"Nobody's yelling at you guys," Adrian yells.

"You are."

"Well because you're assholes."

"Hey don't call me that in front of my kid."

"Oh please, he will find out either way."

"Pedro, this is your mess. Go, be a man." Fernando points at him.

"But why can't you come with me?"

"Fernando, go with him."

"You go with him."

"Okay, that's enough." You yell. "Pedro, your parents are not yelling at you." You say, looking at him. "Fernando, don't be a bitch, Pedro face worse for you, and never complain." You point at him. "And Adrian, can you bring the air down? It's kind of cold."

"Jolin, si que eres una mamá." Fer laughs. (Fuck, you're such a mom) "but you're right, let's go Pepi."

Fer gets out of the car, opening Pedro's door for him to do the same.

"Deseame suerte, si?" He kisses your cheek quickly, getting out. (Wish me luck)

"No la necesitas, todo va a estar bien." (You don't need it. Everything's going to be fine.)

Fernando is about to knock on the door. Even when it's not him telling his parents they are grandparents, he's feeling the pressure of it.

"Fer, tenemos llaves." (Fer, we have the house keys)

"Las perdí." (I lost them)

"Eres un gilipollas, quítate." (You're such an idiot, move)

They walk in silence, finding both parents in the kitchen cooking.

"Mira quien llego," (look who's here) Fernando father says, "Come here."

They do their typical greeting, hugging each other, kiss here, kiss there.

Fer is looking at his brother, noticing how slow he is moving. He knows Pedro's scared, but making things slow is not the answer.

"Pedro necesita decirles algo," he announces. "Pueden apagar ahí y venir a la sala?" (Pedro has to tell you something, can you turn the stove off and take a sit?)

"Is this about Manchester?" Rosy asks

"Let's just take a sit."

They hurry to the living room. Expecting the news about his decision to transfer or stay.

"It's not about the transfer. Actually it's more important than that."

"Entonces dilo mijo, deja el misterio." (Then say it, stop with the mystery.)

"Are you okay?" Rosy ask him. "Sabes que puedes decirnos lo que sea, Pedro." (You know you can tell us everything, Pedro.)

"Like three days ago, Y/n and I reunite."

"That's amazing, Pedro, I knew you guys were finding each other again."

"Yeah, that's so good. Don't miss this opportunity."

"The thing here is." He cut them off. "Something happened in that time we were apart."

"Is she okay?" Rosy, ask.

"Yes, she is." He nods nervously.

He doesn't know how to explain the situation. Does he spit the news? Does he explain piece by piece?

"Before broking up, we weren't exactly being the most careful in the protection area of our life."

"Protection area? What?" His father asks confused. "Pedro, please go to the point."

"She was pregnant. We didn't know anything until now. She reached for me now that she's back in Barcelona. And our baby is six months old." He smiles.

Fer hides his face in his hands. He was more embarrassed than Pedro is for that lame explanation.

"You." Rosy points at him. "Have a baby?"

"Wait. Did you know she was pregnant when you broke up with her?" His father asks.

"No, God no. I didn't. We didn't."

"Were you with her after the breakup?"

"No, it's not that. We were together before the breakup, and well, that's how things happen. She finds out months later, but it's a lot to explain."

"What do you mean is a lot?"

"I think I'm lost."

While Pedro is trying to explain the situation and timeline to his parents, Fernando make his way out of the house.

"Hey, como estuvo?" (Hey, how was it?) Adrian asks when Fernando get back in the car.

"Pedro es un capullo de primera, te juro que el niño abre la boca y la caga cada vez más." (Pedro is such an asshole, I swear all he does is open his mouth to fuck this up)

"Is that bad?" You ask worried. "Are they mad?"

"No, they're not mad. They just don't understand the whole situation, thanks to Pedro being an idiot at explaining things out."

"Let's hope Polo doesn't get that from Pedro." Adrian laughs.

"Should I help him?"

"Nah, finish with the feeding, and then you can join him."

"I just can't believe he's a football player, does tons of interviews, goes to television shows, and can't even explain something to your parents."

"I know, he's like another dude in front of the cameras."

While they make small talk, you stay quiet, wondering if Rosy and Fernando would understand your reasons.

Even if you think that your motives were the right ones, you can't control what they think of that. Maybe they'll be mad that they choose to only engage with the baby and not with you.

You can't help but to worry. You love Pedro's parents like your own. They were so special to you. You can't deal with the idea of them not being in your life again.

"Y/n"

Fer shakes your knee to call your attention.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"You okay?"

Are you tho?

You can't even answer that to yourself.

In very little time, all these things are happening in your life.

Your parents lying to you, Pedro finding out, Fer finding out, Pedro's parents finding out and maybe not liking you anymore.

"Yes?" You say more as a question than as an answer.

"Hey Adri, give us a minute." He pats his cousin arm. "Please."

"I'm going to the store." Adrian says getting out of the car.

"A ver, no me mientas." (Look, don't lie to me) he turns his whole body to be able to see you. "I know you're worried about this whole thing. You did what you thought was the right choice. You fucked up, but so did my brother. No matter what, you are part of the family, apart from him or not, baby or not. Mom and dad loved you like their own child."

"What if they stop doing that?"

"They won't. If only you could have seen the way they got so excited about the idea of Pedro and you being together again."

"They did?"

"Yes, mom almost jumped of excitement." He laughs. "And they're going to be more happy to meet this little one right here. So shall we?"

"Yes, just give me a minute."

"Okay."

You fix your top, comb the little hair Polo has, and check if his diaper is clean.

"Let me help you, come here, gordo." Fer take Polo from your arms, holding a hand out for you to support yourself.

"I just know that nickname is not going away any time soon"

"Noup," he says, laughing. "After you"

You walk inside the house. You can hear Pedro and his parents talking. You stop abruptly, feeling dizzy from the emotions.

"Noup, sigue caminando." (Noup, keed walking) Fernando pushed you. Holding a hand on your back to move you. "Hey, someone's here to see you."

You can't help but blush. This is like the first time you met them. With the difference that now you were taking your son to meet them.

"Y/n, mija hola." Rosy says, hugging you. "No sabes como te extrañamos" (you have no idea how much we missed you)

"Yo los extrañé también." (I missed you too)

"Estas bien? Como te sientes?" (Are you okay? How are you feeling?)

"I'm fine, I'm good. Don't worry."

"You must be so tired, I'm sorry you had to go through all that alone. But we're here now, and we're going to help Pedro and you in everything we can."

"I'm sorry, I never meant to hide him from you guys, I was dumb and very immature."

"Don't say that, Pedro told us everything." Fernando says, "we're not mad, you did what you thought was right for you and your son."

"Thank you, for understanding."

Fernando and Rosy are both hugging you.

"Ey que corra el aire, venga." (Okay, let's separate) Fer says making all laugh.

"Mami, papi." Pedro call their attention. "This is Polo, he's our son."

"Pero mira que hermosura." (Oh, look how at this beauty) Rosy took the baby out of Pedro's arms. "Es igual a ti cuando eras pequeñito." (Just like you when you were a baby)

"Ven." He grabs your hand taking you to the kitchen.

Fernando, Rosy and Fer are focus on the baby, leaving the space for Pedro and you to be able to speak.

"We can breathe now." You laugh. "I was so scared."

"Thank God we got this over with. But I think you'll have to stay here, cause there's no way mom is letting him go. We lost him for the day."

"That's okay. I don't have any interest on keeping them apart."

"So you're staying here with me ?"

"What happened to going slow?"

"We have a kid together. Don't you think we left the slow out the door already?"

"Well if you put it like that."

You lock your arms behind his neck, pulling him close so you can kiss him. It's like time never happened, the feelings, the passion, the love still there.

"We can say you're here to stay." He jokes.

"And I don't plan on leaving."

"Not like I'm letting you, never again."

You stayed apart for a while. Letting his family enjoy the arrival of the new González member.

"Okay, enough you two." Fer says entering the kitchen. "Come here. You can appreciate each other later in a private room with the door locked. I can take care of fatty."

"I'll have to beat you if you keep calling him Fatty, gordo, etc"

"Deal with it. He loves it."

"Capullo" You say hitting the back of his head.

"A man can't lovely nickname his nephew now?"

"No" both Pedro and you answer.

"I hate you guys."

You find Rosy taking a picture of Fernando and Polo. Your heart is full with happiness.

"Our baby is going to be so spoiled and loved. I can't wait to see that." Pedro says hugging you from behind.

"I can't wait either."

"Fer, toma una foto de tu padre y yo con Polito." (Fer, take a picture of your father and I with polito). She hands the phone to her son. "Vente precioso." (Come here, baby.)

"Pero saca la sonrisa, mami." Pedro jokes. "Venga, más grande." (But smile, mom. C'mon, bigger than that)

"Done, I think I took like a thousand pictures."

"Exagerado."

"Not to be rude, but Y/n, honey. What are you feeding this kid with? He's so big."

"Ha! I told you, he's a fatty."

"So this picture or this one?" Pedro asks you, showing you the options.

"It's the same picture with a different filter."

"I know, I can't decide if I want b&w or Juno."

"Pedro." You laugh at him.

"I just want it to be perfect."

"Are you covering his face?"

"Yes, I know you don't mind if I don't, but I think for now it's the best."

"Okay, whatever you say."

"Hermoso, what picture are you feeling the most, this one or this one?"

Polo smiled at him, not even interested in the phone but on him instead. Pedro kiss his chubby cheek multipletimes.

He erupted in laughs at his father's actions.

"papa"

"Good choice."

"What? He didn't even look at the phone"

"Shhh, woman. This is between my son and I." He sticks his tongue out. "Don't worry Hermoso, she's just mad because you can't say mama."

You open your mouth, pretending to be shocked. "Yes, he can"

"So this one, right?" He asks Polo one more time, ignoring you.

"Can you just post the damn picture and hand me the kid?" Fer says, waiting for Pedro to let the baby go. "You say twenty minutes, and it's been an hour."

"Do you want me to make it two?"

He shakes his head quickly. "No, just post it, and give him to me."

" I can't believe that we took that picture five months ago." You say liking the post. "God, time flies."

"And now we're planning his first birthday party." Rosy says, handing you the pack of invitations. "He's getting too big."

"Petition for you and Pedro to give Fatty a sibling." Fer jokes.

"Excuse me, idiot." You laugh. "I think you're the one who should be giving my kid a cousin."

"I'm too young. Plus, fatty would be mad. He's the center of attention and won't accept any changes."

"Well, Polo has to accept that he's not having any play date friend in a while."

Fer and you continue throwing jokes at each other.

You can't complain about anything. Coming back to Barcelona, fixing your mistakes, and giving yourself a chance to be happy again was the right decision.

You have everything you ever dreamed about, a family with the man you love, a happy and healthy child. You won't change a thing.

Tag list:

@alwaysclassyeagle @footballerficsposts @gulphulp @cinderellawithashoe @jajajhaahaha @bellinghambby22 @pablogavisgirl @lunamelona @christinabae @103009 @pedrileclerc @pampeop @magicalfundragon @helanahaadock @eau-rougee @unstablefemme @lina1407 @percysley

[decolonize-the-left]

It's really important that terfs and radfems make men out to be the ONLY representatives and perpetrators of patriarchy because if anyone found out that women could aid the patriarchy too, it'd be so obvious that's exactly what TERFs and radfems are doing.

"girls can only be victims" "women need to be protected" "men should know better than to date a 25 year old girl child" "only biology and sex based oppression is real" "being a submissive tradwife is empowering despite what TRAs want you to think" "women are biologically weaker than men" "feminism isn't about womens rights it's about how men treat women" "how is that woman supposed to know better, a man should have helped!"

These are all things my misogynist grandpa would say.

And let's be real a lot of TERFs/radfems are white. And also het. Just like he is.

Which is very, very important because for a lot of them gender based oppression is the ONLY way they're oppressed.

And the way white women are oppressed is Different. White women have organizations and foundations and speakers and get invited to the WH. Look at Amber Heard. A white cishet victim of patriarchy with a new movie coming out and So Many other women supporting her bravery. Let's look at the Karens who use white womanhood to play victim and successfully get black men murdered over it.

They have the privilege of being able to do that while having no knowledge about the Indigenous Women's Network or the Loveland Foundation. And when were either of them ever invited to speak or propose a new bill?

Their feminism doesn't need to be intersectional because white supremacist men are willing to listen to a cishet white girl. She doesn't need us because our shared oppressors listen to her without us.

But where does her victimhood go if she admits that to us?

Their entire belief system is based on the idea that you can't be feminist unless they experience oppression. Which probably has a lot to do with them believing "men aren't allies cuz they're all our abusers" and "women are just victims"

White women victims are afforded a certain amount of power and authority the rest of us are not.

Wouldn't you want to maintain the little power you have?

That's why they're "gender critical" until you actually criticize their ideas on gender. It's why you MUST hate women if you criticize them.

It's the victimhood they benefit from and their need to maintain it.

Like how are they supposed to justify being transphobic pieces of shit if they admit trans women are NOT men? If they can't be victims of trans people that would have to mean they're just victimizing trans people, wouldn't it? If they, as white women, admitted race factored into feminism a Lot wouldn't that just make them racist for telling black women it wasn't?

Wouldn't that make them oppressors?

Because if they're doing that then they are taking part in systematically oppressing people they have power over. Silencing them.

And that's not possible because women are just so weak and helpless right? They can't be oppressors. It's men. Men built this system. Not them. Women were helpless. Just like right now while a wave of anti-trans legislation is sweeping.

If only men didn't have all the power and women could do something to help. If only trans women and men were oppressed. But they don't count and they just wanna steal spotlight from "sex based oppression" so they're actually oppressing women so women should not help them.

Because by fighting for gender discrimination rights and bodily autonomy just like radfems and TERFs, trans ppl are stealing the spotlight from "real" victims apparently. And we all know increasing white woman victimhood automatically makes you evil with no need for nuance or critical thinking about it.

....Even though trans ppl are are fighting for the same exact rights that TERFs and radfems are fighting for.

Do you see the ridiculous stretch they have to make?? How superficial it is?

Convenient the justification for a bunch of white cis women to sit around doing nothing again while their keepers call inhumane shots, isn't it?

I'm telling you, what TERFs and radfems Believe in is not feminism and it won't serve any cis people or even them in the long run.

They don't want equality of the sexes or anyone else.

What they want is an excuse to sit around doing nothing and ensuring their own safety AGAIN at the cost of everyone else's.

Because in truth what they want isn't actually that much different. They're the favorite for a reason.

But again....where would that leave these so-called feminists if they admitted that?

And then you have the queer TERFs and radfems which is just wild to me.

Do you have any idea how many radfems are trans lesbians? Or even just trans? Way more than makes any goddamn sense.

Coincidence?

I think the fuck not, mon frère.

TERFs made victimhood their personality by villainizing men and trans women and you couldn't help yourselves when you saw how they used it to position themselves could you.

Radfems even frame it like they're the good bigots because their ideas of women being lesser than men is trans inclusive. Like they're more "valid" as victims so they're Real feminists.

Don't be fooled.

None of that is progress or feminism. That's just Patriarchy's favorite doing what they do best; parroting the same exact rhetoric then looking away while Patriarchy and White Supremacy pass legislatation against the rest of us.

[itsclydebitches]

Don't mind me, everyone, just gonna slip on my Tedependent conspiracy hat for a bit...

Okay, for real though, can we talk about how Trent's backstory in 3x06 completely re-contextualizes his dinner with Ted in 1x03? Based on my own interpretation, the implied timeline is that Trent was married to a woman, attempted to come out to her and was dismissed (perhaps in large part because they were married: what do you mean you're gay? You can't be. You love me, etc.), either having his daughter forced Trent to become more honest about what he and his family needed, or they had her in an attempt to "fix" the marriage, she gets caught in the crossfire of all this, Trent comes out again, this time his wife believes him, they divorce, are still good friends, and their daughter is happier than ever because she has two loving parents who are now living their best lives.

Given her age - 3 at the start of the series, about 6 now - that means there's a decent possibility that Trent was still married at the beginning of the show.

And that his dinner with Ted is one of the things that pushed him to try coming out again.

As his core Ted is someone who is authentic and that authenticity is what catches Trent's interest. He's dismissive of it at first, literally thinking it's a "fucking joke," only to later end up with the revelation, "You really mean that, don't you?" - that Ted honestly enjoyed spending time with him. AKA, Ted says and does what he means, even when it seems completely unbelievable. How freeing must that be to see? I'm just imagining this interview-turned-dinner through the eyes of a man who is still unhappily married, mostly closeted, and struggling to help his daughter through the stress of that dynamic. Then he meets this sunshine of a coach who is so authentically himself that it initially comes across as an act, an exaggeration, a joke. But Ted never wavers, simply refuses to be anything other than himself. Soon he's doing even more than that, breaking down gender norms by characterizing the masculine, aggressive Roy Kent as the "little girl" from A Wrinkle in Time, burdened with the responsibility of leadership. He turns what should have been the end of a horrific day of shadowing into a dinner date and Trent finds himself answering the hard-hitting questions instead of his interviewee. Ted brushes off his accusation of greed with, "Wait, I'm supposed to be getting paid?" but Trent is completely caught off guard by Ted's "What do you love?"

The textual answer is "writing" and the fun fandom answer is "you," but if this is a Trent who still hasn't fully come out yet that's! A hell! Of a question!!! A closeted, queer individual's mind is going to jump to their biggest secret and, when offered an out, they're going grasp at it, so Trent eagerly agrees with Ted's guess of "writing" the same way Colin eagerly pulls the 'This is a gay bar? Haha, my mistake' card and makes a run for the door. Reading this interaction as Trent not just being gay, but potentially being closeted and unhappily married makes it less about the journalism (this strange coach likes me and thinks I can be a good person despite my invasive career choice) and more about his sexuality. Oh, no big deal, just having an intimate dinner with another good-looking man who's questioning me on love of all things and slowly inspiring me to be the best version of myself, which would require coming out to my wife again. This is a totally normal and not at all life-changing night! I definitely don't need to run away now!!

Via this reading Trent's article feels so loaded. Ted is "out there in the community" either "bravely or stupidly facing the music." That sounds a hell of a lot like a parallel to literally coming out and facing the music of a community's potential rejection, with Ted's American background/inexperience/unique personality acting as a stand-in for sexuality; the reasons he's labeled a "wanker" before anyone actually gets to know him - as the pub trio does while those very words are narrated by Higgins.

And then we have this:

"If the Lasso way is wrong, it's hard to imagine being right.... and though I believe that Ted Lasso will fail here... I can't help but root for him."

There are other elements at play here, like the football's celebration of ego and the threat of the club being relegated, but underneath it really sounds like a still-cynical Trent wanting to see the kind of changed world that those like Ted could bring about, but not really believing that it's possible. Given his history, is he really just talking about football when it comes to "the Lasso way"? I doubt it. Trent is potentially feeling trapped at this point in time, pessimistic to the point where yes, he still thinks that Ted will fail at football and creating a more inclusive, accepting community... but even still, Trent can't help but root for him. Of course he can't. He wants what Ted is offering. He needs it.

But then, of course, Ted succeeds! Not just in doing well by the club, but by the community as a whole. He maintains that inspiration and hope until, potentially, Trent felt like he could do something about his own situation. He found the nerve and strength to try again. So he comes out to his wife, they divorce, their daughter is happy, he goes on a date with a mustached man at the local pub, ditches him to try and 'interview' Ted, blows up his career because he realizes that his job is undermining the very thing he's been rooting for and he can't not give Ted a heads up, begins shadowing Ted as he looks for something "deeper," and then comes out to Colin, gazing wistfully across the water as he imagines being able to kiss a man after a win...

I'm not saying Ted Lasso is going to go there - and I'm DEFINITELY not saying there should be ANY accusations of queer baiting if/when they don't, because we've absolutely built the majority of this ship in fandom spaces - but I AM saying that if Trent's potential intersection of his history with Ted's influence and Ted's desire to shake things up while imagining bisexual triangles actually led to something... it would be a damn well done setup!