#he would... i think most scots would LOL

[konigsblog]

soap would get into a physical fight if he was called english.

[halcyone-of-the-sea]

I've never asked anyone in my entire tumblr presence, I'm excited you'll be the first, even if it doesn't get done 🙏☆♡🥬

Anyways, I feel like there is a very sad amount of Soap content on here so like..idk maybe pining Soap fluff??

He's totally the type of guy to follow someone around like a lovesick puppy and everyone notices except the person of interest LOL

Congrats on the milestone btw!! You deserve it 😼😼

—Oblivious Pining

⇢ ˗ˏˋ 5k Drabble Masterlist ࿐ྂ

╰┈➤ ❝ [Johnny hangs off you like a silent beast. Not that you would notice, of course.] ❞

Everyone had seen it, and at this point, it had just become painful. The soft, gentle eyes—the instantaneous smile whenever your unit showed up, your form not for a second missed to those cobalt blues. The deepening color of his cheeks was another tell, along with how he would clear his throat whenever your eye caught his, quickly looking away as if a teenager sneaking glances at his crush.

Which was what precisely was happening, actually—minus the teenager part.

But the worst of it was that you had absolutely no clue.

Perhaps it was because you’d grown so used to his teasing attitude, or even his touches or his open expressions, but you, truly, hadn’t the faintest clue that those actions were Johnny’s way of saying he was interested in you. You went about your joint missions together, touching shoulders and smiling widely, and everyone was about ready to go right back to war just so the two of you could stop it with the puppy eyes already. 

“I’m losing my mind,” Gaz utters, blinking in rapid succession at the two forms as they walk side by side across the tarmac. “I am absolutely losing my damn mind.” The exasperation can be taken and scooped with a spoon. The Sergeant gestures with his hand. “Are they bloody blind? Both of them?”

“Seems like it,” the Captain grunts, eyes narrowed and arms crossed as Soap’s hand comes up and ruffles your hair, you swat him away and playfully punch his shoulder. The Scot fake balks back in imaginary pain. 

Price rubs a hand over his beard with a sigh as Ghost blankly stares from behind them, leaning back against the base’s walls. The Lieutenant breathes out, “Fuckin’ hell. Gonna be dead ‘fore these bastards figure it out.”

Your unit was sharing most of the same looks, rolling their eyes and placing bets once more on whether one of you would make a move. Across the way your face is comfortably heated, heart hammering and yearning for something more. Johnny thinks the same as he chuckles, one hand going to itch at the side of his head.

“Well, it was more than good to see you again, Dearie.” He says, and you huff a laugh. “There’s nothing better than watchin’ you work, eh?” 

It’s a tease laced with truth, and you shift your feet, trying to hide the sudden flip of your intestines.

“Quit it, MacTavish,” your smile is infectious, and you send a glance at the setting sun before your smirk gradually grows. “In my opinion, you all hot and sweaty beats that out of the park.”

“Oh, aye,” the Scot cockily tilts his head, raising a brow as his stubble moves back. “Know it does.” 

You chuff, head looking away in childish glee. “You’re impossible.” 

“Ah,” he licks his lips, leaning back on his heels. “Don’t worry now, Little Lady, I’m all yours to figure out—I promise.” The flirting was a constant from both parties, and neither of you tired of it. 

A small silence grew, and over the course of the last month or so, the pauses had become more and more frequent when the want to speak prevailed, but no one knew what exactly to say. You both blink at one another, noticing that you’ve both been staring heavily. 

Johnny’s throat clears, and he licks his lips before quickly looking away; you awkwardly chuckle and decide that his vest is the most interesting thing in the world.

Both small teams want to bash their heads into a wall. 

“I’ll be seeing you?” Johnny sighs softly, speaking as his accent grows deeper with thought. He wanted to scold himself for his cowardness but had no idea that you were doing the same. 

“Of course,” you nod firmly. “I’m not as big of a fool to ignore my favorite Demolitions Expert.”

“You’re makin’ go all shy now, ya little beast,” Johnny levels, his cheeks gaining a reddish hue. 

You spare a laugh, and that silence once more returns. He wants to tell you, but he’s not sure how, and that itself makes his body tense with indecision—tell you the truth, or live with his own hesitation on your answer. Spare the man, he was too blind to see how much you already adored him.

Blinking away, you clench your jaw and hold out your hand. “Until next time, Sergeant.”

Johnny smiles lightly, eyes going soft. There were so many things he’d accomplished in his life by running head-long into them; by barging down doors and thinking of an exit while his foot was already halfway outside. But this…this he didn’t mind taking his time with. 

You were worth every second. 

Johnny gently grasps your hand, squeezing it as he hums, lips twitching. The teams would have to wait in their annoyance for another day. 

“Until next time, Dearie. Don’t be a stranger.”

[genericpuff]

Persephone has a very nasty habit that needs to be talked about.

Have y'all ever really sat down and observed the when of Persephone's actions towards others?

There are three actions specifically I want you to recall and try and remember what happened preceding those actions:

1.) Persephone turning Minthe into a mint plant

2.) Persephone cornering Tori at his job

3.) Persephone invading Leuce's home with barn animals and low key threatening her life

Think very hard for a second about the when of those events. What happened leading up to them?

First, Persephone turning Minthe into a mint plant. This happened right after she made out with Hades at the shopping mall, but more specifically, this happened while she was hiding out in Hades' home from Zeus, while also fearing the worst of her situation with Apollo.

Second, Persephone cornering Tori at his job. This scene came right after she saw the "Apollo for President" sign in Olympus.

And third, Persephone invading Leuce's home. This came shortly after she had felt insecure over Hades calling Hera 'Bunny', which for some reason she pinned on her own "jealousy" instead of calling out the elephant in the room.

It also came right after the Zeus/Dionysus incident and Demeter trying to force her to stay in the Mortal Realm, but I think the Hera incident is the most damning because it's the most related to Persephone's clear insecurities that are being compounded by dating / being married to a serial cheater.

What do all three of these things tell us about Persephone?

It shows that Persephone has a bad habit of projecting all of her problems onto other people that have nothing to do with the bigger issues.

Minthe ratted her out, yes, but she was still running from her inevitable trial, attempting to use the Underworld's policies to play the system and get herself off as scot-free as possible. I mentioned this already in a previous post, but these aren't the actions of a person who claims to feel as guilty as they do over committing mass manslaughter. Point is, she would have gotten caught eventually, and she still had to answer for her crimes. Minthe was an easier target for her anger and frustration than Zeus.

Tori gossiped about her in college, yes, but it came from a very real incident in which Hades ripped out his roommate's eye and beat him half to death. Tori wasn't even gossiping at that point, he was deadass just telling his side of the story and warning people that Persephone was affiliating herself with an abusive man. None of what he said about her being "Hades' dark concubine" was untrue, but he had the unfortunate luck of being at the bank right after Persephone was triggered by the Apollo sign. Tori was just an easier target for her anger and frustration than Apollo.

Leuce attempted to 'seduce' Hades, yes, but she was manipulated by Thetis in an attempt to get her planted just like Minthe and I think a lot of people forget that. Not to mention, Persephone says that she had "ten years" to make the moves on Hades, but like... no she didn't, because Hades was either possessed by Kronos or in a coma for those 10 years, and then he got married to Persephone like 5 days after that LMAO (not saying that excuses her trying to seduce him, I'm just wondering when she was supposed to find the time in those 10 years to talk to him LOL). And finally, and most importantly, Hades had already rejected her advances. She was already embarrassed. She clearly wasn't going to attempt it again. She is of no threat to Persephone, the now wife of Hades and Queen of the Underworld. So Persephone raiding her home was purely just for her own entertainment and, again, to satisfy her own insecurities. Leuce was just an easier target for her anger and frustration than Hades and Hera.

Point is, instead of actually dealing with the root of her issues, seeking legitimate help for her trauma, and/or learning any amount of self-care techniques to manage her frustration and refocus herself on the bigger issues, Persephone is instead relegating herself to a bully who takes out all of her issues onto people weaker than her, oftentimes people who have nothing to do with those bigger issues or have no real bearing on her life.

I'm sure now that I've written about this (because I'm not 100% convinced Rachel isn't reading this lmao the odds are low but never zero) there's gonna be some arc where Persephone goes "aw, I saw the bigger issues but now I'm a different person so life goes on!" without actually doing anything to make up for how she's harmed people (there already is sort of a 'twist' like that in the newest FastPass and it's uh... yikes) but until that happens (again, odds are SEVERELY low but never zero) Persephone is literally the worst person in her own story. She doesn't need a sugar daddy, she doesn't need power, she needs some bitter doses of reality and, most importantly, help.

[ohbo-ohno]

reader fully stops taking care of herself. doesn’t eat, doesn’t bathe, doesn’t brush her teeth. Johnny is all over it, almost ecstatic that he gets to take care of his baby this way!!! The force feeding is tough on him bc he doesn’t like having to hold you down and watch Simon force feed you, but he wants you healthy :(

But he LIVES for bathing you, brushing your teeth, brushing your hair, dressing you up!! Though he usually just sticks you in his clothes bc youre so cute

i've been holding onto this one since last night bc i bluescreened when i first saw it. like this one really got to me dude

for the sake of keeping this in the side of dark that i prefer, let's say you're refusing to do all these things because you're angry, not depressed. maybe you thinks refusing to brush your teeth will make them not want to kiss you or something lol, regardless you're lowkey trying to annoy them into letting you go.

does not work. johnny is fucking ecstatic to play with you like a doll for a few days. he does everything for you, enjoys every single second. spreads your lips wide, sticks his fingers in your mouth so he can brush them for you, laughs a little when your whole face scrunches up and hushes you like you're a spooked animal when you try to pull away on instinct.

he'd treat you so well in the shower. you'd be standing there, stiff and mopey and determined to act like a fucking mannequin, and he just absolutely does not care. do you have any idea how difficult it is to stay stiff when a giant scot is rubbing shampoo into your scalp like it's the most important thing he's ever done???? he's a little goofy with it too, lathers the ends of your hair with conditioner and plops it all on top of your head, makes himself laugh. makes big mounds of bubbles on your shoulders with the soap (pun not intended).

he eats you out, of course. lathers your whole body in his bodywash (so you smell like him, duh) and licks your cunt clean when he goes to wash it off. it's the only time you really start to struggle, but he just forces you flat to the shower wall with a hand on your stomach and completely ignores the way you shove at his head. jacks off on your shins and washes that away for you too

he haaaates watching you make simon force feed you :( has to squeeze his eyes shut for little lengths of time to try and shut out your cries. when you eventually stop fighting food so hard, he's aways trying to hand feed you (simon makes him split the duty with him 50/50, despite soap's endless begging). he'll tug you into his lap, slide little pieces of whatever the meal is into your mouth, maybe force his fingertips past your lips and rub them on your tongue a little bit to make sure you get all the flavor you can :/

he slides one of his own t-shirts over you in the morning, and is immediately rock-hard and fucks you. he does a little fashion show with you after that, fighting your stiff limbs with an easy grin as he puts you into outfits he thinks are adorable (his success rate is... not high. he doesn't have a great eye for fashion). makes simon sit and watch him dress you up, and simon just praises you endlessly in that neutral-sounding grumble that makes everything he says sound a little bit like a threat.

johnny would literally carry you around in a baby carrier if he could get away with it lol, that man would fucking love to be in charge of your every movement like this. not even in a controlling way, like simon, but just in a he-is-sickeningly-obsessed-with-you way, yk?

[velvetures]

omg hey just here to shoot a request, idk if you do gaz as well but only soap is ok too. maybe something like soap x reader where the reader is a transfer from the american sector and she's just this super energetic, "AMERICA SCRAAAWWW" kind of person but is also super in learning about cultures and stuff. then the boys take her to this texas themed pub that she just criticizes the shit ton as she's from texas. i think it'll be funny to see a scot x texan lol thxx

God Bless Texas... and Scotland

A/N: I believe my goal here is to make something a little more on the joking/humorous side here... I'm not trying to get into politics or country pride on a deep level. This is just for fun. Nevertheless, thank you for requesting, I hope you enjoy the direction I went with this. This is sooo damn cheesy... Summary: On shore leave, you and Soap get into a conversation about what it was like in your home countries. A couple funny stereotypes and light-hearted argument later, the 141 decide that experiencing both sides of the coin are necessary to settle the score. T/W's: stereotypes ofc, cursing, friendly banter/teasing, and as always not proofread.

It all started when you came out of your private quarters into the shared living room with an old t-shirt on with the admittedly cliche statement 'God Bless Texas' printed boldly over the front inside of a state-boundary shape. Out of all of the members of the 141, you were undoubtedly the most... shall we say... patriotic. At least in terms of your state pride and your unwavering happiness of having family still living there who were so in support of you and your work. Having family in the first place was something different compared to the rest of the squad, and it made the whole pride of where you came from a lot more difficult to understand.

You'd spent years at this point being around the 141 and learning all kinds of very unique and traditional habits that they carried with them despite oftentimes not having a family to share them with. Most of those, they shared with each other, and after getting comfortable with you was extended as a way to bond with you outside of the missions and other job requirements that you did together. From Soap's requirement of the "First Footing" tradition on New Year's, Captian Price never missing a Soccer World Cup no matter where he is, and Gaz's refusal to have a Christmas dinner without Christmas pudding, there isn't a time when someone isn't explaining their desire to incorporate some country, cultural, or family tradition in one way or another.

So, naturally, Soap was ecstatic when he found out about some little niche place that had opened up an 'American, Texas-Themed' restaurant. He knew it would be totally overdone, as did everyone else, so they all thought it would be something of a light-hearted way to poke fun at your loyalties by taking you there as a "resident expert" that could point them in the right direction and away from everything else. Truly the idea of having at least on full hour of teaisng you with everything they could just sounded like a damn good way to spend an afternoon.

The place was a little hole-in-the-wall pub with a little bit of seating that wasn’t directly at the bar. Dim lighting made it feel pretty inviting, but the obvious country music choices including Texas natives: George Strait, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson made it feel a little cheap. Especially with the taxidermy Longhorn head above the bar and the “cowboy” style of practically everything hanging on the walls. Although it wasn’t quite the most miserable place you’d even been, it certainly felt like a little more than just a healthy appreciation.

“Home away from home, right lass?” Soap’s devilish grin only made the wound sting your pride that much more.

"Ya know... actually, not one bit." You answer a bit awestruck and looking around the place with bated breath and the hope that it wouldn't get much worse than it already was.

To your irritation, it got worse. Much worse.

After getting seated by an -obviously- British woman forced to fake a deep and southern drawl, you were all handed menus that named off the most "popular" foods in the Southern United States that not only made you chuckle out loud with disbelief but actually voice the total inaccuracies of certain dishes that the men sitting around you actually thought were legitimate staple items.

"You actually eat rattlesnakes often?" Gaz thought it was a bit far off since he spent quite a bit of time in his service in South Carolina, but thought he'd clarify with you anyway.

"For Christ's sake, Garrick. No!" You roll your eyes, taking a drink of the iced sweet tea you were actually shocked to see was listed as a drink option.

That in itself was the largest contention point with Ghost who stared at you with an iron-clad will of hatred seeing you pleasantly drinking iced sweet tea like you were enjoying the abomination. To his horror, you were quick to compliment that they'd actually gotten it pretty close to how you made it yourself or people at home did.

"What is a pecan pie?" Captain Price was quick to question the dessert menu before a waitress had even come back around to take main course orders.

His question sounded somewhat confused and downright scandalized at the same time. And to be honest, you really didn't know how to explain that it was simply a pie with corn syrup and brown sugar-based sweet filling, covered with pecans that were baked in a regular pie shell. You attempted to describe the basic ingredients and how it was made to the table of interested men, only to have them all stare in guarded horror... Save for Gaz. He'd actually tried it while in the States and said he'd enjoyed it. Luckily he was on your side for that particular topic.

The men as a whole hilariously didn't order anything that you -or they- considered uniquely "Texan" or "American". Soap insisted that you pick a meal that sounded the most authentic to you and that they would try some of the food off of your plate. Of course, the idea sounded good to them, but you weren't sure you wanted to share a plate of food that could possibly be decently "American" when it would still be months before you could go back home.

You folded quickly and picked a meal that you believed would be safe enough to keep them from being outwardly horrified with you but would still be interesting to compare to the meals you grew up with at home. The most simple and safe option was what they called the 'Home Run Special', most certainly a knock-off of the American chain breakfast restaurant. It came with pancakes, fried eggs, bacon, biscuits, sausage gravy, grits, and hashbrowns.

When the platter came out, you were pleasantly surprised at the look of everything, seeing as it visually had promise and even smelled just about right as well. With one glance around the table, you saw every single man staring at the three-plate meal sitting in front of you and couldn't believe that all of that food was supposedly for one person. That comment alone did make you laugh. It was one thing that you weren't afraid to admit. You could eat a whole lot. And it was a family thing that you never could be shy to not own up to. Eating all of that breakfast to them might've seemed totally unacceptable, yet for you, it looked very accomplishable, given the food tasted good. They each wanted you to give your own personal opinions before they tried anything and watched you intently for any sign of your acceptance or lack thereof.

By the end of the meal, the men had all tried everything and had mixed opinions of what they thought was actually good or not. You believed the biscuits and gravy were totally garbage and vowed that you could make them better, and wouldn't even allow them to taste them for fear of cementing an even more concrete belief that biscuits weren't meant to be savory. They were half-and-half on the bacon, some saying it was really good while others complained it wasn't enough meat for so much grease. You... were quite pleased. Eggs were fine, they all didn't really pay them much mind, while the grits were such a contested topic that you weren't sure if they lost respect for you since you finished the entire serving.

"Although I've enjoyed the majority of the food and I was surprised with it... this isn't anything legitimate." You mutter with a full stomach, looking around the place and beginning to feel a little more homesick than you thought such a tacky pub could produce.

Soap, who was finishing off your pancakes nudged your shoulder a little and smiled. "You'll have to take me home with ya. Then I ken' really find out why ye' think Texas is so damn special."

"You have to take me home with you too Johnny," You take the fork out of his hand and eat one more bite of pancakes. "So I can see if God blessed Scotland, too."

Reblogs & Comments are Appreciated

[deuxcherise]

Collar Crimes: All Bark, No Bite (1/2)

C/w: Unhealthy behavior (?) | Yandere | Female OC | Gender Neutral Reader | Reader is a bit of a… gold digger here (pun intended lol) | Comfort (?) | Fluff (?) | Slight Angst (near the end)| Swearing | Includes a cute pic of a Golden Retriever x German Shepherd mix dog for reference

A/n: So a long time ago, before reader met Eris, reader met a certain dog~ Hint, hint: she was mentioned in the last chapter (can I call it a chapter? It was in part 2). It’s not the bartender, by the way. So this is going to be a two parter because it got too long. Huh… Is it just me or are these getting longer and longer? Even the animal is getting bigger lol. Enjoy~

Masterlist | Part 0, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 (1/2) (you’re here!), Part 3 (2/2)

[Seven years ago…]

“Hiiiii~ Welcome to Petal Blush Cafe, dear guest. We’re so happy-happy to see you~”

“Oh, what do we have here? I heard a lot of great things about you. Come give Papa a big ol’ smile, why don’t cha?”

You keep your ever present resting blank face on, place your index fingers together in front of your mouth and drag them apart in an upward curve. You throw in a tilt of your head, as a bonus.

He throws his head back in ecstasy. “AHHH! So it’s true what they say. I feel so refreshed. Papa’s got an appetite for some sandwiches… unless you’re on the menu today?”

“Oh my~ You flatter me~ But unfortunately, nooooo sir~” you say with a high-pitched cutesy voice that heavily contrasts your stiff-robot face, fanning yourself for show.

You’ve always hated these kinds of customers– actually you really hated this job in general. Not only were you forced to wear a ridiculously, scandalously short pink waitress dress uniform regardless of your gender, but you had to listen to yourself talk with an ear-gratingly high-pitched tone because that’s what sells the performance here.

It’s not like you can just leave, as much as you wanted to. Where else would they pay you enough to make rent? Besides, with who runs this cafe, do you think you’d be able to leave scot-free? No.

Ah… if only someone with a lot of money could just… sweep you off your feet. Someone kind. Someone considerate. Someone polite.

Pff. Like that’s ever going to happen.

You take his usual order on your paper notepad. As you leave, you feel something heavy slap against your behind, the action sending a jolt through the rest of your body. You glance behind you and see him don a sleazy smirk, which further adds to your disgust and increasing resentment for this place and this man, as you pick up the pace to hand over the order to the chef. You slam the paper down onto the counter with a little more force than expected, warranting Remy’s attention.

“Which table?” he nonchalantly asks, cracking a couple of eggs onto the pan.

Somehow, despite wearing the same outfit as you, he maintains an extremely powerful look with his exposed bulging muscles and trimmed beard held by his hairnet. You envy the man.

“Table 13,” you grumble.

“Special sauce?”

“Special sauce.”

“Got it.”

The bell rings and in comes a trio of brothers in fancy suits, three of your most loyal customers, along with an unfamiliar face. Upon their request, the hostess leads them to a table in your section. You grab four menus before walking over and greeting them as usual.

“Hiiiii~ Welcome back to Petal Blush Cafe, dear guests. We’re so happy-happy to see you~” you say, with your iconic blank face.

The three men roar with delight. The lady with them, wearing the same kind of suit, simply pinches and pulls at her sleeve as she keeps her face downcast. One of the brothers turns to the lady with them while pointing at you. “Hey, Sis. Whatcha think of (Y/n), huh? That straight face and cute voice– combo’s real nice, ain’t it?”

“O-oh… um…” The woman makes eye contact with you for a split second before she looks away, a blush appearing on her face. She nods animatedly, releasing another roar from the men, much to your confusion.

“Oh right! (Y/n). You already know the three of us: Dante, Vergil and Nero. This,” Dante says, placing an arm around the lady’s shoulders, “is our baby sister, Lyn. She may look shy right now, but put a weapon in her hand and–” He whistles before chuckling.

“Ah. Happy-happy to have you, Lyn~” you say, cutely wiggling your fingers.

“... T-thank you… (Y/n).”

“Good girl,” one of the brothers sitting across pats her on the head. She reminds you of a golden retriever, with her blond hair and gentle, round eyes.

“Yay~ Now, what will it be today~?” you ask, clicking your pen.

They order some sandwiches and some drinks. You place the order in exchange for picking up the order for that sleazy customer who calls himself Papa. You and Remy exchange knowing looks before you deliver the food.

“Oooh. This looks delicious. Thank you very much, sweetheart.”

You nod and start walking away, before your arm is grabbed by a meaty hand. You turn your head around to see the man grinning at you maliciously. 

“Now, wait a gosh darn second. I heard that this establishment offers a… special service. Now… you aren’t holding off on me, are ya?”

You rip your arm out of his grasp, used to being grabbed by unscrupulous individuals like this man. You answer, “Oh~ The special service~ Sorry, hon~ That’s a privilege only reserved for customers who have dined here more than ten times~ Since you’ve come here once, that means you’ll have to come back nine more times.”

The special service in question refers to asking any server to sing the cafe’s jingle and perform a cutesy dance for the customer asking. Everyone who works here must learn this song and dance before they can be placed on the floor. Each server adds their own twist to it, of course, thus providing a unique experience.

The man slams a fist on the table and stands up, his face red with anger. “WHAT? I CANCELLED AN IMPORTANT MEETING FOR THIS. NOW IF YOU DON’T GIVE ME THE SPECIAL SERVICE, I AM GOING TO–”

Click!

Both your heads turn to the side to discover Lyn pointing a loaded revolver with one hand just a feet away, aimed directly for the man’s skull. Her eyes are sharp and narrowed, unlike the gentle, round ones you were introduced to earlier.

She raises her eyebrows. “Is there a problem here, sir?”

“D-do… do you know who you’re pointing that gun at, lady?” the man stutters, sweating beading up on his forehead.

Lyn shrugs. “Does it matter?”

“O-of course it does! Shoot me and you’ll have the West Razors going after you and your entire family.”

She raises an eyebrow. “... Never heard of them before.”

“What? Who are you then, huh bitch? Some don’s lady?”

She scoffs to the side. Her eyes widen, pupils contracting, as she cocked her head with a smirk. “Lyn Aurem-Diavolus. Of the May Devils.”

The man gasps and immediately lowers his knees, Lyn’s gun following. The man clasps his hands together in a prayer as he begs for his life. “I didn’t know! I didn’t know! Please forgive me! I didn’t know this server was your lover!”

…Who? Is what now?

Lyn’s eyes soften back to their round shape, her face darkening to a red hue as she stutters, “E-eh?”

“That’s right!” Dante pipes up with a smirk, coming behind Lyn, followed by the other two brothers. “Mess with (Y/n) again, and we’ll send you straight down to hell, capisce?” He gives the man a thumbs down with a frown. “Now scram.”who want to get on the bad side of the May Devils. The less competition, the better anyway.

Lyn replaces the safety lock before she puts it back into a hidden holster. She bashfully asks you, “Are you okay… (Y/n)?”

You nod and give a thumbs up. “Yeah. Thank you, Lyn~”

“N-no, well I mean yes, that too. But what I meant was–”

“Ooh, free sandwiches,” says Dante. “Don’t mind if I do–”

You throw a hand out. “No, wait!”

-----🔔-----

Ever since the brothers introduced you to Lyn, she has been visiting the cafe every day you’re scheduled to work for months now. Sometimes she comes with the brothers, sometimes by herself if they’re too busy dealing with… probably mafia stuff.

“Hiiiii~ Welcome to Petal Blush Cafe, dear guest. We’re so happy-happy to see you~”

“H-hi… (Y/n).”

At this point, there is no need to provide her with a menu anymore. She always orders a peanut butter milkshake and a plate of chocolate cake. Somehow, aside from the extreme sweet tooth she possesses, you always feel weird about giving her the chocolate cake. She’s definitely human but… she really does remind you of a very shy golden retriever… with perhaps a German shepherd side to her.

“Okay~ Here is your milkshake and your cake. Will there be anything else you’d like today, Lyn-Lyn~?”

You expect her to say no as per usual, but this time it seems she has something on her mind. Based on the way her face has turned red and her eyes look like they’re panicking.

“O-oh! U-um… (Y/n)?”

“Yes, Lyn-Lyn?”

“Do you… what time do you get off work? D-do you have time after work?”

That catches you off guard. “Why~?”

“UH… UM… I… I-I have something… to tell you! Come meet me behind the cafe.”

“Oh… kay. Okay~” you answer.

-----🔔-----

“Alright. Good job, everyone! Have a safe trip going home!”

“Yeah!” “Thank you! “Yes!” “Uh-huh.” “See ya!”

The day has ended and all of the customers have left. Your boss leaves first, but you and your coworkers stick around and begin making conversation.

“Oooh, you gonna go meet lover girl in the back, (Y/n)?”

You roll your eyes at a coworker’s words. “Ha ha. Real funny.”

“What does she wanna talk about anyway?”

You shrug, closing your locker. “Beats me.”

“Ooh, do you think she’s going to confess?”

You scoff. “No. Where’d you get that idea from?”

Your coworkers exchange looks before bursting into laughter.

Ever since that day when the don of the West Sharpies or something assumed you were Lyn’s lover, your coworkers have never let you live it down, especially with Lyn’s daily visits. She is… kind, considerate, polite, and she was pretty hot when she defended you back then. However! You do not have such a relationship with her, nor any kind of feelings like that.

You’re the last one to leave, the only one to leave through the back door to meet with Lyn. You see her leaning against the wall, dressed in her suit as always. The moment she spots you, she blushes again. She has never seen you in civilian clothes before, but you look so… beautiful. More so without the pink outfit.

“Sorry, did I keep you waiting?” you ask in your regular voice, out of character. Your face is still stiff though.

“O-oh, not at all, not at all. Um, here.”

She manifests a flower bouquet from behind for you. You take the bouquet, entranced by the largeness of it and how beautiful the colorful flowers look in the alleyway’s streetlight. When your eyes finally break away from the flowers, you find Lyn kneeling down on one knee and looking up at you with a very serious expression.

“Lyn?”

”(Y/n). Over these past several months,” she starts off, “I have been trying to figure out my feelings. I’ve thought about it over and over, tries to rationalize it as… as just infatuation, but… I know what’s in my heart. And I’ve finally come to a conclusion. Ever since I first met you, you have… captured my heart. I am in love with you, (Y/n).”

…..

You stare at her with wide eyes. “Huh?”

She clears her throat and starts glancing between you and the surroundings, embarrassed. “I-I know you may not feel the same. My brothers… and everyone else have told me already. And it’s not like I’ve really done anything to win your affection…” She mumbles something in between before continuing. “But if you give me the chance, I can show you what I’m capable of. As your potential girlfriend.”

She holds out a hand to you. “Will you… go out with me?”

“I…”

Do you want to try going out on a date with one of the May Devils, the youngest one too? You didn’t have any prior romantic feelings for the girl, which makes you feel bad. What if you never develop any feelings for her? What if she stops showing up to the cafe? What if you accidentally do something that triggers the entire famiglia after you?

In the midst of your thoughts, something dark emerges from you. A devil. It sits on your shoulder and whispers into your ear, “What if this is your chance to get out of here? She has money. You need money. It’s a match made in… well, ya know?”

…..

You smile, an expression Lyn hasn’t seen before but is entranced by, as you place your hand onto hers.

“I would love to.”

-----🔔-----

You hadn't expected to enjoy going out on dates with her, but you were sure glad that you said yes.

“(Y/n)! Look what I got for you!” Lyn excitedly says, holding a neatly wrapped box for you over your shoulder.

“Another one?” you chuckle, accepting the gift as she hugs you from behind and nuzzles the back of your neck. “Designer clothes. Designer bags. Luxuries cars. Lyn-Lyn, you're spoiling me too much. You're going to go bankrupt!”

She shakes her head, her hair tickles the back of your neck. “Mm mm mm mm. You're not being spoiled! You're being pampered! By me. Your loving, romantic girlfriend. Who regards you dearly very, very much! Forget about the money. Just let me enjoy spending it on you.”

You giggle and place a hand on her cheek, turning your head so you can share a kiss with her. Of course, Lyn starts planting lots of kisses on your face afterwards, like the lovely puppy she is.

You both fall into bed, full of laughter and joy until you both settle down to cuddle with each other. With your fingers interlocked with hers, Lyn gazes into yours with so much adoration, it makes you shy. You turn away and hide your face against the pillow.

“(Y/n), look at me,” she whispers.

You refuse, for a moment, but you make eye contact. You both gaze into each other's eyes, lovingly, until Lyn breaks the silence.

“I love you, (Y/n).

It makes you freeze, hearing those three words fall from her mouth for the first time in your relationship.

What shocks you more is that…

Well…

The thing is… normally… 

You're… supposed to say it back, right?

You open your mouth but not a single noise leaves it. You avert your eyes in shame, biting your lip.

Why can't you say it? After all she's done for you so far?

…..

“I-It's okay, (Y/n),” Lyn suddenly says, making you look at her. Her eyes and voice are filled with sadness. “I know… that it takes time for a person to develop feelings for someone. I mean, it took time for me to realize my feelings too, and… I did ask you out knowing that you might not… reciprocate my feelings. At least not yet. That's why people date, right? To get to know each other and hopefully fall in love. So… I'll wait for you. Besides, we’ve only dated for a month, right? I’ll do my best to make you fall in love with me. Okay? Prepare yourself~”

You nod, happy that Lyn still wants to be with you even if you can't say those three words back to her yet.

-----🔔-----

“Who are you talking to?”

You look up from your phone. “Oh! One of my old coworkers. He was just asking how I'm doing now since I've left the cafe. Thanks to you,” you answer, with a playful smile.

Lyn’s face doesn't share your expression. “Oh. Okay.”

You pout, wondering what's going on with Lyn lately. She'd catch you on the phone, ask you who you're talking to, and then ignore you until she finds something else to ask.

You crawl towards her on the bed and ask, “Lyn, I know you're upset. Do you want to talk about it?”

Lyn looks at you, looks away, and then looks back at you again before she leans forward and catches your lips with a kiss. She pushes you down onto the bed before releasing you from her lips and just looks at you.

Her eyes move from your eyes to your lips to your exposed collarbone before going back up to your eyes. She sighs before laying her entire weight on you, her head nestled in the crook of your neck.

“Lyn?”

“I love you, (Y/n)... Do you love me?”

“I…” Your voice catches in your throat for nth time.

You feel her breath as she sighs. “I know.”

Tears start to fill up your eyes out of frustration. “I'm sorry…”

She pops back on her elbows, worried. “Oh no, it's okay. Shh shh. It's okay. (Y/n). My (Y/n). I'm sorry,” she coos, caressing your cheek and wiping your tears.

For some reason, no matter what she did, nothing could spark you to say those three damned words back to her. It isn't your fault but…

It is starting to drive her insane.

[petz5]

Mixing up the standard "how would you change ranma 1/2 if you could do a modern version" question by asking if you would change shampoo and if so how. Beyond like making her character more respectful of Chinese people

I apologize if u intended for me to give my take on shampoo as a good person 😭 bc i actually really would adore her if it were the opposite. I want her to really lean in on being a yandere. Like she can still kind of be on the line between good and bad for most of the series, but I want her, over time, to become more and more aware that akane is a threat she needs to take seriously. Its kind of written like this already, if you squint lol, but I think by the arc with pink and link she should be getting more desperate for ranma to pay attention to her, and akane saving him (esp after her own grandmother gave akane the tools she used to fight her) should be what really gets the ball rolling on her becoming a more blatant villain, being especially exacerbated by ranma’s “proposal” to akane, and then culminating more or less in the same scene as in the final volume where she’s threatening to snap akane’s neck if ranma doesn’t agree to be not her husband but her slave

Like its pretty clear she doesn’t take akane very seriously already- why would she? She can’t cook, she’s not very feminine, she has a short temper, she doesn’t have much of a figure, ranma argues with her constantly anyway. Better to focus on REAL threats like ukyo, who can actually rival her in Wifely Skill TM. Ranma has to play nice so he won’t be on the streets, he’s not taking her fiancee status seriously. ….But he’s always hanging around her, even when visiting shampoo, and in fact maybe because he’s visiting shampoo and wants someone to be a buffer between them. He only comes to shampoo when he wants something, and she only gets his attention when she’s offering up another phony cure. She hates akane, and, deep down, she hates ranma even more. She can’t go back to her village without him without consequence, and he won’t even look her way! She’s owed him, that’s what her village’s law says! He thinks he gets to choose, but there is no choice, he’s hers, and the sooner he accepts that the better

Kiima doesn’t have to brainwash her, she willingly agrees when she’s presented with the opportunity to get rid of akane once and for all. Sure, there’s the caveat that she’s also supposed to kill ranma, but she doesn’t actually plan on being loyal to these dumb phoenix people. When ranma tricks her after agreeing to her terms and attacks her, she fights him for real, ready to actually kill him, especially when he seems almost willing to just let her so he can join akane in death. When mousse steps in between them she relents and lies about being brainwashed, but she can tell ranma doesn’t really buy it even if he lets it go in the moment for the sake of getting to saffron faster. When she bombs his wedding at the end she cements herself on his shit list for so purposefully endangering akane twice

Idk how exactly i’d end it but she wouldn’t just get off scot-free lol. She’d be SO FUN AS A REAL VILLAIN. i want her to get worse <3 i guess u could argue kodachi kind of fills this role but she’s not really a yandere…. like she’s just Like That even before meeting him. Shampoo’s like that specifically bc of her obsession with ranma and thats the driving force in her malicious behavior. Its sometimes lightly implied in canon but I want the line between her love and hate for ranma to be razor thin

[littlewestern]

City of Truro or GWR in general

Ohh, delightful pick! Man, I love this guy. Probably one of the few pieces of art I still like from my early days of drawing humanized engines too, lol.

Truro is so great, what a canvas we've been given as a fandom! That said, since his characterization is kind of sparse I hope you don't mind if I pepper in my own Truro here. I assume you won't since you asked me specifically, but y'know. Fair warning.

Truro is so wonderful because he's absolutely peak Just Some Guy, a regular-degular old passenger engine with job to do, who just so happened to do it really, really well one particular day. I could go on for a while about how I think this would have affected a lot of aspects of his service and preserved life, but the long and short of it is this: Truro enjoys his fame, but maintains an approachable humility that I think other engines are naturally drawn to. It's a potent combination which will easily snare both engines more famous than himself, and unsuspecting ones of more humble origins.

I've previously written him as something of a playboy in my human AU, but it's not that Truro himself is more romantically inclined than other engines, that's just how I decided human-engines would behave if given yearly access to rented ballroom space, hotel rooms, and free drinks. Engines (in Ray world) tend to take a long view of relationship feasibility, and as such are generally polyamorous by nature with a few notable exceptions. Human!Truro has dabbled in fleeting little flings with a few engines, including: NYC 999, the Pioneer Zephyr, and... Well. We all knew where this was going, right?

The only engine more speedy and handsome and dashing and famous than Truro is of course, The Flying Scotsman. It feels right, yeah?

Scotsman has this commanding presence you just won't find anywhere else outside of a room with a Gresley, and he's gregarious and smart and funny and just so winning. This type of personality is like catnip to most engines, but Truro is unique in that he can match that energy beat-for-beat with a sharp tongue and sardonic wit that Scotsman (unlike his brother) finds fascinating and intoxicating. Most engines in the company of the fastest engine in the world would struggle to maintain their composure, but Truro is cool as anything. It's the kind of situation where trying to have a conversation with them immediately feels like an intrusion, because they really only have eyes for each other.

I said most engines in Ray world would be polyamorous, but that's only as a result of the realities of engine life. If you're in service you're constantly away, or if you're preserved, you're probably not preserved at the same place. The logistics of your love life are of no concern to the people who are responsible for you. It's simply unreasonable to expect exclusivity in these cases.

That said, I think Truro and Scot would consider each other to be their first and best options for partners. I know this dynamic lives exclusively in my head, but I hope I was able to communicate why I love it so much without getting too far into the weeds. I feel like most people also ship this, so hopefully my take on it is fresh enough for you! Thanks for the ask!

[accirax]

https://www.tumblr.com/thecatgirl-luvmyrocky/761262351323381760/monster-inc-combined-with-disventure-camp-art-by?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/disventure-rewrite-takes/761255491718479872/someone-on-the-dsvc-subreddit-said-that-alec-was?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/canonically47/761218005602648064/im-not-the-only-one-whos-glad-dcas-is?source=share

Some interesting first few results after searching "#alec disventure camp" today.

shaking it up with some twitter/tumblr posts!

(⬇ i found the original upload on twitter by starshapeispret, please support the original artist!)

(translation: "five months since the idea came to me but if it works it works")

this art is so adorable!!! i love how they used Ellie's hair to make it look like she only had one eye. it would be funny to see a version of Monsters Inc where the monsters are... well, a bit more monstrous. like, if Alec and Ellie really enjoy terrifying children, and then they come across a wicked kid who isn't scared by anything, and it takes interacting with that problem child to realize that all kids deserve to be protected no matter what.

lol, i don't know how starting a disliked plotline and getting away with it scot free makes you win, but i'm liking the sound of Alec being the winner.

i said to someone recently that if you'd told me at the beginning of the season that someone on the Yellow Tribe was going to win the season, Riya probably would have been my fourth most likely pick, only because the idea of Yul winning is so cursed and Miriam obviously wasn't going to win a second time. Grett, Alec, and Connor all seemed much more likely to win, and i think the fandom would have vastly preferred crowning any of those three the winner over Riya.

the idea of DCAS being an in-universe scripted show is certainly an interesting one. i can almost see that more than it being an unscripted show-- the producers of Disventure Camp would probably support the idea of the biggest star winning because it would draw the most headlines.

it would even also explain things like the kiss-a-thon and Riya pushing Connor off of a horse. many people have critiqued the former as Kristal potentially punishing a teenage girl (Lake or Maggy) for not wanting to kiss a 50 year old man (Connor), but if the show was scripted in-universe, Kristal herself would have known that that wasn't going to happen, not just the ONC writers. and, if Connor breaking his leg was a scripted stunt, it would explain why Riya wouldn't go to jail or get kicked off the show for being so cruel to him.

c... conspiracy unlocked?

[mermaidsirennikita]

Historical romance with doggy style, please 🙈

Lol I got you. I love a good doggy scene in a sweeping beautiful love story lmao. I feel like doggy style is often written on the page (and onscreen) as being like... less connected or whatever, but I don't know, I think we need more of it, fictionally and probably societally.

(Not all of these are true blue doggy, I shall specify when I can remember)

It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas--I think technically it's a "stomach to the mattress" moment versus true hands and knees doggy, but Lisa's big twist to sex scenes is usually the hero flipping the heroine onto her stomach lol. I really like this one because it feels very true to Westcliff and Lillian's dynamic. Specifically, "and you called ME a savage".

Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas--Obviously Derek Craven fucks Sara from behind idk why anyone would think otherwise

Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare--The famous "fuck her over the desk while making her say his courtesy titles" scene. It's GREAT.

The Truth About Cads and Dukes by Elisa Braden--Another "fuck her over a desk" scene, albeit of the more "emotionally tormented" variety.

Any Duke in a Storm by Amalie Howard out 1/9--This has a doggy scene and I think additionally face sitting, and so much fun great stuff. I think at one point he comes grinding against her ass. Which we need to see more of in romance, tbh.

The Duke's Perfect Wife by Jennifer Ashley--Pretty sure this has doggy with light bondage.

The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare--It's been foreeever but I'm pretty sure this has it.

Joss and The Countess by S.M. LaViolette--Not only does it have this, but it has this and it is SO. FUCKING. HOT. Like this is a ridiculously hot book, I don't think I give it enough credit. I think he spanks her during? Not sure. More of that in historicals please.

Olivia and The Masked Duke by Grace Callaway--Pretty sure this has it. As does Fiona and the Enigmatic Earl. I mean, most Callaways. Grace writes REALLY good sex scenes, y'all, and is also one of the only historical romance writers I've read who has butt stuff in a lot of her books.

Something Spectacular by Alexis Hall--Has doggy with pegging :)

The Recruit by Monica McCarty--The heroine definitely sees him fucking someone else doggy style in the beginning (that said, it's all about him and the heroine... He doesn't come until they make eye contact and she's suuuuper into it). Pretty sure they also do it later due to... changes in her physique.

The Chief by Monica McCarty--The hero being really into fucking her from behind is literally a plot point lol

The Wolf and The Wallflower by Stacy Reid--I mean. He literally operates like a wolf. Fuck yeah he does it doggy

Never Met a Duke Like You by Amalie Howard--Bends her over in front of a dinosaur skeleton, iN PUBLIC no less

The Duke in Question by Amalie Howard--Heroine loses her virginity bent over against a tree

When a Girl Loves an Earl by Elisa Braden--The "PUT YER FILTHY SCOT INSIDE YE" scene (I have absolutely zero ragrets re: my love of it)

Scandal's Bride by Stephanie Laurens--Laurens heroes often LOVE hitting it from the back. But I don't know if I've yet read any that are quite as committed to it as Richard, who fucks Catriona like 72 times in this novel, with many of those times being when he has her on her hands and knees or otherwise bent over.

A Rake's Vow by Stephanie Laurens--Pretty sure this happens or a variation of it at least when Patience follows Vane into the solarium to confront him about him seeing another woman, to which he goes "that's my niece actually" while locking the doors, and when she's all "why are you locking the doors" he's like "IT'S A SOLARIUM" because all Cynster heroes know they're in a romance novel

[elizabethshaw]

thoughts on "echoes"!! under the cut bc of spoilers:

this boxset absolutely came out at one of the worst possible times for me (my busiest day of the week, at a time when i have 6 different exams, a presentation and also assessments for my home uni to prepare for), and i fear it may have regnited my 8das fixation somewhat which is. not something i have time for rn lmao. we'll see how it goes i guess! anyway personal stuff over now-

i definitely enjoyed it overall! i'm still not entirely sure where i'd rank it in comparison with the other post-stranded boxsets but it was a lot of fun, and it was (as expected) a joy to hear this tardis team together again :)

i will say however that i did have one major qualm with it, which is that i felt a bit let down with how little it followed through with the emotional plotlines set up in the preceding two sets. i got the feeling when listening to "what lies inside?" and "connections" that they were very much going somewhere with this team's (particularly helen's) emotional arc, and while i won't deny there were some nice scenes with them in this set, the fact that these threads were otherwise left to one side most of the time was a disappointment. there was potential to do some really interesting character work in continuation from the events of those previous episodes and it just. didn't happen. i don't want to sound too down about it because i did still really enjoy these stories, but i think this side of things was missing a little bit for me. hm.

anyway, episode-by-episode thoughts:

birdsong

i think this was my favourite of the set. i really love audio drama that leans into more horror-adjacent aspects (even though i'm not a massive horror fan otherwise tbh), and also love it when audio drama just gets kinda fucked up with it. this story hit on both counts for me :)

love that this continued the running trend from the previous boxsets of the episode starting with eight, liv and helen just getting to be silly for a bit before the Horrors inevitably happen :D

lowkey actually love the concept of barcodes as a written language! part of me wants to try and work out how that could work now

scots pine trees... it never rains... bracken... sand... they're literally in breckland lmao

saying that it does also have the Suffocating Quietness going on so i think i'm onto something here...

when the vortex previews for this set mentioned a family member of helen's first mentioned in doom coalition being relevant to this story, i wasn't expecting it to be the grandmother she mentioned in "ship in a bottle". however it was actually really nice to have helen's relationship with her developed further, and it was woven into the story well i thought

being Normal about the scene between liv and helen at the fireside. i am being so normal about it

"i'm not sure i could do this with anyone else, you know? everything from exploring strange new worlds... to talking about my family." i'm fine. i'm fine!!!

[putting on my clown shoes] this is how liv/helen can still be canon in some form before helen inevitably dies! :))

i love how vivid this story felt to me. i always end up getting visuals in my head as i listen with any audio drama but some stories end up, for storytelling or sound design reasons, or both, creating really clear and vivid pictures in my mind and this was definitely one of those

i hope to god that when i visit home over the summer and listen to these with my mum (who loves these audios but refuses to listen to them without me, which is kind of sweet of her), my dad is not in the same room. i love him but he absolutely would be asking me to pause it every few minutes so he could identify the bird calls and then also getting really frustrated when i inevitably end up being unable to guess any of them correctly myself lol. the pains of being related to an ornithologist

big fan of the way things got increasingly more disturbing towards the end. i do think the eight-liv-helen era has been lacking in terms of properly creepy stories (this is just my personal taste tbf), so it was cool having them properly lean into that for once. i have to say though the mental image of the scout's body with all the roots forcing their way into her eyes is not going to be leaving me for a long time

also thought the sound design was really well done on this one!! you could really feel the discomfort of the silence i think

got slightly choked up at helen and liv singing to bex as she died. i might have just been in a weird mood while i was listening to it but. yeah. it did something to me

anyway had a lot of fun with this episode! it had a lot of elements that appealed to me personally, and the character work it did was nice. i look forward to listening to it again one day :)

lost hearts

m.r. james episode!! i've only ever read two of his stories (both of which are products of me knowing this episode was coming haha), but was quite excited for this one regardless because a) ghost stories! and b) he's actually got connections to a village in the area i grew up in, and as i've never actually seen/heard any stories set where i come from in my life, it was neat to have a story in my favourite show, featuring some of my favourite characters, star someone more or less from where i'm from :')

have to say though i am disappointed to have lost the unofficial "will they namedrop great livermere" bet i had going on with my mum and brother. it's such a middle-of-nowhere village (it's not on the way to anywhere, has 3 streets (one of which is named "the street" and another of which is actually a dirt track), and you invariably see more chickens there than actual people), it would have been deeply amusing to me for it to have canonically existed in the dwu

loved all the direct (and indirect) callbacks to "the red lady" in this story! it felt fitting seeing as on some levels they do share certain elements in terms of plot/setting, and was also just fun for me as that is one of my favourite stories :)

was also a big fan of how active the story felt (not sure if that's quite the right word?) - each of the characters had a clear role to play and all the main cast got something to do, it never felt hugely like any of them were being sidelined, which does happen on occasion with 3+ person tardis teams

if helen had punched someone at some point in this story i honestly wouldn't have blamed her

"he's like the museum of cairo, stuffed inside a... well, a-" "a rude, ungracious little twerp?" oh my god askdfjdsfjkds

(let her swear!!!)

i like how the story was riffing off some of the plot/vibes of m.r. james' actual short story "lost hearts" (helpfully one of the two i've read)! it gave it that nice kind of connection, without feeling overly derivative and like it was straight-out copying it

my only main issue with this episode was that robert felt kinda underdeveloped. they started off well in his opening scene with liv, but i don't think we got enough of a chance to get to know him as a person after that point and i think the story suffered for it a little. i don't think it helped either that he's not a family member helen had ever mentioned prior to this episode, so they were essentially having to start from scratch and with everything else going on in the narrative, didn't quite find the time to give him sufficient detail

loved the emotional moments that were brought out when helen got erased... "helen, she's my- she's everything i have left" ough

and the salzburg parallels?? liv attempting to fly the tardis in a desperate attempt to rescue her friends, much like helen did? this is so... it's a lot

i won't lie, it did feel a bit odd to me that they would go to such lengths to avoid actually naming the uni in this episode as cambridge. i suppose it may have been to avoid spoiling the "it's m.r. james!!!" reveal at the end, but given that i think anyone who would have guessed it was him from the setting being cambridge probably would have guessed it anyway beforehand either from the episode blurb or the fact that the episode literally starts with him reciting one of his most famous short stories, it feels a little pointless. i mean i clocked it as an m.r. james episode when the set was announced and i had never read any of his work at that point lmao. not a glaring issue or anything, but felt like a weird choice

anyway loved helen getting to geek out a bit at the end... i love her :')

i think i'm going to have to relisten to this at some point so i can fully get my head around it but i did enjoy it!

slow beasts

this was a solid ep. not my favourite story this tardis team has ever had, but i did absolutely enjoy listening to it, and thought there were a lot of really good ideas in it!

the colonialism plotline especially worked really well for me, it felt pertinent in just the right sort of way. it's not necessarily something new for dr who, but i think it was definitely a good example of how to do it well.

i think "simple, but effective" is the way i'd sum this one up tbh. not exceptional, but it knew what it was setting out to do, did it, and did it well, and i think that worked. it did admittedly feel a bit strange after two more complex/experimental sort of stories, but i don't think that's any reflection on its actual quality

"here is the psychic paper. be confident. it only works if you're confident." "but... i- i'm not confident?" me if i got asked to use the psychic paper tbh

enjoyed the use of the translation circuit in this one :) i have a lot of thoughts on it as a general thing so i always like seeing the ways it gets utilized in different stories

so! had fun with these! a couple of things that maybe could have gone better, but overall a set of three stories i had good fun with and i suspect will enjoy listening to again. fingers crossed the december boxset is with these guys again and they do a bit more with helen's emotional plotlines next time :)

[yr-obedt-cicero]

Hi, how are you? I have a question:

Some time ago I came across an info that John Laurens had problems with alcohol, so i wanted to see if it was true and I couldn't really find any information about it (i'm terrible at research lol)

So now i'm turning to you for help, do you know if it's true?

thanks in advance 🙏

Hello, Anon, I'm alright.

Nothing really implies he did, and I think it's one of those common head cannons that due to repetition eventually became repackaged as factual. It is considerable that Laurens appears to have struggled with depression and self-worth, so it is very common that one would take consolation in the comforts of alcohol.

Although in general, drinking was a common aspect of Colonial life. Alcohol has played an important role in the country's history, that's it is even engrained in America's culture. Americans drank more alcohol during the colonial period than at any other time in history. When the very first Europeans arrived in the Americas, it was one of the key things they brought with them. Regardless of geographic or economic differences, spirits were an integral part of daily life in the colonies. According to reports, the average American consumed eight ounces of alcohol per day. And it made no difference. Americans drank beer and cider for breakfast, rum and wine for dinner, and claret, ratafias, creams, punches, and other evening concoctions. [x] Rum was by far the most popular drink in colonial America. By the time of the American Revolution, most colonists were consuming 3.7 gallons of rum per year. So, it was customary for many revolutionary soldiers - like Laurens - to drink as much as they could even. With that being said, Laurens likely drank like any other man of his time, but his relationship with alcohol doesn't appear to have been perilous or unhabitual.

Firstly, it seems lowly of his position in society and his class. Dr. Alexander Garden (1730−1791) - a Scot who came to America in 1752 seeking a milder climate for his lung condition - took a dim view of the low country planters, writing that they were; “absolutely above every occupation but eating, drinking, lolling, smoking, and sleeping, which five modes of action constitute the essence of their life and existence,” [x] (Bold text is mine)

Also, not to mention, his father seemed relatively disagreeing to any harsh connections with the drink, that I doubt Laurens would have allowed himself to fall into the habit. Laurens would frequently defer to his father's wishes, as he was the eldest son and Henry had high expectations for him. Henry would frequently use emotional manipulation to persuade or control Laurens to remain on the path he had planned for him. Henry oftentimes utilized Laurens's insecurities or flaws against him or threatened to denounce him should he step out of line. Due to this, Laurens would occasionally bend his initial ideas or course of action as his father wished. That's not to say Laurens always did such, and was perfect with obeying his father's every command, but this sort of thing seems like something Henry wouldn't allow to slip. Henry's relationships with his children, like those with his associates, were based on reciprocity. He expected duty and obedience in return for providing the children with a moral and material foundation on which to build their future. When Henry attempted to reconcile George Austin and his son and heir, George Jr. - who struggled with a drinking problem - he clearly demonstrated his understanding of parental love and obligations. After Austin emotionally and physically denounced his son, Henry urged his former partner to reconsider; “Nevertheless if he was my Son I would not altogether Cast him off. I would meet him upon his own terms & leave him without excuse & myself unimpeachable for Neglect.” [x] Although unfortunately, Austin had died before he could act on Henry's advice. So, while Henry may not have disowned Laurens, he was clearly disagreeing to the condition.

Henry didn't even agree with Laurens spending his time in company like such. Jacob Read, in particular, was known for drinking and carousing, both of which cost the elder Laurens time and reputation. Henry chastised Laurens for associating with men like Read, especially given their obvious moral shortcomings. Despite Laurens's word to the contrary, he assumed his son did attend the Cambridge party, which Read had most likely planned. And wrote him a lengthy reprimanding letter;

Are you so poor in valuable acquaintance, in Books, in Ideas, as to seek Company which inwardly you disapprove of—it cannot be—were you under any restraint while your Father was in England? No! you were his Companion his bosom friend_ whence then these retrograde motions immediately after his departure, like a Bird after long confinement fled from her Cage?_ have you grown sick of attention to your duty? can you do justice to those & to this, & safely take your bosom full of promiscuous new acquaintances? […]   [T]he eyes of your friends & of your Country are upon you, they are in expectation & think themselves in view of a valuable Casket, for your own sake, for theirs & for the sake of posterity disappoint them not by coming up a bundle of Carolina Rushes.

Source — The Papers of Henry Laurens: Dec. 12, 1774-Jan. 4, 1776

To which Laurens wrote guiltily back to his father that he had cut off the mentioned friends and that; “I was very well satisfied, before your Terrible letter gave the Alarm and call’d me home to Self-examination. You have shewn me such a Man as I almost hate. The more I look into my past Conduct, the more I despise what I was […] I supplicate Your Pardon, and Pity, how dare I ask to restore your Esteem, Your Unworthy, tho much afflicted and penitent Son,” [x]

Although it is said he likely had attended the wild “flaming shots pantless party”, so perhaps Laurens resented against his father's strict rulings once given somewhat of free will in the army. But that doesn't near anything like an addiction or confirmed coping mechanism, so I wouldn't consider that a “problem”.

Overall, nothing suggests such, he seems to have had an average relationship with alcohol as any other man of his time. Hope this helps!

[aces-and-angels]

buckle up, gang- it’s time for another chapter breakdown for ilw by @itlivesproject​ 

chapter 18 spoilers below:

If chapter 17 was like a punch to the face, then chapter 18 was like a hug from a friend (followed by another punch to the face- CONNOR MY GUY STAY SANE I’M COMING TO SAVE YOU). In terms of pacing, it was a necessary pause for the characters, especially MC (Rowan), to process their most recent revelation. 

🍪🥣🌳- turns out these hints from the sneak peak were actually wholesome LOL and are the center of what I wanted to make a deep dive about. 

This week, Rowan tells the rest of the gang about their true origins and we as players have the choice of who comes out to comfort them (nice touch btw PB had me conditioned to believe that this would be predetermined based on relationship points).

I’ve played through all three versions w/ Abel, Jocelyn, and Lincoln and it essentially boils down to the same message from each of them: they are accepting of Rowan regardless of who/what they are. There are, however, some nuances between each of the scenes that keeps them all unique- specifically revolving around how each of them responds to Amalia leaving Rowan. That’s right- even when the bestie ain’t around for most of the chapter she STILL is thing that’s weaving this all together #queen

Let’s start with Jocelyn 🥣:

Jocelyn takes the path of avoidance. This is very in character for her given that she has yet to properly make amends with everyone from high school for her bullying days (she does have the opportunity to apologize to ilitw!MC (Devon) in ch 14, but I believe she’s still on rocky terms with the rest of the ilitw gang). Ro’s insecurity about their existence is not unlike Joss’ insecurity over her past. Both of them hold feelings of guilt, remorse, and inadequacy. Her advice of leaving Amalia alone comes from her own experience with her past relationships. She is self-aware: she knows she was in the wrong, but she also knows that she’s not that person anymore (with or without the forgiveness of the ilitw crew). It’s more important for her to get Rowan to realize exactly who they are: Rowan. They were able to see the good in her despite her past, and now it’s her turn to return the favor. GOD I LOVE HER

Moving onto Lincoln 🌳: 

Oh, Lincoln🖤🖤🖤 His scene has a special place in my heart just bc it was so goddamn wholesome. But that’s not why we’re here lol

His temper has led to some unfavorable consequences- i.e. his rash decision to change up the senior prank to stealing the principal’s car which led to him and Abel getting arrested followed by his equally rash decision to not tell his dad that Abel was in jail with him. While we as players are never explicitly shown the immediate aftermath between Linc and Abel, we’re told enough to know that what happened severed their lifelong friendship. I think it’s safe to assume Lincoln had to spend many years alone without having a solid inner circle of people to rely on. So, in this instance, he can understand what Rowan is going through. He doesn’t say that’ll be okay between them- bc frankly, he doesn’t know. If Ro hadn’t reintroduced Abel back into his life, I’m not sure if/when they’d reconcile. What he does know is that Rowan isn’t the monster that they are making themselves out to be.

Veering off the main analysis for a bit to point this out. I wanted to see if there was a deeper meaning behind Lincoln showing Rowan the rowan tree- and there was! We’re 18 chapters in, so someone may have connected these dots already, but in case no one has: here ya go😊

Rowan – the ‘lady of the mountains’ 

The Rowan tree belongs to the rose family. It is sometimes known as the mountain ash, though it is not related to the ash, and sometimes ‘The Lady of the Mountain’ due to its ability to thrive in inhospitable mountainous environments.

The Rowan was one of the most sacred trees to the Celtic Druids and to the Scots who regarded it as so sacred it was forbidden to use any part of it except in very special religious ceremonies. When the Vikings invaded Scotland they used the wood from the Rowan trees to make Runes which were worn as amulets for protection from sorcery and the evil eye.

The Druids used rowan branches on funeral pyres as a symbol of death and rebirth and rowan trees planted in cemeteries are said to protect the dead from evil spirits. It was also one of the nine sacred trees to be burned in the Beltane fires to symbolize new beginnings.

Rowans were often planted near gates and doorways to protect against evil spirits and misfortune. 

Okay, interlude over. Let’s move on to my man Abel 🍪:

Now Abel... Abel’s scene caught my eye (and not just bc he’s the love of my life). The reason why: Rowan’s response. I disagree with it. Now before y’all jump me- hear me out lol. 

I understand why they say it. Abel by all means is a selfless character. This guy KNOWS sacrifice. He’s had to muscle through a lot of hardships in his life: the loss of both his parents, becoming the primary caretaker of his family, holding the burden of seeing ghosts for nearly 10 years. Eventually, all that strain wears a person out. Rowan takes notice of this whenever they see the bags under his eyes or the haunted look on his face. He also has the tendency to brush off his own needs for the sake of others. So it makes sense why they think it’s ironic for him to say it’s okay to be selfish. The thing is, Abel has been selfish. Maybe not with his family or with Rowan. Lincoln, however, is a different story.

It’s not outlandish to think that Abel considered Lincoln as family. And if we know one thing about Abel- it’s that he holds family very close to his heart. This makes their falling out feel like a complete betrayal to him. A wound so deep that he couldn’t see any way to mend it. Abel can swallow his grief, his fear, and his stress for his younger siblings- he does it out of love and duty. But with Lincoln? He chooses himself. Lincoln was the one outlet Abel gave himself to feel hurt. To feel angry. To feel sadness. To just simply feel. 

The advice he gives to Rowan: “You’re allowed to feel hurt. You’re allowed to feel upset” is most likely a mantra he had to repeat to himself over and over after his fallout with Lincoln. Why? Bc Abel’s not used to letting himself break. He’s the reliant one. Dependable, there whenever you need him to be. But he learned the hard way that you can only bend so far before you break. And with Lincoln, he shattered. 

And that’s all folks! This chapter really gave mental health check. Perhaps this was the writers way of giving us all the therapy we desperately needed from the trauma of previous chapters LMAOOO 

[eatyourheartvalentine]

Soo... Question ya know how everyone has like there own scent what would the guys smell like..?🐽👀 lol! Am just curious ..!! I hope my Question doesn't seem. weird 😭 (like cologne perfume??)

-poppy flower anon

🏵️

Fun fact! Mod Bunni has anosmia, which means she has no sense of smell. So Mod Cat will be taking care of this one!

Allar— definitely has sweet tones to him. He doesn't like to have his natural scent stick out often, so he uses sweet perfumes like candy or pastries. Cotton candy is the main scent he usually uses!

Louie— he uses cheap colognes most of the time. Nothing that assaults the nostrils, though. Bergamot, oak, stuff like that. But it barely covers up the smell of smoke that lingers on his clothing.

Mica— uses expensive and very niche colognes. Definitely the type to use cologne that has a rusty undertone. Sanguine. Usually smells very good and fresh!

Josh— probably has the most "masculine" scent out of these guys! He also uses cheap cologne, but the type that doesn't fully cover up his natural musk. Not in a gross way, though!

And just for fun, I picked out some perfumes/colognes that I think they'd smell most like!

Allar: Age of Innocence Top notes: bubblegum, cotton candy, strawberry

Heart notes: metal screech, rubber, gasoline, rose, car seats

Base notes: aquilaria malaccensis (natural oud), Haitian vetiver, cade, cedar

Heart notes: Marine Note, Jasmine, Rose, Iris

Last Birthday Cake Top notes: Blinding Light, Milk, Wick, Instant Cocoa, Peace Lilly, Bitter Almond, Cork, Malt

Heart notes: Armagnac, Stollen Cake, Brown Sugar, Vanilla Custard, Tonka Beans, Benzoin, Sweet Clover

Base notes: Rope Necklace, Chekhov’s Gun, Styrax, Skin, Tolu Balsam, Incense, Bran Absolute, Papyrus

Louie: Né il Giorno Né L'ora Top notes: Sandalwood, Tonka Bean, Amber, Musc

Base notes: Lemon, Bergamot, Cardamom, Galbanum, Cedar, Lily of the Valley

But Not Today Top notes: Bergamot, Artemisia, Lavender, Lemon

Heart notes: Styrax, Cascarilla, Rosemary, Calamus

Mica: Inexcusable Evil Top notes: gunpowder, ozone

Base notes: Angelica, Sandalwood, Oak Moss, Galbanum Resin, Amber, Musk

Heart notes: blood, bandages, iodine, burning flowers, guaiac wood, copaiba oil, nagarmotha

Base notes: fallen concrete, rain, incense, sandalwood

Baby Vamp Top notes: orchid

Heart notes: Smoke, blood

Base notes: Labdanum, tonka bean

Josh: Reliqvia Top notes: Patchouli, Incense, Cashmere Wood, Guaiac Wood, Sandalwood

Heart notes: Orange blossom, Scots pine, Cloves, Lentisk, Amyris

Base notes: Elemi, Sweet Orange, Black Currant, Nutmeg, Smoke Notes, Tobacco Leaves

Chameleon Top Notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Madagascar Ylang Ylang, Mango, Pink Pepper, Star Fruit, Violet Leaves

Heart Notes: Cashmeran, Clove, Coconut, Frangipani, Jasmine, Saffron, Salty Skin Accord, Sea Breeze

Base Notes: Amber, Woods, Musk, Opoponax, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Vetiver

[the-owl-tree]

I do like Discord being redeemed to an extent (more so for the potential rather than the execution in most episodes, and tbh I think that he was handled at least a bit better in the comics sometimes), but. I'm gonna be honest, the Grogar = Discord reveal is awful and pretty much soured his so-called 'redemption' for me even more. It's inconceivable to me Chrysalis, Cozy, and Tirek were punished to the fullest extent possible, but Discord got off scot free and even got to decide they would be turned to stone. The show was so wrapped up in impressing bronies, they didn't think anything through at all. I guess him getting magic back would make sense since we know Discord is in danger if he doesn't create some chaos, but nobody even questions if he should be at full power after that stunt. Like, regardless of if those three COULD change (and I would've liked to see Tirek, Cozy, and Chryalis grow as people), how is it fair for the ringleader to not suffer any consequences? Those three weren't even hurting anyone until Discord dragged them into his plan, and Sombra was dead until Discord brought him back. Nobody even cares Discord is responsible for destroying the elements of harmony AND getting everyone enslaved by Sombra just to "help" Twilight either, but somehow three guys who were no longer a major threat until he forced them (since we see him use force as Grogar to keep them in line too :/) into his plan deserve to be stone for who knows how long. Make it make sense.

Discord redemption is fun conceptually….but a bit wonky in execution.

I actually thought he had brought them back to see if he could redeem them himself! I thought the trio bonding would’ve lead to them seeing the magic of friendship but like, that would be too earnest for latter seasons of the talking neon pony cartoon. Gotta keep that cynical edge and self-awareness lest the bronies think our cartoon is cringe I guess.

Big missed opportunities all around. Friendship is magic except for these three I guess lol

[senditothemoonn]

Do you have any headcanons about Mathieu’s upbringing in canonverse? Did Scot and Francis raise him? What about Arthur?

In canonverse? 😅 I haven’t really thought of it but I suppose I’d make scotfra his “parents” lol. Because I am what? Sickening predictable.

Based on the fic @apersonwholikeslotus wrote, I am totally here for the 'idyllic cabin in the woods' life, far away from the hustle and bustle of a big city (of course Alasdair built the cabin himself 😤)

I think Alasdair would end up spending the most time the Matthieu because they go out together during the day. Alasdair makes sure to teach him all the skills he needs to survive in the wilderness. He wants to make sure that Matthieu can fend for himself in case he or Francis weren't around to care for him. They go out almost everyday. Francis stays in the cabin because ew. Mud. Gross. But he likes to watch them when they don't stray too far from home and he enjoys hearing about what they get up to every time they go exploring further - even if he does worry about them sometimes, he knows Alasdair would never let anything happen to Matthieu.

Most days, Alasdair will take Matthieu fishing or hunting for food, they go camping (and even manage to pursuade Francis to come along a couple of times), Alasdair shows Mattie how to wrestle bears and how to tell which way is north, you know, just the basics.

I think that's where Matthieu gets his love of the outdoors from. Even when he's an adult, I think he goes on hikes or camping trips or general expeditions into the wilderness and is always reminded of the time he spent with Alasdair as a child.

Matthieu spends his time at home with Francis who teaches him other stuff like cooking or how to style his hair properly, you know, the important stuff. In general, I think Francis is very maternal, he loves Matthieu a lot but just takes him a while to get used to a child, having never really been around babies before. Luckily Alasdair is there to guide him.

I've read a few fics where Arthur takes custody of Matthieu against Francis' will. I think that would make sense. He finds out about their setup and so he takes ownership of Mattie.

Alastair of course never forgives him and Francis is inconsolable. :(. I think Arthur would try and keep both of them away from Mattie. Alasdair would fight hard to see him and so would Francis at first but then he just gets too depressed and stops trying.

Eventually, I think Arthur would let Alasdair visit but never Francis and rarely without supervision as he's petrified of Francis turning Mattie against him.

There's this one fic by moonlighten where Alasdair is looking after Mattie on his own (without Arthur) and so he takes the opportunity to invite Francis. Francis thinks it's some kind of cruel joke on Arthur's part until he actually gets there, sees Alasdair and Mattie and they have a tearful reunion and I just 🥺🥺🥺 I can just imagine Francis being so lost without him and Mattie not really understanding what's going on, he just misses his papa :(((